Stralman vs. Johnson

[Squeaky]

The only knock you guys have against Stralman is that he hasn't played in the NHL yet (That will change next season). As if it is his fault.

Prepare to be crying that your team passed him over 5 or 6 times in the draft.

The only knock we have on Stralman is that he isn't Jack MF Johnson. Pretty much everyone has said he's a great prospect, but simply not on par with the guy who is basically the consensus #2 defensive prospect in the world at the moment.

 

[Jeff_Dyck_#1]

Stralman is the most overrated prospect from Sweden.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

You have proven to be nothing but a Kings prospect hater in your stint here at HF.

On the contrary. I like the Kings, and Kopitar is quite likely my favorite young player outside of the Penguins in the league. He's the whole reason I even checked out the Kings board.

I only took issue with people saying he was better than Malkin. Other than that, you'd never hear a discouraging word.

That has nothing to do with what he said. He compared age of the league vs age of the player. We don't give two shakes of what "you would say". That does not make a debate.

If you bothered to look down the thread, you'll see that I furthered my argument. NCAA players who go on to play post-graduation obviously have other commitments beyond making the NHL to worry about. If they were talented enough to be making a legitimate run at the pros, they likely would be, so it isn't as though junior-age college kids are facing the creme de la creme of the 24-25 year old set.

I don't need to make this about their respective junior leagues, and truthfully, I haven't seen nearly enough of either at that level to make a solid judgement based on their play alone - only their stats.

But I have seen plenty of both against the best of their peers, and there, Staal outplayed Johnson, IMHO.

We are sick and tired of you crying when the media and those at HF compare Kings prospects to the Pens prospects. Yes, I know we are not comparing a Pens prospect but like clock work you are here to piss on any King possible. Your vendetta is confusing.

Perhaps it's confusing because it's not a vendetta at all?

There was Kopitar, who was compared to the highest scoring young rookie center (other than Crosby) since Yzerman, and there is Johnson, who is being compared to the best defensive-defenseman prospect that I've seen.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Lol, did you really just make the claim that having eyes makes you eminently qualified to judge prospects?

No, I claimed that because I saw plenty of them at the WJCs, I'm eminently qualified to make judgements on both.

The part about my eyes was in response to the assertion that I was only basing my opinions on what TSN had fed me. Reading comprehension helps here.

 

[Kurt Cobain]

ill make sure too bump this up in like 2-3 years so we can get a real comparison. Johnson's ahead at the moment from what I have read.

 

[SnipeCheeseAllDay]

Personally I would take Stralman over JJ. All of you are choosing JJ because he has "proven" himself, but he actually hasnt.

Stralman was Sweden's MVP at the worlds, and one of the best, if not the best, defender in the tourny. He's playing against men in the SEL and is still shining. He's also leading the SEL in minute played. Even with all those minutes that he logs, he's extremly steady, responsible in his own end and very aware in the offensive zone. Another reason why JJ is getting most votes is simply because he's a first rounder. If Stralman was picked in the top 10, all teh votes would be going his way...

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Personally I would take Stralman over JJ. All of you are choosing JJ because he has "proven" himself, but he actually hasnt.

Stralman was Sweden's MVP at the worlds, and one of the best, if not the best, defender in the tourny. He's playing against men in the SEL and is still shining. He's also leading the SEL in minute played. Even with all those minutes that he logs, he's extremly steady, responsible in his own end and very aware in the offensive zone. Another reason why JJ is getting most votes is simply because he's a first rounder. If Stralman was picked in the top 10, all teh votes would be going his way...

Also, add in he averaged the most minutes per game in the SEL, and coaches and commentators were quoted of saying "he can dominate a **** like only Foppa and Lidstrom are capable of," and "He reminds me (them) of Nicklas Lidstrom," etc, etc.

But, though, I guess we will wait and see.

 

[JEI]

I find the Kulemin hype just as overblown, or maybe even moreso. On another thread someone's pointing out that Kulemin's doing things in the RSL that Ovechkin and Malkin did (i.e. leading the RSL in goals). That kind of comparison is simply not fair to Kulemin. Ovechkin and Malkin are franchise-level players that were being talked about in every hockey city before they ever played in the NHL. Kulemin, like 99.9% of other good prospects, is simply not in that league.

No one said he's going to be a franchise player, just that he put up Ovechkin like numbers indicates he's not really a scrub either.

The most common answer I've seen or heard from Leaf fans is that Kulemin has top 6 potential. That is not far-fetched if you've watched him play.

As for Stralman. Like another poster said, I'll be very happy if he can be a top 4 defender.

I'll take Johnson though.

 

[SnipeCheeseAllDay]

What a silly comparison. Stralman, like Kulemin, is a prospect Leafs fans are very excited about, but both of them are simply not at the level of the ultra-elite prospects they keep getting compared to. Johsnon is one of the best D prospects in the world and almost any team would pay dearly to get him. Stralman may or may not be a late-round gem. His upside is enormous, but you could say that about thousands of players who have ended up never making the league. Comparing the two at this point is ridiculous.

I find the Kulemin hype just as overblown, or maybe even moreso. On another thread someone's pointing out that Kulemin's doing things in the RSL that Ovechkin and Malkin did (i.e. leading the RSL in goals). That kind of comparison is simply not fair to Kulemin. Ovechkin and Malkin are franchise-level players that were being talked about in every hockey city before they ever played in the NHL. Kulemin, like 99.9% of other good prospects, is simply not in that league.

Well, if Kulemin is putting up similar stats as Malkin and even better numbers than Ovechkin, what makes you think he can't be as good as them if not better? Because he's a Leafs prospect? Because he didnt go in the 1st round?

Im not saying that's what he's gonna become, nobody knows until he plays a game in the NHL... but he sure does have the potential and the numbers to do so...

 

[Nordic*]

Northamerican always beats a european, so I vote Johnson per default.

On a serious note, Stråhlman is a bit overrated. I know very little about Johnson.


Someone enlighten me as to the reason I even posted in this thread?

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Northamerican always beats a european, so I vote Johnson per default.

So, stereotypes are more important to be viewed instead of talent level?

Are you going to be happy with a team full of Chad Kilger's, rather then a team full of Daniel Alfredsson's?

 

[Dave33]

So, stereotypes are more important to be viewed instead of talent level?

Are you going to be happy with a team full of Chad Kilger's, rather then a team full of Daniel Alfredsson's?

LOL, your sarcasm detector is broken.

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

LOL, your sarcasm detector is broken.

He/she should've, AT LEAST, put an emotion in his/her statement.

 

[Dave33]

He/she should've, AT LEAST, put an emotion in his/her statement.

His next statement began with, "on a serious note". Sorta gives it away...

 

[whatthef]

His next statement began with, "on a serious note". Sorta gives it away...

Or at least should have given it away.

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

His next statement began with, "on a serious note". Sorta gives it away...

Thats because he/she edited it afterwards.....

Or at least should have given it away.

Thats because he/she edited it afterwards.....

 

[Karamazov]

Well, if Kulemin is putting up similar stats as Malkin and even better numbers than Ovechkin, what makes you think he can't be as good as them if not better? Because he's a Leafs prospect? Because he didnt go in the 1st round?

Im not saying that's what he's gonna become, nobody knows until he plays a game in the NHL... but he sure does have the potential and the numbers to do so...

There's alot more to it than simple number mate, unless you think Cherepanov has the potential to be better than Malkin or OV. The potential exists, but only to the same extent that I'm going to win a Nobel Prize for literature. Take a look at Michalek's stats on his draft year - at their age they're largely being judged on their skill set, talent, size etc. Stats is a part of it, but we can't only go by numbers...

 

[Velociraptor]

JJ is obviously a better player than Stralman, he'll be lucky to make The leafs ECHL team next year. He's the most overrated player in Sweden. They don't have good D-men over there, so they exaggarate.

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

JJ is obviously a better player than Stralman, he'll be lucky to make The leafs ECHL team next year. He's the most overrated player in Sweden. They don't have good D-men over there, so they exaggarate.

LOL.

Did you just call Kenny Jonsson, Nik Lidstrom, Borje Salming, etc, overrated defensemen becuase they are Swedish?

 

[Velociraptor]

LOL.

Did you just call Kenny Jonsson, Nik Lidstrom, Borje Salming, etc, overrated defensemen becuase they are Swedish?

no, these are some of the most talented players that ever stepped on north american ice. Victor Hedman will be the only good Swedish defenseman this decade, the 90's was packed with strong D-men.

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

no, these are some of the most talented players that ever stepped on north american ice. Victor Hedman will be the only good Swedish defenseman this decade, the 90's was packed with strong D-men.

I think you forgot a guy called Anton Stralman, who is being called, by players, commentators, coaches, a guy who can dominate shifts like only Foppa and Lidstrom are capable of, has been voted as the to 3 players from the Swedish team in the IIHF tournament, averaged the most ice-time in the SEL, is being called the best player coming out of Sweden since Forsberg, was an All-Star at the end of the SEL season, and is being over and over again, compared to Lidstrom.

I dont know what he can do in the NHL level here in North America, but Sweden has produced 3 super-star talents, in Backstrom, Stralman, and Hedman, this decade.

 

[Left Of The Dial]

After hearing so much about Stralman, I can't imagine what it would have been like if the Leafs drafted JJ.

 

[Nizdizzle]

After hearing so much about Stralman, I can't imagine what it would have been like if the Leafs drafted JJ.

Yeah, that'd be crazy, it could be the same if any other team with media coverage drafted him Stralman is a great prospect, with important people saying great things. The only reason people are knocking him is that hes a Leaf, and he gets talked about alot more because of Toronto Media. I don't think the majority of Leafs fans believe he'll be a sure thing. You just have the odd people, that make boards like this making us look bad.

 

[Garl]

JJ is obviously a better player than Stralman, he'll be lucky to make The leafs ECHL team next year. He's the most overrated player in Sweden. They don't have good D-men over there, so they exaggarate.

Stralman was much better than JJ at WC.

no, these are some of the most talented players that ever stepped on north american ice. Victor Hedman will be the only good Swedish defenseman this decade, the 90's was packed with strong D-men.

Swedish Junior system has some problems with producing goalscoring forwards. In past there were big problems with goalies.
Defencemen always were a strong part of swedish junior system. Even in bad years they produced some good blueliners like Ericsson, Enstrom, Grossman, Oduya, N.Kronwall, S.Kronwall.
And Generetion of 1986-87 defensemen is really strong.

 

[Left Of The Dial]

Yeah, that'd be crazy, it could be the same if any other team with media coverage drafted him Stralman is a great prospect, with important people saying great things. The only reason people are knocking him is that hes a Leaf, and he gets talked about alot more because of Toronto Media. I don't think the majority of Leafs fans believe he'll be a sure thing. You just have the odd people, that make boards like this making us look bad.

Not quite. Because there are so many Leafs fans in this community, they tend to be mentioned much more frequently. Recently, Kulemin and Stralman, two very good prospects, but ones than aren't typically grouped with the elite, are mentioned way more often than a prospect like Bobby Ryan, who is typically considered elite. This leads one to wonder how often JJ would get mentioned if the Leafs owned his rights, as he is typically considered an elite prospect.