The Top 50 prospect defensemen to own in your keeper league – November edition

Further to Thursday's Top 200 Prospect Forwards, here are the defensemen. To see the list of graduates, consult the Top 200 (bottom). Criteria used is also noted there.

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Nov 10	Prospect	Team	age	type	Oct 10	Sep 10
1	Zach Werenski	CBJ	d	74.3	3	3
2	Ivan Provorov	PHI	d	72.6	1	1
3	Shea Theodore	ANA	d	63.9	2	2
4	Nikita Zaitsev	TOR	d	61.8	17	16
5	Mike Matheson	FLA	d	61.5	4	5
6	Ryan Pulock	NYI	d	60.6	5	4
7	Julius Honka	DAL	d	60.4	7	6
8	Mikhail Sergachev	MON	d	60.3	6	20
9	Connor Carrick	TOR	d	58.3	8	7
10	Brady Skjei	NYR	d	57.9	42	42
11	Thomas Chabot	OTT	d	57.5	10	14
12	Nikita Zadorov	COL	d	56.9	11	10
13	Derrick Pouliot	PIT	d	56.7	9	8
14	Joshua Morrissey	WPG	d	56.5	12	13
15	Madison Bowey	WAS	d	56.3	13	12
16	Anthony DeAngelo	ARI	d	54.9	15	9
17	Brandon Montour	ANA	d	54.4	16	15
18	Travis Sanheim	PHI	d	53.8	18	17
19	Gustav Forsling	CHI	d	53.8	21	71
20	Olli Juolevi	VAN	d	53.6	19	18
21	Jakob Chychrun	ARI	d	53.5	25	32
22	Colin Miller	BOS	d	53.1	14	11
23	Esa Lindell	DAL	d	52.5	20	19
24	Ryan Graves	NYR	d	51.3	22	21
25	Jordan Subban	VAN	d	50.8	28	26
26	Noah Juulsen	MON	d	50.8	23	24
27	Slater Koekkoek	TBL	d	50.8	24	25
28	Mike Reilly	MIN	d	50.2	26	23
29	Jacob Larsson	ANA	d	49.3	32	29
30	Jake Bean	CAR	d	48.5	31	28
31	Jake Walman	STL	d	48.3	33	30
32	Ville Pokka	CHI	d	48.2	27	22
33	Jordan Schmaltz	STL	d	47.7	34	31
34	Brandon Carlo	BOS	d	47.1	104	108
35	Jakub Zboril	BOS	d	47.1	35	33
36	Charlie McAvoy	BOS	d	46.9	36	35
37	Philip Larsen	VAN	d	46.9	48	47
38	Joe Morrow	BOS	d	46.8	29	27
39	Lucas Johansen	WAS	d	46.7	37	36
40	Haydn Fleury	CAR	d	46.6	30	34
41	Jeremy Roy	SJS	d	45.9	39	39
42	Dennis Cholowski	DET	d	45.6	41	41
43	Oliver Kylington	CGY	d	45.2	60	62
44	Ethan Bear	EDM	d	44.6	46	45
45	Samuel Morin	PHI	d	44.5	44	40
46	Rasmus Andersson	CGY	d	44.5	69	69
47	Will Butcher	COL	d	44.3	47	46
48	Ryan Sproul	DET	d	44.3	54	56
49	Dante Fabbro	NSH	d	44.1	50	49
50	Chris Bigras	COL	d	44.0	38	37

11 Comments

R McGinnis 2016-11-14 at 03:33Log in to Reply

Pretty please, take Philip Larsen off this list. He has no business on here and certainly not ahead of Stecher (who is a pretty shocking omission). Stecher is playing on this first pairing in Vancouver, Larsen will certainly be on waivers when Tanev is back. I also think Subban has no business on this list. Add Stecher at around 30, drop Subban off this top 50, and remove Larsen outright. I’ve watched all three players a ton.
- Dobber 2016-11-14 at 07:47Log in to Reply
  
  Yeah yeah, the benefit of hindsight eh?
  Four days later after you see an additional game out of him, plus a healthy scratch, plus an alternative (Stecher) taking the job from him!
  
  Read my comment regarding Larsen vs. Stecher at the bottom of today’s Ramblings. Stecher this month went from 161 up to 82nd spot. His 40.3 rating is, using the ‘within 5.0’ rule, good enough for 43rd. Not so much an omission, we just ran out of room.
  
  If you were told that Prospect X would run a team’s power play for the first 12 games – guaranteed – as ‘the’ top guy on that power play…would Prospect X crack your Top 50 prospect defensemen? Of course he would. And it wouldn’t be your fault if he squandered that gift of an opportunity with non-production. All you can do is play the odds.
  
  Regarding Subban – are you kidding me? The guy has more than a point per game in the AHL last I checked. On a team that needs defenseman who can move the puck, it just screams value. Not to mention the value boost he gets just from his name. If a 21-year-old defenseman drafted in the first four rounds has a point per game in the AHL and he shoots right, and he belongs to an organization clearly preferring and needing a right-shooting defenseman who can move the puck…that’ doesn’t scream Top 50 to you? What criteria do you go by, your scouting eye?
  - R McGinnis 2016-11-22 at 13:40Log in to Reply
    
    Yeah. I go by actually watching these guys play.
    
    Subban can’t play in his own zone, is not loved by this current management team and has serious size limitations at the NHL level. He is a long ways away from cracking any NHL line-up. His stats at the AHL level don’t tell much of a story, You have to dig a lot deeper. Derrick Walser anyone?
    
    Larsen is terrible and is no longer young enough to even be considered a prospect. He is a veteran journeyman defender. On the Canucks he is the 4th best right side D. A looong way behind Stecher.
    
    Canucks fans were incensed that Stecher did not make the team out of camp. The coach thought he was one of his six best but management were covering their butts because they had given up a pick for Larsen. I did not need a few games of hindsight. It was obvious at the conclusion of camp who the best prospect was on the right side of the Canucks D. It was Stecher….AINEC.
    - Dobber 2016-11-22 at 14:19Log in to Reply
      
      Yeah. I go by paying attention to what the scouts say, in conjunction with the stats and opportunity. If I start pretending I’m a scout, or you’re a scout, or any reader is a scout – then I’d be putting out some pretty bad advice.
      Watch all the games you want. But until you flash me an “NHL pro scout” badge, I won’t be giving too much credence. I’ll listen, but I’m just saying it won’t hold the weight of scouts who as a group determined he’s worthy of a fourth-round pick.
      
      You can see the power that politics plays in these decisions – you put it in your own words right there: Stecher played better, but didn’t get first crack. Larsen did, because of what they gave up. Well, they gave up a 4th for Subban. So a better player who cost less (a 5th? A 7th? A free agent signed cheap?) will get pushed aside the same way while Subban gets a chance (deserved or not).
      - R McGinnis 2016-11-22 at 22:16
        
        Yeah except that is not at all what happened. Stecher had a great camp and was cut after Subban. Stecher was called up and not Subban. During his first call up he played demonstrably better than Larsen. He has now supplanted him. You can be as dismissive as you want of other people’s opinions. I really don’t care. Facts are facts. Subban is well behind Stecher on the depth chart and has been since September. Now Larsen is too.
      - Dobber 2016-11-22 at 22:20
        
        You misunderstand. I was referring to the politics of Larsen getting a shot before Stecher. Not Subban vs. Stecher.
        Stecher played better than Larsen. Earned the spot. Earned the opportunity. Didn’t get it. Because of politics. Sure, Larsen sucked his way off the job that was handed to him. But point is – he was given the job, undeserving. And that happens a LOT.
99rules66isafatbum 2016-11-15 at 17:26Log in to Reply

I just picked up Griffin Reinhart for cheap (maybe shouldn’t have with his bad back but like i said, cheap), is he not on this list because he is no longer a top 50 D prospect even though he’s only played 37 NHL games? Where does he rank?
- Dobber 2016-11-15 at 18:10Log in to Reply
  
  he ranks 66th. and dropping
kevbone 2016-11-19 at 13:53Log in to Reply

How much would DeAngelo’s rank change from his play this past week +?
Mark Ratcliff 2016-12-11 at 09:45Log in to Reply

Dobber, what are your thoughts on Devon Toews, his future, and what he’s doing at Bridgeport? Where does he fall in these rankings? Thanks
- Dobber 2016-12-11 at 12:35Log in to Reply
  
  He was 73 last month. Still working on this month’s but he’ll go up a bit because he’s doing quite well

UPCOMING GAMES

Dec 28 - 13:12	FLA	vs	MTL
Dec 28 - 16:12	ANA	vs	PHI
Dec 28 - 16:12	VAN	vs	SEA
Dec 28 - 16:12	L.A	vs	EDM
Dec 28 - 19:12	T.B	vs	NYR
Dec 28 - 19:12	CAR	vs	N.J
Dec 28 - 19:12	TOR	vs	WSH
Dec 28 - 19:12	WPG	vs	OTT
Dec 28 - 19:12	BOS	vs	CBJ
Dec 28 - 19:12	NYI	vs	PIT
Dec 28 - 22:12	S.J	vs	CGY