Prospect Info: CBJ Prospect Thread V

[spintheblackcircle]

In game one of the Lake Placid Tournament today, Milano had 2 goals, including a beauty of a short handed goal, and added an assist. He was the best forward, and Werenski was the best defenseman, according to most comments.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1933669&page=2

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Hopefully Milanos defensive game is improving

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

No no no no no. How does he score on a forehand?

 

[CBJx614]

No no no no no. How does he score on a forehand?

http://gfycat.com/SmartBrokenAmericanriverotter

What a beaut. Also apparently Werenski was the best Dman out there and he was playing the right side, which is promising.

 

[stevo61]

I heard he passed up the empty net hattrick goal and thats where the assist comes from

 

[ndd17]

Definitely happy for Milano and Werenski. A good game for both. I hope Collins also improve his game compared to the first game against Sweden.

 

[Brock]

Columbus' OHL Prospect Review

Each summer I review the progress (and provide an updated outlook) of each NHL team's OHL prospects. Today is Columbus.

I definitely like the way that Columbus has drafted out of the league. In particular, Nick Moutrey had a terrific season.

http://ohlprospects.blogspot.ca/2015/08/30-teams-in-30-days-columbus-blue.html

 

[ndd17]

Good job, Brock! Thanks.

 

[stevo61]

well in a game where the USA goalies cant stop a beach ball Bittner is a bright spot with 2 goals

 

[ndd17]

Beer league play from Kris Oldham, Tampa prospect. 16 SOG and only 9 SV.
Bittner well done.

 

[CBJx614]

Wow, Oliver LeBlanc to Canada's WJC camp.

Asked why he thinks Hockey Canada extended him an invitation to camp, he said it was those leadership qualities that stood out to the association, which has built the No. 1-ranked national junior hockey team in the world.

“It was my hard work that I put in on and off the ice and my leadership,†LeBlanc replied. “I went from Saint John to Cape Breton and helped turn things around for both teams. I think that’s what they are looking for, a good hard-working guy that plays a solid defensive game. I’m not the biggest guy out there, but I work hard to compensate for it.â€

Dave Lowry, head coach of Canada's 2016 World Junior team, concurred.

“He’s come in and has fit in well,†Lowry said of LeBlanc. “He comes as a highly regarded player. He’s got some finesse and that’s exactly why he’s here.â€

Through the first few days of camp, LeBlanc has been paired on the blueline with former Sea Dogs teammate Thomas Chabot.

LeBlanc said he is meshing well with Chabot (a first round pick of Ottawa in 2015) and if he continues to play his game, he sees himself representing Canada as the nation looks to defend its crown at the 2016 World Junior this winter.

“It’s the dream of every Canadian player,†he said. “Making it would be incredible and it would be an honor to put on that jersey. You get to play against the best junior players in the world, so it would be a great experience to compare myself to them and it would give me more luggage moving forward in my career.â€

http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=776130

 

[spintheblackcircle]

So the rules say no cross posting from one board to another, but this is a positive thing from the tournament games today:

"The announcers were gushing about Columbus prospects all day long."

 

[WannabeFinn]

Kole Sherwood officially signs with London Knights

http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=776371

 

[stevo61]

All 4 Blue Jackets prospects playing for the US against Finland

Goal each for Werenski and Milano. An assist for Bittner

 

[CBJx614]

^^^^ Milano with the GTG and Werenski with the GWG.

 

[Cowumbus]

Not many people like how Collins is playing right now

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Not many people like how Collins is playing right now

He's not very good. Could that change in the 3 years left in Minnesota? Sure, but he's not very good right now. I don't think he has a high ceiling either

 

[hardkorejackets]

Yea, Collins hasn't received much praise from the HFBoards or one of the hockey scouts I follow. For right now, he's sliding down the top prospects countdown for me personally. Like CBJWennberg41 mentioned- The positive is he still has 3 more years of development at Minnesota.

 

[ndd17]

Like CBJWennberg41 mentioned- The positive is he still has 3 more years of development at Minnesota.

Agree. I first thought about it when saw his play in the WJC quarterfinal against Russia.

 

[Tulipunaruusu*]

Hopefully that scout guy isn't doing it for the Bluejackets... who aren't scouting for the best youth hockey player in the world.

The other guys there most likely have their coordination already on the most comfortable level, Collins is still yet to reach that. Guess who's projection, potential and ceiling shoots through the roof when he gets there. Too early to tell yet but take a look at Eero Markkanen's (Real Madrid Castilla) career progression from someone who at Collins's age had basically quit playing with no youth international team invites either and guess how many where at that time saying he would in couple years earn a two million euros move to the biggest team in the world after reaching his comfort zone.

So it's just against another case of mindless bashing.

 

[Eikka]

Rob Mixer ‏@RobMixer 8 minutes ago

#CBJ prospect Zach Werenski tells @mikemorrealeNHL that he will return to Michigan for his sophomore season.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Hopefully that scout guy isn't doing it for the Bluejackets... who aren't scouting for the best youth hockey player in the world.

The other guys there most likely have their coordination already on the most comfortable level, Collins is still yet to reach that. Guess who's projection, potential and ceiling shoots through the roof when he gets there. Too early to tell yet but take a look at Eero Markkanen's (Real Madrid Castilla) career progression from someone who at Collins's age had basically quit playing with no youth international team invites either and guess how many where at that time saying he would in couple years earn a two million euros move to the biggest team in the world after reaching his comfort zone.

So it's just against another case of mindless bashing.

No, it's not "mindless bashing". It's pure opinion. Collins wasn't good last year at Minnesota nor was he good at the world juniors. Nobody is saying the kid won't improve and nobody is saying he has no hope. We're just saying he's been bad. However, I wasn't a fan of the pick when it happened and even less so now.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

I saw Collins 4 times last year at UMinn and he was good in every game.

 

[CBJx614]

LeBlanc scores with a clapper from the point. Hard to believe he was a 7th round pick. I think he might actually sneak on the team. I've scoured those team Canada pages on the international tourny boards and he's barely ever mentioned but when he is mentioned it's nothing but good things about him. Not a single bad thing about the kid. Definitely promising. Might not be enough to get on the team though. No all star Dmen out there but they are all really sound defenseman.

 

[hardkorejackets]

Tulipunaruusu-

I didn't intend to "mindlessly bash" Collins. Just commenting back to the previous couple comments that mentioned seeing posts of him "struggling" at the World Juniors Camp. I get that the Blue Jackets didn't draft him solely on junior production. I'm not saying he's never going to make the NHL or AHL or that he was a waste of a pick, or that I am "giving up" on him as a prospect. In fact, I really like that he seen plenty of games last season at Minnesota as a freshman. He's still a very young D-man that has and needs time to develop, which is no big deal. I like the fact that he is at Minnesota for 3 more years before we have to make a decision.

A little off topic, but I do think there are "make or break" years in determining where prospects stand in the organization, NHL potential, and in our subjective "fan minds". I personally think Michael Chaput had his last year, some may say Oscar Dansk.
So, are there any prospects this year that are facing a "make or break" year or heck even a season where it interests you in their development?

For me- I don't know if Daniel Zaar is at his, but I am curious in his development this season and how he does. From, what I understand he should be over at Lake Erie this season.. He had quite a quite a bit of hype surrounding him last season in regards to his signing and flaming hot start to his season.