THN's 2023 Future Watch

[Sandman]

New edition of the Future Watch is out, y'all! Here's a few highlights:

-Flames are ranked 26th for our prospect base, and a C-. We were 20th overall last year, with a C.

-The top 5 teams in order are New Jersey, Anaheim, Detroit, Buffalo, and LA.

-The top 10 prospects:
1) Logan Cooley, C (ARI)
2) Simon Edvinsson, D (DET)
3) Luke Hughes, D (NJ)
4) Shane Wright, C (SEA)
5) David Jiricek, D (CLB)
6) Simon Nemec, D (NJ)
7) Yaroslav Askarov, G (NAS)
8) Jesper Wallstedt, G (MIN)
9) Brandt Clarke, D (LA)
10) Cutter Gauthier, LW (PHI)

-The top goalies after Askarov and Wallstedt are Sebastian Cossa (DET, 32nd), Dustin Wolf (CAL, 33rd), Pyotr Kotchetkov (CAR, 52nd), Lukas Dostal (ANA, 74th), and Akira Schmid (NJ, 99th)

-Flames top 10 in order are Coronato (23rd overall), Wolf (33rd overall), Pelletier (43rd overall), Zary (60th overall), Poirier (89th overall), Kuznetsov, Schwindt, Ronni, Stromgren, and Sergeev.

-Flames are one of 6 teams to have 5 prospects ranked in the top-100, yet we are ranked 26th???

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by Sandman

New edition of the Future Watch is out, y'all! Here's a few highlights:

-Flames are ranked 26th for our prospect base, and a C-. We were 20th overall last year, with a C.

-The top 5 teams in order are New Jersey, Anaheim, Detroit, Buffalo, and LA.

-The top 10 prospects:
1) Logan Cooley, C (ARI)
2) Simon Edvinsson, D (DET)
3) Luke Hughes, D (NJ)
4) Shane Wright, C (SEA)
5) David Jiricek, D (CLB)
6) Simon Nemec, D (NJ)
7) Yaroslav Askarov, G (NAS)
8) Jesper Wallstedt, G (MIN)
9) Brandt Clarke, D (LA)
10) Cutter Gauthier, LW (PHI)

-The top goalies after Askarov and Wallstedt are Sebastian Cossa (DET, 32nd), Dustin Wolf (CAL, 33rd), Pyotr Kotchetkov (CAR, 52nd), Lukas Dostal (ANA, 74th), and Akira Schmid (NJ, 99th)

-Flames top 10 in order are Coronato (23rd overall), Wolf (33rd overall), Pelletier (43rd overall), Zary (60th overall), Poirier (89th overall), Kuznetsov, Schwindt, Ronni, Stromgren, and Sergeev.

-Flames are one of 6 teams to have 5 prospects ranked in the top-100, yet we are ranked 26th???

I know I'm not going to find a lot of opposition here, but Wolf is the best goalie prospect league wide. The numbers bare that out clearly. Based on where those other goalies are, I feel pretty confident in saying that he's a top 5 prospect overall. With that, the prospect system actually seems pretty damn good.

[Jiri Hrdina]

I haven’t picked it up yet but isn’t their team ranking also based on young nhlers? Which would be why the Flames are so low

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I haven’t picked it up yet but isn’t their team ranking also based on young nhlers? Which would be why the Flames are so low

EDIT: Just checked, and you are right- there is a small section at the bottom of each team's page where they INCLUDE NHLers 22-and-under into the organizational grade for each team. For example: Anaheim gets credit for Zegras, Drysdale, and McTavish. Flames have NONE in this section.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Major Major

I know I'm not going to find a lot of opposition here, but Wolf is the best goalie prospect league wide. The numbers bare that out clearly. Based on where those other goalies are, I feel pretty confident in saying that he's a top 5 prospect overall. With that, the prospect system actually seems pretty damn good.

I respect your opinion, but if it were up to me, I would trade Wolf for Askarov or Wallstedt. I wouldn't give him up for Cossa though-I think it was a mistake on Yzerman's part to take him ahead of Wallstedt. Just my opinion....

[Canada 02]

In October, The Hockey News had Sergeev as the 8th best player in the NCAA, ahead of Coronato. Different author, different opinion

[Canada 02]

Logan Cooley is so good. I totally get why he's the top rated prospect.

Can't wait to see Minnesota vs Michigan in the Big 10 finals.
Also, if things turnout as expected tomorrow in the ECAC semis (big if), Quinnipiac vs Harvard should be awesome as well.

A lot of elite college talent playing this weekend, many head to head

[Strange Brew]

5 in the top 100 seems pretty good, above average for sure.

[TheScorpion]

Logan Cooley might drag the Coyotes out of the basement by himself.

[TheScorpion]

Also. Cossa being ahead of Wolf makes no sense.

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by Sandman

I respect your opinion, but if it were up to me, I would trade Wolf for Askarov or Wallstedt. I wouldn't give him up for Cossa though-I think it was a mistake on Yzerman's part to take him ahead of Wallstedt. Just my opinion....

Very curious as to why. I'm just a guy looking at numbers but those guys don't touch Wolf in that department. Askarov in particular hasn't played a lot of hockey, it would seem. What am I missing?

[InternationalVillager]

Originally Posted by Major Major

Very curious as to why. I'm just a guy looking at numbers but those guys don't touch Wolf in that department. Askarov in particular hasn't played a lot of hockey, it would seem. What am I missing?

Size. Ability to translate their game to the NHL Level.

So size. Everyone in the league is horny for large goalies.

[Sandman]

Size is just one aspect. It’s more about pedigree. Both the european kids were playing against men at a young age, and excelling. Both guys are simply more “blue-chip” than Wolf. Don’t get me wrong, they are only ahead of Wolf by a very thin margin. Only my opinion though.

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by InternationalVillager

Size. Ability to translate their game to the NHL Level.

So size. Everyone in the league is horny for large goalies.

At some point I'm just going to want the guy who stops more (many more) pucks. That hasn't been close. And Askarov and Wallstedt aren't even very big.

Askarov has played in 70 total games in the 3 years since his draft year.