Toggle sidebar

LW/RW Kirill Kaprizov - CSKA Moscow, KHL (2015, 135th, MIN)

  • Work is still on-going to rebuild the site styling and features. Please report any issues you may experience so we can look into it. Click Here for Updates
Status
Not open for further replies.
Fun to debate. I hope I'm wrong obviously, as Kaprizov will be on my team, but I just don't see any high end athleticism there ( speed, strength, size, power). Basic things are often the separators when it comes to the NHL. It's a harder slog if you don't have at least one of those qualities in abundance.

Story of Granlund's career. Puck skills out the wazoo, and is finally putting it together, but it's been hard for him because he doesn't have any extraordinary athletic qualities....maybe hand eye.

It is very tough to survive around the net as a small man in the NHL. Time and space are taken away, and you simply have to be able to take punishment. On our team we stick guys like Nino and Coyle there, who are big strapping dudes. Parise is a bit of an anomaly ...small guy( really not that small. I've seen him numerous times and he's built) who specializes in the two foot shot.
 
luckily the nhl is not one size fits all. we have parise ; haula; granlund & zucker who arent big players yet doing well. gaudreau ; kane ; skinner & panarin are not monsters having successful nhl careers. was gretzky huge? IF kaprizov was going to struggle against bigger players he wouldn't be doing great in the khl mens league. i believe players like yakupov & even granlund struggled here do to too much pressure of being the franchise "savior". kaprizov wont be the #1 guy here so he can take his time.
 
57special said:
Fun to debate. I hope I'm wrong obviously, as Kaprizov will be on my team, but I just don't see any high end athleticism there ( speed, strength, size, power).
Click to expand...

I see great explosiveness, ability to turn on a dime. Strength/size/power are somewhat redundant categories, are they not? Did Johnny Gaudreau have these?
 
57special said:
Well, you've seen him far more than I, so I respect what you have to say. I just think Tarasenko is far stronger and faster, with a cannon of a shot ( he's what Yak was supposed to be), and Panarin is quicker and slicker.
Click to expand...

I don't recall Panarin being complimented on having elite quickness when he was at the World Juniors.

Maybe sometimes people see what they want to see. And no one expected elite-level hockey from Panarin, so they chose to not see it.
 
I agree that he isn't that quick or explosive. At least not as quick I was expecting given his size and impressive production in the KHL. That being said, it just makes his production that more impressive as he's clearly getting the job done at an elite level playing in one of the best leagues in the world.

I'm a horrible judge of talent but for me the question mark that will determine his success in the NHL is how he will adapt to the smaller ice in the NHL. Hockey isn't the same game on different size ice surfaces. Granlund is one clear example of this.
 
The Sweetness said:
I'm a horrible judge of talent but for me the question mark that will determine his success in the NHL is how he will adapt to the smaller ice in the NHL. Hockey isn't the same game on different size ice surfaces. Granlund is one clear example of this.
Click to expand...

Small sample size, but he's playing pretty well on the smaller ice in this tournament.
 
I would say that when a young player actually lacks any extreme skillset (speed, size, power) and is still putting up very impressive numbers, it bodes better for their future.

How many times have we seen a player with an abundance of one of those traits steamroll the competition, then when they get to NHL...OPPS! everyone here is fast and big...and strong.

Personally for me, Hockey IQ >>>>Everything else. I don't care how fast, big, strong you are. If you can't think the game at an elite level, you'll never be anything more than a 3rd liner, or a disappointing top six...*cough* Evander Kane *cough*

If you're not already thinking the game at a high level as a 17/18/19yr old, you're never going to think it at a high level.

Skating can be improved, can become stronger, to a degree, if you're an idiot who just skates into the zone and fires the puck on net, well...can't help stupid lol.

Edit: Just wanted to add, that a player being incredibly fast, or immensely big/strong at a young age can almost hurt their development. So easy for that player to use that one attribute to just blow by their peers as teenagers, that they just rely on that at higher levels, missing critical growth years of development.
 
Last edited:
Yeah, Kaprizov may not be some super-athlete with a great size, power and lightning speed, but who really cares? He's strong enough and fast enough to succeed. He works tirelessly to improve. He's used to overcome his physical limitations mostly using his intelligence. His style of play translates well to any ice size.
Werenski said:
Personally for me, Hockey IQ >>>>Everything else. I don't care how fast, big, strong you are. If you can't think the game at an elite level, you'll never be anything more than a 3rd liner, or a disappointing top six...*cough* Evander Kane *cough*
Click to expand...
Unless you're a Kovalchuk-level mega-talent.
 
while im excited about kaprizov , dont think i expect him nhl day one to light it up. i plan to have reasonable expectations. 1st full season maybe 15G; 2nd 20G plus; 3rd season is when we should see what hes capable of. just my one cent opinion.
 
What I like when I watch Kap is that he has such a high intention level when he is out on the ice. He just goes out and does it.

No, I don't know if what he has, which is a large toolbox and a high IQ and an accurate shot, is NHL translatable, but I do know this: the kid is going to give it all he's got.

He's coachable, that much is obvious. I think that he'll play in the NHL, to what level will be seen.
 
Nsjohnson said:
What I like when I watch Kap is that he has such a high intention level when he is out on the ice. He just goes out and does it.

No, I don't know if what he has, which is a large toolbox and a high IQ and an accurate shot, is NHL translatable, but I do know this: the kid is going to give it all he's got.

He's coachable, that much is obvious. I think that he'll play in the NHL, to what level will be seen.
Click to expand...

let's hope that at Kucherov or Panarin
 
Very impressive :nod:

He needs to work on his skating to be faster, but he seems to be what Wild need; a goalscorer :nod:

2015 draft is suddenly very good looking one for Minnesota :handclap:
 
Hi guys - relatively new to Kaprizov, hadn't seen much of him prior to WJC. Just hoping some guys who watch him more regularly can shed some light into his skillset.

Obviously his shot and release are absolutely fantastic - deceptive, powerful, lightning quick and accurate.

My question has to do with his vision and playmaking ability. Is this an area he also is high end at, or is he primarily a goal scorer and simply average in this other area?

Thanks very much in advance to anyone willing to offer some insight.
 
Evolu7ion said:
Hi guys - relatively new to Kaprizov, hadn't seen much of him prior to WJC. Just hoping some guys who watch him more regularly can shed some light into his skillset.

Obviously his shot and release are absolutely fantastic - deceptive, powerful, lightning quick and accurate.

My question has to do with his vision and playmaking ability. Is this an area he also is high end at, or is he primarily a goal scorer and simply average in this other area?

Thanks very much in advance to anyone willing to offer some insight.
Click to expand...

He was primarily a playmaker before this season.
 
Fantastic player. I'm a big fan. Could probably play in the NHL next year and put up ~40 points, but he's signed for another year in the KHL.
 
Kid is so good. Will be interesting to follow his career, hopefully he makes the jump to the NHL at some point. Reminds me of Ehlers.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Top Bottom