ESPN: Top 100 Prospects (Insider)

[MrMastodonFarm]

Kane's skating, which is good but isn't elite, is just a bonus, it's not the reason for his success. Patrick Kane's insane hockey IQ and the way he can quickly read a play are his main reasons he's an elite NHL talent.

[MVW]

That's also a great point about his defensive game. One only needs to watch a couple of games to see that he's a hound on puck pursuit. When he doesn't have it, he's almost pest like in that he's going to get it. He has a nose at both ends of the rink for knowing were the puck is going. His defensive play is highly underrated.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by fotze

NCAA doesn't have +- stats?

Johnny could have terrible defensive technique, he just never gets the chance to show that part of his game.

Pretty sure he led the NCAA in +/-.

His 5v5 numbers are ridiculous.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Pretty sure he led the NCAA in +/-.

His 5v5 numbers are ridiculous.

Did he even get powerplay time? I recall people saying he didn't get much, if any on some nights.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by fotze

NCAA doesn't have +- stats?

Johnny could have terrible defensive technique, he just never gets the chance to show that part of his game.

2013/2014 NCAA stats sorted by +/-

http://www.eliteprospects.com/league...name=&order=PM

[Enoch Root]

their line was a combined +119 in 40 games

or to put it another way, +3 per game!

[FlamesAddiction]

Gaudreau is a high reward prospect, but he is in no way a can't miss. I'm not a big fan of Pronman, but I understand where he is coming from. I'm not going to pay to see the whole list, but that is a pretty solid top 10.

[Dienasty]

I would relax, Guardreau has moved up the list every year. Let's look at the trend rather then nitpicking where he was ranked.

I think it is pretty obvious why he isn't in the top ten size/age. He has a high bust rate but also an almost unlimited ceiling.

As for the Kane comparisons, Kane was drafted 1st overall, Gaudreau 4th round. Kane put up 145 points in 58 games playing in the OHL in his draft year. Playing in the OHL also has the advantage of the player playing a "pro styled" season rather then just weekend games and only 40 games, which probably showed some teams he was able to play through the grind of a full season.

Gaudreau is a great prospect so don't get bent out of shape over it. I am more upset with Poirier being left off completely.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by YogiBerra

HF Poster: Johnny Gaudreau just had the most dominant collegiate season since Paul Kariya 20 years ago and doesn't crack the top 10?

I'm not a Flames fan, or BC fan, or anything, but I've seen this kid play, and he flat out dominates the competition. Has dominated nearly every game he's played in for the last 2+ years. He deserves to be higher than a lot of those players.

Also as an aside, I have very high opinion of Fiala. Real deal.
Pronman: I see a 5-9/non bulky F with high-end to elite hands and IQ, pretty good but not amazing skating for his size, not a physical force, and not all that valuable defensively. That's a potential quality top 6 forward in my eyes, but he'd need to be a top 25 skater in the NHL to get into the kind of range you suggest, which is that of a potential all-star.

Pronmans' response so his opinion is if your small you have to be one of the best skaters in the NHL to make it. Seems like a pretty narrow view; I wouldn't consider Kane, ST. Louis or a lot of the other small guys who have made it top 25 skaters but they get by fine. Pronmans' lists are always so bad.

Kane is probably one of the best Skaters in the league, he's also much bigger than Gaudreau, not saying he can't put on the size but there's probably a 15-20 pound difference

and St.Louis legs look like this



he's a great shifty skater although not elite, but he has also built up his legs enough to be able to handle himself on the boards

[Ashasx]

St. Louis' legs didn't look like that 10 years ago, nevermind when he was 21.

When Steve Sullivan played he never at any point weighed more than 165 pounds, and he played over 1000 games.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

2013/2014 NCAA stats sorted by +/-

http://www.eliteprospects.com/league...name=&order=PM

Why, he's a mere +42.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Kane is probably one of the best Skaters in the league, he's also much bigger than Gaudreau, not saying he can't put on the size but there's probably a 15-20 pound difference

and St.Louis legs look like this



he's a great shifty skater although not elite, but he has also built up his legs enough to be able to handle himself on the boards

Kane is listed at 5' 11" and 180 lbs. I doubt he's actually that tall. In pictures with him standing beside Toews , he looks more than 3 inches smaller than the 6' 2" J. Toews. I suspect the 180 is accurate.

[mile]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Kane is probably one of the best Skaters in the league, he's also much bigger than Gaudreau, not saying he can't put on the size but there's probably a 15-20 pound difference

Is Kane really that much bigger than Gaudreau? I always thought his height and weight were exaggerated, at most he looks like an inch taller and 10 pounds heavier.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

St. Louis' legs didn't look like that 10 years ago, nevermind when he was 21.

When Steve Sullivan played he never at any point weighed more than 165 pounds, and he played over 1000 games.

I like the Sullivan comparison the best. He was short and light (not exactly the best skater from what I recall either), but he also played with a chip on his shoulder. Something that Gaudreau would be well served to develop in his game if he wants to have Sullivan-like success.

No one questions Gaudreau's skill, which is arguably top 10 for prospects, but the NHL is about so much more than that. I have faith in him personally, but it's easy to see why a neutral observer might be more apprehensive. Almost everyone is interested and intrigued though.

There are just so few examples to point to regarding Gaudreau.

[Ashasx]

I can't see the list, but through process of elimination I have determined that Pronman has ranked the Flames as the 8th best prospect pool in the league.

One spot ahead of Vancouver, apparently.

(I don't know why he thinks our 2 prospect pools are even comparable).

Last season he ranked the Flames 10th.

[bob-loblaw]

Off topic - but isn't Pronman supposed to be releasing his organizational depth list soon? Does anyone know if it's supposed to be on ESPN or Hockey Prospectus?

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by bob-loblaw

Off topic - but isn't Pronman supposed to be releasing his organizational depth list soon? Does anyone know if it's supposed to be on ESPN or Hockey Prospectus?

most likely ESPN, looks like he pretty much stopped contributing to Hockey Prospectus

[SuperMatt18]

The organizational rankings were on ESPN today. Flames were ranked 7th as Ashasx mentioned. http://insider.espn.go.com/nhl/story...-pipelines-nhl

Here are the top 10:

1) Buffalo
2) Tampa Bay
3) New York Islanders
4) Nashville
5) Florida
6) Columbus
7)Winnipeg
8) Calgary
9) Vancouver
10) Montreal

Personally I don't put a ton of stock into Pronman's rankings. I don't mind his take on some individuals but don't think it is realistic for one guy to rank hundreds of prospects across multiple leagues with real accuracy. Also since it is only a single person's ranking bias obviously comes into play.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

The organizational rankings were on ESPN today. Flames were ranked 7th as Ashasx mentioned. http://insider.espn.go.com/nhl/story...-pipelines-nhl

Here are the top 10:

1) Buffalo
2) Tampa Bay
3) New York Islanders
4) Nashville
5) Florida
6) Columbus
7)Winnipeg
8) Calgary
9) Vancouver
10) Montreal

Personally I don't put a ton of stock into Pronman's rankings. I don't mind his take on some individuals but don't think it is realistic for one guy to rank hundreds of prospects across multiple leagues with real accuracy. Also since it is only a single person's ranking bias obviously comes into play.

Anaheim is widely regarded with having one of the best, if not the best groups of prospects and they don't make his top 10.

Everyone is entitled tot heir opinion, but he is often so obscure that I find it difficult to respect anything he says.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Anaheim is widely regarded with having one of the best, if not the best groups of prospects and they don't make his top 10.

Everyone is entitled tot heir opinion, but he is often so obscure that I find it difficult to respect anything he says.

Chicago and St. Louis aren't in his top 10 either. Like you said, he's entitled to his opinion, but that doesn't make him right.