IMO to be considered a team with a good or excellent talent pipeline, the NHL team has to deliver a Cup or at least some strong playoff runs.

Ron Hextall built a real ggod farm system in Philly and what have they done since? Same with Nashville - drafted well and patiently developed guys in the AHL - no Cups. Same with Winnipeg. And for all of the great kids Ottawa supposedly has in their system, they are still near the bottom.

Lots of times the NHL GM or Owner get in the way by being impatiient or getting sucked in by free agency or trading away too many draft picks for an NHL ready player.

Boston seems near the best at getting their pipeline to produce players that support their established core. If the Hawks can graduate 2 good contributing players a year thats is about as good as it gets.
- RickJ

Boston? Guess we are just forgetting the picks in a row that netted a 4th line scrub?

LA, while I too love Hagel, I’m not sure he’s a top 6 on a contender. I would have Hagel in the bottom six, but you never know, he could prove me wrong, sort of like I proved many of my teachers wrong.
- Angotti

Do you see Chandler Stephenson as one? The reality is that while guys may not be projected to be top 6, it is possible for a player to fill a role/need. Like Bickell for an example and there are others.

My point being I wouldn't get too hung up on projections. Truth is even the guys who get paid to do it have a slightly better idea than most fans.

Do you see Chandler Stephenson as one? The reality is that while guys may not be projected to be top 6, it is possible for a player to fill a role/need. Like Bickell for an example and there are others.

My point being I wouldn't get too hung up on projections. Truth is even the guys who get paid to do it have a slightly better idea than most fans.
- Elbows15

I would say more than slightly better. So many factors though go into what players actually become (or don't) at the NHL level. Injuries obviously play a big role, so does the development and coaching at both the minor/Jr level and the NHL. Again, not to beat a dead horse, but teams like BUF and EDM have drafted high in the first round for years with little to show for it. Maybe they over evaluated some players, maybe they brought them up to fast, maybe stuck them in situations & matchups that were detrimental to their confidence and wound up ruining them. It's a tough balance and it also takes the right mentality from the player to be able to compete at the highest levels for year after year, or shrug off a season that didn't go their way and come back and prove they belong.

2 dingers this shift.

2 dingers this shift.
- I Am The Breadman

Dach has started strong.

If Hagel wants some goals with Kane and Suter, go hard to the net with his stick on the ice.

Dach has started strong.

If Hagel wants some goals with Kane and Suter, go hard to the net with his stick on the ice.
- paulr

Def a step up from his initial games. He'd be a more consistent player if he stops with the fancy dangles that he often loses.

I see Hagel wanting to build off his ot winner, but Det has turned it up lately. Be interesting to see how everyone handles these must win games as the season winds down.

Funny how poop was talked today about Keith. 1-0

Funny how poop was talked today about Keith. 1-0
- I Am The Breadman

There was? Nice to see him get another goal, JC playing the poop out of 2.

Def a step up from his initial games. He'd be a more consistent player if he stops with the fancy dangles that he often loses.

I see Hagel wanting to build off his ot winner, but Det has turned it up lately. Be interesting to see how everyone handles these must win games as the season winds down.
- I Am The Breadman

Yeah scrap the fancy stuff and follow the KISS philosophy.

There was? Nice to see him get another goal, JC playing the poop out of 2.
- BetweenTheDots

Something about rookie mistakes ... idk. Bad bounces happen to all d men, but he recovers his well.

Coming off a 31 minute game last time out, he really is. I guess you rely on your #1 d man in the first period against a hot team of late.

Last time they played the Wings Chicago didn’t play with this kind of energy and urgency. I hope they keep it up all night

Is it just me, or does Stillman look like he's interested in the hit first, puck possession second?

Something about rookie mistakes ... idk. Bad bounces happen to all d men, but he recovers his well.

Coming off a 31 minute game last time out, he really is. I guess you rely on your #1 d man in the first period against a hot team of late.
- I Am The Breadman

I think allot of Kieth’s mistakes are because of trying to do too much and he’s overplayed. He easily played 22 plus minutes a game in the past. I’m not so sure he’s still capable of that workload.

Yeah scrap the fancy stuff and follow the KISS philosophy.
- paulr

Knights In Satan's Service

I think allot of Kieth’s mistakes are because of trying to do too much and he’s overplayed. He easily played 22 plus minutes a game in the past. I’m not so sure he’s still capable of that workload.
- paulr

I was the one who said Keith had been making bad pinches and Bobwuist has had to defend the 2 on 1’s , which you would think would be the other way.

I think allot of Kieth’s mistakes are because of trying to do too much and he’s overplayed. He easily played 22 plus minutes a game in the past. I’m not so sure he’s still capable of that workload.
- paulr

Now it's even more important he does though, with so many young'uns on D he gets tasked with a whole heap more time and responsibility. Grandpa Duncs mode activated

I think allot of Kieth’s mistakes are because of trying to do too much and he’s overplayed. He easily played 22 plus minutes a game in the past. I’m not so sure he’s still capable of that workload.
- paulr

Sadly, there's not many other options behind him. I like Murphy, but there is a clear gap between the two. The same can probably be said for Kane - double shifted & more when injuries happen & almost all the pp.

I was the one who said Keith had been making bad pinches and Bobwuist has had to defend the 2 on 1’s , which you would think would be the other way.
- LAHawk

And they paired Kalynuk with 2. Just watching him defend in his own end is a pleasure.

Is it just me, or does Stillman look like he's interested in the hit first, puck possession second?
- Dieselhead

Stillman has a lot of work to do to get better.

I would say more than slightly better. So many factors though go into what players actually become (or don't) at the NHL level. Injuries obviously play a big role, so does the development and coaching at both the minor/Jr level and the NHL. Again, not to beat a dead horse, but teams like BUF and EDM have drafted high in the first round for years with little to show for it. Maybe they over evaluated some players, maybe they brought them up to fast, maybe stuck them in situations & matchups that were detrimental to their confidence and wound up ruining them. It's a tough balance and it also takes the right mentality from the player to be able to compete at the highest levels for year after year, or shrug off a season that didn't go their way and come back and prove they belong.
- TheTrob

Well, given the amount of time scouts spend studying players and game tapes, their percentages aren't really much better than random fans.

They're scouting 17-18 year olds. It isn't an exact science considering all the variable you mentioned.

Canes beating the Preds. Very nice to see.

I was the one who said Keith had been making bad pinches and Bobwuist has had to defend the 2 on 1’s , which you would think would be the other way.
- LAHawk

I don’t disagree. I think he needs less minutes a game but while the hawks are fighting for the playoffs and with Boqvist and DeHaan out he’ll continue to play allot. The

LBR,

I saw that you are a L Carlsson fan over on secondcity hockey site. I agree that he would be solid when playing with a good partner. You referenced his success with Murphy last year, citing statistical evidence

A surprise that he is not in Florida line up tonight but there could be reasons why. You state that he was solid on either side as he is nimly a lefty. If you want there is L Carlsson AHL scoring highlights on that site. Just cick on his picture in the red Icehog uniform

I get it that he is a third pair depth guy but I personally think some are under rating him a bit.

Knights In Satan's Service
- I Am The Breadman

Keep It Simple Stupid

Well, given the amount of time scouts spend studying players and game tapes, their percentages aren't really much better than random fans.

They're scouting 17-18 year olds. It isn't an exact science considering all the variable you mentioned.
- Elbows15

I also think the more you can invest in scouting the bigger the advantage.