Prospect Info: 2017 CFHF Top 20 Prospects

[InfinityIggy]

No doubt Gaudreau was a blue chip prospect before coming into his first pro season. Having 2 ppg in his sophomore year and then turning NHL dmen like Josi out in the WHJC made him one.

Flames fans knew that but a lot of people doubted it.

I remember all the shock and horror from around HF that we had ranked Gaudreau ahead of Bennett.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

In square brackets is their movement from last years rankings. (NR- means they were not ranked in last years top 20, & NEW- obviously means their new to the organization).

2017 Top 20:
1. Mark Jankowski [+2]
2. Tyler Parsons [+14]
3. Rasmus Andersson [+3]
4. Juuso Valimaki [NEW]
5. Oliver Kylington [-1]
6. Jon Gillies [-4]
7. Adam Fox [+10]
8. Dillon Dube [+7]
9. Andrew Mangiapane [--]
10. Spencer Foo [NEW]
11. Brett Kulak [--]
12. Morgan Klimchuk [-2]
13. Hunter Shinkaruk [-8]
14. Emile Poirer [-7]
15. David Rittich [NR]
16. Tyler Wotherspoon [-3]
17. Matthew Phillips [NR]
18. Adam Ollas Mattson [NR]
19. Daniel Pribyl [+1]
20. Garnet Hathaway [NR]

Players who were in the 2016 top 20 that aren't in the 2017 top 20:
Mason McDonald
Brett Pollock
Eetu Tuulola
Linus Lindstrom

So here is the real question. which of these players holds enough value to get us rid of Troy Brouwer's contract?

 

[Bounces R Way]

Not a bad bunch. Still want to see some more on the wing, but there's a lot to like coming up on the blue line.

Parsons has me hyped, really like the way he battles.

 

[Volica]

So here is the real question. which of these players holds enough value to get us rid of Troy Brouwer's contract?

Jankowski, Fox, Parsons, Valimaki and maybe Andersson.

That's about it.

4.5 for another 3 years is a huge price tag.
Honestly. If he's the same player he was for Calgary this year, I'd be happy with a buyout. I know we lose 1.5 million over in year 3 & 4, but the way Calgary's cap structure works... they should be fine. Stupid next lockout being in 2021-2022 when we could dump that contract

 

[Mobiandi]

Arguing over the semantics of what a blue chip prospect is. This is peak summer discussion

 

[Mr Snrub]

Arguing over the semantics of what a blue chip prospect is. This is peak summer discussion

There were literally Flames prospects playing on the world stage less than a week ago and we're arguing about an entirely arbitrary term

 

[FLAMESFAN]

I think MM's definition of a blue-chip prospect is somewhat universally acknowledged. Gaudreau isn't a blue-chip prospect because he wasn't seen as a can't-miss prospect when he was drafted.

Not universal at all. Prospects can absolutely become blue chip after they are drafted.

 

[InfinityIggy]

I find myself agreeing with the more flexible definition that 'blue-chip' status is time sensitive. A player can become blue-chip over time. Lots of examples of Russian players come to mind like Tarasenko. Wasn't a blue-chip when drafted but was one before he ever played an NHL game.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Blue-chip means 'very high value' imo

Blue chippers right now IMO:

Kaprizov
Valimaki
Fox
Steel
McAvoy
Chabot
Patrick
Heiskanen
Makar
Hishcier
Montour
Keller

Obviously I'm forgetting a bunch of players. But those players all hold significant trade value.

 

[Bounces R Way]

The term is subjective. Don't see how you can make one definition the standard for "Blue Chip". There's not a lot of qualifiers that are set in stone, each draft year the goal posts move because each member of a draft class is rated relative to each other and the year before. PPG is probably still the best indicator but it is not without its flaws either.

If the consensus is that there is a high probability(>70%) that the prospect will become a significant contributor on an NHL team, then the prospect has garnered enough attention to earn the "Blue Chip" signifier in my eyes.

Jankowski is probably the closest on that prospect list, and a case could be made for him if you just take his AHL season. Considering the whole body of work however, he still has some question marks.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

I wonder if you're signing that tune after he has played 10-20 games in the NHL (away from Troy Brouwer). Jankowski's floor is basically Sean Couturier.

This post reminds me that one man's floor is another man's ceiling.

 

[Mr Snrub]

This post reminds me that one man's floor is another man's ceiling.

Jankowski is a weird prospect for sure. Guy has been in our system for five years and still nobody can agree upon what kind of NHLer he'll be.

 

[MMC]

Damn, what happened to Mason McDonald?

 

[tyflames]

Damn, what happened to Mason McDonald?

Majority of us never really bought into him. Outside of a good U18 tournament in his draft year he has been mediocre at best throughout his career. Everyone goes "the Q has no defense" still over a 3 gaa every year and around 900 save percentage is hardly anything to get excited about.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Damn, what happened to Mason McDonald?

Passed on the depth chart by the shooter-tutor

 

[Flames Fanatic]

So interestingly FlamesNation is doing their top 20 countdown as well. So far it is like this (our ranking in brackets for comparison):

8. Dube (8)
9. Mangiapane (9)
10. Klimchuk (12)
11. Gilles (6)
12. Phillips (17)
13. Shinkurak (13)
14. Rittich (15)
15. Poirier (14)
16. Ruzicka (NR)
17. Tuulola (NR)
18. Pribyl (19)
19. AOM (18)
20. Lomberg (NR)

The big thing that jumps out to me is that they have Foo higher than I have him personally, as I definitely have Dube above him right now.

 

[Mr Snrub]

So interestingly FlamesNation is doing their top 20 countdown as well. So far it is like this (our ranking in brackets for comparison):

8. Dube (8)
9. Mangiapane (9)
10. Klimchuk (12)
11. Gilles (6)
12. Phillips (17)
13. Shinkurak (13)
14. Rittich (15)
15. Poirier (14)
16. Ruzicka (NR)
17. Tuulola (NR)
18. Pribyl (19)
19. AOM (18)
20. Lomberg (NR)

The big thing that jumps out to me is that they have Foo higher than I have him personally, as I definitely have Dube above him right now.

People really should calm down about Foo, most college UFAs go nowhere.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

People really should calm down about Foo, most college UFAs go nowhere.

It's a free lottery ticket in a position of need, so I get the excitement, but still I agree with you for the most part.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

So interestingly FlamesNation is doing their top 20 countdown as well. So far it is like this (our ranking in brackets for comparison):

8. Dube (8)
9. Mangiapane (9)
10. Klimchuk (12)
11. Gilles (6)
12. Phillips (17)
13. Shinkurak (13)
14. Rittich (15)
15. Poirier (14)
16. Ruzicka (NR)
17. Tuulola (NR)
18. Pribyl (19)
19. AOM (18)
20. Lomberg (NR)

The big thing that jumps out to me is that they have Foo higher than I have him personally, as I definitely have Dube above him right now.

FN are the same dummies who had Jankowski at 11 and Shinkaruk at 2 last year. Their rankings are just silly and based on inconsistent stats criteria. Apprently a 21 year old Jankowski wasn't good enough to be top 8 because he shpuld have produced more in Hockey East at 21, but 20 year old Foo's age isn't a factor because he and Veccione had numbers.

Lol.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

TIL we have five prospects better than Jankowski according to Flames Nation.

Valimaki, Anderssen, Kylington, Parsons and Fox all ahead of him apparently.

Definitely don't agree with all of that, especially Kylington.

 

[HighLifeMan]

Majority of us never really bought into him. Outside of a good U18 tournament in his draft year he has been mediocre at best throughout his career. Everyone goes "the Q has no defense" still over a 3 gaa every year and around 900 save percentage is hardly anything to get excited about.

To be fair he ranked 2nd in the entire QMJHL in SV% during his post draft year (among starters) and 6th the season following.

He was a outperforming his peers relative to his league specifically for the majority of his career. It's to early to completely write him off as he has the tools to become an NHL goaltender, but boy oh boy does he have a ton to work on. If he ever pulls it all together it likely won't be for this organization though.

 

[Skobel24]

FN are the same dummies who had Jankowski at 11 and Shinkaruk at 2 last year. Their rankings are just silly and based on inconsistent stats criteria. Apprently a 21 year old Jankowski wasn't good enough to be top 8 because he shpuld have produced more in Hockey East at 21, but 20 year old Foo's age isn't a factor because he and Veccione had numbers.

Lol.

I do like that they have Lomberg in there at 20.

A quote by Huska regarding Lomberg.

The one thing that we saw from him is he had a consistent impact in every game that he played for us, where he was one of our noticeable players. I guess the word that comes to mind with Ryan is “energy,” where every time we needed a bit of a boost he was usually one of the guys that would give it to us pretty consistently. Or if a line was a little bit flat, we’d put Ryan on that line and they’d seem to get themselves going pretty quickly.

I really hope he continues to develop.

 

[neelynugs]

In square brackets is their movement from last years rankings. (NR- means they were not ranked in last years top 20, & NEW- obviously means their new to the organization).

2017 Top 20:
1. Mark Jankowski [+2]
2. Tyler Parsons [+14]
3. Rasmus Andersson [+3]
4. Juuso Valimaki [NEW]
5. Oliver Kylington [-1]
6. Jon Gillies [-4]
7. Adam Fox [+10]
8. Dillon Dube [+7]
9. Andrew Mangiapane [--]
10. Spencer Foo [NEW]
11. Brett Kulak [--]
12. Morgan Klimchuk [-2]
13. Hunter Shinkaruk [-8]
14. Emile Poirer [-7]
15. David Rittich [NR]
16. Tyler Wotherspoon [-3]
17. Matthew Phillips [NR]
18. Adam Ollas Mattson [NR]
19. Daniel Pribyl [+1]
20. Garnet Hathaway [NR]

Players who were in the 2016 top 20 that aren't in the 2017 top 20:
Matthew Tkachuk - Graduated
Brandon Hickey - Traded
Mason McDonald
Brett Pollock
Eetu Tuulola
Linus Lindstrom

looking at this list 4 months later, wondering your thoughts. risers, droppers, any big sleepers who are
in the mix now?

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Mangiapagne could be higher I suppose, but I don’t know who he would bump. It’s a solid list IMO.

I think Fox will be top 3 by next season.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

I think we did pretty good. Maybe Rittich and Hathaway a bit higher.