TSN's Craig Button's TOP 30 prospects

[Mr. Hab]

If I were the Habs' GM and I could pick only three (TOP 3) from the list below for our Habs...I'd go with GALCHENYUK, YAKUPOV, and DOUG HAMILTON. What would be your top 3 or top 5...or your Craig Button version of a top 30?!! Enjoy and have fun!!


http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=411680

1. Justin Schultz
2. Evgeny Kuznetsov
3. Vladimir Tarasenko
4. Morgan Rielly
5. Nail Yakupov
6. Alex Galchenyuk
7. Mark Scheifele
8. Sven Baertschi
9. Jonathan Huberdeau
10. Ryan Strome
11. Brett Ritchie
12. Dougie Hamilton
13. Mikael Granlund
14. Nick Bjugstad
15. Malcolm Subban
16. Jakob Silfverberg
17. Jonas Brodin
18. Oscar Klefbom
19. Calle Jarnkrok
20. John Gaudreau
21. Jacob Trouba
22. Austin Watson
23. Mika Zibanejad
24. Andrei Vasilevski
25. Hampus Lindholm
26. Ryan Murray
27. Filip Forsberg
28. Mikhail Grigorenko
29. Jaden Schwartz
30. Boone Jenner


p.s.: silly question maybe, but...how did it happen again? 22yrs old Justin Schultz was UFA on July 1st, 2012 and went to Edmonton?? How did Anaheim lose him? And did Anaheim get anything for losing Schultz? (I totally forgot how all this happened!). And, how many teams were fighting to sign Schultz? (ex: our Habs?!!).

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[FrankMTL]

Some questionable picks for sure, but what else is new. Hard to argue with Schultz though...that kid is ripping up the AHL...although he is 2-3 years older than some of the others. I don't know how Rielly could be ranked ahead of Gally or Yakupov either...

 

[Whitesnake]

Johnny Gaudreau....that's a hell of a steal by a team desperately trying to have some depth, so it's about time Calgary. But that's a player that despite the size will become a significant player in the NHL. And Rielly at 4? That's high but he clearly deserves it. Awesome pick by the Leafs, which makes me think that if the Leafs would have had our pick and go with Gally, I did mention in the past that people should not panic over the fact that we might have gone with a d-man....and here's the reason why.

 

[FlyingKostitsyn]

Well, I would never trade Galchenyuk for Schultz. He's 22 (barely younger than our own Subban) in the AHL on a monster team, its not surprising he dominates.

And Rielly at 4? That's high but he clearly deserves it. Awesome pick by the Leafs.

No way he's ahead of Yapukov or Galchenyuk at this point, it reeks of homerism imho.

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Brett Ritchie ahead of Dougie Hamilton

Morgan Rielly ahead of Yakupov and Galchenyuk

Ryan Murray at 26

 

[CHarlie]

I dont care about that list at all.
We drafted the best player in that draft. IMO.
Cant wait to see Gally live.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Button once again reafirms his status as a complete buffoon.

There is a reason why he is no longer employed in the NHL..........

 

[McGuires Corndog]

Button once again reafirms his status as a complete buffoon.

There is a reason why he is no longer employed in the NHL..........

Pretty much this.

I take more from Pierre McGuire than this guy. Hell even in his pre draft rankings he was flipping and flopping like a fish outta water.

 

[newtown33]

Brett Ritchie is complete crap...
I wouldn't put Rielly above Yakupov and Gally, guess he just wanted to please the GTA.
Forsberg over Grigorenko?
Granlund should be higher...

Weird looking list by Button

 

[Treb]

p.s.: silly question maybe, but...how did it happen again? 22yrs old Justin Schultz was UFA on July 1st, 2012 and went to Edmonton?? How did Anaheim lose him? And did Anaheim get anything for losing Schultz? (I totally forgot how all this happened!). And, how many teams were fighting to sign Schultz? (ex: our Habs?!!).

Montreal can be clearer than me, but basically when a player plays 1 year in the USHL after his draft before going to NCAA, he can opt out after his 3rd NCAA year and become UFA. Kristo could have done it this summer, but didn't and now he is either a habs or nothing (unless habs release his rights, which won't happen). Bennett could become UFA if he opts out after this year.

Anaheim lost him for nothing. Gotta hope they close this loophole next CBA.

 

[Et le But]

We drafted the best player in that draft. IMO.

Far too early to tell that.

That list sucks though.

 

[hototogisu]

Johnny Gaudreau....that's a hell of a steal by a team desperately trying to have some depth, so it's about time Calgary. But that's a player that despite the size will become a significant player in the NHL. And Rielly at 4? That's high but he clearly deserves it. Awesome pick by the Leafs, which makes me think that if the Leafs would have had our pick and go with Gally, I did mention in the past that people should not panic over the fact that we might have gone with a d-man....and here's the reason why.

Gaudreau is a nice looking player, but that's still way too high for him. Would you take him over Murray, Grigorenko, Forsberg, Trouba, Zibanejad, etc? I sure wouldn't.

 

[NewHabsEra*]

Wasnt Button who was in love with Dumba?

 

[NewHabsEra*]

Johnny Gaudreau....that's a hell of a steal by a team desperately trying to have some depth, so it's about time Calgary. But that's a player that despite the size will become a significant player in the NHL. And Rielly at 4? That's high but he clearly deserves it. Awesome pick by the Leafs, which makes me think that if the Leafs would have had our pick and go with Gally, I did mention in the past that people should not panic over the fact that we might have gone with a d-man....and here's the reason why.

thats about time the Flames draft some good players.. I still dont get the Jankowski pick though.. lol

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Brett Ritchie is complete crap...
I wouldn't put Rielly above Yakupov and Gally, guess he just wanted to please the GTA.
Forsberg over Grigorenko?
Granlund should be higher...

Weird looking list by Button

Ritchie is complete crap..........really?

You realize that Forsberg was drafted ahead of Grigorenko, and I completely agree with Washington's choice.

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

Wasnt Button who was in love with Dumba?

Yes. Fairly certain he had him rated #2 on Craig's list at one point last season. Surprising he's not on his top 30.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Johnny Gaudreau....that's a hell of a steal by a team desperately trying to have some depth, so it's about time Calgary. But that's a player that despite the size will become a significant player in the NHL. And Rielly at 4? That's high but he clearly deserves it. Awesome pick by the Leafs, which makes me think that if the Leafs would have had our pick and go with Gally, I did mention in the past that people should not panic over the fact that we might have gone with a d-man....and here's the reason why.

Craig Button's list isn't a reason for anything other than ridicule.

 

[newtown33]

Ritchie is complete crap..........really?

You realize that Forsberg was drafted ahead of Grigorenko, and I completely agree with Washington's choice.

Yeah, Ritchie on this list is complete crap. He's a good prospect, but he shouldn't be on any top 30 list.

We'll see for Forsberg vs Grigorenko. It is close , but I prefer Grigorenko.

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

Yakupov, Gally, Granlund, Huberdeau etc after Rielly... hard to take Button serious.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Yeah, Ritchie on this list is complete crap. He's a good prospect, but he shouldn't be on any top 30 list.

We'll see for Forsberg vs Grigorenko. It is close , but I prefer Grigorenko.

Fair enough.

 

[Andy]

I don't like the snarking at Rielly. The kid is fantastic. Had we picked him, you guys would all be in agreement as to where he is placed.

 

[HabsRealist]

Looking at this list of real prospects, and good on Galchenyuk he is doing great, it does show what relative weakness we have in Hamilton. There may be noone down there thay may make top 6 forward or top 4 D. What a shame.

 

[FrankMTL]

I don't like the snarking at Rielly. The kid is fantastic. Had we picked him, you guys would all be in agreement as to where he is placed.

The only thing bugging me is that we haven't really seen much of the prospects in a best on best competition so far, plus they've only played 3 months of games. It's kind of hard to proclaim that Rielly is a better prospect than Yakupov or Galchenyuk in 3 months time. The WJHC will be a good showcase for these players.

 

[Forsead]

Huberdeau should be alot higher in the list.

 

[Andy]

The only thing bugging me is that we haven't really seen much of the prospects in a best on best competition so far, plus they've only played 3 months of games. It's kind of hard to proclaim that Rielly is a better prospect than Yakupov or Galchenyuk in 3 months time. The WJHC will be a good showcase for these players.

It's hard to tell, but yet everyone wants Galchenyuk ahead of Rielly. Rielly is a very good hockey player, people better get used to that now because the habs will have to face him 6 times a year for a while.