Cowen to Spokane

wprager wrote:

Big Ev wrote:
Grammar nazi! LOL

I believe you use poor grammar in every one of your post, wprager. You should be italicizing words if you want to put emphasis on them, not putting them between two asterisks.

Well, I've got to live up to that name, then.

It's "...every one of your posts". Emphasis can be indicated with the use of italics, bolding or even underlying. Asterisks have long been used to indicate bolding. Try it when composing mail in Outlook. The older generation may remember what it used to be like before WYSIWYG editors. Frankly, I never got used to surrounding a word with slashes to indicate italics, but asterisks for bold worked great, IMO.

It's "...bolding or even underlining."

SpezDispenser wrote:http://www.thescoutingreport.org/portland-winterhawks-spokane-chiefs-108-1092010/


The Chiefs are noticably younger this year on the backline, but are once again led by Ottawa first rounder Jared Cowen. Cowen (6-5″, 225 pounds) was quite possibly the best player on the ice in the first game (not counting Mac Carruth). His knee appears to be fully healed, as his skating really has taken on a high gear that we haven’t seen since before the injury. He scored on a nice snapshot from the high slot in the first game, and used his physical presence in each game to limit Portland’s top offensive line to just one goal in the two games. Cowen went +1 with 6 PIMs to go along with his goal for the two games.

AWESOME!!! Keep it up!!

I don't want to seem negative, but you really can't read too much into a review on a 6'5", 225+lb, almost 20 year old playing against younger and smaller guys. If he wasn't dominating, I would be worried, but it doesn't mean he'll be nearly as good at the pro level.

Dash wrote:I don't want to seem negative, but you really can't read too much into a review on a 6'5", 225+lb, almost 20 year old playing against younger and smaller guys. If he wasn't dominating, I would be worried, but it doesn't mean he'll be nearly as good at the pro level.

Quite true, but still, it's good that he is.

I just want to see him dominate in that league, be the best that they have. That's what we need him to do this year, he needs to dominate and work on his puck moving and physical presence. We couldn't have him in Bingo unfortunately, so he has to be the best he can be in Spokane and hopefully learn a lot more. Otherwise it's just a waste to have him there and it'll stall his development.

SensGirl11 wrote:I just want to see him dominate in that league, be the best that they have. That's what we need him to do this year, he needs to dominate and work on his puck moving and physical presence. We couldn't have him in Bingo unfortunately, so he has to be the best he can be in Spokane and hopefully learn a lot more. Otherwise it's just a waste to have him there and it'll stall his development.

+1

Just in relation to our prospect defencemen...

Rundblad is playing some phenomenal hockey in the SEL right now; svartgul commented that he's the "#1D this season and plays like it."

He's stealing the spotlight from Larsson (who granted is two drafts younger) and his last two goals, including one today to increase his total to 3 goals, 6 points and +3 in 10 games, have been beauties. His overall defence is really coming around too, and he made a clutch block of an otherwise sure-goal in the dying moments of the game that allowed his team-mate to score an EN and preserve the win.

asq2 wrote:Just in relation to our prospect defencemen...

Rundblad is playing some phenomenal hockey in the SEL right now; svartgul commented that he's the "#1D this season and plays like it."

He's stealing the spotlight from Larsson (who granted is two drafts younger) and his last two goals, including one today to increase his total to 3 goals, 6 points and +3 in 10 games, have been beauties. His overall defence is really coming around too, and he made a clutch block of an otherwise sure-goal in the dying moments of the game that allowed his team-mate to score an EN and preserve the win.

That's awesome to hear. What are the chances he could make the jump to the NHL next year? Or would he need at least a year in the AHL?

PKC wrote:

asq2 wrote:Just in relation to our prospect defencemen...

Rundblad is playing some phenomenal hockey in the SEL right now; svartgul commented that he's the "#1D this season and plays like it."

He's stealing the spotlight from Larsson (who granted is two drafts younger) and his last two goals, including one today to increase his total to 3 goals, 6 points and +3 in 10 games, have been beauties. His overall defence is really coming around too, and he made a clutch block of an otherwise sure-goal in the dying moments of the game that allowed his team-mate to score an EN and preserve the win.

That's awesome to hear. What are the chances he could make the jump to the NHL next year? Or would he need at least a year in the AHL?

If he keeps developing defensively and has a good off-season he could probably make the leap; size probably shouldn't be much of an issue because he's about 6'2" and 196lbs. He and Forsberg both identified strength as an area to work on, but he's a strong skater, as you can tell by those videos TheHockeyDirector made.

I suspect that a year in the A would be better for his development, to be honest. Don't see the need to bring him up too quickly if Gonchar and Karlsson are here. Of course, we'll have a challenge at some point integrating the three - or four, if you include Gryba - young d-men in the system with all-but-assured spots on the future blue-line. Nice problem to have, though.

You certainly want to stagger rookies on the back-end. Starting next season, and over the next 2-3 years, we should have Cowen, Wiercioch and Rundblad -- all top-end prospects. Then, of course, there's Gryba. In two years' time we won't have Kuba and Gonchar, which leaves two spots to fill, with 4 D-men ready. I'd expect at least 2 of Cowen, Wiercioch, Rundblad, Gryba, Campoli, Lee to be gone by way of a trade over this period. I say "at least" because we could always pick up another D-man in a trade, plus some others down in Bingo may be ready.

Now all we need are some blue chip forwards.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Now all we need are some blue chip forwards.

And I was just beginning to feel good about this team.

wprager wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Now all we need are some blue chip forwards.

And I was just beginning to feel good about this team.

There's still time. By the time Rundblad, Karlsson, Cowen, Weircioch and Gryba are main stays on the back end we'll hopefully have some good forward prospects coming in.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

wprager wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Now all we need are some blue chip forwards.

And I was just beginning to feel good about this team.

There's still time. By the time Rundblad, Karlsson, Cowen, Weircioch and Gryba are main stays on the back end we'll hopefully have some good forward prospects coming in.

That's going to be a ridiculously inexperienced back end if that's who's playing in 3 years' time.

PKC wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

wprager wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Now all we need are some blue chip forwards.

And I was just beginning to feel good about this team.

There's still time. By the time Rundblad, Karlsson, Cowen, Weircioch and Gryba are main stays on the back end we'll hopefully have some good forward prospects coming in.

That's going to be a ridiculously inexperienced back end if that's who's playing in 3 years' time.

I didn't say 3 years anywhere and I agree with you. I said by the time these guys are main stays. What I mean by that is by the time they're here and are legitimate top 5 D in this league. For arguments sake we'll have Karlsson as a 5 year veteran in 3 years from the end of this season and Phillips will still be here. I'll be quite pleased with a top pairing D of Phillips and Eric "5 year NHL Vet" Karlsson at that time.

You'll also need to start playing Cowen, Weircioch, Gryba and Rundblad by then won't you? What do you suggest we do with those guys? No way I want to see Rundblad and Cowen still in Bingo 3 years from now for sure.

Rundblad with another goal so far today.

EDIT: Ends up being the game-winner.

2nd EDIT: Player of the game honours for DR. 7, to top it off.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

PKC wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

wprager wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Now all we need are some blue chip forwards.

And I was just beginning to feel good about this team.

There's still time. By the time Rundblad, Karlsson, Cowen, Weircioch and Gryba are main stays on the back end we'll hopefully have some good forward prospects coming in.

That's going to be a ridiculously inexperienced back end if that's who's playing in 3 years' time.

I didn't say 3 years anywhere and I agree with you. I said by the time these guys are main stays. What I mean by that is by the time they're here and are legitimate top 5 D in this league. For arguments sake we'll have Karlsson as a 5 year veteran in 3 years from the end of this season and Phillips will still be here. I'll be quite pleased with a top pairing D of Phillips and Eric "5 year NHL Vet" Karlsson at that time.

You'll also need to start playing Cowen, Weircioch, Gryba and Rundblad by then won't you? What do you suggest we do with those guys? No way I want to see Rundblad and Cowen still in Bingo 3 years from now for sure.

I agree, Cowen and Rundblad et al shouldn't still be in Bingo 3 years from now. Which is why you have a problem when you stockpile talent at one position - mind you it IS a good problem to have, in this case.

I could see Kuba getting re-signed with Phillips - Kuba 2/3-year extension and Phillips six years. Then you could stagger the arrival of the young guys as spots on the blueline open up (and assuming they develop as forecast).

You'll have Cowen up next year. Weircioch most likely the year after and the possibility of Rundblad in the same year. Yikes, it's tough any way you slice it.

There will be some growing pains. If I were in charge/had Melnyk's consent I'd probably target that period for an actual rebuild. The potential on that back-end with Lehner, Karlsson, Cowen, Rundblad, Wiercioch, Gryba, Lee et al. is astounding. If you can use the time while they're getting used to the NHL to add an elite young forward or two, you're laughing.