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"6 foot 7 and Lightning Quick" The Goalie Prospect that EVERYONE wants. |
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From the Scouts...
"He is 6 foot 7 and has reflexes on par with Kiprusoff."
"He was a secret early on this year, but now at least 20 teams are known interested."
"He will be one of the first goalies taken in Montreal"
"Everywhere he plays now he is the first interview the press wants."
"When he bends over his ass hits the crossbar. Seriously."
MIKKO KOSKINEN came out of nowhere. Two years ago no one talked about this kid. Now, he is tearing up the Finnish elite League as a Twenty-Year-Old. The Finnish elite league is often considered one of the toughest for goalies in the world. Who else once tore up this league like this? Tim Thomas.
This kid is the surprise sleeper of the draft. He’s legitimately 6’7”, lightning quick, and he’s 3rd in the Finnish Elite League as a 20 year-old! He’ll be 21 in July, but as a European he is draft eligible. Early on he was projected as a middle-round pick because no one had seen him play.
Now EVERYONE has seen him play (and many are heading back to watch the playoffs) At least two thirds of the teams in the NHL all seem to have the same reaction...they are hoping that no one else notices him. That he flies under the radar somehow...Hard to fly under the radar at 6'7".
As he got better down the home stretch in Finland (He led his team to second place and finished third in Save Percentage and G.A.A) scouts are not saying that their teams are considering taking him early – very early.
He was such a relative unknown that he has his detractors as well...some feel he will revolutionize the position, some feel he is way too green.
There aren't that many great UFA goalies out there this summer so I think that will also help him a lot, and the Finnish players I talk to all love the guy. One thing I have always found to be the case with the Fins in the NHL. They are probably better than any other nationality among NHL players at judging talent. It is amazing how whenever I hear from a bunch of Finnish players about a guy he turns out to be amazing.
more to come including my Twitter Hockey Blog.
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