Prospect Info: Annual HFDevils Prospect Rankings #17

[Zippy316]

[table="head;width=3000]Rank|Player|POS|Draft Position|2015-16 Team(s)|Vote %|2015 Result
1|Pavel Zacha|C/RW|2015 #6|Sarnia Sting (OHL)| 48/50| Pavel Zacha
2|Mike McLeod|C|2016 #12|Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)| 46/78| Steve Santini
3|Steve Santini|D|2013 #42|Boston College Eagles (NCAA)|55/77| John Quenneville
4|John Quenneville|C|2014 #30|Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)|55/79| Reid Boucher
5|Mackenzie Blackwood|G|2015 # 41|Barrie Colts (OHL)|48/85| Stefan Matteau
6|Joseph Blandisi|C/LW|2012 #162/UFA|Albany Devils (AHL)/New Jersey Devils (NHL)|42/68|Mackenzie Blackwood
7|Miles Wood|LW|2013 #100|Boston College Eagles (NCAA)|35/74|Blake Coleman
8|Josh Jacobs|D|2014 #41|Sarnia Sting (OHL)|26/86|Josh Jacobs
9|Blake Speers|C/RW|2015 #74|Sault St. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)|37/71|Blake Speers
10|Nathan Bastian|C/RW|2016 #42|Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)|44/58|Joseph Blandisi
11|Nick Lappin|RW|UFA|Brown Bears (NCAA)/Albany Devils (AHL)|14/63|Raman Hrabarenka
12|Mikhail Maltsev|C|2016 #102|Team Russia U18 (MHL)|14/64|Miles Wood
13|Scott Wedgewood|G|2010 #84|Albany Devils (AHL)|14/64|Ryan Kujawinski
14|Brandon Gignac|C|2016 #80|Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)|17/61|Seth Helgeson
15|Joey Anderson|RW|2016 #74|USNTDP Juniors (USHL)|19/54|Kerfoot/Kalinin
16|Colton White|D|2015 #97|Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)|23/48|Kerfoot/Kalinin
[/table]

List of eligible prospects for the poll:

[table="head;width=150]Prospect
Ben Thomson
Jeremy Davies
Reece Scarlett
Brandon Baddock
Ben Thomson
J.D. Dudek
Artur Gavrus
Ben Johnson
Brett Seney
[/table]

Click to read more...

 

[RememberTheName]

Rykov
Add Scarlett

 

[Beastdog75]

Mozik
Add Scarlett

 

[MartyOwns]

come on this is obviously Mozik

 

[Emperoreddy]

Mozik. Add Scarlett.

 

[NJDevils17]

Don't really like what I've seen from Mozik. Really liked what I've seen from Rykov. Easy decision for me.

Add Seney.

 

[MartyOwns]

Don't really like what I've seen from Mozik. Really liked what I've seen from Rykov. Easy decision for me.

Add Seney.

I mean I guess I don't know the context. best prospect- meaning most potential? most nhl-ready? those are two very different things once you get outside our top 3. and if the answer is 'both' then it's a very short list and I think Santini is #1

 

[NJDevils17]

I mean I guess I don't know the context. best prospect- meaning most potential? most nhl-ready? those are two very different things once you get outside our top 3. and if the answer is 'both' then it's a very short list and I think Santini is #1

Personally, I don't really buy into the NHL-ready factor when evaluating guys. It favors guys with low upside over high upside guys that can be solid players but are further away. When we're down this far on the list it's hard for me to vote for a guy who I've seen play and have been unimpressed with vs a guy I've seen only a few times but has a lot more upside.

Mozik might make the team as a #6. Fine. Rykov might make the team in 4 years but he has top 4 upside. For me I'd rather vote for the high upside guy than a guy who may or may not be an NHL player and may end up on the 3rd pair. I don't really blame people who vote for the NHL ready prospect because that means they can likely play even if it is in a small role. I just don't buy into that as much because I find 3rd pairing d prospects as easily replacable.


I also really like Rykov so that's part of it too.

 

[MartyOwns]

fair enough, I don't think I'd disagree

 

[devilsblood]

mozik add thomson.

 

[DevHock]

Coleman, add Scarlett.

Personally, I don't really buy into the NHL-ready factor when evaluating guys. It favors guys with low upside over high upside guys that can be solid players but are further away. When we're down this far on the list it's hard for me to vote for a guy who I've seen play and have been unimpressed with vs a guy I've seen only a few times but has a lot more upside.

Mozik might make the team as a #6. Fine. Rykov might make the team in 4 years but he has top 4 upside. For me I'd rather vote for the high upside guy than a guy who may or may not be an NHL player and may end up on the 3rd pair. I don't really blame people who vote for the NHL ready prospect because that means they can likely play even if it is in a small role. I just don't buy into that as much because I find 3rd pairing d prospects as easily replacable.


I also really like Rykov so that's part of it too.

Rykov was the 132nd pick, it's a 4% chance that he is a top 4 in the NHL. Yes the Russian factor knocks him down the draft relative to skill. Still is a long shot however.

No. 121-135
Average Rating: 1.85
Best: Daniel Alfredsson, Jamie Benn, Marty Turco.
Ranked 7 or better: 4.0%
Ranked 5 or worse: 92.0%
At least 100 NHL games (or extremely likely): 16.0%

10 - Generational
9 - Elite Player
8 - First Line, Top Pair D
7 - Top Six Forward, Top Four D
6 - Top Nine Forward, Top Six D
5 - NHL Regular
4 - Fringe NHLer
3 - Very Good Minor Leaguer
2 - Minor Leaguer, under 50 NHL games
1 - 10 or fewer NHL game

I agree with your NHL ready distaste. There is a difference between NHL ready with no further development expected and Mozik imo. No his play wasn't noteworthy at the NHL level, but he did get 7 games a 22 year old in his first pro North American season. Had a solid AHL season while adjusting to the different size ice. Another year before he either enters Helgeson territory or is something better.

 

[HBK27]

Coleman add Scarlett

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Mozik or Coleman.

 

[New Jersey Devils]

Coleman

 

[Devils Dominion]

Kuja has potential to be a 3rd line center if he can improve his lower body strength.

 

[NJDevils17]

Speaking of Kuja, Fitzgerald actually mentioned him for competing for a call up with Coleman and Pietila. Thought that was interesting because I kind of thought his development had more or less stalled although his AHL numbers were pretty good.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Speaking of Kuja, Fitzgerald actually mentioned him for competing for a call up with Coleman and Pietila. Thought that was interesting because I kind of thought his development had more or less stalled although his AHL numbers were pretty good.

He had a good rookie season with limited ice time on a veteran stacked forward team.

From the eye test in the games I attended or watched, he showed NHL skating/size/hands, he just has to get stronger and put it altogether.

That remains to be seen but I expect his ice time to increase a lot this season.

 

[Zippy316]

Speaking of Kuja, Fitzgerald actually mentioned him for competing for a call up with Coleman and Pietila. Thought that was interesting because I kind of thought his development had more or less stalled although his AHL numbers were pretty good.

All of those guys have skill sets that can be easily translated into a fourth line role. I would imagine Pietila/Coleman get the initial call-up due to age and being more physically mature for that role. If Kujawinski has a strong year, I wouldn't be surprised if we see him eventually.

He had a good rookie season with limited ice time on a veteran stacked forward team.

From the eye test in the games I attended or watched, he showed NHL skating/size/hands, he just has to get stronger and put it altogether.

That remains to be seen but I expect his ice time to increase a lot this season.

This year is definitely his make or break year. Last year he showed flashes and was still young, but his production in juniors was very mediocre. I do think he has the skills to be a good fourth liner with flashes of offensive skill though, but I'm not too sure on him being anything above that.