Prospect Info: 22nd Overall Tobias Bjornfot, Defence

[Kingspiracy]

As well as he's played and as good as he's looked, I wonder if playing in the NHL as an 18 year old is the best option to fulfill his full potential. He definitely looks like he can play top 4 minutes right now, but is that going to be best for his development? Can he develop the offensive part of his game properly? Definitely questions that BLuc and co need to answer before deciding on his future.

I guess that's a part of what TMac might means when he talks about guys being ready to make the team and also the team being ready for the young player.

Its just nice to have a D prospect that doesnt look like he needs to be put on slow cook before being able to make the jump to the big league.

 

[Choralone]

Blake himself made the NHL as an 18-year-old. I don't think he'll rule it out as an option.

 

[Statto]

I think he now has to play. The risk with a good prospect is that it comes too early and when the inevitable bumps in the road come along their confidence gets destroyed. Everything indicates to me firstly that he’s ready technically, certainly more ready than our other D prospects. Then, more importantly, he has the temperament to deal with any difficulties he has, both within a game but also if he has a stretch of mediocre games.

Given what we’ve seen, by Christmas it would not be that shocking for him to have firmly established himself as our second best blue liner. He learns quickly, really quickly. You can see tangible development during camp with his positional play, how quickly he moves the puck and his adapting to the ice.

I thought from my research after the draft he’d have a chance of making the roster, in fairness mainly due to such poor competition (e.g. I was expecting the like of LaDue to do exactly as he has done), but he’s exceeded my hopes by some distance. Even if everyone else had stellar camps, he’d still be in as far as I’m concerned.

If he doesn’t play, it could only be that they don’t think he’s strong enough physically or something like that, but I just cannot see it.

This kid feels like the value pick of the draft right now, obviously a bit early to say that with any certainty but I’m excited.

 

[KopitarFAN]

Blake himself made the NHL as an 18-year-old. I don't think he'll rule it out as an option.

He was 20. Played a handful of games at the end of the 89-90 season.
Rob Blake at eliteprospects.com

 

[Fat Elvis]

I'm thinking he gets a few games while Forbort is dealing with Forbortitis. I don't think there's any harm is having him go back to Sweden This season, then have him join LA next year. I'm glad that they're exploring all their options. I liked the pick when it was made, I love the pick after seeing him play. Kid is steady.

 

[Mats26]

The kid is only 18, how will he last a full 82 game season. We saw this with Kotkaniemi on the Habs, he started to break down as the season wore on, Julien had to reduce his ice time and he was not productive as the first half. This year so far in pre-season he looks pretty mediocre for them.

I am not against another year in Sweden to physically mature, play big minutes, tournaments. Comes in as a more matured 19 year old next year and makes an impact. Development staff \ Blake have a decision to make, I am good either way as long as the goal is for long term success for the player and team.

 

[HookKing]

The kid is only 18, how will he last a full 82 game season. We saw this with Kotkaniemi on the Habs, he started to break down as the season wore on, Julien had to reduce his ice time and he was not productive as the first half. This year so far in pre-season he looks pretty mediocre for them.

I am not against another year in Sweden to physical mature, play big minutes, tournaments. Comes in as a more matured 19 year old next year and makes an impact. Development staff \ Blake have a decision to make, I am good either way as long as the goal is for long term success for the player and team.

Its borderline at this point. The biggest problem is the D is going to get pummeled night after night due to lack of size and experience. Does Blake want to expose him to all that? Kings desperately need a big shutdown RHD for him to be paired.

 

[Bandit]

Blake himself made the NHL as an 18-year-old. I don't think he'll rule it out as an option.

Pretty sure that’s not true. Dude spent 3 years at Bowling Green.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

From John Klingberg, regarding Miro Heiskanen:

Klingberg on Miro Heiskanen: “Overrated.” After we finished laughing, Klingberg said Heiskanen “changed our whole team.”

It's like Bjornfot can do the same for the Kings. Make Doughty better too...but no new contract for Doughty in 8 years, sorry. But make Drew better, "he's a good person and good player" - Bjornfot

 

[BringTheReign]

From John Klingberg, regarding Miro Heiskanen:

Klingberg on Miro Heiskanen: “Overrated.” After we finished laughing, Klingberg said Heiskanen “changed our whole team.”

It's like Bjornfot can do the same for the Kings. Make Doughty better too...but no new contract for Doughty in 8 years, sorry. But make Drew better, "he's a good person and good player" - Bjornfot

Let's pump the brakes there. Bjornfot has looked great but Heiskanen is on another tier. That kid is an absolute horse.

 

[King'sPawn]

Let's pump the brakes there. Bjornfot has looked great but Heiskanen is on another tier. That kid is an absolute horse.

Well, yes, but let's keep in mind Heiskanen spent a year in Finland after being drafted.

Bjornfot is looking really good right after the gate.

I agree it's too early to make comparisons, as there's a lot that can go right (and wrong) in development, but so far there's a lot to like.

 

[Choralone]

Pretty sure that’s not true. Dude spent 3 years at Bowling Green.

He was 20. Played a handful of games at the end of the 89-90 season.
Rob Blake at eliteprospects.com

Wow. My memory of that was certainly skewed last night. I think I confused it with Gretzky's pronouncement in that training camp that Blake would make the team or win the Norris one day, or whatever the hell he said. How could I forget Bowling Green? Please note that my post was at 3:26 AM - probably not my best time for posting coherent thoughts.

 

[KopitarFAN]

Wow. My memory of that was certainly skewed last night. I think I confused it with Gretzky's pronouncement in that training camp that Blake would make the team. How could I forget Bowling Green? Please note that my post was at 3:26 AM - probably not my best time for posting coherent thoughts.

No worries. We've all been there.

 

[Visul]

Well, yes, but let's keep in mind Heiskanen spent a year in Finland after being drafted.

Yep. Heiskanen might had made the Stars team back then but he got injured - missed the camp - and was sent back to Finland. And in the long run it turned out to be the best thing to Stars. Heiskanen got to play #1 D-man minutes and became the player he is today.

SHL is probably the best defenseman factory in the world and Djurgården is a quality team so I really wouldn't mind if Björnfot played there this season. But let's give him 9 game taste of NHL regular season competition so he'll know how high the bar is set. Wow, still in awe of the draft last summer.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Toby looks like the real deal. The kid was nails with the puck at the offensive blue line last night. If the Kings start with 8 D, I think there is room for him to make the opening night roster and get in some games before going back to the SHL.

 

[ru4reals]

Selfishly I would love B-Foot to stay but like some have said I think it would be better for him to go back to Sweden for one more season and then come back next year full time. We already know how good he will be I wouldn't mind at all if he went back.

 

[bob77]

I think he now has to play. The risk with a good prospect is that it comes too early and when the inevitable bumps in the road come along their confidence gets destroyed. Everything indicates to me firstly that he’s ready technically, certainly more ready than our other D prospects. Then, more importantly, he has the temperament to deal with any difficulties he has, both within a game but also if he has a stretch of mediocre games.

Given what we’ve seen, by Christmas it would not be that shocking for him to have firmly established himself as our second best blue liner. He learns quickly, really quickly. You can see tangible development during camp with his positional play, how quickly he moves the puck and his adapting to the ice.

I thought from my research after the draft he’d have a chance of making the roster, in fairness mainly due to such poor competition (e.g. I was expecting the like of LaDue to do exactly as he has done), but he’s exceeded my hopes by some distance. Even if everyone else had stellar camps, he’d still be in as far as I’m concerned.

If he doesn’t play, it could only be that they don’t think he’s strong enough physically or something like that, but I just cannot see it.

This kid feels like the value pick of the draft right now, obviously a bit early to say that with any certainty but I’m excited.

He is certainly ready for 9 games. Then go from there.

 

[crassbonanza]

He has the foot speed, the hockey IQ and the size to play in the modern NHL, I don't think we need to worry about his development stalling because he joined the Kings at 18. He honestly looked like the best defenseman on the ice at times last night and Doughty very emphatically expressed how much he enjoyed playing with him. I say why not? If the kid is ready let's go.

 

[TwzKing]

As much as I like what ive seen please send him back.

 

[Statto]

He is certainly ready for 9 games. Then go from there.

This is it, it’s not a binary decision. If after 9 games and they keep him they’d still be able to send him to the A for a stretch or even back to Sweden. Ignoring the contract year they’d still be able to adapt to his development needs accordingly. It isn’t a choice between 0 or 82 NHL games.

I do 100% agree with those that have said that whatever decision is made needs to be based on the long term, to ensure he hits his ceiling.

 

[johnjm22]

If the Kings were deeper on the blueline I wouldn't be so apprehensive about having Bjornfot make the roster. He could be used in a limited capacity like Sergachev in Tampa Bay.

As it stands now, we'd be relying on him to be one of our best defenders and play 20+ minutes a night. Sounds like something a dysfunctional organization would do.

 

[BallPointHammer]

More development time won't hurt any of our prospects. Time is on their side.

 

[Bandit]

If the Kings were deeper on the blueline I wouldn't be so apprehensive about having Bjornfot make the roster. He could be used in a limited capacity like Sergachev in Tampa Bay.

As it stands now, we'd be relying on him to be one of our best defenders and play 20+ minutes a night. Sounds like something a dysfunctional organization would do.

Yup. I’m all for giving him his 9 games but he really shouldn’t stay unless he blows the doors off against complete nhl teams.

 

[Fishhead]

If the Kings were deeper on the blueline I wouldn't be so apprehensive about having Bjornfot make the roster. He could be used in a limited capacity like Sergachev in Tampa Bay.

As it stands now, we'd be relying on him to be one of our best defenders and play 20+ minutes a night. Sounds like something a dysfunctional organization would do.

I'm on the fence whether he should stay/go, but this is exactly what was done with Doughty and that worked out fine. Drew had a better pedigree for certain, but Bjornfot looks awfully good so far. He looks a bit more impressive than Doughty did in the 08 preseason, in my opinion. And that defense was worse than the one we have now.

 

[LAKings88]

Can we skip this year and go to next already?