Prospect Info: Sharks Prospect Info & Discussion Megathread XXI: "New, improved, and wayyyy too much info" Edition

[Lebanezer]

It's weird to me that players at that level have skating issues. Like it isn't a secret, fix it.

You can improve biomechanics, but only by so much. Halttunen isn’t going to become quick or suddenly develop elite edge work. He is what he is, and he needs to learn from someone like Pavelski who learned how to work around his deficiencies and become productive.

 

[Jargon]

Poor Lund, the most forgettable of all prospects.

You can improve biomechanics, but only by so much. Halttunen isn’t going to become quick or suddenly develop elite edge work. He is what he is, and he needs to learn from someone like Pavelski who learned how to work around his deficiencies and become productive.

I’d argue it’s easier to learn to skate better than it is to learn to have Pavelski’s genius-level hockey IQ.

 

[Lebanezer]

Poor Lund, the most forgettable of all prospects.



I’d argue it’s easier to learn to skate better than it is to learn to have Pavelski’s genius-level hockey IQ.

I said learn from Pavelski, not become Pavelski. There is only so much Halttunen can do with either, I just think with him, he has a better shot at improving the way he sees the game than his skating ability.

 

[jMoneyBrah]

I said learn from Pavelski, not become Pavelski. There is only so much Halttunen can do with either, I just think with him, he has a better shot at improving the way he sees the game than his skating ability.

IIRC Braun underwent a huge improvement in his skating as a young player in the org. Is that overblown? Or was his technique so poor to begin with he had room for huge gains through technical improvement?

 

[Lebanezer]

IIRC Braun underwent a huge improvement in his skating as a young player in the org. Is that overblown? Or was his technique so poor to begin with he had room for huge gains through technical improvement?

For my recollection Braun was always a pretty good skater in terms in top speed and agility. However, I don’t remember if he took major strides after joining the organization.

 

[The Nemesis]

Poor Lund, the most forgettable of all prospects.

Before Eklund. Before Zetterlund. Before Granlund there was Cam Lund. Lund Prime, if you will.

 

[Jargon]

Before Eklund. Before Zetterlund. Before Granlund there was Cam Lund. Lund Prime, if you will.

Maybe without Lund, none of the Lunds even exist?!

 

[Shark Finn]

Before Eklund. Before Zetterlund. Before Granlund there was Cam Lund. Lund Prime, if you will.

Maybe without Lund, none of the Lunds even exist?!

Nice try, but Eklund came first.

 

[The Nemesis]

Nice try, but Eklund came first.

Time is an illusion.

 

[Juxtaposer]

It's weird to me that players at that level have skating issues. Like it isn't a secret, fix it.

It's not mechanics, it's quickness and acceleration. Halttunen may not genetically be capable of the level of quickness that I want to see from him. Hertl wasn't, but he did have power and strength on his side and Halttunen doesn't right now. As far as power goes, it's no secret that Halttunen has conditioning issues. A lot of noise was made of him improving on that front this summer, and he is a little bit faster compared to last season, but you can just see in his face that he's carrying too much weight. That's sort of why I want him to get a season with the Cuda before making a final judgement. Some guys simply don't have it in them to crack down in the gym.

 

[Star Platinum]

For all of Halttunen’s supposed talent, his production is aggressively mediocre even on a super team. Forwards who score like him (barely over 1 P/GP in the OHL in his D+1 and D+2) very rarely make it. And those who do are usually well-rounded types who overcome their lack of raw offensive talent and become identity players.

I’d be pretty close to writing him off at this point.

What will determine whether Halttunen makes it in the league or not is how much of his non-scoring game he can develop and how willing he is to play in front of the net on offense. He's not a good puck carrier, so his scoring is dependent on other people passing him the puck with him skating to pockets of open space to get his shot off. I posted a highlight of him making a good defensive play and chasing a puck down recently, but whether that's a once in a blue moon play for him or something he's done more often this year I can't say. He is currently 5th on the team in PPG.

If he can become proficient at mucking for pucks in corners, minimize the dumb penalities, and play a physical brand of defense in his own zone, he can potentially make a career for himself as the dirty work guy on a second line or a third line/power play specialist. But his shot by itself won't be enough to get him into the NHL.

 

[OrrNumber4]

Sometimes, a player has to fail before he'll put in the work...Halttunen may think that his "issues" haven't prevented him from finding success at every level so far. Once his skating becomes a hindrance, a flip might get switched and he'll work on it...

 

[Jargon]

Haltunnen needs to watch some vintage Jonathan Cheechoo tape so he and Will Smith can recreate the magic.

 

[rekrul]

Haltunnen needs to watch some vintage Jonathan Cheechoo tape so he and Will Smith can recreate the magic.

I was also thinking of Cheechoo, I recall his story being from Moose Factory , a really remote area and in a First Nation community that paid for his skating camps. He needed to travel something like a full day to get to. Every player to tap into a inner drive to make themselves a legit NHL player, no one can just play like they do in Junior and succeed, thats up to scouting to figure out who has the "motor " , Like Cheechoo, Halttunen
was drafted high second round because he possesses an elite skill in shooting. Maybe the sharks of the late 90s- early 2000s were better at development but Cheechoo was a project that he took ownership of. Everyone speaks of Dale Hunter coaching at London, and trust that he being coached on the ways to improve that don't show up on the score sheet.

 

[tiburon12]

IIRC Braun underwent a huge improvement in his skating as a young player in the org. Is that overblown? Or was his technique so poor to begin with he had room for huge gains through technical improvement?

In my recollection, Dillon had the most obvious skating improvement during his tenure here.

 

[STL Shark]

For my recollection Braun was always a pretty good skater in terms in top speed and agility. However, I don’t remember if he took major strides after joining the organization.

Braun got really fast I think it was in like 2013 or 2014. It basically coincided with Burns being a forward for a couple years when Braun's skating jumped off the screen as noticeably better.

 

[Saskatoon]

We also have to remember that the NHL players are the best of the best of the best of the best.

Most players have a short career at the top. It is not unusual for someone like Halts to not quite be good enough. And that is ok

Still rooting for him though!

 

[Juxtaposer]

One period, one goal for Chernyshov, too easy.



I feel like he'd be a really good fit on Eklund and Celebrini's RW.

 

[Lebanezer]

One period, one goal for Chernyshov, too easy.



I feel like he'd be a really good fit on Eklund and Celebrini's RW.

This was already ridiculous, but it's becoming... more ridiculous?

He's got 27 points in 9 games now. Back up to 3ppg, he can stay. For now.

 

[sharks_dynasty]

This was already ridiculous, but it's becoming... more ridiculous?

He's got 27 points in 9 games now. Back up to 3ppg, he can stay. For now.

What a lazy bum! Wish he would actually try!

 

[one2gamble]

it makes me wonder what the sharks told him when they sent him down.

"Hey, go get healthy and pick on some kids for a few weeks"

 

[Juxtaposer]

it makes me wonder what the sharks told him when they sent him down.

"Hey, go get healthy and pick on some kids for a few weeks"

100% what it feels like, IMO.

Specifically, it's like "we know you can play pro hockey and have good habits. Go put a bunch of pucks in the net to prove that you can while getting adjusted to North American hockey and culture and (hopefully) learning some English. The real challenge starts next year".

Juniors players simply cannot get the puck off him. He can just turn his back or drop his shoulders and no one is moving him.

 

[The Nemesis]

it makes me wonder what the sharks told him when they sent him down.

"Hey, go get healthy and pick on some kids for a few weeks"

Mercy is for the weak, Igor.

 

[Star Platinum]

 

[Timo Time]

Chernyshov very well may be the steal of that draft.