250 replies to this topic

[Spndnchz]

DR!

[Potato]

A big Russian center at 12, followed by a big Latvian center at 14?!  I love it... gonna have to make an extra big batch of borscht now!

[Captain Caveman]

Wow this guy has an awesome name.

[Chris_in_UT]

i'm still in shock. two centers in about 10 minutes. and not just centers. psycho-centers. this is ...

holy crap, i'm glad i'm sitting down. my head is still fuzzy from jumping up and down.

[IKnowPhysics]

Article: http://www.usatoday....sons/55722836/1

Quote

"What (Toronto GM) Brian Burke always says is that he wants players with equal parts of testosterone, truculence and belligerence," Button said. "When he says that, he could be talking about Zemgus Girgensons."

[qwksndmonster]

I am so excited by these picks.  Grigorenko and Girgensons are amazing names, and they're both centers.

[Rox11]

Just a fleeting point, but DR is looking real good right now.

[weave]

Now this sounds like a Lindy-friendly pick.

http://www.hockeypro...?articleid=1310

Quote

Girgensons had a quality second USHL season and has a good chance to be the highest draft selection to ever come from Latvia. Girgensons is a great do-it-all player who can create offense from his natural skill and still be a fan favorite because of his intangibles. Girgensons is an above-average skater with a technically sound stride and is pretty agile in tight spaces. His top speed isn't overly dangerous but still good meaning he will be able to skate with pros. Girgensons is a dangerous puck handler who I'd say is above-average to plus in that area as he can certainly make players miss and at times he can be a pretty flashy player. At other times, though, Girgensons can be a straight-ahead gritty type of power forward who drives the net, gets in people's faces after the whistle, and will lay out big hit after big hit. He also shows a diligent work ethic at both ends, and is very responsible and smart defensively for his age, which has garnered trust from his coach to play him in a lot of tough defensive minutes. Girgensons is pretty aware with the puck with a pass-first mentality. While I haven't seen high-end playmaking from him, he can certainly move the puck around and has pretty good vision.

[Taro T]

weave, on 22 June 2012 - 08:21 PM, said:

Now this sounds like a Lindy-friendly pick.

http://www.hockeypro...?articleid=1310

So, that would imply that long term the plan would be Grigorenko on line 1, Hodgson on line 2, and this kid on the 3rd line.  If they all pan out, and that works, does that move Ennis back to a wing?

[SabreFX]

I missed it. What was given up for the 14th?

[nobody]

SabreFX, on 22 June 2012 - 08:26 PM, said:

I missed it. What was given up for the 14th?

21 and 42

[Taro T]

SabreFX, on 22 June 2012 - 08:26 PM, said:

I missed it. What was given up for the 14th?

21st and 2nd rounder next this year.  (#42 as previously mentioned)

Ooops.    Missed the pick w/ the channel change and then misread the crawl.  (Getting old sucks.)

Edited by Taro T, 22 June 2012 - 08:30 PM.

[SabreFX]

Not bad, especially if this guy works out!  Thanks for the quick replies.

[deluca67]

It was funny to listen to Pierre McGuire go Mel Kiper Jr on the Flames.

[Captain Caveman]

Taro T, on 22 June 2012 - 08:25 PM, said:

So, that would imply that long term the plan would be Grigorenko on line 1, Hodgson on line 2, and this kid on the 3rd line.  If they all pan out, and that works, does that move Ennis back to a wing?

F that.  We roll 4.  Ennis, Grigs and Hodgs compete for 1-2-3.

My favorite part about this pick is the potential positive impact on Grigorenko.  He's now got a buddy (I presume Zegmus speaks Russian) and some competition in the weightroom.

[BRAWNDO]

Compares himself to Ryan Kessler, and Bob McKenzie compares him to Dustin Brown!!

[Potato]

Captain Caveman, on 22 June 2012 - 08:46 PM, said:

F that.  We roll 4.  Ennis, Grigs and Hodgs compete for 1-2-3.

My favorite part about this pick is the potential positive impact on Grigorenko.  He's now got a buddy (I presume Zegmus speaks Russian) and some competition in the weightroom.

I was wondering this myself.  The national language of Latvia is Latvian, but I don't think that is the conversational language that most people there use (anyone know?)... so I assume he knows Russian (?)...  If so that'd be great.

[X. Benedict]

Look for jersey prices to go up at Sabres Store. All this extra lettering is gonna cost us.

[Taro T]

X. Benedict, on 22 June 2012 - 09:00 PM, said:

Look for jersey prices to go up at Sabres Store. All this extra lettering is gonna cost us.

That.

And don't ask Luke Adam 'how's it goin' eh?' tonight.

[X. Benedict]

Taro T, on 22 June 2012 - 09:05 PM, said:

That.

And don't ask Luke Adam 'how's it goin' eh?' tonight.

Totally changes the profile of the competition for center, don't it?
Get your head together, Lukey.

[weave]

Taro T, on 22 June 2012 - 09:05 PM, said:

That.

And don't ask Luke Adam 'how's it goin' eh?' tonight.

Yeah, Lukey is gonna find center a tough spot to crack.  He's looking more and more like a LW every day.

[papazoid]

central combine ranked him #18 overall:

http://www.tsn.ca/dr...ature/?id=11700

[Cupsneeded]

Captain Caveman, on 22 June 2012 - 08:46 PM, said:

F that.  We roll 4.  Ennis, Grigs and Hodgs compete for 1-2-3.

My favorite part about this pick is the potential positive impact on Grigorenko.  He's now got a buddy (I presume Zegmus speaks Russian) and some competition in the weightroom.

Hopefully it develops into a little rivalry between Grigs and Girgs.  Maybe Zegmus's "brindamour" esque work ethic will rib off on Mikhail

Edited by Cupsneeded, 22 June 2012 - 09:14 PM.

[IKnowPhysics]

Good call on Adam.  He could end up being trade bait now.

Edited by IKnowPhysics, 22 June 2012 - 09:14 PM.

[Taro T]

weave, on 22 June 2012 - 09:09 PM, said:

Yeah, Lukey is gonna find center a tough spot to crack.  He's looking more and more like a LW every day.

Not if he doesn't play better than he did in Ra-cha-cha this year he isn't.  Or did you mean an AHL LW?

Hopefully competition's good for him, because he just got a whole lot more of it.

[X. Benedict]

IKnowPhysics, on 22 June 2012 - 09:14 PM, said:

Good call on Adam.  He could end up being trade bait now.

Not soon, he has to play to add value.

[TrueBluePhD]

Anybody think the plan is to have Girgensons at wing (assuming Ennis and Hodgson pan out at center)?  Obviously I'm no coach, but I like the idea of Ennis in space and Girgensons on the boards banging bodies.  Just my thoughts on it long term.

[JWell]

the DR. is in business!!

[Eleven]

COSabre, on 22 June 2012 - 08:59 PM, said:

I was wondering this myself.  The national language of Latvia is Latvian, but I don't think that is the conversational language that most people there use (anyone know?)... so I assume he knows Russian (?)...  If so that'd be great.

Yes, he knows Russian.  It's like Canadians and English.

[shrader]

That issue of moving centers to the wing sure is a fun one to think about.  That's exactly the position this team needs to be in.  Instead of having a Jochen Hecht as your fill in center, have an actual center in that role.

[Taro T]

shrader, on 22 June 2012 - 09:30 PM, said:

That issue of moving centers to the wing sure is a fun one to think about.  That's exactly the position this team needs to be in.  Instead of having a Jochen Hecht as your fill in center, have an actual center in that role.

Yeah, it's been a long while since they were sliding excess centers to the wing.  Having too many centers is an even nicer problem to have than having too many D.  It would be nice to see some of these kids pan out so they have that problem.

[Eleven]

Taro T, on 22 June 2012 - 09:34 PM, said:

Yeah, it's been a long while since they were sliding excess centers to the wing.  Having too many centers is an even nicer problem to have than having too many D.  It would be nice to see some of these kids pan out so they have that problem.

I would rather too many D than too many C but I get your point.

[Potato]

Eleven, on 22 June 2012 - 09:26 PM, said:

Yes, he knows Russian.  It's like Canadians and English.

The two languages are not that close to one another, actually.  And, Latvians are anti-Russian for obvious reasons.  But many of them know Russian, yet it is never spoken in public in Latvia (unless you are Russian)...

[Eleven]

COSabre, on 22 June 2012 - 09:37 PM, said:

The two languages are not that close to one another, actually.  And, Latvians are anti-Russian for obvious reasons.  But many of them know Russian, yet it is never spoken in public in Latvia (unless you are Russian)...

It was a joke.

[shrader]

Taro T, on 22 June 2012 - 09:34 PM, said:

Yeah, it's been a long while since they were sliding excess centers to the wing.  Having too many centers is an even nicer problem to have than having too many D.  It would be nice to see some of these kids pan out so they have that problem.

Personally, I want too much of everything, but I'll take what I can get.

That said, we still need to add at least one, or two if we move Roy.  Get to the point where they have to shuffle guys around like that right now.  And by the way, I'm assuming Grigorenko makes the jump this year when I say this.

And it should be interesting to see if Girgensons does wind up going to Vermont.  I'll actually have to check them out.  It depresses me a bit though as Vermont has to be the most boring program out here.  I absolutely hate their style.

[Eleven]

shrader, on 22 June 2012 - 09:43 PM, said:

Personally, I want too much of everything, but I'll take what I can get.

That said, we still need to add at least one, or two if we move Roy.  Get to the point where they have to shuffle guys around like that right now.  And by the way, I'm assuming Grigorenko makes the jump this year when I say this.

And it should be interesting to see if Girgensons does wind up going to Vermont.  I'll actually have to check them out.  It depresses me a bit though as Vermont has to be the most boring program out here.  I absolutely hate their style.

They're always stoned, listening to Phish, and eating ice cream.  That's no way to play hockey.

[shrader]

Eleven, on 22 June 2012 - 09:44 PM, said:

They're always stoned, listening to Phish, and eating ice cream.  That's no way to play hockey.

Clearly that never rubbed off on Tim Thomas.

[X. Benedict]

Eleven, on 22 June 2012 - 09:44 PM, said:

They're always stoned, listening to Phish, and eating ice cream.  That's no way to play hockey.

Lava lamps in the locker room, incense, hackey sacks for warm-ups.

[Taro T]

X. Benedict, on 22 June 2012 - 09:46 PM, said:

Lava lamps in the locker room, incense, hackey sacks for warm-ups.

Big @$$ bags of doritos and cheetos in the dressing room between periods for the munchiesre-energizing.

[TheChimp]

COSabre, on 22 June 2012 - 08:59 PM, said:

I was wondering this myself.  The national language of Latvia is Latvian, but I don't think that is the conversational language that most people there use (anyone know?)... so I assume he knows Russian (?)...  If so that'd be great.

I'll ask my GF when she's home from work.  But I think Latvian is prettty distinct from Russian, and they speak Latvian exclusively in their country.  Riga is a pretty big city, though, lots of people from all over the place there...