Sundqvist rounds out the top 20. But since there is nothing else going on at this time I decided to do a special extended bonus edition this year. We're going to 25 this time. Added Thompson.
2012 poll results
#1 Joe Morrow (45.37% in #1 poll, 52.00% in runoff)
#2 Simon Després (43.98% in #1 poll, 48.00% in runoff)
#3 Brian Dumoulin (38.15%)
#4 Beau Bennett (35.50%)
#5 Derrick Pouliot (43.21%)
#6 Scott Harrington (58.33%)
#7 Olli Määttä (87.40%)
#8 Eric Tangradi (61.65%)
#9 Robert Bortuzzo (33.33%)
#10 Brian Strait (42.06%)
#11 Tom Kühnhackl (44.80%)
#12 Teddy Blueger (38.02%)
#13 Ben Hanowski (47.57%)
#14 Dominik Uher (31.58%)
#15 Matia Marcantuoni (41.67%)
#16 Kenny Agostino (30.38% in #16 poll, 56.72% in runoff)
#17 Nick D'Agostino (31.65% in #16 poll, 43.28% in runoff)
#18 Scott Wilson (28.40%)
#19 Anton Zlobin (20.22%)
#20 Oscar Sundqvist (26.83%)
Haven't voted in any of these, but I just have to comment that our prospect pool appears to be in great shape. A few years ago the cabinet was so empty that you'd expect the kind of guys in the 21-25 spots to be in the 6-10 spots on the list & guys like Kühnhackl and Hanowski would have been shoe ins for our top 5.
I know its a bit of a standing joke in here the Samuelsson has fallen. And im ready to jump the wagon on that statement. But then i realize that hes a 2nd round pick we could have gotten e really good player out of, and i get sad instead of laughing
I haven't watched much of KV... but how is this guy not rated higher after that video? Dude looks damn good in the AHL. Would love to eventually see him up w/ the Pens.
The only problem with that highlight video is that it doesn't really contain many highlights. Just a bunch of fights. The dude is made of glass. He needs to get away from the fighting a bit and try to stay healthy.
I haven't watched much of KV... but how is this guy not rated higher after that video? Dude looks damn good in the AHL. Would love to eventually see him up w/ the Pens.
He was rated higher, but his rating dropped as he more or less re-invented his game into being a fighter & potential 4th line player. His likelihood of reaching potential dropped as well in lieu of his injury problems. The guy certainly has the talent to be an NHL player. He has had several MAJOR injuries though and that's a huge red flag since, among other things, the NHL is much more demanding on your body.
I saw Veilleux in one of his first camps here, and his skill was incredibly apparent. Slick stick skills, and at that point in time, I honestly thought his stick skills were NHL level then. His skating is weird though and he's played no hockey in the past year, played an injury riddled season before that, and his first season pro he played 3 games.
