Hockey's Future Organizational Rankings, Spring 2011 11-20

[McDoused]

Anyone else remember when Edmonton was ranked second behind the Los Angeles kings because they only had offence in Hall, Eberle and Paajarvi? Last timed I checked I would take those three players in the NHL with banner years over Schenn, Bernier and Loktionov. Sure we might not have the depth that the kings do, but I wouldn't put a whole lot into their rankings. I mean, everyone is entitled to their opinion but lets not get carried away here.

 

[trentmccleary]

Personally, I don't know why Sens fans have their knickers in a bunch because we are listed smack dab in the middle.

It's interesting to argue over, but these rankings are driven by fans.
THN ranked the Leafs 28th 2 months ago. They add what? Colborne and Mark in da Park and they're amongst the best in the league?

Then you take a look at the Rangers board and OM*G they've replaced Stepan with another depth prospect who's going to be a 1st liner in Christian Thomas. They constantly seem to have 3 potential 1st liners at all times. But hey, Stepan was only made a 1st liner to replace potential 1st liner Anisimov... who replaced potential 1st liner Dubinsky... who replaced potential 1st liner Voros... who replaced potential 1st liner Dawes... etc.

This is what happens when you live in big, media driven markets like NY and Tor and you read you prospect info on a fan popularity driven website.

 

[Senor Catface]

Except this isn't after the draft.

Which makes it so strange that some people love to argue that one group is better than the other, when clearly that changes in a single month. The placement of the lists would make a lot more sense if they wait a bit. I wonder why now instead of not after.

 

[The K Man]

It's interesting to argue over, but these rankings are driven by fans.
THN ranked the Leafs 28th 2 months ago. They add what? Colborne and Mark in da Park and they're amongst the best in the league?

Then you take a look at the Rangers board and OM*G they've replaced Stepan with another depth prospect who's going to be a 1st liner in Christian Thomas. They constantly seem to have 3 potential 1st liners at all times. But hey, Stepan was only made a 1st liner to replace potential 1st liner Anisimov... who replaced potential 1st liner Dubinsky... who replaced potential 1st liner Voros... who replaced potential 1st liner Dawes... etc.

This is what happens when you live in big, media driven markets like NY and Tor and you read you prospect info on a fan popularity driven website.

Could you post a link to where they were ranked 28th? Seriously never saw it and am curious.

Seems like you're mad too.

 

[SeenSchenn2]

It's interesting to argue over, but these rankings are driven by fans.
THN ranked the Leafs 28th 2 months ago. They add what? Colborne and Mark in da Park and they're amongst the best in the league?

Then you take a look at the Rangers board and OM*G they've replaced Stepan with another depth prospect who's going to be a 1st liner in Christian Thomas. They constantly seem to have 3 potential 1st liners at all times. But hey, Stepan was only made a 1st liner to replace potential 1st liner Anisimov... who replaced potential 1st liner Dubinsky... who replaced potential 1st liner Voros... who replaced potential 1st liner Dawes... etc.

This is what happens when you live in big, media driven markets like NY and Tor and you read you prospect info on a fan popularity driven website.

Dude, it's an opinionated ranking... relax.

People really do hate the Leafs for no reason.

 

[haelwho]

Which makes it so strange that some people love to argue that one group is better than the other, when clearly that changes in a single month. The placement of the lists would make a lot more sense if they wait a bit. I wonder why now instead of not after.

We do another ranking in the fall after all the dust settles from the summer.

 

[trentmccleary]

Could you post a link to where they were ranked 28th? Seriously never saw it and am curious.

Seems like you're mad too.

Nope, I've just seen the same patterns year-after-year for a long time now.

THN Future Watch is a copyrighted magazine. Here's a link to the thread on this board:

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=856620

and here is the link to the much more Leaf specific thread on the Leafs board:

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=892741

The prospect pool was ranked 28th (before Colborne and Owuya). There seems to be some talk of 25th in your Leaf thread, that was only a handicapping ranking to determine who's done better with their high or low draft picks... it wasn't the overall rank.

 

[The K Man]

Nope, I've just seen the same patterns year-after-year for a long time now.

THN Future Watch is a copyrighted magazine. Here's a link to the thread on this board:

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=856620

and here is the link to the much more Leaf specific thread on the Leafs board:

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=892741

The prospect pool was ranked 28th (before Colborne and Owuya). There seems to be some talk of 25th in your Leaf thread, that was only a handicapping ranking to determine who's done better with their high or low draft picks... it wasn't the overall rank.

Thanks but like someone said before, it's two different organizations with two different opinions.

Since you're so sided with THN, would you also agree with them that prospects like Erixson and Kassian should be ranked higher than Rundblad? That even seems odd to me, and im one of the people who think Rundblad is overhyped.

 

[Madic]

Really, we're using THN to judge anything? We bash the crap out of their entirely laughable Draft Preview rankings, but yes...let's use their team prospect rankings.

It's almost as laughable as...putting stock in HF rankings.

 

[trentmccleary]

Thanks but like someone said before, it's two different organizations with two different opinions.

Since you're so sided with THN, would you also agree with them that prospects like Erixson and Kassian should be ranked higher than Rundblad? That even seems odd to me, and im one of the people who think Rundblad is overhyped.

Really, we're using THN to judge anything? We bash the crap out of their entirely laughable Draft Preview rankings, but yes...let's use their team prospect rankings.

It's almost as laughable as...putting stock in HF rankings.

I won't agree with everything THN says, but at the end of the day... it's an organization of hockey watching professionals and HF is a collection of anonymous volunteers - who may or may not be able to keep their own biases out of the articles/rankings.

 

[SprDaVE]

It is the same every time there's an article on the prospects or the team org. rankings.

Favorite X team is too low for my liking, therefore I blast HF for always being wrong. Cry some more about them being biased and throw some random arguments that are irrelevant.

Yet, people keep posting and reading about them... and people will keep getting mad over them for some odd reason. Why do people even bother reading them?

Some of you get mad of these for really no reason. It's really just an opinionated list of what they think is the rankings.

I'm all for debating the list, agree to disagree with certain aspects and what not, but to blame them of being biased and bring the worst hockey magazine on the market as an argument... it's just sad.

 

[Barzilla]

It's interesting to argue over, but these rankings are driven by fans.
THN ranked the Leafs 28th 2 months ago. They add what? Colborne and Mark in da Park and they're amongst the best in the league?

Then you take a look at the Rangers board and OM*G they've replaced Stepan with another depth prospect who's going to be a 1st liner in Christian Thomas. They constantly seem to have 3 potential 1st liners at all times. But hey, Stepan was only made a 1st liner to replace potential 1st liner Anisimov... who replaced potential 1st liner Dubinsky... who replaced potential 1st liner Voros... who replaced potential 1st liner Dawes... etc.

This is what happens when you live in big, media driven markets like NY and Tor and you read you prospect info on a fan popularity driven website.

It is a recurring theme for sure. While I agree with what you are saying, every fanbase is the same. Just like every single one of these threads are the same. Over-rating and under-rating. Leaf fans vs the world was expected, I'm shocked if the islanders are top 5. I peg them at 7 or 8. Still respectable consider graduations.

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

Top 10 in order for both teams:

Kreider > Marincin
McDonagh > Petry
Thomas > Pitlick
Grachev = Hamilton
Zuccarello = Omark
McIlrath > Plante
Hagelin = Lander (though I would take Hagelin)
Bourque < Martindale
Johnson = Roy
Valentenko = Hartikainen

The top prospects are all better for the Rangers, for sure. I don't think it's much of a question as to who has the better group right now.

I don't think either team is a top 10 team in terms of prospect depth, but I'd throw up in my mouth a bit if we had to change prospect groups with Edmonton as of right now.

Right, but this comes down to a lot of fan opinion. To me we're basing this all on potential...

Kreider = Marincin (If Marincin continues to improve, I will go towards him)
McDonagh > Petry (I can agree)
Thomas < Pitlick (gotta go the other way here, although I enjoyed watching Thomas against Niagara, Pitlick brings more to his game IMO)
Grachev = Hamilton (will agree)
Zuccarello = Omark (will agree)
McIlrath > Plante (again, will agree)
Hagelin < Lander (gotta go Lander)
Bourque < Martindale
Johnson = Roy
Valentenko < Hartikainen (Harski has already shown he has 2nd/3rd line NHL potential in the big leagues)

 

[Kevin Forbes]

I won't agree with everything THN says, but at the end of the day... it's an organization of hockey watching professionals and HF is a collection of anonymous volunteers - who may or may not be able to keep their own biases out of the articles/rankings.

I'm pretty sure HF writers are neither anonymous or volunteers.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Congrats. Feel free to continue patting yourself on the back for one more month.

How do we know the Rangers won't trade up to the #2 pick or something? Or the Oilers trade back? Maybe the Oilers will draft another Jesse Niinimäki-like outrageous pick at their pick.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

THN ranked the Leafs prospect pool 28th two months ago? That's just ridiculous. Even with an anti-Leafs bias you'd have to at least put them in the middle of the pack. This proves, above all else, that THN is a piece of garbage.

Agreed that is ridiculous.

 

[CupofOil]

Top 10 in order for both teams:

Kreider > Marincin
McDonagh > Petry
Thomas > Pitlick
Grachev = Hamilton
Zuccarello = Omark
McIlrath > Plante
Hagelin = Lander
Bourque < Martindale
Johnson = Roy
Valentenko = Hartikainen

The top prospects are all better for the Rangers, for sure. I don't think it's much of a question as to who has the better group right now.

I don't think either team is a top 10 team in terms of prospect depth, but I'd throw up in my mouth a bit if we had to change prospect groups with Edmonton as of right now.

You would throw up in your mouth if you had to switch the Rangers and Oilers prospect pools? Oh lord, give me a break. There isn't that big of a spread between the two prospect pools. It's pretty close between the two either way, i don't know how anybody can say differently. I think it's pretty subjective to say who is better individually since it is close but i'll say....

Kreider >= Marincin
McDonagh > Petry
Thomas <= Pitlick
Grachev = Hamilton
Zuccarello = Omark
McIlrath > Plante
Hagelin < Lander (though I would take Hagelin)
Bourque < Martindale
Johnson = Roy
Valentenko < Hartikainen

I don't know, i would say that the Oilers might even have a slight edge depthwise but the Rangers a slight edge in top end talent.
Also, as mentioned above, the Oilers will add a lot to their prospect pool in this draft.

 

[umwoz]

I've seen it twice, so I may as well comment. I don't think Marincin is anywhere near as good of a prospect as Kreider.

He's a good prospect in his own right, and looks like a surefire top 4 defenseman. But Kreider has top line upside IMO.

 

[McMatthews]

This is such b.s. For years, HF had the Leafs prospects rated bottom 5. What was your excuse then? It's only been the past two years they've had the Leafs rated in the top half.

I've been on HF.com for 9 years.

The highest the Leafs had been prior to the last couple years was #18 I think.

Most of the last 9 years we've been in the bottom 6-8 in organizational rankings.

Not that it matters really.

 

[GDU]

Top 10 in order for both teams:

Kreider > Marincin
McDonagh < Petry
Thomas = Pitlick
Grachev < Hamilton
Zuccarello = Omark
McIlrath > Plante
Hagelin < Lander (though I would take Hagelin)
Bourque < Martindale
Johnson = Roy
Valentenko < Hartikainen

The top prospects are all better for the Rangers, for sure. I don't think it's much of a question as to who has the better group right now.

I don't think either team is a top 10 team in terms of prospect depth, but I'd throw up in my mouth a bit if we had to change prospect groups with Edmonton as of right now.

fyp...

 

[s7ark]

Any other year you would be right, But in this years draft the players are so close together in talent it really is not that big of an advantage to have a pick 2 picks higher in the first round then 2 picks lower in the first round.

Having said that I would still rather have the picks Ottawa has.

Even in a not so great draft year like this, I feel safe in saying I could build a better team around RNH, Larsson, Landeskog, Couturier, Hamilton, Murphy, Huberdeau, and Strome than someone could with the guys available 25-75.

 

[bionic]

Even in a not so great draft year like this, I feel safe in saying I could build a better team around RNH, Larsson, Landeskog, Couturier, Hamilton, Murphy, Huberdeau, and Strome than someone could with the guys available 25-75.

Your right, you could. But when you start getting past the top 5 picks it starts getting a little harder to pick the players apart.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Honestly Hawks spot is decent but I dont believe the Leafs have better prospect pool

 

[Hunter Gathers]

fyp...

Petry is better than McDonagh? Laughable.

 

[Gutchecktime]

Honestly Hawks spot is decent but I dont believe the Leafs have better prospect pool

It really sucks having a crappy prospect pool for quite a while and usually being late in these lists and when we finally have a good pool, every single fan thinks they have a better pool than us. And only seems to focus on us.

Join the club I guess. I totally give up. It's exhausting. Being a Leaf fan ****ing blows sometimes.