Prospect Info: 2017 HF Devils Top 20 Prospect Rankings: #10

[Zippy316]

[table="head;width=3500]Rank|Player|POS|Draft Position|2016-17 Team(s)|Vote %|2016 Result|2015 Result
#1|Nico Hischier|C|2017 #1|Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)|---|Pavel Zacha|Pavel Zacha
#2|Michael McLeod|C|2016 #12|Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)|82.02%|Michael McLeod|Steven Santini
#3|Steve Santini|D|2013 #42|Albany Devils (AHL)/New Jersey Devils (NHL)|71.26%|Steven Santini|John Quenneville
#4|John Quenneville|LW/RW|2014 #30|Albany Devils (AHL)/New Jersey Devils (NHL)|68.18%|John Quenneville|Reid Boucher
#5|Blake Speers|C/RW|2015 #67|Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)|33.3%|Mackenzie Blackwood|Stefan Matteau
#6|Yegor Rykov|D|2016 #132|SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)|22%|Joseph Blandisi|MacKenzie Blackwood
#T-7|MacKenzie Blackwood|G|2015 #38|Albany Devils (AHL)|30.61%|Miles Wood|Blake Coleman
#T-7|Jesper Boqvist|C|2017 #36|Brynas IF (SHL)|30.61%|Josh Jacobs|Josh Jacobs
#9|Joey Anderson|RW|2016 #73|University of Minnesota-Duluth (NCHC)|50.63|Blake Speers|Blake Speers

[/table]

Please remember to vote for who you want to add to the poll next. Most votes gets included in the next poll

[table="head;width=150]Eligible Prospects
Michael Kapla
Yaroslav Dyblenko
Ken Appleby
Colby Sissons
Marian Studenic
Aarne Talvitie
Jocktain Chainey
Yegor Zaitsev
Matthew Hellickson
Evan Cormier
Jeremy Davies
Colton White
Brett Seney
Josh Jacobs
J.D. Dudek
Brandon Baddock
Ryan Kujawinski
[/table]

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[Darkauron]

Gotta go with my man Miles. Add Chainey

 

[Emperoreddy]

Wood add Studenic

 

[Emperoreddy]

What drugs were we smoking that we voted Speers below Coleman and Matts?!?

 

[Darkauron]

What drugs were we smoking that we voted Speers below Coleman and Matts?!?

It was a strange time we were living in. Coleman still has middle six potential right??

 

[Zippy316]

What drugs were we smoking that we voted Speers below Coleman and Matts?!?

Speers was a third round pick who was buried on a deep Greyhounds team.

His numbers weren't all that impressive (still aren't) so it was hard to get a good read on him before seeing him in action.

 

[Triumph]

Anti-recency bias on that one, which is pretty standard in these sorts of polls. Devils fans had seen Stefan Matteau play 20+ games in the NHL at that point, Blake Speers was just the name of a guy they took in the 3rd round.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Walsh add Talvitie

 

[devilsblood]

Gotta go with my man Miles. Add Chainey

Me and this guy are on the exact same page.

 

[devilsblood]

Anti-recency bias on that one, which is pretty standard in these sorts of polls. Devils fans had seen Stefan Matteau play 20+ games in the NHL at that point, Blake Speers was just the name of a guy they took in the 3rd round.

Def some draft position bias as well. Most hated that pick but Matteau was still the 29th pick while Speers was the 67th. Maybe even semantics in play with a 1st rounder vs 3rd rounder.

But Speers had a pretty good fan base from the get go.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I think Speers ends up being a better Bennett

 

[devilsblood]

I think Speers ends up being a better Bennett

If he can be Bennett like in terms of possession while actually producing a bit more offense? If he can do that while staying healthy for 75+ games that would be a pretty dang good player.

 

[My3Sons]

The bigger picture is the growth in the quality and quantity of the prospect pool. There are several players outside the top ten who could really surprise over the next couple of years. The successs rate of the top 10 will vary of course but at least the outlook has moved from hoping guys can magically surprise to hoping guys like Wood can be properly developed to reach what seems to be genuine NHL potential.

 

[Emperoreddy]

If he can be Bennett like in terms of possession while actually producing a bit more offense? If he can do that while staying healthy for 75+ games that would be a pretty dang good player.

I think this is really possible. Possession and zone entries seem to be his strength.

He won't put up gawdy numbers but I see a very good support player in him.

 

[Beastdog75]

Voted for Wood, add Colton White

 

[None Shall Pass]

Voted for Walsh. Can't justify voting for Wood this high.

 

[RememberTheName]

Wood
Add Studenic

 

[Emperoreddy]

Voted for Walsh. Can't justify voting for Wood this high.

At 10? This isn't high at all. Walsh is 3+ years away.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

At 10? This isn't high at all. Walsh is 3+ years away.

Is this some kind of the most NHL ready prospects poll? The question is who will be the best player in the NHL someday.

 

[MadDevil]

Is this some kind of the most NHL ready prospects poll? The question is who will be the best player in the NHL someday.

It's all open for interpretation really. Everybody factors different things into their rankings. Some might factor in NHL experience or readiness over potential or vice versa.

 

[devilsblood]

Is this some kind of the most NHL ready prospects poll? The question is who will be the best player in the NHL someday.

It's all open for interpretation really. Everybody factors different things into their rankings. Some might factor in NHL experience or readiness over potential or vice versa.

There is also the perceived likelihood of a player reaching his potential.

I might think player A has the tools to be a high end player but realize a ton of stuff has to come together for that to happen, where as player B might not have as high a ceiling but seems like a lock to be at least a 3rd liner. It is a funny balancing act.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

NHEe
Zetterlund - 15
Popugaev - 21.5
Walsh - 15 (HS) 10 (USHL)
Wood - 23
Bratt - 32
Maltsev - 13
Bastian - 24 (draft) 20 (+1)
Gignac - 22

Bratt looks like the underrated but easy winner here. however I will go with Popugaev. He was on pace for a 28 point NHLe before getting traded plus he is 6'6.

 

[Cheddabombs]

I think this is one is Wood but the next few should be interesting. Add Studenic

 

[devilsblood]

Interesting comparison of Bratt vs Boqvist.

Bratt of coarse a 6th round pick in 2016. Boqvist a high 2nd rounder in 2017.

But Bratt is a July 30th b-day, Boqvist October. Both are currently 18 yrs old.

Both played u-18 int'l in 15-16.

Bratt in the U-18 WJC 2-2-4 in 7. In the Hlinka 3-2-5 in 5. In all U-18 int'l play 8-8-16 in 21.

Boqvist. WJC 2-1-3 in 7. Hlinka 0-1-1 in 5. All U-18, 2-2-4 in 16.

14-15 U-17.

Bratt WHC 1-3-4 in 6. All 3-5-8 in 17.
Boqvist dnp in WHC, all, 0-0-0 in 10.

Prior to this year Bratt had played in the higher leagues, maybe that is due to age cutoff?

This year Boqvist stepped over Bratt, produced much better in the Allsvenskan, played in the SHL, and produced fairly well in his time there. While Bratt only showed limited production improvement in the Allsvenskan last year to this, and did not take that step up to the SHL like Boqvist did.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Interesting comparison of Bratt vs Boqvist.

Bratt of coarse a 6th round pick in 2016. Boqvist a high 2nd rounder in 2017.

But Bratt is a July 30th b-day, Boqvist October. Both are currently 18 yrs old.

Both played u-18 int'l in 15-16.

Bratt in the U-18 WJC 2-2-4 in 7. In the Hlinka 3-2-5 in 5. In all U-18 int'l play 8-8-16 in 21.

Boqvist. WJC 2-1-3 in 7. Hlinka 0-1-1 in 5. All U-18, 2-2-4 in 16.

14-15 U-17.

Bratt WHC 1-3-4 in 6. All 3-5-8 in 17.
Boqvist dnp in WHC, all, 0-0-0 in 10.

Prior to this year Bratt had played in the higher leagues, maybe that is due to age cutoff?

This year Boqvist stepped over Bratt, produced much better in the Allsvenskan, played in the SHL, and produced fairly well in his time there. While Bratt only showed limited production improvement in the Allsvenskan last year to this, and did not take that step up to the SHL like Boqvist did.

Bratt could tear up the OHL or flame out like Tony Romano. You really never know. I will go out on a limb and say he puts up 85 points this season.