Prospect Info: Ducks Prospect Info 2019-2020

[Opak]

Dostal continues with great form.

Crazy that Dostal is ranked 5th in Finland in save percentage given where his stats where at the start of the season. Pretty impressive Anaheim has maintained a good pipeline of goaltenders for the better part of two decades.

Dostal's 19-20 Liiga campaign so far:

September - 4GP (1-3-0) .865 Sv% (Ilves' coach fired September 30th)
October - 8GP (6-1-1) .926 Sv%
November - 4GP (4-0-0) .955 Sv%

Ilves is currently 4th in Liiga standings, 3 points (1 win) behind the 3rd ranked team. An incredible turnaround for a team that was dead last in September.

 

[Opak]

Sounds like Julius Nattinen is going ham over in Liiga 21pts in 10 games

16 goals and 28 points in 19 games. Currently the top scorer in all of Liiga with a 4 point margin.

That kind of production (combined with his age) is guaranteed to get NHL attention. Which is a shame, as I don't think he wants anything to do with the Ducks, given how his ELC ended in contract termination...

Nättinen had back-to-back 4 point games this week. Highlights here and here (Nättinen plays with the golden helmet).

 

[Dryish]

I'll eat crow for this in a couple of years most likely, but I don't think Nättinen will ever make it in the NHL. He excels on European ice and in weaker leagues, but as we saw his game never really translated onto American ice. And I don't think it will.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Is Nattinen still playing center? I thought I read somewhere that he plays the wing now. With less responsibilities, he can simplify his game.

As for returning to NA ice, it isn't just Anaheim that may have hit his confidence, but rather playing on NA ice. He's had the hype train on him even before the Ducks drafted him. Yet, his game slowly eroded away in the juniors and continued on into the AHL, of which Eakins was his coach in San Diego. I'm happy that he's got his confidence back and playing at a level the Ducks' scouting staff thought he could reach. Unfortunately, that level of play is across the pond.

Nat is only 22 years old and he wanted to play in the CHL after being drafted by the Ducks. Does he still have that drive to come to NA ice still after struggling for a couple of seasons? I dunno. Maybe Nat needs a second year of scoring this highly in Liiga to solidify that confidence and as proof the production wasn't a one-year fluke.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

I'll eat crow for this in a couple of years most likely, but I don't think Nättinen will ever make it in the NHL. He excels on European ice and in weaker leagues, but as we saw his game never really translated onto American ice. And I don't think it will.

Nat's first year on NA ice was a very productive one. He had 71 points in 52 games for the OHL Colts (22g, 49a) during the regular season. He also had 8 points in 12 OHL playoff games that same year (2g, 6a). It's after that season was when his confidence took a hit, as many articles seemed to allude towards. That trend continued to worse once at the AHL level.

Julius is similar to a former prospect Wild Bill. Something just wasn't clicking in his head. For Wild Bill, it took a couple of teams and years for him to tap into his potential. It looks as though Julius found his game again sooner than Wild Bill, but on a different sheet of ice.

 

[Opak]

I'll eat crow for this in a couple of years most likely, but I don't think Nättinen will ever make it in the NHL. He excels on European ice and in weaker leagues, but as we saw his game never really translated onto American ice. And I don't think it will.

I'm not saying that you can't be correct with that one or anything, but IMO it was never a talent issue with Nättinen. From what I saw of him on NA ice, the problem seemed to be competitiveness/motivation/maturity derived.

Also something to note is his skating - compare this clip from his time in Windsor with this clip from yesterday's game (or this one from Wednesday). To me, the difference is night and day, he's clearly worked a lot on his skating.

Is Nattinen still playing center? I thought I read somewhere that he plays the wing now. With less responsibilities, he can simplify his game.

As for returning to NA ice, it isn't just Anaheim that may have hit his confidence, but rather playing on NA ice. He's had the hype train on him even before the Ducks drafted him. Yet, his game slowly eroded away in the juniors and continued on into the AHL, of which Eakins was his coach in San Diego. I'm happy that he's got his confidence back and playing at a level the Ducks' scouting staff thought he could reach. Unfortunately, that level of play is across the pond.

Nat is only 22 years old and he wanted to play in the CHL after being drafted by the Ducks. Does he still have that drive to come to NA ice still after struggling for a couple of seasons? I dunno. Maybe Nat needs a second year of scoring this highly in Liiga to solidify that confidence and as proof the production wasn't a one-year fluke.

He's played full-time RW at least for the entire 19-20 season. In addition to even strength and PP, JYP has also regularly put him to PK as well (7th on the team in PK minutes this season). Plays a pretty good 2-way game for a winger.

I guess he's found his inner Jakob Silfverberg...?

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Woof

He isn't in the lineup in today's game, but there's also no media news about it on Moose Jaw's site.

 

[Masch78]

I do really hope the Ducks try to reland him. He seems to be a solid one now. But I highly doubt he will sign here.

 

[Kalv]

LaCombe is the University of Minnesotta top scoring D but has one of the worst +/- on the team.
Thrun is #3 on Harvard D scoring but has the best +/- on the team with a good margin
Janicke is Notre Dames 5th best scorer.

Small sample size. But our ''late picks'' are not even getting ice time, they are showing a lot of promise.

 

[MMC]

LaCombe is the University of Minnesotta top scoring D but has one of the worst +/- on the team.
Thrun is #3 on Harvard D scoring but has the best +/- on the team with a good margin
Janicke is Notre Dames 5th best scorer.

Small sample size. But our ''late picks'' are not even getting ice time, they are showing a lot of promise.

He's still learning the position, gonna have to be patient with him.

 

[Kalv]

Pronman in the Q&A a few days back said that he is not surprised that Tracey is putting up points, he said the bigges thing for him will be his skating. He acknowledged that the stride has improved since last year for Tracey.

EDIT: after watching a few of his highlights, he does get his points mostly from stationary positions. He has a great nose for the puck and can score or dish a pass in tight situations around the net. But he needs to:
*get his stride more powerful
*be more active in the plays, he is just floating around on some plays
*develop a two way game. I did saw him in some PK situation, though, so hopefully he gets better.
*get stronger.

He has some really intriguing skill but there are areas he cleaarly needs to work on. So far he looks to be working his ass off, so I have optimism he will work on the areas he needs to work on.
He really reminds of a smaller and non-agitating Perry

Also, Warriors have recently added two 19 yo ''veteran'' defensemen. They are trying to get better.

Also, Janicke, Thrun and Badini are playing and racking up points for some good teams:

 

[bsu]

Harvard is playing Arizona State dec 28 and 29 at Irvine rink announced today

 

[Hockey Duckie]

LaCombe is the University of Minnesotta top scoring D but has one of the worst +/- on the team.
Thrun is #3 on Harvard D scoring but has the best +/- on the team with a good margin
Janicke is Notre Dames 5th best scorer.

Small sample size. But our ''late picks'' are not even getting ice time, they are showing a lot of promise.

LaCombe's situation reminds me of the Shea Theodore situation such that everyone was pointing out Theodore having a terrible +/- rating. Now if you add context to the +/- rating that most of the team has a negative rating, then is the negative +/- really telling of the individual? LaCombe is paired a senior defenseman in Zuhldorf, IIRC and over half the team is in the negative rating. Fellow Duck prospects LW McLaughlin (-6) and RW Perbix (-4). Fellow Minny defenseman Staudacher had a +5 (top on the team) and is a freshman, but he's a 19-year old defenseman whereas LaCombe is still 18 years old.

LaCombe is a fast skating offensive defenseman. That's similar to Theodore's game makeup. Hopefully, with a year or two under his belt at this level of competition will help his defensive progress.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Harvard is playing Arizona State dec 28 and 29 at Irvine rink announced today

Remind me closer to that date.

Is there some tournament that would cause those two teams to play here?

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Tracey was suspended, but I dunno for how many games.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Brayden Tracey will miss today’s game as a result of the checking to the head major from last nights game vs Swift Current. <a href="Moose Jaw Warriors on Twitter">pic.twitter.com/t90e0y7zvB</a></p>&mdash; Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) <a href="">November 17, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Moose Jaw forward Brayden Tracey assessed a TBD suspension for this hit on Swift Current&#39;s Sam McGinley last night. <a href="Brandon Rivers on Twitter">pic.twitter.com/VGDovR1QpC</a></p>&mdash; Brandon Rivers (@BriversWHL) <a href="">November 18, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Tracey was suspended, but I dunno for how many games.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Brayden Tracey will miss today’s game as a result of the checking to the head major from last nights game vs Swift Current. <a href="Moose Jaw Warriors on Twitter">pic.twitter.com/t90e0y7zvB</a></p>&mdash; Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) <a href="">November 17, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Moose Jaw forward Brayden Tracey assessed a TBD suspension for this hit on Swift Current&#39;s Sam McGinley last night. <a href="Brandon Rivers on Twitter">pic.twitter.com/VGDovR1QpC</a></p>&mdash; Brandon Rivers (@BriversWHL) <a href="">November 18, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

There was no need to go high there.

 

[duxfan1101]

 

[duxfan1101]

Dostal finally lost, and Nattinen scored on him

 

[alcolol]

Dostal finally lost, and Nattinen scored on him

Worth noting JYP put 30 shots on Dostal, while Ilves finished with 11 shots.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

LaCombe kinda reminds me of when we had Jake Gardiner as a prospect he is a very toolsy kid but I don't want him anywhere near the Ducks until we have to get him signed. I do not trust our staff to develop his offensive talent and I hope he's able to in college

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Worth noting JYP put 30 shots on Dostal, while Ilves finished with 11 shots.

Woof.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

LaCombe kinda reminds me of when we had Jake Gardiner as a prospect he is a very toolsy kid but I don't want him anywhere near the Ducks until we have to get him signed. I do not trust our staff to develop his offensive talent and I hope he's able to in college

I think our org is more concerned with his defense developing than his offense. They're happy to know he's going to college route such that he can grow into his body as well as go up against 21 year olds for competition. Development isn't the problem with the Ducks org, but rather the talent level they're given.

 

[duxfan1101]

Currently watching Zegras' game (if you have CBS All-Access, you can watch most of BU's games). Zegras was behind the opposing team's net, and the other team was not bothering to pressure him. So, Zegras had time to put the puck on his blade, lift it up, and flip it over the net. I'm not sure if he was trying to bank it off the goalie's back or if he was trying to put it in the slot for a teammate. Unfortunately, none of his linemates were anywhere near the front of the net for whatever reason so it didn't turn into anything, but I can honsetly say I've never seen anyone do that before. It helped that Vermont's defensemen were nowhere near him and seemingly had no plans to pressure him, but still a super creative play.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Always a passer. I thought for a second you were going to relay that he did a lacrosse move with the puck to score from behind the net. I'll still take that creativity as long as we've got a someone on the same page with him that can finish... like tracey.

 

[duxfan1101]

Always a passer. I thought for a second you were going to relay that he did a lacrosse move with the puck to score from behind the net. I'll still take that creativity as long as we've got a someone on the same page with him that can finish... like tracey.

He definitely had the time and space to at least attempt that goal. But I will also say it seems like he's almost too clever for his teammates sometimes. Honestly, sometimes he's even too creative for his own good. Hopefully once he goes pro, it will be easier for him to connect on his creative plays.