Gigantor The Goalie
Speak for the Goalies
I really like the look of our current prospect depth chart. It's come a long way in the past 3-4 years.
Especially the goaltending.
I really like the look of our current prospect depth chart. It's come a long way in the past 3-4 years.
I really like the look of our current prospect depth chart. It's come a long way in the past 3-4 years.
20 spots later, Vancouver drafts Alexander Edler. At #127 in the fourth round NYRs draft Ryan Callahan, 9 spots later after we drafted the great Kevin Porter at #119.
Our first pick that year at #21 was Wolski as well, lol.
We were great at drafting back then huh?
Coyotes drafted Porter.
Honestly, if you don't pick Siemens here I'm not sure you could even adequately defend yourself. The closest player should be Elliott only because he's had some NHL exposure to prove he's not a total bust.
Siemens
Elliott
Bigras
Pickard
Sgarbossa
Aittokallio
That's what I'm thinking just looking at the list as is right now.
I'd take Smith over Heard going forward in terms of potential, I see a #4 center in Heard and nothing more. I'd also take Beaupre on this list before Heard.
So add Smith, then Beaupre.
E: And does anyone have any reason to put Martin ahead of Patterson/Millan as of right now?
What are you talking about? Personally I voted Elliott and I don't think it's that out of reach. He was great player in juniors and he has great upside. Siemens is more safe pick.
I said I don't think there is an adequate argument against picking Siemens here.
Siemens has #2/3 upside and has played very well through juniors. He's the defensively superior physical force that could really stabilize our defense. Elliott is an offensive dynamo that isn't going to play defense well enough to ever quite be more than a #3/4 defender, which isn't a bad thing at all.
If given the choice between a defensive stalwart that skates very well and can destroy people physically and a 40-50 point offensive PMD that isn't good enough for top pairing defensive assignments, I'd take the defensive dman everyday.
That's what I've pegged them at. And as a huge Elliott supporter, I think it's a fair assessment so far. The only edge Elliott has outside of that is he has been exposed to the NHL more, demonstrating he's able to play at the level whereas Siemens hasn't.
I think you are selling Elliott short a bit. He has and will continue to have defensive issues, but those can mitigated by giving him a great defensive partner. I think he can become a good #2 in the Brian Campbell form.
Also, nothing against Siemens, but he had about a 1 1/4 seasons of fairly poor play before he turned it on this season. I think he can be a 2/3 shutdown defensemen, but he still has a ways too go.
Must be a different opinion on what a #2 is then, because any defender which you couldn't trust on your #1 PK I don't consider top pairing unless they are exceptional elsewhere (Karlsson) and Elliott while he could learn to play positional defense ala Campbell or Liles before we moved him, still will not quite be effective enough defensively be a top pairing guy.
Campbell is easily top pairing IMO. Elliott is capable of developing sort of defense (Campbell level) and some PK time (on the 2nd unit) as time goes on. He will never be an anchor, but he shouldn't be when EJ, Hejda, Sarich, and Wilson are on the team.
Many top pairing offensive defensemen are not big PK players.
add Denis Parshin - he's going to be a free agent in 2014
So out of the top 5 prospects we might have 3 or 4 defensemen. While that excites me, it also makes me cringe. It’s time for this organization to put up or shut up with developing defensemen. There’s an abundance of talent there no matter how you look at it. They’ve got to propel 1-2 of these guys into legitimate top 4 d-men to get over the hill and take it to the next level. I think it’s pretty obvious the offense is going to be there. Maybe need a winger but that’s a luxury you pick up at the deadline or in FA when you’re ready and confident you can make a deep playoff run.
Campbell is easily top pairing IMO. Elliott is capable of developing sort of defense (Campbell level) and some PK time (on the 2nd unit) as time goes on. He will never be an anchor, but he shouldn't be when EJ, Hejda, Sarich, and Wilson are on the team.
Many top pairing offensive defensemen are not big PK players.
I thought NHL teams indefinitely held onto their Russian prospects now?
Siemens
Elliott already a bust, let's see if Siemens is another one
Add Smith