Anze Kopitar

[Tap on the Ankle]

This prospect intrigues me... he is (as far as I know) the only highly touted player to ever come out of Slovenia. But this is all I've really heard about him, that he's apparently a very talented player from Slovenia. I've seen him rated as high as #2 overall in his draft class, which is pretty impressive considering how deep this draft is going to be.

What are his best assets? He's a fairly big dude, but is he a physical player at all? What do you think his offensive potential is?

Is he a boom or bust type, or considered a fairly safe pick to make the NHL?

Also, how is his name pronounced? I say it like "Ahn-ze Koh-pee-tar", but I'm thinking it could be like "Koh-pee-tash" instead, like Neckar and Pilar. I'm usually wrong with these sort of things though, heh.

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[Chaos Giraffe]

Also, how is his name pronounced? I say it like "Ahn-ze Koh-pee-tar", but I'm thinking it could be like "Koh-pee-tash" instead, like Neckar and Pilar. I'm usually wrong with these sort of things though, heh.

I think it's pronounced like that as well, or something very similar.

I hate the pronounciations where -ar is like "ash". Robin Kovar (used to be playing in the CHL.........now he's as good as gone) was like "Robin Kov-ash"

 

[TORRUS]

Yeah, it is pronounced something like that. And that 'z' is 'ž' and you pronounce that like with the name Jacques. And the accent is on the 'e'.

It is funny cause ''kopito'' means hoof and that makes his last name very funny!

 

[Ross_SLO]

Also, how is his name pronounced? I say it like "Ahn-ze Koh-pee-tar",

The real pronounciation in "northamerican" is Anzhe (like Alexei Zhitnik) Kopeetar,leave the H in his last name.



"Koh-pee-tash",where did you guys learn to pronounce some european names?

 

[warsawyak]

Giv'em a break, Ross.

Even here, in Poland, people have difficulties with differing a Slovakian and a Slovenian one from another. Let alone over the pond...

 

[TORRUS]

Ross, where do you live? I'm from Zagreb.

 

[mattihp]

I am looking forward to Anze Kopitar and Marcel Rodman pair up in the world champs.

 

[Ross_SLO]

Ross, where do you live? I'm from Zagreb.

Novo Mesto.


@mattihp
Me to.

 

[freakazoid]

The correct prononciation is Anzhe Kopeetar, and for the type of player he is, he has great vision and is very smart with the puck (his dad is a hockey coach in Slovenia and trained him up until he reached the SEL), he has amazing hands, compared to Jagr's, but he's not the fastest guy around, but it doesn't matter because speed is not his type of game. He is considered more of a risk than the other top 5 candidates because he is from Slovenia, not so much known to produce NHL talent, but he reached the SEL at the age of 16, which says something about his talent. If it wasn't for NHLers stacking the roster, he would have played a full season in the SEL at age 17, but he still played some games but mostly in SEL Jr. where he dominated. He might be somewhat of a risk, but in terms of potential he is second to Crosby only, and from what I know he will wind up being 6'2-6'3 200-210 pounds so he has size. Could be a Heatley type of player when all is said and done. I don't know why some mention him as an NHL ready prospect from this draft, but he is raw and I think he won't be in the NHL for a year or two. Once the NHL resumes, a year in SEL would do him good.

 

[mattihp]

@mattihp
Me to.

What's up with Rodman really? He puts up sucky numbers in Germany, but looked like a smarter version of Semin in that one world champs a year or so back...

 

[Ross_SLO]

Injuries are back.He has big problem whit eyes.
Last season he played at his hometown team,we won the champ. and International league with no loses.He wonts to go abroad for the season 2005/2006,his brother David too.

 

[Kronblom]

Injuries are back.He has big problem whit eyes.
Last season he played at his hometown team,we won the champ. and International league with no loses.He wonts to go abroad for the season 2005/2006,his brother David too.

Rodman may play for the swedish team Malmö Redhawks (Tier II) next season. He has been given a tryout contract as their new coach Lars Bergström saw him play in Austria when he coached there.

http://www.mifredhawks.com/engines/page___439.aspx

 

[mattihp]

Rodman may play for the swedish team Malmö Redhawks (Tier II) next season. He has been given a tryout contract as their new coach Lars Bergström saw him play in Austria when he coached there.

http://www.mifredhawks.com/engines/page___439.aspx

He'd be Malmö's saviour if healthy. This kid can do ANYTHING.

I've seen him stop shots at the goalline, skate coast to coast all by himself and score highlight real goals in traffic.

Also can lay out some monster hits. When on his game, he has not a single weakness.

 

[Ross_SLO]

Wow.Exellent news for Marcel.Thanks for the info.


Here in Slovenia no one talks about hockey during the summer.

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

This is cool... it'd be amazing if you guys started speaking Slovenian and then posting threads like that.

 

[borro]

I remember someone said style-wise he was like Jason Allison. A fair comparison for those who have seen him alot?

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

His coach described him as a Sundin/Modano cross... the only problem there is that he lacks much of a two way game, but he's strong, a skilled playmaker and his scoring technique is scarily reminiscent of Sundin's, especially with that switch over drag thing on a breakaway.

 

[The Old Master]

how is his skateing?

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

Above average. It's normal in the neutral and defensive zone, but he explodes on a rush. I think someone called Pouliot an effortless player... same with Kopitar but even moreso; his positioning is 2nd only to Crosby's. I see him as a more complete (but by no means NHL ready) Lauri Tukonen.

 

[Puckhead]

The correct prononciation is Anzhe Kopeetar, and for the type of player he is, he has great vision and is very smart with the puck (his dad is a hockey coach in Slovenia and trained him up until he reached the SEL), he has amazing hands, compared to Jagr's, but he's not the fastest guy around, but it doesn't matter because speed is not his type of game. He is considered more of a risk than the other top 5 candidates because he is from Slovenia, not so much known to produce NHL talent, but he reached the SEL at the age of 16, which says something about his talent. If it wasn't for NHLers stacking the roster, he would have played a full season in the SEL at age 17, but he still played some games but mostly in SEL Jr. where he dominated. He might be somewhat of a risk, but in terms of potential he is second to Crosby only, and from what I know he will wind up being 6'2-6'3 200-210 pounds so he has size. Could be a Heatley type of player when all is said and done. I don't know why some mention him as an NHL ready prospect from this draft, but he is raw and I think he won't be in the NHL for a year or two. Once the NHL resumes, a year in SEL would do him good.

If he is raw a year or two to make the NHL is pretty damn good. Usually guys who are raw stay in Europe, then come over and play in the AHL, then maybe show enough to make the leap in year 3 or 4. He must be good if he could come over and play in the bigs in the next 2 years.

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

Well, 2 years as opposed to a Zherdev or Ovechkin, both of whom were ready right when they were drafted, even a year before in Ovechkin's case.