Edited Mar. 30, 2021 at 2:22 a.m.
Quoting: Claebom
Lassi has looked awful in Belleville this year, don't prospect hug and pretend everything is alright. He's been so poor that coach Mann explicitly and directly dragged him in the media and said how little he could handle the responsibility of being their powerplay quaterback, that he was nowhere close to a Wolanin or Brännström OFD with the puck, that he's being put into situations he's not ready for (PP and top 4), that he panics with the puck, and that he needs more time to adjust to the North American ice. He started with all the opportunity in the world and was gifted a spot on PP1 by virtue of how much the Sens wasted a pick on him but he's quickly been demoted and is now on the 3rd pairing and getting fewer and fewer minutes because he continues to be absolutely atrocious defensively and not contributing enough offensively to make it worth it. The fun part? This is the exact same thing that happened two years in a row in Liiga where he completely lost his coach's trust. He hasn't improved since being drafted too high. Woo!
And captaining the WJC team? He lead them to no medal, the team went 2-2 in the preliminary round and he had a miserable 3 P in 7 GP, good for a tie for 7th on the team and 3rd amongst D (behind two guys who were drafted after him and have been way more impressive than him since the draft in Liiga and the AHL). Just because he had a C put on his jersey doesn't mean anything. He was a complete disappointment at that tournament.
Buffalo loses that trade.
He had a great D+1 year. That’s a fact. He would’ve been front and center at the WJC this year too if his birthday was a little earlier. The fact that the team didn’t medal is irrelevant. Idk if you actually watched or just checked the points after the tourney was done but he was literally their best defencemen and was relied upon heavily in every situation.
He hasn’t had a great D+2 year but anyone who expected a seamless transition back to North America after he willingly left a better situation for his development in NA the year before is playing themselves. There’s obviously something amiss there.
Belleville is brutal this year. The reason he started with all that opportunity is because there’s no one down there. Instead of letting him earn his keep they threw EVERYTHING at him before he was ready. Considering that, I think he’s been fine. Despite not being ready to take on as much responsibility as they’re throwing at him he’s still put up 5 points in 15 games without being an offensive defencemen.
He’s not Ville Heinola and if Ottawa wanted a smaller left shot offensive defencemen they would’ve taken him instead. Hes someone who is supposed to be steady and have a heavy shot. You honestly didn’t think he would need more time? He came over for his draft year and then decided to go home instead of playing his D+1 season for Adam Foote in Kelowna as their number 1D the year they’re guaranteed a spot in the biggest tournament for junior hockey. Of course he’s going to need time and Ottawa should be in no rush to develop him. If you think this season has been a disappointment then your expectations were too high.
I never said Buffalo doesn’t lose the trade.