Prospect Info: The Prospect Thread (Part XXXIV)

[m9]

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.

Fair enough.

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.

That's fine. I think you can get more than 6 minutes out of a decent 4th line, those guys should be contributors on the PK.

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

Having a capable 4th line with 3 NHL players that are defensively responsible is not some impossible task. A strategy where the best you can say is "at least it's better than having a 2:30 moron" is not ideal.

 

[Lindgren]

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.

Great post, VanJack. I hope you'll keep the info coming.

 

[RobertKron]

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.

I'm not talking about Subban here. He's a young guy who needs to be cocky about his abilities to make it.

There is no world in which it makes sense to want a player to develop their game in a less effective direction until they're 22 before you show them examples of how they need to fundamentally change their approach to make it to the NHL.

This isn't telling a guy to shoot more or to work on his pivots or whatever, this is telling him to fundamentally rethink his approach to the game. That he's talking about this as kind of a revelation reeks of the same poor communication that we've heard about from other young players.

 

[RobertKron]

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

Also, while comparing to other teams past and present is part of it, you also have to look to see what you can do to be better than your own team right now. Sometimes a bit of an unorthodox move can help with that until you're able to work on the larger issues.

 

[Ryp37]

Wasn't a huge fan of the Chatfield signing due to his lack of Offense but his underlying numbers are good



Hopefully he can turn into some solid system depth.

 

[Braeden]

Wasn't a huge fan of the Chatfield signing due to his lack of Offense but his underlying numbers are good



Hopefully he can turn into some solid system depth.

That zone entry % might bite him in the ass in the AHL. Would love if he developed into a Tanev tho.

 

[NoRaise4Brackett]

I'm not talking about Subban here. He's a young guy who needs to be cocky about his abilities to make it.

There is no world in which it makes sense to want a player to develop their game in a less effective direction until they're 22 before you show them examples of how they need to fundamentally change their approach to make it to the NHL.

This isn't telling a guy to shoot more or to work on his pivots or whatever, this is telling him to fundamentally rethink his approach to the game. That he's talking about this as kind of a revelation reeks of the same poor communication that we've heard about from other young players.

I find it odd though, that Jordan's older, nhl superstar brother (who even plays the same position), didn't give him any advice on this matter either. They seem like a pretty tight family, and don't they train together in the offseason?

Also, Virtanen raved about Green's communication with him... and that is the same guy that has coached Jordan for 2 seasons...

Something doesn't seem right. maybe what Jordan was trying to say, just sort of came out in a confusing manner?

 

[VanJack]

I find it odd though, that Jordan's older, nhl superstar brother (who even plays the same position), didn't give him any advice on this matter either. They seem like a pretty tight family, and don't they train together in the offseason?

Also, Virtanen raved about Green's communication with him... and that is the same guy that has coached Jordan for 2 seasons...

Something doesn't seem right. maybe what Jordan was trying to say, just sort of came out in a confusing manner?

Actually Subban had high praise for Green when he was interviewed by the Province before going to Nashville....it was actually Green who suggested he study Ryan Ellis' game and pick up some pointers.

Subban saying he's the most honest and open coach he's ever played for....adding he has complete confidence that Green will pick the best players for the blueline jobs in VanCity.....and that whether or not he makes it is totally up to him and how he performs....Pedan basically said the same thing.

Have a feeling that unlike the Willie regime, players will know exactly where they stand...no more guys sitting in the press-box for weeks at a time, with the coach vaguely hinting they're not in shape or good enough in practice....hopefully an end to all the mind games.

 

[Verviticus]

That zone entry % might bite him in the ass in the AHL.

it seems alright to me

...he also isnt going to become a tanev

 

[Tobi Wan Kenobi]

Actually Subban had high praise for Green when he was interviewed by the Province before going to Nashville....it was actually Green who suggested he study Ryan Ellis' game and pick up some pointers.

Subban saying he's the most honest and open coach he's ever played for....adding he has complete confidence that Green will pick the best players for the blueline jobs in VanCity.....and that whether or not he makes it is totally up to him and how he performs....Pedan basically said the same thing.

Have a feeling that unlike the Willie regime, players will know exactly where they stand...no more guys sitting in the press-box for weeks at a time, with the coach vaguely hinting they're not in shape or good enough in practice....hopefully an end to all the mind games.

This. That bothered me a lot with Willie

 

[Lindgren]

Jalen Chatfield was pointless and +1 for Windsor tonight in their 7-1 Memorial Cup win over Seattle (as was Sergachev). Windsor is 2-0.

 

[VanJack]

Obviously guys like Chatfield and Raddysh (if he gets signed) brought more to the table than Canuck drafts Olson and Neill, who likely won't be signed.....just underscores what a crap-shoot it is trying unearth d-men with potential in later rounds of the draft.

 

[Deeds26]

Good to see some of the boys working out in Vancouver with the Sedins. Goldy, Stech, Olli, Boeser, i think Dahlen is there toou

 

[Braeden]

Good to see some of the boys working out in Vancouver with the Sedins. Goldy, Stech, Olli, Boeser, i think Dahlen is there toou

No Virtanen I don't think.

 

[StIllmatic]

No Virtanen I don't think.

Virtanen is in the lower mainland. Pretty sure he worked out with Hutton the other day. He seems to be training at least partially in Abbotsford though.

 

[Zombotron]

Virtanen and Hutton were being tatted up somewhere

 

[StIllmatic]

Virtanen and Hutton were being tatted up somewhere

Yea I saw that on his instagram story, but that was right after Virtanen posted a video on his story of him doing a VO2 max test. I assumed they worked out together, but I could be wrong.

 

[Saturated Fats]

So should I be including Philip Holm in the prospect poll? I believe, at 25, he maxes out HF's requirements for what is considered a 'prospect'.

 

[alternate]

So should I be including Philip Holm in the prospect poll? I believe, at 25, he maxes out HF's requirements for what is considered a 'prospect'.

I'd put him just to see where he ends up ranking. Wouldn't expect him to be even top 15 so doesn't really matter.

 

[mathonwy]

Yea I saw that on his instagram story, but that was right after Virtanen posted a video on his story of him doing a VO2 max test. I assumed they worked out together, but I could be wrong.

Serious? Jake and Ben hang out together?

edit.

Welll snap... I guess they do and I may have figured out a piece of the puzzle....

Hypothesis:

• Both Jake and Ben showed up to camp this past season outta shape because they were too busy partying, playing video games and eating last summer.

Supporting evidence:

• Visually, Ben looked horrible at the beginning of the season. Opposing forwards were taking him to school on the boards and they were consistently able to turn the corner on him while driving to the net. And these were ALL forwards not just your 1st liners.
• There's only two plausible explanations that I can think of to explain how these two could occur at the same time at the beginning of a season for a 23 year old. If that 23 year old was injured. Or if that 23 year old was outta shape.
• 
• This picture taken in September of 2016 is not the picture of a finely tuned athlete. This picture is that of an American hot dog eating champion.
• It was reported that Jake finally got into shape in the December time frame. That's crazy....
• 
• I think Jake and Ben hang out. I have no concrete proof that they are friends, nor do I have any concrete proof that they hung last summer but from the pictures I've found and the fun both guys seem to have having in each picture, it's my humble opinion that they hang out.

So if my hypothesis is correct it means that there's still hope for young Jake if he learns how to curb his hedonistic tendencies and maybe-possibly-most-probably-but-not-100% smoke a little less dope.

To those that buy into my wacko theory I have a question.

Who on this team is gonna yell at Jake to put down the bag of Ruffles and go for a run this summer?

 

[m9]

it seems alright to me

...he also isnt going to become a tanev

Probably not, but when you watch him play they are very similar. Too early to tell if he just ends up an AHL version of Tanev but it's worth the flier.

 

[Braeden]

Probably not, but when you watch him play they are very similar. Too early to tell if he just ends up an AHL version of Tanev but it's worth the flier.

Best skater in the OHL and high hockey IQ. Very underrated signing by Jim.

 

[Canucks LB]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUm_48ajFru/

Holy hell virtanen

 

[David Bruce Banner]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUm_48ajFru/

Holy hell virtanen

Normally that sentence makes me cringe to open a link. I was half expecting a fat Virtanen smoking a cigar and getting a Thug Life tattoo with Justin Bieber.

So happy I was wrong.

 

[M2Beezy]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUm_48ajFru/

Holy hell virtanen

YAWN

Not impressed or have any expectations of him until he can proove it on the ice