Prospect Info: Penguins Prospect Rating #1

[Empoleon8771]

This may be premature because Hextall could possibly sign a UDFA or a college free agent in the next month, but I figure it's probably about time to do the annual prospect ratings. I think we got to 17 before people stopped giving a shit last year, so I think going top-15 is more appropriate.

I don't believe the Penguins have any official "graduating" prospects and they've added Hallander, Lindberg and all of their draft picks, so the competition should be a little tighter this year. I think Miletic is the only prospect to leave. The names I'll put on are the top-15 teams from last year (plus Zohorna, who came in at 16th to replace Miletic) plus the guys they've acquired in the last year.

Last year's rankings:

Prospect Info: - Prospect Rating #17

Click to read more...

 

[Empoleon8771]

Personally, my top-10 as of now are:

1. POJ
2. Poulin
3. Hallander
4. Lindberg (I'm super high on him as I've made clear in other posts, he jumps to #1 on my list if he starts strong in the AHL)
5. Broz
6. Clang
7. Zohorna
8. Puustinen
9. Legare
10. Blomqvist

But I actually had to think about this, which makes me think this year will be more highly debated than last year. The current top-10 seems way better than the top-10 from a year ago, just because of the additions of Broz, Lindberg and Hallander and the strong play of guys like Zohorna and Clang.

 

[Night Shift]

Lindberg- crazy stats

 

[Lust for Life]

Super tight between a few guys but I went with Poulin as I think his ceiling is a bit higher than the others but it really is a toss up, ask me again tomorrow and the answer might vary

 

[Peat]

Lost Lindgren too to be pedantic, and suspect Phillips won't be part of the system by the time we get to him and not sure what the thing is with Palojarvi. But le big whoop.

Also, aim for 20. Maybe we won't get that and enthusiasm will drop off, but right now, based on adding 3 top 10 prospects (for us) and with Zohorna sure to rocket up, based on last year 15 is kinda where you get into Cam Lee vs Bellerive vs Angello and that's interesting to me. Arguing Ansons vs Caulfield mightn't be, but I think we can get pretty close to 20 on guys who actually slightly matter.

Anyway. I will think a little more before I vote but based on looking like a difference maker in the NHL at a real level of difficultly, albeit crashing after the adrenaline wore off, I think POJ has a degree of certainty over the other prospects that defeats any wondering about ceilings I might have. Everyone upselling his skating wasn't lying either.

Lindberg might be my number two. Might consider slipping Calle Clang in the top five two, but that's possibly biased by his name being awesome.

 

[Jacob]

POJ should be graduated IMO.

 

[Empoleon8771]

POJ should be graduated IMO.

Not enough games for me to consider him graduated. I'm using Calder eligibility as the determination of eligibility in this poll.

Lost Lindgren too to be pedantic, and suspect Phillips won't be part of the system by the time we get to him and not sure what the thing is with Palojarvi. But le big whoop.

Also, aim for 20. Maybe we won't get that and enthusiasm will drop off, but right now, based on adding 3 top 10 prospects (for us) and with Zohorna sure to rocket up, based on last year 15 is kinda where you get into Cam Lee vs Bellerive vs Angello and that's interesting to me. Arguing Ansons vs Caulfield mightn't be, but I think we can get pretty close to 20 on guys who actually slightly matter.

Anyway. I will think a little more before I vote but based on looking like a difference maker in the NHL at a real level of difficultly, albeit crashing after the adrenaline wore off, I think POJ has a degree of certainty over the other prospects that defeats any wondering about ceilings I might have. Everyone upselling his skating wasn't lying either.

Lindberg might be my number two. Might consider slipping Calle Clang in the top five two, but that's possibly biased by his name being awesome.

Honestly the only thing preventing me from having Lindberg at #1 right now is me wanting to see him in some AHL games. I fundamentally have no clue how he has gotten passed up as almost an afterthought up to today based on his stats. Something isn't adding up, so I want to see him in the AHL before I put him that high.

If he stats putting up a .920 save% in the AHL out of the gate, he's immediately a "Matt Murray in the AHL" caliber prospect to me.

 

[FreeBobbyFarnham]

Poulin for me. I think he’s got the highest ceiling on this list.

 

[Headshot77]

I'm curious if there's one of these still up from 2016

 

[ChaosAgent]

I wouldn't graduate POJ yet. Also I voted for POJ.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I'm curious if there's one of these still up from 2016

Here's the one from 2015:

Prospect Info: - Penguins #19 prospect

Honestly, if you'd just swap Sprong and Sundqvist with Rust and Guentzel, it's not that bad.

 

[Peat]

Here's the one from 2015:

Prospect Info: - Penguins #19 prospect

Honestly, if you'd just swap Sprong and Sundqvist with Rust and Guentzel, it's not that bad.

That was some prospect pool all things considered. One through thirteen all NHLers (albeit shortly for Clendening and Wilson), nine of them secured multi-year million plus deals. How things change eh...

 

[Empoleon8771]

That was some prospect pool all things considered. One through thirteen all NHLers (albeit shortly for Clendening and Wilson), nine of them secured multi-year million plus deals. How things change eh...

It may just be blind optimism, but I almost feel like this prospect pool is on par with that one.

Probably helps that JR wasn't here to drain the prospect pool even further, but their pool feels substantially stronger than it was in years past.

 

[K Fleur]

That was some prospect pool all things considered. One through thirteen all NHLers (albeit shortly for Clendening and Wilson), nine of them secured multi-year million plus deals. How things change eh...

I wonder if in 2015 anybody thought our pool was all that great? I didn't. I liked Murray but that was about it.

Maybe ours is great now and we just don't know yet. Or maybe some of your constant positivity is just wearing off on me.

 

[Peat]

It may just be blind optimism, but I almost feel like this prospect pool is on par with that one.

Probably helps that JR wasn't here to drain the prospect pool even further, but their pool feels substantially stronger than it was in years past.

I wonder if in 2015 anybody thought our pool was all that great? I didn't. I liked Murray but that was about it.

Maybe ours is great now and we just don't know yet. Or maybe some of your constant positivity is just wearing off on me.

It even kinda looks the same. One dman worth talking about, a few goalies, then wingers as far as the eye can see...

But, well, while I think there's some good comparables, that 2015 pool was more or less an absolute best case development. Maybe there's the same amount of talent available today as there was then, but there's nobody we expect to be on Guentzel's level. Hell, I don't think there's anyone who I expect to reach what Rust or Dumo have become. The chances of it being as great aren't great. I like it, and feel optimism, just not that much.

Also if in contact with positivity it is recommended to cleanse with alcohol and see a doctor if it hasn't gone away after 72 hours.

 

[Headshot77]

Here's the one from 2015:

Prospect Info: - Penguins #19 prospect

Honestly, if you'd just swap Sprong and Sundqvist with Rust and Guentzel, it's not that bad.

Damn we were stacked and didn't even know it.

 

[Gurglesons]

It even kinda looks the same. One dman worth talking about, a few goalies, then wingers as far as the eye can see...

But, well, while I think there's some good comparables, that 2015 pool was more or less an absolute best case development. Maybe there's the same amount of talent available today as there was then, but there's nobody we expect to be on Guentzel's level. Hell, I don't think there's anyone who I expect to reach what Rust or Dumo have become. The chances of it being as great aren't great. I like it, and feel optimism, just not that much.

Also if in contact with positivity it is recommended to cleanse with alcohol and see a doctor if it hasn't gone away after 72 hours.

Funny part is Kuhnhackl ain’t even listed.

While I agree we don’t have the AHL studs that we did that year, I’d be curious to see what Poulin, Hallander and Legare look like after a year down there.

I dunno. This is one of these cases where development is a lot better than player pedigree.

 

[Peat]

Funny part is Kuhnhackl ain’t even listed.

While I agree we don’t have the AHL studs that we did that year, I’d be curious to see what Poulin, Hallander and Legare look like after a year down there.

I dunno. This is one of these cases where development is a lot better than player pedigree.

The bolded times a ton. The WBS staff and player development guys have a huge opportunity and weight here.

I am really looking forwards to watching some WBS games and seeing those guys go.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Hallander, POJ, Broz, Poulin/Lindberg for me

 

[PensandCaps]

POJ is the easy #1, he's already shown that he can play well in the NHL.

 

[Knives and Tulips]

Clang Clang Clang goes the trolley.

 

[Flying Dego]

POJ is the obvious choice as he's closest to the NHL roster but for the sake of 'best prospect' I don't think his ceiling is great...I think he'll be a decent middle pairing guy.

I'm going with my dark horse early and saying screw the draft status hierarchy...my eyeballs tell me one cat has the potential to be something special. Very boom or bust but I can't deny the flash that I saw in limited viewing.

Zohorna. Book it. That lanky Russian with the silky mits is my guy.

 

[ChaosAgent]

POJ is the obvious choice as he's closest to the NHL roster but for the sake of 'best prospect' I don't think his ceiling is great...I think he'll be a decent middle pairing guy.

I'm going with my dark horse early and saying screw the draft status hierarchy...my eyeballs tell me one cat has the potential to be something special. Very boom or bust but I can't deny the flash that I saw in limited viewing.

Zohorna. Book it. That lanky Russian with the silky mits is my guy.

Zohorna is definitely my #2 prospect.

Big time bust potential but he flashes special quite often. I really hope that he makes the team out of camp.

 

[Night Shift]

Zohorna is definitely my #2 prospect.

Big time bust potential but he flashes special quite often. I really hope that he makes the team out of camp.

Zo was awesome. hopefully he takes another step this year and finds permanence on the bottom 6

 

[Gurglesons]

I got Hallander.