I see that Rihards has 72 points (31+41) in 31 games in DNL U20 so far this year, and Gustavs has 67 points (22+45) in 32.
Has anyone seen anymore of the twins this season, and how they look besides the points?
I've seen them both quite a lot, though a little less since early December (I watched almost every game in October and November).
I like them both quite a bit, probably more than most who have watched them, but despite their numbers there are some big question marks about how well their play will translate at the next level.
The major problems are speed and pace. They are not exactly speedsters, and their skating overall could use some work. With the speed they have, they should be 2-3 inches taller. Not that they are small, but for their size they are just a bit too slow. And they also lack speed in their decision making. They do really well against their current competition, but when they face stronger and faster opponents, I would expect them to struggle a bit, because they won't have the time they need to play their game.
Now, on the positive side, they have really good chemistry with one another, and both are good at pretty much everything other than speed, just not great at anything either. It is difficult to gauge their defensive game, when their team and their line specifically usually dominates puck possession, which brings me to something that is both strength and weakness for them. They are at their best when paired with a great play driver. A couple of years ago they had insane chemistry with David Lewandowski on the national team. He was the primary playmaker and they played off him to perfection.
Last season they struggled a bit never finding real chemistry on their club team, and even played on separate lines which did not help their production (maybe it helped with other areas of the gamen, but I never understood the move). This season they play next to Dustin Willhöft, and while Dustin is a very different player from Lewandowski, he is also someone who is usually the primary play driver on his line. And even though he plays the game at a much higher tempo than Lewandowski, the Grivas found great chemistry with him and they just pick their competition apart at will.
Overall, I like them a lot and think they can have a really nice pro career, but I am not sure about NHL upside. I know several people, some on this board, that absolutely don't see NHL upside, but I cling to a little sliver of hope. Thoug, realistically they would have had to play at higher level of competition this year for a real chance to get drafted.
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