kipwinger

Those rankings could change because we got worse, or because other bottom feeder teams got better.

I dunno man, I just think the team was equally as bad (or close to it) as it was a year ago with largely the same personnel. Lose a Nyquist, Vanek or De La Rose, add a Fabbri, Zadina, Filppula, and Perlini. Lose a Jensen, add a Nemeth. These are all basically marginal changes. Maybe that's the reason why Larkin's production is way down but that doesn't seem obvious to me because these aren't huge differences. That's all I'm saying.

Yeah, I presume both of these guys are just stop gaps for GR. Presumably they're both better than whomever would be called up from Toledo. But you're right, if Yzerman doesn't move out some NHL players then Ras and Veleno don't get called up and there is not a spot (or need) for Stormwall and Handemark.

Understood, but if all of that is responsible for depressing production then it should be having the same effect on Mantha, Bertuzzi, Fabbri, etc. but those guys are producing better than a year ago so I'm not sure why "this team sucks" is driving down Larkin's numbers but other guys are performing better. And just to be clear, I've already stated that I'm not sure whether Larkin is the 60 point guy he looks like this year, or the 75 point guy he looked like a year ago. So this isn't some attempt to bash Larkin. I think his ceiling is still very much up for debate.

https://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/hockey/a/MRk1jK/nara-att-komma-overens-med-klassiska-nhl-klubben Translates to "...close to signing with classic NHL club", meaning Detroit. Another depth move. I think Yzerman is planning to bring up everyone after the deadline, which means lots of trades/waivers coming up.

You criticized me saying: "Typical Kip avoids responding to an entire post...". The "big and strong" comment was in the post I was supposed to be responding to in it's entirety, according to your logic. If I don't actually need to respond to the entire post, as you're now indicating, then I'm confused about your "typical Kip..." post. So you're mad that I didn't respond to your entire post, even though a portion of that post was directed at CRL? Ok man.

AA, Vanek, Filppula don't matter because none of them played with Larkin anway. Matter of fact, Nyquist doesn't really either because while he DID play with Larkin, Dylan produced more after Nyquist was traded. Your point about Mantha is valid, but misleading since he'll end up with about the same amount of games if he doesn't miss anymore for the remainder of the season. I'd also argue that Bertuzzi is better than he was a year ago too. But my overall point is that Larkin is not playing with worse players this year compared to last, so his production dive can't be explained by his linemates.

Whoa, whoa, whoa...I don't need to respond to every insane thing this guy says. Particularly when he makes things up. For instance, I never said Rasmussen was better than Veleno because he's "big and strong' as KRsmith indicated in his post. So I feel no need to respond to that point. Who's saying it on twitter?

Larkin had the same lack of talent around him last year and he played well. Actually I think you could argue there's more forward talent on the team this year than last. Lack of top end talent around him may explain why his numbers aren't as good as other top centers on other teams, but it doesn't explain why his numbers have plummeted relative to his play last season.

Link to rumor source? Where are you hearing this?

You're not getting "attacked" so quit acting like a p*ssy. You're on a hockey discussion board, you made a statement based on pretty flimsy evidence, and you got called on it. Stop posting if you don't like people disagreeing with you, or better yet, grow up.

Nobody said that. I don't think anyone, including CRL, thinks that a 10 pick is "assured" or "guaranteed" to be better than anyone else. But that's true for the 1st overall as well. There are no guarantees. Busts happen. It's a probability based evaluation. If you looked at all the 10th overall picks, in all the various pro sports leagues over the years, and compared them to the 30th overall picks the group of higher drafted players will generally have performed better. Of course there are exceptions, but they're rare. Suggesting that draft rankings aren't an indication of talent because David Pastrnak turned out better than Nick Ritchie (for example) is dumb. Because why stop there? Pavel Datsyuk is better than Vincent Lecavalier, but anybody who thinks the 171st pick is even close to as likely to succeed as the 1st overall is delusional. The real question then becomes, is there reason to think Veleno and Rasmussen are the exceptions and not the rule? Anyone who says "yes" better have some pretty compelling evidence to think so. Instead, based on all the information available to this point you'd be dumb to bet on it because Rasmussen has consistently been the better player. And it's that difference in ability, track record, and upside, that made Rasmussen the 10th overall and Veleno the 30th overall.

I think the jury is still out on Larkin being a 1C. I don't think we know what player Dylan Larkin is. Is he the guy who scored 73 points last year against top competition and was a stud 200 ft. player? Or is he all that but likely to score around 60 pts.?

He should probably watch more Griffins games.

I'm so confused, why is Michael Rasmussen the 1C in GR if stats don't mean much and paying attention to the games is what matters? Like, is Ben Simon making Rasmussen the top center (instead of Veleno) because he also doesn't watch the games he's coaching? Fact is that Ras was considered a better player when he was drafted, made the NHL earlier, has more NHL points, has more AHL points per game, AND has the top center role in GR.

Sure, if you want to consider "...or bust" an accurate prediction. Saying Dan Renouf is either going to be an NHL player, or not one, isn't a win. You could literally do that with any player ever. Anthony Mantha? He'll either be a top six winger, or a bust. Can't be wrong with that bold prediction.

Maybe I just need to watch more AHL hockey to bring my talent evaluation skills into laser focus like yours. Only a true AHL guru can see that a guy who's been bounced around to 3 teams in 3 years, with totally inconsistent (and now non-existant) production is a "proven solid middle six winger".

Funny how you don't apply that same rationale to Perlini. Or Comrie. Can we add them to your laundry list of big prospect insights?

I did think Frk would be a 3rd liner. I was wrong. At least I'm not claiming I was "right" because I picked him to BOTH be an NHLer and also NOT be one. Again, you're a joke. Lemme put this in terms you'll understand. You either don't know s*** about prospects (despite all the minor league hockey you claim to watch) or you're Jiri Fischer. Also, are you seriously claiming Bertuzzi is a 2nd/3rd line tweener now just to bolster your already terrible projections? You're delusional. He leads our team in points, he's an all star, and he played 95% of the season on the top line. He was only moved off the top line in order to get another line going. It's dumb Sh*t like this that ruins your already flimsy credibility.

Not if that person is a dumbf*ck. Hahahahaa, you're pathetic. AA is closer to Larkin than Bertuzzi is to a 4th liner, or Svech is to a second liner, or Coreau is to an NHL goalie. And the ones you were "right about" were the product of you hedging your projections on two extremes. Frk is either a 3rd liner or a bust Huh? Wow, way to go out on a limb. So he will either be as good as someone like Jakub vrana or Carl Hagelin or else not even be in the league? That's a hot take bro.

I'm just gonna leave this here for context. Apparently watching tons of Griffins games doesn't help all that much.

My crystal ball says you have a "it's MY opinion" followed by a "I'm done with this" in your future.

Again, his production will determine his value. A couple of years ago Phil Kessel won a Cup as a 3rd line winger. Who cares what line he's on so long as he's providing value? And having a lethal powerplay because you've got a top flight net front guy is pretty valuable to me.

Depends. Generally I'd agree with you. But if Ras turns into a shutdown 3rd line center who scores 20 goals a season because he's awesome on the powerplay then I'll be thrilled.

Not just dominant, but dominant while playing the hardest forward position on the ice, all while rehabbing a very serious back injury. Michael Rasmussen is a f*cking beast. In a couple years time Ras will be a monster 3rd line center and Joe Veleno will be playing on the wing.