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Abbotsford Canucks Thread | Prospects Starting to Heat Up | Page 24 | HFBoards - NHL Message Board and Forum for National Hockey League
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Abbotsford Canucks Thread | Prospects Starting to Heat Up

0-0 midway through the first period, getting outshot 9-2 by the basement-dwelling Henderson Silver Knights. One of Abbotsford's "shots" was a dump-in from centre ice.
 
1-0 Abbotsford after one period. A wrist shot from the right point by McWard leaked under the arm of the Henderson goalie and Karlsson was there to poke the loose puck into an open net. Two struggling teams and the quality of play was representative of that fact.
 
Three minutes into the second period, watching both teams continue to hamfist their plays with the puck, my interest is hanging by a thread.
 
Late in a PP, Karlsson chips a bouncing puck across the crease to Mueller who scores from short range. 2-0, 13 minutes left in the second period.
 
A nice play was bound to happen and it was good work by Karlsson to maintain possession along the boards, getting the puck to Wolanin who drew multiple defenders to him and then spun and fired a perfect pass to Karlsson alone at the side of the net, he buried it for a 3-0 lead. Three points for Karlsson.
 
Woo joined the rush, took a pass from Blais and made an offensive zone pass that was deflected but went to Mueller who had a wide-open net to shoot into. Two goals each for Mueller and Karlsson.

Silver Knights scored on a rush down the left wing, getting a shot from the slot that found the five-hole of Tolopilo. 4-1 after two periods. Abbotsford has really struggled in third periods this season so the W isn't in the bag yet.
 
Abbotsford finally 'bumps the slump, first win in seven games, although it was against lowly Henderson.

Ty Mueller is having a nice rookie season in the AHL. Still unsure what, if any, NHL future he might have. But he's young enough (still only 21). So he has time to continue to develop.
 
Mueller was supposed to be a prospect with good defensive smarts and hustle, so his offensive output to this point has been a very pleasant surprise. Hopefully a promising indicator that we have an NHL player on our hands, too.
 
Abbotsford outshot Henderson 17-5 in the first period, scored a goal on a PP in the final minute. Raty tried a pass that was blocked but the puck ended up going right to Blais who buried it.

Henderson has had four PP chances, and scored in the first minute of the second period on one of them to tie the score.

Raty has been making too many careless mistakes with the puck. Henderson had a big chance after his most recent giveaway late in the second period but fortunately they whiffed on the shot; Abbotsford took the puck 4-on-2 the other way, Bains cut to the slot and put a wrist shot just inside the glove-side post. 2-1 Abbotsford after 40 minutes.
 
Silver Knights tied it early in the third when an attempted centring pass hit Kudryavtsev and went past Silovs. A few minutes later, Wolanin broke up a Henderson rush, Karlsson led a 3-on-2 and showed good patience to wait for a lane to get the puck to Aman who tipped it into a yawning cage. 3-2 Abby, 13 minutes to go and a delay of game penalty upcoming to Henderson.
 
Wouters with a good forechecking effort to steal the puck, then a quick centring pass to Glover who makes it 4-2 Abby with less than seven minutes to go.
 
Blais is nice insurance on an AHL contract.....figured to be a slow starter, coming off pretty significant off- season injury problems. But looks to be hitting his stride now.

Is he a candidate for an NHL contract and an eventual call-up, or does the finish the year in Abbotsford?
 
beachcomber said:
How's this Mueller kid been playing? Does he play with an edge?
Click to expand...
He's been pretty consistent, and is now Abbotsford's leading scorer. Although it's a pretty 'low bar' with 19 points in 32 games.

One of the most encouraging things so far in an Abbotsford season that's been mild disappointment, is the play of their group of 20-21 year olds. And Mueller is one of that group at just 21.

Pettersson, Kudryavtsev, Lekkerimaki, Mueller and even Klimovich have been good so far. It's a lot of the veterans that have so far 'underachieved'.
 
VanJack said:
He's been pretty consistent, and is now Abbotsford's leading scorer. Although it's a pretty 'low bar' with 19 points in 32 games.

One of the most encouraging things so far in an Abbotsford season that's been mild disappointment, is the play of their group of 20-21 year olds. And Mueller is one of that group at just 21.

Pettersson, Kudryavtsev, Lekkerimaki, Mueller and even Klimovich have been good so far. It's a lot of the veterans that have so far 'underachieved'.
Click to expand...
To me, Pettersson and Kudryavtsev have been the most impressive. Pettersson is showing excellent acceleration and Kudryavtsev can really distribute the puck and play in traffic.

Mueller's is quick and is getting some points. Actually leads the team in scoring. But that is not saying much. More a result of him playing more games. Could well be that Kudry takes over the point lead soon if the coach keeps him in the lineup..

My disappointment is Raty who works hard but doesn't have the wheels to dominate. Not far from being a write off if he doesn't soon find another gear. Has to be a point producer to overcome some of defensive weaknesses but simply isn't.

Kilm remains very much a work in progress. Just has to manage the puck better and think situations better.

Far as the vets go, the off-season has to be seen as failure.

Right now Smith is getting, for some reason, lots of time on the top unit and hurting them more than helping. And this dud was seen as the main off season vet pickup.

Other pickups were:

Kambeitz - 7 points in 25 games. Has had maybe two good games, but on a team with adequate vets might have already been sent to the ECHL

Twarynski - mostly benched of late. 5 points in 20 games. Never a factor anytime he is used.

Still have old man Stevens around playing in a PK and defensive role and some decent vet defense men like Friedman and Wolanin.

Off-season for both the senior club and the farm team leaves a lot to be desired.
 
orcatown said:
To me, Pettersson and Kudryavtsev have been the most impressive. Pettersson is showing excellent acceleration and Kudryavtsev can really distribute the puck and play in traffic.

Mueller's is quick and is getting some points. Actually leads the team in scoring. But that is not saying much. More a result of him playing more games. Could well be that Kudry takes over the point lead soon if the coach keeps him in the lineup..

My disappointment is Raty who works hard but doesn't have the wheels to dominate. Not far from being a write off if he doesn't soon find another gear. Has to be a point producer to overcome some of defensive weaknesses but simply isn't.

Kilm remains very much a work in progress. Just has to manage the puck better and think situations better.

Far as the vets go, the off-season has to be seen as failure.

Right now Smith is getting, for some reason, lots of time on the top unit and hurting them more than helping. And this dud was seen as the main off season vet pickup.

Other pickups were:

Kambeitz - 7 points in 25 games. Has had maybe two good games, but on a team with adequate vets might have already been sent to the ECHL

Twarynski - mostly benched of late. 5 points in 20 games. Never a factor anytime he is used.

Still have old man Stevens around playing in a PK and defensive role and some decent vet defense men like Friedman and Wolanin.

Off-season for both the senior club and the farm team leaves a lot to be desired.
Click to expand...
I understand your position, but I'm not sure that I agree. The goal isn't to have a good team, but to develop the prospects. Sure, I always think that a solid season and a playoff run is good for the prospects, but that isn't so if the success is driven by the vets. I guess some more success from the incoming veteran forwards would have been good for the prospects, maybe. But it doesn't seem like much of an issue to me.

For me, this Abbotsford season from the start was all about Raty, Lekkerimaki, Pettersson and Kudryavtsev (and perhaps Tolopilo). And from that perspective, with the exception of Raty, things seem to be going well (though I still think that KK will be part of the package going out when the Canucks make a deal near the deadline).
 
Lindgren said:
I understand your position, but I'm not sure that I agree. The goal isn't to have a good team, but to develop the prospects. Sure, I always think that a solid season and a playoff run is good for the prospects, but that isn't so if the success is driven by the vets. I guess some more success from the incoming veteran forwards would have been good for the prospects, maybe. But it doesn't seem like much of an issue to me.

For me, this Abbotsford season from the start was all about Raty, Lekkerimaki, Pettersson and Kudryavtsev (and perhaps Tolopilo). And from that perspective, with the exception of Raty, things seem to be going well (though I still think that KK will be part of the package going out when the Canucks make a deal near the deadline).
Click to expand...
I agree that the emphasis has to be on prospects. But there are fans in Abbotsford that pay good money to see a winning team. (which the team asserted they are trying to be).

Moreover, having a good set of veterans can help development. In the past, and on many teams, younger players have been said to have had their development hurt by putting them in situations where there is little chance they can suceed. Many players, who have developed into good players, have commented on how important it was to have good veterans around. Like if you are partnered with a good vet on defense, who can sort out the play, you can try more things, develop different aspects of your play rather than being in some constant scramble to keep the puck out of your zone.

And it is important to develop a winning attitude. Anyone who has played on a consistent loser (and I imagine a lot of us can relate to this) knows how that can break your spirit. Sure its important for every player to personally overcome issues such as this, but in many cases we are talking about players barely out of their teens.

From my point of view, if you going to have vets (rather than some age restricted young prospects League) then you might as well get the best ones you can. Clearly Abbotsford has not succeeded in getting top flight AHL vets. That hurts the fans and, I think, a case can be made it hurts the overall development of your prospects.

Two things can be important at the same time.
 
orcatown said:
I agree that the emphasis has to be on prospects. But there are fans in Abbotsford that pay good money to see a winning team. (which the team asserted they are trying to be).

Moreover, having a good set of veterans can help development. In the past, and on many teams, younger players have been said to have had their development hurt by putting them in situations where there is little chance they can suceed. Many players, who have developed into good players, have commented on how important it was to have good veterans around. Like if you are partnered with a good vet on defense, who can sort out the play, you can try more things, develop different aspects of your play rather than being in some constant scramble to keep the puck out of your zone.

And it is important to develop a winning attitude. Anyone who has played on a consistent loser (and I imagine a lot of us can relate to this) knows how that can break your spirit. Sure its important for every player to personally overcome issues such as this, but in many cases we are talking about players barely out of their teens.

From my point of view, if you going to have vets (rather than some age restricted young prospects League) then you might as well get the best ones you can. Clearly Abbotsford has not succeeded in getting top flight AHL vets. That hurts the fans and, I think, a case can be made it hurts the overall development of your prospects.

Two things can be important at the same time.
Click to expand...
It's a matter of emphasis, I guess. Abbotsford is an average team, not bad. Their rookies on defence haven't been put in positions where they've been crushed. Nor has Lekkerimaki.

A few better forwards might have been good—an opportunity for the prospects to work with players closer to the skill they'll see at the NHL. But at the start of the season it was reasonable to expect better things from some of the returning vets.
 
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