SectionNDeserter
10-12-2009, 08:34 PM
Well, the first 10 games have passed, and I have compiled my opinions and observations on the players.
Colin Archer - He hasn't been playing with as much intensity as he did last season, and he also has made some incredibly poor decisions with the puck in his own zone so far this season. I am really not sure what the issue is, but he hasn't looked as good as even last year. I think once Petrovic comes back, some of the heat will come off of him, but if things don't change, I can't imagine him lasting here a lot longer.
Kraymer Barnstable - He has been an ok backup goalie, but I really question having two 19 year old goalies, as well as his ability to push Kuemper consistently. With all the young goalies in the league becoming available, I can't imagine him being here at the end of the season.
Nick Bell - I am impressed with his play in the neutral zone, as well as at the other team's blueline. As good as he looks there, he looks completely lost in his own end of the ice, with no first effort, much less second effort to speak of. As a 19 year old rookie, he doesn't have as much time to figure this out.
Willie Coetzee - His 7 goals and 16 points in 10 games puts him amongst the league leaders... I don't think much more needs to be said, but I will anyways! He has been doing it all really since coming back from his NHL camp, and has made the injury to Ferraro a lot easier to swallow.
Josh Cowen - He has been eating up a lot of minutes so far this year with Ferraro out and everyone shuffling up in the lines. Not a lot of sheer skill, but he works hard and is continuing to irritate the opposition and get them off their game.
Brad Deagle - He doesn't look 6' or 191lbs... I think he has played as well as a 17 year old rookie with his skill set can be expected to play with, and he hasn't made any glaring errors yet.
Jordie Deagle - Really completely unimpressed with him, save the game last night where he forced a number of neutral zone turnovers. He still seems to have absolutely no finish though, and I have heard mention from someone at the hockey game that he skates like "one of his legs is six inches shorter than the other". While I don't think it is that bad, I do think that there are some overage players coming available that aren't 3rd/4th line players, or #6/7 defensemen...
Turner Elson - I really love the energy that this kid brings to every game. He gets under other player's skin, and doesn't back down from anyone. He should be a key part of the team for years to come.
Brett Ferguson - I had this guy all but written off at the end of the season last year, and in training camp. He is one of the guys that has really stepped up his game in Ferraro's absense, it will be interesting to see what he does with less ice time when Ferraro returns.
Landon Ferraro - Would like to be able to comment on him, but he really hasn't played, at least not healthy or in enough games to really do so.
Nathan Green - He has been doing what he was brought in to do, and that is to put up some numbers. His speed has been a problem for Rebel's opposition on a lot of nights.
Adam Kambeitz - Did anyone happen to notice that he took almost every key faceoff against Brandon last night, and won almost every one? I hope that he continues this, because it was sure a factor in the come from behind win. Excellent penalty killer too, I wish we could clone this kid and make 3 or 4 of him!
Andrej Kudrna - This is looking like a colossal heist that the Rebels pulled off in acquiring him for a struggling Cass Mappin. After a few games without much of a showing, he has put up a number of goals in the last 2 or 3. He is also one of the most defensively aware imports I have seen in a while, and has played tough on the boards.
Darcy Kuemper - Got off to a bit of a rough start, and has really gotten shelled in a few outings. He has played "good" so far, but maybe not to the level that an NHL drafted goalie should, he certainly hasn't stolen any games for us yet. I think that they need to acquire a younger backup that can push him a little.
Colten Mayor - He has a lot of poise, and he clearly has a high level of skill and potential. He has also made a lot of mistakes early on. I think that if some moves are made to bring in a vet or two, he will likely be the first one reassigned.
Cullen Morin - He played a good game in a stretch of 4 or 5 games, and chewed up a lot more ice time than he probably would have liked to with Petrovic being out. On the flipside of that, he has been responsible for a LOT of goals being scored against us, and has had a few really horrendous games (the Moose Jaw game comes to mind). If he isn't going to put forth a more consistent effort, I think it might be time for them to find an upgrade.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - It is scary to imagine how much better this kid is going to get as he develops, as he just doesn't seem to make mistakes. He has insane passing skill, moves through traffic well, finishes all his checks, and backchecks hard defensively.
John Persson - He has shown some good goal-scoring instincts, and has gone to the front of the net hard. He has also had a number of deflections that were near misses--tipping point shots seems to be his thing. The only thing that I would like to see from him, is for him to stop coming to a complete stop before hitting guys. He gets a guy lined up
and you think that he is just going to paste the guy, but he puts the brakes on and then puts his glove on the guy's shoulder instead of hitting him.
Alex Petrovic - He looked good in the game and a half he has played this season. One thing I noticed was that in those games he was shooting the puck a lot more than he was last year. Press releases say he has a "high ankle sprain". I am not a doctor, but I have never seen a sprain of any kind that requires a plaster cast.... He can't get back into the lineup fast enough!
Connor Redmond - Hasn't played yet due to a shoulder injury, but it will be interesting to see where he fits into this team, with a few lines that have started to gel.
Daulton Siwak - Got off to a really slow start, and looked really really bad in a few of the games where we allowed a lot of goals. Good news is that he is starting to show some of the wheels again that got him to where he is.
Justin Weller - Aside from the Brandon game last night, I have been impressed with his game. He has been flattening a number of guys at the blueline every game, and has even shown some skill in carrying the puck, and scoring a game winner!
Simon Witt - When he first arrived here, he wasn't impressive at all, but he has been improving exponentially every game, and has made some really nice plays. He reminds me a little of Petrovic, though maybe not as good of a skater, at least not yet...
Colin Archer - He hasn't been playing with as much intensity as he did last season, and he also has made some incredibly poor decisions with the puck in his own zone so far this season. I am really not sure what the issue is, but he hasn't looked as good as even last year. I think once Petrovic comes back, some of the heat will come off of him, but if things don't change, I can't imagine him lasting here a lot longer.
Kraymer Barnstable - He has been an ok backup goalie, but I really question having two 19 year old goalies, as well as his ability to push Kuemper consistently. With all the young goalies in the league becoming available, I can't imagine him being here at the end of the season.
Nick Bell - I am impressed with his play in the neutral zone, as well as at the other team's blueline. As good as he looks there, he looks completely lost in his own end of the ice, with no first effort, much less second effort to speak of. As a 19 year old rookie, he doesn't have as much time to figure this out.
Willie Coetzee - His 7 goals and 16 points in 10 games puts him amongst the league leaders... I don't think much more needs to be said, but I will anyways! He has been doing it all really since coming back from his NHL camp, and has made the injury to Ferraro a lot easier to swallow.
Josh Cowen - He has been eating up a lot of minutes so far this year with Ferraro out and everyone shuffling up in the lines. Not a lot of sheer skill, but he works hard and is continuing to irritate the opposition and get them off their game.
Brad Deagle - He doesn't look 6' or 191lbs... I think he has played as well as a 17 year old rookie with his skill set can be expected to play with, and he hasn't made any glaring errors yet.
Jordie Deagle - Really completely unimpressed with him, save the game last night where he forced a number of neutral zone turnovers. He still seems to have absolutely no finish though, and I have heard mention from someone at the hockey game that he skates like "one of his legs is six inches shorter than the other". While I don't think it is that bad, I do think that there are some overage players coming available that aren't 3rd/4th line players, or #6/7 defensemen...
Turner Elson - I really love the energy that this kid brings to every game. He gets under other player's skin, and doesn't back down from anyone. He should be a key part of the team for years to come.
Brett Ferguson - I had this guy all but written off at the end of the season last year, and in training camp. He is one of the guys that has really stepped up his game in Ferraro's absense, it will be interesting to see what he does with less ice time when Ferraro returns.
Landon Ferraro - Would like to be able to comment on him, but he really hasn't played, at least not healthy or in enough games to really do so.
Nathan Green - He has been doing what he was brought in to do, and that is to put up some numbers. His speed has been a problem for Rebel's opposition on a lot of nights.
Adam Kambeitz - Did anyone happen to notice that he took almost every key faceoff against Brandon last night, and won almost every one? I hope that he continues this, because it was sure a factor in the come from behind win. Excellent penalty killer too, I wish we could clone this kid and make 3 or 4 of him!
Andrej Kudrna - This is looking like a colossal heist that the Rebels pulled off in acquiring him for a struggling Cass Mappin. After a few games without much of a showing, he has put up a number of goals in the last 2 or 3. He is also one of the most defensively aware imports I have seen in a while, and has played tough on the boards.
Darcy Kuemper - Got off to a bit of a rough start, and has really gotten shelled in a few outings. He has played "good" so far, but maybe not to the level that an NHL drafted goalie should, he certainly hasn't stolen any games for us yet. I think that they need to acquire a younger backup that can push him a little.
Colten Mayor - He has a lot of poise, and he clearly has a high level of skill and potential. He has also made a lot of mistakes early on. I think that if some moves are made to bring in a vet or two, he will likely be the first one reassigned.
Cullen Morin - He played a good game in a stretch of 4 or 5 games, and chewed up a lot more ice time than he probably would have liked to with Petrovic being out. On the flipside of that, he has been responsible for a LOT of goals being scored against us, and has had a few really horrendous games (the Moose Jaw game comes to mind). If he isn't going to put forth a more consistent effort, I think it might be time for them to find an upgrade.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - It is scary to imagine how much better this kid is going to get as he develops, as he just doesn't seem to make mistakes. He has insane passing skill, moves through traffic well, finishes all his checks, and backchecks hard defensively.
John Persson - He has shown some good goal-scoring instincts, and has gone to the front of the net hard. He has also had a number of deflections that were near misses--tipping point shots seems to be his thing. The only thing that I would like to see from him, is for him to stop coming to a complete stop before hitting guys. He gets a guy lined up
and you think that he is just going to paste the guy, but he puts the brakes on and then puts his glove on the guy's shoulder instead of hitting him.
Alex Petrovic - He looked good in the game and a half he has played this season. One thing I noticed was that in those games he was shooting the puck a lot more than he was last year. Press releases say he has a "high ankle sprain". I am not a doctor, but I have never seen a sprain of any kind that requires a plaster cast.... He can't get back into the lineup fast enough!
Connor Redmond - Hasn't played yet due to a shoulder injury, but it will be interesting to see where he fits into this team, with a few lines that have started to gel.
Daulton Siwak - Got off to a really slow start, and looked really really bad in a few of the games where we allowed a lot of goals. Good news is that he is starting to show some of the wheels again that got him to where he is.
Justin Weller - Aside from the Brandon game last night, I have been impressed with his game. He has been flattening a number of guys at the blueline every game, and has even shown some skill in carrying the puck, and scoring a game winner!
Simon Witt - When he first arrived here, he wasn't impressive at all, but he has been improving exponentially every game, and has made some really nice plays. He reminds me a little of Petrovic, though maybe not as good of a skater, at least not yet...