Who's our 13th best prospect?

[Shaman464]

Ignore Shaman - almost every single post in every thread is negative, whether about players, staff, prospects, the future etc. Almost every comment citing sources relies upon whichever source has the most negative stance.

For the record I think LWH is pretty unreliable, but I've seen plenty of positive comments about a number of our defensive prospects from a variety of better sources. Sure none are projected to be franchise D, but even if you focus on the rankings which have a whole load at middle pairing potential, we only need one to exceed that expectation to make D by committee a possibility.

Obviously in realistic terms, this prospect pool doesn't represent the entirety of the d core of a competitive team. But one has to assume the likelihood of that being a focus of future drafts - unless of course more potential franchise forwards fall into our lap

My choice this time would be Pope simply because he has proven more at a higher level and has shown year on year improvements

Ignore Lomekian, almost every post in every thread is nearly delusionally positive, whether about players, staff, prospects, the future etc. Almost every comment citing sources relies upon whichever source has the most positive, disconnected from reality stance.

As for the rest of your post, I have read all the reports on Cholo and the line that I see over and over again is that he's a middle pairing that can run a second powerplay unit. Which would still make him the best defender they've drafted since Kronwall, and still a good pick. Overhyping players is exactly why Kindl, Smith, Ouellet, Sproul, etc all became such disappointments. Most were longshots to be anything more than they were, but we spent hundreds, if not thousands of posts pumping their tires to be the next top pairing guys. So, when they busted, instead of being regrettable, but not surprising, they were major disappointments. Besides Hronek and Cholo, every other defense prospect the Wings have will likely either never make it in the NHL or will be bottom pairing guys. That's just how drafting works. Its real life.

 

[Fil Larkmanthanasiou]

Ignore Lomekian, almost every post in every thread is nearly delusionally positive, whether about players, staff, prospects, the future etc. Almost every comment citing sources relies upon whichever source has the most positive, disconnected from reality stance.

As for the rest of your post, I have read all the reports on Cholo and the line that I see over and over again is that he's a middle pairing that can run a second powerplay unit. Which would still make him the best defender they've drafted since Kronwall, and still a good pick. Overhyping players is exactly why Kindl, Smith, Ouellet, Sproul, etc all became such disappointments. Most were longshots to be anything more than they were, but we spent hundreds, if not thousands of posts pumping their tires to be the next top pairing guys. So, when they busted, instead of being regrettable, but not surprising, they were major disappointments. Besides Hronek and Cholo, every other defense prospect the Wings have will likely either never make it in the NHL or will be bottom pairing guys. That's just how drafting works. Its real life.

I would bet big bucks that at least one of the prospects on defense other than Hronner or Cholo will develop into more than a bottom pairing D-man but I wouldn’t make that bet on any of them individually.

 

[Shaman464]

I would bet big bucks that at least one of the prospects on defense other than Hronner or Cholo will develop into more than a bottom pairing D-man. I wouldn’t make that bet on any of them individually.

I wouldn't. Given Detroit's ability to scout and develop defense, the smart money is on them not going anywhere.

 

[Fil Larkmanthanasiou]

We have 6 vets signed on D and that normally wouldn’t afford much opportunity for youngsters to get a shot but a lot of those vets are older and/or injury prone. It is very likely that Green (I don’t think he will be available to start the season), Kronner and Ericcson will miss more than a season’s worth of games combined.
I think Sulak is probably going to be the first of the prospects to become a regular. He is the oldest of them and provides some size which the Wings don’t have much of on D. Mostly because of what I heard of from Henkka about him I thought he was probably a highly skilled, mobile bonehead with size who is lackadaisical defensively much like Sproul but after watching him in the WC and with the Griffs, he doesn’t seem boneheaded and uses his size well in front of the net and along the boards.
Who would have thought a 26 year Rafalski would be as good as he was when he first came over to the NHL from the Finnish league?

 

[Fil Larkmanthanasiou]

I wouldn't. Given Detroit's ability to scout and develop defense, the smart money is on them not going anywhere.

I am hoping that Detroit’s ability to develop defense will improve with new management next year.

 

[A Few Good Males]

I am hoping that Detroit’s ability to develop defense will improve with new management next year.

Shawn Horcoff has been the Director of Player Development for less than two years - lets give him a chance here

 

[Fil Larkmanthanasiou]

Shawn Horcoff has been the Director of Player Development for less than two years - lets give him a chance here

I was implying Holland specifically. I think a big part of the problem with development has been that Holland signs too many redundant vets limiting opportunities for youngsters to develop at the highest level of the game.