Your updated Prospect Rankings

Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
36,198
14,681
It's about half-way through the season, and we have a couple days before the next game.... So figured we could re-visit our prospect rankings from Summer, since a lot has changed since then.

Here are the results from the prospect rankings we voted on back in July

1.) Calle Järnkrok - 21, C/RW: 6'0" 176 lbs. Gävle, SWE 52.50%
2.) Petr Mrázek - 21, G: 6'1" 187 lbs. Ostrava, CZE 63.00%
3.) Tomas Jurco - 20, LW/RW: 6'2" 195 lbs. Kosice, SVK 74.16%
4.) Ryan Sproul - 20, RD: 6'4" 200 lbs. Mississauga, ON, CAN 46.67%
5.) Xavier Ouellet - 19, D: 6'1" 190 lbs. Bayonne, FRA 78.02%
6.) Anthony Mantha - 18, RW/LW: 6'4" 190 lbs. Longueuil, QC, CAN 35.25%
7.) Riley Sheahan - 21, C: 6'2" 212 lbs. St. Catharines, ON, CAN 36.04%
8.) Martin Frk - 19, RW: 6'0" 203 lbs. Bochov, CZE 47.73%
9.) Mattias Bäckman - 20, D: 6'2" 176 lbs. Linköping, SWE 55.42%
10.) Landon Ferraro - 21, C/RW: 6'0 179 lbs. Burnaby, BC, CAN 30.23%

This is personally how I would rank the top 10 now

1.) Tomas Jurco
2.) Anthony Mantha
3.) Petr Mrazek
4.) Calle Jarnkrok
5.) Ryan Sproul
6.) Xavier Ouellet
7.) Riley Sheahan
8.) Teemu Pulkkinen
9. Landon Ferraro
10.) Alexei Marchenko

HM: Backman, Janmark, Athanasiou,

Edit: I'm not trying to organize a new series of polls, just post your top 10, top 15, etc.
 
Last edited:

SoupNazi

Serenity now. Insanity later.
Feb 6, 2010
26,340
14,034
This is personally how I would rank the top 10 now

1.) Tomas Jurco
2.) Anthony Mantha
3.) Petr Mrazek
4.) Calle Jarnkrok
5.) Ryan Sproul
6.) Xavier Ouellet
7.) Riley Sheahan
8.) Teemu Pulkkinen
9. Landon Ferraro
10.) Alexei Marchenko

I agree with most of your rankings except for Sproul and Ouellet. I would personally switch them; I think Ouellet is a little closer to the big time right now. Other than that, I certainly agree with Jurco as number one. I am more excited about him than I have been for any prospect to come through he Wings system in a long time.
 

Soft Rock Renegade

Registered User
May 17, 2012
341
0
1 mantha
2 jurco
3 mrazek
4 jarnkrok
5 oullet
6 sproul
7 sheahan
8 janmark
9 backman
10 marchenko

or something like that, though i'm having trouble with the order of 6-10. think mantha would be a ppg player in GR right now and he's two draft classes behind jurco. i'd like to bring him up to the wing alongside pavel and z (where his "intensity" issues could be hiddden) at the end of this year. if he can produce now, he could be a spark for a long playoff run. jurco should be up permanently with the big boys as well.

z-pav-mantha
franzen-weiss-nyquist
abby-helm-alfredsson
tatar-sheahan-jurco

thats our ideal playoff lineup. babs would worry about his pk without andy, miller and glendenning but i think we could get away with

helm-abby
sheahan-franzen
weiss-alfredsson

with pav or z taking defensive zone draws. ok i'm off topic
 

sarcastro

Registered User
Jul 28, 2005
13,059
1
I've been Jurco's biggest supporter here for a couple years now, but I might put Mantha ahead of him. Dude is a killer. Guess I'll give Jurco the edge because he's ready now without a doubt.

Otherwise I have a hard time coming up with 10 guys I'm excited about now that Nyquist, Tatar, and Dekeyser are all graduated.

1. Jurco
2. Mantha
3. Mrazek
4. Sproul
5. Ouellet
6. Jarnkrok

After that I'm reaching...

7. Sheahan
8. Marchenko
9. Pulkkinen
10. Uhh, Janmark?
 

SimplySolace

"We like our team"
Jun 30, 2013
3,120
43
1. Jurco
2. Mantha
3. Mrazek
4. Ouellet
5. Sproul
6. Jarnkrok
7. Pulkkinen
8. Sheahan
9. Marchenko
10. Janmark
 

Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
36,198
14,681
I agree with most of your rankings except for Sproul and Ouellet. I would personally switch them; I think Ouellet is a little closer to the big time right now. Other than that, I certainly agree with Jurco as number one. I am more excited about him than I have been for any prospect to come through he Wings system in a long time.

It's funny I actually originally had Ouellet at 5 and Sproul at 6, then I went back and changed it.

But those two are always a toss-up for me, I'm a big fan of both. Like you said, Ouellet is definitely closer to being a pro right now, which is why I chose him originally. But then again, Sproul's ceiling is soooo high and enticing, had to go back and re-consider :laugh:.

Always a hard choice in my books.
 

Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
36,198
14,681
I've been Jurco's biggest supporter here for a couple years now, but I might put Mantha ahead of him.

That you have, you must really like how he has looked so far this year in Detroit and Grand Rapids.
 

sarcastro

Registered User
Jul 28, 2005
13,059
1
That you have, you must really like how he has looked so far this year in Detroit and Grand Rapids.

Loving it. And it's a big reason why I don't bother ranking Ferraro, and don't really want to rank Sheahan either. There aren't many forward spots left in the years to come, and Jurco gets one. Those guys with no options remaining are either trade bait or waiver bait IMO. I have a hard time ranking guys that I don't think have a future in the organization.

I think that's why they're giving absolutely everybody a cup of coffee this season - they'll want to make some trades with those almost-waiver guys and want to get other teams interested in them, or at least get some NHL film out there. Hope like hell they're not just showcasing Jurco.
 

Johnz96*

Guest
Mantha
Sproul
Jurco
Mrazek
XO
Marchenko
Backman
Jarnkrok
Pulkinnen
Janmark
 

Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
36,198
14,681
Two people ranking Jarnkrok at #6, and one at #7 so far.

Very interesting to see. I had to force myself to put him at #4, but I always thought he was a little overhyped. That was one of the things I really wanted to gauge as a board.
 

Run the Jewels

Make Detroit Great Again
Jun 22, 2006
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I think you always have to balance readiness to play at the highest level (ie, actual development) with potential. Young guys are largely based on potential while older guys can be slotted based on where they seem to have the best chance to contribute to the big club.

So with that being said.

1. Jurco (legit top 6 forward if Kenneh gives him a shot)
2. Mrazek (legit backup NHL netminder right now)
3. Mantha (all potential, could be a top 3 forward)
4. Sproul (Primarily potential but he's dominated every level)
5. Marchenko (held his own against pros, is a bottom 4 NHL d-man at a bare minimum)
6. Sheahan (he's a legit bottom 6 forward with good D and faceoff skillz)
7. Backman (having a quiet season but I am still a big fan)
8. Pulkkinen (producing in the AHL)
9. Ouellet (having a quietly effective season in the A)
10. Almqvist (effective in the A, is he a legit NHL'er?)
11. Jarnkrok (simply hasn't produced enough in the A)
12. Ferraro (could be Helm's replacement)
13. Athanasiou (same as Ferraro, but at a lower level)
14. Jensen (needs to have a big season to remain a top prospect IMO)
15. Janmark (he's a center in the SEL with some skill and size. Let's see where he's at when he comes to Grand Rapids)

HM: Callahan (doing what he needs to do), Natusiak, Patterson (rough WJC), and Bertuzzi (been a bit of a punching bag lately).
 

Run the Jewels

Make Detroit Great Again
Jun 22, 2006
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Two people ranking Jarnkrok at #6, and one at #7 so far.

Very interesting to see. I had to force myself to put him at #4, but I always thought he was a little overhyped. That was one of the things I really wanted to gauge as a board.

I don't have him in my top 10. Prove me wrong Iron Hook. :nod:
 

sarcastro

Registered User
Jul 28, 2005
13,059
1
Two people ranking Jarnkrok at #6, and one at #7 so far.

Very interesting to see. I had to force myself to put him at #4, but I always thought he was a little overhyped. That was one of the things I really wanted to gauge as a board.

I wasn't high on him before the season, and at 22 years old with four years of experience in the SEL, he is getting outplayed by Jurco (just turned 21), Pulkkinen (just turned 22), Emmerton (non-NHL talent), Sheahan (just turned 22), and non-scorers such as Glendening, Callahan, Ferraro, etc.

I thought his lack of size and strength could keep him from making it in the NHL. It's way too early to make the final call, but thus far it looks like I may have been right. And with other small forward prospects and ex-prospects tearing it up, I don't think there is necessarily going to be room for him unless he can be a special player at the NHL level. Emmerton looked like he might be an elite playmaker too, and he turned out to be just a guy.
 

Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
36,198
14,681
I wasn't high on him before the season, and at 22 years old with four years of experience in the SEL, he is getting outplayed by Jurco (just turned 21), Pulkkinen (just turned 22), Emmerton (non-NHL talent), Sheahan (just turned 22), and non-scorers such as Glendening, Callahan, Ferraro, etc.

I thought his lack of size and strength could keep him from making it in the NHL. It's way too early to make the final call, but thus far it looks like I may have been right. And with other small forward prospects and ex-prospects tearing it up, I don't think there is necessarily going to be room for him unless he can be a special player at the NHL level. Emmerton looked like he might be an elite playmaker too, and he turned out to be just a guy.

The one thing Jarnkrok has going for him is that he's a center. And he's the only center we have coming up that's labeled as a "skilled player".

That alone is going to work to his advantage, in terms of getting a shot to prove himself. There's virtually very little competition among centers in our org at the moment.

But honestly I think Janmark has a better shot at being a top 6 center than Jarnkork, just because he is without the physical limitations. Skill and size is the dominant combo in our prospect pool right now, and the guys who have both are killing it.
 

Johnz96*

Guest
I think you always have to balance readiness to play at the highest level (ie, actual development) with potential. Young guys are largely based on potential while older guys can be slotted based on where they seem to have the best chance to contribute to the big club.

So with that being said.

1. Jurco (legit top 6 forward if Kenneh gives him a shot)
2. Mrazek (legit backup NHL netminder right now)
3. Mantha (all potential, could be a top 3 forward)
4. Sproul (Primarily potential but he's dominated every level)
5. Marchenko (held his own against pros, is a bottom 4 NHL d-man at a bare minimum)
6. Sheahan (he's a legit bottom 6 forward with good D and faceoff skillz)
7. Backman (having a quiet season but I am still a big fan)
8. Pulkkinen (producing in the AHL)
9. Ouellet (having a quietly effective season in the A)
10. Almqvist (effective in the A, is he a legit NHL'er?)
11. Jarnkrok (simply hasn't produced enough in the A)
12. Ferraro (could be Helm's replacement)
13. Athanasiou (same as Ferraro, but at a lower level)
14. Jensen (needs to have a big season to remain a top prospect IMO)
15. Janmark (he's a center in the SEL with some skill and size. Let's see where he's at when he comes to Grand Rapids)

HM: Callahan (doing what he needs to do), Natusiak, Patterson (rough WJC), and Bertuzzi (been a bit of a punching bag lately).

Backman already has more points than Kronwall, Almquist and Ericsson have scored combined in their best seasons in Sweden and is leading the league in +/-
 

Winger98

Moderator
Feb 27, 2002
22,753
4,569
Cleveland
1. Mrazek
2. Mantha
3. Sproul
4. Jurco
5. Ouellet
6. Jarnkrok
7. Backman
8. Marchenko
9. Pulkkinen
10. Athanasiou
11. Sheahan
12. Ferraro
13. Callahan
14. Bertuzzi
15. Janmark

I hate trying to place goalies on a list like this, but Mrazek doesn't give me any reason to not put him at the top. Guy has acclimated himself to every level he's played and has then excelled at that level. Will that translate to the NHL? Since he's a goalie, I don't have a clue, but he has the tools to be a very good NHL goalie.

Sproul's upside pushes him up the list for me. Too high to lower him.

Backman and Marchenko can flip flop for me. I see them as roughly the same. I think both could play in the NHL right now, but I don't think either is going to be a "star." Great depth, second pairing quality guys.

I'm just a fan of Pulkkinen, and the guy has quietly put up numbers very comparable to Jurco. If he was a center, I'd flip him with Jarnkrok.

Sheahan/Ferraro/Callahan are NHL quality players to me, but all are bottom6 guys. If I were to gamble, I'd push Bertuzzi over them for the fact that he's got more time to improve, so the chance is there. That chance is quickly slipping away for the other three.

Almqvist probably deserves to make the list, and I think he's an NHLer and should be up with us instead of Lashoff. I just don't think he works in here, though.
 

Run the Jewels

Make Detroit Great Again
Jun 22, 2006
13,817
1,750
In the Garage
Backman already has more points than Kronwall, Almquist and Ericsson have scored combined in their best seasons in Sweden and is leading the league in +/-

Good info. I've always been a big fan ever since he was drafted. I've said before I think he's got a shot to make the Wings out of training camp next season.

EDIT: we also both have him at #7. :yo:
 

shultzyfeelinirie20

Registered User
Jan 30, 2012
532
0
Michigan
Two people ranking Jarnkrok at #6, and one at #7 so far.

Very interesting to see. I had to force myself to put him at #4, but I always thought he was a little overhyped. That was one of the things I really wanted to gauge as a board.

Would jarnkrok have any trade value i dont want to cut him short or whatever but i feel like he was way overhyped too and isnt going to make a big impact would a team offer decent value for say him and a frk/sheahan?>
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
40,956
11,575
Ft. Myers, FL
1.) Jurco
2.) Mrazek
3.) Mantha
4.) Ouellet
5.) Jarnkrok
6.) Sproul
7.) Sheahan
8.) Marchenko
9.) Backman
10.) Ferraro

HM: Pulkkinen and Janmark

Pulkkinen is my guy knocking on the door, been super impressed with his transition to NA. Like his compete level, his skating continues to improve even if it looks strange and the guy has tree trunks for legs and a huge backside which will be important for a smaller player protecting the puck.

Jarnkrok's production is getting concerning, but I still like what he does a lot on ice. He needs to have a good off-season though, needs to put on some weight and another half step would help in terms of his skating which is not bad but could be better with a little work.

Biggest concern/fall for me in the entire system is Martin Frk. He doesn't even look good, he seems to be out of shape and we are half way through the season. I honestly don't know if he belongs in the Top 20 after we draft a couple guys, he wouldn't be in my Top 15 if I continued down with a list right now. Guy is in serious trouble hope he can get it righted.
 

Johnz96*

Guest
Would jarnkrok have any trade value i dont want to cut him short or whatever but i feel like he was way overhyped too and isnt going to make a big impact would a team offer decent value for say him and a frk/sheahan?>

I like him. I think the low production is in part a fluke, and in part because he is defensively responsible and a very safe player who doesn't make risky passes. He reminds me of a poor man's Pav-Z hybrid at the AHL level, in that he is a very good, highly skilled, defensively responsible puck possession guy, who goes all out and does the little things right. I think the points (esp. the assists lol) will come around soon.
He seems to be the best possibility for a top 6 center.
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
40,956
11,575
Ft. Myers, FL
I like him. I think the low production is in part a fluke, and in part because he is defensively responsible and a very safe player who doesn't make risky passes. He reminds me of a poor man's Pav-Z hybrid at the AHL level, in that he is a very good, highly skilled, defensively responsible puck possession guy. I think the points (esp. the assists lol) will come around soon.

He certainly values the puck too, Jarnkrok doesn't really make silly giveaways or panic often at all. He is always going to do most of his damage on the PP in my opinion, kind of why I have always likened him to a poor mans Backstrom in terms of his country comparable player, the PP is one of his strengths. I know Z is wonderful on the PP, I just think he is more of a presence 5 on 5 than Backstrom and I am guessing Jarnkrok will mirror Backstrom in this regard if/when he makes it. He just needs to get bigger and I don't think it would hurt to get a little more out of his skating.
 
Aug 6, 2012
10,752
5
I've watched Calle plenty of times in Grand Rapids and there's no doubt in my mind he's got top six potential. He's a great puck possession player who's tremendous defensively. When he has the puck on his stick the game seems to slow down, he controls the pace really well. I do think the points will come eventually, but I don't think he will ever be a catalyst on a line. With the right players he will certainly produce, but he needs skill around him to do so.
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
40,956
11,575
Ft. Myers, FL
I've watched Calle plenty of times in Grand Rapids and there's no doubt in my mind he's got top six potential. He's a great puck possession player who's tremendous defensively. When he has the puck on his stick the game seems to slow down, he controls the pace really well. I do think the points will come eventually, but I don't think he will ever be a catalyst on a line. With the right players he will certainly produce, but he needs skill around him to do so.

We will see if he wants to retreat back to Sweden if we try to stick him the AHL for another year, but I do think he and Mantha are going to have insane chemistry. His ability to hang onto the puck while Mantha drifts open is going to be lethal in my opinion.
 

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