ISS Top 10 for March

[Ken McKenna]

ISS Top 10

ISS brings us the latest on the top 2005 prospects, plus some information on players that took part in the Five Nations Tournament in February. Read on and be enlightened!

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[dancingtree]

I agree with most of the top 10, but I am not sure what happened in the last month that would justify Pouliot passing Brule.

 

[BigAl]

Kendall McArdle should be ranked atleast 7th.....IMO. Pouliot is too high as well. I'm kind of surprised Staal is that high, but I think him and Kindl are for sure the best 2 d-men after Johnson. I just didn't think Staal would get recognition for his solid play.

 

[markov`]

Pouliot and O'Marra are too high in my opinion. But that is a decent top 10 in my opinion, the best we've seen so far.

 

[balddog66]

I'm not sure why Pouliot is so high either...how he ranks above Bobby Ryan who has played less games and out scored him...
Pouliot 62 29 35 64pts
Ryan 56 32 50 82pts

I know Ryan is playing on a better team, but he's certainly one of the key reasons
why his team is better...

 

[Fozz]

I'm not sure why Pouliot is so high either...how he ranks above Bobby Ryan who has played less games and out scored him...
Pouliot 62 29 35 64pts
Ryan 56 32 50 82pts

I know Ryan is playing on a better team, but he's certainly one of the key reasons
why his team is better...

Stats aren't everything... There are concerns about Ryan's skating while Pouliot is already an excellent skater.

 

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Good to see a ranking that has Brule out of the top 3. He hasn't blown me away the times I've seen him.

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

Yes you've made that very clear. To bad the times you have caught Brule have been the 3rd game of 3 straight games. Apparently these scouts are in the same boat as you...

 

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Yes you've made that very clear. To bad the times you have caught Brule have been the 3rd game of 3 straight games. Apparently these scouts are in the same boat as you...

No, I'd imagine they've seen him more times.

Is it so inconceivable to believe he might not be in the top 3 of this draft? How many times have you seen Ryan, Pouliot, Johnson, etc play? If you haven't then you really can't rank Brule with any accuracy. Just like I can't.

But do you think Brule has franchise player potential? Do you think he's a Gaborik/Heatley/Nash type of talent? I think he's a good prospect, I just don't think he's the type of guy worth a top 3 pick. But of course that's only based on a few viewings.

Not sure why you have to get so defensive about him. It's like you take it as an insult to you if somebody doesn't rank him 2nd.

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

No, I'd imagine they've seen him more times.

Is it so inconceivable to believe he might not be in the top 3 of this draft? How many times have you seen Ryan, Pouliot, Johnson, etc play? If you haven't then you really can't rank Brule with any accuracy. Just like I can't.

But do you think Brule has franchise player potential? Do you think he's a Gaborik/Heatley/Nash type of talent? I think he's a good prospect, I just don't think he's the type of guy worth a top 3 pick. But of course that's only based on a few viewings.

Not sure why you have to get so defensive about him. It's like you take it as an insult to you if somebody doesn't rank him 2nd.

He's got more potential and talent than anyone other than Crosby. Face it - Pouliot is above him because he is 6'3 and Brule is 5'11.

 

[Flames Draft Watcher]

He's got more potential and talent than anyone other than Crosby. Face it - Pouliot is above him because he is 6'3 and Brule is 5'11.

Well, size plays directly into potential. Vancouver fans should know that better than anyone with the way Bertuzzi dominates the game due his size and strength and the way Steve Kariya did not.

 

[cagney]

He's got more potential and talent than anyone other than Crosby. Face it - Pouliot is above him because he is 6'3 and Brule is 5'11.

Can't you at least allow for the possibility that you're wrong? I would never feel comfortable making such a statement if I hadn't seen all of the different players multiple times. How can you justify your opinion? Is there any substance to your argument or is it just hype? I'm curious.

 

[MrMastodonFarm*]

He's got more potential and talent than anyone other than Crosby. .

How many times have you seen, say... Jack Johnson play?

Be honest.

 

[Spitfire11]

Why they even bother mentioning Brian Soso is beyond me. He was actually considered an NHL prospect? He gets maybe 6 shifts a game, that is on the rare occation he's not a healthy scratch.

 

[Falon]

Out of curiosity?

Just out of curiosity, what kind of HF rating do you think that Johnson would get? And do you think he is now the 2nd best player in the draft behind Crosby?

 

[Old Hickory]

Just out of curiosity, what kind of HF rating do you think that Johnson would get? And do you think he is now the 2nd best player in the draft behind Crosby?

I saw Johnson when he attended a Knig's prospect camp over the summer. I watched him really closely. The kid is a gamer.

But, I don't get to see him play very much and those 2 weeks were most of my exposure to him.

But from what I saw, he would be a 8.0B

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

How many times have you seen, say... Jack Johnson play?

Be honest.

Somewhat apples and oranges. Johnson is a bruising defenceman where as Brule is an offensive wizard. Though I know what you're saying - I've claimed all along that I wouldnt be suprised to see Johnson go 2nd overall. For example if Columbus had the 2nd overall pick they sure as hell better take Johnson. But if a team like, oh I don't know - Chicago had 2nd, they better take Brule. Or even Ryan. But Pouliot? The guy is overrated.

 

[scoutman1]

Somewhat apples and oranges. Johnson is a bruising defenceman where as Brule is an offensive wizard. Though I know what you're saying - I've claimed all along that I wouldnt be suprised to see Johnson go 2nd overall. For example if Columbus had the 2nd overall pick they sure as hell better take Johnson. But if a team like, oh I don't know - Chicago had 2nd, they better take Brule. Or even Ryan. But Pouliot? The guy is overrated.

I agree with Pouliot...to me he is a little overrated. He is only ranked high IMO cause he is a new name that came out of no where really. I like players like (except Crosby and Brule and no defense) Ryan, Setoguchi, Zagrapan, Bourrett, Latendresse, Bertram, Durand and O'Marra more than I like Pouliot myself.

 

[MrMastodonFarm*]

Somewhat apples and oranges. Johnson is a bruising defenceman where as Brule is an offensive wizard. Though I know what you're saying - I've claimed all along that I wouldnt be suprised to see Johnson go 2nd overall. For example if Columbus had the 2nd overall pick they sure as hell better take Johnson. But if a team like, oh I don't know - Chicago had 2nd, they better take Brule. Or even Ryan. But Pouliot? The guy is overrated.

You didn't answer my question.

 

[markov`]

I've seen both and Pouliot is not nearly at Brule level. I have never seen Johnson but from what I heard/read, he could be better than Brule. But not Pouliot, that's for sure.

 

[BuppY]

Im a Big Pouliot fan but him being ahead of Brule isn't right.. I think Brule is a lil better but after Brule and Crosby I would pick Benoit Pouliot.

 

[rt]

I agree with most of the top 10, but I am not sure what happened in the last month that would justify Pouliot passing Brule.

Brule's inexcusable failure to grow two inches taller, and Pouliot's amazing ability to maintain his height.

 

[Old Hickory]

Somewhat apples and oranges. Johnson is a bruising defenceman where as Brule is an offensive wizard. Though I know what you're saying - I've claimed all along that I wouldnt be suprised to see Johnson go 2nd overall. For example if Columbus had the 2nd overall pick they sure as hell better take Johnson.

Johnson is a complete D man with a slight bias towards offense.

Now I want you to answer MrMastodonFarm's question as well

 

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Somewhat apples and oranges. Johnson is a bruising defenceman where as Brule is an offensive wizard. Though I know what you're saying - I've claimed all along that I wouldnt be suprised to see Johnson go 2nd overall. For example if Columbus had the 2nd overall pick they sure as hell better take Johnson. But if a team like, oh I don't know - Chicago had 2nd, they better take Brule. Or even Ryan. But Pouliot? The guy is overrated.

And how many times have you seen Pouliot?

 

[King'sPawn]

Johnson is a complete D man with a slight bias towards offense.

Now I want you to answer MrMastodonFarm's question as well

In all fairness, I don't think there's anything wrong with saying there are few, if any, prospects out there that are better than Brule. After all, we do the same with Crosby. There's not one scout out there who has seen every single prospect play. We're just so impressed with what we see, we can't fathom anyone being any better.

But at the same time, M_B should concede that it's possible there are better prospects out there than Brule.

The point I'm trying to make, is it's unfair to discredit someone's argument based on how many times they've seen a prospect play, because not even the professional scouts have seen EVERYONE. They have to go by second hand information from people around the world, who, incidentally, haven't seen every prospect play in North America.