Final Prospect Ranking 15/16

[19 for president]

So now that all of the seasons are over with. What are your final prospect rankings. I consider Larkin and AA graduated. My ranking takes into account closeness to the NHL but also projected talent as well.

1. Mantha (Looked good in his callup/ finished with a great playoffs)
2. Svech (Had a solid final junior season, and looked solid in his AHL callup)
3. Bert (I may be overrating Bert, but I think he could be great pest/ underrated goal scorer at the NHL level. He's a playoff type guy)
4. Russo (Had a fantastic debut at the AHL level, Wings really need him to follow that up next year)
5. Oullett (A solid if unspectacular AHL season, needs to figure out that next step to the NHL)
6. Sajaarvi (I expect more from him next season after the mess in juniors [not his fault but it did hurt his development some], hopefully he can transition well to the AHL)
7. Hicketts (His sizes keeps me from thinking he makes the NHL, but he is consistently one of Canada's top dmen for his age group)
8. Homer (A meh regular season, followed by a better playoffs. Heard his skating has improved a bit, still has a ways to go if he wants to make the NHL)
9. Sadowy (Don't know much about him, but it sounds like he had a great year in junior. Should provide scoring depth at the AHL level)
10. Turgeon (Solid final junior year, where he finally picked up his scoring pace, hopefully his game translates a bit better than Nastys did)
11. Sproul (Finally put together a 2 way game at the AHL level, but it might be too little to late for Sproul. All tools, still not quite enough toolbox)
12. Nosek (Expected more from him at the AHL level, needs to rebound big time if he wants an NHL spot)
13. Coureau (Looks like a solid NHL backup in the making)
14. Frk (Great season in the AHL, but may be another case of too little too late. Could have similar problems to Pulu, but sounds like he is grittier. I could see the Wings keep him and deal Pulu)
15. Nasty (Needs to solidify an AHL spot next year, or he will get written off quickly.)

HM: Jensen (Too old to really be a prospect at this point, could still be a bottom pairing guy on another NHL team)

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[jaster]

1. Mantha
2. Svechnikov
3. Russo
4. Ouellet
5. Bertuzzi
6. Sadowy
7. Turgeon
8. Saarijarvi
9. Holmstrom
10. Sproul
11. Coreau
12. Hicketts
13. Nosek
14. Frk
15. Jensen

EDIT: Made a few adjustments.

 

[jaster]

So now that all of the seasons are over with. What are your final prospect rankings. I consider Larkin and AA graduated. My ranking takes into account closeness to the NHL but also projected talent as well.

Wow, I did not look at your list before I made mine, but upon further review, other than Hicketts, ours are very close. (Ok, maybe less so now that I made some changes)

I do like Hicketts. Man, I wish he were bigger. It's strictly his size that causes me to rank him so low. Small guys overcome that factor all the time, but he is really small, and he plays defense. I just don't see it happening.

 

[njx9]

It's hard to see Ouellet as a top 5 prospect in the system, at this point, as I don't think he's ever more than a #6/7 D in the NHL. Though maybe the fact that he is still higher than other guys is more of an indictment of our farm, right now.

 

[jaster]

It's hard to see Ouellet as a top 5 prospect in the system, at this point, as I don't think he's ever more than a #6/7 D in the NHL. Though maybe the fact that he is still higher than other guys is more of an indictment of our farm, right now.

I'd have no problem with Bertuzzi ranked ahead of him, maybe 1 or 2 others, but I just can't put him below 6 or 7 at this point. He's still so young and, like you touched on, the rest of the farm just isn't too exciting right now. Too many guys with multiple and significant question marks still.

 

[Frk It]

Our defensive depth in the pipeline is almost as bad as our defensive depth on the Wings.

 

[jaster]

Our defensive depth in the pipeline is almost as bad as our defensive depth on the Wings.

It's the same stock of players.... a bunch of guys with middle-pair ceilings, most of whom have at least one major flaw (skating, size, a brain).

 

[Frk It]

It's the same stock of players.... a bunch of guys with middle-pair ceilings, most of whom have at least one major flaw (skating, size, a brain).

Yeah, we need a blue chip blue liner badly.

Need to find the Larkin equivalent on defense.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

Our defensive depth in the pipeline is almost as bad as our defensive depth on the Wings.

the only way I see us rectifying that is by simply drafting more and more dmen starting this June

we need to add more picks then we already have and draft as many dmen as possible for the next few years and hopefully we unearth a few "surprisers"

 

[19 for president]

It's the same stock of players.... a bunch of guys with middle-pair ceilings, most of whom have at least one major flaw (skating, size, a brain).

I think one of Russo, Hicketts, or Saajarvi will make it as a top 4 but none are super close. Maybe Russo in a year but he basically needs to own the #1 spot in GR. Oulette gets a boost because of all our prospects I think he is the most NHL ready. I think he'll be better as he settles unto the NHL but he needs some time just like Marchy did.

 

[Kritty]

Would Bertuzzi be comparable to a Tomas Holmstrom type down the road?

 

[Retire91]

I really hope Russo pans out into a number 4. That would be such a steal signing if he does. Would be nice to clear our some dead weight and let some of these guys get more NHL ice time.

 

[SimplySolace]

Would Bertuzzi be comparable to a Tomas Holmstrom type down the road?

Not really, more like a Shaw.

 

[njx9]

I'd have no problem with Bertuzzi ranked ahead of him, maybe 1 or 2 others, but I just can't put him below 6 or 7 at this point. He's still so young and, like you touched on, the rest of the farm just isn't too exciting right now. Too many guys with multiple and significant question marks still.

For sure, and definitely didn't mean it as a critique, so much as idle musing.

I really want Hicketts or Saarijarvi to be higher, but they seem so limited, based on size if nothing else. Holmstrom seems to have regressed, Turgeon doesn't seem especially likely to ever be more than a 4th liner (IMO), Sproul probably ends up on waivers this year (and no doubt cracks someone else's lineup as a serviceable but unspectacular bottom pairing guy) and Coreau probably tops out as a decent backup for Mrazek, once we unload Jimmy. Frk seems like a press box guy this year. Not a lot to be excited about there. Hard to disagree with your or 19 for president's ratings.

 

[Frk It]

1. Mantha
2. Svechnikov
3. Russo
4. Bertuzzi
5. Saarijarvi
6. Sadowy
7. Ouellet
8. Homer
9. Turgeon
10. Sproul

Ouellet has fallen off for me as a prospect, but I hope he can turn it around.

Didn't really care to do more than a top 10, since our pool is kinda weak right now, IMO.

Guys I like outside of this list: Pearson, Ehn, Vahatalo

 

[jaster]

Didn't really care to do more than a top 10, since our pool is kinda weak right now, IMO.

Yeah, I almost stopped at 10 as well. I think there is a significant drop-off after the top-10 (I think we all have the same 10 guys on our list, in varying orders). Everyone after 10 is either a huge long-shot or has a really low ceiling.