Prospect Info: Jonah "The Man Child" Gadjovich

[VanJack]

Biggest improvement for Gadjovich year over year, is clearly his skating. Looked slow and totally over-matched at times in the AHL last season. But clearly he worked on it in the off-season. He's still no Pavel Bure on the blades and obviously never will be, but his first stride is noticeably better and he's now arriving in time in the offensive to deliver some heavy hits along the wall.

Also proving to be handful for teams in the slot area in front of the net, where he did his most damage in junior and figured to be his calling card in the pros. So far he's had a solid improvement in his draft plus three season, which is about you'd expect from a late second rounder.

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

Yes, his skating is much better but he's also a lot more confident and probably stronger physically. He's had three or four fights already this year and he's getting a lot more space on the ice and he's not having to endure the cheap shots and abuse he took last year. Recall him getting thrown around by the scruff of the neck by little Bobby Farnham last year; Bobby wouldn't get away with that now and probably wouldn't try.

Overall I still think, and I said so early last season, both Jonah and Kole Lind should have played overage in the CHL last season despite their second round draft status. In many ways it was a wasted season for the two of them. They just weren't ready for tough, grinding AHL hockey.

 

[F A N]

Overall I still think, and I said so early last season, both Jonah and Kole Lind should have played overage in the CHL last season despite their second round draft status. In many ways it was a wasted season for the two of them. They just weren't ready for tough, grinding AHL hockey.

In hindsight yes but it's hard to say that either player would have benefited from another year in juniors. Lind was the higher pick of course and given the seasons he had the last two seasons in juniors, Lind turning Pro is a typical path. Gadjovich, while being a lower pick than Lind, has spent 4 full seasons in the OHL already. He also looked like he's physically strong enough to play at the pro level. He measured 6'1" 198.5lbs at the combine and finished top 10 in the bench press, grip tests, and pullup tests meaning he's strong among his peers.

Hopefully, years later we will look back and think that it was good that they had those struggle in their first years.

 

[DL44]

Biggest improvement for Gadjovich year over year, is clearly his skating. Looked slow and totally over-matched at times in the AHL last season. But clearly he worked on it in the off-season. He's still no Pavel Bure on the blades and obviously never will be, but his first stride is noticeably better and he's now arriving in time in the offensive to deliver some heavy hits along the wall.

Also proving to be handful for teams in the slot area in front of the net, where he did his most damage in junior and figured to be his calling card in the pros. So far he's had a solid improvement in his draft plus three season, which is about you'd expect from a late second rounder.

Didn't see anything close to NHL caliber skating at camp this year. Hold next to no expectations for the NHL level.
But good news he trending positively... Could be a long time pro at his level. Hope for more!

 

[F A N]

Didn't see anything close to NHL caliber skating at camp this year. Hold next to no expectations for the NHL level.
But good news he trending positively... Could be a long time pro at his level. Hope for more!

To be fair he's dealt with injuries since he was drafted. I think he's a bust which I don't think should be too upsetting. He was a very late 2nd round pick in a relatively weak draft from the looks of it.

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

Big Jonah also possesses an impressive shooting arsenal as well. The big boomer and heavy wrister will catch unsuspecting goaltenders by surprise every once in a while.

It's not strictly lunch bucket stuff with this kid:





and sometimes a little muscle needs to be applied:

 

[DL44]

Big Jonah also possesses an impressive shooting arsenal as well. The big boomer and heavy wrister will catch unsuspecting goaltenders by surprise every once in a while.

It's not strictly lunch bucket stuff with this kid:





and sometimes a little muscle needs to be applied:

Honestly... Don't care much for any of that...

Gotta be able to skate.
He can't. (Last seen at camp by me)

I don't see any NHL potential in him.. but glad he's making progress. Bodes well for the farm.

Still time tho...

 

[M2Beezy]

Honestly... Don't care much for any of that...

Gotta be able to skate.
He can't. (Last seen at camp by me)

I don't see any NHL potential in him.. but glad he's making progress. Bodes well for the farm.

Still time tho...

Whats with the no chance attitude to Gad? Just cause was a Benning pick?

 

[Fatass]

Honestly... Don't care much for any of that...

Gotta be able to skate.
He can't. (Last seen at camp by me)

I don't see any NHL potential in him.. but glad he's making progress. Bodes well for the farm.

Still time tho...

I was surprised we drafted a guy who struggles so much with his skating. Maybe JB was hoping for a Lucic like home run?

 

[StreetHawk]

Yes, his skating is much better but he's also a lot more confident and probably stronger physically. He's had three or four fights already this year and he's getting a lot more space on the ice and he's not having to endure the cheap shots and abuse he took last year. Recall him getting thrown around by the scruff of the neck by little Bobby Farnham last year; Bobby wouldn't get away with that now and probably wouldn't try.

Overall I still think, and I said so early last season, both Jonah and Kole Lind should have played overage in the CHL last season despite their second round draft status. In many ways it was a wasted season for the two of them. They just weren't ready for tough, grinding AHL hockey.

Maybe they needed that wake up call to be fully aware of what it takes to make that jump from junior to the A. If they went back and dominated the CHL last season not an automatic that they would be as good as they are this season. Likely land somewhere in between last season and this season production wise.

 

[DL44]

Whats with the no chance attitude to Gad? Just cause was a Benning pick?

Some of that, but mostly cuz he can't skate that well.

 

[F A N]

Honestly... Don't care much for any of that...

Gotta be able to skate.
He can't. (Last seen at camp by me)

I don't see any NHL potential in him.. but glad he's making progress. Bodes well for the farm.

Still time tho...

I agree that he needs to be able to skate to have a chance of making it, but at the same time you want him to be able to do all of that stuff so that if he does manage to improve his skating you potentially have a player.

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

Gadj just took a hit deep in the Syracuse end and then skated the length of the ice and threw a good hit behind the Utica net. His skating has improved quite a bit over the course of the past year and a half...

 

[Canucks1096]

He is still a long shot to make the nhl ( min 200 games)

 

[shottasasa]

Overall I still think, and I said so early last season, both Jonah and Kole Lind should have played overage in the CHL last season despite their second round draft status. In many ways it was a wasted season for the two of them. They just weren't ready for tough, grinding AHL hockey.

I disagree, there is almost always going to be a transition with second tier prospects and I think it’s better they got it out of the way last year. They wouldn’t be where they are this year if they had stayed for their overage year. There are diminishing returns for staying that extra year for players like these two. They need to be challenged to level up. I think the same about some prospects that I think should be given an extended look in the NHL even if they aren’t deemed completely ready in the A if we want to see them take the next step. Breisbois is one that comes to mind. Even if they don’t stick on their first go around they’ll learn a lot and better understand what they need to do

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

I disagree, there is almost always going to be a transition with second tier prospects and I think it’s better they got it out of the way last year. They wouldn’t be where they are this year if they had stayed for their overage year. There are diminishing returns for staying that extra year for players like these two. They need to be challenged to level up. I think the same about some prospects that I think should be given an extended look in the NHL even if they aren’t deemed completely ready in the A if we want to see them take the next step. Breisbois is one that comes to mind. Even if they don’t stick on their first go around they’ll learn a lot and better understand what they need to do

I was thinking more along the lines of burning that year of waiver exemption for minimal gain if any. Losing that potential extra year is something we may wind up regretting later because this seems more like their first year of pro than their second. But I do get where you're coming from.

 

[orcatown]

Gado has made a quantum step in his skating this year. I would say he is now the equivalent of Schaller and would be equally effective. This may sound bad but if Schaller can survive on a 4th line in the NHL then Gado with a little more experience may give you a cheap alternative moving ahead to someone like Schaller. It may be that Gado may not be as talented as someone like Bailey but he plays a smarter game and ultimately should be better defensively. Being a good 4th liner at the NHL requires a certain kind of skill set and I think Gado has that skill set. If he can make the next step next year he should get time in Vancouver.

Really Gadjovich has gone from being seemingly hopeless to someone interesting this year.

 

[DL44]

Gado has made a quantum step in his skating this year. I would say he is now the equivalent of Schaller and would be equally effective. This may sound bad but if Schaller can survive on a 4th line in the NHL then Gado with a little more experience may give you a cheap alternative moving ahead to someone like Schaller. It may be that Gado may not be as talented as someone like Bailey but he plays a smarter game and ultimately should be better defensively. Being a good 4th liner at the NHL requires a certain kind of skill set and I think Gado has that skill set. If he can make the next step next year he should get time in Vancouver.

Really Gadjovich has gone from being seemingly hopeless to someone interesting this year.

No way he was close to Schaller in camp. He wasnt even close to Boeser, let alone Schaller.
Unless you suggesting he's had big in-season improvement, ala Horvat's rookie season.

 

[orcatown]

Shaller had good camp and good opening to the season and then went back to being absolutely fringe. Saying Gado is maybe as good as Schaller at this point is feign praise. All I'm trying to indicate is that Gado has potential to be at least as good as Schaller and just maybe hopefully better.

This may still be seem a low ceiling for Gado but it's a much better ceiling than could have been projected after his first season in Utica.

 

[joelCAMEL]

Shaller had good camp and good opening to the season and then went back to being absolutely fringe. Saying Gado is maybe as good as Schaller at this point is feign praise. All I'm trying to indicate is that Gado has potential to be at least as good as Schaller and just maybe hopefully better.

This may still be seem a low ceiling for Gado but it's a much better ceiling than could have been projected after his first season in Utica.

How would Gadjovich's skating be, compared to Gaunce? I have seen almost every game on TV that Gaunce has played as a Canuck and he did not seem to have the wheels to forecheck.

 

[VasilyHoglander]

Some of that, but mostly cuz he can't skate that well.

Still better skater than Boeser

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

No way he was close to Schaller in camp. He wasnt even close to Boeser, let alone Schaller.
Unless you suggesting he's had big in-season improvement, ala Horvat's rookie season.

I also remember watching him in camp and thinking 'well he sure didn't work on his skating over the summer'. He was slow as molasses and I posted as much here.

Well he sure is a lot faster now than he was back then. The improvement has been gradual but lately it really stands out and it feels like watching a transformation into a whole new hockey player. He's still not a great skater or anything, but the Schaller and Gaunce comparisons you see here are appropriate I think.

Greatly improved skating, increased physical play, willingness to fight to protect teammates, 12 goals in 35 games. It adds up to a player we should consider to be back on the NHL prospect radar I think.

 

[tyhee]

Whats with the no chance attitude to Gad? Just cause was a Benning pick?

Can't someone give a reason for a negative opinion about a prospect without someone ignoring his reason, refusing to argue it and accusing the poster of having the opinion just because of who drafted the player?

It would be about the same point in reverse to say that you are high on Thatcher Demko's future as a starting goalie because Benning drafted him.

 

[StreetHawk]

Still better skater than Boeser

Also shows the importance of being healthy going into the off season. Can’t get better if you’re rehabbing to get back to the level you prior to an injury. Not if you need to improve on an area of weakness.

 

[F A N]

Gado has made a quantum step in his skating this year. I would say he is now the equivalent of Schaller and would be equally effective. This may sound bad but if Schaller can survive on a 4th line in the NHL then Gado with a little more experience may give you a cheap alternative moving ahead to someone like Schaller. It may be that Gado may not be as talented as someone like Bailey but he plays a smarter game and ultimately should be better defensively. Being a good 4th liner at the NHL requires a certain kind of skill set and I think Gado has that skill set. If he can make the next step next year he should get time in Vancouver.

Really Gadjovich has gone from being seemingly hopeless to someone interesting this year.

Wow really? Schaller is actually a decent skater for the type of game he plays at his best. How is Gadjovich's edge work?