Confirmed with Link: Axel Sandin-Pellikka signs three year entry level contract

izlez

Carter Mazur Fan Club
Feb 28, 2012
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The AHL is just NA hockey. That's really all there is to it. It's not a goon league. A goon league was the CHL (no, not that CHL). You softies want guys hanging out in Europe, handled with kid's gloves, getting ill-prepared for NA hockey, well I won't stand for it! Get MBN to GR ASAP. ASP to follow next season!
The guy that injured Mazur was putting up penalty minutes at a higher rate than Probert
 

SantosHalper

Get off my lawn
Mar 21, 2012
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Anyway , my point was that let him mature enough to play in NHL and skip AHL. I also believe he could play now in NHL, limited third pair and second pp until
Play next season in Sweden? Not the worst idea but the org seems to prefer AHL as the final polishing spot. All situations 1D is better and he gets those minutes in AHL.
This is his 3rd pro season...
Teuvo Teräväinen considered golf as a appropriate off-season training after 4th pro season and didn't start training properly during the off-season until after his 5th pro season. And i believe Kari Lehtonen didn't train at all until he played in Dallas.

Most of the kids ASP age goes to McDonalds to eat after practice and play video games until 2am. And ASP's body has barely stop maturing, natural talent has carried him so far but there is still lot more to learn.
 

norrisnick

The best...
Apr 14, 2005
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Teuvo Teräväinen considered golf as a appropriate off-season training after 4th pro season and didn't start training properly during the off-season until after his 5th pro season. And i believe Kari Lehtonen didn't train at all until he played in Dallas.

Most of the kids ASP age goes to McDonalds to eat after practice and play video games until 2am. And ASP's body has barely stop maturing, natural talent has carried him so far but there is still lot more to learn.
That sounds like a Finnish problem, more than anything...

Most of the kids ASP's age, aren't leading defensemen in scoring in the SHL.

Also, there is no such thing as natural talent in hockey. Nothing about the sport of hockey is natural. Everything has been worked and practiced to get to where they are now.
 

cjm502

Holy Jumpin!
Jun 22, 2010
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That sounds like a Finnish problem, more than anything...

Most of the kids ASP's age, aren't leading defensemen in scoring in the SHL.

Also, there is no such thing as natural talent in hockey. Nothing about the sport of hockey is natural. Everything has been worked and practiced to get to where they are now.
I believe what he is saying is some have to work a lot harder then others. My cousin has been mucking it up playing minor pros for years and I would imagine there is a good chance he puts less effort in to training and practice then almost anyone else on his team and that's how it has been his entire life. Coasting by on natural talent. He played with Larkin as a kid, was as good or better then Larkin while being two years younger, and look where Larkin is compared to my cousin. One put in the work, one didn't. Natural talent with little effort vs natural talent with extreme effort.
 
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SantosHalper

Get off my lawn
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That sounds like a Finnish problem, more than anything...

Most of the kids ASP's age, aren't leading defensemen in scoring in the SHL.

Also, there is no such thing as natural talent in hockey. Nothing about the sport of hockey is natural. Everything has been worked and practiced to get to where they are now.
Those were just the first names that popped in to my minds. There are other examples if we start diggin. Like Byfuglien for example.

Scoring doesn't prove anything yet, those chubby cheeks in the otherhand tells a different tale.

Disagreed big time, like hockey IQ for example. You have it or you don't. All the top players in the world has natural talent, training and professionalism gets them to succeed in the highest level. European leagues are filled with players whom are naturally talented but they ain't willing to work for it.
 

Tetsuo

Boss of a Pile of Rubble
Apr 11, 2018
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The most important lesson, how to be a professional athlete.

People forget that these kids are literally kids, ASP probably still lives at home. And Yzerman has said that these kids stay where they are until they are physically and mentally ready to play in NHL or AHL.

There is no rush, we not only want these kids to make it, we need these kids to make it. Give them time. Makar & Fox played their first full season when they were 21, ASP turns 20 in March.
He will have three pro season under his bealt after this year. If he continues his progression, he's a prime candidate to leapfrog the thunderdome that is the AHL. Other that adjusting to rink geometry, what does he have to learn in the AHL playing with less skilled players in the league than ever. The AHL, IMO, has taken a huge nosedive as a developmental league in recent years and more players, like MBN, are rightly side-stepping it. Look at what happened to Berg, it's hard to say he's really improved in his too-long stint down there.

Obviously ASP will have to earn a spot in camp, but can you think of a guy in our system more likely to put up a ton of points than him?
 
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norrisnick

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Apr 14, 2005
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and...?

It's his second btw
The AHL is no more professional than the SHL.

1729656073810.png
 

heyfolks

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Apr 30, 2007
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I believe what he is saying is some have to work a lot harder then others. My cousin has been mucking it up playing minor pros for years and I would imagine there is a good chance he puts less effort in to training and practice then almost anyone else on his team and that's how it has been his entire life. Coasting by on natural talent. He played with Larkin as a kid, was as good or better then Larkin while being two years younger, and look where Larkin is compared to my cousin. One put in the work, one didn't. Natural talent with little effort vs natural talent with extreme effort.

I agree. I have seen it a good number of times. In no sport, is work ethic more important. Not saying natural talent is not, but, as you progress through AAA, into junior and beyond, you see how those who have more talent and take it for granted, get passed up for others with a better work ethic. < Not the super stars mind you. Think Luke Glendening.
 
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heyfolks

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The AHL is no more professional than the SHL.

View attachment 920351

Johnny Burger, see MBN thread, laid out the differences very well. The AHL is about development. The SHL is about winning. The wider rink, the level of skill is all a factor. From a wings perspective BOTH are pure development leagues. So, for them, it is al on what they are looking to develop in the player. For ASP it appears to be skating, puck control and defensive positioning. He also has the tag of needing to get NHL strength. He'll never be a physical player, had a few injuries as he developed, so this was the better path for him. MBN is another story. They saw a kid with a body and skill set ready for the AHL. He cmae into camp with a mindeset to play a pro season in Sweden.

I am not surprised ASP is still in SHL (I think most expected it). Barring injury, he will be in camp next season. I am actually more surprised NHL teams don't send more of their younger players to the SHL.
 
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SantosHalper

Get off my lawn
Mar 21, 2012
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He will have three pro season under his bealt after this year. If he continues his progression, he's a prime candidate to leapfrog the thunderdome that is the AHL. Other that adjusting to rink geometry, what does he have to learn in the AHL playing with less skilled players in the league than ever. The AHL, IMO, has taken a huge nosedive as a developmental league in recent years and more players, like MBN, are rightly side-stepping it. Look at what happened to Berg, it's hard to say he's really improved in his too-long stint down there.

Obviously ASP will have to earn a spot in camp, but can you think of a guy in our system more likely to put up a ton of points than him?
Like i was saying just because he has played pro hockey, it doesn't mean that he is fully professional athlete yet. Especially at so young age, when theres older players who haven't reach that level yet. I find it hard to believe that a person that age has fully absorbed to the right combo of rest, training and nutrition. 72 game regular season also prepares for even more cruelling NHL regular season, when travelling comes in to the mix. A full season Europe lasts max 85-90 games, but only if his team reaches finals in SHL & CHL and national team reaches medal round. And there is also national team breaks during the season.The jump is big from from anywhere to NHL.

D-men always takes longer to develop, Makar & Fox played their first full seasons at 21 and immediately they became contributing members of their teams. Full year in AHL will help ASP to prepare for NHL, just like it did for Ed. As for Berggren, has it occurred to you that maybe this is as good as it gets?

I disagree AHL being in nosedive. I see a competive league, where AHL veterans are fighting for to get a one-way NHL deal. Prospects fighting for a spot in NHL and AHL/ECHL tweeners fighting for to stay in AHL, to make more money presumably and to play in better league.

And after all no one earns a roster spot in the camp, first player to get called up is what they can achieve.
 

raymond23

lgrw
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Sep 28, 2017
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I’ve found the handling of him weird by the organization. Normally they are so set on letting them stay over in Sweden but with MBN they changed course

I think it’s a really good sign of what the organization thinks of him, so that’s good. But I can’t help but think the back and forth beginning to his season is going to lead to a slow start. Remember he had a pretty electric preseason campaign with Skelleftea
 

lilidk

Registered User
Mar 4, 2008
11,027
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You say as if there aren't legions of lazy ass North American players
Plenty , but they more talented.
European leagues is full of players that ether not old enough or not skilled enough to play in NHL.
AHL is not good place to develop, it's just place for players who like to be taken in NHL and if they are not skilled enough they will do whatever
 

jaster

I am become woke, destroyer of ignorance.
Jun 8, 2007
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Plenty , but they more talented.
European leagues is full of players that ether not old enough or not skilled enough to play in NHL.
AHL is not good place to develop, it's just place for players who like to be taken in NHL and if they are not skilled enough they will do whatever
The AHL is definitely a good place to develop. It's not perfect, and depending on the prospect sometimes the SHL or elsewhere is a better choice (see: ASP), but the AHL is a straight-up NA development league. It's the best place for most prospects as the final step to the NHL.
 

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