Prospect Info: Hartford Wolf Pack/Bloomington Bison Thread: Part XV

[gravey9]

Saw most of the game tonight. They beat a Springfield team that kinda dominated them last time they played. The difference is the Wolf Pack offense is much more potent than it was earlier in the season. A few specific observations:

1. Kinkaid played pretty well despite giving up 4. I think he got banged up tho. He looked slow to get up for much of the third. hope he's okay.

2. Zac Jones is playing with a ton of confidence right now when he has the puck. The goal tonight was just a hint of it. He's really feeling it. He can play more at this level, but he's gotta get a chance at some point this year. The talent is clear.

3. Hajek looked terrible. But I don't think he's played a competitive game for like 6 weeks or so. His rust really showed.

4. DiGacinto or whatever it is. He looks pretty darn good out there. In fact the whole team looks pretty good. All 4 lines are effective and the D and G are solid. Barring a ton of callups this team is one of the better AHL squads.

5. Barron is very steady. And he won some important draws. The goals are always nice, but I just wish he had one more skating gear. It would make him a permanent NHLer for a long time if he could just get a little quicker. He's also basically proven himself at this level. So it's just a matter of when he's needed in the NHL.

 

[gravey9]

Robertson given PP2 opportunity at beginning of year and didn't look good leading Pack to switch to Reunanen.

I've seen close to half the games and while it's only 12 games in his first pro season Robertson has disappointed me. I've seen lots of turnovers and in this game a Springfield player blew by him on the outside in the third period almost leading to a score. Hopefully he'll get more comfortable. Schneider has looked better.

I don't think Lindgren ever scored at the level that Robertson and Schneider did last year in the WHL. I thought they potentially could be better rounded players than Lindgren. That definitely has not yet happened for Robertson.

I dunno. I see a guy who is just really inconsistent right now. He makes some really noticable gaffs, but there are times when he makes a really nifty play. He's really above average with his outlet passes for the AHL. His lateral mobility and hips will play a big role in whether or not he can make the jump. But when I see where Robertson is compared to the rest of the D on the squad or last year's HFD squad, he's squarely in the middle. He's not as high end mobility and skill-wise as Jones, Schneider or Reunanen, but at present, I think he's better than Skinner, Guitari and most of the vet D the team had last season. The thing with Robertson is that he is going to play the kind of game where the only time you really notice him is when he's making a mistake. Tonight, he got beat very clean to the outside. But he also made a bunch of decent, subtle plays out there. I mean, seeing Hajek tonight was a good reminder of how bad you can be. Hajek hasn't played in a game in a long time but even with that said, he was really bad tonight. Robertson is clearly already better than that. But I do agree that he will need to cook for a long time. possibly up to 2 years in the AHL -- or more --- we'll see.

 

[surlysailor]

How has Pajuniemi transition to the smaller rinks been? I know he's a long shot w/nyr wing depth (pending Krav situation) but def holding out hope he can be a top 9 guy who can fill the net on pp2.

 

[duhmetreE]

He should get an assist for the tripping penalty that led to Morgan Barron's SH goal (what 1 on 1 moves on the breakaway, man...)

His speed doesn't seem too bad considering his size. Obviously if he was Kreider that'd be amazing but there's not many Kreiders. That would have also put Barron at the top of the draft.

 

[jay from jersey]

His speed doesn't seem too bad considering his size. Obviously if he was Kreider that'd be amazing but there's not many Kreiders. That would have also put Barron at the top of the draft.

not only was the goal a sweet move, if you want to be able to score in the NHL, you have to be able to elevate the puck on your backhand, but he also made the defensive play on the PK.
That’s going to be invaluable to have as a big 3C.
I’m happy he’s doing well on the Pk and paying attention to detail on the defensive side of the game..
All of this is going to help him acclimate faster because these are the same situations he’ll likely find himself with NYR.
For example, I’m not too concerned with how he looks on the PP because odds are he’s not really going to get much time there, if any at all with NYR.
Besides working on his skating a bit ( which Frankly many guys on the rangers still need to do as well), this kid is ready for the show full time imo

 

[duhmetreE]

not only was the goal a sweet move, if you want to be able to score in the NHL, you have to be able to elevate the puck on your backhand, but he also made the defensive play on the PK.
That’s going to be invaluable to have as a big 3C.
I’m happy he’s doing well on the Pk and paying attention to detail on the defensive side of the game..
All of this is going to help him acclimate faster because these are the same situations he’ll likely find himself with NYR.
For example, I’m not too concerned with how he looks on the PP because odds are he’s not really going to get much time there, if any at all with NYR

He'll get PP2 time sitting in front.... all 15 seconds

 

[jay from jersey]

He'll get PP2 time sitting in front.... all 15 seconds

Watch, Gallant will probably put Hunt there...

 

[Vitto79]

So is Barron gonna get a look or what ? i mean throw him into 2nd line C w Panarin and Strome to RW for the heck of it

 

[jay from jersey]

Saw most of the game tonight. They beat a Springfield team that kinda dominated them last time they played. The difference is the Wolf Pack offense is much more potent than it was earlier in the season. A few specific observations:

1. Kinkaid played pretty well despite giving up 4. I think he got banged up tho. He looked slow to get up for much of the third. hope he's okay.

2. Zac Jones is playing with a ton of confidence right now when he has the puck. The goal tonight was just a hint of it. He's really feeling it. He can play more at this level, but he's gotta get a chance at some point this year. The talent is clear.

3. Hajek looked terrible. But I don't think he's played a competitive game for like 6 weeks or so. His rust really showed.

4. DiGacinto or whatever it is. He looks pretty darn good out there. In fact the whole team looks pretty good. All 4 lines are effective and the D and G are solid. Barring a ton of callups this team is one of the better AHL squads.

5. Barron is very steady. And he won some important draws. The goals are always nice, but I just wish he had one more skating gear. It would make him a permanent NHLer for a long time if he could just get a little quicker. He's also basically proven himself at this level. So it's just a matter of when he's needed in the NHL.

how has Justin Richards looked in your opinion Gravey?
Is he centering Gettinger?

 

[Mugless]

 

[nyr2k2]

how has Justin Richards looked in your opinion Gravey?
Is he centering Gettinger?

I know you didn't ask me but Richards has looked a bit underwhelming. I was afraid that would happen to guys like him, Rueschhoff, Khodorenko, etc., once we got back to a "normal" AHL season. Brodzinski is usually centering Gettinger and that's usually Hartford's most effective line.

Gettinger looks better than ever. He has some real bite to his game right now which I love.

 

[nyr2k2]

Greco won it in OT for Hartford after Brodzinski tied it late. 2-1.

 

[Ranger Ric]

With the Pack down 1-0 and on the PP with just a few minutes left Pajuniemi makes a great cross ice pass to Brodzinski who scores to tie it. In OT Barron dominates getting a couple of shots off and Greco picks up a loose puck to win it. Terrific plays by Pajuniemi and Barron.

I had the game on in the background while watching the Rangers but this was a heck of a game. Huska solid in net particularly in the first period stopping I think 15 shots. The defense was much tighter that last night with Hajek and Robertson much better with the puck. Schneider has a play where he came close to looking like Jones' goal from last night. Pajuniemi has really picked up his game with several good passes, effective control of the puck and physical play along with his shot. After a slow start he has really impressed me. This was just a very solid overall effort.

Greco won it in OT for Hartford after Brodzinski tied it late. 2-1.

 

[Ranger Ric]

I agree that Richards has been underwhelming. He's a hard worker but limited offensive skills, only 1 assist and 11 shots in 10 games and not that big. Maybe he's a fourth line center but he'll be 24 at his next birthday early next year and Kevin Rooney is a much better 4th line center.

Khodorenko is out hurt but he had a very underwhelming year last year and hasn't impressed me this year with no goals, 3 assists and 13 shots in 10 games. I know he had some hype when he was signed but I just haven't seen anything to indicate he can be an effective offensive center in the NHL.

I thought Reuschhoff had the best year of the 3 collegiate free agents and he was particularly effective on last year's second PP unit, which was more effective than the first unit. But he never played on the top two lines and often times was on the fourth line playing with AHL signees. This year he's only been in 6 games -- unclear if injury or healthy scratch. He's unlikely to be an NHL player but I don't understand why a decent prospect gets less chance than older vets who are not going to ever help the Rangers.

I'm much less high on Gettinger than some. He's improved and is a good AHL player but if he were to make the NHL it's going to have to be as a bottom line player and he still is less physical than he needs to be in that role and I think he is a step slow in his quickness.

I know you didn't ask me but Richards has looked a bit underwhelming. I was afraid that would happen to guys like him, Rueschhoff, Khodorenko, etc., once we got back to a "normal" AHL season. Brodzinski is usually centering Gettinger and that's usually Hartford's most effective line.

Gettinger looks better than ever. He has some real bite to his game right now which I love.

 

[bl02]

Thanks for the updates guys! Really happy to see the Pack winning. Would be awesome to have a winning culture there with important players like Pajuniemi, Jones, Schneider, Barron etc getting playing time.

 

[Raspewtin]

Pajuniemi was surprisingly physical in his limited pre-season time. cool to hear he's kept it up in the AHL

 

[gravey9]

how has Justin Richards looked in your opinion Gravey?
Is he centering Gettinger?

I don't disagree with NYR2k2 or Ranger Ric. That said, a big difference between this year's Pack team compared to the last few is the depth. We're pretty deep in all positions. And it's meant some players aren't getting quite enough opportunity to show what they can do. Guys like Reuschoff, Richards and Khodorenko have all had diminished roles. Richards has been fine for the AHL this year. He's been playing on a bottom 6 line with Labrie and I can't recall who else -- Whelan? DeGacinto? I can't recall right now. But, Richards is also on the PK as well. He's playing a simple game down there. He's not really playing with anyone that you'd consider a big time AHL scoring threat. And on his own, he doesn't create a ton of offense. He plays decent defensively. Pretty decent on faceoffs. Knows where to be and occasionally finds himself with an offensive opportunity, but not as often as you'd want in an AHL player who still has an NHL future.

Ultimately, I think while you could say he's been a bit underwhelming or fairly invisible, but it's due in part to the position he is playing on the team. A lot has to do with greatly increased forward depth.

Guys like Greco, Fritz and Brodzinski (and McKegg when he's there) -- AHL vets -- are getting substantial roles. These are guys that are helping some kids develop (the ones who are getting bigger roles like Barron, Jones, Schneider, Robertson, Skinner, Pujaniemi, Gettinger). But it also means our 2nd and 3rd tier prospects that still are young enough to have a shot at the NHL are getting far less opportunity. Guys like Richards, Khodorenko, Reuschoff. Its a tradeoff. The hope is, with this being a full regular season, there will be enough opportunities to go around for everyone eventually.

But overall the team is playing a very effective game.

I also just want to say that I missed tonight's game as I was watching the big club. But nice to see the Pack pull out another win.

 

[nyr2k2]

Yeah Richards usually gets to play with Labrie, Whelan, O'Leary, etc. It's obviously not a role where you'd expect much offensively. Still, even your mediocre fourth liners in the NHL can usually produce some offense in the AHL. It's rare for guys to be complete zeroes offensively in the AHL and make it. I really liked Richards last year but I just don't know if the defensive acumen is good enough to offset the lack of any real offensive game.

I'm interested to see how Pajuniemi develops throughout the year. I'm pretty "meh" on his overall game at the moment, but he's slowly trending in the right direction.

 

[gravey9]

I'm interested to see how Pajuniemi develops throughout the year. I'm pretty "meh" on his overall game at the moment, but he's slowly trending in the right direction.

Your point about him trending in the right direction is a good one. I think that's what has impressed me with Puja as a prospect ever since we drafted him -- he keeps improving and growing his game every year. And in a pretty sizable way each year. He hasn't stagnated. very hopeful about him. And you can see there's a big diff between what he's doing and what the college FAs have done.

 

[jay from jersey]

I know you didn't ask me but Richards has looked a bit underwhelming. I was afraid that would happen to guys like him, Rueschhoff, Khodorenko, etc., once we got back to a "normal" AHL season. Brodzinski is usually centering Gettinger and that's usually Hartford's most effective line.

Gettinger looks better than ever. He has some real bite to his game right now which I love.

Thanks for the feedback. That sucks to hear because I thought Richards did everything right when he got his cup of coffee. I thought he had a 4th future with us and wasn’t too far off.
Happy to hear about Gettinger though.
Always had size and hands. But lacking physicality and that killer instinct seemed to be what was holding him back from being a solid 4th line guy. I hope the change in his game/attitude is permanent .

 

[egelband]

Your point about him trending in the right direction is a good one. I think that's what has impressed me with Puja as a prospect ever since we drafted him -- he keeps improving and growing his game every year. And in a pretty sizable way each year. He hasn't stagnated. very hopeful about him. And you can see there's a big diff between what he's doing and what the college FAs have done.

Pajuniemi from what I’m gathering is a nice mid-range homegrown prospect. The kind that most teams have a few of. They eventually plug them into the parent club lineup as an injury replacement or something like that and they occasionally blossom.
I say this because we very rarely see this phenomenon as Rangers fans. Would be great to have a few guys like this pan out. Don’t need them to be all stars. Just give us a few seasons of solid play.

 

[nyr2k2]

Thanks for the feedback. That sucks to hear because I thought Richards did everything right when he got his cup of coffee. I thought he had a 4th future with us and wasn’t too far off.
Happy to hear about Gettinger though.
Always had size and hands. But lacking physicality and that killer instinct seemed to be what was holding him back from being a solid 4th line guy. I hope the change in his game/attitude is permanent .

I mean he still could be, I don't want to write him off. Could be a situation where Barron gets called up and say Fritz gets injured, then maybe Richards gets slotted up higher and shows some offensive life. Problem for him is that he'll be 24 this year and we have lots of other bottom six options, both on the roster currently and in Hartford (including someone like Gettinger, who while it seems like we've had forever, is actually younger than Richards). His window for finding an "in" was never very wide and it shrinks by the day.

 

[Ranger Ric]

Almost always agree with nyr2k2 and gravey9 and this thread is no different.

My only concern is the tradeoff issue that gravey9 raised. It's a fair point.

But I would fall a little more heavily on development of my younger players. I have no problem with how the defense has been deployed and hopefully Huska gets a more equal share of the net with Kinkaid. But I do have concerns the extensive time given to Greco and Labre. Barron and Pajuniemi are playing with Ronning so those vets are not helping our top two forward prospects. I'm fine with Brodzinski centering the first line. He's a real pro, just not good enough for NHL. I agree he helps Gettinger. And I don't even mind Fritz centering third line. Maybe he could help younger forwards. But I don't think these other prospects are playing with him. Rueschhoff also was very effective last year on PP2 but I don't think he is getting any PP time this year. He'll be 25 on his next birthday so if he has any chance, and maybe he doesn't, he needs to show it soon playing with some better players.

As gravey9 said, it's a long season and as injuries happen hopefully those guys get a bigger role.

In the meantime, the team is playing very well with much better players than last year, particularly on defense.

I don't disagree with NYR2k2 or Ranger Ric. That said, a big difference between this year's Pack team compared to the last few is the depth. We're pretty deep in all positions. And it's meant some players aren't getting quite enough opportunity to show what they can do. Guys like Reuschoff, Richards and Khodorenko have all had diminished roles. Richards has been fine for the AHL this year. He's been playing on a bottom 6 line with Labrie and I can't recall who else -- Whelan? DeGacinto? I can't recall right now. But, Richards is also on the PK as well. He's playing a simple game down there. He's not really playing with anyone that you'd consider a big time AHL scoring threat. And on his own, he doesn't create a ton of offense. He plays decent defensively. Pretty decent on faceoffs. Knows where to be and occasionally finds himself with an offensive opportunity, but not as often as you'd want in an AHL player who still has an NHL future.

Ultimately, I think while you could say he's been a bit underwhelming or fairly invisible, but it's due in part to the position he is playing on the team. A lot has to do with greatly increased forward depth.

Guys like Greco, Fritz and Brodzinski (and McKegg when he's there) -- AHL vets -- are getting substantial roles. These are guys that are helping some kids develop (the ones who are getting bigger roles like Barron, Jones, Schneider, Robertson, Skinner, Pujaniemi, Gettinger). But it also means our 2nd and 3rd tier prospects that still are young enough to have a shot at the NHL are getting far less opportunity. Guys like Richards, Khodorenko, Reuschoff. Its a tradeoff. The hope is, with this being a full regular season, there will be enough opportunities to go around for everyone eventually.

But overall the team is playing a very effective game.

I also just want to say that I missed tonight's game as I was watching the big club. But nice to see the Pack pull out another win.

 

[gravey9]

Almost always agree with nyr2k2 and gravey9 and this thread is no different.

My only concern is the tradeoff issue that gravey9 raised. It's a fair point.

But I would fall a little more heavily on development of my younger players. I have no problem with how the defense has been deployed and hopefully Huska gets a more equal share of the net with Kinkaid. But I do have concerns the extensive time given to Greco and Labre. Barron and Pajuniemi are playing with Ronning so those vets are not helping our top two forward prospects. I'm fine with Brodzinski centering the first line. He's a real pro, just not good enough for NHL. I agree he helps Gettinger. And I don't even mind Fritz centering third line. Maybe he could help younger forwards. But I don't think these other prospects are playing with him. Rueschhoff also was very effective last year on PP2 but I don't think he is getting any PP time this year. He'll be 25 on his next birthday so if he has any chance, and maybe he doesn't, he needs to show it soon playing with some better players.

As gravey9 said, it's a long season and as injuries happen hopefully those guys get a bigger role.

In the meantime, the team is playing very well with much better players than last year, particularly on defense.

Couldn't agree more. Reuschoff and Richards are the two players I'd like to see get more time as we go. It's not so much about TOI but playing in important situations and having legit responsibilities.

But all in all, I mean, if the team is legit developing 2 or 3 forwards who could come up in the next year or so and 4 D and 1-2 goalies -- that's actually a lot of players that could fill roles at the next level. More than I can remember in recent memory coming from our AHL squad, so I think it's hard to complain. It really is. But it's certainly something to keep an eye on.

Just think, next year the team will be adding Cuylle and possibly Garand if we can get him signed soon. Maybe Edstrom?

 

[Levitate]

I'm probably off base but does Jones remind anyone else a bit of DeAngelo with how he handles and moves with the puck?