5'10", average skating-Granlund scored 13 goals in 43 games as a 17 yr old.
Pulju has 8 goals in 42 games.
Granlund has 22 goals in 211 NHL games.
Now no one needs to step out and tell me how this is pointless because i know it is, and im not saying Pulju won't be the better goalscorer in the NHL. I guess i just keep reminding myself not to expect these guys to become elite scorers in the NHL, rather hope for it.
Fact is it doesn't matter much that he is 17. He's got the speed and size to compete well enough to get himself into scoring areas. Players don't change as much as people think from draft year onwards, years go by really fast. I used to think this way and every single time the prospect didn't meet my expectations down the road.
Not going to start anything here, and again im not comparing Pulju to Granlund. Just pointing out that just because he's only 17 it doesn't mean he's going to come out and explode for 30 goals next year assuming he stays in Finland.
Barkov is a damn good comparison as far as offensive potential goes because he's the recent guy to be in this position. He scored 48 points in 53 games in his draft year. For a 2-way center these numbers are huge. And now in his 3rd NHL season he's going to put up around 65 points.
I feel like if we truly had an elite offensive prospect he'd tear the FEL apart in his draft year. This is why i think Laine projects as a 35+30 kind of guy and Pulju 20+35 type of guy. Just because they're in the top 3 doesn't mean we're going to have ourselves high-end elite NHL point producers.
The WJC's have clouded a lot of people's views on these two guys i feel like. They had one hell of a tournament, and everything seemed to click. But there have been a lot of no-name NHL guys who have gone on a tear in junior tournaments over the years. I still think what you do in the league you're playing in is the best measurement stick.
Now if we had a player of Puljus speed and Laines shot, along with all the other good offensive qualities these guys have, THAT's an elite prospect. Then it would be fair to compare this Lainejärvi to guys like Kovalchuk. But as it stands i think both of these guys miss out on the elite department. (altho i think Laine has a shot at it, just not as sure-bet as people think)