Welcome to the Thursdays ramblings. Today I will just…. Well ramble about prospect things. Yay. Also do not forget the Prospect report comes out tomorrow! Yay exciting!

 

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Actually I kind of have no idea what to write about, which is a silly thing to admit to you, the reader, but I am being honest.

 

You know what, I will talk about the prospects report, and by that I mean the prospects I kept off of my top 50. I also want to say this year (out of my ~4 years doing it so far) was the year where I had the most prospect I wanted to cram into the list. Last year I felt that the top 35-40 were solid and I had a tough time ranking the rest as I felt they were all not very amazing. I also had Dubois at 50 as I was NEVER impressed watching him and boy do I look dumb now.

 

Anyway these players were so tough to cut, and why (Goalies and players with NHL game experience are excluded):

 

Matthew Phillips, CGY

 

Phillips killed the WHL this season and was far and away the best skater on his team. He will likely need some AHL seasoning as he is quite small, but the Flames could have a sixth round steal on its hands. He was the toughest player for me to cut, and ultimately I did because I do not know how willing the Flames would be in the long run to add another Gaudreau type player and if that player would get the same chance as Johnny Hockey to create offense.

 

Dmitri Sokolov, MIN

 

Sokolov is a personal favorite of mine. He has the skills to be an NHL player, and an elite shot, but his skating is pretty blah. He was kept off because I want him to succeed in the NHL more than I think he will succeed.

 

Dante Fabbro, NSH

 

Fabbro is a solid player and should become a solid NHLer, but look at Nashville I doubt Fabbro can put up points any time soon. Likely a better NHL player than fantasy player, so I kept him off.

 

Rasmus Kupari, 2018

 

Kupari was the only extra 2018 player I had cut, as I had a few on my overall list. I find him more of a two-way pro player than a scoring forward, so I had other players ahead of him.

 

Jacob MacDonald, NJ (Defense)

 

His play in the AHL this year cannot be ignored (55 points in 75 games), but his defense is not great and that may make him wind up as another TJ Brennan keeping him off the list for now

 

Garrett Pilon, WSH

 

Took the most shots of anyone in the WHL this season, posting his best points per game as well, and has progressed extremely well every season he has been in the WHL. Likely has another year left in the WHL, but the Capitals may have a good player here. Left off because there were just too many players ahead of him.

 

Miro Aaltonen, TOR

 

I really like Aaltonen’s game and think he can become an NHL pro, the problem for him (and all other Leafs prospects on this list) is that the team is too deep and really where do any of the players wind up. They are all capped at a low amount of points as offense will be spread out (outside of the big three).

 

Carl Grundstrom, TOR

 

More of a high energy checking winger with goal scoring upside, but his upside is capped (see reasoning above)

 

Dmytro Timashov, TOR

 

Great playmaker, but see reasoning for other Toronto prospects.

 

Kole Lind, VAN

 

He is getting progressively better in the WHL and there is no denying his talent. I left him off as there are just more established players, or players with higher upside, ahead of him on my list.

 

Olli Juolevi, VAN

 

Looks to be a solid NHL defenseman, not the type you draft ahead of a Matthew Tkachuck though (sorry). He just is not in my top 50 until he can prove otherwise.

 

German Rubtsov, PHI

 

I am a big Rubtsov fan but feel he is better suited to be in the shutdown centre role that can chip in scoring when needed, as he is such a smart player. He needs to stop getting injured. Ultimately left him off my list though.

 

Maxim Letunov, SJ

 

The Sharks are high on Letunov and I am as well, I just have no idea what type of player he will turn in to. Had to leave him off of my top 50 for that reason.

 

Mitchell Vande Sompel, NYI

 

MVS is such a smart and great skating defenseman, I am so glad the concussion issues are behind him. Once he is in the NHL I expect him to stay. Problem for him is all the players ahead of him on the Islanders who are more established. It may take him time to really make a fantasy impact, so I had to leave him off.

 

Yakov Trenin, NSH

 

Had a tough first year adjusting to the AHL, and although he has high-end skill I had to leave him off until he shows more in his play.

 

Ostap Safin, EDM

 

As good of a pick as I think this was for Edmonton, I just feel that there are at least 60 other prospects better than him. In time he may rocket up my list but not now.

 

Ryan Poehling, MTL

 

He really should be in my top 50 but isn’t. He wasn’t super hard to cut as he appears to be more of a solid checking player than a top six scorer, but he could still turn out to be a great producer for Montreal.

 

Joni Ikonen, MTL

 

Very solid and smart player, I want to see more from him before I add him into my top 50. He will likely be there next year though.

 

Conor Timmins, COL

 

Fantastic player but I can’t say he will be a great fantasy defenseman producer with Barrie, Makar and Girard ahead of him.

 

Andrei Altybarmakyan, CHI

 

Very solid pick for Chicago. He has the skills to be a top six NHL player but really needs pro experience and minutes in the KHL to develop. Cannot add him to my top 50 until he does that.

 

Alexandre Texier, CBJ

 

This was a great pick for Columbus in 2017 and he looks to be a real solid pick in the future. I could not add him to my top 50 yet as I want to see him play more. Next season will help a lot for me personally.

 

Rasmus Asplund, BUF

 

Dropped off my list from last year as I don’t feel that he took enough of a step forward and other players just passed him. Likely still a solid NHL player

 

Cliff Pu, BUF

 

One of my favorite 2016 prospects that I still feel went way too late in the draft, should play in the AHL next season. I can’t include him in my top 50 as I want to see how he handles the pro game, since I was not very impressed with his play last season.

 

Pierre-Olivier Joseph (Defense), ARI

 

Stepped up his play even more last year as captain of the Charlottetown Islanders, but ultimately I kept him off of my top 50. Just not wowed by him yet.

 

Jaret Anderson-Dolan, LA

 

Great player in one of the worst prospect cupboards in the league, he should get a prominent role on the Kings if he is allowed to play offense (young players didn’t seem to get the chance last season). Just can’t put him in the top 50 if he doesn’t have anyone to play with in the future as the Kings’ top players get older.

 

 

Well that is all for me today. Thank you for reading. Buy the prospect report.. or else!

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