[News] With the 50th OA pick the Flames select D Yan Kuznetsov

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by 868904

Not all defensemen need to put up points to be effective.

Honestly, Kuznetsov sounds like a biggy meaner Brodie. Also sounds a bit like Chris Tanev. Both very good top 4 defensemen who don't put up much points.

I'm not asking for defensive defencemen to put up points in the NHL. I understand that's not what they're doing.

But almost no defencemen make it into the NHL if they are unable to put up points in lower leagues. I'm not asking for an NHLe of 25, but you need to see offensive progression this year if he is to have any chance of making it.

[SuperMatt18]

His offensive upside is hard to understand since so few 17 year olds play in the NCAA. He didn't turn 18 until March 21, so he was 17 for the entire NCAA season.

In the last 10 years only 4 d-men have even played in the NCAA at such a young age:

Werenski: 0.7 PPG
Hanifin: 0.6 PPG
Kuznetsov: 0.33 PPG
Dillion Simpson: 0.33 PPG

UCONN wasn't a very high scoring team and Kuznetsov was 2nd on the team among d-men in scoring as a 17 year old.

It's maybe not likely based on his history but he took a huge jump in production and moved a lot from a 16 year old in the USHL to being a 17 year old in the NCAA. If he could take a similar step next year then we may look back on this pick favorably.

[Reggie Dunlop]

"Sweats Off for Kuznetsov!"

- Coming soon to a Red Mile near you.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

I'm not asking for defensive defencemen to put up points in the NHL. I understand that's not what they're doing.

But almost no defencemen make it into the NHL if they are unable to put up points in lower leagues. I'm not asking for an NHLe of 25, but you need to see offensive progression this year if he is to have any chance of making it.

His numbers seem alright for a 17yo in NCAA. Will be interesting what they do about dev camp in a covid world.

[devo22]

Jesus I forgot about the constant and overdramatic draft day whining. Glad I wasn't around during the trades yesterday.

[1qqaaz]

Holloway: 0.5 PPG
Kuznetsov: 0.3 PPG

Not that much of a difference, really.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by AC

A 6'4" Russian D playing college hockey. Alrighty.

"Jake Muzzin type of defender"

He shoots left.

[bax]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

Good thing we used a 2nd round pick on the kind of player who is available for nothing all the time.

These type of comments are always so funny to me. Let's look back in a few years.

You're not getting a slam dunk, sure fire top line prospect in the back half of the second round.

[FlamesAddiction]

You can't really compare him to Kanzig. Kanzig was drafted because he was freakishly big (6'7" - 247 lbs). It was a high risk pick that didn't work out. I don't think that failure should deter you from taking risks in the future.

Having said that, Kuznetsov is tall (6'4"), but no one drafts a 6'4" defenseman just because the he is 6'4". It's not that rare of an attribute that you overlook other weaknesses for it. There were 50 defensemen in the league last year that were 6'4" or taller. If anything, this looks like a safe pick. Not a huge ceiling, but a good chance to make the show.

[AC]

Originally Posted by kermitology

He shoots left.

Alllllllefty then.

[Sandman]

Duncan Kieth had 15pts in 41g in his draft year in the NCAA. McDonagh had 12pts in 40g. Kuznetsov's production is fine.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by neo45

I think the career high of 11 points at ANY level is a massive red flag that the upside just isn’t there


Is there an example of a top 4 D in the entire league who produced that little offensively?

Esa Lindell's career high at the same age for points was 0.

Miro Hieskanen's career high at the same age was 10 points

Jon Kilingburg's career high at the same age was 6 points

Jaimie Oleksiak's career high at the same age was 14 points, so he was more of an offensive juggernaut.

I just looked at one team, not sure what the offensive production was for other dmen in the league.

[David Struch]

Flames could have an all Russian shut down pair one day...

Yan Kuznetsov - Alexander Yelesin

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

Good thing we used a 2nd round pick on the kind of player who is available for nothing all the time.

Still raining in your world eh?
You ever get tired of it?

[868904]

I think this pick is very similar to Detriot's pick of Wallinder. Both tall and lanky defensemen who are good skaters and defense first players.

Yzerman is hailed as one of the best talent evaluators and GMs and he spent an even higher pick on a similar player.

[Royle9]

Originally Posted by bax

These type of comments are always so funny to me. Let's look back in a few years.

You're not getting a slam dunk, sure fire top line prospect in the back half of the second round.

Flames took Rasmus Anderson @ 53 in 2015
Maybe not a slam dunk at the time but pretty close.
He was highly touted just some concerns with speed/his weight.

Not sure how many people here were upset with it, but I seem to recall a lot of us being happy/thinking we made out like bandits with this pick.
(To be fair I'm not upset with this pick myself)

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Duncan Kieth had 15pts in 41g in his draft year in the NCAA. Kuznetsov's production is fine.

Keith’s D0 NHLe: 17
Kuznetsov’s D0 NHLe: 10

This definitely isn’t a wasted pick. It is an intriguing one, and one that could be seen as a home run swing given his age and size - hopefully it connects.

[scotty2hotty]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Still raining in your world eh?
You ever get tired of it?

MrDonkey

Raining

Eeyore

I see what you did there.

[1qqaaz]

I think Kuznetsov's NCAA production is more or less fine.
But he only had 4 points in 34 USHL games. That's pretty iffy. Really, he took a huge step forward in terms of production this year.

[AC]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Still raining in your world eh?
You ever get tired of it?