Most Overrated HF Prospect of All-Time

[Sammy*]

overrated doesn't mean "bad," but a lot of oilers fans around here talk like hemsky is the next goalscoring dynamo.

No, thats not true. Oiler fans by & large view him as a future Weight type guy, with maybe a bit more goal scoring potential.

 

[Vincent_TheGreat]

but that would require alfalfa to have powers to begin with...

LOL, good one!

 

[Ironchef Chris Wok*]

I'm not sure if he was "hyped", but i was almost sure that Steve Eminger would be a Calder Candidate.

Unfortunately, he just looks like an ordinary rookie out there. The lack of veteran guidance hasn't helped either.

 

[monarchy]

Folks, folks, folks ...

With the 3rd pick in the 1995 Entry Draft, the Los Angeles Kings select the Finnish Bobby Orr .... Aki Berg!

 

[David A. Rainer]

Folks, folks, folks ...

With the 3rd pick in the 1995 Entry Draft, the Los Angeles Kings select the Finnish Bobby Orr .... Aki Berg!

Oh god that's funny. I don't ever remember seeing Bobby Orr trip over the blueline.

But in Aki's defense, he is only 845 points behind Orr.

 

[monarchy]

Very true ... and if he plays until he's 102, that number might be in danger!

You'd think with a comparison like that I'd have some great memory of a big goal he scored or setting up some game winner, maybe good defense ... but all I can remember is Aki dropping the gloves and getting beaten down by Mario Lemieux!

 

[David A. Rainer]

You'd think with a comparison like that I'd have some great memory of a big goal he scored or setting up some game winner, maybe good defense ... but all I can remember is Aki dropping the gloves and getting beaten down by Mario Lemieux!

Oh god! My favorite Aki memory was in a game against Toronto (oh, the irony). It was either late in the 3rd period or overtime. He was carrying the puck out from behind the net coming up ice. Not a single person within 10 yards of him. He approaches the blueline, he reaches the blueline, he falls over the blueline. Doh! Someone from Toronto just skated past him, grabbed the loose puck and scored the game winner.

I don't know if he's improved his skating while in Toronto, but when he was in LA he had two left feet and anchor.

Good times!

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Oh god! My favorite Aki memory was in a game against Toronto (oh, the irony). It was either late in the 3rd period or overtime. He was carrying the puck out from behind the net coming up ice. Not a single person within 10 yards of him. He approaches the blueline, he reaches the blueline, he falls over the blueline. Doh! Someone from Toronto just skated past him, grabbed the loose puck and scored the game winner.

I don't know if he's improved his skating while in Toronto, but when he was in LA he had two left feet and anchor.

Good times!

In all fairness to Aki... he was actually touted as the "finnish Scott Stevens."
Oh and I remember that Aki Berg flop against Toronto but it was a little different.
He comes out from behind the net to make an outlet pass and makes a big whif and overskates the puck, ase the puck was left still right in the slot... easy goal for Toronto.
That was embarrassing. Also when he got into a fight with Mario Lemieux, and Aki tripped over the net. Sad thing is, didn't matter who was picking 3rd because Aki Berg was projected to be a top 3 selection that year along with Berard and Redden.

 

[David A. Rainer]

Oh and I remember that Aki Berg flop against Toronto but it was a little different.
He comes out from behind the net to make an outlet pass and makes a big whif and overskates the puck, ase the puck was left still right in the slot... easy goal for Toronto.

Oh... ok. For some reason I remember him falling over. Did he fall over after wiffing the pass? Maybe I'm thinking of another time.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Oh... ok. For some reason I remember him falling over. Did he fall over after wiffing the pass? Maybe I'm thinking of another time.

He may have lost his balance as I recall he knew he lost the puck and overskated it and tried to recover but he was hopeless... either way, it was one of many moments he looked like an ass on the ice.

 

[stardog]

Kirill Koltsov, Tuomo Ruutu, Yanick Lehoux, Alexander Frolov, Mike Komisarek all stand out to me.

All will be great players, sans Lehoux who will be lucky to stick in the NHL, but the hype around here is just too much.

Frolov is deserving of the hype IMO.

 

[stardog]

Spezza is not overrated.

Over rated now? No. Over rated compared to what people said of him at the beginning of his draft year? Yes.
Over hyped might be the more correct way to put it.