Kitchener, Ontario – The Bruins completed the tournament yesterday with a loss to the Penguins rookies 3-2. On paper the Penguins rookies should have dominated and they did. The Bruins didn’t ice their best players as Max Sauve didn’t return after suffering a charley horse against the Leafs in game 1. Lane MacDermid missed all 3 games with an ankle sprain he sustained practicing with his teammates in nearby Windsor. Levi Nelson left game 2 with an undisclosed injury and Jamie Arniel went knee on knee with a Penguin player and needed help off the ice. The Bruins were forced to play Scott Fletcher as a Forward because of all the injuries.
For the most part the other 3 teams had their best rookies in the line up while the Bruins played without top prospects Joe Colborne, Jordan Caron, Yannick Riendeau and Yuri Alexandrov. The B’s were able to sneak 2 wins against the Leafs and Senators despite being outplayed, but the Penguins were too good to overcome.
Fans shouldn’t read too much into tournaments like this. Some fans expect a 1st round pick like Zach Hamill to step up and dominate games but they have to remember that 1 man cannot beat an entire team. Zach looked great offensively in game 1 against the Leafs and showed he can play on the Defensive side of the puck in games 2 and 3. Yesterday vs. the Penguins Hamill showed some real creativity with the puck but was only able to notch 1 assist on the Jeff LoVecchio goal. He improved dramatically on faceoffs yesterday and showed that he can play along the boards despite being severely overmatched. Hamill still needs to add strength if he expects to translate his game to the NHL level. Donny Sweeney compared Hamill to a 1st year college player and preached that fans should be patient with his development. I would expect a big year out of Zach in Providence as the teams #1 Center. He could play the odd game in Boston if there are sufficient injuries but I would expect him to use the full year to continue his development. Hamill was the best Bruin forward on the ice for the tournament.
Player Thoughts:
Goalies
Of the 3 goalies Matt Dalton stood out the most. He moves well laterally and has excellent rebound control. He stopped roughly 50 shots yesterday and cannot be faulted at all for the 3 goals the Pens scored. On the 1st goal Dalton was completely screened by his own Defenseman (Isherwood) and was yelling at him to move out of the way. On the 2nd goal a stick managed to end up in the net and was sticking out of the right corner. Dalton moved laterally to the right and had to step over the stick in the process to attempt making the save but the puck managed to go in under his skate as he was moving across. The 3rd goal scored was on a Penguins PP and he had no chance at all.
Hutchinson stopped a lot of shots in his game against the Sens but also got very lucky with a pew posts and missed open nets. Big kid who covers a lot of the net in the butterfly doesn’t have the lateral speed or puck control of Dalton.
Courchaine looked nervous in his game against the Leafs and had it not been for the poor play of the Leafs goalie (Reimer) he likely would have lost the game. Courchaine is an ECHL goalie at best right now.
Defense
Ryan Button gets the award for top B’s Defenseman as he plays a solid all around game. He transitions the puck well and makes a decent 1st pass. He plays well under pressure in his own end and generally makes the safe plays. His overall game reminds me of Andrew Ference but with higher upside offensively.
Alain Goulet showed more offensive upside than Button but his Defense needs a little more work. He has a variety of shots and makes an NHL 1st pass. He transitions the puck well and likes to lead the attack. He likes to use his stick to check opponents off the puck and does not use his body at all in the Defensive zone. Goulet has really improved his skating from draft day but he still needs to work on his backwards skating and timing of transitioning from forwards to backwards skating. He got burned pretty badly against the Leafs game in this regard. Overall I think Goulet has the highest ceiling of all the Bruins Defenseman in the system right now. He is still not signed but I believe a contract is coming based on his play and comments from his mother and his aunt. His dad (Habs fan) was wearing a B’s hat at all 3 games.
Rob Kweit was close to getting honors for 3rd best Defenseman but Marc Zanetti stood out in game 3 to steal the honor. Zanetti played a stay at home role despite being a fairly decent skater. He didn’t lead the rush at all to show off any blazing speed but he made some excellent defensive plays yesterday that could have led to more Penguin goals. He’s a former OHL 1st round pick of the Ottawa 67’s and is not eligible to play in Providence this season. Of all the invited unsigned Defenseman he played the best by a considerable margin.
Kweit comes in at #4 because he regressed as the tournament went on. He’s an okay skater but is not overly fast. Needs to work on his 1st few steps but overall is more of a tweener. He may need some time in the ECHL before joining Providence.
Fletcher was a welcomed addition for his fists and that is it. Isherwood is terrible and Good is quite the opposite of his name.
Forwards
After Hamill the honor for top Bruins forward goes to Jeff LoVecchio. LoVecchio doesn’t look to be much of an offensive threat at the NHL level but could be relied upon as a 4th line player than can bang bodies, block shots and kill penalties. He got better and better as the tournament progressed.
Jamie Arniel was close to taking the 2nd spot but isn’t quite as polished as LoVecchio right now. Arniel played great in the tourney 5 on 5 and the PK. He did get some PP time but I don’t think he will translate into a top 6 forward. Some fans have compared him to Chuck Kobasew and that is a fair comparison for overall style of play. He doesn’t have Kobasew’s speed or shot but certainly plays the same forchecking style.
I am giving props to Chris DeSousa as the next best forward. He is not the fastest guy on the ice but his motor doesn’t stop. He finishes all of his checks and really got under the skin of all 3 teams. He plays an abrasive style that gets him noticed. I hope the B’s agree and give him a shot to earn a job in Providence.
Jordan Knackstedt potted a couple of goals over the 3 games in the tournament but overall I don’t think he shows very well. He tries to emulate how Byron Bitz plays but doesn’t look right doing it. Tries to be physical along the boards and in the corners but appears to be lacking the strength required to dominate. If he doesn’t dominate against his own peers its VERY safe to point out that he will not translate into a full time NHL player unless he makes a HUGE commitment to hitting the weight room. Skating is a tad awkward and needs to work on his speed.
Tyler Randell played most of the tournament on Hamill’s wing but didn’t exactly stand out. He has decent size but doesn’t play with enough intensity. He doesn’t finish his checks but clearly can staple guys when he wants to. Goes to the net and likes to hang out in front to cash in on rebounds. Skating is neither good nor bad…..honestly I think he looks disinterested most of the time. Very raw overall.
Jason Lawrence shows to have a decent work ethic and can cycle the puck down low. His skating is UGLY and he lacks speed for a player his size. I don’t see NHL potential in him at all but he should be a regular contributor for Providence.
Matt Marquardt = stiff. If he has an NHL shot he didn’t show it off. Can barely keep up with the pace of play.
Peter Stevens, Jason Wilson, and Tyler MacDougall will be released from further duties IMO. While Stevens and Wilson dropped the gloves and played with an edge, neither did anything to justify earning a contract with Providence.
Overall none of these players stand out to earn a job with Boston out of training camp. While some of them showed great potential they also showed they need more time to develop.
I think this tournament has exposed Knackstedt and Marquardt. Last year, they both played on a line with Hamill and no one really produced. Split apart, Hamill has excelled while they have stagnated. It will be good to see Zach play on a line with guys like Marchand and Lehtonen.
The Bruins didn’t ice their best players as Max Sauve didn’t return after suffering a charley horse against the Leafs in game 1. Lane MacDermid missed all 3 games with an ankle sprain he sustained practicing with his teammates in nearby Windsor. Levi Nelson left game 2 with an undisclosed injury and Jamie Arniel went knee on knee with a Penguin player and needed help off the ice. The Bruins were forced to play Scott Fletcher as a Forward because of all the injuries.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
If in an emergency or situation, do you think Hamill could be adequate filling a 3rd line pivot on the big club this year?
That's what I was more or less getting at. But only in an emergency situation. Zach is not the strongest physically and he's not the fastest (although he is much better than seasons past in both areas) and playing against NHL players vs. rookie players may be a difficult transition for him. I think if he works hard this year he may be ready for an audition in 2010-2011 for regular duties.
great post, thanks for the info. Be nice if we more press coverage on this tourney from the globe...they seemed to have something after the 1st game and then...poof!
Thanks WB, it is posts like these that keep me checking the boards daily. I can't wait to see some of these kids in training camp with the regulars. It will help resolve GW's question.
It would have been nice to see Colborne here. Unless Denver makes the Frozen Four, there isn't a snowball's chance in hell that I'll get to see him this year (Besides the odd Youtube). Could anyone guess development-wise would he be on par with Hamill or behind him? From what I've been reading, conventional wisdom has been predicting break-out years for the two of them.
Fantastic recap....I add to the thanks from everyone else.
I still think you give Kwiet more credit than he deserves -- i was tremendously unimpressed by his game against Toronto, and he seems to have gone downhill from there.
But the rest of the analysis I either agree with, or have been convinced by your insights.
Just read Rob Murray's comments and I really think he is confusing Wilson and DeSousa. If Wilson gets an invite over DeSousa I have no idea why. I didn't think Wilson stood out enough to earn a shot at the Providence camp nevermind Boston.
It could be a mistake now that I think of it because he also said Nelson got injured in the Penguins game and in reality Nelson was injured in the 1st period of the Senators game. The fact there was no mention at all about DeSousa makes me think he has the players confused.
Wow. Lot of effort going into that post... Very, VERY much appreciated by (the lot of us, I'm sure...but I'll say) I. Looking forward to seeing Lovecchio play and I'm really happy to hear that Hamill is looking solid.
I'll be reading that a few more times in the upcoming week.
Just read Rob Murray's comments and I really think he is confusing Wilson and DeSousa. If Wilson gets an invite over DeSousa I have no idea why. I didn't think Wilson stood out enough to earn a shot at the Providence camp nevermind Boston.
It could be a mistake now that I think of it because he also said Nelson got injured in the Penguins game and in reality Nelson was injured in the 1st period of the Senators game. The fact there was no mention at all about DeSousa makes me think he has the players confused.
great insight Shane, thanks for the time and passion. I'm glad to hear the accolades for Hamill, and Lovecchio, although the one guy I was interested in at forward was Sauve. He's an intriguing talent and I was curious how well he'd do in this environment. Guess I'll have to wait and see if he lands in Providence in the Spring.
Fans shouldn’t read too much into tournaments like this. Some fans expect a 1st round pick like Zach Hamill to step up and dominate games but they have to remember that 1 man cannot beat an entire team.
Very good advice. However the fact the Bs felt the need to send him to a camp for rookie pros in the first place says plenty. I know circumstances dictated that the Bs didn't have their full alottment of prospects available but this was a semester of summer school.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wonder Boy
Courchaine looked nervous in his game against the Leafs and had it not been for the poor play of the Leafs goalie (Reimer) he likely would have lost the game. Courchaine is an ECHL goalie at best right now.
I'd love to know the personal connection between Courchaine and Chiarelli. There has to be one. There is no plausible alternative to him taking up a contract.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wonder Boy
... Marc Zanetti stood out in game 3 to steal the honor. Zanetti played a stay at home role despite being a fairly decent skater. He didn’t lead the rush at all to show off any blazing speed but he made some excellent defensive plays yesterday that could have led to more Penguin goals. He’s a former OHL 1st round pick of the Ottawa 67’s and is not eligible to play in Providence this season. Of all the invited unsigned Defenseman he played the best by a considerable margin.
From seeing Zanetti play last year given his size, skill level and style of play, I just assumed he'd be a 4th or 5th rounder last June. Consistency I guess.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wonder Boy
Jamie Arniel was close to taking the 2nd spot but isn’t quite as polished as LoVecchio right now. Arniel played great in the tourney 5 on 5 and the PK. He did get some PP time but I don’t think he will translate into a top 6 forward. Some fans have compared him to Chuck Kobasew and that is a fair comparison for overall style of play. He doesn’t have Kobasew’s speed or shot but certainly plays the same forchecking style.
Is there a player on the Bruins that is more underrated by the fanbase than Kobasew? Excellent wheels, great shot, two way game, physical and brings it every night. Only Gionta in his sr. year had more than Chucky's 27 as a freshman at BC, a year that included an MVP of the Frozen Four and a national championship. 51 goals in 70 games his one year of major jr plus another 5 goals in 7 games at the World Jrs (3 against the eventual champion Russians), 59 in 127 over two seasons in the AHL, including a team leading 38 for Lowell during the lockout (12 more than Staal). And now 3 - 20 goal seasons in the NHL. I know it's not your comp. and nothing against Arniel but he's got a long way to go to merit the comparison.
Very good advice. However the fact the Bs felt the need to send him to a camp for rookie pros in the first place says plenty. I know circumstances dictated that the Bs didn't have their full alottment of prospects available but this was a semester of summer school.
I'd love to know the personal connection between Courchaine and Chiarelli. There has to be one. There is no plausible alternative to him taking up a contract.
From seeing Zanetti play last year given his size, skill level and style of play, I just assumed he'd be a 4th or 5th rounder last June. Consistency I guess.
Is there a player on the Bruins that is more underrated by the fanbase than Kobasew? Excellent wheels, great shot, two way game, physical and brings it every night. Only Gionta in his sr. year had more than Chucky's 27 as a freshman at BC, a year that included an MVP of the Frozen Four and a national championship. 51 goals in 70 games his one year of major jr plus another 5 goals in 7 games at the World Jrs (3 against the eventual champion Russians), 59 in 127 over two seasons in the AHL, including a team leading 38 for Lowell during the lockout (12 more than Staal). And now 3 - 20 goal seasons in the NHL. I know it's not your comp. and nothing against Arniel but he's got a long way to go to merit the comparison.
My issue with Kobasew is that an enormous amount of energy is expended for fairly good returns and he seems to never be able to exploit the talent of his center with positioning. A lot of wheel spinning.
Kayli
