Bjorn Melin

Bjorn Melin won't be back next year as he signed with his home town HV71 of the SEL.

I for one won't miss him one bit. He wasn't very good. He only scored 8 goals this season and he was signed and brought over for one reason and that was goal production.

He scored five goals in his first seven games, but only three for the rest of season. Melin never hit, play the body or get his hands dirty. He always tried to make the pretty play and normally ended up on his butt or looking like a fool.


Just never adjusted to North American hockey.

Maybe Melin just isn't cut out for the North American game. But does it seem like our minor league team seems to be the place European prospects go to die? Has a single European player of note been drafted/signed by us, gone through an appreciable stint in the AHL, and become an NHL player?

The closest I can find is that Vishnevsky spent half of his first season in Anaheim and half in Cincincatti. And Smid spent last year in Portland. Granted the best Europeans (or anyone for that matter) tend not to spend any time in the AHL, but this still seems somewhat alarming. Should we just let our European players play in their league until they can step straight into the NHL, or was our European scouting just that bad?

Edit: Forgot Bryz. But he's a goalie, goalies are weird.

Smid would be one example as he would have been up an down with Anaheim this year if he hadn't been dealt.

I think another one would be Wirtanen, he'll be a very good player for the Ducks in a couple seasons....He is going to fill the Sami Pahlsson role. His ability to take face-offs has been impressive.

Maybe Melin just isn't cut out for the North American game. But does it seem like our minor league team seems to be the place European prospects go to die? Has a single European player of note been drafted/signed by us, gone through an appreciable stint in the AHL, and become an NHL player?

The closest I can find is that Vishnevsky spent half of his first season in Anaheim and half in Cincincatti. And Smid spent last year in Portland. Granted the best Europeans (or anyone for that matter) tend not to spend any time in the AHL, but this still seems somewhat alarming. Should we just let our European players play in their league until they can step straight into the NHL, or was our European scouting just that bad?

Edit: Forgot Bryz. But he's a goalie, goalies are weird.

My bet would be let them stay w/ their Euro club until they're ready for the NHL (including spending half the year in Anahiem and half in Portland).

There are many things weird about Bryz's coming over.

There are many things weird about Bryz's coming over.

Specially his ability to answer interviews.

It is discouraging that so many of our European prospects, specifically our Swedish prospects, go home soon after they come to North America. GL TO ALL! :) I am hoping that maybe Pesonen will be signed and will adjust! :)

Hooray!

The sacrificial Swede is chosen! Let the long playoff run commence!

Maybe Melin just isn't cut out for the North American game. But does it seem like our minor league team seems to be the place European prospects go to die? Has a single European player of note been drafted/signed by us, gone through an appreciable stint in the AHL, and become an NHL player?

I did like Hedstrom, who spent 50 games in Cincy. If he liked playing in the U.S., he'd definitely be in the NHL.

That's true, Hedstrom seemed to have a solid role as a checker.

And I'm not sure if Melin counts as our sacrificial Swede, considering he played like 3 games for us. Kjellberg and Hedstrom were playing solid roles for the whole season before they left. So either we lose another Swede (nooooo not Pahlsson) or maybe we won't go far.

Our Euro scouts suck. That's always been the case, it's just that in recent years we've been focusing on picking North American players so it hasn't mattered.

You do have to wonder why so many of our euro draftee's/signee's blow, I mean should we even bother bringing Pesonen over? I heard the AHL conditioning system is not very good compared to Europes.

I can't blame the scouting staff fully on Melin, because he wasn't drafted by the Ducks.

His rights were acquired in a trade with the Islanders.

Dave Roche for Ben Guite and Melin

You do have to wonder why so many of our euro draftee's/signee's blow, I mean should we even bother bringing Pesonen over? I heard the AHL conditioning system is not very good compared to Europes.

They blow for the same reason Bill Cass or Francois Caron blew. That being mid to late rate round picks seldom don't blow regardless of where they come from.

Melin spent 7 years developing in the SEL so you can't say they didn't just leave him over there. This was the time for his one look, he failed and went home. No big deal.

Well it's true that a lot were late picks, but we don't have a stellar record with early picks either. Holmqvist, Chistov, Smirnov, to some extent Tverdovsky. First rounders. Need I list 2nd and 3rd rounders?

Well it's true that a lot were late picks, but we don't have a stellar record with early picks either. Holmqvist, Chistov, Smirnov, to some extent Tverdovsky. First rounders. Need I list 2nd and 3rd rounders?

Kilger, Wesenberg, Cullen, Peat. I don't think the track record with North American's is any different. They've just drafted more Euros in the early years. And a crappy kid from NA is more likely to stick around in a 3rd or 4th line role where the Euro will go home.