Prospect Info: 125th Overall - D Nikolas Koberstein

[Pompeius Magnus]

What did you think of Koberstein?

He made a small post about it in the Koberstein tread. Kid is still a work in progress apparently, very much a long term project.

 

[montreal]

What did you think of Koberstein?

I felt bad for him, he plays for one of the worst teams in the WCHA which is the 2nd weakest conference in Div I, for a coach that has a terrible record. The good news is that he should get a lot of playing time over the next 3 1/2 years, and be used to lots of travel. Liked his heavy shot and he should add some mass/strength to an already solid frame so that should help him. He's got a long ways to go but that's based off just 2 viewings.

 

[montreal]

Koberstein's team's future in doubt,

http://www.uscho.com/2016/08/18/ver...alaska-alaska-anchorage-programs-in-question/

 

[Shutdown]

Koberstein's team's future in doubt,

http://www.uscho.com/2016/08/18/ver...alaska-alaska-anchorage-programs-in-question/

Terrible news for those schools. Hopefully they'll implement exemptions to let the athletes transfer without having to redshirt for a season, losing a year of development.

 

[montreal]

I have followed the story a little before this, from what I have heard, it's due to the state of Alaska's money woes due to the drop in oil these past 2 years. But from what i have gathered, things are ok for this season. Koberstein's team just hired a new assistant coach, he was a head coach in Div III,

http://www.uscho.com/2016/08/16/marians-largen-joins-alma-mater-alaska-as-assistant-coach/

this sheds more light,

http://www.ktva.com/university-weighs-3-options-for-athletic-budgets-preps-for-deep-cuts-349/

looks like after this season, changes are coming for Koberstein's team. Sounds like he might want to transfer, going to be interesting to see how this plays out. Looks like a decision will be made in November as to what they will do with the 2 hockey teams.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

I hope the NCAA will void the one year no compete transfer rule, since it's a special case and there's nothing the players can do about it. Losing a full season would really hurt his development big time and probably force us to rush him to the next level before he's ready.

 

[montreal]

I hope the NCAA will void the one year no compete transfer rule, since it's a special case and there's nothing the players can do about it. Losing a full season would really hurt his development big time and probably force us to rush him to the next level before he's ready.

For something like this I would think they would but then again the NCAA does some really stupid things at times.

 

[Hoople]

I have followed the story a little before this, from what I have heard, it's due to the state of Alaska's money woes due to the drop in oil these past 2 years. But from what i have gathered, things are ok for this season. Koberstein's team just hired a new assistant coach, he was a head coach in Div III,

http://www.uscho.com/2016/08/16/marians-largen-joins-alma-mater-alaska-as-assistant-coach/

this sheds more light,

http://www.ktva.com/university-weighs-3-options-for-athletic-budgets-preps-for-deep-cuts-349/

looks like after this season, changes are coming for Koberstein's team. Sounds like he might want to transfer, going to be interesting to see how this plays out. Looks like a decision will be made in November as to what they will do with the 2 hockey teams.

Koberstein and the other athletes should be fine regarding transfers to another NCAA D1 team. I think the only issue would be finding a team to play on. Again, probably not a big deal for someone like Koberstein.

From the NCAA......

Discontinued/Non-sponsored Sport Exception

A student-athlete may transfer and play immediately if his or her previous school meets one of the following criteria:

The institution has dropped or has publicly announced it will drop the student-athlete’s sport;
The institution has reclassified or has announced it will reclassify from Division I or II to Division III and the student-athlete does not play after the school moves to Division III;

 

[Mike Mike Caron]

Is it too late to offer him a professional contract so he can play echl/AHL?

 

[Gyfu]

Is it too late to offer him a professional contract so he can play echl/AHL?

I don't think so... as an ncaa player he can sign a contract wherever he wants to but it would conflict with his ncaa elegibility though... he could play in the whl or even in europe if he wants to but it would cancel his "amateur" status which would prevent him from playing in college... idk if he got drafted by any whl team... at this point, i'd like him in the chl (my opinion)... but if he really wants to graduate and play in the ncaa, i just hope his situation with alaska-fairbanks would prevent him from being "red-shirted" and sit out a whole season if he has to change schools...

 

[Shutdown]

Is it too late to offer him a professional contract so he can play echl/AHL?

I don't believe he'd be ready. It took him half a season to adjust to the USHL. He should be coming into his own in the NCAA this upcoming season. The ECHL is a big step up, it's pro hockey, no matter how far it might seem from the NHL, talent wise.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

We'll have to have that discussion again next year, at the moment he's just not ready to turn pro after just one season as a semi-regular in Fairbanks. I wouldn't even consider it before his junior year and it looks like transferring schools won't be such an issue so the safe bet is that the team will take the patient route with him.

I don't think so... as an ncaa player he can sign a contract wherever he wants to but it would conflict with his ncaa elegibility though... he could play in the whl or even in europe if he wants to but it would cancel his "amateur" status which would prevent him from playing in college... idk if he got drafted by any whl team... at this point, i'd like him in the chl (my opinion)... but if he really wants to graduate and play in the ncaa, i just hope his situation with alaska-fairbanks would prevent him from being "red-shirted" and sit out a whole season if he has to change schools...

The Regina Pats hold his CHL rights but you rarely see a 20 year old make a late jump to the WHL like that. He's too far down the college route now.

 

[montreal]

Is it too late to offer him a professional contract so he can play echl/AHL?

no but they likely wouldn't do that since the changes aren't for this season but the following so no point in pulling him out of the NCAA now.

 

[Gyfu]

We'll have to have that discussion again next year, at the moment he's just not ready to turn pro after just one season as a semi-regular in Fairbanks. I wouldn't even consider it before his junior year and it looks like transferring schools won't be such an issue so the safe bet is that the team will take the patient route with him.



The Regina Pats hold his CHL rights but you rarely see a 20 year old make a late jump to the WHL like that. He's too far down the college route now.

Thanks for the update... and i did think it was far fetched to have him in the chl... just saying, he could play somewhere else if anything bad happens with his school... didn't know the pats held his rights...

 

[Treb]

I know next to nothing about Koberstein but I marvel at how he rates such a lengthy thread. Is this clutching at straws because the fans are apprehensive or is it giddiness?

If you read the thread, those subjects were discussed:

- His name
- The fact no one knows him
- He's big
- AJHL is a bad league
- Where he goes for NCAA
- Lack of production

It's mostly 7 pages of nothing in 2 years with tidbits of info, so I don't think it's a lenghty thread.

As for Koberstein, he's a low upside prospect with high bust risk as of now.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Well, it IS a future/prospects site at its core you know . Talking about the lesser known guys with draft crazy people is the whole point of coming here . Or at least it should be .

 

[montreal]

Didn't see the game but must have been a tough night for Koberstein vs Minnesota as he ended up a -6 on the night, ouch. Still waiting to hear about the future of the hockey program at his school after this season.

 

[Rockomax]

Didn't see the game but must have been a tough night for Koberstein vs Minnesota as he ended up a -6 on the night, ouch. Still waiting to hear about the future of the hockey program at his school after this season.

Hey guys, just wanted to know if anyone had any info on this guy? He seems to be having a terrible season. I mean, 6 points and a whopping -17 rating in 31 games? It seems that since his draft, his offensive game has never improved or maybe even regressed. I get that some defensemen don't put up many points, but this is bad. Anyway, do you see him trying to have a pro career or just quit high level hockey altogether and pursue a different career?

 

[montreal]

Hey guys, just wanted to know if anyone had any info on this guy? He seems to be having a terrible season. I mean, 6 points and a whopping -17 rating in 31 games? It seems that since his draft, his offensive game has never improved or maybe even regressed. I get that some defensemen don't put up many points, but this is bad. Anyway, do you see him trying to have a pro career or just quit high level hockey altogether and pursue a different career?

I didn't see any games this year so I can't say, he did have career highs across the board except plus minus. Haven't heard anything on the future of the program as both Alaska and AAU have had rumors of closing down their hockey teams.

 

[Belial]

Definitely looks like another bad pick.

 

[Whitesnake]

Definitely looks like another bad pick.

Another one of his ''hidden gems'' that will stay into hiding mode.

Type of guy there's just no need to talk about and just wait till his final NCAA year to see if there was some kind of improvement to see if he'd be at least helpful for the Rocket.

 

[MasterDecoy]

Fire someone

 

[Belial]

Another one of his ''hidden gems'' that will stay into hiding mode.

Type of guy there's just no need to talk about and just wait till his final NCAA year to see if there was some kind of improvement to see if he'd be at least helpful for the Rocket.

I never understood the defensive defensemen picks...

Koberstein, Didier, Tinordi, Sullivan...

Da ****? From the get go you hope they develop into bottom pairing guys? Or they will magically start producing?

 

[LaP]

Fire someone

Definitely.

 

[LaP]

I never understood the defensive defensemen picks...

Koberstein, Didier, Tinordi, Sullivan...

Da ****? From the get go you hope they develop into bottom pairing guys? Or they will magically start producing?

I kind of agree with that. Guys like Chara (bad offensively in both junior, AHL and NHL debut) happens once in a blue moon. But i kind of disagree at the same time.

You should never aim at bottom 6 when you draft in the top 3 rounds. Bottom 6 guys can come from anywhere. UFA. Late round picks. Undrafted kids. Etc ... being a good bottom 6 player is more a matter of karakter than skills. It's not that hard to get for a good gm. In the top 3 rounds you should aim for skills and only skills. If the skilled guy you take develop into a bottom 6 guy so be it not the end of the world.

But at the same time if you aim for pure skills only you'll end up with a bunch of 5'6 players cause let's not foul ourselves past the first ~45 picks the more skilled guys are more often than not under 5'10. If you aim for pure skills only you might miss guys like Mark Stone who was quite an average offensive player when he was drafted.

I don't think it's really a black and white call. I still think Tinordi was worth the try personally. It did not pan out but it could have been an homerun for many years to come.