He reminds me of Cory Sarich in a lot of ways.
Top 4 potential, the ability to impact the game with a big hit, smart liability-free defence, with 0 offense.
There was more offensive potential with Cory Sarich, which why IMO he was a 2nd pairing dman for a couple years. I don't think Sieloff will have that opportunity.
Can someone please post a video or some kind of defence of this prospect? Guy has played basically zero hockey in the last two seasons and has never put up points or done anything other than lay a couple of hard checks. He wasn't the star of the USA team he was a part of...
I just don't get it. This is the most all-hype no-substance prospect I've seen in the Flames org. for a long time.
Are two videos in a quick YouTube search I can find that demonstrate what we hope Sieloff will bring to the table. Leadership and a big body he's not afraid to use. Immensely valuable on a team with a few small and very valuable players.
Are two videos in a quick YouTube search I can find that demonstrate what we hope Sieloff will bring to the table. Leadership and a big body he's not afraid to use. Immensely valuable on a team with a few small and very valuable players.
Colour me underwhelmed.
I think a year in the pros is really going to expose how one-dimensional his game is.
Unless he managed to elevate his game WHILE recovering from two different and serious setbacks, I don't think he'll ever wear the Flaming C for more than a cup of coffee, Chris Breen style.
To me, Sieloff is a guy that absolutely prides himself on being a hard hitting, not-going-to-get-past-me defender who doesn't focus on offense what so ever. I remember my dad (an former NHLer) talking about Regehr in a similar way to a few posters in here.
"If I was on his team, I would hate looking back and seeing that guy on the point knowing that you're not going to get a point or goal that shift"
My counter was:
"What if you're on the other team and look back and thinking the same thing because you're not going to get past that guy?"
He said he never looked at it that way. A forward vs a defenseman in that argument. He couldn't fathom how Regehr could go a whole season with 1 or 2 goals but be a top defender, not understanding that some defencemen just don't concern themselves with that part of the game at all. Is it a hit to your offense while he's on the ice? Probably, nothing that I would say is overly significant though.
Sieloff seems like a guy who knows what he is and how he can best help out a team. This, too me, lends to his maturity (which is also a noted asset) as you see guys like Kulak and Culkin who maybe aren't sure of what they are so their doing their best to be all-around while not actually excelling at anything*. Offensive punch just isn't a focus for him. Sarich and Regehr would have flashes of offensive prowess every once in a while and to me that just shows it's not a lack of ability, but just a different mindset.
Some defenseman don't focus enough on the d-end but are immensely talented offensively. I see this as no different but the reverse. The well rounded guys like Wotherspoon, Culkin, Kulak are nice, but sometimes specialty players make a huge difference.
* I admittedly don't know much about Kulak or Culkin, so personally my reasoning for putting Seiloff over them is by seeing him more and by the fact that he likely would have seen NHL action last year if it hadn't been for his injury. And as far as that goes, sometimes it can be good for a young guy to watch. Being on the IR can certainly be a hindrance, but when he's likely already at the point of physically being able to play in the NHL, being able to watch from above doesn't hurt.
I made my list a week and a half a ago, and I have been following it so far. So I'm jumping on the Kanzig wagon next, I fear I may be there for a while the way things are going.
I think there is a big chance he will be Hal Gil reincarnate in about 2 years. there are a few guys with a small chance of being better, but a big unmovable 19 min/game dman is something to look forward to.
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I think a year in the pros is really going to expose how one-dimensional his game is.
Unless he managed to elevate his game WHILE recovering from two different and serious setbacks, I don't think he'll ever wear the Flaming C for more than a cup of coffee, Chris Breen style.
Well obviously not...
And you may not love his game, but it's tough not to see how his potential isn't of value to our team. We have a good mobile defence, but Giordano is the most punishing defender we have. Kronwall is well appreciated by the Red Wings, and you can make a pretty good argument that he is one-dimensional as well. He gets a lot of touches for points, but watching his game it's pretty clear he's the benefactor more than the initiator of a goal.
I haven't seen the upside that a lot of posters seem to in regard to Sieloff. I like that he is a physical player and he's a good skater who plays competitively, but this stuff about him playing in the NHL this year or that he would have outplayed Wotherspoon last year if not for the injury doesn't match up with what I have seen from him.
Hopefully the supporters are right because it would be great to have a heavy-hitting defensive defenseman on the cusp right now. Kulak > Sieloff for me until I see more out of him.
Can't say whether or not he would have ended up being a better option than Wotherspoon, but most reports and quotes seemed to indicate that Sieloff would have likely been the first D call-up had he not been injured.
I like Kulak, I think he has a real shot at being an NHL defenceman 4/5/6 spot in a D corps.
He separates himself from the other D due to his shot and poise on the ice. I think he will be this year what Wotherspoon was last year - a fast riser in the depth charts.
I made my list a week and a half a ago, and I have been following it so far. So I'm jumping on the Kanzig wagon next, I fear I may be there for a while the way things are going.
I think there is a big chance he will be Hal Gil reincarnate in about 2 years. there are a few guys with a small chance of being better, but a big unmovable 19 min/game dman is something to look forward to.
I'm with you on that. I hope he makes it, it would be great to have a defenceman who is big and mean enough to move Lucic type wingers out of the goal crease.
Went Kulak trying not to be positionally biased, I think I'd rather pick Kulak over Arnold if I could only choose one and given who we have already in the previous 11. But I rank Arnold 13 after Kulak at 12
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That kind of hitting is a liability. You miss one of those and you're out of position, heck you aren't even in the right zone anymore.
I've never heard anything about Sieloff missing his open ice hits. He seems to pick his spots well, and it's not like he relies solely on open ice hits to defend. He is a good skater and competes hard on the boards.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thymebalm
I don't see how that kind of player wins a championship, or even stays healthy enough to play for a full season.
In the playoffs (especially in the last few) the competitive, stay-at-home defenders have proven to be a valuable commodity for recent championship teams. I think it's a part of the reason why a player like Crosby has been so ineffective in recent playoffs.
As far as my vote goes I feel like Arnold or Agostino (chose Arnold) will be long time NHLers because they always make the right plays on the ice.
That kind of hitting is a liability. You miss one of those and you're out of position, heck you aren't even in the right zone anymore.
AC, you'd be the guy to ask about a highlight package, you have any clips kicking around?
And I know it's round twelve, but Sieloff has been getting votes since round 2.
I don't see how that kind of player wins a championship, or even stays healthy enough to play for a full season.
I think Sieloff gets votes because of draft position rather than what he has shown since being drafted. To me a guy like Kulak is better right now AND has a higher ceiling
Somewhat interestingly Sieloff went from 90 votes last round to 106 this round. So it looks like very few of the Jankowski supporters from the previous round had him next on their lists.