Does Ryan Kesler have NHL 2nd line potential?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Chaos Giraffe

Registered User
Dec 1, 2004
2,759
380
Vancouver
Everywhere I go, I see Kesler having "3rd line potential". To me, that's pure checking/energy and maybe 25-30 pts a season type of player.

But thing is, Kesler is one of the top offensive producers on the Manitoba Moose right now. He's statistically "tied 3rd" on the roster with 29 pts in 31 games, but has the 2nd best +/- at +14 (Leading scorers King and Sarno are in the negatives). Add the fact that Kesler's not even regularly on the top line or top PP unit, leads me to believe he's more than just a 3rd line player when all is said and done. He's still only 20. I know he doesn't have top level offensive skill, but I can see him maybe as a solid 40-50 pts producer as he reaches a more mature age (25+) or so.

With 29 pts in 31 games, he's 14 in AHL scoring (taking away all the players tied in points, like 5 players tied for 14th in scoring), and that's considering there are around 6 players in the negative +/- zone. I know the AHL is no 100% accurate way of judging players, but when Kesler's ahead of the likes of Vanek, Svatos, Stajan, Umberger, Svitov, Parise, Lupul, Bergeron.........it seems to me that it means at least SOMETHING. That something being Kesler has way more potential than a 3rd line checker that he's projected to be.

Anyone have input on why or why not he's bound to be a 3rd line NHL player?
 

Dempsey

Mark it zero
Mar 1, 2002
3,298
1,700
Ladner, BC
Kesler has impressed me this year. He's playing extremely well for his young age, and I think he'll adjust well to the NHL game. I'd say he can be a solid 50 point producer at the NHL in this day and age. For many teams that's a second liner.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->