Taylor on Jiricek, Fischer and Harenstam

[John Cocktoastin]

Tim Taylor comments some more. Loves their future D. Thinks Love will start for Sweden. Lots of love going around. I might add he commented on Neighbours at one point- I think you're looking at our next captain - he ain't going anywhere for a while.

Adam Jiricek...

He’s had an unbelievable year. Every night, he’s putting up points. This kid does everything. He’s on pucks. He’s very competitive. He hits. He’s just the whole package. I see him as a No. 1 defenseman. He might end up being a No. 2 or 3, but I’m so excited about his future with our team and the future of our D. If you look four or five years from now, you have Jiricek, you’ve got (Logan) Mailloux as the top two right-side guys. Then (on the left), you’ve got (Philip) Broberg, and (Colin) Ralph coming in, (Lukas) Fischer, (Theo) Lindstein … so we’ve got a real good wealth of depth on D.

But Jiricek is the real deal. I’m so excited to see what he can do at this year’s World Juniors.

Lukas Fischer

That’s exactly what he is — probably a No. 5 at the end of the day. He’s a big guy who can add muscle mass, of course, but he’s 6-3 and he can fly. He’s had a good year (with OHL Sarnia). He was their captain last year as a true 18-year-old and captain again this year. He’s been asked to play offense, defense, PP, PK, be the offensive guy when they’re down a goal and shut down the other team’s top line. So he’s been asked to do a lot of things on a weaker team, and now with the trade to the (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds), he’ll be in a more structured environment on a better team, and that’s going to be really good for him. Just having a true identity of what he’s supposed to do each game is really going to let his development blossom. I really like what I see in him.

Love Harenstam

(Former Blues goalie) Brian Elliott does our development for our amateurs, so he spends a lot of time on the phone with Love, and he really likes him. Love has been good. He was supposed to be the backup for his team (Sodertalje SK) and has pushed the other guy out, and we project him to be the starter for Sweden at the World Juniors. He’s had a really good year. He’s got, I think, a year left on his contract over there, so we’ll let him play this year and next year and see where he’s at. But, again, Brian is very happy with his growth.

[wiscrev]

Didn't know Elliott was in the organization. It's good to hear as I always liked him.

[zamadoo]

Thanks again.

Love (oops) to hear it about all these guys. I've been very high on Jiricek, as he was my pick in that draft, and Taylor giving him that high praise is fantastic. I've said he looks like Petro out there going back to last year's WJC. I don't expect him to actually be another Petro for us, but he could be a top-2 or 3 like Taylor said.

Fischer absolutely does fly, and I know myself and others on here are very high on him. He looked great over the summer/preseason.

I really like how he went to Ralph as top LHD on his mind. I feel like we don't hear much about the college guys and we mostly just get highlights (which are fewer and perhaps less important for D). Ralph looked solid for Team USA and showed promise over the summer. Transferred to Michigan St where he's got 1g4a +8 in 16 games.

[John Cocktoastin]

Maybe the dark horse on D would be Burns. Someone else to keep an eye on.

Jiricek has exploded. From the injuries to putting on additional weight to rounding out his entire game...oh...and staying healthy, he's proving to be legit. Great to hear following his rough start.

Harenstam...I've only seen video, but he is very athletic, sliding post to post. Really quick in anticipation and reflexes. Some say small, but I think that's what allows him to be so athletic. He's taking people's jobs and looking to snag another for Sweden. Good stuff.

[BleedingBleu]

Thanks for sharing!

Lukas Fischer

That’s exactly what he is — probably a No. 5 at the end of the day. He’s a big guy who can add muscle mass, of course, but he’s 6-3 and he can fly. He’s had a good year (with OHL Sarnia). He was their captain last year as a true 18-year-old and captain again this year. He’s been asked to play offense, defense, PP, PK, be the offensive guy when they’re down a goal and shut down the other team’s top line. So he’s been asked to do a lot of things on a weaker team, and now with the trade to the (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds), he’ll be in a more structured environment on a better team, and that’s going to be really good for him. Just having a true identity of what he’s supposed to do each game is really going to let his development blossom. I really like what I see in him.

I can accept that I’m not as knowledgeable as the Hockey Experts and or Pro’s, but at that stage of development, I’m pretty cool with the guy being everything on a sh¡tty team than being pigeon-holed on a good team.

Test that leadership and reign in all the experience. A baptism by fire before getting corralled under the Blues exclusive development umbrella that has him discovering the system at the AHL level.

[TruBlueFan_1970]

I'm no scout, but I'm hoping for Fischer to eventually be a 3-4 type Dman. I feel that lacking offense affects how prospects, and pros for that matter, are rated. Give me a top 4 shutdown Dman who only scores 15-20 points and I'll take it everyday. All teams need that and every Dman doesn't need to be an offensive juggernaut.

[zamadoo]

I'm no scout, but I'm hoping for Fischer to eventually be a 3-4 type Dman. I feel that lacking offense affects how prospects, and pros for that matter, are rated. Give me a top 4 shutdown Dman who only scores 15-20 points and I'll take it everyday. All teams need that and every Dman doesn't need to be an offensive juggernaut.

I agree, and Burns could make a real solid 5-6 bottom pair guy. Lindstein is also in the mix, so there is competition with young Broberg and 3 years of Fowler as well. Not sure about other guys like Gaudet, Loof, Buchinger...

[IsDurbanodoingtime]

Not sold on love. Reminds me of jet greaves. Decent in stretches. Athletic. But hard to maintain consistency day in day outwhen you are expending all that energy. Bias against size perhaps but something to be said about size, positioning and system tending. Ceiling is a solid 2 maybe 1b but not a number one.

[Frank Underwood]

Not sold on love. Reminds me of jet greaves. Decent in stretches. Athletic. But hard to maintain consistency day in day outwhen you are expending all that energy. Bias against size perhaps but something to be said about size, positioning and system tending. Ceiling is a solid 2 maybe 1b but not a number one.

Anxious to see him play in the WJC, especially after losing Ellis. But Hofer just turned 25, so we are (In theory) set with our next #1 for several years. If Love can develop into a solid #2, I’ll take that. Or maybe we pick up a young goalie in a trade if we end up as sellers at the trade deadline.

[John Cocktoastin]

One of the best compilations I've seen for Love (against USA) this year. 38 saves. He's really young. And really good.

Link

[IsDurbanodoingtime]

Not sold on love. Reminds me of jet greaves. Decent in stretches. Athletic. But hard to maintain consistency day in day outwhen you are expending all that energy. Bias against size perhaps but something to be said about size, positioning and system tending. Ceiling is a solid 2 maybe 1b but not a number one.

Anxious to see him play in the WJC, especially after losing Ellis. But Hofer just turned 25, so we are (In theory) set with our next #1 for several years. If Love can develop into a solid #2, I’ll take that. Or maybe we pick up a young goalie in a trade if we end up as sellers at the trade deadline.

Cannot deny he is riding a hot hand. Another shutout last night. Steen is hoping he turns into Jusse Saros (who is albeit a couple inches shorter than Love).

[zuck698]

One of the best compilations I've seen for Love (against USA) this year. 38 saves. He's really young. And really good.

Link

For some reason I had a young Jonathan Quick flashback watching this.