Prospect Info: Coyotes Top Prospects 2016 - #6

[PhoPhan]

Merkley was injured like all season wasn't he, one injury then a different one? It's still a bad draft +1 year, but I agree you can't write him off just yet. The next few spots get very interesting, and imo merkley perlini wood capo and macinnis should all be in the mix. I'm a lot higher on wood than some, IMO he's easily top 10, and I'd consider him for the next spot. I also don't see an nhl future for garland, I'm sure he'll get voted way sooner than where I'd rank him.

He got injured at the Coyotes rookie tournament and missed a chunk of the beginning of the season, and then he had a season-ending injury and missed the end of it. But the 48 points in 43 games in the middle were solid given the circumstances.

He's short but stocky and plays a gritty and very smart game. I think he can be a poor man's Domi (and given that style and his righthandedness, he might be a better linemate for Duclair long term). I love the looks of this long term:

Keller-Strome-Perlini
Domi-Dvorak-Fischer
Duclair-MacInnis-Merkley

 

[lanky]

Domi-Dvorak-Duclair
Perlini-Strome-Samuelsson
Keller-MacInnis-Fischer

with a possible substitution of Merkley for Samuelsson

I like that the offesive creativity is spread over three even lines.

 

[Gwyddbwyll]

Fischer had a better year, and is a year younger.

MacInnis Year after draft 67gp 25g 37a 62pts
Fischer Year after draft 66gp 40g 50a 90pts

That is a pretty wide margin.

MacInnis just put up a 59gp 38g 43a 81pts season, which is still be behind Fischer's #'s.

MacInnis I think goes next over Perlini, but that one will be close....this one shouldn't be.

Fair point on ages - I tend to think of them as being at the same place in their development as big physical players who both had a great year in the OHL and are now ready for the AHL and a shot at the NHL.

MacInnis's 81 points are only slightly behind Fischer's 90 points and actually better on a per game basis.

Regardless I think they are very very close. 28-3 in favor of one is a bit silly.

 

[Gwyddbwyll]

I dont know, I still think highly of Merkley, whereas Dvorak -in my opinion - tops out as a good second liner, I see the potential in Merkley for more, even though he had a bad injury-riddled year.
I think Forum 40 gets ahead of itself in rating Dvorak, he's a fine prospect and a great pickup in the late second round, but picking him ahead of Keller? I dunno

Rating prospects is subjective, and I find it a little condescending of you to say it wasnt justified to pick Merkley ahead of Dvorak.

It's a balance between potential and achievement. You see the potential in Merkley as outweighing the achievements of Dvorak. I value them the other way around.

The past year Dvorak has gone from strength to strength while Merkley has struggled with health and form. At this point in time it seems justified that a year ago Dvorak deserved to be rated over Merkley's potential. Hopefully both do become great NHLers and we can argue about this some more