Great to hear how Harrington played McDavid. I'm very intrigued to see how Harrington performs once he turns pro.
Me too. I could go either way on him.. he could be one of those guys that goes almost directly from juniors to the NHL.. or he could be a guy that spends 3 years in the AHL. Neither would surprise me, but it'll probably be somewhere between the two.
While I think his likely upside is only as a #5 d-man on a good club, I think he'll be one of those 3rd pairing guys whose importance exceeds their spot on the roster.
IMO Harrington will be a better pro.... Like I said earlier he's been restricted in his offensive development by Dale. Like 99% of D-men that come thru London. When he plays for Team Canada he's much more involved in the play unlike in London.
Me too. I could go either way on him.. he could be one of those guys that goes almost directly from juniors to the NHL.. or he could be a guy that spends 3 years in the AHL. Neither would surprise me, but it'll probably be somewhere between the two.
While I think his likely upside is only as a #5 d-man on a good club, I think he'll be one of those 3rd pairing guys whose importance exceeds their spot on the roster.
I have also sort of pegged him as a 4-5 guy, with the outside shot that he becomes a guy who can be the go to on a middle pairing. His physical game still has me a little worried. It is nice to hear that he's bringing it more often recently, but I'll be curious to see how nasty he can get when he's playing men v. boys.
I have also sort of pegged him as a 4-5 guy, with the outside shot that he becomes a guy who can be the go to on a middle pairing. His physical game still has me a little worried. It is nice to hear that he's bringing it more often recently, but I'll be curious to see how nasty he can get when he's playing men v. boys.
Scott Harrington has the most "hockey IQ" of any defenceman currently under the age of 20 that I have seen. That's not to say I think he's the best prospect by any stretch, but I am 100 percent sure Harrington becomes an NHL regular within the next 4 years. He's always in the right position with his body and with his stick. If he were 4 inches taller and had a mean streak he would have been picked in the top 10.
It's hard to tell how he will be once he gets to join the Pens organization just because they really emphasize defensemen jumping into the play and to me at least he seems to have the hockey IQ to do that very well while not suffering on the defensive side of the puck. I haven't seen him play a lot, but even like at our prospects game he just seems to have something about him that I like a lot right away and can't put my finger on it.
I have also sort of pegged him as a 4-5 guy, with the outside shot that he becomes a guy who can be the go to on a middle pairing. His physical game still has me a little worried. It is nice to hear that he's bringing it more often recently, but I'll be curious to see how nasty he can get when he's playing men v. boys.
I'm not worried at all about his physical game. He's never going to be a prolific hitter, but he defends the hard areas with an edge.
He'll battle for his patch of ice. That's the best way I can put it.
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Originally Posted by Sideline
Scott Harrington has the most "hockey IQ" of any defenceman currently under the age of 20 that I have seen. That's not to say I think he's the best prospect by any stretch, but I am 100 percent sure Harrington becomes an NHL regular within the next 4 years. He's always in the right position with his body and with his stick. If he were 4 inches taller and had a mean streak he would have been picked in the top 10.
Yep. I think he's getting severely underrated with the bottom-pairing projections. The kid's considered by well-informed sources to be the best shutdown defenseman in junior hockey.
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Originally Posted by Valarukar
It's hard to tell how he will be once he gets to join the Pens organization just because they really emphasize defensemen jumping into the play and to me at least he seems to have the hockey IQ to do that very well while not suffering on the defensive side of the puck. I haven't seen him play a lot, but even like at our prospects game he just seems to have something about him that I like a lot right away and can't put my finger on it.
He's smart, quick, and decisive at both ends of the ice. He rarely holds the puck for long, and when he moves it, it's virtually always the most efficient path out of danger.
Well, I'm not sure who proclaimed him the best shutdown D in junior hockey. But even if he is the best shutdown D in junior hockey, that doesn't mean he's going to be the best shutdown D in the NHL. I like the kid, but we're still talking about a prospect that really doesn't excel in any particular aspect even amongst his own age group (except shutting down guys not named McDavid, apparently.)
All signs seem to point to Harrington being a legit prospect with real NHL upside, but I like my top 4 defenseman to stand out at some aspect. Otherwise, they're Mark Eaton.
Well, I'm not sure who proclaimed him the best shutdown D in junior hockey.
Sam Cosentino, the junior hockey TV analyst in Canada.
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"Then I go to the triumvirate of [Jared] Tinordi (MTL), Harrington and [Olli] Maatta of the London Knights," continued Cosentino, "Those three guys log a ton of minutes and they are all high end guys who bring a different element to the table. Tinordi is kind of the shot blocker, big body guy. Harrington is, to me, the best shutdown defender in the CHL and then Olli Maatta who has really picked up his offensive game in the playoffs."
Then there's the OHL WC coach's poll (obviously not the entire CHL, but telling) that named Harrington the Smartest Player and Best Defensive Defenseman.
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But even if he is the best shutdown D in junior hockey, that doesn't mean he's going to be the best shutdown D in the NHL. I like the kid, but we're still talking about a prospect that really doesn't excel in any particular aspect even amongst his own age group (except shutting down guys not named McDavid, apparently.)
Of course not. But praise from informed sources, success at the club and international level, and personal viewings are about all you have to go on when evaluating a prospect, and Harrington fares well in all three.
Harrington shut down McDavid just fine in their last match, too.
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All signs seem to point to Harrington being a legit prospect with NHL upside, but I like my top 4 defenseman to stand out at some aspect.
I'm not sure what aspects you expect a potential shutdown defenseman to stand out in. Harrington's smarts are what set him apart.
Haven't been around the boards too much, so sorry if this has already been discussed, but what's the story with Bortuzzo?
I have been looking at the last few WBS boxscores and see that he hasn't been playing?
Hasn't played yet. He got hurt during the pre-season and has been "day-to-day" for about 3 weeks. His injury problems are going to become a real problem for him if it comes down to keeping him or Strait. He just misses too much time too often and if a guy has trouble staying healthy playing against AHL competition I find it hard to believe he'll fare better going against stronger, faster guys.
Hasn't played yet. He got hurt during the pre-season and has been "day-to-day" for about 3 weeks. His injury problems are going to become a real problem for him if it comes down to keeping him or Strait. He just misses too much time too often and if a guy has trouble staying healthy playing against AHL competition I find it hard to believe he'll fare better going against stronger, faster guys.
It might be a good thing. If the NHL gets up and running they might be able to sneek him through waivers where he hasn't been able to play yet. The way Strait has played so far in these first 4 WBS games he won't make it through waivers. He's the only solid D-man that they have playing right now.
Hasn't played yet. He got hurt during the pre-season and has been "day-to-day" for about 3 weeks. His injury problems are going to become a real problem for him if it comes down to keeping him or Strait. He just misses too much time too often and if a guy has trouble staying healthy playing against AHL competition I find it hard to believe he'll fare better going against stronger, faster guys.
Thanks.
Do we know what part of the body/type of injury it is? As long as it's not something that's a recurrence, I'm not worried.
Regarding waivers: people around the NHL know who a 6'4, right-handed shooting, AHL all-star Dman is. He would still not pass through waivers at this point.
Do we know what part of the body/type of injury it is? As long as it's not something that's a recurrence, I'm not worried.
Regarding waivers: people around the NHL know who a 6'4, right-handed shooting, AHL all-star Dman is. He would still not pass through waivers at this point.
That's probably why they keep the injury such a secret. If other teams don't know what's wrong do you really think they are going to take a chance and pick him off waivers if they haven't seen him play yet this season? If they pick him off waivers he has to stay on their NHL roster for 30 days.
Are things like re-entry waivers even going to apply to guys like Strait and Bortuzzo when (if) the lockout is over? You would think that guys would be allowed to come up for an abbreviated camp without having to pass through waivers, right?
Also, found this on Bombulie's blog;
"The WBS Penguins announced today that they have signed winger Eric Tangradi, defensemen Brian Strait and Robert Bortuzzo and goalies Brad Thiessen and Jeff Zatkoff to AHL contracts.
They’re essentially lockout deals, getting the players on the WBS roster without subjecting them to waivers."
Are things like re-entry waivers even going to apply to guys like Strait and Bortuzzo when (if) the lockout is over? You would think that guys would be allowed to come up for an abbreviated camp without having to pass through waivers, right?
Also, found this on Bombulie's blog;
"The WBS Penguins announced today that they have signed winger Eric Tangradi, defensemen Brian Strait and Robert Bortuzzo and goalies Brad Thiessen and Jeff Zatkoff to AHL contracts.
They’re essentially lockout deals, getting the players on the WBS roster without subjecting them to waivers."
Yes but those guys already signed their qualifying offers so when the lock out ends they revert back to their NHL deals. So yes they would have to pass through waivers. I don't think re-enrty waivers would apply in this case.
Not sure how much he'll get to play but Oscar Sundqvist is most likely making his SEL-debut in a couple of hours against Matt Duchenes Frölunda. Not sure how much he'll get to play but seeing how stacked Skellefteå is on centers even sitting on the bench is an accomplishment.
Not sure how much he'll get to play but Oscar Sundqvist is most likely making his SEL-debut in a couple of hours against Matt Duchenes Frölunda. Not sure how much he'll get to play but seeing how stacked Skellefteå is on centers even sitting on the bench is an accomplishment.
Maybe on occasion but he has mostly played C. Young guys in SEL often start out as wingers on the fourth line though with the objective to work the **** out of their opponents.
Translated quote from Skellefteås head coach:
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...
The question is how it is with Erik Forssell.
- He is still a question mark, I have not counted him out. But if he doesn't play we'll see Oscar Sundqvist make his league debut, said Anders Forsberg, who is impressed by Sundqvist.
- An incredibly interesting player for the future. Unfortunately too interesting for us, I think he will end up somewhere else if they just start to play over there someday. Not this year, but in the future i'm sure he'll end up there. He has a great hockeysense, that and his size are his biggest strengths.
They are no longer Penguins' prospects, but I was checking out the Nailers website and noticed that Marc Cheverie (the goalie in the Michalek deal) posted a shut out for Elmira against Wheeling. He is second in the league in GAA at 1.00. Also, Nick Peterson is second in the ECHL in scoring. Finally, this one blew me away. Gwinnett has the fifth leading scorer in Casey pierro-Zabotel. Of course, Gwinnett's coach is Wroblenski who was an assistant in Wheeling when CPZ, Peterson, and Street formed a dominant line.
Sundqvist made his debut as stated above. He played 7.25 and was a -1. Didnt see the game, so i cant comment on his play, but the minutes pointing towards 4th line duty. Too bad the -1 tho, hope he wasnt responsible
Not sure how much he'll get to play but Oscar Sundqvist is most likely making his SEL-debut in a couple of hours against Matt Duchenes Frölunda. Not sure how much he'll get to play but seeing how stacked Skellefteå is on centers even sitting on the bench is an accomplishment.
Nice to see a guy I have played against play in the SEL. Unfortunately it will be for the team I hate the most.
