Prospect Info: Bruins Prospects IX - Stay on Subject!

[maxbme]

Curtis Hall with a strong possession play on the boards, puck gets knocked to the point then to zegras for a goal.

Honestly most impressive part was they had him out with 2 minutes left down 2 goals. 4 shots on the day too

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

Hopefully Hall has a bigger role for Yale this season.

 

[JOKER 192]

Just finished watching US/FIN game.

Hall had a nice blue collar type of goal. Impressed for a 4th rounder. Not highly skilled but willing to do the work and go to the dirty areas.

Beecher Didn't get much ice time, did get a pp sequence but was mostly doing net front duty, didn't stand out at all.

Two players I can't believe feel as far as they did after watch this and the Sweden game ,

1) Caufield, that is one slippery little f***. I'm afraid the Habs got a steal on this one. Aaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnndddddddddd, he should make their diving team to boot.
Some teams are going to regret letting him fall.

Kaliyev must be some kind of character cause I don't see how this guy fell either. Dude has a nose for the net and is a pure sniper. Good hockey IQ too.

 

[neelynugs]

Kaliyev must be some kind of character cause I don't see how this guy fell either. Dude has a nose for the net and is a pure sniper. Good hockey IQ too.

he's certainly a quirky guy. i can see how his interviews would be pretty interesting. good or bad.

 

[JoeIsAStud]

How was Hall's skating?

 

[ODAAT]

Prospects expert Mike Morreale talks Bruins first-rounder John Beecher on Bonus Skate Pod

sorry if this has been posted

 

[UncleRico]

Pretty crazy how much depth prospects this team has where someone like kuhlman can come in and look like he can carve out a role on the 3rd line but he doesn’t crack this boards top 8 prospects, might even be 10th or 11th.

Problem is there’s not much top end talent. Vaak and studnicka look like they have a chance, but after that there’s a lot of fringe 2nd line/3rd line players or 2nd/3rd pairing defense.

If there’s one thing that’s obvious, it’s that we don’t have room for all these players on the big club. Sweeney really needs to make a move for a “bigger fish” by pairing some of these guys together for a team looking for more depth.

The assets are there for him. Go get an up and coming 2nd line winger and do it by trading a couple of these guys with backes to free up cap space

 

[Dicky113]

Pretty crazy how much depth prospects this team has where someone like kuhlman can come in and look like he can carve out a role on the 3rd line but he doesn’t crack this boards top 8 prospects, might even be 10th or 11th.

Problem is there’s not much top end talent. Vaak and studnicka look like they have a chance, but after that there’s a lot of fringe 2nd line/3rd line players or 2nd/3rd pairing defense.

If there’s one thing that’s obvious, it’s that we don’t have room for all these players on the big club. Sweeney really needs to make a move for a “bigger fish” by pairing some of these guys together for a team looking for more depth.

The assets are there for him. Go get an up and coming 2nd line winger and do it by trading a couple of these guys with backes to free up cap space

I agree, the bottom 6 is stocked for years to come, need to get some talent in the cupboards for top 6

 

[CDJ]

System has an infinite supply of B prospects

I think you can argue for any order you want from 3-15

 

[JOKER 192]

I agree, the bottom 6 is stocked for years to come, need to get some talent in the cupboards for top 6

Meanwhile every summer Sweeny signs another two 3/4th liners

 

[Dr Hook]

Meanwhile every summer Sweeny signs another two 3/4th liners

That's at least in part because they move on- they find good ones, like Schaller and Acciari, then they price themselves out of the role. If Anton Blidh, say, wins a job and gives two years of solid service in that role, he is going to want more money than the club wants to pay for that spot. This year we added Lindholm and Ritchie, but lost Acciari (who makes about as much now as those two combined). Next year doubt we see Nordstrom back. Who knows about Wagner. Perhaps neither of the two guys signed this summer stick. Those are low risk, low cost signings that provide competition to push the young guys forward. If we were paying these 3/4 liners more, there would be some incentive to leave them in the lineup. Look at all the rope Backes, Beleskey, even Jimmy Hayes got because of the contract terms.

I don't know. I get where you are coming from. I am baffled about the Lindholm signing, truly. But in principle I think these types of signings are fine.

 

[JOKER 192]

I don't know. I get where you are coming from. I am baffled about the Lindholm signing, truly. But in principle I think these types of signings are fine.

Hey, any contract that can buried in the minors is fine by me. It's not my money. The point is considering we have almost exclusively 3/4 line , 2/3 Dmen type prospects, do we really need to looking for others?Not a big deal at all just a little bit of a head scratcher considering most of the spots are already filled and with plenty of options to fill the holes.

 

[neelynugs]

I don't know. I get where you are coming from. I am baffled about the Lindholm signing, truly. But in principle I think these types of signings are fine.

i'm with you on lindholm. although i didn't like the nordstrom signing either, so we'll see what happens.
the one major improvement with the sweeney era vs the chiarelli era is not forcefeeding the f*** out of
veterans into the lineup. sweeney's view is that prospects will get every chance to grab a role, and we've
seen a bunch of them push veterans aside. chiarelli's view was to overpay bottom 6 stiffs and if we lose
a few prospects on the waiver wire, so be it.

 

[CDJ]

To me Sweeney is basically the Bruins version of Ben Cherington. And I like it.

He places an emphasis on building the foundation from within.

I like what he does with the bottom 6. He basically maximizes it’s performance each year through competition.

I do want blidh to get his shot soon

 

[BronxBruin]

Here are my thoughts on our prospects after watching every game of the WJSS:

John Beecher:
- Depending on the lineup he played everywhere from #2 C to #3 C and even wing for a game or two. He looked fine on the wing but seemed best suited at center. Hopefully that versatility helps with his chances of making the WJC team. He got a regular shift on the PK and an occasional stint on the PP depending on the lineup.
- The speed is definitely noticeable. He scored twice on breakaways and had at least two other clear breakaways that he got stopped on.
- He was really strong on faceoffs and played well in his own zone...had a number of good shot blocks. He also threw his body around a bit...nothing earth shattering but still more than most players.
- Initially he looked like he was in a hurry to get the puck off his stick but as the tourney progressed, he seemed more confident hanging onto it in the o-zone and looking to make smart plays.
- My only criticisms were 1) that he had a tendency to stop moving his feet and reaching half-heatedly at opposing puck carriers which led to him getting skated by in the neutral zone a number of times...he has the speed and size that it should be a headache for opponents to stickhandle past him & 2) there were times where it looked like he was floating a bit and not skating as hard as he could (especially as the tourney wore on)...granted this was a summer exhibition so I won't kill him too much for that but I also wonder if he was dealing with an injury of some sort since he played only one shift in the 3rd of Friday's game (on the PP) and then didn't play at all on Saturday.
- Overall he was one of the more impressive players in the entire tournament so I think it would be hard to leave him off the WJC roster if it started today. Hopefully it gives him a boost of confidence heading into his freshman season at Michigan.

Curtis Hall:
- I hadn't seen much of him previously but he surprised me a bit. The most noticeable asset was his relentless puck pursuit...he was constantly using his decent spend to pressure opposing puckhandlers and forcing them to get rid of the puck before they wanted to. In this regard, he outshined Beecher.
- I was also surprised by his skill level. Having read some reports on him, I was expecting your usual 4th line dump-and-chase style but there were numerous times where he held onto the puck and made nice moves around defenders when the easy play would have been to just dump the puck.
- Despite some surprising skill and a number of decent scoring chances, he wasn't able to finish plays off...whether it be scoring a goals (though I believe he did have 2 in the tourney) or beating a second defender or completing a pass...which likely limits him to 4th line (or possibly 3rd line) upside.
- He mostly played #3 C but also got some time on the wing (next to Beecher) and was a regular on the PK.
- He's probably still a longshot to make the WJC and likely competing with Beecher for a spot but he did show some positives throughout the tournament to be encouraged about.

Axel Andersson:
- I constantly felt like I was left wanting more from Axel. In the first game he made a couple really nifty stickhandling moves to deke defenders while exiting the d-zone...but we never saw those moves again in any of the other games. There were a couple other times where he made slick passes under pressure in his own zone to spring a breakout...but far too often he had trouble handling forecheck pressure and couldn't make plays with the puck on his stick. Consistency is an issue for most young players so I'm not writing him off but I expected more from him.
- He did look good at the point on the PP (where he got a regular shift). While he didn't shoot the puck much (and when he did it usually either got blocked or went wide), he looked comfortable moving around the blueline and making good passes to teammates.
- His skating didn't stand out as top notch...usually when you hear someone is an offensive defenseman, you just assume they can skate like the wind but I would rate him as above average from what I saw. He definitely lost some footraces to opposing forwards retrieving the puck in his own zone.
- He wasn't afraid to jump up into the rush offensively and usually did so in a smart way. Only once do I remember him getting caught up ice which led to a 3-on-1 the other way but it didn't result in a goal.
- Defensively was just OK. He didn't have any complete meltdowns and was only really responsible for one goal that I remember (when he stepped up in the NZ leading to a 2-on-1 that Beecher scored on)...but it seemed like he often gave opponents too much space to operate and lost too many puck battles for my liking. Granted he isn't known as a shut down defender but if you're going to be 'meh' defensively then you better offset that with some impressive offense and he didn't do the latter enough in this tournament.
- He's probably a longshot to make the WJC team...seemed like he got bumped down the lineup as the tournament went on and considering that Sweden was missing a couple higher-rated D, I'm not too optimistic of his chances in December. I am also a little skeptical of him being ready for a full-time gig in the AHL...let's see how he looks in training camp and maybe give him a couple games early on in Providence but it wouldn't surprise me if he was sent to the QMJHL (or back to Sweden) for the season.

 

[LouJersey]

Great stuff BB

 

[Saxon Eric]

Nice job @BronxBruin
I am on the fence with what to do with Andersson, Ideally he starts in Providence and with that staff they can manage his minutes and really development him correctly, unfortunately for that to happen Sweeney needs to thin the herd by almost 3 defenseman, its unrealistic .
Moncton makes the most sense today and after listening to Mark Allred's podcast last night ,(he had a Maritime scout from the Q on) apparently Moncton has been loading up on talent to make a deep run this year,maybe this is the correct path?
Then there's the wild card that a top Swedish team offers him a spot,unlikely but would be a nice option.
Unless something changes I don't see him making team Sweden for the World Juniors.

Hall did himself well,he's still in the mix and I liked what I saw

Beecher ,kind of his coming out party ,unusual draft year for me as I would have been happy with many of those players available but glad they picked him, kid is a horse at age 18,better hands than advertised but like Bronx didn't like his Joe Colborne esc moments of laziness

 

[UncleRico]

Kaliyev must be some kind of character cause I don't see how this guy fell either. Dude has a nose for the net and is a pure sniper. Good hockey IQ too.

I really like Beecher, but kaliyev was the guy I wanted when we had our pick. I had no idea how he dropped that far.

 

[JOKER 192]

I really like Beecher, but kaliyev was the guy I wanted when we had our pick. I had no idea how he dropped that far.

Ya, I did too. I actually went into the draft hoping to get Beecher but when Kaliyev dropped , that was my pick too. Though I'm Ok with Beecher too but I was impressed with Kaliyev's play in the WJSS.

 

[Ratty]

A headline in www.mynhltraderumors.com entitled “Four Potential Breakout Prospects for the Boston Bruins” by Michael Augello caught my eye. He lists Anders Bjork first but as a candidate, along with Lindholm and Richie, for the fourth line.

He then adds Trent Frederick as a candidate to center the fourth line due to the departure of Noel Acciari.

Honestly, where do they find these guys?

 

[YouTakeTheVan]

He then adds Trent Frederick as a candidate to center the fourth line due to the departure of Noel Acciari.

I could see a Center prospect like Frederic breaking in on 4th line, Kuraly slides over to wing, maybe split time at the center depending on the game or situation. (Our glut of 4th liners under contract aside.) Same thing for 3rd line, give them some time at center with Coyle on wing, switch up as needed so they can learn but are not hung out to dry.

 

[maxbme]

Here are my thoughts on our prospects after watching every game of the WJSS:

John Beecher:
- Depending on the lineup he played everywhere from #2 C to #3 C and even wing for a game or two. He looked fine on the wing but seemed best suited at center. Hopefully that versatility helps with his chances of making the WJC team. He got a regular shift on the PK and an occasional stint on the PP depending on the lineup.
- The speed is definitely noticeable. He scored twice on breakaways and had at least two other clear breakaways that he got stopped on.
- He was really strong on faceoffs and played well in his own zone...had a number of good shot blocks. He also threw his body around a bit...nothing earth shattering but still more than most players.
- Initially he looked like he was in a hurry to get the puck off his stick but as the tourney progressed, he seemed more confident hanging onto it in the o-zone and looking to make smart plays.
- My only criticisms were 1) that he had a tendency to stop moving his feet and reaching half-heatedly at opposing puck carriers which led to him getting skated by in the neutral zone a number of times...he has the speed and size that it should be a headache for opponents to stickhandle past him & 2) there were times where it looked like he was floating a bit and not skating as hard as he could (especially as the tourney wore on)...granted this was a summer exhibition so I won't kill him too much for that but I also wonder if he was dealing with an injury of some sort since he played only one shift in the 3rd of Friday's game (on the PP) and then didn't play at all on Saturday.
- Overall he was one of the more impressive players in the entire tournament so I think it would be hard to leave him off the WJC roster if it started today. Hopefully it gives him a boost of confidence heading into his freshman season at Michigan.

Curtis Hall:
- I hadn't seen much of him previously but he surprised me a bit. The most noticeable asset was his relentless puck pursuit...he was constantly using his decent spend to pressure opposing puckhandlers and forcing them to get rid of the puck before they wanted to. In this regard, he outshined Beecher.
- I was also surprised by his skill level. Having read some reports on him, I was expecting your usual 4th line dump-and-chase style but there were numerous times where he held onto the puck and made nice moves around defenders when the easy play would have been to just dump the puck.
- Despite some surprising skill and a number of decent scoring chances, he wasn't able to finish plays off...whether it be scoring a goals (though I believe he did have 2 in the tourney) or beating a second defender or completing a pass...which likely limits him to 4th line (or possibly 3rd line) upside.
- He mostly played #3 C but also got some time on the wing (next to Beecher) and was a regular on the PK.
- He's probably still a longshot to make the WJC and likely competing with Beecher for a spot but he did show some positives throughout the tournament to be encouraged about.

Axel Andersson:
- I constantly felt like I was left wanting more from Axel. In the first game he made a couple really nifty stickhandling moves to deke defenders while exiting the d-zone...but we never saw those moves again in any of the other games. There were a couple other times where he made slick passes under pressure in his own zone to spring a breakout...but far too often he had trouble handling forecheck pressure and couldn't make plays with the puck on his stick. Consistency is an issue for most young players so I'm not writing him off but I expected more from him.
- He did look good at the point on the PP (where he got a regular shift). While he didn't shoot the puck much (and when he did it usually either got blocked or went wide), he looked comfortable moving around the blueline and making good passes to teammates.
- His skating didn't stand out as top notch...usually when you hear someone is an offensive defenseman, you just assume they can skate like the wind but I would rate him as above average from what I saw. He definitely lost some footraces to opposing forwards retrieving the puck in his own zone.
- He wasn't afraid to jump up into the rush offensively and usually did so in a smart way. Only once do I remember him getting caught up ice which led to a 3-on-1 the other way but it didn't result in a goal.
- Defensively was just OK. He didn't have any complete meltdowns and was only really responsible for one goal that I remember (when he stepped up in the NZ leading to a 2-on-1 that Beecher scored on)...but it seemed like he often gave opponents too much space to operate and lost too many puck battles for my liking. Granted he isn't known as a shut down defender but if you're going to be 'meh' defensively then you better offset that with some impressive offense and he didn't do the latter enough in this tournament.
- He's probably a longshot to make the WJC team...seemed like he got bumped down the lineup as the tournament went on and considering that Sweden was missing a couple higher-rated D, I'm not too optimistic of his chances in December. I am also a little skeptical of him being ready for a full-time gig in the AHL...let's see how he looks in training camp and maybe give him a couple games early on in Providence but it wouldn't surprise me if he was sent to the QMJHL (or back to Sweden) for the season.

Great post

 

[Dr Hook]

I could see a Center prospect like Frederic breaking in on 4th line, Kuraly slides over to wing, maybe split time at the center depending on the game or situation. (Our glut of 4th liners under contract aside.) Same thing for 3rd line, give them some time at center with Coyle on wing, switch up as needed so they can learn but are not hung out to dry.

That would be nice for the team as Kuraly is better on the wing in my view- when Noel centered that line with Kuraly at LW is when they seemed most effective.

 

[DKH]

2019 List Of College Players Set To Become Free Agents

 

[GlenFeatherstone]

2019 List Of College Players Set To Become Free Agents

I know the Bs are loaded at young goalies but Hawkey is a stud. I like Gates a lot too.