Prospect Info: 2016 Leafs Pick - 31st Overall - Yegor Korshkov - RW - Lokomotiv Yaroslav [6-4/180]

[Apotheosis]

Korshkov - Matthews - Marner
Grundstrom - Nylander - Kapanen

Best top 6 in the league (assuming the left side hits even close to their ceilings). Lots of speed an skill and Korshkov has the size and Grundy the grit.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Korshkov - Matthews - Marner
Grundstrom - Nylander - Kapanen

Best top 6 in the league (assuming the left side hits even close to their ceilings). Lots of speed an skill and Korshkov has the size and Grundy the grit.

It could be pretty nice. Timashov had pretty decent chemistry once upon a time with Nylander on team Sweden right?

 

[Cor]

Korshkov - Matthews - Marner
Grundstrom - Nylander - Kapanen

Best top 6 in the league (assuming the left side hits even close to their ceilings). Lots of speed an skill and Korshkov has the size and Grundy the grit.

Add in Hyman - Kadri - Brown which would be an awesome shutdown line, ala Moen, Pahlsson, Niedermayer.

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

Korshkov - Matthews - Marner
Grundstrom - Nylander - Kapanen

Best top 6 in the league (assuming the left side hits even close to their ceilings). Lots of speed an skill and Korshkov has the size and Grundy the grit.

You mean other Leaf players who don't have "large size" don't have grit?

 

[Orfieus]

His skillset is really exciting.

Hes big, can skate, has soft hands, can pass and finish. He also uses his body well to angle off defenders.

Really early but we mighy have hit a homerun with this selection.

Wasn't he an overager? I would like to see his performance starting at 2014-15 to now (2014-15 he was passed over in the draft) and compare that to other players. I think that will give us the best sense of where he is in his development

 

[weems]

Wasn't he an overager? I would like to see his performance starting at 2014-15 to now (2014-15 he was passed over in the draft) and compare that to other players. I think that will give us the best sense of where he is in his development

I'm not overly concerned with his stats to be honest.
When you draft, you're projecting what these kids will develop into 4-5 years down the road. Yes looking at production is important but sometimes its better to look at a players overall skillset and project him a few years out. To me he has NHL size, skating ability and skill. I have no idea what his work ethic is like or how he is defensively but from a pure skillset perspective he certainly looks like a guy who will play in the NHL.

 

[Orfieus]

I'm not overly concerned with his stats to be honest.
When you draft, you're projecting what these kids will develop into 4-5 years down the road. Yes looking at production is important but sometimes its better to look at a players overall skillset and project him a few years out. To me he has NHL size, skating ability and skill. I have no idea what his work ethic is like or how he is defensively but from a pure skillset perspective he certainly looks like a guy who will play in the NHL.

Because of injury it is hard to see how his progression is going in the KHL. One thing to look at is in 19 playoff games he only has 3pts (1g2a) and those 3pts came this year when they played 15 games.

 

[Battle Lin]

hes a good prospect, he skates very well for his size, even though his strength isnt there yet like he weights less than willie...but some people seem to be really high on this kid, his skills and production right now doesnt really jump out at you, as of now hes just a tall lanky body that skates good with budding skills

 

[saltming]

Korshkov - Matthews - Marner
Grundstrom - Nylander - Kapanen

Best top 6 in the league (assuming the left side hits even close to their ceilings). Lots of speed an skill and Korshkov has the size and Grundy the grit.

Its funny how many people blasted me for saying how good that line could be.
They would be a nightmare in the offensive zone.

 

[The_Chosen_One]

Its funny how many people blasted me for saying how good that line could be.
They would be a nightmare in the offensive zone.

I'd rather have Marner on Nylander's line as it would be more of an East-West, creative line and spread the offensive wealth. Instead have Kapanen on Matthew's right wing and build a deceptively physical, North-South, top line.

That'd be a beaut.

Korshkov - Matthews - Kapanen

Grundstrom - Nylander - Marner

 

[A1LeafNation]

Korshov Matthews Brown
Grundstrom Nylander Kapanen
Soshnikov Kadri Marner
Rychel Gauthier Hyman

 

[43Kadri43]

I'm not overly concerned with his stats to be honest.
When you draft, you're projecting what these kids will develop into 4-5 years down the road. Yes looking at production is important but sometimes its better to look at a players overall skillset and project him a few years out. To me he has NHL size, skating ability and skill. I have no idea what his work ethic is like or how he is defensively but from a pure skillset perspective he certainly looks like a guy who will play in the NHL.

Based on Urback's KHL-NHL model, Korshkov projects to be able to score at a third-line NHL pace this season; the production is there. I've said this since I've been posting again, but I really think people are sleeping on Korshkov.

 

[saltming]

I'd rather have Marner on Nylander's line as it would be more of an East-West, creative line and spread the offensive wealth. Instead have Kapanen on Matthew's right wing and build a deceptively physical, North-South, top line.

That'd be a beaut.

Korshkov - Matthews - Kapanen

Grundstrom - Nylander - Marner

I think Matthews is a shooter and Marner is a perfect setup man for him. Korshkov will dig that puck out, hold it and bring it to a dangerous area where anyone of those 3 could capitalize.
Willie's line is so much more difficult to see for me. Willie had amazing chemistry with Johnsson in the AHL playoffs before Johnsson took that dirty elbow to the head.
I would really like and extended look at Willie and Kapanen together and eventually see how Johnsson plays with them.
Maybe start with a JVR Nylander Kapanen line? So eventually
Korshkov Matthews Marner
Johnsson Nylander Kapanen
I would really like to see how that pans out.

 

[Duke Silver]

Seems a bit premature to be slotting Korshkov into our top-6, no?

I remember when Tyler Ruegsegger was a bonafide NHLer around these parts.

 

[Walshy7]

Korshkov - Matthews - Marner
Grundstrom - Nylander - Kapanen

Best top 6 in the league (assuming the left side hits even close to their ceilings). Lots of speed an skill and Korshkov has the size and Grundy the grit.

from what i understand Korshkov has never played LW, despite being LH. Caser was saying its kind of how they do it in russia to get more shots. I think a long shot being put into lineups should be put on the wing he has played his entire career so RW

 

[81Leafs50]

Its funny how many people blasted me for saying how good that line could be.
They would be a nightmare in the offensive zone.

the opinion has not changed. We just roll our eyes when we see posts like this.

Korshkov is 21 played a combined (KHL,MHL,EHT) 41 regular season games and only scored 6 goals. Season previous 45 games in KHL,MHL and scored 8 goals.

He probably wont make it to the NHL.

 

[81Leafs50]

Seems a bit premature to be slotting Korshkov into our top-6, no?

I remember when Tyler Ruegsegger was a bonafide NHLer around these parts.

absolutely. the kid is not all that great.

 

[saltming]

the opinion has not changed. We just roll our eyes when we see posts like this.

Korshkov is 21 played a combined (KHL,MHL,EHT) 41 regular season games and only scored 6 goals. Season previous 45 games in KHL,MHL and scored 8 goals.

He probably wont make it to the NHL.

I guess that's because you don't understand the meaning of the word could?

Until the kid laces them up in North America it's all just speculation.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Seems a bit premature to be slotting Korshkov into our top-6, no?

I remember when Tyler Ruegsegger was a bonafide NHLer around these parts.

Ruegsegger could not skate. Korshkov can. Also KHL >> NCAA.

Korshkov was one of the better young offensive players in the KHL. 12th in U24 PPG. Everyone ahead of him, save Kaprizov, was older than him (in many cases by multiple years) and also played that small skill game that helped guys like Kozun go a PPG in the KHL. Nichushkin was the only one who was of comparable size and he scored 5 more points in as many games.

 

[Mess]

My biggest fear with Korshkov is his desire to play in the NHL.

He has shown no interest in NA hockey, being content to play at home as he has never come to Toronto for any Leaf function to this date.

He was passed over in 2 previous drafts and then taken as a 20 year old by Leafs in his 3rd attempt, and that might be due to scouts of teams hesitating to draft a player that didn't show any real interest in coming to NHL. Even when the Leafs took him he didn't show any real excitement, and just made a passing comment about knowing a few teams had shown some interest in him.

If he can get good $$$ to play in the KHL then there is no real motivation to come over and deal with language and culture and other issues.

 

[Duke Silver]

Ruegsegger could not skate. Korshkov can. Also KHL >> NCAA.

Korshkov was one of the better young offensive players in the KHL. 12th in U24 PPG. Everyone ahead of him, save Kaprizov, was older than him (in many cases by multiple years) and also played that small skill game that helped guys like Kozun go a PPG in the KHL. Nichushkin was the only one who was of comparable size and he scored 5 more points in as many games.

Ruegsegger absolutely could skate.

Anyways, it wasn't a comparison of the players. It was a comparison of this fanbase's propensity to anoint players as impact NHLers far too prematurely.

Just pump the brakes, that's all. We don't even know what he looks like on North American ice.

My biggest fear with Korshkov is his desire to play in the NHL.

He has shown no interest in NA hockey, being content to play at home as he has never come to Toronto for any Leaf function to this date.

He was passed over in 2 previous drafts and then taken as a 20 year old by Leafs in his 3rd attempt, and that might be due to scouts of teams hesitating to draft a player that didn't show any real interest in coming to NHL. Even when the Leafs took him he didn't show any real excitement, and just made a passing comment about knowing a few teams had shown some interest in him.

If he can get good $$$ to play in the KHL then there is no real motivation to come over and deal with language and culture and other issues.

The Leafs wouldn't have drafted him if he had no interest in NA hockey. C'mon Mess, you don't think the scouting staff does its due diligence?

 

[WTFMAN99]

My biggest fear with Korshkov is his desire to play in the NHL.

He has shown no interest in NA hockey, being content to play at home as he has never come to Toronto for any Leaf function to this date.

He was passed over in 2 previous drafts and then taken as a 20 year old by Leafs in his 3rd attempt, and that might be due to scouts of teams hesitating to draft a player that didn't show any real interest in coming to NHL. Even when the Leafs took him he didn't show any real excitement, and just made a passing comment about knowing a few teams had shown some interest in him.

If he can get good $$$ to play in the KHL then there is no real motivation to come over and deal with language and culture and other issues.

We could say the same thing about Kulemin though, just seemed like he magically appeared lol.

 

[Mess]

We could say the same thing about Kulemin though, just seemed like he magically appeared lol.

Remember Dmitry Vorobiev who was a big scorer Dman in Russia and never came to NA?

The new KHL now is a legit league, perhaps 2nd to the NHL in level of play and Russian athletes get tax free money to get them to stay by paying them big salaries.

Kovalchuk gave up millions to return home, and Datsyuk plays in the KHL while having an NHL contract. etc.

You can't force any foreign player to leave his own country, family, culture etc. and come to NHL if they don't want to, particularly if you get paid to do so, just because they were drafted.

Hopefully Hunter and company, or Zaitsev etc can convince him to come over, but right now its still an unknown and the "Russian factor" is still a real factor in play.

 

[Menzinger]

People get way too wary about Russian prospects.

If he's any good (as in looking to be even a middle of the depth chart winger) he'll come to the NHL at that point they'll be more money, more exposure to the highest level of hockey on the planet, ext.

If he's looking to be nothing more than a 4th liner or borderline NHLer he'd be smart to stay in the KHL.

I have t seen enough of him to say for sure what I think he'll be. Some of his underlying numbers do look promising but not enough for me to be super excited about.

 

[TimeZone]

Remember Dmitry Vorobiev who was a big scorer Dman in Russia and never came to NA?

The new KHL now is a legit league, perhaps 2nd to the NHL in level of play and Russian athletes get tax free money to get them to stay by paying them big salaries.

Kovalchuk gave up millions to return home, and Datsyuk plays in the KHL while having an NHL contract. etc.

You can't force any foreign player to leave his own country, family, culture etc. and come to NHL if they don't want to, particularly if you get paid to do so, just because they were drafted.

Hopefully Hunter and company, or Zaitsev etc can convince him to come over, but right now its still an unknown and the "Russian factor" is still a real factor in play.

If the Leafs Drafted a player 31st overall without doing their homework on whether or not he was interested in coming over to North America we're in trouble.