Prospect Info: Final HFDevils Prospect Poll and Discussion

[Zippy316]

[table="head;width=3000]Rank|Player|POS|Draft Position|2015-16 Team(s)|Vote %|2015 Result|2013 Result
1|Pavel Zacha|C/RW|2015 #6|Sarnia Sting (OHL)| 48/50| Pavel Zacha|Jon Merrill
2|Mike McLeod|C|2016 #12|Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)| 46/78| Steve Santini|Reid Boucher
3|Steve Santini|D|2013 #42|Boston College Eagles (NCAA)|55/77| John Quenneville|Damon Severson
4|John Quenneville|C|2014 #30|Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)|55/79| Reid Boucher|Eric Gelinas
5|Mackenzie Blackwood|G|2015 # 41|Barrie Colts (OHL)|48/85| Stefan Matteau|Stefan Matteau|
6|Joseph Blandisi|C/LW|2012 #162/UFA|Albany Devils (AHL)/New Jersey Devils (NHL)|42/68|Mackenzie Blackwood|Santini/Urbom
7|Miles Wood|LW|2013 #100|Boston College Eagles (NCAA)|35/74|Blake Coleman|Santini/Urbom|
8|Josh Jacobs|D|2014 #41|Sarnia Sting (OHL)|26/86|Josh Jacobs|Scott Wedgewood
9|Blake Speers|C/RW|2015 #74|Sault St. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)|37/71|Blake Speers|Brandon Burlon
10|Nathan Bastian|C/RW|2016 #42|Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)|44/58|Joseph Blandisi|Reece Scarlett
11|Nick Lappin|RW|UFA|Brown Bears (NCAA)/Albany Devils (AHL)|14/63|Raman Hrabarenka|Blake Pietila
12|Mikhail Maltsev|C|2016 #102|Team Russia U18 (MHL)|14/64|Miles Wood|Myles Bell
13|Scott Wedgewood|G|2010 #84|Albany Devils (AHL)|14/64|Ryan Kujawinski|Ryan Kujawinski
14|Brandon Gignac|C|2016 #80|Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)|17/61|Seth Helgeson|Seth Helgeson
15|Joey Anderson|RW|2016 #74|USNTDP Juniors (USHL)|19/54|Kerfoot/Kalinin|Artur Gavrus
16|Colton White|D|2015 #97|Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)|23/48|Kerfoot/Kalinin|Keith Kinkaid
17|Vojtech Mozik|D|UFA|Albany Devils (AHL)|16/45|Vojtech Mozik|Graham Black
18|Yegor Rykov|D|2016 #132|SKA St. Petersburg (KHL/MHL/VHL)|13/53|Graham Black|Blake Coleman
19|Blake Coleman|C/LW|2010 #75|Albany Devils (AHL)|16/45|Blake Pietila|David Wohlberg
20|Blake Pietila|LW/C|2010 #135|Albany Devils (AHL)|19/39|Reece Scarlett|Maxime Clermont
[/table]

This will be the last and final prospect rankings. On top of the players listed above that don't win the poll, these are the remaining prospects eligible for the poll:

[table="head;width=150]Prospect
Ben Thomson
Jeremy Davies
Brandon Baddock
J.D. Dudek
Artur Gavrus
Ben Johnson
Brett Seney
[/table]

Instead of creating an additional thread, this thread can serve as a discussion about the poll and how your top 20 ranked versus the consensus above. It's already shown on the table but I will also post the biggest risers/fallers as well.

Click to read more...

 

[Zippy316]

We did not do a poll for 2014, but I posted the 2013 one instead for reference.

Some pretty amusing rankings there.

 

[OmNomNom]

i really think colton white should've been ranked at least 12th

 

[SeidoN]

should be Bratt, but I misclicked Appleby when I was scrolling D:

 

[NJDevils17]

I think the players selected are certainly worthy and there's nobody really that doesn't deserve to be on the list. However, my ranking of these players is a lot different.

1. Pavel Zacha - self-explanatory.

2. Mike McLeod - one of the fastest skaters on the planet. Was a consensus top 5 guy a year before the draft but fell because of "finishing". He's smart and uses his speed to make plays. His work ethic is through the roof and even though he had a poor showing at WJC. He is going to be an NHL player. It's just a question of where.

3. Steve Santini - very close to being NHL ready. Top 4 shutdown dman potential. The Brooks Orpik comp is a good one. I really love his game.

4. John Quenneville - Henrique clone with a fantastic shot. He disappointed in his Draft+1 year but his Draft+2 year was very impressive and he lead the WHL in goal-scoring during the playoffs. He is all around clutch.

5. Josh Jacobs - This is where the big difference comes in for me. I think there's two schools of thought with him. Either he doesn't produce offense and has a low ceiling or he still has that upside and is in a different role. I fall in group two. I think his hockey IQ and skating allow him to be an effective player at both ends. His defense is fantastic and he was asked to play a defensive role in Sarnia. He's a very underrated prospect.

6. Nathan Bastian - Surprised he fell so low on our list. I think you can attribute shiny new toy syndrome to him but I don't think that's fair. He was more than impressive in development camp and his shot, which was a question, proved to be fantastic. His issue is skating but that's one of the easiest things to improve. He's a huge guy who is hardworking with a really good shot and strong play-mkaing abilities. He'll end up as a center eventually and if his skating improves to average he will be a solid NHLer.

7. MacKenzie Blackwood - he has the potential to be our organization's best prospect. However, with the unpredictability of goalies it's very hard to rank him. I love his game and felt his biggest weakness, his glove, was a lot better this year. Even though his showing with Canada was underwhelming to say the least he was a BEAST in the OHL while consistently facing 35+ shots a night.

8. Joe Blandisi - I'm low on Blandisi. I'm just honestly not really a fan of his. I think he has too many flaws in his game to be an impact top 6 player. He's very fast and creative but he's got a lot to work on. A year in the AHL will do him well IMO. He scored all of his 17 pts in 12 games even though he was up for half a season.

9. Blake Speers - Too under the radar. He was REALLY good last year. His stats weren't all that impressive because his team lost a lot of good players. Led his team in points and while Senyshyn led in goals, Speers' playmaking was a very large reason for this.

10. Miles Wood - I'm admittedly lower on him than most around here. I see bottom 6 upside. Probably 3rd line bruiser. His shot isn't very and he will score crashing the net. He's Crhis Kreider-lite IMO. If he scores 30 points I'll be pretty happy with him.

11. Colton White - I absolutely love White. I posted a longer explanation of my thoughts on him in previous threads but bottom line is that while he is smaller he has an elite hockey sense along with fantastic skating. He is a wildcard and could very well end up the best defensive prospect of the bunch. His potential is unreal.

12. Mikhail Maltsev - Injuries and being in Rubstov's shadow caused him to fall. His offense is questionable but I think he'll develop it and if he does he'll be a solid player. He's a few years away though.

13. Brandon Gignac - He's smart and is the QMJHL's best skater. However he NEEDS to get stronger or he'll probably have no shot at the NHL. I like him if he can do that. Lots of potential with him.

14. Joey Anderson - I'm not a big believer in him. He didn't look great off the Bellows-Keller line but still when he played with them he seemed to make that whole line click. I don't think he's a very smart player but he does have a really good shot which would propel him to the NHL level. He just has a lot to work on.

15. Yegor Rykov - I'm a big fan. He's awesome. Even though he was an overager, I couldn't be more happy with this pick. I think he's 3-4 years away but he has definite top-6 upside and his advanced stats are overwhelmingly positive. Along with the impressive showing internationally, he looked great in the KHL.

16. Ken Appleby - I think he's a lot better than Wedgewood. His OHL stats were impressive even though he was on very good Oshawa teams. His ECHL stats were equally impressive. I really like his game and size. His athletic ability is a little concerning IMO.

17. Vojtech Mozik - I don't really think he's all that special. He could be a bottom-pair defender next season but I wasn't overly impressed with him at the NHL level and he was okay in the AHL even though he was on the top pairing. I don't see top 4 upside at all unfortunately.

18. Blake Coleman - I've always thought he could be a player. He didn't get to play that many games this year but when he played he looked really good. His window is closing and he'll be 25 this year so it's really now or never to make an impact.

19. Scott Wedgewood - I felt it would be unfair not to rank him even though his stats up until this season were awful. One year doesn't erase the past 4 years of development for me. His very small NHL sample size does nothing for me either. I think people are putting too much stock into that.

20. Ryan Kujawinski - He was actually pretty good this year. He has the tools to make it and is still young. I can see him in NJ eventually.

HM: Nick Lappin - Thought he was WAYY too high on our original list. His sample size is extremely small, he is already pretty old and his game isn't really all that good. He gets a lot of shots because that's all he can do. He isn't really that smart, not an amazing play-maker and I just can't see him in the NHL.


I found it tough to rank our new guys. I loved our draft and thought it was an extremely solid one. The guys we picked have more potential than a lot of guys in the organization already so that's my thought process with these rankings. Easy to attribute to the shiny new toy syndrome but I really felt our draft class was strong.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Not having a guy that's actually played NHL games in the top-20 is criminal, IMO.

Looking at guys like Scarlett, Coleman, White, Maltsev, Gignac, Anderson, Rykov, Kujawinski, Baddock, Appleby, Bratt....I'll be shocked if more than three of those guys ever dress for an NHL game.

 

[NJDevils17]

Not having a guy that's actually played NHL games in the top-20 is criminal, IMO.

Looking at guys like Scarlett, Coleman, White, Maltsev, Gignac, Anderson, Rykov, Kujawinski, Baddock, Appleby, Bratt....I'll be shocked if more than three of those guys ever dress for an NHL game.

That's a dangerous logic though. Mike Sislo, Joe Whitney, etc. all got NHL games. Assuming this is about Pietila, I don't really think he's anything special. 2 points in 7 games? Okay. 17 pts in 58 AHL games? Not great. He's just not all that impressive. Maybe he's 4th liner but more likely a 13/14 forward. Coleman is a better player. Same with Kujawinski.

I think you're selling some of these guys short. Coleman will dress for an NHL game at least this season. I'd bet on that. Appleby will eventually be in the NHL at some point with injuries. He's still only 21 and making huge strides. He'll get his shot as a back up maybe next year? Kuja will get a call-up I think as well. Fitzgerald mentioned him specifically for that role. That's three right there within the next two seasons.

The others are obviously further away from making an impact. I don't think Scarlett, Baddock or Bratt will ever be in the NHL in any fashion. So that leaves White, Maltsev, Gignac, Anderson and Rykov. I think there's enough talent there with guys to make impacts. White I really believe in. Same with Matlsev. Rykov is more of a wildcard and is still 4 years away but has a lot of potential.

My logic is I can't justify putting a guy who scores at .29 ppg in the AHL ahead of guys who while they may not make it, have a lot higher potential and in some cases, are more likely to reach it. I just look at that list and can't see myself putting Pietila in front of anyone. He's probably 21 in front of Lappin.

 

[Zippy316]

I found it tough to rank our new guys. I loved our draft and thought it was an extremely solid one. The guys we picked have more potential than a lot of guys in the organization already so that's my thought process with these rankings. Easy to attribute to the shiny new toy syndrome but I really felt our draft class was strong.

Just a couple thoughts:

I share your concern on Wood, but I've felt he's going to end up as a more reckless Jason Chimera. He will be big, strong, quick, and tough to play against. He should be good enough to play complimentary role on a scoring line as well, but could also be a great third line player.

Nick Lappin is very interesting. It's easy to make the Clarkson comparisons but it's true. He's not flashy and he's lanky for a guy his role. For whatever reason though, he always seems to find the puck and make things happen in the offensive zone. He's got a knack for scoring and creating chances and you can't teach that. I think he could also be a valuable guy that can shift between third and fourth lines.

The guys like Kujawinski, Coleman, and Pietila all have the potential to be solid bottom-six players as well. Pietila probably has the lowest ceiling of those three though.

 

[Classic Devil]

This is a nice mix of prospects we've got here that aren't going to make the top-20 at all.

 

[Czech Trio]

I would rank 20-33 as:
20. Pietila - nice bottom 6 toolkit, good chance of becoming a solid 4th line NHL center
21. Kujawinski - nice toolkit, needs to put it together though, not consistent
22. Scarlett - nice frame, highest returning AHL scorer (!), going to be hard to seperate from pack
23. Bratt - Tedenby-esque except no 1st round pressure, project prospect but has raw skill
24. Appleby - good first yr pro in ECHL, good opportunity in Albany
25. Thomson - dont know much about, has speed, bottom 6 type
26. Baddock - barely squeaked out a ELC, grinder type, don't expect much
27. Dudek - small & skilled, project, not a great year at BC
28. Kerfoot - small & skilled, reliance on Vesey?, average shot, project
29. Seney - insane speed, small, project
30. Davies - good PMD in USHL, ways off + a project
31. Cormier - OK numbers but has another chance in the OHL next year
32. Johnson - don't know anything beyond his arrest


That takes into account ability plus where they are in playing career. In general, Dudek/Bratt/Kerfoot/Seney are all typical boom/bust guys. Kuja/Pietila have NHL appeal with toolkits, Appleby could be a serviceable pro goalie. Beyond that not much.

 

[AfroThunder396]

That's a dangerous logic though. Mike Sislo, Joe Whitney, etc. all got NHL games. Assuming this is about Pietila, I don't really think he's anything special. 2 points in 7 games? Okay. 17 pts in 58 AHL games? Not great. He's just not all that impressive. Maybe he's 4th liner but more likely a 13/14 forward. Coleman is a better player. Same with Kujawinski.

I think you're selling some of these guys short. Coleman will dress for an NHL game at least this season. I'd bet on that. Appleby will eventually be in the NHL at some point with injuries. He's still only 21 and making huge strides. He'll get his shot as a back up maybe next year? Kuja will get a call-up I think as well. Fitzgerald mentioned him specifically for that role. That's three right there within the next two seasons.

The others are obviously further away from making an impact. I don't think Scarlett, Baddock or Bratt will ever be in the NHL in any fashion. So that leaves White, Maltsev, Gignac, Anderson and Rykov. I think there's enough talent there with guys to make impacts. White I really believe in. Same with Matlsev. Rykov is more of a wildcard and is still 4 years away but has a lot of potential.

My logic is I can't justify putting a guy who scores at .29 ppg in the AHL ahead of guys who while they may not make it, have a lot higher potential and in some cases, are more likely to reach it. I just look at that list and can't see myself putting Pietila in front of anyone. He's probably 21 in front of Lappin.

We do this every year - I'm sure our list in 12 months will look radically different.

As things stand right now in July 2016, there is absolutely no way Gignac, Rykov, Maltsev, and Bratt have any business above someone already in the pros. These are all raw project picks and we have zero way to project any of them.

NHL availability is a big part of it. Remember Teemu Laine? There's a very real possibility guys like Rykov and Maltsev never come over, for a variety of reasons. Honestly, if Miles Wood was still in NCAA I'd put him at least 2-3 spots lower than he is right now.

In a year there will be 2016 redrafts and there's a very real possibility that when that day comes we have 4-6 prospects in the top 50. But right now, today, there's nothing to substantiate that.

 

[Bleedred]

Urbom and Tedenby should at least make honorable mention.

We still own their rights and they're only 25 and 26 years old respectively. By all means they are still prospects and Teds had an awesome year in the SEL.

And maybe Zharkov too, not sure if we have his rights anymore though.

 

[Triumph]

We do this every year - I'm sure our list in 12 months will look radically different.

As things stand right now in July 2016, there is absolutely no way Gignac, Rykov, Maltsev, and Bratt have any business above someone already in the pros. These are all raw project picks and we have zero way to project any of them.

NHL availability is a big part of it. Remember Teemu Laine? There's a very real possibility guys like Rykov and Maltsev never come over, for a variety of reasons. Honestly, if Miles Wood was still in NCAA I'd put him at least 2-3 spots lower than he is right now.

In a year there will be 2016 redrafts and there's a very real possibility that when that day comes we have 4-6 prospects in the top 50. But right now, today, there's nothing to substantiate that.

I don't agree with this. First off, three of those guys are already 'in the pros' - it's just in different countries. Second, even if those guys never come over, they still have higher upside than a guy like Pietila - you can count on one hand the players who became average NHLers or better with a pro career like he's got so far. I just don't care about developing 4th line players and 7th defensemen - it's nice when you can do it, but these players just don't change very much for a team, and they're often easily available for free.

 

[devilsblood]

Went Kujo.

He seems to be a fairly dependable C, who also has some pretty impressive video clips.

Hope he gets an expanded role and thrives in it this upcoming season.

 

[Zippy316]

I don't agree with this. First off, three of those guys are already 'in the pros' - it's just in different countries. Second, even if those guys never come over, they still have higher upside than a guy like Pietila - you can count on one hand the players who became average NHLers or better with a pro career like he's got so far. I just don't care about developing 4th line players and 7th defensemen - it's nice when you can do it, but these players just don't change very much for a team, and they're often easily available for free.

I think you need to find that proper balance between the two and that balance obviously differs from person to person.

 

[devilsblood]

Not having a guy that's actually played NHL games in the top-20 is criminal, IMO.

Looking at guys like Scarlett, Coleman, White, Maltsev, Gignac, Anderson, Rykov, Kujawinski, Baddock, Appleby, Bratt....I'll be shocked if more than three of those guys ever dress for an NHL game.

Helg?

 

[Zippy316]

Helg?

Too old for the poll.

 

[Zippy316]

And Blake Pietila rounds out the top twenty.

 

[Bleedred]

Too old for the poll.

Add too much suck to the poll also.

If Boucher is no longer eligible for these polls though, I don't think Helgeson is either. He's too old and he's played enough games that we know he isn't any good. Now maybe 66% of the players in these polls are also no better than him at the NHL level, but we don't know that just yet. We do know that he isn't any good though.

Boucher has played enough NHL games already, that I wouldn't really put him as eligible for these polls either.

 

[Marshal Rochambeau]

Amazing depth. Potential top 4 D in the bottom 5. Amazing

 

[Group Chat Legend*]

Any mention about Garrett Cockerill? He was at prospect camp - took a huge hit but also had some nice plays and scored a good goal.

Plays defense

 

[devilsblood]

Any mention about Garrett Cockerill? He was at prospect camp - took a huge hit but also had some nice plays and scored a good goal.

Plays defense

Not actually NJ property though right?

 

[Group Chat Legend*]

Not actually NJ property though right?

Oh perhaps. Haha

 

[Rhodes 81]

It's nice that for the first time since I've been a Devils fan not every guy with a slim hope of making the NHL is in the top 15.

 

[JimEIV]

It's nice that for the first time since I've been a Devils fan not every guy with a slim hope of making the NHL is in the top 15.

It's a joke really.

The poll just took this entire draft plus Lappin (who has almost no history or pedigree) and put them in the top 20...pretty all around ridiculous if you ask me.

2 Mike McLeod
10 Nathan Bastian
11 Nick Lappin
12 Mikhail Maltsev
14 Brandon Gignac
15 Joey Anderson
18 Yegor Rykov