Does he still have potential? He seems likely to be a disappointment but is he a total bust, or still useful?
It depends who you ask. I've never been a fan - and while I'd say he hasn't been given enough of a chance for it to be fair to call him a bust - i'm of the group that thinks that even with more time he'll disappoint...and bust.
With that said, I know there are other Hawks fans around who think that he's got potential that, with time, he'll show the world.
I don't believe them - but I'll let someone else step up and defend him.
He just had his 1st year of pro hockey. He can still make it as a 3rd line grinder and scrapper/2nd line power forward.
maybe - but the Hawks are pretty deep prospect-wise - and don't have a spot on the team he can easily step into.
Beach was the Hawks' 1st round pick (11 overall) in 2008. Even if you don't want to go as far as calling him a bust you have to admit that to-date he's been a big disappointment .
He had great numbers in junior and 36 pts isnt terrible for a rookie in the AHL. This past season was very important for his development, but unfortunately he had a bad injury so it's almost like a lost season in his growth as a player. If he doesn't have a big year in the AHL this season (whenever that might be) then I think it's fair to be pretty concerned. He still might make it down the road due to his toughness, but he really needs to bring out the offensive tools soon if he's going to reach his top 6 potential.
I like to think you don't just score 52 goals and lead the WHL in scoring by accident with his package of tools, I think it's in there somewhere but it's ultimately his mental game that's going to decide if he makes it big time or not. It's fair to excuse this past year due to injury but he really has to start showing something now.
It's still too early to call him bust. He looked good last year until his injury. This year will be huge for his development and if he will make it or not. I think he would have been called up over Jimmy Hayes last year.
Jury is still out but the odds as of now are more that he wasn't worth his draft position
I like to think you don't just score 52 goals and lead the WHL in scoring by accident with his package of tools, I think it's in there somewhere but it's ultimately his mental game that's going to decide if he makes it big time or not. It's fair to excuse this past year due to injury but he really has to start showing something now.
Agreed with what most are saying. It's still too earlier to call him a bust. With the start he had to the year last year before his injury (8GP, 3G, 6Pts), he would have likely gotten a look in the NHL. Unfortunately for Kyle, because of his injury, guys like Andrew Shaw and Jimmy Hayes were given looks in Chicago to provide size/physicality/energy instead so now he'll have even more to prove when/if the NHL season starts.
Not yet. Beach does need to show some progression this season though, both statistically and in terms of overall game. His career is off to a slow start, personally I think he'll still be an NHLer in some sort of capacity.
can I get clarifaction of Beach from a hawks fan. A while back I was talking to a friend who played in the whl with him and said he was kind of crazy. He then said at the hawks rookie camp (last year or the year before) he went crazy and fought/nailed a top hawks prospect and injured the guys shoulder for a while.
He could have possibly gotten a call up last year if he hadn't gotten injured. Would like to see one more year out of him and it'll be easier to make a definitive statement. Disappointment, yes most definitely. Bust, maybe not.
can I get clarifaction of Beach from a hawks fan. A while back I was talking to a friend who played in the whl with him and said he was kind of crazy. He then said at the hawks rookie camp (last year or the year before) he went crazy and fought/nailed a top hawks prospect and injured the guys shoulder for a while.
Any truth to this or am I way off?
Injured Mathis Olimb during a fight a couple of years ago at camp. Olimb was a fringe prospect at best. Certainly he was not in Beach's "weight class" though, and questions surrounded why the fight took place at all.
can I get clarifaction of Beach from a hawks fan. A while back I was talking to a friend who played in the whl with him and said he was kind of crazy. He then said at the hawks rookie camp (last year or the year before) he went crazy and fought/nailed a top hawks prospect and injured the guys shoulder for a while.
Any truth to this or am I way off?
Quote:
Originally Posted by pvr
Injured Mathis Olimb during a fight a couple of years ago at camp. Olimb was a fringe prospect at best. Certainly he was not in Beach's "weight class" though, and questions surrounded why the fight took place at all.
Indeed. As far as I can remember, someone (not Olimb) gave Beach a slash during play. Beach thought it was Olimb, grabbed him and beat the **** out of him even though Olimb didn't want to fight, and continued beating on him way after refs stepped in with Olimb down. Keep in mind that Olimb is/was a 5'9"-5'10" skill player, not any kind of fighter, while Beach is generally listed at 6'3"-6'4". Very shortly after this fight, Beach jumped Olimb again, once again beat on him when he was on the ice, and this time gave him a shoulder injury that knocked him out of the camp. Fights in prospect camps are fine, but normally they're between two guys of similar size who like to fight, and even then the winner will let up once the fight is over. Beach has been called a headcase throughout his entire WHL and AHL career, and not without reason.
I can't find video of the 1st fight, but here's the aftermath, around the 14 second mark you can see how Beach continues to cheapshot Olimb when the fight is clearly over (Olimb down and turtling, refs trying to pull Beach away):
And here's the 2nd fight. Same deal, Beach jumps Olimb, beats the **** out of him, Olimb never even drops his gloves/stick, and Beach gives Olimb an extra shot when the refs are pulling him away:
Btw, I don't think Beach projects as a heavyweight fighter at the NHL level, even a middleweight fighter is questionable. He's a willing fighter, and can beat up on finesse players, but he generally doesn't do well against legit fighters. In the AHL he has been tuned up by 5'9"-5'11" players like Cundari and Della Rovere:
Della Rovere vs Beach:
Cundari vs Beach:
He'll have to be more of an agitator than an actual fighter in the NHL.
Indeed. As far as I can remember, someone (not Olimb) gave Beach a slash during play. Beach thought it was Olimb, grabbed him and beat the **** out of him even though Olimb didn't want to fight, and continued beating on him way after refs stepped in with Olimb down. Keep in mind that Olimb is/was a 5'9"-5'10" skill player, not any kind of fighter, while Beach is generally listed at 6'3"-6'4". Very shortly after this fight, Beach jumped Olimb again, once again beat on him when he was on the ice, and this time gave him a shoulder injury that knocked him out of the camp. Fights in prospect camps are fine, but normally they're between two guys of similar size who like to fight, and even then the winner will let up once the fight is over. Beach has been called a headcase throughout his entire WHL and AHL career, and not without reason.
I can't find video of the 1st fight, but here's the aftermath, around the 14 second mark you can see how Beach continues to cheapshot Olimb when the fight is clearly over (Olimb down and turtling, refs trying to pull Beach away):
And here's the 2nd fight. Same deal, Beach jumps Olimb, beats the **** out of him, Olimb never even drops his gloves/stick, and Beach gives Olimb an extra shot when the refs are pulling him away:
Btw, I don't think Beach projects as a heavyweight fighter at the NHL level. He's a willing fighter, and can beat up on little guys, but he generally didn't do well against guys his own size in the WHL, even got knocked out and concussed in a few of his WHL fights IIRC.
Goddammit... defend yourself if someone's going at you and punching you. What good does it do Olimb to just sit there and take it. You're in an NHL camp and the refs aren't doing anything, how does it benefit you to keep your stick in your hand and gloves on and not stand up for yourself.
Beach was being a puke there and probably lost his mind and it's in no way excusable, but Jesus, stand up for yourself a little and maybe the refs might have came in. You have to protect and fend for yourself out there, he's basically inviting a guy who just lost his marbles to hurt him.
And just to clarify again, that was still a huge punk move by Beach.
Could be a bottom-6er, anyone thinking he's got top-6 potential at this point is banking against the odds.
While I agree with your statement here in regards to Beach, but aren't almost all prospects banking against the odds of their initial projections anyways?
