Prospect Info: Grand Rapids Griffins Discussion

[The Zetterberg Era]

This may have been before your time, but if I'm not mistaken @The Zetterberg Era used to always say the AHL is the 2nd best league in the world.

And the more that time goes on, the more I agree with that.

When you are getting fed the amount of talent that league is from the CHL/NCAA/USHL, you just have a very high floor of talent in that league at any given time. Then you get a rotating mix of high end players trying to make their NHL teams.

I know you were poking fun here, but bait taken... lol

A big part of the context of that in a NHL sense is how many future NHL players play in the AHL every night on a team. That is actually the highest in the world outside of the league. How often do you go to a game outside of the NHL where 4-8 players that will play over 200 games in the league happens? They also play NHL systems on NHL ice. I think it is far more valuable for NHL teams to evaluate AHL players and make team control decisions. I also have heard this from several players arriving from the SHL, SM Ligga and KHL. One of the other biggest things about the North American model is more games and a maintained consistency level.

The biggest point was always the NHL is way out in front for me. Regardless of KHL, SHL, AHL the fact for remains those leagues are far closer to each other than anything representing the NHL level and yes I have watched all those levels.

The AHL is a far more challenging level than it seems most fans seem to understand.

Will also say currently Edvinsson should be on the team if we care about winning and making the playoffs. But I think developmental wise the league closest to the NHL is by far the AHL. So from a development standpoint I like guys filtering through that when it makes sense. We have had a few head-scratching decisions that way, but I believe heavily in the AHL, it is very good hockey night in and night out with a lot more depth in my opinion than I find in the European leagues.

 

[Gniwder]

This is every forward drafted at 8 OA from 2000-2021 (before we drafted Kasper there). I will let you reach your own conclusions as to what constitutes a bust exactly.

GP G A PTS

Jack Quinn 89 19 27 46
Casey Mittelstadt 321 60 117 177
Alexander Nylander 98 14 20 34
William Nylander 563 198 289 487
Sean Couturier 761 190 299 489
Alexander Burmistrov 348 37 64 101
Scott Glennie 1 0 0 0
Mikkel Boedker 709 118 209 327
Zach Hamill 20 0 4 4
Peter Mueller 297 63 97 160
Devin Setoguchi 516 131 130 261
Pierre-Marc Bouchard 593 110 246 356
Nikita Alexeev 159 20 17 37

Geez #8 pick sucks. IIRC, there are 3 or 4 spots in the first round that just have sucky players. When you think #8, you need to think #8 or later, because all of those prospects were available.

For example, Raz (I know he was #9, not #8) falls in the middle of those stats you posted, but people will never be happy with the pick because Necas, Suzuki, and Thomas were all avaible.

 

[Gniwder]

I think a lot of folks’ frustrations with GR stems from a misconception that the SHL is as difficult of a league as the AHL. The AHL is tougher. Probably not a full notch tougher, but like a half-notch. People see guys coming over from Sweden, producing less, and see a problem in GR. Reality is the AHL is a harder league to score in than the AHL for most players, and imo many posters expectations are out of line.

Love the year ASP is having, but I anticipate a "Why is Dan Watson ruining ASP?" thread roughly this time next year when he doesn't produce as effectively in GR.

The frustration comes from the slow start. Look at the first 17 games vs the last 17. They should be at least .500 pt % with the roster. They are close now, so hopefully it was just a learning curve for Watson.

 

[Henkka]

And one thing is, rarely your best skill players come through you farm system. They are so good that they come from minor league or from European league straight to NHL.

AHL does not really produce them generally. Therea re some examples though.

People expect this to happen too much and it's a false belief.

Farm system's purpose is to produce something cost-controlled quality depth on your team. The skill core does not come from there.

 

[HoweFan]

Nice game for GR. Kasper with GWG in OT. Also had an assist Elmer had a G and an A. Mazur had two A’s. To had an assist. Forgot who was in goal

 

[HoweFan]

Just looking at team stats for the Griffs. Berggren, Edvinsson, Mazur, and Kasper are in the top six of team scoring. Soderbloom is closing in as well. It’s the vets that are a bit underwhelming.

 

[Hazy Little Thing]

Just looking at team stats for the Griffs. Berggren, Edvinsson, Mazur, and Kasper are in the top six of team scoring. Soderbloom is closing in as well. It’s the vets that are a bit underwhelming.

Kasper? Marco Kasper?

 

[Gniwder]

Just looking at team stats for the Griffs. Berggren, Edvinsson, Mazur, and Kasper are in the top six of team scoring. Soderbloom is closing in as well. It’s the vets that are a bit underwhelming.

Aside from ZAR, the vets are matching their career AHL average so far. I think Stevie was expecting more from his prospects, otherwise he would have signed an AHL star like Holland did with Barber.

I think one of the issues is that Stevie signed ZAR to be the first call up and he's sucked so bad that he had to call up Czarnik who's basically a 1 ppg player in the AHL and a nobody in the NHL. Not having Czarnik hurt GR bad.

Unless ZAR lights it up the second half, he's done playing in the AHL, and Stevie will use that money to sign an AHL star next off season. Useless PoS.

 

[ricky0034]

i've never seen it brought up but honestly I think Horcoff deserves a bit of heat for the state of the Griffins these last couple years

the vet acquisitions have been pretty uninspiring since he took over as GM

 

[SantosHalper]

Any updates on Luff?

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Keep in mind they have tweaked the playoffs

In 2023-24, the AHL will have 23 teams participating in the postseason.

The playoff field will include the top six finishers in the Atlantic Division, the top five finishers each in the North and Central Divisions, and the top seven teams in the Pacific Division.

Home-ice advantage in all series will be granted to the team with more points in the regular-season standings.

The first round will be best-of-three series. Division semifinals and division finals will be best-of-five series; conference finals and the Calder Cup Finals are in a best-of-seven format.

TheAHL.com | The American Hockey League

theahl.com

We have turned around the ship enough to think this team is going to play significant hockey. They are in third as of this morning. I think Milwaukee is the class of the division but we could enter the playoffs as the second best team in the Central. I wish we were getting a little better vet play and yes I do think Horcoff needs to be taken to task a little there, but the sky isn't falling. They had a coaching change and a lot of shifting personnel and are seemingly coming out the other side of that. Have a good close to the second half the season and hopefully win at least one playoff round and it should benefit some of the younger guys.

 

[Hazy Little Thing]

i've never seen it brought up but honestly I think Horcoff deserves a bit of heat for the state of the Griffins these last couple years

the vet acquisitions have been pretty uninspiring since he took over as GM

Yeah Horcoff should have as much heat as Draper, results matter.

 

[Oddbob]

Keep in mind they have tweaked the playoffs

TheAHL.com | The American Hockey League

theahl.com

We have turned around the ship enough to think this team is going to play significant hockey. They are in third as of this morning. I think Milwaukee is the class of the division but we could enter the playoffs as the second best team in the Central. I wish we were getting a little better vet play and yes I do think Horcoff needs to be taken to task a little there, but the sky isn't falling. They had a coaching change and a lot of shifting personnel and are seemingly coming out the other side of that. Have a good close to the second half the season and hopefully win at least one playoff round and it should benefit some of the younger guys.

How can 23 teams compete in only 4 rounds of playoffs?

 

[Filppula]

Losing to one of the worst teams in the league 3-0. Cool.

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

Losing to one of the worst teams in the league 3-0. Cool.

3-2 now. Kasper has scored twice. Kid is on a roll.

 

[lhsgolf19]

Holy Cow, what a comeback win... Down 3-0 after 2... Tied it up with 41 sec left and ZAR scored with 11 sec left to win 4-3

 

[schuelma24]

Holy Cow, what a comeback win... Down 3-0 after 2... Tied it up with 41 sec left and ZAR scored with 11 sec left to win 4-3

looks like Kasper got an assist on the gamewinner.

3 points tonight

 

[RRhoads]

Kasper has been good lately. Seems to be adjusting well.

 

[Filppula]

2 more assists for Tuomisto, get around him!!

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

Kasper has been good lately. Seems to be adjusting well.

Easily one of the best busts in the league

 

[RED WINGS STOMP]

Wonder if Winnipeg fans are claiming for their AHL coach to be fired, after they blew back to back 3 goal leads in the third period?

 

[HoweFan]

Marcus has three points! Absolutely brilliant! No one can bad mouth him for at least two days. “You the man” Marcus.

 

[HoweFan]

Anti got two more assists also

 

[Pavels Dog]

Losing to one of the worst teams in the league 3-0. Cool.

They won.

 

[Filppula]

They won.

You don’t say.