2023 Prospect Poll #7

[old kummelweck]

RJ + Richard

Honestly, I don't think Johnson makes it a whole year in Roch. Wouldn't be surprised if he made it onto the NHL roster this season in the top 4.

 

[KiwiGriff]

Add von Barnekow-Lofberg

 

[Chainshot]

I voted Wahlberg by a smidge over Johnson/Poltapov/Novikov. Add Komarov.

 

[Matt Ress]

RJ + Richard

Honestly, I don't think Johnson makes it a whole year in Roch. Wouldn't be surprised if he made it onto the NHL roster this season in the top 4.

I disagree but I think Novikov makes the team out of camp next year (2024) so what do I know

 

[Perry Tegula]

Wahlberg. Went with the high ceiling. Im also pretty low on johnson. At best hes a left handed Pysyk in my eyes. And im not sure he’ll hit that even.

Wahly for me groups with Rosén and Ostlund because of ceiling, as you mention, but also: Expectations.

RyJo and Novikov occupy a rare tier: Found Money. Few expected either to sign and I can't recall anyone suggesting both would. If one hits, what a massive W.

Wahlberg also strikes me as a constant offer sheet candidate on the main HF boards, should he make it to the show.

 

[Reddawg]

Johnson, add Komarov

 

[Der Jaeger]

Johnson, Komarov

 

[stokes84]

Johnson is interesting. I kinda feel like his ceiling is Mark Pysyk, but his floor is also Mark Pysyk.

 

[Sabre the Win]

These next two have to be Johnson and Wahlberg, then I think we’re getting into a clearly lower tier

The blatant disrespect to Novikov here

 

[Dirty Dog]

The blatant disrespect to Novikov

I’d love for Novikov to move up a tier in my eyes. I barely got to watch him, but caught way more Johnson games and just have him ranked a tier higher.

Not like the tier I have him with a bunch of players is anything to sneeze at, I think he’s a legit prospect. Just goes to show how silly deep our prospect pool is

 

[Puppa2Miller]

Johnson is interesting. I kinda feel like his ceiling is Mark Pysyk, but his floor is also Mark Pysyk.

Pysk being a righty makes him automatically more useful as a floor. If Pysk was a lefty, I have no doubt he would have played noticeably less NHL games

 

[Matt Ress]

I’d love for Novikov to move up a tier in my eyes. I barely got to watch him, but caught way more Johnson games and just have him ranked a tier higher.

Not like the tier I have him with a bunch of players is anything to sneeze at, I think he’s a legit prospect. Just goes to show how silly deep our prospect pool is

The beauty of it all is that we all have our own opinions for our own reasons. Mine is that when Niki No gets a chunk of games down the road, he'll jump up this list. Maybe just wishful thinking.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Johnson is interesting. I kinda feel like his ceiling is Mark Pysyk, but his floor is also Mark Pysyk.

Johnson is a left handed Pysyk. Which is a good thing. If Murray had not traded him, the Sabres potentially had a shutdown pair with him and McCabe. At a minimum, that pair could've been a 3rd pairing that shouldered the load of DZS for Ristolainen.

That's how I view Johnson. 3rd pairing LHD, who with the right partner, shoulders some of the tough minutes for Dahlin and Power.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Johnson, add Komarov

 

[Chainshot]

Johnson is a left handed Pysyk. Which is a good thing. If Murray had not traded him, the Sabres potentially had a shutdown pair with him and McCabe. At a minimum, that pair could've been a 3rd pairing that shouldered the load of DZS for Ristolainen.

That's how I view Johnson. 3rd pairing LHD, who with the right partner, shoulders some of the tough minutes for Dahlin and Power.

It's also that he could be the vanilla guy who is dedicated to the boring side of being the defensive side of the game with a more offensive partner to allow them to range more freely. A strong PK, "unnoticed" 3rd pair LHD or 2nd pair LHD on a team that wasn't already spotting a trio of excellent LHD options seems like the fit.

 

[Der Jaeger]

It's also that he could be the vanilla guy who is dedicated to the boring side of being the defensive side of the game with a more offensive partner to allow them to range more freely. A strong PK, "unnoticed" 3rd pair LHD or 2nd pair LHD on a team that wasn't already spotting a trio of excellent LHD options seems like the fit.

Either way, it’s not a stretch to see Johnson becoming either defender. And either way, he’d be an underrated but incredibly valuable part of the team.

 

[SonofHerb]

Johnson. Add Komarov.

 

[Zach716]

Went with the 6’4 Novikov but this is where these polls get interesting.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Novikov

 

[KeyserSoze81]

Wahlberg. Went with the high ceiling. Im also pretty low on johnson. At best hes a left handed Pysyk in my eyes. And im not sure he’ll hit that even.

Johnson is interesting. I kinda feel like his ceiling is Mark Pysyk, but his floor is also Mark Pysyk.

As someone who always appreciated Pysyk’s contributions on the bottom pair, I think that floor is appealing.

I know next to nothing about Wahlberg, but he is a big, raw forward with a high ceiling who requires a lot to go right in his development to hit that. Power forwards are one step below goalies in the voodoo department, and he seems like a modern power forward prospect.

Helluva neck though.

 

[billsandsabres]

add jake richard

 

[AaronPines]

Johnson, add Leinonen. He is 6-7 years away (likely) but he’s the highest ceiling of anyone left. There’s a couple guys that I like, and that I’m rooting for — but if I were to put money in it? He’s the only one that I think is more likely to be a good NHLer than to never a play a game.

I understand the skepticism, but I seriously think there’s something there still.

Anyone else feel like we’re getting to a point where the prospect pool feels way less deep than it did one or two years ago? Top heavy a bit with a lot of lotto tickets.

 

[HOOats]

He is 6-7 years away (likely) but he’s the highest ceiling of anyone left.

He’s the only one that I think is more likely to be a good NHLer than to never a play a game.

Anyone else feel like we’re getting to a point where the prospect pool feels way less deep than it did one or two years ago? Top heavy a bit with a lot of lotto tickets.

Lol rare that I come across a post that I disagree with every sentence more than the last. Care to compare the depth of the pool from 1-2 years ago that was way deeper?

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Johnson, add Leinonen. He is 6-7 years away (likely) but he’s the highest ceiling of anyone left. There’s a couple guys that I like, and that I’m rooting for — but if I were to put money in it? He’s the only one that I think is more likely to be a good NHLer than to never a play a game.

I understand the skepticism, but I seriously think there’s something there still.

Anyone else feel like we’re getting to a point where the prospect pool feels way less deep than it did one or two years ago? Top heavy a bit with a lot of lotto tickets.

It is less deep than a year ago. Then we had Power, Quinn, Peterka and 6K as prospects to vote for. They’re now Sabres, so they’re out in this.

Last year we all thought the first 3 were gonna be on the Sabres, but it wasn’t a 100% given. Now it’s Levi then everyone else. Even that, it’s a 90% chance he’s there unless he says he wants Rochester.

 

[Rowley Birkin]

Johnson is interesting. I kinda feel like his ceiling is Mark Pysyk, but his floor is also Mark Pysyk.

Which given our general lack of defensive depth in recent years - especially in terms of prospects - is no bad thing.