Mark "Fricken" Jankowski (aka The Big Jankowski)

[remember2004]

I seriously hope Feaster didn't mess up by picking him..

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by New Era

Jankowski is the anti-Baertschi. He gets attacked for continued positive improvement not being Olli Matta or Teuvo Teravainen. Very strange.

In the end it is people that are pissed off that Jankowski isn't Olli Matta or Teuvo Teravainen, and was picked by Feaster.

Due to that they will always write him off and won't give him any credit.

[Tinordi]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

In the end it is people that are pissed off that Jankowski isn't Olli Matta or Teuvo Teravainen, and was picked by Feaster.

Due to that they will always write him off and won't give him any credit.

Let-alone Girgensons...

[nik-]

I write him off because I legitimately think he's never going to make an impact on our team. Not just because I think it was a bad pick. I really hope he turns into something, I just have no expectation it will happen.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by New Era

Number of point per game players in Hockey East right now? Six. Three of them play for Boston University (Jack Eichel and his two line mates). So there are a dozen teams in HE and only four of them have a PPG player on them. I would say that the expectation of a PPG is ridiculous and the player should be judged on his play and contribution. Jankowski is the anti-Baertschi. He gets attacked for continued positive improvement. Very strange.

It wasn't meant to be an attack on him - he is progressing, and I respect the opinions of those who watch him closely. Still though, I think many posters here are underwhelmed - he's trending to Joel Otto not Joe Nieuwendyk - despite the efforts of you and others to put his performance into proper context. Hence my comment that many would like to see him at a PPG, at which points the question marks (valid or not) go away.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

In the end it is people that are pissed off that Jankowski isn't Olli Matta or Teuvo Teravainen, and was picked by Feaster.

Due to that they will always write him off and won't give him any credit.

This isn't the reason many people weren't happy with the pick. I wasn't happy when the pick was made and am still not confident he's a first round caliber player.

The reason I wasn't happy with the pick is that a rebuilding team picked a project player. The Flames needed to build it's prospect pool with players we could potentially see in the next couple years. Not a player that's projected to play 4 years of college, then hopefully become a top 6 centreman.

Thankfully the rebuild is still working out fine as we've drafted several diamonds in the rough in the later rounds.

That said, I'm still hoping Janko can make a splash in the NHL while he's Flames property.

[MrMastodonFarm]

There really needs to be a separate whine about the circumstances of how and where Jankowski was picked thread.

Dude is playing great here and we've got all these retread arguments again and again.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

There really needs to be a separate whine about the circumstances of how and where Jankowski was picked thread.

Dude is playing great here and we've got all these retread arguments again and again.

People still talk Taylor/Tyler 4+ years later and both of them are legit NHL'ers. I'm guessing unless Jankowski turns into a legit NHL'er it's never going to stop. So prepare yourself mentally for that eventuality.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by nik-

People still talk Taylor/Tyler 4+ years later and both of them are legit NHL'ers. I'm guessing unless Jankowski turns into a legit NHL'er it's never going to stop. So prepare yourself mentally for that eventuality.

Yeah, I get it nik-, but what the thread has turned to in the last pages, despite him playing well, are the same arguments we've seen time and time again.

Look at how many posters have come out of the woodwork, never posting about his play in the last 3 years, just to complain about the circumstances revolving around the pick (and Feasters silly quotes). There is nothing new being said, despite actual games being played. You'd hope the guys who have nothing to add besides the usual stuff would recognize that and maybe not post it over and over again, but I guess they can't.

[Since1984]

Originally Posted by edslunch

It wasn't meant to be an attack on him - he is progressing, and I respect the opinions of those who watch him closely. Still though, I think many posters here are underwhelmed - he's trending to Joel Otto not Joe Nieuwendyk - despite the efforts of you and others to put his performance into proper context. Hence my comment that many would like to see him at a PPG, at which points the question marks (valid or not) go away.

I for one would be ecstatic if we were able to get a Joel Otto caliber player out of Jankowski. Every championship team has to have that player to win the big faceoffs and grind out those needed insurance goals.

For a later first round pick this would actually be quite the norm, no?

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

This isn't the reason many people weren't happy with the pick. I wasn't happy when the pick was made and am still not confident he's a first round caliber player.

The reason I wasn't happy with the pick is that a rebuilding team picked a project player. The Flames needed to build it's prospect pool with players we could potentially see in the next couple years. Not a player that's projected to play 4 years of college, then hopefully become a top 6 centreman.

Thankfully the rebuild is still working out fine as we've drafted several diamonds in the rough in the later rounds.

That said, I'm still hoping Janko can make a splash in the NHL while he's Flames property.

Actually at that point in time the flames were 5-6 years away from being a contender and IMHO in a perfect place to take a risky later round pick that could become a "Joe Nieuwendyk" player. I think at times this season kind of blurs the fact that we are still in a major rebuild and that we have some great pieces put in place but we are still a few years away from being a true Stanley Cup contender.


Be patient with Jankowski, I tend to forget we have a "high risk, high reward" prospect like him in the pipeline all the time. I think we often take this pipeline for granted as the cupboards were quite bare not too long ago.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Yeah, I get it nik-, but what the thread has turned to in the last pages, despite him playing well, are the same arguments we've seen time and time again.

Look at how many posters have come out of the woodwork, never posting about his play in the last 3 years, just to complain about the circumstances revolving around the pick (and Feasters silly quotes). There is nothing new being said, despite actual games being played. You'd hope the guys who have nothing to add besides the usual stuff would recognize that and maybe not post it over and over again, but I guess they can't.

Well this is discussion on the prospect and unfortunately that is going to be entwined with discussion about him until he's in the show and doing well. Until he's a proven player he's going to be looked at as the asset it cost to get him. Gaudreau and Brodie are often talked about as a steal of a 4th rounder, so why wouldn't it go the other way?

I'm personally sick of talking about the pick too, but I understand that it's going to happen.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by nik-

Well this is discussion on the prospect and unfortunately that is going to be entwined with discussion about him until he's in the show and doing well. Until he's a proven player he's going to be looked at as the asset it cost to get him. Gaudreau and Brodie are often talked about as a steal of a 4th rounder, so why wouldn't it go the other way?

I'm personally sick of talking about the pick too, but I understand that it's going to happen.

A man can dream.

[FlameZilla]

Kid's gonna be a player.

[puckedoff]

A bit OT but will we get a chance to see him lace them up with our other prospects in this year's offseason? I don't recall him playing in the Young Stars this year, will that be the case next year as well?
Basically I'm wondering if we will get a chance to see him play with our group of prospects at any time prior to signing him?

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by puckedoff

A bit OT but will we get a chance to see him lace them up with our other prospects in this year's offseason? I don't recall him playing in the Young Stars this year, will that be the case next year as well?
Basically I'm wondering if we will get a chance to see him play with our group of prospects at any time prior to signing him?

The only reason he wasn't on the ice last summer was due to an injury. He was in Calgary but couldn't skate so he should be here this summer too.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

The only reason he wasn't on the ice last summer was due to an injury. He was in Calgary but couldn't skate so he should be here this summer too.

He can't play in the young stars can he?


I thought b/c he was in school he could attend camps but that was it.

Also, when is he "done" school?

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

He can't play in the young stars can he?


I thought b/c he was in school he could attend camps but that was it.

Also, when is he "done" school?

Yup oops, I was wrong. For some reason my mind went immediately to the prospect camp in July. They pay their own way to this IIRC.

The main rookie camp and the Young Stars Tournament take place in the fall, just prior to main camp. Jankowski and other NCAA players are starting College so can't partake. Whenever they sign, that's when they attend main camp and the prospect tournament etc.

As for when he's done school... he'll be a senior next year so that's when most expect him to sign, at the end of his senior year. The possibility remains for him to leave early as well, wouldn't surprise me at all to see him sign this summer as a junior. Technically College players can sign and leave whenever they'd like.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Also, when is he "done" school?

He's a junior so about a year and a half assuming he meets graduation requirements.

[FBI]

So if he goes PRO after this season, then we would get to see him, so I guess let's hope for that!

[foshizzle11]

I think I'll reserve my opinions until I see him participating in training camp with our other prospects and regulars. I think it is hard to truly give an opinion on a player who is playing in a league I really know nothing about.

From what people are saying, he isn't playing terrible and is progressing. He plays on a defensive team in Providence and it is likely he could be a Colborne type. Tall, lanky and needs some time to develop (which is what we were all told when he was drafted). He is still only 20, so he has loads of time to develop IMO.