Prospect Info: 2023 HFAvs Prospect Ranking Polls - Main Thread

[McMetal]

The summer prospect ranking polls have begun! We have 23 official prospects in the pool, and we're going to rank the top 20. Polls will post every other day. The main list of the rankings will be in this thread, I'll update it after the polls are complete.

Position	Player	Draft	2023 Rank	2022 Rank	Change
C	Calum Ritchie	2023 #27	1 (43.1%)	-	-
D	Mikhail Gulyayev	2023 #31	2 (61.2%)	-	-
D	Sean Behrens	2021 #61	3 (72.6%)	1	-2
C	Jean-Luc Foudy	2020 #75	4 (65.1%)	5	+1
RW	Nikolai Kovalenko	2018 #171	5 (49.3%)	16	+11
RW	Oskar Olausson	2021 #28	6 (66.7%)	2	-4
G	Justus Annunen	2018 #64	7 (47.5%)	4	-3
C	Ondrej Pavel	Undrafted	8 (43.2%)	-	-
D	Jeremy Hanzel	2023 #187	9 (77.8%)	-	-
C	Colby Ambrosio	2020 #118	10 (41.7%)	8	-2
C	Andrei Buyalski	2021 #92	11 (32.1%)	12	+1
C	Matthew Stienburg	2019 #63	12 (29.0%)	9	-3
C	Jason Polin	Undrafted	13 (37.5%)	-	-
D	Gianni Fairbrother	2019 #77 (TR)	14 (33.3%)	-	-
RW	Maros Jedlicka	2023 #219	15 (35.7%)	-	-
RW	Alex Beaucage	2019 #78	16 (30%)	10	-6
D	Nikita Ishimnikov	2023 #155	17 (37.5%)	-	-
C	Taylor Makar	2021 #220	18 (54.2%)	19	+1
LW	Sampo Ranta	2018 #78	19 (62.5%)	7	-12
D	Chris Romaine	2022 #193	20 (65.2%)	14	-6

For reference, the complete list of eligible prospects is here:

Colby Ambrosio
Justus Annunen
Alex Beaucage
Sean Behrens
Andrei Buyalsky
Gianni Fairbrother
Jean-Luc Foudy
Jeremy Hanzel
Nikita Ishimnikov
Maros Jedlicka
Nikolai Kovalenko
Mikhail Gulyayev
Taylor Makar
Trent Miner
Oskar Olausson
Ondrej Pavel
Jason Polin
Sampo Ranta
Calum Ritchie
Christopher Romaine
Shamil Shmakov
Matthew Stienburg
Ivan Zhigalov

Click to read more...

 

[McMetal]

Four newcomers in the top 10, that seems like a lot, although I'm too lazy to go back and look and see if that's unprecedented or not. Only a couple of risers, and a lot of guys falling with the new guys added.

 

[AvsInRhodey]

Four newcomers in the top 10, that seems like a lot, although I'm too lazy to go back and look and see if that's unprecedented or not. Only a couple of risers, and a lot of guys falling with the new guys added.

Definitely a high turnover year. Would be 5 new comers if Malinski was eligable.

McMetal, curious to get your take, or anyone else who stumbles on this thread... where would you rank Malinski if he was eligable? He is pretty close to our cut-off age wise if memory serves.

Any predictions for his role and playtime on the Avs the season given our steep drop in NHL ready players after JJ?

 

[AvsFan2123]

Definitely a high turnover year. Would be 5 new comers if Malinski was eligable.

McMetal, curious to get your take, or anyone else who stumbles on this thread... where would you rank Malinski if he was eligable? He is pretty close to our cut-off age wise if memory serves.

Any predictions for his role and playtime on the Avs the season given our steep drop in NHL ready players after JJ?

I would probably put Malinski underneath Kovalenko and above Olausson in rankings. It’s hard not to be a little excited about him with the ending to the year in the AHL he had. Based on what we have now, MacDermid is probably first up to an injury replacement. They’ve gone to him in regular season. But we’re the Avs so more than one injury will happen. From there it could be a toss up between Hunt or Malinski. They didn’t poach him to not get him into games, so maybe he gets the call first. Would love to see him get some PP2 time. From the highlights I’ve seen, his skating and movement with the puck is similar to Makar with the way he walks the blue line and attacks the net.

 

[McMetal]

Definitely a high turnover year. Would be 5 new comers if Malinski was eligable.

McMetal, curious to get your take, or anyone else who stumbles on this thread... where would you rank Malinski if he was eligable? He is pretty close to our cut-off age wise if memory serves.

Any predictions for his role and playtime on the Avs the season given our steep drop in NHL ready players after JJ?

I'd personally have him at 4 or 5, due to his NHL readiness and performance in the AHL. I'm definitely intrigued by how he translated to the pros right away, and I think he could be ready to step into a bottom pairing role as early as training camp if he plays well. I wish he was eligible for the polls at least for one year so we could have voted on him, but rules are rules.

Sorry, no poll up today, I'm at a wedding so no time to get a thread up.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I’d go above Pavel for Malinski. He had a decent 10 games (the real playoff series wasn’t as great), I think he still has a lot more to prove and we have no idea how he looks actually defending and against NHL players. He definitely did the most as a newcomer so I’m happy for him to get a shot but this is not a guy who is some top NHL prospect out of the sky after a couple weeks in the AHL.

 

[McMetal]

And with #20, we are done with the summer prospect polls! Thanks to everyone who participated! Full list of standings is in the OP. We might as well turn this thread into the 2023-24 Prospects thread with the season around the corner now.

Thoughts? Anybody who surprised you by being too low or too high?

 

[henchman21]

The pool is simply a shit sandwich. The guys at the top have significant risks or flaws. You don't even get to 5 without getting through the guys who have impact potential. We could debate too high/too low... but really it is just a big ol pile of poop.

Slightly spinning the question... guys who could rise or fall on this.

Buyalski is a guy I can see climbing. He was taking steps last year and looked to be getting his game in order to have an impact in college. The coaching situation there is likely to make this year a bit odd... but Buyalski will have the opportunity to be a key guy on the team.

Ambro is another guy I could see climbing. He has talent and will have top line opportunity. Going to have to show he has 2nd line upside to really have a chance here and that is likely a stretch. But it wouldn't shock me to see him put up 40+ points.

Olausson is another guy that could jump up. The physical tools are there... does the mind and effort come around? Does he actually click into a Burkie sort of player?

Kovalenko and Behrens have the faller potential. If they have rough seasons, they'll drop like a rock here. Kovalenko would still likely get a NHL run just due to the contract, but if he shows last season was more of a fluke than a trend... he'll move way, way down. People are hyped on production that looks awfully flukey... the skill set doesn't seem nearly as strong to me. If Behrens doesn't take a step, you have the same situation forming, just with an elevated risk given his size. He has to show he can put up offense with his frame to have a good NHL chance. He doesn't have to put up 45+ points or anything... but production needs to improve along with just having a higher offensive pressure to his game in general. That might be a bit difficult with the defensive depth chart in Denver... but he has to show the offense is there. If the offense isn't there, he just doesn't have the frame to fall back on and be a top prospect guy.

 

[tigervixxxen]

How many of these guys will have signed a contract by the time we do the next poll. Probably just Behrens. I think it’s also telling most guys in the AHL see the largest drops.

 

[henchman21]

Behrens, Hanzel, Ambro, and Ritchie I think all will get contracts prior to next season (or are moved in a trade). Off chance of Buyalski, but he has to have a great season. If we are including re-signings, Annunen.

 

[AvsFan2123]

Behrens, Hanzel, Ambro, and Ritchie I think all will get contracts prior to next season (or are moved in a trade). Off chance of Buyalski, but he has to have a great season. If we are including re-signings, Annunen.

Wonder if Jedlicka is in their near plans for the Eagles and getting a contract. Has played 2.5 years in the Slovak league and his 2 full years had impressive numbers for a young guy. I know the Slovak league isn’t the most elite league in the world but it’s not like we’re flush with other prospects that require NHL contracts. You’d think if they draft an overager in a later round they’d want him to turn pro that year or maybe one later. Thinking the same logic as Hanzel.

But the Eagles have such a logjam at D this year that someone will be pissed they aren’t playing. Won’t dive into detail on that here as it’s not the thread topic.

 

[S E P H]

I am still utterly confused about how you lot voted Pavel over Buyalski.

E: @McMetal should we do another poll with the rights lost to Stienburgh?

 

[Deadsy]

Wonder if Jedlicka is in their near plans for the Eagles and getting a contract. Has played 2.5 years in the Slovak league and his 2 full years had impressive numbers for a young guy. I know the Slovak league isn’t the most elite league in the world but it’s not like we’re flush with other prospects that require NHL contracts. You’d think if they draft an overager in a later round they’d want him to turn pro that year or maybe one later. Thinking the same logic as Hanzel.

But the Eagles have such a logjam at D this year that someone will be pissed they aren’t playing. Won’t dive into detail on that here as it’s not the thread topic.

Elite Prospects have him under contract to his current club for one more season. Makes sense to let that run out and then bring him over. He'll be 22 shortly after 24/25 season starts rolling so he still young in any case.