Quote:
Originally Posted by GoFlamesGo1989
[...]
Top European skater: Aleksander Barkov, C, Tappara (FIN)
2012-13: 53 games, 21 goals, 27 assists, 48 points, 8 penalty minutes, plus-18 rating
Comparison: "Mikko Koivu."
Best asset: "My passing and field vision."
Where do you need improvement: "Skating and reaction speed."
NHL Central Scouting: "He was one of the reasons why Tappara finished second in the league," Director of European Scouting Goran Stubb told NHL.com. "Just consistent, cool, smart two-way center. An injured shoulder will keep him out the remainder of the season, but that won't hurt his high draft status. He's not a great skater, but always seems to be in the right spot at the right time. He's a very good stick-handler with great vision."
---
|
Barkov's own assessment of his strengths and weaknesses seems spot on. As a player who is very good at managing the puck and making the correct plays, goal highlight videos don't do him justice. The Mikko Koivu comparison isn't terrible but I think there's also a hint of Barkov's humility in there. He's literally years ahead of Koivu in development and shows much more offense at his age, and Barkov knows that.
That doesn't mean that Barkov will be as much ahead of Koivu in his prime, obviously, but we can't overlook how great his game has been this season. He himself says that his season was okay and that he lacked some steam in the middle part of the season, but his season was practically unprecendented for a player of his age. It's a good sign that he doesn't seem overly impressed by himself.