Viktor Rask. Whhat happened?

[rangerdanger]

He was having a terrific year. I expected him to maybe slow down a little, but what's happening is a complete 180 and I don't get why. I don't really catch Carolina games. His usage looks down a bunch and not even getting faceoffs.

He in the dog house? He certainly isn't as useless as he's looked the past month or so.

[The Bottlenecker]

Reality set in, and he is what we thought he was...a guy more suited for spot duty in the top 6, but a good third line option.

[rangerdanger]

So he goes from nearly a point per game stretch and that masked them decide he's a third Liner?

[Eskimo Brother]

Very streaky guy. I think Aho and a couple others have just taken over the spotlight. Carolina's just generally a team that only has one line going at a time. I expect him to have another solid stretch before the end of the season.

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Very streaky guy. I think Aho and a couple others have just taken over the spotlight. Carolina's just generally a team that only has one line going at a time. I expect him to have another solid stretch before the end of the season.

[The Bottlenecker]

So he goes from nearly a point per game stretch and that masked them decide he's a third Liner?

That's over simplifying it...

He gets a lot of time on a young Carolina squad, more than he'd get on another team where he'd more likely play on the third line. He is streaky, and there are a couple guys, like Aho, with more talent who will only continue to get more time (pushing Rask down he depth chart).
I remember looking at / researching Rask years ago when I first joined my keeper, hoping for a diamond in the rough, but that many of the websites I visited, including Dobber Prospects I believe, prognosticated that he was, at best, a second line player who would be a great third liner if/when better talent came along. That's all I meant.

[vandalay]

There is nothing about his previous numbers as a prospect that suggests that he is a significant offensive talent. What you see is what you get with him and frankly Rask owners should be thankful that he hit his stride so quickly rather than fretting about an upside that was never there.

[Sulla]

I think you are also discounting the growing pains that comes with so many good young players at the top of your line up... There aren't many young players that can come in and be top end producers game after game straight away (I mean Marner went a month between goals in Nov - Dec) but usually there are enough options in a line up to mask it but Carolina is thin and subsequently are struggling again

thats why I target prospects based on opportunity to jump to the NHL sooner and then package then for vets of similiar upside (who do it consistently) and pad my team with young guys on veteran teams who are hitting years 3, 4 and 5 as when they reach those years you generally see what they are all about and how they fit in