Prospect Info: Annual Devils Prospect Rankings #6

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

There are ways to evaluate goalie prospects just like any other position. There's not much quality tape I could find on Blackwood, but the guy who does the "shift by shift" videos on YouTube fid one of Blackwood. As a goalie and former goalie coach (for youth hockey), I've watched everything I can on Blackwood and like what I see.

Blackwood is very solid from a technical standpoint. I'm very picking about evaluating that sort of thing, and literally the only problem I saw was a couple of rebounds that could have been placed better. His stance is above average and his butterfly is just about perfect. His angles were good, although (like Lundqvist) he plays a little deep in the net for my taste. He also never seemed to get the slightest bit panicked - very cool and never looks like he's reacting to the play.

Probably the thing that impressed me the most is his skating. He's really an excellent skater - stays square to the shooter, maintains his angles perfectly never makes big, jerky movements.

Anyway. I'm basically in agreement that we didn't need to draft any goalies at all this year, but the one we got is one of the better goalie prospects I've seen in a while.

Good detailed analysis. The shift-by-shift video you refer to can be watched below if anyone is interested:

 

[JimEIV]

Okay and Coleman's numbers are identical to 100+ college players who became nothing in the NHL.

Coleman was 2nd on his team in goals as a freshman.

In his junior season he had 19 goals in 27 games tied for the team lead even though he missed a large chunk of the season with a broken leg. He equaled the goal output of guys that played 10 more games.

He was also was tied for the lead in goals this season wit Riley Barber who played 1more game than he did. Coleman has scored goals at a good pace everywhere he has played and he has a tendency to score big goals. He also plays a game that translates very well to the pro game.

 

[JimEIV]

Good detailed analysis. The shift-by-shift video you refer to can be watched below if anyone is interested:

I watched about half of it...didn't look like he faced any quality shots or second chances. His movements look slow to me although he looked like he was in control all of the time.
Hard to tell anything when the goalie isn't really being tested.

Interesting seeing him play the puck looks like he should stay in the net like our current goaltender.

 

[njdevils1982]

who remembers when rod pelley was the next john madden….good times

 

[Cheddabombs]

I don't see how anyone can really say anything with conviction at this point, it just seems like preference from here on out. A lot of these guys have the same amount of question marks as they do upside, if not more, so saying one guy is definitively a better prospect than another is a bit off base IMO.

I like Blackwood here, but I could just as easily vote Coleman or Blandisi and be happy.

 

[nugg]

Blackwood, add Mozik

 

[CerebralGenesis]

this is where we hit the dogdays of our prospect pool which is the problem cause we are only at 6.

I'm stunned Blackwood is getting this many votes to be honest. From the games I've seen and some of the scouts I've talked to, none have been overly impressed with his play other than think it was enough to keep his head above water. A report like that from juniors is damning in my opinion.

 

[tr83]

If you pointed a gun at my head, I would say Blackwood. HF would give him a 7.5 with a D rating IMO. I'm not going to vote for him on anything until he leaves juniors.

I voted for Black.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Coleman was 2nd on his team in goals as a freshman.

In his junior season he had 19 goals in 27 games tied for the team lead even though he missed a large chunk of the season with a broken leg. He equaled the goal output of guys that played 10 more games.

He was also was tied for the lead in goals this season wit Riley Barber who played 1more game than he did. Coleman has scored goals at a good pace everywhere he has played and he has a tendency to score big goals. He also plays a game that translates very well to the pro game.

I think this is one of the things about Coleman for me. I feel fairly certain that he's going to be an NHLer in some capacity. That's not always my be-all, end-all of ranking prospects, but in this case, I feel like he's the only one left I can say that about. That's important for guys at the lower end of the depth chart, IMO.

 

[None Shall Pass]

Hrabarenka should have been added two polls ago and would be the best prospect on this list. He's good. He could make the team this year.

 

[JimEIV]

I don't see how Blandisi is even in the conversation right now with Jacobs, Wood and Coleman still out there...and I would even have Speers ahead of him...

I like Blandisi and look forward to what he can do but as I've said previously Blandisi has achieved nothing more than Graham Black did coming out of juniors.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

I don't see how Blandisi is even in the conversation right now with Jacobs, Wood and Coleman still out there...and I would even have Speers ahead of him...

I like Blandisi and look forward to what he can do but as I've said previously Blandisi has achieved nothing more than Graham Black did coming out of juniors.

There was a pretty big difference. Black averaged 1.41ppg and was 8th in the WHL in scoring in his final junior year, while Blandisi averaged 1.65ppg and was 4th in the OHL in scoring.

Blandisi had the most impressive final season. Whether that translates to anything is anyone's guess.

 

[Cheddabombs]

this is where we hit the dogdays of our prospect pool which is the problem cause we are only at 6.

I'm stunned Blackwood is getting this many votes to be honest. From the games I've seen and some of the scouts I've talked to, none have been overly impressed with his play other than think it was enough to keep his head above water. A report like that from juniors is damning in my opinion.

I can't remember if it was Blackwood I hear this on, but didn't he come into the Colts two seasons ago as the backup or third stringer, and then stole the starting job as the season wore on? One big thing for me, and maybe this opinion isn't shared, is that this was only his 6th year playing goalie (maybe, he started when he was 12) and it's really impressive to me that he's catapulted himself so highly in such a short span. Add in the fact that he's 6'4, but also very athletic, and I think the sky is the limit for this kid.

Of course, he's still a goalie and trying to project one is an obscenely hard task. I just like to think he's going to be at least an NHL starter one day, possibly a real good one at that.

 

[Tretyak 20]

There was a pretty big difference. Black averaged 1.41ppg and was 8th in the WHL in scoring in his final junior year, while Blandisi averaged 1.65ppg and was 4th in the OHL in scoring.

Blandisi had the most impressive final season. Whether that translates to anything is anyone's guess.

And Black was going days without sleep while putting up those numbers. I really think a lot of people are going to be seriously disappointed with Blandisi. He’s an interesting prospect, and it's always good to get a player for nothing, but putting up big numbers as a double overager in juniors isn't very impressive.

 

[Marshal Rochambeau]

There was a pretty big difference. Black averaged 1.41ppg and was 8th in the WHL in scoring in his final junior year, while Blandisi averaged 1.65ppg and was 4th in the OHL in scoring.

Blandisi had the most impressive final season. Whether that translates to anything is anyone's guess.

It doesn't mean much at this point because many overagers accomplish this feat. If he has a good season in the AHL than I'd consider him a legitimate prospect.

 

[JimEIV]

There was a pretty big difference. Black averaged 1.41ppg and was 8th in the WHL in scoring in his final junior year, while Blandisi averaged 1.65ppg and was 4th in the OHL in scoring.

Blandisi had the most impressive final season. Whether that translates to anything is anyone's guess.

Look at the two teams...Barrie was loaded with talent. There were 3 100+ point players on that team and they made a deep playoff run.(edit: actually wasn't deep, only 2nd round)

Graham Black was on team where the next closest scorer was 26 points behind him.

Doing the .25 fraction of a ppg becomes awfully silly in those circumstances.

 

[Feed Me A Stray Cat]

And Black was going days without sleep while putting up those numbers. I really think a lot of people are going to be seriously disappointed with Blandisi. He’s an interesting prospect, and it's always good to get a player for nothing, but putting up big numbers as a double overager in juniors isn't very impressive.

I won't be disappointed because I'm not getting my hopes up.

Also, there should be some clarification here in regards to overager - overager means 20 years old. Blandisi was not a double overager.

 

[Cheddabombs]

And since context is somewhat relative, I'll say this about Blandisi. Even before his breakout season last year, he was still productive in years prior. His first season, sure not so much but it was his first year. The next season he puts up 25 in 37 with a good Owen Sound team, then gets traded to last place Ottawa where he puts up a PPG. Then he again puts up a PPG on the same Ottawa team, still last place mind you, before being traded to the Colts where he goes over a PPG in a short sample size. Then comes his breakout year which we all know of.

This wasn't really a case of someone who was irrelevant up until his overage season. Also, he was still a 6th round pick so it's hard to get your hopes up all too much. But he's still a decent prospect which we got for free.

 

[Tretyak 20]

I won't be disappointed because I'm not getting my hopes up.

Also, there should be some clarification here in regards to overager - overager means 20 years old. Blandisi was not a double overager.

Ok, 20 year old was what I had in mind. Honestly, if Blandisi becomes another Stephen Gionta, I'll be impressed. I don't think you can count on anything more than that. Might happen, but certainly not likely.

 

[JimEIV]

And I just want to put this out there...I am very curious to see what happens this season with Ben Johnson. He really didn't get much of a chance with Albany and with the new found emphasis on speed, Johnson might find himself in a different place in the organizational depth chart.



A U.S. National Development Team kid under this new administration with a profile description of this might be someone to keep an eye on.

Talent Analysis:
Johnson's best asset is his break-neck speed. He is a simply phenomenal skater and at times it looks effortless when he is blazing around the rink. He uses that speed to drive defenders wide and take the puck to the net and he'll also use it to forecheck and assert himself physically. Johnson is still quite raw in the offensive aspect of his game but the potential is there for him to become a consistent offensive force.

 

[OmNomNom]

whatever happened to johnson's case, where he was accused of uh... using his johnson inappropriately

 

[Devils1029]

Coleman - Add Helgeson.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

And since context is somewhat relative, I'll say this about Blandisi. Even before his breakout season last year, he was still productive in years prior. His first season, sure not so much but it was his first year. The next season he puts up 25 in 37 with a good Owen Sound team, then gets traded to last place Ottawa where he puts up a PPG. Then he again puts up a PPG on the same Ottawa team, still last place mind you, before being traded to the Colts where he goes over a PPG in a short sample size. Then comes his breakout year which we all know of.

This wasn't really a case of someone who was irrelevant up until his overage season. Also, he was still a 6th round pick so it's hard to get your hopes up all too much. But he's still a decent prospect which we got for free.

I find it staggering after the season he has just had and our weak prospect pool that he can't make the top 5.

Stefan Matteau has struggled since he has been drafted and we all seem to acknowkedge that if he does pan out, his upside is just a third liner.

Yet Blandisi just last season has shown at junior level that he maybe the goal scorer and offensive player this team desparately needs and yet he still can't get ranked ahead of matteau?

I know we are comparing two different development stages as matteau is in AHL and Blandisi is still in junior but even if you ignore Matteau AHL struggles and go back to his final junior season. I think Blandisi has much more upside than Matteau.

 

[Tretyak 20]

I find it staggering after the season he has just had and our weak prospect pool that he can't make the top 5.

Stefan Matteau has struggled since he has been drafted and we all seem to acknowkedge that if he does pan out, his upside is just a third liner.

Yet Blandisi just last season has shown at junior level that he maybe the goal scorer and offensive player this team desparately needs and yet he still can't get ranked ahead of mattesu?

I know we are comparing two different development stages as matteau is in AHL and Blandisi is still in junior but even if you ignore Matteau AHL struggles and go back to his final junior season. I think Blandisi has much more upside than Matteau.

I've seen too many guys who were still playing in the CHL at age 20 become very average ECHL players to put much weight in a 20 y.o. season.

Now granted, he had a very good year, but until he performs against players his own age I'm skeptical.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I've seen too many guys who were still playing in the CHL at age 20 become very average ECHL players to put much weight in a 20 y.o. season.

Now granted, he had a very good year, but until he performs against players his own age I'm skeptical.

He was rolling close to a PPG pace during his normal years in juniors before his illness.

Nothing amazing but he does have some success with people his age.

I do think expecting him to make the top 6 is more unrealistic but he could become a 15--25 point 3rd liner at best which isn't bad for a free prospect.