Confirmed with Link: Coyotes Rookie Camp, Tournament & All Purpose GDT Sept. 7th-10th

[Jakey53]

Merkley

That would be nice. Merkley may surprise.

 

[RABBIT]

Imma say Soderstrom. I trust swedish defenseman. I get hard for right handed defenseman.

 

[Name Nameless]

That would be nice. Merkley may surprise.

Merkley has to stand out in this group though.

The question should be more "by how much".

I hope he really shines.

 

[zerekstar]

That would be sweet if Merkley proves he's ready to challenge for a spot on the big team.
And Soderstrom sounds like he's going to be a beauty.
What is the thinking on Bahl?

Merkley

That would be nice. Merkley may surprise.

 

[zerekstar]

Our team could use some Bahls

 

[hbk]

That would be sweet if Merkley proves he's ready to challenge for a spot on the big team.
And Soderstrom sounds like he's going to be a beauty.
What is the thinking on Bahl?

High upside. Unique skill set. 2-3 years before he is even close to making NHL. Needs to improve skating and ability to adapt to players coming down at him with speed. Also could be more physically assertive. Not just be big.

 

[Matias Maccete]

That would be sweet if Merkley proves he's ready to challenge for a spot on the big team.
And Soderstrom sounds like he's going to be a beauty.
What is the thinking on Bahl?

 

[tucknroll]

Camp invite Likhachyov is currently tied for the pre-season lead in points for the QMJHL on his new team. He has 7 points in 4 games (6 are primary), actually had 3 points and was even +/- in a game his team lost 15-5. Big fan of his ability to create offence. He has a lot of talent with the puck in tight, his ability to push the play up the ice directly at opposing teams where he uses his hands and skating to get through defenders is excellent too. As seen at the rookie camp scrimmage he loves to cheat on his defensive assignments to get an advantage on the rush though. I'm still very surprised he wasn't drafted.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

Our team could use some Bahls

Well Done!

 

[Gwyddbwyll]

Bahl plays smart, I think he has real potential to accelerate his development. Nobody will want to play against him in camp.

 

[BUX7PHX]

High upside. Unique skill set. 2-3 years before he is even close to making NHL. Needs to improve skating and ability to adapt to players coming down at him with speed. Also could be more physically assertive. Not just be big.

I thought that Bahl was a very good skater? Or is it one of those "good skater for his size" type of endorsement?

I think that Bahl may be closer than people think to being an NHL player. Seems to read the offensive play well and positions himself correctly. And most importantly, you can't teach size and length.

 

[rt]

I thought that Bahl was a very good skater? Or is it one of those "good skater for his size" type of endorsement?

I think that Bahl may be closer than people think to being an NHL player. Seems to read the offensive play well and positions himself correctly. And most importantly, you can't teach size and length.

When I watched Bahl in his draft year, I saw a guy with very good straight line speed (size aside) and amazing straight line speed (for his size). I saw a guy who was as awkward in terms of overall mobility as you would expect for a 6’6” 17 year old. That is to say he lacked quickness and agility. But was amazing when he got going.

I also saw a guy who hit to hurt and played mean when up to speed but struggled to maximize that power when play was slower and closer. In other words, he wasn’t ragdolling anyone but he was willing to light people up. He had mass and leverage, but not real power.

All of the above meant I saw I guy who was good when his feet were moving. Effective. Even special. And a guy who was poor when his feet slowed or stopped moving. Ineffective. Like a future draft bust.

I didn’t see him ply last season.

 

[rt]

Funny. Here’s an exchange from 15months ago:

This kid can skate. Honestly you would think he's 5'10" out there. It's actually quite surprising.

That’s a bit hyperbolic, I think. I watched him at the U18s and was impressed with his straight line speed but dismissed him pretty quickly as lacking quickness, lateral mobility and the ability to change directions quickly.

I think he’s a powerful skater, who’s fast for his size, but his overall “skating ability” needs a ton of development. I would not have considered him in the top 62. Though, that has a lot to do with offensive upside.

He looks lost in the offensive zone. Like he can’t wait bail out and go play D. It’s sort of like reverse cherry-picking. Like the opposite of how Nikita Filatov would just hang out at his own blue line in the offensive zone, beaver-tailing and just hoping for an off man rush. Bahl seems like he’d be just as happy to never cross his own side of the redline.

Now I’m the one exaggerating.

He’s seven foot tall with a muffin of a shot and a Frankenstein skating style. He’s good defensively and he’s mean, but any big hit he throws in the nhl will be an automatic penalty for checking while tall.

Disclaimer: I’ve one see him play one tournament ever.

Heh. My memory is a little bit lacking.

 

[hbk]

Funny. Here’s an exchange from 15months ago:




Heh. My memory is a little bit lacking.

He needs to improve his defending speed. He needs to learn when to close the gap and go for the hit and when to continue to skate backwards. At the U20 camp I saw a few times he was in no mans land. Scared people who going to race around him the second he went for the hit. His skating with the puck is good.

In the D zone I’d like to see him more aggressive. He doesn’t seem to have that killer instinct which is fine but letting a guy slide around on the boards and then 10 seconds later he’s beating you for front position in front of the goalie allowing a goal against as you screen your goalie on the point shot is going to frustrate the shit out of a D coach. That play and goal all was preventable if he would have rubbed a guy out while he had to pick on the side wall. Plant his ass and the play dies. Instead -1.

 

[hbk]

I just watched the U20 training camp games so I have a bit of a refreshed opinion on where Bahl is at. I like him and he’s progressing better than I expected. I didn’t think he’d have a sniff of making Team canada.

 

[BUX7PHX]

When I watched Bahl in his draft year, I saw a guy with very good straight line speed (size aside) and amazing straight line speed (for his size). I saw a guy who was as awkward in terms of overall mobility as you would expect for a 6’6” 17 year old. That is to say he lacked quickness and agility. But was amazing when he got going.

I also saw a guy who hit to hurt and played mean when up to speed but struggled to maximize that power when play was slower and closer. In other words, he wasn’t ragdolling anyone but he was willing to light people up. He had mass and leverage, but not real power.

All of the above meant I saw I guy who was good when his feet were moving. Effective. Even special. And a guy who was poor when his feet slowed or stopped moving. Ineffective. Like a future draft bust.

I didn’t see him ply last season.

Can't this be said about many players, though? If you are moving your feet in the proper ways, then you'll probably find yourself in good position and if you look like you are standing still, you will look bad? That was my chief complaint about our PP in the Tippett years - too much standing still. Only Whitney looked like he was constantly moving his feet and changing angles. Everyone else looked like they were standing still.

Lo and behold, our PP was not great from an effectiveness standpoint.

 

[rt]

Can't this be said about many players, though? If you are moving your feet in the proper ways, then you'll probably find yourself in good position and if you look like you are standing still, you will look bad? That was my chief complaint about our PP in the Tippett years - too much standing still. Only Whitney looked like he was constantly moving his feet and changing angles. Everyone else looked like they were standing still.

Lo and behold, our PP was not great from an effectiveness standpoint.

Yes. I noted I’m in him because it’s especially true of him. Notably so. That’s the point.

It is true that everyone dies. That’s a problem. For everyone. Especially people with stage four cancer. That’s why it’s notable. It’s especially true.

 

[zerekstar]

Will Bunting have a shot at making the coyotes? We need someone like that to agitate the opposition.

 

[Foggy1097]

Will Bunting have a shot at making the coyotes? We need someone like that to agitate the opposition.

Nope. He’ll only play if theres an injury. Hinostroza agitates the hell out of the opposition because he’s on you constantly and in a hurry...Grabner same thing. Speed and determination agitate opposing players. Crouse is mean and can impose his will and take over an entire shift. OEL pisses people off as well and plays feistier than people give him credit for.

 

[hbk]

Will Bunting have a shot at making the coyotes? We need someone like that to agitate the opposition.

He's going to have to do what Garland did. Seize an opportunity when it's presented and make it so they have to deal someone else to create a roster spot.

 

[BUX7PHX]

Yes. I noted I’m in him because it’s especially true of him. Notably so. That’s the point.

It is true that everyone dies. That’s a problem. For everyone. Especially people with stage four cancer. That’s why it’s notable. It’s especially true.

I mean, sure, I guess my question was more pertaining to what situations is it where the part of his stride that gets him into trouble, is it just the initial first step only from a stand-still position, or is it one of these things where his weakness is in the first two, three, or four strides overall?

Simply saying that the guy doesn't look good when not moving really doesn't leave much, considering that I can think of three instances where a player isn't necessarily moving their feet in the play: a defenseman that is standing still is doing so because he is covering an area of the ice where the puck likely isn't, he is in a board battle tie up, or a face-off. I'm less worried about his movement when the puck is on the right half-wall and he is on the left side of the crease, because as the puck gets transitioned, I am more worried about him tracking with vision which forces him to move his feet at least some. If you are referring to his ability to react when the puck is close to him and he is jamming in the corners or along the boards, then I see where the concern is because if the opposition comes away with the puck, they are likely going to be able to beat him in a certain lane. Context was all I was asking for, but it didn't come across that way with what I said.

 

[rt]

I mean, sure, I guess my question was more pertaining to what situations is it where the part of his stride that gets him into trouble, is it just the initial first step only from a stand-still position, or is it one of these things where his weakness is in the first two, three, or four strides overall?

Simply saying that the guy doesn't look good when not moving really doesn't leave much, considering that I can think of three instances where a player isn't necessarily moving their feet in the play: a defenseman that is standing still is doing so because he is covering an area of the ice where the puck likely isn't, he is in a board battle tie up, or a face-off. I'm less worried about his movement when the puck is on the right half-wall and he is on the left side of the crease, because as the puck gets transitioned, I am more worried about him tracking with vision which forces him to move his feet at least some. If you are referring to his ability to react when the puck is close to him and he is jamming in the corners or along the boards, then I see where the concern is because if the opposition comes away with the puck, they are likely going to be able to beat him in a certain lane. Context was all I was asking for, but it didn't come across that way with what I said.

I didn’t simply say that. I said a lot. I can’t say it any better.

 

[TomP24684]

Merkley

Is the coyotes merkley related to the sharks merkley?

 

[Jagged Ice]

Is the coyotes merkley related to the sharks merkley?

No.

 

[BUX7PHX]

I didn’t simply say that. I said a lot. I can’t say it any better.

I find it hard to believe that in hockey, a significant amount of time is not spent moving your feet.