Prospect Info: Grand Rapids Griffins Discussion

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
 
KEVIN ALLEN WITH SOME GRIFF NOTES
 
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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
 
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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
Thx for all the great intel as always!

Which one of Buium, Tuomisto, Wallinder is the closest to pro ready in your mind?
 
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Thx for all the great intel as always!

Which one of Buium, Tuomisto, Wallinder is the closest to pro ready in your mind?
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
 
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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.
 
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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
 
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