Prospect Info: Rasmus Kumpulainen, C, 53rd Overall, 2023 NHL Draft

[Circulartheory]

So Elon Musk has decided to let people see Tweets again, hey?

Anyway, is there a reason he'd go to Oshawa from Finland? I think I'd rather he play in professional leagues at home where he can't get by on just his size, and he can learn a solid pro game. His numbers won't look as good, but who cares? I want a good player in the future, not a flashy prospect today.

It is not official if he will join just yet but euro professional league, while challenging, also follows a similar pattern we see with Danila Yurov. They are there to win, not to develop prospects for the NHL, so if Kumpulainen isn't proving himself amongst 30yr olds, he will probably see limited icetime.

But also depends on the make up of his Finnish team which I have zero clue on. Perhaps there is a top nine role for him, perhaps they are too full of talent. No clue. I don't think he can go wrong either route, as long as he plays some significant time on the WJC Finland team.

 

[TaLoN]

It is not official if he will join just yet but euro professional league, while challenging, also follows a similar pattern we see with Danila Yurov. They are there to win, not to develop prospects for the NHL, so if Kumpulainen isn't proving himself amongst 30yr olds, he will probably see limited icetime.

But also depends on the make up of his Finnish team which I have zero clue on. Perhaps there is a top nine role for him, perhaps they are too full of talent. No clue. I don't think he can go wrong either route, as long as he plays some significant time on the WJC Finland team.

That said, because he wasn't drafted out of the CHL, he can actually go to the ECHL or AHL too.

 

[ThatGuy22]

So Elon Musk has decided to let people see Tweets again, hey?

Anyway, is there a reason he'd go to Oshawa from Finland? I think I'd rather he play in professional leagues at home where he can't get by on just his size, and he can learn a solid pro game. His numbers won't look as good, but who cares? I want a good player in the future, not a flashy prospect today.

Role and minutes are more important than anything. Top 6 I'm CHL is better than limited minutes in Liiga or in Mestis is he gets loaned there.

Pelicans lost in the Liiga final last year, so they were good. No idea what they lost or gained.

 

[Wabit]

I don't want him anywhere near the CHL. It's the wrong league for a player his size.

I'd like him in a men's Euro league next season. The AHL could work, but I don't trust the team to develop prospects.

The ECHL team has been a tire fire, and really no point in him leaving Finland to play in that league.

 

[StateofCelly]

I don't want him anywhere near the CHL. It's the wrong league for a player his size.

I'd like him in a men's Euro league next season. The AHL could work, but I don't trust the team to develop prospects.

The ECHL team has been a tire fire, and really no point in him leaving Finland to play in that league.

I agree because of the size thing here, don’t want him to get away from his game while trying to grow the rest of it. That’s my fear for a Yurov situation where I think him just getting touches and growing his game, CHL wouldn’t be end all be all.. however with Rasmus you want him to develop a different way.

 

[Puhis]

Rink size and game speed are two reasons why I could see a Finnish prospect moving overseas for their D+1 season. I'd like to see Kumpulainen in Liiga too, but alas it's his choice.

Euro hockey, and Finnish hockey by extension tend to be slower than in North America. Lot more emphasis on possession, and while the difference in rink size isn't that drastic, it creates a different sort of game. I can see why someone of Kumpulainen's ilk would prefer to get used to the North American game ASAP. That said, a top-6 or even a top-9 role in an organisation like Pelicans would be preferable - maybe he or his agent don't think that's realistic though?

 

[TaLoN]

Rink size and game speed are two reasons why I could see a Finnish prospect moving overseas for their D+1 season. I'd like to see Kumpulainen in Liiga too, but alas it's his choice.

Euro hockey, and Finnish hockey by extension tend to be slower than in North America. Lot more emphasis on possession, and while the difference in rink size isn't that drastic, it creates a different sort of game. I can see why someone of Kumpulainen's ilk would prefer to get used to the North American game ASAP. That said, a top-6 or even a top-9 role in an organisation like Pelicans would be preferable - maybe he or his agent don't think that's realistic though?

He's too big for the CHL. The undersized and immature physical nature won't challenge a player of his size and could get him into bad habits that he'd never get away with in other leagues.

 

[57special]

I think that there is a value to staying in your home country for a year or two post draft. Having that extra time to mature, both physically, mentally, and emotionally, while in familiar surroundings without language, culture, and training problems can be critical for many players.
There are always exceptions. Some have always dreamed about going on long bus trips through the Canadian prairies in mid January, I guess? I mean, who wouldn't want to go to Prince George, Thunder Bay or Rouyn Noranda in the winter?

 

[Saga of the Elk]

I think that there is a value to staying in your home country for a year or two post draft. Having that extra time to mature, both physically, mentally, and emotionally, while in familiar surroundings without language, culture, and training problems can be critical for many players.
There are always exceptions. Some have always dreamed about going on long bus trips through the Canadian prairies in mid January, I guess? I mean, who wouldn't want to go to Prince George, Thunder Bay or Rouyn Noranda in the winter?

For one thing, there's no junior team in Thunder Bay and any of those places offers as much as Des Moines for a teenage athlete. For another, don't hockey people generally like things like snowmobiling, ice fishing, skiing and ... ice hockey? Should prospects be golfing in South Carolina in the winter?

Not the end of the world if he plays Liiga or if he plays CHL. We are seeing more and more Swedes and Finns play college hockey too, which is another great development route.

 

[Wabit]

For one thing, there's no junior team in Thunder Bay and any of those places offers as much as Des Moines for a teenage athlete. For another, don't hockey people generally like things like snowmobiling, ice fishing, skiing and ... ice hockey? Should prospects be golfing in South Carolina in the winter?

Not the end of the world if he plays Liiga or if he plays CHL. We are seeing more and more Swedes and Finns play college hockey too, which is another great development route.

They should take a page from Jagr's book and be chilling on a beach in FL...

Most teenage athletes I know are too busy playing Settlers of Catan, video games, or have their heads buried in their phones to go into the outdoors.

 

[Digitalbooya]

For one thing, there's no junior team in Thunder Bay and any of those places offers as much as Des Moines for a teenage athlete. For another, don't hockey people generally like things like snowmobiling, ice fishing, skiing and ... ice hockey? Should prospects be golfing in South Carolina in the winter?

Not the end of the world if he plays Liiga or if he plays CHL. We are seeing more and more Swedes and Finns play college hockey too, which is another great development route.

He can come play for Wisconsin! We’ve got room.

 

[AKL]

He can come play for Wisconsin! We’ve got room.

Plus I heard they're building a Buc-ee's in DeForest too

 

[57special]

For one thing, there's no junior team in Thunder Bay and any of those places offers as much as Des Moines for a teenage athlete. For another, don't hockey people generally like things like snowmobiling, ice fishing, skiing and ... ice hockey? Should prospects be golfing in South Carolina in the winter?

Not the end of the world if he plays Liiga or if he plays CHL. We are seeing more and more Swedes and Finns play college hockey too, which is another great development route.

Have you been to those places? I have, and many more besides in rural Canada. They have their own beauty, but for those coming from Europe, would seem to be pretty desolate, and lacking in culture. You also conveniently left out the enormously long bus trips. A kid from Finland or Sweden wouldn't face anything like that at home. I don't see how you can spin that as a positive, and the comparisons to Des Moines and South Carolina are from out of left field.

The discussion is whether a Finnish teenager would develop better in Finland, rather than to dislocate, and go to rural Canada to play on a CHL team, where the food, language, customs are all foreign.

 

[Wabit]

Plus I heard they're building a Buc-ee's in DeForest too

Yep. I'm telling my kid to apply there when they start taking applications. I'd miss her AutoZone discount, but Buc-ee's pays way to well.

For those that don't know what Buc-ee's is it's a gas station that did a Texas size "hold my beer" to all other gas stations.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Have you been to those places? I have, and many more besides in rural Canada. They have their own beauty, but for those coming from Europe, would seem to be pretty desolate, and lacking in culture. You also conveniently left out the enormously long bus trips. A kid from Finland or Sweden wouldn't face anything like that at home. I don't see how you can spin that as a positive, and the comparisons to Des Moines and South Carolina are from out of left field.

The discussion is whether a Finnish teenager would develop better in Finland, rather than to dislocate, and go to rural Canada to play on a CHL team, where the food, language, customs are all foreign.

I've done plenty of traveling in Canada ... I mean you brought up a city with no CHL team, one in the WHL and one in the Q. His rights are held by Oshawa. You may be right about the acclimation and all that but my comparisons are just as out of left field as yours were, except the Wild's AHL team is in Des Moines and South Carolina has nice winter weather.

By the way, it's an hour bus ride from Oshawa to say, Peterborough, and it's like six hours from Lahti to Oulu! Guess there's no other way to travel these days.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Yep. I'm telling my kid to apply there when they start taking applications. I'd miss her AutoZone discount, but Buc-ee's pays way to well.

For those that don't know what Buc-ee's is it's a gas station that did a Texas size "hold my beer" to all other gas stations.

I know Buc-ees. It's pretty awesome. Do you want something from there?

 

[Wabit]

I know Buc-ees. It's pretty awesome. Do you want something from there?

The wife wants all the things from there. So what I want is to go there on my own. No wife or shopping list from the wife, does that count?

I'm good with just a fountain drink (so many to choose from) and getting gas.

 

[thestonedkoala]

The wife wants all the things from there. So what I want is to go there on my own. No wife or shopping list from the wife, does that count?

I'm good with just a fountain drink (so many to choose from) and getting gas.

You can stay with us. We have an extra room and then you can go to the flagship store in the city where my wife works.

 

[Puhis]

I think that there is a value to staying in your home country for a year or two post draft. Having that extra time to mature, both physically, mentally, and emotionally, while in familiar surroundings without language, culture, and training problems can be critical for many players.
There are always exceptions. Some have always dreamed about going on long bus trips through the Canadian prairies in mid January, I guess? I mean, who wouldn't want to go to Prince George, Thunder Bay or Rouyn Noranda in the winter?

Lad's from Lahti. I reckon he'll be just fine.

 

[Grealish]

He’s playing in Oshawa next year. 1-2 punch with Ritchie should work great for them. I could see his skating take a next step in CHL. Not sure of Wild’s plans, but pre-draft it was commonly known in Finland, that he’s not staying for next season.

 

[57special]

Lad's from Lahti. I reckon he'll be just fine.

It's about 100K to Helsinki from Lahti, right? It's 2,365K from Winnipeg to Portand, both of whom have teams in the WHL. 2400K, including a ferry(wait times + 1 1/2 hrs sailing) to Victoria. Seattle similar distance, plus a border crossing. Kamloops, Prince George, Vancouver, etc, are closer, but still a long, long bus ride.

If that's what he wants, then fine. Just don't see that it's the right choice for everyone, even for Canadians.

 

[Prior]

If we’re talking gas station needs, we need to get a Fuel City up in these parts. Literally one of the only good things about Texas.

If I could get a few good tacos every time I had to stop for gas here that would be ideal.

 

[Prior]

In Joe Smith’s article it said he will be in the CHL but not a sure thing yet.

 

[Wabit]

You can stay with us. We have an extra room and then you can go to the flagship store in the city where my wife works.

That would be fun., I'm in.

Too bad the wife may or may not have kicked me in the shin and said no when I asked nicely if I could go.
My follow up with "Woman, I'm a grown ass man and I can do as a I please." May or may not have gotten my other shin kicked, an eyeroll, and a "Yep, you do you and see what happens."

 

[Puhis]

It's about 100K to Helsinki from Lahti, right? It's 2,365K from Winnipeg to Portand, both of whom have teams in the WHL. 2400K, including a ferry(wait times + 1 1/2 hrs sailing) to Victoria. Seattle similar distance, plus a border crossing. Kamloops, Prince George, Vancouver, etc, are closer, but still a long, long bus ride.

If that's what he wants, then fine. Just don't see that it's the right choice for everyone, even for Canadians.

It's more a joke about Lahti than any serious take on distances involved. As in, he'd prefer riding the roof (or piss hole) of a beat-up Greyhound across Canada to living one more day in Lahti.