Darryl's Dispatch: RotoWire's 2010-11 Top 300 NHL Prospects

Darryl's Dispatch: RotoWire's 2010-11 Top 300 NHL Prospects

This article is part of our Darryl's Dispatch series.

The goal of this list is to place a raw ranking or value on a young player's ability to adapt and mature his game during those crucial first few seasons after he is drafted or signed by an NHL team. Each of these elite prospects is considered by industry consensus to be the best of the best. But realistically, almost all are several years away from being effective NHL regulars and only a few will ever reach true NHL stardom.

Prospect Criteria: Players under 26 years old, who have appeared in no more than 25 NHL games, are considered prospects. A player's current ranking combines two grades; the first is his current state of NHL preparedness and the second measures his long-term potential.

Forwards

RANKPLAYER/DRAFT YEARPOSNHL TEAM2009-10 CLUB/LEAGUE
1Taylor Hall '10LWEdmontonWindsor (OHL)
2Jordan Eberle '08CEdmontonRegina (WHL)
3Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson '09LWEdmontonTimra IK (SEL)
4Tyler Seguin '10CBostonPlymouth (OHL)
5Nazem Kadri '09CTorontoLondon (OHL)
6Gustav Nyquist '08LWDetroitMaine (HE)
7Cody Hodgson '08CVancouverBrampton (OHL)
8Chris Kreider '09CNY RangersBoston College (HE)
9Joe Colborne '08LWBostonProvidence (AHL)
10Tyler Ennis '08CBuffaloBuffalo (NHL)
11Brayden Schenn '09CLos AngelesBrandon (WHL)
12Derek Stepan '08CNY RangersWisconsin (WCHA)
13Tomas Tatar '09LWDetroitGrand Rapids (AHL)
14Michael Grabner '06RWFloridaManitoba (AHL)
The goal of this list is to place a raw ranking or value on a young player's ability to adapt and mature his game during those crucial first few seasons after he is drafted or signed by an NHL team. Each of these elite prospects is considered by industry consensus to be the best of the best. But realistically, almost all are several years away from being effective NHL regulars and only a few will ever reach true NHL stardom.

Prospect Criteria: Players under 26 years old, who have appeared in no more than 25 NHL games, are considered prospects. A player's current ranking combines two grades; the first is his current state of NHL preparedness and the second measures his long-term potential.

Forwards

RANKPLAYER/DRAFT YEARPOSNHL TEAM2009-10 CLUB/LEAGUE
1Taylor Hall '10LWEdmontonWindsor (OHL)
2Jordan Eberle '08CEdmontonRegina (WHL)
3Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson '09LWEdmontonTimra IK (SEL)
4Tyler Seguin '10CBostonPlymouth (OHL)
5Nazem Kadri '09CTorontoLondon (OHL)
6Gustav Nyquist '08LWDetroitMaine (HE)
7Cody Hodgson '08CVancouverBrampton (OHL)
8Chris Kreider '09CNY RangersBoston College (HE)
9Joe Colborne '08LWBostonProvidence (AHL)
10Tyler Ennis '08CBuffaloBuffalo (NHL)
11Brayden Schenn '09CLos AngelesBrandon (WHL)
12Derek Stepan '08CNY RangersWisconsin (WCHA)
13Tomas Tatar '09LWDetroitGrand Rapids (AHL)
14Michael Grabner '06RWFloridaManitoba (AHL)
15Brett Connolly '10LWTampa BayPrince George (WHL)
16Nino Niederreiter '10LWNY IslandersPortland (WHL)
17Vladimir Tarasenko '10RWSt. LouisSibir Novosibirsk (KHL)
18Jacob Josefson '09CNew JerseyDjurgarden (SEL)
19Louis Leblanc '09CMontrealHarvard (ECAC)
20Logan Couture '07CSan JoseSan Jose (NHL)
21Mikael Backlund '07CCalgaryCalgary (NHL)
22Lars Eller '07LWMontrealPeoria (AHL)
23Mattias Tedenby '08LWNew JerseyHV71 (SEL)
24Scott Glennie '09RWDallasBrandon (WHL)
25Evgeny Grachev '08CNY RangersHartford (AHL)
26Drayson Bowman '08CCarolinaCarolina (NHL)
27Alexander Burmistrov '10CAtlantaBarrie (OHL)
28Jeff Skinner '10CCarolinaKitchener (OHL)
29Ryan Johansen '10CColumbusPortland (WHL)
30Danny Kristo '08RWMontrealNorth Dakota (WCHA)
31Jordan Schroeder '09CVancouverMinnesota (WCHA)
32Emerson Etem '10CAnaheimMedicine Hat (WHL)
33Mikael Granlund '10CMinnesotaHIFK Helsinki (SM-LIIGA)
34Zac Dalpe '08CCarolinaOhio State (CCHA)
35Brett MacLean '07LWPhoenixSan Antonio (AHL)
36Eric Tangradi '07CPittsburghWilkes-Barre (AHL)
37Mathieu Perreault '06CWashingtonHersey (AHL)
38Ryan Stoa '05LWColoradoLake Erie (AHL)
39Marcus Johansson '09CWashingtonFarjestad (SEL)
40Kirill Petrov '08RWNY IslandersAK Bars (KHL)
41Chris Terry '07LWCarolinaAlbany (AHL)
42Jeremy Morin '09RWChicagoKitchener (OHL)
43Dmitri Kugryshev '08RWWashingtonQuebec (QMJHL)
44Maxim Goncharov '07LWPhoenixCSKA (KHL)
45Blake Geoffrion '06LWNashvilleWisconsin (WCHA)
46Kirill Kabanov '10LWNY IslandersMoncton (QMJHL)
47Dustin Jeffrey '07LWPittsburghWilkes-Barre (AHL)
48Patrice Cormier '08CAtlantaRouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
49Jordan Caron '09RWBostonRouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
50Kyle Beach '08LWChicagoSpokane (WHL)
51Adam Henrique '08CNew JerseyWindsor (OHL)
52Carl Klingberg '09RWAtlantaFrolunda (SEL)
53Ben Maxwell '06CMontrealHamilton (AHL)
54Carter Ashton '09LWTampa BayLethbridge (WHL)
55Evgeny Kuznetsov '10CWashingtonTraktor Chelyabinsk (KHL)
56Linus Omark '07LWEdmontonMoscow Dynamo (KHL)
57Francois Bouchard '06LWWashingtonHersey (AHL)
58Greg Nemisz '08CCalgaryWindsor (OHL)
59Peter Holland '09CAnaheimGuelph (OHL)
60Maxime Sauve '08CBostonVal d'Or )QMJHL)
61Casey Pierro-Zabotel '07CPittsburghWilkes-Barre (AHL)
62Jan Mursak '06RWDetroitGrand Rapids (AHL)
63Sergei Shirokov '06LWVancouverManitoba (AHL)
64Austin Watson '10RWNashvillePeterborough (OHL)
65Kyle Palmieri '09RWAnaheimNotre Dame (CCHA)
66Riley Nash '07CEdmontonCornell (ECAC)
67Ryan Howse '09LWCalgaryChilliwack (WHL)
68Brad Marchand '06RWBostonBoston (NHL)
69Mitch Wahl '08CCalgarySpokane (WHL)
70Mats Zuccarello Aasen (ND)RWNY RangersSkelleftea (SEL)
71Louie Caporusso '07LWOttawaMichigan (CCHA)
72Zack Kassian '09RWBuffaloPeterborough (OHL)
73Nic Deschamps '08LWAnaheimMoncton (QMJHL)
74Nick Bjugstad '10CFloridaBlaine (USHS-MN)
75Quinton Howden '10LWFloridaMoose Jaw (WHL)
76Beau Bennett '10RWPittsburghPenticton (BCHL)
77Matt Clavert '08LWColumbusBrandon (WHL)
78Richard Panik '09RWTampa BayBelleville (OHL)
79Anton Gustafsson '08CWashingtonHersey (AHL)
80Rhett Rakhshani '06RWNY IslandersDenver (WCHA)
81Andre Petersson '09RWOttawaJonkoping (SEL)
82Cam MacIntyle (UD)RWSan JosePrinceton (ECAC)
83Ethan Werek '09CNY RangersKingston (OHL)
84Ilya Zubov '05COttawaCSKA (KHL)
85Nick Petersen '09RWPittsburghSaint John (QMJHL)
86Landon Ferraro '09CDetroitRed Deer (WHL)
87Brandon Pirri '09CChicagoRPI (ECAC)
88Jesse Joensuu '06RWNY IslandersBridgeport (AHL)
89Austin Smith '07RWDallasColgate (ECAC)
90Andrei Loktionov '08CLos AngelesManchester (AHL)
91Marcus Kruger '09CChicagoDjurgardens (SEL)
92Zack Hamill '07CBostonBoston (NHL)
93Michael Repik '07RWFloridaFlorida (NHL)
94Brandon McMillan '08LWAnaheimKelowna (WHL)
95Akim Aliu '07RWAtlantaToledo (ECHL)
96Erik Haula '09LWMinnesotaOmaha (USHL)
97Aaron Palushaj 07RWMontrealHamilton (AHL)
98Jori Lehtera '08CSt. LouisPeoria (AHL)
99Maxim Mayorov '07RWColumbusSyracuse (AHL)
100Curtis McKenzie '09LWDallasMiami-Ohio (CCHA)
101Alex Hutchings '09LWTampa BayBarrie (OHL)
102Simon Hjalmarsson '07RWSt. LouisLulea (SEL)
103Alex Chiasson '09RWDallasBoston University (HE)
104Christopher DiDomenico '07CChicagoDrummondville (QMJHL)
105James Marcou (UD)RWSan JoseWorcester (AHL)
106Ben Hanowski '09RWPittsburghSt. Cloud State (WCHA)
107Mark Letestu (UD)CPittsburghWilkes-Barre (AHL)
108Steven Zalewski '04LWSan JoseWorcester (AHL)
109Mikhail Stefanovich '08CTorontoQuebec (QMJHL)
110Andrew Gordon '04RWWashingtonHersey (AHL)
111Mikko Lehtonen '05RWBostonProvidence (AHL)
112Luke Adam '08LWBuffaloCape Breton (QMJHL)
113Toni Rajala '09LWEdmontonBrandon (WHL)
114Tyler Toffoli '10RWLos AngelesOttawa (OHL)
115Mark Pysyk '10LWBuffaloEdmonton (WHL)
116Bobby Butler (UD)RWOttawaOttawa (NHL)
117Justin Fontaine (UD)RWFree AgentMinnesota-Duluth (WCHA)
118Zach Budish '09RWNashvilleMinnesota (WCHA)
119Trevor Smith (UD)LWNY IslandersBridgeport (AHL)
120Casey Wellman (UD)CMinnesotaMinnesota (NHL)
121Charlie Coyle '10RWSan JoseSouth Shore (EJHL)
122Jack Connolly (UD)CFree AgentMinnesota-Duluth (WCHA)
123Tyler Pitlick '10LWEdmontonMinnesota State (WCHA)
124David McIntyre '06CNew JerseyLowell (AHL)
125Evgeny Dadonov '07RWFloridaRochester (AHL)
126Jerry D'Amigo '09RWTorontoRPI (ECAC)
127Corey Tropp '07RWBuffaloMichigan State (CCHA)
128Jaden Schwartz '10CSt. LouisTri-City (USHL)
129Calle Jarnkrok '10CDetroitBrynas (SEL)
130Brock Nelson '10CNY IslandersWarroad (USHS-MN)
131John McFarland '10LWFloridaSudbury (OHL)
132Joey Hishon '10CColoradoOwen Sound (OHL)
133Ryan Spooner '10CBostonPeterborough (OHL)
134Stanislav Galiev '10CWashingtonSaint John (QMJHL)
135Brad Ross '10LWTorontoPortland (WHL)
136Ludvig Rensfeldt '10LWChicagoBrynas (SEL)
137Riley Sheahan '10CDetroitNotre Dame (CCHA)
138Petr Straka '10CColumbusRimouski (QMJHL)
139Johan Larsson '10LWMinnesotaBrynas (SEL)
140Jason Zucker '10LWMinnesotaU.S. NTDP (USHL)
141Dalton Smith '10LWColumbusOttawa (OHL)
142Kevin Hayes '10LWChicagoNoble & Greenough (USHS-MA)
143Jordan Weal '10CLos AngelesRegina (WHL)
144Oscar Lindberg '10CPhoenixSkelleftea JR (SWE-JR)
145Ivan Telegin '10CAtlantaSaginaw (OHL)
146Teemu Pulkkinen '10RWDetroitJokerit (SM-LIIGA)
147Philip Lane '10RWPhoenixBrampton (OHL)
148Devante Smith-Pelly '10RWAnaheimMississauga (OHL)
149Maxim Kitsyn '10LWLos AngelesNovokuznetsk (KHL)
150Alex Hutchings '09LWTampa BayBarrie (OHL)
151Connor Brickley '10LWFloridaDes Moines (USHL)
152Ryan Martindale '10CEdmontonOttawa (OHL)
153Christian Thomas '10RWNY RangersOshawa (OHL)
154Jared Knight '10CBostonLondon (OHL)
155Sebastian Wannstrom '10RWSt. LouisBrynas JR. (SWE-JR)
156Taylor Beck '09LWNashvilleGuelph (OHL)
157Philip McRae '08CSt. LouisPlymouth (OHL)
158Patrick Maroon '07LWPhiladelphiaAdirondack (AHL)
159Nick Palmieri '07RWNew JerseyLowell (AHL)
160Dana Tyrell '07CTampa BayNorfolk (AHL)
161Michael Parks '10RWPhiladelphiaCedar Rapids (USHL)
162Tom Kuehnhackl '10RWPittsburghLandshut (GER-2)
163Bill Arnold '10CCalgaryU.S. NTDP (USHL)
164Justin Shugg '10RWCarolinaWindsor (OHL)
165Michael Bournival '10CColoradoShawinigan (QMJHL)
166Brett Bulmer '10RWMinnesotaKelowna (WHL)
167Andrew Yogan '10LWNY RangersErie (OHL)
168Curtis Hamilton '10LWEdmontonSaskatoon (WHL)
169Jakub Culek '10LWOttawaRimouski (QMJHL)
170Joonas Donskoi '10LWFloridaKarpat JR. (FIN-JR)
171Joe Basaraba '10RWFloridaShattuck St. Mary's (USHS-MN)
172Greg McKegg '10CTorontoErie (OHL)
173Kevin Sundher '10CBuffaloChilliwack (WHL)
174Max Gardiner '10LWSt. LouisMinnetonka (USHS-MN)
175Max Reinhart '10CCalgaryKootenay (WHL)

Defensemen

RANKPLAYER/DRAFT YEARNHL TEAM2009-10 CLUB/LEAGUE
1P.K. Subban '07MontrealMontreal (NHL)
2Oliver Ekman-Larsson '09PhoenixLeksand (SEL)
3John Carlson '08WashingtonWashington (NHL)
4Ryan Ellis '09NashvilleWindsor (OHL)
5Brendan Smith '07DetroitWisconsin (WCHA)
6Cam Fowler '10AnaheimWindsor (OHL)
7Erik Gudbranson '10FloridaKingston (OHL)
8Calvin de Haan '09NY IslandersOshawa (OHL)
9Jamie McBain '06CarolinaCarolina (NHL)
10John Moore '09ColumbusKitchener (OHL)
11Kevin Shattenkirk '07ColoradoLake Erie (AHL)
12Jonathan Blum '07NashvilleMilwaukee (AHL)
13Jared Cowen '09OttawaSpokane (WHL)
14Brandon Gormley '10PhoenixMoncton (QMJHL)
15Patrick Wiercioch '08OttawaDenver (WCHA)
16Derek Forbort '10Los AngelesU.S. NTDP (USHL)
17Ryan McDonagh '08NY RangersWisconsin (WCHA)
18Tim Erixon '09CalgarySkelleftea (SEL)
19Marco Scandella '08MinnesotaVal d'Or )QMJHL)
20Colten Teubert '08Los AngelesRegina (WHL)
21Travis Hamonic '08NY IslandersBrandon (WHL)
22Thomas Hickey '07Los AngelesManchester (AHL)
23Jakub Kindl '05DetroitGrand Rapids (AHL)
24Jeff Petry '06EdmontonMichigan State (CCHA)
25Ivan Vishnevskiy '06ChicagoChicago (NHL)
26Dylan Olsen '09ChicagoMinnesota-Duluth (WCHA)
27Jack Gardiner '08AnaheimWisconsin (WCHA)
28Paul Postma '07AtlantaChicago (AHL)
29Philip Larsen '08DallasFrolunda (SEL)
30Nick Leddy '09ChicagoMinnesota (WCHA)
31Drew Shore '09FloridaDenver (WCHA)
32Ian Cole '07St. LouisNotre Dame (CCHA)
33Vyacheslav Voinov '08Los AngelesManchester (AHL)
34Brayden McNabb '09BuffaloKootenay (WHL)
35Bobby Sanguinetti '06CarolinaHartford (AHL)
36Colby Cohen '07ColoradoBoston University (HE)
37Anturs Kulda '06AtlantaChicago (AHL)
38David Rundblad '09OttawaSkelleftea (SEL)
39Nick Petrecki '07San JoseWorcester (AHL)
40Dylan McIlrath '10NY RangersMoose Jaw (WHL)
41Tyson Barrie '09ColoradoKelowna (WHL)
42Shawn Lalonde '08ChicagoBelleville (OHL)
43Cody Goloubef '08ColumbusWisconsin (WCHA)
44Roman Josi '08NashvilleBern (SWISS)
45Jonas Junland '08St. LouisPeoria (AHL)
46Yannick Weber '07MontrealHamilton (AHL)
47Alex Plante '07EdmontonSpringfield (AHL)
48Yuri Alexandrov '06BostonHC Severstal (KHL)
49Charles-Olivier Roussel '09NashvilleShawinigan (QMJHL)
50Carl Sneep'06PittsburghBoston College (HE)
51Mac Bennett '09MontrealCedar Rapids (USHL)
52Chay Genoway (UD)Free AgentNorth Dakota (WCHA)
53Erik Gustafsson (UD)Free AgentNorthern Michigan (CCHA)
54Justin Schultz '08AnaheimWisconsin (WCHA)
55Matt Irwin (UD)San JoseWorcester (AHL)
56Keith Aulie '07TorontoToronto (AHL)
57Kevin Marshall '07PhiladelphiaAdirondack (AHL)
58Brian Dumoulin '09CarolinaBoston College (HE)
59Jacob Muzzin '07PittsburghS.S. Marie (OHL)
60Maxim Noreau (ND)MinnesotaHouston (AHL)
61Ty Wishart '06Tampa BayNorfolk (AHL)
62Marc-Andre Bourdon '08PhiladelphiaAdirondack (AHL)
63Jarred Tinordi '10MontrealU.S. NTDP (USHL)
64Kevin Connauton '09VancouverVancouver (WHL)
65Stefan Elliott '09ColoradoSaskatoon (WHL)
66Jonathan Merrill '10New JerseyU.S. NTDP (USHL)
67Simon Després '09PittsburghSaint John/QMJHL)
68Cameron Gaunce '08ColoradoMississauga (OHL)
69Slava Voynov '08Los AngelesManchester (AHL)
70T.J. Brodie '08CalgaryBarrie (OHL)
71Justin Faulk '10CarolinaU.S. NTDP (USHL)
72Patrik Nemeth '10DallasAIK JR (SWE-JR)
73Colby Robak '08FloridaBrandon (WHL)
74Alexander Petrovic '10FloridaRed Deer (WHL)
75Keith Seabrook '06CalgaryAbbotsford (AHL)
76Martin Marincin '10EdmontonSlovakia Under-20
77Stephen Johns '10ChicagoU.S. NTDP (USHL)
78Brock Beukeboom '10Tampa BayS.S. Marie (OHL)
79Jerome Gauthier-Leduc '10BuffaloRouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
80Patrick McNally '10VancouverMilton Academy (USHS-MA)
81Danny Biega '10CarolinaHarvard (ECAC)
82Matt MacKenzie '10BuffaloCalgary (WHL)
83Matthew Corrente '06New JerseyLowell (AHL)
84Philip Samuelsson '09PittsburghWilkes-Barre (AHL)
85Alexander Urbom '09New JerseyBrandon (WHL)
86Stephen Silas '10ColoradoBelleville (OHL)
87Troy Rutkowski '10ColoradoPortland (WHL)
88Brandon Archibald '10ColumbusS.S. Marie (OHL)
89Justin Holl '10ChicagoMinnetonka (USHS-MN)
90Mark Alt '10CarolinaCretin-Derham (USHS-MN)

Goaltenders

RANKPLAYER/DRAFT YEARNHL TEAM2009-10 CLUB/LEAGUE
1Jacob Markstrom '08FloridaBrynas (SEL)
2Michal Neuvirth '06WashingtonWashington (NHL)
3John Bernier '06Los AngelesManchester (AHL)
4Chet Pickard '08NashvilleMilwaukee (AHL)
5Robin Lehner '08OttawaS.S. Marie (OHL)
6Corey Schneider '04VancouverManitoba (AHL)
7Jake Allen '08St. LouisDrummondville (QMJHL)
8Jack Campbell '10DallasU.S. NDTP (USHL)
9Jhonas Enroth '06BuffaloPortland (AHL)
10Alex Stalock '05San JoseWorcester (AHL)
11Matt Hackett '09MinnesotaPlymouth (OHL)
12Dustin Tokarski '08Tampa BayNorfolk (AHL)
13Braden Holtby '08WashingtonHershey (AHL)
14Joacim Eriksson '08PhiladelphiaBrynas (SEL)
15Justin Peters '04CarolinaAlbany (AHL)
16Thomas Greiss '04San JoseSan Jose (NHL)
17Cedrick Desjardins (UD)MontrealHamilton (AHL)
18Richard Bachman '06DallasTexas (AHL)
19Jaroslav Janus '09Tampa BayErie (OHL)
20Jeff Frazee '05New JerseyLowell (AHL)
21Brad Thiessen (UD)PittsburghWilkes-Barre (AHL)
22Mike Murphy '08CarolinaAlbany (AHL)
23Harri Sateri '08San JoseTappara (SM-LIIGA)
24Mikko Koskinen '09NY IslandersUtah (ECHL)
25Oliver Roy '09EdmontonSpringfield (AHL)
26Gustaf Wesslau (UD)CoumbusDjurgardens (SEL)
27Jussi Rynnas (UD)TorontoAssat Port (SM-LIIGA)
28Marc Cheverie Denver '06FloridaDenver (WCHA)
29Thomas McCollum '08DetroitToledo (ECHL)
30Kevin Poulin '08NY IslandersVictoriaville (QJMHL)
31Brandon Maxwell '09ColoradoKitchener (OHL)
32Tyler Beskorowany '08DallasKingston (OHL)
33Martin Jones (UD)Los AngelesCalgary (WHL)
34Darcy Kuemper '09MinnesotaRed Deer (WHL)
35Calvin Pickard '10ColoradoSeattle (WHL)


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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Darryl Houston Smith
Darryl is a member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association and in 2011-12 won the CBSSports.com Experts Fantasy Hockey League title. Find more of his work at ProHockeyWeekly.com or BlogTalkRadio. Follow him on Twitter at @dhoustonsmith.
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