Mikael Granlund

[kabidjan18]

Excuse me.

If if if if if if... Sure, minutes would be zero in Canada's A team. Sure, production would be bad for Soccer team of Kenya. Sure, International contributions would be lower without good team and good spot on a line and without important role in The Team, etc.

In non-existing alternate reality.

Luckily Granny is playing hockey for Team Finland, and it's totally irrelevant is he better or worse of this or that Canadian player in an imaginary circumstances when his whole history and production show he is damn good in real team playing real hockey in real international tournaments.

In that actual role he is outscored those allegedly better Canadian players and allegedly better team Canada as a member of Team Finland.

I can't see the issue here. What was the problem? Is there any at all?

There's no problem until you try to make an unwarranted comparison and say he's elite Canada A skill based off that. He's good for Finland, that's cool, but the comparisons to Team Canada guys they gotta go...

 

[Selannne]

Only Russia and Canada bring teams that are better than the average NHL team. Granlund is playing mostly against AHL level talent internationally, that's where he excels but it doesn't make him a superstar.

Granlund is playing against the same teams as team Canada, (in this and many other tournaments).
And he have a tendency to put up the same amount of points if not even better results than these Nhl superstars they got in team Canada,Usa,Russia in every international tournament so far,that's impressive.

 

[Depch]

Delete

 

[snipes]

He gets it done in team Finland on elite level, he would get it done in team Canada on elite level, but that is a scenario we will never experience nor would he even get the chance due the lack of nhl scoring power.

Guess it just means some players excel more in different circumstances.

I agree with this. Who cares how he would do for Team Canada? We'll never know.

He's a Finnish player who is playing for Suomi. Granlund does very well on the big ice and at international events. Does he dominate in NA? No. But seriously, it doesn't even matter at all. We should just enjoy what Granlund does internationally for Suomi.

The NHL is a different style of game played on smaller ice. Also, the structure of winning a championship in the NHL is vastly different than winning a IIHF event.

There are no 7 game series in the IIHF, and this changes the style of play. Sending a "message" in international hockey is stupid. You are unlikely to play the team again, whereas playing a 7 game series, it matters to send a message and play physical. Getting into a guys head matters when you think long term, but in a single game elimination it can be plain stupid and costly.

You can't really compare the NHL to the IIHF. It's just a different game. The NHL is played on smaller ice, it is more physical with more stuff after the whistle. Refs are also more likely to put the whistles away in the NHL and let the players sort the game out themselves. The IIHF is more likely to call the game tight and not tolerate the after the whistle stuff.

Not really fair to compare the NHL to IIHF for obvious reasons. You don't need to say one is "better" than the other to conclude it's just a different style of hockey.

 

[Lennu32]

Granny is a top 10 center in the world. If he struggles in the money league it is not so important. To show up at important games is what matter

Oh boy

I love Granny as much as any fan, but he is not top-10 center, newerthless a top-10 player in the world.

Still, a helluva player and a very good in Finnish NT, which plays much better system than Minnesota does

 

[Lennu32]

Lol! He has few decent (nyt meaningless) games against Denmark and Kenya or something like that and he is top 10 center (been winger) in world?? NHL is where stars are made not b level tournaments!

Well Granlund was pretty much money against USA in Olympics... Russia, too

 

[illone84]

LOL at the ridiculous hypothetical conditionals of Granny playing for Team Canada!

He looked very good today, and can't wait to see what he can do tomorrow and in the world cup in Toronto!!!!

 

[MMANumminen]

If Granny played for team Kanada they would be unstoppable. I'm glad he plays for us

 

[Temego]

For me NHL is just audition for competing a spot for national team

I find this funny, considering the players probably go to World Championships to just have fun after the important games have ended. Olympics are obviously a different story.

 

[Lapa]

I find this funny, considering the players probably go to World Championships to just have fun after the important games have ended. Olympics are obviously a different story.

Based on what exactly?

I bet professional hockey players value both a lot - they love playing in the NHL against the very best, but are also proud to play for their country.

 

[ulvvf]

Put in his position every member of team Canada A would produce the same or better. So the notion that he could somehow make the Canada A team is ridiculous. I'm not sure what you're trying to stuff I to my mouth but he would not make Canada A...

No canadian has more points than him in whc now, and no canadian had more points than him i olympics either.

The only reason Toews has been rank as number 2 in the world is because he was captain of canada or doughty is a norris nominated is because he was canadas best d-men in the olympics. So internationall preformance certainly matters when it comes to canadian (at least positive ones), so why should it not matter when it comes to players from others countries?

 

[Nharris31]

Well Granlund was pretty much money against USA in Olympics... Russia, too

How do you already know what system Minnesota is playing next season?

 

[Nharris31]

Oh boy

I love Granny as much as any fan, but he is not top-10 center, newerthless a top-10 player in the world.

Still, a helluva player and a very good in Finnish NT, which plays much better system than Minnesota does

How do you already know what system Minnesota is playing next season?

 

[JackSlater]

No canadian has more points than him in whc now, and no canadian had more points than him i olympics either.

The only reason Toews has been rank as number 2 in the world is because he was captain of canada or doughty is a norris nominated is because he was canadas best d-men in the olympics. So internationall preformance certainly matters when it comes to canadian (at least positive ones), so why should it not matter when it comes to players from others countries?

Toews has never been Canada's captain internationally. As far as Norris nominations reflecting Olympics... that's clearly a ridiculous opinion given that the Olympics were over two years ago.

 

[urho]

He would be a star player in the NHL if he played wing. You can count on that. Maybe we'll see it next year, hopefully. He looked so much better at Koivu's wing compared to when he played center. He's undersized and you can see how defending juuust takes the edge off from his offensive game.

He could score 60 points as a winger, I'm quite sure of that.

 

[MNRube]

He would be a star player in the NHL if he played wing. You can count on that. Maybe we'll see it next year, hopefully. He looked so much better at Koivu's wing compared to when he played center. He's undersized and you can see how defending juuust takes the edge off from his offensive game.

He could score 60 points as a winger, I'm quite sure of that.

Yep. MSL, Kariya, Gaudreau, Kane, Briere...all small skilled guys who played on the W. Granlund isn't in their league but he has a lot of talent and like Drouin he belongs on the W. Playing C in the NHL, let alone in the Central Division, sucks up too much energy and focus and robs a skilled playmaker like Granlund of his ability to produce offense. Staple him to Koivu's wing and the Wild have a great two-way line.

 

[Sarge58]

If every game were a playoff game he'd be awesome.

 

[illone84]

Hopefully Minni keeps Granny on the wing and picks up another centre. With a new coach and perhaps less defensive oriented system, I think 2016/2017 will result in a 60-70pt season for Granny.

 

[Pyromaniac]

Laine owes him a MVP award.