And Roy and Ribeiro and Jagr and Ryder and Morrow and Ott and Souray and Grossmann just since last year XD
- JAKEw1234

I meant lost Niskanen & Neal for Gogo.

Don't get hung up on one player or position, it set you up for disappointment
- ob18

how about you ob: columbus offers 18 and 24 for 8.... you pull the trigger?

If he plays again it's going to me next year or never
- Winning

He's probably not going to ever get is peripheral vision back. He's so old though, that even if he does return, he won't be the same, and he'll only play 2 seasons MAX before retiring.

He's probably not going to ever get is peripheral vision back. He's so old though, that even if he does return, he won't be the same, and he'll only play 2 seasons MAX before retiring.
- JAKEw1234

Pronger could play better than half the defenders in the league with one eye ,

Ristolainen or Pulock
- ob18

I really like both, but given the option I'd take Pulock. Has a higher offensive upside, can play sound positional defense and isn't afraid to throw his body around. He seems like a natural fit to replace kimmo on the pp.

If I were the Flyers, I would take Pulock or Ristolainen ahead of Nurse if all three were on the board. That doesn't mean Nurse can't end up being the best of the three but I think he requires the biggest leap of faith and the most patience until he is about 23 or 24 years old.

Nurse succeeds in the OHL because he's a great athlete and is physically a man against boys -- and will only fill out in years to come -- despite having only turned 18 in February. However, I've seen him play enough this year to have some concerns about how much patience it will take at the NHL level to get him through his learning curve years. You might see his massive potential turn into being a bonafide star. There are mixed reviews from scouts on whether he could be a point producer in the NHL (stats this year aside) and he's a guy who really could go either way and become either a two-way standout or a little nastier version of Coburn (i.e., a big guy who can skate well and tends be defensively streaky with modest offense).

Far and away, Pulock has the highest pure offensive upside of the three. I don't even think he's all that bad defensively. He can use his size better and get more consistent away from the puck but the tools and there.

Ristolainen, whom I have only seen play at the WJC and in game highlights (it's is all but impossible to find SM-liiga streams but daily free highlights are available within an hour of a game ending) but have talked to a Finnish-based NHL scout about, is the safest pick of the three. He'll be a good puck-mover in the NHL and be decent defensively (although not a shutdown guy against the opponent's top line). He plays with an occasional edge. He's probably not going to be a top-pairing player unless his offensive skills further develop into being a point-producer.

I know for a fact, because Mikael Renberg said it on TV during the WJC, that the Flyers have scouted and like Swedish defenseman Robert Hägg (the Philly scouts solicited Renberg's own opinions on him). He's probably going to get picked sooner than his projected mid-to-late 20s range, but would be an off-the-board hunch if he went around where the Flyers will pick. He's been compared to Kenny Jönsson and Kim Johnsson and I can absolutely see him developing along those lines.
- bmeltzer

Thanks for this...also I've noticed many people when writing about prospects compared to former or current NHLers, they almost always pick someone of the same nationality to compare them against. Why are people compelled to do this?

I meant lost Niskanen & Neal for Gogo.
- GirouxForTheShow

And Richards and Langenbrunner and Woywitka... but ya I see your point XD

I really like both, but given the option I'd take Pulock. Has a higher offensive upside, can play sound positional defense and isn't afraid to throw his body around. He seems like a natural fit to replace kimmo on the pp.
- fecondo

I would as well. With Gostisbehere developing, and then a Pulock as well, that's two hard shots on the PP, something that is desperately lacking in my opinion. Pulock has a cannon from the point.

I really like both, but given the option I'd take Pulock. Has a higher offensive upside, can play sound positional defense and isn't afraid to throw his body around. He seems like a natural fit to replace kimmo on the pp.
- fecondo

What's the knock on Pulock?

Pronger could play better than half the defenders in the league with one eye ,
- Winning

but would you play him or Lauridsen? I'd rather play a great developing player than a 40 year old with 1 eye

What's the knock on Pulock?
- Just5

Lack of physicality on the back-end is the big knock I believe. He played forward for most of his playing career I think as well, not that it means anything specific.

What's the knock on Pulock?
- Just5

From what I've read he needs to work on his upper body strength a little bit.

From what I've read he needs to work on his upper body strength a little bit.
- fecondo

I believe his shot has been clocked at 101mph. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Lack of physicality on the back-end is the big knock I believe. He played forward for most of his playing career I think as well, not that it means anything specific.
- GirouxForTheShow

So pair him with Schenn and you've got a pretty solid mix.

I believe his shot has been clocked at 101mph. I wouldn't worry about it too much.
- hereticpride

At 6'0" he must have one hell of a core to get that kind of torque. Hes moving up my draft board

So pair him with Schenn and you've got a pretty solid mix.
- hereticpride

2 righty's tho. If Coburn is around that could be a pretty good pair. Just Tell Coburn to never ever shoot and get the puck off your stick ASAP dumb dumb

I believe his shot has been clocked at 101mph. I wouldn't worry about it too much.
- hereticpride

In my opinion, slapshot power has less to do with upper-body strength and more with technique. Which means his core is probably rock solid.

So pair him with Schenn and you've got a pretty solid mix.
- hereticpride

Well with Ghost, Pulock, Gusty and then Schenn, Grossman, Coburn, Lauridson; you've got a good mix of offensive D and defensive D. But who is to say that Pulock is drafted and/or Ghost continues to develop. Regardless of any roster moves made.

i have not missed coburn, mezzy at all,i hope they trade them because i think we can do better then them with some of our younger guys

In my opinion, slapshot power has less to do with upper-body strength and more with technique. Which means his core is probably rock solid.
- GirouxForTheShow

True. I wouldnt worry about it too much. If we got him he would surely be paired with one of Grossmann Coburn or Schenn. The kid's slapshot is said to be the best in the WHL right now, maybe only behind Thrower and has been described as maybe the smartest D man in the draft. I'm willing to trade some physicality for that.

i have not missed coburn, mezzy at all,i hope they trade them because i think we can do better then them with some of our younger guys
- mydoglicks

I hope we deal one of them, preferably Mesz. Selling Coburn low would be a mistake, but Mesz only has 1 year left so maybe we find a taker at the draft?

i have not missed coburn, mezzy at all,i hope they trade them because i think we can do better then them with some of our younger guys
- mydoglicks

I think maybe 1 of 2, but not both. I'm not ready to hand Lauridison the reigns cause he's a hulk and gets his nose dirty. He's had far too many turnovers for the amount of playing time he gets and the time he has the puck on his stick. Has he impressed? Most certainly. But I don't think he's made Coburn or Meszy expendable, let alone both. I'd get rid of Meszy to free up a contract and cap space, if only because of his injuries. Coburn has a bounce back year next year I'd say, he's too talented and at the very least has too good of physical tools to be as bad as he was this year.

i have not missed coburn, mezzy at all,i hope they trade them because i think we can do better then them with some of our younger guys
- mydoglicks

here we go

I hope we deal one of them, preferably Mesz. Selling Coburn low would be a mistake, but Mesz only has 1 year left so maybe we find a taker at the draft?
- Rocktane

With his string of severe injuries I dont think there will be a taker. That is unless someone is really struggling to reach the cap floor.

True. I wouldnt worry about it too much. If we got him he would surely be paired with one of Grossmann Coburn or Schenn. The kid's slapshot is said to be the best in the WHL right now, maybe only behind Thrower and has been described as maybe the smartest D man in the draft. I'm willing to trade some physicality for that.
- hereticpride

Offensively, the kid is a wizard. He's bar none the most dynamic offensive defenseman in this draft. I'd say his slapshot is the best in the W, i'd give him the edge over Thrower because Pulock has a quick release on top of his bomb, where Thrower takes a bit longer to wind up and step into it.