Prospect Info: Senators Prospect Talk 2014-2015 Part I
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just read that wikstrand was leading his team for TOI.. big improvement since last year when he was looked at as kind of a PP specialist ( from what i read)
englund playing a shutdown role as an 18 year old is very very impressive.
englund playing a shutdown role as an 18 year old is very very impressive.
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Tim Stützle
Wikstrand likely won't amount to anything. However, I can see Englund becoming a Methot type player.
If wikstrand can log big minutes in the SHL i see no reason why he cant come over and be a good bottom-ish pairing d man/PP guy. maybe a preissing
BondraTime
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ReginKarlssonLehner
Let's Win It All
BondraTime
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We have over-hyped EVERY SINGLE PROSPECT we have had in Sweden in the last 10 years.
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Tim Stützle
Like Rundblad, Wikstrand is not a very good skater. He is also not nearly as skilled.
He'll have a real tough time making the NHL
He'll have a real tough time making the NHL
Dorions already called him a top end prospect.
I'd say his chances of becoming a player are decent. Doubt it's next year though.
Icelevel
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Dorion is also known to overevaluate our prospects. he seems to get giddy a little easy
The biggest difference between rundblad and wikstrand is one was successfully being bobby Orr on big ice and the other doesn't play that way.
It's seriously not as simple as you're making it out to be. There are plenty NHL players that have similar skating and less skill than rundblad.
I was excited about rundblad given all the highlights and whatnot, but I did caution that I had a hard time seeing where'd he'd find the room to do what he does on NHL ice.
Wikstrands an understated player, clean defensive style and moves the puck around well.
If you can make a player out of him he's very ideal in today's game. Hard to have dmen that can't push puck up ice
it was an expected reply.
Our scouts have been worth listening to over the years. If I thought they were always right I'd have probably called lethal an idiot or something like that but more polite.
Cuz he speaks highly of them? What head scout speaks lowly of the people he just drafted?
Examples?
ReginKarlssonLehner
Let's Win It All
Silfverberg was main piece in Ryan trade. Rundblad netted us our number 1 C right now. Lehner is about to be our franchise goalie, Zibanejad praised by management as future number 1.
I unno what your expectations have been but so far they've been on par with what we've been expecting. Only one that's been major disappointment is Silfverberg but his injury prevented him from having breakout season with Ducks last year. Rundblad was always high boom/bust prospect.
Vikstrand was Sweden's best D in WHJC, Rundblad was liability. I'm not saying Vikstrand will be better but he's a more safer prospect who's game could be better in smaller ice. Could still not make NHL but so far I'd say he can make it. I really like his poise.
Real knock on Vikstrand is his acceleration or else he'd be our best prospect right now. We all know how good our staff have been on improving our prospects' skating.
Emerica
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Tim Stützle
BonkTastic
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Wasn't he like the #4 guy on that depth chart, but then the top 3 defencemen for Sweden all got freak injuries that kept them out of the tourney, and elevated Wikstrand to the top spot by default?
*EDIT*
Yeah, I double checked that. Brodin & Klefbom were hurt just as the team was announced, and Hampus Lindholm was hurt in a warm-up game days before the tournament started.
So sure - Wikstrand was the best blueliner they had at the tourney... but it's kind of disingenuous to make that claim without at least putting an asterisk next to it, or something. It doesn't carry the full weight that it really should. He was the #4 guy who got elevated because of freak accidents.
Good on him for stepping his game up and all when they needed him to, but the rest of that blueline was AT BEST "pedestrian".
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ReginKarlssonLehner
Let's Win It All
Vikstrand was number 4 on the chart, definitely, but I didn't mention it because it's redundant information. Sweden went on to win the Silver medal with Vikstrand playing big role and he was named best d for sweden and top 3 d in tourney I believe. He took opportunity of the role and proved he was deserving of it.
Lol, one of the better compliments.
Lol, one of the better compliments.
Yup, lets paint everyone with the same brush because one guy didn't pan out. By the way, Runblad is playing in Chicago's top 6 at the moment.
BondraTime
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I'm not painting anyone with a brush. I was dis-creditiing the notion that "If wikstrand can log big minutes in the SHL I see no reason why he cant come over and be a good bottom-ish pairing d man/PP guy".
Logging minutes in the SHL means little to saying what they will be when they come over.
Yes, Rundblad is their 7th D, and has played 63 games over 3+ seasons in North America. A guy we pegged "as good, if not better offensively than Karlsson".
People need to realize that our expectations/projections for our prospects are pretty absurd. People are expecting and penciling in the majority we have drafted to be an NHLer.
Wikstrand is a good prospect, he has developed nicely since being an unknown commodity when drafted late. Until he proves he can play a North American game in the AHL I will reserve judgement. I currently see him below only Claesson, and potentially Wideman among the AHL D, but out of those three the only one I believe has a career currently is Claesson.
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