Prospect Thread XVI

[ugghhh]

Anyone else worried about Gaunce's skating moving forward? I can't tell if it's just that he's a big player, but he looks awfully slow/stagnant out there.

He's got great playmaking skills/vision, good awareness on both ends of the ice, and a pretty good shot. Overall there's a lot there to work with, especially considering his size.

I think with improved skating he bottoms out as a very good 2-way second line center with size, which is great value for a late 1st.

 

[Luck 6]

Schroeder with 2 more assists tonight.

2 goals, 8 assists, and a +3 in 8 games since being sent down. Very impressive.

 

[me2]

If the wolves are out bring up Schroeder.

 

[mrmyheadhurts]

Anyone else worried about Gaunce's skating moving forward? I can't tell if it's just that he's a big player, but he looks awfully slow/stagnant out there.

He's got great playmaking skills/vision, good awareness on both ends of the ice, and a pretty good shot. Overall there's a lot there to work with, especially considering his size.

I think with improved skating he bottoms out as a very good 2-way second line center with size, which is great value for a late 1st.

No, from what I've seen, his mechanics are pretty solid. Gaunce just needs to get stronger and he should be fine.

 

[701]

No, from what I've seen, his mechanics are pretty solid. Gaunce just needs to get stronger and he should be fine.

I hope you're right . . . but I recall that he was in the top 5 of his draft class at the combine in leg strength (maybe someone can verify / falsify this).

If so, it would seem that strength isn't the problem with his skating speed.

 

[arsmaster*]

I hope you're right . . . but I recall that he was in the top 5 of his draft class at the combine in leg strength (maybe someone can verify / falsify this).

If so, it would seem that strength isn't the problem with his skating speed.

He's also fast if we remember the top prospects game.

The issue I believe is he's not a Kesler or a Hansen. He doesn't skate non stop.

He's pretty cerebral out there.

Skating speed isn't the issue. It's making sure he keeps his feet moving and average agility.

It also 'looks' worse on big ice.

Not worried at all about it.

 

[StringerBell]

I'm not worried about Gaunce's speed or stride, but I think his acceleration/explosiveness needs work. Takes the guy a bit to get going.

 

[SgtToody]

Promising a spot on an NHL team is not the same as a 3 game trial. And how much hotter are these guys than Schroeder and Corrado?
Laganiere projects as possibly a third liner and we're going to guarantee him a spot?
The hot Swedish player who signed two years ago in Dallas because they promised to give him NHL time is not even in the NHL any more. These guys are not any better than our first and second round prospects. Why would we cut a special deal for them?

Any team that offers an immediate NHL job to an amateur recruit is either lying or woefully ran, and I never suggested they would. However, to get someone your scouts feel has a strong chance of being a member of your top-10 skaters, who is physically mature for the test and has the mental attitude to handle it, why wouldn't you offer them a quick intro at some point after signing that first contract? I doubt you are trying to sign these players - at a good penny- because you think they are mediocre prospects or borderline talents. You go for home runs knowing you will strike out more often than a singles hitter. And Brunner was highly recruited by a number of teams, just like that kid White we took in the first round about 7 years ago.

 

[PhilMick]

Anyone else worried about Gaunce's skating moving forward? I can't tell if it's just that he's a big player, but he looks awfully slow/stagnant out there.

He's got great playmaking skills/vision, good awareness on both ends of the ice, and a pretty good shot. Overall there's a lot there to work with, especially considering his size.

I think with improved skating he bottoms out as a very good 2-way second line center with size, which is great value for a late 1st.

I take it you didn't see him split the D off the opening face off last night?

 

[FOurteenS inCisOr]

Anyone else worried about Gaunce's skating moving forward? I can't tell if it's just that he's a big player, but he looks awfully slow/stagnant out there.

He's got great playmaking skills/vision, good awareness on both ends of the ice, and a pretty good shot. Overall there's a lot there to work with, especially considering his size.

I think with improved skating he bottoms out as a very good 2-way second line center with size, which is great value for a late 1st.

He kept up just fine with Scheifele to negate the SH breakaway.

 

[ugghhh]

I take it you didn't see him split the D off the opening face off last night?

It may just be fatigue, as I thought he was better when I saw him play earlier this year -- but yesterday he was quite slow in his acceleration and was lumbering around a ton. It's not that his skating is terrible, but it is definitely the most questionable part of his game -- otherwise I think he's a guy that could be seeing some spot NHL time next year. It won't be a huge problem when the puck is on his stick as he likes to slow the game down and has good stickwork/body positioning, but the other facets of his game are going to be hurt by his skating, imo.

From memory, I think Hodgson was a better skater in his post-draft year -- and that has a been a definite hindrance to him getting into the NHL and being a solid two way player (he still has defensive trouble due to his skating, imo) -- although obviously the back injury didn't help.

 

[Tobi Wan Kenobi]

It may just be fatigue, as I thought he was better when I saw him play earlier this year -- but yesterday he was quite slow in his acceleration and was lumbering around a ton. It's not that his skating is terrible, but it is definitely the most questionable part of his game -- otherwise I think he's a guy that could be seeing some spot NHL time next year. It won't be a huge problem when the puck is on his stick as he likes to slow the game down and has good stickwork/body positioning, but the other facets of his game are going to be hurt by his skating, imo.

From memory, I think Hodgson was a better skater in his post-draft year -- and that has a been a definite hindrance to him getting into the NHL and being a solid two way player (he still has defensive trouble due to his skating, imo) -- although obviously the back injury didn't help.

No chance Hodgson is a better skater. Gaunce is actually pretty damn fast...he just chooses to have the game slowed down for him. I've watched him many times break away because of his speed. It's sneaky. His first few steps could be a little more explosive but comparing Hodgson skating to his is laughable to say the least and I question your hockey sense to even compare them. Go watch the last eyars early season draft prospect video. Gaunce wins the fastest skater if my memory serves me right. He has good fundamentals and will the have the ability to improve it, unlike Hodgson. Not to mention his long legs and leg strength.

 

[Vankiller Whale]

I thought we've already decided that every single prospect in our system is simply a better version of Cody Hodgson?

 

[Lundface*]

No chance Hodgson is a better skater. Gaunce is actually pretty damn fast...he just chooses to have the game slowed down for him. I've watched him many times break away because of his speed. It's sneaky. His first few steps could be a little more explosive but comparing Hodgson skating to his is laughable to say the least and I question your hockey sense to even compare them. Go watch the last eyars early season draft prospect video. Gaunce wins the fastest skater if my memory serves me right. He has good fundamentals and will the have the ability to improve it, unlike Hodgson. Not to mention his long legs and leg strength.

On top of that he has a long reach, and a big frame to gain position. He won't need speed as much as someone with a short reach and limbs like Hodgson will.

 

[FOurteenS inCisOr]

I thought we've already decided that every single prospect in our system is simply a better version of Cody Hodgson?

How do you go from a comparison of Gaunce and Hodgson's skating ability to this?

 

[SgtToody]

How do you go from a comparison of Gaunce and Hodgson's skating ability to this?

Sarcasm and witty quips are in short supply in this thread, so don't shoot the messenger!

 

[FOurteenS inCisOr]

Sarcasm and witty quips are in short supply in this thread, so don't shoot the messenger!

I gathered that it was sarcasm. Just ill-timed and quite out of context.

 

[Vankiller Whale]

I gathered that it was sarcasm. Just ill-timed and quite out of context.

It was just a joke. Sorry if I've in any way affected your day negatively.

 

[Verviticus]

it wasnt a very good joke though, so you kinda deserve to be called out tbh

 

[ugghhh]

No chance Hodgson is a better skater. Gaunce is actually pretty damn fast...he just chooses to have the game slowed down for him. I've watched him many times break away because of his speed. It's sneaky. His first few steps could be a little more explosive but comparing Hodgson skating to his is laughable to say the least and I question your hockey sense to even compare them. Go watch the last eyars early season draft prospect video. Gaunce wins the fastest skater if my memory serves me right. He has good fundamentals and will the have the ability to improve it, unlike Hodgson. Not to mention his long legs and leg strength.

Fastest skater doesn't always translate to in game speed though. Hodgson (just as one example.. I hate to keep bringing him up but its a good comparable for the kind of thing that I'm talking about) had plenty of breakaways/odd man rushes in the OHL too - that's not really proving much.

In earlier games this season I recall gaunce looking much better than last season (and skating was the main knock on him going into the draft), but he seemed a little slow last night in terms of building up speed/first step. Maybe I was being over critical, but I think thats the only hole in his game right now and was watching for it pretty closely.

He might be able to control the tempo in the OHL but he's going to need to play with speed in the NHL and make quick stop and go's if he's going to be a capable defensive player.

 

[701]

I get nervous now when I read the phrase "he slows the game down." Why? Because it was Schroeder's hallmark, the thing you always heard about him when he was of draft age. And it was the thing he's been working his ass off to rectify ever since he became a pro.

Gaunce and Schroeder are incredibly different players from all points of view. But that one descriptive phrase seems to be a common ground of sorts, and I hope it doesn't mean the same for Gaunce as it did for JS. Lately Schroeder's been great at initiating and making plays happen, going and getting the puck himself, moving his feet and hustling for all of every shift. But he had to learn that the hard way as a pro. So I hope that "slowing the game down" doesn't have the same meaning for Gaunce as it did for Jordan.

 

[Bleach Clean]

I get nervous now when I read the phrase "he slows the game down." Why? Because it was Schroeder's hallmark, the thing you always heard about him when he was of draft age. And it was the thing he's been working his ass off to rectify ever since he became a pro.

Gaunce and Schroeder are incredibly different players from all points of view. But that one descriptive phrase seems to be a common ground of sorts, and I hope it doesn't mean the same for Gaunce as it did for JS. Lately Schroeder's been great at initiating and making plays happen, going and getting the puck himself, moving his feet and hustling for all of every shift. But he had to learn that the hard way as a pro. So I hope that "slowing the game down" doesn't have the same meaning for Gaunce as it did for Jordan.

I have the same trepidation. For Gaunce, it's being passive, having a lack of acceleration and skating with the puck that will be his drawbacks. I think he will improve the latter two points, but will have a tough adjustment for the first. He will have to adjust his style.

However, when compared to Schroeder, I don't think it will be as imperative that he adjust this aspect of his game. He can "get by" with being a strict defensive C. Of course, everyone wants him to evolve past that point, but in the worst case he will bring more to the table defensively simply due to his size. So I am not as concerned as I was/am with Schroeder in this regard.

 

[Proto]

One thing to consider about Anaheim is that they probably have the best track record of any team of turning undrafted free agents into NHL players. I imagine that a prospect seeing a team pump out a pipeline of players with several NHL seasons under their belt like Anaheim has - Andy MacDonald, Kunitz, Penner, Shannon, Glencross, and Ryan Carter have all played 200+ games, and there are more that will probably make that number when all is said and done. I imagine that is very enticing to a prospect.

So is SoCal as a place to live for a young guy about to make a ton of money. And it's a team with some really old players (Koivu, Selanne, Souray) that will need some cheap contracts sooner than later with the contracts they've handed out to Perry/Getzlaf.

 

[Tiranis]

Didn't see it mentioned. Bulls lost 5-0 last night. Subban had a pretty bad night while the Colts goalie stood on his head.

I get nervous now when I read the phrase "he slows the game down." Why? Because it was Schroeder's hallmark, the thing you always heard about him when he was of draft age. And it was the thing he's been working his ass off to rectify ever since he became a pro.

Gaunce and Schroeder are incredibly different players from all points of view. But that one descriptive phrase seems to be a common ground of sorts, and I hope it doesn't mean the same for Gaunce as it did for JS. Lately Schroeder's been great at initiating and making plays happen, going and getting the puck himself, moving his feet and hustling for all of every shift. But he had to learn that the hard way as a pro. So I hope that "slowing the game down" doesn't have the same meaning for Gaunce as it did for Jordan.

I think being able to slow the game down is what separates top 1st and 2nd line centres from mediocre 2nd and 3rd line centres. It's easier to learn how to go all out and push the pace than it is the opposite. I still think Schroeder has a bright future ahead and I think that Gaunce's ability to slow the game down will serve him well eventually.

 

[PhilMick]

I get nervous now when I read the phrase "he slows the game down." Why? Because it was Schroeder's hallmark, the thing you always heard about him when he was of draft age. And it was the thing he's been working his ass off to rectify ever since he became a pro.

Gaunce and Schroeder are incredibly different players from all points of view. But that one descriptive phrase seems to be a common ground of sorts, and I hope it doesn't mean the same for Gaunce as it did for JS. Lately Schroeder's been great at initiating and making plays happen, going and getting the puck himself, moving his feet and hustling for all of every shift. But he had to learn that the hard way as a pro. So I hope that "slowing the game down" doesn't have the same meaning for Gaunce as it did for Jordan.

Not trying to be Argumentative Guy, but I don't recall ever seeing see that in a report on Schroeder. I don't suppose you have a link do you? (Not asking you to go searching, just if you happen to bookmark stuff like that).