GDT: Training Camp

tarheelhockey

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Feb 12, 2010
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Ryan jones clearing from edm is an example of a guy I'd have thought we and a number of teams could use. He must've really fallen off the cliff. Last full season he was a border line stud third liner and an excellent pk'er. Fans loved him too.

He took a puck to the eye while practicing during the lockout, had to have surgery on it. It must have affected him rather badly as he had his SH time cut almost in half, in addition to an offensive drop-off.
 

Vagrant

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Feb 27, 2002
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Last year the CBJ started with:
Wisniewski, Johnson, Tyutin, and Nikitin as locks, Erixon & Moore as the young fill-ins, and Aucoin as the old guy.

With a few injuries during the season at different times, the following guys were called up:
Prout
Savard
Goloubef
Holden

Savard had gotten talked to last year at the shortened camp about having to be better. He didn't look good last year in the 4 games he got to play - slow, indecisive, doesn't use his size very well (listed at 6'2" 219) 4 GP, -3, 1 SOG

Goloubef seemed to fit in fairly seamlessly as far as I can remember. (listed at 6'1" 195) 11GP, 1G, -3, 14 SOG

Prout (from at least my perspective) came out of nowhere. He was called up and basically "refused" to give up his spot as others came back. (listed at 6'3" 222) 28 GP, 1G 6A, +15, 16 SOG highest +/- on the team.

Changes:
Holden signed with the Avs this summer.
Moore was traded to the Rangers
Murray has come back from injury.
Aucoin remains unsigned (I think)

So the CBJ still have:
Wisniewski, Johnson, Tyutin, and Nikitin. The definitely want to keep Murray and Prout in the system (neither need to pass through waivers).
According to the CBJ beat writer (I have to take his word for things since I haven't watched the preseason games), none of Savard, Goloubef, Melart, or Erixon has really set himself above the others. Erixon did play 31 games last season so one could assume that he should have the inside track. Melart would be a big physical defensive d-man (who I completely forgot about).

It is interesting that Savard has played 6 of the 7 preseason games (trade bait?) while Goloubef has played only about half as many.

Thank you for the insightful analysis. I do feel like Murray is an impossible demotion though. There aren't too many 2nd overall picks that spend the extra year in Junior, much less the year after going to the AHL. I think the last was Jason Spezza for half a season and that situation was an absolute joke. JVR had 7 games in the AHL for the Flyers. Barkov will never play there. Seguin never did. Hedman never did. Doughty never did. From everything I can gather, Murray has done everything in his power to distance himself from the competition making some of the lower pairing guys expendable. I think that based on history there is a precedent for playing him right now regardless.

I have heard a few of your fellow Jackets fans saying that Melart would be a great stylistic fit and that he looks better than advertised. I don't know how much of that is true. But his waiver ineligibility will certainly make him an easier demotion than guys they stand to lose. Erixon ripped the AHL apart before the lockout ended and really took the next step it seems. But again, his waiver eligibility could find him getting a few games in Springfield to buy time for guys like Goloubef and Savard to show what they can do before being waived if it comes to that.

It seems like aside from the four you mentioned as being locks (Nikitin, Wiz, JJ, Tyutin), that Murray is going to make it and Erixon *deserves* it on merit. Prout will be in the mix too. The 7th defender slot may not go to Melart, as they likely want him playing to adjust to the North American style. That puts Goloubef, Prout and Savard as the trio for the 7th spot and injury insurance. Being that Erixon, Savard, and Goloubef are more offensive minded, it spells bad things for somebody. I don't think they'll carry 8 defense when Nikitin gets healthy. Should be an interesting position battle.
 

daikan

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Oct 28, 2005
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If Lindholm cannot handle third line C then why not put him on Jordan's wing? Is he really going to learn anything by going back to Sweden at this point?

At this point? What exactly has happened to make it so? I would say he has plenty to learn by going back. It's not as if he dominated the competition last year the way some other guy might've done in the juniors (in which case I would agree it'd be a bad decision to send that player back).

I for one believe Eric's development benefitted greatly from getting another year in the (then of an unusually high quality) AHL during the 04/05 lockout. Ditto Cam Ward going from juniors to Lowell, where he had a great season, instead of straight to the NHL.
 

cptjeff

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Sep 18, 2008
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At this point? What exactly has happened to make it so? I would say he has plenty to learn by going back. It's not as if he dominated the competition last year the way some other guy might've done in the juniors (in which case I would agree it'd be a bad decision to send that player back).

I for one believe Eric's development benefitted greatly from getting another year in the (then of an unusually high quality) AHL during the 04/05 lockout. Ditto Cam Ward going from juniors to Lowell, where he had a great season, instead of straight to the NHL.

Throwing Staal into the AHL that year probably put him against a similar level of competition as getting sheltered minutes in the NHL, which is what Lindholm would be getting.

Some players need confidence and skill development. The AHL (or Sweden, in Lindholm's case- contractually, he can only come to N. America if he makes the NHL) can be a good place for that. Some players need to adjust to the speed and physicality of the NHL, and it's hard to do that if you're not playing in the NHL. Lindholm doesn't have much experience with the ice size, physicality or speed, and he's not going to get any better at dealing with those by playing in Europe for another year.
 

daikan

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Oct 28, 2005
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Throwing Staal into the AHL that year probably put him against a similar level of competition as getting sheltered minutes in the NHL, which is what Lindholm would be getting.

While perhaps the competition would be comparable, Staal got a lot of ice time and played a key role on his team. I can't remember for sure, but I assume he played plenty on the PP and perhaps on the PK as well. Few if any of these things will be true for Lindholm if he stays with Carolina, but they would to a certain extent be true if he's sent back.

Some players need confidence and skill development. The AHL (or Sweden, in Lindholm's case- contractually, he can only come to N. America if he makes the NHL) can be a good place for that. Some players need to adjust to the speed and physicality of the NHL, and it's hard to do that if you're not playing in the NHL. Lindholm doesn't have much experience with the ice size, physicality or speed, and he's not going to get any better at dealing with those by playing in Europe for another year.

Now, to be clear, I wasn't suggesting sending Lindholm to the AHL, which would be inauspicious as well as impossible, as you point out. And another disclaimer: if he plays like he belongs on a third line in the NHL, let him stay in the NHL! We haven't had the chance to find that out yet. But if it turns out he doesn't, I think he's better served going back than sticking around with a minor role and little ice time. As you say, he will need to adjust to some aspects of the NHL game, but the very word you use—adjust—suggests this won't take a season to do. If he improves and grows as a player this next year, I shouldn't think adjusting would present a problem next year.
 

raynman

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Jan 20, 2013
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Anyone hear Chuck K. and John Forslund hint at Ruutu maybe missing a decent amount of time? I guess it was on 99.9.
 

shortshorts

Registered User
Oct 29, 2008
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Hey guys, Canucks fan here in peace. I heard Skinner is injured? Any idea of what the injury is?

Thank you :)
 

WWAD

Registered User
Aug 20, 2009
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According to some well informed sources, I heard it was to his "upper body."
 

Roboturner913

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Jul 3, 2012
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For comparisons sake, the last 5th overall to make the NHL as an 18 year old was Luke Schenn in 2008. Before that, Phil Kessel for the Bruins in 2006. Kessel scored 29 points his rookie year.

To be fair, I don't think anybody reasonably expected him to score more than say 35 points if he makes the team. Either he's a third line center or a checking winger on the J. Staal line, neither spot is a prime offensive opportunity.

I'm more interested in his overall game. If he is the Forsberg-lite that many expect him to be then he can bring a lot of stuff this team can really use even if he isn't lighting up the stat sheet every night.

Big if, I guess, considering we still know practically nothing about the guy. But as I and others already pointed out, he's not going to adapt to the NA game by playing another year in Sweden and he can't go to the AHL, so the question is essentially do you think he can help the NHL team in some significant role this year. I suspect he can, but that's only based on scouting reports, etc and hearsay.
 

DaveG

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Apr 7, 2003
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To be fair, I don't think anybody reasonably expected him to score more than say 35 points if he makes the team. Either he's a third line center or a checking winger on the J. Staal line, neither spot is a prime offensive opportunity.

I'm more interested in his overall game. If he is the Forsberg-lite that many expect him to be then he can bring a lot of stuff this team can really use even if he isn't lighting up the stat sheet every night.

Big if, I guess, considering we still know practically nothing about the guy. But as I and others already pointed out, he's not going to adapt to the NA game by playing another year in Sweden and he can't go to the AHL, so the question is essentially do you think he can help the NHL team in some significant role this year. I suspect he can, but that's only based on scouting reports, etc and hearsay.

He can go to the AHL since he was drafted out of Europe. That said he won't be going there, it's either the NHL or SEL for him this year. He and his agent have made that abundantly clear before and just after he was drafted.
 

Joe McGrath

Registered User
Oct 29, 2009
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He can go to the AHL since he was drafted out of Europe. That said he won't be going there, it's either the NHL or SEL for him this year. He and his agent have made that abundantly clear before and just after he was drafted.

I thought his out clause in his SEL contract was only for the NHL so that he really couldn't legally play in the AHL.
 

VictorLustig

Registered User
Feb 8, 2012
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I thought his out clause in his SEL contract was only for the NHL so that he really couldn't legally play in the AHL.

Well, he signed a contract with Carolina, that terminated his SHL contract. Carolina can loan him back to Brynas or send him to the AHL but he does not have a contract with Brynas anymore.
 

daikan

(╯︵╰,)
Oct 28, 2005
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He can go to the AHL since he was drafted out of Europe. That said he won't be going there, it's either the NHL or SEL for him this year. He and his agent have made that abundantly clear before and just after he was drafted.

Ah, you're right, of course. Actually, now I remember a brief interview I read about a month ago. Here is a relevant passage, original and translated:

- Jag hörde att general managern Jim Rutherford uttalade sig någonstans om att AHL inte var aktuellt för mig, att det var bättre att jag åkte hem till Sverige. Men vi får se. Om jag trivs där borta så är det kanske inte så dumt att bli nedskickad. Känner jag att jag vill vara kvar och slåss om en plats är inte AHL något dåligt alternativ. Men det är ju inte Brynäs heller såklart, säger Lindholm.

- I heard that the general manager, Jim Rutherford, said somewhere that I wouldn't be going to the AHL, that it'd be better if I went home to Sweden. But we'll see. If I like it over there it might not be that bad to be sent down. If I feel I want to stay and fight for a spot AHL isn't a bad option. Of course, neither is Brynäs, says Lindholm.
 

Boom Boom Apathy

I am the Professor. Deal with it!
Sep 6, 2006
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Boy, signing the Finnish contingent to 3-4 year contracts has really worked out well for the Canes. Jussi bought out, Joni plays a total of 52 games across 3 years, and Ruutu out for extended times for hip issues the first two season of his 4 year deal.
 

cptjeff

Reprehensible User
Sep 18, 2008
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I'm shocked...

1178224-1255873631253.jpg
 

cptjeff

Reprehensible User
Sep 18, 2008
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And just to throw a little gas on the coals of the Tlusty bit, maybe this is another sign the super physical training camp was a bad idea?

We're starting the season with a lot of players out, and it's hard not to attribute at least part of that to Muller encouraging a really physical camp, and letting guys trying to secure a spot in the NHL hurt star players. Tough is great, but you have to be smart about it.
 

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