Prospect Info: Grand Rapids Griffins, 2024 - 2025 Season

[Christien]

nvm

 

[norrisnick]

It's not about being a Selke player. It's that there is literally a minimum threshold in the NHL for play off the puck (with the exception given to a handful of very elite offensive players). It will be critical for Lombardi to meet this threshold in order to be an NHLer, otherwise his offense will be irrelevant and he will remain an AHL player, like so many others who didn't reach that minimum threshold.

I'm all for him getting top-6 minutes in the A, but I'm more concerned about his off-puck play, given his size. Guys his size can make it, but it's more difficult, and certain aspects of their games will be justifiably more scrutinized.

If you have concerns about his size regarding off-puck play, Lombardi would be much better served going all gas no brakes on offense. f*** the battles and ball out. He's never going to be a guy that dominates board battles so ignore them and score like your hockey life depends on it.

 

[jaster]

If you have concerns about his size regarding off-puck play, Lombardi would be much better served going all gas no brakes on offense. f*** the battles and ball out. He's never going to be a guy that dominates board battles so ignore them and score like your hockey life depends on it.

I did not enjoy Andreas Athanasiou the first time around though.

He doesn't need to dominate board battles, but he also cannot just bail out on them (I'll give him a pass if he turns into a 100-point player). And board battles are only one facet off off-puck play. How's the backcheck? How's the forecheck? How's the general effort level without the puck? How's the positioning? How's the reads? The list goes on. These things matter in the NHL, no matter how much offense you bring. And, collectively, there is a minimal level a player needs to be at, which is made more difficult when you're smaller.

My preference for Lombardi is that he reaches his full potential. And his full potential includes being at least adequate in most facets of the game. Losing every puck battle is just not good enough. And if you were to ask Lombardi he'd say the same.

 

[norrisnick]

I did not enjoy Andreas Athanasiou the first time around though.

He doesn't need to dominate board battles, but he also cannot just bail out on them (I'll give him a pass if he turns into a 100-point player). And board battles are only one facet off off-puck play. How's the backcheck? How's the forecheck? How's the general effort level without the puck? How's the positioning? How's the reads? The list goes on. These things matter in the NHL, no matter how much offense you bring. And, collectively, there is a minimal level a player needs to be at, which is made more difficult when you're smaller.

My preference for Lombardi is that he reaches his full potential. And his full potential includes being at least adequate in most facets of the game. Losing every puck battle is just not good enough. And if you were to ask Lombardi he'd say the same.

Do you want to watch Lombardi chip n chase or do you want to watch Lombardi hit dingers? I vote dingers...

 

[jaster]

Do you want to watch Lombardi chip n chase or do you want to watch Lombardi hit dingers? I vote dingers...

If we're distilling this all down to chip 'n chase vs. score goals, then you got me nick, I vote score goals!

 

[odin1981]

Fast, good hands, could fight, not smart. Is that how you see Lombardi?

AA never fought once and would have got ragdolled. What gives you that idea for either one of them?

 

[lilidk]

AA never fought once and would have got ragdolled. What gives you that idea for either one of them?

My point was that they are different kind of players, you can't compare them.

 

[odin1981]

My point was that they are different kind of players, you can't compare them.

Yet you compared AA to Lombardi? Are you drunk?

 

[lilidk]

Yet you compared AA to Lombardi? Are you drunk?

No I didn't, I made sarcastic comment that you can't compare them

I did liked AA but for totally different reasons, Lombardi needs to get stronger for us to know what he is capable, same apply to most of our prospects

 

[newfy]

Is he playing top or second line center? If yes it's good , but if he is third line player, not good at all, it's means he doesn't have skilled players around him

I haven't watched a game yet this year, but even last year he played a good amount of minutes. I wouldn't look at how a social media team lists lines on game day as gospel to their playing time though. He's on special teams, he's lighting it up, its safe to say he's getting plenty of ice time this year

 

[Fil Larkmanthanasiou]

AA never fought once and would have got ragdolled. What gives you that idea for either one of them?

AA fought a few times actually and he wasn't ragdolled

 

[jaster]

AA never fought once and would have got ragdolled. What gives you that idea for either one of them?

Que? AA fought several times.

Andreas Athanasiou (LW) | HockeyFights

In fact, he did the ragdolling against Justin Holl once

 

[odin1981]

Que? AA fought several times.

Andreas Athanasiou (LW) | HockeyFights

In fact, he did the ragdolling against Justin Holl once

I stand corrected, just woke up and hadn't gotten coffee til just now.

 

[jaster]

I stand corrected, just woke up and hadn't gotten coffee til just now.

Get that caffeine in ya, son! I may go for an afternoon cup myself...

 

[odin1981]

Get that caffeine in ya, son! I may go for an afternoon cup myself...

Probably also why I missed the sarcasm.

 

[odin1981]

Moral of the story don't work 3rd shift lol.

 

[lilidk]

Moral of the story don't work 3rd shift lol.

That's hard , especially when you have days off

 

[odin1981]

That's hard , especially when you have days off

First 6 months or so I can hang with it, but long term it is so unhealthy for your body and mental state it is atrocious. Maybe I can hit the lottery lol

 

[lilidk]

First 6 months or so I can hang with it, but long term it is so unhealthy for your body and mental state it is atrocious. Maybe I can hit the lottery lol

No, just don't spend more than you make

 

[wingsfannn919191]

It's not about being a Selke player. It's that there is literally a minimum threshold in the NHL for play off the puck (with the exception given to a handful of very elite offensive players). It will be critical for Lombardi to meet this threshold in order to be an NHLer, otherwise his offense will be irrelevant and he will remain an AHL player, like so many others who didn't reach that minimum threshold.

I'm all for him getting top-6 minutes in the A, but I'm more concerned about his off-puck play, given his size. Guys his size can make it, but it's more difficult, and certain aspects of their games will be justifiably more scrutinized.

it's not like debrincat and other guys can't easily be shoved off the puck right? I dont recall him being a player who always back checks etc... yet he scores 30 and everyone's happy

I dont know what lombardi will become, 2 way guy or not if he can one day be a 50-65 pt guy I'll be happy. Again no idea, he looks promising and is very young and has lots of time to bulk up . Give him a ton of minutes and let him work on his offense and his overall game

I know it's a different team and not the wings but I couldn't give 2 sh*ts about dries and the other vets. We should be pushing them to give the kids more opportunities.

Danielson included who's got me more worried that we wasted a top 10 pick on and has a single pt. I couldn't care less if hes a 2 way guy if he doesn't produce and is destined as 3c considering he was drafted so early. Point of all this is play the kids a ton and let them grow so we can figure out who can play and be here longterm

 

[Holden Caufield]

Great to see it’s the Cossa show so far.

Tight defensive play is impressive too, considering they lost both Ed and AlJo.

Not surprised to see Lombardi breaking out, immense talent there.

 

[jaster]

First 6 months or so I can hang with it, but long term it is so unhealthy for your body and mental state it is atrocious. Maybe I can hit the lottery lol

When I was in the Air Force many moons ago, there was a policy of not being on 3rd shift (mid shift) for more than something like 9 months straight. I worked with a MSgt who, through different ways of manipulating the system, had been on mids for like 8 years straight lol. He loved it. I didn't realize just how crazy that was at the time, but yeah, can't be good for ya. I never did it for longer than 4 months.

 

[jaster]

it's not like debrincat and other guys can't easily be shoved off the puck right? I dont recall him being a player who always back checks etc... yet he scores 30 and everyone's happy

I dont know what lombardi will become, 2 way guy or not if he can one day be a 50-65 pt guy I'll be happy. Again no idea, he looks promising and is very young and has lots of time to bulk up . Give him a ton of minutes and let him work on his offense and his overall game

I know it's a different team and not the wings but I couldn't give 2 sh*ts about dries and the other vets. We should be pushing them to give the kids more opportunities.

Danielson included who's got me more worried that we wasted a top 10 pick on and has a single pt. I couldn't care less if hes a 2 way guy if he doesn't produce and is destined as 3c considering he was drafted so early. Point of all this is play the kids a ton and let them grow so we can figure out who can play and be here longterm

It's all relative. While a guy like Debrincat may not seem great off the puck, he's a helluva lot better than he was when he was 19. It's simply development. Lombardi is going through it the same as any other player. Daily, the coaches are working with him to get better in all facets of the game. Including off puck.

I'm just saying that for small guys, it's more difficult to get to a point where you're good enough at the small things to survive in the NHL. Because, again, if you can't reach a minimum threshold for the small things, it doesn't matter if you have the potential for 50 points, you aren't going to make it in the NHL. Pro hockey outside the NHL is littered with players with enough talent to play in the NHL, they just didn't do all the little things right. It's part of what goes into that phrase you always hear about young players "learning how to be a pro." It's part of what goes into the reality that the jump to the NHL is the most difficult of any jump from league to league in hockey. The margins for error are razor thin.

Again, I'm good with playing these kids more in GR, and I'm not looking for them to have their offense stifled. On the contrary, I'd like to see them all round out their games well enough to give themselves the opportunity to let that offense shine in the show.

 

[Frk It]

I did not enjoy Andreas Athanasiou the first time around though.

He doesn't need to dominate board battles, but he also cannot just bail out on them (I'll give him a pass if he turns into a 100-point player). And board battles are only one facet off off-puck play. How's the backcheck? How's the forecheck? How's the general effort level without the puck? How's the positioning? How's the reads? The list goes on. These things matter in the NHL, no matter how much offense you bring. And, collectively, there is a minimal level a player needs to be at, which is made more difficult when you're smaller.

My preference for Lombardi is that he reaches his full potential. And his full potential includes being at least adequate in most facets of the game. Losing every puck battle is just not good enough. And if you were to ask Lombardi he'd say the same.

If you listen to him talk, he seems like a really smart guy. (At least I got this impression from every interview I have heard him in so far) I am pretty sure he understands all of this and will continue to improve on it.

 

[odin1981]

When I was in the Air Force many moons ago, there was a policy of not being on 3rd shift (mid shift) for more than something like 9 months straight. I worked with a MSgt who, through different ways of manipulating the system, had been on mids for like 8 years straight lol. He loved it. I didn't realize just how crazy that was at the time, but yeah, can't be good for ya. I never did it for longer than 4 months.

I did it for like 2 years straight when I worked between a bar and Fed ex after I got out of the Marines in my early 20's.

Never will I do it for more than like 12 months again. If they won't pull me off it, insert 2 week notice and go find something else.