agent082
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- Feb 11, 2012
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C Aleksander Barkov - Tampere Tappara, FEL (2013 Draft) - Part II
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I think that you have good view on his game. But MacKinnon or Drouin never will be as big or strong. I know that MacKinnon is actually physically pretty mature but Barkov will have Jagr, ovechkin & Thornton like size. Barkov never needs elite speed. Above average is more than good enough for his size and talent. I think that he has chance to be good to great skater when fully developed. Not elite but tier below. Barkov is positioning himself very well. It's not coincident that he is always middle of the plays in the offensive and in the defensive zone.
edd1e
Registered User
Not true. He's avarage in skating, but you are right about not being explosive.
Jussi
Registered User
Yup, average and not explosive. It was more notable at the WJC (even Jääkiekkolehti noted it in the latest issue) where the play is more North-South and not as organized as Finland's top guys were used to in their club teams. It's no secret that Meidän Peli has had a slowing down effect on the tempo of SM-Liiga games and that has helped Barkov because it hides his skating fairly well.
Zeitung
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- Jan 16, 2013
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Once again I have to note this: he was still growing last summer and he is 17 and very big guy. How many players in similar situation are superb skaters with lots of explosiveness? Cant understand people judging his skating. Never seen players develop skating? Really, this thread is complete ******** to read.
Tappara actually doesnt play very puck controlling game?
Tappara actually doesnt play very puck controlling game?
toewsintangibles
Leadership analyst
- Dec 23, 2012
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This attitude has also manifested itself in how nearly 90% of our offensive prospects (which some of them are so bad, I wouldn't even call them prospects) are midgets who probably were better skaters than the big guys at 14 and never developed it further
SM-liiga will take a break due to international games next week. The men, the U18's and the U20's will all play in a tournament, but Barkov's going to rest.
They wanted him on the men's team though:
http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/jaakiekk...98386/tappara-evasi-barkovin-paasyn-leijoniin
Tappara asked the national team management not to choose Barkov to the team and let him rest instead. Team GM Jari Kurri says it's understandable due to the heavy game load but that he's regarded very highly by the men's team's management. My guess is that he'll debut in the men's team in the WC.
They wanted him on the men's team though:
http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/jaakiekk...98386/tappara-evasi-barkovin-paasyn-leijoniin
Tappara asked the national team management not to choose Barkov to the team and let him rest instead. Team GM Jari Kurri says it's understandable due to the heavy game load but that he's regarded very highly by the men's team's management. My guess is that he'll debut in the men's team in the WC.
Would be impressive for him
to be men national team player as 17 year old. I think that he has chance to be in the WHC team as 3rd centre playing mostly in a shutdown role just like he was playing in the WJC as 16 year old at calgary & edmonton.
But i love that fact that Jari Kurri already stated that Barkov is an strong candidate and one of the top players in their list.
Jussi
Registered User
Completely the right decision to rest Barkov. I do hope that it doesn't hurt his chances to make the men's team for the WC though I'd love to see him get a sheltered role on that team
toewsintangibles
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- Dec 23, 2012
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You can't really judge a player by how good hes doing in the FEL. The level of play in FEL has dropped heavily since '90 and just keeps dropping. Barkov seems to be an average skater, but at least hes not a little man like Grandlund, I think he has a decent chance to be a 20-30 point 2nd line center.
edd1e
Registered User
Where do you people come from...
20-30 point 2nd line center.. Where, in Mestis? Cause it would make as much sense as NHL.
Come on people stop writing this absolute drivel.
Sure it has dropped. Doesn't mean he's not a sick prospect. Players that play as well as Barkov keep getting contracts to KHL even though they play "just" in the SM-liiga. It's still impressive to score at a PPG pace in that league, and to be 17 while doing so is VERY impressive.
Please tell me what kind of a 2nd line center scores 20-30 points? And what makes you believe that's his potential?
Do you happen to be related to Loffer? You make about as much sense as he does. I'd suggest learning how to spell GRANLUND properly before talking about how much he or Barkov or any other Finnish prospect sucks.
You're complitely wrong... FEL is now stronger than ever. Back in the days there was couple of teams who had stacked roster and star players on that team but after that there was an enormous drop. There was many very weak teams to stack points against. You might e right that FEL might not have absolute stars anymore but the depth is much better nowadays. Competition is much harder for playoff spots. Worst team can beat best team pretty easily.
When you compare coaching there is big difference. The level of coaching in Finland have stepped into new level and the game is now more team oriented than indvidual showings. Harder to face an well coached team who plays as an team with tight team defence. Back in the days at the times the game looked absolutely horrible compared to nowadays.
In the 90's and early 2000's we saw dynasties of some teams because the competition was weak. There was maybe about 3-4 teams competing for FEL championship. Nowadays it's much harder job to do it because the level of the play in FEL has increased the depth is much better even tough FEL misses some of those star players which we used to have. I rank overall game of the league, big depth difference, coaching over few of star players in the top teams.
KHL takes part of the players obviously and FEL isn't the only one. SEL is losing some of the players aswell. Mika Hannula the swedish NT player who has olympic gold and WHC gold stated that SEL is slightly better in skill but FEL is much physical nd higher tempo. He was asked which was the better league? Hannula answered SEL is slightly better but there isn't much difference.
Look at Corey Locke who was the MVP of AHL and one of the top players of AHL. He couldn't handle FEL. Same was in the case of Martin st. pierre who is one of the star AHLers.
Did you watch the games when lockout players was playing(Yes, Barkov was playing against NHL players for majority of season. Mikko Koivu is an legit 1st line C in the NHL did he dominate? He had 10pts in 10games. How about Valtteri Filppula, Jussi Jokinen, Kyle Turris, Rich Peverley and many others. They are/have been 50+points players and some are +60 in the NHL. None of them did dominate. Only player who dominated at times was Erik Karlsson. Barkov looked better than most of those players. I saw him outplaying Mikko Koivu(Craig Button talks in his podcast about it) and Jussi Jokinen when they was matched against eachother.
You're very wrong about this and massively downplaying Barkov. Barkov is an special player and has done special things in FEL which is best than ever. The tip isn't as sharp but the depth is on different planet compared to 90's or early. It makes it even better when you think that Barkov actualy played against NHLers and outplayed majority of them.
Look at NHL if we look at the pass players we had Gretzky, Lemieux, Messier, Orr, Kurri and many others or look at the 90's Sakic, Forsberg, Yzerman, Fedorov, Selänne, Kariya, Bure, Bourque, Niedermayer, Jagr, Pronger in his prime and many others i've forgotten. By looking the names we would be thinking that talent we have nowadays is nothing compared to 90's or before. The competition is much harder nowadays, harder to dominate. The depth has increased by much and the level of game. The game is more team oriented in NHL aswell. Put Malkin, Ovehkin, Crosby into 80's or 90's NHL it wouldn't be even funny.
I think that you just watch the top of the name list of FEL before and make conclusion about that. When you watch the level of game there is big difference in favour of FEL today.
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toewsintangibles
Leadership analyst
- Dec 23, 2012
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This thread is why we need a Finnish prospects update thread.. Finnish people circlejerking on eachother
Granlund ? Or is he projected to be a 3rd line grinder? Barkov seems like a center version of Jesse Joensuu to me, big guy, sucks at skating, average hands. If he ever gets a chance to play at the NHL, He'll be back in no time.
What's sad is that some non-Finnish posters take the trolling Finns seriously and make conclusions on Finnish prospects based on the troll posts. I don't know why there are so many Finnish trolls on this board.
KlattNazty
Registered User
- Feb 3, 2011
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Granlund ? Or is he projected to be a 3rd line grinder? Barkov seems like a center version of Jesse Joensuu to me, big guy, sucks at skating, average hands. If he ever gets a chance to play at the NHL, He'll be back in no time.
average hands? do you even bother watching his games or do you listen to the radio or something.
Why do you even bother to respond to this guy? Making over the top projections such as "20-30 point 2nd line center" or "if he ever gets a chance to play in the NHL", those are obvious troll posts...
BTW so what is the reason why we dont have our own Finnish Prospect Update Theard here anyway???!!!
becouse our prospects are not good enough?
becouse our prospects are not good enough?
Brewsky
King Of The Ice Mugs
So who would he be comparable to, from the description of him, I'd say slick hands, good passer, big body, average speed, not explosive...
A Joe Thornton?
A Joe Thornton?
I don't see the nastiness of Joe Thornton in him. Barkov doesn't shy away from physical play, but he isn't as mean as Thornton. I've always liked the Anze Kopitar comparisons. Excellent defensively, amazing hands, high hockey IQ, strong with the puck, but isn't the best skater in terms of explosiveness and speed.
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