hb13xchamps
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I don’t think she’s correct about Lil Protas. He doesn’t have to wait until 20 to hit the AHL since he was drafted out of the USHL, correct?
Correct.I don’t think she’s correct about Lil Protas. He doesn’t have to wait until 20 to hit the AHL since he was drafted out of the USHL, correct?
2023 draft was supposedly much stronger than 2024, so I don't really get his ratings. When I saw where he has Stankoven rated, I figured it's a pretty useless list. Then I saw where he has LaPierre rated.......he must not be watching these kids play. Lappy was probably our best forward in the playoffs and was the MVP of the AHL playoffs.Caps have 5 players in Scott Wheeler's top 100 drafted prospects, with a 6th, Cole Huston, in the named 'final cuts'.
21: Leonard
75: Cristall
89: LaPierre
97: Miro
98: Parascak
I think it's fairly widely recognized that Wheeler - and other prospect analysts - suffers from some issues with recency bias. Not unlike a lot of fans and Internet forum posters.2023 draft was supposedly much stronger than 2024, so I don't really get his ratings. When I saw where he has Stankoven rated, I figured it's a pretty useless list. Then I saw where he has LaPierre rated.......he must not be watching these kids play. Lappy was probably our best forward in the playoffs and was the MVP of the AHL playoffs.
It depends how old you are when you win it. Lapierre winning it at 22 means a hell of a lot more than Josh Leivo winning it a couple years ago at 29 or travis morin winning it at 30. Looking at winners by age, you've got the following players that won it before turning 23:MVP of the AHL playoffs isn't exactly a harbinger of major future NHL success.
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Elite Prospects - Award - AHL Playoffs MVP (Jack A Butterfield Trophy)
All players that have been awarded AHL Playoffs MVP (Jack A Butterfield Trophy)www.eliteprospects.com
I'd be surprised if he ever breaks into the NHL. His offensive skill probably doesn't translate real well at the NHL level from what I've seen but his defensive game and willingness to do whatever it takes probably carves out a really solid AHL career.Just trying to learn more about prospects:
What's the general consensus on Funk?
He is a late bloomer. Had a great year last year. He has a good frame and is feisty. Those are the attributes that are more likely to get him a cup of coffee. But NHL expectations are low but he is a good flyer to take. If he ends up a career AHL player for Bears that is good too.Just trying to learn more about prospects:
What's the general consensus on Funk?
He's 3 months older than Cole Eiserman and a month older than Emil Hemming, two wingers drafted after him that both made it. Seems surprising for a mid-1st rounder to not even make the World Juniors summer camp his draft year.Didn't make it. He's a bit young for it and not a bottom six fit so much like a Beaudoin.
Honestly figured Hagens might get slotted their. I'm not sure what BC lost vets graduation-wise for the center position but don't really recall another standing out that much.Leonard was on a line with Gabe Perreault and rising BC-freshman James Hagens. Hagens is projected to be the first overall pick in 2025. They had five points combined against Sweden.
Perreault-Hagens-Leonard could be a line both at BC and at the WJC.
I was at that game. Cole has a very similar playing style and skillset to bro Laine. The GWG was great: it was a turnaround toss to the goal crease from the sideboards that banked of a Finnish player and in. Cole looked at his teammates and shrugged his shoulders. Gotta say I like the kid.
Also scored a goal apparently (no vid on X atm). Kid's pretty gangster.
I was at that game. Cole has a very similar playing style and skillset to bro Laine. The GWG was great: it was a turnaround toss to the goal crease from the sideboards that banked of a Finnish player and in. Cole looked at his teammates and shrugged his shoulders. Gotta say I like the kid.
It's a chicken/egg problem in terms of D. Has the team failed to develop D because LJ and AA weren't that great (bad draft picks)? Or are they evidence of poor development trajectories (good draft picks that the team botched with poor development)?I haven’t been able to watch any. Exciting that we have so many players competing in the high end junior ranks. They are all a couple/few years away, but it is exciting to see that pipeline.
Still not a traditional rebuild. We need a couple of these guys to pop about their draft location. I’d say McMichael is on pace against (my) expected. Lapierre as well and higher ceiling. Miro the same. Protas has exceed expectations but not Tate. Fever is good and worked out (as a 4–5 guy). A bit disappointed in development/readiness of Iorio and Chesley. Alexyev still on fence.
I think we need to work on defensemen development. We aren’t doing well there. Strong in goal. Progressing on forwards. Suck on Dee.
I agree on development time for Dee is always longer. But between 2016 through 2022 we have drafted 14 Dee. Only two have played more than 10 games (Fever and Alexyev). 2 more have played a few (Iorio and LuJo). And there have been some highly regarded Dee in that group including 6 of the 14 drafted in first three rounds (two more in the 4th). It just doesn’t feel like we are developing them successfully.It's a chicken/egg problem in terms of D. Has the team failed to develop D because LJ and AA weren't that great (bad draft picks)? Or are they evidence of poor development trajectories (good draft picks that the team botched with poor development)?
Iorio is tracking quite well for a 2nd round pick in 2021. He played a regular role as a 20 year old, and then a 21 year old, on an AHL championship team. Plus, he has filled in nicely at the NHL level when asked. Note that 3 defensemen taken in the first round of the '21 draft have not played a single NHL game yet and Iorio already has 9. D take longer - you cannot expect them to reach the NHL as quickly as forwards. Brandt Clarke is a stud, also from the '21 draft, and only has 25 NHL games under his belt. My guess is that he will be an NHL regular by next season (25-26).
The dearth of D in the system is a mixture of not taking that many D and a pair of key draft misses in AA and (more so) LJ. From 2009-2024, those are the only two defensemen drafted by the Capitals in the first round.
We've taken a lot of D for sure, but my point regarding first round picks remains. I'll throw out 2020-2024 drafts as too recent for defensemen [plus we didn't draft any D in 2020]. So from 2016-2019 the Capitals drafted:I agree on development time for Dee is always longer. But between 2016 through 2022 we have drafted 14 Dee. Only two have played more than 10 games (Fever and Alexyev). 2 more have played a few (Iorio and LuJo). And there have been some highly regarded Dee in that group including 6 of the 14 drafted in first three rounds (two more in the 4th). It just doesn’t feel like we are developing them successfully.
I really like Iorio and Chesley. Both have had opportunities to play larger roles in their group (Chesley at MN and Iorio in Hershey). This year will be a very important development years for both and they need to be impact players (best Dee on their team) this year.