Jay Thompson said:
Tyutin so fast it'd make your head spin. I see Tyutin as a potential #1 man who can play in all situations but is primarily a shutdown man. I see Komisarek as a #4 with size a-la Luke Richardson but a bit quicker and less mean.
I've seen him play quite a bit. Even in Hamilton for the Bulldogs several times. Sorry Habs fans. I love some of your prospects (Perezhogin is going to be a big-time stud, suspension or not, and Higgins looks like a good guy too), but Komisarek will not be the guy you think he'll be. I simply don't think he's smart enough. Good toolset, not a good toolbox.
Like Richardson, Komisarek is a big, mean defenseman who has mental issues. Richardson was about twice as mean & physical in his day than Komisarek has shown so far, regardless of giving up weight. Komisarek is faster than Luke though.
Really, I see them as very similar players. Richardson was drafted very high too (I believe 9th overall or something by the Leafs in the late 80's). Both tall, both physical, but have mental issues. I suspect Komisarek will follow a similar path as Richardson did.
I disagree with you on every point you've made. First of all, I have seen no evidence that Komisarek has "mental issues". I guess I'm not sure if you are trying to say he has emotional problems or simply does not play a smart game. As I stated before, I have seen no evidence of any "mental issues" or emotional problems. In fact, he seems to have a good head on his shoulders. I also think that while he makes mistakes under pressure at times, we have seen steady improvement in that area over the last few years. You have to consider the fact that he started playing the game at an age later than most, something that everybody knew on draft day. I fully expect he will continue to improve his hockey IQ as he progresses. I think that takes care of the "mental issues" portion of your argument.
I don't really like the Luke Richardson comparison, different leagues, different time periods and different situations. Also, as has already been noted, Komisarek is a better skater already. I don't think that Richardson was any meaner than Komisarek, I just think that Komisarek picks his spots more. The focus of Komisarek's game right now is to play well positionally and limit the number of penalties and mistakes he makes while learning how to play the NHL game. I really believe that Komisarek has shown steady improvement in recent years, as expected. I think he will keep improving for the next 5 or 6 years. He is a big player, he is a defenseman and he played in the NCAA. Generally big players take longer to develop, defensemen take longer to and college players take longer to develop. To me these things suggest that Komisarek isn't even close to being a finished product and he is already a legitimate NHL defender, beating out a vet like Lefebvre for playing time last year in the playoffs.
Tyutin has his own set of credentials and chosing between them is very difficult. Tyutin should arrive more quickly than Komisarek, he is more polished. But in time it would not surprise me if Komisarek became the better d-man.