[GT] Young Stars Flames vs. Oilers Sept 13

[AcGold]

Smith has potential, unlike someone like Gaudreau that already has developed his skills. Smith's biggest issue that I saw is he is slow at making decisions with the puck and stops the offensive momentum putting his teammates in bad spots by killing the cycle. Obviously he'll improve but how much? If he can keep the puck moving more quickly he'll have big offensive upside, if not he'll have to naturally gravitate towards an enforcer or energy role. Hopefully Carroll or Smith pan out to be top 6 players. Our biggest players are very raw in terms of puck moving ability which is one of the most important skills in such a fast game.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

I never agree with a grease fan. But here I may. I've been watching Kanzig for two years now and all I see is a very large angry oaf. He's often in bad position trying to make a hit, he's slow as hell (still have posters on here saying he isn't, but he literally loses every race to a puck) and he has no offence. Outside of being an angry giant sloth, what does he do? If he makes the show he's a slower, worse defending Hal Gill

1. He's a 3rd round prospect because he has to work on a bunch of things. Physically he's already developed. So he can focus on improving his positional game and skating.

2. Hal Gill was a key defensive player on two Penguins teams that went to the Finals, and has a ring. The next year, he was a major reason the Habs went to the ECF. When he injured his leg, Montreal was never the same. Halak, Cammaller, and Subban grabbed the most headlines, but Hal Gill was not far behind in the publicity department. If Kanzig becomes 80 percent of Hal Gill, this is a home run pick.

3. He was a feaster pick, so worst case scenario we just blame Jay for this. You draft guys like Kanzig and Gaudreau in the middle rounds hoping that the one aspect of their game that is NHL calibre at age 18 is supplemented with three or four years of development. If they hit, it's found money. Nobody builds a roster expecting 3rd and 4th round picks to be core guys.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

1. He's a 3rd round prospect because he has to work on a bunch of things. Physically he's already developed. So he can focus on improving his positional game and skating.

It's been two years. Still seems crappy, so I don't see much more improvement happening .

2. Hal Gill was a key defensive player on two Penguins teams that went to the Finals, and has a ring. The next year, he was a major reason the Habs went to the ECF. When he injured his leg, Montreal was never the same. Halak, Cammaller, and Subban grabbed the most headlines, but Hal Gill was not far behind in the publicity department. If Kanzig becomes 80 percent of Hal Gill, this is a home run pick.

He's nowhere near as good as Gill. Again, smarter people than me were high on him last year, but I certainly can't see what he brings to help the team

3. He was a feaster pick, so worst case scenario we just blame Jay for this. You draft guys like Kanzig and Gaudreau in the middle rounds hoping that the one aspect of their game that is NHL calibre at age 18 is supplemented with three or four years of development. If they hit, it's found money. Nobody builds a roster expecting 3rd and 4th round picks to be core guys.

True, but it really doesn't matter who is to blame. And regardless of expectations, I don't see him what many others do

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

...3. He was a feaster pick, so worst case scenario we just blame Jay for this. You draft guys like Kanzig and Gaudreau in the middle rounds hoping that the one aspect of their game that is NHL calibre at age 18 is supplemented with three or four years of development. If they hit, it's found money. Nobody builds a roster expecting 3rd and 4th round picks to be core guys.

Why would we "blame" anyone? Chances are very slim that a third or fourth round pick will ever play in the NHL.

[kehatch]

Kanzig reminds me more of Matt Pelech than he does Hal Gill

[GreenLantern]

There should be an instigator or delay of game penalty for anyone who starts a fight immediately following a clean hockey hit.

Such garbage, take the hit and move on.

[Burner]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

There should be an instigator or delay of game penalty for anyone who starts a fight immediately following a clean hockey hit.

Such garbage, take the hit and move on.

Agreed - either you call the guy giving the hit for an instigator if it was an illegal check or the guy who responds to a clean check

[BigFlameDog]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

It's been two years

It's been two years since what? Seriously, he was drafted 15 months ago....what are we talking about here?

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by BigFlameDog

It's been two years since what? Seriously, he was drafted 15 months ago....what are we talking about here?

All the truculence jokes only make it seem like it's been 2 years.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

It's been two years. Still seems crappy, so I don't see much more improvement happening .



He's nowhere near as good as Gill. Again, smarter people than me were high on him last year, but I certainly can't see what he brings to help the team




True, but it really doesn't matter who is to blame. And regardless of expectations, I don't see him what many others do

1. It's been 15 months as already stated. He has gotten better between then and now.

2. Shocking that he's not as good as Hal Gill. Gill wasn't as good as Gill for a long time. Much less as a guy who isn't used to his massive size yet.

3. He brings the same things to the Flames that he does to the Royals. A large physical defensive presence who will block a ton of shots and be a monster on the PK. He will scare opposition forwards enough to not take liberties with our goaltenders. Is he ever going to be Regehr? Probably not. He's an interesting prospect. Ditto Hunter Smith. You don't fill the entire system with guys like that,but itit'ss certainly advisable to have a few of them kicking around. They're like goalies that way.

[djsFlames]

Wait, people are saying Kanzig is pretty much as developed as he's going to get? Why exactly?

How about we wait another 5 or so years when defensemen are typically supposed to be 'developed' for NHL duty. Just cause he's already big doesn't mean his game doesn't have room to grow. At least let him get development time under the AHL coaches like Breen did, which he hasn't even had yet. Definitely premature, I'd say, to be putting a cap on the guy.

I mean you might as well write of Jankowski t... oh WAIT

*facepalm*

[BigFlameDog]

And to add my 2 cents...it is OK to get a little bit excited about potential 2, 3 and 4th line prospects just like 1st line studs. Winning teams have home grown talent in the bottom 6 so yeah, it is exciting to have some potential there.

No, they all won't make it but that's OK...the Flames will draft 5 more next year, and the year after etc....

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Wait, people are saying Kanzig is pretty much as developed as he's going to get? Why exactly?

I think they mean physically developed.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by TheCommodoreAfro

You forgot to mention that in his second year he also had the same number of points (and a bigger rise in production from year one to year two) than Lucic. But that would ruin your fun wouldn't it...

Lucic had 68 points in 70 games at the same age as Smith.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by DOOM

Smith is 19, good lord.

Is Mitch Moroz a goon also?

For sure he is. If Moroz makes it to the NHL I'd be shocked if its in anything more then a 4th line enforcer role.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

Lucic had 68 points in 70 games at the same age as Smith.

Yeah, but that wasn't his point. Smith also has that tricky late birthday, which can make things fuzzy at that age when talking about experience and comparing years in junior.

I like Smith, from the limited viewing I've seen but your usual wet blanket schtick is really starting to run it's course. I'm assuming you've already made a list of failed big Oilers thus making Smith fail as well.

[codynw]

I'd be surprised if Smith ever ends up being more than a goon/energy player at the NHL level. It'll probably take a 65+ point season from him to change my mind about his upside.

I hope I'm wrong because a tough 6'7 winger that is capable of playing in the top 9 would be amazing, but I just don't see it happening.

[playmaker]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

Lucic had 68 points in 70 games at the same age as Smith.

If there's a Lucic-type player in the Flames' system it's IMHO Michael Ferland.

2010-11 WHL 56GP 23G 33A 56Pts
2011-12 WHL 68GP 47G 49A 96Pts
2012-13 WHL 26GP 8G 21A 29Pts
2013-14 AHL 25GP 6G 12A 18Pts

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

Ben Eager also scored 40 points at the same age as Smith but in less games.

Stortini had 37.

Mcgrattan was nearly a point per game.

Smith's production is definitely goon level. Higher level prospects that go on to have NHL careers almost always post well over a ppg.

Arguing about a prospect solely on points...

Smith was a late bloomer but has been progressing very rapidly. I don't expect you to follow the Flames' prospects, but simply arguing on points and ignoring who he is as a prospect is nothing more than trolling.

Smith is a better prospect than those guys you cited and has a very good chance of being a much better player.

[SuperMatt18]

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/article..._draft_review/

People would have said the same thing about Lucic coming out of the draft.

Key is now for Smith to develop and become stronger and more used to his body.

You can tell he really hasn't learned proper balance with his frame yet, and that in itself will improve his skating greatly.

He was drafted 2 months ago, let's give these players time to develop.