How’s Honzek doing these days?

[InternationalVillager]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

bobs list isn’t a ranking. It’s a survey of NHL scouts.
And Honzek was 17 on that list. One spot off where the Flames took him

I think my general point is that Gabe Perreault was higher. Had a stellar D-0 Year and is having an extraordinary D+1 year.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by InternationalVillager

I think my general point is that Gabe Perreault was higher. Had a stellar D-0 Year and is having an extraordinary D+1 year.

Then why wasn't he drafted higher?

[Ped]

Obviously it's way too early for anyone to definitively judge these guys, but Perrault not being taken hire isn't necessarily proof of anything. It just means a bunch of teams had a guy or two ranked ahead of him.

[Geeoff]

One thing is that Honzek is 6'3" so he's going to be given every opportunity to show he can play. Also, it could mean that he has a role in the NHL even if it's not as an offensive player.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

I've learned my lesson over the years by never getting too high or too low on a draft pick until they hit the age of 20 and/or start playing pro games. Once these guys physically mature, you get a better sense of what their game will look like, even longer for guys like Honzek with a lanky frame that he needs to fill out. Furthermore, you need to see if they can have success in a professional league, whether that be the AHL, KHL, or a top level European league, they need to demonstrate that they can produce/play at a high level in those leagues before I ever consider them to be a legitimate prospect.

It's so rare for guys to jump straight from junior/college to the NHL these days that it's reserved only for those elite players that were always too good or those levels. Everyone else takes time to develop and has ups and downs along the way, and that even continues once they make the NHL full time (see: Pelletier, Coronato both on the cusp).

Injuries are the biggest obstacle in a player's development. Valimaki would tell you that. My only worry is that some of these injuries will limit his long-term potential, but we won't know until he gets a full off season and comes back healthy.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

I mentioned this on the prospect forum, but IMO most concerning element is that he was supposed to be playing and developing at Centre this year, but has not played at Centre in quite some time now.

I don't think it's a write off scenario- he's only d+1 and had a major injury. But I think his lack of increased production is concerning and the fact that he's back to the wing is worrisome for his potential ramp to becoming a centre.

Looking at some of the comparable guys in that range, Wood and Moore are having similar seasons, albeit in perhaps a tougher league for scoring. Both are right around PPG. Sandin-Pelikka is looking like an awesome pick, though many on here weren't interested in a dman I think that Sandman was focused on this player if memory serves. Good eye, apparently!
I liked Perrault. He's having an excellent freshman college season. However, he went to another stacked college team, so hard to read how much production he deserves credit for. And it's possible he scared some teams away by talking about where he wanted to play.

In short, though Honzek isn't producing eye popping numbers, few of his contemporaries around the pick (or ostensibly on our radar) are. Most concerning IMO is the shift back away from centre ice and what that means for his future prospects in the NHL.

Conroy said last season that they projected him as a winger.

[Flamesfan05]

If you can’t score in the WHL….

Name one guy that can’t score point per game in his D+ season in junior and became anything more than a plug? I bet there have not been that many

Size only matter if you have some skills

[blender]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

If you can’t score in the WHL….

Name one guy that can’t score point per game in his D+ season in junior and became anything more than a plug? I bet there have not been that many

Size only matter if you have some skills

He is a point per game, so even though that isn't lighting it up, he actually can score.

Also, he has NHL hands for sure as I witnessed in person both times I watched him this season, so he has skills, too.

It's one thing to be critical, but be fair. Saying he doesn't have any skill or can’t score are both untrue.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

Conroy said last season that they projected him as a winger.

Yes. Early this season they talked about trying him at centre this year.

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by blender

He is a point per game, so even though that isn't lighting it up, he actually can score.

Also, he has NHL hands for sure as I witnessed in person both times I watched him this season, so he has skills, too.

It's one thing to be critical, but be fair. Saying he doesn't have any skill or can’t score are both untrue.

Yes, even with his injuries and lack of weight, he still has decent production and good size. Even with all of his disappointments for this year, he still reminds me a bit of Rantanen. I think Honzek has a high floor.

Honzek needs to fully recover from whatever may be affecting him. Even if it means sitting out for a sizable chunk of time. This is a preliminary issue that needs to be dealt with. With the exceptions of Tkachuk, Jankowski, and Coronato, every Flames first round pick since 2010 has had extensive injury problems. It's a serious issue.

[Erick Estrada]

People keep bringing up his size, size, size, and it's pretty evident that the Flames went for size over high end skills with this pick. Don't get me wrong there's always a place for a middle six forward (that's largely what he was considered in scouting reports) with size but the Flames really need to value elite skills above measurables given the lack of an elite player in the organization. I think he has potential to be a good player for the organization one day just not a great one and it just puts more pressure on them to get it right in the 2024 draft and hopefully unearth a franchise player.

[Bingo]

I think it's equally wrong to call the player a bust when he's had an injury plagued start to his draft and draft + season, as it is to ignore the issues he's had and assume everything is ok.

Both are jumping to conclusions based on a limited amount of information.

He was drafted where he was supposed to be drafted. The Flames didn't reach. They liked the player. I'm sure they still do.

He has three years to sort this out and become who he is supposed to be.

[GioforPM]

There's maybe one or two players they could have picked ahead and they were both picked several spots later.

Amazing how people just want to find complaints.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by InternationalVillager

I think my general point is that Gabe Perreault was higher. Had a stellar D-0 Year and is having an extraordinary D+1 year.

Why did Pastrnak fall to the late 1st round
Why was Gaudreau picked in the 4th round
Kucherov in the 2nd round
Benn in the 5th round

And plenty more to name off. Really can’t judge Honzek until we see more of him, simple as that.

[Eric Vail]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I think it's equally wrong to call the player a bust when he's had an injury plagued start to his draft and draft + season, as it is to ignore the issues he's had and assume everything is ok.

Both are jumping to conclusions based on a limited amount of information.

He was drafted where he was supposed to be drafted. The Flames didn't reach. They liked the player. I'm sure they still do.

He has three years to sort this out and become who he is supposed to be.

Many were calling Zary a bust after he scored 25 points in his first season in the AHL.

[mile]

Don't know why he's being played on the 2nd line. Trying to spread the wealth?

https://twitter.com/user/status/1771333540677841142

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Then why wasn't he drafted higher?

He was one of the most talented players in the draft but slid because of his size and skating and to be fair his skating may still be an issue at the NHL level. That said, NHL teams still place far too much emphasis on size, ignoring that a lot of the most talented players in the NHL are 6' or shorter.

[Redrum]

I'm much more concerned about the health issues than the top end skill. He also doesn't have much to work with on the team. For all we know somebody is bouncing pucks off of Perreault and into the net on that insane team. They are basically at opposite ends of the spectrum as far as that goes.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

He was one of the most talented players in the draft but slid because of his size and skating and to be fair his skating may still be an issue at the NHL level. That said, NHL teams still place far too much emphasis on size, ignoring that a lot of the most talented players in the NHL are 6' or shorter.

I'd much rather have Moore than Perrault. If you are choosing something over size I'd rather it was skating than dekeing and stickhandling at slower speed (which often doesn't translate to the better defenders in the NHL).

[Bingo Jr.]

Will be watching Honzek take on Tij and the Rockets tonight!

Curious to see if Honzek looks better than the last time I went out and watched him. Hoping for more engagement.