Prospect Info: General Prospect Discussion Thread 2020-21

[JP Flow]

The main problem is that he's good enough that you can't dismiss him as another Jimmy Murphy or Adrian Dater. He does talk to a lot of agents and does do a lot of footwork to develop relationships within the organization. It's hard to figure out where where the informed speculation ends and where his own thoughts begin.

Unfortunately the media environment doesn't really allow him to stop speculating. He does that and he's probably out of a job.

My biggest gripe about his transition from the Strib to the Athletic is how intertwined his reporting and his opinion have become. At the Strib, on any given day, he’d have a gamer, a short newser, and a blog to drop all the info and speculation that didn’t fit in any of the other buckets. Now it seems all those things are rolled into one piece of content per day, and it becomes very challenging to dissect what’s what.

 

[nickschultzfan]

My biggest gripe about his transition from the Strib to the Athletic is how intertwined his reporting and his opinion have become. At the Strib, on any given day, he’d have a gamer, a short newser, and a blog to drop all the info and speculation that didn’t fit in any of the other buckets. Now it seems all those things are rolled into one piece of content per day, and it becomes very challenging to dissect what’s what.

Good point.

 

[MuckOG]

Long time Russo defender here, but I will admit that he has been grooming his own "shtick" which is starting to annoy me. He's starting to become a little too arrogant and condescending towards the fans for my taste.

That being said, the comments about him interjecting opinion over actual reporting are only half right. It's hard to do any actual reporting when you are denied access to team players and personnel....and asking questions on a zoom call is not the same thing. I'll cut him some slack there.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

I wish there was a way to keep O'Rourke in the AHL next year. Seems kind of silly that as he's starting to really grasp the pro game, and will likely spend a full season there, that he'll be forced to report back to the OHL next season.

With the NHL/CHL transfer agreement up, there’s rumors going around that the GMs might be asking for one exception contract that can play in the AHL before they’re 21yo season.

 

[JP Flow]

Long time Russo defender here, but I will admit that he has been grooming his own "shtick" which is starting to annoy me. He's starting to become a little too arrogant and condescending towards the fans for my taste.

That being said, the comments about him interjecting opinion over actual reporting are only half right. It's hard to do any actual reporting when you are denied access to team players and personnel....and asking questions on a zoom call is not the same thing. I'll cut him some slack there.

No doubt. Overall, I think he’s very good at his job, and I feel lucky to have him cover the team I follow. I just miss the days when his deliverables were a little better defined.

 

[ThatGuy22]

With the NHL/CHL transfer agreement up, there’s rumors going around that the GMs might be asking for one exception contract that can play in the AHL before they’re 21yo season.

If they are "asking" for that, I can't see what leverage the CHL has to refuse it. NHL has like 90% of the leverage in that negotiation, and most of that remaining leverage against them is that parts of the agreement are in the NHL's best interest as well (like not filling up the AHL with players not even close to ready to play).

 

[57special]

With the NHL/CHL transfer agreement up, there’s rumors going around that the GMs might be asking for one exception contract that can play in the AHL before they’re 21yo season.

I can see the CHL fighting that like crazy. One per team doesn't sound like a lot till you realize that they are talking about skimming off the top stars in the league. This would dilute the product, and make it less appealing, which would definitely affect gates.

 

[ThatGuy22]

I can see the CHL fighting that like crazy. One per team doesn't sound like a lot till you realize that they are talking about skimming off the top stars in the league. This would dilute the product, and make it less appealing, which would definitely affect gates.

They don't really have any ammo to fight it with.

NHL-CHL agreement is pretty much solely by the NHL's good graces in that they realize a strong CHL is better for development, and it probably wouldn't be a good thing for the AHL to be a really high percentage of 18-19 year olds because most won't be ready for NHL duty if needed.

CHL doesn't have any leverage. All CHL contracts are 1 year deals. A player doesn't actually need a contract to play in the CHL (but you can't get the tuition reimbursement without signing one).

So if the board of governors decided they want 1 exceptional player status type deal per team, CHL is petty much gonna have to take it.

 

[TaLoN]

I’m not as sour on him as many seem to be but this was always just an astonishing take on a team’s best prospect. Saying that the team would prefer to start his deal next year is obvious in the way that I would prefer not to pay my mortgage this year. But logic should come into play at some point during this and continuing to push that narrative just drives unneeded second-guessing on the franchise and frankly, him.

Russo has never been very good at speculation. It's his raw reporting where he excels.

The problem is, he does a lot more speculating than he used to...

I mean what he reported was that the Wild would have preferred to delay it. It was speculative and he even listed out all the options the other day. Idiot is harsh, you can not like someone’s style of reporting, but come on.

Speculation isn't reporting, speculation is an opinion piece.

Reporting is actually, you know, reporting what is happening, or is being rumored to be happening by sources to him.

More realistically he does kind of remind off of Soucy, who I'll happily take two of.

He's going to be a lot better than Soucy

 

[thestonedkoala]

Long time Russo defender here, but I will admit that he has been grooming his own "shtick" which is starting to annoy me. He's starting to become a little too arrogant and condescending towards the fans for my taste.

I've been saying this for a long, long - LONG time. It doesn't help that he has a podcast with Souhan either.

Russo is one of the more overrated writers these days in the NHL, because he was the ONLY writer for the Wild. When he moved to the Athletic, it was the beginning of the end.

 

[HotDish]

I've been saying this for a long, long - LONG time. It doesn't help that he has a podcast with Souhan either.

Russo is one of the more overrated writers these days in the NHL, because he was the ONLY writer for the Wild. When he moved to the Athletic, it was the beginning of the end.

I mean not really, the Podcast is on Souhan's network but Lapanta and Russo are the hosts.

Overall do agree with the comments about Russo though.

 

[StateofCelly]

They don't really have any ammo to fight it with.

NHL-CHL agreement is pretty much solely by the NHL's good graces in that they realize a strong CHL is better for development, and it probably wouldn't be a good thing for the AHL to be a really high percentage of 18-19 year olds because most won't be ready for NHL duty if needed.

CHL doesn't have any leverage. All CHL contracts are 1 year deals. A player doesn't actually need a contract to play in the CHL (but you can't get the tuition reimbursement without signing one).

So if the board of governors decided they want 1 exceptional player status type deal per team, CHL is petty much gonna have to take it.

Would love to see the NHL flex a little bit on this and if there is a threat from the CHL in any fashion see more of an agreement build with the USHL to really build JR hockey in the US. There are quite a few markets looking into expansion and one that will be fairly close to home here once the city agrees on location and some more private funding is shored up. Not going to divulge a lot, but SE Minnesota is a place that they want to be in relation so being away from competing programs (NHL,NCAA) but also have good proximity for other teams/travel. I will let you use imagination, but we are working on it down here. Not sure if it would impact the US Jr program to have a major injection of Canadian Jrs into the US or if those kids would want to leave home, but would just be nice to see it on the same level as the CHL is now.

 

[Nino Noderreiter]

So when does Boldy get his first AHL action? Would love to see him tear it up for the next few weeks and actually make bringing him up a conversation worth thinking about. Big league team needs more skill yesterday!

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

So when does Boldy get his first AHL action? Would love to see him tear it up for the next few weeks and actually make bringing him up a conversation worth thinking about. Big league team needs more skill yesterday!

Maybe Saturday, but I’m pretty sure they said a 3 day quarantine so probably not. Then next Friday (4/9) would be the next opportunity

 

[MuckOG]

So when does Boldy get his first AHL action? Would love to see him tear it up for the next few weeks and actually make bringing him up a conversation worth thinking about. Big league team needs more skill yesterday!

I heard that Boldy will need to quarantine in St Paul for 3 days than will be driven down to Iowa to join the team when they arrive back from Texas. Next game on the schedule would be next Friday against Chicago.

 

[57special]

I heard that Boldy will need to quarantine in St Paul for 3 days than will be driven down to Iowa to join the team when they arrive back from Texas. Next game on the schedule would be next Friday against Chicago.

Wonder why they didn't send him straight to Iowa? Medical?

 

[ThatGuy22]

Wonder why they didn't send him straight to Iowa? Medical?

Iowa was starting a 4 games in 5 nights road trip in Texas on the day he signed. He couldn't play in those games regardless, so it made sense to start the quarantine/testing procedures in Minnesota. (and probably give him entry physical and what not).

 

[57special]

Iowa was starting a 4 games in 5 nights road trip in Texas on the day he signed. He couldn't play in those games regardless, so it made sense to start the quarantine/testing procedures in Minnesota. (and probably give him entry physical and what not).

Ah, ok.

 

[P10p]

Calen Addison with his 5th tonight. Also leads rookie d in scoring for the AHL.

 

[Al Lagoon]

Calen Addison with his 5th tonight. Also leads rookie d in scoring for the AHL.

It's been a good long while since the Wild had a defenseman prospect worth getting worked up about.

 

[P10p]

It's been a good long while since the Wild had a defenseman prospect worth getting worked up about.

Whole team played great, Hunter Jones with a big shutout. 37 saves iirc?

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Whole team played great, Hunter Jones with a big shutout. 37 saves iirc?

Five 3rd period fights.

 

[P10p]

Five 3rd period fights.

Texas was gooning it up at the end. Glad to see the Wild answer the bell so many times.

 

[57special]

6'3" Harley fighting 5'9" Mayhew?

6'6" Tufte fighting 5'9" Mason Shaw?

WTH? Shaw and Mayhew aren't exactly one of the Domi's.

 

[grN1g]

6'3" Harley fighting 5'9" Mayhew?

6'6" Tufte fighting 5'9" Mason Shaw?

WTH? Shaw and Mayhew aren't exactly one of the Domi's.

Mmm we fight on the scoreboard and when you try to goon us when you lose. Let's go.