yave1964 Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 The season is quickly taking a turn for the worse and it is time to take a look at some of the prospects from the AHL and see what they have as well as check in on some of the kids who are in either Juniors or college. A quick look. The defending champ Griffins in Grand Rapids are having a meh season, slogging along at 9-10-3 and still trying to find their way. A few notes on prospects: EVGENY SVECHNIKOV Off to a wretched start, he was injured, missed most of the preseason and since his return has a measly 2 goals and 2 assists in 17 games. The big power winger will likely remain in GR for the forseable future. TYLER BERTUZZI Why he has not been recalled and given a middle six role on a permanent basis is a mystery to me. Like Svechnikov he missed the start of the year but has 5 goals and 22 PIMs in only 12 games and looks like the agitator/secondary scorer the Wings desperately need. DOMINIC TURGEON Turgeon seems to have finally found his game, a faceoff specialist and 4th line penalty killer who can score a bit, a Glendening clone for half the money. Will probably be with the team in 2018-19 and may get a look later this year after the deadline. JOE HICKETTS and FILIP HRONEK A couple of undersized defenseman, Hicketts hits everything and has a nice first pass and is likely the next Wings callup on the back end, Hronek is rail thin but lightning quick, he will probably remain in GR all or most of the year but he loves to carry the puck out of his own end and create offense. Both will likely be with the team in 2018-19. So for this year not a lot to look forward to as far as help goes but all of the above will likely be with the Wings full time next season. As far as players not yet turned pro, first round pick MICHAEL RASSMUSSEN who was the Wings most impressive player in the preseason is off to a great start with the Tri-City Americans with 11 goals in 17 games, from what I have read his 11 goals combined wouldn't cover the distance of a solid clearing pass, he sets up in front of the net and refuses to be moved fighting for real estate and rebounds. JOREN VAN POTTELBERGHE who was ranked as one of the top two or three goalie prospects in his draft class is having a solid year in Switzerland and will be coming to the Griffins either at the end of the year or the beginning of next. DENNIS CHOLOWSKI the Wings best defensive prospect and a first rounder from two years ago is a point a game player in the WHL and will be with the Griffs at some point this spring and may fight for a job with the Wings next year. So not much in the pipeline for immediate help, a 4th line center, a third line winger, a enigmatic Russian sniper, a couple of undersized defenseman with varying skill may or may not be given a look this year but none are saviors, at best if they work out they are good solid spear carriers. A good goalie prospect having a good but not great year, Rassmussen and Cholowski are real and true solid prospects but not yet even pros and are years away from being difference makers. It is always darkest before the dawn and it may not even be at its darkest point yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeDDS Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 11 hours ago, yave1964 said: It is always darkest before the dawn and it is not even at its darkest point yet. Fixt your last sentence. It will have to get worse before it gets better. I’m just hoping not WAY worse. But WAY worse may indeed come. It would not surprise me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 On 12/4/2017 at 8:19 AM, yave1964 said: The season is quickly taking a turn for the worse and it is time to take a look at some of the prospects from the AHL and see what they have as well as check in on some of the kids who are in either Juniors or college. A quick look. The defending champ Griffins in Grand Rapids are having a meh season, slogging along at 9-10-3 and still trying to find their way. A few notes on prospects: EVGENY SVECHNIKOV Off to a wretched start, he was injured, missed most of the preseason and since his return has a measly 2 goals and 2 assists in 17 games. The big power winger will likely remain in GR for the forseable future. TYLER BERTUZZI Why he has not been recalled and given a middle six role on a permanent basis is a mystery to me. Like Svechnikov he missed the start of the year but has 5 goals and 22 PIMs in only 12 games and looks like the agitator/secondary scorer the Wings desperately need. DOMINIC TURGEON Turgeon seems to have finally found his game, a faceoff specialist and 4th line penalty killer who can score a bit, a Glendening clone for half the money. Will probably be with the team in 2018-19 and may get a look later this year after the deadline. JOE HICKETTS and FILIP HRONEK A couple of undersized defenseman, Hicketts hits everything and has a nice first pass and is likely the next Wings callup on the back end, Hronek is rail thin but lightning quick, he will probably remain in GR all or most of the year but he loves to carry the puck out of his own end and create offense. Both will likely be with the team in 2018-19. So for this year not a lot to look forward to as far as help goes but all of the above will likely be with the Wings full time next season. As far as players not yet turned pro, first round pick MICHAEL RASSMUSSEN who was the Wings most impressive player in the preseason is off to a great start with the Tri-City Americans with 11 goals in 17 games, from what I have read his 11 goals combined wouldn't cover the distance of a solid clearing pass, he sets up in front of the net and refuses to be moved fighting for real estate and rebounds. JOREN VAN POTTELBERGHE who was ranked as one of the top two or three goalie prospects in his draft class is having a solid year in Switzerland and will be coming to the Griffins either at the end of the year or the beginning of next. DENNIS CHOLOWSKI the Wings best defensive prospect and a first rounder from two years ago is a point a game player in the WHL and will be with the Griffs at some point this spring and may fight for a job with the Wings next year. So not much in the pipeline for immediate help, a 4th line center, a third line winger, a enigmatic Russian sniper, a couple of undersized defenseman with varying skill may or may not be given a look this year but none are saviors, at best if they work out they are good solid spear carriers. A good goalie prospect having a good but not great year, Rassmussen and Cholowski are real and true solid prospects but not yet even pros and are years away from being difference makers. It is always darkest before the dawn and it may not even be at its darkest point yet. Not directly related to your post per say, but nonetheless really cool that my co-workers son made his AHL reffing debut last week when Texas was visiting Grand Rapids. He's been doing linesmen work in the OHL and AHL, but it appears the NHL is fast tracking him, cause young guys never get moved from linemen to ref in their first year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 On 12/4/2017 at 7:51 PM, SpikeDDS said: Fixt your last sentence. It will have to get worse before it gets better. I’m just hoping not WAY worse. But WAY worse may indeed come. It would not surprise me. It sounds silly to say, but I would hope for a few years of way worse. The Wings need some talent in all areas. A top 5 pick on defense would really help things along. It looks like Rasmuassen was a solid pick, but I STILL think Liligren was the pick there. Will be interesting to see how their career trajectories work out. Not sure who the top defensive prospects are, but years and years of Grand Rapids failures have left a gaping hole on defense. They need to start drafting more mobile d-men IMHO, don't force it, but if there is a tie between a defenseman and forward, lean D. When was the last time the Wings had a young stud goalie?? They need to address this early in next years 2nd round I think. Besides an older Hasek, you have Vernon and Howard and a bunch of ca ca to show for the last few decades. Wings need a young star goalie real bad, a building block foundation kinda goalie. Smart GM's build from the net on out, or at least start with the defense and let the goalie rise to the top from your top 3-4 goalies. I'm convinced Mrazak is not the answer. Ahhh, just saw Yaves post referring to Van Pottersomething....lol, throw some more spaghetti at the wall, see what sticks....send more goalies...LOL, to put a twist on a famous movie line! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeDDS Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 @jammer2 I have been preaching that sermon for what? 4 years?! I wanted the streak to end at 23 and my history on HF will show that is true. You could see the need for total rebuild coming. Instead we got too much commitment to current second- and third-tier players which is making dumping players more difficult, all in the name of continuing the streak. Had we been serious Cup contenders, I wouldn’t have had a problem with adding pieces while holding onto the core. But that was not the case. We were eking out last minute playoff spots AT best, and were certain to be out before round 3. That was as good as we were. It is worse now, and it’s not a surprise. But the solution is still the same even if the costs will be higher and the returns much less now than they would have been before had we done it then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 On 12/6/2017 at 9:37 PM, SpikeDDS said: @jammer2 I have been preaching that sermon for what? 4 years?! I wanted the streak to end at 23 and my history on HF will show that is true. You could see the need for total rebuild coming. Instead we got too much commitment to current second- and third-tier players which is making dumping players more difficult, all in the name of continuing the streak. Had we been serious Cup contenders, I wouldn’t have had a problem with adding pieces while holding onto the core. But that was not the case. We were eking out last minute playoff spots AT best, and were certain to be out before round 3. That was as good as we were. It is worse now, and it’s not a surprise. But the solution is still the same even if the costs will be higher and the returns much less now than they would have been before had we done it then. I know you have been on the total rebuild wagon for years now. Any Wing fan who craves another Cup should think along the same lines. Another thing we both agree on, Holland is not the man for the rebuild job. What does signing guys like Tatar and Nyquvist really do, except tie up money? Cap space = flexibility and the possibility of acquiring young talent. The other thing that really bugs me is a guy like Ryan Sproul playing in Grand Rapids for 5 years, then finding out he does not fit into their plans....??? Really? If you can't tell if a kid is ready after 3 years, there is something wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeDDS Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 @jammer2 That is INDEED something to be proud of, apart from knowing someone. You should be proud. Keep us posted on his development. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted December 9, 2017 Share Posted December 9, 2017 10 hours ago, SpikeDDS said: @jammer2 That is INDEED something to be proud of, apart from knowing someone. You should be proud. Keep us posted on his development. His name is Mitch Dunning. He has a few weeks off right now, he took a puck to the face 3 nights ago and it caved in almost every tooth on one side of his face. Sipping food through a straw type of thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeDDS Posted December 9, 2017 Share Posted December 9, 2017 6 hours ago, jammer2 said: His name is Mitch Dunning. He has a few weeks off right now, he took a puck to the face 3 nights ago and it caved in almost every tooth on one side of his face. Sipping food through a straw type of thing. I’m a dentist and trained in oral surgery. I wired countless jaws closed in my training days as treatment for fractures or as prep for surgery to fix fractures. Takes 6-8 weeks for the bones to heal. That is no fun at all! I’m sorry to hear it. Hope it ends up being a minor speed bump in his career. In that community, coming back from an injury like that is considered a badge of courage and accomplishment. If he’s any good, despite a few weeks off, so long as he recovers right, it COULD help him rather than hurting him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted December 9, 2017 Share Posted December 9, 2017 5 hours ago, SpikeDDS said: I’m a dentist and trained in oral surgery. I wired countless jaws closed in my training days as treatment for fractures or as prep for surgery to fix fractures. Takes 6-8 weeks for the bones to heal. That is no fun at all! I’m sorry to hear it. Hope it ends up being a minor speed bump in his career. In that community, coming back from an injury like that is considered a badge of courage and accomplishment. If he’s any good, despite a few weeks off, so long as he recovers right, it COULD help him rather than hurting him. Kid is a tough bugger, played for my Spits for a few years, I'm sure he will bounce back from this, gritty soldier type. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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