Defensive Prospects

[EasyL]

So I\'ve got an open roster spot on my D and I\'m looking for cheap options.

Ideally I\'d like someone that contribute - in some way - this coming season.

Most of the top prospects are already on someone\'s farm team, but there are classic late bloomers who are available, as well as a few that have slipped through (we only drafted the top 30 each year until this season).

I\'m looking at Phoenix\' prospect chart and seeing some pretty good reviews:

Chris Summers, Jonas Ahnelov and Nick Ross all look pretty good.

My league rewards hits and blocked shots as well as points, so big physical guys (similar to Schenn or Phaneuf) have great value, as well as the offensive defensemen (Green, Weber, etc).

Who are some gems I should look at? GUys that might not have been grabbed already (I realize it\'s hard to speculate on that given that you can\'t see my league\'s farm team rosters, but a best-guess...)

Thanks!

[EasyL]

A few of the other names I\'m looking at (aside from Summers, Ross and Ahnelov) are Yannick Weber, Nick Petrecki, John Carlson and Jamie McBain

[ultrawhiteness]

John Carlson is probably your best bet, longterm at least.

Yannick Weber should become a decent puckmoving option for the Habs, and that should happen next year. Unless he bombs in camp.

What about Bobby Sanguinetti in New York?

The guy to watch in Phoenix is Maxim Goncharov. I don\'t know much about Ahnelov or whether he\'s next in line for a spot. Nick Ross though is not really very good and it will take him quite a few years in the minors to get himself NHL-ready.

Another option is Luca Sbisa in Philly. He should take on more of an offensive role this year.

[JHM]

Golly dude, you\'re talking, deep, deep, deep. I am just finishing doing my research for the two pools inwhich I play. None of the original list you gave even managed to get on the radar for what I\'m doing. I\'d be good for knowledge on over 1,000 players. So, you\'re deep down in there somewhere.

Truthfully, I wouldn\'t dwell too much on position when I\'m way down deep. Talent only. Maybe your guys hit those charts at 1100 and I\'m just not knowledgeable enough.

Carlson & McBain hit the radar. Carlson nicely if you\'re talking the Ottawa version. Another good one to watch would be the Gilroy kid that won the Hobey this year and signed with the Rangers. I haven\'t picked up on the new Corey Murphy or Anssi Salmela just yet. Guys coming from over seas. Might want to review who has signed with NHL teams in recent days/weeks from over seas. Taking a flyer on one of these kind of guys might pay a good dividend.

Good luck!

[EasyL]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Anyone know if Carlson will get a shot with the Caps this year?

[vandalay]

EasyL wrote:

Anyone know if Carlson will get a shot with the Caps this year?

Very unlikely. Might get a couple cups of coffee though.

[hockeylifer]

Easy L: You should purchase Dobber\'s prospect guide that came out on June 1, 2009. Everything you want to know about Carlson is there in the Washington prospects. Looks like he could he nearly made the team last year and could be the reason that Lepisto doesn\'t play with Green this year.

[The Hockey Hitman]

Carlson probably doesn\'t make the team next season, but if hes avaialble he\'d be an excellent pickup.

I like Chris Summers the most out of the three Phoenix defenseman you mentioned. Hes probably NHL ready now but may return for his senior year of college haven\'t heard anything about that yet. And Ahnelov projects as more of a shutdown defenseman, while Ross could one day be in the mold of a Keith Ballard type defenseman. Another highly regarded Phoenix defenseman prospect is Maxim Goncharov.

Jamie McBain from Carolina is another good option, he could make the Canes squad next season.

Jonas Junland is someone I\'d keep an eye out...hes almost been forgotten in St. Louis with the arrival of Piertrangelo and EJ awaiting to return, but he had a good season in the AHL and has a lot of talent. St. Louis has so much talent at every position, its easy to overlook someone but I wouldn\'t recommend overlooking Ian Cole, who many say fits the mold of a young Scott Stevens.

Colorado has a couple pretty good young defenseman to keep your eye on, Cameron Gaunce, who I\'m a big fan of, reminds me of a little nicer version of Shea Weber. Big point totals last season for him and I\'ve read where he may be a surprise pick of the 2008 draft....and Nigel Williams, who played in the AHL last season and has two way ability, I think Gaunce\'s upside is higher though. Of course, this is assuming the real gem of the Colorado prospect pipeline, Kevin Shattenkirk, is already taken.

Phillip Larsen is a Dallas Stars prospect that evidently is NHL ready. Another name to remember.

I can throw some more names out there if you\'d like, let me know.

[Rad64]

Tyler Myers out in Buffalo, Erik Karlson in Ottawa.

[JHM]

You might consider reviewing this years draft crop. A lot of interesting kids

Rundblad
Kulikov
Ekman-Larrson
Ellis (I like too much!)
Moore

[fungchen3]

Ivan Vishnevskiy, Dallas.

[DuklaNation]

Yannick Weber is my favourite sleeper pick right now.

[Steffen]

Tyler Ennis\'s shot is Souray-like.

If he isn\'t owned in a thing this deep, he should be soon.