All Purpose Grand Rapids Griffins Thread

[number9 3,297]

You gave 6 actually, and even with Sheahan and Glendening as locks for two spots, it is an enormous leap of faith to think any of our prospects can fill the two top 6 C spots. Sheahan is maybe close to be a 2/3 tweener, but doesn't look like he'll go any higher. AA and Nosek both had mediocre first years, slightly better than Helm and Emmerton, slightly worse than Abby. Hardly very promising. Holmstrom wasn't anything special, good playoff run aside, and has yet to play in NA.

Dekeyser is already closer to being a top pair D than any of our centers are to being top 6. Smith is at least 3rd pair. XO and Marchenko both spent time in the NHL, and looked decent. Both look more like good NHL players than AA, Nosek, or Holmstrom have shown. Sproul and Jensen have more questions, but I wouldn't say they're any worse than our centers.

All we really have at center is Larkin being way over-hyped. Just like we had people wanting to buy out Franzen to give Mantha a spot on the Wings before this year. He had a good year, bot not amazing or anything. It's a huge gamble to assume he's the answer to our future center needs.

Not trying to say we have everything we'll ever need on defense. We have needs at both positions, but we have good depth at both as well. Looks like there will be a better selection of defensemen available at 19, but if there's a good center available it would be just as good a pick.

Biggest organizational need is probably goalie, though since the immediate future seems set I wouldn't want to see one in the 1st round. 3rd or 4th for that is fine.

So did Jarnkrok and Janmark. Take out our top 4 prospects at any position and it would look bad.

At forward: Mantha, Larkin, AA, Bertuzzi, Holmstrom, Callahan, Ferraro, Frk, Tvrdon, Pulkinnen, Nastasiuk, Nosek, Turgeon.... and there's a few more we drafted last year who could emerge yet. I'm much more content at forward than I am with the D. 12 forwards who performed well is a whole lineup.

Did I say Frk performed well? Oops, I'm hoping he turns it around.

Edited May 15, 2015 by number9

[krsmith17 7,191]

Buppy, I listed 7. Recount. I added Turgeon to the list before you responded. I could have added a few others as well but I think those are the ones that have a legit shot in becoming Wings sometime in the future. Let's just agree to disagree because I think center is one of our strongest positions in the future. I'm not saying don't draft any, I just think our main weakness is on the back end. Therefore we should concentrate on defense, particularly in the first round (or first couple rounds if we trade back).

I believe that both Larkin and Athanasiou will be better than Sheahan and like you said, Sheahan is already a number 2/3 center. Having Glendening as our number 4, we have a sh*t ton of guys that can potentially fill those top two slots (Larkin, Athanasiou, this years 3rd, who knows...).

We desperately need help on defense. Pick Meloche or Roy in the first and I'd be happy.

[DatsyukianDekes 2,428]

BERTUZZI!!!

[HockeytownRules19 902]

Little Bert Wins it just 13 seconds into OT!

[marcaractac 3,963]

Thank you little bert

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

BERTUZZI!!!

How much time is left?

And that damn kid is gonna be good too

[number9 3,297]

I absolutely love that I'm going to be screaming TUZZZZZZIIIIIIIIII for many more years to come.

[DatsyukianDekes 2,428]

How much time is left?

And that damn kid is gonna be good too

It's over. It was overtime.

Griffs lead series 3-1

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

It's over. It was overtime.

Griffs lead series 3-1

Beautiful.

[krsmith17 7,191]

What a beauty this kid is. Love it.

[Echolalia 2,961]

Bert scored both goals?

Whenever highlights pop up, could someone kindly post here?

[HockeytownRules19 902]

Game 5 is Sunday in Rockford at 5 PM

[MrazekFanBoy 223]

Did this guy seriously say we need to draft a goalie..... Must not watch the wings at all lol.

[HockeytownRules19 902]

https://twitter.com/TheAHL/status/599045267338305538

The Game Winning Goal

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Bert scored both goals?

Whenever highlights pop up, could someone kindly post here?

Follow GR on Youtube, they post game highlights after every game!

Super excited about Bert, have been since we drafted him. Gets better and better every year, can't wait to hear "BERTUZZI" chants at the Joe again in a couple years.

[MrazekFanBoy 223]

Can someone post his goals, also does anyone remember that Memorial cup video where Bertuzzi and Manthas teams faced off lol weird that they are on the same team now.

[krsmith17 7,191]

Both were dirty goals. First was a tip-in. OT goal was a rebound. That's what I love most about this kid. He goes to the dirty areas and gets rewarded. Don't be fooled though, kids got some pretty decent wheels, hands and shot as well. Very excited to see Little Bert in the Winged Wheel in a few years.

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

Bertuzzi comes through again this kids gonna be a great addition and more importantly looks like someone who will rise to the occasion and a playoff performer

[MrazekFanBoy 223]

Just saw the winner, that's what the wings need right there, crash the net!

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Good job Griffies.

[rick zombo 3,739]

All hail lil Bert!!!!! Best prospect since Matha was the best prospect until everyone turned on him. Welcome to LGWs. Where an appropriate sample size for a player is two weeks. Give or take.

[Buppy 1,720]

We don't need any goalies to be drafted this year

Got mrazek ... McCollum who I had completely written off has rebounded this year and I can see him as a backup in 2 yrs and jake patterson will start his ahl career most likely next season

After Mrazek we don't have anyone who looks to be better than a longshot to make the NHL. McCollum may not be back. We may have to make a choice between Howard and Mrazek after next year. Again, it's not necessarily an immediate concern such that we need one in the 1st round, but it does need to be addressed.

At forward: Mantha, Larkin, AA, Bertuzzi, Holmstrom, Callahan, Ferraro, Frk, Tvrdon, Pulkinnen, Nastasiuk, Nosek, Turgeon.... and there's a few more we drafted last year who could emerge yet. I'm much more content at forward than I am with the D. 12 forwards who performed well is a whole lineup.

Did I say Frk performed well? Oops, I'm hoping he turns it around.

Most of those guys aren't centers and half of them don't even look like they'll be NHLers.

Buppy, I listed 7. Recount. I added Turgeon to the list before you responded. I could have added a few others as well but I think those are the ones that have a legit shot in becoming Wings sometime in the future. Let's just agree to disagree because I think center is one of our strongest positions in the future. I'm not saying don't draft any, I just think our main weakness is on the back end. Therefore we should concentrate on defense, particularly in the first round (or first couple rounds if we trade back).

I believe that both Larkin and Athanasiou will be better than Sheahan and like you said, Sheahan is already a number 2/3 center. Having Glendening as our number 4, we have a sh*t ton of guys that can potentially fill those top two slots (Larkin, Athanasiou, this years 3rd, who knows...).

We desperately need help on defense. Pick Meloche or Roy in the first and I'd be happy.

Yeah, I see now. Turgeon is kind of a stretch but whatever. I think you're letting the current Wings roster color your opinion of our prospects. Bet if Datsyuk and Zetterberg were already gone you'd be a lot less confident in our center depth.

Regardless, we're not likely to find a top d-man or top center picking 19th. What were likely to get is more of what we already have. Good promise but a long way to go.

[amato 3,210]

Bert just continues to grow so fast in such a short amount of time.. it'll be interesting to see what he can do with a full season in the ahl. Hell, here's to hoping he shines enough that he gets called up for a couple games. I might be pushing it a little but at this rate, ya never know.

[number9 3,297]

After Mrazek we don't have anyone who looks to be better than a longshot to make the NHL. McCollum may not be back. We may have to make a choice between Howard and Mrazek after next year. Again, it's not necessarily an immediate concern such that we need one in the 1st round, but it does need to be addressed.

Most of those guys aren't centers and half of them don't even look like they'll be NHLers.

Yeah, I see now. Turgeon is kind of a stretch but whatever. I think you're letting the current Wings roster color your opinion of our prospects. Bet if Datsyuk and Zetterberg were already gone you'd be a lot less confident in our center depth.

Regardless, we're not likely to find a top d-man or top center picking 19th. What were likely to get is more of what we already have. Good promise but a long way to go.

6 player center, Larkin and AA projected as top 6 Edited May 15, 2015 by number9

[DatsyukianDekes 2,428]

Bert scored both goals?

Whenever highlights pop up, could someone kindly post here?

Edited May 15, 2015 by darkmanx