Eight-Minute Insights: Brogan Rafferty (2019-20 AHL) - A CambieKev Scouting Video - He was the Utica Comets' best defenceman in 2019-20. He was one of their 2020 AHL All-Star Game representatives. Find out exactly what Brogan Rafferty brings to the table.

[TrickOfShapes]

https://www.nucksmisconduct.com/2020/4/14/21208191/brogan-rafferty-ahl-analysis-cambiekev

 

There appears to be an expectation among followers of the Vancouver Canucks that this upcoming off-season will present some vacancies throughout the team’s defence corps. Chris Tanev and Oscar Fantenberg are pending unrestricted free agents, while Troy Stecher is slated to become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2019-20 National Hockey League campaign.

Much discussion has revolved around the future of Tanev, Fantenbeg and Stecher in Vancouver with the common conclusion being that salary cap constraints will force difficult decisions with regards to their status as members of the team. This has been expedited by the recent expressions of interest from the 6’7’’ former Canucks defenceman Nikita Tryamkin about a potential return to the roster as well as the emergence of 2019 college free agent signing Brogan Rafferty as one of the Utica Comets’ best players this past season. Rafferty, in particular, was the Comets’ American Hockey League All-Star representative in 2019-20, serving as a substitute at the event for the team’s offensive leader, Reid Boucher.

The 24-year-old Rafferty was Utica’s most important blue liner in 2019-20. He was third among all AHL defencemen in league-wide scoring with seven goals and 45 points in 57 games, three points behind the lead held by Carolina Hurricanes prospect Jake Bean. Also of note was that he was four and six points ahead of former Canucks Adam Clendening and Derrick Pouliot, respectively, in the AHL scoring race. No other Utica defenceman was anywhere near as prolific as Rafferty this season; the second-highest scorer on the team among defenders this season was Olli Juolevi with two goals and 25 points in 45 games.

One of the most pressing questions concerns the potential for either Tryamkin or Rafferty to become adequate replacements for the possibly-outgoing defencemen. In a previous article, we looked at Nikita Tryamkin’s performance this season in the Kontinental Hockey League and offered a sample of recent footage. To provide an idea of the type of game that Rafferty plays, we have an opportunity today to examine his American Hockey League performance on March 4, 2020 against the Buffalo Sabres’ farm team, the Rochester Americans.

Read the full article at Nucks Misconduct: https://www.nucksmisconduct.com/2020/4/14/21208191/brogan-rafferty-ahl-analysis-cambiekev

Edited April 14, 2020 by TrickOfShapes

[NHL'er]

Ah Clendening and Pouliot. The good old days.

[AK_19]

I'd be okay going into next season with this:

 

Edler Rafferty

Hughes Myers

Tryamkin Stecher

Benn

 

I think if it came down to Tanev or Toffoli we'd go the latter from what we've seen. 

[Canuck Surfer]

That would look a whole lot better if Tanev were back.

 

Inclusive, I dont see Rafferty as a top pairing guy.  Talented! Bigger than I thought.

 

On the wrong end of a lot of 2 on 1 breaks headed towards Dipietro. Caught up ice. Not polished in his D zone decisions or positioning. That was a better video highlighting DP than Rafferty TBH.

[Bissurnette]

3 hours ago, NHL'er said:

Ah Clendening and Pouliot. The good old days.

Yep that's what I saw too. I only watched the first 4 mins of the video and holy crap there are some mistakes there in the defensive zone where I have no idea what he's thinking. Not ready for the NHL in my opinion. He might be having a very off game defensively in this video, but even so the gaffs/brain farts that he has are inexplicable. Red flags imo. He's good offensively but you have to be able to play defense to play in the NHL. Just super casual, no urgency on defense and not positionally sound on lots of plays, questionable defensive awareness.

 

Examples of what I'm talking about where I have no idea what he's thinking and he wouldn't get away with those in the NHL:

0:21 - what the hell is he doing?? Luckily the puck squirts out to him but then he misses his d partner with a cross ice pass by a mile.

0:47 - hit the ice quick - he has a gaping triangle where a slightly more skilled player can easily find the seam. He just casually tries to block the pass.

1:53 - he sees the forward in trouble on the wall between 2 players and he's continuing over the red line instead of retreating and mitigating risk. On the same play he can see his d partner changing and a dead giveaway at the opposition's blue line. He gets benched for this play in the NHL right away.

3:10 - so casually getting back to the front of the net. Then in the same shift at ~3:18 he just casually drifts off to the top of the zone and he leaves a guy all alone in the corner. Stuff like that should never happen. Even as a brain fart, that's a red flag for me.

3:45 - he's coming back on a 2 on 1 where he sees the forward (Lind I believe) and he skates into his hip as they come into the frame, instead of looking around and being aware and in good position to neutralize the next trailing threat.

 

In my opinion he's another Pouliot. Again, it's not a big sample size, and brain farts happen but the brain farts I saw are red flags. Enough to tell me that he's not a mainstay in the lineup at the NHL level. I don't even know if he'd be a good depth player. He's almost 25 so if he can clean up his defensive play I'd happily eat crow, but I'm not holding my breath.

Edited April 15, 2020 by Vanuckles

[DeNiro]

Have to wait and see how he shows up in training camp.

 

A little too soon to say he can be a regular top 6.

 

We’ve had guys before that can put up points in the AHL. He needs to show he can bring it at both ends of the ice.

[goalie13]

I think the titles get longer with each thread you post.

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

From what I remembered from preseason, I liked that Rafferty could skate really well and when he did have the puck he had a lot of poise and skill.  That said, I remembered in preseason he made a lot of risky moves in areas that he shouldn't be doing them such as on breakouts or at the offensive blueline whether they being risky passes or bad pinching.  

 

From the video it still seems like he is still very raw in his decision making skills with the puck, overall positioning, and defensive reads.   Needs to clean those areas of the game up or he likely doesn't earn much trust from the coaching staff.

 

Impressed by his numbers offensively, but I would be still be very reluctant to pencil him into the top six yet.  

 

 

[Phil_314]

5 hours ago, AK_19 said:

I'd be okay going into next season with this:

 

Edler Rafferty

Hughes Myers

Tryamkin Stecher

Benn

 

I think if it came down to Tanev or Toffoli we'd go the latter from what we've seen. 

Top pair seems ambitious, especially if Edler's pairing is a shutdown/ big minute unit (not sure I want Myers on such a pairing unless he's with Edler).

I'd be happy if he can start off as a depth offensive D-man (take the 2nd PP reins from Myers and have Tyler focus on defense) and then maybe he can grow into top role.  Until then I'd say Edler - Stecher or Edler - Myers should be one of the top-4 pairings with Hughes anchoring the other.  

Edited April 15, 2020 by Phil_314

[AK_19]

30 minutes ago, Phil_314 said:

Top pair seems ambitious, especially if Edler's pairing is a shutdown/ big minute unit (not sure I want Myers on such a pairing unless he's with Edler).

I'd be happy if he can start off as a depth offensive D-man (take the 2nd PP reins from Myers and have Tyler focus on defense) and then maybe he can grow into top role.  Until then I'd say Edler - Stecher or Edler - Myers should be one of the top-4 pairings with Hughes anchoring the other.  

I found the Hughes/Myers pairing to be pretty good from what I saw this season. According to this they performed better than the Hughes/Tanev pairing:

https://www.vancourier.com/pass-it-to-bulis/quinn-hughes-and-tyler-myers-have-more-similarities-than-differences-1.24031488

Although it may make sense to swap Stecher and Rafferty.
 

Edited April 15, 2020 by AK_19

[Phil_314]

1 hour ago, AK_19 said:

I found the Hughes/Myers pairing to be pretty good from what I saw this season. According to this they performed better than the Hughes/Tanev pairing:

https://www.vancourier.com/pass-it-to-bulis/quinn-hughes-and-tyler-myers-have-more-similarities-than-differences-1.24031488

Although it may make sense to swap Stecher and Rafferty.
 

Interesting read, agreed that if Tyler consistently lived out the best defense being a good offense (i.e. by lugging the puck away from his own zone to keep the other team from generating chances) then that's great and fitting for the new NHL.  Hopefully skating out of trouble removes the need for him to play a guy physically because that's neither guy's forte, but I digress.

[filthycanuck]

5 hours ago, AK_19 said:

I found the Hughes/Myers pairing to be pretty good from what I saw this season. According to this they performed better than the Hughes/Tanev pairing:

https://www.vancourier.com/pass-it-to-bulis/quinn-hughes-and-tyler-myers-have-more-similarities-than-differences-1.24031488

Although it may make sense to swap Stecher and Rafferty.
 

That might be the conflict, Stetcher has no upside but is reliable, Rafferty, there MIGHT be some upside there. Either way, I don't think any of both of them will be able to bring what Tryamkin is going to provide for the Canucks. One thing is for certain with Mr. T, he's a good skater, take a lot of space behind our blue line, and he's going be physical. Thats a trait we are looking for

[Hairy Kneel]

I'd like to compare him to Rathbone? Which is more ready?

[Fred65]

My first glance tells me this is a Americans video which is there to show the offence of Rochester. There's no balance between offence and defence so you're unable to judge Comet plyers plus with the minus plays. Comparison between Pouliot and Clendening is a strawman argument, both are minus players …  Pouliot a really bad minus. Where as Rafferty is a plus player. Both P + C are heading in the wrong direction after years of experience in the NHL. Rafferty is in his first Pro season, there's a difference IMO. I did like the fact for the most part he played his position and didn't just chase in his own end. I thought he tried to pinch at inopportune times but not sure if this under coach instruction. Difficult to make a judgement on one game/opponent.  They did mention that he still has a further season at $700K rather than $2.5 mill for Stecher and $4 mill+ for Tanev. The games I watched live in Vcr he showed good flashes when playing with Hughes ie the read each other well  but then a lot of guys would look good with Hughes 

[189lb enforcers?]

What is the trade value for this 24 year-old prospect? 

[austy]

3 hours ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

What is the trade value for this 24 year-old prospect? 

Some where around Ballard, Raymond and a 2nd