Prospects Thread 2012-13

[BingoTough]

Whoa there Doc..those Oilers are a juggernaut in the making. Not sure who the 2nd line centre will be (Horcoff maybe ), who the other five d -men will be, who will play goal or who will fill out the 3rd and 4th lines but that team is going to be dominant !!!!

If I'm a GM in the northwest, my orders to every single 3rd & 4th liner + every defencemen would be to go after those buggers down every chance they get. Nasty, hard & vicious. Sure, some will grin and bear it, but some will fold and shy away.

[Southern_Canuck]

Corrado is playing in the "Subway" Super Series tonight in Sarnia - he will be on the right of Dougie Hamilton (9th overall in 2011 - Bruins pick from the Kessel trade).

OHL 2 Russia 1
Corrado 1 goal, +2

Ryan Strome, (1) (Garrett Meurs, Matt Puempel)
Frankie Corrado, (1) (Ryan Strome, Dougie Hamilton)

S_C

[Island Nucklehead]

Corrado is playing in the "Subway" Super Series tonight in Sarnia - he will be on the right of Dougie Hamilton (9th overall in 2011 - Bruins pick from the Kessel trade).

Corrado just potted team OHL's second goal.

[Southern_Canuck]

Wednesday Nov 14

QMJHL

PEI 3 Cape Breton 5
Honzik 17 saves on 20 shots

OHL

Guelph 1 Belleville 2 (SO)
Gaunce 1 goal (5), even (first game back)

Brampton 4 Sudbury 2
Corrado 0 points, even

S_C

[Southern_Canuck]

Friday Nov 16

AHL

Chicago 2 Peoria 3 (OT)
Lack 27 saves on 30 shots

Desbiens, (1) (Gordon)
Pinizzotto, (3) (Connauton, Matheson)

NCAA

Dartmouth 4 Colgate 5
Price 1 goal, even

Harvard 4 Cornell 1
McNally 1 assist, +3

Massachusetts 2 Maine 2 (OT)
Hutton 1 assist, even

Boston University 6 Vermont 2
Myron 1 goal, +2

Wisconsin 2 Minnesota 2 (OT)
Labate 0 points, even (got a checking from behind major and game misconduct in the 2nd)

QMJHL

Saint John 2 Cape Breton 5
Honzik 3 saves on 5 shots - pulled at 7:25 of the 1st (Trudeau 17 saves on 17 shots)

Well that's a pretty good indicator of the coach Ron Choules' trust in Honzik - nonexistent.

OHL

Erie 1 Kitchener 2
McEneny 1 goal (1st), 1 assist, +1

Sarnia 2 Sudbury 3 (SO)
Corrado 1 assist, even

Belleville 1 Oshawa 5
Gaunce 0 points, -2

S_C

[RoyalDude]

Not one Chicago Wolves player in the top 100 in scoring. Jordan Schroeder, the Wolves leading scorer is 120th followed by Pinnizzotto at 129th and Zack Kassian at 146. If the Canucks had not trade picks for Bernier and drafted McNabb like Buffalo did with our pick, McNabb would be leading the Wolves in scoring as a defenseman. Go Canuck Prospects Go!

With Cody Hodgson missing 5 games due to injury, he'd still be leading the Wolves in scoring.

Gillis is a drafting and developing genius. Has a real eye for talent that boy. I don't know what is worse, his trades or his drafting.

When you look at what Mr. Eye For Talent - Gillis gave up for the amazing services of Keith Ballard, a 1st round pick, the 2nd and 3rd round picks we gave up for Bernier and Michael Grabner, it's no wonder our prospect pool looks so thin.

I'm a little curious as to when Gillis whole new age GM''ing money puck thing is supposed to kick in? I mean first thing he said upon his hiring was how awful the previous management was at drafting and developing, I'm just a little curious as to when we are going to start seeing the results of his self appointed great ability to draft and develop. It's been 5 drafts now for the Great Mike Gillis.

Boston can find the likes of Bergeron and Lucic in the 2nd round and Krecji and Marchand in the 3rd, why can't Gillis? Nonis can find Edler, Raymond and Hansen outside the first round, and draft our current no. 1 goalie - Schneider late in the first round, why can't Gillis? Detroit can find the likes of Lidstrom, Holmstrom, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen, Hurdler, Fillipula outside the first round round, find the likes of Kromwall late in the first round, why can't Gillis?

With the Chicago rumors percolating again, I sure hope it's McNeill whom we get if a deal ever happens. It would definitely put Gillis back in Chef Boi RD's good books. But shite, if I was Chicago I sure as hell wouldn't be trading McNeill. Go Bolland Go!

[Blob Mckenzie]

Life is way too short to be this angry and bitter.

[RoyalDude]

Life is way too short to be this angry and bitter.

[Southern_Canuck]

C'mon Dude! Get on board the Gillis Prospect Train! Choo Woo!!

Who's hot?

A couple of free agents - Darren Archibald with 3 goals and 2 assists in his current 5 game point streak in the ECHL,
...and Evan McEneny has 1 goal and 5 assists in his current 4 game point streak for Kitchener.

And promising freshman Ben Hutton is on a modest 3 game point streak with 1 goal and 2 assists with Maine.
GP 12 G 1 A 4 P 5

Although he's not really a prospect, you've got to give props to Steve Pinizzotto, supposed 4th line grinder putting up:
GP 13 G 3 A 5 P 8 PIM 20 -2

As for who's not hot - well David Honzik is front and center:

GP 3 GAA 6.45 SV% 0.776

Sure, he is recovering from off-season shoulder surgery, but Ouch! (3rd round pick, 71st overall in 2011.) At this rate he will never get offered a contract.

What about the long forgotten Kellan Tochkin playing in the CHL for the Missouri Mavericks?
GP 11 G 5 A 2 P 7

S_C

[Southern_Canuck]

Saturday Nov 17

AHL

Peoria 3 Chicago 2
Climie 18 saves on 21 shots

Pinizzotto, (4) (Haydar, Ebbett)
Gordon, (4) (Haydar, Hunt)

When the game was 2-2, Kassian scored what appeared to me to be a goal... however the refs reviewed it and decided no goal. I'm not sure why. Apparently Kassian wasn't sure why either because he made a comment to the ref and received a 10 minute misconduct.

ECHL

Kalamazoo 2 Orlando 4
Anthony 0 points, -2
Archibald 0 points, -1
Cannata did not dress
Polasek 0 points, +1
Rai 0 points, -1

NCAA

Harvard 0 Colgate 1
Price 1 goal, +1
McNally 0 points, -1

And the battle of Price vs. McNally goes to Price!

Wisconsin 1 Minnesota 3
Labate 0 points, -1

OHL

Kitchener 0 Owen Sound 4
McEneny 0 points, -3

Plymouth 2 Belleville 3 (OT)
Gaunce 1 goal (6), even (selected first star)

S_C

[Southern_Canuck]

Sunday Nov 18

ECHL

Kalamazoo 1 Orlando 2
Anthony 1 assist, +1
Archibald 0 points, -1
Cannata did not dress
Polasek 0 points, even
Rai 0 points, even

NCAA

New Hampshire 3 Boston University 1
Myron 0 points, -1 (3 SOG)

QMJHL

Rouyn-Noranda 6 Cape Breton 2
Honzik 20 saves on 26 shots (0.769 Ouch)

OHL

Barrie 7 Sudbury 2
Corrado 0 points, -2

London 4 Kitchener 3
McEneny 0 points, even

S_C

[Southern_Canuck]

Tuesday Nov 20

AHL

Milwaukee (Nashville) 3 Chicago 5
Lack 23 saves on 26 shots

Sterling, (5) (Longpre, Rodin)
Gordon, (5) (Sterling, Rodin) (PP)
Matheson, (2) (Tanev, Kassian)
Schroeder, (5) (Tanev, Matheson)
Sterling, (6) (Rodin, Matheson)

The Wolves came out like gangbusters, and many of the players looked very good:
Canucks property:
Connauton: Excellent offensive zone awareness, and able to get every point shot through, almost created three rebound goals
Tanev: Steady and good breakout passes
Rodin: Now playing second unit powerplay at the half boards, Schroeder moved back to the point, Rodin looking motivated, great pass on the powerplay goal, and almost scored another
Kassian: Crashed the net on the powerplay, Milwaukee giving him lots of room
Schroeder: Scored a beautiful spinorama in the slot, but tended to force passes, and lose possession
Ebbett: Created a couple of offensive chances

Non-Canucks property:
Sterling: His usual buzz-saw, never-say-die attitude, nice snipe
Matheson: Very steady in own zone with Tanev
Longpre: Very active forechecking, created several scoring opportunities

ECHL

Kalamazoo 4 Orlando 3
Anthony 1 goal (1st), +2
Archibald 1 assist, even
Cannata was the back-up
Polasek 0 points, +1
Rai did not play

S_C

[RoyalDude]

Zack Kassian - 146th in scoring in the AHL. Has he righted the ship?

[Southern_Canuck]

Zack Kassian - 146th in scoring in the AHL. Has he righted the ship?

I've watched 5 games (and listened to 3 others) and here is what I observed:

Kassian is not a big-body, hard forechecker, pest/fighter kind of player - he is a high skill, playmaking winger with size kind of player.

I think it's easy to look at his size and aggressive history, and peg him a certain way, but he plays more of a skill game.
The good:
Has great puck skills, both passing and his shot.
Above average skater
Is unafraid to go to the front of the net and stand there, or drive to the net with the puck
Has pretty good vision/awareness of teammates position
The bad:
Will leave defensive zone early, often looking for head-man pass
Has not decided/learned when to use what part of his skill set (tries to make a pretty pass when it would be better to just shoot and crash the net, or tries to finesse along the boards when he could intimidate with a big hit instead.)

In last night's game, he was robbed point blank by a fluky stick save on what looked to be a sure goal from the close slot. He may only have 4 goals this season, but with 2 goals disallowed by poor calls, and that robbery last night, I'm not too worried. He looked really good in the game - confidently carrying the puck through center, creating chances with passing in the offensive zone, and screening in front of the net which resulted in one Wolves' goal.

He's a high-end prospect, and as soon as there is NHL hockey, that's where he will be playing for sure. Sure he has some maturing and experience to gain, but in 2-3 years he has the potential to be one of those highly-sought-after power forwards that can play in the top 6.

S_C

[Lancer]

Kassian is not a big-body, hard forechecker, pest/fighter kind of player - he is a high skill, playmaking winger with size kind of player.

Considering his junior career, I would say he still has that big-body, hard forechecker tollset in his toolbox and he can and should bring that out in his game. That said, it could be a case of what he's been told by Canuck management going into the season or he's working on his game while trying not to get hurt (not the best idea, but I can understand it).

Given what I've read, seen and heard so far this season, if he turns into a poor-man's version of Big Bert - can hit and fight when he needs to but can contribute more offensively - I would be happy.

But I guess the Dude's not happy unless Kassian is beating somebody bloody on a nightly basis while potting 2 pts a game. Yeah, Kassian's a total bum. Waste of cap space. Gillis is a retard. Can't draft worth shit. Can't develop worth shit. Worst GM in hockey history. The Canucks have no hope this season or any season with Gillis at the helm.

Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah, puke, rinse, repeat.