Well that's 1 minute 46 seconds of my life I'll never get back.
- dubc55

That's what she said

Kid definitely skates like Ryan Styles pretending to be a newborn foal.
https://youtu.be/JC7N5Gl_tdg
- lacaprup

I was shocked to see someone describe his skating as exceptional. Wild.

I was shocked to see someone describe his skating as exceptional. Wild.
- Hank Balling

tbh, never red any stuff from those sites, save thehockeywriters occasionally

tbh, never red any stuff from those sites, save thehockeywriters occasionally
- Michael Pachla

Steve Kournianos's report seems to bridge the gap between exceptional and awkward

Clarke has no problems with mobility whatsoever but he was one of the most awkward upright stances you’ll find. He can glide all over the ice and use quick feet to track the puck in any direction, yet his wide, bow-legged base can make him look clumsy. Aesthetics aside, Clarke is an end-to-end rusher and accelerates past zone pressure with ease, therefore rendering any debate over whether or not his base or short stride is a detriment to his overall quickness as irrelevant. Clarke’s strength on his skates is average but he has shown improvement against thicker forwards, although his reverses in the face of heavy pressure are both rapid and timely. Even older, stronger opponents in Slovakia were unsuccessful when they tried to lean him off the puck.

Steve Kournianos's report seems to bridge the gap between exceptional and awkward
- Hank Balling

nice...it always seems to be somewhere in the middle of extremes

If we were to get the 3rd overall pick from the Ducks and I was our head of scouting we would be walking out of this years draft with Eklund and Clarke.

*Hides*

If we were to get the 3rd overall pick from the Ducks and I was our head of scouting we would be walking out of this years draft with Eklund and Clarke.

*Hides*
- Pegullaville

Ooh spicy.

What is it about Clarke that you find so appealing?

If we were to get the 3rd overall pick from the Ducks and I was our head of scouting we would be walking out of this years draft with Eklund and Clarke.

*Hides*
- Pegullaville

power and eklund...especially when they extend risto

dahlin-joker
power-risto
bryson-borgen

Not sure how him skating again is a "Buyer Beware" situation.

More like its Eichel's camp saying he is good to go and get me out of here situation
- Stripes77

It's because no matter what is done, it will always be a negative to all the fans. Example:
Jack comes out and says he's good and willing to play reads: He was a quitter, probably not as hurt as he claimed, don't want him
Jack gets fusion surgery (puts him at 95% of the player he was) reads: Damaged goods, I'll give you a used rubber and late first, with conditions on how many games played. If he doesn't meet these conditions, Buf gets a 7th instead
Jack wants new surgery, thinking long term for himself reads: He's selfish, not a team man, only cares about the Benjamin's, keep him away from my team (unless Buf is willing to retain and accept my used rubber offer)
Jack skates reads: He's being a malcontent, even though this is probably the longest he's ever gone without skating. Now I don't want him unless Buf throws in a brand new box of domes. We'll kick you like our 5th best d prospect tho.

power and eklund...especially when they extend risto

dahlin-joker
power-risto
bryson-borgen
- Michael Pachla

That second pairing might be a disaster defensively

That second pairing might be a disaster defensively
- Powerslave

every pairing they have next year will be a disaster if dustin tokarski and stephanos lekkas are their goalies

It's because no matter what is done, it will always be a negative to all the fans. Example:
Jack comes out and says he's good and willing to play reads: He was a quitter, probably not as hurt as he claimed, don't want him
Jack gets fusion surgery (puts him at 95% of the player he was) reads: Damaged goods, I'll give you a used rubber and late first, with conditions on how many games played. If he doesn't meet these conditions, Buf gets a 7th instead
Jack wants new surgery, thinking long term for himself reads: He's selfish, not a team man, only cares about the Benjamin's, keep him away from my team (unless Buf is willing to retain and accept my used rubber offer)
Jack skates reads: He's being a malcontent, even though this is probably the longest he's ever gone without skating. Now I don't want him unless Buf throws in a brand new box of domes. We'll kick you like our 5th best d prospect tho.
- SDSabre

That's why you're the bottom half of the Dakota's.

😉😁

Seriously, though, no matter what happens down there, until they start winning, all you're going to see is negative out of the fans.

every pairing they have next year will be a disaster if dustin tokarski and stephanos lakos are their goalies
- Michael Pachla

You leave the Greek God alone! Lekkas is the TRUTH(as)!

They have zero excuses if they fail to upgrade the goaltending, especially this off-season where there seems to be goalies available.

That's why you're the bottom half of the Dakota's.

😉😁

Seriously, though, no matter what happens down there, until they start winning, all you're going to see is negative out of the fans.
- Powerslave

This

You leave the Greek God alone! Lekkas is the TRUTH(as)!

They have zero excuses if they fail to upgrade the goaltending, especially this off-season where there seems to be goalies available.
- Powerslave

yeah...good goaltending covers a lot of inequities and ineptitude

Steve Kournianos's report seems to bridge the gap between exceptional and awkward
- Hank Balling

This is close to what I was thinking,almost transitions like a fawn or foal.knees and feet at weird angles and positions but sure gets where hes going with good speed once gets passed that second of awkward.handles the puck and moves it well.still a top 5-10 pick without a doubt tho

That's why you're the bottom half of the Dakota's.

😉😁

Seriously, though, no matter what happens down there, until they start winning, all you're going to see is negative out of the fans.
- Powerslave

The smart half

It's more just like negging from opponent fan bases to lower the price Buf will accept.. Except it's not like we have anything to do with the price. But whatever gets their jimmy's off in the morning, more power to ya I guess.

The smart half

It's more just like negging from opponent fan bases to lower the price Buf will accept.. Except it's not like we have anything to do with the price. But whatever gets their jimmy's off in the morning, more power to ya I guess.
- SDSabre

Just want it to be done, one way or the other.

NHL Watcher
@NHL_Watcher
· 5m
Friedman and Marek on 31TP see the #STLBlues as the #1 contender to sign Gabriel Landeskog if the Avs decide to let him walk. He is very tight with Ryan O'Reilly.

first

Ooh spicy.

What is it about Clarke that you find so appealing?
- Hank Balling

He definitely has the most awkward skating stride I’ve ever seen but you can’t question the effectiveness. Especially when NHL skills and development coaches can get their hands on him and help him with that wasted movement

He gets up and down the ice with pace and is probably the best d-man in this draft class in transition and fits the mold of the new age NHL d-man.

Great production in his rookie year at Barrie, great production in the Slovakian league this year, best draft eligible player at the U18’s this year in my opinion.

RHD are a premium over LHD.

I see him as a Morgan Reilly type who can run the PP and be an offensive catalyst at 5v5.

He definitely has the most awkward skating stride I’ve ever seen but you can’t question the effectiveness. Especially when NHL skills and development coaches can get their hands on him and help him with that wasted movement

He gets up and down the ice with pace and is probably the best d-man in this draft class in transition and fits the mold of the new age NHL d-man.

Great production in his rookie year at Barrie, great production in the Slovakian league this year, best draft eligible player at the U18’s this year in my opinion.

RHD are a premium over LHD.

I see him as a Morgan Reilly type who can run the PP and be an offensive catalyst at 5v5.
- Pegullaville

👍 Good stuff.

👍 Good stuff.
- Hank Balling

I would assume Owen Power will be a Buffalo Sabre so it’s all for not but I think Clarke has the highest upside of any d-man in the draft class.

Time will tell I guess

He definitely has the most awkward skating stride I’ve ever seen but you can’t question the effectiveness. Especially when NHL skills and development coaches can get their hands on him and help him with that wasted movement

He gets up and down the ice with pace and is probably the best d-man in this draft class in transition and fits the mold of the new age NHL d-man.

Great production in his rookie year at Barrie, great production in the Slovakian league this year, best draft eligible player at the U18’s this year in my opinion.

RHD are a premium over LHD.

I see him as a Morgan Reilly type who can run the PP and be an offensive catalyst at 5v5.
- Pegullaville

from what i've read he gets burned by speed


Clarke can work on the backward skating, and surely whichever NHL team drafts him will seek to do that. The source also made the point that, beyond the technique, there are some tactical decisions Clarke could make to help cover any remaining weakness, too.

“Any time somebody has more speed than him and he’s in a disadvantage, that’s when he gets exposed,” the source said. “So, if he can skate faster forward than he can backwards, try and defend forward as much as (he can).
https://theathletic.com/2...nhl-team-that-drafts-him/

The concern on Clarke is his skating as he’s a somewhat knock-kneed skater without great quickness. He defends well in junior due to his sense and having decent reach, but the pace will be a concern in that regard as he advances levels. In a sentence, Clarke projects as a second or third defenseman who can be on a top NHL power-play unit but may not be able to face top opponents
https://theathletic.com/2...y-pronmans-final-top-151/

why not just go eklund/huges at 1/3?

NJ still open for business, but looks like after expansion draft know.