yzerman19

The futures draft protects the team from losing that prospect to another USHL team. You are correct that it is not a commitment to play. In hockey, it is all by birth year, so all the players taken yesterday are 96ers. Meaning that they are either 15 or 16 years old right now. The entry draft does not have an age limit. That is the biggest difference. When drafting, the teams are most concerned about managing that list of affiliated players, because if a player is not on that list, any USHL team can go after them, invite them to a try-out etc. The teams are also trying to manage that affiliate list for this coming season and the next couple as well. So, the teams will protect the players that are already part of the team that they don't want to lose, and they will also protect the guys that they see joining the team this year, next year, etc.

The USHL has two drafts- the futures draft and the entry draft. The futures draft occurred yesterday. I assume this is the one your are wondering about. The futures draft allows for teams to protect the rights of the players that they select through the 2012-2013 season by having them on the affiliate listing. Meaning that players selected in the futures draft have their USHL rights held by the team that drafted them throughout this coming season even if they spend the year playing high school or midget. The USHL teams are limited to how many players they can "protect" and put on the affiliate list, so they are careful to try not and waste either their draft picks.

It is possible that the Leafs pressured him to go CHL as well. His numbers were not bad for an 18 year old freshman. He also might not like school or the coach or the system. Put it all together and you really only have three choices- transfer schools and sit out a year (no way, not for a first rounder), stick it out at Miami (no fun if you are truly miserable, and if you are miserable, you aren't going to develop), or lastly, go to the CHL. We don't know the kids circumstances, and he is likely only telling part of the story so as not to burn bridges or cause issues or embarrass himself or others...I mean, he might be in a world of hurt academically too...all conjecture.

I agree with most of your lines and logic...I also think that there will be 2 forward lines that jockey for that energy line role each night...maybe even a rotation with one line playing fridays and one line playing Saturdays. That would keep all the boys at game speed if they need to be inserted for an injury, etc. 5 lines in practice, top 3 play both games, bottom two rotate...might be a good way to go- at least at first. As for letters...I think that Mac and Knight both wear Cs and you put As on Kristo and Rowney

On the flip side, kids who go up there at 16/17 are playing a higher level talent than they would be in high school. I believe Kane dominated the OHL in a year that he started the season as a 17 year old. Crosby 16 and 17. Giroux 17. Modano 16/17. Langenbrunner skipped his senior year at Cloquet to go up to the O. If you haven't finished high school yet, and are a great hockey player, the CHL will pit you against the best competition you can play against. Now if you are 18 and done with high school, that is a different story, but if you are 16...well- I do realize that the USHL has grown/improved since the Modano and Langenbrunner days

Gregoire was initially a DU commit as well, unless I am mistaken

Wasn't St Clair initially a CC commit and switched to UND?

I wish Koules the best...he is a kid. It is going to be a tough row to hoe for a kid like him to make it in the NHL...You have to think that if you are going to struggle to crack the top 6 at UND, the odds of cracking the top 6 in the NHL are slim. Sometimes a player has to face facts and accept a role and get a free education out of the deal... I suspect (without having seen him play) that he would most likely have gotten stuck in the David Toews situation... Be grateful that our beloved team has the talent it has, where these kids are worried about playing time.

I wish Koules the best...he is a kid. It is going to be a tough row to hoe for a kid like him to make it in the NHL...You have to think that if you are going to struggle to crack the top 6 at UND, the odds of cracking the top 6 in the NHL are slim. Sometimes a player has to face facts and accept a role and get a free education out of the deal... I suspect (without having seen him play) that he would most likely have gotten stuck in the David Toews situation... Be grateful that our beloved team has the talent it has, where these kids are worried about playing time.

Maybe you know the facts...I was thinking he was probably talking about international play from say 16-20...who knows, maybe he is an OHL follower. I consider myself fairly knowledgable about some of these kids, but it is usually through watching international play. Obviously they had to have impressed in minor, midget or bantam before ever getting that chance...Fowler did impress me in the WJC, and I know the numbers he put up in the OHL. From that alone he looked like a sure fire NHL player...

I took it with tongue and cheek Obviously everyone who plays against Pronger hates him, and everyone who plays with him or is a fan of the team he is playing on loves him. A huge, physical dman who has a deep, deep mean steak who also can QB the power play and when healthy and in his prime could put up 40-60 points...everybody wants that guy.

He is big and strong and physical AND he is also excellent offensively. His upside comparisons are to guys like Chris Pronger

I think Frattin is more an example of why staying and playing four years is smart. It would only be speculation, but I would guess the year that Gregoire had probably impacted Danny's thinking a lot. Gregoire had a great junior year and exercised his free agent option and left early...to spend a bad year in the AHL. Frattin is a success story- same with Matt Read. I'm glad Danny is paying attention! It helps him and it helps us.

I still think we'll see this... at least to start the year Knight with Kristo and O'Donnell Grimaldi with Parks and MacMillan Rowney with Koules and Chyzyk St Clair with Rodwell and Caggiula Forbert and Schmaltz MacWilliam and Mattson Simpson and Gleason just my final two cents before i hit the sack...happy about Danny coming back! GO SIOUX!

My opinion, so take it for that, but I don't think that Rodwell has shown top 6 skill. He is fast and pretty physical. If he earns it, I could see him on a third line to start the year, but I don't think he'll crack the top six. My gut tells me that he will be competing for an energy line role, which he could excel at.

My most recent post has Knight with Kristo and O'Donnell and then Rocco with Parks and MacMillan...I know that breaks up the RPM, but I think you need to if you want to roll three scoring lines. As for the off-wing, I think Kristo could do it very effectively. It might allow for him to create a little more space. It also would allow him to move across the middle of the ice and let loose with the quick release. No way does Knight lose his first line center role, and you can be sure Grimaldi will also play center... I also think, at least at the beginning of the year you really don't want to put too many freshman on the ice at once, and I do really think that you want to set Rocco up for success. Playing between MacMillan and Parks will allow him to create and still be somewhat protected by those two and their abilities and experience.

Freshmen to skate on the first line as freshmen...Parise did, and I think Zajac did by mid-year. Osh was a second liner, Toewser too. Parise and Oshie were both true freshmen. Toews was 17. At 18, Toews was the best two-way center in college hockey and our #1 pivot.

I agree with a lot of your thinking. If you read one of my earlier posts, I didn't want to split up the RPM line either, but the more I think about it, the more I think that you surround Grimaldi with two guys with some chemistry and experience. You want Rocco to have a ton of success early, and surrounding him with MacMillan and Parks should help that. I also think that Rowney proved he can lead a young line to success last year. Having him on a third line makes it an immediate scoring threat. He is a senior who scored what, 18 goals last year? If I recall correctly, that's what the Osh did...not comparing Rowney to Oshie, but he did score 18 goals.

Thinking about line combos that give us depth makes me excited Knight with Kristo and O'Donnell (Knight and Kristo already have chemistry- I think O'Donnell can play the Nelson role) Grimaldi with MacMillan and Parks (MacMillan and Parks already have chemistry- I am excited to see a healthy Grimaldi in the mix) Rowney with Koules/Caggiula/Chyzyk (Rowney showed he can deliver with a pair of talented kids last year. If this line looks like the RPM line from March 2012 by March 2013, we are in great shape). energy line is going to be about who wants it the most among the rest

Cichy was not willing (or able) to switch his mentality to a bottom 6 forward from a top 6 forward. That is a problem for playing time when you are 7th or 8th on the depth chart. It isn't any easy thing to do, so this is not a knock on him. When you've been creating offense your whole career, and now you need to completely change your instincts to be more physical or be more conscience in the other zones..if you don't, then you don't get game time, you don't get game time you'll never earn a top 6 spot.

I'll rephrase- Assuming that they all show up and work hard, I would find it highly unlikely that any of the forwards I listed are in any jeopardy of losing their spots.

I think the only guys with guaranteed jobs up front are: Knight, Kristo, O'Donnell, Rowney, MacMillan, Parks, and Grimaldi I think that Koules will get "top 9" ice because of his pedigree Chyzyk and Caggiula were obviously brought in this year for a reason as well...I could see those two being big time fourth line energy with some scoring touch...maybe even moving up the depth chart if they produce. Certainly moving up the depth chart as they age. As much as they've contributed, I think that guys like Gaarder and Pattyn and Rodwell and Dickin are going to have to earn their ice next year...St. Clair too...especially after sitting out a year...i'm not even sure what this new Sanderson is all about...

How old was the old Bulldog Brad Federenko? He must've been like 40...I think he had a mortgage and a couple kids...just kidding, but most teams have had 24-25 year olds show up on the roster from time to time.

I believe that fighting has a place in the game and should not warrant automatic suspensions. That being said, however, I totally agree that the inmates are running the prison this year. This has gotten ridiculous. It starts at the player level; when you disrespect an opponent enough to intend to injure them, that is an issue. This Philly-Pitt series has escalated into Israel vs Palestine: no one cares about who started what or who ended what, only that you have to hate the opponent and fight them. As for who the villains are- I am a fan of neither team...however, my opinion is that I like the way Philly plays, and I think Pitt looks like a bunch of crybaby whiners. It resembles a SIoux-Gopher series in that way. Thanks, Steve