Prospect Info: Grand Rapids Griffins 2018-19

[HomersWorld]

Givani Smith is a lot more noticeable lately. Still not the highest on him, but like what I'm seeing as of late.

 

[GrGriffins]

Manitoba Moose 1 at Grand Rapids Griffins 2 (OT) - Status: Final OT
Wednesday, January 23, 2019 - Van Andel Arena

Manitoba 1 0 0 0 - 1
Grand Rapids 0 1 0 1 - 2

1st Period-1, Manitoba, Shaw 17 (Griffith, Niku), 18:54 (PP).

Penalties-Lipon Mb (boarding), 0:21; Griffith Mb (slashing), 9:33; Elson Gr (high-sticking), 9:56; Saarijarvi Gr (delay of game), 17:19.

2nd Period-2, Grand Rapids, Megan 9 (Spezia), 10:47.

Penalties-D'Aoust Mb (holding), 2:47; Shine Gr (high-sticking), 6:25; Lipon Mb (fighting), 10:10; Smith Gr (fighting), 10:10; D'Aoust Mb (high-sticking), 11:07; Niku Mb (double minor - high-sticking), 14:51; Shaw Mb (high-sticking), 19:52.

3rd Period- No Scoring.

Penalties-Elson Gr (holding), 10:10.

OT Period-3, Grand Rapids, Camper 10 (Puempel, Hicketts), 3:37.

Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Manitoba 9-12-7-2-30. Grand Rapids 8-15-11-2-36.

Power Play Opportunities-Manitoba 1 / 4; Grand Rapids 0 / 7.

Goalies-Manitoba, Comrie 15-11-3 (36 shots-34 saves). Grand Rapids, Sateri 14-7-2 (30 shots-29 saves).

A-4,889

Referees-Anthony Tapper (9), Stephen Reneau (34).
Linesmen-Pat Richardson (67), Jesse Pletsch (51).

 

[RedWingzz]

Zadina is ice cold. What's that, 5 games in a row without a point? He can start producing any time now, this is getting really frustrating.

 

[Konnan511]

Zadina's lack of points is disheartening, I'd be curious if @GrGriffins can comment on his play recently. The team has won 4 of their past 5, so maybe he is working on his two-way game to help the team win?

 

[Ezekial]

I saw that he had 5 shots last night.

 

[GrGriffins]

Zadina's lack of points is disheartening, I'd be curious if @GrGriffins can comment on his play recently. The team has won 4 of their past 5, so maybe he is working on his two-way game to help the team win?

Zadina has improved in his fore-checking in the opponent's end of the ice in recent games which is good to see. He seems to have more confidence in that part of his game. He is skating much better as well, but he is trying to do things himself more than to utilize his team mates more in the offensive end of the ice. On the double-minor PP, he was firing shots, but most of them never got through as teams are starting to notice that the Griffins are trying to go to him more on the PP (which explains why our team is near the bottom of the AHL in PP%). The shots that he is getting credited as shots on goal are either from the outside, or from a bad angle coming in and not generating any good scoring chances or creating rebounds for his team mates to convert to goals. With Chris Terry out with an injury the past 4 games, Coach Simon was forced to move Zadina to the top line on 5 on 5, and Simon had to scramble a 2nd PP unit where Zadina was at the point and Lashoff was playing net front.

He still has issues with is defensive coverage in his own zone as he is still seems to be out of place at times when defending in his own end. Seems to be unsure who his man is or when the opponent cycles below the goal line, he seems like he does not know where to position himself and to when to stay in that position and when to rotate. He also has problems clearing the puck out of his own zone as well. Creates too many turnovers inside the blue line, but lately our goaltenders (Rybar and Sateri) has bailed him out numerous times.

I see that Spezia and Hamilton got sent down to Toledo (ECHL) earlier today as Hronek arrived this morning in GR and he will play both games here in GR vs SJ. I hope that Chris Terry will be on the ice as well so that our 4 lines will be somewhat back to normal as well as our PP & PK units. Will see this weekend.

 

[izlez]

He's also been working on his full ice shots with 2 seconds left in the game while leading by 3 goals, which I assume has been a big emphasis from the organization, so that's good to see.

 

[Henkka]

Zadina's lack of points is disheartening, I'd be curious if @GrGriffins can comment on his play recently. The team has won 4 of their past 5, so maybe he is working on his two-way game to help the team win?

I also wonder, that are they doing with 1st year guys there? Like David Pope has been total disappointment.

 

[GrGriffins]

Rybar in goal for Griffins tonight to start the 2 game series with the San Jose Barracuda. Chris Terry will be back in the lineup as well as Filip Hronek for the Griffins. Lots of snow and bitterly cold here in GR.

 

[Hinterland]

Is it save to assume that Sateri is gone after this season? Expiring contract and not saving much...
If so, I wonder whether the Wings organization would be willing to give Van Pottelberghe an early shot to share the net with Rybar (if he stays) next season. JvP has yet to sign a contract for next season and is doing very well. Currently leading the 2nd Swiss League with a 2,00 GAA and 93% saves. He's done well enough in the 1st league for Davos, too despite them being a bad team. Gilles Senn, the guy he shared the net with for 2 years in Davos, is gonna sign his ELC with NJ and JvP is at least as good as Senn.

 

[GrGriffins]

San Jose Barracuda 4 at Grand Rapids Griffins 0 - Status: Final
Friday, January 25, 2019 - Van Andel Arena

San Jose 0 3 1 - 4
Grand Rapids 0 0 0 - 0

1st Period- No Scoring.

Penalties-Wiederer Sj (hooking), 16:33.

2nd Period-1, San Jose, Letunov 8 (Halbgewachs, Wiederer), 3:38. 2, San Jose, Wiederer 9 (Halbgewachs), 7:50. 3, San Jose, Martin 7 (DeSimone), 16:05.

Penalties-Suomela Sj (hooking), 4:49; Shine Gr (holding), 12:18; Truchon-Viel Sj (holding), 19:46.

3rd Period-4, San Jose, DeSimone 7 (Chartier, True), 10:58 (PP).

Penalties-Weinger Sj (holding), 7:00; Elson Gr (slashing), 7:04; K. Middleton Sj (tripping), 7:52; served by Smith Gr (bench minor - too many men), 9:47; McIlrath Gr (roughing), 13:19.

Shots on Goal-San Jose 7-10-9-26. Grand Rapids 12-5-12-29.

Power Play Opportunities-San Jose 1 / 3; Grand Rapids 0 / 5.

Goalies-San Jose, Korenar 15-3-1 (29 shots-29 saves). Grand Rapids, Rybar 10-7-5 (26 shots-22 saves).

A-8,826

Referees-Dan Kelly (55), Anthony Tapper (9).
Linesmen-Justin Cornell (14), Jim Scarpace (75).

 

[GrGriffins]

Sateri in goal tonight for GR. Lashoff and Pope in the lineup tonight. Sulak and one other player (not sure who) out tonight.

 

[DInTheB]

 

[Fil Larkmanthanasiou]

Sateri in goal tonight for GR. Lashoff and Pope in the lineup tonight. Sulak and one other player (not sure who) out tonight.

Is Sulak injured or was he scratched to make room for Hronek?

 

[GrGriffins]

San Jose Barracuda 2 at Grand Rapids Griffins 3 (SO) - Status: Final SO
Saturday, January 26, 2019 - Van Andel Arena

San Jose 2 0 0 0 - 2
Grand Rapids 0 2 0 0 - 3

1st Period-1, San Jose, True 12 (Suomela, Bibeau), 7:49. 2, San Jose, Chartier 4 (True, Halbgewachs), 19:36 (PP).

Penalties-Zadina Gr (hooking), 8:18; Hronek Gr (interference), 18:46.

2nd Period-3, Grand Rapids, Zadina 11 (Terry), 1:18. 4, Grand Rapids, Camper 11 (Campbell), 18:57.

Penalties-Lashoff Gr (slashing), 5:04; Shine Gr (goaltender interference), 13:54; Gambrell Sj (hooking), 14:49.

3rd Period- No Scoring.

Penalties-Hronek Gr (hooking), 1:30; McCarthy Sj (hooking), 4:21; Hicketts Gr (hooking), 10:30; J. Middleton Sj (hooking), 13:18; Wood Sj (tripping), 18:05.

OT Period- No Scoring.

Penalties-K. Middleton Sj (interference), 2:16; Hronek Gr (diving/embellishment), 2:16; J. Middleton Sj (hooking), 2:32.

Shootout - San Jose 0 (Chartier NG, Gambrell NG, Letunov NG), Grand Rapids 1 (Turgeon NG, Puempel G).

Shots on Goal-San Jose 12-5-8-1-0-26. Grand Rapids 6-9-15-2-1-33.

Power Play Opportunities-San Jose 1 / 6; Grand Rapids 0 / 5.

Goalies-San Jose, Bibeau 9-5-5 (32 shots-30 saves). Grand Rapids, Sateri 15-7-2 (26 shots-24 saves).

A-10,834

Referees-Tim Mayer (19), Jarrod Ragusin (2).
Linesmen-Jim Scarpace (75), Bob Marcis (65).

 

[GrGriffins]

Is Sulak injured or was he scratched to make room for Hronek?

Nope. Sulak played terrible last night so he got scratched (deserving so). Megan was the 7th veteran who was also scratched tonight.

 

[Reddwit]

Wings/Martin need to re-up Rybar ASAP. If his primary alternative is the Czech league, it should be easy to get him to stay. Top salary for “stars” in the Czech league is about the NHL equivalent of ~300k (meaning with taxes taken into account). The KHL is headed towards instituting a cap salary with a low threshold, so their salaries for non-hyped guys isn’t great these days either. All other Euro leagues typically max out at like ~500k for all but a handful of “star” guys, and Rybar isn’t there. So it should be pretty easy to keep him around with a guaranteed AHL salary of ~$500k plus the promise of call-ups next year.

 

[FireBird71]

Would like to see Fulcher as the backup in GR next season

 

[Henkka]

Wings/Martin need to re-up Rybar ASAP. If his primary alternative is the Czech league, it should be easy to get him to stay. Top salary for “stars” in the Czech league is about the NHL equivalent of ~300k (meaning with taxes taken into account). The KHL is headed towards instituting a cap salary with a low threshold, so their salaries for non-hyped guys isn’t great these days either. All other Euro leagues typically max out at like ~500k for all but a handful of “star” guys, and Rybar isn’t there. So it should be pretty easy to keep him around with a guaranteed AHL salary of ~$500k plus the promise of call-ups next year.

Could throw the current Säteri contract for Rybar at next season.

750k NHL salary, 350k in AHL.

 

[Reddwit]

Could throw the current Säteri contract for Rybar at next season.

750k NHL salary, 350k in AHL.

That might do it. Going off of Capfriendly, Sateri left the NHL for Europe when he was making ~$125-150k(US) but came back for ~$300k(US) and then left Florida to sign with us for that extra ~$50k, so ~$300k(US) could be that sweet spot for European guys to stick around in the NHL.

On the other hand, Rybar could have more prospects. He's doing very well in his first North American stint and he's doing it at 24/25 - a fairly common age for a lot goaltenders to hit that next level. Pavel Francouz was the top KHL goalie 2 years running before he got $690k guaranteed from Colorado, so we might be looking at something between 350-600 to keep him. On the plus side, more guaranteed salary usually means a lower NHL salary, which could be a boon to us if he ends up taking the next step. I'd try for 700k/400k x 2. Rybar could really bridge the gap for us between our current goaltenders and the next generation.

 

[alko]

Rybar could really bridge the gap for us between our current goaltenders and the next generation

Who is in the "next Generation" group?

 

[sureWhyNot]

Smith, hopefully Zadina and I suppose Hickets. I know we went the “best player available” the past two years but I really think we we needed to put an emphasis on puck moving dman (ie Hughes).

 

[lhsgolf19]

Must See TV tonight

 

[Christien]

Must See TV tonight

Ras is such a big dude, damn

 

[Perfect Human]

Listening to the game, sounds like Ras is playing well so far