Hockey's Future Top 50 Prospects Fall 2005: 26-50

[Pepper]

I agree that Carter should be higher as he was stellar for the Phantoms. That said, IMO if anything Schremp is a bit low. He will open some eyes at Oiler camp this fall. IMO he'll be in the NHL as a 21 year old at the latest. He will be a 2nd liner at that point.

Bit low??? He's a lot more than bit too high!

Let's see his point totals with Knights when he's not in the PP with Perry, Fritsche and Syvret.

 

[Pepper]

If only Richards sucked at defense and wasn't chipy with leadership qualities. Then he'd get the respect he deserves for his offensive game.

Now that was indeed well said, I think Richards gets overlooked because people think he's a defensive-specialist with no offense.

Richards below Schremp is an absolute outrage.

 

[Fitzlax99]

Yep, because Lundqvist spent a whole month dominating at the NHL level like Fleury has of course...
Share what you smoke please.

Yeah that 4-14-2 record along with a .896 save percentage certainly is daunting. Dan Blackburn put up better numbers as a 19 year old on an equally terrible team with probably a worse defense. Fleury has a bright future, but try to keep your head in reality.

As for Lundqvist, you've obviously never seen him play, or even talked to someone who has. I dont think he gets ENOUGH press. He's dominated the best league outside the NHL for 2 years now, has been great in international tourneys, and hes only 23.

People put too much stock in where a guy gets drafted. They see a guy like Lundqvist have so much success and then they see he went in the the seventh round and think "oh he must just be overrated". Nonsense.

 

[Scooter2]

Bolland

No big suprise to me that Mark Stuart isn't there. A primarly defense first with limited upside blueliner doesn't get you elite status.

I also agree that Smid should probably be around.

I also agree that the people that like Schremp like him WAY too much. He is ahead of 7 top ten draftees in the bottom 25. I wouldn't be surprised to see him on a list like this...but 29 is incorrect in my opinion.

Anyone who has watched enough of Bolland & Shremp i believe would be the first to admit that bolland is more of a sure thing to play at the next level due to his all round play, Shremp is a PP specialist who scores most of his goals fron the same slot just to right of the net on the PP.

 

[Spooky371*]

HF have no put Higgins on list because he know he will more then 50 games with Habs this year

Go Higgins Go ! For 20-30-50 pts !

 

[MePutPuckInNet]

Uh...

Which other Minnesota prospect is in the top 25? Pouliot?

We have no other big name prospect and personally Pouliot as good as he was this year is no where near as proven as Ryan or Brule...if he is in the top 25...I would be kind of ticked.

I second that. If any of the Wild's prospects have proven something it's O'Sullivan. I have no problem with him being 26 - although I'm sure I'll have a problem when I see that list of the top 25. Especially if Pouliot's name shows up. What has he done? He had one good year in the OHL...and he certainly didn't dominate at that, either....so if he shows up, yeah...that'll be a joke, IMO.

And if it's not Pouliot and turns out to be Burns or Thelen....well......then, I'm just gonna laugh my ass off.....

 

[Slats432]

Anyone who has watched enough of Bolland & Shremp i believe would be the first to admit that bolland is more of a sure thing to play at the next level due to his all round play, Shremp is a PP specialist who scores most of his goals fron the same slot just to right of the net on the PP.

I don't doubt that myself.

 

[Mess]

I can't find Kyle Wellwood on this list .. He must coming on the next one in the top 25 ..

 

[An Ape called Yoko]

People put too much stock in where a guy gets drafted. They see a guy like Lundqvist have so much success and then they see he went in the the seventh round and think "oh he must just be overrated". Nonsense.

 

[CRUNK JUICE]

Yeah that 4-14-2 record along with a .896 save percentage certainly is daunting. Dan Blackburn put up better numbers as a 19 year old on an equally terrible team with probably a worse defense. Fleury has a bright future, but try to keep your head in reality.

As for Lundqvist, you've obviously never seen him play, or even talked to someone who has. I dont think he gets ENOUGH press. He's dominated the best league outside the NHL for 2 years now, has been great in international tourneys, and hes only 23.

People put too much stock in where a guy gets drafted. They see a guy like Lundqvist have so much success and then they see he went in the the seventh round and think "oh he must just be overrated". Nonsense.

Blackburn also never displayed anything close to the level of dominance or skill that MAF did during his first month in the show. And as bad as Fleury's stats were, he was playing a defense that was even worse than the one Blackburn was backing up.

As for Lundqvist, I agree, he's a phenomenal prospect and that people here do put waaayy too much stock in where a prospect was drafted. That said, I still think Fleury will be better.

Additionally, SEL is not the second best league in the world. The RSL and probably the AHL are better.

 

[Fitzlax99]

Blackburn also never displayed anything close to the level of dominance or skill that MAF did during his first month in the show. And as bad as Fleury's stats were, he was playing a defense that was even worse than the one Blackburn was backing up.

As for Lundqvist, I agree, he's a phenomenal prospect and that people here do put waaayy too much stock in where a prospect was drafted. That said, I still think Fleury will be better.

Additionally, SEL is not the second best league in the world. The RSL and probably the AHL are better.

Blackburn showed as much as any rookie goalie I had seen at the time and have seen since. Blackburn played brilliantly at times, and when he wasn't, still showed flashes of becoming an elite goaltender. As for which defense is worse, I would have to disagree with you there. While the Rangers probably had the better TEAM, as well as probably even had better defensive players, their defense as a team had been in disarray since Colin Cambell was coach. Trust me, I wish it werent true, but it is.

The biggest difference I see between the two is that Blackburn was just much much much less of a refined speciman as Fleury is, Fleury seems to have alot less kinks than Blackburn did at his age. Blackburn had a, well, awkard style. Which one will end up being better we'll obviously never know, thanks to Blackburns injury.

As for Lundqvist vs. Fluery, Fleury is the better prospect I dont think there is much of an argument. Fleury is in North America right now, and has played in the NHL and shown he can handle it. Until Lundqvist does that, there isnt a comparison.

As for your last point, I disagree that either the RSL or the AHL are as good or better than the SEL. The RSL is debatable of course, but I've always considered it top heavy in talent. The AHL, on the other hand, i dont think is anywhere near the SEL. Even last year with all the extra talent available, it wasnt close. The AHL is too much of a developmental league for me.

 

[usiel]

The best thing about these rankings is hearing the shrill rantings of each NHL team's homers that glibly or un-glibly rattle off stats on prospects that they've never seen.. Thank you for this gift, HF.

 

[MojoJojo]

Yep, because Lundqvist spent a whole month dominating at the NHL level like Fleury has of course...
Share what you smoke please.

Face it, Fleury is a disappointment as a first overall pick. last season we was the backup in WBS. Talk about his potential all you want, but based on what they've done, both Chiodo and Caron are more deserving to be with the Pens.

 

[Jeff Goldblum]

Last season the WBS Pens rotated three goalies. MAF was the only one not to be sent to the ECHL.

 

[Evilo]

Face it, Fleury is a disappointment as a first overall pick. last season we was the backup in WBS. Talk about his potential all you want, but based on what they've done, both Chiodo and Caron are more deserving to be with the Pens.

Once again, Fleury performed better at the NHL level than any other Pens goalie.
And last season, he was not the backup, he split duties with the other goalies.
He was the backup in the playoffs because as usual Chiodo became known as the "Wall".

 

[Ape Clutch]

If Perez a kid who had a better PPG average in Russia then even Kovalchuk this year doesn't crack the top 50.... I won't know what to think anymore... maybe habs fan think to highly of their prospects in that case since he's our best prospect.

Here's to Perez being in the top 25 [Crossing fingers]

 

[Ape Clutch]

Last season the WBS Pens rotated three goalies. MAF was the only one not to be sent to the ECHL.

good thing too...his stock would've taken a huge hit. Looks like Lehto's #1 right now... (go get em Price )

 

[kruezer]

It really needs re-iterating: does someone at HF have a personal problem with Rostislav Olesz or something? He was too low last year, and drops even further this year after having a good season and strong WJCs? On both of the last two lists he has inexplicably been placed below guys who he was both drafted ahead of and has outperformed. Seems to me the only reason Schremp is ahead of Olesz on these lists is people have a hard time letting go of what they heard about him when he was 14.

I really don't get the low ranking of Olesz either, I can't say I've ever seen the guy play aside from WJCs, but it seems pretty clear to me he's one of the elite players there, I mean he compared favourably to the top ranked Canadian '03 forwards at the last WJC, and his team wasn't nearly as stacked at Canada was, not too mention he seems like a far surer bet for the NHL than a cat like Robbie Schremp.

 

[prevail]

You know what's so funny?

In all the names you threw out, you forgot the most recent Carey Price. LOL.

ya well I was lazy and just copied HF's top 20

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Anyone who has watched enough of Bolland & Shremp i believe would be the first to admit that bolland is more of a sure thing to play at the next level due to his all round play, Shremp is a PP specialist who scores most of his goals fron the same slot just to right of the net on the PP.

I disagree, Bolland looks like a small 3rd/4th liner. I don't think that Bolland will have enough offensive pop at the next level to compensate for his lack of size. Schremp IMO is more of a sure thing as he's got enough offensive talent to at least get a shot as an offensive player on a poor team.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Bit low??? He's a lot more than bit too high!

Let's see his point totals with Knights when he's not in the PP with Perry, Fritsche and Syvret.

Better yet,let's see what their totals would've looked like with-out Schremp running the PP??? What would their totals look like with-out him wiring the puck from the side boards and creating rebounds and space for his linemates??? BTW-did you see Robbie's ES stats for the OHL play-offs??? Have you seen his +/-??? If not, then it maybe worth your time to check it out before you consider him a PP player and nothing more.

 

[freakazoid]

You could argue that Chiodo (who's not even close to the top 100) was OHL goalie of the year and has been as clutch as they come in the AHL playoffs (probably more than any goalie).
Yet you don't see my arguing over him. He doesn't belong here.
IMO Ward shouldn't be top 50 over guys like Whitney, and Lundqvist is severly overrated.
Duba has been playing well in Europe. One of the hottest young goalie. And yet there's no way he makes that list.

If Lundqvist is so great, why isn't he given the green light to take over the #1 job in NY? Playing in the "second best league in the world" (what a joke) should have given him that opportunity. He is 23 and his play suggests he is ready, and yet Weekes is brought it to start the season as the #1 G, while Carolina didn't even bother resigning Gerber, and even when he was still under contract more than a year ago, the GM already stated that Ward will atleast split duties with him, and now looks more likely that Ward will get the #1 gig at 21 years old. Lundqvist hasn't played the NA game, and until he does his accomplishments should be taken with a grain of salt. He wasn't that great at the WC this year anyways. Ward out of the top 50 behind guys like Whitney? Simply ridiculous.

 

[Vagrant]

If Lundqvist is so great, why isn't he given the green light to take over the #1 job in NY? Playing in the "second best league in the world" (what a joke) should have given him that opportunity. He is 23 and his play suggests he is ready, and yet Weekes is brought it to start the season as the #1 G, while Carolina didn't even bother resigning Gerber, and even when he was still under contract more than a year ago, the GM already stated that Ward will atleast split duties with him, and now looks more likely that Ward will get the #1 gig at 21 years old. Lundqvist hasn't played the NA game, and until he does his accomplishments should be taken with a grain of salt. He wasn't that great at the WC this year anyways. Ward out of the top 50 behind guys like Whitney? Simply ridiculous.

Thank you.

 

[Fitzlax99]

If Lundqvist is so great, why isn't he given the green light to take over the #1 job in NY? Playing in the "second best league in the world" (what a joke) should have given him that opportunity. He is 23 and his play suggests he is ready, and yet Weekes is brought it to start the season as the #1 G, while Carolina didn't even bother resigning Gerber, and even when he was still under contract more than a year ago, the GM already stated that Ward will atleast split duties with him, and now looks more likely that Ward will get the #1 gig at 21 years old. Lundqvist hasn't played the NA game, and until he does his accomplishments should be taken with a grain of salt. He wasn't that great at the WC this year anyways. Ward out of the top 50 behind guys like Whitney? Simply ridiculous.

Why isnt Lundqvist being given more of a chance? Um, the same reason the Rangers perennially sign guys like Straka and Nylander despite the fact they are in a "rebuilding" and are not anywhere near being a playoff team... they have an incredibely incompetant General Manager. They Rangers have been out of the playoffs for 7 years now and don't have a single player that would be considered a top prospect (thats not a goalie), let alone a franchise one. How you could use Sathers decision making to pass judgment on a prospect is, well, wildly idiotic. The Ranger have practically written the book on mishandling their youth by either not bringing them to the NHL when they are ready or bringing them up and then letting them rot in the pressbox. If anything is "taken with a grain of salt" it should be Sathers actions.

Regardless, Lundqvist's performance speaks for itself. He's dominated the SEL for two years now, and he's only gotten better, playing probably his best hockey in this years playoffs when he broke 4 league playoff records, including lowest GAA, best save percentage and most shutouts.

 

[freakazoid]

Why isnt Lundqvist being given more of a chance? Um, the same reason the Rangers perennially sign guys like Straka and Nylander despite the fact they are in a "rebuilding" and are not anywhere near being a playoff team... they have an incredibely incompetant General Manager. They Rangers have been out of the playoffs for 7 years now and don't have a single player that would be considered a top prospect (thats not a goalie), let alone a franchise one. How you could use Sathers decision making to pass judgment on a prospect is, well, wildly idiotic. The Ranger have practically written the book on mishandling their youth by either not bringing them to the NHL when they are ready or bringing them up and then letting them rot in the pressbox. If anything is "taken with a grain of salt" it should be Sathers actions.

Regardless, Lundqvist's performance speaks for itself. He's dominated the SEL for two years now, and he's only gotten better, playing probably his best hockey in this years playoffs when he broke 4 league playoff records, including lowest GAA, best save percentage and most shutouts.

So did Huselius this year before getting yanked, but I don't think anyone considers him an NHL All-Star. Schwarz is a prime example of the difference between Europe and N.A. He left Europe to join a lesser talented league in the WHL, and after dominating in Europe, he stumbled in the WHL. If Lundqvist comes over and falls flat on his face, suddenly the people who keep pointing out his SEL performance now will stress how those accomplishments weren't that much of an indication as to where he is in terms of his development. I'm certainly not saying he isn't a special talent. He might come over and continue his dominant play, and I won't be that surprised, but until that happens, I'm not going to buy into all the hype.