Challenge: Rank Top 15 Defensive Prospects

[Bubba55]

I noticed a lot of "ranking" threads covering off a few D prospects. However, I haven't seen anyone tackle a more extensive list. We're at the quarter pole in the season and there are certainly lots of quality D prospects out there. The ranking criteria is simple, who's the best? In a keeper, who would you prefer to own over the others. Dobber has provided us with a list of top prospects and while his ranking criteria may be slightly different it's proably a good starting point. So, have at it boys, rank em'. Here is Dobbers list:

1 Rundblad (not seeing much ice)
2 Blum (decent ice, not decent numbers)
3 Smith (how many cups of coffee this year?)
4 Elliot (we'll get our first look with the call up today)
5 Ellis
6 Larsson
7 Murphy
8 Leddy (pretty impressive start)
9 Gardiner
10 Faulk
11 Orlov
12 Hamilton (ripping it up in junior)
13 Harmonic (not a banner sophmore year so far)
14 Grigani
15 Clitsome

* Funny, Voynov not in the top 15, but I would add him into the mix and if there is anyone else that deserves mention then by all means!

Thanks Guys

[dmvincent]

Originally Posted by Bubba55

I noticed a lot of "ranking" threads covering off a few D prospects. However, I haven't seen anyone tackle a more extensive list. We're at the quarter pole in the season and there are certainly lots of quality D prospects out there. The ranking criteria is simple, who's the best? In a keeper, who would you prefer to own over the others. Dobber has provided us with a list of top prospects and while his ranking criteria may be slightly different it's proably a good starting point. So, have at it boys, rank em'. Here is Dobbers list:

1 Rundblad (not seeing much ice)
2 Blum (decent ice, not decent numbers)
3 Smith (how many cups of coffee this year?)
4 Elliot (we'll get our first look with the call up today)
5 Ellis
6 Larsson
7 Murphy
8 Leddy (pretty impressive start)
9 Gardiner
10 Faulk
11 Orlov
12 Hamilton (ripping it up in junior)
13 Harmonic (not a banner sophmore year so far)
14 Grigani
15 Clitsome

* Funny, Voynov not in the top 15, but I would add him into the mix and if there is anyone else that deserves mention then by all means!

Thanks Guys

If we're talking long term, you should rank them as follows. Slava Voynov definitely deserves to be in the top fifteen.

1. Rundblad
2. Larsson
3. Murphy
4. Smith
5. Hamilton
6. Elliott
7. Voynov
8. Orlov
9. Ellis
10. Leddy
11. Faulk
12. Gardiner
13. Hamonic- I still think he's going to be a strong multi cat player, just a tough start.
14. Blum- I'd like to see how he handles a top D role when one of Shea Weber or Ryan Suter is out of the picture.
15. Gragnani- He's got competition in the form of Andrej Sekera and Brayden McNabb (besides Tyler Myers and Christian Ehrhoff).

Clitsome doesn't make the top fifteen in my books. Some other guys to keep an eye on are Jon Merrill (gets absolutely no love and I can't figure out why), Joe Morrow (amazing training camp and the Penguins have a knack for developing young defencemen), Kevin Connauton (slick offensive game) and Erik Gudbranson (another guy who people have different opinions on, but he could be a good one as well).

I hope that helps.

[bigbabybuda]

Originally Posted by Bubba55

I noticed a lot of "ranking" threads covering off a few D prospects. However, I haven't seen anyone tackle a more extensive list. We're at the quarter pole in the season and there are certainly lots of quality D prospects out there. The ranking criteria is simple, who's the best? In a keeper, who would you prefer to own over the others. Dobber has provided us with a list of top prospects and while his ranking criteria may be slightly different it's proably a good starting point. So, have at it boys, rank em'. Here is Dobbers list:

1 Rundblad (not seeing much ice)
2 Blum (decent ice, not decent numbers)
3 Smith (how many cups of coffee this year?)
4 Elliot (we'll get our first look with the call up today)
5 Ellis
6 Larsson
7 Murphy
8 Leddy (pretty impressive start)
9 Gardiner
10 Faulk
11 Orlov
12 Hamilton (ripping it up in junior)
13 Harmonic (not a banner sophmore year so far)
14 Grigani
15 Clitsome

* Funny, Voynov not in the top 15, but I would add him into the mix and if there is anyone else that deserves mention then by all means!

Thanks Guys

Hamilton
Larsson
Ellis
Voynov
Leddy
Orlov
Elliott
Smith
Rundblad
Murphy
Morrow
Gardiner
Faulk
Erixon
de Haan
Grigani
Savard
This is based on production 3 years from now going forward!! I added 2 and took 2 out...

Edited here: my list is also based on pts only

[Dean Youngblood]

This list depends largely on the time frame so no list is completely accurate until those perimeters are set.


Fantasy weighted. Three year window for fantasy relevance

1. Smith (big fan)
2. Elliott
3. Rundblad
4. Ellis (high risk here though)
5. Larsson
6. Murphy
7. Voynov
8. Morrow
9. Blum
10. Orlov
11. Gardiner
12. Hamilton
13. Gragnani
14. Leddy
15. Gudbranson
16. Faulk
17. McNabb
18. Erixon
19. Gormley
20. Merrill (only if he can get his head out of his ass and grow up)
21. Beaulieu

Just a guess right now.

Few Thoughts:
- These lists will change dramatically as they are all still very much prospects
- Hamonic is not an offensive defenseman.

[dmvincent]

You saw my ranking based on your list, Bubba55. Later today I will post my top 15, just to give you a different perspective.

[wendelclark17]

From my current point of view considering what I have seen this season with an emphasis for next year and going forward from there I would rank them as follows, (based on a combination of upside, probability of reaching that upside and time to reach potential.)

1 Larsson
2 Rundblad
3 smith
4 Orlov
5 Leddy
6 Elliott
7 Gardiner
8 Blum
9 Murphy
10 Gragnani
11 Ellis
12 Faulk
13 Hamilton
14 Clitsome
15 Hamonic

Forgot about voynov, I'd probably put him in the 4,5,6 area but I haven't watched any of his NHL starts this year

[bigbabybuda]

Originally Posted by Dean Youngblood

This list depends largely on the time frame so no list is completely accurate until those perimeters are set.


Fantasy weighted. Three year window for fantasy relevance

1. Smith (big fan)
2. Elliott
3. Rundblad
4. Ellis (high risk here though)
5. Larsson
6. Murphy
7. Voynov
8. Morrow
9. Blum
10. Orlov
11. Gardiner
12. Gragnani
13. Leddy
14. Gudbranson
15. Faulk
16. McNabb
17. Erixon
18. Gormley
19. Merrill (only if he can get his head out of his ass and grow up)
20. Beaulieu

Just a guess right now.

Few Thoughts:
- These lists will change dramatically as they are all still very much prospects
- Hamonic is not an offensive defenseman.

Did you forget Hamilton or leave him out on purpose?

[Dean Youngblood]

forgot him. Had him in there.

slot him in ahead of Gragnani

[wendelclark17]

I should warn you to take my list with an extra grain of salt because I just got home from a wedding and im quite inebriated

[franklin]

Here is mine. I think J.Schultz should be in the top 15.

1. Rundblad
2. Elliott
3. Smith
4. Larsson
5. Ellis
6. Hamilton
7. Murphy
8. Leddy
9. Voynov
10. Orlov
11. Blum
12. Morrow
13. Schultz
14. Faulk
15. Gardiner