Prospect Info: 2017 HF Devils Top 25 Prospect Rankings

[Devils Dominion]

Kapla is a boring prospect.

 

[Bleedred]

Writing in Coleman, Pietila, Rooney, Graham Black and Helgeson!

 

[Zippy316]

Updated based on the polls in case anyone wants to see the entire top 25.

 

[HBK27]

Crazy how Jacobs goes from 7/8 to not even in the top 20.

Really is surprising how much Jacobs has dropped, considering his rank the past two years. He's still only 21, so there's time for him to turn it around.

It looks like he had a good 2015-2016 season in Sarnia, had some trouble adjusting to the AHL but seemingly played well towards the end of the season.

Asked about the organization depth among defensemen, Kowalsky admitted “that’s still an area we’re looking to improve in.”

Kowalsky, unprompted, immediately began discussing the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Jacobs, who had nine assists in 49 games for Albany last season and was scoreless in four playoff games.

Kowalsky said Jaobs had a “rough start” and the organization considered sending him to the ECHL. But Jacobs’ play improved as the season went on and “come the playoffs, we were sitting out veterans ahead of him,” Kowalsky said.

Still, it does not sound as if Jacobs is ready to jump to the NHL right out of training camp as Kowalsky said he would have a chance to earn an expanded role in Binghamton during training camp and then, “depending on what he does,” perhaps Jacobs will then get a chance with the Devils.

“I feel like I’m a two-way defenseman,” Jacobs said. “I’ll join (the rush) when I’m need but defense comes first for myself.”

http://www.northjersey.com/story/sp...alsky-assesses-devils-young-talent/480116001/

Would have to assume that he earned his spot in the lineup for the playoffs and there were (as far as I can tell) 10 defensemen on the roster at that point, including Santini grabbing a spot. So it's not all that terrible of a way to end the season. I haven't seem him play, so I understand the feeling that he'll never be an NHL regular (and that is still likely the case), but the drop out of the top 25 seems rather harsh.

He obviously needs to take a big step forward this season (and put up some more points), but hopefully a good finish to last season will give him some confidence to be a leader and hopefully best defenseman in Binghamton this season.

 

[AfroThunder396]

That's encouraging to read from Kowalsky. I would never write off a 21 year old, but Jacobs certainly has his work cut out for him.

It would be a huge boost to the franchise if he turned it around and became a valuable defenseman for us, we really need one.

 

[Better Call Sal]

I agree, hearing that from Kowalsky gives me some comfort. It's very likely he ends up being similar to Burlon and never becomes anything more than an AHLer, but he is still young enough that he can turn it around.

 

[Devils Dominion]

I agree, hearing that from Kowalsky gives me some comfort. It's very likely he ends up being similar to Burlon and never becomes anything more than an AHLer, but he is still young enough that he can turn it around.

Where would Butcher rank?

 

[None Shall Pass]

Where would Butcher rank?

He'd probably be our 3rd or 4th best D prospect.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I'd put him 11 or 12.

 

[Devils731]

I'd put him 11 or 12.

It would take me until about 19 for me to get guys I would trade straight up for Butcher.

 

[RememberTheName]

I would probably put him at 19

 

[Tretyak 20]

Kapla is a boring prospect.

So was Greene.

 

[sammystl5]

A little late but I put together my own top prospects rankings for the Devils.

http://njdab.com/articles/top-12-devils-prospects/

 

[devilsblood]

A little late but I put together my own top prospects rankings for the Devils.

http://njdab.com/articles/top-12-devils-prospects/

Good stuff.

But you could probably use another edit run through.

 

[Tretyak 20]

A little late but I put together my own top prospects rankings for the Devils.

http://njdab.com/articles/top-12-devils-prospects/

Good write-up. McLeod was drafted 12th, though.

 

[neelynugs]

Doing something different this year:

The poll is multi-choice. PICK 5 players who you think are the next 5 prospects.

I will then take the players with the most votes rank him 21, next one 22, etc.

Rank	Player
1	Nico Hischier
2	Michael McLeod
3	Steve Santini
4	John Quenneville
5	Blake Speers
6	Yegor Rykov
7	Mackenzie Blackwood
8	Jesper Boqvist
9	Joey Anderson
10	Miles Wood
11	Mirco Mueller
12	Nikita Popugayev
13	Reilly Walsh
14	Nathan Bastian
15	Brandon Gignac
16	Fabian Zetterlund
17	Jesper Bratt
18	Marian Studenic
19	Mikhail Maltsev
20	Aarne Talvitie
21	Jeremy Davies
22	Colton White
23	Jocktan Chainey
24	Brett Seney
25	Gilles Senn

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

[table="head;width=4000]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|W|2014 #30|Albany Devils (AHL)/New Jersey Devils (NHL)|68.18%|John Quenneville|Reid Boucher
#5|Blake Speers|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
#10|Miles Wood|LW|2013 #100|Albany Devils (AHL)/New Jersey Devils (NHL)|56.16%|Nathan Bastian|Joseph Blandisi
#11|Mirco Mueller|D|2013 #18|San Jose Barracuda (AHL)|41.56%|Nick Lappin|Raman Hrabrenka|
#12|Nikita Popugayev|RW|2017 #98|M. Jaw Warriors/P. George Cougars (WHL)|37.66%|Mikhail Maltsev|Miles Wood
#13|Reilly Walsh|D|2017 #81|Proctor Academy (USHS)/Chicago Steel (USHL)|43.04%|Scott Wedgewood|Ryan Kujawinski
#14|Nathan Bastian|RW|2016 #42|Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)|57.53%|Brandon Gignac|Seth Helgeson
#15|Brandon Gignac|C|2016 #70|Shawnigan Cataractes (QMJHL)|61.82%|Joey Anderson|Kerfoot/Kalinin|
#16|Fabian Zetterlund|RW|2017 #63|Farjestad BK J20 (SuperElite/SHL)|55.36%|Colton White|Kerfoot/Kalinin|
#17|Jesper Bratt|W|2016 #162|AIK (Allsvenkan)|69.23%|Vojtech Mozik|Vojtech Mozik|
#18|Marian Studenic|RW|2017 #150|Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)|31.03%|Yegor Rykov|Graham Black
#19|Mikhail Maltsev|C|2016 #112|SKA-Neva St. Petersburg (VHL)|26.23%|Blake Coleman|Blake Pietila
#20|Aarne Talvitie|F|2017 #163|Blues U20 (Jr. A SM-liiga)|36.36%|Reece Scarlett|Maxime Clermont|
#21|Jeremy Davies|D|2016 #192|Northeastern (Hockey East)|73.24%|
#22|Colton White|D|2015 #97|Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)|60.56%|
#23|Jocktan Chainey|D|2017 #191|Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)|47.89%|
#24|Brett Seney|W|2015 #157|Merrimack (Hockey East)|46.48%|
#25|Gilles Senn|G|2017 #129|HC Davos (NLA)|40.85%|

[/table]

thoughts on the top 10 right now? who's rising/falling from the summer?

 

[britdevil]

Jesper Brrrrrraaaatt got dat rocket pack strapped to his back.

 

[Zippy316]

thoughts on the top 10 right now? who's rising/falling from the summer?

Speers and Blackwood likely would fall in that top 10 and replaced by Bratt and Wood being bounced up a bit.

It's hard to say because a lot of players will graduate or are on pace to.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Speers and Blackwood likely would fall in that top 10 and replaced by Bratt and Wood being bounced up a bit.

It's hard to say because a lot of players will graduate or are on pace to.

MBW does a free fall maybe even off the list.

 

[Fear the Wushu]

Bratt moves up to #2 behind Nico, he is definitely a guy who is top 10 in the 2016 redraft.

 

[Blender]

Jesper Brrrrrraaaatt got dat rocket pack strapped to his back.

He didn't jusr blast off the planet, he left the f***ing galaxy.

 

[severian]

He'd probably be our 3rd or 4th best D prospect.

Lol

 

[Blender]

Technically I would remove Hischier, Bratt, Wood, and Santini from the list entirely.

 

[My3Sons]

Technically I would remove Hischier, Bratt, Wood, and Santini from the list entirely.

NJ prospect group will start to take on a different look next season. Lots of European players at the top and some familiar names will fall fairly far based on the way this season is unfolding.

 

[Devilsfan992]

It's hilarious in hindsight that Coleman isn't on this list. I do know a few were high on him, particularly Jim.