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Thread: Ryan Merkley - Can he figure it out ?

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    Default Ryan Merkley - Can he figure it out ?

    Obviously his offensive potential is through the roof but his baggage is problematic.
    Interested in hearing some thoughts on when he makes the jump (assuming it's a when not if).
    With the issues he's had and the talent in front of him I'm trying to figure out if he's worth taking a flyer on.
    If I can wait a couple years for him to contribute do we think he'll be worth the wait ?

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    Default Re: Ryan Merkley - Can he figure it out ?

    Depends on who else is available prospect wise, but he's a great upside option as a prospect.
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    Default Re: Ryan Merkley - Can he figure it out ?

    My greatest hope for Merkley getting it together is that Tony DeAngelo was described in much the same way years ago. And now Tony D. appears to have "gotten it." Maybe Merkley will do the same.

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    Default Re: Ryan Merkley - Can he figure it out ?

    I think Merkley has more baggage than DeAngelo had. It's to the point where he's a guy I would be definitely calling him an if, not a when. Frankly prospects are all some level of iffy, but Merkley is a guy who has a lot more iffiness to him.

    He's young enough that he might still grow up, but I wouldn't expect him to do that and commit to defense as well. I think he's a third pairing PP specialist in the NHL that comes with baggage.
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    Default Re: Ryan Merkley - Can he figure it out ?

    It's hard to get that "stink" off ya when you gain a label and right now, that's Merkley. I believe he can figure it out eventually and will get his opportunities. The bigger question for me comes down to his ability to play in the NHL than his label.

    I wonder/worry he's more of a Ryan Murphy type. Lots of flash and hype on the offensive side but struggled playing defense.

    To me, every prospect is a gamble and he's no different. He probably has more hurdles to jump than other first round picks, simply because of that stink, but that doesnt mean he wont get his opportunities. Being a first round pick will guarantee him that at least. He will probably get more chances than other prospects because of his draft spot. How it turns out for him is up to him.

    I cant tell you that he's worth the wait or not, but he's no better or worse than many others you probably already own. Being a D usually means longer than normal to find out anyway.
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    Default Re: Ryan Merkley - Can he figure it out ?

    I just did a quick google search of Deangelo- I think his rep is being minimized pretty drastically here. He got smeared from everyone from junior coaches, to NHL coaches to a beef with a linesman. His rep was (and is) a real thing...

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    Default Re: Ryan Merkley - Can he figure it out ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Fighting_Emu View Post
    I just did a quick google search of Deangelo- I think his rep is being minimized pretty drastically here. He got smeared from everyone from junior coaches, to NHL coaches to a beef with a linesman. His rep was (and is) a real thing...
    Somewhat true, but having issues with NHL coaches would be an improvement for Merkley, who hasn't shown he belongs from a skill set standpoint yet, and that's the issue, he's got to get past his stigma, and his defensive lapses. Maybe if D doesn't work out, ha can move to forward - I see Florida likes doing that.
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    Default Re: Ryan Merkley - Can he figure it out ?

    I think Merkley will be fine. His trade value will be low because a lot of managers cling too much to the off-ice stuff. The Sharks will have roster openings in the coming years so he'll be able to find his way to the NHL.


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    Default Re: Ryan Merkley - Can he figure it out ?

    I always wondered if Merkley's behavior was amplified because he played in or not too far from Toronto. That is, if he had played in Swift Current or northern Minnesota, we wouldn't have heard as much or heard as often about his antics. Not that he's not immature. But I wonder if Merkley can somehow go through a situation where the hockey media microscope is farther away (Anaheim, Dallas, San Jose etc.), maybe that'll help. Who knows?

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    Default Re: Ryan Merkley - Can he figure it out ?

    It's not like all NHLers are perfect good boy obedient soldiers


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    Default Re: Ryan Merkley - Can he figure it out ?

    I usually bet on talent (all aboard the Ho Sang train!!). Id rather have Merkely than a guy who will make it for sure but only has 45 point upside. Not sure if that helps :P

    @stevegamer- yea thats a possibility I guess. My point was just to not minimlaize how bad DeAngelos rep was. I remember seeing him as a guerst of the guy whose house they were showing on cribs and thinking "man that guys probably not even going to play in the NHL"- lol! There was legit divisiveness- thats all Im saying. I think Merkley figures it out ft...r!

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    Default Re: Ryan Merkley - Can he figure it out ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Fighting_Emu View Post
    I usually bet on talent (all aboard the Ho Sang train!!). Id rather have Merkely than a guy who will make it for sure but only has 45 point upside. Not sure if that helps :P
    To make it for sure, they have to have already made it, really. And once you go there, I think that's kind of crazy.

    If you're telling me you want a guy like Merkely over say, Ekblad, Provorov, etc. I realize they may have a bit more than 45 point upside, but I think they are pretty safely in the league, and youngish, but no longer viewed as having huge offensive potential by most people.

    So pure upside swings are great when they hit, but how high does he have to get to beat a sure thing that is not quite the offensive potential but has an incredibly safe floor?
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    Default Re: Ryan Merkley - Can he figure it out ?

    Quote Originally Posted by senryu View Post
    I always wondered if Merkley's behavior was amplified because he played in or not too far from Toronto. That is, if he had played in Swift Current or northern Minnesota, we wouldn't have heard as much or heard as often about his antics. Not that he's not immature. But I wonder if Merkley can somehow go through a situation where the hockey media microscope is farther away (Anaheim, Dallas, San Jose etc.), maybe that'll help. Who knows?
    There are many OHL teams that are closer to the outreaches of the Toronto microscope than Guelph is and others still that have an intense microscope of their own (Kitchener, London...). Relatively speaking, you couldn't be in less of a microscope environment in the quaint town of Guelph. And yet, he managed to be a household name for all the wrong reasons here. Trust me... (A Guelphite) the day he was traded was a good day, the team had his bags packed for him to walk across the hallway to the Pete's visiting locker room. The team and the town has not looked back. (Believe the Petes can say the same when they refused to let him play on their team THIS year which saw him then land on the New England Patriots of the OHL, the London Knights. The day he was drafted to the Sharks in the 1st round, Guelph gently shook our collective heads, face in palm.

    I never want to wish ill will on anyone, especially a kid, but I'll be surprised if this kid ever manages to be a positive contributor on an NHL team. Prove me wrong Merkley and I'll be the first to give you props.

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    Default Re: Ryan Merkley - Can he figure it out ?

    If you can allot a spot for a long term prospect, Merkley is a good one to hang your hat on.
    A lot of his Jr. issues, San Jose has come out and said they haven't seen that from him.
    Maybe it's a case of "I'm too good for Junior" ego and that gets checked when he walks into a locker room with Thornton, Burns & E Karlsson
    In his two SJ camps he's been on time, worked his ass off and said yes to everything asked.

    There's hope he leaves his ego in Junior. We'll see what happens as he moves into the AHL and how he handles 2-3 years waiting for an NHL shot.

    That's the window I expect 2-3 years once he's in the AHL.
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    Default Re: Ryan Merkley - Can he figure it out ?

    I think his chance can come sooner. San Jose is vet-heavy and likes re-tooling on the fly to get back to the top quickly with their current core. The best way to make this work cap-wise is ELC rookies making an impact. Not to mention Karlsson isn't exactly an 82-game player.

    San Jose also has a good history transitioning their guys from AHL to NHL. I trust the team.


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