Prospect Info: Prospects & Minor League Teams Thread

[MattM92]

A few thoughts after two home games regarding the Crunch.

The team is small. This is expected given the recent drafting history of Tampa Bay. Given the skill level and talent potential of this group, I can live with this.

The team is slow. This I have a problem with. The rink was enlarged to take advantage of the speed of the Tampa prospects. Unfortunately, those same prospects are not displaying the speed we had expected.

They are having major problems getting through the Neutral Zone and are being caught out of position a lot. Gave up several odd man rushes tonight including a center ice in breakaway while on the power play.

Specail Teams are anything but. The team was tied for first going into Friday's game with two shorties against already. After going 0 fer 10 to start the season, I believe they scored twice with the advantage tonight.

They are predictable. This was especially evident against the Senators. Binghamton seemed to have a better idea of how our plays were supposed to go than we did.

Overall, I really like the potential but there is something missing that I cannot put my finger on.

Experience?

 

[Crunchrulz]

Perhaps. Several first and second year players on the team, but most teams in the AHL have a similiar roster makeup. The maximum number of vets rules forces the AHL teams to play younger players and be what they should be; developmental for thier NHL teams.
With the changes to the league rules regarding fighting, toughness is no longer an issue in most games. While you may get the fluke game with multiple fights, the days of one dimensional players like Mirasty, Sugden, Legault, etc are gone in Syracuse as well as the rest of the league. The league has made an honest effot to speed up the game for the more skilled players, which this roster the Crunch have should be taking full advantage of.

 

[The Macho King]

I'll just say this as watching Tampa - experience isn't the only thing that could explain it. Fast teams look slow when the timing of their passes is a bit off. You can skate like the wind, but if the puck is a half stride behind you, it forces you to put on the breaks.

Just saying - there are games when Tampa looks slow, and it's normally when passes aren't connecting. That could be just a chemistry thing. Admittedly I'm not watching the games, but just offering a potential explanation.

 

[Hoek]

It's definitely a bit worrying to hear that the Crunch are slow, but yeah it could be down to passing and something that can be resolved with time.

 

[DFC]

I'll just say this as watching Tampa - experience isn't the only thing that could explain it. Fast teams look slow when the timing of their passes is a bit off. You can skate like the wind, but if the puck is a half stride behind you, it forces you to put on the breaks.

Just saying - there are games when Tampa looks slow, and it's normally when passes aren't connecting. That could be just a chemistry thing. Admittedly I'm not watching the games, but just offering a potential explanation.

i.e. every time we play Detroit.

Detroit makes us look slow. And it's not because they're fast.

 

[DFC]

It's definitely a bit worrying to hear that the Crunch are slow, but yeah it could be down to passing and something that can be resolved with time.

Might have something to do with an AHL style of play or something. Werewolf or crunch could speak a lot better to this than I can, but, like The Madness said above, a lot of times teams look slow when they're out of sync. (Or when the Detroit Red Wings are clutch/grabbing you to death.)

When you look at the names on that roster, slow isn't what comes to mind. Peca, Koekkoek, DeAngelo, heck, even Adam Erne has good wheels for a lumberjack.

Another thing crunch said is they look predictable. And again, I bring up the Wings example. We look SO predictable every time we play the Wings. Predictable and slow. Maybe what's really going on is Zettler's being outcoached a little bit??

Again, I don't pretend to have any real knowledge here. It's just an interesting topic. I'm kicking myself for not getting in on a certain site that shall not be named, apparently.

 

[Crunchrulz]

The odd thing is the passes have been decent it is just like they are playing in about a half gear lower than thier opponents. The folks I watch with are shaking our heads trying to figure out just what the missing link is with no definite answer.

 

[Crunchrulz]

Per the Crunch, Erne is out at least a month with an upper body injury. Was hit by a shot from the point in what appeared to be the left chest or arm and did not return. Went to the bench then to the locker room in a lot of pain.
Crunch dropped thier third straight today, this time to the Comets in Utica 4-0.

 

[Crunchrulz]

Shootout loss for the Crunch in Rochester tonight. The current Crunch "power play" is so bad the team will be refusing all man up situations for the time being and taking the down instead. Not saying the "power play" sucks but the Crunch Management is offering it to local Emergency Service folks to help remove water from flooded basements.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

DeAngelo's first pro goal

Hart's first pro goal in the ECHL @ 0:22

 

[AlphaCatalyst]

Toronto and Syracuse tied at 1 after 1

Vasi went 12/13

 

[AlphaCatalyst]

Crunch Win 3-1
Vasi had 29 saves on 30 shots for the V

 

[Stormbreaker]

 

[The Macho King]

I love that kid.

 

[RussianGuyovich]

 

[Caser]

Nikita Gusev has received his first call-up to Russia NT, as he was named in the extended roster for the Karjala Cup.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

http://boltprospects.com/content/vasilevskiy-makes-27-saves-crunch-top-bears

DeAngelo scored 16 seconds later to give Syracuse the lead. The rookie defenseman has goals in three straight games and has seven points in his first eight games as a pro.

“I didn’t do a whole lot,†DeAngelo said with a grin of the goal. “We had a breakout, and I think Hershey had two or guys caught deep. I was able to jump through the middle and I think we had a 3-on-1 — I couldn’t see the other side — but I put my stick down and Peca made an unbelievable play. He put it on my tape, not much I had to do on that one.â€

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

http://www.whl.ca/article/warriors-point-named-whl-player-of-the-month

The Western Hockey League announced today that Moose Jaw Warriors forward Brayden Point is the WHL Player of the Month for October 2015.

 

[FDfranklin]

I noticed Erne only has 4 games played, is he injured right now?

 

[DFC]

I noticed Erne only has 4 games played, is he injured right now?

Yeah. A hand issue, I believe.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

I noticed Erne only has 4 games played, is he injured right now?

Yeah. A hand issue, I believe.

Yeah that's what I saw too. Crunch are listing it as an "upper body injury," but word is it's his hand

 

[DFC]

For some reason I think BP speculated that it was a broken hand right after it happened. The timeline sounds about right.

 

[Stormbreaker]

 

[Crunchrulz]

Erne appeared to take a slapshot off the hand while screening in front 2nd home game of the year. Has not dressed since.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

http://boltprospects.com/content/vermin-making-strides-crunch

“I feel really comfortable, I feel really good on the ice,” Vermin said. “I think I’ve made a big step forward from last year. I hope it keeps going like that.”

Vermin has been on a line with Matthew Peca and Tye McGinn for the first eight games this season. Peca has recorded two goals and two assists, and McGinn, who is currently called up to the Tampa Bay Lightning, has three points.

“We have a really good mix,” Vermin said. “Me and Peca are shifty and fast skaters. We like to attack fast and open up seams. (McGinn) brings some toughness and he’s a big body. He brings the toughness to the line for sure.”

Crunch head coach Rob Zettler said Vermin’s line has been one of the most consistent this season, and Vermin has been a big reason why.

“I’ve been really happy with Joel this year,” Zettler said of the Lightning’s 2013 seventh-rounder. “I find that he’s going to the harder areas and he’s using his speed a lot better than he did last year. He’s shown a bit of a creative side too, which I really like.”

“I’m really working on my skating and shooting,” Vermin said. “I’m also watching the games the day after, and watching my shifts to see what I can do better. If you see yourself from another perspective, it’s easier. You see something you wouldn’t see on the ice and you learn from it.”

Vermin has made huge strides in the past year, and for Zettler, it comes down to the young winger’s willingness to drive to the net.

“He’s playing more of a north-south, direct-attack game,” Zettler said. “He’s getting into the harder areas, and he knows that’s what he has to do to be successful to have a chance at moving on to the next level. He’s shown he can do that.”