Well preseason games aren't about winning and losing, it's for evaluating players.
In Edmonton, we have almost all the forwards pushing for the same couple of jobs. Only Bennett and Lazar have spots locked up IMO. So that gives a good chance to compare players in the same bubble directly. Foo, F. Hamilton, Stajan, Poirier, Shinkaruk, Hrivik, Lomberg, Cramarossa all battling with one another.
Even the D are in a similar bubble battling for #6/7/callup. Wotherspoon, Bartkowski, Andersson, Kulak especially.
And in net Rittich vs Lack is a battle in theory. At least a good chance to see how they compare within the same game.
Lazar should not be a lock IMO. He'll probably 3rd or 4th line forward anyway but not a lock. Only Bennett should be considered a lock for the Flames squad going to EDM.
From watching Yamamoto in the Young Stars tournament I sure didn't see a lot to get excited about. Sure, he was among the best forwards in Penticton, but he doesn't really play on another level like Gaudreau.
I've watched him a ton here in Victoria and he's a decent prospect but his skating isn't that allusive and his puck handling isn't anywhere near the Kane/Gaudreau level. He's much more of a straight line in your face player. Not really a magician with the puck.
He is also 18 years old. Was Gaudreau on another level at 18 years old?
Not saying he will be Gaudreau because that is a long shot but the kid obviously has skill as he was seen to be a first round pick prior to the draft.
Give thenlid 3 years and let's see if he will be a Calder trophy nominee or put up 60+ points.
I would even wager if it wasn't for Gaudreau and the success he is having Yamamoto wouldn't have been a 1st round pick.
Johnny had top 3 talent in his draft but what felt like impossible size to succeed which is why he fell to the 4th round. He has since proven that he is just fine even though he is small. That has helped pave the way for many other young small players.
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He is also 18 years old. Was Gaudreau on another level at 18 years old?
Not saying he will be Gaudreau because that is a long shot but the kid obviously has skill as he was seen to be a first round pick prior to the draft.
Gaudreau was smaller and was far less known than Yamamoto. Gaudreau also had a ridiculous surge in development that is no where near the norm. It's more just annoying that people are even making the comparison at all because Yamamoto will never be Gaudreau as much as Oilers fans pretend he will be.
He is also 18 years old. Was Gaudreau on another level at 18 years old?
Yes. As an eighteen-year-old Gaudreau was an instrumental contributor to a really good team in Hockey East that won the National Championship and he established himself as one of the best players in college hockey. The following year he had pretty much outgrown the NCAA and was one of the top players at the WJC. I am exceptionally comfortable predicting that Kailer Yamamoto will never be on the same level as Johnny Gaudreau.
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Originally Posted by woob
"...harem warfare? like all your wives dressup and go paintballing?"
Give the kid 3 years and let's see if he will be a Calder trophy nominee or put up 60+ points...
Two years. Gaudreau was a 17-year-old draft pick who played his entire draft+1 season as an 18-year-old. Kailer Yamamoto will be 19-years-old in a little more than a week.
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Dealing with Everything from Dead Sea Scrolls to Red C Trolls
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Originally Posted by woob
"...harem warfare? like all your wives dressup and go paintballing?"
You think Jankowski is a mortal lock? I'd say he's very likely on the opening night roster, to the extent of maybe 80%, but that's not a lock.
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I like Tanner Glass and will be very surprised if he doesn't make the team on the fourth line.
I don't think he brings a lot, but what he brings is verifiable.
Why?? Glass is legit horrible at anything but facepunching. Not a player who should be anywhere near an NHL regular season roster anymore. Even Hathaway is a WAY better player than Glass and can also fight.
And even Hathaway isn't a lock to make the team for that matter, and Stajan can't be moved right now but he's good enough for either the 12th or 13th forward.
I get the impression if the team wants a face puncher they're most interested in Cramarossa or Gazdic. Hathaway if they want a pest. Hathaway and one of Gazdic/Cramarossa (or even Glass) could make the team. Prepare yourselves. A lot of personnel moves seem to be direct responses to how the team is being built in Edmonton (at least thats how I see it).
It would be very interesting if Lazar gets outplayed at camp by 1 or 2 "prospects" around his own age who happen to be on 2 way contracts.
Not terribly interesting, I don't think—unless Lazar is so badly outplayed that he does not look like he belongs on the same level as players like Jankowski, Klinmchuk, Foo, Shinkaruk and Poirier. I see that as extremely unlikely.
He is a waiver risk, so I don't think there is any way that the team risks losing a player they spent a second round pick to acquire in order to keep a slightly better prospect on the opening night roster.
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Dealing with Everything from Dead Sea Scrolls to Red C Trolls
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Originally Posted by woob
"...harem warfare? like all your wives dressup and go paintballing?"
