Its not a crap shoot when you put an hoenst effort into scouting. Scouting and coaching are two things that most orgs greatly undervalue
- hubie

I dont think its under valued, I think scouting is very hard. How are you supposed to really know what kind of player a 17/18 year kid is gonna turn out to be.

But from what everyone has been saying the guys that will be going in the top 10-15 are guys that the past couple years would have easily gone top 5.

Honestly I just want a guy thats gonna be the new face of the team. A young kid thats gonna come in and be the Stamkos of Tampa or Ovi of Washington or Tavares of NYI etc.
- Smittyx36

I get that,
But it's tough to get those types...
How many guys would you put on that level in the whole league?
I notice u didn't list any of Edmonton's top5 picks from recent years, which just goes to show that picking high doesn't guarantee the kind of "superstar" you're looking for

What we are doing (IMO) is building a grpretty big group of prospects that will be 20-30 goal scorers in the NHL, which is pretty good
ESP if u consider that at the same time, we are getting bigger and tougher to play against to go along with the scoring depth we are building

A few years from now, it's not crazy to think a 4th line for us could look something like...
Girgensons-Larsson-Catenacci
That line has speed, toughness, and all three of them have 20goal+ potential, but could just be buried on the 4th line bc of the talent we have above them

When u have guys w 2nd line potential busting their butts for u on your 4th line, well tht could be a really nice situation for us

I dont think its under valued, I think scouting is very hard. How are you supposed to really know what kind of player a 17/18 year kid is gonna turn out to be.
- Homer

That's pretty much what I was getting at. from 18-20 yr anything could happen. lose interest in hockey . want to do something else in life.

I get that,
But it's tough to get those types...
How many guys would you put on that level in the whole league?
I notice u didn't list any of Edmonton's top5 picks from recent years, which just goes to show that picking high doesn't guarantee the kind of "superstar" you're looking for

What we are doing (IMO) is building a grpretty big group of prospects that will be 20-30 goal scorers in the NHL, which is pretty good
ESP if u consider that at the same time, we are getting bigger and tougher to play against to go along with the scoring depth we are building

A few years from now, it's not crazy to think a 4th line for us could look something like...
Girgensons-Larsson-Catenacci
That line has speed, toughness, and all three of them have 20goal+ potential, but could just be buried on the 4th line bc of the talent we have above them

When u have guys w 2nd line potential busting their butts for u on your 4th line, well tht could be a really nice situation for us
- jdfitz77

To early yet but I would maybe put T.Hall on that list. And I get what your saying... But With are lot of picks plus Miller/Vanek I really wanna see us get a top 5 pick.

I get that,
But it's tough to get those types...
How many guys would you put on that level in the whole league?
I notice u didn't list any of Edmonton's top5 picks from recent years, which just goes to show that picking high doesn't guarantee the kind of "superstar" you're looking for

What we are doing (IMO) is building a grpretty big group of prospects that will be 20-30 goal scorers in the NHL, which is pretty good
ESP if u consider that at the same time, we are getting bigger and tougher to play against to go along with the scoring depth we are building

A few years from now, it's not crazy to think a 4th line for us could look something like...
Girgensons-Larsson-Catenacci
That line has speed, toughness, and all three of them have 20goal+ potential, but could just be buried on the 4th line bc of the talent we have above them

When u have guys w 2nd line potential busting their butts for u on your 4th line, well tht could be a really nice situation for us
- jdfitz77

I think more like Girgensons-Larsson-Foligno as a potential 3rd line

That's pretty much what I was getting at. from 18-20 yr anything could happen. lose interest in hockey . want to do something else in life.
- cabin

That's true. But I haven't seen many top 5 picks turn out to be busts from the past several drafts. So hopefully scouting has gotten that good. I did however notice many busts in the early 2000's and 90's.

I think more like Girgensons-Larsson-Foligno as a potential 3rd line
- Homer

What's up with Foligno playing center? Any word on if that's gonna carry into next year?

I think more like Girgensons-Larsson-Foligno as a potential 3rd line
- Homer

I personally think Foligno is never gonna live up to the hype he created for himself last season....

I dont think its under valued, I think scouting is very hard. How are you supposed to really know what kind of player a 17/18 year kid is gonna turn out to be.
- Homer

Since the lockout,
I think the Sabres have Had really nice drafts...
We won't know for sure how they look a few years from now, but I really like the collection of talent Darcy is putting together
And a big chunk of the credit for that has to go to the scouting dept as well

A few years from now, it's not crazy to think a 4th line for us could look something like...
Girgensons-Larsson-Catenacci
That line has speed, toughness, and all three of them have 20goal+ potential, but could just be buried on the 4th line bc of the talent we have above them
- jdfitz77

Fitz, that would be an ideal 3rd line actually.
You want that kind of line playing major minutes, wearing down the other teams top players.

I personally think Foligno is never gonna live up to the hype he created for himself last season....
- Smittyx36

I think he will be our Ryan Clowe or Wayne Simmonds type player. I could see him scoring 25-30 on a really talented 2nd line, or see him scoring 10-15 on a good checking line

I think he will be our Ryan Clowe or Wayne Simmonds type player. I could see him scoring 25-30 on a really talented 2nd line, or see him scoring 10-15 on a good checking line
- sbroads24

I hope so... I love the kid and what he can bring to the table when he plays on top of his game. But I just haven't seen it much this year.

To early yet but I would maybe put T.Hall on that list. And I get what your saying... But With are lot of picks plus Miller/Vanek I really wanna see us get a top 5 pick.
- Smittyx36

Don't get me wrong...
So do I
If we lose out, I think we can get the 3rd or 4th pick
And I'd be really happy w Barkov at 4
I actually think he's my fav guy in the whole draft now that I've done some research on him
I'd still take Jones #1, but Barkov is only 17 and looks really impressive too

Don't get me wrong...
So do I
If we lose out, I think we can get the 3rd or 4th pick
And I'd be really happy w Barkov at 4
I actually think he's my fav guy in the whole draft now that I've done some research on him
I'd still take Jones #1, but Barkov is only 17 and looks really impressive too
- jdfitz77

I agree on Barkov. I would like to have the 4th pick instead just so we don't pick drouin or mackinnon and Barkov falls into are laps.

I personally think Foligno is never gonna live up to the hype he created for himself last season....
- Smittyx36

it was his rookie year don't give up on him yet

it was his rookie year don't give up on him yet
- gerbe75pts

..........

it was his rookie year don't give up on him yet
- gerbe75pts

I'm by no means giving up on him... I just don't think he will live up to the hype he had last season. I hope I'm wrong

What's up with Foligno playing center? Any word on if that's gonna carry into next year?
- sbroads24

I'm guessing the new coach will decide that...still dont think RR will be back.

Fitz, that would be an ideal 3rd line actually.
You want that kind of line playing major minutes, wearing down the other teams top players.
- kingcong39

I agree,
What I'm trying to say is that we are putting together such a nice collection of talent, that as good as those guys are, they could end up on a 4th line with THREE legit scoring lines

All those guys also have potential to move up and down the lines bc of their style AND talent level... Much like Foligno or Ott IMO can go between the 1st - 3rd lines depending who else is paired w them

We could legit role 4 lines and when it gets late in the game, shorten the bench & play the lines that have it going that night
The thing w that is, a line like Girgensons-Larsson-Catenacci is pretty close in talent to Foligno-Hodgson-Armia...
So we aren't really gonna see the kind of talent drop off like when we see guys like Hecht, Porter, McCormick, etc playing in the last 5min of games bc they happen to be putting forth a better effort than guys like Stafford, Vanek, Roy, etc who we've often seen benched late in games bc of lack of effort

I'm by no means giving up on him... I just don't think he will live up to the hype he had last season. I hope I'm wrong
- Smittyx36

its almost impossible to...he was on fire

I think he will be our Ryan Clowe or Wayne Simmonds type player. I could see him scoring 25-30 on a really talented 2nd line, or see him scoring 10-15 on a good checking line
- sbroads24

hmm, I dont think he'll ever be a 25 goal scorer....hope Im wrong.

I'm guessing the new coach will decide that...still dont think RR will be back.
- Homer

God I hope your right! I can't stand RR.

What do you think about Darcy? I think he has another year or two to turn this team around.

I'm by no means giving up on him... I just don't think he will live up to the hype he had last season. I hope I'm wrong
- Smittyx36

I agree. I think he will be a real solid third liner with second line potential if he has the right players with him.

God I hope your right! I can't stand RR.

What do you think about Darcy? I think he has another year or two to turn this team around.
- Smittyx36

A year or two......or 10.

I hope so... I love the kid and what he can bring to the table when he plays on top of his game. But I just haven't seen it much this year.
- Smittyx36

It's gonna come down to how dirty he wants to get around the net
He's gonna end up playing w skilled guys like Ennis, Hodgson, Grigorenko, etc...
So if he puts in the effort, and develops his skills in close quarters, there's no reason he can't be a 20goal scorer consistently
And I'm totally ok with that output
His ceiling is prob something like 25-35-60pts
Lowball, 15-25-40pts...
I'm ok w the "lowball" as long as he consistently bangs and makes it tough for whoever he's out there against, regardless of what line he ends up on...
We're gonna have a lot of 20+ goal scorers,
So if he does bottom out it won't be the end of the world as long as he continues to be physical