Player Discussion Rickard Rakell

[Theridion]

Want to know why Rakell is awesome?

He looks like he can be successful with a wide variety of linemates.

He looks like instant offense that can be stirred into any line.

 

[Paul4587]

Want to know why Rakell is awesome?

He looks like he can be successful with a wide variety of linemates.

He looks like instant offense that can be stirred into any line.

I don't know about that, he needs the puck to be effective. He doesn't mesh much at all with Getzy as he takes away from Getzlafs strengths which is controlling the puck for long periods in the zone and dishing it off to guys who get open in the slot.

 

[Sean Garrity]

I don't know about that, he needs the puck to be effective. He doesn't mesh much at all with Getzy as he takes away from Getzlafs strengths which is controlling the puck for long periods in the zone and dishing it off to guys who get open in the slot.

Getzy and him have had some solid "two man game" type of plays, but overall I agree. However, that's a good problem to have if both want to and can be the catalyst of their own line.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Want to know why Rakell is awesome?

He looks like he can be successful with a wide variety of linemates.

He looks like instant offense that can be stirred into any line.

That's because he doesn't use his line mates very well. He needs a playmaker who will defer to him being the puck carrier all the time. Perry actually plays that role on the line pretty well. But Getz doesn't really defer to anybody.

 

[snarktacular]

I defer to no man!

 

[Ducks Nation*]

Looking like quite the bargain by our bargain GM.

EDIT: Just realized he only has 11 assists, that's crazy.

 

[Ducks in a row]

Is now a 30 goal scorer hopefully this isn't a 1 time thing.

 

[2faded]

To think Rakell could be tied or close to the top of the league in goals scored if he didn't miss time is crazy. What a breakout season.

 

[Sojourn]

Is now a 30 goal scorer hopefully this isn't a 1 time thing.

I think 30 goals is possible for him more than once. Right now he's actually scoring at a 40 goal rate(over 82 games), and that is something I definitely don't think he can sustain.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

I think 30 goals is possible for him more than once. Right now he's actually scoring at a 40 goal rate(over 82 games), and that is something I definitely don't think he can sustain.

Yeah, nothing about him as a prospect or young player screamed "40-goal scorer." I think his prime is a 30-30 1st liner. Obviously a very valuable player but I'd be shocked if he was pushing the league's leading scorers ever again.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

The new Bobby Ryan.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

Yeah, nothing about him as a prospect or young player screamed "40-goal scorer." I think his prime is a 30-30 1st liner. Obviously a very valuable player but I'd be shocked if he was pushing the league's leading scorers ever again.

Sometimes you just have outliers who are late bloomers maybe he's just one of those guys who just constantly works on his game. Something clicked for him in the middle of last year though

 

[Ducks Nation*]

Crazy he was scouted as a playmaker and not a goal scorer at all. He has worked on his game hard. Still holds onto puck and tries to do too much by himself (losing the puck in neutral zone from trying to dangle) but he has scored a lot of his goals from in front of the net and driving to the net, a good place for someone who likes to dangle shows he's not afraid to get involved

 

[91Fedorov]

I think the craziest thing about Rakell is how he gets to rebounds. He doesn't seem to set up in the crease. But he seems to cut into the crease exactly at the right moment and get a stick on rebounds. His timing on those plays is uncanny.

 

[Paul4587]

The huge difference between him now and 2 years ago is he learned how to shoot. His shot has improved so much, normally you see young guys shots improve a little bit as they gain strength but for him the improvement was huge.

 

[Boo Boo]

Super happy with how hes turning out but is any one else a little disappointed that his defensive game that he was touted for as a junior has not really translated to the NHL.

It seems like it very well could have been a case of amateur scouts seeing his statline and assuming he was great defensively as the reason he was drafted in the first. Turns out the reason he was taken so early was undiscovered offensive potential. Still wish he had both though- would really make him a cornerstone piece.

 

[Vipers31]

The huge difference between him now and 2 years ago is he learned how to shoot. His shot has improved so much, normally you see young guys shots improve a little bit as they gain strength but for him the improvement was huge.

Yeah, that really took a big stride. The release is especially helpful. That goal against Washington was such a goalscorer's goal. He identified the chance and released it so quickly that nothing else was needed.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Crazy he was scouted as a playmaker and not a goal scorer at all. He has worked on his game hard. Still holds onto puck and tries to do too much by himself (losing the puck in neutral zone from trying to dangle) but he has scored a lot of his goals from in front of the net and driving to the net, a good place for someone who likes to dangle shows he's not afraid to get involved

But he doesn't get involved, not how that phrase is commonly understood anyway. Frankly I think he IS afraid to get involved. What he's very good at is losing coverage and finding openings. He's shifty and he's got those Perry-like worm stick skills that allow him to take advantage of wrong-footed defenders and slip through once the puck is on his stick. He's a serious threat that way. That's a major reason why he's just more effective at wing than center.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

Super happy with how hes turning out but is any one else a little disappointed that his defensive game that he was touted for as a junior has not really translated to the NHL.

It seems like it very well could have been a case of amateur scouts seeing his statline and assuming he was great defensively as the reason he was drafted in the first. Turns out the reason he was taken so early was undiscovered offensive potential. Still wish he had both though- would really make him a cornerstone piece.

I could honestly care less about his defensive game if he keeps scoring goals like this... Easier to find muckers and defensive forwards than guys who score alot of goals.

It becomes more of an issue for me if he plays center

 

[Emerald Duck]

The new Bobby Ryan.

Unlike Bobby, Ricky's goals are often meaningful. He is second in the league this year in GWG

 

[Magnus the Duck]

First full season: 9 goals
Second season: 20 goals
Third season: 30+ goals

Profit!

 

[salsa man]

Super happy with how hes turning out but is any one else a little disappointed that his defensive game that he was touted for as a junior has not really translated to the NHL.

This is like complaining about a diamond ring because of the band, when the diamond is worth $10k. We desperately needed another young forward with high-end skill, and now we have one. As long as he isn't an outright liability in his own zone I really couldn't care less about his defensive play.

It seems like it very well could have been a case of amateur scouts seeing his statline and assuming he was great defensively as the reason he was drafted in the first. Turns out the reason he was taken so early was undiscovered offensive potential. Still wish he had both though- would really make him a cornerstone piece.

That's not how scouts work at all.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Unlike Bobby, Ricky's goals are often meaningful. He is second in the league this year in GWG

His defense could use some work and he is quite streaky.

FYI, GWGs is an absolutely meaningless stat because of how the league determines it. It is solely determined by how many goals the losing team scores. It has nothing to do with being clutch. Win 6-0 and the guy who scores the first goal gets the GWG (No problem with that). Start with a 6-0 lead and get sloppy, lose 6-4 and now it's the guy who scored the 5th goal that all of a sudden scored the GWG. Get even sloppier, give up goal number 5 with 30 seconds left, win 6-5 and now the guy who scored #6 (back when it was already 5-0) is credited with the GWG.

I say this not to discredit Ricky but to point out what a joke of a stat it is because of how the league calculates it. It's probably more meaningless throughout the league than +/-.

 

[Boo Boo]

This is like complaining about a diamond ring because of the band, when the diamond is worth $10k. We desperately needed another young forward with high-end skill, and now we have one. As long as he isn't an outright liability in his own zone I really couldn't care less about his defensive play.



That's not how scouts work at all.

I meant amateur scouts being hfboards scouters - my apologies I should have used amateur, amateur scouts

 

[Exit Dose]

Rakell was great defensively in Junior. He was named the top defensive forward in the OHL his final two years there. It had nothing to do with people here extrapolating his defensive talents from stats.