Isles Prospect Talk 2020-21 Pt. II

[danteipp]

I was never a fan of Holmstrom pick but I’m rooting for him. Button compared him to Vrana. That would be alright by me.

I guess we will wait and see what happens over the next 10+ games or so, but if Kärpät is playing out some sort of vendetta against Raty for coming over to attend the Isles camp, then it is probably best for both the player and team to move on.

Agreed on Holmstrom, I also would have preferred one of the top-rated centers left on the board. However, I also still think he will make it as a responsible, two-way player in the NHL, who is more valuable for his on-ice contributions than the overall stats indicate.

As for Dufour, he really looks like the hidden gem in the Isles prospect pool (at least to those who aren't actively tracking him), and he will outperform draft expectations and acclimate quickly to each promotion. Maybe I am overzealous, but I get the feeling he will take a bit of time to adjust to the AHL, then develop quickly.

 

[Mara]

I guess we will wait and see what happens over the next 10+ games or so, but if Kärpät is playing out some sort of vendetta against Raty for coming over to attend the Isles camp, then it is probably best for both the player and team to move on.

There's nothing like that going on at all with Räty, that's just nonsense. The team takes pride in raising strong international players and everyone would be happy to see him be a big player for the team before transitioning to North America. He was on the ice today as well, 12 minutes of play time, and unfortunately he was pretty weak, again. This is a pro team in a men's league we are talking about and nothing in Räty's game says he deserves a bigger role right now. The center situation in the team is abysmal so Räty rising to the occasion would be great indeed, but all we can do is wait and see.

 

[danteipp]

There's nothing like that going on at all with Räty, that's just nonsense. The team takes pride in raising strong international players and everyone would be happy to see him be a big player for the team before transitioning to North America. He was on the ice today as well, 12 minutes of play time, and unfortunately he was pretty weak, again. This is a pro team in a men's league we are talking about and nothing in Räty's game says he deserves a bigger role right now. The center situation in the team is abysmal so Räty rising to the occasion would be great indeed, but all we can do is wait and see.

Can you expand on how his play is weak?

Is he losing faceoffs, not back checking, getting beaten by stronger opponents, out of position, etc.?

How are his linemates? Are they also playing weak or is it just him?

It looks like he is playing mostly with other kids and not men or more established players, so that probably doesn't help.

Are his linemates legitimate players who can compliment his skills or is the line just cobbled together?

Any color would be appreciated.

 

[buud]

Can you expand on how his play is weak?

Is he losing faceoffs, not back checking, getting beaten by stronger opponents, out of position, etc.?

How are his linemates? Are they also playing weak or is it just him?

It looks like he is playing mostly with other kids and not men or more established players, so that probably doesn't help.

Are his linemates legitimate players who can compliment his skills or is the line just cobbled together?

Any color would be appreciated.

very good player, from what i saw. did not look out of place in the exhibition games, and yeah, i know it isn't quite the same.

the team that Raty plays for, is undoubedtly not worried about his development. they are worried about winning. i get the feeling that he won't be playing there, all year.

 

[ijuka]

Can you expand on how his play is weak?

Is he losing faceoffs, not back checking, getting beaten by stronger opponents, out of position, etc.?

How are his linemates? Are they also playing weak or is it just him?

It looks like he is playing mostly with other kids and not men or more established players, so that probably doesn't help.

Are his linemates legitimate players who can compliment his skills or is the line just cobbled together?

Any color would be appreciated.

Räty was very weak overall in all his gameplay I've seen this season. Little to no improvement since last season. Liiga is not a development league, the best players play. He's just not good enough to be in the lineup.

They could send him to Mestis, I guess. He could play for Kokkolan Hermes. I would consider that pretty embarrassing, though. To me it's remarkable how little he's managed to improve during this time. Next to no improvement in 2 years.


By the way, some Islanders fans have been harrassing the Kärpät front office. Don't do that. No, they do not care at all what some foreign fans have to say about their deployment. And it's childish.

 

[PK Cronin]

Räty was very weak overall in all his gameplay I've seen this season. Little to no improvement since last season. Liiga is not a development league, the best players play. He's just not good enough to be in the lineup.

They could send him to Mestis, I guess. He could play for Kokkolan Hermes. I would consider that pretty embarrassing, though. To me it's remarkable how little he's managed to improve during this time. Next to no improvement in 2 years.


By the way, some Islanders fans have been harrassing the Kärpät front office. Don't do that. No, they do not care at all what some foreign fans have to say about their deployment. And it's childish.

If that's true, that's next level stupid.

 

[danteipp]

Räty was very weak overall in all his gameplay I've seen this season. Little to no improvement since last season. Liiga is not a development league, the best players play. He's just not good enough to be in the lineup.

They could send him to Mestis, I guess. He could play for Kokkolan Hermes. I would consider that pretty embarrassing, though. To me it's remarkable how little he's managed to improve during this time. Next to no improvement in 2 years.


By the way, some Islanders fans have been harrassing the Kärpät front office. Don't do that. No, they do not care at all what some foreign fans have to say about their deployment. And it's childish.

Can anyone provide any specifics outside if weak play? What exactly is lacking or is he not doing?

Is he losing faceoffs, not backchecking, failing to skate hard, not winning board battles, etc.?

And how are Isles fans harrasing a foreign team's front office? What are you seeing on that end?

 

[danteipp]

If that's true, that's next level stupid.

I scanned through a couple days of team social media posts and it looks like one Isles fan posted #freeraty, on Twitter, after the last lineups were listed with Raty on the fourth line.

Surely that isn't the harassment in question, right?

Given the toxic level of posts seen on social media in general, and Twitter specifically, that is rather tame and by no means harassment.

If there is something else far more offensive or troubling, then it needs to stop. But more context should be added.

 

[Mara]

Can you expand on how his play is weak?

Is he losing faceoffs, not back checking, getting beaten by stronger opponents, out of position, etc.?

How are his linemates? Are they also playing weak or is it just him?

It looks like he is playing mostly with other kids and not men or more established players, so that probably doesn't help.

Are his linemates legitimate players who can compliment his skills or is the line just cobbled together?

Any color would be appreciated.

His play in the last game was "fine" from a mid-tier Finnish league player perspective, but it was in no way special and nothing that warrants him extra responsibility. He was playing with his brother, with whom he has always displayed good chemistry, as well as another up-and-coming Carolina Hurricanes prospect Tuukka Tieksola (who has also been somewhat underwhelming so far, though not terrible). It was probably the best he has been this season so far, and that had a lot to do with the line he was in. His brother in particular has had a great start for the season, really hardworking and good on the boards. Nowhere near the talent of Aatu though. However, his skating continues to be a problem. The team is having problems with roster depth, injuries etc, and their game plan was for the forwards to go deep in their own end to offer easy passing lanes for the defenders. His timing was off, and he had trouble on the follow-up as they transitioned the neutral zone. He was only given a few faceoffs in the whole game, a clear sign that he is not trusted for important moments of the game. He handled that at 50% efficiency. He was unable to pose a serious threat in offensive zone. He does not make space, he's not particularly good at battling for the puck, and there just wasn't any spark in his game. He looked like your average mid-tier Finnish league player.

Like I wrote in a previous post the center situation in the team is abysmal so it would not be surprising if they suddenly tried him at 1C just to see how he does as the wings are carrying the team right now. One can only hope he makes use of any opportunities given to him.

 

[danteipp]

His play in the last game was "fine" from a mid-tier Finnish league player perspective, but it was in no way special and nothing that warrants him extra responsibility. He was playing with his brother, with whom he has always displayed good chemistry, as well as another up-and-coming Carolina Hurricanes prospect Tuukka Tieksola (who has also been somewhat underwhelming so far, though not terrible). It was probably the best he has been this season so far, and that had a lot to do with the line he was in. His brother in particular has had a great start for the season, really hardworking and good on the boards. Nowhere near the talent of Aatu though. However, his skating continues to be a problem. The team is having problems with roster depth, injuries etc, and their game plan was for the forwards to go deep in their own end to offer easy passing lanes for the defenders. His timing was off, and he had trouble on the follow-up as they transitioned the neutral zone. He was only given a few faceoffs in the whole game, a clear sign that he is not trusted for important moments of the game. He handled that at 50% efficiency. He was unable to pose a serious threat in offensive zone. He does not make space, he's not particularly good at battling for the puck, and there just wasn't any spark in his game. He looked like your average mid-tier Finnish league player.

Like I wrote in a previous post the center situation in the team is abysmal so it would not be surprising if they suddenly tried him at 1C just to see how he does as the wings are carrying the team right now. One can only hope he makes use of any opportunities given to him.

I have never been a fan of "kid" lines.

Sure you might get a spark in spurts, but they typically don't posses the strength to win against men consistently, control play or possession, when you have three younger players lumped together.

It makes far more sense to mix kids in with vets and deploy a far more balanced approach.

Could you see Trotz deploying three kids, consistently, in an NHL game?

 

[Mara]

I have never been a fan of "kid" lines.

Sure you might get a spark in spurts, but they typically don't posses the strength to win against men consistently, control play or possession, when you have three younger players lumped together.

It makes far more sense to mix kids in with vets and deploy a far more balanced approach.

Could you see Trotz deploying three kids, consistently, in an NHL game?

I do agree with you there, but it is the fourth line and this lineup in particular was a product of injuries in the roster. Luckily for Räty, again, the center situation in the team is particulary bad this year (Troy Bourke, Casey Wellman and Aleksi Mustonen have all had weak starts to the season) and he really has an opportunity to take a role for himself if he just shows that he's up to the task. The competition is really weak.

 

[Rengi]

Hopefully he's starting now getting hot and gets to the Island

 

[danteipp]

Hopefully he's starting now getting hot and gets to the Island

In a perfect world, Golyshev shows he is (relatively) defensively responsible in the AHL over the next 20-40 games, emerges as a viable NHL fill-in (plug and play) this year against injury, then maybe challenges for a spot on the third line next season.

If the Isles are lucky, perhaps very lucky, Wahlstrom eventually makes his way up to the first line, alongside Lee and Barzal, which could mean Golyshev-JGP-Palms rounds out the third line next season.

Of course a LOT would have to go right for that to happen. But Golyshev would bring some much-needed offensive creativity to the forwards. Essentially JHS without the headaches and BS.

 

[Skip To My Lou]

Hopefully he's starting now getting hot and gets to the Island

I'm thrilled that he's OK with going to Bridgeport. Most KHL players want to bolt back home if they don't immediately make the NHL.

He's a good player though. I worry time may be ticking on his future with the Isles though, given the depth of the forwards.

 

[Beacon Isles]

By the way, some Islanders fans have been harrassing the Kärpät front office. Don't do that. No, they do not care at all what some foreign fans have to say about their deployment. And it's childish.

How do you define harassment?

I noticed the #freeraty hashtag on Twitter - that seems like harmless fandom to be honest. Im doubting most Isles fans know how to contact the Karpat front office directly but I could be wrong?

 

[SI90]

Supposedly Lennox put on a show. Would be great to have a legit goalie prospect following behind Sorokin.

 

[xECK29x]

Because it's a hot topic here is Raty's TOI:

+ = on IR or just hurt

PLAYER	POS	ACQUIRED	HFB RANK	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM	+/-
Noah Dobson	D	2018 round 1 #12	1	New York Islanders	2	0	1	1	0	0
Oliver Wahlstrom	RW/LW	2018 round 1 #11	2	New York Islanders	2	1	0	1	4	-2
Samuel Bolduc	D	2019 round 2 #57	3	Bridgeport Islanders	0	0	0	0	0	0
Aatu Raty	C	2021 round 2 #52	4	Oulun Karpat	3	0	0	0	0	0
Robin Salo	D	2017 round 2 #46	5	Bridgeport Islanders	3	0	0	0	2	-1
Bode Wilde	D	2018 round 2 #41	6	Vasterviks IK	2	0	0	0	0	-1
Simon Holmstrom	RW/LW	2019 round 1 #23	7	Bridgeport Islanders	3	0	0	0	0	0
Kieffer Bellows	LW	2016 round 1 #19	8	New York Islanders	0	0	0	0	0	0
William Dufour	RW	2020 round 5 #152	9	Saint John Sea Dogs	7	5	3	8	6	6
+ Ruslan Iskhakov	C/RW	2018 round 2 #43	10	Adler Mannheim	1	0	0	0	0	1
Sebastian Aho	D	2017 round 5 #139	11	New York Islanders	0	0	0	0	0	0
Anatoli Golyshev	LW/RW	2016 round 4 #95	12	Bridgeport Islanders	2	1	0	1	4	1
Alex Jefferies	LW	2019 round 4 #121	13	Merrimack College	4	0	3	3	2	3
Reece Newkirk	C	2019 round 5 #147	13	Bridgeport Islanders	3	0	0	0	0	-1
Otto Koivula	C/LW	2016 round 4 #120	14	Bridgeport Islanders	3	0	1	1	0	0
Grant Hutton	D	FA	15	Bridgeport Islanders	3	0	0	0	0	0
Alexander Ljungkrantz	LW	2020 round 3 #90	19	Brynas IF	4	0	0	0	0	-2
				* Brynas IF J20	7	2	1	3	0	-3
Matias Rajaniemi	D	2020 round 6 #183	20	Lehden Pelicans	12	0	2	2	4	-2
Collin Adams	LW/C	2016 round 6 #170	HM1	Worcester Railers	0	0	0	0	0	0
Cameron Berg	C	2021 round 4 #125	HM2	Univ. of Nebraska Omaha	5	2	1	3	2	3
Blade Jenkins	LW/C	2018 round 5 #134	HM3	Bridgeport Islanders	2	0	0	0	0	-2
Arnaud Durandeau	LW	2017 round 6 #165	HM4	Bridgeport Islanders	3	0	2	2	0	1
Aleksi Malinen	D	2021 round 6 #189	HM5	JYP	3	0	0	0	0	-3
				* JYP U20	8	1	8	9	2	6
Eetu Liukas	LW	2021 round 5 #157		* TPS	8	1	0	1	8	2
				TPS U20	6	5	6	11	4	3
Ben Mirageas	D	2017 round 3 #77		Providence College	5	1	0	1	4	0
Christian Krygier	D	2018 round 7 #196		Michigan State Univ.	4	0	1	1	8	-2
Jacob Pivonka	C	2018 round 4 #103		Univ. of Notre Dame	0	0	0	0	0	0
Tomas Machu	D	2021 round 7 #221		* HC Vitkovice	10	0	0	0	2	-5
				Draci Sumperk	1	0	1	1	0	1
Logan Cockerill	LW	2017 round 7 #201		Boston Univ.	3	0	0	0	0	-2
GOALIES					GP	GAA	SV%	SO	W-L-T
Tristan Lennox	G	2021 round 3 #93	17	Saginaw Spirit	2	2.01	.913	0	1-1-0
Jakub Skarek	G	2018 round 3 #72	17	Bridgeport Islanders	2	2.43	.900	0	0-1-2
Henrik Tikkanen	G	2020 round 7 #214		Kalpa	2	4.95	.765	0	0-2-0
				* MoDo Hockey	2	3.01	.903	0	1-1-0

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[SI90]

Because it's a hot topic here is Raty's TOI:

View attachment 471634

+ = on IR or just hurt

PLAYER	POS	ACQUIRED	HFB RANK	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM	+/-
Noah Dobson	D	2018 round 1 #12	1	New York Islanders	2	0	1	1	0	0
Oliver Wahlstrom	RW/LW	2018 round 1 #11	2	New York Islanders	2	1	0	1	4	-2
Samuel Bolduc	D	2019 round 2 #57	3	Bridgeport Islanders	0	0	0	0	0	0
Aatu Raty	C	2021 round 2 #52	4	Oulun Karpat	3	0	0	0	0	0
Robin Salo	D	2017 round 2 #46	5	Bridgeport Islanders	3	0	0	0	2	-1
Bode Wilde	D	2018 round 2 #41	6	Vasterviks IK	2	0	0	0	0	-1
Simon Holmstrom	RW/LW	2019 round 1 #23	7	Bridgeport Islanders	3	0	0	0	0	0
Kieffer Bellows	LW	2016 round 1 #19	8	New York Islanders	0	0	0	0	0	0
William Dufour	RW	2020 round 5 #152	9	Saint John Sea Dogs	7	5	3	8	6	6
+ Ruslan Iskhakov	C/RW	2018 round 2 #43	10	Adler Mannheim	1	0	0	0	0	1
Sebastian Aho	D	2017 round 5 #139	11	New York Islanders	0	0	0	0	0	0
Anatoli Golyshev	LW/RW	2016 round 4 #95	12	Bridgeport Islanders	2	1	0	1	4	1
Alex Jefferies	LW	2019 round 4 #121	13	Merrimack College	4	0	3	3	2	3
Reece Newkirk	C	2019 round 5 #147	13	Bridgeport Islanders	3	0	0	0	0	-1
Otto Koivula	C/LW	2016 round 4 #120	14	Bridgeport Islanders	3	0	1	1	0	0
Grant Hutton	D	FA	15	Bridgeport Islanders	3	0	0	0	0	0
Alexander Ljungkrantz	LW	2020 round 3 #90	19	Brynas IF	4	0	0	0	0	-2
				* Brynas IF J20	7	2	1	3	0	-3
Matias Rajaniemi	D	2020 round 6 #183	20	Lehden Pelicans	12	0	2	2	4	-2
Collin Adams	LW/C	2016 round 6 #170	HM1	Worcester Railers	0	0	0	0	0	0
Cameron Berg	C	2021 round 4 #125	HM2	Univ. of Nebraska Omaha	5	2	1	3	2	3
Blade Jenkins	LW/C	2018 round 5 #134	HM3	Bridgeport Islanders	2	0	0	0	0	-2
Arnaud Durandeau	LW	2017 round 6 #165	HM4	Bridgeport Islanders	3	0	2	2	0	1
Aleksi Malinen	D	2021 round 6 #189	HM5	JYP	3	0	0	0	0	-3
				* JYP U20	8	1	8	9	2	6
Eetu Liukas	LW	2021 round 5 #157		* TPS	8	1	0	1	8	2
				TPS U20	6	5	6	11	4	3
Ben Mirageas	D	2017 round 3 #77		Providence College	5	1	0	1	4	0
Christian Krygier	D	2018 round 7 #196		Michigan State Univ.	4	0	1	1	8	-2
Jacob Pivonka	C	2018 round 4 #103		Univ. of Notre Dame	0	0	0	0	0	0
Tomas Machu	D	2021 round 7 #221		* HC Vitkovice	10	0	0	0	2	-5
				Draci Sumperk	1	0	1	1	0	1
Logan Cockerill	LW	2017 round 7 #201		Boston Univ.	3	0	0	0	0	-2
GOALIES					GP	GAA	SV%	SO	W-L-T
Tristan Lennox	G	2021 round 3 #93	17	Saginaw Spirit	2	2.01	.913	0	1-1-0
Jakub Skarek	G	2018 round 3 #72	17	Bridgeport Islanders	2	2.43	.900	0	0-1-2
Henrik Tikkanen	G	2020 round 7 #214		Kalpa	2	4.95	.765	0	0-2-0
				* MoDo Hockey	2	3.01	.903	0	1-1-0

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Thank you for this. You really do put the time in and it’s greatly appreciated

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Raty needs more ice time.

 

[SI90]

Raty needs more ice time.

his brother is on the team and is a coyotes draft pick. I know in the past they played on the same line. Any word if they’re still playing together?

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Supposedly Lennox put on a show. Would be great to have a legit goalie prospect following behind Sorokin.

Looks long and athletic. Hope he continues to develop. May be a 3rd rd gem.

his brother is on the team and is a coyotes draft pick. I know in the past they played on the same line. Any word if they’re still playing together?

I don't know, I asked one of my finnish friends if he would come by and comment on Raty if he sees him play. He said he hasn't unfortunately. I do recall the comments by some Finnish fans that he was not given the chance to succeed in Karpat last season. From his ice time, it looks like a challenge again. Maybe BP is the place for him after this season.

 

[CupHolders]

I wonder if Raty is just better suited for the NA rink size? I don't recall for sure, but I believe Finland uses the typically larger European size ice. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

He played great against his age group in the summer. Looked promising in NHL preseason games, earning the praise of an NHL hall-of-fame coach. He then completely flips the script for Karpat.

His skating has often been cited as something needing improvement. It also stood out as a weakness in the exhibition games. So again, could it be a mobility issue on the larger rink size?

 

[Johnny97]

 

[SI90]

I’m so intrigued by Malinen and Machu. Liukas too for that matter.

 

[xECK29x]

I’m so intrigued by Malinen and Machu. Liukas too for that matter.

The 2021 draft class for everyone in the later rounds is going to be fascinating, some of these guys have little to no tape on them.