Prospect Info: Joel Eriksson Ek (C) - 20th Overall, 2015

[BusQuets]

I know Boudreau won't do it unless injuries but i would like to see him with Granlund.

 

[nt3005]

Yeah, I like(don't love) the look of him, too, for a 21 yr. old. He will only get stronger, and he is already willing to go into dirty areas. Decent with the puck. Still, 1 goal is unacceptable. I get that you want forwards to have a 200' game, but also want them to focus extra hard in the 15' around the opposing net. You can't have your dmen outscoring you. That should be embarrassing to a forward.

He has a sub 2 shooting percentage, and is always around the net, the scoring will come. He is only a rookie. Most players don't score 20 goals their first season, the only reason people dislike the way EK plays is because the local boy Boeser is putting up points.

 

[nt3005]

He just isn't strong enough on the puck or hanging on to the puck enough so he could see openings and make plays. He does work the boards decently but doesn't play with much grit and determination to get into high scoring areas, with or without puck.

He's a lanky kid, needs to get more weight/oompf and intensity to his game (not necessarily to get bigger, although I'm sure that will come too, but play bigger). His game is too shy currently. That being said, I don't really see top line potential there, in terms of skill level. Would expect him to become a good player in the NHL though. Just not Boeser caliber. But it's part of drafting. You can find unfortunate misses with most picks every year (Kunin vs Chychrun for example). Just stings more considering Boeser is from Minnesota.

I completely disagree with this statement, he is constantly being gritty and in the dirty areas, and also does a great job of going to the net when he doesn't have the puck.

He is still only a rookie, and will develop his game of taking the puck to the net, but considering players like Coyle get ragged on for not taking the puck to the net, Ill take the way EK plays, the goals will come, it might not be this year, but they will come.

 

[Bazeek]

I completely disagree with this statement, he is constantly being gritty and in the dirty areas, and also does a great job of going to the net when he doesn't have the puck.

He is still only a rookie, and will develop his game of taking the puck to the net, but considering players like Coyle get ragged on for not taking the puck to the net, Ill take the way EK plays, the goals will come, it might not be this year, but they will come.

Agreed. He seems to spend a lot of time both taking and attempting to dish out punishment in front of the goal. He doesn't seem super effective at using his frame there yet, but he doesn't lack grit.

 

[Engebretson]

My biggest fear with JEE is that he settles into a 3rd line defensive role instead of pushing to move to the top two scoring lines. Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting him to be an offensive dynamo as a 21 year old, but I'd like to see him being a little more tenacious in the offensive zone. The guy has great creativity as evidenced by his World Junior showing last year and I'll agree with others that he seems a little too willing to defer to veteran linemates. This, of course, is not uncommon for a rookie and I'm hoping that's all there is to it.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

So let's just do the comparison, since it was a pretty easy one to make when he was drafted:

Joel Eriksson Ek at age 21: 39 NHL games... 1 goal... 6 points

Mikko Koivu at age 21: 0 NHL games... 0 goals... 0 points (might've been in the NHL if not for the lockout, so who knows; good year in the AHL though). At age 22, he didn't play a full season but paced ~8 goals and ~27 points. Age 23 is where he made his jump.

One thing I do worry about though is going from being a young player in Sweden (known to not give younger players a lot of opportunity) to a young player in the NHL (playing on lower lines, not a lot of opportunity) with very little AHL in between, whereas Koivu was able to play a full season at that level, being able to handle the puck more and develop those skills.

 

[Wabit]

I'm not worried about JEE. He'll find some scoring as the season wears on. He's doing the right things on the ice to be a NHL player. His focus seems to be on learning the defensive NHL game more than pure scoring.

I do expect a jump in production next season. He'll have been through an entire NHL season grind and will know what to expect and how to train for it in the offseason.

 

[chchelseII]

I love this kid's game. He's so strong and willing. Gets hammered a lot and just gets up and goes about his business. I would like to see him score, but honestly, I can't remember the last time one of his line mates have set him up for a good scoring chance.

 

[SomethingGeneric]

Ek will be fine. Scoring in the NHL is really hard for all those posters out there who want more from him. In terms of his play in the offensive zone, it is absolutely encouraging watching him. He does a great job playing physical around the outside, getting to the dirty areas and competing with bigger more complete defenseman and when he does get the puck in scoring areas he has not hesitated to shoot it. His shooting percentage is low and he is a rookie. I am still very high on this kids future.

 

[57special]

So let's just do the comparison, since it was a pretty easy one to make when he was drafted:

Joel Eriksson Ek at age 21: 39 NHL games... 1 goal... 6 points

Mikko Koivu at age 21: 0 NHL games... 0 goals... 0 points (might've been in the NHL if not for the lockout, so who knows; good year in the AHL though). At age 22, he didn't play a full season but paced ~8 goals and ~27 points. Age 23 is where he made his jump.

One thing I do worry about though is going from being a young player in Sweden (known to not give younger players a lot of opportunity) to a young player in the NHL (playing on lower lines, not a lot of opportunity) with very little AHL in between, whereas Koivu was able to play a full season at that level, being able to handle the puck more and develop those skills.

That's pretty odd comparing EK's NHL production to a guy who didn't even play in the NHL.

Coyle had 12g 18a at age 21
Nino 36 pts. at age 21

1 goal in over half a season just isn't acceptable for a forward.
I'm getting pretty tired of forwards who can't score, and I'm betting BB is, too.

 

[Bazeek]

That's pretty odd comparing EK's NHL production to a guy who didn't even play in the NHL.

Coyle had 12g 18a at age 21
Nino 36 pts. at age 21

1 goal in over half a season just isn't acceptable for a forward.
I'm getting pretty tired of forwards who can't score, and I'm betting BB is, too.

And Nino somewhat famously had 1G-0A in 55 games at age 19, though it was on a 4th line with poor linemates on an already poor team.

The guy I keep looking at as a comparable in the league right now is Pavel Zacha: same age, draft year (though Zacha was taken much higher, size, position, etc. The big difference is that this is Zacha's second year in the NHL. Comparing stat lines this year:

	GP	G	A	S	S%	Hits	FO%
Eriksson-Ek	39	1	5	63	1.6	66	35.98
Zacha	35	3	8	47	6.4	25	47.73

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

If you give Eriksson-Ek Zacha's (also modest) 6.4% shooting percentage, he's at 4 goals for the season. I think Zacha's spent more time at center, but it looks like they both get about the same deployment in terms of zone starts (50/50).

None of which is to say that 1 goal in 39 games is somehow a good thing, it's just not the first thing I'm concerned with when looking at his overall performance. There are plenty of players that enter the league young, score at a torrid pace in their first or second season, and never seem to exceed or reproduce it (Yakupov comes most immediately to mind). Being 9th in shots and 3rd in hits on the Wild with a competent all-around game, along with generally passing the eye test, are encouraging enough for me to be happy with how he's doing. If he plateaus there over the 2nd half of this season and 1st half of the next and/or doesn't make the move to center full time, I'll be more worried.

It seems like if you accept that shooting 1.6% probably isn't going to be the norm for him (he shot 37% in the AHL this year, 10% in his two SHL seasons, and 20% in his brief NHL stint last year), the rest falls into place pretty well.

 

[2Pair]

Ek's shooting % isn't going to go up until he starts going to the net more, and is actually able to stay on his feet when he gets there. I like the way he plays, but he shouldn't be in the NHL right now.

 

[Bazeek]

Ek's shooting % isn't going to go up until he starts going to the net more, and is actually able to stay on his feet when he gets there. I like the way he plays, but he shouldn't be in the NHL right now.

That's the bigger question in my mind and I've generally been a proponent of keeping him (and Kunin) down there if he's not scoring in the NHL. Still, if the main thing he needs to adjust to is the pace and intensity of the game in the NHL, the best place to do that might be in Minnesota.

 

[2Pair]

That's the bigger question in my mind and I've generally been a proponent of keeping him (and Kunin) down there if he's not scoring in the NHL. Still, if the main thing he needs to adjust to is the pace and intensity of the game in the NHL, the best place to do that might be in Minnesota.

I think his biggest needs are strength and confidence. He isn't going to get either in the NHL. He also needs to be playing center.

 

[MehMild]

Ek looks better and better. In the play, strong on puck, solid defensively for his experience and seems to make good choices more than not by a lot.

 

[Nharris31]

Ek looks better and better. In the play, strong on puck, solid defensively for his experience and seems to make good choices more than not by a lot.

It’s pretty much insane he doesn’t have a goal.

 

[Minnesota]

So let's just do the comparison, since it was a pretty easy one to make when he was drafted:

Joel Eriksson Ek at age 21: 39 NHL games... 1 goal... 6 points

Mikko Koivu at age 21: 0 NHL games... 0 goals... 0 points (might've been in the NHL if not for the lockout, so who knows; good year in the AHL though). At age 22, he didn't play a full season but paced ~8 goals and ~27 points. Age 23 is where he made his jump.

One thing I do worry about though is going from being a young player in Sweden (known to not give younger players a lot of opportunity) to a young player in the NHL (playing on lower lines, not a lot of opportunity) with very little AHL in between, whereas Koivu was able to play a full season at that level, being able to handle the puck more and develop those skills.

I see your point, but selfishly I was hoping Eriksson-Ek would be much better than Koivu.

He doesn't look out of place in the NHL at 19-20, which is very impressive. Occasionally you'll see him have a great shift (take-away, hit, shot) which is very promising.

 

[57special]

Koivu was a fantastic player in his prime carrying a punchless team. I'd be thrilled if Ek turns out as good as him.

 

[Wabit]

I like JEE's game, but he has to start scoring. He has the 9th most shots on the team and 19 guys have more goals than him.

 

[Nharris31]

I was watching something and they were talking about how Marchand at only one assist in his first full season with Boston then came back and scored 20 the next season.

 

[Wabit]

I was watching something and they were talking about how Marchand at only one assist in his first full season with Boston then came back and scored 20 the next season.

Marchand has 1 assist (came in his first game) in 20 games his first season. He got sent down after a dozen or so games, then was a late season callup (2 cups of coffee). It's easy to forget how small he really is, and how brutal those Bos teams were his first few years in the league.

Nino and his 1g (and only point) his 19yo season might be closer. NYI really mishandled him.

 

[Nharris31]

Marchand has 1 assist (came in his first game) in 20 games his first season. He got sent down after a dozen or so games, then was a late season callup (2 cups of coffee). It's easy to forget how small he really is, and how brutal those Bos teams were his first few years in the league.

Nino and his 1g (and only point) his 19yo season might be closer. NYI really mishandled him.

Excatly why I’m not concerned about Eriksson -Ek not scoring all the stats point to him doing so.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Send him down.

 

[Bruce Granville]

Maybe we could trade him for Haula at the draft...

 

[nickschultzfan]

Maybe we could trade him for Haula at the draft...

Ha. It's kind of amazing to think that the Wild should have maybe just let Vegas take one of Scandella/Brodin, then trade Coyle/Zucker for a 1st, and then re-signed Haula and brought up Tuch, while keeping JEE and Kunin in Iowa all year. With Haula you don't have to feel all the pressure to re-sign Koivu for so much.

Oh well, hindsight.