So is Kuraly's upside something like Torrey Mitchell?
Kuraly's upside (ceiling) is probably an average 2nd liner but I think it's more likely that if he makes the NHL it'll be as a very good 3rd liner capable of 35-40pts and a high end defensive game, top PK unit and excel in the face off circle.
It took Kuraly almost an entire season to adjust to the USHL and it's not really that surprising to see it's taking time for his offense to catch up to the college game. He's been very good for Miami defensively, PK, faceoffs and he's been quite unlucky on offense. The goals / points will come.
Kuraly's upside (ceiling) is probably an average 2nd liner but I think it's more likely that if he makes the NHL it'll be as a very good 3rd liner capable of 35-40pts and a high end defensive game, top PK unit and excel in the face off circle.
It took Kuraly almost an entire season to adjust to the USHL and it's not really that surprising to see it's taking time for his offense to catch up to the college game. He's been very good for Miami defensively, PK, faceoffs and he's been quite unlucky on offense. The goals / points will come.
He's also 3-4 inches taller. Unfortunately, nowhere near Mitchell's speed.
Kuraly's upside (ceiling) is probably an average 2nd liner but I think it's more likely that if he makes the NHL it'll be as a very good 3rd liner capable of 35-40pts and a high end defensive game, top PK unit and excel in the face off circle.
It took Kuraly almost an entire season to adjust to the USHL and it's not really that surprising to see it's taking time for his offense to catch up to the college game. He's been very good for Miami defensively, PK, faceoffs and he's been quite unlucky on offense. The goals / points will come.
Sounds kind of like Korpikoski, without the blinding speed.
He's also 3-4 inches taller. Unfortunately, nowhere near Mitchell's speed.
Kuraly's skating is one of his best assets, he can fly! He may not have Mitchell's straight away speed (prior to the broken leg, not many players do) but he's really fast and really strong on his skates.
Kuraly has the size and speed, but I'm not seeing the overall skill set there to make any kind of an impact in the NHL.
I agree. He's not looking woefully out of his depth, but he's not standing out either. If he becomes a solid two-way 3rd liner, I think we should be happy.
Hertl was good again today even w/o producing anything. He was one of the best forwards game in and game out in the tournament.
I really hope his agent and DW find a way to bring him to NA next season.
Yes. He was quite good. (And if I can defend myself here - since I was so critical of the pick on draft day - the initial descriptions of him being slow, Handzus-like were totally wrong. If it was NHL13, I'd say he's an 82 speed with above average puck possession skills and hockey sense.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Craig Fischer
I just love the way he approaches things on the defensive side of things.
Re Coyle and Powerforward discussion:
I hadn't seen much of Coyle in previous years, so perhaps that was the case, but everything he's displayed in Houston so far this season leads me to believe he's not only going to fill that role, but is doing quite well at it at the AHL level. The thing I like about him, is he's playing a full 'power' game (Jux mentioned something of the effect in his personal description) on all sides of the ice.
Hertl really through his weight around in the U.S. game, nice to see he has a physical aspect to his game.
Just watched the Czech/USA game. Wow! Was really impressed by Hertl. Great pucks skills, vision, and just good offensive presence. Could easily of had 3-4 points. And started to show his physicality in the 3rd period. Skating didn't seem to be an issue at all. Defensively I thought he was just so-so.
What a great draft pick! Can't wait to see who we trade him for.
My gf is in a grad program at Northeastern and apparently passes by Cody Ferriero every time she goes to one of her classes. Unfortunately according to her he looks shorter in person.
Aimed low and Binnington blocked it with a desperation stick save. It wasn't an easy shot to make though.
As a whole, I thought Kuraly looked pretty average. Lost a few key face-offs, and other then one or two good plays, he looked rather invisible.
Aimed low and Binnington blocked it with a desperation stick save. It wasn't an easy shot to make though.
As a whole, I thought Kuraly looked pretty average. Lost a few key face-offs, and other then one or two good plays, he looked rather invisible.
Too be fair the 3rd overall pick that plays on his line didn't "Stand out" either... So let's not dump this kid just yet.
Too be fair the 3rd overall pick that plays on his line didn't "Stand out" either... So let's not dump this kid just yet.
Never said to dump him, I just noted that he was rather invisible in the last game. Galchenyuk had a couple of great passes (one particularly great board pass that led to Kuraly's breakaway), and he showed his ability to rush up the ice with speed.
he's been quite unlucky on offense. The goals / points will come.
I'm not writing him off by any means, and I don't think he's gotten there yet, but there comes a point where the unlucky streak just never ends and the points never come--it happens to a lot of promising prospects (I'm working on a review of the 2008 Sharks picks--and it doesn't always go as one would hope. I'm looking over old prospect reports where things like "the points will come" are scrawled across busts).
The offense just hasn't shown itself consistently, and that in itself is a bit of a concern (look at a guy like Wingels, he didn't really light things up til his senior year, but he still was 'part of the offense')--though when he's been on, he's been on. That being said, like you pointed out, he's young, and adapting to the college game but he's going to start feeling the pressure to score down the stretch. And it's important for his confidence (and development) that things actually do start to turn around.
random aside, but I just feel it's necessary to note that no matter how bad the prospect pool might look at any given point, it could always be worse.
I was thumbing through some old THN Prospect Watch issues, and this was the Flames' top 10 according to THN in 2006:
1) Eric Nystrom
2) Brent Krahn
3) Andrei Taratukhin
4) Kris Chucko
5) Dustin Boyd
6) Tomi Maki
7) Tim Ramholt
8) Brandon Prust
9) Matt Pelech
10) Dan Ryder
and remember, Nystrom, Krahn, Chucko, and Pelech were all 1st rounders.
Yikes.
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I'm not writing him off by any means, and I don't think he's gotten there yet, but there comes a point where the unlucky streak just never ends and the points never come--it happens to a lot of promising prospects (I'm working on a review of the 2008 Sharks picks--and it doesn't always go as one would hope. I'm looking over old prospect reports where things like "the points will come" are scrawled across busts).
The offense just hasn't shown itself consistently, and that in itself is a bit of a concern (look at a guy like Wingels, he didn't really light things up til his senior year, but he still was 'part of the offense')--though when he's been on, he's been on. That being said, like you pointed out, he's young, and adapting to the college game but he's going to start feeling the pressure to score down the stretch. And it's important for his confidence (and development) that things actually do start to turn around.
It's been 18 games at Miami...if he wasn't getting any chances or hanging out on the perimeter and shying away from scoring areas I might be concerned (though probably not because it's been 18 games) but that's not what's happening.
I certainly expected more point production from him this season but my opinion on him hasn't changed since the summer.
Just got back from the BU game. Megan is hurt so Nieto is filling his spot on the top line. Cisse left BU for the QMJHL so now Gill in on the top line. O'Regan is centering the 2nd line and is getting powerplay time. Not much else to report. Nieto should get more chances playing on the top line and O'Regan had some good moves out there tonight but neither put up any points.
It's been 18 games at Miami...if he wasn't getting any chances or hanging out on the perimeter and shying away from scoring areas I might be concerned (though probably not because it's been 18 games) but that's not what's happening.
I certainly expected more point production from him this season but my opinion on him hasn't changed since the summer.
Totally. Hopefully he has a great game this morning, and carries it forward back in Ohio.
Team USA comes from 0-1 deficit to win 3-1 (with ENG to seal deal) in gold medal game.
Gibson - MVP of tournament, best goalie
2 USA defensemen = best defensemen of tournament
And one USA forward named to tournament "all team" (along with RNH and Sweden's Forsberg).
