He's arguably the best of our "big" defenders, up there with Nielsen. My issue with Rasanen, aside from his sluggish skating, is that I don't believe he has a great first pass. In most of my viewings he struggles going tape to tape, especially under pressure, which leads to icing the puck or the play going the other way; even basic head man passes are mistimed. Gives me the impression that once he goes pro, in a more frantic tight checking environment, he'll revert to the "glass and out" method like more big, straight line defenders settle in to (see Polak). The AHL will reveal if he has the poise or not.Watched ras today. You guys are sleeping on him, he’s really good. What suprised me is that he has hands. Good passer, hits everything, zones out guys, fine skating, looks like a player to me.
He definitely has more skill then you are giving him credit for. He has hands and stick skills, which isn't all that common for guys that size. Also he isn't foot fast, but he plays fast. Hes a good hard nosed box out defenceman, so it doesn't really make sense to evaluate him with the puck mover type evaluation. He'll play in the nhl, no doubt. Guy can play.He's arguably the best of our "big" defenders, up there with Nielsen. My issue with Rasanen, aside from his sluggish skating, is that I don't believe he has a great first pass. In most of my viewings he struggles going tape to tape, especially under pressure, which leads to icing the puck or the play going the other way; even basic head man passes are mistimed. Gives me the impression that once he goes pro, in a more frantic tight checking environment, he'll revert to the "glass and out" method like more big, straight line defenders settle in to (see Polak). The AHL will reveal if he has the poise or not.
Has Nielsen moved up the marlies lineup? Last season he was basically a bottom pair pp specialist, without significant improvement of that skating that is probably his ceiling AHL dman who scores a lot but can’t be trusted in the nhl
I do not think he has, but I think it's more due to Rosen and Marincin coming in than anything. Dermott, Rosen, Marincin, Nielsen and Valiev... It's difficult to figure out ice time, even if Rosen, Marincin and Valiev play off side occasionally.
The Leafs are going to work on his defensive awareness. Once he does that I think his agility starts to look a bit better as well, even though he needs some help there as well. His straight line skating and puck moving is great, but he takes really bad angles to the puck in his own zone sometimes and is not agile enough to make up for it. Plus sometimes loses his man. I have to see him more this year though. It's been tough finding good streams.
Marlies v Belleville Sens @ ACC about to start on Leafs TV for those interested.
Aaltonen looks pretty good so far in this one. Quite noticeable.
He's really come on so far this season, I wouldn't mind getting a look at him in the Bozak sheltered center position
I'd like to see him slide in for Moore for a couple games to see what he can do.
Watched ras today. You guys are sleeping on him, he’s really good. What suprised me is that he has hands. Good passer, hits everything, zones out guys, fine skating, looks like a player to me.
Martins Dzierkals has 4 points (3 goals) in 5 games with Orlando so far this year.
Piccinich has 10 points in 15 games.
Nobody else of note with Pospisil injured since his 3rd game (however he has 3 goals in 3 games).
Winquist is essentially mimicking Brett Findlay. Has 19 points in 14 games and will likely earn a call up in the near future if the Marlies end up needing more forward depth. Novak also doing decent, but I'm not calling him up before the younger guys. Everyone else is low in the points department, and the team is a disappointment as a whole, but Piccinich and Dzierkals have been brighter spots for them.