F Joakim Kemell - Milwaukee Admirals, AHL (2022, 17th, NSH)

[m0pe]

And adds a late assist.

He isn't consistently impactful yet I would say, but pretty consistently solid. Which for a kid in his 3rd pro game is quite good.

Definitely better than Lambert in this one too, who outside of a couple rushes that led to nothing, I thought was more noticeable in a bad way (really poor/risky puck management in his own end).

 

[APVJ]

Better than Lambert

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

Before the season I wasn’t sure he would adapt to playing against men, but looks like that won’t be a problem. Looking great so far.

 

[ijuka]

High hockey IQ I think. Probably shoots up quite a bit in rankings over the course of the season.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

They play in the same Liiga team right now and as they are in the same draft class, it’s pretty natural to be comparing them at the moment. Especially when their class of play was at so different levels today.

We can’t compare two players in the same draft? Especially when Lambert has beeen hyped as a top 3 talent in the draft, yet Kemell is outperforming him currently.

It's lazy analysis.

Why do they have to be compared? Playing on the same team isn't reason for comparing them.

Are you going to compare every player who plays at the NTDP together? Did you compare Rossi and Quinn or the Chicago Steel players? Evaluate them on their own merits. As I mentioned, they are likely to also be viewed in different baskets for draft purposes by NHL teams and fans of NHL teams because they play different positions. One reason to compare players is to assess which player you prefer, but why would you have to prefer one to the other?

And we all know how these comparisons will go. Finn's have been notoriously pessimistic about some of their prospects recently. Raty got criticized all of last season. No one ever said a good word about him. The Finn's are already starting to do the same thing with Lambert. It gets annoying to read the same complaints every season about the most hyped Finnish prospect, and especially in a thread that isn't actually about Lambert, why do I need to come in here and read people trashing Lambert?

I know someone will say that you don't need to read it if you don't like what people have to say, but I understand that argument for reading the thread about Lambert. I don't need to not read a thread that has nothing to do with Lambert to not see all the disparaging comments about Lambert.

 

[ijuka]

Why do they have to be compared? Playing on the same team isn't reason for comparing them.

I think it's pretty helpful. For example, you can see Kemell seems to have a much easier time getting open, getting in position and accomplishing things. You don't have to consider things like the league or the teams etc. as they play on the same team. So you could deduce that Kemell probably has quite a bit higher hockey IQ.

My question would be, why would you not compare them? It's the best comparable he has, as they're playing on the same team and are in the same draft.

To me, it honestly would make less sense to not compare them.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I think it's pretty helpful. For example, you can see Kemell seems to have a much easier time getting open, getting in position and accomplishing things. You don't have to consider things like the league or the teams etc. as they play on the same team. So you could deduce that Kemell probably has quite a bit higher hockey IQ.

My question would be, why would you not compare them? It's the best comparable he has, as they're playing on the same team and are in the same draft.

To me, it honestly would make less sense to not compare them.

Yes, I'm not surprised. You are an agitator, and have no problems disparaging Lambert for no real reason. I'm pretty sure you did the same with Raty, and quickly changed your tune now. Funny how that happens.

 

[Ippenator]

Yes, I'm not surprised. You are an agitator, and have no problems disparaging Lambert for no real reason. I'm pretty sure you did the same with Raty, and quickly changed your tune now. Funny how that happens.

So because you say so we are not supposed to say in Joakim Kemell’s thread that we see him as the better player and probably even better prospect than the highly touted Brad Lambert? This thread is in the NHL draft - prospects-section, and I have to read here how someone is teaching that we are not supposed to compare two prospects that will be in the same draft? And they even play in the same team at the moment! Seriously? This must be a joke or something really weird anyway.

I get it that you probably are a bit of a fan of Lambert and have been excited about his great skating, and thought that he will become a very special player. But unfortunately you are most likely in for a rude awakening at some point, as the kid seriously doesn’t have much better than average hockey IQ, and that is a bit problematic thing when the player is mostly a speed demon. I mean, it shouldn’t necessarily prevent him from having an NHL career if all goes well, but honestly the chances of becoming a true star player in the NHL with that kind of skill combination are practically nonexistent.

Again today Kemell was really good and active and made usually good choices with and without the puck. He was clearly his teams best player while getting a bit lucky goal and an assist. All this while Lambert was again lost like yesterday and could be mostly seen with a few awful turnovers and bad decisions with the puck. And again he was so passive and almost looking scared to do much of anything without the puck.

Lambert must pick up his game soon and take an enormous step up with everything in his game, if he wants to still be even a 1st round player in the draft. With his play so far this season his stock in the draft will plummet really hard. I for sure don’t hope for it to happen, but honestly it really doesn’t look good for him at all.

I’m quite much suspecting that in Lambert’s case the scouts as well as many fans were quite much blinded by his speedster skating and how it gave him so great results against other junior players. But the higher level league he has been playing, the worse his hockey IQ has looked like. Something has to really change with the way he is playing or maybe even his future NHL career will be in danger.

 

[AlternateSideParking]

Could Kemell be discussed without disparaging Lambert? They are not the same player, and there is no requirement to compare them.

Agreed. Lambert is playing center which is tougher for an 18-year-old. Also, Helenius is Kemell's center and he's been doing a TON of the dirty work and smashing opponents in the corners (Still can't believe he wasn't a first-rounder).

Give Lambert time. Although Kemell has been better in the two games, it's only two games. Put Lambert on Helenius' wing and Kemell at center and you'd probably see different results.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Agreed. Lambert is playing center which is tougher for an 18-year-old. Also, Helenius is Kemell's center and he's been doing a TON of the dirty work and smashing opponents in the corners (Still can't believe he wasn't a first-rounder).

Give Lambert time. Although Kemell has been better in the two games, it's only two games. Put Lambert on Helenius' wing and Kemell at center and you'd probably see different results.

Kemell plays like a center. He's all over the ice, does not cheat on offense, defends and plays a fairly mature game. And like i've said before, has no problems engaging physically. Helenius is a pretty good prospect but to make it sound like he's somehow carrying Kemell isn't a fair assessment so far. For an example yesterday Helenius was basically dead tired after killing lots of penalties in the first period and didn't contribute much, while Kemell continued to buzz.

What Lambert has shown in these few games is that he makes really bad decisions with the puck in the neutral zone and sometimes in his own zone (awful behind the back passes that become turnovers), passing good shot opportunities and unwillingness to engage physically in a way that a center should. So far the only good thing has been his skating & zone entry (and even here he doesn't know when to pass the puck before blue line instead of skating into 4 opponents).

In Lambert's case a change of line mates might do good, there does not seem to be any chemistry between them. Or if he still hasn't developed after 10-15 games, put him on the wing.

 

[Nate070]

It's lazy analysis.

Why do they have to be compared? Playing on the same team isn't reason for comparing them.

Are you going to compare every player who plays at the NTDP together? Did you compare Rossi and Quinn or the Chicago Steel players? Evaluate them on their own merits. As I mentioned, they are likely to also be viewed in different baskets for draft purposes by NHL teams and fans of NHL teams because they play different positions. One reason to compare players is to assess which player you prefer, but why would you have to prefer one to the other?

And we all know how these comparisons will go. Finn's have been notoriously pessimistic about some of their prospects recently. Raty got criticized all of last season. No one ever said a good word about him. The Finn's are already starting to do the same thing with Lambert. It gets annoying to read the same complaints every season about the most hyped Finnish prospect, and especially in a thread that isn't actually about Lambert, why do I need to come in here and read people trashing Lambert?

I know someone will say that you don't need to read it if you don't like what people have to say, but I understand that argument for reading the thread about Lambert. I don't need to not read a thread that has nothing to do with Lambert to not see all the disparaging comments about Lambert.

I have to agree with you here. I thought i had clicked the wrong thread. More about Kemell and less about Lambert please

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Imagine if he would have chosen WHL instead.....
Stringer-Bedard-Kemell as their 1st line.....LOL

100+ points for each..... with 50 goals each.....

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Yes. Imagine comparing prospects in the same draft. Who'd ever do that? How lazy. Especially if they play in the same team and the comparing is made even easier.

@Pavel Buchnevich , no one said anything about Räty because there wasn't much to say. He missed a large portion of U20 season and mens season to undisclosed sickness / injury. Probably the reason he was sidelined from WJC too. What's there to say then, except that the season went to shit?

Also I can guarantee to you that every Finn on this forum would love to see Lambert absolutely destroy Liiga and claim #2 spot in the draft, but if he does have an underwhelming season, they will also let everyone know that's how it went.

I feel like the Finnish culture of honesty can manifest itself in a very dishonest way, where a success story will get praised to heavens and an underwhelming season will get absolutely picked apart.

The best way to find the truth is to watch these players yourself and make up your own mind, and if you cannot then refrain from commenting because you're very unlikely to add anything of value.

 

[AppalachianFinn13]

Man that Kemell kid , he sure can play. Seems to be doing better atm than the other kid whose name is forbidden around here

 

[Hntz]

Comparing these two kids doesn’t have to mean that we bash Lambert. It’s a comparison that just makes too much sense to completely ignore. Same leagues, same team, similar opportunity. The reason I like this comparison, is because it helps to understand just how high Kemell can climb in the draft. If he is currently outperforming
a very likely top-5 pick, then surely he can climb his way to near top-10 of the draft if he keeps this up. Right?

 

[Zub]

Comparing these two kids doesn’t have to mean that we bash Lambert. It’s a comparison that just makes too much sense to completely ignore. Same leagues, same team, similar opportunity. The reason I like this comparison, is because it helps to understand just how high Kemell can climb in the draft. If he is currently outperforming
a very likely top-5 pick, then surely he can climb his way to near top-10 of the draft if he keeps this up. Right?

Idk if i'd call Lambert likely to go top 5 anymore, i've been watching him for 2 years and only been impressed a few games only, he's not been consistently solid enough.

 

[Ippenator]

Idk if i'd call Lambert likely to go top 5 anymore, i've been watching him for 2 years and only been impressed a few games only, he's not been consistently solid enough.

Lambert just clearly lives almost totally by his speed skating. No top class talent is really like that. There has to be some other things that are special too, before you can really become a top class player. Great skating is for sure a great aid for a top class player, but you can’t base your game completely on it and become a real world class top player.

I just unfortunately don’t see anything else in his game as really special or even close to being special, than his skating. Sure he has pretty good hands, but the more I have watched his play, the less he has really wowed me even with his hands. Sure they seem pretty good, but I don’t see anything really special in his skills in that area either. Kemell just looks much more impressive with his hands, his shooting and especially his hockey IQ and decision making.

And also there’s a huge difference in their competing levels. Kemell is very active all the time and isn't at all afraid to get physically involved, while Lambert is really passive and very shy of competing in physical battles.

 

[Zub]

Lambert just clearly lives almost totally by his speed skating. No top class talent is really like that. There has to be some other things that are special too, before you can really become a top class player. Great skating is for sure a great aid for a top class player, but you can’t base your game completely on it and become a real world class top player.

I just unfortunately don’t see anything else in his game as really special or even close to being special, than his skating. Sure he has pretty good hands, but the more I have watched his play, the less he has really wowed me even with his hands. Sure they seem pretty good, but I don’t see anything really special in his skills in that area either. Kemell just looks much more impressive with his hands, his shooting and especially his hockey IQ and decision making.

And also there’s a huge difference in their competing levels. Kemell is very active all the time and isn't at all afraid to get physically involved, while Lambert is really passive and very shy of competing in physical battles.

Lambert has more tools than you give him credit for. He just has issues using them right, but you got a lot of points right.

 

[Ippenator]

Lambert has more tools than you give him credit for. He just has issues using them right, but you got a lot of points right.

I’m not saying that I don’t see pretty good NHL potential in him still. But honestly I can’t see anything else in his game that is really top class than his skating. Hands are pretty good, but even they don’t seem like really special. And everything else in his skillset looks painfully average. So do you think that he has something else that is really top class than his skating? It looks already very likely to me that he will not become a real top class player in the NHL.

 

[Gsus]

 

[Nate070]

Sooo any news on that Lambert kid?

 

[Zub]

Sooo any news on that Lambert kid?

He'll take a dive in the rankings if he doesn't get it figured out soon, but there is no reason to panic yet, general concern is with everyone that had high expectations on him though.

 

[ijuka]

Kemell actually dominant. It's quite possible that he'll have a better pre-draft season than Barkov did. If that's the case, I wonder how high he'll go?

 

[JabbaJabba]

Kemell actually dominant. It's quite possible that he'll have a better pre-draft season than Barkov did. If that's the case, I wonder how high he'll go?

I think 2nd overall pick is as high as he can go. Wright will go first, that I am certain of. If Kemell continues to impress, I don't see a reason why he couldn't pass almost everybody.

 

[Kaako Kappo]