Red Line Update: Weak draft for Europeans

[Seachd]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columnist/woodlief/2004-11-26-red-line-report_x.htm

Interesting to see they still have Kindl ahead of Johnson, and Skille makes the top 10.

Click to read more...

 

[Rabid Ranger]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columnist/woodlief/2004-11-26-red-line-report_x.htm

Interesting to see they still have Kindl ahead of Johnson, and Skille makes the top 10.

True, although I think Johnson has moved up five spots since the last report. He'll be even higher when it's all said and done. Skille is a fantastic player, although I don't know if he's a top ten pick. With the relatively poor year for Europeans you never know.

 

[markov`]

Levasseur still at 5?...

 

[Hunter Gathers]

How is Kindl three. Really. How.

 

[Marshall]

Ah, the Woodlief/MacKenzie love-fest continues...not to mention the Red Line self-congratulating.

(Note: This has nothing to do with how I feel Red Line's ratings are: They've seen the players, and I have not. I consider them to be a good source of prospect information. I'd just love to see a USA today Red Line column that doesn't have them patting themselves on the back twice or more)

 

[Postman]

How is Kindl three. Really. How.

Maybe they really love the guy, or aren't willing to give up on him just yet. Either way, if he doesn't start living up to that ranking, they're going to have to move him down sooner or later. I have a feeling McKeen's will be dropping him down in next month's rankings, even though they usually don't make a lot of major changes month-to-month.

 

[Epsilon]

Redline really like the goaltenders this year.

 

[borro]

How is Kindl three. Really. How.

That -15 is impressive!

 

[CharlieGirl]

That -15 is impressive!

Where did you see Kindl with -15..... he's at +13 right now.

 

[Epsilon]

Where did you see Kindl with -15..... he's at +13 right now.

In another thread someone quoted the stats for a Q d-man (I believe J.P Paquet) who was -15 at the time. Borro decided these were Kindl's stats somehow (despite the poster titling his post to indicate whose stats they belonged to) and has now attempted to pass off his opinions on Kindl as informed in two different threads despite having no clue what he is talking about.

 

[BuppY]

Kindl at 3

 

[Legionnaire]

Still no love for Bertram I see.

 

[Legionnaire]

Last month in this space, Red Line made a brief allusion to old rumors about the age of defenseman Devereaux Heshmatpour (then with Kitchener, since dealt to Oshawa) that was meant as nothing more than a humorous throw-away line.

Somehow, this created a firestorm among certain media types.

:lol

 

[Sanderson]

There's also not much in the way of high end Swedes, Germans, or Swiss, though that sting is eased a bit by the presence of some surprisingly good Danish and Slovenian prospects...


Now, I don't know about the other countries, but this is possibly the best German draft class ever. Only 2001 is comparable.

 

[mazmin]

Still no love for Bourret. That's fine, my teams will pick late anyway.

 

[mole]

RISING:

Slava Truhno: Has not just made a seamless transition to the North American game, he's positively thriving in it. Strength, toughness, and scoring ability are three pretty good assets to have.

 

[Bluenote13]

There's also not much in the way of high end Swedes, Germans, or Swiss, though that sting is eased a bit by the presence of some surprisingly good Danish and Slovenian prospects...


Now, I don't know about the other countries, but this is possibly the best German draft class ever. Only 2001 is comparable.

I havn't been keeping track, who are the top Germans in '05?

 

[markov`]

Could X-Sharkie post his new Top "x" of the 2005 eligible here ? Here's my new top 10:

1. Sidney Crosby
2. Gilbert Brule
3. Jack Johnson
4. Bobby Ryan
5. Marek Zagrapan
6. Benoit Pouliot
7. Tuukka Rask
8. Alex Bourret
9. Jakub Kindl
10. Ryan O'Marra

 

[X-SHARKIE]

Could X-Sharkie post his new Top "x" of the 2005 eligible here ? Here's my new top 10:

1. Sidney Crosby
2. Gilbert Brule
3. Jack Johnson
4. Bobby Ryan
5. Marek Zagrapan
6. Benoit Pouliot
7. Tuukka Rask
8. Alex Bourret
9. Jakub Kindl
10. Ryan O'Marra

1. Sidney Crosby
2. Jack Johnson ( out of preference that I would rather have a #1 stud defenseman then a top line forward in todays NHL)
3. Gilbert Brule
4. Bobby Ryan
5. Beniot Pouliot
6. Tuukka Rask
7. Jakub Kindl
8. Alex Bourret
9. Ryan O'Marra
10. J.P. Levasseuer

Redline has me all confused and shaken up every time I read there rankings. I also don't like there paragraph long plugs of them selves saying this guy should be a 2nd round pick in 04 and the scouts didnt like them ect. but now he's doing good.
It's kind of anoying. I dont know, ever since they played hate crimes with Robbie Schremp lol I have lost a little interest in them. I've actually been very impressed with ISS rankings this year so far, and McKeens rankings are very good. Redline likes to shake and stir things up every month, so I would expect a completely different top 10 when it's all said and done.

 

[markov`]

Levasseur ? Still ?

Do you have any informations about Kindl and Rask to share ?

 

[Seachd]

Yep, I remember mole telling us all about Truhno at least a couple years ago. Great call!

 

[X-SHARKIE]

Levasseur ? Still ?

Do you have any informations about Kindl and Rask to share ?

There are two folks on these boards who I value there opinions highly from the Q( la-la-laprise and Moosefan, and they both still love Levasseur, his numbers aren't the greatest but he sounds like he has all the tools.

Kindl has all the tools to be an elite defenseman in the NHL, and his game is starting to round out, Before the season all I heard was about his offensive upside, and then I saw him play and he was excellent defensively and showed some tools offensively. I'm not willing to give up on him and it's good to see others that aren't.

Rask sounds like the next big thing out of Finland which is a hotbed for some of my favorite goalies, so I will definitley keep an eye on him at the WJC's.

 

[markov`]

There are two folks on these boards who I value there opinions highly from the Q( la-la-laprise and Moosefan, and they both still love Levasseur, his numbers aren't the greatest but he sounds like he has all the tools.

Kindl has all the tools to be an elite defenseman in the NHL, and his game is starting to round out, Before the season all I heard was about his offensive upside, and then I saw him play and he was excellent defensively and showed some tools offensively. I'm not willing to give up on him and it's good to see others that aren't.

Rask sounds like the next big thing out of Finland which is a hotbed for some of my favorite goalies, so I will definitley keep an eye on him at the WJC's.

I can't find any stats of Rask on the web, as well as no scouting reports. Do you have some links where I could find that ?

Thanks for the info, btw.

 

[X-SHARKIE]

I can't find any stats of Rask on the web, as well as no scouting reports. Do you have some links where I could find that ?

Thanks for the info, btw.

I wouldn't know where to go for stats on him, but I do know he's playing in the SM-Liiga and he had a solid start there, but I haven't heard much on him since, except that he had a great Four Nations going by HF articles, and then Redline talks highly about him as well.

From Mckeens reports i've read he also has all the tools to become an elite goaltender.


"Exceptional reflexes; elite glove and is nimble blocker side .. moves around the crease without fear; cuts down the angles, not afraid of traffic .. rock-solid positionally and very poised for his age .. rebound control is a bit of a raw area, but second effort is strong .. plays square to the shooter and makes no false moves .. still skinny and lean .. skating and puckhandling outside of the crease could use further refining .. likely to backstop Finland in the two major WJC championships this season (U20 and U18). "

I think this report from McKeens says it all about how good this guy is and can be. I'm a goaltender my self and it sounds like Rask brings everything you look for in a goaltender.

 

[Anthony Mauro]

Top 30

1. Sidney Crosby
2. Jack Johnson
3. Gilbert Brule
4. Bobby Ryan
5. Dan Bertram
6. Benoit Pouliot
7. Tuukka Rask
8. Ryan O'Marra
9. Alex Bourret
10. Chris Durand
11. Niklas Bergfors
12. Guillame Latendresse
13. Anze Kopitar
14. Marc Staal
15. Marek Zagrapan
16. Alex Vincent
17. Teemu Laakso
18. Devin Setoguchi
19. Slava Trunho
20. Matt Lashoff
21. Jakub Kindl
22. Michael Blunden
23. Jack Skille
24. Carey Price
25. Daniel Ryder
26. Ryan Parent
27. Risto Korhonen
28. Morten Madsen
29. Vitaly Anikeenko
30. Evan Brophey

Its still early, but guys like:

Drazenovic, Paquet, Bourdon, Gauthier, Stoa, Pyatt, Fritsche, Wilson, Mior, Levasseur, McNeill, Hensick, Lawrence, Cogliano, Bradford, Kohn, Gragnani

can all jump into the first round with improved play. Am I missing anyone?