Prospect Info: Grand Rapids Griffins Discussion
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Pretty damn good effort for a 3-2 SO win!
Lines:
Snively - Danielson - Watson
Doucet - Dries - Lombardi
Gettinger - Becher - Hanas
Bantle - Seger - Johannes
Wallinder - Tuomisto
Knyzhov - Rafferty
Buium - Didier
Cossa
Danielson: A
• Nice shot for the shootout winner! Repeat of his shootout goal last week
Assist - faceoff win bounces off the ref's skate right to Watson who lasers it top right corner
Getting in on the forecheck and throwing the body and forcing defensemen into pressure, gaining possession himself at times
Late 1st period his back check prevented a scoring chance from the slot on Cossa. Got his stick on the Admiral's stick without taking a penalty. Later that shift GR was changing and he fumbled the puck inside the blueline so Milwaukee went in and Cossa had to make a save and cover it up
Offensive zone entries he's dropping the puck off to a trailing winger and then disrupts the defender's stick in front of him
Failed clear resulted in some zone pressure against but nothing major as they went the other way and had some zone time themselves, couple chances
Spinning chance in front in OT stopped
Cossa: B+
• 16 saves on 18 shots not indicative of his play being poor or anything. Did his job and played well enough
1st goal it was a great shot by De Leo. Watson didn't clear the zone and De Leo got to walk right in with Snively behind him but with a lackluster backcheck
2nd goal was a double screened point shot on the PP. I don't think he saw it judging by his late glove reaction
Nice stretched out toe save to wait out and stop the Admiral player cutting across the goal trying to go top shelf
Really active in playing the puck today lmao he must've been bored
Lombardi: A
• Assist - picked up the puck of Doucet's awesome forecheck deep in the corner and then made a slick pass to Dries in the slot and he goes bar down!
Doucet (playing great lately) entered the zone, dropped to Lombardi who had a head of steam, strong on his edges beats the D and cut across the crease for a neat backhand attempt
Hanas had a great chance as Lombardi protected the puck flat footed and fed him in the high slot
Finally! Initially Lombardi was listed as LW but he played RW during the 1st period and then switched to LW the rest of the game. I like this development a lot and hope he stays on one of the wings, preferably the LW. Playing wing maximizes his strengths - speed in transition and opportunistic offensive plays that result from his quickness and puck hounding
Wallinder: A-
• Engaged body and stick on the PK quite well and neutralizing plays as a result. Reading the zone entry well and cutting off the puck carrier
Stepped into a huge slap shot from the top of the left circle and it looked like Murray got a piece of it somehow
Puck control and puck movement behind his net was pretty good. He at one point took the puck on his own and carried all the way into a controlled OZ entry after shifting between two Admirals in the NZ then distributed right on Bantle's tape for what was a low danger shot
Displayed quick heads up counter-transition pass back into the zone as GR applies more pressure
Chasing play behind his net juuuuust a bit but he's aggressive with the body and his stick. Competing well in that regard and I'm pleased to see
Inconsistent breakout passes missing the tape. Also inconsistent at handling passes inside the offensive blueline and fumbles the puck. Needs to keep working on that because he's lost the zone more than a handful of times not under duress that I can remember
Buium: A-
• Displaying his well rounded puck moving capabilities
Getting off some point shots on goal on the PP with traffic in front
Tuomisto: B+
• Inconsistent decision making and accuracy on breakout passes. Sometimes looks good for both, sometimes only one
Defensive gaps against the rush were good
Becher: A-
• Finding soft spots around the offensive zone where his teammate finds him and he's get a crack on goal multiple times this game
Defensive play once again great due to anticipation and decision making with the puck if he gains possession
Really utilizing that hidden speed today again
Lines:
Snively - Danielson - Watson
Doucet - Dries - Lombardi
Gettinger - Becher - Hanas
Bantle - Seger - Johannes
Wallinder - Tuomisto
Knyzhov - Rafferty
Buium - Didier
Cossa
Danielson: A
• Nice shot for the shootout winner! Repeat of his shootout goal last week
Assist - faceoff win bounces off the ref's skate right to Watson who lasers it top right corner
Getting in on the forecheck and throwing the body and forcing defensemen into pressure, gaining possession himself at times
Late 1st period his back check prevented a scoring chance from the slot on Cossa. Got his stick on the Admiral's stick without taking a penalty. Later that shift GR was changing and he fumbled the puck inside the blueline so Milwaukee went in and Cossa had to make a save and cover it up
Offensive zone entries he's dropping the puck off to a trailing winger and then disrupts the defender's stick in front of him
Failed clear resulted in some zone pressure against but nothing major as they went the other way and had some zone time themselves, couple chances
Spinning chance in front in OT stopped
Cossa: B+
• 16 saves on 18 shots not indicative of his play being poor or anything. Did his job and played well enough
1st goal it was a great shot by De Leo. Watson didn't clear the zone and De Leo got to walk right in with Snively behind him but with a lackluster backcheck
2nd goal was a double screened point shot on the PP. I don't think he saw it judging by his late glove reaction
Nice stretched out toe save to wait out and stop the Admiral player cutting across the goal trying to go top shelf
Really active in playing the puck today lmao he must've been bored
Lombardi: A
• Assist - picked up the puck of Doucet's awesome forecheck deep in the corner and then made a slick pass to Dries in the slot and he goes bar down!
Doucet (playing great lately) entered the zone, dropped to Lombardi who had a head of steam, strong on his edges beats the D and cut across the crease for a neat backhand attempt
Hanas had a great chance as Lombardi protected the puck flat footed and fed him in the high slot
Finally! Initially Lombardi was listed as LW but he played RW during the 1st period and then switched to LW the rest of the game. I like this development a lot and hope he stays on one of the wings, preferably the LW. Playing wing maximizes his strengths - speed in transition and opportunistic offensive plays that result from his quickness and puck hounding
Wallinder: A-
• Engaged body and stick on the PK quite well and neutralizing plays as a result. Reading the zone entry well and cutting off the puck carrier
Stepped into a huge slap shot from the top of the left circle and it looked like Murray got a piece of it somehow
Puck control and puck movement behind his net was pretty good. He at one point took the puck on his own and carried all the way into a controlled OZ entry after shifting between two Admirals in the NZ then distributed right on Bantle's tape for what was a low danger shot
Displayed quick heads up counter-transition pass back into the zone as GR applies more pressure
Chasing play behind his net juuuuust a bit but he's aggressive with the body and his stick. Competing well in that regard and I'm pleased to see
Inconsistent breakout passes missing the tape. Also inconsistent at handling passes inside the offensive blueline and fumbles the puck. Needs to keep working on that because he's lost the zone more than a handful of times not under duress that I can remember
Buium: A-
• Displaying his well rounded puck moving capabilities
Getting off some point shots on goal on the PP with traffic in front
Tuomisto: B+
• Inconsistent decision making and accuracy on breakout passes. Sometimes looks good for both, sometimes only one
Defensive gaps against the rush were good
Becher: A-
• Finding soft spots around the offensive zone where his teammate finds him and he's get a crack on goal multiple times this game
Defensive play once again great due to anticipation and decision making with the puck if he gains possession
Really utilizing that hidden speed today again
While the site was down and out GR traded for Knyzhov and sent Dello packing.
Griffins Acquire Nikolai Knyzhov from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Detroit Trades Tory Dello to New Jersey
Petry probably out for rest of the season, so Lagesson stays up. Knyzhov replaces him and AnJo replaces Dello.
Griffins Acquire Nikolai Knyzhov from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Detroit Trades Tory Dello to New Jersey
Petry probably out for rest of the season, so Lagesson stays up. Knyzhov replaces him and AnJo replaces Dello.
Feel like Danielson has been cooking lately
Did not watch much of this game, but Danielson looking like the most important GR player
KEVIN ALLEN WITH SOME GRIFF NOTES
detroithockeynow.com
Different Griffins Prospects Emerging for Red Wings
Among Grand Rapids Griffins coach Dan Watson’s many skills is knowing how to reboot his system. That’s an essential talent for an American Hockey League coach whose roster regularly moves through a revolving door because of NHL team call-ups. “Ultimately, it’s important to have a good farm...
detroithockeynow.com
Griffins @ Ice Hogs, 3/15
Rockford was brutally undisciplined tonight, Griffins had Three separate 5 on 3 PPs and they really cranked the Hogs all night. Great game
Drink every time Bob Kaser calls the wrong player's name. Now you've blacked out and the 2nd intermission hasn't even happened yet. Called the Rockford goalie "Kevin Weekes" a few times. He eventually figured out it's Mitchell Weeks
Lines:
Snively - Danielson - Watson
Doucet - Dries - Lombardi
Gettinger - Becher - Hanas
Bantle - Seger - Johannes
Wallinder - Tuomisto
Buium - Rafferty
Viro - Knyzhov
Bednar
Danielson: A+
• PERFECT snipe top corner on the PP wheeling down from the top left circle. Love his shot choice there, as I thought he was gonna try to find a pass option. I tell you, he learns fast and the shooting/scoring has been prominent lately
On the PK he picked up a pass going right to a Hog in the slot and cleared it out
Came off the bench and fired a one timed shot in the right slot and Weeks made a nice pad save
He had another identical chance a bit later during a 4 on 4 and labeled one low short-side but Weeks gloves it
Orchestrated a near-flawless breakout sequence by catching a difficult pass up the right boards in the NZ and chips past a pressuring D, and then lays a perfect saucer pass to Johannes who just taps it off the post
Lombardi: A+
• PP assist - great Griffins puck movement and he executed a cross ice pass to Watson during a 5 on 3, made no mistake
Took a play off the boards cutting into the middle and dishes to Doucet who shot it off the post
The Hogs lost him on the far post as Doucet's rebound went right to Lombardi wide open net and he missed, didn't quite get all of it
Early 2nd his line had sustained zone time, and a few chances created off some crafty desperation passes he made
Nice give and go play with Doucet who sauced it right in front to him streaking in and just goes over his stick
Keep him on LW, it's where he belongs and is showing the most legit potential from
Wallinder: B+
• Again showing some slight inconsistency, but the good notably outweighed the bad
Quick and physical when battling along the boards. Using his size well over the past while
Good keeps inside the offensive blueline and trying to make effective plays from theml
Knocked a dump in out of mid air and then started transition from it. Thought that was pretty sick
Had all day to clear the puck off a PK faceoff win and made a weak attempt that the Hogs player picked off inside the line and they almost scored immediately after. Later that shift he had the puck on the boards in his zone where it still looked like he was mentally lapsing and barely flubbed it to Rafferty who eventually clears the zone
Buium: A
• Goal! Cleans up the rebound at the end of the 5 on 3
Swift breakout passing
Cutting plays off at his blueline
Tuomisto: B-
• He tends to occasionally get lazy and not move his feet battling along the boards and takes penalties as a result. Needs to continue competing and moving his feet there
Mid-3rd GR was in the OZ and with a delayed penalty on Rockford he tried to walk the line with obvious pressure in front of him and it got handily picked off. Had it not been delayed, Savoie was off to the races... But then he goes on this fake breakaway anyway and shoots the puck into the empty net, thus getting called for unsportsmanlike. Tries to argue it lmao it turned into a 5 on 3 just like that. Griffins score 24 seconds into said PP
Becher: B+
• Assist on the Danielson PP goal, nice saucer pass on his tape
Quiet game for him, not super noticeable but still played solid and did his job defensively
Rockford was brutally undisciplined tonight, Griffins had Three separate 5 on 3 PPs and they really cranked the Hogs all night. Great game
Drink every time Bob Kaser calls the wrong player's name. Now you've blacked out and the 2nd intermission hasn't even happened yet. Called the Rockford goalie "Kevin Weekes" a few times. He eventually figured out it's Mitchell Weeks
Lines:
Snively - Danielson - Watson
Doucet - Dries - Lombardi
Gettinger - Becher - Hanas
Bantle - Seger - Johannes
Wallinder - Tuomisto
Buium - Rafferty
Viro - Knyzhov
Bednar
Danielson: A+
• PERFECT snipe top corner on the PP wheeling down from the top left circle. Love his shot choice there, as I thought he was gonna try to find a pass option. I tell you, he learns fast and the shooting/scoring has been prominent lately
On the PK he picked up a pass going right to a Hog in the slot and cleared it out
Came off the bench and fired a one timed shot in the right slot and Weeks made a nice pad save
He had another identical chance a bit later during a 4 on 4 and labeled one low short-side but Weeks gloves it
Orchestrated a near-flawless breakout sequence by catching a difficult pass up the right boards in the NZ and chips past a pressuring D, and then lays a perfect saucer pass to Johannes who just taps it off the post
Lombardi: A+
• PP assist - great Griffins puck movement and he executed a cross ice pass to Watson during a 5 on 3, made no mistake
Took a play off the boards cutting into the middle and dishes to Doucet who shot it off the post
The Hogs lost him on the far post as Doucet's rebound went right to Lombardi wide open net and he missed, didn't quite get all of it
Early 2nd his line had sustained zone time, and a few chances created off some crafty desperation passes he made
Nice give and go play with Doucet who sauced it right in front to him streaking in and just goes over his stick
Keep him on LW, it's where he belongs and is showing the most legit potential from
Wallinder: B+
• Again showing some slight inconsistency, but the good notably outweighed the bad
Quick and physical when battling along the boards. Using his size well over the past while
Good keeps inside the offensive blueline and trying to make effective plays from theml
Knocked a dump in out of mid air and then started transition from it. Thought that was pretty sick
Had all day to clear the puck off a PK faceoff win and made a weak attempt that the Hogs player picked off inside the line and they almost scored immediately after. Later that shift he had the puck on the boards in his zone where it still looked like he was mentally lapsing and barely flubbed it to Rafferty who eventually clears the zone
Buium: A
• Goal! Cleans up the rebound at the end of the 5 on 3
Swift breakout passing
Cutting plays off at his blueline
Tuomisto: B-
• He tends to occasionally get lazy and not move his feet battling along the boards and takes penalties as a result. Needs to continue competing and moving his feet there
Mid-3rd GR was in the OZ and with a delayed penalty on Rockford he tried to walk the line with obvious pressure in front of him and it got handily picked off. Had it not been delayed, Savoie was off to the races... But then he goes on this fake breakaway anyway and shoots the puck into the empty net, thus getting called for unsportsmanlike. Tries to argue it lmao it turned into a 5 on 3 just like that. Griffins score 24 seconds into said PP
Becher: B+
• Assist on the Danielson PP goal, nice saucer pass on his tape
Quiet game for him, not super noticeable but still played solid and did his job defensively
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I'm so dumb! Upping Becher's grade because he got that nice primary assist on the Danielson goal that I completely forgot about
Thx for all the great intel as always!
Which one of Buium, Tuomisto, Wallinder is the closest to pro ready in your mind?
Nothing like getting to watch the boys crank hogs all night
I know you didn't ask me but I was at Friday's game..I lean Buium. I'm not convinced Tuomisto can make it and Buium is steadier than Wallinder IMO. (he's also now running PP1).
Ahh honestly it's tough because I'm probably quite strict about their flaws and they all have parts of them that would get exposed if they made the jump today, but Tuomisto probably closest I suppose
Mental lapses and consistency play a big factor and Tuomisto/Wallinder have trouble semi-regularly. Buium is closing in fast. He just needs to continue engaging physically and getting faster
In your eyes much improvement has Buium made throughout the year? I have a FloSports subscription but only catch the occasional Griffins game, I have my own opinions on the guys but your opinions are probably much more accurate. Being the youngest of the 3 and a 1st year pro while the other two are 4th year pros it would be logical to expect Buium to have the most room to grow. I see a solid young player with a decent set of tools and a toolbox to put them in, he just needs a little time. As the self appointed president of the Buium fan club, I fully expect him to become the Griffins bona fide #1 at some point next season.
He's made steady improvements all year and as mid-January came around he kicked it up a notch. While I think his game stood out more during a January/February stretch than it does now, he has maintained a very solid level of play and has picked up his first two pro goals recently
He's now tied Tuomisto in goals and has two less assists for a total of 22 points. Buium has been more of a shooting threat recently too, especially on the PP where got his first. Tuomisto has a booming shot but isn't really a shooting threat and not used as such
Buium will get PK time next season too so we'll see how he takes on added responsibility for a full season there. If Tuomisto and Wallinder don't clean up their errors, and I know Detroit's management is very aware of those things at this stage of development, Buium may surpass them and be on the call up list sooner rather than later. Also looking forward to how Anton Johansson comes in and looks compared to the rest of the three
