World Junior Thread II

[Leafs at Knight]

2019 - 15th overall = 3 points
2020 - 15th overall = 6 points

 

[Morgs]

Is it good to be tied for third in shots? Poor Roni and his 0% sh%

 

[LeafChief]

Is it good to be tied for third in shots? Poor Roni and his 0% sh%

It's unfortunate because he could easily have a few. Off the top of my head he missed the back door tap-in from Heinola and was robbed on the PP with the cross crease pass where he kind of shot it into the goalies pad instead of the open net.

It'll come.

 

[RoadWarrior]

I haven’t been impressed with Hirvonen at all. He’s just nothing special, I’m basing this on everything about him not just this tournament. There are hundreds of prospects just like him.

Hirvonen has good vision but struggles to finish and loses his fair share of puck battles. I’m not seeing a NHL player either.

Niemela however is silky smooth out there and rarely makes a bad play. He’s usually the smartest player on the ice. No doubt he’s an NHL player. He just needs to get stronger.

 

[stickty111]

Wheeler had Amirov and Niemela as 2 of his 17 standouts from group play. Here is his report on each from the Athletic.


Rodion Amirov, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs (Russia)
Amirov closed group play with six points in four games (two goals, four assists) to lead Russia. And the numbers line up with how he has looked. He’s Russia’s most elusive offensive creator, regularly making one-on-one plays to draw defenders into him so that he can make plays through them. He makes defenders miss and can fool goalies with his hands, pulling them out of position. On a team that mostly excels relying on its size and physicality (the Russians are easily the most physical team in the tournament), Amirov has dictated play with the puck on his stick, spinning off checks without stopping and starting or making plays in a series of fluid motions. He has also impressed off the puck, lifting back possession on steals.

Topi Niemelä, RHD, Toronto Maple Leafs (Finland)
It’s been a bit of a coming-out party for Niemelä so far. He has looked effortless at the top of Finland’s second power-play unit (both as a facilitator and with his ability to get pucks through traffic to the net with a shot that’s not particularly powerful) and detailed and smooth at even strength. He doesn’t often attack deep into the offensive zone, but he’ll take the 20 feet in front of the blue line to get into better spots. I’ve been particularly impressed by his footwork with and without the puck. He opens one foot and does a good job pushing with the other to adjust across the blue line with it, and moves well laterally to stay disruptive without it.

 

[horner]

I've been saying Ehlers since pre-draft. His skating style reminds me more of Will, but the way Amirov plays is essentially Ehlers 2.0. I'm just guessing not enough people have watched Ehlers enough.

Ehlers I agree with

 

[horner]

Hirvonen has good vision but struggles to finish and loses his fair share of puck battles. I’m not seeing a NHL player either.

Niemela however is silky smooth out there and rarely makes a bad play. He’s usually the smartest player on the ice. No doubt he’s an NHL player. He just needs to get stronger.

Comparing our prospects
Niemela is a grade above Sandin

Love sand in as a leaf prospect

 

[Nineteen67]

Would love to see that game and watch Canada destroy US. Would love nothing more for someone like Byfield or Halloway to run over Caufield

I think Canada would win.

 

[Nineteen67]

Comparing our prospects
Niemela is a grade above Sandin

Love sand in as a leaf prospect

As of now, or in the future?

 

[hullsy47]

Ehlers I agree with

I'd take Ehlers

 

[weems]

 

[Borschevsky]

One game suspension for Abramov

 

[TheDoldrums]

One game suspension for Abramov

Tired of Dubas drafting goons smh

In all seriousness he obviously has to be smarter, but I don't mind that both he and Hirvonen have shown a bit of an edge this tournament.

 

[Fogelhund]

Amirov getting another goal disallowed?

Yup. Amirov with a now tournament leading, two disallowed goals in four games. He’s pacing at 0.5 dgpg

. Please disregard. Apparently this is yesterday’s game I’m watching. Maybe time to go back to bed. Happy New Years all.

 

[Nineteen67]

One game suspension for Abramov

For the slew foot? Was it Bobby Mac that said he might on the broadcast the other night.

 

[stickty111]

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

this is pretty interesting. When you look at kokkonen’s stat profile vs niemela in liiga they tell a similar story. Consistent players even on a small sample.

after writing that post though i guess it doesn’t seem very interesting at all.

 

[weems]

2019 - 15th overall = 3 points
2020 - 15th overall = 6 points

 

[Wafflewhipper]

The coach must have told Team Canada to ease up and play positionally with less forcheck in that third period. Boy that team can buzz around when they want to. Finland looked out matched and that was a surprise.
I’m not sure any team this year has a answer for Canada ifthey continue to get that kind of energy from all four lines.
That was a hockey clinic

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Kokkonen and Niemela playing together on the 2nd pair today.

 

[crump]

Sucks that Abramov is suspended.
Mikhail Abramov suspended one game at World Junior Championships

Might be hard to get back in the lineup if they win today.

 

[Fonzieleaf]

This won’t be an easy task for the Russians today. Stutzle and Peterka have been dynamite for Germany.

 

[Confucius]

This has to be the best day of the year, 4 games back to back to back to back. Ok so its only Jan. 2nd. lol! Still a great day coming up.

 

[Confucius]

Sucks that Abramov is suspended.
Mikhail Abramov suspended one game at World Junior Championships

Might be hard to get back in the lineup if they win today.

It will be harder if they lose.

 

[jonu]

Kokkonen and Niemelä paired for todays game against Sweden