Karlis Cukste (130th), Rudolfs Balcers (142nd), & Adam Parsells (160th)

[Leidi J]

"Mammoth US born defender with a good hockey IQ an active stick and a wingspan of an airplane. He has great balance and four direction mobility for a growing teenager and is calm and confident going into his zone to retrieve dump ins. Poised in his zone and masks his intentions on break-out well. He has a heavy point blast. Has some carrying skills but is a better player if paired with a true mailman dee-man. His improvement will hinge upon a few what-ifs, primarily if he can become a more assertive defenseman with more edge, and it seems a certainty that a team will call his name and find out down the road. He will start his development at the University of Wisconsin.
—Bill Placzek—"

and an interview with him about potentially being drafted:
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/st...s-parsells-hopes-selected-nhl-draft/29295263/

Click to read more...

 

[hockeey]

Before anyone ****s on Cukste, that video is a few years old I think. Don't know what to think of him yet though but I would imagine his skating has improved since then

 

[DonskoiDonscored]

Holy cow Parsells is 6'6"

 

[Leidi J]

Holy cow Parsells is 6'6"

I liked the 'wingspan of an airplane' part in the scouting report lol.

 

[sr228]

I liked the 'wingspan of an airplane' part in the scouting report lol.

I'm just happy that the org now uses late picks to try to draft "the next Chris Pronger"!

 

[GX]

Čukste is playing USHL next season, Balcers 'is ready to stay in Stavanger', but that might change.

So, there will be three Latvians at Sharks dev camp? Čukste+Balcers+Jevpalovs.

 

[Nighthock]

Wow. Three picks I ****ing hate. NOW we're back to Sharks hockey!

 

[sr228]

Yay, another big goalie in John Kupsky.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

How can you hate late round picks?

 

[Nighthock]

I hate most things. Don't read too much into it.

 

[weastern bias]

 

[Helistin]

Hmm, what with the all Latvians recently? It's not like there has been ton of NHL players coming out of Latvia in the past.
Not hating the picks or players , just curious.

 

[SactoShark]

Hating Sharks picks drastically increases their stock. It's like our own development camp.

 

[Evil Janney]

I hate most things. Don't read too much into it.

Well most things hate you, so there

 

[Bowie22]

We drafted a 6'6 dman, that doesn't skate like he's pulling a zomboni!

 

[DonskoiDonscored]

Hmm, what with the all Latvians recently? It's not like there has been ton of NHL players coming out of Latvia in the past.
Not hating the picks or players , just curious.

We need some players voted into the All Star team.

 

[GX]

Hmm, what with the all Latvians recently? It's not like there has been ton of NHL players coming out of Latvia in the past.
Not hating the picks or players , just curious.

There were way more Latvians in the NHL in late 90s, early 2000s than now. For a long time there was the core of regular NHLers of Ozolinsh, Irbe, Zholtok, Skrastins, also Skudra with a couple of players getting their chances from time to time as well. There were like four seasons in a row when 7 Latvians hit NHL ice. Currently there's only Girgensons and Kenins with Gudlevskis being very close to the league.

 

[LeeIFBB]

Before anyone ****s on Cukste, that video is a few years old I think. Don't know what to think of him yet though but I would imagine his skating has improved since then

What was everyone else's excuse?

 

[The Nemesis]

Can we get a fake Latvian passport for Parsells and rename him Adams Parsells? Y'know, for synergy?

 

[The Nemesis]

There were way more Latvians in the NHL in late 90s, early 2000s than now. For a long time there was the core of regular NHLers of Ozolinsh, Irbe, Zholtok, Skrastins, also Skudra with a couple of players getting their chances from time to time as well. There were like four seasons in a row when 7 Latvians hit NHL ice. Currently there's only Girgensons and Kenins with Gudlevskis being very close to the league.

I always wanted Skrastins as a Shark.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

You forgot Raitis Ivanans!

 

[BalticWarrior]

I always wanted Skrastins as a Shark.

Was happily browsing SJS forums but then got reminded of Scratch and Zholy

 

[nabbyfan]

You forgot Raitis Ivanans!

Ivanans was the man! The Latvian John Scott if you will.

Also Oskars Bartulis, Janis Sprukts, Martins Karsums, Kaspars Daugavins, and Arturs Kulda are all Latvian and spent a decent amount of time in the NHL. Could be more that I'm forgetting.


I speak Latvian as a result of studying in Riga for a year in my youth and am very happy to see the organization suddenly be full of Latvian prospects.

I ran a pretty good scam for a while where anytime a Latvian NHL player came to SJ, I would wear my team Latvia Ozolins jersey and watch the away team warmups on the glass....they would always manage to get me a puck

I'm very excited about the Balcers pick. A Latvian Hagelin/Zuccarello mix.

 

[Alwalys]

You forgot Raitis Ivanans!

gotta love a player named "righteous"

 

[Helistin]

gotta love a player named "righteous"

Also, Raitis = Sober in Finnish.