Prospect Info: 2017 HF Devils Top 20 Prospect Rankings: #5

[Edmonton East]

I don't disagree at all, and hey I can definitely see the argument for him going now or even earlier. My counter is that while he's impressed in those tournaments they're just that, short tournaments. Especially for a prospect most of us rarely get to see outside of those games, if he impresses in them it can leave a very good impression - sometimes over-rating them to a degree.

I don't think that's the case with Rykov, I'm with you and thinking he's a very good prospect with great potential. My only thing what you originally said was that it was Rykov by a landslide. I think there are a few others that can have a good case made for them.

I gotcha. He should be top 5, that's all I'm saying. Meaning I am shocked the majority of this board doesn't have him top 5.

And I was even more surprised to see Blackwood, Wood, and Boqvist ahead of him in this poll. I still think that's ridiculous. At least it looks like the first 2 are trailing now.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

I watched some frozen 4 games and the WJC games. He is a Langenbrunner/Williams type player. Will not carry the puck in, but very good complimentary player who will produce points 5 on 5. He is very safe to make the NHL but not be a star.

 

[Cheddabombs]

I gotcha. He should be top 5, that's all I'm saying. Meaning I am shocked the majority of this board doesn't have him top 5.

And I was even more surprised to see Blackwood, Wood, and Boqvist ahead of him in this poll. I still think that's ridiculous. At least it looks like the first 2 are trailing now.

I think it's just the unknown factor with him. Aside from those tournaments how many of us actually get to watch him regularly? I'm sure if more us did he'd be ranked higher but we just don't know.

I'm more surprised to see Speers sort of running away with it now. But then again at this point in the rankings there are tons of factors at play. The first few guys that get ranked they're just objectively better than the field. But around here there are multiple questions you have to ask. What's their potential? Likelihood of reaching it? What's their floor? Is there a flight risk? How far away from making the NHL? I think everyone will have certain aspects weigh their opinion more heavily than others. For example at this point I was looking at the player with the highest potential. I think that's Boqvist and that's why I chose him.

 

[JimEIV]

I watched some frozen 4 games and the WJC games. He is a Langenbrunner/Williams type player. Will not carry the puck in, but very good complimentary player who will produce points 5 on 5. He is very safe to make the NHL but not be a star.

Thanks.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I would have put Rykov at 4.

 

[Cheddabombs]

I would have put Rykov at 4.

I think that's under-rating JQ a bit. He just came off leading the ADevils in scoring (albeit that wasn't too hard) and finished 5th in rookie PPG for guys that played at least have of the season there. He's not exceptional in any particular way but he just plays a steady game.

 

[MartyOwns]

its the same thing every year with these. are you ranking based on potential? current state?

 

[billingtons ghost]

I have no idea how someone can watch Wood play hockey along with the rest of the Devils and come away with this conclusion. You are implying that Wood was NJ's third-best forward or could be considered so. Or is 'arguably' the third-best forward. Why not just go all the way and say he was the best? He was better than Palmieri or Henrique? He was as good as them? Okay.

Wood cannot stickhandle in the offensive zone. He can't do anything along the boards in either zone. He was okay in front of the net, I guess, but that's a hard thing to judge and either way he got plenty of opportunities there. He has no idea what to do in the defensive zone. Basically all he's good at hockey-wise is using his speed to beat people wide. Other stuff - fighting, what have you, great, he got the Flyers upset at him one game, that was a lot of fun.

Almost every player on the team was worse when they were playing with Wood last year. He has to improve a lot to show he's not going to be an anchor on this club for years to come. It's hard to improve a lot at the NHL level. It happens sometimes, but it's not easy. He cannot be considered a top prospect.

I honestly don't understand how people can kill him for his defensive zone work when we fielded a team with so many defensive holes up front and in back- and a goalie who was swiss cheese. Wood was a rookie fresh out of college. I thought this was a poll for 'future success in the NHL' for rookies - not a list of comparable skill - or just the flashiest or who has the best possession stats.

 

[Emperoreddy]

You can kill him for everything. He isn't good at playing hockey.

The only thing he does well is that he has lots of energy and is big and fast.

He is almost definitely going to wash out of the league if he doesn't get at least a bit better, and even then his ceiling just isn't that high when you see where he currently is. There is only so much he can realistically get better at.

Absolutely 100% not a top 5 prospect.

 

[billingtons ghost]

its the same thing every year with these. are you ranking based on potential? current state?

Obviously the most important question.

To copy Hockey's Future, I'd go something like:

Yegor Rykov 7.0 C
Miles Wood 6.0 A
Reilly Walsh 6.5 C
Nikita Popugayev 6.5 D
Joey Anderson 6.0 C
MacKenzie Blackwood 7.5 C
Jesper Boqvist 7.5 C
Mirco Mueller 7.0 C
Nathan Bastian 6.5 C
Blake Speers 6.5 B

 

[VoidCreature]

I know he's not popular on here, but Wood's becoming a fan favorite. When I went into the scrimmage, the rep I talked to asked me who I was most looking forward to seeing. I said Hischier, but she said many people had said they were most excited to see Miles Wood.

I saw some Wood jerseys inside, too. Don't think I've seen any Zacha jerseys. That'll change, obviously, but with how bad the team was last year I'm sure the front office looks at Wood's season as a positive because of how many fans seem to respond to him. That'll probably still be a consideration for the next few years even if he doesn't substantially improve.

Once we're comfortably in the playoffs again is when he would need to worry about his future with the team, in my view.

 

[billingtons ghost]

You can kill him for everything. He isn't good at playing hockey.

The only thing he does well is that he has lots of energy and is big and fast.

He is almost definitely going to wash out of the league if he doesn't get at least a bit better, and even then his ceiling just isn't that high when you see where he currently is. There is only so much he can realistically get better at.

Absolutely 100% not a top 5 prospect.

That's where I think I disagree. And - if we are looking at just talentwise - as we seem to be - then I'll agree completely that he isn't a top5 prospect.

I guess what I find interesting is that 'shooting' is evidently a skill where Dagenais and Boucher can go into the top 5 - yet 'speed' is not. I guess 'skating' would be a truer 'skill' and if he could stop/start and move laterally it would be different.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I know he's not popular on here, but Wood's becoming a fan favorite. When I went into the scrimmage, the rep I talked to asked me who I was most looking forward to seeing. I said Hischier, but she said many people had said they were most excited to see Miles Wood.

I saw some Wood jerseys inside, too. Don't think I've seen any Zacha jerseys. That'll change, obviously, but with how bad the team was last year I'm sure the front office looks at Wood's season as a positive because of how many fans seem to respond to him. That'll probably still be a consideration for the next few years even if he doesn't substantially improve.

Once we're comfortably in the playoffs again is when he would need to worry about his future with the team, in my view.

Don't mind him being a fan favorite. There is a lot to like about the kid. If he can improve he could become s good bottom 6 forward.

That kind of energy with his speed could make him an excellent 4th liner. I'm just not putting him top 5 over a bunch of other guys.

I have Speers, Blackwood, Boqvst, Rykov and Anderson over Wood. Maybe Walsh.

 

[devilsblood]

That's where I think I disagree. And - if we are looking at just talentwise - as we seem to be - then I'll agree completely that he isn't a top5 prospect.

I guess what I find interesting is that 'shooting' is evidently a skill where Dagenais and Boucher can go into the top 5 - yet 'speed' is not. I guess 'skating' would be a truer 'skill' and if he could stop/start and move laterally it would be different.

Ya speed is typically considered a god diven talent. Skating is a learned skill.

Wood is currently all talent and little skill. But because of that I disagree with this idea that he projects to be a 4th liner. I think there is big upside. But he has got to put in the time.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Ya speed is typically considered a god diven talent. Skating is a learned skill.

Wood is currently all talent and little skill. But because of that I disagree with this idea that he projects to be a 4th liner. I think there is big upside. But he has got to put in the time.

Yeah - good point. I mean, I think god-given talent wise, Wood might have blessings that few of the other guys have.

It's just funny that he gets knocks for being raw - yet a guy like Mueller might be getting a better grade just based upon 'size'.

There probably needs to be a 3-way rating system of talent, skill and projection to make real sense of it all. I'd give Wood highest marks in the first and last category, and probably the lowest marks in the middle one...

 

[JimEIV]

Don't mind him being a fan favorite. There is a lot to like about the kid. If he can improve he could become s good bottom 6 forward.

That kind of energy with his speed could make him an excellent 4th liner. I'm just not putting him top 5 over a bunch of other guys.

I have Speers, Blackwood, Boqvst, Rykov and Anderson over Wood. Maybe Walsh.

I think it's unfair to limit him to a "4th liner". Haven't seen too many accomplish more in such a short time than Wood.

He may very well be "just a 4th liner" but I'd argue it's impossible to make that determination with his body of work so far... furthermore, the body of work that has been turned in, in jus 75 pro games(AHL and NHL) and 37 NCAA games since highschool is better than good.

If he's just a 4th liner, his progression is pretty much done, there might be some more refinement but there isn't any more room to grow if he's only a "4th liner". I think that you have to be the worst kind of pessimist in the world to believe that.

 

[Emperoreddy]

It isn't unfair at all when you watch just how bad at hockey he is.

It is going to take a lot more refinement just to get him to a 4th line regular. Right now he isn't going to stick on a decent to good team.

 

[Triumph]

I honestly don't understand how people can kill him for his defensive zone work when we fielded a team with so many defensive holes up front and in back- and a goalie who was swiss cheese. Wood was a rookie fresh out of college. I thought this was a poll for 'future success in the NHL' for rookies - not a list of comparable skill - or just the flashiest or who has the best possession stats.

The goalie has nothing to do with the Devils giving up 33 shots per 60 minutes with Wood on the ice. It's not that Wood would have occasional lapses - it's that he didn't even seem like he knew what he should be doing. And yeah, Wood's teammates were bad without question, but he was the worst guy - him and DSP, but DSP is gone now.

People just underestimate how hard it is to learn at the NHL level. There aren't a lot of players that post bad results during their 21 year old rookie year and then become good.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

The goalie has nothing to do with the Devils giving up 33 shots per 60 minutes with Wood on the ice. It's not that Wood would have occasional lapses - it's that he didn't even seem like he knew what he should be doing. And yeah, Wood's teammates were bad without question, but he was the worst guy - him and DSP, but DSP is gone now.

People just underestimate how hard it is to learn at the NHL level. There aren't a lot of players that post bad results during their 21 year old rookie year and then become good.

Most have definitely not had Wood's career path, either. He was playing prep hockey three seasons ago. Calling him just another 21 year old is incredibly misleading.

Wood isn't a refined hockey player right now. You'll get no argument from me. But this "wash out of the league" stuff is overboard at this point.

 

[JimEIV]

It isn't unfair at all when you watch just how bad at hockey he is.

It is going to take a lot more refinement just to get him to a 4th line regular. Right now he isn't going to stick on a decent to good team.

Who is the last rookie that played predominantly on the 4th line that managed 17 points and 8 goals in 60 games?

I think some of the criticisms of Wood are way overly harsh. Almost nonsensical.

Needs refinement to be a 4th liner... That is a nonsensical statement. When is the last time time we had a 21 year old (predominantly)4th liner with 17 points in 60 games? He's already better than any 4th liner we've had in a while in his first 60 games in the league.

You certainly wouldn't judge a 21 year old #4 overall with 128 games of NHL experience by the same standard. You probably wouldn't judge any other rookie by the standard you are judging Wood.

 

[MadDevil]

Wood kind of reminds me of Clarkson. He plays with a lot of energy but isn't a particularly smart player. Which doesn't mean he can't be a useful player. Clarkson had the hockey IQ of a potato but still had a few productive years before the injuries and expectations in Toronto caught up with him. I think Wood's ceiling depends on his ability to think the game and not just go full throttle all the time. So far I definitely have some doubts about that. Still, I love the kid's energy and I hope his head catches up with his feet, because he could be a heck of a player if it ever does.

 

[Triumph]

Most have definitely not had Wood's career path, either. He was playing prep hockey three seasons ago. Calling him just another 21 year old is incredibly misleading.

Wood isn't a refined hockey player right now. You'll get no argument from me. But this "wash out of the league" stuff is overboard at this point.

I agree that he is not just another 21 year old, but the fact that there aren't many comparisons to him doesn't give me a ton of hope, either. The (realistic) hope is that he can become a Chimera/Bergenheim type who drives opposing D nuts. There's just a long way to go for that to happen.

The only reason it's not overboard to talk about him washing out of the league in a couple years is because some GMs in this league are desperate for guys who will fight and Wood is certainly that.

It was his first pro season and he ended up playing a ton of games and seemed to tire by the end, so I'm curious to see how he is this year.

Who is the last rookie that played predominantly on the 4th line that managed 17 points and 8 goals in 60 games?

I'm not sure. Wood doesn't fit that criteria either, so I'm curious who you're talking about. Henrique was Wood's most common linemate and they played together almost a third of the time - Wood scored 5 of his 6 5 on 5 goals with Henrique on the ice. Also Wood played on the top PP unit for most of the 2nd half of the year.

Needs refinement to be a 4th liner... That is a nonsensical statement. When is the last time time we had a 21 year old (predominantly)4th liner with 17 points in 60 games? He's already better than any 4th liner we've had in a while in his first 60 games in the league.

I can list off a bunch of guys he's not better than - S. Gionta most of his time here, Bernier, Ryan Carter, Jacob Josefson, Tuomo Ruutu in 2014-15. I'll say it again - he scored 1 goal as a '4th liner'. Wood away from Henrique was on the ice for .96 G/60 which is the same garbage rate the 4th line has put up here for forever.

You certainly wouldn't judge a 21 year old #4 overall with 128 games of NHL experience by the same standard. You probably wouldn't judge any other rookie by the standard you are judging Wood.

I don't care about draft position 4 years out from the draft and have said so many times - when I hear people accuse me of this, it strikes me as perhaps that it's them who are the people who judge by draft position. But I expect rookies to have an awareness of the D zone, how to play in the neutral zone, and so on - Pavel Zacha had all of that, for instance, and that's why I think he can still be a very good player even if he didn't score a whole lot or show up much on a highlight reel last year.

 

[JimEIV]

Wood kind of reminds me of Clarkson. He plays with a lot of energy but isn't a particularly smart player. Which doesn't mean he can't be a useful player. Clarkson had the hockey IQ of a potato but still had a few productive years before the injuries and expectations in Toronto caught up with him. I think Wood's ceiling depends on his ability to think the game and not just go full throttle all the time. So far I definitely have some doubts about that. Still, I love the kid's energy and I hope his head catches up with his feet, because he could be a heck of a player if it ever does.

I can see what you mean but
He has more attributes than Clarkson. A lot more.

Clarkson couldn't do the things Wood does in terms of skating or physicality.

But remember when we first saw Clarkson he had 4 OHL seasons and 2 full AHL seasons going on 23 years old in a 7 game stint playing with Patrick Elias....by the time he was 23 years old in his first full season he had one more goal and than Wood had this season on a significantly better team.

Wood is a much better player than Clarkson even if he never scores as many goals.

 

[Tretyak 20]

Who is the last rookie that played predominantly on the 4th line that managed 17 points and 8 goals in 60 games?

Not sure about line assignments, but Keith Primeau put up 15 points in 58 games in his 20 year old rookie season. That's a guy I've thought before Wood reminds me of. Primeau at that age was pretty raw and mistake-prone, too.

 

[Zippy316]

I'll have a poll up and going early tomorrow morning.