8 replies to this topic

[zata20]

Just from looking at his stats from this year he looks like he could be a promising defenseman for the Wings in the future. He has a big frame at 6'3 208lbs but redwingscentral says that he could be a little more physical. Here is Jim Nill's take on him; "He has good size, he skates well, he moves the puck well, and we liked his overall game. We think he's a 4-to-6 guy and we'll see, maybe he'll surprise us. We think he has a chance to play." Has anyone seen him play in Grand Rapids, Barrie, or Kingston? His brother, Matt, has seemed to have found early success in the NHL maybe Brian will do the same.

Stats:
Regular Season
League GP G A PTS PM
2008-09 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 6 1 4 5 0
2008-09 Barrie Colts OHL 25 1 12 13 19
2008-09 Kingston Frontenacs OHL 35 6 13 19 32

Playoffs
2008-09 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 8 1 4 5 2

[GROwl]

I only saw Lashoff in one game - the final regular season home game since the Griffins were on the road for the last 3 weeks of the season except for the one game. He sustained a concussion last Saturday in Manitoba so was out for the two playoff games in GR this week.

He looked very good from what I did see of him. Especially for a 18 year old kid that joined the Griffins right at the end of the season. Lashoff adapted quickly and well to the AHL play and was a solid contributor. The team was very impressed with him this last month. Based on his age, I think he has to go back to his junior team for another year; but I would have loved to see him in GR again in the Fall.

[titanium2]

From their first prospects tournament game 9/11 in which the Wings won 6 to 1.

http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/a2y/comments/red_wings_prospect_tournament_win_lopsided_in_more_ways_than_one/

Lashoff, an ultra-reliable, ultra-dependable Brad Stuart-style defenseman who has only two short stints with the Grand Rapids Griffins to his name, worked his tail off and went pointless, finishing at +1, too, but Lashoff was the rock that held the PK together, he was superb on the power play, and he looked like a player who could control the game when the puck was on his stick, ever-so-reliably clearing it out of his zone or bailing a teammate (defenseman or forward) out of trouble. Lashoff told me after the game that he was asked very specifically to take on a leadership role and show the youngsters how to approach the game, but the man-mountain at 6’3” and at least 210 pounds got really, really quiet when he told me what an honor it was to be named the acting captain.

[titanium2]

http://www.redwingscentral.com/prospects/lashoff.php

SCOUT COMMENTS
"He has good size, he skates well, he moves the puck well, and we liked his overall game. We think he's a 4-to-6 guy and we'll see, maybe he'll surprise us. We think he has a chance to play." — Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill (October 2008) ... ... "To me, he's just going upward. He's skating well, he's moving the puck, making smart decisions. He's physical, he plays the body, he defends the net well and he finishes checks with authority. It was a great signing. We're ecstatic with how he's developed and played." — Red Wings scout Mark Leach (January 2009).

STRENGTHS
Has all the tools to be a complete defenseman ... Good mobility for his size ... Hard shot ... Good puck-moving ability and decision-making skills ... Hard-working and dedicated ... Good bloodlines, as brother Matt was a first-round pick of the Boston Bruins ... Above-average size ... Filled in capably at forward on the left wing during an AHL stint in 2008-09 ... Good leader.

WEAKNESSES
Pieces are coming together, but still a raw project ... Needs to put continued work into his skating ... Could develop into a shut-down defender with better positioning and consistency.

PROJECTION
The Red Wings may have pulled off a coup by signing Lashoff off the free-agent scrap heap following the 2008 draft. He's been rock-solid at the junior level and turned a lot of heads during two late-season AHL stints with Grand Rapids, and he'll take his game to the pro level on a full-time basis in 2010-11. He has all the tools to develop into a solid NHL blueliner similar to Kyle Quincey.

[titanium2]

25 Brian Lashoff: Big. Mobile. Dependable. Humble. Hard-working. Brian Lashoff ended up playing a very offensively-minded role as the team’s unofficial captain (no one wears the “C” in Detroit except the Red Wings’ captain, but Lashoff’s “A” was a de-facto “C") and he looked very good doing so. Lashoff’s coming out of the OHL but he’s played in two stints for Grand Rapids, and he both looks, acts, and plays like a man. In a tournament full of extra passes and too-fancy plays, he kept things simple and was very effective doing so. He can knock the heck out of his opponents, too. The scary part about Lashoff is that he’s all of 20 years old and a very tall 6’3” and at least 205-210 pounds, and is equally over-mentally ripe in his maturity and approach to working hard on a shift-by-shift basis while expecting as much of his peers. Lashoff admitted that he got a little vocal in the room at times, and I can sure as hell tell you that he also led by a consistent, hard-working and steady example.

http://www.kuklaskor..._for_main_camp/

[titanium2]

http://redwingscentr.../16_Roundup.php

Lashoff 'solid as a rock'
By Sarah Lindenau – RedWingsCentral.com / September 16, 2010

Brian Lashoff has earned rave reviews in his brief American Hockey League auditions. Now he's poised to assume full-time duty.

The 6-foot-3, 204-pound defenseman wrapped up his Ontario Hockey League career with the Kingston Frontenacs last March, tallying six goals and 27 points in 58 games.

Because of Kingston's early exits the past two seasons, Lashoff has ended up playing 20 AHL games, collecting two goals and 10 assists, basically matching his production rate in junior.

"I think I have grown accustomed to the pace of the play in the AHL going there the last two years," Lashoff said. "The guys in the league are bigger and stronger and the game is a little quicker. It is something I think I am prepared for but at the same time, I think it will be an adjustment."

The Albany, N.Y., native quietly had a solid junior career, highlighted by a gold-medal win with the United States at the IIHF world junior championship in January.

He has enjoyed a rapid rise up the Red Wings' prospect ranking since being passed over in the 2008 draft and signing as a free agent with the Red Wings a few months later.

"Not being drafted is motivation that will last me my whole career," he said. "It was a blessing in disguise because I got to sign with Detroit and be part of this organization."

Lashoff was a leader on the Red Wings' blue line at the NHL prospects tournament in Traverse City this week, helping them finish second following Wednesday's 3-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild in the gold-medal game. His no-nonsense approach was an important part of the Red Wings' best-ever finish.

"He's real steady and solid as a rock back there," said Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill. "The other night when Brendan Smith was injured, he had to log a lot of ice time and I thought his game stepped up. He was really good the entire tournament."

The 20-year-old hopes to model his game after Red Wings defenseman Brad Stuart and will get an up-close-and-personal look at the big rearguard when the NHLers report for training camp on Saturday.

"I am going to go in and try to not look out of place," Lashoff said. "I just want to be a Brad Stuart type — moving the puck quick, physical in my own end and contribute offensively where I can. Hopefully I can get a couple of exhibition games in and show them what I can do. I want to show them I can play with the big boys as soon as possible."

[titanium2]

48 seconds in Lashoff with a nice hit.

Newfy might need to change his pants after watching it.

[Aussie_Wing]

Sweet, sweet hit!!

[Majsheppard]

Looking really good still in the propects camp.

I will let George Malik say it for me...

Brian Lashoff: Aside from the fact that I really think that he’s a cool dude, Lashoff is a really cool dude. As I said a few days ago, he’s kind of like a Brad Stuart or Bob Rouse—the Swiss Army Knife defenseman who’s just edgy enough, just skilled enough with the puck, has just enough in the playmaking and passing and shooting departments, skates just well enough and sees the ice just well enough that he’s a rock-solid #3/4 defenseman who can do anything except extend himself beyond his skill set. He, Brendan Smith, Mitchell Callahan and Thomas McCollum might as well have letters on their jerseys because they’re the leaders, and of all of them, Lashoff’s the quiet guy who doesn’t say much but goes out and does everything right.

I would be very happy with another Brad Stuart.