World Junior Thread II

[A1LeafNation]

The selections are usually always pretty dumb tbh. Raymond didn't get top 3 either for Sweden. And Askarov looked like a sieve today.

The should have played our goalie

 

[Racer88]

Nice game by the boys

 

[Nineteen67]

Disagree. Byram and Drysdale sure looked good though.

Go back and watch. He played well. Made a couple of really nice plays getting the puck out with perfect passes and played a few one on ones really well.

 

[stickty111]

Down only because you scratched for 2 games.
A couple years is accurate.

 

[Twine Tickler]

I only wanted Schneider because there’s no one like him in the system.
It doesn’t matter.

You don’t address positional needs through the draft. You draft best player available always. After all they are just assets. They can, and do get moved to address those needs

 

[Twine Tickler]

Podkolzin was their best player most nights.

Agreed. In my mind he was clearly the best player on the Russian squad this tournament. Every game. Amirov had a good tournament. Not sure how he was not a top 3 player, but it really doesn’t matter. Leafs got a very good prospect in amirov

 

[diehardleafsfan9878]

LETS GO FINLAND

 

[Canadian Finn]

destroy the Yanks
embarrass them (it doesn't take much)

 

[hotpaws]

You don’t address positional needs through the draft. You draft best player available always. After all they are just assets. They can, and do get moved to address those needs

BPA is subjective outside of maybe a few picks at the top of the draft and trading for your needs is easier said than done .

there was nothing wrong with the Amirov pick but we had 12 picks so you'd think the team could mix up the type of players we drafted a little especially since the 2 drafts previous were pretty much along the same lines

 

[Leafs at Knight]

 

[diehardleafsfan9878]

Lundell is good but would benefit more if he could gain separation speed. Maybe Barkov can help with that.

 

[Nineteen67]

destroy the Yanks
embarrass them (it doesn't take much)

Fortunately they’re not all Yankees anymore.

 

[Nineteen67]

Whooo.

 

[Twine Tickler]

BPA is subjective outside of maybe a few picks at the top of the draft and trading for your needs is easier said than done .

there was nothing wrong with the Amirov pick but we had 12 picks so you'd think the team could mix up the type of players we drafted a little especially since the 2 drafts previous were pretty much along the same lines

I am saying leafs management took who they thought was BPA. Which Is the right strategy. If they felt Schneider would be the better NHL player they would have taken him. Schneider is 2+ years away from making any sort of impact in any lineup. for all we know RHD may not be a need for the leafs in 2 years time with trades, free agency, and development of our existing prospects.

 

[Fogelhund]

Niemala is so shifty at shaking off forecheckers. Just one move and he loses them and the puck is out of the zone.

Nice goal by Finland.

 

[Nineteen67]

Canada may even score PP goal against the US.

 

[ponder]

Continue to really like Niemela. IMO he’s our #4 prospect, after Sandin/Robertson/Amirov, and ahead of Liljegren.

Hirvonen is very good at this level, but as a small winger without elite skill or speed, he’s definitely a long shot. And Kokkonen, solid reliable player, but don’t know that he has NHL talent.

Niemela, though, I can see being a quality 2nd pair D. Very high IQ, terrific on breakouts, good skater and puck handler.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Niemela was on for that full PP

 

[diehardleafsfan9878]

Continue to really like Niemela. IMO he’s our #4 prospect, after Sandin/Robertson/Amirov, and ahead of Liljegren.

Hirvonen is very good at this level, but as a small winger without elite skill or speed, he’s definitely a long shot. And Kokkonen, solid reliable player, but don’t know that he has NHL talent.

Niemela, though, I can see being a quality 2nd pair D. Very high IQ, terrific on breakouts, good skater and puck handler.

Kokkonens NHL impact will be the same impact he is having in this tournament. And if the offense ever shows up, like the advanced stats say it should.

 

[stickty111]

Niemela had a solid period. Broke up a couples in transition and broke out the puck well. He's clearly somewhere in the top 6 or 7 behind Liljegren who is on track to be a solid top 4 d man, Sandin, Robertson, Amirov and maybe Abramov.
Niemela's is pretty much like Liljegren and Sandin. High IQ, moves the puck well, and offensive awareness.

 

[stickty111]

Finland had a really good period and the much better team.

 

[4thline]

Is it to much to ask for Larionov to try something new and throw out
Amirov-Abramov-Afanaseyev as a 2nd line? That 1st unit has zero chemistry

 

[Maplebeasts]

Niemela had a solid period. Broke up a couples in transition and broke out the puck well. He's clearly somewhere in the top 6 or 7 behind Liljegren who is on track to be a solid top 4 d man, Sandin, Robertson, Amirov and maybe Abramov.
Niemela's is pretty much like Lilegren and Sandin. High IQ, moves the puck well, and offensive awareness.

I have him at #6 behind Sandin/Liljegren, Robertson, Amirov and Abramov.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

You don’t address positional needs through the draft. You draft best player available always. After all they are just assets. They can, and do get moved to address those needs

What do you think the Askarov pick was if it was not a positional pick. They happen when its very hard to find the difference. BPA is predominantly the way it goes. Schneider was as good as anyone from our pick on

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Haha