Prospect Info: Joel Eriksson Ek (C) - 20th Overall, 2015

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2Pair

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It might be that simple: he was a 1st round pick and sending him down again this season would be a bit embarrassing for those who thought he was a 1st rounder
Fenton is keeping him up to avoid embarrassing Chuck Fletcher? Really?
 

THE JAM

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Fenton is keeping him up to avoid embarrassing Chuck Fletcher? Really?

That decision to pick this guy as the 1st was only Fletcher's?

I've been almost sure that the 1st round draft pick is a long process involving team scouts in North America, Europe, coaches on several levels, owner(s) also aboard on who is the 1st pick etc
 
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Wabit

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It might be that simple: he was a 1st round pick and sending him down again this season would be a bit embarrassing for those who thought he was a 1st rounder

Who is there to embarrass? The GM that drafted him is gone, half of the scouts are gone, even the head coach when he was drafted is gone. The owner just wants to win and has eaten a lot of dead money in buyouts to do so; it's not like he's sweating a 1st rounder not panning out considering how many picks he's allowed to be traded.
 

Saga of the Elk

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bottom line hes not producing anywhere near what haula did as a #3C.

Haula was not in the NHL as a 21 year old. When he made the NHL finally he scored 15 (46 games) and 14 points (72 games). JEE had 16 points last season as a 2o year old, it would be a shock if he didn't beat that marker this season, barring further injury. Sadly for you guys, it's also too late for JEE to play for the Gophs. He's developing just fine in the NHL even though last season might have been a good one for him to get this mythical seasoning.
 

THE JAM

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Who is there to embarrass? The GM that drafted him is gone, half of the scouts are gone, even the head coach when he was drafted is gone. The owner just wants to win and has eaten a lot of dead money in buyouts to do so; it's not like he's sweating a 1st rounder not panning out considering how many picks he's allowed to be traded.

- if half of the scouts are gone, the other half remains - and getting that 1st round pick wrong is embarrassing for those + it is just embarrassing anyway for the organization to have been picking so wrong
 

Dr Jan Itor

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"Mythical seasoning".

Much better players than him weren't too good for some AHL time.

But, hey, either he'll turn into a legit top 6 center and I'll eat some crow, or he'll top out as #3/#4C and we can play the "what if" game some more as we look for a new top 6 center.
 
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Saga of the Elk

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"Mythical seasoning".

Much better players than him weren't too good for some AHL time.

But, hey, either he'll turn into a legit top 6 center and I'll eat some crow, or he'll top out as #3/#4C and we can play the "what if" game some more as we look for a new top 6 center.

Every player is different. Look at Ryan Strome - 5th overall, 2011. Spent his 20 year old season in the AHL, and in his age 21 season he put up 50 points. How were they supposed to put him back in the AHL? But ... he did top out as a 3C. "Seasoning" is a vague concept. Some guys need a lot of coaching, they need a lot of physical growth, they need time with the puck, or whatever. JEE was a pretty seasoned pro when he came... thus his stints in a much lesser league were proof that he didn't really need to be there. Obviously I'd love to see 50 points this season...probably not going to happen but I watch him game by game doing things that will get him there soon. And it shouldn't need to be said but late in the 1st round is still iffy for picking a 2C. A legit 3C is an important piece too.
 

Dr Jan Itor

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Every player is different. Look at Ryan Strome - 5th overall, 2011. Spent his 20 year old season in the AHL, and in his age 21 season he put up 50 points. How were they supposed to put him back in the AHL? But ... he did top out as a 3C. "Seasoning" is a vague concept. Some guys need a lot of coaching, they need a lot of physical growth, they need time with the puck, or whatever. JEE was a pretty seasoned pro when he came... thus his stints in a much lesser league were proof that he didn't really need to be there. Obviously I'd love to see 50 points this season...probably not going to happen but I watch him game by game doing things that will get him there soon. And it shouldn't need to be said but late in the 1st round is still iffy for picking a 2C. A legit 3C is an important piece too.

A #3C is disappointing if you think the tools are there for something more, especially when that draft might turn out to be the best of all time; and #20 isn't really "late" in the first, but that might be semantics. And it isn't too important when you don't have a #1 or #2 ahead of him, which we won't in a couple years, pending a shrewd move or draft pick.
 

Saga of the Elk

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A #3C is disappointing if you think the tools are there for something more, especially when that draft might turn out to be the best of all time; and #20 isn't really "late" in the first, but that might be semantics. And it isn't too important when you don't have a #1 or #2 ahead of him, which we won't in a couple years, pending a shrewd move or draft pick.

Well, it is sort of semantics but good teams do it like this:

(you could probably guess the team)
1st overall pick = 1c
1st overall pick = 2c
7th overall pick = 3c
21st overall pick = 4c

The Wild are not so dissimilar:
2nd overall pick = 1c
6th overall pick = 2c
20th overall pick = 3c
18th overall pick = 4c

Still not sure why having a good third line isn't important but I continue to watch the improvements.
 

57special

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It's WAY too early to draw any conclusions on Ek. He is already an above average NHL player w/o the puck, with above average strength. His shot appears to be good...just needs to find a way to get it off. He had a couple bad games, but seems to be back on track. I would not be averse to him playing down in the AH for a while, and maybe giving someone like COR a couple games up here as a reward, but it's not a hill I'm prepared to die on.

I look forward to he and Greenway growing together over the next three years or so.
 
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DeagleJenkins

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He made a great play for a scoring chance, cutting to the net and taking a sneaky backhand shot that Raanta barely caught.
Drew a penalty on a good shift as well, if I remember right.

So in your eyes from you 2, is his game still improving after his sit out? usually when i DVR the game i watch it back to see how the struggling kids are doing. Prior to ARI he was looking to be flowing better.
 

Bazeek

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So in your eyes from you 2, is his game still improving after his sit out? usually when i DVR the game i watch it back to see how the struggling kids are doing. Prior to ARI he was looking to be flowing better.
Like most of the team I thought he did well in the first 2 periods. He continued to look stronger and quicker in the offensive zone than he did early in the season. I didn't notice him much in the third, which might be a good thing as well.
 
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Wabit

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So in your eyes from you 2, is his game still improving after his sit out? usually when i DVR the game i watch it back to see how the struggling kids are doing. Prior to ARI he was looking to be flowing better.

He's looked much better the last few games.

I like him with Foligno a lot more than I like him with Coyle. He seems to mirror his linemates' game:
- When Coyle gets too pretty with the puck JEE tries to do the same thing.
- With Foligno he plays a heavier game and looks a lot more involved in the game.

I'm curious to see how he plays when they switch the lines around again and Foligno is back on the 4th line.
 

DeagleJenkins

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He's looked much better the last few games.

I like him with Foligno a lot more than I like him with Coyle. He seems to mirror his linemates' game:
- When Coyle gets too pretty with the puck JEE tries to do the same thing.
- With Foligno he plays a heavier game and looks a lot more involved in the game.

I'm curious to see how he plays when they switch the lines around again and Foligno is back on the 4th line.

im kind of hoping to see a trade soon and a new spark plug speedy winger on his line that is offensive minded
 

Wabit

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im kind of hoping to see a trade soon and a new spark plug speedy winger on his line that is offensive minded

I don't see that helping JEE, who is already more defensive minded. He'd probably just go into full Koivu (Yeo years) mode, but with even less scoring ability and no PP time. Put him in the situation of worrying about a wing that too concerned with defense on one side, and a rookie that is still going threw the NHL learning curve on the other; and he'll probably turn into the Brodin of FWDs.

Ideally I'd like to see him with a Parise-lite on one wing and Greenway on another. Hmm hasn't Kunin been called a Parise-lite (Yes, I put that in just to tweak DB a little)? :naughty:
 

DeagleJenkins

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I don't see that helping JEE, who is already more defensive minded. He'd probably just go into full Koivu (Yeo years) mode, but with even less scoring ability and no PP time. Put him in the situation of worrying about a wing that too concerned with defense on one side, and a rookie that is still going threw the NHL learning curve on the other; and he'll probably turn into the Brodin of FWDs.

Ideally I'd like to see him with a Parise-lite on one wing and Greenway on another. Hmm hasn't Kunin been called a Parise-lite (Yes, I put that in just to tweak DB a little)? :naughty:

bravo bravo. i actually liked the idea of parise on his wing, read it in an article with a good explanation as to why.
 

2Pair

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Id assume top 6 winger is more important than 3C in their eyes right now.
I wouldn't

Granlund, Zucker, and Parise are fine right now. Nino is an option and Coyle could be as well if you find a legit 3rd line center and no longer need Coyle to carry the 3rd line.
 
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