RW Veeti Miettinen - St Cloud State University, NCAA (2020, 168th, TOR)
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I mean, he doesn't have the high draft pick label but his production is pretty much on par/ if not better than what Caufield's done and if you've watched him play this year, you'd see that he drives play and has a blistering shot and his foot speed is good. One doesn't need to be a blazing skater to be a good hockey player. He's also 2 inches bigger than CC.
D-1 season, Caufield put up 72 goals in the U18 league in the USA. Miettinen put up 42 goals in 52 games in a U20 league.
If Veeti didn't come over to the NCAA (which was his plan all along), last year he would've played in the LIGA and would've been much higher on people's draft list.
Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
That’s all a big reach to suggest he’s better. And why exactly is he being compared to Caufield of all players? What about Robertson? Would that be inconvenient?
TopChedder
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Disagree.
You may end up being right, but he seems every bit as talented as CC. Plus he is younger and bigger.
The difference is draft position.
TopChedder
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Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
So 31 NHL teams, including the Leafs, got their evaluation so wrong? And Team Finland also did?
He’s started well. Let’s not make him into a HOF’er yet.
Because Robertson has 4 NHL games under his belt at age 18. He's the same age as Veeti almost and IMO clearly ahead of both Veeti and CC. CC is a closer comp for Miettinen. Robertson is a notch above.
Robertson played in every possible situation you can imagine. The kid PK'd, PP'd, played at the end of the game to close out leads and was on the ice absolutely dominating junior competition. He averaged well over GPG and was on pace to hit 80 goals over the full season. This kid's got more compete level and tenacity at both ends of the ice than CC has in his entire game. I know CC wins polls because of anti-Leafs bias, but to be quite honest, even if CC becomes a steady 30 goal guy, his overall impact will come nowhere close to what Robertson will provide the Leafs.
And the way CC has been playing thus far in the WJC, I'm not sure I really see him having a huge impact in the NHL. Specially not on a Montreal team that has no superstars that can shelter his playing style. His line would get eaten alive, if he can even survive the game at 5'7.
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You have a game-breaking talent tearing up the NCAA with 18-23-year-olds. Had it not been for Rona and the threat of Veeti missing WJC and NCAA games due to quarantine restrictions, he would've easily been on that team and probably be a top producer. It's not really his fault.
Also missing from my previous post. Veeti knows where the defensive zone is, on top of being a prolific offensive player.
The old 31 NHL teams getting evaluation wrong argument is kind of lazy when year after year we see the likes of Kucherov, Marchand, Point, Gaudreau, etc. etc. get missed by teams multiple times over. Players often get overlooked because of a wide variety of reasons and unless you have the spotlight shining brightly on you for 3-4 years pre-draft you aren't getting that 1st round hype.
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TopChedder
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No No
I am not saying who will end up better. It's way to early. However I do think the back to back juniors have hurt CC as his play has not been up to par, and he should be dominating his peers this year.
I think both players are comparable skillset wise and it could go either way. Although I do love the speed at which Veeti plays and his shot is every bit as dynamite.
Many teams over the years have passed on players who end up being dynamic in the NHL (Detroit did it often)
Meet Veeti Miettinen, the 2020 NHL Draft's under-the-radar top prospect
If you have a subscription to the Athletic, I'd give this a read. @Pavel Buchnevich
I can share some snippits if you DM me. If you're actually interested in getting to know the player that is.
If you have a subscription to the Athletic, I'd give this a read. @Pavel Buchnevich
I can share some snippits if you DM me. If you're actually interested in getting to know the player that is.
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stickty111
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First of all, quit the strawman.
Second, 30 teams got it wrong with Datsyuk so it can happen.
Team Finland didn't take him because of the logistics involved. It wasn't anything to do with the player.
Nobody is saying he is a hall of famer. You just took exception to a very reasonable suggestion of Miettinen and Caufield being similar prospects.
TopChedder
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Fully agree.
Robertson is a step above CC in my opinion and there is no need to compare both players.
The impact Robertson will have on each game will far outweigh what CC will bring to the table.
But in the end let's see how both fair in the NHL. Robertson already made it so I am just waiting on CC.
Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
It’s not very reasonable. Go ask any neutral and they’ll tell you that’s insane. Tweet right now at Wheeler, Pronman, Button, Peters, and tell me what they respond to that suggestion.
Besides, why compare him to Caufield?
Man Bear Pig
Registered User
Both small players playing in the NCAA of a similar age, both play wing and with similar production at the same age. Are you choosing to ignore it or? I'm not even comparing them, I just find it funny that you seem to pretend to not know why when a quick search answers your question.
Probably size. Finnprospects said that he should be picked in late 2nd or early 3rd round.
Actually, he used to be even more highly touted when he was younger but his perceived development wasn't as swift as some others'. However, I think that this is a bit of a trap, because he was staying in Finnish juniors in order to remain eligible for NCAA, it's not quite the same thing as being there because you're not good enough for pro games or something.
Is it news to you that 31 teams can be wrong? If so, I'd suggest you start following NHL hockey, it's quite exciting.
Trunz05
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Just ignore him he clearly isn’t interested in learning anything about the player. He was offered information above and flat out ignored it. On these boards the 1st rounder label carries a lot of weight and very few will accept that players drafted later in the draft are comparable unless they’re smacked in the face with evidence. When it comes to prospects of a team with vocal fans like leafs or habs they’ll stick their head even further in the sand.
In reality CC and Veeti are comparable size (edge VM) play similar play styles and play in similar leagues with VMs league actually being the higher rated NCAA conference. Additionally they’re close in age and ppg. I think it’s a bit early for the comp given he’s only played half an NCAA season and a bit convenient given CCs lacklustre WJC play but none of that makes the comparison any less valid.
As a leaf fan I’m just happy VM has played good enough that I don’t think the comp is totally unreasonable at this point.
I heard this on the broadcast the other day on TV too. I think it was Button that said that Lundell and Miettinen were considered to be cream of the crop of Finish hockey for this past year's draft, however, Miettinen fell off the face for all scouts because he chose to not turn "pro" and kept playing in the junior A league in Finland so he can stay eligible to play in the NCAA (since he really values schooling and is a very good student). People including Scott Wheeler (in his Athletic article) stated that he was quickly labeled a C level prospect who typically get drafted in the 4/5/6th rounds. He said that had Veeti played in the Liga, even without any production last year, he would've been considered a lock for the first round. Instead, he went back to play juniors and absolutely dominated the league.
Leafs typically don't draft a ton of Finns so seeing them draft Rindell, Miettinen, Niemela and Hirvonen was pretty shocking. But it's looking like they've hit homeruns with all 4 players atleast as prospects. Kokkonen and Lehtonen too.
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AppalachianFinn13
Nope.
AppalachianFinn13
Nope.
From everything I've gathered so far, his intentions since age 14 were to play NCAA hockey so he can get a degree out of it. If he turns pro, chances are he's still doing 3 years at St. Cloud and turn pro after and probably finish his schooling over the summers. Or he's doing the full 4 years. In either case, as long as we don't lose him to any loopholes contract wise, I don't think any Leafs fan has any issues waiting for him to develop at his own pace.
LeafChief
Matthew Knies Enthusiast
He's not ACTUALLY interested.
He asked why Miettinen isn't on Finland. If he bothered to know anything about this prospect he would know the answer to that.
Take a look through any prospect page on this forum. Only Rangers prospects are good.
3 Minute Minor
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the Caufield stuff is a bit silly tbh but I'm assuming it's because there's a Caufield troll in many leafs threads this year lol
LeafChief
Matthew Knies Enthusiast
The Caufield stuff is silly for sure. Miettinen has had a very good start but he isn't a better prospect than Caufield.
With that said, there are certain posters that simply come in to threads like these to get a rise out of people. It's the reason they aren't welcomed on their own team's board anymore.
TheKrebsCycle
Throwing Confetti for Perfetti
Wheeler suggests that if he had played pro last year, instead of concerning himself w staying eligible for the NCAA , that it's possible Miettinen would have been a 1st/2nd round pic. Specific question from your own lips asked and answered by one of the exact sources you requested. I'm not of the opinion that he should be counted as equal to Caufield at this point but he's becoming a very intriguing prospect to say the least.
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