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By Chuck, January 27, 2013 10:23 am

So over Christmas, I (the admin/main writer) was talking to my cousin about football. Chuck is an absolute die hard Jets fan. While talking, he ended up telling me how he prepares notes and whatnot on the players in the draft the Jets could take. He did this just for himself on his IPad while re-watching college games. So I told him if he felt up for it, he could send me what he writes and I’d post it here. This is his first batch of prospect reports.

Chase Thomas, OLB, Stanford

Linebacker from Stanford, he has experience playing in the 4-6 bear defense and sets the edge very well. Does everything good but nothing great. Watching the Notre Dame tape he looked unblockable, but then tired out. Plays well in coverage and run support. I feel he can be a Mike Vrabel type at OLB, he’s gonna get 5-10 sacks, but he’s not a freak like Aldon Smith. He plays the run very well, he’s an average 3 down backer.

Pros: Does everything well. He is a leader at Stanford, while being versatile and can play OLB in both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes.  Has a good motor. Good one on one moves in pass rush. Can drop back and cover a TE or RB. Smart football player who can excel against the new running QB due to his lane discipline.

Cons:  Lacks the speed to be a freak at OLB. He’s not the type of kid that will flourish t the combine, I believe his 40 time will suffer. Is helping to produce sacks enough to help out the Jets?  Also vs Notre Dame seemed to get winded chasing around the QB, and made some good plays that could have been great if he had made the tackle.

Overall: This kid is what the jets need at OLB. He might not be the answer, but you put him in the Brian Thomas role and this kid will flourish. He’s going to get 85 tackles 7 sacks and play all 3 downs.  Hoping he falls to rounds 3-5 because I think the combine will hurt him. At the worst he will dominate on special teams, but I expect him to be a Vrabel type and at best Clay Mathews.

Dion Jordan, OLB, Oregon

Extremely athletic with a very long wingspan and has a good build to him. He will flourish at the combine, but I’m not sure the game film backs it up.

Pros: He’s a superior athlete to the point that a lineman should rarely block him when he rushes the passer. He’s very much like Jason Pierre-Paul or Aldon Smith in that way. He’s very good when he gets to scrap down the line. Any time he’s in pace and gets to use his speed he’s dangerous. Sheds blocks pretty well and when he drops into coverage he’s not a liability.

Cons: His game film and measurables just don’t match up. Maybe it’s because he’s raw but watching him vs USC I was shaking my head because I had trouble finding him. He’s also got to develop pass rushing moves. It was like watching an Aaron Maybin clone. Every time trying to run around the lineman and getting pushed out of the play. Also when running misdirection at him he was completely fooled. He’s definitely  a project.

Overall: I see why scouts salivate over this kid because the motor is there. The measurables are there but he needs to be coached up. He’s a classic bust or boom type prospect. If he’s taught how to rush the passer, hes easily a top 5 pick. I believe he’s a first rounder and I like him more then Barkevious Mingo. Worst case scenario he’s out of the league in a few seasons. Best case hes got the tools to be like JPP or Aldon Smith, but buyer beware and as a Jets fan I don’t know if I’d like us to pick him.

Philip Thomas, Safety, Fresno State

The reason I looked at Thomas is that he stood out at the senior bowl practices, and his DB coach McDonald was just hired as the Jets new DB coach. I’m sure there interest and McDonald will be able to give the scouting staff his two cents. The first thing you notice about Thomas is he’s always around the ball and he’s aggressive, something I love from safeties.

Pros: Very skilled player whose not afraid of contact. He can come up and make a play in the run game, but also play the pass very well. He’s a great blitzer something Rex loves to do and could make an immediate impact with the Jets blitz heavy defense. He’s also ball hawk who had 8 ints and 3 sacks and it shows his versatility. I’m hoping the jets can draft him this year.

Cons: The reason why Thomas isn’t a lock for the first round is he’s sometimes a little too aggressive which makes him miss tackles. Against Oregon he missed two huge tackles, which led to a TD. He also had a barely missed one vs Boise. He’s got to get better at controlling himself. I think the combine is huge for him because I feel he’s more quick than fast, which can hurt his draft stock. His speed isn’t elite and he won’t be able to make up for that with his aggressive style.

Overall: I’m sold on this kid. I feel like he can be a great safety in the league. I wonder where he gets drafted though. I can see as high as round 2 and low as round 4, depending on combine results and how scared off teams are with the tackling. But best case I see him as a Laron Landry type the way he defends the run and his intense style but much better in the ball hawking department.

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By Mark D, July 2, 2012 4:41 pm

1996 was during that time when Quebec Goaltenders were the hottest thing going. Everyone was looking for the next Roy. Unfortunately in the 96 draft they pretty much got everything but Roy. How bad was it? After talking with Keith, we both considered Steve Valliquette the second best goalie taken in the draft. So who were the goalies taken and what did they do? Let’s take a look.

Round 1, 23rd Overall
Craig Hillier
He played a total of 47 games across 2 seasons in the AHL, with a save percentage of .871. Went on to play for 4 different ECHL teams during which time he posted an even worse SV%.  Played in the UHL and CHL in 03-04 before leaving hockey.

Round 2, 44th Overall
Mathieu Garon
Well I mentioned Big Valley was the 2nd best goalie taken in the draft. Garon is easily the best goalie taken, considering he has 323 NHL games played . It took almost 10 years for him to make the NHL, but he has mostly been a backup or splitting starts with someone since then. He also got a Cup Ring playing with the Penguins.

Round 2, 50th Overall
Francis Larivee
After finishing his career in the QMJHL, he played 47 games across 3 seasons in the AHL, mostly posting a sub .900 SV%.  Played another 50 games in the ECHL across 2 seasons before ending his career after the 00-01 season.

Round 2, 52nd Overall
Aren Miller
After leaving the OHL, Miller proceeded to play 60ish games for the AHL, ECHL and IHL across 3 seasons. His one game in the IHL was promising, but otherwise he continued with a sub .900 SV% like he had during his time in the OHL. Called it quits after 2 seasons in the CHL.

Round 3, 55th Overall
Terry Friesen
Played a total of 8 AHL games, largely bouncing around the WCHL, ECHL, SPHL and UHL. Although he had a .909 SV% during his final 7 game AHL stint, he regressed the following year in the WCHL with an .879 SV%. In 04 and 05 he improved to an above 900 SV% in each season before leaving hockey. Interesting Footnote, he was drafted one pick before Zdeno Chara.

Round 3, 74th Overall
David Weninger
After graduating from college, Weninger played with Hillier at Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton the Penguins affiliate.  He played 25 games with a .879 SV%. He also played 6 ECHL games that year, before leaving hockey. He was goalie coach for a season at St Cloud State in 04-05.

Round 4, 83rd Overall
Tyrone Garner
He played 3 NHL games for the Flames as an emergency callup from his OHL team. He was sent back to the AHL the following season, played 19 games with an .874 SV%. He bounced around a few ECHL teams, played one more AHL game before going to Europe for a year, and then 2 years in the SPHL.

Round 4, 107th Overall
Randy Petruk
Played 1 AHL game after Jrs in 98-99. Proceeded to bounce around the ECHL and IHL between 98-99 and 01-02. Finally got a chance in 02-03 playing 30 AHL games and a .917 SV%, but never got back up to those heights and finished his career in the ECHL.

Round 5, 124th Overall
Per-Ragnar Berqkvist
Never came to North America. Played 30 games in his draft year and then played a total of 34 games over the next 3 years.

Round 5, 135th Overall
Michal Pdolka
Played 3 years in Jrs. Played in the UHL and CHL for 3 seasons before returning to Europe and playing there for 2 seasons in the Czech league.

Round 6, 137th Overall
Michel Larocque
Another player who ended up playing on the WB/S Penguins with Wenninger and Hillier. He made the NHL the following season as a member of the Blackhawks and most likely an emergency callup as he played 3 games with an .847 SV%. Played 35 games the following season in the AHL before retiring.

Round 6, 139th Overall
Robert Esche
Okay, when I originally looked over the draft I must have missed Esche, who actually won the William Jennings trophy along with Roman Chechmanek in 02-03. In 8 seasons he played a total of 186 NHL games though. I apologize to Esche who obviously had a better career then Valiquette.

Round 6, 143rd Overall
Aaron Baker
After finishing his Jrs career, he went back to school. Never played Pro hockey.

Round 6, 147th Overall
Nolan McDonald
Was drafted after playing 2 games in college. Left college to go to Juniors. Barely played in Jrs. Bounced around the lower leagues (ECHL) before finding a long term home in the German Leagues. Last played in the DEL in 08-09 for 3 games.

Round 6, 149th Overall
Blaine Russel
After Jrs he played for 3 ECHL teams in a season, along with 20 games in the AHL. He got one more 2 game stint in the AHL before mostly being relegated to the ECHL, CHL and SEHL. His career mostly consists of sub .900 SV%.

Round 6, 159th Overall
Stephen Wagner
After graduating from the University of Denver, he largely spent his career in the CHL playing 53 games before retiring.  Never had a sv% above .900.

Round 6, 160th Overall
Kai Fischer
European who never came over to North America.

Round 7, 165th Overall
J.R. Prestifilippo
After graduating from Harvard, never played above the ECHL level. Out of hockey after 01-02.

Round 7, 166th Overall
Eoin McInerney
After Jrs  he bounced around the minor minor leagues till 05-06. Never even reached the ECHL level.

Round 8, 190th Overall
Steve Valiquette
Got a taste of the NHL level with a .949 SV% after graduating JRs and playing a year in the ECHL. He wouldn’t become an NHL backup until another decade later, during a 4 year stint with the Rangers backing up the Queen.

Round 8, 209th Overall
Denis Khlopotnov
In 98-99 he played 30 games in the UHL with an .890 SV%. Returned to Russia after that.

Round 9, 221st Overall
John Hultberg
After leaving Jrs, played 2 ECHL games and mostly played in the CHL. Out of hockey after 99-00.

Round 9, 222nd Overall
Scott Buhler
After leaving Jrs, played 28 pro games in the ECHL and CHL, out of hockey after 99-00.

So that’s 23 goalies drafted, 6 played in the NHL. Two of them basically had emergency callup stints (Garner, Larocque) and only 2 of them could be considered starters at some point in their career (Esche and Garon). Of course this goalie close does have a Jennings trophy winner and a Stanley Cup Ring. But this easily has to be one of the worst draft classes ever.

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By Mark D, January 29, 2012 5:43 am

I must admit, until last night I was a fan of Neil Smith. While he did help the Rangers get to the Cup in 94, anyone that can so demolish the Rangers that they almost miss the playoffs for a complete decade is alright in my book. But it’s rather amusing how Neil Smith and Mike Milbury are both pretty bad GMs but in different ways. While Milbury would have good drafts and trade away youngsters for pennies on the dollar, Smith would have awful drafts and trade the few gems he did have for big name players past their prime. Actually the main difference is that Smith won a Cup, otherwise they were pretty much both morons.

Whenever your bring up 94 and say Smith just bought the Oilers Dynasty over (which is pretty much exactly what he did) people always complain about “oh yea, what about Richter and Leetch?” Of course what they don’t mention is that both players were already in the Rangers Organization when Smith took over. Trading for Messier is a no brainer. But wow, some of the other trades. Look, I don’t care how highly you hold the “Matteau Goal” he wasn’t worth Tony Amonte. Esa Tikkanen wasn’t worth Doug Weight. We won’t even get into the Zubov trade. The late 90s Rangers might have been a better team then the 94 team.

How bad did Neil Smith draft? Let’s take a look at his First Round picks as GM of the Rangers:

1989 20th Overall Steven Rice RW
Games Played 329
Rangers Games Played 11
Points 125
Steven Rice is more well known as an answer to a trivia question, name a player Mark Messier was traded for, then as a hockey player.

1990 13th Overall Michael Stewart D
Never Made the NHL
He was eventually traded along with Glenn Featherstone and a 1st round pick (that became Jean-Sebastien Giguere) for Pat Verbeek who played 110 games for the Rangers over 2 seasons.

1991 15th Overall Alexei Kovalev R
Games Played 1302
Rangers Games Played 492
Points 1024
Kovalev is probably the best of Neil Smith’s first round picks, but the kid could never get it done in New York, despite playing for the Rangers in 2 different stints. He was eventually traded for Nedved who was a solid Dman for 4 years.

1992 24th Overall Peter Ferraro R
Games Played 92
Rangers Games Played 8
Points 24
Smith drafted both Ferraro brothers in 92 and neither of them were any good on the NHL level. Peter Ferraro wasn’t even traded for anything.

1993 8th Overall Niklas Sundstrom D
Games Played 750
Rangers Games Played 315
Points 349
Sundstrom was traded with another Rangers 1st rounder, Dan Cloutier AND a 3rd rounder for the Lightnings 1st overall in 1999 (Pavel Brendl). The Lightning then turned around and traded Sundstrom for Shawn Burr, Steve Guolla, Bill Houlder and Andrei Zyuzin a month later. We’ll get to Brendl and Cloutier later…

1994 26th Overall Dan Cloutier G
Games Played 351
Rangers Games played 34
Cloutier is probably known for 2 phases in his career. Phase 1 in which he was a backup goalie who got in a lot of fights. Phase 2 in which he was an NHL Starter known for letting in easy goals. Seriously look at google image results for him:

1995 No First Round Pick
But in the 2nd round at 39th overall the Rangers did pick Christian Dube, who played 33 NHL games and had 2 points.

1996 22nd Overall Jeff Brown D
Played No NHL Games
During his career he wasn’t even good enough to play for the Rangers AHL affiliate, managing 18 games across 3 seasons following his draft. He only played another 54 total games in the AHL, all coming in one season for the San Antonio Rampage.

1997 19th Overall Stefan Cheneski
Played No NHL Games
Cherneski unfortunately suffered an injury that forced him to retire in 2001

1998 7th Overall Manny Malhotra C
826 NHL Games Played
274 Points
206 Ranger Games
Malhotra never lived up to his high level of hype with the Rangers, bouncing between NHL and AHL. His career was just about over when the Stars waived him. He was claimed by the always desperate Columbus Blue Jackets and had a breakthrough season.  He’s since stuck it out in the NHL as one of the top bottom 6 players in the league. Not exactly what you expect from a 6th overall.

1999 4th Overall Pavel Brendl W
78 Games Played
22 Points
No Games with Rangers
Was traded early in his Ranger career as part of the package that got the Rangers Eric Lindros. Bounced around the AHL for a while before returning to Europe.

1999 9th Overall Jamie Lundmark C
295 Games Played
99 Points
114 Games with the Rangers
Played a few half seasons with the Rangers before being traded to the Coyotes for Jeff Taffe. Taffe was then traded back to the Coyotes for Martin Sonnenberg an undrafted FA who left for Europe after finishing the season in the AHL.

In 2000 the Rangers had no first round pick, but the 2nd round pick 64th overall Filip Novak played 17 games in the NHL and was part of the trade for Pavel Bure.

So with 11 first round picks in 11 years, here’s how his picks did Neil Smith do?
4023 total games played
1180 Ranger games played
365.72 Average career games
107.27 Average games with Rangers

Just for references sake, the average NHL career is considered roughly 400 games. Nearly half of all the games with the Rangers comes from Kovalev’s 495. The career total is almost totally from 3 players: Kovalev (1302) Malhotra (826) and Sundstrom (750) who total an incredible 2878 combined NHL games of the 4023 total. If you take away those 3, it leaves 1145 of game to spread between the remaining 8 draftees. That would average out to 143 games.

By the time that Neil Smith was fired, the husk of a team he left behind rivaled the Milbury Islanders. The few gems like Doug Weight, Todd Marchant, Mattias Norstrom among others were traded for players who had short term stints with the Rangers. Marchant was traded for Craig MacTavish, who played a handful of games with the Rangers. Winning the Cup in 94 might have been one of the shortest of the short term visions.

One day we’ll have to match up the could have been Rangers team with the could have been Islanders team and see who comes out on top. But for the most part it seems like if Neil Smith didn’t stumble upon a team with a ton of money at the same time a great team was struggling to pay the bills, he probably never would have won a cup. Which would have made this intro for his website relatively boring. It also would have made the 94 at the end of his twitter name a lot more pointless.

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By Mark D, April 21, 2011 8:25 am

Just Realized I never Posted this here. Recorded on Sunday with Keith.

Download the MP3 Here

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By Mark D, April 10, 2011 5:42 pm

Keith, Mark (webbard) and Mike from LHH talk on Islander related topics and hockey. In order:
The Islanders last three games
The remaining Islander Free Agents
Was the Islanders 2nd half a mirage? (Joined by Mike from LHH during this discussion)
Jack Capuano’s future
Some talk at the end about Dale Hunter and the Hall of Fame, also talking about Lindros, Yashin and Bure’s chances of making the hall.

Download The MP3