[Signing] Keegan Kanzig inked to an ELC

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Marc Methot and Bryce Salvador are probably the lowest producing d-men in junior currently in the NHL.

And Kanzig's are way worse than theirs too. I hope Burke and company see something else

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Have you ever seen him play? Did you actually watch? The kid is not the pylon you seem to think he is

pylon != puck moving skills. Very few defencemen in today's NHL get by without being at least adequate at it.

[Canada 02]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Regehr and Gill we're exponentially better offensively than Kanzig.

Even if he's not expected to put up points in the NHL, you would think you'd have to have some hockey sense. Kanzig's totals almost seem like he avoids scoring

Hal Gill had 3 points in his freshman year, the year after he was drafted; 4 pts in his sophomore year

[Freeway]

Keegan Kanzig is a scary human being.

If he can turn into a replacement-level NHLer, this is a great pick-up.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Canada 02

Hal Gill had 3 points in his freshman year, the year after he was drafted; 4 pts in his sophomore year

Sorry. Forgot college doesn't start at 16 like CHL

[Canada 02]

I think Kanzig compared himself to Matt Greene. Greene, like Gill, had very little offensive production in the seasons after being drafted.

At 30, Greene has played ~500 NHL games; Gill at 38 has played over 1100. Would be awesome if Kanzig came anywhere close to either of these two guys

[combustiblefuel]

He's not a pylon anymore. He was his first year in the dub but come on he was 15. Every year he does get better. I will be clear tho he won't be a superstar. I do think he's going to have a good chance at being a regular 3-4 type role . The flames look like they worked hard on getting him moving his feet.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

If he can play D and make a good first pass thats all I care about. Wouldn't care if he finishes with zero career points if he can do those 2 things.

If he could make a good first pass, wouldn't he have more than 4 points?

[BlueCharlton]

I gotta say, I never knew there were so many professional scouts on CP! So many people are confident that he won't become this and will become that and won't be able to achieve this blah blah.

While the points thing is scary, I wouldn't go as far as to project the ceiling for a defenceman who we just drafted. I like the signing, because physically, this guy is ridiculous for his age. If he has any speed/hockey sense/puck skills, then there is definitely the possibility of him becoming an NHLer.

For anyone who says a 6'7 ~250 lb of pure muscle defenceman won't be able to physically dominate the NHL needs a reality check.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

Chara is a first ballot Hall Of Fame player. The comparisons need to stop... it's insane. If there was even a 1/100 shot of him developing into that player, he'd have been a 1st round pick.

Lol you do know that Chara himself was a third rounder?

Edit: already beaten.

[evman150]

I'm really excited to see him play after Christmas. I've been away so haven't been able to see him yet this year.

I'm a big Kanzig fan. He was a pylon in his first year, but you could tell his skills were there to grow into. He was just so big so young. He's only getting better as he gets more and more adjusted to his monstrous body.

I remember walking by him in his first year when he was injured, and I just couldn't believe he was 16. I'm a big guy, but he was in another universe. And now he's bigger...and even more ripped.

As for his lack of offensive production, I think it's because he's had it drilled in him that he's nothing but a defensive dman - he chips it out every time. Always safe. Apparently these plays, while not directly causing points, do not directly cause offensive opportunities to die either, as his +17 attests.

He still has at least one more year of play left, it'll be interesting to see if something clicks at some point offensively. He can certainly shoot the puck hard, it's just rare to see it and rarer to see it on goal. They've also tried him in front on the PP but that never lasts too long. Hands aren't good enough in tight.

I'll try and report back in a couple weeks on what I see.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by combustiblefuel

I do think he's going to have a good chance at being a regular 3-4 type role .

If so, that is a steal of a pick. I guess we'll see, fingers crossed it happens.

[puckluck2]

Is he actually 6'7? He doesn't look an inch over 6'4.

[macrov]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Regehr and Gill we're exponentially better offensively than Kanzig.

Even if he's not expected to put up points in the NHL, you would think you'd have to have some hockey sense. Kanzig's totals almost seem like he avoids scoring

If his style of play is stay at home defenseman, does it matter how many points he puts up in Junior? He's not going to be expected to put many points in NHL...

If regehr's .5 ppg in chl turned into 1 goal every 40 game in the nhl...and kanzigs 2 goals per ahl season turn into 0 goals per NHL season...does it matter how good either are offensively in the chl. Neither are good enough to be offensive NHL defensemen.

Basicly, I'd suggest just looking at his defensive stay at home game because that's what's going to make or break his career. And judging by his plus minus he looks like he's doing just fine.





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[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

Is he actually 6'7? He doesn't look an inch over 6'4.

Listed at 6'5" on the WHL website.

[Cole436]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

Chara is a first ballot Hall Of Fame player. The comparisons need to stop... it's insane. If there was even a 1/100 shot of him developing into that player, he'd have been a 1st round pick.

Just like Chara was, right?

[SebC]

Originally Posted by macrov

If his style of play is stay at home defenseman, does it matter how many points he puts up in Junior? He's not going to be expected to put many points in NHL...

If regehr's .5 ppg in chl turned into 1 goal every 40 game in the nhl...and kanzigs 2 goals per ahl season turn into 0 goals per NHL season...does it matter how good either are offensively in the chl. Neither are good enough to be offensive NHL defensemen.

Basicly, I'd suggest just looking at his defensive stay at home game because that's what's going to make or break his career. And judging by his plus minus he looks like he's doing just fine.

The idea is that CHL scoring correlates with likelihood to be able to play in the NHL at all.

[Scoreface]

I remember a Victoria Royals video before the start of the season, his billet saying he sometimes eats two chickens for dinner. He didn't really grin much either when saying that, so I figured he was serious. Maybe he eats them feathers and all..eep!

[Poe969]

I'm just happy he signed a contract. I'll wait to see what he does before I condem him or say he's only a goon

[JayP]

Originally Posted by macrov

If his style of play is stay at home defenseman, does it matter how many points he puts up in Junior? He's not going to be expected to put many points in NHL...

If regehr's .5 ppg in chl turned into 1 goal every 40 game in the nhl...and kanzigs 2 goals per ahl season turn into 0 goals per NHL season...does it matter how good either are offensively in the chl. Neither are good enough to be offensive NHL defensemen.

Basicly, I'd suggest just looking at his defensive stay at home game because that's what's going to make or break his career. And judging by his plus minus he looks like he's doing just fine.

No one is worried he's not going to turn out to be an offensive defenseman. The worry is that his lack of points are the product of a distinct lack of puck skills that all NHL players require to play at that level (even shutdown defensemen). Playing defense and separating the man from the puck is great, but making competent plays with the puck is still a relevant and necessary talent for all NHL defense.