SJ Sharks Prospect Ratings/Potential

[Sharksrule04]

Being that we no longer have a page for prospect ratings I figured I'd throw something together and see what people thought. Feel free to add players that I am missing. I really put an emphasis on top realistic potential and the letter associated with what the realistic floor would be for the player. Example being when I put Roy as an 8C, I think his top potential is possibly as a #2 d-man but he could very likely fall to a 6 and be a #5-6 D-man.

We could put this in a separate thread if we wanted to actively update it based on board consensus, but mostly I was just hoping to have some discussion on what people thought of the potential for our individual prospects.

Rating criteria:
10. Generational Talent
9. Elite Talent
8. First-Line Forward/ No. 2 Defenseman / No. 1 Goaltender
7. Second-Line Forward/ No. 3-4 Defenseman / Journeyman No. 1 Goaltender
6. Third-Line Forward/ No. 5-6 Defenseman / Backup Goaltender
5. Fourth line forward / No. 7 defenseman / depth goaltender
4. Top minor league forward / defenseman / goaltender
3. Average minor league forward / defenseman / goaltender
2. Minor league role-player
1. Borderline minor league player

A – All but guaranteed to reach potential
B – Should reach potential, could drop 1 rating
C – May reach potential, could drop 2 ratings
D – Unlikely to reach potential, could drop 3 ratings
E – Could drop 4 ratings (I added this one)
F – A player possessing little potential

Goalies
Troy Grosenick - 6B
Antoine Bibeau - 6C
Josef Korenar - 6C
Parker Gahagen - 6C
Mike Robinson - 5C
Jake Kupsky - 4C
Jamie Murray - 4C

Defensemen
Mario Ferraro - 8C
Jeremy Roy - 8C
Joakim Ryan - 7C
Radim Simek - 7C
Julius Bergman - 6B
Cavan Fitzgerald - 6C
Nick DeSimone - 6C
Mark Shoemaker - 5C
Michael Brodzinski - 4C
Karlis Cukste - 4C

Forwards
Timo Meier - 8C
Josh Norris - 7B
Kevin Labanc - 7B
Maxim Letunov - 7C
Marcus Sorenson - 7C
Rudolfs Balcers - 7D
Ivan Chekhovich - 7D
Sasha Chmelevski - 7D
Dylan Gambrell - 7D
Noah Gregor - 7E
Ryan Carpenter - 6B
Rourke Chartier - 6C
Danny O'Regan - 6C
Scott Reedy - 6C
Noah Rod - 6C
Filip Sandberg - 6C
Joachim Blichfield - 6D
Alex True - 6D
Manuel Wiederer - 6D
Adam Helewka - 5C
Alex Schoenborn - 5C
Jon Martin - 4C
Tim Clifton - 4C
Jacob McGrew - No Idea
Marcus Vela - No Idea

Last year I posted the above ratings for our prospects based on the former system HF used. Figured I'd update the ratings and see what people thought. Looking to see where people currently put our prospects. Maybe we can do updates every once in a while or if Mods feel this belongs in the prospect chat, feel free to move it there.

Goalies
Antoine Bibeau - 6B
Josef Korenar - 6D
Jake Kupsky - 5C
Mike Robinson - 3C
Zachard Emond - Unknown

Defensemen
Ryan Merkley - 9D
Mario Ferraro - 7C
Kyle Wood - 7C
Radim Simek - 7C
Jeremy Roy - 7D
Jacob Middleton - 6C
Cavan Fitzgerald - 5C
Nick DeSimone - 5C
Michael Brodzinski - 4C
Karlis Cukste - 4C
Cody Donaghey - 3C

Forwards
Josh Norris - 7B
Antti Suomela - 7C
Lukas Radil - 7C
Maxim Letunov - 7C
Rudolfs Balcers - 7C
Ivan Chekhovich - 7C
Sasha Chmelevski - 7C
Dylan Gambrell - 7C
Vincent Praplan - 7D
John Leonard - 7D
Rourke Chartier - 6B
Jayden Halbgewachs - 6C
Linus Karlsson - 6C
Noah Gregor - 6C
Vladislav Kotkov - 6C
Scott Reedy - 6C
Filip Sandberg - 6D
Joachim Blichfield - 6D
Alex True - 6D
Manuel Wiederer - 5C
Jacob McGrew - 5C
Alex Schoenborn - 4C
Jon Martin - 4C
Tim Clifton - 4C
Marcus Vela - 4C
Jake Jackson - 3C
Jasper Weatherby - Unknown

Click to read more...

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Thanks for doing the work for this.

I think Merkley is a 9C. I think he could drop 2 points to be a 3-4 D-man at worst. If he does not hit that, I am not sure if he makes it as a NHL player.

 

[PacificOceanPotion]

I completely forgot about Cukste.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

I want to say this list is a little bit too optimistic but I guess we really just haven’t had that many forwards with top-6 potential in the past.

I have some nitpicks here and there, but it’s a solid list overall. I would bump Merkley down to an 8 or 8.5 at the very most...I remember Dan Boyle was specifically listed as the defenseman that matched up with an 8, and Merkley’s ceiling is roughly Dan Boyle, no?

 

[Hinterland]

You shouldn't underestimate De Simone. Liked him everytime I saw him. I could see him carve out an NHL career as a 3rd pairing defenseman.
You also overrated Suomela. Played 3rd line in Finnland and doesn't have NHL size. Praplan and Radil are better players. I agree with you if that's the likeliness to become an NHL player (Suomela is likely gonna play AHL for years if needed while Praplan and Radil won't) but Suomela's ceiling is rather low. He doesn't have the size and skill of the more proven Radil or Praplan who played in better leagues and have more international experience. Praplan even played an OHL-season.

 

[Internazionale]

Man, looking at that list, we have alot of great talent. Just need a few to pan out!

 

[hohosaregood]

Man, looking at that list, we have alot of great talent. Just need a few to pan out!

inb4 someone berates you for saying we have great talent.

 

[Beethovens 10th]

Man, looking at that list, we have alot of great talent. Just need a few to pan out!

 

[Juxtaposer]

inb4 someone berates you for saying we have great talent.

Where is the great talent?

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

Where is the great talent?

 

[Lebanezer]

 

[Beethovens 10th]

 

[tiburon12]

Feather quill pen w/ ink well, badass handmade-looking table, humongous pen...this photo has it all

 

[Lebanezer]

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

Feather quill pen w/ ink well, badass handmade-looking table, humongous pen...this photo has it all

He wore a Gucci belt and Gucci shoes to the NHL Draft. He is obviously going to be a star in this league and so many teams are so stupid for not picking him.

 

[hohosaregood]

He wore a Gucci belt and Gucci shoes to the NHL Draft. He is obviously going to be a star in this league and so many teams are so stupid for not picking him.

You see his haircut? They were right to not draft him.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

You see his haircut? They were right to not draft him.

His barber was Kyle Dubas’ second cousin once removed. They intentionally sabotaged his haircut in order to improve the likelihood that he would drop to the Leafs. When the Sharks selected Merkley, Toronto quickly panicked and traded back twice because they had no idea what to do without Merkley.

 

[tiburon12]

His barber was Kyle Dubas’ second cousin once removed. They intentionally sabotaged his haircut in order to improve the likelihood that he would drop to the Leafs. When the Sharks selected Merkley, Toronto quickly panicked and traded back twice because they had no idea what to do without Merkley.

those pesky Leafs are everywhere!

 

[one2gamble]

I want to say this list is a little bit too optimistic but I guess we really just haven’t had that many forwards with top-6 potential in the past.

I have some nitpicks here and there, but it’s a solid list overall. I would bump Merkley down to an 8 or 8.5 at the very most...I remember Dan Boyle was specifically listed as the defenseman that matched up with an 8, and Merkley’s ceiling is roughly Dan Boyle, no?

I may not fully understand how these ratings work but didnt Boyle sort of come into his own later in his career or do we just think that because nobody drafted undersized dmen at the time.

 

[Sharksrule04]

I want to say this list is a little bit too optimistic but I guess we really just haven’t had that many forwards with top-6 potential in the past.

I have some nitpicks here and there, but it’s a solid list overall. I would bump Merkley down to an 8 or 8.5 at the very most...I remember Dan Boyle was specifically listed as the defenseman that matched up with an 8, and Merkley’s ceiling is roughly Dan Boyle, no?

Fair, I tend to go with absolute ceiling on the number and then much more realistic on the letter. Like with Merkley I feel he could be an elite d-man if everything goes right which is why I gave him the 9. Realistically he could drop 3 ratings though and end up as a bottom pairing PP specialist, or not make the NHL at all. I also didn't really do any .5's for players but I should have factored that in to differentiate some of the players. Definitely a little heavy on the 7C's.

 

[Sharksrule04]

You shouldn't underestimate De Simone. Liked him everytime I saw him. I could see him carve out an NHL career as a 3rd pairing defenseman.
You also overrated Suomela. Played 3rd line in Finnland and doesn't have NHL size. Praplan and Radil are better players. I agree with you if that's the likeliness to become an NHL player (Suomela is likely gonna play AHL for years if needed while Praplan and Radil won't) but Suomela's ceiling is rather low. He doesn't have the size and skill of the more proven Radil or Praplan who played in better leagues and have more international experience. Praplan even played an OHL-season.

Yea I'll admit the scores I gave those 3 players was purely based on reading material and what I've heard about them. I figured all 3 had an absolute ceiling of a low to mid level 2nd liner but realistically would be 3rd or 4th liners. Nice to hear you're high on Praplan and Radil though.

 

[Sharksrule04]

Where is the great talent?

Yea I only see 1 player capable of top end talent on that list. We should have a steady flow of middle 6 and 3rd line caliber players. Hopefully one will develop into a high end 2nd liner. I think we're strongest on D now with Ferraro and Merkley. If Roy can ever be healthy (highly doubtful) it would look even better.

 

[Hinterland]

Yea I'll admit the scores I gave those 3 players was purely based on reading material and what I've heard about them. I figured all 3 had an absolute ceiling of a low to mid level 2nd liner but realistically would be 3rd or 4th liners. Nice to hear you're high on Praplan and Radil though.

I totally agree here. All I said is that Praplan and Radil are better players than Suomela...at least right now. They have the tools needed to be a middle six winger but I doubt they're gonna make it. I don't see them as 4th liners and they'll leave if sent down. Odds are not good there but their ceiling is higher than Suomela's...at least if you ask me. Suomela could still be the one to eventually makes it just because he's the most likely of the three to stick and work on his game.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

I may not fully understand how these ratings work but didnt Boyle sort of come into his own later in his career or do we just think that because nobody drafted undersized dmen at the time.

The website had a description and a trio of comparable players for each number - one at each position. I vividly remember Joe Thornton as the forward listed for 9.0, and Dan Boyle listed as the defenseman for 8.0. They weren’t rating Dan Boyle an 8.0 as a prospect or Joe Thornton a 9.0, but they were saying that the ceiling of an 8.0 type prospect is a Dan Boyle level player if they hit their potential.

For me, I think Merkley’s absolute ceiling really isn’t much higher than a Dan Boyle level player. I definitely don’t think it’s a Joe Thornton level player.