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WJC: Tournament standouts and dissapointments so far?

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Was fun reading opinions from last year. Some of the same names kept popping up as this year, for better or worse.
 
Since I haven’t watched games in group B, I evaluate only group A. From what I’ve seen so far, standouts would be Newhook, Cozens, Levi, Nemec, Niemela and Stutzle. On the other hand, I consider a bit dissapointing performances of Byfield, Peterka and Knazko.
 
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The Swedish team hasn't really been challenged yet but Heineman, Gunler, Söderström and just about all Red Wings prospects have been great. Holtz hasn't been a disappointment but he should have a handful of goals by now with the chances he's gotten.
 
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If we're talking non first round guys that have stood out... Lang for the Czechs has looked really good. Svozil and Jiricek look like they belong here. German's Florian Elias has looked really good (I assume he got passed over because he's 5'8) and would've been a great later round pick.
 
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Elmer Soderblom looks like a more skilled Brian Boyle out there. It's tough to judge a kid with a man's body just dummying guys that weigh 60 pounds less than him, it'll be fin to see if his game can translate to the NHL. I think we may have a bit of a steal on our hands.
 
The Wings prospects on Team Sweden have been pretty good so far. Raymond has been excellent as expected, but holy shit am I blown away by how good Soderblom has been. There was a sequence yesterday where he drove the net off the right wing and just absolutely bowled over the defenseman in front, then as the play was being whistled down he knocked over another Austrian player next to the other guy. 6th round pick!!!

I'm also really impressed with Soderstrom. Arizona has a future top 4 guy right there. Crisp passing, very heads up plays and smooth skating. I'm hoping he doesn't spend too much of his career in the desert.

I'm a huge Rossi fan, and I get that Austria is very overwhelmed, but I was hoping he'd stand out more this tournament. He's played hard but he looks a step behind the play instead of 3 steps ahead like his previous 2 seasons.

That Austrian goalie has looked really good. He's faced over 130 shots in 2 games! He might play himself into a late round draft selection this season.

I made a few comments last season about Stutzle's puck protection ability reminding me a bit of Peter Forsberg. This tournament he's cementing that thought in my head after watching him take runs at guys as well. As much as I like Raymond I wish that Detroit had him instead. That guy is going to be something special to watch in Ottawa for the next 3 to 5 years before he needs to get paid. Then after that he's hopefully a Red Wing. :thumbu:

Florian Elias is also looking pretty good for Germany. Quick, shifty, good puck skills, hard working, and also a product of Mannheim. He's another guy that's looking like he could be an overager picked in a late round this year.
 
RedWingzz said:
Elmer Soderblom looks like a more skilled Brian Boyle out there. It's tough to judge a kid with a man's body just dummying guys that weigh 60 pounds less than him, it'll be fin to see if his game can translate to the NHL. I think we may have a bit of a steal on our hands.
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Don't you bring that evil here. We all know that Michael Rasmussen looks like a more skilled Brian Boyle.

Soderblom looks like a taller JVR.
 
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OgeeOgelthorpe said:
The Wings prospects on Team Sweden have been pretty good so far. Raymond has been excellent as expected, but holy shit am I blown away by how good Soderblom has been. There was a sequence yesterday where he drove the net off the right wing and just absolutely bowled over the defenseman in front, then as the play was being whistled down he knocked over another Austrian player next to the other guy. 6th round pick!!!

I'm also really impressed with Soderstrom. Arizona has a future top 4 guy right there. Crisp passing, very heads up plays and smooth skating. I'm hoping he doesn't spend too much of his career in the desert.

I'm a huge Rossi fan, and I get that Austria is very overwhelmed, but I was hoping he'd stand out more this tournament. He's played hard but he looks a step behind the play instead of 3 steps ahead like his previous 2 seasons.

That Austrian goalie has looked really good. He's faced over 130 shots in 2 games! He might play himself into a late round draft selection this season.

I made a few comments last season about Stutzle's puck protection ability reminding me a bit of Peter Forsberg. This tournament he's cementing that thought in my head after watching him take runs at guys as well. As much as I like Raymond I wish that Detroit had him instead. That guy is going to be something special to watch in Ottawa for the next 3 to 5 years before he needs to get paid. Then after that he's hopefully a Red Wing. :thumbu:

Florian Elias is also looking pretty good for Germany. Quick, shifty, good puck skills, hard working, and also a product of Mannheim. He's another guy that's looking like he could be an overager picked in a late round this year.
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Yeah, Soderblom looks dominant out there. I'm pretty excited about him as well, he looks like he could legitimately make the NHL, and chip in offensively. Looks like he could be a solid net front guy on the PP. I'd love to see him play against men because he is on a different level physically than the players at this tournament, so it's a bit hard to project how good he eventually will be.
 
OgeeOgelthorpe said:
Don't you bring that evil here. We all know that Michael Rasmussen looks like a more skilled Brian Boyle.

Soderblom looks like a taller JVR.
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Lol...I mean the guy played 805 NHL games, so he was doing something right. For a 6th round pick, you're lucky to get any NHL games, so if Soderblom at the end of the day has a career like Boyle, I think that's a massive success for a 6th rounder. I do get your point though, he's a lot "smoother" and better with the puck than Boyle. I'm going to have realistic expectations for Soderblom though, and I'd like to see him have success against bigger/stronger/faster competiton. The games against Russia and the US will be a good measuring stick.
 
RedWingzz said:
Lol...I mean the guy played 805 NHL games, so he was doing something right. For a 6th round pick, you're lucky to get any NHL games, so if Soderblom at the end of the day has a career like Boyle, I think that's a massive success for a 6th rounder. I do get your point though, he's a lot "smoother" and better with the puck than Boyle. I'm going to have realistic expectations for Soderblom though, and I'd like to see him have success against bigger/stronger/faster competiton. The games against Russia and the US will be a good measuring stick.
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I'm anxiously awaiting the moment I can spam @MBH with a gif of Soderblom driving the net while dragging Kleven and Sanderson behind him.
 
Santeri Hatakka has impressed me. Last year he was pretty unnoticeable, but now that they stapled him to Heinola I have liked seeing him alot and his game has really improved.
 
Soderblom looks ok, but he looks nowhere near as dominant as another giant, Jordan Greenway, did in his WJC. Soderblom has the reach, but nowhere near the strength.
 
So far Stutzle and Zegras eye test wise seem like the two best players imo. Everytime they get the puck they make something happen.

It's still way too early in the tournament for this thread imo.
 
Statsy said:
Peterka? He’s been awesome!
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Yes, he has five points. Although, it has a lot of to do with playing alongside Stutzle. Peterka himself is kinda invisible on the ice. I expected higher contribution by him. If he wants to be a differential player, he has to create more chances and be more dangerous around the net.
 
stastny12 said:
Yes, he has five points. Although, it has a lot of to do with playing alongside Stutzle. Peterka himself is kinda invisible on the ice. I expected higher contribution by him. If he wants to be a differential player, he has to create more chances and be more dangerous around the net.
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I 100% disagree with this assessment, and I will point out that many of Peterka's points have come on plays not involving Stuetzle. I find him quite noticeable, though the one thing that this forum has proven to me is that player assessment is an "eye of the beholder" type of thing. :laugh:
 
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