Prospect Info: Round 1, Pick 27: Morgan Frost, C, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

[magnumpi]

I wonder if Hextall would dangle JVR to the expansion draft to protect the kids if a side deal cannot be worked out. I am not sure how I feel about Morin. If he is exposed and the Flyers lose him it would not be the worst thing. Of course I am saying this as of now. Things could change with him by the time the expansion draft rolls around

I assumed that was his intention from the beginning,

 

[Magua]

I just found the article on The Athletic and read through it. Found that interesting as well. Obviously it is something he can work on against his current OHL competition, but I do wish he was "forced" to work on it. Have you caught many of their games this year? I haven't been able to catch many yet this year due to kids/fortnite/flyers/trips. Have you seen a difference yet? The game I was all ready to watch got postponed.

I have not watched him. I do remember Meltzer tweeting last week that he was playing with more pace recently. I don't know how you tell a faster skater to skate faster more often. It's a mental thing more than anything: skate on first touch......play with speed.....etc.

Physically what could he work on? While he's a clean skater with good form, something I've always noticed from him is that he's a bit.......rigid. Like there's not much body movement (upper and lower) to his skating, so while he's really fast, he can look a bit stiff at times. And I also don't really feel like he uses crossover technique enough either to generate speed. He's very good and shifty on his edges, so I don't want it to be misinterpreted that he's straight line, but his SPEED generating can be straight line. You watch the best skaters in the NHL, and they cross over side to side like mad men, really loose at the ankles. I think that would help Frost.

I'm not a skating or development coach. You'd hope those people are the ones drilling it into him or finding these flaws. Because I think the article is pretty accurate, even as a Morgan Frost Superfan. His ability to slow play down separates him from someone like Konecny to me in the OZ/PP, but he could learn a thing or two about attacking the rush like him.

 

[landsbergfan]

I have not watched him. I do remember Meltzer tweeting last week that he was playing with more pace recently. I don't know how you tell a faster skater to skate faster more often. It's a mental thing more than anything: skate on first touch......play with speed.....etc.

Physically what could he work on? While he's a clean skater with good form, something I've always noticed from him is that he's a bit.......rigid. Like there's not much body movement (upper and lower) to his skating, so while he's really fast, he can look a bit stiff at times. And I also don't really feel like he uses crossover technique enough either to generate speed. He's very good and shifty on his edges, so I don't want it to be misinterpreted that he's straight line, but his SPEED generating can be straight line. You watch the best skaters in the NHL, and they cross over side to side like mad men, really loose at the ankles. I think that would help Frost.

I'm not a skating or development coach. You'd hope those people are the ones drilling it into him or finding these flaws. Because I think the article is pretty accurate, even as a Morgan Frost Superfan. His ability to slow play down separates him from someone like Konecny to me in the OZ/PP, but he could learn a thing or two about attacking the rush like him.

I am no skating coach either and I think it is even harder to gauge without seeing them in person, but I have previously noticed the coasting and such that is mentioned in the article. There weren't many times he showed off his speed in the preseason either. I was more specifically talking about some of the things the article mentioned Gordon told him to work on. Get through the NZ before slowing down. Hopefully will get to see him some soon.

 

[Appleyard]

 

[MorgantiDrinksBlood]

This is the most excited I've been about a Flyers prospect in a very long time. He's so special. I think in a few years he'll be better than Patrick could even dream of being.

 

[deadhead]

Woah, hold your horses, Frost is 19 in his 2nd CHL season, Patrick, coming off two major injuries was playing NHL hockey at 19 and ended the season as the 2C.
Patrick at 17 (before injuries): 72g 41-61 102 +51. PO 21g 13-17 30 +19

Patrick has an awful lot of upside left.

 

[Rebels57]

Big players who can muscle their way with guys on their hips down low. Smaller players can't afford to not move their feet because puck control through contact isn't his forte. The article makes the interesting point that Frost needs to use his top gear skating in the NZ to get to the OZ, where he can then slow it down. He does glide a lot through the NZ, or in general. You have to play ahead of the pace of the opposition to ramp it down and confuse opponents.

 

[TheKingPin]

This is the most excited I've been about a Flyers prospect in a very long time. He's so special. I think in a few years he'll be better than Patrick could even dream of being.

I get it as he has more flash than Patrick and it’s something this franchise has lacked for a long time, but Patrick is prob still going to be the better player. They both could be very good. I was saying Patrick needs to show more before the last game and he finally did. I don’t know if it was the anger in the game that he needed but he looked great. Still want him to shot a shot at the top half of the net though.

 

[Appleyard]

I get it as he has more flash than Patrick and it’s something this franchise has lacked for a long time, but Patrick is prob still going to be the better player. They both could be very good. I was saying Patrick needs to show more before the last game and he finally did. I don’t know if it was the anger in the game that he needed but he looked great. Still want him to shot a shot at the top half of the net though.

I think since he has came back Patrick has been one of the best Flyers forwards... one really encouraging thing actually so far this season is that:

Patrick, Konecny and Lindblom look amongst the best ~5 forwards at 5v5.
Sanheim looks the best Dman.
Hagg has improved - I thought he looked better last year at LD - and this year while still nothing more than a bottom pairing Dman is looking like a solid one given his usage.

 

[TheKingPin]

I think since he has came back Patrick has been one of the best Flyers forwards... one really encouraging thing actually so far this season is that:

Patrick, Konecny and Lindblom look amongst the best ~5 forwards at 5v5.
Sanheim looks the best Dman.
Hagg has improved - I thought he looked better last year at LD - and this year while still nothing more than a bottom pairing Dman is looking like a solid one given his usage.

Patrick has certainly been solid but he’s lacked a little offensive drive until the last game where he looked like he did in the playoffs and later last year. I do want to see more of a shot on him. Outside of that, he looked good last game and he’s going to be very good. There’s a lot to like about those young players. I look at Hagg as a place holder for Morin and maybe taking over for Gudas or filling in after the expansion draft if he improves more and is needed. Maybe we can throw one or more of all of these good centers at Seattle to save on the current roster. Not sure where ruby will fit for example.

 

[Tripod]

Patrick has certainly been solid but he’s lacked a little offensive drive until the last game where he looked like he did in the playoffs and later last year. I do want to see more of a shot on him. Outside of that, he looked good last game and he’s going to be very good. There’s a lot to like about those young players. I look at Hagg as a place holder for Morin and maybe taking over for Gudas or filling in after the expansion draft if he improves more and is needed. Maybe we can throw one or more of all of these good centers at Seattle to save on the current roster. Not sure where ruby will fit for example.

Yeah I want to see Patrick start looking like that on most nights, not 1 out of 10.

 

[MorgantiDrinksBlood]

I get it as he has more flash than Patrick and it’s something this franchise has lacked for a long time, but Patrick is prob still going to be the better player. They both could be very good. I was saying Patrick needs to show more before the last game and he finally did. I don’t know if it was the anger in the game that he needed but he looked great. Still want him to shot a shot at the top half of the net though.

I’m not a fan of Patrick, I think he won’t reach Coots level but I hope I’m super wrong. I see the same kind of special in Frost that I saw in Giroux when he was in juniors. I could be wrong but I truly feel that Frost is going to be very, very special. Only time can tell, hope both guys pan Out.

 

[Tripod]

I’m not a fan of Patrick, I think he won’t reach Coots level but I hope I’m super wrong. I see the same kind of special in Frost that I saw in Giroux when he was in juniors. I could be wrong but I truly feel that Frost is going to be very, very special. Only time can tell, hope both guys pan Out.

The thing is, even without Couts breakout last year, MOST people appreciated how good Couts was while being that sub 40 point guy. And then the 40+ point pace guy before last years big breakout.

Now we saw Patrick pace for 52 points from the end of Jan-end of season and how good he looked there. So even if Patrick can be a 60ish point 2 way C, we know how good of a player that can be.

Hopefully both pan out and they become a great 1-2 punch with contrasting play styles which can create matchup issues. And then still have Couts out there winning match-ups against other teams top lines.

 

[FlyTimmo]

Hopefully both pan out and they become a great 2-3 punch with contrasting play styles which can create matchup issues. And then still have Couts out there winning match-ups against other teams top lines.

Fixed it for you friend

Spoiler

 

[Magua]

This is the most excited I've been about a Flyers prospect in a very long time. He's so special. I think in a few years he'll be better than Patrick could even dream of being.

You mean you don’t think he’s busted already? So, do you think it will happen next year or the year after that?

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

I think since he has came back Patrick has been one of the best Flyers forwards... one really encouraging thing actually so far this season is that:

Patrick, Konecny and Lindblom look amongst the best ~5 forwards at 5v5.
Sanheim looks the best Dman.
Hagg has improved - I thought he looked better last year at LD - and this year while still nothing more than a bottom pairing Dman is looking like a solid one given his usage.

I am really thinking these exact same things. I have been impressed with Hagg all year, and even when Patrick was held off the score sheet in the beginning he still looked improved. The Neck is really looking like an absolute great pick (not that it wasn't before, but now it really is). Lindblom looking just solid all around which is great, and Sanheim definitely looking like he belongs.

 

[Striiker]

You mean you don’t think he’s busted already? So, do you think it will happen next year or the year after that?

He'll get 3 games into his rookie season before being deemed a bust or not.

 

[Curufinwe]

With Patrick it's almost as if certain people are auditioning to be the next Boxscore-style laughing stock and write him off before he's even turned 21.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

I think since he has came back Patrick has been one of the best Flyers forwards... one really encouraging thing actually so far this season is that:

Patrick, Konecny and Lindblom look amongst the best ~5 forwards at 5v5.
Sanheim looks the best Dman.
Hagg has improved - I thought he looked better last year at LD - and this year while still nothing more than a bottom pairing Dman is looking like a solid one given his usage.

The one thing I noticed about Haggar the other night a few times is that he takes some bad paths to the puck or to coverage - like he doesn't seem to be great at anticipating where the player or puck is going to be when his pursuit catches up to him/it. Not trying to pile on him, just something I noticed.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

He'll get 3 games into his rookie season before being deemed a bust or not.

Yep, and that will be in 2025.

 

[deadhead]

The one thing I noticed about Haggar the other night a few times is that he takes some bad paths to the puck or to coverage - like he doesn't seem to be great at anticipating where the player or puck is going to be when his pursuit catches up to him/it. Not trying to pile on him, just something I noticed.

Those are the kinds of things that are often fixed by experience, what is instinctive for some players (Provorov) can be learned by other players, or not (Manning).

To me, Hagg's career trajectory looks a bit like Gudas (same with Folin), for guys who are less talented and more physical, learning what they can and can't do at the NHL level is the key to playing good defense - since they can't outskate their mistakes, they need to avoid them as much as possible. Even being "physical" is a bit of an art, how to cross check in front of the net and not get called (don't extend your arms, don't do it repeatedly), how to body slam but avoid head shots, etc.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

Those are the kinds of things that are often fixed by experience, what is instinctive for some players (Provorov) can be learned by other players, or not (Manning).

To me, Hagg's career trajectory looks a bit like Gudas (same with Folin), for guys who are less talented and more physical, learning what they can and can't do at the NHL level is the key to playing good defense - since they can't outskate their mistakes, they need to avoid them as much as possible. Even being "physical" is a bit of an art, how to cross check in front of the net and not get called (don't extend your arms, don't do it repeatedly), how to body slam but avoid head shots, etc.

Why is it OK for him to learn at the NHL level and not all these other guys? That is a rhetorical question, and I already know the answer, which is: it's not.

 

[Jtown]

The thing is, even without Couts breakout last year, MOST people appreciated how good Couts was while being that sub 40 point guy. And then the 40+ point pace guy before last years big breakout.

Now we saw Patrick pace for 52 points from the end of Jan-end of season and how good he looked there. So even if Patrick can be a 60ish point 2 way C, we know how good of a player that can be.

Hopefully both pan out and they become a great 1-2 punch with contrasting play styles which can create matchup issues. And then still have Couts out there winning match-ups against other teams top lines.

welcome to the dark side.

 

[Tripod]

welcome to the dark side.

huh? You realize I am saying that 1-2 punch because they are close to the same age. Not because they will both outplay Couts in the near future.

Nice try though.

 

[Jtown]

huh? You realize I am saying that 1-2 punch because they are close to the same age. Not because they will both outplay Couts in the near future.

Nice try though.

i recognize discontent in one's heart. When you're ready I'll be here for you.