LD Andrew Nielsen (2015, 65th, TOR)

[one77]

Wouldn't shock me if he gets a cup of coffee in the bigs this year.

I would love that, but as we all know he started playing hockey very late, making it unlikely he sees the NHL this year. Management will probably take their time with him as he's got top pairing potential. No need to rush him... but again I would love to see him get a taste of the NHL.

He could be our version of Parayko.

 

[Randy Randerson]

Hows he been in training camp? Also what should we expect from him next year top pairing on the marlies maybe a few nhl call ups in case of injuries?

Looked pretty slick in the rookie camp. Even after his big year in the WHL last year, I still thought of him as a big body with a booming shot but with skating issues and not the greatest hands. The rookie camp performance made his skating look pretty decent (probably won't ever been an elite skater, but passable) and actually does have some hands - carried the puck competently quite often. He could be a real steal, there were some HF members who thought his rookie camp made him look like a guy with top pairing upside, small sample but definitely helped to have an optimistic outlook on him

 

[one77]

Hows he been in training camp? Also what should we expect from him next year top pairing on the marlies maybe a few nhl call ups in case of injuries?

He's looked really good. In my eyes he's been one of the best performers so far at camp.

 

[7even]

I would love that, but as we all know he started playing hockey very late, making it unlikely he sees the NHL this year.

Not sure if those two things are related. He was late picking the game up, sure, but the ball is in his court so to speak.

But I don't think he's going to make it this year.

 

[leafsfan1234]

Didn't Babcock mention they brought back Polak to mentor Valiev and Nielsen when they signed him? I would expect both of those guys to get ~15 games this year with the big club.

 

[one77]

Not sure if those two things are related. He was late picking the game up, sure, but the ball is in his court so to speak.

But I don't think he's going to make it this year.

Well generally someone who started playing hockey at 14 is behind in development compared to someone who started playing at 5...

But still hoping he cracks the lineup. Love his potential and his style of play. He's got Shea Weber / Colton Parayko written all over him.

 

[ViewsFromThe6ix]

Well generally someone who started playing hockey at 14 is behind in development compared to someone who started playing at 5...

But still hoping to cracks the lineup. Love his potential and his style of play. He's got Shea Weber / Colton Parayko written all over him.

One can hope.....he has all the tools. Big, mean, big shot, decent skating and puck skills, good defensively. We are due for a steal anyways

 

[7even]

Well generally someone who started playing hockey at 14 is behind in development compared to someone who started playing at 5...

Are they though? I don't think development is linear like that. Actually the Leafs current draft philosophy is that players go through "bursts of development" and is what they've been trying to capitalize on with all the older kids they drafted this summer.

 

[Knies iT]

 

[Randy Randerson]

Are they though? I don't think development is linear like that. Actually the Leafs current draft philosophy is that players go through "bursts of development" and is what they've been trying to capitalize on with all the older kids they drafted this summer.

Agree - you can probably generalize that the average person who started playing at 5 will be ahead of the average person who started playing at 14 when they're 17/18, but I think anyone who's in a position to be drafted to the best league in the world and is playing in one of the traditional development leagues (CHL, NCAA, USNDP, Sweden/Finland/Russia/etc) will have made up that ground by draft day or they wouldn't be where they are - ie. David Levin for 2018.

Funny how the draft strategy seems to have changed in a year - 2015 the leafs took a bunch of guys who it looked like they were trying to predict would break out: Neilsen, Dzerkials, Lindgren, Korostelev....then 2016 switched to guys who were over-agers who already had the development/production bursts

I know its just a highlight reel in a short tournament, but it doesn't look like he does anything badly now. Looks slick carrying the puck, his skating seems to have improved drastically, good wrister and booming slapshot, demonstrated some very nice vision (although I think the slap-pass just before the 3 min mark was an accident, the Bracco breakaway setup was beauty)

Looking very forward to seeing this kid in the AHL

 

[snipes]

Kid is a stud. I was telling Leaf fans a few weeks back you guys had him ranked way too low in your prospects list, can't remember who I was talking to. I have him way ahead of Dermott.

Watched this kid a lot in the Dub, he's a beast. Has a nasty side to his game too that I love, he's your typical Western Canadian Dman. Tough as nails, team guy.

 

[Randy Randerson]

Kid is a stud. I was telling Leaf fans a few weeks back you guys had him ranked way too low in your prospects list, can't remember who I was talking to. I have him way ahead of Dermott.

Watched this kid a lot in the Dub, he's a beast. Has a nasty side to his game too that I love, he's your typical Western Canadian Dman. Tough as nails, team guy.

I think we see Dermott as having a very high floor, maybe not so much a high ceiling (I think most of us would be shocked if he ended up better than a 2nd pairing guy). Dermott has also been pretty consistent for a few years now, made small advances each year but nothing earth shattering, where Neilsen jumped from relative obscurity last year to being almost ppg and among the W leaders in d scoring. The more we see of Neilsen, the more he looks like he could have a big ceiling, we might have him a little low because we haven't seen him enough either

 

[snipes]

I think we see Dermott as having a very high floor, maybe not so much a high ceiling (I think most of us would be shocked if he ended up better than a 2nd pairing guy). Dermott has also been pretty consistent for a few years now, made small advances each year but nothing earth shattering, where Neilsen jumped from relative obscurity last year to being almost ppg and among the W leaders in d scoring. The more we see of Neilsen, the more he looks like he could have a big ceiling, we might have him a little low because we haven't seen him enough either

It's because you guys don't watch him enough out West .

Nielsen is a sure fire NHLer. Even if he only ends up a #5/6, he's a guy you'll take on your bottom pairing all day long. Love the nasty side of his game too.

 

[Randy Randerson]

It's because you guys don't watch him enough out West .

Nielsen is a sure fire NHLer. Even if he only ends up a #5/6, he's a guy you'll take on your bottom pairing all day long. Love the nasty side of his game too.

Oh definitely, all of the highlight reels from last year that I've seen of him are big hits/big point shots - his ability to carry the puck and vision in the rookie tournament is a bit of a revelation to me, and he's one of the guys that I'm really looking forward to seeing in the AHL this year with Dermott and Timashov

The Phaneuf comparison might have overshadowed his abilities a bit. Not that getting Dion Phaneuf in the 3rd round would be a bad thing, but when I saw the comparison and the skating concerns, I didn't give him enough credit for puck handling or vision

 

[snipes]

Oh definitely, all of the highlight reels from last year that I've seen of him are big hits/big point shots - his ability to carry the puck and vision in the rookie tournament is a bit of a revelation to me, and he's one of the guys that I'm really looking forward to seeing in the AHL this year with Dermott and Timashov

The Phaneuf comparison might have overshadowed his abilities a bit. Not that getting Dion Phaneuf in the 3rd round would be a bad thing, but when I saw the comparison and the skating concerns, I didn't give him enough credit for puck handling or vision

Yup, he's got very good vision (he's good on the PP). I've seen him live multiple times and he's a very fluid and smooth skater, he knows how to move the puck up ice and he's got a good shot. He just looks the part like many WHL Dmen before him.

Add in his size and physical play, I have no doubts he'll be an NHLer. He's your typical big, physical WHL Dman. He'll have a long career, like I said even if he tops out as a #5/6, that's perfectly fine. I'd take a guy like him on my bottom pairing all day.

 

[Randy Randerson]

Yup, he's got very good vision (he's good on the PP). I've seen him live multiple times and he's a very fluid and smooth skater, he knows how to move the puck up ice and he's got a good shot. He just looks the part like many WHL Dmen before him.

Add in his size and physical play, I have no doubts he'll be an NHLer. He's your typical big, physical WHL Dman. He'll have a long career, like I said even if he tops out as a #5/6, that's perfectly fine. I'd take a guy like him on my bottom pairing all day.

It's the ceiling that I find really intriguing. The leafs are actually pretty deep in prospects who should be bottom 4 NHL defensemen - Dermott, Valiev, Marincin, Carrick, Loov. We're pretty thin in guys who might be better than that, at this point its probably a hailmary on both Jesper Lindgren and JD Greenway and Neilsen probably is our best chance at a guy who could be a top pairing player in the long run

 

[leaflover]

Been following Nielsen for a couple years and I'll say one thing.
His development in every aspect of playing defense has been tremendous. He definitely absorbs what his coaches are telling him and adjusts his play accordingly.
I would like to see him improve his skating and once he gets the opportunity to work with Underhill I'm confident he'll do just that. If his development path continues he'll surpass my expectations(ceiling) from when he was drafted from a 4/5 to a 2/3.
One of the more complete defense prospects the Leafs have had in years.

 

[WTFMAN99]

I think 2-3 years of seasoning will be a blessing for him. He's had good growth but needs refinement at the pro level.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

VERY curious to see how he does in tonight's exhibition game

 

[Fogelhund]

VERY curious to see how he does in tonight's exhibition game

He isn't on the roster for tonight I don't think. He was on the original, but not the final.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

He isn't on the roster for tonight I don't think. He was on the original, but not the final.

oh I thought it was other way around... not on original but on the final... damn I hope you are wrong!!

EDIT- ya I saw a tweet from 1m ago that he is playing

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Nice shot on that goal

 

[Tripod]

Nice shot on that goal

Yup...very good offensive instinct even if it was 5 vs 3. Some other D would have tried to wind up with a slap shot.

 

[snipes]

Link to the game?

 

[Tripod]

Link to the game?

Watching it on TV..Sportsnet