Really that's all you think it is? Not anything to do with him not performing at the under 20's where he played against the other top rated players his age? He had a great U18's no question, but the CHL playoffs are still in session and many teams were missing many good players.
I believe Rajala is the real deal...very impressive in this tournament...it's a shame the CSS Final rankings come out prior to this tournament
It's probably not too bad for him. It could be the difference for him to make the NHL. Instead of a bad team that needs help right away, maybe he is picked late in the first by a team that will allow him to develop and then slot him into a scoring role later on.
Really that's all you think it is? Not anything to do with him not performing at the under 20's where he played against the other top rated players his age? He had a great U18's no question, but the CHL playoffs are still in session and many teams were missing many good players.
He was a double underager, he wasn't playing against players his own age. Only 13 of the 220 players in the tournament were 1991 born.
For instance Sami Kapanen is listed as 5.10 in all stats. When in a interview he said that he is in reality 5.8. Also in the same interview he said that in North amerika they deliberately add some inches and pounds to hes stats so he would look like bigger. Why so i dont know, but i could think that majority of the "smallish" players get the same treatment. So i could think that even Canadian prospects arent that big as the stats suggest..
Rajala is listed 176cm (5.8 - 5.9) so hes as big as Kapanen or even slightly bigger. So if Kapanen could play in NHL so should Rajala. and i talk about size not skill.
Rajala´s new point record is even more impressive when taken into account that he made 19 points in only 6 games. Ovechkin made his past record in 8 games.
For instance Sami Kapanen is listed as 5.10 in all stats. When in a interview he said that he is in reality 5.8. Also in the same interview he said that in North amerika they deliberately add some inches and pounds to hes stats so he would look like bigger. Why so i dont know, but i could think that majority of the "smallish" players get the same treatment. So i could think that even Canadian prospects arent that big as the stats suggest..
Rajala is listed 176cm (5.8 - 5.9) so hes as big as Kapanen or even slightly bigger. So if Kapanen could play in NHL so should Rajala. and i talk about size not skill.
Minor correction, Kapanen said he's probaly 175cm, which is infact 5'9.
Rajala is skilled and fast, but the scouts are worried about how he can develop physically, when he goes to ahl there are going to be much bigger guys out there. He needs to get more muscle to manage, right now he is as thin as paper. Im guessing early in the 2nd round or late 1st.
Anyways, i believe Pulkkinen will be better than Rajala, he is my favourite finn prospect right now. Last time we had player like this, was... umm... never. Finland has never had true star that has cannon of a shot, wants to shoot before passing and is kinda powerforward like player. Maybe as close as i can come up with is Olli Jokinen, but still abit different.
Thank god the Finns future is looking brighter than in a long long time, we will get much needed offensive firepower with Pulkkinen, Rajala and Granlund.
For instance Sami Kapanen is listed as 5.10 in all stats. When in a interview he said that he is in reality 5.8. Also in the same interview he said that in North amerika they deliberately add some inches and pounds to hes stats so he would look like bigger. Why so i dont know, but i could think that majority of the "smallish" players get the same treatment. So i could think that even Canadian prospects arent that big as the stats suggest..
Rajala is listed 176cm (5.8 - 5.9) so hes as big as Kapanen or even slightly bigger. So if Kapanen could play in NHL so should Rajala. and i talk about size not skill.
It's not all that stupid in my opinion. It's a reality, when the ice surface gets smaller the more contact there is. And to survive and succeed in a high contact game you either need size and strength or guts and strength. Smaller guys like
Kapanen, Koivu etc. have crazy amounts of guts and determination...and strength. That's how they make up their lack of size. Then there's always guys like this year's KHL's two leading scorers Sergei Mozyakin 5'10'' 163lbs (CBJ-pick) and Jan Marek 5'10'' 178lbs who have the skill but not necessarily the guts and will.
When speaking of drafting 17-18 year old players teams tend pick the bigger player if two players are equally talented. So in Rajala's case his lack of size has put him in a situation where he needs to be a bit better than the bigger players in front of him. Scoring the same amount of goals just won't do because his size remains a concern. For instance Svensson-Pääjärvi will probably be a 2-way third line winger in the worst case cause he has the physical attributes. But in all seriousness if Rajala makes the NHL he makes it as a scoring winger in the first two lines. He would be useless in a checking/defensive role. Rajala's height is not the problem, his biggest problem is that he's still a boy, he hasn't matured yet. 5'9'' is enough in my opinion, after all it's not the NBA, when he matures and adds 15-20 lbs of muscle he'll be even better.
So if still comparing to MSP, Rajala will either be a high scoring forward in the NHL or in Europe. MSP will almost certainly make a long career in the NHL, as it now seems, in a scoring role. But if both of them would reach their maximum potential I'd say Rajala would be the one to score more points. But the probability to succeed in the NHL is lower that MSP's because of his size. Rajala hasn't fully shown his character although he drove to the net more often than let's say in the WJC's.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 4rde
Rajala is skilled and fast, but the scouts are worried about how he can develop physically, when he goes to ahl there are going to be much bigger guys out there. He needs to get more muscle to manage, right now he is as thin as paper. Im guessing early in the 2nd round or late 1st.
Anyways, i believe Pulkkinen will be better than Rajala, he is my favourite finn prospect right now. Last time we had player like this, was... umm... never. Finland has never had true star that has cannon of a shot, wants to shoot before passing and is kinda powerforward like player. Maybe as close as i can come up with is Olli Jokinen, but still abit different.
.
I'm really hoping that Rajala stays in Finland for long enough that he becomes one of the stars in our own league and for team Finland. I'm not so certain that AHL is the best league for player development. I think that for example Lauri Tukonen, Petteri Nokelainen and Lauri Korpikoski would have benefited more offensively if they had stayed in Finland.
Off topic, as for Pulkkinen I was a bit disappointed with his shooting accuracy in this tournament (U18) but he still is an intriguing prospect. If I would send some player to the CHL it would be Pulkkinen 'cause he already plays a straight forward NA type of game so he would probably succeed. I wouldn't label him as a power forward-type 'cause in my eyes a power forward's game in based around his hits..like Milan Lucic etc. (or at least that's how I see it)
Pulkkinen on the other hand is more of a sniper with some eagerness to play the body. There hasn't really been a Finnish player like him so it's difficult to compare him. Here's a few tries: Selänne with less speed but better stickhandling, Tuomo Ruutu with more flash and better hands but less physical, More physical Valtteri Filppula with a better shot.
Last edited by FINNtastic: 04-20-2009 at 10:49 AM.
4.2.2009 FIN 4 - CZE 1 (3+0)
6.2.2009 FIN 5 - RUS 2 (0+4)
7.2.2009 USA 3 - FIN 2 (0+1)
8.2.2009 SWE 2 - FIN 3 (0+1)
9.4.2009 FIN 7 - RUS 4 (2+2)
11.4.2009 USA 4 - FIN 3 (0+1)
13.4.2009 FIN 10 - NOR 1 (3+4)
14.4.2009 SVK 0 - FIN 7 (2+2)
17.4.2009 FIN 0 - RUS 4 (0+0)
19.4.2009 CAN 4 - FIN 5 (3+0)
Caught this kid in Fargo yesterday. By far the most impressive player I saw on the ice in the Championship round on Sunday. He can do some sick junk with the puck. Wow.
For his sake I hope he can be more than a 55 point player who can't speak french
I hope for him he won't have koivu injury record but before his many surgeries and bad luck Koivu was a phenomenal upcoming star and a dominant player at the NHL and international level.
I still don't think he gets picked in the first round, even with this tournament. I'd be a very happy camper if the Rangers somehow got him, but not in the first round. He has all the skill in the world, but it is just so damn risky, and the Rangers are a soft team, as is.
I think his play in the under 18 should have some consideration where he is drafted. Anyone think he moves up and if so, how high?
Can't hurt. He certainly peaked at the right time. Scouts are a cautious bunch generally. Throw out the meaningless games though, they don't count. Play verses peers is all that matters, he did well.
I still don't think he gets picked in the first round, even with this tournament. I'd be a very happy camper if the Rangers somehow got him, but not in the first round. He has all the skill in the world, but it is just so damn risky, and the Rangers are a soft team, as is.
If he doesn't pick in the first round it's pretty hilarious. There is one or two forwards at most who are at his talent level.
