Craig Button's Top 50 Affiliated Prospects List (2024)

[Static]

Cutter Gauthier, Alexander Nikishin lead Craig Button’s top 50 NHL-affiliated prospects list | TSN

Cutter Gauthier was in the midst of some controversy this season, but there's nothing controversial about Craig Button ranking him at No. 1.

www.tsn.ca

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[Hockeyville USA]

A bit surprised that Isaac Howard didn't make it, but he's been somewhat hot and cold for State this year, so not too surprising.

 

[Dominance]

Not worth the time of day.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Michkov should be 1st.

Perreault should be the highest ranked BC player. He leads college hockey in scoring, for crying out loud.

 

[MNRube]

Michkov should be 1st.

Perreault should be the highest ranked BC player. He leads college hockey in scoring, for crying out loud.

Not quite ready to agree with you on GP, but definitely with you on Michkov.

Yurov should be higher too. He’s putting up great numbers on a good team in the KHL

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

This list is missing Brad Lambert, Matt Savoie, and Seamus Casey. Pretty notable omissions.

 

[Frk It]

Edvinsson and Reinbacher are much better than the rest of the 'B' ranked defenseman IMO.

Edvinsson being ranked 25th is a joke to me. He is a top 3 defenseman outside the NHL all day, in my opinion.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

Michkov should be 1st.

Perreault should be the highest ranked BC player. He leads college hockey in scoring, for crying out loud.

He's ahead of Smith by 2 points, and Smith/Leonard have always been seen as the higher ranked/more projectable. Not like he's dominating to some extent that he needs to be ranked higher by Craig Button.

Either way, it's Craig Button who always does weird stuff.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He's ahead of Smith by 2 points, and Smith/Leonard have always been seen as the higher ranked/more projectable. Not like he's dominating to some extent that he needs to be ranked higher by Craig Button.

Either way, it's Craig Button who always does weird stuff.

I think at some point the points have to start mattering. When you keep leading teams and leagues and setting points records, the projectable thing eventually has to go out the window.

I had Smith ranked higher at the draft and still believe he could end up better. Leonard also could, but Perreault has to start getting more respect for the chance that this scoring is projectable and he will end up that PPG or more type of NHL’er.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

I think at some point the points have to start mattering. When you keep leading teams and leagues and setting points records, the projectable thing eventually has to go out the window.

I had Smith ranked higher at the draft and still believe he could end up better. Leonard also could, but Perreault has to start getting more respect for the chance that this scoring is projectable and he will end up that PPG or more type of NHL’er.

He's ranked 7th out of all NHL-affiliated prospects...he is clearly getting respect. Smith and Leonard are 4 and 3 spots higher, not like it's a huge difference like it was on draft day.

 

[Rebels57]

Gauthier at 1 and over Michkov is f***ing hilarious. Cutter's not even in the same tier as Matvei. Gauthier is a very good prospect, but has legitimate holes in his game and based on where he has scored the vast majority of his NCAA goals, it's unclear if his goal-scoring is even going to translate without a serious effort to change his approach. Michkov is an absolute menace in all aspects of offensive hockey.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

This list is missing Brad Lambert and Seamus Casey. Pretty notable omissions.

No Joakim Kemell is quite surprising to me as well.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He's ranked 7th out of all NHL-affiliated prospects...he is clearly getting respect. Smith and Leonard are 4 and 3 spots higher, not like it's a huge difference like it was on draft day.

He's the 4th rated player on his own hockey team, and he leads the whole NCAA in points. You don't see how thats disrespectful?

If you were to say Kucherov is the fourth best player on the Lightning, would that be viewed as disrespectful to him?

 

[Brodeur]

He's the 4th rated player on his own hockey team, and he leads the whole NCAA in points. You don't see how thats disrespectful?

If you were to say Kucherov is the fourth best player on the Lightning, would that be viewed as disrespectful to him?

Just to play devil's advocate, I recall Alex Newhook producing at a much better rate than Matt Boldy when both were freshmen at BC.

 

[Jared Dunn]

He's the 4th rated player on his own hockey team, and he leads the whole NCAA in points. You don't see how thats disrespectful?

If you were to say Kucherov is the fourth best player on the Lightning, would that be viewed as disrespectful to him?

But there's also concerns around his footspeed translating to the NHL level where the other 3 on his squad don't really have that concern. His upside projectability is part of the equation along with what they're all doing currently

 

[Kalv]

Cutter Gauthier, Alexander Nikishin lead Craig Button’s top 50 NHL-affiliated prospects list | TSN

Cutter Gauthier was in the midst of some controversy this season, but there's nothing controversial about Craig Button ranking him at No. 1.

www.tsn.ca

Looks good to me

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Moore nearly a PPG as freshman and isn't on his top 50

Seems impossible at this point to claim his stock has dropped after being selected #19. If anything his 29 pts in 32 games and overall play should have bolstered his standing as prospect

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Just to play devil's advocate, I recall Alex Newhook producing at a much better rate than Matt Boldy when both were freshmen at BC.

We are talking about three players, including two line-mates, not one player.

But there's also concerns around his footspeed translating to the NHL level where the other 3 on his squad don't really have that concern. His upside projectability is part of the equation along with what they're all doing currently

I'm pretty sure a lot of people mention Smith's foot speed as a question.

When do these concerns stop mattering or start mattering a lot less? I would think being the best player in college hockey at age 18 should be enough.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Moore nearly a PPG as freshman and isn't on his top 50

Seems impossible at this point to claim his stock has dropped after being selected #19. If anything his 29 pts in 32 games and overall play should have bolstered his standing as prospect

Yeah he's another notable omission, especially after his performance at the WJC, which was impressive considering his role.

 

[UnSandvich]

Imo:

1. Nikishin
2. Michkov
3/4. Leonard/Perreault
5. Gauthier
6. Smith
7. Ritchie

I just don’t trust the hockey IQ of Gauthier or Smith as much as I do Leonard or especially Perreault.

Edvinsson at 25 also seems rather silly to me Ngl.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Jiricek at 21 is also hilariously bad. He's already an NHL caliber defenseman and somehow there are 5 D prospects out there are ahead of him?

Button is pretty awful sometimes lord.

 

[TheBeard]

Imo:

1. Nikishin
2. Michkov
3/4. Leonard/Perreault
5. Gauthier
6. Smith
7. Ritchie

I just don’t trust the hockey IQ of Gauthier or Smith as much as I do Leonard or especially Perreault.

Edvinsson at 25 also seems rather silly to me Ngl.

Weird considering he was considered to have the highest hockey IQ of the three.

 

[TLEH]

Very odd list. Very odd.

 

[UnSandvich]

Weird considering he was considered to have the highest hockey IQ of the three.

That is certainly a take. Who is your source on that? (Sounds sarcastic but I’m actually curious)

 

[GAGLine]

He's the 4th rated player on his own hockey team, and he leads the whole NCAA in points. You don't see how thats disrespectful?

If you were to say Kucherov is the fourth best player on the Lightning, would that be viewed as disrespectful to him?

The rankings aren't based entirely on points. GP having the most points in the NCAA doesn't ensure that he will be the best player at the next level. It's not hard to understand.

Suggesting that GP is being disrespected is laughable. He was selected 23rd overall in his draft and is now ranked 7th overall among all drafted prospects. That's a sign of the respect that Button has for his game. There's no reason to take it personally that his BC teammates are ranked slightly higher. Every one of those players has physical tools that GP does not.