hockey futures updated list. not sure how they compile their list but THN list is a pole of NHL scouts and GM's
1. (1) Brayden Schenn, C,
2. (4) Eric Wellwood, LW,
3. (3) Erik Gustafsson, D,
4. (13) Marc-Andre Bourdon, D,
5. (11) Jason Akeson, RW,
6. (5) Brendan Ranford, LW,
7. (10) Nick Cousins, C,
8. (12) Brandon Manning, D,
9. (9) Ben Holmstrom, C,
10. (NR) Zac Rinaldo, LW,
11. (15) Blake Kessel, D,
12. (19) Niko Hovinen, G,
13. (8) Mike Testwuide, RW,
14. (17) Oliver Lauridsen, D,
15. (NR) Harry Zolnierczyk, RW,
16. (16) Tom Sestito, LW,
17. (14) Marcel Noebels, LW,
18. (20) Colin Suellentrop, D,
19. (NR) Michael Parks, RW,
20. (NR) Tyler Brown, C, - nastyflyergirl
The THN list is better. Ranford is NOT a high-end prospect despite his junior scoring numbers. Questions about his conditioning, skating, defensive play and size make him a longshot prospect. The team rarely mentions his name when they discuss prospects, and the fact that he's still not signed to an ELC with the expiration of his rights fast approaching pretty much tells you that he is not in their plans.
I do think Niko Hovinen belonged on the THN top-10 list somewhere, though.
Location: this space for rent, PA Joined: 09.19.2006
Mar 21 @ 11:54 AM ET
The THN list is better. Ranford is NOT a high-end prospect despite his junior scoring numbers. Questions about his conditioning, skating, defensive play and size make him a longshot prospect. The team rarely mentions his name when they discuss prospects, and the fact that he's still not signed to an ELC with the expiration of his rights fast approaching pretty much tells you that he is not in their plans. - bmeltzer
I was wondering about him and if they would sign him. I saw him in the rookie camp and I wasn't impressed at all. Looked like his skating was weak. I definitely hold the hockey news list in a much higher light, esp being it was a poll of scouts and GMs
Location: it's been 84 years, AZ Joined: 01.02.2007
Mar 21 @ 12:07 PM ET
Something to keep an eye on is the coburn and grossman pairing. I think they have trouble making it out of the zone cleanly when the puck is on their stick. They are great at seperating players from the puck. I hated the D pairings last night. Timonen and Carle together makes little sense. I realize it's a product of kubina and lilja coming back. For the playoffs id like to see the pairings look like this.
Carle-kubina
Coburn-timonen
Grossman-Gustafson
I think if it's rangers or bruins they should dress lilja ahead of gusty - Just5
i've given up on trying to figure out the d pairings. they're never healthy long enough to find any rhythm anyway.
i do like your suggestion of lilja over gusty against ny or boston. hell, i think i like him in there regardless of the opponent.
Location: it's been 84 years, AZ Joined: 01.02.2007
Mar 21 @ 12:09 PM ET
The THN list is better. Ranford is NOT a high-end prospect despite his junior scoring numbers. Questions about his conditioning, skating, defensive play and size make him a longshot prospect. The team rarely mentions his name when they discuss prospects, and the fact that he's still not signed to an ELC with the expiration of his rights fast approaching pretty much tells you that he is not in their plans.
I do think Niko Hovinen belonged on the THN top-10 list somewhere, though. - bmeltzer
noebels was picked last year, right? i seem to remember there being a good buzz about him. an under the radar kind of pick who could be a gem or something like that.
Something to keep an eye on is the coburn and grossman pairing. I think they have trouble making it out of the zone cleanly when the puck is on their stick. They are great at seperating players from the puck. I hated the D pairings last night. Timonen and Carle together makes little sense. I realize it's a product of kubina and lilja coming back. For the playoffs id like to see the pairings look like this.
Carle-kubina
Coburn-timonen
Grossman-Gustafson
I think if it's rangers or bruins they should dress lilja ahead of gusty - Just5
You have to put your pairings together looking at them as far as icetime. First of all I think Lilja should be playing in place of Gustafsson. Secondly, your not going to get the most out of Grossmann playing him with Gustafsson. I think Carle and Timonen is a very good pairing. But I'd like to see Timonen and Coburn put back together with Carle and Grossmann paired. Spreads the puck movement around. And Kubina and Lilja as you next pair.
why would schenn be there but not couturier? - Don'tForgetTocchet
games played, perhaps.
wilsonecho91 Season Ticket Holder Philadelphia Flyers
Location: A dream to some...a nightmare to others, AK Joined: 11.13.2007
Mar 21 @ 12:40 PM ET
I felt I was in a time warp because overall a very boring game.
To me this is where you coach needs to be the best player on the ice. He needs to make adjustments to the team so they can succeed. Now, I don't know what is being said on the bench or between periods but it didn't show on the ice.
The Panthers play a boring game of clog hockey. In doing so the Flyers needed to keep it simple and crash the net. This did not occur. Too many times they tried the extra move and failed at it. To this I ask what type of adjustments are being made. There are plenty of video to see how each team plays so you need to mix it up. - phi1671
I would have liked to see some manufactured aggression/scrums. Something from someone to get the blood pumping that extra gear or passion. That is seemingly what helped them against Pittsburgh. I'm not talking about a fight necessarily. There really wasn't a single scrum in the entire game. That evidences a lack of something to me.
Amazing how many players are struggling to put pucks in the net. More amazing is how the team is still putting up pts in the standings. Cudos to Bryz and the team D.
noebels was picked last year, right? i seem to remember there being a good buzz about him. an under the radar kind of pick who could be a gem or something like that. - hammarby31
I see him more as a future Andreas Nodl (at best) but yes, the organization thought enough of him to sign him to an ELC shortly after the draft, and then slide the contract this season.
Couturier was never in the FLyers system... Just started the year on the team... - RooNosHockey
As I see it, he entered the prospect pool system the second the team called his name at the draft. Doesn't matter that he went straight to the NHL, IMO.
wilsonecho91 Season Ticket Holder Philadelphia Flyers
Location: A dream to some...a nightmare to others, AK Joined: 11.13.2007
Mar 21 @ 12:48 PM ET
I see him more as a future Andreas Nodl (at best) but yes, the organization thought enough of him to sign him to an ELC shortly after the draft, and then slide the contract this season. - bmeltzer
As I see it, he entered the prospect pool system the second the team called his name at the draft. Doesn't matter that he went straight to the NHL, IMO. - bmeltzer
