Parise--Albany

[Vlad The Impaler]

Just a question of interest... How many NHL playeyers with more than 300 games played in the NHL have played more than a full season in the AHL (not counting like several stints in the AHL etc.).

edit: I can think of Satan.

I wouldn't know but as I was saying in another thread a few days ago, the way the AHL is set up with the profundly stupid rules for North Americans, many of the great players bypass it and go directly from the CHL to the NHL. As for the Euros, many of them stay home to develop, which is not a bad decision (although a little time in the AHL can't hurt for smoother transition).

It's still a good level of hockey, but the rules make it so that the elite doesn't really have much of a chance to play in it. Players like Hemsky and Bouchard are good examples of guys who were wasting time in the Q but were not fully ready for the NHL. This year, Dion Phaneuf would be better off in the AHL but he can't go there.

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

not saying that parise won't succeed, but i don't think he's gonna match his AHL production in the NHL...

Seeing as the AHL just started and you have a sample of less than 10 games, do we really even know what his "AHL production" will be like?

For what it's worth, in another thread, folks were saying Vanek had the edge in the AHL because he's bigger and more pro-like than Parise but I don't buy it. I think Parise will adapt smoothly to any higher level and remain a very good player. But I'm going to wait and see how he does in the AHL and take it from there.

I think his combination of skills, smarts and guts is a winning one for the NHL.

 

[mattihp]

I wouldn't know but as I was saying in another thread a few days ago, the way the AHL is set up with the profundly stupid rules for North Americans, many of the great players bypass it and go directly from the CHL to the NHL. As for the Euros, many of them stay home to develop, which is not a bad decision (although a little time in the AHL can't hurt for smoother transition).

It's still a good level of hockey, but the rules make it so that the elite doesn't really have much of a chance to play in it. Players like Hemsky and Bouchard are good examples of guys who were wasting time in the Q but were not fully ready for the NHL. This year, Dion Phaneuf would be better off in the AHL but he can't go there.

Many former AHL players say that the level of play in the AHL is pretty much the same as in Finland and Sweden, but that the coaching staffs, the drills, practice and individual training is not near as good as it is in the SEL and SM-liiga for example.

 

[Levitate]

i guess i should rephrase, in that i wouldn't expect him to put up more than a point per game in his rookie year in the NHL just cuz he's started out doing it in the AHL

that almost seems to be where some people are heading with their praise of him...that's an exaggeration but hey

he's a good prospect, he looks like he'll be a good NHLer...i just think people shouldn't hype him up to be some uber prospect at this point. with prospects, it's always a good idea to proceed with some caution until you can really get a good idea of how they're doing in the NHL.

 

[MN_Gopher]

I think that AHL numbers are a little misleading. Parise is high energy hard worker. If he keeps this up for the seson i will be impressed. Being on a new team and a high level i bet he is going a mile a minute. I ve never doubted he will be a solid NHLer just not a great scorer. Remember Jonny Pohl averaged one point a game over a full season in his rookie year just after college. 58 in 58.