Confirmed with Link: Wild signs Zack Mitchell to ELC

[Jarick]

Even if none of these guy end up being NHL players, I like that Fletcher signs a few junior free agents to put in Iowa, rather than say just signing a few AHL vets to round out the team. Keep the team full of young guys (picks and free agents) who are hungry for the NHL. Makes even a guy like Zucker or Phillips look around and go "hey, I better step up my game or I'm going to be lapped."

Excactly this. The drafted prospects haven't looked great in Iowa and that team still needs to score. This can only push the guys who might be resting on their laurels a bit. And it's important for Iowa to not be a complete joke of a team.

I really want to see more defensemen brought in though, because the bottom 4-5 in Iowa is terrible.

 

[57special]

It's Caledon, not Caldeon.

We now have one too many Mitchell's in the organization.

 

[Sarge58]

Some additional info on the kid:

http://www.guelphtribune.ca/sports/from-the-stands-hes-definitely-made-me-a-better-coach-walker-says-of-winger/

 

[State of Hockey]

Wouldn't expect much with this signing, even in the AHL. Being of that age with a production flatline for the past three years doesn't give much hope for an NHL future.

 

[MuckOG]

Wouldn't expect much with this signing, even in the AHL. Being of that age with a production flatline for the past three years doesn't give much hope for an NHL future.

..and Justin Fontaine is a 26 year old rookie. Late bloomers do exist. I'm not predicting greatness with this kid as I know nothing about him outside of his stats, but I'll be paying attention to him now.

 

[thestonedkoala]

If anyone has a problem with this signing, I question your sanity.

 

[Minnewildsota]

I don't understand the indifference for this signing. The kid hasn't been lighting up the OHL. How is he even going to put up points in the AHL. Waste of a roster spot.

 

[State of Hockey]

..and Justin Fontaine is a 26 year old rookie. Late bloomers do exist. I'm not predicting greatness with this kid as I know nothing about him outside of his stats, but I'll be paying attention to him now.

In his 20-21 year-old season, Fontaine was lighting up the WCHA. It's not like he was dog meat at that age. In fact, most good players break out at about 20-22. If they haven't, they likely never will.

If anyone has a problem with this signing, I question your sanity.

It's a contract better spent on a player that has greater potential. He's an overager that's around 4th or 5th on his team in important offensive categories. That's a guy you target? Doesn't make sense.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

In his 20-21 year-old season, Fontaine was lighting up the WCHA. It's not like he was dog meat at that age. In fact, most good players break out at about 20-22. If they haven't, they likely never will.

Nice, so we still have one more year for him to do it.

These are the guys we should be signing, which should allow us to target "higher upside" players during the draft.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I don't understand the indifference for this signing. The kid hasn't been lighting up the OHL. How is he even going to put up points in the AHL. Waste of a roster spot.

Please, give us some names as to who this roster spot should've gone to.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

It's a contract better spent on a player that has greater potential. He's an overager that's around 4th or 5th on his team in important offensive categories. That's a guy you target? Doesn't make sense.

He's 3rd in points, 4th in goals and 1st in assists.

 

[thestonedkoala]

I don't understand the indifference for this signing. The kid hasn't been lighting up the OHL. How is he even going to put up points in the AHL. Waste of a roster spot.

77 points isn't lighting up the OHL? He was in the top 25 for points. If you think he's a waste of a roster space, I don't want to know what you think about Gabriel who had only 42.

 

[State of Hockey]

He's 3rd in points, 4th in goals and 1st in assists.

5th in points per game and goals per game. 3rd in assists per game (four more right behind). He's a depth offensive player on a deep team. That screams inflated stats, stats which aren't incredible to begin with.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

5th in points per game and goals per game. 3rd in assists per game (four more right behind). He's a depth offensive player on a deep team. That screams inflated stats, stats which aren't incredible to begin with.

And nobody is expecting him to walk into our top 6. Just a guy to take a flyer on... Literally zero risk.

 

[Jaykay]

Leads all of the OHL in playoff scoring with 7G-12A-19P in 12 games.

 

[Foxlockbox]

Leads all of the OHL in playoff scoring with 7G-12A-19P in 12 games.

That is a nice stat.

 

[tyratoku]

Leads all of the OHL in playoff scoring with 7G-12A-19P in 12 games.

Very impressive. Hopefully he provides some nice depth in Iowa next season.

 

[PariseSuterKoivu]

Apparently is over whatever the injury was from a year and a half ago. Nice numbers. Looking forward to seeing him play. Overage numbers, but he has put up decent numbers from the 2011 season up to the injury, and resumed the good numbers in '13-'14.

 

[Scoutguy77]

Nice looking prospect.
But lets keep things in perspective, once he hits IOWA, reality will set in IMO. Brassart who is more highly regarded, just played 10 games and had 1 point.
Graovac had about 23 all year, Buss had 19--

 

[Wabit]

Had to go back a ways to find Mitchell's signing (and only) thread.

He's impressed me this year as a bottom-6 player (one of the Wild's two 4th lines). I'm surprised that he's stuck around for ~20 games this year.

 

[57special]

Yeh, I trust Mitchell out there as a 4th liner. Might even have an ability to play up the lineup. The Fontaine comparison is right on.

 

[ThatGuy22]

Had to go back a ways to find Mitchell's signing (and only) thread.

He's impressed me this year as a bottom-6 player (one of the Wild's two 4th lines). I'm surprised that he's stuck around for ~20 games this year.

He's been solid. Reminds me of an article that Bourne wrote a month or two back. There are a ton of players in the AHL that could play bottom 6 in the NHL. Which ones make it, simply comes down to oppurtunity. And once you've got that lucky oppurtunity for one season, you're known as an NHLer from then on.

Mitchel's got the opportunity this year due to injuries /wanting big minutes for Kunin.

 

[BagHead]

I love the hate he was getting from several posters in this thread. Turned out he was more worth a roster spot than more highly regarded prospects like Brassart, Phillips, Bussieres, etc. I don't mean to call people out or anything, but it's worth noting at a moment like this that we don't know the future, so maybe it's not worth getting upset about so early.

I really like this kid in our bottom 6. I hope he keeps it up, and if he does, I hope he sticks around.

 

[ThatGuy22]

I love the hate he was getting from several posters in this thread. Turned out he was more worth a roster spot than more highly regarded prospects like Brassart, Phillips, Bussieres, etc. I don't mean to call people out or anything, but it's worth noting at a moment like this that we don't know the future, so maybe it's not worth getting upset about so early.

I really like this kid in our bottom 6. I hope he keeps it up, and if he does, I hope he sticks around.

?

I literally only see one post where someone questions the signing? Every other post is indifferent at worst, or liked the move.

 

[BagHead]

?

I literally only see one post where someone questions the signing? Every other post is indifferent at worst, or liked the move.

While one poster in particular was being extremely vocal about his dislike of it (no surprise out of that one), there was another poster on this very page that clearly did not like the move. Others were indifferent, which is fair. I did say "several". Perhaps I should have said "couple".