CBJ Board Summer 2019 Prospect Rankings: #18

[Double-Shift Lasse]

No more adds. This is the next-to-last poll. The vote to determine #19 will, of course, also determine #20.

Simply vote for the prospect you think is the best from the above. This poll will be open 24 hours.

1. Alexandre Texier (LW/C)
2. Vladislav Gavrikov (D)
3. Emil Bemstrom (LW/C)
4. Liam Foudy (C)
5. Daniil Tarasov (G)
6. Andrew Peeke (D)
7. Veini Vehviläinen (G)
8. Trey Fix-Wolansky (RW)
9. Kirill Marchenko (RW/LW)
10. Kevin Stenlund (C)
11. Gabriel Carlsson (D)
12. Eric Robinson (LW)
13. Eric Hjorth (D)
14. Marcus Karlberg (LW/RW)
15. Kole Sherwood (RW)
16. Paul Bittner (LW)
17. Dmitri Voronkov (LW)

As a reminder, the rest:
Tyler Angle (C)
Ryan Collins (D)
Maxime Fortier (RW)
Kale Howarth (LW)
Matiss Kivlenieks (G)
Ryan MacInnis (C)
Michael Prapavessis (D)
Justin Scott (C/W)
Robbie Stucker (D)
Peter Thome (G)

Click to read more...

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

How much local bias is there in my earlier add voting and now voting for Meyer at #18? Maybe a tad, but really I don't feel he's in any way out of place here.

 

[The Wheelchair]

How much local bias is there in my earlier add voting and now voting for Meyer at #18? Maybe a tad, but really I don't feel he's in any way out of place here.

Agreed, though that says less about Meyer and more about the depth at this end of the prospect pool. I can’t look it up right now but I don’t remember feeling this indifferent to the last few guys last year, or for at least a couple before that.

 

[majormajor]

Didn't we get some pretty good reviews of Tim Berni's play this past year? I'm not sure if I remember that correctly. I do know he is a 19 year old that just played a full season in the top Swiss league. That sounds better than a guy that still hasn't returned his boxcar stats up to the level of his draft year (Meyer) and a guy who had 2 pts in the AHL last year (Thurkauf).

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Didn't we get some pretty good reviews of Tim Berni's play this past year? I'm not sure if I remember that correctly. I do know he is a 19 year old that just played a full season in the top Swiss league. That sounds better than a guy that still hasn't returned his boxcar stats up to the level of his draft year (Meyer) and a guy who had 2 pts in the AHL last year (Thurkauf).

You are aware of the significant health issue experienced by Meyer, right?

EDIT:
Which I don't mean to suggest is a clear reason to vote one or the other. Or that I have either strong or informed opinions about this end of the prospect pool.

Meyer is getting his ass kicked in voting anyway.

 

[majormajor]

You are aware of the significant health issue experienced by Meyer, right?

Yeah. I've been unable to forget it.

He was drafted after his decent 19 year old season at Miami, had an abysmal season for obvious reasons as a 20 year old, and then as a healthy 21 year old he had another decent season, but at least as far as the boxcar stats still didn't improve on his draft year. To look on track for an NHL job, I'd expect a 21 year old pure scorer to score more like 15+ goals in a college season.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Yeah. I've been unable to forget it.

He was drafted after his decent 19 year old season at Miami, had an abysmal season for obvious reasons as a 20 year old, and then as a healthy 21 year old he had another decent season, but at least as far as the boxcar stats still didn't improve on his draft year. To look on track for an NHL job, I'd expect a 21 year old pure scorer to score more like 15+ goals in a college season.

I’m not contending he’s got a chance to be some sure fire NHL player, but I think we need to cut some slack on the healthy 21 year old business unless you have a really good handle on how quickly one should recover from what he went through as a 20 year old.

 

[The Wheelchair]

Didn't we get some pretty good reviews of Tim Berni's play this past year? I'm not sure if I remember that correctly. I do know he is a 19 year old that just played a full season in the top Swiss league. That sounds better than a guy that still hasn't returned his boxcar stats up to the level of his draft year (Meyer) and a guy who had 2 pts in the AHL last year (Thurkauf).

Berni was voted one of Switzerland's best players at the WJC if I remember correctly. The obvious caveat to that is that it's Switzerland, but yeah, a 19-year-old who spent the whole season in a pretty good men's league is enough to get my vote here. Still, for a smallish defenseman, eight points in 41 games isn't really lighting the world on fire, even at 19, so 18th in a shallow pool is probably fair.

 

[majormajor]

I’m not contending he’s got a chance to be some sure fire NHL player, but I think we need to cut some slack on the healthy 21 year old business unless you have a really good handle on how quickly one should recover from what he went through as a 20 year old.

I don't know, I'd figure a year after being cleared would be more than enough time to get back in shape. That's not really what my vote is based on though. It's that we are comparing two 6th round draft picks - one that has established progress and one that hasn't (for health reasons or otherwise).

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I don't know, I'd figure a year after being cleared would be more than enough time to get back in shape. That's not really what my vote is based on though. It's that we are comparing two 6th round draft picks - one that has established progress and one that hasn't (for health reasons or otherwise).

As someone who's had a bout with a serious gastrointestinal disease and lost a lot of weight and energy from it, I guess I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt based on my experience. I'm not sure wehat timetable you're using for being "cleared," but being fully back to health can be a lengthy process. I'm willing to give Meyer last season as a "getting back to himself" year.

Again, I'm defending the kid based on his health, not whether he should be the 18, 19 or 20 ranked prospect.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I expected Meyer to get on the list, because, well, yeah.

But Thurkauf? Can’t say I expected that one. He’s not even on my radar anymore

 

[Cyclones Rock]

In addition to the tapeworm recovery issue, learning a new system with different teammates was another challenge for Meyer.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I expected Meyer to get on the list, because, well, yeah.

But Thurkauf? Can’t say I expected that one. He’s not even on my radar anymore

I understand the cases against both Thurkauf (who I didn't vote to add) and Meyer (who I did). But what are the cases in support of players who aren't gonna make the 20? I mean, personally, I voted for Fortier, but I have little to no feeling for the rest of those guys. Are there one or two you think we should be watching more closely?

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I understand the cases against both Thurkauf (who I didn't vote to add) and Meyer (who I did). But what are the cases in support of players who aren't gonna make the 20? I mean, personally, I voted for Fortier, but I have little to no feeling for the rest of those guys. Are there one or two you think we should be watching more closely?

No big deal. Honestly after the top 10 or so it’s all about preference. I’m interested in this Stucker kid. If he can have a good junior season he can maybe earn himself a contract. He seems to have decent tools.

I voted personally though for MacInnis. And I have to be honest, it’s mostly because he’s got good NHL bloodlines and was a high pick. I don’t have much hope for him either, but I think somewhere along the way he had good enough potential.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I’m with you on Macinnis. I just don’t know enough about Stucker.

 

[NotWendell]

In addition to the tapeworm recovery issue, learning a new system with different teammates was another challenge for Meyer.

That would be a great name for an ECHL team! The Tidewater Tapeworm.

 

[NotWendell]

I’m with you on Macinnis. I just don’t know enough about Stucker.

How anyone ever considered... oh, I don't know..... maybe.... switching MacInnis to defense??? LOL

 

[Nanabijou]

Berni was voted one of Switzerland's best players at the WJC if I remember correctly. The obvious caveat to that is that it's Switzerland, but yeah, a 19-year-old who spent the whole season in a pretty good men's league is enough to get my vote here. Still, for a smallish defenseman, eight points in 41 games isn't really lighting the world on fire, even at 19, so 18th in a shallow pool is probably fair.

Yeah, I haven't watched many of these later prospects on this list much. But, I do watch quite a bit of the WJC every year and was impressed with Berni so I've been voting for him earlier than most.

Honestly, that's why I voted to add Thurkauf at the end - I'm still biased by how good he looked at his WJC a few years ago. He hasn't seemed to have that translate to his game with the Monsters yet.

 

[Viqsi]

No big deal. Honestly after the top 10 or so it’s all about preference. I’m interested in this Stucker kid. If he can have a good junior season he can maybe earn himself a contract. He seems to have decent tools.

I voted personally though for MacInnis. And I have to be honest, it’s mostly because he’s got good NHL bloodlines and was a high pick. I don’t have much hope for him either, but I think somewhere along the way he had good enough potential.

Honestly, the "bloodlines" thing is why I put almost no stock in MacInnis. I mean, I know, some folks when they hear about bloodlines, they think about guys like Brett and Bobby Hull. Or they'll point to the Sutters. Or the Staal brothers. Or even someone like our own Nick Foligno. Me? I think of Brett Sutter. Or Jared Staal. Or Marcus Foligno. Or other names like Sean Pronger and Colton Gillies and Keith Gretzky and and Landon Ferraro and Yan Stastny and Blake Geoffrion and Ray Bourque's kids and the Reinhart brothers and the Russell twins and about eleventy billion others. And I just roll my eyes.

It's a cool story when it happens, but it's the exception rather than the rule.

 

[majormajor]

Honestly, the "bloodlines" thing is why I put almost no stock in MacInnis. I mean, I know, some folks when they hear about bloodlines, they think about guys like Brett and Bobby Hull. Or they'll point to the Sutters. Or the Staal brothers. Or even someone like our own Nick Foligno. Me? I think of Brett Sutter. Or Jared Staal. Or Marcus Foligno. Or other names like Sean Pronger and Colton Gillies and Keith Gretzky and and Landon Ferraro and Yan Stastny and Blake Geoffrion and Ray Bourque's kids and the Reinhart brothers and the Russell twins and about eleventy billion others. And I just roll my eyes.

It's a cool story when it happens, but it's the exception rather than the rule.

It is the exception, but so is finding any higher level player after the mid 1st round. Most of the players you listed were drafted after that point. I don't know but I wonder if players with "bloodlines" outperform or underperform their draft position.

 

[Viqsi]

It is the exception, but so is finding any higher level player after the mid 1st round. Most of the players you listed were drafted after that point. I don't know but I wonder if players with "bloodlines" outperform or underperform their draft position.

Frankly, I think they perform their draft position. As in it doesn't matter.