Prospect Info: CBJ Prospect Thread XI

[barriers]

 

[stevo61]

I see that part, I was just wondering why.

He has no international experience and its hard to get noticed by them if you havent been on their radar for awhile. Hockey Canada consistantly makes strange roster choices but I dont really think this is a weird one. Maybe he can play his way to some attention in the winter but for this WJC it makes sense hes not an option

 

[ClevelandJacketFan]

It sucks that there is no Russian team. Chinakhov, Marchenko and Ivanov would have made the team, I'm guessing.

 

[stevo61]

It sucks that there is no Russian team. Chinakhov, Marchenko and Ivanov would have made the team, I'm guessing.

Marchenko is too old. Im not sure on Chinakhov, I think he'd be good for this summer tournament because he was 20 when the last WJC was cancelled

 

[tunnelvision]

He has no international experience and its hard to get noticed by them if you havent been on their radar for awhile. Hockey Canada consistantly makes strange roster choices but I dont really think this is a weird one. Maybe he can play his way to some attention in the winter but for this WJC it makes sense hes not an option

He played at the U18s last year and was at the World U17 Hockey Challenge in his D-1 year.

 

[stevo61]

He played at the U18s last year and was at the World U17 Hockey Challenge in his D-1 year.

Ah good catch. Must have just looked at his hockeydb where it doesnt show that instead of eliteprospects

 

[majormajor]

He has no international experience and its hard to get noticed by them if you havent been on their radar for awhile. Hockey Canada consistantly makes strange roster choices but I dont really think this is a weird one. Maybe he can play his way to some attention in the winter but for this WJC it makes sense hes not an option

He has experience, he was on the U18 team with a lot of these guys and the only thing Richard has done since then is be one of the best D in the ECAC. I'd expect that Richard is more polished at this point than 13 or 14 of the 15 D on the camp roster. I'm guessing he turned them down.

Marchenko is too old. Im not sure on Chinakhov, I think he'd be good for this summer tournament because he was 20 when the last WJC was cancelled

Isn't the WJC literally U20 (no 20 year olds)?

 

[stevo61]

He has experience, he was on the U18 team with a lot of these guys and the only thing Richard has done since then is be one of the best D in the ECAC. I'd expect that Richard is more polished at this point than 13 or 14 of the 15 D on the camp roster. I'm guessing he turned them down.



Isn't the WJC literally U20 (no 20 year olds)?

Something weird to do with their birthdays. Maybe if it happens during the WJC. Scott Harrington did it.
But as for this summer tournament anyone who was eligible for the cancelled tournament is good for this one so there could be some 20 year olds

 

[majormajor]

Something weird to do with their birthdays. Maybe if it happens during the WJC. Scott Harrington did it.
But as for this summer tournament anyone who was eligible for the cancelled tournament is good for this one so there could be some 20 year olds

Yeah but Chinakhov is 21, so it's not even close. He barely made the cutoff to play in the WJC the year prior.

 

[stevo61]

Yeah but Chinakhov is 21, so it's not even close. He barely made the cutoff to play in the WJC the year prior.

oh, for some reason I thought I looked and saw he was 20

 

[ViD]

It sucks that there is no Russian team. Chinakhov, Marchenko and Ivanov would have made the team, I'm guessing.

Dolzhenkov with his size might have made it too

 

[tunnelvision]

I noticed during the course of season that I don't agree on everything about every player with some EP scouts, but regarding our top picks I'm totally on the same page with Cam here. Each morning since Thursday I've woken up with a big smile on my face remembering we actually got these two with 6&12... easily one of my favorite drafts as a CBJ fan.

 

[LJ7]

^Kindof expanding on that: I've changed a lot of my preferences/approach to ranking prospects from last season to this one. Last time around I preferred guys who wouldn't need to change their game much to translate to the NHL, and ones that had a good understanding of when to pick their spots and didn't do anything too "crazy" or have too mercurial of an approach.

I've completely flipped on that and now greatly prefer guys you'll need to slow down as opposed to rev up. Guys that have a busy mind and aggressive approach on ice and want to cram as many advantage-creating actions as they can in to their shifts are the types you need in order to become a contender. I especially look for this from guys that play in junior or college leagues - for example Kent Johnson and Denton Mateychuk fit this bill perfectly. I like guys that play arrogantly and feel above their competition and just crush them. Many of the draft picks we've made lately are of that ilk thankfully and that's the type of drafting approach that can build a contender.

As the league gets faster and forechecks get better you need guys that can break through them. I'm insanely high on our current D core and I think if we get good development out of our high level guys we could be looking at a heck of a team. I've made the Colorado comparison and while that's a very optimistic view I think stylistically it tracks. Having game breakers on the back end can help as much or more than having them up front. If they pan out a top 4 of:

Werenski-Cuelemans
Mateychuk-Jiricek

could be among the best in the NHL. This last draft made me about as optimistic as I can be at this time on our future D core.

The biggest need for us now is upper-level top 6 level forwards. I'm never concerned about our bottom 6 since we're never short on those types.

 

[tunnelvision]

I'm insanely high on our current D core

Likewise. In 2024-25 the D pairs could very well resemble something of this sort:

Werenski-Jiricek
Gavrikov-Ceulemans
Svozil-Blankenburg
Mateychuk-Boqvist

Looks like a great mixture of offensive skill, size, grit, high hockey IQ and - most importantly - depth.

 

[Viqsi]

I'm just happy that we have room for one or two of the top blueline prospects to not work out. Mostly 'cause I'm remembering the days of when our blueline future was probably strong and secure because we had all of Kris Russell, John Moore, Tim Erixon, and David Savard, so we could afford for one or two to go bad.

(Incidentally, I also remember the early days when folks were convinced Savard was the odd-man-out and absolutely had to go. See, therefore, my reactions to folks dogmatically insisting on trading guys like Bemstrom.)

 

[barriers]

 

[5th Line Fanatic]

This makes me happy. No need to risk going back right now.

 

[tunnelvision]

That's a tweet to a Svozil interview on a Czech sports site. Published on July 12th.

Google translated version:

Best Bedard, joy from Jiříček. My brother woke me up because of him, recounts Svozil​

He managed the first year abroad. In the Regina Pats team, 19-year-old Stanislav Svozil was the second most productive guard and watched from behind the miracles on the ice performed by 16-year-old Canadian Connor Bedard. Even though he has two seasons behind him in the Comets' A team alongside extra-league aces, he blurts out: "I've never seen a better player live."

Columbus Blue Jackets. After the weekend, not only Stanislav Svozil but also David Jiříček, a second-generation talent among Czech defenders, belong to this organization. They are friends, teammates, and actually competitors in the tough fight for a spot in the NHL. "Before the draft, I told him: Most importantly, let Columbus choose you. And it worked," grins Svozil, who on Monday started preparing for the Under-20 World Cup in Canada.

Did you watch on TV how Columbus reaches from sixth place after compatriot David Jiříček?
"We are great friends. I wished him the best of luck in the draft. I only watched the second and third rounds. My brother also watched the first one at night, and when they chose Slafkovski as number one, he woke me up. And then, when Jiříček was a six. (smile) I don't see David as a competitor, even though everyone is a competitor. He is typologically a bit different from me. He plays more physical hockey."

Did you have any idea the Blue Jackets would reach out to him?
"I had a little idea. But I didn't discuss it with anyone from the club. I'm glad we'll be there together. I was rather surprised by the German's second place. He is an excellent defender, but I expected more Wright behind Slafkovský."

What was the premier season in the overseas juniors?
"The first week was harder, then everything was great. Like family, teammates, people around. It always gets better, but I think that from a personal point of view, the season went well. That year helped me a lot. I have improved many aspects of my game, especially defensively. I played with Connor Bedard, so it wasn't that difficult on the offensive end. (smile) However, we did not go very far as a team. I'm sorry."

Is Bedard really such an exceptional talent?
"I say it everywhere: I have never seen a better player live. Not even in Comet. We were on the power play together for half the season. Bedard can do everything. At the beginning of the season, he had a weakness in the defensive game, but over time he improved it and can play absolutely everything. But it's still junior hockey."

Only Ryker Evans was ahead of you in scoring for club defenders. Does he also have a big career ahead of him?
"He is two years older than me. Super boy and super hockey player. In important moments, we started together as a pair quite often."

Will you stay in Regina, home to Ryan Getzlaf, Mike Sillinger and Jordan Eberle, among others?
"I won't tell you that yet. I'll find out in September. Of course, everyone would like to play in the NHL, but right now I can't say where I see myself. He decides to go camping. You can feel a lot in Regina that a lot of famous hockey players were born there, but you wouldn't meet them somewhere when they have a break." (smile)

Did you enjoy the spontaneous junior hockey after two years in the extra league?
"To tell you the truth, I enjoyed it more. It is played on a small field, the game is faster, there are a lot of fights, more goals are scored. But then again, there isn't the same mindset as men."

Soon you will have the postponed world championship "twenties" in Canada. Can a player be in top form so soon?
"I don't feel like working hard right now, but there's nothing I can do. I certainly didn't want to apologize. If we prepare well, it is possible to get in shape. I am very much looking forward to the World Cup. A lot of guys are in development camps now, they will fly back in the next few days. By the names, we might have high ambitions, but I'd keep my feet on the ground. I was on the ice only once until Monday, but I trained de facto every day in Olomouc and Přerov. I ran, I worked out. It was the most challenging summer of my career so far."

"German's second place" - I'd guess he's talking about Nemec there.
"I don't feel like working hard right now, but there's nothing I can do." - Is he recovering from an injury?

@VT, we might need your help with the translation!

 

[tunnelvision]

Another Svozil story from today. Haven't read it since I'm not a subscriber but there's a quote from Svozil right below the paywall icon (google translated):

"Columbus likes how I've improved. He (Columbus?) thinks I could take a step up from the junior men's to the AHL, but we'll see after the September camp."

I know I'm repeating myself here but if their plan is to send any of our top D prospects to Cleveland in the upcoming season they better be searching for that experienced D coach to add to their staff.

 

[CBJ goalie]

One day I hope to hear Rimer call a Jackets breakaway against Detroit where Ole Julian Bjørgvik-Holm passes to Luca Del Bel Belluz who dekes Shai Buium and passes to Yegor Chinakhov who buries it in the corner to beat Alexander Nedeljkovic.

​

​

You forgot about the part where Rimer calla Kuraly corralling the puck out of the zone.

 

[LJ7]

Another Svozil story from today. Haven't read it since I'm not a subscriber but there's a quote from Svozil right below the paywall icon (google translated):



I know I'm repeating myself here but if their plan is to send any of our top D prospects to Cleveland in the upcoming season they better be searching for that experienced D coach to add to their staff.

I would love a Svozil-Jiricek pair in Cleveland

 

[majormajor]

That's a tweet to a Svozil interview on a Czech sports site. Published on July 12th.

Google translated version:


"German's second place" - I'd guess he's talking about Nemec there.
"I don't feel like working hard right now, but there's nothing I can do." - Is he recovering from an injury?

@VT, we might need your help with the translation!

Nemec literally means German. It's an old surname and doesn't imply a lot of German ancestry, there are several names kind of like Nemec, Niemiec, etc.. in Slavic countries.

Another Svozil story from today. Haven't read it since I'm not a subscriber but there's a quote from Svozil right below the paywall icon (google translated):



I know I'm repeating myself here but if their plan is to send any of our top D prospects to Cleveland in the upcoming season they better be searching for that experienced D coach to add to their staff.

I would love a Svozil-Jiricek pair in Cleveland

I'd like to see it maybe in 2023. Right now they seem to be progressing well in their respective leagues and have room to improve where they are. I prefer my prospects to dominate before moving up in difficulty.

 

[tunnelvision]

I'd like to see it maybe in 2023. Right now they seem to be progressing well in their respective leagues and have room to improve where they are. I prefer my prospects to dominate before moving up in difficulty.

IMO the key factors in deciding where Svozil should go for next year should be 1) his performance at WJC+Traverse City+main camp and 2) the quality of coaching in Regina vs in Cleveland.

Jiricek will most likely spend another year in Europe. He needs to grow physically and learn to play a more mature game. I'm afraid that in the AHL there would a greater risk of getting another injury.

But that's not the only reason for sending him somewhere else than NHL/AHL. We already have enough defensemen under contract to fill up all D spots:

Werenski - Blankenburg
Gavrikov - Peeke
Bean - Gudbranson
Boqvist

Christiansen - Bayreuther
Berni/Knazko/OJBH/Svozil - Bjork
Berni/Knazko/OJBH/Svozil - Sweezey
Knazko/OJBH/Svozil/
+some AHL-contract guys I'm forgetting

So yeah, 2023 as earliest for Svozil-Jiricek it seems.

 

[majormajor]

IMO the key factors in deciding where Svozil should go for next year should be 1) his performance at WJC+Traverse City+main camp and 2) the quality of coaching in Regina vs in Cleveland.

Jiricek will most likely spend another year in Europe. He needs to grow physically and learn to play a more mature game. I'm afraid that in the AHL there would a greater risk of getting another injury.

But that's not the only reason for sending him somewhere else than NHL/AHL. We already have enough defensemen under contract to fill up all D spots:

Werenski - Blankenburg
Gavrikov - Peeke
Bean - Gudbranson
Boqvist

Christiansen - Bayreuther
Berni/Knazko/OJBH/Svozil - Bjork
Berni/Knazko/OJBH/Svozil - Sweezey
Knazko/OJBH/Svozil/
+some AHL-contract guys I'm forgetting

So yeah, 2023 as earliest for Svozil-Jiricek it seems.

And I wouldn't put Svozil in that logjam either. He finally gets to be a top pair guy in the WHL and that seems perfect.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Blue Jackets prospect defenseman Corson Ceulemans told The Athletic that he’d consider turning pro after one more season at the University of Wisconsin. Ceulamans had a strong finish to this freshman season with the Badgers, and he’ll return to campus next month to begin his sophomore season. After that, he’ll gather with his parents, coaches and advisers and make the call. Ceulamans was a first-round pick (No. 25 overall) in the 2021 draft. He looked pretty good at development camp.