Prospect Info: Prospect Camp: Las Vegas Rookie Faceoff

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Count me as one of the few who think Compher and Jost were fine last year...

There's no denying they both struggled defensively. Compher showed flashes of what he's capable of on the PK, but overall both guys weren't great in the defensive zone.


That's not to say I'm disappointed by them last year or anything. Like I said, they were rookies playing an 82 game season for the first time(Since they both came from college which has a much easier schedule). I think overall they mostly played fine for two rookies making the transition.


But they do need to take steps forward this year, both of them. Both offensively and defensively they need to find ways to chip in more, now that they have a year under them and no what to expect they should be better, and I expect they will be. I'm still extremely high on JTC and think he can be a very high end 3rd liner if not a 2nd line level player. A guy who can chip in 15 goals and 35-40 points a year while playing some PP time and lots of PK time.

 

[MarkT]

I for one think nobody really has any idea what we actually have in Jost, Compher or Kerfoot (or Toninato, Kamenev, or even Nieto and Ghetto).

Any or all of those guys could end up as career AHL players or as top 6 players, and in most cases I wouldn't be completely shocked either way. I honestly think that's the main and most interesting storyline of this whole upcoming Avalanche season. Who among our young forwards is going to step up and prove they belong long-term, and who is going to reveal that they're not really NHL players? This is the year to do it because of those guys I mentioned, only Jost and Nieto are signed beyond this season.

 

[Lumipanda]

How was Annunen through the 3 games?

 

[UncleRisto]

How was Annunen through the 3 games?

Seated, half the time. Somebody else analyze the rest, thanks.

 

[Perratrooper]

Just to build off the JTC and Jost talk, both of them were asked to play a position that they didn’t play during college. While it should get rid of some of their defensive responsibilities, it’s also completely changing where they’re supposed to cover. Now I don’t pretend to know Bednar’s system well, but generally speaking I find if you’re a natural center you tend to want to creep in down low rather than cover your higher zone just based on habit and wanting to help out the D.

 

[S E P H]

I haven't chequed them out, but there are highlights of all three games on the Avs main site under the video section.

How was Annunen through the 3 games?

He was pretty good, his calming presence is the best part of his game and displayed good technique in the time given to him. I would say that there is a certain rawness about his game though, which will need a lot of playing time, but there is potential with him (definitely our best goaler prospect). However, as UR said, he tends to go down a lot of the time because he's on the bigger side.

 

[Freaky Styley]

Not surprising, but Ryan Merkley looked good for SJ in the highlights of that game

 

[Pokecheque]

Injuries are indeed an excuse. Guys can play through pain only so much. It just depends on whether they can make a positive contribution still while banged up or if it's better for them to stay off the ice. For instance, guys like Oscar Klefbom, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Wayne Simmonds all should've shut it down last season. It's also the organization's responsibility to make that call when the player won't (and they often won't) as well as have the pieces in place to mitigate that player's loss.

I WOULD like to see JTC find better ways to contribute defensive while doing more to keeping himself out of harm's way. His worst injury came from blocking a shot, and he came very close to another one (I believe) his first game back. Shot-blocking is unfortunately still a vital component to defensive play, but it's not the central tenet of Bednar's system (unlike Roy's) so I'd like to see him play a more aggressive style that allows him to force turnovers and get some breakaway chances, something he did quite well as a PKer before the long season and injuries slowed him down.

 

[Balthazar]

Not surprising, but Ryan Merkley looked good for SJ in the highlights of that game

Wonder if he'll get his shit together and become the steal of the draft or he'll do like Ho-Sang and many others before him.

 

[Freaky Styley]

Wonder if he'll get his **** together and become the steal of the draft or he'll do like Ho-Sang and many others before him.

Does he have attitude problems like Ho-Sang? I think he will be a very talented player, but probably more of a one-dimensional & not a top pairing guy which is a reason he fell. Guy oozes offensive creativity though

 

[The Kingslayer]

I like this Saigeon guy.

 

[henchman21]

There are a number of attitude players that have succeeded too... to me it should be San Jose's priority to get him around their core group ASAP. Even if that means rushing him (I won't be shocked if he makes the team this year). The kid is cocky enough he won't let the on-ice bumps hurt his style of play, but getting him around Thornton, Pavelski, Burns, and Vlasic could do a lot in regards to showing him how to be a NHL professional. If San Jose hits on Merkley, I think they got a top 5 player in the draft.

I think people remember how high I am on Hughes... if the off the ice concerns weren't there, I'd have taken Merkley over Hughes. Outside of Dahlin, Merkley is the most purely talented 17 year old defensemen I've seen long time.

 

[Balthazar]

Does he have attitude problems like Ho-Sang?

Yes.

 

[Pokecheque]

Sounds like he's way worse than Ho-Sang, but time will tell. There's no denying he has top-flight talent however.

 

[henchman21]

Sounds like he's way worse than Ho-Sang, but time will tell. There's no denying he has top-flight talent however.

He's not... Merkley has just had the Hubble telescope on him the whole time and every little issue is magnified. I don't think Merkley is a bad kid, he just needs the right mentors and to be explained things, not told.

 

[agentblack]

I find these kids fascinating because what it must feel like to be that talented and know people are gonna placate you no matter what
Like what if McDavid was a total asshat , people would just bend over lol

 

[The Abusement Park]

It’s gotta be hard to be focused on that much at age 15-17. I mean kids change a lot from 15-16 nonetheless 17-24. Plus teenagers just suck in general haha.

 

[henchman21]

I find these kids fascinating because what it must feel like to be that talented and know people are gonna placate you no matter what
Like what if McDavid was a total asshat , people would just bend over lol

See Drouin

 

[Pokecheque]

He's not... Merkley has just had the Hubble telescope on him the whole time and every little issue is magnified. I don't think Merkley is a bad kid, he just needs the right mentors and to be explained things, not told.

Not meaning to go all Sam Cosentino on the kid but did Ho-Sang also get suspended by his own team? I think the problems are more pronounced with Merkley based on what I've read, but I think his chances of being an NHL mainstay are also higher.

 

[henchman21]

Not meaning to go all Sam Cosentino on the kid but did Ho-Sang also get suspended by his own team? I think the problems are more pronounced with Merkley based on what I've read, but I think his chances of being an NHL mainstay are also higher.

Yes Ho-Sang has and Ho-Sang hasn't matured a single bit at 22 now (see last season). Merkley is more talented so he will get a longer leash, but if he's doing the same at 22, he will deserve the same scorn. No doubt there is risk to Merkley, but get him the right mentors and leaders around him is the most important thing to his development IMO. If he was my prospect in San Jose, I'd give him every chance to stick this season and learn how to be a pro from that group. If he can't figure out around those guys, he simply never will.

Two big time players that had major questions like this... Claude Giroux and Jaime Benn

 

[agentblack]

Oh i didn’t know Giroux had ‘tude issues

But I can’t help think “attitude issues” is code for something with these NHL dudes that are in their 50’s

 

[Foppberg]

Never heard those with Benn or Giroux either. I could see it though.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

See Drouin

Where's my dislike button!

 

[Pokecheque]

Never heard those with Benn or Giroux either. I could see it though.

With Benn I thought it was more of a work ethic issue, one huge reason why he was drafted so low. It's quite startling how quickly he fixed things in that regard. Didn't hear anything like that about Giroux but he wasn't exactly taken high either.

From what I understand there are quite a few top-tier junior players who will take a night off here and there. It's one reason I wasn't overly concerned about Wojtek Wolski...unfortunately the concerns about his work ethic were well-founded.

 

[klozge]

I like this Saigeon guy.

Yeah, I like him, too. Nothing to make you go crazy but he reliably gets stuff done on the ice.

I'm also growing very fond of Annunen.