Rank NHL top 10 prospects by country

[mattihp]

4. Nokeleinen
5. Korpikowski

Almost right on Nokelainen

Korpikowski? :lol

It's Korpikoski, a finnish name ^^

 

[Sampe]

My Top 5 for Finland:

1. Kari Lehtonen
2. Petteri Nokelainen
3. Lauri Tukonen
4. Jarkko Immonen/Jussi Jokinen (Jarkko being the sure thing two-way player and Jussi being bust or boom offensive star)
5. Hannu Toivonen

I am as big a Mikko Koivu fan as it gets, but he should be nowhere near a finnish top-5 prospect list.

Then I would love to hear your reasoning, unless of course the Rosno Cup has made you change your opinions. What makes Jarkko Immonen for instance so much better than Mikko Koivu, when Immonen has been completely invisible in both EHT tournaments this season?. It's sure nice to see him (almost) lead the SM-liiga in points, but at least Koivu has proven he can handle both the World Cup and the AHL levels and styles of play. And Koivu obviously has a higher upside in addition to being younger of the two.

 

[12# Peter Bondra]

Off the top of my head for Slovakia:

(This list is ranked by how good the guy is now, will probably be later and his chance of suceeding in the NHL. Its a subjective list.)

1. Meszaros
2. Svatos
3. Jurcina
4. Marcel Hossa
5. Balej
6. Sejna
7. Budaj
8. Ruzicka
9. Bartovic
10. Slovak

 

[mattihp]

Then I would love to hear your reasoning, unless of course the Rosno Cup has made you change your opinions. What makes Jarkko Immonen for instance so much better than Mikko Koivu, when Immonen has been completely invisible in both EHT tournaments this season?. It's sure nice to see him (almost) lead the SM-liiga in points, but at least Koivu has proven he can handle both the World Cup and the AHL levels and styles of play. And Koivu obviously has a higher upside in addition to being younger of the two.

I thought Koivu looked as awkward as they come in the world cup, but sure he was alright there, I guess. Jarkko is one of those players that would need smaller rinks to get his intensity level up, while Mikko's intensity level is almost constantly high, Jarkko will hopefully start showing more on the national team.

 

[Sampe]

I thought Koivu looked as awkward as they come in the world cup, but sure he was alright there, I guess. Jarkko is one of those players that would need smaller rinks to get his intensity level up, while Mikko's intensity level is almost constantly high, Jarkko will hopefully start showing more on the national team.

Immonen is also a player who needs lots of space to excel. There's not much of that in the NHL, and he doesn't look like the ultimate 3rd/4th liner, either. How's he going to get his intensity levels up if he only plays 5 minutes a game? Because I don't think any NHL coach will give him truck loads of playing time right from the start.

And I didn't view Koivu's play that awkward (trust me though, I have seen the "awkward" from Mikko) when he stickhandled past 3 Czechs or when he made that nice little pass to get his only assist. Can't recall him making any huge mistakes in the tournament, either. He did disappear quite a bit after the first game, but that's a *good* thing for 4th liners, right?

 

[A Good Flying Bird*]

Niklas Kronwall should push him for the #1 spot.

He's probably the best AHL defenseman.

In two or three weeks with the Wings Kronwall looked very good. Before he busted his leg, he looked better than Jiri Fischer, throwing big hits, playing smart in his own end, taking nice, low slappers, and making sweet passes.

 

[Crusher20]

In two or three weeks with the Wings Kronwall looked very good. Before he busted his leg, he looked better than Jiri Fischer, throwing big hits, playing smart in his own end, taking nice, low slappers, and making sweet passes.

If Bergeron wouldnt have play that much i would have ranked him no 1.. but this guy is amazing, people talk only about Crosby but Bergeron is has good so far, the only one that can follow Crosby so far...

 

[CaptainBure]

balej is better than hossa,marcel that is.

 

[C-J...*]

Sweden :
======
1. Alex Steen
2. Johan Fransson
3. Loui Eriksson
4. Henrik Lundqvist
5. Niklas Kronwall

Flame away

Steen is overrated, Lundqvist should be first, then Fransson & Kronwall. Eriksson is good on the skates, but nothing else.

Hows kronwalls injury btw?

 

[Vatican Roulette]

Steen is overrated, Lundqvist should be first, then Fransson & Kronwall. Eriksson is good on the skates, but nothing else.

Hows kronwalls injury btw?

recovered just fine, leading AHL in points for defenseman and playing his best hockey yet. He's one of the top d-men in the AHL right now.

 

[Vatican Roulette]

Off the top of my head for Slovakia:

(This list is ranked by how good the guy is now, will probably be later and his chance of suceeding in the NHL. Its a subjective list.)

1. Meszaros
2. Svatos
3. Jurcina
4. Marcel Hossa
5. Balej
6. Sejna
7. Budaj
8. Ruzicka
9. Bartovic
10. Slovak

Ruzicka should be higher IMO, and Svatos's play this year has been sub par. I'd place him lower.

 

[Sather Hater]

As a Rangers fan it's nice to see Ranger prospects on almost every list. The one list that we don't have any top prospects though is from Canada.

Just curious for those of you with extensive knowledge of all the canadian prospects, how far out of the top 10 would you consider Nigel Dawes? I have only seen him a handful of times and read up on him. He had a very impressive showing at the WJC's last year. It almost seems that because of his size he is often underrated, i'm just wondering how good of a prospect he will turn out to be.

 

[A Good Flying Bird*]

Tuomo Ruutu is not a prospect anymore.


My Top 5 for Finland:

1. Kari Lehtonen
2. Petteri Nokelainen
3. Lauri Tukonen
4. Jarkko Immonen/Jussi Jokinen (Jarkko being the sure thing two-way player and Jussi being bust or boom offensive star)
5. Hannu Toivonen

I am as big a Mikko Koivu fan as it gets, but he should be nowhere near a finnish top-5 prospect list.

Curious, Mattihp. Where would Filppula rank on your list of Finnish prospects.

 

[mattihp]

Curious, Mattihp. Where would Filppula rank on your list of Finnish prospects.

Somewhere a bit lower, probably between Rask and Lassila

 

[Pekka Lampinen]

Curious, Mattihp. Where would Filppula rank on your list of Finnish prospects.

For a list including this year's draft class, reaching to Filppula and beyond:

1. G Kari Lehtonen
2. G Hannu Toivonen
3. F Petteri Nokelainen
4. G Tuukka Rask
5. RW Lauri Tukonen
6. C Mikko Koivu
7. D Teemu Laakso
8. G Antero Niittymäki
9. C Valtteri Filppula
10. RW Sean Bergenheim
11. C Jarkko Immonen
12. F Jussi Jokinen
13. W Lauri Korpikoski
14. D Sami Lepistö
15. D Risto Korhonen

Filppula's rank doesn't quite reflect the appreciation I have for his talent as he's preceded by players with roles different from his. He's the best combination of speed, skill, hockey sense and consistency out of Finland since Saku Koivu and could easily become a high-scoring player in the NHL.

 

[Masterovic]

Slovakia TOP10:
1. Meszaros
2. Balej
3. Ruzicka
4. Svatos
5. Sejna
6. Jurcina
7. Valabik
8. Hossa
9. Halak
10. Baranka

 

[Robertsson 4-ever]

My Swedish prospect list, with the first question of the thread in mind. Which prospects could battle for Rookie of the Year as soon as next season? The list therefore baised on how good the players are at the moment.

1 G Henrik Lundqvist, NY Rangers
2 D Niklas Kronwall, Detroit
3 C Yared Hagos, Dallas
4 D Lars Jonsson, Boston
5 L Magnus Kahnberg, Carolina
6 C Alexander Steen, Toronto
7 R Jari Tolsa, Detroit
8 C Jonas Nordquist, Chicago
9 L Dragan Umicevic, Edmonton
10 D Douglas Murray, San Jose

 

[mattihp]

My Swedish prospect list, with the first question of the thread in mind. Which prospects could battle for Rookie of the Year as soon as next season? The list therefore baised on how good the players are at the moment.

1 G Henrik Lundqvist, NY Rangers
2 D Niklas Kronwall, Detroit
3 C Yared Hagos, Dallas
4 D Lars Jonsson, Boston
5 L Magnus Kahnberg, Carolina
6 C Alexander Steen, Toronto
7 R Jari Tolsa, Detroit
8 C Jonas Nordquist, Chicago
9 L Dragan Umicevic, Edmonton
10 D Douglas Murray, San Jose

No king Loui?

 

[Chaos]

1. G Kari Lehtonen
2. G Hannu Toivonen
3. F Petteri Nokelainen
4. G Tuukka Rask
5. RW Lauri Tukonen
6. C Mikko Koivu
7. D Teemu Laakso
8. G Antero Niittymäki
9. C Valtteri Filppula
10. RW Sean Bergenheim
11. C Jarkko Immonen
12. F Jussi Jokinen
13. W Lauri Korpikoski
14. D Sami Lepistö
15. D Risto Korhonen

Ouch...not too high on him I take it ?

 

[Lessy]

Canada

1. Dion Phaneuf
2. Jeff Carter
3. Marc-Andre Fleury
4. Ryan Getzlaf
5. Anthony Stewart

USA

1. Ryan Suter
2. Dan Fritsche
3. Dustin Brown
4. Al Montoya
5. Patrick O'Sullivan

Russia

1. Alexander Ovechkin
2. Evgeni Malkin
3. Alexander Semin
4. Alexander Radulov
5. Anton Babchuk

Finland

1. Kari Lehtonen
2. Lauri Tukonen
3. Mikko Koivu
4. Hannu Toivonen
5. Petteri Nokelainen

Sweden

1. Alexander Steen
2. Johannes Salmonsson
3. Johan Fransson
4. Loui Eriksson
5. Niklas Kronwall

Czech Republic

1. Rostislav Olesz
2. Milan Michalek
3. Marek Schwarz
4. Ladislav Smid
5. Petr Vrana

 

[nomorekids]

Ouch...not too high on him I take it ?

I think Jokinen is kind of a "what you see is what you get" kind of guy. He's putting up some nice numbers in Finland...but I kind of see him as the forward version of Petteri Nummelin...great in Finland, average in the NHL. For what it's worth..I sort of feel that way about Jarkko Immonen, as well. I think guys like Tukonen will have their game translate better, but that's just my opinion.

 

[silver_made*]

Czech Republic

1. Rostislav Olesz
2. Milan Michalek

simply out of curiosity: why?

 

[Diaboli]

I like to see, that contrary to what I said earlier on Brock's thread, some people see Nokelainen to be a better prospect than Tukonen at the moment.

1. Lehtonen
2. Toivonen
3. Nokelainen
4. Koivu
5. Tukonen
6. Niittymäki
7. Filppula
8. Korpikoski
9. Bergenheim
10. Lepistö

I didn't take any players, that haven't been drafted yet (due to age or something else), 'cos then I'd have had to put Voutilainen on my list

 

[Vatican Roulette]

I think Jokinen is kind of a "what you see is what you get" kind of guy. He's putting up some nice numbers in Finland...but I kind of see him as the forward version of Petteri Nummelin...great in Finland, average in the NHL. For what it's worth..I sort of feel that way about Jarkko Immonen, as well. I think guys like Tukonen will have their game translate better, but that's just my opinion.

i agree, but i think Ville Peltonen is a better comparison. He was awesome in international play and in Finland. Couldn't put it together in the NHL.

 

[nomorekids]

i agree, but i think Ville Peltonen is a better comparison. He was awesome in international play and in Finland. Couldn't put it together in the NHL.

No one knows that better than this Nashville fan .

I thought of Peltonen as well, but over here he was more of a defensive forward..who found his offensive game later.