Wild Prospect Ranking - #1 prospect

[Lapa]

We will be holding 10 polls, to determine who are the top prospects of the Minnesota Wild. Prospect criteria via Hockey's Future.

If a prospect is a skater (forward, defenseman) and has played in 65 NHL games or more before the completion of the season of his 24th birthday; or, if a goaltender has played in 45 NHL games before the completion of the season of his 24th birthday, that player will be considered graduated to the NHL. Conversely, if a player completes the season of his 24th birthday without passing those milestones, then that player will no longer be considered a prospect by Hockey’s Future, regardless of the player’s status with his NHL club.

Useful links:

http://wild.nhl.com/club/roster.htm?type=prospect

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/teams/minnesota_wild/

http://www.eliteprospects.com/team.php?team=63

http://www.hockeywilderness.com/prospects

And as always, flaming, trolling etc. will not be tolerated. Thanks guys.

The poll will be open for 2 days.

Click to read more...

 

[Puhis]

Kuemper, HM to Haula. But out of that group, right now Kuemper looks the best. He is a NHL caliber goalie, after all, and will hopefully continue to improve.

 

[TZM]

Dumba has still that ceiling and I don't want to give up on him just yet.

Screw objectivity.

 

[Engebretson]

I'll vote Kuemper first, although it almost seems weird considering him a "prospect" at this point.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Tough choice between Haula and Kuemper.

I think Kuemper absolutely has the ability to be a 50-60 start NHL starting goaltender, and a goalie that we could make deep playoff runs with.

However, given the right linemates and icetime, I do believe Haula has 40-50 point ability and is already becoming an elite PKer.

Dumba, I need to see some production at the AHL level, where all of Haula, Zucker and Kuemper have already performed well.

Haula is my #1.

 

[Jarick]

Close between Haula and Kuemper, but I value forwards more than goalies. Kuemper a 1A in terms of prospects for me.

 

[gphr513]

Haula is still considered a prospect? What's the criteria, do you have to play a full year in the NHL without being sent down to not be considered a prospect anymore?

 

[TaLoN]

Haula shouldn't be on the list because he's the team's 3rd line center. As a result I vote Dumba.

 

[BusQuets]

Dumba for dat upside.

 

[Jarick]

Haula hasn't yet played 60 games. He is still a prospect.

 

[gphr513]

Haula hasn't yet played 60 games. He is still a prospect.

Is that like an NHL standard, or just an HFBoards convention?

 

[this providence]

Dumba.

Kuemper isn't even a consideration for me until we get to around #5 or so.

 

[TaLoN]

He's no longer considered a rookie by NHL standards because he played more than 45 games.

Add in his playoff games on top of it, and being pulled from the prospect ranks should be a sure thing imo.

 

[Jarick]

Is that like an NHL standard, or just an HFBoards convention?

Hockey's Future.

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/whatmakesaprospect/

65 games. There are more bits and pieces, but Haula's still a prospect.

 

[Lapa]

He's no longer considered a rookie by NHL standards because he played more than 45 games.

Add in his playoff games on top of it, and being pulled from the prospect ranks should be a sure thing imo.

As I said in the OP, I used HF's criteria. Under 65 games, he's still a prospect.

 

[TaLoN]

I disagree with that standard.

I can only vote by my own standards, I don't call him a prospect.

 

[Jaykay]

Surprised with the lack of love for Tuch. I guess it's just because he's far away but I think he's a much better prospect than Haula.

You guys really don't think that in 5 years when he is Haula's current age he won't be a better player than Haula is now?

 

[Minnewildsota]

Surprised with the lack of love for Tuch. I guess it's just because he's far away but I think he's a much better prospect than Haula.

You guys really don't think that in 5 years when he is Haula's current age he won't be a better player than Haula is now?

I try not to think, so far, it's going ok.

I don't consider Kuemper or Haula prospects so Dumba for me.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Surprised with the lack of love for Tuch. I guess it's just because he's far away but I think he's a much better prospect than Haula.

You guys really don't think that in 5 years when he is Haula's current age he won't be a better player than Haula is now?

I think they both have 2nd line potential (Tuch possibly could be the 3rd best player on a top line), but Haula is just further along, and has proven more at the college level, AHL level (short stint) and the NHL level. Unless I was supremely confident that Tuch was going to be a lock for multiple 30+ goal seasons, I can't put him above Haula. Might not even put him above Zucker.

 

[ThatGuy22]

Surprised with the lack of love for Tuch. I guess it's just because he's far away but I think he's a much better prospect than Haula.

You guys really don't think that in 5 years when he is Haula's current age he won't be a better player than Haula is now?

Its a balance between upside, and probability to hit that upside.

Haula still has top 6 Center upside(next Joe Pavelski), but we pretty much know he is going to be a dang good 3rd line.

Tuch has top 6 wing upside, and at this point we can be reasonably sure he will play in the AHL at some point. But we don't know much more than that.

Given those two choices, Haula is the correct choice.

 

[ThatGuy22]

I agree with the fact that Haula and Kuemper probably shouldn't be here, but as they are I vote Haula.

 

[Jarick]

Haula's ceiling is a second line forward, but his floor is realistically a third line forward in the NHL. That's about a 7B, which is 7 * 0.9 = 6.3

Tuch's ceiling is a top six winger, but his floor is much lower than Haula's. He could be a bust. 7.5D would be a realistic ranking, which is 7.5 * 0.7 = 5.25

 

[tomthestone*]

Haula's ceiling is a second line forward, but his floor is realistically a third line forward in the NHL. That's about a 7B, which is 7 * 0.9 = 6.3

Tuch's ceiling is a top six winger, but his floor is much lower than Haula's. He could be a bust. 7.5D would be a realistic ranking, which is 7.5 * 0.7 = 5.25

I loved what Haula flashed late in the year as much as the next guy, so with all due respect: Pump. The. Brakes.

Let's wait until Haula has more than a full NHL season under his belt before we cement his future in the league. A lot of younger guys endure a sophomore slump when teams adjust to their standard bag of tricks. Not saying he won't re-adjust as his game gets figured out a bit, but expectations have gotten of hand for Haula after he caught lightning in a bottle this spring.

Then again he's a Gopher. If he comes out hot to begin the year, we can get a head start on a Hall of Fame plaque.

 

[Nharris31]

I loved what Haula flashed late in the year as much as the next guy, so with all due respect: Pump. The. Brakes.

Let's wait until Haula has more than a full NHL season under his belt before we cement his future in the league. A lot of younger guys endure a sophomore slump when teams adjust to their standard bag of tricks. Not saying he won't re-adjust as his game gets figured out a bit, but expectations have gotten of hand for Haula after he caught lightning in a bottle this spring.

Then again he's a Gopher. If he comes out hot to begin the year, we can get a head start on a Hall of Fame plaque.

Haula was projected as good third line center when he got drafted. If I recall correctly.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I loved what Haula flashed late in the year as much as the next guy, so with all due respect: Pump. The. Brakes.

Let's wait until Haula has more than a full NHL season under his belt before we cement his future in the league. A lot of younger guys endure a sophomore slump when teams adjust to their standard bag of tricks. Not saying he won't re-adjust as his game gets figured out a bit, but expectations have gotten of hand for Haula after he caught lightning in a bottle this spring.

Then again he's a Gopher. If he comes out hot to begin the year, we can get a head start on a Hall of Fame plaque.

The inferiority complex is strong with this one. Absolutely nobody brings up the fact that he's a Gopher... except you.

The thing about Haula, is that he doesn't really have a "bag of tricks". He's a great skater, who plays a very smart game, and has produced at every level he's been at. He hasn't given us a reason to think that he won't continue to develop the way he has been.