Quote:
Originally Posted by ricardodw
The way this played out I was voting for Granlund for 3 rounds.
Now There is Klimchuck, Rienhart, Wootherspoon, and Sieloff and maybe Ortio/Gillies or MacDonald (I don't have any idea how goalies will turn out)
Klimchuck might end up being a player BUT he will be fortunate to get any NHL games this year. As a small forward he is behind Gaudreau, Hudler, Raymond, Byron, Granlund, and Baertschi.
Rienhart will see some NHL time ... he has done as well as can be expected in his 19 NHL games to date. He has also shown that he is a top player at the AHL level. When the Flames signed Byron they took away his NHL spot.
Wootherspoon has progressed nicely. He blew past Breen as the Flames top D prospect last year. He has a chance to make the Flames and be on the opening day roster if not in the lineup.
However Sieloff was going to be playing 20-40 games with the Flames last year.
All things being even (no freak injuries) he will be in the starting 2015-16 line-up so that makes him the best prospect at this point.
I see him as lower risk and very high upside compared to Baertschi and Poirier. Poirier might be the real deal but has to show where he stacks up against NHL players.
I will probably be voting for Sieloff for the next 3 to 5 rounds
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Well said, can't argue with your thinking here Ricardodw. For me, Seiloff's injury is what drops him down the rankings in the summer of 2014. I think one of the biggest storylines heading into camp is how far has he come in recovery? Is he back to where he was when he was all but promised time with the big club?
Wotherspoon (my vote) on the other hand was not made any such promise and earned his way up when opportunity presented itself. Wotherspoon has impressed me with how quickly he has pushed himself to the front of the pack and I don't see any reason he would take a step back. Having Seiloff on the Heat could very well provide the right motivation for him to push even more to establish that he should get the first call up.
So the battle at the top of the defensive prospect rankings should be a good one this year.