Calgarypuck Prospect Ranking 2021 - Round 8

[Bingo]

Welcome to the annual Calgarypuck Prospect Poll!

As per usual ...

1. Rank the prospects as you like. Upside, chances, or trade value
2. I will try and do one a day which should get us to rookie camp range
3. Graduates and/or runoffs will be determined in each case
4. Please don't complain that the polls are going to deep. We go until all the prospects are ranked, so don't vote if you don't want to.

Link to previous years ... Link

2021 Ranking:
1. Coronato, Matthew 44%
2. Zary, Connor 65%
3. Pelletier, Jacob 86%
4. Wolf, Dustin 40%
5. Vladar, Daniel 45%
6. Mackey, Connor 38%
7. Stromgren, William 26%

[dammage79]

Francis.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Ruzicka

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Kinnvall. Hoping to move on to another player!

[The Fonz]

I'm surprised 6'4" Ruzicka hasn't gotten more support. Full disclosure, I haven't seen much of him, but just seeing the steady offensive progression since his draft along with his size leads me to think he's got a legitimate shot at being a full-time NHL'er:

Draft year - OHL - 1.06 ppg
Draft +1 - OHL - 1.37 ppg
Draft +2 - AHL - .50 ppg
Draft +3 - AHL - .75 ppg

He got a sniff last season with 3 NHL games, 1 assist and a +2 in that time. Kid only just turned 21 in May.

[Robbob]

Yan is the Man

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

I'm surprised 6'4" Ruzicka hasn't gotten more support. Full disclosure, I haven't seen much of him, but just seeing the steady offensive progression since his draft along with his size leads me to think he's got a legitimate shot at being a full-time NHL'er:

Draft year - OHL - 1.06 ppg
Draft +1 - OHL - 1.37 ppg
Draft +2 - AHL - .50 ppg
Draft +3 - AHL - .75 ppg

He got a sniff last season with 3 NHL games, 1 assist and a +2 in that time. Kid only just turned 21 in May.

Progression, yes, which is great.

But 0.75 PPG in the AHL for a draft +3 player, isn't exactly indication of a budding star.

He has shown nice progression to date - more than I expected, personally - but I don't think he has shown as much upside potential as the people that have been voted ahead of him (maybe Mackey notwithstanding, but Mackey might well be on the roster this year, and defensemen are evaluated differently).

IMO, Ruzicka falls somewhere in the next group, definitely below a guy like Stromgren, but probably comparable to guys like Heineman and Phillips.

Also, he may well be next, after Kuznetsov, or at least among the next few, so I don't think he is being slighted or overlooked.

[Major Major]

I think people are sleeping on Phillips a bit. I know he had an unproductive stretch last year to make it seem like he's trending down, but that was a weird year for the Heat. if we're looking for 1 or 2 guys to blow the door down and make the team this year, my money would be on him.

[chedder]

Originally Posted by Major Major

I think people are sleeping on Phillips a bit. I know he had an unproductive stretch last year to make it seem like he's trending down, but that was a weird year for the Heat. if we're looking for 1 or 2 guys to blow the door down and make the team this year, my money would be on him.

Highly doubtful on a Sutter team. This guy makes Johnny look like a body builder.

Where would he slot? won't be top 6 and doesn't seem like a checking role would make any sense.

[Heavy Jack]

Matty Phillips until it happens

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Progression, yes, which is great.

But 0.75 PPG in the AHL for a draft +3 player, isn't exactly indication of a budding star.

He has shown nice progression to date - more than I expected, personally - but I don't think he has shown as much upside potential as the people that have been voted ahead of him (maybe Mackey notwithstanding, but Mackey might well be on the roster this year, and defensemen are evaluated differently).

I guess the argument I'll make is that the Flames relative to the league have a weaker prospect pool (bottom half) and so nobody outside of our Top 5 will have indications of a budding star. In this 6-15 range, I'd guess only 2 or 3 of these guys will go on to become regular NHLers. If you're looking at these rankings through that lens (and I understand many will disagree with me), Ruzicka should be in the top of this range.

[NewFan]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

I'm surprised 6'4" Ruzicka hasn't gotten more support. Full disclosure, I haven't seen much of him, but just seeing the steady offensive progression since his draft along with his size leads me to think he's got a legitimate shot at being a full-time NHL'er:

Draft year - OHL - 1.06 ppg
Draft +1 - OHL - 1.37 ppg
Draft +2 - AHL - .50 ppg
Draft +3 - AHL - .75 ppg

He got a sniff last season with 3 NHL games, 1 assist and a +2 in that time. Kid only just turned 21 in May.

He will get my next vote after Kinnvall.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

I guess the argument I'll make is that the Flames relative to the league have a weaker prospect pool (bottom half) and so nobody outside of our Top 5 will have indications of a budding star. In this 6-15 range, I'd guess only 2 or 3 of these guys will go on to become regular NHLers. If you're looking at these rankings through that lens (and I understand many will disagree with me), Ruzicka should be in the top of this range.

I don't disagree with you, and I personally have him in the next group, with Heineman, Poirier and Kinvall, so I think we're on the same page.

My point was just that I think it is tough to push him any higher than that. The first 8 that have been voted in are all legit, and deserve to be ahead of him IMO.

[shutout]

Originally Posted by chedder

Highly doubtful on a Sutter team. This guy makes Johnny look like a body builder.

Where would he slot? won't be top 6 and doesn't seem like a checking role would make any sense.

Why would he have to be in a checking role?
Most teams have their fourth lines out against each other.
Maybe it would be nice to have a player with skill and speed on the fourth line.
Maybe it would be nice if the fourth line could out chance and out score the other teams fourth lines instead of just being energy bangers and crashers.

Hockey is changing.
Why do people feel so inclined to stick to the old school four line mentality of two offensive lines, one checking line, and one energy line?

I am not sure if Phillips is going to make it. And that is purely because he might be too small to be able to compete at the NHL level, even with his speed and size. But it has nothing to do with him not making it because he has to fill a checking or energy role and wont be able to accomplish it.

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by chedder

Highly doubtful on a Sutter team. This guy makes Johnny look like a body builder.

Where would he slot? won't be top 6 and doesn't seem like a checking role would make any sense.

Totally see the uphill battle for him on these grounds. I don't think that Sutter is so black and white as he seems with the big=good, small=bad, but it is clear that they want their skill to be insulated with size and defence first players.

The question of fit for Phillips is, can he force himself into the skill side of the argument where he can bring scoring help to the bottom 6 while playing a smart game like Mangiapane did?. He gives me that impression although my viewings are not extensive.

He definitely is an underdog who is running out of chances. Who knows what the roster is and health of the team moving into the season. I think he'll make noise though and make Sutter's choice extremely hard.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Kuz to cruise.

[chedder]

Originally Posted by shutout

Why would he have to be in a checking role?

Most teams have their fourth lines out against each other.

Maybe it would be nice to have a player with skill and speed on the fourth line.

Maybe it would be nice if the fourth line could out chance and out score the other teams fourth lines instead of just being energy bangers and crashers.



Hockey is changing.

Why do people feel so inclined to stick to the old school four line mentality of two offensive lines, one checking line, and one energy line?



I am not sure if Phillips is going to make it. And that is purely because he might be too small to be able to compete at the NHL level, even with his speed and size. But it has nothing to do with him not making it because he has to fill a checking or energy role and wont be able to accomplish it.

If you're playing in the bottom 6 you better be able to check. Great if you can add some goals but the game hasn't changed that much to say a miniature player can flourish down the lineup. Look at the defending cup champs. Two guys under 6 feet at forward. Two guys at 180 pounds. Like any physical sport it's bigger, stronger, faster that wins.

Phillip's is a good story and maybe he'll make it but the odds are heavily stacked against him.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Heavy Jack

Matty Phillips until it happens

Matthew Phillips is 23 and moving onto with 4th pro year. Not sure how many more chances he is going to get after this season.

[TheScorpion]

Voting Ruzicka before Phillips makes very little sense, IMO.

[VilleN]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Voting Ruzicka before Phillips makes very little sense, IMO.

I think it is because Phillips is incredibly small - he'd be near the smallest player in the NHL. I don't think he has the skillset to overcome that, so I think Ruzicka has a more legitimate shot at being an NHLer.