Michael Pachla: GM Jason Botterill has a solid farm system in place Prospect pool takes a hit from last year's No. 1 ranking, but still has some quality and overall depth

Michael Pachla: GM Jason Botterill has a solid farm system in place
Prospect pool takes a hit from last year's No. 1 ranking, but still has some quality and overall depth
- Michael Pachla

If you're ranked #1, chances are, most of your pool is going to graduate to the big club very quickly...unless you have an insane amount of busts. This is actually a good sign.

If you're ranked #1, chances are, most of your pool is going to graduate to the big club very quickly...unless you have an insane amount of busts. This is actually a good sign.
- buffalofan19

it is...as the prospect pool curves downward it's time for the big club to curve up...in a big way

it is...as the prospect pool curves downward it's time for the big club to curve up...in a big way
- Michael Pachla

"inverted yield curve"

Do Mittelfat and Tyler Dubcozinsky count as prospects?

Corey Pronman thinks Cozens is a low ceiling, unskilled idiot.

Prospect Rankings
1. Dylan Cozens, C, Lethbridge-WHL

Feb. 9, 2001 | 6-foot-3 | 185 pounds

Tier: Elite/high-end bubble

Cozens is a very well-rounded prospect. For the past two seasons in the WHL and in international play, he consistently impressed. Cozens measures in at 6-foot-3 and is a very good skater, not just for his size, but overall. That combination alone makes him a handful to deal with when a guy that size comes barreling through the neutral zone. He doesn’t just skate fast, he consistently pushes the pace and plays the game hard. Cozens is not going to do a fancy between the legs kind of play, but he gets by defenders with dekes at full speed, makes skilled plays to the net and can make plays in small areas. He’s not a dynamic playmaker, but he’ll have the odd play that will hit that level and his vision can surprise defenders. He has a shoot-first mentality and, for Lethbridge, would often be the team’s shot off the flank on the man advantage. Cozens can be deployed in any situation and competes hard every shift with a bit of an edge to his game without taking a ton of penalties.

"inverted yield curve"
- Der Kaiser

yeah...something like that

Color me skeptical

All the talk of building the right way, and Cozens is our only realistic top-6 forward prospect atm. I guess Olofsson if you still want to call him a prospect

D looks great, I agree

Color me skeptical

All the talk of building the right way, and Cozens is our only realistic top-6 forward prospect atm. I guess Olofsson if you still want to call him a prospect

D looks great, I agree
- jcragcrumple

I agree we need more, higher end prospect forwards. Tage may take a few years. Mittelstadt will get there. Reinhart's there. All guys under 23.

And yes, we need more. I'm a BPA guy in the draft, but I really we find a nice winger next June.

agree forward prospects are a little thin. D looks great. So does Luukkonen.

If Luukkonen continues on his current trajectory, he will be one of the three most important players on the team in 2 years.

it is...as the prospect pool curves downward it's time for the big club to curve up...in a big way
- Michael Pachla

Next year the only additions to the forwards could be Cozens and Asplund.

After that, there are no meaningful forwards coming for a long time. This is why I think this should be a make or break year for Botterill. They have to show something because there is no help coming, except for on D where we already have a crazy log jam

Next year the only additions to the forwards could be Cozens and Asplund.

After that, there are no meaningful forwards coming for a long time. This is why I think this should be a make or break year for Botterill. They have to show something because there is no help coming, except for on D where we already have a crazy log jam

And we’ll know what we have in Tage & Olofsson by the end of next season too I’d think

Will there be alcohol and Molly destroying my brain this weekend?

The answer is yes.

Will there be alcohol and Molly destroying my brain this weekend?

The answer is yes.
- jochfr

Festival?

Next year the only additions to the forwards could be Cozens and Asplund.

After that, there are no meaningful forwards coming for a long time. This is why I think this should be a make or break year for Botterill. They have to show something because there is no help coming, except for on D where we already have a crazy log jam
- jcragcrumple

what about Pecker and Davisson or whatever his name is?

if all these D prospects pan out we could flip some of them for O prospects too

has risto been traded yet?

has yeldon been released yet?

what about Pecker and Davisson or whatever his name is?

if all these D prospects pan out we could flip some of them for O prospects too
- SabresFaninIndiana

Those are both depth forwards most likely

Those are both depth forwards most likely
- jcragcrumple

I agree. i think our better bet would be if a bunch of these D prospects turn out to be somethign and we trade them for help up front

Nice write up Michael. There is no question the franchise as a whole, from bottom to top, is in a much better situation today than it was in 2017. It has taken longer than most of us would have liked but I think we can all agree that meaningful, strategic strides have been made. I agree with some of the other posters that we are still short on potential high end wingers, however, I think free agency next year with so much salary being shed and the value of young emerging D men as a trade piece can fill that void if need be.

Festival?
- jdfitz77

Deep Tropics in Nashville...





And this one in October.

has risto been traded yet?

has yeldon been released yet?
- homiedclown

I'm growing ever so thirsty.

Kingjet's kinda neat.

Festival?
- jdfitz77

He’s partying with Gerbe.......

Garoppolo went 1/6 for 0 yards and an INT last night and Chubb made a 6 time Pro Bowl LT in Staley look like a 3rd stringer so that’s where I’m at this morning.

2020 is going to be another strong draft class. Should be really good players available to us in the 10-20 range