Confirmed with Link: Canucks sign RD Christian Felton to One-Year ELC

[M2Beezy]

If he can put up NHL numbers similar to Quinn Hughes I think this is a good signing by management

 

[FroshaugFan2]

He'll be in Abbotsford for the rest of the season. His ELC starts next season.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

If he can put up NHL numbers similar to Quinn Hughes I think this is a good signing by management

I think he could have a high ceiling but also a very low floor.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

Seems underwhelming.

 

[vancityluongo]

If he can put up NHL numbers similar to Quinn Hughes I think this is a good signing by management

they're the same age so you'd hope so

 

[Jyrki21]

I think he could have a high ceiling but also a very low floor.

It's funny how this means something in hockey parlance, but architecturally amounts to the exact same thing.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Looks like he's a defensive Dman.

When you say our college track record and gems, who are you referring to? Tanev and Stecher? Anyone else?

Those would be the big two, yes - counting overseas I would include Eddie Lack as a productive NHLer. We've also gotten some decent AHL players from the college ranks.

I don't know that we've ever signed someone with offensive stats quite that low, though. He was still the fourth highest scoring D-man on his team and, with one exception, all the d-men seemed to have pretty low offensive output.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

 

[FroshaugFan2]

Those would be the big two, yes - counting overseas I would include Eddie Lack as a productive NHLer. We've also gotten some decent AHL players from the college ranks.

I don't know that we've ever signed someone with offensive stats quite that low, though. He was still the fourth highest scoring D-man on his team and, with one exception, all the d-men seemed to have pretty low offensive output.

Hard to compare, but Stefan Schneider has the worst stat line that I can recall for a free agent prospect signing. 23 points in 72 games as an overaged forward in the WHL is shockingly low for an NHL prospect.

Felton's numbers are slightly better than that I would say.

 

[MS]

Weird signing.

I know nothing about the player but obviously he’s pretty underwhelming on paper. Hopefully his skating/IQ pops.

Abbotsford had a guy named Zach Giutttari on their squad at the end of last season who was a similar NCAA UFA who signed with the Rangers and he was a useful AHL player because he was smart and mobile but he passed the puck like a LHS playing with a RH stick.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Hard to compare, but Stefan Schneider has the worst stat line that I can recall for a free agent prospect signing. 23 points in 72 games as an overaged forward in the WHL is shockingly low for an NHL prospect.

Felton's numbers are slightly better than that I would say.

God, Stefan Schneider's name is a blast from the past.

IIRC, he was a forward who converted to defense, and the Canucks signed him with the intent of him playing defense - but he only became full time D after signing?

Just a weird one all around.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

*shrug* he's a guy.

 

[alternate]

Guessing from his shot blocking totals that he is a staple on the PK for his team. Probably maxes out as a bottom 4 AHLer with PK utility, which given the low risk is a fine addition.

 

[IComeInPeace]

Obviously hoping he can one day develop into a poor man’s Guillaume Brisebois

 

[fergo]

God, Stefan Schneider's name is a blast from the past.

IIRC, he was a forward who converted to defense, and the Canucks signed him with the intent of him playing defense - but he only became full time D after signing?

Just a weird one all around.

Honestly had to dig around my old files when I was doing the Moose updates on here and another site. I remembered the name but not much else.

I had him listed as a centre on my spreadsheet from his only year here (2010-11). He had four points (2-2-4) in 47 games, and had two separate stints (16 games total) on the injured list, including a 14-game stay on there as the year of 2011 started. If he played defence at any point, it might have been with the Chicago Wolves, who became the Canucks affiliate after the NHL returned here for the 2011-12 season.

I'm not sure if there were any prospects that the Canucks got the Moose to play on the blueline despite playing forward in juniors/college. I do recall Alex Burrows playing defence on occasion late in his time with the Moose when they were short bodies on the back end. On the other end of things, the Moose converted Zenith Komarniski from defence to left wing, usually playing alongside Pat Kavanagh and Tyler Bouck or Jimmy Roy on the third line.

Speaking of college signings, another one that came from around that same time frame as Schneider was Aaron Volpatti. He played 114 games between the Canucks and Capitals before suffering a career-ending neck injury during the 2014-15 season.

 

[God]

It's almost comical to me that not a single person knows anything about this player. I found one tidbit on an article published 5 years ago about the Vernon Vipers stating that he was a good skater, which is hardly a scouting report.

 

[FroshaugFan2]

It's almost comical to me that not a single person knows anything about this player. I found one tidbit on an article published 5 years ago about the Vernon Vipers stating that he was a good skater, which is hardly a scouting report.

This is the best that I've seen. From a Merrimack beat reporter.

 

[F A N]

Those would be the big two, yes - counting overseas I would include Eddie Lack as a productive NHLer. We've also gotten some decent AHL players from the college ranks.

I don't know that we've ever signed someone with offensive stats quite that low, though. He was still the fourth highest scoring D-man on his team and, with one exception, all the d-men seemed to have pretty low offensive output.

Well you did say college. But if you're going to include others I'll throw Chatfield in there.

Tanev is kind of a special case. Stecher came from a strong program and was NHL-ready when he turned pro.

Merrimack doesn't have a history of producing NHL defenseman or even NHL players. I think the last time we signed a player out of Merrimack was Cannata? And there was at least a couple of guys on that team that was fringe AHL/NHL calibre.

Looks like Felton played on a bad team. Is there a scouting report on him? I'm hoping he's more in the Mynio mould?

I'm not optimistic but I'm a sucker for prospects. So for me, it's a 1 year deal so why not?

It's almost comical to me that not a single person knows anything about this player. I found one tidbit on an article published 5 years ago about the Vernon Vipers stating that he was a good skater, which is hardly a scouting report.

We had him in camp. I would expect someone like Faber or @MS to have "a" viewing?

 

[VanJack]

He was a UFA college participant in Development Camp last season.....and obviously the Canucks liked what they saw. So I'm guessing they were more closely monitoring his progress at Merrimack.

Not the first time a guy from Development Camp or the Prospects Tournament in Penticton has come in as a UFA, and eventually earned a pro contract. Felton is a right-shot d-man though, and I guess you can never have enough of those guys in your system.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

OH JESUS CHRIST

FENTOOOOOOOOON

 

[Tables of Stats]

If he can put up NHL numbers similar to Quinn Hughes I think this is a good signing by management

If he can't put up numbers similar to Quinn Hughes I think this is a bad signing by management.

 

[Tables of Stats]

If this player turns into a real hitter, I mean a guy who really kills people along the boards and in open ice, do we call him Fentonyl?

 

[racerjoe]

I think this is an absolute great signing.
Bookmark this post for later


I think this is a terrible signing.
Bookmark this for later

Note to self delete whichever comment is the inappropriate comment in 5 years and bring up other comment to make me sound smart.

 

[RobertKron]

God, Stefan Schneider's name is a blast from the past.

IIRC, he was a forward who converted to defense, and the Canucks signed him with the intent of him playing defense - but he only became full time D after signing?

Just a weird one all around.

IIRC, you're backwards on Schneider. He was a D converted into a forward (supposed to be a shutdown C, I think?) in Portland.

Anyway, WRT Fenton, obviously like, he's free so if the scouts think there's something there then go for it, but I'm always of two minds about it, as I think that sometimes there's a tendency for folks to kind of outsmart themselves on players like this, or like your Kellan Lain, Stefan Schneider, Mackenze Stewart type signings. Like, it's entirely possible that his good qualities will manage to transfer to the same level in pro hockey as in college hockey, but at the end of the day you're still signing a guy to an NHL contract who put up less than 20 points across his 4 year college career. You'd have to imagine that even focussed on only D, someone with the hockey IQ to be a 6' defensive specialist in the NHL would put up better college numbers just by accidentally being in the right place often enough.

 

[MS]

Well you did say college. But if you're going to include others I'll throw Chatfield in there.

Tanev is kind of a special case. Stecher came from a strong program and was NHL-ready when he turned pro.

Merrimack doesn't have a history of producing NHL defenseman or even NHL players. I think the last time we signed a player out of Merrimack was Cannata? And there was at least a couple of guys on that team that was fringe AHL/NHL calibre.

Looks like Felton played on a bad team. Is there a scouting report on him? I'm hoping he's more in the Mynio mould?

I'm not optimistic but I'm a sucker for prospects. So for me, it's a 1 year deal so why not?



We had him in camp. I would expect someone like Faber or @MS to have "a" viewing?

I have no memory of him whatsoever.