Senators Top Prospect #3

Wiercioch gets my vote to make a D clean sweep of the top 3.

Weircioch no doubt...

Yeah I'll go with Patty on this one, though Zack Smith is probably our most NHL ready forward prospect.

There's only 2 things left for Wiercioch before he becomes a top 10 prospect in the NHL = make the WJC team and impress.

I don't know what it is about that Silfverberg kid but he seems like a great pick by Murray. Could picture him on the top line with Spezza within the next 4 years.

Really?

I don't know much about him aside from what I've read here. That sounds like an optimistic projection, but hey, I'll take it if it happens.

Does anyone know if Wiercioch is going back to the NCAA or will be going professional in the fall? It seems to me that at his size and with the success he had as a PPG defensemen, maybe he's outgrown the league. And if he plays in the AHL for the year, can he still play in the WJC? I know he "can" because an NHLer from the Kings played last year (I think it was Oscar Moller if I'm not mistaken), but will he get to go?

As for forwards, are any of them ready for a jump to the NHL? We had a few guys up for games here and there (Regin and Zubov seem most likely to have a shot at it) but it doesn't seem like there's any room in the bottom six, not even for a guy like Bass who really should be in the NHL. Neil never should have been resigned IMO, especially not at $2mil per. His spot should be going to grow a young guy, we've got a bit of a backlog in the bottom six now with guys without top six potential, but without giving guys NHL experience, it's going to be tough to get them into the top six. So who goes into lineup? As it stands, we've got Spezza/Fisher/Alfredsson/Kovalev/Heatley (?)/Foligno in the top six, with Kelly/Ruutu/Neil/Donovan/Shannon/Winchester/Schubert (assuming he's still here) as the bottom six. Can we move anybody, or do we want to move anybody to make room, and if we can make room, what forward comes up?

PKC wrote:I'm surprised Cowen was rated the second best prospect. I envision Cowen as the heir in waiting to Chris Phillips' role. An enviable, rock-solid shutdown defenseman with the panache for punishing forwards with his imposing physique.

But Weircioch, good Lord. If this guy keeps improving at the pace he is, he will be a Norris trophy calibre defenseman in the NHL. If developed properly and with the right set of circumstances (luck and hard work), he will be a formidable number 1 defenseman capable of putting up massive offensive numbers and playing shutdown hockey with the best of them.

The only reason I pegged Karlsson ahead of him is because of the fact that Karlsson is potentially more NHL ready at this point than Weircioch.

But in terms of the more complete, well-rounded defenseman, it's hard not to go with the 6'5", and still growing, monster capable of putting up a point per game in the NCAA in his freshman year.

The sky's the limit for Weircioch.

Maybe it's an expectations vs. potential thing with those two. Much higher expectations and possibly potential with Cowen. Despite that I still agree with you that Weircioch should be the better D man in the end. I do however, think Cowen can be better than Phillips.

I voted Wiercioch for #2 because in the short-term I think he will be ready ahead of Cowen (that knee injury set his development back a year), and because in the long-term offense from the D is more noticeable.

So I voted Wiercioch.

Yes, we have a bit of an issue at forward, but we have Regin (now) and then guys like Silfverberg and Caporusso in a couple of years. There's still hope for Zubov, but I'm troubled by why it has taken so long.

SMcL88 wrote:Does anyone know if Wiercioch is going back to the NCAA or will be going professional in the fall? It seems to me that at his size and with the success he had as a PPG defensemen, maybe he's outgrown the league. And if he plays in the AHL for the year, can he still play in the WJC? I know he "can" because an NHLer from the Kings played last year (I think it was Oscar Moller if I'm not mistaken), but will he get to go?

As for forwards, are any of them ready for a jump to the NHL? We had a few guys up for games here and there (Regin and Zubov seem most likely to have a shot at it) but it doesn't seem like there's any room in the bottom six, not even for a guy like Bass who really should be in the NHL. Neil never should have been resigned IMO, especially not at $2mil per. His spot should be going to grow a young guy, we've got a bit of a backlog in the bottom six now with guys without top six potential, but without giving guys NHL experience, it's going to be tough to get them into the top six. So who goes into lineup? As it stands, we've got Spezza/Fisher/Alfredsson/Kovalev/Heatley (?)/Foligno in the top six, with Kelly/Ruutu/Neil/Donovan/Shannon/Winchester/Schubert (assuming he's still here) as the bottom six. Can we move anybody, or do we want to move anybody to make room, and if we can make room, what forward comes up?

This is a very important question. I have issues with the Neil signing because of the roster spot more than the amount of $$. But in all honesty...we have

Spezza-6 years
Alfie - as long as he wants
Fisher - 4 years
Kelly - 3 years
Neil - 4 years
Heatley - 5 years/and even if he's traded someone's coming back

then:

Ruutu - 2 years
Kovalev - 2 years
Foligno - will be resigned
Winchester - final year, I assume will be re-signed
Shannon - final year, more of a question mark

In the final years with a cloudy future:
Donovan

Those are the forwards with Regin, Zubov, Z.Smith all knocking at the door and O'Brien a year away.

People are gonna have to be moved at some point.

What? No Yablonski?

shabbs wrote:What? No Yablonski?

I'm pretty sure he'll impress his impact in a few places, if he ever makes it up here.

M_Christopher wrote:Speaking of prospects.....

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Mark-Christopher/Current-plans-for-the-prospects-Part1/121/22195

Just a quick plug :___:

Mark, sorry I *just* read your blog. In there you say that Wiercioch can't come to camp in September *and* go back to DU. Isn't there a way the Sens can sign an amateur tryout contract?

SpezDispenser wrote:

This is a very important question. I have issues with the Neil signing because of the roster spot more than the amount of $$. But in all honesty...we have

Spezza-6 years
Alfie - as long as he wants
Fisher - 4 years
Kelly - 3 years
Neil - 4 years
Heatley - 5 years/and even if he's traded someone's coming back

then:

Ruutu - 2 years
Kovalev - 2 years
Foligno - will be resigned
Winchester - final year, I assume will be re-signed
Shannon - final year, more of a question mark

In the final years with a cloudy future:
Donovan

Those are the forwards with Regin, Zubov, Z.Smith all knocking at the door and O'Brien a year away.

People are gonna have to be moved at some point.

I agree with most of what you're saying, I think. The bolded part is something I'm just not sold on. With the signing of Kovalev we are no-longer hard-up for a top-six coming back (we're still short, but we can promote one from within). And with the showing by Karlsson and Wiercioch at camp, one of them cna challenge for a spot on D. so we don't necessarily need a defenseman either.

Then let's remember that part of the HEatley trade will most likely involve another couple of players keeping Dany company. One of those two should be a forward (if it's Schubert, you didn't have him in your list, though).

Anyhow, the point I'm trying to make is that there will be movement, maybe not this year but definitely next. Donovan will be gone, Ruutu could be a deadline deal, same for Kelly. Winch could find himself playing on the 4th line and as a PK specialist. The way he controls the boards and never gives the puck away would be perfect. Maybe *he* is our replacement for Kelly.

Also, assuming Karlsson plays this year, by next season he could actually start to contribute, and all the speed of the guys from Bingo could be put to good use with Erik's outlet passes.

shabbs wrote:What? No Yablonski?

More importantly, no Schubert.

PKC wrote:I'm surprised Cowen was rated the second best prospect. I envision Cowen as the heir in waiting to Chris Phillips' role. An enviable, rock-solid shutdown defenseman with the panache for punishing forwards with his imposing physique.

But Weircioch, good Lord. If this guy keeps improving at the pace he is, he will be a Norris trophy calibre defenseman in the NHL. If developed properly and with the right set of circumstances (luck and hard work), he will be a formidable number 1 defenseman capable of putting up massive offensive numbers and playing shutdown hockey with the best of them.

The only reason I pegged Karlsson ahead of him is because of the fact that Karlsson is potentially more NHL ready at this point than Weircioch.

But in terms of the more complete, well-rounded defenseman, it's hard not to go with the 6'5", and still growing, monster capable of putting up a point per game in the NCAA in his freshman year.

The sky's the limit for Weircioch.

My thinking exactly. As for Cowen, I think he can be much more imposing than Phillips. And I really like Phillips.

wprager wrote:

M_Christopher wrote:Speaking of prospects.....

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Mark-Christopher/Current-plans-for-the-prospects-Part1/121/22195

Just a quick plug :___:

Mark, sorry I *just* read your blog. In there you say that Wiercioch can't come to camp in September *and* go back to DU. Isn't there a way the Sens can sign an amateur tryout contract?

He would lose his NCAA eligibility if he attends camp.

jawal wrote:

wprager wrote:

M_Christopher wrote:Speaking of prospects.....

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Mark-Christopher/Current-plans-for-the-prospects-Part1/121/22195

Just a quick plug :___:

Mark, sorry I *just* read your blog. In there you say that Wiercioch can't come to camp in September *and* go back to DU. Isn't there a way the Sens can sign an amateur tryout contract?

He would lose his NCAA eligibility if he attends camp.

Oh, well, in that case, getting an invite would not be enough, IMO. He'd be better to stay in college another year. Too many D-men in the hopper right now to guarantee anything other than a Bingo salary.