A.J. Thelen concerns

[Hug Ben Laf]

Hello everyone. In my mind A.J. Telen can be the next Rob Blake or Jeff Jillson. So I wondering for ppl who have watch him play, does he have a hard shot like Rob Blake or even Al MacinnIs?

But from what I read on Thelen and Jillson, they seem to be each others clone. They are both american, they got almost the same size, good skating ability, good passing game, a hard shot, offensive d-men with some issue in their own end and they are both developed in CCHA!

So guys, any comment?

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[Vlad The Impaler]

Hello everyone. In my mind A.J. Telen can be the next Rob Blake or Jeff Jillson. So I wondering for ppl who have watch him play, does he have a hard shot like Rob Blake or even Al MacinnIs?

But from what I read on Thelen and Jillson, they seem to be each others clone. They are both american, they got almost the same size, good skating ability, good passing game, a hard shot, offensive d-men with some issue in their own end and they are both developed in CCHA!

So guys, any comment?

Yes, one comment. I have been on HF since 1998.

You know what some clowns were telling me back then (and up to 2000) when they were talking about small offensive forwards?

I like him, but I'm afraid he's going to be the next Daniel Briere-bust and never make it in the NHL

This is amusingly simlar to what you are doing here.

If you want to suggest the possible path that Thelen's development could take, logic would suggest you use two defensemen who have completed their development, and not suggest that Thelen will either become a 35 years old superstar stud or a 23 years old raw baby.

We could have a discussion on Jillson and whether he will make it or not, which is entirely acceptable. But that was a totally inappropriate comparison to put him at the other end of a veteran who has already played most of his prime hockey.

PS: Briere was about 23 years old when he finally *broke into the league*. Jillson is about that age and has already over 100 games under his belt. He is considered by anyone knowledgeable as a long term project. He's dumb, but the physical tools are impressive and so is the shot. Most defensemen take their time today and Jillson will more than others. The end result is still in the air and we could write a complete thread on that. I personally believe he is risky but DOES have impressive upside still.

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

But from what I read on Thelen and Jillson, they seem to be each others clone. They are both american, they got almost the same size, good skating ability, good passing game, a hard shot, offensive d-men with some issue in their own end and they are both developed in CCHA!

On the skating ability, Jillson is highly overrated. Yes, everybody keeps on saying this guy skates well but when I see him, I think his *mobility* is very average. This guy is fast only after he gains considerable momentum. Good for his puck rushes but the rest of his game suffers. It doesn't help that he has an extremely poor hockey sense unless he is in the O-zone. Slow to make decisions and then lackluster mobility to execute decisions. He needs to smarten up, work on some aspects of his game and gain confidence on a consistent basis. If he does that, however, you will have a defenseman version of Todd Bertuzzi.

Thelen seems to have better mobility, IMO. Or at the very least makes up his mind faster as to where he needs to go.

 

[Wild Bill]

Here's a pretty good article on A.J.

http://www.startribune.com/stories/1330/4848787.html

I like this part especially,

Thompson said Thelen's offensive prowess rests predominantly in his shot. Thelen participated in the Wild skills competition in 2000 and blasted a slapper on par with the Wild's hardest shot recorded by Stacy Roest. Thelen, at the time, was 14. His slapshot has since been clocked at 95 miles per hour.

 

[Hug Ben Laf]

Here's a pretty good article on A.J.

http://www.startribune.com/stories/1330/4848787.html

I like this part especially,

What did Rob Blake and Al MacinnIs recorded at the All-Star slapshot event

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Hello everyone. In my mind A.J. Telen can be the next Rob Blake or Jeff Jillson. So I wondering for ppl who have watch him play, does he have a hard shot like Rob Blake or even Al MacinnIs?

But from what I read on Thelen and Jillson, they seem to be each others clone. They are both american, they got almost the same size, good skating ability, good passing game, a hard shot, offensive d-men with some issue in their own end and they are both developed in CCHA!

So guys, any comment?

I don't think this is a great time to make any determinations about Thelen's long term potential. He's only 17, the 2nd youngest player in NCAA hockey this year. As a result, any deficiencies in his defensive game have to be taken with a grain of salt. We'll see in the next few years how well rounded his game becomes. His offensive game is pretty top notch though.

 

[ceber]

I'd be more concerned with how often he gets his shot on net than how hard it is. Kuba's shot can be over 95, but not many think he's got a great offensive shot. He doesn't get it through traffic enough. Thelen's already had more goals in the CCHA than Jillson ever did, and as others have pointed out, he's only 17. Way too early to have concerns, IMO.