Quote:
Originally Posted by InternationalVillager
Btw-- you know who else was labelled as a bit of a headcase and fell?
Matvei Michkov. He had his run ins with Torts this past season in Philly as well.
I think at #18- it's worth it to take the highest ceiling player available - even with his issues. He will fall but will he be available at #31-32? Will the Washington Capitals pass over him? I wouldn't take that risk.
These guys are just kids. Labelling them as headcases etc especially since they're from overseas is blowing things out of proportion. If we can draft Matvei Gridin at #28-- we should have no issue with taking Ivan Ryabkin at #18. We are lucky to even have the opportunity as he's had a not so great Draft Year and that's the only reason he's fallen out of the top 5 even.
And you know who else had bad skating? Matthew Tkachuk.
I see a player who is lethal on the PP and we need more of those. Adding Ryabkin to Parekh gives you 2 nice pieces for the future top PP1.
|
I think their D-1 years can be compared, sure, but when you compare Michkov and Ryabkin's D+0 years, it's a different story. Michkov really should have been a top-4 pick because his D+0 year was also special (20P in 27GP in the KHL) but was picked at 7 because he only wanted to play for specific teams.
Ryabkin took a big step backwards evidenced by his lack of production, even in the MHL and VHL. He did decently in the USHL, which you have to give him credit for being new to the country and stepping into a team mid-season, but it's not like he blew his competition out of the water either. As mentioned by the scouts like Scott Wheeler and Berube/Allen from HockeyProspect.com, this kid is the hardest player to scout this year because you have what he could do a year ago in direct contrast against what he played like this year.
If I'm the Flames, I happily take him at 32. But at 18, I think we still can get a Centre prospect that has just as much upside but doesn't have the immense risk associated. Kindel, Reschny, Potter are who I have in mind.