Rob Sense
Registered User
- Apr 26, 2015
- 2,550
- 3,189
Prospect Info: Filip Mesar
- Thread starter Adam Michaels
- Start date
-
Work is still on-going to rebuild the site styling and features. Please report any issues you may experience so we can look into it. Click Here for Updates
If you look up the interview with Richard after he was sent back down to the AHL, he explains the difference in level of play between the NHL and AHL. Clearly, the AHL is a bit of a head-hunting league, although he didn't say it like that.
He said that the NHL is tighter defensively than the AHL meaning that you have less time to execute plays.
For the AHL, he said you have more time, but that all the players are eager to make it to the NHL, so the energy level is higher.
'Energy' players is code for bang 'em up hockey and Richard means that AHL players are looking to get noticed. Unfortunately, if you lack a little skill, getting noticed sometimes takes a different form.
Still, that being said, it's not hockey like in 'Slapshot', the Movie, and we shouldn't depict it as such.
If nothing else, there is a lot of forechecking in the AHL.
Tetragrammaton
Registered User
- Mar 17, 2022
- 2,305
- 2,923
There's energy players in the NHL looking to make an impact too. My point is that the idea is false and repeating it is the reason that some people believe it. It's nonsense. A fabrication.
- Jan 18, 2022
- 8,947
- 13,444
It’s borderline unethical to think little Joshua Roy and Filip Mesar would survive in the high-energy AHL if we’re also meant to think giant Slafkovsky is under threat if he plays there.
I'm seeing trends in Mesar's game that I didn't see during rookie camp and Habs camp. Lots of passivity and waiting around for others to do the work... One fear I had with a hyper-adaptive guy like him is that he would adapt "down" to the pace of the OHL instead of having to do the opposite on the AHL. I hope it might have been just that game, and I'd be happy to be wrong as well.
1909
Registered User
- Jul 6, 2016
- 21,526
- 12,047
montreal
Go Habs Go
- Mar 21, 2002
- 59,443
- 46,154
i brought this up in the stickied prospect thread when posting my last vid on Mesar, he was way too passive defensively. I'm not worried too much about him yet but that is concerning.
WeThreeKings
Demidov is a HAB
Been asleep since returning from the WJCs
Schooner Guy
Registered User
- Jun 23, 2006
- 14,260
- 14,664
Interesting. I thought he was the exact opposite of passive at the WJC. He was engaged physically and winning puck battles against much bigger players.
Probably happens quite a bit, like junior players returning to junior after an NHL camp…unless your name is Bedard of course lol
I haven't seen any significant progress in his game since he's been in the OHL. He's putting up points because it's junior hockey, but he hasn't improved much as a player even against players his age and offensive opportunity, which was the whole point of sending him to the OHL.
I was leaning more to have him develop in the AHL, as I thought that a guy like him would benefit more from playing at a higher pace against bigger opponents, given his skillset... but then you have JF Houle in Laval... so yeah, it might be just a no-win situation. Oh well, hoping he'll progress and stop acquiring bad habits in juniors.
I was leaning more to have him develop in the AHL, as I thought that a guy like him would benefit more from playing at a higher pace against bigger opponents, given his skillset... but then you have JF Houle in Laval... so yeah, it might be just a no-win situation. Oh well, hoping he'll progress and stop acquiring bad habits in juniors.
Tim Wallach
Registered User
Because of how sound they are on paper, I have defended Kitchener, but I'm done with that. They have the most inept coaching staff I have seen in a long time. Just absolutely clueless. Zero structure, zero pace, zero organization. I hold Mesar accountable for some of the struggles in his game, but when it's the whole team looking lost, it goes beyond him.
For a former NHL video coach, their coach seems to have no clue how to use video as an instructional tool. Players make the same simple mistakes over and over and over. Like forcing plays on the strong side, not playing with any pace, throwing pucks blindly to unsafe areas and not picking up their checks. It's painful to watch because, like it or not, there is some high end ability on that team, but they look so confused all the time and just descend into ill advised and unsupported solo dashes. As long as this coaching staff is in place, our boy Filip is unlikely to make any strides.
For a former NHL video coach, their coach seems to have no clue how to use video as an instructional tool. Players make the same simple mistakes over and over and over. Like forcing plays on the strong side, not playing with any pace, throwing pucks blindly to unsafe areas and not picking up their checks. It's painful to watch because, like it or not, there is some high end ability on that team, but they look so confused all the time and just descend into ill advised and unsupported solo dashes. As long as this coaching staff is in place, our boy Filip is unlikely to make any strides.
montreal
Go Habs Go
- Mar 21, 2002
- 59,443
- 46,154
Agreed. It is time for MM to step up and fire CD in Kitchener and take over behind the bench again.
I don’t think that it has ever happened where a team has gone all in for a playoff run and possibly not even make the playoffs in the OHL. Keep in mind that 16 of the 20 teams in the league make the playoffs.
Estimated_Prophet
Registered User
- Mar 28, 2003
- 11,315
- 12,827
IMO he was quite competent defensively in this game other than on the second Flint goal. I didn't find him to be too passive as most of his dzone time in this game was shorthanded where he is not supposed to play aggressive and he was easily the best Ranger forward on the pk singlehandedly breaking up and ending multiple PP possessions.
I am not sure why he was late to enter the dzone on the goal in question as he may have been down but off camera. Other than that he was typically the first forward back and let the RD handle the opposing LW while cutting off trailer options. It is always difficult to tell whether the coaching staff want their players to prioritize covering trailers over back pressure without being a part of the team but overall I would grade his defensive game as no worse than average and probably better than average in this particular contest.
Last edited:
WeThreeKings
Demidov is a HAB
They all have experience in the league.. Mesar is adjusting to a new culture, a new league and a new ice surface. He also played in a structured pro environment last year vs. what junior can be.
Adam Michaels
Registered User
I can't really tell you why, but if I'm to guess, Guindon, Beck & Rohrer already have CHL experience.
Whereas Mesar coming over from Europe, even if he played pro, still has adapt to NA hockey + NA lifestyle.
But that is just a guess.
Hins77
Registered User
- Apr 2, 2013
- 4,130
- 3,838
I just Hope he is not a kind of Ryan Suzuki. Honestly, for a first round pick, I would expect a solid jump in term of points on their D1. Guys like Tomasino/Evangelista made big jumps in term of points in the OHL on their D1 and should become good middle 6 player in the NHL. Below than that, I don’t know what I should expect.
- Aug 2, 2005
- 62,979
- 9,625
It was a shit decision to let him develop against kids when he's already been developing against men.
Why? Because he was playing at a higher level before? If so, why is he having basically no impact in the OHL playing against kids if he's so used to playing at higher level?
I can't imagine what he would've look like if he played the entire year in the AHL. Can't even get into rhythm in juniors.
- Aug 2, 2005
- 62,979
- 9,625
It's a different style of game. Different kind of culture. Different kind of everything. He's used to playing against men and now he's playing against people who can't pass grade 6 math class. I think his development would have been much better in the AHL or Slovakia.
I definitely think his performance has been very poor considering what he showed before the draft and at our camps. But at the time, I predicted it would be bad for his development as well.
He might've been better off in Europe but if he was to play in NA, juniors was the right decision. Everything you listed as different would've still been different in the A but at a higher pace. He still would've had to adapt to all those things. Juniors is a lot more forgiving for learning players than the pros.
Now, perhaps the best decision was to let him play in Europe. IIRC, some teams in sweden were interested and that would've been a good spot I bet.
- Aug 21, 2016
- 10,331
- 13,765
Adam Michaels and WTK have a good point, but Kitchener is a team built of low IQ players and they are terribly bad coached, but their main problem goes beyond poor coaching IMO, GM has no idea how to build a hockey team, any random hockey fan couldnt do any worst.
Kitchener vs London was a comedy of mistakes the other day, a team with no structure and low IQ players vs a team with strong structure and smart hockey players. The number giveaways and turnovers from Kitchener in this game was something to see.
That being said, Mesar has to be better regardless of what he has to work with.
Last edited:
