#2
Registered User
This is what i think the 2005 Top 25 prospects will look like.
1. Kari Lehtonen - The best goalie prospect out there, although M.A Fleury cuts it close. Kari should play a large role for the Atlanta Thrashers, maybe even more so then Kovalchuk or Heatley. If the Thrashers are to have success they are going to need solid goaltending and thats where Lehtonen will come in.
2. Alexander Ovechkin - Yes probably many of you though i would have him listed as the #1 prospect but he is just slightly below lehtonen. Ovechkin is the best forward prospect in the NHL system right now and should have a great career as he is touted as the best Russian prospect born, as well as the best prospect since Mario Lemieux.
3. Dion Phaneuf - During the 2003 draft it looked like Phaneuf would be the 3rd best dman to be taken from the draft and he was, getting drafted after Suter and Coburn, but right now Phaneuf has turned things around and has been the best dman out of the draft. He is improving a great deal adding 13 more points than his previous year while playing 9 less games. He also had a tremendous performance at the WJC.
4. Evgeni Malkin - The obvious 2nd overall pick in the 2004 draft, this young Russian has got scouts questioning whether he was better than Ovechkin, but truth be told no matter how much room he gained on Ovechkin there was just no way he would be drafted 1st overall.
5. Marc Andre Fleury - The 2003 1st pick overall has been pretty great for the Pittsburgh Penguins, as he was given the chance to play in the NHL as an 18 year old. He started off great but finish rather weak, but you can't blame him for that since he was 18 years old and playing for the worst team in the NHL. As he went back to the OMJHL, he posted his some great numbers and will no doubt be a franchise goaltender.
6. Thomas Vanek - This kid is a pure goal scorer, he will most likely get all the chances in the world next season to crack the Buffalo lineup. He had a rather off year this year playing 7 less games and scoring 11 less points, but this Jason Allison type player seems to me as potential "Rocket Richard" winner.
7. Ryan Suter
8. Braydon Coburn
9. Cam Barker
10. Zach Parise
11. Ryan Miller
12. Milan Michalek
13. Jeff Carter
14. Andrei Kasititsyn
15. Igor Grigorenko
16. Andrew Ladd
17. Fedor Tjutin
18. Denis Grebeshkov
19. Anthony Stewart
20. Mark Stuart
21. Alvaro Montoya
22. Dustin Brown
23. Ryan Getzlaf
24. Ryan Whitney
25. Robbie Schremp
So Any thoughts on my list??
1. Kari Lehtonen - The best goalie prospect out there, although M.A Fleury cuts it close. Kari should play a large role for the Atlanta Thrashers, maybe even more so then Kovalchuk or Heatley. If the Thrashers are to have success they are going to need solid goaltending and thats where Lehtonen will come in.
2. Alexander Ovechkin - Yes probably many of you though i would have him listed as the #1 prospect but he is just slightly below lehtonen. Ovechkin is the best forward prospect in the NHL system right now and should have a great career as he is touted as the best Russian prospect born, as well as the best prospect since Mario Lemieux.
3. Dion Phaneuf - During the 2003 draft it looked like Phaneuf would be the 3rd best dman to be taken from the draft and he was, getting drafted after Suter and Coburn, but right now Phaneuf has turned things around and has been the best dman out of the draft. He is improving a great deal adding 13 more points than his previous year while playing 9 less games. He also had a tremendous performance at the WJC.
4. Evgeni Malkin - The obvious 2nd overall pick in the 2004 draft, this young Russian has got scouts questioning whether he was better than Ovechkin, but truth be told no matter how much room he gained on Ovechkin there was just no way he would be drafted 1st overall.
5. Marc Andre Fleury - The 2003 1st pick overall has been pretty great for the Pittsburgh Penguins, as he was given the chance to play in the NHL as an 18 year old. He started off great but finish rather weak, but you can't blame him for that since he was 18 years old and playing for the worst team in the NHL. As he went back to the OMJHL, he posted his some great numbers and will no doubt be a franchise goaltender.
6. Thomas Vanek - This kid is a pure goal scorer, he will most likely get all the chances in the world next season to crack the Buffalo lineup. He had a rather off year this year playing 7 less games and scoring 11 less points, but this Jason Allison type player seems to me as potential "Rocket Richard" winner.
7. Ryan Suter
8. Braydon Coburn
9. Cam Barker
10. Zach Parise
11. Ryan Miller
12. Milan Michalek
13. Jeff Carter
14. Andrei Kasititsyn
15. Igor Grigorenko
16. Andrew Ladd
17. Fedor Tjutin
18. Denis Grebeshkov
19. Anthony Stewart
20. Mark Stuart
21. Alvaro Montoya
22. Dustin Brown
23. Ryan Getzlaf
24. Ryan Whitney
25. Robbie Schremp
So Any thoughts on my list??