Take with grain (or shaker) of salt: Flames now 26th on HF prospect list

[icarus]

Wouldn't really post it, but someone else is bound to so might as well be the first...

The Flames have moved up from 28th to 26th on the prospect rankings of that other site:

Strengths: The Flames have a great talent in Mikael Backlund, a Swedish pivot who has seamlessly acclimated himself to the North American game this season. While Mitch Wahl and Greg Nemisz could also develop into scorers at the pro level, the real strength of this crop of Flames forwards is grit and toughness. Kris Chucko, David Van der Gulik, and Brett Sutter could all make an impact in the near future. Defenseman Keith Aulie also fits the tough and physical mold. Calgary has two good goaltending prospects in Leland Irving and Matt Keetley. Weaknesses: The talent level drops off significantly after Backlund. While a glut of gritty forwards is always a plus, this leads to a dearth of scoring threats in the system. Defensive depth is also a concern. Top 5 prospects: 1. Mikael Backlund, C, 2. Greg Nemisz, RW, 3. Keith Aulie, D, 4. Mitch Wahl, C, 5. Leland Irving, G. Key losses to graduation: none

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/article..._rankings2130/
Here's what they said Calgary's top 5 were on Christmas Day, when they placed 28th on the list:

Top 5 prospects: 1. Mikael Backlund, C, 2. Leland Irving, G, 3. Greg Nemisz, RW, 4. John Negrin, D, 5. Juuso Puustinen, RW. Key losses to graduation: Dustin Boyd, Eric Nystrom.

How could the top five prospects change so much in five months? As for moving up two spots, I guess it is a modicum of respect for the fact since 25 December our prospect pool has added 1 WJC gold, 1 WJC silver, 1 Memorial Cup (& 2 other Mem Cup finalists), 2 WHL champion winners, and 1 OHL champion winner.

Flames still trail behind the likes of Toronto on this list however.

[Yrebmi]

I agree with your derisive tone, but thanks for posting it none the less.

[Reggie Dunlop]

So basically these "rankings" are the handiwork of 30 or so writers (okay maybe 29, they haven't had a Flames representative in years) who have a super-secret invisible forum where they hash it out all year and poop out the odd compilation. None of these writers have any comprehensive first-hand knowledge of their own team's system, let alone that of the entire league, and whose credentials are little more than having (or in the process of obtaining) a journalism degree?

Would this be correct?

[Staypuft]

Aren't the Flames ranked 26th in the Hockey News' Future Watch issue as well?

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by Staypuft

Aren't the Flames ranked 26th in the Hockey News' Future Watch issue as well?

Personally, I don't regard their methodology as being much better.

[MelBridgeman]

Problem is, it's easier to see who the good players are, but some weight has to put on the fact that Sutter has done a good job of drafting players who can play in the NHL...He hasn't had the luxury of a high pick and has admitted as much that he would do the Chucko pick all over again....but the amount of NHL ready players skill or no skill is the real success here, especially in the cap world.

[JiriHrdina]

No mention of Matt Pelech who's development has been nice n' steady since drafted is kinda lame. Particularly since he could be an NHLer next year.

[CaptainCrunch]

If your prospects aren't Robbie Shremp type flashy guys you get marked down as a grinder.

Toronto being ahead of Calgary is a joke, Justin Pogge is on the verge of busting and he's their number two prospect.

They completely ignored Calgary's blue line prospects.

Anyone want to bet that Edmonton is ranked top 10 in that list.

[cross16]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

No mention of Matt Pelech who's development has been nice n' steady since drafted is kinda lame. Particularly since he could be an NHLer next year.

or T.J Brodie who has emerged as potentially a really solid sleeper pick for the Flames.

Funny that they say defensive depth is a concern, and then don't mention 3 of the Flames better d prospects in Negrin, Brodie, and Pelech. Everyone is just caught up in the "Aulie" hype

[Da_Chief]

saw it the other day.

-Irving despite having a strong season from xmas on, goes from 2nd to 5th.
-Wahl imo didn't have that good of a season goes to #4 after outside top 5 in xmas.
-Aulie same as Wahl.

Seriously, its the flavor of the day at that site. Aulie is hyped? aight lets put him up there, before there was never a mention of him even in top 10s i think.

Pathetic.

[Freeway]

I'm amazed that Negrin and Pelech saw NHL minutes, got NHL points and didn't look the least bit out of place...and they're NOT top 5 prospects.

[Bingo]

hey cool timing ...

was about to launch the rank the Flames prospects poll

[Robbob]

I really haven't looked at the ranking but I have always wondered if you took the past 5 seasons draft position and averaged it would there be any noticable trends.

Maybe when I get sometime I'll throw it together.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Freeway

I'm amazed that Negrin and Pelech saw NHL minutes, got NHL points and didn't look the least bit out of place...and they're NOT top 5 prospects.

This is the most telling.

Nystrom, Prust, Boyd, Pardy, Peters all established themselves as Flames this season, and all of them are draft picks who played in the minors for all or most of last season. How can any prospect system that graduates 5 players in one season from the minors to the pro's, and finishes within 2 points of their division trail an organization like toronto?

Outright disdain is too good for that list.

[CaptainCrunch]

Its a bunch of internet fan boys pulling names out of a hat and then rolling two 12 sided dice to decide their positions.

Negrin didn't get picked because he couldn't throw a freeze spell to save his life.