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"This has been TheScorpion's shtick for years. All these hot takes, clickbait nonsense just to feed his social media algorithms." –Tuco
Meh. I like his style but I think it will be hard for him to be an NHL regular at his size. He's like a Scott Nichol at best. Basically he's a potential 4th line injury replacement player. Due to his low upside I think there's better options still on the table. Look how low Hathaway went because he's a 4th liner and he's almost got that spot locked up. Hathaway is like 90% chance or higher of making the NHL this year. Lomberg maybe gets a shot if we sustain injuries to every fourth liner. I just don't really see Lomberg as a pick here. Low upside and low chance of becoming an NHL regular imo.
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I went with Ruzicka. Big, skilled centres are amongst the most valuable commodities in the game if they pan out. He's a gamble but all of them are at this point.
Not much left to pick from. Between Ruzicka and Tuulola for me. Ruzicka had the better year so I'm going with him. Mason McDonald wouldn't be a bad pick either at this point. Never know with goalies, he might still become a #1 goalie for all we know.
I feel like Ruzicka could be the guy that jumps from the 20s, up to around the 10 spot next season. I've only watched youtube videos of the kid, but he's big, seems to have a good read on the play, and can shoot.
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I went with Ruzicka this round, he is a very intriguing prospect with his skill and size at the center position. Healy, Tuulola are interesting as well
Ruzicka for the 4th round in a row. I'm not saying people are wrong for putting people like Hathaway, Wotherspoon, and Ollas Mattson ahead of him right now, but I think people will look back at Ruzicka's ranking this year and wonder how we ranked him so low at the time.
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Originally Posted by ResAlien
If we can't fall in love with replaceable bottom 6 players then the terrorists have won.
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I wanted to vote Eetu higher but Pribyl took so freaking long to get off the board.
He's going to have a great WJC and I'm calling it now, his numbers won't wow anyone during his season with the Finnish elite league but he's going to jump leaps and bounds in terms of play amongst men.
After Eetu I'm having a hard time choosing between Mattson and Ruczika. Both have a bit of a long term trajectory but I believe in both of them to make the jump.
Went with Lindstrom again. I think this kid is going to be one of those 'under the radar' types that ends up having a great career. He has a very mature game and he is good in all zones. Coaches love players like this.
I can see the hype for Ruzicka too. When the Flames selected him, I thought it was a really good selection. He is definitely interesting. I think there is a whole lot of upside in him as he has everything you want - big, skilled, skates great. I picked Lindstrom just because he has a non-stop motor and thus is more consistent. If Lindstrom wasn't playing in a men's league, I think he would be putting up some pretty nice points, so from that theory I hold I have Lindstrom by a hair. I wouldn't be surprised if either (or both) Lindstrom and Ruzicka quickly work their way up the Flames' depth chart.
The rest of the board is a step down from these two, with the possible exception of Sveningsson. I don't know what to expect from this kid, but he seems like he has some upside. I know I will be doing my best to track this kid a lot (one of about 5 or 6 prospects that I want to really keep a track of this upcoming season).
I am not too sold on Tuulola as many others are. He could very well be a long-term prospect that ends up really shining with his physicality and skill combo, but he just seems too inconsistent for me at the moment.
Kids are usually fairly inconsistent anyways, but when measured-up against one another, the more consistent ones seem to be able to put it all together more frequently. Zach Fischer to me is a guy that shouldn't be ranked too far down from Tuulola. Fischer out-scored him and out-produced him, and had 100 PIM more. This after a summer of doing his best to get his game together, and boy did he ever. For a power-forward, Fischer might be a relatively hidden gem in the Flames' organization. By the sounds of it, Fischer was both noticeable and effective in most of his games, and that is the kind of consistency that can really propel a player forward.
I do like that Tuulola is going back to Finland. I believe it will give him more time to develop over there and the Flames can be more patient with him. Finnish hockey is pretty damn good hockey from what I have seen, and I think for prospects that require more time, it is a very sound choice (though it wasn't necessarily his choice as the team just recalled him).
I also like Lomberg, but he for me is very far down my list. More in the mold of a Turner Elson without the offence, or even like a Carter Bancks. I always love these kids, but they just aren't big enough to make it in the NHL given their ceilings/roles. With Lomberg's really great speed, there is a decent chance he may pan out in the long run if he works on his game (PK'er, defensive oriented shutdown guy, etc), but he just doesn't have the hands I would say for a top 9 role on the Flames at this point, and competition will be fierce for a bottom line role. Love the kid though!
The two Russians are right here for me as well. Trying to balance out them not having as much interest in the NHL vs how they measure up to what's left. I think they are both talented kids.
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Calgarypuck Prospect Ranking 2017 - Round 21
