Look Back: Zagrapan to Q a Good Move?

[Anthony Mauro]

As the year passed, it is laudable to recognize Zagrapan for coming over to NA and playing in the CHL and the QMJHL. But was it better for him than staying in Slovakia? He's ranked anywhere from 8-18 on most lists and while that is not bad something tells me if he was a true Slovakian offensive whiz coming off a great year in the men's league, like Gaborik, he would be considered top 5 maybe even jockeying for the 3rd overall slot.

It almost seems like Crosby, and to a lesser extent Bourret and Latendresse took the shine off of Zagrapan's very good season. If he had played this year out in Slovakia he would have major appeal, and would be a sexy pick something that helped Gaborik get picked 3rd overall. The mystery of taking a guy(for example Slovakian sniper) that hasn't played on NA rinks is appealing. Does anyone think that MZ's move to the Q was not the best way to go?

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[Duff88]

As the year passed, it is laudable to recognize Zagrapan for coming over to NA and playing in the CHL and the QMJHL. But was it better for him than staying in Slovakia? He's ranked anywhere from 8-18 on most lists and while that is not bad something tells me if he was a true Slovakian offensive whiz coming off a great year in the men's league, like Gaborik, he would be considered top 5 maybe even jockeying for the 3rd overall slot.

It almost seems like Crosby, and to a lesser extent Bourret and Latendresse took the shine off of Zagrapan's very good season. If he had played this year out in Slovakia he would have major appeal, and would be a sexy pick something that helped Gaborik get picked 3rd overall. The mystery of taking a guy(for example Slovakian sniper) that hasn't played on NA rinks is appealing. Does anyone think that MZ's move to the Q was not the best way to go?

The problem I see here is that he's developped extremely well through the season, but kept falling in the rankings because people think he's too risky. I think that with his potential and the way he developped through the season, the only reason why he might have been picked higher if he had stayed in Slovakia is misinformation.

 

[ZombieMatt]

There is merit to the thought that sometime people get over-excited about Europeans (mostly because they haven't seen them and it's still chic to call Euros "skilled" and N.Americans "gritty"). However, I doubt most teams/scouts are goign to be fooled in the same way. An example is a recent thread I saw that had many people putting Kopitar ahead of Brule. My indication from the scouts I spoke to while covering the Q during the season was the Brule was most likely a top three, and certainly a top five, while Kopitar was not. Yet, many fans create a perception of a player (who they sometimes have never seen) based on fantasy-like dreams.

Now, this is not to say Kopitar isn't a highly skilled player and a great prospect. He is. But it is an example of how "the mysterious" can boost a fan's view of a Euro prospect. So I see where Balej is coming from, in a sense.

 

[hockeyfan125]

I have seen Kopitar play on tapes and such around 7 or 8 times, and I have seen Brule live around 15 times or so. I would take Kopitar over Brule.

 

[Team_Spirit]

I dont think it would make much a difference , teams scouts in Slovakia are as good as scout here in the CHL . Zagrapan is a good playmaker , but so was Ribeiro and he got selected in the 2nd round .

 

[Freaky Habs Fan]

I dont think it would make much a difference , teams scouts in Slovakia are as good as scout here in the CHL . Zagrapan is a good playmaker , but so was Ribeiro and he got selected in the 2nd round .

But Ribeiro was slow and bad defensively...Zapragan will go in the first round

 

[Rahan]

But Ribeiro was slow and bad defensively...Zapragan will go in the first round

Zagrapan is a non-factor in the defensive zone, too.

 

[borro]

It's that dangle tag that has Zagrapan falling. His solid play takes away an issue of whether he can adjust to the NA style. I think it helps him in the long term.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

The so-called 'NA style' might be changing too, which should help Zagrapan on draft day.

I don't think Zagrapan's QMJHL season will hurt his stock at all. In fact, he's one less player from Europe that you don't have to wonder about once he moves to the North American rinks.


I think I'd rather have Zagrapan's stats going into my draft year, than the typical (3 GP, 0-0-0, 2 PIM) line that we often see for European kids who only get a brief taste of action in various elite leagues. If anything, Zagrapan is a little more proven after his first junior campaign.

That's not a bad thing.

 

[Form and Substance]

He did play on a stacked Chicoutimi team and that certainly padded up his stats. I'd compare him to Zhamnov in that he might become one of the best offensive forwards around while still being very very good defensively but not show up all the time. Thus he'll be a bit frustrating to deal with.

 

[Vatican Roulette]

Never been a fan of skilled euro's playing in the CHL.

I say he goes in the 1st round, but never reaches his potential, and most likely busts.


EDIT: I think the development is better in the euro leagues for them. Meaning that these players have always been trained the same way their whole lives, to move them into another development system tends to hurt rather than help.