Summer 2014 Prospect Ranking Poll Rd16

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

Kulak now... Smith, McDonald, Agostino and Culkin next in that order. Can't believe how strong our depth is that a guys like Smith and McDonald might not crack the top 20. Crazy.

Smith was next for me after the Ferland-Knight-Kulak trilogy.

I feel like he'll jump quite a few spots next year. He's basically a kid who growth spurted himself into a massive frame and is just starting to learn how to use it. He's going straight back to Oshawa on Dal Colle's opposite wing. Hunter and Michael will undoubtedly be given lots of minutes - probably on the first PP too. Possibly #1 PK.

Besides Bennett, Smith is the only other 'certainty' I feel from the 2014 draft that is going to pan out into a great NHL player. He's taking huge strides in improvement and I don't see this slowing for a while, especially if his confidence is high. Then of course that 6'6 frame is still wiry and needs bulking up.

One year in juniors, 2-3 in AHL, make Flames full-time just in time for deep playoff run.

TL;DR - I think Hunter Smith is our Milan Lucic.

[Tacoman]

I also went with the Big Rig. 6'7" with skill is pretty tough to find, especially in a guy that apparently likes to play the physical game. I like Kulak but I'm not convinced yet that he can be a top 4 guy and given that he's a couple of years in, I'm more inclined to go with the shiny new toy.

[Robbob]

I hope Smith turns into a Byfuglien (when he was in Chicago) type player. He pans out similar to that, he will create some interesting mismatches playing on the third line.

[Gaskal]

Here's hoping both Smith and Kanzig pan out so we can have Big Zig and Big Rig on the ice at the same time.

[NewFan]

I've never watched Kulak's play, but according to your comments, he may be the best one from the list. Specially he is a defenseman.

[Wood]

Smith is going to be the biggest riser next year

[Lanny_McDonald]

Kulak, then Agostino. Kenny should have gone earlier, but so should have Kulak.

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by Wood

Smith is going to be the biggest riser next yeah

after jankowski hopefully

[King Theo]

I have to go with Kanzig, he has size and time to improve.
However it is almost time to start to voting for hometown player Mason McDonald.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by New Era

Kulak, then Agostino. Kenny should have gone earlier, but so should have Kulak.

Read my mind. Agostino looked pretty solid in his handful of games last year, and was pretty snakebitten on some very good scoring chances that I think, had they gone in, we'd be rating him a little higher. He looked like an NHL player, maybe not more than a 3rd liner with some goal scoring touch (*cough* Glencross replacement *cough*), but he looked like he belonged. He thinks the game quite well, and if he can get his conditioning up and a quicker first step he could be an NHLer soon.

I said it before, but I'll say it again, Kulak will likely be groomed as a top 4 defender PP quarterback for Abbotsford Adirondack this year, and will probably earn a call up at some point in that time should we need a more offensive defender.

Looking at the next 5 choices, for me it would be Agostino, McDonald, Smith, Culkin, Hickey.

[Aarongavey]

The best thing about Kanzig is that he gives the Flames hopefully more time to look at Hicketts next year, who if healthy will be a 80-90 point dman in the dub in his 18 year old year, has great mobility and wheels and could very easily be another Torey Krug. I would be surprised if Kanzig is anything more than a number 3 or 4 dman on the Royals this coming year. He is big but his attributes basically end around there. Usually most improved or most dedicated is code for something else in hockey but I may be a little cynical.

I went with Agostino although Kulak is a heck of a hockey player as well.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

Not sure how people can vote for Kanzig just yet. He's either terrible offensively or just unlucky. I would have 5 people ahead of him.

I still can't believe we drafted him that low.

I don't expect him to provide offense. He's a boom or bust type prospect but if he does work out he can hopefully be a 3-4 guy who keeps the front of the net clear and punishes opposing forwards. He needs to keep improving his skills but he is a beast physically.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

The best thing about Kanzig is that he gives the Flames hopefully more time to look at Hicketts next year, who if healthy will be a 80-90 point dman in the dub in his 18 year old year, has great mobility and wheels and could very easily be another Torey Krug. I would be surprised if Kanzig is anything more than a number 3 or 4 dman on the Royals this coming year. He is big but his attributes basically end around there. Usually most improved or most dedicated is code for something else in hockey but I may be a little cynical.

I went with Agostino although Kulak is a heck of a hockey player as well.

I think Hicketts was at Detroit's Dev Camp. His injuries really derailed his draft stock. I'm rooting for a good Kamloops boy. His dad is even a pharmacist!

[Nehkara]

Agostino should have gone a long time ago, but I thought we should finish off the runoff by choosing Kulak this round. Agostino definitely needs to go in Round 17.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

I think Hicketts was at Detroit's Dev Camp. His injuries really derailed his draft stock. I'm rooting for a good Kamloops boy. His dad is even a pharmacist!

Here I thought you were the only one in Kamloops.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Here I thought you were the only awesome one in Kamloops.

Fyp

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Fyp

Wrong. Since you're a street pharmacist, I always just assumed that you were no good...Like the hobo of pharmacists.

Glad to hear I'm wrong, though.

[cannon7]

These rankings are making less sense to me as they go on. why is Sieloff so far ahead of Kanzig?? Why is Ferland so high on the rankings? Is there an AHL bias?

[cannon7]

In defense of Kanzig, it was well known that he was a project on draft day and if last year's training camp is any evidence, the organization sees a lot of potential in him as a stay-at-home guy. He has not progressed as quickly as I had hoped last summer, but he still has potential if he can continue to improve his mobility and defensive play. Curious to see if he gets as long a look this summer.

[Enoch Root]

I think his 'long look' last fall might have misled some people. They didn't keep him here because he was close to making the team, they kept him here because they wanted to give him some guidance on how to prepare to be a better player.

I like Kanzig, but he is at least 3 or 4 years away and is still a long shot.

Sieloff is closer, more probable, and probably has a higher ceiling.