Matt Corrente - PR?

[fantasyhockeygeek]

No profile on Matt Corrente in the prospect report? That\'s too bad - his numbers point to a guy that could be uber-valuable in any league that counts PIM.

Does anybody have a feel for what his upside is, his shot at making the show (work ethic?), and when he\'ll be productive in terms of both points and PIM?

How will the Jersey system affect his style of play?

Karma gun loaded!

[angus]

I\'ll have more on him this summer, but I think he has the upside to be a 30 point, 200 PIM defenseman.

[5hole]

With Corrente’s aggressive, pit-bull style mentality, superior mobility and offensive upside, it is obvious that the Devils did their homework on the 6\'0, 200 lb. defender. Corrente does not let his small stature get in the way his style of play. He loves to initiate contact and play physically. Corrente makes opponents think twice about crossing the blueline and when he hits, he hits hard and always finishes his checks.

Offensively, Corrente is only going to get better with more experience. He is a fantastic skater, with above average top end speed. He has a rocket of a point shot (he registered the hardest shot at the CHL Top Prospects skills competition), but he must work on improving his shot accuracy. His passes are crisp and usually on target.

Corrente is competent and works hard in the defensive zone, but does tend to run around some. That is something that is likely to improve with experience. His quickness and mobility allow him to stick with his man and follow them all over the ice. Despite being undersized, Corrente is able to handle bigger forwards along the walls and in front of the net due to his tenacity and surprising strength.
If there is one significant weakness in Corrente\'s game, it is his tendency to play too aggressive and take needless penalties. As is the case with other aspects of his game that are still raw, this is an area that will likely improve with experience and maturity. The Devils don\'t want to rush their top defensive prospect, but his strong showings in his only two NHL training camps demonstrate that he may not be that far away from reaching the NHL. Despite the depth of NHL defensemen on New Jersey\'s roster, there is an outside chance that he could force the Devils\' hand and skip the AHL and go right to the NHL. He\'s not a star quality defenseman, and likely never will be, but he has the all-around ability to become a fixture in the Devils top four in the not too distant future....hope this helps

[5hole]

2008-09 Lowell AHL 67gp 6g, 12a, 18pts 161 pims, 2 ppg\'s

[fantasyhockeygeek]

Thanks to both of you. Karma on the way!

What sort of an impact will he make next year? My team needs to fill out the PIM column (pansies!) so I\'m looking at all options!

[5hole]

Tuff one, but the youngins tend to get lots of pims cuz they wanna prove em selves. I would keep an eye on him during training camp. Is he on ur roster or is he a prospect?...if prospect maye try looking for other options like o\'brien he\'s a pim monster. then u can hold corrente for awhile longer till u see his development.