He most certainly isn't ready for the AHL.
People under estimate how difficult that league is.
LD Aron Kiviharju - IFK Helsinki, Liiga (2024, 122nd, MIN) Part2
- Thread starter ChicagoBullsFan
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People under estimate how difficult that league is.
LeProspector
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Couldn't agree more. I've lost count of how many good, 4 year college players come into the AHL and fizzle out. Thinking that an injury prone, small, average skating, 18 yo D is going to come into the AHL and excel, or even survive, is bizarre.
BagHead
Registered User
I'm not sure that first one is a compliment.
Even though it is true.In any case, I agree with you about the old guard, I just don't think the Wild's drafting and development of defensemen has been all that great for about a decade now, and they've taken lots (maybe too many!) of cracks at it. I think it's telling that the two guys you mentioned were both traded for, not drafted by, the Wild.
Circulartheory
Registered User
I disagree. In the last 10 seasons, minus 2024 and since 2014, we have drafted:I'm not sure that first one is a compliment.
In any case, I agree with you about the old guard, I just don't think the Wild's drafting and development of defensemen has been all that great for about a decade now, and they've taken lots (maybe too many!) of cracks at it. I think it's telling that the two guys you mentioned were both traded for, not drafted by, the Wild.
2 D in the first (24th, 26th)
2 D in the 2nd
2 D in the 3rd
15 in the lower rounds
Out of 67 total picks in the last decade, only 6 were in the top 3 rounds. Thats 31% of all our picks were dmen. Or 30% out of all the top 3 round picks. And the ones picked in the 1st were very very tail end of the first. Highest D was picked at #24. Only once in that decade did the Wild selected with their first pick. It always forward or once a goalie.
So for defense to take up 40% of skaters on the ice (2 out of 5), we select them less than 1/3 of the time and rarely prioritze them, and never with any picks above 20.
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BagHead
Registered User
Yeah, ok. I think you're right that it hasn't been too many, I was just thinking of the logjam of mediocrity in the AHL at the moment when I said that.
I think they've selected plenty, not too many, but what I will say is that not enough of them have been in the early rounds. Since I'm talking about development and drafting, I still think it's fair to say the Wild haven't been good at drafting them. If you don't take defensemen, it doesn't matter how good you are at developing them, anything times zero is zero.
It's a little too early for certainty, but it appears the few the Wild have selected in the first two rounds have been selected poorly, which compounds the issue.
Jersey Fan 12
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First one that comes to mind is Lambert in Winnipeg. I'm sure there are more.
Another Finn, Aatu Raty, was thought to be a possible first overall the year prior to his draft - ended up going in the second round.
Two others that fell because of off-ice concerns - Montreal defenseman Logan Maillioux and in this year's draft Vegas' Trevor Connelly - look like steals.
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It kind of reminds me of Toni Rajala in 2009, who definitely did not become a top player. But he did end up being a much better hockey player than the three coke machines we drafted ahead of him that year.
Frk It
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Post in thread 'RW Terik Parascak - Prince George Cougars, WHL (2024, 17th, WSH)'
RW Terik Parascak - Prince George Cougars, WHL (2024, 17th, WSH)
LeProspector
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If you continue reading in that thread, I admitted I was wrong. But that doesn’t fit the narrative you want to push, does it?
Frk It
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LeProspector
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I never said, or suggested im right all the time.
Do I like to shout my victories? Absolutely. Do I have a lot of them? Absolutely. I know if I don’t shout them, no one will. People like yourself will shout my failures, yet not a peep when I’m right. But that’s okay, that’s the way your generation is.
I also own up to when the things I’ve stated in the past is wrong, but you wouldn’t have know that since you would rather say “gotcha”, even though you didn’t. I understand I’m cocky, and arrogant. But that doesn’t make my opinion any less valid.
Perhaps i was mistaken but you been known to congratulate yourself on earlier posts right?
It hasn't been too many but their track record isn't that great in even developing decent AHL Dmen from those lesser touted one where once in a while most teams get a big pleasant surprise..
LeProspector
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Of course, no one else is going to do it.
You ever heard of the saying “They shout your failures, but whisper your successes?”
2 years before the draft he was in the mix, mostly due to a strong Hlinka showing , one year before the draft his stock had slipped considerably.
I know as I remember being quite high on him and there wasn't a clear frontrunner 2 years out then guys started to separate from the pack and Raty just didn't develop.
Maillioux only looks like a steal if you stat count, defensiely he is still a hug mess.
he has a good physical spackage and a very good RHS but IMO he really lacks in hockey IQ and that will hinder him greatly in the NHL if he even makes it for any substantial length of time.
Well if you need the ego boost I'll try to help out then.
Maybe it's just me but I'm here for discussions not validation of my opinions.
LeProspector
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Sometimes, we all need ego boost’s.
Second criticism is fair, I’ll refrain from derailing the thread even further. Kiviharju can still turn out to be a good player, but it’s safe to assume he’s up there now with some of the more over hyped pre draft prospects in recent memory.
ChicagoBullsFan
Registered User
https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/minne...ll-play-in-liiga-despite-being-drafted-in-chl
Hopefully this decision won't bite Kiviharju and Minnesota wild straight into ass
Hopefully this decision won't bite Kiviharju and Minnesota wild straight into ass
William H Bonney
Registered User
He's a 4th round pick, he's not expected to be much of anything for the Wild. And if he turns into anything for them, it'll be found money. There is nothing to bite them in the ass here.
Agreed but he also has the potential for a higher ceiling than 80% of 4th rounders as well.
I just wish him good health and playing time.
It was embarassing. Another massive L for ijuka who has gone radio silent.
Kiviharju is almost as big of an L than the Kakko ordeal for him
Dirtyf1ghter
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The entire hockey community recognized Kiviharju as a world-class player because he was. Kiviharju has been injured two seasons in the last 4 years.
The entire hockey community also recognized Kakko as No. 2 in 2019 and more NHL Ready than Hughes in 2019.
Not forbidden to talk about Maccelli (top 10 2019 redraft) and Helenius (who replaced Kiviharju in the top 15 2024).
Yes there are Finns who are declining. But there are Finns who are coming up.
Harassing a guy for 5 years because this user thought Kakko could be drafted before Hughes is pathetic.
The entire hockey community also recognized Kakko as No. 2 in 2019 and more NHL Ready than Hughes in 2019.
Not forbidden to talk about Maccelli (top 10 2019 redraft) and Helenius (who replaced Kiviharju in the top 15 2024).
Yes there are Finns who are declining. But there are Finns who are coming up.
Harassing a guy for 5 years because this user thought Kakko could be drafted before Hughes is pathetic.
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