Speaker 1: Welcome to Fantasy Hockey Life, presented by fan Tracks.
Speaker 2: Here's shit Quesos, your source of information and analysis to
help you win your fantasy hockey league. Block off hats,
A step hit on, stay lock.
Speaker 1: Here's your hosts, Jesse sovi Here and Victor Nunyoe.
Speaker 3: Fantasy Hockey Live. Ketsey Severe with you, Victor Nuno with you.
We're always with you in spirit and now in voice. Victor,
how you doing today?
Speaker 1: I'm doing awesome, Jesse. I am for everyone watching at home,
which is no one. I'm dressed in my full forty
nine Ers gear, which you will all know the outcome.
It will be heartbreak for me or it'll be elation
one or the other. But you know me. I'm a
huge Niners fan when they're good and when it's.
Speaker 3: Topical theoretically, Victor, because I gotta get this dang thing
turned around. People may not know by the time they
listen to this unless the forty nine Ers are down
like twenty eight points, and we know the Packers that
being up eighteen points that mean an anything these days.
Speaker 1: So yeah, I don't know if I was that team.
I don't know if my heart could could take the
drama that happened with Chicago and Green Bay. It was
funny because I was traveling when that was happening, and
I kept in the airport and different restaurants. I couldn't
really watch the game, but I could peak at the score,
and I just was in shock at how bad the
Bears were doing. And then when I got back, when
I got to SFO and I saw the score and
I thought, what the heck happened here? It didn't seem possible.
But yeah, that was pretty crazy.
Speaker 3: Oh my gosh. Yeah, they were good times. Yeah, Victor,
it is more World Junior's time. But first, I think
there's some things you need to tell the people about.
Speaker 1: That's right. We have another exciting giveaway we have. Dabber
Hockey has hooked us up with copies of the Midseason Guide,
something that I actually contributed to. You will see some
of my takes on some of the prospects I think
I did I can't even remember now, six or seven
teams and talked about the top prospects and where what
you can expect from the rest the season. But there's
a whole lot of other goodies in there, and we're
giving mid season Guides away to our loyal listeners thanks
to Dabber. All you have to do to enter leave
a five star review on the podcast aggregator of your choice,
take a screenshot, make sure it shows your name and
who you are, and then send it to me Victor
at email. You can send it that way Fantasyhockeylife at
gmail dot com, or you can DM it to me
on ex, Twitter or Discord. That's all you gotta do,
and we will give these away until our supplies run out.
And it's the best fantasy hockey resource out there. It's
a great way to figure out how to win the
rest of your season, rest of your pool. And huge
thanks to Dauber for being able to do that for us,
and good luck to have one who enters.
Speaker 3: Some of you may wonder, why is it that you
need a snapshot? Why don't you just go in and
verify that I did it that way. There's a couple
of things want to miss. Some of you all have
weird usernames, so there's no way we'd ever know unless
you send it to us and then we'll take your
word for it. And the other is we don't see
the reviews from other countries, and I bring that up.
Victor because I got a report of our listening statistics today.
Guess what country is number one right now in our
listenership for the last week.
Speaker 1: I did actually glance at this, but I don't remember.
He's actually an honest guest. Probably let me just randomly
guess Sweden.
Speaker 3: Victor, it is Japan.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 3: I have to think that's some kind of a fluke.
But Spreaker pays this either way. So however that happened,
Suddenly these Japanese accounts started liking all my post on
Blue Sky, and then the next thing, you know, we
got a million Japanese listeners. I don't know what you did, Victor,
but you have turned on the entire nation of Japan.
I'm sure it was you.
Speaker 1: I don't know. Did you hear your Japanese just there?
I'm assuming it's Japanese because I have no idea.
Speaker 3: That was Japanese, Victor. That's the first time in five
years I've had a chance to use it. Yeah, man,
thank you whoever's listening, because we appreciate that, and if
that is actually a real thing, we'd love to hear
from some of you. You can even write in Japanese.
I'll find a way, Okay, it's time to get into
some World junior's time. I'd like to welcome to the
show today. I guess Jordan Harris, who's a co director
of scouting Dabber Prospects. We're here to talk about the
World Juniors. Jordan, how you doing today?
Speaker 4: I'm not too bad, guys, happy to be on and
always happy to talk about World Juniors and hockey prospects,
this hockey in general.
Speaker 3: It's quite a tournament. I will admit I'm only one
stayed over from Minnesota, but I didn't make it over there.
Everybody else apparently didn't make it over there. But yeah, no,
it was a fun tournament to watch on TV. At least,
I think this is going to be a great discussion.
And so we're going to go through some names for
everybody listening out there, and I will do a little
introduction to maybe what's going on, and we're gonna get
Jordan's take, We're gonna get Vicker's take, and make it
through some of the players who you care about in
fantasy hockey who might have been playing on TV the
last couple of weeks. And that starts with Evar Stenberg
of Sweden. Boy, he is the right now ten points
in seven games twenty five shots. In case you're living
under a rock, Sweden won the World Juniors in his
day job. He's an eighteen year old going to point
per game in the SHL.
Speaker 1: Not bad.
Speaker 3: I heard the buzz, especially in the fall of his
pushing to be the potential top pick in the twenty
twenty six draft. I don't think that's a reckless position
these days, because I heard a lot now. Certainly, I'm
looking forward to seeing the playmaking and scoring on an
NHL wing. I always liked those guys who end up
being wingers, unlike real NHL gms who want them all
to be centers. I want them all to be wingers
selfishly for fantasy. But how do you feel about Stenberg
after this tournament and what type of an NHL player
could we be looking at here?
Speaker 4: Jordan, Yeah, I feel good about Stenberg. I've been high
on him kind of since last year. When the Dapper
Prospects Hockey team met in December to go over our
midyear rankings. We ultimately ranked him second. However, it was
pretty split and we had basically what it came down
to was if both McKenna and Stenberg continue their trajectories.
Then the next time we rank, Stenberg would go one.
So I think or I have him personally at number one,
and in a tournament where I felt a lot of
the draft eligible players who are likely to go in
the top five and maybe push for that number one spot,
had moments where they were excellent at times and maybe
a little bit frustrating at other times. I think of
Chase Reed, Gavin McKenna. Stenberg met the moment and he
got better as the tournament went on. He saved his
best couple of games for the gold medal game. Like
he I think it's two goals and an assist or
something like that. He was everywhere. Honestly, he was so
good throughout the tournament, and like I said, his consistency
was excellent. In terms of a player, I compare him
to I see bits of our Temmy panerin in his game.
In terms of stylistic he's highly skilled. He can shoot,
he can also pass. What I think is really impressive
though with him, is that he's getting, like you mentioned,
point per game in the SAHL. He's not a big
guy like Leo Carlson played in the SAHL in his
draft season. He's a big guy and in Evar Stenberg
he's maybe five eleven six feet on eighty five. But
what he does really well in that league and especially
the World Juniors is puck. He protects the puck really well,
and he doesn't let his size hurt him. He bounces
off checks, or he's able to put his body in
a way to spin off or ultimately create separation in
terms of like I think stylistically he's Artemy Panair and
but in terms of recent Swedes who have gone in
the top five in from a point perspective there, I
have him between Leo Carlson and Lucas Raymond. Look at
both those guys are incredible. Obviously Leo's slowed down as
the season has gone on, but my god, he's only
in his thirty You're going to keep getting per second
or third year. He's only going to keep on getting better.
But yeah, Stenberg was the real deal in this tournament
and he's in my opinion, he's the top prospect right now.
Speaker 1: Picture Yeah, I agree with a lot of what you said, Jordan.
I think that one of the biggest things that I
think a lot of us were looking for in this
tournament was comparing the apples to apples. It was nice
to see some of these draft eligibles there and just
looking at Stenberg and I think you can ignore the
points because they both had great production. But away from
the puck, Stenberg is just so competitive. He's so engaged
all the time. And McKenna at times, like if he
didn't have the puck on his stick, or if he
wasn't engaged in the offensive play, he was pretty invisible,
which is what a lot of people have said about
him to this day, right, like you see the highlights
that it and it's incredible, Like there's no doubt he
has a skill, but he might be one of these
guys that frustrates his coaches, right because if you're out
there and you're not participating, you're getting scored on Stenberg,
that is not going to be the problem. And I
think that's a big reason why the Swedes won, Right
like him, and we'll talk about New York later, Like
a lot of their guys, they're just always engaged, they're
always they're hard to play against. And I know that
people are probably sitting here thinking that's great, but that
doesn't what does that mean for fantasy? It might mean
more opportunity. It might mean more responsibility, it might be
more time on ice, it might mean easier time to
get those opportunities. Now do I think that McKenna is
not going to get out those opportunities. Of course not,
that's crazy. He's going to get them, and in some
ways it might be easier because he is just focused
on the offensive part. But I think it depends on
what team he goes to and the coach in the situation.
There might be a little bit of a learning curve
or you need to play this kind of way, and
that is not going to be the case. I don't
think for ivr Stenberg and looking at some of the
you mentioned some really good comparables there. Just looking at
before the World Juniors, there was one analyst who had
him ranked number one. That was Tony Ferrari at the
Hockey News. I think when, as you mentioned, when the
next iteration of the consolidated ranks come out, I think
he's going to be number one. I don't think many
people are going to have mc still at number one.
In fact, everything I've been hearing is how far McKenna
is going to slide actually not just not be number one,
but is he going to be two three, four something
in that range. And but for fantasy, I think it's
interesting because you look at some of the some of
the models, and Stenberg has comparables right now of Henrik Sedine,
William Ecklin, Oliver Wallstrom, Daniel Brier, Eric Lindross. These are
like hockey prospecting and NHL ranking comparable. So there's a
big spectrum there, Like there's clearly an upside, but there's also,
as you mentioned, not the biggest guy, so there is
a little bit of the is he going to have
trouble with some of the heavier, more difficult North American
style wasn't so at the tournament, and he's not like tiny.
He's six foot pint eighty, but he's not the o'carlson size,
Like he's not going to be able to physically impose himself.
But yeah, I was super impressed with just all aspects
of his game, and frankly I thought Elle who won
the top four there, I thought he was good, But
frankly I thought the other draft aliable swedes actually outshined him.
I thought they were better and more important situations of
the game, not just the scoring. So I was super
impressed with Stenberg, and I think that, yeah, we might
be talking about him as the poll holding the poll
the rest of the way here.
Speaker 3: One of those Swedes who shone brightly at the tournament
was Vigo Bjork. He put up nine points in ten
games and is sizzling in his stock right now. He's
an undersized seventeen year old forward who has not showed
out quite as much in the SHL as his Stenberg,
but a few seventeen year olds ever do. And did
the public rankings have him middle of the first round,
maybe second half of the first round. It's that roughly accurate.
And what do you think of this guy's game now
that you've seen him in the World juniors.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think that's generally pretty accurate. I know at
Dauber Prospects we ended up putting him inside of our
top ten. We did want to recognize his body of
work over the last couple of years and just how
incredible he has been. But we obviously recognize that NHL
draft boards are likely to look different than ours. Most
people have him in the teams for the reasons you
mentioned five but ten one hundred and seventy two pounds
center skates well enough, but not maybe as good as
you'd want at five to ten, And there aren't many
players who play center at five ten, one seventy two
who aren't great skaters. Obviously there has been some, but
they improve their skating dramatically. I think a Braiden point.
But I also don't like saying that about a prospect
because I feel every year everyone says there's a rating
point or two of them in the draft, and that's
just not true. However, though, how he play in this
tournament was excellent. I it was nice to see how
he'd play on the small ice, play up against some
of the teams that have more size, like in Canada,
the checks had a lot of size as well. He
was excellent. The guy, he's so incredibly smart. He's got
excellent skill. That line with line of Stenberg and Eddie
Enberg as well, they were excellent. Just I know you
mentioned Antone Frondel winning for the tournament. I think he
got look. I thought frond Dell was great too, but
I thought the other guys were a little bit better.
I think he probably benefited from having some of the
nicest goals that people remember, like those howitzers that came
off the right circle and just blew past the goalie.
But no looks at York. He was excellent. He looked
quicker than maybe I thought he was. So that's that's
a nod to him, and yeah, I'm happy to him.
I'm excited to see how he picks up the rest
of the season.
Speaker 1: Victor, what do you think of Vigo byork Well, I
remember when the initial Central Scouting rankings came out and
people were and they called them a B prospect and
people push him back on that a bit, and I
honestly hadn't watched him that much. I've seen some highlights,
looked at some of the what he had done and
think him, yeah, that's pretty impressive what he's doing. He's
in the SHL and not scoring a lot so some
of his clips, but what he did in this tournament
I think really just shone the light on him so brightly.
And Jordan said there were times that he was clearly
the best player on Team Sweden, not like necessarily the
whole tournament, but there were times you just think about
the overtime there and he was on the ice for
half the overtime, He had what four breakaways, and then
he also had the penalty shot. It's like, maybe the
only thing he needs to do is learn how to deeke,
because he shot on all five of them and didn't score.
But the fact that he was out there and he's
he has clearly the coaches trust. It's one of those
things I remember back to the whole the Michael Jordan
draft where they're all like looking at him, this rookie,
and it's like, why are they looking at him? Like
he was just cool as ice, And that's how Biorke was,
Like he clearly was not nervous, he was confident, he knew,
he trusted himself and his skill and his teammates, and
he was just awesome. And I think that no one
in this tournament raises stock more than York. I think
just based on unless maybe you're talking about some of
the guys that were maybe going to go in the
third or fourth round, but of the top prospects, I
don't think anyone raised their stock more than he did.
But the fact remains, as Jordan said, he is five',
Ten he is a little bit on the smaller, side
but he is just so smart with some of the
COMPS i heard thrown around for him are Like Marco,
rossi who is finally like coming around right like it's
taking a long. Time And i've always believed in him
because he's super, smart and B york is the same,
way probably a better skater and maybe a little bit more,
competitive but still has some of the size. Issues SO
i think some of the same things could be said
could be true for, him and it might depend a
lot on the situation where he. GOES i think the
situation In Minnesota fairossi for a long time wasn't, great
so we'll see what happens. Here BUT i just Think
byork is he's so smart and competitive and he's what
he showed in this tournament was it he is not
only is he not negatively affected by the, moment but
he rose to the. Occasion and really without, HIM i
don't Think sweden wins. Gold they just. Don't they had
a lot of good, players but he was like the
heart and soul that really helped push them over the.
Edge and some of those games were really tight and
they guys like him and he showed. Up not that
the other guys were, bad BUT i JUST i saw
more from him that was impressive in those key. Moments,
Right you need. Those you need your stars to show
up in key, moments and he did that almost more
than anyone. Else SO i was super. Impressed in terms of.
Fantasy is he going to be like your? Superstar probably.
NOT i definitely would Take stenburgh and some of the
other guys ahead of. Him BUT i think he's one
of these guys Whom michael little later it might get
a little, forgotten AND i think he's gonna be one
of the guys that you want to kind of champion
with one of your second round picks or later, picks
depending on how big your draft, is BECAUSE i think
he's gonna outperform what a lot of people think of
him in terms of his expectations is WHAT i. Think.
Speaker 3: Wow invoking The Michael jordan draft, PICTURE i love, it
AND i gotta say THAT i believe for, ONE i
for one am willing to go on a stand and
say That gavin McKenna will have a BETTER nhl career
Than Sam bouie had AN nba, career of, course famously
drafted ahead Of, jordan McKennon probably will go at or
near the top of the, draft and he had himself
a good. TOURNAMENT i, KNOW i came in and, SAID
i don't trust draft eligibles in the.
Speaker 4: World.
Speaker 3: JUNIOR i said that on this podcast a couple weeks,
ago UNLESS i delete all copies of that episode and
then nobody will ever. Know but fourteen points in seven
games is pretty good from the young. Man he showed.
Out he was the second leading scorer in the. Tournament
certainly a good data point after all we've heard for
months is that McKenna, Is, oh he's not doing as
much At Penn state as we, thought and it's not
like he was in previous. YEARS i don't know is
Obviously stenberg is showing, out he's blown up in a big.
Way but felt like McKenna did a lot at this
tournament to show his skill For Team canada and as a,
prospect does this gaudy point total match what you saw
in terms of Performance and where are you at on
McKenna right?
Speaker 4: Now? Jordan, Yeah so you feel silly at times saying
that someone who had two points a game over of
course seven of a seven game, tournament whatever it, was
you feel silly saying that you were left wanting a
little bit. More but that's what it is and or
what it was and what it always seems to be
this year with, McKenna he's he is still the most
talented player in the draft and probably like by quite
a bit. Too that being, said if you look at
where's production. Came it had a hat trick Against. Denmark,
okay two points Against. Latvia look At latvia is. Good
they Took canada, overtime but it's Still. LATVIA i mean
they also Beat canada last, year but still it was Still.
Latvia and then four points in the bronze medal. Game
AND i know it's a bronze medal, game but, no
if you no one cares about the bronze medal game,
Really AND i just look at some of the other,
games whether it's the semi final game against The. Czechs
you look at The New Year's eve game against The
finns that Bodwan lyn was playing like twenty minutes a
night Because Dale hunter trusted, them and you look at where's.
Mcmay it's the play away from the, puck as you guys,
mentioned is. Concerning it's not with you look at guys
Like Patrick kine or guys who are smaller wingers who
are offense, first and you're willing to accept a certain
level of indifference or weakness away from the puck because
what they give you in production and puck possession and
control and everything is just so, good and you might
and that's what you have to do with. McKenna that being, said,
though if you look at in THE nc DOUBLE a
is he? Blowing is that production so good that you
can look past the other? Issues it's not this, year
and in some of the bigger moments in this tournament
it was the production wasn't good. Enough and so then
you start to look. Out if he's not producing and
and he's just doing a drive by and a little
bit of a swing of a stick to at guy
who's carrying the puck just and that's his way of playing,
defense you have to start to, think, okay if he
isn't a ninety plus point, player and he's more of
a sixty to seventy point, player but he's really weak
defensively and away from the, puck and he doesn't compete
as well as he needs. To that's a big difference
between going first overall and maybe going eighth. Overall i'm
not saying he's going to go, eighth but that's what
that player would Be, Yeah LIKE i, mentioned, four like
fourteen points has nothing to sneeze, at and a lot
of his points were really nice looking to a high
degree of skill. Anticipation the hat Trick golie had Against
denmark where he just waited the goalie out and went
around and then got behind the net and just tucked
it like that was just. Incredible but, yeah look at
this and he starts to, Think, man when things really
get difficult and you don't have your a game or
you're in the, playoffs is he still going to be
able to? Shine AND i think there's a lot of
people who left who have been feeling maybe that he
won't by watching him this. Year so, yeah that's kind
of my take on The kenna.
Speaker 3: Victor how about, you gat.
Speaker 1: McKenna, YEAH i agree so much with. That when the
THING i think so much of us who are looking
for in this tournament is when push comes to, shove
when it gets, hard when the ice gets tight and
the checking gets, tight does he? Excel AND i think
the clear answer here was, no he did. Not he
had some amazing moments and he's super skilled with the.
PUCK i totally, agree and to, me it reminds me
a lot Of Patty. Kane would you Want patty can
or your fantasy? Team of, course no one's saying that
as long as he can get good enough, defensively or
if his offense is that good, offensively then none of
this other stuff is going to matter all that. Much
but the reality is that the trust from the coach
and a lot of these other issues might matter a
little bit and might make it hard for him to
translate all of. That and truly it is concerning that
he hasn't risen when the occasion has called for, It
and that's, concerning right some of THE i don't THINK
i think he's going to be a bus but some
of the busts who have flamed out are because of,
that because they've only produced in those low leverage situations
against inferior, opponents and they beat up and stack their.
Points now that hasn't entirely been true for. McKenna i'm
not trying to create that, narrative but it is a
little concerning that he hasn't done better when his team
has really needed him the, most and that's a little bit.
Concerning in the Recent journey article THAT i, WROTE i
still gave him a stock up BECAUSE i think he
had the fourth most points by a draft Eligible canadian
and world junior, history Behind, Badar, lindras And. Tavars that's
some pretty elite. Company it's nothing to sneeze, at but
it is against mostly against the weaker, opponents and that's
a little bit. Concerning AND i know the bronze medal
game it's. HARD i know you can say it doesn't.
MATTER i know it's hard to get up for, that
but the reality is that it was still good to see,
that even though it would have been nice to see
that in the semi finals a little bit. More but
the reality is that he is a draft eligible AND
i Think i'm a little bit of slack for maybe
not quite all the way there in terms of his
development and in terms of his two hundred foot, Game
LIKE i think some of that is going to. Come
AND i still think at this, point if you had
to do a fantasy, rank he's probably still number. ONE
i don't think anyone has more points upside than he,
does Even. STENBERG i think they're. SIMILAR i think in
many ways you might consider McKenna similar To bidard And
stenberg more similar To, celebrini and in that, situation it's
a little bit more. Interesting which one do you want
probably depends a little bit on the league and what
the context, is but THAT i think that while it
was a little disappointing and there was maybe a little
bit of him falling a little, BIT i still think
he's incredible and someone that you're gonna want on your,
team and maybe that helps. You if you get McKenna
at three or four in your fantasy, league you'll be.
Laughing you'll be, laughing AND i think you'll be very. Happy,
wow that's one.
Speaker 3: Possibility but what amazing thing it would be if he
fell in A Shane wright like. Way votech Chi has.
BOY i wish he could come To wisconsin because Chi
has would be a Great wisconsin. Name as far As i'm,
concerned he was a great check in this. Tournament couldn't
have done much more than he. Did, he Like connor,
McDavid was named THE mvp of the, tournament even though
he was on the losing. Side he is A king's,
prospect drafted at the end of round two last. Year
a decent, sized tough left. Winger forty eight hours after
getting a silver medal In, minnesota he racked up two
assists in HIS whl. Debut was Chi haas's tournament of
twelve points in seven? Games was this, legit that's difficulty
points when you do that for the. Checks by the,
way how good of a prospect is votech Chi?
Speaker 4: Haas, Yeah, so, look he had a good, tournament and
he actually had a lot of his points OR i
had to pop up. THERE a lot of his points
actually in the biggest. Moments so those two, here that
huge goal Versus canada in the semifinals and then the
empty netter to is, It and those are big. Moments
put up an assist in that kind of last minute,
goal and checks made it kind of something at the
end in the gold medal. GAME i don't. Like, look
it was an excellent tournament for. HIM i thought he
played well. Everywhere he scored nice, goals he scored the
hard work. GOALS i thought he. CHECKED i thought HE
i thought his play away from the puck was. Solid
at last year when we scouted, HIM i THINK i
had him in the late, second early, third AND i
felt the same, way like a well rounded. Player not
so sure he stands out in any. WAY i don't
think this tournament has raised his ceiling as to who
he could be in THE nhl from a fantasy points,
perspective BUT i do think that it raised his floor
a little bit AND i think it maybe raised the
probability that he makes the NHL's he was having a
good year in The Extra league there and now he
gets To now he's in THE, whl WHICH i love
when players come over, there they get more just more
ice time in. General and, Look colone is. Hosting he's With, colona,
CORRECT i think they're hosting The Immemorial. Cup they'll be
great for. Him but, yeah from, overall like a really good.
Turnnament LIKE i, said he produced when it mattered, most
and he was consistent throughout the, tournament and, YEAH i
think HE'LL i don't think that he's going to be
a sixty point player in THE, nhl BUT i think
his chance to make THE nhl have gone. Up so,
yeah a good tournament from, him, Though victor chi.
Speaker 1: Has, yeah, definitely this is someone WHO i definitely didn't
know a lot about until the. TOURNAMENT i think he
definitely rose the occasion, though AND i echo a lot
Of jordan said that goal Against canada was the individual
effort was incredible like the moment and everything attached to,
It give the Give canada full marks came back and tied.
It after, THAT i thought that was. IT i, thought oh,
boy that's the. Dagger but then he actually also put
the dagger with the empty, netter as you, mentioned so
the MOMENT i think him winning all of. That totally.
AGREE i think this is also one of those classic
situations where the perceived value of chea house right now
is higher than will ever. BE i don't. THINK i.
AGREE i don't think he's pin And chilli right now
is like, eighty which there's no way he's going to
be an eighty point. PLAYER i don't. Think so this
is the time to sell a player like this BECAUSE
i agree he probably will be like based on this
tournament and based on his trajectory stock up to be
a bottom sixer, maybe but is he going to be
a significant? Contributor probably, Not so sell. Them and maybe
you have some check fans in your league or someone
who likes this player and was really impressed by what they,
saw because, hey there is still a, chance BUT i
just don't think it's very. Likely and you could if
you could get a solid sixty to seventy point player
out of. IT i would do, that and this is
the time of year where you want to make those
moves because people have this fresh in their, mind and,
hey it was all pretty impressive and good for the good,
man for the young. Man but, YEAH i don't think
it's going to BE i don't think he's going to
be a star in THE.
Speaker 3: NHL i don't know if you'll find a check fan
in your, League. Victor But latvian fans their legion And
Albert schmidts is their man right. Now he is bowing
up in draft, rankings in draft, talk a big old.
Defenseman five points in five games For latvia and again
not debang On, lafia Because lafia has had some pretty
good moments these last couple of. Years but five points
in five games point per game For, lafia that is a.
Challenge only twelve goals were scored By lafia in those five,
games And smith's had a point on five of those.
Twelve he is one of the next big prospects in the,
draft some say the Best latvian prospects since Maybe Santis Oz.
Lynch Remember Santas. Oslinch i've watched Those avalanche teams back.
Then he's a big old d man playing north of
The baltic In liga right, now so he's over In.
Finland how Did smith's look to? You and how good
can this young man?
Speaker 4: Be? Yeah so it's like you, Mentioned latvia is a
much better team over the last couple of, years and
historically they belong in the tournament, absolutely AND i want
to make that. Clear that being, said they're generally still
not a good. Team there are a couple moments where
they are games where they just got absolutely. Crushed but
man to put up five points when they only score twelve.
GOALS i do need to put the. Qualifier AND i
believe every single one of his, points maybe except for,
one BUT i think everyone was on the power. Play
but still you don't see many draft eligible defensemen playing
on the team's power play one and, Producing so that that's.
Excellent he's been great this year he's been playing In.
Liga he loves real. Minutes this isn't a guy who
this isn't that seventh defenseman in THE khl who gets
thirty six seconds of ice time and when the game
is eight to one, Already, no he plays real top
four minutes In. Liga and he WAS i think he
was a leading point getter for as well in as.
Tournament he's, big he's, physical he moves very. Well he's
got a hard, shot he can make, plays can move.
PUCKS i think he HAD i think his time on
ice logs were something like twenty two to twenty, six twenty,
three twenty, two twenty one. Minutes like he was the
guy played a, Ton and when you're playing For, lavia
it means you're playing a. Ton you means you're playing
a lot in your own, end and those aren't the
most fun minutes to, play and you're probably eating a
lot of. Pucks but he did, it and he did
it with style as. WELL i think that he's going
to be rising right. Now At Dauber, prospects we have
an eleventh. OVERALL i personally thought that was too, low
but we do make sure that we get a majority
opinion on. Things i'm willing to say that next time
around we, rank he's going to be closer To he's
probably going to be closer to five than he is. Eleven, so,
yeah he was excellent in his, tournament and yeah he's
making a real push to climb in the.
Speaker 3: Draft, victor you said in the pre tournament period that
there were No lapians on the roster with no s's
in their. Name Albert smith's has. Three tell us what
you thought of him in the.
Speaker 1: Tournament, yeah none of the other players can have s's
in their names because love have them. All THAT'S i
just have the corner of the market on. Them, Yeah,
ALBERT i definitely agree with What jordan. Said it's interesting
you brought Up Santa Zozo lynch, too BECAUSE i remember
watching him growing up A sharks, fan AND i Think
Albert smiths could not be more different Than Santaso's. Lynch
LIKE i remember watching him and thinking every time he
was out, there someone was going to. Score he was
going to create something or get scored. On he was
just he was an agent of chaos and he was really,
good but not always the most sound responsible, defensively And
smith's is the opposite of. THAT i think he's just
he's very, steady he's very. STRONG i don't know that
he's the most dynamic. OFFENSIVELY i think he. Has he
certainly wasn't able to really show that in this, tournament
As jordan, said like they didn't really have a lot
of talent around. Him it was basically him and a
bunch of, guys and he at times try to do too,
much which is, fine get out there and show what
you can, do because you're not going to win most
likely many games, anyway so why not just show what
you can? Do and he can do a. LOT i
think it's really impressive what he's doing so, far and
that he's playing up in u create in The liga
and twelve points and thirty, games there is nothing to sneeze.
AT i have Our Fantasy Hockey life skater card up
and you can, see like his transition game In liga
is exceptional and for a draft eligible that's really. Impressive
he's also winning ninety six percent of his puck, battles
he's good on loosepuck, recovery he's play driving his bash
as seventy three. Percent like all this is incredible considering
he's playing in a men's league as a really young
as a, teenager and he's a little bit of an
older Teenager december. Second BUT i don't think you can
hold that against. Him it just helps him where he.
IS i think some people. SAID i heard someone, say
is he the next Most? Sider AND i was, LIKE
i don't know if he's like maybe in terms of
like from a less well known country and like super. Solid,
SURE i don't know if there's similarities beyond. THAT i
don't think he's as mean and nasty As cider has
shown himself to. Be he hits a fair, amount but
that's not necessarily his calling. CARD i just think he's
one of these super solid, guys and if you're drafting
in the five to ten, RANGE i think you might
be pretty happy With Albert smith's on your team BECAUSE
i think he's a guy who's clearly going to. PLAY
i just don't know if he has as much offense
as you might want for, fantasy but he'll be a
solid contributor and someone that in terms of if it's
a deep enough, DYNASTY i think you'll be super happy
With smith's if you're looking for a ton of, offense
that's a little.
Speaker 4: Bit.
Speaker 1: SO i think that's really just where the questions are
going to, come and we might not know until he
gets more opportunity. There but he's definitely going to play
in THE. NHL i don't think there's any question about. That.
Speaker 4: Victor IF i could quickly just add a couple of
more things Onto smith's is he's going to play a
lot of minutes in THE, nhl AND i don't know
if he's got the offensive upside to run a first
power play. Unit that being, said, though just by virtue
of playing as much as he, will he's going to get.
POINTS i look At Simon edvinson last. Year in his last,
year he didn't he might have played a total ten
minutes on the power playoff, season still put up thirty
five thirty six points or, so just because he played so.
Much and if you look at guys who do play a,
lot and if they play a lot when their team's,
leading you get a chance to be out there when
the other team has their goalie, polls you might get
a you might get an empty netter or an empty
net assist there as. Well AND i don't know if
for for folks who are in leagues where they value
hits and blocks and all the other, stuff getting a
guy who is probably going to rack up a bunch
of those in addition to putting up. Points it's just
a different flavor of defenseman than what you with The quinn.
Use but, yeah, no he's a good.
Speaker 1: Player all.
Speaker 3: Right let's take a brief break come.
Speaker 1: Back there's a.
Speaker 4: Weapon that you, know.
Speaker 2: Sockets and miss name on. It six point sea twenty
four shots that he put up a little seventy, games
another big piece of those silver medal.
Speaker 3: Checks he's a big old right. Shock the younger, brother
of course Of. David You're achek and a twenty twenty
four first round pick of The Saint Louis. Blues he
plays up with jac, O'Brien Caleb, malhotra And Jet luchenko
on the Powerhouse Branford bulldogs of THE. Ohl San louis's
blue line isn't getting younger right, now although they did
just Sign Philip robert for a. Bag Did adam your
check do anything in this tournament to, You jordan to
success that suggests that BIG nhl success is just.
Speaker 1: Ahead, YEAH i think he.
Speaker 4: Did AND i just want to Say Adam yrchek's been
a guy WHO i really liked him coming into his draft,
season but it's been very difficult to evaluate him since,
then or since the start of his draft. Season he
got injured IN i think much like his older brother.
DID i think they both had knee injuries at The
World juniors in their draft, seasons so he missed a
lot of. Games it was. Toughness it was tough to
get a good gauge on. HIM i think that's why he.
Fell then last year he comes over to THE. Ohl
there's a transition, there and then now he's on a
team that like they print, money basically they print. Points
they've got what five first rounders now and in addition
To Adam banak and Killed. Malcultra Obviously banak was not
a first, rounder but he's still a highly skilled. Named
malcultra will be a first rounder this. Year so It's
i've always struggled separating out what can he be Versus,
oh my, gosh there's so much hell on this. Team
he's just going to get a million points because everyone
else did or does as. Well so at this, TOURNAMENT
i think he really showed what he has and what
he can. Be that goal he scored against The fins
in the preliminary game was. UNBELIEVABLE i don't know why
he was all alone in the front of the net
there being a, defenseman but he, was and his teammate
hit him with the pass and he just went right
between the legs and roofed it. There did we get
a touchdown?
Speaker 1: There, Victor, no, sorry just a big. Play sorry it
looked like it might be for a, second but it.
Speaker 4: Was oh, no that's, funny but. No, look he showed
a high end offensive upside in the gold medal. Game
he rang one right off with the left post there
on a rocket of a. SHOT i thought he defended
pretty well at this. Tournament he's got, size he skates,
well he's got real two way. UPSIDE i don't think
he's as mean As, smiths's BUT i think he's got
more offense than, him and provided that things continued to
go well for, him He's he should be a guy
who plays a top a top four role on AN
nhl team and logs a bunch of, Minutes and given
what we saw at the, tournament he might be a
guy who can run a first power, play probably at
least a number two second. Units SO i think he's
got a lot of, potential AND i think that leagues
that value more than just. POINTS i think he'll be
a good pick up as, Well.
Speaker 3: Victor what should think Of Adam.
Speaker 1: EUROCHEK i hate to keep SAYING i agree With, jordan
but he knows what he's talking. About but the THING
i think that's most interesting About adam And i've been
a big Year check. FAN i think everyone knows that
both year, checks even Though david's struggling right. Now and
that goal, also as you, said was goal of the.
TOURNAMENT i think Before chi has did what he did
and the only thing that was more impressive was because
of the moment and the. Stakes but the Year check
goal was. INCREDIBLE i think the thing THAT i most
want to see fromhim BECAUSE i agree like he's everything
you said hard to evaluate from where he started in
Check ya to coming over in The ohl being. Injured
it was, LIKE i don't know what to make of this,
guy haven't really seen. Enough and then you saw what
he hit In branford the first part of the season
and was just Like branford's a. Wagon what DO i
make of? This he looks, Great everyone looks. Great the
whole freaking team looks like an all star. TEAM i
really wanted to see what he did in this, tournament
and it really impressed me what he did in the
non offensive, minutes like he was like their shutdown, Guy
like he really played tough. Minutes he blocked a ton of,
shots he gave up his. Body he, yeah he was
good offensively spoiler, ALERT i Think Tommy galvis was. BETTER
i don't think that's necessarily controversial at this. Point he
was really exceptional in that. Role BUT i think they
wanted to lean lean on Ear check a little bit
more for those all around minutes and those shutdown, minutes
and he did exactly what he needed to, DO i,
think to show to. EVERYONE i don't necessarily think this
was his, point but he showed a lot of PEOPLE
i can play in every. SITUATION i can play, up,
down trailing, LEADING i can shut, DOWN i can. Create
that's what impressed me the most about What ercheck did
is that he really solidified himself as more of an
all around, guy AND i think that really helped me,
help in my, eyes raise his stock BECAUSE i do
think he's one of those guys who should run a power.
Play but also it's always a question with those, guys,
right and they should run a power, play but are
they third pair top power, play because that's very different
from top pair top power. Play, right that's the minutes
and the situation and the points and everything is completely.
Different AND i don't know that he's top pair top power,
play BUT i think he's at least top, four as you,
said top power. Play at least he should get that,
opportunity AND i wasn't so sure about that before coming into,
this despite what he's done At, branford And i'm more,
convinced and it just seems like they're going to have
that opportunity for him soon In Saint, louis and so that's.
Exciting even though they have some other, OPTIONS i think that,
ultimately when he is, ready that will be. His and,
YEAH i was really impressed by. HIM i don't think
his offense is crazy, dynamic BUT i think he's one
of those guys that certainly deserves a shot to be the,
man AND i think the rest of his game has
caught up to where his offense had shown, initially and
so for that, Reason i'm pretty excited about him and
thought that he did a really good.
Speaker 3: Job stenberg is the hotness of the, moment but let
us not forget About Anton, frondell who helped That swedish
team to their championship as well ten points to seven,
games second in shots in the tournament in thirty. One
when he's not an international, Play frondell is AT Jr,
gardens the team he's been with SINCE u sixteen's he's
been playing his way up there in THE. Shl now
he's been excellent for such a long. Time he was
a huge rise draft talk last year until he ended
up going number three. Overall friendal's the strong up the
middle guy THAT nhl team's, crave and yet he's a little.
Bit he's drafted By. CHICAGO i feel like he's one
of those out of, sight out of mind prospects that
we're waiting to see when he's going to show up
and what he's going to be able to do with that.
Team what do you think of Seeing Anton frondell and
the best on BEST u twenty? Competition jordan in what's
your take on where this guy is?
Speaker 4: Headed, yeah SO i think two things stood out for
me With. Brondel the first being the absolutely rifle he
has and this wasn't, new like we all knew. This
that's his calling. Card he's got that big, shot and
The swedes were, looking especially when they're on the power,
play they're looking to set him up pretty much any
chance they can. Get they probably overdid. IT i feel
like when you have so much success early, on you
maybe can d be or go away from that and
just his other guys are probably going to be open as,
well and then maybe go back to that. Afterwards but,
look the shot was. Big he scored some unbelievably beautiful.
GOALS i thought he competed. Well. THOUGHT i thought that
top line really did, well especially once they made the
switch at center, there AND i thought he was good all.
Tournament the production slowed down a little bit as it went,
along BUT i thought he had a great. Tournament the
second thing that stood, out AND i teased it a
bit there once they made the switch at, center is
that he wasn't playing, center and he never did in that.
Tournament at first it Was Eric, nielsen he's At Michigan
state this, year formerly of Year gordon, though and then
they ended up bring UP i Think Lenis erickson the
rest of the, tournament and that's when things really took
off for that. Line BUT i always thought that it
was very interesting to see l playing on the wing
in this. Tournament he's been playing on the wing mostly
in pro, hockey something THAT i, Thought, okay it's stout
have to be a, Center but at the same, time
he's an eighteen year old playing against men like it's
very difficult to play down the, middle SO i get.
It BUT i figured in this tournament against his own,
peers he'd be down the, Middle SO i think that is.
Interesting he was drafted to be that, bigger more complete
center in the event that The duard doesn't stick at. Center,
obviously he's got nuclear this, year so it might not.
Matter but there were times in the middle of last season
where people thought maybe The dard might just be a
winger and Front dell was that typical six foot two
hundred plus pound top six center that that teams. Want so, anyways,
yeah that he had a great. TOURNAMENT i wonder If
chicago feels a little bit differently about him now and
whether they think he's just just a. Winger still a
ton of room and road left in his. DEVELOPMENT i can't,
Remember jesse or whether it's you Or victor said that
sometimes you don't like when when teams shoehorn their players
into playing, center and for fantasy perspective or fantasy, reasons
he'd like when they go to the. Wing this he
might be a player who does just.
Speaker 3: That, victor what do you think Of Antone?
Speaker 1: Frondelle, YEAH i think that this is maybe a slight
disagreement we could. Have but just in the sense THAT
i always Thought frondelle was going to be a. WINGER
i never really saw him that well in terms of
the play, driving in terms of he's everything you, said
Everything jordan said about the getting open and the shot
is like his calling. Card could he round out the
rest of his game and drive. Play, certainly anything's, possible
but it's just SOMETHING i hadn't really, seen and SO
i always thought of him as a, Winger and it
was interesting how many people talked of him as a.
Center and you look at some of his tracking, date
even though he's had success in THE, shl like his
transition game is really not that. Good neither her is
expected net expected goals Or, coarsey and so you'd like,
Wonder but then when he's around the, net his expected
goals offensively go really. High his shots every time he
gets a, shot he has a higher expected goal per
shot than most of the other players on his. Team
so you clearly see where his strength is right and
so that all makes. SENSE i think see the he
compliment to some of those top players there they have In,
Chicago but that was always a worry of. Mine is
like they're gonna try to make him a. CENTER i
don't know that's gonna.
Speaker 3: Go.
Speaker 1: Well he showed enough in this, TOURNAMENT i, think to
be impressive. CLEARLY i thought it was interesting, though Watching
byork And, stenberg WHO i just thought were clearly better
all around Than, frondell and it was good to see
them get some. Recognition but it was interesting how many
Accolades frondelle still got because it reminded me of The
lacaramaki when he got top forward and it was like
the guy was invisible except when he was ready on
cork his, shot AND i don't Think frondell was quite
that invisible at, times like he definitely fort checked and
did some good work to get the puck. Back but
it was a little bit like that WHERE i Saw
stenberg And byorck and some of the Other swedish forwards
doing a lot more of the dirty work to prolong,
possessions to create, turnovers and to do a lot of
the really important stuff to make the help the team.
Win and so that's always something that still bothers me
a little bit About, frondell just in terms of he's
gonna and what all means to me is that he
needs a very specific role to be, successful whereas some
of these other, guys they can make the, opportunity it doesn't.
Matter BUT i think For frondell he needs a bit
of a, playmaker a bit of a creator to make some.
Space AND i Think nazzar could be the perfect guy for.
Him like it doesn't have to Be, bidard it could,
be but it also could. Be they got some other options.
There maybe Even Oliver more Or Ryan green has been
looking really well this. Season maybe he could click with
someone Like. Frondell SO i think that there's options, there
BUT i think that it is going to require a
little bit more of a certain situation For. Frondell even
though his shot is incredible and SO i think those
still impressive to see against strong.
Speaker 3: Competition, okay now we're on To Will. Zeller's is this
the FIRST us player that we've covered in? HERE i
think it Is Will. Zeller's he was running hot seventeen,
shots five, goals eight points in five. Games he has
had a productive first year At North Dakota Colorado avalanche.
Prospect he seems to be an offensive oriented. Sort was
this tournament a shooting percentage? Anomaly Is zeller's rising in the.
Ranks maybe you already liked, him maybe you already didn't like.
Him what do you think of this, Prospect? Jordan, Yeah
LIKE i.
Speaker 4: Think with the tournament this, short especially as short as
it was for The, americans it's tough to say a
flash in the pan or. Whatever LIKE i, said a short,
tournament and the coaching staffs have to make, decisions and
if someone's just not working in a spot and someone
else is doing, well you go with the hot, hand
Right and As ZELLER'S i think he started as a thirteenth,
forward maybe not in game, one but maybe in the
pre tournament, games but to that top line With Hagen,
zemer and they couldn't seem to get going at the,
start And horcoff just couldn't seem to get, going so
they make the. Switch they Move zeller's starts to play
more and in a, scent and he's rewarded with the
top line role there and he ran with. It he's
having a good, year like a really good year On No.
Dak that's a team that is a little bit different
than a lot of the other teams that get a
lot of, Recognition like they play really controlled pro style.
Game they're not really like a run and gun team
kind of thing, There so you often don't see guys
with like you won't see someone with forty points in
twenty eight games At NO. Dak usually they don't often
have players who are that much more than a point per. Game. Keep,
yeah HE'S i think he's definitely raised a stock with
his tournament and with the success he's having in THE.
NCUAA i don't know if he's if he's a future
top line, player BUT i think he's a future middle
six player and who just seems to do a lot
of the stuff that gets you ice, time and that's
what you need to produce in THE nhl is TO
a to make it and to be a to make
THE nhl AND b to see the. ICE i thought
that he didn't seem to LIKE i know you Mentioned
victor with maybe needing a specific role to really. THRIVE
i Think, ZELLERS i think that he can do it
in different, ways and we saw it in this. Tournament so,
YEAH i, know a great tournament for him And.
Speaker 3: Victor what do you think of Old Will.
Speaker 1: Zellers, yeah he was on A usa team that really
lacked a lot of, talent AND i think a lot
of the guys we thought were going to be really
good tremendously. UNDERPERFORMED i think that was one of the
most disappointing things was we had some top scoreres IN
NC doublea who just didn't really do. Anything it was, like,
okay a bit disappointing that some of them didn't seem
to show. Up But zeller's was the clear exception. There
he rose the occasion from thirteen forward like last, guy
into being one of their top. PERFORMERS i think at
times even outshining guys Like, hagens and clearly outshining guys
Like plant And horkoff who were leading THE ncublea and
Scoring iiserman all these. Guys it was really impressive to
see that from. HIM i don't think he's someone that
you need to run out and. GRAB i think that
he raised his stock from DOUBTFUL nhl or to MAYBE.
NHLer i think somewhere along that spectrum maybe to probably
or something like. That but he IS i think to
What jordan was alluding. To he's just all. Effort he
makes things. Happen AND i was impressed with his. SHOT
i did not think he had that good of a
shot like he WAS i thought he was a scrappy
like energy, guy which he, is but he also has
a lot of skill, there WHICH i didn't. See one
of the analysts compared him To Brandon, hagel AND i was,
like that's high, praise, obviously AND i don't know that
he gets all the way, there BUT i think he's
that type of player that will just will himself to
be the best thing he can. BE i don't know
that he gets all the way to Where hagel is
because that's, impressive BUT i think he's in that mold
Of i'm just going to do whatever it takes to
be on this team to be. SUCCESSFUL i like that
from a young, player AND so was really impressed with.
That and in terms of, bash he is Like hagel
in that, way like he gets tons of block shots and.
Hits it's a big thing for. Him And SO i
like those types of players because they have a high peripheral.
Floor so even if they don't come in scoring right,
away you and bangers, leagues you have a little bit
of something to rely on until they fully get. Going
and the other thing you have to like is That
boston's prospect, pool although it's gotten a little bit better
of the last couple of. Years it's still not, great
and so he, is he's definitely rising in that what's
basically The James hagan's prospect, pool and so that's that's
nice to see as. Well so, YEAH i Think zeller's
went from like someone you're probably not interested into someone
you might be interested. In but also in the same
vein and what we said, before if someone wants to offer,
you like a seventy point player for Will, zeller's then take,
it probably because you know the chances of him hitting
that are not super.
Speaker 3: High all, right let's talk about another of the big.
Name Zane. Perrek was there thirteen points in seven, games
twenty four shots on. GOAL i saw that there was
a little. Fuffle did you hear this after the tournament.
Victory he was excited that he was at the tournament
because when he's In, calgary they tell him not to
say anything to the, media and he felt like he
had to say whatever he wanted when he was at
The World junior so he said. That so in other,
words he said something interesting about not being able to
say anything. Interesting but he had to apologize for it
because when he went back To, calgary. Apologize i'm, like oh,
man what a twisted web we. Lead but, Anyway perek
has had that just slow start in THE nhl this.
Year but a lot of points of this. Tournament what
do you, Think jordan of his performance and maybe he
can parley this into taking that leap in THE nhl right?
Now what do you think of All Zaye?
Speaker 4: Perek, yeah so this tournament was just so on brand
For Zayn, PreK like everything that you love about Zaym,
PreK he showed everything you don't like About Zayn. PreK
he showed he is such an easy, shooter and like
you often hear like the term easy with skaters Like Jack,
hughes looks like he's not even trying and he's just
like flying up the ice and weaving his way through and,
everything and it looks so easy for. Him was the
impress an easy, Shooter and when he has the puck
on his, stick he'll just casually skate to one side
and then all of a, sudden like before the puck's
office stick and it's gone just under the bar like
it's and it's not even like it's a heavy. Shot
it's HE'S i don't, know it's he can just score
with so much, ease and you saw, that like every
single one of his goals was just was like. That
and he starts out on the blue line and he
walks line for a bit and he finds a lane
and he steps in and he just might avoid one
opposing player and all of a, sudden the puck's office
stick and it's top. Corner, LOOK i don't think any
different Of Zaane PreK after this. Tournament you see why
he is so highly. Touted you see why there's so
much potential to be a high END pp one. Defenseman
but you also see why it's been a bit of
a slow start In calgary when he's by the end
of the, tournament he was on both power plays For
Team canada because they just didn't have anyone else who
was anywhere close to. Him and he just moves it
so well with his deception and his. Vision LIKE i
mentioned the, shooting but he's also been an unbelievable. Passer
but then other, times look and it's it's a, turnover
or it's a shot when he really shouldn't have and
it gets, blocked and then it's a kind of it
doesn't really hurry back too much or too quickly to
get back into play and then it's a goal against
and you saw those. Moments, yeah, this LIKE i mentioned
to start, off like this was so on brand Fra
Zane perek all the good and all the, bad and
LIKE i mentioned With gavin, McKenna With, perek you're going
to have some give and take in his. Game but
you just need to hope that when he is like twenty,
three twenty four to twenty five and he's a finished
product that the moments that you just shake your head
ARE i don't, know that's it's only ten to fifteen
percent of his game versus twenty five thirty percent of his,
game and then the rest of it is great because
if he can really iron that out and really limit
the amount of the boneheaded plays or just the moments
where you're, thinking oh my, gosh where is he and
there's two guys out in front of his own, net
if he can limit those and the rest of the game,
translates then like you're looking at a guy who could
really be like a seventy eighty point, Player like this
isn't a guy who this isn't a guy who's got
forty fifty point. Upside this guy has twenty five goal,
Upsides so, YEAH i. DON'T i didn't really change my
opinion of him after this, tournament.
Speaker 1: How about, You? Victor, YEAH i, mean this isn't an
A jordan, Thing and LIKE i totally agree and yet
also slightly, disagree just in the sense THAT i wanted
to see From perek WHAT i saw From. Check we
had Year check do a lot of THE i Think
praak is in a different league, offensively but we had
seen Year check do some of that offensive. Stuff but
what we saw from him was limit those. MISTAKES i
don't THINK i saw, many if any mistakes from Your.
Check no glaring ones, Anyways, Right like maybe he lost
some competitive battles here and, there but he didn't blow some.
Coverage like he was hard on, pucks he was blocking,
shots he was doing everything that you want a top
defenseman to. Do and that's What canada really Needed Zame
PreK to. Do we knew he could provide the, offense
which he, did but, man there were times, where like you,
said someone out in front of the net and Where's.
PreK he's not in, position or he was in the
penalty box for at least a goal or two and
made some really dumb penalties and blown coverages and just
lots of bad defensive. Mistakes And i've defended him defensively
before BECAUSE i think that some of them are. Overblown
it's Like Evan. BOUCHARD i think some of the mistakes
Of bouchard makes a little bit, overblown but they're just so,
obvious like bonehead, plays like usually he's, fine but then
sometimes he makes some really bad, mistakes AND i Think
PreK is like. That they just they stick out like
a sore. Thumb and that's what we. Needed that's What
canada needed him not to do in this. Tournament they
needed him to just be fine to average, defensively AND
i think that they would have. Won but he made
some really bad mistakes at a really bad time and
it costs the. Team AND i think the projecting. Forward
we've seen this now for years AND i was hoping
to say it's getting, better And i'm not sure that it.
Is and that's, Concerning like you, Said, jordan can he do?
That can he limit? THOSE i don't. Know it's becoming
harder and harder to say that he can because it
keeps becoming a problem and in coaches are not going
to have. That if you're making them lose, games you're
not going to get out. There you're not going to
get that, opportunity and that's that's going to limit. It
BECAUSE i, agree like he's got point per game upside
if he gets the opportunity and if he's good enough,
Defensively but can he be that's the biggest, question AND
i think it becomes it becomes a bigger and bigger
question the longer it goes. Along AND i think the
fact that we're still talking about this is Haven't it's
making me shift my opinion a bit negatively towards, him
which is why WHEN i wrote the stock watch For
dabber for The, JOURNEY i put him at, neutral which
probably surprised some people because he provided a ton of.
Offense BUT i think he gave back almost as much
as he, gave so again we see. THAT i think
If Zane perrek got the ultimate sort of shut down
partner and it was just a perfect, marriage LIKE i
think that would be the best case. Scenario AND i
hope that his team does that BECAUSE i think if
he has, that that would just be best case. Scenario
AND i think back TO i think it Was Paul
martin who paired With Brent burns and it was just like,
amazing like perfect shutdown guy and he didn't have to
worry about it And burns could go be his wild
self and it was. Incredible AND i Think PreK needs
someone like. That you need that steadying force on the other.
Side Whether calgary can provide that for, HIM i don't,
know BUT i think if he has, that he will be. Fine,
OTHERWISE i think if they really want him to develop
that defensive, Side i'm not sure that he's fully gonna get.
There and that's going to be that's going to be.
Speaker 4: Concerning, yeah in, victory IF i could add one two
quick things onto, that because you raised such great points
there Is, yeah you need that Eck holme to play With,
bouchard you need what WAS i live In ottawa and
Like Mark mathott played With Eric carlson early on and,
everything And canada didn't have. That they they had A Chase,
reid pardon, me Cam, reid The. Canadian they had him
playing With perek AND i don't think Cam reid is
that shutdown. Guy he's a good two, way more more offensively.
Tilted and then the other thing was about on the
yurcheck comment was we obviously so much goal of us
was The dynamo, offensively but your check with the number ONE.
D i think That Dale hunter really anticipated that The
brunniki Or brunick pairing was going to be the shutdown
pairing For, canada and when he, struggled and that pair
struggled quite a, bit then it was, Like, okay now
everything's On PreK and he didn't show out. There so,
YEAH i just didn't want to add those two points
because you really teed me up for. Those.
Speaker 3: Yeah, well the last guy we want to cover today
Is Oliver, suban which that name doesn't sound finish to.
Me it is in fact finish or he is at
least A. Finn he is tracking on some of the
draft boards as maybe something like a mid first rounder
and next year's. Draft he had two points in seven
games this year at The World, juniors and he just
turned seventeen In, september played something like thirteen minutes a
game at The World junior so he wasn't exactly in
a featured role for the semi finalist. Fins what do you,
Think jordan Of Oliver suvanto's performance at The World juniors
and what are you expecting going?
Speaker 4: Forward, yeah So i'm sure some of your viewers are
probably going to, wonder, like why the heck AM i
talking about a guy who played like thirteen minutes a.
Night he's not drafted, yet two goals or whatever it.
Was BUT i did want to highlight that we're going
to see this guy the next Two World juniors first,
off and even for a draft eligible he. Is he's
what like a week or two weeks away from being
eligible for the twenty twenty seven. Draft just a little
bit of a backstory on this guy is that he
basically skipped THEIR u twenty junior league In finland completely
last year as a sixteen year. Old he played in
THE u eighteen league and lit it, up and then
he comes in he's playing In. Liga so you don't
see that very, often AND i just wanted to get
that on. Record that is very a noteworthy. THERE i
think right, now since he's come back from the, tournament
he might be playing SOME u twenty games or. Whatever but,
yeah we're talking about a really young prospect who's six foot.
Three he does a lot of, things really a lot of.
Things don't think he does anything, exceptionally but he does
a lot of things. Well he's got really good details
to his. Game at the start of the, Tournament Julius
myetn and The Everett, center he was banged up and
they Had suvanto play top first ligned. Center obviously it's
not like he wasn't the next best center, option but
they clearly didn't want to enter or disrupt the other.
Lines but at the same, time they also felt comfortable
putting him there and not and they didn't think that
he was going to be a. DRAG i think that
says a lot about. HIM i look at past there's
been some good finished, centers like Obviously Sebastiana ho is
a way different, players a small, player super, smart super.
Skilled but there's been a lot of really SOLID nhl
ers in GOOD nhl as actually who have been in
a similar mold To, savanto who are north of six
two six three or, so north of two hundred, pounds
who play really complete, games are, physical are. Strong you
look At florida last year when they Had lundell and
Luster rainin on the same, Line, Like suvanto is the
same size as those guys pretty, much and he he
plays a little bit like. Both i'd, SAY i think
this guy's going to go earlier in the, draft and
people think just because there aren't a ton of centers
this year and he's big and he doesn't really have many.
Weaknesses AND i just wanted to call him out for
having a juniors where people probably didn't expect much from,
him but he still played pretty well and he earned
the coaches, Trust so that was really.
Speaker 3: It how about, You Victor Oliver suvanto.
Speaker 1: TAKES i Think jordan said it really. WELL i think
you could everything you said About suvanto in general in
terms of not exceptional anyone, thing but playing really really
good at everything is the motto of the finished, team,
Right it's like the sum is greater than the. Parts
AND i was watching that team so closely trying to
pick out one couple guys who really stood, ahead shoulders
above the, rest and it was hard because they just
play so well, together. Right And vietnam AND i think
And himming with the shot, clearly and Kivy HAR i
think had a good redemption tour in terms of what he,
Produced but in, GENERAL i think it's what you expect From,
finland like they are just their small nation that are
proud and really good as a, team and that was
really good to. See he's one of these guys WHO
i think is gonna just be as STRONGER nhl or
than maybe we can give him credit for right, now
and he seems to be pushing up and he's so. Young,
yeah two weeks of being from eligible for the following
draft is it's always really impressive when these young guys
do that to me, too and playing in the lega so.
EARLY i think he's someone who could open eyes as
he develops more and, more and you're gonna have to
give him more time because he is so. Young so,
YEAH i really like you bringing him, up but, yeah
a little early for me to say more than that on.
Speaker 3: Him all, right that's our tour through some of your, Guys,
jordan or guys that you wanted to comment on or
we wanted to discuss with you from this Recent World.
Juniors so why don't you tell, us sir where we
can find all the work that you do out there
and people can read more about your prospect. Coverage, YEAH
i know.
Speaker 4: For, Sure SO i Got i'm On twitter OR. X
i guess At jordan UNDERSCORE Nhl. Draft pretty simple, THERE
i write For Dabber. Prospects i'm one of the co
director of scouting, there bitten with the. Team now this
will be my this is actually my fourth. Year, YEAH
i started in The bidard draft and talk about setting
your sites high. There it's going From badard celebrating in
my first two years to all of a sudden last
year is kind of a week draft and this year
is maybe you, know not quite super strong. Either but,
YEAH i Know i've been doing this for scouting for
four years With dauber And i'm not super active On.
TWITTER i picked my spots and WHEN i want to
pipe in on. Things but, yeah, no that's really. It
in terms Of Dauber. Prospects we just released our rankings
just before the. TOURNAMENT i think it Was december. Eighteenth
we'll do another, one probably closer to closer to the
end Of february Early, march once the club seasons start
to finish, up especially In, europe and then we'll do
one final one In june once we the eighteens have
come and, gone The Memorial cup's, done and we usually
always like to get that one. Finished we usually hold
off until after the scouting combine because that's when you
get clarity on measures and, measurables whether it be they're
athletic testing or their heights and. Weights sometimes there's always
that guy who is listed at six foot two and
he measures in at five eleven and three quarters and
then THE nh in THE nfl scouting combine for, sure
but you also see in THE, nhl so we like
to wait for. That, yeah so that's really where you
can find me.
Speaker 3: Outstanding thanks so much for coming On jordan and talking
prospects with. Us, hey our show's brought you by dantracks dot.
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JOURNEY i do a solo show Called Dynasty Sports. LIFE
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