I think Craig's just trying to make conversation than anything with that list. While I am a self-proclaimed novice at this prospect thingy... he just departs too much from the mean in that list.
Gaunce is very advanced physically for his age. Very solid core strength which allows him to create room and havoc in the dirty areas but he's a little awkward in using it to his advantage overall. The majority of his penalties in the tournament so far are him just being stronger and not quite having the timing or technique to body players down cleanly. Good defensive stick, good defensive instincts, good on draws. It's the offensive upside that will determine where he goes and I like him way more at 16 than 11 for that reason. It's hard to project him as a real solid scoring-line center but it's possible, particularly if he gains increasing comfort in using his size better and playing a power game. I like him better as a prospect than Mark McNeill but 11 seems a little early unless a team is convinced he has the drive to get the most of out his strengths.
That Czech site has all the games archived, for now anyway.
I think Craig's just trying to make conversation than anything with that list. While I am a self-proclaimed novice at this prospect thingy... he just departs too much from the mean in that list.
I agree to an extent. Almost every poster on here would be shocked to see how completely different every teams draft list looks
IMO a guy who is bigger and stronger than his draft peers and that is a major reason why he is good is someone to stay away from in the first round unless his skills are right up there with the rest. See Anthony Stewart.
IMO a guy who is bigger and stronger than his draft peers and that is a major reason why he is good is someone to stay away from in the first round unless his skills are right up there with the rest. See Anthony Stewart.
IMO a guy who is bigger and stronger than his draft peers and that is a major reason why he is good is someone to stay away from in the first round unless his skills are right up there with the rest. See Anthony Stewart.
No Couturier just didn't have a very good draft year, meaning he didn't progress as much as expected, mainly because of mono and got passed by some other guys who had great draft years.
IMO a guy who is bigger and stronger than his draft peers and that is a major reason why he is good is someone to stay away from in the first round unless his skills are right up there with the rest. See Anthony Stewart.
Yes and no. It's something to keep in mind but scoring wingers with size/strength are a bit of a different story. If that offense doesn't translate then what do they have to fall back on to be contributing NHLers? Not much unless they embrace a physical two-way role that requires more than sheer size/strength.
Centers like Gaunce and Girgensons and even Faksa have fairly refined defensive games to fall back on even if their offensive games don't really take off. In a draft where there aren't a real wealth of safe picks throughout the first round I think that makes them pretty reliable top 20 candidates or higher. I wouldn't love Gaunce/Girgensons at 11 but I could understand it, particularly if it signals something of a shift toward players with more of a power game. I'm not sure they would be BPA there but it wouldn't be much of a reach. They'd still be positioned at 16 (assuming) to potentially pick up a D with a good combo of size/skill as well.
Couturier suffered from the high expectations of a pretty dominant 16yo season but he never should have went that late. Not after Scheifele and probably not after Strome either.
I can only think that Maatta was an unintentional omission on Button's part.
I would be fine with either of those 2 at 11.
I really think Gaunce will be a fine NHL player. He sounds like a Richards type player, although that's probably a pipe dream.
Girgensons' first couple steps will have to improve from what I've seen. I'd put Girgensons slightly above Gaunce at the moment. Gaunce is certainly not an effortless skater like Richards. He's not choppy he just lacks explosiveness or the tendency to really push the pace much at all. He did get up the ice and deflect a transition rush nicely but he's more a grind-it-out player. I'd just question his edge at the moment in being able to play that game compared to Girgensons (and I like the later's stickhandling a bit more).
At 11 I'd be more inclined to just see who falls among the top forwards (Faksa/Teravainen) or D (Rielly/Reinhart). Go BPA there and then if you want to target a need or type of player do it at 16 (assuming) if possible or maybe move down.
He can play all three forward positions but definitely projects more easily as a winger. If teams want to fast-track him it very likely won't be at center initially, though long-term he may have the head for it.
At 11 I'd be more inclined to just see who falls among the top forwards (Faksa/Teravainen) or D (Rielly/Reinhart). Go BPA there and then if you want to target a need or type of player do it at 16 (assuming) if possible or maybe move down.
As a finnish I would be careful with Teräväinen because his raise in the rankings has been huge and his performances has been great but I would personally rank him around 15-20 instead and I regard him as a high risk if Caps pick him.
In Finland Teuvo hasn´t had same kind of attention like Granlund (picked 9th, 13+27=40 points on draft year) or Armia (Picked 16th, 18+11=29 points on draft year) when Teräväinen has 11+7=18 points in this year.
SO
Mikael Granlund 40 points in 43 games = 0,93 ppg (2009-2010)
Joel Armia 29 points in 48 games = 0,60 ppg (2010-2011)
Teuvo Teräväinen 18 points in 40 games = 0,45 ppg (2011-2012)
These are stats from their regular season before "the draft summer" in SM-liiga
Only exception between these three Finnish young talents is that Teräväinen played also in Jokerit U20 team and few games in K-Vantaa in Mestis.
The stats above doesn´t tell everything and I have to defend Teräväinen because he hasn´t been a top 6 forward in his team like the other Finns I have compared him. He can become a great goal scorer if he gets more responsibility in next few years.
The point however is that he isn´t NHL-ready at least in 3 years or so and I think Caps needs young talent more quickly than that and his small size doesn´t convince me.
I hope a good career for Teuvo but somewhere else than in Washington.
Good take. That would be the dilemma were he available. They have tended to side with upside but it's not a tremendous fit. I do like his composure with the puck, though. There's not enough of that in Washington.
April ISS rankings. Teravainen rises significantly while Gaunce drops a bit. First time I've seen Laughton in the top 20. I really like his instincts and consistency. Pretty safe pick in that area, though maybe not huge upside.
