Prospect Info: 2020 2nd Rd Selection - #59 OA (via OTT) - C Roni Hirvonen (Assat) - 5'9 164

[htpwn]

I haven't had the time to follow the draft this year, but...

This kid cracked a FEL roster at 17... and not a developed manly 17, where sometimes you wonder if a prospect has already reached their ceiling, but at 5'9" and 160lbs.

That is impressive and also suggests that whatever challenges his height is going to pose in the NHL, it probably won't be much greater than what he's already going up against.

 

[AllDay28]

Toronto Maple Smurfs is our new official Logo

Here is our team photo:

View attachment 370946

Why is everyone saying wow we got this guy, on most draft boards this guy went exactly where he was suppose to. We are gonna be the easiest team to play against in a few years. If I am AM I start packing my bags.

byeeeee

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

At the time we had no JT and both Velano and Wilde had an outstanding D+1. Read my response to another genius who posted that. Anything out of context will make someone look bad. Let me know how it goes when we lose again in the first round And the same questions are being asked as we have wasted another season, if we make it that is!

great, you figured out how dumb it is to draft for positional need. The Leafs could sign a RHD a couple of days from now in free agency

 

[stickty111]

 

[JT AM da real deal]

I know this tweet will be ignored, but please stop looking at a scale.

Nick is poster buy himself for this saying. First and only kid i have ever seen who was 5ft+ at 6 years old and firing shots from red line over cross bar at PC arena. Most other kids could barely raise puck off ice. And then complete reversal by junior days. Ata boy Nick.

 

[Funk21]

great, you figured out how dumb it is to draft for positional need. The Leafs could sign a RHD a couple of days from now in free agency

with what Capspace? While signing JT was a coup has it helped or hurt our development and do we have a ton of cap space to sign Pietrangelo or anybody who could really transform our D. Lastly We’re do we get the other players to fill out our roster?

DeMelo resigned with Jets, no cap space for anybody of significance without losing or trading AJ or Kerfoot. Then they need to be replaced. Not saying it can’t be done but it’s going to be difficult.

I am just tired of drafting same players over and over again. Small, skill players. Any team who made damage in the playoffs with the exception of Pens did it with skill, size and toughness to play against, We have none of the later two in all but a few. Hyman and Muzzin Are about all I can think of.

 

[heatersthebest]

I feel like there is a general player profile that Dubas finds ideal. Can anyone confirm?

Edges and IQ

 

[Paradoc]

I have no problem with selecting small skilled forwards.

You can always surround them with bigger forwards latter on through free agency and trades.

 

[indigobuffalo]

Fantastic pick.

Sounded like he was describing Hyman for most of that. Great speed, undersized but will outcompete, knows where to be positioned on the ice and will go like a bulldog to the HDZs and fight for chances.

Definitely some hurdles to surmount to see him in the NHL but I like the pick.

 

[kb]

There are chatbots who can put more complicated posts together

Hahaha....

 

[thewave]

Not overly impressed by all this.

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

I like dubas' picks and I am not coming from a place of ignorance, but has there been an elite two way player under 6'0? Roni is described as a two-way player so I was just wondering.

Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Crosby

 

[supermann_98]

Two Euros that are sub 200lbs. Somewhere, Don Cherry is having an aneurism.

Cherry is a blowhard but he’s right you need some toughness to win in the playoffs. I DO give credit to Dubas in that if you bet on skill and it works out with a young skill guy, you can always use a young skill guy as an asset to trade for less skilled toughness and heart

 

[Racer88]

Sigh.........that's all I got

 

[stickty111]

Traded down and still got a good player. Again at 44, would have been good, but getting him 15 spots later and getting Niemela also is nice work.
Diverse offensive skillset with a developing shot which needs some strength. Smart player who isn't afraid of the tough areas. Puts in the effort defensively which is big.
Has a decent chance to play C too.

 

[Dr Quincy]

He played center against his peers internationally, and started playing center at the end of the Liiga season.

He may end up as a winger, but he has a lot of what you want out of a center except for size. If he was 6'0" or 6'1", there would be no questions about his ability to be a center.

He's been playing C this year in Liiga as well.

 

[Maple Leaf]

leafs are the new habs

 

[Antropovsky]

leafs are the new habs

The small habs used to give boston fits...

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

Only U-18 players to outscore him in Liiga the last 5 seasons:

Kakko - 2nd overall
Kotkaniemi -3rd overall
Lundell - 12th overall
Kokkonen - 84th overall (ours)

That's the list. Steal at this pick hopefully.

 

[Shanwhatplan]

I have no problem with selecting small skilled forwards.

You can always surround them with bigger forwards latter on through free agency and trades.

It may be easy to do if you’ve left some cap room to do it with. Without the cap room, it’s much harder to do. Also, having players at a reasonable cost that other teams would want, is also necessary. We will see in the next week or so if it can be done.

 

[Rielly Good]

with what Capspace? While signing JT was a coup has it helped or hurt our development and do we have a ton of cap space to sign Pietrangelo or anybody who could really transform our D. Lastly We’re do we get the other players to fill out our roster?

DeMelo resigned with Jets, no cap space for anybody of significance without losing or trading AJ or Kerfoot. Then they need to be replaced. Not saying it can’t be done but it’s going to be difficult.

I am just tired of drafting same players over and over again. Small, skill players. Any team who made damage in the playoffs with the exception of Pens did it with skill, size and toughness to play against, We have none of the later two in all but a few. Hyman and Muzzin Are about all I can think of.

Point and Kucherov sure are 6'4" 225 beasts. we should draft like them.

Theyre putting emphasis on skill/ compete and Hockey IQ. Hard working players arent only 6 feet and above. Im guessing you would love to have Point, Kucherov, Gallagher, Marchand, Giroux etc.

 

[Merrrlin]

Stop drinking the Koolaid, Sens killing this draft and only a single player below 6”1. We are going to get destroyed by big teams and we will leaned on by them even if we are lucky to make the playoffs.

*Gestures broadly at Lou/Hunters drafts filled with players who never came close to NHL ice*

 

[Rielly Good]

*Gestures broadly at Lou/Hunters drafts filled with players who never came close to NHL ice*

lol
Id bet Detroit is happy they drafted Dominic Turgeon 63rd because hes 6'2" 200 lbs over Braydon Point at 5'10" under 170lbs

size is defintely important. but skill, work ethic, and hockey IQ are way more important.

 

[kk87]

Only U-18 players to outscore him in Liiga the last 5 seasons:

Kakko - 2nd overall
Kotkaniemi -3rd overall
Lundell - 12th overall
Kokkonen - 84th overall (ours)

That's the list. Steal at this pick hopefully.

Puljujarvi/Laine? Or are you putting the cutoff a year later?

 

[Funk21]

Point and Kucherov sure are 6'4" 225 beasts. we should draft like them.

Theyre putting emphasis on skill/ compete and Hockey IQ. Hard working players arent only 6 feet and above. Im guessing you would love to have Point, Kucherov, Gallagher, Marchand, Giroux etc.

plus you are pointing out the most elite players in the game to make your point. That seem reasonable..,,


How big is Hedman, Cernak, Sergachev, Killorn, Maroon?


Yea we need skill but we also need some size and toughness.