Sheahan Development

newfy

Registered User
Jul 28, 2010
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Is there anyone here who gets to see Riley Sheahan play often or has seen him enough to comment on his play?

He tore up the world junior camp for Canada against junior players but does not score a whole lot in the NCAA, a lot of wings fans are labeling him a bust already which I think is way off base.

The wings have a big, really strong, physical, 6'2 centerman for once in their system but he isnt putting up the points in NCAA like some expected.

Is there really cause for concern or is he playing well and just not putting up a tonne of points?
 

BillyShoe1721

Terriers
Mar 29, 2007
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The system that Notre Dame plays in is suffocating in terms of offensive numbers. If he were playing on a different team, he would be putting up way more points.
 

john g

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Mar 6, 2002
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The system that Notre Dame plays in is suffocating in terms of offensive numbers. If he were playing on a different team, he would be putting up way more points.

perhaps in the past but that's not the case this year. they aren't offensively challenged like they were in the past
 

outKast*

Guest
I saw him play.

It's like a cross between Luc Robitaille, Michal Handzus and Paul Gaustad. Kinda like a Rupp, you never know what you're going to get. Is he a Rupp or a Boyle?
 

Anchor Town*

Guest
The system that Notre Dame plays in is suffocating in terms of offensive numbers. If he were playing on a different team, he would be putting up way more points.

Notre Dame has the 9th ranked offense in the country this year
 

hockeylegend11

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Sep 11, 2010
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sheahan should gone to the ohl after world jrs

windsor would have been ideal,right across from detriot

deal could have been worked out with erie
 

Corey Pronman

Registered User
Jun 24, 2010
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Have seen Notre Dame a couple of times this year, here's my take on Sheahan:

Skating has improved a tad from last year, wouldn't grade it as average though. He's a creative playmaker who sees the ice well and was used at the point on the PP, pass-first guy who at times can be a victim of overpassing. Overall passing game I'd grade as above-average to plus.

Solid defensive awareness, good frame and while he does engage, the strength isn't there yet.

Shot isn't bad, just doesn't use it that often.

------------

Definitely wouldn't label him a bust as he's got several quality tools from his frame to his passing game and hockey sense. He's still got a ways to go in his development, but he just turned 19 and likely next year will be given a responsibility boost. I think he's a quality prospect, and one with notable upside.
 

newfy

Registered User
Jul 28, 2010
14,718
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I saw him play.

It's like a cross between Luc Robitaille, Michal Handzus and Paul Gaustad. Kinda like a Rupp, you never know what you're going to get. Is he a Rupp or a Boyle?

Haha so youre saying he could be a big scorer like Robitaille that is physical like Gaustad or Rupp?

A big mix of players you have going there lol
 

newfy

Registered User
Jul 28, 2010
14,718
8,241
Have seen Notre Dame a couple of times this year, here's my take on Sheahan:

Skating has improved a tad from last year, wouldn't grade it as average though. He's a creative playmaker who sees the ice well and was used at the point on the PP, pass-first guy who at times can be a victim of overpassing. Overall passing game I'd grade as above-average to plus.

Solid defensive awareness, good frame and while he does engage, the strength isn't there yet.

Shot isn't bad, just doesn't use it that often.

------------

Definitely wouldn't label him a bust as he's got several quality tools from his frame to his passing game and hockey sense. He's still got a ways to go in his development, but he just turned 19 and likely next year will be given a responsibility boost. I think he's a quality prospect, and one with notable upside.

Any specific player you would compare him too?
 

SenzZen

RIP, GOAT
Jan 31, 2011
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Haha so youre saying he could be a big scorer like Robitaille that is physical like Gaustad or Rupp?

A big mix of players you have going there lol

:laugh:

I think he was taking the long way around to say that the kid can't skate. :laugh:

Relax. He's Red Wing property. The slow marination of a hockey player is underway.
 

KasperTheGrittyGhost

Registered User
Jan 12, 2008
1,401
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Michigan
The guys on the Wings board that are down on Riley are the same that were down on Smith after his draft year. The NCAA is a tough league, especially for a 19 year old sophmore. Let him be. He needs to develop an aptitude to shoot the puck more, alot like Nyquist did after his freshman season, and he needs to add some strength--like any player his age.

Sheahan's downside is a third liner, ala Helm or Abdelkator. His potential, however, is a big, physical first line, two-way centerman like a Thornton.
 

IrishFan

Registered User
Mar 9, 2011
11
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New to the boards, just chiming in because I have seen similar threads come up about Sheahan around the interwebs and wanted to add my 2 cents, having watched the kid play for the last two years.
His performance last season can pretty much be disregarded. The whole team underperformed due to what seemed like a lack of chemistry and an obscene number of injuries, amongst other things. There were so many D down at one point (I think the team had 3 d-men left at one point?) that he had to play D for a while, which he was actually fairly good at.
His lack of point production this year has been a little baffling because the skills are definitely there. I have heard Jeff Jackson say on numerous occasions that he is encouraging Riley to shoot the puck more, because he definitely tends to be a pass-first guy, even though he has the hands to score goals. I think most ND hockey fans are still expecting him to go on a tear. Thankfully this year the team is back on track, (which is a bit surprising after woeful under-performance last year and losing lots of talent to the pros and one kid reneging on a commitment), and they are loaded with more than enough offense to take goal scoring pressure off of him. He seems to be a very defensively-minded kid and perhaps his game will open up a bit as he matures and he can put up bigger numbers. It's great that he was drafted by a team that seems to be in no hurry to rush him along, and I expect him to mature into a really solid pro player.
As far as off ice, the little drinking incident with Palmieri was nothing that should have been newsworthy. They have excise "police" here in South Bend whose sole job is to harass kids who are drinking. There were dozens if not hundreds of arrests near campus last year.
That was probably more like 3 cents worth.
 

Skid

Registered User
Sep 26, 2005
887
306
Canada
He's a straight up defensive player

chris kelly is a defensive player.

sheahan is great defensively but can do stuff with the puck no defensive player can... hes having a tough year but he'll develop into way more than a def. forward
 

cjm502

Bingo Bango!
Jun 22, 2010
1,791
992
Mid Michigan
The thing is he is being dominated in all the offensive categories by freshman on the team. Sheahan spends a good amount of time on the PP too. Everyone says the offense will come blah blah, but the truth is he is an average producer in the NCAA as a sophomore getting tons of ice time and PP time. He isnt a liability in the offensive zone, but his offensive game just isnt there. He is a straight defensive first guy and thats just how it is. Lets get real, several scouting reports say he plays like a 3rd defenseman. What do you expect.
 

newfy

Registered User
Jul 28, 2010
14,718
8,241
New to the boards, just chiming in because I have seen similar threads come up about Sheahan around the interwebs and wanted to add my 2 cents, having watched the kid play for the last two years.
His performance last season can pretty much be disregarded. The whole team underperformed due to what seemed like a lack of chemistry and an obscene number of injuries, amongst other things. There were so many D down at one point (I think the team had 3 d-men left at one point?) that he had to play D for a while, which he was actually fairly good at.
His lack of point production this year has been a little baffling because the skills are definitely there. I have heard Jeff Jackson say on numerous occasions that he is encouraging Riley to shoot the puck more, because he definitely tends to be a pass-first guy, even though he has the hands to score goals. I think most ND hockey fans are still expecting him to go on a tear. Thankfully this year the team is back on track, (which is a bit surprising after woeful under-performance last year and losing lots of talent to the pros and one kid reneging on a commitment), and they are loaded with more than enough offense to take goal scoring pressure off of him. He seems to be a very defensively-minded kid and perhaps his game will open up a bit as he matures and he can put up bigger numbers. It's great that he was drafted by a team that seems to be in no hurry to rush him along, and I expect him to mature into a really solid pro player.
As far as off ice, the little drinking incident with Palmieri was nothing that should have been newsworthy. They have excise "police" here in South Bend whose sole job is to harass kids who are drinking. There were dozens if not hundreds of arrests near campus last year.
That was probably more like 3 cents worth.

Thanks, any one specific NHLer you would compare him too?
 

Vatican Roulette

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Feb 28, 2002
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Thanks, any one specific NHLer you would compare him too?

"I don't like to make comparisons with young players. It's not really fair to them. But he does remind me of Johan Franzen. He's got a big, thick body. He's been a big scorer. That's what we project him to be." — Red Wings assistant GM Jim Nill (June 2010, MLive.com).

http://www.redwingscentral.com/prospects/sheahan.php

I'm thinking Manny Malhotra might be a decent projection for him.
 

newfy

Registered User
Jul 28, 2010
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8,241
"I don't like to make comparisons with young players. It's not really fair to them. But he does remind me of Johan Franzen. He's got a big, thick body. He's been a big scorer. That's what we project him to be." — Red Wings assistant GM Jim Nill (June 2010, MLive.com).

http://www.redwingscentral.com/prospects/sheahan.php

I'm thinking Manny Malhotra might be a decent projection for him.

Thats a pretty bad comparison by Nill though from everything I've seen and read, Mule is the closest on the wings to Sheahan but they aren't all that similar.
 

cjm502

Bingo Bango!
Jun 22, 2010
1,791
992
Mid Michigan
Thats a pretty bad comparison by Nill though from everything I've seen and read, Mule is the closest on the wings to Sheahan but they aren't all that similar.

I agree with Nill completely, its an excellent comparison. When Mule was drafted he was a big semi physical defensive shutdown center who was having trouble scoring, but had put up awesome numbers in lesser leagues. All of that can be applied to Sheahan. He is a big defensive shutdown center, who put up respectable numbers in the GOJHL prior to going to the NCAA. Mule was a defensive checking line player when he first joined the Wings, than he suddenly exploded with offense nobody knew he had. I think Sheahan might have the same potential, he is either going to blossom in to a pretty respectable top 6 power forward or be a shutdown center if he doesnt find his offense like Mule did.
 

IrishFan

Registered User
Mar 9, 2011
11
0
Sheahan picked up a nice goal tonight. You can see a snippet of it HERE.
Hopefully he can keep those coming as ND moves along in the playoffs. They'll be at Joe Louis this Friday vs. Miami if you're in Detroit and want to see him up close.
 

newfy

Registered User
Jul 28, 2010
14,718
8,241
No one really jumps out as analogous. Maybe a little bit of Patrice Bergeron?

You really seem like you know what youre talking about and have watched him play quite a bit.

DId his play take off after his cut from the world junior camp or has he been playing at the same level all year?
 

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