LD Travis Sanheim - Calgary Hitmen, WHL (2014, 17th, PHI)

[FLYguy3911]

I watched the game on Friday against the Rebels and against the Moose Jaw Warriors on October 5th.

He got beat once in the RD game and recovered. Care to show where he got "dangled" in the Moose Jaw game?

 

[Get North]

He got beat once in the RD game and recovered. Care to show where he got "dangled" in the Moose Jaw game?

Yeah, he barely saved his own ass. He shouldn't have got undressed like that in the first place. In the MJ game, he didn't get dangled by anyone but I still think he was pretty soft and not as good as I wanted defensively when he didn't have the puck.

You're getting a bit defensive. Just providing some insight that points doesn't mean he's dominant and some excellent talent dominating the league because he isn't, defensively he has a ways to go.

 

[FLYguy3911]

I'm not getting defensive. I'm just pointing out that his defensive issues get exaggerated. Sanheim's thread gets bumped for playing like the best junior defenseman in hockey and it's all about how he can't play defense. Provorov's thread gets bumped and there's none of that. Provorov has gotten beat a lot more than Sanheim has this year. Again, he's not flawless defensively, but he's not as hopeless as you make him out to be.

 

[Stizzle]

You're getting a bit defensive. Just providing some insight that points doesn't mean he's dominant and some excellent talent dominating the league because he isn't, defensively he has a ways to go.

I've seen every game he's played this year. Your exaggerations about him are way over the top. The claims about him regularly getting dangled and his defensive breakdowns are completely absurd.

Now you claim he isn't excellent and not dominating the league? Your views are simply on another planet from everyone else who is watching him play at the moment. His defense pair is completely carrying a team ranked top 5 in the CHL offensively and defensively. Other than Fazleev, there roster of forwards are barely contributing any offense. To have a defense pair accomplish what Sanheim and Bean are doing is amazing.

 

[Tripod]

Offensively he's talented but from the 3-4 games I caught this season he still needs some work defensively. Despite his size and reach, he got dangled a few times and his agility is a little rough. Good size, great offensive skill, poise, but defensively he still has flaws.

I watched the game on Friday against the Rebels and against the Moose Jaw Warriors on October 5th.

Yeah, he barely saved his own ass. He shouldn't have got undressed like that in the first place. In the MJ game, he didn't get dangled by anyone but I still think he was pretty soft and not as good as I wanted defensively when he didn't have the puck.

You're getting a bit defensive. Just providing some insight that points doesn't mean he's dominant and some excellent talent dominating the league because he isn't, defensively he has a ways to go.

So the 3-4 games you said you saw where he got dangled a few times turns into the 2 games you saw where he got dangled 1 time.

Interesting.

Anyways, he is off to a great start and regardless, I would not be surprised if he started next year in the AHL.

 

[FLYguy3911]

The fact that he's AHL eligible next year and Provorov is not probably hurts his chances of starting next season with the big club. I don't think Provorov is going back to the WHL next year.

 

[Get North]

I've seen every game he's played this year. Your exaggerations about him are way over the top. The claims about him regularly getting dangled and his defensive breakdowns are completely absurd.

Now you claim he isn't excellent and not dominating the league? Your views are simply on another planet from everyone else who is watching him play at the moment. His defense pair is completely carrying a team ranked top 5 in the CHL offensively and defensively. Other than Fazleev, there roster of forwards are barely contributing any offense. To have a defense pair accomplish what Sanheim and Bean are doing is amazing.

I don't think he's dominating the league, at least not defensively. Offensively yeah he's playing great but defensively he has a ways to go. I also never said he's regularly getting dangled. Now you're making things up, I said he has some problems because he gets beat on the same move the times I saw him play. When a forward moves it around his stick the forward easily gets by him. I don't know if it's skating or his defence because north-south he's a pretty good skater. Seems like he has trouble moving east-west but he is also pretty skinny for his size which might impact his skating.

 

[Stizzle]

I don't think he's dominating the league, at least not defensively.

He's been on the ice for 1 goal against all season. Your continuing narrative about his defense is laughable. I'm not nominating the kid for the damn Norris trophy but you are grasping at straws.

I don't know if it's skating or his defence because north-south he's a pretty good skater. Seems like he has trouble moving east-west but he is also pretty skinny for his size which might impact his skating.

He weighed in at exactly 198lbs recently for the Flyers and 199lbs for Calgary. Yes, he still has plenty of room to fill out but don't act like he's a toothpick.

As for east-west, again you're just grasping at straws. I don't want to call you a liar. I'll just say that IMO your entire evaluation of this player is pretty terrible.

 

[Appleyard]

Now one thing I am not worried about is Travis Sanheim's East to West skating...

 

[CodyTheHuman]

Now one thing I am not worried about is Travis Sanheim's East to West skating...

Seriously. This guy clearly hasn't watched him play a full game. Sanheim is an amazing skater, no matter which direction he goes.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Ray, you say he's not dominating defensively, how is he supposed to do that when he's rarely in his own zone because he moves the puck so well? You do realize that is a form of defense right? Do you want him to turn the puck over purposely so he can run around and make a big hit or something? Would that be dominant to you?

Calgary is a bottom feeder instead of one of the best teams in the CHL if he's not in the lineup. That's a dominant player.

 

[whlscowt]

Ray, you say he's not dominating defensively, how is he supposed to do that when he's rarely in his own zone because he moves the puck so well? You do realize that is a form of defense right? Do you want him to turn the puck over purposely so he can run around and make a big hit or something? Would that be dominant to you?

Calgary is a bottom feeder instead of one of the best teams in the CHL if he's not in the lineup. That's a dominant player.

Love Sanheim, big fan, and a Hitmen STH, but I wouldn't go that far. Hitmen have a lot of good underrated pieces again this year. Fazleev (another Philly kid) has been fantastic and Bean looks better than TS at the same age. Sanheim's been a force, but even if he goes down to injury, this team keeps winning.

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

... Seems like he has trouble moving east-west but he is also pretty skinny for his size which might impact his skating.

Uh... double what?

 

[mja]

Seems like he has trouble moving east-west but he is also pretty skinny for his size which might impact his skating.

You might want to bow out of the argument right about now. You are going to get killed for that comment, and deservedly so. It's not just wrong, but laughably so.

 

[OrangeAndBlackMetal]

I don't think he's dominating the league, at least not defensively. Offensively yeah he's playing great but defensively he has a ways to go. I also never said he's regularly getting dangled. Now you're making things up, I said he has some problems because he gets beat on the same move the times I saw him play. When a forward moves it around his stick the forward easily gets by him. I don't know if it's skating or his defence because north-south he's a pretty good skater. Seems like he has trouble moving east-west but he is also pretty skinny for his size which might impact his skating.

You literally picked one of his strongest assets and tried to claim it as a weakness by your "evaluation".

Do you even know who this thread is about?

 

[FLYguy3911]

Love Sanheim, big fan, and a Hitmen STH, but I wouldn't go that far. Hitmen have a lot of good underrated pieces again this year. Fazleev (another Philly kid) has been fantastic and Bean looks better than TS at the same age. Sanheim's been a force, but even if he goes down to injury, this team keeps winning.

They have some underrated young players, but they have no forwards that can carry the load offensively. I like Fazleev, but he's a role player. Bean and Sanheim are their best offensive players by a wide margin. They really struggle to generate offense when those two aren't on the ice. They've only scored 3 goals without Sanheim and/or Bean on the ice!!! Bean's great but he's not as effective without Sanheim (and vice versa) and expecting a 17 year old to carry the load offensively and defensively is not a recipe for success.

Bottom feeder may have been a little strong but to put it in perspective, the last time Calgary played Kootenay (without Jaedon Descheneau) they held on to win 1-0. Brandon beat Kootenay 13-1 on Friday and it could have been worse.

 

[Stizzle]

They really struggle to generate offense when those two aren't on the ice. They've only scored 3 goals without Sanheim and/or Bean on the ice!!!

That is an absolutely insane stat.

 

[FLYguy3911]

That is an absolutely insane stat.

Two of those 3 were just in the last game too.

 

[Get North]

You literally picked one of his strongest assets and tried to claim it as a weakness by your "evaluation".

Do you even know who this thread is about?

He's been on the ice for 1 goal against all season. Your continuing narrative about his defense is laughable. I'm not nominating the kid for the damn Norris trophy but you are grasping at straws.



He weighed in at exactly 198lbs recently for the Flyers and 199lbs for Calgary. Yes, he still has plenty of room to fill out but don't act like he's a toothpick.

As for east-west, again you're just grasping at straws. I don't want to call you a liar. I'll just say that IMO your entire evaluation of this player is pretty terrible.

He isn't a toothpick, I never said that but he does need to fill out. I think his legs look a little small for a 6'3 kid and let's be real, he probably needs to get in shape as well and even though it's a 199 pounds, he probably has to get rid of the baby fat.

Ray, you say he's not dominating defensively, how is he supposed to do that when he's rarely in his own zone because he moves the puck so well? You do realize that is a form of defense right? Do you want him to turn the puck over purposely so he can run around and make a big hit or something? Would that be dominant to you?

Calgary is a bottom feeder instead of one of the best teams in the CHL if he's not in the lineup. That's a dominant player.

Yeah, you don't need to tell me about his offence. Play without the puck is what he needs to work on. In the NHL or AHL he isn't going to be as dominant or have the puck as much so he'll have to improve defensively. Don't forget it's just junior, decent prospects look good in junior, it's in the pro game where they have troubles. That doesn't mean Sanheim will bust because I think he will succeed as an atleast top 4 defenceman, but he will have to improve his play without the puck eventually.

re: east-west comment. He's a good skater, I know that but he got burned on a play a couple times now where a forward put it around his stick and got behind him. Sanheim could have either taken the body, turned around and taken the puck with his long reach, or chip the puck away. It seemed like he turned slowly or just didn't really know where the puck was going to go or the forward and he just mis-read the play. Those plays almost led into goals.

I don't hate the kid or Flyers fans. I just think it's something he needs to work on and getting points in junior doesn't mean everything is all great. Pointing out somewhere he needs to work on, isn't something that should be looked at as negative. Criticism is good with talents like Sanheim.

 

[Hockeypete49]

He isn't a toothpick, I never said that but he does need to fill out. I think his legs look a little small for a 6'3 kid and let's be real, he probably needs to get in shape as well and even though it's a 199 pounds, he probably has to get rid of the baby fat.

Yeah, you don't need to tell me about his offence. Play without the puck is what he needs to work on. In the NHL or AHL he isn't going to be as dominant or have the puck as much so he'll have to improve defensively. Don't forget it's just junior, decent prospects look good in junior, it's in the pro game where they have troubles. That doesn't mean Sanheim will bust because I think he will succeed as an atleast top 4 defenceman, but he will have to improve his play without the puck eventually.

re: east-west comment. He's a good skater, I know that but he got burned on a play a couple times now where a forward put it around his stick and got behind him. Sanheim could have either taken the body, turned around and taken the puck with his long reach, or chip the puck away. It seemed like he turned slowly or just didn't really know where the puck was going to go or the forward and he just mis-read the play. Those plays almost led into goals.

I don't hate the kid or Flyers fans. I just think it's something he needs to work on and getting points in junior doesn't mean everything is all great. Pointing out somewhere he needs to work on, isn't something that should be looked at as negative. Criticism is good with talents like Sanheim.

You clearly have some sort of issue here with Sanheim. It is your right to nick pick but really you should look what your saying as far as your points are. When I look at his body of work and where he was 18 months ago I really have to chuckle. Just curious, if the 2014 draft was redone where would you rank Sanheim?

 

[FLYguy3911]

Just a decent prospect guys. Thanks for stopping by Ray!!!

 

[Pyromaniac]

You literally picked one of his strongest assets and tried to claim it as a weakness by your "evaluation".

Do you even know who this thread is about?

I have my doubts he has ever seen him play. Either that or he watched him play one game and now thinks he has some legitimate criticism.

Sanheim is a great skater and there is absolutely nothing wrong with his defense at the junior level.

 

[docbenton]

To be fair, with his size, skating and highlight reel offensive talents there's a reason he's not playing in the NHL right now. He does get beat, turns the puck over against a strong forecheck, and he's too soft in his own zone. He can dominate juniors but those are the things he needs to improve on to get to the next level.

 

[Curufinwe]

http://www.hitmenhockey.com/article/sanheim-from-ninth-round-pick-to-special-piece-of-hitmen-puzzle

“Travis is a dynamic and special player,” said good friend and fellow veteran rearguard Colby Harmsworth, who has eaten plenty of big minutes playing alongside Sanheim for the past two-plus seasons. “He is a guy that we as a team definitely rely on.”

First-year Hitmen assistant coach Trent Whitfield, who is in charge of this year’s defence core, couldn’t agree more.

“He’s a special player who works extremely hard at his game, and is a very driven kid who is always eager to get on the ice,” Whitfield said. “Travis is every coach’s dream, really.”

 

[Get North]

You clearly have some sort of issue here with Sanheim. It is your right to nick pick but really you should look what your saying as far as your points are. When I look at his body of work and where he was 18 months ago I really have to chuckle. Just curious, if the 2014 draft was redone where would you rank Sanheim?

[mod] I just said that in the AHL he won't have the puck a lot so he'll have to play a ton of defence. Of course he doesn't need to play defence in the juniors, he's a 19 year old 1st round prospect. When he's on the ice, he has the puck.

And by 3-4 games you caught this season, you mean at the summer WJC evaluation camp, in August, right?

He hasn't had to play too much defense this year in the WHL, because him and Bean always have the damn puck. The few plays he's had to defend, he's made the play. I can only recall one play where he probably could have played the kid better but recovered after initially getting beat.

That's great that he has the puck but in the NHL he won't have the puck all the time so his defence will be exploited if not improved. Just trying to give an honest opinion because everyone knows how good he is offensively but defensively, I think a year in the AHL would be needed.