Who are you betting on? Tage or Mitts?

[Curt]

2 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Yeah, 2nd unit PP and shootouts were the only areas Casey made a marginal contribution.

Sheary couldn't even do that.

Lol, Sheary was better 5 on 5, but it hurts me inside to praise Sheary for being below average as opposed to awful, so I think I’m out.

[nfreeman]

TT for all 3 questions.

TT has shown flashes of being able to play in the NHL, has demonstrated an elite NHL skill with his slapper and played well in the AHL before getting hurt.

Mitts has made one nice play (a nifty pass in traffic into the slot early last season that created a goal) at the NHL level in his career and has otherwise looked completely useless and outmatched.  He also didn't do much in the AHL after getting sent down, either statistically or in the eye test per knowledgeable Sabrespace observers.  And there have been zero signs of "OK, now I'm done screwing around, I've gotten into killer shape and I'm going to prove myself."

Until I see something materially different from Mitts I'm going to assume that he's a washout.

 

[Thorner]

2 hours ago, Weave said:

My money is on Tage being the better player.  I'm not certain Tage will have much of an NHL career, but I am putting better odds on Tage than I am on Mitts.  Tage was physically outmatched at times, but looked like the kind of player that could make it happen.  Casey, to me, just looked overwhelmed most of the time.

Didn't Casey go through a huge stretch last season getting all secondary assists and no primaries?  Or was that Nylander the season before?

If my memory serves this was Nylander. 

1 hour ago, French Collection said:

Tage should be ready for a spot on this team, Mitts, not yet.

Maybe Tage turns into Tuch.

There's only a three letter difference between the 2, after all. 

 

 

 

 

 

AHL v NHL 

[French Collection]

39 minutes ago, Thorny said:

If my memory serves this was Nylander. 

There's only a three letter difference between the 2, after all. 

 

 

 

 

 

AHL v NHL 

Well, one can hope Tage takes the next step. He is 2 years younger than Tuch.

His NCAA numbers and recent AHL numbers are similar to Tuch’s.

[Thorner]

Agree, the last line was a punch line lol

[dudacek]

37 minutes ago, Thorny said:

If my memory serves this was Nylander. 

There's only a three letter difference between the 2, after all. 

 

 

 

 

 

AHL v NHL 

Interestingly enough, Tage outscored Tuch in their  D+1  College years, 32 points in 36 games to 28 in 37.

Tage’s D3 season  he put up 9 points in 8 AHL games after being in over his head in the NHL. Tuch had 37 points in 57 AHL games, and was also over his head in the NHL.

D4 Tuch scored 37 as an NHL rookie. Tage blew out his shoulder in his first NHL game.

[Norcal]

Tage

[dudacek]

I’m praying that the mismanagement of the Botterill-Sexton-Housley-Taylor team has more to do with the lack of success of some of our prospects, and that the new regime can still fix it.

[Thorner]

Ya I know, I was joking w/the tuch thing. I have a little bit more faith now that Thompson can be an NHLer. I'm hearing a lot of good things - we'll have to see. But I no longer mistakenly consider him a write-off. 

Edited September 17, 2020 by Thorny

[Norcal]

I'm betting TT makes the team and scores 10-15 goals sliding up and down the lineup as he heats and cools before finally breaking the 20+ goal mark easily the following season.

Mitts plays 2 more in the AHL before being traded and making an nhl roster somewhere and playing several years to middling results. 

[Huckleberry]

8 hours ago, Norcal said:

I'm betting TT makes the team and scores 10-15 goals sliding up and down the lineup as he heats and cools before finally breaking the 20+ goal mark easily the following season.

Mitts plays 2 more in the AHL before being traded and making an nhl roster somewhere and playing several years to middling results. 

I think Mitts is trade bait this year already.

[LGR4GM]

I don't doubt Mitts talent, I doubt his heart. 

[Xzy89c]

can i take the field rather than these 2????

[Xzy89c]

Mitts has not shown the strength or skating ability to think he can contribute.  He does not have high end burst or the top end speed he would need to go along with the lack of a big body.  

Thompson is so big it makes sense it will take him longer to put it together.  His development was pushed back a year by staying in nhl and not playing. He was clearly not ready for NHL, but he was kept around not playing in games. It was upsetting that in a year he could have played in Rochester, he got hurt.

I have zero hope mitts becomes regular NHL'er.  I have guarded optimism that Thompson could.  He should spend half the year at least in Rochester.  he needs to learn how to use his big shot, with his skating ability and length he could be a competent penalty killer as well.  He needs low pressure reps to become better.

[SwampD]

I'm betting on Tage this year and Mitts next year.

[Broken Ankles]

1.  Not this guy.  “Are you thirty for more?”  Yes Kevin, errr Casey.  Responsible play to start.  

2.)  Tage - and I have a suspicion we won’t need to care who has a better career b/c one will be shipped out. 
3.)  Tage

 

[Gabrielor]

Tage. I've seen a real NHL player in there. I also think he takes his craft seriously.

 

Mittelstadt isn't beyond repair, but has a long way to go.

[miles]

I'm not a fan of mittlestadt. I get the impression he thinks he deserves to be in the nhl without having earned it

Not sure why I feel this way.

I felt the same way about evan Rodriguez 

 

 

Tage Thompson seems like the kind that if you doubt him that he will not only prove you wrong but smile at you once he proves you wrong

Edited September 18, 2020 by miles

[Taro T]

4 minutes ago, miles said:

I'm not a fan of mittlestadt. I get the impression he thinks he deserves to be in the nhl without having earned it

Not sure why I feel this way.

I felt the same way about evan Rodriguez 

 

 

Tage Thompson seems like the kind that if you doubt him that he will not only prove you wrong but smile at you once he proves you wrong

Totally don't get the Rodrigues comment.  The guy has career AHL raw talent but stays in the NHL playing any F slot.  That screams busting his butt, IMHO.  Yes, he got an opportunity because he was on Eichel's line at BU.  But his friendship w/ Jack hasn't kept him in the show.  That's on him.  And the second he let's up, he's gone because he really is raw talent-wise barely a JAG.

[bob_sauve28]

23 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I don't doubt Mitts talent, I doubt his heart. 

What talent? What are his skills? I don't see one thing he does really well. Not fast, not a hitter, not a great shot. Passing is decent. 

[dudacek]

2 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

What talent? What are his skills? I don't see one thing he does really well. Not fast, not a hitter, not a great shot. Passing is decent. 

 

Maybe someday we will see these hands in the show.

Edited September 18, 2020 by dudacek

[Weave]

2 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

What talent? What are his skills? I don't see one thing he does really well. Not fast, not a hitter, not a great shot. Passing is decent. 

He's got crazy hands.  Tim Connolly hands.  You might be right about him lacking in other areas though.  He gets abused pretty badly here for being unmotivated and//or entitled.  My gut tells me the other skills needed are more the issue than motivation.  I can't put my finger on it, but he is lacking somewhere.

[JohnC]

10 minutes ago, dudacek said:

 

Maybe someday we will see these hands in the show.

There are rarely guarantees on prospects except for the elite ones. It is abundantly evident that Casey is a player that was grossly mishandled by rushing him into league before he was physically and maturely ready. He should have played another year in college and then kept in the AHL until he earned the right to be moved up to the NHL. What his critics sometimes forget (including me) is that he is still very young. He is 21 and will be 22 in November. 

He's a player is that I just don't know if he will ever make the jump to the big league. If he comes into camp exceptionally fit with a determination to earn a spot on the roster that would be a major bonus for the organization. He's getting close to the point in this organization where he has to "show you" he belongs and if he can't then a fresh start would be the best thing for the player and organization. 

[dudacek]

24 minutes ago, Weave said:

He's got crazy hands.  Tim Connolly hands.  You might be right about him lacking in other areas though.  He gets abused pretty badly here for being unmotivated and//or entitled.  My gut tells me the other skills needed are more the issue than motivation.  I can't put my finger on it, but he is lacking somewhere.

The way he thinks the game is based on being WAY better than everyone else on the ice. It doesn't work when he's not.

He has to elevate his strength and conditioning to increase the chances of his skill game working, while at the same time adjust his decision-making to the faster-paced pro game.

He was literally the worst type of player to be in the NHL early because he lacked any experience in anything remotely resembling pro structures and procedures on and off the ice. And, as far as I can tell, Housley's response to this was to coddle him. Ralph was probably the first person to ever demand that he behave like a pro.

The way Botterill handled him was pathetic, a close second to the O'Reilly trade as the worst thing he ever did.

[Kruppstahl]

Neither.  Don't expect much from either of them.