Prospect Info: 2018/19 Marlies & Prospects Thread Part V

[deletethis]

Why didn't I know about the Marlies' Youtube channel carrying Game in 6 videos? New bookmarked site!

Colt Conrad is a brave little player. McGregor looked like he has pro level skating but he'll need to put on some more muscle.

 

[taurine330]

 

[stickty111]

The difference of opinion from Jeffler and Wheeler on Bracco and Lilly is amazing.

Scott Wheeler thinks Lilly isn't progressing and has taken a step back. Jeffler says Lilly has been very good, while playing some of the toughest minutes on the team.
By looking at the stats and watching the games, I am siding with Jeffler on this one.

Wheeler absolutely loves Bracco. He is having one of the best seasons Marlies have ever had from a pure statistical point of view. Jeffler says despite the stats, Bracco isn't playing all that well, and the advanced stats seem to indicate that as well.
Bracco has dominated games this season, and continues to improve defensively. However the stats paint a different picture.
I don't know who to believe on Bracco.

 

[Madic]

Anyone see the game a lot? Super curious about McGregor and Rasanen.

I was at the game. MacGregor is a pro at least. He's not tiny, no giant skill gaps.

Sandin/Lilj as advertised: the most talented D out there. Very smooth but neither burners. Sandin with the smarter reads. He's the better player.

It's difficult to get a read on Bracco. Laval was horrid and he gets a ton of O-zone starts. He doesn't engage around the boards, but he's not effective there so *shrug*, why would he. He's a great mobile passing platform but I have no idea how well that translates.

Rasanen was intriguing. Not skilled with the puck but not a slug and doesn't falter in the corners. I'd like to see him against a heavier team.

 

[deletethis]

The above is a classic illustration of over-valuing insights from advanced stats. All they say is that Bracco doesn't play on a particularly defensively responsible line. However the quality of the "shots attempts" by the Bracco line >>> the quality of the "shots attempts" by any other Marlie lines (illustrated by the scoring of last night's game).

 

[deletethis]

It's difficult to get a read on Bracco. Laval was horrid and he gets a ton of O-zone starts. He doesn't engage around the boards, but he's not effective there so *shrug*, why would he. He's a great mobile passing platform but I have no idea how well that translates.

Great PP specialist in the NHL, possible liability otherwise? There's another year to learn a more complete game and have a longer more fruitful NHL career.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Great PP specialist in the NHL, possible liability otherwise. There's another year to learn a more complete game and have a longer more fruitful NHL career.

I think if the Leafs move a top 9 forward, which I think is almost a certainty (whether it's Johnsson, Kadri, Marleau, Nylander or Kapanen) then I think Bracco gets a serious chance to win that job. Maybe he doesn't win it, and instead the Leafs use Moore in the top 9 instead or something, but I think he's going to be pencilled in and will have to lose it.

 

[Madic]

Great PP specialist in the NHL, possible liability otherwise? There's another year to learn a more complete game and have a longer more fruitful NHL career.

So incredibly hard to forecast. I don't know how many PP specialist playmaking wingers exist in the NHL, so I don't know if a bottom-6-minutes 5v5 winger can help a team succeed as a PP threat.

On defensive-growth, that's more interesting to speculate. Philosophically, in the hockey context, there's counterintuitive narratives all over: they say both "play within yourself" and "you have to grow and be a 200 foot player unless you're elite". Who knows what Bracco thinks. Then add Babcock and the cap in and there's too many moving pieces for me.

 

[Knies iT]

Ryan McGregor could be Jay Beagle for us.

Anyone see the game a lot? Super curious about McGregor and Rasanen.

RE: Dakota Joshua, his point totals are deceiving - I think he went pointless the first 6 games and then had a stretch of 16 pts in 16gp at one point.

Rasanen’s skating is improved from when I saw him in Kingston. Significantly improved. He was one of the worst skaters on the ice in the CHL top prospects game.

He has the foundations to become a pretty good straight line skater ala Carlo, but he doesn’t handle pucks well under pressure on the small ice. Had a few glaring turnovers, but I came away impressed. If he can spend 2-3 more seasons with the Keefe and Underhill, I think he could be a decent bottom pair option in the future.

 

[TML1967]

Rasanen’s skating is improved from when I saw him in Kingston. Significantly improved. He was one of the worst skaters on the ice in the CHL top prospects game.

He has the foundations to become a pretty good straight line skater ala Carlo, but he doesn’t handle pucks well under pressure on the small ice. Had a few glaring turnovers, but I came away impressed. If he can spend 2-3 more seasons with the Keefe and Underhill, I think he could be a decent bottom pair option in the future.

Agreed here. He needs to stay in the AHL, and be given playing time.
He has the tools to be a really interesting RHD, size and some anger that we are currently lacking.
Give him time to develop, and worst case scenario he gets only a bit better and is a solid AHL guy to have around.

 

[Orfieus]

A little perspective on Rasanen’s season, this was his 18th game of the year now split between 3 different teams. The fact he didn't look out of place is very encouraging!

 

[LeafChief]

I really wish Rasanen had stayed in North America this year. Hopefully he gets a full year with the Marlies staff next season because if he can develop into an NHLer it would be massive for this team.

I do recall there were some issues with being homesick so I don't blame him for going home. Hopefully that's behind him now.

 

[Morgs]

The difference of opinion from Jeffler and Wheeler on Bracco and Lilly is amazing.

Scott Wheeler thinks Lilly isn't progressing and has taken a step back. Jeffler says Lilly has been very good, while playing some of the toughest minutes on the team.
By looking at the stats and watching the games, I am siding with Jeffler on this one.

Wheeler absolutely loves Bracco. He is having one of the best seasons Marlies have ever had from a pure statistical point of view. Jeffler says despite the stats, Bracco isn't playing all that well, and the advanced stats seem to indicate that as well.
Bracco has dominated games this season, and continues to improve defensively. However the stats paint a different picture.
I don't know who to believe on Bracco.

I think with Wheeler, you can ignore about 90% of what he says. The only time he is actually worth listening to is when it's not opinion based and he's just speaking facts.

With Bracco though the way I see it is he's going to be similar to guys like Marner, Kane, Laine (obviously lite) where it doesn't take a large amount of chances to score large amounts of points. He has never seemed to have the ability to "drive" chances, but scoring points comes naturally to him because he's great at getting the puck in places where it's almost impossible not to score. I could see him in the NHL next season, but I doubt he's going to be very effective playing beside a guy like Goat, and there isn't a spot open beside Tavares, Matthews, or Kadri unless Kapanen moves to the left, or is moved.

 

[Sergei Berezin]

I feel like people forget that Rasanen is from Liljegren’s draft... this is his draft+2 year. Lots of time for a guy with his tools to develop. Marlies are a great option going forward.

 

[Leafs at Knight]

I feel like people forget that Rasanen is from Liljegren’s draft... this is his draft+2 year. Lots of time for a guy with his tools to develop. Marlies are a great option going forward.

Yea, it's too bad he litterally threw a development year away by going over seas.

 

[Morgs]

Yea, it's too bad he litterally through a development year away by going over seas.

Plus an underwhelming D+1 for a second round pick in the OHL.

At least you can plainly see how raw the guy is. There's hope, kinda.

 

[Morgs]

Double post.

 

[Kiwi]

Plus an underwhelming D+1 for a second round pick in the OHL.

At least you can plainly see how raw the guy is. There's hope, kinda.

From my one Marlies viewing of him his skating didn't look completely tragic, so there's that to

If he can skate there's hope for him still imo

 

[nobody]

The craziest part of Bracco's season is that he's helped Mueller become the top scorer in the AHL with a whopping 25% shooting. This guy has on numerous occasions put the puck right on Mueller's twig for a tap-in. It's actually insane how good this Bracco kid can pass. I really believe we can use him on the big club next season with a player like Auston Matthews and William Nylander. Willie and AM would have to cover up for his defensive woes though and so far they haven't been able to cover their own arse.

 

[RoadWarrior]

Great PP specialist in the NHL, possible liability otherwise? There's another year to learn a more complete game and have a longer more fruitful NHL career.

Bracco was always going to be a PP specialist in pro hockey. His smaller size, lack of commitment to defense and mediocre straight line speed was always going to relegate his impressive offensive talents to more open ice on the PP.

Given how the leafs PP has struggled this season that’s not a bad thing at all. This guy will dominate at the nhl level on the PP much like Marner.

 

[stickty111]

Here are the playoff series for our prospects, and their stats in the series and entire playoffs.
Updated Sunday March 31st

Games today
Game 5: Lethbridge wins 7-6 in OT
Series tied 3-3
Stotts 1 assist

Liiga
2nd round: TPS(4) vs HPK(5)
HPK wins series 4-1
Jesper Lindgren
Series:
GP 5 Goals 1 Assists 1 Points 2
Playoffs:
GP 5 Goals 1 Assists 1 Points 2
Regular season:
GP: 45 Goals: 2 Assists: 17 Points: 19

OHL
1st round: Sault Ste. Marie(3) vs Owen Sound Attack(6)
Sault Ste. Marie wins series 4-1
Mac Hollowell
Series:
GP 5 Goals 1 Assists 3 Points 4
Playoffs:
GP 5 Goals 1 Assists 3 Points 4
Regular season:
GP: 64 Goals: 24 Assists: 53 Points: 77

1st round: Guelph(4) vs Kitchener(5)
Guelph wins series 4-0
Fedor Gordeev
Series:
GP 4 Goals 1 Assists Points:
Playoffs:
GP 4 Goals 1 Assists Points:
Regular season:
GP: 63 Goals: 7 Assists: 25 Points: 32

WHL
1st round: Prince Albert(1) vs Red Deer(WC2)
Prince Albert wins series 4-0
Ian Scott
Series:
GP 4 SV% .915 GAA 1.75 SO 1
Playoffs:
GP 4 SV% .915 GAA 1.75 SO 1
Regular season:
GP: 49 SV%: .932 GAA: 1.83 SO: 8

1st round: Spokane(2) vs Portland(3)
Spokane wins series 4-1
Filip Kral
Series:
GP 5 Goals Assists Points
Playoffs:
GP 5 Goals Assists Points
Regular season:
GP: 47 Goals: 10 Assists: 26 Points: 36

1st round: Lethbridge(2) vs Calgary(3)
Series tied 3-3
Riley Stotts
Series:
GP 6 Goals 1 Assists 5 Points 6
Playoffs:
GP 6 Goals 1 Assists 5 Points 6
Regular season:
GP: 62 Goals: 19 Assists: 38 Points: 57

 

[Cor]

The difference of opinion from Jeffler and Wheeler on Bracco and Lilly is amazing.

Scott Wheeler thinks Lilly isn't progressing and has taken a step back. Jeffler says Lilly has been very good, while playing some of the toughest minutes on the team.
By looking at the stats and watching the games, I am siding with Jeffler on this one.

Wheeler absolutely loves Bracco. He is having one of the best seasons Marlies have ever had from a pure statistical point of view. Jeffler says despite the stats, Bracco isn't playing all that well, and the advanced stats seem to indicate that as well.
Bracco has dominated games this season, and continues to improve defensively. However the stats paint a different picture.
I don't know who to believe on Bracco.

Anyone who watches Bracco knows how good he is. Saying he’s a “bit of a wreck defensively” is just complete hogwash. Is it a strong suit? No. But Bracco and the development staff have put in work. I do not blame Bracco for Keefe putting his best offensive player in the offensive zone as much as possible.

As for Liljegren, the biggest thing he’s guilty of is not producing as much as some would like. However his play off the puck, and with it, especially in the defensive zone, has become so good. He’ll probably be the best zone exit d-man the Leafs have when he comes up.

People thought Liljegren as this one dimensional, offensive d-man when his game was much more diverse. I’m very happy with all the little parts of the game developing, and him playing a top role against the top competition. The production will come naturally.

 

[WTFMAN99]

I was at the game. MacGregor is a pro at least. He's not tiny, no giant skill gaps.

Sandin/Lilj as advertised: the most talented D out there. Very smooth but neither burners. Sandin with the smarter reads. He's the better player.

It's difficult to get a read on Bracco. Laval was horrid and he gets a ton of O-zone starts. He doesn't engage around the boards, but he's not effective there so *shrug*, why would he. He's a great mobile passing platform but I have no idea how well that translates.

Rasanen was intriguing. Not skilled with the puck but not a slug and doesn't falter in the corners. I'd like to see him against a heavier team.

Thanks for the insight. I haven't been as in touch with our prospects this year.

 

[deletethis]

Yea, it's too bad he litterally threw a development year away by going over seas.

Did he throw it away? The latest reports are that he looks better than he looked last season in the OHL. I think it's forgotten that a hockey player's improvement happens on the practice ice and during training not during games. It's simply the games where those hard-gained skills are auditioned at full speed.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Rasanen’s skating is improved from when I saw him in Kingston. Significantly improved. He was one of the worst skaters on the ice in the CHL top prospects game.

He has the foundations to become a pretty good straight line skater ala Carlo, but he doesn’t handle pucks well under pressure on the small ice. Had a few glaring turnovers, but I came away impressed. If he can spend 2-3 more seasons with the Keefe and Underhill, I think he could be a decent bottom pair option in the future.

Seems like a hell of a lot of effort to get a 3rd pairing defenseman lol.