Category Archives: Jesse Gabrielle

2016-17 CHL season, 2016-17 NCAA season, 2016-17 USHL season, Anders Bjork, Boston Bruins prospects, Charles McAvoy, Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, Jakub Zboril, Jeremy Lauzon, Jesse Gabrielle, Ryan Donato, Ryan Lindgren, Trent Frederic, Zachary Senyshyn , , , , , , , , , , 6 Comments

Bruins prospects update 1/30/17: Re-ordering the amateur prospect rankings

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We’re one month into the recent publication of the New England Hockey Journal’s annual Boston Bruins prospects ranking- we always do it in January, so we have about half a season to gauge how the kids look before ranking them.

Well, what can we say? There’s already some buyer’s remorse and after conversations with several people we trust and value as professional talent evaluators, we thought we’d take another stab at the B’s top-10 with a fresher perspective. Consider it an alternate take- a sort of Bizarro World version of the published list, with the impact of other ideas and rationales applied to some of the players who rose and fell.

Ultimately, the exercise reminds us all that opinions are varied. No matter how well you might rank order players, you’re never going to achieve 100 percent consensus, and that should not be the goal. You call it like you see it and you either stick to your guns and stand by your convictions or you don’t. At the same time, it is important in a fluid situation such a hockey season, to maintain room to allow your views to evolve.

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2016-17 CHL season, 2016-17 NCAA season, 2017 World Jr. Championship, Anders Bjork, Boston Bruins prospects, Charles McAvoy, Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, Jakub Zboril, Jeremy Lauzon, Jesse Gabrielle, Podcasts, Ryan Donato, Ryan Fitzgerald, Ryan Lindgren, Trent Frederic, Zachary Senyshyn , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Podcasting New England Hockey Journal’s Bruins annual prospects review: Amateur list

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McAvoy1

TSP did this last year, so bringing it back for the 2017 version of the New England Hockey Journal’s Boston Bruins organizational prospect rankings.

You can read the full article at http://www.hockeyjournal.com; a top-20 is broken into a pair of pro and amateur lists. This podcast covers the non-pro futures, plus the HM 11th player who didn’t get an in-print capsule, but is a very good prospect for the B’s down the road.

Want to know who we’re talking about to the tune of about a 45-minute breakdown? Just click on the audio file to listen…

Frederic1

Trent Frederic was Boston’s 2nd choice, 29th overall, in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft

 

2016-17 NHL Season, Boston Bruins, Jesse Gabrielle, Podcasts, Uncategorized , , , , , , , 1 Comment

3 Amigos Podcast with special guest Jesse Gabrielle + B’s prospects and the legend of Moe Lemay

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3-amigos-gif

The boys are back with another 3 Amigos podcast- Reed Duthie, Dominic Tiano and me bring you our sixth episode since we started doing these before the 2016 NHL Entry Draft last June.

This time, Bruins prospect Jesse Gabrielle joins us fresh off of signing his entry-level contract with Boston over the weekend. The Prince George Cougars winger scored 40 goals a year ago and is on pace for more with a surging team that already has 24 wins on the season.

We also talk Bruins prospects and the upcoming World Junior Tournament. Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon made the final roster for Team Canada, announced last night, while Zachary Senyshyn was the last forward cut. That disappointment will probably provide some extra motivation for Senyshyn, but we can’t help but question Canada’s decision here. His speed and scoring prowess seems like a no-brainer, but they have their reasons. If at the end of the tourney, Canada is not skating around with gold medals around their necks, the decision not to include the player with the second most goals scored in the OHL since the 2015 draft will likely be revisited.

We also have a discussion about the Bruins’ poor home record over the past several seasons, which goes in several different directions before revisiting Boston’s memorable 1988 playoff series win over the Montreal Canadiens and cult hero (former Ottawa 67’s star) Maurice “Moe” Lemay.

It’s a jam-packed 1.5 hours, so we hope you’ll stay with it. We eschew the normal 3 Amigos theme to go all Christmas on you, as well. The Waitresses classic “Christmas Wrapping” is a great way to close it out.

Thanks for listening!

 

 

2016-17 CHL season, Anders Bjork, Boston Bruins prospects, Jesse Gabrielle , Leave a comment

Bruins sign Jesse Gabrielle to ELC

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The Boston Bruins announced today (December 11) that the team has signed 2015 fourth-round pick Jesse Gabrielle to a three-year entry-level contract.

This comes as welcome news for some who were already starting to beat the drum on Twitter and other places that the team needed to get off the pot and make it happen. Now, of course, that Gabrielle is in the fold- the focus has no doubt shifted to signing Anders Bjork, the sensational University of Notre Dame junior right wing and 2014 fifth-rounder who has captured the imaginations of B’s fans everywhere by being up near the top of the NCAA scoring list all year. That’s the nature of the beast, we suppose- once you get a player like Gabrielle under contract, the feeling is to move onto the next shiny object…in this case- Bjork.

As far as Bjork goes, he can’t sign an NHL contract and maintain his NCAA eligibility, so the earliest movement we can see on him will be after the Fighting Irish season ends. We’re being told that the Bruins are going to push hard to bring him out of school this spring and they may have to get creative to do it, but we don’t see it being a Jimmy Vesey situation, because Bjork is still more than 1.5 years away from being able to exercise his rights in the CBA as an unrestricted free agent. That doesn’t mean he hasn’t thought about it, or won’t take the same course of action, but the B’s will get a chance to make a hard pitch to him this spring. If he rebuffs them, they may have to recalibrate and eventually prepare for him pursuing free agency, but for now, this won’t be resolved anytime soon, so relax and enjoy the season he’s having. He potted two more goals last night against Boston College including a filthy shorthanded strike. Bjork lacks ideal NHL size, but he’s fast, smart and tenacious- it’s not hard to figure out why he’s generating so much buzz.

Speaking of fast and tenacious- we had an inkling that something was up with Gabrielle this week because he was scheduled to do a 3 Amigos podcast with us on Thursday afternoon, but we got a message from him early that morning that something “really good” had come up and he needed to reschedule until resolved. The initial thought was that he might be getting a shot at Team Canada for the World Jr. tournament, but the other belief that the three of us kicked around was that he was working on a contract. Well done, Jesse and congratulations- he patiently waited for his turn after the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 7th choices from 2015 signed (the 5th choice- Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson– will be next, as we anticipate him coming out this spring when his BU season ends) ELCs with the B’s, and he can now focus on playing the season without the distraction of a looming June 1 signing deadline.

Gabrielle is tailor-made for what the Bruins want in their forwards: he’s got good (not great) size, but has worked hard in the offseasons to add strength and mass to his frame, and it hasn’t cost him any of his speed. He’s still able to fly up and down the wings and slash into the middle of the ice and unleashing lasers to corners or driving the net and banging home rebounds. Gabrielle relishes physical contact and thrives in the dirtiest areas of the ice. People keep asking about Brad Marchand comparisons…we’ll try it one more time here…

Marchand is the player Gabrielle (a Bruins fan) enjoys watching the most for his goal scoring acumen and moxie/abrasiveness. But, we don’t see a lot of Marchand in Gabrielle- to TSP, he’s more of an Andrew Shaw type without (hopefully) the un-PC, self-defeating bullshit that Shaw has engaged in at times. This is a prime example of why we don’t like making player comparisons to begin with, though. Comparing Gabrielle to Marchand sets the bar high right off the bat, and Shaw is a proven playoff performer who plays with a lot of jam and is an opportunistic scorer also known for meltdowns and selfish penalties. Gabrielle is probably somewhere in the middle between the two, but he’s his own player and one who has potted more goals in the WHL over the past two seasons (59 and counting) with the exception of Tyler Wong (63). At some point, you have to let these players just be themselves without having to picture what they could be in your mind. We’re talking about a guy who scores, hits and fights- you don’t need a name attached to those attributes to get an idea about where Gabrielle might fit in Boston one day.

Gabrielle has done a better job this season of picking his spots and not spending as much time in the penalty box. His overall game is coming along, but the goal scoring continues to move at a nice clip, and the B’s love the edge/skill combo he brings. This is a kid who was deadlifting 450 pounds when he was about 15 years old, so he’s got the natural strength to thrive in just about any role on an NHL club, especially if it means working his way up from a bottom-unit grinder to eventually establish himself as more of a scorer…just like his hockey idol Brad Marchand once did.

Bottom line- Gabrielle has been one of the top prospects for Boston performance-wise since they drafted him in the fourth round some 18 months ago, and it’s nice to see the team get the deal done if nothing else so that we are spared the drama of hand-wringing and the demands of fans to sign him on their convenient timelines while conveniently overlooking the fact that the B’s have managed to do a pretty good job of getting their prospects to sign on the line that is dotted. (There is some Glengarry Glen Ross for you on a Sunday)

 

2016-17 AHL season, 2016-17 CHL season, 2016-17 Europe Pro season, 2016-17 NCAA season, 2016-17 USHL season, Anders Bjork, Boston Bruins prospects, Jesse Gabrielle, Joona Koppanen, Pop Culture, Providence Bruins, Ryan Donato, Ryan Lindgren, Zachary Senyshyn , , , Leave a comment

Bruins Prospect Update 12/05/16: Goal eruption

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B’s prospects had quite the weekend in the goal scoring department as the calendar entered our final month of 2016.

Friday night was for hat tricks as Zach Senyshyn (4 goals), Jesse Gabrielle (3 goals) and Joona Koppanen (3 goals) all brought the head covers raining down.

Harvard’s Ryan Donato also had multiple goals, while another Ryan- Minnesota freshman defenseman Ryan Lindgren, tallied his first career NCAA goal, finishing off a 2-on-1 with Rem Pitlick in a loss to Ohio State Saturday night.

Additionally, Anders Bjork and Danton Heinen had a two-goal games for Notre Dame and the Providence Bruins (respectively) Friday night, and Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson added a goal in BU’s win over Providence College that same evening.

Senyshyn’s Texas hat trick (if “everything” is bigger in the Lone Star State and 4 > 3, ergo- a four-goal game is Texas-sized) came against the Barrie Colts one year to the day that he performed the same feat- December 2, 2015 against the Sudbury Wolves. In this one, Senyshyn accounted for all of the Soo Greyhounds’ goals, tallying in overtime on a nice spin-around to protect the puck, shake the defender and drive right to the net for his 13th marker of the season in 22 games. He’s ba-a-a-a-ck!

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Going on a bit of a rant, here- so bear with us.

It can be grating that whenever we post a positive update on either one of Anders Bjork or Jesse Gabrielle on Twitter, people seem to constantly respond with concerns about their signing status. Here’s the TSP take: we fail to see what the big que pasa is right now. Yes, we’re going to use that analogy again- FAST FOOD mentality- to describe fans who can’t ever seem to be happy with what is going on and want to overly dissect and analyze everything down to the gnat’s ass, including wanting every contract move and decision resolved in the immediate. Look, we get it- if we weren’t stressing over what the Bruins might or might not do with their sizable stable of futures on Twitter or elsewhere, whatever would we do with ourselves? At some point, you just have to enjoy what is happening and let the pieces fall when the time comes.

Bjork is well on his way to his best season in college? No, we’re afraid he’s going to “pull a Vesey” even though he’s still some 20 months away from August 15, 2018- the absolute earliest date that he could walk away from the Bruins and become a free agent. Gabrielle on another 40+ goal pace for the second consecutive season in the WHL? Dammit, Bruins- why haven’t you signed him already??? Never mind the fact that the B’s drafted six major junior players in 2015 and have successfully signed the first five…Jakub Zboril, Jake DeBrusk, Zach Senyshyn, Brandon Carlo and Jeremy Lauzon. Gabrielle is next, and they have until June 1 to make him a “bona fide” offer to retain his rights. It’s going to get done, folks- he grew up cheering for the Bruins and they’re the team that put their faith in him when everyone else passed until the mid fourth round. If it doesn’t happen and the B’s lose one or the other somehow, then we’ll be totally wrong and you can remind us of this post all you want. It wouldn’t be the first time.

Look- there’s no guarantee that the Bruins will sign both of Bjork and Gabrielle, but there are no indications that it won’t happen either. They’ve got 27 goals between them with room for a lot more, so for now, our advice is to enjoy the fireworks and don’t sweat the small stuff. Rookie salary caps and the like have put an end to the days when Hall of Fame-caliber junior players like Kyle Wanvig could just refuse a team’s offer and fax machine jams could result in them going back into the draft. Yes, the CBA allows for players like Jimmy Vesey and Matt Benning to name a few to become free agents and sign elsewhere, but those experiences are making teams like Boston wise to playing the longer game so that they don’t lose the assets. Again- there is no reason to assume that Bjork is in the same place Vesey was in terms of how he approaches his pro hockey future, so until he actually turns down an offer from the B’s, we should just let it play out for now. There is such a thing as paralysis by analysis, after all.

Or, to coin a popular phrase from the 1980’s, “Frankie says…relax.”

 

Amateur Prospects as of 12/05/16

Name/Team League GP G A PTS PIM
Jesse Gabrielle, Prince George WHL 23 16 11 27 32
Anders Bjork, Notre Dame HE-NCAA 16 11 15 26 8
Zach Senyshyn, SSM OHL 22 13 8 21 15
Jakub Zboril, Saint John QMJHL 17 6 10 16 10
Ryan Fitzgerald, BC HE-NCAA 16 5 11 16 22
Ryan Donato, Harvard

 

 ECAC- NCAA 11 7 7 14 8
Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, BU HE- NCAA 14 3 10 13 14
Cameron Hughes, Wisconsin

 

 Big10- NCAA 14 2 10 12 6
Charlie McAvoy, BU HE-NCAA 14 1 11 12 14
Jeremy Lauzon, Rouyn-Noranda

 

 QMJHL 12 2 9 11 6
Trent Frederic, Wisconsin* Big10- NCAA 8 4 6 10 8
Jack Becker, Sioux Falls**

 

 USHL 17 2 3 5 28
Cameron Clarke, Ferris St.

 

 WCHA- NCAA 16 0 4 4 16
Wiley Sherman, Harvard

 

 ECAC-NCAA 11 0 4 4 8
Ryan Lindgren, Minnesota

 

 Big10- NCAA 14 1 2 3 47

* Injured

Pro and European Prospects

Name/Team League GP G A PTS PIM
Joona Koppanen, Ilves Jr. U20- Finland 20 12 17 29 2
Peter Cehlarik, Providence

 

 AHL 16 8 5 13 6
Danton Heinen, Providence AHL 12 7 5 12 0

 
Matt Grzelcyk, Providence

 

 AHL 22 1 10 11 6
Anton Blidh, Providence#

 

 AHL 19 5 4 9 22
Colby Cave, Providence

 

 AHL 22 3 6 9 11
Jake DeBrusk, Providence AHL 22 3 6 9 11

 
Colton Hargrove, Providence

 

 AHL 19 3 5 8 22
Emil Johansson, Djurgarden IF

 

 Sweden- Elite 18 3 4 7 6
Austin Czarnik, Providence#

 

 AHL 2 1 2 3 0
Sean Kuraly, Providence

 

 AHL 13 1 2 3 11
Rob O’Gara, Providence

 

 AHL 17 0 2 2 2
Chris Casto, Providence

 

 AHL 19 0 2 2 20
Oskar Steen, Farjestad

 

 Sweden- Elite 19 1 1 2 2
Linus Arnesson, Providence

 

 AHL 18 0 1 1 4
Brian Ferlin, Providence

 

 AHL 1 0 0 0 0
Justin Hickman, Providence

 

 AHL 7 0 0 0 7
Zane McIntyre, Providence

 

 AHL 5 3 0 0.93 .965
Dan Vladar, Providence

 

 AHL 6 3 0 (3) 2.84 .914
Malcolm Subban, Providence

 

 AHL 11 1 6 (5) 3.12 .897

# Czarnik, Blidh recalled to Boston

Tyler Randell, Tommy Cross, Alex Grant > age 25- not listed

2016-17 AHL season, 2016-17 CHL season, 2016-17 Europe Pro season, 2016-17 NCAA season, 2016-17 USHL season, Boston Bruins prospects, Jakub Zboril, Jesse Gabrielle , Leave a comment

Bruins prospect report 11/15: Zboril, Gabrielle ascending

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Two selections from Boston’s deep and promising draft class of 2015 are making positive waves in their respective junior leagues this season.

Defenseman Jakub Zboril, who was Boston’s top pick at 13th overall (acquired from Los Angeles as part of the Milan Lucic trade), is answering some of the questions about him coming into the season after being focused more on defense last season and posting a mediocre 6-14-20 stats line in 50 games with Saint John a year ago, he already has 5 goals in just 14 contests, and has not slowed much since the return of fellow blue liner Thomas Chabot to the QMJHL after breaking camp with the Ottawa Senators and beginning the season there for a few games.

If you have been a regular to this blog, then you know that TSP has never questioned Zboril’s skill and talent levels. When breaking down the top tier of the 2015 defensemen, the Czech two-way rearguard belonged in the discussion going off of pure ability- he wasn’t that far off from any of Noah Hanifin, Ivan Provorov and Zach Werenski, all top-10 selections and all three of whom are in the NHL this year and making an impact on their respective clubs. What caused Zboril to fall into the second tier and below the cut line of the top defenders available in that strong draft crop was his waning compete levels and inconsistent application of his abilities. In short- when Zboril is working hard and on his game, he’s an ideal fit for the modern NHL: he’s fast, hard-hitting and can make a top first pass, not to mention having a blistering point shot when he has the time and space to cock the cannon and unload. Unfortunately, Zboril isn’t always on his game, and that is what has led to some of the doubts about his long-term viability.

For now, he’s certainly getting the job done for Danny Flynn and the Sea Dogs, and that is good to see. Flynn is a good coach- he helped mentor Brad Marchand when he was an assistant under Ted Nolan with the 2006 Moncton Wildcats, so he knows how to get good mileage out of players who might not always be on the same page when it comes to applying themselves. This is not to stir undue concern where it isn’t warranted, but not to put too fine a point on it- Zboril is still very much a work in progress who has yet to prove that he really wants to succeed and be the kind of NHL player his talent implies he should be. We shall see, but as B’s assistant GM Scott Bradley said in the offseason- the team sees their top choice a year ago as “on track”- that wasn’t what you would call a ringing endorsement, but to Zboril’s credit- he’s playing effective defense and contributing offense much more consistently than he was a year ago. That’s encouraging and we’ll see where it leads- pointing out a player’s shortcomings doesn’t make them “haters” so we’ll hope that people who ought to know better don’t try to polarize the discussion as often happens in sports discussions and take the feedback in the spirit intended- he’s making positive progress and is answering some of the questions, but it’s early yet- we’ll re-evaluate at the end of the year and see how it all went.

We’re not ready to eat crow yet, but we’ll give Zboril a stick tap for a strong Bruins training camp and a fine start to the season. It’s all you can ask for at this point, and he looks like a top-15 pick, which is encouraging.

 

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Jesse Gabrielle is stepping it up for the second consecutive season in Prince George of the WHL after scoring 40 goals a year ago.

He’s the kind of forward that Bruins fans instantly took a shine to because he can score and plays a physical, abrasive style that makes him a tough opponent that teams have to account for whenever he’s on the ice.

The Saskatchewan native fell in the draft, and he’s been a man on a mission to show the teams that passed him up that they were wrong in doing so. So far, so good. He’s done impressive offseason work in the weight room to get his body in shape to handle the punishment that he takes on by driving hard to the net, firing himself into corners and along the walls to win battles for loose pucks and bouncing through checks to set up in the high danger areas where he makes the most money.

He’s playing a more controlled style this season- staying within his parameters and not taking undisciplined penalties as much. Gabrielle continues to understand that he’s more effective when he’s on the ice firing pucks into the back of the net, much like his hockey idol Brad Marchand has learned over time with the Bruins.

You have to give Gabrielle credit for not only getting himself into top physical shape but taking the coaching to heart and continuing to be a key offensive player, leading the Cougars in goals and pacing a blistering offensive attack that can beat opponents any which way. Gabrielle is the embodiment of that—he can play a finesse style or he can pound you, take the puck away and finish off the play himself.

He’s still refining his overall game, but at present, Gabrielle is looking like one of the top values in a very good 2015 draft class.

And here’s the updated stats lines for both amateur and pro (AHL and Euro) players:

Amateur Prospects as of 11/15/16

Name/Team League GP G A PTS PIM
Jesse Gabrielle, Prince George WHL 15 10 9 19 16
Anders Bjork, Notre Dame HE-NCAA 9 7 11 18 2
Jakub Zboril, Saint John QMJHL 14 5 8 13 6
Ryan Fitzgerald, BC HE-NCAA 13 4 9 13 16
Trent Frederic, Wisconsin Big10- NCAA 8 4 6 10 8
Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, BU HE- NCAA 9 2 7 9 8
Charlie McAvoy, BU HE-NCAA 9 1 8 9 6
Zach Senyshyn, SSM OHL 14 5 4 9 10
Ryan Donato, Harvard

 

 ECAC- NCAA 6 4 4 8 4
Cameron Hughes, Wisconsin

 

 Big10- NCAA 8 2 6 8 6
Jeremy Lauzon, Rouyn-Noranda

 

 QMJHL 7 1 5 6 2
Jack Becker, Sioux Falls

 

 USHL 15 2 3 5 26
Cameron Clarke, Ferris St.

 

 WCHA- NCAA 12 0 3 3 12
Wiley Sherman, Harvard

 

 ECAC-NCAA 6 0 2 2 6
Ryan Lindgren, Minnesota

 

 Big10- NCAA 8 0 0 0 24

Pro and European Prospects

Name/Team League GP G A PTS PIM
Joona Koppanen, Ilves Jr.* U20- Finland 11 7 9 16 2
Peter Cehlarik, Providence

 

 AHL 10 5 5 10 4
Anton Blidh, Providence

 

 AHL 13 4 2 6 6
Danton Heinen, Providence AHL 5 2 3 5 0

 
Jake DeBrusk, Providence AHL 13 2 2 4 2

 
Matt Grzelcyk, Providence

 

 AHL 13 1 3 4 4
Austin Czarnik, Providence#

 

 AHL 2 1 2 3 0
Emil Johansson, Djurgarden IF

 

 Sweden- Elite 12 1 2 3 6
Colby Cave, Providence

 

 AHL 13 1 2 3 11
Rob O’Gara, Providence

 

 AHL 8 0 2 2 0
Sean Kuraly, Providence#

 

 AHL 10 0 2 2 9
Colton Hargrove, Providence

 

 AHL 10 1 0 1 7
Linus Arnesson, Providence

 

 AHL 11 0 1 1 4
Justin Hickman, Providence

 

 AHL 3 0 0 0 5
Oskar Steen, MoDo

 

 Sweden- Div 2 4 0 0 0 2
Chris Casto, Providence

 

 AHL 10 0 0 0 14
Zane McIntyre, Providence#

 

 AHL 3 1 0 0.44 .977
Dan Vladar, Providence

 

 AHL 5 2 0 (3) 2.93 .917
Malcolm Subban, Providence

 

 AHL 8 1 6 (1) 3.31 .888
Brian Ferlin, Providence*

 

 AHL 0 0 0 0 0

# Czarnik, Kuraly, McIntyre recalled to Boston

*Joona Koppanen, Brian Ferlin- injured

** Tyler Randell, Tommy Cross, Alex Grant > age 25- not listed

2016-17 AHL season, 2016-17 CHL season, 2016-17 Europe Pro season, 2016-17 USHL season, Anders Bjork, Anton Blidh, Boston Bruins prospects, Brian Ferlin, Cameron Hughes, Charles McAvoy, Chris Casto, Colby Cave, Colton Hargrove, Daniel Vladar, Emil Johansson, Jack Becker, Jake DeBrusk, Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, Jakub Zboril, Jeremy Lauzon, Jesse Gabrielle, Justin Hickman, Linus Arnesson, Malcolm Subban, Matt Grzelcyk, Oskar Steen, Peter Cehlarik, Providence Bruins, Ryan Donato, Ryan Fitzgerald, Ryan Lindgren, Sean Kuraly, Trent Frederic, Wiley Sherman, Zachary Senyshyn, Zane McIntyre , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Boston Bruins prospect roundup #1: Frederic, Hughes lead Sunday hit parade; Bjork & Gabrielle en fuego

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The Boston College Eagles and Wisconsin Badgers Sunday tilt (the teams split the weekend series in Madison after Wisco triumphed Friday night) featured three Boston Bruins prospects and all of them made an impact in BC’s 8-5 win in what was a highly entertaining game.

The larger story for the Bruins is that the reports of freshman center Trent Frederic’s unworthiness as a first-round pick may have been greatly exaggerated, as he currently leads the Badgers in scoring with six points in four games, posting a goal and three helpers in the Sunday loss. Full disclosure- your TSP founder was one of the critics of the selection, admittedly not seeing much top-six NHL forward potential at the U18 championship last April (and this despite Frederic getting a hat trick in one of the round robin games vs. Latvia). Red Line Report had Frederic outside the top-100 and didn’t see him as much more than a fringe fourth-liner, but the perception began to change when talking to former coaches and players who knew him better than any of the talent evaluators who buried him in the rankings.

There’s much hockey left in the season, but Frederic certainly appears to be silencing the critics in the early going.

Here’s what to like about him (film study of two games): Long, powerful stride gets him up the ice quickly…smart and patient; handles the puck well and makes good decisions in where he moves it. Creative. Uses his big frame to drive the net and is effective around the net.

Frederic has an aggressive offensive mindset- more than I (and others) gave him credit for. On JD Greenway’s first collegiate goal to tie the game (after BC had taken a 2-0 lead) in the second period, Frederic led a 3-on-1 that materialized quickly in the neutral zone because he jumped on a loose puck and caught the BC defense flat-footed. Granted, it was a 3-on-1 advantage, but Frederic showed an immense amount of patience to let Greenway drive to the far post before putting a perfect pass on his blade for the easy score. This apple came after Frederic had tallied to get the Badgers on the board, and he would add two more assists as the home team got within a goal of the Eagles after going down 6-2 at one point in the second period.

But Frederic wasn’t only Wisconsin Badger who turned heads in a losing effort Sunday…

Cameron Hughes, who was drafted by the B’s in the 2015 draft’s sixth round scored as pretty (and filthy) a goal you will see late in the second period to make it a 6-3 game when he wheeled back after a turnover in the high slot of the BC zone got him the puck alone in front of Eagles netminder (and Leafs 2016 third-rounder) Joe Woll. Hughes pulled the puck behind him and through his legs and then roofed the shot up under the crossbar. Forget it…just see the play for yourself and then imagine trying to do that at top speed as Hughes did.

The Alberta native is in position to break out in his junior season after some growing pains as a freshman and sophomore. Always ultra-talented, Hughes arrived in Madison at an alleged 140-150 pounds as a freshman and he wore down pretty early, according to one source close to the Badgers program. As a result, where he was once thought of as a top-60 prospect for the 2015 NHL draft, he fell all the way down to the mid-sixth round where Boston pounced. It’s looking like a solid value pick for the B’s in hindsight- Hughes is more of a passer/playmaker but that goal will be replayed over and over, and shows a deft finishing touch that the 19-year-old hasn’t gotten much credit for.

Not to be forgotten in the game was BC senior and alternate captain Ryan Fitzgerald, who was visible with his energy and two-way play and tallied a late empty-net goal by outworking his opponents on the back wall and then beating everyone to the front of the vacated cage. That play is what makes the 2013 fourth-rounder such an effective three-zone presence for the Eagles. He scored the goal through sheer will and hustle, and that it came via an empty net should not diminish the impact of the play itself.

Anders Bjork and Jesse Gabrielle have begun the season like gangbusters for their respective teams/leagues. It’s funny, because Bjork (5th round) and Gabrielle (4th round) weren’t drafted in the top-100 picks in 2014 and 2015, and yet they’ve been two of Boston’s most productive prospects over the past full season and about a month into the new campaign. It isn’t just about giving the team and scouts credit- give a lot to the two guys who took the later selection as motivation and have both put in the work off the ice to make sure the on-ice performance translates. If I’m Don Sweeney, I’d better get hot on signing both of these players. Bjork will have to play out his NCAA season first, but Gabrielle has between now and June 1 to come to terms- he’s done enough to earn that NHL entry-level pact in our view.

On the pro side, it’s been a disappointing start for the Providence Bruins, but not altogether unexpected when you consider that they’re without Frank Vatrano (though he likely would’ve made the Bruins out of camp), Alexander Khokhlachev (KHL), Seth Griffith (lost on waivers to Toronto) and a couple of key youngsters in Austin Czarnik and Danton Heinen (both in Boston) plus Brandon Carlo and Rob O’Gara on defense (also in Boston). We expect to see one or more of those latter names back at some point, but give goalie Zane McIntyre a lot of credit- he’s gotten off to a great start after his final 2016 start left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth. He’s outplayed Malcolm Subban by a wide margin…some of it is Subban’s fault, but the team has some holes, so there are going to be some bumps in the road this season.

Bruins Amateur (NCAA/major junior/junior) Prospects as of 10/17/2016

Name/Team League GP G A PTS PIM
Anders Bjork, Notre Dame HE-NCAA 4 5 5 10 2
Jesse Gabrielle, Prince George WHL 6 5 4 9 6
Trent Frederic, Wisconsin Big10- NCAA 4 2 4 6 2
Jakub Zboril, Saint John QMJHL 6 2 3 5 2
Zach Senyshyn, SSM OHL 5 4 0 4 8
Cameron Hughes, Wisconsin Big10- NCAA 4 1 3 4 4
Jeremy Lauzon, Rouyn-Noranda* QMJHL 2 1 2 3 0
Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, BU HE- NCAA 3 1 2 3 2
Ryan Fitzgerald, BC HE-NCAA 4 1 2 3 2
Jack Becker, Sioux Falls USHL 7 2 1 3 6
Charlie McAvoy, BU HE-NCAA 3 0 2 2 0
Ryan Lindgren, Minnesota Big10- NCAA 2 0 0 0 0
Cameron Clarke, Ferris St. WCHA- NCAA 4 0 0 0 2
Ryan Donato, Harvard** ECAC- NCAA 0 0 0 0 0
Wiley Sherman, Harvard** ECAC-NCAA 0 0 0 0 0

* Jeremy Lauzon out indefinitely (UBI/concussion)

** ECAC regular season begins November 4, 2016

 

Pro and European Prospects as of 10/17/16

Name/Team League GP G A PTS PIM
Joona Koppanen, Ilves Jr. U20- Finland 11 7 9 16 2
Emil Johansson, Djurgarden IF Sweden- Elite 7 0 2 2 6
Colton Hargrove, Providence AHL 2 1 0 1 0
Colby Cave, Providence AHL 3 1 0 1 4
Matt Grzelcyk, Providence AHL 3 0 1 1 2
Linus Arnesson, Providence AHL 3 0 1 1 0
Anton Blidh, Providence AHL 3 0 1 1 0
Jake DeBrusk, Providence AHL 3 0 1 1 2
Oskar Steen, Farjestad BK Sweden- Elite 8 1 0 1 4
Sean Kuraly, Providence AHL 3 0 0 0 7
Justin Hickman, Providence AHL 3 0 0 0 15
Chris Casto, Providence AHL 3 0 0 0 2
Zane McIntyre, Providence AHL 2 1 0 0.57 .969
Malcolm Subban, Providence AHL 2 0 2 4.18 .857
Dan Vladar, Providence AHL 0 0 0 0.00 .000
Peter Cehlarik, Providence* AHL 0 0 0 0 0
Brian Ferlin, Providence* AHL 0 0 0 0 0

* Peter Cehlarik and Brian Ferlin- injured

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2016-17 Boston Bruins preview series part 3: the Left Wings

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Brad Marchand is the team's top LW period. End of story. (Photo courtesy of Alison M. Foley)

Brad Marchand is the team’s top LW period. End of story. (Photo courtesy of Alison M. Foley)

Scouting Post is back with another attempt to break down what we might see unfold during the 2016-17 NHL campaign as it pertains to the Boston Bruins.

This time, we’re hitting the left wingers, and it all starts with Brad Marchand– the lil’ ball of hate & straw that stirs the goal-scoring drink for the B’s. He’s entering a contract year after coming off a career season, and I’ll break him down in detail for you in the accompanying podcast, so no real need to say more.

Frank Vatrano is the player we have high hopes for in making it as the second-line LW in Boston this year. The Springfield Rifle is talented enough to do it, but it will entail accepting risk on the part of Claude Julien and Co. Can the East Longmeadow native be trusted to shoulder the load- TSP is confident he can. His impressive AHL rookie season was just the tip of the iceberg- Vatrano has the skill and moxie to make it work as a top-6 NHL forward.

On the third line, Matt Beleskey is the guy, though I do go into more about his value contract-wise and what he means to the B’s. I’m sold on Beleskey for the myriad little things he does on and off the ice, but I won’t argue with those who feel that the team isn’t getting enough bang for the buck on his deal. Ultimately, they could do much worse, but if he can improve on his 15 goals and 37 points from a year ago, that would be welcome news indeed.

The fourth line is pretty wide open, and my guess is that Tim Schaller has the inside track. The Merrimack, N.H. native has the size and enough big league ability to be a capable bookend along with Riley Nash over on the right side. He’s listed as a center, but if he’s not going to play in the middle, LW makes a lot of sense for the former undrafted free agent out of Buffalo.

Zac Rinaldo…we hardly knew ye! Well, he’s still hanging around, but my guess is not for much longer.

That leaves a host of other aspiring young players vying for spots on this Boston Bruins club, and I run through just about all of them- from the young pros like Colton Hargrove and Anton Blidh, to new blood AHL options like Jake DeBrusk and Peter Cehlarik. Jesse Gabrielle will be fighting (literally?) to make an impression, and he looked jacked (in a good way) when I saw him in Buffalo for draft weekend. When he’s playing like someone possessed, opponents need to keep their heads on a swivel…he can wreck it on the scoreboard and on the physical side. He’ll have his hands full trying to win a spot on this NHL team given the lack of options the B’s have, but watch for Gabrielle to open up some eyes this month- he took a major step forward last year.

Ryan Fitzgerald isn’t there because he’s entering his senior year at Boston College, but he’s a Swiss Army Knife kind of pro projected player, and he’s going to do some impressive scoring work up on Chestnut Hill this season after breaking out as a junior.

Let’s not forget a couple of undrafted camp invites in Matt Mistele (I pronounce it for you on the podcast)- a 6th-round pick of the Kings in 2014 who didn’t sign and has been a pretty major disappointment since potting 34 goals in the OHL as a 16-17-year-old prior to his draft year. He’s big and talented, but doesn’t use his size and brings inconsistent effort- sounds like he might just fit right in. Simon Stransky is the other as a WHL player this past season who put up a point-per-game with the Prince Albert Raiders and distinguished himself as a playmaking winger with top hockey sense, yet never got a draft call. Both will get an opportunity to show their potential and earn an NHL contract, but in the podcast- we’ll explain why just signing one or both is not as simple as declaring it a must on Twitter and Bruins internet message boards. There are other undrafted/unsigned/ forwards and rookie defensemen in Boston on an invitational basis for the rookie camp portion, but not going to cover them here.

Thanks for reading and listening…keeping this one short and pithy because the pod comes in at around 50 minutes. Enjoy the Winger intro and the Primus outro.

Jesse Gabrielle has added some mass since draft day and is ready for his 2nd NHL training camp

Jesse Gabrielle has added some mass since draft day and is ready for his 2nd NHL training camp

 

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Report: Keith Gretzky to Oilers as assistant GM

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Multiple reports on Twitter to include the esteemed Bob McKenzie have Bruins amateur scouting chief Keith Gretzky heading west to join former B’s GM Peter Chiarelli as part of the Edmonton Oilers braintrust. I chatted with a Boston team source who didn’t confirm it, but indicated it was a done deal, so all we do now is wait for the official announcement.

Gretzky, who joined the B’s scouting staff during the 2011-12 season after being let go from his previous post as chief scout for the Arizona Coyotes. Gretzky was promoted to the head scout position in Boston in August 2013, replacing Wayne Smith.

The move is not all that surprising, as Chiarelli brought the younger brother of Wayne Gretzky to Boston as a scout and then elevated him to head up the team’s drafting efforts after two seasons in a crossover capacity.

In the three drafts since, more optimism accompanied Boston’s efforts. Gretzky and Co. hit immediately on David Pastrnak, who slipped to 25th overall. However, every other player from that 2014 draft class looks promising as well: Ryan Donato enters his sophomore season at Harvard and is primed for bigger things in Cambridge. Danton Heinen has done nothing but impress after being an unknown plucked out of the BCHL in his second year of NHL draft eligibility, posting two prolific scoring years as Denver University. Heinen could win a job in Boston right away given his skill level and versatility. Anders Bjork was a fifth-round find and gem, who led the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in scoring as a sophomore, and even seventh-rounder Emil Johansson shows promise for being a late pick.

Gretzky’s 2015 draft could pay big dividends for Boston as well, even if some of the choices in the first round were not popular ones at the time. With 10 picks thanks to the Dougie Hamilton and Milan Lucic trades, the B’s have a bevy of prospects with a trio of second-rounders who have generated buzz in their own right. Time will tell whether not picking one or two of forwards Kyle Connor, Colin White and Mathew Barzal will hurt Boston in the long term, but Boston’s first six choices all seem to be developing, with 37th overall pick Brandon Carlo having the best chance to play in the NHL this season. Zach Senyshyn and Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson show real promise at key forward positions (RW, C) and the B’s appear to have some potential in huge but lithe goalie Daniel Vladar (3rd round) and agitating winger Jesse Gabrielle. The B’s can’t employ all 10 of their draft picks from 2015, but they’re going to hit on a few at least.

This past June, Gretzky and his scouts went with Charlie McAvoy over Dante Fabbro– both will play at BU this season, but don’t be surprised to see McAvoy headed to the pro ranks sooner rather than later. Early returns on his Team USA development camp in Plymouth, MI this week are good and Ryan Lindgren (taken 49th) overall has really stood out. “He nearly killed a kid,” with a hard but clean open-ice hit, according to a text I got from an NHL scout on Saturday. The same individual also singled McAvoy out as the “best player on the ice.”

Gretzky caught some heat for the Trent Frederic pick and some of his subsequent comments where he admitted that the B’s don’t see the 29th overall selection as a top-six forward. He probably didn’t articulate that as well as he could have, but if we learned nothing from the Senyshyn pick the year before, it’s probably best to see how Frederic does going forward before casting judgment.

If Gretzky’s work with Boston was promising, then his track record in Arizona is more of a mixed bag. The Coyotes didn’t hit on a great deal of picks the team made on his watch, but the point I would offer up is that not every scouting staff in the league is the same. Just like the teams themselves- some clubs are more talented than others, and there’s always a multitude of factors that go into drafting. Even so, some in the business point to Gretzky’s tenure in Arizona, and with the jury still out on his Boston body of work, you just have to take it from there.

Boston could promote from within- Scott Fitzgerald is the club’s assistant director of amateur scouting and has recovered from a serious car accident in 2013 that nearly cost him his life. Dean Malkoc has also impressed as one of the club’s workhorse scouts who goes all over from his Western Canada base of operations to look for talent. Ryan Nadeau has done tremendous work in the NCAA ranks and elsewhere. B’s GM Don Sweeney could also bring in an experienced chief scout from the outside. It will be interesting to see.

All that is left to do is congratulate Gretzky for the promotion and move up. It hurts Boston, as he appears to have done fine work for the club in his five seasons here. He’ll join an Edmonton organization flush with major talent after winning the Connor McDavid sweeps a year ago and then falling into Jesse Puljujarvi at fourth overall in Buffalo. Old friend Lucic is in town, and we’ll see what Gretzky can do to help develop the talent in the system and identify new players down the road.

In the meantime, changes in Boston continue to shape the front office and Sweeney has another key hire ahead.

 

2016 Bruins Development Camp, 2016 Bruins Offseason, Anders Bjork, Boston Bruins prospects, Cameron Hughes, Charles McAvoy, Jack Becker, Jake DeBrusk, Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, Jakub Zboril, Jeremy Lauzon, Jesse Gabrielle, Matt Benning, Podcasts, Ryan Donato, Ryan Fitzgerald, Ryan Lindgren, Trent Frederic, Wiley Sherman, Zachary Senyshyn 2 Comments

Bruins post-development camp prospect check- the Amateurs

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McAvoy2

We’re back with part 2 of the mid-summer look at where the prospects in the Boston Bruins organization stack up.

As previously mentioned in part 1 when we reviewed 23 of the prospects who will play in the pro hockey ranks this coming season, this is a subjective list based on multiple inputs to include (but not limited to) live viewings and film study, input from members of the Bruins organization and some sources around the NHL not with Boston, media and fan observers who attended the recent development camp in Wilmington from July 12-15.

This is just one view and take- there will no doubt be disagreement, but I would offer that even if the Bruins as an organization released their own rankings of where they think their prospects stack up from 1 to 40-something, folks would still take issue with it. We would live in a mighty boring world if everything was definitive and we agreed on everything.

So, with that in mind, here is the supplemental podcast (complete with Dirty Harry theme music from the early 1970’s) and the write-ups on the kids expected to spend the season in the amateur ranks for 2016-17.

The Amateurs (NCAA and CHL/major junior)

  1. Charlie McAvoy, RD  Plus: The 14th overall pick has the skating and sense to become a legitimate two-way presence on the blue line in the NHL one day; watch for him to take a significant step forward in his development during his sophomore season at Boston University. Minus: He’s only about 6-foot tall; lacks the kind of ideal NHL height for the position, and needs to keep honing his judgment and decisions as an aggressive offensive player who can at times get too far up the ice.
  2. Zach Senyshyn, RW Plus: A year after tallying 26 goals on the bottom line and without much special teams time, the 15th selection in 2015 scored 45 goals to lead the Soo Greyhounds; he’s a big, explosive and skilled scoring presence on the right side. Minus: The goals are great, but the 19-year-old has work to do in his 200-foot game; he has a tendency to wait for the next scoring chance or let others go and get him the puck.
  3. Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, RC Plus: When it comes to maturity, poise and a complete game at the center position, no prospect brings more promise than the BU sophomore; he’s already earned an ‘A’ on his sweater, and has drawn positive comparisons to Patrice Bergeron for his pure intelligence and playing style. Minus: The Stockholm native and 45th overall pick from 2015 does’t seem to have the kind of exciting and dynamic offensive upside of others in his draft class, but he’s one of those players who will likely play 10-15 years as a key cog because he can do a little bit of everything.
  4. Jeremy Lauzon, LD Plus: Underrated no more after a 50-point season (he only played in 46 games due to WJC camp and injuries); 2015 second-rounder has skill, smarts and some jam/toughness as a two-way D prospect who keeps getting better. Minus: He gets lost in the sauce a bit with all of the competition for blue line jobs in Boston; had a tough time staying healthy with a variety of injuries including a serious skate cut to the neck that could have severed a nerve and ended his career.
  5. Ryan Donato, LC (Scituate, Mass.) Plus: Coming into his own after a strong freshman season at Harvard; was one of Boston’s real standouts at the development camp, showcasing his high-end hockey sense and hands throughout. Minus: Still several years away from competing for an NHL job; needs to keep developing the physical aspect of his game and must continuing moving forward in his three-zone progress.
  6. Jake DeBrusk, LW Plus: High-end hands plus very good hockey IQ/offensive creativity make DeBrusk a legitimate scoring threat every time he has the puck on his stick; good attitude and drive- overcame a debilitating lower body injury early in the season to finish strong in the WHL playoffs and Memorial Cup tournament. Minus: His size and strength are pretty average and he might be ‘tweener right now in terms of not quite being ready physically for the pro hockey grind- could return to the WHL for his overage season.
  7. Jakub Zboril, LD Plus: Came to camp leaner and in better shape with more jump and energy than was reported a year ago; when on his game has all the tools in the toolbox to be a No. 2 or 3 two-way NHL D with some bite and nastiness on the physical side.  Minus: At times loses his focus and appears disinterested; the positive strides last week are encouraging, but Zboril still has to prove that he can maintain his intensity and consistency over a longer period of time. He has impressive big league potential if he can put it all together.
  8. Jesse Gabrielle, LW Plus: Surprise (maybe not to him and his supporters) 40-goal scorer after being picked in the fourth round a year ago plays the kind of scoring game with an edge that Boston fans love; has worked himself into excellent shape and added strength and mass since being drafted. Minus: Will have to guard against a letdown season now that WHL opponents will be keying on him this year; as a ’97-born player he has to make the Boston roster out of camp or go back for a full season with Prince George- he can’t play in the AHL on a full-time basis yet.
  9. Ryan Lindgren, LD Plus: All-around skilled and hard-nosed defender is a proven leader and player; Minnesota product has no flaws in his game and could be the captain-in-waiting of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers if he spends enough years there. Minus: He’s only about 6-feet in height, so given his physical nature, he will face some limitations in certain matchups and could pay the price physically; there isn’t a ton of dynamic upside here.
  10. Ryan Fitzgerald, LC (North Reading, Mass.) Plus: Feisty, gritty center erupted offensively as a junior with his finest season for BC- will contend for the 2017 Hobey Baker Award. He’s got terrific hockey sense and a nonstop motor that inspires teammates and infuriates opponents. Minus: The size and skating concerns have followed him since before the long-time Massachusetts minor hockey standout was drafted at the end of the fourth round three years ago. Might need to move to wing to thrive as a pro.
  11. Anders Bjork, RW Plus: One of the top performers last week at development camp with his speed and energy, it all comes after he surprisingly let the Fighting Irish in scoring as a sophomore last season. Minus: Bjork is an interesting player to watch- he was a late fifth-round pick in 2014 and could be one who tries to leverage  path to free agency if the Bruins are unable to sign him this year.
  12. Trent Frederic, LC Plus: The polarizing pick in the 2016 draft’s first round has settled concerns down some with his fine size, athletic ability and willingness to roll up the sleeves and get to work. He’s a strong two-way player and solid citizen who might just be scratching the surface in terms of his offensive game and potential. Minus: There’s not a lot to get excited about here- Frederic has impressive physical tools but is raw and might not ever be much more than a bottom-six forward assuming he reaches the top rung of the pro hockey ladder.
  13. Wiley Sherman, LD (Greenwich, Conn.) Plus: Huge (6-7) defender is such a fluid, impressive skater for one so big and that’s always been his calling card going back to his days at the Hotchkiss School.  Minus: Scouts are divided on his long-term potential: the physical tools are on another level, but can Sherman react and process the game effectively enough to thrive in the NHL?
  14. Cameron Hughes, LC Plus: Highly skilled, creative playmaker was a late-round pick out of the Wisconsin Badgers and showed solid progression in his sophomore season with 25 points in 32 games- watch for his production to go up with new coaches who will lean on him. Minus: He’s a smallish player trapped in a light 6-foot frame that isn’t going to get all that bigger based on the body type; while talented, he can be neutralized by teams with size and mobility on the blue line.
  15. Matt Benning, RD Plus: Smart, opportunistic defender who plays bigger than his 6-foot frame and has been a standout at Northeastern over the past three seasons. Minus: Benning was not asked to attend development camp, and according to the ProJo’s Mark Divver, that could be a harbinger to his imminent departure from the organization either via trade or by pursuing similar action by Kevin Hayes, Mike Reilly and Jimmy Vesey to play out the NCAA string in 2017 and become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
  16. Cam Clarke, RD Plus: Smooth-skating intelligent rearguard can move the puck and excels with extra time and space as a PP QB; he’ll get a chance at premium playing time right off the bat at Ferris State. Minus: He’s still quite raw and observers pointed to times during the development camp when he was a little behind compared to other players. Clarke was drafted in the fifth round as a known project, and the payoff will take time if at all.
  17. Joona Koppanen, LC Plus: Big (6-5) center has the skating and smarts to make the NHL one day in more of a defensive, shutdown role; he’s seriously considering the NCAA path, which would be a good step for him.  Minus: There’s just not a whole lot there in terms of hands, offensive skill and long-term potential beyond being a serviceable bottom-liner and journeyman.
  18. Jack Becker, RC Plus: 6-foot-3 power center as some impressive finishing skills, especially in close when time and space are lacking; shows some intriguing offensive potential in flashes after a solid but unspectacular USHL season in Sioux Falls. He scored a memorable breakaway goal in the camp-ending scrimmage. Minus: University of Wisconsin-bound 2015 7th-rounder was once described as “thorny” by a scout in that he’s got a lot of developing ahead, and like Clarke- was said to struggle at times in camp last week with the pace and demands of the drills.
Trent Frederic was Boston's 2nd choice, 29th overall, in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft

Trent Frederic was Boston’s 2nd choice, 29th overall, in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft