Rank these 4 "B" Level Prospects

[Brandinho]

I disagree that Fata was an "offensive dynamo." I would say that Etem has been a better junior then Fata was.(Fata had a couple of nice AHL seasons though and we can't judge Etem on that yet)

43 goals in his draft year, would've likely hit 100 points during his 18-19 year old season had he played all year in the OHL, PPG+ player in the AHL. What do you have to do to qualify as an offensive dynamo, score 150 points?

 

[Raptactics29]

1. Knight (I've honestly never seen anyone play as hard as Knight)
2. Etem (Great wheels)
3. Caron (Can play on any line in any situation)
4. Thomas (Small.. highest bust potential of the group)

 

[Qubax]

43 goals in his draft year, would've likely hit 100 points during his 18-19 year old season had he played all year in the OHL, PPG+ player in the AHL. What do you have to do to qualify as an offensive dynamo, score 150 points?

Don't get me wrong he was good in junior....but even in his best junior season he had what, 76 points and was 4th on his team in scoring.....

When I think Offensive dynamo I think Locke, Azevedo, Akeson, Pither, Schremp, Gagner, P.Kane, Frank Banham etc...some of those kids make it, some don't

Fata had some okay years in junior, and translated pretty well to the "A"...

he just didn't seem like 6th overall material.....and while the 98 draft wasn't exactly super deep, we Flames fans have gotten pretty tired of our 6th overall selections...which is the highest selection we've made since being in Calgary...

Daniel Tkaczuk, Cory Stillman, Rico Fata....all 6th overall....

Mind you Stillman has had a pretty nice career and we dealt him for Conroy...

anyway, getting off topic...

I think the amazing thing about these 4 prospects is I have seen each of the 4 rated as the best, and each of the 4 rated as the worst.....very mixed opinion on these guys...

 

[wolfgaze]

I hate to be a wet blanket for you but there is a much longer list of tiny dominating junior players that could not cut it at the NHL level. I could blow through the vaunted ranger prospects with some serious credentials the last 10 years that were tiny that looked like sure bets but never made it if you would like, but I am sure you know them

Who, Peter Prucha and Nigel Dawes? How are they comparable to Thomas at all other then height? Different skillsets, different players.... Player comparisons are so played out and often inaccurate... Is Carl Hagelin the next Lauri Korpikoski? Is Dylan McIlrath the next Hugh Jessiman? Is Ethan Werek the next Brandon Dubinsky? What previous prospects did or didn't do has absolutely zero impact or indication on what types of players these newer prospects will develop into.

personally, I played college puck D 3 level and I was a piping hot 5'7 150 lbs so I am pulling for Thomas , dont get me wrong, but the odds are stacked against him even thouhh he plain and simply dominated the OHL this year

Why are the odds stacked against him anymore than a player who has 2 inches on him? If he was 5'11 would you be saying the "odds are stacked against him"? He did 41 goals and 66 points last year so he's steadily improved on his production and back to back 40+ goal seasons ain't too shabby....

 

[wolfgaze]

4. Thomas (Small.. highest bust potential of the group)

Can you elaborate why Thomas has the highest bust potential of the 4 mentioned players?

 

[Brandinho]

Don't get me wrong he was good in junior....but even in his best junior season he had what, 76 points and was 4th on his team in scoring.....

That was his draft year. He was around a PPG at 16-17, scored 43 goals at 17-18, then only played 23 games at 18-19 because he was in the NHL.

When I think Offensive dynamo I think Locke, Azevedo, Akeson, Pither, Schremp, Gagner, P.Kane, Frank Banham etc...some of those kids make it, some don't.

Akeson? Fata scored 43 goals during his draft year. Akeson scored 2 points. Pither had 15 goals his draft year and didn't outscore Fata's draft year until he was a 20 year old overager. Schremp had 30 goals and 75 points his draft year, both inferior to Fata's 43 and 76. Ditto for Azevedo with his 29 and 69. Ditto again for Locke's 18 and 43. Ditto yet again for Banham's 29 and 62.

The only examples you used that actually were better offensive players than Fata in junior were Kane and Gagner, which actually only reinforces that Fata was indeed an offensive dynamo. You're looking back at Fata's lack of NHL success with hindsight and pretending he wasn't a hell of a player in juniors. He wouldn't have made his NHL debut during his 18-19 year old season if he wasn't.

I can't even take the rest of your post seriously when you're trying to tell me that a guy who only became an impact player as a 20 year old was an offensive dynamo while a kid who was in the NHL a year after getting drafted wasn't.

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

Can you elaborate why Thomas has the highest bust potential of the 4 mentioned players?

I kind of like Thomas being underrated. Rangers fans will be patient and when he shows up on other posters radars it will be awesome.

 

[mohare]

Christian Thomas will be the best of the bunch, he has the pedigree. Plus I'm sure Stumpy has the hookups with Roberts to help get him in Skinner/Stamkos-esque shape.

Jared Knight hasn't seemed to take that next step offensively in the OHL, which is a bit telling and probably why he went in the 2nd round instead of higher, although perhaps his numbers last year were inflated by Kadri and now he's just back to where he should be. Doubt he'll ever be more than a 2.5 liner, if that.

Jordan Caron lacks high end offensive talent, so he will probably end up a career 3rd liner if that.

Emerson Etem will probably be the 2nd best player out of this group, he's got the skills to be an impact player. The downside to his game is his PIMs are low, so it looks like he doesn't dish out punishment that someone his height/weight should be doing. The big problem for him will be that he's behind Perry and Ryan, so he'll never see top line minutes in Anaheim.

 

[LuckyLuke87]

Can you elaborate why Thomas has the highest bust potential of the 4 mentioned players?

Still don't getting it? Nobody's saying he won't ever make it but odds are against him. Kid's 5.09" and there's tons of undersized junior offensive dynamos who never made it to NHL. Brendan Gallagher from Vancouver Giants is another fantastic undersized player, he plays with lots of edge too but nobody consider him sure thing as you do with Thomas. Even nowadays, it's really tough for these smallish players to make it.

 

[LuckyLuke87]

Christian Thomas will be the best of the bunch, he has the pedigree. Plus I'm sure Stumpy has the hookups with Roberts to help get him in Skinner/Stamkos-esque shape.

Jared Knight hasn't seemed to take that next step offensively in the OHL, which is a bit telling and probably why he went in the 2nd round instead of higher, although perhaps his numbers last year were inflated by Kadri and now he's just back to where he should be. Doubt he'll ever be more than a 2.5 liner, if that.

Jordan Caron lacks high end offensive talent, so he will probably end up a career 3rd liner if that.

Emerson Etem will probably be the 2nd best player out of this group, he's got the skills to be an impact player. The downside to his game is his PIMs are low, so it looks like he doesn't dish out punishment that someone his height/weight should be doing. The big problem for him will be that he's behind Perry and Ryan, so he'll never see top line minutes in Anaheim.

It's exatly opposite with Knight. He's go to guy at London and arguably their MVP this season. Although he's with almost zero supporting cast, he's producing at PPG pace almost on his own. He brings fantastic intangibles and his contribution to the team can't be measured only by stats, there's a lot more he brings to the ice.

 

[wolfgaze]

Still don't getting it? Nobody's saying he won't ever make it but odds are against him. Kid's 5.09" and there's tons of undersized junior offensive dynamos who never made it to NHL. Brendan Gallagher from Vancouver Giants is another fantastic undersized player, he plays with lots of edge too but nobody consider him sure thing as you do with Thomas. Even nowadays, it's really tough for these smallish players to make it.

I asked what gives him high bust potential... Your certainly didn't answer the question by alluding to other smaller players who didn't make it... How many normal height players in Juniors don't make the NHL as well? Hint: there's lots of them... Do you consider that when evaluating players who are 5'10, 5'11, 6'0? I bet you don't...

I think it's foolish how much people harp on a player's height with no context of his weight, body build, hockey IQ, or his skillset... It's quite naive.... Height is absolutely no indicator of future success independent of those other important contextual factors....