Prospect Info: With the #81 pick, the Wild select RW Kurtis Gabriel

[rynryn]

Impact players no. Good players though can still be found. This pick is baffling due to being an overage player, having Bussieres and Bulmer in the system, and who was on the boards.

it's a backup plan for the Buss. Bulmer grouping of feisty workers. a guy picked like this has a better chance of reaching his "potential" than someone you think might end up a top six forward or top four d.

i don't give a **** one way or the other about the pick vs. someone we could have got--i find it incredible this is something to complain about.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Agreed it was off the board pick but do not see anyone I would call a "must have" prospect that we passed up on

Bjorkstrand, Slepyshev (might have been a better overager), Thompson, Williams, Fasching, Fitzgerald,

how is it perplexing? this team is ****ing soft. he's not a pure goon...he's agitatory. he has work ethic. we all know how the team feels about that.

We got Bulmer and Bussieres. Dumba as well. Not to mention Veilleux, Rupp, and Konopka. Nieder and Heater aren't pansies either and Setoguchi can hit.

 

[Jarick]

Who cares how tough your fourth line is?

 

[J22*]

Milan Lucic was a throw away pick on a goon at one time. Some of you guys need to trust in a few certain facts.

1. You dont know **** about propsects. Everything that you think you know was gained by reading the opinion of somebody else.

2. Fletcher and Flahr are good at their jobs

 

[rynryn]

Bjorkstrand, Slepyshev (might have been a better overager), Thompson, Williams, Fasching, Fitzgerald,



We got Bulmer and Bussieres. Dumba as well. Not to mention Veilleux, Rupp, and Konopka. Nieder and Heater aren't pansies either and Setoguchi can hit.

everyone is assuming Seto is gone, Heater won't be here and whether there's a trade or no Seto likely won't after next year, neither will Konopka, and Veillieux won't see much time in the NHL, Rupp is here for how long?

 

[Jarick]

Lucic was 18 when he was drafted. This kid is an overager. Exponentionally less likely to pan out.

 

[rynryn]

Who cares how tough your fourth line is?

well when the top six is filled with guys that won't intimidate a watermelon and you want your team to be tough to play against you have to get a physical component from somewhere.

edit: i know tough to play against doesn't necessarily mean physically aggressive, but it is a component of every team that is currently tough to play against.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Milan Lucic was a throw away pick on a goon at one time. Some of you guys need to trust in a few certain facts.

Lucic wasn't 20. Also Lucic wasn't considered to be a goon. Neither is Gabriel but that still doesn't make this a perplexing pick.

everyone is assuming Seto is gone, Heater won't be here and whether there's a trade or no Seto likely won't after next year, neither will Konopka, and Veillieux won't see much time in the NHL, Rupp is here for how long?

Heater will be here for another year and I think Nieder could replace him. But for this year we have them. We'll find grit next year if need be. I have a lot of reservations about this kid.

 

[Circulartheory]

Bjorkstrand, Slepyshev (might have been a better overager), Thompson, Williams, Fasching, Fitzgerald,

Bjorkstrand was a player I was hoping we would not pick. Great speed and shot but struggles physically; can be neutralized if he is not moving a high speeds.

Personally, I was never impressed by Slepyshev through just online viewings of the WJC. Plus, being an overager + Russian is not a promising combo.

Thompson I might understand. He has the tools but still has some question marks of whether he can put it together. Started slipping down the rankings by the end of season with a mediocre U-18 performance.

Williams ... who?

Fasching, like Thompson, has tons of tools and looked great at flashes but also needs to figure a way to put them all together on a consistent basis.

Fitzgerald is a very smart offensive player but for a small guy, he isn't very strong nor is he very fast or agile. All of that could be a dangerous combo.


All of these prospects have some very good potential, but none of them are without their faults and none of them are players I consider "can't miss".

 

[Casper]

well when the top six is filled with guys that won't intimidate a watermelon and you want your team to be tough to play against you have to get a physical component from somewhere.

edit: i know tough to play against doesn't necessarily mean physically aggressive, but it is a component of every team that is currently tough to play against.

Our top six isn't crazy physical but Coyle, Seto, and Koivu can handle physical play just fine. Zucker and Parise are physical in their own ways.

 

[Jarick]

I'm sorry, I must have missed the memo where I'm supposed to be excited for every single draft pick by the Wild? Seriously, any time anyone questions a draft pick we get the "you aren't an NHL scout, here's the one exception to what you pointed out, etc etc" lines.

Do I need to bust out the pom poms for a 20 year old forward who had 4 points in his draft year and was passed over twice?

 

[thestonedkoala]

Bjorkstrand was a player I was hoping we would not pick. Great speed and shot but struggles physically; can be neutralized if he is not moving a high speeds.

He's the high risk, high reward type of guy. A little like Zucker.

Personally, I was never impressed by Slepyshev through just online viewings of the WJC. Plus, being an overager + Russian is not a promising combo.

No, but again high risk, high reward.

Thompson I might understand. He has the tools but still has some question marks of whether he can put it together. Started slipping down the rankings by the end of season with a mediocre U-18 performance.

True. But still, you go with a guy sliding. Like Lucia.

Williams ... who?

Good goaltender.

All of these prospects have some very good potential, but none of them are without their faults and none of them are players I consider "can't miss".

Neither is Gabriel. Personally, rather take a younger guy sliding down the boards, then reach for a prospect. In fact, we've done well with guys sliding like Lucia, Zucker, Hackett, and Haula.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Our top six isn't crazy physical but Coyle, Seto, and Koivu can handle physical play just fine. Zucker and Parise are physical in their own ways.

Add in El Nino and you got some size and talent.

 

[rynryn]

Lucic wasn't 20. Also Lucic wasn't considered to be a goon. Neither is Gabriel but that still doesn't make this a perplexing pick.



Heater will be here for another year and I think Nieder could replace him. But for this year we have them. We'll find grit next year if need be. I have a lot of reservations about this kid.

i'm absolutely okay with this and understand it--just can't bring myself to get worried about an 81st pick not making the NHL. i understand why they took a guy like this. my point was most of those guys will be gone before they consider icing this kid.

 

[Bookman]

I'm sorry, I must have missed the memo where I'm supposed to be excited for every single draft pick by the Wild? Seriously, any time anyone questions a draft pick we get the "you aren't an NHL scout, here's the one exception to what you pointed out, etc etc" lines.

Do I need to bust out the pom poms for a 20 year old forward who had 4 points in his draft year and was passed over twice?

Equivalent to the Kassian pick from the sound of it.

At least it was only a 3rd.

 

[Jarick]

I'll take a charmin soft guy who puts up 60+ points over the toughest mofo in the league who puts up 5. Results speak for themselves.

 

[rynryn]

I'm sorry, I must have missed the memo where I'm supposed to be excited for every single draft pick by the Wild? Seriously, any time anyone questions a draft pick we get the "you aren't an NHL scout, here's the one exception to what you pointed out, etc etc" lines.

Do I need to bust out the pom poms for a 20 year old forward who had 4 points in his draft year and was passed over twice?

no, but neither should anyone really be crying that it's the end of the world.

 

[Circulartheory]

Neither is Gabriel. Personally, rather take a younger guy sliding down the boards, then reach for a prospect. In fact, we've done well with guys sliding like Lucia, Zucker, Hackett, and Haula.

You are right, Gabriel is like the rest of the group in that he isn't a "cant miss prospect", like Bjorkstrand etc.

He is off the board but I would not call it "baffling".

 

[Jarick]

no, but neither should anyone really be crying that it's the end of the world.

What's your point? Why are you obligated to defend every single move the Wild make? When's the last time the organization did anything that you didn't agree with?

 

[Blizzard6411]

Bjorkstrand was a player I was hoping we would not pick. Great speed and shot but struggles physically; can be neutralized if he is not moving a high speeds.

Personally, I was never impressed by Slepyshev through just online viewings of the WJC. Plus, being an overager + Russian is not a promising combo.

Thompson I might understand. He has the tools but still has some question marks of whether he can put it together. Started slipping down the rankings by the end of season with a mediocre U-18 performance.

Williams ... who?

Fasching, like Thompson, has tons of tools and looked great at flashes but also needs to figure a way to put them all together on a consistent basis.

Fitzgerald is a very smart offensive player but for a small guy, he isn't very strong nor is he very fast or agile. All of that could be a dangerous combo.


All of these prospects have some very good potential, but none of them are without their faults and none of them are players I consider "can't miss".

And the times I have seen Bjorkstrand play what has been so impressive is he doesn't stop moving and is seemingly always open and can shoot on net from anywhere.

He should have been picked over this feel good story, jmo.

With that said the over reaction and who it comes from is way to predictable.

 

[J22*]

I'm sorry, I must have missed the memo where I'm supposed to be excited for every single draft pick by the Wild? Seriously, any time anyone questions a draft pick we get the "you aren't an NHL scout, here's the one exception to what you pointed out, etc etc" lines.

Do I need to bust out the pom poms for a 20 year old forward who had 4 points in his draft year and was passed over twice?

But you didnt miss the memo about complaining about a player that you know nothing about?

 

[Casper]

I'm sorry, I must have missed the memo where I'm supposed to be excited for every single draft pick by the Wild? Seriously, any time anyone questions a draft pick we get the "you aren't an NHL scout, here's the one exception to what you pointed out, etc etc" lines.

Do I need to bust out the pom poms for a 20 year old forward who had 4 points in his draft year and was passed over twice?

i dont see any post asking you to wave your pom poms. Folks are just discussing the pick. Just because they don't agree with your opinion doesn't mean they are insulting you...

 

[nickschultzfan]

That's what I'm thinking. He almost sounds like Bussieres except on the right side and older.

Wha? Huh? Say what?

 

[keppel146]

And the times I have seen Bjorkstrand play what has been so impressive is he doesn't stop moving and is seemingly always open and can shoot on net from anywhere.

He should have been picked over this feel good story, jmo.

With that said the over reaction and who it comes from is way to predictable.

I'd liked for us to have grabbed oliver too, but I guess they think bjorkstrand doesnt fit in our top 6

 

[Circulartheory]

And the times I have seen Bjorkstrand play what has been so impressive is he doesn't stop moving and is seemingly always open and can shoot on net from anywhere.

He should have been picked over this feel good story, jmo.

With that said the over reaction and who it comes from is way to predictable.

He is a great shooter and great skater and works hard but I have questions of whether he can survive the NHL game. He is easily neutralized offensively through simple physical play.

Gabriel is off the boards, but I think he can survive the NHL physically. He has the work ethic, he has the size, has decent skating, and plays a pro-style game.

Like thestonekoala said, those names were high risk/high reward. I personally not a fan of high risk/high reward picks.