HFBoards TOP 75 Prospects Ranking (2020-21)

[amnesiac]

I wouldve had that same top 3 before that as well though so I dont see your point. Byram and Seider wouldve been splitting hairs but Romanov should be right there still.

so above Sanderson and Drysdale? not sure I believe you, but whatever

 

[newfy]

so above Sanderson and Drysdale? not sure I believe you, but whatever

After being really good against men and dominating the world juniors? Yes absolutely. Youre basically hoping Sanderson turns into a Romanov in a couple years. Those 2 would be right there, but theyre being compared to a 6th overall pick dominating in pro, a 4th overall pick and a guy who has been great in the second best league in the world and dominant at 2 world juniors.

Drysdale I think youre splitting hairs and it depends almost what style of D you prefer because theyre close, but over Sanderson for sure

 

[amnesiac]

After being really good against men and dominating the world juniors? Yes absolutely. Youre basically hoping Sanderson turns into a Romanov in a couple years. Those 2 would be right there, but theyre being compared to a 6th overall pick dominating in pro, a 4th overall pick and a guy who has been great in the second best league in the world and dominant at 2 world juniors.

Drysdale I think youre splitting hairs and it depends almost what style of D you prefer because theyre close, but over Sanderson for sure

2nd best league int he world is arguable when you have Nigel Dawes amongst other failed NHLers in your top 10 scoring year after year. I cant quite understand that league sometimes.

Nils Lundqvist also dominanted the WJC and produced more against men in Sweden.... where do you slot him?

 

[newfy]

2nd best league int he world is arguable when you have Nigel Dawes amongst other failed NHLers in your top 10 scoring year after year. I cant quite understand that league sometimes.

Nils Lundqvist also dominanted the WJC and produced more against men in Sweden.... where do you slot him?

I would have him below Sanderson and Sandin off the top of my head. I'm probably lower on Dobson and Broberg than most people but would put him right in that range with those guys

 

[Isaac Nootin]

You arent going to find a voted list lacking leafs guys. Im shocked there isnt more!

Which of the 4 Leaf prospects don't belong in the top 75?

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Thanks for all the work putting this together @amnesiac

 

[HardSeider53]

Yeah there is not 11 defenceman prospect better then Romanov right now, that's funny!!!!

He's top3.

1-Seider
2-Byram
3-Romanov

I dunno that I’d put him over Drysdale or Sanderson, but he belongs higher for sure.

 

[Go Wings]

Excellent list easily one of the best I have seen on HFboards. I might make a few minors changes but overall players are where they should be.

 

[majormajor]

Pretty much every prospect of a Canadian team is overrated.

As a Habs fan I agree, Canadian/popular team bias here except for probably Romanov, who seems pretty low IMO. Liljegren, Robertson, Pinto seem high to me.

Stutzle - too low
Perfetti, Sanderson, and Broberg - too high (In October they were only a bit too high)
Bouchard - a bit high?
Caufield - way too high
Valimaki - seems right
Sandin, Robertson - a bit high
Romanov - criminally low
Podkolzin - a bit high
Norris - about right
Brannstrom - too high

I won't go through the whole list, but I'd have Stutzle, Romanov, and Heinola higher. And if anything I'd argue that Pinto should be a bit higher up the list.

Underrated prospects, I think: John Leonard and Scott Perunovich. I'd have them on this list over many guys.

I tried to lobby John Leonard onto the list. Same with Andrew Peeke. NHL ready 22 year olds tend to get shorted on HF if they don't have the draft pedigree. A good proportion of the league's top six forwards and top four D would never have made a top 75 prospects list.

 

[Mitch nylander]

Stutzle - too low
Perfetti, Sanderson, and Broberg - too high (In October they were only a bit too high)
Bouchard - a bit high?
Caufield - way too high
Valimaki - seems right
Sandin, Robertson - a bit high
Romanov - criminally low
Podkolzin - a bit high
Norris - about right
Brannstrom - too high

I won't go through the whole list, but I'd have Stutzle, Romanov, and Heinola higher. And if anything I'd argue that Pinto should be a bit higher up the list.



I tried to lobby John Leonard onto the list. Same with Andrew Peeke. NHL ready 22 year olds tend to get shorted on HF if they don't have the draft pedigree. A good proportion of the league's top six forwards and top four D would never have made a top 75 prospects list.

I don’t know how you can call sandin a bit high while Romanov criminally underrated, when they are similar level prospects. That’s just my thoughts, I don’t think romanov is 20-25 prospects higher

 

[majormajor]

I don’t know how you can call sandin a bit high while Romanov criminally underrated, when they are similar level prospects. That’s just my thoughts, I don’t think romanov is 20-25 prospects higher

Perhaps Sandin will be better than I thought but I'd have a really hard time believing he is of a similar caliber to Romanov. Romanov could be fighting for the Calder this year, while Sandin didn't crack the NHL. They're the same age.

 

[Dr Salt]

Feels like a lot of Europeans getting underrated here, especially when at the time last year's lift gave them a fairer crack. Suprised more controversial guys didn't slip like last year.

 

[CTZ181]

Man I just don't see what others see in Byfield. He has the size and general athleticism to be a beast, sure. But the IQ just doesn't seem to be there. Will be happy to be proven wrong.

It's rough not having any prospects on the list though. Rutherford has done a great job but our trade chips are none right now.

 

[Techcoockie]

I would take Seider, Byram, Drysdale over him.

Then put him in a similar grouping with Sandin, Smith, Dobson, Sanderson and Bouchard.

He's 4-8 imo.

for sure you would have put him with Sandin, lmao.

 

[Mitch nylander]

for sure you would have put him with Sandin, lmao.

I mean what has Romanov done to really separate himself against Sandin.

Romanov
-2x WJC All-star
-WJC Best Defender & Most points by a dman (8)
-Decent Stats in the K - 7 points in 43 games, and 4 points 43 games.
-Gagarin Cup Champ
-2 nhl games, 1 assist

Sandin
-WJC Best Defender & Most Points by dman (10)
-WJC All-Star
-AHL all-star
-Excellent stats in the AHL, led the league in u-19 scoring with 28 points in 44 games. Best PPG in the AHL for U-20 scoring over the likes of Seider, Kotkaniemi, Wahlstrom at 0.71ppg.
-28 NHL Games, 8 points. (Proved more at the nhl level)

The fact of the matter is, that there is little separation between the two dman. It's insane to say one is vastly better then the other, when the fact is that both are similar caliber blue chip prospects. With that being said, I'd have both around 20.

 

[Techcoockie]

I mean what has Romanov done to really separate himself against Sandin.

Romanov
-2x WJC All-star
-WJC Best Defender & Most points by a dman (8)
-Decent Stats in the K - 7 points in 43 games, and 4 points 43 games.
-Gagarin Cup Champ
-2 nhl games, 1 assist

Sandin
-WJC Best Defender & Most Points by dman (10)
-WJC All-Star
-AHL all-star
-Excellent stats in the AHL, led the league in u-19 scoring with 28 points in 44 games. Best PPG in the AHL for U-20 scoring over the likes of Seider, Kotkaniemi, Wahlstrom at 0.71ppg.
-28 NHL Games, 8 points. (Proved more at the nhl level)

The fact of the matter is, that there is little separation between the two dman. It's insane to say one is vastly better then the other, when the fact is that both are similar caliber blue chip prospects. With that being said, I'd have both around 20.

Eyes test on NHL and KHL level (with men) Sandin doesn't past the eyes test, he's fun to watch on transition but that's it, Romanov is just on a different level when you watch him.

 

[Mitch nylander]

Eyes test on NHL and KHL level (with men) Sandin doesn't past the eyes test, he's fun to watch on transition but that's it, Romanov is just on a different level when you watch him.

Disagree. I think Sandin is better in transition and provides a little more offensive potential. He's super slick and smooth with the puck and has good vision of the ice. I think that Romanov provides, more physicality and a little better defensive play. He did get burned by Kerfoot in Ot though.

I think both will be great top 4 dman at the next level, and neither one is a clear cut superior prospect then the other.
Ie: Byram, Drysdale and Seider are a tier higher in my opinion.

Dman Prospect Tier

1. Byram 2. Seider 3. Drysdale
--------------
In no order: Romanov, Sanderson, Sandin, Smith, Lundkvist, Bouchard, Dobson...
-----
The rest

 

[Mitch nylander]

Perhaps Sandin will be better than I thought but I'd have a really hard time believing he is of a similar caliber to Romanov. Romanov could be fighting for the Calder this year, while Sandin didn't crack the NHL. They're the same age.

Read my post above..
Sandin has accomplished a lot best U-19 ppg, best u-20 ppg in the ahl. WJC Dman of the tourney. 28 nhl games. Ahl all-star, Etc.
Romanov in retrospect has accomplished a similar level of accomplishment: dman of the tourney, 2 nhl games, ok khl seasons, and 2x WJC all-star.

Now I understand your argument that Romanov is in the NHL and Sandin isn't (I mean he made the taxi squad). But by that argument you'd be taking K'Andre Miller over Drysdale, Sanderson and Sandin???? I would argue that Sandin had far more competition at camp than Romanov to make the team.

Additionally, Sandin has already proven more at the nhl level than Romanov. He's already played 28 games.

The fact of the matter is that there is marginal difference between one and the other. The fact that you think Sandin is a bit high and Romanov is criminally low makes me believe that your list would have Romanov top 7 and Sandin mid-to-late 30s. I don't think there is a gap of 30 prospects between the two. In fact I think there is only a marginal difference. I can see arguments of taking one or the other, but I don't see an AINEC or a wide gap between the two. I believe both are around 20 in top prospects.

 

[majormajor]

Read my post above..
Sandin has accomplished a lot best U-19 ppg, best u-20 ppg in the ahl. WJC Dman of the tourney. 28 nhl games. Ahl all-star, Etc.
Romanov in retrospect has accomplished a similar level of accomplishment: dman of the tourney, 2 nhl games, ok khl seasons, and 2x WJC all-star.

Now I understand your argument that Romanov is in the NHL and Sandin isn't (I mean he made the taxi squad). But by that argument you'd be taking K'Andre Miller over Drysdale, Sanderson and Sandin???? I would argue that Sandin had far more competition at camp than Romanov to make the team.

Additionally, Sandin has already proven more at the nhl level than Romanov. He's already played 28 games.

The fact of the matter is that there is marginal difference between one and the other. The fact that you think Sandin is a bit high and Romanov is criminally low makes me believe that your list would have Romanov top 7 and Sandin mid-to-late 30s. I don't think there is a gap of 30 prospects between the two. In fact I think there is only a marginal difference. I can see arguments of taking one or the other, but I don't see an AINEC or a wide gap between the two. I believe both are around 20 in top prospects.

I wouldn't have K'Andre Miller very high because I don't see the upside there. Of course Drysdale and Sanderson have years to catch up. I honestly don't have a great read on Sandin because I've barely noticed him in Toronto. Romanov looks really good to me, and that of course is why I like him more, he has every tool in the box, it's not based on one or two factoids. I don't know why Sandin isn't in the NHL if he's supposed to be Romanov caliber. Maybe the Leafs have a bit more competition for Sandin but it's not that much more. Romanov has climbed over a lot of guys to get high minutes in Montreal, he had almost 23 minutes in his debut. Dermott and Bogosian aren't that good, Romanov would be playing over them for sure. 7th and 37th sounds about right to me, of course with a lot of uncertainty.

 

[Mitch nylander]

I wouldn't have K'Andre Miller very high because I don't see the upside there. Of course Drysdale and Sanderson have years to catch up. I honestly don't have a great read on Sandin because I've barely noticed him in Toronto. Romanov looks really good to me, and that of course is why I like him more, he has every tool in the box, it's not based on one or two factoids. I don't know why Sandin isn't in the NHL if he's supposed to be Romanov caliber. Maybe the Leafs have a bit more competition for Sandin but it's not that much more. Romanov has climbed over a lot of guys to get high minutes in Montreal, he had almost 23 minutes in his debut. Dermott and Bogosian aren't that good, Romanov would be playing over them for sure. 7th and 37th sounds about right to me, of course with a lot of uncertainty.

I respectfully disagree with this post. This would be the equivalence of me having Sandin at 7 and Romanov 37 last season when Sandin was playing regular minutes, while Romanov was not. It's easy to play that game.

What would your ranking look like then if you had Sandin all the way at 37?

I also don't think Romanov would be playing in Toronto, since Lehtonen who was a far better player in the KHL hasn't cracked our lineup. Bogosian is obviously not that good, but he brings a different element which is why he is there. Dermott, is a player the organization really likes and has continued to be given chances over the likes of Sandin, Liljegren and Lehtonen. I don't think it would be much different.

To add, waivers factor a whole lot into the decision. With Toronto's cap situation and Sandin & Lehtonen not requiring waivers makes it a lot easier to slot them outside of our lineup. I think that plays a lot with the situation rather than Sandin or Lehtonen's talent level. Both Dermott and Bogosian would require waivers, and would both get claimed.

Like Sandin, Liljegren, & Lehtonen, Romanov would not require waivers, which would make him easy to send to the Taxi Squad without any worries.

 

[LeProspector]

3/4 through the season, how does this list look?

 

[GermanSpitfire]

For the most part, solid list, I know I was at the forefront of some of these guys but all in all, quite good up to this point.

 

[42]

3/4 through the season, how does this list look?

I'm sure there will be some movement 3 months later.
One player that stands out as being way out of order - should be much higher than 63 - is J. Robertson, who's shown himself quite capable of producing in the NHL this year.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

I'm sure there will be some movement 3 months later.
One player that stands out as being way out of order - should be much higher than 63 - is J. Robertson, who's shown himself quite capable of producing in the NHL this year.

Even at the time of doing the list, I remember noticing that Robertson wasn’t even on the “to add to poll” at around 60 players in, and I started drumming up support for him. If it were me, I would have had Robertson in the twenty’s.

Just goes to show how overlooked he was coming into the season.

 

[EXTRAS]

Take broberg out. Put Adam Wilsby in his spot. Afterall they play on same team and wilsby is better.