I watched the game, wasn't he like on the 3rd or 4th line. He certainly didn't get a lot of minutes.
In the end, I can see that he progressed, but he should be a leader on the 1st line scoring the most points and tearing it up in junior hockey, at his age...
We'll see if he can make the Isles next year, but I have my doubts that he'll stick around.
I watched the game, wasn't he like on the 3rd or 4th line. He certainly didn't get a lot of minutes.
In the end, I can see that he progressed, but he should be a leader on the 1st line scoring the most points and tearing it up in junior hockey, at his age...
We'll see if he can make the Isles next year, but I have my doubts that he'll stick around.
i would be glad to trade you a young defence man that could play for you next yr (sneep) for kk
I watched the game, wasn't he like on the 3rd or 4th line. He certainly didn't get a lot of minutes.
In the end, I can see that he progressed, but he should be a leader on the 1st line scoring the most points and tearing it up in junior hockey, at his age...
We'll see if he can make the Isles next year, but I have my doubts that he'll stick around.
He got his act together after landing in Lewiston, and has improved since being drafted. My guess is that he spends next season in Bridgeport.
i would be glad to trade you a young defence man that could play for you next yr (sneep) for kk
22 yr old Donovan,21 yr old De Haan,23 yr old Katic and 22 yr old Ness,will all be competing, for the 1-2 open spots on next season's NYI roster.
Donovan's coming off a great rookie ahl season.
Ness was very good in his rookie ahl season.
De Haan is the isles top blueline prospect and looked a lot more poised.
I think Katic may have made the isles last season,if not for season ending injury.
watch the final last nite and was very impressed with Kabby....His skating and puck handles were awsome...He also looked HUGE...Cant wait to see this kid play next year in the AHL.....He worked on his defensive game the last 2 years and now in BPORT I have a feeling he is going to go all out on offense....
so what does everyone think his potential is stats wise and who is he comparable too?
i think the semin comparisons were completely ridiculous, in the one memorial cup game i saw him come out of a corner with the puck more than i have seen semin try to win a puck battle in his career
he is big and strong, very skilled, knows exactly how to protect the puck, knows exactly how to win puck battles and he is a great play maker
i think he has potential to reach ~30 goals - ~40 assists - ~100 points
so what does everyone think his potential is stats wise and who is he comparable too?
i think he has potential to reach ~30 goals - ~40 assists - ~100 points
I feel his upside is somewhere between a Drew Stafford and Bobby Ryan, except I dont feel he will ever put up as many points as Ryan. I see a solid 2nd line winger capable of 50-55 points in any given season.
so what does everyone think his potential is stats wise and who is he comparable too?
i think the semin comparisons were completely ridiculous, in the one memorial cup game i saw him come out of a corner with the puck more than i have seen semin try to win a puck battle in his career
he is big and strong, very skilled, knows exactly how to protect the puck, knows exactly how to win puck battles and he is a great play maker
i think he has potential to reach ~30 goals - ~40 assists - ~100 points
He was barely a ppg player in juniors, and you expect him to put up 100pts in the NHL?
I know he had the character issues but I'm still kind of surprised he slipped to the third round. The second round is full of boom or bust picks. Kabanov was the ultimate boom/bust player in that draft.
so what does everyone think his potential is stats wise and who is he comparable too?
i think the semin comparisons were completely ridiculous, in the one memorial cup game i saw him come out of a corner with the puck more than i have seen semin try to win a puck battle in his career
he is big and strong, very skilled, knows exactly how to protect the puck, knows exactly how to win puck battles and he is a great play maker
i think he has potential to reach ~30 goals - ~40 assists - ~100 points
I thought he looked solid for most of the tournament. His work ethic and willingness to engage in battles probably stood out more than anything to me. He's still got to bulk up and get stronger; I saw a guy willing to battle, but he seemed to end up getting outmuscled against the bigger defenders, both along the boards and in front of the net.
Ironically, I didn't see this supposed high-end offensive ability that he was touted to have. His playmaking was very good, but he didn't seem the type who could take over a game with his offensive ability. His goal scoring touch also doesn't seem to be elite. Instead, he was more of a solid winger who showed a willingness to work the boards, with a nice passing ability.
If he does make the NHL, I see more of a Dainus Zubrus-type player than a high scoring top six winger. Considering he was taken in the 3rd round, him matching Zubrus' career would be a great haul for the Isles -- but I just don't see him being a big offensive producer at the next level.
He was barely a ppg player in juniors, and you expect him to put up 100pts in the NHL?
lol i was going to say 70 points but when i realized i said 30-40 i just needed to say 100
i do expect him to be able to be a 70 point scorer though, and a lot of that will do with him being a play maker and possibly playing with tavares and moulson
If he does make the NHL, I see more of a Dainus Zubrus-type player than a high scoring top six winger. Considering he was taken in the 3rd round, him matching Zubrus' career would be a great haul for the Isles -- but I just don't see him being a big offensive producer at the next level.
I see a future third line of Grabner-Nelson-Kabonov - they won't necessarily set the world on fire, but they could be be a real matchup problem for other teams.
I see a future third line of Grabner-Nelson-Kabonov - they won't necessarily set the world on fire, but they could be be a real matchup problem for other teams.
Grabner may not build on his season from two years ago. We'll see next year. If he ends up scoring again, he'll be put back in a top-6 role. If he plays like he did last year, then he's going to be a 3rd liner for the rest of his career. Nelson I think will definitely be a physical 3rd liner that can put up 35-40 points, not a 2nd line center.
. Nelson I think will definitely be a physical 3rd liner that can put up 35-40 points, not a 2nd line center.
I think the isles are expecting more then a 35-40 pt,3rd liner from Nelson.
I think they see him developing into a top 6 center.
If you look at where draft sites had him ranked in his draft yr,he was not an off the board pick or a project pick.
http://www.andrewsstarspage.com/inde...elson_profile/
Central Scouting Final Ranking:25th among North American Skaters
International Scouting Services:26th Overall
The Hockey News:29th Overall
Red Line Report:31st Overall
TSN:34th Overall
McKeen's Hockey:62nd Overall
I've read that in Okposo's last season at Minn. ,he was playing center,although he'd been drafted as a winger.Isles immediately put him back at wing.
Isles lack size and toughness down the middle.I expect they will give Nelson every chance to develop at center.
It's a much different transition going from wing in juniors, to center in college, and back to wing in the pros, than from center in juniors to wing in college and back to center in the pros.
It's a much different transition going from wing in juniors, to center in college, and back to wing in the pros, than from center in juniors to wing in college and back to center in the pros.
Nelson went from high school to college.Now after 2 yrs of college,he goes to the pros.
As I said,with the team's lack of size and toughness down the middle,I think we will see him given every chance at center.
Strang used to be the isles Newsday beatwriter up until about a yr ago.She now covers the NYI for ESPN.
