Toews Hasn't Looked Like Top 3 Pick at WJC's

[Daily Special]

I second this post. Rush5Collapse5 was a borderline troll on here over the last week.

Again, I fail to see how I'm "belittling" Toews or unfairly singling him out by asking why he is so deserving of a top 5 spot in the upcoming draft. I believe that's a fair question. I didn't see any "glimpses" of a future star during the WJC's when THN and TSN advertised he was one of the players to look out for. Calling me a "troll" is a pretty baseless accusation considering the neutral position of the threads questions..

 

[Phanuthier*]

I agree about Mueller. He's not flashy, but he's effective and plays a very sound all-around game. He's very similar to Toews as a matter of fact.

I agree, I think Mueller's stock went up. He played a very strong and smart game.

 

[#66]

That's cool. I only saw him once and he didn't stand out to me all that much.

I've gotten some of his other games (non WJC) sent to me and thats why I like him so much. Its kind of funny how things sway. Kessel still has the best upside in this draft but like you've said there are some question marks. He kind of reminds me of a center version of Alex Mogilny when he was adjusting to the league. Alot of players can't do that or adjust but lose their star quality. I guess thats why draft interviews are so important. You get a feel of the players character.

As for Toews, I've seen alot of him this season and I just don't see how some people paint him as a future scoring star. He's very good but he reminds me of a bigger, more combative version of Brad Richards (thats not a bad thing). He owns the boards, thinks well in all zones, has a great shot and is great at slowing the game down. Of coase he could be a great compliment to AO and put up some numbers playing with him but IMO thats his style. I think that if a person likes him its because he's a safer pick than Kessel.

If I was picking #1 right now it would be Johnson. He's big, mobile, has great hand skills and has elite sense in all zones IMO. He has great upside and less question marks than any of the highly rated players. Another thing that I haven't seen posted is that he was the only player that handled Malkin well last night. I don't think that many have said that about anyone in the WJC or in Russia this year ( I watch alot of Mg games too).

 

[God Bless Canada]

The WJC is a 19-year-old's tournament. For a 17-year-old's stock to drop, he has to play absolutely terrible in the tournament. Toews has not. He has not played as well as maybe some expected, after the way he played at camp and in the pre-tournament games, but I've seen many 17-year-olds struggle worse than him, and not have their status affected. (Most recent example would be Rick Nash).

Toews has been the best player at two tournaments against his own age group: the WU17, when he was the best player on the gold medal Team West, and the Junior World Cup, an under-18 tournament, which Canada won. That's why he's considered a consensus top five pick. The WU18 will be a big barometer. If he dominates the WU18 like he did the other two tournaments against those his own age, he'll be a lock for the top five, and the talk about him going No. 1 will really heat up.

Two players, IMO, have really improved their stock in this WJC: Erik Johnson, who is my top prospect for the draft, and Niklas Backstrom, who may have nudged his way into top five consideration.

The one player who has seen his stock drop is Jonessue (sp?) from Finland. He did nothing to impress me at the tournament, except for a couple PP chances against Canada, and may have fallen out of the top 10. (He's an 18-year-old, BTW). Frolik has not been as impressive at this year's WJC as last year, when scouts were talking about him as 1A behind Kessel, so his stock may have fallen, too.

The WJC is not the be-all and end-all for evaluating draft-eligible 17-year-olds. Anyone who knows anything about prospect evaluation will tell you that.

 

[Daily Special]

I agree about Mueller. He's not flashy, but he's effective and plays a very sound all-around game. He's very similar to Toews as a matter of fact.

So do you feel Toews has warranted a top 3 or even top 5 selection in the 06 draft?

 

[UvBnDatsyuked]

I think the only drop was with Frolik.

E Johnson rose quite a bit

Toews I don't think rose or fell

And for some reason I believe that Kessell set out to be more of a playmaker in this tourney. Even though a lot of assists came against Norway it still showed he could use his speed to set his teammates up.

Backtrom rose


Side note. Even though he is already drafted, Oshie has to make the Blue smile. Played great and getting bigger.

 

[ryz]

Again, I fail to see how I'm "belittling" Toews or unfairly singling him out by asking why he is so deserving of a top 5 spot in the upcoming draft. I believe that's a fair question. I didn't see any "glimpses" of a future star during the WJC's when THN and TSN advertised he was one of the players to look out for. Calling me a "troll" is a pretty baseless accusation considering the neutral position of the threads questions..

It's because you single Toews out at all times. There will be a conversation about Kessel not living up to hype, with Toews name not being said even once in the entire thread, and then you will bust in with some Toews bashing. Any time anyone mentions Kessels name, you are there a few posts down bashing Toews even when he wasn't in the entire conversation. You were so blindly pro-USA to the point that you made yourself and American hockey fans in general look like complete jackasses. You will be remembered by many posters from this tourney as someone that can't really talk hockey and you will be avoided. Well done if that is what you were trying to do.

To tell you the truth I'm suprised you logged on today. Everything you tried so damn hard to sell to everone on here got blown into a million pieces last night. I guess good for you for not running and hiding. Looking at your avatar I'd be embarrassed to be a Sharks fan and have you on my side.

 

[#66]

I think the only drop was with Frolik.

E Johnson rose quite a bit

Toews I don't think rose or fell

And for some reason I believe that Kessell set out to be more of a playmaker in this tourney. Even though a lot of assists came against Norway it still showed he could use his speed to set his teammates up.

Backtrom rose


Side note. Even though he is already drafted, Oshie has to make the Blue smile. Played great and getting bigger.

Good call. He was great.

 

[WillardJFredricks]

If teams want a big centerman to draft, they should pick Jordan Staal, he's better than Toews. And if they want a smaller more skilled offensive player they could take Bryan Little over Phil Kessel.

 

[Daily Special]

It's because you single Toews out at all times. There will be a conversation about Kessel not living up to hype, with Toews name not being said even once in the entire thread, and then you will bust in with some Toews bashing. Any time anyone mentions Kessels name, you are there a few posts down bashing Toews even when he wasn't in the entire conversation. You were so blindly pro-USA to the point that you made yourself and American hockey fans in general look like complete jackasses. You will be remembered by many posters from this tourney as someone that can't really talk hockey and you will be avoided. Well done if that is what you were trying to do.

To tell you the truth I'm suprised you logged on today. Everything you tried so damn hard to sell to everone on here got blown into a million pieces last night. I guess good for you for not running and hiding. Looking at your avatar I'd be embarrassed to be a Sharks fan and have you on my side.

This is skewed conjecture and smear tactic by you - in fact it's nearing personal attack levels.

This wouldn't be the first unjustified post like this from you ryz. When you aren't defending the WJC fans actions it's something like this or an anti-kessel thread.

If Toews was brought up by me, there was a valid and relevant point to be made in comparison. And what does "pro-usa" mean? If it means I cheer for my own country and that's a bad thing, then I'm guilty. Otherwise you are way off with the mud slinging that I'm somehow biased. Especially given 2 of my favorite hockey players are Canadian.

There has been a good deal of flag waving from both sides that I choose not to take part in. You seem oddly fixated on either smearing me or smearing Kessel. For all of the impartial barbs you throw out, I would closer in the mirror for the person you're describing.


* "Looking at your avatar I'd be embarrassed to be a Sharks fan and have you on my side."

That's funny, because they aren't. They can distinguish between defending/debating, and throwing baseless accusations out there because you disagree, as you have been doing.


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[Rabid Ranger]

So do you feel Toews has warranted a top 3 or even top 5 selection in the 06 draft?

Absolutely. He's a very good all-around player and while he isn't putting up a ton of points at North Dakota fills his role well. I just don't see a player that deserves to be drafted number one overall. He'll go 2 or 3 IMO, which is significant in itself, since the top three players drafted (Kessel, Johnson, & Toews) will either be from the NCAA or NCAA bound.

 

[GKJ]

no more flame wars.



thread closed