Considering Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson
Since the draft order was set a month or so ago, one of the questions frequently asked of me has been, “So…would you want Matt Duchene or Evander Kane as the selection”? Well, unless I’m speaking on behalf of the Colorado Avalanche, having to chose between the two will not be an issue…as I believe the Avs will pick one or the other, more than likely Duchene.
Therefore, I think that the real question that will face Don Waddell on June 26 is, “Do you want Kane, Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson”?
If the Thrashers look to concentrate on the center position, making the choice either Kane or Schenn, then I think logical choice is to go with Kane. If defense is the focus, Cowen is considered by many to be the best blueline selection after Victor Hedman. And, after all, you simply cannot have enough defensive talent in the organ-I-zation.
The only question here is would either of them be able to make an immediate impact on the Thrashers squad this fall? I don’t see Cowen making the team right off the bat as Bogosian did last fall and, given the Thrashers current situation at center…White, Peverley, Reasoner, Slater, (and possibly even Espo depending on his recovery),…so, Kane making an immediate impact in Atlanta might be a long-shot as well.
However, more times than not, the draft is mostly about re-stocking the talent pond…so that a draft pick plays at the NHL level this year or not is secondary.
But what about Paajarvi-Svensson …the 6-1, 200 pound Swedish left winger? If Waddell chose MP-S, is there at least the outside possibility that this 18-year old could have a decent shot at making the team this fall?
In this recent articleby NHL.com’s managing editor Shawn P. Roarke, NHL Director of European Scouting Goran Stubb is quoted as saying that Paavjarvi-Svensson will be “ready for the NHL very soon”.
“He is absolutely fearless on the ice,” Stubb said. “He is a great skater. With his moves, he’s creating scoring chances both for himself and for his teammates. He is a guy that can go straight for the net and make things happen — just with his speed and his energy.”
Director of the NHL’s Central Scouting Bureau E.J. Mcguire has said of MP-S, “”Magnus perhaps is the stereotype of the skilled Swede coming over here in recent years – outside speed extraordinaire, ability to freeze defenders and make all his good moves work even more effectively. He was a good contributor to his team at the World Junior tournament and I think will be an essential member of any NHL team in years to come. He showed, at the World Junior championships, why the 1980 comparisons to Mats Naslund, Kent Nilsson and more recently a Peter Forsberg will follow him over to his NHL team. He’ll be a high draft pick and I’m sure he’s going to be a combination of the kind of offensive flare and skills that have made those other three predecessors great NHL players.”
I could see this kid filling the third-line LW spot that’s being vacated by the departing Eric Perrin. Of course, I think it would be better if a proven top-six forward be obtained by Waddell…but if unsuccessful in that venture, MP-S could be a viable option. And in doing so, it could also free up Waddell to simply focus on acquiring a top-four defender via trade or free agency.
He’s got size…he’s got speed…he seems to have all the tools to be a big-time player in the NHL.
And Speaking Of The Draft…
Tim and Mark Ecclestone have invited us all over to TJs to watch the opening round of the NHL Entry Draft. They have provided me with their party room in the back…which is the no-smoking area…to hold this little shin-dig! Some details are still being worked out, but so far we’ll be offered $1 draft beers and Tim might even be joined by some of his former Atlanta Flames teammates there. There re other things being worked out as well and I’ll update you as they come about.
But make your plans to be there if ya can… RSVP with Trixie. As always…it should be great fun!
And One More Thing…
Hey Shawn and Mike at GSG…tell my good buddy Ron I said “hello”!
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
180 comments Add your comment
GaVaHokie
May 20th, 2009
12:53 pm
Lot’s of interesting info here…
http://www.spectorshockey.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=761:latest-bruins-and-ducks-news-may-20-2009&catid=34:articles&Itemid=55
Wouldn’t mind having a guy like Axelsson on a checking line with Reasoner and Armstrong… he’s a hard working guy.
If Fernandez retires, that takes another goalie off the market and helps raise our trade value for Lehts and Pavs.
Tony C.
May 20th, 2009
12:59 pm
Also my point about Giantts alumni is that they’re all pretty solid (those that’ve made it to the league are at least) to exceptional. Ladd has proven to be better-than-average, and Mezaros has shown some flashes as well.
ranallo10 (in AT)
May 20th, 2009
12:59 pm
That same page mentions that it’s possible Giguere or Hiller could be available…if that’s true, either will lower the trade value of Lehtonen or Pavelec (which I will continue to argue there is relatively none, based on the trades that have gone down over the last year+).
GaVaHokie
May 20th, 2009
1:34 pm
Ranallo… at least it takes the “cheap” options off the table… Giguere and Khabibulin will be VERY expensive.
Lehtonen and Biron are probably the best, cheap options. Some might think Anderson is too risky not having played a solid starter schedule.
Smoothie
May 20th, 2009
1:34 pm
Tony, that makes perfect sense if that statement can be attributed to an interview with Dan Marr or DW, but can it? I don’t know, just asking. Perhaps that is right out of “‘ol Donnie’s” mouth. But Tampa is in the Top 4 and last time I checked, there are lots of black folk living down there as well. Hell, if Toronto moves up and nabs him, they probably have a pretty solid black population for a Canadian city simply due to their sheer size.
Not trying to stir up trouble, I just don’t see how it’s “tipping your hand” to remark how much you like a player’s style of play. Perhaps he’s trying to drive up interest in Kane and entice another team to trade up so he can work a blockbuster deal (cough Toronto cough). Let’s not forget he and Burkie are pretty pal-sy pal-sy.
GaVaHokie
May 20th, 2009
1:35 pm
Craig Anderson that is.
GaVaHokie
May 20th, 2009
1:39 pm
Hopefully this clears up the Evander Kane issue… the question came out of an interview with Atlanta.
On being interviewed by the Atlanta Thrashers, where he would potentially become an important role model in the heavily African-American city…
“I did speak with Atlanta. And I suppose going to the United States, of course there are a lot of African Americans. But I would be happy to play anywhere in the NHL. If it were Atlanta, well yes, you’re correct on that note and I guess that’s all part of the job and I would be very happy doing it.”
Here’s the link…
http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/10763/2009_top_prospects_evander_kane/
Smoothie
May 20th, 2009
1:49 pm
Thanks Hokie, I didn’t think they ever tried to attribute those comments to someone in the Thrashers organIzation. I bet Evander has talked to at least a half a dozen teams already…that’s part of the process when preparing for a draft. Anyway, I think it speaks well of the kid to acknowledge the potential expectation and express his willingness to be a marketable face of the franchise in a city where his skin color could make more of an impact than say Long Island or Denver.
But no matter what, when you are a minority in a sport that is 99% white & European, there is certainly a great opportunity for the NHL to promote that player in a positive light to attract a wider audience to the game. I see nothing wrong with that. If Tiger Woods can make golf more popular, why not encourage Evander Kane to do the same at least in the market where he plays. Heavy black population or not, where he’ll end up is a city with a Top 50 population in North America…there are opportunities for game promotion no matter what city you’re talking about.
GaVaHokie
May 20th, 2009
1:53 pm
The date of that article was December 2008… so that was way before they knew what the final standings would be and what the final prospect rankings would be.
So, that’s why I thought the issue was raised again since more and more Kane seems like an option for Atlanta… but it’s by no means a guarantee or a “tip of the hat”… IMO, based on the date of the article.
I’m sure they interviewed Svensson and Hedman and asked how they’d feel about playing in Atlanta with Enstrom.
I wouldn’t put too much stock in a random question asked to a prospect during an evaluation interview.
GaVaHokie
May 20th, 2009
1:56 pm
Smoothie… if Kane ends up in Atlanta, the best thing they could do is get an AJC piece together about him being named after Evander Holyfield… get those two together for a photo op.
Smoothie
May 20th, 2009
2:00 pm
I just hope Evander Kane has better financial advisers than the Champ!
Tony C.
May 20th, 2009
2:05 pm
Amen.
ranallo10 (in AT)
May 20th, 2009
2:14 pm
“I’m sure they interviewed Svensson and Hedman and asked how they’d feel about playing in Atlanta with Enstrom.”
Nah, I don’t agree with that. Them being Swedish is relatively no big deal, there are many Swedish players in the NHL, where as Kane being black is a big deal…he’s a minority by a large margin in the NHL. I doubt Enstrom is ever mentioned in interviews with Swedish prospects, unless they’re related/best friends/SEL II roomates.
If there were an Austrian player it’d be like him being interviewed about playing in Buffalo with Vanek…yet, look through Grabner’s hockey reports and I bet you see no quotes similar to that of Kane’s.
I’m not saying “Waddell” is tipping his hand, but for Kane to mention Atlanta shows that he’s been spoken to various times, and that the idea of being an “African-American role model” is something he’s willing to embrace.
There’s nothing wrong with it, but as Tony mentioned it’s giving more information (though innocently) about the draft than he or I would want given. I prefer the manager says absolutely nothing publicly, and when spoken to by his opponents states that he likes every player available (while doing more listening to the other GMs offer than talking about his own preferences).
Spud Webb
May 20th, 2009
2:18 pm
WOW, So, is this flying under the radar around here or did I already miss the discussion? Just read that link, thank you Sara.
Too funny that he called LAC out! Who cares really, the guy is more worried about blogs than running his hockey team.
Levenson if you read this, FIRE WADDELL, doesn’t matter what name it comes from. It needs to be DONE, EVERYONE can see that.
kracker
May 20th, 2009
2:26 pm
Sara…wow, some AJC reporterette thinks Levenson is ‘Whammer’….I see ‘LAC’ made it, too, by name. Too bad I’m at work and busy tonight but I’ll get around to reading all this when I can. Whammer…lolol
h
May 20th, 2009
2:41 pm
My favorite comment in the last couple of hours was calling Slater “a Dan Cleary type”….HAHAHA! Yes, and Thorburn is an Ovechkin type …… and Perrin is a St. Louis type…..I just threw up in my mouth….I think Kane would work out just fine….
Tony C.
May 20th, 2009
2:45 pm
Mr.T. have you heard from Bruce regarding the “Flames” posts? Seems like he’s getting into a bit of a snit?
Rawhide
May 20th, 2009
2:51 pm
Tony C. – Not directly…no.
Alan
May 20th, 2009
2:51 pm
h, Jim Slater should aspire to be a Dan Cleary type of player. Cleary creates massive quantities of energy, he can skate, and he can score in the clutch.
I wouldn’t call Slater a “Dan Cleary type of player” at this point, but I would tell Slater to watch Cleary play and to emulate that (no “try,” just “do it”). You also have to admit, he did improve last season.
GaVaHokie
May 20th, 2009
3:05 pm
Hey… I think I just struck Gold on Youtube… was looking for a profile of Jared Cowen and found all the E.J. McGuire scouting profiles.
Here’s Magnus Svensson… if you look in the drop down list to the right, you’ll see all the other Player Profiles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LN9bWOBRqM&feature=related
Tony C.
May 20th, 2009
3:10 pm
Seeing as how Dan Cleary took ten seasons before he scored more than 14 goals, I don’t see where the comparison is that bad:
Cleary was a monster in Juniors-production tailing off as he began professional hockey- he still put up good numbers in the AHL, but in the NHL his highest point toatl in a season was 35 before he joined The Borg. Now playing on the best team on the planet, he still has only improved on that point-total by 7 (42pts last season)… certainly a case for being a late-bloomer
Slater’s first three full seasons versus Cleary’s first three don’t show so much difference that the comparison is preposterous-Cleary played on better teams his first three full seasons and his point totals are higher, but I don’t think Cleary is impossibly more skilled than Slater… Now Thorburn=Ovechkin-that is a real stretch.
Not to say Jimmy Slater’s the best thing on two skates, but let’s not get in each other’s way throwing him under the bus. Dude is a grinder with good wheels-isn’t that OK? Granted I’d like to see more finish from a 1st-round pick, but uhhh we’re talking about DW and DM making the draft-day decisions here.
Also, Cleary is one of two Red Wings that I secretly root for…. because in general I hate the red wings. Now that they have hossa, it makes it easier.
ranallo10 (in AT)
May 20th, 2009
4:27 pm
Funny, the guy says “Mats Naslund”…though a good player in his own right, Mats Naslund is not the same as Markus Naslund.
R. Stroz
May 20th, 2009
4:44 pm
A few days ago, after watching Kane on youtube, I made the comment that Kane reminded me of Willi Plett. Plett’s nickname was train. At the end of the Kane tribute on youtube, that Hokie linked to, was this “the Kane Train.”
That’s karma, pick Kane.
GaVaHokie
May 20th, 2009
5:01 pm
I agree… “the premiere Power Forward of this draft” from E.J. McGuire is enough for me.
Every good team needs a sturdy, talented Canadian Power Forward.
JAmes_kovyboy
May 20th, 2009
5:03 pm
I dont care of who you pick, but if whoever you pick, you must find him a line
Kovy-Espo-Little
Kozzie-Kane-Peverley
White-Reasoner-Armstrong
Stuart-Thorburn-Crabb
MY opinion
R. Stroz
May 20th, 2009
5:08 pm
Hokie – Don Cherry would be proud of that statement. He might even buy you a drink.
Old Time Hockey
May 20th, 2009
5:30 pm
A Dan Cleary TYPE of player, not a clone! He plays hard, has speed, is not afraid to get physical. The point is that he has a role on the team that he performs well. If he continues to improve, it will be interesting to see.
Viking
May 20th, 2009
6:07 pm
MSP is going to be a great player, who is following the same career pattern as many of the best ever Swedish players in NHL. Few are starting as 16 year olds in the Swedish Elite League, which I with confidence can say ranks 3rd in the world after NHL and KHL.
Do not worry about his stats, because he, as said before, played in a much stronger league, against grown men. I also remember reading he averaged 5-6min per game, so it is a complete apples and oranges thing to compare his stats to other hot prospect’s, who likely played big time minutes.
Bob
May 20th, 2009
8:36 pm
Holy Crap, Levenson is pissed at LAC! lol.
But good to know that Levenson et al read these blogs, please, please, please get a clue and get us a real GM once you settle your infighting.
That turnover by Campbell last night was unacceptable. I still think the Hawks will give the Wings all they can handle for the two games in Chicago, but a win last night would have been huge for them.
Ogie Ogelthorpe
May 20th, 2009
9:23 pm
They had an interview with Campbell after the 2nd period. He looks like Richie Cunningham from Happy Days.
Is Ben Eager the Fonz?
Ogie Ogelthorpe
May 20th, 2009
9:25 pm
Note to Thrashers at the draft-please don’t trade down and draft some dumb that you will trade away in 18 mos.
Sara
May 20th, 2009
11:09 pm
Bob what was worse is that in the post-game he tried to justify it *and* said he would absolutely do it again. Coach Q probably ripped him a new one in practice today.
World be Free
May 21st, 2009
7:30 am
Betcha Dale Tallon is looking for Campbell’s buy out clause in his contract.
Bob
May 21st, 2009
8:08 am
“what was worse is that in the post-game he tried to justify it *and* said he would absolutely do it again”
That’s just ridiculous, that was the boneheaded move of the playoffs so far, can’t fix your mistakes until you admit them and if he’d do that again, he’s an idiot.
“Betcha Dale Tallon is looking for Campbell’s buy out clause in his contract.”
Come on, now. I see you admitted you’re a Sabres’ fan in the other blog so I can now understand your angst against him, but you don’t buy out a player over one play, no matter how boneheaded that play was.
Hawks are set up pretty well for the next couple of years, I think they’re the youngest team that made the playoffs this year.
Bob
May 21st, 2009
8:10 am
As an aside, did the AJC cow tow to Levenson and start reviewing our comments for publication? the comments use to show immediately but now I see they don’t. We can call this the LAC rule.
Bob
May 21st, 2009
8:10 am
weird, that one showed up immediately but the one I just wrote about Campbell and the Hawks didn’t
Rawhide
May 21st, 2009
8:30 am
Bob – Nope. Sometimes a comment gets sent into the spam file… otherwise known as “Blog Purgatory”… and I have to free it up. Mostly it happens when a certain questionable word is included or someone adds several links in the comment.
Nothing in your 8:08 am post fits that criteria, though….just one of those things.
Don’t worry…Levenson or any of the other Spirit Clowns won’t be able to infict message board monitoring tactics here.
GaVaHokie
May 21st, 2009
8:45 am
Hmmm… if the Spam File is “Blog Purgatory”… then where are we right now?
Dwayne
May 21st, 2009
8:48 am
when the spirit clowns show up at a owners meeting, are they all in full clown make up and piling out of a little car???? dut-dut-dut-da-little-dut-dut-do-a
GaVaHokie
May 21st, 2009
9:46 am
Lots of great video up now at NHL.com for the Draft.
Going on personality… I’d have to say I like Evander Kane and Jared Cowen.
http://www.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?catid=635&id=42162
Alan
May 21st, 2009
10:02 am
As I linked in the other blog, Bob, Campbell did indeed say he would make that play again. In fact, he said he would do it again a hundred times.
Pretty amazing stuff. Thanks, Campbell!
R. Stroz
May 21st, 2009
10:32 am
Dwayne – Actually they would pile out of a limo but they’d spend too much time arguing about who would be first and last out.
h
May 21st, 2009
10:54 am
The problem with Slater is that he can’t play on special teams, or I should say, can’t play well. The question becomes “how many guys can you have on your team who don’t really score and don’t play well on special teams?” Boults is one, and I am totally ok with that as his numbers show he is effective when he is out there…..I just don’t think you can have a whole 4th line of guys who only play 7-9 minutes a game and don’t play on the PK…it makes the rest of the team play too many minutes each night. I have to believe we can find a better player to fit that role rather than wait 5 more years for him to turn into that “Dan Cleary Type”….I will admit that he was better on even strength this year than last year…..for whatever that is worth.
GaVaHokie
May 21st, 2009
11:00 am
Here’s a line-up I’d like to see, that’s very doable…
Kovalchuk Peverley Havlat
Kozlov Little White
Axelsson Reasoner Armstrong
Boulton Slater Kane
Espo can start the season in Chicago… if Kane can’t hack it, send him to Juniors, call up Espo after some conditioning time in Chicago.
Brendan
May 21st, 2009
12:06 pm
Annnnnd now this: http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/story/11769000 – Please tell me Minnesota isn’t serious about hiring Pierre McGuire to be its GM. Boy, that’s a MAJOR IMPROVEMENT over Doug Risebrough. (Sarcasm detector flaling wildly now.) Thankfully, he’s just in “candidacy stage.” Pierre McGuire can be a candid figure, from time to time. Truly. If wearing the GM hat, I wonder if he could tame the “bluntness” aspect of his personality. Wait ’til a junior scribe challenges his decision-making, or the “overall theme” of his roster. He’ll go ape. Shoot, even a level-headed Bob Gainey got a little hot under the collar when a reporter asked him about his decision to go with Carey Price as the #1 goalie. Gainey got miffed and launched into a defense of how and why Carey Price is an excellent goaltender, no matter what the reporter’s wife may have had to say about the matter. Bob Gainey remains unfired by Montreal, as best I can tell, more than a month away from the Habs elimination in four straight games by Boston. A far cry from where they were last year, #1 seed, having eliminated Boston in the Opening Round. But I digress.
I’ve often said, “There’s not a jury in the world that can CONVICT SOMEONE of the ‘attempted murder’ of Pierre McGuire.” The list of suspects, alone, would be nearly endless. And at trial, the defense attorney simply polls the jury, “How many of you are thinking about killing Pierre McGuire right now?” Then he leans in, “Beeeee honest.” All the jurors raise their hands, and even Pierre’s own mother, seated in the front row of court, has her hand up, as she elbows other McGuire family member to let their hands be shown, high, high in air.
Brendan
May 21st, 2009
12:09 pm
Hokie, I kinda like that lineup. Call up DW and pitch it! I like going after Komisarek on defense, as well. For the money and playoff experience, I still like Steve Montador as an inexpensive acquisition of toughness for the blueline. He’ll cost nothing. Unless he re-signed with Boston already. I didn’t check. Montador has played with the Ducks and Flames in the past. He has an overtime winner to his credit, believe it or not.
Ice Meister
May 21st, 2009
12:12 pm
It is interesting to read in other media markets. You can see fans in other cities are dissatisfied with their team’s results.
If Pierre leaves TSN, they will have to find another “homer”.
Smoothie
May 21st, 2009
12:13 pm
Hokie, I don’t mind that line-up at all save for a couple of things:
I would let Little continue to develop at RW. White is fine for now as a 2nd line C. That line had good chemistry most all of last season and a 1st line that included Havlat would draw a lot of attention away from the Kahlua line freeing them up to play against less stingy opposition.
Axelsson would probably be a nice addition, but how about FA Cory LaRose from Carolina? I really like how he as come along this year as an energy, checking line forward. He’s even getting more scoring chances in the playoffs where scoring is harder.
Not sure Kane would be ready for the rigors of the 4th line, but playing only 10 mins / night might work out okay. I would be intrigued to see Kane play with Slater’s speed…Slater gets the puck to the net frequently enough, but can’t always finish. Perhaps Kane could be the perfect guy to “take out the garbage” on that line.
I’d rather have Crabb play 4th line RW than Thorburn, Espo or a call-up. I hope we re-sign him and unleash him for a full season of “crabbing” in the corners!
Sara
May 21st, 2009
12:44 pm
Smoothie minor correction it’s Chad LaRose and he can only come here if Anderson revokes his diving license.
Alan
May 21st, 2009
12:44 pm
I’d rather have the Douche Canoe on the Wild than I would on TV.