Prospect Info: Leafs' 2019 5th-round (#146) -- Michael Koster - 5' 9"/172 lbs HIGH-MN CHASKA

[Nithoniniel]

How is it flawed if it is actually correct and agreed by you? Poor skating, small D men do not do well at this level. Hell, I'd be surprised if he made the Marlies.

Sigh. If he remained unable to be effective despite his size, he won't make it. If the alternatives didn't fix their significant flaws, they won't make it. It's different development routes, and you can't avoid that.

I'd also be surprised if he made the Marlies. It's a late round d-man prospect. They are all long shots.

Yeah but like they say, you cannot teach size. Why not pick guys at least 6ft, 6-1 with flaws in their game that can be corrected instead of guys whose size pretty much ensures they'll never make it? That's what bugs me about picks like this.

You can't teach size, you can teach how to be effective in spite of it. Just ask Spurgeon. It's a long shot, but that comes with the territory. If you take a 6-1 guy who handles the puck like a grenade even at his current level, you are also looking at a player with a flaw big enough that he's a long shot to ever make it.

Did you know that guys deemed safe due to fundamental attributes like size is actually more likely to bust than most?

 

[Coaches Coroner]

I'm loving how confident these two are in their bad takes.

 

[member 300185]

Sigh. If he remained unable to be effective despite his size, he won't make it. If the alternatives didn't fix their significant flaws, they won't make it. It's different development routes, and you can't avoid that.

I'd also be surprised if he made the Marlies. It's a late round d-man prospect. They are all long shots.

Um....agreed.

 

[Stephen]

I just want to know what they’re hoping to accomplish best case scenario with a defenseman like this. If he doesn’t turn into a Krug, Spurgeon or Ellis he’s next to useless. You already have Hollowell. When you draft for big dumb bruisers with late round picks at least they may have low end NHL roles like a Holzer.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Um....agreed.

You either don't understand my point or disagree with yourself.

 

[gordonshumway]

Maybe he did listen to his scouts and the scouts thought this player had the highest potential? You know, the people who've actually watched the prospects play hockey and know more than the simple fact that he's a "smallish american defenseman".

Crazy, I know.

If it's the scouts who are responsible for our rather pitiful draft record in the past 5 years (outside of 1st round) then maybe someone should do a bit of house cleaning. Other than Dermott, not one has played in the NHL. That is nothing to write home about and have confidence in.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Listen, all I'm saying is if you've had no luck with Americans in late rounds in the past 20 years (look it up!) but pretty decent luck with Swedes and Finns.... I dunno, maybe let the Euro scouts do their thing and stop wasting picks on Americans?!? but yeah I know, we're no "pros" and these guys know better... yup, that's just it <grin>

I know it may just seem like rolling the dice to you but it’s not quite that simple for the scouts. Also 20yrs ago has nothing to do with today.

 

[gordonshumway]

I know it may just seem like rolling the dice to you but it’s not quite that simple for the scouts. Also 20yrs ago has nothing to do with today.

Sure but if the results are terrible, why defend the strategy? Look at Ottawa's draft record in late rounds, with all the financial might MLSE has, you'd think they could afford better scouts? With the results they're getting, you may as well work off a spreadsheet/video intel and fire all your scouts.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

If it's the scouts who are responsible for our rather pitiful draft record in the past 5 years (outside of 1st round) then maybe someone should do a bit of house cleaning. Other than Dermott, not one has played in the NHL. That is nothing to write home about and have confidence in.

Valiev and Grundstrom have also played in the NHL, with more to come. Woll, Scott, Bracco, Brooks, Korshkov etc.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Sure but if the results are terrible, why defend the strategy? Look at Ottawa's draft record in late rounds, with all the financial might MLSE has, you'd think they could afford better scouts? With the results they're getting, you may as well work off a spreadsheet/video intel and fire all your scouts.

Where did you get the idea that Leafs don't do well with late round picks? We seem to be churning out pretty good prospects out of the late rounds a lot.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Sure but if the results are terrible, why defend the strategy? Look at Ottawa's draft record in late rounds, with all the financial might MLSE has, you'd think they could afford better scouts? With the results they're getting, you may as well work off a spreadsheet/video intel and fire all your scouts.

Drafting “American defensemen” isn’t a strategy

 

[gordonshumway]

Where did you get the idea that Leafs don't do well with late round picks? We seem to be churning out pretty good prospects out of the late rounds a lot.

You call Johnsson and Brown pretty good record? that's two bona fide NHL players in the last *decade*. Pretty weak.

 

[gordonshumway]

Valiev and Grundstrom have also played in the NHL, with more to come. Woll, Scott, Bracco, Brooks, Korshkov etc.

Valiev had the proverbial cup of coffee, Grundstrom I had high hopes for (only to see him get traded, of course). As for the others, until they play and actually contribute, they're just prospects, nothing more. Hey, I hope as many of our picks make the big leagues, it's just that time and again it just hasn't happened. We've been sold this 'diamond in the rough' line before then we ended up with drafts like 2013-2015. I doubt the guys they drafted today will do much better.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Valiev had the proverbial cup of coffee, Grundstrom I had high hopes for (only to see him get traded, of course). As for the others, until they play and actually contribute, they're just prospects, nothing more. Hey, I hope as many of our picks make the big leagues, it's just that time and again it just hasn't happened. We've been sold this 'diamond in the rough' line before then we ended up with drafts like 2013-2015. I doubt the guys they drafted today will do much better.

You said not one (outside of Dermott) had played in the NHL, all I was doing was pointing out otherwise. No need to move the goal posts now.

 

[Canada4Gold]

Mike Kostka, I mean Koster

 

[SprDaVE]

Pretty good value here. A lot of people liked him to go top 90.

He's got a lot of time to develop.

 

[stickty111]

I just want to know what they’re hoping to accomplish best case scenario with a defenseman like this. If he doesn’t turn into a Krug, Spurgeon or Ellis he’s next to useless. You already have Hollowell. When you draft for big dumb bruisers with late round picks at least they may have low end NHL roles like a Holzer.

And if you draft Holzer type players, 95% of them wash out.
If you draft skilled players like this player, the chances increase.
Talent>size

 

[stickty111]

You said not one (outside of Dermott) had played in the NHL, all I was doing was pointing out otherwise. No need to move the goal posts now.

Don't mind him, posters get mad when they get proved wrong.

 

[weems]

I'm loving how confident these two are in their bad takes.

The one guy Nova is the same guy who started a massive rant thread basically shoving down everyones throat that Sparks was DEFINITELY a NHL level goalie.

Not sure how he still feels about that take.

 

[Insidefi]

Do you want me to list all of them? Or is it that you just like to argue and like this pick. Do you like this pick?

Yes, I would like for you to list them all.

Also, didn’t you pay attention to our 2015-2017 drafts? The only defenseman that made it was Travis Dermott who is under 6 feet and all our defensemen who were over 6’3 busted as soon as they were drafted.

 

[member 300185]

You either don't understand my point or disagree with yourself.

same to you

 

[MyBudJT]

Seems like he might have fallen largely due to playing High School hockey.

Fun Fact: He was the highest point getter among D-men in the USHS-MN.

 

[Macman]

Valiev had the proverbial cup of coffee, Grundstrom I had high hopes for (only to see him get traded, of course). As for the others, until they play and actually contribute, they're just prospects, nothing more. Hey, I hope as many of our picks make the big leagues, it's just that time and again it just hasn't happened. We've been sold this 'diamond in the rough' line before then we ended up with drafts like 2013-2015. I doubt the guys they drafted today will do much better.

You need to be more patient. The Leafs are done rushing, and potentially ruining, prospects. There are a number of Marlies knocking on the door now. In the past, most of them couldn't even find it.

 

[selltrade]

I've had it with Dubas. Does he have some size phobia?!? Why on earth would you waste a pick on a smallish american defenceman?!? Why not let the euro scouts do what they do and get us some Swedish or Finnish prospect who may *actually* amount to something? So frustrating to watch this clown waste picks.

like Durzi, Sandin, Hollewell etc. Just horrible,.and the clown is who?

 

[stickty111]

like Durzi, Sandin, Hollewell etc. Just horrible,.and the clown is who?

To be fair, Durzi was a terrible pick. Sandin is good, and Hollowell took some big steps this season.