Marek Zagrapan

[vasabresfan]

I was reading that Hockey'sFuture website and was checking out our list of prospects. I was wondering if anyone had any insight into Marek Zagrapan. I've seen his name for years now but I really don't know much about him. I don't think I have ever even seen him play. His stats look decent but it doesn't seem like he's gotten much of a sniff from the big club. Last year's call-ups tended to be ranked below him on the prospect chart (understanding that this is just someone's opinion regarding how they rank). I also understand that positions of need had something to do with that too.

 

Considering that there are a good number of quality-to-decent players from that 1995 draft (Crosby, Johnson, Price, Setoguchi, Bourdon [rip], Kopitar, Staal), even though he is still young, it doesn't seem like it should be that much longer. I know that there are no guarantees that someone will succeed at the NHL level, but how does this kid's prospects look for coming up and staying, and when should we expect that to happen if it does? Maybe someone who saw him in Rochester regularly would have some good insight into what kind of player he is and when he might appear in the Blue and Gold. Is he the real deal?

[inkman]

Maybe someone who saw him in Rochester regularly would have some good insight into what kind of player he is and when he might appear in the Blue and Gold.

 

I'm not sure if he'll ever get a good look in the blue and gold.

 

Think Jiri Novotny but nowhere near as good defensively or as physical and plays with less heart.

[darksabre]

Who?

[RayFinkle]

Who?

that about sums it up.

[awill29]

What Ink said. He's got decent wheels and good vision, but his shot is nothing to right home about and he sucks at faceoffs. He plays with no heart. A huge disappointment to say the least.

[Goodfella25]

I'm not sure if he'll ever get a good look in the blue and gold.

 

Think Jiri Novotny but nowhere near as good defensively or as physical and plays with less heart.

 

That sounds unbelievably awful.

[Two or less]

There skills are there, but the hockey IQ is not. On a none stacked team, i think playing time would only help him. Here he needs to earn it. I think his value has dropped alot and we wouldn't get much for him, but i do think he may be a regular NHLer one day. His talent is unbelievable. I think theres times when he does things better then Stafford or MacArthur did for Rochester. He also lacks heart.

[rbochan]

I've seen him playing plenty against The Crunch. At best, he'll have a career in the AHL.

[outlaw16511]

Any guy that has the skill of Novotny mixed with Satan's heart, I hope I never see in the Blue and Gold.

[vasabresfan]

Wow. Disappointing. The Novotny comparison certainly says it all.

 

The response was not exactly the "he's a year away from getting the call and he'll be a great second-line center" that I was really hoping to hear. It's just with all the Gerbe, Kennedy, and Butler talk lately (frankly none of whom really have me jumping for joy), I was hoping that we had a gem hidden out there who was going to be an impact player in the near future. All of your assessments make it a little clearer why he doesn't get the hype that one would expect of such a high draft pick. The draft is such a crapshoot in hockey. In football, you expect your first rounder to be an immediate contributor. In hockey, you hear the guy's name on draft day and four years later he is still riding a bus in the QMJHL.

[WayneGibbous]

Seen him play. He has talent but disappears for 95% of games. Can move good but does not go to the net, does not play physical and has an Maxesque inconsistent shot. Basically lacks heart and finish.

[inkman]

I was hoping that we had a gem hidden out there...

 

That hidden gem could still be with Portland this year. Marc-Andre Gragnani was converted back to forward, his original Juniors position, and lit the lamp in Rochester. His Buffalo debut was somewhere between God awful and unforgettable but I like his instincts and drive to the net. He may have second or third line potential. I'll be curious to see how his development is coming.

[LabattBlue]

That hidden gem could still be with Portland this year. Marc-Andre Gragnani was converted back to forward, his original Juniors position, and lit the lamp in Rochester. His Buffalo debut was somewhere between God awful and unforgettable but I like his instincts and drive to the net. He may have second or third line potential. I'll be curious to see how his development is coming.

Hopefully they leave Gragnani at forward in Portland and continue to use him as a point man on the PP. If the kid has offensive talent(which is indicated by his numbers after he was moved to forward), leave him up front instead of developing another guy on the blueline who has skills, but doesn't have a clue about playing defense or desire to play defense.

 

PS With Sekera, Butler, Weber, Funk, Persson, Brennan, Biega, Scheistel & Myers in the pipeline, why not take a shot with Gragnani at forward?

[LabattBlue]

Seen him play. He has talent but disappears for 95% of games. Can move good but does not go to the net, does not play physical and has an Maxesque inconsistent shot. Basically lacks heart and finish.

There are many posters here who have seen Zagrapan play more than I have and I rarely read any "WOW" or even "GOOD" reviews. Maybe the light will come on for the kid, but it seems like there is a greater chance that he won't be in the system beyond the end of his entry level contract(the end of this year).

[shrader]

The one interesting thing with Gragnani was when they had him on the ice at D for the last shift in OT of his debut game. That right there tells me that they like his offensive potential quite a bit. Hopefully his position change takes him somewhere.

 

Blue, Zagrapan will stay in the system beyond this year, unless someone claims him off of waivers after he signs his qualifying offer.

[Amerks6]

That hidden gem could still be with Portland this year. Marc-Andre Gragnani was converted back to forward, his original Juniors position, and lit the lamp in Rochester. His Buffalo debut was somewhere between God awful and unforgettable but I like his instincts and drive to the net. He may have second or third line potential. I'll be curious to see how his development is coming.

He went back to defense to end last season, and if I'm not mistaken, is slated to play defense in Portland as well.

[awill29]

it seems like there is a greater chance that he won't be in the system beyond the end of his entry level contract(the end of this year).

 

Eh, maybe, but they don't have many top-2-line centers in the system. Ennis could fall into the category, but we probably won't see him in Portland until next year. Adam is more of a 3rd line center, but he might be able to take the reigns at #2. I wouldn't be surprised to see Zags stick around for another year or two after is current contract is up.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

This Zagrapan guy sounds awesome, can't wait to buy his Jersey.....................All Hail Zagrapan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......... :beer:

[inkman]

He went back to defense to end last season, and if I'm not mistaken, is slated to play defense in Portland as well.

 

I just read a camp report from LetsGoSabres.com and apparently he did spend the majority of his time on D. Although he did play forward sparingly. Judging from all accounts his defense was horrible last season, so I find this a little unnerving.