Hi Giants fans: Info on Marek Tvrdon

[Johnnydrum]

Greetings frm England.
Really intrigued by Tvrdon...he looks like he has "came back" from his injury last year and really means business!
Would love to hear more about him, scouting reports ect.
Who would he compare too....he has some great speed and wheels I gather?
Would he bbe considered more of a Power Forward?
Please, anyone with time, do drop me a line, so I can learn more about this great prospect, and his team mates (would love a "Whos who")

Also, was wondering about a Giants Prospect.
Alexander Kuvayev.
He had a great start to his first WHL season with 10 goals in the first 20 games, last year, before falling fowl with the coaches, and having his ice time radicaly cut (and an end to my interest in the slumping team)
I have seen him pop up this week on KHL Dynamos Roster, and , upon further research, found him listed on the WHL Vancouver Giants Roster???
I see that he is seeing duty in Russia, but I was not aware of his rights being "moved?"
Many Thanks
Jd
johnnydrummond@hotmail.co.uk

[dondo]

He's still considered a rookie this season I believe as he only played 12 games before a season-ending injury last year.

He has a good shot, but sees himself as more of playmaker imo. Not a power forward in the least. I find he tends to avoid traffic, but he has good vision for the ice and is very good at maintaining possession of the puck while wheeling and dealing, not so good along the boards.

Don't know about Kuvayev at all. In the WHL each team has 50 players on their PPL (player protected list).. this means that teams will "list" players that are not really considered to be prospects and haven't been drafted or went a different route.

I expect the Kuvayev listing is one of those, just in case he comes to Canada. A player listed for them might still need to sign a contract and are often free-agents, or in the case of Kyle Turris (who was once a Giants list player) go the NCAA route. Sometimes they'll draft a player in latter rounds who has skill, but are not expected to play in the WHL.. as in Turris or Pierro-Zabotel was playing in the BCHL, with a scholarship to a US College

[johnnyradiant]

For more info on your Kuvaev question look to yesterdays posting:

http://blogs.theprovince.com/2011/12/04/giants-gm-bonner-taking-aim-at-russian-winger-kuvaev-to-fill-whl-clubs-open-euro-spot/

Short answer is they are trying to break him out of Russia to fill our open Euro spot.

[dondo]

THANKS Johnny :cool: (great post and update)

It answers my questions about a few things. With Morrison in place I guess the G's are passing on the Ihlati experiment this season and looking to add another euro to the roster. Its odd that two WHL clubs have had Kuvaev and passed due to different reasons, but if anyone can make him a more complete player it would be Hay.

The lack of foot speed, worries me a bit in this day of faster and faster players, but its never a bad move to have a player that can finish. However; at 6'3" 200lbs, I am hoping he is willing to be physical or at least be a power forward type, generally euros tend to shy away from that kind of physical play.

The Giants have suffered the past few years not having an elite euro (or two) as other clubs do when push comes to shove in the playoffs.

[Section_Z]

Lacks footspeed, in a Euro/Russian sense though?
We all know what the Euro game is like....Might not a larger "slow" Euro forward be a "power" forward in NA?

[johnnyradiant]

Ya know with all the brainwashing experiments that were to have gone on south of 49° over the years you'd think there'd be the ability for a hockey team to take advantage and send their euro players to a physical education program when they come over.

just sayin

[dondo]

maybe Z .. I like his size, but our experience with big euros is frequently they don't play that big ... however we can always use another big body who has a scoring touch. I am still curious what caused Lethbridge to release him .. I get the other club just knew they were losing him to the KHL -

and yes is that actual plumber foot-speed or just not elite foot-speed? hmmmm..

[Giantsfan]

maybe Z .. I like his size, but our experience with big euros is frequently they don't play that big

Are you serious? Andrej Meszaros, Michal Repik & Andrej Stastny were 3 guys that played a rugged style even though they were Euros. Even Tomas Vincour & Lukas Pulpan had physicality in them.

Dondo, I'm still waiting to hear from you about the guys Hunt beat up that were 6-7 inches taller than him. I'll tell you that it wasn't Kassian, McEwan, Olsen, Bhungal, & even Cody Almond fought Hunt to a draw. I love Hunt, & love to have him on the team every season. He was one of the most entertaining player to ever play for the Giants, & had balls of steel, but he wasn't a heavyweight.

[scrunt]

Are you serious? Andrej Meszaros, Michal Repik & Andrej Stastny were 3 guys that played a rugged style even though they were Euros. Even Tomas Vincour & Lukas Pulpan had physicality in them.


Repik did indeed play a rugged game, but he was a small guy who played way bigger than he was, so I would not include him in a discussion about big Euros. As for the other Giants' Euros who play(ed) smaller than their size, I would include Tvrdon, Stastny, Musil, Fisenko, Kudrna, and Carning. All of these guys are over 6' 2" and 190 lbs+, and none played a physical game anywhere close to their potential. At 6'4" 200 lbs Stastny could have been a monster, but he would curl away from easy hits all the time.

And I don't mean they need to fight or take boarding or charging penalties, but I do mean finishing checks solidly, dishing out the odd heavy body check, and generally not peeling away from a chance at physical play when the opportunity arises. Even Musil is constantly pulling up to nudge an opponent into the boards when he could give a guy a solid ride into the glass.

Overall, the Giants have a history of small guys playing big, and big guys playing small. It would be nice to get a big Euro who plays with the same physical edge as guys like Bellerive, Ast, Sward etc.

[johnnyradiant]

I still remember a huge Meszaros hit on a PG player. One of the highlight open ice hits over the history of the G-Men.

Musil euro or not definitely could play up a little closer to his size on a more consistent basis.

As for a Euro big guy playing with the same physical edge as Ast Sward or Bellerive. I'd be happy with a big guy playing with A physical edge.