Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: Working on Weaknesses, Defense Prospects, and More

Bill you wrote this piece 14 years ago. Very interesting and good read. Have your thoughts changed much on the topics at hand?

http://www.hockeysfuture....kdown_part_ii_defensemen/

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Bill you wrote this piece 14 years ago. Very interesting and good read. Have your thoughts changed much on the topics at hand?


http://www.hockeysfuture....kdown_part_ii_defensemen/
- rinaldo

fix the link if you can....

Bill you wrote this piece 14 years ago. Very interesting and good read. Have your thoughts changed much on the topics at hand?


http://www.hockeysfuture....kdown_part_ii_defensemen/
- rinaldo

It's a good read.....I wonder what effect the salary cap and entry level contracts has had on these stats? Or are there other factors that have helped change the process for developing d men? More leagues to draft from....different rules...etc.

fix the link if you can....
- MBFlyerfan

done

fix the link if you can....
- MBFlyerfan

http://www.hockeysfuture....kdown_part_ii_defensemen/

I've said it before, the Flyers don't "need" any of the other D prospects to be superstars. They need them to be better than the guys they replace, and they need to get ONE guy (whether its someone in the org now or someone they bring in) who can share top pair minutes with Provorov and not look out of place. Hopefully, with this many prospects within the system, we'll get to see a marked upgrade in defensive play over the next many years.

Well let's bring on Loren Greene and Hoss, little Joe and Hop Sing and go all BONANZA on the NHL!

i demand a bonanza.

i demand a bonanza.
- hammarby31

bonanza is italian for banana, right?

Bill you wrote this piece 14 years ago. Very interesting and good read. Have your thoughts changed much on the topics at hand?

http://www.hockeysfuture....kdown_part_ii_defensemen/
- rinaldo

Yes, my thoughts have changed somewhat because more and more teams have started to emphasize 1-2 years of AHL development whereas, in the past, players were more likely to be tossed right in the water in the NHL and allowed to either sink or swim.

I think the model now is a smarter one for long-term development and perhaps even somewhat fewer misses in the long haul. What that said, more than 2 years in the AHL really isn't necessary for D men (except in non-typical cases such as Hägg where he was a 19-year-old his first year and was a slide-rile player because he was drafted out of Europe).

i demand a bonanza.
- hammarby31

There are a couple DVD covers I could post that would almost make the swift banning worth it.

Yes, my thoughts have changed somewhat because more and more teams have started to emphasize 1-2 years of AHL development whereas, in the past, players were more likely to be tossed right in the water in the NHL and allowed to either sink or swim.

I think the model now is a smarter one for long-term development and perhaps even somewhat fewer misses in the long haul. What that said, more than 2 years in the AHL really isn't necessary for D men (except in non-typical cases such as Hägg where he was a 19-year-old his first year and was a slide-rile player because he was drafted out of Europe).
- bmeltzer

I think back then the pool was a bit smaller to draw from, those names that jumped quick were probably dominating from a young age.
Now there are so many kids Worlwide learning to be good players the pool is sooooo big that it isn't quite as necessary as in 2003 to have them be in NHL as there are players who are now equals overall maybe ahead of them.

Amen to the bonanza! Expectations definitely tempered but hope springs eternal.

Got little issue with most d men spending time in the AHL. Even a couple years for some. But it's still true that d men of Sanheim's caliber are not usually spending that 2nd year in the AHL, especially when they did well. How many elite defensive prospects did so, ignoring lockouts?

Got little issue with most d men spending time in the AHL. Even a couple years for some. But it's still true that d men of Sanheim's caliber are not usually spending that 2nd year in the AHL, especially when they did well. How many elite defensive prospects did so, ignoring lockouts?
- Mononoke

Even if Sanheim starts this season in the AHL, he could be the first D callup when there's an injury and have a chance to keep himself in the NHL lineup, similar to Gostisbehere in 2015-16. Will have to pick up where he left off last season, though.

Even if Sanheim starts this season in the AHL, he could be the first D callup when there's an injury and have a chance to keep himself in the NHL lineup, similar to Gostisbehere in 2015-16. Will have to pick up where he left off last season, though.
- bmeltzer

Good comparison. The exact same time out from their draft year. Don't see how sanheim is any less ready than ghost was at the time.

Even if Sanheim starts this season in the AHL, he could be the first D callup when there's an injury and have a chance to keep himself in the NHL lineup, similar to Gostisbehere in 2015-16. Will have to pick up where he left off last season, though.
- bmeltzer

I know he'd be at the top of the list, but I'd prefer to not let it come down to that: a fluke long-term injury to a regular leading to a call up. Who knows when that could happen, if it could happen......not that we even want that to happen. Ghost caught a career break, but it's just as possible he never gets called up without Streit going down. Plus Ghost only had 7 games played in the AHL and was coming off a major injury. I look at Sanheim's 80 games, with his 6'4 frame and good health, and think he's a different case.

I just hope they are keeping open the possibility of all 3 being in the lineup (I'm skeptical), because Hagg/Morin may have seniority, but I don't think they are any more "ready," and they weren't even as impactful at that level as Sanheim. His 2nd half was stellar and showed he was fully adjusted. And they have every bit as much to work on. A player is never truly "ready," they're simply "ready enough" because you can only learn and prepare yourself so much at that level. It all seems more a numbers and seniority game to me, more than Sanheim actually has any obstacle to overcome at the AHL level. Like if one of Morin/Hagg disappeared, is it a foregone conclusion Sanheim is a favorite to make the team?

Wanted to post this last night (due to the lack of life) in previous blog, but what are your guys' opinion on Evander Kane as a potential LW to target via trade or sign him if he hits UFA status next summer? I know he's got a bad rep, but he is one hell of an even strength player (an area we struggled badly) and he'll be 26. When I say hell of an even strength player, 25 out of his 28 goals (in 70 games) last season were ES and any prior season, majority of his goals were at ES. Plus, a line of Kane-G-Voracek is pretty sexy on paper. Another thought... he could make a Simmonds trade hurt less if that needs to happen before he (Simmonds) hits UFA status as they both play a similar gritty-styled game.

i demand a bonanza.
- hammarby31

no

Wanted to post this last night (due to the lack of life) in previous blog, but what are your guys' opinion on Evander Kane as a potential LW to target via trade or sign him if he hits UFA status next summer? I know he's got a bad rep, but he is one hell of an even strength player (an area we struggled badly) and he'll be 26. When I say hell of an even strength player, 25 out of his 28 goals (in 70 games) last season were ES and any prior season, majority of his goals were at ES. Plus, a line of Kane-G-Voracek is pretty sexy on paper. Another thought... he could make a Simmonds trade hurt less if that needs to happen before he (Simmonds) hits UFA status as they both play a similar gritty-styled game.
- arichardson22

Kane is making 5.25 million. He has eclipsed 45 points ONCE in 8 seasons. Even without the multiple off ice issues I'm staying away.

If they want to kick the tires on him when he's a UFA so be it. But with the mediocre production coupled with his off ice baggage I'm not offering him more than 3.5 a year on no longer than a 3 year deal.

Kane is making 5.25 million. He has eclipsed 45 points ONCE in 8 seasons. Even without the multiple off ice issues I'm staying away.

If they want to kick the tires on him when he's a UFA so be it. But with the mediocre production coupled with his off ice baggage I'm not offering him more than 3.5 a year on no longer than a 3 year deal.
- hereticpride

See I was wondering this myself... what kind of deal would he himself want? He'll be 26, so I wondered myself if he'd want a 3 -4 year deal. Almost as a "prove it" deal (as mentioned consistency and even health issues) as well as him cashing in one last big time at the age of 29 or 30 after that deal. some of his mediocre production can be from injury issues, last year he had that super awkward run-in with the boards. But he still lit it up (with a bad team) when he came back healthy.

See I was wondering this myself... what kind of deal would he himself want? He'll be 26, so I wondered myself if he'd want a 3 -4 year deal. Almost as a "prove it" deal (as mentioned consistency and even health issues) as well as him cashing in one last big time at the age of 29 or 30 after that deal. some of his mediocre production can be from injury issues, last year he had that super awkward run-in with the boards. But he still lit it up (with a bad team) when he came back healthy.
- arichardson22

That's just the thing. There isn't consistently in any facet of his game. He misses games every year. He doesn't score consistently. And he really haven't stayed out of trouble long enough to say that he's matured and put everything behind him. Doesn't seem like the type of guy our front office would go after.

I can see him ending up somewhere like Pittsburgh. Similar to the Kessel situation in some ways. In Pitt he doesn't have to be the 1st, 2nd 3rd or even the 4th guy. They can afford to take that chance.

what are your guys' opinion on Evander Kane as a potential LW to target via trade or sign him if he hits UFA status next summer?
- arichardson22