Prospect Info: 16th Official Rangers Prospect Poll (Winter 2018): #1 prospect

[NoQuitInNewMexico]

Lias, add Boo. Agree about the cutoff after the top 3 though.

 

[EpicDing]

Shesty, add Nieves

 

[darko]

Shesty. Add Boo
I've got it as Shesty/Lias/Chytil in that order.

 

[darko]

Lias, add Boo. Agree about the cutoff after the top 3 though.

Definitely.

 

[NYR Viper]

Andersson, add Lettieri

 

[Fitzy]

Chytil, add Pionk.

Looking for guys like Lettieri, Barron, and to Nanne replace deadweight like Halverson, Reunanen, and Tambellini.

I've always been terrible evaluating goalies outside the NHL. I called Cam Talbot but have been wrong on most others. So maybe Shety deserves #1, maybe he doesn't.

 

[Rangers in 7]

Shesty add day

 

[Harbour Dog]

Easily Shestyorkin. Add Nieves.

 

[AIexisLafreniereNYR]

Lias imo.. Goalie prospects are unpredictable, although Igor looks legit, I'd go with LA since I feel he is the safest bet to make a significant impact.

 

[Edge]

I think the "goalies are unpredictable" mantra holds true until they have reasonably proven themselves. There are guys like Halverson who don't do anything good, but be big and have some intriguing tools, which gets them drafted very high, so sometimes goalies are more unpredictable because you are judging more on theoretical "potential" than results, but Shestyorkin has been elite for years. He was elite before we drafted him, he's been elite every year since we've drafted him. If he fails in the NHL, it won't be because he was such an unpredictable goalie. He's as safe of a prospect as we've got, while probably also having the highest ceiling in the organization.

I agree.

Although, I think there's the element with goalies that their long-term fate is usually pretty cut and dry.

A potential first line forward prospect can evolve if the offense isn't there. They can become a second line forward, or even turn into a third or fourth line checker at the NHL level. In other words, they can still be considered a success and someone who feels worthy of being considered a top prospect.

Same with defensemen, who can play on second and third pairings, or even carve out a decent career as a journeyman spare defenseman.

But with goalies, they're either starters or they aren't. Yes, they can become backups. But we don't typically cite former top goalie prospects who serve as backups as successes.

In any given season, there are only 31 goalies who will serve as their team's starter.

Of those 31, maybe as many as 1/3 will be marginal and won't hold onto the starting job over the long-haul.

Another 5 or 6 will be good, solid starters - but not stars.

That leaves maybe 10-15 higher-end goalies in the entire league. That's a pretty small target to hit when you anoint someone the top prospect.

So I think there's a certain fear that exists with going with a goalie as your top prospect. Now in Shestyorkin's case, there is very little else he can do outside the NHL to prove his elite prospect status. To me, if you're going to make an exception to the line of thinking we've discussed, this is the type of prospect for whom you do it.

 

[WeRa]

Shesty... easy for me.