C Rasmus Kupari - Karpat, Liiga (2018, 20th, LAK)
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Other than Humaloja at 4C, the rest of the center spots are still wide open. Ruohomaa had a good season in 2015-2016 but missed almost whole last season with different injuries. Lasu is a good role player but has never played outside of Sweden or on an offensive center role. Both are big questionmarks. Other possible centers are Koskenkorva, Kuiri and Kestilä but Kupari should be the best option out of those four.
On wings, there is Mäenalanen, Leskinen, Bertrand and Junttila. The rest are grinders or juniors.
Lineup for todays practice game http://liiga.fi/ottelut/2017-2018/valmistavat_ottelut/8223/kokoonpanot/
Kupari is also listed on the A-juniors roster so seems very unlikely he would leave for North America at this point http://www.oulunkarpat.fi/sivut/a-nuoret-joukkue-2017-2018
kelsier
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I'm guessing he wasn't on the line up due to the Ivan Hlinka tournament? I hope they'll add him or at least give him some pre-season tryouts just to see how he excels against men. To be honest I would be surprised/disappointed if he wasn't let to play a few since there's nothing to lose (then evaluate if he's good enough for the league).
Got to say I never went into the Barzal band-wagon. Not that he couldn't turn into a very good player though. For what comes down to Kupari there's little not to be liked. Has the height without being too lanky, can really skate imo, shoot, seems to be able to find the passing lanes and can be flashy and efficient at the same time. Looks to have great pair of hands as well and he seems to like to dangle. I need to see more games to get better picture about his hockey IQ. If it turns out to be on the higher level, then the kid will be a true gem. Lets see how it plays out. Someone who's seen more of him can probably give a better analysis.
Greyhounds GM Kyle Raftis said in the Off the post podcast that they'll talk to him after Hlinka. Sounded like they're still hopeful on getting him to NA
Kinda interesting how much hype he has been getting lately. Looking back at my post from 4 months ago (at the time of the U18 WJC), I was saying he's more like a 3rd liner energy player than a top prospect. But alas, I'm not a professional
Weird, I thought he showed some nice skills. He looked like one of the craftiest players on the team at times.I was surprised to learn that he was an underager.
Huokaus
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I remember thinking he was hustlin' well but wasn't that special offensively. Might have been because he was younger than most players though. I'm really looking forward to seeing him play again and reconsidering my evaluation of him.
Honestly he's been showing some major improvements lately, a good 6 months ago I was sitting in the same boat as you not seeing too much but now it's coming together for him.
Looks like he could be starting the season with A Juniors, 2 points in his first game. Nevasaari scored 3+1 on Kupari's wing.
ChicagoBullsFan
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Hokinaittii
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Even though Kupari hasn't really light up the scoreboard yet (3 games in U20 with 1+3), it's easy to notice how he skilled he is compared to rest of the guys in the game.
Great skater with tall frame. His skating has good acceleration and he is able to lose the guys checking him with quick turns. Although he might seem soft due to how lanky he is, he has a good compete level and with his skating, he has been able to strip the puck multiple times before the opponent even got over the blueline in these few games I've been able to watch him. Also, he seem to be good in faceoffs. I don't have the numbers here but I'd imagine the percent being above 60 percent.
I think the biggest reason why he isn't playing in the pro league yet is because he is quite lanky. He also plays like a junior here and there where he tries to do something too fancy and ends up losing the puck due to unnecessary stickhandling.
I also wish he would start shooting more since most of the times he has seem to look for the pass when he could just try to shoot it himself. Shooting probably isn't his strength but it's still decent.
That being said, here's his goal from yesterday:
Great skater with tall frame. His skating has good acceleration and he is able to lose the guys checking him with quick turns. Although he might seem soft due to how lanky he is, he has a good compete level and with his skating, he has been able to strip the puck multiple times before the opponent even got over the blueline in these few games I've been able to watch him. Also, he seem to be good in faceoffs. I don't have the numbers here but I'd imagine the percent being above 60 percent.
I think the biggest reason why he isn't playing in the pro league yet is because he is quite lanky. He also plays like a junior here and there where he tries to do something too fancy and ends up losing the puck due to unnecessary stickhandling.
I also wish he would start shooting more since most of the times he has seem to look for the pass when he could just try to shoot it himself. Shooting probably isn't his strength but it's still decent.
That being said, here's his goal from yesterday:
Hokinaittii
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Very interesting player to watch but I wish he would be a bit more consistent with his mature game. Some shifts you see him competiting and doing everything to get that puck and some shifts he will float and play softly. But he's still 17 playing mostly against guys 3 years older than him, so it's kind of expected to see him not have his compete level as high as it was in Hlinka against guys under 18.
Button ranked him top-5 pick in his September rankings and even though I think that could be a bit too high for him, I still think he's very much top-10 talent in this draft. Just very raw player currently.
Button ranked him top-5 pick in his September rankings and even though I think that could be a bit too high for him, I still think he's very much top-10 talent in this draft. Just very raw player currently.
Magua
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That was my exact read watching him throughout the Hlinka. The skill was always apparent, but as you said, at times he would get really immature trying unnecessary plays or seem disengaged. Then he would flip a switch and start playing structured cycle hockey and more engaged. The wavering intensity was more my issue. Wasn't that it wasn't there.....it just wasn't there enough. I actually thought against the better competition he played more consistent, pro style hockey, scoring drop be damned.
I would like to see some of those inconsistencies hammered out over the course of the season.
Hokinaittii
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So Kärpät is rather playing two pure wingers(Ikonen and Junnila)and 4th line center at first line(Humaloja) rather than calling up Kupari tonight. Safe to say he will be in juniors at least till the WJC's.
Hokinaittii
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I'd say for sure he isn't physically ready yet. He still gets crosschecked down rather easily in U20s by bigger players so I can only imagine how he could handle that in Liiga. Also, assuming he would play center in Liiga, that would most likely mean someone else in the line would have to take the faceoffs etc. As a winger he could already work out but that wouldn't really fix the problem Kärpät has.
And to be honest, I don't think he is mentally ready either. You can see he is skilled player every time he steps on ice but he also has that bad habit of not giving his 100% all the time. It just has caught my eye how he kind of floats rest of the shift if he has missed a scoring chance or something. Luckily that attitude doesn't seem to carry into next shift. Maybe that has something to do with him feeling like he should already play in Liiga and we wouldn't even see glimpses of that attitude if he was playing in pros.
I wouldn't be surprised if Kärpät's management also feel like he should mature his game up before he gets called up.
kelsier
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That's plain weird. Kärpät hasn't had any problems bringing up the promising youth before so why do it now. That's bad news for Kupari and doesn't signal well moving forward. If it's a matter of physical maturity, then I wonder how ever did Aho break in the roster. He wasn't ever even considered "that special" either, until the post draft season anyway.
ChicagoBullsFan
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https://www.suomikiekko.com/2017/09...e-megalupauksen-suurelle-yleisolle-torstaina/
Rasmus Kupari plays his 1st SM liiga game tonight.
Rasmus Kupari plays his 1st SM liiga game tonight.
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MMANumminen
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kelsier
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About frigging time!!! Wouldn't miss this for the world!
Not expecting anything either but this is music to the ears. He was able to outplay Kotkaniemi in the Hlinka and now Kotkaniemi is flying with 5 points streak after 3 games of FEL. Interesting to see how Rasmus can respond to Jesperi's benchmark, ha.
Kupari's game isn't as polished or refined and like I said, have absolutely no expectations yet, just genuine interest how he can handle the adult rinks. One of my favorite prospects this year. Love his dynamic game and overall upside.
Not expecting anything either but this is music to the ears. He was able to outplay Kotkaniemi in the Hlinka and now Kotkaniemi is flying with 5 points streak after 3 games of FEL. Interesting to see how Rasmus can respond to Jesperi's benchmark, ha.
Kupari's game isn't as polished or refined and like I said, have absolutely no expectations yet, just genuine interest how he can handle the adult rinks. One of my favorite prospects this year. Love his dynamic game and overall upside.
JustaFinnishGuy
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His 1st Liiga game is underway right now.
His top speed is faster than anyone I've seen in Karpat's team.
Speed isn't everything, but he's doing something right in his skating.
It seems he has limited time with the puck, his linemates can't make any room for themselves so he just resorts to cycling the puck for the next one in rotation in many occasions.
He has good puck control though.
His top speed is faster than anyone I've seen in Karpat's team.
Speed isn't everything, but he's doing something right in his skating.
It seems he has limited time with the puck, his linemates can't make any room for themselves so he just resorts to cycling the puck for the next one in rotation in many occasions.
He has good puck control though.
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