Prospect Info: Annual Devils Prospect Rankings #8

[Devils Trap]

Since the Draft is over, thought no better time to do one of these. Same as always, vote in the poll as well as post in the comments to add a player to the list. We will do one Poll per day, each coming around the same time

#1. Pavel Zacha [80/89 Votes = 88.89%] (Added Coleman/Boucher/Matteau)
#2. Steve Santinti [65/92 Votes = 70.65%](Added Speers)
#3. John Quennville [36/90 Votes = 40%](Added Pietila)
#4. Reid Boucher [33/74 Votes = 44.59%](Added Kerfoot)
#5. Stefan Matteau [41/73 Votes = 56.16%](Added Kalinin)
#6. MacKenzie Blackwood [41/76 Votes = 53.95%](Added Seney)
#7. Blake Coleman [30/70 Votes = 42.86%](Added Hrabarenka)

Click to read more...

 

[Devils Dominion]

Wood, add Mozik

 

[SeidoN]

went back and forward between Wood and Speers. im voting Wood but im still uneasy abnout all this high school stuff. hopefully im concerned over nothing

 

[JimEIV]

Jacobs.

 

[Better Call Sal]

Wood add Wedge.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Wood add Wedge.

Too bad you couldn't say, Wedge add Wood.

 

[Missionhockey]

How is Miles Wood ahead of Josh Jacobs? Wood has been playing in a high school league for the past two years and is almost 20, Jacobs has been playing NCAA and will be playing in the CHL next year, there's no comparison.

 

[Davegarri]

How is Miles Wood ahead of Josh Jacobs? Wood has been playing in a high school league for the past two years and is almost 20, Jacobs has been playing NCAA and will be playing in the CHL next year, there's no comparison.

Cause of World Juniors, duh.

I voted Jacobs too. I voted Jacobs for #7 too just because we have too many defensemen doesn't mean he's not a good prospect, he needs some more love here!

 

[None Shall Pass]

Hrabarenka. He'd already be a #5-6 defenseman if he were to start in the NHL this year and only has room to grow. A sleeper.

 

[SeidoN]

How is Miles Wood ahead of Josh Jacobs? Wood has been playing in a high school league for the past two years and is almost 20, Jacobs has been playing NCAA and will be playing in the CHL next year, there's no comparison.

Hrabarenka. He'd already be a #5-6 defenseman if he were to start in the NHL this year and only has room to grow. A sleeper.

so just to be clear, are we voting on quality and upside of prospect, or how soon they could play in the NHL?

 

[HBK27]

Going with Hrabarenka here - I know he was undrafted, but he has a solid chance to make the team this season after averaging over 0.5 points per game the past two seasons down in Albany.

 

[HBK27]

so just to be clear, are we voting on quality and upside of prospect, or how soon they could play in the NHL?

Voting on quality/upside - though have to factor in how realistic it is the player reaches that upside. Many top prospects also never even make it to the NHL so if someone is on the verge of making the team that has to count for something.

 

[Zippy316]

so just to be clear, are we voting on quality and upside of prospect, or how soon they could play in the NHL?

You should vote on what you think makes them a better prospect.

Some people might value NHL readiness over a guy who is years away. Others might do the opposite with the thought that the NHL ready player has a lower ceiling then a guy who was recently drafted.

It's all a matter of perspective and what you value most. I would say most people's prospect charts will be vastly different then the one we compile here. I know I started voting for Matteau since #3.

And Jacobs add Hulk

 

[Officer Rod Farva]

I went with Blandisi, but was torn on him or Jacobs. Wood really hasn't shown me much thus far TBH. It's great he made the WJC team, but hard for me to rank a player who played HS hockey over somebody that contributed at a higher level. And I think Wood has some potential from what I've read.

 

[Rhodes 81]

I vote based on how likely a guy is to be an NHL contributor at some point in their career. This inherently leads to picking guys closer to the NHL, which is why I voted Hraberanka here. It also made me choose Matteau over Boucher, because while Boucher probably has higher upside, he is more likely to fail to find a place in the league than Matteau, imo.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Going with Speers.

 

[Cheddabombs]

Went with Speers. It was between him and Jacobs for me, but I think Speers has some serious upside. It seems his biggest knock is that he needs to build more muscle, which is probably one of the more easily fixable problems to have as a prospect. Very excited to see what he can do next year for the Soo, hopefully in an expanded role.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Jacobs add Hulk

 

[HBK27]

Helgeson should be added

 

[Devils1029]

Helgeson should be added. Went with Noodles (Hrbarenka) and think that Helgeson and Jacobs should round out the top 10. Blandisi is very close behind but lets see what he can do in Albany.

I'm actually very optimistic that all 10 of these prospects should be able to play in the NHL a some point along with maybe 1 or two others.

I really think the prospect pool is taking shape and adding them to an already young solid defense group has me excited about the future. Now we just need to add Austin Matthews or Pujajajarvi next year and we'll be in business!

 

[nugg]

Jacobs, add Mozik

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Went with my dark horse Speers again.

 

[EnglishDevil]

Went with Wood here; all three of him, Speers and Blandisi have nice upside though.

 

[Kurt Cobain]

Blandisi. Add Mozik.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Blandisi doesn't impress me. The list of 20 year old overagers who looked good dominating teens in Junior is long and unspectacular. Colorado already let him walk for nothing.

He's not a legitimate prospect until he can do something at the pro level. Maybe he's just a late bloomer, but no one can know that until we see more of him.

Went with Speers again.