Prospect Parallels

[Gwyddbwyll]

Just a draft aficinado here, I havent seen many of these guys but starting to draw some parallels after keeping myself in touch with reports. Like many of us do I guess.

Valabik = Babchuk
(Babchuk was disregarded until the final months when he shot up everyone's lists almost to the top 5 but surprised everyone by dropping 20 spots)

Sindel = Havlat/Hemsky
(ultra skilled forward but scouts worried he wont be tough enough)

Karsums = Kanko
(energy player who plays his heart out)

Rogers = Focht
(big with a big shot, looked great in skills testing but not as great on the ice)

Lyamin = Knyazev
(no real weaknesses, solid player but no strengths either)

Malkin = Svitov
(strong skilled player, not really a power forward but a great package to be as good as he wants to be)

Olesz = Michalek
(ok a bit weaker comparision. Talented forward way ahead of his peers.. just seem to have the same two-way top class coachable talent.)

Chipchura = poor mans Upshall
(not as good but brings a ton of hockey to the table.)

Am I way off on some of these? Please post some of your own parallels.

(and yes I do know every player is their own individual and not exactly like another.. however its a natural inclination to classify prospects )

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[Brock]

For Valabik, I'd say he's closer to an Alexei Semenov type of player. Good both ways, good skater for his size, but also a physically punishing player. Babchuk has never really struck me as an extremely physical player, although I still like him.

 

[Doomsday Device]

Valabik = Babchuk
(Babchuk was disregarded until the final months when he shot up everyone's lists almost to the top 5 but surprised everyone by dropping 20 spots)

While Valabik has certainly improved his stock as the year has gone on, Babchuk was always considered to be a high pick. He, Whitney, Pitkanen, and Bouwmeester were seemingly the Big 4 defenceman for most of the 2001-2002 hockey season. They were all big, good skaters, and considered surefire top 10 picks.

 

[Gwyddbwyll]

Really? I dont remember it that way but I may be wrong. What about Eminger? I would have thought he would be a more likely member of the top 4 as you say.

 

[Lord]

Lyamin = Knyazev
(no real weaknesses, solid player but no strengths either)

Malkin = Svitov
(strong skilled player, not really a power forward but a great package to be as good as he wants to be)

QUOTE]
The first comparision seems very apt to me though Lyamin has a little better overall potential.
Malkin is not similar to Svitov obviously, i do not think that you can compare for example Holik and Yashin.

 

[Doomsday Device]

Really? I dont remember it that way but I may be wrong. What about Eminger? I would have thought he would be a more likely member of the top 4 as you say.

I'm not sure how Eminger was perceived at the beginning of the year, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't as highly thought of as the four I mentioned and was considered a mid first-rounder. His stock improved as the year went on to being a borderline top ten pick.