Quote:
Originally Posted by Cali Flames Fan
This was a very close vote for me. I have a group of prospects that are all very close: Poirier, Ortio, Gillies, Culkin, Ferland, Jankowski. I went with the guy that has shown the most at the youngest age, Emile Poirier.
However, I was very close to picking Culkin or Gillies. I think both of them have very high NHL potential.
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I have to temper my enthusiasm with Poirier on his scouting reports and his actual accomplishments.
He was invited to the WJC summer camp but not to the go-to-tourney camp.
He led a relatively weak Jr. team in scoring 43 goals in 63 games BUT had a bad shoulder. He was 7th in the Q in goal scoring and 8th in scoring.
Last year was an okay good rookie AHL season finishing 11th in rookie scoring. He is a couple of year younger than Arnold who had a comparable rookie pro season.
... Arnold played well for the USA at the WJC as a 19 year old... when Arnold was 21 he was 53 pts in 14 games centering the best line in the NCAA. Arnold came back from shoulder surgery in his rookie pro year and went a ppg to finish the year.
Ferland took the NHL opportunity that he earned and made a clear case that he belongs in the NHL... Poirier earned the same opportunity and did not force his way in.
Granlund also on the prospect list has blown the doors off of Poirier at the same ages... Top level player at the WJC. Better 1st pro year in the AHL, Solid NHL season in 2014-15 after being drafted in 2011.
Poirier may look good and have circumstances conspire to keep him from delivering but he has to at least be more dominate at the AHL level to merit being the Flames #1 prospect..
Bennett is not really a prospect.