Jump to content

Robert Hagg could be the Flyers prospect closest to making an NHL impact


NRH

Recommended Posts

Still just 22...wow.

I'm wondering if he's a fly under the radar type. There is a lot of hype around his teammates, yet when you look around, Hagg's playing big/important minutes. 

 

When we talk about Hextall and how he's doing his job, this story is why I think he's doing it well. If Robert had been rushed or yo-yoed between the A and the Flyers who knows how he develops. What we're seeing is the A being used for young players to build their games and confidence.  If Hagg contributes in a meaningful way in the next couple of years, that is one mark in the win column for Hexall IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, mojo1917 said:

Still just 22...wow.

I'm wondering if he's a fly under the radar type. There is a lot of hype around his teammates, yet when you look around, Hagg's playing big/important minutes. 

 

When we talk about Hextall and how he's doing his job, this story is why I think he's doing it well. If Robert had been rushed or yo-yoed between the A and the Flyers who knows how he develops. What we're seeing is the A being used for young players to build their games and confidence.  If Hagg contributes in a meaningful way in the next couple of years, that is one mark in the win column for Hexall IMO.

 

It is often said that defensemen don't really mature in the NHL until their early/mid 20s. As such, players like Hagg and Morin taking time to come into their own as players shouldn't be that surprising. Younger players emerging as successful blue liners are the exception, not the rule.

 

And it totally backs up your point about how Hextall is developing players.

 

That said, this is a "media" outlet owned by the same company that owns that Flyers and is in the same building as the organization. Could also be puffing up a player for potential trade value.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@radoran

 

good point about this possibly being "fake news", especially the CSN Philly article.

 

The Sons of Penn blog was the read that seemed to have more substance and those guys are typically data-driven and willing to point out bad play. I don't recall CSN  Philly ever doing that.  Their article had multiple quoted sources, people I"ve heard of too, so I"m inclined to think there is some "there" there. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, radoran said:

It is often said that defensemen don't really mature in the NHL until their early/mid 20s. As such, players like Hagg and Morin taking time to come into their own as players shouldn't be that surprising. Younger players emerging as successful blue liners are the exception, not the rule.

 

And it totally backs up your point about how Hextall is developing players.

 

That said, this is a "media" outlet owned by the same company that owns that Flyers and is in the same building as the organization. Could also be puffing up a player for potential trade value.

 

Could be, you never know. 

 

If you look at the profile of Hagg on, say, Eliteprospects.com it includes this comment, which I find revealing: "Hägg usually makes smarter plays while playing in the big league, rather than in the juniors."

 

It's interesting because some of the discussion around him has been things like: he appears at times to be not very engaged in the play, he's too casual with his play, he looks disinterested.  

 

When you look at his history you see a guy who, I think, the game came quite easy to. He was captain of his under 20  Jr club at age 17/18. He also played 27 pro games in the Swedish Elite League that same year (his draft year). 

 

I think he's the steady two-way Swedish D-man that all good teams need. He's almost ready.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, mojo1917 said:

@radoran

 

good point about this possibly being "fake news", especially the CSN Philly article.

 

The Sons of Penn blog was the read that seemed to have more substance and those guys are typically data-driven and willing to point out bad play. I don't recall CSN  Philly ever doing that.  Their article had multiple quoted sources, people I"ve heard of too, so I"m inclined to think there is some "there" there. 

 

 

I'm not really saying there isn't, but all their quotes are from Pryor. I don't have an ESPN "insider" account so I don't know about the linked article.

 

And I'm not saying "fake news" as much as I'm saying that a Comcast outlet isn't necessarily going to be that much more objective than, say, Dave Spadaro covering his employer. It's got to be easy for members of the organization to give a "scoop" to the group in the same building.

 

That said, it would be great to have a Hagg come up and fill the "stay at home" role and allow the Ghosts/Provolones/Sanheims to show off their offensive flair.

 

Again, it's not at all unusual for defensemen to develop along these lines. Duncan Keith was 23. Andrew MacDonald was 23/24.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, NRH said:

 

This is exciting.  It sounds like his game has developed into exactly what the team needs.  I'd assumed we'd be waiting for the Morin project to come to fruition to get a defensively minded rookie up here, which while I believe in him, seems like it really is a project (well worth investing in I hope).  

 

Hopefully it's valid and it works out that he has the chance to come up after Streit, Schultz and MDZ are dealt for an innumerable wealth of players and picks ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, radoran said:

 

Like many, I do believe that MacDonald can be a serviceable player in the NHL.

 

He's not now, never was and will never be a $5M player.

 

Yeah, key distinction there. People often get confused about those two issues it seems.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Podein25 said:

 

Yeah, key distinction there. People often get confused about those two issues it seems.

 

Yes they do.  It's not Mac's fault he's making 5 million and if he weren't, I'm sure he would have been traded by now along with the likes of Luke and Grossman.  Of the three of them, I'd want Mac the most, but that's just me.  

 

Saying how much he "sucks" and how god awful he is, kinda eludes a lot of what goes on out on the ice.  He's been no more a liability than most of the Defense this year.   Defensively speaking he's been a better player than half the squad... which isn't to say he's been great and says nothing about the rest of his game.  He's been decent from the hash marks to the other blue line.  he's been awful and extremely slow to react with really bad hands in front of his own net... but then again, so have Ghost, Streit and MDZ.  

 

Mac is Mac.  If he made 2.5-3 million we'd probably feel the same way about him as we do about manning or someone.  

 

All in all Homer should have let him get signed elsewhere.  He was probably going to get that 5 million from someone.  It didn't need to be us.  In the mean time having him around now will enable potentially lucrative (to varying degrees) deadline deals for Streit, MDZ and Schultz.  At which point he can play with the big club or get sent to the Phantoms to give the likes of Hagg and Morin a try here and there.  

 

his salary and the length of the contract aren't ideal situations by any stretch, but thanks to the work of Hetalls deal making  (and the last minute drafting that started with Homer and continued through Hexy) it's no longer a tragedy.  

 

WE can always lament that he's not better, but for the time being, the degree to which he's serviceable shouldn't be lost on us just because of how much money he makes being merely serviceable.  

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are several factors to develop young players, especially d-men. Some guys play better in the show because they are surrounded by better players. One of the hardest things to coach is playing without the puck. You either get it or you don't. Some guys don't adjust to the increase in tempo of the opponent. Some guys mature faster as people. You have to remember how young these guys are, and most have come from comfortable homes financially. Some guys embrace the challenge and the constant critiquing, some cave in to it. Overall, I like the Flyers current approach with the young d-men, I just pray they don't rush any of them to finish 8th, which has been the MO in recent years. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hagg reminds me so much of Marcus Ragnarsson. He's a guy who will probably play big minutes at even strength and the penalty kill and will never hurt you because he won't be out of position and he'll move the puck effectively. There's physicality to his game, but he's going to be about using his smarts. Hagg is an underappreciated talent for what he brings to the table. He's got shut down defender written all over him. I can see a future pairing of him and Gudas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...