Do tell. I am curious, because 5 games or so seems like a small sample. I do know that the AHL scoring title means bubkiss, but I'm curious to know about the WJC thingy.
- mohel

If you take into account what the rosters are for each country in the WJC, most of them are made up of drafted players of NHL teams and prospects who will soon be drafted. More or less the playing field is mostly even as far as physical/mental make up.....of course there may be a few players above everyone else. Those who succeed..such as TT ....show an ability to dominate against their peers...who more or less the same people who will be playing in the NHL in the future.

The AHL scoring title Usually when player achieves this it is because they played the whole year in the AHL. Now think about that....you have a player supposedly playing lights out in the AHL and the parent team basically has no use for him.....if a player was lighting it up don't you think an NHL team would be salivating at the idea of an increase in offense....at some point during that season.....maybe an injury causes an opening? More than likely there are other areas of the players game that have holes thus making him a liability at the NHL level.....its like a tripleA player in baseball who hits 40 homeruns....why isn't he in the majors?????...because he can't hit a curve ball.

I can't wait until other posters start nominating that (frank)ing guy for the #2C spot this summer...


- EKolb13

Oh....it's coming.

If you take into account what the rosters are for each country in the WJC, most of them are made up of drafted players of NHL teams and prospects who will soon be drafted. More or less the playing field is mostly even as far as physical/mental make up.....of course there may be a few players above everyone else. Those who succeed..such as TT ....show an ability to dominate against their peers...who more or less the same people who will be playing in the NHL in the future.

The AHL scoring title Usually when player achieves this it is because they played the whole year in the AHL. Now think about that....you have a player supposedly playing lights out in the AHL and the parent team basically has no use for him.....if a player was lighting it up don't you think an NHL team would be salivating at the idea of an increase in offense....at some point during that season.....maybe an injury causes an opening? More than likely there are other areas of the players game that have holes thus making him a liability at the NHL level.....its like a tripleA player in baseball who hits 40 homeruns....why isn't he in the majors?????...because he can't hit a curve ball.
- UnnamedSource

Great Post !!


Brandon Pirri = Steve freaking Maltis !

I can't wait until other posters start nominating that (frank)ing guy for the #2C spot this summer...


- EKolb13

what about Brad Mills?

Great Post !!


Brandon Pirri = Steve freaking Maltis !
- mrpaulish

Pretty much. We'll see if that's true in a few seasons. It's what I would put my money on.

what about Brad Mills?
- BlazinMike

Honestly, I hope he stays in the organization. There's a guy who works his ass off every shift.

I don't think Mills needs another two way contract, but he's the perfect guy to keep in Rockford to help mentor the youngins on a AHL contract.

Oh....it's coming.
- UnnamedSource

You know it.

Do tell. I am curious, because 5 games or so seems like a small sample. I do know that the AHL scoring title means bubkiss, but I'm curious to know about the WJC thingy.
- mohel

It is a small sample. But we do know that NHL scouts put lot of weight on how players perform in those games. One reason is that it gathers all the best players at that age. There are few games but they are all meaningful and you can see which players can handle the pressure. It´s a good indicator for a young player if he´ll succeed there but it doesn´t necessarily translate to NHL success.

H.Sedin, Nugent-Hopkins, B.Schenn, Kuznetsov, Stepan, Hodgson, van Riemsdyk, Kessel, Bergeron and Cammalleri all have won WJC scoring title just to name a few. Sure there are couple misses like Pavel Brendl and Jeff Farkas but not that many. AHL scoring titles have been taken by players such as Darren Haydar, Corey Locke, Brandon Pirri, Chirs Bourque and Keith Aucoin and so on. There is a pattern here?

You know it.
- EKolb13

Why wouldn't it? Everyone is already penciling Rundblad into the lineup up next season. Not saying he couldn't. From the clip posted yesterday, he can definitely skate. But how is he in his own end?

It is a small sample. But we do know that NHL scouts put lot of weight on how players perform in those games. One reason is that it gathers all the best players at that age. There are few games but they are all meaningful and you can see which players can handle the pressure. It´s a good indicator for a young player if he´ll succeed there but it doesn´t necessarily translate to NHL success.

H.Sedin, Nugent-Hopkins, B.Schenn, Kuznetsov, Stepan, Hodgson, van Riemsdyk, Kessel, Bergeron and Cammalleri all have won WJC scoring title just to name a few. Sure there are couple misses like Pavel Brendl and Jeff Farkas but not that many. AHL scoring titles have been taken by players such as Darren Haydar, Corey Locke, Brandon Pirri, Chirs Bourque and Keith Aucoin and so on. There is a pattern here?
- MjulQvist

I'd say so. When do the playoffs start for Jokerit again?

The list of World Junior scoring leaders is a million times better than AHL scoring list.
- rollpards19

Yes ...because the best players don't stay in the AHL log enough to win a scoring title.

Especially in the hard salary cap era.


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Why wouldn't it? Everyone is already penciling Rundblad into the lineup up next season. Not saying he couldn't. From the clip posted yesterday, he can definitely skate. But how is he in his own end?
- Elbows15

Why would Phoenix give up on a blue chip defenseman with 2-3 years experience in the pros over what they got? Because if he's really good, I don't buy this thing about Tippett liking right/left handed stuff...

They must have saw something that they didn't like and chose to bail. So I'm not real high on him. And offensive defensemen don't make good 5-6 dmen either, so uh... I don't get it.

Why wouldn't it? Everyone is already penciling Rundblad into the lineup up next season. Not saying he couldn't. From the clip posted yesterday, he can definitely skate. But how is he in his own end?
- Elbows15

I don't know, but I guess we're going to find out...

I'm not saying that Rundblad doesn't have upside. What I have been saying is that this kid is now part of his 4th organization. He couldn't really find his way into the line-up in Pheonix. I'm still wondering why others think he's going to come in here and take this team by storm?

Honestly, we should hope that Rundblad is competent enough to contribute responsibly in his own end and possibly nail down the 7th defenseman position for next season. If he can't, Bowman will flip him for a pick at the draft.

Yes ...because the best players don't stay in the AHL log enough to win a scoring title.

Especially in the hard salary cap era.
- Al

This!

If you take into account what the rosters are for each country in the WJC, most of them are made up of drafted players of NHL teams and prospects who will soon be drafted. More or less the playing field is mostly even as far as physical/mental make up.....of course there may be a few players above everyone else. Those who succeed..such as TT ....show an ability to dominate against their peers...who more or less the same people who will be playing in the NHL in the future.

The AHL scoring title Usually when player achieves this it is because they played the whole year in the AHL. Now think about that....you have a player supposedly playing lights out in the AHL and the parent team basically has no use for him.....if a player was lighting it up don't you think an NHL team would be salivating at the idea of an increase in offense....at some point during that season.....maybe an injury causes an opening? More than likely there are other areas of the players game that have holes thus making him a liability at the NHL level.....its like a tripleA player in baseball who hits 40 homeruns....why isn't he in the majors?????...because he can't hit a curve ball.
- UnnamedSource

A good buddy of mine was a 'Superstar' in the AHL for 16 seasons and only ever got a sniff of the NHL. Being a great player in the AHL is meaningless, it is a league to develop players and nothing else.

Did he even have a jersey for sale?
- Elbows15

Probably sold one for each goal he has scored.

To his Mom and Dad.

Why would Phoenix give up on a blue chip defenseman with 2-3 years experience in the pros over what they got? Because if he's really good, I don't buy this thing about Tippett liking right/left handed stuff...

They must have saw something that they didn't like and chose to bail. So I'm not real high on him. And offensive defensemen don't make good 5-6 dmen either, so uh... I don't get it.
- busmaster

Makes two of us.

Probably sold one for each goal he has scored.

To his Mom and Dad.
- StLBravesFan

Yeah but one is a Buffalo jersey.

Why would Phoenix give up on a blue chip defenseman with 2-3 years experience in the pros over what they got? Because if he's really good, I don't buy this thing about Tippett liking right/left handed stuff...

They must have saw something that they didn't like and chose to bail. So I'm not real high on him. And offensive defensemen don't make good 5-6 dmen either, so uh... I don't get it.
- busmaster

Agreed with the highlighted.

The way I figure it, the trade for Rundblad is to replace Kostka for defensive depth. Also, I think Rundblad is getting a try-out to see if he can hold down the 7th d-man spot next season.

The kid can skate, that's obvious from the videos. The real question is if he can play responsibly in his own end?

I don't know, but I guess we're going to find out...

I'm not saying that Rundblad doesn't have upside. What I have been saying is that this kid is now part of his 4th organization. He couldn't really find his way into the line-up in Pheonix. I'm still wondering why others think he's going to come in here and take this team by storm?

Honestly, we should hope that Rundblad is competent enough to contribute responsibly in his own end and possibly nail down the 7th defenseman position for next season. If he can't, Bowman will flip him for a pick at the draft.
- EKolb13

Kind of the point I was trying to make to cementhead earlier. If they have to expose him to waivers, no Mo I don't they will, so they lose him. Its a late second round pick. He can get that back in any number of ways.

Why would Phoenix give up on a blue chip defenseman with 2-3 years experience in the pros over what they got? Because if he's really good, I don't buy this thing about Tippett liking right/left handed stuff...

They must have saw something that they didn't like and chose to bail. So I'm not real high on him. And offensive defensemen don't make good 5-6 dmen either, so uh... I don't get it.
- busmaster

You may be right about Rundblad on the other hand everyone on here was ready to run Oduya out on a rail when he first got here too. Rundblad is a top end skater, he passes the puck well, makes smart breakout passes, has a booming shot and can run a powerplay. His weakness is he doesn't initiate physical contact.

I'm betting he will not only make the Hawks next season but that he will replace nick Leddy.

When do the playoffs start for Jokerit again?
- rollpards19

Depending on a regular season final standings playoffs starts 15th or 21th of this month.

You may be right about Rundblad on the other hand everyone on here was ready to run Oduya out on a rail when he first got here too. Rundblad is a top end skater, he passes the puck well, makes smart breakout passes, has a booming shot and can run a powerplay. His weakness is he doesn't initiate physical contact.

I'm betting he will not only make the Hawks next season but that he will replace nick Leddy.
- paulr

How is he in his own end?

Kind of the point I was trying to make to cementhead earlier. If they have to expose him to waivers, no Mo I don't they will, so they lose him. Its a late second round pick. He can get that back in any number of ways.
- Elbows15

Which cementhead are you talking about?

Depending on a regular season final standings playoffs starts 15th or 21th of this month.
- MjulQvist

What are Jokerit's chances of making the playoffs?