Confirmed with Link: Canucks sign D Akito Hirose to 1-Year ELC
- Thread starter Mr. Canucklehead
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Most of us know at least one person who was once a promising player but one injury is all it took to destroy their path to the pros, even if it wasn't something visibly crippling. Hockey is a fast and physical game, falling behind means getting picked on every shift and sometimes the injury will slow you down just enough that you just can no longer play the game at that level.
Reverend Mayhem
Serial Hanlon's Razor Ignorer
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Nah, he didn’t make it out of camp. He signed as an NCAA FA mid season.
And the kid was already 21 when he made the jump to the NCAA. It’s not like he’s some gem waiting, he’s a low ceiling guy who if you’re lucky play games and provides utility. He’s like finding a scratcher on the ground. Maybe you win a few bucks, maybe you don’t.
He joined late in the season as an NCAA UFA and looked good for 7 games.
This year he's been awful.
The problem for him is that he turns 25 in a month. He's done as a prospect.
RobertKron
Registered User
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Something I've often been a bit curious about is the number of NCAA signings who join an NHL or AHL squad at the tail end of the season, and that's basically the absolute best they ever look in their entire career. Maybe I'm imagining this, but I'm pretty sure it's a thing. My spitballing guess would be that they're coming in relatively fresh, while everyone else is at the tail end of the absolute grind of a pro season.
Blue and Green
Out to lunch
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His stint at the end of last season gave me the distinct impression that he was a typical NCAA UFA longshot.
Frankie Blueberries
Dream Team
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And often playing in garbage time when some teams have been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.
RobertKron
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For sure, although I feel like sometimes guys come in and even have a solid AHL playoff run and then three years later they've washed out of the AHL and are playing in the UK or whatever.
The Canucks really rolled the dice on Hirose. He was an older prospect (24 who turns 25 in April); but had three solid seasons at Minnesota State.
But size was always going to be an issue with him. Hockey DB lists him at 6', 170. You've got to be an exceptional talent to survive and thrive in the NHL at that size. And obviously at 25, he's not going to have a growth spurt.
Unfortunately in the AHL he was at times overwhelmed physically, and then sustained a serious lower body injury that kept him on the sidelines for more than half the season. So it was good that he experienced the NHL at the end of last season. As for the future, he has a contract for next season.
But he needs a dominant season at the AHL-level for the Canucks to even consider qualifying him beyond the 2024-35 season.
But size was always going to be an issue with him. Hockey DB lists him at 6', 170. You've got to be an exceptional talent to survive and thrive in the NHL at that size. And obviously at 25, he's not going to have a growth spurt.
Unfortunately in the AHL he was at times overwhelmed physically, and then sustained a serious lower body injury that kept him on the sidelines for more than half the season. So it was good that he experienced the NHL at the end of last season. As for the future, he has a contract for next season.
But he needs a dominant season at the AHL-level for the Canucks to even consider qualifying him beyond the 2024-35 season.
Good point - so often players can look good when other team is in meaningless game late in the season.
HIrose can use his stick well to break up plays and is not bad at seeing the ice and making passes. But once he got into the heavy going in the AHL he was overwhelmed. Just shoved out of the play.
sting101
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Didn't think he was going to translate very well from what i saw. Nice player for the European ice probably if he can get healthy.
HairyKneel
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They didn’t “really roll the dice on him”….. He got a decent deal and obviously didn’t do the work required in the off season to get up to 185 lbs. Its a free lottery ticket. They were devoid on prospects at every position. He either figures it out or he doesn’t. He needs to play heavier. It was worth a gamble. May still pay off if nothing else than a minor trading chip.
“they really rolled the dice on him”
Now I’ve heard it all. They gave him an opportunity.
Sorry, but when you offer up a two-year, guarantied contract, to a 24 year old d-man, who's 6' , 170, then you're 'rolling the dice' imo.
I'm sure his performance during garbage time of last year's schedule fooled a lot of people. But seeing him as an NHL player was always a huge stretch.
Tough start to his AHL career with the injuries. Hard to gain traction as an undersized player playing in half the games. I hope he doesn't give up on himself, I would really like to see him healthy over a complete season.
He's probably look really good in the SHL if he doesn't make it stateside
He's probably look really good in the SHL if he doesn't make it stateside
I think going to Europe will be his best bet now. He'll be 26 in a few months, and probably will need a standout season somewhere else to get some NHL consideration again.
Hansen
tyler motte simp
If he's smart with the 1.6M he earns over this one way contract he should be alright, but he isn't getting another NHL contract after this one
RobertKron
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TropicOfNoReturn
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Folks that follow Abbotsford and prospects more than I do - what is Hirose's current status, and what are the chances he (if healthy) gets a call-up this season? I suspect it's probably unlikely with the emergence of "D" Elias Pettersson (EP25) and the Marcus Pettersson acquisition.
Are guys like McWard, Wolanin, Woo, ahead of him on the depth chart? I figure Brisebois is. Perhaps even Kudryavtsev.
Are guys like McWard, Wolanin, Woo, ahead of him on the depth chart? I figure Brisebois is. Perhaps even Kudryavtsev.
Lemmiwinks
Registered User
I don’t watch many Abby games but I think every single player you mentioned is ahead of Hirose on the depth chart at this point.
Mr. Canucklehead
Kitimat Canuck
Is this @Mr. Canucklehead 's alternate account?
Why me?! I haven’t been any more critical of Hirose than anyone else!
