Prospect Info: Sharks Prospect Info & Discussion Thread XVII

[Fistfullofbeer]

Pasichuk is also 4 years older than him.

That’s pretty damn good for a 20 year old in his first season against men.

I have not watched any Cuda games this year but that was my impression from just stat reading too.

His +/- is not the best relative to his teammates but again, its his first pro season.

 

[hohosaregood]

I have not watched any Cuda games this year but that was my impression from just stat reading too.

His +/- is not the best relative to his teammates but again, its his first pro season.

For as lackadaisical of a player as he is, I'm kind of surprised by how well his stat line reads. With his issues, I'd guess he would be more of a 1-2 point, -20 kind of guy

 

[STL Shark]

I have not watched any Cuda games this year but that was my impression from just stat reading too.

His +/- is not the best relative to his teammates but again, its his first pro season.

It is more that the issues that have been his issues since the minute he hit the scene as a draft prospect are still the issues at this juncture. Feels very Goldobin-esque where the defensive side of the game that makes him a risky prospect is just never going to come around just like the size is never going to come around. He's not a guy that you can just play in depth minutes either so his trajectory is either top 4 or bust because guys with his attributes are pretty worthless as 3rd pairing guys (especially with Karlsson and Burns ahead of him).

I have been one of the more pessimistic people about Merkley to this juncture in his career and would like to see him moved while he still has value because I think he is very unlikely to reach the level most hope for around these parts. Think he's much more current level Shayne Gostibehere than he is Quinn Hughes. We are more and more reaching a point where if you're going to be a great to elite player it happens soon rather than needing multiple years of seasoning to get to that level. Merkley doesn't look like a guy that is remotely close to being NHL ready by even next season right now so it's less than encouraging.

 

[Hobocop]

He's had a couple good assists.

He's also had three that came from a simple D to D pass to the other point.

 

[Mattb124]

Feels very Goldobin-esque where the defensive side of the game that makes him a risky prospect is just never going to come around just like the size is never going to come around.

I was just thinking about the Goldobim comparison last night. Have not seen him play live yet, but the snippets I have seen give me that feel. Very disinterested when the puck is not on his stick.

 

[Hobocop]

I was just thinking about the Goldobim comparison last night. Have not seen him play live yet, but the snippets I have seen give me that feel. Very disinterested when the puck is not on his stick.

I'd thought about a Goldobin comparison, but for a different reason. Goldobin had a lot of raw talent, but he never figured out how to play in NHL systems. He had the tendency to be flashy just for the sake of it instead of making the simple play. Merkley was doing a little of that early on. Merkley, basically, needs to learn the pro game more. Which is what the AHL is for, so there you go.

For the record I think Merkley's got the talent to be an effective player in the NHL, eventually, just so it doesn't sound like I'm trying to make a habit of putting him down. It'll just take some work. He should be absorbing as much from Erik Karlsson as he possibly can when he's able, because that's who he should be emulating. And just like Karlsson this season, I'm hoping next the coaching staff tells him to start shooting the puck.

 

[Doctor Soraluce]

Pasichuk is also 4 years older than him.

That’s pretty damn good for a 20 year old in his first season against men.

Looks like he's 3 years older? Pasichuk is also undrafted and in his first year of pros, same as Merkley.

His ability to produce offense isn't in question, it's his effort in everything else required to be a professional hockey player.

 

[Gecklund]

Looks like he's 2 years older? Pasichuk is also undrafted and in his first year of pros, same as Merkley.

His ability to produce offense isn't in question, it's his effort in everything else required to be a professional hockey player.

It’s actually in the middle it’s 3 years.

 

[hohosaregood]

It’s actually in the middle it’s 3 years.

I think its 6

 

[Doctor Soraluce]

It’s actually in the middle it’s 3 years.

That was a typo, meant to put 3. Whatever. One is a highly touted 1st round pick oozing with talent and the other is a late blooming college player who went undrafted. I truly hope for his case he pans out but I prefer that they trade him for more immediate help if they aren't tearing this down and rebuilding. His development is going to take too long and it's unlikely he matures into the player most here dream he might become.

 

[Gecklund]

That was a typo, meant to put 3. Whatever. One is a highly touted 1st round pick oozing with talent and the other is a late blooming college player who went undrafted. I truly hope for his case he pans out but I prefer that they trade him for more immediate help if they aren't tearing this down and rebuilding. His development is going to take too long and it's unlikely he matures into the player most here dream he might become.

Why would we trade him? Who cares if he takes 5 years to develop if he ends up as a top 4 level player?

 

[Pavelski2112]

Why would we trade him? Who cares if he takes 5 years to develop if he ends up as a top 4 level player?

The Sharks probably won't be good until then anyway

 

[Doctor Soraluce]

Why would we trade him? Who cares if he takes 5 years to develop if he ends up as a top 4 level player?

This has been hashed and rehashed... he's the only expendable prospect worth something in a trade and this roster needs help to actually compete. This is all in the example of an Eichel or similar type of trade. Wasting his current value on the crap shoot that he becomes a top 4 player is bad management. DW has been good on occassion about cutting his loses with some high picks so hopefully he figures it out with Merkley.

 

[Gecklund]

This has been hashed and rehashed... he's the only expendable prospect worth something in a trade and this roster needs help to actually compete. This is all in the example of an Eichel or similar type of trade.

He’s not really an expendable prospect. We have 0 prospects on the right side of defense other than Merkley.

 

[Pavelski2112]

This has been hashed and rehashed... he's the only expendable prospect worth something in a trade and this roster needs help to actually compete. This is all in the example of an Eichel or similar type of trade. Wasting his current value on the crap shoot that he becomes a top 4 player is bad management. DW has been good on occassion about cutting his loses with some high picks so hopefully he figures it out with Merkley.

I guess it depends on whether you think this team is that close to competing or not.

 

[Doctor Soraluce]

He’s not really an expendable prospect. We have 0 prospects on the right side of defense other than Merkley.

D can play their offside. They can draft or trade for one. For the time being they have 2 guys he's no threat to take ice time from anytime soon. If they suck, they'll have an opportunity to address the right side later. Again this is all predicated on DW's stated goal of being a playoff team. Even a couple of the 2020 prospects who were drafted at a lower position than Merkley are more likely to play for the Sharks sooner than Merkley.

 

[Doctor Soraluce]

I guess it depends on whether you think this team is that close to competing or not.

A legit goalie (might be Melnichuk), a 3rd line center who can score at an even modest rate and replacing VLasic in the lineup and this team is competing. For the most part they're scoring enough this season to win, they just need to stop the puck.

 

[OrrNumber4]

The more I look at it the more I think my criticism of Merkely was off. He's unlikely to be a true franchise-caliber defenseman, but a top-pairing defenseman isn't out of the question. He's more likely a slightly better version of Jason Demers (which wouldn't be a bad pick in the second half of the first round)...

 

[Pavelski2112]

A legit goalie (might be Melnichuk), a 3rd line center who can score at an even modest rate and replacing VLasic in the lineup and this team is competing. For the most part they're scoring enough this season to win, they just need to stop the puck.

I think those could bring the Sharks to being a solid playoff team, but a contender? I'm not sure.

 

[Mattb124]

I guess it depends on whether you think this team is that close to competing or not.

Or if other teams actually ascribe much value to him.

 

[ISharkted]

In my opinion, you only package him if it is part of a deal for a legit, young but NHL proven 1C like Eichel. Obviously it would be like Merk + Timo + draft pick + something else, but I only package him as part of landing a centerpiece. Otherwise the kid is 20, give him another year or two and see if he develops.

 

[STL Shark]

Why would we trade him? Who cares if he takes 5 years to develop if he ends up as a top 4 level player?

Because generally if it takes you 5 years to be good you don't ever become good. That is literally the entire point. Scouting and development is better and much of the stigma about playing young players that are big talents in big roles is gone nowadays. If you're not hacking it as a legitimate NHLer by age 22 when you have the opportunity and pedigree that a guy like Merkley has then there is a minimal at best chance the light bulb ever comes on. If he's not challenging for legit NHL minutes by January 2022, there is a good chance he never does.

The fact that he was nowhere close to making the team in any of his camps thus far is more telling than his AHL season imo. His skillset should be one that flashes in that sort of environment. Instead, he was sent to the minors pretty early and without even a wimper of "this was a tough call".

 

[Karl Prime]

I think those could bring the Sharks to being a solid playoff team, but a contender? I'm not sure.

If you're a solid playoff team that's really good. There are maybe only 3-4 teams that head into each season that have the expectation of winning a Cup or the season's a failure- the rest of the good teams try to make the 2nd round and go from there relying on form and good goaltending. How many teams this season on paper are true Cup contenders? Tampa, Vegas, maybe Toronto? Even with Toronto and how good they have looked, can they really be considered contenders until they make it to the 2nd round?

 

[Gecklund]

Because generally if it takes you 5 years to be good you don't ever become good. That is literally the entire point. Scouting and development is better and much of the stigma about playing young players that are big talents in big roles is gone nowadays. If you're not hacking it as a legitimate NHLer by age 22 when you have the opportunity and pedigree that a guy like Merkley has then there is a minimal at best chance the light bulb ever comes on. If he's not challenging for legit NHL minutes by January 2022, there is a good chance he never does.

The fact that he was nowhere close to making the team in any of his camps thus far is more telling than his AHL season imo. His skillset should be one that flashes in that sort of environment. Instead, he was sent to the minors pretty early and without even a wimper of "this was a tough call".

God I hope this is a sarcastic response.

 

[Doctor Soraluce]

I think those could bring the Sharks to being a solid playoff team, but a contender? I'm not sure.

Dude, you said competing not contending. Once you get to the playoffs though any team can be a contender. Not many people had the BLues as contenders going into he playoffs the year they won the cup. at that point it's a war of attrition and luck with injuries. Last season was a one of the times where the "best" team won it all but that isn't always the case. Quite often that isn't how it works out.