MY top 25-under 25, part 1

Hockey Wilderness has made a top 25 list of prospects who are under 25 years old.  A great idea.  So, in one night and, thus, without as much elaboration as they likely will have, I decided to go through the exercise myself.

My criteria seeks to balance the likelihood of a prospect being on a NHL roster for more than a few games at some point in their career with to what degree they will be a real contributor on the the team.  A sure-thing 3rd/4th liner makes it, yet there are those more skilled players who likely won't be able to make the transition to the grinder role of a 4th liner for some variety of reasons.  Some players may have a significant role on some other NHL team besides the Wild because of contracts tying up roster spots.  Additionally, the most recent draft class gets the benefit of the doubt.  There weren't any "what??" choices this year unlike the last two years.

Finally, let me preface my amateur analysis with stating that I lack tons of information and context (don't virtually all bloggers??), and that I hope those that I say aren't very good prospects any more prove me wrong.  I think -truly and honestly- it would be super cool if someone like Pontus Sjalin or Louis Nanne actually had some time in the NHL.

1. Hoffman G
2. Michalek G
3. Gelinas D
   
4. Gudbranson D  He has size and blood (brother in the NHL), but little else.  His stats were unimpressive in the OHL and he did even less in Iowa.  I expect him to see a lot of games in the ECHL.
   
5. Labbe D
6. Olofsson D
7. Palmquist D  Might be good and if was 18 or 19 I'd give him the benefit of the doubt, but a solid though not stellar four year career in college doesn't scream NHL.
   
8. Warner D  Okay, I don't know shit compared to scouts, but I don't get this signing.  They sign him at 18 years old the summer after he wasn't drafted.  He's got size and racks up penalty minutes, but doesn't put up any points.  The large majority of  "physical" NHL players put up reasonable points in earlier leagues in which they played.  To put this in perspective, they wait after two camps before deciding to negotiate a deal to sign Tyler Johnson, but sign this guy right way.  Makes No Sense.
   
9. Bertschy F
10. Brassart-  I feel like Brassart is one of a few on my list of first "cuts" who, with a good year, can become a good prospect.  The reason he's on the "cut" list is because his first year in Iowa, while not bad, was quite unimpressive
11. Bulmer LW/RW
12. Bussieres  Looks like a 2nd round bust.  In just 9 fAHL games, Ralphy scored 0 points.  In the ECHL he got 16 points in 19 games.  The best ECHL players get about a point a game or more and they often have a tough time in the AHL, so he has to do much better.  Bussieres has to decide to become a Clutterbuck player.  I don't know if he has the speed, but he just has to realize he's not going to be a top 6 player and has to hit people.  Often.  And then again.  Actually that is true of a lot all of these first round of "cuts".
    
13. Downing  
14. Gabriel RW
15. Graovac C
16. BelPedio RD
17. Knight This fella who was acquired in the Phillips trade last year had clearly been spinning his wheels in the Boston organization.  He had a couple of good years in the OHL, but I don't see the development occurring in Iowa enough to make a difference at 23 years old.
    
18. Mitchell 
19. Eriksson-Ek C
20. Greenway LW
21. Stezka G
22. Kaprizov LW
23. Boka D
24. Bouramman D
25. Sadek D
26. Tuch RW
27. Kahkonen G  Sure, it's pretty cool that he scored two goals this year as a goalie, but his international play stats are unimpressive and he hasn't had any time called up to the top Finnish professional league.  Beyond his performance, the performance of both Michalek and Hoffman will have a big impactc on whether they offer him a contract by the June 1, 2016 deadline. 
28. Sjalin D  Seriously, what on Earth was MN thinking???  You can't tell me that he was on anyone's radar.  The thing is, they have to sign this guy by next June 1st or "lose his rights".   I can't see why they would or the mystery will only have deepened!  I think this pick is more strategic, as in doing a favor for someone in the Swedish Elite League.  His dad is an assistant  coach on Ostersunds IK, a development league in Sweden.  I think that is in some way the reason for this pick.
29. Faith D  Another head scratcher.  Hurt in his draft year, but prior to that completely unimpressive stats.  Then, of course, he gets a season ending injury the following year.  In the absence of a great year in Canada and despite his size, he won't be signed.
    
30. Lang C
31. Duke C
32. Jenys C/LW
33. Olofsson D
34. Labbe D
35. Soucy D  I like his size but despite reports coming from the Wild organization that they are pleased with his development (mentioned now two prospect camps in a row) his Duluth statistics and his performance in games I've watched leave me absolutely unimpressed.  He must "become" a shut down and -even better- mean, nasty player to make himself a more valuable asset.
    
36. Peterson C
37. Draeger D  Hasn't done much in 3 years at Michigan State.  You can't sign every prospect and he seems like one to let go.  I'm completely confident that nobody in MN Wild management will say, "I wish we had signed him."
    
38. DeJong D  He's scored 0 goals in two years at the University of Michigan.  What's he going to do when he goes pro?
    
39. Gilmour C 
40. Nanne  Anyone have any guesses why this player was drafted?  Anyone?  Obviously because of Grandpa Nanne, and perhaps that is wise.  He was poor on a team and in a league where only a very few of the absolute best players see the NHL.  I am very anxious to see if he is even offered a contract.  Given he decided against going to the University of Minnesota because of pride, I suspect he will realize that if/when a contract is offered.
    
41. Seeler D  Unimpressive stats in Omaha -even under a great coach- plus a year off means his chances are remote at best of hitting the NHL.
    
42. Lucia LW
43. Gustafsson  So good in Sweden, so bad in North America.  Despite MN holding his rights, he won't be back.
    

Most of the names above that were eliminated were easy, which now leaves...

1. Hoffman G
2. Michalek G
3. Gilmour C
4. Bertschy F
5. Bulmer LW/RW
6. Downing F
7. Gabriel RW
8. Graovac C
9. Mitchell W
10. Eriksson-Ek C
11. Greenway LW
12. Stezka G
13. Kaprizov LW
14. Boka D
15. BelPedio RD
16. Bouramman D
17. Sadek D
18. Tuch RW
19. Lang C
20. Duke C
21. Jenys C/LW
22. Olofsson D
23. Labbe D
24. Peterson C
25. Lucia LW

Stream of conciousness thoughts

1. These random thoughts will be repeated, elaborated upon, etc, as the year(s) progress... Over the summer, I liked it when I heard in an interview that Torchetti, the Iowa Wild coach, explained to Tyler Graovac -and I suppose some others- that they probably aren't going to be going to Minnesota soon to be top six forwards. They have to be very good 3rd/4th liners. Strong defensively, perhaps good on PK and able to contribute some offensively. He noted they had to go all out for 30-45 seconds because they weren't going to be playing 20 minutes a game. 
2.  As I look at the pool of prospects for MN both in Iowa and those that are unsigned but will likely play in Iowa in a few years, it seems there are two areas where they simply don't have many prospects: Left wing and, more obviously, right defense. Gustav Bouramman, though a 7th round pick (strangely when you look at stats), has a terrific opportunity to be the best RD prospect. I expect him to be signed sometime during the year and, if he has a really good year, play in Iowa as a 19 year old Euro. Euro players can play in AHL, US and Canadian players can't until they are 20. Minnesota does have Jordan Greenway in the pool as a LW, but I think he isn't that great. He kind of reminds me of Colton Gilles but at least Greenway was a 2nd and not a 1st round pick! Mario Lucia might be good, but I seriously have no idea if he is NHL material. I REALLY hope he is our Anders Lee!
3.  I really hope that Brett Bulmer is re-signed and that he brings a positive attitude to camp this fall. He's played some NHL games already and if he stays healthy I feel he will be one of a few players that will rotate into the RW 4th line slot this next season in Minnesota. I get the feeling that he had a bad attitude and, perhaps, for that reason they haven't signed him. They may be trying to move him like they moved Zack Phillips -though that is an insult to Bulmer. 
4. This is a big season for Marc Hagel. He's already 26 and though he seems to continue to improve, he has to accelerate that improvement to be on an NHL roster or be a call-up this year or next.  I think he might be a good example of "too little, too late" to be the next Fontaine.
5. Speaking of Fontaine, if Minnesota has a good replacement in the system from Iowa, I'd expect Fontaine to be traded by the deadline.  He certainly won't be brought back for the 16-17 season.
6. I do think that Reid Duke is signed before the end of the season and probably sooner rather than later. He will be eligible to go to Iowa in 16-17. This season will determine if he goes there or back to the WHL for an "overage" season. Someone about whom I am wonder Minnesota will sign is Chase Lang. He just seems unremarkable. I don't seen an "edge" to his game. He is, however, amongst the youngest in his draft class, so that has to be taken into consideration. He has put up some points on his team, though.  
7. I expect MN to either draft another Russian in the lower rounds next summer or sign one. This will be done so that Kaprizov isn't the only Russian in the system. It would be done SOLELY to make him more comfortable to sign with Minnesota. 
8.  I don't see how/why Minnesota would sign Pontus Sjalin and Tanner Faith (must be signed by June 1st, 2016) or Nolan De Jong and John Draeger -both of whom have done nothing since they've been drafted. The same is likely true for Nick Seeler. I wonder if Adam Gilmour will even want to sign with Minnesota -just a feeling, not based on logic. Finally, despite no logical performance reason to do so, Minnesota will likely sign Nanne when he leaves school just to placate Lou Nanne, his grandfather who has strong ties to MN hockey and also to the Wild. I do think, however, that Louie Nanne, the draft pick, might be proud and insightful enough to know that he doesn't merit an NHL entry level contract.