I think the only reason we are that low is because Huberdeau, Shore and Gudbranson are no longer considered "prospects". They mentioned more young kids in regards to us that aren't prospects anymore than they did actual prospects to in regards to Tampa. All they mentioned Lightning wise is Drouin.

We also lost Knight to trade so, that goes as a minus to us. But I would guess we have a DEEPER prospect pool than Tampa.

The main difference between the two organizations isn't prospects, it's development. For years, the Lightning have been able to develop properly with a great AHL organization and depth. Guys like Killorn and Labrie.. who heard of them before they came up to the NHL? Not many, and that's not because they aren't good, it's because they didn't have to be thrown into the NHL. With us signing and trading for players like Crabb, Gilroy, Butler, Mottau, and Winchester, we now have that kind of depth. Instead of calling up Howden when someone gets hurt, we can call up a Butler. If Jovo gets hurt, we can call up a Gilroy. All about the organization and development; and we haven't had it in a long time. We are just now starting to develop properly.
- Panthers88

Agreed %100.

Gudbranon and Huberdeau WERE two of the best prospects in all of hockey, but now they're two of the best young NHLers.

Just playing devil's advocate to all who were writing off TB's very good prospect pool without checking the updated organizational rankings, and those who said "Not. Even. Close" when clearly it is close regardless of which one is actually better...

Agreed %100.

Gudbranon and Huberdeau WERE two of the best prospects in all of hockey, but now they're two of the best young NHLers.

Just playing devil's advocate to all who were writing off TB's very good prospect pool without checking the updated organizational rankings, and those who said "Not. Even. Close" when clearly it is close regardless of which one is actually better...
- Fosco

Oh absolutely. Look, I don't like the Lightning (Panthers fan). But you can't take away what they have because you think our guys are better. Like I said, we could draft Gretzky, but if you don't develop him right he won't be any good. I would rather judge the players when they're here, not when they're still playing in Juniors or the NCAA.

...I dont care who's #1 in someone elses opinion...its not fact... OPINIONS AREN'T FACT...they seem to be highly confused daily on this site though

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/team-rankings/ note who is first here, and where are the lightning? 9th, as I said, its all a matter of opinion
- annoyance_101

This ranking is a year OLD!!

But if it's your opinion it's fact....? Because that's what you seem to claim with this post. And judging by some of your posts I can recall in the past, your opinion isn't worth much...

I'm not saying it's fact. I'm saying it's debatable.

The blogger specifically said "not according to organizational rankings" and I showed him one of the most cited organizational rankings in which TB is ranked higher than FLA...

What that means is that it is a "fact" that at least one "organizational ranking" has TB ranked higher than FLA.

In my "opinion" that means the two pools are at least comparable, and the matter is far from "Not. Even. Close." as another poster claimed.

So where are the "facts" to back up your opinion...?

EDIT: so HF's outdated ranking counts but Hockey Prospectus's doesn't...?

A number of those players are no longer prospects...
- Fosco

They are comparable for sure...my opinions aren't fact either...touchy touchy...and you have no idea about my opinions in the past...even trolls that have argued with me for years on this site (mostly oilers fans) had finally come to realize they needed defense and goaltending...Hubie, Markstrom, and Gudbrunson cannot be considered prospects anymore...which considerably would change the rankings...lets put it this way, I would easily take Floridas young core over Tampa Bay's young core...once both teams have their highly touted prospects on their main roster, I would take Florida's personally...but hey, keep being touchy sir

Agreed %100.

Gudbranon and Huberdeau WERE two of the best prospects in all of hockey, but now they're two of the best young NHLers.

Just playing devil's advocate to all who were writing off TB's very good prospect pool without checking the updated organizational rankings, and those who said "Not. Even. Close" when clearly it is close regardless of which one is actually better...
- Fosco

You troll!


But realistically the difference between a young NHL players and a prospects doesn't really matter when you're discussing which team has a brighter future or better group of young players in their franchise. I'd take Florida's over Tampa's personally, but both are pretty damn good.

They are comparable for sure...my opinions aren't fact either...touchy touchy...and you have no idea about my opinions in the past...even trolls that have argued with me for years on this site (mostly oilers fans) had finally come to realize they needed defense and goaltending...Hubie, Markstrom, and Gudbrunson cannot be considered prospects anymore...which considerably would change the rankings...lets put it this way, I would easily take Floridas young core over Tampa Bay's young core...once both teams have their highly touted prospects on their main roster, I would take Florida's personally...but hey, keep being touchy sir
- annoyance_101

I'm not touchy at all.

I just don't like hypocrites, and your previous post was full of hypocrisy.

TB has a solid young core too that are no longer considered prospects—Stamkos, Hedman, Killorn, and they also traded away Conacher.

You troll!


But realistically the difference between a young NHL players and a prospects doesn't really matter when you're discussing which team has a brighter future or better group of young players in their franchise. I'd take Florida's over Tampa's personally, but both are pretty damn good.
- Nucker101

Again, my original post was in regards to the "not according to organizational rankings" comment, to which I posted a link that states otherwise.

Both have excellent prospects and young NHLers.

You troll!


But realistically the difference between a young NHL players and a prospects doesn't really matter when you're discussing which team has a brighter future or better group of young players in their franchise. I'd take Florida's over Tampa's personally, but both are pretty damn good.
- Nucker101

Trying to say who has the better prospects at this point is like trying to say who won the draft this year. Both teams are pretty close IMO and both have great futures and the new division should be awesome.

I'm not touchy at all.

I just don't like hypocrites, and your previous post was full of hypocrisy.

TB has a solid young core too that are no longer considered prospects—Stamkos, Hedman, Killorn, and they also traded away Conacher.
- Fosco

I never said Tampas young core sucked, they're in the top 5 IMO, they're very good, just not as good as Floridas young core IMO...and do NOT call me a hypocrite...the reason I dropped the HF's opinion on teams prospects is because its not just cut and dry about who's got a better group of prospects...We'll have to agree to disagree on that, but the last thing I was doing was being a hypocrite...

its true, with huberdeau and those other guys florida and tampa are extremely equal with drouin and johnson and gudas and panik palat, koekkoek, brown, but floridas Allstars youn guns are no longer prospects, therefor tampa does stick out as the better PROSPECT pool

however, if were going to talk about young players and bright futures, then id say we are both in grreat positions, considering huberdeau is no longer considered a "prospect" ..or the other guys you mention...it all depends on your definition of prospect is what this all comes down to.

its true, with huberdeau and those other guys florida and tampa are extremely equal with drouin and johnson and gudas and panik palat, koekkoek, brown, but floridas Allstars youn guns are no longer prospects, therefor tampa does stick out as the better PROSPECT pool

however, if were going to talk about young players and bright futures, then id say we are both in grreat positions, considering huberdeau is no longer considered a "prospect" ..or the other guys you mention...it all depends on your definition of prospect is what this all comes down to.
- RileyB77

Barkov, trocheck, bjugstad, petrovic, robak, shaw, Houser, howden etc...

So we have a ton of big prospects in our system so no point in saying we have no all star prospects both systems are in the top 5. IMO

Barkov, trocheck, bjugstad, petrovic, robak, shaw, Houser, howden etc...

So we have a ton of big prospects in our system so no point in saying we have no all star prospects both systems are in the top 5. IMO
- Crazycaboose

i said your allstar prospects are no longer considered prospects because of games played lol, i didnt say you had no all star prospects.

also, i did forget about barkov.

i understand you are defending your team. just saying my opinion like you just did yours that i think tampa has the better PROSPECTS ( due to definition of prospect) but when it comes to young players who are going to shock the NHL and brighten both our teams for years it is extremely close, thats all

Barkov, trocheck, bjugstad, petrovic, robak, shaw, Houser, howden etc...

So we have a ton of big prospects in our system so no point in saying we have no all star prospects both systems are in the top 5. IMO
- Crazycaboose

i would go as far as saying top 3

i said your allstar prospects are no longer considered prospects because of games played lol, i didnt say you had no all star prospects.

also, i did forget about barkov.

i understand you are defending your team. just saying my opinion like you just did yours that i think tampa has the better PROSPECTS ( due to definition of prospect) but when it comes to young players who are going to shock the NHL and brighten both our teams for years it is extremely close, thats all
- RileyB77

How do you just forget about Barkov? That would be like forgetting Drouin for the Lightning

i would go as far as saying top 3
- RileyB77

Yes I would agree and sorry I misunderstood your other post.

How do you just forget about Barkov? That would be like forgetting Drouin for the Lightning
- annoyance_101

lol i know man

didnt mean t offend you by doing that

what have the panthers moved to a respectable hockey market?

lol i know man

didnt mean t offend you by doing that
- RileyB77

lol you didnt, just shocked that we're comparing prospects and you forget their best 1 haha

what have the panthers moved to a respectable hockey market?
- 2Real

what?

NOT. EVEN. CLOSE.

Florida is generally regarded as having one of the top 2 prospect pools in all the NHL. Tampa Bay, while being good, is borderline Top 10 and does NOT have the plethora of high-end potential the Cats have.
- kwolf68

yet we were rated #1 by Hockey Prospectus?

http://www.puckprospectus...rticle.php?articleid=1553

Not according to organizational rankings...
- spiegs13

http://www.puckprospectus...rticle.php?articleid=1553

If the Lightning and Panthers both get good at the same time it would probably be really good for developing hockey in Florida to have a rivalry like that between two very good teams.
- MannySilvers

I agree! they may hate each other as much as the Devils and Rangers do.

Depends which organizational ranking you look at.

Pronman at Hockey Prospectus updated theirs just over a week ago, and have TB ranked 1st, and the Panthers ranked 5th...

http://www.puckprospectus...rticle.php?articleid=1553

Obviously these don't mean much, but at the very least TB and FLA are close, and it's not really a stretch to say TB's pool is better...
- Fosco

http://www.puckprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=1553

Just gonna keep posting this since nobody has posted anything valid to back this stance up...

Note who's 1st...

They're definitely comparable.
- Fosco

I love you.

But if it's your opinion it's fact....? Because that's what you seem to claim with this post. And judging by some of your posts I can recall in the past, your opinion isn't worth much...

I'm not saying it's fact. I'm saying it's debatable.

The blogger specifically said "not according to organizational rankings" and I showed him one of the most cited organizational rankings in which TB is ranked higher than FLA...

What that means is that it is a "fact" that at least one "organizational ranking" has TB ranked higher than FLA.

In my "opinion" that means the two pools are at least comparable, and the matter is far from "Not. Even. Close." as another poster claimed.

So where are the "facts" to back up your opinion...?

EDIT: so HF's outdated ranking counts but Hockey Prospectus's doesn't...?

A number of those players are no longer prospects...
- Fosco

Once again, I love you.