Interesting as I've seen some rank Altybarmakyan above Kayumov. Since they looked somewhat equal in the international tourneys last year but Alty is a year younger
Completely disagree with this. The rest are a crapshoot to people because of exposure. Most of the remaining players play overseas. Carlsson is a good example. I mean he was second on his team in TOI in the SHL finals two years ago as a 19 year old while not on the top PP. Being depended on in key defensive situations in good pro leagues at that age is huge but you don’t get hype if you play overseas and aren’t putting up huge numbers.
There are still a number of guys who are likely to make a difference in the NHL. It might be more of a crapshoot, like you said, but some guys look like likely future NHLers. Soderlund, Ejdsell, and Carlsson immediately come to mind in that regard. Hell, Kampf is on this list and we all know he can play in the NHL in some capacity.
When I started these polls, I stated that I didn't include anyone drafted before 2014 NHL draft. Hayden was a 2013 pick. Had to draw the line somewhere.
When and on which NHL team are all of these young men going to play? (No, I don’t care whether they max out playing anywhere else.) Only so many spots available on the Hawks roster, and every team has similar, if not better, prospect depth. Unless there is a lot of turnover, perhaps only 10 or so of these prospects will get a significant amount of NHL games beyond spot play in the next five years, and not even all of them with the Hawks. And don’t forget the upcoming drafts, where more competition will be added. There’s a reason why few players drafted in the third round or beyond make it to the NHL. It’s a numbers game.
Just so people are aware of the percentages, here’s a link to the Blackhawks’ drafts over the years. Some have a few making it beyond two years total worth of games, a few are fabulous, and a bunch are pathetic.
You missed my original point. None of us can tell what’s inside someone that makes one succeed while another doesn’t. I just stated that the odds were long for anybody beyond the top 7-10 on our list, given historical data.
