Kessel Ratings

[Olly2]

I don't understand why Kessel's stock has fallen.

The numbers he put up in Minnesota were not that bad. His WJC has been overall better than the other draftees.

I think he should be rated higher than Radulov (outperformed him in WJC and his first year Junior vs First Year NCAA), Staal, and Toews. He outperformed them all.

Backstrom is the player that you could really say should have pushed him as top forward.

Is it just a matter of expectations being too high, and scouts feeling that he didn't meet them. If that's the case, his performance and potential long term still outclasses the others.

Click to read more...

 

[acr*]

Some scouts overhyped some BS about his attitude and teamwork. He should've gone #2 overall, and the Bruins lucked out due to the fact that Staal had his last name(only reason he went as high as he did) and Chicago wanted a more defensive center in Toews.

 

[Metallian*]

Some scouts overhyped some BS about his attitude and teamwork. He should've gone #2 overall, and the Bruins lucked out due to the fact that Staal had his last name(only reason he went as high as he did) and Chicago wanted a more defensive center in Toews.

this basicly sums it up verbatim

 

[mnhowitzer]

Yeah his stock skyrocketed in the Grand Forks WJC. I think part of the problem is that he didn't score as many goals last year as many people would've like to see. But his passing, especially on the pp, was unbelievable. Some of the feeds he gave Ryan Potulny were just sick.

Plus there were rumors that he shook up the locker room a little bit with his pompous attitude.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Well, I disagree with his HF rating.

I think it should be a 9.0C or even D.

 

[oil slick]

AM640 was just saying that his combine stank - so there was a little worry about his fitness for the long NHL season. They also said that he dropped a bit because of attitude.

 

[ranold26]

AM640 was just saying that his combine stank - so there was a little worry about his fitness for the long NHL season. They also said that he dropped a bit because of attitude.

ZOMG Leafs Lunch says he suxx0rz, so it mustest be trueses!!!11!1one!1

 

[oil slick]

ZOMG Leafs Lunch says he suxx0rz, so it mustest be trueses!!!11!1one!1

Actually they were saying he shouldn't have fallen so far. They were just trying to explain why he did fall.

I'm totally confused by what you are complaining about. It seems like a fact that 4 NHL teams passed on Kessel, and only St. Louis had a clearly better player to choose... so there must have been something - either real or paranoid that prevented these teams from taking him. So what do you want Leafs Lunch to say?

 

[AJ1982]

Despite the swirling stories about Kessel he only fell a few spots. Schremp almost fell out of the first round with less negative press. Says something about the talent that Kessel has I think.

 

[Skyblaze]

I think Kessel was overhyped to begin with and pretty much fell "in the pack" where any draft position was interchangeable depending on team needs.

Johnson, Backstrom, Toews and Kessel could've just as easily been picked first overall if you ask me. Staal is a good player but i see him more on a scale with Sheppard, Brassard and Mueller.

 

[oil slick]

Despite the swirling stories about Kessel he only fell a few spots. Schremp almost fell out of the first round with less negative press. Says something about the talent that Kessel has I think.

I don't think Kessel fell as much, but he also started at a much higher level than Schremp. Schremp at his highest was top 3, but he was never on the same level as Malkin, Ovechkin, and Crosby. There was a time when a few people had Kessel at the same level as Crosby.

 

[David A. Rainer]

http://hockeysfuture.com/article.php?sid=8882&mode=threaded&order=0

Nothing necessarily has happened to Kessel. He is still performing at the same high level as he has in the past. However, like many other prospects, he is suffering from having to compete with his own legend.

Kessel made an enormous name for himself playing in the World Juniors Championships at a young age. This tends to place very lofty expectations on a prospect as he is envisioned to exceed his past performances with development. Often, these expectations are too high and unfair for most prospects. Any comparisons to Sidney Crosby were unrealistic and a product of the legend that developed.

As Kessel was looked at more extensively and with an objective eye, the legend began to fade. He performed well, but not at the level that was accustomed of him and people began to focus more on what he was not doing instead of what he was doing. People, particularly scouts, were expecting to see much more from Kessel than they did and consequently dropped him in their performance evaluations. His falling out of the top three is a direct result.

However, Kessel had an impressive freshman season with the University of Minnesota, particularly in the second half of the season. His 51 points in 39 games was tops in the nation for freshman. He is still a top draft eligible prospect, with or without the legend.

 

[Default101]

first off Staal was not drafted because of his last name, it was because of what he did on the ice, no team is stupid enough to throw away a 2nd overall pick simply becasue of the players last name, anyone who is shouldn't be in hockey, and with a guy with the potental of kessel for them to pass him up they obviously saw something good, wayne gretzky's brother wasn't even drafted in the first round, and he had the last name gretzky, why wasn't he taken 2nd overall in his draft year? because he wasn't good enough and the GM's of the NHL are smarter than a bag of pucks, i'm a penguins fan and i'm happy with the stall fit, he gives them size and skill at center, something that none of the remaining players that were worth a 2nd pick, and i know thats not everyone opinion but it's more of the fact that everyone is putting Staal's ranking solely on his last name saying that if he had some other random last name, he woulda been taken 2nd round well he woulda been one of the best 2nd rounders ever and i doubt GM's of the NHL would allow Jordan whatever to be drafted outside the top 5, now getting to Kessel, i think his rating is valid because he has the highest potential of everyone in the draft, it's his attitude, and the intangebals that put others aheasd of him, he's a dynamic scoring forward thats his thing, he doesn't seem to be very physical, which the other 3/4 ahead of him seem to be decent at.

 

[MALKIN IS GOD !!!!!!*]

I would have to rank Kessel # 5 behind Johnson, Staal, Taeves & Backstrom

 

[Rabid Ranger]

first off Staal was not drafted because of his last name, it was because of what he did on the ice, no team is stupid enough to throw away a 2nd overall pick simply becasue of the players last name, anyone who is shouldn't be in hockey, and with a guy with the potental of kessel for them to pass him up they obviously saw something good, wayne gretzky's brother wasn't even drafted in the first round, and he had the last name gretzky, why wasn't he taken 2nd overall in his draft year? because he wasn't good enough and the GM's of the NHL are smarter than a bag of pucks, i'm a penguins fan and i'm happy with the stall fit, he gives them size and skill at center, something that none of the remaining players that were worth a 2nd pick, and i know thats not everyone opinion but it's more of the fact that everyone is putting Staal's ranking solely on his last name saying that if he had some other random last name, he woulda been taken 2nd round well he woulda been one of the best 2nd rounders ever and i doubt GM's of the NHL would allow Jordan whatever to be drafted outside the top 5, now getting to Kessel, i think his rating is valid because he has the highest potential of everyone in the draft, it's his attitude, and the intangebals that put others aheasd of him, he's a dynamic scoring forward thats his thing, he doesn't seem to be very physical, which the other 3/4 ahead of him seem to be decent at.

I think it's naive to think that Jordan Staal being drafted at number two had NOTHING to do with his name. IMO, it's a pretty safe bet Pittsburgh and several others teams envisioned Jordan having a similar progression arc as his brother Eric. Whether that happens is unknown at this point.

 

[Transported Upstater]

Well, I disagree with his HF rating.

I think it should be a 9.0C or even D.

I totally agree.

 

[Letang fan 58]

I think it's naive to think that Jordan Staal being drafted at number two had NOTHING to do with his name. IMO, it's a pretty safe bet Pittsburgh and several others teams envisioned Jordan having a similar progression arc as his brother Eric. Whether that happens is unknown at this point.

Well it clearly didnt have "Nothing" to do with it...........it had a little to do with it of course...........Eric Staal had a fantastic season and obviously that is going to turn some heads when he at almost a full year older then Jordan when being drafted had very similar seasons and were very compareable.

I think it had a lot more to do with Jordan being absolutely huge...........having a very good offensive game..........had a very good playoff run and helped take his team to a memorial cup and is almost a year younger then the other players taken 1-5 in the draft.

I am a kessel fan and had hoped that the Pens would take a chance on him.........that said i'm not upset that they took Staal either........it was one or the other in my mind...........I like Kessel's speed and shot and think his playmaking is above average but wouldnt have been needed as much as his shot on the Pens team..........I like that Staal is a monster........much better defensively then Kessel.......much better in the corners, down low, and in front of the net then Kessel......and hits. If Staal's offensive game progresses anywhere near his brother I think the Pens absolutely made the right choice.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Well it clearly didnt have "Nothing" to do with it...........it had a little to do with it of course...........Eric Staal had a fantastic season and obviously that is going to turn some heads when he at almost a full year older then Jordan when being drafted had very similar seasons and were very compareable.

I think it had a lot more to do with Jordan being absolutely huge...........having a very good offensive game..........had a very good playoff run and helped take his team to a memorial cup and is almost a year younger then the other players taken 1-5 in the draft.

I am a kessel fan and had hoped that the Pens would take a chance on him.........that said i'm not upset that they took Staal either........it was one or the other in my mind...........I like Kessel's speed and shot and think his playmaking is above average but wouldnt have been needed as much as his shot on the Pens team..........I like that Staal is a monster........much better defensively then Kessel.......much better in the corners, down low, and in front of the net then Kessel......and hits. If Staal's offensive game progresses anywhere near his brother I think the Pens absolutely made the right choice.

I'm not criticizing the pick. All I'm saying is Jordan Staal's draft status was helped by his last name and his brother's progression arc. IMO, the Pens have a very nice prospect who has a very NHL style game. Whether he's a better offensive player than Kessel at the next level is unknown at this point.

 

[Heat McManus]

Backstrom's play at the WJC, WC, and Byrnas were apparently good enough for Washington to rate him over Kessel....That and Alex likes Nik better than Phil.

 

[Transported Upstater]

Backstrom's play at the WJC, WC, and Byrnas were apparently good enough for Washington to rate him over Kessel....That and Alex likes Nik better than Phil.

Despite the fact that Phil can keep up with Ovechkin skating-wise, I think Backstrom is much better fit for the Capitals than Kessel is.