Glaring need for an Elite D prospect

[Bluelines]

Rielly can QB a PP. Not sure where you heard he can't.

And the NHL isn't about imposing your will anymore. It's about being positionally sound, and controlling the puck, and getting it out of your zone with control.

You don't need to be physically imposing to play defense anymore.

The Ducks and Jets looked pretty good last year and they pounded the body frequently.

I agree positionaly sound is important, controlling the puck is important but pounding your opponents into dust while following the rules will never stop being apart of hockey. Intimidation be it through physical force, speed, or skill will always be part of the game.

 

[Kamiccolo]

Chychrun or Matthews. I'll gladly take either of them.

Yup.

We either get an elite #1 C with size, or an elite top pairing RD with size.

Either fills an enormous hole. Personally I want the D (hehe), because it's another chance at a true #1 D.

We get Mathews

JVR-Mathews-Brown
Nylander-Marner-Kapanen

Rielly-XXX

We take Chychrun

JVR-Marner-Brown
Nylander/Kadri-Kadri-Nylander-Kapanen

XXX-Chychrun
Rielly-XXX

 

[Kyle93]

Pouliot should have been that guy. Oh well.

We have a more glaring need for RHD players/prospects. There are six RHD in the organization. Polak, Robidas, Granberg, Nilsson, Donaghey, Lindgren.

 

[Beaninfritz]

We still have a question mark at #1C ... Marner could easily end up a winger, and with the average size of NHL players continiously increasing, he may simply not be big enough to be a #1 centre.

Yeah. Because players like Crosby and Giroux are such busts.

 

[Bullseye]

Yeah. Because players like Crosby and Giroux are such busts.

I think Marner will play centre but not right away in the NHL - he has to become a much stronger physical player to endure the crap the NHL is target him with - ask Crosby about that.

 

[Rufio65*]

Yeah. Because players like Crosby and Giroux are such busts.

Crosby is built like a block and pound for pound is one of the strongest players in the league. Marner is built like a 13 year old. Apples and oranges comparison.

Marner will most likely be a winger at the NHL level, just because Mark Hunter can't take off the Knights homer goggles doesn't mean that he will be a center at the NHL level. Ask scouts what Marner translates to at the NHL level.. they will tell you he is a winger.

 

[Bullseye]

Yeah. Because players like Crosby and Giroux are such busts.

I highly value what Darryl Belfry has to say about comparing young players to NHLer's:

belfryhockey ‏@belfryhockey Jun 28
I particularly love when the comparison is to a first ballot HOFer. Each year the absurdity of the logic further distances the humour.

belfryhockey ‏@belfryhockey Jun 28
The fact this is still accepted is mind-numbing. This comparative rhetoric perpetuates "boxed thinking" & insults our collective hockey IQ

belfryhockey ‏@belfryhockey Jun 28
The common practice of using comparative rhetoric of current &/or past NHLers as an illustrative projection 4 prospects defines dumbing down

Back to me - Let's just remember - a player is himself and not someone else - not Crosby not Giroux - Mitch Marner will be the next Mitch Marner.

 

[Bullseye]

Crosby is built like a block and pound for pound is one of the strongest players in the league. Marner is built like a 13 year old. Apples and oranges comparison.

Marner will most likely be a winger at the NHL level, just because Mark Hunter can't take off the Knights homer goggles doesn't mean that he will be a center at the NHL level. Ask scouts what Marner translates to at the NHL level.. they will tell you he is a winger.

You have no way of knowing this for the long term because you have no idea what a 21 year Mitch Marner is going to look like. Stamkos was not a physical specimen when he starting playing with the Lightning - he learned quickly that he had better get very strong.

Marner has the advanced knowledge of that reality and 2-3 years physical building can make a huge difference - we can't tell the future.

I agree that at first wing is likely. But the afterwards depends on Mitch.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

'Glaring need'? Really? Two weeks ago the Leafs had what most would consider a below average prospect pool, now that we have some great forward prospects people are panicking that we need an elite defensemen prospect?

This just in, we have a glaring need for elite players in every position.

Is the thinking we are set everywhere now and just need to draft a stud defender? It seems premature to start thinking like this.

 

[Fogelhund]

Yup.

We either get an elite #1 C with size, or an elite top pairing RD with size.


We take Chychrun

Except everything I've read says he is a LD, not a RD.

 

[Territory]

Except everything I've read says he is a LD, not a RD.

He shoots left.

 

[BlueBaron]

Yeah. Because players like Crosby and Giroux are such busts.

Because he is exactly like them . Just because some players can get past the size issue doesn't mean all can. There are many examples of this . I don't think size will be much issue for Marner but lets not pretend it isn't an issue for some. Grit , hockey IQ and determination are all factors, luckily Marner gets high marks in all of these areas.

 

[BlueBaron]

Is the thinking we are set everywhere now and just need to draft a stud defender? It seems premature to start thinking like this.

I think it's more about planning next years top pick.

 

[Stephen]

When you look at other successful rebuilds, it looks like having a cornerstone defenseman in place earlier in the rebuild is preferable, so Chychrun would be a great building block to go with Rielly but at the same time, if we were in a position to take Matthews, how could you not?

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Defence is shaping up.

I like the Harrington addition to the future D. If one likes stay at home, non flashy, D men. That's me.

Rielly will have to take a big step this year. It is not out of the question he will be an allstar this year. My opinion, but I have always thought he was one of the best prospects from 2012.

Dermott, is probably 2 years away from NHL exposure, but my hope is we hit a homerun here.

Percy needs to show this is his year, he started great last year. He's there IMO to make the big club.

These are the 4 that need to be players for us.

Dion is here, and he will be better under Babcock. It's not bad. If everything unfolds as it should.

If we can have one of Nilsson, Valiev, Finn surprise us. Then even better.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Defence is shaping up.

I like the Harrington addition to the future D. If one likes stay at home, non flashy, D men. That's me.

Rielly will have to take a big step this year. It is not out of the question he will be an allstar this year. My opinion, but I have always thought he was one of the best prospects from 2012.

Dermott, is probably 2 years away from NHL exposure, but my hope is we hit a homerun here.

Percy needs to show this is his year, he started great last year. He's there IMO to make the big club.

These are the 4 that need to be players for us.

Dion is here, and he will be better under Babcock. It's not bad. If everything unfolds as it should.

wasn't Percy's biggest thing being healthy? (I am going to try really hard to follow Marlies (or at least Marlies news) next season).

i am curious how he will be handled this season. Marlies (for the consistency) or Leafs for trial by fire basically. I liked his little stint when he was up here.

 

[Stephen]

wasn't Percy's biggest thing being healthy? (I am going to try really hard to follow Marlies (or at least Marlies news) next season).

i am curious how he will be handled this season. Marlies (for the consistency) or Leafs for trial by fire basically. I liked his little stint when he was up here.

I worry that a somewhat boring player like Percy will slip through the cracks and not really become an established quality defenseman until he's been through a few organizations and is in his mid to late 20s. A lot of guys seem to take that career path.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

wasn't Percy's biggest thing being healthy? (I am going to try really hard to follow Marlies (or at least Marlies news) next season).

i am curious how he will be handled this season. Marlies (for the consistency) or Leafs for trial by fire basically. I liked his little stint when he was up here.

Percy is ready, I am not sure what happened last season. He was our best D man to start the year off. A 2011 1st rd pick should be NHL ready this year. I will be very disappointed if he does not stick this year. He's too good, too smart, too much going for him to not make this team.

 

[highslot]

We need a stud centre and a stud d-man in the next drafts

Tampa is the model for I think - but we a re no-where close to them.

We don't have a Stamkos down the middle and we don't have a Hedman style d-man.

We do have the Tyler Johnsons - a few of them - and we may have some Anton Stralmans now hopefully these players will carry the mail until we can find our Stamkos our Hedman.

i'd rate marner better than tyler johnson and rielly better than stralman. just a matter of opinion.

in fact we may have our kane and datsyuk, as well as our ryan murray.

on top of having a 30-30 winger, and a tyler johnson (bracco or kapenan) type in the system.

 

[highslot]

Percy is ready, I am not sure what happened last season. He was our best D man to start the year off. A 2011 1st rd pick should be NHL ready this year. I will be very disappointed if he does not stick this year. He's too good, too smart, too much going for him to not make this team.

carlyle overloaded him with his astrophysics, and his line mates were extremely confused imo. it was too much pressure at one time.

 

[Turk Broda]

we have Rielly.. we need a nice 6'2+ #2 Dman now. Too bad we couldn't get Jacob Larsson.

If Matthews isn't available next year and Chychrun is, then by all means take him.

I was disappointed that we didn't draft him with the 24th pick. I really liked him and as much as its nice having Dermott and Bracco, I'd rather have Larsson. Though I'm probably in the minority on that.

 

[Daisy Jane]

I worry that a somewhat boring player like Percy will slip through the cracks and not really become an established quality defenseman until he's been through a few organizations and is in his mid to late 20s. A lot of guys seem to take that career path.

Hm. I think if this was still the Burke era/Nonis era, this could be a definite fear, but I am thinking with Hunter, and the call for patience + the progress he has shown, he shouldn't slip. I will preface this with that if there is of course a better option (in the same wheelhouse as Percy) he could be in trouble. But I think he'll stick. He's a good cookie.

Percy is ready, I am not sure what happened last season. He was our best D man to start the year off. A 2011 1st rd pick should be NHL ready this year. I will be very disappointed if he does not stick this year. He's too good, too smart, too much going for him to not make this team.

I agree with you Honestly - I really don't know why Carlyle sent him down, (and then he never came back up). Again, I think he was injured but I could be wrong on that act.

I am thinking who are defensemen we have currently.

Phaneuf
Rielly
Jake
Robidas
Marincin
Polak

Marincin is waiver fodder. So maybe we run 7 defensemen?

 

[MJ65]

We still need more D prospects no question about it, but we are heading in the direction. With the addition of Dermott (2015 draft), Marincin (traded for # 105 OA), and Harrington (Traded in Kessel's trade) our D prospects look much better then it was year ago and I must admire Hunter's team for the job well done (so far)

Martin Marincin a big D at 6'4" 190 lbs (still a prospect)

Marincin is a lanky blueliner who is an excellent skater for his size and shows tremendous mobility. He uses his reach very effectively and his offensive instincts and skill set serve him well, both breaking out of his own zone and in a powerplay quarterback role. He can play with an edge (as was evidenced at the 2011 World Junior Championships) but is not overly physical.

Travis Dermott 5' 11" 197 lbs

Dermott was the second-leading scorer amongst Erie defensemen in his second season with the Otters

Dermott led all OHL defensemen in scoring in the playoffs with 5 goals and 12 assists in 20 games and was +5 with 22 penalty minutes (look like he is quiet physical and feisty)

A lot of people would argue his production while playing with McDavis, but the fact is that he has produced with or without McDavid in the line up

Scott Harrington another big D at 6' 2" 205 lbs

Harrington is a reliable two-way defenseman with phenomenal hockey IQ and on ice-awareness. He is a strong, mobile skater and is particularly adept winning 50/50 battles in the corner and quickly getting the puck out of the defensive zone. Harrington has the vision and puck-skills to make good first passes and start the play up ice. He ultimately projects as a safe and smart stay-at-home defenseman capable of making a good first pass and playing 15-20 minutes a game

 

[MJ65]

If Matthews and Chychrun goes head to head with the first pick, I see teams picking Matthews. I feel like teams pick Franchise, big, centerman over franchise, big, dman.

As much as I like Chychrun, I would still prefer Matthews (if we have a choice)

 

[Stephen]

Yup.

We either get an elite #1 C with size, or an elite top pairing RD with size.

Either fills an enormous hole. Personally I want the D (hehe), because it's another chance at a true #1 D.

We get Mathews

JVR-Mathews-Brown
Nylander-Marner-Kapanen

Rielly-XXX

We take Chychrun

JVR-Marner-Brown
Nylander/Kadri-Kadri-Nylander-Kapanen

XXX-Chychrun
Rielly-XXX

Why is Rielly on the second pairing? He's a cornerstone already.