Current Team Members In Pro Prospect Camps - JULY '06

rmandel · July 10, 2006, 05:25:08 PM

Observation by the Hockey's Future beat writer from Atlanta Thrashers prospect camp:

62 Carefoot – Smooth and fast skater, but not the best shooter.

I hope I got this right. ;-)

pfibiger · July 10, 2006, 07:07:29 PM

From HF Boards re: Montreal's camp:

a) Always impressed how O'Byrne's skating looks great for a guy that size. He's just huge out there, not only is he the tallest but definately fills his size as well. There's obviously some improvement as far as his agility is concerned but nevertheless I'm a fan of his.

pfibiger · July 11, 2006, 03:02:16 PM

More on Montreal's second day, quotes stolen from various HF posters:

3- At the same exercise, the funnier and most interesting battle was between O'Byrne and Gleed. O'Byrne nailed Gleed the first time, something that really looked like an uneven battle. Well, they did it again, and Gleed owned O'Byrne so hard, O'Byrne fell down hard and Gleed had fun skating with O'Byrne on his back....

4- I don't think it was Price greatest day. There was some scrimmages where there's 3 guys fighting for a puck, everyone for himself, 2 goalies, you shoot wherever you want, 2 nets were along the boards inside a blue line. Anyway, Price got owned badly by....O'Byrne! Made 2 incredible stops though on somebody else. It wasn't a bad day but not a great one either. Didn't look at Lacasse that much.

7- Is it me or Jon Gleed just looks like he could be a good player. Doesn't do anything exceptionnally well, but just seems to have some kind of presence about him.

10- I just have a hockey man crush on O'Byrne, skates well, great passes, obviously looks like a man amongst boys.

Wow ... I've been so impress by O'Byrne !!! He's big , agile , good speed , good hand ...

- O'Byrne: Big guy. Skates well. Needs a bit of work on puck control, but seems like he's developing a booming shot.

D'agostini, O'Byrne and Aubin definitely looked to be among the most mature out there...O'byrne is big and fast and agile.

Good post. Absolutely right. O'Byrne is the most impressive but Aubin and D'Ago are great as well. Again I like Gleed despite some footwork problem and some puck handling problems. But you have to love how he responded in this 1 on 1 challenge with O'Byrne, this received the most cheers from the crowd all day. Loved some Mikus moves today. Some kids made great moves when they were skating from one end to another and close to the blue line they had to do a move on a coach that was standing there doing a little move to get the puck away from them. Maxwell and Mikus looked smart with the puck.Again' O'Byrne with nome nifty moves as well during that exercise.

ugarte · July 11, 2006, 03:12:50 PM

Anyone write anything about McKee? (I keed. I keed.)

rmandel · July 12, 2006, 09:08:52 AM

Thrasher camp - Day 4 Observation from HF poster.

"Mitch Carefoot: Brutal pass."

OT: Article on Dartmouth's Grant Lewis

http://hockeysfuture.com/article.php?sid=8950&mode=threaded&order=0

"About a year ago, the Thrashers said that they would like to see Lewis turn pro early, mostly due to the lack of games that Ivy League teams play."

The Rancor · July 13, 2006, 02:33:42 PM

from hockeysfuture.com

Tony Romano, C -- N.Y. Bobcats (AJHL)
7th pick, 6th round, 178th overall

The Devils more often than not draft more than one player from the NCAA, or a player that is NCAA-bound. In the sixth round, they added a second collegiate bound player when they took undersized but offensively gifted center Tony Romano from the New York Bobcats of the Atlantic Junior Hockey League. Romano will be suiting up for the Big Red in Cornell starting in 2006-07.

The 5'10, 170 lb Romano lit up the AJHL to a tune of 50 goals and 52 assists for a league leading total of 102 points. He was a huge factor in helping lead the Bobcats to the AJHL Championship, and he also participated for Team USA in some international tournaments, including the Viking Cup. While he was not on the radar of many teams coming into the draft, his play at tournaments like the Viking Cup improved his standing in the eyes of scouts.

Like many players his size, Romano possesses great quickness and speed and unlike most players his size, he does not shy away from traffic. He has top notch hands around the net and has the attacking mentality of a sniper. He is just as adept at setting up, as he is scoring goals and evidenced by his 52 assists. One challenge for Romano next season as he starts his collegiate career is to prove that his dominance of a league that would best be described as average, can translate to a higher level. The other challenge for Romano is to become more well-rounded as a player, something that he will no doubt get plenty of time to work on with the Big Red.

The Devils have plenty of depth at the center ice position in the system, and therefore have the luxury of letting the highly-skilled Romano mature at the NCAA level. Not many sixth round draft picks ever make it to the big show, but Romano could be one of the Devils' late round diamond in the rough selections.

Al DeFlorio · July 13, 2006, 02:51:01 PM

I like the part about "maturing at the NCAA level."

ugarte · July 13, 2006, 03:56:47 PM

[quote Al DeFlorio]I like the part about "maturing at the NCAA level."[/quote]Me too. I'd think that if you draft a small guy with scoring skills he is better off in a league where he does have to scratch for space and learn to work the corners but very little actual violence is permitted. It worked for Gionta and St. Louis anyway.

Josh '99 · July 16, 2006, 02:29:52 PM

[quote ugarte][quote Al DeFlorio]I like the part about "maturing at the NCAA level."[/quote]Me too. I'd think that if you draft a small guy with scoring skills he is better off in a league where he does have to scratch for space and learn to work the corners but very little actual violence is permitted. It worked for Gionta and St. Louis anyway.[/quote]Did it really? Seems to me it took six years of development in the pros before St. Louis really had much success in the NHL, and almost as long for Gionta.

Josh '99 · July 16, 2006, 02:31:11 PM

[quote pfibiger]More on Montreal's second day, quotes stolen from various HF posters:[/quote]I hope the Habs' management aren't fawning over O'B quite as much as those posters, or else they might... well, I don't really want to say it.

rmandel · July 18, 2006, 01:30:02 PM

From Hockey Future's Thrasher prospect camp wrap-up.

"Mitch Carefoot showed good skating ability, but less than average puck skills. A potential checking liner, he will return to Cornell this season, where he will be a senior."

RatushnyFan · July 19, 2006, 01:53:35 PM

[quote jmh30]Did it really? Seems to me it took six years of development in the pros before St. Louis really had much success in the NHL, and almost as long for Gionta.[/quote] Come on, it worked. These guys are tiny and they're great NHL players now. Seems to me like as soon as St. Louis got away from Calgary, he was instantly a decent scorer and soon became a great scorer. Gionta played less than a season in the AHL and was a good NHL player in his first full season with the Devils.

Trotsky · July 19, 2006, 03:36:25 PM

The AJHL can "best be described as" crappy, but even if it takes Romano a couple years to acclimate to the faster, more physical college game (c.f. Mark McCutcheon), we hopefully gain. I was shocked the Devils took him; I guess it's a low round flyer, but that at least says they believe he has potential.

KeithK · July 19, 2006, 03:53:00 PM

[quote Trotsky]The AJHL can "best be described as" crappy, but even if it takes Romano a couple years to acclimate to the faster, more physical college game (c.f. Mark McCutcheon), we hopefully gain. I was shocked the Devils took him; I guess it's a low round flyer, but that at least says they believe he has potential.[/quote]It could also mean that they have faith that playing in Schafer's system will ensure that he comes out of school as a fairly well rounded player, able to play defense as well as score.

Trotsky · July 19, 2006, 10:42:05 PM

[quote KeithK][quote Trotsky]The AJHL can "best be described as" crappy, but even if it takes Romano a couple years to acclimate to the faster, more physical college game (c.f. Mark McCutcheon), we hopefully gain. I was shocked the Devils took him; I guess it's a low round flyer, but that at least says they believe he has potential.[/quote]It could also mean that they have faith that playing in Schafer's system will ensure that he comes out of school as a fairly well rounded player, able to play defense as well as score.[/quote]
There may be some of that, but I'd think that would come from Schafer producing players who made a splash in the NHL.