Prospects Thread 2012-13

[RoyalDude]

Watched the game last night, Kassian and Schroeder looked great last night. I might have renewed faith in those two. You can see that Mallet will be and NHL'er one day, just that combination of toughness, grit and smarts, sort of like Burrows, not as quite as skilled but a lot tougher. People, we really need to stick a fork in Rodin and Sauve. Those two just ain't got what it takes. Painful. Not overly impressed with Connauton last night. Tanev is a good one, Mr. Steady Eddy, reliable, smart, heads up, sees the play real well, moves the puck well, great passer, mobile, what's not to like about Tanev. Definitely top 4 potential in the Canucks line-up down the road. Outside of Kassian, Schroeder, Tanev, Mallet, Pinizotto and Lack I do not see much to like down in Chicago. Those 6 are the only ones I see being players in the NHL. I'm really not sold on Connnauton right now. Definitely not a great team down there. It's too bad that Jensen isn't in Chicago, he's the type of player that line-up needs right now, another big bodied skilled guy. I could see him and Kassian really clicking together on a line. Impressed with Kassian's smarts. Was worried that he was another Booth bonehead, but the kid is a heads up player. Ellis is a good D-man.

[Aaronp18]

[Fred]

The kid I liked was Watson from Milwaukee, he was every ware. Ellis looked good. For Chicago, Schroeder and Lack. Kassian was OK but his first few steps were not NHL, once he got a head of steam up and he did make a couple of nice plays. The arena lighting wasn't that good so it didn't make viewing great, or maybe it's my eyes

[RoyalDude]

The kid I liked was Watson from Milwaukee, he was every ware. Ellis looked good. For Chicago, Schroeder and Lack. Kassian was OK but his first few steps were not NHL, once he got a head of steam up and he did make a couple of nice plays. The arena lighting wasn't that good so it didn't make viewing great, or maybe it's my eyes

Kassian will never be melting the ice with any afterburners, I agree about his first few steps, where his biggest assets are will be down low, cycling and shot. He's a smart, heads up player who is actually a very good playmaker. His size and skill will be great for us down low around the net.

[Lancer]

+1

Tanev is a good one, Mr. Steady Eddy, reliable, smart, heads up, sees the play real well, moves the puck well, great passer, mobile, what's not to like about Tanev.

His shot. That said, I'd put him in the Canucks' lineup any day.

People, we really need to stick a fork in Rodin and Sauve.

I'll give Rodin some time before getting my fork out due to his significant injury from last season and the fact that his strength in that shoulder is not 100%. Sauvé, on the other hand, seems like career minor leaguer at best the way he's been playing. Too bad, considering the tools he apparently had in his toolbox coming out of junior.

[Fred]

If I recall correctly Sauve was a high rated players in the Q bantam draft, but never shone in junior. I keep scrtaching my head why Polasak was went to the ECHL and they kept Sauve.

Kassians first couple of steps are not good but not unusual for a big man. The problem with being a great heavy fore checker is first you have to catch the guy before you hit him. A little like Brashear in some ways. Brashear was great straight line skater but fairly easy to avoid. Kassian seems smart in a static game, but lots of time for him yet. Schroeder is good but not dominant IMO, to do well in the NHL he should be lights out in the AHL ??

[Southern_Canuck]

Sunday Nov 25

ECHL

Toledo 3 Kalamazoo 2
Anthony 0 points, -2
Archibald 0 points, even
Cannata was the back-up
Polasek 0 points, even
Rai did not play

OHL

Sudbury 2 Brampton 0
Corrado 0 points, even (was on for both PP goals, but didn't pick up any points)

Ottawa 0 Belleville 3
Gaunce 0 points, even

S_C

[Blob Mckenzie]

Decent showing from Zack Kassian last night. He has soft hands for a big fella and if he had any decent linemates I am positive he would be hovering around a ppg quite easily in the AHL. He did last year playing in Rochester and this season he is being asked to carry Ebbett and Haydar who both look terrible. Kassian could be a bit more physical but the reality is the hits weren't really there last night due to the style of game and the mobility of the Admirals defence.

I thought Jordan Schroeder also played pretty well and once again this is a player who is playing with inferior linemates which drags his stats down big time. I could see this player become a Brendan Morrison type in the NHL which is not a bad thing. I am no fan of Morrison but he was a crafty, useful player in his day. Both guys are very small, skate well and can play enough defense so as not to be a liabilty.

Tanev looked pretty good again but imagine if the kid could shoot the puck. I still see him as a 4/5 tweener and until he can hit the puck substantially harder he will never be a point producer from the back end.

Eddie Lack completely fluffed the 2nd goal but he looks as cool as a cucumber out there. Definitely will play in the show but not sure if he will be a high end starter.

Connauton and Sauve both looked kinda weak. Really expected a bit more from both of these guys by now but I'm not going to write them off yet. Sauve needs to be a punishing player if he wants to play in the NHL. He has enough agility to go with the great size that he should be wiping a few more guys out. Connauton needs to play with way more intensity and pace as well. Too nonchalant at this stage in his career. Where is the fire in both of these guys.

I liked the little I saw of Mallett. I think this kid will be an NHL 4th line pain in the ass one day.

I don't like the philosophy of so many vets playing and taking up space. Then again it isn't like Vancouver has a ton of high end prospects to fill out the lineup.

[Hoss]

Everyone seems to be down on lil Anton Rodin.

We keep preaching the Detroit player development model but no one is actually willing to be patient with our prospects, its the mothereffin' Chicken Little routine every time.

Shoulder issues, just starting his second season on N.A. ice. Everyone agrees that he's creating chances but not getting on the scoresheet enough. Let me check in at the end of the '13-14 season and then we'll see what the deal is.
From what I've seen he's one of the most entertaining players we have in the pipeline so why not wait a little to see if he can create some excitement at Rogers in the future?

[damonberryman]

Everyone seems to be down on lil Anton Rodin.

We keep preaching the Detroit player development model but no one is actually willing to be patient with our prospects, its the mothereffin' Chicken Little routine every time.

Shoulder issues, just starting his second season on N.A. ice. Everyone agrees that he's creating chances but not getting on the scoresheet enough. Let me check in at the end of the '13-14 season and then we'll see what the deal is.
From what I've seen he's one of the most entertaining players we have in the pipeline so why not wait a little to see if he can create some excitement at Rogers in the future?

I agree. Give the kid some time. He could have gone home sulking but is hanging in. He is bigger than I thought he was. I was thinking more along the lines of Skriko. Small and fast but maybe with more recovery time he can look better. The point about Detroit is bang-on.

[Benjo]

Archibald is heading to the little big show

The Vancouver Canucks have reassigned left wing Darren Archibald from the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings to the Chicago Wolves and have reassigned forward Stefan Schneider from the Wolves to the K-Wings. In addition, the Wolves have recalled defenseman Jeremie Blain from the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads.

[Southern_Canuck]

^^^ Cannata was also called up because Lack has a "lower body injury"...

Tuesday Nov 27

OHL

London 3 Kitchener 1
McEneny 0 points, even

S_C

[Lancer]

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/hocke ... story.html

Looks like Corrado, Cannata and Anderson are high on Gillis' list of late-rounders. It will be interesting to see how they progress this year. Corrado is a bit of a no-brainer, but I wonder why Gillis mentioned those other two guys vice somebody like Friesen or Mallet?

[Southern_Canuck]

^^^interesting info from Gillis. I like where Gilman says they are aiming to exceed a "good draft average" of two NHLers, and yet in 5 years they have produced only one NHLer (Hodgson) so far. Typically, the NHL calibre players make it within 3-5 years after their draft, so it seemed like a funny comment.

Wednesday Nov 28

AHL

Rockford 4 Chicago 2
Climie 38 saves on 41 shots

Kassian, (6) (Ebbett, Haydar)
Schroeder, (7) (Sterling, Connauton)

Soon after Kassian scored, Archibald fought and won against Lalonde - and later Kassian fought Beach! Supposedly Kassian got in a few shots, but lost his balance, and Beach hit him while he was down.
Wolves were killed by 5 straight power plays against from the late 2nd to 3rd... including a 1:55 5-on-3 - Rockford went 2 for 7 overall.

QMJHL

Chicoutimi 5 Cape Breton 2
Honzik 6 saves on 10 shots (pulled at 17:54 of the 1st) Ouch. (Trudeau 20 saves on 21 shots)

OHL

Sudbury 4 Sault Ste. Marie 5 (SO)
Corrado 1 goal (3rd), 1 assist, -1

Niagara 2 Belleville 6
Gaunce 0 points, even

S_C

[Lancer]

Supposedly Kassian got in a few shots, but lost his balance, and Beach hit him while he was down.

What else would you expect of a lump of dogshit like Beach but that he take shots on a guy when he's down. That punk needs another mother-of-all-beatdowns. Kass will get his chance on that punta.