Isles Prospect Talk 2020-21 Pt. II

[SI90]

Can't complain about him being the 11th pick, I would have picked Dobson at 11th. The late goal should give him confidence. He wanted to be a difference maker tonight. @PWJunior would be proud. We may finally start seeing him live up to his promise. I always said once he got it, there would be no turning back. Wally is a pure shooter, he's found a spot on the PP. I am not entirely happy with his 200 ft game this season, but he is one of only a few Isles that is a natural scorer. That gives him value. On the Holmstrom front, I hope he has turned the corner. I was not happy the Isles passed on Tomasino and McMichael for him. You had Tomasino as our pick. Hope he proves me wrong there.

I wanted Tomasino and wasn’t as high on McMicheal. In hindsight I think McMicheal would have been a great fit for us.

 

[SI90]

Haha. I wrote about McMichael not knowing you did above my post. I still don't know how the Isles scouts did not pick him? Maybe the London scout was sleeping that year?

Tomasino or McMicheal were staring us in the face. You never know what teams draft boards look like but there were many who had Holmstrom going mid second. I don’t ever mind taking chances on guys if you have a strong feeling but I felt that we really needed a good center prospect + they were BPA.

 

[seafoam]

Holmstrom has points in his last 3 games and 6 shots combined.

 

[xECK29x]

+ = on IR or just hurt

PLAYER	POS	ACQUIRED	HFB RANK	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM	+/-
Noah Dobson	D	2018 round 1 #12	1	New York Islanders	18	1	5	6	4	0
Oliver Wahlstrom	RW/LW	2018 round 1 #11	2	New York Islanders	20	7	0	7	29	-3
Samuel Bolduc	D	2019 round 2 #57	3	Bridgeport Islanders	16	0	0	0	8	-5
Aatu Raty	C	2021 round 2 #52	4	Oulun Karpat	6	0	1	1	2	1
				* Jukurit	9	6	5	11	4	8
				Finland U20 (all)	11	7	13	20	4	1
Robin Salo	D	2017 round 2 #46	5	* Bridgeport Islanders	14	2	6	8	0	-1
				New York Islanders	4	0	0	0	0	-4
Bode Wilde	D	2018 round 2 #41	6	Vasterviks IK	17	1	5	6	2	-2
Simon Holmstrom	RW/LW	2019 round 1 #23	7	Bridgeport Islanders	22	4	10	14	0	1
Kieffer Bellows	LW	2016 round 1 #19	8	New York Islanders	7	0	1	1	2	1
William Dufour	RW	2020 round 5 #152	9	Saint John Sea Dogs	26	20	24	44	18	20
				Canada U20
+ Ruslan Iskhakov	C/RW	2018 round 2 #43	10	Adler Mannheim	1	0	0	0	0	1
Sebastian Aho	D	2017 round 5 #139	11	New York Islanders	9	0	2	2	0	-4
Anatoli Golyshev	LW/RW	2016 round 4 #95	12	Bridgeport Islanders	15	5	2	7	10	-1
? - Alex Jefferies	LW	2019 round 4 #121	13	Merrimack College	12	3	4	7	6	0
Reece Newkirk	C	2019 round 5 #147	13	Bridgeport Islanders	12	0	1	1	10	-3
Otto Koivula	C/LW	2016 round 4 #120	14	Bridgeport Islanders	17	3	12	15	4	2
				* New York Islanders	2	0	1	1	0	0
Grant Hutton	D	FA	15	* Bridgeport Islanders	11	2	0	2	4	-4
				New York Islanders	5	0	0	0	0	0
Alexander Ljungkrantz	LW	2020 round 3 #90	19	Brynas IF	5	0	0	0	0	-2
				Brynas IF J20	16	2	7	9	2	-4
				* HC Vita Hasten	4	2	0	2	0	-1
				Sweden U20 (all)	8	1	1	2	0	-2
Matias Rajaniemi	D	2020 round 6 #183	20	* Lehden Pelicans	27	0	3	3	10	2
				Finland U20 (all)	8	0	2	2	2	0
Collin Adams	LW/C	2016 round 6 #170	HM1	Worcester Railers	8	1	3	4	0	-3
				* Bridgeport Islanders	5	1	0	1	2	-3
Cameron Berg	C	2021 round 4 #125	HM2	Univ. of Nebraska Omaha	15	6	4	10	2	3
Blade Jenkins	LW/C	2018 round 5 #134	HM3	Bridgeport Islanders	21	5	3	8	0	-5
Arnaud Durandeau	LW	2017 round 6 #165	HM4	Bridgeport Islanders	21	4	8	12	18	-5
Aleksi Malinen	D	2021 round 6 #189	HM5	JYP	3	0	0	0	0	-3
				* JYP U20	17	2	9	11	6	5
				Finland U20 (all)	5	1	0	1	2	0
Eetu Liukas	LW	2021 round 5 #157		* TPS	17	2	0	2	12	-2
				TPS U20	12	10	10	20	14	5
				Finland U20 (all)	10	1	0	1	14	-1
Ben Mirageas	D	2017 round 3 #77		Providence College	12	1	0	1	6	-2
Christian Krygier	D	2018 round 7 #196		Michigan State Univ.	16	1	5	6	22	-1
+ Jacob Pivonka	C	2018 round 4 #103		Univ. of Notre Dame	0	0	0	0	0	0
Tomas Machu	D	2021 round 7 #221		HC Vitkovice	10	0	0	0	2	-5
				* HC Vitkovice U20	12	4	5	9	10	4
				Draci Sumperk	5	0	5	5	2	1
				Dukla Jihlava	1	0	0	0	0	1
				Czechia U20	2	0	1	1	0	0
Logan Cockerill	LW	2017 round 7 #201		Boston Univ.	15	1	2	3	2	-5
GOALIES					GP	GAA	SV%	SO	W-L-T
Tristan Lennox	G	2021 round 3 #93	17	Saginaw Spirit	10	2.54	.895	0	4-5-0
Jakub Skarek	G	2018 round 3 #72	17	Bridgeport Islanders	13	3.07	.898	1	5-5-3
Henrik Tikkanen	G	2020 round 7 #214		Kalpa	2	4.95	.765	0	0-2-0
				* MoDo Hockey	11	2.61	.904	1	8-2-0

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I would love to see what Dufour can do at the AHL level this year. His emergence was a shot in to the arms of the prospects board.

I like the Elite prospects scouting report of him. Sounds similar to Zach Hyman's game. If so, like.

He pressures opponents, wins the puck, and then skates it up to the offensive zone to focus his attention on the goalie. When the puck touches his stick in the offensive zone, its next stop is the net and quite often the back of it. Dufour surprises goalies by aiming low. Plus, his blade remains closed until the moment of the release, hiding his intended placement. -EliteProspects 2020 NHL Draft Guide

https://www.eliteprospects.com/2020draftguide

 

[seafoam]

I would love to see what Dufour can do at the AHL level this year. His emergence was a shot in to the arms of the prospects board.

I like the Elite prospects scouting report of him. Sounds similar to Zach Hyman's game. If so, like.

He has more scoring touch in his left nut than Hyman has in his whole body and I think Hyman is a great player.

He sounds like he has everything the Islanders are trying to teach Wahlstrom to do.

 

[mm11]

He has more scoring touch in his left nut than Hyman has in his whole body and I think Hyman is a great player.

He sounds like he has everything the Islanders are trying to teach Wahlstrom to do.

Guys coming from the QMJHL are wildcards. This guy kid Dufour could be ok or not. 20 goal guy maybe?

 

[The Winter Soldier]

He has more scoring touch in his left nut than Hyman has in his whole body and I think Hyman is a great player.

He sounds like he has everything the Islanders are trying to teach Wahlstrom to do.

Dufour is a 5th rd pick, we should temper our expectations. I mean if he turns into a Hyman, I think the fanbase would be ecstatic. Hyman has more skill than many will admit. I posted a goal he scored going around Letang, and firing the puck across his body to the cookie jar on Jarry the other night. If Dufour can do this, sign me up.

 

[The Real JT]

Dufour is a 5th rd pick, we should temper our expectations. I mean if he turns into a Hyman, I think the fanbase would be ecstatic. Hyman has more skill than many will admit. I posted a goal he scored going around Letang, and firing the puck across his body to the cookie jar on Jarry the other night. If Dufour can do this, sign me up.

Great post. I’ve seen many of his highlights and I’m very excited about his potential.

So far, this season has sucked beyond belief so I understand the need for optimism but let’s pump the brakes a little.

 

[MJF]

Guys coming from the QMJHL are wildcards. This guy kid Dufour could be ok or not. 20 goal guy maybe?

IIRC, the Q is not known for playing defense. Still a run & gun league.

 

[Tahoeblue]

Forgive me if this has already been answered- Is Iskhakov injured? What's the prognosis?

THANKS

 

[xECK29x]

Forgive me if this has already been answered- Is Iskhakov injured? What's the prognosis?

THANKS

Ankle injury, was supposed to only miss a few games but clearly it's either worse then it initially looked or he re-injured it.

 

[Strait2thecup]

IIRC, the Q is not known for playing defense. Still a run & gun league.

I’d also imagine someone with his build has a huge advantage in junior. I’ve only seen highlights of him really but he seems like he moves very well for a big guy. Think he’ll be a sure fire nhl player. No idea what role he’ll end up playing

 

[Tahoeblue]

Ankle injury, was supposed to only miss a few games but clearly it's either worse then it initially looked or he re-injured it.

Many thanks

 

[saintunspecified]

Dufour is a 5th rd pick, we should temper our expectations. I mean if he turns into a Hyman, I think the fanbase would be ecstatic. Hyman has more skill than many will admit. I posted a goal he scored going around Letang, and firing the puck across his body to the cookie jar on Jarry the other night. If Dufour can do this, sign me up.

Hyman's development was unusual. Dude went to Yeshiva (Jewish religious high school) + didn't play major junior. If he had a conventional junior career, he'd likely have been a 1st or 2nd round pick.

I find it really really difficult to read a big player's mobility + awareness in junior. But if he's got decent mobility & hockey sense, his size, shot, and ability to use his body to protect the puck will make him an NHLer.

 

[Beacon Isles]

 

[AppalachianFinn13]

Another 2 assists for Aatu

 

[Taswell]

Ah Petrov flashbacks.

 

[SI90]

Raty made Team Finland for the world juniors.

I’m shocked that Rajaniemi didn’t make it on defense as a returnee. Last tournament he didn’t put up points but I thought he was really good defensively.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Yep, can't blame him. Expected this.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Hyman's development was unusual. Dude went to Yeshiva (Jewish religious high school) + didn't play major junior. If he had a conventional junior career, he'd likely have been a 1st or 2nd round pick.

I find it really really difficult to read a big player's mobility + awareness in junior. But if he's got decent mobility & hockey sense, his size, shot, and ability to use his body to protect the puck will make him an NHLer.

Some players develop later. I know for Hyman, he was Larkin's winger in Michigan when he broke out. I think Babcock had a liking for him. Always was one of his favourites when he was Coaching him. Another Babcock favourite was Connor Brown. He may be trade bait this year. It's always nice to have a mid rd or later rd pick surprise you. From my limited viewings, mostly highlights, he looks like a Hyman slider. If this is the case, I will be pleased.

 

[scott99]

Some players develop later. I know for Hyman, he was Larkin's winger in Michigan when he broke out. I think Babcock had a liking for him. Always was one of his favourites when he was Coaching him. Another Babcock favourite was Connor Brown. He may be trade bait this year. It's always nice to have a mid rd or later rd pick surprise you. From my limited viewings, mostly highlights, he looks like a Hyman slider. If this is the case, I will be pleased.

One player that developed into a decent NHLer, we actually got him in the Grabner trade, never gave him a chance, and somehow he survived the Thompson stench down in Bridgeport, is Carter Vergaeghe. True late bloomer who just needed a chance. 56 points in his last 68 NHL games.

 

[danteipp]

One player that developed into a decent NHLer, we actually got him in the Grabner trade, never gave him a chance, and somehow he survived the Thompson stench down in Bridgeport, is Carter Vergaeghe. True late bloomer who just needed a chance. 56 points in his last 68 NHL games.

Ugh, that was a complete F'up by the prior regime. Salary dump of Grabner for five prospects (when we were scratching the walls for pennies), with the Isles "talent evaluators" valuing slugs like Beck, Finn and C Gibson more than Carter Verhaeghe.

I saw him a few times with the BST and thought, hey this guy can skate and has some offensive upside.

Now, don't get me wrong, I thought he topped out as a solid fourth liner and occasional third liner, and he probably would have fit in fantastically alongside Cizikas, but apparently that is still better than the sh!t regime's evaluation and development.

Of course, who am I to throw stones, I thought Tyson Jost would be a star in the NHL and Travis St. Denis could be a serviceable depth player (despite the size issues, that second AHL season was fire), lol.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Let's be VERY honest about Verhaeghe...

He was a rookie pro with our organization and spent parts of two seasons here split between the AHL and ECHL.

He started coming along real nicely in his second season here - under Thompson's tutelage (29 points in 45 games after 32 points in 16 ECHL games).

Then Snow traded him. For a 3rd string goalie. At the time, we had nothing halfway legitimate behind the goalies who were already on the island.

We also already had a boatload of prospects.

That this third stringer ended up meaning nothing for us and many of those other prospects faded away while Verhaeghe has now, 4-5 seasons later, become an effective NHLer, is bitter, but our organization didn't stunt his development nor did it trade an obvious "future NHLer".

It moved a minor asset for another minor asset.

For my part, I was a bit perturbed with the move. I had seen Verhaeghe at the U18 tourney in Sochi in his draft year and liked his all-round game at that tournament a lot. He had good size and skating, and showed a workable level of wherewithal. He also seemed to be coming along nicely and I was kind of hoping we'd keep progressing with him and see what he's got as a long-term lower line option.

 

[TMI]

I see Dufour didn't make team Canada for the WJC.. Surprising.