KEVIN FIALA - Left Winger - 23 - $3.00MM Cap Hit - RFA in 2021-2022
LAST UPDATED 8/6/19
While it may not seem like they have anything in common at first glance, Kevin Fiala and Adam Larsson are very similar players to eachother. On the ice, of course, they couldn't be more different, as one is an offensive winger and the other is a defensive defenseman. Off of the ice, though, they're quite alike, as they are both strong players whose reputations with their fans and the NHL at large has been damaged by the poor circumstances they were placed in by the GM's that traded for them. Adam Larsson was traded straight-up for Taylor Hall, one of the better offensive talents Edmonton has had since the days of Messier and Gretzky. Kevin Fiala was traded straight-up for Mikael Granlund, one of the better offensive talents Minnesota has had in its franchise history. So while each of these players may be valuable on their own, the failures of the GM's that traded for them taint their status with fans. That being said, this is an evaluation of Fiala's on-ice talent. Fiala is an incredibly skilled player, with strong skating abilities. He's an incredibly underrated offensive generator, and his isolated impact measure him as an elite 5v5 play driver on offense. He sees the ice well and has phenomenal puck skills, allowing him to create chances for himself and his linemates. His incredible underlying numbers have yet to translate into even 50 points of production, but if his time in Nashville was any indication we have not yet seen the best of Fiala. Given the sizeable investment they made in acquiring Fiala, he is sure to get every opportunity to become the engine behind Minnesota's offense, and given his high-end tools, I wouldn't bet against him.
While it may not seem like they have anything in common at first glance, Kevin Fiala and Adam Larsson are very similar players to eachother. On the ice, of course, they couldn't be more different, as one is an offensive winger and the other is a defensive defenseman. Off of the ice, though, they're quite alike, as they are both strong players whose reputations with their fans and the NHL at large has been damaged by the poor circumstances they were placed in by the GM's that traded for them. Adam Larsson was traded straight-up for Taylor Hall, one of the better offensive talents Edmonton has had since the days of Messier and Gretzky. Kevin Fiala was traded straight-up for Mikael Granlund, one of the better offensive talents Minnesota has had in its franchise history. So while each of these players may be valuable on their own, the failures of the GM's that traded for them taint their status with fans. That being said, this is an evaluation of Fiala's on-ice talent. Fiala is an incredibly skilled player, with strong skating abilities. He's an incredibly underrated offensive generator, and his isolated impact measure him as an elite 5v5 play driver on offense. He sees the ice well and has phenomenal puck skills, allowing him to create chances for himself and his linemates. His incredible underlying numbers have yet to translate into even 50 points of production, but if his time in Nashville was any indication we have not yet seen the best of Fiala. Given the sizeable investment they made in acquiring Fiala, he is sure to get every opportunity to become the engine behind Minnesota's offense, and given his high-end tools, I wouldn't bet against him.
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