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Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 4:45 pm
by Topper
Nothing like a little sand in the vaseline to irritate.

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 1:52 am
by Per
Sweden off to a good start, 5-2 vs Czechs and 5-1 vs Denmark.
I don't think this team is a contender though. The D-men make far too many mistakes, but the offense to some extent makes up for that, at least against weaker teams. Against Denmark, Swedn had 9 SOG in the first period and scored three goals. That is an effectiveness rarely associated with Swedish teams.

Once we face the real contenders though, teams like Russia, Finland and the favourites US and Canada, I'm afraid our weak blueline will prove itself a fatal flaw. :|

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 8:18 am
by Chef Boi RD
Hey Per is Kylington living up to his draft hype? Can you see him as an affective top 4 d-man in the NHL? How about top 2 pairing? What are his strengths and faults and NHL d- men your compare him to?

Any thoughts in Forsling?

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 10:12 am
by Island Nucklehead
RoyalDude wrote:Hey Per is Kylington living up to his draft hype? Can you see him as an affective top 4 d-man in the NHL? How about top 2 pairing? What are his strengths and faults and NHL d- men your compare him to?
Any details on on Kylington's injury? He played during the pre-competition exhibition games and didn't look good at all. The Swedes are being pretty tight-lipped about why he's out of the World Juniors.

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 10:21 am
by Chef Boi RD
Did not know he was injured

Seems to me, from scanning different rankings that he and Werenski are going in opposite directions. Can't say I was impressed with Werenski in the Finn game but he seems to be more popular with the scouts than Kylington. Hanafin didn't knock me out either

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 10:27 am
by Island Nucklehead
RoyalDude wrote:Did not know he was injured

Seems to me, from scanning different rankings that he and Werenski are going in opposite directions. Can't say I was impressed with Werenski in the Finn game either, but that was just one game. But then again Hanafin didn't knock me out either
Speculation is that it was pre-existing, which would account for his poor showing.

As for Hanifin, I didn't find him remarkable, but it is a 19 year olds tournament, and that makes it real tough for a 17 year old d-man to have a major impact. I think back to Ekblad last year, who had his moments, but for the most part wasn't overly impressive to me.

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 10:37 am
by Chef Boi RD
The Devils have been quite successful drafting D in the 2nd round - Gelinas, Svereson, Merrill. All 3 of them seem to be showing better than their 4th overall pick - Larsson.

Just think its way more of a crap shoot drafting D in the 1st round. Unless its one of Hanafin, Werenski or Kylington. I'd save for drafting a D-man with the second pick instead. I value the forwards, where I think we will be picking from in the 2015 draft - 15 to 22, higher than I do the D prospects after the big 3

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 11:35 am
by SKYO
Habs and leaves gotta be happy with their picks JDLR and Nylander...


Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2014 3:22 pm
by Island Nucklehead
Canucks pick Gustav Forsling (5th round pick 2014, 126th Overall) has a PP goal as Sweden leads Russia 1-0, he's now got 1G 2A in 3 games thus far.

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2014 3:30 pm
by SKYO
Thatcher Demko with the the shutout - USA 3-0 win over Slovakia.
1 goal against in 2 games!
RoyalDude wrote:Hey Per is Kylington living up to his draft hype? Can you see him as an affective top 4 d-man in the NHL? How about top 2 pairing? What are his strengths and faults and NHL d- men your compare him to?

Any thoughts in Forsling?
2 goals this game vs the Russkies.

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2014 7:21 pm
by Chef Boi RD
I'm all in on drafting Rantanen. Big, skilled winger. Impressed. I like Crouse and Werenski but they are top 10.

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2014 7:09 am
by Per
Island Nucklehead wrote:
RoyalDude wrote:Hey Per is Kylington living up to his draft hype? Can you see him as an affective top 4 d-man in the NHL? How about top 2 pairing? What are his strengths and faults and NHL d- men your compare him to?
Any details on on Kylington's injury? He played during the pre-competition exhibition games and didn't look good at all. The Swedes are being pretty tight-lipped about why he's out of the World Juniors.
Haven't seen that much of him. He's supposedly one of our best D-man prospects, but he's playing on a crap team in the second tier league. Probably a good way to get a lot of ice time..... He's a two way puck moving D-man, which I suppose means he is pretty allround. And yeah, I'm pretty sure he'll definitely be a top four probably top two pairing guy. There are loads of Swedish D-men who are successful in the NHL, and if he is one of the very best in his generation, he should be pretty good. I know most pundits feel it was a severe blow to the Swedish team that he got injured and can't play at the juniors.

I haven't heard exactly what is wrong with him, but they're talking about the backside of his leg or thigh, so I'm thinking charley horse, probably. If it's bad it could take a few weeks, but shouldn't hinder his future development.

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2014 1:44 pm
by Per
Very satisfying win against Russia last night!
Sweden played a lot better D than in the two wins against the Czechs and Danes.
Then again, in those games they could play sloppy and get away with it.
This time, when they had to, they managed to play much better, and it paid off.
Seems like we're winning the group.

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2014 3:42 pm
by Chef Boi RD
Well at least Forsling has a couple inches on Subban. Still, always tough for a 5'-11" d-man to make in the NHL

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2014 4:31 pm
by Island Nucklehead
RoyalDude wrote:Well at least Forsling has a couple inches on Subban. Still, always tough for a 5'-11" d-man to make in the NHL
Quite true, but Eliteprospects has him at 6'0, 181. If he can get to that 6'0 190/195, he's not that far off a Hamhuis (6'1, 205) or a Bieksa (6'0, 195-200). If he can continue to be an offensive threat at the next level, his size (which isn't tiny), is mitigated. Guys like Barrie, Krug, Ellis, Letang and others show that if you're offensively gifted enough, you can make it in the NHL. Hell, even Marc-André Bergeron scored 15 goals in an NHL season.