Prospect Info: HFOil Top Prospects Rankings - #1

[Smartguy]

Bouchard easily for me, best defensive prospect we’ve drafted in a long time, best overall since Shultz. Copper Marody should be added, for me he’s our 3rd best prospect

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

Hmm. I picked Yams over Bouchard. Surprised to see so many pick Bouchard.

In terms of top prospect, how are you interpreting that? Highest ceiling? Highest floor? Best overall?

For me, there are a lot of young forwards out there with yam's talent, but there are few defensemen who can match bouchard in sheer point totals.

 

[Aerchon]

Bouchard is a killer. 2018 version of Provorov but probably better. He could hit 90 points next year if he ends up back in the OHL.

I didn't really know anything about this player until we drafted him. Just knew he was all but guaranteed not to be there at 10. And he should not have been available.

Bouchard has a legitimate shot at being THE best player to come out of this draft year. I know Dahlin is the front runner by a significant margin but after him the drop down in talent to Bouchard is really slim. His offense as a right shooting defenseman is as elite as elite gets.

Sure he has some things he needs to work on. But they are things like skating and overall defense that he isnt bad at, just not great at them. He has a very high celing and floor because of his skill sets. Great prospect, much better than most defensive prospects that go top 5.

 

[The Nuge]

I picked Yam because we've seen him in the bigs, and he's done well.

Haven't even seen Bouchard practice with nhlers

Ya this was the deciding factor for me as well. Bouchard has massive upside, but we know that Yamamoto can play at the NHL level. The player we saw last year means we can, at worst, expect a 3rd liner. And he has top line upside. We don’t yet know with Bouchard.

 

[MuzzaFuzza]

Hmm. I picked Yams over Bouchard. Surprised to see so many pick Bouchard.

In terms of top prospect, how are you interpreting that? Highest ceiling? Highest floor? Best overall?

I think its a case of a couple different things. Firstly Bouchard is the shiny new draft pick so he naturally is going to be getting more attention, he also plays a position in much higher demand, we've been looking for that elite puck moving RHD for quite some time now.

Lastly I think its case of it being a distinguishable, albeit small, difference between the two.

 

[MuzzaFuzza]

wouldn't be a stretch considering he had 87 this year.

He also played in 67 of 68 games this year, he's all but guaranteed to not play that many games next year as he (should be) a lock for the WJC

 

[Dan Kelly]

He also played in 67 of 68 games this year, he's all but guaranteed to not play that many games next year as he (should be) a lock for the WJC

well if he got 90 in 58 games or whatever after no doubt playing in the world juniors THAT would be impressive !

 

[soothsayer]

wouldn't be a stretch considering he had 87 this year.

Except now his team includes Boqvist, which clearly indicates that the management group is looking toward seriously boosting the lineup. It doesn't take much work to induce that a more skilled lineup would result in more evenly distributed scoring roles; hence, Bouchard wouldn't be given as much responsibilty to produce points. His team was awful last year, so one could argue that he scored as many points as he did because he had the opportunity to do so.

I say that even on a good team, he could put up 90 (maybe even 100).

 

[Aerchon]

I think its a case of a couple different things. Firstly Bouchard is the shiny new draft pick so he naturally is going to be getting more attention, he also plays a position in much higher demand, we've been looking for that elite puck moving RHD for quite some time now.

Lastly I think its case of it being a distinguishable, albeit small, difference between the two.

As great as Yamamoto's skill is, and his skill is elite. It comes with a non Nhl sized package. Realistically he is still 50/50 to actually end up an NHL impact player.

Bouchard has insane elite skill, equal to or higher relatively speaking in comparison to Yamamoto but in a much more actual nhl package.

 

[CupofOil]

Hmm. I picked Yams over Bouchard. Surprised to see so many pick Bouchard.

In terms of top prospect, how are you interpreting that? Highest ceiling? Highest floor? Best overall?

Why is it surprising? Bouchard is quite easily the better prospect, he's a top 5 level prospect with elite offensive skills.

I like Yamamoto but I'm sensing that he's becoming overrated, people expecting him to be an impact NHLer soon. I'd be quite happy if he tops out as a Brendan Gallagher level player, he doesn't have the elite level puck skills and skating but to be much more than that IMO.
For a little guy, he doesn't score a lot with skill but moreso on will and cleaning up garbage near the net so I don't think he'll ever be a line driver in the NHL, more of a solid support player on a high skilled line.

Interestingly enough, I don't see much bust factor with Yamamoto because he plays such a sound 2 way game which is weird to say about such a little guy but I don't see much boom either.
Bouchard has the potential to be a 50+ point Dman, much higher ceiling than Yamamoto IMO. He has elite level skills that Yamamoto just doesn't possess.

 

[Smartguy]

As great as Yamamoto's skill is, and his skill is elite. It comes with a non Nhl sized package. Realistically he is still 50/50 to actually end up an NHL impact player.

Bouchard has insane elite skill, equal to or higher relatively speaking in comparison to Yamamoto but in a much more actual nhl package.

This is a good explanation, Yamamoto is either boom or bust. Either he’s going to be a top 6 winger who puts up points for a long time, or he’s gonna be a top line AHLer. Bouchard to me at the very least could end up as middle pairing power play option

 

[MoneyGuy]

I’m surprised Bouchard only has 76 per cent. I think he’s clearly the best prospect.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

It's Bouchard but it's closer than the results indicate.