Prospect Info: Sharks Prospect Info/Discussion Thread XV

[PacificOceanPotion]

Call me a homer but there's no way Merkley and Leonard don't deserve to be in the top 100. That's just disrespectful.

 

[Erep]

Call me a homer but there's no way Merkley and Leonard don't deserve to be in the top 100. That's just disrespectful.

Leonard is questionable. He has some flashy results in college but he is still a 21 year old college player, which has not always translated the best.

That said, no Merkley is incompetence/senselessly pushing a bias narrative.

 

[OrrNumber4]

Honestly feel like they did Merkley very dirty not having him in the top 100, if your rankings are based on potential he has to be there, and if they are based on floor/realistic, no way we are last in the league. Doesnt really make sense

Call me a homer but there's no way Merkley and Leonard don't deserve to be in the top 100. That's just disrespectful.

When you look at the other players on that list, do you still think this is the case?

 

[themelkman]

When you look at the other players on that list, do you still think this is the case?

Yes I do. Just from some D near the end there is Martin Fehervary, Andrew Peeke, Nicolas Beaudin, Ian Mitchell, Ryan Johnson, Yegor Zamula who I would take Merkley over any day. Not that they are bad, but Merkley has more talent and more potential than all of them. They take Byram number one, and hes an all offense D man who did worse than last year and is only a year younger than Merkley in a less talented league.

 

[Patty Ice]

When you look at the other players on that list, do you still think this is the case?

Very easily unless you only like playing the contrarian.

 

[The Nemesis]

Yes I do. Just from some D near the end there is Martin Fehervary, Andrew Peeke, Nicolas Beaudin, Ian Mitchell, Ryan Johnson, Yegor Zamula who I would take Merkley over any day. Not that they are bad, but Merkley has more talent and more potential than all of them. They take Byram number one, and hes an all offense D man who did worse than last year and is only a year younger than Merkley in a less talented league.

Sorry, but this is a bad take.

 

[themelkman]

Sorry, but this is a bad take.

My argument is not at all that Bryams bad, or that Merkleys better. Ive seen him play and hes very skilled. Im just trying to say theres no reason to count out Merkley of the top 100 for being an all offense D man when your top guy is one.

 

[OrrNumber4]

My argument is not at all that Bryams bad, or that Merkleys better. Ive seen him play and hes very skilled. Im just trying to say theres no reason to count out Merkley of the top 100 for being an all offense D man when your top guy is one.

I don't think the issue is that Merkley is an "all-offense D-man," as much as it is his attitude/ethics.

 

[themelkman]

I don't think the issue is that Merkley is an "all-offense D-man," as much as it is his attitude/ethics.

I guess thats fair but I dont really see that as a fair way to rank a prospect as its not likely that they know, and from all reports hes had zero issues this year and improved in areas of weakness

 

[OrrNumber4]

I guess thats fair but I dont really see that as a fair way to rank a prospect as its not likely that they know, and from all reports hes had zero issues this year and improved in areas of weakness

That's the nature of all these kinds of lists. They don't have the resources/incentive to watch and analyze every prospect. I barely even take CBS rankings very seriously.

 

[The Nemesis]

My issue wasn't your take on Merkely. It was your take on Byram given that:

a) he isn't an "all offence d-man"

and

b) honestly the skill difference between the WHL and OHL is not enough to be considered significant.

and if we really want to get picky, part of the reason for Byram's lesser showing this year can be attributed to the regression of the team around him and to the fact that a lot of the time it seemed as if his play was part of an intentional stylistic change (ie the Avs wanted him to come back to the WHL and work on playing a specific way. In particular he did seem to be trying to be more physical this season)

And as Orr said, Byram doesn't have Merkley's work ethic/attitude concerns.

Overall it's an apples and oranges comparison.

 

[themelkman]

My issue wasn't your take on Merkely. It was your take on Byram given that:

a) he isn't an "all offence d-man"

and

b) honestly the skill difference between the WHL and OHL is not enough to be considered significant.

and if we really want to get picky, part of the reason for Byram's lesser showing this year can be attributed to the regression of the team around him and to the fact that a lot of the time it seemed as if his play was part of an intentional stylistic change (ie the Avs wanted him to come back to the WHL and work on playing a specific way. In particular he did seem to be trying to be more physical this season)

And as Orr said, Byram doesn't have Merkley's work ethic/attitude concerns.

Overall it's an apples and oranges comparison.

I mean you've probably seen more of Byram than I have but I wouldn't call him a defensive stud in the games I caught. That being said he is better than Merkley and your right its not an entirely fair comparison as they are different style players for sure.

 

[The Nemesis]

I mean you've probably seen more of Byram than I have but I wouldn't call him a defensive stud in the games I caught. That being said he is better than Merkley and your right its not an entirely fair comparison as they are different style players for sure.

He's not a defensive stud, but there exists a whole spectrum of possibility between being elite defensively and being a complete tire fire in your own end.

Byram is probably a B+/A- offensive player and a C+/B- defensive one. His ceiling is top pairing all-situations defender and his floor is still probably 2nd pairing minutes muncher.

Merkley looks like he's maybe an A- offensive player but a D/D- defensive one. His ceiling is maybe Diet Erik Karlsson but his non-bust floor is likely more along the lines of 3rd pairing, extremely sheltered PP specialist (my go-to example is the very outdated one of Marc-Andre Bergeron)

 

[themelkman]

Sharks sign Ibragimov Sharks Sign Forward Timur Ibragimov

Wonder if they plan to have him play in the AHL next year or what. Doesnt look like he was ever import drafted and is going to be 20 in october so probably not CHL

 

[The Ice Hockey Dude]

Sharks sign Ibragimov Sharks Sign Forward Timur Ibragimov

Wonder if they plan to have him play in the AHL next year or what. Doesnt look like he was ever import drafted and is going to be 20 in october so probably not CHL

AHL perhaps, or lower.

 

[Alaskanice]

I remember when he was drafted. It was literally a, “who?” There were no stats or vital information on him.

 

[themelkman]

I remember when he was drafted. It was literally a, “who?” There were no stats or vital information on him.

And a report from a russian scout saying he was "not so good"

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

I remember when he was drafted. It was literally a, “who?” There were no stats or vital information on him.

Was he the guy that google only found a boxer or something by that name?

 

[Alaskanice]

Was he the guy that google only found a boxer or something by that name?

That sounds like the post I recall.

 

[JesterOnly]

Yes I do. Yegor Zamula who I would take Merkley over any day.

Gonna have to disagree with this one. Zamula showed up to the U20s with a broken back and looked better than almost every other defenseman out there. And while I'm very excited to see the offensive potential of Merkley, he isn't good enough offensively to offset everything else that Zamula can do on the ice. At this point, I don't see how anyone could take Merkley over Zamula on skill set alone, let alone including Merkley's attitude issues.

 

[WSS11]

Merkley highlights from this season with London. Not my favorite choice of song but it’s good to see some of the kid’s work from this year.

 

[themelkman]

Merkley highlights from this season with London. Not my favorite choice of song but it’s good to see some of the kid’s work from this year.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=94_MZiFiNY8

Sheesh. His passing never fails to impress me. Honestly moving to the knights was a blessing because they had talented players like McMicheal who could finish those beauties

 

[WSS11]

Sheesh. His passing never fails to impress me. Honestly moving to the knights was a blessing because they had talented players like McMicheal who could finish those beauties

same but his stick handling is really becoming elite as well. That goal at 2:10 was pretty

 

[hohosaregood]

I can't tell if it's just juniors or if he's creating a lot of it but he always has so much more room to make plays than he really should have. But he also doesn't need much room to make the same exact play anyways.

 

[matt trick]

His vision, the weighting of his passes, stickhandling, speed, and agility are very impressive. I like that he passes up good chances to set up teammates for tap ins, though that may be less of an option at the NHL level.

He could easily end up being a bust due to his size and how the league will end up impacting him, but he could also end up being a Boyle/Barrie/Krug type. His defensive play is suspect, but he's 19. Not sure we've ever had a d prospect with that skillset. I wanted Veleno, but it was a worthwhile risk.