DRW: Summer 2019 Prospect Ranking #9

[newfy]

I don't know about a half dozen, but I've got Kotkansalo and Johansson ahead of Lindstrom.
And once you get to 10, you're talking about small degrees of difference. I could easily make a case for Mastrosimone, Phillips, and a few others.

I thought Lindstrom was a reach on draft day. At best, I think he's a third pairing guy who plays the PK. Maybe.

But really? I the stink of the 2017 draft, the comments Wright made about it...I really don't have much hope for much out of this draft.
Is there a single player in that draft who's outdone himself relative to his draft position? That's the crazy thing.
Usually at least 1/3rd of your picks do things that make you optimistic.

I really dont think you could make a case for a guy like Ethan Phillips at all. There is absolutely no way hes a better prospect right now. Mastrosimone is one of the few that I wouldnt hate if someone preferred him but the argument for Lindstrom is better right now. But Phillips and a few others? Absolutely 0 chance you could make a case that would make any sense

 

[Frk It]

I haven't done it. I am not going to lie it has been since the days of Captain Bob that I have wanted to spend 2 hours digging into an argument but the 2017 draft which most of us had concerns about is also looking like just a spectacular bad draft in general.

Now because it is being over analyzed to death on our board since literally we said "the Detroit Red Wings select WHL Tri-City".... However, without the long enough time period it will look ridiculous but you are going to find similar things in other organizations. I mean for instance Gallant did get a contract. We didn't give it to him but stop listing him with the other five. We choose not to sign Alan Quinn (sp?) either.

It does come down to Ras and Lindstrom to do the heavy lifting for sure. But each time people keep banging on this draft jeep in mind and it is early but at least this far it is in the conversation for worst draft year of the decade. We will see since it's still pretty early to evaluate this.

But if we threw up organizational charts I am not sure many would be jazzed about that draft. There is a reason the World Junior teams were run by younger players last year which is extremely rare and speaks to just how pathetic that draft was.

I’d understand that more if Holland and Wright didn’t leave this summer. Not sure why we need to defend those picks at this point.

 

[Frk It]

I really dont think you could make a case for a guy like Ethan Phillips at all. There is absolutely no way hes a better prospect right now. Mastrosimone is one of the few that I wouldnt hate if someone preferred him but the argument for Lindstrom is better right now. But Phillips and a few others? Absolutely 0 chance you could make a case that would make any sense

Hockeyprospect.com had Phillips as a top 50 player in this draft class. They had him ranked above Mastrosimone and Tuomisto.

 

[RabidBadger]

I’d understand that more if Holland and Wright didn’t leave this summer. Not sure why we need to defend those picks at this point.

That, and the fact no team really made significant, instant improvements with that draft. I've been saying that 2017 has to be one of the weakest draft pools in the past decade. I remember the "expert" prognosticators saying most teams picking outside of the top 3 would be doing well to get a NHL regular.

Please don't bore me talking about Makar and Petterson; I'm only reiterating what I read prior to the draft.

 

[MBH]

I really dont think you could make a case for a guy like Ethan Phillips at all. There is absolutely no way hes a better prospect right now. Mastrosimone is one of the few that I wouldnt hate if someone preferred him but the argument for Lindstrom is better right now. But Phillips and a few others? Absolutely 0 chance you could make a case that would make any sense

Lindstrom is a low-level, bottom pairing guy at best.
And with his lack of footspeed, I'm not sure his style is best suited even for a third pairing job.
Ethan Phillips is one of the fastest players in the draft and has unbelievable all-direction mobility, first-step and more.
He's a great competitor in all 200 feet of the ice.

I'm not a scout. But watching Phillips, his game "pops" immediately.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Lindstrom is a low-level, bottom pairing guy at best.
And with his lack of footspeed, I'm not sure his style is best suited even for a third pairing job.
Ethan Phillips is one of the fastest players in the draft and has unbelievable all-direction mobility, first-step and more.
He's a great competitor in all 200 feet of the ice.

I'm not a scout. But watching Phillips, his game "pops" immediately.

Lindstrom isn't a poor skater at all though. I am guessing you just remember the end of the season guy playing through injuries. He is an above average skater, especially for someone his size and he is really good at gaping up. He comes from a hockey family with his uncle having played 600+ NHL and 300+ SHL games and his cousin was a Rangers pick the year after Lindstrom's draft. Currently we don't even need him to project as more than a solid 3rd pairing d-man that is a great penalty killer with some bite and that is actually what he is. One of the things in his favor is Lindstrom and Kontkansalo fit in our pool as plus penalty killing d-man that don't hurt themselves and have very solid first passes.

While their ceilings are not huge, you need those guys and if you can get them cheap and in their prime that is a huge bonus. They can help your coach leverage matchups and manage guys minutes to keep the team fresh. I think he looks like an NHL guy and that isn't really something to pan. But we will know more when the game speeds up and the rink gets small. I have liked some of the Swedes that have left in a relative hurry, but I think having a guy that is solid on defense with pretty good hockey IQ is a good thing not a bad thing. We need better players, we need to get better everywhere, I am really hopeful he hits on his potential and becomes a piece for us. He looks like he could be a useful cog to me. Not a core piece maybe but a good player we shall see, he could also outkick his coverage but chasing Hronek and Seider would mean we have a pretty awesome right side if that happens.

 

[Ezekial]

Lindstrom is a low-level, bottom pairing guy at best.
And with his lack of footspeed, I'm not sure his style is best suited even for a third pairing job.
Ethan Phillips is one of the fastest players in the draft and has unbelievable all-direction mobility, first-step and more.
He's a great competitor in all 200 feet of the ice.

I'm not a scout. But watching Phillips, his game "pops" immediately.

Consistently terrible player evaluations.

Knock this kid for skating (inaccurately) but talk about XO as if he was a viable NHL skater. No wonder you think Seabrook still has it.

 

[MBH]

Consistently terrible player evaluations.

Knock this kid for skating (inaccurately) but talk about XO as if he was a viable NHL skater. No wonder you think Seabrook still has it.

I thought we were evaluating prospects, not posters?

 

[MBH]

Lindstrom isn't a poor skater at all though. I am guessing you just remember the end of the season guy playing through injuries. He is an above average skater, especially for someone his size and he is really good at gaping up. He comes from a hockey family with his uncle having played 600+ NHL and 300+ SHL games and his cousin was a Rangers pick the year after Lindstrom's draft. Currently we don't even need him to project as more than a solid 3rd pairing d-man that is a great penalty killer with some bite and that is actually what he is. One of the things in his favor is Lindstrom and Kontkansalo fit in our pool as plus penalty killing d-man that don't hurt themselves and have very solid first passes.

While their ceilings are not huge, you need those guys and if you can get them cheap and in their prime that is a huge bonus. They can help your coach leverage matchups and manage guys minutes to keep the team fresh. I think he looks like an NHL guy and that isn't really something to pan. But we will know more when the game speeds up and the rink gets small. I have liked some of the Swedes that have left in a relative hurry, but I think having a guy that is solid on defense with pretty good hockey IQ is a good thing not a bad thing. We need better players, we need to get better everywhere, I am really hopeful he hits on his potential and becomes a piece for us. He looks like he could be a useful cog to me. Not a core piece maybe but a good player we shall see, he could also outkick his coverage but chasing Hronek and Seider would mean we have a pretty awesome right side if that happens.

Lidstrom's son play hockey. They won't be playing in the NHL. So hockey family doesn't mean a lot to me.

I totally disagree with the idea that Lindstrom is an "above average" skater.
Nearly every scouting report I've read says he has "average" speed for an NHL prospect. And most scouting reports are very generous.

When I've seen him with my own eyes, against other prospects, he's definitely slower than his peers.
Against 18 and 19 year olds in the development camp, Lindstrom was clearly not as quick as many of the other prospects.

Anyway, I do agree. We need 3rd pairing defenseman.
But you can find veterans to do it pretty cheaply.

And, while this isn't about Lindstrom's potential, there's the reality of the situation.
Do you really think we're going to have a defense with a 24 year old Hronek, a 20-year 0ld Seider, a 22-year-old Lindstrom, a 24-year-old Cholowski and a 21 year old McIsaac?

I don't foresee five defensemen under 25 on the same defense.

 

[Gniwder]

OK, screw scouting reports, does anyone have a link to a video of Lindstrom skating?

 

[Fil Larkmanthanasiou]

Lindstrom was healthy scratch for much of the playoffs

 

[Gniwder]

Lindstrom was healthy scratch for much of the playoffs

From what I can gather, looks like Frolunda traded Filip Westerlund for David Printz and Printz played in the postseason. Tie goes to the vet, even in Sweden.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Lindstrom was healthy scratch for much of the playoffs

Lindstrom picked up an injury during the year and didn't finish it playing near the same role or minutes. He had established himself on the top pairing for much of the opening half of the season on the best team in the league. That isn't a nothing development, he seems like a very solid pro, though we will have an even better read once we get to see him in Grand Rapids.

The one thing he really does well for a younger defenseman is maintain gaps and uses an active stick. Those are things that are really important in the NHL, you see it more there than any other league in the world in my opinion. I really always like when I see a guy that gets it. Kontkansalo also flashes this when I watch BU games, but if you look at third pairing pk roles that is important.

 

[Frk It]

Lindstrom picked up an injury during the year and didn't finish it playing near the same role or minutes. He had established himself on the top pairing for much of the opening half of the season on the best team in the league. That isn't a nothing development, he seems like a very solid pro, though we will have an even better read once we get to see him in Grand Rapids.

The one thing he really does well for a younger defenseman is maintain gaps and uses an active stick. Those are things that are really important in the NHL, you see it more there than any other league in the world in my opinion. I really always like when I see a guy that gets it. Kontkansalo also flashes this when I watch BU games, but if you look at third pairing pk roles that is important.

Lindstrom reminds me quite a bit of Marchenko as a prospect. Hopefully he progresses better and has better luck with injuries. Honestly, even still I think Marchenko is good enough to play in the NHL as a depth guy if he wanted.

 

[newfy]

Lindstrom is a low-level, bottom pairing guy at best.
And with his lack of footspeed, I'm not sure his style is best suited even for a third pairing job.
Ethan Phillips is one of the fastest players in the draft and has unbelievable all-direction mobility, first-step and more.
He's a great competitor in all 200 feet of the ice.

I'm not a scout. But watching Phillips, his game "pops" immediately.

Lindstrom picked up an injury during the year and didn't finish it playing near the same role or minutes. He had established himself on the top pairing for much of the opening half of the season on the best team in the league. That isn't a nothing development, he seems like a very solid pro, though we will have an even better read once we get to see him in Grand Rapids.

The one thing he really does well for a younger defenseman is maintain gaps and uses an active stick. Those are things that are really important in the NHL, you see it more there than any other league in the world in my opinion. I really always like when I see a guy that gets it. Kontkansalo also flashes this when I watch BU games, but if you look at third pairing pk roles that is important.

Bad evaluation is bad. Lindstrom was good enough at 20 to play big minutes on a championship team in the SHL on big ice. But his skating is so bad that he can only be a bottom pairing player? His style isnt suited for a third pair? Since hwne is a strong defensive player with some bite to his game not suited to a third pair? A top 30ish draft pick that has that kind of resume is not rated lower than a lot of the guys left on this list. I dont care if youre not a big fan of his skating, he does a lot of other stuff well enough to be ranked around ten

 

[Frk It]

good enough at 20 to play big minutes on a championship team in the SHL on big ice. But his skating is so bad that he can only be a bottom pairing player?

This has been the case with players int he past, FYI.

 

[MBH]

Bad evaluation is bad. Lindstrom was good enough at 20 to play big minutes on a championship team in the SHL on big ice. But his skating is so bad that he can only be a bottom pairing player? His style isnt suited for a third pair? Since hwne is a strong defensive player with some bite to his game not suited to a third pair? A top 30ish draft pick that has that kind of resume is not rated lower than a lot of the guys left on this list. I dont care if youre not a big fan of his skating, he does a lot of other stuff well enough to be ranked around ten

I said bottom pairing guy at best, and I think his skating will make that tough.
Lindstrom, to me, was a lousy pick at 35 or whatever.
Guys like Phillips and Mastrisimone and Johansson maybe have been picked lower, but I have reason to believe they're going to be value picks.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I said bottom pairing guy at best, and I think his skating will make that tough.
Lindstrom, to me, was a lousy pick at 35 or whatever.
Guys like Phillips and Mastrisimone and Johansson maybe have been picked lower, but I have reason to believe they're going to be value picks.

Starting to wonder if you're confusing Tuomisto and Lindstrom... It would explain your take on Lindstrom's skating and the wrong draft position.

 

[MBH]

Starting to wonder if you're confusing Tuomisto and Lindstrom... It would explain your take on Lindstrom's skating and the wrong draft position.

Man, I've seen Lindstrom in person four different times now.
I've watched him in the WJC and in games online.
But now that you mention it, the Lindstrom and Tuomisto picks remind me a lot of each other.
I think Tuomisto has a harder shot, however.
They're both that weird sort of Tyler Wright pick. The kind of Tyler Wright pick that makes me happy he's gone.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Man, I've seen Lindstrom in person four different times now.
I've watched him in the WJC and in games online.
But now that you mention it, the Lindstrom and Tuomisto picks remind me a lot of each other.
I think Tuomisto has a harder shot, however.
They're both that weird sort of Tyler Wright pick. The kind of Tyler Wright pick that makes me happy he's gone.

Lindstrom is a Hakan and Lidstrom pick by almost all accounts.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

Lindstrom picked up an injury during the year and didn't finish it playing near the same role or minutes. He had established himself on the top pairing for much of the opening half of the season on the best team in the league. That isn't a nothing development, he seems like a very solid pro, though we will have an even better read once we get to see him in Grand Rapids.

The one thing he really does well for a younger defenseman is maintain gaps and uses an active stick. Those are things that are really important in the NHL, you see it more there than any other league in the world in my opinion. I really always like when I see a guy that gets it. Kontkansalo also flashes this when I watch BU games, but if you look at third pairing pk roles that is important.

I think Lindstrom and Kotkansalo are cut from the same cloth and clearly still have a place in the modern game. That being said, Lindstrom shows much more natural talent as a passer of the puck and is smarter defensively as between the two.

If posters want defensemen who will rush the puck 200 ft at the drop of a hat, players like Lindstrom and Kotkansalo aren't going to put wind in their sails. They are, however, much closer to the norm for NHL defensemen than most want to admit.