Prospect Report: Need Input

[calgary1233]

Seilof came from the US development system, which is the difference.  CHL has transfer rules and Klimchuk can't play until the year of his 20th birthday.  Think I have that right.  It's been discussed a number of times in various threads.

ya he can't play in ahl until 20 so in march 2015 i think so i think he can play the last quarter in in the ahl

[robrob1974]

Seilof came from the US development system, which is the difference.  CHL has transfer rules and Klimchuk can't play until the year of his 20th birthday.  Think I have that right.  It's been discussed a number of times in various threads.

 

I forgot that Sieloff came from US Development. 

[jjgallow]

I like me my Klimchuk. I really do. There are a lot of prospects who coast on shifts to conserve energy, and Klimchuk isn't one of them. That attitude will not need any adjustment when he hits the NHL and every shift is 45 seconds of "go-go-go".

 

I like prospects who may not be imposing physically, but have the right attitude and heart. It's my bias. On the other hand, I'm less inclined to like gifted physical specimens who don't and/or are unable to take advantage of those gifts on a consistent basis. Mostly because that's what I was, and I definitely washed out young. Being naturally blessed with size means nothing if you can't do anything with it.

 

 

Well, looks like I'm in the minority on this one.

 

Just one last post on the matter and I'll walk away from it.

 

My main question:

What, from what you posted above, doesn't apply to Reinhart?  Except without all the risk, as Reinhart has already matured into that player you're projecting Klimchuk to be?

 

Secondly, I would go as far as to ask that same question for Granlund.  Also smallish.  Way more offense, though, to justify a top 6 projection.  And mature enough to be far less risk.  Less risk, yet more upside.

 

Lastly, Ortio and Gillies.  As they're goalies, I can understand why there is such a discrepancy in their ranking, but personally I see them both higher than all players mentioned here.

[travel_dude]

Well, looks like I'm in the minority on this one.

 

Just one last post on the matter and I'll walk away from it.

 

My main question:

What, from what you posted above, doesn't apply to Reinhart?  Except without all the risk, as Reinhart has already matured into that player you're projecting Klimchuk to be?

 

Secondly, I would go as far as to ask that same question for Granlund.  Also smallish.  Way more offense, though, to justify a top 6 projection.  And mature enough to be far less risk.  Less risk, yet more upside.

 

Lastly, Ortio and Gillies.  As they're goalies, I can understand why there is such a discrepancy in their ranking, but personally I see them both higher than all players mentioned here.

 

Ortio only has had one good season so far in the AHL.  He has shown good first steps in adapting to the NA game.  His low ranking is because with goalies, you are either the top guy or a bust.  Brust and Taylor both looked good in the AHL, but neither had the makings of an NHL goalie.  Not that I want to get into THAT discussion again. 

 

Gillies is an exciting prospect, but he is still just a young guy playing in college.  He has a stellar frosh year followed by a great first half, followed by a bad stretch (including the WJC), followed by a ok recovery.  Slight injury concerns make him still a bit of a risk.  Like Janko, this year should address some of the concerns.

 

It hard to decide where Klimchuk falls compared to Reinhart and Granlund.  Reinhart is better suited coming in as a bottom 6 player, able to play center or wing.  Granlund is top 6 potential, but has some work to get there.  Given the depth at center, I think he best fits in where Hudler plays.  Klimchuk has top 6 winger potential; he replaces a GlenX type role.

[cross16]

Well, looks like I'm in the minority on this one.

 

Just one last post on the matter and I'll walk away from it.

 

My main question:

What, from what you posted above, doesn't apply to Reinhart?  Except without all the risk, as Reinhart has already matured into that player you're projecting Klimchuk to be?

 

Secondly, I would go as far as to ask that same question for Granlund.  Also smallish.  Way more offense, though, to justify a top 6 projection.  And mature enough to be far less risk.  Less risk, yet more upside.

 

Lastly, Ortio and Gillies.  As they're goalies, I can understand why there is such a discrepancy in their ranking, but personally I see them both higher than all players mentioned here.

I won't speak for Cryzdyr but IMO Klimchuk has more talent and much more offence, hands and puck skills then Reinhart plus all the same intangibles. That's why I'd rank him higher.

[Crzydrvr]

ya he can't play in ahl until 20 so in march 2015 i think so i think he can play the last quarter in in the ahl

 

If he isn't 20 by December of that Calendar year, he's not eligible to play until the following season.

 

 

Well, looks like I'm in the minority on this one.

 

Just one last post on the matter and I'll walk away from it.

 

My main question:

What, from what you posted above, doesn't apply to Reinhart?  Except without all the risk, as Reinhart has already matured into that player you're projecting Klimchuk to be?

 

Secondly, I would go as far as to ask that same question for Granlund.  Also smallish.  Way more offense, though, to justify a top 6 projection.  And mature enough to be far less risk.  Less risk, yet more upside.

 

Lastly, Ortio and Gillies.  As they're goalies, I can understand why there is such a discrepancy in their ranking, but personally I see them both higher than all players mentioned here.

 

Well I project Klimchuk as a top 6 winger, so Reinhart hasn't yet matured into that. Nor has Granlund. I don't remember seeing any of my posts saying Klimchuk has a similar ceiling to Reinhart. I've been on board with the top-6 projection from day 1.

 

Max is a good player, but he's a depth player, whereas Klimchuk could be even better than that. What he needs right now is experience, and while he's more risky his significant upside difference is what puts him higher on my list. Granlund has the experience to more accurately guess at his NHL future, but as far as pure toolsets go he doesn't quite have the same level of skating or wellroundedness that Klimchuk does.

 

Lastly, I am of the opinion that goalies are so unpredictable that it's impossible to get a proper handle on them until they break out or bust. So they'll always end up ranked lower on my lists. If you can get a stud goalie and he PROVES it then by all means rank him higher (like a Gibson or a Vasilevski) but even then those types of guys have a high risk of busting. Case study being a guy like Markstrom, who spent years as one of Florida's most highly rated prospects and still managed to work his way out of their future. Goalies are a crapshoot and in the end looking good at the lower levels means squat unless they translate it to the NHL. All the success does is give them a fighting chance to make it, they SHOULD be posting great numbers otherwise you've got a problem.

[JTech780]

Brandon Hickey had 3 assists in his first college game with Boston University not a bad start to the season.

[travel_dude]

Brandon Hickey had 3 assists in his first college game with Boston University not a bad start to the season.

Can't get too excited about a 12-1 win over STU.  Not exactly much competition.

 

Colgate won 7-1 over Queens U, but didn't see Harrison listed on the roster for that game.

[xstrike]

What do you all think about Austin Carroll's season so far? Leading his team and #11 in the WHL in scoring is pretty good for a 7th round pick. I'm not saying he's amazing and the next superstar. The season is still young and is in the WHL, but I like what I see from someone who was drafted so late.

[JTech780]

What do you all think about Austin Carroll's season so far? Leading his team and #11 in the WHL in scoring is pretty good for a 7th round pick. I'm not saying he's amazing and the next superstar. The season is still young and is in the WHL, but I like what I see from someone who was drafted so late.

It is great to see him producing. That being said he is playing in his overage season in the WHL. He was drafted as a 20 year old. He is eligible to play in Adirondack. Just to temper expectations.

[xstrike]

Ah, didn't know that. The odds are against him, but look at Gio, he did it undrafted, Carroll could too. Like I said, small chance of that happening but hey, you have to start somewhere eh? I'll wait and see how he did at the end of the season before I hold out any hope of him being a good AHL player, let alone an NHL one.

[kehatch]

It is great to see him producing. That being said he is playing in his overage season in the WHL. He was drafted as a 20 year old. He is eligible to play in Adirondack. Just to temper expectations.

Agreed. Though he was an unexpected late cut from main camp and looked really solid in the preseason.

[TrippinVdUb]

What do you all think about Austin Carroll's season so far? Leading his team and #11 in the WHL in scoring is pretty good for a 7th round pick. I'm not saying he's amazing and the next superstar. The season is still young and is in the WHL, but I like what I see from someone who was drafted so late.

I see a legitimate reason to get excited about Austin. After he was drafted I paid him no attention at all and after his summer at camp and the youmg guns tourney I thought he was the most intriguing pick of the year. Hes big, strong and a decent skater. If he can transition into the pro game we could have a very solid 2nd-3rd line 3RS which our depth chart is sorely missing. I think its a little soon to pencil him in but next training camp will tell us allot about who Austin Carol is.

[zima]

I had the ability to watch the OHL Gens vs erie and what I saw from Smith last night was scary I don't see him making it to the NHL unless he really picks his socks up he got run over a couple of times players skating right pass him just couldn't keep up. He did 1 good tip in centre ice but he looked like he couldn't keep up mind you it was only 1 game and he does have some good points last few opponents they were up against. So I guess every 1 has a bad game you just don't want it when your playing against the MacD if it wasn't for Apple the7y would have lost that game and 2 of them would have been due to Smiths mistakes.

[StarkRaving]

I've been biting my tongue about Hunter Smith as a lot of people seem to have high hopes for him.  I saw him at the rookie camp last summer and I felt that his skating had a long way to go.  It was almost as if he was coping with a growth spurt.  I haven't seen him skate since then, so he may well have turned it around.

[robrob1974]

Something that Steve Yzerman once said about Keith Primeau when he hit camp the year he was drafted was I can't believe we drafted this bum so high, the guy can't skate. 

 

Not saying Smith is a Primeau, but skating can improve. I guess the same can be said for Kanzig's skating. 

 

I don't see Smith making it right away. He could use a few years in the minors. But I hope that he does well. I really enjoyed his thunderous hits in rookie camp.

I was at the rookie tournament… 

[zima]

I do hope he amazes every one like I said I only watch the 1 game and 1 game doesn't tell the whole tail but what I did see concerned me a bit his defensive abilities leave alot to be desired from what I saw.

[kehatch]

I like Smith. I like the players like Ferland and Smith that are big, mean, but can still play. Especially when they are on the wing.

His skating doesn't worry me as much as some. He is a late bloomer that is just now finding his stride.

He is still a project. But as a late second he was a good pick.

[tachaudh]

Any further scouting on Hunter Smith? 

[cccsberg]

He just won the Memorial Cup with his team the Oshawa Generals.  Likely he'll be in Stockton this Fall.

[tachaudh]

He just won the Memorial Cup with his team the Oshawa Generals.  Likely he'll be in Stockton this Fall.

 

I know he won the Mem Cup man I didn't get a chance to see him play though. I'm asking specifically about how he looked in the tournament.

[JTech780]

I know he won the Mem Cup man I didn't get a chance to see him play though. I'm asking specifically about how he looked in the tournament.

In the games I watched he looked fine. He goes to the net hard.

Smith is a project, he needs to work on a few things still. His skating could be improved, that's not to say he is a bad skater, I think because he is so big and lanky it looks like he slower than he actually is. He isn't a skill guy, he is going to have success by playing a simple hard working game.

[travel_dude]

In the games I watched he looked fine. He goes to the net hard.

Smith is a project, he needs to work on a few things still. His skating could be improved, that's not to say he is a bad skater, I think because he is so big and lanky it looks like he slower than he actually is. He isn't a skill guy, he is going to have success by playing a simple hard working game.

 

To add to that, he played on a line where he was instructed to stand in front of the net to deflect and screen, and to use the boards to maintain or take possession.  He was great on the forecheck, much in the same way as Fearland was against the Nucks; he pounded the player into the boards before or during their pass.  In a dump and chase game, he would be able to cause some issues.

 

I found him coasting at times, but that may have been the style of play they were using.  I can't remember too many instances of him reaching full speed; he seemed to take two or three strides and went from there.

 

I don't know how he slots in, but if he was there, I might like to see how a line of Ferland-Arnold-Smith would look.  Good forechecking, decent speed, defensively responsible, hard hitting, some skill.

[cross16]

When your 6'7 you are always going to look like you are coasting IMO. At that size you just don't have the foot speed and top end speed.

Smith reminds me of Kyle Clifford in LA. Big guy who won't exactly get in in the forecheck quickly but can still get there. Smith has a decent understanding and instincts of where to go but can improve on that to further compensate what will likely never be great foot speed but he can still make an impact. I don't think his upside is that high but he is a solid NHL prospect.

[zima]

Our cupboards are suppose to be full but I decided to see where our players stand in the AHL and was very disappointed to find out that we don't have a player in the top 100 in scoring and the 1 player we do have we luckily picked up this yr Guess who ? Hamilton what the heck happened to Poirier Klimchuck Hathaway. I realize we play less games but our top scorer has 14 points in 19 games Klimchuck played 10 games and didn't produce a point sent to an ECHL team and only 1 goal  in the last 9 last 2 yrs picks are a no show in any standings except Rasmus and maybe Magi. We could be in very big trouble if we are going to have to rely on our  AHL kids to this point.