Merrrlin
Grab the 9 iron, Barry!
- Jul 2, 2019
- 6,768
- 6,925
That would be fun. Would be an absolute shooting gallery.
Imagine we landed Marner?
Bellows - Barzal - Marner
Lee - Pulock
Wahlstrom - Nelson - Eberle
Beau - Dobson
Powerplays
Player Discussion: Kieffer Bellows *Waived - Claimed by Philadelphia Flyers*
- Thread starter MattMartin
- Start date
That would be fun. Would be an absolute shooting gallery.
Imagine we landed Marner?
Bellows - Barzal - Marner
Lee - Pulock
Wahlstrom - Nelson - Eberle
Beau - Dobson
Powerplays
very discouraged by his 1st season ahl stat line but I'll assume they had him learning the ropes of being defensively responsible . I'm still bullish on his future as an nhl'er because of that heavy shot , quick release and ability to fight through some abuse to get to the scoring areas
Is he a far and away a better skater then MDC at this point in his career or are they close in that category? I feel like skating held MDC back up until this year.
nyisleslover
Registered User
ON EDIT: My apologies as this is a bit off topic, but I think it relates to Bellows and other Islander forward prospects.
Do scouts specialize in identifying forwards or defenseman? I only ask because it seems like the Islanders have done a much better job of identifying defenseman throughout the draft process than they have at identifying forwards?
Or is it a developmental issue with the organization, where the talent is there, but the coaching of the drafted forward prospects has caused them to either develop slowly or fizzle out? I know that many of these guys don't get coached within the organization itself when they first get drafted. I'm always curious about the level of insight and input organizations have with players who play for teams in the CHL and AHL or Europe? The way things work in the NHL after the draft is so weird to me, in that you're making an investment in someone's growth and then often times putting that assets development into the hands of someone else.
Do scouts specialize in identifying forwards or defenseman? I only ask because it seems like the Islanders have done a much better job of identifying defenseman throughout the draft process than they have at identifying forwards?
Or is it a developmental issue with the organization, where the talent is there, but the coaching of the drafted forward prospects has caused them to either develop slowly or fizzle out? I know that many of these guys don't get coached within the organization itself when they first get drafted. I'm always curious about the level of insight and input organizations have with players who play for teams in the CHL and AHL or Europe? The way things work in the NHL after the draft is so weird to me, in that you're making an investment in someone's growth and then often times putting that assets development into the hands of someone else.
I don't know if it's a special ability to select D over F's. I think that it's more that LL prefers to build from the cage on out.
nyisleslover
Registered User
From my understanding, the scouting department was largely retained by Lou, so I'm under the impression that the guys or gals who are observing our draft prospects have been in place for a while.
I could see how Lou's preferences could make more of a difference in development and talent acquisition going forward than what we've seen recently with our draft prospects.
Newsworthy
Registered User
Apparently Islanders scouts don't seem to think it's important whether or not a player has good skating ability. This is evident by how many high draft picks and prospects we have had who can't.
doublechili
For all intensive purposes, your nuts
- Apr 11, 2006
- 18,675
- 15,044
Under Snow you can point to MDC and Reinhart as guys with sub-par skating who were taken very high when better options were available. However, under Lou: Dobson, Wahlstrom, Holmstrom (even Wilde) are all good skaters. So maybe it was the ultimate decision-maker (Snow)?
BTW, I can't complain about Pulock or Bellows since by the time you get to late teens in a draft prospects are going to have some issues. At least skating can be worked on.
Lame Lambert
Fire Lou
- Mar 5, 2015
- 21,273
- 15,719
Snow cared more about drafting “character guys” (yes men) than players with skating ability.
IslandersFan17
Registered User
Not apologizing for Snow, cause I've said it a million times who I had preferred we draft, over who Snow took. Minus, MDC and Bellows whom I really wanted in both classes. However, that being said, Snow didnt really go off the board with his early picks. For the most part, the players were rated at or right around where they were taken. Granted, you need to have the scouting and the foresight to see if their deficiencies can be fixed...
But, in all reality, as much emphasis is on skating, it is something that can improve. I do believe you are either born with it or not, but again, doesnt mean it cant be improved.
But, in all reality, as much emphasis is on skating, it is something that can improve. I do believe you are either born with it or not, but again, doesnt mean it cant be improved.
The Winter Soldier
Registered User
- Apr 4, 2011
- 70,853
- 21,134
Looks like he is finally figuring it out.
Has a bit of Anders Lee in him in the type of goals he scores. 10 in his last 10 games.
Has a bit of Anders Lee in him in the type of goals he scores. 10 in his last 10 games.
Here was his first goal.
4 years after being drafted, having notched only 2 goals and 8 games, would you guys consider him somewhat of a bust (i know it's early to say definitely but)
PK Cronin
Bailey Fan Club Prez
- Feb 11, 2013
- 34,261
- 23,652
No, he's not a bust yet. He's come along slower than some people might've liked but he's shown progress and some promise. Will he be a top line player? Probably not, but he could definitely be a middle six winger in the NHL. He had 22 goals in 52 games in the AHL this year after a slow start, so he might be starting to get it. He's still only 21 years old (for another month anyway). There wasn't anything in his game that made me think he was a huge liability while he was up in the NHL so patience will be the key. He doesn't have the same tools as Wahlstrom though, but I think he has more sound fundamentals and an understanding of the game.
I hate using the word bust, because that should be more about the Alexandre Daigles, Patrick Stefans, and Griffin Reinharts of the world, much less a few guys who simply never made it despite being drafted very high.
Bellows is still a very legitimate NHL prospect with lineage. This was a positive past season, although it started with 2-1-3 in his first 20 AHL contests. Hopefully the 20-7-27 in 32 AHL games and 3 points in 7 NHL contests attest more to the player he is becoming.
That said, the development of Dal Colle, Bellows, and Wahlstrom has been more disappointing than positive thus far. No doubt. This franchise has desperately needed one to quickly become a 25-30 goal scorer.
It won't be Dal Colle.
It may still be Bellows or Wahlstrom, but not as quickly as hoped.
To be clear, he's not a "disappointment".
But his very unimpressive results at Boston College followed by a so-so 10-12-22 and -16 in 45 AHL games this season are "more disappointing than positive".
His build, pedigree, and offensive achievements right on through his draft season certainly indicated a different trajectory to this point.
I personally have no doubt though that he'll one day make his way to being a regular NHLer. You and I and everyone else should be worrying though as to just how much offensive impact he'll ultimately have.
After all, what he did with the USNTDP had people talking about him as a future sniper in the NHL. He's done precious little in his two post-draft seasons to keep us believing that.
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Wahlstrom's shot was lethal in the AHL, when he was in position to take it. The kid has a laser. He's a pretty nifty passer too.
I'll write off his slow development curve, as with Bellows, as being tasked with working on their defensive games. In our system we have a clean game in the defensive end. That's our foundation.
If Wahlstrom and Bellows finally catch at 23 years old I wouldn't complain one bit. There will still be a lot of hockey left in those wheels.
He's got the goods.
Can he become productive with them?
Dal Colle has a hell of shot too... whenever he's given 10 seconds to rip it. So, like, never.
From your keyboard to the hockey God's ears!
INTERESTING:
Both were snipers with the USNTDP. Both had miserable freshman campaigns for a Boston-based college. Both left school after one season.
Kevin27NYI
Registered User
- Aug 5, 2009
- 19,793
- 5,856
I was really encouraged by Bellows this season.
I thought he was headed to bustville but Thompson benched him with good words of encouragement and he came roaring back, earned and NHL shot and I liked what I saw. Physical, nose for the net, excellent shot.
He's a complimentary winger, I think he has a spot in this lineup next season easily as a regular.
Funny thing about Bellows and benchings, it was never because of a bad effort. Especially in his rookie year. He always busted it on the ice. But you could see games where his frustration was mounting. And there were also games this year where he was playing with a 4C like Jeff Kubiak and Bellows would just not be a factor.
I guess the benchings were just to get Bellows out of his head and a fresh perspective.
Kevin27NYI
Registered User
- Aug 5, 2009
- 19,793
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You would know better, I've seen like 3 Sound Tiger games the past two years.
Thompson did make it a point in Staples newest prospect article this month that Bellows would get mad at the lack of production, then would get mad at chirps/cheap shots and then refs and he lost focus.
Trotz mentions this too, might have been about Lee I think. But if you keep discipline, keep playing the right way you will get rewarded. I think Lee had like just awful luck 6-8 games in a row where he couldn't buy a goal but he would deflect it and hit the post; shit like that. Not a new concept either mind you, every coach will say it, but you definitely see the impact on younger players of letting it get to them more.
I used to love the AHL back in the early 1980s. Went to a fair share of New Haven Nighthawks games when they were a Kings affiliate. Occasionally made the trek up to Springfield or RPI when we had our AHL teams there. The league was a bucket of blood in those days. You would never send a top prospect to the A because the lifers would be gunning for him. Hockey has changed enough that the AHL is now more of a development league, but not on the same level as amateur hockey is. A team will stash a player in the A if he's not quite ready for the NHL but aged out of juniors.
I lost interest AHL games in the 1990s after New Haven became a Senators farm team and before the Islanders started with Bridgeport. Since I retired in 2016 I've had a lot of time to start going to BST games again. It's been a lot of fun for me to see some of our prospects up close. I'm typically getting to between 8 and 12 games a year up there...usually twice a month. The biggest pain in the ass has been getting to weeknight games up there. The traffic from Queens on a Wednesday night is horrendous. A 50 minute trip can easily take 2 hours. So it's just Saturdays and Sundays for me, when the Islanders aren't home.
Guys, I dunno who you think you're kidding?
Wahlstrom was drafted two summers ago. Go ask any one of the draft/prospect gurus out there right at The Ahtletic or through social media or wherever as to if his prospect status has gone UP or DOWN since being drafted.
Feel free to do it.
I'm telling you - what happened at BC and then this season in BPort has done anything but raise his status as a prospect.
To be clear, no-one is saying he's a bust, a failure or a disappointment. Certainly not I. He's still one of our top 2 offensive prospects, if not our most promising whatsoever.
Unfortunately, that says more about the dearth of offensive promise in our system than anything else.
One way or the other, don't fool yourselves into thinking he's right where pundits thought he'd be two years after being drafted. He's not.
Wahlstrom was drafted two summers ago. Go ask any one of the draft/prospect gurus out there right at The Ahtletic or through social media or wherever as to if his prospect status has gone UP or DOWN since being drafted.
Feel free to do it.
I'm telling you - what happened at BC and then this season in BPort has done anything but raise his status as a prospect.
To be clear, no-one is saying he's a bust, a failure or a disappointment. Certainly not I. He's still one of our top 2 offensive prospects, if not our most promising whatsoever.
Unfortunately, that says more about the dearth of offensive promise in our system than anything else.
One way or the other, don't fool yourselves into thinking he's right where pundits thought he'd be two years after being drafted. He's not.
I think a good majority of us thought he’d be in the nhl by now. Seems to have all the tools. When I watch Wally I see a guy who is an above average skater a really good wrister /one timer really good skill and good size. For whatever the reason we only see flashes of his talent. I hope he puts it all together as talent is not the problem.
