He's not an overager. He started the season as a 19 year old and finished it as a 20 year old. That's a normal final year in juniors.
Point taken, but he was still a 19-20 year old in the highest scoring and least physical major junior league who we signed to an AHL deal. Nothing impressive enough to slide into out top 10-15 - yet.
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"Here we can see the agression of american people. They love fighting and guns. when they wont win they try to kill us all." -HalfOfFame
Named to the QMJHL First All-Star Team in 2010-11.
In 2011, became the first ever QMJHL player to lead the league in playoff scoring without playing in the Finals.
Led the team in goals and points (by a lot in both) in 2010-11.
Led all Quebec Remparts forwards in +/- in 2010-11.
Named his team's Player of the Year in 2010-11.
Won the Gaétan Duchesne Trophy given to the best defensive player in 2009-10.
Regardless of QMJHL being an offensive league and his numbers benefiting from it, anyone who is a First Team All-Star without being an overager is not exactly garbage, and his +/- and the Duchesne Trophy show that he's playing at least competent defense.
Jam and Ryan Bourque were born less than a week apart, and they played on the same team. Yet, Jam was not only a better scorer, he was apparently also a better defensive player. While Bourque and Jam are the same height, Jam is listed at higher weight, oh and he doesn't have a history of concussions.
So if Bourque is our #13, it is really such a stretch to expect that Jam would be rated around #15. What makes Bourque *that much* that he's #13 and Jam isn't even to be considered for #15? Offense? Defense? Age? Size? Injuries? Team awards? League awards?
It's just not that good of a league. There are tons of guys that light that league up whose skills just don't translate to the professional game. For every Huberdeau, there's four Audy-Marchessault, Etienne Brodeur, Phillip-Michael Devos and Jonathan Hazen-type players. Who are those guys? The four other players that along with Huberdeau made up the top five in QMJHL scoring.
Now, what in particular is lacking in Audy-Marchessault's game? I have no idea. I've only seen him play twice, and I didn't even know I was watching him--as I was only paying attention to Bourque.
All I know is this: he went undrafted, and no one wanted to give him an NHL deal. He then signed an AHL deal with a team that already has an extremely deep farm system. How high was the demand for him? I'd venture a guess that the answer was "not very." I don't see him on any scouting rankings over the past two years, and I don't even see any scouting reports on him. Are we to believe that everyone has missed this guy, and missed him repeatedly? Come on. Does it happen? Yes, our own Dan Girardi is a prime example of this. But for every Dan Girardi, there's 100 similar guys that aren't even good AHL players.
I know nothing about JAM's game, and honestly, who really does? I can't justify lending praise to an UDFA that I know nothing about and have never seen that is on an AHL deal. If he plays in the AHL this year, maybe my opinion will change...but now, he's just an undrafted scrub.
All I know is this: he went undrafted, and no one wanted to give him an NHL deal. He then signed an AHL deal with a team that already has an extremely deep farm system. How high was the demand for him?
"Jonathan said that he turned down offers in France and tryouts with NHL squads to sign this contract. He also informed us that he was offered a two year deal but only accepted one year, since he has enough faith in his abilities to believe he can “excel at the professional level” and subsequently earn a better contract next year."
[http://bluelinestation.com/2011/06/2...-marchessault/]
"He could have taken more money to sign an ELC with the Rangers, but decided to take less money on a one year deal to prove himself in the AHL, thus earning a better contract with the Rangers. "
[http://blueshirtsonbroadway.com/2011.../marchessault/]
Here's a guy who dominated his league offensively while being responsible defensively. (His +33 looks very nice compared to Kale's -10.) He played on the same line with Bourque, but outproduced the hell of out him at exactly the same age.
I think the kid doesn't have an ELC only because he thinks he can sign an MZA type of contract a year from now. I would guess that he's acting on the advice of his agent and other hockey professionals.
The QMJHL is not a great league, but it's not far behind the OHL in terms of defense, and as good as either the WHL or the OHL in terms of offense. It is certainly much better than BCHL where Fogarty will be playing, and yet everyone would be glad to see Fogarty on the BCHL's First All-Star team.
Well, we'll see. I'd be very surprised if he was anything more than career AHL fodder.
Odds say that he's going to be a great AHL, but not an NHLer, but I would bet that he won't be in the ECHL. In fact, I would bet some money that he'll play 40 games (=half a season) in the NHL before he'll play 40 games in the ECHL.
At most, he might get sent down for a brief stint in the ECHL just to get him up to pro speed. I don't see him tweening from ECHL to the AHL and back. I think at the very least, he'll be a top echelon player in the AHL, and he stands at least some chance to make the NHL.
Oh, and another difference between Jam and Kale is that Jam did it alone with no gifted scorers around, while Kale had Nail on his team - yes, the same Nail that will go #1 overall in the strong 2012 draft.
This is the 3rd round in a row I been voting on him. If Dale Weise gets in ahead of him i'm gonna get annoyed.
Give it a couple more rounds, you'll get your wish. Most of the McColgan votes will go to St. Croix next round and he'll take the spot. After that, it will be a close fight between Weise and Pashnin for #18.
And to be honest, if Pashnin gets ahead of Weise, *I* will be annoyed. They are about the same age, and while one is a 30-goal two-way scorer in the AHL, the other is a borderline player in the KHL, a league of similar talent to the AHL.
If Pashnin was not exposed to the KHL Draft by his previous team that did not want to protect him, nobody would have ranked him this guy. He would have been regarded as worse than Randy McNaught, seeing as they play a similar game by McNaught is half a foot taller. Not saying it would necessarily be the right way to rank him, but that's how he'd have been seen. No way he would have been in our top-20.
A lot of these guys you have to wait and see. If JAM has a monster season with the Whalepack next year he'll be on here earlier. But just the fact he wasn't drafted at all goes to hurt his standing.
man, where is the add love for Jonathan Audy-Marchessault??? kid is the same size as Thomas and has nearly identical stats but is 1.5 years older. still, he's only 19 (20 in December). There's got to be room for him in the top 20, no?
man, where is the add love for Jonathan Audy-Marchessault??? kid is the same size as Thomas and has nearly identical stats but is 1.5 years older. still, he's only 19 (20 in December). There's got to be room for him in the top 20, no?
Being 1.5 years older is a big deal. Also stats don't tell the whole story. It's how the guy is scoring the goals and the skills that he has. It's doubtful this guy has the shot and shiftiness of Thomas.
As I said, we'll see. RE presents some compelling information. I'm skeptical though, as I've seen plenty of guys with JAM's credentials do nothing at all. Time will tell.
And to those still asking why he isn't being added, it's because he is on an AHL contract. He's technically not our property.
