Give your top 10 U18 players in the world

[Hiishawk]

Remember this name for the upcomming draft. He could be a first day selection. I really like him.

Yes- he's a real sleeper, probably the best prospect ever from his country. Great hands and offensive vision- not real polished in terms of an all-around game (perhaps due to limited competition) but could explode in the right setting.

I heard that he'll be playing in Sweden or Finland this year. Is that true? That level of competition should benefit him.

 

[W Jets fan]

Bertram was injured early(knee) and basically missed the whole tourney. If Bertram hadn't been injured, the trio(or the Killer B's) of Brule, Bertram and Bradford would've been damn right scary!

I think Cogliano had 12pts, second to Brule, who led the tourney both in goals and points. I don't know about Cogliano being named tourney MVP, but I'm sure he would've been a top candidate since Ontario took home gold.

Some were phantom points

 

[Birko19]

What sets Johnson apart from your average 16 year old defenceman is poise.

Better then Martin Skoula?

 

[Zoran Manojlovic]

I heard that he'll be playing in Sweden or Finland this year. Is that true? That level of competition should benefit him.

He´ll be playing with Södertälje SK in the Swedish Junior-A. I think that he´ll fit right in and be a force right away. By the way Södertälje has two other highly regarded prospects in Niklas Bergfors and Tom Wandell.

 

[Preds666]

He´ll be playing with Södertälje SK in the Swedish Junior-A. I think that he´ll fit right in and be a force right away. By the way Södertälje has two other highly regarded prospects in Niklas Bergfors and Tom Wandell.

Södertälje is doing a wonderful job right now with the juniors. Not only do they have most of the top 87's in the country but they also managed to get Tony Lagerström, arguably the best (although I personally like Oskar Johansson more) 88 in Sweden, from Huddinge. They have some quite talented defensemen also and I really hope they give Frölunda, MODO and Luleå (yup, I think those will be the strongest contenders) a run for the money in SuperElit.

 

[RE-HABS]

What about Daniel Ryder of the Petes in the OHL?

He did quite well on a poor team and had a better season than Bobby Ryan, he looks to be 1st round material.

2003/04 63gm 20g 32a 52pts 16pim

Pretty good for a rookie year in the O.

Any opinions or comments on Ryder?

 

[stockwizard*]

From all I have read, Phil Kessel should be way down on the list. Very much overrated.

He does not possess the ability to make his teamates better like the great Crosby does. He is a selfish player with the puck, he can't play in trafic, and he is very slight.

He will be at the U.S. evaluation camp this summer. I relish the opportunity for him to go head to head with Crosby at the world juniors. Crosby is 190 pounds and has a killer instinct on the ice. Take my word, Crosby will physically and mentally dominate Kessel.

He is only a month and a half younger than Crosby, so it is a fair comparison.

Kessel knows he would be shown up in the OHL so it looks like he will decline a spot with the Saginaw Spirit. A cowardly move to say the least. I suppose he is worried his 160 pound frame wouldn't hold up in Major Junior.

 

[Stiffler's Mom]

When was Cogliano named MVP of the World U17? Is this for real? As far as I know no such award was handed out.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

From all I have read, Phil Kessel should be way down on the list. Very much overrated.

He does not possess the ability to make his teamates better like the great Crosby does. He is a selfish player with the puck, he can't play in trafic, and he is very slight.

He will be at the U.S. evaluation camp this summer. I relish the opportunity for him to go head to head with Crosby at the world juniors. Crosby is 190 pounds and has a killer instinct on the ice. Take my word, Crosby will physically and mentally dominate Kessel.

He is only a month and a half younger than Crosby, so it is a fair comparison.

Kessel knows he would be shown up in the OHL so it looks like he will decline a spot with the Saginaw Spirit. A cowardly move to say the least. I suppose he is worried his 160 pound frame wouldn't hold up in Major Junior.

Would you mind sharing where you "read" all of this? Alot of what you write doesn't jive with legitimate scouting reports, and frankly, you have little credibility because of your homoerotic Crosby fascination.

 

[stockwizard*]

Would you mind sharing where you "read" all of this? Alot of what you write doesn't jive with legitimate scouting reports, and frankly, you have little credibility because of your homoerotic Crosby fascination.

No no, John Hynes, head of the NTDP said Kessel isn't good at making his teammates better. He should know.

Rabid Ranger, I respect that you want to rally behind American prospects, there is nothing wrong with being patriotic, but you should also face the reality with Kessel.
He is very one dimentional.
Crosby has no weaknesses, and he outweighs Kessel by around 30 pounds!
I am truly looking forward to seeing them go head to head.

 

[stockwizard*]

Also Rabid Ranger, you know as well as I do you would be drooling over Crosby if he was from the States.

 

[Postman]

Also Rabid Ranger, you know as well as I do you would be drooling over Crosby if he was from the States.

If Sydney's nuts haven't dropped yet, I'd be surprised. With the way you've been swinging from them, they should be to the floor by now.

 

[stockwizard*]

If Sydney's nuts haven't dropped yet, I'd be surprised. With the way you've been swinging from them, they should be to the floor by now.

Please, try to conduct yourself with a little class.
I put you in the same group as Rabid Ranger. You are jealous Crosby is from Canada.

 

[Postman]

Please, try to conduct yourself with a little class.
I put you in the same group as Rabid Ranger. You are jealous Crosby is from Canada.

Don't try and act high and mighty. You've shown no more class with your constant bashing of 16 year old kids. At least I don't hide behind some false notion of class, while spitting utter trash out of the other side of my mouth.

As far as your projections of my supposed "jealousy" that Crosby is from Canada, you can throw that one on the pile with the rest of your ridiculous statements.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

No no, John Hynes, head of the NTDP said Kessel isn't good at making his teammates better. He should know.

Rabid Ranger, I respect that you want to rally behind American prospects, there is nothing wrong with being patriotic, but you should also face the reality with Kessel.
He is very one dimentional.
Crosby has no weaknesses, and he outweighs Kessel by around 30 pounds!
I am truly looking forward to seeing them go head to head.

Link? Listen, I'm not saying Kessel is in the same class as Crosby. He isn't, and I understand there are weaknesses to his game. That doesn't mean he isn't an outstanding prospect and doesn't have time to address those weaknesses. His draft year is two years off for crying out loud!

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Also Rabid Ranger, you know as well as I do you would be drooling over Crosby if he was from the States.

I don't drool over any prospect, regardless of where they're from, I'll leave that to fanboys like you. I appreciate his talent, and recognize he's one of the best prospects to come along in some time.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Please, try to conduct yourself with a little class.
I put you in the same group as Rabid Ranger. You are jealous Crosby is from Canada.

Why don't you follow you're own advice? You've spent the past year pissing on Ovechkin, and now it's Kessel's turn. What's next?

 

[stockwizard*]

Don't try and act high and mighty. You've shown no more class with your constant bashing of 16 year old kids. At least I don't hide behind some false notion of class, while spitting utter trash out of the other side of my mouth.

As far as your projections of my supposed "jealousy" that Crosby is from Canada, you can throw that one on the pile with the rest of your ridiculous statements.

Of Course. The only prospects you get excited about are from States. Like I said, there is nothing wrong with being Patriotic, but the only reason you don't rally behind Crosby is because he isn't from the States.

These players are a year away from being drafted therefore it is totally legitimate to criticize.

I would certainly not make comments about swinging from a young man's balls. How completely tasteless!

 

[stockwizard*]

I don't drool over any prospect, regardless of where they're from, I'll leave that to fanboys like you. I appreciate his talent, and recognize he's one of the best prospects to come along in some time.

I am glad you appreciate the great Crosby's talent. Please don't refer to me as a Fanboy. In the grand scheme of things Hockey is very irrelevant to me.

 

[montreal]

Guys stick to hockey to you join the recently banned club.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Of Course. The only prospects you get excited about are from States. Like I said, there is nothing wrong with being Patriotic, but the only reason you don't rally behind Crosby is because he isn't from the States.

These players are a year away from being drafted therefore it is totally legitimate to criticize.

I would certainly not make comments about swinging from a young man's balls. How completely tasteless!

Not Kessel, he's two years away.

 

[stockwizard*]

Not Kessel, he's two years away.

Yeah, but he is only a little over a month younger than Crosby.

 

[Postman]

Of Course. The only prospects you get excited about are from States. Like I said, there is nothing wrong with being Patriotic, but the only reason you don't rally behind Crosby is because he isn't from the States.

I've been coming to these boards for four years, and the only prospect I've hyped from the States is Montoya. Infact, back when they were Isles property, I hyped both Torres and Brewer on these boards. Two of my favorite players, both of whom are Canadian. So it seems you're the only one here with patriotic colored glasses, hyping a prospect from your own country (Crosby) while bashing other prospects from different countries (Ovechkin, Kessel). So don't go projecting your own problems onto other posters.

While I am a fan of USA Hockey in general, you won't find any fanboy posts from me drooling over some 16 year old kid.

I would certainly not make comments about swinging from a young man's balls. How completely tasteless!

Wow, I'm not even touching that joke.

 

[Stiffler's Mom]

Top 87's in my opinion, not necessarily in order

Crosby
Brule
Cogliano
Kessel
Anikeenko
Paquet
Andricopolous
Latendresse
Little
Price
Levasseur
Johnson
Kindl
Heshmatpour
Mcneil
O'Marra
Parent

 

[HabLover]

Top 87's in my opinion, not necessarily in order

Crosby
Brule
Cogliano
Kessel
Anikeenko
Paquet
Andricopolous
Latendresse
Little
Price
Levasseur
Johnson
Kindl
Heshmatpour
Mcneil
O'Marra
Parent

Heshmatpour??....still a top prospect?? 0 goals and 6 assists in like 60 games last year and reports of mobility problems and a lack of physical play. Is he still 1st round material??.....and is he Canadian or American?? I mean he hasn't been invited to any camps, U17/U18 teams or anything in the last year or two?? I mean if he was a 1st rounder I'm sure the USA or Canada would be after his services.

Who is Andricopolous??