Lauri Markkanen as an NHLer? Could you see it? Time for some Sunday fun!
Okay, you guys knew I had to throw in my Boston Celtics fandom somewhere along here.
The NBA Finals are underway, and with the C's set to battle the Dallas Mavericks in Game 2 in a couple hours, I take this column's inspiration from a tweet someone sent out the other day, which said, roughly:
"Can you imagine if Kristaps Porzingis played left side [defence] for the Bruins?"
It wouldn't be unusual; Zdeno Chara was a 6-foot-9 menace for the B's, and Utah prospect Maveric Lamoreaux comes in at 6-foot-7 tall.
But picturing a 7-foot-3 center playing on skates got me thinking about who on the Jazz roster would fit best in that same situation.
What about 7-foot tall center Lauri Markkanen?
He's been a fan of the NHL since childhood, he said in a story a couple months ago.
Not surprising, either: Markkanen hails from Vantaa, Finland; home of former NHLers and Stanley Cup winners Valtteri Filppula and Antii Niemi, along with current Avalanche forward Joel Kiviranta.
He also didn't hide his excitement when the Utah team arrived in April for the first time.
He'd probably be a great fit on the blue line, but maybe he could be a Matt Rempe-style enforcer as long as he learns to use his height appropriately.
Can you imagine a 7-foot-tall forward roaming around the ice? Markkanen would rack up the body count pretty darn quick.
And he's strong, too, which means he would have a wicked shot from the point -- move over, Chara and Shea Weber.
What do you think? Who on the Jazz roster could be in the NHL? Drop a line on our RoundTable, and enjoy Game 2 of the NBA Finals tonight -- and Game 2 of the Cup Final tomorrow, both on ABC!