Prospect and Marlies Thread: 2017 - 2018 (continued)

[zeke]

dzierkals is not a prospect

 

[DarkKnight]

I've been pretty down on Sparks in previous years but he has had a great start to this season and looks incredible so far here today.

Just made a huge save point blank.

Have to give credit where credit is due, he's turning heads this year for sure.

 

[LeafChief]

dzierkals is not a prospect

Yeah, you're wrong.

 

[Judas Tavares]

Was at the game today. All three games I've been to Sparks has started and he's bee great. Only let in 2 goals in those 3 games. Great positioning, isn't erratic like he used to be. You have to earn it to beat him.

-Liljegren didn't take many risks, looked more steady, but played well. Broke up a play with a good stick early on, got lots of minutes and only made one minor mistake on a giveaway, but he recovered on the play. Still looks great quarterbacking the pp.

-Dermott was steady as she goes as always. Don't think he's too far away.

-Nielsen looked good, didn't notice him much which is a good thing for a player like him.

-Maricin and Rosen played hot potato with the puck, very sloppy.

Aaltonen, Kapanen and Johnsson stood out up front. Aaltonen was very involved, Kapanen speedy as always and Johnsson has a great nose for the net.

And for the 3rd game this year, had to check the boxscore to see if Brooks played. He did.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

dzierkals is not a prospect

He technically is for the next 2-7 years... Depending upon rules.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Marlies are 1st in the AHL now, and actually got there mainly through our awesome young talent. The organizational depth we have is completely insane and I don't think anybody touches it. We could legitimately win the Calder Cup + the Stanley Cup in the same year soon

 

[67Cup]

Sure Dzierkals is a prospect, just not a highly promising one.

 

[Mr Hockey]

dzierkals is not a prospect

We have Dzierkals rights until June 1, 2019.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

We have Dzierkals rights until June 1, 2019.

I still think it may be longer than that. He was drafted out of the MHL, which is the same league Chebykin was drafted out of. Typically Russian player rights (those coming out of Russian leagues) are kept until they are 26 or 27 years old. If we get to keep Chebykin (and Korshkov) until they are 26 or 27, I believe the same principle extends to Dzierkals.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

i think he's easily our best D prospect after liljegren and dermott....and i'm not convinced he's even clearly behind dermott.

Dermott is so steady and smooth. I like him a lot and I think he's a step ahead of Ras. His IQ and skating are fantastic and he's strong and can be mean. He's gonna be a player. Ras has a very intriguing upside so it's a tough call though

 

[deletethis]

I would guess leafs have him with barb and other skating coaches all year round right? if he hasn't significantly improved by now im not sure his skating is going to get there. Outside of just something clicking in his head and all of a sudden he is an average skater. He gets burned far to often by a fast skating player coming at him, which is pretty much every NHL teams mode of offence now.

I think we forget how skills' enhancement works especially for skating. A skating coach runs you through a bunch of drills that expose your skating weaknesses and determines the areas where you need to improve. Then the skating coach gives you a list of drills and dry land training to work on those weaknesses. You then go off and spend the next months doing those drills and training when you get the opportunity. Assuming that the skating coach is competent and communicates well, the onus is entirely on the player to do the work. Shooting is way more fun to work on.

 

[deletethis]

I like the way Dzierkals the hard-nosed brave way he plays the game but sadly he may not have enough skill for the highest levels of NA pro hockey.

 

[deletethis]

Sparks' numbers have always been good to great in his entire AHL career. But it's pretty evident that he'll never be a workhorse starter. With Andersen at the NHL level, all he needs to do is become an NHL backup and I think he has a good mental make up for a backup: fun in the room, competitive on the ice, not an alpha personality type.

 

[sommervr]

What dzierkals has is elite explosive acceleration. His first two steps are better than anyone in the organization.

What this translates to is good close gaps and smothering defense. Think a cornerback that you can't get two steps on. The leafs to their credit recognize this and are working with him to see if they can make a player out if him.

He might be a while away as he needs to be a lot stronger. The upside is there though.

 

[Mr Hockey]

I like the way Dzierkals the hard-nosed brave way he plays the game but sadly he may not have enough skill for the highest levels of NA pro hockey.

Dzierkals is pretty skilled in my opinion, have you seen him play?

 

[deletethis]

Dzierkals is pretty skilled in my opinion, have you seen him play?

Care to explain why he didn't get an ELC?

 

[saltming]

Care to explain why he didn't get an ELC?

To be fair we have lots of skill in the organization and only 50 slots. If what @SeaOfBlue says is true about how long we have his rights then why not save the contract spot until he's ready to play?

 

[Menzinger]

Sparks' numbers have always been good to great in his entire AHL career. But it's pretty evident that he'll never be a workhorse starter. With Andersen at the NHL level, all he needs to do is become an NHL backup and I think he has a good mental make up for a backup: fun in the room, competitive on the ice, not an alpha personality type.

Yep, and an above average back up is a need for the team. Sparks definitely has a good temperament for it

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Care to explain why he didn't get an ELC?

Why give him one when you can still keep his rights regardless of what you give him?

Same goes for Piccinich, as we hold his rights for this year too. He has a 2 year AHL deal though, so really we keep him for a bit longer.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Care to explain why he didn't get an ELC?

because we have his rights anyway. So your whole reason for him not being skilled is because he didn't get an ELC?

 

[LeafChief]

Care to explain why he didn't get an ELC?

Yeah I mean, I don't think this is that difficult to understand.

Are you familiar with the Leafs prospect pool and are you familiar with the 50 contract limit?

 

[deletethis]

More successful juniors Bracco and Brooks are finding out right now just how much skill it will take to excel at the higher pro levels. I actually prefer Dzierkals to either of those two due his other characteristics.

 

[Brobust]

Johnsson-Aaltonen-Kapanen is a great line in the AHL. All three are NHL ready and I think Aaltonen is better than Bozak already.

 

[Brobust]

More successful juniors Bracco and Brooks are finding out right now just how much skill it will take to excel at the higher pro levels. I actually prefer Dzierkals to either of those two due his other characteristics.

Bracco actually looks really good today. I expect a late season breakout once he adjusts and recovers from mono.

 

[Kiwi]

3-0 Marlies
End of the first

Rychel Johnsson and Greening with goals