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Old 02-22-2024, 11:50 AM   #752
kirant
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Originally Posted by devo22 View Post
Kiviharju is one of those boom-or-bust prospects that I would love to take a flyer on if we have a spare late 1st or so lying around. In a way, he reminds me a bit of Kylington and his pre-draft trajectory ... projected as a top 5 pick a year or two before the actual draft, but drops a bit in his draft year. Still love his upside as a puck-moving defenseman.
Him and Brandsegg-Nygard are probably my two favourite (non-Iginla) players in this draft as they scream undervalued if you look at the stat line alone.

- For Kiviharju, it's the fact that he has been under the microscope for so long and hasn't had a seamless transition. Despite all that, his talent is 100% clear and I wouldn't hesitate for a second to take him late 1st (probably 20+) or early 2nd. Especially if we keep Huska as coach: Kiviharju has a hockey IQ that is nearly unmatched and Huska's system allows players to deviate if they see fit (provided they clean up their own messes). Having 18 players who see the game as well as Kiviharji would probably dominate the league.
- For Brandsegg-Nygard, it's just not showing up on the scoresheet. His World Juniors showing highlights just how bad his line has been during his Allsvenskan season. I can't name a forward prospect with such great defensive instincts or a GAF factor. With an offensive upside which is much better than his points total shows, I feel like he could easily be a top 10 pick had he had an average season.
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