Craig's List 2014 Prospects

[sureLoss]

Burke spotted at the Barrie arena. Taking in the Peterborough/Barrie game tonight.

Top ranked prospects Ekblad and Ritchie will be playing. Projected 2nd rounders Lemieux and Cornel also playing.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Burke spotted at the Barrie arena. Taking in the Peterborough/Barrie game tonight.

Top ranked prospects Ekblad and Ritchie will be playing. Projected 2nd rounders Lemieux and Cornel also playing.

Please be scouting Lemieux, Cornel, and Ekblad.

If we take Ritchie, it'll be like taking a Mark McNeill or a slightly quicker Greg Nemisz. Not exactly high end skill there. Big and mediocre does not beat average sized and good any time.

[Day Tripper]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Please be scouting Lemieux, Cornel, and Ekblad.

If we take Ritchie, it'll be like taking a Mark McNeill or a slightly quicker Greg Nemisz. Not exactly high end skill there. Big and mediocre does not beat average sized and good any time.

Burke is probably scouting both Ekblad and Ritchie.

[YogiBerra]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Please be scouting Lemieux, Cornel, and Ekblad.

If we take Ritchie, it'll be like taking a Mark McNeill or a slightly quicker Greg Nemisz. Not exactly high end skill there. Big and mediocre does not beat average sized and good any time.

I don't think there is any way we pick ritchie in the top five, there has been a clear top five for most of the year. Sometimes someone like Nylander or Ehlers sneak in some lists but burke isn't drafting a small forward so if they do its just better options for us. The worst case scenario going forward at this point is Dal Colle in my opinion and he is a promising prospect who could tuirn into a power forward. Catching nashville or carolina is very unlikely at this point.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Day Tripper

Burke is probably scouting both Ekblad and Ritchie.

I want no part of Ritchie.

[Wastedyouth]

You just know Burke wants Ritchie. Ugh.

[dammage79]

I don't see it that way. I have a sneaking suspicion that Burke wants in on the top 4.

And, this next bit is purely suspicion and baseless but I really do feel like Draisaitl and Ekblad are the two prime targets. Maybe I'm projecting my own desires (not entirely true because Bennett is slowly taking over even Ekblad on the top of my list) but they're both what I would call Burke type players.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Please be scouting Lemieux, Cornel, and Ekblad.

If we take Ritchie, it'll be like taking a Mark McNeill or a slightly quicker Greg Nemisz. Not exactly high end skill there. Big and mediocre does not beat average sized and good any time.

McNeil is interesting. He just never improved after his 2nd year in junior. Wonder what happened there?

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Please be scouting Lemieux, Cornel, and Ekblad.

If we take Ritchie, it'll be like taking a Mark McNeill or a slightly quicker Greg Nemisz. Not exactly high end skill there. Big and mediocre does not beat average sized and good any time.

FWIW halfway through the game... Ritchie has an assist and a +1, Ekblad is -2.

[d_phaneuf]

is Ritchie though to be going in the top 6?

I thought he was in the 9-15 range?

if he's Burke's guy it could be interesting to see what he gets to possibly move down

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

is Ritchie though to be going in the top 6?

I thought he was in the 9-15 range?

if he's Burke's guy it could be interesting to see what he gets to possibly move down

I've seen lists where he's in the 6-8 range with Perlini. He likely will fall to the mid teens where big mediocre players usually go.

Just really do not want. I'd sooner prefer them trade the pick for an nhler than pick Ritchie (at least the guy you get will play in the NHL)

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

You just know Burke wants Ritchie. Ugh.

My guess is that he wants ekblad and seeing if he is worth the price to move up to get him.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

is Ritchie though to be going in the top 6?

I thought he was in the 9-15 range?

if he's Burke's guy it could be interesting to see what he gets to possibly move down

If that's the case I would rather they moved down for Alex Tuch.

[Matty81]

Ritchie is like Jason Wiemer 2.0.

The top 4 with Ekblad, Bennett, Reinhart and Draitsaitl is becoming pretty clear cut at least, if the isles keep fighting and the flames pick 4th maybe scouting consensus won't give him a choice.

If the flames pick 5th picking ritchie over virtanen and especially dal colle would be a huge mistake. But hockeyfights will think we're cooler, so there's that.

[dying4acup]

I think it's all about Ekblad. Burke wants to know if he is the next Pronger/Stevens/Suter or to just let Edmonton have him.

[Wolfman]

Nick Ritchie


http://youtu.be/RztPZLG34D0

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

Nick Ritchie


http://youtu.be/RztPZLG34D0

Seeing that, I'd be shocked if he becomes more than a depth player. His ability to get a shot off is slow. In order to score effectively at the NHL level, you need to get it off very quick. Additionally, his hands seem below average for a top 20 pick. He seems to score a lot of his goals based off his size advantage which vanishes at the higher levels.

He's a good juniors player, but I wouldn't use a pick on him in the top 60 if I was making the selections. Doubtful that he makes an impact at all, and if he does make the NHL, he'll be a lower line guy. Not at all impressed.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Buffalo must be loving Ekblad building a consensus us at 1 and the Oilers sitting at 2 and not so secretly loving him. They'll be able to add assets for a guy they don't need and still get the guy they want (assuming they win the lottery of course)

To add to this - Buffalo may be very comfortable in choosing either Reinhart or Bennett (maybe even Draisaitl too). If they don't have much of a preference for one of these forwards, but another team has a big preference for defencemen, they can push the issue with Edmonton and force Edmonton to pay additional assets in order to draft Ekblad. If I am Buffalo this year - unless I REALLY love Reinhart that much - I am trading the 1st over-all for the third (or at least, bring Edmonton in and swap picks with them).

That is, of course, if Buffalo is able to retain that 1st overall pick after the lottery.

[Da_Chief]

Nic Ritchie is going to be a helluva player, would not be disappointed if we fall out of top 5 and end up with him.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Seeing that, I'd be shocked if he becomes more than a depth player. His ability to get a shot off is slow. In order to score effectively at the NHL level, you need to get it off very quick. Additionally, his hands seem below average for a top 20 pick. He seems to score a lot of his goals based off his size advantage which vanishes at the higher levels.

He's a good juniors player, but I wouldn't use a pick on him in the top 60 if I was making the selections. Doubtful that he makes an impact at all, and if he does make the NHL, he'll be a lower line guy. Not at all impressed.

I didn't see anything like that in that video. If anything he has a quick release. Your take on players really is odd.