Caps prospects among the strongest in the league?

[ponder]

A number of these guys are now seeing NHL time and will "graduate" this year, but going into the season the cream of the Caps prospect pool looked like:

Goalies:
- Varlamov
- Neuvirth

Defence:
- John Carlson
- Karl Alzner
- Dmitri Orlov

Forwards:
- Mathieu Perreault
- Evgeny Kuznetsov
- Marcus Johansson
- Cody Eakin

Knowing what we now know after seeing all of these players perform well either in the NHL or WJC so far this season, how many teams had a stronger prospect pool going into this year? HF had them ranked quite high, as the 5th best group, but how would you compare them to say the #1 ranked Predators group or #4 ranked Panthers group?

Click to read more...

 

[MCI Center]

The Capitals certainly had a great run at the top of the prospect rankings, and with a lot of those players mentioned graduating to full-time NHL duty, they'll definitely fall at least 10 spots, but I doubt you'll find many disappointed Washington fans.

Throw Braden Holtby in with those nine you mentioned, and the Caps sure had one hell of a prospect top-10 going into this season though, that's for sure.

Luckily, Kuznetsov, Orlov, and Eakin's stocks have each risen enough to maintain a solid top-5 for next year along with Holtby and most likely Stanislav Galiev.

Unfortunately, the Caps will be lacking a bit in the depth department after this season down on the farm, with only Patrick Wey, Brett Flemming, Dmitri Kugryshev really garnering much attention after the previously mentioned five.

 

[Dutch Dreams]

Certainly of the deepest.

Also, Della-Rovere was traded for DJ freaking King, god..

They've got at least 2 guys already on the big team in each position, and and at least one pushing, or potential in the system.

Varlamov and Neuvirth goaltending; Holtby pushing. Grubauer is also there.

Alzner and Carlson defending; Orlov is there.

Perreault and Johansson up top; Galiev, Kuznetsov and Eakin are there.

Predators?

Goaltending and defense is on par considering potential, although not on actual experience.

You've got Lindback, Dekanich and Pickard all pro, and a few bordering on NHL-duty. None have handled starting duties like each of the Caps goaltenders though.

Blum, Josi pro; and Ellis and Roussel in junior. Really only Blum and Ellis are of that much potential though, and again, none have solidified a role in the NHL like Carlson and Alzner have.

Not muuch to speak of up front, although Beck, Budish and Watson project alright. Certainly not as much as Perreault or Kuznetsov though.

Again, Florida's pool is more potential. You've got Markstrom. Also, Salak, Cheverie and Plante are there, although trending downwards.

Defense? More potential. Gudbranson, who should project around Alzner's level. Robak, Garrison, Petrovic, Ellerby, etc..

Up top?? Dadonov, Repik, Bjugstad, Shore, MacFarland, Brickley, Howden, etc..

What the caps have got is NHL talent. Florida and Nashville MAY have NHL talent.

Extremely good drafting by the Caps in the first with how late their picks have been lately.

010' 26th Kuznetsov
09' 24th M. Johansson
08' 27th Carlson
06' 23rd Varlamov
04' 27th Schultz, 29th Green
03' 18th Fehr

Wow. Not to mention Neuvirth 34th 06', Perreault 177th 06', Holtby 93rd 08', Della-Rovere 204th 08'; of course since traded, Orlov 55th 09', Eakin 85th 09' and Grubauer 112th 010'.

 

[QuadrupleDeke]

Extremely good drafting by the Caps in the first with how late their picks have been lately.

10' 26th Kuznetsov
09' 24th M. Johansson
08' 27th Carlson
06' 23rd Varlamov
04' 1st Ovechkin, 27th Schultz, 29th Green
03' 18th Fehr

Wow. Not to mention Neuvirth 34th 06', Perreault 177th 06', Holtby 93rd 08', Della-Rovere 204th 08'; of course since traded, Orlov 55th 09', Eakin 85th 09' and Grubauer 112th 010'.

You forgot one

 

[CapsWolverinesUSA]

Look at how good the Caps drafts have generally been over the last 7 years, and then look at 2005. What an epic fail that draft was for us. Started with us getting utterly screwed by the ping pong balls, when we should have had a top 5 pick. Then we drafted two mega-busts in the 1st round who will never play in the NHL. Then we wasted the rest of our picks. Only guy who is likely to see a minute of NHL time (Tim Kennedy, 6th round) we ended up trading 10 minutes after we picked him, albeit for the 6th round selection the following year which ended up being Matthieu Perreault.

 

[NJD1982]

Gives them a lot of assets to use in trades for Stanley Cup runs.

 

[CapsWolverinesUSA]

Gives them a lot of assets to use in trades for Stanley Cup runs.

More than that, it gives us a constant pipeline of cheap talent to stock our NHL roster so we can afford to keep a core of high priced players. That's why we can actually contemplate re-signing Semin (thereby having 4 players making around $27 million per year) and not going in the tank.

 

[bov]

I can't really contribute much here, but where is the HF list of the best prospect groups?

 

[chewey]

You forgot one

Can't even outscore Crosby or Stamkos. He's a bum. The prime definition of a bust. You should trade him now to the Avs while his value is high.

 

[CapsWolverinesUSA]

Can't even outscore Crosby or Stamkos. He's a bum. The prime definition of a bust. You should trade him now to the Avs while his value is high.

If you think you can acquire that player while hanging on to David Koci, think again buddy.

 

[JackHughes86]

kings do

 

[isles31]

A number of these guys are now seeing NHL time and will "graduate" this year, but going into the season the cream of the Caps prospect pool looked like:

Goalies:
- Varlamov
- Neuvirth

Defence:
- John Carlson
- Karl Alzner
- Dmitri Orlov

Forwards:
- Mathieu Perreault
- Evgeny Kuznetsov
- Marcus Johansson
- Cody Eakin

Knowing what we now know after seeing all of these players perform well either in the NHL or WJC so far this season, how many teams had a stronger prospect pool going into this year? HF had them ranked quite high, as the 5th best group, but how would you compare them to say the #1 ranked Predators group or #4 ranked Panthers group?

I don't think you can really count varly in the group. He already had been a big part of their team in the past and coming into the year, he was gonna be the starter. Ill give you neuvy tho.
Either way, a very nice group. I think the isles have a pretty solid group of youngsters too though.

Goal:
Kevin Poulin
Mikko Koskinen
Anders Nilsson

Defense:
Travis Hamonic
Calvin de Haan
Matt Donovan
Blake Kessel
Mark Katic
Aaron Ness

Forwards:
El'Nino
Brock Nelson
Kirill Petrov
Kirill Kabanov
Anders Lee
Casey Cizikas
Jason Gregoire
Rhett Rhakshani

They also added Wishhart but I was going from before the season started. Also, this is just off the top of my head, I may have omitted some peeps. Andrew Macdonald has turned into a real solid dman but I wouldn't say he's a prospect as he played a ton last year.
Sure there's a bunch of question marks, but that's what prospects are. I like the talent pool, esp since 3 yrs ago they had literally nada.

 

[Hip Of Rick*]

I don't think you can really count varly in the group. He already had been a big part of their team in the past and coming into the year, he was gonna be the starter. Ill give you neuvy tho.
Either way, a very nice group. I think the isles have a pretty solid group of youngsters too though.

Goal:
Kevin Poulin
Mikko Koskinen
Anders Nilsson

Defense:
Travis Hamonic
Calvin de Haan
Matt Donovan
Blake Kessel
Mark Katic
Aaron Ness

Forwards:
El'Nino
Brock Nelson
Kirill Petrov
Kirill Kabanov
Anders Lee
Casey Cizikas
Jason Gregoire
Rhett Rhakshani

They also added Wishhart but I was going from before the season started. Also, this is just off the top of my head, I may have omitted some peeps. Andrew Macdonald has turned into a real solid dman but I wouldn't say he's a prospect as he played a ton last year.
Sure there's a bunch of question marks, but that's what prospects are. I like the talent pool, esp since 3 yrs ago they had literally nada.

Way to name every player in the Isles organization not in the NHL. It is an average prospect pool with 3 standouts. When you sucks forever you are bound to get a couple decent prospects.

 

[Provolone*]

I've heard a lot of people say Orlov is another Sergei Zubov.

 

[Delta Cubes]

Edmonton's 2010 draft right now is looking very very good:

#1 : Taylor Hall LW NHL - 38GP - 12G - 10A - 22P
#31: Tyler Pitlick C/RW WHL - 35GP - 16G - 24A - 40 P
#46 : Martin Marincin D WHL - 33GP - 10G - 25A - 35P
#48 : Curtis Hamilton LW WHL - 31GP - 15G - 27A - 42P
#61: Ryan Martindale C OHL - 36GP - 23G - 30A - 53P
#91 : Jeremie Blain D QMJHL - 11GP - 1G - 8A - 9P
#121 : Tyler Bunz G WHL - 27GP - 2.46GAA - .916sv% - 18W
#162 : Brandon Davidson D WHL - 39GP - 5G - 25A - 30P
and 3 more prospects that i'm too lazy to search up aha

 

[startainfection*]

Way to name every player in the Isles organization not in the NHL. It is an average prospect pool with 3 standouts. When you sucks forever you are bound to get a couple decent prospects.

the caps sucked for a while too

the isles have an amazing prospect pool that i would not trade for any one else's

 

[Analyzer*]

Yeah, well, Montréal drafted Jason Missiaen, so **** you.

 

[octopi]

You forgot one

I don't think that particular pick took much astute scouting.

 

[third man in]

the caps sucked for a while too

the isles have an amazing prospect pool that i would not trade for any one else's

The Caps sucked/rebuilt for 3 seasons.

Most of the prospects listed are later picks. Only Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Alzner were high picks which testifies to the Capitals scouting staff.

 

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

This website, although very useful and informative, leads all fan bases to believe that their respective prospect crop is among the strongest in the league.

On that note, I think the Caps probably have one of the strongest prospect crops in the league.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

That's a great group of young prospects, but what makes them even better is that they'll be going through Hershey, which is among the greatest developmental systems in pro sports. Many of these guy's potential will be maximized and realized due to this.

Much of the success Washington has had over the past few years is due to this great affiliate. IMO the best is yet to come since there is still so much depth available to a young core in the USA capital.

As a fan of another team, I am jealous.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

Certainly of the deepest.

Also, Della-Rovere was traded for DJ freaking King, god..

They've got at least 2 guys already on the big team in each position, and and at least one pushing, or potential in the system.

Varlamov and Neuvirth goaltending; Holtby pushing. Grubauer is also there.

Alzner and Carlson defending; Orlov is there.

Perreault and Johansson up top; Galiev, Kuznetsov and Eakin are there.

Predators?

Goaltending and defense is on par considering potential, although not on actual experience.

You've got Lindback, Dekanich and Pickard all pro, and a few bordering on NHL-duty. None have handled starting duties like each of the Caps goaltenders though.

Blum, Josi pro; and Ellis and Roussel in junior. Really only Blum and Ellis are of that much potential though, and again, none have solidified a role in the NHL like Carlson and Alzner have.

Not muuch to speak of up front, although Beck, Budish and Watson project alright. Certainly not as much as Perreault or Kuznetsov though.

Again, Florida's pool is more potential. You've got Markstrom. Also, Salak, Cheverie and Plante are there, although trending downwards.

Defense? More potential. Gudbranson, who should project around Alzner's level. Robak, Garrison, Petrovic, Ellerby, etc..

Up top?? Dadonov, Repik, Bjugstad, Shore, MacFarland, Brickley, Howden, etc..

What the caps have got is NHL talent. Florida and Nashville MAY have NHL talent.

Extremely good drafting by the Caps in the first with how late their picks have been lately.

010' 26th Kuznetsov
09' 24th M. Johansson
08' 27th Carlson
06' 23rd Varlamov
04' 27th Schultz, 29th Green
03' 18th Fehr

Wow. Not to mention Neuvirth 34th 06', Perreault 177th 06', Holtby 93rd 08', Della-Rovere 204th 08'; of course since traded, Orlov 55th 09', Eakin 85th 09' and Grubauer 112th 010'.

For Nashville up front you forgot Wilson who had a goal + an assist tonight and is at 21 points this year (10 goals) on pace for a 20 goal sophmore season on not the most offensive team.

 

[irishtemper]

Yeah, well, Montréal drafted Jason Missiaen, so **** you.

love it

 

[Devil Dancer]

I've heard a lot of people say Orlov is another Sergei Zubov.

That's so far from the truth, I don't know what to say.

Orlov looks, to me, like a #4 with PP skills who is questionable in his own zone.

 

[Chimaera]

Well, I expect a serious decline in their ranking.

However, if they're going to get to just pluck the Russian gems because most clubs are too afraid to get them, they won't stay that far down for long.

Ovechkin is their transfer agreement.

GMGM has certainly done well with his late firsts.