Ian Esplen: The Zack Kassian Project
The Zack Kassian Project
- IanEsplen

Not to burst your bubble...
Because I do think Kassian will be a good player...
But expecting him to score 25goals is pretty unrealistic for a guy whose best scoring season in juniors had him getting 26goals
MAYBE he gets 20... IF he plays with the Sedins...
But is that really a likely scenario? Burrows seems to fit well with them

Kassian could develop into a 25+ goal scorer,
But expecting that from him this soon is crazy...
IMO, that's a big part of the reason we traded him (too much was expected of him too soon)

Give him time & develop him right and I think he'll get you 20-50-70pts with a TON of hits for years to come
Ask too much too soon and he may top out as a 3rd line banger who gets u 10goals a year

Don't all 1st rounders score at least 30 goals in their rookie season or they're officially a bust?
- AlexF

Apperently. Another thing is, while I really like Cody Hodgson and was pretty upset when he was traded, there is no guarantee that his going to take the league by storm. He is still very young and has yet to play a full year in a top 6 roll against top D pairings and shutdown lines.

Not to burst your bubble...
Because I do think Kassian will be a good player...
But expecting him to score 25goals is pretty unrealistic for a guy whose best scoring season in juniors had him getting 26goals
MAYBE he gets 20... IF he plays with the Sedins...
But is that really a likely scenario? Burrows seems to fit well with them

Kassian could develop into a 25+ goal scorer,
But expecting that from him this soon is crazy...
IMO, that's a big part of the reason we traded him (too much was expected of him too soon)

Give him time & develop him right and I think he'll get you 20-50-70pts with a TON of hits for years to come
Ask too much too soon and he may top out as a 3rd line banger who gets u 10goals a year
- jdfitz77

He was on pace for 40 goals and almost a point a game in the 30 games in the AHL before getting called up.

Once again, I'll note that this was his first pro season.

Just saying... some guys translate better as a pro than a junior. James Neal always comes to mind. Power forward with good hands.

Not to burst your bubble...
Because I do think Kassian will be a good player...
But expecting him to score 25goals is pretty unrealistic for a guy whose best scoring season in juniors had him getting 26goals
MAYBE he gets 20... IF he plays with the Sedins...
But is that really a likely scenario? Burrows seems to fit well with them

Kassian could develop into a 25+ goal scorer,
But expecting that from him this soon is crazy...
IMO, that's a big part of the reason we traded him (too much was expected of him too soon)

Give him time & develop him right and I think he'll get you 20-50-70pts with a TON of hits for years to come
Ask too much too soon and he may top out as a 3rd line banger who gets u 10goals a year
- jdfitz77

He definitely won't even break 20 next year....I bet he is a 10-15 goal guy next year who tops out on the 3rd line. When did everyone start expecting all 21 year old guys to be elite players? There isn't many Stamkos, Crosby's out there....

Watching him play, you can see that this guy has some pretty impressive tools....the question is, can he put them together????

He was on pace for 40 goals and almost a point a game in the 30 games in the AHL before getting called up.

Once again, I'll note that this was his first pro season.

Just saying... some guys translate better as a pro than a junior. James Neal always comes to mind. Power forward with good hands.
- Lohaus

Hating is the lazy man's analysis.....welcome to Hockeybuzz......

Tim Wharnsby ‏ @WharnsbyCBC
#Canucks and Alain Vigneault are close to agreeing on an extension. Likely to be announced later this week or next week. #hnic

DCT is excited.
- AlexF

who the hell is Tim Wharnsby and why do you follow him on twitter?

He was on pace for 40 goals and almost a point a game in the 30 games in the AHL before getting called up.

Once again, I'll note that this was his first pro season.

Just saying... some guys translate better as a pro than a junior. James Neal always comes to mind. Power forward with good hands.
- Lohaus

Possibly,
But there's a HUGE difference between being able to dominate AHL guys down low and then make that leap to the NHL and do it
Will he eventually be a pretty decent power forward type?
I think so... Just not right away...
He's still so young
Bring him along slowly and I think he'll be just fine

who the hell is Tim Wharnsby and why do you follow him on twitter?
- Scooby_Doo

Good question.

He's some new guy on HNIC. But I also heard something similar from Bob Mackenzie yesterday. It's hardly a mystery at this point that AV will get an extension.

Gillis screwed you guys on this deal. He was clearly so horny to deal CoHo that he took a deal based on an idea of a player he wanted. Kassian will likely be a 3rd liner who pots 15 goals a year, but thats obv not the same talent as CoHo.

If he was a good GM he would've waited til the summer and traded CoHo at the draft or when someone struck out on there UFA signings. Instead, he tried to be a hero GM ala Brian Burke and convince a fan base that this was right and was the right time to do so.

Sorry, but this is going to go down as one of the more lop-sided trades in Canuck history.
- BodyCheckRadio

NEELY to BOSTON..biggest lopsided

Good question.

He's some new guy on HNIC. But I also heard something similar from Bob Mackenzie yesterday. It's hardly a mystery at this point that AV will get an extension.
- AlexF

I don't think he will. My gut feeling is AV gets fired.

He definitely won't even break 20 next year....I bet he is a 10-15 goal guy next year who tops out on the 3rd line. When did everyone start expecting all 21 year old guys to be elite players? There isn't many Stamkos, Crosby's out there....

Watching him play, you can see that this guy has some pretty impressive tools....the question is, can he put them together????
- chompsey

He will I think.
Just gotta give him some time...
Someone pointed out earlier that it took Doan a few years before he started putting up numbers
I think the same will be true of Kassian

Although, if you guys go out and get Parise (like I think you should)...
Playing Kassian on a line with him & Kesler could speed up his development on the scoresheet really quickly

woah woah woah people thought i was coming in here and trolling? i mean i can troll hard if you want but i was just sharing my opinion in a nice, civil way.

woah woah woah people thought i was coming in here and trolling? i mean i can troll hard if you want but i was just sharing my opinion in a nice, civil way.
- LizzyJo

Thank you for your opinion, I am in no way feeling that you are trolling. I would however like to give my opinion on Cody If I may. I feel like he will be a good player however, sadly I predict no 30 goal seasons in his whole career. He struggles with attitude issues and I feel once he becomes a unrestricted free agent he will sign with another team, because of these issues. I've always liked him as a player, but don't think he will become your franchise player unless you dish him a huge contract, and if that happens we have another Derek Roy on our hands folks. This is just my opinion I am in no way trolling, I was just sharing my opinion in a nice, civil way.

So in the Niewendyk/Iginla trade, Dallas clearly won because they traded for the best player at the time of the trade.
- fiveandagame

Yep, at the time they were the winner. I've never said Kassian is a bust, but he has a higher chance. You're taking a risk with him vs a developed prospect who can play in a top 6.

Thank you for your opinion, I am in no way feeling that you are trolling. I would however like to give my opinion on Cody If I may. I feel like he will be a good player however, sadly I predict no 30 goal seasons in his whole career. He struggles with attitude issues and I feel once he becomes a unrestricted free agent he will sign with another team, because of these issues. I've always liked him as a player, but don't think he will become your franchise player unless you dish him a huge contract, and if that happens we have another Derek Roy on our hands folks. This is just my opinion I am in no way trolling, I was just sharing my opinion in a nice, civil way.
- pker2theend

i hope not, i hope we are both wrong about cody and kassian.

i hope not, i hope we are both wrong about cody and kassian.
- LizzyJo

2015 finals will decide who won Cody vs Zach

Kickassian next year: 6 goals, 5 assists, -12, 122 PIM, 24 games.
sent to minors, considering trade options.

woah woah woah people thought i was coming in here and trolling? i mean i can troll hard if you want but i was just sharing my opinion in a nice, civil way.
- LizzyJo

stop trolling us.

Yep, at the time they were the winner. I've never said Kassian is a bust, but he has a higher chance. You're taking a risk with him vs a developed prospect who can play in a top 6.
- BodyCheckRadio

At the time yes, but how did that work out for Calgary in the end. Iginla is agruably the greatest Flame of all time.

As far as a developed prospect who can play in the top 6, Hodgson has only played a handful games in the top 6. I am interested to see how he does next year with a full time spot there.

Tim Wharnsby ‏ @WharnsbyCBC
#Canucks and Alain Vigneault are close to agreeing on an extension. Likely to be announced later this week or next week. #hnic

DCT is excited.
- AlexF

go to hell. AV is a turd.

Kickassian next year: 6 goals, 5 assists, -12, 122 PIM, 24 games.
sent to minors, considering trade options.
- Fidel

Wishful thinking. I doubt AV give Kassian enough icetime to reach any one of those stats in 24 games.

Wishful thinking. I doubt AV give Kassian enough icetime to reach any one of those stats in 24 games.
- fiveandagame

yeah i forgot that. AV is a turd.

You can improve speed if you have a really good, strong stride but if it's choppy and short, like Cody's, you're going to be hard pressed to improve it. It's been his weakness since junior and I haven't seen much improvement. It's not just his skating either. Even when he stands on the ice it looks like he's weak on his skates.
- Boinker

I'm a little late to the conversation (and it might have been stated already) but your assessment above could have been a scouting report for Brendan Morrison. Terrible skater when he was a rookie but he's had a good career.

you cannot teach speed
- malcohol

They have power skating courses everywhere.

They have power skating courses everywhere.
- VANTEL

You can become a better skater, but there isn't a way to increase your foot speed. There's a reason only the top 5% of junior hockey players get drafted and play a regular shift in the NHL. You have to have a certain amount of foot speed or you won't make it.