HFNHLOilers
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Well having deep dived the prospect pool it won't take a rocket scientist to notice a pattern an the strength of the rather underwhelming prospect pool. Atleast as we get later into the list.
1) David Jirecek Defenseman
I liked Jirecek in his draft class, however as the Wings strength was D it did not make sense. Jirecek just narrowly in my eyes beat out number 2 on this list. The big dman transitioned to the AHL extremely well, an will likely push if not be fully graduated next season for the Blue Jackets. He has all the makings of a top pairing two way monster. He hopefully will be the backbone of this Oilers defense for a really long time.
2) Jesper Wallstedt Goalie
Wallstedt has been a stud goalie for the Iowa Wild. He is likely a year or 2 more away with both Gustavsson and Fluery in the big leagues. However the Swed has all the tools and size to be a elite starter for this franchise for a long time.
3) Marco Rossi Center/WInger
Rossi has done it all at the AHL level, the question now is what is his ultimate upside at the NHL level where he has just looked ok. I expect given the Wilds desperate need at Center an for cheap contracts he likely makes the Wild next year barring some awful camp or major injury. Rossi has all the makings of a top 6 center for a long time in the NHL.
4) Elias Salomonsson Defensemen
Salomonsson is a physical dman, with a cannon from the point. He is still very raw an will need time to work on rounding out his game an the decision making. If he can come into form he has the tools to be a top 4 physical dman in the mold of a guy like Zadorov.
5) Joel Hofer Goalie
Hofer will officially back up or atleast that is the belief for the Saint Louis Blues next season. He does not have like all star starter written all over him. However he looks like he could be a very solid platoon starter that we are seeing more an more in the NHL these days. Hofer is another big boy who can take up alot of the net an time to find out what his full upside is this season.
6) Erik Portillo Goalie
Recently traded from the Sabers who have a few goalies of the future ahead of him in the depth chart to a Kings team desperate to find the heir to Quick. I suspect he will play in the AHL next year. But a strong camp might convince the Kings to use him as Korposalos back up? Time will tell but Portillo is another monster in net with great skill who like Hofer projects to be a platoon goalie of the future.
7) Filip Johansson Defensemen
Johansson's trajectory is wild he was a suprise first round pick by the Wild who hated his development so much they cut ties with him. Now in Vancouver system the Dman had a solid rookie AHL campaign an I've seen some talk the organization is rather high on him. He falls a little here despite still having a potential top 4 upside because he has taken longer to cook than most above him. I'm not fully sure he's a lock to play NHL next year but a strong camp might have him in the mix if not certainly a top choice for call up duty.
8) Frazer Minten Winger
Minten is a prototypical middle six winger a strong shot, an a good physical presence on the ice. Minten is a few years away from making a serious impact an likely comes in a time when the Leafs are transitioning away from atleast 1-2 of the big 4 forwards. He's not the flashiest name out there by any means but he should be a good platoon player for a long time.
9) Fabian Wagner Winger
An offensively gifted winger, his biggest problem is he can be flat out lazy when it comes to his own zone. Wagner has all the offensive talent to be better than Minten above him, but in today's NHL it's fairly rare you can't atleast be passable defensively as a top 6 forward. Right now he is not that even close, but at 18 there is plenty of time to develop an hopefully still grow his offensive tool set.
10) Krill Dozlhenkov Winger
6 foot 6 nearly a point per game in the MHL. He is a very good offensive talent, however he has 2 things that could hold him back into of will be come over the Russian factor. That is he is just an ok skater, not awful but he's certainly not outskating most players, an he needs to be more consistent. However he could be one of those diamond in the rough middle 6 big men than can chip in for us down the road.
11) Ruslan Iskhakov Center
Came over after some mediocre years in the DHL. An actual looked really good in the AHL being just under a point per game. I'm really not sure where he sits in the Islanders organization, however he could turn into a solid middle six winger. But needs his offense to be his game as he is a boom or bust prospect.
12) Robert Masterosimone Winger
A player who both the organization an players decided to part ways an test free agency. He played well in a lower college division, which well looks better on a piece of paper also shows his upside may not be what it once was? I'd love to be proven wrong but as of this point he looks like a middle 6 offensive winger. Who isn't shy to be a puck hound which is going to be important if his offensive upside isn't as high as believed.
13) Benjamin Gaudreau Goalie
Get ready for a string of goalies here, at number one on the group we have Gaudreau who just finished his best campaign yet. OHL numbers are hard to really read. Infact they looks bad on paper, till you see he had some of the top stats in the league at his position. He has the tools to be like a few above him a platoon starter. But patience is going to have to be key here. His trajectory is farther behind compared to those above him.
14) Tyler Brennan Goalie
Number 2 on this string of goalies is Tyler Brennan another one of those numbers are deceiving. Again amoung the top goalies in his league. Another big boy at 6'4 Brennan like Gadreau an the guy below him could be a platoon starter. However like the others he's going to need time and is very raw.
15) Ried Dyck Goalie
I'd love to say the last goalie on the list but he won't be however to say he's the last noteable goalie prospect would be true. Dyck has been good middle of the pack this season. Unlike the 2 above I think he's more the back half split starter versus the first half split starter. But like above he is still rather young an needs to develop.
16) Maxim Arefyev goalie
My first goalie on the list I don't really have a read on his numbers in the MHL are eye popping. An he appears to have all the tools, but Russians are just so hard to get good viewings for an their shot counters are kinda wild. Could be be better than those above perhaps? Could he be worse possible too. My lack of full viewings on him puts him lower for me.
17) Charlie Schenkel Goalie
Yep that's right 5 goalies in a row, an the youngest of them all at 18. He is the rawest an farthest from reaching what he could be. He had good numbers on the Soo. An another shocker he's another big boy in net.
18) Fabian Westerlund Defensemen
Honestly he's been fine in the SHL, but the question for him is he ever going to jump over the pond an play in the NHL. If so he has the tools of a bottom pairing defender
19) Mitchell Smith Defensemen
Like I'd say 15 down he likely is easily pushed off this list. However the fact no one's taken a flyer on a almost Ppg Defender for 2 straight years is surprising likely going to be a USDA type. I would guess but even then what's his upside of teams are worried this much bottom pairing?
20) Elliot Ekmark Winger
Small is the first thing you notice about him. He is clearly smart an a good skater, but honestly he's a boom or bust an his offensive production has just not been great in the SHL. He will easily be bumped off this list once we draft players. Top 6 or bust for him, an right now it's leaning to bust. Even if he shows flashes enough to make this list.
1) David Jirecek Defenseman
I liked Jirecek in his draft class, however as the Wings strength was D it did not make sense. Jirecek just narrowly in my eyes beat out number 2 on this list. The big dman transitioned to the AHL extremely well, an will likely push if not be fully graduated next season for the Blue Jackets. He has all the makings of a top pairing two way monster. He hopefully will be the backbone of this Oilers defense for a really long time.
2) Jesper Wallstedt Goalie
Wallstedt has been a stud goalie for the Iowa Wild. He is likely a year or 2 more away with both Gustavsson and Fluery in the big leagues. However the Swed has all the tools and size to be a elite starter for this franchise for a long time.
3) Marco Rossi Center/WInger
Rossi has done it all at the AHL level, the question now is what is his ultimate upside at the NHL level where he has just looked ok. I expect given the Wilds desperate need at Center an for cheap contracts he likely makes the Wild next year barring some awful camp or major injury. Rossi has all the makings of a top 6 center for a long time in the NHL.
4) Elias Salomonsson Defensemen
Salomonsson is a physical dman, with a cannon from the point. He is still very raw an will need time to work on rounding out his game an the decision making. If he can come into form he has the tools to be a top 4 physical dman in the mold of a guy like Zadorov.
5) Joel Hofer Goalie
Hofer will officially back up or atleast that is the belief for the Saint Louis Blues next season. He does not have like all star starter written all over him. However he looks like he could be a very solid platoon starter that we are seeing more an more in the NHL these days. Hofer is another big boy who can take up alot of the net an time to find out what his full upside is this season.
6) Erik Portillo Goalie
Recently traded from the Sabers who have a few goalies of the future ahead of him in the depth chart to a Kings team desperate to find the heir to Quick. I suspect he will play in the AHL next year. But a strong camp might convince the Kings to use him as Korposalos back up? Time will tell but Portillo is another monster in net with great skill who like Hofer projects to be a platoon goalie of the future.
7) Filip Johansson Defensemen
Johansson's trajectory is wild he was a suprise first round pick by the Wild who hated his development so much they cut ties with him. Now in Vancouver system the Dman had a solid rookie AHL campaign an I've seen some talk the organization is rather high on him. He falls a little here despite still having a potential top 4 upside because he has taken longer to cook than most above him. I'm not fully sure he's a lock to play NHL next year but a strong camp might have him in the mix if not certainly a top choice for call up duty.
8) Frazer Minten Winger
Minten is a prototypical middle six winger a strong shot, an a good physical presence on the ice. Minten is a few years away from making a serious impact an likely comes in a time when the Leafs are transitioning away from atleast 1-2 of the big 4 forwards. He's not the flashiest name out there by any means but he should be a good platoon player for a long time.
9) Fabian Wagner Winger
An offensively gifted winger, his biggest problem is he can be flat out lazy when it comes to his own zone. Wagner has all the offensive talent to be better than Minten above him, but in today's NHL it's fairly rare you can't atleast be passable defensively as a top 6 forward. Right now he is not that even close, but at 18 there is plenty of time to develop an hopefully still grow his offensive tool set.
10) Krill Dozlhenkov Winger
6 foot 6 nearly a point per game in the MHL. He is a very good offensive talent, however he has 2 things that could hold him back into of will be come over the Russian factor. That is he is just an ok skater, not awful but he's certainly not outskating most players, an he needs to be more consistent. However he could be one of those diamond in the rough middle 6 big men than can chip in for us down the road.
11) Ruslan Iskhakov Center
Came over after some mediocre years in the DHL. An actual looked really good in the AHL being just under a point per game. I'm really not sure where he sits in the Islanders organization, however he could turn into a solid middle six winger. But needs his offense to be his game as he is a boom or bust prospect.
12) Robert Masterosimone Winger
A player who both the organization an players decided to part ways an test free agency. He played well in a lower college division, which well looks better on a piece of paper also shows his upside may not be what it once was? I'd love to be proven wrong but as of this point he looks like a middle 6 offensive winger. Who isn't shy to be a puck hound which is going to be important if his offensive upside isn't as high as believed.
13) Benjamin Gaudreau Goalie
Get ready for a string of goalies here, at number one on the group we have Gaudreau who just finished his best campaign yet. OHL numbers are hard to really read. Infact they looks bad on paper, till you see he had some of the top stats in the league at his position. He has the tools to be like a few above him a platoon starter. But patience is going to have to be key here. His trajectory is farther behind compared to those above him.
14) Tyler Brennan Goalie
Number 2 on this string of goalies is Tyler Brennan another one of those numbers are deceiving. Again amoung the top goalies in his league. Another big boy at 6'4 Brennan like Gadreau an the guy below him could be a platoon starter. However like the others he's going to need time and is very raw.
15) Ried Dyck Goalie
I'd love to say the last goalie on the list but he won't be however to say he's the last noteable goalie prospect would be true. Dyck has been good middle of the pack this season. Unlike the 2 above I think he's more the back half split starter versus the first half split starter. But like above he is still rather young an needs to develop.
16) Maxim Arefyev goalie
My first goalie on the list I don't really have a read on his numbers in the MHL are eye popping. An he appears to have all the tools, but Russians are just so hard to get good viewings for an their shot counters are kinda wild. Could be be better than those above perhaps? Could he be worse possible too. My lack of full viewings on him puts him lower for me.
17) Charlie Schenkel Goalie
Yep that's right 5 goalies in a row, an the youngest of them all at 18. He is the rawest an farthest from reaching what he could be. He had good numbers on the Soo. An another shocker he's another big boy in net.
18) Fabian Westerlund Defensemen
Honestly he's been fine in the SHL, but the question for him is he ever going to jump over the pond an play in the NHL. If so he has the tools of a bottom pairing defender
19) Mitchell Smith Defensemen
Like I'd say 15 down he likely is easily pushed off this list. However the fact no one's taken a flyer on a almost Ppg Defender for 2 straight years is surprising likely going to be a USDA type. I would guess but even then what's his upside of teams are worried this much bottom pairing?
20) Elliot Ekmark Winger
Small is the first thing you notice about him. He is clearly smart an a good skater, but honestly he's a boom or bust an his offensive production has just not been great in the SHL. He will easily be bumped off this list once we draft players. Top 6 or bust for him, an right now it's leaning to bust. Even if he shows flashes enough to make this list.
