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Kings Article: Blake On O'Neill: “Not Big…But He Competes At The Level Of The Big Guysâ€

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OK, so he's 173 lbs.

I know, I know, you probably ate a prime rib that was bigger than that.

But in a few special cases, small players can be very effective.

O'Neill is like that "little" horsefly who buzzes you out at the lake, and gets grown men running around in a mad panic to avoid being bit.
He's a puck-thief, and can do damage with the puck after he steals it.

Not knowing your own assets is just foolish, IMO. The Kings need to check him out.

Sometime this season, he's worth a look, damnit.:rant:
 
kingsfan said:
His upside is Brandon Kozun.
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You think so? I think it's a little higher, he's a more heady player. Perhaps not quite as fearless, but more slippery.

I actually think he would be a 30+ pt guy in the right situation.

I think it's going to be him or Weal on Lewis' wing.
 
Fishhead said:
You think so? I think it's a little higher, he's a more heady player. Perhaps not quite as fearless, but more slippery.

I actually think he would be a 30+ pt guy in the right situation.

I think it's going to be him or Weal on Lewis' wing.
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Like Kozun, I don't see his AHL success translating to the NHL. To small to make the impact needed on the 3rd line and not good enough to stick on a top two line. He may claim a 4th line spot but I doubt, those seem to go to the bigger bodies under Sutter. He's also a dime a dozen type of player so I doubt he'd get claimed if waived in camp.
 
I don't think he's in line for a roster spot now, but if an injury occurs in camp I think that will be his best chance. It's a sticky situation, because I doubt he'd pass through waivers should he not make the team.
 
triplcrown said:
Kozun never came close to winning the AHL scoring title.
And the AHL, if anything, is stronger now.

Bad comparison, IMO.
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And maybe if Kozun was in the AHL at 27 he would. Don't forget Kozun is 25 and made the NHL. At 25 O'Neill was coming off a three goal AHL season.

They are a fine comparison.
 
kingsfan said:
And maybe if Kozun was in the AHL at 27 he would. Don't forget Kozun is 25 and made the NHL. At 25 O'Neill was coming off a three goal AHL season.

They are a fine comparison.
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Not as "fine" as you think. The key difference is attitude. Kozun's attitude was a major drag on his career. He figured it out too late, and to this point in his pro career, it has cost him dearly.

To this point, attitude has been a strength for O'Neill.

That's a HUGE difference. Can't say enough about how big a difference that makes.
 
Definitely was looking forward to seeing some focus on this guy. I'd like to see him get a chance this year. He didn't make much of an impression on me last preseason, but maybe he'll make a strong one this season. Winning the Calder Cup, being the AHL MVP, short of growing a few inches and losing a few years, O'Neill has put himself in the best position he could.

Listening to that Blake interview, I wouldn't be surprised to either see him traded or lost to waivers, though. :(
 
FrozenRoyalty said:
Not as "fine" as you think. The key difference is attitude. Kozun's attitude was a major drag on his career. He figured it out too late, and to this point in his pro career, it has cost him dearly.

To this point, attitude has been a strength for O'Neill.

That's a HUGE difference. Can't say enough about how big a difference that makes.
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I saw that movie too Gann

[Yt]SyrsctddVNw[/MEDIA]
 
Boba Fettuccine said:
I saw that movie too Gann

[Yt]SyrsctddVNw[/MEDIA]
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Do you ever have anything serious to say when it comes to my posts? Either you're trying to be funny (which is fine) or maybe you have a problem with what I post? I don't know you, so I don't know what to make of your responses.
 
Would O'Neill get claimed if he got sent down?

Also, if it came down to O'Neill v AndyAndy does Andy have a lock?
 
FrozenRoyalty said:
There's a decent chance, but it's nowhere near a sure thing that he would be claimed.
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If the expansion teams were here sure. But no one is claiming a 27 year old whose never played a NHL game. There's very few claims of guys as is out of training camp waivers, he isn't going to buck the odds. I'd bet my house he'd clear.
 
kingsfan said:
If the expansion teams were here sure. But no one is claiming a 27 year old whose never played a NHL game. There's very few claims of guys as is out of training camp waivers, he isn't going to buck the odds. I'd bet my house he'd clear.
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I too believe he'll clear waivers. But there's a much better chance of him not clearing compared to a year ago when it was total lock.
 
Both Marc-Andre Cliche and Rich Clune got picked up on waivers a couple of years ago, so who knows. I don't know, the odds are so stacked against shorter players, sometimes I don't know why they bother trying unless they're superstar material.

I don't know if O'Neill would make an impact at the NHL level or not, but what is there left for him to do at the AHL level?

If you were Brian O'Neill, what would you do?
 
FrozenRoyalty said:
I too believe he'll clear waivers. But there's a much better chance of him not clearing compared to a year ago when it was total lock.
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That can be said of anyone who shows an improvement really. Teams in camp are usually more concerned with giving their own guys a shot so unless there's a guy that can fit a specific role like Clune and Cliché do, or a rebuilding team is interested in taking a chance on a prospect fallen on hard times (Hickey), then they will clear. O'Neill isn't going to fill a bottom six role and no one is taking a chance on a 27 year old minor league with really one good season on his resume in their top six.
 
PJ Kings Hockey said:
Both Marc-Andre Cliche and Rich Clune got picked up on waivers a couple of years ago, so who knows. I don't know, the odds are so stacked against shorter players, sometimes I don't know why they bother trying unless they're superstar material.

I don't know if O'Neill would make an impact at the NHL level or not, but what is there left for him to do at the AHL level?

If you were Brian O'Neill, what would you do?
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Honor my contract and play where I'm assigned.
 
kingsfan said:
Honor my contract and play where I'm assigned.
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This, and keep working, it's gone well for him so far.

The guy has improved like a madman every year of pro hockey. I get holding his age against him, but he's also a late bloomer, let's not completely disregard that.

The guy is also a genius with a great education, he's probably not in a hurry to start life after hockey, but he'll also be fine one way or another.
 
Brad Doty said:
This, and keep working, it's gone well for him so far.

The guy has improved like a madman every year of pro hockey. I get holding his age against him, but he's also a late bloomer, let's not completely disregard that.

The guy is also a genius with a great education, he's probably not in a hurry to start life after hockey, but he'll also be fine one way or another.
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Bingo.
 
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