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Hunter Shinkaruk | C/W


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Ya he probably won't score much playing with the likes of Gaunce, Jensen, Fox, Grenier etc... It's hard to score a lot with them when he's playing half the season in the NHL. Even if Shink got 0 NHL games next year and only AHL games, he will be the most dynamic offensive player for the Comets.

I just hope they keep him that way. I understand developing a sense of defensive responsibility, but this is a guys they should let go full offense.

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I just hope they keep him that way. I understand developing a sense of defensive responsibility, but this is a guys they should let go full offense.

i agree. i'm tired of this organization reigning in offensive talent in the name of two way hockey. teach them d later on, without stifling their talent when they're young enough that it'll cripple their confidence.

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i agree. i'm tired of this organization reigning in offensive talent in the name of two way hockey. teach them d later on, without stifling their talent when they're young enough that it'll cripple their confidence.

Yes.....it's working for the Oil.

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Yes.....it's working for the Oil.

People in these parts seem to have a LOT of trouble with context.

Firstly, we almost never draft high enough/get lucky enough to even pick "dynamic offensive players" with offensive talent levels who give the coaching staff the freedom to have to worry less about defense. Ie: guys who score more than they get scored on.

Second, all players should have at least some defensive ability. This is not a bad thing to tech and develop and does not inherently detract from their offensive gifts. What it may mean is that instead scoring 30 goals but causing 20 against, the player "only" scores 25 but also only allows say 10 against. I'll take that trade any day.

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People in these parts seem to have a LOT of trouble with context.

Firstly, we almost never draft high enough/get lucky enough to even pick "dynamic offensive players" with offensive talent levels who give the coaching staff the freedom to have to worry less about defense. Ie: guys who score more than they get scored on.

Second, all players should have at least some defensive ability. This is not a bad thing to tech and develop and does not inherently detract from their offensive gifts. What it may mean is that instead scoring 30 goals but causing 20 against, the player "only" scores 25 but also only allows say 10 against. I'll take that trade any day.

Firstly, I would argue Shinkaruk is a "dynamic offensive player" - or at least could be one.

I understand that you need to have defensive responsibility, but it seems like this team would not give players the light of day unless they were thinking defense first. How many times has Kassian looked lost out there, trying not to get benched for a bad play? I would say Hodgson was one of the few that got away with a less than stellar defensive game, but that may have been because we had a Selke winning centre along with Manny to carry the defensive load. Shirokov was an example of another offensive player that wasn't given a chance because he didn't buy into the system.

I would like players like Shinkaruk (and to a lesser extent Jensen), to be given a little more slack with the defensive side of the game, because he is an offensive player. Forcing him to concentrate too much on his two-way game will just take away from the dynamic that is Shinkaruk.

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I agree, he could very well be. My point was that we rarely get those guys and no I wouldn't include Jensen or even Kassian in the same category.

They'll likely be difference makers but Kassian's game is more about playing a big power forward game with some offensive skill than being an outright offensive dynamo. Jensen lacks the top end talent/skill to not learn the defensive side of the game. That's not a knock, just a realization that for him to be successful in the NHL he's going to have to develop a more all around game than someone with more pure offensive skill.

It's apples and oranges.

We'll see about Shink, he's shown some interesting flashes for sure. That said, I still would never be opposed to him being a more well rounded player who can also break a game open in the blink of an eye.

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i don't see shinkaruk being an offensive dynamo in the ahl next year. based on how other highly skilled offensive prospects have developed in the canucks system, i'd be pretty surprised to see him score at more than a 40-50 pt pace.

Ahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! your kidding right? C'mon how many prospects have had Shinks offensive skill in the recent past?

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i agree. i'm tired of this organization reigning in offensive talent in the name of two way hockey. teach them d later on, without stifling their talent when they're young enough that it'll cripple their confidence.

I don't actually see that happening with Shink, he has too much natural ability for that too happen. You do have a good point in cases where there isn't as much in a player...

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some of you guys are going to be pretty disappointed. you sound like you think the kid was a top 5 pick.

i'm a shinkaruk fan, but i really don't think he is what you think he is.

He's a fast skilled and intelligent pure goal scoring threat with top line or at least top 6 skill.

This is his skill set and his ceiling. Hard to not be excited about that

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He's a fast skilled and intelligent pure goal scoring threat with top line or at least top 6 skill.

This is his skill set and his ceiling. Hard to not be excited about that

i don't disagree, but people expecting ppg numbers in the ahl as a rookie pro are crazy.

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i don't disagree, but people expecting ppg numbers in the ahl as a rookie pro are crazy.

Only 2 rookies in the AHL are averaging a point per game or more. Kucherov and Strome.

I'm hoping he puts up numbers similar to Ty Rattie, and Alexander Khokhlachev.

TR has 18 G 13 A in 48 GP

AK has 12 G 21 A in 42 GP

Khokhlachev is 5'10 172 born in Septemeber of 93

Shinkaruk is 5'10 180 born in October of 94

Alexander Khokhlachev Talent Analysis

Slick puck carrier, creative passer and courageous goal scorer. Khokhlachev has a knack for surveying the ice, disguising his intensions and then distributing the puck to the best option. Without the puck, he’s willing to get to the dirty areas and has an explosive release, making him a dangerous finisher as well. Defensive work is spotty, as a winger he’s prone to losing his man, as a center he struggles to read the coverage. Skating is also a mixed bag, some things he does very well; he has good acceleration, crosses over well, good top-speed, he can stop on a dime, and he’s able to shake defenders by opening up his hips, putting his skates at “3” and “9” o’clock a la Jeff Skinner, but he also lacks elite top-speed, struggles with changes in direction and with skating backwards in general.

Shinkaruk put up way more points than AK in juniors, but less than Rattie. AK also played over 30 proffessional games between the KHL and AHL last year, and Shinkaruk will not get that opportunity before entering his rookie AHL/NHL season.

All in all if he's in the AHL for an extended period of time I would love to see him averaging around the .6 to .7 PPG range.

Coming off an injury and with only a couple preseason games of pro experience, I wouldn't be shocked if he was under that at all. So if he is averaging .7 PPG in the AHL next year, he is far exceeding my expectations, especially playing on a Defensive oriented team like Utica.

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