KOPITAR - Has Anybody Actually Seen Him Play?

[BrettNYR]

Aside from his skating, I think its laughable that some people have to grasp at straws to find something wrong with him, and say his nationality is a negative.

It seems as though there aren't any flaws with AnZe.

He's the second best player in the draft, IMO. He really doesn't have many flaws in his game... He reminds me of, dare I say, Peter Forsberg. He'll be a poor man's Forsberg, but won't be that poor. In the "new" NHL, he could hit 100 points once or twice, assuming the "new" NHL will become as good as expected over the long haul, and also assuming Kopitar reaches his ceiling, which he likely won't. He'll likely be able to net 70-80 points in his prime, which is still pretty damn good...

 

[Le depisteur]

Guys, don't forget Pouliot is 1 year older than Kopitar... Sept 86 vs Aug 87... Big big difference...

 

[Tb0ne]

I would agree there about him being Slovenian shouldn't change his draft rating. Maybe if he had played in a league that had never produced any players who became stars (like if he had stayed in the Slovenian league, instead of going to Sweden) but much of his stock comes from playing in Sweden against hockey players from a proven hockey nation.

It also helps that he has played internationally many times, and even though "it's only slovenia", it is still impressive he played for the men's team at the World Championships any way you slice it.