While early, Nikolaj Ehlers looks to be for real

[Aavco Cup]

Great article Garret!

And how long do you plan on keeping the Ehlers Virtanen comparison going?

 

[garret9]

And how long do you plan on keeping the Ehlers Virtanen comparison going?

Hey, there was not one mention of Virtanen in the article... He wasn't good enough to be mentioned!

I don't know. Probably some point this season. I still get Canucks fans on Twitter flaming me. Once that no longer is fun I guess.

 

[Howard Chuck]

Ehlers needs about 9 goals in the next 2 games..

He does have that game breaking speed ala Teemu.

They should create a set play for him with Enstrom, Byfuligen, Trouba and Myers

just like Teemu with Housley, Ellett, Olausson and Numminen.

The set stretch play that springs him for breakaway or partial break

Funny you should say that, because I saw 2 or 3 attempts at exactly that in the Wild game. I thought that they were trying to take advantage of his speed like they did with Teemu.

Once he gets a couple of small things figured out, he's going to be dynamite.

 

[Aavco Cup]

Hey, there was not one mention of Virtanen in the article... He wasn't good enough to be mentioned!

I don't know. Probably some point this season. I still get Canucks fans on Twitter flaming me. Once that no longer is fun I guess.

To be fair it all started with that original article before the draft

http://canucksarmy.com/2014/6/18/jake-virtanen-is-good-so-don-t-draft-him

 

[ps241]

To be fair it all started with that original article before the draft

http://canucksarmy.com/2014/6/18/jake-virtanen-is-good-so-don-t-draft-him

Yea this is pretty early as far as prospect go but the early returns are validating the article. To be fair Rhys "may" be bitter as a Nucks fan but he comes across like a genius and has the written I told you so proof.

 

[10Ducky10]

Ehlers has great O but needs to work on his D game.

 

[QuietContrarian]

Ehlers has great O but needs to work on his D game.

Like most gifted all offense players.

But to me, he looks good on the backcheck, only problem is he chances a move sometimes.
But he has gotten bette rand better with each game.

 

[garret9]

The largest aspect of defensive game for wingers are two things Ehlers is pretty good at:
1) backchecking
2) attacking the points

Really, I think people have difficulty in perceiving how effective and how much impact players are defensively.

 

[Daximus]

I have noticed him cheat the zone on occasion but I think he has been told to do that or he wouldn't keep doing it.

 

[jetdiehard]

Ehlers is everything that was expected of him but came on sooner than expected, he looks like a Winner.
I really expected more from Burmi.

 

[CaptainChef]

Like most gifted all offense players.

But to me, he looks good on the backcheck, only problem is he chances a move sometimes.
But he has gotten bette rand better with each game.

D is always the biggest struggle for any offensive prospect cracking the NHL. No doubt Ehlers has much to learn & that part of his game will get a lot better.

BUT, for a rookie to generate the Corsi stats that Ehlers has so far is phenomenal. I will gladly sacrifice the little bit of D he lacks for a continuation of those stats.

 

[QuietContrarian]

D is always the biggest struggle for any offensive prospect cracking the NHL. No doubt Ehlers has much to learn & that part of his game will get a lot better.

BUT, for a rookie to generate the Corsi stats that Ehlers has so far is phenomenal. I will gladly sacrifice the little bit of D he lacks for a continuation of those stats.

agreed

 

[Atoyot]

I don't think people are giving Ehlers his defensive dues. Maybe because the last thing they remember is his hiccough against Minnesota that led to a goal. He backchecks hard, he stays on his point, and he is good at breaking out. He cheats when he sees the opportunity which has given him numerous breakaways, so I'm completely fine with that. I don't know, I myself don't feel like he should be changing his game at all right now. I have no qualms about his defensive play.

 

[Jetabre]

Personally think his defensive play is better than what I was initially expecting lol.

 

[marktheshark55]

I have noticed him cheat the zone on occasion but I think he has been told to do that or he wouldn't keep doing it.

I've noticed this too. Similar to the way Keith and Seabrook stretch passes to Kane.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I don't think people are giving Ehlers his defensive dues. Maybe because the last thing they remember is his hiccough against Minnesota that led to a goal. He backchecks hard, he stays on his point, and he is good at breaking out. He cheats when he sees the opportunity which has given him numerous breakaways, so I'm completely fine with that. I don't know, I myself don't feel like he should be changing his game at all right now. I have no qualms about his defensive play.

I agree except there is room for change. He is doing the right things but he could do them better. The Minny goal is a good example. He was in the right place, doing the right thing. He failed in the execution. He can improve that without detracting from the rest of his game. And I'm sure he will.

Cheating occasionally when the time is right is more than OK. As long as he continues to pick his times well it is all good.

 

[CaptainChef]

To be fair it all started with that original article before the draft

http://canucksarmy.com/2014/6/18/jake-virtanen-is-good-so-don-t-draft-him

I never tire at reading that article. I know theres more to this than meets the eye, but it seems like such a bone-headed move to draft a guy like Virtanen given his comparables vs Ehlers (whose closest comparable is Stamkos).

Anyways happy, happy, happy -- Stampkos is unrealistic I'm sure, but nevertheless he's gonna be a good one.

 

[Daximus]

I've noticed this too. Similar to the way Keith and Seabrook stretch passes to Kane.

Exactly! Not a bad thing at all.

 

[Grind]

The largest aspect of defensive game for wingers are two things Ehlers is pretty good at:
1) backchecking
2) attacking the points

Really, I think people have difficulty in perceiving how effective and how much impact players are defensively.

i was about to post something very similar, then it was nice to see three other posters jump in.

Really, i think those criticizing his d game are kind of A) splitting hairs, B) sort of "assuming" he needs to improve his d just because of the sort of player he is or C) letting one mistake blow up their opinion or D) not really aware of what he needs to do (HINT: it's not block shots and swing low in the zone to tie up guys)

I've seen him lose his guy in the d zone once.

I've seen him "cheat" but "cheating" is also often called "getting open" and is important to executing breakouts.

Beyond that, he back checks really well, and is very consistent in covering for pinching D in the ozone.

Honestly, if he was any better defensively we'd be talking about how he was a Kane and Bergeron Hybrid and was being wasted at wing and should be a center.

Is there room for improvement? Absolutely, but i'd argue the only wingers who've been better defensively so far are ladd and wheeler.

I think his flack for his D game is overblown/pretty unwarranted.

 

[Grind]

I never tire at reading that article. I know theres more to this than meets the eye, but it seems like such a bone-headed move to draft a guy like Virtanen given his comparables vs Ehlers (whose closest comparable is Stamkos).

Anyways happy, happy, happy -- Stampkos is unrealistic I'm sure, but nevertheless he's gonna be a good one.

if you think that's rich, you should see the articles about bostons 2015 draft

 

[CaptainChef]

if you think that's rich, you should see the articles about bostons 2015 draft

Do share - never tire at seeing how we managed to fleece Connor in this draft either because his comparables are something else & so far he's showing all the signs of being the next one (after Ehlers I mean)

 

[Whileee]

i was about to post something very similar, then it was nice to see three other posters jump in.

Really, i think those criticizing his d game are kind of A) splitting hairs, B) sort of "assuming" he needs to improve his d just because of the sort of player he is or C) letting one mistake blow up their opinion or D) not really aware of what he needs to do (HINT: it's not block shots and swing low in the zone to tie up guys)

I've seen him lose his guy in the d zone once.

I've seen him "cheat" but "cheating" is also often called "getting open" and is important to executing breakouts.

Beyond that, he back checks really well, and is very consistent in covering for pinching D in the ozone.

Honestly, if he was any better defensively we'd be talking about how he was a Kane and Bergeron Hybrid and was being wasted at wing and should be a center.

Is there room for improvement? Absolutely, but i'd argue the only wingers who've been better defensively so far are ladd and wheeler.

I think his flack for his D game is overblown/pretty unwarranted.

I agree.

I also think that too often we think of defensive players strictly in terms of their play without the puck. That's important, mostly for positioning, but effective defensive play also involves being very effective at retrieving and moving the puck out of the zone. How many people slag Stuart strictly for poor positioning? His main defensive deficiency is that he is terrible at handling the puck and makes poor decisions. James Wright was praised by Noel for being a good "checker", but he was not good defensively because he didn't make good plays with the puck, and wasn't adept at retrieving the puck (along the boards or elsewhere along the ice).

Ehlers is actually very adept in his own zone and the neutral zone at finding the puck, getting the puck, and then making a good play to clear the zone either by skating it out or making a smart pass. He's responsible enough in his positioning by not "cheating" (Maurice has noted this).

For a top-end offensive player, I'm not sure what else we should expect defensively at this stage.

 

[QuietContrarian]

I agree that Ehlers D is sufficient.

And I love his backchecking.

The only real faults are his few giveaways on a fancy move, and they are getting less and less.

 

[garret9]

To be fair it all started with that original article before the draft

http://canucksarmy.com/2014/6/18/jake-virtanen-is-good-so-don-t-draft-him

Well, Rhys, a few others, and I discussed the topic long before in our circle of friends when it was leaked that Van was looking to go for homegrown Virtanen, then from our discussions came age adjusted scoring, then sham vs Vancouver drafting, then that article, then the big sham Sharon article.

It was a slow evolution leading up to gold haha.

Speaking of Rhys, the author, I'm meeting up with him right now to record the hockey graphs podcast.

 

[Duke749]

Love the kid. He uses his speed a stick handling to his advantage when it comes to defensive play. Already above average for a 19 year old rookie. Think there's a chance by the end of the year that he is the guy that makes his line "go". He's a very elite talent.