Battle of the 2nd Round Cedars

[Crunchy]

In 4 of the past 5 drafts, Detroit has selected large defenseman with a variety of skill sets in the early 2nd round. Who's your favorite to have the best NHL career and why?

Click to read more...

 

[Crunchy]

I lean Buium and Gibson due to solid skating and functional strength, but Wallinder's excellent skating gives him a high ceiling and Tuomisto with his passing and IQ seems to have had a solid season in GR. Cleveland will be a fascinating one, but could turn himself into a fan favorite who is elite in his role.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Albert Johansson

(Probably Wallinder. His skating should allow him to at least be Kindl-esque)

 

[Henkka]

That Wallinder skating is incredible. Best of our big guys. Also enough skill to become an NHLr for sure.

 

[Realgud]

How is Albert not an option?

 

[lilidk]

Without AJo I voted for Cleveland, because I don't really like any of them

 

[Henkka]

How is Albert not an option?

Not a 2nd round prospect.. ?

 

[Christien]

How is Albert not an option?

Think OP has them grouped by size. AlJo is only like 6 feet tall

 

[RRhoads]

Tuomisto showed some real progress this year, I think. I had written him off, but he seems to have turned it on. I think Wallinder is the best of that group though.

 

[Henkka]

Tuomisto showed some real progress this year, I think. I had written him off, but he seems to have turned it on. I think Wallinder is the best of that group though.

That's nice to hear. We are really short of RhDs in near future, so one extra guy panning out well wouldn't hurt. Tuomisto could replace Holl at some point, if Yzerman is able to trade him.


LD - RD
Edvinsson - Seider
-------------------
Wallinder - Tuomisto
Johansson - Pellikka
Buium - Gibson
Viro - Anton Johansson
Cleveland - Phelan
Keenan

 

[RRhoads]

That's nice to hear. We are really short of RhDs in near future, so one extra guy panning out well wouldn't hurt. Tuomisto could replace Holl at some point, if Yzerman is able to trade him.


LD - RD
Edvinsson - Seider
-------------------
Wallinder - Tuomisto
Johansson - Pellikka
Buium - Gibson
Viro - Anton Johansson
Cleveland - Phelan
Keenan

That is nice list of defensive prospects on both sides behind Seider and Edvinsson. I really like that right side.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Wallinder seems like a really underrated prospect at the moment.

 

[schuelma24]

Wallinder seems like a really underrated prospect at the moment.

I haven't really noticed him much in GR this year which ... kind of good kind of bad? In his defense he's been mostly playing 3rd pair minutes. Hopefully next year he plays more..

 

[Pavels Dog]

I haven't really noticed him much in GR this year which ... kind of good kind of bad? In his defense he's been mostly playing 3rd pair minutes. Hopefully next year he plays more..

It's a good thing. As long as his defensive game gets to a good enough level he's an NHLer through and through.

 

[19 for president]

Wally I think has the most potential, but has a very high bomb out rate. GR next season will be a big tell. He may end up as another tools but no tool bag player at the NHL level. He needs to continue to develop his defensive game to have a shot. Its a positive that we weren't hearing a ton about him in GR this year.

Tuo seems like he is developing in a solid bottom pairing guy. He's one of those guys that kind of just hangs around and everyone forgets about them and then suddenly they are on that bottom pair.

Buium sounds like he has some skating questions but is otherwise well rounded. XO has me leary of guys like that because he would have been such a solid NHLer if he even had half a step more speed.

Cleveland hasn't shown enough for me to think he's an NHLer at some point. If he is we are probably looking at a Tuo timeline so quite a few years down the line still.

Gibson I haven't read or heard much about.

With that said I don't really see any of those guys with the Wings long term unless they deal Aljo.

I think we are looking at a future of:

Seider-Aljo
Ed- ASP

I don't see the Wings haven't more than 4 drafted dmen of the current group at one time. Maybe a guy like Tuo or Buium pops in for a year if ASP isn't ready after next season.

 

[Crunchy]

How is Albert not an option?

Albert is notably not large and does not fit within the trend of early 2nd rounder / large D, hence my disclusion.

I haven't really noticed him much in GR this year which ... kind of good kind of bad? In his defense he's been mostly playing 3rd pair minutes. Hopefully next year he plays more..

I watched 2 periods of GR the other day and I thought Wallinder looked good overall with his skating and D play. He's got a long stick and was disruptive. I think I'm concerned about his board play and physicality, he needs to get bigger. Very raw and young D prospect when we drafted him.

 

[sepster]

Wallinder not being referred to as Willy-Wally on this board already marks him a failure. A failure on our part, but a failure none-the-less.

 

[Realgud]

Not a 2nd round prospect.. ?

He is a 2nd round pick, but not big enough.

 

[Crunchy]

Without AJo I voted for Cleveland, because I don't really like any of them

Would be a colossal waste of early 2nds if we don't get anything out of these guys. I am thinking there are 3-4 of these guys that will be solid contributors at the NHL level, even if it's in a bottom pair role. And I think with that level of capital, you need at least one 2nd pair D out of them.

I think we are looking for a Brady Skjei or Pesce type of outcome with Buium and Gibson. Both guys can skate and can defend in their own zone, they won't wow with offensive skill, but they will be hard to play against and help drive possession. That type is maybe a draft inefficiency they seem to be targeting.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

I have no earthly idea so I picked Shai Buium because that's a fun name and I wanted to see the voting results.

 

[HoweFan]

I voted Wally but now regret not voting for Cleveland.

 

[RED WINGS STOMP]

We could really use a hit from this group, and if we got two somehow, we should have top notch blue line.

 

[lilidk]

I haven't really noticed him much in GR this year which ... kind of good kind of bad? In his defense he's been mostly playing 3rd pair minutes. Hopefully next year he plays more..

Let's hope it's just NA adjustment period

 

[LongTimeDRWF]

Voted for Gibson, at least I have seen some of his game, potential for all around good, the kind of player you need at 4-5 D, flexible enough to plug a hole for short periods of time, but I don't get the GR games, but don't discount Tuo and Buium, of them all Cleveland could still be a future wrecking ball stay at home old time net clearing force of nature that they will need for the cup runs in 4-5 years time.

 

[heyfolks]

I voted Wally but now regret not voting for Cleveland.

As you should. LOL!