NHL Late Bloomers

[Renard]

Has it ever happened?

As we await training camp, I got to thinking about players like Ty Rattie. He's twenty three years old. He has had some success in the minors, and has had time with the Blues three years in a row. Granted, the first year was only two games, and I can't recall if he got any ice time.

Surely its happened in the NHL that a player has sniffed at an NHL roster spot, but couldn't stick with the team for long, and finally made the grade as a 25 year old (or older). When I say "made the grade," I mean a guy who became a core player on his team. A top six forward, a top four defenseman.


Can you think of anyone? Tim Thomas is such a player, I guess, but he was a goalie. Has it ever happened with a skater?

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[bleedblue1223]

Mike Hoffman didn't breakout until he was 24 and in the AHL. Hoffman had more natural speed, but he's a similar type player to Rattie.

 

[SirPaste]

Not sure about age but I feel like both Nyquist and Tatar played awhile in the AHL before finally cementing themselves as top 6 players in the NHL

 

[Vladys Gumption]

Mike Hoffman didn't breakout until he was 24 and in the AHL. Hoffman had more natural speed, but he's a similar type player to Rattie.

Not only that, but he even cleared waivers as recently as two or three years ago.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Not sure about age but I feel like both Nyquist and Tatar played awhile in the AHL before finally cementing themselves as top 6 players in the NHL

Yep, Rattie still has a couple years where he has a reasonable shot at developing into a solid scoring forward.

Hopefully he sees the Sobotka situation for what it is, an opportunity. If no trade is made, him or Jaskin will likely be in the top 9. There are more players like Rattie, so if it's a tie, Jaskin gets it IMO, so he'll have to really push for it.

 

[542365]

Marty St. Louis didn't really cement himself as a stud player until he was 27 in 2002. Part of that problem was not getting enough of a chance because of his size, because he clearly had the talent in college. He didn't get viewed as a core piece until 2002 regardless of the reasons.

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

Could Panarin be considered one?

 

[StLHokie]

Our own Alexander Steen, but I guess he had cemented himself as an NHL caliber player even though he was nowhere near the player he is today. Still, played his first NHL season at 21

 

[Falon]

Mark Giordano is the quintessential late bloomer. Mark Streit (drafted at age 26!), Zdeno Chara and John Franzen are the best, most recent examples.

 

[BlueDream]

Joel Ward didn't make the NHL until like 27 I believe.

 

[SirPaste]

Could Panarin be considered one?

No he was performing at a high level in the KHL, he bloomed just fine just in another pro league

 

[Meatball]

I'm holding out hope that Jori Lehtera is a late bloomer and turns into a stud 1C.

He'll need a lot more speed, for starters.

 

[Oberyn]

I'm holding out hope that Jori Lehtera is a late bloomer and turns into a stud 1C.

He'll need a lot more speed, for starters.

He also needs better hands, better shot, better playmaking, better stamina, and better hockey IQ.

 

[KirkOut]

He also needs better hands, better shot, better playmaking, better stamina, and better hockey IQ.

So you're saying there's a chance

 

[Meatball]

He also needs better hands, better shot, better playmaking, better stamina, and better hockey IQ.

Good point. How naive of me.

 

[member 83027]

Has it ever happened?

As we await training camp, I got to thinking about players like Ty Rattie. He's twenty three years old. He has had some success in the minors, and has had time with the Blues three years in a row. Granted, the first year was only two games, and I can't recall if he got any ice time.

Now there is no comparison between the 2 players but Demitra floated back & forth between the Ottawa & the minors until the Blues traded for him and he started to break out.

Joey Mullen scored 120 goals in 182 minor league games before he got a shot at the age of 24. He is a little different because he went the college route.

Warren Young broke out at the age of 29 with 40 Goals. Of course that was 99% due to playing with Mario.

Paul Maclean didn't get his first real shot in the NHL until the age of 23.

Although a Dmen Bryce Salvador didn't play hist first NHL season until age of 24.

 

[Bluesguru]

Yep, Rattie still has a couple years where he has a reasonable shot at developing into a solid scoring forward.

Hopefully he sees the Sobotka situation for what it is, an opportunity. If no trade is made, him or Jaskin will likely be in the top 9. There are more players like Rattie, so if it's a tie, Jaskin gets it IMO, so he'll have to really push for it.

If it's a tie, wouldn't Rattie have the edge? Get it?

Actually, IMO, if Rattie is going to end up as a full time NHL starter, he will have to turn himself into a puck hound like Fabbri is. And I really don't think Rattie has that in his DNA.

 

[Renard]

It seems like every year, we have a player who gets in a few games, plays on the third or fourth line, and doesn't score.

Fans say "he doesn't impress me." They give up on him right away. I don't like it, but in most cases, they are right. It seems that if a guy hasn't figured out how to excel in the NHL by 25 years old, he never will.

People have mentioned a few players on this thread that I don't know much about - Giordano, Ward, Hoffman. But I trust that you are right. So there are guys who figure it out late, but they are exceedingly rare.

 

[Renard]

Now there is no comparison between the 2 players but Demitra floated back & forth between the Ottawa & the minors until the Blues traded for him and he started to break out.

Joey Mullen scored 120 goals in 182 minor league games before he got a shot at the age of 24. He is a little different because he went the college route.

Warren Young broke out at the age of 29 with 40 Goals. Of course that was 99% due to playing with Mario.

Paul Maclean didn't get his first real shot in the NHL until the age of 23.

Although a Dmen Bryce Salvador didn't play hist first NHL season until age of 24.

If I remember correctly, Mullen was up and down with the Blues a couple of times in the '81-'82 season before he stuck with the team.

Salvador certainly had a long apprenticeship. Five years with Lethbridge, three with Worchester, then finally the NHL. I remember his rookie season in St. Louis when he was paired with Alexander Khavanov, and I liked Khavanov a lot better. But Salvador wound up playing in the league a long, long time, and eventually being the captain of the Devils.

 

[joshyhockey26]

I'm holding out hope that Jori Lehtera is a late bloomer and turns into a stud 1C.

He'll need a lot more speed, for starters.

I personally love Lehtera but he's a third line center on most teams but has perfect chemistry with our resident sniper. Rattie it's so hard to figure out if he will become what everyone thought he would be. It's funny/sad when you go to the draft section of the boards. There was so much hype on Rattie his draft year.

 

[joshyhockey26]

Also to keep with the theme of posting other examples, Mark Stone(Ottawa) comes to mind. He didn't really become "clutch"til he turned 23 or so. Was a 2010 draft pick

 

[Vladys Gumption]

Also to keep with the theme of posting other examples, Mark Stone(Ottawa) comes to mind. He didn't really become "clutch"til he turned 23 or so. Was a 2010 draft pick

Eh not exactly. The only question with Stone was whether his skating would be good enough. He was dominant at every level he played at, including the AHL.

 

[joshyhockey26]

Eh not exactly. The only question with Stone was whether his skating would be good enough. He was dominant at every level he played at, including the AHL.

That's fair, but Rattie has proved he can be "elite"at the AHL level. Well when it comes to scoring. Stone didn't earn a full time spot with the Sens til that incredible playoff run/post season the season before last. I'm not saying Rattie is Stone, he isn't near that level. But possibly he could find himself at some point this year?

 

[Vladys Gumption]

That's fair, but Rattie has proved he can be "elite"at the AHL level. Well when it comes to scoring. Stone didn't earn a full time spot with the Sens til that incredible playoff run/post season the season before last. I'm not saying Rattie is Stone, he isn't near that level. But possibly he could find himself at some point this year?

I'd love to see Rattie take that step, but I don't see it. At the pro level, Stone has outscored Rattie significantly at basically every step of the way.

 

[MissouriMook]

I'd love to see Rattie take that step, but I don't see it. At the pro level, Stone has outscored Rattie significantly at basically every step of the way.

Its extremely doubtful Rattie ever turns into Mark Stone, but that doesn't mean he can't be a good NHL player. He certainly has the skill and the drive to become a consistent 20/20/40 3rd line player at the NHL level if he can consistently do the other things he needs to do. And while 3rd line players are essentially a dime a dozen in the NHL, he does still have some upside at 23 to where he could blossom into a 2nd liner. He just needs to continue to mature physically and become more effective on the forecheck and the backcheck. He's never going to be fast, but he's always been able to find seams and be where he needs to be to make a play, so I'm less concerned about his speed than I would be for someone with a lower offensive IQ.