CSB 1st rankings- Predictions for WHL

[Hiishawk]

Every year around this time CSB puts out its first ranking (25 skaters and 3 Goalies, league-by-league) of Entry Draft prospects. Here’s how I’d be ranking the WHL players based on my own viewings, chat from scouts, comments made by reliable posters here and journalists elsewhere. Feel free to comment if someone is missing or you think I’m waaaay off on a player. QMJHL to come later. OHL has already been posted.

1. Cam Barker- DF- Medicine Hat
2. Andrew Ladd- LW- Calgary
3. Brandon Dubinsky- C- Portland
4. Mike Green- DF- Sakatoon
5. Michael Funk- DF- Portland
6. Joe Barnes- C- Sakatoon
7. Mark Fistric- DF- Vancouver
8. Jesse Schultz- DF- Calgary
9. Kyle Chipchura- C- Prince Albert
10. Brett Carson- DF- Calgary
11. John Lammers- LW- Lethbridge
12. Eric Hunter- LW- Prince George
13. Aki Seitsonen- C- Prince Albert
14. Mike Card- DF- Kelowna
15. Moses Guttierez- RW- Kamloops
16. Ned Lukavic- LW- Spokane
17. Mike Busto- DF- Moose Jaw
18. Curtis Cooper- DF= Prince George
19. Blake Comeau- RW- Kelowna
20. Kris Versteeg- RW- Lethbridge
21. Mikko Kuukka- DF- Red Deer
22. Andy Schenn- DF- Spokane
23. Evan Haw- DF- Saskatoon
24. Stanislav Bolshakov- LW- Prince George
25. Dustin Boyd- Moose Jaw-
Others:
Kris Hogg- LW- Kamloops
Dane Byers- LW- Prince Albert
Jared Walker- C- Red Deer
David Schulz- DF- Swift Current

Good older prospects-
Clayton Stoner- DF- Tri Cities
Adam Cracknell- RW- Kootenay
Troy Brouwer- RW- Moose Jaw

Goalies-
1. Devan Dubnyk- Kamloops
2. Kyle Moir- Swift Current
3. Dustin Slade- Kamloops

Click to read more...

 

[goteam]

Woah, woah, woah----You have the guys for Calgary and Portland too high. Ladd, Dubinsky, Funk, Schultz (Jeff i assume), and Carson are all too high.

I'd move Chipchura, Comeau, Kuukka, and Boyd up for sure.

My top ten at least would be something like this:
1. Barker
2. Chipchura
3. Fistric
4. Green
5. Lammers
6. Barnes
7. Hunter
8. Card
9. Comeau
10. Boyd

 

[Evilo]

I don't believe Chipchura isn't top 3.

 

[goteam]

Oops I had meant to keep Ladd on my list.

I'd put him right after Barnes. Still I wouldn't get too high on him----he's leaning on Getzlaf a little too much.

 

[West]

1. Cam Barker- DF- Medicine Hat
2. Andrew Ladd- LW- Calgary
3. Brandon Dubinsky- C- Portland
4. Mike Green- DF- Sakatoon
5. Michael Funk- DF- Portland
6. Joe Barnes- C- Sakatoon
7. Mark Fistric- DF- Vancouver
8. Jesse Schultz- DF- Calgary
9. Kyle Chipchura- C- Prince Albert
10. Brett Carson- DF- Calgary

For the most part I like it.

I Agree with everyone else that Chipchura should be in the top 3. I can see taking Ladd or Barker over him but not anyone else.

As for Dubnsky(sp) and Slade I'm starting to have my doubts that either of them will end up as first rounders. I'm putting my money on Justin Peters - St. Mikes as the first CHL goalie to be picked this year(I know this is only WHL but I figured that I'd throw it into the pot since your probably going to do the OHL soon).

p.s. I'm not very high on Mark Fistric at all I don't see him anywhere near the top 5 as one list has him unless he has shows incredible improvement for the rest of the season.

 

[shazata69]

Woah, woah, woah----You have the guys for Calgary and Portland too high. Ladd, Dubinsky, Funk, Schultz (Jeff i assume), and Carson are all too high.

I'd move Chipchura, Comeau, Kuukka, and Boyd up for sure.

My top ten at least would be something like this:
1. Barker
2. Chipchura
3. Fistric
4. Green
5. Lammers
6. Barnes
7. Hunter
8. Card
9. Comeau
10. Boyd

How is Dubnyk not on yer list? The guy is slated to go in the top 10. Guys like Comeau and Boyd won't go till the 2nd or 3rd.

 

[Sticky*]

How is Dubnyk not on yer list? The guy is slated to go in the top 10. Guys like Comeau and Boyd won't go till the 2nd or 3rd.

If you would keep looking down the list before jumping out of your seat to hit the "reply" button, you would see that he had a seperate rankings for the goalies, where Dubnyk is #1.

Honestly shazata69, in the past 3-4 days i've come across some of your posts and in everyone you come off like an idiot.

 

[Avery4Byng*]

I agree Comeau should be higher..... Card has been unimpressive this year and his stock continues to fall.

 

[Jakethesnake]

i think fistric should be higher. everytime ive seen him, he's been awesome. Gutierzz should be lower as well. no offensive upside.

 

[Hiishawk]

For the most part I like it.

I Agree with everyone else that Chipchura should be in the top 3. I can see taking Ladd or Barker over him but not anyone else.

As for Dubnsky(sp) and Slade I'm starting to have my doubts that either of them will end up as first rounders. I'm putting my money on Justin Peters - St. Mikes as the first CHL goalie to be picked this year(I know this is only WHL but I figured that I'd throw it into the pot since your probably going to do the OHL soon).

p.s. I'm not very high on Mark Fistric at all I don't see him anywhere near the top 5 as one list has him unless he has shows incredible improvement for the rest of the season.

Dubinsky is a FW, not a goalie. He is the leading scorer in his age group (86 b-days) in Canada and easily the top FW on Portland. I'm surprised no one has been talking about him. Fistric gets rated all over the board. He hasn't improved that much over last year but he is still the #1 draft-eligible defensive DFman in the dub (IMHO).

 

[Hiishawk]

To "West"-
Dustin Slade is listed third among goalies because I can't think of any 1st time draft-eligible goalie in the WHL to fill that slot- can you? By the way, there is noooo way that means I think he's a first-round draft choice, as you implied.

Also, the OHL list was posted first. The heading though says "CHL".

 

[Dr_Chimera*]

Fistric, despite his great size, is rather plain and not incredibly intelligent. I wouldn't have him too high - Steblik has him about right.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

I have a question for WHL fans, or those who follow the WHL.

How does Barker compare to Bouwmeester at the same age?

 

[shazata69]

If you would keep looking down the list before jumping out of your seat to hit the "reply" button, you would see that he had a seperate rankings for the goalies, where Dubnyk is #1.

Honestly shazata69, in the past 3-4 days i've come across some of your posts and in everyone you come off like an idiot.

Well you must be pretty stupid to cause I wasnt responding to yer post.



Duhh "Stupid is as stupid does duh huh"

 

[Avery4Byng*]

shazata69 is crock, whom is duane/kbf/blazie... a real arrogant and disrespectful kamloops fan. just ignore him.

 

[goteam]

can't think of a 1st time draft-eligible goalie in the WHL to fill that slot- can you?

I will:
Bryan Bridges
Taylor Dakers
Jeff Glass
Justin Pogge
Jim Watt

..........just to name a few.

 

[shazata69]

shazata69 is crock, whom is duane/kbf/blazie... a real arrogant and disrespectful kamloops fan. just ignore him.

Bzzzz wrong, i dont know what yer fascination with him is but its wierd.



Secondly why the name calling punk? I simply asked how Dubnyk who is slated to go in the top 10 not be on yer list?

 

[Hitman*]

Ladd is WAAAAAAAAAY too high. He's having a good season but his stats are being padded by playing with Getz and Segal. No way in hell he's number 2. Closer 15-20.

Carson is an enigma. I see flashes of brilliance one night, and a pylon the next. If he gets his act together, I'd put him top 5. Right now, he's behind Card (who should be top10).

Shultz is also too high. 20ish is a more accurate representation of his talent.

 

[Hiishawk]

A lot of people say I have Chipchura too low. Everytime I've seen him he's been mediocre- yet, to be fair- many in-the-know people give him high praise.
So, what are his strong points? I don't see a particular NHL-star calibre skill there which, to me, limits his upside.

 

[West]

Dubinsky is a FW, not a goalie. He is the leading scorer in his age group (86 b-days) in Canada and easily the top FW on Portland. I'm surprised no one has been talking about him. Fistric gets rated all over the board. He hasn't improved that much over last year but he is still the #1 draft-eligible defensive DFman in the dub (IMHO).

I meant Devan Dubnyk got my wires crossed after reading the list.

 

[West]

Originally Posted by steblick
Dubinsky is a FW, not a goalie. He is the leading scorer in his age group (86 b-days) in Canada and easily the top FW on Portland. I'm surprised no one has been talking about him. Fistric gets rated all over the board. He hasn't improved that much over last year but he is still the #1 draft-eligible defensive DFman in the dub (IMHO).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I meant Devan Dubnyk got my wires crossed after reading the list. Which would make what I was trying to say very hard to understand.

What I was trying to say was that Devan Dubnyk is getting a little over rated IMO and won't be the first goalie taken. I agree that Slade is a solid pick for 3rd best WHL goalie.

Dubinsky has size concerns for me if I was drafting. I don't mind drafting smaller players but I like to see more offensive upside before I'd take him in the first round.

As for Fistric I can believe that people have him rated all over the board, I'm just one of the people who is not impressed.

As for Chip?????(sp) he's big and played a very solid defensive game last year. His scoring touch has improved (at the cost of his defensive game I think) and he has decent mobility for a big guy. I think he has the potential to be a solid third liner or second if everything goes right.

I think that this draft is going to be alot like 99 with players who have trouble taking the step to the next level and a solid third liner will be a nice pick up in this draft.

 

[goteam]

I have been wondering what some people's opinions are on these players and why they haven't quite (yet) lived up to their 1st Round Bantam selections (or have they?):

Aaron Boogard (currently sitting out)
Brett Festerling (TC)
Steven Gillen (Spo)
Max Gordichuk (Kam)
Jeremy Schenderling (Koo)
Cole Simpson (Sea)
Tyler Spurgeon (Kel)
Logan Stephenson (TC)
Jeff Topilko (Brn)

 

[Jared Ramsden]

Ladd is WAAAAAAAAAY too high. He's having a good season but his stats are being padded by playing with Getz and Segal. No way in hell he's number 2. Closer 15-20.

He may be a little high, but I'd say he deserves to have some consideration in the 10-12 range. Sure his numbers may be a little inflatted by playing with Getzlaf and Segal, but he is doing more than just scoring. He's creating plays, throwing his weight around, playing an in-your-face style and even having the odd fight now and then. He probably wouldn't have as high numbers playing w/out those two, but that shouldn't prevent him from becoming a top notch prospect.

As for Schultz and Carson, I would have Schultz ahead of Carson right now. For a man of his stature, Schultz plays within his limitations, skates fairly well for a big man, and shows some pretty good offensive upside too. Carson reminds me of Robyn Regehr of a few years ago. He seems to play too timid at times, and needs to get more involved and play more agressive. He does have offensive upside, but he needs to turn his game up another notch.