Quote:
Originally Posted by Flash Walken
Can you explain some of the humour? Your story about the origin of Finnish nicknames cracked me up.
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It's not something I can explain. It's just kind of funny how he is. I really like the people in the Tampere region in general and how they talk.
He does look like a teddy bear but he's really strong with the puck. He's good at takeaways and tough to force into giving up the puck when he has it. I don't think he'll take very long to get to NHL strength and do the same in NA. He'd be great with someone like Hudler. Maybe he seems like a safer pick without the excitement of some of the other prospects, but it's not for me to compare him to others.
Someone mentioned hype. All prospects are hyped. I remember how the experts in NA talked about Kari Lehtonen - you'd have thought he was Ken Dryden and Patrick Roy's secret lovechild. It's just how it is. Prospects are always absolutely godlike until they make the transition to the NHL and reality sets in, and then people move on to hyping the younger generation.