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Vanacker leading the OHL in goals with 33. Pridham 2nd in the OHL in goals with 31.
Let’s assume they continue scoring and finish 1 and 2 in goals scored.
When was the last time, if ever, the two top OHL goal scorers were property of the same NHL club? Not to mention last year’s OHL top goal scorer (Lardis) is with the same club also.
Also, the current leading KHL goal scorer was drafted by the same club above. You can guess who.
Slackers Nathan Behm is tied for 7th in goals scored in the WHL, and Anton Frondell is way down the pack tied for 14th in the SHL.
I realize that their scoring prowess may not translate to the NHL, but there are a lot of guys in the system that could put the puck in the net. Hopefully a few continue their scoring ways down the road.
When you start putting pencil to paper and the stats of the pipeline you can’t help but think nothing goes so right, to the limits of what looks possible. It’s just crazy but when I look at prospect after prospect leading leagues in all kindsa categories I see danger and opportunity and that indeed there are still important phases of the rebuild to navigate.
History tells us not all of these guys with the heady stats are gonna be impact or even useful NHLers. It seems the amateur scouts and amateur side of the organIzation has done well now the pro scouting is going to take us thru the next phase along with development. Identifying who they think are going to be NHL playoff roster caliber players, who aren’t and who should be moved while they still have value.
Lotta cards to be played in this total tear down rebuild.
You know Rico i believe he’s so good with his skill and skating he would end up reinforcing bad habits at the Rock. He can’t get away with those mistakes in the NHL so it will take a bit but i think he’ll figure it out over time. Until then goalies are going to have go bail him out.
This is logical, Dots, and of course each player, and their development, is different. …. Artie came outa nowhere fast. He went from nondescript Belarus juniors, next yr USHL, next yr NCAA, next yr was last yr in the AHL and this yr NHL.
By any measure those are multiple large leaps and taken together the leaps are enormous. Simply said IMO that path never allows for good habits to take root. Artie will get thru anything he’s put thru but there are still plenty of times watching him in the Bigs I think he’d be better off allowing good/better habits to sink in at the AHL level.
I went to the game last night with a couple of old friends. The parking cost is ridiculous. For twenty dollars more, you could buy a ticket. I thought they looked quite lethargic. Five minutes into the second period, they had four SOG. What’s that? They need a better coach for the defense. They constantly leave the front of the net to go halfway up the D zone. What I can’t stand is all of the noise in the UC. It is constant. You can’t talk to the guy sitting next to you. I love this team, but I hate that place!
The SOG and TOI in the Qzone was really skewed vs TB. But, the Hawks are a very green young team and TB rolls with systems under a world class coach that has won multiple cups. No doubt dominated for the most part but context is needed.
As far as SOG against, the Hawks play a system that accentuates Knight’s strengths and that is it’s ok to give up shots as long as Knight can see them. It’s a trade off the Hawk’s system is designed for. This is generally speaking, of course HDCA are not part of any system but a regular Hawk game should see the Hawk’s outshot until the talent is so good the puck will be at the other end the majority of the time and there will be less shots against.
Thank you, I really appreciate that. I’m still delivering the same level of work, even if I’m now covering a few teams. Yes, I’m French Canadian and I cover the Canadiens every day as well.
I’ve always tried to write the game with a different pair of eyes — to help fans understand what’s really happening on the ice.
Frenchy, you don’t have to take inventory of yourself more than any other normal person does. You’re not only steeped in the sport at its grassroot level but in the hockey hotbed of the world. Add your abilities with the written word and you’re a fine conduit. ……… My hope is you never change a thing.
Common Arty stop being lazy and keep skating, use your strength skating to get inside position and knock the guy off the puck.
You now Dots, watching the 1st and 2nd period, along with the last couple games, is when I struggle with Levshunov. He shows long stretches of being overwhelmed in a lotta phases that you struggle with thinking he needs sent down… Then, the 3rd period kid makes a couple great defensive plays, one saving a goal, and some excellent reads breaking up passes and his traits shine.
I know it’s a different modern NHL where you develop a few of your kids in the Bigs but being from the olden days of even 7-8 yrs ago I love AHL seasoning until the pro game sinks in…… Yea, great job getting the point with jump in everyone’s step after a hard fought win the night before at Carolina.
Thought Soderblom tracked the puck and his reads were as good as he’s able… The point earned is as good as a fan could hope for against a cup winning coach/systems after winning on the road the night before at Carolina that makes you earn every inch of ice.
Blashill’s systems/structure is really starting to take hold as players are bought in and are damn near being properly placed allowing execution up and down the lineup by a really young team developing at the NHL level.
But, I came to post about Guentzal since they play TB. After watching Lardis play at least parts of 25 games post draft and a bunch of film I struggled for a comparison. And then Guentzal popped into my mind…….. The main similarity to me was his uncanny ability to find dangerous open soft ice and if the puck finds him in that open ice he’s an assassin.
Pucks fly of his stick in a nano second, he’s deadly accurate with his shot, he has a goal scorers instinct in that he knows how the goalie will be moving and uses the goalies movement/physics against him, he handles bad pucks at an elite level allowing him to get hard, quick accurate shots off with wobbly not flat pucks and his one timer is elite. IMO Bedard watches Lardis more that any teammate especial Lardis’ one timer.
A lot like Guentzal. …… Right now Lardis is the deadliest Hawk in high danger zones, just like Guentzal.
4 posts in 7 days – where’d everyone go?!
And this with the best blogger hockey mind we’ve had since Al Camiglia. Reason would have it since it’s not the blogger or a toxic board that keeps people away that it’s something else…… Speaking for myself you can only have so many posts disappear and in my case a 4-5 paragraph post I held off making for a couple months get disappeared soured me bad enough to stop contributing.
You can only take so much of the dial up speed, difficult to even find and take multiple clicks at dial up speed to find Frenchy’s posts, post after post disappearing, the site going dark for a few days at a time to chase even patient posters away. …… A damn shame, really. The owner of the site is on a shoe string budget and he got/gets what he paid for. .. I ran and paid for a place like this for 14 yrs so when he says you can’t have private messaging I know that ain’t true. Spend the 25 bucks more for that feature. Dial up speed? Pay the 75 bucks for better processing. Don’t wanna go dark for a week? Hire a webmaster not your 14 yr old wiz nephew. .. Been there, man. Unfortunately, free or cheap software or treating a site like a hobby doesn’t work.
As for me I’m waiting for the day Frenchy lands in a proper environment he deserves. When that day comes I hope it’s the Hawks he blogs about. I see he likes and knows the Habs well and am assuming he is a French Canadian. A natural for a Habs blogger.
Can’t say it enough, this guy is a scout and conveys thought as a scout. You read him for even just a couple months blog about what you’re watching you will have a much better hockey mind weather you’re an expert or novice……. As for me when this post dissapears it’ll be another 6 months before I post. If HH is still solvent.
I’m at WJC with kid. Haven’t seen Sweden yet. Will see them tomorrow. Spellacy looked good. Fast, looked strong. Son thinks 4th line ceiling. Will see. I watched the Czech game from behind Czech goal for 2 periods. It looked to me like Nestrasil was playing center and was decent in his own zone. Son said he will play wing in NHL. We will see. Going to 3 games today. Saw Kris Draper. Got a selfie with Jeff O’Neil.
Something about seeing hockey players wearing their national jersey’s that elevates everything. Great for the fan… Great news you’re there with your boy, Steve, and thanks for the updates. I’ve followed so little I don’t have any useful questions, but I guess I’d ask for any thoughts on McKenna. And since you get around these functions is there any buzz about any particular player, team or anything else?
The club comes off 2 horrid efforts (most concerning was the structure was non existent) and haven’t been able to close out fantastic efforts. That they put up their most complete game and emotionless execution holding the lead the last period was impressive enough but taken into total context it was huge.
We know it’s in em. We know the whole group is bought in. The more NHL reps this young group gets the more consistent they’ll play complete 60 minutes of skilled, high paced, smart, structured hockey liemwe just saw.
As a guy who doesn’t follow the whole league, how did the Ducks rebuild so fast?
Here’s what I can see—–
Mason McTavish: winner pick at 3rd overall.
Leo Carlsson: picked 2nd right after Bedard, he’s a stud
Cutter Gauthier: relationship w/Phillie went South. Ducks gave up a good young RH D-man in Jamie Drysdale
to get him but the trade went way better for Anaheim than the Flyers.
Beckett Sennecke: not sure if the Ducks have some genius scouting or what, but
he was ranked about 10th in 2024, and they selected him 3rd overall. Worked out great so far.
Jackson LaCombe: young d-man improved greatly.
Dostal got good.Signed Killorn when TBL had cap constraints. (IIRC)
Traded for Trouba on the cheap when the Rangers fell apart and let everyone know they were open for business.
Good signings of Kreider and Granlund.Nice summary. They also added Gudas too and didn’t trade away Troy Terry for draft picks. Verbeek hit on a lotta picks, trades and signings opting to add legit vets to their young core….. Despite signing TT and Bert KD has chosen to wait to see what his picks develop into before adding significant vets.
Team gets an historic ass kicking and the GM’s scapegoats the 7th D and 13th forward.
Oh wow, really nice to see you posting here, Steve. You’re gonna love reading Frenchy. Look forward to reading your guy’s interactions.
BS, Kuemper gets 3rd star of the game over Knight.
Keumper can steal games. When he’s on he’s a really good NHL goalie….. I was worried going into the 2nd this may be his night.
What are you doing Bedard you are up 2-0, just get it in deep, dumb move
Last yr Bedard would have thought next time I’ll skate thru them. This yr he knew instantly he mucked that up. Those mistakes outa him are becoming less and less. …. By the time the kid is 23 I doubt that happens.
Credit to Bedard going to the tough areas to score the PP goal.
That read was elite. The timing had to be perfect for Bedard to pop from the bumper to the high slot or else the open ice would have been defended. That’s how the best of them do it. ….. Great play by Bedard and Bert too.
This is how I saw Lardis as a jr. He’s very good at finding open ice in flow and although not Bedard’s shot this kid gets it off in a blink and it’s accurate. Great vison and IQ.
