Prospect Info: 2017-18 Flyers Prospects - Top 30 SKATERS, #6

[Stizzle]

Only Ratcliffe

A totally reasonable pick if you believe in his upside. At the very least he should be a legit PP finisher. I like him.

 

[Magua]

I will have Allison at 11 or something. But each time I look at my list, I feel like I'm moving Ratcliffe down. Just comparing the two, I feel like Allison is significantly more skilled. I would take his upside tbh, even though I'm not sold his hockey sense or 2-way play is all that great, he should be a good scorer.

I think I will have Ratcliffe closer to 14/15, though he's going to be voted higher. I'm debating in what order to put Bunnaman, Ratcliffe, Laberge, NAK. I know, sounds a bit crazy

Going back and watching Strome closely and getting over my bias, I actually am very impressed with his overall game. If he could skate worth a damn, I might even have added him to that group. Probably could add Hogberg too.

 

[Ruck Over]

Voted Sam. A lot of it is ignorance to the other players. But Sam, even if not the next-Pronger/Chara looks to at least be as good, slightly better than big Kell Samuelson. Kell finished his career kinda blah, when he got slow, it was over. But Sam isn't slow. There''s a snarl and an imposing factor to him that really entertains. If he''s the shut down guy like a Gudas, that''s still important, and I imagine him to be a durable long lasting guy. Not sure why Provo & Sanheim matter in saying Sam has lost luster to forward prospects. And I don't put Ghost ahead of Sam. It''s just as important to score, as it is to prevent the other team from scoring. Flyers had a comparable offense to sevreal playoff teams this past season. What they did not have was a comparable defense. Unless Ghost is going to mature to Karlsson type levels, he''s an equal, but different, player than Sam, ying & yang.

These thoughts based on feelings, evidence is for nerds.

 

[Pantokrator]

I just don't see the upside some do in Morin being realistic, so while I again understand voting for him completely, I'll take a chance on what Frost can be. I'll wait for the next thread for Frost gifs.

My thoughts exactly. I trust the Flyers moving up on Frost. I hope Morin really becomes a major force, but I see him having less of a ceiling than Frost.

 

[Striiker]

Voted for Allison, forgot about Frost. But I have those two and Ratcliffe virtually tied and it's not gonna make a difference anyway.

AHAH YES THE ALLISON GROUP HAS DOUBLED

 

[Rebels57]

Voted Sam. A lot of it is ignorance to the other players. But Sam, even if not the next-Pronger/Chara looks to at least be as good, slightly better than big Kell Samuelson. Kell finished his career kinda blah, when he got slow, it was over. But Sam isn't slow. There''s a snarl and an imposing factor to him that really entertains. If he''s the shut down guy like a Gudas, that''s still important, and I imagine him to be a durable long lasting guy. Not sure why Provo & Sanheim matter in saying Sam has lost luster to forward prospects. And I don't put Ghost ahead of Sam. It''s just as important to score, as it is to prevent the other team from scoring. Flyers had a comparable offense to sevreal playoff teams this past season. What they did not have was a comparable defense. Unless Ghost is going to mature to Karlsson type levels, he''s an equal, but different, player than Sam, ying & yang.

These thoughts based on feelings, evidence is for nerds.

This is why I voted Sam.

The role he is going to play is going to effect wins and losses for us more than secondary scoring, IMO.

 

[Flyerfan13]

This is why I voted Sam.

The role he is going to play is going to effect wins and losses for us more than secondary scoring, IMO.

I agree watching the phantoms games over the last 2 years having Sam back on defense with his size and reach killing penalties or protecting a lead late in a game will be valuable to the flyers.

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

The thing with Ratcliffe is that on his own I don't think he can drive a team or even a line, but I think his impact in terms of putting the puck in the net is going to be bigger than all the remaining guys. Morin might be the better player but Ratcliffe might have the bigger impact.

 

[Patrick Division]

Big Sam again. Allison, Frost and Ratcliffe are next...I wonder if Pascal Laberge is even top 10 in our rankings anymore after last season.

 

[Flyerfan13]

I have frost,Allison,ratcliffe,laczynski next. Yeah rough year for laberge hoping he bounces back.

 

[McNasty]

I just think of what Morin can do when he's got a few years under his belt if the playoff officiating continues. If they just let guys bear hug anybody he's going to be an absolute terror for teams to deal with.

 

[deadhead]

Hextall wants Morin groomed as a partner for Ghost or Sanheim.
You can pair Provorov with any RHD, and Myers with any LHD.

Morin will never be much of an offensive defensemen, neither was Coburn, but he's got enough skating ability to take the puck into the O-zone and a good enough shot to pick up points shooting through crowds. Think a bigger, faster version of Gudas. So I expect him to end up with 15-20 or so points a year, maybe more if he mans the point on the 2nd PP.

But his ultimate value is as a huge, mobile defenseman who plays a responsible game, dominates the crease and the corners, and can break up plays with his long reach. The kind of partner that allows someone like Ghost or Sanheim to take chances knowing that they have Morin CTA. The kind of huge body that shuts down a side on the PK. The kind of physical presence that ends any hanky panky against our skill players the moment he hits the ice (who gave King Kong a pair of skates?).

As far as Frost, I think the upside is there, but right now he's so far away I can't put him ahead of the top six, next year, if he adds 10 lbs and has that post-draft season (100+ points) of an elite center, then you can make a case for him as a first tier prospect. One problem with physically undeveloped prospects is you're projecting how his skills will change as his body fills out, will he become more explosive or slower?

 

[deadhead]

I will have Allison at 11 or something. But each time I look at my list, I feel like I'm moving Ratcliffe down. Just comparing the two, I feel like Allison is significantly more skilled. I would take his upside tbh, even though I'm not sold his hockey sense or 2-way play is all that great, he should be a good scorer.

I think I will have Ratcliffe closer to 14/15, though he's going to be voted higher. I'm debating in what order to put Bunnaman, Ratcliffe, Laberge, NAK. I know, sounds a bit crazy

Going back and watching Strome closely and getting over my bias, I actually am very impressed with his overall game. If he could skate worth a damn, I might even have added him to that group. Probably could add Hogberg too.

I think you're facing the "what is/what could be" dilemma in judging prospects. Projections have a high risk of not panning out, so a player who is closer to the NHL and maintains his expected progress is probably superior to a higher upside, but much further away prospect.

Two years from now you'll have a good idea whether Strome improves his skating, Ratcliffe fills out, and Allison improves his all around game. Right now you're having to make an educated guess.

It's one reason I'm totally confident in Lindblom, he has already filled out (could a little more, but he's NHL size), he's performed at a high level in a man's league, other than play in the NHL, there is little more he can do to convince that he CAN play in the NHL. There's very little projection there.

 

[FLYguy3911]

100 points or bust Morgan.

 

[HighOFFHockey]

Morgan Frost.

I have Frost, Vorobyov, and Laczynski as the next three names on my list.

I very recently started watching his games online, so I'm sort of just trusting the Flyers here in addition to his overall makeup and reports. Frost is pretty physically underdeveloped, but he tested damn well both on ice and off ice. He seems like a real gifted athlete and we all heard Hextall rave about his IQ.

When I started watching his game, the first thing I noticed was his initial burst out of the gate. You can totally see why he won both of those 30 meter races at the on ice testing.

It just seems like Frost has all kinds of upside. Like Rubtsov, he's another versatile kid who could go either way as a LW or C. I'm not afraid to bet on a kid like this. Seemingly, the only thing he needs is some time.

[Tweet]878429767422406656[/MEDIA]

I'm on the same page man. Frost. Could end up being the steal of the draft. Anytime the Flyers pick late in the first and slightly off the board, there is reason to get excited. They're known for picking centers late as good as any team in the league.

 

[deadhead]

100 points or bust Morgan.

Pretty much, how many star forwards DIDN'T put up those kind of numbers in their post-draft season?

 

[Ghosts Beer]

This is tough.

I voted Hagg, but was close to voting either Vorobyov or Frost

 

[FLYguy3911]

Pretty much, how many star forwards DIDN'T put up those kind of numbers in their post-draft season?

So he has to be a star to be considered a better player than Morin? What planet do you live on?

For one, expecting a 60% increase for a kid who already put up more than decent numbers as a 17 year old is expecting entirely too much.

Two, even if he only ends up as a 3C, he's likely going to be more valuable than Morin.

 

[jabba2]

Morin being much closer to the NHL than Frost means he is easily the better prospect. I too remember when Morin was getting PP minutes with the phantoms and at a loss to explain why they stopped giving him chances. Though its obvious with Ghost and Sanhiem that Morin will never be used or needed on the PP. At this point its almost like the Flyers have too many young defenseman, with Provo, Ghost and Sanheim, and then Myers also with some top 4 potential, that leaves Hagg and Morin on the outside or bottom six.