Cups early top 90 for the 07 NHL entry draft.
- Thread starter DanStewart
- Start date
Espo in my opinion has as much chance of becoming Mike Ribeiro as he does of becoming anywhere near a number one overall pick.
I have trouble with the ratings of the Q players, though most publications have them rated highly. If Bashkirov plays with his twin brother, who is also reasonably ranked, how could they be rated above Chris Didomenico, who is statistically destroying the Bashkirovs with virtually no offensive support.
I don't think Grant will go that high, despite his physical abilities to be great, because he has a two-cent head. He plays hard when he feels like it, but is below-average when he is not in the game.
(edit: Sorry about the quote, meant to delete that)
I have trouble with the ratings of the Q players, though most publications have them rated highly. If Bashkirov plays with his twin brother, who is also reasonably ranked, how could they be rated above Chris Didomenico, who is statistically destroying the Bashkirovs with virtually no offensive support.
I don't think Grant will go that high, despite his physical abilities to be great, because he has a two-cent head. He plays hard when he feels like it, but is below-average when he is not in the game.
(edit: Sorry about the quote, meant to delete that)
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
Espo is falling like a rock. He's looking more and more like a one dimensional player who's one dimension isn't at the ELITE level. I've seen him a few times via the internet and some clips as well and I've never been impressed with him. Then again, I've held this same thought since last year. He's slowly but steadily been falling down the charts and for good reason: He simply isn't as good as he was touted to be and others in his draft class are catching up and passing him.
Hamil is in the exact same boat. He's not even in my top 20.
Here's my CURRENT top 15:
1. Karl Alzner
2. James vanRiemsdyk
3. Logan Couture
4. Kyle Turris
5. Pat Kane
*Gagner (forgot him on the first try for some reason, so he's #6. Slot everyone else down 1 number)
6. Luca
i7. Jakub Voracek
8. Sergei Korostin
9. Alexei Cherepanov
10. Bill Sweatt
11. Nick Petrecki
12. Keaton Ellerby
13. Angelo Esposito
14. Mark Katic
15. Dana Tyrell
HM: Patrick White, Kevin Shattenkirk, Brandon Sutter, Keven Veilleux, Tyson Sexsmith
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Espo is falling like a rock. He's looking more and more like a one dimensional player who's one dimension isn't at the ELITE level. I've seen him a few times via the internet and some clips as well and I've never been impressed with him. Then again, I've held this same thought since last year. He's slowly but steadily been falling down the charts and for good reason: He simply isn't as good as he was touted to be and others in his draft class are catching up and passing him.
Hamil is in the exact same boat. He's not even in my top 20.
Here's my CURRENT top 15:
1. Karl Alzner
2. James vanRiemsdyk
3. Logan Couture
4. Kyle Turris
5. Pat Kane
6. Luca
7. Jakub Voracek
8. Sergei Korostin
9. Alexei Cherepanov
10. Bill Sweatt
11. Nick Petrecki
12. Keaton Ellerby
13. Angelo Esposito
14. Mark Katic
15. Dana Tyrell
HM: Patrick White, Kevin Shattenkirk, Brandon Sutter, Keven Veilleux, Tyson Sexsmith
No Gagner in your top 20?!?
Just wondering how/where one can access QMJHL games on the net. I know about the O and the W but not the Q.
shveik
Registered User
All I know is that some QMJHL teams stream that team's games (I think home games only). One can find the links from the teams' websites. The ones I know are Victoriaville, Halifax and Saint John.
I think the majority (if not all) of NHL scouts would say he is a sure top 5 pick.
Espo is falling like a rock. He's looking more and more like a one dimensional player who's one dimension isn't at the ELITE level. I've seen him a few times via the internet and some clips as well and I've never been impressed with him. Then again, I've held this same thought since last year. He's slowly but steadily been falling down the charts and for good reason: He simply isn't as good as he was touted to be and others in his draft class are catching up and passing him.
Hamil is in the exact same boat. He's not even in my top 20.
Here's my CURRENT top 15:
1. Karl Alzner
2. James vanRiemsdyk
3. Logan Couture
4. Kyle Turris
5. Pat Kane
6. Luca
7. Jakub Voracek
8. Sergei Korostin
9. Alexei Cherepanov
10. Bill Sweatt
11. Nick Petrecki
12. Keaton Ellerby
13. Angelo Esposito
14. Mark Katic
15. Dana Tyrell
HM: Patrick White, Kevin Shattenkirk, Brandon Sutter, Keven Veilleux, Tyson Sexsmith
Seems like at least one GM doesn't agree with you.
Calgary's Darryl Sutter stated in an interview after the top prospect game that Esposito is clearly the best draftee from the CHL this year.
Espo has had a little bit of a drop in his offensive output but that can be attributed to two things that should not effect his status as a top prospect.
1). evolution of his game from all out offence to a more two-way physical game in the Q. I'm not saying he is Selke worthy but he has improved from a year ago in that area. He still has that great drive to the net power/acceleration that defines his game to me.
2). and to a lesser degree, no more PP time with Radulov. The graduation of Radulov was bound to hurt the offensive numbers of all Quebec roster players. Unlike last year Espo is now the #1 assignment for the top checker on the opposition each night. This has caused some frustration to Espo but it looks like he is doing a good job fighting through it.
1). evolution of his game from all out offence to a more two-way physical game in the Q. I'm not saying he is Selke worthy but he has improved from a year ago in that area. He still has that great drive to the net power/acceleration that defines his game to me.
2). and to a lesser degree, no more PP time with Radulov. The graduation of Radulov was bound to hurt the offensive numbers of all Quebec roster players. Unlike last year Espo is now the #1 assignment for the top checker on the opposition each night. This has caused some frustration to Espo but it looks like he is doing a good job fighting through it.
Thats because he won't be picking in the top 15. Hes trying to mess with the heads of the other GMs
shveik
Registered User
Thats because he won't be picking in the top 15. Hes trying to mess with the heads of the other GMs
If I am a GM, what do I care what GM that drafts *after* me thinks?
firstroundbust
lacks explosiveness
http://www.hockeywebcasts.com/
occasionally the video feeds will be free- Cape Breton games are often free.
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
Around 29/30. I haven't bothered with a top 30/40/50 yet, but I am slowly beginning that part.
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
I'd like to see his scouts lists. I'd put more validity on those than a GM who's probably seen the kid once or twice.
And you (and I) likely pay very little attention to anything a GM says to a reporter on live TV. They will always say something nice about whatever kid they are asked about. Not saying Sutter doesn't think Espositio is the best from the Q, just that we don't really know.
Saint John, Moncton, Halifax, Cape Breton and PEI all stream their home games off their home page (video).
Not that it matters (and you are right I always take everything that Sutter says with a whole shaker of salt
) but Sutter wasn't asked about Esposito and it was a general interview with a Calgary station (Flames pre-game) but they also talked about the upcoming draft. In his eyes Esposito is the best CHL (not just Q) draftee this year. Also stated that there are lots of good D-Men and lots of good safe forwards in the draft with not much separating them. The only player he was actually asked about was his nephew and he said that Brandon is one of these good safe forwards and that he plays a lot like Brent (and that he does).This is probably the most open draft in recent years and I'll bet with you that there are more GMs out there that still have Esposito on 1.
I'm sure you're right that many GMs and scouts have Espo number one. I wouldn't be surprised if Sutter was one of them. I also wouldn't be terribly shocked if he had something else up his sleeve.Not that it matters (and you are right I always take everything that Sutter says with a whole shaker of salt
This is probably the most open draft in recent years and I'll bet with you that there are more GMs out there that still have Esposito on 1.
It's interesting to hear his other comments on the draft though. I appreciate your posting them. Because of the wide open nature of the talent, I think this will be a fun draft to watch.
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
The one thing I COULD see Sutter liking about Espo is the fact that he'd be a good prospect for the Flames: A guy with loads of offensive potential. Real hit or miss kind of guy they should take a chance on.
I'm totally confused by the love in so many places for Katic. I can't claim to be an expert on the OHL or anything, but I've seen him a couple times now and just don't get it.
The guy seems to be almost an exact carbon copy of Kyle Cumiskey, who went 222nd overall in 2005. Identical size, identical physical/defensive game or lack thereof, very similar high-end skating and puck skills. If anything, I actually found Cumiskey to be a fair bit more dynamic in his draft year, although obviously I saw more of him.
Now granted, Cumiskey looks like a great pick where he went and would probably go 125 spots higher if you re-did that draft. Still nothing close to first-round material though. And same with Katic - the guy just screams 3rd-4th round gamble to me. I don't see how a shrimpy 5'9" no-grit defender (who is also putting up pretty average offensive numbers) goes in the top 20 picks. Or even the top 40 picks.
And I'm not singling you out because he seems to be that high pretty much everywhere. I'd just like to hear someone's explanation.
Perhaps the liking of Katic stems from this Kyle Woodlief's write: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/columnist.jsp?content=20061221_132729_3532
That seems to give a positive impression about his game. Somewhere I've also seen the comparison to Trevor Daley who was a second rounder. Katic is at least a better skater.
