On May 10th the Sarnia Sting announced the hiring of London assistant coach Jacques Beaulieu. He played major junior hockey for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds back in the 80s and most recently coached the Saint John Sea Dogs before being let go in 2008 and returning to London.
Next month, his son, Nathan will be a first-round pick in the June 24 NHL Entry Draft and possibly even a top-10 selection.
"(Beaulieu) has the chance to be a special player," said one NHL amateur scouting director B2011DW spoke to recently. "He has excellent hockey sense, can really move the puck and has character. You can't say enough about this kid and where he comes from. I know his dad well, and he comes from an excellent hockey family."
Nathan Beaulieu was most recently featured on this blog as we made a case for him being a potential Boston Bruins selection at the ninth overall spot in Minnesota.
Regardless of where he ends up, his father joining an exciting young team that boasts two potential top-five picks in 2012 in Nail Yakupov and Alex Galchenyuk, not to mention intriguing power forward Brett Ritchie, a solid second-rounder and even maybe late first-rounder in 2011, makes this a pretty special time for the entire Beaulieu family.
Here's a link some nice video on Sarnia's new coach and Nathan's pop courtesy of the outstanding Station Nation blog
*(Not affiliated with the Boston Bruins or the New England Hockey Journal)
Showing posts with label 2012 Draft Watch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2012 Draft Watch. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
World Under-18 Championship Day 4: USA- Russia observations
Reid Boucher ripped a shot into the top corner of the net with just 21 seconds left as Team USA avoided an embarrassing collapse in the third period after holding a 3-1 lead over Team Russia, winning the game by a 4-3 score.
The Americans lead their pool in preliminary round play with a perfect 3-0-0-0 record against Switzerland, Slovakia and Russia, who went 1-1-1-0, needing a shootout to beat Germany yesterday.
J.T. Miller (two goals) was named player of the game for Team USA, while Maxim Shalunov captured the honor for Russia. Although Shalunov played well and gave the Americans fits with his quick stick and ability to go end-to-end, it was a curious selection, given that Nikita Kucherov scored twice including tallying the tying goal with 4:43 left. Top 2012 frontrunner Nail Yakupov posted a three-point night, figuring in all three Russian goals
Defenseman Seth Jones continues to impress with his size, mobility and opportunistic two-way play. That's the good news. The bade news is that he can't be drafted until 2013.
John Gibson gave up three goals, but he also played a money game when it mattered most, in the dying minutes with the score tied 3-3 and in the final 21 seconds when he had to make at least three big saves in close to preserve the lead. He is getting it done, period.
USA closes out the preliminary round against Germany on Tuesday, but by virtue of their sterling record (and Russia needing a shootout to get past the Germans) they have clinched the top record and will get a bye to the semi-finals later this week.
Reid Boucher, F- Pure scorers come in all shapes and sizes, but this one happens to be just 5-10 and about 190 pounds. After Grimaldi, he's the U.S. Under-18 Team's most prolific and consistently dangerous scorer, and the Russians found that out as he sniped a laser from the outside with less than 30 ticks on the clock. It was an NHL shooter's goal...Ilya Bryzgalov could have been between the pipes and he wouldn't have stopped it. Grimaldi won the draw cleanly back to Boucher and positioned five feet outside the left circle, he wired it top corner glove side before poor Andrei Vasilevski could react. This kid has some serious hands and is going to be a real threat for the Michigan State Spartans when he joins them next season.
J.T. Miller, F- Two goals and player of the game honors showed what MIller can accomplish when he's on top of his game. He skates very well, goes to the net hard and protects the puck. His goals were scored as a result of hard work and being in the right place at the right time. He's been one of USA's more productive players in the tournament, and this was what was lacking from him much of the season. Scouts could see his tools/skills, but he simply wasn't finding the back of the net and consistently making his presence known. He was classic "see the sizzle, but where's the steak?" player, but he's putting it together at the right time.
Rocco Grimaldi, F- He didn't find the back of the net today, but Grimaldi had two huge plays in securing the win, both clean faceoff wins. The first came with 22 seconds left in the game, when he beat his man clean and put the puck right in Boucher's wheelhouse for the winning score. The second came with five seconds remaining and the faceoff deep in the USA zone to Gibson's right. Grimaldi again won it cleanly drawing back to the end boards for Jones, who pinned it against the wall and bled the clock (getting a nice crosscheck from a frustrated Russian for his efforts). Even when he doesn't have a big, productive outing, Grimaldi is proving that he can excel in big moments. That Ron Rolston had him out there not only for the winning goal but the decisive defensive faceoff with the game on the line speaks volumes for how this kid is viewed by the coaching staff. Rolston even had him playing the point on the power play with Robbie Russo's unit, working the blueline with Russo while Jones rotated down to the right halfwall most times. The setup paid off for one Miller goal, but Grimaldi didn't have a direct hand in it.
Travis Boyd, F- Another solid game and opportunistic goal from the unheralded forward from Hopkins, Minnesota. He's a darting, quick little guy with the shiftiness and smarts to make things happen at both ends. He's a better shooter than we thought, beating Vasilevski clean with a bullet from the slot, and he also has some creativity, as he scored the shorthanded goal against Slovakia by making the goalie commit and then just using his own speed and momentum to guide the puck into the open space the netminder vacated. It doesn't seem like much, but when you factor in the kind of natural feel it takes to make a play like that at top speed, you have to give the kid credit.
Cole Bardreau, F- Like Boyd (and Boucher and Grimaldi), Bardreau is yet another undersized but effective forward for Team USA. The Fairport, NY native may not have the scoring chops of the other guys, but he's been a defensive stalwart up front for Rolston's boys and is a major factor in the team's success on the PK so far.
Robbie Russo, D- Another superb two-way game from Russo, who has been a fine puck mover and overall presence for USA in all three games. His movement and distribution on the power play today was particularly effective, and he works extremely well in concert with Seth Jones when the two are working the point together. He assisted on Miller's first period power play goal and used his mobility and smarts throughout the game to make strong plays on both offense and defense. We're starting to see where all that second-round talk was coming from.
John Gibson, G- Victimized by a deflection and some scrambly play in front of his own net to see a 3-1 lead disappear, Gibson showed why with goalies it often isn't how many goals you give up but when that matters most. Russia had all the momentum when they tied the game with a little less than five minutes left, but Gibson then locked it down, making several huge saves to keep it tied. One in particular stood out just before Boucher's winning goal, when Gibson stoned Shalunov on a hard, heavy shot that would have likely been the game. Then, after his team took the lead, Gibson turned away several more shots in the final 21 ticks and looked real cool doing it. His 36 saves don't look as great on paper, but this was an immense performance from the University of Michigan recruit.
Maxim Shalunov, F- Player of the game for Russia didn't see the score sheet, but was a going concern all night. He's got very nice size, is a powerful skater and excellent stickhandler. He uses his speed and skill to skate through opposing teams and then has a wicked little release at the end. He was consistently attacking all game long, and scouts have said that if he could find away to keep the switch on all the time, he's be a solid first-rounder. He looked good today, but unfortunately, he spends a good deal of time on cruise control.
Nikita Kucherov, F- The book on Kucherov is pretty simple: small guy, very fast and highly skilled- a game-breaker. But kills it with his attitude, histrionics and lackadaisical play. Today was an example of the good Kucherov (though we did catch at least one major league dive he took when Tyler Biggs finished a check). He has a nasty shot that is very accurate, and he can back defenses up with his speed or he pounces on loose pucks in close and buries them. He made an athletic play on the tying goal and you wonder if some team like Washington or the New York Rangers with their draft history will roll the dice on this guy at some point.
Andrey Pedan, D- Big Russian D is a powerful skater and looked good in puck retrieval as he's able to use that long stride to cover a lot of ground and get back quickly. Moved it out smartly and played poised and confident on the blue line. Has a lot of physical tools in terms of his nice 6-5 size and long limbs/athleticism. We'd like to see him shoot the puck more, as he passed on several open shots that we saw in favor of moving it to different spots in the o-zone. He's raw, but teams just might take the plunge in the feeling that he's going to get stronger and more confident in doing more offensively as he develops. Played for Guelph of the OHL this season, so that's a bonus as well.
Nail Yakupov and Mikhail Grigorenko are 2012 eligibles, but also played very well for Russia. Yakupov scored a power play goal and assisted on both of the other Russia goals. He showed off his brilliant speed and killer anticipation on one breakaway play, but Gibson came up with the save. Grigorenko was showed off some real nice hands and puck control on the power play. You can tell that he thinks the game at a very high level the way he can slow things down or speed them up, and the Americans gave him entirely too much space to work with. They're lucky he didn't burn them. Both are key guys to watch at this time a year from now.
The Americans lead their pool in preliminary round play with a perfect 3-0-0-0 record against Switzerland, Slovakia and Russia, who went 1-1-1-0, needing a shootout to beat Germany yesterday.
J.T. Miller (two goals) was named player of the game for Team USA, while Maxim Shalunov captured the honor for Russia. Although Shalunov played well and gave the Americans fits with his quick stick and ability to go end-to-end, it was a curious selection, given that Nikita Kucherov scored twice including tallying the tying goal with 4:43 left. Top 2012 frontrunner Nail Yakupov posted a three-point night, figuring in all three Russian goals
Defenseman Seth Jones continues to impress with his size, mobility and opportunistic two-way play. That's the good news. The bade news is that he can't be drafted until 2013.
John Gibson gave up three goals, but he also played a money game when it mattered most, in the dying minutes with the score tied 3-3 and in the final 21 seconds when he had to make at least three big saves in close to preserve the lead. He is getting it done, period.
USA closes out the preliminary round against Germany on Tuesday, but by virtue of their sterling record (and Russia needing a shootout to get past the Germans) they have clinched the top record and will get a bye to the semi-finals later this week.
Reid Boucher, F- Pure scorers come in all shapes and sizes, but this one happens to be just 5-10 and about 190 pounds. After Grimaldi, he's the U.S. Under-18 Team's most prolific and consistently dangerous scorer, and the Russians found that out as he sniped a laser from the outside with less than 30 ticks on the clock. It was an NHL shooter's goal...Ilya Bryzgalov could have been between the pipes and he wouldn't have stopped it. Grimaldi won the draw cleanly back to Boucher and positioned five feet outside the left circle, he wired it top corner glove side before poor Andrei Vasilevski could react. This kid has some serious hands and is going to be a real threat for the Michigan State Spartans when he joins them next season.
J.T. Miller, F- Two goals and player of the game honors showed what MIller can accomplish when he's on top of his game. He skates very well, goes to the net hard and protects the puck. His goals were scored as a result of hard work and being in the right place at the right time. He's been one of USA's more productive players in the tournament, and this was what was lacking from him much of the season. Scouts could see his tools/skills, but he simply wasn't finding the back of the net and consistently making his presence known. He was classic "see the sizzle, but where's the steak?" player, but he's putting it together at the right time.
Rocco Grimaldi, F- He didn't find the back of the net today, but Grimaldi had two huge plays in securing the win, both clean faceoff wins. The first came with 22 seconds left in the game, when he beat his man clean and put the puck right in Boucher's wheelhouse for the winning score. The second came with five seconds remaining and the faceoff deep in the USA zone to Gibson's right. Grimaldi again won it cleanly drawing back to the end boards for Jones, who pinned it against the wall and bled the clock (getting a nice crosscheck from a frustrated Russian for his efforts). Even when he doesn't have a big, productive outing, Grimaldi is proving that he can excel in big moments. That Ron Rolston had him out there not only for the winning goal but the decisive defensive faceoff with the game on the line speaks volumes for how this kid is viewed by the coaching staff. Rolston even had him playing the point on the power play with Robbie Russo's unit, working the blueline with Russo while Jones rotated down to the right halfwall most times. The setup paid off for one Miller goal, but Grimaldi didn't have a direct hand in it.
Travis Boyd, F- Another solid game and opportunistic goal from the unheralded forward from Hopkins, Minnesota. He's a darting, quick little guy with the shiftiness and smarts to make things happen at both ends. He's a better shooter than we thought, beating Vasilevski clean with a bullet from the slot, and he also has some creativity, as he scored the shorthanded goal against Slovakia by making the goalie commit and then just using his own speed and momentum to guide the puck into the open space the netminder vacated. It doesn't seem like much, but when you factor in the kind of natural feel it takes to make a play like that at top speed, you have to give the kid credit.
Cole Bardreau, F- Like Boyd (and Boucher and Grimaldi), Bardreau is yet another undersized but effective forward for Team USA. The Fairport, NY native may not have the scoring chops of the other guys, but he's been a defensive stalwart up front for Rolston's boys and is a major factor in the team's success on the PK so far.
Robbie Russo, D- Another superb two-way game from Russo, who has been a fine puck mover and overall presence for USA in all three games. His movement and distribution on the power play today was particularly effective, and he works extremely well in concert with Seth Jones when the two are working the point together. He assisted on Miller's first period power play goal and used his mobility and smarts throughout the game to make strong plays on both offense and defense. We're starting to see where all that second-round talk was coming from.
John Gibson, G- Victimized by a deflection and some scrambly play in front of his own net to see a 3-1 lead disappear, Gibson showed why with goalies it often isn't how many goals you give up but when that matters most. Russia had all the momentum when they tied the game with a little less than five minutes left, but Gibson then locked it down, making several huge saves to keep it tied. One in particular stood out just before Boucher's winning goal, when Gibson stoned Shalunov on a hard, heavy shot that would have likely been the game. Then, after his team took the lead, Gibson turned away several more shots in the final 21 ticks and looked real cool doing it. His 36 saves don't look as great on paper, but this was an immense performance from the University of Michigan recruit.
Maxim Shalunov, F- Player of the game for Russia didn't see the score sheet, but was a going concern all night. He's got very nice size, is a powerful skater and excellent stickhandler. He uses his speed and skill to skate through opposing teams and then has a wicked little release at the end. He was consistently attacking all game long, and scouts have said that if he could find away to keep the switch on all the time, he's be a solid first-rounder. He looked good today, but unfortunately, he spends a good deal of time on cruise control.
Nikita Kucherov, F- The book on Kucherov is pretty simple: small guy, very fast and highly skilled- a game-breaker. But kills it with his attitude, histrionics and lackadaisical play. Today was an example of the good Kucherov (though we did catch at least one major league dive he took when Tyler Biggs finished a check). He has a nasty shot that is very accurate, and he can back defenses up with his speed or he pounces on loose pucks in close and buries them. He made an athletic play on the tying goal and you wonder if some team like Washington or the New York Rangers with their draft history will roll the dice on this guy at some point.
Andrey Pedan, D- Big Russian D is a powerful skater and looked good in puck retrieval as he's able to use that long stride to cover a lot of ground and get back quickly. Moved it out smartly and played poised and confident on the blue line. Has a lot of physical tools in terms of his nice 6-5 size and long limbs/athleticism. We'd like to see him shoot the puck more, as he passed on several open shots that we saw in favor of moving it to different spots in the o-zone. He's raw, but teams just might take the plunge in the feeling that he's going to get stronger and more confident in doing more offensively as he develops. Played for Guelph of the OHL this season, so that's a bonus as well.
Nail Yakupov and Mikhail Grigorenko are 2012 eligibles, but also played very well for Russia. Yakupov scored a power play goal and assisted on both of the other Russia goals. He showed off his brilliant speed and killer anticipation on one breakaway play, but Gibson came up with the save. Grigorenko was showed off some real nice hands and puck control on the power play. You can tell that he thinks the game at a very high level the way he can slow things down or speed them up, and the Americans gave him entirely too much space to work with. They're lucky he didn't burn them. Both are key guys to watch at this time a year from now.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
A look at Team USA's '94 players
USA Hockey named several 1994 birthdates to the squad that will compete in the Under-18 Championship tournament in a few weeks.
The squad may not include Sarnia center Alex Galchenyuk, but USA Hockey has always taken a predominant majority of its NTDP roster to the U18s, and Galchenyuk is an OHL player who only recently declared his intention to represent the USA during international play.
Our view is that Galchenyuk is more talented than Nicolas Kerdiles, but it isn't always about talent. One of the reasons Team USA has been successful over the past two tourneys is because they have players who can execute the system to a tee and buy into the team dynamic. While there is little doubt that politics played into the decision to take Kerdiles or one of the lower-end '93s over Galchenyuk, it's hard to argue the decision too vociferously when you're looking at the program that has grabbed gold in both the '09 and '10 seasons.
So, with that in mind, here's a quick look at the youngest members of the Under-18 team who will likely be key contributors to the 2012 Team USA edition as well.
Seth Jones, D- The buzz is starting early for this 6-3, 195-pounder who is going to keep draftniks waiting until 2013 by virtue of his October, 1994 birthdate. The son of former NBA player Popeye Jones (who was a Boston Celtic for a short spell and involved in the infamous Rick Pitino trade that sent rookie Chauncey Billups out of Beantown before his career had barely begun) fell in love with hockey when his father played for the Toronto Raptors and carried it with him to Dallas. This offensive threat is a very nice skater with a long, fluid stride and the coordination and agility inherited from a big-time hoops player. In just 37 games with the Under-17 team this year, Jones has 21 points, which is outstanding production for a player so young. According to scouts, he sees the ice well, has an excellent touch on the puck for crisp breakouts and is isn't done growing, either. If he continues on his current developmental curve this kid will be a beast by the time his draft season rolls around.
Jacob Trouba, D- Another offensive defenseman with size and some bite to his game, this 2012-eligible from Michigan has been one of the Under-17 team's standouts for his consistency and skill this season. Red Line Report ranked him 6th overall among all the 2012 draft eligibles in the Feb. bulletin- the first look at next year's class. He split time this season between the U17 squad and the Under-18 team, so he's progressing nicely in the program. This kid has some impressive tools including his quickness, footwork, powerful shot and willingness to use his body to play a physical game. Trouba appears to have the makings of the kind of two-way defender NHL teams covet, but has a long way to go. Hockey sense and decision-making may be an issue for him, and this tournament will be a nice measuring stick to see how he does against an aggressive forecheck that limits his time and space. There is a lot to like with this player and scouts are looking forward to seeing him against elite competition with an unprecedented third straight gold medal on the line for USA.
Jake McCabe, D- Wisconsin native and Badger recruit is a solid, dependable player who doesn't have the same kind of potential 'wow' factor of Jones or Trouba, but brings a heady, steady defensive game despite being only average sized. Good mobility and an active stick; exhibits strong gap control and a good understanding of where he needs to be. Has a low center of gravity and is tough to knock off his skates- uses his body leverage effectively to separate bigger opponents from the puck. Tenacious; not fancy, just tough. EDIT: As pointed out by NF, McCabe is a late '93, which makes him a 2012 draft candidate, but technically not a '94.
Nick Kerdiles, F- At 6-1, 185, this California native has good size and offensive skills. He also competed for USA at the Five Nations, so he's the one '94 who has a realistic expectation of what he's in for. Poised, confident kid moves well with a rangy, loping stride and has a quick stick. When he takes the puck to the net, he's at his best. Works hard and willing to pay the price- not nearly as talented as Galchenyuk, but knows what is expected of him and what coach Ron Rolston needs him to do.
The squad may not include Sarnia center Alex Galchenyuk, but USA Hockey has always taken a predominant majority of its NTDP roster to the U18s, and Galchenyuk is an OHL player who only recently declared his intention to represent the USA during international play.
Our view is that Galchenyuk is more talented than Nicolas Kerdiles, but it isn't always about talent. One of the reasons Team USA has been successful over the past two tourneys is because they have players who can execute the system to a tee and buy into the team dynamic. While there is little doubt that politics played into the decision to take Kerdiles or one of the lower-end '93s over Galchenyuk, it's hard to argue the decision too vociferously when you're looking at the program that has grabbed gold in both the '09 and '10 seasons.
So, with that in mind, here's a quick look at the youngest members of the Under-18 team who will likely be key contributors to the 2012 Team USA edition as well.
Seth Jones, D- The buzz is starting early for this 6-3, 195-pounder who is going to keep draftniks waiting until 2013 by virtue of his October, 1994 birthdate. The son of former NBA player Popeye Jones (who was a Boston Celtic for a short spell and involved in the infamous Rick Pitino trade that sent rookie Chauncey Billups out of Beantown before his career had barely begun) fell in love with hockey when his father played for the Toronto Raptors and carried it with him to Dallas. This offensive threat is a very nice skater with a long, fluid stride and the coordination and agility inherited from a big-time hoops player. In just 37 games with the Under-17 team this year, Jones has 21 points, which is outstanding production for a player so young. According to scouts, he sees the ice well, has an excellent touch on the puck for crisp breakouts and is isn't done growing, either. If he continues on his current developmental curve this kid will be a beast by the time his draft season rolls around.
Jacob Trouba, D- Another offensive defenseman with size and some bite to his game, this 2012-eligible from Michigan has been one of the Under-17 team's standouts for his consistency and skill this season. Red Line Report ranked him 6th overall among all the 2012 draft eligibles in the Feb. bulletin- the first look at next year's class. He split time this season between the U17 squad and the Under-18 team, so he's progressing nicely in the program. This kid has some impressive tools including his quickness, footwork, powerful shot and willingness to use his body to play a physical game. Trouba appears to have the makings of the kind of two-way defender NHL teams covet, but has a long way to go. Hockey sense and decision-making may be an issue for him, and this tournament will be a nice measuring stick to see how he does against an aggressive forecheck that limits his time and space. There is a lot to like with this player and scouts are looking forward to seeing him against elite competition with an unprecedented third straight gold medal on the line for USA.
Jake McCabe, D- Wisconsin native and Badger recruit is a solid, dependable player who doesn't have the same kind of potential 'wow' factor of Jones or Trouba, but brings a heady, steady defensive game despite being only average sized. Good mobility and an active stick; exhibits strong gap control and a good understanding of where he needs to be. Has a low center of gravity and is tough to knock off his skates- uses his body leverage effectively to separate bigger opponents from the puck. Tenacious; not fancy, just tough. EDIT: As pointed out by NF, McCabe is a late '93, which makes him a 2012 draft candidate, but technically not a '94.
Nick Kerdiles, F- At 6-1, 185, this California native has good size and offensive skills. He also competed for USA at the Five Nations, so he's the one '94 who has a realistic expectation of what he's in for. Poised, confident kid moves well with a rangy, loping stride and has a quick stick. When he takes the puck to the net, he's at his best. Works hard and willing to pay the price- not nearly as talented as Galchenyuk, but knows what is expected of him and what coach Ron Rolston needs him to do.
Monday, March 7, 2011
NEPSIHA tournament scouting reports: Mike McKee, Boo Nieves
Although this wasn't as good a year talent-wise as in the previous couple of NEPSIHA tournaments, there were enough NHL draft prospects competing to make the trip worthwhile.
The most visible 2011 prospect in both stature and on the Central and Red Line Report rankings was Kent School defenseman Mike McKee, a manchild at 6-5, 230 pounds, and those are legit vitals, not inflated; he is one big boy. Teammate Boo Nieves was also quite good in the competition, but he's a year away as a '94. Depending on where he plays next year, Nieves could very well land in the first round.
Another player who was pretty impressive as a solid, unspectacular defenseman with some upside was Milton's Robby O'Gara. He's lean but is about 6-2 or 6-3 and is extremely smart. He has a long, smooth skating stride and will jump up into the play on occasion. He doesn't have teammate Pat McNally's points or aggressive style, but we think O'Gara is going to be a better pro because he's much more disciplined.
Dexter School's Nick Bligh was excellent, racking up two goals and four assists in the semi-final and championship games of the Piatelli/Simmons small school tourney. The very bright, but physically slight centerman has the skills and production in his favor, but NHL scouts mark him down for the level of competition and the fact that he's lacking in strength right now. His plan to return to Dexter for his senior season will also work against him, but he's a quality kid who doesn't seem too bothered by that and is focused on the academics and getting ready for his next challenge at Dartmouth.
Belmont Hill winger Jimmy Vesey showed off the kinds of tools that will stand him in good stead as a collegian and might even get him an NHL look at the draft, but his game against Westminster in the semi-final contest was a disappointing one and didn't allow him to spread his wings. His impact and compete levels in the game wavered, but you could clearly see that he was 28-goal scorer during the season.
For more on Milton's win over Kent, you can follow this link.
Also, for the scoop on Dexter and Westminster victories in the small and large school tourneys, slide on over here.
Below are some scouting reports on two key players for Kent, McKee and Nieves, who unfortunately is not a member of the 2011 draft class.
Mike McKee, D Kent School
At 6-5, 230, tremendous size and physical maturity for a kid who won't turn 18 until August. Newmarket, Ontario native is an excellent skater for his size, with good first step and a powerful stride. Very good balance and lateral agility/edgework as well.
Has a big shot, but doesn't use it all that much, preferring to distribute the puck. Nice heavy wrist shot that he shoots low on net for deflections. Average passer; can make the basic plays and short-to-intermediate breakouts but doesn't stand out as an exceptional puck mover who can stretch defenses. Hockey sense and vision are questionable. Seems to take a while to process and misses open teammates and passing windows. Used by coach Matt Herr to set up the screen in front of the goaltender when Kent was on the power play, taking away the goaltender's sight lines. Powerful bodychecker who played with a nasty edge in both weekend tournament games. Was penalized at least twice for being a manchild who crushed kids about 100 pounds lighter with clean hits rather than playing dirty. In the championship game, crashed the Milton net, brushing goaltender Sean Dougherty. He then took on three Milton players who swarmed him, knocking all three to the ice at various times while not giving any ground. Got a 4-minute roughing penalty for his efforts, but the way he manhandled those guys sent a clear message. Whispers from NHL scouts at the tournament say that he might be best off converting back to forward (he is in his second full season on D after switching) because of the concerns about his instincts for the game and concerns with processing what goes on. One thing is for certain: after watching McKee, there is nothing more for him to do at the prep level. He needs to move on and up (Ottawa owns his OHL rights, Lincoln his USHL rights) for the sake of his development and viability as an NHL prospect going forward. He was only 113th on Central's mid-term list for North American skaters, but have to believe the size and physical tools will see him come off the board as high as the second round. If he develops an ability to fight, he could be an even more valuable commodity.
Cristoval "Boo" Nieves, RW Kent
A 2012-eligible, but excellent NHL prospect given his natural size, skating and offensive skills. At 6-3, 185 has the frame to be an attractive option in the pros when he fills out. Outstanding skater who accelerates quickly and is extremely agile and elusive. Explosive burst and separation gear; can turn defenders easily as he attacks with speed to the outside and isn't afraid to go into traffic. Excellent stickhandler; confident with the puck and wants it on his stick. Highly creative and just seems to have a knack for making plays all over the offensive zone. Scored a brilliant goal in the semi-final game when he gained the zone by himself, skated around the back of the net and then after being stuffed, found the rebound and subsequent clearing attempts by Salisbury out in the high slot, roofing a backhander that the sprawling Gabe Antoni had no chance on. After hearing the buzz on this guy for several years, you could see it all coming together for him at the right time. Could be a top-30 pick next year, even if he stays at Kent. Other forwards in recent years with the skills to be first-rounders have been picked (Chris Kreider, Kevin Hayes), so as long as he produces, Nieves has a shot to do it. Has legitimate NHL upside. Was Kent's best player and if he returns to Kent, could really tear it up next season. OHL rights owned by Niagara IceDogs, but committed to University of Michigan in 2012.
The most visible 2011 prospect in both stature and on the Central and Red Line Report rankings was Kent School defenseman Mike McKee, a manchild at 6-5, 230 pounds, and those are legit vitals, not inflated; he is one big boy. Teammate Boo Nieves was also quite good in the competition, but he's a year away as a '94. Depending on where he plays next year, Nieves could very well land in the first round.
Another player who was pretty impressive as a solid, unspectacular defenseman with some upside was Milton's Robby O'Gara. He's lean but is about 6-2 or 6-3 and is extremely smart. He has a long, smooth skating stride and will jump up into the play on occasion. He doesn't have teammate Pat McNally's points or aggressive style, but we think O'Gara is going to be a better pro because he's much more disciplined.
Dexter School's Nick Bligh was excellent, racking up two goals and four assists in the semi-final and championship games of the Piatelli/Simmons small school tourney. The very bright, but physically slight centerman has the skills and production in his favor, but NHL scouts mark him down for the level of competition and the fact that he's lacking in strength right now. His plan to return to Dexter for his senior season will also work against him, but he's a quality kid who doesn't seem too bothered by that and is focused on the academics and getting ready for his next challenge at Dartmouth.
Belmont Hill winger Jimmy Vesey showed off the kinds of tools that will stand him in good stead as a collegian and might even get him an NHL look at the draft, but his game against Westminster in the semi-final contest was a disappointing one and didn't allow him to spread his wings. His impact and compete levels in the game wavered, but you could clearly see that he was 28-goal scorer during the season.
For more on Milton's win over Kent, you can follow this link.
Also, for the scoop on Dexter and Westminster victories in the small and large school tourneys, slide on over here.
Below are some scouting reports on two key players for Kent, McKee and Nieves, who unfortunately is not a member of the 2011 draft class.
Mike McKee, D Kent School
At 6-5, 230, tremendous size and physical maturity for a kid who won't turn 18 until August. Newmarket, Ontario native is an excellent skater for his size, with good first step and a powerful stride. Very good balance and lateral agility/edgework as well.
Has a big shot, but doesn't use it all that much, preferring to distribute the puck. Nice heavy wrist shot that he shoots low on net for deflections. Average passer; can make the basic plays and short-to-intermediate breakouts but doesn't stand out as an exceptional puck mover who can stretch defenses. Hockey sense and vision are questionable. Seems to take a while to process and misses open teammates and passing windows. Used by coach Matt Herr to set up the screen in front of the goaltender when Kent was on the power play, taking away the goaltender's sight lines. Powerful bodychecker who played with a nasty edge in both weekend tournament games. Was penalized at least twice for being a manchild who crushed kids about 100 pounds lighter with clean hits rather than playing dirty. In the championship game, crashed the Milton net, brushing goaltender Sean Dougherty. He then took on three Milton players who swarmed him, knocking all three to the ice at various times while not giving any ground. Got a 4-minute roughing penalty for his efforts, but the way he manhandled those guys sent a clear message. Whispers from NHL scouts at the tournament say that he might be best off converting back to forward (he is in his second full season on D after switching) because of the concerns about his instincts for the game and concerns with processing what goes on. One thing is for certain: after watching McKee, there is nothing more for him to do at the prep level. He needs to move on and up (Ottawa owns his OHL rights, Lincoln his USHL rights) for the sake of his development and viability as an NHL prospect going forward. He was only 113th on Central's mid-term list for North American skaters, but have to believe the size and physical tools will see him come off the board as high as the second round. If he develops an ability to fight, he could be an even more valuable commodity.
Cristoval "Boo" Nieves, RW Kent
A 2012-eligible, but excellent NHL prospect given his natural size, skating and offensive skills. At 6-3, 185 has the frame to be an attractive option in the pros when he fills out. Outstanding skater who accelerates quickly and is extremely agile and elusive. Explosive burst and separation gear; can turn defenders easily as he attacks with speed to the outside and isn't afraid to go into traffic. Excellent stickhandler; confident with the puck and wants it on his stick. Highly creative and just seems to have a knack for making plays all over the offensive zone. Scored a brilliant goal in the semi-final game when he gained the zone by himself, skated around the back of the net and then after being stuffed, found the rebound and subsequent clearing attempts by Salisbury out in the high slot, roofing a backhander that the sprawling Gabe Antoni had no chance on. After hearing the buzz on this guy for several years, you could see it all coming together for him at the right time. Could be a top-30 pick next year, even if he stays at Kent. Other forwards in recent years with the skills to be first-rounders have been picked (Chris Kreider, Kevin Hayes), so as long as he produces, Nieves has a shot to do it. Has legitimate NHL upside. Was Kent's best player and if he returns to Kent, could really tear it up next season. OHL rights owned by Niagara IceDogs, but committed to University of Michigan in 2012.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Prep semifinals tonight
Enjoying the time here after being Boston Bruins-focused all of yesterday.
Will be at Ristuccia Memorial Arena this morning for their practice to gather more material for the New England Hockey Journal, but the meat of the trip begins tonight with the Stuart/Corkery (Elite 8) semifinal games.
Milton, led by Vancouver prospect and captain Pat McNally takes on Lawrence Academy at 5:30 pm. Milton has another defenseman, Rob O'Gara, who is from New York and is rising star in the 2011 draft. Similar to McNally last year, he's kind of come from left field this year to impress scouts with his size, mobility, smarts and overall game.
Lawrence doesn't have any single player we're tracking as a 2011 draft option, but will keep the eyes peeled.
Kent will play the 8:00 game against Salisbury and many eyes will be on defenseman Mike McKee, whom we featured on the sleeper alert waaay back in August. He's a sleeper no more. The 6-5, 230-pounder from Newmarket, Ontario won't even turn 18 until August! As far as players with major raw potential, there aren't many better.
McKee's not quite Jamie Oleksiak in terms of huge size and upside, but he's not that far off either, and if he sticks with his current plan of attending Northeastern, he could be playing with the monstrous 6-8 Oleksiak at some point (though he's not slated to arrive at NU until 2012). McKee is also draft property of the Ottawa 67's and there is talk in the NHL community about switching McKee back to forward rather than keeping him on 'D'. Will be interesting to see what happens with him once he is drafted.
Also on Kent is 2012 draft prospect Cristoval "Boo" Nieves, a talented and skilled offensive forward who finished third in scoring on coach Matt Herr's Lions team with 10 goals and 35 points in 25 games this season. He's got some size at 6-3, 185 and has been on NHL draft radars since an impressive Select 15 Festival a couple of years back.
Salisbury has Jack Barre who showed some potential a few years ago, but has not raised his stock to the point that he's considered much of a draft option. He's got some size and power at this level and is a captain, but his hands aren't what they need to be. The youngest Biega brother, Marc, is a '94 BD and therefore not eligible until 2012, but we'll certainly be watching what he does on the Salisbury blue line, just like we did Alex and Danny before him.
Saturday will be another crazy day of hockey with small prep schools (not much to offer) in the am, EJHL in the early afternoon, Belmont Hill-Westminster later and then jetting over to see Northeastern-BU. One of the members of the Bruins hockey operations team said last night at the TD Garden that the Huskies-Terriers match is going to be "where all the scouts in New England are" on Saturday night. With Oleksiak, Matt Nieto and Adam Clendening all going in that one, we don't doubt it.
Should be a blast! We'll have updates as we can post them, so keep checking in.
Will be at Ristuccia Memorial Arena this morning for their practice to gather more material for the New England Hockey Journal, but the meat of the trip begins tonight with the Stuart/Corkery (Elite 8) semifinal games.
Milton, led by Vancouver prospect and captain Pat McNally takes on Lawrence Academy at 5:30 pm. Milton has another defenseman, Rob O'Gara, who is from New York and is rising star in the 2011 draft. Similar to McNally last year, he's kind of come from left field this year to impress scouts with his size, mobility, smarts and overall game.
Lawrence doesn't have any single player we're tracking as a 2011 draft option, but will keep the eyes peeled.
Kent will play the 8:00 game against Salisbury and many eyes will be on defenseman Mike McKee, whom we featured on the sleeper alert waaay back in August. He's a sleeper no more. The 6-5, 230-pounder from Newmarket, Ontario won't even turn 18 until August! As far as players with major raw potential, there aren't many better.
McKee's not quite Jamie Oleksiak in terms of huge size and upside, but he's not that far off either, and if he sticks with his current plan of attending Northeastern, he could be playing with the monstrous 6-8 Oleksiak at some point (though he's not slated to arrive at NU until 2012). McKee is also draft property of the Ottawa 67's and there is talk in the NHL community about switching McKee back to forward rather than keeping him on 'D'. Will be interesting to see what happens with him once he is drafted.
Also on Kent is 2012 draft prospect Cristoval "Boo" Nieves, a talented and skilled offensive forward who finished third in scoring on coach Matt Herr's Lions team with 10 goals and 35 points in 25 games this season. He's got some size at 6-3, 185 and has been on NHL draft radars since an impressive Select 15 Festival a couple of years back.
Salisbury has Jack Barre who showed some potential a few years ago, but has not raised his stock to the point that he's considered much of a draft option. He's got some size and power at this level and is a captain, but his hands aren't what they need to be. The youngest Biega brother, Marc, is a '94 BD and therefore not eligible until 2012, but we'll certainly be watching what he does on the Salisbury blue line, just like we did Alex and Danny before him.
Saturday will be another crazy day of hockey with small prep schools (not much to offer) in the am, EJHL in the early afternoon, Belmont Hill-Westminster later and then jetting over to see Northeastern-BU. One of the members of the Bruins hockey operations team said last night at the TD Garden that the Huskies-Terriers match is going to be "where all the scouts in New England are" on Saturday night. With Oleksiak, Matt Nieto and Adam Clendening all going in that one, we don't doubt it.
Should be a blast! We'll have updates as we can post them, so keep checking in.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
2012 draft watch: Nail Yakupov
Boston Bruins fans are probably a little spoiled now after two years of having a shot at a pick at the top of the 2010 and 2011 NHL Entry Drafts.
That's why Sarnia Sting superstar Nail Yakupov isn't likely to factor in many draft conversations the B's have next season.
That said, there's no reason not to bring you up to speed on the immensely skilled Russian winger and candidate for 1st overall selection in the 2012 draft. As an early October, 1993 birthdate, he missed the cutoff for the 2011 class by less than a month, and according to at least one NHL scout I talked to recently, he'd be a surefire top-three pick this year. The only thing stopping him from being the declarative 1st overall selection in June would be his status as a Russian, and even that may not hinder a team with the boldness and faith in him to throw caution to the wind and go for it.
"Yakupov is a game breaker," the NHL scout said earlier this week. "He's got a lot of speed, agility and can make all his moves when going balls out. He's got a natural knack for scoring and is a threat to score every single time he's out there. The defense is only so-so, but when you're talking about a player as dangerous as he is, you can live with that."
An outstanding skater, he's got a very fast burst and not only the top speed you want in your skill forwards, but the shifty, elusive east-west movement that make him very tough for defenders to contain. Although only 5-10, he's so quick that the size isn't an issue. When you hear scouts and hockey people talk about small players needing certain skating chops to alleviate concerns about them at the NHL level, Yakupov is the prototype player they're referring to.
His quick hands, dazzling puck skills and the ability to dangle allow him to create space for himself, and he's got the creativity to score by himself or set teammates up for quality chances. He's one of those guys who makes everyone around him better. 35 goals and 69 points in 45 OHL games as a 17-year-old...that's all you really need to know. He and countryman Alex Galchenyuk have formed a dynamic duo for the Sting, with the centerman Galchenyuk a few weeks away from turning 17 himself, having more size but less pure skill and upside than Yakupov. Regardless, he looks like a solid 1st-rounder in 2012.
Here are some videos on this guy, which seem to illustrate the classic "you can't stop him, you can only hope to contain him" sports axiom:
Here, he abuses 3rd overall pick in 2010 Erik Gudbranson for a goal vs. Kingston:
And not that he's good at it, but he drops the gloves here, which shows a competitiveness and drive every NHL team covets:
First career OHL goal...he's got 35 and counting as of this post:
Video rights belong to/courtesy of OHL/TVCogeco Ontario
That's why Sarnia Sting superstar Nail Yakupov isn't likely to factor in many draft conversations the B's have next season.
That said, there's no reason not to bring you up to speed on the immensely skilled Russian winger and candidate for 1st overall selection in the 2012 draft. As an early October, 1993 birthdate, he missed the cutoff for the 2011 class by less than a month, and according to at least one NHL scout I talked to recently, he'd be a surefire top-three pick this year. The only thing stopping him from being the declarative 1st overall selection in June would be his status as a Russian, and even that may not hinder a team with the boldness and faith in him to throw caution to the wind and go for it.
"Yakupov is a game breaker," the NHL scout said earlier this week. "He's got a lot of speed, agility and can make all his moves when going balls out. He's got a natural knack for scoring and is a threat to score every single time he's out there. The defense is only so-so, but when you're talking about a player as dangerous as he is, you can live with that."
An outstanding skater, he's got a very fast burst and not only the top speed you want in your skill forwards, but the shifty, elusive east-west movement that make him very tough for defenders to contain. Although only 5-10, he's so quick that the size isn't an issue. When you hear scouts and hockey people talk about small players needing certain skating chops to alleviate concerns about them at the NHL level, Yakupov is the prototype player they're referring to.
His quick hands, dazzling puck skills and the ability to dangle allow him to create space for himself, and he's got the creativity to score by himself or set teammates up for quality chances. He's one of those guys who makes everyone around him better. 35 goals and 69 points in 45 OHL games as a 17-year-old...that's all you really need to know. He and countryman Alex Galchenyuk have formed a dynamic duo for the Sting, with the centerman Galchenyuk a few weeks away from turning 17 himself, having more size but less pure skill and upside than Yakupov. Regardless, he looks like a solid 1st-rounder in 2012.
Here are some videos on this guy, which seem to illustrate the classic "you can't stop him, you can only hope to contain him" sports axiom:
Here, he abuses 3rd overall pick in 2010 Erik Gudbranson for a goal vs. Kingston:
And not that he's good at it, but he drops the gloves here, which shows a competitiveness and drive every NHL team covets:
First career OHL goal...he's got 35 and counting as of this post:
Video rights belong to/courtesy of OHL/TVCogeco Ontario
Saturday, January 29, 2011
2012 draft watch: Martin Frk
Although Dmitri Jaskin was hurt an unable to attend the World Jr. Championships in Buffalo, Team Czech Republic did give a nice glimpse into the future of the next draft with 17-year-old Martin Frk, ( pronounced Firk), an October '93 BD who has been making a case as a top 2012 NHL draft candidate since last season and in particular, the 4 Nations Cup in Belarus.
Frk's height is pretty average (listed at 6-feet), but he has a thick body with a lot of natural strength. He's got powerful legs and enough upper body oomph to handle himself in the physical aspects of play along the walls. Playing for the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL this season, he's done nothing to dissuade anyone of the notion that he's one of the top 2012-eligibles out there.
As the youngest of any of the players in the 2011 WJC, Frk wasn't able to dominate, but his time will certainly come. He was playing on the lower lines of the Czech team, but managed to stand out in several games. He tallied two memorable goals in the preliminary round loss to Sweden, one of which was a one-timer in which he absolutely crushed the puck to the back of the net. His hand-eye coordination and the power he generates on his shot are a sight to behold.
He's got terrific offensive hockey instincts and sees the ice very well. He also seems to have that natural killer instinct that NHL teams covet; he protects the puck well in the offensive zone and drives hard to the net or can make some quick moves to shake defenders and create a little space for himself. Frk also has excellent hands and quickness with the stick-- he's able to handle it in tight and get excellent shots off
His skating isn't first-rate, but according to scouts, has improved since last season. He's not a bad skater, but could stand to pick up an extra step, but to be frank-- after watching him in Buffalo, didn't see any reason that the mobility will be a hindrance at the next level. He's got just minor improvements to make and if he continues on his development curve, will be fine in this regard.
He's also a chippy guy with some nastiness to his game. He'll need to pick his spots a little better, but he earned the ire of Canada fans when he speared Erik Gudbranson during the preliminary round.
This guy appears to have it all going for him. Unfortunately for NHL fans, the wait will be a little longer and a lot can happen between now and June, 2012. But, like Adam Larsson, he's made a big enough impression a 1.5 years out from his draft season that he'll be a hot topic of conversation a year from now.
John Moore @sportsandmoore.com has a very informative video on Frk over at YouTube. You gotta go there to see it, as it is proprietary and I don't want to post it here without permission.
Here's another John Moore interview with Frk, who doesn't speak English well enough yet to do these on his own, but expect him to have it down by the time the 2012 draft rolls around.
Frk shows off his deadly release on this one, from our friend Jerome at NHLDraftVideo
Frk's height is pretty average (listed at 6-feet), but he has a thick body with a lot of natural strength. He's got powerful legs and enough upper body oomph to handle himself in the physical aspects of play along the walls. Playing for the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL this season, he's done nothing to dissuade anyone of the notion that he's one of the top 2012-eligibles out there.
As the youngest of any of the players in the 2011 WJC, Frk wasn't able to dominate, but his time will certainly come. He was playing on the lower lines of the Czech team, but managed to stand out in several games. He tallied two memorable goals in the preliminary round loss to Sweden, one of which was a one-timer in which he absolutely crushed the puck to the back of the net. His hand-eye coordination and the power he generates on his shot are a sight to behold.
He's got terrific offensive hockey instincts and sees the ice very well. He also seems to have that natural killer instinct that NHL teams covet; he protects the puck well in the offensive zone and drives hard to the net or can make some quick moves to shake defenders and create a little space for himself. Frk also has excellent hands and quickness with the stick-- he's able to handle it in tight and get excellent shots off
His skating isn't first-rate, but according to scouts, has improved since last season. He's not a bad skater, but could stand to pick up an extra step, but to be frank-- after watching him in Buffalo, didn't see any reason that the mobility will be a hindrance at the next level. He's got just minor improvements to make and if he continues on his development curve, will be fine in this regard.
He's also a chippy guy with some nastiness to his game. He'll need to pick his spots a little better, but he earned the ire of Canada fans when he speared Erik Gudbranson during the preliminary round.
This guy appears to have it all going for him. Unfortunately for NHL fans, the wait will be a little longer and a lot can happen between now and June, 2012. But, like Adam Larsson, he's made a big enough impression a 1.5 years out from his draft season that he'll be a hot topic of conversation a year from now.
John Moore @sportsandmoore.com has a very informative video on Frk over at YouTube. You gotta go there to see it, as it is proprietary and I don't want to post it here without permission.
Here's another John Moore interview with Frk, who doesn't speak English well enough yet to do these on his own, but expect him to have it down by the time the 2012 draft rolls around.
Frk shows off his deadly release on this one, from our friend Jerome at NHLDraftVideo
Monday, January 24, 2011
Red Line Report scout Radim Jelinek interview: 2011 Eastern Europe draft prospects midseason report Pt. 2
We're back with the second part of the interview with Red Line Report Czech/Slovak scout Radim Jelinek.
Be sure to check out Part 1 if you haven't seen it yet.
This is a pretty lean year for Czech and Slovak players in the NHL draft who aren't already over in North America this season, playing major junior hockey and in Czech forward Petr Placek's case, prep hockey in New England for Damon White's Hotchkiss club.
Radim will now detail the Slovak and Russian crops and we'll look ahead to 2012 and beyond, with a taste of things to come in the future out of Eastern Europe.
Bruins 2011 Draft Watch: With Slovak forwards Tomas Jurco and Marek Tvrdon (among others) in North America this season (and Tvrdon injured for the rest of the year), is defenseman Peter Ceresnak someone to keep an eye on as a draft option from Slovakia who is still playing in Europe this season?
Radim Jelinek: I won´t be surprised if Ceresnak is first and the only one Slovak still playing in Europe selected in June in Minnesota. However I´m not a big fan of him and I´m personally much more interested in 6-4 tall D from Kosice Martin Gernat who also belongs into the group of sleepers I mentioned in previous answer. Gernat is a smooth skater with fluid stride and decent footwork for his size. Has very good vision and hands, moves the puck well, handles the puck with confidence making solid decision with puck. Likes to join the rush regularly and shows good instinct in sliding from the point into scoring positions. Just started developing physical play in his game, still very inconsistent using his body, needs to play aggressive, physical game all the time. When he uses it then he is tough to beat 1 on 1, angles forwards to the outside, tights forward up at the boards, hits hard. Lacks strength right now and still growing but has frame to fill it out. D-zone coverage is still very average, needs to read the play better defensively, improve positional play and play much tighter game. Very raw but I like his progress throughout the season and see some similar things in his game as in Martin Marincin´s. He is far from him as Marincin was first rounder in my eyes while Gernat is later-round pick but upside is there.
On the other hand, Ceresnak is already well built physically, strong on skates. Feet are a bit slow and heavy, passes are firm and can make good outlet but not smart or creative with puck. Defensively he is strong in battles and is tough to beat in 1 on 1 situations. However doesn´t read the play in own zone, when opposing forwards start cycling, collide each other, shift spots then he is not able to read those situations properly, picks up wrong player consistently, gets out of position, wanders around own zone without his player.
B2011DW: How does the crop of Russian players look to you this season? Maxim Shalunov and Zakhar Arzamastsev are the highest-ranked players who stayed in Russia-- can you talk about those two and what chances they have to be drafted in June?
RJ: As I already said before, I personally consider Russian crop without all CHL-ers as extremely weak. I don´t see many NHL prospects behind Shalunov and Arzamastsev, at least those who are first year eligible. Both mentioned guys are the best Russians, at least for now.
Shalunov has first round tools but no toolbox, classical Russian enigmatic player. February´s Five nation tournament and then World U-18 champs could have great impact on where he is selected in June. He is a big, powerful winger built like a tank, when he plays with passion he goes through checks, finishes checks and drives the net hard. Soft hands, can beat D with variety of moves off the rush and cuts to the net from wide. Hard wrist shot with quick release. Deceptive skater, first steps are very short and stride is wide and a bit short but has actually good speed and strong on skates. Problem is that he lacks intensity, invisible for longer periods with zero effort off the puck. Lazy on backcheck and plays very selfishly trying low percentage 1 on 1 flashy moves all the time.
Arzamastsev is more of offensive D who runs the PP well, sees the ice well and can make good first pass out of zone. Handles the puck well and good thought process with puck. Okay skater, doesn´t initiate contact much but not afraid of physical play. From mid to later-round prospect. Last guy I should mention is winger Nikita Kucherov. Not big but doesn´t stop trying to make something offensively, good skills. Has good hands and quick and shifty skater, creates separation and moves his feet. Not more then potential late-rounder though.
B2011DW: With high-end Russians like Alexander Khokhlachev and Vladislav Namestnikov in North America this season, have you heard talk of more Russian and Eastern European players like G David Honzik leaving their clubs to play in the CHL to try and improve their chances of being picked high in the NHL?
RJ: I haven´t heard anything particular yet, no specific names but I don´t doubt that tendency from several previous seasons will continue and some of the top Czechs and Russians(and also some other who should better stay home) will come over next summer. One of the reason for so many Russians coming over to play in CHL nowadays could be the fact the if they leave as 17 year old and spend three years there, then they become free agent in KHL.
By the way, annual exodus of majority of top Czech/Slovakian NHL prospect to CHL before their draft year became big problem(along with outdated system of players development and inability to bring up new generation of good players) for future of many Czechoslovakian NHL scouts. I counted 8 local scouts losing their job mostly because of that in last couple of years. Scouts understand reasons why very young players tend to leave so early and mostly approve of that step but in the end they get into very bad situation (partially) because of that.
B2011: Kosice defenseman Tomas Tkac is 144th on the Red Line rankings this month; a 6-5, 180-pounder is interesting. What can you tell people about his game and possible upside?
RJ: Uff, I was probably too ecstatic after first two viewing before Christmas. Tall guy who came absolutely out of nowhere, just converted into defenceman… Early on he impressed me with solid thought process with the puck, decent mobility for huge D, steady puck movement, willingness to get involved physically in battles. However when I have seen him this month, he looked very awkward, lacking coordination, choppy handling the puck, having no idea how to play defence in own zone. I still think that he is worth of keeping an eyes on him next year if there is any progress in his game but right now Ican´t imagine him as legitimate draft prospect.
B2011DW: Looking ahead to 2012 and beyond, Martin Frk is certainly one player attracting attention, but are there players still over in your area of expertise in Europe who are worth noting and keeping an eye on 18 months from now?
RJ: There are certainly prospects worth of keeping an eye for 2012 but I haven´t seen another Dmitri Jaskin yet. Actually 94´birthyear is considered as weaker in Czech. Tomas Hertl(late 93´) is probably the best but needs to stay healthy. He is big and strong creative playmaker with soft hands, excellent stick skills, vision, smartness. Smooth skater with speed, agility, balance. Slick with puck in tight, tough to separate off the puck, shields the puck very well.
I also like natural tools of tall goalie Marek Langhammer, puck skills and offensive upside of tall D Ronald Knot, Michal Plutnar and Karel Plasil. Among forwards I could mention names like Radek Faksa, Dominik Volek(David Volek´s son) or Patrik Machac but I don´t see another Michal Frolik, Jakub Voracek or David Krejci. I should also note that outside of Frk, several other promising 2012 eligible already play in USHL: Zehnal twins or Adam Chlapik.
It looks like very poor year for Slovaks next season conversely to 2013 which could be strong year for Slovakian forwards(but many things could happen in next 30 months) with names like Marko Dano, Matej Paulovic, Tomas Torok, Martin Reway, Patrik Koys.
Special thanks once again to Radim for taking time out of his busy schedule to provide such detailed answers on players that most of us have little to no access to.
If you have any specific questions, email me or post comment and I will try to pass them along to Radim for clarification.
Be sure to visit the Draft Watch blog tomorrow (Tuesday) for the next part in the "Case For" series, where we will break out a candidate for that Toronto pick at the top of the 1st round and why that player would make sense for Boston.
For Red Line Report subscription information, you can visit their website at www.redlinereport.com
Be sure to check out Part 1 if you haven't seen it yet.
This is a pretty lean year for Czech and Slovak players in the NHL draft who aren't already over in North America this season, playing major junior hockey and in Czech forward Petr Placek's case, prep hockey in New England for Damon White's Hotchkiss club.
Radim will now detail the Slovak and Russian crops and we'll look ahead to 2012 and beyond, with a taste of things to come in the future out of Eastern Europe.
Bruins 2011 Draft Watch: With Slovak forwards Tomas Jurco and Marek Tvrdon (among others) in North America this season (and Tvrdon injured for the rest of the year), is defenseman Peter Ceresnak someone to keep an eye on as a draft option from Slovakia who is still playing in Europe this season?
Radim Jelinek: I won´t be surprised if Ceresnak is first and the only one Slovak still playing in Europe selected in June in Minnesota. However I´m not a big fan of him and I´m personally much more interested in 6-4 tall D from Kosice Martin Gernat who also belongs into the group of sleepers I mentioned in previous answer. Gernat is a smooth skater with fluid stride and decent footwork for his size. Has very good vision and hands, moves the puck well, handles the puck with confidence making solid decision with puck. Likes to join the rush regularly and shows good instinct in sliding from the point into scoring positions. Just started developing physical play in his game, still very inconsistent using his body, needs to play aggressive, physical game all the time. When he uses it then he is tough to beat 1 on 1, angles forwards to the outside, tights forward up at the boards, hits hard. Lacks strength right now and still growing but has frame to fill it out. D-zone coverage is still very average, needs to read the play better defensively, improve positional play and play much tighter game. Very raw but I like his progress throughout the season and see some similar things in his game as in Martin Marincin´s. He is far from him as Marincin was first rounder in my eyes while Gernat is later-round pick but upside is there.
On the other hand, Ceresnak is already well built physically, strong on skates. Feet are a bit slow and heavy, passes are firm and can make good outlet but not smart or creative with puck. Defensively he is strong in battles and is tough to beat in 1 on 1 situations. However doesn´t read the play in own zone, when opposing forwards start cycling, collide each other, shift spots then he is not able to read those situations properly, picks up wrong player consistently, gets out of position, wanders around own zone without his player.
B2011DW: How does the crop of Russian players look to you this season? Maxim Shalunov and Zakhar Arzamastsev are the highest-ranked players who stayed in Russia-- can you talk about those two and what chances they have to be drafted in June?
RJ: As I already said before, I personally consider Russian crop without all CHL-ers as extremely weak. I don´t see many NHL prospects behind Shalunov and Arzamastsev, at least those who are first year eligible. Both mentioned guys are the best Russians, at least for now.
Shalunov has first round tools but no toolbox, classical Russian enigmatic player. February´s Five nation tournament and then World U-18 champs could have great impact on where he is selected in June. He is a big, powerful winger built like a tank, when he plays with passion he goes through checks, finishes checks and drives the net hard. Soft hands, can beat D with variety of moves off the rush and cuts to the net from wide. Hard wrist shot with quick release. Deceptive skater, first steps are very short and stride is wide and a bit short but has actually good speed and strong on skates. Problem is that he lacks intensity, invisible for longer periods with zero effort off the puck. Lazy on backcheck and plays very selfishly trying low percentage 1 on 1 flashy moves all the time.
Arzamastsev is more of offensive D who runs the PP well, sees the ice well and can make good first pass out of zone. Handles the puck well and good thought process with puck. Okay skater, doesn´t initiate contact much but not afraid of physical play. From mid to later-round prospect. Last guy I should mention is winger Nikita Kucherov. Not big but doesn´t stop trying to make something offensively, good skills. Has good hands and quick and shifty skater, creates separation and moves his feet. Not more then potential late-rounder though.
B2011DW: With high-end Russians like Alexander Khokhlachev and Vladislav Namestnikov in North America this season, have you heard talk of more Russian and Eastern European players like G David Honzik leaving their clubs to play in the CHL to try and improve their chances of being picked high in the NHL?
RJ: I haven´t heard anything particular yet, no specific names but I don´t doubt that tendency from several previous seasons will continue and some of the top Czechs and Russians(and also some other who should better stay home) will come over next summer. One of the reason for so many Russians coming over to play in CHL nowadays could be the fact the if they leave as 17 year old and spend three years there, then they become free agent in KHL.
By the way, annual exodus of majority of top Czech/Slovakian NHL prospect to CHL before their draft year became big problem(along with outdated system of players development and inability to bring up new generation of good players) for future of many Czechoslovakian NHL scouts. I counted 8 local scouts losing their job mostly because of that in last couple of years. Scouts understand reasons why very young players tend to leave so early and mostly approve of that step but in the end they get into very bad situation (partially) because of that.
B2011: Kosice defenseman Tomas Tkac is 144th on the Red Line rankings this month; a 6-5, 180-pounder is interesting. What can you tell people about his game and possible upside?
RJ: Uff, I was probably too ecstatic after first two viewing before Christmas. Tall guy who came absolutely out of nowhere, just converted into defenceman… Early on he impressed me with solid thought process with the puck, decent mobility for huge D, steady puck movement, willingness to get involved physically in battles. However when I have seen him this month, he looked very awkward, lacking coordination, choppy handling the puck, having no idea how to play defence in own zone. I still think that he is worth of keeping an eyes on him next year if there is any progress in his game but right now Ican´t imagine him as legitimate draft prospect.
B2011DW: Looking ahead to 2012 and beyond, Martin Frk is certainly one player attracting attention, but are there players still over in your area of expertise in Europe who are worth noting and keeping an eye on 18 months from now?
RJ: There are certainly prospects worth of keeping an eye for 2012 but I haven´t seen another Dmitri Jaskin yet. Actually 94´birthyear is considered as weaker in Czech. Tomas Hertl(late 93´) is probably the best but needs to stay healthy. He is big and strong creative playmaker with soft hands, excellent stick skills, vision, smartness. Smooth skater with speed, agility, balance. Slick with puck in tight, tough to separate off the puck, shields the puck very well.
I also like natural tools of tall goalie Marek Langhammer, puck skills and offensive upside of tall D Ronald Knot, Michal Plutnar and Karel Plasil. Among forwards I could mention names like Radek Faksa, Dominik Volek(David Volek´s son) or Patrik Machac but I don´t see another Michal Frolik, Jakub Voracek or David Krejci. I should also note that outside of Frk, several other promising 2012 eligible already play in USHL: Zehnal twins or Adam Chlapik.
It looks like very poor year for Slovaks next season conversely to 2013 which could be strong year for Slovakian forwards(but many things could happen in next 30 months) with names like Marko Dano, Matej Paulovic, Tomas Torok, Martin Reway, Patrik Koys.
Special thanks once again to Radim for taking time out of his busy schedule to provide such detailed answers on players that most of us have little to no access to.
If you have any specific questions, email me or post comment and I will try to pass them along to Radim for clarification.
Be sure to visit the Draft Watch blog tomorrow (Tuesday) for the next part in the "Case For" series, where we will break out a candidate for that Toronto pick at the top of the 1st round and why that player would make sense for Boston.
For Red Line Report subscription information, you can visit their website at www.redlinereport.com
Thursday, January 13, 2011
WJC Scouting Reports: Finland
Welcome to the second part of the post-WJC wrap with individual scouting reports on 2011 draft-eligible players on Team Finland. I'll also comment on 2012-eligible defenseman Olli Maatta, who joined some select company (and damn impressive names) in Finnish hockey history as the youngest player on the team. As you'll see, one of the comments I got from an NHL scout who watched his debut against Slovakia in the final preliminary round game (he was a scratch the rest of the way- his time will come next year) is pure gold.
I was alternately impressed and disappointed with Joel Armia, arguably the top forward in terms of skill and upside of all 2011 candidates going into the tournament. As previously noted, Switerland's Gregory Hofmann outperformed Armia and everyone else. That said, you simply cannot lump all the eggs in one basket when it comes to scouting for the draft. The WJC is just one part of the overall equation. But, if anyone was looking for Armia to make a definitive statement in Buffalo, they didn't get it.
Miikka Salomaki is another draft-eligible who was on Team Finland. He wasn't bad, in fact. There's some skill there, but when trying to project where he would be in the NHL a few years down the road, he looks like a lower tier prospect at best.
Armia, as the second-ranked skater in Europe by Central Scouting, was obviously a guy a lot of talent watchers were fixated on in Buffalo, but he gets mixed reviews from this blog.
For more, read on!
Joel Armia, RW 6-3, 191 Assat (Finland)-- Tall, lean athletic frame. Will need to add strength and mass over the next several years, as he is still very lanky and at times gangly on the ice. Skating is good; he has a sluggish first few steps, but his long, smooth stride gets him up and down the ice pretty quickly. Will need to work on his agility and turning/change of direction. Superb hands; confident, deft stickhandler who looks like he has a magnet on his stick the way he can manipulate the puck through traffic to maintain possession and generate scoring chances. Can really fire it; gets his shot off in an instant and it is hard, heavy and accurate. Able to hit any part of the net and is dangerous outside of the circles as well as lethal from the slot and below the hashmarks. OK passer but much more of a shooter/finisher. Will go to the net and bang in rebounds. Seems to see the ice well and possess good offensive instincts; capable of good distribution in moving the puck to the open teammate when he has no other opening. Compete levels are uneven; as tournament went on, the initially hustling Armia was replaced by one who glided around a lot looking for the perfect shot. Defensive game is only average; will need to gain a better understanding of his own zone responsibilities and show a little more effort in that regard in order to lock down a top draft spot.
Overview: Armia started out in the WJC as absolutely living up to the pre-draft hype with his performances against USA and Switzerland. He was less impressive against Germany, and his overall game went south from there. Although you can clearly see the live frame, quick stick and offensive prowess in flashes, he didn't bring the consistency and drive you want to see from a player with his enormous physical gifts. Hockey is a game of time and space, and there were several windows of opportunity that closed quickly that you couldn't help but wonder might have turned out with the puck in the back of the net with a little more effort/sense of urgency from him. An informal poll of NHL scouts (and let's face it- most speak in only the vaguest of terms so as not to tip their hands one way or the other) had some mixed feelings about him. He's still in all likelihood a 1st-round selection come June because of what he's doing in the SM-Liiga against men, but he had the ice time and opportunity to make more of an impression and wasn't able to capitalize on it.
Miikka Salomaki, C 5-11, 185 Karpat (Finland)-- Average size, average skater. More agile than fast. Doesn't jump out at you on the ice, but #11 always seemed to be in the thick of the action. Very aggressive forechecker and has a knack for taking away time/space and creating turnovers. Hustles and competes all over the ice. Scored a goal through sheer determination and effort, winning loose puck battles, then beating his man to the front of the net. Good defensive awareness and discipline. Active stick; takes away passing lanes and neutralizes offensive chances.
Overview: Even as the 7th-ranked Euro by Central, Salomaki isn't flashy or overly skilled, but gives you every ounce of what he has. He's a smart, gritty competitor, but may not have the kind of upside that would appeal to NHL clubs enough to spend a draft pick on him. Will probably be one of those solid "glue" guys in the SM-Liiga, though and you never know-- he may have done enough to get a look.
Iiro Pakarinen, RW 6-1, 198 Kalpa (Finland)-- Undrafted overager has nice size, should add some bulk and get stronger. Heavy feet with a choppy stride, but decent straight-line speed. Needs to pick up the initial burst to have a shot at the NHL. Keeps his stick on the ice and goes to the net well. Opportunistic scorer throughout; managed to be in right place at right time and made his opportunities count. OK defensively; doesn't do anything to stand out in his own end.
Overview: Pakarinen had a pretty good hand in Finland's offense during the preliminary round, but seems to be a longshot as an NHL prospect. Might have done enough to get drafted late, but not a prospect to keep a close eye on as the 106th-ranked skater by Central and not likely to be on many teams' lists if at all.
Bonus scouting report:
Olli Maatta, D 6-1, 185 JYP (Finland Jr.) 22 Aug 1994; 2012- eligible-- As the youngest player ever to make the Finland WJC team (same age as Reijo Ruotsalainen, Janne Niniimaa and Mikael Granlund, but with an August birthdate, younger than any of them) he played only sparingly (in last preliminary round game against Slovakia), but showed off why he was on the team in the first place. Plays a physical, no-nonsense game. Skating is a bit rough-- lacks immediate acceleration, and is a bit lacking in his pivots and turns. Good hands for making quick breakout passes. Sees the ice well; doesn't handle the puck like a hand grenade. Showed some pretty good poise for his first WJC action.
One NHL scout spoke to me about him during a break in the action and said: "He's two-way, all around defenseman. He does a little bit of everything and has a lot of enthusiasm. His first shift was full of excitement; he had courage to show up and play and he wasn't panicking with his feet."
As for that comedy gold, I told you about earlier:
"It was good to see he didn't **** his pants in his first shift," the scout deadpanned.
Hey, sometimes it's the little things these guys do that make an impression, right?
We'll be back tomorrow with Germany, Sweden and Canada.
I was alternately impressed and disappointed with Joel Armia, arguably the top forward in terms of skill and upside of all 2011 candidates going into the tournament. As previously noted, Switerland's Gregory Hofmann outperformed Armia and everyone else. That said, you simply cannot lump all the eggs in one basket when it comes to scouting for the draft. The WJC is just one part of the overall equation. But, if anyone was looking for Armia to make a definitive statement in Buffalo, they didn't get it.
Miikka Salomaki is another draft-eligible who was on Team Finland. He wasn't bad, in fact. There's some skill there, but when trying to project where he would be in the NHL a few years down the road, he looks like a lower tier prospect at best.
Armia, as the second-ranked skater in Europe by Central Scouting, was obviously a guy a lot of talent watchers were fixated on in Buffalo, but he gets mixed reviews from this blog.
For more, read on!
Joel Armia, RW 6-3, 191 Assat (Finland)-- Tall, lean athletic frame. Will need to add strength and mass over the next several years, as he is still very lanky and at times gangly on the ice. Skating is good; he has a sluggish first few steps, but his long, smooth stride gets him up and down the ice pretty quickly. Will need to work on his agility and turning/change of direction. Superb hands; confident, deft stickhandler who looks like he has a magnet on his stick the way he can manipulate the puck through traffic to maintain possession and generate scoring chances. Can really fire it; gets his shot off in an instant and it is hard, heavy and accurate. Able to hit any part of the net and is dangerous outside of the circles as well as lethal from the slot and below the hashmarks. OK passer but much more of a shooter/finisher. Will go to the net and bang in rebounds. Seems to see the ice well and possess good offensive instincts; capable of good distribution in moving the puck to the open teammate when he has no other opening. Compete levels are uneven; as tournament went on, the initially hustling Armia was replaced by one who glided around a lot looking for the perfect shot. Defensive game is only average; will need to gain a better understanding of his own zone responsibilities and show a little more effort in that regard in order to lock down a top draft spot.
Overview: Armia started out in the WJC as absolutely living up to the pre-draft hype with his performances against USA and Switzerland. He was less impressive against Germany, and his overall game went south from there. Although you can clearly see the live frame, quick stick and offensive prowess in flashes, he didn't bring the consistency and drive you want to see from a player with his enormous physical gifts. Hockey is a game of time and space, and there were several windows of opportunity that closed quickly that you couldn't help but wonder might have turned out with the puck in the back of the net with a little more effort/sense of urgency from him. An informal poll of NHL scouts (and let's face it- most speak in only the vaguest of terms so as not to tip their hands one way or the other) had some mixed feelings about him. He's still in all likelihood a 1st-round selection come June because of what he's doing in the SM-Liiga against men, but he had the ice time and opportunity to make more of an impression and wasn't able to capitalize on it.
Miikka Salomaki, C 5-11, 185 Karpat (Finland)-- Average size, average skater. More agile than fast. Doesn't jump out at you on the ice, but #11 always seemed to be in the thick of the action. Very aggressive forechecker and has a knack for taking away time/space and creating turnovers. Hustles and competes all over the ice. Scored a goal through sheer determination and effort, winning loose puck battles, then beating his man to the front of the net. Good defensive awareness and discipline. Active stick; takes away passing lanes and neutralizes offensive chances.
Overview: Even as the 7th-ranked Euro by Central, Salomaki isn't flashy or overly skilled, but gives you every ounce of what he has. He's a smart, gritty competitor, but may not have the kind of upside that would appeal to NHL clubs enough to spend a draft pick on him. Will probably be one of those solid "glue" guys in the SM-Liiga, though and you never know-- he may have done enough to get a look.
Iiro Pakarinen, RW 6-1, 198 Kalpa (Finland)-- Undrafted overager has nice size, should add some bulk and get stronger. Heavy feet with a choppy stride, but decent straight-line speed. Needs to pick up the initial burst to have a shot at the NHL. Keeps his stick on the ice and goes to the net well. Opportunistic scorer throughout; managed to be in right place at right time and made his opportunities count. OK defensively; doesn't do anything to stand out in his own end.
Overview: Pakarinen had a pretty good hand in Finland's offense during the preliminary round, but seems to be a longshot as an NHL prospect. Might have done enough to get drafted late, but not a prospect to keep a close eye on as the 106th-ranked skater by Central and not likely to be on many teams' lists if at all.
Bonus scouting report:
Olli Maatta, D 6-1, 185 JYP (Finland Jr.) 22 Aug 1994; 2012- eligible-- As the youngest player ever to make the Finland WJC team (same age as Reijo Ruotsalainen, Janne Niniimaa and Mikael Granlund, but with an August birthdate, younger than any of them) he played only sparingly (in last preliminary round game against Slovakia), but showed off why he was on the team in the first place. Plays a physical, no-nonsense game. Skating is a bit rough-- lacks immediate acceleration, and is a bit lacking in his pivots and turns. Good hands for making quick breakout passes. Sees the ice well; doesn't handle the puck like a hand grenade. Showed some pretty good poise for his first WJC action.
One NHL scout spoke to me about him during a break in the action and said: "He's two-way, all around defenseman. He does a little bit of everything and has a lot of enthusiasm. His first shift was full of excitement; he had courage to show up and play and he wasn't panicking with his feet."
As for that comedy gold, I told you about earlier:
"It was good to see he didn't **** his pants in his first shift," the scout deadpanned.
Hey, sometimes it's the little things these guys do that make an impression, right?
We'll be back tomorrow with Germany, Sweden and Canada.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
WHL Super Series roster announced
Here are the skaters for the two Dub vs. Russia games next month, just hit the streets from the WHL. Disappointing if you were hoping to see some of the other 2011 draft eligibles like David Musil, Myles Bell, Sven Bartschi, Marek Tvrdon, etc. Darian Dziurzynski and Neil Manning were not drafted (Manning attended Philadelphia Flyers, Dziruzynski went to Phoenix Coyotes camps on tryouts but did not sign), so they also appear in bold as potential overage selections. Ryan Murray missed the cutoff, so he's a 2012 draft prospect. A shame, because he'd be a solid 1st-rounder in this class and only missed by a couple of weeks.
Team WHL Roster – Kamloops, BC – November 17, 2010
Forwards (12): Year: Club: Hometown:
Schaber, Chase (91) Kamloops Blazers Red Deer, AB
Vey, Linden* (91) Medicine Hat Tigers Wakaw, SK
Howden, Quinton* (92) Moose Jaw Warriors Oak Bank, MB
Herrod, Brandon (91) Prince Albert Raiders Meadow Lake, SK
Froese, Byron (91) Red Deer Rebels Winkler, MB
Nugent-Hopkins, Ryan (93) Red Deer Rebels Burnaby, BC
Ashton, Carter (91) Regina Pats Saskatoon, SK
Weal, Jordan (92) Regina Pats North Vancouver, BC
Hamilton, Curtis (91) Saskatoon Blades Kelowna, BC
Dziurzynski, Darian (91) Saskatoon Blades Lloydminster, AB
Shinnimin, Brendan (91) Tri-City Americans Winnipeg, MB
Gallagher, Brendan* (92) Vancouver Giants Delta, BC
Defence (6): Club: Hometown:
MacKenzie, Matt* (91) Calgary Hitmen New Westminster, BC
Pysyk, Mark* (92) Edmonton Oil Kings Sherwood Park, AB
Murray, Ryan (93) Everett Silvertips White City, SK
Madaisky, Austin (92) Kamloops Blazers Saskatoon, SK
Elliott, Stefan (91) Saskatoon Blades North Vancouver, BC
Cowen, Jared (91) Spokane Chiefs Allen, SK
Goaltenders (2): Club: Hometown:
Simpson, Kent (92) Everett Silvertips Edmonton, AB
Pickard, Calvin (92) Seattle Thunderbirds Winnipeg, MB
Team WHL Roster – Prince George, BC – November 18, 2010
Forwards (11): Year: Club: Hometown:
Glennie, Scott (91) Brandon Wheat Kings Winnipeg, MB
Bubnick, Jimmy (91) Calgary Hitmen Saskatoon, SK
Howse, Ryan (91) Chilliwack Bruins Prince George, BC
Vey, Linden* (91) Medicine Hat Tigers Wakaw, SK
Howden, Quinton* (92) Moose Jaw Warriors Oak Bank, MB
Johansen, Ryan (92) Portland Winterhawks Port Moody, BC
Ross, Brad (92) Portland Winterhawks Lethbridge, AB
Rattie, Ty (93) Portland Winterhawks Airdrie, AB
Connolly, Brett (92) Prince George Cougars Prince George, BC
Eakin, Cody (91) Swift Current Broncos Winnipeg, MB
Gallagher, Brendan* (92) Vancouver Giants Delta, BC
Defence (6): Club: Hometown:
MacKenzie, Matt* (91) Calgary Hitmen New Westminster, BC
Pysyk, Mark* (92) Edmonton Oil Kings Sherwood Park, AB
Barrie, Tyson (91) Kelowna Rockets Victoria, BC
McNabb, Brayden (91) Kootenay Ice Davidson, SK
Ponich, Brett (91) Portland Winterhawks Beaumont, AB
Manning, Neil (91) Vancouver Giants Nanaimo, BC
Goaltenders (2): Club: Hometown:
Simpson, Kent (92) Everett Silvertips Edmonton, AB
Pickard, Calvin (92) Seattle Thunderbirds Winnipeg, MB
Forwards (12): Year: Club: Hometown:
Schaber, Chase (91) Kamloops Blazers Red Deer, AB
Vey, Linden* (91) Medicine Hat Tigers Wakaw, SK
Howden, Quinton* (92) Moose Jaw Warriors Oak Bank, MB
Herrod, Brandon (91) Prince Albert Raiders Meadow Lake, SK
Froese, Byron (91) Red Deer Rebels Winkler, MB
Nugent-Hopkins, Ryan (93) Red Deer Rebels Burnaby, BC
Ashton, Carter (91) Regina Pats Saskatoon, SK
Weal, Jordan (92) Regina Pats North Vancouver, BC
Hamilton, Curtis (91) Saskatoon Blades Kelowna, BC
Dziurzynski, Darian (91) Saskatoon Blades Lloydminster, AB
Shinnimin, Brendan (91) Tri-City Americans Winnipeg, MB
Gallagher, Brendan* (92) Vancouver Giants Delta, BC
Defence (6): Club: Hometown:
MacKenzie, Matt* (91) Calgary Hitmen New Westminster, BC
Pysyk, Mark* (92) Edmonton Oil Kings Sherwood Park, AB
Murray, Ryan (93) Everett Silvertips White City, SK
Madaisky, Austin (92) Kamloops Blazers Saskatoon, SK
Elliott, Stefan (91) Saskatoon Blades North Vancouver, BC
Cowen, Jared (91) Spokane Chiefs Allen, SK
Goaltenders (2): Club: Hometown:
Simpson, Kent (92) Everett Silvertips Edmonton, AB
Pickard, Calvin (92) Seattle Thunderbirds Winnipeg, MB
Team WHL Roster – Prince George, BC – November 18, 2010
Forwards (11): Year: Club: Hometown:
Glennie, Scott (91) Brandon Wheat Kings Winnipeg, MB
Bubnick, Jimmy (91) Calgary Hitmen Saskatoon, SK
Howse, Ryan (91) Chilliwack Bruins Prince George, BC
Vey, Linden* (91) Medicine Hat Tigers Wakaw, SK
Howden, Quinton* (92) Moose Jaw Warriors Oak Bank, MB
Johansen, Ryan (92) Portland Winterhawks Port Moody, BC
Ross, Brad (92) Portland Winterhawks Lethbridge, AB
Rattie, Ty (93) Portland Winterhawks Airdrie, AB
Connolly, Brett (92) Prince George Cougars Prince George, BC
Eakin, Cody (91) Swift Current Broncos Winnipeg, MB
Gallagher, Brendan* (92) Vancouver Giants Delta, BC
Defence (6): Club: Hometown:
MacKenzie, Matt* (91) Calgary Hitmen New Westminster, BC
Pysyk, Mark* (92) Edmonton Oil Kings Sherwood Park, AB
Barrie, Tyson (91) Kelowna Rockets Victoria, BC
McNabb, Brayden (91) Kootenay Ice Davidson, SK
Ponich, Brett (91) Portland Winterhawks Beaumont, AB
Manning, Neil (91) Vancouver Giants Nanaimo, BC
Goaltenders (2): Club: Hometown:
Simpson, Kent (92) Everett Silvertips Edmonton, AB
Pickard, Calvin (92) Seattle Thunderbirds Winnipeg, MB
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
USHL notes: Not a great year in the "U"
Red Line's Max Giese also briefly talked about the USHL and what he saw at the Fall Classic earlier this month:
"After (Scott) Mayfield and (Seth (Ambroz) there's a huge dropoff," he said. "Then you get to (Colten) St. Clair, and after him, there's another huge dropoff."
Youch.
But, let's take a look at these guys and what the early returns are on them. Giese has been a supporter of Mayfield's from jump street, and that's big because if Mayfield ends up going top-10, then you'll be able to look back at what Max was saying about him over the summer and realize he had the inside track on this big, mobile PMD from St. Louis. Ambroz is someone Giese has been less impressed with, and his reasons are pretty much the same I'm hearing from other scouts in the community: simply put, Ambroz hasn't progressed. He's essentially the same player he was a couple of years ago when he was bulling his way through the USHL as a manchild. Only problem is-- now the physical gap has decreased. And, he's in for a real awakening when he heads off to Minnesota and the NCAA next year.
Here are some snippets from Max's reports he filed and which appear in the October issue of Red Line Report. For more, you can go to www.redlinereport.com -- it's a pay service, but you can't beat the depth of analysis the RLR staff provides every month.
Scott Mayfield, RD Youngstown 6-4, 185 14 Oct. 92
A huge workhorse on the backend. A commanding skater with a long, powerful stride. Shows terrific lateral agility and strong edgework...
(And that only scratches the surface of the writeup)
Seth Ambroz, RW Omaha 6-3, 210 3 Apr. 93
Heavy power forward with a nose for the net. He's the same skater he was two years ago-- hasn't improved his quickness, still labors to accelerate and struggles to gain separation. ...
(Again- there's more, but it's proprietary information, so that's about all I can do)
Colten St. Clair, RC Fargo 5-11, 180 22 Nov. 92
Played with a healthy chip on his shoulder and is embracing a leadership role this year. Made opponents' blood boil with his tenacious puck pursuit and by finishing his checks...
Giese said that two players from the USHL available in next year's 2012 NHL draft are worth paying attention to this season: Sioux City defender Jordan Schmaltz (6-3) a smooth, cerebral puck-mover who just could be one of those special talents with the size and skills to be a high pick, and Latvian forward prodigy Zemgus Girgensons, a big, skilled creative center who is already having an immediate impact with expansion Dubuque Fighting Saints.
I saw Girgensons last spring when he was the best player on an overmatched Green Mountain Glades team in the EJHL-- they got manhandled by the Charlie Coyle and Chris Wagner-led South Shore Kings, but Girgensons was noticeable, and he's a smart kid who's on the fast track to be at the University of Vermont next year.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
A player to watch for 2012: Slater Koekkoek
Oh, howBruins fans might wish this kid was available for the 2011 NHL Draft!
Defenseman Slater Koekkoek (pronounced Kuh-KOOK) was the seventh overall selection of the Peterborough Petes of the OHL in last spring's Priority Selection and is one of those big, two-way defenders that is so important in today's NHL.
Sports Illustrated has a nice article in the newest issue (the one with Boise State on the cover) covering the NHL preview which features in-depth profiles on Drew Doughty, Zach Bogosian, Tyler Myers and Erik Johnson (wow- three of those guys all came from that hellacious defense draft class of '08). The piece has four Hall of Fame defensemen breaking down the youngsters' games, with Boston legend Ray Bourque doing the honors for Myers. But, the reason I bring the article up is that because this is the new wave of the NHL: either you have one of these kinds of players on your roster or you don't. And those who don't will be handicapped going up against the teams who do.
The bottom line: finding the premo, skilled two-way defensemen with size and power is going to be the priority of just about every NHL team these days. In other words, if you aren't holding a draft pick that will land you one, don't expect to be able to trade up with a team who does without paying a true king's ransom. These guys are gold.
Which brings me back to Koekkoek. He's not huge-- only 6-2-- and at about 185 pounds has a lot of muscle-building ahead of him. But when you possess the skating (check out his burst in the video-- nice), footwork, puck skills and shot this kid apparently does, you're going to be in demand. Nasty temperament and edge to him, too-- he has 9 penalty minutes in just two games (one assist).
At 16, we're all going to have to wait for this one, but he has the look of someone who will be well worth it. TVCogeco has a very nice profile on him. It was posted on the OHL website. They do great work on the Petes, and some of the vids I used on Ryan Spooner are theirs as well (and you know, while I'm on the subject, 'Spoons' will probably enjoy having Koekkoek as a teammate.)
Video courtesy of TVCogecoOntario
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Ivan Hlinka roundup Day 2: Canada goes 2-0, USA drops SO to Russia
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins turned the hat trick in Canada's 7-3 romp over Switzerland today, showing NHL scouts the world over why he's been considered for some time as a draft favorite in 2011.
This is a guy who when you watch him doesn't bring the dynamic game that jumps out at you, but it doesn't take long for you to start realizing that he's usually the best player on the ice. His hockey sense and hands are so good, and from what I hear, he's showing both off very nicely in Slovakia.
Nugent-Hopkins and 2009 OHL priority selection top pick Daniel Catenacci (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds) have wreaked havoc in the first two games, with Catenacci assisting on two of Nugent-Hopkins' goals today while popping home a pair himself yesterday. Catenacci didn't have a great rookie OHL season, but has the talent, grit and upside to explode this year when it matters most. His size isn't great, but he's an ultra-competitor and appears to be on the verge of a big year. The biggest challenge will be the fact that he toils on a pretty mediocre team, but real players find ways to get it done. Catenacci is opening eyes in Slovakia this week.
Canada faces Slovakia tomorrow and a clear shot to win Group B play with a win, as they would be 3-0, while every other team has at least one loss, with Slovakia and Switzerland being 0-2.
USA dropped a hard-fought game to the Russians by a 6-5 score, getting a strong game from big name (and big dude) Seth Ambroz and a nice performance from the diminutive but skilled John Gaudreau. The two staked the Americans to a 2-0 lead in the game, but couldn't hold on, as Russia got a nice game in the nets from Andrei Makarov, who faced 48 shots. Russia tied the score at 5-5 late on Alex Kuvaev's goal, just a little over three minutes after Cason Hohmann gave USA the lead. Hohmann is an interesting player: he's a Texas native (Dallas suburb of Arlington) but is a Detroit Compuware midget major grad and plays for the Cedar Rapids Roughriders of the USHL. He's committed to Boston University. Hohmann's tiny at 5-7 (listed) but has some real skill and has been productive in the tourney thus far. He idolized Dallas Stars captain Brenden Morrow as a kid who got caught up in the Texas hockey craze (he was six when the Stars won their first and only Stanley Cup).
Ambroz finished the game with shorthanded goal and an assist and also tallied on his first try in the shootout, but the Russians got strikes from Kuvaev and Igor Levitsky. Ambroz was denied by Markov in the second.
Gaudreau is another interesting player with Boston/New England ties. He's another small winger, but the Philly native has some scoring chops (18 goals, 42 points in 13 high school games at Gloucester Catholic), and is committed to Northeastern University and expected to arrive in the fall of 2011 after spending a year with the USHL's Dubuque Fighting Saints. His dad, Guy, played for and captained Norwich University from 1976-80 and is in the school's athletic hall of fame. Gaudreau's explosiveness and playing style evoke comparisons to Brian Gionta. Lukas Sutter also had a goal and an assist for the Americans. He's making a nice name for himself in this tourney, and with his bloodlines, he's definitely one to watch for the 2012 draft.
In other action, Sweden torched Slovakia by a 7-3 score. Mika Zibanejad got his first of the tourney, while Pontus Åberg tallied two, giving him three for the tourney. As a unit, Zibanejad, Åberg and Victor Rask form an extremely potent, high octane offensive line that few defenses will have an answer for. The question is, can the rest of Sweden's depth match up against the sheer talent that Canada brings to the table? Åberg is a 2012-eligible and player to watch for next year.
The Czech Republic edged Finland by a 4-3 score to go 1-1 in two games after losing to USA yesterday. Finland dropped to 1-1 after beating Russia in a shootout on Monday.
This is a guy who when you watch him doesn't bring the dynamic game that jumps out at you, but it doesn't take long for you to start realizing that he's usually the best player on the ice. His hockey sense and hands are so good, and from what I hear, he's showing both off very nicely in Slovakia.
Nugent-Hopkins and 2009 OHL priority selection top pick Daniel Catenacci (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds) have wreaked havoc in the first two games, with Catenacci assisting on two of Nugent-Hopkins' goals today while popping home a pair himself yesterday. Catenacci didn't have a great rookie OHL season, but has the talent, grit and upside to explode this year when it matters most. His size isn't great, but he's an ultra-competitor and appears to be on the verge of a big year. The biggest challenge will be the fact that he toils on a pretty mediocre team, but real players find ways to get it done. Catenacci is opening eyes in Slovakia this week.
Canada faces Slovakia tomorrow and a clear shot to win Group B play with a win, as they would be 3-0, while every other team has at least one loss, with Slovakia and Switzerland being 0-2.
USA dropped a hard-fought game to the Russians by a 6-5 score, getting a strong game from big name (and big dude) Seth Ambroz and a nice performance from the diminutive but skilled John Gaudreau. The two staked the Americans to a 2-0 lead in the game, but couldn't hold on, as Russia got a nice game in the nets from Andrei Makarov, who faced 48 shots. Russia tied the score at 5-5 late on Alex Kuvaev's goal, just a little over three minutes after Cason Hohmann gave USA the lead. Hohmann is an interesting player: he's a Texas native (Dallas suburb of Arlington) but is a Detroit Compuware midget major grad and plays for the Cedar Rapids Roughriders of the USHL. He's committed to Boston University. Hohmann's tiny at 5-7 (listed) but has some real skill and has been productive in the tourney thus far. He idolized Dallas Stars captain Brenden Morrow as a kid who got caught up in the Texas hockey craze (he was six when the Stars won their first and only Stanley Cup).
Ambroz finished the game with shorthanded goal and an assist and also tallied on his first try in the shootout, but the Russians got strikes from Kuvaev and Igor Levitsky. Ambroz was denied by Markov in the second.
Gaudreau is another interesting player with Boston/New England ties. He's another small winger, but the Philly native has some scoring chops (18 goals, 42 points in 13 high school games at Gloucester Catholic), and is committed to Northeastern University and expected to arrive in the fall of 2011 after spending a year with the USHL's Dubuque Fighting Saints. His dad, Guy, played for and captained Norwich University from 1976-80 and is in the school's athletic hall of fame. Gaudreau's explosiveness and playing style evoke comparisons to Brian Gionta. Lukas Sutter also had a goal and an assist for the Americans. He's making a nice name for himself in this tourney, and with his bloodlines, he's definitely one to watch for the 2012 draft.
In other action, Sweden torched Slovakia by a 7-3 score. Mika Zibanejad got his first of the tourney, while Pontus Åberg tallied two, giving him three for the tourney. As a unit, Zibanejad, Åberg and Victor Rask form an extremely potent, high octane offensive line that few defenses will have an answer for. The question is, can the rest of Sweden's depth match up against the sheer talent that Canada brings to the table? Åberg is a 2012-eligible and player to watch for next year.
The Czech Republic edged Finland by a 4-3 score to go 1-1 in two games after losing to USA yesterday. Finland dropped to 1-1 after beating Russia in a shootout on Monday.
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