your team's top 10 prospects

[Nico Cauzuki]

As a Habs fan looking at all the other top tens, ugh...

Reinbacher recent top 5 pick
Hutson has been destroying the NCAA
Joshua Roy is almost PPG in the AHL in hes rookie season and with worst team in the league
Engstrom is playing top pair in the SHL has a 19 year old
Mesar over ppg in the CHL
Beck currently playing for TC and also over ppg in CHL
Fowler one of the best goalies in the NCAA and playing for USA
Konyushkov has actually been a huge surprised in the KHL

and we just started our rebuild our prospect pool is not the best but its far from "ugh"

 

[Mitch nylander]

Toronto Maple Leafs:

Assumed Graduated - Knies, Robertson, Woll graduated as they will hit 50+ games by the end of the year. Left Holmberg off since he's got 45 games now.

1) Easton Cowan - 39 points in 23 games, unbelievable motor. Plays with grit, great hands and sees the ice well. I see a lot of Zach Hyman in his game.
2) Fraser Minten - Team Canada WJC captain. Sizeable center, who's great on both ends of the ice. He has a good shot, and like Cowan high compete level. Had his first go in the NHL, and didn't look out of place.
3) Topi Niemela - Has 17 points in 23 AHL games in his rookie season. Incredible vision, skates well, expect him to be an offensive 2nd pair guy.
4) Nikita Grebenkin - Won KHL rookie of the year last year, and has done pretty good this year. Incredible hands, great passer, great vision. He's also quite big.
5) Dennis Hildeby - 6'7 goalie posting .921 in his rookie AHL season. Stole the starter position and has not looked back.
6) Ryan Tverberg - A high-energy player who should be an nhler. Skates well, great puck battler. 8 points in 10 games in his rookie AHL year.
7) Artur Akhtyamov - .921 sv% in the KHL, has made a pretty stellar transition.
8) Alex Steeves - I can't go against results. 24 points in 20 games. I have doubts on his ability to translate to the next level but he's got the fundamentals.
9) Ty Voit- Was second in OHL scoring last year, has been hurt most of the season. But he's got great vision, and is probably our best passer in the system.
10) Nick Abruzzese - I always have a hard time leaving him off. Great hockey IQ. Just a smart player, who can play all situations.

Just Outside
Noah Chadwick - 24 points in 30 WHL games as a dman. Questionable feet, but great defensive game.
Roni Hirvonen - Smaller guy who plays with a lot of tenacity.
Dmitry Ovchinnikov - I like this kid, blazing speed, good hands and can snipe the puck. Finally put himself back on the map after being almost a write-off.
Mikko Kokkonen - Almost made the team out of camp, I see him as a bottom pair guy.

 

[ValeriKamensky]

Gauthier ahead of Michkov? Sorry, no way.

Yes. Except sense of goal and hype Gauthier is just better in hockey.

 

[Craig Ludwig]

Reinbacher recent top 5 pick
Hutson has been destroying the NCAA
Joshua Roy is almost PPG in the AHL in hes rookie season and with worst team in the league
Engstrom is playing top pair in the SHL has a 19 year old
Mesar over ppg in the CHL
Beck currently playing for TC and also over ppg in CHL
Fowler one of the best goalies in the NCAA and playing for USA
Konyushkov has actually been a huge surprised in the KHL

and we just started our rebuild our prospect pool is not the best but its far from "ugh"

I wish I had your enthusiasm, but beyond Hutson we're not looking at anything electrifying in our prospect pool, especially at forward. Besides Hutson, I don't see any top line or top pairing D material in here. What has really hurt us is the damn "luck" of the years we get a top 3 pick, it always seems to be a terrible draft year. Love Slaf, but had our pick been the next year, would have been Bedard. The other 2 high picks, Kotkaniemi and Galchenyuk, brutal draft years. We needed for our top picks o be a year earlier or later, years like the Leafs and Marner/Mathews, Pens a while back with Crosby/Malkin, Hawks with Kane/Toews. I really hope I'm wrong about Joshua Roy, but I don't see him being a top line 80 point forward. We should have went for the home run with Michkov, does Reinbacher really excite any Habs fans?

 

[Fantomas]

Update:


1.Askarov
2.Kemell
3.Evangelista
4.Svechkov
5. Wood
6. Molendyk
7. L'Hereaux
8. Afanasyev (Should be an NHL regular any day now)
9. Stastney
10. Del Gaizo

HM: Livingstone, Chistyakov(Will he come over?)

Parssinen graduated, Wood and Molendyk debut on the list. Tough having L'Hereaux all the way at 7, apparently the coaches in Milwaukee thinks he's NHL ready now.

Wood's your best prospect, easily

 

[Soundgarden]

Wood's your best prospect, easily

Not with the four players above him playing like they have in better leagues.

 

[Nipsey]

1. Reinbacher
2. Hutson
3. Roy
4. Engstrom
5. Fowler
6. Mesar
7. Beck
8. Mailloux
9. Rohrer
10. Harris

 

[jfhabs]

1. Reinbacher
2. Hutson
3. Roy
4. Engstrom
5. Fowler
6. Mesar
7. Beck
8. Mailloux
9. Rohrer
10. Harris

Heineman is overlooked by our fanbase. He's got a pro game and pro tools. Easily top 10.
Harris isn't really a prospect.... The Russian D we drafted last year look promising too playing big.minutes in the KHL.
Kapanen might have 3rd line center upside but he should be there ahead of Rohrer. But probably not top 10 in either case
Struble showing good things in the AHL and NHL right now.
HM mentions to Farrell and Kidney.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

When assessing prospects - do you use their potential ceiling or where they are right now relative to how close or far they are from the NHL?

The Hawks have 6 prospects playing in the WJC - Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, Gavin Hayes, and Sam Rinzel for the US and Martin Misiak and Adam Gajan for Slovakia. None of them are ready to jump into the NHL next season (maybe Nazar but probably not) - but all of them have the potential to be very good NHL players in 2-3 years ... or not. Meanwhile, the Hawks have had 5 rookie d-men play NHL games this season, 3 of them in starting roles - Alex Vlassic, Kevin Korchinski, and Wyatt Kaiser, and the other 2 in injury substitute roles - Isaac Phillips and Louis Crevier. Thore are 5 d-men prospects with NHL futures - a couple of them almost certain top-4 roles in Vlassic and Korchinski - and that doesn't include 2 high end d-man prospects in their 1st year of playing in the NHL - Nolan Allen and Ethan del Mastro. So that's 7 prospect d-men with legitimate NHL aspirations - and that doesn't include Sam Rinzel who may be the best of the bunch in 2 or 3 years.

That's 8 prospect d-men who won't all fit in a top-10 list after adding in a couple high end goalies and a slew of highly drafted forwards. I know many teams would have difficulty deciding who to include and who to leave out of a top-10 prospect list. and it's not a bad problem to have - so no complaints.

And it will get even more difficult after the Hawks add Macklin Celebrini in the 2024 draft.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

When assessing prospects - do you use their potential ceiling or where they are right now relative to how close or far they are from the NHL?

The Hawks have 6 prospects playing in the WJC - Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, Gavin Hayes, and Sam Rinzel for the US and Martin Misiak and Adam Gajan for Slovakia. None of them are ready to jump into the NHL next season (maybe Nazar but probably not) - but all of them have the potential to be very good NHL players in 2-3 years ... or not. Meanwhile, the Hawks have had 5 rookie d-men play NHL games this season, 3 of them in starting roles - Alex Vlassic, Kevin Korchinski, and Wyatt Kaiser, and the other 2 in injury substitute roles - Isaac Phillips and Louis Crevier. Thore are 5 d-men prospects with NHL futures - a couple of them almost certain top-4 roles in Vlassic and Korchinski - and that doesn't include 2 high end d-man prospects in their 1st year of playing in the NHL - Nolan Allen and Ethan del Mastro. So that's 7 prospect d-men with legitimate NHL aspirations - and that doesn't include Sam Rinzel who may be the best of the bunch in 2 or 3 years.

That's 8 prospect d-men who won't all fit in a top-10 list after adding in a couple high end goalies and a slew of highly drafted forwards. I know many teams would have difficulty deciding who to include and who to leave out of a top-10 prospect list. and it's not a bad problem to have - so no complaints.

And it will get even more difficult after the Hawks add Macklin Celebrini in the 2024 draft.

Ryan Greene is another I wouldn't forget to mention.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

Ryan Greene is another I wouldn't forget to mention.

Yeah, he's flying under the radar a bit with Celebrini and Hutson playing at BU.

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

Toronto Maple Leafs:

Assumed Graduated - Knies, Robertson, Woll graduated as they will hit 50+ games by the end of the year. Left Holmberg off since he's got 45 games now.

1) Easton Cowan - 39 points in 23 games, unbelievable motor. Plays with grit, great hands and sees the ice well. I see a lot of Zach Hyman in his game.
2) Fraser Minten - Team Canada WJC captain. Sizeable center, who's great on both ends of the ice. He has a good shot, and like Cowan high compete level. Had his first go in the NHL, and didn't look out of place.
3) Topi Niemela - Has 17 points in 23 AHL games in his rookie season. Incredible vision, skates well, expect him to be an offensive 2nd pair guy.
4) Nikita Grebenkin - Won KHL rookie of the year last year, and has done pretty good this year. Incredible hands, great passer, great vision. He's also quite big.
5) Dennis Hildeby - 6'7 goalie posting .921 in his rookie AHL season. Stole the starter position and has not looked back.
6) Ryan Tverberg - A high-energy player who should be an nhler. Skates well, great puck battler. 8 points in 10 games in his rookie AHL year.
7) Artur Akhtyamov - .921 sv% in the KHL, has made a pretty stellar transition.
8) Alex Steeves - I can't go against results. 24 points in 20 games. I have doubts on his ability to translate to the next level but he's got the fundamentals.
9) Ty Voit- Was second in OHL scoring last year, has been hurt most of the season. But he's got great vision, and is probably our best passer in the system.
10) Nick Abruzzese - I always have a hard time leaving him off. Great hockey IQ. Just a smart player, who can play all situations.

Just Outside
Noah Chadwick - 24 points in 30 WHL games as a dman. Questionable feet, but great defensive game.
Roni Hirvonen - Smaller guy who plays with a lot of tenacity.
Dmitry Ovchinnikov - I like this kid, blazing speed, good hands and can snipe the puck. Finally put himself back on the map after being almost a write-off.
Mikko Kokkonen - Almost made the team out of camp, I see him as a bottom pair guy.

Agreed on this list for the most part. I would swap Niemela with Minten personally and I would have both Hirvonen and Kokkonen over Abruzzese, just because I think they're both more likely to become NHLers. Moldenhauer is also a decent candidate to be top 10.

 

[Fantomas]

Not with the four players above him playing like they have in better leagues.

Speaking as someone who has watched Svechkov and Askarov play for years, LOL.

 

[neelynugs]

Here is my updated list from August 31st. I consider Neighbours, Hofer, Tucker, and Alexandrov graduates now.

1. Dalibor Dvorsky (-)
2. Jimmy Snuggerud (-)
3. Zachary Bolduc (-)
4. Otto Stenberg (+1)
5. Theo Lindstein. (+1)
6. Vadim Zherenko (+5)
7. Zach Dean (-3)
8. Juraj Pekarcik (+5)
9. Michael Buchinger (+1)
10. Aleksanteri Kaskimaki (+6)

Top 3 stayed the same. It has been an interesting year for all three. They all faced struggles at one point this year. Bolduc has been much improved in the AHL as of late, and Dvorsky has been insane in the OHL. Snuggerud is still finding his game. Stenberg and Lindstein both move up 1, less because of what they did and more because of Zach Dean's abysmal start to his pro career. I was already high on Zherenko, but his stellar year coupled with 3 prospects ahead of him graduating and Dean's poor start has shot him up 5 spots. Pekarcik I would define as the fastest riser, as his rise is mostly due to his own play. He has had a fantastic year in the USHL. He's currently third in PPG behind only Hagens and Eiserman, both of which have played significantly less games than him. The biggest thing to note here is how young Pekarcik is. He was one of the youngest in the draft. If he were only a few weeks younger, he might have been a first rounder in this upcoming draft. Buchinger has had an alright year, he moved up 1 spot, but only because three players in front of him graduated. Kaskimaki Has had a surprisingly alright year, that coupled with 4 players graduating in front of him led him to move up six spots.

dvorsky looks pretty nasty. thought lindstein was excellent in the 2 sweden WJC games i saw.

what's your read on matt kessel? really liked his game and has the right shot which is always sought after.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

dvorsky looks pretty nasty. thought lindstein was excellent in the 2 sweden WJC games i saw.

what's your read on matt kessel? really liked his game and has the right shot which is always sought after.

Kessel hasn’t looked out of place last few games. Not sure he has much upside, but he has looked solid in 2nd pair duty in Faulk absence.

 

[57special]

Dallas is ridiculously top heavy and then has a massive drop off.

I'm not in love with anyone after the top 5 and a dozen names could possibly be here. My opinion differs pretty drastically than others but here goes.

1. Stankoven - Putting up absurd numbers in his rookie AHL season
2. Bourque - If you switched him and Stank I wouldn't hate it. Dominating the AHL right now.
3) Bichsel - Too many penalties and just went back to Sweden but has size and skating to handle the NHL.
4.) Poirier - Just getting his feet wet in the AHL but has put up great numbers in his career so far.
5) Stranges - Non-stop motor with fantastic offensive skills. Can his brain keep up so he makes better decisions is the question.
6. MacDonnell - Skating is elite and he's put up good stats as a 2nd line center on a good team, draft +1.
7. Blumel - Tunnel vision with the puck holds him back cause he cannot or does not use his teammates well in the offensive zone.
8. Murray - Older 4 year college goalie, may develop into an NHL backup someday. He's going to get his chance in the next week or 3 now.
9. Gardiner - If you flipped he and MacDonnell I wouldn't argue too much, but he should be putting up better numbers on a good team.
10. Bertucci - Started awful this season but has been a point/game guy lately. Defense needs massive work but there's some nice skills to build upon.

HM:

Gurshnikov - You never notice him and that's not a bad thing for a defenseman, but he almost always leaves you wanting just a bit more.

Wheatcroft - Has great hands/size. Cannot stay healthy.

Martino - College guy with good numbers but buried on a deep forward depth chart. Does he sign with the Stars this Spring?

Back - Does he have the skating to be an effective 4th liner in the NHL?

Minnetian - We'll see how the world juniors goes before my opinion on him truly forms.

But that's what you'd rather have. You can always pick up bottom pairing and bottom sixers for cheap in trade. the top 6 guys, top 4D, and #1 G's are what are super pricey to pick up. Hitting on Robertson, Johnston, Harley(?), Oettinger, and possibly Stankoven and Bourque, all later in the draft, speaks well of the Stars scouting.

 

[Patty Ice]

San Jose:
1. Smith
2. Musty
3. Muhkamadulin
4. Bystedt
5. Guschin
6. Bordeleau
7. Cagnoni
8. Thrun
9. Lund
10. Havelid

Biggest riser has been Musty this year. Killing it in the OHL.

Disappointment compared to last year is Bystedt. Not playing that great. Hope he has a good WJC though.

Good list. At this point in the year, that is just about I'd rank the top 10 as well, maybe flip Havelid and Lund but that's about the only difference for me.

 

[neelynugs]

Update:


1.Askarov
2.Kemell
3.Evangelista
4.Svechkov
5. Wood
6. Molendyk
7. L'Hereaux
8. Afanasyev (Should be an NHL regular any day now)
9. Stastney
10. Del Gaizo

HM: Livingstone, Chistyakov(Will he come over?)

Parssinen graduated, Wood and Molendyk debut on the list. Tough having L'Hereaux all the way at 7, apparently the coaches in Milwaukee thinks he's NHL ready now.

haven't checked in much on schaefer - he been a disappointment?

 

[neelynugs]

Pretty ugly for the Sens now that Sanderson and Pinto have graduated:



1. C/LW, Ridly Greig
2. C/LW, Zach Ostapchuk
3. G, Mads Sogaard
4. LW, Roby Jarventie
5. D, Tyler Kleven
6. RW, Egor Sokolov
7. D, Jacob Bernard Docker
8. D, Lassi Thomson
9. LW, Angus Crookshank
10. RW, Oskar Pettersson
HM: Boucher, Guenette, Donovan

Keeping it 21 and under and not currently ensconced a full time NHLer.

1. Luke Hughes

2. Simon Nemec

3. Alexander Holtz (given that he's basically not a full time regular and definitely won't be with Palat and Bastian in the lineup, I'm going to keep him in the prospect pool).

4. Shakir Mukhamadulllin

5. Seamus Casey

6. Arseni Gritsyuk

7. Akira Schmid - giving him a big jump, including over Brennan and Daws based on 2 straight years of very good AHL play and excellent stint in the NHL this year.

8. Graeme Clarke - He's been on a bit of a heater that have pumped up the Utica stats and I've always been higher on him than most. There are probably a lot of devils fans that wouldn't have him in the top 10

9. Topias Vilen - 19 years old and playing 19 minutes a night in Liiga. Big jumps in production and ice time. Seems somewhat promising, and the bottom of the top 10 is pretty much whatever anyway.

10. Josh Filmon - call it a speculation add in the top 10

I think once you get to 7-10, its pretty much whatever.

2

Even with the graduation of Vilardi and Kaliyev

1) Byfield
2) Clarke
3) Turcotte
4) Spence
5) Kupari
6) Bjornfot
7) Chromiak
8) Fagemo
9) Hughes
10) Grans

HM: Thomas, Simontaival, Pinelli

Avs don't really have a single impact prospect in the system, just hope they can get some role guys from them

1-Olausson
2-Foudy
3-Annunen
4-Kovalenko(we'll see if he ever comes over)
5-Behrens
6-Bowers
7-Beaucage
8-Miner
9-Stienburg
10-Ambrosio

1A. Stuart Skinner - he's played 22 games this season and taken over #1. Still a rookie
1. Dylan Holloway
2. Phillip Broberg
3. Xavier Bourgault
4. Reid Schaefer
5. Matvey Petrov
6. Carter Savoie
7. Markus Neimelainen
8. Tyler Tullio
9. Maxim Berezkin
10. Olivier Rodrigue

updates a year later on any of these teams?

 

[Jbcraig1883]

1. Danila Yurov - Was a huge fan when he was drafted and this year has certainly reinforced that excitement.
2. Wallstedt - Have been a huge believer in Wallstedt since the draft and still think he is probably the best goalie prospect outside of the NHL. He could easily be number 1 but I've seen more of Wallstedt the last two years, which is probably unfair, but have a minor concern about his athleticism/quickness from side to side.
3. Heidt - Little concerned he doesn't have the skating or grit for the NHL but can't deny the season he is having. He also didn't look out of place as an 18 year old with Haight and Walker in exhibition games.
4. Khusnutdinov - having a rough year but hoping its an aberration and can't put someone above him at this point.
5. Bankier - He's looking better and better when I see him. Still has to fill out, get better defensively, but his frame and offense (looks better than anticipated) look good to me.
6. Hunt - Looks to have speed, size, some offense - has been up and down this year so it's been hard to get a read, but he has a leg up on all the other D prospects. Prior to the year, I thought there was a lot more potential on the back end but they have looked pretty bad in Iowa.
7. Ohgren - Not impressed with his WJC performances but I will give him a break due to coming back from injury. Looks more like a good third liner.
8. Haight - every year I think he's going to break out and looks great from an eye test perspective, but doesn't put up the points. Looked great with Heidt during exhibitions, so I am hopeful that he just needs really smart players to play with to show his talents.
9. Kumpulainen - seems to have a knack to score and has a good frame with good puck possession. Needs work on his skating though.
10. Lorenz - like his size and offense - much better this year than last year.

11. Lambos - his decision making has been terrible and defense doesn't look great; however, I have to put him above the other Dmen due to his skating. Iowa has been so bad - perhaps if he plays on a team that has some structure, he would look better...
12. Milne - I think he is for sure an NHLer at some point, but is it as a 4th liner that you can pick up on the waiver wire, or will he be a 3rd liner, great pker, with some offense to chip in? He's been hurt this year, so hard to say. At the end of last year, I would've said 3rd liner with great PK.
13. O'Rourke - finding out how to play simple and within himself - probably another year away but likely a 5 or 6th D-man.
14. Stramel - Size and some tools but I am not overly excited about him at this point.
15. Petrovsky - big fan of him two years ago - I know he had a decent WJC but it was against lesser teams. If he has a better second half in juniors, then may start to believe can be a middle 6er.
16. Beckman - small glimmer he can carve out a middle 6 role but he will have to play with someone who can set up his shot. Has improved positonally, passing wise, a little stronger on puck, but starting to look like he is what he is - a minor leaguer. I can see him being moved for another prospect similar of age/potential where both need a change of scenery.
17. Spacek - wow, if you would've asked me a few months ago, I'd have argued for him near the top of Wild D prospects due to watching him last WJC and in juniors. Like the other D in Iowa, looks lost, weak on pucks...and misses passes and can't get shots on net.
18. Peart - haven't seen him much this year but he looked like a smart, mobile Dman in years past.
19. Masters - Looks to be a bigger RHD with good reach, good on PP, but has foot speed issues. Been in and out like Spacek and used on last D pairing, but I've seen him make less mistakes...but possible due to being sheltered minutes.
20.Parker/Pionk/Healey - have seen a few games of Parker this year and none of Pionk or Healey, so they are my last ones.

Have not seen Jimmy Clark, although has produced more than I thought he would for his first year in NCAA. Walker - he will be a tweener like Nic Petan. Johansson - don't see him having that much more potential and if he is better than the other Iowa D, it ain't by much. Novak - he's in ECHL and didn't even get a call last week when they needed 5 or 6 bodies (if he's hurt, apologies). Firstov is just never coming back overseas, at least for the Wild.

 

[Soundgarden]

haven't checked in much on schaefer - he been a disappointment?

I think so, yes. Not really producing in Milwaukee but it's early still.

 

[Forge]

updates a year later on any of these teams?

1-3: Hughes, Nemec, Holtz are all now NHL regulars and can be removed from the list. Hughes and Nemec look like the real deal. Holtz has taken an extremely positive step in his development this year. Skating has gotten better and his motor is a ton better. That said, he's still playing bottom 6.

4: Mukhamadullin was traded to SJ in the Timo trade. Seems to be doing quite well for their AHL club.

5. Seamus Casey - Probably the devils top prospect now. Having a career at Michigan that isn't all that different from Luke's offensive performance in college. He's still small so the question on how the defense plays in the NHL is fair. There are devils fans who are much higher on him than I am, but I think the offense will at least play in the NHL.

6. Arseni Gritsyuk - I'd say 2 or 3 on the prospect pool now. Pretty much status quo. He's having another very solid KHL season. Had 40 in 66 last year, missed some time this year but is pacing in line with last year in terms of points per game. Won't come over until he's 24 at the earliest.

7. Akira Schmid - had a very strong finish to the season last year including some decent playoff games, but he's been super up and down this year and more down than up. Sent down to Utica, Daws is now up with the big club so the latter probably has the arrow up. I still think that Akira has the ability to be a much bigger game changer than Daws, but he's definitely going through it.

8. Graeme Clarke - made his nhl debut last night, but I've sort of cooled on him. He looked sooooo slow in the preseason and I just don't know if he's going to be able to create at the next level. May top out as a career ahler type.

9. Topias Vilen - did come over after last year. Started with Utica and he seemed to be doing okay. I mean, first year, AHL...I didn't expect him to light it up. Then he got nicked up a bit and when he was ready to come back, they sent him to the ECHL and they have yet to bring him back up. Unsure why. He has 8 points in 5 ECHL games....I think we can move on from the ECHL. With the injury to Siegenthaler, we may see a call up from Utica which may get Vilen back in the AHL

10. Josh Filmon - Had to go back to the CHL. Goals are down, points are stable. He's years away, but I'd still have in the top 10 for the devils.

 

[neelynugs]

1-3: Hughes, Nemec, Holtz are all now NHL regulars and can be removed from the list. Hughes and Nemec look like the real deal. Holtz has taken an extremely positive step in his development this year. Skating has gotten better and his motor is a ton better. That said, he's still playing bottom 6.

4: Mukhamadullin was traded to SJ in the Timo trade. Seems to be doing quite well for their AHL club.

5. Seamus Casey - Probably the devils top prospect now. Having a career at Michigan that isn't all that different from Luke's offensive performance in college. He's still small so the question on how the defense plays in the NHL is fair. There are devils fans who are much higher on him than I am, but I think the offense will at least play in the NHL.

6. Arseni Gritsyuk - I'd say 2 or 3 on the prospect pool now. Pretty much status quo. He's having another very solid KHL season. Had 40 in 66 last year, missed some time this year but is pacing in line with last year in terms of points per game. Won't come over until he's 24 at the earliest.

7. Akira Schmid - had a very strong finish to the season last year including some decent playoff games, but he's been super up and down this year and more down than up. Sent down to Utica, Daws is now up with the big club so the latter probably has the arrow up. I still think that Akira has the ability to be a much bigger game changer than Daws, but he's definitely going through it.

8. Graeme Clarke - made his nhl debut last night, but I've sort of cooled on him. He looked sooooo slow in the preseason and I just don't know if he's going to be able to create at the next level. May top out as a career ahler type.

9. Topias Vilen - did come over after last year. Started with Utica and he seemed to be doing okay. I mean, first year, AHL...I didn't expect him to light it up. Then he got nicked up a bit and when he was ready to come back, they sent him to the ECHL and they have yet to bring him back up. Unsure why. He has 8 points in 5 ECHL games....I think we can move on from the ECHL. With the injury to Siegenthaler, we may see a call up from Utica which may get Vilen back in the AHL

10. Josh Filmon - Had to go back to the CHL. Goals are down, points are stable. He's years away, but I'd still have in the top 10 for the devils.

hameenaho is obviously a major riser. anyone else you've been impressed by that's not on this list? what's your current top 10 personally?

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

But that's what you'd rather have. You can always pick up bottom pairing and bottom sixers for cheap in trade. the top 6 guys, top 4D, and #1 G's are what are super pricey to pick up. Hitting on Robertson, Johnston, Harley(?), Oettinger, and possibly Stankoven and Bourque, all later in the draft, speaks well of the Stars scouting.

Stars scouting has been top notch for years. Really well run team, which as a Blues fan pains me.

 

[neelynugs]

Stars scouting has been top notch for years. Really well run team, which as a Blues fan pains me.

what stankoven and bourque are doing in the AHL is nuts. pretty soon they will force their way into the NHL. the stars still need help on D, so will be interesting to see how that shakes out.