Prospect Info: The Prospect Thread (Part XXXIV)

[Southern_Canuck]

Clickable 2017-18 Prospect List:
(age is as of the beginning of the 2017-18 Regular Season)

OHL
Michael DiPietro (18) Windsor Spitfires
Jonah Gadjovich (18) Owen Sound Attack
Matt Brassard (19) Oshawa Generals
Cole Candella (19) Sudbury Wolves
Brett McKenzie (20) North Bay Battalion

WHL
Kole Lind (18) Kelowna Rockets
Jakob Stukel (20) Calgary Hitmen

Europe/KHL/Czech
Elias Pettersson (18) Vaxjo Lakers HC (SHL)
Jonathan Dahlen (20) Timra (Allsvenskan)
Kristoffer Gunnarsson (20) Frolunda HC (SHL)
Rodrigo Abols (21) Orebro (SHL)
Olli Juolevi (19) TPS Turku (Finnish Liiga)
Petrus Palmu (20) TPS Turku (Finnish Liiga)
Lukas Jasek (20) Bili Tygri Liberec (Czech)
Dmitry Zhukenov (20) Avangard Omsk (KHL)

NCAA
Jack Rathbone (18) 2017-18 Dexter Southfield HS, 2018-19 Harvard
William Lockwood (19) Michigan
Adam Gaudette (21) Northeastern

ECHL
Aaron Irving (21) (ECHL Contract)
Mackenze Stewart (22)
Anton Cederholm (22)
Michael Garteig (25) (AHL Contract)

AHL
Zack MacEwen (21)
Michael Carcone (21)
Jake Virtanen (21)
Alexis D'Aoust (21) (AHL Contract)
Nikolay Goldobin (22)
Yan-Pavel Laplante (22)
Cole Cassels (22)
Brendan Gaunce (23)
Cameron Darcy (23) (AHL PTO)
Joseph Labate (24)
Michael Chaput (25)
Jayson Megna (27)
Wacey Hamilton (27) (AHL Contract)
Darren Archibald (27) (AHL Contract)
Carter Bancks (28) (AHL Contract)
Guillaume Brisebois (20)
Jalen Chatfield (21)
Jordan Subban (22)
Anton Cederholm (22)
Troy Stecher (23)
Evan McEneny (23)
Ashton Sautner (23)
Andrey Pedan (24)
Philip Holm (25)
Alex Biega (29)
Jaime Sifers (34) (AHL Contract)
Thatcher Demko (21)
Michael Garteig (25) (AHL Contract)
Richard Bachman (30)

Leaving The Organization
Tate Olson (20) Prince George Cougars
Carl Neill (21) Charlottetown Islanders
Curtis Valk (24)
Mike Zalewski (25)
Borna Rendulic (25)
Alexandre Grenier (26)
Cody Kunyk (27) (AHL Contract)
Derek Hulak (28) (AHL Contract)
Pascal Pelletier (34) (AHL Contract)
Tom Nilsson (24)
David Shields (26) (AHL Contract)
Colby Robak (27) (AHL Contract)
Chad Billins (28)
John Negrin (28) (AHL Contract)

S_C

Click to read more...

 

[Braeden]

NiKolay, not NiColay.

 

[clay]

Interesting stuff during the intermission tonight. They talked about how P.K. has advised Jordan to study Ryan Ellis and how he has adapted his game to become a force in the NHL. Jordan is in Nashville to support his brother but also is going to gather tape of Ellis to study during the off-season. Mentioned how he wants to transition his game from fast-paced, get the puck up ice as fast as possible into a type that slows the game down like Ellis. Jordan is very similar in size to Ellis and actually put up better offensive numbers in his first 2 years in the AHL than Ellis did. With Green at the helm and one less body to compete with having Tryamkin out of the picture, maybe there is something to work with here.

 

[Skirbs1011]

Interesting stuff during the intermission tonight. They talked about how P.K. has advised Jordan to study Ryan Ellis and how he has adapted his game to become a force in the NHL. Jordan is in Nashville to support his brother but also is going to gather tape of Ellis to study during the off-season. Mentioned how he wants to transition his game from fast-paced, get the puck up ice as fast as possible into a type that slows the game down like Ellis. Jordan is very similar in size to Ellis and actually put up better offensive numbers in his first 2 years in the AHL than Ellis did. With Green at the helm and one less body to compete with having Tryamkin out of the picture, maybe there is something to work with here.

Don't have the link but IT was Friedman's opening thoughts on his newest 30.

Also mentioned in his exit Interview green told Subban that Ellis is someone he should watch.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Griffen Molino (23) did not make the list. If you placed Boeser there, Molino should also appear.

Not that I hope to see him here, but Marco Roy (22) was also missing from the ECHL or AHL list. Wherever you want to put him is fine, but he was in Utica more than Alaska.

 

[tantalum]

Some Jordan Subban news in Friedman's latest 30 thoughts.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/30-thoughts-st-louis-target-eberle-scoring-help/

Big brother PK and Travis Green both told him to watch how Ellis plays. He is making the trip to Nashville not to just support PK but to start studying Ellis.

Ellis’s four goals are tied for first among all defencemen in the post-season; his nine points are tied for second. But it’s not the scoring Subban notices.

“It’s the way that he defends. He’s always in great position, always great with the stick. He plays hard and smart, he knows how to use his brain a bit more to slow down the game. I’m always trying to push the pace, so that’s something I’m going to watch.

“It’s different watching Ellis in certain positions than, say, Zdeno Chara. I never thought that way before. I always studied the best players, wanting to be like them.â€

But Subban sees now that Ellis is a better model, since they are of similar stature.

“I’m still learning. I’m going to watch and it’s exciting.â€

Subban will make some other changes this off-season. He’s always in great shape, but will spend more time skating than in recent years.

“You have to be physically strong, but hockey players are made on the ice. I’m also shooting pucks every day. This summer is a big one for me. I hav one goal next year — to be in the NHL.â€

 

[Lindgren]

Some Jordan Subban news in Friedman's latest 30 thoughts.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/30-thoughts-st-louis-target-eberle-scoring-help/

Big brother PK and Travis Green both told him to watch how Ellis plays. He is making the trip to Nashville not to just support PK but to start studying Ellis.

So, all this time Jordan has been watching Chara etc., and only now has someone suggested he take notice of how a smaller D handles things. Great. I'm glad that Jordan is excited by this development, but sheesh ... a little late.

 

[PM]

In true Canuck fashion we will probably trade him right before his breakout season. Gotta recoup that late round draft pick Benning wasted on Larsen.

All kidding aside I really hope he pushes for a NHL spot next season, and we actually give him an opportunity to do so instead of sending him down after 1 preseason game.

 

[VanJack]

Interesting stuff during the intermission tonight. They talked about how P.K. has advised Jordan to study Ryan Ellis and how he has adapted his game to become a force in the NHL. Jordan is in Nashville to support his brother but also is going to gather tape of Ellis to study during the off-season. Mentioned how he wants to transition his game from fast-paced, get the puck up ice as fast as possible into a type that slows the game down like Ellis. Jordan is very similar in size to Ellis and actually put up better offensive numbers in his first 2 years in the AHL than Ellis did. With Green at the helm and one less body to compete with having Tryamkin out of the picture, maybe there is something to work with here.

For a team as bad as the Canucks on the pp, it really is an indictment that Subban hasn't got a single game in the NHL.....16 goals and 36 points in the AHL and appeared in the all-star game last year....yet whenever he was recalled, Willie just sat him.

I really hope he gets a shot next year, even if it's as a 6-7 depth d-man who can play on the second unit pp.....I mean this is a 29th place hockey team we're talking about here....how much worse can it be with Subban in the lineup?

 

[tantalum]

So, all this time Jordan has been watching Chara etc., and only now has someone suggested he take notice of how a smaller D handles things. Great. I'm glad that Jordan is excited by this development, but sheesh ... a little late.

You have to remember that when you are talking about prospects and top junior players they have in many cases gotten by on superior talent. He aspires to be an NHL player...a league where everyone has superior talent. For the first time he is having to deal with limitations in his game and how to correct them. It is conceivable that a player having not really experienced these limitations would simply be looking at the best in the game and how they play rather than looking for a player who may have the same limitations. He certainly wouldn't be the first young player to try to model his game after something he's not.

He got good advice from his brother and coach. Up to him to see if he can apply it.

 

[RobertKron]

You have to remember that when you are talking about prospects and top junior players they have in many cases gotten by on superior talent. He aspires to be an NHL player...a league where everyone has superior talent. For the first time he is having to deal with limitations in his game and how to correct them. It is conceivable that a player having not really experienced these limitations would simply be looking at the best in the game and how they play rather than looking for a player who may have the same limitations. He certainly wouldn't be the first young player to try to model his game after something he's not.

He got good advice from his brother and coach. Up to him to see if he can apply it.

This is all fair, but it's beyond crazy that it has taken until after his second year under contract for this to happen.

 

[MS]

This is all fair, but it's beyond crazy that it has taken until after his second year under contract for this to happen.

Yeah, it doesn't speak wonders for our player development here. Jesus. He's been in the organization for 4 full years now.

 

[tantalum]

This is all fair, but it's beyond crazy that it has taken until after his second year under contract for this to happen.

NOt really. It's not like he's struggling in the AHL to play his game either. Yes it's clear he has defensive issues but his offensive talents will keep him capable of playing at that level for a long, long time and keep him in the lineup. He was in the all star game this year as a sophmore pro. Everything was likely going quite well for him in his mind. It likely didn't start to really sink in until the couple of call ups where he wasn't trusted to be dressed or year end when it was time to sit down with the coaching staff to put together summer training plans.

Sure it would be nice to see him be astute enough to figure that out on his own but I don't think it's out of the ordinary for a young player that has "sailed" through all levels of play until trying to make that AHL to NHL jump.

Now I will agree with MS that is perhaps doesn't say much for our development system. On the other hand we don't know when the Green advice came and if it came late it might be a case where Green wanted to get him developed some part of the way before challenging him with this.

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

For a team as bad as the Canucks on the pp, it really is an indictment that Subban hasn't got a single game in the NHL.....16 goals and 36 points in the AHL and appeared in the all-star game last year....yet whenever he was recalled, Willie just sat him.

I really hope he gets a shot next year, even if it's as a 6-7 depth d-man who can play on the second unit pp.....I mean this is a 29th place hockey team we're talking about here....how much worse can it be with Subban in the lineup?

I'm kind of surprised that there are not NHL teams who dress a 7th D-man and only play him on the PP.

This should be a thing. I would dress a PP-only D-man over a crappy 4th liner who only gets 6 shifts anyway.

 

[MS]

I'm kind of surprised that there are not NHL teams who dress a 7th D-man and only play him on the PP.

This should be a thing. I would dress a PP-only D-man over a crappy 4th liner who only gets 6 shifts anyway.

Yeah, I've said this for years. It's bizarre that teams for decades carried goon fighting specialists and 4th line hitting specialists who are basically completely useless, but won't carry a soft-but-hypertalented player to use as a PP/shootout specialist and actually score goals.

 

[Tables of Stats]

I wouldn't mind seeing a change which allows teams to dress 19 skaters for each game. I can see why coaches would rather have four complete forward lines and three complete defense pairings, so an extra skater might allow for that PP specialist or face-off man roll to really flourish in the NHL.

 

[m9]

Yeah, I've said this for years. It's bizarre that teams for decades carried goon fighting specialists and 4th line hitting specialists who are basically completely useless, but won't carry a soft-but-hypertalented player to use as a PP/shootout specialist and actually score goals.

Doing something because it's better than what past teams or what current bad teams do isn't the way to build a successful team, it's just backwards thinking. You should be comparing the viability of a PP specialist vs a good 4th line player.

Running 7D with 11 forwards is not an effective way to run your team. It doesn't screw up your 4th line, it screws up all 4 lines. I think most people who have played a large amount of hockey know how hard it is to play with 11 forwards.

If you want a 4th line winger who is a PP specialist, then sure. Maybe. I'd rather have a good 4th line that can eat tough defensive minutes.

 

[MS]

Doing something because it's better than what past teams or what current bad teams do isn't the way to build a successful team, it's just backwards thinking. You should be comparing the viability of a PP specialist vs a good 4th line player.

Running 7D with 11 forwards is not an effective way to run your team. It doesn't screw up your 4th line, it screws up all 4 lines. I think most people who have played a large amount of hockey know how hard it is to play with 11 forwards.

If you want a 4th line winger who is a PP specialist, then sure. Maybe. I'd rather have a good 4th line that can eat tough defensive minutes.

How many teams actually have this? We did this year, for the first time in ages. And mainly by accident because Dorsett got hurt.

If you have top-end PP guys who are regular roster players, sure, this doesn't need to be a thing. But when you have teams that can't score dressing garbage 4th lines that play 6 minutes/game ... yeah, it becomes a questionable decision.

 

[m9]

How many teams actually have this? We did this year, for the first time in ages. And mainly by accident because Dorsett got hurt.

If you have top-end PP guys who are regular roster players, sure, this doesn't need to be a thing. But when you have teams that can't score dressing garbage 4th lines that play 6 minutes/game ... yeah, it becomes a questionable decision.

How many teams have a PP specialist 7D on the 4th line and why is that more unrealistic than simply having a good 4th line?

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

Doing something because it's better than what past teams or what current bad teams do isn't the way to build a successful team, it's just backwards thinking. You should be comparing the viability of a PP specialist vs a good 4th line player.

Running 7D with 11 forwards is not an effective way to run your team. It doesn't screw up your 4th line, it screws up all 4 lines. I think most people who have played a large amount of hockey know how hard it is to play with 11 forwards.

If you want a 4th line winger who is a PP specialist, then sure. Maybe. I'd rather have a good 4th line that can eat tough defensive minutes.

Obviously if you have four good lines then my comment does not apply. Nowhere did I mean to suggest that all teams should do this; but it surprises me that there are essentially no teams that have.

There have been, especially in the past, teams who have carried a completely junk player who didn't even take regular shifts on the 4th line. They were already effectively playing with 11 forwards + 1 designated fighter. These are the cases where I would swap the PP specialist for the guy who plays 3 minutes anyway.

 

[me2]

Doing something because it's better than what past teams or what current bad teams do isn't the way to build a successful team, it's just backwards thinking. You should be comparing the viability of a PP specialist vs a good 4th line player.

Running 7D with 11 forwards is not an effective way to run your team. It doesn't screw up your 4th line, it screws up all 4 lines. I think most people who have played a large amount of hockey know how hard it is to play with 11 forwards.

If you want a 4th line winger who is a PP specialist, then sure. Maybe. I'd rather have a good 4th line that can eat tough defensive minutes.

The problem with that is they don't really exist. If they did they would be a 18min+ 3rd line checking line.

There are only so many minutes to go around, if the 1st 3 lines are all getting 20 +18+16 min then they are left with 6 min, a big chunk of which is on the PP. The 3C should be able to handle though minutes along with at least one of your top 2 lines.

You might counter with an offensive 3rd line that is weak at defending, but that still the same situation only shifting the labels on the lines.

Having to have a defensively strong 4th line means one of two things

You team is excellent, all the fire power it needs up front and you don't need anything.

Your team is very weak defensively and the 4th line has to carry the defence load for the top 3 lines. Not a bad description of the current Canucks.

 

[StIllmatic]

My friends saw Jake Virtanen at Cabo. For what it's worth, he supposedly looked pretty fit. They were all obviously drunk though haha. He was also quite nice, he even gave my bud his phone number. Too bad he is also our worst draft pick in a while... Really hope he turns it around next year.

 

[Verviticus]

Doing something because it's better than what past teams or what current bad teams do isn't the way to build a successful team, it's just backwards thinking. You should be comparing the viability of a PP specialist vs a good 4th line player.

huh? no you should be comparing it to the moron you play for 2:30 a game, not the good ones. talk about backwards thinking

also "doing something because its better than past teams" is the literal definition of successfully innovating in this context

 

[Lindgren]

Jalen Chatfield was pointless and even in Windsor's 3-2 win over Saint John to open the Memorial Cup.

 

[VanJack]

Jalen Chatfield was pointless and even in Windsor's 3-2 win over Saint John to open the Memorial Cup.

Also hit the Sportsnet highlight package for upchucking in the penalty box....was he sick or something, or just dehydrated from being off for so long?.....44 days between meaningful games for Windsor.

Tried to focus on both Chatfield and particularly Vilardi, who might be in the Canucks wheelhouse at #5......showed some flashes.....seems to have good vision, but didn't seem to stand out.