I knew there was a reason why I randomly decided to come home this weekend. To be able to watch the game on TV and not a stream to check out "the new guy".
About 15% through my drive up here I remembered that my parents are in Florida...and I didn't bring my xbox home with me...
I like this a lot. Non-smurf hitter with hands and net presence. Good fit for Muller's system and the possible benefit of lighting a fire under a few a$$es this summer.
If he can replace any of LaRose, Dwyer, Nodl, Stewart, Joslin, etc, then I'm happy about this signing. This guy has size and skill...and can play a physical game. Which is something about 15 guys on this roster lack.
And yet, one of the knocks against him (at least, on the topic dedicated to him on the Prospect board) is that he has the size and the body, but never uses it.
And yet, one of the knocks against him (at least, on the topic dedicated to him on the Prospect board) is that he has the size and the body, but never uses it.
Just went to the topic dedicated to him on the prospect boards, that was one guy just repeating it over and over and over again.
So, as much as that topic said it, it was just one guy's opinion.
True, but he seems like the one who's seen him the most. The rest of the topic is simply "I hope my team picks him up". And clearly, there's got to be some flaw in his game. He wouldn't the first player for Carolina with a big frame and no inclination to use it.
I haven't seen much of him since I've had no inclination to watch Union aside from the NCAAs. But he's definitely not a soft player. I don't think you'll ever confuse him for Clutterbuck or the 05-06 version of Cole. That said I've seen him really nail some people in the NCAAs this year.
True, but he seems like the one who's seen him the most. The rest of the topic is simply "I hope my team picks him up". And clearly, there's got to be some flaw in his game. He wouldn't the first player for Carolina with a big frame and no inclination to use it.
I've only seen the kid 3 or 4 times this year but has looked like a guy who is willing to hit people but isn't going to take himself out of position to do it. He isn't a guy who hits everything that moves. In college he was strong enough to body up and take the puck. He often didn't need to seperate the carrier from the puck to retrieve it. IMO he looks like he is intelligent enough to know when drop the bomb and when not to. But thats Just one mans opinion in limited viewing.
Sounds like he is like cole, willing to and not afraid of it, but he's not running around. There's some good footage on YouTube of a Blackhawks prospect game he's playing in, it's like 20 minutes long an he plays pretty well from what I saw of it. Moved the puck quick with good awareness, good size. Played center.
He wouldn't the first player for Carolina with a big frame and no inclination to use it.
I believe the expectations for doing so have changed with Muller's arrival, and if he were deemed incapable or averse to physical play he wouldn't have been sought after.
there a lot of teams interested and they narrowed it down to 6 and he picked the Canes.
Awesome. I like that...
Quote:
Originally Posted by bleedgreen
I think he will be similar to penner, hopefully with some consistency. Similar size and game.
I suppose it's the cool thing to act all detached and blase..."oh yeah this guy is a poor man's Andrew Ladd"...etc. But I for one am really excited about Welsh. He could really turn out to be a big part of the picture next season.
I suppose it's the cool thing to act all detached and blase..."oh yeah this guy is a poor man's Andrew Ladd"...etc. But I for one am really excited about Welsh. He could really turn out to be a big part of the picture next season.
??
I missed the part where I was blasé. If he's half as good as penner was those first couple of years welsh is a steal. We wouldn t have signed him if he wasn't gonna be a part of things. We're probably gonna give him a one way contract over the summer so he's gonna play a role. I'm excited. Just keeping it tempered till we see him play a few games, but the penner comparison was a hopeful one. Penner was a stud at one point. The few things I've seen with him reminded me of penner in terms of skating and holding the puck.
No doubt. Ladd lite wouldn't be bad either to be honest, that's still a legit third liner. If we get a legit third liner that raised the skill level a hair for the price of a NCAA ufa that would be awesome. Wasn't me with the ladd comment tho.
I was trying to think of a comparable from what I have seen, limited, and what I have heard. I think Ryan Malone seems to be a better comparison to me. Penner seems to be less effective around the netmouth and doesn't have the nasty to his game that Welsh is advertised to have. Of course, these are just style comparisons and not one for one accurate examples but I see Welsh as a more traditional net presence than Penner, who is mostly just a net presence because he's big and not because he's good at it.
I think we need to see how his game translates to the pros before we start throwing around comparisons. I highly doubt many of us really know anything about Welsh's specific play style outside watching the NCAA tourney and reading comments from those that do see him, and therefore don't know enough for ourselves to make that projection.
Fair enough. It'll be interesting how much that net presence translates from the NCAA. I'm saying penner over read, based on the original question I responded to. Malone could definitely be closer, but these are all very optimistic projections. I'll take anything close to any of these guys.
I was thinking about Jarett Stoll. Good in the circle, likes the net, can QB the power play. Maybe not as good a skater though at this point
Meh. Whenever I think of Stoll the thing that immediately comes to mind is that howitzer from the point. I don't think we'll be seeing Welsh on the point anyway. If he sees PP time he'll probably be playing down low and setting up shop on the edge of the crease.
Maybe a good comparison to his even strength play, but I don't pay too much attention to the Kings, so I don't have a GREAT idea of the intricacies of Stoll's game, other than he's a two-way center with some pretty good size and above average in the circle.
A one-game audition is tough to judge someone on, certainly when it's the player's first-ever NHL game. That said, it's all I know.
My thoughts:
He had below-average speed, but not slow enough to keep him from either being dangerous on offense or a liability on D.
He seemed to have soft hands, and showed an ability to lift the puck when in tight near the goaltender, something that's huge for a big body expected to have a crease presence.
Not knowing a ton about what it takes to be a great defensive center, I will offer that he seems to be *very* responsible defensively, if only for the fact that he was often seen in and around the puck as the Hurricanes mopped up play in their own zone.
I noticed that he seemed poised with the puck on his stick. Under pressure behind the net, he made a very calm 12-foot pass to his defenseman...a pass I've seen many a Hurricane panicking on.
All told, he didn't look out of place at all, especially for a guy playing his first professional game. If he can improve his game from what I saw last night, he'll at least be an asset to the team moving forward. There wasn't much to indicate that Welsh is a better option at the #2 center spot than Sutter, and even though Welsh still has that new car smell, keep in mind that he is actually older than Sutter. He might have a bit more skill and might be better in tight around the net, but I'm not sure that it's enough to satisfy those of us dying to see this team find a legit #2 center.
I thought he did really well. He was exciting to watch.
