Hey guys, how are Wotherspoon and Gillies expected to develop?
Good chance either of them crack the roster by 2014-15?
I project Wotherspoon as a 5/6 guy, maybe a #4 if everything goes right with his development. I think he plays in Abbotsford for 2 or 3 years before making the Flames, so I would think 15-16 is more realistic for him to make his debut.
Gillies is still an 18 year old freshman so he is tough to project. If this season means anything he looks like he has star potential, but its too hard to guess with goaltenders. I think he spends at least 3 seasons with the Friars and at least 2 in the AHL, so I guess I project him to make his debut no earlier than 17-18.
On the flip side, looks like Jank didn't have the greatest night statistically despite a high scoring win for his team, also 2/7 on the draw. Gilles, despite allowing quite a handful of goals, doesn't seem to have had a bad night persay, not fantastic by any means however.
Anyone paying attention to the Heat still. Whats with Nemisz having only 1 assist in 20 games, starting to look like is ship has sailed here after this season.
Anyone paying attention to the Heat still. Whats with Nemisz having only 1 assist in 20 games, starting to look like is ship has sailed here after this season.
Been playing 4th line minutes but all the same, he is there for a reason. Has not been great this season at all.
Stats aren't the whole story and isn't a good basis to judge a developing player, especially for a case like Nemisz, who isn't going to be a major point producer in the NHL if he makes it.
Is he playing on the fourth line because he's been playing badly, or is Ward not giving him a chance? Are his linemates on the fourth terrible, is Nemisz generating chances but can't finish, is he getting PP time or not, etc. These kind of questions are better than just looking at his point production.
In any case, given how much time the Flames organization has spent developing him, it be foolish to write him off without seeing if he truly can't play in the NHL. When the inevitable injuries mount, he should be called up and given a proper look. If he's still too slow or looks bad, then he can written off.
Honestly, I haven't been happy with Ward as he is not developing the rookies that well. I know it's a business and all, but the AHL is a development league.
Honestly, I haven't been happy with Ward as he is not developing the rookies that well. I know it's a business and all, but the AHL is a development league.
Is Neimsz not putting up points because he's not getting ice time or is he not getting ice time because he's not putting up points? It's a two-way street.
Truth is if Neimsz can't pull himself up by the bootstraps to succeed at the AHL level he'll never make the NHL.
I'm getting a little tired of blaming prospect failures on coaches. Whenever we reach the point where a coach has to stop coddling a prospect and start evaluating on talent we turn on them for not developing players properly and I think it's ********.
1 point in 21 games speaks for itself. Even if Greg's potential at this point is a 4th line guy in the NHL he should at least be able to demonstrate this by putting up more than one point in the AHL, regardless of what line he's on.
Is Neimsz not putting up points because he's not getting ice time or is he not getting ice time because he's not putting up points? It's a two-way street.
Truth is if Neimsz can't pull himself up by the bootstraps to succeed at the AHL level he'll never make the NHL.
I'm getting a little tired of blaming prospect failures on coaches. Whenever we reach the point where a coach has to stop coddling a prospect and start evaluating on talent we turn on them for not developing players properly and I think it's ********.
1 point in 21 games speaks for itself. Even if Greg's potential at this point is a 4th line guy in the NHL he should at least be able to demonstrate this by putting up more than one point in the AHL, regardless of what line he's on.
I completely agree, Nemisz has proven to put up points his first two seasons in the AHL. I was just curious to know what was going on with him as 1 point in 20 games is a huge drop regardless of what line he is on.
Is Neimsz not putting up points because he's not getting ice time or is he not getting ice time because he's not putting up points? It's a two-way street.
Truth is if Neimsz can't pull himself up by the bootstraps to succeed at the AHL level he'll never make the NHL.
I'm getting a little tired of blaming prospect failures on coaches. Whenever we reach the point where a coach has to stop coddling a prospect and start evaluating on talent we turn on them for not developing players properly and I think it's ********.
1 point in 21 games speaks for itself. Even if Greg's potential at this point is a 4th line guy in the NHL he should at least be able to demonstrate this by putting up more than one point in the AHL, regardless of what line he's on.
he wasn't getting ice-time because he was returning from injury and the team was pretty set in the top 6.
he wasn't getting ice-time because he was returning from injury and the team was pretty set in the top 6.
Still should have more points regardless of ice time. He'll never see top-6 in the NHL so he might as well prove he can be productive in a bottom-6 role and he hasn't done that.
Still should have more points regardless of ice time. He'll never see top-6 in the NHL so he might as well prove he can be productive in a bottom-6 role and he hasn't done that.
I really don't think you understand.
Nemisz is a playmaker more than anything, a playmaker that has been playing in the bottom 6 of one of the worst offensive teams in the AHL. Do you expect him to pull point out of his ass or something?
Nemisz is a playmaker more than anything, a playmaker that has been playing in the bottom 6 of one of the worst offensive teams in the AHL. Do you expect him to pull point out of his ass or something?
It might be possible that the organization has given up on his offensive game, and is grooming him as more of a defensively responsible winger.
Nemisz is a playmaker more than anything, a playmaker that has been playing in the bottom 6 of one of the worst offensive teams in the AHL. Do you expect him to pull point out of his ass or something?
Surely it's possible to score more than one point on the fourth line, don't tell me it hasn't been done.
Surely it's possible to score more than one point on the fourth line, don't tell me it hasn't been done.
Young players struggling on the fourth line isn't exactly a novelty nor indicative of much, other than say, an incompetent management that fails to develop prospects correctly.
You might want to check Nino Niederreiter's 2011-2012 season in the NHL. One goal in 55 games, -29, all while playing less than ten minutes a game alongside Marty Reasoner and Jay Pandalfo. For all the hype, he still couldn't score more a point from the forth line. Huh, it's like the quality of linemates and ice time actually matter.
The AHL is quality competition, but 4th line or not, Nemisz should have more than a fricking point. Obviously playing with quality linemates would increase any players production, but if Nemisz was a quality, NHL caliber prospect, he would be able to produce some or any offence. I feel the same way about Howse. Not every player is a Baertschi, but if he cannot elevate his game enough to produce anything on his own, then I do not have much hope for him.
The problem I have is fans thinking that numbers tell the story. They don't. Nemisz struggled at first when he returned, there is no doubt, he has been been improving. People are talking like he has played a ton, he hasn't. A cold spell combined with coming off an injury and reduced ice time should not be a reason to give up on player when he has been one of the best players the past 2 years.
so the last 2 years mean nothing? It's like you people have never even seen him play other than his few games in Calgary
If he finishes the season with one or two points? Absolutely. How many players have had a couple good years, had an off year, and then vanished into oblivion? The list is endless and there's probably a 95% chance Greg joins this list.
I've seen him play with the Heat a handful of times and with the Flames a few times. He's never overly impressed me but I though he'd get his chance to be a 4th or even 3rd line guy one day down the line if he kept working at his game. Not so sure anymore.
I can understand that when a player is struggling to put up points you got to look at other aspects of his game as well to make a proper judgment, but 1 point is 21 games is a whole other level of bad production. Points do matter.
Nemisz's skating ability alone makes him suspect to ever make the NHL. The guy has decent enough hands and is an okay finisher. But he lacks the true grit and speed to be a really good energy player. He has not demonstrated enough skill and again, speed, to be a top 6 player. I had hopes that Nemisz would turn into our next Nystrom with a little better scoring touch, but that just hasn't happened. Points aren't everything, but if a former 1st round pick cannot consistently score or create offensive opportunities on their own in the AHL, then that greatly reduces their chances of becoming an NHL regular. Nemisz is playing for his career right now, and so far he is failing quite badly.
He is a good kid, hopefully he turns it around in the 2nd half of this season.
