Toggle sidebar

Prospect Info: "All Things AHL" Part III...

MortiestOfMortys

Registered User
Jun 27, 2015
4,740
1,702
Denver, CO
2 Minute Minor said:
Several close San Jose observers felt he was a borderline NHL player and were baffled at the ECHL assignment. It's not a trivial development that he is being released, and I don't think it's odd to be a bit surprised. There were indications that he was just in need of a fresh start...but the Blues are a defensive prospect group that is pretty tough to break into.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Abeltshauser getting sent to the ECHL sounded more like a political thing at the time. ECHL for defensemen and goalies is not the same death sentence as it is for forwards anyways. I thought we robbed the Sharks when we signed this guy. Clearly... not so much.

Just goes to show how important mobility/speed are.
 

BlueDream

Registered User
Aug 30, 2011
25,793
14,209
2 Minute Minor said:
Several close San Jose observers felt he was a borderline NHL player and were baffled at the ECHL assignment. It's not a trivial development that he is being released, and I don't think it's odd to be a bit surprised. There were indications that he was just in need of a fresh start...but the Blues are a defensive prospect group that is pretty tough to break into.
Click to expand...
Observers meaning fans? Yeah they can think what they want but management obviously thought he sucked enough to trade him for nothing.

He might have had potential at one point (and also has size) so they might have liked that, but I think I'll side with management, coaching and scouts over the fanbase on this one given how they handled him. If he was that close to being NHL ready, the Sharks of all teams - who could use another good defenseman - would not have moved him. Their defense outside their top 4 is pretty horrible, when you have the likes of Matt Tennyson and Dylan DeMelo playing (yeah, who?)
 

MortiestOfMortys

Registered User
Jun 27, 2015
4,740
1,702
Denver, CO
BlueDream said:
Observers meaning fans? Yeah they can think what they want but management obviously thought he sucked enough to trade him for nothing.

He might have had potential at one point (and also has size) so they might have liked that, but I think I'll side with management, coaching and scouts over the fanbase on this one given how they handled him. If he was that close to being NHL ready, the Sharks of all teams - who could use another good defenseman - would not have moved him. Their defense outside their top 4 is pretty horrible, when you have the likes of Matt Tennyson and Dylan DeMelo playing (yeah, who?)
Click to expand...

I seem to remember a lot of his scouting reports being mostly positive. A few press folks were surprised too, so it wasn't all fan speculation. There were some stories about there being some drama when he got sent down, I'm on my phone or else I'd hunt it down.

Nobody expected him to be the first call up, but to be outright waived, when *our* AHL depth isn't exactly impressive these days, was a little surprising.

I think the lesson in all of this is that it's extremely hard to assess defensive talent. Not a whole lot of stats that can help you out there, especially with junior/AHL-level players where you don't necessarly have any of the fancy stats that can be used to assess defensive talent in the NHL.

Anyways, good luck to Konrad, I hope he makes it somewhere. Seems to be a really good guy. Got a lot of press for taking part in team charity activities and stuff like that.
 
2 Minute Minor

2 Minute Minor

Hi Keeba!
Jun 3, 2008
15,615
124
Temple, Texas
BlueDream said:
Observers meaning fans? Yeah they can think what they want but management obviously thought he sucked enough to trade him for nothing.

He might have had potential at one point (and also has size) so they might have liked that, but I think I'll side with management, coaching and scouts over the fanbase on this one given how they handled him. If he was that close to being NHL ready, the Sharks of all teams - who could use another good defenseman - would not have moved him. Their defense outside their top 4 is pretty horrible, when you have the likes of Matt Tennyson and Dylan DeMelo playing (yeah, who?)
Click to expand...

You are free to dismiss the reports from the time of the trade. I'm not sure what motivates that agenda, but whatever. Why would the Blues even bother to acquire him if he was so hopeless?

Regardless, Things didn't go well for Konrad and his career in North America is probably over.
 

execwrite

Registered User
May 4, 2002
3,986
0
Peekskill, NY
Visit site
Seems the Wolves aren't planning on getting any of the call-ups to St. Louis back soon.

WOLVES SIGN DANIELS, NIGHTINGALE AND CHOUINARD



January 17, 2016

The Chicago Wolves announced Sunday they have signed defensemen Drew Daniels, Jared Nightingale and Joel Chouinard to Professional Tryout Contracts (PTO). In addition, Wolves defenseman Andre Benoit has been reassigned to St. Louis (NHL) and defenseman Konrad Abeltshauser’s contract has been terminated.

Daniels, 26, has spent most of the 2015-16 season with the Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL), where he has notched 4 goals, 15 assists and a +13 plus/minus rating in 25 games. The Suffern, N.Y., native also made his American Hockey League debut this season as he appeared in three games for the Utica Comets.

Nightingale, 33, has produced 7 assists and a +6 plus/minus rating in 35 games for the Toledo Walleye (ECHL). This marks the Jackson, Mich., native’s second tour with the Wolves as he appeared in five games for the 2007-08 squad that captured the Calder Cup.

Chouinard, 25, owns 5 goals and 15 assists in 30 games for Toledo. The Sherbrooke, Quebec, native started his professional career in 2010-11 with the Lake Erie Monsters and has 15 goals and 31 assists in 167 AHL games.
 

BlueDream

Registered User
Aug 30, 2011
25,793
14,209
This still makes very little sense to me unless we know we're trading a guy or two.
 
ChicagoBlues

ChicagoBlues

Sentient
Oct 24, 2006
14,265
5,445
Klank Loves You said:
Do you have any input? I never expected Andre Benoit to even come close to the ice for the Blues. I fully regarded him as a Wolves player.
Click to expand...

:laugh:

When I read that, I immediately thought of Lydia Rodarte-Quayle. She was a character on Breaking Bad who asked Mike to kill eleven men in prison by saying "I'd love to hear your input."

Anyway...

Benoit is well-known for his high hockey IQ and terrific passing, shot, vision. The knock on him is his skating. Kinda slow. Otherwise, he is very good.
 
Celtic Note

Celtic Note

Living the dream
Dec 22, 2006
16,931
5,716
ChicagoBlues said:
:laugh:

When I read that, I immediately thought of Lydia Rodarte-Quayle. She was a character on Breaking Bad who asked Mike to kill eleven men in prison by saying "I'd love to hear your input."

Anyway...

Benoit is well-known for his high hockey IQ and terrific passing, shot, vision. The knock on him is his skating. Kinda slow. Otherwise, he is very good.
Click to expand...
I would agree with that assessment. He is a pretty solid AHL D and one I wouldn't mind filling in at times like these.
 
Robb_K

Robb_K

Registered User
Apr 26, 2007
21,035
11,175
NordHolandNethrlands
Celtic Note said:
I would agree with that assessment. He is a pretty solid AHL D and one I wouldn't mind filling in at times like these.
Click to expand...

Isn't he too slow to defend well on The NHL level? EVEN if there is a trade in the works that reduces The Blues' NHL single-contract defencemen by one, I don't think The Blues plan to use Benoit in an NHL game. He's probably just called up to be the scratched D-man for a game or 2 until Bouwmeester is ready and Bortuzzo returns (he's also been injured).
 
Last edited:

Frenzy31

Registered User
May 21, 2003
7,199
2,011
Overkamp said:
Nope. He's still up.

Maybe Gunnar isn't going to be back as soon as we thought or Bouwmeester isn't going to be ready tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Bertuzzo is out with lower body injury. It maybe just being unhappy with Butlers play and sending him a message.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Ad

Latest posts

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

Top Bottom