Our favourite feature of any draft thread (a definite hit last year, as I recall), It's time for a mid-season edition of
Prospect Myth Busters!!
Last year, we went ahead and dispelled the nonsense foolishly made up by one of our resident posters on young American pivot, Alex Galchenyuk.
Let's take a look at this year's foreign target, Aleksander "Sasha" Barkov:
Interactif:
"he's also a perimeter player from my limited viewings"
Well, if by "perimeter", you mean perimeter of the crease....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tdFCl5_tvY
Yeah, he looks a lot like our old #13 out there.
Interactif:
" Barkov may be too slow to adjust playing in the NHL"
"his skating that reminds me of Barkov that prevented him from being an elite NHL fwd"
And then he asked: "Barkov's skating doesn't worry you, but Monahan's does?"
well, I never said Monahan's skating worried me, just that it needs work. Something that scouts agree with for both of them, but then there was this exerpt from The Hockey Writers:
"He has Mario Lemiuex-like speed, in that he looks like a lumbering giant, but is deceptively fast"
So then you were like...
Interactif:
"Good point." In response to a bolded quote about Kessel needing a guy to fish pucks out of corners...
so Goran Stubb, of NHL Central Scouting was all like:
""Barkov is big, strong and a hard worker in all areas of the ice," NHL Central Scouting's Goran Stubb told NHL.com.
And just for some other points of interest, let's look at some attitude and character notes, as we KNOW just how important these are, right?
"My parents' meaning to me is very great," Barkov said. "They both taught me to skate and spent time with me and they drove me to team practices."
Doesn't sound too much different than how most of us grew up playing the game, or how those CHL kids started...
“[Barkov] acknowledged that his defensive game needed to be better – saying he’s working on it every game and every practice”
A smart, honest kid. Hardworking, and committed to improving his game
“I try not to concentrate on external factors during my games. What I aim for is to play my best game, and give everything that I got in favour of my team.”
“For me, every goal I score is important because hopefully it could help my team to win.”
A focused, team-first centerman. A kid who puts the good of the team before his personal accolades.
Goran Stubb then describes a 3-zone weapon:
"He's a sniper who can also set up scoring chances for teammates. I like the fact that he's a two-way center with a good understanding of his defensive duties."
Doesn't disappear in big games:
“It seems as if all the attention may have made him even stronger. In his final tuneup against the United States on Saturday, Barkov struck for a goal and two assists in a 5-1 win.”
“In fact, Barkov, who was one of only four 1995-born players participating at the 2012 WJC, became the youngest Finnish player to score a goal at the Under-20 tournament. At 16 years and four months, the 6-foot-2, 209-pound center made history when he connected for the decisive goal in an 8-5 victory against Slovakia in the tournament's quarterfinal round.”
A workhorse at 16/17:
“As we’ve seen, he’s fourth in the league in goals, and he’s averaging more than three shots per game, too. He has also emerged as a top option for Tappara (“Battle Axe”), playing more than 20 minutes per night regularly over the last stretch of games.”
"He keeps his head calm in every situation and can be used in shorthanded situations too. "
Has had his share of big moments that impacted his team:
"Barkov has started the 2012/13 season on fire scoring seven goals and five assists in eight games."
“Aleksander Barkov leads Tappara with 14 goals and sits among the top ten scorers in the Finnish SM-liiga – and
padded a whirlwind month by taking home MVP honours at the U-20 4-Nations Tournament last month in Sundsvall, Sweden (3-0-3-3).”
And lastly, here are just a few snippets of what the experts have to say about this fine young man:
"Very untypical for Finnish prospects, Barkov is big and strong and uses his size very well"
From Edmonton's head of Amateur Scouting:
“[Barkov] was very good. A big, strong, centerman that is very smart with the puck and strong with the puck and works hard at both ends of the ice.”
“He’s 6’2” at least, maybe a little more and very close to 200 pounds as a 17-year old. He skates well, very good first step, gets off the mark well. Passes the puck very well, good hands, controls the puck using his puck skills and his body to protect. More of a setup guy than a shooter but he does possess a very good shot.”
Why do we need a hometown kid? We have a budding star who LOVES playing in the spotlight, and thrives on the challenge:
“It seems as if all the attention may have made him even stronger."
OH! And those player comparisons......:
“He has Mario Lemiuex-like speed"
From Barkov:
“I follow (Evgeni) Malkin and (Pavel) Datsyuk because they are amazingly skillful players, and can dominate in every situation.”
"His style has been compared a lot to Pavel Datsyuk. "
And before we close, let's leave off with some buzzwords and phrases for you to use:
"He has also emerged as a top option"
"Barkov is big, strong and a hard worker in all areas of the ice"
"He's a sniper"
"he's a two-way center"
"A big, strong, centerman " "is very smart with the puck" "strong with the puck "
"but is deceptively fast, to go with tremendous hands" " a high compete level"
“Barkov is mature beyond his years on the ice, and plays with the confidence and swagger of a savvy veteran. He is a hyprid of pure ability, skill, power and strength, and simply can create something out of nothing in an instant.”
And finally, for some fun videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgZDaxZHxoM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYiSFRj5yiQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmz-nxuYaqo
So there's your perimeter player.
Proof is in the pudding, right?
And if people cared to watch, You can catch Tappara games on firstrowsports.
