Benoit Poulliot - Ready or Not?

[Wild Thing]

The Wild boards are inundated these days with posters who seem convinced that Benoit Poulliot is ready to make the team straight out of camp this season, and I'm trying to figure out where this is coming from. The only games I saw him play last year were in the WJC, but from what I read over the course of the season, he didn't seem to be doing anything particularly special. Based on what I read, I don't see any reason to rush him, but maybe these other posters know something i don't.

So. Those of you who did see him play last season, what's the deal? Would you say he's ready, or could he use a year of heavy minutes in the AHL?

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[Blind Gardien]

From watching him in the OHL last year, I would have said "heavy minutes in the AHL, definitely." But I certainly acknowledge that you can't always go by that kind of rule of thumb. He has plenty of physical skills, and if he has added enough strength over the off-season and a tad more mental discipline, and if Minnesota thinks they have the right spot for him in the lineup, I guess anything is possible. But normally, I would have thought he'd be at the kind of raw stage where maybe only expansion teams take a player like that straight out of junior? And I think Minnesota has a much deeper team than that. Seems like a reach, but who knows what training camp brings.

 

[Brock]

I personally think that Pouliot is about 2 years away from being anything close to a serviceable NHL player. I think that he needs at least one season in the AHL and maybe part of another.

He has trouble with consistency, especially in the goal scoring department and it all revolves around his drive to score those goals. He's got the tools but he's a project and always has been.

He's really got a lot of faces to his game and it's unsure which is really him. I mean in his draft year and at times this year, he's a relatively offense only type of player who still uses his size and speed. Then there are other times where he acts like a grinder, such as the WJC's for example where he hits everything in sight, mucks it up in the corners and infront of the net and backchecks, but he seems incapable of performing both duties at the same time, being that scorer with an edge and size.

I think he definitely needs time in the AHL to find that middle ground and to find his game and his consistency. If he's rushed I think he's the type of player the runs the risk of being turned into primarily a grinder (see Manny Malhotra), or even worse into a guy who never finds his confidence scoring goals and gives up entirely.

 

[Blind Gardien]

I personally think that Pouliot is about 2 years away from being anything close to a serviceable NHL player. I think that he needs at least one season in the AHL and maybe part of another.

He has trouble with consistency, especially in the goal scoring department and it all revolves around his drive to score those goals. He's got the tools but he's a project and always has been.

He's really got a lot of faces to his game and it's unsure which is really him. I mean in his draft year and at times this year, he's a relatively offense only type of player who still uses his size and speed. Then there are other times where he acts like a grinder, such as the WJC's for example where he hits everything in sight, mucks it up in the corners and infront of the net and backchecks, but he seems incapable of performing both duties at the same time, being that scorer with an edge and size.

I think he definitely needs time in the AHL to find that middle ground and to find his game and his consistency. If he's rushed I think he's the type of player the runs the risk of being turned into primarily a grinder (see Manny Malhotra), or even worse into a guy who never finds his confidence scoring goals and gives up entirely.

I think that's a good way of looking at it... and the bottom line is why on earth would you take the risk if you're Minnesota? Pouliot flashes so many enticing elements, you'd just love to see him get them all together. Why try to accelerate the process and take the chance on messing him up? They don't need him in the lineup, he won't add anything right now that they don't have already, they don't need to trick the fans with PR to sell tickets or anything, there just doesn't seem to be any sensible reason to rush him. Let him get his game together, he needs it, and at the end of the day he's perhaps a star. Rush him and you're rolling the dice. That's the impression I'd have entering camp, anyway. Anybody can win a spot if they show they deserve it. But I wouldn't be expecting Pouliot to do it. He may be 20 by the time the season starts, but it's a relatively young 20 in terms of hockey development, IMO. I just can't see him in his current raw, inconsistent, undisciplined state being any kind of fit with Lemaire?

 

[Vincent_TheGreat]

Give him 1 year in the AHL and he should be ready to make an impact in the NHL.

 

[West]

The guy is 6'3 and 190 lbs. His skill and skating are NHL ready IMO but I really think that he needs to put on an extra 20lbs of muscle. Give him an extra 2 years playing in the AHL to put on the muscle and I think he'll be ready to step in as a top 6 forward.

He shouldn't lose anything playing in the AHL developement wise. It's a no brainer IMO.

 

[Redwingsfan]

a year in the AHL would do him good. but why cant he just play another season in the ohl. and i believe he will be a first line player for the wild. just look at his development. a year before he was drafted nobody had even heard of him and a year later was drafted fourth overall. i think sky is the limit for this kid if he continues to develop the way he has. but he is probably not nhl ready rignt now give him a year ot two and he will be a very important player for the wild.

 

[nuckfan insk]

if patty "o" (sorry to bring him up) didnt play all year and got heavy ahl minutes why would pouliot get a nhl job, i think patty was better at this time last year. i see him in the ahl

 

[Chrisd]

The logic behind pouliot possibly getting a job is simple...

He was the last wild cut last year before camp, they were deep into discussions to keep him, he fell off the last game or two in preseason or they were gonna keep him. They were talking to his agent about a deal and everything...

 

[vitogor]

The logic behind pouliot possibly getting a job is simple...

He was the last wild cut last year before camp, they were deep into discussions to keep him, he fell off the last game or two in preseason or they were gonna keep him. They were talking to his agent about a deal and everything...

Personally, I think it was more of a confidence building move than anything else. Show a guy that he is this close to making the big club, and he will work that much harder all year.

 

[Chrisd]

well i saw him in his first 2 games in preseason last year...he didnt look out of place skating with rolston and whoever else it was...

He looked legit out there...flying around.

I'm not saying he'll make it this year, but the possibility is there forsure.

 

[wabwat]

i find this particularly interesting, because i noticed a good amount of Wild fans are of the opinion the Poulliot is the better prospect between he and Patrick O'Sullivan.

 

[The Big E]

i find this particularly interesting, because i noticed a good amount of Wild fans are of the opinion the Poulliot is the better prospect between he and Patrick O'Sullivan.

Nah ... O'Sullivan was more of a sure bet, a potential team leader and I think more long-term upside. More mature as a person and obviously showed his maturity as a player in the AHL. I look at it this way: You promise a kid a certain toy then take it away and replace it with another ... the kid is going to rationalize why he really wanted the new toy once he's done crying .

We're just grieving losing a guy who'll probably do really well tormenting the Wild. With really bad luck O'Sullivan will become captain of the Kings and lead them deep into the play-offs year after year. Oog. I'm getting a headache now ...

The Big E

 

[Transported Upstater]

I think Pouliot needs a year in Houston.

 

[Chrisd]

Nah ... O'Sullivan was more of a sure bet, a potential team leader and I think more long-term upside. More mature as a person and obviously showed his maturity as a player in the AHL. I look at it this way: You promise a kid a certain toy then take it away and replace it with another ... the kid is going to rationalize why he really wanted the new toy once he's done crying .

We're just grieving losing a guy who'll probably do really well tormenting the Wild. With really bad luck O'Sullivan will become captain of the Kings and lead them deep into the play-offs year after year. Oog. I'm getting a headache now ...

The Big E

wow talk about pissing and moaning...

You get a player of demitras stature..and you're still upset, quite frankly gaborik wasn't gonna stay if they didn't get more talent here, and they got his buddy, it's always best to keep the franchise player happy.

At the end of the day O'sullivan is still a prospect and must prove his worth at the show. Why judge now if its a bad move or not, give it time to play out atleast..

Maybe you will be thinking differently if gaborik scores 50 and demitra is a wild beast out there....

Kings gave up tambellini and grebshekov for what...mark parrish i think it was and sopel...

Prospects are traded all the time...wild got a PPG proven player and a guy our star player deserves, gaborik deserves that stud linemate, it's about time.

Some people are glass half empty i guess, oh well.

Anyways on pouliot, it's his for the taking if he wants it, we'll see, and no the AHL wouldn't hurt his development.

 

[Wild Thing]

The logic behind pouliot possibly getting a job is simple...

He was the last wild cut last year before camp, they were deep into discussions to keep him, he fell off the last game or two in preseason or they were gonna keep him. They were talking to his agent about a deal and everything...

First off, I never really believed he was ready to make the team last year. I don't know if that was Doug being stupid again (ala Burns, Bouchard), or Doug being full of crap, but I think it would have been utterly foolish to keep him last season, and I was very relieved when sanity broke out and he was sent back to his junior team where he belonged. The inconsistent and unimpressive performance he turned in over the course of the season strongly suggests that sitting in the press box in St. Paul all year would have been the absolute worst thing for his development.

Second, even if he was really close to making the team last year, this is a different year. The team's better this year, and I don't see what he's done in the past season to make himself that much better - whereas Voloshenko and Foy have both made steady improvement down in Houston, and seem to be much better bets for the jump.

So, even if Doug was close to making a really stupid decision last year, that doesn't necessarily mean he's likely to make that same stupid decision this year. Hopefully, he's finally learned something about the folly of bringing developing young players too far too fast.

 

[Wild Thing]

i find this particularly interesting, because i noticed a good amount of Wild fans are of the opinion the Poulliot is the better prospect between he and Patrick O'Sullivan.

You're right, a lot of Wild fans do think Poulliot is the better prospect. And that's another thing that I just don't get. He may very well top out higher than O'Sullivan five years down the road, but I don't see what he's done at this point to be ranked higher than Patrick - other than get drafted much higher, and I really think that's pretty much what it comes down to for a lot of "fans". They figure since we picked the guy #4 overall, he just has to be a franchise player. Most people who've seen both kids play seem to favor O'Sullivan, or at best rank them fairly closely. Given a choice, I'd rather have O'Sullivan in the system than Poulliot.

 

[Seph]

Benoit Poulliot - Ready or Not...

...here I Come!

 

[________]

They should, give Pouliot a year in the minors, or even a year and a half.

 

[Form and Substance]

Well he almost made the team last year, I think it's safe to say he has as good a chance as anyone to make it this year.

 

[MN_Gopher]

I think he has a chance to make the team. but i do not think it is a good one. Last year we did not sign anyone. So how do you keep fans interested. Talk about a prospect. Or hype up a prospect. Not only did we add a few slovaks and a garbage man to the mix. To play third ot fourth line he will be competing against, Dupuis, Irmen, Foy, Veillieux, Rando and Smith. i am asuming the top six of PMB, White, Rolston, Gaborik, Demitra and Parrish are set. As is Walz and Koivu on the lower lines. And the Boogie man. I think the days of the press box rookie are done with this franchise. Make sure he plays everyday.

 

[USA!]

I think he has a chance to make the team. but i do not think it is a good one. Last year we did not sign anyone. So how do you keep fans interested. Talk about a prospect. Or hype up a prospect. Not only did we add a few slovaks and a garbage man to the mix. To play third ot fourth line he will be competing against, Dupuis, Irmen, Foy, Veillieux, Rando and Smith. i am asuming the top six of PMB, White, Rolston, Gaborik, Demitra and Parrish are set. As is Walz and Koivu on the lower lines. And the Boogie man. I think the days of the press box rookie are done with this franchise. Make sure he plays everyday.

Irman has no shot at making this team none.

 

[The Big E]

wow talk about pissing and moaning...

You get a player of demitras stature..and you're still upset, quite frankly gaborik wasn't gonna stay if they didn't get more talent here, and they got his buddy, it's always best to keep the franchise player happy.

At the end of the day O'sullivan is still a prospect and must prove his worth at the show. Why judge now if its a bad move or not, give it time to play out atleast...

Just to put the record straight, I was all for bringing in Demitra. I'm glad Gabbie's not a UFA next season as a result of Pavol signing with the Wild. I believe that dealing O'Sullivan was the only way to seal the Demitra deal and consequently get Gaborik signed.

I was also trying to be a little facetious and sum up the mood of the Wild boards, though I do actually worry that O'Sullivan will be a Wild-killer throughout his career -- and that would suck. Obviously, you didn't read it that way, **** happens.

The Big E

 

[Habs 4 Life]

It all depends who they will let him play with.If Pouliot is gonna sit on the bench for the most part of the game,make him play in the AHL. If he will be completing the Gaborik-Demitra line then let him play in the NHL. It all depends on how they will use the kid

 

[TheFinalWord]

I think if you ask anyone who watched Pouliot quite a bit in the OHL last year, they'll tell you he's nowhere near ready for the NHL. Benoit has yet to dominate at the OHL level. He almost seems to have an attitude about him. He shows flashes of brilliance, but rarely shows effort over 60min. He's fun to watch coming in one-on-one on a defender, but he's got a ways to go.

I think he's got to play one year in the AHL at the very least and probably 2 or more. He's got to bulk up a bit, get his head on straight, and then put forth the effort needed to be a top line forward in the NHL.

I can't help but think he'll be a bust, but I hope I'm wrong.