Prospect Info: Marlies & Prospect Discussion

1specter

Registered User
Sep 27, 2016
12,219
18,336
Agree, he's earned a shot with the injuries. Organization has to reward his production, I'm just sceptical it translates, because we've heard this hype before and he wilts everytime. Hope to be wrong.
Keefe was never really great at getting something out of the guys on the cusp, McMann kinda forced his hand last year but otherwise guys like Marchment, Amadio, Barabanov etc were moved on from fairly quickly. Not saying Berube will automatically turn him into a solid NHLer or anything, but perhaps his north-south system will work better for him.

It also reflects poorly on our organizational development if a guy is working his ass off year in and year out, pretty much doing everything in his power to force a shot and not being given one. We should have a well oiled machine of a farm system with a next man up mentality like Tampa did for so many years.
 

DarkKnight

Professional Amateur
Jan 17, 2017
33,800
53,438
It also reflects poorly on our organizational development if a guy is working his ass off year in and year out, pretty much doing everything in his power to force a shot and not being given one.
See this is why I'm critical of Steeves. He hasn't worked his ass off, at least not at camps and call ups. I watched him intently the last two training camps and he wasn't playing with any desperation or belief to turn some heads. Sure he's doing it in the minors on a thin roster, but when has he actually worked his ass off at camp to make people stand and up take notice? he doesn't even put himself in the conversation. He will look good his first game, but generally he falls off the map quickly and looks more warm body than true player. It's a pet peeve of mine, blaming the organization when you routinely underwhelm when the GM and staff are watching intently. There's a million guys who look NHL capable and never make it, desire is part of the equation. Anyways, let's see if it's clicked now, be great if he could contribute.
 
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1specter

Registered User
Sep 27, 2016
12,219
18,336
See this is why I'm critical of Steeves. He hasn't worked his ass off, at least not at camps and call ups. I watched him intently the last two training camps and he wasn't playing with any desperation or belief to turn some heads. Sure he's doing it in the minors on a thin roster, but when has he actually worked his ass off at camp to make people stand and up take notice? He will look good his first game, but generally he falls off the map quickly and looks more warm body than true player. It's a pet peeve of mine, blaming the organization when you routinely underwhelm when the GM and staff are watching intently. There's a million guys who look NHL capable and never make it, desire is part of the equation. Anyways, let's see if it's clicked now, be great if he could contribute.
By all accounts he's a very hard working player not unlike a Hyman or McMann rather than some finesse guy. There is a lot of pressure in camp, sometimes it affects guys differently and perhaps it got to him and he couldn't keep up, who knows. The thing is camp is also very short and coaches usually have their minds made up about what they envision on paper (and presumably have these talks with the GM as well) and it can be hard to change that unless you go god mode and really stand out or score in literally every game like Robertson did. But beyond looking good in camp, I would say three going on four AHL seasons of progressively better play should count for something, especially when the guy is only still 24.
 

Fogelhund

Registered User
Sep 15, 2007
23,310
27,446
I appreciate blowing opportunities in pre-season, but every game is a tryout when you are prospect in the AHL. Every game is an opportunity to showcase what you've got. Nine goals, 12 points in 10 games, while being a positive 5v5 player is pretty impressive. His 5v5 game defensively wasn't that good a couple of years ago, and has come a long way, so his game has certainly grown. I've never really thought he would be good enough for the NHL, due to his defensive deficiencies, but he's cleaned that up a lot.

I think starting to look at our AHL options, also sends a message to the rest of the bottom six... you haven't been good enough, and we are looking at our options... even if it's an emergency injury call up.
 

weems

Registered User
Jul 3, 2008
18,585
12,786
I wasn't paying enough attention to Steeves work ethic during camp or the previous games to really make a call.

But we're talking about someone that has 36 goals in his last 75 games played. Yes it was in the AHL but this shows that this is a player that can shoot the puck and finish plays.

If you call a player like this up and play him on a 4th line with players with very little offensive ability and certainly not players that will consistently create offense, the trigger man will usually struggle.

Even this callup, if you took out Reaves and Made a line of Lorentz - Kampf - Steeves, I don't think you should be expecting him to contribute much offensively.

This should be a player a team like CHI or some other basement team can afford to play in the top 9 with healthy playing time.
 

SprDaVE

Moderator
Sep 20, 2008
54,570
38,476
I wasn't paying enough attention to Steeves work ethic during camp or the previous games to really make a call.

But we're talking about someone that has 36 goals in his last 75 games played. Yes it was in the AHL but this shows that this is a player that can shoot the puck and finish plays.

If you call a player like this up and play him on a 4th line with players with very little offensive ability and certainly not players that will consistently create offense, the trigger man will usually struggle.

Even this callup, if you took out Reaves and Made a line of Lorentz - Kampf - Steeves, I don't think you should be expecting him to contribute much offensively.

This should be a player a team like CHI or some other basement team can afford to play in the top 9 with healthy playing time.

He's not the biggest guy and he isn't the fastest. But he works hard and he's very good around the net. He plays in traffic a lot and has a very good shot. He reminds me of Hyman with the way he plays. Not sure if he'll be an everyday NHLer but I think he carve out a role -- he just needs to find another level of consistency and maybe find a little more jam to his game. I was disappointed with how he played in this previous training camp.
 

LeafParade

Registered User
Jun 27, 2019
1,277
1,299
He's not the biggest guy and he isn't the fastest. But he works hard and he's very good around the net. He plays in traffic a lot and has a very good shot. He reminds me of Hyman with the way he plays. Not sure if he'll be an everyday NHLer but I think he carve out a role -- he just needs to find another level of consistency and maybe find a little more jam to his game. I was disappointed with how he played in this previous training camp.
I think he can copy Bunting's style of play. I see the Hyman similarities too.

His skillset is similar at this point that he has worked out the defensive side of his game.
Good around the net and now no longer a defensive liability.

He is basically a complimentary player that can put up points with good linemates.
I hope he gets a decent shot, but I don't think that happens until Robertson is traded.
 

AlienWorkShop

No, Ben! No!
Oct 30, 2004
3,470
365
Ehh, think this is more of a case of needing a body to fill a roster spot for a game or two (if that!) than giving Steeves a 'shot'. Certainly doesn't hurt that he's had an excellent start.

Probably too soon to give Grebenkin a shot and Minten's only just back from injury. Otherwise, among those with NHL contracts, Steeves is clearly outplaying Abruzzese and Pare, Hirvonen had a strong start but has faded a bit and it's relatively early for him too given last year was a bit of a mulligan, Quillan or Kressler are way off. Maybe Tverberg...

I've also been generally unimpressed with Steeves. At least from the few AHL games I've seen, he'll be pretty anonymous for most of the game, or at least playing north-south 'mistake free' hockey (not necessarily something wrong with that!), but he can pull off sudden offensive bursts here and there leading to good AHL production. I think he just doesn't quite have the skill/speed to pull off those bursts in the NHL, so he becomes entirely anonymous in his call ups. Obviously hope he proves me wrong!

---

ECHL side note: partly a function of playing on an awful team (the Cyclones are 0-6-3 so far), but disappointing start for Voit with only 3 points in 9 games and a -5. Had 1 assist and a -2 last night. Would hope/expect he can at least tear up the ECHL, especially after managing 8 points in 5 games last year...

Peksa making 30 saves on 33 shots in the 3-2 loss. He's now at 0-2-1 with a 3.81 GAA and .865 SV%. Given how bad the team is, I wouldn't be too hard on those poor looking numbers just yet..
 
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horner

Registered User
May 22, 2007
8,557
4,949
See this is why I'm critical of Steeves. He hasn't worked his ass off, at least not at camps and call ups. I watched him intently the last two training camps and he wasn't playing with any desperation or belief to turn some heads. Sure he's doing it in the minors on a thin roster, but when has he actually worked his ass off at camp to make people stand and up take notice? he doesn't even put himself in the conversation. He will look good his first game, but generally he falls off the map quickly and looks more warm body than true player. It's a pet peeve of mine, blaming the organization when you routinely underwhelm when the GM and staff are watching intently. There's a million guys who look NHL capable and never make it, desire is part of the equation. Anyways, let's see if it's clicked now, be great if he could contribute.
Tonight may be his opportunity to show what he has.
 

Fogelhund

Registered User
Sep 15, 2007
23,310
27,446
Maybe we can just get back the real Bunting from the Pens fire sale. Dump Jarnkrok, Kampf in a "Deal with the Devil".
I don't believe Bunting is who we need, and I don't think it's the top six that needs a change. Bunting isn't a guy who I think would contribute enough in the bottom six, especially at his cap hit.

Our need is at C, which Bunting doesn't address, and moving Kampf for Bunting actually makes our problems at C worse.
 
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arso40

Registered User
Jun 7, 2022
2,281
1,463
I don't believe Bunting is who we need, and I don't think it's the top six that needs a change. Bunting isn't a guy who I think would contribute enough in the bottom six, especially at his cap hit.

Our need is at C, which Bunting doesn't address, and moving Kampf for Bunting actually makes our problems at C worse.
We need the marlie call ups to force their way into this lineup
 

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