Prospective Recruits

[Goon]

After the previous blog entry there, I can't follow that link

Yeah his post was a hatcet job.

[Big A HG]

Sconnie is gonna be stacked just as much or more as we are I think.

[AZSIOUX]

Sconnie is gonna be stacked just as much or more as we are I think.

they have nice offensive players coming in like the sioux and others do as well. go wcha

[Goon]

Sconnie is gonna be stacked just as much or more as we are I think.

Yep and they will be a defensive jugarnaught. (sp)

[redwing77]

I'm not concerned about Lee's commitment.

Eaves will turn him into a quality checking forward.

He should have committed to someplace like Miami, Ohio State, or perhaps even Cornell. Then he could lead the league in offense.

[Goon]

I'm not concerned about Lee's commitment.

Eaves will turn him into a quality checking forward.

He should have committed to someplace like Miami, Ohio State, or perhaps even Cornell. Then he could lead the league in offense.

Hell Cornell is just as bad as Wisconsin.

[brianvf]

UW has some very good forwards coming in...

If they can retain any of them for more than a few years they may be on to something. They still would have to open up their game a bit if they ever wanted to let those offensive players shine though, and I don't see that happening.

I've never understood why skilled forwards wanted to go there...Skille, Turris, Murray, Lee, etc. Turris would have 10-15 more points this year easily if he played for a team like UND, UMN, UM, or BC.

UW could be good, but I don't know if Turris or McDonough are going to stay longer than this year, let alone until 09 when Murray, Stepan, and Lee would be coming.

[AZSIOUX]

UW has some very good forwards coming in...

If they can retain any of them for more than a few years they may be on to something. They still would have to open up their game a bit if they ever wanted to let those offensive players shine though, and I don't see that happening.

I've never understood why skilled forwards wanted to go there...Skille, Turris, Murray, Lee, etc. Turris would have 10-15 more points this year easily if he played for a team like UND, UMN, UM, or BC.

UW could be good, but I don't know if Turris or McDonough are going to stay longer than this year, let alone until 09 when Murray, Stepan, and Lee would be coming.

i think turris will be here in az when uw's season is over. gretzky loves his game and probably wants to get him in his system asap

[Goon]

i think turris will be here in az when uw's season is over. gretzky loves his game and probably wants to get him in his system asap

I know a lot of the Badger fans think that as well...

[Rick]

UW has some very good forwards coming in...

I've never understood why skilled forwards wanted to go there...Skille, Turris, Murray, Lee, etc. Turris would have 10-15 more points this year easily if he played for a team like UND, UMN, UM, or BC.

I agree he might get more points other places, but with the way things are called in the WCHA it might not make a whole lot of difference. Look at Oshie and Duncan. They should have twice as many points as they do, but because McCloud and Shepard want parity throughout the league, they struggle to get points.

[Rick]

i think turris will be here in az when uw's season is over. gretzky loves his game and probably wants to get him in his system asap

As opposed to other 1st round draft choices, Gretz probably likes the way this 1st round draft choice is being developed.

[Cardinal]

As opposed to other 1st round draft choices, Gretz probably likes the way this 1st round draft choice is being developed.

If only he could have been developed like Matt Jones was, he'd be playing huge minutes for the 'Yotes by now! Oh, wait, what's that? Hmm...

[AZSIOUX]

If only he could have been developed like Matt Jones was, he'd be playing huge minutes for the 'Yotes by now! Oh, wait, what's that? Hmm...

matt jones potential where he was drafted compared to a top pick in wheeler

funny guy except matt jones wasnt a top pick, oh wait....yeah he wasnt big difference, big difference, dont kid yourself cardinal, we all know wheeler as a top 5 pick has no business being in college. when he was drafted by phoenix i for sure know that many many people in the organization werent happy with the pick knowing he could have been had much later.. also like i have said its not wheelers fault where he was drafted but phx isnt high on him. maloney the gm was on the other day and mentioned porter and turris maybe jumping in and being signed when their seasons were done if the yotes are still in the playoff hunt and not one word about wheeler. that former scout really fkd that up bad fore them. who knows down the road but as of now its a very very bad pick as we all know

[Goon]

As opposed to other 1st round draft choices, Gretz probably likes the way this 1st round draft choice is being developed.

I can think of one of Gretzky's first round draft choices that isn't doing much! I think Turris is has a better chance of being on the Yotes than Wheeler.

[stickboy1956]

I can think of one of Gretzky's first round draft choices that isn't doing much! I think Turris is has a better chance of being on the Yotes than Wheeler.

He'd be the second PHX #1 to pass up the Blake-ster

Fiction (often heard from MSP): The 'Yotes/Gretzky like the way Wheeler is developing at UMinn and are in no hurry to rush him.

Fact: He has been an underacheiver and is not good enough for the AHL/NHL right now.

[Goon]

Fact: He has been an underacheiver and is not good enough for the AHL/NHL right now.

I think he is one of the most over-rated players in the WCHA. Blake will be lucky if the Yotes sign him after his NEXT season.

[redwing77]

I've always been a critic of Wheeler. I don't think he should have been drafted in the top 5 or even the to 20. However, I do think he has pretty good skills for a big player. He's just got nothing to work with.

Bariball is having a sophomore slump. Carman is rusty. Kaufmann is feisty but not really a finisher. Wheeler can score, but he's more of a Toews type player (set up man, playmaker type though obviously not Toews type talent).

He'll eventually make the NHL, but it is going to be a long journey. I think Gretzky was wise to keep him in college and may even be wiser to keep him in Minny until he graduates.

Turris is a flight risk because of his mobility and puck handling skills. It won't be showcased in Wisconsin, but he's a great fit for the "new" NHL. Just look at Skille. The guy did next to nothing in Madison and now he's doing alright for the Hawks.

[AZSIOUX]

I think he is one of the most over-rated players in the WCHA. Blake will be lucky if the Yotes sign him after his NEXT season.

they will sign him after this season but he will be a ahler for now which many many college players are but not as a top pick like that. thats the difference. the coyotes will swallow their pride and hope he can develop into a good nhl player. big youth movement here right now and they arent a bad team. wheeler is a part but not as big of a part as they thought he would be. they are very high on turris obviously and porter and kolarik from michigan then wheeler after a few euro porspects

[USA Hockey]

I've always been a critic of Wheeler. I don't think he should have been drafted in the top 5 or even the to 20. However, I do think he has pretty good skills for a big player. He's just got nothing to work with.

Bariball is having a sophomore slump. Carman is rusty. Kaufmann is feisty but not really a finisher. Wheeler can score, but he's more of a Toews type player (set up man, playmaker type though obviously not Toews type talent).

He'll eventually make the NHL, but it is going to be a long journey. I think Gretzky was wise to keep him in college and may even be wiser to keep him in Minny until he graduates.

Turris is a flight risk because of his mobility and puck handling skills. It won't be showcased in Wisconsin, but he's a great fit for the "new" NHL. Just look at Skille. The guy did next to nothing in Madison and now he's doing alright for the Hawks.

With the comments about Wheeler, I completly agree. I actually think he is by far the best and most dangerous forward on the Gophers team right now, his problem is that he doesn't have the players around him like he did last year.

[redwing77]

Wasn't Wheeler Gretzky's first draft pick as GM?

If that's the case, then that may be why he did what he did. Perhaps he couldn't trade low enough. but if you ask me, I would have traded down twice (traded pick #5 for the #10 pick and perhaps another second rounder, and then the #10 pick for the #20 pick and another draft pick and then drafted Wheeler then). But that's all hindsight.

[AZSIOUX]

Wasn't Wheeler Gretzky's first draft pick as GM?

If that's the case, then that may be why he did what he did. Perhaps he couldn't trade low enough. but if you ask me, I would have traded down twice (traded pick #5 for the #10 pick and perhaps another second rounder, and then the #10 pick for the #20 pick and another draft pick and then drafted Wheeler then). But that's all hindsight.

a former scout of the coyotes was the guy who made the pick pretty much.

[mikejm]

I won't go as far as some of you and call Wheeler a bust. He's a big kid, with obvious skills. Physically (and statistically ironically) he is very similar to another Gopher right wing, Barry Tallackson. But while Barry never seemed to show a lot of effort on the ice and, instead, rely simply on his talent, at least Wheeler tries. Yeah, I don't like the fact that he tends to lip off and then turn away, but a kid with that much talent and (apparently) desire isn't going to be a "bust".

Will he pan out as a first-rounder? I don't know. I'm just not ready to write the kid off.

[AZSIOUX]

I won't go as far as some of you and call Wheeler a bust. He's a big kid, with obvious skills. Physically (and statistically ironically) he is very similar to another Gopher right wing, Barry Tallackson. But while Barry never seemed to show a lot of effort on the ice and, instead, rely simply on his talent, at least Wheeler tries. Yeah, I don't like the fact that he tends to lip off and then turn away, but a kid with that much talent and (apparently) desire isn't going to be a "bust".

Will he pan out as a first-rounder? I don't know. I'm just not ready to write the kid off.

i never have called him a bust overall. as of now its been a longer road to phx then the great one would have liked but like you said, he has offensive skills and is talented. no doubt. just stating the obvious that you dont see top picks like this in school for more than 2 years MAX. ever. toews was a different story as we were lucky he came in a year early or he would have been a 1 and doner like EJ. wheeler is far from a lost cause. just taking him longer than expected and hes a bizatch when it comes to acting tough

[redwing77]

I won't go as far as some of you and call Wheeler a bust. He's a big kid, with obvious skills. Physically (and statistically ironically) he is very similar to another Gopher right wing, Barry Tallackson. But while Barry never seemed to show a lot of effort on the ice and, instead, rely simply on his talent, at least Wheeler tries. Yeah, I don't like the fact that he tends to lip off and then turn away, but a kid with that much talent and (apparently) desire isn't going to be a "bust".

Will he pan out as a first-rounder? I don't know. I'm just not ready to write the kid off.

I'd like to agree with you, but not because it's the fad of the day.

[tnt]

I think he is one of the most over-rated players in the WCHA. Blake will be lucky if the Yotes sign him after his NEXT season.

Can we be a little objective and put the incident last weekend in perspective? Wheeler does have more goals than either Duncan or Oshie. Not saying he is better, but he obviously has a good deal of talent.