Mark "Fricken" Jankowski (aka The Big Jankowski)

[monkeyman]

This whole debate is futile, but let's not forget the flames were leaning toward trading the pick until Weisbrod saw Jankowski. Who knows what we would have gotten and how it would have turned out.
Jankowski was always a project, Feaster and Weisbrod presented it that way since day one so I really don't know why it's apparently a surprised to some people that he's taking longer to develop. Big, skilled centres are hard to come by. I still like the pick and think it will prove to be a good one looking back in 10 years.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Crumpy-Gunt

Jankowski will be a mystery to us untill his first NHL game. Same can be said for Gaudreau. Who knows how these kids will translate their game to this level?
.

Has anyone said otherwise?

Sorry, not meaning to nitpick, but Jiri basically said this too.

We all agree (at least most that I see) that we cannot say for sure if he'll make it or not.

If we are allowed to be optimistic about the pick, can someone not be pessimistic too?

Is someone who says "I don't think he'll make the NHL" wrong? Maybe, but no more wrong than anyone else. Aren't people allowed to be concerned at all?

And I don't get the Forbort comparison at all


Edit: Did not read all of the comparisons to picks who have already played nhl games and can agree that's odd

[Crumpy-Gunt]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Has anyone said otherwise?

Sorry, not meaning to nitpick, but Jiri basically said this too.

We all agree (at least most that I see) that we cannot say for sure if he'll make it or not.

If we are allowed to be optimistic about the pick, can someone not be pessimistic too?

Is someone who says "I don't think he'll make the NHL" wrong? Maybe, but no more wrong than anyone else. Aren't people allowed to be concerned at all?

And I don't get the Forbort comparison at all


Edit: Did not read all of the comparisons to picks who have already played nhl games and can agree that's odd

I understand a lot of the people in this thread have patience with Jankowski but I was responding to Vulcan.

You make a good point - I wasnt trying to deny anyone their opinion (and I apologise if I came across that way) or anything just reiterating that he is a project pick and will take time.

[Caged Great]

Jankowski at worst will become what Colborne is now. A bigger depth forward with some skill.

He's fast for someone that big and has a lot of skill. The only problem is that you have to wait and see exactly how much skill he has and how he translates that moving forward. That won't occur till next season as he'll then be put on the 1st line in Providence with Mauermann leaving. He is looking like he'll get around 22 points this year, which is a bump up from last year. If he gets 30-35 next year (Mauermann has 31 right now) then that will be good.

He is 3rd on his team in points, while not getting 1st line ice time. That's not bad. It would be nicer if he had 10 more points right now. Worst case scenario is that if he does not improve, we can get a 2nd round pick for him by not signing him.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Crumpy-Gunt

I understand a lot of the people in this thread have patience with Jankowski but I was responding to Vulcan.

You make a good point - I wasnt trying to deny anyone their opinion (and I apologise if I came across that way) or anything just reiterating that he is a project pick and will take time.

I shouldn't have quoted your post specifically as I was speaking to everyone in generalities, not specifically to you.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

So a six foot three 190-200 lb centre without skating issues, who has a hockey IQ according to every scout that watches him, and who has above average hands at worst is a long shot to ever play in the NHL?

Haha! Not at all! I just couldn't help but think of Stuart Smalley from the OP's statement. I just thought it was funny.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

He wanted examples of players who entered the league shortly after being drafted compared to those who took longer.

*ahem*

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I would like to see some data to substantiate this claim. Of course, I think you would agree with me that there tends to be a pretty big gap between top 5—sometimes top 10—draft selections and first rounders in the range between 12–25, which is where the Flames picked Jankowski...

I thought it was pretty self-explanatory that for a legitimate comparison, data needs to be accrued for players drafted in the same range. And no, simply looking at players who entered the NHL vs. those who took longer will not do. You need to compile actual figures to show that players who play a single year removed from their draft year end up as significantly better players than their peers drafted in the same range, who get later starts on their NHL careers.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

He wanted examples of players who entered the league shortly after being drafted compared to those who took longer.

And you have not really provided ANY of these. You merely suggested that we look at Team Canada.

There are literally dozens of examples of these sorts of comparisons:

Magnus Paajarvi: drafted in 2009, and debuted in the NHL in 2010.
Chris Kreider: drafter in 2009, debuted in 2012.

Who would you prefer to have on your team?

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Here's the frustrating thing about this debate.
At the time of the draft we knew
- Jankowski would take longer to reach the NHL by virtue of where he was playing and the fact he was going the college route.
- There would be players that reached the NHL sooner than him.

So what's changed? Things have played out exactly as anticipated
- Some players have reached the NHL faster
- Janko is developing in college on a longer path

Nothing should be unexpected or surprising here.

Why are some in such a rush to judge this pick NOW? What is the harm in waiting until the kid at least turns pro and gets an NHL chance? That's all that is being said. No one is saying "THIS KID IS GOING TO BE AN ALLSTAR NO DOUBT!" They are just saying wait and see how things play out.

The thing is I don't disagree with you but knowing that Jankowski would take this long path to the NHL, which I firmly believe makes him more of a gamble, was he a good choice by Feaster? I say he wasn't and I stand by that opinion.

I'm not making any judgment now, that he won't make the NHL as I've argued before that he is on track. So far, he's been a little slow in developing but he is sort of what he was expected to be. Next season will be big for him and we'll know a little better what we have.

I think being Flames fans takes away from having an unbiased view of the Jankowski pick. Here's a far more scathing opinion.

The first of these, taken No. 21 overall in 2012, was Mark Jankowski, an extremely young and reedy center playing in a backwater Quebec high school league that never once produced even one drafted player until this one. He was taken 21st despite his having been ranked at No. 43 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, and 55th overall by International Scouting Services. This after Weisbrod saw him play and dominate one game against D-level Quebec teens, and started saying, “He's Joe Nieuwendyk,” in real life.


It was a baffling pick, especially when Feaster traded down from the No. 14 spot with highly-regarded players like Tomas Hertl, Olli Maata, Teuvo Teravainen, Scott Laughton, and so on still on the board. Minutes after that selection, Feaster swore up and down that a decade from that date, we would look back and view Jankowski as the best player selected in the entire draft. A year and a half later, if he becomes an even occasionally influential NCAA player, that has to be counted as a big win for Feaster

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-pu...2454--nhl.html

Checking out other articles from the draft, they all seem to have one theme in common, gamble. I don't see why this is such a contentious word when referencing this pick as all picks are gambles, it's just that this pick seems more so.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Vulcan: Mark Jankowski is a horrible pick.

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but the flames clearly went off the board...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but there are other players from that draft class that...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but advanced statistics say...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but Maata is already playing...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but Teravanien is...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No.

New Era: The please STFU until you've seen him play and can actually judge him on his performance on the ice in the context of an actual hockey and as a player executing his assignments in the role assigned to him by the coaching staff. All the bull#### stats and opinions from other people who have not seen him, but rely on a series of comments from a group of unprepared live journalists, mean nothing in the big picture.

For a fantastic example of why patience is important I present one Kevin Hayes of Boston College. Drafted in the 1st round by the Chicago Blackhawks at the 24th position in 2010, Hayes did really nothing in his first three years of college hockey. His best year prior to his senior season was a 7 goal, 21 assist, sophomore season. He had totals 17 goals and 67 points in three seasons with BC. Pretty underwhelming numbers. But in his senior year he's exploded, sitting at 21 goals and 48 points in only 29 games! He's one of the hottest names in the prospect game right now. Why the big improvement? Because he's a senior who has finally found his way on to a line where he can use his skills properly. He's playing with the other skilled players on the team. Yeah, Johnny Hockey has made life pretty easy for him, but he's in a position that he would not have had access to in the past, simply because he's now a senior.

Mark Jankowski is working though the same bull#### at his school. Anyone who watches the games will tell you that Jankowski is playing very well in the role he has been cast into. Jankowski's time will come. The fact he is still 3rd in scoring while playing on the third line with a couple of schlubs is pretty amazing.

Vulcan: No, but...

[Vulcan]

Yeah, I've seen him play.

[Wastedyouth]

Originally Posted by New Era

Vulcan: Mark Jankowski is a horrible pick.

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but the flames clearly went off the board...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but there are other players from that draft class that...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but advanced statistics say...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but Maata is already playing...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but Teravanien is...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No.

New Era: The please STFU until you've seen him play and can actually judge him on his performance on the ice in the context of an actual hockey and as a player executing his assignments in the role assigned to him by the coaching staff. All the bull#### stats and opinions from other people who have not seen him, but rely on a series of comments from a group of unprepared live journalists, mean nothing in the big picture.

For a fantastic example of why patience is important I present one Kevin Hayes of Boston College. Drafted in the 1st round by the Chicago Blackhawks at the 24th position in 2010, Hayes did really nothing in his first three years of college hockey. His best year prior to his senior season was a 7 goal, 21 assist, sophomore season. He had totals 17 goals and 67 points in three seasons with BC. Pretty underwhelming numbers. But in his senior year he's exploded, sitting at 21 goals and 48 points in only 29 games! He's one of the hottest names in the prospect game right now. Why the big improvement? Because he's a senior who has finally found his way on to a line where he can use his skills properly. He's playing with the other skilled players on the team. Yeah, Johnny Hockey has made life pretty easy for him, but he's in a position that he would not have had access to in the past, simply because he's now a senior.

Mark Jankowski is working though the same bull#### at his school. Anyone who watches the games will tell you that Jankowski is playing very well in the role he has been cast into. Jankowski's time will come. The fact he is still 3rd in scoring while playing on the third line with a couple of schlubs is pretty amazing.

Vulcan: No, but...

I've seen him play. He's quite underwhelming.

[krynski]

I will admit that I have only really looked at his stats. Being 3rd in points, and 2nd youngest on Providence puts him in an interesting position. I am not sure how he will turn out, but I will say there is a chance he could amount to something. I do hope that he will put on 5-10 lbs, and utilize some physicality to get some points. I don't think he will crack the nhl unless he can do at least that.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Jankowski at worst will become what Colborne is now.

You can't put absolutes like that on guys who are not in the league.

At worst, Jankowski never plays an NHL game.

You did the same thing a few days ago in saying "at worst, Poirier becomes a Cogliano/Lombardi/Glencross". No, he does not play 500+ NHL games at worst. There's a chance he never manages to play a full season.

We had this conversation at the beginning of the season, so I didn't say anything after your Poirier comment. But you just continue to do it.

I'm don't want anyone to be a pessimist, but to say that worst case scenario, any NHL prospect becomes an NHL player, is just bizarre.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by New Era

Vulcan: Mark Jankowski is a horrible pick.

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but the flames clearly went off the board...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but there are other players from that draft class that...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but advanced statistics say...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but Maata is already playing...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but Teravanien is...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No, but...

New Era: Have you seen him play?

Vulcan: No.

New Era: The please STFU until you've seen him play and can actually judge him on his performance on the ice in the context of an actual hockey and as a player executing his assignments in the role assigned to him by the coaching staff. All the bull#### stats and opinions from other people who have not seen him, but rely on a series of comments from a group of unprepared live journalists, mean nothing in the big picture.

For a fantastic example of why patience is important I present one Kevin Hayes of Boston College. Drafted in the 1st round by the Chicago Blackhawks at the 24th position in 2010, Hayes did really nothing in his first three years of college hockey. His best year prior to his senior season was a 7 goal, 21 assist, sophomore season. He had totals 17 goals and 67 points in three seasons with BC. Pretty underwhelming numbers. But in his senior year he's exploded, sitting at 21 goals and 48 points in only 29 games! He's one of the hottest names in the prospect game right now. Why the big improvement? Because he's a senior who has finally found his way on to a line where he can use his skills properly. He's playing with the other skilled players on the team. Yeah, Johnny Hockey has made life pretty easy for him, but he's in a position that he would not have had access to in the past, simply because he's now a senior.

Mark Jankowski is working though the same bull#### at his school. Anyone who watches the games will tell you that Jankowski is playing very well in the role he has been cast into. Jankowski's time will come. The fact he is still 3rd in scoring while playing on the third line with a couple of schlubs is pretty amazing.

Vulcan: No, but...

I've watched his team play, but it's been hard to find him. In other words not impressive.


The rest of your post is just garbage. Why don't you try responding to what I say instead of the personal attacks. They just show what a POS you are.

[Gary83]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I've watched his team play, but it's been hard to find him. In other words not impressive.


The rest of your post is just garbage. Why don't you try responding to what I say instead of the personal attacks. They just show what a POS you are.

[saillias]

So, Jankowski is the most interesting man alive.

How often does his team actually play hockey anyway? Would be nice to see an update once in a while without wading through the same arguments going in circles

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I've watched his team play, but it's been hard to find him. In other words not impressive.

Seriously, when have you seen him play? Unless you are an OSN subscriber, or an extended Cox subscriber, I'm not sure how you would manage to catch many of the Friar games. What service in Canada shows Providence games?

The rest of your post is just garbage. Why don't you try responding to what I say instead of the personal attacks. They just show what a POS you are.

That post was not meant as a personal attack and made mostly in jest, so relax Francis*. It was actually a general commentary directed at the majority of the hand wringers on the forum, and not you personally. I apologize if you took it as a personal attack, as it was not intended that way. This POS did not expect it to be received that way.

I thought the Hayes comparison would have given the proper perspective, but I guess that missed the mark as well. Jankowski is doing exactly what he is expected to be doing and achieving very good results. He plays on a very defensive oriented team on a defensive oriented line and is still putting up points. The Flames brass has said they are happy with his progress. Other scouts have stated they are impressed with his progress. Everyone should relax and wait for Jankowski to get his chance to play in a more offensive role and then judge him at that time. He's in a situation like Backlund found himself when he came to the Flames. He's stuck down the lineup and has to wait to get his opportunity to play with some skilled guys. That will come. Just be patient and be thankful the kid is not noticeable. When you're cast in a defensive role that is what you strive to do.

* Stripes movie reference, so I don't offend your sensibilities.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by saillias

So, Jankowski is the most interesting man alive.

How often does his team actually play hockey anyway? Would be nice to see an update once in a while without wading through the same arguments going in circles

They've only played one game in February so far. They played on Tuesday and lost 3-2. Jankowski hasn't had a point in their last three games.

They play tomorrow and Saturday against Notre Dame.

[undercoverbrother]

wow.....what a thread......can you imagine if this was the first thread that all new members was exposed to on CP....