Predators Prospect Rankings Summer 2024

[Porter Stoutheart]

Hey all,

It feels like this is about the time we start these every year? I am going to volunteer to manage it... but I feel like I'm probably on several ignore lists, so I don't want to ruin the process if somebody else with more of a universal presence is willing to run it? Predsanddead24 did an awesome job last year. I don't want to steal anybody's thunder or start a process that isn't going to be fully inclusive of the board population.

So here is a first thread, asking if anybody else wants to or plans to run it? If nobody else wants to, I will, because it feels like enough of an "institution" that we should.

Or... if folks want to take a little break for a while and pick this up later in a few weeks, maybe indicate that preference also?

Any other volunteers?

And here are the results from before:

Final Rankings 2023:
1. Yaroslav Askarov (G, 11OA, 2020 Draft)
2. Joakim Kemell (RW, 17OA, 2022 Draft)
3. Matthew Wood (LW/C, 15OA, 2023 Draft)
4. Luke Evangelista (RW, 42OA, 2020 Draft)
5. Juuso Parssinen (C/LW, 210OA, 2019 Draft)
6. Philip Tomasino (RW, 24OA, 2019 Draft)
7. Tanner Molendyk (D, 24OA, 2023 Draft)
8. Fedor Svechkcov (C, 19OA, 2021 Draft
9. Zachary L'Heurex (LW, 27OA, 2021 Draft)
10. Spencer Stastney (D, 131OA, 2018 Draft)
11. Egor Afanasyev (LW, 45OA, 2019 Draft)
12. Semyon Chistyakov (D, 117OA, 2019 Draft)
13. Reid Schaefer (LW, 32OA, 2022 Draft)
14. Felix Nilsson (C, 43OA, 2023 Draft)
15. Kalan Lind (LW, 46OA, 2023 Draft)
16. Ryan Ufko (D, 115OA, 2021 Draft)
17. Jack Matier (D, 124OA, 2021 Draft)
18. Nolan Burke (C, Undrafted, Signed 2022)
19. Jesse Kiiskinen (RW, 68OA, 2023 Draft)
20. Adam Wilsby (D, 101OA, 2020 Draft)

Also receiving votes: Aiden Fink, Kasper Kulonummi, Gunnarwolf Fontaine, Adam Ingram, Simon Knak,. Dylan MacKinnon, Anton Olsson, Joey Willis

Previous results:
2022
2021

Click to read more...

 

[Scoresberg]

I’m off for the next week or so but can start it up after that unless someone has already gotten it up at that point.

 

[AintLifeGrand]

Hey all,

It feels like this is about the time we start these every year? I am going to volunteer to manage it... but I feel like I'm probably on several ignore lists, so I don't want to ruin the process if somebody else with more of a universal presence is willing to run it? Predsanddead24 did an awesome job last year. I don't want to steal anybody's thunder or start a process that isn't going to be fully inclusive of the board population.

So here is a first thread, asking if anybody else wants to or plans to run it? If nobody else wants to, I will, because it feels like enough of an "institution" that we should.

Or... if folks want to take a little break for a while and pick this up later in a few weeks, maybe indicate that preference also?

Any other volunteers?

And here are the results from before:

Final Rankings 2023:
1. Yaroslav Askarov (G, 11OA, 2020 Draft)
2. Joakim Kemell (RW, 17OA, 2022 Draft)
3. Matthew Wood (LW/C, 15OA, 2023 Draft)
4. Luke Evangelista (RW, 42OA, 2020 Draft)
5. Juuso Parssinen (C/LW, 210OA, 2019 Draft)
6. Philip Tomasino (RW, 24OA, 2019 Draft)
7. Tanner Molendyk (D, 24OA, 2023 Draft)
8. Fedor Svechkcov (C, 19OA, 2021 Draft
9. Zachary L'Heurex (LW, 27OA, 2021 Draft)
10. Spencer Stastney (D, 131OA, 2018 Draft)
11. Egor Afanasyev (LW, 45OA, 2019 Draft)
12. Semyon Chistyakov (D, 117OA, 2019 Draft)
13. Reid Schaefer (LW, 32OA, 2022 Draft)
14. Felix Nilsson (C, 43OA, 2023 Draft)
15. Kalan Lind (LW, 46OA, 2023 Draft)
16. Ryan Ufko (D, 115OA, 2021 Draft)
17. Jack Matier (D, 124OA, 2021 Draft)
18. Nolan Burke (C, Undrafted, Signed 2022)
19. Jesse Kiiskinen (RW, 68OA, 2023 Draft)
20. Adam Wilsby (D, 101OA, 2020 Draft)

Also receiving votes: Aiden Fink, Kasper Kulonummi, Gunnarwolf Fontaine, Adam Ingram, Simon Knak,. Dylan MacKinnon, Anton Olsson, Joey Willis

Previous results:
2022
2021

lmao Fink not even cracking the top 20… tells you all you need to know!!!

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

lmao Fink not even cracking the top 20… tells you all you need to know!!!

About what?

That was before he played NCAA. He was a 7th round pick from the AJHL. I'm sure he'll crack the top-20 now.

Although it does make me think an interesting question is the eligibility criteria for this year's polling. Who is a prospect?

Last year, we said anybody 23-and-under? I think we have at least a couple exceptions on age, since Stastney and Livingstone are over 24+, but I think are still "prospects".

Meanwhile, Tomasino and Parssinen finished in Milwaukee. They have quite a lot of NHL games, but still haven't conclusively made the lineup. I would still call them "prospects", tbh. Whereas Evangelista is younger, but played 80 games last year and finished in Nashville, so he wouldn't be a "prospect" anymore? I don't think we are beholden to any HF definition of "prospect", these team polls run outside of any broader site mandate now.

Evangelista and Afanaseyev will disappear from near the top of last year's list. Kiiskanen, Burke, and maybe Matier would disappear from the bottom end. Surin and Stiga at the very least should enter from this year's draft. Along with Fink. I would peg L'Heureux and Ufko as big risers.

 

[herzausstein]

lmao Fink not even cracking the top 20… tells you all you need to know!!!

I mean.... a smallish forward from a league most people dont pay a great amount of attention to. He will be a big riser this year.

Kiiskinen is gone
Afanaseyev is gone
Schaefer wasnt overly productive
Tomasino, Pärssinen, Evangelista, and stastney might be graduated.
Burke drops off.

Added gibson, surin, and stiga who will rank high.

Gonna be a fun redo this season

 

[AintLifeGrand]

I mean.... a smallish forward from a league most people dont pay a great amount of attention to. He will be a big riser this year.

Kiiskinen is gone
Afanaseyev is gone
Schaefer wasnt overly productive
Tomasino, Pärssinen, Evangelista, and stastney might be graduated.
Burke drops off.

Added gibson, surin, and stiga who will rank high.

Gonna be a fun redo this season

Big 10??

fink is a top 5 prospect full stop

 

[PredsV82]

Big 10??

fink is a top 5 prospect full stop

Even if you leave out Stastney, Tomasino and Parsinnen and any of this summers picks he doesn't sniff the top 5.
Askarov
L'Heureux
Kemmell
Svechkov
Molendyk
Gibson
Wood
Del Gaizo

and that's just off the top of my head

 

[AintLifeGrand]

1. Askarov
2. Wood
3. Kemmell
4. L’Hereux
5. Fink
6. Molendyk
7. Svechkov
8.Surin
9. Stiga
10. Ufko

 

[triggrman]

I don't know, I think I'd have Surin higher based off the reports I received during rookie camp from people I trust, but it's so early for that. I will say these same people talked about how good Molendyk looked last season.

On that note, I'd have Molendyk in the top 4 for sure and Gibson in the top 10.

I think based off chances of making it. L'Heureux and Svechkov are up there but I think both are bottom six NHLers. I think Wood has a high ceiling but a low floor. Kemmell is still intriging to me. I like Ufko's game as well but how many quick undersized defensemen can a single team carry.

 

[triggrman]

Based off NHL level talent.
Askarov
Kemmell
Wood
Molendyk
Surin
L'Heureux
Svechkov
Gibson

And then guys like Lind, Fink, Stiga, Ufko for those last few spots.

 

[herzausstein]

1. Askarov
2. Wood
3. Kemmell
4. L’Hereux
5. Fink
6. Molendyk
7. Svechkov
8.Surin
9. Stiga
10. Ufko

Id still have fink near the 10-13 range. There is a massive amount of smaller forwards that just dont jump from NCAA to AHL let alone all the way the NHL. Now i am very encouraged by what i see from him as he seems to be driving the offense when he is on the ice and not a passenger.

 

[maplepred]

1. Askarov
2. Wood
3. Kemmell
4. L’Hereux
5. Fink
6. Molendyk
7. Svechkov
8.Surin
9. Stiga
10. Ufko

You forgot your boy Gunnarwolfe

 

[Flgatorguy87]

I don't know, I think I'd have Surin higher based off the reports I received during rookie camp from people I trust, but it's so early for that. I will say these same people talked about how good Molendyk looked last season.

On that note, I'd have Molendyk in the top 4 for sure and Gibson in the top 10.

I think based off chances of making it. L'Heureux and Svechkov are up there but I think both are bottom six NHLers. I think Wood has a high ceiling but a low floor. Kemmell is still intriging to me. I like Ufko's game as well but how many quick undersized defensemen can a single team carry.

Fink wasn't noticeable in camp this year...I'd say he looked better last year but I was also expecting to see more from him after his strong D+1 year so that could be a factor.

Surin had as good a camp as I have seen from a new prospect and not far off any camp I have watched. Fink is certainly behind Molendyk and Surin in my rankings.

 

[triggrman]

Fink wasn't noticeable in camp this year...I'd say he looked better last year but I was also expecting to see more from him after his strong D+1 year so that could be a factor.

Surin had as good a camp as I have seen from a new prospect and not far off any camp I have watched. Fink is certainly behind Molendyk and Surin in my rankings.

Solid report. More people should trust what you observed

 

[glenngineer]

Fink wasn't noticeable in camp this year...I'd say he looked better last year but I was also expecting to see more from him after his strong D+1 year so that could be a factor.

Surin had as good a camp as I have seen from a new prospect and not far off any camp I have watched. Fink is certainly behind Molendyk and Surin in my rankings.

Gonna disagree on Fink. I was at the 3 on 3 tourney and Fink was noticeable in a good way. Good shot, passing and hustle. He impressed me more than Wood who looked sluggish and disinterested.

At the same time, guys can flourish in camp and these scrimmages and when faced with NHL talent, they crumble. The opposite can be said too where guys raise their play to meet that of their competition.

What I want to see is guys dominating their competition when I go to these things. I went to a scrimmage between FLO and NAS when Ekblad went number 1 that year and Forsberg had gone in that draft or the year before. Both of them stood out. I think Trochek may have been out there too but Fil and Ek stood out. I wish more of our guys would stand out like this.

 

[Kat Predator]

You forgot your boy Gunnarwolfe

I'm surprised Simon Knak is not at the top of this list.

 

[Flgatorguy87]

Gonna disagree on Fink. I was at the 3 on 3 tourney and Fink was noticeable in a good way. Good shot, passing and hustle. He impressed me more than Wood who looked sluggish and disinterested.

At the same time, guys can flourish in camp and these scrimmages and when faced with NHL talent, they crumble. The opposite can be said too where guys raise their play to meet that of their competition.

What I want to see is guys dominating their competition when I go to these things. I went to a scrimmage between FLO and NAS when Ekblad went number 1 that year and Forsberg had gone in that draft or the year before. Both of them stood out. I think Trochek may have been out there too but Fil and Ek stood out. I wish more of our guys would stand out like this.

I don't think Fink had a bad camp. Last year I noticed him and mentioned him to I think Nick Kaiser, the 102.5 media guy. He also mentioned him as noticeable. Like I said, maybe I was just expecting him to carry play this year based on the hype and I thought he was just ok and not a level above that I was hoping.

I'll agree on Wood. I said it somewhere else, but Wood is ONLY a shot right now, that he doesn't seem to get off very often because he's behind the play. He's not just a slow skater, he almost looks unsteady out there, reminiscent of Philip Myers.

 

[maplepred]

My current top 10 would have to be:

1. Askarov
2. Kemmel
3. Wood
4. L’Heureux
5. Svechkov
6. Molendyk
7. Gibson
8. Stiga
9. Surin
10. Matier (my BOY!)

 

[herzausstein]

Top 10 for me: (excludes anyone that requires waivers)

1. Askarov
2. Kemell
3. L'Heureux
4. Molendyk
5. Wood
6. Ufko
7. Svechkov
8. Surin
9. Gibson
10. Stiga

But the space between 6 and 10 isnt much.

 

[Flgatorguy87]

I'd go this ranking based on my confidence they will make the league mixed with their upside. I'll say Wood still has tremendous potential, but my confidence he ever puts it together is wanning. Just my opinion, but I expect Surin is going to jump up many people's rankings if he gets playing time this year. Limited showing, but I think Gibson has good potential to be a steady #4 on what I watched.

1. Askarov
2. L'Heureux
3. Molendyk
4. Kemell
5. Surin
6. Svechkov
7. Gibson
8. Wood
9. Ufko
10. Fink
11. Stiga

 

[herzausstein]

11 - 20 gets really muddy (no particular order)
Stastney and Del Gaizo
Fink
Ingram
Nilsson
Lind
Wiesblatt and Schaefer
Gojsic and Marques
Matier
Roest
Norringer
Knak
Gustafsson
Chystyakov
Etc.

Some intriguing names and looks from the younger players, some players that are overseas but making a good impact there, and some players that look like theyll be bottom line grinders/energy players.

 

[maplepred]

Even if you leave out Stastney, Tomasino and Parsinnen and any of this summers picks he doesn't sniff the top 5.
Askarov
L'Heureux
Kemmell
Svechkov
Molendyk
Gibson
Wood
Del Gaizo

and that's just off the top of my head

I like it right up till del gaizo. Dude is gonna be 25 when next season starts and hasn’t done really much. He may possibly end up a rotational guy but not much more than that.
Don’t sleep on stiga, he’s easily the best player we got from this past draft. Could be a big prospect for us this season.

 

[wmupreds]

You forgot your boy Gunnarwolfe

And Knak

 

[glenngineer]

I like it right up till del gaizo. Dude is gonna be 25 when next season starts and hasn’t done really much. He may possibly end up a rotational guy but not much more than that.
Don’t sleep on stiga, he’s easily the best player we got from this past draft. Could be a big prospect for us this season.

Easily the best? Surin says hi.

 

[maplepred]

Easily the best? Surin says hi.

Hi surin, but yeah stiga has much more hype and mostly everyone ranked him higher. Just because we reached on surin a bit doesn’t mean he’s better. He may end up better no doubt but right now stiga is ranked the better prospect by mostly all credible sources.