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

[Chaos]

His offensive upside is lower than the others mentioned but it isn't non-existent either.

No, its not non-existent. But is the fact that he has played a grand total of 28 NHL games enough to negate the fairly substantial difference in offensive upside between him and guys like Getzlaf, Eriksson, Steen, Higgins? I think not.

 

[clefty]

Schwarz isn't having the hottest of starts in juniors.
Deslauriers is playing in the AHL and had a decent start. Thank you for coming.

Well, by all means then, case closed. Because one 20 year old guy plays a good 5 games in the AHL, while an 18 year old plays 20 or so lukewarm games in his first year of juniors, it must mean he is a better player and is the better prospect with the better upside! Ladies and gentlemen, the undisputable logic of USC Trojans!

My opinion is that Schwarz will be a better goaltender. Thank you for coming.

 

[se7en*]

There was a reason why 24 players were picked before him in the draft and a reason why he has yet to be named onto Team USA. Unless those scouts GMs and scouts were and still are wrong......

So because 24 GMs passed on him, he was supposed to be #1 overall? Is that what youre saying?

Garbage. The *reason* was his perceived 'attitude-problems', not his talent. I happen to think the Oilers got a steal since reading mock-draft lists before the draft almost everyone had Scrhemp in their top 10.

 

[NYRangers]

I'd like to disagree to the fullest extent. The next ranking (1-25) should show that.

 

[leafaholix*]

He is also now 6'3'' and 200+ pounds. But I think you should relax as we haven't yet seen the top 25. For all we know, he could be outside of the top 50. But even if he is a top 25 prospect, insofar into the year, Kesler has 5 goals and 12 points in 14 AHL games against many NHL'ers. His offensive upside is lower than the others mentioned but it isn't non-existent either.

Size has absolutely nothing to do with it, it doesn't give him an advantage when his upside is basically a 3rd liner and you're comparing him to players such as Getzlaf, Eriksson, Steen, Higgins, etc... who all have top 6 potential, a couple of them even top line upside.

 

[leafaholix*]

I'd like to disagree to the fullest extent. The next ranking (1-25) should show that.

It's been stated by prominent members of the Swedish Hockey Association that Alexander Steen is the most promising Swedish prospect.

 

[Legionnaire]

So because 24 GMs passed on him, he was supposed to be #1 overall? Is that what youre saying?

Garbage. The *reason* was his perceived 'attitude-problems', not his talent. I happen to think the Oilers got a steal since reading mock-draft lists before the draft almost everyone had Scrhemp in their top 10.

Just wondering, who's lists were those?

 

[Chaos]

Size has absolutely nothing to do with it, it doesn't give him an advantage when his upside is basically a 3rd liner and you're comparing him to players such as Getzlaf, Eriksson, Steen, Higgins, etc... who all have top 6 potential, a couple of them even top line upside.

And its not like Steen(6'0), Eriksson(6'1) and Getzlaf(6'4) are small guys either. As you said, size really shouldn't be an issue.

 

[sunb]

First thing first, Kesler played in the NHL at the age of 19, he's a 1984.

You're second point, I can't see how he's a safer bet than Steen. Alexander has been pegged as a sure-fire NHL player since the age of 18 and has developed into Sweden's top prospect.

I'm not sure I'd take Kesler over Sweden's #5 prospect... he's a guy that'll play in the NHL, but so is Steen. And Alex has much higher potential, so I fail to see how Kesler is still higher than him on these lists.

Ryan is just 6 months younger than Alex Steen, so it's not a big difference in age, it's not as if Kesler's done the unthinkable to bump him ahead of such superior talents.

My bad. Kesler played those 28 NHL games as a 19 year old.

But I still stand by my second point. I think Kesler is a safer bet to make the NHL simply by:
1.) his style of game (solid, defensive, physical, doesn't try to do too much)
2.) the fact that he's done it already (on a division-winning Vancouver team)

Alexander Steen is a very safe prospect but he isn't a guarenteed contributor for the future. Think Mikko Koivu.

The SEL produces som of the best prospects in the world but not all of their top end talent materializes.
In 2001, 11th overall pick Fred Sjostrom has disapointed so far. The 18th overall pick Jens Karlsson also disapointed.
The Sedins absolutely tore up the SEL but have struggled much in their adjustment to the North American game.

If you think Alexander Steen is a definite lock for the NHL then you have another thing coming.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Ryan Whitney being 45 is an absolute disgrace. Why is this place so down on him?

Yeah he's on the list, but he should be top 20, top 30 at absolute worst. The guy has upside up the wazoo and is coming off a very nice season...

Also...Schwarz>JDD

 

[NYRangers]

It's been stated by prominent members of the Swedish Hockey Association that Alexander Steen is the most promising Swedish prospect.

Anyone here from Sweden? From the Swedish fans I've spoken with Henrik Lundqvist is the best goalie prospect to ever come out of Sweden. I actually haven't heard otherwise. Alex Steen hasn't dominated any league (regardless of position) like Henrik has. Aswell as dominate international play.

In the best league in the world Lunqvist is 13-4 .929 Save % and 1.71 gaa

I don't think Steen is a better prospect.

 

[Chaos]

Anyone here from Sweden? From the Swedish fans I've spoken with Henrik Lundqvist is the best prospect to ever come out of Sweden. I actually haven't heard otherwise. Alex Steen hasn't dominated any league (regardless of position) like Henrik has. Aswell as dominate international play.

In the best league in the world Lunqvist is 13-4 .929 Save % and 1.71 gaa

I don't think Steen is a better prospect.

Umm...do the names Peter Forsberg or Nicklas Lidstrom come to mind?

 

[se7en*]

Just wondering, who's lists were those?

Check pages 100+ on this forum. Trust me, they're there.

 

[sunb]

So because 24 GMs passed on him, he was supposed to be #1 overall? Is that what youre saying?

Garbage. The *reason* was his perceived 'attitude-problems', not his talent. I happen to think the Oilers got a steal since reading mock-draft lists before the draft almost everyone had Scrhemp in their top 10.

Since you've access to those NHL teams' mock-draft lists, may I ask you this question?

So if those 24 teams that had him top 10 in their mock-draft lists, how does he gets passed up 24 times? Or did each team have 10 different players in their top 10 lists.....

 

[NYRangers]

Umm...do the names Peter Forsberg or Nicklas Lidstrom come to mind?

my bad. I mean to write goalie. Lol.

 

[Legionnaire]

Check pages 100+ on this forum. Trust me, they're there.

Okay. I thought you were talking about pro's or publications.

 

[Chaos]

my bad. I mean to write goalie. Lol.

Figured that was what you meant, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to call you out on it

 

[se7en*]

Since you've access to those NHL teams' mock-draft lists, may I ask you this question?

So if those 24 teams that had him top 10 in their mock-draft lists, how does he gets passed up 24 times? Or did each team have 10 different players in their top 10 lists.....

I never had access to NHL-teams draft lists - but the posters here, who know so much about prospects it seems - had him in their top 10. Go back, waaay back.

 

[Oiltalk]

Since you've access to those NHL teams' mock-draft lists, may I ask you this question?

So if those 24 teams that had him top 10 in their mock-draft lists, how does he gets passed up 24 times? Or did each team have 10 different players in their top 10 lists.....

I believe he is talking about HF posters mock draft lists, but then again what do I know...

 

[leafaholix*]

My bad. Kesler played those 28 NHL games as a 19 year old.

But I still stand by my second point. I think Kesler is a safer bet to make the NHL simply by:
1.) his style of game (solid, defensive, physical, doesn't try to do too much)

What exactly does "solid" mean? Defensively, Steen is a very strong defensive player and he's been doing it in a professional league since the age of 18. Phyiscally, he's a very strong player. And he's an extremely smart player with great vision.

Please point out what Kesler has over Steen in any of those categories.

2.) the fact that he's done it already (on a division-winning Vancouver team)

He could have done it on Detroit for all I care, if a player plays in the NHL that still doesn't mean he's a much better prospect than other very similar and safe prospects who happen to have higher upsides.

Alexander Steen is a very safe prospect but he isn't a guarenteed contributor for the future. Think Mikko Koivu.

The SEL produces som of the best prospects in the world but not all of their top end talent materializes.
In 2001, 11th overall pick Fred Sjostrom has disapointed so far. The 18th overall pick Jens Karlsson also disapointed.
The Sedins absolutely tore up the SEL but have struggled much in their adjustment to the North American game.

So because he's playing in Scandinavia, he's not as "safe" as Kesler... even though he spent the first 12 years of his life playin hockey in Winnipeg, Manitoba?

If you think Alexander Steen is a definite lock for the NHL then you have another thing coming.

According to fans of the Swedish Elite League and people I like to call "experts", he's as close to a sure-fire NHL player as there is.

 

[sunb]

I happen to think the Oilers got a steal since reading mock-draft lists before the draft almost everyone had Scrhemp in their top 10.

Check pages 100+ on this forum. Trust me, they're there.

So if my 5 year old cousin and my girlfriend from the 9th grade and all of her siblings and all her pets had Kesler in their top 5 in their mock-draft lists; I suppose we'd have a steal in our hands too.

 

[Oiltalk]

Schremp is kind of where I figured he would be at this point in time. I'm more interested to see if either Lynch or Woywitka make the top 25.

 

[se7en*]

Okay. I thought you were talking about pro's or publications.

No, but the posters who get to actually get to watch these guys (well some of them) had him pretty high. I know he has factors working against him, like how far he fell in the draft, but he was projected by people here to go top 10 if not top 5. I only get to watch footage of him and read what Kinights fans have to say about him on their board, but its not like I think he is going to be a decent NHLer without reason.

 

[NYRangers]

According to fans of the Swedish Elite League and people I like to call "experts", he's as close to a sure-fire NHL player as there is.

Wouldn't they be biased though?

 

[se7en*]

So if my 5 year old cousin and my girlfriend from the 9th grade and all of her siblings and all her pets had Kesler in their top 5 in their mock-draft lists; I suppose we'd have a steal in our hands too.

So the credibility of the mock-draft lists on this forum isnt up to your par?

Good, now I can disreguard your opinion too. Thanks for coming out.