The only point of my prospect hobby is that the Sharks are in a multi year rebuild that depends heavily on draft success. We need D, all kinds of them, into the pipeline, and we're not likely picking one of the likely top 3 (Reid Verhoeff Smits).
I haven't been enamored with Rudolph or Carels, which may be a blind spot, but time to look at this tall monster in the SHL.
This first watch from
@Prospect Shifts (ty ty as always) was pretty encouraging.
He's not screaming top 5 or 10 pick, but may be underrated as a mid first round option. He has size and length, smooth mobility with an impressive top speed, and decent instincts on when to use all of these. His go to is a board pin with the opponent wrapped up. Sometimes he wins a solid battle, other times you can tell he made a good choice to be physical but he's still 18 and gets bodied. A few very good DZ breakups, saved a goal, some nice snuffing out of plays.
In DZ puck movement and transition game, he's got snappy passes but not always the right decision, but often the obvious one executed decently well. The few times he used his length and speed to carry, he looked very good.
In the OZ, he didn't present himself as much of a threat but he did seal the boards decently well with good instinct and timing, he made a few clean passes when called upon, and he got a quick slapshot through to the tip for a primary assist.
The reason he's not higher is because he's not very flashy. He's not offensively sparkly, his defense is very to the point but also not popping like e.g. Smits blowing up Matthews and Draisatl in the Olympics. However for an 18yo doing this in the SHL - serious kudos.
Seems like a profile for a boring pick in the first round that turns into a solid middle pair PK guy who just does his job and is underrated on many winning teams. Could also just die in the graveyard of long tall skating D without enough jam or skill to carve a really great role, maybe he bounces around as a bottom pair or fringe guy at the floor.
Would want to see more games to strengthen my read on whether the gaffes are a consistent problem or just youth and inexperience in a men's league, and look for more flashes. As a drafting org I'd want to evaluate his intelligence and ability to learn and build his understanding of the game on both sides of the puck. And maybe project if he becomes a physical monster or if I think he's going to be a twig.
www.eliteprospects.com
I see Kenny about town sometimes. But yeah it's not uncommon for new players in a league to play it safe for awhile.
