Prospect Info: Kole Lind, Pt. II | Is not being taken, etcetera

[MS]

It's "funny" that this literally needs to be explained every season like some people just get the Men In Black memory wipe during the summer. Whether it's Shinkaruk, Jensen, Cassels, Virtanen, Lind, etc, if he doesn't shred the AHL pretty much immediately he's probably not going to make it as anything but a grinder.

As I said, I've probably had 50 arguments like this over the years and was proven right every single time except maybe Connauton, who I thought had talent but was too poor defensively to stick in the NHL as a defender and I thought should have been converted to forward. If anything I've been too positive on guys like Corrado and Hodgson. And possibly MacEwen now.

Every year, rinse and repeat. Some draft pick scores 45 points as an AHL 2nd liner and the masses are convinced he's a sure-fire NHL scorer as a result. Or flops as an AHL rookie but will be the unicorn that actually makes it.

 

[Melvin]

As I said, I've probably had 50 arguments like this over the years and was proven right every single time except maybe Connauton, who I thought had talent but was too poor defensively to stick in the NHL as a defender and I thought should have been converted to forward. If anything I've been too positive on guys like Corrado and Hodgson. And possibly MacEwen now.

Every year, rinse and repeat. Some draft pick scores 45 points as an AHL 2nd liner and the masses are convinced he's a sure-fire NHL scorer as a result. Or flops as an AHL rookie but will be the unicorn that actually makes it.

Or puts up a PPG in juniors and gets everyone excited because they don't realize that every top-50 pick who returns to juniors either puts up PPG or is a complete write-off.

 

[Hoghandler]

If Lind puts up well over a point/game in the AHL this year, I'll admit that this small, slow, muffin-shooting winger might have top-6 upside.

Well over a PPG? So 1PPG doesn’t get him back in the mix as a potential top 6 forward?

I’ve been around Lind when he was in shorts and a t-shirt; he is by no means small. He’s actually a big kid with a projectable frame. Looks like a guy that will settle in around 6’1-6’2 and 200lbs+. Lind also has a pretty decent shot, one that should get harder as he grows into his body.

His first couple steps are poor and his edge work needs to improve as well, but size and strength are not concerns for Lind moving forward, at all. Time will sort that out.

You agree you were wrong about Lind having no pro upside, so we are getting somewhere. This season is make or break for him, and a PPG season should be enough to say his development arc is back on track and where we want it to be.

 

[Hoghandler]

Or puts up a PPG in juniors and gets everyone excited because they don't realize that every top-50 pick who returns to juniors either puts up PPG or is a complete write-off.

Or puts up 1.65PPG, which everyone rightly agrees is a successful season and keeps his projection as a top 6 forward in tact.

 

[Catamarca Livin]

As I said, I've probably had 50 arguments like this over the years and was proven right every single time except maybe Connauton, who I thought had talent but was too poor defensively to stick in the NHL as a defender and I thought should have been converted to forward. If anything I've been too positive on guys like Corrado and Hodgson. And possibly MacEwen now.

Every year, rinse and repeat. Some draft pick scores 45 points as an AHL 2nd liner and the masses are convinced he's a sure-fire NHL scorer as a result. Or flops as an AHL rookie but will be the unicorn that actually makes it.

Brendan Gaunce scored 29 points in 71 games after playing his overage year and you were/are high on him. Your argument is right that pessimism is warranted, but you being right 50 times in a row about I would dispute. If Lind has great year near a ppg then last year would be the outlier but he is one game in.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Need to factor in last season was only Lind's draft +2. Most guys step into the AHL in their draft +3 or later. He was physically out-matched heading into camp as a 19 year old, then got hurt a handful of games into the season which really set him back. Suffered a 2nd injury setback later in the year as well. Put this all together and you had a young guy that had his confidence shot, playing on a weak team, with weak linemates. Late in the season he started to play much better and his confidence seemed to grow.

Jared McCann is a good comparable here. Another guy drafted around the same spot that projects as a middle 6, potential top 6 winger. McCann put up .59PPG in the AHL in his draft +3 season. I would be looking for Lind to come in somewhere in that range, possibly a bit higher in this, his draft +3 season.

This Kole as a 19-yr-old is way over the top. The season began on Oct 5th and Kole turned 20 on 10/16. There are guys who start at 19 and don't turn 20 until close to Christmas. Hunter Shinkaruk was in the same boat turned 20 on OCT. 13th and put up 31 points while playing most of the season rehabbing on the fly from hip surgery. He he put up 39/45 GP the next season leading the team in goals with 21 before being traded.

Age is not the key factor for guys in their draft +2, it's their size, skill level, compete, and how long it takes them to adjust their game. Kole's main problem was skating, speed, and a slow learning curve as to adjustment to the game. That last piece was probably key to his injuries. He did play 51 of 76 games. It's not like he sat out half the year with injuries.

He's had one good game against a poor team paired with a couple of solid vets in Boucher and Camper which created a lot more room for him. Let's take this into December and see if his game is till on the same upbeat. That's when we will have a good idea of how he is projecting.

 

[Bad Goalie]

A couple months ago you said he had no NHL upside at all, in any role. You might be underestimating how quickly things can change for 20 year old prospects.

Lind has the smarts and requisite skill to play in a top 6, he just doesn't move well enough to project into that role at this point. His feet are the only thing really holding him back, and if he can make good strides in this area, it completely changes the projection.

Last year he was getting punched in scrums, this year he's dropping guys with punches in scrums. See how quickly things can change!

"this year he's dropping guys with punches in scrums" Once? He keeps this up and you'll see how many punches to the face he takes in those scrums. If he develops such a rep, the goonies will be in his face and that won't bode well. Just play hockey, don't back down, but don't be starting **** you can't finish. This league is full of guys looking to make their career grow by showing they can be counted on to stand up for their mates. Not a lot of that on the Comets, so he needs to be very careful.

 

[Hoghandler]

This Kole as a 19-yr-old is way over the top. The season began on Oct 5th and Kole turned 20 on 1o/16.

Age is not the key factor for guys in their draft +2, it's their size, skill level, compete, and how long it takes them to adjust their game.

Saying Kole Lind was 19 heading into camp was 'way over the top'? Kole Lind WAS 19 heading into camp.

Age is a key factor for draft +2 players. Their lack of size stems from being physically under developed compared to the men they are going up against, due to being so young. Not every single 20 year old lacks strength, but the vast majority do, and Lind did.

FYI Lind also looked good in his NHL pre-season game for the Canucks. Made a half dozen strong defensive plays, and created some offense. Looked better in that NHL pre-season game than at any point in the AHL last season. Lind still needs to improve his skating but it doesn't look like he's going to be knocked off the puck easily like last season.

 

[Hoghandler]

"this year he's dropping guys with punches in scrums Once?

He's played 1 game. How many guys do you expect him to drop in 1 game?

How many guys did he drop in 50+ games last season?

 

[Bad Goalie]

Saying Kole Lind was 19 heading into camp was 'way over the top'? Kole Lind WAS 19 heading into camp.

Age is a key factor for draft +2 players. Their lack of size stems from being physically under developed compared to the men they are going up against, due to being so young. Not every single 20 year old lacks strength, but the vast majority do, and Lind did.

FYI Lind also looked good in his NHL pre-season game for the Canucks. Made a half dozen strong defensive plays, and created some offense. Looked better in that NHL pre-season game than at any point in the AHL last season. Lind still needs to improve his skating but it doesn't look like he's going to be knocked off the puck easily like last season.

He was 19 for 11 days. Get off of this kick A whole lot of rookies in this league start at 19 and turn 20 in the first couple of months. He did it in leas than 2 weeks. His age had little to do with his games the other 19-yr-olds had to play against men as well. The real good ones do it and the lesser ones struggle. He struggled. Now he's played good in 1 game. No roses and laurels wreaths need to be handed out.

Like I said, I'm going to assess this amazing player around Christmas. I too have seen the guys who become top 6 forwards and he "ain't tying their skates" at the moment. Let the kid and his game grow and we'll see better.

 

[Bad Goalie]

He's played 1 game. How many guys do you expect him to drop in 1 game?

How many guys did he drop in 50+ games last season?

This argument has no merit and is just plain stupid. I won't venture down this road. I will tell you this and that's the last of it. If he continues to try to drop guys after whistles, he is going to get his ass handed to him in a basket. You can take that to the bank.

 

[sting101]

Why are guys digging in on Lind. You dont have to be a buzz kill everyone knows the odds are bad. So is a 33rd pick.
Lind looked great last game i thought he had a good pre season also. He's made some strides. Could be a Jason Pominville clone lets give it some time.

 

[bandwagonesque]

Or flops as an AHL rookie but will be the unicorn that actually makes it.

Again, this is simply isn't true. The team you watch has two 3rd liners who never topped 20 points in 4 full AHL seasons. The team they will play next while you watch them has a bottom 6 featuring a player who scored 17 points in 50 games as an AHL rookie. They aren't unicorns. Most teams have them and some have several. The arguments you've apparently had about various individual prospects over several years is a far less reliable data set and you're clearly intelligent enough to understand that fact. This isn't a defence of Lind, it's annoyance at the silly hyperbole being used to dismiss him.

 

[4Twenty]

Brendan Gaunce scored 29 points in 71 games after playing his overage year and you were/are high on him. Your argument is right that pessimism is warranted, but you being right 50 times in a row about I would dispute. If Lind has great year near a ppg then last year would be the outlier but he is one game in.

Didn’t play an overage year. Was a first liner in the AHL when he was called up as a 2nd year pro and he projected as a grinder then.

That’s the point here. Guys who did better and rise levels sooner still only amounted to a Grinder.

It's funny too, Gaunce basically anchored one of the 2/3 lines as a rookie and was 5th in forward scoring in the playoffs on a team that was a championship contender and lost in the finals.

 

[Hoghandler]

His age had little to do with his games the other 19-yr-olds had to play against men as well.

Yeah, and a ton of the guys drafted outside the first round that are in their draft +2 season struggle to make the jump to pro hockey. You want to know why? Their age. Which leaves them physically over matched going up against bigger, stronger men.

You don't need to wait 'til Christmas to judge Lind. By game 10 we will have a very good idea if his development is back on track, or whether his strong start was a mirage.

 

[Caldercanucks]

If I didn't like you guys, I would be a huge ******* and just obsess on Nic Hague in this thread. How the 6'6 defenseman and OHL defenseman goal scoring record holder just forced his way into the Vegas lineup at 19 years old despite their defense being stacked.

But I won't. We drafted Kole Lind instead because of Benning's god-tier scouting abilities. And that's wonderful.

Stacked D?/you barely have a top pairing. An expansion team with insane benefits, loads of picks and already lost players due to the cap.

 

[Caldercanucks]

There was a bunch of good defensemen in that draft and the Canucks missed on all of them. Korczak is definitely up there too. Vegas' drafting is just disgusting, they get in one draft what the Canucks couldn't do in a decade.

I appreciate your optimism and your positivity for a Canucks prospect so I will refrain from saying anything else.

Wow that's just hilarious .

 

[Hoghandler]

This argument has no merit and is just plain stupid.

You thought that was an argument? That was a joke. Was funny watching the little whispy push-over give his man a little shot in the mush and watch the guy collapse like he was hit by Joe Frazier. You had to find the humour in it.

 

[lawrence]

if you don't like Kole lind, that's totally fine, please unfollow this thread. I just want to hear his progression moving foward. Don't care who drafted him, want to hear if he had a good game or not. Don't give a rats ass if people think he's a write off.

 

[F A N]

Even with the 6 games that Lind played at the end of the 2017/18 season he still looked overwhelmed last year. There may have been some health issues that prevented him from getting ready for his rookie season I don't remember but the bottom line is he was in over his head much of the season last year. I need to qualify this again that it is a sample size of one game but he looked confident, aggressive and assertive on Saturday and looked noting like the Kole Lind from last year.

Sure but I was addressing your point that he underestimated the transition. My point is that he did get 6 games. And if he was overwhelmed in those 6 games he should have some sense of what he needs to work on to prepare for his rookie AHL season.

Last year neither Lind or Gadjovich skated well enough to make an impact in the AHL and neither played as physical as they likely did back in juniors. I don't know if Gadjo will ever skate that well but it looks like he is now going to the net hard and doing the things you expect from a big power forward. Lind looks like he may have improved his skating over the summer but I need to see him play more than one game to know for sure but it was obvious that he is a more confident hockey player right now.

No disagreement here. But the point I was making that it seems to me that Comets posters had written them off as potential good AHL contributors based on their rookie seasons while at the same time believing that it can be a tough transition from juniors to the AHL.

 

[Ryp37]

I’ve been around Lind when he was in shorts and a t-shirt; he is by no means small. He’s actually a big kid with a projectable frame. Looks like a guy that will settle in around 6’1-6’2 and 200lbs+. Lind also has a pretty decent shot, one that should get harder as he grows into his body.

Somehow cringy and creepy at the same time

He's definitely not big
OTE]

 

[DL44]

if you don't like Kole lind, that's totally fine, please unfollow this thread. I just want to hear his progression moving foward. Don't care who drafted him, want to hear if he had a good game or not. Don't give a rats ass if people think he's a write off.

Cant wait for Juolevi to have a good game.. then we can be updated on his bust level again.

At least people are here to provide "balance" to make sure we realize he is a limited hope prospect because of last yr. Over and over.

I didn't think Kole Lind had much of a chance as a prospect coming in... but I'm not gonna hang on to that to piss on a 3 pt debut. Good on him.
Keep it up....


Would love to see this thread stick to his current performance as well... everyone's projections of him are already known and locked in... dont need to know he's a bust after every multi pt gm.

 

[4Twenty]

Cant wait for Juolevi to have a good game.. then we can be updated on his bust level again.

At least people are here to provide "balance" to make sure we realize he is a limited hope prospect because of last yr. Over and over.

I didn't think Kole Lind had much of a chance as a prospect coming in... but I'm not gonna hang on to that to piss on a 3 pt debut. Good on him.
Keep it up....


Would love to see this thread stick to his current performance as well... everyone's projections of him are already known and locked in... dont need to know he's a bust after every multi pt gm.

Ignore list. Use it. Makes this place better. Ignore what you don't like instead on constantly whining.

 

[Hoghandler]

Somehow cringy and creepy at the same time

He's definitely not big
OTE]

Seeing a grown man in street clothes, oh the horror! You wear a t-shirt at the pool, don’t you? Haha. What a dork.

I fly out to the Okanagan every summer to take in the prospects tourney. The players always play soccer out front before the games. In, cover your ears if you’re squeamish, shorts and t-shirts!

 

[MS]

Well over a PPG? So 1PPG doesn’t get him back in the mix as a potential top 6 forward?

I’ve been around Lind when he was in shorts and a t-shirt; he is by no means small. He’s actually a big kid with a projectable frame. Looks like a guy that will settle in around 6’1-6’2 and 200lbs+. Lind also has a pretty decent shot, one that should get harder as he grows into his body.

His first couple steps are poor and his edge work needs to improve as well, but size and strength are not concerns for Lind moving forward, at all. Time will sort that out.

You agree you were wrong about Lind having no pro upside, so we are getting somewhere. This season is make or break for him, and a PPG season should be enough to say his development arc is back on track and where we want it to be.

I didn't agree I was wrong about anything.

Lind has no pro upside the way his skating his tracking. If he can make significant improvements there, he might be able to stick is a checking line winger.

Lind is small and weak on the puck. Like, Linden Vey is 6'0 190 but he's a tiny player who played tiny. 185 lbs. for Lind is a small player in today's game.