Recalled/Assigned: Soderblom recalled by the Wings

[norrisnick]

And by the looks of it, yet another prospect with some time spent in AHL, now looking like veteran in NHL and immediately contributing in winning effort. No wonder Yzerman likes using AHL, sharpens the rough edges away. And people still doubt AHL's developmental aspect, quite a few young men already in this roster who went through that route and seriously improved the team.

And how many young players have had significant portions of their development time erased because the AHL still employs legions of knuckledraggers that believe pasting a guy into the 5th row hours after the puck is gone is a great way to make a good impression and stay employed? Mazur playing the last couple months in Sweden would be a hell of a lot better for his future than the last couple months of [checks notes] not playing in the AHL is going to be.

 

[Hully14]

In terms of not being injured and playing, sure, but at some point prospects have to adjust to North American ice and a much more physical style of play. The AHL is stacked with future NHLers, former NHLers, and bubble guys who could be called up at any time. Most guys can't just jump strait from the SHL into the NHL, they need to iron out their growing pains in the American League.

 

[norrisnick]

In terms of not being injured and playing, sure, but at some point prospects have to adjust to North American ice and a much more physical style of play. The AHL is stacked with future NHLers, former NHLers, and bubble guys who could be called up at any time. Most guys can't just jump strait from the SHL into the NHL, they need to iron out their growing pains in the American League.

There will always be adjustments needed to go to the NHL. The AHL pace does not prepare you for the NHL pace. Not even remotely close.

 

[Hully14]

There will always be adjustments needed to go to the NHL. The AHL pace does not prepare you for the NHL pace. Not even remotely close.

Of course not, but it does prepare you for North American ice size, playing or playing against a much more physical style than exists in Sweden, and most importantly it prepares you for playing with and against NHL talent.

 

[newfy]

Yep, Elmer was down to work on a few things, which he was slowly getting it done as a whole package until recently. I do think the broken foot slowed him down a little, but that now seems past him. (Them big guys can take a while to get back on track)

From memory, Elmer took a bad hit earlier this season at GR and missed a few games, when he got back, he decided to take a page from "Hockey, here's Howe" and learned it is far better to give than receive. He had already worked hard on his skating and defense, but then worked real hard on his contact play, even had a fight (which he won). I suspect he can thank Austin for helping to get him back on track.

Since Christmas, the points started to come back to go with a more complete tool kit. He earned call up, I think he was around a PPG for a week or two when he was brought up.

If he is unafraid to get involved in scrums and keep the other team in line, I think he is now up for good and the wings have another GR graduate on the roster.

There was an interview somewhere talking about how Watson took Soderblom under his wing this year and was getting him going physically. Watson is definitely not the best hockey player on the planet, but if you want to teach a skilled guy to reinvent his game and become more physical to keep an NHL career. Watson might honestly be the poster boy

Maybe I was delusional but I thought he looked good his first 20 game stretch in the nhl and been saying since last year I thought he'd be better in the nhl with better talent surrounding him. With his size and what he showed i wasnt ready to let go of what he could be for us

Like you I thought the way it was going he was sadly going to the shl soon or at least to another team. Glad he added a mean streak and it's all worked out in the end. Dont expect him to go back down

I'd now like to see us retain watson as well and make him an extra forward next season and continue to mentor elmer to keep his momentum going

He did look good his first 20 games, because he showed those flashes of skill that he still does. But as time wore on on that call up, it started to look more and more like a hot streak and like the deficiencies in his game were bigger than first though.

That first call up I thought hem for sure had an NHL future, then in the AHL after that he just lost it for a bit and looked like he belonged in Europe. He finally decided to embrace his 6'8 frame and its made him into a completely different player. Even when he wasn't scoring in GR this year, he was arguably their best player all season. You would have never said that about him prior to this season

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

And by the looks of it, yet another prospect with some time spent in AHL, now looking like veteran in NHL and immediately contributing in winning effort. No wonder Yzerman likes using AHL, sharpens the rough edges away. And people still doubt AHL's developmental aspect, quite a few young men already in this roster who went through that route and seriously improved the team.

Do you think we can use it to improve Copp, Holl and Petry?

 

[redwingsfannn9191]

There was an interview somewhere talking about how Watson took Soderblom under his wing this year and was getting him going physically. Watson is definitely not the best hockey player on the planet, but if you want to teach a skilled guy to reinvent his game and become more physical to keep an NHL career. Watson might honestly be the poster boy

He did look good his first 20 games, because he showed those flashes of skill that he still does. But as time wore on on that call up, it started to look more and more like a hot streak and like the deficiencies in his game were bigger than first though.

That first call up I thought hem for sure had an NHL future, then in the AHL after that he just lost it for a bit and looked like he belonged in Europe. He finally decided to embrace his 6'8 frame and its made him into a completely different player. Even when he wasn't scoring in GR this year, he was arguably their best player all season. You would have never said that about him prior to this season

He never got another chance after those 20 games though in like what? 2 yrs? Maybe he lost confidence??

I'm just glad it seems to be working out cause if he can be a 15-20 goal 6'8 physical forward for us he can be an impactful forward,especially in the playoffs

I can definetly see him being a piece of the future and 3rd line if he keeps it going. These next 2 seasons coming up are going to finally be fun to be a wings fan again with all the kids coming and likely moves ahead

 

[norrisnick]

Of course not, but it does prepare you for North American ice size, playing or playing against a much more physical style than exists in Sweden, and most importantly it prepares you for playing with and against NHL talent.

No more than the SHL because, shocker, there are future, former, NHLers playing in leagues in Europe.

 

[Hully14]

No more than the SHL because, shocker, there are future, former, NHLers playing in leagues in Europe.

There are future NHLers who are in the very early stages of their development. Furutre NHlers in the American League are further along and much closer to what they'll be in the NHL. You can't adjust to North American ice size in Sweden, you can't adjust to the physicality of North American hockey in Sweden, I mean just look at Soderblom. He was in the AHL for a sizeable chunk of time, Austin Watson took him under his wing, and now he's back in the show. That doesn't happen if he's playing in Sweden.

 

[norrisnick]

There are future NHLers who are in the very early stages of their development. Furutre NHlers in the American League are further along and much closer to what they'll be in the NHL. You can't adjust to North American ice size in Sweden, you can't adjust to the physicality of North American hockey in Sweden, I mean just look at Soderblom. He was in the AHL for a sizeable chunk of time, Austin Watson took him under his wing, and now he's back in the show. That doesn't happen if he's playing in Sweden.

That has everything to do with geography and nothing to do with which league is a better preparatory league.

Slap the SHL in the empty expanse of central NA, even with big rinks, it would become the preferred option.

 

[Oddbob]

Maybe I was delusional but I thought he looked good his first 20 game stretch in the nhl and been saying since last year I thought he'd be better in the nhl with better talent surrounding him. With his size and what he showed i wasnt ready to let go of what he could be for us

Like you I thought the way it was going he was sadly going to the shl soon or at least to another team. Glad he added a mean streak and it's all worked out in the end. Dont expect him to go back down

I'd now like to see us retain watson as well and make him an extra forward next season and continue to mentor elmer to keep his momentum going

Yeah, I was impressed by him in his first call up aside from some defensive lapses he showed some of the same skill he has now. He has now learned to play like a big man though which is the major difference.

 

[SantosHalper]

And how many young players have had significant portions of their development time erased because the AHL still employs legions of knuckledraggers that believe pasting a guy into the 5th row hours after the puck is gone is a great way to make a good impression and stay employed? Mazur playing the last couple months in Sweden would be a hell of a lot better for his future than the last couple months of [checks notes] not playing in the AHL is going to be.

Hockey is a dangerous sport. About a year ago Larkin got nearly decapitated. Every game could be their last, just a fact. Against Tampa after Kucherov tripped Ras, he could have hit his head on post and get paralyzed like Sanni Hakala. Or perhaps face/head first on ice and then get paralyzed like Jaroslav Otevřel.

 

[jkutswings]

Do you think we can use it to improve Copp, Holl and Petry?

I think we should definitely try. Give each one at least two full seasons, just to be sure.

 

[sepster]

I liked him a lot as a prospect but it just hasn’t come together for him. He's kind of fallen into Emmerton territory… not good enough for the top 6, and not industrious enough for the bottom 6.

That is a low blow, man. Low.