Nichushkin leads new-look Dallas Stars Top 20 prospects ranking

[Ub the Bub]

My good friend is color man for the Pats, he keeps reiterating that Sinitsyn's offense is good, and he can be quick, but his defense is abysmal.

Could he perhaps be turned into a winger then?

 

[glovesave_35]

Yup. It was a compliment to the newly-elected King of Earth, Dmitry Sinitsyn. (Seriously though, I'm excited to see him play for Regina this year...)

I also think this is last call for Glennie, last year of his entry-level, last year of waiver exemption, right? He's got a lot of work to do, it will cost the Stars $850K to qualify him next season...

Gotta be last call. There's not even the face-saving aspect of it for management. If he's a bust laugh he's Nieuwendyk's bust.

My good friend is color man for the Pats, he keeps reiterating that Sinitsyn's offense is good, and he can be quick, but his defense is abysmal.

I'm 1000% sure BigG was joking.

 

[BigG44]

I'm 1000% sure BigG was joking.

1001% correct.

I'm actually pretty excited about Sinitsyn after hearing reports from his WHL coach, and his attitude about his shot makes me like his desire to get better.

He's in the same boat as Goligoski, Connauton, and Klingberg. Dallas can't 4 pure offensive D. Personally I don't want to even see them with more than 2. I've seen Connauton's special shot, and we've heard about Sinitsyn. You can't overlook Klingberg's just pure skating ability and offensive hockey sense. Plus, none of them other than Goligoski have shown an ability to put it together in the NHL yet. Hell I forgot about Lindell. He's putting it together it seems in Finland, and he's actually got some decent size.

I'll be interesting to see where let's say the start of training camp 2 years from now where Dallas is with these players, and if their forced to look elsewhere to fill this role. I don't think they will ... at least I hope not.

I'm more excited about Oleksiak, Dillion and Nemeth though. That's the core IMO ... I think 2 years from now we're not going to be worried about the Top 3 D so that'll be nice.

Hearing the reports out of TC make me breathe a lot easier about Nemeth. Sounds like the concussion is behind him, now we just need to make sure this isn't a reoccurring hurdle.

 

[glovesave_35]

I'm more excited about Oleksiak, Dillion and Nemeth though. That's the core IMO ... I think 2 years from now we're not going to be worried about the Top 3 D so that'll be nice.

Could be but if none of them develops an offensive side in the NHL then that's only part of a core to me. Not sure but Bystrom could be a more offensive-minded guy who could turn out pretty well.

 

[aloonda*]

nemeth is growing on me
gauging a player with injuries, especially ones like concussions make it difficult
but he appears to be someone that will push for a spot at some point this year

 

[BigG44]

Could be but if none of them develops an offensive side in the NHL then that's only part of a core to me. Not sure but Bystrom could be a more offensive-minded guy who could turn out pretty well.

Bystrom seems to be more of an all around guy than the pure offensive guys which is why I didn't include him in that all or nothing group, but fortunately he seems to have carved out a decent role, looks like potential 2nd pair, on his new SHL team. Hopefully we'll get an even better idea about his potential this season.

Regarding Oleksiak, Dillon, and Nemeth, sure the offense is important, and I am excited about Oleksiak's potential there, but I was referring more to a rock solid core that can anchor the team. I just think at minimum, they'll be able to anchor all three pairs. Dallas could get offense from the back end from their potential partners should they falter.

 

[FrailSwan]

Bystrom seems to be more of an all around guy than the pure offensive guys which is why I didn't include him in that all or nothing group, but fortunately he seems to have carved out a decent role, looks like potential 2nd pair, on his new SHL team. Hopefully we'll get an even better idea about his potential this season.

Regarding Oleksiak, Dillon, and Nemeth, sure the offense is important, and I am excited about Oleksiak's potential there, but I was referring more to a rock solid core that can anchor the team. I just think at minimum, they'll be able to anchor all three pairs. Dallas could get offense from the back end from their potential partners should they falter.

It's nice knowing we finally have some big anchors on the way once more.

 

[BigG44]

It's nice knowing we finally have some big anchors on the way once more.

... and while I personally believe Oleksiak ultimately proves to be the best of the bunch on D ... how nuts is it that the first player to develop into that for Dallas was an undrafted free agent who was below average in size just a few years ago?

Blows my mind that two of Dallas' biggest potential building blocks are Jamie Benn a 5th round pick and a guy no one wanted to take a chance on at all in Brenden Dillon.

 

[LT]

I don't see the upside in Nemeth you guys do. A #4 defender at best IMO.

 

[BigG44]

I don't see the upside in Nemeth you guys do. A #4 defender at best IMO.

Saying he can anchor a pair isn't much different than saying he's a Top 4/#4 D ... essentially the same thing.

Nemeth isn't going to score, he has less upside in that department than Oleksiak or Dillon, but he's definitely on of Dallas' best defensive D prospects. Plus, it's nice to see his physical game and aggression since outside of Dillon no other prospect has shown that side consistently.

Ideally though to your point ... you would have 3 guys at least "better" than Nemeth. They really need at least one of the options they have as offensive D to turn into a top notch scorer. Honestly .. I have no idea who that is going to be. Niskanen broke me ... I hung on to the very end thinking he'd finally click so he's destroyed my confidence in making an educated guess. I just have faith one of them will develop.

 

[LT]

You're right about Nemeth, I guess I was just misinterpreting what you guys meant by him becoming an impact defender.

Give Goligoski a chance with some sheltered minutes and he'll be that guy IMO. Hell, he was scoring at a 50 point pace this season and looked terrible. I think if he gets to have some freedom offensively, he'll end up being more than fine, assuming we haven't broken him already.

Goligoski - Dillon
Nemeth - Oleksiak

Still wish we had Voynov... The top 4 would be almost perfect then:

Oleksiak - Voynov
Nemeth - Dillon

And of course we've got plenty of other guys who could step up in a huge way. There's no telling how some of them will develop.

 

[FrailSwan]

Nemeth being a #4 could simply mean that we will have a really, really good #4. Defensively he could turn out to be a beast.

 

[glovesave_35]

Bystrom seems to be more of an all around guy than the pure offensive guys which is why I didn't include him in that all or nothing group, but fortunately he seems to have carved out a decent role, looks like potential 2nd pair, on his new SHL team. Hopefully we'll get an even better idea about his potential this season.

I wasn't so sure where you were going with that train of thought. I know you don't think in terms of polar opposite style defensemen, offense or defense; your list was starting to sound like it though. I didn't mean to imply that Bystrom is that all or nothing offense, I agree that he sounds more like an all around defenseman, though it does sound like he's falls more to the offensive end of the spectrum than defensive.

Regarding Oleksiak, Dillon, and Nemeth, sure the offense is important, and I am excited about Oleksiak's potential there, but I was referring more to a rock solid core that can anchor the team. I just think at minimum, they'll be able to anchor all three pairs. Dallas could get offense from the back end from their potential partners should they falter.

I got you. I do like that all of those guys can skate pretty well. New school big guys.

Edit: I would add that in our best case scenario where Oleksiak fulfills his offensive potential and looks like a true all around stud, there's a good chance he would end up playing with Dillon, Nemeth or some other defensive minded defenseman on the top pair. All of which is to say we're going to need all kinds of guys back there until we find the right mix and discard the dead weight.

 

[BigG44]

To you're point about Dillon and Oleksiak, don't be too surprised if it's actually Nemeth with him. They played those two a ton together in Austin before Nemeth went down. Oleksiak was at RD, and they continue to lay him heavily at RD in Austin (late in the year) and at TC.

I mentioned somewhere that my hockey fantasy is that Oleksiak and Nemeth sort of turn into a better version of the Hatcher-Matvichuk duo of the 90's. Better because I hope, like you, that Oleksiak realizes his full offensive potential, and I do firmly believe Nemeth has a damn good first pass and transition game.

That's probably not something to expect this season ... maybe not even next, but those two have been playing well together. I hope Nemeth's snarl will drag out Oleksiak's even more as well.

I'm really hoping to see that pair down in Austin this season should Oleksiak spend any time with Texas.

 

[FrailSwan]

To you're point about Dillon and Oleksiak, don't be too surprised if it's actually Nemeth with him. They played those two a ton together in Austin before Nemeth went down. Oleksiak was at RD, and they continue to lay him heavily at RD in Austin (late in the year) and at TC.

I mentioned somewhere that my hockey fantasy is that Oleksiak and Nemeth sort of turn into a better version of the Hatcher-Matvichuk duo of the 90's. Better because I hope, like you, that Oleksiak realizes his full offensive potential, and I do firmly believe Nemeth has a damn good first pass and transition game.

That's probably not something to expect this season ... maybe not even next, but those two have been playing well together. I hope Nemeth's snarl will drag out Oleksiak's even more as well.

I'm really hoping to see that pair down in Austin this season should Oleksiak spend any time with Texas.

I can't see why they wouldn't be paired together again. Especially after being together last year and TC. Wouldn't make any sense since they have some chemistry.

 

[Dr GLU]

Nemeth, at best, is basically a Swedish Richard Matvichuk.

 

[glovesave_35]

Nemeth, at best, is basically a Swedish Richard Matvichuk.

Sounds good to me.

 

[LT]

Matvichuk is so much bigger in person than I ever realized. That guy is a friggin' tank on skates.

And from what I've seen of him back in the day, if Nemeth turns out to be anything like him, we should be happy.

 

[BigG44]

I know it's the go to comparison, but I just giggle with excitement every time someone says it:

-Right wing Valeri Nichushkin (Dallas Stars): Many scouts thought the 6-4 forward, 18, had the talent level to be considered in the same group with Drouin, MacKinnon, Barkov and Jones. But there was trepidation about drafting him because it was expected the Kontinental Hockey League would make him a major offer to stay in Russia.

He was still on the board at No. 10, and Stars GM Jim Nill grabbed him.

Nill signed him and said he expected Nichushkin to play this season. Some scouts say he has the potential to have an offensive impact similar to Evgeni Malkin's.

From article about potential Calder candidates.

 

[Dundalis]

Ruff said he skates like Malkin. Outside of that he can't think of a player his game compares to. Let's hope that's true and he's unique.

 

[Brand New Stars]

When I read about his game I think of a Nash/Malkin mixture.

 

[geoo9]

Ruff said he skates like Malkin. Outside of that he can't think of a player his game compares to. Let's hope that's true and he's unique.

i think Nuke skates better than Malkin -faster and stronger

 

[ElGuapo]

i think Nuke skates better than Malkin -faster and stronger

He's even a little bigger..already.