Blues Prospects Thread 2020-2021

[Stupendous Yappi]

Don't see how the AHL can fill out their rosters without the taxi squad players. The Blues have 13 skaters that would otherwise be in Springfield. How do they replace them?

There are some ahl teams opting out for the season. I’ve read discussion about teams “sharing” AHL teams this year. I think there will probably still be more players looking for good spots than places to play.

 

[JMCx4]

Quoting myself here, but Matt Kessel is continuinig his run, he's at 10 points in 11 games, just one point short of matching his total points from last season. Granted, this is still a small sample size, but he's doing really well. If he continues this he could be quite a steal for us. His 5 goals also makes him the most scoring defenseman in the NCAA at the moment.

See my Reply to @Bobby Orrtuzzo's inquiry re. Kessel in this NCAA DI hockey thread post.

 

[JMCx4]

There are some ahl teams opting out for the season. I’ve read discussion about teams “sharing” AHL teams this year. ...

No AHL teams have officially opted out of whatever the "2020-21 season" entails; decision deadline is Monday (Jan. 4th). At this point, affiliate sharing decisions are a possible but not-yet official solution for AHL teams to save costs moving forward. Springfield will certainly be a franchise to watch for upcoming return-to-play decisions, considering their independent ownership & current Massachusetts restrictions on public event gatherings.

 

[Quaz]

No AHL teams have officially opted out of whatever the "2020-21 season" entails; decision deadline is Monday (Jan. 4th). At this point, affiliate sharing decisions are a possible but not-yet official solution for AHL teams to save costs moving forward. Springfield will certainly be a franchise to watch for upcoming return-to-play decisions, considering their independent ownership & current Massachusetts restrictions on public event gatherings.

I hope the Blues affiliate doesn’t opt out.

 

[JMCx4]

There are some ahl teams opting out for the season. I’ve read discussion about teams “sharing” AHL teams this year. I think there will probably still be more players looking for good spots than places to play.

Agreed. As February approaches, there will be more players "bubbling up" from the ECHL (active players plus some whose teams have chosen not to play this season). In the last couple of weeks I've seen the number of "Recalled from loan by (team name) (NHL)" increasing in the daily ECHL Transactions records; these are players who were parked temporarily in the ECHL, waiting for the AHL plans to gel. There will be players available to fill AHL rosters (especially if teams opt out), and more to back-fill ECHL rosters, but don't expect many ponies in those piles.

 

[Beauterham]

See my Reply to @Bobby Orrtuzzo's inquiry re. Kessel in this NCAA DI hockey thread post.

Thanks for the reply, I'll certainly watch the live replay soon.

ps. and another update, UMass played Northeastern again tonight, another goal and an assist for Kessel. He's PPG now at 12 in 12 with 6 goals.


Here's his goal (a penalty shot)

 

[Frenzy31]

Jake Neigbors is on the training camp roster. Which is a little surprising as I thought the OHL was going to start in January. He has essentially lost a year of development.

 

[Beauterham]

Jake Neigbors is on the training camp roster. Which is a little surprising as I thought the OHL was going to start in January. He has essentially lost a year of development.

Neighbours plays for the Edmonton Oil Kings, and they're still in the WHL.

However, as far as I know the WHL has postponed their decision if they're going to play at all untill somewhere in January, so their season could still be cancelled. The OHL could also still be cancelled, so who knows what would happen with Washkurak, Dickinson and Crawley in that case (I saw on EliteProspects that Sudbury just loaned some players to European teams today, so that doesn't bode well). I believe the Q. is planning to start again playing in bubbles of 4-6 teams in January.

 

[Frenzy31]

Neighbours plays for the Edmonton Oil Kings, and they're still in the WHL.
.

That was a fail..... thanks for smacking me upside the head.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

I recently read that Neighbours was loaned to Brooks of the Alberta JHL.

Yuck!

Brooks has got to be the stinkiest place in Alberta. f***ing reeks there!!

 

[Frenzy31]

I recently read that Neighbours was loaned to Brooks of the Alberta JHL.

Yuck!

Brooks has got to be the stinkiest place in Alberta. f***ing reeks there!!

That was back in October or November. I don't think he played a single game prior to the AJHL shutting down. I looks like he is on the camp roster and will be here. I hope the WHL plays. He needs to develop.

 

[Blueston]

That was back in October or November. I don't think he played a single game prior to the AJHL shutting down. I looks like he is on the camp roster and will be here. I hope the WHL plays. He needs to develop.

If WHL doesn't play he will be eligible for AHL at least.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

That was back in October or November. I don't think he played a single game prior to the AJHL shutting down. I looks like he is on the camp roster and will be here. I hope the WHL plays. He needs to develop.

Thanks for the feedback. Neighbours is one of the three or four prospects that actually excite me.

 

[Frenzy31]

Matthew Kessel is the other kid I am pretty excited about - granted he turned 20 this year and I was really not jumping up and down with the pick - but . 6'2" RHD, 205 lbs.

I wasn't really paying attention to anything prospect related as Neighbors hasn't been playing, Peterson's team was out due to Covid, the OHL has yet to start and the Q suspended the season. Peterson's team will start back this weekend and it is hard to follow Euro prospects - beyond the stat line and occasional pop in from other fans. Looks like things will start back up.

 

[Blueston]

Did we just lose our AHL team?

 

[BlueKnight]

Did we just lose our AHL team?

Yes

 

[Novacain]

Did we just lose our AHL team?

Correct, Springfield opted out.

Our prospects apparently will be going to Utica.

 

[Bluesfan54]

The Blues didn’t lose them forever, just this year.

 

[Beauterham]

Apparantly we can only recall them after they're respective leagues have ended, so if I'm reading this correctly they're not available for the start of the season in the AHL. This makes me wonder if Springfield has opted out of the 21-season. They're a privately owned organisation and are probably bleeding a lot of cash atm. We/they also haven't signed any player to an AHL-contract yet either. Keep an eye out for more players being loaned or send back to juniors for overage seasons in that case.

Ps. I'm hoping that not mentioning Kostin means they're trying to move him to another team that fits him better.

Quoting myself... Springfield opts out of the season. Somethimes it sucks to be right. Just hope our prospects actually get equal opportunities with Vancouvers prospects.

 

[Blueston]

Quoting myself... Springfield opts out of the season. Somethimes it sucks to be right. Just hope our prospects actually get equal opportunities with Vancouvers prospects.

I have to think that Vancouver isn't loving having AHL team 3,000 miles and a 2-week quarantine away.

 

[Novacain]

I have to think that Vancouver isn't loving having AHL team 3,000 miles and a 2-week quarantine away.

Being legitimate, this is probably the best case scenario for us. Honestly, just from the way the write up feels in combination with us not signing any AHL players, this just feels like a Blues move, not a Springfield move.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Did we just lose our AHL team?

Just for one season! Don’t scare me like that.

 

[Ranksu]

Finnish prospects playoff well at wjc.

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

Finnish prospects playoff well at wjc.

Why draft Finns/Euros when we can have all the good Canadian boys

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Even though the Blues had no prospects playing, the WJC semis were good hockey to watch. The Finns have a lot of skill on that team, but I thought USA had a heavier game Finland couldn’t match. It was a great game.

Canada looks like a beast.