Timmins said he went to see Samuelson and ended up having his eyes set on Nystrom. He watched him for 2 games then asked the Habs sweedish scout to follow him for the rest of the season. Defiantly not a random pick.
I wonder if Ecklund will soon be posting on his blog that Timmins may be on his way out the door in Montreal, having acted defiantly at the draft table.
Playing in the top tier is better than the AHL imo.
I absolutely disagree.
The AHL is definitely better than the SEL. The AHL is very close to the KHL as far as quality goes. It is much better to develop a player in the AHL where the talent level is relatively high and the game is played on a North American rink under NHL rules with plenty of hitting and body contact.
The KHL is a good option to send a player who needs to develop his skating. It is a very different style of play than the NHL and habits can be developed that just don't work over here.
The AHL is definitely better than the SEL. The AHL is very close to the KHL as far as quality goes. It is much better to develop a player in the AHL where the talent level is relatively high and the game is played on a North American rink under NHL rules with plenty of hitting and body contact.
The KHL is a good option to send a player who needs to develop his skating. It is a very different style of play than the NHL and habits can be developed that just don't work over here.
From what I remember, the SEL is considered to be the third best league in the world.
From what I remember, the SEL is considered to be the third best league in the world.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Estimated_Prophet
Definitely not.
1. NHL
2. KHL
3. AHL
4. SEL
Pre this version of the KHL it was, the KHL is starting to eat-up some swedish talent and the SEL is in declining shape. AHL vs SEL it's hard to compare, the AHL is a much bigger league, therefore it's a better league just on size. But I'm not sure the top SEL teams wouldn't be competitive in the AHL as the KHL is trying to poach them.
The AHL is definitely better than the SEL. The AHL is very close to the KHL as far as quality goes. It is much better to develop a player in the AHL where the talent level is relatively high and the game is played on a North American rink under NHL rules with plenty of hitting and body contact.
The KHL is a good option to send a player who needs to develop his skating. It is a very different style of play than the NHL and habits can be developed that just don't work over here.
This is something you alluded to in your last paragraph, but don't you think it depends on the player? Some players may benefit a great deal more from staying in the SEL than crossing over to the AHL.
This is something you alluded to in your last paragraph, but don't you think it depends on the player? Some players may benefit a great deal more from staying in the SEL than crossing over to the AHL.
The only possible benefit that I can imagine is that a young player may need one more year at home to mature as a young man and prepare for the culture shock of playing on a new continent.
From a pure hockey perspective I can't imagine how this league would be more beneficial to a young players goal of playing in the NHL. I suppose an arguement could be made that the kid is just too good to play in the CHL but is not strong enough to play in the AHL. That would be a very unlikely scenario for a kid who was just drafted as they would truly have to be some sort of phenom to be considered too good to play in the CHL at 18 years of age.
The only possible benefit that I can imagine is that a young player may need one more year at home to mature as a young man and prepare for the culture shock of playing on a new continent.
From a pure hockey perspective I can't imagine how this league would be more beneficial to a young players goal of playing in the NHL. I suppose an arguement could be made that the kid is just too good to play in the CHL but is not strong enough to play in the AHL. That would be a very unlikely scenario for a kid who was just drafted as they would truly have to be some sort of phenom to be considered too good to play in the CHL at 18 years of age.
One aspect of the SEL that I like is the paramountcy of puck possession. SEL games are almost soccer matches insofar as how the game is geared to playing 'keep-away'. This is one reason why, I think, the Sedins, Forsberg, Franzen, Zetterberg, et al., are all so successful: they are (or were) some of the best puck protectors in the game. Sure, every elite player is great at holding on to the puck, but Swedes take it to another level consistently.
Further, while I concur that the SEL is tough on young players who get stuck with 4th line roles, there are two responses to this: 1) this isn't the norm. Some players, like Anton Lander, or Josefson in recent years, wind up being important players for their clubs. Kruger, too, and he improved more than he would have in the AHL (IMO). 2) The emphasis on practice is good for some players, and being surrounded by top tier professionals is a good thing--perhaps better than the oft lazy vets in the AHL.
This is something you alluded to in your last paragraph, but don't you think it depends on the player? Some players may benefit a great deal more from staying in the SEL than crossing over to the AHL.
Totally. When people talk about the AHL as a developmental league vs other options, I think they forget that it's not just about the league's reputation for "style". The AHL is the closest simulator for NHL play that exists, so playing in the AHL best highlights any weaknesses the player may have on the way up. For players from less physical leagues with shorter schedules and relatively little travel, the AHL often serves as a wake-up call in terms of physicality and durability concerns.
Now, for a player who has proven decently physical in another league, maybe the AHL option isn't necessary. If the concerns about that player centre more around development of puck skills and situational play, then wherever he's going to see those assignments the most may be best. Leaving a guy over in Sweden to be on his team's top line/PP/PK unit/role might be better in the end than filling in bottom lines and secondary roles in those situations in the AHL, for example. For other players (particularly those with advanced puck/skating/hockey IQ/puck possession confidence), learning to deal with everything I mentioned above might be more important for development, and the AHL is perhaps the way to go.
So that's a long way of saying: yes, you're right, lol.
Nystrom video on the sidebar or on the bottom to see how he looks like.
His english is pretty good, loving his confidence. Also lol at his short and simple answers, the medias must be like WTF?? Every Hab player should answer questions like this. No problems
The AHL is definitely better than the SEL. The AHL is very close to the KHL as far as quality goes. It is much better to develop a player in the AHL where the talent level is relatively high and the game is played on a North American rink under NHL rules with plenty of hitting and body contact.
The KHL is a good option to send a player who needs to develop his skating. It is a very different style of play than the NHL and habits can be developed that just don't work over here.
It is a false debate since Nystrom couldn't play in the AHL since he's still a junior. Then, it is way better for him to play in the SEL since it is a WAYYYY better league than any CHL team!
I say let him play this year between SEL and a second tier Sweden team, then next year completly in the SEL, then the year after in the AHL. That would be perfect.
It is a false debate since Nystrom couldn't play in the AHL since he's still a junior. Then, it is way better for him to play in the SEL since it is a WAYYYY better league than any CHL team!
I say let him play this year between SEL and a second tier Sweden team, then next year completly in the SEL, then the year after in the AHL. That would be perfect.
He actually could play in the AHL if his Swedish team let him (given he signs a contract w/ the habs), since he wasn't drafted out of the CHL.
The AHL is definitely better than the SEL. The AHL is very close to the KHL as far as quality goes. It is much better to develop a player in the AHL where the talent level is relatively high and the game is played on a North American rink under NHL rules with plenty of hitting and body contact.
The KHL is a good option to send a player who needs to develop his skating. It is a very different style of play than the NHL and habits can be developed that just don't work over here.
SEL and AHL are differnet, but quality-wise, SEL is definately better. Don't know how you would argue otherwise.
This isn't about what league is better. This isn't like comparing for example: the Czech Extraliga to NA. SEL is respectable and it just comes down to what's best for each player individually. And it seems that it's best if he and Collberg stay in Sweden.
SEL and AHL are differnet, but quality-wise, SEL is definately better. Don't know how you would argue otherwise.
I'd argue that whatever edge you see in the SEL is based primarily on "skills in a bottle" (i.e. skills look good in current medium, might not in any another) or some notion of "style". As long as the NHL is the "biggest" and "best" hockey league in the world, whatever proves to be the best "simulator" of its environment HAS to be at least arguably the "second best" league in the world. The KHL obviously exists, and typically "ranks" as #2, but this is all tangential. Ultimately, all the skills and style that everyone thinks they see watching the SEL or KHL are diminished in relevance when put on smaller ice against the "actual" best players and goaltenders in the world. There's still enough of it, though, to argue a case for any one of them. If the NHL went to international ice size next year, though, what you see overseas becomes a lot more relevant.
If the "best players in the world" predominantly reach NHL readiness via a short stint in the AHL in their early days, and if the volume of draft pedigree continues to supplement the veteran fringe NHLers that fill in the rest of AHL rosters, a very strong argument can be made for the AHL being the second best league in the world in terms of talent level and concentration, at least. What the end viewer product looks like is a matter of taste, I suppose, and thus subject to opinion, but AHL teams also typically run systems consistent with the parent NHL clubs, so roster and system interchangability is a major point in favour of the AHL vs. any other pro league... unless you don't think the NHL is the "highest quality" league in the world to begin with.
