Jerry the great
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Abbotsford Canucks | Season Starting
- Thread starter Mr. Canucklehead
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Yeah, the literal best-possible outcome is that he scores 25 goals or something in the AHL this year and we somehow get a little bit of value for him in some sort of package deal at the deadline.
The guy makes Daniel Sprong look like Patrice Bergeron. I don't think he's ever going to play in the NHL for anyone but he's sure as hell never going to play in the NHL for Rick Tocchet.
Yeah, they should try to pump and dump him. I think he’s the clear top candidate as the throw in prospect in the upcoming defense trade. Perfect trade chip as a “quantity” B tier piece - like a Joni Jurmo.
Joni Jurmo was considered positive value for the Flames and Klimovich is pretty much the exact same player. So there’s hope someone see value in him this year if he can just turn it around a little bit.
Sure, but all that has quieted down with the start he's had. Don't think anyone is pumping his tires recently.
Still think he's got a path to being a 3rd pairing guy with good mobility and transition game. But the cupboard for bottom of the roster dmen prospects is getting a bit cluttered, so he needs to take a step before he gets left behind.
The Canucks are going to hope their current group can iron out some of the defensive looseness they’ve exhibited in the early going, and there’s curiosity about what Cole McWard might be able to bring to the Vancouver lineup at some point this season.
This is from a Thomas Drance article two days ago.
I want to like McWard and do trust this teams management to evaluate their own prospects but every time I’ve watched in the last year, I’ve not noticed he was on the ice. I hope he can stay healthy and have a big development year because, as you say, he’ll get left behind pretty quick.
Curiosity about what he might bring isn't exactly a runaway hype machine. But sure, if you feel there's a bunch of hype around McWard, ok. Doesn't really matter to the point MS was making about his viability as a prospect. I liked his initial showing, but not sure he's improved at all since. Hype or not, MS is correct in that McWard needs to show more, and soon.
He’s a slightly undersized 4-5D at the AHL level who is butter-soft defensively and doesn’t produce much offense. He’s in his draft+6.
To me he’s not a prospect at all. Jett Woo is head-and-shoulders a better player and Woo is not going to make it, it doesn’t look like.
Exactly. It’s weird to read stuff like this because it doesn’t line up with what’s actually happening with the player. He just isn’t very good.
Lindgren
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My impression, and the experts can (will) correct me if I'm wrong, is that he's not getting significant time on either special team. So, he's good at ...?
Get Felton (aka NCAA guy) in there.
I mean, he was playing 17-18 minutes/game last year as the team’s 5D. The coaches didn’t seem to see it either.
Ernie
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Management seems to see players as projects, as in they identify individual skills that they think they can build off of. But McWard didn't really seem to get that much attention from them in the pre-season this year so he may be a project they've moved on from.
He was injured and missed the entire pre-season. Had late off-season surgery.
sting101
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In fairness a 2 year NCAA player late bloomer that turned pro and did a pretty good job acclimating to AHL and even NHL speed in a really small sample. A healthy off season and camp i like to bet would have seen him challenging Juulsen for a spot if not taking it. And this aligns with the organizations thoughts.
Watched both players live and even though Woo had better numbers last year and looked more polished and comfortable in Abby he's also had way more games plus a bigger role with PP time. McWard's focus was on becoming a reliable defender gap control and acclimation to pro hockey.
The difference is in explosiveness. McWard has more powerful skating quality edges a heavy shot and more NHL tools vs Woo who is not explosive enough to be a NHLer and like Linus Karlsson needs the game to be slower for him to be successful. McWard is also a solid 6'1 while Woo is about as much 6ft as Bo Horvat was
I dont think anyone is hyping McWard as a top4 NHL defenseman and most of us who have liked him see some 6-8D utility if he can take steps. Unfortunately he stagnated late last season which happens to some players adapting to way more games vs NCAA and his start this year has been stunted by injury.
Watched both players live and even though Woo had better numbers last year and looked more polished and comfortable in Abby he's also had way more games plus a bigger role with PP time. McWard's focus was on becoming a reliable defender gap control and acclimation to pro hockey.
The difference is in explosiveness. McWard has more powerful skating quality edges a heavy shot and more NHL tools vs Woo who is not explosive enough to be a NHLer and like Linus Karlsson needs the game to be slower for him to be successful. McWard is also a solid 6'1 while Woo is about as much 6ft as Bo Horvat was
I dont think anyone is hyping McWard as a top4 NHL defenseman and most of us who have liked him see some 6-8D utility if he can take steps. Unfortunately he stagnated late last season which happens to some players adapting to way more games vs NCAA and his start this year has been stunted by injury.
shottasasa
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I think it’s worth noting that some of players that came thru Pittsburgh’s system in the Rutherford era didn’t make the NHL full time until their mid 20’s a la our own Teddy Blueger. I don’t honk this management group might see more room to grow for older “prospects” than some and will give them opportunities in their draft plus 6 or 7 seasons, maybe even later. For instance, I see Max Sasson’s career is on a similar track to Blueger. I’m not saying Sasson is definitely going to make it but I reckon with this management groups approach to slow marination he has a chance to make the NHL club in the next season or two.
On D, it’s not quite a perfect example as he was a 2nd round pick, but Brian Dumoulin played 3 seasons of NCAA and 3 full AHL seasons before making the NHL as a 24 year old.
On D, it’s not quite a perfect example as he was a 2nd round pick, but Brian Dumoulin played 3 seasons of NCAA and 3 full AHL seasons before making the NHL as a 24 year old.
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thecupismine
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He screams poor man’s Ben Hutton to me, and Hutton was already a full time bottom pairing dman at the same age.
Guys playing in their age 23 season in the AHL have to be late blooming, late risers to be protectable NHLers, especially if they have limited physical attributes.
Not saying it can’t happen, but Mcward put up 17 points last year, isn’t a defensive dynamo, and isn’t showing much better offensively this season. Mobile two way guys usually perform much better than this in the AHL if they’re going to break into the league.
To make the NHL as a depth player you have to be either a Brannstrom or a Juulsen who brings something to the table either in terms of transition skill or defensive/PK work.
McWard is a mid-pairing AHL defender who doesn't have a single trait that projects as above-average or value-creating in the NHL. He skates pretty smoothly but that's about it. And he's old.
He's basically Evan Oberg. Or Wyatt Kalynuk. Or whatever. A nothingburger who can't really defend at acceptable levels and doesn't really bring any offense either.
I can see a scenario where if Woo finds a thin organization and the right coach who believes in him he could do a Kyle Burroughs or Noah Juulsen where a team keeps him around for his bite and PK utility. And his puck skills are actually decent - better than McWard. I can't see any scenario where Cole McWard is an NHL player.
Blue and Green
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First game of a home B2B vs Tucson. 0-0 into the third period, then Friedman stripped the puck just inside the Tucson blueline and Smith poked it to Stevens who roofed a nice shot over the blocker for the opening goal.
Unfortunately, a couple of minutes later Friedman took a nasty head shot from the no-talent goon Montana Onyebuchi and was stretchered off. Looked like he was out cold when he hit the ice, was moving his limbs when he regained consciousness. Was taken to hospital. Game is delayed until the ambulance returns to the arena.
Unfortunately, a couple of minutes later Friedman took a nasty head shot from the no-talent goon Montana Onyebuchi and was stretchered off. Looked like he was out cold when he hit the ice, was moving his limbs when he regained consciousness. Was taken to hospital. Game is delayed until the ambulance returns to the arena.
Deeds26
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- Nov 11, 2006
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Edit: Vector beat me to it as I did research.
Here is hoping that Friedman will be okay and have no long lasting affects.
Edit edit: Research was viewing the hit and checking heights of each player. Onye is 6'3 while Friedman is 5'8
If anyone wants to see the hit.
Here is hoping that Friedman will be okay and have no long lasting affects.
Edit edit: Research was viewing the hit and checking heights of each player. Onye is 6'3 while Friedman is 5'8
If anyone wants to see the hit.
Baby Pettersson
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AHL has too many of these useless plugs. Hope he gets like a lengthy suspension
Blue and Green
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He was having a strong game.
We made 'em pay. McWard held the puck in three times, then Klimovich sets up Kudryavtsev and he fires a wrist shot for his first AHL goal. Well deserved because Kudryavtsev has played very well tonight; he really looks like a good prospect.
