He is definitely an NHL talent but is buried BIG TIME in Edmonton. So much so that he was recently demoted to the AHL in favour of Anton Lander.
He's worth more to Edmonton than anyone else is going to pay for him, he's honestly not a very good trade target.
That was only because Horcoff isn't going on IR and they needed to bring up a center. It was just a numbers thing. Someone had to be sent down and it wasn't going to be Hartikainen. Wouldn't be surprised if he gets called up once Horcoff is ready to go. Defensively, he's looked great this season.
He has 15 goals in his last 132 games, NHL/AHL (mostly AHL), Regular season/Playoffs. 15 goals.. 0.11 goals-per-game.
Do people still believe he can be a quality top-6 forward?
I never saw him as one either. On the international stage excelled in the juniors due to his speed and size. On the senior level, not so much. Put up decent stats at Worlds put those came practically all against the "minnows". He was invisible against the other top 6 countries and in the games that mattered.
I think most of us are expecting a Radek Dvorak-esque player.
Big, fast, defensively responsible 3rd liner who could play on your second line in a pinch.
He was expected to be much more when he was drafted though. I remember talks of him having top line potential and possibly being a steal with the skill set he had. I will agree that as of now really only Kulikov has proven to be better out of the players drafted after him. But there are quite a few players that still are showing they have top 6 potential that were drafted after him.
He was expected to be much more when he was drafted though. I remember talks of him having top line potential and possibly being a steal with the skill set he had. I will agree that as of now really only Kulikov has proven to be better out of the players drafted after him. But there are quite a few players that still are showing they have top 6 potential that were drafted after him.
Ehh, he was one of those guys who was drafted because he had all the physical tools, but you're hoping he develops the toolbox to use them.
Decent gamble to take, but I'd say rarely do picks like that hit their top-end.
Easy to forget how young some of these Oilers are because they started so young but Paajarvi is the same age as Kreider. Not suggesting one will become better than the other (I'd obviously rather Kreider) but let's keep age in mind.
A 21-year-old is done developing if he plays for the Oilers and is a potential franchise forward when he doesn't.
So far, he's proven to be soft, weak on the puck, poor scoring touch and hockey sense. I thought he could be a Hossa type winger but he's been a major letdown. Exhibit A for a player that just hasnt progressed in his career.
He is definitely an NHL talent but is buried BIG TIME in Edmonton. So much so that he was recently demoted to the AHL in favour of Anton Lander.
He's worth more to Edmonton than anyone else is going to pay for him, he's honestly not a very good trade target.
It was because Edmonton already had a full roster and Horcoff was injured, they needed a center for the bottom 6 and PK. Paajarvi has already been called back up, it was just for a few days.
Do you consider Holland and/or Palmieri to be a prospect? I do and I also consider MPS to be a prospect, regardless of the fact that he was full-time in the NHL for a period of time.
I don't think he'll make it in the NHL. Pajaarvi will go back to Sweden in a few of years.
You may be right and I wouldn't believe it if someone said it when he was drafted. Oilers fault or does he just not have the mental toughness to play at the highest level? Weird and a shame if he ends up a bust...
You may be right and I wouldn't believe it if someone said it when he was drafted. Oilers fault or does he just not have the mental toughness to play at the highest level? Weird and a shame if he ends up a bust...
I dont think hell ever be a bust to the point where he cant make it in NHL or AHL. Hes already shown to be an effective 3rd liner in his 3rd season. He would be a dissappointment tho.
The only reason hed go back to sweden is if he felt hed be a star there. If his progession completely stopped right now he could still carve out a life in the NHL as a 3/4 liner
id take MPS on the bruins to be the 3rd line LW. I think a heavy veteran presence could help him gain his confidence and maybe he'd stop pressing. I think part of his problem is he is constantly being measured up to the success of taylor hall, jordan eberle, and RNH, now even yakupov. He seems like the perfect example of a player needing a change of scenery. I'd go caron and aaron johnson for MPS. maybe a 2nd or 3rd rounder too if im chiarelli. i think his speed and shot would be a much accepted commodity on the B's 3rd line with peverley and kelly
People writing him off, already? Come on.. He's still got time to blossom into what he's capable of becoming and the Oilers won't give up on him unless it's in a deal you can't refuse.
Would it really surprise anyone if Paajarvi became a 50 point two-way player once Hemsky is gone? He's not getting a sniff of top 6 ice time right now because there is no room for him. I think the way he's developing might actually be the best situation for the Oilers. He's learned the defensive side of the game very well already. Move him into more of an offensive situation and he might be able to produce at both sides of the ice.
Not every player that started out as ablue chip propsect turns out to be a hell of a player. Every year the leafs have someone like Sjostrom, Komisarek, Torres, Schremp. Guys who were said to have alot of potential but they just never lived up. PRV still can be a NHL player but his chance of living up to what he was once thought to be is less and less. Theres always a player like Eberle to even it out (I thought Eberle was a 2nd-3rd liner after his WJHC).
Just IMO, trade would help him. Let's be honest, you can't build a team in NHL with youngsters only. And Oilers already have their prolific scorers of the future with 3 recent 1st overalls and Eberle. At the moment Paajarvi is offerred a bottom 6 role only. And don't think it will be changing soon in the future.
Just IMO, trade would help him. Let's be honest, you can't build a team in NHL with youngsters only. And Oilers already have their prolific scorers of the future with 3 recent 1st overalls and Eberle. At the moment Paajarvi is offerred a bottom 6 role only. And don't think it will be changing soon in the future.
You think an older established team is going to offer him a top six role?
Youve got to be joking.
Magnus has to earn his spot, not have it handed to him. His struggles have to do with nobody else but himself.
As of now the coaching staff wants him to focus on being a 3rd line winger that plays solid defensive hockey and a guy that PK's. If he can excel in that role it will buy him time to work on the rest of his game.
__________________ Treat Others As You Would Like To Be Treated
Remember saying in his first season that they were shaping him as a defensive grinder, and this was back when he had a spark to his game. Guess i was right.
You think an older established team is going to offer him a top six role?
Youve got to be joking.
Magnus has to earn his spot, not have it handed to him. His struggles have to do with nobody else but himself.
I don't think any team in NHL would "handle" him a TOP 6 spot. However, how would he earn his spot in TOP 6 with 2 recent 1st overall picks plus canadian hero Eberle who are all same age or even younger than him ahead in the depth chart? Those guys are not being traded anytime soon. Pretty much that leaves 1 spot that is occupied by Hemsky at the moment. And even if Ales is traded, Oilers better find someone with experience and some grit to fill his place.
So, since he's not getting in TOP 6 in Oilers even if he returns to his 2010 form, they are kinda shaping him into a 3rd line grinder with size. And while he is responcible defensivly, he's not really a grinder material.
I don't think any team in NHL would "handle" him a TOP 6 spot. However, how would he earn his spot in TOP 6 with 2 recent 1st overall picks plus canadian hero Eberle who are all same age or even younger than him ahead in the depth chart? Those guys are not being traded anytime soon. Pretty much that leaves 1 spot that is occupied by Hemsky at the moment. And even if Ales is traded, Oilers better find someone with experience and some grit to fill his place.
So, since he's not getting in TOP 6 in Oilers even if he returns to his 2010 form, they are kinda shaping him into a 3rd line grinder with size. And while he is responcible defensivly, he's not really a grinder material.
The depth chart at LW after Taylor Hall is wide open. The real log jam in the organization is at RW. So the door is wide open for Magnus to grab a top six spot, not the other way around. If he cant beat a rookie (Yakupov) or a veteran who has motivational and injury issues (Hemsky), then he really isnt cut out for the job in the first place.
Paajarvi had a top six role handed to him in his rookie season. Its not like he has never been given a chance. If he was in Detroit he may have not even have played a game in the NHL yet.
