help me rank these 10 players (step below blue chip)

[firstroundbust]

damn...patty o gets no love on hf

 

[FearTheFlyers]

Latendresse is the same player...maybe a little faster.

There is something seriously wrong with you. I don't know what else I can say.

 

[Hossa]

I don't know why he is a mystery to you. I remember that two years ago, the CSB ranked Latendresse 3rd best player of the 05 draft, behind Crosby and Johnson.

Remember Jiri Drtina?

The rankings of a player two years before the draft is not exactly the best argument to bring up.

 

[FearTheFlyers]

Bobby Ryan is so underrated. Granted, almost none of you have ever seen him play so why wouldn't he be?

If he played for London or Kitchener and not Owen Sound his hype would be off this planet.

And no-one has noticed how much his skating is better after the summer.

 

[MetalMilitia]

I agree with the Irish guy, I live in Owen Sound and watch Bobby on a weekly basis and I must say he is one outstanding player, much better than anyother on that list, FOR SURE! If you even watch him play you will notice that everyone around him suddenly scores more. He can turn a grinder (ie Robin Big Snake) into an offensive force and an offensive force (ie Brad Richardson) into one amazing player. His passing skills are matched by no other in the O, or any junior hockey for that matter. His skating is his ONLY flaw! Fetch highlites of London@Owen Sound from Friday, you will notice his insane skills, and he was jet legged coming back from Anaheim earlier that day and saw minimal ice time. Honestly, you are all underrating Bobby, someday you will realize this and feel really stupid.

 

[The Kingslayer]

It is the hype talking.

Latendresse is not the player Brown is, nor is he in Parise's neighborhood.

Same hood? More like they arent even playing the same sport. Thats how far back latandresse is to parise.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

The only other players who were in the running for second overall were Johnson, Pouliot and Brule. That pushes him to fifth at the lowest (The Canadiens passed on Brule for Price but I'd be surprised if they passed up on Ryan in Price's favor). I'd really like to see a list of all the players you'd have taken ahead of him.

The only people trying to compare Ryan and Latendresse are Canadiens fans and Q supporters.

Well maybe the Q supporters know something....the guy is simple an amazing player and will make every GM look like a fool in the upcomming years. Ryan didn't impress me at all in the games I saw last year and the prospects game. I guess I will leave it at this....Latendresse will be one of the top 5 forwards from that draft in 10 years.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

There is something seriously wrong with you. I don't know what else I can say.

Yea....because I see Latendresse being as good if not better then Ryan. Ryan better learn to keep his head up also.....Bourret nearly took it off...Hatcher or Kasper will.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Bobby Ryan is so underrated. Granted, almost none of you have ever seen him play so why wouldn't he be?

If he played for London or Kitchener and not Owen Sound his hype would be off this planet.

And no-one has noticed how much his skating is better after the summer.

They couldn't get a good enough look with him being sent back to the CHL so quickly....Last I checked Latendresse is still with a much stronger team in Montreal.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

C'mon Jason...at least add a "I think" will ya? Surely it's too early to be that definite?

I've yet to meet the scout that says Ryan won't be a solid NHLer, and a better one than Latendresse at that. Let's get back to this conversation in five.

BTW I disagree with saying none of these players are "blue chippers"; in fact very few of them aren't at this point.

I think even Montreal scouts underestimated Latendresse...if they knew he would improve on his skating this much they would have moved up into the first round to get him if possible.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Ahahaha....

hahahaha.....you said there was no chance Brule wouldn't go #2....ahahahhaha

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

No. Not even close.


Ryan has a weakness is his game right now which will make it tough to bring him to the league (skating.) Plus, he's not as physical as he should be, and power forwards usually develop slowly. Latendresse is a better skater, but he's no Gartner. And that's the understatement of the century. Latendresse, he honestly can play 4th line in the NHL right now IMO, but I don't think he has 1st or 2nd line potential. He's solid with the puck, but nowhere close to Ryan's league. Ryan has amazing ice vision and hands, he's unselfish and just as effective offensively setting people up as his is scoring goals; in fact, maybe a MORE so. And he's imposible to knock off the puck; he scores those Jagr-style goals where he carries a defenseman on his back (in no way am I comparing Ryan to Jagr; that would be as funny as that Perry v.s. Crosby thread.)

This year in Owen Sound, Ryan needs to work on his skating. He will take on a more physical role IMO (if he wants to make it in the NHL as a 19 year old, he HAS to), and try to improve his average defensive zone play (an area where Latendresse exceeds him....and the OHL isn't exactly the best place to learn defense, except if you play for Sudbury.)

The ideal path for Ryan:

05-06 - Owen Sound - Compete with Rob Schremp (I think he'll get the 10-games-and-down thing with Edmonton; Schremp's not nearly ready for the NHL, although he's one of the few Oilers that is dangerous in the PP and that may keep him around...I think his skating could take another step up, and he needs to play the wing in London, because that is where he'll be as a pro; he's not at the all-around level of my other hometown favorite, Dustin Brown) for the OHL scoring title, in the process getting more aggressive and physically growing a bit more. After the year, signs with Anaheim and plays playoff games with their AHL affiliate if they make it.

06-07 - AHL - AHL is a better place to learn defense. Play at least half the season at the AHL level, improving his backcheck and hopefully making his skating about average, which is where it needs to be. Play either the other half of the year in the AHL if Anaheim is a great team that year, or if they blow, bring him in for the rest of the year, and send him down to the minors for the playoffs. Or maybe sign him, give him 20 games or so in the O.C., and send him to the AHL till the fall.

07-08 - NHL - He better be there, and by this time he should be a Calder candidate.

He has tremendous potential. However, I'll give you he's a higher risk than Latendresse. But there probably arent many teams that would rather have Guillame Latendresse over Bobby Ryan.

Thats your opinion and I respect that but Latendresse is allready having an imediate impact in preseason. I know its just preseason but he has been dominant physically and offensivly in every game played so far.

 

[turnbuckle*]

Maybe. I've seen Latendresse plenty of times as well, and i'm not ready to anoint him anything but a solid prospect.

I also saw the prospect Game, and if you didn't notice that Ryan was a better player at that time (despite the dirty charge from Bourret), then we have far differing opinions. Ryan impressed me much more in junior games last season, as was the case with every amateur scout on the planet that saw him.

Guillaume improved his skating in the offseason, so did Ryan. Until further notice, Ryan is much more highly regarded than Latendresse, even if he's still with the Habs, and had a good camp. The Ducks have Getzlaf and Perry ready to fill large forward roles, Ryan wasn't going to get much of a look this season. Montreal, on the other hand, lacks forwards of Latendresse's ilk; that and the French media hype are the main reasoins he's still with the big club and Ryan is not. Latendresse has played a grand total of two exhibition games. In one against minor leagueers from Tampa, he had a great offensive game. In his other game, against a better lineup with fewer minor leaguers, he was held scoreless. Hardly a case of being "dominant physically and offensively every game" as you stated.

Please hold off the bold predictions; you have no better idea if Latendresse will be the top forward ten years from now than any of the rest of us.

 

[Erik]

1) Zach Parise
2) Dustin Brown
3) Rostislav Olesz
4) Patrick O'Sullivan
5) Eric Fehr
6) Bobby Ryan
7) Alexander Perezoghin
8) Alexander Radulov
9) Guillemere Latrendresse
10) Wojtek Wolski

 

[kingpest19]

thanks to all who responded. It seems that many think that Parise is a step above most of the others. For those who seem to think that he is a defintie 70/80 point man - were you not disappointed that he only managed 58 points in the AHL last year? (while a guy like Brown had 74 points)

While a guy like brown had 74 pts? Why do people think that brown is some 3rd line scrud whos only supposed to put up 40 pts a yr in the nhl? I remember watching the draft that year and they said from the cricles in noone was more deadly than him. It amazes me how because he plays for a west coast team hes automatically some scrub

 

[God Bless Canada]

thanks to all who responded. It seems that many think that Parise is a step above most of the others. For those who seem to think that he is a defintie 70/80 point man - were you not disappointed that he only managed 58 points in the AHL last year? (while a guy like Brown had 74 points)

Look at the talent Parise had to work with. Look at the talent Brown had. Give Parise guys like Cammelleri, Lehoux (for half a season), Grebeshkov, and good minor leaguers like Kostopolous and Brad Smyth on his team. Parise and McAmmond were the only real, consistent threats on Albany.

I think very highly of Brown. I think he'll be a Brenden Morrow type of player. But I think there are some playmaking deficiencies, and once he gets to the show, he'll be a solid, gritty, 35-40 goal man with character, but he won't put up a lot of assists. Parise will be a solid 70-80 point player, while providing grit and character that will make him one of the game's prototypical small forwards.

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

hahahaha.....you said there was no chance Brule wouldn't go #2....ahahahhaha

Well he went 39 spots ahead of Latendresse...

 

[Randall Graves*]

No. Not even close.


Ryan has a weakness is his game right now which will make it tough to bring him to the league (skating.) Plus, he's not as physical as he should be, and power forwards usually develop slowly. Latendresse is a better skater, but he's no Gartner. And that's the understatement of the century. Latendresse, he honestly can play 4th line in the NHL right now IMO, but I don't think he has 1st or 2nd line potential. He's solid with the puck, but nowhere close to Ryan's league. Ryan has amazing ice vision and hands, he's unselfish and just as effective offensively setting people up as his is scoring goals; in fact, maybe a MORE so. And he's imposible to knock off the puck; he scores those Jagr-style goals where he carries a defenseman on his back (in no way am I comparing Ryan to Jagr; that would be as funny as that Perry v.s. Crosby thread.)

This year in Owen Sound, Ryan needs to work on his skating. He will take on a more physical role IMO (if he wants to make it in the NHL as a 19 year old, he HAS to), and try to improve his average defensive zone play (an area where Latendresse exceeds him....and the OHL isn't exactly the best place to learn defense, except if you play for Sudbury.)

The ideal path for Ryan:

05-06 - Owen Sound - Compete with Rob Schremp (I think he'll get the 10-games-and-down thing with Edmonton; Schremp's not nearly ready for the NHL, although he's one of the few Oilers that is dangerous in the PP and that may keep him around...I think his skating could take another step up, and he needs to play the wing in London, because that is where he'll be as a pro; he's not at the all-around level of my other hometown favorite, Dustin Brown) for the OHL scoring title, in the process getting more aggressive and physically growing a bit more. After the year, signs with Anaheim and plays playoff games with their AHL affiliate if they make it.

06-07 - AHL - AHL is a better place to learn defense. Play at least half the season at the AHL level, improving his backcheck and hopefully making his skating about average, which is where it needs to be. Play either the other half of the year in the AHL if Anaheim is a great team that year, or if they blow, bring him in for the rest of the year, and send him down to the minors for the playoffs. Or maybe sign him, give him 20 games or so in the O.C., and send him to the AHL till the fall.

07-08 - NHL - He better be there, and by this time he should be a Calder candidate.

He has tremendous potential. However, I'll give you he's a higher risk than Latendresse. But there probably arent many teams that would rather have Guillame Latendresse over Bobby Ryan.

every year it's a new anaheim prospect who gets bagged on for his skating, and every year after they improve...

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Maybe. I've seen Latendresse plenty of times as well, and i'm not ready to anoint him anything but a solid prospect.

I also saw the prospect Game, and if you didn't notice that Ryan was a better player at that time (despite the dirty charge from Bourret), then we have far differing opinions. Ryan impressed me much more in junior games last season, as was the case with every amateur scout on the planet that saw him.

Guillaume improved his skating in the offseason, so did Ryan. Until further notice, Ryan is much more highly regarded than Latendresse, even if he's still with the Habs, and had a good camp. The Ducks have Getzlaf and Perry ready to fill large forward roles, Ryan wasn't going to get much of a look this season. Montreal, on the other hand, lacks forwards of Latendresse's ilk; that and the French media hype are the main reasoins he's still with the big club and Ryan is not. Latendresse has played a grand total of two exhibition games. In one against minor leagueers from Tampa, he had a great offensive game. In his other game, against a better lineup with fewer minor leaguers, he was held scoreless. Hardly a case of being "dominant physically and offensively every game" as you stated.

Please hold off the bold predictions; you have no better idea if Latendresse will be the top forward ten years from now than any of the rest of us.

Latendresse's last season should be thrown out the window since he was comming back from such a serious injury. He wouldn't get his legs back till atleast the second half. Ryan did have a better prospects game and should have. Comming back from an injury takes alot of time.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Well he went 39 spots ahead of Latendresse...

Still I remember you saying there is no chance that Brule will slip past #2, last I checked he went 6th overall...

Brule > Crosby HAHA

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

Still I remember you saying there is no chance that Brule will slip past #2, last I checked he went 6th overall...

Brule > Crosby HAHA

Whatever dude, you're the one making a fool of yourself. ''Latendresse is the same player as Ryan - expect maybe faster'' HAHA.

 

[Sykie]

Peace and love guys.

There is too much overreaction on these boards... we're all hockey fans after all...

 

[askin]

Look at the talent Parise had to work with. Look at the talent Brown had. Give Parise guys like Cammelleri, Lehoux (for half a season), Grebeshkov, and good minor leaguers like Kostopolous and Brad Smyth on his team. Parise and McAmmond were the only real, consistent threats on Albany.

I think very highly of Brown. I think he'll be a Brenden Morrow type of player. But I think there are some playmaking deficiencies, and once he gets to the show, he'll be a solid, gritty, 35-40 goal man with character, but he won't put up a lot of assists. Parise will be a solid 70-80 point player, while providing grit and character that will make him one of the game's prototypical small forwards.

You make some good points. thanks.

 

[Squeaky]

Thats your opinion and I respect that but Latendresse is allready having an imediate impact in preseason. I know its just preseason but he has been dominant physically and offensivly in every game played so far.

That just isn't true. He had one awesome game, other than that he's looked unready for the NHL. The hype on this kid is getting rediculous. Just because he's playing well now, why does that mean he has a higher ceiling than other players? Saying he's going to be a top-5 player from the draft today is getting way, way waaaaaaaay ahead of yourself. There are a bunch of guys from this draft who with proper development could blow Latendresse out of the water.

I know you, and many others, like Latendresse, but did you really need to post 6 times in a row?

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Whatever dude, you're the one making a fool of yourself. ''Latendresse is the same player as Ryan - expect maybe faster'' HAHA.

You have seen Latendresse play this year? I have and he is quite impressive.....Watching both play last year Ryan is more of a offensive player while Latendresse is a PF.