Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2016 and Beyond
Hey, no hard feelings, but we'll have to disagree on all of it. He was GREAT until opponents realized he was ALONE - his superior skill level was evident every time he touched the puck and even late in the season, guys just couldn't take the puck off his stick when he got free. We've talked about this roster all year. When team's realized what an extraordinary jump he made from his freshman season, they did everything the could to stop him and force someone else to beat them. They took that strategy farther than you could in most situations - because NO ONE else on the team could beat them. He still scored a point per game in the second half and he won't have to worry about that strategy as much at the next level because he wont be the ONLY player on his team with professional talent...
He was absolutely a Hobey worthy candidate considering what he accomplished this year with a terrible supporting cast. You know what. I think he should win! I think he was clearly the most valuable and dominant individual in college hockey. He obviously won't win because his numbers were limited by his teammates and UNH was a well below .500 team, but if you swap him out with Compher at UM or Schmalz at UND he puts up 65-70 points - and no I don't think that is hyperbole. Can you imagine Poturalski centering Motte & Connor or Boeser and Caggiula? OMG...
All three Michigan forwards are going to be Hobey Finalists - could they have earned the same playing at UNH with out the others?? Hobey's don't win Hobey's alone...
I noticed plenty of moments over the course of the season, including late in the second half where Poturalski not only refused to back down from the physical attention - but instigated it.
He's slim and that may turn out to be a problem - but it was going to be an issue for him and his career whenever it began. The only way he car refute that is by going pro and playing through it. Coming back to UNH as a 23 year old junior wouldn't do the trick. He knows this and will certainly try to add as much weight as he can. He can do that just as well - and maybe even better - in Charlotte. He's commented many times on the work he's putting into building his two-way game. I'm sure that work will amplify at the pro level. That's likely where he needs to be to truly develop that side of his game anyway...
He has absolutely nothing left to prove at this level - staying can only hurt him physically or perceptually. He's ready to skate a regular shift as a top-six AHLer tomorrow. You keep bringing up his injury - but if he was able to battle through it to play for UNH - planning on a procedure when the season ended - what difference does it make if he plays 10 more games before taking care of the issue? In my opinion his injury is irrelevant to his decision to leave. Its only relevance would be to prove that he has toughness and leadership qualities by playing through it in the first place...
Finally, take a look at some of the recent (comparable) UNH professionals...
* Downing leads the Iowa Wild in scoring and will get a chance in MN sometime soon
* Thompson & Sislo are scoring at high rates in the AHL and have recently debuted in the NHL
* Moses led the Swedish Elite League in scoring
Poturalski is a better offensive talent than all of them and I have no doubt he'll continue to work on his two-way play. Downing coasted a lot in college and its not like Moses is some giant defensive whiz. Thompson and Sislo have grittier games certainly - but they had to have that side to them. Well very good - they are not gifted offensively. If a team is going to give Moses an guaranteed NHL deal than Poturalski can certainly earn one. He's bigger and better. He'll be an easy AHLer - with a real chance to make the NHL. If he has to settle for torching the SEL and KHL like Moses, that's nothing to frown upon...
Originally posted by Chuck Murray
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He was absolutely a Hobey worthy candidate considering what he accomplished this year with a terrible supporting cast. You know what. I think he should win! I think he was clearly the most valuable and dominant individual in college hockey. He obviously won't win because his numbers were limited by his teammates and UNH was a well below .500 team, but if you swap him out with Compher at UM or Schmalz at UND he puts up 65-70 points - and no I don't think that is hyperbole. Can you imagine Poturalski centering Motte & Connor or Boeser and Caggiula? OMG...
All three Michigan forwards are going to be Hobey Finalists - could they have earned the same playing at UNH with out the others?? Hobey's don't win Hobey's alone...
I noticed plenty of moments over the course of the season, including late in the second half where Poturalski not only refused to back down from the physical attention - but instigated it.
He's slim and that may turn out to be a problem - but it was going to be an issue for him and his career whenever it began. The only way he car refute that is by going pro and playing through it. Coming back to UNH as a 23 year old junior wouldn't do the trick. He knows this and will certainly try to add as much weight as he can. He can do that just as well - and maybe even better - in Charlotte. He's commented many times on the work he's putting into building his two-way game. I'm sure that work will amplify at the pro level. That's likely where he needs to be to truly develop that side of his game anyway...
He has absolutely nothing left to prove at this level - staying can only hurt him physically or perceptually. He's ready to skate a regular shift as a top-six AHLer tomorrow. You keep bringing up his injury - but if he was able to battle through it to play for UNH - planning on a procedure when the season ended - what difference does it make if he plays 10 more games before taking care of the issue? In my opinion his injury is irrelevant to his decision to leave. Its only relevance would be to prove that he has toughness and leadership qualities by playing through it in the first place...
Finally, take a look at some of the recent (comparable) UNH professionals...
* Downing leads the Iowa Wild in scoring and will get a chance in MN sometime soon
* Thompson & Sislo are scoring at high rates in the AHL and have recently debuted in the NHL
* Moses led the Swedish Elite League in scoring
Poturalski is a better offensive talent than all of them and I have no doubt he'll continue to work on his two-way play. Downing coasted a lot in college and its not like Moses is some giant defensive whiz. Thompson and Sislo have grittier games certainly - but they had to have that side to them. Well very good - they are not gifted offensively. If a team is going to give Moses an guaranteed NHL deal than Poturalski can certainly earn one. He's bigger and better. He'll be an easy AHLer - with a real chance to make the NHL. If he has to settle for torching the SEL and KHL like Moses, that's nothing to frown upon...
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