Lauri Tukonen

[Dr Quincy]

I went to the Monarchs-Lock Monsters game on Sunday and came away with a few thoughts on this guy.

The positives:

1) Has NHL size
2) Is willing to go to the net and/or to pay the price for setting up in front of the net for either the pass, rebound or to set up the screen

Really that's about it.

Negatives:
1) Skating- His top speed looked slow, he took too long to get to top speed and he had little lateral quickness
2) Had trouble handling passes cleanly. On one play he was given a beautiful long 2 line pass that would have sprung him for a one on one... but it clanged off his stick.

I freely admit that you shouldn't draw too much from one viewing of a prospect. A scrub can look great for one game and a great player can have an off night.

For those of you who have seen more of him... Am I missing something with this guy?

Click to read more...

 

[Pete Rock]

1) Skating- His top speed looked slow, he took too long to get to top speed and he had little lateral quickness

I had thought that at one point too, but I think he suffers from Eric Daze syndrome in which his skating appears to be slow but actually isn't.

2) Had trouble handling passes cleanly. On one play he was given a beautiful long 2 line pass that would have sprung him for a one on one... but it clanged off his stick.

I think that was just a case of his mind already shooting the puck without physically having it. A minor brain cramp that I wouldn't attribute too much too.

For those of you who have seen more of him... Am I missing something with this guy?

If you can get game tapes of the U-20's from this year, I'd highly recommend it. He looked exceptional out there for the Finns.

 

[edd1e]

That's why watching one game isnt enough. He looked great in WJC and tied with Malkin on points, and played those games with hurt shoulder.