Prospect Draft advice

[Rez]

Note: I'm deliberately posting this on the Prospect Board because this might get some discussion.

I've recently joined a new keeper league, and we're amidst our first prospect draft. A player is considered a prospect if his rights are owned by an NHL team, and has played less than 40 games in the NHL prior to the 05-06 season. In order selected, the players taken so far are:

1. Crosby
2. Ovechkin
3. Malkin
4. Phaneuf
5. Vanek
6. Prucha
7. Lundqvist
8. Lehtonen
9. Carter
10. Fleury

I'm next, and I honestly didn't expect Carter (my predraft pick) to go this soon. I'm looking for a forward, preferably a RW or C. I would only consider picking a LW if he was a true game-breaker.

The logical pick would be Marek Svatos, because he'd be able to give solid return next year. However, I've also been thinking of gambling by possibly picking Robbie Schremp.

What your opinion? Is Marek Svatos really way ahead of the remaining prospects? Or would it be better to gamble with a possible game-breaker like Robbie Schremp?

Also, if you have any other prospects that'd you pick in my position, please recommend them.

Thanks.

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[clay]

I'd take Schremp.

 

[sunb]

My choices (in no particular order):

1.) Dustin Brown (RW)
2.) Andrej Meszaros (D)
3.) Gilbert Brule (C)
4.) Ryan Suter (D)
5.) Corey Perry (RW)
6.) Ryan Getzlaf (C)
7.) Hannu Toivanen (G)
8.) Cam Ward (G)
9.) Jack Johnson (D)
10.) Mikko Koivu (C)

 

[Amadeus]

No love for Alexander Steen? He's been amazing.

My list.

1. Ryan Sutter
2. Alex Steen
3. Hannu Toivonen ( He's sick )

 

[Rez]

My choices:
1.) Dustin Brown (RW)
2.) Andrej Meszaros (D)
3.) Gilbert Brule (C)
4.) Ryan Suter (D)
5.) Corey Perry (RW)
6.) Ryan Getzlaf (C)

Good recommendations. But you'd take Dustin Brown above everyone else, Svatos and Schremp included?

I know Brown had a great season in the AHL last year, but I don't really know much about his long term scoring potential.

Brule and Perry are also high on my lists.

 

[HFNHL Canadiens]

Alexander Steen would be your best bet or if you need a goalie i'd pick Toivonen

 

[Amadeus]

Good recommendations. But you'd take Dustin Brown above everyone else, Svatos and Schremp included?

I know Brown had a great season in the AHL last year, but I don't really know much about his long term scoring potential.

Brule and Perry are also high on my lists.

At best i can see Brown as a great 2nd line two way Center. He's good none-the less.

Alex Steen will give you solid two way play with some offense. Marek Svatos = pure offense.

Ryan Sutter has number 1 d-man written over him.
Cam Barker is a good prospect.

And Toivonen is a BEAST IN NET

 

[sunb]

I don't know how you guys figure points out in your league but Brown will likely be the best forward of the bunch (though I'm not expecting guys like Schremp et gamble picks to maximize on their potentials).

 

[Rez]

I don't know how you guys figure points out in your league but Brown will likely be the best forward of the bunch (though I'm not expecting guys like Schremp et gamble picks to maximize on their potentials).

It's a FHL Keeper League, so points are determined by the sim. The best overall prospect would probably benefit my team most.

Maddy - Toivonen is a possibility, but I'm aiming for a goalie in one of the later rounds of my prospect draft. I'm eye-balling Rask for the 2nd round, hopefully.

 

[Rez]

I'm leaning toward Schremp now. I'm willing to gamble on the chance that he might be a true NHL game-breaker.

Alex Steen, Svatos, and even Brown are definitely safer, but I just don't see as much potential as Schremp.

 

[sunb]

It's a FHL Keeper League, so points are determined by the sim. The best overall prospect would probably benefit my team most.

Maddy - Toivonen is a possibility, but I'm aiming for a goalie in one of the later rounds of my prospect draft. I'm eye-balling Rask for the 2nd round, hopefully.

You mentioned you wanted Jeff Carter right? Dustin Brown is going to be better than Carter imo. Dustin Brown up a better performance throughout juniors. Carter scored 74 points in 55 games last year, Brown scored 76 points in 58 games three years ago! He helped lead Team USA to Gold in the 2003 WJCs. While Jeff Carter put up 74 points in the OHL last year, Dustin Brown put up 74 points in the AHL!

Brown is physical and he plays great defensively. You won't regret picking him. Compare his stats to that of Carters. Brown's been better virtually everywhere (this year Carter's been playing with Forsberg a lot).

 

[Gags1288]

Brown is physical and he plays great defensively. You won't regret picking him. Compare his stats to that of Carters. Brown's been better virtually everywhere (this year Carter's been playing with Forsberg a lot).

Carter actually has played less than 2 full games on a line with Forsberg this summer. He also spent the first month or so of the season trying to put on weight as he recovered from mono (didn't step on the ice once in the entire summer). He also is a much better skater than Dustin and has a much better shot. His OHL teams were atrocious, which pretty much explains his offensive production. He also was dominant in the AHL playoffs (#1 in the AHL among playoff points) and the WJC (2 time all WJC, #1 in goals all time among Canadian players).

Offensively, I'd probably take a guy with big upside, Bobby Ryan or Gilbert Brule come to mind. In net, go with Toivonen or Nittymakki. Defensively, Jack Johnson is a pretty good choice, as is Meszaros.

 

[Abyss]

I'd take Svatos or Ryan Whitney

 

[Rez]

You mentioned you wanted Jeff Carter right? Dustin Brown is going to be better than Carter imo. Dustin Brown up a better performance throughout juniors. Carter scored 74 points in 55 games last year, Brown scored 76 points in 58 games three years ago! He helped lead Team USA to Gold in the 2003 WJCs. While Jeff Carter put up 74 points in the OHL last year, Dustin Brown put up 74 points in the AHL!

Brown is physical and he plays great defensively. You won't regret picking him. Compare his stats to that of Carters. Brown's been better virtually everywhere (this year Carter's been playing with Forsberg a lot).

Those are certainly impressive numbers in the OHL, for sure. AHL numbers were great, too.

Have you been following Brown with the Kings btw? His numbers are fair to below average -- I would've expected more from such a high prospect. Is this more a result of Brown's transition to Murray's stiffling defence-first system? To me, it just seems like Brown isn't going to be a true first liner.

 

[Rez]

Carter actually has played less than 2 full games on a line with Forsberg this summer. He also spent the first month or so of the season trying to put on weight as he recovered from mono (didn't step on the ice once in the entire summer). He also is a much better skater than Dustin and has a much better shot. His OHL teams were atrocious, which pretty much explains his offensive production. He also was dominant in the AHL playoffs (#1 in the AHL among playoff points) and the WJC (2 time all WJC, #1 in goals all time among Canadian players).

Offensively, I'd probably take a guy with big upside, Bobby Ryan or Gilbert Brule come to mind. In net, go with Toivonen or Nittymakki. Defensively, Jack Johnson is a pretty good choice, as is Meszaros.

I'm a big fan of Bobby Ryan. And I definitely know that if I pass him up on this round, he won't be around by the 2nd.

I don't know, I still feel like I want to gamble with Schremp. His uninspiring performance at this year's World Juniors does concern me though. I want to stay away from Svatos because it seems like his ceiling isn't anywhere near as high as some of the guys stilll available.

Also, after doing some research, Corey Perry is definitely high on the radar. It seems like the posters here aren't too hot about him though, as nobody seems to describe him as a game-breaker.

Maybe I can pose a more focused question -- are there any prospects remaining that you guys feel have potential as true NHL gamebreakers?

 

[Legionnaire]

Kopitar.

 

[Hasbro]

I have Svatos in my keeper and had about 3 trade inquiries.

 

[sunb]

Those are certainly impressive numbers in the OHL, for sure. AHL numbers were great, too.

Have you been following Brown with the Kings btw? His numbers are fair to below average -- I would've expected more from such a high prospect. Is this more a result of Brown's transition to Murray's stiffling defence-first system? To me, it just seems like Brown isn't going to be a true first liner.

Brown just turned 21 years old a month or two ago. He will be a good 1st liner for many years to come. He won't put up astonishing numbers but he will be a very well-rounded player every team will love to have. Part of the reason he hasn't been doing as well offensively this year is because he is stuck on the second line. LA is paying around four million dollars each, on Demitra, Frolov, Conroy and Roenick. Those four have alternated on the top line. The result is that Brown is usually stuck with the cold one on the second line. In two or three years, Brown will be a lock on their top line.

 

[AnThGrt]

To be exact Brown actually plays 3rd line usually. Sure he hasn't been as offensive as we'd hope but overal he is still more then any of us could of hoped for. That being said depends on what you looking for but I like Kopitar more then Brown. I dont know about Brown being future 1st line I'm sure he'll be on there but probably on our second line due to other (Frolov)

 

[Pete Rock]

I love how this thread has become all about Dustin Brown.

On that point, I for one think he still has the potential to be a 1st line winger (I don't know how a previous poster thought he'd be a good 2nd line center) and I don't think it's less or more than it was two and a half years ago when he was drafted. Dusty has been extremely under-utilised by Andy Murray this year and has been relegated to the third and fourth lines at times but put on the 1st PP unit and then removed inexplicably. He's still out there hitting anything that moves and trying to create offensive opportunities. His defence hasn't been anything good this year, but he's still an above average skater in the strength dept. and has a good shot. He's not a lock to make the 1st line, but he's got a good chance.

As for the order of who I'd select next, it certainly wouldn't be Brown. In fact, I'd pick Tukonen, Kopitar, and possibly Tambelinni ahead of him and that's just on the Kings.

1. Jack Johnson
2. Bobby Ryan
3. Ryan Getzlaf
4. Hannu Toivonen
5. Patrick O'Sullivan
6. Braydon Coburn
7. Andrej Meszaros
8. Eric Fehr
9. Alex Radulov
10. Ryan Suter

 

[Amadeus]

I love how this thread has become all about Dustin Brown.

On that point, I for one think he still has the potential to be a 1st line winger (I don't know how a previous poster thought he'd be a good 2nd line center) and I don't think it's less or more than it was two and a half years ago when he was drafted. Dusty has been extremely under-utilised by Andy Murray this year and has been relegated to the third and fourth lines at times but put on the 1st PP unit and then removed inexplicably. He's still out there hitting anything that moves and trying to create offensive opportunities. His defence hasn't been anything good this year, but he's still an above average skater in the strength dept. and has a good shot. He's not a lock to make the 1st line, but he's got a good chance.

As for the order of who I'd select next, it certainly wouldn't be Brown. In fact, I'd pick Tukonen, Kopitar, and possibly Tambelinni ahead of him and that's just on the Kings.

1. Jack Johnson
2. Bobby Ryan
3. Ryan Getzlaf
4. Hannu Toivonen
5. Patrick O'Sullivan
6. Braydon Coburn
7. Andrej Meszaros
8. Eric Fehr
9. Alex Radulov
10. Ryan Suter

Jack Johnson is another solid pick.

Go for Steen man. He's gonna be wicked.

 

[Pete Rock]

Jack Johnson is another solid pick.

Go for Steen man. He's gonna be wicked.

Don't get me wrong, I love what Steen has done for the Leafs this year, but I tried to include players that I thought would be top line forwards or top pairing defensemen on my list.

I don't really see Steen as a top line forward, although he has done well in the position he was thrust in this year. I think he's an incredible 2nd liner, but all in all I don't see him as a top line winger.

 

[Yertle The Turtle]

Kopitar.

I was actually thinking the same thing

 

[AnThGrt]

I love how this thread has become all about Dustin Brown.

On that point, I for one think he still has the potential to be a 1st line winger (I don't know how a previous poster thought he'd be a good 2nd line center) and I don't think it's less or more than it was two and a half years ago when he was drafted. Dusty has been extremely under-utilised by Andy Murray this year and has been relegated to the third and fourth lines at times but put on the 1st PP unit and then removed inexplicably. He's still out there hitting anything that moves and trying to create offensive opportunities. His defence hasn't been anything good this year, but he's still an above average skater in the strength dept. and has a good shot. He's not a lock to make the 1st line, but he's got a good chance.

Umm if you reread again before saying stuff about me I'm an actual Kings fan and have seen him play every game including being live at half the games. With that being said I didn't deny he could be a 1st liner but I said he will be a good second because Frolov will be infront of him both play LW though Dustin can be LW or RW. With that I agree with picking Kopitar before him but I'd take Dustin before Tukonen or Tambelleni

 

[WADEugottaBELAKthat]

You might think about nabbing Jiri Hudler later on. After all, he's leading the AHL in points as a 22 year old