Jon Merrill Signed, To Play In Albany

[Devils Dominion]

That's nothing, isn't Peter Vrana still up there?

He hasn't played for us in 4 or 5 years.

I don't think so, but I'll check next game.

Our European scouts should get pink slips IMO.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

our Euro scouts are definitely behind our NA guys at this point. We do have Elias though

 

[Devils Dominion]

our Euro scouts are definitely behind our NA guys at this point. We do have Elias though

Who was drafted 19 years ago.

Let's look at the last 10 seasons of Euro draft picks, brutally bad.

 

[JMarce]

damn, no more games @ the Sound Tigers this year for Albany. Would have been awesome to see Merrill this year along with Gelinas, Urbom and Burlon.

 

[apice3*]

Who would you ugys have preferred to draft instead of Josefson?

Over the following 30 picks, the most notable names after JJ (19) are Johanssen (24) K Palmieri (26), Ryan OReilly (33), Silfverberg (39) and that's really it. That leaves 26 of the next 30 players being "meh" at best.

Hindsight is 20-20 though. Some of you guys should apply to be scouts for the Devils.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Josefson still has hope to be a top-6 player. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt because he clearly understands the subtleties of the game and can contribute in many ways.

Teddy is ruined beyond repair though. We rushed him and killed his development.

 

[apice3*]

I don't think we rushed Tedenby at all. I think he could have made his NHL debut this season and still sucked.

He's too small for what he does.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Who would you ugys have preferred to draft instead of Josefson?

Over the following 30 picks, the most notable names after JJ (19) are Johanssen (24) K Palmieri (26), Ryan OReilly (33), Silfverberg (39) and that's really it. That leaves 26 of the next 30 players being "meh" at best.

Hindsight is 20-20 though. Some of you guys should apply to be scouts for the Devils.

Couldn't do worse last 10 years in Europe

 

[AfroThunder396]

I don't think we rushed Tedenby at all. I think he could have made his NHL debut this season and still sucked.

He's too small for what he does.

Oh come on, we certainly rushed both of them. Our team was awful and we needed skill in the worst way imaginable. Josefson took less damage because he already understood the game and had hockey smarts.

He certainly wouldn't be Loki caliber if he debuted now, but he'd likely be a competent player.

Size isn't the problem. What he lacks is awareness and hockey sense.

 

[Saugus]

This is always a forgotten aspect of development. Years ago, I was in college and I saw an interview with Jason Arnott where he admitted that he had no idea how to take care of himself in Edmonton. He would eat fast food all the time (meanwhile, I was probably eating another burger as I was watching TV) and wasn't particularly diligent off the ice in working out. That led to him being sluggish. After he got traded, he lived with Scott Stevens and he started eating/training better.

Hopefully there are a few willing mentors down in Albany.

Paging Jay Leach.

If anything Merrill makes Gelinas expendable, not Urbom.

I don't think any of them make either of the other two expendable. They all play different games.

I'm glad Merrill is going pro. Definitely needs to take the next step.

 

[glenwo2]

Oh god no.

No Jay Leach....Please!

 

[New Jack City]

We are going to have a NICE young defensive core in a few years (assuming these players develop as we think)

Larsson, Merrill, Gelinas, Urbom

 

[Zubrus Coffee Maker]

Larsson is already an NHLer and i'm willing to bet that only one of Gelinas, Urbom and Merill will end up being Devils for a long time, whether thats by not developing or being traded. I've starting to move on from my "get excited about prospects" stage. been hurt too many times

 

[Devils Dominion]

Larsson is already an NHLer and i'm willing to bet that only one of Gelinas, Urbom and Merill will end up being Devils for a long time, whether thats by not developing or being traded. I've starting to move on from my "get excited about prospects" stage. been hurt too many times

Larsson needs to get to a few levels higher for such a top pick.
Hopefully he will,he has to for the franchise.

 

[Tretyak 20]

Teddy is ruined beyond repair though. We rushed him and killed his development.

Tedenby isn't ruined. He just isn't an Eastern Conference player. He (like Matt Halischuk) needs to be traded to a Western Conference team ASAP where he can excel.

 

[Classic Devil]

Tedenby isn't ruined. He just isn't an Eastern Conference player. He (like Matt Halischuk) needs to be traded to a Western Conference team ASAP where he can excel.

Halischuk would have been fine staying in the East.

 

[Tretyak 20]

Larsson is already an NHLer and i'm willing to bet that only one of Gelinas, Urbom and Merill will end up being Devils for a long time, whether thats by not developing or being traded. I've starting to move on from my "get excited about prospects" stage. been hurt too many times

Cheer up! I've been watching (and playing) hockey for better than 20 years now, and I really believe all three of the guys you named have a legit shoot at a long and valuable NHL career. Urbom is not the kind of prospect you bet against. He's huge, physical, coachable and extremely mobile for a guy his size. He's basically a sure bet at this point. I would almost guarantee he'll be a 2nd pairing or better D in the NHL for years to come. Merrill is big, mobile, and sees the game in slow motion. He still hasn't proven anything outside the amateur ranks, but he's a pretty good bet to make an impact. Gelinas is the wildcard here. He's reasonably skilled, big, and works hard. I've only watched him in a few junior games, but I feel safe betting he turns into at least a decent 3rd pairing guy.

...and Larsson really is a special prospect. He's still VERY green, but the kid just sees the game in slow-motion. He's this good at age 20, in three or four years, he'll dominate.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

What Tedenby really needs to learn is that just because he's struggle enough to muscle around people in the A, it doesn't mean he can play that game in the NHL. Hopefully someone clues him in, because he has the skating and the puck control to open up space wherever he wants, he just needs to learn what to do with that space instead of trying to make a highlight reel play on every shift.

 

[Devils Dominion]

What Tedenby really needs to learn is that just because he's struggle enough to muscle around people in the A, it doesn't mean he can play that game in the NHL. Hopefully someone clues him in, because he has the skating and the puck control to open up space wherever he wants, he just needs to learn what to do with that space instead of trying to make a highlight reel play on every shift.

Devils coaches should make him watch tape of Carl Hagelin. He can be a clone of him.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Devils coaches should make him watch tape of Carl Hagelin. He can be a clone of him.

That's the thing though, there's SO many smaller skill guys Tedenby should be able to watch and try and model his game after, and he has more than enough skill to emulate every single one of them without losing any "identity" or anything. But he just hasn't. That's what worries me the most. He has the work ethic, he has the talent, he just might not have the IQ.

 

[apice3*]

Larsson needs to get to a few levels higher for such a top pick.
Hopefully he will,he has to for the franchise.

Can you name all the U-20 players in the NHL? There's not many. He's one of them.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Who would you ugys have preferred to draft instead of Josefson?

Over the following 30 picks, the most notable names after JJ (19) are Johanssen (24) K Palmieri (26), Ryan OReilly (33), Silfverberg (39) and that's really it. That leaves 26 of the next 30 players being "meh" at best.

Hindsight is 20-20 though. Some of you guys should apply to be scouts for the Devils.

I wanted josefson really bad. I wasn't aware of him being made of glass though and I think that's the issue here. He hasn't had much development time, alot of hospital time If he can stay healthy and get a year or 2 in albany he'll be fine.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Teddy is ruined beyond repair though. We rushed him and killed his development.

I don't think he was rushed, more that he was treated really bad. Idk there had to be something going on off the ice or something but one little mistake and he'd never see the ice again. Meanwhile, all the other vets make mistakes constantly and never get punished.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Tedenby isn't ruined. He just isn't an Eastern Conference player. He (like Matt Halischuk) needs to be traded to a Western Conference team ASAP where he can excel.

Halischuk and Teddy aren't similar players at all. They're both undersized and good skaters but they play completely different games.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

Who would you ugys have preferred to draft instead of Josefson?

Over the following 30 picks, the most notable names after JJ (19) are Johanssen (24) K Palmieri (26), Ryan OReilly (33), Silfverberg (39) and that's really it. That leaves 26 of the next 30 players being "meh" at best.

Hindsight is 20-20 though. Some of you guys should apply to be scouts for the Devils.

I actually wanted Josefson that year. How bout that Tedenby pick? Good on our scouts eh