Prospect Info: Mikael Granlund V

[Gaps]

So you don't think Mikael Granlund becomes the 2nd line center of this team as we move forward?

I don't really like to make long-term projections in the first place, but I haven't given up on Granlund becoming a fine 2nd line C, I just wouldn't call it certain. I've watched Granlund for years and always preferred him as a winger, but I'm not writing him out as a center by any means. Him not making it as a center is more likely than him not making it in the NHL at all IMO.

 

[Beegoalie]

I don't really like to make long-term projections in the first place, but I haven't given up on Granlund becoming a fine 2nd line C, I just wouldn't call it certain. I've watched Granlund for years and always preferred him as a winger, but I'm not writing him out as a center by any means. Him not making it as a center is more likely than him not making it in the NHL at all IMO.

Fair enough..I like yourself and many others would have liked to see him given the opportunity to play on Koivu's wing. I think he is a perfect player to put alongside those two..and it was kind of given to Coyle based on his size and RH shot.

Nonetheless like yourself i believe in Granlund and he will be a good NHL player. He has produced at too high of a level everywhere else to think that his skills won't eventually translate to the NHL as well..it just takes time with some players.

 

[Gaps]

Fair enough..I like yourself and many others would have liked to see him given the opportunity to play on Koivu's wing. I think he is a perfect player to put alongside those two..and it was kind of given to Coyle based on his size and RH shot.

Nonetheless like yourself i believe in Granlund and he will be a good NHL player. He has produced at too high of a level everywhere else to think that his skills won't eventually translate to the NHL as well..it just takes time with some players.

People seem to have no patience with young players these days. A prospect ****s up once---> he's a bust. Fortunately the teams usually have more patience than that. With Europeans having patience is even more important, because many of them tend to develop more slowly than North Americans and reach their primes later. I don't know if Granlund is one of these players, but he wouldn't be the 1st Finn to be like that and probably not the last one either.

 

[Beegoalie]

People seem to have no patience with young players these days. A prospect ****s up once---> he's a bust. Fortunately the teams usually have more patience than that. With Europeans having patience is even more important, because many of them tend to develop more slowly than North Americans and reach their primes later. I don't know if Granlund is one of these players, but he wouldn't be the 1st Finn to be like that and probably not the last one either.

Agree. I will admit that I thought he would have a bigger impact right out of the gate but his game was noticeably improving and he is a dominant AHL player. He has dominated his age group...been great internationally and dominated a Men's league as a teenager(the one Euro league most comparable to the NHL in style of play, albeit much much weaker). He will be fine..no doubt in my mind he's still an elite prospect and going to be a good NHL player.

 

[AKL]

Mikko didn't really break out in the NHL until he was 24 (you could make a case for 23), and Granlund is smarter and more talented offensively than Mikko was. I'm not worried. He'll still be a 70+ point scorer in the NHL.

 

[Gaps]

Mikko didn't really break out in the NHL until he was 24 (you could make a case for 23), and Granlund is smarter and more talented offensively than Mikko was. I'm not worried. He'll still be a 70+ point scorer in the NHL.

When Mikko was 21, even a lot of Finns still insisted he'd never be anything but a good 4th line center and they even questioned if the national team would have use for him in the future. According to many, Tuomo Ruutu was and would always be the far more superior player out of the two.

 

[Jbcraig1883]

When Mikko was 21, even a lot of Finns still insisted he'd never be anything but a good 4th line center and they even questioned if the national team would have use for him in the future. According to many, Tuomo Ruutu was and would always be the far more superior player out of the two.

This is very true. On the old forums for HF, I remember all of the posters from Finland saying that...funny how time goes by so fast.

Anywho, will be watching Granlund again tonight. Hope he plays like he did in last night's third period. But, it is his third game in three nights so will see if he and the Aeros have any legs left.

 

[Blizzard6411]

The bottom line is this, when you draft a kid it is always a risk. That kid just may have peaked quicker then others but none the less has peaked while others who weren't as highly coveted continue to grow and eventually surpass. It happens all the time in sports and will continue to happen. Not saying that is the case with Granlund but it is entirely possible and it wouldn't be anybodys fault, just the way it goes.

 

[WILDTATE10]

Granlund is still gonna be a great player. Not a doubt in my mind

 

[Dampland]

Mikko didn't really break out in the NHL until he was 24 (you could make a case for 23), and Granlund is smarter and more talented offensively than Mikko was. I'm not worried. He'll still be a 70+ point scorer in the NHL.

Wow, just wow ..... I just can't see that ever happening. 50+ at max.

to me will be nothing more than a slower PM Bouchard.

 

[AKL]

Wow, just wow ..... I just can't see that ever happening. 50+ at max.

He's better offensively than Koivu. 20-50-70 is very attainable for him.

And PMB could have done 70 if it weren't for all the injuries. He had the talent.

 

[Dampland]

He's better offensively than Koivu. 20-50-70 is very attainable for him.

And PMB could have done 70 if it weren't for all the injuries. He had the talent.

You predict he will be better offensivly than Koivu. Becaus he certainly isn't better currently.

And I feel PMB is better than Granlund ever will be , same game, except PMB has speed.

Personally, I'm not going to pin the Wild's future success on hoping Granlund succeeds. Luckily we have many other players who will/are step up and fill Granlund's void.

 

[AKL]

You predict he will be better offensivly than Koivu. Becaus he certainly isn't better currently.

And I feel PMB is better than Granlund ever will be , same game, except PMB has speed.

Personally, I'm not going to pin the Wild's future success on hoping Granlund succeeds. Luckily we have many other players who will/are step up and fill Granlund's void.

Of course Granlund isn't better than Koivu now. That's a very silly argument to make. He's only 20, and so far he's been better offensively at every comparable point in their careers. There's no reason to believe that won't continue right now.

PMB may have more speed, but Granlund has the intelligence that very few on this team match. He'll be fine. His skating will be fine too, he's not fast, but he's good enough for the NHL.

I'm not pinning the franchise's future success on Granlund either. Can you show me where I did that? Don't put words into my mouth. I simply said he can be a 70 point player.

 

[Dampland]

Of course Granlund isn't better than Koivu now. That's a very silly argument to make. He's only 20, and so far he's been better offensively at every comparable point in their careers. There's no reason to believe that won't continue right now.

PMB may have more speed, but Granlund has the intelligence that very few on this team match. He'll be fine. His skating will be fine too, he's not fast, but he's good enough for the NHL.

I'm not pinning the franchise's future success on Granlund either. Can you show me where I did that? Don't put words into my mouth. I simply said he can be a 70 point player.

I never said you said that. I said that I personally am not pinning my hopes on Granlund.

I think we can agree that you expect a lot more from Granlund in the NHL, than I do. That's fine, heck, I hope I'm proven wrong in the future.

But as long as the Wild can continue to be a winning team, and get to the Stanley Cup in the next decade, I will be very happy.

 

[P10p]

Granlund with an absolutely filthy move in the shootout tn.

 

[Fel 96]

 

[elnewby]

Filthy

 

[Fel 96]

Let me know when the Finnish media will post the video on their sites.

 

[W75]

Good. He's gaining his confidence back. That is what he does.

I can't say that I wasn't disappointed when he was sent down. But it was right thing to do, definitely. Before the season started, I thought it would be a disappointment if he doesn't play the whole season with the Wild. So it is.

But he wasn't irreplaceable. First the team was struggling with him.. but then the team found a chemistry and way to win games.. Granlund was still adapting. IMO his ceiling is exactly where it was before, although his floor (in NA hockey) has come downwards in my eyes.

Games, games, games, goals, assists, confidence, filthy moves, muscles, skating, confidence and confidence. He'll be fine. At the moment, Wild are better without him. He must show now that the team need him.

 

[premadonna]

Let me know when the Finnish media will post the video on their sites.

They probably will, even though we've seen that move a hundred times. lol

 

[Fel 96]

They probably will, even though we've seen that move a hundred times. lol

And it seems like it works 95% of the time.

 

[W75]

Normally yes. But there was a long streak after the world juniors, when he couldn't finish even a shootout move. Before that he like never missed a single attempt.

So, this is good news.

 

[TaLoN]

When Mikko was 21, even a lot of Finns still insisted he'd never be anything but a good 4th line center and they even questioned if the national team would have use for him in the future. According to many, Tuomo Ruutu was and would always be the far more superior player out of the two.

When Mikko was 21, Wild fans referred to him as Mikko Mouse and doubted if he even existed. I remember many complaining every year that the team should have drafted Mike Komisarek (sp?) Instead.

I had faith in Mikko, I have faith in Granlund. He was improving with each game, but was a victim of a short season with no training camp thus very little practice time to make adjustments.

 

[FiLe]

re: To the SO goal above:



These, save for the last one, look eerily familiar...


And even if it's not my video, I feel obligated to apologize for that music.

 

[Fallenity]

Good to see him trying (and doing) nice shootout goals again, his confidence really took a bump after that WJC failed attempt.

I do think that if Cullen wasn't playing that well right now, the Wild would give Granlund another chance at top-6. They just seem headstrong on playing him as center, but both #1 and #2 center spots are taken right now. But I think we'll see him again once the injuries start to bite, depending naturally on who gets injured.