Article: Rasmus Kumpulainen Is Starting Off A Career-Defining Year With A Bang

[Justin Hein]

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[Burnt Toast]

Good news. It’d be nice getting him here in two years, the last year of his ELC at the latest. One thing looks to be a lock,  he’s going to be big enough. 

[Kato AK]

Just looking at his stats and play style, I would be more than happy if he ends up similar to either Koivu or Anton Lundell.

Is that too high of a ceiling for Rasmus?

[Up North Guy]

1 hour ago, Kato AK said:

Is that too high of a ceiling for Rasmus?

At this point, who knows? His size alone will open opportunities for him, particularly if his skating goes along with it. Guys like this often take time to develop so the Wild will need to be patient.

[Protec]

RasmuKampu is going to need a better uniform to wear if he keeps this up. Dark green is superior to powder teal. 

😁

[mnfaninnc]

While in Oshawa, I noticed Kumpulainen taking the majority of faceoffs for them. Ritchie was usually a close 2nd. However, did Kumpulainen take the most important ones? Is the discrepancy due to Ritchie being kicked out of the dot? I didn't watch anything.

Kumpulainen was usually above 50% on this until they ran into the team that knocked them out. I like him growing a couple of more inches, and he needs to fill out to around 215-220. I'd still like to find a way to sneak Heidt on this team.

[Up North Guy]

5 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

While in Oshawa, I noticed Kumpulainen taking the majority of faceoffs for them. Ritchie was usually a close 2nd. However, did Kumpulainen take the most important ones? Is the discrepancy due to Ritchie being kicked out of the dot? I didn't watch anything.

Kumpulainen was usually above 50% on this until they ran into the team that knocked them out. I like him growing a couple of more inches, and he needs to fill out to around 215-220. I'd still like to find a way to sneak Heidt on this team.

I like Heidt also but I just don't see a path for him this year. He could always surprise but he has very much to learn.

[Mateo3xm]

On 9/13/2024 at 3:54 PM, Kato AK said:

Just looking at his stats and play style, I would be more than happy if he ends up similar to either Koivu or Anton Lundell.

Is that too high of a ceiling for Rasmus?

Probably too high but you never know. A lot of these big guys are late bloomers.

[Justin Hein]

On 9/14/2024 at 10:48 AM, mnfaninnc said:

While in Oshawa, I noticed Kumpulainen taking the majority of faceoffs for them. Ritchie was usually a close 2nd. However, did Kumpulainen take the most important ones? Is the discrepancy due to Ritchie being kicked out of the dot? I didn't watch anything.

Kumpulainen was usually above 50% on this until they ran into the team that knocked them out. I like him growing a couple of more inches, and he needs to fill out to around 215-220. I'd still like to find a way to sneak Heidt on this team.

I would guess that Kumpulainen's size was very dominant in the dot in Juniors, but may not be as much of a factor playing against grown men in Liiga or the NHL. 

Another point to watch this year. 

[Justin Hein]

On 9/13/2024 at 3:54 PM, Kato AK said:

Just looking at his stats and play style, I would be more than happy if he ends up similar to either Koivu or Anton Lundell.

Is that too high of a ceiling for Rasmus?

Lundell is probably out of the question, and Koivu's D0 production implies a higher ceiling than Kumpulainen's. Scoring the same amount earlier in his career is a better sign. 

That being said, Kumpulainen has an opportunity at age 20 this year to do something in Liiga that Koivu didn't achieve until later. Even if he transitions smoothly to the Liiga, it's not a guarantee he would develop the same defensive abilities as Koivu -- he was truly unreal. 

A better comp might be Kolesar, above. If you turn your 2nd round picks into every-night bottom-six forwards, you take that all day. 

[mnfaninnc]

1 hour ago, Justin Hein said:

Lundell is probably out of the question, and Koivu's D0 production implies a higher ceiling than Kumpulainen's. Scoring the same amount earlier in his career is a better sign. 

Here is something to consider on this: Kumpulainen grew late in his development. We all know that larger guys have early trouble with skating and coordination and are probably 2 years behind in that regard. That Kumpulainen did this late should indicate he will need some more seasoning than Lundell and Koivu needed, but that doesn't mean that he cannot become as effective. 

I'm not saying that Kumpulainen will be Koivu 2.0, but I am saying that as a player he could approach Lundell who is still tall and lanky. I wonder if we had taken Lundell instead of Rossi if he would have taken after Ek and bulked up more? I wonder if he and Ek would have spent offseasons together working out?  

Some say that Rossi appears to be a little Ek just because of his height, but I wonder what Lundell would have been? I'm pretty sure we would have used him differently than Florida uses him.