GDT: Game #56, VS Edmonton, Wednesday, May 12th 5:00EST

[worm]

KK didn’t do anything particularly elite vs his own age group in his draft year - never had an elite skill to begin with.

Gallagher did just fine w half season of AHL. Galchenyuk possesses the learning capability of a turnip. Can’t fix stupid

gallagher played in the AHL at 20 though

 

[CH1]

overall, I do think the Habs have rushed their prospects for the past 15 yrs or so... mostly out of desperation and the GM wanting to look good in the short term

 

[GGpX]

Gallagher made the team at 20 after 4 years in the WHL and half a season in the AHL.

And if you remember, he was one of the last cuts in training camp the prior year.

 

[GEEMAN]

KK didn’t do anything particularly elite vs his own age group in his draft year - never had an elite skill to begin with.

Gallagher did just fine w half season of AHL. Galchenyuk possesses the learning capability of a turnip. Can’t fix stupid

Tkatchuk doesnt have an elite skill and barely scored in his NCAA season

But he was built like a tank and plays a hard nosed north/south game

KK played well in his first sheltered season , he wasnt out of place at all .

 

[GrandWazoo]

Some of you just keep thinking that rushing prospects is a myth and that they'll come out fine no matter what.

Funny enough, the same ones are the ones who bitch about our prospects being crappy.

Galchenyuk was rushed, he's gone. Mete was rushed, he's gone. Kotkaniemi & Romanov were rushed, I wonder how this is going to end. Let me take a wild guess... And some of you are just, so, so, soooo enamored with seeing Caufield in the NHL when he's not ready either. And if ever things go sour for Caufield two years from now, the very same ones will be clamoring to have the next 19-20 year old player in the lineup prematurely while going about how they knew that Caufield was just a small midget that wouldn't translate to the NHL.

The prospects who have done the best here, albeit very few among them, are the ones who weren't rushed prematurely. Which are... Suzuki, Lehkonen, Evans and... ummm... That's it. Out of the regulars, there's only 6 players on the whole team that have been drafted & developed. Caufield & Poehling should be regulars starting next season.

Caufield and Suzuki pretty much got the same treatment. 2 years in juniors/college with WJC then NHL. The only difference is that Suzuki's junior season ended when the Habs were already eliminated.

 

[GrandWazoo]

Tkatchuk doesnt have an elite skill and barely scored in his NCAA season

But he was built like a tank and plays a hard nosed north/south game

KK played well in his first sheltered season , he wasnt out of place at all .

Honestly I thought the Sens were making a mistake rushing Tkachuk, who didn't dominate at all in his draft year. Looks like he's been fine, but for some reasons the Sens seems to be able to rush prospects without too much problems. Stutzle has been great.

 

[GEEMAN]

Honestly I thought the Sens were making a mistake rushing Tkachuk, who didn't dominate at all in his draft year. Looks like he's been fine, but for some reasons the Sens seems to be able to rush prospects without too much problems. Stutzle has been great.

Yup , some transition quick while others take time or fail.

 

[GGpX]

Honestly I thought the Sens were making a mistake rushing Tkachuk, who didn't dominate at all in his draft year. Looks like he's been fine, but for some reasons the Sens seems to be able to rush prospects without too much problems. Stutzle has been great.

Tkachuk was a little bit older and physically mature, while Stutzle was a great talent who also had a little more time to prepare. Stutzle also had the WJC a few weeks before the season and he was the best player in the tournament.

If a player is in the NHL at 18/19, they better be either 1) In great physical shape, 2) Incredibly skilled, or 3) A hockey genius à la Bergeron/O'Reilly.

 

[Sal_Butera]

It’s not his fault they drafted him third overall . . . but yes, the problem here is the people doing the drafting, not KK. He is what he is.

FWIW - Just noticed KK has the same number of points as Puljujarvi in 22 fewer games played. Takes into consideration Pool-party’s fortune of playing w McDavid this season

 

[Sal_Butera]

Sal gets full credit as well , he was pumping the Hughes train well before the draft

I watched a few NCAA games and he was sick

I was big on Hughes at the draft having watched him quite a bit, but don’t think he’ll be much more than he is now...very very low defensive IQ w too many holes in his DZone game which gets further hindered by his small stature, unless he gets a Hedman type partner for protection I just don’t see much more than an elite PP & regular season 3-on-3 specialist

I’m also not sure what BTs ceiling is somehow I don’t see him as a 35G+ player.

Will be interesting to evaluate the draft class in another 7-years (D+10). Svechnikov might be the only elite talent to come out of the class

 

[GEEMAN]

I was big on Hughes at the draft having watched him quite a bit, but don’t think he’ll be much more than he is now...very very low defensive IQ w too many holes in his DZone game which gets further hindered by his small stature, unless he gets a Hedman type partner for protection I just don’t see much more than an elite PP & regular season 3-on-3 specialist

I’m also not sure what BTs ceiling is somehow I don’t see him as a 35G+ player.

Will be interesting to evaluate the draft class in another 7-years (D+10). Svechnikov might be the only elite talent to come out of the class

BT was the safest sure thing in the top 5 in years

Meat and potatoes player …..Oshie type in the 20-30 goal and a decade on the top 6 , but not a star ceiling .