Confirmed with Link: Sharks sign Alexander Wennberg 2 years 5M AAV

[Dicdonya]

Zetterlund was a 24 year old with 81 career games played over the previous 2 years, I know the definitions are nebulous but that's someone I'd consider a roster player and not a prospect

Mukhamadullin was not ready for NHL time, he demonstrated as much with his uninspiring play in 3 games

But the larger point is that, even if you're right, what does that get you? We had "5 prospects play that were ready for NHL" and it resulted in the worst 82 game season any team has seen since the institution of the salary cap, which was the goal last year, but with actual prospects of value graduating like Celebrini and Smith that CAN'T be our aim this year, we NEED to improve as a team, and playing a bunch of 19 and 20 year olds isn't going to accomplish that unless they're McDavid or Crosby level prospects, which we don't have waiting in the wings

Signings like Wennberg and Toffoli are the only natural path to marked improvement, they're not "blocking prospects", they're raising the floor of our nightly level of play

If a prospect forces the issue and steals a job from a bottom-sixer that's awesome, let them take it, but they have to TAKE it, it can't be reserved for them, that's just asking for the team to underperform even our low expectations

Yeah its nebulous, that's why the original comment by STL was pointless and something that was not done in the interest of having a meaningful discussion.

I consider Zet a prospect, last year at least, sure an older one. However 24 with less than 100 games played....that's certainly not a vet or even a seasoned player so what else would you label him than an older prospect. I dunno

What does it get me? Nothing more than proving that STL pretending no team in the history of the NHL has played 5 NHL ready prospects at once is beyond absurd. I bet I could find 5 on Chicago last year, Anaheim for sure has 5 etc. The idea that no team ever had 5 good prospects to play in the NHL at once is just stupid as hell.

Also I do not care about the Toffoli or Wennberg signings at all, never said I did. I actually LOVE the Toffoli signing because if we want Celebrini on the team this year we needed to actually get him a legitimate linemate to play with. Its signings like Kunin, getting Dellandrea, Grunsdstrom etc that I care more about, as I figured guys like Graf, Bysted, Musty, Gushchin etc IF they were ready to jump into the NHL would do so in a scoring third line sort of situation, not directly into the top 6, especially since we are hoping to get Celebrini and Smith to jump into the mix up there this year.

We had to spend to the floor, it was inevitable we had to sign at least a couple guys, I was just hoping we would let all the bottom 6 riff raff from last year leave that were on expiring contracts, overpay on short term deals for guys like Toffoli, and a right hand PMD/TWD, trade a few of the defenseman in the logjam of the bottom pairings, and then see where things shake out by the end of camp.

Bordeleau and Mukhamadullin were clearly not ready for a full NHL season, Emberson was 23 years old and sent through waivers (typically a sign that a player’s prospect status is done), Zetterlund had a full NHL season under his belt already. Thrun got absolutely trampled by NHLers all season and there is not a single other team in the NHL who would have given him a full-time role. The only “prospect” that deserved to make the team 100% was Eklund.

See the problem is, as stated above, the terms are simply too vague, and interpretations will be to varied.

You see Eklund as being the only one deserving to play, yet frankly I think he didn't look ready for the entire NHL season either, which you knocked Bords for. I also think he got trampled quite a bit during the season as well, which you knocked Thrun for. For crying out loud he was a team leading -45, and barely outscored Zetterlund who I consider to be a third line, maybe low end 2nd line talent. Did Eklund show glimpses of what he can do as he learns and grows in the NHL, did he have stretches where he looked like he belonged in a top 6 of the future, hell yes, but lets not pretend the he came in and looked solid and 100% ready for the NHL all year long, because he really didnt.

So why again does Eklund get the defacto seal of approval as a NHL ready prospect, when he clearly had plenty of his own warts, deficiencies and struggles, but guys like Bords and Thrun you have such a low opinion of. Seems like Eklund is getting a bit of grace thrown his way because of where he was drafted, not because he was gang busters all year and was only being held back by a bad roster.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Yeah its nebulous, that's why the original comment by STL was pointless and something that was not done in the interest of having a meaningful discussion.

I consider Zet a prospect, last year at least, sure an older one. However 24 with less than 100 games played....that's certainly not a vet or even a seasoned player so what else would you label him than an older prospect. I dunno

What does it get me? Nothing more than proving that STL pretending no team in the history of the NHL has played 5 NHL ready prospects at once is beyond absurd. I bet I could find 5 on Chicago last year, Anaheim for sure has 5 etc. The idea that no team ever had 5 good prospects to play in the NHL at once is just stupid as hell.

Also I do not care about the Toffoli or Wennberg signings at all, never said I did. I actually LOVE the Toffoli signing because if we want Celebrini on the team this year we needed to actually get him a legitimate linemate to play with. Its signings like Kunin, getting Dellandrea, Grunsdstrom etc that I care more about, as I figured guys like Graf, Bysted, Musty, Gushchin etc IF they were ready to jump into the NHL would do so in a scoring third line sort of situation, not directly into the top 6, especially since we are hoping to get Celebrini and Smith to jump into the mix up there this year.

We had to spend to the floor, it was inevitable we had to sign at least a couple guys, I was just hoping we would let all the bottom 6 riff raff from last year leave that were on expiring contracts, overpay on short term deals for guys like Toffoli, and a right hand PMD/TWD, trade a few of the defenseman in the logjam of the bottom pairings, and then see where things shake out by the end of camp.



See the problem is, as stated above, the terms are simply too vague, and interpretations will be to varied.

You see Eklund as being the only one deserving to play, yet frankly I think he didn't look ready for the entire NHL season either, which you knocked Bords for. I also think he got trampled quite a bit during the season as well, which you knocked Thrun for. For crying out loud he was a team leading -45, and barely outscored Zetterlund who I consider to be a third line, maybe low end 2nd line talent. Did Eklund show glimpses of what he can do as he learns and grows in the NHL, did he have stretches where he looked like he belonged in a top 6 of the future, hell yes, but lets not pretend the he came in and looked solid and 100% ready for the NHL all year long, because he really didnt.

So why again does Eklund get the defacto seal of approval as a NHL ready prospect, when he clearly had plenty of his own warts, deficiencies and struggles, but guys like Bords and Thrun you have such a low opinion of. Seems like Eklund is getting a bit of grace thrown his way because of where he was drafted, not because he was gang busters all year and was only being held back by a bad roster.

Eklund 100% had his ups and downs, no doubt, but he showed he was an NHL player all season because even though the rough patches (where it would have been completely justifiable to send him to the AHL and they didn’t), he maintained good habits, played tough minutes, special teams, etc. and he came out of those tough stretches a better player and ended up scoring like a point a game for the last fifteen games or so. I don’t think it’s arguable that Eklund was an NHL caliber player last season.

Frankly, I’m confused what we’re even arguing about anymore. Wasn’t it that you were concerned that rookies wouldn’t get spots? Are you now arguing that zero rookies deserved to be on the Sharks last season?

 

[Bizz]

Wasn’t it that you were concerned that rookies wouldn’t get spots?

That would be me. I was also under the impression that Smith and Celebrini (if signed of course, which is looking like a 99% chance at this point) would take up the 2nd and 3rd line center positions, seeing that the expectation would be to shelter them this coming season. Hard to do that with Wennberg, who hasn't played Wing much if at all in his career, taking up one of those 2 spots.

 

[coooldude]

Eklund scored 45 points last year and weathered the full season. As Jux said he played in all phases of the game and held his own. His size hurt him and like everyone else, at times he was over-matched. But he's a roster player now, we're just all hoping he develops into a 60-point roster player.

Zetterlund may have been a prospect when we traded for him but he's a young roster player now. He also proved he belongs and still needs improvement.

Bords looked better, but he still scored at a 30-ish points pace for half a season. He's not yet an established NHLer, but he still got his games. This year he's not going to get his games, most likely, and is probably on the way out. Is that a problem? Not in my mind. I'd rather see if Dellandrea can stick. I'd rather see if Kostin has anything. Bords was a second round pick - no need to be emotionally invested, if he can't win and keep a roster spot, why be worried about which guy he couldn't beat? He couldn't beat any of the bottom 6 (or, I'm assuming, he won't).

tl;dr there's no reason to be worried that "aging bad veterans are going to keep our prospects from their shot at the show" because the ones who deserve it will find their way into the lineup, out of camp or down the line.

 

[Dicdonya]

Eklund 100% had his ups and downs, no doubt, but he showed he was an NHL player all season because even though the rough patches (where it would have been completely justifiable to send him to the AHL and they didn’t), he maintained good habits, played tough minutes, special teams, etc. and he came out of those tough stretches a better player and ended up scoring like a point a game for the last fifteen games or so. I don’t think it’s arguable that Eklund was an NHL caliber player last season.

Frankly, I’m confused what we’re even arguing about anymore. Wasn’t it that you were concerned that rookies wouldn’t get spots? Are you now arguing that zero rookies deserved to be on the Sharks last season?

Everything you just said about Eklund is exactly why you and I were even arguing in the first place to some degree I feel, I see all those ups and downs as good things for our prospects to be exposed to. Its why I want more prospects on the team IF they are ready, instead of watching guys like Kunin yet again waste space on the roster.

I think that right now, while there are no expectations to compete, we should be trying our best to get prospects into the lineup where possible, so they can get those ups and downs out of the way now, so that in a couple years when we actually want to start trying to compete we are not then having to find out who can actually play in the NHL and who cant.

The only issue is again what defines ready, and clearly you(and several others lol) and I do not see eye to eye on what ready looks like. So while I am more than fine having someone like Bords on the team, it seems you aren't, and thus here we are arguing about it, among other things and players.

If I could sum up what my hopes had been, it would be we entered camp with essentially one "open" spot on each line for prospects to play for. I assumed Celebrini and Smith would occupy the spots on the 1st/2nd line, and then any of the guys that I've already mentioned in this thread would fight over the spots on the 3rd and 4th. I was hoping we would get a 1W to play with Celebrini, and a serviceable top pairing-ish RD to lead our PP and not force any of our D prospects onto the top pairing.

Right now it feels like instead of fighting for spots in the bottom 6, anyone not named Celebrini or Smith, is pretty much a lock to be sent down to the minors or AHL. Once we add those two to the lineup, we then have all of Goodrow, Kunin, Wennberg, Sturm, Kostin, G.Smith, Dellandrea, Grundstrom, and Bailey all already there in the bottom 6. That doesn't even account for Couture, which if he's healthy and ready to play adds yet another player into that bottom 6 fight.

I just simply see no chance any prospect makes the team in the bottom 6, even if they do look ready for bottom 6 time, and that is what I am not a big fan of.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Everything you just said about Eklund is exactly why you and I were even arguing in the first place to some degree I feel, I see all those ups and downs as good things for our prospects to be exposed to. Its why I want more prospects on the team IF they are ready, instead of watching guys like Kunin yet again waste space on the roster.

I think that right now, while there are no expectations to compete, we should be trying our best to get prospects into the lineup where possible, so they can get those ups and downs out of the way now, so that in a couple years when we actually want to start trying to compete we are not then having to find out who can actually play in the NHL and who cant.

The only issue is again what defines ready, and clearly you(and several others lol) and I do not see eye to eye on what ready looks like. So while I am more than fine having someone like Bords on the team, it seems you aren't, and thus here we are arguing about it, among other things and players.

If I could sum up what my hopes had been, it would be we entered camp with essentially one "open" spot on each line for prospects to play for. I assumed Celebrini and Smith would occupy the spots on the 1st/2nd line, and then any of the guys that I've already mentioned in this thread would fight over the spots on the 3rd and 4th. I was hoping we would get a 1W to play with Celebrini, and a serviceable top pairing-ish RD to lead our PP and not force any of our D prospects onto the top pairing.

Right now it feels like instead of fighting for spots in the bottom 6, anyone not named Celebrini or Smith, is pretty much a lock to be sent down to the minors or AHL. Once we add those two to the lineup, we then have all of Goodrow, Kunin, Wennberg, Sturm, Kostin, G.Smith, Dellandrea, Grundstrom, and Bailey all already there in the bottom 6. That doesn't even account for Couture, which if he's healthy and ready to play adds yet another player into that bottom 6 fight.

I just simply see no chance any prospect makes the team in the bottom 6, even if they do look ready for bottom 6 time, and that is what I am not a big fan of.

So you want to have a spot on each of the third and fourth lines “open” for a prospect to win… but what if none of the prospects are good enough to deserve those spots? What do you do then?

 

[landshark]

Spoiler: Micro Mueller pick (and the trade up is just so f***ing bad) is really top notch awful with some hindsight fun.

Micro Mueller 8 spots ahead of Shea Theodore. But it doesn't end there... I hate the internet sometimes when I think of how weird and maybe fortuitous that 2013 draft could have gone elsewise... Just by decent scouting for dmen and not making a move up to reach Mueller.

Sharks traded up from 20 to 18 to get him so 6 spots later Theodore goes from the original pick slot. But the #58 they gave up to move up two spots... Tyler Bertuzzi, but 8 spots later goes Pesce. I mean, that's best case scenario looking at within ten picks (back from original slots no trade up)... yeesh.

20/20 hindsight... Theodore and Pesce would be franchise changing and DW might have retired with a cup with both picked that draft, found something else to do or whatever (but maybe with a cup?). That's a bit extreme for expectations for those two picks. But even just one of those guys instead of Micro f'ing Mueller dang... We could talk about Hertl versus Vasilevsky too. if we go within ten picks BACK... Gooch and Kopitar I think, not checking that one.

After thinking about Wennberg deal... I don't care. I'll care if someone beats him out of a job and they get sent back anyways. (seems unlikely with NTC this year versus NMC) Especially if it's someone young and exciting beating him out, but truly don't really mind it even if Musty tries to bust down the door to make some sort of kid-line with Smitty and Celly. I'll give zero shits about Wennberg and will likely forget he exists if he gets scratched or sent down because of it. Nothing personal. He's serviceable NHL forward, a placeholder. Wennberg didn't cost any assets aside from Hasso's money.

Spoiler: Devil's advocate/ bonus conspiracy theory about NYR deal/Wennberg. I'm up past my bedtime

Perhaps Wennberg getting an audition at San Jose for 5mil is the future considerations GMMG and Kris Draper Drury worked out for sending a 2nd with Walman then... Barclay Goodrow on waivers. Next year Wennberg to NYR for a top-5 protected 1st with 50% retention on Wennberg. Regardless of Musty winning the 2025 Calder... If the audition ends up that Wennberg got beat out by a rookie and Drury gets his audition of Wennberg absolutely destroying the AHL competition maybe there's a deal of a lesser magnitude there... even for injury fill in and not playing in the AHL Wennberg in the pressbox for 5M is only going to piss me off if he is a tool about it... Not worried about that at all.

It's devil's advocate because someone could say, "but this could mean Wennberg gets the chance or choice when the time comes over Musty going past 9 games?" The Sharks should slide Musty's ELC regardless, I don't really care about Wennberg sitting versus someone breaking out like Bordy. Sit him for Bordy because Bordy figured some shit out and now he's above replacement level. Sit Wennberg or whatever, who cares?

But ok, Wennberg, let's go! GMMG worked something to get some center depth to unload next year at the TDL to give some insulation for flipping others, Granny for example, at this year's trade dead line. It's the definition of no big deal. If he hits, then hot damn! If he and Musty hit, then double hot damn, Sharks to Musty: "go play some D in juniors this time while scoring all those points. Make us bring you back..." And his contract slides, hooray! If Musty or even Bordy outplay him for a spot then great! I think the Sharks want Musty to slide a year off of Smitty and Celly, I'd guess.

The NTC versus NMC makes me not worried about this deal for sure, waive him. If someone claims him, then good for Wennberg! Wennberg is expensive and useful NHL replacement level player. Hooray! Would have I preferred Dakota Joshua? But Dakota Joshua was RFA...


There's roster flexibility added by this deal for Wennberg. Expensive flexibility, but hopefully with some potential for return on the way out next year w/ some sweet retention. If not, oh well. He's off the books before it matters from a compete and cap stand point.

 

[Dicdonya]

So you want to have a spot on each of the third and fourth lines “open” for a prospect to win… but what if none of the prospects are good enough to deserve those spots? What do you do then?

Fill them with guys that you signed?

The quotes around open was to indicate that we should have 12 NHL forwards signed, and not that we should have a literal hole in the lineup with no one signed to fill it if guys can't make the team.

Two of them go to the bench for Celebrini and Smith right off the bat if those two decide to jump into the NHL this year, and then those same two that you would bench first are the ones you would then send down if two prospects actually appear worthy of playing in the NHL on the third and fourth line.

That way if no one takes those spots with a good camp, you have your 14 forwards going into the season, assuming again that Celebrini and Smith actually play this year.

On the other hand right now, we currently have 12+Graf forwards signed, with three more waiting for contracts. Add Celebrini and Smith to the mix and we already, without even touching any of the prospects weve been talking about outside the big 2, have like 17/18 forwards signed, or will be signed, looking to fill 14 slots.

So you tell me where a prospect that is simply ready, but not absolutely blowing your socks off, has any real hope of making this team when there are already that many forwards fighting for spots on this team. most of which are established NHL players or top end prospects. I just dont see it, and I would have been happier if I could have at least seen it. Thats all

Also not directed at you, but as a general statement in case anyone wants to think otherwise and try to put words in my mouth, nothing that I am arguing about right now in any way means that I think Grier is doing a bad job, or that I think this offseason is a shitshow, or even that I am not excited to watch games this year if Celebrini and Smith join the team. I simply wish things went down slightly differently and would have been even more excited to watch the camps, preseason etc if that occurred and I could be rooting for a couple more prospects to make the roster.

 

[CanadienShark]

Grier: "Just build the whole roster out of centers."

Remember when our top 6 was comprised of 5 centres and a d-man?

 

[coooldude]

Fill them with guys that you signed?

The quotes around open was to indicate that we should have 12 NHL forwards signed, and not that we should have a literal hole in the lineup with no one signed to fill it if guys can't make the team.

Two of them go to the bench for Celebrini and Smith right off the bat if those two decide to jump into the NHL this year, and then those same two that you would bench first are the ones you would then send down if two prospects actually appear worthy of playing in the NHL on the third and fourth line.

That way if no one takes those spots with a good camp, you have your 14 forwards going into the season, assuming again that Celebrini and Smith actually play this year.

On the other hand right now, we currently have 12+Graf forwards signed, with three more waiting for contracts. Add Celebrini and Smith to the mix and we already, without even touching any of the prospects weve been talking about outside the big 2, have like 17/18 forwards signed, or will be signed, looking to fill 14 slots.

So you tell me where a prospect that is simply ready, but not absolutely blowing your socks off, has any real hope of making this team when there are already that many forwards fighting for spots on this team. most of which are established NHL players or top end prospects. I just dont see it, and I would have been happier if I could have at least seen it. Thats all

Also not directed at you, but as a general statement in case anyone wants to think otherwise and try to put words in my mouth, nothing that I am arguing about right now in any way means that I think Grier is doing a bad job, or that I think this offseason is a shitshow, or even that I am not excited to watch games this year if Celebrini and Smith join the team. I simply wish things went down slightly differently and would have been even more excited to watch the camps, preseason etc if that occurred and I could be rooting for a couple more prospects to make the roster.

I just don't get which prospects you think have a shot. Prospects are amazing until they're not and everyone wants to waive them or trade them. That transition happens when they actually get into the league and we all realize just how much higher the play is.

Everyone loved Ferraro and now opinions range from "fire him into the sun" to "he'd be fine as a 4D but we're asking too much of him." This same exact path could happen with Dickinson, let alone Furlong or Pohlkamp.

Kunin was picked 15OA. 80% of posters here think he's not worth using as a placemat.

Klim Kostin is like Musty. He was 31OA, he's 6'3", he's decently fast and he has skill. He immediately went to the AHL after draft and scored 0.3-0.4ppg. in 2022 he scored at about the rate Bords scored during his time on the team last year, and last year he scored 10 in 19, about what Eklund produced. Are we really worried that Kostin is taking a roster spot from Musty? He's obviously far better than Musty, Gush, or Bords today. Musty lit up the OHL but like many prospects could obviously use some strength and rounding out his game instead of his team's cheating for offense.

Dellandrea was picked 13OA one year later. He stayed in Junior for 3 years, getting to 1.4 PPG or so. In 2022 he scored 0.8ppg or so in the AHL (better than Bords last year) and then got called up and scored 9 points in 42 games in a limited role on Dallas. Less than Bords, but less opportunity as well in the games he was given, and better than Bailey or Carpy.

Just as a reminder, Ryan Clowe played five seasons (5!) after his draft year before debuting for the Sharks. Pavs played two full seasons before starting in the AHL and getting the call up. Seto played two more seasons in Junior before starting in the Cuda then getting the call up. Burns played 36 games right away, but then played WJC and next season played a full AHL season.

Same timelines: Bystedt and Edstrom should start in the Cuda this year, and will probably get called up when injuries inevitably hit. Musty will get another season in Junior before the same plan. Haltts the same. Chernyshov is nowhere near ready. If Mukh can win a spot, then Thrun will be in and out of the lineup or up and down when injuries hit.

It looks like a log jam, but a lot of these kids need time anyway, and injuries always hit. You have to be patient with prospects, they're children when they get drafted.

 

[LilLeeroy]

So you want to have a spot on each of the third and fourth lines “open” for a prospect to win… but what if none of the prospects are good enough to deserve those spots? What do you do then?

You don't think there would be 4th line calibre players available on waivers or that still haven't signed yet by then?

 

[Gecklund]

Remember when our top 6 was comprised of 5 centres and a d-man?

Jumbo, Pav, Patty, Burns, Couture, who am I missing? I genuinely don’t remember. Was it Hertl?

 

[Barrie22]

You don't think there would be 4th line calibre players available on waivers or that still haven't signed yet by then?

If they are being waived or not signed yet, then they really aren't good enough for the NHL yet.

Jumbo, Pav, Patty, Burns, Couture, who am I missing? I genuinely don’t remember. Was it Hertl?

Thornton, pavs, marleau, couture, hertl.

 

[LilLeeroy]

If they are being waived or not signed yet, then they really aren't good enough for the NHL yet.


Thornton, pavs, marleau, couture, hertl.

Useful players that couldn't make far more talented rosters than we have get waived all the time. It's not hard to find these guys if they're needed at any point in the season.

Loading up on as many depth forwards as we did in such a short period of time is abnormal, whether you think a guy like Musty deserves a shot to make the roster or not.

 

[CanadienShark]

Jumbo, Pav, Patty, Burns, Couture, who am I missing? I genuinely don’t remember. Was it Hertl?

Nailed it!

 

[gaucholoco3]

I just don't get which prospects you think have a shot. Prospects are amazing until they're not and everyone wants to waive them or trade them. That transition happens when they actually get into the league and we all realize just how much higher the play is.

Everyone loved Ferraro and now opinions range from "fire him into the sun" to "he'd be fine as a 4D but we're asking too much of him." This same exact path could happen with Dickinson, let alone Furlong or Pohlkamp.

Kunin was picked 15OA. 80% of posters here think he's not worth using as a placemat.

Klim Kostin is like Musty. He was 31OA, he's 6'3", he's decently fast and he has skill. He immediately went to the AHL after draft and scored 0.3-0.4ppg. in 2022 he scored at about the rate Bords scored during his time on the team last year, and last year he scored 10 in 19, about what Eklund produced. Are we really worried that Kostin is taking a roster spot from Musty? He's obviously far better than Musty, Gush, or Bords today. Musty lit up the OHL but like many prospects could obviously use some strength and rounding out his game instead of his team's cheating for offense.

Dellandrea was picked 13OA one year later. He stayed in Junior for 3 years, getting to 1.4 PPG or so. In 2022 he scored 0.8ppg or so in the AHL (better than Bords last year) and then got called up and scored 9 points in 42 games in a limited role on Dallas. Less than Bords, but less opportunity as well in the games he was given, and better than Bailey or Carpy.

Just as a reminder, Ryan Clowe played five seasons (5!) after his draft year before debuting for the Sharks. Pavs played two full seasons before starting in the AHL and getting the call up. Seto played two more seasons in Junior before starting in the Cuda then getting the call up. Burns played 36 games right away, but then played WJC and next season played a full AHL season.

Same timelines: Bystedt and Edstrom should start in the Cuda this year, and will probably get called up when injuries inevitably hit. Musty will get another season in Junior before the same plan. Haltts the same. Chernyshov is nowhere near ready. If Mukh can win a spot, then Thrun will be in and out of the lineup or up and down when injuries hit.

It looks like a log jam, but a lot of these kids need time anyway, and injuries always hit. You have to be patient with prospects, they're children when they get drafted.

People are going to be shocked when Musty starts the season after this in the AHL. Except for top 10 picks players take 3+ years to become NHL players.

 

[Star Platinum]

People are going to be shocked when Musty starts the season after this in the AHL. Except for top 10 picks players take 3+ years to become NHL players.

I would be more shocked if he never spent time in the AHL.

 

[OrrNumber4]

I just don't get which prospects you think have a shot. Prospects are amazing until they're not and everyone wants to waive them or trade them. That transition happens when they actually get into the league and we all realize just how much higher the play is.

Everyone loved Ferraro and now opinions range from "fire him into the sun" to "he'd be fine as a 4D but we're asking too much of him." This same exact path could happen with Dickinson, let alone Furlong or Pohlkamp.

Kunin was picked 15OA. 80% of posters here think he's not worth using as a placemat.

Klim Kostin is like Musty. He was 31OA, he's 6'3", he's decently fast and he has skill. He immediately went to the AHL after draft and scored 0.3-0.4ppg. in 2022 he scored at about the rate Bords scored during his time on the team last year, and last year he scored 10 in 19, about what Eklund produced. Are we really worried that Kostin is taking a roster spot from Musty? He's obviously far better than Musty, Gush, or Bords today. Musty lit up the OHL but like many prospects could obviously use some strength and rounding out his game instead of his team's cheating for offense.

Dellandrea was picked 13OA one year later. He stayed in Junior for 3 years, getting to 1.4 PPG or so. In 2022 he scored 0.8ppg or so in the AHL (better than Bords last year) and then got called up and scored 9 points in 42 games in a limited role on Dallas. Less than Bords, but less opportunity as well in the games he was given, and better than Bailey or Carpy.

Just as a reminder, Ryan Clowe played five seasons (5!) after his draft year before debuting for the Sharks. Pavs played two full seasons before starting in the AHL and getting the call up. Seto played two more seasons in Junior before starting in the Cuda then getting the call up. Burns played 36 games right away, but then played WJC and next season played a full AHL season.

Same timelines: Bystedt and Edstrom should start in the Cuda this year, and will probably get called up when injuries inevitably hit. Musty will get another season in Junior before the same plan. Haltts the same. Chernyshov is nowhere near ready. If Mukh can win a spot, then Thrun will be in and out of the lineup or up and down when injuries hit.

It looks like a log jam, but a lot of these kids need time anyway, and injuries always hit. You have to be patient with prospects, they're children when they get drafted.

I hereby title this post: "A dose of reality".