Prospect Info: 2024 prospect tournament in LA

[coooldude]

Textbook forecheck by Halts, Musty, Bystedt. Just awesome by all three to force the turnover, then excellent play by Bystedt to get it to Musty who zips it across top of crease to Halts to bury it.

Great stuff for the video review.

 

[Pavelski2112]

Hard to complain about 16 goals in 3 games while only giving up 7

 

[Alaskanice]

With most of our top line players in the stands, our team filled with TO players, we go undefeated. Good stuff all around.

 

[mogambomoroo]

3 games
3 wins
16 goals scored
7 goals against
Very good performance by the players we wanted to see have success.
I'm happy and now onto pre season mode, where the rookies get to have some taste of real NHL game.

 

[knu]

Super fun 3 games. The future is bright.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I think the main takeaway from this for me is that Sam Dickinson was really impressive. It's so hard for 18 year old defensemen who are not offensive spark plugs to stand out at these kinds of events, but he was really excellent defensively outside of one or two shifts, managed the puck well, was great physically even against guys five plus years older than him, and seemed to really gain confidence as the games went on. I hope Grier and the development team give him a clear game plan for improvement before sending him back to London and he comes into next year's camp even better.

 

[Erep]

With most of our top line players in the stands, our team filled with TO players, we go undefeated. Good stuff all around.

I mean, we still had 3 1st round picks and a 2nd rounder, way outclassing any of the other rosters.

 

[Lebanezer]

Worst game was easily the one Macklin played. Should we be concerned.

 

[mogambomoroo]

To put things into a big picture Sharks needed to dominate/win these 3 games to prove the depth of their prospect pool. It's no secret Sharks have the best one right now and they played to that level.

Now through the preseason I want to see a lot of them have success with the little time they are given. It will be extremely hard to move the needle towards NHL for others than Celebrini and Smith. Musty will have to be the best player on the ice for like 3 games against NHL teams to be close.
But there is no hurry, only Celebrini/Smith need to realistically see NHL ice this year.

When the regular season starts, the grind starts. It will not be easy, but it will sure as hell be fun to follow this team.

 

[LadyStanley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1835787068511023180

 

[TheBeard]

Did it work? Did we win? Did I save the day?

 

[LilLeeroy]

To put things into a big picture Sharks needed to dominate/win these 3 games to prove the depth of their prospect pool. It's no secret Sharks have the best one right now and they played to that level.

Now through the preseason I want to see a lot of them have success with the little time they are given. It will be extremely hard to move the needle towards NHL for others than Celebrini and Smith. Musty will have to be the best player on the ice for like 3 games against NHL teams to be close.
But there is no hurry, only Celebrini/Smith need to realistically see NHL ice this year.

When the regular season starts, the grind starts. It will not be easy, but it will sure as hell be fun to follow this team.

Why exactly does Musty need to be the best player on the ice to make a team that isn't prioritizing winning yet?

If being on the Sharks is best for his, and the other young guys, long-term development that is where he should be even if you have to waive somebody who is "better" right now.

 

[mogambomoroo]

Why exactly does Musty need to be the best player on the ice to make a team that isn't prioritizing winning yet?

If being on the Sharks is best for his, and the other young guys, long-term development that is where he should be even if you have to waive somebody who is "better" right now.

I would love to see Musty getting his 9 games in more than anything, but all I'm trying to say that based on previous years NHL experienced players/veteran always win those extra spots if it's tied between them and competing rookie in Musty level. This year even more since there is a lot of NHL experience competing for those other spots + Celebrini and Smith.

Not the greatest example but I remember when Gushchin had a hat trick in pre season against Vegas which had almost the full squad, and did get 2 games the whole year.

EDIT: I would like to add that with Warsofsky anything is possible, so I could be totally wrong about this matter.

 

[TheBeard]

Why exactly does Musty need to be the best player on the ice to make a team that isn't prioritizing winning yet?

If being on the Sharks is best for his, and the other young guys, long-term development that is where he should be even if you have to waive somebody who is "better" right now.

My worry is throwing too many kids out there at once. Eklund and Zetterlund are both still young and developing and when you combine them with Smith and Celebrini and Musty (if he is on the big club), that's 5 out of the 9 guys in the top three lines all 22 or younger.

Again, I know it's not possible, but Musty needs some grizzled experience, which he could have gotten with the Barracuda.

 

[fasterthanlight]

Can musty request a trade to a different OHL team? I don't know the landscape, but, it seems like getting traded to the London Knights might be a reasonable thing the sharks could attempt to pull some strings for.

 

[LadyStanley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1835807692226707745

 

[Pinkfloyd]

My worry is throwing too many kids out there at once. Eklund and Zetterlund are both still young and developing and when you combine them with Smith and Celebrini and Musty (if he is on the big club), that's 5 out of the 9 guys in the top three lines all 22 or younger.

Again, I know it's not possible, but Musty needs some grizzled experience, which he could have gotten with the Barracuda.

I think the 4th line should be an option for Musty. That can keep him away from the other rookies and with veterans for the predominant amount of his ice time while getting him some needed experience without any real expectations.

 

[sampler]

I would love to see Musty getting his 9 games in more than anything, but all I'm trying to say that based on previous years NHL experienced players/veteran always win those extra spots if it's tied between them and competing rookie in Musty level. This year even more since there is a lot of NHL experience competing for those other spots + Celebrini and Smith.

Not the greatest example but I remember when Gushchin had a hat trick in pre season against Vegas which had almost the full squad, and did get 2 games the whole year.

EDIT: I would like to add that with Warsofsky anything is possible, so I could be totally wrong about this matter.

I remember that...

Obviously a rookie tournament is just that. Its 80-90% players who will likely never see NHL time with a spattering of legit prospects (like gauthier for the ducks). Getting 7 pts in 3 games in such a tourney is great, but does not crown someonw a surefire NHL star of course.

Furthermore, guys like bordy and gushkin didnt play, so its not even a collection of the top sharks prospects per se.

its also not like they played a team that had practiced extensively together. These teams had little structure and experience playing together so some of the goals would clearly be reflective of that too...

Not something to read too far into. However, it's also not insignificant how well musty played. Its fair to say that he was the best forward out there. its also fair to say that his size is NHL level already. He also did cream the O, so its not like there is much upside to be had there (unlike haltunnen who was barely PPG).

It would be amazing to have 4 of 9 top forwards be 22 and younger (Smith ,Musty, Celly, and eklund)... So what!?

I say "may the best man win". If Kostin or Gushkin outperform Smith or Musty, then let 'em play. But I think it's a mistake if Musty outplays the NHL vets and other rooks and you still send him back. Perhaps gush should have gotten more of a look last year?

We gotta see how the preseason shapes up, but if musty looks like he belongs, then he belongs.

I cannot imagine them doing the AHl conditioning stint thing, can they? It would be quite fun to circumvent the deal getting him into 9 NHL games, 15 AHL games, world juniors, and hten back to sudbury for a short time until he comes back to the Cuda at the end of the year. That would be a pretty clever, almost evil trick, but id love it...

Whats the downside if musty comes in and spends a year struggling at the NHL level? You dont want him in the press box, but 10-12 mins/night in the NHL seems better than 20 mins/gm in the O?

 

[TheBeard]

I think the 4th line should be an option for Musty. That can keep him away from the other rookies and with veterans for the predominant amount of his ice time while getting him some needed experience without any real expectations.

I don't hate it, but who are you playing him with, Sturm and Kunin? Where does Graf fit in if at all, unless you want Graf to center a fourth line with Musty and a Dellandrea. Just don't know how it fits together.

It just felt like Grier brought in all these guys like Goodrow and Grundstrom and Ty so they DON'T feel the need for Musty and Halt to play beyond 9 games.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Musty is a case where if this were the 2016 Sharks with three highly-skilled centers and a roster full of vets, he'd be a shoe-in for the team and spend time on Thornton's wing. But since that's not the case, it's going to be hard for him to force the Sharks' hand.

WRT the idea of Musty on the fourth line... one could certainly argue that it didn't hurt Meier at all, and may have actually helped develop him into a more complete player.

 

[sampler]

Graf didnt quite look ready last year, but he plays with a certain poise and playmaking ability that is intriguing. Obviously, jumping from college to pros practically overnight came with lumps, but I could see him in teal at some point this year again too. Cardwell, gush, and bordy too.

Truth is, the sharks are flush at forward both in NHLers and in kids. The issue that the NHLers are almost all bottom 6 guys aside from Toffoli, Eklund, zetterlund, and Granlund. In other words, they have only four established top 9 forwards. Wennberg could reasonably be included there, though 30 pts is a small output for a 3rd line C.

The army of Dyllandrea, grundlund, sturm, kunin, goodrow, kostin, bailey, G Smith all have failed to be clear top 9 forwards thus far. So, bascially, you have the kids competiting with those guys for spots, but you have four top 9 forward spots up for grabs, why not give the kids that chance?

 

[LadyStanley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1835823506053083233

 

[Star Platinum]

well, i didnt watch this one but seems like its a successful rookie tournament

You could though. I've started the last two games late and watched them in full

 

[Star Platinum]

I think the main takeaway from this for me is that Sam Dickinson was really impressive. It's so hard for 18 year old defensemen who are not offensive spark plugs to stand out at these kinds of events, but he was really excellent defensively outside of one or two shifts, managed the puck well, was great physically even against guys five plus years older than him, and seemed to really gain confidence as the games went on. I hope Grier and the development team give him a clear game plan for improvement before sending him back to London and he comes into next year's camp even better.

The kid had 18 goals and 70 points last year. Not an offensive spark plug is pretty critical.

That said, there was a narrative about him coming in that his offensive game was ahead of his defensive game which he was prone to occasional lapses and I found the opposite to be the case. He was pretty defensively responsible through all three games and if there was a serious miscue by him in the three games, I must have missed it (thought I still have about 7 more minutes to go in game 3).

On the other hand, he has a lot of development to do if he's going to become a contributor on the power play down the line. There is a massive chasm between how Cagnoni manages the offensive zone vs. Dickinson at this point in time.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I don't hate it, but who are you playing him with, Sturm and Kunin? Where does Graf fit in if at all, unless you want Graf to center a fourth line with Musty and a Dellandrea. Just don't know how it fits together.

It just felt like Grier brought in all these guys like Goodrow and Grundstrom and Ty so they DON'T feel the need for Musty and Halt to play beyond 9 games.

Sturm will almost certainly be the center. Kunin is an option on the 4th line with literally any winger that isn't Eklund, Zetterlund, and Toffoli as an option. I don't see Graf making the team out of camp but if he impresses, he can get opportunities during the season. If Musty is making the team, you're really only looking at waiving someone like Givani Smith.

Eklund-Granlund-Zetterlund
Wennberg-Celebrini-Toffoli
Kostin-Smith-???
Musty-Sturm-???

Those two question mark spots can be any of Grundstrom, Goodrow, Kunin, and Dellandrea. All of those guys are guys I'd expect to make the team. They're paid like they should. That means that Couture is on IR and they either play injury games with guys like Givani Smith and/or Justin Bailey or they waive them with the intent of sending them to the Barracuda. I suspect that Musty is sent back to juniors and they accept whatever may happen in the next year while he plays in juniors. If Musty doesn't make the team, that spot is probably going to Givani Smith just as an easy guy to sit in the press box on most nights. Guys like Musty, Graf, Gushchin, Bordeleau, Cardwell, and Bystedt have to find some sort of role that they can play to contribute to the team to make it this year. Musty could use his size on the 4th line to contribute in that sort of role. I'm not sure the other guys have it in their game to fill a vacant 4th line winger role the way an NHL team tends to prefer. Graf seems like a top-nine guy or bust sort of guy like Bordeleau and Gushchin. Cardwell might bring more of the energy element typically seen out of players in that role. It'll be interesting to see but I don't see anyone surprising to make the team this season including Musty.