Micklebot
Moderator
- Apr 27, 2010
- 53,951
- 31,164
I keep seeing people justify wanting one player or another based on team needs and figured it might be fun to map out what we have both in the system and with the big club, and see if perception matches reality. Wingers are bunched together because so many play both sides, and some centers might repeat if they play wing too.
CENTERS
NHL level: Tierney (26), Anisimov (32), White (23),
Prospects: L.Brown (22), Norris (21), Chlapik (23), Pinto (21) Kastelic (21), Crookshank (20)
Counts: 3 NHL level, 6 prospects.
Eval: No elite level centers at any level, we have a some potential top 6 prospects and Tierney is probably the only suitable top 6 at the NHL level unless White bounces back.
WING
NHL level: Tkachuk - LW (20), Ryan LW/RW (33), White RW (23), C.Brown LW/RW (26), Duclair LW/RW (25), Anisimov LW (32), Paul LW (25), Balcers LW/RW (23), Hawryluk LW 24)
Prospects: Batherson RW (22), Formenton LW (21), Abramov LW/RW (22), Davidsson RW (23), Chlapik LW (23),
Counts: 8 NHL level guys that can/do play LW, and 5 that can/do play RW. As for prospects, 3 can/do play RW, while 3 can/do play LW.
Eval: Tkachuk is probably the only true top line option at the NHL level, Ryan, Brown and Balcers are probably more middle six guys if things go right. At the prospect level, there are some promising guys like Batherson, Formenton and Abramov who look like top 9 guys or better, but no sure bet for top line guys imo.
* worth noting that 4 of our NHL level wingers are being counted for both LW and RW, and 1 of our prospects, this adds flexibility but may appear as greater depth than in reality.
DEFENCE - Left side
NHL Level: Chabot (23), Brannstrom (21), Wolanin (25), Reilly (27)
Prospects: Lajoie (22), Alsing (24), Tychonick (20)
Counts: 4 NHL level options at LD, but Brannstrom might be considered more of a prospect, Wolanin too. Reilly is more of a journeyman imo. 3 prospects
Eval: After Chabot, there are a lot of question marks. Potential is there but a lot has yet to be proven.
DEFENCE - Right side
NHL Level: Zaitsev (28), Brannstrom (21), Zub (24)
Prospects: Bernard-Docker (20), Thomson (19), Jaros (24), Guénette (19)
Counts: 3 NHL level options, and 4 prospects
Eval: Long term the NHL level guys lack upside outside of Brannstrom (who I prefer at right D). There isn't an elite talent in the prospect pool but some good pieces none the less.
GOAL
NHL Level: Nilsson (30), Hogberg (25)
Prospects: Daccord (24), Sogaard (19), Mandolese (20), Gustavsson (22)
Counts: 2 NHL, 4 prospects
Eval: NHL level looks like journeymen level to me. No sure things in the prospect pool, lots of quality prospects though.
Overall thoughts:
Center is lacking at the top. Hoping this years draft resolves this
LW has 1 clear cut top 6 guy in Tkachuk, no issue going forward with him as our top line LW. Duclair looks like a solid option for 2nd line LW, or an acceptable top 6 RW. We have a bunch of good options for middle six LW in Balcers, Abramov, and Formenton.
RW is a bit thinner with Batherson being one of the only guys that looks like a potential top line option (along with Duclair), but I think both are better suited as a 2nd liners. C.Brown is a great middle 6 option.
LD seems set at the top and that's it. The prospects are a bit further along than on the right side, but otherwise similar outlooks imo.
RD, we have a mid term piece in Zaitsev, and good prospect depth in JBD and Thomson
I don't think outside of Center there really is a spot we are more in need of. Even then, we have enough centers in the system that some will likely end up either playing wing or getting pushed out. It's really just the elusive top line center we lack.
CENTERS
NHL level: Tierney (26), Anisimov (32), White (23),
Prospects: L.Brown (22), Norris (21), Chlapik (23), Pinto (21) Kastelic (21), Crookshank (20)
Counts: 3 NHL level, 6 prospects.
Eval: No elite level centers at any level, we have a some potential top 6 prospects and Tierney is probably the only suitable top 6 at the NHL level unless White bounces back.
WING
NHL level: Tkachuk - LW (20), Ryan LW/RW (33), White RW (23), C.Brown LW/RW (26), Duclair LW/RW (25), Anisimov LW (32), Paul LW (25), Balcers LW/RW (23), Hawryluk LW 24)
Prospects: Batherson RW (22), Formenton LW (21), Abramov LW/RW (22), Davidsson RW (23), Chlapik LW (23),
Counts: 8 NHL level guys that can/do play LW, and 5 that can/do play RW. As for prospects, 3 can/do play RW, while 3 can/do play LW.
Eval: Tkachuk is probably the only true top line option at the NHL level, Ryan, Brown and Balcers are probably more middle six guys if things go right. At the prospect level, there are some promising guys like Batherson, Formenton and Abramov who look like top 9 guys or better, but no sure bet for top line guys imo.
* worth noting that 4 of our NHL level wingers are being counted for both LW and RW, and 1 of our prospects, this adds flexibility but may appear as greater depth than in reality.
DEFENCE - Left side
NHL Level: Chabot (23), Brannstrom (21), Wolanin (25), Reilly (27)
Prospects: Lajoie (22), Alsing (24), Tychonick (20)
Counts: 4 NHL level options at LD, but Brannstrom might be considered more of a prospect, Wolanin too. Reilly is more of a journeyman imo. 3 prospects
Eval: After Chabot, there are a lot of question marks. Potential is there but a lot has yet to be proven.
DEFENCE - Right side
NHL Level: Zaitsev (28), Brannstrom (21), Zub (24)
Prospects: Bernard-Docker (20), Thomson (19), Jaros (24), Guénette (19)
Counts: 3 NHL level options, and 4 prospects
Eval: Long term the NHL level guys lack upside outside of Brannstrom (who I prefer at right D). There isn't an elite talent in the prospect pool but some good pieces none the less.
GOAL
NHL Level: Nilsson (30), Hogberg (25)
Prospects: Daccord (24), Sogaard (19), Mandolese (20), Gustavsson (22)
Counts: 2 NHL, 4 prospects
Eval: NHL level looks like journeymen level to me. No sure things in the prospect pool, lots of quality prospects though.
Overall thoughts:
Center is lacking at the top. Hoping this years draft resolves this
LW has 1 clear cut top 6 guy in Tkachuk, no issue going forward with him as our top line LW. Duclair looks like a solid option for 2nd line LW, or an acceptable top 6 RW. We have a bunch of good options for middle six LW in Balcers, Abramov, and Formenton.
RW is a bit thinner with Batherson being one of the only guys that looks like a potential top line option (along with Duclair), but I think both are better suited as a 2nd liners. C.Brown is a great middle 6 option.
LD seems set at the top and that's it. The prospects are a bit further along than on the right side, but otherwise similar outlooks imo.
RD, we have a mid term piece in Zaitsev, and good prospect depth in JBD and Thomson
I don't think outside of Center there really is a spot we are more in need of. Even then, we have enough centers in the system that some will likely end up either playing wing or getting pushed out. It's really just the elusive top line center we lack.