Prospects

[ClamRussel]

Sorry for the late post on this matter....but for what its worth, I was at one of the prospects camp sessions and found it rather interesting. Here's my schpeal.

SCHULTZ
Don't like what I saw....he's got talent and decent speed but seemed to have an attitude that he had it made and didn't have to earn it.....very little sense of urgency....in the scrimmage he would just glide back to the bench from 2 lines back....looks very cocky BUT doesn't have the skills to warrant it. Imagine Brett Hull w/ the finish of Richard Park. He didn't deliver the goods offensively and needs to have a better attitude...I can only imagine if he worked as hard as Burrows or Rypien what he could accomplish. We've seen this song & dance before folks....you've been warned.

ELLIS
Was injured & didn't play. I had high hopes for this kid but....
x-sobbed & cried when drafted later than expected (sort of 2 knocks if you think about it).
x-suddenly changed his name from ELLIS-PLANTE.....remember the last Canuck pick who changed his name? David Ytfeltdt.....to Johnson. Do we still own his rights btw? He was supposed to be a good one.
x-gets cut from Team Canada...has a very so-so camp
x-Shows up to Canucks 06 training camp in brutal shape according to Vigneault. NOT a good sign.

I'm starting to think this guy is bad news in the Koltsov camp...weird events are starting to become commonplace in his life.

BERNIER
Not close to ready but look for him to regain his scoring touch in the minors. Might be a player yet....VERY impressive skill set!

VINCENT
This goalie looks awesome! He's huge in the nets and has skill. Should have a great year in the Q....looks like a player! Made some solid saves in the scrimmage.

SLADE
Not surprised he got cut at all.....BRUTAL, allowing goals from all over the place...very slight stature. I was hoping he would make the jump but it looks like back to JR for him as an overage. No future here for him.

RYPIEN
Tiny guy but a firecracker! This guy has heart & really stood out for all the right reasons. Should be an important component in Manitoba is my guess.

SIMEK
Holy crap, where did this cat come from?!? Perhaps the best offensively creative player in the bunch....stood out on almost every shift. This guy will turn into one of our top prospects before long. Far out played Schultz.

GRABNER
I didn't see much finish out of the kid but he had speed to burn.....I feel really good about this pick, I think he'll be a player! Should have a breakout season in the Dub. Won't be long before he makes the jump...but will have to learn he has an "own end" to think about from time to time. Possibly trying too hard.

SMITH
I know he got cut today but he actually looked really good imo. Surprised he didn't at least get some exhibition action.....but I guess they just know he can't make it this year. I think he should have a decent yr in the Peg.

BOURDON
I'm very excited about what this kid brings to the table....still needs work but he may be the most dynamic Dman on the roster right now and we'll need his spark. He was appearing to be taking it easy a bit....but I sensed a different attitude than w/ Schultz. Bourdon seemed more confident & patient than last year....he's going to be incredible....something else!

[Jovorock]

Good write up Clam, what about Alexander Edler?

[Meerschaum]

Thanks for the write-up Clam!

[Lancer]

Good Stuff Clam. I agree about Ellis. The guy's a soap opera looking for a hockey rink. Between Vincent and Schneider, we have enough young goaltending we don't need the headache.

Anybody see Simek in the main camp? Given what you have to say, hopefully he'll tear it up in Brandon. He could be a sleeper.

Give Grabner a couple seasons of coaching and experience, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the top six forwards. As for Bourdon, I'm expecting to see a season of big plays and big mistakes from him and I can live with that. He's a gifted young defenceman, that's what they do. It'll be fun to see nonetheless.

[Cornuck]

Thanks for the notes.

"Imagine Brett Hull w/ the finish of Richard Park." - Classic.

[DavidPratt_]

SLADE
Not surprised he got cut at all.....BRUTAL, allowing goals from all over the place...very slight stature. I was hoping he would make the jump but it looks like back to JR for him as an overage. No future here for him.

I was reading thinking - How can a guy who played in the top junior system with impressive stats (1.90 GAA, 11 SOs in the reg.season) be so awful?

Then I thought about Casey Printer's stats in the CFL and how he looked in the NFL preseason. It's a whole new league.....


dp

[MarkMM]

SLADE
Not surprised he got cut at all.....BRUTAL, allowing goals from all over the place...very slight stature. I was hoping he would make the jump but it looks like back to JR for him as an overage. No future here for him.

I was reading thinking - How can a guy who played in the top junior system with impressive stats (1.90 GAA, 11 SOs in the reg.season) be so awful?

Then I thought about Casey Printer's stats in the CFL and how he looked in the NFL preseason. It's a whole new league.....


dp

Yeah, I had high hopes, or maybe I was just high, I dunno...some guys just go on hot streaks, I guess???

[Grizzly]

Hockey News scores the Canucks prospects as a "C+" .... would you say that is accurate Clam ??

What letter grade would you give them overall if you could look into your crystal ball ??

Grizz

[ClamRussel]

Hockey News scores the Canucks prospects as a "C+" .... would you say that is accurate Clam ??

What letter grade would you give them overall if you could look into your crystal ball ??

Grizz

Baded on prospects camp I'd say thats OVERLY generous on their part...other than Bourdon there wasn't much to get excited about...however, we must consider that Schnieder is still at college so thats probably a fair assessment.

[WCE]

I think a C+ is pretty accurate, though if they had of said a 'C' I wouldn't argue against it.

Schultz having an invisible camp so far does not help matters much. It will be interesting to see if he can translate his scoring touch from the AHL to the big show. If he can, it gives us some options and some much needed depth.

If he can't...Well, we are an injury - to a top six forward - away from Luongo feeling like he never left Florida (IE, no second season).

[DavidPratt_]

Yeah, I had high hopes, or maybe I was just high, I dunno...some guys just go on hot streaks, I guess???

But didn't you think he would be at least a little better? I mean, he was facing high draft picks who play in the WHL and shut a lot of them down. To be that awful at an NHL PROSPECTS camp is pretty disappointing.

dp

[ververgaert]

Damn Clam thats not what I wanted to hear about Schultz. I seem to remember somthing like this happening with Matt Cooke a few years back when he first made the big club. He waltzed around like a superstar and figured the hard work days were over.

Maybe a quick reminder of a winnipeg winter is in order.

BTW Sharks just scored on the first shot Loungo faced as a Canuck.

[DavidPratt_]

Damn Clam thats not what I wanted to hear about Schultz. I seem to remember somthing like this happening with Matt Cooke a few years back when he first made the big club. He waltzed around like a superstar and figured the hard work days were over.

Maybe a quick reminder of a winnipeg winter is in order.

BTW Sharks just scored on the first shot Loungo faced as a Canuck.

Jesse Schultz had an umimpressive Prospects Camp and his play so far at training camp hasn't been spectacular. For a guy who was undrafted and played his first full season in the AHL last year and potted 37 goals, I'm hoping he didn't take for granted that his AHL coach was going to hand him a 'gimme' and let him make the team without earning it.

Funny enough, that reminds me of Casey Printers. Casey had one great season as CFL MVP followed by an OK season last year and suddenly he thought he would take the NFL by storm! By the way, Casey was not drafted by an NFL team as well.


dp

[MarkMM]

Yeah, I had high hopes, or maybe I was just high, I dunno...some guys just go on hot streaks, I guess???

But didn't you think he would be at least a little better? I mean, he was facing high draft picks who play in the WHL and shut a lot of them down. To be that awful at an NHL PROSPECTS camp is pretty disappointing.

dp

Yeah, definitely surprised and disappointed.

[MarkMM]

Hockey News scores the Canucks prospects as a "C+" .... would you say that is accurate Clam ??

What letter grade would you give them overall if you could look into your crystal ball ??

Grizz

C+ is fair, depending on how they value prospects. Grabner doesn't look good right now, but that's not how he should be measured, his long-term potential is pretty good, we've got Schneider as well, Edler is rough around the edges but with time will improve, same with Rahimi, Mason Raymond isn't NHL ready but has got upside. So what might look unimpressive now can reasonably be seen to be good down the road, that's what prospects are long-term potential and there we're C+ pretty fairly.