Confirmed with Link: WBS have signed Jake Guentzel to an ATO

[Asuna]

I guess we'll see how Donatelli is with developing players. We've had pretty good developing coaches in Hynes/Sullivan.

 

[66-30-33]

Play the lookalike game with him

We signed Howard the duck?

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

I guess we'll see how Donatelli is with developing players. We've had pretty good developing coaches in Hynes/Sullivan.

I have my doubts he'll still be the HC come September.

 

[Asuna]

I have my doubts he'll still be the HC come September.

I hope you're right. He seems pretty meh so far.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

This guy is considered a longer term project though, right? As compared to Blueger or even Simon?

 

[jmelm]

I've always looked to Jaden Schwartz as a comparable for Guentzel. In the past, I've said "poor man's" Jaden Schwartz, but given how well Guentzel has performed, I think the expectations should be "middle-class man's version". If he could be 75-80% as good, I would be very happy. Schwartz was more evolved & dominant at a younger age, but Guentzel has really developed nicely, so my hopes are high. (maybe because he's our only prospect besides Sprong with a really high skill level)

 

[Riptide]

This guy is considered a longer term project though, right? As compared to Blueger or even Simon?

I think he's less of a project then Blueger. At the draft, I think that would have been a fair statement (that Guentzel was more of a project then TB), but I do not think that's a fair statement today.

He's come a long way since he was drafted, and I'm not sure enough of us here have adjusted our expectations from when we drafted a scrawny 5-9, 150 lb kid. He's still likely 1-2 years away from the NHL (and probably 2-3 from being an impact player - if he gets there), but he's moved on from being a project and should classify as a very good prospect for us. As jmelm said, probably our 2nd best F prospect and probably our 4th or 5th best prospect (behind Murray, DP, DS and maybe Jarry).

When he was drafted, I had zero expectations for him. As he's developed, those have changed. At this point, if he doesn't develop into a top 6/9F I'll be disappointed.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Good to know! I hadn't really kept up with him and his development, so I'm excited. Also, it's good to see that this is probably just a procedural bureaucratic thing with the ATO.

 

[EVGENIMERLIN]

I've always looked to Jaden Schwartz as a comparable for Guentzel. In the past, I've said "poor man's" Jaden Schwartz, but given how well Guentzel has performed, I think the expectations should be "middle-class man's version". If he could be 75-80% as good, I would be very happy. Schwartz was more evolved & dominant at a younger age, but Guentzel has really developed nicely, so my hopes are high. (maybe because he's our only prospect besides Sprong with a really high skill level)

I would be ecstatic if he turned into even a Poor-Man's Schwartz let along a Middle-Class version of him

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I only saw him at our camps and scrimmages, but he struck me as the craftiest forward on the ice with the best hockey IQ. Even if that's not mind-blowing praise considering our pool, I always thought he had the best chance of becoming a top 6er between Bennett and Kapanen.

 

[jmelm]

I only saw him at our camps and scrimmages, but he struck me as the craftiest forward on the ice with the best hockey IQ. Even if that's not mind-blowing praise considering our pool, I always thought he had the best chance of becoming a top 6er between Bennett and Kapanen.

Agreed. Wilson is a sure-fire NHLer of whom I've said many times has more offensive upside than he is given credit for. He's great and making a lot of really crafty, nifty little plays and passing in tight spaces, great give & go plays, and a good scoring touch to go along with his tenacious game. I really believe he can be a good complementary piece in a top-6 role -- even if you wouldn't consider him a top line forward by himself.


Guentzel has clear-cut more individual creativity and skill than a guy like Wilson. But since he doesn't play the tenacious, physical game Wilson does, he'll have to do it with pure skill and creativity. So we'll have to wait and see if his skills and production will translate to the AHL and NHL levels.

 

[WayneSid9987]

I believe he can eventually be what Matt Cullen is now but just way younger.
Or a Marcus Kruger type.
I see him as a do everything centerman who can play LW if need be.

Looks like he'll be starting out on a line with his ex UNO teammate Archibald in WB.

 

[shureshot66]

Sounds like Donatelli had actually worked with him at some point in the US program (as well as Pens development camps), so he's familiar with him. And yeah, like OG said, he's going to play right away on a line with Archibald and Mouillierat.

 

[Allie Kitsune]

Mouillierat.

For the love of God, somebody pronounce that name for me.

 

[shureshot66]

For the love of God, somebody pronounce that name for me.

MOO-ler-rat.

...I think.

 

[Allie Kitsune]

MOO-ler-rat.

...I think.

I would have guessed MOY-a-rah, myself.

(with MOO-ya-rah as a secondary guess)

 

[Speaking Moistly]

MOO-ler-rat.

...I think.

Is it French? Then you're getting into the French pronunciation and the English. I sucked at French.

 

[sf expat71]

Mall Rat.

 

[Jacob]

It seems he accepts both Mall-er-at and Mool-er-at.

 

[Riptide]

It seems he accepts both Mall-er-at and Mool-er-at.

A curse those of us with French names have learned to deal with. After 5 years at the same high school, my teachers still couldn't get my last name right - using either the French or English version... and it's only 2 syllables!

 

[Vujtek]

http://www.omaha.com/uno/uno-s-jake...cle_c7dee313-af00-56f6-b469-43ff785d67dc.html

Omaha's website had an article on Guentzel.

 

[Giskard]

I wanted so bad Bjorkstrand in the 2013 3rd round, that he really has to pan out really good to relieve me

 

[Penguinator]

Mouillierat, pretty sure it's Moo-yeah-rah in French (T isn't pronounced). If it was Mouilierat* then it would have been pronounced Moo-wee-lee-heh-rah (* i just removed an 'L', weird heh?). I know, French can be annoying at times (the language, not that guy taunting upon that castle in Holy Grail ).

This said, is he even French? If his ancestors moved in English speaking territory a while ago, i'm curious about how these Mouillierat folks now pronounce their name.

 

[wgknestrick]

We signed Howard the duck?

I was thinking a Bill? from Bill&Ted. It's been so long I forget which one was which.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Mouillierat, pretty sure it's Moo-yeah-rah in French (T isn't pronounced). If it was Mouilierat* then it would have been pronounced Moo-wee-lee-heh-rah (* i just removed an 'L', weird heh?). I know, French can be annoying at times (the language, not that guy taunting upon that castle in Holy Grail ).

This said, is he even French? If his ancestors moved in English speaking territory a while ago, i'm curious about how these Mouillierat folks now pronounce their name.

I wish French had sensible orthography like Czech. I mean, who can't pronounce names like Trnka, Skřipský, Krška, and Vrhsti? Or my favorite Slovak one: Mňačko ("Little delicious thing")