Confirmed with Link: 2nd round - #35OA - LW Sebastian Aho - Karpat (FIN)

NotOpie

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Jun 12, 2006
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I, too, watched most of his games last season, and there are a couple of points I disagree with.

-He's better than just a "decent skater". Maybe not McDavid-level good, but he's still very agile and skating is one of his strengths.

-"Anyway clearly a pass-first short of guy." No, just no. When I think of "pass-first" players, I think of players like Joe Thornton or Henrik Sedin, not Sebastian Aho. Aho, in my opinion, is more of a goal scorer, and I expect that his goal to assist ratio will be pretty balanced down the road.

What is this insanity!!!

When has anybody argued about how good a Canes prospect is? Usually, we make excuses around here to make up for a lack of talent. This is the opposite year!
 
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Simah

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Aug 20, 2008
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I, too, watched most of his games last season, and there are a couple of points I disagree with.

-He's better than just a "decent skater". Maybe not McDavid-level good, but he's still very agile and skating is one of his strengths.

-"Anyway clearly a pass-first short of guy." No, just no. When I think of "pass-first" players, I think of players like Joe Thornton or Henrik Sedin, not Sebastian Aho. Aho, in my opinion, is more of a goal scorer, and I expect that his goal to assist ratio will be pretty balanced down the road.

Yeah maybe I sounded bit too harsh on his skating because you're right that's still one his main assets. I just wanted to point out that there's some room for improvement also. Technically his a very good and agile skater and maybe his speed will improve when he gains more strength.

About the second point him being "pass first", I agree that he is nowhere near Thornton or Sedin when considering passing bias. Those guys will not shoot even if they have empty net in front of themselves... But at least he tends to search those passes to back post when there actually is a decent shooting lane. But you're right that his tendency to shoot could change and it might be that those missed passes to back post are just ones that I remember. And Teemu Pulkkinen tried to be playmaker in FEL when everyone knew that he should just shoot everytime he has the puck... so we'll see. I would think that Aho's playing style depends a bit of his linemates. At least in the WJC where he played with Puljujärvi he had the tendency to always try to find Jesse instead of shooting by himself.
 
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myrsky

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Sep 4, 2014
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Yeah maybe I sounded bit too harsh on his skating because you're right that's still one his main assets. I just wanted to point out that there's some room for improvement also. Technically his a very good and agile skater and maybe his speed will improve when he gains more strength.

About the second point him being "pass first", I agree that he is nowhere near Thornton or Sedin when considering passing bias. Those guys will not shoot even if they have empty net in front of themselves... But at least he tends to search those passes to back post when there actually is a decent shooting lane. But you're right that his tendency to shoot could change and it might be that those missed passes to back post are just ones that I remember. And Teemu Pulkkinen tried to be playmaker in FEL when everyone knew that I should just shoot everytime he has the puck... so we'll see. I would think that Aho's playing style depends a bit of his linemates. At least in the WJC where he played with Puljujärvi he had the tendency to always try to find Jesse instead of shooting by himself.

I see where you're coming from, but I think it has more to do with him not trusting his shot 100% (especially when playing against pros) because, like you said, his shooting isn't good enough yet.

After that game-winning goal in overtime in Game 7 his teammate said that "Coach Marjamäki would have ripped his head off, had it not worked out" because that wasn't part of their game plan. To me, that shows that Aho really wants to score goals and he's not satisfied with just passing the puck around.
 
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David Tanabe

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Nov 4, 2006
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Don't love this pick especially with Harkins right there but we added Hanifin and Lack so I'll have to assume the scouting staff know what they're doing.
 
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urho

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Sep 12, 2008
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Mixed feelings about this. He's my hometown-boy (and a playoff-hero btw, scored game 7 OT winner in the finals!) and I like him as a player too but this early? Really surprising. I know we ended up trading #66 but he could've been available even that late. They must really like him here.

Almost everything has been said about him by my fellow Finns but I must add that it's going to be a long process before he hits the NHL ice. He has the talent but he's quite far from being NHLer right now. Hopefully he pans out, he's smart and exciting to watch!
 
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Swag Surf Aho

Find Your Own Style
Jul 2, 2011
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McGinn was also a reach at 35th overall until he exploded onto the scene. I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'.

Edit: Welp, we had 2 picks that year and DiGiuseppe was picked at 38th. He was a faller projected in the first round so my point still stands. McGinn's a better pick.
 
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Francis10

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Jan 28, 2012
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Mixed feelings about this. He's my hometown-boy (and a playoff-hero btw, scored game 7 OT winner in the finals!) and I like him as a player too but this early? Really surprising. I know we ended up trading #66 but he could've been available even that late. They must really like him here.

Almost everything has been said about him by my fellow Finns but I must add that it's going to be a long process before he hits the NHL ice. He has the talent but he's quite far from being NHLer right now. Hopefully he pans out, he's smart and exciting to watch!

I honestly still can't get over this pick with everyone left on the board. Seems like a HUGE reach at that juncture.
 
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FlyingSquirrels

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Jul 5, 2011
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As soon as RF traded the #66, senile McDonald panicked. Plan-n-simple. Regardless of what is said about this kid, much better talent was available at this time, that alone makes this pick a "reach".
 
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TheOllieC

cajun filet
Jul 12, 2013
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As soon as RF traded the #66, senile McDonald panicked. Plan-n-simple. Regardless of what is said about this kid, much better talent was available at this time, that alone makes this pick a "reach".

I don't see why trading a third round pick would cause panic and directly effect a second round pick. They should have players ranked, and select the best player (forward) at this 35 spot. If they had a third round grade on Aho, they wouldn't have taken him here.

You can argue all you want about this being a reach and him not deserving to go this high, but losing a pick in the next round doesn't have anything to do with it.
 
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DougieSmash

WE'RE IN! WE'RE IN! YES! YES! WOO!
Jan 2, 2009
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I'm just not impressed with most of our 2nd picks recently: McGinn and DeGuiseppe. Not sure why they take that early Nedeljkovic. The picks of Rask and Dalpe obviously were good gambles.
 
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GoldiFox

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Apr 21, 2014
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I don't think he was necessarily a bad pick here, it appeared likely that NJ wanted him with the next pick and scrambled after they took him, but I liked a lot of the guys still on the board.

He was one of the youngest players in the entire Draft and put up decent numbers in the Finnish Pro League (SM-Liiga).

I'm not concerned about his size. 5'11", 175 lbs isn't that small for a 17 year old and from what I have seen he is sturdy with a strong core and lower body. That combo eliminates any real size concerns for me.

If he was from the CHL and this was a Paradis type move I'd be more upset, but he isn't. He played in a Pro league in which 17 year olds rarely get meaningful ice time. At worst he is an unknown. We will all get a much better outlook on what he can really do next year as his responsibilities grow.

He hasn't proven any less than a guy like Eriksson-Ek who was considered a surefire 1st rounder. With CHL players you have a direct comparison vs peers and recent draftees. It's just much harder to gauge Euro Pro draft talent given the situation. A lot more risk/reward.
 
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CandyCanes

Caniac turned Jerkiac
Jan 8, 2015
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I'm just not impressed with most of our 2nd picks recently: McGinn and DeGuiseppe. Not sure why they take that early Nedeljkovic. The picks of Rask and Dalpe obviously were good gambles.

I don't see what is wrong with the McGinn pick so far? Looks like he is developing nicely.
 
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What the Faulk

You'll know when you go
May 30, 2005
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Wait, he's 5'11'' 175lbs at 17 years old? And people think that's small? That's already probably close to average for an NHLer, as far as height goes. I'm not sure why so many people think the difference between 6' and 5'11'' is so monumental.
 
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GoldiFox

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Apr 21, 2014
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Wait, he's 5'11'' 175lbs at 17 years old? And people think that's small? That's already probably close to average for an NHLer, as far as height goes. I'm not sure why so many people think the difference between 6' and 5'11'' is so monumental.

Hockeydb actually has him at 6'0", 176 lbs. Can't find his combine measurement.

Maybe people confuse him for the defender Sebastian Aho who is well known to be small.
 
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