I'm a big Gelinas fan and I want to see him in the NHL this season, but Merrill is still easily ahead of him in my book.
Prospect Info: Devils Prospect Poll 2013- #1
- Thread starter RogueStatus
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Captain Lou
Registered User
- Apr 2, 2004
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He is further along than Merrill. I would basically put Merrill right now where Gelinas was at this point in his development a year ago.
Oh, and these polls are much more fun when we have prospects to actually rank
Marshal Rochambeau
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NJD Kula
THE SPITFIRES LINE
add mys balls i mean myles bell
I'm not sure Boucher shouldn't be #2, he's rocketing up the charts because of the Devils lack of young forwards. There may be 4-5 defensemen that are better prospects than Reid but obviously due to #s you're going to see Reid make an impact in the NHL before them based on need of scoring forward. Heck, Matteau is probably a higher ranked prospect but because scoring, and the potential for it, is valued so highly we could see Reid > Step.
I'm not sure Boucher shouldn't be #2, he's rocketing up the charts because of the Devils lack of young forwards. There may be 4-5 defensemen that are better prospects than Reid but obviously due to #s you're going to see Reid make an impact in the NHL before them based on need of scoring forward. Heck, Matteau is probably a higher ranked prospect but because scoring, and the potential for it, is valued so highly we could see Reid > Step.
BrodeursCups
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Legitimately shocked Severson has so few votes. Not only is he better than Merrill right now, but he has higher upside. He's our #1 prospect at the moment and it's really not debatable.
Devils Trap
Registered User
I go with Merrill because I think he has similar top end potential to gelinas and severson but I think he's more likely to hit it.
Urbom is IMO the most ready and safest of the d-prospects, but probably has one of the lowest ceilings.
Boucher is attractive because of our lack of forwards, but I don't know that he is as safe a prospect as the d-men. Likewise matteau is probably one of the most likely prospects we have to have a long career, but he will most likely max out as a 2nd/3rd line tweener. That makes it hard to compare certain guys. I value an almost guaranteed average player over a more risky superstar, though in certain cases the ceiling is high enough above the safer picks to make the riskier guys (Merrill, Boucher, gelinas) above the safe picks (urbom, matteau, santini).
Urbom is IMO the most ready and safest of the d-prospects, but probably has one of the lowest ceilings.
Boucher is attractive because of our lack of forwards, but I don't know that he is as safe a prospect as the d-men. Likewise matteau is probably one of the most likely prospects we have to have a long career, but he will most likely max out as a 2nd/3rd line tweener. That makes it hard to compare certain guys. I value an almost guaranteed average player over a more risky superstar, though in certain cases the ceiling is high enough above the safer picks to make the riskier guys (Merrill, Boucher, gelinas) above the safe picks (urbom, matteau, santini).
AfroThunder396
[citation needed]
I don't really see what's so special about Gelinas. He's tall and he has a nice point shot....that's about it.
Same with Urbom. Don't see what the big deal is. He's a big guy and can skate pretty well. That's nice, I guess. He might be the safest to make it to the NHL and is the most "ready" at the moment, but I don't see him being a regular player for us long-term.
Merrill is the complete package. He's smarter, quicker, better positionally, smoother, a better skater, better passer, and better defensively. I don't care how little hockey he's played. He has a higher ceiling and I'd argue he's the superior player at the moment.
Same with Urbom. Don't see what the big deal is. He's a big guy and can skate pretty well. That's nice, I guess. He might be the safest to make it to the NHL and is the most "ready" at the moment, but I don't see him being a regular player for us long-term.
Merrill is the complete package. He's smarter, quicker, better positionally, smoother, a better skater, better passer, and better defensively. I don't care how little hockey he's played. He has a higher ceiling and I'd argue he's the superior player at the moment.
JimEIV
Registered User
- Feb 19, 2003
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Gelinas showed more poise in his first game than Urbom has in any of his games...One game is relatively meaningless I understand but I like what I saw from Gelinas...He at least showed he can take care of his own zone against high level players...that is what will get him an opportunity with the team.
BrodeursCups
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I feel the same way after seeing Gelinas in his first game as I did with Henrique in that last game of the season against Boston: he's ready to step in and make an impact.
Benedict Parisechuk
Army of Pandolfo's
BrodeursCups
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Volch may eat the rock out of popcorn this season. He's going to be up in the box a lot...
JerryGigantic
Old Skool
Agree with Jim here. Thought that Gelinas really impressed in his one game up (as did Henrique in his first NHL game) and immediately leapfrogged Urbom in my opinion. Curious to see where they both land on this list.
He is #3 for me. I have Gelinas ahead of him, but not by much. I like both of them, but I think Gelinas's proximity to the NHL level gives him the edge for right now.
Agree, one would think that our #1 prospect would have done something in the past couple years to earn that spot. What has Merrill done exactly?
Not that I see an obvious #1 to put ahead of Merrill, just surprised he is the "obvious choice" of so many.
Bingo
Merrill is already 21 or 22 years old, played a handfull of games to finish off the year in Albany and hasn't done anything spectacular for us to label him as a "can't miss prospect". Playing at the NCAA level and the AHL level is night and day when comparing... well, everything.
Merrill probably has a bright future ahead of him and has the "on ice skills" to be a NHL player but he needs to learn how to be a pro and that's probably why he isn't on top of my list over someone like Gélinas.
