Summer 2015 Prospect Ranking - Round 9

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Red Menace

Kylington for the 8th straight time.....it will be embarrassing to look back at this poll and see him ranked so low....

You think he's our second best prospect? The guys who drafted him don't even think he's as good as Rasmus Andersson...

[Enoch Root]

Wotherspoon has size, skating, smarts, poise, has put in the time in the AHL to develop, and is ready.

Hartley leaves a 22 year old rookie defenseman in the press box instead of throwing him into the middle of a playoff race and some of you think he's done as a prospect.

He will be a full time NHLer before Kylington crosses the pond, and he will be a solid top 4 player before Kylington ever cracks the lineup.

[Vulcan]

Kylington's a high reward but also a high risk prospect. Myself I look more at how successful a player has been on his way up. Kylington has been all over the map in his progress. Next summer he could be at the top of our list but he could also be at the bottom. Great choice at #60 in the draft but I'll continue to put him behind more proven players.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

If Kylington has a breakout season next year I will be totally on board with him being a top 2-5 prospect. As it stands right now, he was the 60th player chosen in a draft that happened a couple of weeks ago... I don't know, that's just not enough for me to justify him ranking higher than guys who are improving and are in the system already. I get he has a high ceiling but I honestly think if he never was considered a potential top 5 pick, he would have about 6 votes right now instead of 68.

Klimchuk and McDonald in particular are two players who I cannot understand how they can possibly rank lower than OK on any list. Chosen 28th and 34th in their respective draft classes, they have done nothing but improve and impress since being drafted. They don't come with the red flags OK does either, which is big for me. Honestly it makes me nervous to see a player drop so far, I lean more toward "buyer beware" than "OMG steal!!!" in these situations.

Andersson should even rank higher solely because the team obviously feels he is a better prospect (53 vs. 60), and there's only been one prospect camp since then, I'm not sure that was enough to change that. They had a choice between the two and chose Andersson knowing full well there was a good chance they wouldn't get Kylington (unless BT already had the deal with Nashville done, but I doubt that).

I am very happy that we got Kylington at 60 but he's definitely a project. Honestly, being in Finnish leagues, I doubt even 0.1% of CP has seen this kid play, this is all about name recognition and the fact he was rated in the top 5 for a bit . Which is fine, I doubt anyone here has seen even 50% of these kids play, it's still a fun exercise.

Now that he's ours, I'll be interested to hear about him next year but I just don't think he's earned a lofty ranking on this list yet, just my opinion.

[Da_Chief]

The top 7 so far I agree with. After that for me its:

8. Kylington - Likely getting the 10th spot
9. Morrison
10. Granlund - Off the board
11. Andersson
12. Agostino
13. McDonald
14. Wotherspoon
15. Rafikov

Will be voting Morrisson after Kylington is off the board.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

The top 7 so far I agree with. After that for me its:

8. Kylington - Likely getting the 10th spot
9. Morrison
10. Granlund - Off the board
11. Andersson
12. Agostino
13. McDonald
14. Wotherspoon
15. Rafikov

Will be voting Morrisson after Kylington is off the board.

I am curious how you can rank Agostino, who has shown little chance of making it to the NHL and who is older, before Wotherspoon, who has had multiple call-ups already.

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I am curious how you can rank Agostino, who has shown little chance of making it to the NHL and who is older, before Wotherspoon, who has had multiple call-ups already.

Agostino has been getting rave reviews from those that watch him regularly. I don't have him in my top 10, but I can understand why some are high on him.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I am curious how you can rank Agostino, who has shown little chance of making it to the NHL and who is older, before Wotherspoon, who has had multiple call-ups already.

Agostino was a pro-rookie past year, and he was buried on lower lines. Despite that, he stuck with his game and worked his way to a top line role. He had a lot of offense once he got the opportunity too.

He has limits to his upside but he's still a good prospect with an NHL body who can skate, defend, and score.

Wotherspoon is a defenseman, which automatically lowers his chances of finding immediate success despite his callups and like Agostino does not have the upside of other prospects or young roster players at his position.

They're really similar quality of prospects actually. If Agostino gets a callup he can pull a Jooris and stick. Wotherspoon has a tougher path but can still also stick. But neither is a sure-fire NHLer and either might need to get traded to break through somewhere with less depth.

And I think Mangiapane is a better prospect than either.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Agostino was a pro-rookie past year, and he was buried on lower lines. Despite that, he stuck with his game and worked his way to a top line role. He had a lot of offense once he got the opportunity too.

He has limits to his upside but he's still a good prospect with an NHL body who can skate, defend, and score.

Wotherspoon is a defenseman, which automatically lowers his chances of finding immediate success despite his callups and like Agostino does not have the upside of other prospects or young roster players at his position.

They're really similar prospects actually. If Agostino gets a callup he can pull a Jooris and stick. Wotherspoon has a tougher path but can still also stick. But neither is a sure-fire NHLer and either might need to get traded to break through somewhere with less depth.

And I think Mangiapane is a better prospect than either.

I watched Adirondack regularly all year. Yes, Agostino finished the season strongly. But Wotherspoon was their #1 D.

Wotherspoon's upside, and his current status, are both higher than Agostino's, who has little chance of being an NHLer.

[CroFlames]

I picked Shillington. Based on the reports of his elite level skating and the limited times I saw him in online videos, he looks really excellent.

I think he's got amazing potential, and if he is molded and developed properly he will be a stalwart defenceman.

[Da_Chief]

I like Agostino's upside more then Wotherspoon who might not even make it to the NHL right now.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I watched Adirondack regularly all year. Yes, Agostino finished the season strongly. But Wotherspoon was their #1 D.

Wotherspoon being their #1D was sort of like Petry being the Oilers' #1D... not much of a statement.

Wotherspoon's upside, and his current status, are both higher than Agostino's, who has little chance of being an NHLer.

Agostino has as much chance at being an NHLer as guys like Bill Arnold or Garnet Hathaway, or as Josh Jooris did a season ago. Which... I think is higher than Wotherspoon. He has all the ability to do it, he just needs to get his foot in the door and roll with it.

Wotherspoon has more upside, but even then that just means that if he perfects his craft he's a #3. But he's just as likely to never break through... it`s not like he`s even a legit bottom pairing guy yet... first he has to get himself to a Diaz/Schlemko level before we can talk about upside.

[JohnnyT]

The amount of people under valuing Wotherspoon on here is insane

[mikephoen]

Next up for me is one of Morrison, Kylington or Andersson. I have very limited viewing of any of them, but I think I'll go with Andersson. The Flames valued Andersson higher than Kylington a few weeks ago, so I feel I should follow suit there. Morrison is closer to being ready... but my gut tells me the young Swede has time to develop into the better player. Just a guess though.

[Freddy]

As a very amatuer prospect follower the one guy I think is being underrated here is Rafikov. For some reason I think when his KHL commitments are done he's going to be regarded as one of the best young D not already in North America and will be ready to step into a top 6 position, which may be a tight squeeze for the Flames with the combination of Morrison, Kulak, Culkin, and Wotherspoon already jockeying. Treveling would likely have an enticing trade piece, so we may never witness his potential here, but I think he's going to be a solid minute eating support/defensive side of a top pairing when he peaks.
....but what do I know...???

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by JohnnyT

The amount of people under valuing Wotherspoon on here is insane

I suspect it is because Wotherspoon was very underwhelming in his limited NHL appearances last season. He definitely did not look ready. That has to be a little concerning at this stage.

[Bingo]

Great debate guys ... love the fact that the 9th place vote is so hotly contested between so many players. Really tells you the Flames have a great crop of supporting players coming up through the ranks.

They seem less glamorous than top picks, but they're expensive on the UFA market, top teams develop their own.

Kylington for me, but great arguments for Wotherspoon, Klimchuk, Andersson, Arnold, etc.

Good stuff

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Makarov

I suspect it is because Wotherspoon was very underwhelming in his limited NHL appearances last season. He definitely did not look ready. That has to be a little concerning at this stage.

As opposed to guys who are older who didn't even get a call-up.

Makes sense.

(and Wotherspoon plays a position that takes longer to learn)

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

As opposed to guys who are older who didn't even get a call-up.

Makes sense.

(and Wotherspoon plays a position that takes longer to learn)

Well, for example, I don't think a lot of posters are holding the absence of a call-up for 19-year-old Brandon Hickey against him (relative to a disappointing call-up for 22-year-old Tyler Wotherspoon.)

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Makarov

Well, for example, I don't think a lot of posters are holding the absence of a call-up for 19-year-old Brandon Hickey against him (relative to a disappointing call-up for 22-year-old Tyler Wotherspoon.)

we were discussing, and I was referring to, Agostino