Rob_Zepp Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 8 minutes ago, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said: Who’s been tearing DiPietro down? Do you mean posts like mine and @aGENT’s. Or @Rob_Zepp on the previous page? I think we’re all just trying to be a little cautious about overhyping a kid who still has some issues that will need to be cleaned up if he’s going to succeed at the highest levels. No one questions DiPietro’s heart, compete level, and work ethic. And his athleticism, flexibility, and reactions are top notch. He’s truly a dominant goaltender at the OHL level. But he can still struggle a bit at times with his positioning and posture, he can overcommit and get scrambly, needs to quiet some of his movement in the net, has a few issues with aspects of his rebound control, leaves areas of the net uncovered due to his size (and he can drop into the butterfly too early which only exacerbates this issue), and he needs to improve his puck handling ability. He overcomes many of these issues through his athleticism. His reaction speed is lightning fast and he’s capable of some highlight worthy acrobatics. He never quits on a play. And he’s so quick that he’s never truly out of a save and often recovers in highly dramatic fashion. Plus he’s about as mentally strong as they come. DiPietro has a lot going for him and there’s reason to be excited. But he will need to fine tune his game for him to find success at the next level. And his size will always be a concern. No one is saying he can’t overcome these issues. It’s more about setting realistic expections. And I’d imagine few people will be happier than myself, @aGENT, and @Rob_Zepp if DiPietro finds success as a pro. I think it’s safe to say we’re all fans of this kid. We just don’t want to feed into too much hype by representing him as something he’s not. He’s not a “can’t miss” future NHL starter. He still has some work to do. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with acknowledging that. DiPietro himself has identified many of the same issues with his game during interviews: http://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nhl/news/nhl-top-prospects-michael-dipietro-vancouver-canucks-windsor-spitfires/1iisdsza1s6mx15xhuwnz6pbtr Extremely well said. Of course I hope the kid succeeds. What I have said from the get go is he is NOT currently structured for professional hockey. His positioning and reactions are great for the randomness of the junior game (though facing pro type configurations gets him lit up, look at the teams that light him up and their style) as he relies far too much on his gifts of flexibility and movement. He is fearless and gifted but if he is going to succeed in professional hockey, even at AHL or European level, he is going to have to be torn down and built back up. Even his play tracking seems too 'frenetic' if you watch his head. He needs to slow the game down. I like the kid. LOVE his competiveness. I simply do not think he currently translates well to the professional game. That doesn't mean I am "tearing him down" or "don't like the kid" but I am simply giving an opinion. Moreover, chances are pretty damn high that I am wrong in that opinion. Opinions are like certain human orifices (or so I am told). OF COURSE I want him to succeed but I cannot say 'he looks like a future NHL star' when I don't see it in his game at all. Hyping him is the last thing I would want to see happen as it may taken him a good five or more years, assuming he has the patience and an organization does too, to get to level where he can be considered a true professional prospect capable of potentially being in the NHL. Again, just my opinion AND that I hope I am wrong. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UticaHockey Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 Well said by @Rob_Zepp and @SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME Just because someone tries to pull back on the hype and point out areas where a prospect needs further development doesn't mean that they are tearing the kid down. Just setting realistic expectations. Many on here will disagree with me but I also do not think Thatcher Demko is ready to be full time in the NHL at this point and needs more time in the AHL next season. There are still areas of his game that need to be worked on in practice and applied during games and he needs to play in enough games so show consistent improvement. I'll add that I am neither hating on Thatcher or selfishly wanting to see him stay in the AHL. I think that is what's best for his development. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob_Zepp Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 54 minutes ago, UticaHockey said: Well said by @Rob_Zepp and @SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME Just because someone tries to pull back on the hype and point out areas where a prospect needs further development doesn't mean that they are tearing the kid down. Just setting realistic expectations. Many on here will disagree with me but I also do not think Thatcher Demko is ready to be full time in the NHL at this point and needs more time in the AHL next season. There are still areas of his game that need to be worked on in practice and applied during games and he needs to play in enough games so show consistent improvement. I'll add that I am neither hating on Thatcher or selfishly wanting to see him stay in the AHL. I think that is what's best for his development. Demko showed me two things in his Canuck debut: He is capable of being an NHL star, not just another goalie (his angle management is elite) He has some more things to work on and another year to work on them at AHL level could be the best thing for him (he got rattled in the third period and could not mentally slow things down yet) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noble 6 Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.I.A.H.N Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 4 hours ago, Rob_Zepp said: Demko showed me two things in his Canuck debut: He is capable of being an NHL star, not just another goalie (his angle management is elite) He has some more things to work on and another year to work on them at AHL level could be the best thing for him (he got rattled in the third period and could not mentally slow things down yet) I don't mind slowing down our expectations on all our prospects...........not to say they will or won't all reach their ceiling.............so no I don't mind you guys comments....not trying to declare war here............the fact is Demko is highly rank, and let 3 goals in and 5 posts/crossbars in his first game..........but really who gives a frick My point about mentioning Demko is his prospect ranking is high.............DiPietro is 18?.........has not had pro-coaching, has not faced pro shooters....etc, etc....... He is 1 of the best in the ohl.......which excludes, the whl, the Q, ncaa, sel, khl etc, so yeah, I am ok that he is still developing..................so is Demko , and unfortunately so is Markstrom And just so you guys understand.........I do respect all 3 of your opinions and may have read more into what you were all saying than what you said........I actually yield to you more often than not especially in goaltending......... I think I was too absolute in my remarks and I apologize................but I think pretty much dreams on here and accepts the reality when it hits us................ Personally, I question the size remarks, more than anything.............but that is just me................ adios! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob_Zepp Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 48 minutes ago, janisahockeynut said: I don't mind slowing down our expectations on all our prospects...........not to say they will or won't all reach their ceiling.............so no I don't mind you guys comments....not trying to declare war here............the fact is Demko is highly rank, and let 3 goals in and 5 posts/crossbars in his first game..........but really who gives a frick My point about mentioning Demko is his prospect ranking is high.............DiPietro is 18?.........has not had pro-coaching, has not faced pro shooters....etc, etc....... He is 1 of the best in the ohl.......which excludes, the whl, the Q, ncaa, sel, khl etc, so yeah, I am ok that he is still developing..................so is Demko , and unfortunately so is Markstrom And just so you guys understand.........I do respect all 3 of your opinions and may have read more into what you were all saying than what you said........I actually yield to you more often than not especially in goaltending......... I think I was too absolute in my remarks and I apologize................but I think pretty much dreams on here and accepts the reality when it hits us................ Personally, I question the size remarks, more than anything.............but that is just me................ adios! If you watch Demko and DiPietro play at the same age, in terms of technical positioning you will see what we (at least I) am talking about. Demko is so positionally solid it is scary. His angle management is already elite. He struggles with getting caught in the play it appears - that takes some time and often more for the taller guys it seems but everything about him screams legitimate NHL starter. DiPietro is a gamer for sure, but he doesn't have a whack of fundamentals that will set him up for success as he moves on. Sure, he can work to acquire them as he clearly is a competitor but don't be shocked if he does not translate well to the pro game and/or takes six or so years to get a sniff at NHL. His size, not the biggest deal (no pun intended), doesn't help but is overblown and in that we agree. Just not every prospect will be a professional and some guys excel in Junior but that transition is hard and for goalies, it can be particularly so. The opposite happens too, goalies who are middle of the pack in CHL end up ECHL etc. and then can star in NHL. Trust me, weird position but very few make it that are not strong fundamentally and as of now, this kid is lacking some fundamentals. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 1 hour ago, janisahockeynut said: so no I don't mind you guys comments....not trying to declare war here.. It’s cool. No shots fired. I think I just read the “tearing down” part and was like, wait a sec, I’ve pretty much been a sweetheart to DiPietro in dozens of posts here and had maybe two or three posts in this entire thread where I’ve expressed some concerns regarding his technique or just tried to cool things down a little when the hype seems to be bubbling over. Just wanted to clarify where I was coming from (as well as some of the legitimate concerns expressed by others). I’m still a big fan of DiPietro. Pretty clear from the general tone of my posts here. I also get it from both sides. Have had replies and PMs where some people say I’m too positive on prospects and others complain I’m too negative. Can’t please everyone, I suppose, much as I’d like to. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheYjUstMaKeYoUwooZy Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 (edited) On 4/4/2018 at 6:35 PM, Rob_Zepp said: If you watch Demko and DiPietro play at the same age, in terms of technical positioning you will see what we (at least I) am talking about. Demko is so positionally solid it is scary. His angle management is already elite. He struggles with getting caught in the play it appears - that takes some time and often more for the taller guys it seems but everything about him screams legitimate NHL starter. DiPietro is a gamer for sure, but he doesn't have a whack of fundamentals that will set him up for success as he moves on. Sure, he can work to acquire them as he clearly is a competitor but don't be shocked if he does not translate well to the pro game and/or takes six or so years to get a sniff at NHL. His size, not the biggest deal (no pun intended), doesn't help but is overblown and in that we agree. Just not every prospect will be a professional and some guys excel in Junior but that transition is hard and for goalies, it can be particularly so. The opposite happens too, goalies who are middle of the pack in CHL end up ECHL etc. and then can star in NHL. Trust me, weird position but very few make it that are not strong fundamentally and as of now, this kid is lacking some fundamentals. On 4/4/2018 at 5:41 PM, janisahockeynut said: I don't mind slowing down our expectations on all our prospects...........not to say they will or won't all reach their ceiling.............so no I don't mind you guys comments....not trying to declare war here............the fact is Demko is highly rank, and let 3 goals in and 5 posts/crossbars in his first game..........but really who gives a frick My point about mentioning Demko is his prospect ranking is high.............DiPietro is 18?.........has not had pro-coaching, has not faced pro shooters....etc, etc....... He is 1 of the best in the ohl.......which excludes, the whl, the Q, ncaa, sel, khl etc, so yeah, I am ok that he is still developing..................so is Demko , and unfortunately so is Markstrom And just so you guys understand.........I do respect all 3 of your opinions and may have read more into what you were all saying than what you said........I actually yield to you more often than not especially in goaltending......... I think I was too absolute in my remarks and I apologize................but I think pretty much dreams on here and accepts the reality when it hits us................ Personally, I question the size remarks, more than anything.............but that is just me................ adios! Demko screams Luongo type goaltender. His positional game is strong but he needs to work on his side to side movements and his glove hand. He goes down to quick in my opinion as well. In his first game in GM place most of the early posts and the first goal was him losing track of the puck. Every ice surface has different lights and shadows which effect goaltenders WAY more than players. GM place has a four shadow cross in middle of the ice just inside the blue line. The first goal and quite a few of his iffy plays were from that exact spot. He will be a NHL starter for sure MD is something else. I completely agree that he needs some serious fundamentals. A recent prospect I will relate him to on a lesser scale is Virtanen(this is why he had so little ice time to start. His bad habits had to be broken and green didnt want him cheating). MD is so gifted that he gets away with his bad habits and cheating because of his natural ability. Some people can't shake and transition to a more professional and fundamentally sound game. But if it does... we will have LU/SCHNIDS v2.0 And I mean Michael Dipitero.... He's got an epic goaltender name. Edited April 8, 2018 by TheYjUstMaKeYoUwooZy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.I.A.H.N Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 (edited) Thanks guys for info...............I am a forward, and can only read stats......etc..................never too old to learn Edited April 8, 2018 by janisahockeynut 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darius Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 More good news for our prospects! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rush17 Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 3 minutes ago, Darius71 said: More good news for our prospects! Wow that is huge news. Good way to show a strong young Canadian goaltender some love. This will be a very good experience for him being around pros. Bo can get to know him some too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan since 82 Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 Good for him! That's got to be a big confidence booster! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rush17 Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 Here are other 2 related tweets Just to provide further context for those who haven't been watching closely all season long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rush17 Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 Just now, Fan since 82 said: Good for him! That's got to be a big confidence booster! He definitely has the heart and compete to be a good young goaltender. He is a fierce competitor. He should get signed before the summer is out. No way we let him drop back into the draft or enter free agency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlwaysACanuckFan Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 (edited) Edited April 24, 2018 by AlwaysACanuckFan 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rocket Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 So is he on the team or just trying out for it? If he is on the team, I think dipietro is the 1st Junior Goalie to suit up for Canada at the WHC since former 7th overall pick Jamie Storr did so in 1994. Interestingly, Storr also played for the Windsor spitfires in junior, though only for 4 games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rocket Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 1 hour ago, Rush17 said: He definitely has the heart and compete to be a good young goaltender. He is a fierce competitor. He should get signed before the summer is out. No way we let him drop back into the draft or enter free agency. He’s still 18 so canucks hold his rights this year whether they sign him or not. He’s also not old enough year for AHL so really there’s no rush to sign him till next season. Save some contract space this year 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBackup Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 Kids got fire in his veins. I love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noble 6 Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 That's pretty insane that he can go from getting cut from the WJC team to getting the call for the WC team. Shows some sketchy decision from Hockey Canada regarding their player decisions for the WJC. Hart is obviously a stud and Point was a good option too though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noble 6 Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now