Prospect Info: The 2024-2025 Prospect Thread: Part 1: Skate or Die!

[krutovsdonut]

the ncaa is a way better developmental environment than the ahl for most prospects, especially under 20. most schools have excellent training facilities and the social and academic environment is a big plus. i think it would be pretty rare you'd want a player to leave the ncaa to come to the ahl unless there was an academic problem. also, you don't want to burn elc years if you can avoid it.

 

[arttk]

No it wasn’t, the main argument is that he was average player in college last year. People acted like he dominated. He can still learn a lot at the college level to me putting him in the AHL would not make sense when he can still grow his game at the College level. Also, he is not physically ready to play in the AHL.

Wasn’t he one of the best defensive D in college last season?

 

[SelltheTeamFrancesco]

Wasn’t he one of the best defensive D in college last season?

No he wasn’t.

 

[WTG]

Kind of nice to have a wealth of decent prospects to follow. For a while there under Benning anything outside of round 3 was kind of garbage. Now the team has acquired some very intriguing pieces.

Having watched Kudryatsev live in pre-season I'm really impressed by him. I'm intrigued at how well he does in the AHL. I could see him being high on the call-up list if there is an injury depending on if he can carry a strong training camp into the AHL. Just sucks that they play their games so late, they have their first game on the 11th.

 

[Diversification]

No he wasn’t.

 

[arttk]

View attachment 913535

Well there goes what @SelltheTeamFrancesco claims.

 

[credulous]

Well there goes what @SelltheTeamFrancesco claims.

we all hope willander has similar success to past hockey east second team all stars like jordan harris, ryan ufko, domenick fensore, scott morrow, declan carlile and zac jones

 

[SelltheTeamFrancesco]

View attachment 913535

I answered a question about him being one of the best defensive defeceman in college and you show he made second team all star of a league that only has 11 teams. How do the two things even correlate. I said in my original post, he didn't dominate college last year ask anyone that watched last year and they will say the same. I watched him he needs to work on his offensive game and being more aggressive on both sides of the puck.

 

[Diversification]

we all hope willander has similar success to past hockey east second team all stars like jordan harris, ryan ufko, domenick fensore, scott morrow, declan carlile and zac jones

Or that nobody schlub Quinn Hughes who was a 2nd team All Star for Big Ten in his freshman season.

 

[arttk]

we all hope willander has similar success to past hockey east second team all stars like jordan harris, ryan ufko, domenick fensore, scott morrow, declan carlile and zac jones

I answered a question about him being one of the best defensive defeceman in college and you show he made second team all star of a league that only has 11 teams. How do the two things even correlate. I said in my original post, he didn't dominate college last year ask anyone that watched last year and they will say the same. I watched him he needs to work on his offensive game and being more aggressive on both sides of the puck.

the point I made was he was one of the top defensive dman last year and the fact he got recognized by being in the 2nd team all star reflects that, it's not like he is there because of his offensive showing. Basically all the scouting from last year points to Willander being the top defensive guy for BU.

I don't think anyone disputes that he needs to work on the offensive side and that was reported to be his main focus this year.

 

[credulous]

Or that nobody schlub Quinn Hughes who was a 2nd team All Star for Big Ten in his freshman season.

the big 10 is a much better conference than hockey east. hockey east is bu, bc and then i guess mass and maine have been okay in living memory

 

[Diversification]

the big 10 is a much better conference than hockey east. hockey east is bu, bc and then i guess mass and maine have been okay in living memory

Are you kidding me? Look at the rosters for BU and BC last year. Absolute murderer's row of drafted and pre-draft talent.

 

[credulous]

Are you kidding me? Look at the rosters for BU and BC last year. Absolute murderer's row of drafted and pre-draft talent.

michigan and michigan state had comparable rosters and penn, wisconsin, minnesota, nd and even ohio are better than the 3rd best hockey east team

 

[Diversification]

michigan and michigan state had comparable rosters and penn, wisconsin, minnesota, nd and even ohio are better than the 3rd best hockey east team

Uh, no. Last year the 3 juggernaut teams were clearly BU, BC and Denver. All 3 were better than Michigan State. Michigan got into the Frozen Four as a bit of a Cinderella.

 

[SelltheTeamFrancesco]

the point I made was he was one of the top defensive dman last year and the fact he got recognized by being in the 2nd team all star reflects that, it's not like he is there because of his offensive showing. Basically all the scouting from last year points to Willander being the top defensive guy for BU.

I don't think anyone disputes that he needs to work on the offensive side and that was reported to be his main focus this year.

Making an all star has nothing to do with being one of the best defensive defenceman in college hockey is my point. Looking at who made the allstar team is like cherry picking stats which anyone can do and brings nothing to an actual hockey discussion if you don’t some kind of background or other points to back up your statement. How many games of Willander did you watch last year?

 

[arttk]

Making an all star has nothing to do with being one of the best defensive defenceman in college hockey is my point. Looking at who made the allstar team is like cherry picking stats which anyone can do and brings nothing to an actual hockey discussion if you don’t some kind of background or other points to back up your statement. How many games of Willander did you watch last year?

All star nomination is basically recognition as one of the best players in the league. Unless you think all star means something else. his strength right now is defense, how else is he nominated for the all star team if it's not for defense?

I watched a bunch of his games on ESPN+ last season, I am not psycho enough to count how many i've watchd.

 

[Vector]

 

[Vector]

 

[VanJack]

Mynio looks set to build on last year's breakthrough season in Seattle......problem is, the T-Birds look like they'll suck again and probably miss the post-season.

Best case scenario for Mynio is that he gets dealt to a contender where he'll have a reasonable shot at competing for a Memorial Cup.

 

[The Iron Goalie]

Fernstrom has signed an extension on his rookie contract with Orebro, adding 1 additional year (25/26) to his current contract.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1843981266473152930

 

[ManVanFan]

Fernstrom has signed an extension on his rookie contract with Orebro, adding 1 additional year (25/26) to his current contract.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1843981266473152930

If his contract expired and Van signs him, I don't know if they would get the development fee or not still.

 

[VanJack]

Fernstrom has signed an extension on his rookie contract with Orebro, adding 1 additional year (25/26) to his current contract.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1843981266473152930

Not really a big deal.....I believe he's eligible for selection to Sweden's World Jr. team both this season and next......so playing closer to home would be better for his development.

 

[StreetHawk]

the ncaa is a way better developmental environment than the ahl for most prospects, especially under 20. most schools have excellent training facilities and the social and academic environment is a big plus. i think it would be pretty rare you'd want a player to leave the ncaa to come to the ahl unless there was an academic problem. also, you don't want to burn elc years if you can avoid it.

Facilities, travel, and support staff (strength/conditioning coaches, nutritionists, etc) likely better at most major NCAA hockey programs like Michigan, BC, BU, Minnesota, UND, Notre Dame, etc. than you get in these small market AHL cities.

Most 19 year olds, unless they have truly dominated college should go back to college. Connor put up 71 points as a FR at Michigan. So, he went to the A at 19. That's a scenario that makes sense.

ELC year likely to be burned by Wallinder this year anyways when he signs after the BU season.

 

[arttk]

Facilities, travel, and support staff (strength/conditioning coaches, nutritionists, etc) likely better at most major NCAA hockey programs like Michigan, BC, BU, Minnesota, UND, Notre Dame, etc. than you get in these small market AHL cities.

Most 19 year olds, unless they have truly dominated college should go back to college. Connor put up 71 points as a FR at Michigan. So, he went to the A at 19. That's a scenario that makes sense.

ELC year likely to be burned by Wallinder this year anyways when he signs after the BU season.

Willander was a late boomer, makes sense to have him spend more time to develop.
I think folks can’t wrap their head around the idea we drafted him for his potential and are willing to spend time for that potential to be realized which is very different than what you would expect from a high round pick which is typically high potential and faster to NHL.

 

[VanJack]

Willander was a late boomer, makes sense to have him spend more time to develop.
I think folks can’t wrap their head around the idea we drafted him for his potential and are willing to spend time for that potential to be realized which is very different than what you would expect from a high round pick which is typically high potential and faster to NHL.

Not sure how an 18 year kid could ever be classified as a 'late bloomer'......and he was a key blueliner for the Swedish World Jr. team that won a silver medal. And he's a lock for the team again this season.

It's not easy for a teenager from Europe to come to North America and thrive on the smaller ice against players three and four years older in the NCAA. But Wilander had a solid first season at BU, and will be even better this year.

Barring any surprises, he'll be signed by the Canucks as soon as BU exits the NCAA playoffs. So could be in either Vancouver or Abbotsford by mid to late March.