Adam Ruzicka

[conundrumed]

Time to pay attention!

 

Ruzicka is currently tied for 3rd in OHL scoring.

10 games: 8G, 7A; +12

The Sting are currently 9-1 rocking an 8 game winning streak.

Ruzicka leading the way.

Amazing how Derian Hatcher and David Legwand are turning this franchise around, all while London has gone right in the toilet without Parsons!

[cross16]

Said it in another thread but of the entire Flames system he is the prospect i'm most intrigued by. I'm not sure he'll ever be their best prospect but the tools and the whole package is pretty intriguing. I'm not sure his skating will ever make him a top prospect but there are more than a few reasons to be excited here. 

[conundrumed]

Kind words from Derian Hatcher:

“Adam Ruzicka has really made big strides,” Hatcher noted of his top scorer, the club’s second round pick in the 2016 CHL Import Draft. “He’s so big, strong and he knows how to score goals. We think he was an absolute steal for the Calgary Flames in the fourth round of the draft.”

[conundrumed]

10 straight wins, ranked 2 in the CHL. I'll be at the SSM game next Friday, fight for first.

Seeing St. Loo took Sting Captain Kyrou in our Elliott trade, OHL leading points...if only we'd solved G earlier! 2016 draft coulda been:

Tkachuk-LW

Kyrou- RHS RW

Parsons-G

Fox-D

Hello!!

Current OHL pts leaders:

1. Kyrou-RW

2. Ruzicka-C

The Sting are scoring in buckets!

[conundrumed]

Ruzicka is now tied for scoring and 2nd in pts to Kyrou on the #1 team in the nation!

[jjgallow]

1 hour ago, conundrumed said:

Ruzicka is now tied for scoring and 2nd in pts to Kyrou on the #1 team in the nation!

 

I'll take scoring over points anyday (and both, is even better).    Filter by age, order by goals....and:

http://www.eliteprospects.com/league.php?season=2017&leagueid=OHL&pos=&leagueteam=&teamname=&nation=&nationname=&age=u19&prospects=&order=G

 

Makes you wonder how we even got this guy at all, let alone in the 4th round... 6'4 and physical? 

 

I guess just his skating threw people off?    I don't think that can't be overcome.  Skating takes longer when you're 6'4.  

 

Looking really good

[conundrumed]

Caught the 2 Sting games on the wkend, up to 13 in a row, averaging 5.5 goals/game. Uh oh, this is turning into a juggernaut.

Ruzicka is big, he plays big. The skating is somewhat lumbering but not at all out of place. His "jump" is much-improved for sure but still has to get better.

I think it's more foot speed because he's big, so the muscles will mature and I think he'll be fine. He's the 1C and currently 58% from the dot, almost lethal on the PP.

Passing and finishing is very good.

One disclaimer is his RW Kyrou, too young for the A, too good for the O, pretty much just does as he pleases.

But Ruzicka has made huge strides compared to last year. I honestly think being at the Flames camp was a massive boost for him. He's playing with a ton of confidence.

[travel_dude]

2 hours ago, conundrumed said:

Caught the 2 Sting games on the wkend, up to 13 in a row, averaging 5.5 goals/game. Uh oh, this is turning into a juggernaut.

Ruzicka is big, he plays big. The skating is somewhat lumbering but not at all out of place. His "jump" is much-improved for sure but still has to get better.

I think it's more foot speed because he's big, so the muscles will mature and I think he'll be fine. He's the 1C and currently 58% from the dot, almost lethal on the PP.

Passing and finishing is very good.

One disclaimer is his RW Kyrou, too young for the A, too good for the O, pretty much just does as he pleases.

But Ruzicka has made huge strides compared to last year. I honestly think being at the Flames camp was a massive boost for him. He's playing with a ton of confidence.

 

I'm glad you have eyes on him.  Nice to also know his FO%.

 

Kyrou, ugg, that's the pick we gave up for Elliott.  Oh well, at least we made the playoffs last year.  

[cross16]

On 10/28/2017 at 9:01 AM, jjgallow said:

Makes you wonder how we even got this guy at all, let alone in the 4th round... 6'4 and physical? 

 

I guess just his skating threw people off?    I don't think that can't be overcome.  Skating takes longer when you're 6'4.  

 

 

 

Skating for sure and consistency I think was the other issue. he ran very hot and cold last year, not just in results but his effort level too so it threw some people off. I happen to see on of his good games and that's why I was surprised he was available in the 4th but others saw some bad games and said he was quite bad.

 

Either way, i'm happy the Flames rolled the dice. Both are issues that you can work with in the 4th round when you are dealing with someone his size/skill. 

[conundrumed]

18 hours ago, cross16 said:

 

Skating for sure and consistency I think was the other issue. he ran very hot and cold last year, not just in results but his effort level too so it threw some people off. I happen to see on of his good games and that's why I was surprised he was available in the 4th but others saw some bad games and said he was quite bad.

 

Either way, i'm happy the Flames rolled the dice. Both are issues that you can work with in the 4th round when you are dealing with someone his size/skill. 

That's spot on cross, he didn't look very good last year more often than not. First year here though, so not really unexpected. I was happy we took him simply because I can see him. When I saw him at Flames camp I thought he had a good camp for his first one. He has been really solid this year so far, as I'm in the area(for now and on and off) that shows their away games on TV also.

Kyrou has turned his solid wrister into a ton of accuracy now, seeing-eye shots from the high slot. Always figured him a solid 200' 3rd line NHL RW, still there easy. Frigging Blues and their solid drafting.

I'd be remiss to not mention Justin Fazio with Aidan Hughes as backup have been spectacular.

Fazio: 10-1/2.42/.933sv% averaging 37 shots/game

Hughes: 4-0/2.00/.939 averaging 33 shots/gm.

So it's not like they aren't earning it.

Kyrou (player)and Fazio(goalie) just named OHL stars of the month.

Exciting to see packed house at Sting games, Stamkos has been gone a long time!

 

[travel_dude]

1 hour ago, conundrumed said:

Kyrou has turned his solid wrister into a ton of accuracy now, seeing-eye shots from the high slot. Always figured him a solid 200' 3rd line NHL RW, still there easy. Frigging Blues and their solid drafting.

 

Or decent trades for picks (Elliott).  Good choice based on early results.

[conundrumed]

Hindsight's 20-20, I wasn't against the Elliott trade at all and knew that was right around Kyrou's slotting.

But it really does show when your G position is in constant flux, it impacts the whole machine in every way in trying to get better or deeper.

Hopefully Smith continues to nail it down for us, it's been too long. Since Kipper, really.

[travel_dude]

49 minutes ago, conundrumed said:

Hindsight's 20-20, I wasn't against the Elliott trade at all and knew that was right around Kyrou's slotting.

But it really does show when your G position is in constant flux, it impacts the whole machine in every way in trying to get better or deeper.

Hopefully Smith continues to nail it down for us, it's been too long. Since Kipper, really.

 

I agree.  I was pumped when I heard we got Elliott.  Elliott could easily have been a long term piece that fit the Flames.  The deal could also have waited to after the draft with a conditional 2nd in 2017 being the main trade piece.  Would we have picked Kyrou?  Flames seems to have eyes on the OHL.

 

Back to Ruzicka; glad we drafted him.  Could be a good player not far down the road.  Keep up the scoring and work on speed.  Glad you can keep an eye on him.

[conundrumed]

3 hours ago, travel_dude said:

 

Would we have picked Kyrou?  Flames seems to have eyes on the OHL.

 

The Flames have long had Windsor-based scouting covering the SW OHL and the USHL/USNDTP, perfect location. Tom Webster just retired a few yrs back, replaced from the Spits org(again).

Unfortunately, it leads to the occasional Sieloff, lol.

But good hockey guys nonetheless.

I believe Terry Doran is still the current scout here, was with the Wings and Spits.

[travel_dude]

10 minutes ago, conundrumed said:

The Flames have long had Windsor-based scouting covering the SW OHL and the USHL/USNDTP, perfect location. Tom Webster just retired a few yrs back, replaced from the Spits org(again).

Unfortunately, it leads to the occasional Sieloff, lol.

But good hockey guys nonetheless.

I believe Terry Doran is still the current scout here, was with the Wings and Spits.

Seiloff was in the USHL when he was drafted, then went to the OHL.  Wasn't Seiloff scouted by the guy that watched Gillies a lot?  I could be wrong, but wasn't this Feaster's guy Weisbrod that had a big hand in scouting those guys?  

[conundrumed]

Don't quote me but both guys would have been in Webster's scouting region league. Plymouth (USA's USHL home rink) is only half an hour from Windsor. Indianapolis (Gillies USHL) 5 hrs. 

Webster was a long time Flames scout so I'm guessing he'd have been involved.

 

[travel_dude]

1 hour ago, conundrumed said:

Don't quote me but both guys would have been in Webster's scouting region league. Plymouth (USA's USHL home rink) is only half an hour from Windsor. Indianapolis (Gillies USHL) 5 hrs. 

Webster was a long time Flames scout so I'm guessing he'd have been involved.

 

 

Oops, I quoted you.

 

For some reason, I remember Feaster talking about Weisbrod and how he was instrumental in scouting during his tenure.  He signed on to the Flames after Johnny Hockey was drafted, but he was the guy that scouted Janko.  The famous snowstorm story.

[conundrumed]

Feaster was quite a salesman, though I know janko was theirs. JG in the 4th is more of taking a flyer on him isn't it?

2012 was one of those draft years where you're pretty much blindfolded and throwing a dart.

This might be a good time to stay off topic for a day, as the O only plays weekends.

Watching Sieloff trying to contain Galchenyuk was a full on farce. Everyone struggled with him from Ceci to Maata, but the first time I saw the Spits I was shaking my head he was a 2nd rder, and it never got any better. What made it worse, was our GM spouting "we got the TWO guys we were targeting".

So I was left with, "you were targeting this guy"?

Next up, 2 guys that should be compared: Galchenyuk and Bennett.

Talk about misguided use imho...like trying to tell Yakupov to play D.

I believe that's a trade that would be best for both players. What both teams are doing with these players, I have no idea.

I believe each suits the other team better. We need finishers, MTL needs, I'm not even going to try to understand...

[conundrumed]

Ruzicka looking like he would like a player of the week biscuit,

Followed up a 3 goal, 1 A game Wednesday with a 2 goal game including the winner last night.

Last night ended SSM's 29 game streak without a regulation loss.

Most goals were slot/high slot wristers which is on par. He's also Sarnia's faceoff go-to guy and rocked a 60% on 25 draws against the #1 team in the nation.

He now leads the Sting in goals with 25.

[travel_dude]

2 hours ago, conundrumed said:

Ruzicka looking like he would like a player of the week biscuit,

Followed up a 3 goal, 1 A game Wednesday with a 2 goal game including the winner last night.

Last night ended SSM's 29 game streak without a regulation loss.

Most goals were slot/high slot wristers which is on par. He's also Sarnia's faceoff go-to guy and rocked a 60% on 25 draws against the #1 team in the nation.

He now leads the Sting in goals with 25.

 

I was worried since he seemed to be asleep at the WJC.  I'm glad he's getting back to his early season pace.  

[conundrumed]

Thanks td.

A 10 day tourney with a new team...

 

It could have been how he was utilized.

His team in Sarnia had a bad tournament too, with a 5 game losing skid and sank out of the CHL top 10 for a bit.

That was realistically because no Kyrou and Ruzicka.

I was present at the laughable 5-0 thrashing at the hands of the Spits.

1st 10 minutes, Sarnia was fast, really fast, a Kyrou team. Then it fell apart due to not finishing.

Then it became apparent what losing Ruzicka means, we can't win a draw, we have no snipe, nobody gets to their goalie.

His full time career doesn't hinge on a little tourney with a new team.

He's looking just fine to me. Last one into the O-zone, bad skater.

Or responsible C, one or the other, lol.

I have no complaints about draft year +1, for a 4th rounder.

[conundrumed]

Now sitting 15th in OHL with 58 pts in 48 games.

Sits 5th in goals with 31.

[conundrumed]

Wow is Ruzicka ever playing lame in the playoffs, he's drawing a lot of ire from Sting fans.

"Probably the best player on the team when he wants to play" is a common sentiment.

Errant passes to Kyrou on their PP zone entry is a definite. Not skating hard is the biggest thing I see, staying too high in the O zone most of the time, like 3 defensemen high, but that is coaching. He just looks tired so best be hitting the gym hard this summer because he has the skills for the show. The back part of the season and now when it matters, he's really dropped off.

Somebody needs to remind him that he can take over a game at this level. Still good at the dot, but he's looking pretty at sea after that.

Logan Stanley, wow, is he ever lousy. My plan, "whenever Stanley has the puck, get on him". He gets worked by much smaller forwards pretty much every time.

Logan Brown looks incredibly overrated atm. They're moving him back and forth on D and fwd which I find odd. Givani Smith is a big body they use on the PP screen and he's very good at it.

Goaltending should sink Kitchener, rebound machine. Thank god, Windsor's DiPietro was a nightmare, what a fantastic goalie.

You might remember that name as the guy who went on the road and kept shutting everyone out on teddy-bear toss night. lol

$27 playoff tix, almost free!

Humboldt fundraisers are everywhere here. T-shirts and stickers everywhere, every donation box filled in a hurry. This isn't a big city and 3500kms away, sticks are out everywhere.  

Last night was dedication night.

All the Sting players have dyed their hair.

 

[cross16]

I've consistently read that on other forums too, "great player when he wants to be". Too bad because the skill package is certainly there. I know some offered up last year the first year in North amercia excuse for why he was inconsistent but looks like it may run deeper. 

 

too bad, but still a great dice role in the 4th round. Skill set is there if anyone can tap into his motivation he'll be a player. Remind me of Victor Rask of the Hurricanes. He was the same way with the Hitmen, ran so hot and cold not just game to game but shift to shift. he figured it out so it's not like all hope is lost. 

[conundrumed]

He was definitely playing his best hockey out of Flames camp, so maybe there's something there in the motivation dept.

Also, Kyrou has looked very soft and average. So it isn't Ruzicka alone.

Ang was annoying me, but it looks like somebody pressed his anger button.

The 2-3 (especially 3) has been punching Sarnia's ticket with speed, grit and scoring. G has been downright solid.

Game 4 tonight, chance to stranglehold the series.

It's gonna be loud!!