Prospects Thread 2011-12

Talk about your favorite prospects and the happenings of the Canucks AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks.

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Re: Prospects Thread 2011-12

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Thursday March 16

OHL

Peterborough 1 Niagra 8
Friesen 1 assist, +2

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Re: Prospects Thread 2011-12

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Friday March 17

ECHL

Trenton 0 Kalamazoo 2
Anthony did not play
Archibald 0 points, even
Rai 0 points, even

NCAA

Colgate 2 Union 6
Price 0 points, -2

Colgate is in the ECAC 3rd place game on Saturday.

Harvard 6 Cornell 1
McNally 1 goal (6th), 1 assist, +2

Harvard advances to the ECAC Championship game!

North Dakota 6 Minnesota 3
Matson 0 points, even

Minnesota will play for 3rd in the WCHA tournament on Saturday.

QMJHL

Shawinigan 5 Victoriaville 7
Honzik 37 saves on 42 shots

Halifax 2 Acadie-Bathurst 3 (SO)
Hannay did not play (concussion)
Grenier 0 points, even (did not score on his shootout attempt)

OHL

Sudbury 4 Ottawa 6
Corrado 1 assist, -1

WHL

Moose Jaw at Prince Albert
Tochkin out for season (wrist)

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Re: Prospects Thread 2011-12

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Saturday March 17

AHL

Chicago 1 Lake Erie 0
Climie 19 saves on 19 shots

Reinprecht, (10) (Miller) (SH)

Weird game - the Wolves outshot Lake Erie 42-19, and the only goal was shorthanded.

ECHL

Toledo 4 Kalamazoo 3 (SO)
Anthony did not play
Archibald 1 assist, -1 (did not score on his shootout attempt)
Rai 0 points, even (was not selected for the shootout)

NCAA

Colgate 0 Cornell 3
Price 0 points, -1

Colgate loses the consolation game, and Price's season is over.

Harvard 1 Union 3
McNally 0 points, -3

Harvard loses the ECAC Championship game - don't know if they will make the Frozen Four...

OHL

Ottawa 3 Niagara 7
Friesen 2 goals (25th, 26th), +1

Sudbury 0 Belleville 2
Corrado 0 points, -2

Mississauga 3 Oshawa 0
Jensen 0 points, even

WHL

Prince Albert at Moose Jaw
Tochkin out for season

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Re: Prospects Thread 2011-12

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The NCAA Tourney (Frozen Four) was announced today, and Taylor Matson is the only Canuck prospect that will be in it (Minnesota). Today was also the last day of the season for the CHL...

Sunday March 18

AHL

Chicago 3 Toronto 2
Lack 20 saves on 22 shots

Sweatt, (13) (Schroeder, Davies)
Connauton, (12) (Duco) (SH)
Davies, (10)

Important win for Chicago as they stay on top of the MidWest Division and hold onto 3rd place in the Conference.

ECHL

Kalamazoo 9 Toledo 1
Anthony did not play
Archibald 3 assists, +4
Rai 1 assist, +2

QMJHL

Victoriaville 4 Rimouski 0
Honzik 29 saves on 29 shots

Yes!

Halifax 6 PEI 1
Hannay did not play (concussion)
Grenier 1 goal (25th), 1 assist, +2

OHL

Niagara 2 Mississauga 0
Friesen did not play (rested for last game of season?)

It will be Niagara (1) vs. Oshawa (8) (Friesen vs. Jensen) in the first round of the OHL playoffs.

Sudbury 5 Kingston 1
Corrado 0 points, +1

Sudbury (5) vs. Brampton (4)

Peterborough 8 Oshawa 6
Jensen 2 assists, +1

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Last edited by Southern_Canuck on Sun Mar 18, 2012 5:47 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Prospects Thread 2011-12

Post by Cornuck »

Is it just me or has Jensen slowed down since the WJC?
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Re: Prospects Thread 2011-12

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Cornuck wrote:Is it just me or has Jensen slowed down since the WJC?
Definitely offensively he has slowed down - he has received some kudos for improved 2-way play, and is generally anchoring the 2nd line, but I guess we'll have to wait for the NHL pre-season to really see how he has progressed.

I don't think we will be able to draw many conclusions from the Oshawa vs. Niagara Series - Oshawa will likely get destroyed no matter what Jensen does.

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Re: Prospects Thread 2011-12

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QMJHL Playoff Matchups:

#4 Victoriaville (Honzik) vs. #13 Baie-Comeau

#6 Halifax (Hannay, Grenier) vs. #11 Moncton

Series begin Friday - I will be curious if Honzik will get any starts for Victoriaville; Coach Yanick Jean seems to favour Brandon Whitney.

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Re: Prospects Thread 2011-12

Post by UWSaint »

For SC:

On Labate. The good news is that he showed why he should be considered a prospect. The bad news is that he showed why he was a fourth round pick.

Towards the beginning of the year, Labate looked like everything you could hope for. Big frame, high offensive IQ, decent hands, didn't look out of place on the top 6 of a good NCAA team, etc. While he had a big frame, he can add strength and learn how to use it more.

But I thought he declined as the year progressed. He was getting shuffled through lines a little. But he really seemed to be suffering the fate of a lot of freshmen -- they just can't keep it up through the whole season. Blame conditioning, strength, homesickness, a realtively disappointing team performance, whatever. While I think he displayed very good playmaking ability, I thought his finish was weak -- both in terms of a nothing-to-write-home-about-shot and not quite getting to rebounds, muffing redirects, etc.

I think his skating (which is generally considered good) isn't where it needs to be for the NHL, and that, combined with his conditioning (think declining production, labored shifts getting off too early or staying on too long because he can't get to the bench), is going to be the biggest problem.

On skating -- two observations. He isn't a *bad* skater, but when he didn't need to skate, he often didn't skate effectively. Does that make sense? It was almost like he had to have a purpose to get in the right posture and look smooth. Skating might go from *needs improvement* to *good enough for the NHL* simply through mental sharpening. The second observation is that if he ever fills out his big frame, he can make it without being a great skater.

On conditioning -- it is so hard to tell whether this is just a usual thing for freshmen or whether this is a real concern. First, its good that he's in Wisconsin, because he is going to get all the help and direction a college player can get on nutrition, strength, and conditioning. Second, this is often a question of will. Labate can not simply get to the NHL on his natural endowments -- but he has enough of them to get to the NHL. He will just have to work at it. If he can't get into better shape from the strength and conditioning perspective, he doesn't have what it takes mentally to be a good NHL player. I guess this is one of those self-fulfilling prohesies.....

Final verdict -- no final verdict. Which isn't necessarily bad considering the number of 4th round picks that you know a year out are really unlikely to get a contract. We can be hopeful about Labate and not just be homers. I think Labate is served well by being the NCAA and not rushing things. And the Canucks are served well by letting the UW coaching staff do their thing for another couple years. He's at least that far away from a being a call up. And they know how to make pros.
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Re: Prospects Thread 2011-12

Post by Fred »

I recall more than one NCAA coach say freshman find it difficult enough having to do their own laundry and eat properly never mind an athlete getting into shape. Studies and training playing are difficult for any freshman :?

There sophomore season should be better, time management alone. They know what to expect
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Re: Prospects Thread 2011-12

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UWSaint wrote:For SC:

On Labate. The good news is that he showed why he should be considered a prospect. The bad news is that he showed why he was a fourth round pick.
Thanks for the firsthand feedback - pretty promising for a 4th round pick...

Thursday Mar 22

Chicago 3 Lake Erie 2
Climie 22 saves on 24 shots

Gordon, (5) (Baumgartner, Hunt) (PP)
Schroeder, (17) (Reinprecht, Hunt) (PP)
Haydar, (16) (EN)

Looks like Hunt was a great addition for the powerplay - weird finish - after Chicago goes up 3-1 with an empty netter, Lake Erie somehow scores with 4 seconds left.

OHL Playoffs

Oshawa 2 Niagara 8
Jensen 0 points, -2
Friesen 3 goals, 1 assist, +2 !!! (selected 1st star)

Niagara leads series 1-0

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Re: Prospects Thread 2011-12

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Friday March 23

ECHL

Chicago 4 Kalamazoo 3
Anthony did not play
Archibald 0 points, +1
Rai 0 points, -1

QMJHL Playoffs

Baie-Comeau 4 Victoriaville 3
Honzik 24 saves on 28 shots

Baie-Comeau leads series 1-0

Moncton 1 Halifax 5
Hannay 0 points, even
Grenier 2 assists, +1

Halifax leads series 1-0

OHL Playoffs

Sudbury 0 Brampton 4
Corrado 0 points, -1

Brampton leads series 1-0

Niagara 6 Oshawa 1
Jensen 1 assist, even
Friesen 2 assists, even

Niagara leads series 2-0

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Re: Prospects Thread 2011-12

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Saturday March 24

AHL

Hamilton 3 Chicago 2
Lack 27 saves on 30 shots

Miller, (17) (Sauve, Reinprecht)
Duco, (11) (Mancari, Bitz)

ECHL

Kalamazoo 4 Chicago 5
Anthony did not play
Archibald 1 goal (11th), even
Rai 0 points, -2

NCAA West Semi-Final

Boston University 3 Minnesota 7
Matson 0 points, +1

QMJHL

Baie-Comeau 5 Victoriaville 3
Honzik 10 saves on 14 shots, pulled after the 4th goal trailing 4-1. (Whitney 6 saves on 7 shots)

Victoriaville trails series 0-2. Well that's sad to see Honzik lose the starting job after two straight home losses.

Moncton 1 Halifax 4
Hannay 0 points, +2
Grenier 1 goal (1st), +1

Halifax leads series 2-0

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Re: Prospects Thread 2011-12

Post by Fred »

The Canucks have to try and get Honzik out of Victoriaville. I wonder if Jonathan Iilahti will be able to play for the Giants next season ?
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Re: Prospects Thread 2011-12

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^^^Iilahti turns 20 on April 27 --- I don't think WHL teams like to use up an overage spot and an import spot with one player. It's hard to say whether they'll even sign him at all - however they did attempt to get him on the Giants, so they must have at least some interest.

Sunday March 25

AHL

Houston 1 Chicago 4
Climie 20 saves on 21 shots

Haydar, (17) (Baumgartner, Connauton)
Mancari, (27) (Haydar, Miller) (PP)
Sauve, (3) (Schroeder)
Sweatt, (14) (Schroeder) (EN)

ECHL

Cincinnati 1 Kalamazoo 6
Anthony did not play
Archibald 2 assists, +2
Rai 1 assist, even

NCAA West Regional Final

Minnesota 5 North Dakota 2
Matson 1 goal (8th), 1 assist, +1 (GWG)

Minnesota moves on to the Frozen Four.

OHL

Sudbury 2 Brampton 4
Corrado 0 points, +1

Sudbury trails series 0-2.

Oshawa 6 Niagara 4
Friesen 1 assist, -3
Jensen 0 points, even

Niagara leads series 2-1.

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Re: Prospects Thread 2011-12

Post by Fred »

Wolf weekly report




Weekly Wrap


Four close games since last Saturday brought 3 wins and a loss. The Wolves had a Great Lakes-themed road trip to start the week, a game in Toronto against the Marlies bracketed by two games in Cleveland to play Lake Erie. They hosted Hamilton last night in Chicago.


Last Saturday's game against Lake Erie resulted in a very misleading 1-0 win for the Wolves. Matt Climie's shutout was solid, but even more jmpressive was the Wolves' offensive dominance. They fired 42 shots (more than twice the number Climie faced) at the Monsters' goal. Steve Reinprecht was the only one who managed to beat Lake Erie goalie Cedrick Desjardins, scoring shorthanded in the 2nd period.


The second game of the trip was the next day in Toronto, knocking off the Marlies 3-2. (Be sure to click through, our own Thomas Drance covered the game for the Province.) The kid line seems to have found their groove again, with Bill Sweatt and Mike Davies both bagging goals. Kevin Connauton scored his first goal in a month. Eddie Lack took the win.


Thursday, it was back to Lake Erie. In another 3-2 win, the kid line struck again, Jordan Schroeder scoring this time out. Andrew Gordon scored and Darren Haydar's first in five games was the winner. Gordon and Schroeder both scored on the powerplay, while Haydar got the unconventional empty-net game-winner (Lake Erie actually scored their second goal after Haydar's goal). Matt Climie was back in net for the win.


Last night, the Wolves returned home, but couldn't find the extra gear to overcome Hamilton. losing 3-2. Eddie Lack was his usual quality self and Tim Miller and Mike Duco found the net. The powerplay went 0-for-6.


Standouts


As mentioned the kid line is back in gear. Though they didn't score against Hamilton, they still combined for a dozen shots on net (including 6 for Sweatt).


Brad Hunt, on an amateur tryout contract after an outstandin college career, picked up his first two AHL assists on Thursday.


As a unit, the defence looks far more sound. The Wolves have gone five straight games giving up 30 shots or fewer, a nice change from most of the year when shot totals in the 30-plus range have been all-too-regular.


Lowlights


Both Mark Mancari and Anton Rodin, despite shooting plenty, went pointless over the past week.


Lineup Notes


Not much movement in the roster, things have been pretty steady since the trade deadline. The Canucks announced that with Joe Cannata's college season now over, he has signed with the team and will join the Wolves for the rest of the season. He's spending a few days in Vancouver before meeting up with the Crimson and Gold in Abbotsford at the end of the week.


Andrew Gordon picked up a leg injury on Thursday and was a scratch on Saturday. Stefan Schneider drew in to the lineup as Gordon's replacement.


Last Saturday, Eddie Lack was sricken with the flu, so the team signed B.J. O'Brien to a Professional Tryout for the day. He served as Climie's back up.


Before Sunday's game, Mark Matheson will be recognized with the team's Unsung Hero award for his work in the community.


The Hunting Ahead


The Wolves host Houston today at the Allstate Arena and then head to Abbotsford for a two game set on Thursday and Friday.
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