Article: Could Rasmus Kumpulainen Become 'Matt Dumba If He Played Forward'?

[Justin Hein]

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[B1GKappa97]

I was thinking he'd be more like our new Nico Sturm D: 

[Mateo3xm]

Seems like a strange comparison between two very different players.

Dumba is a very very good skater, this guy is not.

“Kumpulainen’s biggest weakness at this point is his skating which is fine against junior competition, but will need improvements to be an asset of any kind against professional opponents. His playmaking is also a bit pedestrian, highlighting a lack of ability to spot and hit tougher passing lanes.”

“Kumpulainen’s skating makes me think he’s unlikely to be a high-end contributor in the NHL someday, and his ability to make smart plays at high speeds (also known as “pace”) is lacking at the moment. However, he is on the young end of the draft class (August ‘05 birthday) and already has a pro frame. If Kumpulainen can improve his skating a bit, I think his shot and defensive details will make him a solid bottom-six center in the NHL, including consistent minutes as a penalty killer.”

“Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average”

It was hard to find much about this guy because he was projected to go in the 3rd to 5th round but what I’ve read certainly doesn’t give me the level of confidence this article is trying to suggest.

 

[mnfaninnc]

4 hours ago, Mateo3xm said:

“Kumpulainen’s biggest weakness at this point is his skating which is fine against junior competition, but will need improvements to be an asset of any kind against professional opponents. His playmaking is also a bit pedestrian, highlighting a lack of ability to spot and hit tougher passing lanes.”

“Kumpulainen’s skating makes me think he’s unlikely to be a high-end contributor in the NHL someday, and his ability to make smart plays at high speeds (also known as “pace”) is lacking at the moment. However, he is on the young end of the draft class (August ‘05 birthday) and already has a pro frame. If Kumpulainen can improve his skating a bit, I think his shot and defensive details will make him a solid bottom-six center in the NHL, including consistent minutes as a penalty killer.”

“Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average”

It was hard to find much about this guy because he was projected to go in the 3rd to 5th round but what I’ve read certainly doesn’t give me the level of confidence this article is trying to suggest.

Based upon the article, this sounds like to different guys. Are there twin Kumpulainen brothers? Did we pick the right one?

This was actually a very entertaining article with a lot of thought put in. When I read the headline, I was like WTF, not even close. Now, is this guy the kind of guy who can rule the center of the ice, immediately push the puck to the creative wings and show up for rebounds and tips while owning behind the net?

One thing I'm hoping Kumpulainen has in his system is the heat seeking missile tendency that Dumba had for dropping someone in open ice. But, could he be sneaky on the one-timers for his line? At least we wouldn't be yelling like we did at Koivu to shoot!

Looking at the combine stats, Kumpulainen came in at 6'2.75" and 190. He's a young guy for this draft class. I wonder if he is also a late grower? It seems like he still may be adding height. If this is so, I would suspect that he has not adjusted his skating to his new size just yet and he might look a little clunky on the skates for awhile. This would be a natural progression, and as his eyes get adjusted to the longer limbs, he might really improve both with skating and stick skills. 

What has me confused though are the 2 different reports about his hockey IQ. Judd is a stickler for wanting high hockey IQ guys (as well as smooth skaters) so I think I'm going to trust his judgement on this call. 

One other notable thing that separates the players-while Dumba was taken much higher, he got in a few games before getting sent back to jr. To me, it looks like Kumpulainen is probably going to take awhile to get here. 

While perusing the combine stats, Charlie Stramel showed up in quite a few of the top 10 testing exercises. Of note, he was #2 in the bench press 50% of body weight. I'm not sure what that meant for everyone, but if your 222, you're certainly doing more weight than most every other prospect. I don't know if it was reps or whatever, but Stramel shined in the upper body portion of the testing too. That should encourage us all.

[Justin Hein]

20 hours ago, Mateo3xm said:

Seems like a strange comparison between two very different players.

Dumba is a very very good skater, this guy is not.

“Kumpulainen’s biggest weakness at this point is his skating which is fine against junior competition, but will need improvements to be an asset of any kind against professional opponents. His playmaking is also a bit pedestrian, highlighting a lack of ability to spot and hit tougher passing lanes.”

“Kumpulainen’s skating makes me think he’s unlikely to be a high-end contributor in the NHL someday, and his ability to make smart plays at high speeds (also known as “pace”) is lacking at the moment. However, he is on the young end of the draft class (August ‘05 birthday) and already has a pro frame. If Kumpulainen can improve his skating a bit, I think his shot and defensive details will make him a solid bottom-six center in the NHL, including consistent minutes as a penalty killer.”

“Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average”

It was hard to find much about this guy because he was projected to go in the 3rd to 5th round but what I’ve read certainly doesn’t give me the level of confidence this article is trying to suggest.

 

Hi Mateo, thanks for reading! Please don't assume that I'm "trying" to suggest anything. I thought for a long while on this comp, but I'm certainly willing to admit it has its pitfalls. 

You make a great point about the skating, but many scouts note that Kumps is very agile and a great lateral skater, he just lacks top-speed. I think this is a lot like Dumba.

In watching his highlights, I find his hockey sense is very nebulous. He's great defensively and great in transition until his speed catches up with him. In the zone, he struggles with the puck on his stick but is great away from the puck. 

There are certainly concerns to be had here -- if Matt Dumba played center, he'd definitely be worse. That's why I think the comp is a good fit. 

[Justin Hein]

21 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

I was thinking he'd be more like our new Nico Sturm 😧

Forgot that lad. Another interesting comp!

[Justin Hein]

16 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

Based upon the article, this sounds like to different guys. Are there twin Kumpulainen brothers? Did we pick the right one?

This was actually a very entertaining article with a lot of thought put in. When I read the headline, I was like WTF, not even close. Now, is this guy the kind of guy who can rule the center of the ice, immediately push the puck to the creative wings and show up for rebounds and tips while owning behind the net?

One thing I'm hoping Kumpulainen has in his system is the heat seeking missile tendency that Dumba had for dropping someone in open ice. But, could he be sneaky on the one-timers for his line? At least we wouldn't be yelling like we did at Koivu to shoot!

Looking at the combine stats, Kumpulainen came in at 6'2.75" and 190. He's a young guy for this draft class. I wonder if he is also a late grower? It seems like he still may be adding height. If this is so, I would suspect that he has not adjusted his skating to his new size just yet and he might look a little clunky on the skates for awhile. This would be a natural progression, and as his eyes get adjusted to the longer limbs, he might really improve both with skating and stick skills. 

What has me confused though are the 2 different reports about his hockey IQ. Judd is a stickler for wanting high hockey IQ guys (as well as smooth skaters) so I think I'm going to trust his judgement on this call. 

One other notable thing that separates the players-while Dumba was taken much higher, he got in a few games before getting sent back to jr. To me, it looks like Kumpulainen is probably going to take awhile to get here. 

While perusing the combine stats, Charlie Stramel showed up in quite a few of the top 10 testing exercises. Of note, he was #2 in the bench press 50% of body weight. I'm not sure what that meant for everyone, but if your 222, you're certainly doing more weight than most every other prospect. I don't know if it was reps or whatever, but Stramel shined in the upper body portion of the testing too. That should encourage us all.

Regarding Kumps's hockey IQ, I think it depends which games you watch. His hockey IQ is awesome in the defensive zone and in transition. He lacks the speed to look great off the rush, but he builds well in transition. He's also really smart in the offensive zone when one of his teammates has the puck, which is a rare skillset and pairs well with his shot. 

I don't know if he'll grow up much more, but being young there may be room for him to add some leg strength and speed. This isn't at all uncommon for young prospects who shoot up tall and fill out later. 

And yeah, Stramel is a freak. He had the second-most bench reps, and he had to bench more than almost everybody who showed up. 

[Protec]

Almost like the kind of guy who fills an important role and can be the solid, responsible center who supports offensively inclined wingers while being able to defend against NHL bodies/talent. 

The Wild got three flavors of center this year. Well-rounded guy and two different guys with some weaknesses but also some raw talents. I like the potential for RasmuKampu and Heidt to round out their game over the next couple years. No reason to expect each of them to become something other than what they are. Just improve certain things while remaining strong in their natural talents. The Wild's draft was a really nice mix.

[mnfaninnc]

22 hours ago, Justin Hein said:

You make a great point about the skating, but many scouts note that Kumps is very agile and a great lateral skater, he just lacks top-speed. I think this is a lot like Dumba.

In watching his highlights, I find his hockey sense is very nebulous. He's great defensively and great in transition until his speed catches up with him. In the zone, he struggles with the puck on his stick but is great away from the puck. 

These strengths and weaknesses sound an awful lot like Phil Esposito. If he could tip, screen, rebound and shoot in close like this guy, I think we'll be alright!