Prospect Info: Hurricanes Prospect Info and Discussion - Part VII - Cliff Pu and other shit

[DaveG]

So yeah, noticed the other one was well over 1000 posts, so posting a new thread to start work on.

Click to read more...

 

[DaveG]

post reserved for prospect stats
Forwards:

Name	Team	Lg	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIMs	SH
Clark Bishop	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	0	0	0	ev	4	3
Patrick Brown	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	0	0	0	ev	0	3
David Cotton	Boston College Eagles	HE
Jack Drury	Harvard Crimson	ECAC
Matt Filipe	Northeastern Huskies	HE
Julien Gauthier	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	0	1	1	+1	0	5
Morgan Geekie	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	1	1	2	+1	2	4
Luke Henman	Blainville-Boisbriand	QMJHL	5	2	2	4	+4	0	4
Gregory Hofmann	HC Lugano	NLA	7	1	3	4	-2	6
Lenni Killinen	Assat	Liiga	6	1	0	1	ev	4
Janne Kuokkanen	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	2	2	4	+2	0	5
Steven Lorentz	Florida Everblades	ECHL
Eetu Luostarinen	KalPa	Liiga	10	4	2	6	+1	20
Saku Maenalanen	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	0	0	0	-2	0	0
Stelio Mattheos	Brandon Wheat Kings	WHL	5	5	4	9	+4	4	11
Greg McKegg	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	0	1	1	-1	0	3
Andrew Poturalski	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	2	3	5	ev	0	6
Cliff Pu	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	0	0	0	+1	0	1
Nicolas Roy	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	4	2	6	+3	0	14
Aleksi Saarela	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	0	1	1	ev	0	0
Spencer Smallman	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	0	2	2	+2	0	0
Luke Stevens	Yale Bulldogs	ECAC
Max Zimmer	Wisconsin Badgers	B1G

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Defensemen:

Name	Team	LG	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM	SH
Jake Bean	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	0	0	0	ev	2	4
Michal Cajkovsky	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	0	0	0	ev	4	2
Trevor Carrick	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	0	3	3	-1	4	4
Brendan De Jong	Portland Winterhawks	WHL	7	2	5	7	+3	10	14
Michael Fora	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	0
Adam Fox	Harvard Crimson	ECAC
Luke Martin	Michigan Wolverines	B1G
Roland McKeown	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	1	0	1	+2	2	7
Ville Rasanen	Lincoln Stars	USHL	4	0	0	0	ev	0	3
Dan Renouf	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	0	1	1	+1	2	1
Jesper Sellgren	Lulea HF	SEL	7	0	0	0	-2	2
Josh Wesley	Florida Everblades	ECHL

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Goalies:

Name	Team	LG	GP	Record	GA	SV	GAA	SV%	SO
Callum Booth	Charlotte Checkers	AHL
Jeremy Helvig	Florida Everblades	ECHL
Jacob Kucharski	Des Moines Buccaneers	USHL	1	1-0-0	5	22	5.00	.815	0
	Omaha Lancers	USHL
Jack LaFontaine	Penticton Vees	BCHL	7	4-3-0	13	143	1.87	.917	2
Eetu Makiniemi	Keikko-Vantaa	Mestis
Alex Nedeljkovic	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	2	2-0-0	4	56	2.00	.933	0

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Replying to notopie from the other thread.

I get the takes about fears that our C depth might not be where it needs to be, but I also think there's a good deal of "short selling" going on.

Not fears, just a realistic look at our team.

Staal is a Top 6 centerman, better suited for 2nd line duties.

Agree

Aho has played C on the international stage effectively, has played briefly in the NHL at center. In both cases he was "fine".

He has 10 games at the NHL level as a C. There's hope, but it's not a given, which is my point.

Necas is a natural center w/Top 6 upside, but he's going to have a learning curve.

Yes, as I said and the tweet said, "beyond Necas" is the concern.

Rask very well could get back to his previous level if last year's efforts were based on a bum shoulder. If that's the case, then he's a middle 6 pivot.

Even at his best, I'd say ideally he's a 3rd line C, which is fine, but he'd be a poor man's top 6 C, especially with Staal as the 2C.

I'm a little higher on Wallmark than some. His skating is still average to below average, but his hockey smarts are top notch. He's a bottom 6 centerman in my book.

Which is not too much different than I said. I said he's a 4th line C if he makes it. Maybe it's because he was too conservative, but I was not impressed by his play during his call-ups. Hopefully I'm wrong.

The rest of the guys, we just don't really know about, but they have and are continuing to progress for the most part. Roy, Kuokkanen, and Saarela are "the next men up" on the depth chart. While Roy's skating is "a work in progress" he's definitely improved each year. He's a strong defender and has very, very good hands. Kuokkanen is a natural playmaker and Saarela is a natural sniper, but both have been effective in the middle and I think both will get a chance to make the NHL there (with Saarela maybe having a better shot at the wing). While primarily playing RW now, Stelio Mattheos played in the middle when Nolan Patrick was injured a couple of years ago...and he acquitted himself well. Morgan Geekie is a natural center and is a dark horse guy to have a much bigger role in Charlotte than many may consider. Luostarinen has a lot more to show and we just don't really know about Drury (who I thought was an awkward skater but not really slow) and Henman. Maenalanen played mostly on the wing, so I don't see him in the center discussion.

IIRC, Kuokkanen and Saarela were playing wing (at least at the end of the season) in the AHL. Hard to include them as "center depth" at the NHL level when they are playing wing at the AHL level. I like Saarela and think he has a future as a scoring winger in the NHL, but I don't see any of the rest of those guys as more than wingers, ahl/nhl tweeners, 4th liners if they make it to the NHL.

That was the whole point of this discussion. IF Drury can develop to where his uncle was, it would be a real shot in the arm for the Canes C depth.

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

I’ve got a very good feeling about Buffalos 6th rounder in 2020. Calling my shot now.

 

[DaveG]

Drury is not a pretty skater. He’s a scrappy character player with a decent skill level. You can’t help but wonder how high he would’ve been drafted if he didn’t have the blood lines. On the other side, maybe the blood lines may part of the reason he fights through and makes it. Both his father and uncle were undersized and at the time of their draft not the most skilled, they both took long routes to the NHL and made it to different levels of success.

He is faster than Roy though. He moves his legs pretty fast they just aren’t overly efficient and graceful strides. Roy skated like a pregnant yak when he started pro. Time will tell there, but he’s got a battle.

IIRC Chris and Ted weren't exactly the strongest skaters either. Both made it on their smarts. Ted became a defensive forward and PK specialist which, you know that's fine. Chris on the other hand did at least show his offensive chops early on as a pro, but I don't remember him being a burner by any means. Of Buffalos 1-2 punch down the middle I remember Briere being the far more talented of the two overall, and yet Chris is the one I would have wanted to go up against the least of the two by a good margin. If Jack can bring any of that battle that Chris had and develop his offensive skill set we'll be very happy with him.

I'm with NotOpie a good bit when I look at our center depth. Aho I'm skeptical but bullish based on his returns early in his NHL career at the position and far more on his international play there, especially at this past worlds. And I think Rask is capable of bouncing back, though he still has #2C upside at the best even if he does.

 

[Unsustainable]

I’ve got a very good feeling about Buffalos 6th rounder in 2020. Calling my shot now.

We got Slavin from a 4th

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Maybe a better place to post it here than the actual trade thread.

People who know things - where would Pu reasonably fit in to the prospect rankings we just did? 5-7?

 

[DaveG]

7-10 range. He wouldn't place over any of Svech, Necas, Fox, Bean, Zykov, or McLovin right now. Would fit in nicely with the Saarela, McKeown, Kuokkanen, Goat grouping.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

7-10 range. He wouldn't place over any of Svech, Necas, Fox, Bean, Zykov, or McLovin right now. Would fit in nicely with the Saarela, McKeown, Kuokkanen, Goat grouping.

I get Svech and Necas who are top notch talents, but what is the rationale for the other guys? I'm not disagreeing with you, I just have little to no knowledge of the guy so am genuinely curious why you place him where you do.

 

[DaveG]

I get Svech and Necas who are top notch talents, but what is the rationale for the other guys? I'm not disagreeing with you, I just have little to no knowledge of the guy so am genuinely curious why you place him where you do.

Right now I see Bean and Fox as potential top 4 dmen both of whom seem close to making the show, Zykov and Foegele I see as outright as NHL ready with some nice upside. Pu's a solid prospect, was on London at the same time as Kuokkanen, solid two-way guy with some good offense. He's not super flashy, just plays a straightforward game and produces. Still, I see him as a couple years off so he's not as sure a thing as Foegele or Zykov so I'd rank him that next tier down.

If he carries over his play from the OHL I'd likely put him at the top of the group I have him in right now. Would like to see how he does in Traverse City.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Right now I see Bean and Fox as potential top 4 dmen both of whom seem close to making the show, Zykov and Foegele I see as outright as NHL ready with some nice upside. Pu's a solid prospect, was on London at the same time as Kuokkanen, solid two-way guy with some good offense. He's not super flashy, just plays a straightforward game and produces. Still, I see him as a couple years off so he's not as sure a thing as Foegele or Zykov so I'd rank him that next tier down.

If he carries over his play from the OHL I'd likely put him at the top of the group I have him in right now. Would like to see how he does in Traverse City.

thanks..that makes sense.

 

[geehaad]

I’ve got a very good feeling about Buffalos 6th rounder in 2020. Calling my shot now.

Agreed. He’s gonna be a great goaltender for the Canucks one day.

 

[Lempo]

I don't like the wordplay in the title. Let's give Cliff a honest chance before the fans start hitting him.

 

[The Faulker 27]

Aho-Pu-TT, that could be a nasty line.

 

[emptyNedder]

7-10 range. He wouldn't place over any of Svech, Necas, Fox, Bean, Zykov, or McLovin right now. Would fit in nicely with the Saarela, McKeown, Kuokkanen, Goat grouping.

Understand trying to gauge the value of who the Canes received for Skinner. However, Pu should be ranked the same as Mattheos. Both were drafted in 3rd round and have continued to improve.

Mattheos is a year younger, yet scored a few more points (90 in 68 games) than Pu (84 in 65) and considerably more goals (43 to 29). Size is pretty close as Pu is listed 6'2" 192 and Mattheos 6'1" 192. Pu is a little faster, but Mattheos is considered an excellent two-way player.

Mattheos was ranked 14 in the prospect poll. The bottom line is that there are a ton of good prospects. Pu can be another.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

We gotta start doing 2 for 1 and 3 for 1 trades with some of these forward prospects eventually. There’s only 6 middle 6 spots.

 

[Ole Gil]

I don't like the wordplay in the title. Let's give Cliff a honest chance before the fans start hitting him.

Fans hitting him seems fair, considering the long history of Pu hitting the fans.

 

[geehaad]

Fans hitting him seems fair, considering the long history of Pu hitting the fans.

A joke is just never as funny the second time around.

 

[Ole Gil]

A joke is just never as funny the second time around.

Yeah, I guess that was intentional. Fans don't hit poo, so I briefly thought it wasn't. But now it is too late, and all is lost.

 

[Lempo]

A joke is just never as funny the second time around.

#hotwifesaysno

 

[Svechhammer]

We gotta start doing 2 for 1 and 3 for 1 trades with some of these forward prospects eventually. There’s only 6 middle 6 spots.

Yeah it definitely looks like we're collecting poker chips for an eventual big move.

 

[GoldiFox]

Pu is solidly in the Kuokkanen, Saarela, Gauthier, Roy, etc. grouping of guys that hopefully produce 1-2 solid NHLers. If the team is going to throw a lot of darts then the 6'3" hustle Centers are the ones they should try for.

The Athletic inside Draft report said the Canes were specifically looking at Pacioretty and Panarin as 2 of only a few players mentioned as targets. Given the Canes depth I think a couple teams (at least Montreal) would consider a futures package for an upgrade up front. Skinner just wasn't the right fit for what Brind'Amour wanted to do and it is easy for me to trust his opinion given that he just coached him for the past 7 years.

 

[Hulkacaniac]

Aho-Pu-TT, that could be a nasty line.

Imagine the call "Pu! From Aho!"

 

[Canes]

We gotta start doing 2 for 1 and 3 for 1 trades with some of these forward prospects eventually. There’s only 6 middle 6 spots.

As solid of prospects some of these guys are, the majority won't make it though. I only expect maybe a few guys out of the Zykov, Foegele, Saarela, Kuokkanen, Wallmark, Geekie, Pu, Mattheos, Roy, Gauthier, Luostarinen, etc group to make it as regular NHLers. It's a good thing to have options for now. If we truly have a logjam of NHL ready middle 6ers at some point by all means use them in a package to upgrade to a star level talent.

 

[Breakdowns]

Imagine the call "Pu! From Aho!"

I wish that day will come when Forslund will call this sentence