Phaneuf leads the WHL in scoring....

[MrMastodonFarm*]

Guess he is a lock for the Calder.
.

Good god, what is wrong with some of you people?

This is the prospects board, and someone started a topic about a prospect and what a fast start he was off to.

No one said hand him the calder now, so one was suggesting that his start makes his career.

Utterly unbeleivable sometimes.

 

[looooob]

wow, we must be desparate for news.
3 pts in 3 games, now wait, 5. Guess he is a lock for the Calder.
5 games do not a season make. Let's be patient. Maybe he is that good, maybe not. Leading a league after three games is not much of a statistical base to go on.

it was 7 points in 3 games, for a defenceman that some people claim doesn't have offensive upside

yeesh. it's a prospect board, there is a NHL lockout underway, and someone had the gall to start a thread about a prospect off to a good start. the nerve

 

[Kasparov*]

This guy is so overrated... he wont be as good as alot of ppl think he will be, mark my words.

 

[Nielson81]

Holy smokes...let's settle down everyone season is early..and Pavel Brendl was the best player I ever watched play in the WHL, he did what he wanted...same with Comrie.

Unbiased Canadian

 

[MrMastodonFarm*]

This guy is so overrated... he wont be as good as alot of ppl think he will be, mark my words.

Your words are marked, yet.. I still couldn't care less.

 

[Epsilon]

Holy smokes...let's settle down everyone season is early..and Pavel Brendl was the best player I ever watched play in the WHL, he did what he wanted...same with Comrie.

Unbiased Canadian

Best WHL player I ever saw was Darcy Tucker. Pavel Brendl would be right up there though, along with Marian Hossa.

 

[TheFranchise83]

Saw him last night play saskatoon with my friend who is a huge Flamers fan. I'd have to say both of us were unimpressed..... He really didn't play good defensively. He got beat on a 2 on 1 for the Blades first goal where the pass actually slid off of the blades guy's stick. He absolutley killed some guy in a fight though (I think it was Barnes)

The one thing I really liked about him was his release from the point. He gets his shot off quick and it was always low and hard. Also he's a very good passer. To me he looked more like an offensive d-man. Overall though for all the hype he gets I didn't see it.

Oh and Setoguchi is absolutely incredible. I've been to 2 games this year and he's arguably been the best player on the ice both nights for me.

 

[andora]

i bet you he's bored, to be honest. some clips and highlights i've seen of him he looks disinterested..

and epsilon, good call on tucker and hossa, those two guys were a fricken thrill to watch. i also really like steve mccarthy, maybe not the best whler i've ever seen, but awesome to watch

 

[Eb0la11]

Saw him last night play saskatoon with my friend who is a huge Flamers fan. I'd have to say both of us were unimpressed..... He really didn't play good defensively. He got beat on a 2 on 1 for the Blades first goal where the pass actually slid off of the blades guy's stick. He absolutley killed some guy in a fight though (I think it was Barnes)

The one thing I really liked about him was his release from the point. He gets his shot off quick and it was always low and hard. Also he's a very good passer. To me he looked more like an offensive d-man. Overall though for all the hype he gets I didn't see it.

Oh and Setoguchi is absolutely incredible. I've been to 2 games this year and he's arguably been the best player on the ice both nights for me.

Ive seen him play 5-6 different times (Phaneuf) and hes impressed me probaly 80% of those times. Once was in a Red Deer Rebels game before he was drafted and he looked pretty regular. The other occasions were at flames training camp last season and also 2 of the 3 scrimmage games in calgary where jr team canada had a camp. Im almost sold that hes going to be almost a sure fire number 1 guy, not quite though. I still am not sold on his defensive game just yet but I know that he finishes his assignments in the corners, although this sometimes puts him out of position. Other than that the break out passes are great and yes his shot is fantastic.

 

[darth5]

Hey, this is the kind of sarcasm prevalent around here when somebody's claims on a prospect are overblown or out of proportion. I just pointed out the obvious. I think Phaneuf is a great prospect-- I don't dispute that. And I know which board I was browsing.

Now I just wish I hadn't even noticed the thread. Apparently you need some kind of permit to inject a dose of realism.

 

[Epsilon]

i bet you he's bored, to be honest. some clips and highlights i've seen of him he looks disinterested..

and epsilon, good call on tucker and hossa, those two guys were a fricken thrill to watch. i also really like steve mccarthy, maybe not the best whler i've ever seen, but awesome to watch

I remember the Cougars used to advertise the fact that Hossa and the Winterhawks were coming to town when he was playing there, to sell tickets. They would actually refer to him on the radio as "future NHL superstar Marian Hossa" and suffice to say they got that one right.

And Tucker was a better junior player than Jarome Iginla, in my opinion. Funny how that one turned out.

 

[Reign Nateo]

Best WHL player I ever saw was Darcy Tucker. Pavel Brendl would be right up there though, along with Marian Hossa.

Tucker and Hossa I would agree with, but Brendl? That guy had bust written all over him. He was a cherry picker with no speed and looked dissinterested and lazy all of the time. I remember watching him play in Kamloops and praying that the Canucks didn't draft him (they were picking 3rd overall at the time). Good call on Tucker who was a monster in junior, but Brendl was the most overhyped junior that I can remember. He scored yes, but they were all garbage goals.

 

[Moskau]

How about Clarke MacArthur.

 

[Nielson81]

Tucker and Hossa I would agree with, but Brendl? That guy had bust written all over him. He was a cherry picker with no speed and looked dissinterested and lazy all of the time. I remember watching him play in Kamloops and praying that the Canucks didn't draft him (they were picking 3rd overall at the time). Good call on Tucker who was a monster in junior, but Brendl was the most overhyped junior that I can remember. He scored yes, but they were all garbage goals.[/QUOTE]

GARBAGE GOALS ??

Are you kidding me Pavel Brendl scored over 150 goals in 2 seasons and the majority of them were beauties.....I still think he can get 30 in the NHL if someone gives him a chance to fly.

Unbiased Canadian

 

[Orv]

GARBAGE GOALS ??

Are you kidding me Pavel Brendl scored over 150 goals in 2 seasons and the majority of them were beauties.....I still think he can get 30 in the NHL if someone gives him a chance to fly.

Unbiased Canadian

Brendl sucks. You know it and so do I.

 

[Reilly311]

Are you kidding me Pavel Brendl scored over 150 goals in 2 seasons and the majority of them were beauties.....I still think he can get 30 in the NHL if someone gives him a chance to fly.

I think he can still be a nice player too, however, there are about a billion players that can score over 100 points in junior any never amount to anything in the NHL.

 

[Phanuthier*]

So basically, since
a) A 19 year old prospect's game isn't perfect,
b) Pavel Brendl, a lazy prospect with a bad attitude, was a former WHL great, and another problem child, Darcy Tucker, didn't turn out
c) Sheldon Souray scored alot of points in 1 game
d) He had 1 bad game

it negates much of Phaneuf's prospects.

Oh yes, and some guy laughing about putting people in wheelchairs.

Nobody's calling him a HOFer or superstar or anything, just a top prospect. Why is that so hard to understand? Hockey scouts, NHL team officials, independent hockey analysts and scouts who are paid to do this stuff for a living, called him the best defensive prospect outside of the NHL. To say you think Suter or whatever is better, fair enough, they are closely ranked, but all the others... yikes, I don't even know what to say to those.

 

[Orv]

Another goal tonight.

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

and another problem child, Darcy Tucker, didn't turn out

Actually, Darcy turned out really, really fine and exceeded the NHL expectations of most.

He is only a problem child in that he can be high maintenance at times on and off the ice, but still gives a kickass performance and a great return.

You tell me if you wouldn't like the Flames to draft a guy like Tucker in the mid rounds this year

Heck, many teams don't even get a Darcy Tucker in the first round.

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

The cool thing with Phaneuf is that there are multiple possibilities. There's no way this guy is going to miss playing a regular shift in the NHL. He has several assets making him versatile.

He's a low risk, high reward guy, and that's why he is soaring up on rankings and considered one of (or THE) best prospects in hockey.

I still hate the CHL-AHL rules. Phaneuf is the perfect example of a guy who should be spending time in the AHL right now, much like Hemsky, Bouchard and several others before him. It sucks when you have to either rush a player or make him lose development time when there's a better league suited for his needs.

 

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Tucker and Hossa I would agree with, but Brendl? That guy had bust written all over him. He was a cherry picker with no speed and looked dissinterested and lazy all of the time. I remember watching him play in Kamloops and praying that the Canucks didn't draft him (they were picking 3rd overall at the time). Good call on Tucker who was a monster in junior, but Brendl was the most overhyped junior that I can remember. He scored yes, but they were all garbage goals.

Sounds like you didn't watch him that much. They were all garbage goals? What a bunch of BS. The majority of the goals I saw him score were beauties. He was deadly deking goalies in close and had a wicked release in the slot.

Brendl was not a typical "garbage" goal scorer, he wasn't just banging home rebounds in the crease. He scored from everywhere.

 

[Epsilon]

So basically, since
a) A 19 year old prospect's game isn't perfect,
b) Pavel Brendl, a lazy prospect with a bad attitude, was a former WHL great, and another problem child, Darcy Tucker, didn't turn out
c) Sheldon Souray scored alot of points in 1 game
d) He had 1 bad game

it negates much of Phaneuf's prospects.

Oh yes, and some guy laughing about putting people in wheelchairs.

Nobody's calling him a HOFer or superstar or anything, just a top prospect. Why is that so hard to understand? Hockey scouts, NHL team officials, independent hockey analysts and scouts who are paid to do this stuff for a living, called him the best defensive prospect outside of the NHL. To say you think Suter or whatever is better, fair enough, they are closely ranked, but all the others... yikes, I don't even know what to say to those.

I think you missed the point of a lot of this Brendl-Tucker stuff. It wasn't to take shots at Phaneuf, we (meaning WHL fans) simply went off on a tangent talking about the best players we've seen in that league. I suppose bringing up Marian Hossa was also supposed to be demeaning to Phaneuf?

I also have to laugh at people talking about Brendl being sucky in the WHL when he basically destroyed that league for 2 seasons without even putting in a full effort, and dragged guys like Kris Beech up to top 10 positions in the draft.

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

Epsilon, what about a list of the best WHL defensemen you have seen? Say, 4 or 5 of them?

Thanks

 

[Epsilon]

Epsilon, what about a list of the best WHL defensemen you have seen? Say, 4 or 5 of them?

Thanks

That's a bit tougher to answer. I always found the forwards stood out more in the WHL, which is strange because the Dub produces so many good NHL defensemen. A shortlist would probably include: Nolan Baumgartner, Zenith Komarniski, Dam Hamhuis, Dion Phaneuf, Chris Phillips, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few others.

Goalie would definitely be Norm Maracle; that guy was unbeatable one year.

 

[andora]

definitely baumgartner, hamhuis, and phaneuf.. i don't remember too much of phillips.. komarniski i really enjoyed watching but for me he wasn't one of the best i've seen

barret jackman i LOVED to watch, i wasn't able to watch him very much but he was awesome...

eric brewer was real shaky as a 16/17 year old, but his next year he was incredible, just oozing future nhl talent, he looked so above everyone else

kwiatkowski was a rock i remember, after trading souray for him he was our rock... i've never felt safer as a cougar fan than i did with him on the ice.. hell you could have put scott laluk or ryan chieduch (sp?) out there and i'd still feel safe b/c of kiwi

i remember liking sergei klimentiev, had a couple 50 point seasons i think and was on some eastern team so i only saw him once or twice

i also remember seeing derek morris once when he was in regina, played an awesome game and controlled it end to end, again it was only once but i remember that..

jesse wallin was really strong for red deer i remember, real good two way guy that could shut down anyone he was up against.. i remember really liking him going into the draft and after, but he never panned out

cory sarich was also a fav, and he could physically dominate any game.. i didn't see him much since he was on saskatoon for a long time, but after seattle got him for the playoffs and he played us a few times, he became a favorite. remember *anyone* the hit he put on quinn hancock, the most aweinspiring hit i've EVER seen, made coach's corner and everything.. sarich was awesome

brad stuart was really good, only saw him a couple times, but was a clear future nhler, looked so mature out there

robyn regehr was incredible for kamloops, he was a treat to watch.. big, tough and he never went away. i remember ALL those games against kamloops where you'd get momentum with regehr on the bench, he comes on and shuts everything down.. i remember him manhandling a guy in the corner once (i think it was mrena) and our guy got up, went after him got shoved down face first into the boards, got up angrier, shoved down again and regehr got the puck out of the scrum and rushed it out..

kyle rossiter was another defense first rock in spokane, big mean guy that would either lay you out on the boards or simply pound your face in

kurt sauer, see rossiter but better imo.. same with matthew spiller, he was just so big and so tough.. never saw him lose a board battle or lose a fight or lose physical position in a battle.. he was just so devestating to play against..

wade redden was awesome with brandon i remember, i relished anytime i got to see him. he just controlled the game so effortlessly, looked like a pro already and you'd just say to yourself 'that guy's going to be in the nhl'

brad ference was another bruiser that could just control games b/c he was a bully and would just wear down every forward that came into his zone. could lug the puck too but just played awesome defence, greatest memory though was tyler bouck one punching him as a 17/18 year old *can't remember which*, that was beautiful

ross lupaschuk was a guy that was fun to watch, overshadowed with woywitka, lynch, phaneuf etc.. but he was big, could lead the rush, nail people open ice and play defence.. him and meech later became the underlying cores of those red deer teams, they really anchored the bottom pairing defense along with ohka *i think that's how you spell it*.. doug lynch now that i think of it and woywitka were just awesome to watch, pucks on their stick pretty much their entire shifts, always attacking and making back to defend...

ofcourse bouwmeester too, nothing needs to be said about him

two guys matt kinch and christian chartier were very exciting whl paul coffeys.. they could control games simply by having the puck on their stick every time they're on the ice, two great rushers... actually filip novak was like this too, he was real fun to watch

nick shultz was good too, a real defensive guy that because he was so good played all the time in all game situations and racked up points

i also gotta say grant mcneill, he wasn't great or anything, but one tough son of a b, he was just a monster to watch out there lumber around and intimidate

i'll just say, he wasn't a dman, but one of my favorite ever whl players for on ice leadership and work ethic was trent whitfield in spokane, he was so awesome to watch b/c he layed everything out every night. i still hope he can develop into a full time fourth line player for washington, great character...