Prospect Info: Caps Top Prospects General Discussion Thread Vol. 2 - 2021-22

[Random schmoe]

Scott Wheeler for The Athletic wrote up his top Caps prospects. He has the team 26th overall. Recommend subscribing for full writeups.

Wheeler’s 2022 NHL prospect pool rankings: No. 26 Washington Capitals

His criteria includes only players under 23 and not full-time NHL contributors. So Fehervary has graduated from prospect status, Lucas Johansen is too old.

He makes an exception on the 'full-time NHL contributor' parameter for McMichael "because he still feels like a prospect due to a combination of his age (he just celebrated his 21st birthday yesterday) and his limited role".

1. McMichael
   
2. LaPierre
3. Protas
4. Iorio
5. Brent Johnson
6. Alexeyev
7. Leason
8. Hughes
9. Gibson
10. Magnusson
11. Bjorklund
12. LeMay
13. Clark [Edit: Chase Clark the goalie, not Kody Clark)

 

[Hivemind]

A little harsh of him dumping AA all the way to 6th.

 

[usiel]

 

[Langway]

The best Hughes brother of them all IMO.

 

[Random schmoe]

I do wonder about the percentage of AA's drop being him vs improved rankings from others. I don't know Wheeler's overall trends of weighing potential vs current. Johnson for me seems to have a fair bit of boom or bust potential.

 

[hb13xchamps]

Not to sound like a broken drum, but AA hasn’t taken that next step, especially after his big year last season.

His in zone play is solid. His skating is solid for how big he is. His positioning is very good and he rarely takes big risks that will put him out of position. The major concern is his offensive game. He just doesn’t seem to want to use his shot and he has a very good shot. If he adds some offensive to his game (Fever did last year) he will be a very solid NHL defenseman.

Now, we obviously aren’t in the room and aren’t seeing the Caps development plan for him. Maybe there’s an outside chance they’ve asked him to be more defensive this year for whatever reason. It’s still concerning that he has taken a step back instead of stepping up and being a true all situations, top pair AHL guy.

 

[Rayquaza64]

Could be something with new coaching asking him to play more defensively, could be something with the org. who knows for sure but he has the potential he just needs to show it

 

[Langway]

Shane Wright NHL Draft Kingston Frontenacs Bob McKenzie - TSN.ca

McKenzie's mid-term draft rankings. Should they keep their first rounder I think I'm partial to the NTDPers, Ohgren, Perevalov, Gaucher or Ingram. Mintukov & Kasper also seem up their alley. It's a deep enough group to perhaps extend to where they'll pick but is it strong enough not heavily consider moving the pick? Pronman said it's considered a below average draft recently but I wonder if that says more about less buzz around Wright and also how stacked the top of the '23 draft is already considered. I think the NTDPers, with McGroarty also in that mix, offer the sort of skilled work ethic they're currently after organizationally with decent middle six upside. I don't know if there's star potential in that range per se but it's thickening up a bit. They've got seven weeks to make a call and ultimately it may come down to less about this class itself than just how great is their sense of urgency.

 

[Cush]

QMJHL back in action

Lapierre 1+1 (2nd star)

 

[Langway]

Wheeler: Top 64 prospects for the 2022 NHL Draft at midseason

Tiers described at 1-4, 5-11, 12-21, 22-37 and 38-64 (and beyond). Mintyukhov & Kasper probably deserve to be in that third mid-first tier (over the two smaller D for me). Chesley & Del Bel Belluz also seem a bit low.

 

[Cush]

 

[Cush]

 

[usiel]

Hendrix with the C is nice to see.

 

[illpucks]

Snively has to be #1 prospect now.

 

[Hivemind]

Snively has to be #1 prospect now.

He's 26. Not exactly a prospect

 

[Misery74]

I would put Lapierre at the top of the list. I would also make sure he is off the table for any rental.

 

[TheLegendOfPatPeake]

I would put Lapierre at the top of the list. I would also make sure he is off the table for any rental.

I’m not sure why but I get a feeling Lapierre won’t meet his potential. No rhyme or reason to it though.

 

[Random schmoe]

I’m not sure why but I get a feeling Lapierre won’t meet his potential. No rhyme or reason to it though.

I've had the same feeling. Zero evidence to support it, just a raw gut instinct.

 

[Misery74]

I’m not sure why but I get a feeling Lapierre won’t meet his potential. No rhyme or reason to it though.

Could be, but the parallels between he and Forsberg are similar. Both fell to us in the draft, projected higher.

Really don’t want to repeat the same mistake. Some said he compares to Bergeron. Obviously, that’s best care and lofty. But trading him for a rental, to try and win a series we probably won’t win anyways is foolish.

 

[Marshall]

I think Jimi's going to be an all-star.

 

[illpucks]

He's 26. Not exactly a prospect

I wouldn't say he's not. He's a late bloomer who has a harder path ie never drafted.

Like usually a player at his age would be all they would ever be. But in the last half season he's had a major improvement in his stats from being a 0.5 ppg player to being a 1.4 ppg player. This usually happens much earlier. So he's still developing at 26 which is rare but that should make him a prospect imo.

 

[HTFN]

I’m not sure why but I get a feeling Lapierre won’t meet his potential. No rhyme or reason to it though.

I think it's probably just because injuries and COVID shutdowns have kept him a mystery box a little longer than other prospects generally would be. We're sort of still waiting to see answers to questions we had like two years ago because there hasn't really been a way to answer them sufficiently yet, which has kept him kind of un-projectable.

 

[TheLegendOfPatPeake]

Another goal for the better version of Hagelin.

 

[Holtbyisms]

Another goal for the better version of Hagelin.

If he's not on the big club next year he's gone. We were lucky to get him back from Buffalo.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

If he's not on the big club next year he's gone. We were lucky to get him back from Buffalo.

at least he’s still a RFA after next year.