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2014 Rookie Camp


thefiestygoat

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That Santini video - the second play he makes where he makes a hit, takes the puck, then skates up ice to support the forwards, is really something. And NJ traded *down* for this guy?

That video put a huge smile on my face. You can see so much in that small clip and it was all good.

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What's nice about Santini in the few videos I've seen is his hitting seems explosive but he sets up his hits through good positioning and technique, not wild skating and aggression.

Yes, I notice when he hits a lot of time it finishes in a pin along the boards, tremendous control of his body throughout the plays. This kid could play in the NHL now, I seriously think his skills and defense would hold up.

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That Santini video - the second play he makes where he makes a hit, takes the puck, then skates up ice to support the forwards, is really something.  And NJ traded *down* for this guy?

He's going to be an amazing player.  He's only a SOPHOMORE in college.  I can't believe that people were upset with the pick at the time, saying that we needed a forward instead of a defensemen.  I'd draft 3 Santini's before I'd draft 1 Boucher or Matteau

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What are the chances that Santini makes the team?  

I'd say realistically slim to none, but I wouldn't mind seeing him in some preseason action.

 

The earliest might be at the end of the season, like Kreider did.  A lot of very weird things have to happen, but reading the tea leaves it seems the organization really, really likes him to the point that they'd be willing to let him take an untraditional route the pros. 

 

My guess is that this will be his last year at BC, and he'll start in Albany next year.

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The earliest might be at the end of the season, like Kreider did.  A lot of very weird things have to happen, but reading the tea leaves it seems the organization really, really likes him to the point that they'd be willing to let him take an untraditional route the pros. 

 

My guess is that this will be his last year at BC, and he'll start in Albany next year.

 

i would be surprised to see him leave BC early to go to Albany. I think he'd do his junior year there before going to albany unless the devils gave him a pretty good indication he'd make the varsity. i look at paul martin - 3 years @ UM and then right into the NHL. i see similar for santini.

 

college defensemen - specifically non-offensive defensemen, don't usually get inserted onto a team late like a kreider did because the learning curve is so much different and you can't really be hidden or provide a quick boost to a team in a controlled manner.

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Also basically what they did with Merrill and that's why there's 2 years left on his ELC, during which he will probably be one of the league's ultimate bargains.

 

The Devils have never 'pulled a Kreider' with anyone, to my knowledge.  It's a rather foolhardy move - the Rangers got very lucky that Chris Calder was terrible in 2012-13 and is therefore not really eligible for jack or sh!t this year salary-wise.

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Also basically what they did with Merrill and that's why there's 2 years left on his ELC, during which he will probably be one of the league's ultimate bargains.

The Devils have never 'pulled a Kreider' with anyone, to my knowledge. It's a rather foolhardy move - the Rangers got very lucky that Chris Calder was terrible in 2012-13 and is therefore not really eligible for jack or sh!t this year salary-wise.

exactly, if santini is as good as people say he is he shouldn't need seasoning in the ahl where we waste a year of his elc. If he plays his junior year at BC it's not like he'd be playing against chumps. He'll be able to grow and develop fine there and come to the devils ready to compete for a spot immediately.

By that time we will know what gelinas is and will have either committed to him or not. No reason to rush anyone when we have plenty of guys now.

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exactly, if santini is as good as people say he is he shouldn't need seasoning in the ahl where we waste a year of his elc. If he plays his junior year at BC it's not like he'd be playing against chumps. He'll be able to grow and develop fine there and come to the devils ready to compete for a spot immediately.

By that time we will know what gelinas is and will have either committed to him or not. No reason to rush anyone when we have plenty of guys now.

 

gelinas, as far as the skillset he provides, has no bearing on santini. they are totally different types of players. santini is the "snot" kind of player that PDB loves.

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Also basically what they did with Merrill and that's why there's 2 years left on his ELC, during which he will probably be one of the league's ultimate bargains.

The Devils have never 'pulled a Kreider' with anyone, to my knowledge. It's a rather foolhardy move - the Rangers got very lucky that Chris Calder was terrible in 2012-13 and is therefore not really eligible for jack or sh!t this year salary-wise.

Closest thing to it that I can remember is when Sean Burke join the team at the end if te 87-88 season and helped launch them into the playoffs.

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gelinas, as far as the skillset he provides, has no bearing on santini. they are totally different types of players. santini is the "snot" kind of player that PDB loves.

 

Eh, I wouldn't be so sure.  If Santini comes out after 2015-16 and there aren't any signifcant trades, you gotta figure Gelinas, Merrill, Severson, and Larsson are regulars.  Have to imagine Greene's still around.  Scarlett's waiver-eligible at that point.  Long and short of it is that there isn't a guaranteed spot there and NJ has a lot of guys who can theroretically work a PP.

 

I mean this post will look absurd in a year, but I don't think his claim is entirely off-base.

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gelinas, as far as the skillset he provides, has no bearing on santini. they are totally different types of players. santini is the "snot" kind of player that PDB loves.

Sorry should have been more specific, i meant in the sense of us having a hole to fill on the blue line. If We work out a Greene extension you can assume our future defense consists of Merrill, Greene, Larsson, severson (assuming he breaks in next this or next year.)

Edit: tri kinda gave my answer already and he's right that it's still way early on these discussions. But I'm just projecting about the potential long term benefit of santini spending another 2 years in college.

Edited by dmann422
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Sorry should have been more specific, i meant in the sense of us having a hole to fill on the blue line. If We work out a Greene extension you can assume our future defense consists of Merrill, Greene, Larsson, severson (assuming he breaks in next this or next year.)

Edit: tri kinda gave my answer already and he's right that it's still way early on these discussions. But I'm just projecting about the potential long term benefit of santini spending another 2 years in college.

That's a great school for hockey too.  I don't think the team particularly likes pulling players out of college, unless the player wants to.

Edited by RizzMB30
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Friday's Scrimmage

Joey Dudek looked good and made some solid plays with three assists, admitted that his linemates made him look pretty good.  Boucher looked like one of the better players out there, which he should have, ended up with a goal and an EN'er.  Let's pick apart these highlights.  Dudek avoided a check and makes the pass to Johnston on White goal #4.

Edited by RizzMB30
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argh. this is so stupid. stevens did this with gelinas too - you're big - you've gotta hit and be physical.

 

not everyone is a good hitter and can necessarily play physically. lidstrom wasn't physical - he was just excellent positionally.

 

"not everyone can hit, be physical - you either know how to do it or you don't." you can figure out who told me that.

I'd like to bring this back up and maybe discuss this some more if the board isn't dead.  I was reading over at HF and they were raving about Santini, pointing out that Stevens was a great hitter and defenseman because he was such a good skater and you need to be a great skater in order to be able to hit well and check the way Stevens did.  If you get a defenseman that doesn't skate very well, you get Anton Volchenkov.  If he can skate well, you're looking at maybe closer to a Niklas Kronwall kind of player.   I found this an interesting way of looking at physical defenseman. 

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I'd like to bring this back up and maybe discuss this some more if the board isn't dead.  I was reading over at HF and they were raving about Santini, pointing out that Stevens was a great hitter and defenseman because he was such a good skater and you need to be a great skater in order to be able to hit well and check the way Stevens did.  If you get a defenseman that doesn't skate very well, you get Anton Volchenkov.  If he can skate well, you're looking at maybe closer to a Niklas Kronwall kind of player.   I found this an interesting way of looking at physical defenseman. 

 

anton was never exactly fleet of foot, but his hitting has always defined him and he rarely did it where it took him out of the play. he would make the big hit but it would seperate the player and the puck - it wasn't a hit for hit's sake.

 

in gelinas case, he appears to be a better than average skater - we've seen him make rushes up the ice and have some good high end speed (although getting there is another story). i don't think skating is the problem - it's that he doesn't necessarily have the game IQ to be a "hitter".

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