Hockey's Future Top 50 Prospects Spring 2006

[MBJets]

Can not get this site to open, can anyone please post the top 50 prospects

 

[dafoomie]

Boyes' stats in 2005-06....

Before Thornton was traded
26 games, 5-9-14, average 11:09 of ice time (high of 15:38).
Average shifts per game: 15.92 (high of 22, low of 7; 20+ shifts 6 times)
# of games over 13 minutes: 10.
# of games over 15 minutes: 2.

After Thornton was traded
32 games, 11-19-30, average 17:18 of ice time (high of 23:11).
Average shifts per game: 22.875 (high of 33, low of 13; less than 20 shifts 5 times)
# of games under 13 minutes: 2.
# of games under 15 minutes: 6.

In the last 13 games, Boyes is 6-13-19 while averaging 19:09 of ice time, playing more than 20 minutes 5 times and less than 15 minutes just twice. He's averaging 25.69 shifts per game in this stretch.

Are you trying to make the point that a rookie who has basically been a point per game player since he finally got some ice time (according to your own stats), shouldn't be in the top 50? It does seem rather arbitrary that you'd throw Boyes's name out there.

Maybe Tambellini has a higher ceiling, I don't know. But unless he's some can't miss superstar like Ovechkin, I'll take the guy thats scoring a point a game in the NHL right now at 23, and never look back.

 

[Checker*]

I guess its easier to take shots at me than to admit there is a preconceived notion that the Blues have a weak farm system. Consider this though

In the past 5 years, the Blues have produced 3 top 4 defensemen in Jackman Backman and Wideman. I acknowledge that Wideman's mention may draw raised eyebrows but the kid is getting a ton of icetime, playing with confidence, and producing. Matt Walker is a good 6th defenseman/enforcer. Lynch and Woywitka are underachieving but Zach FitzGerald (who may be meaner than Walker and Jackman) has Blues fans excited. Nikitin impressed in the WJCs and Scott Jackson was a borderline 1st rounder last year that the Blues picked up in the 2nd.

Our goaltending pipeline is one of the best in the league. I know when people think goaltending they don't think about the Blues, and for good reason, but that is going to change. Sanford has been the reason we aren't in last place this year. 'Cash showed flashes of why he will get a chance to be a starter. Barulin and Schwarz are solid prospects overseas. Beckford-Tseu was an ECHL All-star. Bishop is freaking huge and has potential to develop further.

At forward, I've made my position on Oshie already and stick to it. He and and a potential top 5 pick are playing together at the same school as freshmen and Oshie is outplaying him. Him not being in the top 50 is wrong. Next subject. The rest of the Blues forward prospects are guys who may not be the most household of names but will be borderline first liners in some cases and more likely solid 2nd and 3rd line guys. For instance, David Backes is a great college player on a poor team and no one here ever talks about him. The only love Soderberg gets is on the Swedish boards. A 4th round pick in Birner is tearing up his league. Lemtyugov looks to be a steal. Alexandrov is playing well in Russia. Shishkanov has big potential if he can ever put it al together. I'd be shocked if at least 2 or 3 of these guys aren't top 6 forwards. Currently with the big club, McClement looks like a keeper of a 3rd line center and Lee Stempniak is playing out of his mind. Consider that we'll be adding a top 5 pick and two picks in the range where our director of scouting is known for great picks and I'd say the cupboard is far from bare. This is impressive given the fact that the Blues lost so many 1st round draft picks through trade and Scott Stevens and when we've had them, they've been low because of the soon to be ending playoff streak.

I admit calling the site a joke was a step too far, but I do find it funny how so many people pretending to know about Blues hockey know so very little. The insistance that Keith Tkachuk is a cancer on the team and then the arrogance of arguing with fans that actually know what they're talking about as they are die-hard fans of the team, the ignoring of all prospects who are Blues, calling Schwarz a bust already...I could go on, but it isn't worth it.

This is hilarious. I make a statement and get called out on it. I back up the statement and everyone just ignores it and looks the other way. I guess if it doesn't fit into the misconceptions everyone here has, a change of subject is necessary as quickly as possible.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

Are you trying to make the point that a rookie who has basically been a point per game player since he finally got some ice time (according to your own stats), shouldn't be in the top 50? It does seem rather arbitrary that you'd throw Boyes's name out there.

Maybe Tambellini has a higher ceiling, I don't know. But unless he's some can't miss superstar like Ovechkin, I'll take the guy thats scoring a point a game in the NHL right now at 23, and never look back.

Go back and read Newfie Bruin's assertion that Boyes was only getting 3rd-line minutes. Then look at my analysis of the playing time that Boyes has gotten before and after Joe Thornton was traded. Then try making a comment.

And as I said earlier: if you (or anyone else, for that matter) want to take to personally that I singled out Boyes, then take it personally. I really don't care. If you want me to name other names, I'll take Tambellini over everyone ranked 37-50 with the exceptions of Wolski, Weber, and perhaps Montoya, Kopitar and Radulov. It just so happens that I've seen more of Boyes than I have anyone else in that group and so that's "who I'm picking on".

 

[MBJets]

No one started a topic on this yet?

Link.

Can someone please post the 50 prospects name please can not access this site.

 

[dafoomie]

Go back and read Newfie Bruin's assertion that Boyes was only getting 3rd-line minutes. Then look at my analysis of the playing time that Boyes has gotten before and after Joe Thornton was traded. Then try making a comment.

And as I said earlier: if you (or anyone else, for that matter) want to take to personally that I singled out Boyes, then take it personally. I really don't care. If you want me to name other names, I'll take Tambellini over everyone ranked 37-50 with the exceptions of Wolski, Weber, and perhaps Montoya, Kopitar and Radulov. It just so happens that I've seen more of Boyes than I have anyone else in that group and so that's "who I'm picking on".

He's clearly getting more than 3rd line minutes since the trade, thats not my issue. Your figures showing his increased icetime also show that he's become a pretty good player since he's gotten a shot at some minutes. I'm not sure how much better you think Tambellini is going to be.

If you want to rank the top 50 based on potential alone, then you can put Tambellini higher if you'd like. If you want to rank the top 50 based on results and probability of reaching that potential alone, then Boyes is clearly higher since he's already scoring a point a game. What is this list supposed to be based on? I'm not sure.

My point is that Brad Boyes is pretty good. A point per game since the Thornton trade is nothing to sneeze at. Half of the forwards on this list may never score 70-80 points in a season. If you look at the top 50 lists from 98 to 02, a lot of the forwards never amount to anything. I'll take a proven, known quantity like Boyes over a prospect who, realistically, doesn't project to be *that* much better than Boyes anyway.

It doesn't really matter though, I'm sure Tambellini will be on the top 50 list in the offseason, when all of this year's rookies are no longer eligible.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

Seeing as how you said:

Is 14:33 alot of ice time? That is third line minutes!

and you didn't clarify that he had been getting more ice time since the trade, I thought it was only fair to point out that his averaging 14:33 this season was a completely unfair characterization of how he's been used over the last 2+ months. Clearly I've shown that Boyes is no longer getting "third line minutes!" so that defense is out the window.

I believe I also pointed out that Boyes is getting a crapload of ice time because there's not a whole lot of depth at forward for the Bruins, so I'd naturally expect him to put up better numbers. I never said Boyes wasn't good - I'm just saying IMO from having seen Tambellini three times and Boyes at least half a dozen, I'd take Tambellini over Boyes, and that Tambellini is putting up better numbers in his first year in the AHL than Boyes did in his first year.

So like I said: if you don't like my view, fine.

 

[dafoomie]

Seeing as how you said:

and you didn't clarify that he had been getting more ice time since the trade, I thought it was only fair to point out that his averaging 14:33 this season was a completely unfair characterization of how he's been used over the last 2+ months. Clearly I've shown that Boyes is no longer getting "third line minutes!" so that defense is out the window.

I believe I also pointed out that Boyes is getting a crapload of ice time because there's not a whole lot of depth at forward for the Bruins, so I'd naturally expect him to put up better numbers. I never said Boyes wasn't good - I'm just saying IMO from having seen Tambellini three times and Boyes at least half a dozen, I'd take Tambellini over Boyes, and that Tambellini is putting up better numbers in his first year in the AHL than Boyes did in his first year.

So like I said: if you don't like my view, fine.

1st paragraph: I completely agree. It wasn't me that said he's getting 3rd line minutes, he's been getting 1st line minutes since the trade, the Bruins realistically only have 3 guys that can score, and he's one of them.

2nd paragraph: Thats a valid viewpoint, I don't have a problem with that at all. I thought you were making a different point than what you were.