2011 prospect watch - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Flame4Ever · 10-12-2010, 08:32 AM

Wanted to get a thread going for those that are keeping an eye on junior prospects that are draft eligible this year.

Finally caught my first live Kitchener Rangers game of the year. They were battling the Erie Otters and won the game 4-3 in OT.

There are 3 draft eligible players of note playing for Kitchener:

Ryan Murphy:
Let me make a bold prediction: Ryan Murphy will be a star at the NHL level. Yes he's small, but he's by far one of the smartest hockey players I have ever seen. His ability to see the ice is at least as goos as Ryan Ellis but is also a tremendous skater, probably on the same level as Drew Doughty.
While last year he quite a flaws defensively, he seems to have added some strength and the rookie mistakes are gone. The added sandpaper and ability to win his fair share of battles down low have really pushed him up in my eyes.
The fact that he is tied for the scoring lead in the OHL with a +10 rating is not coincidence. During the game, he scored a beautiful goal on a 5 on 3 where he walked the blue line and opened up a great lane.

Gabriel Landeskog
Landeskog is an extrememly interesting player. While his stats might indicate an offensive player, he is as far from the flashy prototypical Swede and closer to the lunchpail Canadian. Landeskog loves the physical aspect of the game and plays with reckless abandon. He loves to initiate contact on the forecheck, does not hesitate to take a hit to make a play and drives to the tough areas where oal scorers need to go.
While he does display a good offensive skill set (vision, passing, hands, hockey IQ, shot), I don't think he is a natural finisher. With his size, strength and work ethic, he does generate a tonof chances. However he doesn't finish as many plays as you would like to see. I could see him being a 30 goal scorer in the NHL, but I doubt he will ever be the PPG offensive superstar. Forsberg-lite is a pretty good analogy in my mind.
Landesko is also a fantastic penalty killer. He got a standing ovation from the Kitchener faithful where he went in on the forcheck, stole the puck, and proceeded to single handedly eat up 15-20 seconds of PP time from the Otters by keepin the puck away from 3 opposing players along the boards.
I can see him being a great player for a team, probably a guy who wears a letter and is a fan favorite, I think he can easily get to 60 points and 30 goals. The instincts are there; he got the game winning goal because of great instincts, but a little more finish on the chances he does create consistantly would push him over the top.

Tobias Reider
A 17 year old rookie with the Rangers this year, Reider tends to get lost in the shuffle a bit as he was an in North America. However, he is an exremely offensively talented player. With speed to burn, great offensive instincts and very good hands, he has adjusted well to the pace of the OHL tied with his team mate Landeskog with 12 points in 7 games.
He is definitely undersized at 5'10" and weighing in at 175 pounds, but does not shy away from contact and will take a hit to make a play.
From the games I have watched on TV, I would have to say he hasn't looked out of place since day 1, but I wonder if he will continue to improve as the season wears on and he starts getting more used to the rythym of the OHL or if he will fatigue as the grind of the OHL starts to wear on him.
Definitely a player to keep an eye on as the season wears on.

8sPOT · 10-12-2010, 01:13 PM

Interesting comments about Murphy. Don Cherry (yeah I know) said sometime last year that this kid was gonna be a beauty.

He seems to be progressing nicely, looks like he should go in the first round this year but will his lack of size prevent that?

The swedish kid sounds intriguing too.

jeremywilhelm · 10-12-2010, 01:26 PM

Joel Armia is a pretty string Finnish prospect this upcoming draft. Good size, good hands, and loves the Calgary Flames. Would be great pickup late first round.

kirant · 10-12-2010, 04:16 PM

I haven't had a chance to watch him, but on the scoresheet, Wheaton King (of, as amusing as it is, the Brandon Wheat Kings) is doing quite well (4G, 2A in 7 games, tied for second in points on the team, behind Mark Stone). He looks like a big guy and, from the game I saw last year, fits the Sutter mold.

Anybody get a chance to see him this year?

BlairWitch · 10-13-2010, 02:31 PM

Victor Rask would be nice...to bad that won't happen

BurningYears · 10-13-2010, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirant

I haven't had a chance to watch him, but on the scoresheet, Wheaton King (of, as amusing as it is, the Brandon Wheat Kings) is doing quite well (4G, 2A in 7 games, tied for second in points on the team, behind Mark Stone). He looks like a big guy and, from the game I saw last year, fits the Sutter mold.

Anybody get a chance to see him this year?

that is too funny actually, poor guy

kirant · 10-13-2010, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BurningYears

that is too funny actually, poor guy

He's from Brandon as well.

I think his parents have been planning this for him since day 1 (and, of course, bribing the WHL to have Brandon draft him

).

BurningYears · 10-13-2010, 04:20 PM

I sure hope my future lovechild Gary Hitmen can grow up and play for my favorite WHL team. hahaha. awesome.

Johnny Rotten · 10-13-2010, 06:40 PM

What about Ty Rattie? He's not very big, but he's a scorer and he's a local kid.

bigtmac19 · 10-25-2010, 06:44 AM

A local boy, from my town and definitely one to watch!

Matt Puempel - Peterborough Petes

Last year's Rookie of the Year in the CHL

KootenayFlamesFan · 10-25-2010, 11:38 AM

I got to watch Ryan Nugent-Hopkins this past weekend in Spokane. I'm sure a few of you guys in Calgary have already seen him play, but this was my first chance and I was pretty impressed. His first few strides were very good, accelerated quickly. Kind of has his shoulders hunched over most of the time, kind of reminded me of Hemsky in that way. He had a few shifts where he showed some nice dangling. One shift in particular was impressive. He was in his own corner with the puck and had 2 Chiefs right around him trying to strip him of the puck..........he made 2 quick moves, created a hole for himself, and skated the puck out of the zone with ease. It's only game, so a very small sample size, but looks like he has all the tools to be a very good pro. I had a buddy of mine come to the game with me and we both agreed that he's going to be a heck of a player in a few years.

SweetDoc · 10-25-2010, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

I got to watch Ryan Nugent-Hopkins this past weekend in Spokane. I'm sure a few of you guys in Calgary have already seen him play, but this was my first chance and I was pretty impressed. His first few strides were very good, accelerated quickly. Kind of has his shoulders hunched over most of the time, kind of reminded me of Hemsky in that way. He had a few shifts where he showed some nice dangling. One shift in particular was impressive. He was in his own corner with the puck and had 2 Chiefs right around him trying to strip him of the puck..........he made 2 quick moves, created a hole for himself, and skated the puck out of the zone with ease. It's only game, so a very small sample size, but looks like he has all the tools to be a very good pro. I had a buddy of mine come to the game with me and we both agreed that he's going to be a heck of a player in a few years.

This is my pick as well. I live in Red Deer and get to watch him on a consistent basis. As a 15 year old he had 6 points in 5 games. As a 16 year old (last year) he was the WHL Rookie of the year, and this year has 20 points in 14 games.

You mentioned the move he made in the defensive zone, it's amazing to watch him do this in the offensive zone, especially on the PP which creates a quick 5 on 2 and is a smooth passer; the kid has a deceiving shot as well. He isn't afraid of the corners however isn't and overly physical player but he won't shy away from it an will instigate contact on occasion. He seems like a very intelligent player.

With his improved skaing, he's as sure as it gets as a prospect. The Rebels powerplay was horrible until he came along and then suddenly it was deadly.

The Rebels also have a kid named Matt Dumba who is draft eligible in 2 years and he looks like a 1st round prospect as well, I've read an article where he's been compared to Phaneuf.

Beerfest · 10-25-2010, 10:56 PM

How about the 2013 prospect watch, hehe.

Hunter Shinkaruk, turned 16 on October, 13th. Playing for the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Has 1 goal and 4 assists in 9 games this year.

He pretty much missed all last year with an injury.

Hes from Calgary, theres was an article about him in the Sun, a little while ago.

I think it was back in Bantam, I believe I on Team 3, and he was playing in Pee Wee, on team 1. We were able to call up players from that team, he came up for some games throughout the year and was our best player.

Ill be intersted to see how he develops playing in the WHL.

Pierre "Monster" McGuire · 10-26-2010, 11:36 AM

Maybe unrelated, but something to watch in the future:

Sam Reinhart, younger brother of Max Reinhart, was drafted in the first round of the bantam draft by the Kootenay Ice. So Max and Sam may be playing together at some point.

Sam Reinhart is supposedly a power forward type who works hard, gets to gritty places and is 100% of Sutter appeal.

Could be a future draft pick of the Flames.

8sPOT · 11-16-2010, 05:10 PM

Almost a quarter into the season and we are currently in line for a lottery pick.

Coutourier, Landeskog, Nugent-Hopkins et all. One of them could be a Flame 7 months from now.

If given 1st overall I think I would take Coutourier. Been watching him the past year or so, albeit on TV.

He could be that big, true #1 centre.

What do you guys think?

jeremywilhelm · 11-16-2010, 07:33 PM

Don't be stupid. We aren't nearly bad enough for a top 5 pick.

Pierre "Monster" McGuire · 11-16-2010, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 8sPOT

Almost a quarter into the season and we are currently in line for a lottery pick.

Coutourier, Landeskog, Nugent-Hopkins et all. One of them could be a Oiler 7 months from now.

If given 1st overall I think I would take Coutourier. Been watching him the past year or so, albeit on TV.

He could be that big, true #1 centre.

What do you guys think?

Fixed.

8sPOT · 11-16-2010, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremywilhelm

Don't be stupid. We aren't nearly bad enough for a top 5 pick.

Oh my bad it's really early in the season. We are supposed to be at least a playoff contender and we are barely better than the Oilers points wise. Top 5 pick is looking pretty real right now.

Parallex · 11-17-2010, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire

Fixed.

Oilers strike me as far more likely to want Larsson over any of those guys. Seriously weak D corp through the whole organization. The Fall for Hall should be replaced with the Arson for Larsson.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremywilhelm

Don't be stupid. We aren't nearly bad enough for a top 5 pick.

Um, what? We're currently situated 27th in League standings. Sure it's early but based on the season so far it's hardly so far outside the realm of possibility that you need to refer to the prospect of it "stupid".

FCAV · 11-19-2010, 09:51 AM

You guys may find this interesting. Our November Top 60 for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft:

Couturier Tops FC's Draft List for November

We also have put out a lot of 2011 info in the last few days so feel free to browse around.