GDT: 2023 Prospects Challenge, Sept. 15th-18th - LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo, NY

[Mgd31]

Parent definitely doesn't play small

Big boy play on Benson

 

[JimEIV]

Shitty goal

 

[Mgd31]

Crap goal

 

[Bleedred]

Of course I would say this, but Poulter has been a mess in this game.

The third goal against (I think it was the third?) wasn't good either. Even Sam said you want a save there. Sabres goalie has been much better.

I remember watching him last year and being highly unimpressed. I forgot if it was an actual preseason game or one of those training camp scrimmages we did with a mixture of the vets of rookies/AHL guys.

 

[Devs3cups]

Nemec has a knack for finding lanes to put pucks on net.

 

[Guttersniped]

Of course I would say this, but Poulter has been a mess in this game.

The third goal against (I think it was the third?) wasn't good either. Even Sam said you want a save there. Sabres goalie has been much better.

I remember watching him last year and being highly unimpressed. I forgot if it was an actual preseason game or one of those training camp scrimmages we did with a mixture of the vets of rookies/AHL guys.

It would have been at a 2022 Development Camp scrimmage, Poulter didn’t play in any of 3 Prospect Challenge games last season.

 

[jkrdevil]

Well good thing the core is still you and locked up. Outside of Luke and Nemec the prospect pool is drying up.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Well good thing the core is still you and locked up. Outside of Luke and Nemec the prospect pool is drying up.

The lack of anything even remotely resembling NHL forward talent is admittedly a little concerning.

 

[Guadana]

The lack of anything even remotely resembling NHL forward talent is admittedly a little concerning.

Devils have Hameenaho, Gritsyuk, Holtz and Bardakov in adult leagues, they are playing their role competently. May be one or two or even three(or even four) NHLers in this list. All four are our top forwards-prospects. And its nothing special that our prospect team cant create offense without them.

So with Jack, Nico, Dawson, Timo, Jesper under control we have enough core players and some depth. Of course we can find some talent on the market\NCAA students or even euro overagers.

But I agree, Devils should work harder with forwards drafting. Depth is thin.

 

[Bleedred]

It would have been at a 2022 Development Camp scrimmage, Poulter didn’t play in any of 3 Prospect Challenge games last season.

Yeah, I didn't think I watched any of the prospects tournament last year.

Well good thing the core is still you and locked up. Outside of Luke and Nemec the prospect pool is drying up.

The lack of anything even remotely resembling NHL forward talent is admittedly a little concerning.

Casey, Gritsyuk and maybe Hameenaho (did I spell it right?), none of whom will be here this camp.

 

[Guttersniped]

Devils have Hameenaho, Gritsyuk, Holtz and Bardakov in adult leagues, they are playing their role competently. May be one or two or even three(or even four) NHLers in this list. All four are our top forwards-prospects. And its nothing special that our prospect team cant create offense without them.

So with Jack, Nico, Dawson, Timo, Jesper under control we have enough core players and some depth. Of course we can find some talent on the market\NCAA students or even euro overagers.

But I agree, Devils should work harder with forwards drafting. Depth is thin.

I missed the Ottawa game and couldn’t make myself watch it. I wasn’t exactly super attentive with this one. (I couldn’t tell much of anything about Hatakka for instance. I think he PKed?)

The two forward invites not being centers broke me a bit.

We actually do have two centers: Engarås is a ECHL/AHL tweener and Friedmann was a bottom six center at Quinnipiac who didn’t produce until he 23 (he’s now 25). My apologies.

But Stillman f***ing sucks at center. I know, I know, strikethru “at center”, but seriously, he took 13 face-offs last year. He’s put out there as a scoring line center and it’s just depressing. He just skates around trying to look busy.

Stillman replaced Jace Isley, the invite who took 43 face-offs in the WHL and played center in the 1st game vs Ottawa. Sigh.

And poor Parent never played center in Juniors, but he’s also back at trying to do it here on one of the top lines, just like last year.

It’s really unfortunate that Pytlik sucks.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Well good thing the core is still you and locked up. Outside of Luke and Nemec the prospect pool is drying up.

This is what happens when all your top guys graduate or currently play in adult leagues and the big club is moving up the standings.

Not really concerned.

 

[My3Sons]

This is what happens when all your top guys graduate or currently play in adult leagues and the big club is moving up the standings.

Not really concerned.

It’s also a bit misleading as others have noted. Gritsyuk and Hameenaho and Malek and the other MHL/VHL/KHL guys are in Europe and Casey and Leddy and some others are in college and of course Luke and Hoktz aren’t playing. Granted NJ still downer have any prospect depth at center but they have abundant depth at other positions. Daws shoukd also be there.

 

[Guadana]

I missed the Ottawa game and couldn’t make myself watch it. I wasn’t exactly super attentive with this one. (I couldn’t tell much of anything about Hatakka for instance. I think he PKed?)

The two forward invites not being centers broke me a bit.

We actually do have two centers: Engarås is a ECHL/AHL tweener and Friedmann was a bottom six center at Quinnipiac who didn’t produce until he 23 (he’s now 25). My apologies.

But Stillman f***ing sucks at center. I know, I know, strikethru “at center”, but seriously, he took 13 face-offs last year. He’s put out there as a scoring line center and it’s just depressing. He just skates around trying to look busy.

Stillman replaced Jace Isley, the invite who took 43 face-offs in the WHL and played center in the 1st game vs Ottawa. Sigh.

And poor Parent never played center in Juniors, but he’s also back at trying to do it here on one of the top lines, just like last year.

It’s really unfortunate that Pytlik sucks.

Lack of centers, lack of defensive forecheckers(or two way forecheckers) who are positionally responsible, lack of drivers. Huuuge lack of dynamic players. Parent was the only dynamic player and may be Stillman but he made tonns of stuff wrong. Squires dried the play a couple if times, but acouple of times only.
For now we have no players with top 6 potential/ceiling in this squad. May be someone will develop his game a lot. And even third line driver/center/hard to play against player who can be key player in harder situations - there are no obvious candidates Filmon looks like a player with good potential of complimentary player, I like his good parts, but he is really raw - a lot of miss passes, fallings, he can't drive by his own. Squires - will see, may be there is something there, but for now its nothing really flashy or outstanding. I like how he works with his partners sometimes, he reads momentums well, can make some decision fast, but again - not that great skater, reason why he isn't dynamic, he isn't very physical, but its not like he can't fix his board battle skill and positioning.

After four drafts we strongly collected problems with forwards depth in the system and its not like we have no problems before it. We missed Zetterlund, Sharangovich, Talvitie, Seney, Speers, Boqvist, Anderson, Maltsev, Studenic, Moynihan, Hoelscher, Pakkila. Speers, Hoelscher are meh. Moynihan could be interesting center if he could skate well, he is McLeod very light. But other players are dynamic or/and hard to play against. Talvitie couldn't produce but skates, positionally could prevent and was annoying sometimes in a positive way. Zetterllund and Sharangovich are very good examples of what can happen if Squires or Filmon will develop a lot of parts of their game, and its questionable if they are able to do. Studenic, Maltsev, Boqvist and Anderson are hard to play against, Boqvist can drive, him and Studenic are dynamic. Even if Studenic can't fo offense, he is okay fourth liner/pk er, because he is good forechecker. Its not a high bar. And it's not like we can't find this type of player on the market/from ncaa. Maltsev and especially Boqvist are good defensive centers. Anderson is physical and good positionally. He can skate.

Its not like everybody are perfect but at least they were close to have all the tools for specific role. With Pytlick, Salminen, Hauser, Squires, Brown, Stillman, Baumgartner, Shlaine and Filmon we have lack of dynamic forward who can drive or being a pain in the vss. Outside from first round only Lenny and Zakhar looks like potential NHLers, who could be better than what we had. And its not a stone guarantee they will. Im not asking top 6 players, but it would be better to draft at least on the level devils drafted forwards before. Maltsev and Anderson aren't nhlers/regular nhlers, but they were more promising with their skill/positional game. Can I trade Stillman for Boqvist like now. Overall it was much stronger forward group than what we drafted in the last four years.

Thanks God, we drafted Hameenaho. I like what Fitz made with defense on the draft, its an opposition. Shero was stupidly bad with defense. But Fitz should overthink his forwards draft strategy. Its great we drafted Lenny and Dawson, Holtz and Bardakov are promising, its four forwards from four drafts - not that bad, but Devils drafted Bratt, Boqvist, Zetterlund, Sharangovich, Bastian, Gritsyuk in five years. Fitz could do better.

But im very thankful for defense.

 

[Hisch13r]

The forward drafting hasn’t been good enough but once Mercer’s signed we’re going to have the 5 most important forward pieces locked in for a long time. That’ll leave 3 remaining wing spots in the top 9 and we’ve got 4 promising wingers with Holtz, Gritsyuk, Lenni, and Filmon. If even just 2 of them hit we’re in a fine position. It’s not hard to fill one wing spot. The complete lack of centers in the pool is pathetic though. We’ve got Haula for 3 years though and he should still be solid for at least 2 of those. It shouldn’t be overly hard to find a 3C.

There is NOTHING concerning about this. We’re literally missing our 3 best forward prospects. We’re missing 4 of our 5 best overall prospects. Sure at least one is about to graduate and another is kind of at a do or die year but we’re contenders too so even having the pool we do is a luxury. We’re also missing our 2 best goalie prospects and we have 23 year old NHLer who potentially (big emphasis on potential because who knows) is a starter

 

[Guadana]

The forward drafting hasn’t been good enough but once Mercer’s signed we’re going to have the 5 most important forward pieces locked in for a long time. That’ll leave 3 remaining wing spots and we’ve got 4 promising wingers with Holtz, Gritsyuk, Lenni, and Filmon. If even just 2 of them hit we’re in a fine position. It’s not hard to fill one wing spot. The complete lack of centers in the pool is pathetic though. We’ve got Haula for 3 years though and he should still be solid for at least 2 of those. It shouldn’t be overly hard to fund a center.

There is NOTHING concerning about this. We’re literally missing our 3 best forward prospects. We’re missing 4 of our 5 best overall prospects. Sure at least one is about to graduate and another is kind of at a do or die year but we’re contenders too so even having the pool we do is a luxury. We’re also missing our 2 best goalie prospects and we 23 year old potential (big emphasis on potential because who knows) goalie.

Lack of centers and drivers depth is an issue in the injury case. Luxury is what Sabres have. Or Carolina(for their context of drafting position, "win now" situation, etc, their prospect pool isn't better but its much better for their situation and their forward pool is on the level or may be little better/at least have some/more players with higher ceiling )Of course we are doing fine and we will. But its not like Devils shouldn't rethink some parts of their strategy. And we talk about it. Its not like the only two option with us are drafting 1oa or winning the cup. Even if sometimes its look like a true) Devils can be better and deeper, especially in the long run. And they need to change/fix forward drafting direction to make longer contending window.

 

[Hisch13r]

Lack of centers and drivers depth is an issue in the injury case. Luxury is what Sabres have. Or Carolina(for their context of drafting position, "win now" situation, etc, their prospect pool isn't better but its much better for their situation and their forward pool is on the level or may be little better/at least have some/more players with higher ceiling )Of course we are doing fine and we will. But its not like Devils shouldn't rethink some parts of their strategy. And we talk about it. Its not like the only two option with us are drafting 1oa or winning the cup. Even if sometimes its look like a true) Devils can be better and deeper, especially in the long run. And they need to change/fix forward drafting direction to make longer contending window.

There is a lack of drivers in the pool with almost all of our good forward prospects being primarily shooters. On the other hand we have 4 elite drivers and maybe Mercer could turn out to be a good one. If in a few years the 3rd line is say Filmon/Gritsyuk-insert 3C-Lenni I think that’s likely pretty good. At worst it needs some help and with the elite talent we have we could easily slide a guy down to help out down the lineup. Boston last year is an example of that. They had the luxury of being able to slide a guy like Hall down to drive a top 3rd line.

The lack of centers is a thing but I do think it’s more if an annoyance than some huge problem. We have an elite 1-2 punch, a solid 3C, and a top 6 wing that can shift to the middle. That’s our situation for at least 3 years. That’s about as good as you could be set up. They do need to pick more centers and actual good ones rather than the Pytlik and Salminen shit but it’s not a real problem for us currently or in the next few years.

 

[Guadana]

There is a lack of drivers in the pool with almost all of our good forward prospects being primarily shooters. On the other hand we have 4 elite drivers and maybe Mercer could turn out to be a good one. If in a few years the 3rd line is say Filmon/Gritsyuk-insert 3C-Lenni I think that’s likely pretty good. At worst it needs some help and with the elite talent we have we could easily slide a guy down to help out down the lineup. Boston last year is an example of that. They had the luxury of being able to slide a guy like Hall down to drive a top 3rd line.

The lack of centers is a thing but I do think it’s more if an annoyance than some huge problem. We have an elite 1-2 punch, a solid 3C, and a top 6 wing that can shift to the middle. That’s our situation for at least 3 years. That’s about as good as you could be set up. They do need to pick more centers and actual good ones rather than the Pytlik and Salminen shit but it’s not a real problem for us currently or in the next few years.

For now Filmon isn't on the level of Gritsyuk and is far away from it. And its not like Gritsyuk is absolutely 2 way responsible Nhl player.
Lack of centers is a concern in injury situations like I said. Even if we slide Mercer to the middle, there is a thin depth behind. I understand that Fitz will find someone on the market or through the trades like he always did, but im talking about finding potential breakout prospect for longing contending window. I have no real/big worries about next three or four years. I'm talking about drafting, not about roster.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

I only watched the 1st period, fighting the flu and the camera work didn't help. Parent was the only player I liked, It wouldn't surprise me to see him take thr next step in the AHL and maybe earn a callup this year. He has that Lightning/Habs vibe to his game.

 

[mjd1001]

We aren't on the same level. At least half of their forward group are legit NHL prospects with 4 guys who are solid bets to be top 6ers. We have like 2 legit forward prospects and are probably 3rd liners if they hit.

Agreed. Its not a slight in any way that some prospects didn't look good. Buf has a few guys who played in the AHL last year a full year and by the end of the year were closing in on being dominant in the AHL (including playoffs) and now about 5 months later they are playing in a prospects game. They played against players at a higher level of their development.

 

[Hisch13r]

Agreed. Its not a slight in any way that some prospects didn't look good. Buf has a few guys who played in the AHL last year a full year and by the end of the year were closing in on being dominant in the AHL (including playoffs) and now about 5 months later they are playing in a prospects game. They played against players at a higher level of their development.

All in all the team didn’t really play bad either. Another game where they play pretty well but just don’t have the goaltending at all and the talent isn’t really on the roster to score much

 

[Mgd31]

I only watched the 1st period, fighting the flu and the camera work didn't help. Parent was the only player I liked, It wouldn't surprise me to see him take thr next step in the AHL and maybe earn a callup this year. He has that Lightning/Habs vibe to his game.

Looked better than Clarke and Stillman which says a lot about those 2.

 

[Hisch13r]

Looked better than Clarke and Stillman which says a lot about those 2.

Not much of a surprise with Stillman. I wasn’t overly high on Clarke but be should be better than he’s been.

 

[Guadana]

Looked better than Clarke and Stillman which says a lot about those 2.

Being better than Stillman is not a high bar.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Can't say I watched every second of these games, but from what I saw, outside of Nemec, Filmon, and Misyul...the rest of these guys should be thrown in the trash