C Rasmus Kupari - Karpat, Liiga (2018, 20th, LAK)

[kilowatt]

I'm still super high on Kupari and see him being kind of a better version of Adrian Kempe. Is he a 1C? Probably not, but he can certainly become a top six winger or middle six center and he was the best player on the Reign for significant chunks of last year. Just because we have newer, shinier toys doesn't mean Kupari is worth any less.

 

[Lt Dan]

Surprised this many Kings fans are down on Kupari... Considering how well he bounced back from surgery last year and how much raw talent he has, he has all the tools needed to be an effective top 6 forward and an exciting one at that.

Imagine there's no Byfield
Turcotte or Madden
We think more of Rasmus
despite his ACL

 

[King'sPawn]

Bland said it best - he's a skilled prospect but has yet to establish an identity.

I think he has plenty of promise, but with his skillset, he is trying to play a game to fit the Kings style as opposed to playing HIS game and fitting the Kings.

In his limited time at the NHL, he didn't drive the line, acting like a typical rookie/complementary winger. Not that makes him bad, just that until he shows the adjustment, he more likely projects into that role.

I think he can top out as a middle-six skilled winger. With the Kings, there are just other players who may play that role better, such as Akil Thomas and Samuel Fagemo.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Surprised this many Kings fans are down on Kupari... Considering how well he bounced back from surgery last year and how much raw talent he has, he has all the tools needed to be an effective top 6 forward and an exciting one at that.

FWIW on our forum he was still ranked the #6 best prospect so take the criticisms with a grain of salt.

I'm not even that high on him but yeah, jesus christ, you'd think he was ECHL bound based on some of the talk.

Agree that he's projecting to be a Kempe-like player, versatile but kinda vanilla, hasn't really established an identity. Kempe finally established a mini-identity as "guy who can skate the puck the length of the ice on the PP breakout." I can see Kupari being the similar middle-six scoring option, 40-point guy that teams are simultaneously looking for and complaining about, then they trade them and look for another one.

I will say his comeback from a season-ending knee injury to our minor league best player start-to-finish was very impressive, it was like he hadn't skipped a beat. Really expected a step back or something after an ACL but nope, he looked like it barely affected him.

 

[kilowatt]

FWIW on our forum he was still ranked the #6 best prospect so take the criticisms with a grain of salt.

He's ranked #6 behind Quinton Byfield (#2 overall pick), Brandt Clarke (#8 overall pick), Alex Turcotte (#5 overall pick), Arthur Kaliyev (#33 overall pick, widely considered a first round talent and steal of a pick), and Brock Faber (the highest-rising prospect in our system). At that, Kupari lost to Faber 50-41, with 21 other votes split among several other candidates. In a head-to-head ranking matchup, it's anyone's game for 5th.

So essentially tied for the 5th-best prospect in the best prospect pool in the league is pretty good! I'd be willing to bet some rankings have him as high as third or fourth, too.

 

[KingsHockey24]

For you fans that have watched him more over the last two seasons, what do you think he projects as?

Ceiling? Floor? Most probable outcome? And what player is he most similar to?

Worst case scenario a 3rd line 30 point RW'er.

Best case a 2nd line 55 point C/RW'er.

 

[Mats26]

Is he going to get on the roster this coming season?

Yes, they will move Wagner if they need to. Right handed shot with size and speed and plays with a little edge. He is the next prospect that should earn a roster spot possibly out of camp.

 

[PumperNichol]

For you fans that have watched him more over the last two seasons, what do you think he projects as?

Ceiling? Floor? Most probable outcome? And what player is he most similar to?

Well you've definitely received your share of feedback and the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

Anyone responding that he hasn't shown talent hasn't watched him. He's got great speed and good puck handling. He's also got a decent shot..his biggest problem(and I see this a lot with the recreational players I play with) is he doesn't utilize his teammates properly. He will skate around and stick handle until the puck is turned over rather than passing to a teammate to open up the ice. He needs more give and go and less keep and keep.

Hard to compare him but he still has top 6 potential.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Surprised this many Kings fans are down on Kupari... Considering how well he bounced back from surgery last year and how much raw talent he has, he has all the tools needed to be an effective top 6 forward and an exciting one at that.

Exactly this.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Well you've definitely received your share of feedback and the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

Anyone responding that he hasn't shown talent hasn't watched him. He's got great speed and good puck handling. He's also got a decent shot..his biggest problem(and I see this a lot with the recreational players I play with) is he doesn't utilize his teammates properly. He will skate around and stick handle until the puck is turned over rather than passing to a teammate to open up the ice. He needs more give and go and less keep and keep.

Hard to compare him but he still has top 6 potential.

This is always learned in time, with experience, so no worries.

 

[Zub]

This is always learned in time, with experience, so no worries.

Yea when the player does learn it, not all do.

 

[Osprey]

This is always learned in time, with experience, so no worries.

We're still waiting for Kempe (going on 25yo) to learn it. He similarly has all of the tools, but often acts like he's out there by himself.

 

[PumperNichol]

We're still waiting for Kempe (going on 25yo) to learn it. He similarly has all of the tools, but often acts like he's out there by himself.

I think the common denominator is they are both very good skaters. Many times really good skaters get up the rink with the puck and have no one to pass to and then have to figure out what to do. The better players learn to protect the puck until someone gets open. Of course, it's also the coaches job to put players together that compliment each other.

 

[Pyy83]

Never gonna succeed in NHL, does not have the drive, attitude or intensity

 

[Jarto]

Never gonna succeed in NHL, does not have the drive, attitude or intensity

Oh, bummer.

Anyway, Rasmus reminds me of Teuvo Teräväinen in the sense that they both seem quite laid back and might give the impression that they lack intensity. Both are skilled and great skaters, Teuvo being the one with higher IQ perhaps and Kupari having the better motor.

 

[Zub]

Oh, bummer.

Anyway, Rasmus reminds me of Teuvo Teräväinen in the sense that they both seem quite laid back and might give the impression that they lack intensity. Both are skilled and great skaters, Teuvo being the one with higher IQ perhaps and Kupari having the better motor.

Teuvo is nothing like Rasmus. Teuvo is one of the most gifted passers in the game and is a pass first kinda guy.

 

[Jarto]

Teuvo is nothing like Rasmus. Teuvo is one of the most gifted passers in the game and is a pass first kinda guy.

I agree. What's your point?

 

[Zub]

I agree. What's your point?

That Kupari is nothing like Teuvo just like i said.

 

[kilowatt]

Never gonna succeed in NHL, does not have the drive, attitude or intensity

Damn, guess the Kings should just cut their losses now.

 

[Fantomas]

He can always get a job as DiCaprio's double.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Never gonna succeed in NHL, does not have the drive, attitude or intensity

This is not a problem I see with Kupari at all.

Like I said I'm not even his biggest fan but the way he came back from his knee injury and took over the Reign being 'the guy' amongst a bunch of bluechippers and playing a bit spicy doesn't at all resemble a guy with no drive and while he's no Dustin Brown stapling people to the wall he's a bit more in-your-face than he gets credit for.

If he doesn't make it it won't be because of the above.