Prospect Info: 2024 Offseason Prospect Rankings #1

[Scoresberg]

I noticed some talk in the other thread about not doing the rankings poll this summer, but considering we really are in the dog days of the off-season, I figured it would be nice to get some more conversation going. So here's the annual prospect rankings poll!

I figured let's do the top-15 first and then if people want to go on to the top-20, that can be done as well. I will post a new poll in every 1-2 days so be sure to check in every day to cast your vote.

GENERAL INFO:

I don't have a clear cut-off point for the players but I've excluded Evangelista, Pärssinen and Tomasino from the poll. They all have 80+ NHL games under their belts so I wouldn't consider them prospects anymore as to more of a fringe-NHL'ers (Evangelista's a legit NHL'er at this point obviously).

In terms of keeping the available list a bit shorter, I will keep it to 10 prospects at a time and then add 1 after each poll. You can propose a prospect to be added in the thread.

So, off we go! Who's the #1 prospect in the Preds system?

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14.
15.

To be added: Ryan Ufko

Click to read more...

 

[PredsV82]

Are we also not counting Stastney and del Gaizo, or did you not think they were top 10?

If he's eligible, add Stastney. If not, Schaeffer

 

[Scoresberg]

Are we also not counting Stastney and del Gaizo, or did you not think they were top 10?

If he's eligible, add Stastney. If not, Schaeffer

Yeah, I think they're in the same category as Tomasino and Pärssinen - not prospects anymore. They're fringe NHL'ers at this point, they're both 24 yrs old. At that point you're either in or you're out.

 

[herzausstein]

Im good with those definitions.

Del Gaizo, Pärssinen, Tomasino require waivers
Evangelista just spent a full season in the NHL.

Stastney is the only kindof iffy but he did just get a contract were the 2nd season is a 1 way and the 1st season has a really high AHL pay. Pretty much tells me the arbitration board sees him as a graduate as well.

Add Ufko

 

[AintLifeGrand]

shouldnt this be in descending order?

not complaining, love this game

 

[Predsanddead24]

Unsurprisingly looks like Askarov is running away with it, which makes sense since he has the best odds of becoming an elite player by far out of any of our prospects by far. Really interested to see how the next several positions play out because there are a lot of guys you could make arguments for though.

 

[Scoresberg]

shouldnt this be in descending order?

not complaining, love this game

Hasn't it always been ascending on our board?

Unsurprisingly looks like Askarov is running away with it, which makes sense since he has the best odds of becoming an elite player by far out of any of our prospects by far. Really interested to see how the next several positions play out because there are a lot of guys you could make arguments for though.

Tough to disagree with this take.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Yeah, I think they're in the same category as Tomasino and Pärssinen - not prospects anymore. They're fringe NHL'ers at this point, they're both 24 yrs old. At that point you're either in or you're out.

Was just looking at the list of restricted free agents and curious about both Tomasino and Parssinen.

Tomasino spent the entire season in NashvIlle in 2021-22 but split the last two seasons between the Predators and Milwaukee. Was that just due to the coaching change or because Nashville added talent?

In Parssinen's case, seems like he had his best season offensively with the Admirals but not so much with the Predators.

 

[Flgatorguy87]

Was just looking at the list of restricted free agents and curious about both Tomasino and Parssinen.

Tomasino spent the entire season in NashvIlle in 2021-22 but split the last two seasons between the Predators and Milwaukee. Was that just due to the coaching change or because Nashville added talent?

In Parssinen's case, seems like he had his best season offensively with the Admirals but not so much with the Predators.

Parsinnen needed minutes to develop at center, so that was the goal with his AHL time.

Tomasino doesn't seem to fit the coaching style preference best we can tell, so his AHL time was more about that it seems.

 

[Scoresberg]

Was just looking at the list of restricted free agents and curious about both Tomasino and Parssinen.

Tomasino spent the entire season in NashvIlle in 2021-22 but split the last two seasons between the Predators and Milwaukee. Was that just due to the coaching change or because Nashville added talent?

In Parssinen's case, seems like he had his best season offensively with the Admirals but not so much with the Predators.

Everybody had high hopes for Pärssinen going into last season but after he got a look on the 1st line with ROR and Forsberg and it didn't pan out the way they hoped, he got dicked around and eventually sent back to the AHL. He's a good player but I'm not sure even our coaching staff knows how to handle him. I sincerely hope they figure this one out because I see great potential in Pärssinen.

Tomasino's a tough nut to crack as well. He's produced well every chance he's got in the NHL but instead our coaching staff and management prefer guys like Liam Foudy and Samuel Fagemo over him. I think everybody can feel that the writing is on the wall for him and it's only a matter of time when he's out of the organization.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I still think all of Parssinen, Tomasino, Stastney, and Del Gaizo are prospects. They are candidates to make our team next season, but not guarantees. They are all just coming off their ELCs. Afanaseyev was 23 and just coming off his ELC, he would have been a "prospect" for us. Stastney is still waiver exempt and on a 2-way contract and may very well be back in Milwaukee (as unjust as that would be). So to me they are all still prospects until either a) they make it as full time NHLers, or b) we give up hope of them making it as full time NHLers. The 2019 draft wasn't THAT long ago, I wouldn't exclude Chistyakov either.

But I would definitely echo the sentiments of adding Ufko to the vote, he showed so well at the end of the season in Milwaukee I think he has to be a top-10 candidate now.

 

[herzausstein]

I personally see the losing of players rights (if unsigned) or having to pass through waivers as the cleanest cutoff point for a player being a prospect. It is a hard cutoff that is clearly defined.

Waiver eligibility is dependent on a number of factors such as signing age, games played, professional seasons, and position (goalie rules different than skaters). So players will be hitting these marks at different ages. Pärssinen and Tomasino are both 23, Del Gaizo is 24 and all require waivers. Stastney on the other hand is also 24 but doesnt require waivers. Evangelista would technically still be a prospect as he doesnt require waivers since he hasnt played enough games.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I personally see the losing of players rights (if unsigned) or having to pass through waivers as the cleanest cutoff point for a player being a prospect. It is a hard cutoff that is clearly defined.

I don't think that's a clean cutoff point. Unless the player actually has passed through waivers already and went unclaimed. Then you can argue since he can't make our team, and since no other team in the league wanted him either, it's safe to say he's no longer a prospect.

So all of Tomasino, Parssinen, and Del Gaizo could stop being considered as prospects this fall if they fail to make the team, are sent down to Milwaukee, and clear waivers. Until then, they are still candidates to make the team and have never cleared waivers, so still prospects.

Waiver eligibility is dependent on a number of factors such as signing age, games played, professional seasons, and position (goalie rules different than skaters). So players will be hitting these marks at different ages. Pärssinen and Tomasino are both 23, Del Gaizo is 24 and all require waivers. Stastney on the other hand is also 24 but doesnt require waivers. Evangelista would technically still be a prospect as he doesnt require waivers since he hasnt played enough games.

Evangelista has already made the team. Independent of his waiver status. He played the whole season and is considered a "lock". So he's not a prospect. He didn't get sent back to the minors for further development last year, as happens with prospects. Although that said, imagine if he somehow shows up to camp this year out of shape or somehow can't earn a spot, and gets sent back down to Milwaukee in October... ok, that's not going to happen... but if it did and he finished out the year in Milwaukee, I'd call him a "prospect" again in Summer 2025.

 

[herzausstein]

I don't think that's a clean cutoff point. Unless the player actually has passed through waivers already and went unclaimed. Then you can argue since he can't make our team, and since no other team in the league wanted him either, it's safe to say he's no longer a prospect.

So all of Tomasino, Parssinen, and Del Gaizo could stop being considered as prospects this fall if they fail to make the team, are sent down to Milwaukee, and clear waivers. Until then, they are still candidates to make the team and have never cleared waivers, so still prospects.


Evangelista has already made the team. Independent of his waiver status. He played the whole season and is considered a "lock". So he's not a prospect. He didn't get sent back to the minors for further development last year, as happens with prospects. Although that said, imagine if he somehow shows up to camp this year out of shape or somehow can't earn a spot, and gets sent back down to Milwaukee in October... ok, that's not going to happen... but if it did and he finished out the year in Milwaukee, I'd call him a "prospect" again in Summer 2025.

WRT Evangelista:

Tomasino played 76 games in 21-22 and has since gone on to play a combined 72 games the following two seasons. Coaches do strange things, players regress, etc. I dont think he will but Evangelista may end up in Milwaukee next season.

 

[Scoresberg]

I admit, I took a look at the prospect ranking polls over at main boards and their criteria is the following:

Under 22 yrs
Under 30 NHL games

For example, Del Gaizo will be 25 yrs old when next season starts. Average age in the NHL is around 27.

 

[herzausstein]

I admit, I took a look at the prospect ranking polls over at main boards and their criteria is the following:

Under 22 yrs
Under 30 NHL games

For example, Del Gaizo will be 25 yrs old when next season starts. Average age in the NHL is around 27.

I really dont like the age there especially as it pertains to goalies who usually take a while to break into the NHL plus most players that complete college will be 22. Ufko is 21 but didnt go back for his senior year. Askarov is 22 and 30 games in the NHL really isnt much unless we are strictly talking about goalies.

 

[Scoresberg]

I really dont like the age there especially as it pertains to goalies who usually take a while to break into the NHL plus most players that complete college will be 22. Ufko is 21 but didnt go back for his senior year. Askarov is 22 and 30 games in the NHL really isnt much unless we are strictly talking about goalies.

Yeah, should’ve said they exclude goalies in those rankings.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I admit, I took a look at the prospect ranking polls over at main boards and their criteria is the following:

Under 22 yrs
Under 30 NHL games

For example, Del Gaizo will be 25 yrs old when next season starts. Average age in the NHL is around 27.

I mean, those are very bad criteria. What you're doing here instead is "reasonable", even if I don't agree 100% with it for Tomasino/Parssinen/DelGaizo/Stastney. The above is just nonsensical. Of course it all evolved from back when HF had a bit of a different mandate, but now I think we have a lot more latitude to do our own thing if we wanted to. So if what we want to do makes more sense than the main board, do what makes the most sense.

 

[herzausstein]

Yeah, should’ve said they exclude goalies in those rankings.

Ok that makes more sense. Sortof short changes the college route players that dont decide to leave college early but more understandable