THN future watch 2012

[DuklaNation]

I never really care too much about the actual ranking of players #6 or #12 really doesnt influence me. I do find that their top 50 is a good barometer for future success, ie. players who arent on the list, I will discount their valuation.

[Sportfreunde]

They didn't even bother to include Granlund in the top 10 and even at the time he should've been considered a better prospect than Gudbranson but the top 5 was fairly good imo.

I don't know how they scout the European guys so not sure about their ranking of those.

[wendelclark17]

Their rankings can definitely be all over the place and the fact that as mentioned most of the research/writing is completed in January makes some of the stuff outdated b the time you read it. However the aspect of the issue that I find valuable is that in the sections for each team they often include quotes from the GM or Head Scout or Current coach for each of the players which can provide some useful tidbits. Other than that it's most useful to see how your opponents will value those prospects

[A Watch]

Not sure where, but I bet Palmieri is somewhere in there.....

[vandalay]

My prediction for the top 20, subject of course to the who is considered a prospect at the time of publication and who is not. For example, Ryan Ellis is somewhat of a regular so I could see him being removed. Nino could easily be added as he is a semi-regular. We could see someone like Paajarvi added to the list since he has been in the minors recently (like they did with Boedker last year).

1. Tarasenko/Kuznetsov
2. Kuznetsov/Tarasenko
3. Huberdeau
4. D. Hamilton
5. Granlund
6. Ellis
7. Markstrom
8. Strome
9. Zibanejad
10. Scheifele
11. Gormley
12. Schwartz
13. Kadri
14. Coyle
15. Etem
16. Palmieri
17. Kassian
18. Brodin
19. Nyquist
20. Bjugstad

Or something like that...

As it turns out I got all of the players in the top 10 (considering that they did not list Ellis as a prospect anymore) and I did ok with order too. Apparently the top 10 is:

1. Evgeny Kuznetsov
2. Mikael Granlund
3. Jonathan Huberdeau
4. Dougie Hamilton
5. Mika Zibanejad
6. Vladimir Tarasenko
7. Mark Scheifele
8. Jacob Markstrom
9. Ryan Strome
10. Brandon Gormley

[dmvincent]

I'd expect the top 15-20 to be something like this (in no particular order). I'm not going to include players that are in the NHL on my list.

Tarasenko
Kuznetsov
Strome
Schwartz
Nyquist
Gormley
Huberdeau
Markstrom
Baertschi
Etem
Coyle
Smith (DET)
Granlund
Hamilton
Ryan Murphy
Scheifele
Campbell
Zibanejad
Pulkkinen
Morrow

Tarasenko
Kuznetsov
Strome
Schwartz
Nyquist
Gormley
Huberdeau
Markstrom
Baertschi
Etem
Coyle
Smith (DET)
Granlund
Hamilton
Ryan Murphy
Scheifele
Campbell
Zibanejad
Pulkkinen
Morrow

[Big Ev]

1. Evgeny Kuznetsov
2. Mikael Granlund
3. Jonathan Huberdeau
4. Dougie Hamilton
5. Mika Zibanejad
6. Vladimir Tarasenko
7. Mark Scheifele
8. Jacob Markstrom
9. Ryan Strome
10. Brandon Gormley
11. Ryan Ellis
12. Jonas Brodin
13. Zack Kassian
14. Charlie Coyle
15. Sven Baertschi
16. Brendan Smith
17. Tim Erixon
18. Joe Colborne
19. Nick Bjugstad
20. Robin Lehner

[vandalay]

Nevermind, I guess Ellis was still considered a prospect. So I was 9/10 but 11/11...

[hockeyrobot]

1. Evgeny Kuznetsov
2. Mikael Granlund
3. Jonathan Huberdeau
4. Dougie Hamilton
5. Mika Zibanejad
6. Vladimir Tarasenko
7. Mark Scheifele
8. Jacob Markstrom
9. Ryan Strome
10. Brandon Gormley
11. Ryan Ellis
12. Jonas Brodin
13. Zack Kassian
14. Charlie Coyle
15. Sven Baertschi
16. Brendan Smith
17. Tim Erixon
18. Joe Colborne
19. Nick Bjugstad
20. Robin Lehner

Is this the correct listing?

[dmvincent]

Brodin, Erixon and Bjugstad I disagree with. Other than that, this list is pretty good for THN.

[NikW71]

Surprised to see Schwartz failed to crack the top 20

[dmvincent]

Surprised to see Schwartz failed to crack the top 20

Absolutely, he should be a shoe in.

[Big Ev]

Brodin, Erixon and Bjugstad I disagree with. Other than that, this list is pretty good for THN.

Another example of a person not knowing who Brodin is and how he plays (not taking a shot at you, it's only because he is European). One of the next best d-men in the league.

[Big Ev]

Is this the correct listing?

According to somebody who has the magazine. I don't have it.

[dmvincent]

Another example of a person not knowing who Brodin is and how he plays (not taking a shot at you, it's only because he is European). One of the next best d-men in the league.

I never said he wasn't good at all, I just believe there are better prospects. I know he's a quality young dman, but I wouldn't put him that high in the rankings.

Nyquist>Brodin
Schwartz>Bjugstad
Murphy>Erixon