Rielly ranked #1 of 2012 draft class in TSN (Craig Button) Top 30 NHL Prospects

[heartsabres*]

too bad Craig Button is an idiot

 

[RogerRoeper*]

The Morgan Rielly hype train at the WJC is going to be magnificent. I can hear the whining from other Canadian fan bases already

It's going to be fantastic.

 

[ULF_55]

So I guess the question is: Do we play Reilly on the Marlies next year for the fear of rushing him too soon? Or is he going to deserve a spot in the NHL just as much as Gardiner?

He can't play with the Marlies next year. Its either NHL or WHL. And a prospect of Rielly's caliber will most likely never see the AHL.

Craig Button's list of top 30 NHL affiliated prospects. Ranks Rielly 1st overall in 2012 draft prospects (one ahead of Yakupov) and 4th overall. I've never been so hyped for the World Juniors!

http://www.tsn.ca/draftcentre/feature/?id=9601

The Top 30 - as of December 14, 2012
RK Player DOB Pos. S Ht/Wt NHL Team Current Team
1. Justin Schultz Jul. 6/90 D R 6'2/185 Edmonton Oklahoma (AHL)
2. Evgeny Kuznetsov May 19/92 C L 6'3/187 Washington Traktor (KHL)
3. Vladimir Tarasenko Dec. 13/91 RW L 6'0/201 St. Louis Saint Petersbury (KHL)
4. Morgan Rielly Mar. 9/94 D L 6'0/200 Toronto Moose Jaw (WHL)
5. Nail Yakupov Oct. 6/93 RW L 5'11/183 Edmonton Neftekhimik (KHL)
6. Alex Galchenyuk Feb. 12/94 C L 6'0/194 Montreal Sarnia (OHL)
7. Mark Scheifele Mar. 15/93 C R 6'3/187 Winnipeg Barrie (OHL)
8. Sven Baertschi Oct. 5/92 RW L 5'11/189 Calgary Abbotsford (AHL)
9. Jonathan Huberdeau Jun. 4/93 LW L 6'1/176 Florida Saint John (QMJHL)
10. Ryan Strome Jun. 11/93 C R 6'1/192 NY Islanders Niagara (OHL)
11. Brett Ritchie Jul. 1/93 RW R 6'4/218 Dallas Niagara (OHL)
12. Dougie Hamilton Jun. 17/93 D R 6'5/205 Boston Niagara (OHL)
13. Mikael Granlund Feb. 26/92 C L 5'10/180 Minnesota Houston (AHL)
14. Nick Bjugstad Jul. 17/92 C R 6'5/212 Florida Minnesota (WCHA)
15. Malcolm Subban Dec. 21/93 G L 6'1/195 Boston Belleville (OHL)
16. Jakob Silfverberg Oct. 13/90 RW R 6'0/197 Ottawa Binghamton (AHL)
17. Jonas Brodin Jul. 12/93 D L 6'1/170 Minnesota Houston (AHL)
18. Oscar Klefbom Jul. 20/93 D L 6'3/201 Edmonton Farjestads (SWE)
19. Calle Jarnkrok Sept. 25/91 C R 6'0/176 Detroit Brynas (SWE)
20. John Gaudreau Aug. 13/93 LW L 5'8/153 Calgary Boston College (HE)
21. Jacob Trouba Feb. 26/94 D R 6'2/187 Winnipeg USNDTP (USHL)
22. Austin Watson Jan. 13/92 C R 6'3/202 Nashville Milwaukee (AHL)
23. Mika Zibanejad Apr. 18/93 C R 6'2/200 Ottawa Binghamton (AHL)
24. Andrei Vasilevski Jul. 25/94 G L 6'3/210 Tampa Bay Tolpar (MHL)
25. Hampus Lindholm Jan. 20/94 D L 6'3/195 Anaheim Norfolk (AHL)
26. Ryan Muray Sept. 27/93 D L 6'0/199 Columbus Everett (WHL)
27. Filip Forsberg Aug. 13/94 LW R 6'1/188 Washington Leksands (SWE)
28. Mikhail Grigorenko May 16/94 C L 6'3/200 Buffalo Quebec (QMJHL)
29. Jaden Schwartz Jun. 25/92 RW L 5'9/190 St. Louis Peoria (AHL)
30. Boone Jenner Jun. 15/93 C L 6'2/205 Columbus Oshawa (OHL)

If only Grigorenko was playing at a GPG pace (he's at 29 in 30) he might have moved him up some. Even putting him on the list must have been tough for Button.

Anyway, 3 Russians in the top 5?

Schultz and Silfverberg both same age as Kadri?

Oilers have 2 defenders in the top 30, along with Yakupov.

9 teams have 2 players, so about 11 teams with no representation.

 

[ULF_55]

The Morgan Rielly hype train at the WJC is going to be magnificent. I can hear the whining from other Canadian fan bases already

I've heard a lot of compliments about Rielly from non-Leafs' fans.

I think you'll see a minority of fans being twits, but we likely have a similar ratio of Leafs' twits who see superstars around every box of KD in the cupboard.

 

[Liferleafer]

I wouldn't, but in order of preference I would trade him for:

1. Huberdeau
2. Yakupov
3. Galchenyuk
4. Tarasenko
5. Hamilton
6. Kuznetsov
7. Granlund

For me, just the bolded....and Gally is a maybe but he's a center so....

I feel we need to build from the net out, so that means establishing a D-corps that is solid is important. As good as Yak will be, another smallish winger isn't as important as defense for me.

 

[The Magic Man]

I've never agreed with any list of Button's. Neither has many NHL GM's, otherwise he's have a job as a GM, or even scout. He's not a "pro scout" he's an unemployed scout-turned analyst and I highly doubt he flies around the world as much real scouts. He doesn't get near as much exposure to top talent as real, employed scouts.

He's as much a pro scout as Milbury is a pro GM.

Also his continued lack of respect for what Grigorenko is doing this year is pathetic. MG should be near the top.

People put too much weight in what this joke of a failed GM/scout says. I'd defer to Bob every time. He polls the collective opinions of many scouts. The only other way to get a better analysis is to know who is the best scout and ask only him.

 

[MapleReef]

Future Captain

In five years he will be the Captain of the Leafs and then will be that for a decade. We finally have a stud so let him represent the entire future moving forward.

 

[zeke]

Much better list than HF's hilarious attempt.

 

[Hero]

What a bad list.

Hamilton is the best D prospect in the world right now.

 

[zeke]

Make sure to watch the WJC. Since rielly and hamilton will be on the ice together the whole it will be easy to compare.

I think you'll be surprised.

 

[Frankie]

The Morgan Rielly hype train at the WJC is going to be magnificent. I can hear the whining from other Canadian fan bases already

this is one thing i don't like about recent world juniors. its become all about the nhl teams.

these kids are playing for team canada, and it should be about the tournament itself, and about canada winning. whichever nhl team happened to draft each kid shouldn't matter much. maybe an interesting sidebar, but that's it.

i'm sure canadian leafs fans will be hoping to see a habs prospect, playing for canada, play terribly and perhaps cost canada a gold medal. same with other fans cheering against a leafs prospect. its too bad its become all about that.

 

[Pi]

People saying Dougie Hamilton is better than Morgan Rielly...it's very debatable.

Most people here go by PPG pace... just remember that Dougie Hamilton is no where near as offensively talented as Morgan Rielly is, he plays on a very explosive offensive team.

Skating..MR.
IQ..MR.
Size..DH
Defense...edge to DH.

I don't see how Hamilton is any better than Morgan Rielly. He'll prove it in the WJC how talented he is.

Dougie Hamilton was not good last year, at least not to the level it was expected of him. There is a reason he dropped when everyone thought he'd go top 5.

In Rielly...you have one of the smartest players. Of course, I am biased towards Rielly, no doubt but points in the CHL prove nothing at all.

What Dougie Hamilton can do on the ice, Rielly can do better.

 

[ULF_55]

this is one thing i don't like about recent world juniors. its become all about the nhl teams.

these kids are playing for team canada, and it should be about the tournament itself, and about canada winning. whichever nhl team happened to draft each kid shouldn't matter much. maybe an interesting sidebar, but that's it.

i'm sure canadian leafs fans will be hoping to see a habs prospect, playing for canada, play terribly and perhaps cost canada a gold medal. same with other fans cheering against a leafs prospect. its too bad its become all about that.

Personally, I'd like to see Canada win, but I'd like to see the Leafs' prospects do extremely well.

For the most part they are human beings, so cheering for anyone should be fine.

At least it looks like Canada has to be very good to win it. Something like Canada, USofA, Russia and Sweden the past 4 tournaments? That's what we should want to see in hockey, everyone getting better.

 

[maplehawk]

Actually...

When Bob tells you something, its usually the opinion of multiple scouts, where Button's opinion is just his own. Personally, i would take Bob's word over Button's any day of the week.

That is literally exactly what I said. Button is posting his opinions based on what he physically saw from the players when he watched them. He is a scout and he is posting his findings as a scout for our information. That's it. Why people even feel the need to create a Bob vs Craig sort of situation is beyond me, it makes no sense.

You take the list for what its' worth; 1 scout's opinion.

 

[ULF_55]

People saying Dougie Hamilton is better than Morgan Rielly...it's very debatable.

Most people here go by PPG pace... just remember that Dougie Hamilton is no where near as offensively talented as Morgan Rielly is, he plays on a very explosive offensive team.

Skating..MR.
IQ..MR.
Size..DH
Defense...edge to DH.

I don't see how Hamilton is any better than Morgan Rielly. He'll prove it in the WJC how talented he is.

Dougie Hamilton was not good last year, at least not to the level it was expected of him. There is a reason he dropped when everyone thought he'd go top 5.

In Rielly...you have one of the smartest players. Of course, I am biased towards Rielly, no doubt but points in the CHL prove nothing at all.

What Dougie Hamilton can do on the ice, Rielly can do better.

That would be appropriate for where they were drafted, and should be where scouts, who actually are pertinent, placed them.

 

[zeke]

Dougie is really great in the offensive zone, especially on the pp, but rielly dominates the puck more in all three zones. If dougie actually used his size then it would give him an extra edge, but he doesn't.

 

[Mess]

Dougie is really great in the offensive zone, especially on the pp, but rielly dominates the puck more in all three zones. If dougie actually used his size then it would give him an extra edge, but he doesn't.

Hamilton is the reigning CHL Defenseman of the year.

While Hamilton and Reilly are expected to be paired together on the top unit at the WJC, it will be Hamilton that will also play on PK, not sure we will see a lot of Rielly in defensive situations. Rielly is filling in on the top pairing for the injured Ryan Murray, so he is there presently on opportunity.

Hamilton at present is the one that is more complete and well rounded prospect, and scouts will tell you that Rielly has work to do defensively, and its his offensive instincts that get him recognition most as an elite prospect.

It will be exciting to see how Rielly does in the this tournament, and have a Leaf prospect on Team Canada always makes things a little more exciting when NHL team and Country overlap at the WJC.. Rielly hopefully gains lots of great experience and development from this opportunity.

 

[7even]

People saying Dougie Hamilton is better than Morgan Rielly...it's very debatable.

Most people here go by PPG pace... just remember that Dougie Hamilton is no where near as offensively talented as Morgan Rielly is, he plays on a very explosive offensive team.

Skating..MR.
IQ..MR.
Size..DH
Defense...edge to DH.

I don't see how Hamilton is any better than Morgan Rielly. He'll prove it in the WJC how talented he is.

Dougie Hamilton was not good last year, at least not to the level it was expected of him. There is a reason he dropped when everyone thought he'd go top 5.

In Rielly...you have one of the smartest players. Of course, I am biased towards Rielly, no doubt but points in the CHL prove nothing at all.

What Dougie Hamilton can do on the ice, Rielly can do better.

Dougie was 22 points over a PPG last year. He's very, very good at everything he does. You can call it debatable, but you can't say that Morgan Rielly can do everything Hamilton does better.

 

[RogerRoeper*]

Hamilton is the reigning CHL Defenseman of the year.

While Hamilton and Reilly are expected to be paired together on the top unit at the WJC, it will be Hamilton that will also play on PK, not sure we will see a lot of Rielly in defensive situations. Rielly is filling in on the top pairing for the injured Ryan Murray, so he is there presently on opportunity.

Hamilton at present is the one that is more complete and well rounded prospect, and scouts will tell you that Rielly has work to do defensively, and its his offensive instincts that get him recognition most as an elite prospect.

It will be exciting to see how Rielly does in the this tournament, and have a Leaf prospect on Team Canada always makes things a little more exciting when NHL team and Country overlap at the WJC.. Rielly hopefully gains lots of great experience and development from this opportunity.

Just to point out, there's been a heck of a lot of mediocre NHL'ers win that award.

 

[Stephen]

If it's a draft pick the Leafs gave up, he's a lock as a superstar. Since the Leafs picked Rielly, we're not allowed to compliment him.

I stand by my opinion that if Rielly was selected by Boston this year with Toronto's pick he'd be getting much more hype right now.

I think if the Bruins had drafted Rielly, I think those Bobby Orr comparisons would be used to taunt us a lot more on the internet...

 

[RogerRoeper*]

I think if the Bruins had drafted Rielly, I think those Bobby Orr comparisons would be used to taunt us a lot more on the internet...

Oh of course. Button's list would suddenly be taken more seriously and "Proof" of what a franchise D-Man the Leafs gave up.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Really don't like this list tbh. I don't know where Button's head is sometimes..

There is a reason that he is no longer employed by an NHL team. He is an incompetent buffoon.

 

[dubey]

There is a reason that he is no longer employed by an NHL team. He is an incompetent buffoon.

If he was any more incompetent he would probably be posting here

 

[MakeTheIronSing]

I will reserve all judgement about his affect on the Leafs until he plays with them to be honest. However, someone on draft day compared him to Leetch (in his style of play.... relax). That got me a little excited, because Leetch was sick (noticeably the best leaf d on that playoff team in 04)

PS I hate Craig Button

 

[zeke]

Hamilton is the reigning CHL Defenseman of the year.

While Hamilton and Reilly are expected to be paired together on the top unit at the WJC, it will be Hamilton that will also play on PK, not sure we will see a lot of Rielly in defensive situations. Rielly is filling in on the top pairing for the injured Ryan Murray, so he is there presently on opportunity.

Hamilton at present is the one that is more complete and well rounded prospect, and scouts will tell you that Rielly has work to do defensively, and its his offensive instincts that get him recognition most as an elite prospect.

It will be exciting to see how Rielly does in the this tournament, and have a Leaf prospect on Team Canada always makes things a little more exciting when NHL team and Country overlap at the WJC.. Rielly hopefully gains lots of great experience and development from this opportunity.

actually "scouts" will tell you that Hamilton also needs work defensively. and Brendan Bell was also CHL defenseman of the year.

and we shall see how the PK breaks down at the WJC.

and, of course, Craig Button happens to have actually made a career as a scout, so there's at least one scout who disagrees with you.

but hey, just watch them at the WJC, and see what you see.