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Megaterio Llamas wrote: ↑Tue Jul 28, 2026 7:28 pm

Why Canucks’ Anthony Romani is a late-blooming prospect to watch

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/745841 ... gan-state/

Let me know if the link works for non subscribers (recently this was supposedly changed). I'll quote the text from the article here if not.

It's kind of a nothing write up from Scott Wheeler, but I thought what the heck.

I was able to get it, but had to do a free sign up (no trial required).

The frustrating part of the article is that it doesn't get into why Romani didn't get drafted the first year he was eligible and fell to the 6th round in his second kick at the cat (after putting up huge junior numbers) and whether those concerns have been assuaged. What we know, though, is that he had a good deal of success on a completely stacked Michigan State team. What I'd add is that his success was not just the product of playing with a bunch of talented players; Romani forced himself into the top 6 when he wasn't projected to be there. And then in the games I saw (caught one live, a few others on tv), he was the guy on his line making things happen. He played as well as first rounder Ryker Lee and much better than first rounder Cayden Lindstrom and second rounder Eric Nilsson, but to be fair he's a couple years older (which matters a lot at that stage of development), and isn't coming off a season lost to injury (Lindstrom) or moving to a new continent (Nilsson).

Wheeler says that hockey IQ seems to be one of his chief attributes. And that's always a tough thing to scout well in terms of how it translates to NHL success. Lots of kids don't demonstrate high hockey IQ when their skills don't demand it for success. For others, losing that half second to make the play at every successive level renders the tool useless if that IQ isn't coupled with extremely high processing speed, and is also can be counteracted when you start playing against more and more players with high defensive IQ who can read you and the play as quickly as you do (and can fluidly translate what they see into what their body does). Still, when high processing speed and hockey IQ exists at a superior level compared to other NHL players, it can be an extraordinary skill multiplier. It buys time and space just like speed; it can get plays into otherwise greasy areas softly without brawn.

At the end of the day, I think there's slightly more to Romani than the annual puff piece article we got about an, I don't know, Palmu (trying to think of another 6th rounder who I remember some Vancouver writer suggesting could be a diamond in the rough). But he's still a long shot.

There's going to be stiff competition again in Michigan State for ice time (and PP time), so if Romani ends up being a critical part of the Spartans, I fully anticipate he'll get a contract and be a dart.

Ah jeez UW, the dwarf Palmu???!!! He sucked

Megaterio Llamas wrote: ↑Wed Jul 29, 2026 2:44 pm Ah jeez UW, the dwarf Palmu???!!! He sucked

That’s my point. I remember an article from the Vancouver hockey press doing a feature of him during camp and hyping him as a late round diamond. No one believes it. I seem to recall one on Plasek as well when he decided to come to North America. No one believed it.

Romani probably is pacing better than that. But the formula of Wheeler’s piece (which unlike some doesn’t make unjustifiably rosy predictions but is a good news story) can be written on any prospect. And it’s why I wish I knew a bit more about where scouts feel Romani struggles (and this is the kind of thing Wheeler often talks about more) so that when I check out some Michigan State games this year, I can pay a little extra attention to that.

UWSaint wrote: ↑Thu Jul 30, 2026 6:56 am

Megaterio Llamas wrote: ↑Wed Jul 29, 2026 2:44 pm Ah jeez UW, the dwarf Palmu???!!! He sucked

That’s my point. I remember an article from the Vancouver hockey press doing a feature of him during camp and hyping him as a late round diamond. No one believes it. I seem to recall one on Plasek as well when he decided to come to North America. No one believed it.

Romani probably is pacing better than that. But the formula of Wheeler’s piece (which unlike some doesn’t make unjustifiably rosy predictions but is a good news story) can be written on any prospect. And it’s why I wish I knew a bit more about where scouts feel Romani struggles (and this is the kind of thing Wheeler often talks about more) so that when I check out some Michigan State games this year, I can pay a little extra attention to that.

Yeah, there was a small amount of hype behind Palmu, I remember it. I was not a believer myself, these hyped up sixth rounders never seem to pan out, especially when they're dwarves! Remember him? He was about 5'6" with tiny sawed off little arms and legs and a gigantic head, he was an absurd sight. Bo one ever covered less ice. Maybe the worst player we've ever drafted.

Megs that's hilarious

Cootes named captain of team Canada's 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase.

He was always a bit of a lock to make the squad, but telling what Hockey Canada thinks of him. Let’s see what he does.

So take it from the source but Scott Wheeler is high on our youth and their NHL level potential and had the following to say....

Buium - as big a believer in Zeev as anyone, calls him one of the best college d men of the past decade and a future NHL star...

Novotny - safe bet to become at least a middle 6 NHL'er, very little risk to the contrary, strong skater, wicked shot, top level compete, a long career ahead of him...

Cootes - reliable 200 foot player already, will play a big role on TC Jr team, big game player

Malhotra - top 6 player, reliable 2 way game, consistent as they come, a chemistry guy

Rogowski - size, good skater, physical, can score, a trending upwards player

I like the sound of all of that leves…

Hope they keep Cootes in Abby to try to dominate and develop his offensive game. Bring him up the last 20 games for a good taste if he earns it. Next season in the NHL isn’t good for his development - always losing, getting dominated and playing with the shit wingers all season. Even if he plays better than the other centres, he should be the distant option to make the big club in a designed losing/rebuilding season. They can start bringing in the rookies the season after next.

Picker of Cherries wrote: ↑Tue Aug 04, 2026 10:23 pm Hope they keep Cootes in Abby to try to dominate and develop his offensive game. Bring him up the last 20 games for a good taste if he earns it. Next season in the NHL isn’t good for his development - always losing, getting dominated and playing with the shit wingers all season. Even if he plays better than the other centres, he should be the distant option to make the big club in a designed losing/rebuilding season. They can start bringing in the rookies the season after next.

Where Cootes should develop is highly dependent on how far he's come, but I agree that if its a close call he's better off developing in Abby. Its not a small step up in competition, one step at a time for a prospect of his mid-first-round drafted-a-year-ago caliber is generally best.

But I'm not exactly convinced that playing in Abby is going to change "always losing" and "playing with shit wingers" problem. They weren't much better in the AHL as Vancouver was in the NHL last year, and the offseason Abby vet acquisitions to date aren't transforming. It might not be a confidence destroying as the NHL because its well understood to be development in a (somewhat) development league as opposed to "rehearsing" against teams performing in the show, but it could still be pretty tough sledding. Likely more minutes and a greater role on specialty teams, though, and likely (but not certainly) more tolerance and opportunity to develop playmaking skills and possibly get out of the 3C box that he's otherwise tracking to be in.

rats19 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 04, 2026 6:01 pm I like the sound of all of that leves…

I see a dark cloud:

"Malhotra - top 6 player, reliable 2 way game, consistent as they come, a chemistry guy".

If the Canucks used a 3OA to get a 2nd line centre, I don't think they optimized the resource. But I'm probably being over-sensitive.

I guess we'll wait and see how the rest of the top 10 picks develop. He may turn out to have been the Best Player Available.

But listen to how it sounds RG…

Trade him!!!

Over sensitive RG.

The assessor is going to hedge his bets to start with.

Instead of glass is half empty Canuck talk let's take a month before the season to breathe, relax and attempt to enjoy that we have 5 players worthy of discussing as potential NHL'ers in our system when not that long ago we had little other than Klimovich to hope for.

donlever wrote: ↑Wed Aug 05, 2026 5:21 pm Trade him!!!

Over sensitive RG.

The assessor is going to hedge his bets to start with.

Instead of glass is half empty Canuck talk let's take a month before the season to breathe, relax and attempt to enjoy that we have 5 players worthy of discussing as potential NHL'ers in our system when not that long ago we had little other than Klimovich to hope for.

I'm sure they would have preferred McKenna, but you know how that goes.

A premium two way second line center is not such a bad thing to have.