After watching this game my opinions are as follows...
Gavey is a definite NHLer better than at least 10-15% of players in the NHL
Williams is going to be Decent NHLer
Colaicovo Still not ready but will be
Wellwood horrible skater
White will never be an NHLer
Hedin looks so-so
After watching this game my opinions are as follows...
Gavey is a definite NHLer better than at least 10-15% of players in the NHL
Williams is going to be Decent NHLer
Colaicovo Still not ready but will be
Wellwood horrible skater
White will never be an NHLer
Hedin looks so-so
Did we watch the same game?
White impressed the hell out of me for the most part. Especially when you take into account it's his second AHL game and he clearly can't know whatever imaginary system Shedden seems to use with the defence.
Gavey's a decent 4th line guy by NHL standards and likely will end up with a job as one next season.
Wellwood despite being a slow accelerator, which is something everyone knew, is a pure talent. He'll either make it big or not make it at all, no inbetween for the kid and did some things to again make me wonder what he will become on the night.
Neither of Hedin or Colaiacovo did anything to impress me in that game. Both rather inaffective. Hedin seemed to not keep his feet moving on most of the night and for the most part Colaiacovo just seemed dis-interested.
Williams is still a distance away. His flaws on the defensive side the the puck are something he's going to have to become interested in improving. He'll also have to generate more offensive chances then he did on the night if he's going to make the NHL. Only one game though and it's not entirely fair to judge
May was affective and fairly fun to watch on the night. I very much doubt he'll come close to making it to the dance but I think he could be a fan favorite for the Baby Leafs.
After watching this game my opinions are as follows...
Gavey is a definite NHLer better than at least 10-15% of players in the NHL
Williams is going to be Decent NHLer
Colaicovo Still not ready but will be
Wellwood horrible skater
White will never be an NHLer
Hedin looks so-so
What did you think of Moro. I think the Leafs could use his services in the NHL.
What did you think of Moro. I think the Leafs could use his services in the NHL.
Fun to watch, tough as nails and a hard worker. That being said he'll never make the NHL. His foot speed is well below the NHL level and doesn't have the the proper skills to cover that up.
I thought JF Racine looked pretty good as well considering he's still getting used to the AHL and new teammates. He's had some good games since being called up and has certainly never looked like he's in over his head.
It will obviously take a while, but, from what I've seen, think he's got a chance to be an NHLer some day.
On another note where was Tellqvist tonight? I noted Centomo was the back up to Racine.
It's also very encouraging to see JFJ at the game, he never seems to miss the farm team when they come to Ontario. I like that.
I thought JF Racine looked pretty good as well considering he's still getting used to the AHL and new teammates. He's had some good games since being called up and has certainly never looked like he's in over his head.
It will obviously take a while, but, from what I've seen, think he's got a chance to be an NHLer some day.
On another note where was Tellqvist tonight? I noted Centomo was the back up to Racine.
It's also very encouraging to see JFJ at the game, he never seems to miss the farm team when they come to Ontario. I like that.
He was the 3rd string tonight. I assume after a 51 save peformance they decided he needed a night off.
Agree on Gavey I was quite impressed. Probably still only a 4th liner at the NHL level but definitely NHL material. He played significantly better than most of the other players on either team.
Wellwood made some really nifty plays, tons of skill. Didn't really notice that he was particularly slow but then I wasn't watching for it either. He certainly looks like he has the talent to make the NHL I guess we'll just have to wait and see if he has the rest of the tools also.
Ian White: He had a hard time adjusting to the faster pace of the game... he can keep up in terms of speed, but he had trouble positioning. He was good behind his net a couple times without the puck, keeping the Toronto forwards along the boards.
Jeremy Williams: Didn't play much in the second half of the game, but he's a great skater, plays physical, and has a great shot. He's also a very smart defensive player, doesn't float... he actually came back and played very defensively.
Marc Moro: Makes big hits, good positionally, and a great leader... but when he's got the puck in his end, he makes a lot of bad decisions.
Aaron Gavey: Had a good game, but he's definately no better then a 4th line forward in the NHL. Not a great offensive player, there are atleast 3 guys on that team who can handle the puck and make better plays offensively... I guess he feeds off others.
Kyle Wellwood: Not the fastest player, but he's got amazing hands and incredible hockey sense. Not ready for the NHL, but he's going to be a really decent NHL player if he keeps developing in the American Hockey League.
Jean-Francois Racine: Very quick goalie... especially from side-to-side. He takes up a lot of space at 6'3 and isn't very acrobatic, but a very good positional goalie. Quick glove as well. I think he may challenge Mikael Tellqvist as the "goalie of the future" for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Brendan Bell: I'm still not impressed with him... I don't see him do the things he did in Ottawa last year. He's still got that great shot, but I think he's going to take a couple years longer then Colaiacovo to develop into an NHL calibre player.
Pierre Hedin: He didn't get much ice-time tonight... that may mean something... maybe he's on his way back to Toronto? I can dream, can't I?
Nathan Barrett: Very impressive offensively, he was looking like Pavel Bure out there. Very good hands. His skating may be a problem, he's small and his skating isn't that great.
Jay Harrison: I love this guy... a physical force that can skate and get the puck on net. He made a great play in the 3rd where he got the puck and just took a wicked low wrist shot from the point... Nathan Barrett was on the doorstep and almost put in the rebound.
Harold Druken: Plays lazy... but he's good in the offensive zone.
Nathan Barrett: Very impressive offensively, he was looking like Pavel Bure out there. Very good hands. His skating may be a problem, he's small and his skating isn't that great.
Oh come on now. When's the last time you've seen Pavel work the boards and cycle like that?
i love how people can judge all the players and make all these predictions after watching one game.
wasting your time on a stupid message board. should have jobs as scouts.
First of all, I believe I pointed out it's not fair to judge after one game. Secondly, how exactly can you critize someone for simply making a statement about someones future? People are merely making observations about a players talent or where they feel the player could be in the future. Why does this seem to bother/offend you so much?
If we lived in the great city of St. John's, maybe we'd have the opportunity to watch them as much as you and make witty comments like that to others.
You know what I found really funny about that post? He decided to post something like his 251 post complaining at Hockeys Future's message board which has the general purpose, or atleast started off with the general purpose, of discussing prospects futures in the league
i just hate seeing them overrated cause that doesn't help anyone. seen it time after time, year after year. prospects are set up to fail.
take steen as the latest. i've seen him touted as sundin's replacement. i don't know if that will happen or not, but it is an awful burden for him to have to carry.
i just hate seeing them overrated cause that doesn't help anyone. seen it time after time, year after year. prospects are set up to fail.
take steen as the latest. i've seen him touted as sundin's replacement. i don't know if that will happen or not, but it is an awful burden for him to have to carry.
Players will always be matched to someone though, likely on the team he's drafted by or apart off. If someone here doesn't do it surely someone like Strachan, Simmons, Cox etc etc who've never seen him play either will do it. It's basically apart of the whole process now. I totally agree it's not a needed burden to place on the kids but at this point no ones going to get rid of it.
i just hate seeing them overrated cause that doesn't help anyone. seen it time after time, year after year. prospects are set up to fail.
take steen as the latest. i've seen him touted as sundin's replacement. i don't know if that will happen or not, but it is an awful burden for him to have to carry.
So one guy says Steen will replace Sundin and he's suddenly overrated?
Ok then... Dominic D'Amour will win the Norris trophy in 5 years... he will scored 50 points a year and make the NHL all-star team 14 times. There, no you can go on and say he's overrated just because one person makes a crazy comment.
coke never impresses me much in the ahl games ive seen
but when he gets called up he looks like a cant miss
so i have no idea what to expect from this guy
wellwood is small and kinda slow
thats 2 strikes against him,
so i cant see him making it
I can dream, can't I?
