Hockey’s Future, the self proclaimed “#1 Online Prospects Resource” is in the midst of updating their Top Prospects lists for each team in the NHL. They have currently done only 12 of the 30 clubs in the League, with the likes of Toronto, Pittsburgh, Montreal and Calgary already being updated.
Although this site doesn’t have the writing capacity of some other hockey sites, which you can tell from the lack of updates, what I love about it is that each prospect has their own individual page with a year by year analysis of their development. It also ranks players based on a Prospect Grade which is a mix of the player’s realistic NHL potential and the chances of them achieving it based on their current situation. Their player comparisons for each level of potential are a bit out-dated and the Prospect Grade rarely changes, but I still like being able to get a sense of the players that I don’t know too much about. For instance, Nazem Kadri has retained his spot atop the Leafs’ prospect list, and they have the following to say about his ranking of 8.0C:
8 – First line forward — players with definite skill that might be just a cut below elite status, but still possessing All-Star potential. Think Patrik Elias, Keith Tkachuk, Mattias Ohlund, Adam Foote, Sean Burke, Olaf Kolzig.
C – May reach potential, could drop 2 ratings – has shown some flashes, but may ultimately not have what it takes to reach his potential. The potential rating is multiplied by 80 percent for depth chart purposes to show the uncertainty of a player reaching his potential.
John Tavares on the other hand, is a 9.0C:
9 – Elite forward — possesses the potential for greatness, a perennial All-Star throughout his career. Think Joe Sakic, Jeremy Roenick, Niklas Lidstrom, Rob Blake, Dominik Hasek, Martin Brodeur.
If they could ever integrate this site with the stat tracking that hockeydb offers, then it would be a great day for everyone.
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