Flames Prospect Ranking #14

[Ace Rimmer]

After watching him play, I think there is zero chance he becomes Lucic, absolutely none. I'd love to be wrong but I just haven't seen anything other than a very small handful of games that would make anyone think that.

I wouldn't say zero chance. My only hesitation is the small sample size. If (IF) he can translate his play in the ploffs to the regular season, there's no reason he couldn't be Lucic-like. That's "perfect world" territory though, because we certainly didn't see that play during the regular season.

 

[Lunatik]

I wouldn't say zero chance. My only hesitation is the small sample size. If (IF) he can translate his play in the ploffs to the regular season, there's no reason he couldn't be Lucic-like. That's "perfect world" territory though, because we certainly didn't see that play during the regular season.

never saw it in the AHL for the past 2 years either

 

[WeegarUnderwood]

I don't know what happened here on HF. Probably vocal posters just repeating the same thing over and over just makes it looks bloated; but Ferland is a good prospect with some upside.

At the lowest Ferland will be a great 4th liner, best case his hands catch up to the NHL and he becomes a good middle sixer with some size, speed and nasty. He was good in the playoffs, and now being sober and on the right path... It's hard not to cheer for this guy; unless you're a major ***** of course.

Maybe not too 5, but top 10. Funny, this guy was beloved two, three years ago. He had some growing pains and now some folks blast him,

Coach Harley, as well as Huska loves him. I trust him more than anonymous internet posters, claiming to be experts.

Oh yeah I have him in my top 10. I just don't think he's above Bennett, Poirier, Gillies, Hickey and Klimchuk

Not saying he's 6th, but that he's not top 5

 

[Ace Rimmer]

never saw it in the AHL for the past 2 years either

If he was struggling with alcohol & stuff, we wouldn't.

 

[Lunatik]

If he was struggling with alcohol & stuff, we wouldn't.

only half that AHL time was before he got sober and the worst stretch was while sober.

 

[Wayne Primeau]

only half that AHL time was before he got sober and the worst stretch was while sober.

You wanna give him a break?

Ferland is going to be a fine player. It’s someone else’s opinion - just get over it.

It doesn’t really matter what he did in the AHL, really, does it? He was a force in the NHL. Say what you want about sustainability, but I can give you more examples of players who sucked in the AHL and came around in the NHL.

It just grinds my gears when I see a player continually discounted and discredited for the most trivial things.

 

[Anglesmith]

You wanna give him a break?

Ferland is going to be a fine player. It’s someone else’s opinion - just get over it.

It doesn’t really matter what he did in the AHL, really, does it? He was a force in the NHL. Say what you want about sustainability, but I can give you more examples of players who sucked in the AHL and came around in the NHL.

It just grinds my gears when I see a player continually discounted and discredited for the most trivial things.

In fairness, his play over two seasons isn't a trivial thing at all- it's the most relevant thing there is, really. His play over a handful of playoff games, by comparison, is rather trivial, though neither should really be discounted.

 

[bWo*]

In the Sutter Era, all the time.

Don't remind me

 

[Wayne Primeau]

In fairness, his play over two seasons isn't a trivial thing at all- it's the most relevant thing there is, really. His play over a handful of playoff games, by comparison, is rather trivial, though neither should really be discounted.

I get that, and you are right.

It just pains me to see a guy who has at least proven something viewed below someone who hasn’t proven his worth.

 

[Anglesmith]

I get that, and you are right.

It just pains me to see a guy who has at least proven something viewed below someone who hasn’t proven his worth.

But it's a prospect poll. What's been proven is only one part of the analysis. As we keep circling back to, there's not a single prospect in our system who we would take over McDavid, despite McDavid having proven nothing to this point.

 

[AgeOfBennett]

After watching him play, I think there is zero chance he becomes Lucic, absolutely none. I'd love to be wrong but I just haven't seen anything other than a very small handful of games that would make anyone think that.

we can always hope but he bottoms out as 4th liner energy player who will get into scraps and chip in a bit of offence, i still consider that a decent prospect, not top 5 but good.

 

[Wayne Primeau]

But it's a prospect poll. What's been proven is only one part of the analysis. As we keep circling back to, there's not a single prospect in our system who we would take over McDavid, despite McDavid having proven nothing to this point.

Do we have any first overall picks in our system, though?

 

[Lunatik]

You wanna give him a break?

Ferland is going to be a fine player. It’s someone else’s opinion - just get over it.

It doesn’t really matter what he did in the AHL, really, does it? He was a force in the NHL. Say what you want about sustainability, but I can give you more examples of players who sucked in the AHL and came around in the NHL.

It just grinds my gears when I see a player continually discounted and discredited for the most trivial things.

Why is your opinion more valid than mine?

And what you quoted was apart of what most would call a discussion, there wasn't bashing of players o putting down of opinions, just a simple back and forth.

Yes it does matter what he did in the AHL, it's 90% of his professional career so far. Ignoring what he has done in the past is beyond ridiculous. He was a "force" because an undisciplined team allowed him to get to them, he wasn't a force against the better Ducks team; nor was he a force earlier in the year when called up when he played 3x as many regular season games as playoffs.

And yeah there are examples of guys that were better in the NHL than AHL, but let's be honest those are a rarity, you can probably name 50 that weren't as good in the NHL for every one that was better. And I bet it's closer to 100:1 for guys that weren't regular NHLers by the age of 23.

I am not discrediting him for anything trivial at all, his entire professional career to date is far from trivial.

 

[SaintMorose]

Went Morrison again bit surprised Tspoon is getting more votes than Arnold or Jooris.

For the NHL.com article I think Ferland's edge being so different from any other prospect we have kinda brings him a bit more value to the organization than guys who have been better players, but we can see being traded if they all full-time NHLers (Granlund, Jooris) Just because their are better guys with similar games in the system.
+ Obviously his best dozen games were his last dozen games and they were high pressure + exposure.
I did change my tune from having him just out of the top 5 to voting for him after our top 3 D prospects because I think they offer so much more; so I'd have him at 9 just before a pair of goalies not named Gilles.

 

[Anglesmith]

Do we have any first overall picks in our system, though?

That seems like a very artificial line in the sand.

 

[Johnny GODreau]

I went with Morrison. The other other other Mo.

 

[Wayne Primeau]

That seems like a very artificial line in the sand.

But the thing is, we aren't comparing him to any guys like McDavid. We're comparing him to guys in our system - guys like Andersson, and Granlund. And I get that this poll is all about projection, but still - Ferland projects to be a middle-six guy, and he's shown that already. Andersson projects to be a top-4 defenseman, and I see why he's ahead of Ferland. Granlund projects to be a middle-six forward, and he's proven less than Ferland (despite playing more games). Granlund doesn't bring all of the tenacity and swagger than Ferland brings to the game, their PPGs are similar, yet he's ranked higher. Why? Is it since Granlund was better in the AHL?

 

[Pirate King Luffy]

I agree with Scorp. I would debate, but it will be an endless cycle.

It will be interesting what prospects do or do not pan out in a few seasons.

 

[Lunatik]

But the thing is, we aren't comparing him to any guys like McDavid. We're comparing him to guys in our system - guys like Andersson, and Granlund. And I get that this poll is all about projection, but still - Ferland projects to be a middle-six guy, and he's shown that already. Andersson projects to be a top-4 defenseman, and I see why he's ahead of Ferland. Granlund projects to be a middle-six forward, and he's proven less than Ferland (despite playing more games). Granlund doesn't bring all of the tenacity and swagger than Ferland brings to the game, their PPGs are similar, yet he's ranked higher. Why? Is it since Granlund was better in the AHL?

Granlund has not proved less than Ferland, neither have proved anything yet IMO. But if I had to say one has proved more it would easily be Granlund, he's done more at a younger age. Also their point per games were not similar! Ferland was on pace for 16 points over a full season and Granlund was on pace for 31. And Granlund wasn't just better in the AHL, he was significantly better in the AHL.

 

[Master Bill]

Went Morrison again bit surprised Tspoon is getting more votes than Arnold or Jooris.

Why is it surprising? I don't understand why Wotherspoon is so underrated here. Ever since Hartley refused to put him in the lineup ahead of Schlemko, Diaz, Engelland, etc along the last quarter of the season, it seems like poster here are developing bad opinions of him.

 

[Sparky93]

Why is it surprising? I don't understand why Wotherspoon is so underrated here. Ever since Hartley refused to put him in the lineup ahead of Schlemko, Diaz, Engelland, etc along the last quarter of the season, it seems like poster here are developing bad opinions of him.

I don't think it's a bad rep at all. Wotherspoon is a very solid, safe and some what boring prospect, that doesn't really shine in any given area. I expect him to be slightly better than Schlemko, when fully developed, a serviceable 5/6 defenseman. The problem with that is that guys like him often get over looked or surpassed in systems that aren't against the cap. I believe he'll be a full time NHLer, I'm just not positive it'll be with the Flames.

 

[SaintMorose]

Why is it surprising? I don't understand why Wotherspoon is so underrated here. Ever since Hartley refused to put him in the lineup ahead of Schlemko, Diaz, Engelland, etc along the last quarter of the season, it seems like poster here are developing bad opinions of him.

I feel like that's more knock against Wotherspoon he really had a bunch of chances to impress the coach and it took Potter to suck out loud for him to earn 5 mins of a meaningful game where he simply looked better than Potter

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Ferland has had his inconsistencies at the pro level. But who hasnt? He also was leasing Adirondack in scoring before he got called up the first time, led the Penticton tourney in scoring, and singlehandedly crushed the 'Nucks. He also had a 96 point season in junior, was traded for a kings ransom in Jr., and was his teams best player when he was traded to the Blades (best player for them in the Mem cup too).

The majority of the prospects ranked above him won't be NHL regulars, and the whole he's a fourth liner talk is ridiculous. He played 3rd line minutes in the playoffs, and was one of our most effective players. Yet! In his first year of good health and sobriety, he's peaked and actually a fourth liner? Come on, the kid easily can become a very good second line, physical force.

 

[Anglesmith]

But the thing is, we aren't comparing him to any guys like McDavid. We're comparing him to guys in our system - guys like Andersson, and Granlund. And I get that this poll is all about projection, but still - Ferland projects to be a middle-six guy, and he's shown that already. Andersson projects to be a top-4 defenseman, and I see why he's ahead of Ferland. Granlund projects to be a middle-six forward, and he's proven less than Ferland (despite playing more games). Granlund doesn't bring all of the tenacity and swagger than Ferland brings to the game, their PPGs are similar, yet he's ranked higher. Why? Is it since Granlund was better in the AHL?

All I'm saying is that given it's about projection, the argument that "he's proven more and that's that" doesn't really apply. You can't say Ferland is the best prospect simply because no one else has proven anything at the pro level. That's all I was pointing out. It has nothing to do with where you're drafted, your current projection compared to other players is always relevant to the discussion.

 

[Lunatik]

I feel like that's more knock against Wotherspoon he really had a bunch of chances to impress the coach and it took Potter to suck out loud for him to earn 5 mins of a meaningful game where he simply looked better than Potter

We were in a playoff race, Hartley's job was to get us in the playoffs and part of that is going with experience down the stretch. Wotherspoon was called up when we needed a warm body just in case because of the travel time for call-ups, had the team been in Abbotsford still I think it would be unlikely that he would have spent so much time in the pressbox.