Craig Button Top 50 NHL Prospects List (Kravtsov #1)

[bert]

Is Kravtsov that good? Ive had very limited viewings of him and am honestly curious

He shouldnt be number 1 but he is pretty good, I was way more impressed with Denisenko at the WJC. Personally feels like Nichushkin and Kucherov at the WJC in 2013 all the hype was going to Nichushkin but when I watched the games Kucherov was way more noticable.

Not saying Denisenko is going to be Kucherov or Kravstov is going to end up being Nichushkin just in the way it was hyped while watching it and the player with the lesser hype personally looked better to me.

Call me homer, but i think Hayton is way too low. I think he should be somewhere between 15-20.

Did you watch the WJC? I am suprised he is even on the list with Buttons recency bias, but he single handidly killed canadas second line from an offensive stand point. Massive puck hog throughout the tournament, always making the extra move and not using his teamates, for me he was the most frusterating player on the team to watch.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He shouldnt be number 1 but he is pretty good, I was way more impressed with Denisenko at the WJC. Personally feels like Nichushkin and Kucherov at the WJC in 2013 all the hype was going to Nichushkin but when I watched the games Kucherov was way more noticable.

Not saying Denisenko is going to be Kucherov or Kravstov is going to end up being Nichushkin just in the way it was hyped while watching it and the player with the lesser hype personally looked better to me.

Kravtsov was playing injured and out of position.

Take a look at their KHL production.

 

[SteelerNation]

Not any time I've had a discussion with him.

You might be right but i dont follow Pronman at all or care much about him or his rankings

So you bash him, but don’t “care much about his rankings”? Do you even subscribe to the Atheltic or read his work? Is this a personal vendetta? Did he take your lunch money in elementary school? So many questions..
If you say he does not admit his mistakes but don’t read his stuff um....

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Garbage list.

 

[bert]

Kravtsov was playing injured and out of position.

Take a look at their KHL production.

Ill stick with my eye test rather than 18 year old production in a league that doesnt really give 18 year olds opportunities thanks.

Doesnt mean I dont like Kravstov just liked Denisenko more.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Ill stick with my eye test rather than 18 year old production in a league that doesnt really give 18 year olds opportunities thanks.

Doesnt mean I dont like Kravstov just liked Denisenko more.

Think what you want, but you are judging off of a very small sample size, and ignoring most of the information about these two players. You can also say you don't have enough information to give a proper opinion rather than judging in a way that does not arrive at a semi-reasoned rational.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Ill stick with my eye test rather than 18 year old production in a league that doesnt really give 18 year olds opportunities thanks.

Doesnt mean I dont like Kravstov just liked Denisenko more.

Maybe Denisenko doesn't get those opportunities because he isn't that good (yet). The KHL gives opportunities to players who are good enough, like Kravtsov. Or Kuznetsov, Panarin, Tarasenko, Kaprizov in their D+1 season

 

[bert]

Think what you want, but you are judging off of a very small sample size, and ignoring most of the information about these two players. You can also say you don't have enough information to give a proper opinion rather than judging in a way that does not arrive at a semi-reasoned rational.

My rational is I trust my ability at watching hockey players play and coming to conclusions based on the performance I have in front of me. This is based on the last 35 years of my life watching, playing, coaching, and being coached as my basis. Being more often then not consistently accurate, I used the Kucherov vs Nichuskin example for you if you are looking for something tangible.

Using advanced stats metrics instead of watching and understanding the players play is for people that have never played the game or been involved in it but want to make an argument. Telling me I’m wrong because I don’t like the prospect on your favorite team as much as another that I like a fair amount after one just outplayed the other is a hockey calendar year younger is fairly righteous. Watching players play against the best on best of their age groups for 6 games after watching them also play at the U 18's the previous two years is a very good sample size thanks.

 

[bert]

Maybe Denisenko doesn't get those opportunities because he isn't that good (yet). The KHL gives opportunities to players who are good enough, like Kravtsov. Or Kuznetsov, Panarin, Tarasenko, Kaprizov in their D+1 season

Well Kravstov is 19 and Denisenko is 18, siniority gets rewarded tremendously in the KHL. One is a rookie the other is not. They are also on different teams in different situations with different management and coaching. I am not sure why the NYR fan base is coming at me here, I never said i didnt like your prospect I just liked the other one more.

 

[vanarchy]

Why does no one think Tippett is good? Guy looks like a total stud to me. All-world shot, strong, great hands. His defensive game has improved by leaps and bounds. What's not to like?

I was saying jeez because I thought he was way too low. Just to clarify.

 

[93LEAFS]

Why does no one think Tippett is good? Guy looks like a total stud to me. All-world shot, strong, great hands. His defensive game has improved by leaps and bounds. What's not to like?

To north/south, and not a fan of how he utilizes his linemates at 5v5, which makes me question how compatible he is with top talent at the NHL level. He also seems to lose interest for stretches at a time. I'm not sure he'll click with most top centers due to playing style, and I'm not sure he's quite good enough to drive a line at the NHL level. Evander Kane has this issue but plays with a lot more compete. Now, there are wingers like this who are elite like Taylor Hall who tend to play like this, but that's a very hard task to live up to.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Well Kravstov is 19 and Denisenko is 18, siniority gets rewarded tremendously in the KHL. One is a rookie the other is not. They are also on different teams in different situations with different management and coaching. I am not sure why the NYR fan base is coming at me here, I never said i didnt like your prospect I just liked the other one more.

Kravtsov turned 19 just 3 weeks ago. Let's not pretend he's a full year older than Denisenko.

If you're going tk compare them based on age, Kravtsov produced in the KHL play offs after his 18th birthday. It's difficult to compare the two if you want to look at exact age.

Denisenko was pretty good st the world Juniors tournament but that's about it. Button doesn't really watch them in the KHL. Neither should be in the top 3.

 

[bert]

Kravtsov turned 19 just 3 weeks ago. Let's not pretend he's a full year older than Denisenko.

If you're going tk compare them based on age, Kravtsov produced in the KHL play offs after his 18th birthday. It's difficult to compare the two if you want to look at exact age.

Denisenko was pretty good st the world Juniors tournament but that's about it. Button doesn't really watch them in the KHL. Neither should be in the top 3.

Its a full year of hockey development. This is an argument I always get on here, if you played the sport at a high level you understand that yes in actual days he isnt a full year but he gets a full year of extra development in terms of his age group same with his opportunity to play pro.

No thats not about it you are really going to have to come with a better explanation than that, Denisenko was great at the U 18's too. There was a reason he got drafted only SIX spots behind spots behind Kravstov.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Its a full year of hockey development. This is an argument I always get on here, if you played the sport at a high level you understand that yes in actual days he isnt a full year but he gets a full year of extra development in terms of his age group same with his opportunity to play pro.

No thats not about it you are really going to have to come with a better explanation than that, Denisenko was great at the U 18's too. There was a reason he got drafted only SIX spots behind spots behind Kravstov.

There it is. The "do you even play hockey" argument.

I'm done

 

[Killerjas]

No Veleno??????

 

[bert]

There it is. The "do you even play hockey" argument.

I'm done

Are you familiar that when playing at the highest level you have to play with your birth year? Thats all I was saying.

 

[jvr32]

Maybe Denisenko doesn't get those opportunities because he isn't that good (yet). The KHL gives opportunities to players who are good enough, like Kravtsov. Or Kuznetsov, Panarin, Tarasenko, Kaprizov in their D+1 season

KHL doesn't "give" anything. Denisenko is the only player that has played for a real team of those in their D+1 season.

 

[JohnLennon]

I’m not even pointing at his stats, if I were to make a top 50 list he wouldn’t be on it
I don’t really like him as a prospect and I don’t think he can translate to the next level well

Honestly having Desnisenko not even make a top 50 prospect list is a much hotter take than having him as the #2 prospect lmao

 

[DJB]

So you bash him, but don’t “care much about his rankings”? Do you even subscribe to the Atheltic or read his work? Is this a personal vendetta? Did he take your lunch money in elementary school? So many questions..
If you say he does not admit his mistakes but don’t read his stuff um....

I was writing about his past work which i had read.

 

[Lays]

Honestly having Desnisenko not even make a top 50 prospect list is a much hotter take than having him as the #2 prospect lmao

Its really not, before the WJC a lot of people would agree with me. Denisenko wasn’t good at the WJC and I will continue to stand by that, he was the worst on his line

 

[JohnLennon]

Its really not, before the WJC a lot of people would agree with me. Denisenko wasn’t good at the WJC and I will continue to stand by that, he was the worst on his line

I don't watch enough of these guys to form a valid opinion, but just based off everything else I've seen and read about him, this is certainly a hot take. I did see him at the WJHC and disagree that he didn't have a good tournament, but that's all I saw of him and can't form an objective opinion outside of that small sample size. That said, timing is an important factor here and you making this comment right after the WJHC is a spicy hot take lol. Looking forward to seeing how things turn out!

 

[Bourdon]

Denisenko was always going to take longer to develop, being a flashy, small but skilled forward. You look at a similar player like Panarin, he wasn't a standout player at the KHL level until well into his 20s, and took until 23 before he became a superstar in the KHL. So to compare Kravtsov and Denisenko at this time in their respective developments isn't fair.

It will be fun to see how both players will continue to develop and progress as players, but it'll take take 7-8 years before the whole Kravtsov vs Denisenko thing is settled. One guy might be a Malkin-lite, the other Panarin. But what I don't get is why Ranger fans are intent on putting one guy down to build up the other. Ridiculous.

 

[Meeqs]

No Veleno??????

There were a lot of recent players from this last draft having strong years not mentioned, an example being Veleno or Kaut. Guys who have had an extra year or 2 to develop should naturally be higher on this list and not as a knack against them.

 

[TeddyBare]

I can't think of too many prospects listed here that aren't having good years from this Top 50

The first guy that jumps out at me that shouldn't be in the top 50 is Pierre Joseph

 

[SteelerNation]

I was writing about his past work which i had read.

Well in the year that I’ve been subscribed to the Atheltic he has admitted multiple times his mistakes. Hes talked about underrating EP as recent as last year. That’s what I like about the Athletic, not just in hockey coverage. Seems like the writers don’t have a problem talking about past mistakes which is very helpful when reading about fantasy sports coverage