Granlund2Pulkkinen*
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Geez, the kid is 15. He'll be at least 6'0 by Draft Day.
He'll be 17 in February......
Geez, the kid is 15. He'll be at least 6'0 by Draft Day.
I hope he grows, I thought he was bigger than that. If he's that size by draft day he won't be first round, even with that kind of talent. There's no way he'll be able to play in the NHL against 6'4-6'9 defenders and not start suffering Finnish-esque injury problems (cough Tuomo Ruutu, Saku Koivu, Teemu Selanne, Joni Pitkanen cough). If he's 5'11" 160-180 by draft day I still STILL think he's top 10 talent. But I didn't see this tournament so I don't know if I'm speaking out of line or not.
Rajala was very impressive and clearly solidified his status as a top-notch 2009 prospect by proving his ability to succeed against top international compeition despite his lack of size, but Spartak Moscow forward Kirill Kabanov (6-1, 172) also finished with 11 points and is 16 months younger than Rajala. In fact, he was the second-youngest player in the tournament (7/16/92 b-day) and racked up two goals, nine assists and 28 PIMs in five games. Much more hyped Russian forward Maxim Kitsyn had only four points in Russia's five games, and Kabanov is likely to shoot up the 2010 draft boards after this impressive performance.
I'd say being 6-1/172 instead of 5-9/148 is more important than being a year younger. Team Russia was also a lot more skilled on the whole than team Finland, as always.
Again I probably don't know alot of what I'm talking about but I'm still kinda weary. He's very talented and extremely smart. Can that help him draft day? Even if he is still 5'9?
He'll be 17 in February......
Just for info, Kuchin is just 176 cm(5'9). He's 180 lbs though.Preferably Kuchin, Paajarvi and Haula. All 5'11" - 6'4". How could he compete?
Maybe they were more skilled, but surely not a lot more. Look, Finland was very small at this tournament, but they brought a skilled team.Team Russia was also a lot more skilled on the whole than team Finland, as always.
As I've said, I think Kitsyn is overrated. I've heard some very good things about Kabanov. Though Pullkinen was more impressive, I think. He scored 5 goals and Kabanov scored only 2.but Spartak Moscow forward Kirill Kabanov (6-1, 172) also finished with 11 points and is 16 months younger than Rajala. In fact, he was the second-youngest player in the tournament (7/16/92 b-day) and racked up two goals, nine assists and 28 PIMs in five games. Much more hyped Russian forward Maxim Kitsyn had only four points in Russia's five games, and Kabanov is likely to shoot up the 2010 draft boards after this impressive performance.
Pulkkinen is 5'10. Granlund is 5'9. Haula is 5'11. Donskoi is 5'11. Nattinen is 6'2.Is Pulkkinen any taller? Granlund?
I havent had the chance to seem him but for anyone who has could you tell me his strengths and weaknesses? TSN has him listed as 5'9 148 lbs? At that size he must be one incredibely smooth player.
My biggest concerns are
1. SM-Liiga Senior league
Toni Rajala has been playing great in the SM-Liiga B and A junior leagues, but his Swedish counterparts for the 2009 draft are already in their senior leagues in SEL. Now SM-Liiga is alot different than SEL, specifically with the fact that SM-Liiga tends to attract alot of international players for some reason, so roster space may be limited.
I'd say being 6-1/172 instead of 5-9/148 is more important than being a year younger. Team Russia was also a lot more skilled on the whole than team Finland, as always.
Speaking of points, it's hard to compare results on such tournament. They have played with different opponents.
Yeah we should drag them out of the rinks and throw them to soccer fields!Finland needs to stop producing these midgets.
1. SM-Liiga Senior league
Toni Rajala has been playing great in the SM-Liiga B and A junior leagues, but his Swedish counterparts for the 2009 draft are already in their senior leagues in SEL. Now SM-Liiga is alot different than SEL, specifically with the fact that SM-Liiga tends to attract alot of international players for some reason, so roster space may be limited. I don't know if that's an excuse right now but I hope it's not hurting him developement-wise. (ISS and some other """scouting servise""" (I am not a big fan of ISS) has him in the latter part of the first round, could be because of this).
I have seen Rajala 10+ times this year against 20ish players in finnish A-juniors SM-liiga. His strenghts are in the offensive end mostly. He is good skater, maybe not being fastest in the planet, but can circle well and having good balance. He has good wrister, can deke and sees game well. Can make passes, but isn't afraid of try to shoot either. He is quite good backchecker as well, can rip off player off puck without hitting him, just using his stick well.
Problems are clearly size, since he is even small to compared other 16-17y players, not even mentioning compared to ~20y or seniors. He can get off situations with smart playing, but it still affects obviously his game. Another one is his problems when it comes to open up game in the own end. At least in A-juniors he has had problems in own area when opponents have been giving him pressure. It comes down better in neutral zone, but he is most comfortable clearly with&without puck in offensive zone. Marking in own zone is problem sometimes as well, he seems like to try to leave his own D(when playing at wing, as he is) and maybe jumping inside of game maybe a bit too soon. Maybe that's being young etc.
Lastly about attitude, which at least in the rink seems like to be really good. He is not taking too long shifts, padding own players shinpads after shift.
His PK I haven't seen, since that's not his role in his A junior team. Would think he could get decent at least in that area too. His PP playing is quite good already, still haven't seen too much about it either. He could play it a bit simplier, but there is a lot of potential, since having quite good wrister as I mentioned and skills&vision to make both passing&shooting plays.
That's totally incorrect. SEL have a lot more foreigner players than finnish SM-liiga. There is actually more just finnish players in Sweden than there is total foreigners in Finland. Reason Rajala not to play in Finland against seniors is obvious. He doesn't have size to do it. This is his first year in A-juniors and he is very small already in there.
I'm quite sure not. At least not top end talent. Finland outshooted Russia 46-23 and finnish team were really small. Top talents are highly skilled, etc. Overall talent limit might be going to Russia, which is obvious, but not top end talent.
Yeah and you can always get some free assists playing in good line, etc. So it would be better to see players as well.
We don't produce not that much of quality so these "midgets" are ok by me![]()
how so..15 to 17 in a month, leap year? lol
He was born February 29, 1991. He'll be in the 2009 draft.how so..15 to 17 in a month, leap year? lol
Sounds like a good idea, right? If you're Canadian/North American. The problem is that would be such a slap in Finland's face if he left. He's the first thing in a while that Finland can get excited about and for him to slap their system in the face and deem the CHL better for him (as much as that is true) that would be very disrespectful for him to defect to Canada... But I say a little extra prayer each night that he does go to the CHL.Maybe he should come and play in the CHL. He's eligible for this year's import draft no?
Size was my biggest concern too. I don't know if he can use his slippery-ness in the NHL against those big brute forced D-man and O-men.This is an excellent post, I agree with Joretus even with some of the details. I really like Rajala as a player, he is very good but I have concerns about his size. I DOUBT that he is 5.09. For me he looks more than 5.08 and if you watch him in street-clothes he looks so unbelievable fragile, you would never think he is a hockey-player, he looks like a violine-player or a ski-jumper and I don't want to think what happens if his very small head collides with Phaneuf or Pronger. It will be very interesting to see how he develops and how he can translate his game to the pro-level.
Actually it's 2.29.91 according to http://www.dobberhockey.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=220&Itemid=1 , but I don't know if that's accurate.he is 16 now... he is born on 03.29.91. so finnerican is right. he turns 17 in march.
Sounds like a good idea, right? If you're Canadian/North American. The problem is that would be such a slap in Finland's face if he left. He's the first thing in a while that Finland can get excited about and for him to slap their system in the face and deem the CHL better for him (as much as that is true) that would be very disrespectful for him to defect to Canada... But I say a little extra prayer each night that he does go to the CHL.That would be great for his developement.
Rajala hardly thinking about politics, but his own development. He is already playing every game solid minutes in Ilves A-juniors, which is same level as CHL(or at least very close to), so it's not like he is playing in league which won't give him competition. As mentioned, he is playing against 20y players, who are even 20cm longer than he is and 30kg heavier. CHL could be good his development, but playing in Ilves won't be anything worse as long as he is getting enough ice time(as he is).
There is a lot more training in Finland than in CHL, which is more about playing. Some suits for others and some for others. And as addition he could be playing against seniors as well, since you can play over here for both juniors&seniors in same team. And of course as addition being so long away from home can be bad for junior player. And of course some players want to go school as well, which is obviously much easier in Finland for finnish born player.
So all in all, that's incorrect again.
I'm not seeing how what I said is in any way incorrect. It may not be the TRUE reason but what I say does bear some validity.
This is an excellent post, I agree with Joretus even with some of the details. I really like Rajala as a player, he is very good but I have concerns about his size. I DOUBT that he is 5.09. For me he looks more than 5.08 and if you watch him in street-clothes he looks so unbelievable fragile, you would never think he is a hockey-player, he looks like a violine-player or a ski-jumper and I don't want to think what happens if his very small head collides with Phaneuf or Pronger. It will be very interesting to see how he develops and how he can translate his game to the pro-level.
Do people realize that he is 16 years old? He has time to get more weight and muscle. He never will be a big player for sure, maybe 5.10-11 and 180lbs.
Anyway, the size issue has really got out of hand, especially in North-America. I remember when Crosby was playing his first year in QJHML and people talked more about his size than his skills. It really pissed me off, because if the skills are there the size isnt really an issue. Same thing here in Rajala's case. He's amazing talent, almost a lock for Top 10 in 09 draft. Forget about the size, focus on skill.
NHL teams have hopefully figured out that with the new rules also the smaller players can also be effective, like Kane, St. Louis, Crosby.
-- and he had five points against Germany, which got an otherwordly goaltending effort all tournament from Philipp Grubauer.
12/31 vs. Germany -- one goal, four assists