GDT: Nashville Predators 2024 Training Camp

[Grouch]

Bellows and Hinostroza waived........guess the kids are getting more looks.......thought both (more-so Hinostroza) looked good last night.

 

[BigFatCat999]

Bellows and Hinostroza waived........guess the kids are getting more looks.......thought both (more-so Hinostroza) looked good last night.

It was a coaches gift. Basically they tell them. Yeah you’re not making the team play your ass off you might make another team.

 

[cynicalcitizen]

Curious about opinions. I don't think they can hide Schenn all season.

 

[King Weber]

they haven't sent ZLH down yet have they? Really hope he makes the team

 

[Armourboy]

they haven't sent ZLH down yet have they? Really hope he makes the team

Nah the hard cuts haven't been made yet. Those are still coming.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Nah the hard cuts haven't been made yet. Those are still coming.

Full cuts yesterday... note Roest and Svechkov injured...

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Or if you like... who's left (but keeping in mind that Bellows, Hinsostroza, and Murray are on waivers and heading down once they clear)... so practically speaking the numbers are now at 15F / 11D (incl. Stastney) / 2G

Definitely near the final cuts now... just 2F to go (nominally Wiesblatt and L'Heureux unless one steals a job from like a Jankowski or Passinen), 4D (or 3 depending on how much longer Stastney is away, which are nominally Molendyk, Wilsby, Del Gaizo/Blankenburg)

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I wouldn't say there are any HUGE surprises yet from Training Camp? It's definitely "interesting" that Wiesblatt has resurrected his ailing career from being considered a bust/washout in San Jose to actually being a finalist in Camp with us and a legit prospect again. Molendyk sticking until the final cuts isn't necessarily THAT much of a surprise considering last year's camp, but still a feather in his cap. I guess the other bright spot is probably Wilsby sticking around to the final cuts, which might not have been predicted?

 

[Armourboy]

Or if you like... who's left (but keeping in mind that Bellows, Hinsostroza, and Murray are on waivers and heading down once they clear)... so practically speaking the numbers are now at 15F / 11D (incl. Stastney) / 2G

Definitely near the final cuts now... just 2F to go (nominally Wiesblatt and L'Heureux unless one steals a job from like a Jankowski or Passinen), 4D (or 3 depending on how much longer Stastney is away, which are nominally Molendyk, Wilsby, Del Gaizo/Blankenburg)


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Right like I said the harder decisions are still to come. None of the original list you posted were expected to stick around.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Right like I said the harder decisions are still to come. None of the original list you posted were expected to stick around.

I don't think we ever had any "harder decisions" this season at all, so it's kind of a moot distinction.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I should say, I'm glad we're down to the last few cuts already on September 30. Since our roster has basically been set from the get-go, I don't see any value in carrying a bunch of extra bodies around. It's more important to get players/line combos/special teams systems going in something close to the regular season configuration. The first regular season game is 10 days away? I'd rather see them dedicate those 10 days to getting the regular season roster firing on all cylinders right out of the gate.

 

[herzausstein]

Or if you like... who's left (but keeping in mind that Bellows, Hinsostroza, and Murray are on waivers and heading down once they clear)... so practically speaking the numbers are now at 15F / 11D (incl. Stastney) / 2G

Definitely near the final cuts now... just 2F to go (nominally Wiesblatt and L'Heureux unless one steals a job from like a Jankowski or Passinen), 4D (or 3 depending on how much longer Stastney is away, which are nominally Molendyk, Wilsby, Del Gaizo/Blankenburg)


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For the D:
Right now since Stastney has missed camp and hasnt done any formal practice, id send him to MIL just to get up to game speed at the start of the season. He is still waiver exempt so might as well use it.
Molendyk is the next obvious one. Yes, he looks great but there is really no need to rush him.
Blankenburg is a smallish RHD and if Skjei/Josi is goin to be a pairing we dont really have room at RHD.
3rd pairing LHD comes down to Wilsby and Del Gaizo to me until Stastney comes up to game speed in MIL. Wilsby has some additional size on Del Gaizo but Del Gaizo has to go through waivers. Dealers choice. Both probably top out as a 3rd pairing or 7th NHL dman. With Stastney and Molendyk in tow reserves, im not gonna lose alot of sleep either way. Keep 1 demote the other and there are 4 dmen.

For the forwards:
Weissblatt likely gets sent down though i am kindof seeing a good 4th line player for the future. He has good energy and plays hard.

2nd one is hard. You need to keep someone like Jankowski up that can come in and out of the lineup and it wont impact their play or progression. L'Heureux is easy to send down but i think he fits the energy 4th line really well. Pärssinen can also fit in there but i havent seen him used there. If you are going to try and pass someone through waivers, now is the chance. Tomasino has had a great camp and i think he has earned the spot. So 1 of L'Heureux or Parssinen.

 

[glenngineer]

I didn't know Ufko was even playing tonight until late in the game, never heard his name until then. That can be good or bad depending on what you are looking for out of a guy.

He seemed poised and in control making smart decisions. The one thing that stood out to me was his release of the puck, especially when passing. Really odd that I'd notice that but he made some wonderful long passes that were smooth as silk.

 

[Dempsey]

How did Kemell look in camp/preseason?

 

[Flgatorguy87]

He seemed poised and in control making smart decisions. The one thing that stood out to me was his release of the puck, especially when passing. Really odd that I'd notice that but he made some wonderful long passes that were smooth as silk.

I've liked Ufko as well. Seems like a really smart player and he's got his head up looking for that breakout pass. He also has the ability to carry the puck out when needed. I'm not surprised by him spending more time in Milwaukee, but I also think he could surprise some by getting some NHL minutes this year.

 

[triggrman]

How did Kemell look in camp/preseason?

Like he’s not ready. Didn’t stand out.

 

[Flgatorguy87]

Like he’s not ready. Didn’t stand out.

Good shot, that he's still struggling to use consistently unless he's on the PP. Also, something I have noticed is he seems like he's picking corners. That's a great ability to have, but if you aren't hitting corners then you aren't creating rebound opportunities. I'd like to see him work on just getting SOG before he's sniping top shelf.

 

[Scoresberg]

How did Kemell look in camp/preseason?

I was mildly disappointed in his showing at Camp. I don't envision his other parts of the game ever elevating into a particularly high-level but I expected significant progress nonetheless. He couldn't dominate at Rookie Camp and almost only relied on his shot.

I think his chances of making the NHL are ultimately slim as when you're that size, you need to be really f***ing good at least in one thing in order to make it. I don't see it yet in him.

 

[PredsV82]

It was a coaches gift. Basically they tell them. Yeah you’re not making the team play your ass off you might make another team.

Hinostroza was destined for Milwaukee from the get go

 

[Predsanddead24]

Kemell seems to be the same situation with Tolvanen where he has a shot and has had moments of flashing it at an elite level but it isn't consistently there. Tolvanen was able to turn into a decent enough two-way player with some physicality to keep a consistent NHL role even when the shot isn't working. Hopefully, Kemell can adapt his game similarly.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Hinostroza was destined for Milwaukee from the get go

He has 151 pts in 374 career NHL games... basically I see both him and Lucchini sort of like Jankowski... they are veteran AHL "tweeners" at this point... but they aren't going to displace Jankowski out of training camp. They sort of represent "reliable" veteran callup options, but here's hoping that with some of our younger players being a year closer, we don't need to rely on those kinds of "tweener" callups again in 2024-25. Best case scenario is that neither of them ever plays a game for us.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Kemell seems to be the same situation with Tolvanen where he has a shot and has had moments of flashing it at an elite level but it isn't consistently there. Tolvanen was able to turn into a decent enough two-way player with some physicality to keep a consistent NHL role even when the shot isn't working. Hopefully, Kemell can adapt his game similarly.

Well, whatever they did with Tolvanen, I hope the process of evolving Kemell's 2-way game/physicality doesn't negatively impact his offensive ceiling. We have a lot of prospects in the pipeline now. A small 15g/15a sort of winger isn't really bringing us much, even if he has a consistent two-way game. I hope they find a way to help him unlock the offense more instead.

Good news is he only just turned 20 at the end of last season, so by playing a year early as a teenager in the AHL, we got an ELC slide and still have up to 3 more seasons for him in the AHL if necessary.

 

[herzausstein]

How did Kemell look in camp/preseason?

Brunette said in the Tampa postgame that it was the best game for him that Kemell has had. So improving but still has a way to go in terms of making the NHL team.

 

[Flgatorguy87]

I'm not worried about Kemell yet. He's still got another year in Milwaukee or likely 2 before things get concerning with him. He isn't some can't miss prospect. He as well as Schaefer and Svechkov need to just bide their time, bust their ass, and be ready when they get their shot.

In that same vein, the only guy that I really felt like needed to do something THIS year or he was looking toast, was Tomasino. He's been very good, and in my mind the most impressive start to a year he's had by far. I am optimistic he's figuring things out and understands you can't just "make" a team, but it's a constant state of busting ass and if you stop swimming your downstream again.

 

[triggrman]

I worry Svechkov has some of the same issues Glass had.