Prospect Info: Tampa Bay Lightning prospect rankings 2016- #9

[Steazy Doo]

1. Andrei Vasilevskiy - 93%
2. Slater Koekkoek - 68%
3. Brayden Point - 66%
4. Dominik Masin - 38%
5. Adam Erne - 35%
6. Brett Howden - 43%
7. Mitchell Stephens - 57%
8. Libor Hajek - 35%

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[HoseEmDown]

Went Blujus again. He's very close to being NHL ready, might not have the highest upside of the players who are left but will most likely make an impact before any of the others.

 

[MattM92]

Gudlevskis needs to start getting some love. Probably should have been picked already.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Spencinator

 

[HoseEmDown]

Gudlevskis needs to start getting some love. Probably should have been picked already.

He needs to start putting up decent numbers in Syracuse. Very underwhelming with his play and consistency.

 

[MattM92]

He needs to start putting up decent numbers in Syracuse. Very underwhelming with his play and consistency.

But the potential is there. We're at the point now where potential matters.

 

[HoseEmDown]

But the potential is there. We're at the point now where potential matters.

What potential is that? I see a career backup, maybe he has a 1B year or two on a team with a bad 1A but he's not a full-time starter. So it depends on what you prefer for potential. Do you put bottom pair D, bottom 6 forward or backup goalie higher? To me I'd go D > F > G.

 

[MattM92]

What potential is that? I see a career backup, maybe he has a 1B year or two on a team with a bad 1A but he's not a full-time starter. So it depends on what you prefer for potential. Do you put bottom pair D, bottom 6 forward or backup goalie higher? To me I'd go D > F > G.

As opposed to everyone else on the list who is Hall of Fame bound?

 

[HoseEmDown]

As opposed to everyone else on the list who is Hall of Fame bound?

No, I think there's some guys who will be bottom pair defenders for several years or bottom 6 forwards. I'd take those who'll play almost every night if not every night to a backup.

 

[MattM92]

No, I think there's some guys who will be bottom pair defenders for several years or bottom 6 forwards. I'd take those who'll play almost every night if not every night to a backup.

I just don't see how we can vote up a prospect that has not yet played a second of professional hockey over a starting goalie in the AHL, especially one that has had flashes of brilliance like Gudlevskis. I love me some Joseph, but let's see him produce outside of juniors before we start voting him into the top 10 ahead of guys who are further along in development and have at least as much potential at their position.

Edit: Sorry, you voted Blujus. Though that's another iffy pick here in my opinion. He certainly doesn't have the potential or trade value to the organization as Kristers. Only guy left that should go ahead of KG is Gusev.

 

[MattM92]

And let's not overlook BP's end of the year prospect ranking in which Kristers placed a solid 7 spots ahead of Blujus and 8 spots ahead of Joseph.

Of course they aren't the end of the conversation, but as prospect watchers their opinions should carry some weight.

 

[Werewolf]

And let's not overlook BP's end of the year prospect ranking in which Kristers placed a solid 7 spots ahead of Blujus and 8 spots ahead of Joseph.

Of course they aren't the end of the conversation, but as prospect watchers their opinions should carry some weight.

For me Boltsprospects is a wonderful resource. However, that list was last updated in June. Since then I had the chance to see the rookie camp plus an International tournament where we had a chance to look at 7 prospects over 3 games. Cirelli after the tournament cannot be considered our number 23 prospect for example. He was one of the best players on a team that included Strome, Dubois, etc.

Kristers is not even an average goalie in the AHL at the moment. Of those that played over 30 games he ranks in the bottom 5. At some point he has to show consistency...and over the last 2 seasons his consistency includes numbers that are downright terrible. Ingram comes onboard next season and Kristers will not be re-upped if his numbers stay the same as they have been.

The only one of the 6 players on team Canada that didn't show well in my opinion was Spencer and he took a dive in my prospect rankings. As far as Gusev goes...I don't consider him a prospect. He is 24 and not playing in a development league. If he was in North America he'd be playing in the NHL no question but at this rate we are gonna have almost a 26 year player before he comes over. It's not right to compare him to 18-23 year olds playing a different game in development leagues.

 

[MattM92]

For me Boltsprospects is a wonderful resource. However, that list was last updated in June. Since then I had the chance to see the rookie camp plus an International tournament where we had a chance to look at 7 prospects over 3 games. Cirelli after the tournament cannot be considered our number 23 prospect for example. He was one of the best players on a team that included Strome, Dubois, etc.

Kristers is not even an average goalie in the AHL at the moment. Of those that played over 30 games he ranks in the bottom 5. At some point he has to show consistency...and over the last 2 seasons his consistency includes numbers that are downright terrible. Ingram comes onboard next season and Kristers will not be re-upped if his numbers stay the same as they have been.

The only one of the 6 players on team Canada that didn't show well in my opinion was Spencer and he took a dive in my prospect rankings. As far as Gusev goes...I don't consider him a prospect. He is 24 and not playing in a development league. If he was in North America he'd be playing in the NHL no question but at this rate we are gonna have almost a 26 year player before he comes over. It's not right to compare him to 18-23 year olds playing a different game in development leagues.

That is fair on Gusev and I tend to agree. He should probably be a little higher on the list in my opinion.

On KG, he is a young goalie. He's only 23 I think? How many goalies are consistently good at the age of 23? I agree that he needs to take a step forward, but there is no denying that his raw talent is worth something.

 

[HoseEmDown]

And let's not overlook BP's end of the year prospect ranking in which Kristers placed a solid 7 spots ahead of Blujus and 8 spots ahead of Joseph.

Of course they aren't the end of the conversation, but as prospect watchers their opinions should carry some weight.

Look at BP rankings though, they're not very good to me. They have Masin at 14, we have him at 4 here. They ranked recent draft picks way too high, Hajek 5, Katchouk 9, Raddysh 12 and Ingram ahead of Blujus and Joseph. They have Spencer above them too and he had a bad draft +1 year and was outperformed in summer tournaments or camps by many others. I like Vermin but he's not the 15th best prospect.

With ranking players everyone is going to have differing opinions, if you want to believe what BP tells you that's fine. I like that page and check it out but to me they aren't any more credible than a Werewolf or Cruchrulz scouting report on a player.

 

[MattM92]

Look at BP rankings though, they're not very good to me. They have Masin at 14, we have him at 4 here. They ranked recent draft picks way too high, Hajek 5, Katchouk 9, Raddysh 12 and Ingram ahead of Blujus and Joseph. They have Spencer above them too and he had a bad draft +1 year and was outperformed in summer tournaments or camps by many others. I like Vermin but he's not the 15th best prospect.

With ranking players everyone is going to have differing opinions, if you want to believe what BP tells you that's fine. I like that page and check it out but to me they aren't any more credible than a Werewolf or Cruchrulz scouting report on a player.

As I said, BP isn't the end of the conversation but seeing as their prospect rankings are done by a committee of prospect watchers, I would value their collective opinions over any single person in here.