Memorial Cup Preview #1: Kootenay Ice (WHL)

The Cranbrook, B.C.-based Ice stunned favorites Saskatoon and Portland en route to their Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL champions this month.

The Ice is a team of veterans who got a tremendous boost with the acquisition of Swift Current captain and Washington Capitals prospect Cody Eakin at the trade deadline. The little flame-haired speed demon has been a tremendous two-way presence for the Ice, with rock of Gibraltar defenseman Brayden McNabb (Buffalo Sabres) anchoring an effective, mistake-free defense corps. Max Reinhart, a third-round selection of the Flames a year ago, has been tremendous in the postseason, tallying 15 goals in 19 games (27 points), including one five-goal outing. He led the Ice in scoring during the regular season with 34 goals and 79 points. Another Flames third-rounder, defenseman Joey Leach is a shutdown defender with a nasty edge.

Many of Kootenay's key forwards have never been drafted: Matt Fraser (36 goals), Kevin King (33 goals) Joe Antilla (21 goals), Steele Boomer (14 goals and one of the greatest names ever) and Jesse Ismond (15 goals).

They play an effective system and are ruthlessly efficient, forcing other teams into mistakes and then burying them.

And then of course, there is the resurgence of 6-6 goaltender Nathan Lieuwen, who has finally managed to stay healthy over an entire season for the first time since 2007. He's playing exactly like the potential 1st-round pick NHL teams were envisioning before concussions derailed his progress and flagged him as a major healthy risk.

The clear takeaway from all of this is that Mississauga, Owen Sound and Saint John had best not take the Kootenay Ice lightly. Underestimate this club at your own peril.

2011 draft eligibles

Nathan Lieuwen, G
Born Aug. 8, 1991 in Abbatsford, B.C.
6-6, 195 Catches: Left
Huge specimen; basketball player's build with long, spindly arms and legs for tremendous net coverage. Superb athleticism; tracks the puck and moves fast to take away the net from shooters. Lateral movement good, but with his size, doesn't need to move as far as smaller goalies do. Quick recovery skills when dropping into butterfly on second, third scoring chances. Susceptible to giving up the five-hole goal when his stick is not firmly on the ice. Blockers shots to the corners effectively. Very tough to beat on first shot. Playing with sky-high confidence right now. Concussion history is only obstacle to being a top-three-round pick. If he falls down a bit, it will be because of concerns about his long-term health at the position, because he has high-end puck-stopping skills. As a bonus, at 20, he's eligible for immediate AHL duty for the team that drafts him.
Upside: NHL starter
Check out this nice feature on Lieuwen over at the Buzzing the Net CHL/Jr. Hockey Blog.

Jagger Dirk, D
Born: May 4, 1993 in Penticton, B.C.
6-0, 177 Shoots: Left
Smallish defender may not be finished growing- his father, NHL defenseman Robert Dirk, played at 6-4. Not a dynamic skater, but mobile and agile with good footwork and change of direction. Best asset is his head: sees the ice well, makes the right reads and is positionally sound. Does not take himself out of plays with bad decisions or poor judgment. Has innate feel for his limitations and keeps things simple with the proper angling and an active stick. Outstanding gap control. Can activate and join the play as it moves up ice, but offense will not be a strength in his game. NHL bloodlines and was coached by his father at lower levels; knows what it takes to succeed in pro hockey. Not all that physical, but understands body leverage and does a good job of boxing out opponents. Just a solid all-around guy who isn't flashy, but effective. If he hits a growth spurt as anticipated, he'll be even more effective.
Upside: 4th defenseman/PK specialist

Other Ice draft eligibles: Jesse Ismond, Joe Antilla, James Martin, Hayden Rintoul (1991), John Neibrandt, Elgin Pearce, Brock Montgomery, Luke Paulsen (1992), Brandan Hurley, Jarett Zentner (1993)

WHL playoffs update: Portland vs. Kootenay

The Portland Winterhawks defeated the Spokane Chiefs to take the WHL's Western Conference playoff round and will face the East champion Kootenay Ice who stunned the Saskatoon Blades in the second round and then swept Medicine Hat on the strength of some brilliant performances from goaltender Nathan Lieuwen, defenseman Brayden McNabb and former Swiftie captain Cody Eakin.

Portland was favored for much of the season, moreso after they traded for Boston prospect Craig Cunningham in late December. Their goaltending is a box of chocolates with Mac Carruth, but up front, the Winterhawks boast some serious firepower to go with a balanced and effective blue line corps.

Here's a look at the key 2011-eligible players for each club (key being the operative word- we won't cover *every* player who is in the draft window)

Portland

Sven Bartschi, LW- Swiss forward and 34-goal scorer has a wicked shot (rapid release and powerful, accurate drive) and elite offensive instincts. He formed a highly effective trio with fellow draft candidate Rattie and Cunningham when the latter came over from Vancouver at mid-season. Not an explosive speedster, but knows how to get from point A to B. Played a more effective game in junior this season than he did at the WJC. Solid kid and easygoing personality, but could stand to pick up the work ethic at times. Highly skilled winger will likely be a top-15 pick, but he's a finesse guy who could stand to take the puck to the net more than he does. Bartschi is deadly with that drive of his, but it's tough to score from the outside consistently at the NHL level, no matter how much pop you have on your stick.

Ty Rattie, RW- Small but creative playmaking winger hit the wall a bit in the second half, but is still a solid first-round prospect with upside. The Albertan isn't a blazer, but is very strong on his skates and highly elusive, able to slither through defenses and would-be checkers in full control of the puck. NHL scouts tell us that his second WHL season was so much more impressive than his first, when he seemed to spend more time trying the flashy play and forcing things. This season, Rattie was much more patient, working with his linemates better and not trying to do it all himself. His 79 points were third on the team behind Ryan Johansen and Bartschi, and look for Rattie to push for 90 to 100+ points next season.

Joe Morrow, D- One of the better puck movers in this draft, Morrow also has a cannon point shot, making him a coveted commodity. You don't hear a great deal about the 6-1, 200-pounder from Sherwood Park, Alberta, but Morrow is one of those guys who could hear his name called much higher than most are predicting on internet chat sites and on some of the public lists you see. Morrow is not great defensively, but he's got such a live, athletic skating stride and can start that rush so effortlessly- the defense is much less of a concern for any NHL team looking to draft him. He does need to work on the mechanics of his shot- getting it off a little quicker, and in terms of his shot selection. He tends to force the big windup and slapper according to one of our NHL sources. Morrow stepped up his production in the WHL playoffs, scoring five goals and 16 points in as many games.

Tyler Wotherspoon, D- Meat-and-potatoes defensive guy is pretty highly regarded by Central scouting but will find it hard to live up to that ranking on draft day. Although smart, willing and capable, Wotherspoon's 6-2 size isn't ideal for a player who looks to be a defensive stay-at-home shutdown player. Wotherspoon scored 2 goals and 12 points in 64 games for the Winterhawks and is someone who could end up making it as a steady bottom-pairing defender in the NHL one day, but we're just not seeing a lot of upside for the 40th-ranked NA skater on Central's list (down from 33 at mid-term).


Kootenay

Nathan Lieuwen, G- Two years ago, Lieuwen was seen as a potential first-round draft pick for 2009 coming into the season. Red Line Report had him as the second overall WHL prospect at the beginning of the '08-09 campaign, but Lieuwen got off to a shaky start and then suffered concussion injuries that shut him down and ended any hopes of being drafted. After struggling in similar fashion last season, he had a coming out party with 33 wins (and a pretty average .903 save percentage) in the regular season. The 6-5 cat-quick goalie has been sensational in the playoffs, going 12-2 with a 1.96 GAA and .929 save percentage. This guy has all the physical tools that NHL teams look for in goalies. Furthermore, he's ready to go to the AHL right away for the team that spends a draft pick on him. So long as the head injury history doesn't come to bear in any medical assessments of him between now and the draft, it appears Lieuwen will be a slam-dunk pick here in June and could go higher than anyone might think.

Jagger Dirk, D- Nobody (outside of RLR) talks about this guy, but the son of former NHL defenseman Robert Dirk has the look of a solid long-term developmental prospect. He only has average size (about 6-0, 180), but his dad was a big guy, so we don't think young Jagger is finished growing. He skates well and isn't much of an offensive player, but can make the breakout passes. With more ice time and responsibility, you could see a boost in his production. We hear Dirk is a smart, tenacious player. He works hard and will drop the gloves to defend teammates even though he isn't considered a dangerous fighter. With his bloodlines and character, Dirk has the look of a solid later-round project worth taking a chance on even though he's going to require considerable time to see pay off. Plus, his name is such a bonus. A hockey player named 'Jagger Dirk'? That's Wacey Rabbit all over again.

Jagger Dirk: A Guy You Should Know

He's probably the best name to come along in the NHL draft since Wacey Rabbit, but Kootenay defenseman Jagger Dirk is quietly making a name for himself in the WHL.

If the last name sounds familiar, it's because his father, Robert Dirk, was a solid, dependable NHL defenseman who played more than 400 games for the Blues, Canucks, Blackhawks, Ducks and Canadiens in the late 80's through mid-90's.

The younger Dirk doesn't possess impressive size- listed at only around 6-feet and 180 pounds, but his pops played at 6-4, 210 so chances are, he hasn't quite finished growing, even though he'll likely top out at 6-1 or 6-2 if he isn't done. His skating is average-- unremarkable, but not flawed. He makes up for any perceived lack of jump or burst with good anticipation and on-ice judgment.

Dirk's game is all about smarts and positioning at this point. He's not a high-profile player who racks up a lot of points for the Ice, but uses body leverage and his stick to neutralize chances. His four goals and 15 points in 46 games is nothing to write home about, but this is a 17-year-old defender we're talking about. There could be some upside with this kid.

Red Line Report has Dirk 14th on their mid-season WHL prospects update, published in their January 2011 issue, and while Dirk doesn't look to be a guy you would take in the top-90, starting in Round 4, he could become an attractive option for any team looking for a potential minute-eater and mid-to-late round gem. RLR says he needs to improve his physicality, but as I recall when watching his dad, he wasn't a big hitter either-- just used his size and strength to rub opponents out or pin them along the boards. Strong defense isn't always about laying the big hits, and the junior Dirk appears to have a good feel for the defensive side of things and is a good teammate. Oh, and he'll drop the gloves, too-- always a bonus for those fans of "old time hockey".

If he were bigger, I would expect that Dirk would be higher in the rankings. Central didn't list him in their top-210 for mid-season, but then again, a year ago, they didn't have Dirk's Kootenay teammate, Joey Leach, anywhere on their mid-term list either, and by the final rankings, Leach was a big entry on their list. Leach went a lot higher to Calgary in the 2010 draft- 3rd round, 73rd overall. Central loves Portland D Tyler Wotherspoon, who is 33rd on their overall list, but other NHL scouting sources and even Red Line aren't huge fans of Wotherspoon and his lack of upside at this point- RLR has Wotherspoon just 19th on their WHL list- 106th overall.

Dirk is 74th overall on the RLR January rankings, which is probably higher than he'll go come June. But the thing about scouting in hockey is that there are often times players who may get on a team's wish list, even when it appears nobody else is onto them. Dirk may just be a Red Line fave, but don't discount Western scouts for NHL clubs seeing the potential in his heady, selfless game, either.

So, keep an eye on Jagger Dirk, if for no other reason, his name will stick with you, and we'll see if his name is called in Minnesota and where. He seems to have many of the qualities NHL teams are looking for in their defenders.

Here's a fight between two kids whose dads skated against one another in Dirk and Keegan Lowe (son of Kevin)


Dirk loses this one, but comes to the defense of his teammate and gave away a lot of size and reach