Prospect Info: CHL, NCAA and European 2018-19 Prospects Thread II

[Billdo]

This is the first time I can remember where nearly everyone has a consensus top 10 prospects.

It's also the first time in a while where we have quite a few guys with pretty high ceilings.

 

[Nubmer6]

This is the first time I can remember where nearly everyone has a consensus top 10 prospects.

We still have like half a year. It'll change.

-edit-
Sorry.. Misread. Thought you were talking about the draft for some stupid reason.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

It's also the first time in a while where we have quite a few guys with pretty high ceilings.

eh prospects are still prospects. I still remember very clearly the days of when urbom,gelinas,larsson was going to be our defensive core for the next 10 years.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

eh prospects are still prospects. I still remember very clearly the days of when urbom,gelinas,larsson was going to be our defensive core for the next 10 years.

if you can't see the difference between our prospect pool now and then you aren't paying attention

 

[Nubmer6]

if you can't see the difference between our prospect pool now and then you aren't paying attention

To be fair, they DID look promising at the time. It does seem likely that at least Smith will pan out better than Larsson, but we've all been fooled before.

 

[MichaelJ]

eh prospects are still prospects. I still remember very clearly the days of when urbom,gelinas,larsson was going to be our defensive core for the next 10 years.

They got a lot of hype in NJD circles, I don’t remember a lot from outside sources but except Larsson. Merrill had some decent hype and was a huge disappointment.

Some of the current crop are getting noticed beyond local circles...but, they of course might not make it. I think there’s reason to have a bit more confidence in some of these kids making it, especially if we don’t set expectations too high.

 

[Triumph]

To be fair, they DID look promising at the time. It does seem likely that at least Smith will pan out better than Larsson, but we've all been fooled before.

It's not about 'being fooled'. It's not like there's some magic formula to unlock about which prospects will do well and which won't. The ones that are more likely to do better are the ones who dominate lower leagues and that's what Smith's doing now. It doesn't mean he'll be a star, but it just means he's more likely to be one.

For comparison, this person brought up Alex Urbom - Urbom's big junior season before he became a pro he played 66 games and scored 12 goals and 21 assists on a team that scored 4.45 goals/game. Ty Smith currently has 3 goals and 41 assists for 44 points in 30 games for a team that scores 3.64 goals/game. Smith has missed 9 games and is still in on 31% of the goals the team scores - Urbom was in on 11% while missing 6 games. Urbom never should've been thought of as a some solid prospect - hype from the Devils' front office and lack of anything better in the organization is what made him so here.

 

[Nubmer6]

It's not about 'being fooled'. It's not like there's some magic formula to unlock about which prospects will do well and which won't. The ones that are more likely to do better are the ones who dominate lower leagues and that's what Smith's doing now. It doesn't mean he'll be a star, but it just means he's more likely to be one.

For comparison, this person brought up Alex Urbom - Urbom's big junior season before he became a pro he played 66 games and scored 12 goals and 21 assists on a team that scored 4.45 goals/game. Ty Smith currently has 3 goals and 41 assists for 44 points in 30 games for a team that scores 3.64 goals/game. Smith has missed 9 games and is still in on 31% of the goals the team scores - Urbom was in on 11% while missing 6 games. Urbom never should've been thought of as a some solid prospect - hype from the Devils' front office and lack of anything better in the organization is what made him so here.

No, but we DID have some others that had better numbers in juniors. I mean... think Reid Boucher. Merill didn't have great numbers but there were underlying issues. Gelinas, I honestly don't remember. Larsson always played solid devensively, and everyone THOUGHT his offensive game would develop for some reason.

 

[Ol Dirty Bstrd]

It's also the first time in a while where we have quite a few guys with pretty high ceilings.

I wouldn’t say the ceilings are all that high outside of 2-3 guys but we have a lot of depth with a good chance at carving out an NHL career

 

[Triumph]

No, but we DID have some others that had better numbers in juniors. I mean... think Reid Boucher. Merill didn't have great numbers but there were underlying issues. Gelinas, I honestly don't remember. Larsson always played solid devensively, and everyone THOUGHT his offensive game would develop for some reason.

Boucher just missed. He's an incredible scorer at the AHL level - he has 42 goals in his last 72 games there. The skating just held him back enough - 10-15 years ago he might've had a Michael Ryder sort of career.

Gelinas never quite had the numbers but he had talent - he also scored a lot of goals his rookie season in the AHL. The NHL has moved away from that sort of player - there's not a lot of teams running power plays through a defenseman with a huge shot. Montreal, Nashville, and a couple others still do.

Everyone thought Larsson would develop offensively because he was drafted 4th overall and because of all of those goals and assists he had as a 17 year old in the SHL. Now that is a case of 'being fooled', I think, and I certainly was there.

 

[VoidCreature]

Honestly if Boucher was an elite skater he'd be Phil Kessel. That shot is first class, and he's a sneaky good play maker too.

Too bad he never found that extra step.

 

[Ripshot 43]

Honestly if Boucher was an elite skater he'd be Phil Kessel. That shot is first class, and he's a sneaky good play maker too.

Too bad he never found that extra step.

That’s a spot on comparison. A very poor skating Phil Kessel.

 

[Billdo]

eh prospects are still prospects. I still remember very clearly the days of when urbom,gelinas,larsson was going to be our defensive core for the next 10 years.

The current group have more of a chance at having a shot than we were accustomed to is all I'm saying.

 

[OmNomNom]

gelinas didn't have talent. he lacked footspeed and a hockey brain, which, if he had either one of (along with his shot), he'd be in the NHL

 

[Triumph]

gelinas didn't have talent. he lacked footspeed and a hockey brain, which, if he had either one of (along with his shot), he'd be in the NHL

Gelinas's speed was fine - he was good going forward and wasn't terrible going backwards. Speed and a shot alone doesn't keep a player in the NHL.

 

[OmNomNom]

Gelinas's speed was fine - he was good going forward and wasn't terrible going backwards. Speed and a shot alone doesn't keep a player in the NHL.

alright i take it back - it was hockey IQ. but had he HAD above average mobility, along with the shot, i guarantee you he would've found a niche on the PP, or at least as a 6/7 D on some team. the guy couldn't even stick in the AHL

 

[RNCDevil]

In slightly related news, I got a game-used Boucher stick recently. The curve on it was a bit ridiculous and I could not use it--STX Stallion.

One prospect that's not often talked about is Xavier Bernard: Xavier Bernard at eliteprospects.com

He's a 0.5 PPG d-man in the Q. He's 19 and he has some size. He was just traded so he's got to adjust to a new team, but I remember hearing his name a bit during the prospect camp.

 

[devilsblood]

alright i take it back - it was hockey IQ. but had he HAD above average mobility, along with the shot, i guarantee you he would've found a niche on the PP, or at least as a 6/7 D on some team. the guy couldn't even stick in the AHL

All about the smarts, or lack of it, in regards to Gelinas. Plenty talented.

 

[MichaelJ]

In slightly related news, I got a game-used Boucher stick recently. The curve on it was a bit ridiculous and I could not use it--STX Stallion.

One prospect that's not often talked about is Xavier Bernard: Xavier Bernard at eliteprospects.com

He's a 0.5 PPG d-man in the Q. He's 19 and he has some size. He was just traded so he's got to adjust to a new team, but I remember hearing his name a bit during the prospect camp.

I’d expect him to turn out as a steady bottom 4 type, maybe good to pair with someone like Walsh

 

[Billdo]

One prospect that's not often talked about is Xavier Bernard: Xavier Bernard at eliteprospects.com

He's a 0.5 PPG d-man in the Q. He's 19 and he has some size. He was just traded so he's got to adjust to a new team, but I remember hearing his name a bit during the prospect camp.

Oh, you mean our Lord and Xavier? Yeah he's going to be a problem on the back end for other teams.

 

[Shakir ONeal]

Ty with another 2 pts tonight, 1.48 PPG through 31 games

 

[Blender]

Ty with another 2 pts tonight, 1.48 PPG through 31 games

Amazing that he leads Spokane in scoring despite have 7-9 fewer games played than the guys behind him.

 

[My3Sons]

Amazing that he leads Spokane in scoring despite have 7-9 fewer games played than the guys behind him.

So shines a good deed in a weary world....at least from a NJ fan perspective.

 

[Nocashstyle]

Saw Walsh play against Princeton last night. A couple of questionable puck decisions, but overall looked decent. He did not really stick out one way or the other.

 

[thethinglonger]

Ty Smith with 2 assists so far as Spokane leads Tri-City 7-2. Also Jeremy Groleau scored 1G+1A for Chicoutimi in their 7-0 win over Val-d'Or.