Moose Season Discussion

[MyNameIsTaken]

Sure, it's just my take. But I worry that playing in a ton of meaningless games where they can't get anything going isn't a great situation for offensive prospects who need to learn how to produce at the pro level.

That’s reasonable a concern. I’m sure many prospects have gotten very stunted development from exactly this situation and I’m worried about it too. That being said, different humans tick differently, and I’m sure being in a struggling environment is exactly what some players need to become more of a leader, or acknowledge their own weaknesses and double down on working on them. Not sure we can say one outcome is more probable than the others.

All we can really say, imo, is Lambert and Chibi are not currently good enough to put a bad AHL team on there back (fair enough!)

I hope they end up on the Jets unfazed soon enough, and I also hope the moose get better so they are a better environment to play in and also just cause I like seeing our teams win

 

[BoneDocUK]

He's been the best D on his AHL team. He had a very strong NHL camp.

Defense is his forte, and is probably already good enough for the NHL. He's getting time in the AHL to develop his offense and puck handling, and has been improving quickly.

He'll be the first AHL call-up and I think he'll get some NHL games this season. He could be an NHL regular as early as next season. He's a really good prospect.

Agree.

Salmo already had a very mature game, and seems to be a quick study. Don't think his NHL runway is long at this point, and think we may see a Samberg trajectory where he works at being solid, then starts to grow his offence a bit as he gets more comfortable. He's as close to a pro lock as we have in the system at this point.

I'm more worried about players like Lambert and Chibrikov, who had their breakouts last season on a team that had meaningful roles for them and solid vets around them for mentorship etc. This looks like a season of frustration for them thus far.

 

[AtomicJets]

The Moose offence has been one of the worst in the league, currently scoring the second fewest goals with only 40 in 16 games... 2.5 GF/game. Not good enough. We had a dead zone in our prospect pool, Torgersson and Nikkanen have become completely irrelevant. Our LHD situation is a black hole.

Veterans like Axel and Toninato are not producing, JAD has been abysmal. Mason Shaw and Ben King were supposed to provide some reliable offence at the AHL level but it hasn't materialized.

I don't think it's good for our top prospects to lose this much. Losing doesn't feel good at any level and it affects your confidence. The goal should always be for the Moose to be competitive. It's one thing to intentionally challenge your top prospects to carry the team but you still have to give them the tools and support they need to win.

 

[Nolan Giesbrecht]

At the Moose game today with the kids and it’s been fun so far - outplaying, though not out scoring, the Wranglers.

Couple quick thoughts, Salmonsson looks good and his offensive instincts look like Morrissey’s. Not many breakouts under pressure, but I haven’t seen the Moose really do any when in tight.

I missed the Toninato elbow, but the Moose have been dirty since then and whining when called on it. Edit: my nine year old says he saw a Wrangler player stomped on the leg of a fallen Moose player

Chibrokov has been everywhere. Looks good.

Lambert is weird. Doesn’t hustle like Chibrokov but sometimes plays too fast for his teammates. He’s had a dozen times where a quick pass or ply to him would have sent him down the ice, but the other players moved too slow to make it happen.

 

[surixon]

At the Moose game today with the kids and it’s been fun so far - outplaying, though not out scoring, the Wranglers.

Couple quick thoughts, Salmonsson looks good and his offensive instincts look like Morrissey’s. Not many breakouts under pressure, but I haven’t seen the Moose really do any when in tight.

I missed the Toninato elbow, but the Moose have been dirty since then and whining when called on it. Edit: my nine year old says he saw a Wrangler player stomped on the leg of a fallen Moose player

Chibrokov has been everywhere. Looks good.

Lambert is weird. Doesn’t hustle like Chibrokov but sometimes plays too fast for his teammates. He’s had a dozen times where a quick pass or ply to him would have sent him down the ice, but the other players moved too slow to make it happen.

I watched most of the game and will provide my thoughts later.

 

[ICdave]

Moose deserved a better fate in this one by Wranglers goalie Devin Cooley fantastic:

 

[snowkiddin]

I watched most of the game and will provide my thoughts later.

How much later?

 

[surixon]

How much later?

When I finish walking my dog lol

 

[snowkiddin]

When I finish walking my dog lol

Is that a euphemism for something?

 

[surixon]

Is that a euphemism for something?

No I'm actually out in the cold taking my winter loving puppy for his 4th walk of the day

 

[surixon]

Ok, I watched the first two periods and part of the third. The Moose were the better team but couldn't finish on their chances and once again got aub par goaltending.

Salomonsson was smooth both ways. Neutralized the opposition with good gaps and muscled players off pucks. Made smart and quick decisions with the puck. Is showing more offensive poise everything I see him. Kids the best player on that team.

Kuzmin looks like it's finally clicking for him at this level. He's using his mobility to create lanes for him to pass and break the puck out. He's picking his spots much better in the offensive end and scored a nice goal on one such occasion today.

Wagner looked pretty solid. Sound positioning, good skating. He showed good instincts and puck control. Would like to see him and Zhilkin on a line together with Danny is back.

Chibrikov was a buzz saw out there today. Looked Perrault esc. He was in there on wall battling hard and coming away with pucks. He's really simplified his game in his end and the nz and its leading to him getting clean exits and entries. His risk in those areas was a weakness and he's really cleaned it up. He was dangerous offensively and was unlucky not to have a point or two.

Lambert. He got an assist off of an odd bounce that went to Ford who knocked it in but otherwise I thought he was pretty invisible outside of some bad offensive zone penalties. Given how the Jets play he really needs to up his compete on the walls if he wants a call up. As the other poster mentioned he's floating around too much and trying to play too finesse of a game. Chibrikov imo has put himself ahead for a callup as he's playing exactly how the org wants to play. A hard skilled game.

 

[snowkiddin]

Ok, I watched the first two periods and part of the third. The Moose were the better team but couldn't finish on their chances and once again got aub par goaltending.

Salomonsson was smooth both ways. Neutralized the opposition with good gaps and muscled players off pucks. Made smart and quick decisions with the puck. Is showing more offensive poise everything I see him. Kids the best player on that team.

Kuzmin looks like it's finally clicking for him at this level. He's using his mobility to create lanes for him to pass and break the puck out. He's picking his spots much better in the offensive end and scored a nice goal on one such occasion today.

Wagner looked pretty solid. Sound positioning, good skating. He showed good instincts and puck control. Would like to see him and Zhilkin on a line together with Danny is back.

Chibrikov was a buzz saw out there today. Looked Perrault esc. He was in there on wall battling hard and coming away with pucks. He's really simplified his game in his end and the nz and its leading to him getting clean exits and entries. His risk in those areas was a weakness and he's really cleaned it up. He was dangerous offensively and was unlucky not to have a point or two.

Lambert. He got an assist off of an odd bounce that went to Ford who knocked it in but otherwise I thought he was pretty invisible outside of some bad offensive zone penalties. Given how the Jets play he really needs to up his compete on the walls if he wants a call up. As the other poster mentioned he's floating around too much and trying to play too finesse of a game. Chibrikov imo has put himself ahead for a callup as he's playing exactly how the org wants to play. A hard skilled game.

Thanks for this. Who was in goal for the Moose? I’m hoping Milic will turn things around at some point.

Did Rufus enjoy his walk? Maybe I have the wrong name, but it was an educated guess.

 

[Shlep]

Thanks for this. Who was in goal for the Moose? I’m hoping Milic will turn things around at some point.

Did Rufus enjoy his walk? Maybe I have the wrong name, but it was an educated guess.

Milic was in net.

 

[Shlep]

Ok, I watched the first two periods and part of the third. The Moose were the better team but couldn't finish on their chances and once again got aub par goaltending.

Salomonsson was smooth both ways. Neutralized the opposition with good gaps and muscled players off pucks. Made smart and quick decisions with the puck. Is showing more offensive poise everything I see him. Kids the best player on that team.

Kuzmin looks like it's finally clicking for him at this level. He's using his mobility to create lanes for him to pass and break the puck out. He's picking his spots much better in the offensive end and scored a nice goal on one such occasion today.

Wagner looked pretty solid. Sound positioning, good skating. He showed good instincts and puck control. Would like to see him and Zhilkin on a line together with Danny is back.

Chibrikov was a buzz saw out there today. Looked Perrault esc. He was in there on wall battling hard and coming away with pucks. He's really simplified his game in his end and the nz and its leading to him getting clean exits and entries. His risk in those areas was a weakness and he's really cleaned it up. He was dangerous offensively and was unlucky not to have a point or two.

Lambert. He got an assist off of an odd bounce that went to Ford who knocked it in but otherwise I thought he was pretty invisible outside of some bad offensive zone penalties. Given how the Jets play he really needs to up his compete on the walls if he wants a call up. As the other poster mentioned he's floating around too much and trying to play too finesse of a game. Chibrikov imo has put himself ahead for a callup as he's playing exactly how the org wants to play. A hard skilled game.

I feel like Kuzmin has always looked solid when given a shot. Guy is skilled and worth investing in despite his size.

Chibrikov was by far the better player between him and Lambert about a quarter way through the season last year and is again so far this season, last season he seemed to fizzle out around now. I wonder if his style combined with his limited opportunity before coming to NA caused him to get fatigued. Hopefully he can maintain his energy level for longer this season.

 

[Samus]

Moose have followed that template in past seasons having good veteran players to surround prospects- Cormier, De Salvo, Logan Shaw, Seth Griffith, Capobianco types. I think they were going for the same thing this season but their veteren depth has been more "role player" types. On D esp there's not much depth there, my guess is that Fluery and Coghlan were signed with those Moose roles in mind but injuries have hampered that.

Logan Shaw and Seth Griffith have been gone for a few seasons now and we have better forward prospects now compared to when they were on the roster. Multiple veteran AHL forwards went overseas due to not being offered contracts this offseason and a perennial 30 goal scorer Rocco Grimaldi finally just got himself a fulltime contract. With the guys we had we should have been way more aggressive looking for a pure AHL sniper but for whatever reason they decided to step away from the template. I get wanting to put kids in all situations but it doesn’t mean you can’t have an AAAA player to help score goals or work a power play.

 

[Samus]

I don't think it's about being cheap, we have a $1 million goalie in the AHL and Toninato and AJF are making big cash to play there. To me it's they got the wrong type of vets.

We have vets that are able to be plugged and played into the fourth line, but we don't have AHL vets that can play a Cerebral skilled game to play with Lambert and Chibrikov.

Coughlan was likely supposed to be the high skilled vet AHL dmen to help the team like Capo last year, but injuries have impacted that.

This is the issue I see. The team hopes to get AHL first liners out of NHL 4th line talent and that just doesn’t work! There needs to be some skill to help out the kids. Thought I’ll admit I’m shocked that Shaw and Anderson-Dolan haven’t scored more. Ben King as well.

 

[Sweech]

A "draft and develop" team can't afford to have a tire fire AHL team. It won't be a good development environment for the handful of bona fide NHL prospects. The vets brought in have been abysmal. Zinger needs to do better and turn things around.

Honest question but is this a "draft and develop" team anymore?

3 of the past 5 drafts had us selecting a total of 4 players. One of the other years it was 5.

 

[voyageur]

Logan Shaw and Seth Griffith have been gone for a few seasons now and we have better forward prospects now compared to when they were on the roster. Multiple veteran AHL forwards went overseas due to not being offered contracts this offseason and a perennial 30 goal scorer Rocco Grimaldi finally just got himself a fulltime contract. With the guys we had we should have been way more aggressive looking for a pure AHL sniper but for whatever reason they decided to step away from the template. I get wanting to put kids in all situations but it doesn’t mean you can’t have an AAAA player to help score goals or work a power play.

I suppose all the optimism with this team went out the window when Anderson-Dolan, who should be a good vet to have on the team, better than Malott in my opinion, broke his foot in preseason. Then Lucius goes down after 3 games, Zhilkin in there too. Now Lundmark is out.

Then there is the curious case of Milic sticking around to back up Kahkonen, coming back from wiavers, and Di Vincentiis who has the best winning percentage and save % of all of them going to the ECHL.

The Moose lost 22 goals on defense between Capobianco and Heinola, 62 goals up front with Malott, Reichel and Viel moving on. I'm sure they were expecting/hoping some of that scoring up front would be replaced by JAD and Zhilkin, who have 0 combined. Mason Shaw and Ben King have 3 each. Salomonsson and Anhorn are doing their part, with 5 goals already between them.

The defense is thin though if they have AHL contracts, in Sauntner and Barteaux signed for 2 years, I'm a little surprised the Moose can't sign more local yokels to their team, if they can't fill it with draft picks.

Since they moved from St. John's back to Manitoba, only one playoff victory back when Comrie was in net the first time, so the Moose have become a development team from a strictly competition stand point. I don't think the investment is there to go for the Calder. Doesn't hurt to call up a good rookie like Morrissey was for St. John's to have a run.

I like the decision to make Toninato captain. Always will have the honour of scoring the first GWG in the playoffs last time the Jets won a series.

 

[Gm0ney]

Honest question but is this a "draft and develop" team anymore?

3 of the past 5 drafts had us selecting a total of 4 players. One of the other years it was 5.

2017 was the last Draft & Develop draft year. Since then the Jets have been nominal contenders, making the playoffs (or play-ins) in all but one season.

2018-present they've averaged 5 draft picks per year (35 picks in 7 drafts, 1 in the Top 10).
2011-2017 the average was 7.2 picks per year (52 picks in 7 drafts, 4 in the Top 10).

Also, 99% of the Jets' development effort since 2018 has been expended solely on Logan Stanley...

 

[AtomicJets]

Chaz Lucius back practicing in a regular jersey, love to see it

 

[voyageur]

Chaz Lucius back practicing in a regular jersey, love to see it

Good timing with Lambert being called up. Lundmark back too according to Illegal Curve.

 

[ICdave]

Practice media:







Practice Report is here.

 

[Buffdog]

Chaz Lucius back practicing in a regular jersey, love to see it

That ingrown nail on his left big toe is all better?

Seriously though... was this absence just due to an aggravation of an old i jury, or wasn't something new?

 

[ICdave]

That ingrown nail on his left big toe is all better?

Seriously though... was this absence just due to an aggravation of an old i jury, or wasn't something new?

Just the ankle. They are trying to ensure he is able to play more consistently so early on the idea was to really try to monitor it to ensure there were no setbacks and build it up. Don't think they anticipated this stretch costing him last 11 games but sounds like he thinks he's good to go and start playing back to backs.

If he can stay healthy he could be a big piece for the organization.

 

[flin flon bombers]

Chaz Lucius back practicing in a regular jersey, love to see it

Trade him for pinto