[News] With the 109th OA pick, the Flames select C Adam Ruzicka

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Jamison J. Benn, the lesser-known cousin. Drafted 109th overall in 2010. Really lighting it up for the Banff Fighting Squirrels this year.

Those who wish the Flames to acquire a sure-thing #1 RW, without giving up any significant assets, on a nice cheap contract, should be all over Treliving to trade for this guy.

[iloveicedhockey]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

Hey Marc Bergevin, I want to pull the trigger on the two firsts for your J. Benn deal right away, it has to happen now to make sense.

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[Sandman]

Another goal and 2 assists last night for Ruzicka-now 31points in 20 games, tied for 3rd in the OHL. Kyrou, his teammate, is first with 42 points in 18 games.

[kevman]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Kyrou, his teammate, is first with 42 points in 18 games.

Just curious, was that the Flames 2nd the Blues used to get him? Did the Blues get a 2nd from Calgary for Elliot or am I making this up?

[wireframe]

Originally Posted by kevman

Just curious, was that the Flames 2nd the Blues used to get him? Did the Blues get a 2nd from Calgary for Elliot or am I making this up?

Yes, it was.

Elliott's bad season stings a little more now, eh?

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by kevman

Just curious, was that the Flames 2nd the Blues used to get him? Did the Blues get a 2nd from Calgary for Elliot or am I making this up?

Correct, sir.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by wireframe

Yes, it was.



Elliott's bad season stings a little more now, eh?

Kyrou is in his draft+2 season, and is a full year older than Ruzicka. He is still a great prospect, but it does set things into a clearer perspective.

*EDIT* Kyrou is also in his fourth OHL season.

[AustinL_NHL]

Ruzicka has had an amazing start to the OHL season. There's no denying that. For a 4th round pick, he's looking like an excellent pick with intriguing potential.

However, like Matthew Phillips, his 5v5 production is a little concerning.

5v5, Ruzicka ranks as follows:

Points: 12 (tied for 26th) (out of 8 players he's tied with, 7 have played fewer games, 1 (a D-man) has played 2 more games)

Goals: 5 (tied for 39th) (out of 26 players he's tied with, 19 have played fewer games, 7 have played the same amount of games)

Primary Points: 8 (tied for 44th) (out of 19 players he's tied with, 14 have played fewer games, 4 have played the same amount of games, 1 has played more games)

Points per 60 minutes: 2.67 (42nd)

Primary Points per 60 minutes: 1.78 (80th)

As you can see, Ruzicka has struggled quite a bit 5v5. Most of his production has come from the PP, whom he's on a unit that features the best player in the OHL (and arguably the CHL) in Jordan Kyrou.

While there's tons to be excited about in regards to Ruzicka, we also have to be careful in not getting our hopes and expectations up too much as once you dig a little deeper into his numbers, they don't look all that glamorous.

[ClubFlames]

Great! He can be a PP specialist just like McDoggie and Drysaddle. Not bad for a 4th round pick.

[Flamescuprun2018]

Time for a bump. Given his terrific performance in the AHL so far this year. Leading AHL in points as Scorpion has pointed out.

Source: https://theahl.com/stats/player-stats

With Darryl arriving. Some size similarities to Kopitar perhaps? Just needs another 10 kg.

Anze Kopitar
Center -- shoots L
Born Aug 24 1987 -- Jesenice, Slovenia
Height 6.03 -- Weight 225 [191 cm/102 kg]

Adam Ruzicka
Center -- shoots L
Born May 11 1999 -- Bratislava, Slovakia
Height 6.04 -- Weight 202 [193 cm/92 kg]

[Roof-Daddy]

Ruzicka is listed as 220lbs now on the AHL website.

It's great Ruzicka is excelling in the AHL, and hopefully he becomes a solid NHLer for us, but when Kopitar was the same age as Ruzicka is now, he'd already put up 61 and 77 point seasons in the NHL (as a 19 and 20 year old) and was on his way to a 66 point 21 year old season where he'd lead the Kings in scoring for the 2nd straight year.

I get it's exciting what Ruzicka is doing to start the season, but he's no Anze Kopitar.

I hate to be a wet blanket, but we as a fan base did this with Monahan (Toews) and Bennett (Gilmour) and even expected Jankowski to turn into this big, fast two way top 6 center with all the Feaster/Weisbrod used car salesmen hype. Then it's such a huge let down when these players don't reach these lofty comparison's.

[Flamescuprun2018]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Ruzicka is listed as 220lbs now on the AHL website.

It's great Ruzicka is excelling in the AHL, and hopefully he becomes a solid NHLer for us, but when Kopitar was the same age as Ruzicka is now, he'd already put up 61 and 77 point seasons in the NHL (as a 19 and 20 year old) and was on his way to a 66 point 21 year old season where he'd lead the Kings in scoring for the 2nd straight year.

I get it's exciting what Ruzicka is doing to start the season, but he's no Anze Kopitar.

I hate to be a wet blanket, but we as a fan base did this with Monahan (Toews) and Bennett (Gilmour) and even expected Jankowski to turn into this big, fast two way top 6 center with all the Feaster/Weisbrod used car salesmen hype. Then it's such a huge let down when these players don't reach these lofty comparison's.

Totally fair. Some wishful thinking for sure.

I remember Stillman (OHL coach) talking about how to get the most out of Ruzicka given his tendency to disappear at times. Like the potential of DS doing the same.

Cannot be worse than Leivo?
2 pts per game in AHL is NHLe of 80 pts in 82 game season

Source: https://frozenpool.dobbersports.com/frozenpool_nhle.php

Lets hope he keeps it up, because if so, he will get a cup of coffee this year at least.

[Moneyhands23]

If he ends up like Adam Lowry I will be stoked

[Geeoff]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Ruzicka is listed as 220lbs now on the AHL website.

It's great Ruzicka is excelling in the AHL, and hopefully he becomes a solid NHLer for us, but when Kopitar was the same age as Ruzicka is now, he'd already put up 61 and 77 point seasons in the NHL (as a 19 and 20 year old) and was on his way to a 66 point 21 year old season where he'd lead the Kings in scoring for the 2nd straight year.

I get it's exciting what Ruzicka is doing to start the season, but he's no Anze Kopitar.

I hate to be a wet blanket, but we as a fan base did this with Monahan (Toews) and Bennett (Gilmour) and even expected Jankowski to turn into this big, fast two way top 6 center with all the Feaster/Weisbrod used car salesmen hype. Then it's such a huge let down when these players don't reach these lofty comparison's.

Kopitar was picked 11th overall and Ruzicka was picked 109th, so it's natural that Ruzicka's development curve would be slower.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

Kopitar was picked 11th overall and Ruzicka was picked 109th, so it's natural that Ruzicka's development curve would be slower.

It's also natural that his development curve won't reach the same heights.

Hopefully I'm wrong though. Nothing would make me happier than Ruzicka turning into a home grown 6'4" 220lb skilled two way #1C like Kopitar.

[robertsfanatic]

not sure about Kopitar but he and Phillips are future NHLers for sure

[Flamescuprun2018]

Source: https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/the-...ge/c-308253516

The coach awaiting him in Sudbury? None other than Cory Stillman, a Flame for six-and-a-half seasons from the mid-'90s forward.

"I really believe this kid has the potential to be a first-line NHL centreman," predicts the two-time Stanley Cup champion, a sixth-overall draft pick who spent 395 games in Flames' livery, scoring 109 goals.

"You always hear about players being able to play to their top level every day. Well, when he came to Sudbury, he did that. Every day. And that made him the best player on the ice, night in, night out.

"Adam made everyone around him a better player. In the time he was with us, whoever we put on his line, he could elevate their game. That's the potential he has."

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Ruzicka is listed as 220lbs now on the AHL website.

It's great Ruzicka is excelling in the AHL, and hopefully he becomes a solid NHLer for us, but when Kopitar was the same age as Ruzicka is now, he'd already put up 61 and 77 point seasons in the NHL (as a 19 and 20 year old) and was on his way to a 66 point 21 year old season where he'd lead the Kings in scoring for the 2nd straight year.

I get it's exciting what Ruzicka is doing to start the season, but he's no Anze Kopitar.

I hate to be a wet blanket, but we as a fan base did this with Monahan (Toews) and Bennett (Gilmour) and even expected Jankowski to turn into this big, fast two way top 6 center with all the Feaster/Weisbrod used car salesmen hype. Then it's such a huge let down when these players don't reach these lofty comparison's.

I dunno, I can see a career ceiling of Mario Lemieux. His floor is probably Malkin.

[Textcritic]

It is pretty interesting reading some of those scouting reports from draft day...

Adam Ruzicka has all the physical tools to become a very good second line centre in the NHL. Some might even look at the tools and see the possibility of a draft steal and a franchise type player. However, that seems unlikely. It is more likely that he is an anchor to a secondary scoring line. A#lot of work needs to be done before this can happen. Ruzicka’s package of size and skill#is still extremely intriguing and gives the impression that he could be a steal. This is a boom-or-bust type of pick.

Ruzicka has kind of become a polarizing prospect for this draft. When the season started, he was considered a potential lottery selection, but his down year offensively in adjusting to the OHL has dropped him more to the mid second round range. The real issue at play is consistency. I saw him have some very, very strong games this year where he completely dominated shifts with his power and skill. This was especially true at the U18's, where I thought he had an excellent tournament for Slovakia. But there were also a couple games this year where he was completely invisible, and I think that's a bit alarming. We're talking about a 6'4, 200lbs forward who should be able to dominate more than one shift a game, or at the very least be noticeable.

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[Monahammer]

Pop him in the Johnny mony wing for a few games. He's probably better than leivo.