2012/13 Lineup

Point is it's been about a decade since an OTT rookie stepped in and made a substantial difference. 5-6 players do it every year. RNH, Landeskog, Henrique, maybe Adams (BUF) and C. Smith (NSH) -- that's about it terms of rookies who can into the league last year and made a sizable impact on the score sheet, and even those last two are debatable.

Again, it's really, really rare. If it happens, super -- if it doesn't, it shouldn't mean that we have to play a guy inside the top 6 or 9 all year long for lack of real options. What in god's name is wrong with giving the kids competition for their spots so that they earn them, instead of just handing it to them?

Big Ev wrote:Hell I'd chalk up 15 for Zibby too if he makes it. Similar to JVR's rookie campaign.

Yah, don't see #93 making it out of camp this time around. Needs to put up #'s somewhere before he does it in the NHL. He's literally never put up any kind of real outstanding numbers in any league to this point.

rooneypoo wrote:Point is it's been about a decade since an OTT rookie stepped in and made a substantial difference. 5-6 players do it every year. RNH, Landeskog, Henrique, maybe Adams (BUF) and C. Smith (NSH) -- that's about it terms of rookies who can into the league last year and made a sizable impact on the score sheet, and even those last two are debatable.

Again, it's really, really rare. If it happens, super -- if it doesn't, it shouldn't mean that we have to play a guy inside the top 6 or 9 all year long for lack of real options. What in god's name is wrong with giving the kids competition for their spots so that they earn them, instead of just handing it to them?

Nothing wrong with it but when you tie your hands with long term deals that you can't get out of it hurts the organization. Like I have said before sometimes the best move is the one you don't make.

Big Ev wrote:Hell I'd chalk up 15 for Zibby too if he makes it. Similar to JVR's rookie campaign.

Don't know about that. I think he'll spend the bulk of the year in the AHL personally.

SpezDispenser wrote:

Big Ev wrote:Hell I'd chalk up 15 for Zibby too if he makes it. Similar to JVR's rookie campaign.

Don't know about that. I think he'll spend the bulk of the year in the AHL personally.

Well they just signed yet another body for Binghamton. Don't think there's any room.

NEELY wrote:

Big Ev wrote:Hell I'd chalk up 15 for Zibby too if he makes it. Similar to JVR's rookie campaign.

Yah, don't see #93 making it out of camp this time around. Needs to put up #'s somewhere before he does it in the NHL. He's literally never put up any kind of real outstanding numbers in any league to this point.

Can't look at numbers for Swedes.

Big Ev wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

Big Ev wrote:Hell I'd chalk up 15 for Zibby too if he makes it. Similar to JVR's rookie campaign.

Don't know about that. I think he'll spend the bulk of the year in the AHL personally.

Well they just signed yet another body for Binghamton. Don't think there's any room.

We'll see, I don't think he's gonna make it out of camp - and really, do you mind if he doesn't? He needs to rip it up offensively down in the AHL and find every aspect of his game.

SpezDispenser wrote:

Big Ev wrote:Hell I'd chalk up 15 for Zibby too if he makes it. Similar to JVR's rookie campaign.

Don't know about that. I think he'll spend the bulk of the year in the AHL personally.

If he spends the bulk of the year in the AHL, then he probably didn't "make it." Just sayin'.

Big Ev wrote:

NEELY wrote:

Big Ev wrote:Hell I'd chalk up 15 for Zibby too if he makes it. Similar to JVR's rookie campaign.

Yah, don't see #93 making it out of camp this time around. Needs to put up #'s somewhere before he does it in the NHL. He's literally never put up any kind of real outstanding numbers in any league to this point.

Can't look at numbers for Swedes.

That's silly. Of course you can. What a silly thing to say.

rooneypoo wrote:Point is it's been about a decade since an OTT rookie stepped in and made a substantial difference. 5-6 players do it every year. RNH, Landeskog, Henrique, maybe Adams (BUF) and C. Smith (NSH) -- that's about it terms of rookies who can into the league last year and made a sizable impact on the score sheet, and even those last two are debatable.

Again, it's really, really rare. If it happens, super -- if it doesn't, it shouldn't mean that we have to play a guy inside the top 6 or 9 all year long for lack of real options. What in god's name is wrong with giving the kids competition for their spots so that they earn them, instead of just handing it to them?

was a weak crop of rookies. This year will be rather intense. Silfverberg, Bartschi, Tarasenko, Yakupov, Granlund, Huberdeau, etc.

NEELY wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:Point is it's been about a decade since an OTT rookie stepped in and made a substantial difference. 5-6 players do it every year. RNH, Landeskog, Henrique, maybe Adams (BUF) and C. Smith (NSH) -- that's about it terms of rookies who can into the league last year and made a sizable impact on the score sheet, and even those last two are debatable.

Again, it's really, really rare. If it happens, super -- if it doesn't, it shouldn't mean that we have to play a guy inside the top 6 or 9 all year long for lack of real options. What in god's name is wrong with giving the kids competition for their spots so that they earn them, instead of just handing it to them?

Nothing wrong with it but when you tie your hands with long term deals that you can't get out of it hurts the organization. Like I have said before sometimes the best move is the one you don't make.

I'm just super skeptical of all this, 'oh yeah, that player who has totally never played in the NHL before is easily going to put up 15+ goals and 35+ points.' Don't buy it for a second. It's rare in the NHL in general, and for OTT rookies in particular. The last time every one was excited about that possibility, it was Rundblad, or Da Costa, or Butler, or Winchester, or....

We do not have a good track record when it comes to our kids stepping in and putting up big numbers on the board. Give them a roster spot or two to play for, and ice time and opportunities as they earn them, but don't bank your season on them all getting 15 goals and 35+ points.

spader wrote:

Big Ev wrote:

NEELY wrote:

Big Ev wrote:Hell I'd chalk up 15 for Zibby too if he makes it. Similar to JVR's rookie campaign.

Yah, don't see #93 making it out of camp this time around. Needs to put up #'s somewhere before he does it in the NHL. He's literally never put up any kind of real outstanding numbers in any league to this point.

Can't look at numbers for Swedes.

That's silly. Of course you can. What a silly thing to say.

Not silly at all. Numbers for Swedes never tell the whole story. Even if you put up great numbers it doesn't show you're ready for the NHL or anything like that (Rundblad). MZ's junior league numbers are fine though.

Big Ev wrote:

spader wrote:

Big Ev wrote:

NEELY wrote:

Big Ev wrote:Hell I'd chalk up 15 for Zibby too if he makes it. Similar to JVR's rookie campaign.

Yah, don't see #93 making it out of camp this time around. Needs to put up #'s somewhere before he does it in the NHL. He's literally never put up any kind of real outstanding numbers in any league to this point.

Can't look at numbers for Swedes.

That's silly. Of course you can. What a silly thing to say.

Not silly at all. Numbers for Swedes never tell the whole story. Even if you put up great numbers it doesn't show you're ready for the NHL or anything like that (Rundblad). MZ's junior league numbers are fine though.

Ya, I agree with this, but this is very different from, "Can't look at numbers for Swedes."

Big Ev wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:Point is it's been about a decade since an OTT rookie stepped in and made a substantial difference. 5-6 players do it every year. RNH, Landeskog, Henrique, maybe Adams (BUF) and C. Smith (NSH) -- that's about it terms of rookies who can into the league last year and made a sizable impact on the score sheet, and even those last two are debatable.

Again, it's really, really rare. If it happens, super -- if it doesn't, it shouldn't mean that we have to play a guy inside the top 6 or 9 all year long for lack of real options. What in god's name is wrong with giving the kids competition for their spots so that they earn them, instead of just handing it to them?

was a weak crop of rookies. This year will be rather intense. Silfverberg, Bartschi, Tarasenko, Yakupov, Granlund, Huberdeau, etc.

Oh come on. It's the same story every year. 5 guys routinely thrive, 10 would be a phenomenal year. If EACH team in the NHL had ONE rookie step into the line up and contribute substantially in terms of points, it would be a remarkable, a phenomenal anomaly, not an every day sort of occurrence.

Big Ev wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:Point is it's been about a decade since an OTT rookie stepped in and made a substantial difference. 5-6 players do it every year. RNH, Landeskog, Henrique, maybe Adams (BUF) and C. Smith (NSH) -- that's about it terms of rookies who can into the league last year and made a sizable impact on the score sheet, and even those last two are debatable.

Again, it's really, really rare. If it happens, super -- if it doesn't, it shouldn't mean that we have to play a guy inside the top 6 or 9 all year long for lack of real options. What in god's name is wrong with giving the kids competition for their spots so that they earn them, instead of just handing it to them?

was a weak crop of rookies. This year will be rather intense. Silfverberg, Bartschi, Tarasenko, Yakupov, Granlund, Huberdeau, etc.

I'm looking forward to seeing how Turris, Rundblad, Tarasenko does this year.

I'm usually on the same page with being pretty skeptical of rookies coming into the lineup (like I am with Zibanejad) but Silfverberg is a different animal this time around. Is there a chance he busts? Sure there is. Would I bet on him busting? No, I wouldn't because chances are I would lose.

This is a kid that is 100% ready to bring his game over to the NHL and he could very well be a better player in NA than Europe just based on the game he plays.

I'm not saying he will be putting up 30 goals, 60 points (although I think he could flirt with it if everything went right for him), but I think he will be knocking on the 20 goal mark if he plays the full season in the top 6 with some PP time. He's going to be a solid NHL player.

Big Ev wrote:

spader wrote:

Big Ev wrote:

NEELY wrote:

Big Ev wrote:Hell I'd chalk up 15 for Zibby too if he makes it. Similar to JVR's rookie campaign.

Yah, don't see #93 making it out of camp this time around. Needs to put up #'s somewhere before he does it in the NHL. He's literally never put up any kind of real outstanding numbers in any league to this point.

Can't look at numbers for Swedes.

That's silly. Of course you can. What a silly thing to say.

Not silly at all. Numbers for Swedes never tell the whole story. Even if you put up great numbers it doesn't show you're ready for the NHL or anything like that (Rundblad). MZ's junior league numbers are fine though.

No, they don't I agree. That said he still hasn't show that he has the offensive instincts to really thrive in the NHL at this point. IMO he needs to do something decent in the AHL before being ready for the show.

rooneypoo wrote:

Big Ev wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:Point is it's been about a decade since an OTT rookie stepped in and made a substantial difference. 5-6 players do it every year. RNH, Landeskog, Henrique, maybe Adams (BUF) and C. Smith (NSH) -- that's about it terms of rookies who can into the league last year and made a sizable impact on the score sheet, and even those last two are debatable.

Again, it's really, really rare. If it happens, super -- if it doesn't, it shouldn't mean that we have to play a guy inside the top 6 or 9 all year long for lack of real options. What in god's name is wrong with giving the kids competition for their spots so that they earn them, instead of just handing it to them?

was a weak crop of rookies. This year will be rather intense. Silfverberg, Bartschi, Tarasenko, Yakupov, Granlund, Huberdeau, etc.

Oh come on. It's the same story every year. 5 guys routinely thrive, 10 would be a phenomenal year. If EACH team in the NHL had ONE rookie step into the line up and contribute substantially in terms of points, it would be a remarkable, a phenomenal anomaly, not an every day sort of occurrence.

We haven't had an incoming rookie crop like this in a long, long time. Last year's rookie forwards all produced as expected for the most part