Prospect Info: Leafs 2017 2nd (Via OTT) (#59 OA) - Eemeli Rasanen - 6'7" 209lbs RHD - Kingston (OHL)

[MyBudJT]

Is rasanen even physical?

Yes.

 

[Prominence]

Ooo thanks. Usually physical players are associated with high pims. Rasanen has some pims but not in the hundreds.

 

[firstemperor]

He's a big project right now. The hope is he can be useful like Engelland or McNabb are with Vegas right now.....an Older Chara. Stay-at-home guy with a long disruptive stick, huge shot, and physical. Foot speed is an issue but it's manageable if he learns to read plays well in advance and use his size/wingspan to his advantage.

I would have taken him, Lipanov, or Mattheos with our 2nd last year and my thoughts haven't really changed on that.

 

[Yamazaki]

He was homesick this year and had an off year and he was the first to admit it. You forget these are kids going to a new country to play hockey and not everyone has a seamless transition. Hopefully he bounces back I really hope he can turn into our ristolonen

 

[Swervin81]

Or Martin Marincin. Or #HalGill

Or Uwe Krupp

 

[Randy Randerson]

huge range of outcomes between absolute bust and very useful/very unique big minute NHL'er, and it'll be 2-3 years before we get a real indication of where on that spectrum he's going to land. Of all of our prospects this is very likely the one that no one is going to be able to give you any sort of useful read on

 

[Menzinger]

Seems to have had a disappointing D+1 season, but that in part seems to be the result of some psychological issues - ie missing family/homesick ect.

 

[Steveei]

Leafs drafted a handful of 6'5+ dman in the last two years. If any of 1 of them pan out, its jackpot. Seems like Rasanen has the most upside, and also the biggest, so we'll see.

 

[Duke Silver]

Wish people would stop invoking the name of Chara, a future HOFer, to describe Rasanen. It's just a lazy comparison based on height.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Wish people would stop invoking the name of Chara, a future HOFer, to describe Rasanen. It's just a lazy comparison based on height.

Rasanen is technically having a better junior career as well.

Chara was not Chara until he was 25 or 26. He was nothing more than a hulking bottom pairing guy with a big shot before that.

Personally I always thought Myers was a better comparison anyways. Myers won't be a HOFer but he is a solid 2nd pairing RD with good offensive skill to pair with a strong defensive game. They aren't going to be carbon copies of one another, but I think they share the same sort of strengths and weaknesses. Prime Chara is a whole other level that Chara could not have even imagined reaching at Rasanen's age.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

We've got to see what Rasanen does next year. He's going to be 1D for Kingston and should still have a decent supporting cast. I've heard his defensive game has improved but his production took a hit. It would be awesome to see him push the PPG mark, while still improving his skating, defensive game, etc. to continue being (and becoming even more of) a defensive force.

 

[zeke]

He is massive, he is mean....and he actually is pretty skilled with the puck too.

His skating isn't great but with his length that might not matter.

lots and lots of upside here, and a pretty decent floor, too.

 

[zeke]

Wish people would stop invoking the name of Chara, a future HOFer, to describe Rasanen. It's just a lazy comparison based on height.

it's based on height, strength, aggressiveness, and puckskills, actually. He plays a similar style as chara, even if he most likely never comes close to being anywhere as good.

it makes much more sense stylewise than comparisons to guys like Myers or Gill, tbh. those are just lazy comps based on height. neither Myers or Gill is physical like rasanen, while Myers is a much better skater and gill had no puck skills.

 

[Halla]

Or Martin Marincin. Or #HalGill

If rasanen plays 1000+ games that would have to be considered a huge success

 

[SprDaVE]

I wasn't a fan of Rasanen this season. Not much progression in his game. He should be dominating the CHL for a guy his size to be honest.

I liked the pick at the time but I was disappointed in his progression D+1. I hope he figures it out because he's massive and has some puck skills, so the potential is very much there... just not much to show for it yet, at least in my opinion.

 

[Bluelines]

Absolutely. In fact he chases the big hit a little too much. He loves the physical stuff, he just has to pick his spots for it.

A bully on defence? My heart be still ....

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

If rasanen plays 1000+ games that would have to be considered a huge success

If he plays 250+ games, it should considered a huge success.

 

[Griffin76]

Can he be our Parayko?

 

[SprDaVE]

Can he be our Parayko?

He will need a leg transplant because he's nowhere near the same kind of skater.

 

[WTFMAN99]

I wasn't a fan of Rasanen this season. Not much progression in his game. He should be dominating the CHL for a guy his size to be honest.

I liked the pick at the time but I was disappointed in his progression D+1. I hope he figures it out because he's massive and has some puck skills, so the potential is very much there... just not much to show for it yet, at least in my opinion.

This probably sums up my feelings 100%. The Athletic wrote up a good piece about him being home sick as he stayed in North America longer with the combine and draft etc but yeah....results would be nice.

 

[Duke16]

I wasn't a fan of Rasanen this season. Not much progression in his game. He should be dominating the CHL for a guy his size to be honest.

I liked the pick at the time but I was disappointed in his progression D+1. I hope he figures it out because he's massive and has some puck skills, so the potential is very much there... just not much to show for it yet, at least in my opinion.

His draft year was his first OHL season and he looked extremely awkward and very raw that season. I was surprised to see that he got so many points in his draft year honestly. Although he didn't really progress offensively this season, he became an excellent shutdown D and a great stabilizer for Sean Day. He is someone who could compliment what we already have on D one day if all works out. His draft position basically guarantees that we see him in the AHL after next season.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Can he be our Parayko?

Lol. I'm going to go ahead and say no.

 

[zeke]

Remember that the difference in his production this year from last year is just the fact that he was the top PP guy last year, while this year they brought in a couple of PP dmen who took most of that PP time away. His even strength Production actually improved this year - by a lot:

16-17: 66gms, ES 2gls, 9pts (82gms, 3gls, 11pts) / PP 4gls, 30pts (5gls, 37pts)
17-18: 61gms, ES 3gls, 18pts (82gms, 4gls, 24pts) / PP 2gls, 14pts (3gls, 19pts)

I'm not sure about his exact PP ice time, but I'm pretty sure his PP time was cut at least in half this year.

 

[zeke]

Lol. I'm going to go ahead and say no.

A solid 2nd pair dman like Parayko? He has that upside.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

A solid 2nd pair dman like Parayko? He has that upside.

Upside, sure. Likelihood of achieving it is low given the skating.