Player Discussion Tyler Kleven (D) at 44th Overall (Sens traded up)

[Buck Nasty]

Or with his old UND buddy JBD getting top 4 minutes after Lassi graduates.

Works as well

 

[Bileur]

Sanderson hasn't been around much this year ... hes missed 1/3 of the games... he's got most of that role... Time to start battling against pro bodies.

Plus he can play twice the games against men with an excellent developmental program between games.

I get that POV and if the objective were to fast track him into a bottom pair NHL role, the AHL would be the best option. I’m curious to see if the Sens can milk more out of him and maybe make him a complementary top 4 guy.

For that to happen, he needs to improve his transition game and offensive game. He has five assists in two seasons and his offensive production (per game) went down this year. To improve he needs the puck on his stick in an environment he’s comfortable in.

Moving up to the AHL he’d be worrying about adapting his game to the next level, being asked to back up his hits by fighting AHL goons, and likely being deployed in a limited defensive role much like he was in his first year at UND and at the WJHC. Getting his toes wet while Sanderson is away is a great step but it’s still temporary, holding the fort until Jake gets back. Having much greater responsibility on his shoulders will push him to improve IMO.

 

[Cosmix]

Well he made the USA wjc roster. Seen a poster on the USA roster thread who follows it more closely list Kleven as a likely 2nd pairing guy (Sanderson-Hughes is the top pair). A nice surprise, didn’t realize he was doing that well.

No sign of Sillinger!

 

[Sweatred]

I don’t know the roster well or who they are recruiting … but UND feels thin for next season.

They lost out on the dynamic freshman forward who went elsewhere last year … good time for Klevin to move to the pro game.

 

[jake1]

This is the down year for UND. They should be better next year. Most of the guys up front should be back, and they add a couple top scorers from the USHL. Obviously Sanderson will be a huge loss, but six D return, pending Kleven.

 

[aragorn]

I get that POV and if the objective were to fast track him into a bottom pair NHL role, the AHL would be the best option. I’m curious to see if the Sens can milk more out of him and maybe make him a complementary top 4 guy.

For that to happen, he needs to improve his transition game and offensive game. He has five assists in two seasons and his offensive production (per game) went down this year. To improve he needs the puck on his stick in an environment he’s comfortable in.

Moving up to the AHL he’d be worrying about adapting his game to the next level, being asked to back up his hits by fighting AHL goons, and likely being deployed in a limited defensive role much like he was in his first year at UND and at the WJHC. Getting his toes wet while Sanderson is away is a great step but it’s still temporary, holding the fort until Jake gets back. Having much greater responsibility on his shoulders will push him to improve IMO.

Given that Kleven is a left shot & the Sens already have Chabot & most agree that Sanderson will eventually be the #2 LD that leaves the 3rd LD spot for Kleven once he becomes NHL ready. I think he is getting second pairing time with Sanderson gone for so long from UND. But unless there are injuries here to either Chabot or Sanderson once he is on the team he should be on a 3rd pairing.

I think he could be a very good 3rd pairing LD, my guess is that he could be a better version & combination of Holden/J. Brown. He could be very good defensively, tough & hard hitting & could drop the gloves when needed. He skates well enough to join the rush & has a decent shot from the point. He can fill in higher up in the lineup when required & play a solid defensive game. Who his future RD partner will be will also be interesting since there seems to be a few contenders but IMO the future left side is set. What do you think?

 

[Ice-Tray]

Given that Kleven is a left shot & the Sens already have Chabot & most agree that Sanderson will eventually be the #2 LD that leaves the 3rd LD spot for Kleven once he becomes NHL ready. I think he is getting second pairing time with Sanderson gone for so long from UND. But unless there are injuries here to either Chabot or Sanderson once he is on the team he should be on a 3rd pairing.

I think he could be a very good 3rd pairing LD, my guess is that he could be a better version & combination of Holden/J. Brown. He could be very good defensively, tough & hard hitting & could drop the gloves when needed. He skates well enough to join the rush & has a decent shot from the point. He can fill in higher up in the lineup when required & play a solid defensive game. Who his future RD partner will be will also be interesting since there seems to be a few contenders but IMO the future left side is set. What do you think?

Berry said that they have been grooming Kleven to play both sides all year so that he is more versatile when he reaches the NHL. Kleven also apparently has an insane slap shot.

 

[aragorn]

Berry said that they have been grooming Kleven to play both sides all year so that he is more versatile when he reaches the NHL. Kleven also apparently has an insane slap shot.

Check out the Rookie Tournament Team I put together for this fall if everyone ends up turning pro & coming to camp, it's in the prospects thread. There are so many potentially good players coming who could play. It's near the bottom of page 56.

 

[Bileur]

Given that Kleven is a left shot & the Sens already have Chabot & most agree that Sanderson will eventually be the #2 LD that leaves the 3rd LD spot for Kleven once he becomes NHL ready. I think he is getting second pairing time with Sanderson gone for so long from UND. But unless there are injuries here to either Chabot or Sanderson once he is on the team he should be on a 3rd pairing.

I think he could be a very good 3rd pairing LD, my guess is that he could be a better version & combination of Holden/J. Brown. He could be very good defensively, tough & hard hitting & could drop the gloves when needed. He skates well enough to join the rush & has a decent shot from the point. He can fill in higher up in the lineup when required & play a solid defensive game. Who his future RD partner will be will also be interesting since there seems to be a few contenders but IMO the future left side is set. What do you think?

I agree that he’s a natural fit in that bottom pair 3LD spot, however IIRC I’ve heard interviews with his current coach at UND Brad Barry where he was explaining that Kleven needed to develop versatility to play different roles and positions. Essentially if he can play more than one role on a team, it makes it harder for a team to keep him off it.

Last season that translated to deployment at RD as well as LD. If he can make a successful transition to RD that would add tremendous value. I’m confident Barry will give him opportunities to keep developing his arsenal of skills and help him make himself more useful to the Sens whether that means additional positional versatility or additional puck skills.

Having a reliable bottom pair guy is nice, but having a guy who can handle bigger minutes in case of injury, or even better having a guy with added versatility who can play with Chabot or Sanderson would be unreal. Heck even just having a third pairing guy who isn’t dependant on his d partner to make a good pass out of the zone would be huge.

Personally I see him having another year in college, then probably s full season in the AHL before making the NHL in 24’-25’. Making the NHL in his D+5 is very reasonable for a second round defenseman.

 

[jake1]

I've seen most of his college games. The reason I think he's a ways away is not what you'd expect. I think he needs to get a lot stronger. He can definitely hit, but tonight, for instance, against a big tough old team in Western Michigan, he got pushed around on the boards quite a bit. His hands and feet and game are all coming along, but he needs to add muscle and mass.

 

[Samsquanch]

I've seen most of his college games. The reason I think he's a ways away is not what you'd expect. I think he needs to get a lot stronger. He can definitely hit, but tonight, for instance, against a big tough old team in Western Michigan, he got pushed around on the boards quite a bit. His hands and feet and game are all coming along, but he needs to add muscle and mass.

While I wont disagree that any 20yr old Dman needs more muscle and strength, with all due respect Ill wholeheartedly disagree that his physicality is going to be the main thing to hold him back.

Hes a work in progress in almost every way, no doubt about it. But if this kid makes the NHL ahead of schedule at any point its going to be due to the fact that hes aggressive and able to battle in the hard areas. Strength and intensity is what he relies most on to define his role, at least at first.

I would guess that by this time next season Kleven will likely be physically strong enough to be an NHLer - but doubt that the rest of his game will be at the level we need it to be yet.

 

[playasRus]

Is it too much to ask for a 18+ min defenseman that makes it challenging for the other team to get grade A scoring chances, and can retrieve and make a break out pass, out of a 2nd pick?

 

[Ice-Tray]

I think if Kleven is offered an NHL contract he should take it and never look back.

The close loss and the return for unfinished business at UND is over, the best guys he’s been playing with are gone, as will his fellow Sens UND prospects.

He can learn a lot playing top minutes in Belleville against men, playing a full NHL schedule in a league that has a practice structure and is the best development league out there.

That’s no slight to UND and everything he can learn there, I just think that at the point the AHL could offer him the next step, as well as a chance to start integrating into the team and playing with the rest of the top prospects.

 

[NHL Dude 120]

Berry: Unlike Sanderson, there's "good indication" Kleven returns to UND

UND head coach Dave Berry on the season at North Dakota, what will make Sanderson successful in the NHL, his injury, playing the left or right side and Tyler Kleven.

www.tsn.ca

Although I saw on twitter Dorion is trying to persuade Kleven to join the sens. I do think it's better he spends another year in UND so he can be more versatile and offer us more value.

 

[Sting]

I imagine Pierre is more worried about the state of Belleville's team and potentially losing Kleven to free agency versus his development right now.

 

[BondraTime]

Kleven was always more likely to be going back to UND, he’s not a usual 2 and out guy. Going back for his 3rd year was always the most likely outcome.

It would be very out of the ordinary for him to leave after 2, the only guys we’ve signed after 2 were sure fire NHL guys in Pinto, White, and Sanderson.

He’s not a Pinto/Sanderson/White type prospect who will be signed to get NHL games and development right away. He’s not even a JBD type.

He’s a Crookshank/Dzingel/McCormick/Wolanin type prospect who will get more development time in the NCAA before signing on as a pro at the end of his Junior season.

Kleven will go back. have a big development year as a 20 year old on the top pair, and will sign as soon as the Sioux are eliminated. He’ll get his game(s) in the NHL at the end of the season, and will go from there.

 

[Korpse]

I imagine Pierre is more worried about the state of Belleville's team and potentially losing Kleven to free agency versus his development right now.

I don't think the bolded is a worry at all.

 

[God Says No]

I don't think the bolded is a worry at all.

Yeah, that is close to 0 chance of that happening.

I've always been saying the best for Kleven is to stay another year and then most likely a year or two in the AHL. He's a long-term project. Opposed what @aragorn and @Ice-hole were saying.

 

[SlapJack]

There's a lot of benefit for Kleven to go to Belleville. More games, better competition, pro coaching, etc. And besides, if he was in the CHL right now there wouldn't even be this debate. It would be the opposite where we'd be thinking he wasn't progressing well to stick around in junior as an overager.

From Kleven's perspective, staying in university is more a personal choice. Does he want to be top dog on campus with college girls or live in Belleville?

 

[BondraTime]

There's a lot of benefit for Kleven to go to Belleville. More games, better competition, pro coaching, etc. And besides, if he was in the CHL right now there wouldn't even be this debate. It would be the opposite where we'd be thinking he wasn't progressing well to stick around in junior as an overager.

From Kleven's perspective, staying in university is more a personal choice. Does he want to be top dog on campus with college girls or live in Belleville?

That’s because Junior and NCAA are completely different. He’ll still be average/under average age in the NCAA compared to the oldest in the CHL. Playing in the NCAA at 20 is commonplace development for NHL prospects, both JBD and Pinto just did the same.

3rd season as a 20 year old against 24-18 year olds is way different than 5th season as a 20 year old against 16-20 year olds.

 

[BondraTime]

edit

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

There's a lot of benefit for Kleven to go to Belleville. More games, better competition, pro coaching, etc. And besides, if he was in the CHL right now there wouldn't even be this debate. It would be the opposite where we'd be thinking he wasn't progressing well to stick around in junior as an overager.

From Kleven's perspective, staying in university is more a personal choice. Does he want to be top dog on campus with college girls or live in Belleville?

I think this is overly simplistic, especially the last part (in addition to what's already been pointed out).

This might be the last opportunity of his competitive career to be a top player & to be relied on as an all-around impact player. I think there is a lot of value in that, especially since he is far from too good for the league.

 

[SlapJack]

That’s because Junior and NCAA are completely different. He’ll still be average/under average age in the NCAA compared to the oldest in the CHL. Playing in the NCAA at 20 is commonplace development for NHL prospects, both JBD and Pinto just did the same.

3rd season as a 20 year old against 24-18 year olds is way different than 5th season as a 20 year old against 16-20 year olds.

Yes but he's actually further along in his development than a player going to the AHL from junior at 20 since he's already playing against older competition.

At this point, if the pro team has him under their wing, everything he learns will be to become the best NHLer he can be. Back at UND they'll still want him to do what it takes for that team to win, and not necessarily what's best for his development.

 

[BondraTime]

Yes but he's actually further along in his development than a player going to the AHL from junior at 20 since he's already playing against older competition.

At this point, if the pro team has him under their wing, everything he learns will be to become the best NHLer he can be. Back at UND they'll still want him to do what it takes for that team to win, and not necessarily what's best for his development.

A player who has been in the CHL for 4 years has much, much, much less to benefit from a 5th and overage 20 year old season compared to a player who has been in the NCAA (in bottom and mid pairing roles) for 2 seasons.

Kleven definitely isn’t further along in his development than most 02’ CHLers drafted in 2020, especially those drafted in the first 3 rounds.

 

[Johnny Hanson]

If I look at it objectively, it makes sense to go back for his junior year. I just can’t wait to see how his game translates to the pros. I watch most of the Belleville games so I was hoping he’d join them for the rest of the year to see if his game translates. Oh well, what’s another year eh