Quoting: CoachCoach
I put Wallinder in there because I believe he is over-shadowed by the other defensemen in Detroit's system that were recently drafted. Seider, Edvinsson, Wallinder, Johansson, Buium all very highly regarded. Wallinder beat Edvinsson out for rookie honors last year in the SHL, and has shown this season that it wasn't a one and done (Neiderbach and Dower-Nils demoted from SHL this year after being projected to improve). He is a fantastic 2-way defender. I would be surprised if in the NHL prospect rankings if he was outside the top 10-15. It is tough to rave about the same team having multiple picks at similar positions and say that each one is deserving. Usually one prospect wins the media battle and gets the coverage. Pretty easy with Edvinsson and his comparisons.
Nemec and Jiricek are up there, but honestly I haven't seen as much of Jiri this season to say fairly where he is at. I am very high on Mintyukov because of the way the league has shifted and him being offensively gifted. Faber/Lambos both continue to grow on me (living in Minnesota) and Topi was there but since has cooled off (watching Viro at WJC and kept hoping Viro was RH because it was him). Brandt Clarke would be the one depending how you view him of being the top prospect, however I could see the case that he is an NHL regular this year when it is all said and done (Guhle as well). I believe Morrow is in that conversation.
In all fairness, some 3th-4th-5th rounder is right now doing things under the radar and ends up being the best d-man in the draft lol.
I can agree with most of this. Nemec Jiricek, Clarke, Lambos, Faber, Guhle are definitely great. Personally (at this moment) I'd probably go
Morrow
Nemec
Edvisson
Jiricek
Faber
Clarke
Wallinder
Lambos
They're all going to see the NHL. They all have great tools, but I still think Morrow is the cream of that crop. His skating ability is just ridiculous, he's so gifted offensively, he can be physical when he needs to, and he's got a great hockey sense. All of these guys have something that holds them back, and for Morrow, it is his defensive awareness and to a point his positioning, but he's able to cover most of it with the speed he has. I just think logically, the net gain you get with Morrow's positives as opposed to his negatives is the best of any D prospect (currently drafted) at this point. Not to mention, breaking the school records held by CALE MAKAR is going to raise the stock of the guy. Admittedly, I may have some rose-tinted glasses, but when I compare him to someone like Nemec, the tools are better for Morrow, and the weaknesses are easier to overcome and less prominent. Just my thoughts.