Is Rasmus Dahlin overrated?

[Team Cozens]

And Pronman just said he's the 5th best prospect since the 2014 draft.

And no, the only generational prospect since Crosby is McDavid. The only generational prospects since Gretzky are Lemieux, Lindros, Crosby and McDavid.

I agree.

 

[93LEAFS]

I agree. Generational should be very obvious right at the get-go. Everyone should be oooohing and aaaaahing and making comparisons to Orr/Coffey/Karlsson pretty early on, even if defensemen usually take longer to hit their stride. With the word generational, the rules for the rest go out the window.

Every prospect who has been labeled generational won a Hart by 23. Ovi pulled it off to. Although, I don't think Ovi was a generational prospect, but he has arguably the strongest case of anyone not named Lemieux, Lindros or Crosby.

A Norris isn't even really strong enough in my case. I would expect at a minimum a couple top 5 Hart finishes or an outright win.

 

[nickdawg95]

so flash is more important than results?

Lol, you have quotes from a coach who has coached hedman and larsson saying that dahlin at that age is way better. so who's word am i going to take a jealous leaf fan or a coach who has experience with all players listed, get lost

 

[Aladyyn]

Honestly "generational" might be underrating him. 45 years is more than a generation.

 

[93LEAFS]

Honestly "generational" might be underrating him. 45 years is more than a generation.

There have been a bunch of better prospects in those 45 years. You aren't generational by position. You are either the best player (or a debatable best player of a generation) or you aren't. The only defender who was generational since 1968 is Bobby Orr. Do you expect Dahlin to win or even finish top 3 for multiple Harts?

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Honestly "generational" might be underrating him. 45 years is more than a generation.

Thanks, this convinced me to vote yes

 

[BL92]

The generational thing is what's making him overrated. Sure it's possible, but far from guaranteed. That said, he's extremely impressive. I thought he was playing against kids for a moment when I saw his highlights from the SHL.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

As a prospect, I don't think so. Clear number one this draft, the best defenseman prospect in a while, etc.

I do think it's unreasonable to expect him to jump in at 18 and be an effective NHL defenseman right out the gate. It's rare for forwards to be effective as an 18 year old, you get 1-2 a year. It's almost unheard of for defensemen. Ekblad's Calder- does Buffalo have anyone on the left side that compares to Brian Campbell? No. His rookie year expectations are a bit out of whack.

 

[bsu]

Best defensive prospect I have ever seen with my 2 eyes (I'm 29)

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

Short answer yes. The media has to do its job to get fans excited.

Long answer: He is what he is and it's a 1st overall pick. He's another phenomenal defensive talent for his age from Sweden such as Hedman and Larsson who came before him. What is a draft if we're not hyping the **** out of the top prospects? Why would anyone watch unless they heard "OMG HE'S THE BEST DEFENSIVE TALENT TO COME OUT IN "X" YEARS HE'LL BE AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT! THIS KID IS A TOTAL GAME CHANGER"

Who would watch if fans were told the reality of that he's ready to play but he'll need probably 2 or 3 years to realize his full potential and his rookie year will likely see him put up 10 goals and anywhere from 30 to 45 points and finish with a -12 because the Sabres still have so much work to do?

Larsson phenomenal? hahahahahahahaha

 

[Mauler]

Dahlin's potential is undeniable but he is going to need a couple of years to prove himself before it is fair to call him overrated you guys have to remember he is still a kid dont expect him to put up big numbers yet

 

[bukwas]

I don't know that there is enough of a consensus to say one way or another.
Like any prospect some will and some won't.

 

[These Are The Days]

Larsson phenomenal? hahahahahahahaha

Context is key. Phenomenal for a teenager in a men's league.

 

[haveandare]

So are Dahlin's coaches, scouts and the analysts wrong?
Do you think Matthews is generational?


Meet Swedish defenceman Rasmus Dahlin, the 17-year-old scouts say will be better than Erik Karlsson

“Compared to guys like Erik Karlsson and Victor Hedman, this guy is better,” said Anders Forsberg, a former Ottawa Senators scout who drafted Karlsson and coached Hedman and Ekman-Larsson as junior-aged players. “I had a lot to do with Hedman and know him like a friend also, but this is better. I coached Oliver Ekman-Larsson. He was not even close to this. This is something special.”

....

Likewise, the phenom’s teammates enthuse almost without reservation. Frolunda blueliner Jonathan Sigalet passes over the physical aspects of the game and points to Dahlin’s vision and instincts as the assets that set him apart from other prospects. “In a dozen pro seasons, I never played with or against a defenceman who has anything close to his ability to read the play out there and his sense of time and space,” says Sigalet, a Vancouver native who spent a decade in the AHL and KHL before heading to Sweden in 2014. “I’m not talking about young defencemen. I’m talking any defenceman. His skating is off the charts. So are his skills. But there’s some stuff that you can’t teach or work on and are can be hard to describe but you know it when you see it.

For the second quote, he's the best d-man of any age this guy has ever seen yet he was 18th in points for d-men in his league? I'm not saying I watch him enough to say that's wrong, but I feel like there needs to be some explanation to why this isn't a 1OA and highly touted prospects teammate overhyping him. If he left it at best d-man of his age or best young d-man he's ever seen, that makes it seem a lot more measured and honest.

For comparison, Suter was 18th in scoring for d-men in the NHL. He's great but if someone tells me he's the best d-man they've ever seen, I'm going to assume they're a homer because the numbers don't bear that out.

Edit: Just to head off some of the comments coming, I'm not saying NHL to SHL is a 1:1 comparison in terms of scoring ranking, just using a rough estimate to make my point. I also realize d-men aren't there solely to score points, but again I think if someone is the best d-man you've ever seen, they should be at or near the top of their league in scoring in addition to being solid in their own end.

 

[Fataldogg]

When people put him on the tier of a Crosby/McDavid prospect, he gets overrated.

 

[ijuka]

Yes but only slightly overrated, is what I'd say. I think that too much weight is being put on the eye test, especially the flashy things that will likely not work as well against NHL players. Of course, what remains will still be excellent. Hence, just slightly.

 

[Snippit]

Yeah it's because leafs fans are the largest group on the site probably.

Even considering that it seems rather disproportionate.

 

[Ben White]

Talent wise he’s a tier above Hedman. From what I’ve seen he’s closer to the McDavids and Karlssons than Hedman. Highlights are highlights but he does things that I never saw before on the ice.

 

[Ben White]

The generational thing is what's making him overrated. Sure it's possible, but far from guaranteed. That said, he's extremely impressive. I thought he was playing against kids for a moment when I saw his highlights from the SHL.

Me too I had to ask around on HF for confirmation that he was really playing against men. Completely blew me away the first time I saw those highlights, his skills are pure art.

 

[Kranix]

Was it fawning hyperbole when that coach in the tsn piece said he's better than Lidstrom and Karlsson at the same age?

 

[BlueBaron]

I personally won't mind because all those players have so much skill.
I just don't get why Leafs fans don't agree with the "generational" thing for Dahlin as a prospect but all collectively agreed Matthews was at the time they won the lottery two years ago.

Our guy has been in the league for three years, recorded PPG+ every single year, 2x 100 point seasons and 4 personal trophies collected.
Your guy has been in the league for two years and posted a 40 goal season and PPG season the other one with one personal trophy.
Dahlin has shown immense skill at his age the exact with our guy and your guy has yet he's not the same. why?

Probably because we didn't?

Generational is now a useless term. People using it on players before they have played or had any kind of substantial career is just sad and usually done to feel better about said player.

Now add the D factor which makes projection even harder and you will get why not everyone is thinking he is already better than most of the league's #1 D.

 

[ijuka]

Was it fawning hyperbole when that coach in the tsn piece said he's better than Lidstrom and Karlsson at the same age?

No, but Hedman and many other defensemen have been better than those two players at the same age. The problem isn't with stating an obvious fact, the problem is when one decides to then make conclusions like "This means that he will definitely be a better player than Karlsson and Lidström combined".

 

[sr edler]

Voted Haven't seen the player enough, because... I haven't. Did A. Larsson ever have Dahlin's offensive flair though?

 

[Lollipop]

No he is underrated. If he was an Canadian he would be hyped to death.

 

[Burke the Legend]

If he turns out as good as Hedman (seems like a moderate probability) I would be ecstatic as a Sabres fan. Then anyone claiming he will be better is probably overrating him.