Prospect Info: Aleksander Barkov (signed 7/15/13)

[Loffer]

I didn't watch him play at the WJC, so I have no idea how he played. Could you elaborate on how he was exposed? 7 points in 6 games doesn't seem so bad to me...

First, most of those points were scored in relegation round against lesser opponents.
Secondly, Barkov was exposed - yes: he looked slow (if not lethargic...) and lost out there. Simply, the pace of the game in the WJC seemed to be too hectic for Barkov's taste. He didn't come out as a player who could create scoring chances by himself or flourish amidst that undisciplined way of play. He got exposed - he didn't have speed and accelaration needed to separate himself from the opponent. When there was no clear game plan, no collective tactic ("let the boys play" seemed to be the tactic acccording their coach) and scoring depended more on individual ability - Barkov just couldn't stand out. Joel Armia, on the other hand, was a player who could do it all by himself in those "adverse" circumstances.

 

[J17 Vs Proclamation]

First, most of those points were scored in relegation round against lesser opponents.
Secondly, Barkov was exposed - yes: he looked slow (if not lethargic...) and lost out there. Simply, the pace of the game in the WJC seemed to be too hectic for Barkov's taste. He didn't come out as a player who could create scoring chances by himself or flourish amidst that undisciplined way of play. He got exposed - he didn't have speed and accelaration needed to separate himself from the opponent. When there was no clear game plan, no collective tactic ("let the boys play" seemed to be the tactic acccording their coach) and scoring depended more on individual ability - Barkov just couldn't stand out. Joel Armia, on the other hand, was a player who could do it all by himself in those "adverse" circumstances.

Firstly, Barkov still scored at a respectable pace. Secondly, players are allowed to have a bad stretch of games. You don't judge a player on a small sample size. Thirdly, even assuming your assessment is somewhat accurate, the NHL is a very rigid, structured game with little sembelance to Junior hockey. It's not a game of creativity and free-flowing individual ability.

Armia is a very interesting prospect and can be a very very good NHL player if everything goes right. He has elite hands to go with shooting. Barkov has incredible hands to, but employs them in a different way and is a much smarter hockey player.

 

[Joe MacMillan]

First, most of those points were scored in relegation round against lesser opponents.
Secondly, Barkov was exposed - yes: he looked slow (if not lethargic...) and lost out there. Simply, the pace of the game in the WJC seemed to be too hectic for Barkov's taste. He didn't come out as a player who could create scoring chances by himself or flourish amidst that undisciplined way of play. He got exposed - he didn't have speed and accelaration needed to separate himself from the opponent. When there was no clear game plan, no collective tactic ("let the boys play" seemed to be the tactic acccording their coach) and scoring depended more on individual ability - Barkov just couldn't stand out. Joel Armia, on the other hand, was a player who could do it all by himself in those "adverse" circumstances.

Don't kid yourself, Armia looked equally underwhelming as Barkov at the WJC. The team was terribly coached, mess of a hockey team and no individual player could have bailed them out regardless of the skill level.

The only players that somewhat stood out were Ristolainen and Teräväinen, and even they looked lost for most of the time.

 

[RainingRats]

The people giving a personality analysis of a 17 year old kid from Finland, being in the spotlight, and having to speak a language he isn't very skilled in yet is absurd. As our posters from Finland noted, the lack of smiling is cultural.

 

[BusQuets]

And Markus Granlund is better than Barkov? Please. Mackinnon, drouin and Barkov all looked fine considering their age.

 

[Loffer]

I just answered a question. Barkov is a great prospect but still just a prospect. The WJC showing was not as good as one could expect after his terrific season start in the FEL. I just think he GOT EXPOSED for lacking foot speed in the WJC. It may be true that he was overplayed and hence tired in Ufa but nonetheless that kind of "junior game" didn't suit him at all. It may rise some concerns regarding his NHL readiness. In any case, he will be a terrific player -he just needs to fix that one thing. The lack of explosiviness.

 

[Mogo]

What I fear the most is that it will take years before Barkov is effective in the NHL. Finns tend to take a lot time before they succeed in NHL except of course Selänne. Hopefully him not being "100%" finnish will help in that cause

 

[flapanthersfan]

I just answered a question. Barkov is a great prospect but still just a prospect. The WJC showing was not as good as one could expect after his terrific season start in the FEL. I just think he GOT EXPOSED for lacking foot speed in the WJC. It may be true that he was overplayed and hence tired in Ufa but nonetheless that kind of "junior game" didn't suit him at all. It may rise some concerns regarding his NHL readiness. In any case, he will be a terrific player -he just needs to fix that one thing. The lack of explosiviness.

you don't "need" explosiveness to succeed at the NHL level. many players, especially big centers, are rather slow and "slow the game down" with their patience and vision. joe thornton is one, and probably a reason why he is often compared to him.

jason spezza is another who is a pretty bad skater for an elite player. not saying he shouldn't work on his skating, but i wouldn't judge his readiness (or lack thereof) on a 5 game sample size in a tournament where the structural play is basically pond hockey..

 

[BusQuets]

I just answered a question. Barkov is a great prospect but still just a prospect. The WJC showing was not as good as one could expect after his terrific season start in the FEL. I just think he GOT EXPOSED for lacking foot speed in the WJC. It may be true that he was overplayed and hence tired in Ufa but nonetheless that kind of "junior game" didn't suit him at all. It may rise some concerns regarding his NHL readiness. In any case, he will be a terrific player -he just needs to fix that one thing. The lack of explosiviness.

He will never have that Selanne like explosiveness but he will have that Sundin and Thornton like composure with the puck.

 

[floridada]

Just saw this on the Draft board. What a joke.

Don Cherry ‏@CoachsCornerCBC 5m
Florida's GM Dale Tallon who always said he likes Canadians, drafted a Fin. He said he needed scoring. He could have had Drouin with the Mooseheads who won the Memorial Cup and he was the leader in scoring, over MacKinnon, the top pick. Florida missed out on a 2 way player who can score. I hope Dale knows what he's doing. He passed on 3 guys Drouin, Nurse and Jones, who are guaranteed to make the NHL for a guy who played last year in the ice follies.

 

[flapanthersfan]

Just saw this on the Draft board. What a joke.

Don Cherry ‏@CoachsCornerCBC 5m
Florida's GM Dale Tallon who always said he likes Canadians, drafted a Fin. He said he needed scoring. He could have had Drouin with the Mooseheads who won the Memorial Cup and he was the leader in scoring, over MacKinnon, the top pick. Florida missed out on a 2 way player who can score. I hope Dale knows what he's doing. He passed on 3 guys Drouin, Nurse and Jones, who are guaranteed to make the NHL for a guy who played last year in the ice follies.

LOL! @ Nurse over Barkov.

Cherry is such an idiot.

 

[RainingRats]

Just saw this on the Draft board. What a joke.

Don Cherry ‏@CoachsCornerCBC 5m
Florida's GM Dale Tallon who always said he likes Canadians, drafted a Fin. He said he needed scoring. He could have had Drouin with the Mooseheads who won the Memorial Cup and he was the leader in scoring, over MacKinnon, the top pick. Florida missed out on a 2 way player who can score. I hope Dale knows what he's doing. He passed on 3 guys Drouin, Nurse and Jones, who are guaranteed to make the NHL for a guy who played last year in the ice follies.

Don Cherry has a tendency to make idiotic statements.

 

[angry_treefrog]

LOL! @ Nurse over Barkov.

Cherry is such an idiot.

Cherry is a talking head.

Talking heads are paid to be interesting, not to be right.

Many people find the crazy uncle schtick interesting.

The idea of a Canadian kid who needs 3 more years of seasoning being a better pick than a Euro kid who is NHL ready is exactly what you would expect from a guy who looks like a bald Santa Claus dressed up like a pimp.

Nothing to see here.

 

[Sykwitit]

MacKinnon was absolutely abused by the Canadian coaching staff. A shame..

I also gotta say I'm not a fan of players without charisma, and Barkov has none. Sounds like a Bouwemeester, really shy. So its probably good for him to get taken by a team with less cover.

From what I've heard the kid already speaks like 3 languages already at 17 and can at least somewhat communicate and understand English well, which is 3 languages more than most people will ever know. I am sure he is not as shy when he is speaking a language he actually knows, not too mention hes in another country and getting drafted so there is obviously nerves.

And as far as his charisma goes I could care less about how outgoing or fun he is off the ice, all you have to do is look at his highlights and some of his shootout stuff. It's not hard to see the kid's confident playing and has that kinda Patty Kane swag on the ice which is what really matters.

 

[angry_treefrog]

This is all the personality I need.

 

[Jussi]

Don't kid yourself, Armia looked equally underwhelming as Barkov at the WJC. The team was terribly coached, mess of a hockey team and no individual player could have bailed them out regardless of the skill level.

The only players that somewhat stood out were Ristolainen and Teräväinen, and even they looked lost for most of the time.

The team started to think they were "all that" after those two pre-tournament exhibition wins vs Canada and USA. The signs were already there in the first game and then Miro Aaltonen broke his ankle and that screwed Finland's line chemistry completely. It was all downhill after that game.

The fact that Barkov shines more when playing in a well structured system rather than no-system north-south hockey speaks actually more in his favour. The last two SC finals have showed that the teams withe well structured (slow) break-out are better than "old school" quick counter attack teams.

 

[hogtownhabsfan*]

The finnish Sundin?

 

[Tyler Durden]

What jersey number do you think Barkov will wear? He wears 16 in the Finnish Leage and 6 when representing Finland. I think the newly acquired Bobby Butler wears 16, So between Barkov and Butler for # 16, if Barkov doesn't get it I think he rolls with # 6.

 

[Lepardi]

From what I've heard the kid already speaks like 3 languages already at 17 and can at least somewhat communicate and understand English well, which is 3 languages more than most people will ever know.

This is a misconception I have to correct. Here in Finland, Swedish is compulsory at school for historical reasons. We have to take it from age 13, but very few actually learn anything, and especially boys have huge motivational issues with Swedish. We start studying English at age 9 and we learn English from TV, music, internet etc. as well. When we go to Stockholm, most of us use English there.

So when they tell you that Barkov "knows Swedish", that's probably bullcrap. I'm 99 percent sure his English is way better than his Swedish, cause that's the way it goes in Finland especially with boys.

But Barkov does speak two languages (Finnish and Russian) like a native, and that's certainly something that the vast majority of people will never do.

I am sure he is not as shy when he is speaking a language he actually knows

Maybe not as shy, but he is still very shy when he's interviewed in Finnish. That'll probably be different 10 years from now though.

 

[Dr Beinfest]

Just saw this on the Draft board. What a joke.

Don Cherry ‏@CoachsCornerCBC 5m
Florida's GM Dale Tallon who always said he likes Canadians, drafted a Fin. He said he needed scoring. He could have had Drouin with the Mooseheads who won the Memorial Cup and he was the leader in scoring, over MacKinnon, the top pick. Florida missed out on a 2 way player who can score. I hope Dale knows what he's doing. He passed on 3 guys Drouin, Nurse and Jones, who are guaranteed to make the NHL for a guy who played last year in the ice follies.

Drafted a Fin eh? Didn't know we had scouts checking out the Dolphins camp.

 

[Lepardi]

This kid also has Selke Candidate written all over him in the future. 48 points in 53 games in SM LIIGA is incredible especially playing on a Tappara team that was awful last year. This kid definitely helped to put Tappara back on the radar in a big way.

That's one way to look at it. I would put more emphasis on the coaching change. Jukka Rautakorpi started coaching Tappara a year ago. How often have his teams been bad?

 

[Mogo]

This kid also has Selke Candidate written all over him in the future. 48 points in 53 games in SM LIIGA is incredible especially playing on a Tappara team that was awful last year. This kid definitely helped to put Tappara back on the radar in a big way.

Psst.. Tappara played in the FEL final Not that terrible

 

[Lepardi]

In UrhoTV he said that He is born here (finland), played here as a kid and went to school here.

Barkov's father came to play for Tappara in September 1994. Tappara was really awful that fall before they got Theo Fleury thanks to the lockout and he turned the team around. Sasha jr. was born in September 1995 and his father played for Tappara till 2004. I root for Tappara's local rival, and I have to say Sasha sr. is my favorite Tappara player ever. He was a great passer and had great vision. A guy who played for Tappara in the mid 90s also told me that Sasha sr. is the least agile guy he's ever seen. When they told him to do this:
http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/files/2009/11/touch_toes.jpg
... his fingers and toes were about 30 centimetres from each other.

Psst.. Tappara played in the FEL final Not that terrible

What he was trying to say was that Tappara was awful in 2011-12.

 

[LUUUUUIS]

What jersey number do you think Barkov will wear? He wears 16 in the Finnish Leage and 6 when representing Finland. I think the newly acquired Bobby Butler wears 16, So between Barkov and Butler for # 16, if Barkov doesn't get it I think he rolls with # 6.

You're forgetting Parros wears 16 currently for the Panthers. I'd like Barkov to take 66... because I like palindromic numbers. 6 would be ok too, I guess.

edit: I'm dumb... he'll probably get 16.

 

[Lepardi]

I'd like Barkov to take 66...

Do players in the NHL actually do that? 99 is retired across the league, and I think using 66 would also be a bit rich.