Prospect Info: Hartford Wolf Pack/Greenville Swamp Rabbits Thread *Part V*

[Osminator]

3 games this weekend... Gonna watch them all... They better show up and play with a purpose.

 

[Mac n Gs]

Mcilrath and Graves are VERY different types of defensemen. Graves is more mobile, agile, better defending one-on-one, better at stickhandling. Mcilrath is tougher, better along the boards and in front of the net, has a harder shot. Dylan is basically a tough old style defensive defenseman with a hard shot, while Graves is more of a midfielder, though he's not soft either.

What I was pointing out is that Graves is surprisingly fast and agile considering he's as big as some premier goons. If he learns to use his body the way Dylan can, he will be a very special defenseman. Imagine combining Mcilrath with Hunwick, neither is great, but combine their best skills and you have a star.

A 6-4 226 defenseman who can hit clear the crease, win along the boards, skate with the puck, make good passes in all 3 zones, PK, defend one-on-one is a first pair NHLer. Hell, Hunwick is playing in the NHL and he's 5 inches shorter and 40 pounds lighter than Graves. Just adding the size to Hunwick, even if he didn't become more physical (but wold instantly become harder to manhandle) would make him a much better player.

Does does he remind me you of a younger Marc Staal to a lesser extent?

 

[cwede]

Does does he remind me you of a younger Marc Staal to a lesser extent?

Graves probably has a better shot than Staal
(but Staal's playoff OT PPG from blue line, vs Caps, will always be a favorite)

but we'll see if Graves has the D chops that Staal had from when younger until very recently - no other NYR D-man in the last ~15 years consistently played 2 on 1's

I've only seen Graves in the last 2 memorial Cups (on tv) but he seems to have hockey smarts and no fear

he's a top prospect for sure, and one reason I am much lass attached to Yandle than many folks here - I think Graves coud even have a roster spot by 2d half next season

 

[Beacon]

Does does he remind me you of a younger Marc Staal to a lesser extent?

No, Graves is more mobile, Staal better at defending 1-on-1. Staal was a beast at that at lower levels. Honestly, I think of a much bigger Hunwick if I have to compare him to any recent Rangers. However, his size makes him not a liability defensively, which is a problem for Hunwick. Size also allows for a possibility that he becomes a good crease clearer and board battler.

What separates him from the NHL are rookies mistakes, which I have to assume will get worked out. If he only adjusts to the pros and fails to truly improve, he's a #6/7D. If he improves both his offense and his toughness (particularly in front of the net and along the boards), he's a #1 defenseman. If he (significantly) improves just one of those two (toughness or offense), he's still a quality NHLer.

 

[Levitate]

Sounds like Graves could be more like Coburn?

 

[cwede]

with Etem, Krushelnyski, Nicholls, Combs in,
and with Megna up,
that's a very different look up front for Pack,
for these 3 home games in 48 hours

 

[cwede]

this

says more about NYR farm than about Etem, but FYI he's 2d youngest F in Hartford,
older only than Tambo
(also older than St Croix, Nejezchleb)

 

[Revel]

Graves probably has a better shot than Staal
(but Staal's playoff OT PPG from blue line, vs Caps, will always be a favorite)

but we'll see if Graves has the D chops that Staal had from when younger until very recently - no other NYR D-man in the last ~15 years consistently played 2 on 1's

I've only seen Graves in the last 2 memorial Cups (on tv) but he seems to have hockey smarts and no fear

he's a top prospect for sure, and one reason I am much lass attached to Yandle than many folks here - I think Graves coud even have a roster spot by 2d half next season

I think he probably does. He is being interviewed right now between periods 2 & 3 of the WP game....and the interviewer mentioned that Ryan will probably be participating in the hardest shot competition at the All-Star Game. He has also been commenting during gameplay how hard Graves' shot is.

 

[Osminator]

LOL, what a effing team. Skjei **** up big time on the blue line, setting up a 2 on 1 for Springfield with seconds to go, score, 3-2 Springfield... F this. Seriously mad.

 

[Osminator]

Seriously have to consider staying up late (1am Europe time) to watch these dogs tomorrow... Seriously... F Adam, Gibbons, Lindblad, Hrivik, Bourque, Hughes, Summers... Should all be gone at the end of this season.

 

[Revel]

Not to mention Luke Adam missing an open net

 

[Beacon]

Malcolm X was better than the scoreboard gave him credit for.

 

[Beacon]

LOL, what a effing team. Skjei **** up big time on the blue line, setting up a 2 on 1 for Springfield with seconds to go, score, 3-2 Springfield... F this. Seriously mad.

This is AHL. The level of play in this league is not what people think of if they only watch the NHL and the Olympics. There's a reason why AHLers are making $60k and not $3m: they either lack the talent to play in the NHL or, as is the case with Skjei and Graves, they make dumb rookie mistakes which will need to get ironed out in the next year or two before they can make the NHL.

Everything is worse in the AHL: players, coaches, announcers, referees. I think one of the reasons the Rangers canceled showing Traverse is that fans were really disappointed in Kenny G and he began getting a lot of hate after that tournament. Presumably, even the worst NHL coach is still much better than the best AHL coach, except for a few up-and-comers because even being an assistant coach in the NHL is a better gig since you fly on a private plane instead of riding the bus, you stay in elite hotels in major cities instead of going to Utica and Syracuse, you get a Stanley Cup ring if you win, you deal with NHLers instead of frustrated AHLers who sacrificed their youth only to get a $60k a year job, money they could've gotten by simply going to college.

Same with players. When you first start watching the AHL, you are just stunned. You see 3-4 goal leads blown as a matter of course, you see total defensive collapses, you see missed empty nets. There's a reason people don't pay $200 to go watch minor leaguers play.

 

[Revel]

Malcolm X was better than the scoreboard gave him credit for.

Made at least 2 great saves in the game...

The one where he was sprawled out on his side and caught the puck in his glove was extra-special.

 

[Charlie Conway]

Hearing about Graves' game, my immediate comparison was Marc Staal with a better shot, but it seems like I'm slightly off with that assessment. Still, seems like he has great size, good reach, and a nice shot.

The fact that he's mobile is promising as well. Essentially it's a matter of rounding out his overall game, adding some physicality, and getting his off. awareness up? Long list, but, still, 20 and doing fairly well in the AHL on a crappy team is a hell of a start. Promising.

 

[Ail]

frustrated AHLers who sacrificed their youth only to get a $60k a year job, money they could've gotten by simply going to college.

Whom also get to play a fun game as an adult and get paid to do so. I would give up every experience I had growing up to be playing AHL hockey right now and getting paid for it. That's just me, that's how much I love the game.

Same with players. When you first start watching the AHL, you are just stunned.

Maybe if you are expecting to see a bunch of NHLers who just have not had the chance to play in the NHL yet. Nothing I ever saw in Hartford shocked me except for the cheesy graphics, horrible PBP, and potato video quality on the live feed they charge exorbitant amounts for.

 

[Irishguy42]

Whom also get to play a fun game as an adult and get paid to do so. I would give up every experience I had growing up to be playing AHL hockey right now and getting paid for it. That's just me, that's how much I love the game.



Maybe if you are expecting to see a bunch of NHLers who just have not had the chance to play in the NHL yet. Nothing I ever saw in Hartford shocked me except for the cheesy graphics, horrible PBP, and potato video quality on the live feed they charge exorbitant amounts for.

Hawk Crawford is a saint!

The video quality is pretty **** though, I'll admit to that.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I think he probably does. He is being interviewed right now between periods 2 & 3 of the WP game....and the interviewer mentioned that Ryan will probably be participating in the hardest shot competition at the All-Star Game. He has also been commenting during gameplay how hard Graves' shot is.

lol probably?

Graves was clocked at 102 MPH during the QMJHL ASG last year.

He definitely has a better shot than Staal.

 

[Osminator]

This is AHL. The level of play in this league is not what people think of if they only watch the NHL and the Olympics. There's a reason why AHLers are making $60k and not $3m: they either lack the talent to play in the NHL or, as is the case with Skjei and Graves, they make dumb rookie mistakes which will need to get ironed out in the next year or two before they can make the NHL.

Everything is worse in the AHL: players, coaches, announcers, referees. I think one of the reasons the Rangers canceled showing Traverse is that fans were really disappointed in Kenny G and he began getting a lot of hate after that tournament. Presumably, even the worst NHL coach is still much better than the best AHL coach, except for a few up-and-comers because even being an assistant coach in the NHL is a better gig since you fly on a private plane instead of riding the bus, you stay in elite hotels in major cities instead of going to Utica and Syracuse, you get a Stanley Cup ring if you win, you deal with NHLers instead of frustrated AHLers who sacrificed their youth only to get a $60k a year job, money they could've gotten by simply going to college.

Same with players. When you first start watching the AHL, you are just stunned. You see 3-4 goal leads blown as a matter of course, you see total defensive collapses, you see missed empty nets. There's a reason people don't pay $200 to go watch minor leaguers play.

Amen beacon... I do realise all of this and you are 100% right... Still, as a fan of the NYR minor league team back to the days of the Binghamton Rangers, i cringe and get just as mad when they put in ****** efforts just as when the parent Rangers do

 

[Inferno]

Whom also get to play a fun game as an adult and get paid to do so. I would give up every experience I had growing up to be playing AHL hockey right now and getting paid for it. That's just me, that's how much I love the game.



Maybe if you are expecting to see a bunch of NHLers who just have not had the chance to play in the NHL yet. Nothing I ever saw in Hartford shocked me except for the cheesy graphics, horrible PBP, and potato video quality on the live feed they charge exorbitant amounts for.

we've got a former AHL player working at our local rink...he drives the zamboni and gets to mop out the toilets after a long day.

He gets to skate of course, and he helps coach kids early in the morning...but yeah...after his professional hockey career he gets to mop out disgusting toilets.

It's not all that great.

Id rather pay to play beer league hockey.

 

[Levitate]

The problem with Graves is that he's yet another left shooting D man

 

[Beacon]

Amen beacon... I do realise all of this and you are 100% right... Still, as a fan of the NYR minor league team back to the days of the Binghamton Rangers, i cringe and get just as mad when they put in ****** efforts just as when the parent Rangers do

Hartford this year is bad even for an AHL team. I'm not asking for the impossible, but this team is just not good. They should've kept Chris Bourque, it would've gave the team much more balance. Now that Megna is also gone, the Pack will be downright awful.

 

[Ail]

we've got a former AHL player working at our local rink...he drives the zamboni and gets to mop out the toilets after a long day.

He gets to skate of course, and he helps coach kids early in the morning...but yeah...after his professional hockey career he gets to mop out disgusting toilets.

It's not all that great.

Id rather pay to play beer league hockey.

One of my many jobs at the power plant I work for right now is to clean toilets because it's the grunt work for facility workers. So getting paid to play hockey before having to do that is still better than what I've got going on right now.

 

[NoQuitInNewMexico]

Again, does Chad Nehring have any chance of ever getting an NHL game? I know he's not technically Rangers property. What are his strengths and weaknesses as a player - does he PK? It looks like he's made big strides this year and I like the story of a guy coming up the hard way.

 

[Revel]

Again, does Chad Nehring have any chance of ever getting an NHL game? I know he's not technically Rangers property. What are his strengths and weaknesses as a player - does he PK? It looks like he's made big strides this year and I like the story of a guy coming up the hard way.

Looking at his stats, last year was the first year in the AHL for him and he only scored 12 points (4 Goals!) in 53 games. This year he is hotter, but we'd need a much larger sample size than just this season to justify any team bringing him up. He'd have to do this (or better) the entire year and then part of next year in order to get a look, IMO.

I have no clue about his strengths and weaknesses. Just commenting based on his stats. He underwhelmed in College, played a bunch in the ECHL, sucked last year in the AHL...and has finally done something this year on a piss poor AHL team.

I honestly don't think he's going anywhere at 28 years old. Put him on a better AHL team and he becomes nothing more than a role player.