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Originally Posted by FAN
No offense, but that's frequently a bad way to compare prospects. It's like Canucks fans saying Kassian was the exact same prospect at 18/19 as Lucic. It doesn't work that way. Personally, I don't even consider Kulak and Culkin to be the same prospect. I like Kulak a lot more and think he is a much better offensive prospect.
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Usually I split forwards and D-men into rough categories when I'm doing up my draft lists. Brodie, Culkin and Kulak all fall into the category of above average offensive defensemen that are weak in their own end when they were drafted. Similarly, they also posses a good work ethic and hockey IQ as well as overall on ice awareness. That is enough similarities to say they're in essence the same general player at that age.
Of course they're not identical, they aren't clones of one another. You only get that with the Sedins. But for a generalization of their possible potential, you look at the three guys, all with a similar type of game both positively and negatively. The guy that is more advanced (Brodie) has developed into a solid top 4 guy with a lot of room still to grow. The other two guys, if they put a similar effort and if they make similar strides, they too can be possible top 4 guys.
With any ranking of potential, it comes with the caveat of If, then. If Kulak and Culkin make similar strides in their defensive awareness and abilities, their offensive abilities should make them in the ball park of being possible top 4 D-men. Whether they actually make those steps is up to them though. If anyone could tell ahead of time that so and so taken in the 4th or beyond was going to be an NHLer they would be getting paid a lot as a scout.
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Nemisz was a highly regarded pick whom some had in the first round and some had in the second. But his list of strengths included good puck skills, hockey sense, and work ethic. The upside was there, the consistency and foot speed wasn't. And surely, he would be in your "kick butt" category given he made 2nd team OHL all star and the WJC. I agree that there seems to be a stronger focus on hockey IQ, but Darryl has always placed an emphasis on guys with a work ethic.
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Nemisz was playing on a stacked team alongside Taylor Hall. Usually any player that's a linemate of a #1 pick is not nearly as good as their stats indicate. The Rob Brown effect. I personally never saw the upside in him. Usually for guys without a ton of talent, but ones that are just big, they usually need to be fast to make the NHL. Nemisz doesn't really possess exceptional passing or shooting ability. If he was fast, you could at least rely on him becoming a defensive minded forward that wasn't completely lost in the offensive zone. He only has average speed, which should relegate him to a career of being an AHLer, or a 4th liner on a terrible team that can't find a Steve Begin or Tim Jackman type guy to put there instead.
That's why I hated the suggestion of taking Mark McNeill a couple years ago. It's the same story. Big guy that's not overly skilled or fast is magically having a tough time developing into a player.