2019 Spring Prospect Rankings Poll: # 8

[Ruckus007]

All prospects who fit the HF prospect criteria are included.

ELIGIBILITY
-In his Age-24 season with fewer than 65 NHL games for a skater (or 45 games for a goalie).

-If signed out of Europe or the NCAA at age 22 or older, fewer than 65 (skaters) or 45 (goalies) games within three years of signing.

-The following players' eligibility is based on the 22 and over rule: C.J. Smith (03/30/20), Lawrence Pilut (03/15/21), Andrew Oglevie (04/11/21), Victor Olofsson (04/24/21), Brandon Hickey (07/01/21)

-Danny O'Regan and Taylor Leier will age out after this season.

-If I have made any mistakes with the list, let me know.

RULES
Each poll runs 24 hours and is public. Vote for your choice and nominate a prospect from the list below to replace that player on the subsequent poll.

If there is a tie in the Top 10, there will be a run-off and the losing prospect will be returned to the pool for the next vote. Outside the Top 10, the tie will hold, the two highest Adds will be added and we'll move on.

PROSPECT RANKINGS
In the past, we've also done skater-only and goalie-only threads, as well as aggregate-type of rankings. If someone is interested, they are welcome to inherit that responsibility.

Spring 2019, Top 20
1. Lawrence Pilut, D (+7): 44 of 102 votes (43.1%). Runner up, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (29 votes)
2. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, G (+11): 40 of 78 votes (51.3%). Runner up, Victor Olofsson (24 votes)
3. Victor Olofsson, LW (+4): 55 of 90 votes (61.1%). Runner up, Alexander Nylander (10 votes)
4. Alexander Nylander, RW (--): 25 of 53 votes (45.3%). Runner up, Oskari Laaksonen (11 votes)
5. Rasmus Asplund, C (--): 24 of 83 votes (28.9%). Runner up, William Borgen (21 votes)
6. William Borgen, D (+5): 29 of 67 votes (43.3%). Runner up, Oskari Laaksonen (27 votes)
7. Oskari Laaksonen, D (+5): 40 of 54 votes (74.1%). Runner up, C.J. Smith (7 votes)


Eligible to be added
D: Ivan Chukarov, Jack Dougherty, Brandon Hickey, Miska Kukkonen, Brycen Martin, Philip Nyberg, Devante Stephens, William Worge Kreu

F: Christopher Brown, Eric Cornel, Vasili Glotov, Connor Hurley, Taylor Leier, Brett Murray, Andrew Oglevie, Danny O'Regan, Maxwell Willman

Click to read more...

 

[MayDay]

Kind of fascinating that our top three prospects are an undrafted free agent, a 7th-rounder, and a 2nd-round goalie.

All our high-picks (except Nylander) have graduated, and we haven't had any real break-out prospects from the mid-rounds.

 

[MayDayMayDay]

Add Ogilvie.

 

[Reddawg]

Kind of fascinating that our top three prospects are an undrafted free agent, a 7th-rounder, and a 2nd-round goalie.

All our high-picks (except Nylander) have graduated, and we haven't had any real break-out prospects from the mid-rounds.

If Pekar hadn't been injured I imagine he'd be in the mix for top ten. He might be anyway but I think he'd be getting significant votes for #8.

 

[Icicle]

Kind of fascinating that our top three prospects are an undrafted free agent, a 7th-rounder, and a 2nd-round goalie.

All our high-picks (except Nylander) have graduated, and we haven't had any real break-out prospects from the mid-rounds.

Something something Murray was a great GM something something

 

[MayDay]

Something something Murray was a great GM something something

Yeah, the frustrating thing there is - even putting aside all of Murray's player personnel mismanagement at the NHL level - scouting and drafting was supposed to be his area of strength!

 

[Jim Bob]

Yeah, the frustrating thing there is - even putting aside all of Murray's player personnel mismanagement at the NHL level - scouting and drafting was supposed to be his area of strength!

Generally, if you get 2 or 3 NHLers per draft, you are doing really well.

Murray had 3 drafts and there are 5 players who have played in the NHL out of those drafts so far (Reinhart, Lemieux, Eichel, Guhle, and Nylander).

Asplund and Olofsson seem to be locks to make it to the NHL, as well.

Murray didn't kill every pick given 20/20 hindsight (or even day of Monday Morning GMing). But, it wasn't like he was 2015 Bruins-ing it every year, either.

 

[MayDay]

Generally, if you get 2 or 3 NHLers per draft, you are doing really well.

Murray had 3 drafts and there are 5 players who have played in the NHL out of those drafts so far (Reinhart, Lemieux, Eichel, Guhle, and Nylander).

Asplund and Olofsson seem to be locks to make it to the NHL, as well.

IMO, you have to exclude top-3 overall picks when evaluating a GM's drafting performance. Those picks are no-brainers and guaranteed NHLers, and it doesn't matter who your GM is. My 7-year-old could get those picks right, and he is barely aware of sports.

And frankly, the 7th-round is such a crapshoot that I chalk it up to dumb luck if any of them ever pan out. by the time you get that far in the draft, there's no skill or insight involved on the part of the GM, who I doubt even knows who any of those names are. Maybe you're going on the gut feeling of one scout.

I tend to look at the mid-rounds (say, late-first through 4th round) and how those players turn out, to evaluate how good a GM is at drafting. Lots of NHL talent in those rounds, but also lots of guys who never make it. I think that's the key area where a GM with an eye for prospect talent can really give his organization and advantage, if he hits in those rounds better than his peers.

 

[Icicle]

Generally, if you get 2 or 3 NHLers per draft, you are doing really well.

Murray had 3 drafts and there are 5 players who have played in the NHL out of those drafts so far (Reinhart, Lemieux, Eichel, Guhle, and Nylander).

Asplund and Olofsson seem to be locks to make it to the NHL, as well.

Murray didn't kill every pick given 20/20 hindsight (or even day of Monday Morning GMing). But, it wasn't like he was 2015 Bruins-ing it every year, either.

Two 2OAs and three busts. Uhhhhhhhhhh

 

[Chainshot]

I have Samuelsson here from who is left. Add O'Regan - I know he's likely good as gone but add him anyway.

 

[Tsyolin]

I can't believe C.J. has fallen this far when he's already provebly good. He's gonna be in the NHL for sure, something that can't yet be said for Samuelsson.

He has 3 less points than Olofsson for Rochester having played 10 less games. It's honestly baffling people are sleeping on him this hard.

 

[debaser66]

I have Samuelsson here from who is left. Add O'Regan - I know he's likely good as gone but add him anyway.

Why are they letting him go after aquiring him just one year ago in the Kane trade?

 

[Ruckus007]

Why are they letting him go after aquiring him just one year ago in the Kane trade?

He'll be Group VI UFA.

 

[debaser66]

He'll be Group VI UFA.

why isn't he resigned at least as an AHL body?

 

[Chainshot]

why isn't he resigned at least as an AHL body?

It likely isn't up to Buffalo to keep him. They haven't given him opportunity, why should he stay?

 

[Ruckus007]

why isn't he resigned at least as an AHL body?

Maybe he will be but even if so, he's hit the age threshold anyway and won't be on future polls.

I'm okay with people thinking he has a future, it just may not be in this organization, especially if he decides to choose his organization this summer.

 

[Deleted member 27798]

I'd have put Samuelsson up at least two places.

 

[MackAttack26]

Samuelsson's mobility worries me.

C.J. by quite a bit here for me. I don't see anyone else left having that much higher upside and he is by far the closest to becoming something.

 

[UnleashRasmus]

Mekar add Oglevie.