Article: Graeme Clarke Might Help Bring the Change Minnesota Needs Next Year

[Bekki Antonelli]

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[Citizen Strife]

It was pretty obvious Beckman was DOA after a while.  Your job is to tilt the ice in any way possible regardless of time and position.  I never saw Beckman be anything worth banking extra time on.  It became even more obvious when Ohgren scored as many points in a fourth of the time. 

I'm not expecting much out of Clarke, but you never know.

Edited September 5 by Citizen Strife

[Burnt Toast]

I’m pushing for an article retitle… “GC has a shot to make an impact for the Wild this year.” Depth=Good. 

[mnfaninnc]

When I watched the baby Wild highlights, Beckman was usually in the mix. When he scored, he looked like he had a lot of passion. Coming out of the W, Beckman had great measurements, with a 6'2" frame and a lightning quick release too. 

I was excited to see his callups. Surely the kid with a lot of promise would impress this cup of coffee? What I noticed was that he was a string bean. He couldn't compete against the boards with the upper level competition. And he just downright refused to bulk up his body. I don't buy into the different body types theory. You can change by paying attention to the weight room and bulking up. But as the guys from his draft class were getting larger, he was slowly adding a pound here and a pound there. 

The A is a good league. The pay is good for a 20 something player, it's probably ahead of where most kids are that age. And, Beckman pretty much slated himself to earn an A salary simply based upon his dedication (lack) to the weight room. Was it that he didn't go, or was it more like we saw in Rossi's video where he's just doing resistance bands? I don't know. But to be an NHLer, he needed to be around 205-210 to compete along the boards. He didn't have speed to be anything less. 

So, now we've got Graeme Clarke. He's an RHS which is nice, but his measurements on Elite Prospects are 6' 174. Maybe he's a tenacious tiger in a small body? Or, maybe he went the same route as Beckman, and needed to be at 195 to compete in the N? Sure, he has a nice shot, but you cannot have 4 skaters and a cone with a nice shot. He's got to have the muscle and compete to go into the corners and come out with the puck. Right now, his size indicates to me that he's just fine going into the corner and trying to pick the puck out hoping nobody pushes him down. This is the kind of guy that Rossi can steamroll. 

Maybe he does well in Ovechkin's office in the A, but I don't have much confidence in him producing as a Wild player on a callup. He's a little taller version of Sammy Walker. Hunter Haight already has 7 pounds on him, and I'm hoping he's near 190 by now. Which one of these guys will take their opportunity seriously? At this point, I'm thinking it's Haight.

[mnfaninnc]

Also, I'd like to mention that I miss Capfriendly. I just looked up Haight on Puckpedia, and while it is a clean presentation, I need some columns and rows with boarders, and maybe some color to distinguish between years. I'm totally not used to the presentation, so that may be part of the problem, but Capfriendly was really well presented. 

Note to Puckpedia folks: Look at Capfriendly's old design and almost copy it! 

[MNCountryLife]

Congrats to Matt Cullen for being inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame!!  Stellar career.

[Jon]

1 hour ago, mnfaninnc said:

When I watched the baby Wild highlights, Beckman was usually in the mix. When he scored, he looked like he had a lot of passion. Coming out of the W, Beckman had great measurements, with a 6'2" frame and a lightning quick release too. 

I was excited to see his callups. Surely the kid with a lot of promise would impress this cup of coffee? What I noticed was that he was a string bean. He couldn't compete against the boards with the upper level competition. And he just downright refused to bulk up his body. I don't buy into the different body types theory. You can change by paying attention to the weight room and bulking up. But as the guys from his draft class were getting larger, he was slowly adding a pound here and a pound there. 

The A is a good league. The pay is good for a 20 something player, it's probably ahead of where most kids are that age. And, Beckman pretty much slated himself to earn an A salary simply based upon his dedication (lack) to the weight room. Was it that he didn't go, or was it more like we saw in Rossi's video where he's just doing resistance bands? I don't know. But to be an NHLer, he needed to be around 205-210 to compete along the boards. He didn't have speed to be anything less. 

So, now we've got Graeme Clarke. He's an RHS which is nice, but his measurements on Elite Prospects are 6' 174. Maybe he's a tenacious tiger in a small body? Or, maybe he went the same route as Beckman, and needed to be at 195 to compete in the N? Sure, he has a nice shot, but you cannot have 4 skaters and a cone with a nice shot. He's got to have the muscle and compete to go into the corners and come out with the puck. Right now, his size indicates to me that he's just fine going into the corner and trying to pick the puck out hoping nobody pushes him down. This is the kind of guy that Rossi can steamroll. 

Maybe he does well in Ovechkin's office in the A, but I don't have much confidence in him producing as a Wild player on a callup. He's a little taller version of Sammy Walker. Hunter Haight already has 7 pounds on him, and I'm hoping he's near 190 by now. Which one of these guys will take their opportunity seriously? At this point, I'm thinking it's Haight.

While I agree with the sentiment, I think body type does tend to matter. Can you add weight without it being detrimental to your performance? Maybe we see things very differently. I get the impression it’s the players who aren’t buying in. While it may be true, I do wonder how much of a factor the development and coaching/teaching infrastructure is. Tim Army was somewhat of a known commodity to the typical online Wild fan, but even then, it has been unproven in producing top-6 players. As it stands, not sure what to expect from what is perceived to be a top-10 prospect pipeline. 

 

Also, would like to note that Nikita Kucherov and Carter Verhaeghe are around 180lbs. Evan Rodrigues is listed at 175

[Burnt Toast]

1 hour ago, mnfaninnc said:

Surely the kid with a lot of promise would impress this cup of coffee?

I’ve begun to believe that some players hit a hard genetic wall when it comes to bulking up. If an individual dedicates 23 years of their life with a chance to make millions of dollars I just can’t see them saying “Hey I’ll work out when I feel like it.” Beckman is 20 lbs. underweight and it’s costing him. The NHL has really bulked up this last decade much like the other pro sports ( golf included). Unless you’re an undersized player with some exceptional skill looks like it’s the A or Europe. 

[MrCheatachu]

1 hour ago, Burnt Toast said:

I’ve begun to believe that some players hit a hard genetic wall when it comes to bulking up. If an individual dedicates 23 years of their life with a chance to make millions of dollars I just can’t see them saying “Hey I’ll work out when I feel like it.” Beckman is 20 lbs. underweight and it’s costing him. The NHL has really bulked up this last decade much like the other pro sports ( golf included). Unless you’re an undersized player with some exceptional skill looks like it’s the A or Europe. 

I dont know if they hit the genetic wall, but I've always thought that there has to be some hesitancy that the additonal bulk will impact their skill.  You have to think carrying around the 20-30lbs of extra mass will impact speed/agility/endurance/etc. 

Modern nutrition and dieticians are miles ahead in our understanding of what inputs the body needs to develop the right type of muscle.

Throwing 10% mass on a guy who's made his bread and butter on being agile and quick makes him much less agile and quick.

[Willy the poor boy]

4 minutes ago, MrCheatachu said:

I dont know if they hit the genetic wall, but I've always thought that there has to be some hesitancy that the additonal bulk will impact their skill.  You have to think carrying around the 20-30lbs of extra mass will impact speed/agility/endurance/etc. 

Modern nutrition and dieticians are miles ahead in our understanding of what inputs the body needs to develop the right type of muscle.

Throwing 10% mass on a guy who's made his bread and butter on being agile and quick makes him much less agile and quick.

Doesn't it depend on where that weight is added? For a hockey player if you work on the lower body you would think you couldn't go wrong. But what the hell do I know.

[Pewterschmidt]

A great hockey mind was on the forum recently recommending the Wild hire two glute coaches: one right and one left

 mnfan agreed it’s a good plan

[Need4speed99]

How? This guy has never had the pedigree, lately, to be a difference maker. This is a puff piece. Atleast give people a chance to be "deceptively" lied to. This is a puff piece and trying to bs fans. He really has LESS to offer than any other wild prospect. 

I won't back mnfannic because it's always the same. Not everyone needs to be huge, did you ever play a sport?

Edited September 6 by Need4speed99

[Protec]

8 hours ago, MNCountryLife said:

Congrats to Matt Cullen for being inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame!!  Stellar career.

Exceptional Minnesota hockey player who epitomizes fundamentals and hard work. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5N5aMwRz4tk&pp=ygUaTWF0dCBjdWxsZW4gYnJlYWthd2F5IGdvYWw%3D

[Fezig]

8 hours ago, Need4speed99 said:

How? This guy has never had the pedigree, lately, to be a difference maker. This is a puff piece. Atleast give people a chance to be "deceptively" lied to. This is a puff piece and trying to bs fans. He really has LESS to offer than any other wild prospect. 

I won't back mnfannic because it's always the same. Not everyone needs to be huge, did you ever play a sport?

And the gloves are off!

[mnfaninnc]

18 hours ago, Jon said:

While I agree with the sentiment, I think body type does tend to matter. Can you add weight without it being detrimental to your performance? Maybe we see things very differently. I get the impression it’s the players who aren’t buying in. While it may be true, I do wonder how much of a factor the development and coaching/teaching infrastructure is. Tim Army was somewhat of a known commodity to the typical online Wild fan, but even then, it has been unproven in producing top-6 players. As it stands, not sure what to expect from what is perceived to be a top-10 prospect pipeline. 

I guess here is the main thing: Top 6 players should be getting developed by guys who were top 6 players. Look at the coaching staff's, they are not filled with high skilled guys. I'm not asking for Wayne Gretzky to coach the A team, but someone who had some skill and knows what it is like to play in the top 6 would probably be needed. I don't believe Army or McLean are those guys. Dwyer certainly wasn't. 

Is it too much to expect to hire an A coach/assistant with top 6 skills? Yes, it probably is. Those are the guys who are out on the golf course after their careers are over, not having to still make a living. However, there are some guys who still want to be around the game, just not in the everyday grind. If you ask players what they miss the most, the locker room is most mentioned. 

This is why we should employ some coordinators. I think making better use of Modano would be the way to go, since he's already there, but I also think there is room for some local talent that is retired. Their message would need to be consistent with the way the Wild play, but getting these guys to work with some players should help them improve. This would be especially true of top 6ers who had to make themselves into that position through drills and hard work, not just ultra talented guys. 

Breaking things down for the top 6 candidates requires a teaching talent too. Not everyone has that. Modano may not.

[mnfaninnc]

16 hours ago, MrCheatachu said:

Throwing 10% mass on a guy who's made his bread and butter on being agile and quick makes him much less agile and quick.

Not necessarily, it should be strategic mass, not just willy nilly. 

[Pewterschmidt]

4 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

Not necessarily, it should be strategic mass, not just willy nilly. 

Put the mass in the ass

#mnfancredo

[mnfaninnc]

11 hours ago, Need4speed99 said:

I won't back mnfannic because it's always the same. Not everyone needs to be huge, did you ever play a sport?

I'm not asking for huge, I'm asking for NHL ready bodies. Does anyone think Kaprizov is huge? I say he's pretty thick for his height and is fine as far as weight goes. But a guy like Brodin is undersized and you can see that the lack of strength with him will get him walked, specifically by Blues players. He's essentially 10 lbs. light which is about a 5% difference of now and what he should be.

Yet, with a guy like Clarke, he's well below what he needs to be to be effective. Just like Walker. Just like Hentges. Just like Beckman. 

Put another way, I'm not ok with guys doing flyby stick checks and going into the corners trying to pick pucks out without actually bodying up a guy. It's the wrong way to play the game IMO. But, if a guy like Clarke tries it, he'll just get knocked down. 

Trenin already said it, the Wild were soft to play against coming down the stretch. Soft is because you're not strong enough to handle the NHL players. Lettieri and Lucchini were too small. Anyone we called upon was too small. Yet it seems like all these guys are interested in doing is cardio conditioning work (on the Marcus Johansson plan), instead of putting in the hard work (on the Marco Rossi plan). It's not rocket science, get to where you're body weight should be to play in this league and you'll be taken seriously.

[mnfaninnc]

11 hours ago, Need4speed99 said:

Not everyone needs to be huge, did you ever play a sport?

I played several sports but more on the recreational level. I did some coaching and can tell you that the extra bulk/strength helps immensely. It wasn't hockey coaching. I can tell you from my own game that strength really matters, but so does agility, flexibility. I've shown what I believe should be average weights/height, and it really does matter where this weight is put. I can also attest to everyone, putting it on the belly isn't the best place for it!

In most of the sports, putting it in the lower body had the greatest affect. But, most of the athletes don't pay enough attention to the upper body, unless they are into football. I think a little attention in this area probably helps against injuries as the muscles then keep everything in place better. A lot of the strength/weight benefits are defensive in nature, allowing players to endure the grind better.

[mnfaninnc]

11 hours ago, Protec said:

Exceptional Minnesota hockey player who epitomizes fundamentals and hard work. 

I would bet on Matt Cullen being a very good coach. He's borderline top 6 material, but I think he may have that teaching gene that helps.

[mnfaninnc]

13 minutes ago, Pewterschmidt said:

Put the mass in the ass

#mnfancredo

You broke up my wall of comments! But, yes, that is a good place for hockey players to put it.

[Burnt Toast]

I think the Wild are aware of their lack of size and strength. I think the Stramel pick is a response to how important it is to check this box. The team’s prospect pool had hit near rock bottom 5-6 years ago. It can take a decade of consistent drafting to fill out the positions and types of players needed. JW is an example of how important body type is positionally. My expectations are the Wild will continue to add size and strength. When and how? Not sure. They have former players that were known to hit the gym hard (MM) in management. It’ll be interesting to see the plan unfold. 

[IllicitFive]

21 hours ago, Willy the poor boy said:

Doesn't it depend on where that weight is added? For a hockey player if you work on the lower body you would think you couldn't go wrong. But what the hell do I know.

I think more has to do with mobility and flexibility. A lot of people when adding bulk lose flexibility, so in hockey strides might get shorter or bends become less.  It would all depend on how much emphasis is put onto the stretching/yoga part to offset this. I had a football coach who had us do dance and yoga for foot work, balance, and flexibility. I do not know what hockey training is like in these cases though. Also while size is important so is speed. If you begin losing speed due to extra weight, even muscle, that may be a detriment to someone's game. Spend one season at 175 then bulk to 195, that's a lot more weight to move around and control.

[Need4speed99]

5 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

I played several sports but more on the recreational level. I did some coaching and can tell you that the extra bulk/strength helps immensely. It wasn't hockey coaching. I can tell you from my own game that strength really matters, but so does agility, flexibility. I've shown what I believe should be average weights/height, and it really does matter where this weight is put. I can also attest to everyone, putting it on the belly isn't the best place for it!

In most of the sports, putting it in the lower body had the greatest affect. But, most of the athletes don't pay enough attention to the upper body, unless they are into football. I think a little attention in this area probably helps against injuries as the muscles then keep everything in place better. A lot of the strength/weight benefits are defensive in nature, allowing players to endure the grind better.

First off I want to applaud you on the response. I truly mean that.

Mine came off like a personal attack and sparky comment.

I should have phrased it better. Playing lots of sports and doing alot of strength training in a team setting I saw there was no end all be all way to make someone great and all bodies are different. Some guys are at their best being a little lighter.

As for this article, it just sounds like the typical mn puff piece. I'm willing to wager Clarke won't be in mn after this season.

[mnfaninnc]

18 hours ago, Need4speed99 said:

Mine came off like a personal attack and sparky comment.

I didn't take it as a personal attack, I took it as a legitimate question and a fair question. Truth be known, I loved hockey in high school but was far too small to play for the school. My favorite part was being a grinder type player, but at 5'4" 110 you do not stand much of a chance. I would have been the bug on the windshield. My growth spurt was very late, and so was the filling out. In fact, some could say I'm still filling out!

I've coached a bunch of kids in recreational leagues, baseball for boys and softball and volleyball for girls. One huge challenge was in the strengthening of things for girls, since they had just entered the years of their growth spurts. Having to deal with growth, eye adjustments, clumsiness, and then strengthening was a challenge. So, you notice some things along the way. 

For kids, I'm against weight training, but very pro-fitness. Pushups, situps, pullups are the kinds of things that are good to use for the kids, as well as running. If you want to jump higher, running flights of stairs is a good way to gain muscle. But, once those kids have hit their growth spurts and are now into their adult bodies, coupling normal filling out with weight training is fairly necessary. 

What happens many times, though, is that kids who become men are always the best players on their teams until they start moving up. They've never had to do weight training before, why now? But what they fail to realize (and almost all teenagers are more self focused) is that when they move up a league, they are playing against guys who were the same, the best on their teams. That's why the message of weight training needs to get across to these guys and hard. Not only is it a physical issue, it's also a mental issue, that they realize what they need to do in order to fulfill their dreams. 

Guys like Ohgren, who grow up in a family where the dad is a trainer got it at an early age. Guys like Ek and Rossi figured it out. Guys like Beckman and Clarke haven't. And for many, going to the gym and doing weight training is a total boring chore. Wouldn't you rather slip on the skates and shoot at corners? 

By the way, in case anyone was wondering, I found that the girls I coached were tougher than the guys I've coached. They weren't as explosive, but they were really tough. Interestingly, they were also messier, and had no clue how to cook food.