Prospect Info: Leafs 2018 1st Rd Pick (#29 OA via STL) - Rasmus Sandin (5'11 186lbs, D, Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds)

[Leaf Rocket]

Yeah, those definitions are too liberal for my liking.

Power forwards don't just forecheck - they bully their way to the puck; It's not just that they can't be moved - they put you on your ass when you even try; They don't just shoot from the slot - They go to war for the slot, and challenge you to go to war with them; They put the fear of God in their opponents, and - most importantly - they back all of that **** up when called upon, and are always prepared to stand up for a teammate.

Power forwards are a special breed of hockey player, and that moniker still deserves some respect, no matter how the game evolves.

Call the other guys 'drivers' or something.

If i haven't thanked you my friend, thank you for the birthday wishes, been omving around and i saw the post here but i couldn't find it

You'd be surprised how many people on this site actually wanted Ritchie at our spot.

Things would have looked pretty ugly if we had selected Strome and Ritchie vs Marner and Nylander.

So glad we're finally prioritizing talent and skill over size and grit.

Man I was bitter about Draisalt and Bennett from that year.

 

[Walshy7]

You'd be surprised how many people on this site actually wanted Ritchie at our spot.

Things would have looked pretty ugly if we had selected Strome and Ritchie vs Marner and Nylander.

So glad we're finally prioritizing talent and skill over size and grit.

there were so many hoping for Ritchie is was making me sick. Not just here I was a lurker then but other places and in general. I was driving up north listening to the draft on radio I was hitting the steering wheel with joy when they announced Nylander

 

[Boutette]

I'm starting to worry Toronto has fallen a little bit too much in love with small players. Half the wingers we have will never make the team anyway. We need a power forward somehow, someway and if it isn't by trade then it is by draft. I don't have a problem with Sandin at 29th, I didn't expect much anyway.

We have a number of center/winger prospects 6 feet tall and over which have top 6/bottom six potential. Closest to playing are Grundstrom, Engvall, Korshkov, Ferguson and Marchment (each of which could be playing in the NHL this year or next) plus: Stotts, Kara, Joshua, Chebykin and a few others in the system could make an impression in 2+ years. Not sure why people ignore all these guys just because the team also has smaller prospects that people also think have potential.

 

[Ash35]

OK now I'm excited.

 

[Walshy7]

OK now I'm excited.

wow what an excellent video, not just in the sense Sandin looks good but its well explained and shows things that I and I would guess a lot of fans wouldn't look for as +'s in Sandin's game. Sounds like that guy does videos for other players too at least he talks about his Bouchard video.

 

[mammothCacti]

It's time to forget about PIMs. We don't want PIMs and we don't want fights. There's nothing positive that comes from leaving your team shorthanded or having one of your top six forwards in the box and off the ice for five minutes because of a fight.

When I'm talking about power forwards, I mean hard forecheckers, big puck protectors who can't be moved, and guys shoot from the slot.

Isn't hard forechecking, big puck protectors who can't be moved and guys that shooter from the slot all adjectives to describe Matthews and Tavares?

Very accurate ones too?

 

[Obliviate]

I have had at least 15 viewings and 4 live viewings. He is not impressive.. at all. He certainly benefited from player with true blue chip prospects and he has major flaws that are going to limit him at the NHL level. It's like drafting a successful college QB, who has a high IQ, but a "bad body". This is that exact pick. He has a tremendous tool box, but lacks tools.

Average skater, cannot QB a PP because he has no slap shot, passive, will struggle to clear the front of the net at the NHL level, unable to physically impose his will, undersized.

He is Tomas Kaberle except he can't skate like Kaberle, is smaller than Kaberle, and doesn't even have the threat of letting a one timer go (while Kaberle was a pass first player he still had the THREAT of unloading a clapper). A VERY poor man's Kaberle.

You don't need a slapshot to QB a PP.

Kaberle was a celebral hockey player, and elite puck mover. If Kabby is the comparable then that sounds like a hell of a player to me.

 

[Obliviate]

And Provorov was the better player on draft day and today.

huh - and yet he wasn't even the highest drafted D man drafted that day.

I'm a big Provorov fan, but lets not resort to revisionist history here.

 

[Ash35]

wow what an excellent video, not just in the sense Sandin looks good but its well explained and shows things that I and I would guess a lot of fans wouldn't look for as +'s in Sandin's game. Sounds like that guy does videos for other players too at least he talks about his Bouchard video.

Yeah I've watched a bunch of them and as far and defensive smarts he gushes the most over Sandin.

 

[Brobust]

Isn't hard forechecking, big puck protectors who can't be moved and guys that shooter from the slot all adjectives to describe Matthews and Tavares?

Very accurate ones too?

That's exactly what I was saying. I consider Matthews, Tavares, Marleau and Hyman to be power forwards.

 

[saltming]

 

[darrylsittler27]

One year too early on this guy for me. Dubas saw something but no he didn't jump at me like Dermott,Liljegren did. Could be a top 4 Dman but way too early and at 29th overall, they often need seasoning.

 

[Jozay]

 

[93LEAFS]

Not too shocking, could always end up back in the Soo if Rogle is being stingy with Ice-time again. I can't see the Marlies being a good situation. for him.

 

[Kiwi]

Not too shocking, could always end up back in the Soo if Rogle is being stingy with Ice-time again. I can't see the Marlies being a good situation. for him.

Yeah, I'd fear for his health in the AHL right now

If he's getting hit a lot by the forecheck in the OHL, God only knows how he'd go against those guys in the AHL

 

[93LEAFS]

Yeah, I'd fear for his health in the AHL right now

If he's getting hit a lot by the forecheck in the OHL, God only knows how he'd go against those guys in the AHL

Yeah, I'm not psyched on him choosing to play vs men this year, I think he should have played another year in the OHL, and then made this move next year. But, I get the draw of a bigger paycheck and in this case play with his brother.

SHL will allow him to face less of an agressive forecheck, but its still a really tough league, and will be an uphill battle to get top 4 minutes.

 

[Kiwi]

Yeah, I'm not psyched on him choosing to play vs men this year, I think he should have played another year in the OHL, and then made this move next year. But, I get the draw of a bigger paycheck and in this case play with his brother.

SHL will allow him to face less of an agressive forecheck, but its still a really tough league, and will be an uphill battle to get top 4 minutes.

I think he can handle himself pretty well in most situations but getting more reps against an N/A forecheck wouldn't be the worst idea

I don't want to see the kid getting hit all the time when he comes back over again

 

[Menzinger]

Kids always want a challenge, hopefully it’s the right call.

I’m sure the Leafs will monitor things pretty closely and will push him to switch to chl if he looks outmatched

 

[hullsy47]

Kids always want a challenge, hopefully it’s the right call.

I’m sure the Leafs will monitor things pretty closely and will push him to switch to chl if he looks outmatched

heard hes playing well in rogle ?leave him

 

[SprDaVE]

I think it's a smart move for him to progress to playing against faster and stronger players.

I'd say it's almost guaranteed he's in the SHL this season.

 

[MyBudJT]

Yeah, I'm not psyched on him choosing to play vs men this year, I think he should have played another year in the OHL, and then made this move next year. But, I get the draw of a bigger paycheck and in this case play with his brother.

SHL will allow him to face less of an agressive forecheck, but its still a really tough league, and will be an uphill battle to get top 4 minutes.

His underlying numbers in Sweden are pretty good... Does he not project well to have a pretty good rookie compaign?

 

[Mess]

One year too early on this guy for me. Dubas saw something but no he didn't jump at me like Dermott,Liljegren did. Could be a top 4 Dman but way too early and at 29th overall, they often need seasoning.

When you trade back in the draft and 12 other Dmen go before your selection, you know this is a long-term project and plenty of development time is ahead.

 

[Fogelhund]

When you trade back in the draft and 12 other Dmen go before your selection, you know this is a long-term project and plenty of development time is ahead.

Exactly. It isn't as if we are in a dire situation with LHD at the moment either.

Rielly, Gardiner, Dermott...

Even if you assume that Gardiner isn't here after this year... then you've got Borgman and Rosen...

From an asset perspective, Sandin is the next guy to replace a Borgman/Rosen/Dermott in the lineup, should they price themselves off the team at some point. I think we've got three or four seasons, before there is realistically a spot for Sandin to claim, so there is plenty of time for him to develop, without any pressure.

 

[Ziggdiezan]

Exactly. It isn't as if we are in a dire situation with LHD at the moment either.

Rielly, Gardiner, Dermott...

Even if you assume that Gardiner isn't here after this year... then you've got Borgman and Rosen...

From an asset perspective, Sandin is the next guy to replace a Borgman/Rosen/Dermott in the lineup, should they price themselves off the team at some point. I think we've got three or four seasons, before there is realistically a spot for Sandin to claim, so there is plenty of time for him to develop, without any pressure.

Sandin could be the player that replaces Dermott on the 2nd pairing and dermott moves up to the 1st pairing if Rielly prices himself out of town in like 4 years.

 

[Fogelhund]

Sandin could be the player that replaces Dermott on the 2nd pairing and dermott moves up to the 1st pairing if Rielly prices himself out of town in like 4 years.

That's possible too... but still, the bottom line is that's a number of years away, so no rush.