Future Considerations review of WJC Draft Eligibles.

DanStewart

Registered User
Jun 5, 2003
2,654
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Sarnia, Ontario
FC has a couple articles up running down some of the draft eligibles and how they faired at the 2011 WJC in Buffalo.

Future Consideration said:
Sean Couturier / Canada
Left Wing / Drummondville (QMJHL)
HT: 6’-3†/ WT: 200 Lbs
GP 7 G 2 A 1 PTS 3 PIM 0

Key stat: Couturier ended the tournament a plus -6.
WJC Report: Did not stand out offensively like other potential top draft picks have in recent years. He was able use his big frame and long reach to play an effective game along the wall, owning the cycle game and protecting the puck behind the net but ultimately could not show much of his offesnive creativity as he has with Drummondville this season.

He fit in nicely as a complementary player on Canada as he used his smarts and strong defensive awareness to not only shut down the oppositions chances by applying strong backpressure but also filling in for pinching defenders and blocking shots.

For those who see his skating as a weakness, it looked fine when up against the cream of the crop in Buffalo which leads you to believe the much talked about shortcoming is no longer an issue. If anything his acceleration is an area needing improvement but not to the point of keeping him out of the NHL. Couturier did nothing to hurt his draft stock in Buffalo but he also did not give it that shot in the arm so many others have in the past.

Adam Larsson / Sweden
Defense / Skelleftea (SEL)
HT: 6’-2†/ WT: 215 Lbs
GP 6 G 1 A 3 PTS 4 PIM 4

Key stat: Larsson ended the tournament a plus -4, good for second on the Swedish team.
WJC Report: A rather ordinary showing through the preliminary round, Larsson turned it on for the semi-final game against the Russians as he became more aggresive and took control of the play at both ends of the ice.

He looked overly tentative and indecisive early on and had many asking if he was worth even a first round pick at all nevermind first overall. But even through the rough streaches in the preliminary round games he did show some flashes of his high skill level, strong vision and passing ability as well as his ability to read the play.

Larsson, just like Couturier, really left the tournament the same way as he started it, maybe dropping a bit in some draft rankings due to a lack of consistency in his overall play but still showing the talent to be a top NHL defender one day.

Gabriel Landeskog / Sweden
Right Wing / Kitchener (OHL)
HT: 6’-1†/ WT: 205 Lbs
GP 1 G 1 A 1 PTS 2 PIM 0

WJC Report: One of the main billing draft prospects entering the 2011 Championship in Buffalo...

For the rest of the article.


Future Consideration said:
The award for top underage prospect, meaning not even draft eligible this year, was an easy one this year.

Top Underage Prospect: #5 F Martin Frk.

The choices were limited and Frk was the only prospect that made a real impression. Just ask Canadian defensman Erik Gudbranson who took a ’between the legs hook and jerk’ which was called a spear on the ice and resulted in a game misconduct for the young Czech player.

For the rest of this article.

Discuss and leave your questions and comments below.
 

Z-Diddy

Registered User
Mar 20, 2004
860
99
Uh... Brooklyn!
All the mentions are on point, maybe a little on the safe side, none the less summed up the performances to a tee

As for the comment in regard to Couturier’s skating ability, my feeling still is that he will be missing that high end gear at top speed, with that being said I’m sure what most general managers would be more interested in is the adding of an additional 25 lbs to a frame that slick hands and dynamic instincts, maybe one day a less abrasive Joe Thornton type or a poor man’s defensively responsible Leavalier
 

DanStewart

Registered User
Jun 5, 2003
2,654
283
Sarnia, Ontario
As for the comment in regard to Couturier’s skating ability, my feeling still is that he will be missing that high end gear at top speed, with that being said I’m sure what most general managers would be more interested in is the adding of an additional 25 lbs to a frame that slick hands and dynamic instincts, maybe one day a less abrasive Joe Thornton type or a poor man’s defensively responsible Leavalier

The thing is Sean is not a bad skater. He is missing that explosivness in his step and quickness in his feet but he gets from point A to point B just fine. You also have to wonder if the mono could also cause him to be sluggish in that area right now. The kid still has skinny legs. Added lower body strength will improve his foot speed, question is by how much.

His role in the WJC while he played it soundly, might not have been the best thing for his draft stock as he was not asked to be a big contributor offensively. In my opinion, Couturier still has one of the biggest upsides in the draft. Thornton and Lecavalier might be a streach but the Jordan Staal comp. is a good one.
 

Z-Diddy

Registered User
Mar 20, 2004
860
99
Uh... Brooklyn!
The thing is Sean is not a bad skater. He is missing that explosivness in his step and quickness in his feet but he gets from point A to point B just fine. You also have to wonder if the mono could also cause him to be sluggish in that area right now. The kid still has skinny legs. Added lower body strength will improve his foot speed, question is by how much.

His role in the WJC while he played it soundly, might not have been the best thing for his draft stock as he was not asked to be a big contributor offensively. In my opinion, Couturier still has one of the biggest upsides in the draft. Thornton and Lecavalier might be a streach but the Jordan Staal comp. is a good one.

Stretch sure, more or less examples of former first overalls, I’m not concerned by acceleration, IMO his pro game will shape north to south and a cycle game, an east to east will not be needed (although it can’t hurt), Jordan and Sean’s bodies seem to be on different spectrums (at least ATM), Staal is a farm boy horse type that relies on power, strength, and dexterity to carry him into large minutes for the Pens, as raw as any teenager is how much more room for improvement is there for Sean’s skating?
 

DanStewart

Registered User
Jun 5, 2003
2,654
283
Sarnia, Ontario
Stretch sure, more or less examples of former first overalls, I’m not concerned by acceleration, IMO his pro game will shape north to south and a cycle game, an east to east will not be needed (although it can’t hurt), Jordan and Sean’s bodies seem to be on different spectrums (at least ATM), Staal is a farm boy horse type that relies on power, strength, and dexterity to carry him into large minutes for the Pens, as raw as any teenager is how much more room for improvement is there for Sean’s skating?

If you consider riding a sod cutter at the Sunshine Sod farm, farming. Jordan was just a gangly and raw as Sean is at this age. Both have a wirey strength to them.
 
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