Watched a game of his recently as well and also came away impressed with his skating for a big man along with his hustle and defensive ability. All seemed to improved from the first game I saw him several months ago when he was pretty raw. I'm not convinced he has the offensive upside to score in a top 6 role at the NHL level but you never know with bigger players who need some extra time to develop their puck skills and coordination. I think he's a pretty safe bet to be a bottom 6 center with his size/skating/motor and if a team believes there is some untapped offensive potential there I could see him being a mid-later 1st round pick.
F Matyas Sapovaliv - Saginaw Spirit, OHL (2022, 48th, VGK)
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U15 tournament where players don't play for their normal team, but for their region (there are 14 regions in CR).
I agree with the raw comments, but I liked what I've seen. He's using his body a lot more and I think he's grown into being a very good two-way player who can chip in with some offence. He has a power-forward body, but obviously isn't a wrecking-ball by any means. Nonetheless, he's been much better lately with using his big frame in shielding pucks and whatnot in the junior level. Of course that might change when he gets to a higher level when you have more players who can match you physically. For his size though, I thought his skating was quite good and allows him to create offence by those two attributes (pretty mobile and frame). Not sure how much offence is in his game nor how much puck skills he has, but I think both are pretty underrated at the CHL level even if they might not develop later on. But hey, I want to say is that if Nichushkin can develop into the player he is today, by having similar issues when he was a rookie, I think Sapovaliv can carve out a role in the same sort of spot that Valeri is on the Avs (that 3rd-line, defensively strong winger). I quite like Matyas defensive game both in terms of IQ, sacrificing the body, and outworking the opponent. If he has the offensive skills, his other attributes can take him places.
Czechboy
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I'm really interested how this ends for him... I keep reading about size and 2 way which is great. However, I don't see that many points.
Is this the next Blake Wheeler or Ostap Safin?
Rankings seem to have him end of round 1 or end of round 2 depending where you look.. no real consensus.
Czechs need a few guys to hit a Home Run!
Is this the next Blake Wheeler or Ostap Safin?
Rankings seem to have him end of round 1 or end of round 2 depending where you look.. no real consensus.
Czechs need a few guys to hit a Home Run!
Fistfullofbeer
Moderator
Looks to be an interesting player. Can see Francis picking him with one of our later 2nd round picks if he makes it that far.
The team hes on this year in Saginaw is pretty awful. I dont think hes a world beater points wise, but hes definitely held back a bit by his teammates in the points department. Team should be much better next year and I think you could see a huge jump if he comes back to the OHL
LastWordArmy
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Drafted by the Saginaw Spirit in the first round, 15th overall, at the 2021 CHL Import Draft, Czechia forward Matyas Sapovaliv came to North America for this draft season. He started the year at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. Sapovaliv scored one goal and three assists for four points in four tournament games. Playing for the rebuilding Saginaw team, he put up 18 goals and 34 assists for 52 points in 68 games. Unfortunately, the Spirit did not make the playoffs. Sapovaliv joined the Czechia team for the IIHF Under-18 World Championships. He scored one goal and three points in six games. He also played in 15 other games with the U-18 Team, scoring two goals and nine points.
Matyas Sapovaliv Scouting Report: 2022 NHL Draft #43
Matyas Sapovaliv Scouting Report: Czechia forward Matyas Sapovaliv came to North America and played in the OHL for his draft season.
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MMC
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I have to bump this to give this beast some love, because someone needs to talk about how incredibly impressive he was in the WJC, especially in the gold medal game. He led all Czechs in ice time with 23:14, no other Czech had even 22 mins, including their big name defenseman. He was the best 2 way player on the ice IMO, and shut down the Canadians' top scorers whenever he stepped on the ice. He defends better than 95% of defenseman in his age group - I couldn't believe how well he defended 1 on 1 while skating backwards, especially in OT. He looked like Slavin back there at times.
Centering their top line, he ended up with 0g 7p in 7gp +9 as an 18 year old (pretty snake bitten with goals). But if there was a Selke award for this tournament he'd have won it by a landslide. He plays such a smart, strong game all over the ice.
I originally had him as a top 25 prospect on my 2022 list but ended up moving him back to 32 because he seemed to lack offensive upside to be an NHL producer. But if I were to do a redraft he might sneak into my top 15. 6'4 defensively responsible solid centers like him are how you win championships. He'll probably go unsung his whole career, but he was a huge reason for the Czechs success this tournament (MVP after Suchachek). Assuming he's be back at the WJC next year, I think the Czechs will have a very good shot at winning another medal.
He's giving me major Jordan Staal / Martin Hanzal vibes. Great pick by Vegas.
Centering their top line, he ended up with 0g 7p in 7gp +9 as an 18 year old (pretty snake bitten with goals). But if there was a Selke award for this tournament he'd have won it by a landslide. He plays such a smart, strong game all over the ice.
I originally had him as a top 25 prospect on my 2022 list but ended up moving him back to 32 because he seemed to lack offensive upside to be an NHL producer. But if I were to do a redraft he might sneak into my top 15. 6'4 defensively responsible solid centers like him are how you win championships. He'll probably go unsung his whole career, but he was a huge reason for the Czechs success this tournament (MVP after Suchachek). Assuming he's be back at the WJC next year, I think the Czechs will have a very good shot at winning another medal.
He's giving me major Jordan Staal / Martin Hanzal vibes. Great pick by Vegas.
Agreed he seems super projectable as a prototypical mid-6 center with size, smarts and good mobility. He’s a workhorse. Looking like a bang up pick for Vegas.
Czechboy
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That would be pretty exceptional, Hanzal was a really good player. During his prime he was a ~20g ~50p center who was great in the dot and excellent defensively. And he did that in a lower scoring era on the Coyotes...
Kingpin794
Smart A** In A Jersey
Plus the production you get from guys outside of even the top 10 drops off quickly. If you get a solid two way 3rd line center in the second, you’ve done incredibly well. I think that’s exactly the type of guys Sapovaliv can be.
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Agreed. I don't think he'll quite have the offensive game of big premier shut down centers like J Staal or even Hanzal, but if he's contributing 30-40 points without much PP time while containing the other teams best players, that's a great pick at pretty much any spot in the draft outside the top 10, excluding maybe exceptional drafts like 2003 and 2015.
Heck, there are some years where that's not a bad pick at 5.
Czechboy
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I meant Hanzal is a compliment.. I was a big fan. Before his back gave out he was in high demand too!
I think Sapo is similar.. 30 to 50 point guy that coaches will love. He has all the tools to be a world class pain in the ass in the NHL for many years.haha
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Hopefully more Hanzal than Faksa. Don’t get me wrong, Faksa would be a solid outcome - his offense just like plateaued so early. Still a good player but really thought Faksa was gonna be closer to Hanzal coming out of the OHL. If not better offensively.
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