[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Wow. His post wasn't pessimistic at all.

Wasn't pessimistic at all? Didn't have a single player outside of Gaudreau as having top line talent, less than a month after Monahan was drafted as was talked about as being a top line center for the past six or eight months! That's not pessimistic?

This was a prospect camp. It was a few drills and two scrimmages. It doesn't change goalposts.

It was a measure. There were plenty of players at this camp that had professional experience or were older prospects. This is a great measuring stick for the prospects and the first of many to come. The next will be rookie camp, the rookie tournament and then main camp. But this first one was a great measurement. The guys that had NHL experience did not dominate and did not stand out. That is a great testament to players the team is collecting.

Experts project to ten players top be great all the time, but the chances if them reaching that potential isn't anywhere near 100%. Sounds like you are getting way ahead of yourself.

So let's just cut to the chase, call all of these guys busts, because based on statistics the vast majority of them will, trade them all, stop going to the draft and attempting to develop players, and live off the castoffs from other teams. I mean, this is all a losing proposition, especially to the basement bloggers (trademark owned by Jay Feaster).

Jankowski was nowhere near as good as Monahan. Not even close.

There are more than enough comments from those that attended camp, and those from the team, to say they were both very close. The difference the basement bloggers seem to emphasize is that Monahan had an advantage in the scrimmages. He should have. He was playing with Gaudreau, so he had an unfair advantage. Comments seemed to indicate that Monahan and Jankowski were very similar in abilities and performance throughout much of camp. That bodes well for Jankowski and the Flames.

But this is prospect camp. The purpose is to expose these kids to what the pro club is all about and for a glimpse of what they bring. Sam Gagner, referred to above, had 118pts on 53 games as a 17 year old and was expected to be a first line player.

Who expected that? I don't recall that when he was drafted nor as he progressed through his development. Gagner had second line talent and makeup, and it appears he's achieving that promise.

You claim we aren't Oiler fans who blow up marginal prospects who haven't shown anything, then talk about how Harrison will be one of the major steals of the draft after he plays 2 intra squad scrimmages with non pro players????

You'll notice I said if he discovered a scoring touch. The kid has all the tools and was a total standout in camp. He has a long road ahead of him, but based on this early showing it is crazy that he was drafted so late. Another instance of a kid playing in a poorly scouted league? Whatever the cause the fact is that he performed well beyond expectations and had the entire camp buzzing. That is what you want out of your prospects. Over achievement. That isn't over-rating, that is a straight observation from the management and scouting staff of the hockey club.