Claimed off Waivers: [ARI] Coyotes claim F Adam Ruzicka off waivers from the Flames

[Flames Fanatic]

Best of luck to Ruzy, but consistency has been his enemy his whole career. We got super excited during a 10-20 game stretch, and then nadda since. Really had hopes he was going to take a top six spot this year, but got beaten out by multiple call ups.

 

[PhysicalGraffiti]

Hope this change of scenery works out well for him.

 

[crowi]

Just because someone is big, they're not instantly a power forward. It's like saying Matthews is a power forward. He isn't, Ruzicka isn't. They're finesse players more than that.

 

[SaintMorose]

High potential for Conroy to look mighty foolish on this one.

A stable role and some quality skilled linemates and Ruzicka could take off

I think if he becomes something it's going to take development resources the Flames aren't willing to commit to him over a Zary, Coronato, or a Pelletier who have shown more drive here than he has.

 

[Bond]

I think if he becomes something it's going to take development resources the Flames aren't willing to commit to him over a Zary, Coronato, or a Pelletier who have shown more drive here than he has.

The only way Conroy looks foolish is if this causes him to really commit to building his defensive game

 

[uncleben]

For those interested, this cost Arizona $41,250, paid to Calgary and not counted against the cap.



Season total: $761,250
21 claims

 

[DingDongCharlie]

30 goal season next year confirmed

 

[biturbo19]

Not the team i figured would claim him, but expected that someone would. GMs always like big players, even if they don't particularly play big. And Ruzicka has at least shown some flashes of offensive talent that are enough of a tease for someone to give him another try.

 

[Fig]

Good luck Rosie.

Yotes will probably like him in same way they liked Valimaki.

 

[Zirakzigil]

One of those players who has the tools and the toolbox goes missing. Wish him all the best.

 

[Reinhart]

I would argue that Ruzicka has shown a lot of talent.

The way I look at him is like this:

He has all the nice tools, and even comes with a really shiny toolbox. Size, speed, skill, skating ability, vision, and even hockey IQ. He literally has it all. However, the tool that is "compete" is actually a lock, and it has basically locked the toolbox. Darryl Sutter couldn't unlock him. Huska hasn't been able to either. Playing him in the top 6 with a lot of rope led to a fantastic start, but then somehow that lock had a timer on it and it snapped shut again. Playing him in the bottom 6 didn't unlock it. Scratching him didn't unlock it.

If Arizona manages to unlock it, you got yourselves a hell of a player for free. If not, you will just have another frustrating piece of the puzzle that doesn't quite fit anywhere. I will make this prediction - being a waiver claim and jumping to a new team should probably unlock him a little bit, and I bet he starts off well. Up to your coach to make sure that the lock doesn't close again.

I really hope he makes me eat crow. I was rooting for the kid, and I still will, even if it is no longer with team I cheer for. It isn't like there isn't any hope for him. Some players never get that 'drive', even at this level. Some players find it, and the ones that don't usually just squander the rest of their talents and find themselves in a different league eventually. Hopefully he finds it.

 

[Dead Coyote]

Sounds like Perlini or Cousins.

Can't argue with free but I highly doubt this goes anywhere. On the other hand I do trust our pro scouts a lot and we have done a lot of work with pretty much all the acquisitions we've acquired sans Dumba.

Durzi, Valimaki, Kesselring, Ghost, McBain, if anyone can do it, it probably is us. Unfortunately this also probably means there's no faith in Jenik and he walks this summer.

 

[Khrox]

He has all the nice tools, and even comes with a really shiny toolbox. Size, speed, skill, skating ability, vision, and even hockey IQ. He literally has it all. However, the tool that is "compete" is actually a lock, and it has basically locked the toolbox. Darryl Sutter couldn't unlock him. Huska hasn't been able to either. Playing him in the top 6 with a lot of rope led to a fantastic start, but then somehow that lock had a timer on it and it snapped shut again. Playing him in the bottom 6 didn't unlock it. Scratching him didn't unlock it.

This is a great analysis. And that's been him his entire career. Even in the OHL, he'll be on fire for like a 10 game stretch, and then borderline invisible for the next 25 (even if he got points, he just isn't noticeable, or really made an impact positively or negatively). It was the main knock on him his draft year, it's been the knock on him in his AHL career, and it's been the knock on him his whole NHL career.

Either way, I wish him the best

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Put him with Maccelli, guaranteed 10-20 goal scorer,

dude single handedly made Crouse 20+ goal scorer
and is puck feeding him to 30+ goal season today

 

[Bank Shot]

Remember when he had that hot start of like 20 points in 22 games and people were trying to call him the next Getzlaf?

Adam Ruzicka quietly having a breakout season

18 points in 23 games so far. Done great. Probaly already the best slovak forward.

forums.hfboards.com

Predictions of regression based on unsustainable shooting percent are so stick simple to make, but fans get fooled by it every.single.season.

 

[samsagat]

He sucks but maybe a change of scenery works for him, we'll see. Power forward types have annoyingly frustrating development curves sometimes.

Yep, power forwards like Nishushkin, Crouse, Zacha, etc.. took an eternity to develop.

If a team draft this kind of player high in a draft, patience is the key word cause if not, chances are another team will benefit from it.

 

[ManofSteel55]

The only way Conroy looks foolish is if this causes him to really commit to building his defensive game

Even then, if he's not progressing and not producing at the NHL level, then who cares if someone picked him up. Even if he becomes a good player for Arizona, we don't now if he would have in Calgary. Sometimes a player just needs a change of scenery and a new team to tell him the same things his first team did. Every team has a few guys in their history that they got rid of and turned into something more on another team.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

He sucks but maybe a change of scenery works for him, we'll see. Power forward types have annoyingly frustrating development curves sometimes.

Unfortunately, Adam Ruzicka does not fall into the "power forward" category. He is a large man with soft hands, that's about it.

 

[Fig]

One of those players who has the tools and the toolbox goes missing. Wish him all the best.

More like the dude with the impressive tools, but shows up the to jobsite and you find out the tools are still in his garage at home. Toolbox isn't inexplicably missing. It's annoyingly left behind.

 

[DJJones]

huh, well now that we just lost Dube and Greer this may have been a bit shortsighted haha

We're going to have to call half the Wranglers up.

 

[Fig]

huh, well now that we just lost Dube and Greer this may have been a bit shortsighted haha

We're going to have to call half the Wranglers up.

Or it's 4D chess.

We ain't tanking! We depleted!

 

[DJJones]

Or it's 4D chess.

We ain't tanking! We depleted!

I mean I don't hate it. Don't rush to fill the gaps. Trade some players. Let even more young guys fill those gaps.

You can still try but inevitably lose from lack of experience. Zary/Coronato/Pelletier should all be ready to go next year with a ton of cap space. Maybe find a couple bottom 6's from the rest of them.

 

[Fig]

I mean I don't hate it. Don't rush to fill the gaps. Trade some players. Let even more young guys fill those gaps.

You can still try but inevitably lose from lack of experience. Zary/Coronato/Pelletier should all be ready to go next year with a ton of cap space. Maybe find a couple bottom 6's from the rest of them.

Yep, if the kids always try their best and we treat it like a learning opportunity, then with the vets we have (or stuck with), there's a lot less complacency or worries if it's obvious they're currently still all way over their heads. Totally different than building a team and immediately handing the reins to a lot of the young guys who may or may not be ready for that responsibility. Do this over the next 3 to 15 months and as you said, don't be in a huge hurry to plug the gaps.

 

[DJJones]

Yep, if the kids always try their best and we treat it like a learning opportunity, then with the vets we have (or stuck with), there's a lot less complacency or worries if it's obvious they're currently still all way over their heads. Totally different than building a team and immediately handing the reins to a lot of the young guys who may or may not be ready for that responsibility. Do this over the next 3 to 15 months and as you said, don't be in a huge hurry to plug the gaps.

Ya as long as it's 3 months minimum.

I'd expect them to try and fill the wholes on defense in the summer.

 

[Fig]

Ya as long as it's 3 months minimum.

I'd expect them to try and fill the wholes on defense in the summer.

Well... holes in general. Like I'd be OK having major holes on the roster like 1RW and not rushing into another Neal scenario and just taking it easy if a good 1RW option doesn't transpire internally or externally. No need to force warm bodies for no reason.

Make good trades for good value vs rushing trades and getting stuck with bodies we don't really want.