The Prospects of Yesteryear
by WebBard on Jul 16, 2010 5:59 PM EDT
in This, That & What-Not
43 comments
If summer is good for anything hockey related, it's that we can imagine what the future might be when it comes to draft players and prospects. The unfortunate side of things is that not everyone makes it to the NHL for a myriad of reasons. Injuries, staying in Europe, just not NHL talent are a few of the ways a prospect might not pan out. So going through all the old drafts got me thinking about players I liked as prospects who just didn't pan out. I was also curious as to who people around here liked when they were young and just didn't realize their full potential.
Every year the NHL drafts 210 players. Despite best intentions and best wishes, most of those players will never play a full season in the NHL. It's an unfortunate fact of life. As a fan of a team with possibly seven picks, you can hope for at best half of them to make it to the NHL. That's one of the reasons we repeat around here that the draft is a crapshoot. As much as you can hope, there's no magical way to always bring a prospect along right either. In the end all you can do as a coach or GM is take off the training wheels and hope for the best. After the cut are a few players who I rooted for that just didn't make it.
Don't get me wrong, Jason Krog is probably one of the most talented players in the AHL currently. He has averaged a point per game in not only the AHL, but during three separate stints in Europe. I remember when Krog was signed, there was a good amount of fanfare for the Hobey Baker winner. In Krog's case it's probably a matter of inches. Although he's listed at 5'11, he might be a bit shorter then that. During his career he's only played two full NHL seasons, both before the lockout for the Ducks. Since then it's been all short term stints. To borrow a baseball term, he seems to be a AAAA type player. Too good for the AAA but not good enough for the big show. I still hold out hope for it to click for him, but it doesn't seem like it will.
I remember watching the 99 Draft and being most excited about Branislav Mezei. Taken 10th overall by the Islanders, it wasn't hard to imagine the 6'4 defenseman playing in a pairing with the 6'9 Zdeno Chara. None of that ever happened, as Mezei struggled to break into the Islanders lineup before being traded to the Panthers. He eventually left North America for the KHL. Looking at his draft day scouting report, another listed strength beyond his size was his play on the point on the Power Play. In his final two OHL seasons he put up 18 and 21 assists. During his 240 NHL game career? a career total of 19 assists.
Eric Fichaud
Being a goalie back when I used to play, I was always interested in the Islanders prospect goalies. Not only did I have an Eric Fichaud style goalie stick, but I also had a version of his lighthouse themed goalie mask. In what was one of GM Don Maloney's smarter moves he traded the struggling and older Benoit Hogue for Eric Fichaud. Fichaud was being touted as the next Patrick Roy and was a highly regarded prospect. He had put up great numbers in juniors and seemed a sure thing. Unfortunately injuries kept Fichaud from ever returning to the form he once displayed in Juniors and even during his first AHL stint. Ironically, Fichaud played his last NHL game in 00-01 while Benoit Hogue played his last NHL game in 01-02.
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I know this isn’t what you were asking but I wonder if Benoit would have been able to rebound and continue his success for the Isles if he wasn’t traded. He was such a great fit as a second line offensive threat and PK .
He did have one or two good seasons, but the league changed, I don’t see him getting back to 60 point seasons.
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Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Hogue
In my eyes, Benoit just could never live up to how incredible he was on EA NHL 94.
Keeping with the video-game theme, I confess I had a thing for Fichaud, and when he made the team I “created” him in NHL 9_ (forget the year) with insane skills.
Lighthouse Hockey: "A f#$%ing haven of reason compared to practically every other Islanders site." --TMC
Benoit just could never live up to how incredible he was on EA NHL 94.
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 17, 2010 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions
He was my favorite Islander for those three or so seasons he played with us. I loved him on that second line with Ferraro. He was a great all around player in his brief stint with the Islanders. That was a ridiculously high scoring period in the NHL, thirty goals then just isn’t what it is now. If he was born ten years later I don’t think he would have ever scored more than 15 goals in a season.
back on topic
I always had high hope for Justin Mapletoft!! That didn’t work out so good…(sobs) I guess I have to add Bergy to this list now.
Ha, I guess I have to add Bergy now, too. What a long journey that was.
Lighthouse Hockey: "A f#$%ing haven of reason compared to practically every other Islanders site." --TMC
Eric Brewer
Don’t tell the guys in St Louis, but Eric never panned out like I thought. It’s hard to say a guy that has played nearly 700 NHL games was a flop, but I saw him being an anchor on our “D” for years. Just not a top pair guy.
Where we gonna spend our money?
we had a good chunk of defensive prospects who never reached that level we had hoped for. Except for Chara.
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Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
McCabe, too.
People can crack jokes about him all they want but the guy has had a long successful NHL career.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 17, 2010 1:09 AM EDT up reply actions
Berts a forward, but Im a fan- despite everything thats happened with him.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 17, 2010 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Bert
Bertuzzi’s one of those guys who I’m not sure if he ever would have “figured it out” or made quite that jump had he stayed. Might have needed the change of scenery (though I always held it against him that he seemed petulant and so “I’m not Clark Gillies” about everything).
Those are always fun what-ifs in this game: The player development angle. What if Markus Nasland had never gotten out of Pittsburgh? What if Bertuzzi had stayed? I think sometimes the change of scenery isn’t so much a wake-up call as it is a way to show a still-young human a new perspective on what’s possible.
Lighthouse Hockey: "A f#$%ing haven of reason compared to practically every other Islanders site." --TMC
.....and YET.....
…..most of us gladly reference Denis’ assertion that he wasn’t “the next Bobby Orr” as speaking to HIS character, so I’m a bit surprised to hear you saying that, Dom; seemed to me that Todd was just overwhelmed by the ridiculous expectations Islanders management had of him so early on in his development (yes, he had serious difficulties utilizing his considerable frame, but again, I’d like to hear more about that from HIM)…..Bertuzzi always struck me as something of a ‘gentle giant’ in his time on LI (I’ve often wondered who might’ve been best in helping reconcile it with his game) and I was truly stunned when what happened in Colorado with Moore, did…..
Could be, but...
seemed to me that Todd was just overwhelmed by the ridiculous expectations Islanders management had of him so early on in his development
Maybe, but from my memory, he said it in the context of basically not being interested in what Gillies had to say. To me Bertuzzi was immature and it showed, and struck me as entitled, which admittedly drives me up the wall.
It’s one thing to warn people you’re not the best defenseman of all time. But while you don’t need to be the next Gillies, if Gillies is in the org and offers to help the least you can do is listen. If you think he’s crazy, just bear with it and prove him wrong later.
Lighthouse Hockey: "A f#$%ing haven of reason compared to practically every other Islanders site." --TMC
You have two groups...
NHLers who never fully reached the potential we had for them which included: Tim Connolly, J.P. Dumont, Eric Brewer, Raffi Torres, Ryan O’Marra, Robert Nilsson, and Jason Strudwick to name a few.
And, prospects that never turned out for us, I remember some gretas (sorry if my spellings off I’m going from memory):
Sean Haggerty
Mattias Weinhandl
Brett Lindros
Kristian Kudroc
Dan LaCouture
Vladimír Országh
Andreas Johansson
This on Haggerty, who was one of my favorites by HF in 1997...
Former Toronto Mapeleaf prospect, Sean Haggerty, is this season’s Islander Sleeper Prospect. He had a tremendous training camp. He has played very impressively already for Kentucky (AHL). Haggerty’s game is centered around playing right around the goalie. Haggerty, is considered to be a pure goal scorer with the grit and determination to make it big in the NHL, with the New York Islanders. He was acquired in the infamous deal that sent Matthew Schneider, Wendell Clark, and D.J. Smith to Toronto for Kenny Jonsson, Darby Hendrickson, Sean Haggerty, and a first round pick in 1997 (Roberto Luongo).
But in the cases of Weinhandl and Lindros.....
…..we’ll never know what they might’ve really been capable of; if you’ll recall, Judge, Brett was touted to be even better than his brother, showing as much at times in ’95-96; as for Mattias, he had a very strong upside before the career-ending eye injury…..coupled with the same thing happening to Berard (though not as an Islander) drafting 2 extremely skilled puck-handling defensemen as they did and both being seriously maimed, is not a stat I like the team having…..
C, as for Caber, I still think his drinking was a big factor (along with BB) getting sent off the Island no matter what’s said to the contrary…..in the final analysis, both were too young, and Millbury far too impatient, for them to have stayed much longer than they did and in that VERY unstable climate. And where Bertuzzi’s concerned, I always thought highly of him – until the ‘incident’; seemed to have a lot of character and would really like to hear HIS side of it; dismayed at Clark Gilles’ derisive comments and I strongly suspect that Todd’s time on LI did a serious number on his psyche that turned him into a full-fledged, Murray and Burke-approved, goon…..
Brett was touted to be even better than his brother, showing as much at times in ’95-96
I don’t remember anyone saying that, aside from maybe a hopeful, Isles fan. But it was unfortunate that both careers were halted by injuries. I often wonder if we gave Weinhandl more time to adjust, he would have straightened himself out, he was like the 4th leading scorer in the KHL this year.
I don’t remember anyone saying that, aside from maybe a hopeful, Isles fan.
And Maloney, LOL. I fancied Brett a little simply because he seemed less self-involved and not as dumb as his brother.
Lighthouse Hockey: "A f#$%ing haven of reason compared to practically every other Islanders site." --TMC
"We got the better Lindros"
That was a Mad Mike gem.
Brett
Always had issues with his skating. His coach in the OHL, after Brett Retired, basically said he continually warned the Islanders not to rush him up because he still needed work.
Wheel of Location, Turn Turn Turn. Tell us the location that we will play.
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Isbister
Didn’t Isbister fall off a cartoon cliff just as soon as he was granted legend in the making status? I couldn’t even tell you the last team or year he played.
Claude LaPointe didn't make as good a pun, sadly.
by LaChance at Glory on Jul 17, 2010 11:13 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Oh forgot Brad...
at times I thought he was our second chance at Bertuzzi, glad for our sake he didn’t turn out that great (not for him though).
Who did we get for J.P.Dumont?
Oh…that’s right…the immortal Dimitri Nabokov! You could put Oleg Kvasha in this conversation as well. Two big, skilled, talented forwards with all the tools and no toolbox.
the worst part was that the writing was already on the wall that Nabokov was going to have a short career before Milbury traded him. That was definitely one of the first “wtf” deals.
Wheel of Location, Turn Turn Turn. Tell us the location that we will play.
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Interesting bit on origin of the name 'Lindros'......
…..it apparently means ‘The Rose of Linden’ in Swedish…..nothing on Eric or Brett being related to Trevor, but I wouldn’t be completely surprised to find out they are…..with the ‘os’ suffix being predominantly a Greek one, that was what I always thought they were…..
Maybe Jeff Tambellini. Didn’t work out well with him on the Islanders, but im confident that he will play well with Vancover
I think it’s almost there. His stats drop off so insanely between the OHL/AHL and the ECHL/AHL that I don’t think he has it.
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Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
FWIW at least OMarra got a new contract this season
http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=327659#YourCallTop
Thats more than can be said about plenty of other guys!
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 17, 2010 7:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Well I guess if your the Oilers, you have nothing to lose giving him one more chance to prove something.
Wheel of Location, Turn Turn Turn. Tell us the location that we will play.
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
And maybe also one more chance to try and justify the Ryan Smyth trade?
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 17, 2010 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions
According to the comments in the link, Plante, who the Oilers drafted with the 1st overall pick we sent is having a good career in the minors. So if he pans out, they got 2 decent players for renting out Ryan Smyth. Not all bad. But to me it’s not a situation in which I say “Dam, we got Smyth for 20 something games and lost all those players”
Wheel of Location, Turn Turn Turn. Tell us the location that we will play.
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
I think that would be depending on IF he works out AND if OMarra works out, then there would be two… after all, neither of them are NHL players yet.
As we know all too well, a player having a good career in the minors does not necessarily mean it will translate to the NHL (cough Tambellini cough)
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 17, 2010 10:00 PM EDT up reply actions
The Prospects of Yesteryear
2 more for the list,Justin Papineau(remember the 5 goal pre-season game he had in St,Louis)and a more obscure one in Luciano Aquino.Aquino was Wojtek Wolski’s linemate in Brampton and he put up some ridiculous numbers and scored some big overtime goals during the playoffs.He has played in Italy the last couple of seasons and is actually doing quite well.
heh, I actually remember Aquino, I was arguing with someone about how bad the 2005 draft was, and I pointed out that he’s playing in Italy and not about to become a star for the Isles.
Wheel of Location, Turn Turn Turn. Tell us the location that we will play.
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
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New Jersey
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|
Pittsburgh
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Philadelphia
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