Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root
This whole Kerins debate is essentially a repeat of the Phillips situation, IMO: a tweener that has looked good in the AHL, and deserves a look in the NHL, but with real questions about their upside. There are those who think he isn't an NHLer, and those who think he is. But, like with the Phillips debate, those who think he is, feel the need to criticize the way the team is handling him, because the team doesn't think as highly of the player as those posters do.
I would like to see him get a shot. I would like to see him turn into a player. But I'm not losing sleep over it, because I don't really think there is a solid NHLer there. Those who think there is, seem to feel he is being treated improperly.
My bet is that a couple years from now, this will have ended similarly to the Phillips situation. And by then there will be a new tweener that fans can be pissed off about.
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Phillips is an interesting comparison. I looked at Phillips as a kid who didn't have nearly enough skill to make up for his lack of size, and it wasn't like he was a really elite skater either. He certainly seemed super-skilled coming out of junior, but given how long it took him to get to around a PPG, and the times I watched him play in the AHL and in the NHL (small samples), he just wasn't a super-skilled player at all. Dube, Mangiapane, Pelletier - all higher skilled and faster to a PPG at the AHL level.
Kerins to me has less of knock against him size-wise, but he still is undersized. Maybe he can turn into a Derek Ryan in the long run. I think that's his ceiling, but hopefully he hits beyond it. I think his floor is higher than Phillips, however. The thing that makes me believe that there MIGHT be something there is that he had a slow start to his pro career as he had trouble with his conditioning.
Pros:
Great IQ - You can see this as he seems to know where to go on the ice, and gets touches on the puck and makes smart plays with the puck.
Good hands
Cons:
A little undersized (small con - he isn't tiny)
Skating needs work!
Yes, he took a good step since last season on his skating, but he is still looking slow out there. I think Derek Ryan is the cut-off - he needs to be as mobile as Derek Ryan was - just 'average' to SLIGHTLY above average. Just needs to work on that first step more. I don't think he will stick in the NHL without it. If giants can't stick in the NHL because their first step is bad (or at least slower than average), then I think the same holds true for undersized players.
If you have the hands and IQ of a Tkachuk, you will make it no matter what size you are with bad skating.
I think Byron was the better player that 'got away'. No other real talents have gotten away from Calgary. I am sure some people will bring up Valimaki, but it is just his pedigree that makes people remember him. This organization doesn't leak talent like Buffalo does, and has a pretty good track record of developing players. I am not losing sleep over Kerins either.