Prospect Info: Round 1, Pick 24: Travis Konecny, RW, Ottawa (OHL); signed ELC 7/16/15 (post #338)

[Young Sandwich]

Terrible product on the ice.

I'll agree with you there, but like Tripod said, this isn't the end result. It is all part of the process, which doesn't happen over night. Ask the hardcore Sixers fans about that...

 

[hatcher]

I'll agree with you there, but like Tripod said, this isn't the end result. It is all part of the process, which doesn't happen over night. Ask the hardcore Sixers fans about that...

Our youngsters don't look that good. Others teams youngsters from the same drafts are looking better. The cup team was tough and skill and played with balls but those players had that in them. This group just skates and shoots.

 

[Curufinwe]

He makes his linemates better, but he's not a miracle worker.

Dale Weise would beg to differ.

 

[kudymen]

I don't remember this place being so f***ing whathef***y as it has been the past year or two, some of the threads these days are just impossible to read. I dislike the tension everywhere. Thank God for cpt Dave Poulin's creative mind haha

 

[Striiker]

Dale Weise would beg to differ.

I'm not sure that really happened.

I think it was a dream.

 

[CapnZin]

Konecny does look good. Must be hard to produce when you get played 8 min a night constantly switching between the 3rd and 4th line and maybe getting 1 small shift in the 3rd period.

The problem I think with him is that he takes such low percentage shots. He really will only throw the puck at the net if he's near the blue line or near the dots (on the board side). If he's in the slot he looks to pass and his line mates (Weal, Weise, Leier) typically aren't good enough to drop the puck in. I'm not a fan of weal though so I may be tougher on him.

I think that Hakstol may have lost some confidence in him, but is trying to turn his playmaking/2-way (not that he is 100% responsible in his own zone) game into a checking role game that just doesn't suit his play style.

While he plays he does make stuff happen. His speed and tenacity are noticeable, but his speed is what is most apparent. His IQ may have been overhyped along with his finishing ability, but given the role and responsibility that he is in right now, I don't see him being anything more than a 3rd line winger at his ceiling. Provorov was thrown as the #1 Dman in his rookie year, although this may be an outlier, he rose to the responsibility and did a good job.

 

[ItMe]

Hakstol is the main reason why our talented youth don't produce. No further explanation needed.

 

[deadhead]

I think that Hakstol may have lost some confidence in him, but is trying to turn his playmaking/2-way (not that he is 100% responsible in his own zone) game into a checking role game that just doesn't suit his play style.

While he plays he does make stuff happen. His speed and tenacity are noticeable, but his speed is what is most apparent. .

I'd say the opposite, Konecny looks very comfortable in a checking role. He's fiesty and likes to hit people (at times I question his sanity as he has targeted some really big guys, an exercise in futility), has a lot of energy and chases the puck, and like Laughton, theoretically should be able to exploit those turnovers they force better than guys like VdV and PEB. Leier isn't nearly as aggressive a checker as Konecny, more likely to stick check than try and separate a player from the puck.

I'd like to see another winger with Laughton and Konecny than Leier, someone with both speed and playmaking abilities, Weal has the latter but not the former. I think they could become a high energy checking/third line that could be really disruptive with the right LW. Or move Laughton to LW and put Frost at center - that would be a true speed line.

I do think that Laughton/Kocecny should play more minutes, this team needs their speed - but I also think both players offensively aren't as good as advertised at the NHL level. That may come with experience, but right now I think they're in the right role, just underutilized.

 

[Rebels57]

I don't remember this place being so ****ing whathe****y as it has been the past year or two, some of the threads these days are just impossible to read. I dislike the tension everywhere. Thank God for cpt Dave Poulin's creative mind haha

Every. Single. Thread.

 

[CapnZin]

I'd say the opposite, Konecny looks very comfortable in a checking role. He's fiesty and likes to hit people (at times I question his sanity as he has targeted some really big guys, an exercise in futility), has a lot of energy and chases the puck, and like Laughton, theoretically should be able to exploit those turnovers they force better than guys like VdV and PEB. Leier isn't nearly as aggressive a checker as Konecny, more likely to stick check than try and separate a player from the puck.

I'd like to see another winger with Laughton and Konecny than Leier, someone with both speed and playmaking abilities, Weal has the latter but not the former. I think they could become a high energy checking/third line that could be really disruptive with the right LW. Or move Laughton to LW and put Frost at center - that would be a true speed line.

I do think that Laughton/Kocecny should play more minutes, this team needs their speed - but I also think both players offensively aren't as good as advertised at the NHL level. That may come with experience, but right now I think they're in the right role, just underutilized.

Yes I see what you're saying. I feel though, going back to Jr., he never excelled in a checking role. Early on in JR. He played that checking style and once he moved up and put his offensive game into focus, he showed what he could do. Right now he's on pace to do about the same or even less for point production as he was last year.

Konecny is offensively talented, just not in the way he is used. He works well with Laughton, but not in the role he's given.

 

[deadhead]

Konecny is only 20, if the Flyers were deeper last year, he'd probably have stayed in junior, and be in the AHL this year.
I don't think it'll hurt his development at all to be on a checking line with Laughton, it's really the 3rd line, the problem is finding a wing to go with them, Leier has speed but not much else.
Learning to grind and play a two way game won't hurt him down the road when he gets promoted to more of a scoring line.
It certainly didn't hurt Couts.
And he'll get his share of scoring opportunities on this line, they force a lot of turnovers and Konecny has to take advantage of those opportunities.

Pop a few goals and I wouldn't be surprised if he double shifted with G and Couts for a shift or two each period.

 

[Rebels57]

Yes I see what you're saying. I feel though, going back to Jr., he never excelled in a checking role. Early on in JR. He played that checking style and once he moved up and put his offensive game into focus, he showed what he could do. Right now he's on pace to do about the same or even less for point production as he was last year.

Konecny is offensively talented, just not in the way he is used. He works well with Laughton, but not in the role he's given.

Well when your coach has actual shit for brains..

 

[Striiker]

Konecny being anywhere other than the NHL last year would have been idiotic.

 

[deadhead]

No it wouldn't, deep teams don't rush good but not great prospects.
That's the luxury of depth.

 

[Striiker]

And competent teams don't leave a prospect at a level they're clearly too good for, especially when they're good enough to play in the NHL.

 

[Jtown]

Sure, but the goal isn't to get Filppula and Simmonds points, so wasting Couturier with them makes no sense. He can help the team so much more with better linemates, as he has all season.

He makes his linemates better, but he's not a miracle worker.

dude, the goal is not to get players points the goal is to win games. When you have 3 scoring lines that takes a toll on the other team, they can't put out their top pairing dmen or their shutdown line on everyone . That means at some point in the game one of your top 3 lines is going to be getting a very favorable matchup.

 

[MacDonald4MVP]

I hear blues have a trouble with rw depth. Maybe he would save his career there just like fatty midst did.

 

[Striiker]

dude, the goal is not to get players points the goal is to win games. When you have 3 scoring lines that takes a toll on the other team, they can't put out their top pairing dmen or their shutdown line on everyone . That means at some point in the game one of your top 3 lines is going to be getting a very favorable matchup.

Right, so putting one of your top scoring forwards with wingers like Filppula and Simmonds, who are so bad right now that not even Couturier can make them passable at 5v5, isn't a good idea. All that does is weaken the lines that actually have a chance to score.

Giroux and Couturier are struggling with how bad Simmonds is playing... taking Giroux away and adding a horrible player would be doing the opponents job for them.

 

[Jtown]

Right, so putting one of your top scoring forwards with wingers like Filppula and Simmonds, who are so bad right now that not even Couturier can make them passable at 5v5, isn't a good idea. All that does is weaken the lines that actually have a chance to score.

a fan of couturier would say he is the center that can raise their play. I think we are at the point now where couturier is quite clearly capable of elevating his linemates play.

 

[Striiker]

a fan of couturier would say he is the center that can raise their play. I think we are at the point now where couturier is quite clearly capable of elevating his linemates play.

Raising their play and making them a passable scoring line are two very different things.

He can make them look better than they are, but they'll still be a waste of his level of play.

 

[Jtown]

Raising their play and making them a passable scoring line are two very different things.

He can make them look better than they are, but they'll still be a waste of his level of play.

But that is the beauty of it, we don't need them to be a scoring line, we have two lines ahead of them capable of that. That 3rd line would be our best defensive line , and a line quite capable of racking up points. When you have 3 lines that can score you don't need 1 line to carry the load.

 

[Striiker]

But that is the beauty of it, we don't need them to be a scoring line, we have two lines ahead of them capable of that. That 3rd line would be our best defensive line , and a line quite capable of racking up points. When you have 3 lines that can score you don't need 1 line to carry the load.

And I'm saying it wouldn't be enough to make them a line that can score. We'd still be a two line team (and probably less than that since we'd no longer have Couturiers offense).

No line can be successful with those two on the wings. All you're doing by assembling that line is putting Couturier back into defense mode because he sure as f*** won't be scoring.

 

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

No it wouldn't, deep teams don't rush good but not great prospects.
That's the luxury of depth.

Konecny earned his way onto the club though. I don't see how he was rushed. He forced Hextall's and Hakstol's hand because his play was good, which is why it is completely baffling to see Hakstol so badly mishandle his use. Konecny needs to play with other top six forwards and not be forced into a bottom six role. I still have high hopes for him, but as long as Hakstol remains, Konecny will never get a fair shake by the club.

 

[NYCFlyer]

Konecny earned his way onto the club though. I don't see how he was rushed. He forced Hextall's and Hakstol's hand because his play was good, which is why it is completely baffling to see Hakstol so badly mishandle his use. Konecny needs to play with other top six forwards and not be forced into a bottom six role. I still have high hopes for him, but as long as Hakstol remains, Konecny will never get a fair shake by the club.

I kind of disagree i think this is way more on Hextall. TK had the skills and i think was probably physically ready but imo would have benefitted from more seasoning. In junior he could get by on skill alone but in his rookie year I think he had no idea how to play the pro game and got frustrated. Plus I see two issues on the team that are hurting TK but also are more on Hextall. Although TK should be a top six player none of our top three centers are plus skaters that can keep up with him. He would be way ahead of the play kind of waiting for everyone to catch up. He is best with Coots but so is everyone else. Two his best position is rw and you have V and Simmonds ahead of him. I liked him with 21 who is our only (maybe Giroux) C that can skate with him. I think Raffl would be a natural for that line but he seems to have good chemistry with V.

 

[phil162888]

Konecny was really good again tonight. Hands down he's our 4th most talented forward (first three being all star level talents in G, Voracek and Couts). He constantly creates opportunities with everyone he plays with (just not goals lol). Wants he gels with someone with some offensive skills watch out