Prospect Info: Leafs pick - #65 - Andrew Nielsen (D) Lethbridge WHL 6-3 207lbs

[Drew75]

I think you're overestimating how fast defenseman need to skate. Chara wouldn't win any footraces with basically anyone in the league, and yet he was one of the best defensive players in the league during his prime. Positioning, stick work, vision, passing, and being able to take the body are much more important imo, and he looked far ahead of guys like Dermott in those attributes.

Guys like Luke Schenn weren't terrible because they couldn't skate, Luke Schenn was terrible because he couldn't really do anything at a high level and was exposed due to the system and pathetic back checking efforts from the forwards. If we play a strong defensive system like the Bruins/Detroit/LA Kings then I don't think his skating is an issue at all.

Agreed - but the important thing is that food speed and mobility are two different things.

Nielsen definitely has to work on his skating, but it's not something that (I believe) will stop him from being effective at the NHL level. Don't get me wrong, skating can be a huge issue for D making the jump, but it looks to me like Nielsen has that minimum basic mobility and speed to be effective as long as he can work his positioning in the D zone to be effective.

I'm really liking what I see, and another couple of years with the Marlies will go a long way in his development.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Glad the knee is okay.

 

[Matthews34]

If his skating doesn't improve (more so his lateral movement and edges than speed) the best we can hope for is a left shooting Cody Franson clone but if he does improve his skating his potential is HUGE!!! His other tools are rock solid. We'll have to wait and see.

 

[X66]

Dude looked like he was going to be out for months with that knee injury.

Was very happy to see him back on the bench.

 

[leafers]

Really liked what i saw. I believe he's got the potential to be a core player for us down the road.

 

[Field of Dreams]

I have post traumatic leaf disorder and it is impossible to imagine we found a good player late in the draft

 

[supermann_98]

I have post traumatic leaf disorder and it is impossible to imagine we found a good player late in the draft

I'm as cynical as it gets when it comes to our late rounders but lightning has to strike sooner or later right?

If this guy could be our version of Paryko or even a solid rock guy like Seidenberg it would go a long way to seeing our team be a future playoff contender

 

[Field of Dreams]

I'm as cynical as it gets when it comes to our late rounders but lightning has to strike sooner or later right?

If this guy could be our version of Paryko or even a solid rock guy like Seidenberg it would go a long way to seeing our team be a future playoff contender

I'm not saying its impossible, we just have to trade him first

 

[LondonKendrick]

Move over Colton Parayko

 

[saltming]

Move over Colton Parayko

Over to the eastern conference to play for the leafs?

 

[cupcrazyman]

3rd pairing dman is ok with me,nothing wrong with that.

 

[leafers]

3rd pairing dman is ok with me,nothing wrong with that.

Nothing wrong with that, but he has the tools to be much better than your average 3rd pairing dman.

 

[WTFMAN99]

His skating (agility/lateral movement along with turning quickly) will really determine how far he goes.

 

[mallory67]

1G and 1A today for the Marlies ... this kid is pretty good.
Looks like he has a hard, accurate shot from the point.

How long till we see him in the bigs?

 

[DopeyFish]

1G and 1A today for the Marlies ... this kid is pretty good.
Looks like he has a hard, accurate shot from the point.

How long till we see him in the bigs?

Depending on deadline activity and his continued play... potentially at the end of the year

More likely next season with a 9 game tryout

 

[bobermay]

Depending on deadline activity and his continued play... potentially at the end of the year

More likely next season with a 9 game tryout

9 game tryouts are only relevant for players to not burn off a year of their ELC. Nielsen will have already burned off a year of his ELC...

 

[DopeyFish]

9 game tryouts are only relevant for players to not burn off a year of their ELC. Nielsen will have already burned off a year of his ELC...

damn i was told in a hurry

 

[scan15*]

1G and 1A today for the Marlies ... this kid is pretty good.
Looks like he has a hard, accurate shot from the point.

How long till we see him in the bigs?

There's literally nobody on the leafs defense who has that.

Really hoping that he can play on the 3rd pair next season.

 

[Paradoc]

There's literally nobody on the leafs defense who has that.

Really hoping that he can play on the 3rd pair next season.

Let's hope he can replace Carrick or Hunwick sooner rather than later and we pick up a veteran dman to play with Gardiner.

 

[Canada4Gold]

9 game tryouts are only relevant for players to not burn off a year of their ELC. Nielsen will have already burned off a year of his ELC...

No he hasn't, Nielsen's ELC can slide this year, he's a late birthday in his draft+2 year, that makes him AHL eligible and not a junior but his contract can still slide. Same applies to Dermott and Timashov, if you sign them early enough post draft, the late birthdays can slide twice despite playing in the AHL the 2nd year

https://www.capfriendly.com/slides

 

[saltming]

Would people be happy if we kept one of hunwick or polak and brought up 2 of nielsen dermott or valiev?

 

[1specter]

There's literally nobody on the leafs defense who has that.

Really hoping that he can play on the 3rd pair next season.

Zaitsev does but as it stands Babcock doesn't really put him in a position to use it. The way the PP is currently set up there's never an opportunity for Zaitsev to actually facilitate his shot.

But yes Nielsen's big shot would be a nice addition.

 

[BayStreetBully]

I can see he's scoring, but how is he doing defensively?

 

[Nithoniniel]

I'd preferably like to see Nielsen and Dermott get at least this season to acclimate to the professional game, without having to worry about the next step too. Take another look for next season, see what other options are available, and then aim for the TDL next year as a baseline.

Valiev is a different case. I would be surprised if we didn't see a lot of him after the TDL.

 

[saltming]

I can see he's scoring, but how is he doing defensively?

I've only see 3 games this year but his positioning is pretty good. I still feel he needs to improve his first couple steps and agility before I'm comfortble that he can make the jump to the nhl.