Thunderbirds 2024-25

[Terrier]

Alexandrov, Ice-O-Topes thunder past Bruins (photos)

Springfield has still never lost as the Ice-O-Topes, improving to a perfect 5-0 record as their alter ego, while the team also extended its point streak to seven straight games.

www.masslive.com

 

[Linkens Mastery]

If he can hold onto the puck, continue to play with pace, not get too cute in his own zone, and work on his first couple steps of quickness, then he will definitely play next year. I think playing with Alexandrov is helping him, because he isn’t afraid to do or try anything with the puck. He may get creamed in the middle, but he will take the puck to the middle. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it don’t. Lately, he has been one of their best players. Providence (weekend foe) can play some defense and there just is no room on the ice, so you have to create it.

Dvo would unload it when he was pressured or slow things down like a 4th line forward. Now he is keeping it and looking for openings and moving. The dude can stick handle and weave the same at half speed and his top speed and not lose the puck. It’s a top 6 skill in his toolbag. Hopefully, he keeps doing it. Making far better passes and getting better looks. More like a center than a shooter on the wing, which I thought he may have to move to the way he was playing.

I thought we were talking about Broberg. Lol oops

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I thought we were talking about Broberg. Lol oops

Maybe so? Seemed odd on the T-birds feed....haha. I thought he was referring to Dvo.

 

[PeoriaBlues309]

Bolduc getting sent down during Four Nations. Perfect timing for them to be in Rockford next week lol. Can’t wait to see all the prospects irl.

 

[Mike Liut]

Any idea where these players will be playing next year? Does Springfield have room for all of them?
Dvorsky - Blues?
Snuggs - Blues ?
Stenberg - Springfield
Lindstein - Springfield?
Stancl -
Jecho -
Pekarcik - Springfield?
Ralph - ?
Fischer - ?
McIsaac - ?
Juricek - ?

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Any idea where these players will be playing next year? Does Springfield have room for all of them?
Dvorsky - Blues?
Snuggs - Blues ?
Lindstein - Springfield?
Stancl -
Jecho -
Pekarcik - Springfield?
Ralph - ?
Fischer - ?
McIsaac - ?
Juricek - ?

Dvorsky - Blues/T-Birds
Snuggs - Blues
Lindstein - T-Birds/Sweden
Stancl - T-Birds
Jecho - Edmonton (Under 20)
Pekarcik - T-Birds
Ralph - College
Fischer - Sarnia (Under 20)
McIsaac - Spokane (Under 20)
Jiricek - Brantford (Under 20)


To be eligible to play in the American Hockey League (AHL) from the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), a player must be 20 years old by December 31 of the calendar year.

 

[Mike Liut]

Dvorsky - Blues/T-Birds
Snuggs - Blues
Lindstein - T-Birds/Sweden
Stancl - T-Birds
Jecho - Edmonton (Under 20)
Pekarcik - T-Birds
Ralph - College
Fischer - Sarnia (Under 20)
McIsaac - Spokane (Under 20)
Jiricek - Brantford (Under 20)


To be eligible to play in the American Hockey League (AHL) from the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), a player must be 20 years old by December 31 of the calendar year.

Good info. Thanks

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Dvorsky - Blues/T-Birds
Snuggs - Blues
Lindstein - T-Birds/Sweden
Stancl - T-Birds
Jecho - Edmonton (Under 20)
Pekarcik - T-Birds
Ralph - College
Fischer - Sarnia (Under 20)
McIsaac - Spokane (Under 20)
Jiricek - Brantford (Under 20)


To be eligible to play in the American Hockey League (AHL) from the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), a player must be 20 years old by December 31 of the calendar year.

Jiricek will likely be in Brantford but he actually is eligible to play in AHL, as he wasn’t drafted out of CHL.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

If he can hold onto the puck, continue to play with pace, not get too cute in his own zone, and work on his first couple steps of quickness, then he will definitely play next year. I think playing with Alexandrov is helping him, because he isn’t afraid to do or try anything with the puck. He may get creamed in the middle, but he will take the puck to the middle. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it don’t. Lately, he has been one of their best players. Providence (weekend foe) can play some defense and there just is no room on the ice, so you have to create it.

Dvo would unload it when he was pressured or slow things down like a 4th line forward. Now he is keeping it and looking for openings and moving. The dude can stick handle and weave the same at half speed and his top speed and not lose the puck. It’s a top 6 skill in his toolbag. Hopefully, he keeps doing it. Making far better passes and getting better looks. More like a center than a shooter on the wing, which I thought he may have to move to the way he was playing.

Thought Dvo looked really good last night. I suspect he will be with Blues in about a month and that gives me comfort it won’t be too much for him. I don’t expect him to be impactful soon, but I was concerned he might be overwhelmed.

Also liked Stenberg. He is maybe year away but liked what I saw.

Kaskimaki continues to progress. I think he is future bottom 6 winger. At least a year away though.

Robertsson I wouldn’t count out either. The only other forwards who looked good were the vets. Alexandrov scored twice but those were only times I noticed him.

Kessel was their best d. Loof can defend at high level but his puck skills makes mikkola look like maker by comparison.

Ellis looks good too. I’d be comfortable giving him shot as backup if we deal either goalie.

 

[joe galiba]

Maybe so? Seemed odd on the T-birds feed....haha. I thought he was referring to Dvo.

I was talking about Dvo, but Broberg decided to skate around the other team by himself right when I started typing

also, is Stenberg on his way to forcing himself in front of everyone else?

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I was talking about Dvo, but Broberg decided to skate around the other team by himself right when I started typing

also, is Stenberg on his way to forcing himself in front of everyone else?

If I was going to pick a rookie, that would be the first call up that I thought could help the blues, then it would be Robertsson. He would have no issue keeping up with the pace of the game. He plays solidly both ways. He may even benefit more offensively playing with more talent. The dude can really shoot, if he gets the opportunity. He can also tip the puck very well.

I think Stenberg still has some adjusting to do. When the light comes on and he will be a star in the AHL. He’s just going to be a very good player. You can tell by how smart he is. I wish we had a better center skating with him and Robertsson. I’m not sure why they never experimented with Dvo there. I would just like him to get some confidence and put up some serious numbers. That way he is ready to at the next level.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

If I was going to pick a rookie, that would be the first call up that I thought could help the blues, then it would be Robertsson. He would have no issue keeping up with the pace of the game. He plays solidly both ways. He may even benefit more offensively playing with more talent. The dude can really shoot, if he gets the opportunity. He can also tip the puck very well.

I think Stenberg still has some adjusting to do. When the light comes on and he will be a star in the AHL. He’s just going to be a very good player. You can tell by how smart he is. I wish we had a better center skating with him and Robertsson. I’m not sure why they never experimented with Dvo there. I would just like him to get some confidence and put up some serious numbers. That way he is ready to at the next level.

I agree. Dvo needs some pepper in his game, but I think Robertsson is just about ready. Stenberg? It appears he may need to jump to the NHL now. The big show will not be too big for him. Post TDL call up?

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I agree. Dvo needs some pepper in his game, but I think Robertsson is just about ready. Stenberg? It appears he may need to jump to the NHL now. The big show will not be too big for him. Post TDL call up?

I’d like to see Otto go up on a hot streak and never look back. He could stand to get stronger.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

I’d like to see Otto go up on a hot streak and never look back. He could stand to get stronger.

Yeah, I don’t see him meriting call up this season unless they just want to give him a taste. I could see around this time next year him being ready if he makes expected progress.

 

[Mike Liut]

I’d like to see Otto go up on a hot streak and never look back. He could stand to get stronger.

He needs to add 15 lbs of muscle. He’s built like a 13 year old boy before puberty

 

[Brian39]

The statistical profile is definitely not exciting. The AHL rookie year last season was very discouraging. He does have NHL tools though including above average skating and handling. He had a dominant run in the QMJHL playoffs in his D+2 and was better than Bolduc IMO. Best case scenario at this point is 3C and probably more likely he’s a 4th liner. Either way I don’t see huge benefits to more AHL time.

I don't understand this line of thinking.

Dean has 16 career points as a professional hockey player. All 16 of those came in his 58 AHL games and he had 0 points in his 9 NHL games last year. He has less than a full season's worth of pro hockey games under his belt and he hasn't been able to produce offensively at a middle 6 pace in the AHL. He had the 3rd worst +/- on the Thunderbirds last year (and was on pace for last on the team) and got caved in during his brief NHL stint despite sheltered usage. He is very clearly not performing at a level that suggests he has outgrown the AHL, he just turned 22 last month, and he has less than a full season's worth of pro games played. What about him suggests that he wouldn't benefit from more AHL time?

 

[bleedblue1223]

It's also important to remember that he didn't start getting bigger minutes until later in the AHL season, and in his final 14 games, he had 7 goals and 10 points. Now, his development has not gone well, but he simply needs minutes, and hopefully he's healthy next season and can have a full AHL season with top 6 or at least top 9 minutes.

 

[LGB]

I don't understand this line of thinking.

Dean has 16 career points as a professional hockey player. All 16 of those came in his 58 AHL games and he had 0 points in his 9 NHL games last year. He has less than a full season's worth of pro hockey games under his belt and he hasn't been able to produce offensively at a middle 6 pace in the AHL. He had the 3rd worst +/- on the Thunderbirds last year (and was on pace for last on the team) and got caved in during his brief NHL stint despite sheltered usage. He is very clearly not performing at a level that suggests he has outgrown the AHL, he just turned 22 last month, and he has less than a full season's worth of pro games played. What about him suggests that he wouldn't benefit from more AHL time?

I think at this point it is almost a certainty he will be a bottom 6 NHL player assuming he becomes one. No amount of further AHL time will change that. 22 is not young for a forward prospect. I think that there would be potentially more benefit from playing a checking line role in the NHL and adapting his game to that. If he is unplayable, you can send him back down. He has NHL tools and plays at a high pace.

 

[LGB]

Also as for the usage. I wouldn't call playing pretty much all your minutes with Toropchenko, Walker, Blais, and Kapanen sheltered usage, I would call it being set up to fail. I say bottom 6 but I would specifically like to see him centering some combination of Bolduc, Joseph, and Neighbours because I think they would be able to play with pace and check, but also have some skill.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I think at this point it is almost a certainty he will be a bottom 6 NHL player assuming he becomes one. No amount of further AHL time will change that. 22 is not young for a forward prospect. I think that there would be potentially more benefit from playing a checking line role in the NHL and adapting his game to that. If he is unplayable, you can send him back down. He has NHL tools and plays at a high pace.

You can't just force him into being a NHL player though, calling him up would essentially be doing that. Dean was not good in his call-up last year, he's not ready for 3rd line duty. He's simply not ready and would be overwhelmed with a call-up.