I know you’re probably a filthy Kraken fan, but will you still be following Lambert as he embarks on his pro career? You’ve been a fun poster to have in the fold the past little while.12 prospects to watch, nice profile on Big Bad.
12 prospects to watch at the Memorial Cup
The 2023 Memorial Cup begins Friday as the CHL's league champions converge in Kamloops, B.C., to battle it out for junior hockey supremacy.From a numbers perspective, the Memorial Cup may be the hardest trophy to win in hockey. Sixty CHL teams are down to four: host Kamloops Blazers, QMJHL's...www.thescore.com
Prospect Info: Jets Prospects
- Thread starter Hunter368
- Start date
-
Xenforo Cloud will be upgrading us to version 2.3.5 on March 3rd at 12 AM GMT. This version has increased stability and fixes several bugs. We expect downtime for the duration of the update. The admin team will continue to work on existing issues, templates and upgrade all necessary available addons to minimize impact of this new version. Click Here for Updates
superdeluxe
NAFO
Dude, great thing about junior, once your fam, your always fam. It’s why I’m torn in pulling for the Knights, but they got not just one bird, but two birds on the team. I mean your conference has pretty much all the birds. Schaefer and Prokop in Nashville, Dach, Korchinski and Allan in Chicago and Geunther in Arizona.
Also you got my captain, Bauer there!
So yeah, I’ll always be around
It's not reasonable to expect most to completely remake their games. All prospects have to alter a bit and learn to improve weaknesses but the best players tend not to play all that different then how they played in lower leagues.
I think if you play that north south game the org likes they leave you alone (Scheifele, Conner) but if you have some east west in you they spend a lot of time trying to correct it see Laine and Ehlers.
JoMo likely is Heinolad if he doesn't morph into a suppression dmen as per his coaches words they didn't have an opening for an offensive dmen. He'd likely have to wait an additional 2 years before our offensive guys leave.
It actuay is pretty incredible that he was able to get his offensive Flair back. It also brings up the possibility that we wasted a bunch of his prime. Can you imagine if we had Norrissey in 2018 or even 2019?
This org needs to stop trying to cookie cutter prospects and let them be themselves (within reason) and make room for them. That is what the best teams do.
As for Wheeler I'm not sure what to make of him. He seems to have his young guys he likes like Conner and Perfetti and those he doesn't like Laine.
Thechozen1
Registered User
- Sep 8, 2021
- 2,964
- 4,337
He sounds an awful lot like Ehlers. The way he chooses his words carefully while still attempting to give a genuine response to the questions. Very personable!
I thought this kid (and Rutger) had grade A interviews at the draft. I was pretty iffy on them at first but how they composed themselves and handled questions was great to see.
Lambert seems like a level-headed guy who knows the dedication needed to get to that next level.
None
Registered User
- Feb 22, 2012
- 12,001
- 17,905
Of course, players need to find what works against the best players in the world. In my opinion you need to let players with a risky style of play play their game. They need to learn what works; that risk can't go away because that's part of their game and likely played a large part in why they were drafted. The best players in the world take a lot of risks and come out ahead, you can't eliminate that from their game.
Trouba and Morrissey would've gotten far more talk about being the best pair in the league. There was a murmur of it but it didn't really get much traction. Maurice might've also released the reins on the defensemen and let them actually participate past the top of the circles in the offensive zone (after Trouba left).
Agreed, you can't learn until try and make mistakes.
- Jun 10, 2014
- 59,804
- 33,189
Either that or stop drafting players they don't actually like.
None
Registered User
- Feb 22, 2012
- 12,001
- 17,905
superdeluxe
NAFO
That's how you end up with the Boston Bruins 2015 1st round
Bruins draft thread was epic. Everyone was so excited about all these guys that were falling to them (Barzal here) and it was a crap show lol
None
Registered User
- Feb 22, 2012
- 12,001
- 17,905
It was one of the funniest moments ever. After Zboril and Debrusk went they were absolutely sure that they were going to draft Barzal or Connor with the 3rd pick
The Senyshyn pick wasn't even the peak of the anger and confusion, it was Barzal and Connor going immediately after that really set them off.
You do that and you get into situations where you take Virtanen/Ritchie over Ehlers. I'm glad the org recognizes it's best to go with the player with the most talent/upside.
- Jun 10, 2014
- 59,804
- 33,189
Sure - but don't draft the player with talent that you will refuse to use.
It would be better if they did as you said and use the players' talents instead of trying to change them. But if they can't or won't do that then draft the most talented players they will actually use.
No one should ever have taken Virtanen over Ehlers, regardless of drafting philosophy. Ritchie was taken after Ehlers - but before Fiala. Ritchie should have been taken before Virtanen too.
I don't think that drafting a type of player who will fit your style of play is the same as just making poor choices at the draft. More like Ehlers is very talented but too East/West for us. Lets take Dylan Larkin instead.
Sure - but don't draft the player with talent that you will refuse to use.
It would be better if they did as you said and use the players' talents instead of trying to change them. But if they can't or won't do that then draft the most talented players they will actually use.
No one should ever have taken Virtanen over Ehlers, regardless of drafting philosophy. Ritchie was taken after Ehlers - but before Fiala. Ritchie should have been taken before Virtanen too.
I don't think that drafting a type of player who will fit your style of play is the same as just making poor choices at the draft. More like Ehlers is very talented but too East/West for us. Lets take Dylan Larkin instead.
Fair points and definitely a different way of approaching the draft. They do seem to have a type of forward they like and it's cerebral high hockey IQ types. They seem to go that way when they are able. They also prefer dmen with size and grit.
I'm actually curious if we see a shift in development/deployment with this new coaching staff. Too soon to say but they have certainly given our dmen the green light to jump up and take risks. That theoretically should be a good thing for Heinola and Chisholm and their respective games.
Perfetti was integrating nicely and allowed to largely do his thing offensively but he fits the hockey sense template the org loves so hard to say if anything different here.
Snerg and Barron also developed nicely but play styled the org has traditionally valued.
I think next year will explain a lot on how this coaching staff will integrate as the players we have chomping at the bit are not player types this org has traditionally integrated well.
Which players are they refusing to use?Sure - but don't draft the player with talent that you will refuse to use.
It would be better if they did as you said and use the players' talents instead of trying to change them. But if they can't or won't do that then draft the most talented players they will actually use.
No one should ever have taken Virtanen over Ehlers, regardless of drafting philosophy. Ritchie was taken after Ehlers - but before Fiala. Ritchie should have been taken before Virtanen too.
I don't think that drafting a type of player who will fit your style of play is the same as just making poor choices at the draft. More like Ehlers is very talented but too East/West for us. Lets take Dylan Larkin instead.
superdeluxe
NAFO
- Jul 4, 2013
- 3,910
- 5,521
Another thing I thought I would never say: “I would give anything to be in Kamloops”
superdeluxe
NAFO
We were going to drive up, but they only had standing only seats. And well, I’m not in my 20s anymore and we have kids.
- Jun 10, 2014
- 59,804
- 33,189
There are cognitive disconnects with Jets.
They draft high HIQ forwards and then demand that they first succeed in a checking role before they can be given a chance to utilize that HIQ (which is usually about creative offense).
They seem to prefer Dmen with size and grit and yet we have 4 smaller, less gritty, offense first Dmen in our top 6. Meanwhile a big, gritty, defense first Dman like Kovacevic gets waived without ever getting much chance in the NHL, apparently because he didn't score enough. I say that because he skates well and defends well and is both big and physical, so what's left?
Actually, I just checked and he scored almost a half point per game his last 2 seasons in the AHL so even his scoring was not that bad and he had 15 pts in 77 games as a rookie for Habs. WTF?
Jets need to either make their team match their prospect pool or make their prospect pool match their team. They keep trying to fit square pegs into round holes and vice versa.
I am not saying abandon BPA at the draft. I am saying modify what you value at the draft to match what you value in the NHL or modify what you value in the NHL to match what you have been drafting. Pick one.
- Jun 10, 2014
- 59,804
- 33,189
Kovacevic is the first, most recent to come to mind. Harkins can probably succeed in the NHL on a scoring line, but not on a checking line. Just quickly, off the top of my head.
It isn't about refusing to use them though. It is about insisting that they become different players in order to get used. Morrissey did that successfully. Others cannot. Again, I'll use Harkins as an example.
I think they would have liked to keep Kovy but decided on Capo over him. Maybe a mistake but I thought Capo proved to be a very serviceable 7/8 defenceman. Harkins is a classic AHL NHL tweener. He had his looks but the organization decided on other tweeners over him. Most players have to adapt their games to carve out careers. Most don’t have the elite skills in any one area to specialize. And IMO at least Harkins has no where the offensive touch or instincts to be an offence first guy in the NHL.
- Jun 10, 2014
- 59,804
- 33,189
I think they should have been integrating Kovy 2 years ago instead of acquiring Schmidt. Then Capo wouldn't be in the same conversation. Nothing against either Schmidt (except Schmidt's 6 mil cap hit) or Capo.
Harkins performed at a top 6 level when played with skilled linemates. He is a tweener because Jets decided he was a tweener. He passed through waivers because his record said that he was a tweener.
They have to adapt their games to the NHL level. They don't usually have to become totally different players. That has happened sometimes in the past when players had to become enforcers to make the team. And certainly a lot of bottom 6 players have changed to one degree or another. But it shouldn't be something that all non-elite players have to do.
Maybe Harkins is one of those players who belongs as a career AHL player who is just that little bit short of making it in the NHL. I always see more in him than Jets are using. We really needed someone to step in to the top 6 this year and everyone except Harkins was given a shot, and I mean everyone. I think he was the only one who had shown the potential to succeed there. JMO.
gojetsgo
Registered User
- Nov 1, 2015
- 11,853
- 34,389
and that would only last for a game or two then it faded, he got plenty of opportunities to play, it's not on the jets it's on him
Maukkis
EZ4ENCE
- Mar 16, 2016
- 10,721
- 7,597
I really wonder why the organisation doesn't just leave the draft after the first round. They haven't bothered to give fair, proper chances to basically any non-first round prospects in years. Either that, or then they have set them up for failure and written off. Yes, Niku and Vesalainen.
Between 2016 and 2022, nearly everything the Jets have touched has turned into hot, steaming shit. Just look at this:
2016: Laine wanted out, Stanley wants out. Berdin looked good for a while, but that wasn't to be. The problem here wasn't necessarily the team's refusal to play the guys we chose, but the alternatives are not great either.
2017: I think Vesalainen pissed the Jets off by not sticking with the Moose in 18-19, which was promptly rewarded by a mixture of AHL stints and playing 5 minutes a night with the Jets until enough people were thoroughly fed up with the situation. Would you look at that, it didn't work! Samberg looks fine, and Kovacevic was wasted and lost for free. Gawanke, quite rightfully, got fed up with the AHL and left. Nothing wrong with Dylan's game, but Gawanke's exit interview might be the best thing to come out of this fiasco.
2018: Chisholm is well on his way to becoming the next Gawanke. What more do they want to see from him at this point? Gustafsson is basically Vesalainen, but at least the org doesn't seem to actively hate him. Smith... well, it's good that Giese's expertise of finding "first-round talent" in the third round is being put into good use elsewhere. This was supposed to be a light draft for us anyway with our late picks, but still - can't waste the few shots you have.
2019: to this day, I regularly laugh at the f***ing press conference Chevy held at the 2021 trade deadline, where he stated his excitement for Heinola's play in the AHL and how he would love to see that in the show. He said this just months before acquiring and paying assets for Dillon and Schmidt, effectively blocking Heinola out of the lineup for two full seasons. The next season will be the third one. If I was Heinola's agent, I'd fire myself before he did it.
2020: Perfetti did the right thing and got drafted in the top 10, so he's safe. The only 1st rounder to really be mismanaged by the Jets has been Vesalainen, so at least some players have hope here.
2021/22: not much to say about these drafts yet. But in the interest of clarity, I felt sick when I got the notification for the Lambert pick. I desperately don't want any more of my countrymen to waste what is essentially their only shot at a NHL career here. It's not easy anywhere, but the track record the Jets have with them is depressing. Don't pick guys who you clearly don't like having.
If you've been keeping count, we have all of three regular players in the roster from these seven drafts, none of which play in a key role. The 2016-18 guys are at the age where they're lighting the league on fire, whereas we have sweet nothing. This team used to draft well, and we've had great finds from later rounds too - simply all of that magic is gone.
We're months away from losing most of the old core, and we have a severe systematic problem with how we develop our talent. If we can't attract talent from the outside or can't keep the players we already have, while refusing to give any of our prospects a fair shake in the NHL, who the f*** is going to play here?
Last edited:
gojetsgo
Registered User
- Nov 1, 2015
- 11,853
- 34,389
how was vesalainen mismanaged? maybe they wanted gawanke to show he can play in his own zone, which he didn't... other then kovacevic majority of our prospects did get chances to play and those who showed they can play are playing, perfetti is only safe because he was drafted in the top 10? or was it because he showed he could actually play...
Last edited:
