DJ Kreuzberg
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Posts posted by DJ Kreuzberg
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Does anyone have any info on Ritchies injury last year? Im hearing it was a head injury but could be wrong.
Last year it was a nagging shoulder problem, which got to the point where he had to get surgery on it.
The year before it was a concussion.
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That's what I mean though, there has to be some sleepers in there. Every 18 yr old defenseman in the world this year can't all be duds can they?.. It's just my speculation and you definitely know more than I do. I just had a though if everyone else is sleeping on these kids it might be a chance to grab one that in the long run should have been a first rounder had the forwards not stole the show when they were 18.
No, they are not all duds, but the guys in the late 1st and 2nd don't really have high upsides IMO. I feel you can get similar D men in the 3rd round, whereas it will be a lot more difficult getting a quality forward like Cornel/Lemieux/Point/Pollock/Magyar or possible fallers like Bleakley/maybe one of the top swedes in the 3rd round. Just a matter of opinion, though.
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I say we take a dman. Its pretty slim on D in the first round, if only 4 or 5 go in the first round you could end up with a real gem. the 5th or 6th best in the draft. Thats of course if a beauty forward doesnt fall to our spot, i.e. Lemieux
I find that this draft is simply not strong on D; lacking on potential. I don't think we should take a D in the 1st or 2nd, but that's just me.
I'd choose a D in the 3rd, if you base it off of CSS's final rankings. Don't sleep on these two guys:
Blake Siebenaler: has impressed me every game i've watched of him - his skating is really something to watch. Really intriguing; he was converted from forward to D only 2 years ago. Keeping that in mind, his progression and ability to adjust has been simply impressive. He still needs to work on his defensive coverage a bit more but it has improved and is surprisingly capable defensively. He will be more known for his very aggressive style in the offensive zone. Looks very comfortable there. Nice passer and good shot too.
Travis Sanheim: very good sized defenseman who skates well. He started out the year focusing on his defensive game, very consistent and steady defender. However, in the final months of the season, he took big steps offensively, but becoming more assertive in moving the puck and rushing the puck. He also has a nice shot.
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Attitude issues due sometimes worry me because of whether they are just too cocky or because of other issues. As you mentioned I did hear from a friend he got suspended for using a slur against someone during a game in the OHL, and knowing that Trevor Linden will have a big part in who we will select this year, DeAngelo's attitude doesn't reflect much of what Trevor likes in a player.
Saying that though, doesn't mean he is a lost cause, but im sure Linden would be very very weary of taking Deangelo, although I think he will be an absolute stud in the game. Attitude can be adjusted, just as he is willing to do so. But from the likes of Craig Button and former canuck Trevor Letowski who has been working with DeAngelo sees a leader, who plays with passion. Im sold on him, and if he can take a 180 on his attitude, he could be an absolute stud.
DeAngelo is a guy I would stay far away from. Just too many red flags with him.
He has done much more than use a slur against someone during a game in the OHL. He made "the most inappropriate statement" towards his very own teammate. Said team-mate was so offended, he brought it up to his GM. The GM felt it was serious enough to defer the matter to the League Office. The League suspended him for 8 games and the Team released a statement saying they fully agree with the punishment. He has also been suspended internally by the team before, so don't think this is one-off situation.
That says to me, firstly, that when your own teammates turn on you, there's major problems going on here. There are a lot of cocky players in the CHL, but this is on a different level. And rumour out of Sarnia is that some teammates simply hate the guy. Just watch him stare down his teammates when a goal is scored against them and it doesn't become so hard to believe.
I see hopeful comments in your post, hoping he will learn, mature, if he is willing to do so. But the thing is this guy simply does not learn. People, who have played with and against him when they were younger, have stated he hasn't changed at all. For a more recent example: DeAngelo was suspended for abuse of officials, two games. The first game after the suspension, guess what? He abuses an official and gets a penalty and a game misconduct. In subsequent games, he has also been seen abusing officials.
Some people see this as a guy who plays with passion. I see a nut case with deep-seeded problems.
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domi was a non factor. him and subban had some bad blood i guess. someone was saying that gaunce might be traded around xmas, maybe to sudbury
I agree, Domi was a non factor and made himself look pretty immature, especially for his misconduct. Typical Domi. After the whistle goes, Domi uses his "toughness". He goes over to cross check Bignell in his lower back and targets where there is no padding. Then he mugs him from behind and tackles him and the linesman to the ice. Starts throwing some gloved shots at Bignell's body.
Subban and Domi are very good friends off the ice. At the draft when Jordan was still waiting to be selected, Domi noticed he still didn't go yet and was waiting a long time, so he took off his PHX jersey and sat with Subban until he was chosen. Said he didn't want Jordan to sit alone and wanted to support his friend. So i found the scrum a bit odd. Could just be on-ice competitiveness, rather than bad blood between them.
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That depth chart is horrid.The Hockey News already puts Bocephus Horvat at 3rd on the depth chart at center
How is Wesley Myron better than Shinkaruk at this point, much less the write off of Steven Anthony.
Anyone thinking Alex Friesen is more ready for the NHL than Gaunce is smoking something.
Matt Beattie played LW/RW for every game last season. LaBate has played on the LW for the majority of the past 2 seasons in Wisconsin, but both of these guys are listed as Centers.
Price adapted to the level of play with the Wolves better than Polasek and Sauve, yet he is last on the list for D.
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Thank you good sir! I was quite frustrated with it earlier =DGotta delete the 's' out of the http:// to embed it
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Finished McEneny's highlight video from this season. But not sure why YT doesn't embed on here anymore. Ohh well, click if you want to watch.
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1. Last season had adequate development? Now that's funny. Connauton looked like a guy who could play defense and run a PP and was an AHL Allstar. Tanev got prime time to work on all facets of his game, PK&PP, looked steady in all of those areas. This season he looked shaky for several games and for Tanev's standards. Sauve took a big step forward last season to the point where i thought he might be a Canuck in the near future and as I mentioned, several steps backwards this season. Now I don't even think he is worth a contract. Schroeder took huge steps defensively and in his all around game, began to shoot more and MacT would stay long after practice to help Schroeder on his game and face offs in particular. Rodin had an inconsistent first half last season, but really picked up his consistency in the 2nd half, was looking dangerous offensively. Now I find it hard for me to notice him in a game.1)You make the unfounded assumption here that I agree that last year was a stellar year in player development for the Canucks. More like adequate imo. This years club is simply not as competitive in the lockout AHL, which needs to factored into any comparisons with last years team.
2)A team that truly controlled the destiny of it's AHL prospects, like, say, Calgary, would have Polasek playing in it's top six. not Hunt or Matheson. It would be Polasek And Sauve And Andersson not either/or Also, not every team benefited to the same extent from the lockout. The whole competitive balance of the AHL was tilted on it's ear with the Wolves being one of the teams that arguably benefited the least from young NHL talent. It's hard for me to condemn the performance of Arniel, three years removed from coach of the year honors in this landscape.
3) You may be right on this one. I personally thought he should have waited until this year to come over from Europe ala Jacob Silfverberg. The Canucks may have blown this one by rushing a project player.
If last season is adequate development, let me know when its well above average. Id like to witness that.
On paper, this seasons AHL roster was significantly better than last season, with the additions of Sterling, Ebbett, Gordon (all 3 ahl allstars). I don't believe that the lockout AHL made the significant difference that you are indicating. Sure, its a factor but not to the extent you imply. You brought up OKC, we played them twice! We play Peoria, Milwaukee, GR, and Rockford the most. These are teams that were not that "significantly" impacted; we had 3 NHLers (ZK, JS, CT), GR had 3 (Tatar, smith, Lashoff), Peoria had 2 (Schwartz and cole), Rockford had the most with 5 (Kruger, saad, shaw, leddy, and bollig), and Milwaukee had 3 (Ellis, Bourque and Blum). Just how much at a disadvantage were we? Going into the season, even accounting for the lockout, we were supposed to be a very good team with vet presence, good role players and a deep as hell blue line with top pairing AHL dmen in Joslin, Mullen, Tanev and Connauton. I cannot concede that this was a team unable to contend with an increased level of competition.
2. A team like abbotsford? The one that sent its 2nd round pick mitch wahl, who was outplayed, to the ECHL as well? No they would never do that because according to your theory, they should gift spots to their prospects.
Hunt has become the teams best dman since the lockout. He deserves to be in the lineup and is deserving of his Allstar game nod.
Why are you holding on to fans and one writer's opinions of a defunct and dysfunctional NHL organization, instead of looking at the relationship that is built and continuing to be built with its current NHL org? IMO, it's two completely different situations and we have to recognize that.
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Okay so you watch all them games. I already new that about you. But where are the logical fallacies in my posts. I want to see them.
If you please?
1.Once again, how can the same organization whose management team remains unchanged develop players well one year to a team that has an ulterior motive to play their vets and stagnate our prospects? This is simply illogical.
You identified two prime indictments of the Wolves supposed incompetence. Polasek and Rodin.
2. You state you understand that other teams benefitted from top players moving down to the NHL. This happened to us as well. Polasek was pushed out of a spot because of the introduction of Tanev and Canuck guns for hire in Joslin and Mullen. Where is the blame to place on the Wolves? It's the Canucks moves that pushed him out of a spot. Whom would you rather have warming the bench, Miskovic or Polasek? Polasek got moved down for playing time, simple as that. Now he's back since there is room.
3. You have attributed the blame of Rodins play on the Wolves treatment of our young players, suggesting he has been given the short end of the stick. No, he has Ben given plenty of opportunity on the PP and in the top 6. He and only himself has failed to take the opportunity by the horns and capitalize. He is an inconsistent player who IMO has been playing himself out of a contract.
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Sorry, gave it an hour!
My hunch is informed by the idea that the lockout completely turned the competitive balance of power on it's ear and made the Wolves a less competitive team than they would have been in a normal AHL season. it just isn't the same league with all of those young NHLers around; you want to pin the consequences of this on the shoulders of Scott Arniel. Where was all this anti-Arniel sentiment during the four year tenure in Winnipeg with the Moose anyway. Are you seriously trying to tell me thay he has forgotten how to coach/develop young players in two short years?
I can't know what is and isn't in Arniels mind. What I can tell you is what I see on the ice and the decisions hes made.
PK has been a major issue since the beginning of the season whereas it was a great advantage under MacT. Last season, we were regularly in the top 5 PK teams all year long. This season, we were in the bottom 5 for literally months. Personnel decisions here affected the team greatly and it's effectiveness. Arniel decided to use Ebbett on the first unit despite a blind person seeing that he was a major liability there. He neglected to use last years regular PKers in Schroeder, Sweatt, and Miller; players who attributed to the excellence last season. He Even had Friesen on the PK instead of these guys. It's baffling.
Sauve looks confused as to what role he is in and what he is supposed to be doing. The Canucks want him to play a simple game such as he was last season, to the point that I thought he might be able to contribute in a 7-8 dman role for the Canucks. He has taken several steps back because he has gotten so far away from a simple game. He is now a high risk player on the ice with little reward with his poor pinches and poor decision making with the puck.
Kassian and Schroeder were ultimately the offensive cogs in the "tougher" AHL part of the season since Haydar and Ebbett could not handle the increased talent level. It was plain to see that the most effective players offensively were Kass and JS, but he refused to put them on the first PP. He refused to put them out there in the final minutes when trying to tie a game. They were given paltry PP minutes when they should have been a prime tool on the PP. MacT in 6 games had Jensen on the first PP because he recognized the talent and goal scorer he had in him.
Has Arniel forgotten how to coach? No, but are his decisions questionable? Highly and I think they are a contributing factor to the struggles of the Wolves this season.
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Wow, what a compelling argument. You get a well deserved slow clap.
I know it's hard to argue with someone who watches all the games and uses logic, but a video? You can do better.
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First of all, I'm more than willing to concede that Craig MacTavish is a better coach than Scott Arniel. In fact, I was hoping MacTavish would eventually inherit the head coaching job here in Vancouver. When we assess the performance of the Wolves team this season, I think it's important to recognize the impact the lockout has had on the rosters around the AHL, it isn't really the AHL anymore when the Oklahoma City Barons are icing the entire Edmonton Oilers first line and four-fifths of their first pp unit. I think the lockout portion of the AHL season has been so atypical of an AHL season that it needs to be thrown out when trying to assess performance of the true AHL teams. The Wolves didn't benefit in nearly the same way by the inclusion of quality young NHLers on ELCs as many other teams did. Let's wait and have a look at these teams performance with their true rosters over the second half before we make our final judgement.
My hunch is based mainly on the litany of complaints over the years I have read from disgruntled Atlanta Thrashers fans on other hockey boards like HF about the lack of development of Thrashers prospects during their long association with the Wolves. The demotion of Adam Polasek to the ECHL and the stagnation of Anton Rodin are major red flags. Really all Canucks affiliated personnel seem to be underachieving this year.
You may be right. It may all be on Scott Arniel. Maybe he forgot how to coach during his tenure with the Blue Jackets. We'll see.
So how does an organization go from developing prospects well one year to distinctly preferring to play their vets and ruining our prospects, when the organization has not changed a single bit? The only significant change was the coaching staff, brought along and supported by the Canucks.
So you assess this lockout AHL season, understand that the level of play has increased due to NHL players being on AHL rosters and give Arniel the benefit of the doubt. But you use the Polasek demotion as an indictment against the Wolves? Did you take a look at D line up at the beginning of the season?
Tanev - Canucks
Connauton - Canucks
Joslin - Canucks
Mullen - Canucks
Andersson - Canucks
Sauve - Canucks
Matheson - Wolves
Hunt - Wolves
Miskovic - Wolves
That's 6 out of 9 for the Canucks. That's a defensive core that Polasek would not allow Polasek to play big minutes like he should be. And I love Polasek, after watching all of his games last season, I really thought he could step to become a regular this season but playing time for him is more important than warming a bench in this AHL lockout affected year.
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So your hunch is based on what you've read on HF and based on the Wolves interactions with their previous NHL affiliate. But not with the Vancouver Canucks? Several people close to the team have been on record to say that the involvement by the Canucks is night and day than with the Thrashers and that it is significantly better. Lorne Henning is very active in their management and is frequently in Chicago to provide his input and supervise the development of prospects there.
Rather than use their relationship with the Trashers, take a look at their relationship with the Canucks.
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Might not add up to what your perceptions are, but watching the way he is coaching the team game in and game out, he definitely shares a majority of the blame for the poor start this season with his personnel decisions and his ability to control a team. How many goals have they given up 2 minutes after they score a goal? How many blown leads have they had in the 3rd? How much have they been outscored in the 3rd? These are all issues he let flounder for weeks and pissed away points.So, in your estimation, it's all on Scott Arniel then? The funny thing is, I don't remember people grousing about the lousy job Arniel was doing with our kids during the four years he he was head coach in Manitoba.
If all this is true, that it's all on Scott Arniel and the Wolves factor is really not a factor at all then we have to accept that:
young inexperienced Arniel=good
older NHL experienced Arneil=bad
Sorry DJ, it's not an equation that equates for me.
So how do you explain MacT's team? You still have yet to touch on that. The Chicago Wolves organization were one and the same, still have the same GM and mgmt team. Connauton got first pairing minutes, first PP, some PK time. Sweatt, Schroeder, Rodin were given top 6 spots, Rodin was given top PP minutes for a majority of the year. Schroeder was given top PK minutes, whereas this season, he was not even on the top 2 PK units. Tanev in his time there got first pairing minutes, top PP, top PK. Sauve got prime shutdown minutes and was used on the top PK unit. Each of these guys experienced great development years with ample playing time last season
How does this signify a Chicago Wolves team that has an ulterior motive of preferring vets and inhibiting the development of players? Sorry, it just doesn't jive with what i've seen on the ice and what i've heard from the commentators.
That's all you are going on, a guess, a hunch, whatever you are calling it. Where is the basis of this guess?You're assuming complete autonomy on Arniel's part in playing who he wants to where he wants to and how much he wants to. I'm not. I'm guessing there is local pressure on Arniel from the Wolves brass to play the vets at the expense of our youth. I think the Wolves would be best off and happiest going back to their roots as an indie org. I think they have an indie mindset that they have never shaken from their IHL days. -
I'm told that our agreement with the Wolves is up after this year. I think that is a really positive thing as I don't really like what has been going on with our young players developmentally since we were forced out of the Manitoba relationship. Atlanta was never really happy with the Wolves either I have heard, and I'm really hoping we move on after this year. Our kids are stagnating there at the expense of Wolves signee veterans in my opinion and for this reason I find it hard to really get a handle on the true skill level of someone like Anton Rodin because I suspect the 'Wolves factor' may be makings things look worse than they are.
Atlanta wasn't unhappy, they were neglectful and didn't care about their prospects. They didn't care about making the effort to build a bridge between their AHL team and NHL team.
Give me a break. I loathe this perpetuating rumour. Our kids are stagnating because of a coach the Canucks pushed for, Arniel, and a rookie defense coach in Baumgartner, another Canuck. You can't put the blame solely on the Wolves and then conveniently forget how MacT provided a great developmental year for just about all our prospects last season. Its absurd. Its Arniel who was forcefeeding Ebbett and Haydar when they were struggling mightly.
MacT did more developmentally than Arniel has. yet the organization has stayed the same. Puzzling, I know, but the coach you choose really does make a difference. Blame the Canucks' decision hiring Arniel, not the Wolves.
If you want to know why Rodin is struggling, look no further than searching Anton Rodin in google. He has the skill/talent and had his first healthy offseason. His inconsistency is inexplicable and inexcusable.
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I met Schroeder and last year, he was the same height as I, which is 5'8ish. At the combine he measured in at 5'8.25, which I believe is the most accurate measurement. He is not 5'9, IMO. I would not be surprised if he added weight to that number. He is surely a thick man.Can someone confirm Jordon Schroeder is he is 5'9 and 175 cm...is it possible he could have grown and info is outdated
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Damn you beat me to it!Al MacInnis
Paul Coffey
Scott Stevens
Larry Robinson..
Nobody recently though..
But you guys are right... no one recently. The last true NHL D man was Steve Eminger and his final year there was 2003.
Maybe it only happens once every decade and we will be in luck.
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The Bulls are not a bad team. They are 2nd in their conference. What they are is a defensive focused team, that plays very structured hockey, excels on the PK and is leading the league in PK%. They are a low scoring team because of that. There is an ongoing joke that the coach likes to stifle offensive creativity and playing at a high-tempo.
I watched both of Gaunce's games this weekend. Probably the best i've seen Gaunce play. He was a force at both ends of the ice. Dominant on the faceoff dot and excellent on the PK. He was active with his stick and blocking passing lanes on the PK, but perhaps the best part of his PK is winning that first draw to clear the puck and waste time. Only when he was off the PK, did the other team score or get prime scoring chances. Also, there was an article about the Bulls PK and how everyone buys into the system and their shot blocking mentality. Gaunce was very willing to get in front of the shots. His defensive positioning is very mature.
Offensively, he was creating scoring chances with his good vision, made some nice passing plays that his linemates could not handle. Scored yesterday in front of the net on the PP, he pushed off the defender, received a pass and dangled forehand backhand. Tonight he scored by finding open space next to the net to deflect a point shot into the net. He made two memorable hits this weekend. One was when an opponent was jamming away at his goaltender after the whistle, pushed him over behind the net and kept pushing him down until the ref came over. Tonight he was forechecking and ran over a defender, knocking him on his back. Another time, Gaunce had the puck going up ice, had a opponent draped over him and just shrugged him off and continued along his way.
If this is how he plays on a regular basis, there's reason to be happy. Was very deserving of the 1st stars for both nights.
The knock on Gaunce at the draft was his skating ability. I don't see it as a problem at this level, but i didn't think Archibald's skating was an issue in the OHL either, but it gave him issues in his first pro year. Gaunce will have to improve his acceleration over the next few off-seasons for a smoother transition to the pro level, everything else in his game is there.
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I am listening... does sound like he is playing a lot, especially for a freshman. What kind of playing style would you say he has? Perhaps a comparable?
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I'm glad there's more than handful of people optimistic about him here. On the main forum, he got ripped on.His defensive game is really improving, thats great to see. I kinda but him on the backburner when I thought about our prospects but this guy has a ton of offensive upside.
His skating is really good, he's got excellent foot speed, accelerates really well, has great top speed and transitions well. Never seems to stop moving when there's an offensive situation building. And he does everything at top speed
One of the things I really noticed is his vision and hockey sense for a small player this is huge, you just see he has quick hands, can go through and around people, very evasive and he has good balance.
Is offensive ability can only be described by one word: Dynamic, he's a excellent passer/playmaker, with a bullet of a wrister and a deadly slap shot and one timer, his shot power is really something and he a great accuracy too, when he gets a good oppertunity can really finish, his hands are amazing. Seems like a game breaker to me.
I'm really excited to see this guy, I thought he's had good camps the past two years, and it seems like he will get an oppertunity to start the season in Kesler's role, I think the team wants that. Then if he plays well he can stay, if he needs more seasoning then he will be sent down.
I wouldn't be surprised if we make that descision before looking to acquire another center.
I agree, the strength of his game is speed and he played best this season when he was with players who could also play at high speed, in transition, and could also read the game at that speed as well.
A few things i sort of disagree with here. His shot could be more accurate. If he had 183 shots on net, i would not be surprised if he also missed another 80. He has a tendency to always go for the top corners and as a result, a lot of them go high. I feel he'll have to realize that sometimes a shot on net is a higher percentage play than a shot over the net. But boy, when he hits it, its a beauty.
A game breaker is something I don't really see right now. There have been many games where his line has been without a doubt the best line for the Wolves, but i can't say there has been one particular game i watched where he and himself took over the game.
I agree, he showed really well last camp. I thought he played almost as good as Hodgson, but i think he really needed this past season in the AHL. It was definitely a step in the right direction.
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Ran into a few conversion problems with youtube tonight and there are like flickers of large pixels! WTF, lol. But i am so fed up, i don't want to deal with it. Enjoy.
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This is false. 215lbs is the figure thats incorrect.he's actually 215, according to most sites. 207 is probably out of date.
At the combine, where they do official height and weight measurements of every attending prospect, he weighed in at 207lbs. That's why some blogs update it to match the most up to date measurements rather than the inflated ones on the website.
His height is 6'1.75, officially.
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Just finished Schroeder's highlights for this season. Enjoy.
Any questions, just ask.
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Schroeder and Rodin played together on the same line for 10 games by my count this season. I watched everyone of those games and they definitely did have chemistry during that time, probably the first good RW we saw with Schroeder at that point of the season. I thought they worked off each other very well, with their speed, it was a transition game with them and when they were able to move the puck, it was fast and that's what was effective about them. They also cycled very well, with Sweatt there as well.
PP units do not generally move from the 1st and 2nd line combos. So whoever is on the 1st line is generally the 1st unit, but frequently, they will put Haydar out there in place of Rodin on the 1st unit. Rodin would then slide down to the 2nd unit. But its a toss up based on who MacT feels is going.
Rodin is a RW and played RW throughout his Brynas days. But from what i've seen this season, he can play both wings fairly effectively.
6th Pick: 2014 NHL Entry Draft
in Prospects / Farm Team
Posted
He is not watching this round. He watched the entire round of Halifax vs Gatineau.
Right now, Gilman is in Finland for the U18s.