I think Paille might be more suited for the NHL game than Vanek at this point, but it looks like Buffalo is going to try and sign both in the offseason. What does everyone thing, are these two NHL ready?
in the hall said:each time notre dame carried the puck into gopher zone he would stick around in the neutral zone looking for an outlett pass...
I believe the Gophers coach wants him to score (As well as the Sabres) but your right he needs to improve defensively. Young players don't respect there own zone, it's that simple. I believe his defense will come as he matures.in the hall said:saw vanek for the first time this season today, his defense was a turn off for me.. he floats in his own zone thats if he ever bothers to go in and play some d.. each time notre dame carried the puck into gopher zone he would stick around in the neutral zone looking for an outlett pass... he just did not give much of an effort on d... on the other hand now, his play offensively is tremendous.. the skill is there and he knows how to use it... he looks like a game breaker.. hes still young and surely at a higher level coaches will be more demanding of his defensive play
he might become too much of a liability in his own zone if he were to play right now but then again its not because of lack of sense or talent, its lack of effort, motivation could change that... so could riding the pine 50 minutes for lackluster d....
How did Tallackson look?in the hall said:well guys that very well may be true, in fact i think it is now that you made light of it because the way he was so nonchalant on d its hard to believe he was not reprimanded for it even if he is the best player and scorer on the team..... his defensive play is just none.. i mean literally nothing...
funkymoses, i think hes very nhl ready if he scores otherwise there is no reason for him to be in the nhl because he hasnt shown he can play adequately both ways.... although i have little doubts given the chance he can score 20 goals as early as his first year but the nhl would demand of him to play defense so it needs to be proven he can.... you are so right about the combination of puck handling and soft hands... he is as close to jagr in terms of strength on the puck as ive ever seen in a young player
i was mainly interested in a few players i knew so i only followed them (ballard, walsh, taylor, the only other player i didnt know that really stuck out was matt kolska, kellen briggs stuck out for the wrong reasons though granted he had reason to be shakeyJasonMacIsaac said:How did Tallackson look?
If all the reports are true about Vanek being a "floater", he's not ready for the NHL.X-SHARKIE said:I expect both Vanek and Paille to be signed next season. Both are NHL ready, and Vanek could contribute offensivly right now and could be a go to guy offensivly. I expect Paille to be signed as well, not much mroe the kid can do in the OHL. He well be in the AHL mabey but he already would make a good Third liner.
I believe Vanek just needs to go to the AHL for a season, to sure up on D. He'll be fine. I don't know anyone, who cares for the defensive zone at that age. Getting better defensivly, I believe, show's how hockey mature you are, and he is not mature yet.Leafaholix said:If all the reports are true about Vanek being a "floater", he's not ready for the NHL.
The 18, 19, 20 year old players in the NHL are two-way players.Broadway Crosby said:I believe Vanek just needs to go to the AHL for a season, to sure up on D. He'll be fine. I don't know anyone, who cares for the defensive zone at that age. Getting better defensivly, I believe, show's how hockey mature you are, and he is not mature yet.
there were 36 young players yesterday 35 of them bothered to play some form of defense.. you are seriously underestimating the defensive abilities of players that age especially in the top d1 schools at the college ranksBroadway Crosby said:I believe Vanek just needs to go to the AHL for a season, to sure up on D. He'll be fine. I don't know anyone, who cares for the defensive zone at that age. Getting better defensivly, I believe, show's how hockey mature you are, and he is not mature yet.
He won't get any offensive opportunities if the pucks in the Buffalo zone all the time... and his skills aren't even close to Pavel Bure. Bure had skills that come around only once a decade... Vanek doesn't have the speed to play a Bure/Kovalchuk game.DanielBriere48 said:Vanek won't need to play defense on Buffalo.Buffalo needs scoring.Pavel Bure used to float,he scored 60 goals.Buffalo drafted Vanek for an offensive dynamo not a defensive specialist.If they wanted defense they would have drafted Michalek.I saw the ND game too,and his defense wasn't that bad.
that is a myth about bure, perhaps in his florida days he was very relaxed on d, he still never floated, he always kept moving and would back check.. either way that point is moot because vanek is not pavel bure, he is a young player that needs to play defense if he wants to stick in the league..DanielBriere48 said:Vanek won't need to play defense on Buffalo.Buffalo needs scoring.Pavel Bure used to float,he scored 60 goals.Buffalo drafted Vanek for an offensive dynamo not a defensive specialist.If they wanted defense they would have drafted Michalek.I saw the ND game too,and his defense wasn't that bad.