When will Austin Watson be ready?

[ChesterCopperpot1*]

Any hope for this year because Craig Smith looks like a steamy pile f garbage.

I've never seen an NHL hockey player look so uncomfortable.

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[AintLifeGrand]

you never watched Erik Christensen on the Thrashers in 2009 then....

 

[Top 6 Spaling]

I'm willing to give Smith a little more time, since he is a streaky player, but IMO Watson should be given top time in Milwaukee this year, then called up next year. Mueller, Latta, and Beck should be the three we go to first.

 

[triggrman]

I think we need someone that can carry the puck, whoever that is, bring them up.

 

[Cashville]

Cut Smith some slack. Wilson had some absolutely awful streaks last year and his first two games this year have been fantastic. I think he comes out with some fire tonight after yesterday's dump in a litter box type of performance.

 

[Hockeyfever]

Why not Watson?

I'm willing to give Smith a little more time, since he is a streaky player, but IMO Watson should be given top time in Milwaukee this year, then called up next year. Mueller, Latta, and Beck should be the three we go to first.

I can see your point to an extent that the three you mentioned above have already put some time in there in Milwaukee. Watson is younger than all three of these players but from what I have seen and from what the stats are showing he seems to be just as good. Watson compares favorably with all of them stat wise yet sees less ice time than they do, sees a lot less power play time, and is a bigger body than all three of them. I say give him a chance and see what he does. I think he could easily fit in on the fourth line right now in Nashville.

 

[Top 6 Spaling]

I can see your point to an extent that the three you mentioned above have already put some time in there in Milwaukee. Watson is younger than all three of these players but from what I have seen and from what the stats are showing he seems to be just as good. Watson compares favorably with all of them stat wise yet sees less ice time than they do, sees a lot less power play time, and is a bigger body than all three of them. I say give him a chance and see what he does. I think he could easily fit in on the fourth line right now in Nashville.

I have no doubts that Watson can play on the 4th line right now, but looking longterm, he will develop better on the top 6 of the Admirals that getting 8 minutes per night here. I would let him play until he can be on the top 3 lines up here.

 

[TootooTrain]

I have no doubts that Watson can play on the 4th line right now, but looking longterm, he will develop better on the top 6 of the Admirals that getting 8 minutes per night here. I would let him play until he can be on the top 3 lines up here.

Agreed. As high as I am on Watson, and as much as I want him on this team right now, it's the fan inside me saying these things. He's going to be a great player for years to come. Strong, can protect the puck, battler, pretty much everything you expect from a predators prospect except he's got the offensive instincts to add to it. For right now though, he's best off paying his dues and getting some prime-time opportunities with the Ads.

 

[predfan98]

after watching the mcgrattan, clune, yip line.............sorry, I think anybody that can help on the fourth line should be in Nashville.

Yip last year totally fit on that line, but he had a little more help.

We have to have 4 lines that play, or the top 3 will get so tired, we might as well phone in the resst of the season.

 

[Shea Weber]

Get Clune outta there. Watson, Latta, Mueller, anyone else...

Smith's skill earns him a roster spot for now no matter how bad (no ice time anyways) he has been. He will heat up eventually. Still needs experience to build confidence.

 

[predfan24]

I think we need someone that can carry the puck, whoever that is, bring them up.

That SHOULD be Smith but obviously it isn't right now. I say cut him some slack though the kid has the ability just needs some confidence in his game.

 

[Hockeyfever]

I have no doubts that Watson can play on the 4th line right now, but looking longterm, he will develop better on the top 6 of the Admirals that getting 8 minutes per night here. I would let him play until he can be on the top 3 lines up here.

The problem with this theory of letting Watson develop on the top 6 of the Admirals is that the coach in Milwaukee doesn't play Watson on the top 6. Watson is playing bottom 6 on the 3rd line. He sees little to no power play time and tonight so far after 1 period no power play time at all. Watson is now tied for the team lead in goals. How do you not play your top goal scorer on the power play? I don't know of any other team where they don't put their top goal goal scorer on the power play. The Admirals power play is now about 0-25. So with all of this going on I would say that Watson is not getting developed in Milwaukee at all so you might as well let him play about the same low amount of minutes in Nashville with him getting acclimated to the NHL.

 

[triggrman]

The problem with this theory of letting Watson develop on the top 6 of the Admirals is that the coach in Milwaukee doesn't play Watson on the top 6. Watson is playing bottom 6 on the 3rd line. He sees little to no power play time and tonight so far after 1 period no power play time at all. Watson is now tied for the team lead in goals. How do you not play your top goal scorer on the power play? I don't know of any other team where they don't put their top goal goal scorer on the power play. The Admirals power play is now about 0-25. So with all of this going on I would say that Watson is not getting developed in Milwaukee at all so you might as well let him play about the same low amount of minutes in Nashville with him getting acclimated to the NHL.

That's not a good development plan.....

Bring him up if that's the case.

 

[Top 6 Spaling]

The problem with this theory of letting Watson develop on the top 6 of the Admirals is that the coach in Milwaukee doesn't play Watson on the top 6. Watson is playing bottom 6 on the 3rd line. He sees little to no power play time and tonight so far after 1 period no power play time at all. Watson is now tied for the team lead in goals. How do you not play your top goal scorer on the power play? I don't know of any other team where they don't put their top goal goal scorer on the power play. The Admirals power play is now about 0-25. So with all of this going on I would say that Watson is not getting developed in Milwaukee at all so you might as well let him play about the same low amount of minutes in Nashville with him getting acclimated to the NHL.

Wow...that is really not good. Maybe swap him and Craig Smith so Honey Badger can get his game back?

Erat-Fisher-SK
Wilson-Legwand-Hornqvist
Watson-Spaling-Bourque
Halischuk-Gaustad-Yip
Clunatic/Kraken

 

[worstfaceoffmanever]

The problem with this theory of letting Watson develop on the top 6 of the Admirals is that the coach in Milwaukee doesn't play Watson on the top 6. Watson is playing bottom 6 on the 3rd line. He sees little to no power play time and tonight so far after 1 period no power play time at all. Watson is now tied for the team lead in goals. How do you not play your top goal scorer on the power play? I don't know of any other team where they don't put their top goal goal scorer on the power play. The Admirals power play is now about 0-25. So with all of this going on I would say that Watson is not getting developed in Milwaukee at all so you might as well let him play about the same low amount of minutes in Nashville with him getting acclimated to the NHL.

Roundtable had him listed as a center last week, which might be the reason for his limited minutes and also why he hasn't gotten a look from Nashville. I don't understand why they would want him as a center, though, unless they're trying to groom him as Legwand or Fisher's replacement up the middle...

 

[Hockeyfever]

Roundtable had him listed as a center last week, which might be the reason for his limited minutes and also why he hasn't gotten a look from Nashville. I don't understand why they would want him as a center, though, unless they're trying to groom him as Legwand or Fisher's replacement up the middle...

You are correct that he has been playing center for Milwaukee. At the beginning of the season Watson played wing but they noticed his talent as a center and moved him there. Watson is a natural center and has played that position most of his hockey career but he can also play wing. I do understand what you are saying though.My thought was just that since he is the leading goal scorer on Milwaukee with limited time wouldn't they want to give him a bigger roll especially when things aren't going so well in Milwaukee at the moment. I.E a six game losing streak and 0-26 on the power play currently. I do see your point also about if they are grooming him to play center in the NHL there isn't room there currently in Nashville. Maybe they could put him on the wing like they have done with Wilson? Not sure just an idea.

 

[Jarnberg]

If you think Austin Watson is going to improve this team's offense then be prepared to be disappointed. He's another defensive minded defensemen who can occasionally chip in.

As for his stats, go look at Geoffrion, O'Reilly, etc.

 

[NoNecksCurse]

If you think Austin Watson is going to improve this team's offense then be prepared to be disappointed. He's another defensive minded defensemen who can occasionally chip in.

As for his stats, go look at Geoffrion, O'Reilly, etc.

agreed

 

[triggrman]

He's a big body that can control the puck. We could use someone like that....

 

[NoNecksCurse]

He's a big body that can control the puck. We could use someone like that....

i personally think we are in need of a new scheme. strategy wise.. no matter how good watson can be.. it won't be enough. (dont know too much about him honestly)... our problems go back to fundamentals. we will always be a dump and chase team unless we get a new coach with different coaching style or we go back to 2007-2008 when we were almost moved to canada the year after having kariya, sully, arnott, forsberg, dumont, hartnell, legwand, erat, radulov

 

[triggrman]

I think Trotz can adapt his system, he has before.

 

[triggrman]

I also don't know a lot about Watson, outside of what I've seen at camp, which is he's a big body that has good puck control.

He not however a defensive minded defenseman, don't know where that came from....

 

[adsfan]

If you think Austin Watson is going to improve this team's offense then be prepared to be disappointed. He's another defensive minded defensemen who can occasionally chip in.???

As for his stats, go look at Geoffrion, O'Reilly, etc.

You must be confused. Watson is a center. In 41 games he has 15 goals and 8 assists to be the #3 scorer for Milwaukee. Friday night was his first chance on the PP team. He scored the first PPG in 30 tries. I think coach Dean Evason may finally be taking off the blindfold he has been wearing the first half of the season.

He will be NHL ready around a year from now. He needs more development time in Milwaukee. He is a step behind Mueller, Bourque and Latta. Some of that is because he plays the #3 line and didn't get used on the power play for no reason that I know.

 

[I Will Son]

Watson has more offense than a lot of you think. He's just so so so good at defense he is always put in the defensive situations for most teams he has ever played for

 

[TootooTrain]

Watson has more offense than a lot of you think. He's just so so so good at defense he is always put in the defensive situations for most teams he has ever played for

Yea he was always the guy taking defense zone faceoffs with the London Knights during the playoffs. What he may lack in high-end offense, he makes up with effort. Guy's a gamer.