It’s fun, the turnover is junior hockey is crazy from year to year. A team like London either goes for a Mem Cup run or sells off all their pieces. Sure teams give up a ton of picks but it’s also easy enough to recoup them, and a bad trade doesn’t haunt for for a decade plus like it does in the NHL.
Prospect Info: Cliff Pu (2016, 69th) – '18-19: Traded to Carolina
- Thread starter Woodhouse
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It’s fun, the turnover is junior hockey is crazy from year to year. A team like London either goes for a Mem Cup run or sells off all their pieces. Sure teams give up a ton of picks but it’s also easy enough to recoup them, and a bad trade doesn’t haunt for for a decade plus like it does in the NHL.
A guy like Pu is a bit of an enigma.
He's already won an OHL and a Memorial Cup championship. He knows that this will likely be his final year of junior hockey. He just got traded from a team that sells out every game to a team that struggles to fill even 3500 seats on a nightly basis.
I'm not as sold on Cliff Pu as some others are, however I've seen the motivation factor really come into play with a lot of older, more experienced, OHL players in the past. This might just be another example of that.
He's already won an OHL and a Memorial Cup championship. He knows that this will likely be his final year of junior hockey. He just got traded from a team that sells out every game to a team that struggles to fill even 3500 seats on a nightly basis.
I'm not as sold on Cliff Pu as some others are, however I've seen the motivation factor really come into play with a lot of older, more experienced, OHL players in the past. This might just be another example of that.
Ethan Edwards
Registered User
I guess my high school yearbook's prediction finally came true. I'm a believer in Pu!
That said, I did catch several of the games right after the trade. Similar to my comments the last couple years when he wasn't scoring, Pu looked good in his all-ice game (and draws!), but the points weren't necessarily there. Another thing I saw is that the Vilardi line, while talented, had unbelievable chemistry. It was clear and obvious to me right away, and it was translating to points. Gabe V. was definitely "the man" when I watched, with that line clicking like that, but Pu was still playing the solid all-around game.
Good to see that Pu has picked it back up again in terms of points, but I'm betting his total game never left. With the big body, swift skating, 2-way play, and face-off prowess, the points are gravy to me. I will try to catch a few more games in the coming weeks if I can, but I feel even better about this pick than on draft day, where I almost jumped for joy at this 3rd round steal. For those clamoring for an upgrade to the bottom 6 (ie, all of us Sabres fans), this is a potential 3rd line gem with all the good things he can do, and do well. As he showed in London, this is the guy you put out there in all situations--important face-off in any zone, single forward killing a 5-on-3, empty net situation, last minute down by one, last minute up by one... What's not to like about that? Let's hope he pans out, but there's plenty of reason for optimism here.
One selfishly negative side-effect of the trade is that I'm able to see more London games than Fronts games. So I enjoy all of these updates.
That said, I did catch several of the games right after the trade. Similar to my comments the last couple years when he wasn't scoring, Pu looked good in his all-ice game (and draws!), but the points weren't necessarily there. Another thing I saw is that the Vilardi line, while talented, had unbelievable chemistry. It was clear and obvious to me right away, and it was translating to points. Gabe V. was definitely "the man" when I watched, with that line clicking like that, but Pu was still playing the solid all-around game.
Good to see that Pu has picked it back up again in terms of points, but I'm betting his total game never left. With the big body, swift skating, 2-way play, and face-off prowess, the points are gravy to me. I will try to catch a few more games in the coming weeks if I can, but I feel even better about this pick than on draft day, where I almost jumped for joy at this 3rd round steal. For those clamoring for an upgrade to the bottom 6 (ie, all of us Sabres fans), this is a potential 3rd line gem with all the good things he can do, and do well. As he showed in London, this is the guy you put out there in all situations--important face-off in any zone, single forward killing a 5-on-3, empty net situation, last minute down by one, last minute up by one... What's not to like about that? Let's hope he pans out, but there's plenty of reason for optimism here.
Yatzhee
Registered User
- Aug 5, 2010
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I like Pu's toolset in the same way I liked Baptiste's coming out of his draft year. He's bigger than Nick, but the pace is top notch. He's got intriguing skills but I wonder where the current front office projects him as a pro.
And he, like any draftee, needs to be given the opportunity to evolve and develop his game. Hopefully he gets that chance under the new regime.
And he, like any draftee, needs to be given the opportunity to evolve and develop his game. Hopefully he gets that chance under the new regime.
Ethan Edwards
Registered User
Not saying anything too deep here, but his best asset will be his versatility, that toolset you mentioned. It's similar to why I liked Compher so much. Some have stated his scoring touch/numbers won't translate to the NHL, but after some some adjustment periods in the OHL he's shown consistency and improvement in that area. So add that to all of the other things he does well, and I can see him being a solid, if not spectacular, 3C or a winger up and down the line-up. I wish I got to see more of Asplund to maybe project how (or if) they'd mesh together, because the thought is tantalizing based on what I know. Not that there aren't many other options.
Can he drive play at the NHL level? Let him develop and see, but if he can, what a potential gem. Because all the other skills either should or will carry over. I agree--"intriguing skills." Very curious to see how he progresses toward the pro level. Even if he fails miserably, this is what all 3rd round picks should look like.
Yeah, Compher had the speed and utility too. Still love his competitiveness. Pu's skating is so dynamic they should be able to mold him into something useful given time.
Sansbacon
Registered User
Is ROR a fair comparison? Because that’s who I immediately thought of after reading this.
Sort of. ROR's hockey sense is elite while his skating is average. Pu is sort of the opposite in those regards. Pu isn't as deadly as the dot either but really no one is. He can play in all situations and will be a very good 3C at the NHL level if he develops.
Ethan Edwards
Registered User
Is this a set-up? Are you trying to set me up? You are, aren't you?
Just kidding. That is a really loaded question, but a fair one. I wasn't even thinking of O'Reilly, or anyone else really, when I typed that, but it does sound like it. I'd hesitate to go that far because of what ROR has done since entering the league. I really liked ROR at Erie, but his immediate NHL production and play caught me by surprise. If Pu could come close to matching that, I'd be understandably thrilled (as would we all). But I have my doubts that Pu will be able to drive offense like ROR has done in his career. On the other hand, Pu has another gear that ROR doesn't, and his numbers (yes, it's the OHL) have been consistently, and at times surprisingly, solid. I would probably give the on-ice awareness crown to ROR, and he's proven that he's a top-flight, borderline Selke candidate...but then again, Pu is very solid in all three zones and he is borderline elite in the face-off circle. I'll add here that much like some of the ROR slumps in Colorado early on, I'm equally unfazed by the Pu scoring dips. As you can probably tell, your question has me thinking out loud here.
In the end, I think the better way to describe him is a "poor man's ROR." Maybe that's an optimistic floor for Pu. I want to get excited for the guy, and I'm definitely intrigued by all the things he does well on the ice, including scoring once he's found his groove (at London and Kingston), but I have serious doubts that he'll be able to maintain that level or even elevate his level the way ROR did when he entered training camp and basically forced the Avalanche to start him with the big club. Also, while I have my opinions, I'm not an everyday watcher of London or the Fronts, so there are better experts out there than me. I may have been lucky and caught him at his best (though I've seen him dozens of times, so that's unlikely), but what I've seen is a lot of all-around skills that, were they to translate to the NHL, would be very tantalizing. I don't project he'll be able to reach that ROR level, which is why I see him as a very solid 3C moving forward (unless you also see ROR as a very solid 3C, in which case...touche!).
Yet another long-winded reply to a 2-sentence post. Sorry!
TLDR: Pu good! Me wordy!
Edit: I mostly agree with flashsabre, who posted as I was typing (he cheated by only typing a few sentences, an ability I lack). That said, I think Pu is pretty close to deadly at the dot.
Thanks for your analysis of Cliff. A lot of Sabre fans are really high on him, but I haven't really been one of them. All I can do is stat watch, and his stats aren't very overwhelming honestly. However, your insight (and everyone else who gets to watch him live) is helping me hop on the Pu train.
Sansbacon
Registered User
I was in no way, shape, or form, trying to trap you into a Pu=ROR gotcha, bitch! kinda statement. It’s just that your analysis of his game screams Ryan O’Rielly to me. But even if he is a ROR “superlight”, I’d be happy, because that’s still a valuable player on a contending team. Thank you for you Pu breakdowns though; I never get to watch the games, so guys like you who provide lengthy write ups are valuable to this site
Kris Baker @SabresProspects -
Pu on the PP. Fronts up 1-0 on Ottawa. Pu's 24th.
Kris Baker @SabresProspects -
Pu on the PP x 2. Fronts go ahead 2-0 on Ottawa. Pu's 25th.
Pu on the PP. Fronts up 1-0 on Ottawa. Pu's 24th.
Kris Baker @SabresProspects -
Pu on the PP x 2. Fronts go ahead 2-0 on Ottawa. Pu's 25th.
Revelate
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- Apr 10, 2011
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