Prospect Info: Blues Prospect Rankings #7

[EastonBlues22]

1) Tarasenko
2) Schwartz
3) Rattie
4) Allen
5) Jaskin
6) Carrier

Carrier wins a close one. This is where things become a bit dicey for me. I'm going to give it some thought before I cast my vote.

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[Captain Creampuff]

Went with Hakanpaa, he's been steadily improving and if he can have a solid AHL season I can see him being called up if we get an injury on the right side. Vanelli and Schmaltz still have a ways to go, they are fairly younger than a lot of our prospects and could use a bit more seasoning.

 

[h22prelude93]

Went with Jordan Binnington. Next on my list would be Jani Hakanpaa closely followed by Colton Parayko.

 

[BlueDream]

Voted Edmundson but probably should have gone Hakanpaa. Both good choices, big physical guys.

 

[JustOneB4IDie]

went with Hakanpaa at #6 over Carrier yesterday so it's Hakanpaa slotted here at 7.

 

[SirPaste]

Close between Hakanpaa and Schmaltz for me

 

[2 Minute Minor]

I read somewhere that the Blues have 10 spots 'reserved' in Chicago for prospects on the Wolves roster. Can anyone confirm this? If so, I thought it may be interesting to predict exactly who gets those 10 spots.

 

[Daley Tarasenkshow]

Went with Schmaltz.

 

[Hooliganx3]

I read somewhere that the Blues have 10 spots 'reserved' in Chicago for prospects on the Wolves roster. Can anyone confirm this? If so, I thought it may be interesting to predict exactly who gets those 10 spots.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/arti...857/art-of-an-ahl-nhl-deal-the-chicago-wolves

Here is an article on it

 

[Hooliganx3]

From what I get in the article we have 13 sure slots on the Wolves. Then additional slots may be available. The Wolves owner runs it like a business to make money so he'll focus much more on winning and less on developing our players.

 

[Alklha]

So the article is basically saying that the Blues save $1.5m a year by selling the Rivermen?

The fact we went out and spent $625k on Aucoin this season, and Armstrong did seem to suggest that he was an AHL signing, would suggest that we'll basically get to say who his linemates are going to be. I'd imagine a Jaškin-Aucoin-Rattie or would be a fun line to watch for the Wolves.

Despite the win-first philosophy of the Wolves, I don't think it will really hurt our prospects that much. The better ones will still get their ice time. It just really screws us when it comes to our goalies.

 

[2 Minute Minor]

NCAA teams, USHL teams, and most importantly NHL teams: the coaches of all those are trying to win. I really don't see this as a very bid deal. If the Blues' prospects aren't good enough to fight for their spot on an AHL team successfully, the chances they're going to develop into a difference-maker in the NHL seem vanishingly small.

One could argue that artificially-derived playing time from an inferior player for the sake of his 'development' could be more detrimental in terms of how it affects his psychological toughness.

It will be interesting to see how this season plays out in Chicago. I think the most obvious situation will be Allen and the goalie starts. He's got a starting job to win.

 

[PocketNines]

Definitely Hakanpaa here.

 

[Meatwagon]

So the article is basically saying that the Blues save $1.5m a year by selling the Rivermen?

The fact we went out and spent $625k on Aucoin this season, and Armstrong did seem to suggest that he was an AHL signing, would suggest that we'll basically get to say who his linemates are going to be. I'd imagine a Jaškin-Aucoin-Rattie or would be a fun line to watch for the Wolves.

Despite the win-first philosophy of the Wolves, I don't think it will really hurt our prospects that much. The better ones will still get their ice time. It just really screws us when it comes to our goalies.

I wonder how much the new affiliation and the lead up to switching affiliations, lead us to draft a good amount of NCAA prospects lately?

Maybe Army and Co. knew they were switching from PEO to CHI and it affected their drafting philosophy the last 2 drafts to focus a little more on long term NCAA prospects?

Just a thought.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

Hakanpaa again.

I have Vanelli over Schmaltz next.

 

[izzy]

Voting Binnington.

Starting to look like one of the best young goaltenders out there.

 

[2 Minute Minor]

I wonder how much the new affiliation and the lead up to switching affiliations, lead us to draft a good amount of NCAA prospects lately?

Maybe Army and Co. knew they were switching from PEO to CHI and it affected their drafting philosophy the last 2 drafts to focus a little more on long term NCAA prospects?

Just a thought.

I suspect it had exactly ZERO impact on the draft philosophy. They take the best player available, and apparently have given extra weight to guys that have some legacy connection with the team, in the past. But current team needs are not (or should not) really affect any team's draft choices, since most prospects take multiple years to be NHL ready.

The Chicago AHL affiliation is getting blown out of proportion. Almost half the teams in the NHL have similar arrangements with their AHL clubs. What's so bad about an AHL team trying hard to win? I like for my guys to be steeped in that environment, rather than coddled even if they're not playing well enough to merit their ice time.

 

[EastonBlues22]

I ended up voting for Schmaltz. I think he has a bit higher upside than Vannelli, who in turn has a higher ceiling than Hakanpaa. I don't see the upside in Hakanpaa that some others must, as to me he's likely to be a bottom pairing guy with a #4 ceiling. I guess he gets bonus points for being a more defined prospect who is also closer to the NHL.

Binnington is still probably about 5 years out, which makes him almost a complete crapshoot as far as I'm concerned. I'm happy with his career progression thus far, but he's not in this discussion for me.

Looks like Hakanpaa is taking this one, though. I'll put up the next poll.