Red Line Update: Weak draft for Europeans

[Ola]

I agree with Redline that it looks like a mediocre year for Russia and the Czechs this year. There are NO consensus 1st rounders from those countries (save Kindl in the OHL)- which is very unusual. Things could change of course though- I think someone will break out from the pack but....

Finland has a pretty good crop (although Lahti is overrated IMO). Lehtonen should be getting more attention as a top 15 possibility. Sweden looks pretty good- especially given the recent dearth of prospects from that country. Slovakia has a good crop, maybe their best ever (including Zagrapan and Smolenak in the CHL). Germany has its best ever crop but that is unlikely to make much of a dent in the top 50. Kopitar from Slovenia is, of course, a top 20 pick right now (although it'll be hard for N. Americans to see him in any tourneys).

Finland has had allot of prospects taken really high the last couple of years. They have produced allot of good prospect but personally I belive they´ve been a little bit overhyped. The Finnish league is a closed league like the NHL and teams who are behind in the PO´s race early gives allot of young players ice time. That can´t be done in any other league in Europe since they would risk relegation. The gap today between the SM-Liiga and for example the SEL is as big as the one between the NHL and the AHL.

If you for example look at last years draft when Tukonen, Nokelainen and Korpikoski who went 11, 16 & 19 and you compare them with Salmonsson, Fransson and Söderberg who went 31, 34, & 49 I personally belive that the Swedish three some will be pretty close in 3-4 years compared with the Finns.

However I am a sweden and is a little bit more then allot biased...

 

[Preds666]

If you for example look at last years draft when Tukonen, Nokelainen and Korpikoski who went 11, 16 & 19 and you compare them with Salmonsson, Fransson and Söderberg who went 31, 34, & 49 I personally belive that the Swedish three some will be pretty close in 3-4 years compared with the Finns.

I'd take Nokelainen over all three Swedes. That is one heck of a hockey player. However, I do believe I'd have Fransson second though.

But it is indeed a known fact that Swedish players are latebloomers, which obviously is partially due to the fact that they don't get to make their senior debutes as early as some of the other nation's players.


Newsguyone,
I too had a laugh when I noticed them bashing Pettersson. The kid has been Sweden's leading scorer in both international u17 tournaments that have been played so far this season.

 

[Hiishawk]

I thought Gawlik had the potential to be a first rounder?

Well, with his size and the major injury that would be very doubtful now.

By the way, I just want to add to the chorus of those who thought Petterson looked great in Michigan. He was the clear sparkplug for Sweden and looked like one of those smaller guys who has a dynamic enough game to make it.

 

[MaV]

Finland has a pretty good crop (although Lahti is overrated IMO).

Overrated as in "I don't think they should say he is a first day pick" or "Still overrated when he is listed 18th in CS's preliminary list for Finland"

 

[An Ape called Yoko]

My two cents...

I saw Tukonen in two games in SM-liiga earlier this season. He was completely anonymous in both games. He had ONE good shift where he had a dangerous shot on goal. Quite frankly. I find hilarious that all you people were deciding in a thread a couple of months ago how Tukonen was the most ready player for the NHL and how he was a "steal" when he was taken in first round 10th overall. Comparing him to Fransson who is one of the best d-men in his team in SEL(who is a much better league than SM-liiga today), I could easily say he is more ready to NHL.

I still think Tukonen is a great talent, but people here tend to overrate some prospects to the skylimit. He might become a star in NHL. But it isn´t written in stone exactly.

 

[A Good Flying Bird*]

I'd take Nokelainen over all three Swedes. That is one heck of a hockey player. However, I do believe I'd have Fransson second though.

But it is indeed a known fact that Swedish players are latebloomers, which obviously is partially due to the fact that they don't get to make their senior debutes as early as some of the other nation's players.


Newsguyone,
I too had a laugh when I noticed them bashing Pettersson. The kid has been Sweden's leading scorer in both international u17 tournaments that have been played so far this season.

I wouldn't be upset if the Wings took Pettersson in the third round.

 

[Hiishawk]

Overrated as in "I don't think they should say he is a first day pick" or "Still overrated when he is listed 18th in CS's preliminary list for Finland"

Both. Lehtonen is far ahead in my opinion. Lahti doesn't stand out in any way from the rank and file on the Finnish team.

 

[TCB2004]

Personally, as for this LaVallee thing, i think 30 NHL teams look dumb much more than Redline annoying at the moment.

I personally think redline looks dumb because they had LaVallee ranked as a 3rd rounder (#67), rather than a 2nd rounder, as they claimed. If you're going to pat yourself on the back, the least they could do is be accurate!

So does anybody here have an opinion on how great LaVallee looks this season?

 

[helicecopter]

I personally think redline looks dumb because they had LaVallee ranked as a 3rd rounder (#67), rather than a 2nd rounder, as they claimed. If you're going to pat yourself on the back, the least they could do is be accurate!

IF that's true, then of course i agree with you on this point, even if it doesn't change completely the main argument..