Prospect Info: HFAvs Prospect Ranking Poll #8

[McMetal]

Shane Bowers drops one spot to land at #7 on the rankings.

Added Sampo Ranta to the polls. For the next five rounds, we are going to be adding two players per round, to reflect the diversity of opinions as we get deeper. So go ahead and vote for your two choices to be added, both votes will be counted.

So far:

1) Bowen Byram
2) Alex Newhook
3) Martin Kaut
4) Conor Timmins
5) Justin Barron
6) Justus Annunen
7) Shane Bowers

Click to read more...

 

[The Abusement Park]

Foudy pretty easily here as I almost picked him over Bowers.

 

[Richard88]

Foudy.

Add Beaucage and Zhuravlyov.

 

[McMetal]

Going with Foudy again, I think of all the players left he has the best upside and best chance to be a valuable NHL asset to finally break the 3+ round curse of the Avs scouting department.

I say add Zhuravlyov and Stienburg, they're both at the top of the next tier for me.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Foudy


Add Mutala and Beaucage

 

[The Abusement Park]

Add Zhurlayov and Beaucage

 

[henchman21]

Ambrosio needs added

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Foudy.
Add Ambrasio and Zhu.

 

[Psycho Mantis]

Jean-Luc for me.

add Stienburg and Aman please

 

[tigervixxxen]

For me Foudy, Ranta and Kovy are very close together in this tier and I can see any argument for either. I’m fine with Foudy clearly winning this round but I have to put my vote elsewhere to see how he progresses first.

Add Beaucage and Mutala

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

No love for Helleson?

 

[Psycho Mantis]

No love for Helleson?

It was close for me. I like him.

 

[The Abusement Park]

No love for Helleson?

While I think he has a chance of being a top 4 guy, I think it's pretty slim. I think I'd have him up somewhat soon though.

 

[tigervixxxen]

No love for Helleson?

When we get out of this tier I’d consider him. 6 points last year isn’t going to move him up a whole lot tho.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

While I think he has a chance of being a top 4 guy, I think it's pretty slim. I think I'd have him up somewhat soon though.

I think anyone at this point in the prospect system has less than 50% chance of making the league. I tend to stick to how high a player was drafted for a little bit after they were picked, which is why I hold with Helleson here.

Similar to Newhook and Byram. Newhook definitely had the better post-draft season, but Byram went higher, so I’ll stick with him unless Newhook goes crazy again next season in NCAA.

 

[McMetal]

When we get out of this tier I’d consider him. 6 points last year isn’t going to move him up a whole lot tho.

Hard to infer a lot from a freshman season. He was always going to be a long term project, I think we'll know better what we have in 2 years.

I like him too, but I would say he's at the bottom end of this tier for me. Foudy, Kovalenko, Werner, and Helleson probably round out this tier of prospects for me. I never liked Ranta much. Good tools, but sand for brains.

 

[The Abusement Park]

I think anyone at this point in the prospect system has less than 50% chance of making the league. I tend to stick to how high a player was drafted for a little bit after they were picked, which is why I hold with Helleson here.

Similar to Newhook and Byram. Newhook definitely had the better post-draft season, but Byram went higher, so I’ll stick with him unless Newhook goes crazy again next season in NCAA.

As TV said it’s the offense. He has some tools that will translate to the nhl quite well. But his lack of offense is really really an issue.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

As TV said it’s the offense. He has some tools that will translate to the nhl quite well. But his lack of offense is really really an issue.

Not for me.

Defenceman can carve out a NHL role with basically no offence in their game if they can be a steady defender with size. Especially when you consider all the transition and offensive dynamos the Avs have on their blue line.

They’re pretty close in my eyes, but I give a slight edge to Helleson.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Not for me.

Defenceman can carve out a NHL role with basically no offence in their game if they can be a steady defender with size. Especially when you consider all the transition and offensive dynamos the Avs have on their blue line.

They’re pretty close in my eyes, but I give a slight edge to Helleson.

And like McMetal said it’s only his freshman year so we it is early. But yeah like you said, his transition game and skating is good so that will really help him in his journey to the NHL.

 

[Balthazar]

Not for me.

Defenceman can carve out a NHL role with basically no offence in their game if they can be a steady defender with size.

That's true for some teams but if you look at the Avs...the only guy left is Cole. Perhaps EJ too but purely because of age.

Girard, Makar, Toews, Byram, Timmins and even Barron are all PMD.

AJ was talking about it earlier this week...it has never been done before in the NHL to have a team with this many PMD. Avs are trying something new.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

That's true for some teams but if you look at the Avs...the only guy left is Cole. Perhaps EJ too but purely because of age.

Girard, Makar, Toews, Byram, Timmins and even Barron are all PMD's.

AJ was talking about it earlier this week...it has never been done before in the NHL to have a team with this many PMD's. Avs are trying something new.

And Cole actually has underrated offence.

I agree as a whole, it’s pretty clear what the Avs are looking for in their players and that gears more towards Foudy, but not everyone is going to be not everyone on the team is going to have the same skills.

If Helleson develops into a guy who can defend and make a good first pass he’ll have a chance.

Gilbert doesn’t have any offence and the Avs felt good enough about him to include him in the Saad deal. It looks like he’ll figure into the depth on the blue line.

 

[The Abusement Park]

That's true for some teams but if you look at the Avs...the only guy left is Cole. Perhaps EJ too but purely because of age.

Girard, Makar, Toews, Byram, Timmins and even Barron are all PMD's.

AJ was talking about it earlier this week...it has never been done before in the NHL to have a team with this many PMD's. Avs are trying something new.

Which while Helleson has bad offensive ability, his transition game is actually quite good. So theoretically that should bode well for his Abs future regardless of his offense.

 

[FreshFitted67]

I went Kovalenko. I'm hopeful about Foudy and his speed, but he has a lot of other things to work on. Like... A lot.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Points aren't the be all end all for me, I have seen Helleson play (live even!) so I’m not just making the boxscore argument. But he scored less than Clurman on a much better offensive team, that can’t be ignored. Yes he was just a freshman, I get that which is why I’m not dropping him in my mind either. He was overrated here last year though. I like the cerebral qualities he has, actually reminds me a bit of Bigras (which is not an insult, I still believe Bigras had NHL talent) but he’s a little too passive and doesn’t offer much in the way of standout tools. Those two factors make it real tough to get noticed in this org. Helleson will be afforded a lot of time and should take advantage of it but there’s not a whole lot I’d count on either.

I know I’ll be on an island with Ranta so I’ll just say my piece now. He’s an athletic freak with some shortcomings and consistency issues but every prospect in this range has them. Ranta isn’t a Mensa member but there’s others around here without the greatest hockey IQ or defending ability. I’m willing to bet on Ranta as someone who has the ability to break through with those athletic gifts. I have seen him flat dominate in games, there was one vs Ohio State I watched where he was doing it every shift and that’s as a 19 year old in the NCAA. If he can just get up to Burakovsky level in those poor areas he has a shot at the NHL. If anyone is ever going to blow away management with a performance in camp or preseason I’d bet on Ranta. He has the ability to do something special so that’s why he gets the nod in this tier. He totally could also just as likely score 10 points and get buried in the AHL but that’s everyone else too.

 

[RockyMtnRedhawk]

I love Foudy, but Kovalenko is ahead of him for me. Add Beaucage and Mutala.