Prospect Info: Sharks Prospect Info & Discussion Thread XX

[jMoneyBrah]

I still believe that any prospect likely to become an actual impact player is not going to be harmed by repeating a level at age 19.

The main fear, I think, is that they'll "learn bad habits." I think any player with the talent and drive to become a real impact player is going to already have the ability and drive to continue to learn, regardless of level. If they can't do that for a period of eight months at age 19-20, then I have my doubts they're ever going to do that.

Smith will have plenty of time to be challenged by the pace and skill of the NHL, starting next April. I don't think starting in late August this year instead would be a meaningful jumpstart. The same for Musty, I think.

One thing I’ve always wondered is if graduating a prospect early ultimately caps their development in SOME cases. The example I think of is Vlasic. He secured an NHL roster spot at 18 with his defensive acumen and then never really progressed as an offensive contributor. It’s hard to fault him too much, as in the big picture it’s served him very well. I’ve just always wondered if he got another year in Junior with the directive “add some offensive tools to the toolbox” if he might have been better for it.

I get that what works at the lower leagues doesn’t necessarily fly in the NHL, but having some extra time to experiment and try new things at a lower level maybe adds to a repertoire that you can pull from later on, even if rarely?

It’s certainly not a hill I’d die on, and certainly not for Smith. Just a passing thought I’ve had.

 

[Juxtaposer]

For what it's worth, Hagens is coming in with Teddy Stiga. They're linemates on the USNTDP and have excellent synergy, so it would seem logical to keep them together as a duo.

I actually hope that Greg Brown does at least experiment with switching up the lines next year though. One of the issues for BC with Smith/Perreault in particular being so attached at the hip is that they seemed to go cold at the same time, and BC unsurprisingly struggled in those games. Plus I do think Brown cares about their development as pros and would want to challenge them at least during the regular season.

This is assuming Smith comes back, which doesn't seem to be final yet. But Leonard turning down playing time on a playoff team and Perreault pretty clearly returning only for Smith of any of them to be the one to leave would be pretty surprising.

One of my biggest gripes with BC’s coach is that he didn’t even try to have any of the freshman develop chemistry with anyone else. There were so many games where they had early multi-goal leads against mediocre teams where he could have done some experimenting and just didn’t. I get keeping the trio together at the beginning of the season to maintain some familiarity as they adjusted to the level jump, but there’s no excuse for not trying out some other combos as the season went on. As we saw in the Finals game, when they went cold, there were no other established combos he could go to to try and create a spark.

If Smith goes back, I’d like to see him with two brand-new linemates, or at least away from Leonard.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

If he does go back, let's hope he finishes again with 75-85 points and a little better defensively. He won't need to be a selke kind of guy (we'll have Celebrini for that) but if you're going to stay in the same league you need to round out your game. That said he'd be a definitely be a hobey baker favourite, and could be a huge leader for the US WJC.

 

[Wieters]

One of my biggest gripes with BC’s coach is that he didn’t even try to have any of the freshman develop chemistry with anyone else. There were so many games where they had early multi-goal leads against mediocre teams where he could have done some experimenting and just didn’t. I get keeping the trio together at the beginning of the season to maintain some familiarity as they adjusted to the level jump, but there’s no excuse for not trying out some other combos as the season went on. As we saw in the Finals game, when they went cold, there were no other established combos he could go to to try and create a spark.

If Smith goes back, I’d like to see him with two brand-new linemates, or at least away from Leonard.

I would sooner break up Smith and Perreault. They look for each other almost too often. Leonard will do his own thing a lot of the time. Regardless, I can't disagree with the idea that they needed to switch things up. The mixing and matching should be a fun storyline in itself next year given the absurd amount of talent on the roster.

I will say that it's a known phenomenon that the USNTDP asks players to be creative and make the extra/ambitious pass, which is why Smith usually looks brilliant but sometimes also look like he's doing way too much. It's amplified when you have so much familiarity with your linemates and trust that every pass to them will turn into magic.

 

[Cas]

One thing I’ve always wondered is if graduating a prospect early ultimately caps their development in SOME cases. The example I think of is Vlasic. He secured an NHL roster spot at 18 with his defensive acumen and then never really progressed as an offensive contributor. It’s hard to fault him too much, as in the big picture it’s served him very well. I’ve just always wondered if he got another year in Junior with the directive “add some offensive tools to the toolbox” if he might have been better for it.

I get that what works at the lower leagues doesn’t necessarily fly in the NHL, but having some extra time to experiment and try new things at a lower level maybe adds to a repertoire that you can pull from later on, even if rarely?

It’s certainly not a hill I’d die on, and certainly not for Smith. Just a passing thought I’ve had.

That's a point I had also thought, and it's just as valid a concern as the aforementioned concern about spending too long in a weaker league. We could harm Smith/Musty's development by bringing them to the NHL, or leaving them in the NCAA/OHL, and both worries are frankly equally valid.

It leaves me feeling like picking one concern or the other to worry about is just kind of pointless. They're good prospects, and they'll probably turn out the same either way, and there's no sense in picking one hill or the other to die on.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I would sooner break up Smith and Perreault. They look for each other almost too often. Leonard will do his own thing a lot of the time. Regardless, I can't disagree with the idea that they needed to switch things up. The mixing and matching should be a fun storyline in itself next year given the absurd amount of talent on the roster.

I will say that it's a known phenomenon that the USNTDP asks players to be creative and make the extra/ambitious pass, which is why Smith usually looks brilliant but sometimes also look like he's doing way too much. It's amplified when you have so much familiarity with your linemates and trust that every pass to them will turn into magic.

Leonard ‘doing his own thing’ is the problem. Dude would sooner try and force a 1v4 than make a simple pass to his teammate. I don’t mind Smith with Perrault because they play a mutually beneficial game. Leonard no longer benefits them because he’s stopped doing the things that made him work well on that line.

 

[PacificOceanPotion]

Smith should transfer to BU…

 

[LilLeeroy]

One of my biggest gripes with BC’s coach is that he didn’t even try to have any of the freshman develop chemistry with anyone else. There were so many games where they had early multi-goal leads against mediocre teams where he could have done some experimenting and just didn’t. I get keeping the trio together at the beginning of the season to maintain some familiarity as they adjusted to the level jump, but there’s no excuse for not trying out some other combos as the season went on. As we saw in the Finals game, when they went cold, there were no other established combos he could go to to try and create a spark.

If Smith goes back, I’d like to see him with two brand-new linemates, or at least away from Leonard.

I mean Smith and Perreault with Jellvik is a combo they tried out multiple times throughout the season and they looked pretty good.

 

[TheBigDrunkPanda]

One thing I’ve always wondered is if graduating a prospect early ultimately caps their development in SOME cases. The example I think of is Vlasic. He secured an NHL roster spot at 18 with his defensive acumen and then never really progressed as an offensive contributor. It’s hard to fault him too much, as in the big picture it’s served him very well. I’ve just always wondered if he got another year in Junior with the directive “add some offensive tools to the toolbox” if he might have been better for it.

I get that what works at the lower leagues doesn’t necessarily fly in the NHL, but having some extra time to experiment and try new things at a lower level maybe adds to a repertoire that you can pull from later on, even if rarely?

It’s certainly not a hill I’d die on, and certainly not for Smith. Just a passing thought I’ve had.

I mean was an elite defensive defenseman who was around a 20-25 pnt guy that’s pretty damn solid

 

[LadyStanley]

Physical development is never a wrong move.

 

[Mattb124]

I agree it’s more likely he stays after the Leonard news. But the more I think about, the crazier it seems that he literally led the NCAA in points as a freshman and is contemplating going back. He’s clearly ready for the next challenge.

I tend to agree, but lump in his family history and not having prevailed against Denver he may feel he still has something to prove.

Not to mention the state of the Sharks.

 

[timorous me]

I'm certainly ready for a change of pace (even if it still means losing a lot) by having more prospects play for the Sharks next season, but Smith going back to BC doesn't necessarily hurt that situation (except that he'd be the 1st or 2nd most exciting possibility in that regard) because there really are only so many spots that Grier and Quinn would want to fill with inexperienced kids.

This might mean that there's a better chance that Musty makes and sticks with the team, or maybe it creates an opportunity for Gushchin that wouldn't have been there otherwise.

I do think it'll be important for some more kids to play a part next season (Mukhamadullin hopefully makes the team out of camp, too) just to help the fan base feel a little more engaged. Even if it's a tough time for these kids, the fans at least can get behind them in a different way--with the hope that they're seeing more of the future, and a group that hopefully will be able to stick around and stick together for several years.

 

[cheechoo]

If Smith goes back, I’d like to see him with two brand-new linemates, or at least away from Leonard.

I'm in this boat too. Smith can take his game to another level. I'm somewhat worried that he'll get complacent playing alongside Leonard and Perreault for another season. It's too easy for them and it could bleed bad habits.

Greg Brown has them operating off of formulaic patterns. Smith hanging at the blueline. Leonard doing whatever he does on the halfwall. Perreault finding the soft spots as the connector.

Maybe it's just paranoia, but I'd like to see him in a different environment even if he stays at BC. New linemates, new challenges, new responsibilities.

 

[PacificOceanPotion]

Give Smith his #2 and slap that C on his chest!!

 

[PacificOceanPotion]

4 picks in the first 2 rounds. I’m genuinely excited for this franchise.

 

[Gecklund]

Smith should transfer to BU…

Smith should transfer to Denver and play with Pohlkamp or get to Sudbury to play with Musty.

 

[Barrie22]

Smith should transfer to Denver and play with Pohlkamp or get to Sudbury to play with Musty.

BU and then force Celebrini to stay for a second year.

 

[Gecklund]

BU and then force Celebrini to stay for a second year.

Or force Celebrini to make his way to SJ if we lose the lottery. Then we get Levshunov/Demidov AND Celebrini. I like this game.

 

[jMoneyBrah]

I mean was an elite defensive defenseman who was around a 20-25 pnt guy that’s pretty damn solid

Yeah, it definitely worked for him, so not like a big deal in his case. I’m sure the Sharks org was happy to have him as he was for all that time. I’ve just long wondered if he had been granted an extra year of development to round out his offensive game as a dominant player in Jr. would he have ended up a more well-rounded player at the NHL level?

Because, let’s be reality: while he has put up some decent offensive stat lines a few years of his career, I’d attribute that more to him getting a lot of ice time with really great offensive players. Outside of his yearly one really nice snipe, I’d bet the vast majority of his points were of the “here Thornton/Marleau/Couture/Pavelski have the puck, I’ve got nothing I can do with it… oh look you’ve scored” variety. Unfortunately for Vlasic point shots directly into the oppositions shin pads do not count on the scoreboard, if they did he’d be a prolific scorer

Of course this is all revisionist and impossible to know. It could be that even another year in junior where he can be a dominant player and spend extra time focusing on an offensive game still doesn’t translate to the NHL and he is still just the same elite defense only Vlasic.

 

[Alaskanice]

4 picks in the first 2 rounds. I’m genuinely excited for this franchise.

This draft is going to be a blast!!

 

[sharks_dynasty]

This draft is going to be a blast!!

I can’t wait for the moans and groans when we go off the board and select someone no one has heard of!

 

[landshark]

I can’t wait for the moans and groans when we go off the board and select someone no one has heard of!

That's the fun part!

 

[Patty Ice]

This draft is going to be a blast!!

Until Chicago wins the lottery.

 

[BaileyMacTavish]

Until Chicago wins the lottery.

View attachment 854557

Don't you dare put that evil on me

 

[pappaf2]

I can’t wait for the moans and groans when we go off the board and select someone no one has heard of!

Who?!?!