Prospect Info: 2014 1st Round Pick (#11 Overall) - Center - Kevin Fiala - (Signed ELC)

[MKMM]

we dont want him in the AHL until hes good and ready because AHL season burn the ELC.

Im fine with him playing junior in Canada.

IMO it would be better if he stays in the SHL than to come over an play in the Q.
The SHL is way better than the CHL and Fiala, isn't your average prospect who just gets 4th line ice time in Europe and ins't important to the Team.
He also played at the WC this year, and was better than Draisaitl there.

The CHL would be a huge step backwards in competion for him and he would dominate the Q.

I think he should play in the SHL next season, than come over and start at Milwauke

 

[Preds Partisan]

IMO it would be better if he stays in the SHL than to come over an play in the Q.
The SHL is way better than the CHL and Fiala, isn't your average prospect who just gets 4th line ice time in Europe and ins't important to the Team.
He also played at the WC this year, and was better than Draisaitl there.

The CHL would be a huge step backwards in competion for him and he would dominate the Q.

I think he should play in the SHL next season, than come over and start at Milwauke

Although it would obviously be beneficial to play in North America, significant playing time in the SHL is better than stepping down so much in competition level just to learn the NA game in the Q. I wasn't sure about how much time he would be getting in the SHL but it looks like the bolded part in the post above me answered that question.

 

[PredsV82]

IMO it would be better if he stays in the SHL than to come over an play in the Q.
The SHL is way better than the CHL and Fiala, isn't your average prospect who just gets 4th line ice time in Europe and ins't important to the Team.
He also played at the WC this year, and was better than Draisaitl there.

The CHL would be a huge step backwards in competion for him and he would dominate the Q.

I think he should play in the SHL next season, than come over and start at Milwauke

Although it would obviously be beneficial to play in North America, significant playing time in the SHL is better than stepping down so much in competition level just to learn the NA game in the Q. I wasn't sure about how much time he would be getting in the SHL but it looks like the bolded part in the post above me answered that question.

I think you are both right but what level will he be playing at in Sweden? Is it a professional league? (ie he would be playing with men not the Swedish equivalent of junior?) Is it the second tier behind the elite league?

 

[Jarnberg]

I think you are both right but what level will he be playing at in Sweden? Is it a professional league? (ie he would be playing with men not the Swedish equivalent of junior?) Is it the second tier behind the elite league?

Unless he regresses, he'll be playing in the SHL against men. He already had 11 points in 17 regular season games and 6 points in 8 playoff games in the SHL last season as a 17 year old.

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=87971

 

[van22]

I think you are both right but what level will he be playing at in Sweden? Is it a professional league? (ie he would be playing with men not the Swedish equivalent of junior?) Is it the second tier behind the elite league?

Unless he regresses, he'll be playing in the SHL against men. He already had 11 points in 17 regular season games and 6 points in 8 playoff games in the SHL last season as a 17 year old.

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=87971

SHL is the top league in Sweden. Allsvenskan is the 2nd tier league. He never played in Allsvenskan - going directly from Junior-elite to SHL.

He's been up with SHL since January. Here is a link to stats for each of his games in the SHL:
http://www.shl.se/statistics/profile/gamelog/2598/2013?lang=en

Fiala's team HV71 finished 10th of the regular season. Team 1 to 6 are directly qualified for the playoffs and teams 7 to 10 go through the play-in's to determine the final 2 spots. It's best of 3 where 10th team plays the 7th team.
HV71 then went on to play the best team of the regular season (best of 7). That's where HV71 lost in 5. That No.1 team (SAIK) ended up winning the championship.

 

[PredsV82]

Im a little confused. If the SHL is the top hockey league in Sweden what is the SEL??

 

[Paranoid Android]

Im a little confused. If the SHL is the top hockey league in Sweden what is the SEL??

Same thing. They recently changed their name.

 

[exeswiss]

Im a little confused. If the SHL is the top hockey league in Sweden what is the SEL??

"Swedish Elite League" (SEL), is the old name of the "Swedish Hockey League" (SHL).
SEL was also known as Elitserien in swedish.

 

[PredsV82]

Same thing. They recently changed their name.

"Swedish Elite League" (SEL), is the old name of the "Swedish Hockey League" (SHL).
SEL was also known as Elitserien in swedish.

Oh wow, that's great then. I'd rather he play against top tier competition over there than against kids in the Q. I think playing against superior competition outweighs getting comfortable with NA rink size

 

[ThirdManIn]

Oh wow, that's great then. I'd rather he play against top tier competition over there than against kids in the Q. I think playing against superior competition outweighs getting comfortable with NA rink size

Seemed to have worked pretty well for Ekholm, who spent time in the SEL before finally going to the AHL to help gear his game more towards the NA style. He went from playing three total NHL games and looking shaky to playing 62 games and looking pretty good.

 

[maplepred]

Just a random question,

Does this mean kamenev and fiala will play together for the remparts?? If so, that's awesome! They can develop mad chemistry already!!

 

[Top 6 Spaling]

Just a random question,

Does this mean kamenev and fiala will play together for the remparts?? If so, that's awesome! They can develop mad chemistry already!!

IIRC, Fiala is staying in Europe now.

 

[I Will Son]

Just a random question,

Does this mean kamenev and fiala will play together for the remparts?? If so, that's awesome! They can develop mad chemistry already!!

Oooohhh I really hope so

 

[GeauxPreds]

Fiala is staying in Europe unless he earns a spot on the Preds roster sometime this summer. The ramparts were looking to draft him in the import draft but once it was reported he would stay the drafted kamenev instead.

 

[thecloser]

Fiala highlights w/ HV71

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsKw6Xnw49c

 

[NSH615]

Fiala has said he wants to be in Nashville this season... What?

“My goal is [the] NHL and I want to be there right now. I’m going to work hard and take it step by step. If I don’t make it this year, I’ll take it step by step and make it next year,” Fiala said. “If I work hard in the summer and until this season, then I think I have a chance this year.”

http://predlines.com/2014/07/09/kevin-fiala-sets-sights-nhl/

 

[triggrman]

I love his attitude.

 

[MrJoshua]

Well, the team COULD use a center... But I don't think his odds of making it this year are very high. If he can come into camp and force his way onto the roster with his play, though, more power to him!

 

[triggrman]

Does he project to be a center in the NHL? I thought he was a winger.

 

[Persona5]

Does he project to be a center in the NHL? I thought he was a winger.

He could end up at center but more than likely I think he is best suited for LW.

 

[Filip Forceberg]

Fiala has said he wants to be in Nashville this season... What?

Well you can't fault him for his attitude. I'm glad he has that fire.

 

[alexmanu]

Shouldn't it be every players goal to reach the NHL as soon as possible? Means nothing. The only way he gets in is if he is amazing at training camp and it carries over to pre-season/first few games of the season because we wouldn't want to burn a year of eligibility for a needless rookie campaign too early.

 

[NSH615]

Shouldn't it be every players goal to reach the NHL as soon as possible? Mean nothing. The only way he gets in is if he is amazing at training camp and it carries over to pre-season/first few games of the season because we wouldn't want to burn a year of eligibility for a needless rookie campaign too early.

I think it just took me by surprise with the rumors that he was going to be playing in Europe again this year.

 

[PredsV82]

well, its the right thing to say, and its good that he said it, but he will be in the SHL this coming season unless he just blows everyone away at camp.

 

[NSH615]

well, its the right thing to say, and its good that he said it, but he will be in the SHL this coming season unless he just blows everyone away at camp.

If that's his goal, why not shoot for Milwaukee if he can't make the NHL team? Why go back to the SHL?