Prospect Info: Round 2, Pick 52, Wade Allison, RW, Tri-City (USHL)

Magua

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For a team with scoring issues, go after someone who puts up big points like Abramov did in juniors.

I'm not saying Allison was a bad pick... he has arguably the best shot for all of our prospects. I think we needed Allison more than Abramov due to reasons I stated before.

I just feel that Abramov has more skill than Allison. Allison will fit the flyers system more so than Abramov, but don't sleep on him.

Wade Allison is 4th in points in the entire NCAA right now. He just scored 5 points (4 goals) against reigning national champion Denver. He probably will come down from that a bit, but for a Flyers team with scoring issues, he's looking pretttty pretttty pretttty good 1/4 of the way through the season in a tougher, more physical, older league than the QMJHL.

I'd be more worried about our #36 pick that draft who has 12 points in 15 games in his D+2 year in the Q and can't fall back on concussion excuses anymore, or our #35 pick from last year with 9 points in 16 games in his D+1 season in the OHL, than our #52 pick who is straight killing it in college hockey in a tough division. I have always liked Abramov, maybe he ends up better, maybe not, but all this seems like a waste of breath right now. Allison is doing everything you could want him to, he's one of the only Flyers prospects with a plus goal scorer's shot and mentality, and as you said, the Flyers don't much like Abramov-type players.
 
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Striiker

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For a team with scoring issues, go after someone who puts up big points like Abramov did in juniors.

I'm not saying Allison was a bad pick... he has arguably the best shot for all of our prospects. I think we needed Allison more than Abramov due to reasons I stated before.

I just feel that Abramov has more skill than Allison. Allison will fit the flyers system more so than Abramov, but don't sleep on him.
You can't go off of just points though.

Cousins was an undersized guy put up 100+ in juniors too, but it doesn't always translate to NHL success.
 
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deadhead

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Laberge is looking like a flop, Ratcliffe was a long-term project the day they drafted him, expecting him to suddenly break out in his D+1 season is wishful thinking.
 

Magua

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You can't go off of just points though.

Cousins was an undersized guy put up 100+ in juniors too, but it doesn't always translate to NHL success.

Abramov is a lot (a lot a lot) more skilled than Cousins and a burner in the skating department. Cousins put up comparable numbers in his D+2 year that Abramov put up in his draft year and rookie year in the Q. He really should've just went to Europe this year to play pro. Abramov is no sure thing, but he really has nothing in common with Cousins. It would almost be like comparing Konecny to Cousins.
 
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Striiker

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So what you're saying is that bigger is better? I didn't take you as a fan of the Grateful Dead. :sarcasm:
Sometimes, but it's not the first thing I'd mention when listing the positives of a player. :laugh:

And I couldn't name a single Grateful Dead song if my life depended on it. I've probably heard some before, but I wouldn't be able to name it.
Abramov is a lot (a lot a lot) more skilled than Cousins and a burner in the skating department. Cousins put up comparable numbers in his D+2 year that Abramov put up in his draft year and rookie year in the Q. He really should've just went to Europe this year to play pro. Abramov is no sure thing, but he really has nothing in common with Cousins. It would almost be like comparing Konecny to Cousins.

I didn't mean to compare them. I was just giving an example of points not really being all that meaningful when looking at future NHL success.

There's lots of undersized guys who have scored a lot and failed, but the ones who were good had other great attributes you could point to, other than points (like the skating you mentioned or Konecnys physicality). But if you just put too much stock in raw points you could end up reaching the wrong conclusion. That's all.
 
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LegionOfDoom91

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If he wasn't signed already, I half wonder.....

I’d imagine the second round investment would still help his case. I’m not really a fan of him though. I think Allison, Bunnaman, & Laczynski are all better forward prospects from that draft class than him at this point despite being drafted after him. He probably has more natural skill than all of them too but those guys are better hockey players imo.
 

deadhead

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Notice that this year's picks seemed to have work ethic and high hockey IQ tatooed on their biceps.
Wonder if the scout who recommended Laberge is still working for the Flyers.
Because it seems to have encouraged a shift toward valuing intangibles higher.

To be fair to Laberge, he's had a rough ride the last couple years:

"Last summer, Laberge’s stepmother was diagnosed with metastatic cancer. She died in September. Shortly after her diagnosis, however, Laberge’s father rocked his family again by telling them he had prostate cancer."

“The truth is, it’s not always easy to concentrate on moving and passing the puck when people you love are fighting for their lives,” he wrote.

Then he gets the cheap shot that really screwed up last season.
So they'll probably cut him more slack than most prospects.
 

BobbyClarkeFan16

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Laberge just needs some time away from hockey. I hate the whole notion that players need to have their private lives played out before everyone. The team should have told him to take a leave and come back when he's ready. Really, from a mental health point of view, some time away to deal with the issues was what he needed. With that being said, hopefully he can find a way to put everything together because there is skill there and there's quite a bit of skill. I just think the poor kid has had so much on his plate mentally that he's probably still overwhelmed with everything that's going on around him.
 

CodyTheHuman

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Sometimes, but it's not the first thing I'd mention when listing the positives of a player. :laugh:

And I couldn't name a single Grateful Dead song if my life depended on it. I've probably heard some before, but I wouldn't be able to name it.



I didn't mean to compare them. I was just giving an example of points not really being all that meaningful when looking at future NHL success.

There's lots of undersized guys who have scored a lot and failed, but the ones who were good had other great attributes you could point to, other than points (like the skating you mentioned or Konecnys physicality). But if you just put too much stock in raw points you could end up reaching the wrong conclusion. That's all.

The only one I know off the top of my head is Scarlet Begonias and that's just because Sublime did a version of it. I'm not a fan of the Dead at all.
 
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Magua

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Todd Hearty is the Flyers Scout in the Quebec league. They drafted Couturier, Morin, Aube-Kubel, Dove-McFalls, & Laberge in recent drafts in his tenure here.

Couturier was a no brainer. I'm sure he had a hand in Myers though, so credit is due, but as Hextall himself said, why didn't they draft him then? They don't draft much out of the Q, but they use high value picks, and his track record isn't exactly sterling.

Him and Mark Greig (WHL) really don't seem like great scouts, if it's not a no brainer pick. Though it admittedly can be difficult to decipher who likes who outside of their region and whose opinions are weighed more heavily because it is a group thing.
 
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Striiker

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Laberge just needs some time away from hockey. I hate the whole notion that players need to have their private lives played out before everyone. The team should have told him to take a leave and come back when he's ready. Really, from a mental health point of view, some time away to deal with the issues was what he needed. With that being said, hopefully he can find a way to put everything together because there is skill there and there's quite a bit of skill. I just think the poor kid has had so much on his plate mentally that he's probably still overwhelmed with everything that's going on around him.
How do you know they didn't offer to have him take a break and he refused?

During difficult times lot of people prefer to keep busy so they can keep their minds off of the bad things going on. Give him something positive to focus on.

I could also easily imagine his dad wanting him to keep playing too. Better for his kid to keep working towards his dream of becoming a pro hockey player instead of having his health cause his son more problems/misery than absolutely necessary.
 
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LegionOfDoom91

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Couturier was a no brainer. I'm sure he had a hand in Myers though, so credit is due, but as Hextall himself said, why didn't they draft him then? They don't draft much out of the Q, but they use high value picks, and his track record isn't exactly sterling.

Him and Mark Greig (WHL) really don't seem like great scouts, if it's not a no brainer pick. Though it admittedly can be difficult to decipher who likes who outside of their region and whose opinions are weighed more heavily because it is a group thing.

I honestly wasn’t making an assessment just showing the guys that have been drafted from that region from a stylistic standpoint. His picks don’t really stand out on that front than any of their other picks from other regions.

He’s obviously not fired & has been here for a while now. So I think it’s safe to say the organization at least likes him. The Laberge pick isn’t going to hurt his status with them.
 
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Captain Dave Poulin

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I’d imagine the second round investment would still help his case. I’m not really a fan of him though. I think Allison, Bunnaman, & Laczynski are all better forward prospects from that draft class than him at this point despite being drafted after him. He probably has more natural skill than all of them too but those guys are better hockey players imo.

200w.gif
 
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FLYguy3911

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Laberge regressed for one reason or another. It’s hard to predict. Teenagers don’t always get better, but they rarely regress. It’s hard to fault the Flyers. He wasn’t a reach. He just hasn’t panned out.
 
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Curufinwe

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Especially when it was a bonus 2nd Rounder born of Winnipeg's need to take Logan Stanley, and the Flyers still got the guy they wanted in the 1st.
 
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CapnZin

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You can't go off of just points though.

Cousins was an undersized guy put up 100+ in juniors too, but it doesn't always translate to NHL success.

Yes you are correct on that... and I too preach that sometimes. I don't want you to take away from this that I think Allison isn't good or won't be anything... he's probably one of our more underrated prospects.

I'm just saying that, based on skill set and roles, Allison will either be a 2nd line power forward like simmer, or a 4th line role checking forward. There really isn't an in between. If his shot doesn't translate, he really only has his physicality to keep him along with his tenacity. I think he will be that 2nd line guy, but he doesn't really have that playmaking passing side.

Abramov does... he could slot in really anywhere, depending how he progresses. His skating is great along with his vision and playmaking ability. The flyers don't really need another player like that.

Abramov has more assets to his game that translate better to this NHL game. Allison will be the more exciting player to watch.
 

deadhead

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Laberge regressed for one reason or another. It’s hard to predict. Teenagers don’t always get better, but they rarely regress. It’s hard to fault the Flyers. He wasn’t a reach. He just hasn’t panned out.

Yet. Given the extenuating circumstances, I'm willing to give him a couple years before rendering a final verdict.
 

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