Thanks for the comments!
It is a difficult list to do because there are a lot of players with similar skills. I hate having the defensemen with the forwards and goalies all mixed together. It is hard from #11 down to 26 because the difference is a hair based on the player's total game and potential weighed in. I left Thomas off more due to him being a one trick pony. He's a shooter but is missed the other skills and grit of Andrighetto, Hudon, Lehkonen Reway and Bozon. I really like de la Rose but it's going to be whether his offensive potential comes out or not. He is more of a lock to play in the NHL but the players above him will have a bigger impact offensively and project as top-six potential. If they make the NHL. Anything can happen to a prospect, unfortunately Bozon is a perfect example. I am praying for him to recover his health first and hopefully he gets the chance at his dream to play in the NHL.
Tinordi is going to play alongside Subban in the future on the top pairing and has a hidden offensive potential but will it come out. Beaulieu will be a second pairing guy but he needs to improve his defensive game. You see the offensive potential right on the surface with him but can he be more than a power specialist. I believe, yes.
Why I put Dietz at #10 is easy. Like I said in the article, he is the most complete defenseman in the talent pool. He has the puck moving ability, a good shot and excellent offensive instincts from playing forward his whole minor career before the junior level. Dietz is just as solid defensively, better skating speed than Ellis, Thrower, Tinordi and Pateryn. He can pivot equally on both sides which allows him to play either left or right which is rare for a right handed defenseman. He has the nastiness, physicality of Thrower and Tinordi and won't back down from anyone. It is just a matter of time before he grows into an NHL second pairing defenseman, maybe beside Beaulieu. Pateryn and Ellis need just to improve their skating speed and quicker, safer outlet passing. Thrower needs to keep improving his defensive positioning and decision making in the defensive zone. Bennett is similar to Thrower but he still makes the high risk mistakes on the offensive attack that he made as a freshman, ill timed pinches at the blue line and giveaways at the wrong times. Nygren is a good prospect and I hope he will return to N.A later this year or next training camp. His offensive potential is high and his defensive positioning just needs to adjust to the smaller ice surface. He was lower on the list more for leaving to go back to Europe and his defensive game is still a work in progress for the NHL game. There might be things going on behind the scenes that we are not privy too. We don't know what was communicated to him when he chose to come over here. I highly doubt that Bergevin is just going to trade him with another year left on the ELC and his potential. We will see what happen there over the summer.
I like Connor Crisp as he brings something to the pool we don't have enough. The big, tough, physical forward that can take over a game physically with his size. He has good athletic abilities, eye hand co-ordination (good around the net), hard worker and a good team guy (went in nets for his team). His skating is heavy but with proper power skating coaching, he could make the NHL as an excellent bottom six player.
For me, the prospect to watch closely over the next couple of years is Jeremy Gregoire. This kids is the youngest prospect in the pool and could bloom into an offensive star. He does all the little things to win and is a real gamer. His skating can be improved with coaching but it's his compete level and heart that will get him to the NHL. He could be the sleeper of the 2013 draft for the Canadiens.
I hope I answered most of what was said in this thread. If I missed something let me know. I will try to answer. Remember we all will have a different opinion on prospects and their projections. None of them are wrong. This pool is proof that depth in a team's farm system is important. Collberg is traded but the Canadiens still have similar skilled forwards like Bozon, Lehkonen, Hudon, Andrighetto, Thomas and Reway.
These are just my opinions!
