Player Discussion Valeri Nichushkin

[MBTendy]

Hello! I made a little highlight video from his first season, thought i could share with you Dallas fans

Great video!

 

[Cin]

Wouldn't trade a future Malkin away for a draft pick.

 

[glovesave_35]

I would do it without thinking twice. As good as Nichushkin might be, Ekblad would be the future #1 we've been looking for since Zubov's injuries started. I also don't see Nichushkin as a Malkin, which is pretty unrealistic.

 

[Cin]

I would do it without thinking twice. As good as Nichushkin might be, Ekblad would be the future #1 we've been looking for since Zubov's injuries started. I also don't see Nichushkin as a Malkin, which is pretty unrealistic.

Plenty of reputable names have been touting him as the next Geno all season. Razor being one of them.

 

[glovesave_35]

Plenty of reputable names have been touting him as the next Geno all season. Razor being one of them.

I disagree with all of them, not just you. Kid's gonna be good, but not that good.

 

[MBTendy]

I'm with Glovesave here ... Although all those expectations are nice to hear, I don't think Val will reach them. I do think he will have a very good career though. And if the opportunity would come to trade Ekblad for Nuke, as much as it will hurt, i'll make that trade in a heartbeat.

 

[Cin]

Fair enough!

 

[Pohlow]

If I am treating this as a team (as it should) then yeah, trade Nuke for Ekblad.

But if I am being selfish (I am) I would much much rather have Nuke. I like the guy. Love his personality and how he looks on ice. It's kinda like would you trade Benn for Crosby? Yeah, anyone would, but I would rather have Benn just because I think he is more entertaining and like his game better.

 

[MetalGodAOD*]

Everyone I heard compared his style to Malkin, not his ceiling.

 

[glovesave_35]

While we're on the topic of ceiling and expectations I will go on record saying that I am not predicting or expecting more than about 40 points next year. He could go crazy and blow that away but I won't be too worried about it if he has a similar season next year as long as he progresses with his consistency of effort and play away from the puck.

On the postgame after Gm 6 I heard Bruce Levine emphatically state that Nichushkin will be a beast next year (or some similar wording). This kind of thinking is what could lead to fans holding him to an unfair standard. Expecting too much too soon has been at the foundation for many a bust.

 

[KiedisA]

Why can't we all just trust Jaromir Jagr on this??

 

[Ambassador Of Fun]

While we're on the topic of ceiling and expectations I will go on record saying that I am not predicting or expecting more than about 40 points next year. He could go crazy and blow that away but I won't be too worried about it if he has a similar season next year as long as he progresses with his consistency of effort and play away from the puck.

On the postgame after Gm 6 I heard Bruce Levine emphatically state that Nichushkin will be a beast next year (or some similar wording). This kind of thinking is what could lead to fans holding him to an unfair standard. Expecting too much too soon has been at the foundation for many a bust.

I'm expecting 45 points out of him. Less than 30 I'll be disappointed, more that 55 I'll be thrilled.

 

[ginblossoms]

is ekblad that good? i'm thinking about larsson, gudbranson, the johnsons, hedman (great now but took too long), hickey, etc. there seems to be a higher risk with drafting defensemen at the top of the draft, a risk that i wouldn't trade nichushkin for.

 

[Kalamazoo Wings]

I expect him to cozy in around 50 points give er take. He was merely introduced to the NHL and was running on empty at times given the amount of hockey he played. Give him a summer to work out a few bugs, get healthy and stronger and he will endure 82 with hopefully something to spare for the post season.

My appologies... 83 if you count what they do on all-star weekend as a game. ))))))

 

[Hull Fan]

Yeah count me in the 40-50 point range for him. I don't expect gang busters but I also think next season he'll be a little more consistent and not go 8+ game stretches without a point. I also doubt he gets pushed down to the 4th line much next year. Assuming we get a 2C at worst he'll play with him rather than Horcoff and whomever else rides shotgun. Hell if the power play is league average he'll pick up points on the 2nd unit. He didn't do a lot of that this year.

 

[Ambassador Of Fun]

is ekblad that good? i'm thinking about larsson, gudbranson, the johnsons, hedman (great now but took too long), hickey, etc. there seems to be a higher risk with drafting defensemen at the top of the draft, a risk that i wouldn't trade nichushkin for.

I'd trade Nichushkin for all those except Hickey, who is the absolute outlier from thsoe who you listed, and probably Jack Johnson.

 

[Brand New Stars]

Really? I'd only trade him for Hedman out of those.

 

[Hull Fan]

Really? I'd only trade him for Hedman out of those.

I'm with you. Nichushkin only goes if a bonafide #1 comes back and none of those guys outside Hedman are that right now.

I'd lay odds that any of Larsson, Pysyk, Despres, Gormley could be solid #2/3 with way lower trade price to acquire. The Johnsons and Gudbranson aren't that special and certainly not worth Nuke.

 

[Ambassador Of Fun]

None of TB, FLA, COL would do Nuke for Hedman, Gudbranson, EJ IMO. NJ might do Nuke for Larsson. I'd personally do all of those. I may be wrong, but that's what I think. Hell I wanted to trade Morrow and Ott back in 2002-2004ish, what do I know.

 

[Dundalis]

None of TB, FLA, COL would do Nuke for Hedman, Gudbranson, EJ IMO. NJ might do Nuke for Larsson. I'd personally do all of those. I may be wrong, but that's what I think. Hell I wanted to trade Morrow and Ott back in 2002-2004ish, what do I know.

So what's your upside expectation for Nichushkin then? It mustn't be particularly high.

 

[Klockis]

None of TB, FLA, COL would do Nuke for Hedman, Gudbranson, EJ IMO. NJ might do Nuke for Larsson. I'd personally do all of those. I may be wrong, but that's what I think. Hell I wanted to trade Morrow and Ott back in 2002-2004ish, what do I know.

Gudbranson is not that good.

 

[Cin]

Everyone I heard compared his style to Malkin, not his ceiling.

You know what, I went back and checked. This is correct.

 

[aloonda*]

is he comparable to jagr at similar age?

 

[Satan]

is he comparable to jagr at similar age?

No chance.

 

[cmwang]

One thing to note: only 3 of his 34 points came on the PP. If he plays on the second unit all next year that's probably an additional 5-10 points without even improving his play.