Prospect Info: CBJ Prospect Thread XI

[Cowumbus]

We've been told you need some advanced qualification to accurately evaluate Jiricek in this situation.

That clip literally shows the two biggest issues with him as a player (that many of us have been saying since he was drafted), his backwards skating and pivoting need a lot of work.

Worst PivotSucces %/60 on the team according to Moneypuck.

The skating/pivoting might be a result of his aggressive play style. If he has been jumping up in the neutral zone to end a play early, he’s not going to have a lot of reps developing those skills.

 

[majormajor]

The skating/pivoting might be a result of his aggressive play style. If he has been jumping up in the neutral zone to end a play early, he’s not going to have a lot of reps developing those skills.

Kind of the other way around too, if you don't trust your heels you better play on your toes.

He was injured in his draft year and If I remember correctly had another minor injury last summer, so he hasn't had as much opportunity to train his strength and skating. I'm hoping this summer will be a big step for Jiricek.

 

[tunnelvision]

That clip literally shows the two biggest issues with him as a player (that many of us have been saying since he was drafted), his backwards skating and pivoting need a lot of work.

A year ago I would have added the tendency to be overly confident as a puck carrier with risk of getting badly injured but I think he's gotten more cautious in that regard.

Non-ideal backwards skating isn't only showing in rush defense situations. He's had a bit of trouble in some offensive plays, for example when he's received puck on the point and tried to change shooting angle by taking quick backwards steps to the left. I remember seeing him wristing pucks to the feet of first player on the way because he had no momentum and couldn't move backwards quickly enough to open up a lane.

 

[thebus88]

Wood committed child abuse against him

We've been told you need some advanced qualification to accurately evaluate Jiricek in this situation.

He’s just learned from other players to conserve his energy for when it’s really important.

 

[stevo61]

I know the Wood play is a good visual tool to show but Wood is a burner, he can outskate tons of players. Jiricek can improve obviously he has to but at the same time the way Jiricek will defend that in the future is putting Wood on his ass and not worrying about the puck

 

[Cowumbus]

I know the Wood play is a good visual tool to show but Wood is a burner, he can outskate tons of players. Jiricek can improve obviously he has to but at the same time the way Jiricek will defend that in the future is putting Wood on his ass and not worrying about the puck

Yeah, when he gains 15-20 pounds. He had no business being in the NHL last year - reminded me of a baby deer

 

[stevo61]

Yeah, when he gains 15-20 pounds. He had no business being in the NHL last year - reminded me of a baby deer

Yeah makes me wonder where he'd be physically right now if the knee injury never happened. But without that injury hes probably not a Blue Jacket so win for us in the end

 

[CoachWithNoTeam]

Yeah, when he gains 15-20 pounds. He had no business being in the NHL last year - reminded me of a baby deer

It would not surprise me if shows up 10-15 pounds heavier when he gets to training camp. 10 pounds for his age and frame should be a relatively easy goal.

 

[Monk]

It would not surprise me if shows up 10-15 pounds heavier when he gets to training camp. 10 pounds for his age and frame should be a relatively easy goal.

Meanwhile I'll probably gain 10 lbs this weekend

 

[Cowumbus]

 

[stevo61]

Looks good from a Columbus stand point but some weird picks and omissions. Simashev was the 1st thing I noticed. Othmann over Wood is a head scratcher for me also

 

[tunnelvision]

It's not as bad as I expected. Some rankings I don't agree with:

Eklund, Savoie, Kasper > Kulich
Korchinski > Willander, Simashev, Luneau
Moore, Perreault > Ostlund, But, Honzek

 

[Kaners PPGs]

How do you guys feel about Svozil being 47? Too high? Just right? As a fantasy owner, I kept him over Ceulemans this past offseason so I've been following those guys for a little while. TIA

 

[majormajor]

How do you guys feel about Svozil being 47? Too high? Just right? As a fantasy owner, I kept him over Ceulemans this past offseason so I've been following those guys for a little while. TIA

Seems good.

I think he's a top 30-60 prospect and Ceulemans isn't.

 

[GoJackets1]

Man, the Matthew Knies hype is out of damn control.

 

[DarkandStormy]

Not sure if this has been posted, but Stucker signed an ECHL contract last month. Looks like he won't be signing with the CBJ, who will lose his rights after today.

 

[Xoggz22]

How do you guys feel about Svozil being 47? Too high? Just right? As a fantasy owner, I kept him over Ceulemans this past offseason so I've been following those guys for a little while. TIA

Not unreasonable. I think he's shown a little more than Ceulemans and his upside appears to be very high with a slighly lower risk that Ceulemans. I'm a big fan of both and excited to see them play in the AHL to get a realy feel for their trajectory this year. I think Ceulemans at Wisconsin didn't do him many favors so with structure in the AHL it might be a different song at the end of the year. He's also a RHD with some size and skating ability, just unsure about the IQ. Svozil was said to be one of the few that kept up with Bedard... So that's pretty significant in my book.

 

[Da Cool Rula]

Thoughts on Marchenko? What do you see this year? Linemates? PP time?

 

[majormajor]

Thoughts on Marchenko? What do you see this year? Linemates? PP time?

I think he'll establish a new career high in assists.

At least 5.

 

[Jovavic]

Thoughts on Marchenko? What do you see this year? Linemates? PP time?

I see the fantasy questions are starting lol

Optimistic is 30 goals playing with Gaudreau, PP time is TBD but he should be out there

 

[Doggy]

Thoughts on Marchenko? What do you see this year? Linemates? PP time?

I like him but don't expect him to duplicate last year's Goal/Game production. His shooting percentage was 16% which is likely unsustainable. That said, I expect his Assists/Game to go up. I could see him as a 20-25 Goal and 40-45 Point guy this year.

 

[stevo61]

With things being slow heres a snippet from a january article about Mateychuk. Hes a guy I think is going to get along well with Babcock. A small part of me even wonders if he sticks around camp longer just for more time to learn

 

[squashmaple]

With things being slow heres a snippet from a january article about Mateychuk. Hes a guy I think is going to get along well with Babcock. A small part of me even wonders if he sticks around camp longer just for more time to learn

View attachment 737767

I don't see him getting the whole season, but I could definitely see them giving him some of his nine games, especially if none of the other LD options really sparkle in camp.

 

[majormajor]

I don't see him getting the whole season, but I could definitely see them giving him some of his nine games, especially if none of the other LD options really sparkle in camp.

I don't think he's close enough to get 9 games this year. That's my subjective opinion based on watching him but also Denton just turned 19 and he should be pretty busy just working on his basic mechanics.

 

[tunnelvision]

Denton just turned 19 and he should be pretty busy just working on his basic mechanics.

Speaking of which here's a little update on what he's done this offseason:

Mateychuk ready to lead Warriors once again

Mateychuk has had a busy offseason once again. The Columbus Blue Jackets’ first round pick has put in a lot of work on and off ice to improve his game.

“Off the ice, just being faster, my agility and my upper body strength, those are things that could really improve my game this year,” he said.

“Then on the ice, my shot, that was a big thing for me, and then just keeping up with my skating, all the tendencies you have on the ice, just making sure they’re all dialled in for the season.”