Confirmed with Link: W Sammy Blais signed to AHL Contract(Abbotsford) / PTO with Vancouver

[cc]

I'm surprised that he decided on the Canucks for a PTO who seem to have no roster spots open. The Leafs or Bruins would have made more sense I think

He'll be competing with Aman (a center) and PDG (a PKer) for a 13th or 14th spot on the team. You would think there are better PTO options for him.

 

[LemonSauceD]

I'm surprised that he decided on the Canucks for a PTO who seem to have no roster spots open. The Leafs or Bruins would have made more sense I think

He'll be competing with Aman (a center) and PDG (a PKer) for a 13th or 14th spot on the team. You would think there are better PTO options for him.

Likely because he’s signed an AHL contract to Abbotsford so getting a PTO to the parent club makes sense.

 

[cc]

Likely because he’s signed an AHL contract to Abbotsford so getting a PTO to the parent club makes sense.

I just assumed he'd be able to sign any AHL team or has his play fallen off so much that it wasn't the case? It's just a little weird to me.

 

[VanJack]

I note that Sammy Blais was a sixth round draft pick by the Blues; while Desharnais was a seventh round pick by the Oilers. Granted these players would probably be classified as bottom of the roster players at best. But on the positive side, they did make their way to the NHL despite long draft odds.

So there is some hope that the kids drafted by the Canucks in sixth and seventh round in recent drafts might be able to will themselves to the NHL eventually.

 

[RobertKron]

I note that Sammy Blais was a sixth round draft pick by the Blues; while Desharnais was a seventh round pick by the Oilers. Granted these players would probably be classified as bottom of the roster players at best. But on the positive side, they did make their way to the NHL despite long draft odds.

So there is some hope that the kids drafted by the Canucks in sixth and seventh round in recent drafts might be able to will themselves to the NHL eventually.

It is true that they are the first two late rounders ever to make the show. Before this, there was no hope. I’m glad to have learned that there is, in fact, hope.

 

[LemonSauceD]

I just assumed he'd be able to sign any AHL team or has his play fallen off so much that it wasn't the case? It's just a little weird to me.

He had 1 goal in 55 games last year after finishing the previous year with 20 points in 30 games. Im not exactly familiar with his injury history but he did have some brutal injuries and his play likely suffered because of it.

If he does earn an NHL contract it’ll be a league min deal probably for 1 year. Ultra physical, hard to play against, has PK ability, and has some offensive upside, cup winner.

I’m pretty confident he’ll earn an nhl contract whether it’s with us or somewhere else. Blais is an extremely hard worker and being faced with the possibility of playing in the AHL I assume he will give 110% during camp and Tocchet is going to want him on board.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

I think it’s why we’re seeing an increasing number of Finish prospects join the CHL too.

Yep.

The Finnish junior system and even the pro Liiga are in complete shambles right now.

Credit to @MS for drawing my attention to this.


edit. But its not entirely just a Finnish problem. Why the f*** would the NHL orgs not put more effort in to this. Hockey seems to be a decade+ behind Football / Soccer / Basketball in sports science.

 

[Sexy Necksy Garland]

It is true that they are the first two late rounders ever to make the show. Before this, there was no hope. I’m glad to have learned that there is, in fact, hope.

If VanJack is AI, wait. Does that make you...John Connor?

 

[RobertKron]

If VanJack is AI, wait. Does that make you...John Connor?

I’m just very pro sequitur

 

[ChilliBilly]

Do we have any idea what the AHL contract he signed was? The amount would be interesting.

 

[JT Milker]

Just a side note. Aatu still cant skate...

His summer training seems to lack direction. He does a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

I dont understand how that is possible but seems to be the case for a lot of NHL prospects here.

Raty will probably never be able to skate, like the vast majority of players that can’t skate, Finnish or otherwise.

 

[F A N]

Finnish prospects in general.

Seems like some of the NHL orgs are pretty broad strokes with the summer training. I dont quite understand it. Its not like its that expensive for them.

Sebastian Aho is completely self sufficient in that department. I believe his father is Harri Aho, a former pro player and current Liiga exec, and from what I understand has been taking care of Sebastians summer training regimens here.

Barkov's dad, the same deal.

But then Laine and Puljujärvi didn't have a similar support structure and their developement stagnated.

Just to name a hand full of promising players.

I think it’s why we’re seeing an increasing number of Finish prospects join the CHL too.

That's interesting. Should there be a "Finnish factor" then? @Vector how would going the CHL route help if the issue is their development gets stalled? Finland does do fine producing draft-eligible prospects and they do fine at the WJC. Like in 2022 when they were in the WJC finals and Lundell was on the team.

Personally I'm not sure that I really buy into it. Many Canadian and American NHL players for example just go back home and do their own thing. Of course, given that there are more NHL players from Canada and USA, it's easier to find trainers who have trained NHL players/stars but it's not like a player like Raty doesn't have the education to work on things himself back home.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

That's interesting. Should there be a "Finnish factor" then? @Vector how would going the CHL route help if the issue is their development gets stalled? Finland does do fine producing draft-eligible prospects and they do fine at the WJC. Like in 2022 when they were in the WJC finals and Lundell was on the team.

I disagree.

We just happened to get a bunch of outliers who found their own way.

Barkov, Rantanen, Aho, Heiskanen. None of them are a product of the finnish junior system but rather succeeded despite it. None of them went through a similar path either.

The Finnish U18s had a historically bad performance at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. I believe they were able to score 5 goals in 5 games that were not empty netters. There is no next awesome Finnish prospect in sight right now.

I could go in to much more detail about why this has happened but lets just say the Liiga is ran like a cartel to make money right now and competition is not at the front of the agenda at all.

There is an actual on going legal case related to this:

However, this was not the last twist, as the Turku club quickly announced after the publication of the decision that they would appeal the matter to the Sports Legal Protection Board.

TUTO lähtee haastamaan Liigan – valittaa lisenssipäätöksestä

TUTO Hockey ilmoitti keskiviikkona valittavansa liigalisenssikomitean päätöksestä, jossa seuran hakemus Liiga-lisenssistä hylättiin.

pallomeri.net

The team of a 17 year old jr player that I work with had FIVE cases of spinal stress fracture injuries. This is a major hockey team with great finances, destroying prospects like this. 5 out of ~25 players is insane!

Personally I'm not sure that I really buy into it. Many Canadian and American NHL players for example just go back home and do their own thing. Of course, given that there are more NHL players from Canada and USA, it's easier to find trainers who have trained NHL players/stars but it's not like a player like Raty doesn't have the education to work on things himself back home.

You are wrong.

You are completely wrong. Räty does not have the education to work on things properly. The coaching in finland is that bad at the moment. And the NHL orgs are, for what ever reason, so hands off that it leaves the players to do what ever. Usually it is that they do too much.

 

[F A N]

I disagree.

We just happened to get a bunch of outliers who found their own way.

Barkov, Rantanen, Aho, Heiskanen. None of them are a product of the finnish junior system but rather succeeded despite it. None of them went through a similar path either.

The Finnish U18s had a historically bad performance at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. I believe they were able to score 5 goals in 5 games that were not empty netters. There is no next awesome Finnish prospect in sight right now.

I could go in to much more detail about why this has happened but lets just say the Liiga is ran like a cartel to make money right now and competition is not at the front of the agenda at all.

There is an actual on going legal case related to this:

However, this was not the last twist, as the Turku club quickly announced after the publication of the decision that they would appeal the matter to the Sports Legal Protection Board.

TUTO lähtee haastamaan Liigan – valittaa lisenssipäätöksestä

TUTO Hockey ilmoitti keskiviikkona valittavansa liigalisenssikomitean päätöksestä, jossa seuran hakemus Liiga-lisenssistä hylättiin.

pallomeri.net

The team of a 17 year old jr player that I work with had FIVE cases of spinal stress fracture injuries. This is a major hockey team with great finances, destroying prospects like this. 5 out of ~25 players is insane!

I'm sorry I'm not quite clear on what you're trying to say here. Are you saying that Finnish hockey players who develop in the CHL and go back to Finland to train in the summer won't have the same issues? If so, the reason would be that they learned to "work on things properly" while in the CHL?

You are wrong.

You are completely wrong. Räty does not have the education to work on things properly. The coaching in finland is that bad at the moment.

Okay... are you saying that Raty in his two AHL years (this would be his second summer as a Canuck) that he never learned how to "work on things properly?" No coaching or player development personnel worked with Raty and taught him how to work on things properly so that Raty doesn't know what to work on and how to train over the summer to prepare him for the upcoming NHL season? Are you saying the Canucks never gave him any sort of plan, education and or training to that effect? I have a real hard time believing this.

And the NHL orgs are, for what ever reason, so hands off that it leaves the players to do what ever. Usually it is that they do too much.

Well there are CBA rules governing that. NHL organizations aren't allowed to micromanage.

 

[archangel2]

Podz replacement

 

[DFAC]

Podz replacement

Yeah exactly. Blais is the definition of a Rick Tocchet player.

A fourth line with him and Sherwood would be fun to watch

 

[F A N]

Yeah exactly. Blais is the definition of a Rick Tocchet player.

A fourth line with him and Sherwood would be fun to watch

I would temper my expectations. There's a reason why he didn't get an NHL contract. Blais might be a hitting machine at his best and seemingly has some skill but he's not particularly fast, doesn't PK, and just from stat watching he can't be relied on to chip in offensively.

 

[VanJack]

Yeah exactly. Blais is the definition of a Rick Tocchet player.

A fourth line with him and Sherwood would be fun to watch

Yeah exactly. Blais is the definition of a Rick Tocchet player.

A fourth line with him and Sherwood would be fun to watch

Agreed. If Blais can stick, the Canucks are going to be a nasty piece of business with their bottom-six. Joshua, Sherwood and Blais would be a bit of a nightmare or opposing d-men in their own zone. They'll win a majority of the puck battles down low.

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

More physical and grittier than Lafferty but doesn’t provide much offence. Good depth piece with size and tenacity. When we scratched Lafferty, Mikheyev etc. in the playoffs and inserted Aman, Karlsson etc. we didn’t have anyone that could give us a physical spark, now we do. Di Giuseppe and Blais will battle for the 13th forward spot and Blais may start the season in the AHL but he’ll get at least 20-30 regular season games, more importantly he will be a good option for Tocchet in the playoffs.

 

[VanJack]

More physical and grittier than Lafferty but doesn’t provide much offence. Good depth piece with size and tenacity. When we scratched Lafferty, Mikheyev etc. in the playoffs and inserted Aman, Karlsson etc. we didn’t have anyone that could give us a physical spark, now we do. Di Giuseppe and Blais will battle for the 13th forward spot and Blais may start the season in the AHL but he’ll get at least 20-30 regular season games, more importantly he will be a good option for Tocchet in the playoffs.

As much as you admire PDG for his tenacity and veteran presence, it seems to me the Canucks would be better suited finding a younger, and grittier player for fourth line duty.

PDG would undoubtedly clear waivers and be a huge veteran addition to the Abbotsford Canucks. And of course he'd be only a hour and half away in the event of an injury callup.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Blais' road to the NHL:

“He was about 5-foot-9 and looked skinny, but he had the puck,” Picard said. “When he played those two or three shifts, he made some plays. After that, he was gone. But I always had this kid in mind and I said I’ll wait until Christmas and if he’s not coming back, I’ll go watch him play the Midget AAA. But the talent he had, I knew he was coming back.”

Sure enough, Blais (pronounced Blay) did return to Victoriaville that season, and confirmed Picard’s hunch. His role remained limited, playing minimal shifts on the fourth line, but Picard said it was funny “because when the team was short a goal, like 2-1 late in the game, Sammy was still on the ice. His puck skills and hockey sense, he was way better than everybody else.”

Picard, who played 61 of his 166 games in the NHL with the Blues in the late 1990s, began to mention Blais’ name at organizational meetings. He felt compelled to summon Bill Armstrong, the club’s director of amateur scouting, to watch him in person, but there was one problem.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/111228/2017/09/26/rutherford-samuel-blais-is-blazing-new-trail-for-blues/

wow, a small guy with standout skill growing half a foot after being drafted. that’s about as close to finding a bag of money on the ground as you’re ever going to get.

 

[Sexy Necksy Garland]

I would temper my expectations. There's a reason why he didn't get an NHL contract. Blais might be a hitting machine at his best and seemingly has some skill but he's not particularly fast, doesn't PK, and just from stat watching he can't be relied on to chip in offensively.

He said Blais, not Podkolzin. jk but legit your description isn't far off of the Podmeister.

 

[VanJack]

It is true that they are the first two late rounders ever to make the show. Before this, there was no hope. I’m glad to have learned that there is, in fact, hope.

When you've flushed away as many first and second round draft picks as the Canucks have since 2020, all you have left is 'hope'. Some of these late round picks have work out somehow. Otherwise, once Wilander and Lekkerimaki age out as prospects, the Canucks could end up with one of the worst prospect pools in the entire league.

 

[Sexy Necksy Garland]

Okay... are you saying that Raty in his two AHL years (this would be his second summer as a Canuck) that he never learned how to "work on things properly?" No coaching or player development personnel worked with Raty and taught him how to work on things properly so that Raty doesn't know what to work on and how to train over the summer to prepare him for the upcoming NHL season? Are you saying the Canucks never gave him any sort of plan, education and or training to that effect? I have a real hard time believing this.

Honestly I feel like it's more likely that Coach Rick himself sat down for an hour with Raty than it is that he got no direction whatsoever.

 

[Sexy Necksy Garland]

When you've flushed away as many first and second round draft picks as the Canucks have since 2020, all you have left is 'hope'. Some of these late round picks have work out somehow. Otherwise, once Wilander and Lekkerimaki age out as prospects, the Canucks could end up with one of the worst prospect pools in the entire league.