Prospect Info: Annual HFDevils Prospect Rankings #6

[NiedsKicks]

I dunno how long it's gonna take, but Blackwood is gonna be one hell of a goalie imo. I'd rank him up there behind Zacha but for some reason I can't vote in this poll.
*edit* and then I realized he's not in this poll

 

[AfroThunder396]

Here's how I have the top-20.

1. Zacha - Oozes offensive and physical skills and had a nice developmental year
2. McLeod - Speed to burn and incredible work ethic
3. Santini - Textbook new-NHL stay at home D
4. Quenneville - Pure hustle with a flourish of skill, the kind of player that coaches love
5. Blackwood - Top-5 goalie prospect in the world, incredible pedigree
6. Blandisi - Creativity and vision are there, needs to work on skating and mental game to impact at the next level
7. Wood - Wrecking ball on skates, want to see him produce in the pros
8. Bastian - Plays a big man's game, I'd like to see him prove he wasn't a product of his linemates
9. Jacobs - Solid but unspectacular defenseman, no star potential but I think he's a fair bet to make the NHL
10. Speers - GREAT season, on track to be a quality middle-six forward
11. Anderson - See: Bastian
12. Pietila - Fine checker and a lock to have a nice pro career, but limited offensive potential stops him from being higher
13. Mozik - Has a chance to make the team this year, if he doesn't he'll be looked to for leadership in Albany
14. Lappin - Sleeper prospect, outside shot to make the NHL squad but even if he starts in Albany we'll see him in NJ this year at some point
15. Wedgewood - With Kinkaid likely on the outs he'll have every chance to establish himself. Consistency a huge question mark
16. Rykov - Russia's best defenseman at the WJC, overager but has all the tools to be an NHL player. I expect to see him translate that to pro success
17. Coleman - I feel like he's been in the system for 10 years. May be a make it or break it season for him.
18. Gignac - Extremely raw but could be a gem in a few years, need to see more before I give him a higher spot
19. Maltsev- Lost a lot of development time, and the Russian factor, but his potential is through the roof. Could skyrocket up this list in 12 months
20. Scarlett - Lost in the shuffle but with the Albany exodus he has a chance to separate himself from the pack

HM: White, Appleby, Kerfoot

 

[Tretyak 20]

Blandisi, add Maltsev.

 

[nugg]

Wood, add Maltsev

 

[JimEIV]

Add Maltsev

 

[TheDarkSideOfThePuck]

Blandisi, add Colton White

 

[MichaelJ]

Here's how I have the top-20.

1. Zacha - Oozes offensive and physical skills and had a nice developmental year
2. McLeod - Speed to burn and incredible work ethic
3. Santini - Textbook new-NHL stay at home D
4. Quenneville - Pure hustle with a flourish of skill, the kind of player that coaches love
5. Blackwood - Top-5 goalie prospect in the world, incredible pedigree
6. Blandisi - Creativity and vision are there, needs to work on skating and mental game to impact at the next level
7. Wood - Wrecking ball on skates, want to see him produce in the pros
8. Bastian - Plays a big man's game, I'd like to see him prove he wasn't a product of his linemates
9. Jacobs - Solid but unspectacular defenseman, no star potential but I think he's a fair bet to make the NHL
10. Speers - GREAT season, on track to be a quality middle-six forward
11. Anderson - See: Bastian
12. Pietila - Fine checker and a lock to have a nice pro career, but limited offensive potential stops him from being higher
13. Mozik - Has a chance to make the team this year, if he doesn't he'll be looked to for leadership in Albany
14. Lappin - Sleeper prospect, outside shot to make the NHL squad but even if he starts in Albany we'll see him in NJ this year at some point
15. Wedgewood - With Kinkaid likely on the outs he'll have every chance to establish himself. Consistency a huge question mark
16. Rykov - Russia's best defenseman at the WJC, overager but has all the tools to be an NHL player. I expect to see him translate that to pro success
17. Coleman - I feel like he's been in the system for 10 years. May be a make it or break it season for him.
18. Gignac - Extremely raw but could be a gem in a few years, need to see more before I give him a higher spot
19. Maltsev- Lost a lot of development time, and the Russian factor, but his potential is through the roof. Could skyrocket up this list in 12 months
20. Scarlett - Lost in the shuffle but with the Albany exodus he has a chance to separate himself from the pack

HM: White, Appleby, Kerfoot

What a difference a couple of years can make. I look at that top 10 and every one of them has a legitimate chance of becoming an NHL player...and that doesn't even include the high-upside wildcards sprinkled through the rest of the list.

 

[Zippy316]

Here's how I have the top-20.

1. Zacha - Oozes offensive and physical skills and had a nice developmental year
2. McLeod - Speed to burn and incredible work ethic
3. Santini - Textbook new-NHL stay at home D
4. Quenneville - Pure hustle with a flourish of skill, the kind of player that coaches love
5. Blackwood - Top-5 goalie prospect in the world, incredible pedigree
6. Blandisi - Creativity and vision are there, needs to work on skating and mental game to impact at the next level
7. Wood - Wrecking ball on skates, want to see him produce in the pros
8. Bastian - Plays a big man's game, I'd like to see him prove he wasn't a product of his linemates
9. Jacobs - Solid but unspectacular defenseman, no star potential but I think he's a fair bet to make the NHL
10. Speers - GREAT season, on track to be a quality middle-six forward
11. Anderson - See: Bastian
12. Pietila - Fine checker and a lock to have a nice pro career, but limited offensive potential stops him from being higher
13. Mozik - Has a chance to make the team this year, if he doesn't he'll be looked to for leadership in Albany
14. Lappin - Sleeper prospect, outside shot to make the NHL squad but even if he starts in Albany we'll see him in NJ this year at some point
15. Wedgewood - With Kinkaid likely on the outs he'll have every chance to establish himself. Consistency a huge question mark
16. Rykov - Russia's best defenseman at the WJC, overager but has all the tools to be an NHL player. I expect to see him translate that to pro success
17. Coleman - I feel like he's been in the system for 10 years. May be a make it or break it season for him.
18. Gignac - Extremely raw but could be a gem in a few years, need to see more before I give him a higher spot
19. Maltsev- Lost a lot of development time, and the Russian factor, but his potential is through the roof. Could skyrocket up this list in 12 months
20. Scarlett - Lost in the shuffle but with the Albany exodus he has a chance to separate himself from the pack

HM: White, Appleby, Kerfoot

Not a bad list.

I really like White's potential though so I would have him somewhere in my top 15. I thought he looked really strong in last years prospect camp although being undersized. He reminded me a lot of Greene at times because he always made the simple, efficient play. Even the times when it seemed like guys were beating him physically or with speed, he managed to mitigate the situations well. Some traits/instincts were shown to me that are very important to have in a smaller defender like that.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Not a bad list.

I really like White's potential though so I would have him somewhere in my top 15. I thought he looked really strong in last years prospect camp although being undersized. He reminded me a lot of Greene at times because he always made the simple, efficient play. Even the times when it seemed like guys were beating him physically or with speed, he managed to mitigate the situations well. Some traits/instincts were shown to me that are very important to have in a smaller defender like that.

I originally had White and Appleby in around 15-16, then I started remembering a bunch of guys and they all had to drop.

White is a guy I like a lot, but he's a few years away. I have a hard time ranking project picks like Maltsev, Gignac, and White higher than guys already in the pros like Pietila and Mozik even though the former group has a much higher ceiling.

 

[Zippy316]

I originally had White and Appleby in around 15-16, then I started remembering a bunch of guys and they all had to drop.

White is a guy I like a lot, but he's a few years away. I have a hard time ranking project picks like Maltsev, Gignac, and White higher than guys already in the pros like Pietila and Mozik even though the former group has a much higher ceiling.

I understand the logic and yes White is a huge project pick.

But while the guys like Rykov, Maltsev, etc. do look enticing, I liked a lot of what I saw from White in training camp not to put him before those guys.