For what it's worth, here's my take on the top 20 Habs prospects, considering Jason Ward, Mike Komisarek, Micheal Ryder and Marcel Hossa have all graduated.
1. Christopher Higgins
2. Ron Hainsey
3. Andrei Kastsitsyn
4. Alexander Perezhogin
5. Tomas Plekanec
6. Jozef Balej
7. François Beauchemin
8. Cory Urquhart
9. Jonathan Ferland
10. Duncan Milroy
11. Konstantin Korneev
12. Oskari Korpikari
13. Michëal Lambert
14. Jaroslav Halak
15. Joni Puurula
16. Corey Locke
17. Andrew Archer
18. Maxim Lapierre
19. Alex Burtulin
20. Ryan O'Byrne // Matt Shasby
Other Notables: Danny Stewart, Mark Flood, Chris Heino-Lindberg, Andre Deveaux
I'm no prospect-expert, but I did see most of them play at least once. Your opinion is as good as mine in fact.
If it has to do with their performance so far this season, here is my Top 20 :
1. Tomas Plecanek
2. Jozef Balej
3. Ron Hainsey
4. Christopher Higgins
5. Alexander Perezhogin
6. Cory Urquhart
7. Andrei Kastsitsyn
8. Michael Lambert
9. Jaroslav Halak
10. Konstantin Korneev
11. Mark Flood
12. Ryan O'Byrne
13. Jonathan Ferland
14. Corey Locke
15. Maxim Lapierre
16. Oskari Korpikari
17. Joni Puurula
18. Andrew Archer
19. Alex Buturlin
20. Francois Beauchemin
Why do you rate Ron Hainsey so high? (between 2 and 6)
Can he throw a bodycheck?
Can he clear the front of the net?
Is he ruling all the way in AHL?
Is he ready for NHL and play with consistency?
Can he take off Bouillon's spot now?
Why do you rate Ron Hainsey so high? (between 2 and 6)
Can he throw a bodycheck?
Can he clear the front of the net?
Is he ruling all the way in AHL?
Is he ready for NHL and play with consistency?
Can he take off Bouillon's spot now?
Because he's the only one, except Plekanec, that played in the NHL and he did O.K., he doesn't need to prove that he can play in the AHL no more.
1. Jozef Balej
2. Ron Hainsey
3. Chris Higgins
4. Alexander Perezhogin
5. Tomas Plekanec
6. Andrei Kastsitsyn
7. François Beauchemin
8. Cory Urquhart
9. Jonathan Ferland
10. Andrew Archer
11. Konstantin Korneev
12. Duncan Milroy
13. Michëal Lambert
14. Jaroslav Halak
15. Oksari Korpikari
16. Corey Locke
17. Ryan O'Byrne
18. Maxim Lapierre
19. Alex Burtulin
20. Matt Shasby
1. Andrei Kostsitsyn
2. Alexander Perezhogin
3. Christopher Higgins
4. Ron Hainsey
5. Jozef Balej
6. Tomas Plekanec
7. Duncan Milroy
8. Cory Urquhart
9. Konstantin Korneev
10. Maxime Lapierre
11. Johnathan Ferland
12. Oskari Korpikari
13. Michëal Lambert
14. Jaroslav Halak
15. Joni Puurula
16. Corey Locke
17. Andrew Archer
18. Francois Beauchemin
19. Alex Burtulin
20. Ryan O'Byrne // Matt Shasby
1. Christopher Higgins
2. Andrei Kastsitsyn
3. Alexander Perezhogin
4. Ron Hainsey
5. Tomas Plekanec
6. Jozef Balej
7. Cory Urquhart
8. François Beauchemin
9. Jaroslav Halak
10. Konstantin Korneev
11. Tomas Linhart
12. Oskari Korpikari
13. Jonathan Ferland
14. Andrew Archer
15. Maxim Lapierre
16. Ryan O'Byrne
17. Corey Locke
18. Michëal Lambert
19. Duncan Milroy
20. Matt Shasby
1. Alexander Perezhogin
2. Christopher Higgins
3. Ron Hainsey
4. Andrei Kastsitsyn
5. Tomas Plekanec
6. Jozef Balej
7. Konstantin Korneev
8 Cory Urquhart
9. Oskari Korpikari
10. François Beauchemin
11. Jonathan Ferland
12. Duncan Milroy
13. Corey Locke
14 Andrew Archer
15. Michaël Lambert
16. Jaroslav Halak
17. Joni Puurula
18. Maxim Lapierre
19. Ryan O'Byrne
20. Mark Flood
Personally, I wouldn't put Balej at the top of the list. He seems to be doing very well, but I have a feeling lots of his great scoring on Hamilton has to do with the chemistry between him and Plekanec... in the game against Syracuse (Pleks was up with the big team), he was held off the scoresheet. While one game is definitely not enough to base an opinion like this on, I still think Kastitsyn or a hard-working character guy like Higgins should be higher... Balej relies a bit too much on confidence and emotion, which is a bit of a gamble.
Anyway, that's just my opinion... on the other hand, maybe Balej will become our next captain!
1. Andrei Kostsitsyn
2. Alexander Perezhogin
3. Christopher Higgins
4. Ron Hainsey
5. Jozef Balej
6. Tomas Plekanec
7. Cory Urquhart
8. Konstantin Korneev
9. Maxime Lapierre
10.Andrew Archer
11. Johnathan Ferland
12. Ryan O'Byrne
13.Mark Flood
14. Jaroslav Halak
15. Matt Shasby
16. Oskari Korpikari
17. Duncan milroy
18. Francois Beauchemin
19. Alex Burtulin
20=Puurula-Corey Locke
Hainsey's not a prospect any more guys. He's played 33 NHL games ; some brilliant some that should be forgotten, but he's certainly past the prospect stage. He should be in the NHL, we all know that, he's currently sitting in the 'youngster lacking confidence' to 'on verge of stardom' stage.
He's tearing up the Dogs. 9 Points in 15 games, with a +10. Not bad for an offensive defenceman, and much better than Komisarek's +/-0 in 18 games. He'll be in Montreal by the end of the month, only a few more mistake-filled games from Bouillon to go .
Halak sure didn't look good in his team's biggest game... the Slovaks were taking it to the Czechs but then Halak let in a very weak goal and his team imploded after that.
To be fair the player completely missed his shot and it seemed to completely fool Halak... and he was very good for the rest of the WJHC before today.
In terms of performance this year I'd have Locke rated higher, as he has stayed in the top 5 in scoring with nobody to play with.
Is he going to be in Hamilton next year or the year after that?
And how sad is it to not even have Hossa in the top 20... what the hell is he doing.
Balej has played 90% of the time with Gratton this year!
Higgins is struggling and does'nt play very good hockey at the moment from what I saw, he did'nt progress as I was expecting, he seemed a little desinterested and lost at time last Bulldogs game I watched, that's probably why Balej did'nt get any points last game!
I know it's a very hard schedule for a former Collegial but I wish more consistency from Higgins! More involved in the play too..
Pleks, Gratton -- I like Balej for his finishing skills when given a playmaking centre. I think he has a very good chance of being a very good NHL player. But we mustn't forget, even if a player can score in the AHL, there's more to the NHL game. Dagenais was leading the league and scoring a lot alongside Gratton, but in the NHL he's a defensive liability and relies too much on the rest of his line.
So this is more of a question - how is Balej's game defensively? Anyone have any comments on that part of his playing?
As for Higgins, he's definitely struggling, but for a rookie he's doing okay. Some points, he plays like he belongs, he isn't a problem defensively, and he's still got lots of time to adapt and improve.
Right now I'm really liking Perezhogin actually. He's really been doing well recently, and is showing confidence and production. Has one point (a first assist) tonight, actually. He is climbing the top 20 prospects list in my mind, I just want him to keep it up!
Hainsey's not a prospect any more guys. He's played 33 NHL games ; some brilliant some that should be forgotten, but he's certainly past the prospect stage. He should be in the NHL, we all know that, he's currently sitting in the 'youngster lacking confidence' to 'on verge of stardom' stage.
He's tearing up the Dogs. 9 Points in 15 games, with a +10. Not bad for an offensive defenceman, and much better than Komisarek's +/-0 in 18 games. He'll be in Montreal by the end of the month, only a few more mistake-filled games from Bouillon to go .
Erm...
I'll take Bouillon, thanks.
I'm not saying Bubbles has been brilliant or anything, but he certainly plays with a level of confidence and with an edge than virtually every Hab defender in the last ten years has been lacking. His one major weakness is his size and that he gets out-muscled down low. But he makes up for that more often than not with persistence and good positioning.
Hainsey? Honestly, I think he's been more than a minor disappointment. I look at Markov and Komisarek and I see special things from their games - things that make me think they can be top defenders in the NHL. With Hainsey, I see nothing special, never have. I see where he *could* develop those skills, but in his spot duty in the NHL, he's never done much to impress, whereas Komi has showed far more in far less time.
It's way too early to give up on a young defender, for sure, but right now, I wouldn't put Hainsey any higher on my 'potential' depth chart than a 4th. Perhaps he'll show more later on, but at this juncture, he deserves to be where he is.
Now, I haven't seen him playing in the 'A', and I hear he's doing at least a little better, but when he was sent down, there was absolutely no question in my mind that the better defender was the one left here in Montreal - by a significant margin. Perhaps the call-up is just around the corner, but unless Gainey trades a defender, I can't see Hainsey up anytime soon. Gainey said quite specifically that Komi should be in the NHL, so I don't think you can expect to see him sent down in the forseeable future. Carrying eight defenders? Counter-productive from a development standpoint, don't you think?
And don't for a moment think that Bouillon is going to the AHL. There are too many other defenders here who are doing worse than he is at the moment (Rivet, Quintal). I know the argument is that those two are righties, but like the staff said, people who deserve it will play. Bouillon deserves it more than those two these days.
Personally, Hainsey and Hossa need a good swift kick in the butt - in other words a good long stint in the AHL while their peers slowly graduate ahead of them - to get their collective mindset in the proper place. Leave Hainsey down there for the year.
Oh, and for heaven's sake, change his name. Ron Hainsey is NOT a hockey name. I vote Reggie. My friend and I have already started calling him Reggie H. Much more hockey.
How can some of you guys put Higgins or Balej ahead of Kostsitsyn?
and what r u talking about, Bouillon ahead of Hainsey??
You can't see anything special from Hainsey? His puck movement, his shot from the point and his ability to skate with the puck and make long accurate passes. At 6'3 , he won't get pushed around once he is polished defensively.He has nothing to learn in the AHL anymore. Players will make mistakes especially stars.
Did you know that Gretzky use to lead the league in turnovers every year??
Your kind of like Tortorella, he benched his star when he makes a mistake. That's now how you will learn and it will only kill the developement.
1. A Kastsitsyn
2. C Higgins
3. R Hainsey
4. A Perezhogin
5. T Plekanec
6. K Korneev
7. C Urquhart
8. J Balej
9. J Halak
10. J Ferland
11. M Lambert
12. M Flood
13. F Beauchemin
14. C Locke
15. A Archer
16. J Puurula
17. O Korpikari
18. D Milroy
19. D Stewert
20. O Michaud
I don't see why Hossa and Komisarek would be considered graduated, and Hainsey not. Should've made a poll.
My top 10 (after 10 I havent seen enough to effectively rate them):
1. Ron Hainsey
2. Alexander Perezhogin
3. Andrei Kastsitsyn
4. Chris Higgins
5. Tomas Plekanec
6. Jozef Balej
7. Cory Urquhart
8. Konstantin Korneev
9. Corey Locke
10. Andrew Archer
1. A Kastsitsyn
I don't see why Hossa and Komisarek would be considered graduated, and Hainsey not. Should've made a poll.
Well, to be honest with you, I decided to put Hainsey in the prospect category because I personally feel he still is, even at the age of 22. I didn't check out NHL.com or the HF website. When you think about it, in all the Hainsey discussions, the key word is "potential". The guy's got potential, but hasn't been able to establish himself yet. But when you talk about Komisarek, you're talking about the present. He has already shown encouraging signs of accostumizing (sp?) to the NHL level. Mike has really earned his spot in the NHL, as far as I'm concerned. That's why I consider him graduated.
Ron Hainsey might have all the potential of the world, he still have to prove a lot of things. I was there at Bell Center at the opening pre-season game against Florida a year ago when he easyly scored 2 goals in Luongo's net. Hainsey's goals looked so natural, his shooting was like a pro top quality. A beauty to watch!
But what happend after? Tough reality: a D in NHL have to throw body-checks first; be responsable in defending his own goalie/territory. Witch he wasn't ready at that time, and still not ready yet until he graduates and take Bouillon's spot.
Don't get me wrong, Bouillon is not gonna win the Norris Trophy but Francis B is playing THE game we expect a NHL D have to play. Bouillon might be only 5' 8'' and 190 lbs but he surely plays like if he was more. Much more than 5' 8'' and 190 lbs. This little half-black is hitting/and playing like a compact sport truck.
Until Bouillon's play deteriorate or until Hainsey start showing he's really ready for NHL's physical and speed of the game, Bouillon stays here.
Or some injuries can happen, wich I don't wish but Hainsey is the first to call up at left D.
Balej plays with grit and determination in both side of the ice! He is already an alot better hockey player than Dagenais! Balej is'nt only a finisher like Dagenais, he can create scoring chances for his linemates and himself! He reminds me something like an improved version of Antoine Vermette...
As for Higgins. -2 tonight, as I said, he has looked lost at time last game on The Score! So his defensive game is'nt that good at the moment!
I'm not worry because this guy does have amazing skills, is already above average along the board and in most area of the game...
He was playing what, 1 game a week last year in college?
Ivy league schools (Yale ) play only 29 games, unlike the rest of the NCAA who play 36 games in a season + playoffs. I think Higgins is doing very well, and could be our best all round prospect.
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