Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
And yea AssMan, Askarov plays as low as any goalie you’ll ever see. He’s, anyone is, more explosive from an extreme crouch than a more upright stance but that’s his game.. Not sure how much you can take that outa his game but his athleticism is good enough for any style.
But, now your talking about more of a project than a player who has an established foundation.. … Needless to say I’m a Knight guy not so much that he stops pucks but the way he stops them. It’s sustainable whereas with the Cossack you’re gonna have to fix some things first than hope it takes.
What do you think of Askarov, AssMan? Crazy off the charts athlete but wow, he has one helluva chaotic crease.
Askarov, like many young Russian prospects, has a shitty self-entitled attitude but the skill is 100% legit. His classic wide stance works well with his super quick reflexes but so far in the NHL he’s been quick to drop his pads but needs to keep his back more straight so he doesn’t give up the high blocker shots and that’s been his downfall thus far in his limited time in the NHL. The game will eventually slow down for him and hopefully they keep their goalies at a 50/50 split otherwise I’d be pretty concerned that all the losing and GA will lead to confidence issues which is the kiss of death for goalies (similar to MLB relievers) as we all know. Askarov has never been on a really bad defensive team like this in his career either, so I’d keep an extra careful eye on him on a game-by-game basis but Grier’s an amazing GM and sure he’s on top of that. Sharks also have plenty of vets on the team and bet they’ve been tasked with assuring him “it’s them, not him”. All the new faces on defense are likely still learning the systems although the worst kept secret in their organization is that Warsofsky is a placeholder for the dark years a la Dale Sveum.
If you’re like me you saw Askarov for the first time in a WJC and was astounded at the athleticism and freakishly quick kid who was 6ft 2in!! I’m in….. But looking closer as time went on this dude is really chaotic, probably too much for me. Same for Cossa but for different reasons except both have chaotic loud creases which means a chaotic Dzone and that leads to structural breakdowns both stopping clean looks and allowing for clean outs or rytem.. ….. I’m sold that Askarov will be an NHL #1 but not at all sold that Cossa will be one.
Askarov’s style is damn hard to maintain long term consistency. I wouldn’t have used a mid 1st on him but you weren’t gonna get the kid without doing so. I’d eat em up in rd 2 but would pass using big capital on him………… But, the kid is a rare athlete and sometimes that’s enough. He has the crazy skills to prove naysayers wrong cuz this kid really is a freak.
For the 999th try to Rico:
Yes I’m optimistic. I also forgot Frondell but I’m very skeptical of his level of competition. Lots of space they look like they’re “lollygagging.” Many of his goals wouldn’t convert at the NHL/AHL level. But he is the best of where he’s at.Left Hook, I read your post the same way I look at the totality of this thing. That, especially this yr, every damn thing from the jrs kids to the big leaguers to all of all of management is coming up spades in my mind with loads more of 1st and 2nd rd picks in the hole. So much so I have to ask myself am I digesting this objectively or am I a fan boy cuz I know things don’t work that way, especially for my organIzation. ….. That it’s near too good to be true…….That’s how I took your post, Lefty.
And, in case of any confusion I love your short to the point posts/thoughts.
I recall many raving the Sharks rebuild? What is that 17 losses in a row going back to last season now? Goes to show no one really knows, good news for them is better odds for McKenna.
3 years in a row of SJ losing 50+ is a definite thing. Guess that is how a “real” rebuild is done. I feel sorry for Askirov not having any defensive support.
What do you think of Askarov, AssMan? Crazy off the charts athlete but wow, he has one helluva chaotic crease.
You can read my ranking below:
Sure can read the scout in your rankings, Frenchy. The short bits of context have some meat and had me read em all….. Interesting as I was reading Nemac, and without seeing him, I immediately thought Lardis except for the skating. I gotta hunt the kid down for a look see. Like many, we see these guys at the WJC of their draft yr making it a great high pressure international tournament where a lotta opinions get shaped.
Interesting too, yrs are starting to go by that The Program doesn’t have a kid being considered near the top 10 when a short 4-5 yrs ago they were flush with high end top 10 prospects.
You gonna do your own mid yr ranking, Frenchy? … That one is always fun cuz things change and we get a few kids that come outa nowhere.
I know there’s a lot to cover but i also think Kaisers step up and I’m going to say it playing defense like Keith without the puck, reading plays, killing them before they even happen and carrying Arty or Crevier and being a plus 6 doing it. Damn he’s going to get a nice raise of he keeps it up or scary part for the rest of the league
gets even better.I always thought Kaiser was a lot like Hammer. Both are good skaters, in fact I think Hammer’s skating was badly overlooked. Both with good quick reads, both play a high energy game. You don’t have to watch either too long to see they are gamers mentally and physically. ……. I do see some similarities with Keith but I see many more with Hammer.
Fun read, Frenchy. … You know KD tore this thing down to the studs, no, he replaced the studs too and dug up the foundation. Yr 1 was as bad an NHL roster as you’ll see and although Bedard, or any blue chippers, wasn’t there to be “infected” from what a culture of comedic negligence could do. ….. And up stepped as important a piece of the whole rebuild as there is, Mrazak.
Him, and him alone, was the reason Yr 1 wasn’t a laughingstock. . .. And in different, but as important, ways Knight is that guy today. Nowhere near the abuse Mrazak went thru on a daily basis this is a young goalie who has never been the #1. Kid is a cyborg and has been that way since I first saw him at The Program as a U-17. He’s the reason the club is in games, that the rebuild looks to be hummin, that coaches don’t have to devise ways to trap at times and can instead attack, that Artie can learn on the job, that all Dmen know they can jump in/up/keep pucks alive are all built on Knight being a freak behind it all.
As a young goalie starting out in 1970 every generation of goalies, and up until the advent of the white weirdo pads of the 2000’s, was told get up get up get up until you heard it in your sleep, until it became muscle memory… Growing up Knight didn’t have that cuz the equipment allows a goalie to move around without being on their skates or an anchor while down my guess is a Knight was barraged with “get to square get to square get to square” over and over and over like generations before were told over and over to get up get up.
Watch the kid, nothing else. You can see in his mind, get square get square. You can see it especially on a multi shot sequence where he makes a save and if a rebound happens he seamlessly slides/gets to square with the balance of a ballet dancer. The foundation of his game is to be/get square, like Carey Price. Robotically/maniacally they get to square without thought. .. Any goalie in any decade knows you need to be square but guys like Price and Knight are elite at it.
Still can’t believe Knight is a Hawk. Kid does much more than just stop pucks for the organIzation. His excellence allows the GM and coaches do things they would not be able to do, some of which I noted earlier. …. Yea man, Knight is a perfect fit.
Yea, these Monday look backs on the week are really nice for a fan. Gives a lotta the info some context……
We know Blashill loves the 11F 7D game day roster and it seems to be a fine idea. As you mention the TOI for Dmen is a little lopsided but it’s working and gives the coaches so many possibilities in game. Interesting to watch L4 operate with 1 different mate every shift at forward.
Dach seems to have slide outa the top 6 this week. Kid just can’t have long stretches where he’s not noticeable at all. Something to watch.
Blash is giving Reichel a pretty good look see and important minutes. Kid is an enigma and now it’s Blashill’s turn to beat his head against the wall.
Better week for Rinzel. Not expecting last yrs Rinzel but do expect he’ll get the attention of opposing coaches who are putting together a game plan. No sneaking up on anyone this yr but this was a good week for Rinzel.
A 3rd line that can shut top opponents down, take the tough Dzone draws and still win the possession battle is a dream for coaches. Looks like Donato and Mikkayhev will get poached from that line at times but I’m sure Blash and Crew understand this. But putting that line together is a helluv an ace in the hole.
Prospect Roman Kantserov is tied for 7th in KHL scoring, tied for 1st in goals, and leads all KHL players whose rights are owned by NHL teams.
#Blackhawks have another good one on the way.
He’s also been given an ‘A’ for Metallurg, at the age of 21.Have a great night
Frenchy, do you have access to TOI, if Kantserov is on special teams or what line he skates on? And, I forget how long the kid is tied to his club and allowed to leave Putin’s Russia?
Let’s see: Bedard headed towards a $12M aav “bridge deal,” Nazar and Rinzel are the real deal nice drafting KD, the young D as a whole is quicker and improved, whose place will Moore take in January? Reichel what little bit he played looked engaged, Lardis and Nestrisil are knocking on the door West and Boisvert to follow. I’m feeling like our long lost eternal optimist “Simple Jack.”
Hey rpete, never saw such a long post from you. It’s like a novel……. Anyway, what’s your point? That the arrow for your club is stiffly pointing straight up from top to bottom of the organIzation and the PTSD from the tank yrs makes you think you can’t have nice things?
