Rank The D Prospects

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by flameswin

So do you foresee a trade of D-man depth for forward depth this summer? Seems like this might be the time.

No. Having 8 guys that are still a ways off of graduating to the AHL (Kylington, Andersson, AOM, Hickey, Gilmour, Kanzig, Bruce, Rafikov), there isn't any rush. Let the other guys figure it out in Stockton this year and re-evaluate. You might see guys like Gilmour and Sieloff being cut loose after this year, although it will largely depend on how they do this year.


Ideally, I'd like the Flames to dump either Smid or Engelland and sign another D-man like Oduya, Franson, Sekera or whatever. (Smid would be ideal as a team could use him like Arizona with Pronger to hit the cap floor without needing to play him)

Have the top 6 be

Giordano-Brodie
Hamilton-New Guy
Russell-Wideman

and have the best damn defense in the NHL.

[Vulcan]

Some people just don't respect Engelland and the room he provides out there. To me he's an integral part of this team for now.

[getbak]

Just because I have a hard time figuring out where these two lists should intersect, I'll keep them separate...


NEXT SEASON FLAMES/HEAT:

1. Tyler Wotherspoon
2. Kenney Morrison
   Jakub Nakladal
3. Ryan Culkin
4. Brett Kulak
5. Patrick Sieloff
6. John Ramage
7. Keegan Kanzig

FUTURE FLAMES:

1. Brandon Hickey
2. Oliver Kylington
3. Rasmus Andersson
4. John Gilmour
5. Adam Ollas-Mattsson
6. Rushan Rafikov
7. Riley Bruce

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Still cannot believe we got Hamilton and then robbed Kylington at 60. Such a total plundering of the weekend. And then Rasmus Andersson! I mean...if you were banking heavily on D men this is a total dream come true.

That is as solid a stable of D-men as you can ask for. It's tough to assess exactly how everyone stacks up, but we should have a good idea after development camp. My preliminary ranking would be as follows:

Now that we've been schooled using the RDSI here's my take on our defense prospects.

1. Hickey - by all accounts he had as good a season as any of the D prospects from 2014. A couple of years away, but has all the tools. Could project to be another Brodie.
2. Wotherspoon - NHL ready, rock solid but unspectacular D man. Safe bet to be a great 3rd pairing guy in the near future with 2nd pairing upside.
3. Morrison - his booming shot and stature remind me of Al. One prospect I am really looking forward to seeing at development camp. He could very well NHL ready.
4. Kylington - Here because of upside. If this were HF he would be a 9 for potential but a D for likelihood of making it. Karlsson upside, total bust downside. Elite skating and offensive awareness; learning the defensive side of the game can only help. Maybe his physical gifts will really suit Hartley's coaching style?
5. Kulak - Slightly more upside than Culkin because he possesses a cannon shot from the point. Time in the ECHL wasn't an issue for me, because he put up great numbers there and then closed out the AHL season very well.
6. Culkin - started the year on a feverish pace, racking up assists left-right-and-centre. Another year in the AHL & he should be knocking on the door.
7. Andersson - great numbers in his draft year, but I'm afraid that and scouting reports are all I have to go on. I've seen him compared to Wideman, so he could eventually prove to be Wideman's replacement. Great offensive skills but some occasional cowboy #### in his own zone.
8. Gilmour - criminally underrated around here. Plays a solid, intense game but is on the smaller side. I think he could surprise some people.
9. Sieloff - can he put his lost year behind him and regain some of that feistiness which made him such an exciting prospect? I don't want to write him off because he's a driven, hungry kid and the path back from a staph infection is long and tough. Good luck to him.
10. Rafikov - to me he's like a meaner Wotherspoon. I want to see him in the AHL soon, but would he ditch the KHL for Stockton? I doubt he would step straight into the NHL, so he has to make that move before I consider him a future Flame.
11. Ramage - Improved a lot but still has a lot to prove. I see 'AHL journeyman' written all over him, honestly, but he may see some time. I just don't see it happening with the Flames anytime soon.
12. Kanzig - big, raw, project. Total beast of a man, so could be a useful guy for the pressbox and bench-pressing McDavid's skull into the Jumbotron.
13. Ollas-Mattsson - big, raw, project.
14. Bruce - big, raw, project.

[Fire]

1) Brandon Hickey
2) Rasmus Andersson
3) Kenny Morrison
4) Oliver Kylington
5) Tyler Wotherspoon
6) Ryan Culkin
7) Brett Kulak
8) Rushan Rafikov
9) Keenan Kanzig
10) John Gilmour
11) Adam Ollas Mattsson
12) Pat Seiloff
13) Riley Bruce

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Some people just don't respect Engelland and the room he provides out there. To me he's an integral part of this team for now.

I have no problem with running with Engelland as the #6, but if you can get a better player they should. I don't like the idea of breaking up the chemistry of Wideman/Russell or Gio/Brodie, and I'm not sure that I'd want Engelland as the #4.

That's not a slight towards Engelland or what he brings. Injuries happen and if he's the #7 he would be the best #7 in the league. Plus he is versatile and can play up front as well.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by FlameZilla

8. Gilmour - criminally underrated around here. Plays a solid, intense game but is on the smaller side. I think he could surprise some people. .

Good you mentioned his intensity. His style of play reminds me of Duncan Keith / Brodie but his intensity reminded me of Giordano.. Relentless player.

I just worry Flames management *Burke* wiill cut him lose for being slightly on the wrong side of 6'0" and for being a weisbrod pick.

Which is unfair, as I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up being a very good player; better than Kris Russell.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Top pairing potential:
Kylington
Hickey
Andersson

Top 4 Pairing Potential:
Wotherspoon
Morrisson
Culkin
Kulak
Rafikov
Gilmour
Ramage
Ollas-Mattsson

Bottom Pairing:
Kanzig
Sieloff
Cundari
Acolatse
Bruce

A bit uncomfortable lumping Andersson in the "Top Pairing" segment, but before the past season he was apparently ranked that high. He is definitely in the "Top 4" category.

Does Hickey remind anyone else here of Trouba? Is it just me? Maybe a Trouba-Brodie hybrid of sorts. Interested to see how Bruce develops. At this point, it seems to be just a 'hail mary' type of pick that I think has been shrugged off by most, but the kid is intelligent and is nowhere close to being physically developed (like Kanzig was). One of those guys that will interest me in following his development trajectory. He may surprise. Flames have probably had many good long looks at him and liked him enough to draft him vs. inviting him to camp and seeing how he does.

It is nice to look at a wide variety of bodies and talent levels throughout the prospect base, with a heavy concentration on puck moving mobile defencemen.

[1qqaaz]

This list is mostly in terms of potential.

Top 2 Potential
Andersson: I love this pick, but I hope he can stay in shape. Fitness has proven to be an insurmountable struggle for a number of people. But I have faith in the training staff.
Kylington: I feel like Kylington will be compared to Andersson in the coming years. I rate Kylington lower than Andersson because of injuries.
Hickey: If Hickey can take another step forward this year, I think his chances will be pretty good. He will probably fly under the radar and then impress Flames fans once he goes pro.

Top 4 Potential
Wotherspoon: I don't mind his lack of offense. He still produces more than players like Sieloff, Kanzig and Bruce ever will. I just doubt that he'll ever be top 2.
Culkin: At this point I find it hard to rate Kulak higher than Culkin. Culkin is a better skater and has consistently performed since he was drafted.
Kulak: Kulak seems pretty all-around. I think he will respond well to a full year in the AHL.
Morrison: He's older than prospects like Kulak, Hickey, and Culkin, but he is not much better.
Rafikov: If the Flames take their time on Rafikov, there's a chance he can develop into a serviceable player.
Gilmour: I'm a bit worried about Gilmour's lack of offensive progression, but it would be interesting to see how he performs at another level. I doubt he'll ever be top 4, but it is conceivable.

Top 6 Potential
Kanzig: Kanzig's success greatly depends on his skating.
Sieloff: This season will be important for Sieloff. If there isn't more development this upcoming year, he will continue to fall.
Ollas-Mattsson
Ramage: I know he played decently well this year, but for his age, I'm expecting more.
Bruce: The chances of this guy succeeding seem pretty small.
Cundari

[formulate]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Good you mentioned his intensity. His style of play reminds me of Duncan Keith / Brodie but his intensity reminded me of Giordano.. Relentless player.

I just worry Flames management *Burke* wiill cut him lose for being slightly on the wrong side of 6'0" and for being a weisbrod pick.

Which is unfair, as I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up being a very good player; better than Kris Russell.

Considering that same Kris Russell (sub 6-foot, old regime acquisition) was given a contract extension by Burke/Treliving, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

I liked his confident play in the frozen 4, hoping for a big senior year out of him and Jankowski.

[BrownDrake]

Does anyone know when Hockeys Future begins to rank the new draftee's?

Hamilton was ranked as 9.0 (elite talent)
Reinhart, Nurse, Bowey, Honka, Morrisey, Fleury, DeAngelo, Gormley, Pulock are all 8.0 C rankings.

Sieloff and Morrison are ranked as 7.0 C's

Do you think Kylington and Andersson are 8.0's or lower?

[Da_Chief]

^ I wouldn't waste my time with HF rankings. That's all I have to add.

[LIP MAN]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Some people just don't respect Engelland and the room he provides out there. To me he's an integral part of this team for now.

Agreed. He provides so much grit out there too. We're gonna need it when you look at LA's lineup.

[savardandjokinen]

1. Kylington
2. Hickey
3. Andersson
4. Wotherspoon
5. Morrison
6. Culkin
7. Rafikov
8. Kulak
9. Ramage
10. Gilmour
11. Sieloff
12. Acolatse
13. Ollas Mattson
14. Kanzig
15. Cundari
16. Bruce

[DoubleF]

Not that it changes the info for this coming season... but I would hope Kanzig makes a huge jump this coming season. Purely based on hoping he will excitedly watch Hamilton play more and more this season and keep in touch with trainers, players etc. for ideas on how to improve his came.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

Wotherspoon is criminally underrated on CP.

He's still closer to the NHL than any defenseman in the system.

+1, I dont really have much of an opinion as far as rankings go since I've never seen anyone play besides Wotherspoon, Ramage and Kulak (other then youtube)... but Wotherspoon is going to be a top 4 defenseman. Kind of weird to see him ranked #5 here to me.

I know people hate ricardo, but I also find it weird as well that Andersson is ranked below Kylington when he was picked before.... I realize the whole risk/reward thing and central scouting and "The Board" and all but still...

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Honestly don't know as much about Kylington, but it sounds like next season will be very telling for him, as he's coming back from injury.

Until that happens, I'll go with Hickey as being our number 1 D prospect. Has done nothing but impress in the NCAA so far even getting praise from teammate Eichel. His coach has definitively stated that Hickey will be an NHLer. His skill-set is very close to Brodie, but with a more developed, heavy slapshot. If he can gain Brodie level conditioning he'll fit right into the Flames system.

[lazypucker]

Who are we going to ship out for our defense in say 2 years time in order to fit in the new defencemen?

Schlemko (I guess he won't be re-signed)
Wotherspoon
Engelland
Wideman
Russell

[Demetric]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Thought about it, but he's 27 so I left him out of mine.

For me, 24 is the cut off.

so where is Hamilton?

[Fire]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

Who are we going to ship out for our defense in say 2 years time in order to fit in the new defencemen?

Schlemko (I guess he won't be re-signed)
Wotherspoon
Engelland
Wideman
Russell

It would most likely be more than 2 years before Hickey, Kylington, etc are ready. Wideman is gone in 2 years or less. Same with Engelland and Smid. Wotherspoon will hopefully prove himself and earn a spot soon. I don't there is a need to worry about where the defenseman prospects will fit in the line-up. If they deserve a spot Treliving will make room.