Wild Prospect Ranking - #1 prospect

[ThatGuy22]

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.

Nothing to do with being a Gopher. I'm a Sioux fan, so being a Gopher means squat to me.

He's a good hockey player, that at minimum looks like will be a quality 3rd liner. For someone that preaches "watching the game", if you can't see that I don't know what to tell you...

 

[tomthestone*]

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.

He's also never been on the big club for a full 82 games. That grind of a season has a way of making guys level off in a hurry. If he starts getting nicked up and adds weight to fight it, he may not be able to separate from defenders as easily. Just as an example.

Just saying let's wait a year or two before we call him third line NHL material as a worst-case scenario.

 

[ThatGuy22]

He's also never been on the big club for a full 82 games. That grind of a season has a way of making guys level off in a hurry. If he starts getting nicked up and adds weight to fight it, he may not be able to separate from defenders as easily. Just as an example.

Just saying let's wait a year or two before we call him third line NHL material as a worst-case scenario.

Heaven forbid we use a player's entire body for work, including time spent at the position, to project him.

Tuch could catch Necrotizing fasciitis and have his leg amputed. Just for example. So lets not go ahead and say he's likely to be an AHLer at minimum just yet, have to wait a few years.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

He's also never been on the big club for a full 82 games. That grind of a season has a way of making guys level off in a hurry. If he starts getting nicked up and adds weight to fight it, he may not be able to separate from defenders as easily. Just as an example.

Just saying let's wait a year or two before we call him third line NHL material as a worst-case scenario.

I think the usage of the term "floor" was kind of assuming that he wouldn't flame out of league, unless I'm mistaken. I took at more as "if Haula makes the NHL, his floor would be as a 3rd line center", not like his spot as a 3rd line center has been cemented for the next 15 years.

But maybe I'm wrong.

 

[Randy BoBandy]

Dumba pretty easily

 

[Avder]

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.

What the heck is with you and the Gophers? Yeah, I get it. You don't like em. I'm not a gopher fan either. In fact I kind of resent them.

But that has nothing to do with Haula at this point in time. Or any other NHL player, or anyone else who no longer plays college.

Just let it go. It adds nothing to your arguments.

If you don't think Haula is the teams top prospect or something...well then, vote for someone else.

 

[Eye Floater]

Dumba, so easily.

 

[Kenny G]

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.

Really like the Pavelski comparison. Definitely could see him scoring 50ish points consistently.

 

[tomthestone*]

What the heck is with you and the Gophers? Yeah, I get it. You don't like em. I'm not a gopher fan either. In fact I kind of resent them.

But that has nothing to do with Haula at this point in time. Or any other NHL player, or anyone else who no longer plays college.

Just let it go. It adds nothing to your arguments.

If you don't think Haula is the teams top prospect or something...well then, vote for someone else.

Haula has most of this state seeing stars. He's a nice player, but calling for a steady 50 points already is so premature. I refuse to believe some (or most) of the punch-drunkness isn't related to where he played college hockey.

Nice try but I won't be disclosing my vote in this thread. Sorry I'm not sorry to disappoint.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Not one person has called for a steady 50 points

 

[tomthestone*]

Really like the Pavelski comparison. Definitely could see him scoring 50ish points consistently.

Not the first time I've seen that or similar. I hate to make it seem like I hate Haula or something. I just think what we saw in the playoffs isn't what we should expect him to sustain every night. It's probably more likely Haula becomes a reliable 3C than not, but there's at least some chance the little mini heater he caught was just that and he turns out to be nothing more than a flash in the pan. Thus my overreaction to the comments about his floor.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Nice try but I won't be disclosing my vote in this thread. Sorry I'm not sorry to disappoint.

FYI: you can see who everybody voted for if you click on the numbers.

 

[gphr513]

FYI: you can see who everybody voted for if you click on the numbers.

Shhh. We can't let it get out that he voted Dumba. Big secret. Tell nobody.

 

[57special]

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?

Let's wait till he leads his college team in scoring two years in a row( as Haula did) before we anoint him.

I voted Dumba, even though I love Haula. I would've voted for Kumeper but didn't see his name till after.

Any thoughts on Lucia?

 

[Joe Cool]

Matt is the only Dumba55 worthy of being number 1.

 

[Avder]

Haula has most of this state seeing stars. He's a nice player, but calling for a steady 50 points already is so premature. I refuse to believe some (or most) of the punch-drunkness isn't related to where he played college hockey.

Nice try but I won't be disclosing my vote in this thread. Sorry I'm not sorry to disappoint.

It's a public poll. You voted for Matt Dumba.

Further, you saw how exciting he was to watch during the playoffs, right? Every time he touched the puck it felt like anything could happen, especially when he decided to just blow past a defender and make the goalie struggle to make a good save as he came in to buzz the crease.

 

[Jarick]

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.

What's the point of discussing prospects if we can't project out their future?

What has Haula done to make us think that he wouldn't be able to play third line center?

Yeah, it's possible Haula can develop to be a #1 center, but not probable. And it's possible Haula flames out of the NHL next year and never plays pro hockey again, but not probable.

Likewise, Alex Tuch hasn't played one second of pro hockey, but people project him as a top six winger. Are we allowed to do that? Should we just write off every prospect until they play in the NHL? No, we make projections.

 

[Minnewildsota]

What's the point of discussing prospects if we can't project out their future?

What has Haula done to make us think that he wouldn't be able to play third line center?

Yeah, it's possible Haula can develop to be a #1 center, but not probable. And it's possible Haula flames out of the NHL next year and never plays pro hockey again, but not probable.

Likewise, Alex Tuch hasn't played one second of pro hockey, but people project him as a top six winger. Are we allowed to do that? Should we just write off every prospect until they play in the NHL? No, we make projections.

You've done that with Phillips so far...

 

[Jarick]

You've done that with Phillips so far...

I haven't played in the NHL yet. Do I still have top line potential? I mean, come on. Use a little common sense. Does every post on this website half to be some 3rd grade logical fallacy?

1. Every prospect who hasn't played in the NHL is a bust
2. Every prospect who hasn't played in the NHL has generational talent potential

 

[Minnewildsota]

I haven't played in the NHL yet. Do I still have top line potential? I mean, come on. Use a little common sense. Does every post on this website half to be some 3rd grade logical fallacy?

1. Every prospect who hasn't played in the NHL is a bust
2. Every prospect who hasn't played in the NHL has generational talent potential

Yet you use that same 3rd grade logical fallacy to try and prove your point. In every thread that Phillips' name pops up, you essentially shun him from ever making the NHL. Yes, he has to work on his skating. I believe he has done that, not to the extent that he needs to, but it has been improved since he was draft and even last year. He's making strides, maybe not as fast as everyone would like. Improvement is being shown.

He has the ability to be anywhere from 1st-3rd line. Whether or not he can put it all together, obviously, remains to be seen. Just because the kid has a slower learning/development curve than you would like doesn't mean he's a bust.

 

[Jarick]

I'm projecting based on his past performance. He has two years of pro hockey under his belt and neither of them have been anything to get excited about. Jordan Schroeder put up better numbers in his first two years and the Canucks walked away from him.

If I used the logic that all players who weren't yet in the NHL were busts, I wouldn't be on this website talking about them. I wouldn't like any prospects. I'd be one of those guys who wants to trade 1st and 2nd round picks for low end NHL players because they are a "sure thing".

There's exceptions to every rule out there, but that is what makes them general rules. Yeah, Phillips could out of nowhere score PPG in the AHL next year and leapfrog Haula in two years. Past performance doesn't indicate that would happen, though.

I don't know why people are so protective of Phillips. If he wasn't a first round pick, nobody would care. Cody Almond and Kris Foucault both put up better numbers their first two years in the minors and nobody was preaching that they would come around and be top nine NHL'ers someday.

 

[Minnewildsota]

I'm projecting based on his past performance. He has two years of pro hockey under his belt and neither of them have been anything to get excited about. Jordan Schroeder put up better numbers in his first two years and the Canucks walked away from him.

If I used the logic that all players who weren't yet in the NHL were busts, I wouldn't be on this website talking about them. I wouldn't like any prospects. I'd be one of those guys who wants to trade 1st and 2nd round picks for low end NHL players because they are a "sure thing".

There's exceptions to every rule out there, but that is what makes them general rules. Yeah, Phillips could out of nowhere score PPG in the AHL next year and leapfrog Haula in two years. Past performance doesn't indicate that would happen, though.

I don't know why people are so protective of Phillips. If he wasn't a first round pick, nobody would care. Cody Almond and Kris Foucault both put up better numbers their first two years in the minors and nobody was preaching that they would come around and be top nine NHL'ers someday.

Edit: I took a sentence from a previous post out of context.

 

[Shoresy]

Haula and Kuemper really aren't even prospects anymore. I just consider the best prospect being the player with the highest ceiling.

1. Dumba
2. Tuch
3. Oloffson
4. Zucker
5. Phillips

 

[elnewby]

Went Dumba on the premise that I don't consider Haula and Kuemper prospects. They will be on the Wild next year.

Tough call between him and Folin, I think Folin could fill a huge need on on the right side.

 

[keppel146]

Dumba.

Can we even consider haula a prospect? He is penciled in the for the wild