Islanders 2018/19 Prospect Rankings - #8 Run-Off (Aho vs. Soderstrom)

[steveat]

How is this even possible? Aho has pretty much made it and Soderstrom is still a maybe...not even a great maybe

 

[blinkman360]

How is this even possible? Aho has pretty much made it and Soderstrom is still a maybe...not even a great maybe

You've been around long enough to know that's not how this works. Upside vs floor vs likelihood of reaching upside. Aho getting 22 NHL games last year is the only reason he's sniffing this spot - otherwise he's lumped in with the Wotherspoon's and Vande Sompel's of the world. He certainly raised his "floor" with his play from last season which gave him a huge boost(hence this poll), but is it enough to pass Soderstrom's upside?

No, IMO.

 

[ekill08x]

How is this even possible? Aho has pretty much made it and Soderstrom is still a maybe...not even a great maybe

Aho was a 22 year old rookie and part of one of the the worst D groups in history. He isn't ready and will be in the AHL, though his numbers were impressive there. Linus broke Hanks GAA records in the Swedish elite. That kid has a lot of talent and you are completely selling him short. Aho is just as much or even more of maybe to have an even mediocre NHL career.

 

[SayItAintSoJohnny]

Newbie vote, its close but I got Aho here.

 

[PK Cronin]

How is this even possible? Aho has pretty much made it and Soderstrom is still a maybe...not even a great maybe

Funny to me that the criteria has changed for some people. Previously Ho-Sang wasn't better than a bunch of guys because his potential wasn't as high, even though he's a much more known (and good) commodity at the NHL level...now many are using Aho's NHL experience to put him ahead here.

 

[CodeE]

one more vote for another tie, c'mon guys

 

[Wanderson]

Funny to me that the criteria has changed for some people. Previously Ho-Sang wasn't better than a bunch of guys because his potential wasn't as high, even though he's a much more known (and good) commodity at the NHL level...now many are using Aho's NHL experience to put him ahead here.

Sorokin got more pro experience than Ho-Sang. Dobson and Wahlstrom are favourites because of the new toy syndrome. Next season our 1st round pick will be rated as number 1 (or maybe 2).

 

[steveat]

Funny to me that the criteria has changed for some people. Previously Ho-Sang wasn't better than a bunch of guys because his potential wasn't as high, even though he's a much more known (and good) commodity at the NHL level...now many are using Aho's NHL experience to put him ahead here.

I personally don't like to rank based on potential because that's all it is. MDC has super high potential. I do't think I need to say anymore.

The best prospects are the ones that make it and you rank (or I believe we should rank) based on actual merits that have been "earned" by said player.

I am thinking to put together an app to make this voting really good..like rating bars 1-5 based on potential, merit + a few other criteria that would average out and give a more fluid and thorough rank we can all agree on. One day...I just don't have the money for that and I'm too dumb to program it

 

[saintunspecified]

Sorokin got more pro experience than Ho-Sang. Dobson and Wahlstrom are favourites because of the new toy syndrome. Next season our 1st round pick will be rated as number 1 (or maybe 2).

If I were 100% positive we'd see Sorokin, I'd have rated him #1. Everyone has their own subjective way of evaluating different dimensions. Whether you think the "russian factor" shouldn't play into an evaluation is your opinion. I think it should.

 

[ekill08x]

Sorokin got more pro experience than Ho-Sang. Dobson and Wahlstrom are favourites because of the new toy syndrome. Next season our 1st round pick will be rated as number 1 (or maybe 2).

Again...pro experience has absolutely nothing to do with rating prospects. Ratings are based on upside. Nothing to do with new toy syndrome. Both players we selected this year were absolute steals and high end prospects. They easily have the highest upside in the system.

 

[Seph]

I personally don't like to rank based on potential because that's all it is. MDC has super high potential. I do't think I need to say anymore.

The best prospects are the ones that make it and you rank (or I believe we should rank) based on actual merits that have been "earned" by said player.

By that logic, Mayfield is a better prospect than Dobson. Heck, even MDC has proven more than Wahlstrom who has yet to truly prove he can play professional hockey at any level.

 

[Wanderson]

Again...pro experience has absolutely nothing to do with rating prospects. Ratings are based on upside. Nothing to do with new toy syndrome. Both players we selected this year were absolute steals and high end prospects. They easily have the highest upside in the system.

According to you... For me pro experience is a big part in rating prospects. If the player has succeeded on pro level after the draft, he will rise in my rankings.

Last season we ranked Söderström at number 5, and Aho at number 9. What have happened since last year? Aho played very well in the AHL, and he also played 25+ games in the NHL. Did alright.
What happened to Söderström? He missed almost the whole season in Sweden because of an injury. When he played, he played very poorly. For me, it's impossible to rank Söderström infront of Aho.

However, people can vote however they want. Isn’t it lovely?

 

[Frankie41987]

I mean, it's sort of ridiculous to argue whats more important experience vs upside. Thats what makes scouting difficult, you have to take everything in context. For me, I just never trust goalies to develop because it is an absolute crap shoot. I don't care what soderstrom's numbers are, Sorokin's numbers, they pretty much mean nothing until they play an NHL game and see what we have.

 

[doublechili]

Prospects always have to be evaluated based on:

1. their ceiling if they make it; and
2. the likelihood that they'll make it.

It's risk/reward. That's true at the draft and it's true in this poll. So if a kid like Aho has played in the NHL and didn't entirely look out of place, his "risk" number improves even if the upside remains the same. Soderstrom hasn't played in NA at all yet, and had kind of a down year in Sweden (and he's a GOALIE). So he's more risky even if his upside is higher.

 

[seafoam]

Funny to me that the criteria has changed for some people. Previously Ho-Sang wasn't better than a bunch of guys because his potential wasn't as high, even though he's a much more known (and good) commodity at the NHL level...now many are using Aho's NHL experience to put him ahead here.

I'll bite since I've started voting for Aho at #7.

Aho has actually stood out at the AHL level by having the highest PPG for a U-21 AHL defenseman who played 40+ games last season. If he was a few inches taller, he'd be drawing the same level of hype that Devon Toews is drawing. Aho showing he could hold his own in the NHL level in his first season in North America was absolutely a positive, but his performance in the AHL showed that he has legitimate NHL upside.

Ho-Sang on the other hand, has done well in the AHL, but for someone with his skating ability and talent, he should be dominating at that level.

 

[crasherino]

You've been around long enough to know that's not how this works. Upside vs floor vs likelihood of reaching upside. Aho getting 22 NHL games last year is the only reason he's sniffing this spot - otherwise he's lumped in with the Wotherspoon's and Vande Sompel's of the world. He certainly raised his "floor" with his play from last season which gave him a huge boost(hence this poll), but is it enough to pass Soderstrom's upside?

No, IMO.

"Raised his floor" is a good way to categorize it. He played above his paygrade last year and acquitted himself fairly well. But, I'm not sure what his ceiling is. Maybe a regular 3rd pairing guy? Maybe a guy who could possibly sniff a 2nd pairing if EVERYTHING breaks right. Basically an average to an above average Dman.

Soderstrom's ceiling is a quality starting NHL goalie with the real extreme being a top tier starter (obviously a long shot). At this point, I'll take the starting goalie as a ceiling as opposed to a ho-hum, average defenseman (not that there's anything with that).

 

[steveat]

By that logic, Mayfield is a better prospect than Dobson. Heck, even MDC has proven more than Wahlstrom who has yet to truly prove he can play professional hockey at any level.

Exactly OR both Dobson and MDC would be regulars at the NHL level.

 

[Seph]

Exactly OR both Dobson and MDC would be regulars at the NHL level.

I'd much rather have Wahlstrom and Dobson in our prospect pool than MDC or Mayfield, but whatever floats your boat, I guess.