Best progression from the 2014 draft?
- Thread starter Pominville Knows
- Start date
BenningHurtsMySoul
Unfair Huggy Bear
Skinnyjimmy08
WorldTraveler
- Mar 30, 2012
- 22,511
- 11,988
I love this draft.. so many good players came out of it and are in NHL and soooo many good up and comers... kinda annoying having to type out all the guys that have made good progression haha... too many
Ill do a list of other guys that aren't the usual big names that I strongly think will be very good in a few years in NHL....
Montour
Walman
Hickey
Dvorak
Point
Igor Shestyorkin
#26, the sickest of 'em all.
Jason MacIsaac
Registered User
MacKenzie Blackwood, top goaltender in the CHL +1 draft. Probably a top 5 goaltending prospect now.
Unknown Caller
Registered User
- Apr 30, 2009
- 10,156
- 7,577
Blackwood was drafted 2015.
As far as goaltenders who were drafted in 2014, Calgary's gotta be happy with McDonald being a WJC invite and the Canucks have to be pretty happy with Demko's numbers post-surgery.
Tampa's probably ecstatic about Brayden Point in the third round.
Nashville's probably happy with Arvidsson (although he was an overager) being in the NHL this season.
Holmstrom (DET, 7th), Lindblom (PHI, 5th), have both been very good for their SHL clubs, and Rourke Chartier (5th, SJS) is another late rounder to add to a list of picks that those organizations are probably very pleased with, considering being one of the best 12 forwards for your country under the age of 20 isn't exactly a trivial accomplishment for either Swedes or Canadians.
TheOllieC
cajun filet
Among Carolina's picks, Lucas Wallmark is near a point per game in the SHL and leading Lulea in scoring. 4th rounder.
BB88
Registered User
- Jan 19, 2015
- 40,882
- 20,501
I interpret "best progression" as something different from a player who's showing he was underestimated on draft day, or is fulfilling people's expectations while others are failing to progress. I think Larkin, for example, was taken more or less where he should have been given his level of play at the time, but has taken a giant leap forward since then, so he would be my pick.
(Of course, you could argue scouts simply underestimated how much room for improvement/motivation he had...)
(Of course, you could argue scouts simply underestimated how much room for improvement/motivation he had...)
- Aug 5, 2011
- 28,377
- 1,399
Bolded have caught my eye - Above all others, I'd probably have to say Larkin takes the cake.
I don't count Ekblad because he didn't really 'progress' as much as step into the NHL and begin dominating immediately; but that was expected.
Ottawa has Francis Perron, but none of their other prospects from that draft have exceeded expectations.
Tripod
I hate this team
I will just mention the Flyers:
Sanheim was drafted after putting up 29 points in 67 games.
Followed that up with being top scoring D in the WHL last year, 2nd in playoff scoring, and was 1st in scoring this year before missing games due to injury.
He isn't talked about yet, but keep an eye on Mark Friedman...Flyers 3rd rounder. He finished 3rd in freshmen D scoring for under 20 year olds in college last year...behind only Werenski and Hanifin.
Lindblom...5th rd pick was excellent at the WJC and is a 1st line player in the SHL.
Fazleev...6th rd pick was 9th in WHL scoring before leaving for the Russia WJC camp.
Not a bad looking draft considering the other 2 guys we drafted were Aube-Kubel in the 2nd rd and Pettersson in the 7th who has played in the AHL already.
Sanheim was drafted after putting up 29 points in 67 games.
Followed that up with being top scoring D in the WHL last year, 2nd in playoff scoring, and was 1st in scoring this year before missing games due to injury.
He isn't talked about yet, but keep an eye on Mark Friedman...Flyers 3rd rounder. He finished 3rd in freshmen D scoring for under 20 year olds in college last year...behind only Werenski and Hanifin.
Lindblom...5th rd pick was excellent at the WJC and is a 1st line player in the SHL.
Fazleev...6th rd pick was 9th in WHL scoring before leaving for the Russia WJC camp.
Not a bad looking draft considering the other 2 guys we drafted were Aube-Kubel in the 2nd rd and Pettersson in the 7th who has played in the AHL already.
Gigantor The Goalie
Speak for the Goalies
For the Avs it has to be Julien Nantel and Kyle Wood. Kyle Wood is absolutely on fire this season and in his draft year+ 1. Nantel is one of the youngest players in the draft who exploded offensively his draft year+ 1 and is doing it again in draft year+2.
detredWINgs
Registered User
From a Wings fan's perspective, Larkin has had about as ideal a progression as you can get. A lot of Wings fans - myself included - were underwhelmed by the pick because he wasn't billed as being particularly skilled. But he goes to Michigan...and does better than expected. Then goes to the AHL...and does better than expected. Then goes to the NHL...and does much better than expected. Just taking the next step after the next step. So refreshing to see in an organization that cooks their prospects forever.
Ekblad is actually a good choice too, just probably doesn't stick out because of where he was drafted. But what he did/is doing as a teenage defenseman in this league is incredible. Looks more and more like a vet every game.
Ekblad is actually a good choice too, just probably doesn't stick out because of where he was drafted. But what he did/is doing as a teenage defenseman in this league is incredible. Looks more and more like a vet every game.
Goose of Reason
El Zilcho
- May 1, 2013
- 9,650
- 9,265
I'm not so sure Ekblad counts, he did go first overall, he's expected to be an impact player at that point. He was a victim of over scouting, making people who had seen him for 3 years then pick apart any flaws in his game (particularly one scout on here who shall not be named that dropped him to ninth and ran a smear campaign about how he'll be nothing more than a PP specialist, before putting him back into the top 5 in his final rankings just to cover his ass as Ekblad had only played 1 game during that time) but his talents were very clearly noticeable, I thought he was pretty clearly a better prospect than Jones and Hanifin. I think Larkin is the best answer, he's been playing like a top 5 pick since being drafted. Homer vote to Brandon Montour, drafted as an overager that has lit up every league he's played in and is turing heads in the AHL this year.
Wallmark is a name I totally forgot about, glad to hear he's doing well. Was surprised he was passed over in 2013.
Wallmark is a name I totally forgot about, glad to hear he's doing well. Was surprised he was passed over in 2013.
Baby Pettersson
Moderator
McCann. He is currently the Canucks 1st line centre ha-ha!
Larkin and Ehlers also are some standouts.
Larkin and Ehlers also are some standouts.
TheOllieC
cajun filet
Sharks have 2 "diamond-in-the-rough" picks
Kevin Labanc (171st OV): Plays for Barrie in the OHL. Had a 107 points in 68 games last year and is scoring at a slightly higher pace this year (49 points in 30 games) even though Blandisi and Lemieux aren't on the team anymore.
Rourke Chartier (149th OV): Plays for Kelowna in the WHL. Had 82 points, 48 goals, in 58 games; roughly a 60 goal pace (WHL has 72-game seasons). However, has only played 10 games due to injury and only has 9 points to show for. Was the last cut from Team Canada for the WJC last year. Just announced that he made this years roster.
I was also going to mention Sadowy (91st OV), who scored 42 goals on an awful Saginaw team last year, but he hasn't been producing at quite the same clip and seems to have regressed this year. Pretty good haul for the Sharks nonetheless
Kevin Labanc (171st OV): Plays for Barrie in the OHL. Had a 107 points in 68 games last year and is scoring at a slightly higher pace this year (49 points in 30 games) even though Blandisi and Lemieux aren't on the team anymore.
Rourke Chartier (149th OV): Plays for Kelowna in the WHL. Had 82 points, 48 goals, in 58 games; roughly a 60 goal pace (WHL has 72-game seasons). However, has only played 10 games due to injury and only has 9 points to show for. Was the last cut from Team Canada for the WJC last year. Just announced that he made this years roster.
I was also going to mention Sadowy (91st OV), who scored 42 goals on an awful Saginaw team last year, but he hasn't been producing at quite the same clip and seems to have regressed this year. Pretty good haul for the Sharks nonetheless
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