Prospect Info: The 12th Semi-Annual Beacon Prospect Poll: #1

[Beacon]

With the WJC over, now is the time to get back to ranking our prospects. Because we added so many prospects and only graduate J.T. Miller and lost Andrew Yogan, we'll rank 30 prospects plus "Honorable Mentions" for the few who remain in the poll without winning a spot.


THE RULES

WHO IS A PROSPECT: We can't all have different standards based on what we each want personally. We are on the HF board, so let's follow their rules. The standard for what's a prospect is here: http://www.hockeysfuture.com/whatmakesaprospect

* Please don't write that so-and-so should or should not be a prospect. It's not up to each individual here to decide, it's up to the HF rules. Therefore, since no NHL games were played, all the prospects from the winter are still eligible because no NHL games were played

HOW TO RANK PROSPECTS: Based on their value in a hypothetical trade or waiver draft. This takes into consideration a prospect's ceiling, how close he's to making it, his health, work ethic, the whole deal. Imagine there was a prospect waiver draft and you could keep only one prospect. That guy is our #1 prospect. Then imagine we had one more waiver protection. That guy is our #2 prospect.

CATEGORIES: We'll be ranking the top 30 prospects.

- The top 10 will be "Top Prospects"
- The second 10 will be "Second-Tier"
- The third 10 will be "Projects & Suspects"
- The last few will be "Honorable Mentions"

The first 6 options in the poll are the top 5 prospects from the summer who haven't graduated and Chris Hayes because he made the NHL, so obviously he's in our top half dozen prospects.


Please write who you want added to the poll, and give a reason for it. This makes the discussion here more lively.

The previous rankings from the summer of 2014:

TOP PROSPECTS

1. C J.T. Miller
2. D Brady Skjei
3. LW Anthony Duclair
4. D Dylan McIlrath
5. RW Jesper Fast
6. LW Pavel Buchnevich
7. C Oscar Lindberg
8. D Conor Allen
9. RW Danny Kristo
10. RW Ryan Haggerty


SECOND TIER

11. G Brandon Halverson
12. C Adam Tambellini
13. LW Marek Hrivik
14. C Boo Nieves
15. D Ryan Graves
16. LW Ryan Bourque
17. D Petr Zamorsky
18. C Keegan Iverson
19. D Mat Bodie
20. G Igor Shestyorkin


PROJECTS & SUSPECTS

21. C Michael St. Croix
22. RW Richard Nejezchleb
23. G Mackenzie Skapski
24. D Calle Andersson
25. LW Chris McCarthy
26. D Daniel Walcott
27. D Ryan Mantha
28. D Tommy Hughes
29. D Sam Noreau
30. C Steven Fogarty


LONG SHOTS

31. LW Andrew Yogan
32. RW Michael Kantor
33. D Troy Donnay
34. G Jason Missiaen
35. D Tyler Nanne
36. RW Josh Nicholls

Click to read more...

 

[Beacon]

Voted for Duclair because he's almost certain to have an NHL career and has a huge ceiling. I get that Butcher, Hayes and Skjei are all excellent prospects, but neither Butcher nor Skjei have yet played in the NHL, and Hayes doesn't have the ceiling of Duke. I also think Duke was better than Butcher in the WJC. Not by much, but I'd give him the edge.

Add Lindberg. He's wasn't NHL-ready in preseason, but he is either ready or very close to being ready right now. After a few adjustment games, he'll be able to stick at the NHL level. Not a huge ceiling, but he's a near-certain bottom-6 NHLer.

 

[Beer League Sniper]

Duclair, add Graves.

Going Duke>Hayes>Buch>Skjei

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Voted Hayes because I place a higher value on Cs. But Duclair is certainly worthy.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Voted Duclair. I agree with you Beacon that I believe he has the highest ceiling of all prospects in our system. Add Graves.

 

[Beer League Sniper]

Our goalie prospects are all having great seasons. I expect all of them to rise at least a few spots over last poll.

Edit: Except Missiaen

 

[Radek27]

Should be a quick first three rounds. Duke, Hayes and Skjei are the obvious top 3.

 

[Beer League Sniper]

I would put Buch over Skjei at this point, even if only barely. Just my opinion, but I weigh professional experience over college experience. Skjei has also been injured this season while Buch has remained mostly healthy.

 

[eco's bones]

It's got to be Hayes. Huge center in the middle. The Rangers haven't had a guy like that with real offensive talent in a long, long time. I don't think that Hayes really projects to be a quality 1st line center but I think he should be a pretty good second line guy. Add Lindberg.

 

[Matt4776]

Went with Hayes, but I was completely split between Duke and Hayes.

 

[Thordic]

Voted for Duke.

Hayes, IMO, is not longer a "prospect". He's a rookie playing valuable minutes. He's played 37 games already.

 

[Mac n Gs]

Yogan isn't a prospect for us anymore. He was traded with Kampfer to Florida for Joey Crabb.

I voted for Duke

 

[Mac n Gs]

Also, is Duke still considered a LW? Didn't he primarily play RW when he was with the Rangers, and is he playing RW with Quebec?

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Most fun vote in a long time.

Honestly torn on Duke/Hayes/Buch/Skjei. Going with Duke for the offensive upside and the fact that we've seen it in the NHL already, but I'd be fine with any of the four.

Add Lindberg.

 

[gump116]

Voted Hayes. He's already shown that he can be a 3rd line center in the NHL as a rookie. There's a really good chance that he becomes a solid #2 center, and an outside chance that he becomes a #1. Duke has more upside, but it's really unlikely he becomes as valuable as a #1 center.

 

[silverfish]

Hayes; add Lindberg

 

[Raspewtin]

Duclair, add Graves.

 

[Inferno]

Hayes. but the Duke is right there.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Duclair. Add Graves

 

[Idlerlee]

Skjei, He will be the bastion of the Rangers D for many years to come. Duclair is "just" a very skilled winger with a high ceiling, Skjei is a future captain

 

[Beacon]

Most fun vote in a long time.

Honestly torn on Duke/Hayes/Buch/Skjei. Going with Duke for the offensive upside and the fact that we've seen it in the NHL already, but I'd be fine with any of the four.

Add Lindberg.

The first time since I began doing these polls that the top pick isn't running away with the vote. The top 4 are very clear, but the order in which they go is not.

Personally, my next pick will be Butcher because of his pro experience in the world's second-best league as a top player there, plus his excellent performance in the WJC. I think his ceiling is similar to the Duke, though Duke carries less risk because he's shown to be almost ready for the NHL. But I'll go with Butcher over Hayes or Skjei because of his higher ceiling.

 

[Beer League Sniper]

I think Halverson and Shestyorkin both go Top-10, at least in my rankings. When was the last time we had two goalies that high?

 

[apoptygma]

Voted Hayes, huge center with great offensive upside. Maybe the hardest prospects to get deep in draft or by trade.


Add Lindberg, should be an important piece of the next wave of prospects joing the big club.

 

[Net Front Presence]

Duclair. Add Lindberg.

 

[Carlos Ranger]

duke add lindberg