Devils Prospect Pool #8

Who is the Devils eighth best prospect?

#1. Niklas Bergfors 68.25% (http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?p=6176382&posted=1#post6176382)
#2. Travis Zajac 87.76% (http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=276755)
#3. Barry Tallackson 44.68% (http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=276815)
#4. Andy Greene 44.12% (http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=276943)
#5. Peter Vrana 52.94% (http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=277049)
#6. Matthew Corrente 44.74% (http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?p=6199293&posted=1#post6199293)
#7. Alexander Vasyunov 36.67% (http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=277473)

Added Clarkson

Voros.

Frazee for me

Can 'Rookie Users' vote in polls?

No, sorry.

Ryznar, most definately.

I'd say add Davis.

Frazee followed closely by Ryznar.

Patrick Davis

I've been picking Frazee the last four polls, and he still is going to lose this one too

I often struggle with how to rank a guy like Ryznar vs. Frazee.......I mean there is clearly more Potential with a guy like Frazee but Ryznar is deffinately going to be at least a 3rd/4th line NHL player.....But when talking about prospect, don't you go with the potential first?? Its not really a depth chart...Its a prospect list :dunno:

I went with Ryznar, I am still waiting for Frazee to get some more playing time. Is he still the backup at Minnesota? He was the backup on the US U20 team and had a rough game judging by the scoresheet. He's still too raw IMO to have him ahead of Ryznar, I even think Parise should be ranked higher at this point.

I think Zharkov should be ranked higher than Frazee as well. I was very impressed by this video:
Vladimir Zharkov
http://mfile.akamai.com/16532/wmv/nhl.download.akamai.com/16532/wm.nhl.na-central/comp/draft06/Vladimir_Zharkov_700.asx

Here are some more videos:
Matthew Corrente
http://mfile.akamai.com/16532/wmv/nhl.download.akamai.com/16532/wm.nhl.na-central/comp/draft06/Matthew_Corrente_700.asx

Alexander Vasyunov
http://mfile.akamai.com/16532/wmv/nhl.download.akamai.com/16532/wm.nhl.na-central/comp/draft06/Alexander_Vasyunov_700.asx

Oh, and add Davis.

I think Frazee still has potential.

Add Davis in the next one, BTW.

I think Frazee still has potential.

Add Davis in the next one, BTW.
I'm not saying he doesn't. It's just one year after we drafted him and with the way goalies develop I don't think we'll get a good idea about his actual potential until a couple years from now. Parise had a solid college career so I'd put him just ahead of Frazee.

I think Frazee still has potential.

Add Davis in the next one, BTW.

But why choose someone with conditioning and attitude problems who hasn't even proven that he can become a starting goaltender in the NCAA?

There have been rumors around that he'd leave Minn. and bolt to the WHL even.

I often struggle with how to rank a guy like Ryznar vs. Frazee.......I mean there is clearly more Potential with a guy like Frazee but Ryznar is deffinately going to be at least a 3rd/4th line NHL player.....But when talking about prospect, don't you go with the potential first?? Its not really a depth chart...Its a prospect list :dunno:

You also have to factor in the chance of reaching said potential. And Frazee's chance is very low at this point.

Sorry guys, I'm on a dial-up computer right now. When I get back to my computer, (6 PM EST) I'll make pool #9.

I'll add Davis to the next one.

You also have to factor in the chance of reaching said potential. And Frazee's chance is very low at this point.
Why? Because he went 6-3 with a 2.36 GAA and a .910 save percentage? Seriously, Jon, the kid was a freshman. He got roughed up in a few matches but bounced back nicely at the end of the year. Assuming he was the starting tender all year, I wonder how close he would have come to these numbers (http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=70291)? Pretty damn close. Anyway, it is all conjecture at this point. How you can say a player won't reach his potential based on 12 MATCHES (only a few of which you obviously saw) is bordering on ridiculous. And where are your sources saying Frazee would leave Minneapolis? Why he'd would leave UM is beyond me. It might happen, but he better make up his mind soon. Classes start in 3 weeks.

But why choose someone with conditioning and attitude problems who hasn't even proven that he can become a starting goaltender in the NCAA?

There have been rumors around that he'd leave Minn. and bolt to the WHL even.

Just curious Jon, but do you know what WHL team has Frazee's rights? I'd presume it's an American team, but I wouldn't complain if a Devils prospect left for the WHL. It would give me someone to watch this year at the Hitmen games!

I went with Ryznar, I am still waiting for Frazee to get some more playing time. Is he still the backup at Minnesota? He was the backup on the US U20 team and had a rough game judging by the scoresheet. He's still too raw IMO to have him ahead of Ryznar, I even think Parise should be ranked higher at this point.

I think Zharkov should be ranked higher than Frazee as well. I was very impressed by this video:
Vladimir Zharkov
http://mfile.akamai.com/16532/wmv/nhl.download.akamai.com/16532/wm.nhl.na-central/comp/draft06/Vladimir_Zharkov_700.asx

Here are some more videos:
Matthew Corrente
http://mfile.akamai.com/16532/wmv/nhl.download.akamai.com/16532/wm.nhl.na-central/comp/draft06/Matthew_Corrente_700.asx

Alexander Vasyunov
http://mfile.akamai.com/16532/wmv/nhl.download.akamai.com/16532/wm.nhl.na-central/comp/draft06/Alexander_Vasyunov_700.asx

Oh, and add Davis.


Good find on those videos. The thing that I noticed about all 3 is that they all can skate really well, especially the two Russians, most notably Zharkov. I really liked how he was buzzing up and down the ice, getting in the corners and then getting back up ice defensively.

Good find on those videos. The thing that I noticed about all 3 is that they all can skate really well, especially the two Russians, most notably Zharkov. I really liked how he was buzzing up and down the ice, getting in the corners and then getting back up ice defensively.

Was nice to see Corrente display some strenght and speed in that those clips...From just a 2 minute clip, Zharkov looks much better to me than Vasyunov.

Either way our prospect pool is starting to look pretty good.

This group of wingers is pretty exciting and the Defensive pool is deeper than it has been in few years.

Niklas Bergfors
Barry Tallackson
Vladimir Zharkov
Patrick Davis
Alexander Vasyunov
Jason Ryznar
Tuomas Pihlman
David Clarkson
Stephen Gionta
Aaron Voros
Nathan Perkovich
Cam Janssen
Ilkka Pikkarainen
Teemu Laine



Centers

Travis Zajac
Petr Vrana
Ivan Khomutov
Alexander Sundstrom
Tony Romano
Adrian Foster


Defense

Matthew Corrente
Andy Greene
Tyler Eckford
Mark Fraser
Bryan Miller
Kirill Tulupov
T.J. Miller
Mark Fayne
Olivier Magnan
Sean Zimmerman
Valeri Klimov
Dan Glover
Kyle Henegan
Zach Tarkir
Anton Kadeykin


Goaltending

Jeff Frazee
Jason Smith
Jordan Parise

Was nice to see Corrente display some strenght and speed in that those clips...From just a 2 minute clip, Zharkov looks much better to me than Vasyunov.

Either way our prospect pool is starting to look pretty good.

This group of wingers is pretty exciting and the Defensive pool is deeper than it has been in few years.



Zharkov did look better than Vasyunov, but what I did notice is that alot of Vasyunov video was just him skating around the ice without the puck. I think had he had the puck on his stick a little more, the video would have shown more of what he's good at. What was interesting was that there was a point where Vasyunov was killing penalites, and he threw quite a bodycheck at one point as well. Probably a good example of his on and off again tendencies.

Zharkov did look better than Vasyunov, but what I did notice is that alot of Vasyunov video was just him skating around the ice without the puck. I think had he had the puck on his stick a little more, the video would have shown more of what he's good at. What was interesting was that there was a point where Vasyunov was killing penalites, and he threw quite a bodycheck at one point as well. Probably a good example of his on and off again tendencies.

Off course it is only a 2 minute clip, but I got the feeling Vasyunov played perimeter type of game. I saw him go to the net but he looked like he waited for things to happen as opposed to Zharkov who was making things happen.....But I am not making any judgements, just observation from the clips

I think something to keep in mind when watching those videos is that Vasyunov was playing against Sweden while Zharkov is playing against Germany. These aren't highlight reels, they are what that player did when for the one game that the guy with the camera was focusing on them.

I think something to keep in mind when watching those videos is that Vasyunov was playing against Sweden while Zharkov is playing against Germany. These aren't highlight reels, they are what that player did when for the one game that the guy with the camera was focusing on them.

I think what they do tell you is how the player engauges the game.

Edit:
Of all the Clips I was impressed with Corrente most....His backward skating and accelleration looked really good. And watching his body positioning to defend looked polished.

People keep refering to him as small 5-11.5 189 doesn't seem small to me at all?

I think what they do tell you is how the player engauges the game.

Edit:
Of all the Clips I was impressed with Corrente most....His backward skating and accelleration looked really good. And watching his body positioning to defend looked polished.

People keep refering to him as small 5-11.5 189 doesn't seem small to me at all?
Corrente looked a lot bigger, he seemed to have a long reach.

Being right handed doesn't hurt either.

Off course it is only a 2 minute clip, but I got the feeling Vasyunov played perimeter type of game. I saw him go to the net but he looked like he waited for things to happen as opposed to Zharkov who was making things happen.....But I am not making any judgements, just observation from the clips

That's what I got from them too. It is just one little highlight clip, but like you also said it gives you a good idea of how the enguage the game. It's easy to see from those clips that Zharkov is a little more fiesty and willing to get his nose dirty than Vasyunov, who did seem a little more interesting in staying to the perimtier, especially when the puck wasn't on his stick.

Being right handed doesn't hurt either.

That's just a little bonus. It's nice to have some right-handed d-men, especially ones that are offensively inclined....

That's just a little bonus. It's nice to have some right-handed d-men, especially ones that are offensively inclined....

Does he really compare to Deneyko? He seems more well rounded.

Does he really compare to Deneyko? He seems more well rounded.
How can someone be more well-rounded than Daneyko? He had 2 goals in 3 years, didn't he?

Does he really compare to Deneyko? He seems more well rounded.

Style wise, it's a good comparison, but Corrente offers much more offensive upside. I really think he's going to have a big year points wise in Saginaw this year.

Style wise, it's a good comparison, but Corrente offers much more offensive upside. I really think he's going to have a big year points wise in Saginaw this year.

I 've never seen Daneyko Skate as well as I saw Corrente in those clips. If Corrente could put on about 10 to 16 lbs of muscle, playing in the 200# range and progress defensively, with his skating ability he should be pretty good.

Just curious Jon, but do you know what WHL team has Frazee's rights? I'd presume it's an American team, but I wouldn't complain if a Devils prospect left for the WHL. It would give me someone to watch this year at the Hitmen games!

I honestly have NO idea. It's just rumblings that he'd bolt.

Can't he be signed as a UFA up there if he bolted by any team in the area where his rights would be?

I'm not quite sure on how everything works up there to be honest.

Why? Because he went 6-3 with a 2.36 GAA and a .910 save percentage? Seriously, Jon, the kid was a freshman. He got roughed up in a few matches but bounced back nicely at the end of the year. Assuming he was the starting tender all year, I wonder how close he would have come to these numbers (http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=70291)? Pretty damn close. Anyway, it is all conjecture at this point. How you can say a player won't reach his potential based on 12 MATCHES (only a few of which you obviously saw) is bordering on ridiculous. And where are your sources saying Frazee would leave Minneapolis? Why he'd would leave UM is beyond me. It might happen, but he better make up his mind soon. Classes start in 3 weeks.

Frazee was on one of the strongest teams in the entire league last year and was relatively mediocre compared to other tenders in the NCAA. Even other back-ups. Minny is a great environment for a prospect, that is completely true.

In that comparison to Al Montoya, it's actually a fairly uninformed one. If you watched the two play, Montoya had more odd man rushes against him than most goalies do in 5 or 6 games. Michigan's defense was awful and Montoya was one of the few bright spots on the team his 3rd year.

It's been reported numerous times on the prospects board that there are rumblings that he might leave this year. I've heard it myself from a few people I know close to Minnessota's club. I don't think anything's ever been written on it, since it never happened and you aren't really going to find many college rumors floating around out there... But it's been reported by people that I know and people on the board that there was at least some serious consideration by him on leaving his team.

Frazee was on one of the strongest teams in the entire league last year and was relatively mediocre compared to other tenders in the NCAA. Even other back-ups. Minny is a great environment for a prospect, that is completely true.

In that comparison to Al Montoya, it's actually a fairly uninformed one. If you watched the two play, Montoya had more odd man rushes against him than most goalies do in 5 or 6 games. Michigan's defense was awful and Montoya was one of the few bright spots on the team his 3rd year.

It's been reported numerous times on the prospects board that there are rumblings that he might leave this year. I've heard it myself from a few people I know close to Minnessota's club. I don't think anything's ever been written on it, since it never happened and you aren't really going to find many college rumors floating around out there... But it's been reported by people that I know and people on the board that there was at least some serious consideration by him on leaving his team.


(jp5)?

(jp5)?

Not a rumor I ever started.

Has a nice ring, though.

Frazee was on one of the strongest teams in the entire league last year and was relatively mediocre compared to other tenders in the NCAA. Even other back-ups. Minny is a great environment for a prospect, that is completely true.

In that comparison to Al Montoya, it's actually a fairly uninformed one. If you watched the two play, Montoya had more odd man rushes against him than most goalies do in 5 or 6 games. Michigan's defense was awful and Montoya was one of the few bright spots on the team his 3rd year.

It's been reported numerous times on the prospects board that there are rumblings that he might leave this year. I've heard it myself from a few people I know close to Minnessota's club. I don't think anything's ever been written on it, since it never happened and you aren't really going to find many college rumors floating around out there... But it's been reported by people that I know and people on the board that there was at least some serious consideration by him on leaving his team.
So, Frazee was on one of the strongest teams in the entire league, yet Montoya was on a team that went to the Frozen Four . . . ahhh. That makes sense. :shakehead Michigan's defense was awful? Really? Well, Montoya must have been Jesus between the pipes then, because as a team they gave up less than 2.5 goals per match. I guess that was just Montoya's magic apparently. And why are you talking about Montoya's third year? I was simply pointing out the similarities in the the two tenders' numbers from their respective freshman seasons. They ARE similar in terms of numbers. Obviously Montoya had the far superior freshman season as he was the starter and took his team to the Frozen Four, but in terms of numbers, the comparison is sound. And why do I even point this out to you? Do I really want to compare the two? No. But you insisted on saying Frazee was a bust or damn near it based on 12 matches of his freshman season. So there you go, JP. Frazee may still turn out to be a bust (as might Montoya as well), but you can't base it on this past season. It makes no sense.

So, Frazee was on one of the strongest teams in the entire league, yet Montoya was on a team that went to the Frozen Four . . . ahhh. That makes sense. :shakehead Michigan's defense was awful? Really? Well, Montoya must have been Jesus between the pipes then, because as a team they gave up less than 2.5 goals per match. I guess that was just Montoya's magic apparently. And why are you talking about Montoya's third year? I was simply pointing out the similarities in the the two tenders' numbers from their respective freshman seasons. They ARE similar in terms of numbers. Obviously Montoya had the far superior freshman season as he was the starter and took his team to the Frozen Four, but in terms of numbers, the comparison is sound. And why do I even point this out to you? Do I really want to compare the two? No. But you insisted on saying Frazee was a bust or damn near it based on 12 matches of his freshman season. So there you go, JP. Frazee may still turn out to be a bust (as might Montoya as well), but you can't base it on this past season. It makes no sense.

Point out where I said he's a bust. I'm saying he's overrated in terms of both skill and future potential.

And if you think Michigan's team when they went to the Frozen Four was as good as Minny's team this year... I don't know what to say.

Minny, as a whole, was a huge, huge disappointment last year and to say otherwise means you're either a Golden Homer or just trying to sugarcoat things.

Frazee is not exempt from that. He was a mediocre rookie last year and will not be the starter this year as Briggs still has the job, AFAIK. He has a ton to prove. I'm not saying he WON'T turn around and become a great goaltender, I'm just saying that I don't think he will. Every time I've seen him play he just looks like he doesn't have great composure out there and seems to make a lot of mental mistakes. Just doesn't look like NHL material to me.

Point out where I said he's a bust. I'm saying he's overrated in terms of both skill and future potential.

And if you think Michigan's team when they went to the Frozen Four was as good as Minny's team this year... I don't know what to say.

Minny, as a whole, was a huge, huge disappointment last year and to say otherwise means you're either a Golden Homer or just trying to sugarcoat things.

Frazee is not exempt from that. He was a mediocre rookie last year and will not be the starter this year as Briggs still has the job, AFAIK. He has a ton to prove. I'm not saying he WON'T turn around and become a great goaltender, I'm just saying that I don't think he will. Every time I've seen him play he just looks like he doesn't have great composure out there and seems to make a lot of mental mistakes. Just doesn't look like NHL material to me.
First of all, I don't evaluate teams based on player talent. I like to see how well they did during the season and ESPECIALLY how they did when it counted. Minnesota was ridiculously talented (when Justin Bostrom is only a 4th liner on this team, it has loads of talent for sure) from forwards to defensemen to goaltenderS. No denying that. But that Michigan team was loaded too. 3 First-round draft picks and another 7 drafted players (not including Jed Ortmeyer who is an undrafted NHLer). Not too bad. Besides that, they didn't choke. They played defense as I pointed out in an earlier post. They made the dance. Minnesota crashed like a wingless plane at the end of the year . . . and that was without Frazee in net. Your opinion is your opinion. Your facts are what I dispute.