You have no idea how good of a player you guys are getting. I get the opportunity to watch Jay every night, and he's by far the best player I've ever seen play for the Lincoln Stars. Not only is he our best offensive forward, but he's our best defensive forward as well. You couldn't ask for a better two-way player. He's clutch also.
Not enough adjectives to describe his play.
Thanks for the heads up. WHo would u compare him too???
Thanks for the heads up. WHo would u compare him too???
Obviously this is a stretch, but maybe somebody like Steve Yzerman or Joe Sakic. Both were/are terrific 2-way players.....and both had a scoring touch. Gregs doesn't do one thing amazingly well....he does EVERYTHING very well. Very balanced, heady player. Great captain on the ice as well. He commands respect. And for a guy who isn't that big, he's not afraid to throw his body around at all.
To date, he is the best forward I've ever seen play on the PK. His defensive skills are dirty.
Obviously this is a stretch, but maybe somebody like Steve Yzerman or Joe Sakic. Both were/are terrific 2-way players.....and both had a scoring touch. Gregs doesn't do one thing amazingly well....he does EVERYTHING very well. Very balanced, heady player. Great captain on the ice as well. He commands respect. And for a guy who isn't that big, he's not afraid to throw his body around at all.
To date, he is the best forward I've ever seen play on the PK. His defensive skills are dirty.
You say he's not big. How much is he going to have to increase his body weight to be able to adjust to the pro game?
Also, what do you think his chances are to make it in the AHL? And even the NHL? I know it's early, but you're really hyping the kid up and it's making me excited, especially because i saw him at development camp last year and he impressed me then.
You say he's not big. How much is he going to have to increase his body weight to be able to adjust to the pro game?
Also, what do you think his chances are to make it in the AHL? And even the NHL? I know it's early, but you're really hyping the kid up and it's making me excited, especially because i saw him at development camp last year and he impressed me then.
Thanks Yeti for the info.
As of right now, Gregs is 5'11", 175 pounds. I think he can put on 15 pounds and still maintain his quickness.
Without a doubt in my mind, he is capable of playing in the NHL. I've seen a lot of USHL players over the years, and he is one of the best. One of his good friends is Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks (they're both from Winnipeg). They played hockey together at an earlier age, iirc. I certainly think Gregs has what it takes to follow in his friends footsteps. They both play a similar style.
Stop by a University of North Dakota message board and look at all the fans there who are eagerly anticipating Gregs playing for them next season. No doubt in my mind he can dominate at the NCAA level.
As of right now, Gregs is 5'11", 175 pounds. I think he can put on 15 pounds and still maintain his quickness.
Without a doubt in my mind, he is capable of playing in the NHL. I've seen a lot of USHL players over the years, and he is one of the best. One of his good friends is Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks (they're both from Winnipeg). They played hockey together at an earlier age, iirc. I certainly think Gregs has what it takes to follow in his friends footsteps. They both play a similar style.
Stop by a University of North Dakota message board and look at all the fans there who are eagerly anticipating Gregs playing for them next season. No doubt in my mind he can dominate at the NCAA level.
Jason Gregoire is in his second season with the Stars, serving as their team captain and leading Lincoln in goals (37) and points (69). He was among the league's scoring leaders throughout the season and was chosen to play in the 2008 USHL Prospects/All-Star Game. For his consistent, high-end effort, Gregoire is the recipient of the B2 Networks USHL Player of the Year Award as well as the CCM Forward of the Year Award.
"There's a reason why he's been chosen as the Player of the Year. The guys in our room respect him and the guys around the league respect him," said Lincoln head coach Jimmy McGroarty. "He's our hardest worker both on and off the ice. He's such a humble kid. He respects all aspects of the game.
"It would have been easy for him to coast this year. He's already been drafted and already has his scholarship, but he came back, set goals for himself and attained them. He just brings so much to our team every day."
Jason Gregoire action shot
Gregoire, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, was chosen by the New York Islanders in the 2007 NHL Draft (third round, 76th overall) and will play his college hockey beginning next season at the University of North Dakota. Gregoire is the 16th player to receive both the player of the year and forward of the year awards in the same season. He is also the first non-American to be named the USHL's top player since 2000, when Omaha goaltender Dan Ellis won the award.
"He's just such a complete kid," McGroarty said. "I like to look at kids who come into this league and wonder how they would be if the game was taken away from them. Jason is a kid who would survive and succeed without the game. I couldn't be happier for him. He's a special player and a special person. It's been a pleasure to coach him."
Gregoiore's 37 goals were the second-most ever scored in a season for Lincoln.
Wait, before the season he said " I'm going to lead the league in goals".
No, it was about three weeks ago, right after a big game and he was near the top of the point charts and he told the newspaper guy he realized with 6 games left, it's all or nothing now and he had set a goal for himself at that point to lead the league in goals so he wanted to accomplish that.
I agree with Yeti, he is just a great great player. The first game I watched him last year, the home opener, as a rookie, he had 3 assists, I turned to my buddy and said "this kid is gonna be a great player." Unfortunately he spent most of the year injured and we didn't get to see him, but he came back at the end and for playoffs, and had a hat trick in the final playoff game where the Stars fell down 4-0 in the first. He simply would NOT give up, and he has always been that way.
The last regular season game, Sioux City tried to work the puck out of the zone, 3 guys, and Gregoire was the lone guy pressuring them. He poked and poked at the puck and just flat out outworked the player, took the puck from him, took a hit, remained unphased, passed it to a teammate skating in who passed it back and Gregoire shot it off the crossbar and in. I just shook my head in awe.
This kid is so special. I'm not exaggerating. We had Carter Camper here last year who received all kinds of honors at Miami (OH), and no offense to him, he's a great player, but Gregoire is just way better.
This kid is so special. I'm not exaggerating. We had Carter Camper here last year who received all kinds of honors at Miami (OH), and no offense to him, he's a great player, but Gregoire is just way better.
Agreed. We've seen some good all around players come thru Lincoln the last couple of years (Jared Brown, Carter Camper), but Gregoire is heads and tails above both in terms of raw talent. The Islanders will not regret drafting him.
When I saw Gregoire, I was also very impressed with his play. Very heady player with good wheels and skills, just dominated the ice every shift, was always doing something whether the puck was on his stick or not and his motor never stopped. I don't know how his game will transfer to the NHL, but he has the potential to be a good NHLer.
Not to beat a dead Gregoire horse...but the Lincoln Stars played their first playoff game tonight, on the road against the Sioux Falls Stampede (reigning playoff champ from last year).
The Lincoln Stars won the game 3-2 in double OT. Guess who scored the game winner?
Not to beat a dead Gregoire horse...but the Lincoln Stars played their first playoff game tonight, on the road against the Sioux Falls Stampede (reigning playoff champ from last year).
The Lincoln Stars won the game 3-2 in double OT. Guess who scored the game winner?
Not to beat a dead Gregoire horse...but the Lincoln Stars played their first playoff game tonight, on the road against the Sioux Falls Stampede (reigning playoff champ from last year).
The Lincoln Stars won the game 3-2 in double OT. Guess who scored the game winner?
USHL-Lincoln 5, Sioux Falls 3-Jason Gregoire, no points, + 1. Lincoln leads series 2-0.
Waterloo 4, Cedar Rapids 3 (2 OT)-Blake Kessel, 3 assists (assist on OT goal), even.
Waterloo leads series 1-0.
Last edited by MrProspects: 04-12-2008 at 08:01 PM.
USHL-Lincoln 5, Sioux Falls 3-Jason Gregoire, no points, + 1. Lincoln leads series 2-0.
Waterloo 4, Cedar Rapids 3 (2 OT)-Blake Kessel, 2 assists (assist on OT goal), even.
Waterloo leads series 1-0.
USHL-Waterloo 3, Cedar Rapids 0-Blake Kessel, no points, even. Waterloo leads series 2-0.
Lincoln 7, Sioux Falls 3-Jason Gregoire, 1 goal (2), 1 assist, + 2. Lincoln wins series 3-0.
Last edited by MrProspects: 04-13-2008 at 05:41 PM.
USHL-Waterloo 3, Cedar Rapids 0-Blake Kessel, no points, even. Waterloo leads series 2-0.
Lincoln 7, Sioux Falls 3-Jason Gregoire, 1 goal (2), 1 assist, + 2. Lincoln leads series 3-0.
here's a quote from the Sioux Falls coach about our series with them.
“I think Jason Gregoire showed in this series why he was player of the year. I thought if anybody was the difference in this, series it was Jason Gregoire. He’s a heck of player, and how physical he is kept being a big impact.”
, a real beauty too.
