My Top 60

[Hunter Gathers]

No descriptions. Just numbers and players.

Just a reminder: This list is based on skill and my own personal views of the players. Not where I think they will go in the draft which is why some players seem way too low for where most people think they will wind up (IE Hoeffel, Ellerby, etc). So please remember that before you go, "OMGZ WHY THE **** IS SO AND SO SO LOW *** U JERK".

Top 60 Players for the 2007 NHL Entry Draft

1. Pat Kane F (USA)
2. Alexei Cherepanov F (RUS)
3. James van Riemsdyk F (USA)
4. Jakub Voracek F (CZE)
5. Kyle Turris F (CAN)
6. Karl Alzner D (CAN)
7. Ryan McDonagh D (USA)
8. Zach Hamill F (CAN)
9. Sam Gagner F (CAN)
10. Logan Couture F (CAN)
11. Billy Sweatt F (USA)
12. Lars Eller F (DEN)
13. Simon Hjalmarsson F (SWE)
14. Maxim Mayorov F (RUS)
15. Brett MacLean F (CAN)
16. Max Pacioretty F (USA)
17. Jonathon Blum D (USA)
18. Kevin Shattenkirk D (USA)
19. Angelo Esposito F (CAN)
20. Mikael Backlund F (SWE)
21. Sergei Korostin F (RUS)
22. Colton Gillies F/D (CAN)
23. Nick Petrecki D (USA)
24. Brandon Sutter F (CAN)
25. Patrick White F (USA)
26. Luca i F (SUI)
27. Thomas Hickey (CAN)
28. David Perron F (CAN)
29. Dana Tyrell F (CAN)
30. Logan MacMillan F (CAN)
31. Keaton Ellerby D (CAN)
32. Oscar Moller F (SWE)
33. Nick Ross D (CAN)
34. Riley Nash F (CAN)
35. Jeremy Smith G (USA)
36. Ian Cole D (USA)
37. Mark Katic D (CAN)
38. Tommy Cross D (USA)
39. Joakim Andersson F (SWE)
40. Kent Patterson G (USA)
41. James O’Brien F (USA)
42. Stefan Legein F (CAN)
43. Colby Cohen D (USA)
44. Keven Veilleux F (CAN)
45. TJ Galiardi F (CAN)
46. Eric Tangradi F (USA)
47. Yannick Weber D (SUI)
48. Tyson Sexsmith G (CAN)
49. Brendan Smith D (CAN)
50. Alex Plante D (CAN)
51. Teddy Ruth D (USA)
52. Nick Larson F (USA)
53. Nick Spaling F (CAN)
54. Kurtis Mucha G (CAN)
55. Joel Gistedt G (SWE)
56. Dale Mitchell F (CAN)
57. Alexander Killorn F (CAN)
58. Joseph Lavin D (USA)
59. Bryan Cameron F (CAN)
60. Taylor Ellington D (CAN)

Also, after comparing my list to a few other top 60/90/100 lists, there are a TON of differences in everyone's lists. This draft is just so ridiculously polarized after you get out of the top 10 or so.

Click to read more...

 

[Meat Wave]

How good do you think Ryan McDonagh can eventually be, seeing how you have him rated as the #2 blueliner available in the draft? Do you see any offensive side to his game or is he strictly about being a rock in his own zone and dishing out the hits? Thanks Jon for any input, and good list BTW.

 

[mlm]

You oviously like Kurtis Mucha very much as you have him listed twice.

 

[King'sPawn]

Thanks for taking the time to make this list Jon!

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Fun to see people's lists and opinions. One comment - no way is Keaton Ellerby the sixth best d-man in this draft (not including Gillies who you project as a F/D).

Ellerby has great size, impressive mobility, good hockey sense, and a physical game that will get better as he matures into a big frame. Solid hockey bloodlines too. He'll be challenging Alzner for first d-man taken, not languising into late first round.

The Dub is still a great training ground for NHL prospects. Ellerby (and Alzner) are two in the latest line of real solid draft eligibles.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

You oviously like Kurtis Mucha very much as you have him listed twice.

I just noticed that. The FIRST Mucha should be Tyson Sexsmith. I thought I had edited that out in my list but apparently not! Thanks.

 

[Redwingsfan]

nice list jon.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Fun to see people's lists and opinions. One comment - no way is Keaton Ellerby the sixth best d-man in this draft (not including Gillies who you project as a F/D).

Ellerby has great size, impressive mobility, good hockey sense, and a physical game that will get better as he matures into a big frame. Solid hockey bloodlines too. He'll be challenging Alzner for first d-man taken, not languising into late first round.

The Dub is still a great training ground for NHL prospects. Ellerby (and Alzner) are two in the latest line of real solid draft eligibles.

Ellerby will not challenge Alzner as the 1st d-man taken. McDonagh might, but I think even that's a stretch. Ellerby is VERY raw and needs to gain a lot of consistency into his game.

I have them ranked based on skill and my own opinion of them also. Not based on where I think they will actually go.

Ellerby might very well go top 10 or top 15 (and, really, he probably will).

Shattenkirk CERTAINLY won't go as low as I have him on my list, but I just don't think he's as good as some think.

 

[Rise from the Ashes]

I like the list although i think Shattenkirk may go a bit earlier. Also i dont know too much about Simon Hjalmarsson. McDonagh is good, but i dont know if he will go that high. Probably late top 10 or early top 15.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Ellerby will not challenge Alzner as the 1st d-man taken. McDonagh might, but I think even that's a stretch. Ellerby is VERY raw and needs to gain a lot of consistency into his game.

I have them ranked based on skill and my own opinion of them also. Not based on where I think they will actually go.

Ellerby might very well go top 10 or top 15 (and, really, he probably will).

Shattenkirk CERTAINLY won't go as low as I have him on my list, but I just don't think he's as good as some think.

I've seen both alot. Projecting in three - five years, Ellerby could very well be better. Alzner is certainly more complete now. But Ellerby is a kid who is only beginning to grow into his body. He made solid strides this year with a solid, albeit fairly short playoff.

Alzner is a real solid d-man. Great skater and solid puckmover. I don't like that he isn't very physical despite real good size. Not sure his offense numbers will be there. He'll likely go first. However Ellerby is a multi-tool guy with lots of room for growth (in all areas). The guys grown about 7 inches in the last couple of years. Not a surprise his game is not yet the sum of its parts.

But that's cool. Your thread. Your opinion.


EDIT: Okay, I'm an idiot. Just reread your first post and saw the reference Ellerby's low ranking. Oh well, we have differing opinions.

 

[rick1042]

Very well done in my opinion.

As a Habs fan, I hope the draft goes down like your list. I am hoping they draft Ellers and Gillies as a second pick would be an intriguing.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I've seen both alot. Projecting in three - five years, Ellerby could very well be better. Alzner is certainly more complete now. But Ellerby is a kid who is only beginning to grow into his body. He made solid strides this year with a solid, albeit fairly short playoff.

Alzner is a real solid d-man. Great skater and solid puckmover. I don't like that he isn't very physical despite real good size. Not sure his offense numbers will be there. He'll likely go first. However Ellerby is a multi-tool guy with lots of room for growth (in all areas). The guys grown about 7 inches in the last couple of years. Not a surprise his game is not yet the sum of its parts.

But that's cool. Your thread. Your opinion.


EDIT: Okay, I'm an idiot. Just reread your first post and saw the reference Ellerby's low ranking. Oh well, we have differing opinions.

Yeah, I added that in after you first showed umbrage to my ranking of Ellerby, which is fine since I like disagreements

Really, I like most of the players in the first round this year. I think it's a solid but unspectacular crop and there aren't many players who I HATE who will probably be first round picks.

Ellerby is a very good prospect and I've been flipping my opinion of him all year. I just think he got passed by by a few others guys talent/skill wise at the tail end of the year, but I do think he will probably be a top 15 pick.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Very well done in my opinion.

As a Habs fan, I hope the draft goes down like your list. I am hoping they draft Ellers and Gillies as a second pick would be an intriguing.

Eller could be a great replacement for Koivu down the road for the Habs. I didn't think of where teams were picking (obviously), but yeah, that would be a great pick for Montreal if they choose to go that route.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I like the list although i think Shattenkirk may go a bit earlier. Also i dont know too much about Simon Hjalmarsson. McDonagh is good, but i dont know if he will go that high. Probably late top 10 or early top 15.

Hjalmarsson, from the limited amount I've actually seen him play, reminds me a bit of a young Alfredsson. He has the same height and I think he'll gain about 30 pounds to have relatively the same frame. He doesn't shy away from contact and can be pretty gritty and even chippy at times. Plus he's a great two-way guy with NHL level skills on both sides of the ice.

I think he suffered a lot from underexposure for most of the year and even being overshadowed by Eller.

As for Shattenkirk, I just don't buy into the hype. His defensive game leaves a lot to be desired and he doesn't have ELITE level offensive skills to warrant him being pretty much all offense, all the time.