95snipes
Registered User
- Dec 11, 2019
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- 1,279
Rank your top 15 prospects based on who you think will have the best NHL career. This year's tournament lacked superstar talent in the sense there was no McDavid or Eichel, but with no NHL, the depth of good talent was tremendous! I wanted to do a top 10, but honestly had a tough enough time getting it down to 15. Could have easily done a top 50!
1. Tim Stuetzel
Not too much I need to say here, guys talent level is off the charts. Sens fans should ecstatic to have him.
2. Brad Lambert
I think he has the highest upside in tournament. Dare I say he looks like McDavid-lite when he gets going. 100 point upside IMO. Should be a good battle for #1 next year.
3. Trevor Zegras
Personally, he reminds me so much of Kuznetsov and I mean that as a huge compliment. Love the skill level and just seems to get better and better.
4. Jamie Drysdale
I've always been a big fan of this player. So smooth, so smart, so skilled. Checks every box of what you look for in the "modern day" defenseman. Think he ends up as a top pairing guy when its all said and done.
5. Anton Lundell
Reminds me of Bergeron in the sense that he does everything well and if you put him with good players, he skilled enough to put up points. Looked like a superstar against the weaker teams. His deficiencies were more noticeable against the better teams (Canada and US in particular), but still think he has a good chance to be a 1B center with a chance for more.
6. Bowen Byram
I'm not his biggest fan, but there's enough there that his floor is pretty high. I don't see him on the same tier as past guys like Chabot, Hughes, Makar, McAvoy, etc, but that may be unfair expectations.
7. Quinton Byfield
Tbh, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt here as the #2 pick. If he was a 3rd rounder, he'd be nowhere near this list.
8. Lucas Raymond
His puck skills are tremendous and skating is good too. I would like to see his numbers come around more, but he's too skilled not to be a good NHL player.
9. Alex Newhook
I'm a pretty big fan of the player. He skates so well and has the skillset to match. Don't see too much to think he won't be a good NHL player.
10. Dylan Cozens
He's a good player and should have a long NHL career, but for me, the jury's still out on how good he'll be. Think it's more likely he's a 50-60 point player with a good all around game than a big point producer which is not bad at all. That I said I recognize he has the upside to be a second tier star in the Carter/Richards sense. He'll be an interesting player to watch going forward.
11. Jake Sanderson
It's very easy to see why scouts like him. He has all the tools to be a big minute eater at the NHL level. I would like to see him game management improve, but that should come with age. At the end of the day, he makes so many good subtle plays that I think he's one of those guys, the more you watch him, the more you fall in love with him.
12. Alex Turcotte
Similar to Cozens, he's good, but the jury's still out as to how good and that's an opinion I've held for awhile. With that said he plays a game that should translate very well to the pro level and he brought it when it mattered.
13. Matt Boldy
I've been a big fan of this player for a long time. He may not be your franchise player, but he's right there. Does everything well, good skill, good size. Has all the tools to be a tremendous player.
14. Victor Soderstrom
Was extremely impressed last year with this player. This year, Sweden as a whole didn't have a great tournament. I like his skillset and think he has the upside to be a top pairing defenseman.
15. Matt Beniers
I've watched all of Michigan's games this year truly with the intention of getting a look at Powers. Well I've come away from almost every game thinking this kid is the best draft eligible on the team. Now his world juniors performance should cement him as a top 5 pick this year. Even if his offence doesn't come around, his compete is great, wins puck battle after puck battle and tilts the ice no matter who he plays with. He's gonna be a tremendous 2nd line center for some lucky team.
1. Tim Stuetzel
Not too much I need to say here, guys talent level is off the charts. Sens fans should ecstatic to have him.
2. Brad Lambert
I think he has the highest upside in tournament. Dare I say he looks like McDavid-lite when he gets going. 100 point upside IMO. Should be a good battle for #1 next year.
3. Trevor Zegras
Personally, he reminds me so much of Kuznetsov and I mean that as a huge compliment. Love the skill level and just seems to get better and better.
4. Jamie Drysdale
I've always been a big fan of this player. So smooth, so smart, so skilled. Checks every box of what you look for in the "modern day" defenseman. Think he ends up as a top pairing guy when its all said and done.
5. Anton Lundell
Reminds me of Bergeron in the sense that he does everything well and if you put him with good players, he skilled enough to put up points. Looked like a superstar against the weaker teams. His deficiencies were more noticeable against the better teams (Canada and US in particular), but still think he has a good chance to be a 1B center with a chance for more.
6. Bowen Byram
I'm not his biggest fan, but there's enough there that his floor is pretty high. I don't see him on the same tier as past guys like Chabot, Hughes, Makar, McAvoy, etc, but that may be unfair expectations.
7. Quinton Byfield
Tbh, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt here as the #2 pick. If he was a 3rd rounder, he'd be nowhere near this list.
8. Lucas Raymond
His puck skills are tremendous and skating is good too. I would like to see his numbers come around more, but he's too skilled not to be a good NHL player.
9. Alex Newhook
I'm a pretty big fan of the player. He skates so well and has the skillset to match. Don't see too much to think he won't be a good NHL player.
10. Dylan Cozens
He's a good player and should have a long NHL career, but for me, the jury's still out on how good he'll be. Think it's more likely he's a 50-60 point player with a good all around game than a big point producer which is not bad at all. That I said I recognize he has the upside to be a second tier star in the Carter/Richards sense. He'll be an interesting player to watch going forward.
11. Jake Sanderson
It's very easy to see why scouts like him. He has all the tools to be a big minute eater at the NHL level. I would like to see him game management improve, but that should come with age. At the end of the day, he makes so many good subtle plays that I think he's one of those guys, the more you watch him, the more you fall in love with him.
12. Alex Turcotte
Similar to Cozens, he's good, but the jury's still out as to how good and that's an opinion I've held for awhile. With that said he plays a game that should translate very well to the pro level and he brought it when it mattered.
13. Matt Boldy
I've been a big fan of this player for a long time. He may not be your franchise player, but he's right there. Does everything well, good skill, good size. Has all the tools to be a tremendous player.
14. Victor Soderstrom
Was extremely impressed last year with this player. This year, Sweden as a whole didn't have a great tournament. I like his skillset and think he has the upside to be a top pairing defenseman.
15. Matt Beniers
I've watched all of Michigan's games this year truly with the intention of getting a look at Powers. Well I've come away from almost every game thinking this kid is the best draft eligible on the team. Now his world juniors performance should cement him as a top 5 pick this year. Even if his offence doesn't come around, his compete is great, wins puck battle after puck battle and tilts the ice no matter who he plays with. He's gonna be a tremendous 2nd line center for some lucky team.
