Prospect Info: 2016 Ranking #1

[tigervixxxen]

Finally, my favorite activity of the year. The 2016 edition of the prospect rankings!

We'll keep things mostly consistent with how the polls were run last year. New polls up by every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I might move on early if it is a landslide but also want to get as many votes as possible each round. We'll start with 6 choices but will increase to 8 and then 10 as we go along, probably after the top 5 and 10 respectively. Please state who you'd like to be added to the poll next. Also, a lively debate on the vote is always fun. Its interesting to hear how everyone balances realistic potential, ceiling and NHL readiness.

There's only about 30 eligible prospects in all levels of the system so a top 20 with 5 HMs seems most appropriate this year unless the Avs make some surprise signings or trades by the conclusion of the polls. Basic criteria is to stay consistent with previous polls and that is the HF guidelines for less than 65 NHL games (45 for goalies) and not having concluded the season of their 24th birthday.

Some notable changes from last year's pool:

Removed

Bleackley – trade
Pickard – graduated/age
Wood – trade
Rendulic – not qualified
Hishon – not qualified
Hamilton – trade
Martinsen – graduated/age
Smith – trade
Magyar – rights expired
Pepin – rights expired
Will – not qualified
Aittokallio – not qualified

Added

Jost – draft
Morrison – draft
Anderson – draft
Werner – draft
Clurman – draft
Barron – draft
Petryk – signed ELC, 23 yo
Elson – signed FA, 23 yo
Grimaldi – trade, 23 yo

We'll start with who I believe is the fairly consensus top 5 and a goalie, always gotta have a goalie (right, GG?). Can't wait to see how the polls turn out and hope they provide a lot of entertainment as we embark on the long summer. Thanks for participating!

Click to read more...

 

[McMetal]

Rantanen over Bigras for #1. Rants is a dynamic, game-changing forward on the cusp of a breakout rookie season. Bigras will be a great D, but he's still not yet at the point where he'll change the look of the team. Rantanen will be there by November.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

Rantanen, easily. Then I would go with Bigras, Jost, Compher and Greer, in that order. Then it gets more open ended with guys like Martin, Meloche, Morrison, Grimaldi, etc.

 

[PAZ]

Don't think we really need to waste time on this one, should be very lopsided.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Regardless of HF criteria is still consider zads a prospect.

Either way right now it should be

1) Rantanen
2) zadorov
3) Bigras

 

[Drury_Sakic]

Too early to say Zadorov has graduated IMO... Needs to be added in. Huge omission.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Too early to say Zadorov has graduated IMO... Needs to be added in. Huge omission.

Did you read the OP at all?

 

[Drury_Sakic]

Did you read the OP at all?

I did, it is still an omission. For arguably the Avs 1st or 2nd best prospect....leaving him out of the pool is just not right, even if you are trying to keep the list from exploding to have too many players. Room for an exception at the top. two people out of 5 posters have specifically called it out already.

 

[CobraAcesS]

The easy answer is probably Mikko (as I expected), but if Bigras is still a prospect. Then I think he's #1 not only in talent, but when it comes to how important he is to the franchises success in the future.

It so much easier for forwards, but I believe Bigras will have the more important impact over the next five years or so.

Hes still underrated, even by our own fan base. He earned a shot at the top pairing by earning Roy's trust at the tail end of last season. While he wasn't able to take that and run with it. It's seems obvious that the last stretch of games is what is sticking in people's minds right now. He was however able to carry dumb ***** like Redmond and Bodychuck, and not be on the ice for a goal against for a very long while. His call-up honestly single highhandedly made our defense something we could enjoy watching develop. Even if our team as a whole was crapping the bed. He also got his goal, while Zadorov did not. Bigras even came close a couple of other times before finally putting one in the back of the net.

I really believe we have our 'Vlasic' in Bigras, but I also believe he has a bit more offensive potential. You can never discount a kid that has his combination of hockey IQ, and skating ability.

The quiet but effective defense-man takes it for me

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

The easy answer is probably Mikko (as I expected), but if Bigras is still a prospect. Then I think he's #1 not only in talent, but when it comes to how important he is to the franchises success in the future.

It so much easier for forwards, but I believe Bigras will have the more important impact over the next five years or so.

Hes still underrated, even by our own fan base. He earned a shot at the top pairing by earning Roy's trust at the tail end of last season. While he wasn't able to take that and run with it. It's seems obvious that the last stretch of games is what is sticking in people's minds right now.

I really believe we have our 'Vlasic' in Bigras, but I also believe he has a bit more offensive potential. You can never discount a kid that has his combination of hockey IQ, and skating ability.

The quiet but effective defense-man takes it for me

A better offensive Vlasic is a legit #1 and probably a top 15 or so guy in the league. Would be amazing.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Don't think we really need to waste time on this one, should be very lopsided.

We have 2 months of nothing ahead of us, there's no need to rush. There's a process to this.

I did, it is still an omission. For arguably the Avs 1st or 2nd best prospect....leaving him out of the pool is just not right, even if you are trying to keep the list from exploding to have too many players. Room for an exception at the top. two people out of 5 posters have specifically called it out already.

He wasn't in the polls last year. The argument should have been brought up then to make an exception and include him if it was going to happen. The point is to remain consistent. He's also played over a full season's worth of NHL games, it's really not even close. He's also expected to be on the NHL roster this year. That all adds up to not a prospect. Someone who has played 89 NHL games should not be considered a prospect.

 

[SmartPuck]

People who don't see Jost as #2 behind Rantanen are really sleeping on the kid. Have watched him quite a bit and he's special. Surely a higher ceiling of potential impact than someone like Bigras.

 

[landy92mack29]

Rantanen

Might be close between Jost+Bigras at 2/3 with Meloche rounding out the top 4. Then it opens up a bit


Add Beaudin

 

[McMetal]

I'm OK with Zads not being a prospect. Sure, it's not his fault he was rushed into the NHL by his former team, but the rules make sense.

 

[CobraAcesS]

A better offensive Vlasic is a legit #1 and probably a top 15 or so guy in the league. Would be amazing.

I still think with more physical development Bigras compares well to Suter.

Mid size, super intelligent, will give you 40 or so points, and will always be underrated.

The kid literally carried some of the worst defenders in the NHL as a complete rookie. He was smart enough to play in the NHL in his first camp with Roy (we all noticed it), but wasn't ready physically. There is a reason he probably had the best training camp for a rookie defender that this franchise has drafted in the last 10 years.

He came damn close to making the team that year, and when he talks about reviewing his game with video in interviews and adapting it's legit. There is a good reason why TV enjoyed watching him in the AHL so much, and kept telling us not to worry about him.

I love players with high hockey IQ. There are two guys I'm hoping I'm right about going into next season, and that's Bigras and Grigorenko. I expect both of them to take notable steps this coming season.

Bigras is spending big money (has already done so) on his trainer with O'Brien who trains guys like Crosby, and Duchene. He is obviously committed to his strength training and development.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

The easy answer is probably Mikko (as I expected), but if Bigras is still a prospect. Then I think he's #1 not only in talent, but when it comes to how important he is to the franchises success in the future.

It so much easier for forwards, but I believe Bigras will have the more important impact over the next five years or so.

Hes still underrated, even by our own fan base. He earned a shot at the top pairing by earning Roy's trust at the tail end of last season. While he wasn't able to take that and run with it. It's seems obvious that the last stretch of games is what is sticking in people's minds right now. He was however able to carry dumb ***** like Redmond and Bodychuck, and not be on the ice for a goal against for a very long while. His call-up honestly single highhandedly made our defense something we could enjoy watching develop. Even if our team as a whole was crapping the bed. He also got his goal, while Zadorov did not. Bigras even came close a couple of other times before finally putting one in the back of the net.

I really believe we have our 'Vlasic' in Bigras, but I also believe he has a bit more offensive potential. You can never discount a kid that has his combination of hockey IQ, and skating ability.

The quiet but effective defense-man takes it for me

Bigras developing into a top 4 D man probably is what takes the Avs from a fringe playoff team to a contender. Not just him of course, but the Avs need 2 top 4 D men, any will do I guess. Zadorov is looking good to be one..... Bigras is the only real natural candidate that is ready to make that step now. The rest are at least a year or two away.

If Bigras turns into the next Brian Rafalski.......... that would go a long ways towards the franchise moving up in the world.

That said, I think Rants has a much MUCH better chance of stepping in right away and has 20-30 goal potential right now, where as even if Bigras plays in the NHL next year, he probably has 1-2 years of developing to reach his full potential.

 

[R S]

1. Rantanen

2. Jost


3. Bigras



4. Compher

5. Greer
6. Meloche


....so, add Greer.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Bigras developing into a top 4 D man probably is what takes the Avs from a fringe playoff team to a contender. Not just him of course, but the Avs need 2 top 4 D men, any will do I guess. Zadorov is looking good to be one..... Bigras is the only real natural candidate that is ready to make that step now. The rest are at least a year or two away.

If Bigras turns into the next Brian Rafalski.......... that would go a long ways towards the franchise moving up in the world.

That said, I think Rants has a much MUCH better chance of stepping in right away and has 20-30 goal potential right now, where as even if Bigras plays in the NHL next year, he probably has 1-2 years of developing to reach his full potential.

I've got a feeling Mikko struggles offensively in the NHL, but that is more due to him being used as a shutdown center instead of a creative RW.

We'll see...

Yeah it would be great for Mikko to turn into Kopitar (he has all of the tools), but the offensive production will be a longer road if they develop him as a center. I can see the allure of it from Roy and Sakic's point of view as well. Who knows though, we could see something a bit crazy, and Mikko could be centering a 30 goal scoring RW in Duchene. We just don't know.

 

[McMetal]

I think the Mikko at center experiment is over. I think they wanted to maybe turn him into what Jost is going to be, a shutdown center. Developing him and Jost at center is redundant. The need at wing is too great to be messing with Rants in an unnatural position.

 

[dahrougem2]

1) Rantanen
2) Jost
3) Bigras
4) Compher
5) Greer

 

[CobraAcesS]

I think the Mikko at center experiment is over. I think they wanted to maybe turn him into what Jost is going to be, a shutdown center. Developing him and Jost at center is redundant. The need at wing is too great to be messing with Rants in an unnatural position.

No guarantee of that, as Jost is still lacking size if they are still chasing the big center to off-set MacKinnon.

I'm actually on your side as for as 'hope' goes, but I don't believe it is something they'd give up on for a 10th over all pick that is two to three years out from contributing at a high level.

Jost could easily be a damn good two-way LW in their eyes.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I agree drafting a center and not really signing any wingers might point towards Mikko staying as a winger now, hopefully. He has the ability to be good defensively but I don't see him as a shutdown guy. He's an offensive player and that's where his best talents lie. He's a special player, just wait until y'all see what he can do. I know there's some skepticism on the offense just being good for the AHL offense but even David Oliver said on that radio that's a tough league to look good in. To dominate at 19 years old is really unheard of. And to do it night after night dragging around what he did in San Antonio, there should be no question that Mikko is going to be a good one. So obviously he has my vote here.

I do think Jost's skill level is a bit overlooked because what's said about him is the the great two way game he has. But he's pretty offensively gifted himself. Bigras is ahead of him at this time taking his contributions already at the NHL level into account. Plus I think there's a lot more to his game that we haven't seen there yet. Back to Jost, he can play wing I'm sure but he's only really ever played center and I think you gotta keep your smartest players at center. Plus Roy probably won't be around when he's really ready for the NHL. If they had a problem with his size at center they should have taken Brown.

I won't get further into the list right now but I think I'll have to sell Meloche a bit when the time comes. I'm surprised Greer has passed him, is it just the closer to contributing factor? Meloche is really our best D prospect outside of Bigras and it's not even close. A potential top 4 D is better than a 2/3 line forward IMO. And I love me some Greer but Meloche is very good.

 

[McMetal]

I weight NHL readiness pretty high on rankings like this, but I'd still rank Meloche higher than Greer. One, Greer is further from the NHL than some seem to think. And his style is both less critical to the team and has a lower ceiling than Meloche. I like Greer too but we should all pump our brakes on him just a tad.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

Best thing about Jost going to UND is that he will be forced into learning the 2 way game.

No matter how talented, it was very rare in my time there to see a single player dog it defensively, and even the most offensive free-wheeling of players knew they had to work their ass off defensively if they were going to get minutes....and that seems to have continued even after Hak left.

UND players also learn how to play bigger than they actually are. What I mean by that is there are big 5'11-6 foot players....and there are small 5'11-6 foot players. I am not talking about hitting or being over aggressive... more so being strong on the puck and being able to match up against bigger opponents without putting yourself at risk. Sakic, as an example. Never a big man, but he was not pushed around by anyone. (remember him leveling Scott Stevens in the SCF? )

 

[Congo Jack]

Here are the last two years prospect polls, just in case any of you want to compare where we are now to where we were then.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1949251

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1734217


Add Greer.