Quoting: Gofnut999
One is decent, one is org depth. Igor is top 10 goalie potential, quickly. Pass.
I assume you mean to say Kurashev is org depth, I think you may want to rethink that assumption. He is a legit prospect. I copied some text from various "The Athletic" articles about the Blackhawks farm system.
Another thing, Im not arguing that this trade is fair, or even good for the Blackhawks for that matter, just that Kurashev and Beaudin arent nobodies as many have implied.
Scott Wheeler
Speaking of players who’ve created offense on a team that lacks it …
After getting injured in Traverse City (one of many Blackhawks prospects who suffered that fate at the annual prospects tournament), Kurashev has been consistent for the IceHogs as a 20-year-old rookie this year. In fact, had he played the full season, he’d probably be first or second on the team in scoring. Kurashev is also a player whose raw numbers have never tended to match up with how impressive he is when you watch him. Part of that may be your mind playing tricks on you and the illusion some players create by seeming to ooze talent while not producing — one should lead to the other after all. Part of that is also the talent he lacked around him in Quebec, where he was the Remparts leading scorer in both seasons. He would’ve put up bigger numbers on a contending team, I’m sure of it. Offensively, there’s no one tool in Kurashev’s game that looks like it will hold him back. He has slick hands through traffic and in tight, he can break defenders down 1-on-1 or shoot through them with a quick release and a hard shot, he’s strong on his feet and he’s a creative passer who always has his head up and doesn’t have tunnel vision just because he’s a natural scorer. He’s also got a late birthday and only turned 20 in-season last October, which bodes well for his progression moving forward. Though he’s not physical, I also think his defensive game is better than most realize (it has occasionally been a source of criticism). He needs to get faster to truly reach his potential but I wouldn’t be surprised if he becomes a 40ish-point player at the NHL level.
Corey Pronman
Tier: Legit/chance bubble
Kurashev had a fine year in the QMJHL but what most people remember was his awesome World Juniors where he was a top player in the tournament. That is Kurashev in a nutshell. He’s got all the talent to take over a game, but the consistency isn’t always there. Inside the offensive zone he’s great. He’s got skill, high-end vision and a bullet shot that can beat goalies from a distance. He’s a guy you want with the puck on his stick on the power play. His skating is fine but his quickness isn’t his selling point. He needs to be better off the puck, and particularly show up more often and have a great year with a club team.