Well said. Pulkkinen was ranked in the top 2 with Taylor Hall a year before the draft by some sources.
I'm aware that this is a late and lame gripe, but what's with the format this year? The club icons were a quick and easy way to scan to your teams prospect, rather than reading most of the article, and each opening line sounds like the call at a race track, "and bursting through on the outside is..."
BOT I like the position of Beck, although risky, he got rave reviews from Pred camp, he and Blake G beasted in a couple rookie games
i'm a *little* surprised to see Ryan Ellis outside of even the top 30, given that while an overager, he's now the highest scoring defenseman in OHL history, and his stock seems to have risen considerably since even being drafted, but my surprise is tempered by my pleasure at the recognition of Taylor Beck, who has put up monster seasons in the OHL back to back, and was one of the last cuts at training camp this year.
He's actually not an overage player this year, he's eligible to play in the OHL again next year as an overager.
He's actually not an overage player this year, he's eligible to play in the OHL again next year as an overager.
Can one of the writers explain to me how Justin Shultz doesn't make the list but Jake Gardiner does? I don't understand that.
Anyone? No? Big surprise.
We talked about Schultz, so it's not that we just forgot about him altogether. He's in the 51-60 range.
I can't speak for everyone, but personally, I've been impressed with Gardiner's adaptability in particular. He came in as an offense-first guy, was moved to a shutdown role as a sophomore and excelled, and this year thrived in a marquee role. Coachability is a huge attribute to me, particularly for college players. When you look at guys like Jack Johnson, who came to the NHL without much of a defensive game, a player being willing to adapt to a new style of play is crucial for NHL success. That's not to say that Schultz couldn't
or wouldn't excel in switching to a role similar to the one Gardiner played as a sophomore, just that he hasn't proven it.
That was his 4th year at the OHL. I don't think he can go back to OHL for another year.
Anyone? No? Big surprise.
I appreciate the response. It's just strange when by most accounts a younger player outplays the older player and the older player is deemed to have "more potential". Obviously nobody here has a crystal ball, and it was Shultz's coming out party of sorts, but it's hard for Ducks' fans to take when yet another of its prospects moves on to a bigger team and seems to get more attention.
I know it's probably not a big difference but I think Gardiner being a 1st round pick might give him a slight advantage. Gardiner is also going pro so he may be a little closer to NHL than Shultz.
Shultz is a guy I would have in the top 50, he's had a great year and does everything well (his defensive game has improved as well) but if he's on the bubble then it's probably not a big deal.
It would be awesome if HF could expand their list to top 75 but obviously I'm not the one to do the write-up so...
does it mean that the Red Wings have 4 prospects in the top 30? Usually, these rankings follow the team rankings. And seeing Gustav Nyquist and Jan Mursak in the top 30 is pushing it.
I think it's more or less his disdain with the writers lack of respect towards Anaheim prospects in general. We have seen this happen before with Tangradi. As soon as Anaheim parts w/ their prospects they start showing up on these lists when they should've all along. We believe Gardiner is going to be a great defenseman and we were upset to see him go but I find it miraculous that as soon as he's traded he makes huge strides in the writers eyes. Then we he gets completely outplayed by a younger teammate(Schultz) as a sophmore being nominated for the Hobey Baker award and makes the list but Schultz can't even crack the list is frustrating to some.
It seems more or less that the bigger markets get premium attention(obvious) but as a writer/insider you would think as a specialist you would pay more attention on be biased. Obviously if you have a sure fire guy like Cam Fowler per say he will make any list but when it comes down to being Tangradi/Gardiner/Schultz they attention is not given it seems..
This is the feeling of Anaheim and other small market teams' fan's suggestions...IMO
EDIT: To your point of being were they are drafted is weak IMO... Just because a player is taken in the 1st round shouldn't suggest their potential is better. Pulkkinen is an example (makes the list as a 4th rounder) however he does fall into the market bias.
I think it's more or less his disdain with the writers lack of respect towards Anaheim prospects in general. We have seen this happen before with Tangradi. As soon as Anaheim parts w/ their prospects they start showing up on these lists when they should've all along. We believe Gardiner is going to be a great defenseman and we were upset to see him go but I find it miraculous that as soon as he's traded he makes huge strides in the writers eyes. Then we he gets completely outplayed by a younger teammate(Schultz) as a sophmore being nominated for the Hobey Baker award and makes the list but Schultz can't even crack the list is frustrating to some.
It seems more or less that the bigger markets get premium attention(obvious) but as a writer/insider you would think as a specialist you would pay more attention on be biased. Obviously if you have a sure fire guy like Cam Fowler per say he will make any list but when it comes down to being Tangradi/Gardiner/Schultz they attention is not given it seems..
This is the feeling of Anaheim and other small market teams' fan's suggestions...IMO
EDIT: To your point of being were they are drafted is weak IMO... Just because a player is taken in the 1st round shouldn't suggest their potential is better. Pulkkinen is an example (makes the list as a 4th rounder) however he does fall into the market bias.
Nashville is arguably a bottom five market in the NHL and they're almost always well-represented on our lists and highly-ranked in the organizational rankings. I think you're reading into this a little too much. Gardiner and Tangradi were both traded in the midst of breakout seasons, which has a lot more to do with their recognition than the market size of the teams they were dealt to.
Exactly. People can put down the conspiracy pipe.
who gives a christ? these are rankings, opinions of people on here.....its an article for entertainment. Nothing is set in stone, some people are talking about these rankings like they are the be all end all of who will be good at the next level.....If Schultz really is the better player I guess we'll see in 3-5+ years.
Exactly. People can put down the conspiracy pipe.