LaBate didn't play in Utica until he was 22 in his draft +5 season.
Gadjovich went to Utica's camp as a 19 year old in his draft +2 and is still only 20...
A 24 year old LaBate put up an identical season statistically to Gadjovich's disappointing rookie pro season. Give Gadjovich another 3 years and you're comparing him on equal footing to Labate's rookie pro season.
LaBate was a 4th round pick with little chance of getting out of this league. Gadjovich was a 2nd rounder with so called promise. The guy can't skate. There were players on the Division III Utica College Pioneers who skated better than him. He should have been miles beyond LaBate. This hurry up and wait BULL is just that. All reports from camp are his skating is just like it was at last year's camp. Many prospects who came here and failed were better skaters. He better **** and do it quick or he's a goodbye.
I hope he finds his game because I hate watching these kids fizzle out, but I know as well as you that most of them will. Out of last season's trio I rate the chances with:
#1 Jasek
#2 Lind
#3 Gadjovich
That's already all that's left from last season's crop of top rookie prospect wingers.
If MacEwen doesn't pick it up several notches, he will be on his way to becoming a Grenier. This league doesn't take any prisoners. The next crop of kids want your job. The best stroke of luck for the kids sent here is that there usually aren't a number of kids sent here every season. 7 rounds every season should see a steady arrival of new prospects every year. No new forwards at all this year and no centers for some time now. Rookies coming in on D, but no vets signed to keep them out of the lineup. No vets on D in this league is a recipe for disaster.
The age excuse is crap. He played all season as a 20-yr-old and he will play this whole season as a 21-yr-old. His birthday is October 12. Game 2 for the Comets is on his birthday.
Before you bring it up in another post, Lind turns 21 on the 16th of October. Game 3 will be on Lind's birthday. There are many AHL players who do not turn 2o until somewhere between the start of the season and the December deadline that makes them ineligible until the next season. These 2 are way ahead of that curve.