Prospect Info: Prospect Rating #3 (2023 Version)

[Randy Butternubs]

Vote for who you think is the #3 Penguins prospect.


#1 - Yager - Votes: 56 - 71.8%
#2 - Pickering - Votes: 49 - 86.0%

Click to read more...

 

[Peat]

I feel like there's four guys I'd think about here but the "don't overthink it" choice is Blomqvist.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I feel like there's four guys I'd think about here but the "don't overthink it" choice is Blomqvist.

The fact that goaltending is in the top 5 I just can't do it.

I'd like to see him at #5, but that's not gonna happen.

Yager
Pickering
Pusstinen
Poulin
Blomqvist


But the Pens prospects are so meh after the top 2, Puss deserves more recognition, though.

 

[KareemTrustfund]

@Peat

To answer you question in the other thread that was locked for some bizarre reason - I never really thought Pickering projected to be any kind of point producing or PP QB kind of guy so his output from last year was AOK by me. He will need to show at least modest production which he has to be that Dumo type

If you’re expecting ~40ish points from him in the NHL than his current production in junior is concerning


Voting Blom at 3 and then will go Murashov at 4

 

[Peat]

The fact that goaltending is in the top 5 I just can't do it.

I'd like to see him at #5, but that's not gonna happen.

Yager
Pickering
Pusstinen
Poulin
Blomqvist


But the Pens prospects are so meh after the top 2, Puss deserves more recognition, though.

I, uh, kinda forgot about Puustinen.

And struggle to place him as it feels like if he's got an NHL floor, being ready now with that shot honestly gives him a shout for being first... but if he doesn't, then, well, real low.

I wish there were more ES points from him, more highlights of him making stuff happen with the puck on his stick.

Also I'd brace yourself for two goalies in the top 5. Murashov's numbers are freaky.

 

[Malkinstheman]

@Peat

To answer you question in the other thread that was locked for some bizarre reason - I never really thought Pickering projected to be any kind of point producing or PP QB kind of guy so his output from last year was AOK by me. He will need to show at least modest production which he has to be that Dumo type

If you’re expecting ~40ish points from him in the NHL than his current production in junior is concerning


Voting Blom at 3 and then will go Murashov at 4

I think a bit of that could be explained by the team he plays on. In his draft year none of his team mates were even PPG. Wasnt all that better this year either. Maybe thats just me being hopeful though.

 

[Malkinstheman]

Murashov is further down my list just because of how far away from the NHL he seems to be. Presumably he plays another year in the MHL and then 1-2 years in the KHL and then NA. His numbers are disgusting but I want to see what he does in the KHL before getting really excited.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I, uh, kinda forgot about Puustinen.

And struggle to place him as it feels like if he's got an NHL floor, being ready now with that shot honestly gives him a shout for being first... but if he doesn't, then, well, real low.

I wish there were more ES points from him, more highlights of him making stuff happen with the puck on his stick.

Also I'd brace yourself for two goalies in the top 5. Murashov's numbers are freaky.

If these goalies came with a little bit more size, like Jarry is pushing it at 6'2 and these guys are smaller no real girth to them. Being a predominantly a butterfly league and equipment being as it is getting reduced, there might be issues.

 

[KareemTrustfund]

Murashov is further down my list just because of how far away from the NHL he seems to be. Presumably he plays another year in the MHL and then 1-2 years in the KHL and then NA. His numbers are disgusting but I want to see what he does in the KHL before getting really excited.

Who do you have over him ? Give me names and I will give you a detailed and well thought out response backed up by evidence to change your mind.

 

[Malkinstheman]

If these goalies came with a little bit more size, like Jarry is pushing it at 6'2 and these guys are smaller no real girth to them. Being a predominantly a butterfly league and equipment being as it is getting reduced, there might be issues.

Blomqvist is nearly identical to Jarry though. Jarry is listed at 6'2 194 and Blomqvist is 6'2 187

Who do you have over him ? Give me names and I will give you a detailed and well thought out response backed up by evidence to change your mind.

Pickering, Yager, Blomqvist, Puustinen and then Murashov/Poulin/Broz are a mix-up for me.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Blomqvist is nearly identical to Jarry though. Jarry is listed at 6'2 194 and Blomqvist is 6'2 187


Pickering, Yager, Blomqvist, Puustinen and then Murashov/Poulin/Broz are a mix-up for me.

You are right, I thought I saw 6'1" for him. So I'll detract what I said about him while still wanting bigger, meaning, bigger than all of them including Jarry.

 

[KareemTrustfund]

Pickering, Yager, Blomqvist, Puustinen and then Murashov/Poulin/Broz are a mix-up for me.

Murashov put up a 950 SV%. Broz changed schools because a teacher yelled at him. Easy choice there.

 

[Peat]

@Peat

To answer you question in the other thread that was locked for some bizarre reason - I never really thought Pickering projected to be any kind of point producing or PP QB kind of guy so his output from last year was AOK by me. He will need to show at least modest production which he has to be that Dumo type

If you’re expecting ~40ish points from him in the NHL than his current production in junior is concerning


Voting Blom at 3 and then will go Murashov at 4

I think a bit of that could be explained by the team he plays on. In his draft year none of his team mates were even PPG. Wasnt all that better this year either. Maybe thats just me being hopeful though.

There's definitely good excuses for Pickering's production. Growing into his new body. Bad team.

Still not great.

I have seen multiple projections of what type of dman Pickering will turn into: Dumo, Matheson, freaky Dumo-Matheson godking hybrid, disappointing not as good as either Dumo-Matheson hybrid... you get the idea.

I will say that the Dumo projection is like threading a damn needle. Dumo was very smart. A guy having a brain like Dumo isn't a great bet. He was also top 10 in NCAA dman scoring in d+2, albeit on a loaded Boston team (4th in scoring on that team tho, so not a total leech (but even then only 3 goals, have you met the muffin man)). As ever, the rule is if his totals look like he'll be a defensive guy in the show, he probably won't be a guy.

So... yeah, I'm teetering on the edge of whether I like his D+1 just from stats counting. I think it's just acceptable, but I haven't stared hard at stats projections for his numbers.

Murashov is further down my list just because of how far away from the NHL he seems to be. Presumably he plays another year in the MHL and then 1-2 years in the KHL and then NA. His numbers are disgusting but I want to see what he does in the KHL before getting really excited.

Pretty much everyone who's posted his sort of MHL numbers has been a KHL goalie at least. I mean you're wise to wait and confirm it's not a fluke but if it wasn't, time to crank that hog and feel some hype.

edit: Also judging from EliteProspect rosters, he's one injury away from getting KHL time. So that ice time could come quick.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

The organization expects the most out of Blomqvist, out of this crop. We used to have decent expectations from Lindberg though, and that went to hell super quick. Goaltending is random as f***. His SV% went from .940 two years ago to .907 for Kärpät last year.
Could definitely see a timeline where Puustinen has the brighter future.

I've all but given up on Poulin being anything more than a replacement level Forward. Maybe that's premature, but I'm just not feeling it.
41 points in 87 games for Wilkes. He sucks. Waste of a pick.
All of these guys were available when we picked Poulin in 2019. They've all played 75+ NHL games:
Pinto, Maccelli, Kaliyev, Bjornfot, Tomasino, McMichael, Hoglander, Leason, Protas, Kastelic

The scouts blew it. They prioritized size over ability. Maccelli had 49 points in 64 games last year. Poulin's unlikely to get 40 once in his career. Maybe not even 30.

 

[Rakell67]

Blomqvist

Add Ansons

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Blomqvist, and after this it's just a buncha "well, extreme long shot, but maybe" imo.

Interested to see where Murashov ends up.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Agreed it's hard to ignore what Murashov did last season. But he's also super young.

 

[Peat]

Agreed it's hard to ignore what Murashov did last season. But he's also super young.

He is young, but his numbers are impressive. His D-2 season is by far and away the best the NMHL has seen from a 16 year old (although the league is only 8 or so years old from the looks of it). And yeah, guys like Sorokin and Shestyorkin were already in the MHL (and playing KHL games in Sorokin's case), but it's not like Murashov's monster season just came out of nowhere.

And it's not like we don't have some young guys going high.

I dunno. I'm happy voting for Blomqvist, who came in with pedigree and hasn't really done anything wrong in establishing he's got it.

I'm happy voting for Broz. I like the way he rallied in his second year and the reports coming out on him.

I'm not so happy voting for Poulin or Puustinen, because one has health problems and the other I just read wildly differing reports on, but the talent is there.

But... Murashov. The numbers and comparables are very exciting. I wish we knew more about him. But based on numbers, just needs to fill his frame out and keep on trucking.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I think this next season is gonna be pretty make or break for Broz. His freshman year was by all accounts terrible, but he seemed to rebound a bit as a sophomore. We'll see if he can keep building. Fingers crossed.

 

[SEALBound]

Blomqvist
Poulin
Puustinen

 

[Randy Butternubs]

edit: Also judging from EliteProspect rosters, he's one injury away from getting KHL time. So that ice time could come quick.

I think that's mostly because Yaroslavl doesn't have a VHL team.

 

[Peat]

I think that's mostly because Yaroslavl doesn't have a VHL team.

That'd make sense. Well, good for KHL time maybe, bad for VHL time.

I voted for him. Bit nuts but he's the one I'm most excited about.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

That'd make sense. Well, good for KHL time maybe, bad for VHL time.

I voted for him. Bit nuts but he's the one I'm most excited about.

Though the KHL goalies also have good stats so this seems like a good system/franchise to be in.

 

[Peat]

Though the KHL goalies also have good stats so this seems like a good system/franchise to be in.

Best defensive team in the KHL by near 20 goals. They've been a top 3 defensive team in that league for three years, ever since they made Igor Nikitin head coach. So yeah, he's not getting bombarded if he steps up there, for good or for ill.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Best defensive team in the KHL by near 20 goals. They've been a top 3 defensive team in that league for three years, ever since they made Igor Nikitin head coach. So yeah, he's not getting bombarded if he steps up there, for good or for ill.

Goalies are players I'm still learning about. I either like them or I don't but can't tell you specifics. Not saying I'm a scout or anything like that.

Heck, NHL scouts are still figuring out goalies.