The Official Prospects Thread

[glen a richter]

I’m really looking forward to seeing what Neighbours and Bolduc can do at the NHL level given a full season. Between them, Kyrou and Thomas leaping forward this year and so forth, if 91 still wants a trade maybe they can get into the top 5 in this years deep draft. I’d hate to lose Vlad but the strategy of not ditching him at rock bottom could pay off, especially with the way this teams immediate future looks could pay off beautifully.

[theohall]

Given how stacked the Blues roster currently is, I suspect Bolduc will get the 9 game tryout next season, like they did with Neighbours. We'll see if he's ready then or gets his last year of juniors. We already know Neighbors will be here and will be skipping the AHL.

Bolduc could be Tarasenko's replacement if Tank still wants to be moved. There was an excellent Athletic article about Tank's surgeries which explained exactly what the Blues didn't do and what the 3rd surgeon did. The 3rd guy did a bunch of additional support stuff that probably should've been done on the 2nd surgery. The 3rd surgeon said it wasn't necessarily a mistake, because the extra steps aren't always necessary. What ticked off Tarasenko was criticism of his play within the organization when he was clearly not 100%. Don't know whose behind that criticism, since no names are mentioned in the article, but it's clear that's the HUGE issue. I hope he doesn't leave since the 3rd surgeon's track record for fixing shoulders in multiple sports is ridiculously good and Vladi has responded so incredibly well on the ice.

[glen a richter]

I'd say Vlad looks very happy, but who knows if his trade request still stands. I hope he stays but if he doesn't I'm pretty comfortable with the situation as is, on offense. Just don't get screwed in a trade, he's worth at least a top 5 plus something. There's some RHD projected early I'd love the Blues to have a shot at taking if they can maneuver their way up, but if Vladdie wants to stay then by all means don't shop him.

[theohall]

Oil Kings 6 Red Deer Rebels 4

Neighbours 0G 2A +2 2SOG 1/4 Faceoffs. Oil Kings have already won their division are locked into 2nd place in their conference. Remaining games for home ice will only matter if the Oil Kings win their Conference.

Quebec Remparts 13 Halifax Mooseheads 5

Bolduc 3G 0A +2 11SOG. The hat trick put Bolduc in a tie with Theo Rochette for the team lead in pts (5th in the QMJHL) and 2nd in the Q in goals. Ths 13 goals vaulted Quebec into most goals scored in the Q this season and maintained their 2 point lead for 1st place in the Q.

Remparts and Oil Kings are both in action again this afternoon (4/10)

[theohall]

Colten Ellis continues to struggle for the Railers surrendering 6 goals on 25 shots to last place Adirondack in the Railers 6-4 loss on Sunday. The Railers did win Saturday in OT. Worcester is tied with Trois Rivieres in points (68) for the final wildcard position, but Trois Riviers has games in hand.

Jake Neighbours had 1G, 1A, 4SOG and 1/4 in faceoffs in Edmonton's 4-1 win over the Calgary Hitmen on Sunday. So Neighbours misses basically a month and comes back with back-to-back 2 point games.

Rempartslost 4-2 to the Saint John Sea Dogs. Charlottetown won and with their game-in-hand is in 1st place in the Eastern Conference since Quebec and Charlottetown are tied in points. I must've read the schedule wrong the other day, because Quebec still has 4 more games which are makeups of postponed games. They are at home for Rimouski and Sherbrooke (both playoff teams, but games will not impact playoff position) this week, then face Chicoutimi (a non-playoff team) in a home-and-home on the 20th and 21st to end the season.

Bolduc 0G 1A -3 6SOG. (Rochette took back the team lead in points with 1G 1A).

[theohall]

Remparts win 4-1 over Gatineau Thursday night (4/14)

Bolduc 1G 1A 7SOG +3


ECHL: Colten Ellis' Worcester Railers final 2 regular season games are on the road at Trois-Rivieres tonight and tomorrow. The two teams and Maine are currently tied for the final playoff spot. Trois-Rivieres has 2 games in hand. Maine only has 1 game remaining. So Railers are in a must win situation. Odds are if they lose either game, they miss the playoffs. Not sure if Ellis gets the start tomorrow or Saturday, but I suspect tonight with the way he and Appleby have been rotating.

[theohall]

And Colten Ellis got shelled again giving up 5 goals on 32 shots in a 5-0 loss ending the Worcester Railers playoff hopes. Not a good end to the season for Ellis over his last few games. Quebec moved 4 points ahead of Charlottetown for the league lead in points.

Remparts won 4-1 over the Moncton Wildcats

Bolduc 1G 1A +1 6SOG. Back in a tie with Rochette for the team lead in points (88) with 58 games played. 2nd in the Q in goals (46), 5th in the Q in points and +/-.

Jake Neighbours was all 0s with 2 SOGs in Edmonton's 3-0 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers

[theohall]

Neighbours tallied the game winning goal in Oil Kings 3-2 win over the Red Deer Rebels to end their regular season. Edmonton finished 2nd overall in the WHL.

Neighbors: 1G 0A 3SOG -1

[theohall]

Remparts lost 3-2 in OT to Shawnigan. This only the Remparts 2nd loss in their last 12 games and they still got the loser point while clinching their division title. They are one point ahead of Charlottetown still for the League and Conference lead.

Bolduc 0G 0A +1 3S0G 1/1 Faceoffs

The WHL playoffs start for Jake Neighbours and the Oil Kings this Thursday 4/21. The QMJHL playoffs won't start until May due to all of the postponed games which are being made up.

[theohall]

Remparts won 6-1 over Chicoutimi tonight. Quebec clinched their division and is 1 point ahead of Charlottetown for 1st overall.

Bolduc 1G 1A +1 4SOG. 1 point ahead of Rochette for team lead in scoring.

[glen a richter]

I feel like I should know the answer to this but anyway... if the Oil Kings get bounced and the Blues are still in the playoffs can Neighbours join the team? I assume no since he wasn't on the NHL or AHL roster by a certain deadline but maybe I'm wrong.

[theohall]

Yes, Neighbours could join the Blues in that case. He falls under the Blues "Reserve" list which is the same thing that allowed Colorado to sign Makar and have him play in the playoffs in 2019.

Some older examples:

Rod Brind'amour played his first games for the Blues in the playoffs. Brett Hull played his first games for the Flames in the playoffs. Tom Wilson - 1st games were in the playoffs for the Capitals. So - for sure - Neighbours could join the Blues.

The big catch - he's 20 right now with a March birthday and could still play in juniors again next season. If he plays one more game, that eligibility is gone. IMO, he doesn't need to go back, but it's an option for the Blues to extend his contract another year.

[theohall]

Remparts won 5-2 over Drummondville Friday 4/22. Quebec is still 1 point ahead of Charlottetown for 1st overall in the Q. Both teams have 4 games remaining. Barring a collapse on both teams parts, one of them will win 1st overall as the have a 6 and 5 point lead, respectively, over the St Johns Sea Dogs.

Bolduc 2G 1A +3 9SOG (still tied for team lead in scoring and 3rd in the Q in Goals. Bolduc has a shot at being the leading goal scorer. With 4 games remaining and 49 goals he is 3 goals behind William DuFour (52) who has 3 games remaining. 2nd, Patrick Guay, has 50 goals but only 1 game remaining.

OIl Kings won their playoff opener Thursday night (4/21) 4-1 over Lethbridge.

Neighbours 0s with 3SOG 1/2 in faceoffs.

[theohall]

Oil Kings did their job again winning 4-0 over Lethbridge to take a 2-0 lead in their opening round playoff series.

Neighbours 0s +1 5SOG

[theohall]

Remparts won 4-1 over Victoriaville Sunday 4/24.

Bolduc 1G 0A 4SOG Even 3 hits.

[theohall]

Oil Kings posted their 3rd straight 4 goal outing in the opening round of the WHL playoffs defeating Lethbridge 4-1. Edmonton leads series 3 games to none.

Neighbours 0s 3SOG +1 no faceoffs taken.

It looks like Neighbours is playing with Dylan Guenther thus far in this series. Edmonton seems to have a 1A and 1B line with Neighbours (LW) and Guenther (RW) on one of them with Luypen (C/LW) and the undersized, undrafted 20 year old Carter Souch (LW 5'10 165) on the other. Sourdif is probably centering Neighbour and Guenthers given he's taken the most faceoffs in 3 straight games (35/66 through 3 games). That line has 2 first round picks (Neighbours and Guenther) plus a 3rd round pick (Sourdif) on one line. One thing I can't see is ice time, and I'd assume Lethbridge is putting their best defensive line on the ice against those 3 which is allowing the other Oil Kings players to pick up the scoring slack against the lesser Lethbridge lines. Guenther still has 3 goals in 3 games.

[theohall]

Remparts won 8-4 over Baie-Comeau Drakkar. Quebec reached 100 points with the win. Charlottetown also won and still sits 1 point behind Quebec for 1st place overall.

Bolduc 1G 0A 5SOG -1

[theohall]

Oil Kings completed their 1st round sweep of Lethbridge with a 6-4 win.

Neighbours: 0G 2A +1 2SOG 1st assist was on the game-winning PPG. 2nd assist was for an empty net goal. Both were secondary assists.

[theohall]

Remparts won 4-3 over Rimouski. Charlottetown continues to pace Quebec remaining 1 point behind for 1st overall which will be decided Sunday. Quebec only needs 1 point to secure 1st overall (Remparts hold the tiebreakers), while Charlottetown must win with a Quebec regulation loss to overtake Quebec. The exact reverse of the Blues situation Friday night.

Bolduc 1G 0A 4SOG Even

[theohall]

Quebec finished their season with a 6-2 win over Rimouski earning their 50th win and securing 1st place overall along with home ice throughout the QMJHL playoffs which begin May 5th vs Chicoutimi.

Bolduc (League rank) 3G 1A +1 6SOG. Overall 65GP 55G(2nd) 44A(3rd) 99P(8th) +53(4th) 14PPG(10th) 10PPA(64th) 2SHG(18th) 263SOG(9th) 6GWG(13th). He still has 2 years of junior eligibility. And he wasn't on this year's WJC team for Canada. Explain that one. He's got to be the most overlooked 1st rd NHL pick from the past year.