Prospect Info: 2023-24 Prospect Thread
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doublechili
For all intensive purposes, your nuts
- Apr 11, 2006
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It's early, but Odelius with 3 points in 6 games and a plus player seems encouraging.
GordieHowYaDoin
WFP
- Nov 9, 2022
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Not an Isles fan but respector. I am wondering whats going on with Robin Salo? Looked like he could've turned into something during his limited looks last couple seasons but now appears he may just get buried in Bridgeport until he heads back to Europe. Any chance he can still become something and push for a spot or is it a log jam or just he's not skilled enough for NHL?
If fellow Finn Sami Niku hasn't been good enough for the NHL, there's no way Salo will be making it either.
They are basically the same player, but Salo is actually the poor man's Niku.
The Real JT
The crowd called out for more
Nothing is. And especially not with this group.
Whether it be with this organization or another down the road, I believe the following current prospects will get an NHL shot at a somewhat regular role. It'll then be in their hands to take the bull by the horns, but that's another story:
- Iskhakov
- Durandeau
- Odelius
- Nelson
And that's it.
I think the likelihood is high that more than that will be given a shot and I certainly hope guys like Dufour and Maggio and George and Finley and Liukas become factors along the way.
But based on what I've seen to date, I can express minimal certainty about only the 4 gentlemen listed above.
I'm not sure it's 'optimism', when I've said "only". But I disagree with Chapin - I think Nelson has a significantly higher floor than the three other prospects he mentioned. And of those, it seems like Odelius is the next most likely, but he's a long way away. And the reason is simple - Nelson is well above average in 2/ 3 of the most important characteristics - skill, hockey sense, and athleticism (6'3, rangy, mobile, and strong). He went from playing for his public HS to centering the top line on Notre Dame in 2 years, and he doesn't turn 19 until next August. It's going to take time for his reputation to catch up with his growth. Even assuming his development slows down, his wingspan, mobility, and hockey sense make a bottom-6 center projection seem very safe. It's hard to tell whether his skill is meh or that he hasn't been assertive with the puck relative to his peers, but that only makes his upside uncertain.
My problem with so many Islanders prospects is that so many of them only excel only in 1 of those categories, with the "hope" that they will grow into more. Or they combine excellence in one category with being below average in another (what we're seeing with Wahlstrom). At least NYI's 2022 draft emphasized athleticism with Finley and George. I'm especially tired of these prospects who have sweet hands, but seem to utterly lack the physical gifts to be pro players. Dufour's movements are ponderous. I worry for Iskhakov's long term safety - he seems to me a big ice player if I've ever seen one. I don't see how Maggio will make space to do what he did in junior. Frustrating.
You may need to re-read my post.
There was no comparison or ranking of the four players I mentioned.
This has been quiet lately, but seeing the Alex Jeffries thread get pumped made me wonder how the rest have been doing. Any news and updates from the farm?
Jeffries was on a 2-points-per-game pace after 4 games. He now has 14 in 8 games. There have been opponents like Bentley though along the way.
And his 4th game was a 5-point affair, so it's otherwise been 9 points in 7 games. Which is good, of course.
The only prospect of note, even if a few of the college boys like Nelson and Finley are "just fine" for freshman, is Justin Gill who has 44 points in 25 games. He was leading the Q in scoring.
Again, that's great. Of course, he'll be turning 21 in January and isn't eligible i.e. for the WJC squad.
We'll prolly see him at BPort after the junior season. His team is looking like a Memorial Cup contender.
Everyone else is pretty much bland to disappointing, although Iskhakov is actually having quite a good season for BPort. After 51 points last year, his 15 points in 18 games for such a low-scoring squad is nothing to balk at. That's a good 60-point pace in a league that will likely only see two dozen 60-point players this year.
High scoring in the NCAA is not normal. Either things have changed (structure-wise/strategy) OR Jefferies and Nelson are actually that good. Maybe one of those guys becomes the next Blake Wheeler!...well, we can hope.
Scoring seems to be going up, lately.
At any rate Jefferies has speed, and skill on the outside. He's really good on the rush. But it's a very open question whether what he has translates to the NHL.
IMO Nelson is a different story - the only question is his upside. Gotta guess that what lags with him is skill as opposed to anything else. Because he appears to be a good skater at 6'3", and appears to me to have very good hockey sense. I think he's a NHL'er no doubt, but whether that is a bottom-6 defensive/PK guy or something more is totally unknown. He's not nearly the kind of raw athletic freak Blake Wheeler was.
Kevin27NYI
Registered User
- Aug 5, 2009
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leeroggy
Registered User
- Jan 3, 2010
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That would seem like a long shot to me - too many other players on that list that can do what he does. Nelson, otoh, can play center or wing, top-6, bottom 6, PP and PK. So I'd think he's likely to make it.
Bad news - in general, and for the WJC:
Calle Odelius recently fractured his fibula. He'll be in a cast for at least 6 weeks. No WJC for him. And it's in Sweden, so that's really bitter...
Calle Odelius recently fractured his fibula. He'll be in a cast for at least 6 weeks. No WJC for him. And it's in Sweden, so that's really bitter...
The Real JT
The crowd called out for more
Someone in Sweden is now on Lou’s sh!t list.
Don’t they know that’s a lower body injury, not a fractured fibula?
doublechili
For all intensive purposes, your nuts
- Apr 11, 2006
- 19,093
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Skip To My Lou
Abused Fan
SI90
Registered User
He was at the isles game the other the night. Maybe he came back to see the the islanders recommended doctors?
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