Draft and UDFA Thread: Part IV

[Rangers in 7]

i still think if the rangers are picking in the 6-9 range and podkolzin is available hes the guy

 

[pblawr]

Antti Saarela
DOB: 6-27
Pre-Draft Liiga PPG: 0.43

Jesperi Kotkaniemi
DOB: 7-06
Pre-Draft Liiga PPG: 0.51

Sebastian Aho
DOB: 7-26
Pre-Draft Liiga PPG: 0.43

If Saarela profiles that similarly to Kotkaniemi and Aho shouldn't he be ranked much higher? It seems to me like he would be a pretty interesting target in the late first.

 

[Edge]

i still think if the rangers are picking in the 6-9 range and podkolzin is available hes the guy

Podkolzin is one of the guys for whom there might be a little gap on how he's viewed. A lot of lists have him higher, but I a lot of chit chat doesn't seem to have him quite that high. Whether that's actually a thing remains to be seen.

Speaking for myself, I started him at 4 on my list, he peaked at 3, and I currently have him at 7.

The skill and talent is there. The translation, not quite as much as I'd expected.

 

[Rangers in 7]

Podkolzin is one of the guys for whom there might be a little gap on how he's viewed. A lot of lists have him higher, but I a lot of chit chat doesn't seem to have him quite that high. Whether that's actually a thing remains to be seen.

Speaking for myself, I started him at 4 on my list, he peaked at 3, and I currently have him at 7.

The skill and talent is there. The translation, not quite as much as I'd expected.

hes an enigma, i read somewhere that he has spoken negatively about crossing over to play but i dont think that is as much of a worry as it used to be

his skill level is off the charts

 

[Edge]

hes an enigma, i read somewhere that he has spoken negatively about crossing over to play but i dont think that is as much of a worry as it used to be

his skill level is off the charts

I've pondered if the appeal/risk is more palatable for different teams. For example, it might be less of a big deal for L.A., NY or Chicago, than it would be for Edmonton, Buffalo or Vancouver.

 

[Ghost of jas]

I've pondered if the appeal/risk is more palatable for different teams. For example, it might be less of a big deal for L.A., NY or Chicago, than it would be for Edmonton, Buffalo or Vancouver.

I could see Chicago jumping at the chance to take Podkolzin.

 

[Rangers in 7]

I've pondered if the appeal/risk is more palatable for different teams. For example, it might be less of a big deal for L.A., NY or Chicago, than it would be for Edmonton, Buffalo or Vancouver.

oo absolutely, theres a difference in coming over to play in those markets and coming over to play in texas for instance

we have quite a few russians in the pipeline which would lead me to believe if hes available they wont pass on taking him

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

hes an enigma, i read somewhere that he has spoken negatively about crossing over to play but i dont think that is as much of a worry as it used to be

his skill level is off the charts

Not negatively, but that he is going to take a few years.

Most teams picking in the top 10 want a return on their investment within 2-3 years at most. If the player isn't willing to come over before that, they're going to fall.

 

[Rangers in 7]

Not negatively, but that he is going to take a few years.

Most teams picking in the top 10 want a return on their investment within 2-3 years at most. If the player isn't willing to come over before that, they're going to fall.

right into our laps

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

right into our laps

With one of our later 1sts maybe.

I think its very, very possible that he slides into the teens.

 

[Rangers in 7]

With one of our later 1sts maybe.

I think its very, very possible that he slides into the teens.

i dont see that happening...the talent level is to great to pass on, especially with a big market team like chicago potentially picking right behind us

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

i dont see that happening...the talent level is to great to pass on, especially with a big market team like chicago potentially picking right behind us

I don't think the market matters as much as proximity to playing.

These are teams who are looking for help soon or in Chicago's case, now.

He could be a guy who Colorado takes with that 2nd 1st though.

 

[Rangers in 7]

I don't think the market matters as much as proximity to playing.

These are teams who are looking for help soon or in Chicago's case, now.

He could be a guy who Colorado takes with that 2nd 1st though.

if they keep that 2nd first rounder absolutely, im hoping they are willing to move it

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

 

[Gardner McKay]

What is the consensus on Kaliyev? I see a lot of people have him in their top 10.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

What is the consensus on Kaliyev? I see a lot of people have him in their top 10.

I don’t know if there’s a consensus, some see him as a potentially elite goal scoring winger, and some (myself included) see more of a one dimensional winger and less optimistic about how that dimension will translate as he moves on from the CHL

 

[Edge]

What is the consensus on Kaliyev? I see a lot of people have him in their top 10.

I have him in the teens. He's intriguing, and if he can translate his game, he's a potentially dangerous offensive weapon.

But risk, reward and concern is not all that different than it is for guys like Wahlstrom and Tippett. If the goal scoring doesn't translate, he's not necessarily a kid you envision reinventing himself as something else.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

 

[True Blue]

What is the consensus on Kaliyev? I see a lot of people have him in their top 10.

My second "stay away" prospect, but not as much as Laovie. Kaliyev is a one trick pony and those scare me. His one trick, he is doing very well this year. If he slid to let's say 20, it's a good value pick. But I think that someone will jump on him before that. Like I said, he is doing his one trick very well right now.

 

[NYR Viper]

So what college UFA is left that may intrigue the Rangers? Hirose of course. Carpenter?

 

[Bluenote13]

So what college UFA is left that may intrigue the Rangers? Hirose of course. Carpenter?

I like Hirose. I'm not sure what to think about Carpenter, did not like the last few BU games I caught, then I think he got hurt in the last game against Maine.

 

[Savant]

What is the consensus on Kaliyev? I see a lot of people have him in their top 10.

Not a top 10 player in my opinion, but would take with Jets pick

 

[Trxjw]

What is the consensus on Kaliyev? I see a lot of people have him in their top 10.

He's a tough one. The shot is obviously tremendous and he has the full arsenal in his bag when it comes to putting the puck in the net. A lot of the negative press around him is his skating, but it's honestly not as bad as some make it out to be. His stride is awkward but he gets around pretty well when he wants to, and really that's the embodiment of Kaliyev to me. "When he wants to."

The biggest problem for me is by far and away his compete level, or lack there of. When it comes to putting himself in a position to score, he's easily top-5 in the draft, but when it comes to doing almost anything else on the ice, he's just an absolute black hole. Someone I spoke to described him as "Alex Semin with no motor." Naturally I mentioned that Alex Semin didn't have a motor and he responded with "yeah, it's that bad." I don't necessarily agree with that, but I haven't been at all impressed with his compete level. I do however think the skill comparison is pretty apt.

So that all being said, he's a guy I would gamble on in the mid-to-late teens. If you can put him with a good playmaking center, and a mucker with good wheels on the opposite wing (Looking at you, Chris Kreider), you might have something very productive on your hands. As Edge noted, the problem with players like Kaliyev is that if he doesn't translate as a scorer, he likely doesn't translate at all. Now the flip side of that is a rebuilding team like the Rangers, with multiple picks in the top-62, can and should take risks on players like that. He just might fall into that gap between the Rangers own pick, where you definitely should not take him, and the Jets pick, where he probably won't be available.

 

[Ghost of jas]

He's a tough one. The shot is obviously tremendous and he has the full arsenal in his bag when it comes to putting the puck in the net. A lot of the negative press around him is his skating, but it's honestly not as bad as some make it out to be. His stride is awkward but he gets around pretty well when he wants to, and really that's the embodiment of Kaliyev to me. "When he wants to."

The biggest problem for me is by far and away his compete level, or lack there of. When it comes to putting himself in a position to score, he's easily top-5 in the draft, but when it comes to doing almost anything else on the ice, he's just an absolute black hole. Someone I spoke to described him as "Alex Semin with no motor." Naturally I mentioned that Alex Semin didn't have a motor and he responded with "yeah, it's that bad." I don't necessarily agree with that, but I haven't been at all impressed with his compete level. I do however think the skill comparison is pretty apt.

So that all being said, he's a guy I would gamble on in the mid-to-late teens. If you can put him with a good playmaking center, and a mucker with good wheels on the opposite wing (Looking at you, Chris Kreider), you might have something very productive on your hands. As Edge noted, the problem with players like Kaliyev is that if he doesn't translate as a scorer, he likely doesn't translate at all. Now the flip side of that is a rebuilding team like the Rangers, with multiple picks in the top-62, can and should take risks on players like that. He just might fall into that gap between the Rangers own pick, where you definitely should not take him, and the Jets pick, where he probably won't be available.

And this is what this rebuilding process is and should be about. Kaliyev could just be another piece of the puzzle. But, he’s also got a skill set that holds value. It’s about the whole picture.