biggest mistake by an organization on a prospect

[Mikey 71]

Yeah I know, I was just going to post about Rico Fata in the biggest bust thread but did this instead.

Fata is a great example but may have been saved before it was too late. What other examples do some of you have for an organization bringing up a player when it was clearly too early? For the most part I mean 18 and 19 year olds, but I suppose there may be older ones too. Calgary blew it by having Fata in the NHL so early and he is only now beginning to show the player is can be. IMHO, Fata will never be a top 10 scorer, but should develop into a point per game player in time. I also think his defensive game, using his speed COULD make him a candidate for a Selke winner in the future.

What other prospects had their career's ruined by bringing them up before they were ready?

Click to read more...

 

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Unfortunately Coates and crew ruined any chance of us developing Fata by starting him in the NHL at age 18 thus reducing his waiver eligilbility by a couple years. If we could have had him developing in the AHL that whole time we would have been fine and not had to waive him so soon.

Wasn't really us giving up on him. Button would have liked to see him continue to develop in the minors but unfortunately because he was in the NHL at age 18 we didn't have the chance, we were forced to waive him because he wasn't NHL ready.

Stupid, stupid...

 

[PigPen]

Detroit ruining Jesse Wallin's confidence by keeping him in the minors for 2 seasons too long and only playing 5 minutes a game when he was up here.
He showed flashes of becoming a Keith Carney-ish defenseman; Physical but not overly physical, good shot blocker, good at clearing the crease and the zone.
Last season it seemed whenever he touched the puck that he was too afraid to make a play because he didn't want to get benched and that hurt him even more. A player shouldn't have to have that in the back of his mind when trying to play a game.

 

[reg dunlop]

The Islanders didnt do a great job with Bertuzzi, some players need time. now look at Bertuzzi... awesome... while on a Vancouver theme, look at Pittsburgh with Marcus Naslund... weak.

 

[leafaholix*]

Toronto...

Luca Cereda
Nikolai Antropov

 

[#37-#93-#27*]

Dan Blackburn

Wrong. Blackburn could play in the NHL. Rangers just won't allow him to because they're the Rag$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

 

[PigPen]

Toronto...

Luca Cereda
Nikolai Antropov

Toronto didn't mess up Luca Cereda.
Luca Cereda screwed up Luca Cereda.

He didn't have the fluff between his ears to become a decent player. A lot of raw talent but nothing upstairs to put it together.

I was surprised when Toronto picked Antropov so high at 10th overall when they could have probably gotten him in the early to mid 2nd round but they didn't necessarily do a bad job with him...but they definately should have brought him along slower.

 

[leafaholix*]

Keeping Antropov in the AHL for a full season or two would've been good for him. He would have adjusted much smoother to the North American game.

He also would have bulked up a bit more.

 

[kasper11]

Over the last 10 years or so I would have to say Manny Malhotra by the New York Rangers. I have no problem with bringing a kid up at 18 if he is ready, but the Rangers were touting their plans him as NHL ready as soon as they drafted him. Then he was given 8 minutes in a game or left in the pressbox. No way can a player develop like that.

 

[CREW99AW]

Isles rushed 18 yr old Connolly into the nhl,making him their first line center and demanding results.
he'd had been off with a franchise, that would have bought him along slowly.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Well Minnesota:

I think keeping Stephane Veilleux, Kyle Wanvig, and Rickard Wallin in the AHL is going to hurt them more than help them but they can't really cut any players right at the moment, so they are stuck.

Uhhhh drafting Mike Erickson

 

[paul99]

Toronto didn't mess up Luca Cereda.
Luca Cereda screwed up Luca Cereda.

He didn't have the fluff between his ears to become a decent player. A lot of raw talent but nothing upstairs to put it together.

I was surprised when Toronto picked Antropov so high at 10th overall when they could have probably gotten him in the early to mid 2nd round but they didn't necessarily do a bad job with him...but they definately should have brought him along slower.

Cereda??? After being drafted, he had a rare disease to the heart..,. needing surgery. He then missed all 2000-01 season. It is just because of the science this guy can still skate and play professional hockey.

 

[DW]

Minesota doesn't reall have a history here with hurting the careers of there prospects. If there was a name to throw out, maybe it ws not trying to get Koivu to come over soon enough. I thought the way he was playing the exhibition season overseas that he might finally have a productive season. I know he has military obligations left but maybe the Wild shoud have tried to convince him that instead of trying to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, that the best thing for him would be to head in another direction. He's still very young and is by no means finished as a Wild prospect because he will be here next season.

 

[momentai]

Though he's still relatively young (23 I think), Patrik Stefan.

 

[Tarkus]

I was surprised when Toronto picked Antropov so high at 10th overall when they could have probably gotten him in the early to mid 2nd round but they didn't necessarily do a bad job with him...but they definately should have brought him along slower.

Actually, EDM at #13 (took Henrich) and PIT at #23 (Kraft) were very interested in picking Antropov, so a couple other teams were willing to gamble on him too.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Minesota doesn't reall have a history here with hurting the careers of there prospects. If there was a name to throw out, maybe it ws not trying to get Koivu to come over soon enough. I thought the way he was playing the exhibition season overseas that he might finally have a productive season. I know he has military obligations left but maybe the Wild shoud have tried to convince him that instead of trying to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, that the best thing for him would be to head in another direction. He's still very young and is by no means finished as a Wild prospect because he will be here next season.

I'm just saying that I don't think Wallin, Veilleux, or Wanvig have much to learn left in the AHL. Kind of like Roche....errrrr lets not get into Roche. I can also see a bit where you are going with the Koivu situation but again where would he be? In the AHL or in the FINN league? I guess it could be better if he was in the AHL but...Got me.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Two words: Robert Dome

 

[DFF]

Unfortunately Coates and crew ruined any chance of us developing Fata by starting him in the NHL at age 18 thus reducing his waiver eligilbility by a couple years. If we could have had him developing in the AHL that whole time we would have been fine and not had to waive him so soon.

Wasn't really us giving up on him. Button would have liked to see him continue to develop in the minors but unfortunately because he was in the NHL at age 18 we didn't have the chance, we were forced to waive him because he wasn't NHL ready.

Stupid, stupid...

I think Button and Gilbert are the stupid ones. Don't forget they could have reclaimed him and sent him to the minor after the Rangers waived him at one point.

But he is just one of many...Giguerre, Kuba, Savard, St. Louis...too many to be a concidence...

 

[Shane]

I think the Sedins would have benefitted more if they played a year in the minors.

 

[Fedz]

I think the Sedins would have benefitted more if they played a year in the minors.

I completely agree. Although I aint complaining anymore!

 

[Saabato]

Brendl from the Ranger system and Volchkov from the Caps are the first names that pop into my head.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

What did the teams do wrong with those players though?

Brendl's awful work ethic is killing him and Volchkov just flat out flopped. The team may have something to do with that, but it's more the players than the team.

Robert Dome has/had an awful work ethic too but the team really mishandled him regardless. Rushed him in, never gave him a chance after his initial suckitude, did nothing to help him in personal times of crisis(parent deaths in a short span), etc.

And then there's guys like Craig Hillier who just flat out flopped without the help of the team.

 

[arsobro]

Alexandre Daigle

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

Alexandre Daigle

I agree, to a certain extent. His lack of desire had a lot to do with it, but he wasn't rushed (20 goals, 51 points as rookie). He did have to much pressure on him, though. He was pretty much expected to do for Ottawa what Lemieux did for Pittsburgh, which is too much to ask from almost all young kids except for a select few.

 

[Evilo]

The Islanders didnt do a great job with Bertuzzi, some players need time. now look at Bertuzzi... awesome... while on a Vancouver theme, look at Pittsburgh with Marcus Naslund... weak.

I'm not sure about Naslund. He was given big icetime, played with Mario and all, and was a victim o our depth at the time.

Two major mistakes though for the Pens : Robert Dome and Milan Kraft.

The former was played at 18 in the NHL when not ready. After an adequate first year he was sent down to the AHL for no other reason than for playing Kip Miller or other minor league level material. When finally ready he was either played on the 4th line (where he couldn't show his stuff) or scratched.
Then both of his parents died, and the Pens found no other things to do than burry him in the AHL saying he had a bad attitude. They finally released him and I heard he's doing fine in Calgary and migh earn himself a spot soon.

Milan Kraft on the other hand WAS ready at 19. He was the most dominant player at camp. BUt the Pens didn't want to make the Dome mistake again and sent him back to juniors, where he dominated without any trouble. The message was clear : it's not about your level of play. It's about your age. So Milan simply waited to have the good age and made the Penguins out of a very average camp. He was played 2 minutes on the 4th line for 10 games and then sent back to Wilkes-Barre. Of course the AHL was easy for him given his talent, and every time he earned himself a trip back to Pittsburgh, but every time he was placed on the 3rd or 4th line.
That didn't prevent him to have a great run last year, but suddenly the coach decided to cut his point series by putting him back to the 4th line.
And here we go again, he's sent back to the AHL.
This year he was scratched for most of the year (he has to pass through waivers to go to WB) and today was only his 3rd game of the season. He had two goals.
And to think we might trade this guy for next to nothing....