HF: Top WHL Defensemen

Hockey's Future looks at top WHL defensemen who have already been drafted. Avs draftees Barrie and Elliot are in the top 3.

over 1 year ago niwotsblessing 6 comments 0 recs |

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Nice to see there’s some promising defensive prospects in the pipeline. Except all most all of them are of the speedy, puck moving vein. Hopefully a couple of shut down studs emerge from somewhere.

by NomadJackson on Feb 1, 2011 11:17 PM MST reply actions

This is where the Avs really do have some trading power. Two more very good smallish defensemen with big offensive upside? I think we alreay have… well, we have a couple, and might have a couple more depending on how our guys do. Trade those excellent prospects for prospects that have things that we are lacking. That way, no one has to feel like they are trading away proven NHLers for picks or guys that might not pan out, etc.

Thanks Joe...

by mfured20 on Feb 2, 2011 1:43 AM MST up reply actions

Prospects

Elliot is not so small. Careful with trading prospects. Look at the Hunwick trade. Especially 2 of the top 3. Lots of vets do not pan out for a team either. Giving up too much too quick can really ruin a team’s future. Vancouver has built a team with patience and wise careful additions. At draft this year they need to go for some big defensemen that can play.

by eve on Feb 2, 2011 8:50 AM MST reply actions

Actually they need to go best player available and hopefully that is a scoring forward in the 1st round. I know everyone wants a shutdown D but they take time to develop and are better off later picks. Right now the Avs are getting thin in quality scoring forwards in the system and they have guys like Hejduk, Mueller, Jones, etc needing replaced in the coming years.

2010-11 Colorado Avalanche: The Asskickers of the Amazing

by zandar on Feb 2, 2011 9:24 AM MST up reply actions

Is it just me, or does the guy mentioned at the end of the Elliot writeup have an awesome porn star name?

My fantasy hockey team sucks. But at least I'm not a Red Wing sellout.

by Bob in Boulder on Feb 2, 2011 2:15 PM MST reply actions

Yeah, agree. We have to think about drafting some scoring forwards in next year. We have only Joey Hishon, maybe Mark Olver or Luke Walker who could play top-six-role.
Besides it is much easier to learn defense than offense. So when we have couple good offensive defensemen it is very good. But we lack size and that is major problem in our system. From top prospects only Cameron Gaunce has nice size and can use his body. I think we should use Tyson Barrie as a trade asset in a package for big and relatively young defenseman (for example Seabrook from CHI). We can go same route as Chicago (of course not luring free agents for so much and forget about cap restrictions) or Vancouver being patience and wise with our roster.

by vinco on Feb 2, 2011 2:15 PM MST reply actions