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If anyone deserves a look, it's Grenier.

herb wrote:Re Jensen:

After a strong showing at the Penticton Young Stars tournament, Jensen has had a rather pedestrian showing this season with a forgettable preseason followed up with only five goals and nine points in 29 games with Utica. It should be noted that Jensen is on fire as of late, with four goals and an assist in his last three games. Is he breaking out, or is this just his shooting percentage evening out from an unsustainably low rate?

Full disclosure, I don't watch the games so this is second hand info from folks who do (who generally seem to be credible from what I can tell).

Jensen's play this year has been inconsistent but there have been stretches where he had an impact on the game - creating chances, generating shots etc. but was very unlucky not to put points on the board. This latest stretch is one like that and in fact some feel he should have been credited with another assist so there's six points in three games for what it's worth (sweet fuck all).

That said he's apparently also had long stretches of ineffectual play and I don't know why - the shoulder, confidence, laziness, being a one dimensional winger on a team lacking effective centers and just a pretty bad team in general.. probably some combination of all of it.

The part of me that holds out some hope for Jensen recalls AV being very impressed at his first training camp, and I recall the impression that he's the type of player that performs better with higher level linemates. He certainly doesn't have that in Utica although if that's what it takes for him to prove he belongs in the NHL he might simply never get there.

Thanks for that Dave.

Between the Chicago Wolves being not really all that interested in developing our young guys and Utica being just an awful team, having a shitty farm team environment for our young players sucks.

In Chicago it seemed like the Wolves lack of interest in playing our young guys affected at least partly the development of guys like Schroeder, Kassian, Archibald and Mallet who were given limited roles or bumped down to the ECHL. In Utica, the shitty team I'm sure has made things harder for our prospects.

Hopefully next year, with the likely additions of Fox and Gaunce, as well as continued improvement in net from Ericsson and Cannata, the team can be more competitive. Maybe we should hope for an early exit by the Erie Otters so these guys can get to Utica this season!

herb wrote:In Chicago it seemed like the Wolves lack of interest in playing our young guys affected at least partly the development of guys like Schroeder, Kassian, Archibald and Mallet who were given limited roles or bumped down to the ECHL. In Utica, the shitty team I'm sure has made things harder for our prospects.

Hopefully next year, with the likely additions of Fox and Gaunce, as well as continued improvement in net from Ericsson and Cannata, the team can be more competitive. Maybe we should hope for an early exit by the Erie Otters so these guys can get to Utica this season!

I would take a development team that frequently lost over a minor pro team that consistently won any day of the week. I would argue that the day-to-day challenges are a tad harder for them in Utica but I think the hard lessons learned with the ice time will serve them better in the pros. The real challenge is for them to maintain and build their confidence - which is a saw-off between either case whether you're winning but barely playing or losing but playing a ton. Oklahoma kicked some ass during the lockout with the kids down there, but where's Edmonton now?

Getting more prospects onto the farm (Fox, Gaunce and the college kids) can only help even if only to foster some competition for call-ups and give a better gauge on who's growing on the farm regardless of the score. Times like these I wish we could get some of these overagers into the 'A' already.

^ I agree, but confidence is important and losing wears on you, no matter if it’s a ‘development team’ or not. One good thing about Utica is that they are no longer consistently losing by blowout margins!

herb wrote:One good thing about Utica is that they are no longer consistently losing by blowout margins!

That's progress...

Lancer wrote:I would take a development team that frequently lost over a minor pro team that consistently won any day of the week.

Well, I'd say you have to see that "development team" graduate a couple of players who weren't all but guaranteed NHL looks (guys like Jensen, Corrado, Eriksson) before you can really call it that.

Chicago seemed to do okay with a guy like Darren Archibald who now seems like at least a fringe NHL player.

We'll see if they give guys like Grenier, Cannata, Tommernes, Andersson, Mallet et al what they need to develop into solid pros, obviously they won't all get there but if their success rate isn't any better than a "minor pro team" then I don't see much point.

Of course, as everyone else has said hopefully it's a moot point and next year they can have guys like Fox, Gaunce, Shinkaruk and maybe a player or two from the NCAA ranks join the club and fill out the middle of the roster. That and a high end AHL vet or two (rather than disappointments like Hamill) would give us a development team that can actually compete for a playoff spot.

I read this morning that Shinkaruk will be AHL eligible next season, which is awesome news if true.

Forget Jensen, Kellan Lain has been called up and is likely to play tonight.

Lain is the 6'6" 220+ pound giant the Canucks signed a year ago as a NCAA free agent.

herb wrote:Forget Jensen, Kellan Lain has been called up and is likely to play tonight.

Lain is the 6'6" 220+ pound giant the Canucks signed a year ago as a NCAA free agent.

Stupid medieval measurements...!

Let's see... A foot is like 30.48 cm, and an inch is like 2.54...

That's 183+15... Some 198 cm, I guess, and like 100+ kg?

OK, pretty good size. Not Chara size, but still good.
Shorter than my nephew, but heavier.

herb wrote:I read this morning that Shinkaruk will be AHL eligible next season, which is awesome news if true.

Yeah, Shinkaruk turns 20 Oct 13, 2014, and as a CHL player is subject to:

"A player from the CHL has to either turn 20 by December 31st of the season, or have completed 4 seasons of junior eligibility. This agreement also covers European players if they are drafted out of the CHL."

S_C

herb wrote:I read this morning that Shinkaruk will be AHL eligible next season, which is awesome news if true.

Not making the Juniors was probably a good thing for him. He gets his surgery and has plenty of time rehab before camp. If he makes the team great but if not he will be ready for Utica. I can see him starting in Utica just because of his rehab. But either way he will get a chance to start his pro career.

The entire team other than Lack and a couple others sucks balls.

But then are we surprised when MG did nothing in the off season to improve this team?

Another year wasted with no SC.

Reefer2 wrote:The entire team other than Lack and a couple others sucks balls.

But then are we surprised when MG did nothing in the off season to improve this team?

Another year wasted with no SC.

One thing that you shouldn't do is post angry right after a loss. Yep the team looks like absolute shit right now but we all knew this part of the schedule was coming. Gets much easier from now on.

Let's see what happens over the next few games. Definitely need to score some goals, and if they don't win a round or two this post-season then major changes will be needed.

Diehard1 wrote: One thing that you shouldn't do is post angry right after a loss. Yep the team looks like absolute shit right now but we all knew this part of the schedule was coming. Gets much easier from now on.

Let's see what happens over the next few games. Definitely need to score some goals, and if they don't win a round or two this post-season then major changes will be needed.

WHOA!!

You're like the anti-Royaldude!