OT: World Juniors Thread!

[wannabebluesplayer]

Saw a legit trade proposal on the Habs board:

Pacioretty
Jordie Benn
Paul Byron

For

Vince Dunn
Jordan Kyrou
Robert Thomas
Beau Bennett
Conditional 2nd that becomes a 1st if the Blues make the finals

Basically gut our prospect pool for another left shot LWer, a 3rd liner, and a press box Dman. Where do I sign?

Wow...DA would have gotten fleeced by possibly the worst GM in the league. Now, if only the bolded were involved, I think Bergevin would openly try it since he is possibly the worst GM in the league.

 

[Ranksu]

Saw a legit trade proposal on the Habs board:

Pacioretty
Jordie Benn
Paul Byron

For

Vince Dunn
Jordan Kyrou
Robert Thomas
Beau Bennett
Conditional 2nd that becomes a 1st if the Blues make the finals

Basically gut our prospect pool for another left shot LWer, a 3rd liner, and a press box Dman. Where do I sign?

and its from Blues fan?

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threa...d-who-goes-1st.2421823/page-37#post-139663877

 

[Ranksu]

wow this is wjc thread, bit off-topic talk.

 

[Blanick]

wow this is wjc thread, bit off-topic talk.

True, in an attempt to get things back on track. CAN is absolutely dominating SUI right now. Thomas just picked up an assist on CAN 3rd goal.

 

[542365]

Kyrou scores with Batherson’s stick. That was pretty funny.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

We’ve got two gems on our hands - possibly 3.

 

[ManyIdeas]

Why are they broadcasting a team Canada practice?

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

Wow Kostin... kid's got wheels.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

When I said 2/3 gems earlier, I meant Thomas and Kostin. Kyrou still has questionmarks for me, and out of the three I think he has the highest risk (but possibly the biggest reward). We as a forum are sleeping on Kostin.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

Middlestadt is just having his way with everyone. It's just not fair.

 

[Robb_K]

USA leads 3-2 with only 1 min 38 sec. left, and the goal empty.

 

[Robb_K]

USA just sealed the win with an empty netter and lead 4-2 with seconds left.

 

[542365]

Middlestadt is just having his way with everyone. It's just not fair.

Clearly the best player outside of maybe Dahlin in this tournament. On a completely different level. Got a bad rep after not being able to do a pull up at the combine(which admittedly is pretty sad) but he basically said he works on things to make him a better hockey player not a gym rat. Hard to argue with the results thus far. Good for Buffalo. They deserve something to go their way.

 

[bluesfan3109]

Middlestadt has all the skill in the world, but I'd love to see him play the way he is at the WJC in the NHL...he would get lit up so fast it wouldn't be funny

 

[Ranksu]

Wow Kostin... kid's got wheels.

Yes, scary how fast his legs goes. I'm counting in my head which in Blues team have those kind of legs? Maybe 1 or 2? + that he has hockey IQ. He's gem.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

I know it’s still early, but I fully believe at this point from what I’ve seen, Thomas will for sure be a top 6C.
I think Kostin is our second best forward prospect as well, and I can’t wait for a future line of him and Tarasenko on opposite wings.
Kyrou, like others have said definitely has the highest boom/bust potential. I see some Drouin/P Kane-esque style to his game, but it’s just a matter of him being able to reach that level against men instead of kids.
Even though he’s in the league now and not at this tournament, I wanted to include him since I think he gets underrated...but Tage looks really good right now with the Blues. I can definitely see him as a second line(top 9 on a stacked team) RW’er, or a very good 3C, depending on what we eventually do with him.

 

[Frenzy31]

Kostin was 3rd in scoring with 8 points in 5 games. No one else was in the top 20 from Russia. But based on what some views said, he still has a fair amount of work to do defensively.

I am hoping this gives him a boost when he returns to the AHL.

JK with 7 points. I don’t know how much boom or bust he has. Unlike guys like Rattie, he can really skate and as the game moves twords speed, that really plays into his wheelhouse.

Lastly, while I think Thomas is our best prospect, I really didn’t notice him to much unless I was specifically looking for him. He didn’t stand out in the games I watched. Solid in the dzone but I was hoping to see him drive the play a bit more.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

I could see the US taking Mittlestadt to the Olympics after this performance. It would be a mistake not to given how he’s played in this tournament. Especially considering how crappy our roster is.

 

[Majorityof1]

Middlestadt has all the skill in the world, but I'd love to see him play the way he is at the WJC in the NHL...he would get lit up so fast it wouldn't be funny

Watch Kyrou in juniors. You could say the same about him, or really any skilled juniors player who can take advantage of the huge skill-gap that exists between NHL bound prospects and the rest of the pack. Learning how to play in a league where everyone is bigger and faster and your skill-gap is much narrower is all part of the learning process for a prospect. Only the few elite ones don't have to go through it.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

In Kyrou’s defense, his skating and vision seem to be very very good. Possibly good enough where the transition won’t be too tough. His decision-making isn’t exactly slow, either, and his hands are great, too.

The real question is how well it transitions to the pro level (I actually don’t think there should be an issue from what I have seen, by it’s still a question), and can he not be a liability defensively (who knows). Defensively, nearly every prospect has that question mark, so I don’t think he has that high of a bust potential. I really think he has shown that he is the real deal.

 

[Majorityof1]

In Kyrou’s defense, his skating and vision seem to be very very good. Possibly good enough where the transition won’t be too tough. His decision-making isn’t exactly slow, either, and his hands are great, too.

The real question is how well it transitions to the pro level (I actually don’t think there should be an issue from what I have seen, by it’s still a question), and can he not be a liability defensively (who knows). Defensively, nearly every prospect has that question mark, so I don’t think he has that high of a bust potential. I really think he has shown that he is the real deal.

I wasn't saying he was going to have difficulty transitioning (although I think he might due to his play without the puck). I was saying that some of the plays he makes now won't work at the NHL level. He is so much better with the puck than most junior players he can toy with them. He can and does make moves that won't fly against better competition. There was a goal someone posted earlier that was admittedly sweet where he toyed with a defender moving the puck behind the defender then back again and the defender got completely turned around. Kyrou was pretty much standing still in the slot then fired off a shot for a goal. No way he gets the time and space to toy with a guy like that in the NHL, nor does an NHL defender get caught up in that game. Most NHL defenders would have better stick work or just plant Kyrou. But in juniors it was a highlight reel goal. Both Middlestadt and Kyrou have high-end skills. They can make junior level players look foolish. That doesn't mean they are going to try those same type of plays at the NHL. They will learn what works and what doesn't as the competition gets stiffer.​

 

[Dbrownss]

I think Kyrou's ability to play at a high speed is what he will rely on. The few times i watched him in preseason, he wasn't trying the fancy BS. Personally I think he's going to be an NHL'er. As to what level...idk

 

[Shwabeal]

I think Kyrou's ability to play at a high speed is what he will rely on. The few times i watched him in preseason, he wasn't trying the fancy BS. Personally I think he's going to be an NHL'er. As to what level...idk

The problem I have with watching him right now and saying he's going to have some sort of a NHL career is that if his offense doesn't translate, what role does he play on a team? I think that's why, myself and others, say that he's more of a boom/bust guy. Right now I don't see him play and think, that guy could play on the third line right now. It might be an unfair criticism but that's just how it is when a player has so far to go away from the puck to be able to play at or near NHL level in that aspect of the game. I think the same thought process is why people are so high on Thomas. He legitimately looks like someone that could get thrown on the third line right now (if that was even possible) and not look extremely out of place. If kyrou finds a way to adapt his skillset to the NHL, he's going to be special. His skill set reminds me a lot of Johnny Gaudreau and he's even bigger so it should help the transition. As to your point, I agree that we didn't really see a lot of the fancy stuff in the preseason, which is a good sign because he recognizes that he can't get a way with that stuff in the NHL. I think someone with his hockey IQ could have a successful transition simply because of the way he sees the ice. It's going to be interesting to see his progression and I'm excited to watch it unfold.

 

[Dbrownss]

The problem I have with watching him right now and saying he's going to have some sort of a NHL career is that if his offense doesn't translate, what role does he play on a team? I think that's why, myself and others, say that he's more of a boom/bust guy. Right now I don't see him play and think, that guy could play on the third line right now. It might be an unfair criticism but that's just how it is when a player has so far to go away from the puck to be able to play at or near NHL level in that aspect of the game. I think the same thought process is why people are so high on Thomas. He legitimately looks like someone that could get thrown on the third line right now (if that was even possible) and not look extremely out of place. If kyrou finds a way to adapt his skillset to the NHL, he's going to be special. His skill set reminds me a lot of Johnny Gaudreau and he's even bigger so it should help the transition. As to your point, I agree that we didn't really see a lot of the fancy stuff in the preseason, which is a good sign because he recognizes that he can't get a way with that stuff in the NHL. I think someone with his hockey IQ could have a successful transition simply because of the way he sees the ice. It's going to be interesting to see his progression and I'm excited to watch it unfold.

I feel the NHL is shifting from the 2-1-1 lines to an extent. Some teams have no problem running scoring wingers on the 3rd line as opposed to building a checking line. He's a smart player and with the NHL moving away from body checking to more of a skating/stick checking, guys like Kyrou should have an advantage to an extent.

 

[Bluesnatic27]

Never really had much faith in the U.S. this year because I felt their defense was just a collection of parts with no real cohesion. Sweden is making mince-meat out of that defense.