Dr Jan Itor
Registered User
There's no evidence that Mayhew isn't an NHL caliber player. It's just an assumption right now.
There's no evidence that Mayhew isn't an NHL caliber player. It's just an assumption right now.
He just turned 27
That isn't evidence.
Age is a factor. I can't remember off the top of my head any prospects aged 26 or older that stuck with their team and made an impact.
Chris Kunitz. PA Parenteau. Johnny Boychuk. Derek Ryan. Probably about 2 dozen goalies.Age is a factor. I can't remember off the top of my head any prospects aged 26 or older that stuck with their team and made an impact.
John Madden, Joel Ward and Martin St Louis.
Chris Kunitz. PA Parenteau. Johnny Boychuk. Derek Ryan. Probably about 2 dozen goalies.
Well if you keep moving the goal posts you can exclude pretty much everyone. And your last part is exactly the point. A lot of those guys were traded, or moved teams when their current one decided they weren't going to pan out, likely largely due to age, without ever giving them a shot. It's also not like the Wild have been watching these guys since they were 18. Both were undrafted and are in their 4th season, only 3rd full one for Mayhew. And this season isn't the first when Mayhew has looked deserving of a legit NHL shot.Madden was 26, yes and he was good. But he was also much more of a third line/fourth line guy and was more of a defensive guy. Ward is a good example, but he is also much bigger than Mayhew and Anas and played a much more of a grinder/3rd/4th liner than Anas or Mayhew.
St. Louis was 25 when he played (1999 was his first real season), before breaking out in Tampa Bay in 2000.
Kunitz is weird, because of the lockout. Parenteau is a good example as well. Boychuk is a defenseman, have no idea why he's being brought up talking about forwards. Also goalies? I have no idea who Derek Ryan is...Oh. He also went over to Europe for a while.
Also most of these guys weren't even prospects anymore; Ward, St. Louis, Parenteau, Kunitz, and Ryan all changed teams. Only Madden came up and made an impact to their club.
The success Kap showed against tougher competition at a much younger age makes a world of difference.So, Kaprizov gets gifted a spot( and is being basically penciled into,the top line by some of you), and would never accept a posting to the AHL, yet Mayhew, Mennell, and Anas have to shine in one or two games or get sent back down?
The success Kap showed against tougher competition at a much younger age makes a world of difference.
How often do you see some no name ahl player suddenly become a high quality nhl player in the latter half of his 20's when he was nothing but a no name cast off up to that point?
I can think of nobody.
Martin St.Louis was 23 when he reached the NHL.John Madden, Joel Ward and Martin St Louis.
ages 23 and 24 when they reached the NHL. Mayhew is 27.but the best examples are Martin St Louis and Chris Kunitz
Martin St.Louis was 23 when he reached the NHL.
I'm talking the seasons they had their first games.Are you talking about the '98 season when he scored 2 pts in 13 games? He didn't become a full time NHLer for another 2 seasons after that.
I'm talking the seasons they had their first games.
They get those first games because their play starts getting attention.
Success at younger ages.
The success Kap showed against tougher competition at a much younger age makes a world of difference.
How often do you see some no name ahl player suddenly become a high quality nhl player in the latter half of his 20's when he was nothing but a no name cast off up to that point?
I can think of nobody.
There's a good example! Thanks, I couldn't think of anyone... but still...25 vs Mayhew being 27.Yanni Gourde a couple years ago.
Didn't look out of place, but didn't look like he particularly belonged either. His play reminded me of a lesser version of Fontaine. There's a reason we let go of Fontaine and he never got back into the league.13 games is a cup of coffee. Not a real look. Mayhew has already had a cup of coffee and didn't look out of place, it's time for a longer look.
There's a good example! Thanks, I couldn't think of anyone... but still...25 vs Mayhew being 27.
There's a good example! Thanks, I couldn't think of anyone... but still...25 vs Mayhew being 27.
I wasn't looking at birth months only years, but you're right... by near a month he was 26... he turned 27 a month later. Semantics by that small margin.Mayhew was 26 when he got his first look.
A lot of players his age score 60pts in the AHL who are never NHL players.I don't think the age thing is as meaningful as you might think, and you could argue that Mayhew earned his look after last season.
Menell is still a prospect, nobody is arguing against his chance of success yet. This was about Anas and Mayhew in particular. Neither are really prospects at their age. The harm right now, is they could have a negative impact on the ice for a team that is still trying to make the playoffs. Yes, they are still trying.Nobody has given a good reason for why Mayhew and Mennel don't deserve an extended look.....what's the harm?
That level of success at younger ages shows players are likely to progress to higher levels. Im not saying it's impossible, but there is a MUCH LARGER list of players that reach that level of AHL success around the same age and fail to make an NHL impact.
At 27 you are who you are, you're not a developing player anymore.
Also, I'm not against them getting a chance here. I hope they do... I'm just trying to point out that these aren't likely some out of nowhere NHL stars here. If they do make it, their success level is likely to be mediocre NHL players at best. Not a 20-30 goal scorer level of success. If they do end up there, great! If not, that's ok too, because I'm not going to expect much at this point.
I know they are more likely to be closer to Erik Westrum than Martin St.Louis, so that's where I'm keeping my expectations.
So the answer is to just continue to assume, and not actually find out.
I just said I hope they get a chance, but I also said they aren't likely to get that "extended" look until we're eliminated and there truly is no harm.So the answer is to just continue to assume, and not actually find out.