Prospect Info: 2013-2014 Rangers Prospects Thread *Part II* (Player Stats in Post #1; Updated 1/31)
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Skjei is a shutdown guy. That's how Lucia uses him in Minnesota and that's how he will be used in the WJC. Skjei had decent offensive numbersin high school before going to US program in Michigan. Skjei was probably the best player in his high school league. McD was an offensive player in high school. He decided to stay in high school instead of going to the US Program. Eaves and Tortorella used McD as a shutdown guy. AV uses him in more offensive situations. Skjei is very much like Hedican who was a great skater like Brady. Didn't have much offense to his game. Good transition player. Make a good first pass like Skjei. Hedican had a very long NHL career. Let's hope Skjei is Hedican. That Vancouver team in 94 became a different team when they added Hedican and Brown from the Blues for Nedved. Both of those players helped the Canucks get the pucks to their forwards. Hedican is good analyst too on the Sharks broadcasts. Bouwmeester isn't a great offensive player but he is a great skater. He is having a very good year with the Blues. Bouwmeester seems to be reborn with the Blues.
Raspewtin
Stay at home defenseman hater
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To put it nicely, this team is in desperate need of a guy like Brady right now. A great skater who makes good first passes, There are two players on the team capable of that on this team, Del Zotto and Stralman. Arguably McDonagh.
Didn't someone call him the best defensive prospect in college hockey? Or did I just dream that?
Didn't someone call him the best defensive prospect in college hockey? Or did I just dream that?
Beacon
Embrace the tank
- May 28, 2007
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Skjei is much more like McDonagh than like Del Zotto. If he works out, we'll have a second McD. I am hoping for a lite-version of McD.
Raspewtin
Stay at home defenseman hater
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Yes I agree there, but his first pass to spring a forward is sorely lacking on this team.
I'm also not sold that he won't be an offensive producer, his shot is an absolute bullet, almost better than Thomas'. I think he'll top out at 30-35 points a season with a handful of PP time.
If he makes it to the NHL, of course.
JayMan82
Registered User
Raspewtin
Stay at home defenseman hater
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Christian Thomas. Had the best shot in NYR's system by far, wicked one timer. Good comparable.
I hope he means Thomas Pock, because if he's talking about Christian Thomas then it's a ridiculous claim. Skjei's shot is perfectly fine for a two-way defenseman but it's hardly a plus asset.
JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK
Twenty f*ckin years
- Oct 8, 2010
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Bouwmeester seems like a good comparable style-wise. Getting a player like Hedican in Skjei would also be great.
He has a plus shot for a defenseman in terms of power. It's not lightning quick by any means, but it's accurate and he gets it on net. It's absolutely an asset. It remains to be seen whether or not the rest of his offensive game develops enough to allow him to use the shot, but it's still a noteworthy tool.
Raspewtin
Stay at home defenseman hater
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Yeah, this.
Might have overstated it a bit but Skjei would easily have the best shot on this team, one we're sorely lacking.
Yeah, for a defenseman. Christian Thomas was named the best shot in the OHL. Brady Skjei probably isn't even getting PP minutes for USA. His shot is fine in terms of getting it on net from the point, but it's not something that's going to wow anyone. It's not a PLUS asset. I didn't say it's not an asset. It's not anything that's going to particularly stand out in the way that it does for a Shea Weber or Drew Doughty. No, Skjei would not have the best shot on our team. That's absurd.
Barnaby
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Raspewtin
Stay at home defenseman hater
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This is more attributed to nobody on this team has a good slapshot/one timer. From watching him? Just watch him when the WJC comes on, his shot is very solid.
Del Zotto and Stralman are great skaters? At best they are both average skaters. Mcd and Moore are great skaters.
Stralmans first pass is above average and Del Zotto's is so hit or miss that there is no way i'd consider it a great first pass. Staal might have the best first pass out of the zone on the team.
When you guys say that Skjei is a "shutdown" defenseman, do you mean literally or just that he's a defensive defenseman? Meaning are his D skills elite for a player his age, which is what I'd consider "shutdown". How does he compare to Staal (who was a man amongst boys) and McDonagh at the same age?
We'll know officially in a few days, if the groundhog sees his shadow (if Pierre calls him the "Human Eraser").
I think that title will be going to Ekblad though.
HatTrick Swayze
Just Be Nice
Personally, I don't think it's a reach at all to project Skjei's upside DEFENSIVELY as comparable to what McDonagh is now.
McDonagh was an elite offensive defenseman in HS. That's how he won Mr Hockey. Always a good skater with pretty good puck skills. He was seen as a bit of a "raw" or "tools" prospect, which is one of the reasons why he didn't even make the WJC post-draft as a 12th overall pick. Really improved and focused on the defensive side of his game at Wisco. Ironically this focus on defense is often cited as why Montreal was willing to part with him. His offensive game was "stagnating". Then he made the NHL on skating and defense. Now we are starting to see his offensive abilities develop and shine through at the NHL level. As he gets comfortable.
Skjei does not have the same ceiling offensively as McDonagh, IMO. Mostly due to hands and vision, his shot is good. Just natural offensive instincts are not there in the same way they were with McD. But if he develops well I think he could definitely play like McDonagh in the defensive zone, winning footraces to counter odd man rushes, and hopefully in transition. He is also a "tools" prospect. Development curve has not been too far off of McD thus far...but I just don't think he has the same innate offensive ability.
Staal was an absolute beast his last year in juniors, especially in the playoffs. Man child. Chara of the OHL. Neither Skjei or honestly McDonagh were like that at their respective levels though the NCAA is a different animal entirely. But Staal was the total package offensively and defensively.
McDonagh was an elite offensive defenseman in HS. That's how he won Mr Hockey. Always a good skater with pretty good puck skills. He was seen as a bit of a "raw" or "tools" prospect, which is one of the reasons why he didn't even make the WJC post-draft as a 12th overall pick. Really improved and focused on the defensive side of his game at Wisco. Ironically this focus on defense is often cited as why Montreal was willing to part with him. His offensive game was "stagnating". Then he made the NHL on skating and defense. Now we are starting to see his offensive abilities develop and shine through at the NHL level. As he gets comfortable.
Skjei does not have the same ceiling offensively as McDonagh, IMO. Mostly due to hands and vision, his shot is good. Just natural offensive instincts are not there in the same way they were with McD. But if he develops well I think he could definitely play like McDonagh in the defensive zone, winning footraces to counter odd man rushes, and hopefully in transition. He is also a "tools" prospect. Development curve has not been too far off of McD thus far...but I just don't think he has the same innate offensive ability.
Staal was an absolute beast his last year in juniors, especially in the playoffs. Man child. Chara of the OHL. Neither Skjei or honestly McDonagh were like that at their respective levels though the NCAA is a different animal entirely. But Staal was the total package offensively and defensively.
Definitely not Staal level (best OHL defenseman), but McDonagh was a monster his junior year at Wisconsin.
A wrecking ball as well.
I disagree. For a defenseman, his shot is a plus tool. Yeah, it's not on par with Weber or Chara, but those guys have an elite tool (or plus-plus, if we're using baseball scouting terms).
It wouldn't be the best on the team, I agree. It might be the best amongst our defenseman though.
Raspewtin
Stay at home defenseman hater
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Didn't mean to call them good skaters, I meant their first-passes.
I'd have agreed with you on Staal's a year ago. Now it seems whenever he passes the puck it's a turnover, before his injury of course. DZ's is hit or miss, but when it's a hit, it's a real hit. He's at least capable of doing it. Moore and Girardi's passes 70% of the time are instant turnovers.
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