Calgarypuck Prospect Ranking 2025 - Round 7

[cral12]

Basha once again

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I don't think it's bias at all. At least no more than votes for any other player.
What Honzek has going for him is all the right physical attributes, which frankly is what the rest of the pipeline lacks.
And he's playing higher level hockey.

Guys like Battaglia, Mews, etc all have big questions marks that won't be answered until we see them in pro.

I voted Morin because I think he actually answered some of his biggest risk items this year, with some real progression. But he's still only in junior.

I don't think people voting for him are voting for him because he was a first rounder. There are very good and valid reasons to place him here.

And that's all well and good, but Honzek's NHLe has regressed for 3 seasons in a row. I think he has far more question marks now than the other guys you've mentioned, who have all taken pretty strong steps forward in development rather than regressing.

I think I'm annoyed by the ranking more than I think it's an actual bad look. My annoyance has come from the fact that nobody has really made a compelling argument yet as to why we shouldn't be concerned about his progress or his production.

And again, this is in comparison to a prospect base that has been significantly added to since he was drafted. I'm just saying that if we compare him to some of these other guys, it doesn't make sense to have him that high in the rankings.

but this information would probably have been better to have YESTERDAY! *Adam Sandler voice*


Sorry for the disruption, carry on. Battaglia looks great, just needs to work on his skating. I have really turned around on him as I didn't think much of the pick when he was drafted, but this last year was a big one for him.

[FBI]

How many of these guys in our top 10 will be playing AHL this year?

[Reggie Dunlop]

Henry Mews.

Although I think he ends up a trade chip.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by YyjFlames

I'm a big Honzek fan -- voted him since 3 -- but I kind of agree with Cali and don't mind the criticism.

Honzek is the prospect in the top 10 that has the highest risk at this point and could be the biggest "what were we thinking" in five years. But his skillset is massive if he turns out, and I don't see his production or development to date as a surprise or a concern.

That's often how a skinny power forward with an NHL frame develops as teams teach these guys to use their bodies against larger men before their bodies are really built for it.

Makes this ranking interesting.

Yes, having different opinions on the players is fine (as I already said). The weird thing was saying it will be a bad look in a couple of years. Then doubling down that people voting for Honzek are biased.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by YyjFlames

I'm a big Honzek fan -- voted him since 3 -- but I kind of agree with Cali and don't mind the criticism.

Honzek is the prospect in the top 10 that has the highest risk at this point and could be the biggest "what were we thinking" in five years. But his skillset is massive if he turns out, and I don't see his production or development to date as a surprise or a concern.

That's often how a skinny power forward with an NHL frame develops as teams teach these guys to use their bodies against larger men before their bodies are really built for it.

Makes this ranking interesting.

Disagree. A guy like Mews has massive upside and massive risk, including can he defend at the NHL level.
Battaglia is showing great development but hasn't addressed his skating. Big risk item.

And so on.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

And that's all well and good, but Honzek's NHLe has regressed for 3 seasons in a row. I think he has far more question marks now than the other guys you've mentioned, who have all taken pretty strong steps forward in development rather than regressing.

I think I'm annoyed by the ranking more than I think it's an actual bad look. My annoyance has come from the fact that nobody has really made a compelling argument yet as to why we shouldn't be concerned about his progress or his production.

No one is saying we shouldn't be concerned about his progress. At this point in the rankings there are no sure things. People have put forth the reasons why he's still a compelling prospect. For me it's largely due to the physical attributes : the frame and skating.

[Bingo]

When Honzek was up to start the season I can remember I was looking at the play driving stuff to see if he was over head.

He wasn't.

In fact he was unlucky as he had the lowest on ice shooting percentage of any forward that played in Calgary last year.

Additionally he was top ten in individual chance creation (8th in individual expected goals / 60, 8th in individual HD/60)

He got hurt. Sent down and then had an up and down season, but his first 5 games had more going on than no goals and no points.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

And that's all well and good, but Honzek's NHLe has regressed for 3 seasons in a row. I think he has far more question marks now than the other guys you've mentioned, who have all taken pretty strong steps forward in development rather than regressing.

I think I'm annoyed by the ranking more than I think it's an actual bad look. My annoyance has come from the fact that nobody has really made a compelling argument yet as to why we shouldn't be concerned about his progress or his production.

And again, this is in comparison to a prospect base that has been significantly added to since he was drafted. I'm just saying that if we compare him to some of these other guys, it doesn't make sense to have him that high in the rankings.

but this information would probably have been better to have YESTERDAY! *Adam Sandler voice*


Sorry for the disruption, carry on. Battaglia looks great, just needs to work on his skating. I have really turned around on him as I didn't think much of the pick when he was drafted, but this last year was a big one for him.

NHLe often drops when a young player graduates to the AHL - much harder league, playing against men.

Zary's NHLe:

D+0: 37 WHL
D+1: 40 WHL
D+2: 19 AHL

Injuries have derailed Hanzek's production, no question about it. But the jump to the AHL is tough. He has a tremendous set of tools, and hasn't even grown into his body yet.

The argument for Honzek is based on his tools, not his production to date.

[Enoch Root]

Pospisil's NHLe as a 20 year old in the AHL: 15

there is more to rating a prospect than production and NHLe (and I am a pretty big proponent of NHLe)

[Mass_nerder]

For me, it feels like there are 5-6 guys here that are almost interchange. Lots of potential NHL talent, but need to get more professional experience, or need to get over injury concerns before we can really start to figure out what they are.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Pospisil's NHLe as a 20 year old in the AHL: 15

there is more to rating a prospect than production and NHLe (and I am a pretty big proponent of NHLe)

Okay, and not to be a dink or anything, but Pospisil had 25 points last season and 24 points the year before, so the NHLe tool as a projection to what he is in the NHL might be pretty accurate.

It doesn't mean he brings nothing else to the table, and I think we can all agree that Pospisil has a lot of elements to his game that aren't on the scoresheet, but Honzek was drafted to be a top 6 offensively talented player who was good in his own zone. The last part might still be true, but the first part is definitely questionable.

I'm still in wait and see mode on Honzek and I like what I see in moments here and there, but I really have no clue what kind of player he will be at this point.

[dammage79]

I watched almost every Flames game last season and I ask honestly. These intangibles outside of points and assists that some posters cite as Pospisil having....was he really consistent in using those traits last season??

Because from my eyes, he was a pretty big dud even in those intangibles. Yes he had a few games where he almost looked like the wrecking ball he was the season prior but overall I thought he regressed fairly significantly last year overall. Whether it be from being pushed too high in the line up and playing softer than he should or just looking disengaged most nights, he wasn't the same pops or in the same stratosphere as his previous season's efforts .

To me he's an easy trade chip. Sure we may lament trading him if he catches on elsewhere but he's not a beholden part of this roster in my opinion. To me he's just one fight away from being Ferland 2.0. all the tools you want in a playoff guy but he made of eggshells. Can crack at any minute.

[Lewis_D]

I have a feeling when we look back on these results in a few years we'll be surprised we didn't have Basha higher - that's my hope at least!

[Leeman4Gilmour]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Okay, and not to be a dink or anything, but Pospisil had 25 points last season and 24 points the year before, so the NHLe tool as a projection to what he is in the NHL might be pretty accurate.

It doesn't mean he brings nothing else to the table, and I think we can all agree that Pospisil has a lot of elements to his game that aren't on the scoresheet, but Honzek was drafted to be a top 6 offensively talented player who was good in his own zone. The last part might still be true, but the first part is definitely questionable.

I'm still in wait and see mode on Honzek and I like what I see in moments here and there, but I really have no clue what kind of player he will be at this point.

I hope to be wrong, but I think the same. I'm not high on Honzek at all. He just seems to be missing 'something' to me.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Lewis_D

I have a feeling when we look back on these results in a few years we'll be surprised we didn't have Basha higher - that's my hope at least!

I think a healthy Basha is top 4 or 5 prospect in the organization. I've said before that he reminds me so much of Jake Guentzel. I love that type of player. I think I'd rank him higher if there were a bigger sample size of his play post injury.

[Leeman4Gilmour]

Hurtig on staying in Calgary

Hurtig stuck around to work with Rick Davis and the Flames staff

[HighLifeMan]

Originally Posted by dammage79

I watched almost every Flames game last season and I ask honestly. These intangibles outside of points and assists that some posters cite as Pospisil having....was he really consistent in using those traits last season??

Because from my eyes, he was a pretty big dud even in those intangibles. Yes he had a few games where he almost looked like the wrecking ball he was the season prior but overall I thought he regressed fairly significantly last year overall. Whether it be from being pushed too high in the line up and playing softer than he should or just looking disengaged most nights, he wasn't the same pops or in the same stratosphere as his previous season's efforts .

To me he's an easy trade chip. Sure we may lament trading him if he catches on elsewhere but he's not a beholden part of this roster in my opinion. To me he's just one fight away from being Ferland 2.0. all the tools you want in a playoff guy but he made of eggshells. Can crack at any minute.

He was 4th in the NHL in hits
He was 7th in the NHL in drawn penalties
99th percentile in top end speed (24.06 mph)
92nd percentile in 22+ mph bursts
92nd percentile in 20-22 mph bursts

He provides high end speed, forechecking, physicality, and agitation abilities - which are all things this roster could use more of, not less. If he can get into that 30-40 point range he becomes an elite middle six option in this league.

[mile]

Pospisil did set a franchise record for most hits in a season (301)
He's also the fastest forward on the team and put up 21 assists

I still think there's room to grow and a lot to work with there - if he can increase that goal total to 10-15 and maintain 20-25 assists that is still a valuable player who can slot in anywhere to fix a line. I think Conroy still sees a lot in him as well. I would like to see more of the effective forechecking I saw from his rookie season. I don't think he was happy with his season and will come back more motivated.

After watching the Panthers, I think you try and keep him as a guy who brings a different dimension to that middle-six. He's very much in that same mold

[Kipper_3434]

Went Kerins, boy can't skate, but his hockey sense and finish are top notch. If he makes it he will be a good scorer.