Loffer
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- Sep 22, 2011
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i haven't seen any of his games, only highlights. but he really sounds to be a top 3 pick. too bad he isn't eligible next summer... but then again he can jump right to the nhl in his draft year.
C Aleksander Barkov - Tampere Tappara, FEL (2013 Draft)
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i haven't seen any of his games, only highlights. but he really sounds to be a top 3 pick. too bad he isn't eligible next summer... but then again he can jump right to the nhl in his draft year.
Small rinks should be better for Barkov. Closer to goal. High traffic situations where he can use his big powerful body with his silky smooth hands. There is too much free space at european rinks for him. When he gets his leg strength up he's hard to stop in small rinks. Imagine that Barkov is week away from the 2014 draft.
Loffer
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Armia and Granlund are currently better stickhandlers. Barkovs wrister is no where near Granlunds at the moment, Granlund has one of the best wristers in the league with Zaborsky. Granlund is also more physical than Barkov even though Barkov has size advantage.
Though he is only 16 and is possibly better at Granlunds age.
Loffer
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how can you tell? these matters should be decided by skill competitions otherwise it is just opinions. mikael used to have a "weak" shot, now after improving his shot for a summer he suddenly has the best wrister in the league...?? a quick learner! and what has happened to pulkkinen's wrist shot?
as i said, this is a matter of opinions until there are some objective criteria by which to decide (a test/skill competiton) who is the best stickhandler, who has the best shot etc.
Also Barkov's stickhandling is a questionmark for me, i havn't seen him really deke or anything like Armia and Granlund does with a success.
You can tell by watching games, Granlund has improved his wrister a lot. Check this video 1:17--> Thats like a god damn Kessel wrister.
Stickhandling isn't just all deke. Stickchecking and puck stealing is stickhandling aswell. Armia and Granlund aren't as good at as Barkov at puckhandling in traffic. Barkov is better than both at stickhandling by fair margin.
But honestly you overhype Barkov and put him above Granlund that he is not yet. Granlund is far better in almost every aspect of the game currently, Barkov is still developing and wouldn't be ready to NHL but Granlund would.
If we would put Granlund and Barkov play 1vs1 i'd put my money for Granlund for sure.
Mistake bet. You honestly should see those things this Barkov kid does at pracs. I've seen em both and im far more impressed about Barkov than Granlund. Barkov just need to get his confidence on same level than Granlund has ( after all we are speaking about 16 years old kid whose a rookie ) I don't wanna even start to speak about the pressure Barkov is going through.
Next year when hes more experienced and has that confidence you will be so amazed about the skill set this guy has ( if he doesn't go to north america, since hes going to meet few GM's in Canada this year )
I think Zamus said, not yet? He is right, put i agree that Barkov has more potential than Granlund and i'am Granlund-fan. One big thing is his size vs. Granlund size. Also Barkov has all the tools to be a super and his size make him so much potential star than other Finnish prospects. He also has so much more to give in every place and situations in the ice than Armia. Barkov team-mate Jonatan Tanus (-95 born) is also very talented, but he is same type player in his size than almost every talented Finnish player and that means small.
You don't understand, Barkov is not yet at the same level with Granlund. He plays shifts where you don't even see Barkov touch the puck but almost always when Granlund has a shift something happens. Barkov definitely has the potential to be elite but don't overhype him over Granlund because that's ridiculous as Granlund is going almost 1.5PPG when Barkov is about 0.5.
And what comes to pressures i'm pretty 100% sure Granlund has more pressures than Barkov, how can you even compare Barkov's "pressure" as he is still pretty much unknown to most of the people.
Well, Granlund has 38 points and yet only ± 18 while Barkov has 12 points and ± 8. Clearly you have no idea how important part Barkov is on hes team. For me these statistics tells that Barkov is alot more consistent in all zones which already makes him a better player on every coaches eyes.
Also i hope you have noticed how Barkov blocks passing lanes, takes space out players which means that they have to make bad plays which also means that they not getting any scoring chances. You don't have to touch the puck every shift to be the most valuable player in your team
Barkov is far more better player than Granlund was at age of 16. Just wait till next year, Barkov will rackup some serious points with amazing ±, you heard it here first.
Edit: Granlund as a 17years old rookie ended up with ± 11 and last season ended up with only ± 6
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I think Barkov can potentially be better, although right now Granlund obviously is the better player.
The only thing that annoys me about Barkov and most good finnish prospects is their horrible-decent skating (Vatanen is an exception, but he's just small for a d-man). Barkovs skating at times looks downright clumsy. However, if I've understood correctly he grew a lot not too long ago and that might have had an effect. Really hope he improves that, then he will become a really complete player.
I think all little hockey kids should take figure skating classes until their like 12-14 years old. Works for a lot of players, Skinner and Kurri come to mind.
The only thing that annoys me about Barkov and most good finnish prospects is their horrible-decent skating (Vatanen is an exception, but he's just small for a d-man). Barkovs skating at times looks downright clumsy. However, if I've understood correctly he grew a lot not too long ago and that might have had an effect. Really hope he improves that, then he will become a really complete player.
I think all little hockey kids should take figure skating classes until their like 12-14 years old. Works for a lot of players, Skinner and Kurri come to mind.
JabbaJabba
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If a finn ever goes 1st overall, Barkov is that guy. Not saying he should go and I doubt it, but everything is possible. 
Also in a interview a while back (I think it was by UrhoTV? Or by a newspaper..) he said that he would like to play in the NHL for a team that has a lot of history.
Also in a interview a while back (I think it was by UrhoTV? Or by a newspaper..) he said that he would like to play in the NHL for a team that has a lot of history.
Haite
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- Jun 27, 2011
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man im so happy that barkov senior decided to raise this goldmine in finland! should be one of the top prospects in 2013 draft! Top 5-9 pick for sure if he keeps this up.
Well, Granlund has 38 points and yet only ± 18 while Barkov has 12 points and ± 8. Clearly you have no idea how important part Barkov is on hes team. For me these statistics tells that Barkov is alot more consistent in all zones which already makes him a better player on every coaches eyes.
Also i hope you have noticed how Barkov blocks passing lanes, takes space out players which means that they have to make bad plays which also means that they not getting any scoring chances. You don't have to touch the puck every shift to be the most valuable player in your team
Barkov is far more better player than Granlund was at age of 16. Just wait till next year, Barkov will rackup some serious points with amazing ±, you heard it here first.
Edit: Granlund as a 17years old rookie ended up with ± 11 and last season ended up with only ± 6
Granlund has only +18? I wouldn't concentrate on +/- too much since it's irrelevant to how good a single player might be in the line, let's see Barkovs +/- when he has played around 30 games, i highly doubt its over 20.
+ Granlund plays higher minutes/game.
The Saw Is the Law
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Barkov plays in -33 team and Granlund plays in +14 team in stacked team. There is big difference. Barkov's +\- is more impressive. I have never stated that Barkov is right now better than Granlund it's not very close right now. only stated that Barkov is better stickhandler than Granlund. We have to remember that Granlund is 3 and half years older than Barkov. Granlund is probably the best prospect in the world and Barkov is barely 16 year old rookie. Not fair comparison. Barkov at 16 was much better than Granlund at 16. When Barkov gonna get his confidence up and get better linemates he might be +45-50points player next year. If he would play full season he would be in pace of about 21 goals + 15 assists= 36pts. Very impressive for 16 year old rookie.
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i don't know if you said that but some people did. Also i wouldn't say Barkov is a better stickhandler, Granlund is very impressive stickhandler so that's a bit weird seeing how awesome things Granlund can do with his stick, even his last goal was very nice how he took the puck.
Barkov is much better at the traffic he stickhandles the puck so smoothly in tight area and pressure. Granlund is better at 1 on 1 dekes but Armia is best out of these 3. There is no player in FEL who is better than Barkov in puck stealing and stickchecking, Granlund isn't even close. People might get wrong picture about stickhandling when other players have done sick dekes in couple times in a season. Barkov dangles 2-3 players in same time without losing the puck. And he have created tons of scoring chances after he has stole the puck. Me myself rank skills above flash. Barkov's game is straigth made for small rinks. Big ice hurts his game a bit.
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Well it's good we see them better when they play in world juniors. According to you Barkov is going to be incredibly awesome and outclass everyone of the opposing team every time he is on the ice.
Let's see about that
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