Duane Sutter comments on the prospects.... - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

dustygoon · 02-12-2009, 01:03 PM

Just saw this come up in my RSS feed. Not really much in here that we haven't kind of assumed or known. Pelech took a dip and is getting back on track etc.

Quote:

"I was just down east," he confesses. "Saw (Greg) Nemisz and (T. J.) Brodie and both their games are really coming along. Both had pretty good training camps last fall and their junior(OHL)seasons have been on the upswing since Day 1, so that's encouraging. In the west, Mitch Wahl(Spokane)has had a tremendous year, including the world juniors with Team U.S. A. And Mikael Backlund coming over . . . he's well over a point a game with Kelowna so they've been very happy with his production out there as well."

Quote:

"Younger guys like Brett (Sutter) had an opportunity;(David)Van der Gulik has been a very consistent player; Kyle Greentree has been on fire; Kris Chucko has made significant progress and we've seen Matt Pelech get closer to where he was coming out of training camp."

http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald...0-98b786092a6e

MrMastodonFarm · 02-12-2009, 02:02 PM

Good stuff, thanks. Looks like Pelech had a let down after being so close to making it out of camp. But that happens to 21 year olds.

dobbles · 02-12-2009, 02:23 PM

pelech has made progress from his early season slump. i would say his biggest thing is his discipline right now. only 3 guys on qc have over 50 pims, and the other two are fighters (watt and vandermeer)

i know a lot of its just good luck/bad luck on what gets called, and part of being physical like he is is taking penalties, but definitely is something he can work on.

he also has been joining the rush a lot more lately. not sure if its something he wants to try, the coaches suggested, or is just lucky circumstances, but he has been a little more aggressive getting to the offensive zone.

dustygoon · 02-12-2009, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dobbles

pelech has made progress from his early season slump. i would say his biggest thing is his discipline right now. only 3 guys on qc have over 50 pims, and the other two are fighters (watt and vandermeer)

i know a lot of its just good luck/bad luck on what gets called, and part of being physical like he is is taking penalties, but definitely is something he can work on.

he also has been joining the rush a lot more lately. not sure if its something he wants to try, the coaches suggested, or is just lucky circumstances, but he has been a little more aggressive getting to the offensive zone.

How does his footspeed look? He is a huge guy but a few bits i have seen on him showed good agility and decent speed.

As for the penalties, no one wants to see a tonne of stupid minors for holding and hooking, but if he is taking slashing, roughing, cross checking type stuff, then he can swing away. He is a bruiser and has a future if he turns out to be a mean SOB to play against.

Papi34 · 02-12-2009, 02:50 PM

I hope one. Just one prospect pans out its so nice to finally talk about a promising prospect in the flames organization i almost dont know how to feel

JiriHrdina · 02-12-2009, 06:56 PM

^Dion Phaneuf says hi. So does Dustin Boyd, Matthew Lombardi, Eric Nystrom, Mark Giordano and David Moss.

Thanks for the thread btw Dusty - interesting stuff.

Bobblehead · 02-12-2009, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

^Dion Phaneuf says hi. So does Dustin Boyd, Matthew Lombardi, Eric Nystrom, Mark Giordano and David Moss.

Thanks for the thread btw Dusty - interesting stuff.

Don't forget Pardy. I guess Prust is still a bit of an unknown.

If you include McElhinney, that would be 9 with the big club.

PIMking · 02-12-2009, 07:50 PM

Pelech isnt slow of foot like most big guys. The penalty calls are due to the fact that he puts himself in the situation and the crappy old UHL refs that still working the games here in the qc...

Pelech has a rep for being a tough Dmen and watching him play is fun.

Papi34 · 02-12-2009, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

^Dion Phaneuf says hi. So does Dustin Boyd, Matthew Lombardi, Eric Nystrom, Mark Giordano and David Moss.

Thanks for the thread btw Dusty - interesting stuff.

Ok i shoulda clarified. Natural top line forward skill. Mind you im very excited about Boyd I think he is gonna be a fantastic NHL player when he bulks up

Wahl, Backlund, Nemisz just seem different than past prospects in this organization and by that i mean Natural Talent.. again disclude Boyd because i love the kid

JiriHrdina · 02-12-2009, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Papi34

Ok i shoulda clarified. Natural top line forward skill. Mind you im very excited about Boyd I think he is gonna be a fantastic NHL player when he bulks up

Fair enough. The Flames until recently weren't picking many of that type - though you can look at a guy like Ryder as someone that they were hoping would become a skilled forward.

But now you have a collection of prospects I think that carry at minimum top 6 potential - Wahl, Nemisz, Backlund, and Boyd with the big club. If half those guys work out that ain't too shabby.

PIMking · 02-12-2009, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Fair enough. The Flames until recently weren't picking many of that type - though you can look at a guy like Ryder as someone that they were hoping would become a skilled forward.

But now you have a collection of prospects I think that carry at minimum top 6 potential - Wahl, Nemisz, Backlund, and Boyd with the big club. If half those guys work out that ain't too shabby.

Yeah but sutter had no idea what kind of head case Ryder is... he has all the talent but no drive or heart to play the game.

JiriHrdina · 02-12-2009, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PIMking

Yeah but sutter had no idea what kind of head case Ryder is... he has all the talent but no drive or heart to play the game.

Absolutely. The Flames have had some bad luck with Ryder and of course Mickey Renaud who I really do think would have turned into a player.

dobbles · 02-13-2009, 07:32 AM

while we are on the subject, how did that russian dude project? he left before they came here, so we never got a chance to see him and i never took the time to learn much about him. but i didn't know if he was someone that actually had nhl upside or not.

Caged Great · 02-13-2009, 08:00 AM

Taratukhin? He was basically a 3rd liner max potential.

Canada 02 · 02-13-2009, 08:58 AM

Taratukhin put up Lundmark-like numbers in his first AHL season (16G 40A). He was a good faceoff man, a good playmaker and defensively aware. He could have turned into a solid NHLer with continued proper guidance and development

Tilley · 02-13-2009, 09:13 AM

I agree with Canada 02. He was a much better player in his first year than Moss, Nystrom, Craig McDonald, and a young Dustin Boyd. He was a good two-way player who was dominant at the AHL level. It took about a third of the season to adjust to NA hockey, but he carried the team to the best record in the Western conference (AHL). His injury ultimately cost the team the chance to advance in the playoffs.

If he would have stayed in NA, he likely would have been at least a good third liner with the potential to play on the 2nd line for short periods of time. If Lombardi ever sticks in the top 6, Taratukhin would have been a great replacement on the third line. I would compare him to a slower Rene Bourque with much better hands at the center position. Ideally Bourque is a great third liner, but fits adequately on the 2nd line. Taratukhin would have made Lombardi expendable or Conroy wouldn't have been re-signed.

Ronald Pagan · 02-13-2009, 09:25 AM

A slower Rene Bourque with better hands who's a center?

Hmm

Sorry Tilley, that's a funny comparison because it means nothing to me. What exactly did they have in common then?

Tilley · 02-13-2009, 09:39 AM

Both with some offensive ability, although Taratukhin had a more accurate shot. Both responsible defensively, Taratukhin was very good at stripping an opposing player with the puck in the defensive zone and leading the rush. Taratukhin would have been on the PK and likely the 2nd PP (similar to Bourque). Both are ideally third line players who can play on the 2nd line in a pinch or when they're playing well.

Taratukhin had better hands than Bourque. Bourque seems to fumble the puck a lot and misses good chances whereas Taratukhin could knock a puck down and finish. Bourque is faster than Taratukhin. Bourque has decent speed and while Taratukhin wasn't slow he was an average skater although he was very elusive.

Maybe a better comparison would be a matured Backlund without the first line upside.

Ford Prefect · 02-13-2009, 09:56 AM

I'd love to hear a report from one of you QC guys on Irving. It sounds like he's having a pretty good rookie season, barring the first quarter. Does he look ready to be Miikka's backup next year, or would it better for him to spend another season in QC where he'd actually get to play a few games? From the reports I've read it sounds like he might have a shot at the NHL, but if the club isn't willing to give him 15 to 20 starts it would probably just stunt his development.

dustygoon · 02-13-2009, 10:19 AM

When I think of Taratukhin I think of him making the Russian Olympic team. Granted there were some good players not on that team, but I thought it said something about him and where he stood against some of his peers.