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Post by galaxytrash on Aug 16, 2024 19:07:20 GMT -6
elite prospects released their top 100 prospects and chicago had way more than their fair share placing 7 on the list, including 3 in the top 20. of the 7 i think i was the most pleasantly surprised by boisvert's inclusion on the list, with vanacker's name being a close second. 7. Artyom Levshunov, RHD
“Artyom Levshunov may not have been the overwhelmingly popular choice at No. 2 overall, but Chicago Blackhawks fans will come to admire him with time. The Belarusian blueliner already looked the part of an NHL player at times during his one-year tour at Michigan State. He’s a crafty and skilled distributor from the offensive blue line, a physically punishing player when he wants to be, and by all accounts, a delightful individual, too. Levshunov has all of the physical tools to thrive in the NHL, but improvements to game-to-game consistency and decision-making will be critical to seizing on his potential and developing into a bona fide No. 1 defender in Chicago.”
16. Frank Nazar, C
Frank Nazar didn’t just enjoy a bounce-back season; he put himself back on the map as one of the top centre prospects in the sport. Pace is Nazar’s defining quality. He’s an agile, explosive skater, able to process the play at speed and consistently seek out high-value looks as a passer. Nazar is fearless too, as inside-driven and willing to play through contact as anyone in college last season. Perhaps most important, he was able to play his game and look the part in a three-game cup of coffee with the Blackhawks last season. With careful development, Nazar has a chance to be a game-breaking second-line centre full-time sooner than later.
19. Oliver Moore, C
The transition to college proved difficult at the start of his freshman season, but Oliver Moore turned things around upon returning from the World Juniors and appears to be back on track. Moore is one of the fastest skaters in the sport. Give him an inch, and he’s exploded past you two zones in the opposite direction. This sets an unusually high floor for a player with his draft pedigree, but we’d caution against taking his upside for granted. Moore has the full toolbox of offensive skills and pairs that with above-average sense to bring together highly complex plays from time to time. At a minimum, Moore still looks the part of a middle-six centre with considerable upside at both ends of the ice.
65. Sacha Boisvert, C
With a rare combination of high skill and versatility, Sacha Boisvert debuts inside the top 70. Few prospects combine playmaking and physicality like him, as he draws defensive attention or overpowers an opponent before passing through them. He’s also a lethal shooter from distance with a knack for getting open around the net. Skating is the question and he can overcomplicate plays at times. There’s likely lots of development time ahead, but the pay-off could be a middle-six power forward.
69. Ethan Del Mastro, LHD
After two seasons of impressive growth in the OHL, Ethan Del Mastro stepped into the AHL and immediately became an impact player. Though he led his team in blue-line scoring thanks to his space management skills and power play ability, his projection is more of a defensive one. He’s a physical, intense defender who overpowers opponents, perfectly times his poke checks, and makes quick, clean plays off retrievals. Look for him to push for NHL job this season, with potential to develop into a middle-pairing option down the road.
71. Sam Rinzel, RHD
As is often the case for players with Sam Rinzel’s pedigree, the high-flying offence that we knew him for in high school and to a lesser degree in the USHL took a backseat as he developed into more of a shutdown presence for Minnesota. The kind of defensive reach that Rinzel’s 6-foot-3 frame and 6-grade skating confers to him made the transition seamless; he could easily contain opponents in space and dispossess them of the puck in close quarters with little fuss. Rinzel struggled to manipulate or create off-script at this level, but he was just skilled enough to find the scoresheet at a healthy rate anyway. Perhaps that will hold when he one day makes the transition to the NHL.
88. Marek Vanacker, RW
The Blackhawks have made speed a priority, and Marek Vanacker has plenty. It’s not just foot speed, but he instantly recognizes vulnerabilities in the defence and corrals tricky passes with his feet moving. He’s a skilled shooter and a cunning playmaker, with the latter appearing more off the cycle. With no shortage of skill on Brantford, he’s poised for a surge in scoring. He could become a middle-six scorer.www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks/2024/08/16/blackhawks-pipeline-places-well-in-new-top-100-rankings/ |
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Post by OldTimeHawky on Aug 16, 2024 21:02:27 GMT -6
elite prospects released their top 100 prospects and chicago had way more than their fair share placing 7 on the list, including 3 in the top 20. of the 7 i think i was the most pleasantly surprised by boisvert's inclusion on the list, with vanacker's name being a close second. 7. Artyom Levshunov, RHD
“Artyom Levshunov may not have been the overwhelmingly popular choice at No. 2 overall, but Chicago Blackhawks fans will come to admire him with time. The Belarusian blueliner already looked the part of an NHL player at times during his one-year tour at Michigan State. He’s a crafty and skilled distributor from the offensive blue line, a physically punishing player when he wants to be, and by all accounts, a delightful individual, too. Levshunov has all of the physical tools to thrive in the NHL, but improvements to game-to-game consistency and decision-making will be critical to seizing on his potential and developing into a bona fide No. 1 defender in Chicago.”
16. Frank Nazar, C
Frank Nazar didn’t just enjoy a bounce-back season; he put himself back on the map as one of the top centre prospects in the sport. Pace is Nazar’s defining quality. He’s an agile, explosive skater, able to process the play at speed and consistently seek out high-value looks as a passer. Nazar is fearless too, as inside-driven and willing to play through contact as anyone in college last season. Perhaps most important, he was able to play his game and look the part in a three-game cup of coffee with the Blackhawks last season. With careful development, Nazar has a chance to be a game-breaking second-line centre full-time sooner than later.
19. Oliver Moore, C
The transition to college proved difficult at the start of his freshman season, but Oliver Moore turned things around upon returning from the World Juniors and appears to be back on track. Moore is one of the fastest skaters in the sport. Give him an inch, and he’s exploded past you two zones in the opposite direction. This sets an unusually high floor for a player with his draft pedigree, but we’d caution against taking his upside for granted. Moore has the full toolbox of offensive skills and pairs that with above-average sense to bring together highly complex plays from time to time. At a minimum, Moore still looks the part of a middle-six centre with considerable upside at both ends of the ice.
65. Sacha Boisvert, C
With a rare combination of high skill and versatility, Sacha Boisvert debuts inside the top 70. Few prospects combine playmaking and physicality like him, as he draws defensive attention or overpowers an opponent before passing through them. He’s also a lethal shooter from distance with a knack for getting open around the net. Skating is the question and he can overcomplicate plays at times. There’s likely lots of development time ahead, but the pay-off could be a middle-six power forward.
69. Ethan Del Mastro, LHD
After two seasons of impressive growth in the OHL, Ethan Del Mastro stepped into the AHL and immediately became an impact player. Though he led his team in blue-line scoring thanks to his space management skills and power play ability, his projection is more of a defensive one. He’s a physical, intense defender who overpowers opponents, perfectly times his poke checks, and makes quick, clean plays off retrievals. Look for him to push for NHL job this season, with potential to develop into a middle-pairing option down the road.
71. Sam Rinzel, RHD
As is often the case for players with Sam Rinzel’s pedigree, the high-flying offence that we knew him for in high school and to a lesser degree in the USHL took a backseat as he developed into more of a shutdown presence for Minnesota. The kind of defensive reach that Rinzel’s 6-foot-3 frame and 6-grade skating confers to him made the transition seamless; he could easily contain opponents in space and dispossess them of the puck in close quarters with little fuss. Rinzel struggled to manipulate or create off-script at this level, but he was just skilled enough to find the scoresheet at a healthy rate anyway. Perhaps that will hold when he one day makes the transition to the NHL.
88. Marek Vanacker, RW
The Blackhawks have made speed a priority, and Marek Vanacker has plenty. It’s not just foot speed, but he instantly recognizes vulnerabilities in the defence and corrals tricky passes with his feet moving. He’s a skilled shooter and a cunning playmaker, with the latter appearing more off the cycle. With no shortage of skill on Brantford, he’s poised for a surge in scoring. He could become a middle-six scorer.www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks/2024/08/16/blackhawks-pipeline-places-well-in-new-top-100-rankings/Boisvert has some impressive highlights, even going back to when he was 13 at the Brick Tournament, end to end rush with a nice finish. He's lean but very strong, when he gets in the 200lbs he'll be a beast. Working with Goodman will really help his top speed. That was a great read and I like what they said about each player. Well except Rinzel being 6'3", he was 6'4" when drafted and now 6'5". |
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Post by galaxytrash on Aug 16, 2024 22:24:59 GMT -6
elite prospects released their top 100 prospects and chicago had way more than their fair share placing 7 on the list, including 3 in the top 20. of the 7 i think i was the most pleasantly surprised by boisvert's inclusion on the list, with vanacker's name being a close second. 7. Artyom Levshunov, RHD
“Artyom Levshunov may not have been the overwhelmingly popular choice at No. 2 overall, but Chicago Blackhawks fans will come to admire him with time. The Belarusian blueliner already looked the part of an NHL player at times during his one-year tour at Michigan State. He’s a crafty and skilled distributor from the offensive blue line, a physically punishing player when he wants to be, and by all accounts, a delightful individual, too. Levshunov has all of the physical tools to thrive in the NHL, but improvements to game-to-game consistency and decision-making will be critical to seizing on his potential and developing into a bona fide No. 1 defender in Chicago.”
16. Frank Nazar, C
Frank Nazar didn’t just enjoy a bounce-back season; he put himself back on the map as one of the top centre prospects in the sport. Pace is Nazar’s defining quality. He’s an agile, explosive skater, able to process the play at speed and consistently seek out high-value looks as a passer. Nazar is fearless too, as inside-driven and willing to play through contact as anyone in college last season. Perhaps most important, he was able to play his game and look the part in a three-game cup of coffee with the Blackhawks last season. With careful development, Nazar has a chance to be a game-breaking second-line centre full-time sooner than later.
19. Oliver Moore, C
The transition to college proved difficult at the start of his freshman season, but Oliver Moore turned things around upon returning from the World Juniors and appears to be back on track. Moore is one of the fastest skaters in the sport. Give him an inch, and he’s exploded past you two zones in the opposite direction. This sets an unusually high floor for a player with his draft pedigree, but we’d caution against taking his upside for granted. Moore has the full toolbox of offensive skills and pairs that with above-average sense to bring together highly complex plays from time to time. At a minimum, Moore still looks the part of a middle-six centre with considerable upside at both ends of the ice.
65. Sacha Boisvert, C
With a rare combination of high skill and versatility, Sacha Boisvert debuts inside the top 70. Few prospects combine playmaking and physicality like him, as he draws defensive attention or overpowers an opponent before passing through them. He’s also a lethal shooter from distance with a knack for getting open around the net. Skating is the question and he can overcomplicate plays at times. There’s likely lots of development time ahead, but the pay-off could be a middle-six power forward.
69. Ethan Del Mastro, LHD
After two seasons of impressive growth in the OHL, Ethan Del Mastro stepped into the AHL and immediately became an impact player. Though he led his team in blue-line scoring thanks to his space management skills and power play ability, his projection is more of a defensive one. He’s a physical, intense defender who overpowers opponents, perfectly times his poke checks, and makes quick, clean plays off retrievals. Look for him to push for NHL job this season, with potential to develop into a middle-pairing option down the road.
71. Sam Rinzel, RHD
As is often the case for players with Sam Rinzel’s pedigree, the high-flying offence that we knew him for in high school and to a lesser degree in the USHL took a backseat as he developed into more of a shutdown presence for Minnesota. The kind of defensive reach that Rinzel’s 6-foot-3 frame and 6-grade skating confers to him made the transition seamless; he could easily contain opponents in space and dispossess them of the puck in close quarters with little fuss. Rinzel struggled to manipulate or create off-script at this level, but he was just skilled enough to find the scoresheet at a healthy rate anyway. Perhaps that will hold when he one day makes the transition to the NHL.
88. Marek Vanacker, RW
The Blackhawks have made speed a priority, and Marek Vanacker has plenty. It’s not just foot speed, but he instantly recognizes vulnerabilities in the defence and corrals tricky passes with his feet moving. He’s a skilled shooter and a cunning playmaker, with the latter appearing more off the cycle. With no shortage of skill on Brantford, he’s poised for a surge in scoring. He could become a middle-six scorer.www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks/2024/08/16/blackhawks-pipeline-places-well-in-new-top-100-rankings/Boisvert has some impressive highlights, even going back to when he was 13 at the Brick Tournament, end to end rush with a nice finish. He's lean but very strong, when he gets in the 200lbs he'll be a beast. Working with Goodman will really help his top speed. That was a great read and I like what they said about each player. Well except Rinzel being 6'3", he was 6'4" when drafted and now 6'5". do you get an alert every time one of our prospects grows 1/2 an inch or gains/loses a pound? : D Edit: just hackin' you, mate. : ) |
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Post by Tater on Aug 17, 2024 2:17:37 GMT -6
Boisvert has some impressive highlights, even going back to when he was 13 at the Brick Tournament, end to end rush with a nice finish. He's lean but very strong, when he gets in the 200lbs he'll be a beast. Working with Goodman will really help his top speed. That was a great read and I like what they said about each player. Well except Rinzel being 6'3", he was 6'4" when drafted and now 6'5". It was a good read, and I like how 3 of the Hawks top 4 are centers. It's been a need for YEARS! |
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Post by OldTimeHawky on Aug 17, 2024 7:31:05 GMT -6
Boisvert has some impressive highlights, even going back to when he was 13 at the Brick Tournament, end to end rush with a nice finish. He's lean but very strong, when he gets in the 200lbs he'll be a beast. Working with Goodman will really help his top speed. That was a great read and I like what they said about each player. Well except Rinzel being 6'3", he was 6'4" when drafted and now 6'5". do you get an alert every time one of our prospects grows 1/2 an inch or gains/loses a pound? : D Edit: just hackin' you, mate. : ) 😆 just like you with interesting tidbits, I pay attention to heights and weights. Not sure why, but ever since I was a kid I retained that info from hockey cards. My family and kids at school even joked about it, if you wanna know a players height and weight, ask me. And I think it was said on the last "On the Clock", but there was a vid this summer saying Rinzel now stands at 6'5" and he put on weight. And Rinzels first season in the NCAA he had 28pts in 39gms, Fabers last season he had 27pts in 38gms, as the captain. Hopefully Sam can translate his game to the NHL like Brock has. |
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Post by galaxytrash on Aug 17, 2024 7:35:52 GMT -6
do you get an alert every time one of our prospects grows 1/2 an inch or gains/loses a pound? : D Edit: just hackin' you, mate. : ) 😆 just like you with interesting tidbits, I pay attention to heights and weights. Not sure why, but ever since I was a kid I retained that info from hockey cards. My family and kids at school even joked about it, if you wanna know a players height and weight, ask me. right on. i like it. if that gig with the city of edmonton doesn't pan out, you could always be a carny guessing people's height and weight. : ) |
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Post by OldTimeHawky on Aug 17, 2024 9:40:08 GMT -6
😆 just like you with interesting tidbits, I pay attention to heights and weights. Not sure why, but ever since I was a kid I retained that info from hockey cards. My family and kids at school even joked about it, if you wanna know a players height and weight, ask me. right on. i like it. if that gig with the city of edmonton doesn't pan out, you could always be a carny guessing people's height and weight. : ) I've been told that too 😆 but I don't wanna guess a womans weight, dangerous territory. |
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Post by galaxytrash on Aug 25, 2024 22:55:07 GMT -6
good to see.
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Post by ebonyraptor on Aug 25, 2024 23:46:21 GMT -6
Also - there are a few Hawks playing in dabeauty league this summer (dabeautyleague.com) - Oliver Moore, Wyatt Kaiser, and Sam Rinzel. All are playing well - Moore has 8g/6a in 4 games, Kaiser has 7a in 6 games, and Rinzel has 2g/3a in 3 games. |
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Post by OldTimeHawky on Aug 26, 2024 5:42:07 GMT -6
Also - there are a few Hawks playing in dabeauty league this summer (dabeautyleague.com) - Oliver Moore, Wyatt Kaiser, and Sam Rinzel. All are playing well - Moore has 8g/6a in 4 games, Kaiser has 7a in 6 games, and Rinzel has 2g/3a in 3 games. Moore is playing better than well, 8g-6a in 4gms is crazy, not sure what this league is but it's nice to see those numbers, even both dmen are over a point per game. |
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Post by bigbarn27 on Aug 26, 2024 7:59:08 GMT -6
Also - there are a few Hawks playing in dabeauty league this summer (dabeautyleague.com) - Oliver Moore, Wyatt Kaiser, and Sam Rinzel. All are playing well - Moore has 8g/6a in 4 games, Kaiser has 7a in 6 games, and Rinzel has 2g/3a in 3 games. Moore is playing playing better than well, 8g-6a in 4gms is crazy, not sure what this league is but it's nice to see those numbers, even both dmen are over a point per game. Cake eaters from Edina Minn. No different then the Chicago league Kane had run some years back. |
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Post by OldTimeHawky on Aug 26, 2024 8:34:12 GMT -6
Moore is playing playing better than well, 8g-6a in 4gms is crazy, not sure what this league is but it's nice to see those numbers, even both dmen are over a point per game. Cake eaters from Edina Minn. No different then the Chicago league Kane had run some years back. I remember that, mix of NHLers and beer leaguers. Looking at the rosters there was some good NHLers at this. Rinzel and Moore were on the same team, Kaisers team had Stauber in net, 9 goals against average in 2gms. |
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Post by ebonyraptor on Aug 26, 2024 8:58:06 GMT -6
Moore is playing playing better than well, 8g-6a in 4gms is crazy, not sure what this league is but it's nice to see those numbers, even both dmen are over a point per game. Cake eaters from Edina Minn. No different then the Chicago league Kane had run some years back. Yeah it's a league with a lot of offense - solid team defense not so much. But, scoring relative to the other guys in the league - Moore's 3.5ppg is very impressive. |
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Post by BigT on Aug 26, 2024 9:38:32 GMT -6
Cake eaters from Edina Minn. No different then the Chicago league Kane had run some years back. Yeah it's a league with a lot of offense - solid team defense not so much. But, scoring relative to the other guys in the league - Moore's 3.5ppg is very impressive. One thing to keep in mind, they don’t really hit in these leagues. They don’t want no one to get injured. It’s more for staying in shape!!! |
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Post by acesandeights on Aug 26, 2024 11:54:38 GMT -6
Also - there are a few Hawks playing in dabeauty league this summer (dabeautyleague.com) - Oliver Moore, Wyatt Kaiser, and Sam Rinzel. All are playing well - Moore has 8g/6a in 4 games, Kaiser has 7a in 6 games, and Rinzel has 2g/3a in 3 games. I'm confused. Sam Rinzel is listed on the roster for two different teams. He's on both the Tria roster, with jersey #77, and the Walser roster, with jersey #95. What makes this a bit more strange is Rinzel has points for both teams. He had a 2nd assist for Tria, on a goal by Eric Haula, in a game on July 17. Walser played a game the same night. Rinzel had a primary assist for Walser in a game on Aug. 14. His assist for Walser was on a goal by O. Moore. Tria played a game the same day. What does he do when Tria and Walser play each other?  Did he start out playing for Tria and then switched to Walser a little later, but his name is still on the roster for both teams? |
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Post by irmaks on Aug 26, 2024 15:30:54 GMT -6
Great reading, another great guy to look forward to.
His father, John, was a linebacker at Marshall University. His mom, Kathy, ran track. Two of his aunts played Division I college basketball at Marquette and St. Louis. His uncle played football at Canisius. His brother, John Jr., played center at East Carolina University. His sister Logan danced at Ohio State. Another sister played tennis. A third sister played travel volleyball.
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And AJ Spellacy could have played NCAA football himself. A three-star free safety and wide receiver recruit, he once fielded a phone call from Nick Saban. But instead he left five Division I football scholarship offers on the table and the football team at Saint Ignatius High School (where he’d just finished a season as the lone sophomore on the varsity squad) to pursue another sport: hockey.
The sport wasn’t foreign to the Spellacys. John and his three brothers all played hockey for fun growing up and one of AJ’s cousin’s, Aiden, played at St. Cloud State and professionally last year in England. But football is in their blood.
And in Westlake, Ohio, 20 minutes outside of Cleveland (where both of his parents grew up), football, not hockey, is the sport. As a child, John would sit in the recliner and throw AJ a little football, AJ sprinting back and forth in the living room and diving into the couch to catch it.
Last year, AJ says, was his first full year playing hockey full-time. At the end of it, the Chicago Blackhawks drafted him in the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft and USA Hockey invited him to the World Junior Summer Showcase to audition for the upcoming world juniors in Ottawa.
Last summer was his first summer of dedicated training for hockey — and with other hockey players — under local strength and conditioning coach Ryan Richmond. He’d been into Richmond’s gym, T3 Performance, before but as a football player doing speed training.
Growing up, he wouldn’t play with his youth hockey team until Dec. 1, when football finished. Then he’d play for four months while also playing travel basketball, throw his hockey bag in the basement, and spend his summers playing travel baseball. According to his dad, he was “a really good basketball player and can dunk pretty good now.”
“He never stopped moving from the time he was 2 years old. AJ was always lean and long and always moving and active, never sitting around,” John said. “He loved to be busy.”
AJ Spellacy, No. 88, makes a catch with the Saint Ignatius Wildcats. (Courtesy John Spellacy)
The youngest of five by five years (John laughs that AJ was “a pleasant surprise”), AJ was fortunate because by the time he was playing four sports competitively year-round, the other Spellacy kids were done and John and Kathy weren’t spread as thin.
“AJ played everything and I wanted them to play everything as long as they could and find out what they love as they go along. And it came a little sooner than I thought for AJ because I figured he would just keep playing football and he really had a good sophomore year,” John said. “I’m a big believer that every sport makes you a better athlete.”
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That was the Spellacy way.
“Going all the way back, my dad, he felt sports was the answer to a lot of problems because it kept the kids out of trouble and taught you so many lessons,” John said. “So all my family of six, everybody played something. Same thing with my five. It doesn’t matter whether you made it or not, it’s just the life lessons you learn that are so valuable.”
AJ didn’t meet his agent and skills and development coach, Kenny Ryan, a 2009 second-round NHL Draft pick and skills coach at the University of Michigan, until he was 15. The first time he ever spent an offseason skating was just two summers ago before his 16-year-old rookie season in the OHL with the Windsor Spitfires. When the Spitfires drafted him in the spring of 2022, he was on an unofficial visit to Ohio State’s football program and receiving scholarship offers from Iowa State, Illinois State, Central Michigan, and Toledo.
John decided not to go on that visit to OSU with him, sending his brother to take him instead because he “didn’t want to mess with his head” and knew AJ thought his dad just wanted him to go the football route. “I said, ‘I want you to do what you love doing and what you’re going to work hardest at,'” John said.
“(Hockey) was one of those things that I just did for fun when football was really what I focused on,” AJ said. “But once I grew older, I started to really love hockey. I think I just had God-given abilities for hockey and I started to really love the game so I thought if I really worked at it that I could be a longtime player in the NHL.”
Once AJ made the decision to play hockey in the OHL, John, a trial lawyer in Cleveland, made him wait a couple of weeks and promise him two things: 1. That he’d eventually get his college degree, whenever that is, and 2. That he’d work hard and have a positive attitude.
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Immediately, AJ and Ryan began skating 4-5 days a week one-on-one at 6:30 a.m., and doing video work together.
The improvements he has made, in a short period of time, have been drastic.
“I’m not sure what his ceiling is but where his floor right now is is a great starting point compared to other kids who’ve played for 10-12 years year-round,” Ryan said. “I think AJ’s barely scratching the surface of what he’s going to be. His skating is world-class. (But) he never really put his time and training into hockey. He’s got so much untapped potential that he’s actively working to tap into. As long as he continues to apply himself, I’m sure he’s going to chase down whatever he sets his mind to.”
AJ finished in the top 10 in seven different tests at this year’s NHL Scouting Combine. (Luke Durda / OHL Images)
In Windsor, the Spitfires saw AJ tap into that untapped potential in real time.
Casey Torres, his head coach in Windsor last season, called him “our physical specimen” on a phone call pre-draft. Liam Greentree, the team’s captain and a would-be first-round pick in the draft, called him one of the fastest skaters in the draft.
In his first season in the OHL, he registered just 17 points in 47 games for the Spitfires. When NHL Central Scouting released its preliminary players to watch for the draft in the fall of his second season, he was given a ‘C’ rating, which “indicates a 4th/5th round candidate.” When they released their midseason list, he ranked 125th among North American skaters. He finished his second season with 21 goals and 38 points in 67 games (fifth on the Spitfires in scoring) but in 37 games after the Christmas break he had 29 of those points. At season’s end, he’d moved all the way up to 72nd on NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking of North American skaters.
At the NHL Scouting Combine weeks before the draft, he finished in the top 10 in seven different tests, the most by any player. That included finishing first in peak output in the Wingate, a 30-second test of power against resistance on a bike; fourth in agility going right; sixth in body fat percentage (7.18 on a 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame); ninth in vertical jump; second in horizontal jump; ninth in no-arm jump; and seventh in pull-ups.
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“He’s 18 but he’s moving like a 22-year-old athlete,” Richmond said. “Training him is really fun.”
In Richmond’s junior group at the gym, made up of about 10 other players from the OHL, USHL, NAHL and prep hockey, he elevates the room because of how he performs. He also elevates it with the way he carries himself.
“He’s a great kid. He’s funny, he comes in every day and it’s ‘Heyyy Richie, what’s up!’ He’s a very charismatic guy and I can throw anything at him and he’s like, ‘This is going to stink,’ and then he does it and he works hard,” Richmond said. “He leads through his actions but he can also converse with anybody and everybody, he’s got a smile on his face 90 percent of the time, and he’s always pushing himself because he knows this is a big opportunity in his career these next couple of years.”
He could train, Richmond said, with his pro group, which includes Stefan Matteau and Oliver Bjorkstrand. He has mingled the last two summers with those guys, who are in just before the junior group, and they’ve watched him lift in the gym, helped prep him for draft day, and were pumped to see him get picked.
When Richmond (who also coaches with the Cleveland Barons AAA program but didn’t coach Spellacy’s age group) started working with him last summer, they had to change the way he trained. Where football training is about straight routes and sprinting and comes with some predictability, Richmond says hockey is a very novel sport in terms of training because of skating and how chaotic things are on the ice.
They were still going to continue some of the heavy lifting and plyometrics and jumping that he’d been taught. He already had the speed and explosiveness that other hockey players his age can lack. But they had to also work on more functional movements that could help expose his speed on the ice, doing more work with dumbbells and ramping up his conditioning through bike protocols and circuits so he could sustain in long games and longer seasons.
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“He jumped from playing football and balancing that with travel hockey to a 68-game season in the OHL plus world juniors, development camp, rookie tournament. Football is a little shorter duration, explosive movements, which has benefitted him obviously with his speed, but now he needs some durability,” Richmond said. “The way he plays is gritty so he needs that strength and that injury prevention but also just that engine in terms of the conditioning.”
Ryan said AJ has the physical tools of a pro player right now. He also has “a work ethic like nothing I’ve ever seen,” Ryan said.
The Spellacys always show up to their 6:30 a.m. skates first. John will hear the door of their home shut at 5:45 a.m. and says that after his skate with Ryan, AJ comes home, eats, goes to his lift with Richmond, and then comes home and eats again. Nothing makes him happier than knowing how much his son loves the work that goes into what he’s doing.
“I don’t say this lightly: He has a mindset of very few guys I played with throughout my own career,” Ryan said. “Now it’s the reps … going from his first year where he was playing 10 minutes a night to last year in the second half where he played 18 minutes a night, just those minutes alone for the next year or two years is so much more experience for him. And when he gets his foot in the door in the NHL, it’ll be back to playing 10 minutes a night to start and he has learned how to have success in that role.”
And getting his foot in the door, Ryan jokes, has become Spellacy’s specialty.
“AJ finds a way to get himself in the room for a conversation. How he played at the summer showcase, that’s his foot in the door yet again,” Ryan said.
AJ, who models his game after the Capitals’ Tom Wilson, believes his background in football has given him an edge as a hockey player. (Rena Laverty / USA Hockey)
At the showcase, Team USA head coach David Carle said he’d heard about “the speed factor that he brings and the size element” but lauded his puck pressure, his ability to turn D and his ability to create turnovers, arguing he could have had more than his two points in three games.
AJ’s initial goal was to try to make Team USA’s world junior squad as a 19-year-old for the 2026 tournament in Minneapolis. Now that has changed and he expects himself to make it at 18 this year.
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If he’s to make the team, he plans to be a player Carle and his staff can rely on defensively, to kill penalties, and to be “that guy that wears down the other team.”
He models his game after the Washington Capitals’ Tom Wilson.
“(Wilson’s) a mean power forward, guys on the other team are scared of him and nobody wants to play against him. I’m a force out there when I’m playing hard … playing that power forward, that mean and physical role,” AJ said. “Not too many guys play that way so being one of those guys who plays that way, it’s pretty intriguing. Everyone needs someone like that so that’s what I have to keep focusing on.”
He also believes his background in football has helped him play that style.
“I think (football) just helped my mindset on and off of the ice,” AJ said. “I think I kind of have a mean mindset when it gets to going on the ice.”
And because of how late he was to the game, he doesn’t think he’s done playing catchup with his new peers yet either.
To get to where he wants to get? “It’s just continuing to play all year,” Spellacy said.
With reporting in Plymouth, Mich., and Buffalo, N.Y.
(Top photos courtesy of Rena Laverty / USA Hockey, John Spellacy)
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Post by steamer on Aug 26, 2024 18:33:13 GMT -6
Thanks for posting the Spellacy article. I really like what this guy seems to be. A Tom Wilson type player would be welcome on the Hawks IMO.
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Post by OldTimeHawky on Aug 26, 2024 19:06:26 GMT -6
Thanks for posting the Spellacy article. I really like what this guy seems to be. A Tom Wilson type player would be welcome on the Hawks IMO. Tom Wilson type with world class speed, sounds great. |
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Post by ebonyraptor on Aug 28, 2024 12:22:33 GMT -6
I just read an article from a website named Last Word On Hockey (LWOH}) where they listed the Hawks top-10 prospects. There are countless such top-10 lists, all subjective, and all with some commonality in the majority of the prospects listed in one sequence or another. I suppose I regard these top-10 lists by how closely they agree with my own subjective list – most have at least 2, if not 3 or 4 prospects that wouldn’t make my top-10. This top-10 list from LWOH is the best I’ve seen, albeit not necessarily in the sequence I would have them – so without further ado:
1. Levshunov
2. Moore
3. Nazar.
4. Boisvert
5. Rinzel
6. Gajan
7. Lardis
8. Kaiser
9. Vanacker
10. Kantserov
Honorable Mention: del Mastro
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Post by irmaks on Aug 29, 2024 8:23:38 GMT -6
For what it's worth Hawks are number 1 in NHL pipeline ranking by Pronman
Chicago’s system is characterized by 1) how top-heavy its premium talent is and 2) how deep its system is overall. The Blackhawks made a lot of picks in the last few years. The result is 17 prospects projected to be legit NHL players and the No. 1 overall pipeline. They are led by a potential star center in Connor Bedard and a potential star defenseman in Artyom Levshunov. Chicago probably needs a few more high picks to round out the premium talent in this organization and give Bedard some scoring support up front, but there is a foundation of a potential contender steadily being built here.
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Key additions: Artyom Levshunov, Sacha Boisvert, Marek Vanacker, John Mustard
Key graduate: Alex Vlasic
2023 ranking: 2
2024 NHL Draft grade: A
Player Ranking
1. Connor Bedard, C
July 17, 2005 | 5-foot-10 | 185 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 1 in 2023
Tier: Elite NHL player
Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: Elite
Hockey sense: High-end
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Elite
Analysis: Bedard was the best rookie in the NHL. His pure offensive tools are off-the-charts good, and he can make special plays around the puck consistently. He has among the best puck skills in the NHL, and the ability to beat most defenders 1v1. He makes a ton of highly creative plays through opponents and to teammates. He’s a great passer who makes unique plays, but his shot is much more of a threat. He’s a lethal midrange shooter who can project to have multiple 40-plus-goal seasons. He has the ability to terrorize defenses on the power play with the multiple ways he can beat them. Bedard is a small center and isn’t an elite speedster for a small guy, but he moves well and is very elusive in tight areas. He competes hard and doesn’t get pushed around. He projects as a true superstar in the NHL.
2. Artyom Levshunov, D
October 28, 2005 | 6-foot-2 | 205 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 2 in 2024
Tier: Bubble elite NHL player and NHL All-Star
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: High-end
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Levshunov was the best defenseman in the Big Ten this season and a big part of why Michigan State is a top team. He is extremely skilled and creative, both as a puckhandler and passer. He has the hands of a top offensive defenseman and looks very comfortable with the puck. He skates well and can play an up-tempo style in how he attacks with his skill. He has the offensive sense to potentially run a PP1 in the NHL and has a good point shot, too. His defensive play doesn’t stand out as much, particularly because he tries to attack so much, but he can make stops due to his athleticism and has physicality in his game. He is too aggressive at times and plays too much like a forward for some scouts’ liking. He makes enough stops to ease most evaluators’ concerns given how much offense he brings. He has the potential to be an impact NHL defenseman who scores at a premium level.
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3. Kevin Korchinski, D
June 21, 2004 | 6-foot-1 | 185 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 7 in 2022
Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player
Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Compete: Below NHL average
Analysis: Korchinski had an up-and-down rookie NHL season which is to be expected of any teenage defenseman. There is no doubting the tools Korchinski has. He’s a fantastic skater for a big man, with clear NHL footspeed and edge work. His ability to turn pucks up ice with his feet is a differentiator. He is quite skilled and creative with the puck, sees the ice well and creates a lot of offensive chances due to his feet and brain. He has clear NHL offense, but whether he can defend has always been the question on Korchinski. He shies from physical play and doesn’t always give a strong defensive effort. He’s such a good athlete you figure a coach can carve him into a competent defender, and he projects as a quality top-four defenseman.
4. Lukas Reichel, LW
May 17, 2002 | 6 feet | 170 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 17 in 2020
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Reichel had a so-so season where he struggled to replicate his prior NHL success although he was good for Germany at the men’s worlds. Reichel is a talented forward who still has a lot of potential. He has a ton of individual skill, he’s a strong skater and he can create a lot of offense with pace. He can make tough plays and finish chances. Reichel’s compete isn’t a selling point; it’s good enough but he can drift to the perimeter. There are a lot of indicators he can be a middle-six forward who can help a power play.
5. Sacha Boisvert, C
March 17, 2006 | 6-foot-2 | 183 pounds | Shoots left
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Drafted: No. 18 in 2024
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Boisvert has been a highly productive USHL player over the last two seasons. He has a lot of appealing tools for the NHL. He’s a 6-foot-2 center who can skate and has legit offensive abilities. He is very skilled and instinctive with the puck. He’s able to beat defenders with pace as well. Boisvert has an excellent shot and is a threat to score from the faceoff dots. I don’t love his playmaking as he’s certainly more of a shoot-first type of player, but he can make tough plays. His compete is fine. He’s not going to be known for that aspect of his game but he wins enough battles and uses his size. He could be a middle-six forward in the NHL.
6. Oliver Moore, C
January 22, 2005 | 5-foot-11 | 188 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 19 in 2023
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Analysis: Moore had a good freshman season at Minnesota and was a bottom-six forward for USA’s world junior team. He’s an exceptional skater. He’ll be a top 30 skater in the NHL from his first shift. Moore’s edge work is elite and he generates a ton of power from each stride. He isn’t overly physical, but he works hard, gets to the net, can PK and projects as a good two-way NHL forward. Moore’s question will be exactly how much offense he’ll have. He has good skills, but he doesn’t see the ice at a high level and he’s not a guy who creates a ton of chances in a game. He projects as a third-line center or a potential second-line wing.
7. Sam Rinzel, D
June 25, 2004 | 6-foot-4 | 177 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 25 in 2022
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
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Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Analysis: After a concerning draft-plus-one season in the USHL, Rinzel was as good as Chicago fans could have hoped as a freshman at Minnesota. He played major minutes and was a top defenseman in the conference. Rinzel’s tools are obvious as a huge defenseman who can skate and has legit offensive skills. I wasn’t always sold on his hockey sense or defending, but both of those aspects looked much improved this season. He’s not going to be known for his defending, but with his athletic tools, feet and offensive creativity, he can make enough stops in the NHL to have a legit career.
8. Roman Kantserov, RW
September 20, 2004 | 5-foot-9 | 176 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 44 in 2023
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Kantserov had a promising first KHL season. He steadily became a regular player on the eventual KHL champion and had a big playoffs for them. Kantserov isn’t very big, but everything else about his game is a plus. He’s a very quick skater with high-end skills who projects to be able to create offense at high levels. He gives a good effort, creates in hard areas and is responsible both ways. He has the tools to score and make plays versus men and will earn a coach’s trust. He projects as a middle-six wing.
9. Colton Dach, C
January 4, 2003 | 6-foot-4 | 196 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 62 in 2021
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Analysis: Dach had a quality rookie pro season. His numbers don’t wow you at any level, but Dach’s pure toolkit looks like an NHL player. He’s a tall forward who skates very well for a big man. He has good hands and can make plays at quick tempos. With Dach, the biggest issue in his game is consistency. When he’s on he looks like a no-doubt NHL player, but I haven’t always seen that player and he’s not a true natural scorer. The pure tools should get him to the league, and I think he’s just skilled enough to be a middle-six type, although it may be on the wing.
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10. Ethan Del Mastro, D
January 15, 2003 | 6-foot-4 | 210 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 105 in 2021
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: High-end
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Del Mastro was quite good as a rookie pro, scoring 37 points as a reliable two-way player. Del Mastro doesn’t have standout skill but he’s a very good defender. He makes a lot of stops due to his great reach, solid hockey IQ and high-end compete. He leans on forwards with his big body and competes hard to win pucks. Del Mastro showed more puck-moving as a pro than I expected and proved he can run a power play at higher levels with decent enough vision and a good point shot. His skating is just OK. I’ve seen slower big guys, but I wouldn’t say he’s overly mobile. He projects as a third-pair defenseman, with a chance to be a second-pair.
11. Nolan Allan, D
April 28, 2003 | 6-foot-2 | 195 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 32 in 2021
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Allan played a lot of minutes for Rockford as a rookie pro. He is a very good defender who breaks up a lot of plays. He’s big, skates well and is quite physical. That allows him to kill a lot of rushes and win back a lot of pucks. His offensive touch is limited but he still got 17 points in the AHL without power-play time. He can make a good enough first pass and can generate some offense from his point shot. Coaches will like him and he can have a career as a third-pair defender.
12. Isaak Phillips, D
September 28, 2001 | 6-foot-3 | 205 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 141 in 2020
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
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Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Phillips got 30 games with Chicago after playing big minutes again for Rockford. He’s a very athletic defender who can move quite well for a guy his size. He makes a lot of stops due to his feet and length and doesn’t shy away from playing the body. Offense has always been the question in Phillips’ game. He’s not a pro-power-play guy by any means, but he’s shown enough puck play in the AHL to look like he can make a competent NHL pass. He has a decent point shot, too. He projects as a third-pair defenseman.
13. Marek Vanacker, LW
April 12, 2006 | 6-foot-1 | 178 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 27 in 2024
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Analysis: Vanacker had a strong second OHL season, scoring at over a point-per-game clip for Brantford, but he wasn’t great with Canada in the spring. He’s a strong skating winger with very good hands. He can beat defenders often off the rush and creates a lot of controlled entries. Vanacker isn’t going to run players over, but he’s a decent-sized forward who works hard, wins a lot of 50/50 pucks and gets to the net to create offense. He makes plays but I wouldn’t call him a top-tier playmaker or a true offensive threat. He has the traits of a bottom-six wing in the league.
14. Frank Nazar, C
January 14, 2004 | 5-foot-9 | 175 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 13 in 2022
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: High-end
Analysis: Nazar had a better sophomore season with full health. He was one of Michigan’s better players and was an important player on Team USA. Nazar’s game is all about speed and energy. He’s a super competitive center who plays a hard two-way game. He’s all about interior offense, with almost all of his offense coming at the net-front area. The debate on Nazar’s game, especially as a smaller forward, is whether there are enough other elements in his attack. He has good skill and vision, but I wouldn’t call it high-end. He projects as a bottom-six center in the NHL.
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15. Gavin Hayes, LW
May 14, 2004 | 6-foot-1 | 177 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 66 in 2022
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Hayes had another highly productive season in the OHL between Flint and the Soo and played a limited-minute role on USA’s world junior team. He’s a decent-sized forward with good hands and offensive instincts. He can create chances with his skill and has a strong shot to finish chances. Hayes competes well enough. I don’t think he’s going to run over NHL defenders, but he uses his big frame well enough to protect pucks and can kill penalties. Hayes’ skating isn’t the best, and if he misses it will likely be due to a lack of footspeed. He projects as a bottom-six winger.
16. John Mustard, C
August 16, 2006 | 6-foot-1 | 186 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 67 in 2024
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Mustard had a great season in Waterloo after coming up from U16 hockey in New Jersey the prior season. He’s one of the best skaters in the draft. Mustard is a burner; not a Sunday barbecue burner, but one who will get by NHL defensemen consistently. He attacks constantly with his skating and skill and creates a lot of offense off the rush. He’s skilled but I appreciate how he doesn’t try to hot dog too much with the puck. Mustard has a good wrist shot and relishes the opportunity to use it. He plays a strong north/south game, but he doesn’t make a ton of plays to others. His compete is OK. He isn’t overly physical and doesn’t kill penalties but his effort is good enough. If that part of his game improves, he has a clear path to being a regular NHL player, but his skating should get him games.
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17. Drew Commesso, G
July 19, 2002 | 6-foot-2 | 180 pounds | Catches left
Drafted: No. 46 in 2020
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Analysis: Commesso was solid as a rookie pro splitting starts in Rockford. He is an intelligent, athletic goaltender with a strong track record of success at various levels. He is very technically sound and reads the play at a high level. He doesn’t make a ton of spectacular saves, but he squares up a lot of pucks due to his sense and gives his team a lot of reliable starts. The pure athletic tools, while good, are not off the charts for his size, so whether he can be a legit NHL goalie is a minor question. I could see him as a potential backup though.
Has a chance to play
Wyatt Kaiser played NHL games this season and is a legit NHL skater and competitor. His puck-moving is a mild question, especially for an average-sized defender regarding an NHL role on a non-bottom feeder. Adam Gajan came out of the gates flying and had another strong world juniors, but his overall USHL season was just average. He’s extremely athletic, but his hockey sense and decisions are just average. Paul Ludwinski and Samuel Savoie continue a trend seen throughout the Chicago system: They have speed and compete in bunches, but are small and may not score as pros.
Adam Gajan, G
May 6, 2004 | 6-foot-3 | 167 pounds | Catches left | Drafted: No. 35 in 2023
Ryan Greene, C
October 21, 2003 | 6-foot-1 | 174 pounds | Shoots right | Drafted: No. 57 in 2022
Wyatt Kaiser, D
July 31, 2002 | 6-feet | 173 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 81 in 2020
Nick Lardis, LW
July 8, 2005 | 5-foot-11 | 165 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 67 in 2023
Paul Ludwinski, C
April 23, 2004 | 5-foot-11 | 172 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 39 in 2022
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Martin Misiak, RW
September 30, 2004 | 6-foot-2 | 194 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 55 in 2023
Milton Oscarson, C
February 18, 2003 | 6-foot-6 | 216 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 167 in 2023
Samuel Savoie, LW
March 25, 2004 | 5-foot-10 | 189 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 81 in 2022
Landon Slaggert, LW
June 25, 2002 | 6-feet | 180 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 79 in 2020
* Listed in alphabetical order
Player eligibility: All skaters who are 22 years old or younger as of Sept. 15, 2024, regardless of how many NHL games they’ve played, are eligible. Player heights and weights are taken from the NHL.
Tool grades: Tool grades are based on a scale with six separate levels, with an eye toward how this attribute would grade in the NHL (poor, below-average, average, above-average, high-end and elite). “Average” on this scale means the tool projects as NHL average, which is meant as a positive, not a criticism. Skating, puck skills, hockey sense and compete for every projected NHL player are graded. Shot grades are only included if a shot is notably good or poor.
Tier definitions: Tiers are meant to show roughly where in an average NHL lineup a player projects to slot in.
(Photo of Connor Bedard: Patrick McDermott / Getty Images)
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Post by vadarx on Aug 29, 2024 8:46:24 GMT -6
was gonna post that Pronmam ranking. thanks irmaks.
Nazar @ 14 and Reichel @ 4 has to be a mix up, right?
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Post by LordKOTL on Aug 29, 2024 9:06:09 GMT -6
was gonna post that Pronmam ranking. thanks irmaks. Nazar @ 14 and Reichel @ 4 has to be a mix up, right? Same. I was wondering how Korch's compete was "below average" while Reichel's was "NHL average". |
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Post by BigT on Aug 29, 2024 9:44:01 GMT -6
I do respect Pronman. But I’d have to think that’s more of throwing darts at a board and see which one sticks. Anyone who has followed the Hawks at all, would know that 3rd Reichel isn’t a top prospect.
Rinzel is a very good skater. He was drafted solely on his skating. Yet he has him as NHL average. I get it, it’s tough to know everything about every prospect. But lists like this make me rethink my respect for writers like Pronman. Phillips is quite high on that list too. And I feel he more than likely ends up either AHL guy or a bottom pairing guy for a few years.
And after the article the Athletic wrote about Spellacy, you’d think they’d include him in that list.
I’d say take that with a grain of salt. We have better conversations about these prospects on here. Very good conversation here!!!
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Post by OldTimeHawky on Aug 29, 2024 11:32:02 GMT -6
I noticed that prospects report is using old heights and weights, if they can't bother doing some digging I'm not wasting my time reading it. And saying Levshunovs skating is NHL average is wrong, that's one thing scouts raved about.
Rinzel is now 6'5" and he's in the 190s, Korchinski is 6'3" almost 200lbs, and Reichel was in the 180s before the season after he was drafted, he's not 170lbs.
I know I've brought up heights and weights alot but it's annoying when a guy like Panger said Korchinski is the little guy on D at 6'1", then it showed him next to Jones and they're almost identical in height, open your eyes.
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Post by OldTimeHawky on Aug 29, 2024 11:37:27 GMT -6
I do respect Pronman. But I’d have to think that’s more of throwing darts at a board and see which one sticks. Anyone who has followed the Hawks at all, would know that 3rd Reichel isn’t a top prospect. Rinzel is a very good skater. He was drafted solely on his skating. Yet he has him as NHL average. I get it, it’s tough to know everything about every prospect. But lists like this make me rethink my respect for writers like Pronman. Phillips is quite high on that list too. And I feel he more than likely ends up either AHL guy or a bottom pairing guy for a few years. And after the article the Athletic wrote about Spellacy, you’d think they’d include him in that list. I’d say take that with a grain of salt. We have better conversations about these prospects on here. Very good conversation here!!! When I saw Rinzels height and weight I stopped reading, but yeah he's not average. His skating was compared to Brian Campbell for skating during his draft year, his skating was very impressive at the World Juniors, definitely above average. So now I'm taking anything Pronman says with a whole salt shaker. |
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Post by T-man2010 on Aug 29, 2024 13:53:05 GMT -6
was gonna post that Pronmam ranking. thanks irmaks. Nazar @ 14 and Reichel @ 4 has to be a mix up, right? Same. I was wondering how Korch's compete was "below average" while Reichel's was "NHL average". I was wondering how they compare a forward to a D-Man. Whole different skill sets. |
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Post by OldTimeHawky on Aug 29, 2024 19:31:01 GMT -6
was gonna post that Pronmam ranking. thanks irmaks. Nazar @ 14 and Reichel @ 4 has to be a mix up, right? That has to be wrong, no way Nazar is out of the top 10, but 10 spots behind Reichel is hilarious. I can't take that list seriously. |
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Post by LordKOTL on Aug 30, 2024 8:30:34 GMT -6
Same. I was wondering how Korch's compete was "below average" while Reichel's was "NHL average". I was wondering how they compare a forward to a D-Man. Whole different skill sets. The way I took that was that Korch needs to focus more onto playing defense and be willing to muck things up in the back end a bit more. Less Jones more Vlassic. He's young enough that he should be able to add that aspect to his game so he won't be a liability in the backend. I'm not arguing that--I think that's the next step Korch needs to take. Reichel, on the other hand, looked almost like Nylander the Lesser through the bulk of last season and got demoted for it. He's got the tools but it looked like he was coasting most of last season. |
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Post by ebonyraptor on Aug 30, 2024 13:08:59 GMT -6
Pronman’s business is to share his opinions and throughout many years of reading his opinions … let’s just say I’m not overly impressed. To be fair – it’s a big ask to have first hand knowledge of all the prospects of all 32 teams – but, also to be fair – he projects his opinions to be well thought out and well researched, almost authoritative when die hard fans of every team can pick apart his opinions quite easily.
Yes, opinions are subjective and therefore difficult to classify as right or wrong – but the narrative Pronman provides on each player is more boilerplate hearsay than up to date first hand knowledge.
Being rated #1 by a guy who I think is “just a guy” is better than being rated lower on his list … I guess.
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Post by galaxytrash on Sept 3, 2024 6:51:34 GMT -6
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