Minister of Offence
Registered User
Let's wait to see how Englund will do when he comes to NA if he ever does come over, my guess is he is a few yrs away still. The AHL will be a step up from the WJC & IMO a step higher than the SEL & the NHL is another step higher still. Let's not forget that Cowen was also considered to be a top 4 defenceman & at times has looked okay but in the NHL they have to play at the highest pace on every shift in every game & only the best seem to be able to do it consistently.
The thing about Cowen is his puck handling never got even close to NHL calibre. A lot of people call it hockey sense with him, and it may well be, but I know I'd make a lot of stupid decisions with the puck if I never actually handled it properly under pressure.
England appears to skate well, has good size and handles the puck well. If anything can be concluded, it's that he's obviously a legitimate prospect. And probably had every right to go where he did in the draft.