Mike Forney

[Anthony Mauro]

Does anyone have information on him? He's only played two games for Des Moines and looks to be inactive as he doesn't have a bio at their website. Is he injured? Traded? Or switched leagues perhaps?

Also, what kind of player is he. He's going to UND next year, and Woodlief has had him down in his top ten.

Thanks

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[Doomsday Device]

Does anyone have information on him? He's only played two games for Des Moines and looks to be inactive as he doesn't have a bio at their website. Is he injured? Traded? Or switched leagues perhaps?

Also, what kind of player is he. He's going to UND next year, and Woodlief has had him down in his top ten.

Thanks

I think he's playing high school football at the moment which is why he hasn't played many games for them.

 

[crosby_87]

He played for Des Moines a few games, and then went back to his high school in Thief River Falls, Minnesota to play his football and hockey seasons. So he is currently playing hockey at Lincoln High School in Thief River. The last stats I saw he had 20 points through 7 games, which had him near the state lead. You can follow his stats here .

 

[PuckFan01]

Actually, he is not near the lead in pts. in the state. There were quite a few players with more than him as of a week ago.

I am not sold Forney is the prospect some seem to think. I think he has a ways to go to prove to be at that level. The kid and his team were completely shut down last week by Hermantown. Hermantown is a quality Class A team but if Forney is such a great prospect, he should easily be able to rise above that level of competition and produce for his team. If he can't do it against a good Class A team, how is he gonna do it in the USHL or in NCAA hockey?

 

[USA!]

Actually, he is not near the lead in pts. in the state. There were quite a few players with more than him as of a week ago.

I am not sold Forney is the prospect some seem to think. I think he has a ways to go to prove to be at that level. The kid and his team were completely shut down last week by Hermantown. Hermantown is a quality Class A team but if Forney is such a great prospect, he should easily be able to rise above that level of competition and produce for his team. If he can't do it against a good Class A team, how is he gonna do it in the USHL or in NCAA hockey?

Yep where have we heard this before. Last time people said this about a Sioux recuit it was T.J. Oshie look how that turned out. So put that in your pipe and smoke it ]

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Forney is going to be an absolute BEAST of an NHLer.

Stop talking about him. I want the Rangers to nab him in the teens/20s.

 

[X-SHARKIE]

One of the hidden gems of the draft. Kids with this much finish around the net and size, along with the ability to stay on his feet and drag players, are very hard to find.

Pure gamebreaker type, Thomas Vanek...

Obviously a risky pick but one I wouldn't mind the Sharks taking on... especially with him going to North Dakota.


Blake Wheeler of the draft, don't be surprised to see him go higher then expected.

 

[PuckFan01]

Yep where have we heard this before. Last time people said this about a Sioux recuit it was T.J. Oshie look how that turned out. So put that in your pipe and smoke it ]

Assuming one player will do something based off a totally different player's past accomplishments is not exactly a solid argument.

 

[PuckFan01]

Pure gamebreaker type, Thomas Vanek...

I know you want to think of yourself as some sort of teenage advanced talent scout for McKeen's (though I don't think North Dakota fans appreciated your column on Kessel vs. Toews on McKeen's) but if you think Forney is anywhere near Vanek's talent level, you definitely have not seen him play.

 

[USA!]

I know you want to think of yourself as some sort of teenage advanced talent scout for McKeen's (though I don't think North Dakota fans appreciated your column on Kessel vs. Toews on McKeen's) but if you think Forney is anywhere near Vanek's talent level, you definitely have not seen him play.[/QUOTE

This is being said by a gopher fan.

 

[USA!]

Assuming one player will do something based off a totally different player's past accomplishments is not exactly a solid argument.

I said this was also said about T.J. Oshie. To weak only played in highschool blah blah blah. Right now hes better then all freshmen in the WCHA not named Kessel thats my point

 

[PuckFan01]

I said this was also said about T.J. Oshie. To weak only played in highschool blah blah blah. Right now hes better then all freshmen in the WCHA not named Kessel thats my point

And you are just restating my point. It is hardly a solid argument that you are using because you are discussing two entirely different players. Using the logic that one player will do what the other has done simply because their circumstances in high school are similar holds no water. Every player is different.

 

[PuckFan01]

This is being said by a gopher fan.

If you can't stick to the topic and have to rely on a response that deals with something off topic and meaningless to the discussion, I guess that means you have no substantial argument to counter.

Anybody with two eyes can see the difference. Vanek was a gamebreaker. Forney is a solid but raw player. While Forney is putting up decent numbers against Class A high school competition as a high school senior, Vanek was putting up over 90 pts. against USHL teams at the same stage. Forney isn't anywhere near as slick with the puck as Vanek and not near the sniper Vanek is. The comparison isn't close.

 

[X-SHARKIE]

If you can't stick to the topic and have to rely on a response that deals with something off topic and meaningless to the discussion, I guess that means you have no substantial argument to counter.

Anybody with two eyes can see the difference. Vanek was a gamebreaker. Forney is a solid but raw player. While Forney is putting up decent numbers against Class A high school competition as a high school senior, Vanek was putting up over 90 pts. against USHL teams at the same stage. Forney isn't anywhere near as slick with the puck as Vanek and not near the sniper Vanek is. The comparison isn't close.

First, it's all about projection. Where Vanek and Forney are in terms of development at the age of 17 has no weight in this arguament. The stats and level of competition before their respective draft years for two seperate players is irrelevant when we're speaking of ultimate NHL production. Is Travis Zajac half the player that say, T.J. Hensick is because he was in the BCHL while Hensick was in the NCAA putting up good numbers at a higher level of competition? So Hensick is the better of the two now because of that lone year? I don't mean to jump on you for that arguament you brung up, but when you jumped all over another poster for bringing up Oshie and the similar talk he had about him prior to the draft you had it coming.

You're taking my words out of context on the comparison. I'm not saying he's the next Thomas Vanek, just saying he can break a game open with his finishing touch. That he has a nack for staying in traffic and getting the puck and being deadly accurate in close. He's a goal scorer. That goal scoring ability along with his play in traffic just reminds me of Vanek.

Not saying he is the next Thomas Vanek, just saying his gamebreaking touch around the net is dang good as is his play in traffic. Vanek like qualities.... are those qualities up to par with Vanek yet? No! Do I feal he'll be better then Thomas? No!no!no! Does Forney's touch around the net remind me a bit of Vanek? Yes!

It's just like when PM says Kessel can shoot like Brett Hull. By no means is he saying Kessel is the next Brett Hull, but similar qualities are there.

Ok?

 

[PuckFan01]

Ok?

Even your projection makes no sense. Forney doesn't have Vanek's natural ability. Flat out. The comparison is a weak one. He doesn't snipe like Vanek, he doesn't have the hands that Vanek does and certainly doesn't stickhandle as well. I don't know how many views you have had of him (something tells me it is limited at most) but your comparison is way off.

A gamebreaker doesn't get shut down by a Class A team like Hermantown.

 

[Jackets16]

Even your projection makes no sense. Forney doesn't have Vanek's natural ability. Flat out. The comparison is a weak one. He doesn't snipe like Vanek, he doesn't have the hands that Vanek does and certainly doesn't stickhandle as well. I don't know how many views you have had of him (something tells me it is limited at most) but your comparison is way off.

A gamebreaker doesn't get shut down by a Class A team like Hermantown.

and HIGHT SCHOOL KIDS! always play great every time out. give me a break. ive never seen the kid play, but i played sports in hs, and let me tell you, KIDS dont always play great, for whatever reason, the least of that being they are kids and not pro's

 

[X-SHARKIE]

Even your projection makes no sense. Forney doesn't have Vanek's natural ability. Flat out. The comparison is a weak one. He doesn't snipe like Vanek, he doesn't have the hands that Vanek does and certainly doesn't stickhandle as well. I don't know how many views you have had of him (something tells me it is limited at most) but your comparison is way off.

A gamebreaker doesn't get shut down by a Class A team like Hermantown.

I saw him at a select camp when I went along with Shawn Wiles from Beliot to check it out.

I think you've only seen him once, or one weekend and he had a poor game... I don't blame you for being down on him if that's the case.

But i've seen him work from 10 feet from the net and in close and he's a pure goal scorer. I wouldn't be surprised if at the 2006 draft when he is taken in the 1st round that the scouts talk about his finishing ability. It's dang good.

You have your opinion and I have mine...

 

[PuckFan01]

I think you've only seen him once, or one weekend and he had a poor game... I don't blame you for being down on him if that's the case..

Your assumption is actually not true. I have seen him quite a bit more than one game or one weekend. I have certainly seen him more than one Select camp. I don't make major comments about any player based on the limited viewing you are assuming. I know that is a rarity on this board where some people think they are an expert on a player they have seen one time or one week but some people only talk about players they are pretty familiar with.

 

[AmericanDream]

Your assumption is actually not true. I have seen him quite a bit more than one game or one weekend. I have certainly seen him more than one Select camp. I don't make major comments about any player based on the limited viewing you are assuming. I know that is a rarity on this board where some people think they are an expert on a player they have seen one time or one week but some people only talk about players they are pretty familiar with.

blah blah blah... get over yourself. there are probably 20 to 25 teams just waiting to have the chance to draft this kid. he is a bull on the ice, who actually can skate. i dont care if he had one bad game, but one game a career does not make. forney has all the tools to be as good as vanek if not better. this is no longer going to be the steal of the draft, everyone is aware of this kid except you. take your comments and your expert thoughts and print them on toilet paper so i can wipe my crack with them.

 

[AmericanDream]

I saw him at a select camp when I went along with Shawn Wiles from Beliot to check it out.

I think you've only seen him once, or one weekend and he had a poor game... I don't blame you for being down on him if that's the case.

But i've seen him work from 10 feet from the net and in close and he's a pure goal scorer. I wouldn't be surprised if at the 2006 draft when he is taken in the 1st round that the scouts talk about his finishing ability. It's dang good.

You have your opinion and I have mine...

your opinion didnt come out of your rear unlike the other guys. stick to your guns, dont let this clown tell you how to think or feel.

 

[hfboardsuser]

Agree 100%. Sharkie, even if I'd never heard of Forney before, I'd trust your analysis. You're absolutely right. Forney is an incredibly dynamic offensive talent with incredible scoring instincts. He's very very raw, and I think Mr. PuckFan mistook his sometimes-clumsiness and confusion for lack of finishing ability when it's the exact opposite case. Forney often has so much going on in his head that he ends up flubbing a play or dishing a bad pass as the defender closes in on him. He's got to make decisions quicker, but the mind is there and so are the hands. He's got to utilize his physical package to protect the puck, and I think once he gets that, he'll take off ala Wheeler.

 

[PuckFan01]

Agree 100%. Sharkie, even if I'd never heard of Forney before, I'd trust your analysis. You're absolutely right. Forney is an incredibly dynamic offensive talent with incredible scoring instincts. He's very very raw, and I think Mr. PuckFan mistook his sometimes-clumsiness and confusion for lack of finishing ability when it's the exact opposite case. Forney often has so much going on in his head that he ends up flubbing a play or dishing a bad pass as the defender closes in on him. He's got to make decisions quicker, but the mind is there and so are the hands. He's got to utilize his physical package to protect the puck, and I think once he gets that, he'll take off ala Wheeler.

I give you credit for a rather well thought out response. On the other hand, AmericanDream likely regurgitates what he reads on the net.

Some of your remarks on him are very correct. He is raw. He does have physical gifts and is a good athlete.

On the other hand, calling him a dynamic offensive force is simply hyperbole. For the quality of teams he plays against at Thief River Falls, if he were truly an offensive force, he would be eating those teams alive far more than he is. Comparing him to Wheeler isn't bad except he doesn't have Wheeler's playmaking ability or skating ability. I could see some of the reason for the comparison though.

I do believe he is a bit of a reach on the first round but I would not be surprised if he gets drafted there. But even the best GMs have had 1st round duds so that is not a validation of him being a sure fire top player.