Prospect Info: Giorgio Estephan (2015, 152nd) – '16-17: Lethbridge #9 (WHL)

[LetsDoughBuffalo]

I think Estefan wanted a max contract, so $925K...not his daft position amount.

This is what I've been thinking the last few days as well.

Maybe not a max, but maybe something much higher than he was being offered.

If he gets drafted, maybe the new team will give him a better deal. If he doesn't, maybe he goes back to Jr. as an overager, puts up 100+ points, and scores that max ELC.

It's certainly a plausible explanation as to what might have happened.

 

[Dex]

Yeah, can't say I even come close to agreeing with that. Maybe he'll eventually be a good AHL player. I'd rather Botterill use this contract or spot in Rochester on someone a bit more proven.

I think this move is evidence that Botteril is going to take Rochester a lot more seriously insofar as winning is concerned. I don't think it will happen in one year, but I think it will happen.

 

[Moskau]

People need to stop acting like this decision was only Botteril. That's not how things work. This is a decision that would be talked about with many of the scouts on the team. So either the organization as a whole wasn't as high on Estephan as some around here, Estephan wasn't that high on the Sabres, or a little from column A and column B.

Maybe he learns how to skate and turns into the next Tyler Johnson. Maybe he turns out like the other dozens of prospects that dominate a CHL league only to amount to nothing.

 

[Ruckus007]

To me, Estephan showed what I want to see from a late round pick to earn an ELC and a chance to develop further in the organization. I tend to be pretty liberal when it comes to who I think should get ELCs but I'm not that upset overall by this happening.

I won't bother speculating why he ultimately wasn't signed but I do find it amusing that a few hundred thousand dollars on a rookie contract is being tossed around as a reason in a forum that has no problem coming up with ways to spend Pegula money.

Can anyone who saw him in development or training camp tell me if Hamilton is barking up the right tree about his skating?

 

[zbubble]

Hopefully this wasn't a case of "I don't want to sign him to an ELC because I'm new in the organization and don't know the kid well enough" out of GMJB.

Not a chance considering he just signed Jonas Johansson yesterday.

 

[Slangston]

To me, Estephan showed what I want to see from a late round pick to earn an ELC and a chance to develop further in the organization. I tend to be pretty liberal when it comes to who I think should get ELCs but I'm not that upset overall by this happening.

I won't bother speculating why he ultimately wasn't signed but I do find it amusing that a few hundred thousand dollars on a rookie contract is being tossed around as a reason in a forum that has no problem coming up with ways to spend Pegula money.

Can anyone who saw him in development or training camp tell me if Hamilton is barking up the right tree about his skating?

Skating was/is his weakness and I'm not sure it's something that can be improved on. I'll just say he reminds me of Cody Hodgson in this regard.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Skating was/is his weakness and I'm not sure it's something that can be improved on. I'll just say he reminds me of Cody Hodgson in this regard.

Skating cant be improved on?





... What?

 

[pigpen65]

They gave contracts to Cornel and Karabacek last year, so idk what's that different about Estephan compared to those prospects other than that and JB.

Sign of things to come. Have a feeling lots of GMTM's bad decisions are on borrowed time.

 

[BuffaloKatanas]

My guess is that Bots didn't want to sign him. By going back to the draft, he could get picked up by any team, not one of his choosing. They could wait two years before giving him a contract. Doesn't make sense. Only other option is that he thinks no team will take him in the draft so he becomes a UFA. Would actually be fine using a 7th to take him again in that situation lol.

 

[AustonsNostrils]

Skating was/is his weakness and I'm not sure it's something that can be improved on. I'll just say he reminds me of Cody Hodgson in this regard.

Skating can be improved markedly with proper coaching and lots of hard work/hours. So many examples, two recent ones - Draisaitl and Horvat.

I do hope Botterill hires a full time skating coach - Arizona hired Dawn Braid who used to work for the Sabres part-time.

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

Skating can be improved markedly with proper coaching and lots of hard work/hours. So many examples, two recent ones - Draisaitl and Horvat.

I do hope Botterill hires a full time skating coach - Arizona hired Dawn Braid who used to work for the Sabres part-time.

I was driving home tonight listening to Sirius NHL radio. Our old pal Legwand was on. They brought up skating and Horvat etc and Legwand says every single team has a full time skating coach, even if we don't know their names. To think Buffalo with Pegula as owner doesn't have a full time skating coach is laughable. Legwand spent his last year of his career here, if we didn't have one he would have said it.

And it's very rare a player can improve their skating in their 20s. You either can skate or you can't. You are born with it. Reinhart will never be an elite skater no matter what instructor we hire or what regimen he follows. It's the way it is.

 

[AustonsNostrils]

If we don't have a full time skating coach I can assure you it's not because Terry Pegula said no. All Murray and now Botterill had/have to do is tell Pegula a skating coach needs to be hired and he'll say 'fine do it'.

Reinhart can't become the skater McDavid or Eichel are but he can improve a lot still. Horvat is the best example, though I'm sure an expert skating coach can identify players who will be much easier to help improve than others.

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

If we don't have a full time skating coach I can assure you it's not because Terry Pegula said no. All Murray and now Botterill had/have to do is tell Pegula a skating coach needs to be hired and he'll say 'fine do it'.

Reinhart can't become the skater McDavid or Eichel are but he can improve a lot still. Horvat is the best example, though I'm sure an expert skating coach can identify players who will be much easier to help improve than others.

What Legwand was saying though is that we along with every other team has a coach who is totally focused on skating. There is someone in the organization who is the skating coach already. As for Reinhart I can see him getting slightly better skating wise but I don't foresee any huge increase. He's almost at the age of his physical peak. It goes further then just form and stance, a player either has that elite leg strength or he doesnt. It's not something you can just work out and gain. Eichel has been a physical beast his whole life and because of that he is an elite skater.

 

[old kummelweck]

What Legwand was saying though is that we along with every other team has a coach who is totally focused on skating. There is someone in the organization who is the skating coach already. As for Reinhart I can see him getting slightly better skating wise but I don't foresee any huge increase. He's almost at the age of his physical peak. It goes further then just form and stance, a player either has that elite leg strength or he doesnt. It's not something you can just work out and gain. Eichel has been a physical beast his whole life and because of that he is an elite skater.

There is only so much you can do to correct skating, or else every pro with this knock would fix this issue. It's not just strength and technique, but also genetics on how they are built.

 

[ottawah]

It's not "just because he was drafted". He was leading the WHL playoffs in scoring at one point. The guy tore it up this year and last, so it's curious but I've never actually watched him play so I have no insights on that. Obviously JB does...

You have to look past the numbers in the CHL to get the story often. They just do not compare. His numbers draft year + 2 were not as good as Baptiste DY + 1. So is anyone losing sleep over a less offensive Baptiste without the skating and physicality?

The kid could very well be an NHL player, I certainly hope for his sake he makes it. But he's the type thats likely to need several AHL years, and I'd agree with the general assesment I am reading is that there are already enough of these type of players in the system.

It is a weak draft, I expect him to get redrafted, but almost never does anyone get drafted higher when they go back in. He doesn't have much room to fall though.

 

[Chainshot]

Yeah, can't say I even come close to agreeing with that. Maybe he'll eventually be a good AHL player. I'd rather Botterill use this contract or spot in Rochester on someone a bit more proven.

Agreed. Seems Botterill agrees that there are too many projects already.

 

[Husko]

Paul Hamilton just sounded off on those that give a damn about Estephan

 

[missingmika]

Paul Hamilton just sounded off on those that give a damn about Estephan

Everyone is still mad about Brad Moran too!

 

[TehDoak]

I'm curious about this but I don't see it as a big deal. Is he even a top 20 prospect for us?

 

[TehDoak]

Everyone is still mad about Brad Moran too!

I remember I wanted us to get Brendl and recreate that hitman top line in buffalo

 

[Jame]

I'm curious about this but I don't see it as a big deal. Is he even a top 20 prospect for us?

He was #13 in our last prospect poll

 

[Ruckus007]

I'm curious about this but I don't see it as a big deal. Is he even a top 20 prospect for us?

He was #13 in our last prospect poll

13/13/10/NR going back to when he was drafted. FYI

 

[missingmika]

I remember I wanted us to get Brendl and recreate that hitman top line in buffalo

That would easily have gotten the Sabers a cup.

If only they got Schemp and Bolland to play with Dylan Hunter too.

 

[Buffaloed]

There is only so much you can do to correct skating, or else every pro with this knock would fix this issue. It's not just strength and technique, but also genetics on how they are built.

I agree. I think the list of players who were unable to improve their skating enough to achieve NHL success is a lot longer than those that succeeded. Mark Mancari and Luke Adam come to mind.

 

[Buffaloed]

To me, Estephan showed what I want to see from a late round pick to earn an ELC and a chance to develop further in the organization. I tend to be pretty liberal when it comes to who I think should get ELCs but I'm not that upset overall by this happening.

I won't bother speculating why he ultimately wasn't signed but I do find it amusing that a few hundred thousand dollars on a rookie contract is being tossed around as a reason in a forum that has no problem coming up with ways to spend Pegula money.

Can anyone who saw him in development or training camp tell me if Hamilton is barking up the right tree about his skating?

His skating is discussed in the scouting report in this post from a couple years ago.
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=103372317&postcount=15