Saint John. It's in New Brunswick, not Newfoundland.
From what I've seen and heard, he didn't really play much with Huberdeau. As for his potential, he should be a winger at the NHL level. He needs some time in the AHL to learn what will and will not work against higher quality defense. If he can put it all together, he could be an average 1st liner, with 60-70 point potential. More likely I see him as a good 2nd liner, putting up 45-55 points.
Huberdeau benefitted just as much playing with Phillips as Phillips did playing with Huberdeau. Being that they didn't really play together this year, it says a lot about Phillips.
I think he'll end up being a really good 2nd liner who plays 1st unit PP.
Not many people here watched Saint John, but from all reports he's been steady and highly productive. Last summer seemed to be a bit "fancy" during the prospect scrimmages.
I'm guessing he's top six NHL winger or bust. He's a scorer, not a role player, but can he score at the NHL level is the question.
why do people assume that zack is only t6 or bust? he plays quite gritty and plays a good two way game, he can be a 3rd line center.
His biggest foe will be depth, depending on how our prospects turn out he could be looking at quite a few guys ahead of him in order to make the roster. I suppose if he plays wing he has more options then.
Still I think the organization is high on him and i can see him in the t6.
Because I don't think he'll do those things better than others who might specialize in that role. I think his skills and talents would better suit him as a top six playmaker than a bottom six grinder.
Phillips doesn't look like he has the genetic component to achieve the body necessary for the demanding toll the gritty 3rd line game takes throughout the season. He's naturally lean with lean muscle. Doubt he can really bulk up to what it would take.. then again, I probably wouldn't want him to. He'd lose some of the finesse and quickness that makes him Phillips. Just my opinion at least.
I still think he's going to be Andrew Brunette 2.0 if we're lucky. His lack of wheels are still a significant area of concern. His production curbed sharply once Charlie Coyle arrived. I agree with those that say he's a Top 6 or bust kind of forward. He would be worthless as a 3rd or 4th liner. He just doesn't have the speed and quickness for it.
Does anyone else see Joe Pavelski as a high-end comparison?
The big dig on Joe was always his skating, but he can make up for it with his great positioning and being able to read the play, and he's good at both ends of the ice...
That's obviously a best-case comparison, but I hear a lot of similarities in their game.
I can't wait until a few years down the road when all the haters start pumping Zack's tires, i think he's going to be a gamer for this team big time. His skating didn't look any worse then most of the kids in the Wilds camp last year, and I'm betting money Wild have worked with him throughout the year.
I think in a few years this kid will be a beast for us.
I think Phillips has the potential to have a Brunette type career. I don't mean he's the same player (though i had that thought when we drafted him and all anyone talked about was how horrible his skating was) but to me he has the potential to put up very under the radar productive career numbers.
I still think he's going to be Andrew Brunette 2.0 if we're lucky. His lack of wheels are still a significant area of concern. His production curbed sharply once Charlie Coyle arrived. I agree with those that say he's a Top 6 or bust kind of forward. He would be worthless as a 3rd or 4th liner. He just doesn't have the speed and quickness for it.
i think hes faster than brunette ever was. ETA maybe 2 or 3 years? including this upcoming season
Are you referring to us as the haters? If so, no one has said anything negative about him.. We all want him to succeed. Just discussing what we see and our feelings. If he ends up fitting in fine on the 3rd line I wouldn't complain.
There no law of physics or otherwise that says you must roll 2 skill lines and 2 grind lines. 3rd lines can provide offense as well. Look at the Bruins last season, or the Hawk team the won the Cup.
Does anyone else see similarities between Phillips and James Neal regarding playing style?
No. They just kind of look alike. Neal is in the Burrows mold. Good for goals, grit and instigating. Neal isn't a great passer. Phillips seems like the exact opposite IMO.
No. They just kind of look alike. Neal is in the Burrows mold. Good for goals, grit and instigating. Neal isn't a great passer. Phillips seems like the exact opposite IMO.
Phillips learning to protect the puck will be more critical than his (lack of) skating speed when it comes to his NHL success.
Yeah, he's not a blazer. Not concern really about that though. Phillips tends to know where to go on the ice and doesn't waste time on the ice like some "faster" players do. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, and Phillips knows that. As, opposed to, say Veuilleux and Gillies, who have decent speed, but always seems to be chasing, because they can't read the play, so they just follows the puck like a puppy, rather than cutting to intercept the puck at where is going to be.
However, Philips isn't really strong and he gets away with squaring himself to the junior defenders with the puck out in front of him, rather than placing his body between the puck and the defender, which is required at the NHL level. If he can bulk up and gain this skill, he could be really dangerous for the Wild.
I still think he's going to be Andrew Brunette 2.0 if we're lucky. His lack of wheels are still a significant area of concern. His production curbed sharply once Charlie Coyle arrived. I agree with those that say he's a Top 6 or bust kind of forward. He would be worthless as a 3rd or 4th liner. He just doesn't have the speed and quickness for it.
Didn't he have like a 27 game point streak during this year when Huberdeau was injured and Coyle wasn't there? Seems like his point totals haven't changed that drastically outside of the playoffs, or at least his pre-Coyle numbers were quite fantastic as well. All I know is that in the highlights I have seen of him he looks like a very smart playmaker with excellent vision and very good hockey sense, a common trend in our recent prospect pool. Like other posters mentioned, who's to say we don't roll 3 pretty skilled lines, it would certainly be different then usual for the Wild, but we've never been a talented or winning team with our "gritty" 3rd and 4th lines.
My concern with Phillips is will we even have room for him on the Wild roster? We already have Koivu, Heatley, Seto and possibly Butch and Lats as top 6 locks for likely the next couple years at least plus Granlund and Coyle probably making it before Phillips does, where is there room for him? I suppose he'd have to wait until Heater is gone and one of Butch or Lats is let go due to more injury problems.
My concern with Phillips is will we even have room for him on the Wild roster? We already have Koivu, Heatley, Seto and possibly Butch and Lats as top 6 locks for likely the next couple years at least plus Granlund and Coyle probably making it before Phillips does, where is there room for him? I suppose he'd have to wait until Heater is gone and one of Butch or Lats is let go due to more injury problems.
Will there be room? Dude, our team isn't anywhere close to stacked. And, as you mentioned, there's always injuries.
