Calgarypuck Prospect Ranking 2018 - Round 11 Runoff

[FlamesFanTrev]

How is it even possible that it could be this close? Lol. The back and forth in the vote count is actually amazing. Nobody has really had a lead yet, just off-setting votes. Could this end in a draw? Has that happened before?

[Jebus]

Gawdin based on his playoff performance this year. Played hurt and dominated as an overager should.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by Robbob

i didn't watch a tone of the Slovakia games, but I did watch the one where they upset the Americans. I recall him being out there a lot.

Not discounting any part of that game but our other Slovak prospect Milos Roman had a better WJC then Ruzicka.

[Lanny_McDonald]

A 19 year old versus a 21 year old? Go with the 19 year old. Ruzicka just finished scoring 36 goals and 72 points in his second year in CHL junior. At the same age, Gawdin was putting up 19 goals and 53 points in his third year of junior. Like Ruzicka’s size as well. We need more beef with skill, and if the 6’4” 215 pounder develops, he’ll be a very welcomed addition to our lineup.

[Matata]

Ruzicka had an incredible start to the year, a disappointing second half and a no show playoffs on a great offensive team, I'm ready to give up any hope of him ever being NHL calibre, but I still have a glimmer of hope for gawdin.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Matata

Ruzicka had an incredible start to the year, a disappointing second half and a no show playoffs on a great offensive team, I'm ready to give up any hope of him ever being NHL calibre, but I still have a glimmer of hope for gawdin.

You do know that Gawdin is two years older than Ruzicka, right?

[circle]

This vote was a toss-up for me. I originally voted Linus Lindstrom because I liked what I saw from him at the World Juniors this year and I think his 2-way skill is very translatable to today's game but here I voted for Gawdin over Ruzicka.

My main reasoning here is that Gawdin has shown the ability to be a consistent producer for his team and watching him through the WHL playoffs and Memorial Cup, you could see that he was getting tons of scoring chances and also capitalizing on many of them. Although he is an overager, I did find that he played a big role in the success of his line and team rather than Heponiemi "carrying" his line. Has good all around skill although nothing jumps out at you but consistency is his greatest strength IMO. Gawdin will need to work on his skating in the next few years.

The problem I have with Ruzicka at the moment and why I can't vote for him yet is that he has all the tools to be successful but doesn't have the drive and compete to be "the guy." This was most evident in the World Juniors where as a returnee and leader of the Slovak team, he was benched by his coach in the meaningful games. This guy has all the abilities that you look for in a player (size, skill, great shot) but if he doesn't have the will to win, then all of that talent is useless. He will shoot up my personal rankings next year if he can show more consistency and drive.

[kirant]

An OHL fan seems to have just put up a little info on Ruzicka this morning if people want read a little more on him:


https://ohlprospects.blogspot.com/20...ry-flames.html

A very good season for the Flames' lone OHL prospect. Ruzicka saw a significant uptick in production as he garnered more responsibility for a solid Sarnia Sting team. Last year I spoke of his wavering intensity level being the thing holding him back, and this year his effort level was significantly more consistent. He's really starting to embrace the style of play that he needs to employ here in North America, using his size to dominate in possession and below the hash marks. His board play and ability to keep plays alive improved a lot, as he now has the confidence to remain patient and wait for openings to create scoring chances. Ruzicka was a lot more engaged without the puck too, looking to find the front of the net, using his size to gain inside position for rebounds, tips, etc. Another thing worth noting was his improved percentage on the faceoff dot. Massive improvement there which is huge if he wants to stay down the middle moving forward. Next year, Sarnia will lose a lot of key players so they'll need Ruzicka to step up even more and be a dominant player. I'd like to see him continue to work on his skating. Off the rush, his decision making still is a question mark for me, as when the pace increases, he can still be turnover prone. And defensively, improvements could still be made to utilize his size on the backcheck and in his own end. If Ruzicka can be a 40/40 player next year and really take charge of the Sting in Jordan Kyrou's absence, I would consider that to be a very successful season.

[Matata]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

You do know that Gawdin is two years older than Ruzicka, right?

Yup, I honestly expect Ruzicka to regress this season.Prospects at these guys level have huge hurdles to overcome and need a fanatical drive to accomplish that, I think Ruzicka doesn't have this drive and Gawdin might, so I pick Gawdin.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by circle

This vote was a toss-up for me. I originally voted Linus Lindstrom because I liked what I saw from him at the World Juniors this year and I think his 2-way skill is very translatable to today's game but here I voted for Gawdin over Ruzicka.

My main reasoning here is that Gawdin has shown the ability to be a consistent producer for his team and watching him through the WHL playoffs and Memorial Cup, you could see that he was getting tons of scoring chances and also capitalizing on many of them. Although he is an overager, I did find that he played a big role in the success of his line and team rather than Heponiemi "carrying" his line. Has good all around skill although nothing jumps out at you but consistency is his greatest strength IMO. Gawdin will need to work on his skating in the next few years.

The problem I have with Ruzicka at the moment and why I can't vote for him yet is that he has all the tools to be successful but doesn't have the drive and compete to be "the guy." This was most evident in the World Juniors where as a returnee and leader of the Slovak team, he was benched by his coach in the meaningful games. This guy has all the abilities that you look for in a player (size, skill, great shot) but if he doesn't have the will to win, then all of that talent is useless. He will shoot up my personal rankings next year if he can show more consistency and drive.

He wasn't a captain or one of the assistants, in fact he was one of the handful of 18 year olds on the team. The majority of the team were 19 year olds.

In the American game he was on the top line and the ice for all three goals that the Slovaks scored (none against). I can't find any ice times from the juniors, but I don't recall him being benched. His line was typically the first one on after the Slovaks got scored on.

He was probably touted as one of the more skill players on the Slovak team, but they were always picked as a team that would struggle to score. I doubt many had them making it to the quarter finals.

[savardandjokinen]

Ruzicka. Gawdin was literally a free agent signing. I have tuulola, lindstrom and roman ahead of him too

[AC]

Originally Posted by savardandjokinen

Ruzicka. Gawdin was literally a free agent signing. I have tuulola, lindstrom and roman ahead of him too

Not sure why that matters?

Foo was a free agent signing as well.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by savardandjokinen

Ruzicka. Gawdin was literally a free agent signing. I have tuulola, lindstrom and roman ahead of him too

[savardandjokinen]

Originally Posted by AC

Not sure why that matters?

Foo was a free agent signing as well.

Was there a sweepstakes for Gawdin? Why was he passed up on by the Blues? Did he not get lots of help from Heponiemi and Steenbergen? I'm not shaming him at all, I see there's potential but at the same time guys like Ruzicka outperform him if you look at their productions at the same ages.

[burnitdown]

Of course Ruzicka will look better when you compare them at the same age. People are high on Gawdin because he really took off this last year, and improved far faster than anyone anticipated. Looking at it another way, do you expect Ruzicka to put up 56 goals and 125 in 2 seasons from now?

[keenan87]

I wonder how many people are voting not because they prefer one player over the other but rather so they can tie up the poll.

[Superfraggle]

Originally Posted by keenan87

I wonder how many people are voting not because they prefer one player over the other but rather so they can tie up the poll.

Negligible, I would think. I'm sure there are ways around it, but aren't you generally not able to see the poll results until after you vote?

[Mattman]

Had a hard time not picking Ruzicka, voted for Gawdin because I feel like he could maybe be an underdog like Ferland and crack our team at some point.

204 votes and it's dead even.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by burnitdown

Of course Ruzicka will look better when you compare them at the same age. People are high on Gawdin because he really took off this last year, and improved far faster than anyone anticipated. Looking at it another way, do you expect Ruzicka to put up 56 goals and 125 in 2 seasons from now?

No, because Ruzicka will most likely be playing pro by that time. Either in North America as a Flames farm hand, or in Europe in one of the leagues over there. A big kid with skill like that will have all leagues interested in him.


On Gawdin's production, him being an overager, playing in his 5th year of junior hockey, is a reason to be extremely suspect of his numbers. If it were not for his numbers, he likely doesn't get noticed or talked about. Yes, he had a massive year where he experienced explosive improvement in his scoring numbers. That should be a red flag. He did so playing on one of the more dynamic lines in junior hockey, and with two very well regarded prospects (Heponiemi and Steenbergen). Did his skills take a quantum leap in development where he became a dominant player in the game, or was it a combination of his line mates and the age advantage? Can he do the same at the pro level where those advantages disappear? I would think if his explosive production increase was indicative of personal skills improving, he would have been a standout player at dev camp? He would have had a number of teams chasing him? I get that we like gaudy numbers, but is this the level he can maintain, or was it a one and done thing? I think that because of the age and experience advantage being removed from the equation the potential for the "one and done" scenario is much more likely.

[FBI]

What's our more recent experience with overagers in our system? Hunter Smith? He put up some good numbers, Austin Carroll too right? I remember being temporarily excited about Carroll as well.