Please, use common sense and it’s 100% sure every single thing wont happen, most likely even 50% wont happen in real life. So dont bash this just because you wanted Wahlstrom or you hate some player. Please increase your optimism level a bit. YOU DONT KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN!
There is a reason to be excited about our prospect pool of Dmen. I’d consider following guys prospects, not in order. I’ll put my personal ceiling expectation after every name:
Forsling (#2D)
Carlsson (#3D)
Boqvist (#1D)
Jokiharju (#2D)
Beaudin (#3D
Mitchell (#3D)
Krys (#4D)
Gilbert (#5D)
Snuggerud (#5D)
Galvas (#6D)
10 Dmen who have in my opinion potential to be NHL defenseman and even though BWC or some other may not agree, there really is high-end potential. To be true #1Dman in NHL is really, really hard but we do have some guys who can be it. And hey, watch Capitals or Pens defense last three years. We may not need new Duncan Keith. We need good players with elite system. Imo Caps had two #2D in their team and one low-end #1D. And they won.
I will put centers also, it’s kind of poor at this point but I hope Hawks wont trade their first next year because it’s very deep draft at C and I think Bowman should try to add another 1st rounder next year if the following season goes bad.
Jake Wise (#2C)
Maxim Shalunov (#3C, but I think he will be winger)
Philipp Kurashev (#3C, probably winger)
Evan Barratt (#3C)
As you can see, it’s pretty thin. Obviously we have Schmaltz and somebody could think him as prospect but I wont. And Shalunov is still in KHL so we dont really know. Wise could be steal and be something huge for us. Kurashev is a boom or bust but I see him as winger in NHL but hey you never know. I dont know much about Barratt but I’ve read from here that he has some middle-6 potential, likely 3rd liner.
I wont touch goalies that much but I hope they go after Cale Morris from ND. We dont have elite goalie talent in the system but I still think it’s easier to trade for or get it from free agency (frenzy, college etc). Obviously 4 or 5 round pick for G is not bad choice. I trust Hawks goalie coaching, they know what to do.
So last but not least wingers. I think Russians Kayumov and Altybarmakyan are the two high-end winger prospects here who can be huge for us. But yes, they are in KHL and we dont probably see them at least for two years and I understand. I personally trust how Hawks management handles things with Russians and I also trust Russian coaching and development.
It’s hard to put ceiling these boom or bust type of players so I go with the flow and just use top-6, middle-6 or bottom-6 ceilings.
Sikura (top-6)
Kayumov (top-6)
Altybarmakyan (top-6)
Nordgren (top-6)
Olofsson (middle-6)
Söderlund (middle-6)
From (middle-6)
From is interesting guy and he still has the tools but is the nuthead, we dont know. Söderlund can be Victor Arvidsson and I really think his speed can be big weapon. He is going to Frölunda for bigger role so hopefully he takes big steps. For me he is the most secure NHL’er here from wingers because his toolbox is suited for bottom-6 game too. Nordgren could be new Cat. Olofsson went back to school, wonder if he dont want to sign at all. Sikura is his own level at the moment.
Huh, that was long text. There is mistakes I’m sure of it and many of you dont agree with me. I’m just giving my 14 cents about our prospect pool.