Not sure i know what you mean?
Id think the competition would be tougher during lockouts too, no?

04-05 Top Defensemen in the AHL:

Anton Volchenkov - 55 - NHLer
Niklas Kronwall - 53 - NHLer
Dan Hamhuis - 51 - NHLer
Travis Roche - 50 - Solid AHLer couldnt cut it in the NHL (play and attributes compares well to Mike Koska)
Chris Campoli - 49 - Fringe NHLer, one sided
Denis Grebeshkov - 49 - NHL capable but likes Russia
Brian Pothier - 48 - Fringe NHLer
Greg Hawgood - 47 - Career Minor Lger
Joel Kwiatkowski - 45 - Career Minor Lger
Andrew Hutchinson - 45 - Fringe NHLer, one sided
Brett Clark - 45 - low end NHLer
John Slaney - 44 - Career Minor Lger
Dennis Wideman - 43 - NHLer
Lawrence Nycholat - 43 - Career Minor Lger
Kurtis Foster - 42 - low end NHLer
Dennis Seidenberg - 41 - NHLer
Joni Pitkanen - 41 - NHLer
Ryan Whitney - 41 - NHLer
Kevin Bieksa - 39 - NHLer
Nolan Baumgartner - 39 - Career Minor Lger
Marty Wilford - 37 - Career Minor Lger
Christain Ehrhoff - 35 - NHLer
Mike Commodore - 35 - Shutdown NHLer
Mike Mottau - 35 - Career Minor Lger
Kevin Dallman - 34 - Career Minor Lger
Trevor Daley - 34 - NHLer

Thats top 26... (http://www.eliteprospects.com/league...ort=Defensemen)


Current Top Defencemen in the AHL: (and my personal projection)

Justin Schultz - 45 - NHLer
Mike Kostka - 31 - Career Minor Lger
T.J. Brennan - 29 - NHLer
Tyson Barrie - 25 - NHLer
Mark Barberio - 22 - Fringe NHLer, one sided
Justin Faulk - 22 - NHLer
Adam Clendening - 22 - NHLer
Andre Benoit - 21 - Career Minor Lger
Oliver Ekman-Larsson - NHLer
David Savard - 21 - Fringe NHLer, one sided
Brian Connelly - 21 - Career Minor Lger
David Rundblad - 20 - NHLer
Bobby Sanguinetti - 19 - Fringe NHLer
Tim Erixon - 19 - NHLer
Tomas Kundratek - 18 - Fringe NHLer (I'm yet to see much of him, but have good reports)
Michael Stone - 18 - Career Minor Lger
Sami Vatanen - 18 - NHLer
Thomas Pock - 18 - Career Minor Lger
T.J. Brodie - 18 - NHLer
Jake Gardiner - 17 - NHLer
Patrick Wiercioch - 17 - NHLer
Paul Postma - 17 - fringe NHLer
Sena Acolatse - 17 - NHLer
Paul Ranger - 17 - NHLer
Derek Meech - 17 - Career Minor Lger
Brayden McNabb - 17 - Fringe NHLer
Chad Billings - 17 -(I haven't seen enough of him nor noticed him in games I've watched)

Like Sparrowtrini, I don't quite understand why we are keeping in mind the past for today in relation to Mike Kostka other than our opinions of him and the relation I made towards Travis Roche...

Every year the list is littered with a combo of players that are 1 sided, career Minor Lgs, bonafied NHL talent and guys that are piggy backing other talents on a team...

Last Lockouts Goal numbers are very similer to this years at 5.35 Goals per game last lockout to 5.67 Goals per game this season so far (yes I worked out the #s)

The only differnce I'm seeing is the defensemen are more active in the point leaders this year with what projects to be higher totals that last lockout...

Please elaborate on your comment for us =)

__________________
Current Roster:

F: H Sedin, Plekanec, Kovalchuck, Perry, Cammalleri, Oshie, Stepan, Anisimov, Kunitz, Justin Williams, Little, Baertchi, Huberdeau, Olli Jokinen, Eberle, Rattie, Alfredsson

D: Boumeester, Green, Carlson, Vlasic, Del Zotto, Myers, Scandella

G: Niemi, Varlamov, Neuvirth, Harding, Ramo, Vasilevski

Another 3 points today so far with the third period yet to play. I think he could be legit. sometimes guys just take a bit longer to mature. At 27, he maybe has found his game and confidence. He will definitively get a long look when the season begins and with Gardiner still not even skating, well the door cracked open just a bit wider for Kostka.
BTW he now is something like 6th in AHL scoring and second in defence scoring.

__________________
Excelsior~ Ever Higher

Why do we Park in Driveways and Drive in Parkways?
Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?
Boxing rings are square.
Why do we put SUITS in a Garment bag and GARMENTS in a Suitcase?
If women wear a pair of glasses, a pair of shoes, a pair of pants and a pair of ear-rings, why don't they wear a pair of bras?

BAZINGA!

Nice list! Only one nitpick. I'm curious about how you see McNabb as a fringe NHLer when he's pretty much unanimously considered to be the Sabres' best D prospect by most scouts, great allround D with no real holes in his game.

__________________
GO WINGS!

12 team H2H dynasty, most categories under the sun, incl. hits/blocks. Main team, farm

C: Kopitar Backstrom Stepan Cammalleri Little Bolland Laich Johnson
LW: Parise Lupul Erat McDonald Martin Silfverberg Nyquist Schwartz Morin Nieto Conacher
RW: PKane Doan Pominville Nash Clowe Lupul Rinaldo Stafford Rattie Stone Chiasson Ritchie
D: Green Suter Seabrook Dillon Beauchemin Schenn Letang Schultz Hamilton McNabb Rielly Harrison
G: Bryzgalov Pavelec Holtby Neuvirth Nihlstorp Lack CalPickard Andersen Stalock Sateri Eriksson
IR: Halak

McNabb is good all around, with good size and I do like the kid... but I just dont feel he has a next level to his game... I don't see him creating enough movement when im seeing him play and he has several questionable decisions in his own zone... He doesnt seem to want to use his size effectively and plays very much a stick game, only strong skaters or pure offensive D can get away with that.... also since he has turned pro he seems to have lost the nastyness to his game we seen more often in his game in Kootenay...

I expected to see more growth from him last year to this year and he just gets rather invisible, yet he somehow puts up a point many nights...

Looking at Buffalo D prospects:

Jake McCabe looked good for USA, but lets see if he continues with the wave of confidance when he turns pro...

T.J. Brennan is very explosive with his skating, shot and passing... great at moving a puck forward and in to the net area, lacks on the defensive side... but that wont hold him back...

If the Sabers want size, Joe Finley is a guy for the 6/7th man job... skating is getting better but not up to NHL standard yet and my never get there... but he is a rather intimidating people mover... I'd say fringe too and time is running out... With the other minute munchers in Buffalo's core, he would be great to have play a large mean 10-12 min a night in points where you need a momentum change, or PK net clearing...

Mark Pysyk is one of the steadist defenders in the organization, and has offensive upside... his only draw back is weight and power, he was fine in Jr, and added 15 pounds in the summer... anouther 10 and more seasoning and he becomes a great top 4....

Nick Crawford is anouther all arond D working on pro sizeing, and is a really good skater and has transitioned to pro strong and quietly... He also has offensive upside, yet is struggleing to stay in the Lineup at the moment, but when he is in, he produces... I'd say fringe or #5 type guy...

Jerome Leduc needs a much better game off the puck, but he can skate, fire rockets and move the puck well... He is a few years away, but very eye catching in the Rochester even tho the #s arent quite comeing yet... Lack of games and minutes eaten by others is his issue... I was skeptical in his Q #s, until I seen him a couple times.. and now I'm on board with him! Very good upside...

Brady Austin already has way above NHL size in Jr... Needs better skating but has an overall game that is enjoyable and projectable... I give him comparisons to Tyler Myers with a downgrade in offence...

So when I look at Buffalo's system... he is behind Myers, and Sekera as regulars... Then T.J. Brennan and Leduc are your offensive threats Buffalo are going to want to keep around, Pysyk is lined up to be a minute eater... McNabb fits as an average guy that does a little of everything but nothing exceptional and nothing that I feel he maintains a solid job in Buffalo... and with McCabe, Crawford... I feel he is Fringe in that he is capable in playing but no better than the other 2 or others, just is more developed thus seeing time... and he could play an NHL career, but at no point do I see him having a solid job locked down that teams will look at him as a major peice... just a replaceable and moveable depth guy...

I want to see more in him before I upgrade him to a staple and NHL lock...

Take my opinion as just as an opinion... Glad you questioned it, now there's more for people to read on other Buffalo D and my thoughts lol...

__________________
Current Roster:

F: H Sedin, Plekanec, Kovalchuck, Perry, Cammalleri, Oshie, Stepan, Anisimov, Kunitz, Justin Williams, Little, Baertchi, Huberdeau, Olli Jokinen, Eberle, Rattie, Alfredsson

D: Boumeester, Green, Carlson, Vlasic, Del Zotto, Myers, Scandella

G: Niemi, Varlamov, Neuvirth, Harding, Ramo, Vasilevski

Awesome breakdown! Thanks

__________________
GO WINGS!

12 team H2H dynasty, most categories under the sun, incl. hits/blocks. Main team, farm

C: Kopitar Backstrom Stepan Cammalleri Little Bolland Laich Johnson
LW: Parise Lupul Erat McDonald Martin Silfverberg Nyquist Schwartz Morin Nieto Conacher
RW: PKane Doan Pominville Nash Clowe Lupul Rinaldo Stafford Rattie Stone Chiasson Ritchie
D: Green Suter Seabrook Dillon Beauchemin Schenn Letang Schultz Hamilton McNabb Rielly Harrison
G: Bryzgalov Pavelec Holtby Neuvirth Nihlstorp Lack CalPickard Andersen Stalock Sateri Eriksson
IR: Halak

From the Leafs training camp-

"Kostka was among the last cuts from the Florida Panthers training camp last season. He then was traded to Tampa Bay and spent the season playing with the Lightning’s AHL team in Norfolk."

“The great thing about guys like him is it shows you that development doesn’t stop at 22. For me, it has never been about a player’s birthdate. Players are all prospects. Whoever can help the team is who can help the team.”

"While most observers raved about the play of defenceman Jake Gardiner before he was sidelined five weeks ago with a concussion, Kostka’s play has been equally impressive. He initially was paired with Gardiner on the first-team power play unit with the Marlies but then played with former NHLer Paul Ranger and quarterbacked the power play.

With Gardiner still sidelined, Kostka is being given every chance to be one of the Leafs’ prime puck-moving blueliners when the 48-game NHL season opens Saturday night in Montreal. "

__________________
Excelsior~ Ever Higher

Why do we Park in Driveways and Drive in Parkways?
Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?
Boxing rings are square.
Why do we put SUITS in a Garment bag and GARMENTS in a Suitcase?
If women wear a pair of glasses, a pair of shoes, a pair of pants and a pair of ear-rings, why don't they wear a pair of bras?

BAZINGA!

Very solid debut by Kostka. Played top minutes and Caryle trusted him enough to have him out there for the final minute.

Kudos to you for sounding the horn about him while others doubted. Good call!

__________________
League: Yahoo 20 Team Dynasty, H2H (4C, 8W, 6D, 1G)
Cats: +/-, FOW, A, G, GWG, PPP, SHP, SOG, S, SPct, W, GAA

C: Kopitar,Nyquist,J.Staal,Strome
W: Atkinson,Benn,Bennett,Brunner
Huberdeau,Kessel,Seguin,Selanne
D: Beaulieu,DeKeyser,Despres,D.Hamilton,Leopold,Salo
G: J.Howard
Bench: Braun,B.Flynn,B.Gordon - J.Bernier,O.Pavelec,V.Stalberg
Prospects: Andrighetto,V.Arvidsson,Filatov,G.Carey,K.Flanagan,Kabanov,Lehtera,Omark,Ritchie,
R.Schwartz,Shalunov,Stransky,
Clendening,Deslauriers,Gauthier-Leduc,J.Morrow,R.Murphy,Petrovic,Postma,Reilly, -- M.Hackett

what happens when Gardiner comes back?

I know it's only Montreal, but Kostka looked too solid out there to send back down.