John McFarland
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JonathanK
McOptimistic
He doesn't seem to be the most motivated player, but I believe that is a little bit of an overreaction as far as attitude goes.
It doesn't sound like the kind of 17y/o that Hockey Canada would invite to try-out for the U20 World Junior team, then again Hockey Canada did invite Esposito at 16. Now I am not saying Esposito had attitude problems, but I believe he did have work ethic issues.
Saw that too, that's saying A LOT. I knew Schremp in his junior years and his attitude was so extremely arrogant sometimes that it made you just want to see this guy fail.
i figure
kids mature with age, its a proven fact
we saw with esposito that there was some reason team Canada kept cutting him
however
whatever he did last year caught the eye of team canada and he made the team
with mcfarland
i figure
he'll finish the season strong
get drafted when he gets drafted (him at 21 would be a steal IMO)
then go back to junior
play very well
make the junior team
end of story
kids mature with age, its a proven fact
we saw with esposito that there was some reason team Canada kept cutting him
however
whatever he did last year caught the eye of team canada and he made the team
with mcfarland
i figure
he'll finish the season strong
get drafted when he gets drafted (him at 21 would be a steal IMO)
then go back to junior
play very well
make the junior team
end of story
shortcat1
Registered User
Hmmm... I wonder how old he is?
Might he not mature? Might he not be guided to become a better player under a coach who knows how to develop players like him?
I'd like to think so.
I'll say this, he looked good at the last tourney he played in ('09 u-18??). His jr team is bereft of offensive talent. Could be the poor supporting cast. He might be a complimentary player vs. a DIY player. Hard to say w/o watching Sudbury games myself. He could be a good sleeper.
Blind Gardien
nexus of the crisis
He and Hishon stood out at last year's U18, I thought. I don't watch Sudbury enough this year, so I don't have any impression on work ethic or consistency issues this year. But in the U18 he looked like the top-10 talent he was pegged to be. It might not be the first time some relatively harmless "maturity issues" were inflated into outright knocks on attitude and commitment. I don't know. Being on Team Canada and in the selection camp with Hockey Canada do tend to speak more to me as comments in support of him than general hearsay against him does.
i remember posting i coached against this kid and said he had attitude problems...i was ripped on. It is true has has some issues. crapload of talent though...the type of kid that seems miserable in his own skin.....i hope he pulls out of it.
RangerRed
Registered User
If even half of what one hears about his presence in the Sudbury dressing room is true, then it wouldn't surprise me in the least if the slide continued. There was a rumour that the Wolves were considering trading him before the deadline (obviously that didn't go down) but he's definitely taken a header off the high dive since he got into the OHL.
- Aug 2, 2005
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What is being said ? Any Source ?
I am just curious what is being said out there ...
(I'm the article writer)
According to a season ticketholder I know who has billeted in the past, a lot of the issues stem from McFarland's father. He still treats his son like it's minor hockey- nothing's his fault, he needs to play more, etc. etc. I've heard the same from others who attend many Wolves games. He's something of a fixture in the rink.
In turn, John has gotten a bit of a big head and has carried that both onto the ice and into the dressing room. The stuff on ice is pretty clear: he doesn't push himself to get to loose pucks, doesn't battle for position unless an opportunity is right there. Apparently it's much worse behind closed doors and his treatment of teammates leaves a lot to be desired.
I can't speak to what the team's plans were for the deadline but it would not surprise me.
RangerRed
Registered User
Most of what I get is what I hear from talking to pro scouts at games. Where they get it from, my guess would be talking to their prospects who actually have to share a dressing room with McFarland. The "treatment" of his teammates is fairly well known. There are many who think McFarland wasn't too happy being drafted by Sudbury in the first place.
School suspensions things like that. Most of what Mr.Bugg just said cocky attitude beyond belief and a high personal opinion of himself like things need to be handed to him and he deserves the best.
CharlieGirl
Thank you Mr. Snider
Wow, that's disappointing. Older brother Paul was a terrific kid, nowhere near as talented, but worked his behind off every single shift. He was well liked by his teammates, had a lot of friends at school, and was as down to earth as it gets. It's unfortunate that John didn't get that attitude, or that Paul didn't get John's talent. Put them together and you'd have an outstanding player.
I've seen him play a few times in the OHL and the kid has no will to battle by the looks of things. I watched him in London and he was next to invisible. He had a skate issue early in the game but came back and had one rush that showed he had talent but other then that everyone else was doing his dirty work in the corners.
The kid has a brutal +/-. It's a tough stat to judge but the kid doesn't want to play defense by the looks of things.
He could very well end maturing over the summer and being a great pick up for a team 12-25. It maybe humbling for him to see himself drafted 22nd overall instead of the top 5 which his potentional suggestest.
The kid has a brutal +/-. It's a tough stat to judge but the kid doesn't want to play defense by the looks of things.
He could very well end maturing over the summer and being a great pick up for a team 12-25. It maybe humbling for him to see himself drafted 22nd overall instead of the top 5 which his potentional suggestest.
RangerRed
Registered User
It was McFarland who sought special exemption from the OHL as a 15 year old and was denied.
Here's part of my problem with McFarland. He's just short of dreadful in Sudbury then he plays for Canada and looks like a superstar. So, I'm tempted to attribute a few of McFarland's deficiencies to playing with a lacklustre Wolves team. Perhaps it's the scientist in me that wants to change the environment at the OHL level to see how the variable reacts.
Here's part of my problem with McFarland. He's just short of dreadful in Sudbury then he plays for Canada and looks like a superstar. So, I'm tempted to attribute a few of McFarland's deficiencies to playing with a lacklustre Wolves team. Perhaps it's the scientist in me that wants to change the environment at the OHL level to see how the variable reacts.
He could, but it would seem unlikely. Schremp didn't mature after being drafted 25th overall. Esposito hasn't matured since being drafted 20th overall and it seems that Schroeder has regressed since being drafted 22nd overall. Luckily they are all pretty young and can still turn things around.
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