Prospect Info: San Jose Sharks #10 Prospect

[Gecklund]

HERE WE GO! It’s that time of the year again where we all need a little positivity to distract us from the Sharks so let’s look at the Sharks prospects!

Vote for whoever you think is the Sharks top prospect left. The whole point of this is to get different opinions and different values. Use whatever definition you want for top. If you value long term potential, NHL readiness, translatable skills, whatever it is, go for it!

As always, it’s more fun if you post why you feel your vote is the top prospect as it draws more discussion and interactivity. NO FIGHTING IN THIS THREAD.

This will stay open for 2 days. Cut off is 40 NHL games. Let me know who I should add next.

To add: Nick Cicek, Ethan Cardwell, Adam Raska, Mitch Russell

Rankings:
1. William Eklund-92.9%
2. Thomas Bordeleau-87.5%
3. Ryan Merkley-55.6%
4. Daniil Gushchin-48.3%
5. Gannon Laroque-24.7%
6. Filip Bystedt-39.0%
7. Brandon Coe-43.5%
8. Mattias Havelid-34.3%
9. Cam Lund-41.0%

Click to read more...

 

[themelkman]

Going robins, but Gaudreau probably belongs sometime soon.

 

[Levie]

Man, the Wiesblatt stocks have fallen.

 

[landshark]

Man, the Wiesblatt stocks have fallen.

It's funny you say that. There's a website called "Hollywood Stock Exchange" I've often wondered if hockey could have something like that as well.

 

[Cas]

Man, the Wiesblatt stocks have fallen.

I think it's a combination of his relatively lower production (especially compared to his draftmates Coe, Gushchin, Robins, and Bordeleau) over the two years we've been watching him, and the opinions of those who have been scouting him that he just doesn't appear to have the offensive talent to realistically have a shot at anything more than a third-line role (and maybe not even that).

Everyone placed so far has that top six/top four potential, or at least appears to have a higher floor (Coe is big and skates well, so he could be a pretty good third liner if he shows some offensive aptitude, for example - Wiesblatt is not big and can't fall back on that). Wiesblatt is having a difficult time competing.

I have him behind Knyazev and Robins at least.

 

[Kcoyote3]

I think it's a combination of his relatively lower production (especially compared to his draftmates Coe, Gushchin, Robins, and Bordeleau) over the two years we've been watching him, and the opinions of those who have been scouting him that he just doesn't appear to have the offensive talent to realistically have a shot at anything more than a third-line role (and maybe not even that).

Everyone placed so far has that top six/top four potential, or at least appears to have a higher floor (Coe is big and skates well, so he could be a pretty good third liner if he shows some offensive aptitude, for example - Wiesblatt is not big and can't fall back on that). Wiesblatt is having a difficult time competing.

I have him behind Knyazev and Robins at least.

He's kind of like a fancier Cardwell with a bit more handling skill. Just hasn't really progressed from there it seems.

 

[Sharksrule04]

Went Kniazev finally. The guy is only 21 and just put up nearly 30 points in his first AHL season. Not as dynamic as Merkley, but he's still a skilled mobile d-man.

 

[Sandisfan]

Went Kniazev finally. The guy is only 21 and just put up nearly 30 points in his first AHL season. Not as dynamic as Merkley, but he's still a skilled mobile d-man.

For me it was close between Kniazev and Guadreau, went with Gads. I am happy that there are still guys with possibilities after top ten on this prospects list and beyond. That said I hope that GM-MG doesn't have that thing like we have seen at times with other GMs even in other sports who tend to jettison the guys picked by previous administrations, sometimes out of just disdain of all that came before without truly evaluating the those young guys objectively.

 

[DG93]

Kniazev

 

[hotcabbagesoup]

Went Kniazev finally. The guy is only 21 and just put up nearly 30 points in his first AHL season. Not as dynamic as Merkley, but he's still a skilled mobile d-man.

We need your vote. There's only three of us in the Kniazev camp.

 

[ISharkted]

Cicek will play some games with the big club next year and be a regular 2nd or 3rd pairing defender the following season. I’d put him in the top 10.

 

[JumboJoe23]

wiesblatt, gaudreau, robins

 

[Sharksrule04]

Cicek will play some games with the big club next year and be a regular 2nd or 3rd pairing defender the following season. I’d put him in the top 10.

I think that is unlikely but I like your optimism.

 

[TheBeard]

What, no Makiniemi?

 

[themelkman]

What, no Makiniemi?

Hard to rank him when we don’t really know much about him.

Did well last year but barely played

 

[TheBeard]

Hard to rank him when we don’t really know much about him.

Did well last year but barely played

It is however it sounds as if he should be in our top ten in terms of prospects, as sad as that is.

 

[Gecklund]

It is however it sounds as if he should be in our top ten in terms of prospects, as sad as that is.

But it really doesn’t. He’s a similar level to Chrona

 

[TheBeard]

But it really doesn’t. He’s a similar level to Chrona

Tough to say. He was considered a top ten prospect in a much deeper Hurricanes system.

 

[Gecklund]

Tough to say. He was considered a top ten prospect in a much deeper Hurricanes system.

He played 15 games on the best AHL team. The sample size is shit. If you have something other than “number last year” then maybe otherwise there’s no chance he’s top 10.

 

[themelkman]

Tough to say. He was considered a top ten prospect in a much deeper Hurricanes system.

Says who? I haven’t seen a ranking of their system with him anywhere near that high.

He wasn’t in Scott wheelers top 20 this year even

 

[PacificOceanPotion]

I picked Reedy. Yeah, he’s an older prospect compared to some of the others, but to me he’s a guy who’s ready to make a break through at the NHL level right now.

 

[ISharkted]

I think that is unlikely but I like your optimism.

I was singing his praises all last season in the Cuda thread. To my eye, he looked to be the most complete NHL style player of the entire bunch on the Cuda. I’m not saying that he will be a top pairing star, but he looked better than both Middleton and Megna, and they’ve spent time on the big club. I think his ceiling is second pair and floor is 6th or 7th.

My comp was a young Justin Braun, with more grit and edge to him. Physically, he fits the traditional NHL Dman mold in terms of size. I feel he is an above average skater for his size, and his speed/agility will be more than adequate for NHL game pace. He possesses the tools to be a solid two way Dman. He makes a quick, smart first pass and gets the puck up the ice. His passing and shot overall looked to be above average. I found him to be very defensively responsible outside of a few lapses that happens to younger players. He was a leader who will stand up for his teammates, play heavy hockey, and can drop the mitts when needed. He was absolutely a top pairing caliber Dman on the Cuda who played all situations before he was injured. Post injury, he didn’t look like the same player for a few games, but looked to be trending up again as the season ended. He was playing PK,PP, the whole thing and not looking out of place anywhere.

If not the Sharks, he will make the big show and stick with someone. I think he gets a cup of coffee this year, but next year he sticks with the big show. Very impressed by him.

 

[TheBeard]

Says who? I haven’t seen a ranking of their system with him anywhere near that high.

He wasn’t in Scott wheelers top 20 this year even

This one had him at 12

Hurricanes' Top 20 Prospects for 2021-22 - The Hockey Writers Hurricanes Prospects Latest News, Analysis & More

A look at the top 20 prospects in the Carolina Hurricanes' organization for the 2021-22 season.

thehockeywriters.com

This one at 10

January Hurricanes Top Prospect Rankings: 10-1

Seth Jarvis graduating to the NHL leaves the Hurricanes with less high-end talent but no shortage of depth in the pipeline.

www.canescountry.com

I'm just saying, I've seen him highly regarded in their system that had at least one other top ranked goaltender (Kochetkov). Comparing his potential with Magnus Chrona seems a tad absurd.

 

[Gecklund]

This one had him at 12

Hurricanes' Top 20 Prospects for 2021-22 - The Hockey Writers Hurricanes Prospects Latest News, Analysis & More

A look at the top 20 prospects in the Carolina Hurricanes' organization for the 2021-22 season.

thehockeywriters.com

This one at 10

January Hurricanes Top Prospect Rankings: 10-1

Seth Jarvis graduating to the NHL leaves the Hurricanes with less high-end talent but no shortage of depth in the pipeline.

www.canescountry.com

I'm just saying, I've seen him highly regarded in their system that had at least one other top ranked goaltender (Kochetkov). Comparing his potential with Magnus Chrona seems a tad absurd.

Again 15 games. You still haven’t given any other reason except “Canes pool good, Sharks bad.”

 

[Patty Ice]

It is however it sounds as if he should be in our top ten in terms of prospects, as sad as that is.

How so?