What the hell is going on with Jakob Pelletier?

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I saw a young Backlund which isn't Backlund Backlund.

If I tossed a poll into this I think you'd see most seeing him as a fourth liner if he doesn't get back to where he was two years ago.

Bottom six player to the vast majority is my guess.

I think he is any where from a bust to a middle 6 but he is going to have to start over proving himself. I think that’s what Conroy is offering …

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I saw a young Backlund which isn't Backlund Backlund.

If I tossed a poll into this I think you'd see most seeing him as a fourth liner if he doesn't get back to where he was two years ago.

I see him as more of a potential Mangiapane replacement. Similar skill strengths, frame, and position.

I almost kind of wish that Mangiapane hadn't have had that aberrant 35 goal campaign. It seemed to put it into the minds of people (including himself) that he was something other then what he was.

[Toonage]

Mangiapane at least showed us once he could score, quite well. Even get to the front of the net. I've seen nothing like that out of Pelletier, even with his limited NHL time.

Those who watched more of him with the Wranglers, was this part of his game?

[TheScorpion]

Yeah, absolutely. Pelletier was a point-per-game guy as an AHL rookie and was one of the Wranglers' most creative offensive players. Strong on the puck and really good around the net.

[SuperMatt18]

Yeah I think people just need to take last season as a write off. Pelletier has played 3 pro seasons and after the 1st two he looked to be developing into a top tier prospect.

21-22: 62 points in 66 AHL games - which is great for a 20 year old AHL rookie

22-23: 37 points in 35 AHL games - continued his great production at the AHL level
7 points in 24 NHL games - showed some promise but couldn't quite find the offensive touch around the net at the NHL level which is not uncommon.

23-24: Injury plagued write off that hurt his game at both the NHL and AHL level and I think an argument to be made he should have just been kept in the AHL after his injury to find his form instead of being rushed to the NHL.

Unless you're getting a similar aged player who you think is better back in return in a trade it would be foolish to move him at this point. Selling at his absolute lowest.

[Enoch Root]

Mangiapane...

20: .621 PPG, AHL
21: 1.18 PPG, AHL
22: .295 PPG, NHL

Pelletier...

20: .939 PPG, AHL
21: 1.06 PPG, AHL
22: .154 PPG, NHL (injured)

not a lot of difference there, certainly not enough to claim they aren't pretty similar

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I saw a young Backlund which isn't Backlund Backlund.

Yeah, and there were a lot of times young Backlund was basically written off after some poor seasons. There wasn't always certainty he'd be looking back on a long successful NHL career at this point.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Locke

Well if the current Political unrest in France is anything to go by, its clear that the French can't be trusted!

Political unrest in France is a feature, not a bug.

Which has almost nothing to do with Pelletier, since he’s Quebecois, and the Quebecois hate the French.

In fact, maybe the one thing you can trust in this world is the hate the Quebecois have for everyone who is not Quebecois.

[Redrum]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

There are people comparing him to Backlund, top 6 with Huberdeau etc

There's some context there. The Backlund comparison is because Backlund was also often injured as a young player and it would've sucked to give up on him, and JP with Huberdeau is the french connection and the Flames don't really have anything better to do this season.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I saw a young Backlund which isn't Backlund Backlund.

If I tossed a poll into this I think you'd see most seeing him as a fourth liner if he doesn't get back to where he was two years ago.

Bottom six player to the vast majority is my guess.

Pelletier is in a much tougher spot than Backlund - Backlund may not have lit the world on fire his first few years, but he was still a 6 ft 200 lb centre.

The question was more about if he would become our mythical #1C, not whether he had a role in the NHL.

Pelletier is a 160 lb left shot left wing. He plays the least valuable position on the ice.

He’s not big enough to play bottom six. Every time he tries to be physical, he’s hurt for four months.

Lots of guys have to realize they aren’t stars anymore and have to reinvent their games as more defensive minded players.

Pelletier is in the opposite scenario. He needs to show that he can be a star. He needs to show hands, vision, shiftiness, a snap shot, chemistry with Huberdeau and Sharangovich. Something. Anything.

Don’t worry about hitting anyone - focus on becoming impossible to hit, or at least impossible to hit cleanly.

That’s how he’ll stay in the league - he’s top-6 or bust.

[Wastedyouth]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Pelletier is in a much tougher spot than Backlund - Backlund may not have lit the world on fire his first few years, but he was still a 6 ft 200 lb centre.

The question was more about if he would become our mythical #1C, not whether he had a role in the NHL.

Pelletier is a 160 lb left shot left wing. He plays the least valuable position on the ice.

He’s not big enough to play bottom six. Every time he tries to be physical, he’s hurt for four months.

Lots of guys have to realize they aren’t stars anymore and have to reinvent their games as more defensive minded players.

Pelletier is in the opposite scenario. He needs to show that he can be a star. He needs to show hands, vision, shiftiness, a snap shot, chemistry with Huberdeau and Sharangovich. Something. Anything.

Don’t worry about hitting anyone - focus on becoming impossible to hit, or at least impossible to hit cleanly.

That’s how he’ll stay in the league - he’s top-6 or bust.

Hyperbolic statements are always the best.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Hyperbolic statements are always the best.

That may be hyperbolic. But Pelletier’s size and injury history show that he’s not going to be an effective grinder. If he’s going to stick in the NHL, he’s going to have to find an NHL scoring touch.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Who would we consider an NHL comparable for Pelletier, both in terms of floor and ceiling?

[Enoch Root]

Did Pelletier go on a diet over the summer?

Most 22 year old, smaller hockey players gain weight, they don't shed 10 lbs.

But hyperbole for the win!

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Did Pelletier go on a diet over the summer?

Most 22 year old, smaller hockey players gain weight, they don't shed 10 lbs.

But hyperbole for the win!

Hockey reference has him at 160, hockeydb 170.

Whatever.

10 points in 37 games and -4 from a 23 years left shot left wing doesn’t require hyperbole.

It is terrible.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Who would we consider an NHL comparable for Pelletier, both in terms of floor and ceiling?

Floor: Kailer Yamamoto

Ceiling: Conor Garland

People used to say Brad Marchand was his upside, but I think those expectations have been mostly forgotten.

[shutout]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Who would we consider an NHL comparable for Pelletier, both in terms of floor and ceiling?

To me he is Blake Coleman.
brings character, heart and soul, drive, and determination.
Sort of guy everyone loves in the room and on the bench.
Fits onto the third line as a checker and penalty killer while being able to contribute offense.
Can play up on the second line and second powerplay when/if needed.
Helps others player be better.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Hockey reference has him at 160, hockeydb 170.

Whatever.

10 points in 37 games and -4 from a 23 years left shot left wing doesn’t require hyperbole.

It is terrible.

He was hurt in training camp, so the whole year was a write-off, as he was in catch-up mode. And I am not concerned with his stats as a 21 year old.

He didn't have a good year, it's true. But you don't have to try and over-sell it. Let's actually see what a 23 year old Pelletier looks like, before we claim it's terrible.

[Reggie Dunlop]

A smaller, shiftier Joe Colbourne who plays the wing and carries a jaunty joie de vivre.

[Toonage]

Jaunty Joe would have been such a great nickname. The next Joe we have should get it.