Adam Kimmelman of NHL.com has the goods here.
The list features the top-100 hockey prospects from North America and Europe (combined), and there are always some deserving guys who get omitted. Case in point last year: Jared Knight, whose agent got smart and did a combine-like video and sent it to NHL teams/put it on You Tube. The result? 32nd overall to Boston. Granted, Knight did it mostly on the strength of his hockey skills and 36-goal season, but the innovative approach certainly impressed teams like the Bruins, who were able to get a look at his physical prowess off-ice.
Among the invites we're pleased to see is Swiss forward Gregory Hofmann, a B2011DW favorite since the WJC. Hofmann is a skilled, intelligent forward who was one of Switzerland's top performers in Buffalo and stands out for his energy and opportunistic scoring chops.
We talked to Milton Academy defenseman Robby O'Gara recently, and while he did not make the Combine cut, did say that he's begun the interview process with at least five teams who have talked to him already with many more to come.
The players like O'Gara who don't get to travel to Toronto as official combine invitees will still get a chance to interact and interview with teams, and the Ontario kids will be brought in at various times by teams and their agents, so these things will happen behind the scenes from now up until the big event on June 24-25.
Given the recent accident defenseman Myles Bell was involved in, don't know that he will participate given his injuries or situation. Nor is it known whether someone will replace him at the event in Toronto.
The New England Hockey Journal and Bruins 2011 Draft Watch will be there next month to cover the physical testing and interview the players, so stay tuned for more in-depth coverage on the draft prospects in June.
Here's the Scouting Combine invite list its entirety, alphabetical by position:
Name Club League Ht. Wt.
Forwards
Seth Ambroz Omaha USHL 6-2 211
Olivier Archambault Val-D'Or QMJHL 5-11 170
Joel Armia Assat Finland 6-3 191
Sven Bartschi Portland WHL 5-10 181
Tyler Biggs USA U-18 USHL 6-2 210
Jeremy Boyce Rotevall Timra Sweden 6-0 169
Austen Brassard Belleville OHL 6-2 191
Daniel Catenacci Sault Ste. Marie OHL 5-10 183
Nick Cousins Sault Ste. Marie OHL 5-11 166
Sean Couturier Drummondville QMJHL 6-4 197
Joseph Cramarossa Miss. St. Michael's OHL 6-0 188
Phillip Danault Victoriaville QMJHL 6-0 170
Travis Ewanyk Edmonton WHL 6-1 178
Max Friberg Skovde Sweden-3 5-11 185
Markus Granlund HIFK Jr. Finland-Jr. 5-10 169
Rocco Grimaldi USA U-18 USHL 5-6 163
Gregory Hofmann Ambri Swiss 6-0 170
Jonathan Huberdeau Saint John QMJHL 6-1 170
Phillipe Hudon Choate-Rosmry Hgh. Ct. 6-0 190
Colin Jacobs Seattle WHL 6-1 197
Dmitri Jaskin Slavia Czrep 6-1 196
Boone Jenner Oshawa OHL 6-1 204
Nicklas Jensen Oshawa OHL 6-2 187
Tomas Jurco Saint John QMJHL 6-2 187
Alexander Khokhlachev Windsor OHL 5-10 188
Nikita Kucherov CSKA2 Russia-Jr. 5-10 163
Sean Kuraly Indiana USHL 6-2 192
Joseph Labate Holy Angels High Minnesota 6-4 180
Gabriel Landeskog Kitchener OHL 6-1 207
Zac Larraza USA U-18 USHL 6-2 192
Maximilien Le Sieur Shawinigan QMJHL 6-2 203
Lucas Lessio Oshawa OHL 6-1 197
Luke Lockhart Seattle WHL 5-10 180
Adam Lowry Swift Current WHL 6-4 186
Mario Lucia Wayzata High Minnesota 6-2 183
Mark McNeill Prince Albert WHL 6-2 201
Jonathan "J.T." Miller USA U-18 USHL 6-1 198
Vladislav Namestnikov London OHL 6-0 166
Joachim Nermark Linkoping Jr. Swe-Jr. 6-1 187
Matthew Nieto Boston University H-East 5-11 175
Marcel Noebels Seattle WHL 6-3 195
Stefan Noesen Plymouth OHL 6-0 195
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Red Deer WHL 6-1 164
Scott Oke Saint John QMJHL 6-3 185
Zack Phillips Saint John QMJHL 6-1 178
Shane Prince Ottawa OHL 5-10 174
Matt Puempel Peterborough OHL 6-0 196
Alan Quine Peterborough OHL 5-11 178
Rickard Rakell Plymouth OHL 6-0 191
Victor Rask Leksand Sweden-2 6-2 194
Ty Rattie Portland WHL 5-11 163
Tobias Rieder Kitchener OHL 5-11 173
Brett Ritchie Sarnia OHL 6-3 210
Alexander Ruutuu Jokerit Jr. Finland-Jr. 6-1 183
Brandon Saad Saginaw OHL 6-1 208
Miikka Salomaki Karpat Finland 5-11 198
Mark Scheifele Barrie OHL 6-2 182
Logan Shaw Cape Breton QMJHL 6-3 197
Nicholas Shore U. of Denver WCHA 6-0 195
Michael St. Croix Edmonton WHL 5-11 176
Ryan Strome Niagara OHL 6-0 175
Ryan Tesink Saint John QMJHL 5-11 157
Vincent Trocheck Saginaw OHL 5-10 184
Mika Zibanejad Djurgarden Sweden 6-2 191
Defensemen
Nathan Beaulieu Saint John QMJHL 6-2 174
Myles Bell Regina WHL 6-0 214
Rasmus Bengtsson Rogle Sweden-2 6-3 189
Jonas Brodin Farjestad Sweden 6-1 169
Adam Clendening Boston University H-East 5-11 190
Joel Edmundson Moose Jaw WHL 6-5 191
Dougie Hamilton Niagara OHL 6-4 187
Karl Johansson Brynas Jr. Swe-Jr. 5-9 167
Oscar Klefbom Farjestad Sweden 6-4 200
Patrick Koudys Rensselaer ECAC 6-2 190
Adam Larsson Skelleftea Sweden 6-3 200
Scott Mayfield Youngstown USHL 6-4 197
Joseph Morrow Portland WHL 6-0 197
Connor Murphy USA U-18 USHL 6-3 185
Ryan Murphy Kitchener OHL 5-11 166
David Musil Vancouver WHL 6-3 198
Jamieson Oleksiak Northeastern H-East 6-7 244
Xavier Ouellet Montreal QMJHL 6-0 174
Stuart Percy Miss. St. Michael's OHL 6-1 186
Jonathan Racine Shawinigan QMJHL 6-1 182
Mike Reilly Shat. St. Mary's High Minnesota 5-11 163
Robbie Russo USA U-18 USHL 6-0 189
Reece Scarlett Swift Current WHL 6-1 164
Duncan Siemens Saskatoon WHL 6-3 192
Ryan Sproul Sault Ste. Marie OHL 6-3 175
Colin Sullivan Avon Old Farms High Ct. 6-1 190
Andy Welinski Green Bay USHL 6-0 188
Tyler Wotherspoon Portland WHL 6-1 203
Zachary Yuen Tri-City WHL 6-0 205
Goaltenders
Jordan Binnington Owen Sound OHL 6-1 156
Laurent Brossoit Edmonton WHL 6-3 193
Christopher Gibson Chicoutimi QMJHL 6-1 193
John Gibson USA U-18 USHL 6-3 205
Matt Mahalak Plymouth OHL 6-2 183
Matt McNeely USA U-18 USHL 6-2 205
Stephen Michalek Loomis-Chaffee High Ct. 6-2 183
Michael Morrison Kitchener OHL 6-0 177
Samu Perhonen Jyp Jr. Finland-Jr. 6-4 172
*(Not affiliated with the Boston Bruins or the New England Hockey Journal)
Showing posts with label Myles Bell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Myles Bell. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Myles Bell update
By now most of you have heard of a tragic incident that occurred yesterday involving 17-year-old Regina Pats defenseman Myles Bell, a 2011 draft eligible player with offensive potential.
Bell was involved in a one-car accident that resulted in the death of an 18-year-old woman who was a passenger in the vehicle. Bell was injured and evacuated to a hospital for treatment. He is reported to be in stable condition.
The Pats released a statement yesterday by team president/governor Brent Parker.
Bruins 2011 Draft Watch extends thoughts and prayers to all families involved. Our deepest sympathies go out to the deceased and her family as they grieve for their daughter.
Although there are updates on the situation here and here, we will refrain from speculating on anything pertaining to Bell's future until more is known.
Bell was involved in a one-car accident that resulted in the death of an 18-year-old woman who was a passenger in the vehicle. Bell was injured and evacuated to a hospital for treatment. He is reported to be in stable condition.
The Pats released a statement yesterday by team president/governor Brent Parker.
Bruins 2011 Draft Watch extends thoughts and prayers to all families involved. Our deepest sympathies go out to the deceased and her family as they grieve for their daughter.
Although there are updates on the situation here and here, we will refrain from speculating on anything pertaining to Bell's future until more is known.
Monday, March 21, 2011
WHL 2010-11 regular season roundup
The blog is back with the second mega-post in the regular season roundup and recap. Instead of just sticking with the CHL, we're going to expand it to the NCAA, Europe and U.S./Canada juniors and U.S. high schools in separate posts over the next week. Why? Because we're gluttons for punishment and you guys deserve as much info. as you can absorb!
With the playoffs kicking off here in North America, it's time to look at the 2011 NHL Draft's bigger names and try to project where they could go come Minnesota in June.
Here is the post we did in August tracking the bigger draft names in the WHL coming into it. As is the case every year, certain guys expected to have successful years didn't, while others who were down the list or not tracking at all elevated themselves to a high degree. Mark McNeill, anyone?
So, without further ado- here's the WHL regular season roundup based on what our sources are telling us. There are sure to be disagreements, but at the end of the day, NHL lists vary a great deal from team to team, so the more debate the better. This is just one perspective.
1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C Red Deer- Has the 'Nuge played himself into the top spot when the 2011 draft opens up on June 24? We think he has. His goal scoring was down into January even though his outstanding assist totals were piling up. As if perhaps hearing the critics, RNH threw caution to the wind and just started firing the puck and finding the back of the net with alarming regularity. Nugent-Hopkins finished the season with 31 goals and 106 points in 75 games with the Rebels, precisely the kind of production expected of him when the season began. Although some will take issue with his power play production versus even strength, this guy is an elite skater with the elite hands, passing skills and shot that should see him go in the top-2 selections at the very least. Edmonton, assuming they maintain the top pick, has seen plenty of this dynamic young skater, and although we went on Nation Radio a few weeks ago and predicted Adam Larsson to the Oil, we've reversed our position and see RNH being the guy for them if they have the top pick. We've talked to several NHL scouts who are all saying the same thing: RNH has taken it to an entirely different level since February and makes perfect sense as the first overall pick for Edmonton. He simply has too much talent and upside not to go there, especially given the kind of awareness Oilers fans have of RNH this season. The thought of him with Taylor Hall and Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson or Jordan Eberle has to create visions of sugarplum pucks dancing in Steve Tambellini's head. His average size and slender frame is no major cause for concern- at the end of the day, he's a legit game-breaker and will adapt well to the NHL.
Stock Watch: Blue-chip; like the aforementioned Jonathan Huberdeau, an extended playoff run for Nugent-Hopkins and the Rebels will put him right with Taylor Hall in terms of the player who is freshest in the minds of scouts leading into the draft. Even if the Rebels come up short and don't advance far in the WHL postseason, we suspect that RNH has done enough already to sell himself to the teams picking 1st or 2nd.
Here's a terrific video produced by Aaron Vickers and the guys at Future Considerations Hockey on RNH. It will tell you everything you need to know about him.
2. Duncan Siemens, D Saskatoon- Admittedly, we haven't been as high on Siemens at this blog space as others, but it's time to face facts, and that is this: with his size, skating ability and pure toughness plus upside, it's hard to imagine any other player in the WHL being drafted ahead of the Blades d-man once RNH is off the board.He has a powerful stride and good lateral agility. The first-step quickness is still a work in progress, but it isn't a shortcoming. He's a tall and lean 6-3, 195-pounds, but when he fills out more, he'll be even more of a physical beast than he is now. His gap control is very good, and he plays a sound positional game. The points weren't really there at the beginning, but he came on better in the second half, and he finished with five goals, 38 assists for 43 points and 121 penalty minutes as one hard-nosed, tough mother. Another thing to like about him- he's a Sep. '93 birthdate, making him one of the youngest players in the class, and given his poise and edge, that's really saying something. The offensive upside is a question that is going to go on in NHL war rooms of teams that have a top-10 selection in this draft, but if Dylan McIlrath can go 10th overall, then Siemens, a very similar kind of player in terms of style and substance, but one who has more skill, could very well do the same or better. B2011DW is late to the party, but based on what we saw in the CHL Top Prospects Game and the fact that all we've heard about Siemens all season long speaks to a level of consistency that is laudable, we think he's a solid No. 2 in the WHL behind RNH. We're not sure we would take someone like Siemens at 7 or 8, but if he were to go that high, it would not surprise.
Stock watch: Up; playoff hockey is made for a guy like Siemens, so he should elevate his standing even more. Production could be the icing on the cake that pushes him inside the top-10, but even if he doesn't go that high, we can't envision a scenario in which he drops past 15. He could end up being a solid,middle-pairing guy in the NHL, but his potential to be more plus toughness quotient means that he'll go higher than lower in our opinion.
Here's a video produced by the Saskatoon Blades on their 3rd overall pick in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft. It's a little dated, but you can see where the hype is coming from.
3. Mark McNeill, C Prince Albert- How do you spell stud? No player in the WHL has done more to help himself for the draft this season than the big, skilled and tough Raiders pivot who finished second on his team in scoring. His 32 goals and 81 points in 70 games this season only tell part of the story. He hit a growth spurt over the last year or so, growing to about 6-2 and 210 pounds, an already physically mature and smart player who plays a complete two-way game. He can score, hit and fight, though opponents figured out pretty quickly that McNeill was not a guy they wanted to provoke, so he hasn't had a ton of work in the fisticuffs department. His real value is in hockey sense and soft hands. He's extremely strong on his skates and shields/protects the puck well when he has possession in the o-zone. He's not a big hitter, but with his size and penchant for playing with an edge, we think it's in him to be that nasty, in-your-face guy if the right team can coax it out of him. He plays with a lot of energy and hustle; not a great skater, but he does have a fluid, powerful stride. With his natural strong core, he's able to generate a lot of power and can be a load for opponents to contain.
Stock watch: Holding steady; any team picking late in the 1st round hoping to steal him in the bottom 5-10 picks has missed the boat with this guy. With his all-around size, skill and edge, he's a prime candidate to come off the board inside the top-20. The big question then becomes, where will he go? We know of several NHL teams that love him, so if there's a candidate you see someone move up to get, it could be McNeill.
This fight video from hockeyfightsplus will give you an indication of why NHL teams are salivating over him given his skill package to go with the toughness.
4. Ty Rattie, RW Portland- The Alberta scoring machine was at one time on a real tear and was in the top-three for scoring in the WHL before tailing off, but there is still a great deal to like about this creative, dynamic playmaking winger. With 28 goals and 51 assists for 79 points in 67 games this season, he more than doubled his 37-point output as a rookie and came a long way with his overall game. One NHL scout told us back in December that he was really taken aback at how much more refined Rattie's game was this season after he'd been more of a hotdog as a rookie, doing a lot of flashy, individual things that worked for him in bantam, but didn't as a rookie in the WHL. Linemate Sven Bartschi raved to B2011DW at the WJC about Rattie's playmaking skills and overal ability (more on Bartschi later) to generate offense for the stacked Winterhawks. Rattie also plays with a bit of an edge and does his share of agitating. It's a shame that he was unable to keep up his torrid scoring pace, but he certainly showed scouts why he was one of the most accomplished scorers to ever come out of Alberta bantams and bigger point production totals are in store. His defense is still improving, but he showed a willingness to hustle and backcheck, and has come a considerable distance in a short amount of time. He doesn't have a lot of size at just 6-0, and 165, but with his slippery elusiveness plus high-end puck skills, vision and tenacity the size thing is not a big detriment given what he brings to the table.
Stock watch: He's probably getting lost in the shuffle a bit with the way RNH and Siemens have come on since the Top Prospects Game, but if Portland can go far in the postseason, Rattie could remind scouts why he was a big-time point-getter at the start of the year. We really like this kid.
Open Ice has a nice profile on Rattie done at the Top Prospects Game here.
5. Sven Bartschi, LW Portland- He may be only about 5-10 and 180 pounds, but this Swiss sniper can really put the puck in the net! The Swiss rookie finished just second in team scoring behind No. 4 overall pick in last year's draft Ryan Johansen (Columbus), potting 34 goals and 85 points in 66 games for the offensive powerhouse Winterhawks. An excellent skater who can explode to top speed in just a few strides, he has a heavy, accurate shot that he loves to rip coming off the rush. Very good puck skills as Bartschi showed at the CHL Top Prospects Game. He can also put it just about anywhere. If there's a knock on him it's that he does have a tendency to play a perimeter game and stay away from the dirty areas of the ice. At this level, he can get away with it because he's so adept at ripping the puck or setting up teammates in prime scoring position. As he moves up into the pros, he'll have a harder time beating goalies from the outside, so we'd like to see him show more of a willingness to go into traffic and take the puck to the net. That said, he's a solid kid who is passionate and plays with a lot of natural exuberance. He has a big smile on his face most of the time, and his attitude reminds us a lot of his countryman and teammate Nino Niederreiter in that regard. When it comes to Swiss players who come to North America to compete in their draft year, it says a lot about their commitment and desire to be NHL players. Bartschi is a solid 1st-round option, but where he goes is anyone's guess. It will take a certain team liking him more than others to go inside the top-15, but he won't slip out of the top-30...the skill and production is simply too alluring.
Stock watch: Up; he was consistent and productive the entire season. If he can kick it up a notch in the playoffs, he'll likely be picked before linemate Rattie.
Here's a light little video produced by a Country music station in Portland, but you get a nice glimpse of who he is off the ice.
Bonus video showing Rattie and Bartschi both in a shootout.
6. David Musil, D Vancouver- We missed Musil the first time we did this, but caught ourselves. Whew! At 6-3, 195, the son of former NHL defenseman (and current Edmonton Oilers scout) Frantisek Musil and Andrea Holikova-Musil (Bobby Holik's sister) has some of the best bloodlines in this draft class. He's a good skater for a player of his size and has all the physical tools and attributes a team looks for, yet his stock has dropped this season after being considered a potential preseason top-5 for 2011. Why? According to one NHL scout, he has the talent, but just doesn't seem to play withe the kind of intensity, passion or sense of urgency you look for. "He has the look of a guy who things have come pretty easy to him most of his life and maybe they have," the scout said. "But, he makes some questionable decisions and just hasn't taken control of games like the player we saw last year and before. He's capable of more, but I just haven't seen it from him enough." Musil has a big, booming shot that hurts, but his windup is excessive and release extended, allowing players to clog shooting lanes or rush him altogether. His hockey sense is just OK- he doesn't seem to sense the openings and exploit them and one wonders how well he sees the ice or reads the play. Defensively, he's solid- he uses his mobility and size to leverage guys away from the net and keep forwards to the outside. He's also getting very good coaching there in Vancouver under Don Hay, so he's a good player overall who's a bit of a disappointment more because the big expectations weren't met than anything else. Musil is probably going to play in the NHL because he's as good a physical specimen and athlete that you can find, but if you're looking for a projectable No. 1 or No. 2, this kid may be more of a gamble than teams are willing to take with a high pick. He finished the year with 6 goals and 25 points in 62 games and missed time including the WJC (where he would have played for the Czech Republic) with injury.
Here's a report from the Vancouver Giants on him. Spitting image of his old man when Papa Frank was playing for the North Stars.
7. Mike St. Croix, C Edmonton- Like McNeill, St. Croix is to be commended for picking up his game and making a statement to scouts as the season went on. Coming into it, the season, the Winnipeg native had high offensive expectations given the flashes he showed as a rookie with the Oil Kings last year. He got off to a slow start, and compounded with some indifferent defensive play, was headed down in some NHL teams' eyes until he turned things around at mid-season and finished the year strong. A very good skater who can dangle with the best of them, he's got a lightning release and just seems to have that sixth sense around the net when it comes to scoring goals or setting them up. He tallied 27 markers and 75 points in 68 games, finishing just three points off the scoring lead to Dylan Wruck. His willingness to get his nose dirty and play more responsible in all zones is precisely why his stock is up these days. Will it be enough to get him into the first round? That remains to be seen, but even if he doesn't crack the Friday night lineup, he won't be around long on Saturday, as he has some of the best natural upside of any in this class. His average size (5-11, 165) hurts him- he needs to get a lot stronger, but that should come in time.
Here's a lengthy radio interview and video with St. Croix from Athlete's Angle. Gotta love the "playoffs playoffs?" Jim Mora soundbite in there- never gets old.
8. Joe Morrow, D Portland- Another guy who may have been flying under the radar when the season began, no longer. NHL teams are not going to steal this guy, who has the look of developing into a solid No. 2 at the NHL level one day. A fine skater who sees the ice extremely well and loves to rush the puck. Morrow is a very good passer and has a point cannon that he gets off quickly. Sometimes, he is too much in love with his shot, says one NHL scout, who wanted to see him switch things up a bit and not go for the big slapper all the time, but admitted he was nitpicking the rangy defender with size's (6-1, 200) game. Morrow's defense and positioning are not as strong as the offensive element to his game, but NHL teams will covet that guy who can move the puck effectively, knowing that is a much tougher element to find. They can always pair a player like that with a stronger defensive partner, but legitimate PMD's are at a premium these days, so don't expect Morrow to last that long beyond the 1st round if he even slips out of the top-30. He's got an edge to him as well, but doesn't have much ability as a fighter- his real value is in his skill game.
Morrow is on a radio show here in this video, so you can see him in an interview setting.
9. Colin Jacobs, C Seattle- On talent alone, this 6-2, 195-pounder from Texas probably belongs here, but some of the scouts we've talked to aren't sold on his upside at the NHL level. The old scouting kiss of death- "looks like a player but don't know if he will be one" is something we've heard several times with Jacobs. That said, he can skate well, has some stickhandling ability and definitely likes to use his big frame to bang bodies. He cut down on his penalty minutes this season by playing a more clean, disciplined style which is good news for him and the Thunderbirds. His production was a disappointment, however- 22 goals and 44 points in 68 games. More was expected of this kid, who was seen as a solid early second-rounder prior to the start of the year. Where will he end up in June? Probably in the second round somewhere, but he could drop toward the bottom 10 and be closer to 60 or might be an early third-rounder. His development time in Texas/lack of elite competition early has caused some scouts to question his awareness and ability to process quickly, but he does have a solid work ethic and could develop a better defensive positional game, whether the natural sense is there or not.
You can get a little bit of an appreciation for what Jacobs can do at the junior level with this vid from NHLDraftVideo. Goes hard to the net and outworks defenders to put it in, but what you see is pretty much what you get.
10. Myles Bell, D Regina- Admittedly, B2011DW was a fan of Bell's game early in the season, but his production really tailed off as the Pats' season went south. He's an intriguing player who can move well enough and likes to carry the puck into the offensive zone. But, Bell is not a speed burner, which can lead to his being caught up ice. He also doesn't have a lot of height, even though he is a stout 210 pounds and built more like a bowling ball at 6-feet. This very good puckhandler isn't afraid to take chances and is dangerous on the power play. He's got some fight in him, too, which is always a bonus for NHL clubs. The problem starts with his defensive play, as multiple scouts have dinged him for an indifference and even more damning, at times clueless approach that takes him out of position and leads to goals against. He's one of these guys who looks a lot like a specialist- you can have him out there in certain situations and he'll move the puck well and make a good power play QB, but whether he can take a regular NHL is in doubt. Players like that, especially because he lacks ideal size, are becoming less and less valuable as NHL clubs are looking to maximize bang for the buck. So, if Bell slips a little more than anticipated, don't be surprised. There is some upside with his offensive game, but his overall play leaves a good bit to be desired, apparently.
Here's a video of Bell doing what he does best- going end-to-end with the puck Even here, you can see the lack of speed, but he's one of those guys who compensates with his offensive sense, ability to see holes open and handle the puck to get there.
11. Kale Kessy, LW Medicine Hat- We admittedly have a bit of a mancrush on Kessy, who is drawing comparisons to Milan Lucic according to the latest issue of Red Line Report. He doesn't get much of an opportunity to play an offensive role for the Tigers given their high-octane attack, but he's quietly scored some nice goals and certainly brings that legitimate toughness power forwards need to be able to change the flow of a game with a big hit, a fight and even a goal. Kessy is a decent skater, but needs to improve his lateral movement and get a little stronger on his skates. The fact that he's 6-2, but only about 175 has a lot to do with this- as he fills out and gains upper and lower body strength, he'll be better as he drives the net and a tougher customer when the gloves come off. He's also a pretty good shooter and puckhandler; not great, but he can make things happen in close. He's under the radar in terms of not being much of a draft name, but he's in the top-10 because he's got that developmental promise that Lucic turned into a household name. Don't be surprised to see Kessy come off the board much earlier than anticipated given his Central Scouting ranking and where other services have him. Red Line was the only service to peg Lucic as a potential top-50 pick, and they're on the Kessy bandwagon, so why not have him here? We've also heard from at least two NHL scouts who really like him as well and see the same kind of upside- Kessy fought so well last year that he earned himself some space and respect this year. That's saying something.
Here's just one of many fight videos you can access on Kessy over at YouTube. He's a lot like the old Primus song "Jerry Was A Racecar Driver" in that he may not win all of them, but he never gets manhandled or destroyed. A lot of pure toughness with this guy.
12. Adam Lowry, LW Swift Current- At 6-4, the son of former NHLer Dave Lowry has very nice size for the big league, although he has a lot of growing/filling out to do. He's still quite gangly and needs to improve his stride and overall speed and lateral quickness, but Lowry has very good hockey sense and plays a physical game despite his lack of mass and weight right now. Stats were nothing to get excited about (61-17-22-39 on a weak team), but he's got some raw potential and promise, plus the NHL bloodlines that teams love. He's a longer-term project who will require faith and patience, but could be a good one once his coordination gets more in line with his big body.
13. Reece Scarlett, D Swift Current- The offense didn't come as expected for this very averaged-sized defenseman who is a very good skater and puckhandler. His six goals and 24 points in 72 games for the Broncos helped to drop him down the draft lists after some early season promise, but he could be an interesting longer-term project pick for a team that has the stones to take him in the second round. He makes a nice breakout pass and seems to have the vision and hockey sense to be a legit PMD at the next level. The size is a concern, but he's a smart player who has some raw, projectable upside. If he slips to the third or fourth rounds, it might be an ideal scenario for him, as there will be very little pressure on him to develop and perform. He's a good, solid kid who sticks up for his teammates, but had his hands full on a pretty inexperienced team. Will be interesting to see how he does moving forward.
Overagers worth a look:
Brendan Shinnimin, C Tri-City- Small, but feisty and skilled center finished sixth in WHL scoring this year with 34 goals and 96 points for the Americans. The '91 birthdate followed up a solid 82 point season in 2010. Has speed and hands, and was suspended 12 games for a vicious hit from behind on Josh Nicholls. Very good hockey sense and could be a draft option after improving on his point totals.
Andrej Kudrna, LW Red Deer- Good size and skill for this Slovak, but compete levels have been questioned over the years. His production is what could see him get drafted, as he has been a consistent point producer in the WHL with Vancouver and Red Deer, but the lack of intensity is clearly what has kept NHL teams away. Did he do enough this season to get one last look?
Marcel Noebels, RW Seattle- Knocked for skating and soft play, this German is a 1992 who was passed over last season, but has some potential given that he was arguably Germany's best player at the WJC. He took the puck to the net hard and was involved throughout the games on one of the weaker teams there. With 25 goals and 49 points in 65 games, he did pretty well in North America for the T-Birds. He's a better skater than we thought, and at 6-3, 210 brings the kind of size that gives him a shot.
With the playoffs kicking off here in North America, it's time to look at the 2011 NHL Draft's bigger names and try to project where they could go come Minnesota in June.
Here is the post we did in August tracking the bigger draft names in the WHL coming into it. As is the case every year, certain guys expected to have successful years didn't, while others who were down the list or not tracking at all elevated themselves to a high degree. Mark McNeill, anyone?
So, without further ado- here's the WHL regular season roundup based on what our sources are telling us. There are sure to be disagreements, but at the end of the day, NHL lists vary a great deal from team to team, so the more debate the better. This is just one perspective.
1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C Red Deer- Has the 'Nuge played himself into the top spot when the 2011 draft opens up on June 24? We think he has. His goal scoring was down into January even though his outstanding assist totals were piling up. As if perhaps hearing the critics, RNH threw caution to the wind and just started firing the puck and finding the back of the net with alarming regularity. Nugent-Hopkins finished the season with 31 goals and 106 points in 75 games with the Rebels, precisely the kind of production expected of him when the season began. Although some will take issue with his power play production versus even strength, this guy is an elite skater with the elite hands, passing skills and shot that should see him go in the top-2 selections at the very least. Edmonton, assuming they maintain the top pick, has seen plenty of this dynamic young skater, and although we went on Nation Radio a few weeks ago and predicted Adam Larsson to the Oil, we've reversed our position and see RNH being the guy for them if they have the top pick. We've talked to several NHL scouts who are all saying the same thing: RNH has taken it to an entirely different level since February and makes perfect sense as the first overall pick for Edmonton. He simply has too much talent and upside not to go there, especially given the kind of awareness Oilers fans have of RNH this season. The thought of him with Taylor Hall and Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson or Jordan Eberle has to create visions of sugarplum pucks dancing in Steve Tambellini's head. His average size and slender frame is no major cause for concern- at the end of the day, he's a legit game-breaker and will adapt well to the NHL.
Stock Watch: Blue-chip; like the aforementioned Jonathan Huberdeau, an extended playoff run for Nugent-Hopkins and the Rebels will put him right with Taylor Hall in terms of the player who is freshest in the minds of scouts leading into the draft. Even if the Rebels come up short and don't advance far in the WHL postseason, we suspect that RNH has done enough already to sell himself to the teams picking 1st or 2nd.
Here's a terrific video produced by Aaron Vickers and the guys at Future Considerations Hockey on RNH. It will tell you everything you need to know about him.
2. Duncan Siemens, D Saskatoon- Admittedly, we haven't been as high on Siemens at this blog space as others, but it's time to face facts, and that is this: with his size, skating ability and pure toughness plus upside, it's hard to imagine any other player in the WHL being drafted ahead of the Blades d-man once RNH is off the board.He has a powerful stride and good lateral agility. The first-step quickness is still a work in progress, but it isn't a shortcoming. He's a tall and lean 6-3, 195-pounds, but when he fills out more, he'll be even more of a physical beast than he is now. His gap control is very good, and he plays a sound positional game. The points weren't really there at the beginning, but he came on better in the second half, and he finished with five goals, 38 assists for 43 points and 121 penalty minutes as one hard-nosed, tough mother. Another thing to like about him- he's a Sep. '93 birthdate, making him one of the youngest players in the class, and given his poise and edge, that's really saying something. The offensive upside is a question that is going to go on in NHL war rooms of teams that have a top-10 selection in this draft, but if Dylan McIlrath can go 10th overall, then Siemens, a very similar kind of player in terms of style and substance, but one who has more skill, could very well do the same or better. B2011DW is late to the party, but based on what we saw in the CHL Top Prospects Game and the fact that all we've heard about Siemens all season long speaks to a level of consistency that is laudable, we think he's a solid No. 2 in the WHL behind RNH. We're not sure we would take someone like Siemens at 7 or 8, but if he were to go that high, it would not surprise.
Stock watch: Up; playoff hockey is made for a guy like Siemens, so he should elevate his standing even more. Production could be the icing on the cake that pushes him inside the top-10, but even if he doesn't go that high, we can't envision a scenario in which he drops past 15. He could end up being a solid,middle-pairing guy in the NHL, but his potential to be more plus toughness quotient means that he'll go higher than lower in our opinion.
Here's a video produced by the Saskatoon Blades on their 3rd overall pick in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft. It's a little dated, but you can see where the hype is coming from.
3. Mark McNeill, C Prince Albert- How do you spell stud? No player in the WHL has done more to help himself for the draft this season than the big, skilled and tough Raiders pivot who finished second on his team in scoring. His 32 goals and 81 points in 70 games this season only tell part of the story. He hit a growth spurt over the last year or so, growing to about 6-2 and 210 pounds, an already physically mature and smart player who plays a complete two-way game. He can score, hit and fight, though opponents figured out pretty quickly that McNeill was not a guy they wanted to provoke, so he hasn't had a ton of work in the fisticuffs department. His real value is in hockey sense and soft hands. He's extremely strong on his skates and shields/protects the puck well when he has possession in the o-zone. He's not a big hitter, but with his size and penchant for playing with an edge, we think it's in him to be that nasty, in-your-face guy if the right team can coax it out of him. He plays with a lot of energy and hustle; not a great skater, but he does have a fluid, powerful stride. With his natural strong core, he's able to generate a lot of power and can be a load for opponents to contain.
Stock watch: Holding steady; any team picking late in the 1st round hoping to steal him in the bottom 5-10 picks has missed the boat with this guy. With his all-around size, skill and edge, he's a prime candidate to come off the board inside the top-20. The big question then becomes, where will he go? We know of several NHL teams that love him, so if there's a candidate you see someone move up to get, it could be McNeill.
This fight video from hockeyfightsplus will give you an indication of why NHL teams are salivating over him given his skill package to go with the toughness.
4. Ty Rattie, RW Portland- The Alberta scoring machine was at one time on a real tear and was in the top-three for scoring in the WHL before tailing off, but there is still a great deal to like about this creative, dynamic playmaking winger. With 28 goals and 51 assists for 79 points in 67 games this season, he more than doubled his 37-point output as a rookie and came a long way with his overall game. One NHL scout told us back in December that he was really taken aback at how much more refined Rattie's game was this season after he'd been more of a hotdog as a rookie, doing a lot of flashy, individual things that worked for him in bantam, but didn't as a rookie in the WHL. Linemate Sven Bartschi raved to B2011DW at the WJC about Rattie's playmaking skills and overal ability (more on Bartschi later) to generate offense for the stacked Winterhawks. Rattie also plays with a bit of an edge and does his share of agitating. It's a shame that he was unable to keep up his torrid scoring pace, but he certainly showed scouts why he was one of the most accomplished scorers to ever come out of Alberta bantams and bigger point production totals are in store. His defense is still improving, but he showed a willingness to hustle and backcheck, and has come a considerable distance in a short amount of time. He doesn't have a lot of size at just 6-0, and 165, but with his slippery elusiveness plus high-end puck skills, vision and tenacity the size thing is not a big detriment given what he brings to the table.
Stock watch: He's probably getting lost in the shuffle a bit with the way RNH and Siemens have come on since the Top Prospects Game, but if Portland can go far in the postseason, Rattie could remind scouts why he was a big-time point-getter at the start of the year. We really like this kid.
Open Ice has a nice profile on Rattie done at the Top Prospects Game here.
5. Sven Bartschi, LW Portland- He may be only about 5-10 and 180 pounds, but this Swiss sniper can really put the puck in the net! The Swiss rookie finished just second in team scoring behind No. 4 overall pick in last year's draft Ryan Johansen (Columbus), potting 34 goals and 85 points in 66 games for the offensive powerhouse Winterhawks. An excellent skater who can explode to top speed in just a few strides, he has a heavy, accurate shot that he loves to rip coming off the rush. Very good puck skills as Bartschi showed at the CHL Top Prospects Game. He can also put it just about anywhere. If there's a knock on him it's that he does have a tendency to play a perimeter game and stay away from the dirty areas of the ice. At this level, he can get away with it because he's so adept at ripping the puck or setting up teammates in prime scoring position. As he moves up into the pros, he'll have a harder time beating goalies from the outside, so we'd like to see him show more of a willingness to go into traffic and take the puck to the net. That said, he's a solid kid who is passionate and plays with a lot of natural exuberance. He has a big smile on his face most of the time, and his attitude reminds us a lot of his countryman and teammate Nino Niederreiter in that regard. When it comes to Swiss players who come to North America to compete in their draft year, it says a lot about their commitment and desire to be NHL players. Bartschi is a solid 1st-round option, but where he goes is anyone's guess. It will take a certain team liking him more than others to go inside the top-15, but he won't slip out of the top-30...the skill and production is simply too alluring.
Stock watch: Up; he was consistent and productive the entire season. If he can kick it up a notch in the playoffs, he'll likely be picked before linemate Rattie.
Here's a light little video produced by a Country music station in Portland, but you get a nice glimpse of who he is off the ice.
Bonus video showing Rattie and Bartschi both in a shootout.
6. David Musil, D Vancouver- We missed Musil the first time we did this, but caught ourselves. Whew! At 6-3, 195, the son of former NHL defenseman (and current Edmonton Oilers scout) Frantisek Musil and Andrea Holikova-Musil (Bobby Holik's sister) has some of the best bloodlines in this draft class. He's a good skater for a player of his size and has all the physical tools and attributes a team looks for, yet his stock has dropped this season after being considered a potential preseason top-5 for 2011. Why? According to one NHL scout, he has the talent, but just doesn't seem to play withe the kind of intensity, passion or sense of urgency you look for. "He has the look of a guy who things have come pretty easy to him most of his life and maybe they have," the scout said. "But, he makes some questionable decisions and just hasn't taken control of games like the player we saw last year and before. He's capable of more, but I just haven't seen it from him enough." Musil has a big, booming shot that hurts, but his windup is excessive and release extended, allowing players to clog shooting lanes or rush him altogether. His hockey sense is just OK- he doesn't seem to sense the openings and exploit them and one wonders how well he sees the ice or reads the play. Defensively, he's solid- he uses his mobility and size to leverage guys away from the net and keep forwards to the outside. He's also getting very good coaching there in Vancouver under Don Hay, so he's a good player overall who's a bit of a disappointment more because the big expectations weren't met than anything else. Musil is probably going to play in the NHL because he's as good a physical specimen and athlete that you can find, but if you're looking for a projectable No. 1 or No. 2, this kid may be more of a gamble than teams are willing to take with a high pick. He finished the year with 6 goals and 25 points in 62 games and missed time including the WJC (where he would have played for the Czech Republic) with injury.
Here's a report from the Vancouver Giants on him. Spitting image of his old man when Papa Frank was playing for the North Stars.
7. Mike St. Croix, C Edmonton- Like McNeill, St. Croix is to be commended for picking up his game and making a statement to scouts as the season went on. Coming into it, the season, the Winnipeg native had high offensive expectations given the flashes he showed as a rookie with the Oil Kings last year. He got off to a slow start, and compounded with some indifferent defensive play, was headed down in some NHL teams' eyes until he turned things around at mid-season and finished the year strong. A very good skater who can dangle with the best of them, he's got a lightning release and just seems to have that sixth sense around the net when it comes to scoring goals or setting them up. He tallied 27 markers and 75 points in 68 games, finishing just three points off the scoring lead to Dylan Wruck. His willingness to get his nose dirty and play more responsible in all zones is precisely why his stock is up these days. Will it be enough to get him into the first round? That remains to be seen, but even if he doesn't crack the Friday night lineup, he won't be around long on Saturday, as he has some of the best natural upside of any in this class. His average size (5-11, 165) hurts him- he needs to get a lot stronger, but that should come in time.
Here's a lengthy radio interview and video with St. Croix from Athlete's Angle. Gotta love the "playoffs playoffs?" Jim Mora soundbite in there- never gets old.
8. Joe Morrow, D Portland- Another guy who may have been flying under the radar when the season began, no longer. NHL teams are not going to steal this guy, who has the look of developing into a solid No. 2 at the NHL level one day. A fine skater who sees the ice extremely well and loves to rush the puck. Morrow is a very good passer and has a point cannon that he gets off quickly. Sometimes, he is too much in love with his shot, says one NHL scout, who wanted to see him switch things up a bit and not go for the big slapper all the time, but admitted he was nitpicking the rangy defender with size's (6-1, 200) game. Morrow's defense and positioning are not as strong as the offensive element to his game, but NHL teams will covet that guy who can move the puck effectively, knowing that is a much tougher element to find. They can always pair a player like that with a stronger defensive partner, but legitimate PMD's are at a premium these days, so don't expect Morrow to last that long beyond the 1st round if he even slips out of the top-30. He's got an edge to him as well, but doesn't have much ability as a fighter- his real value is in his skill game.
Morrow is on a radio show here in this video, so you can see him in an interview setting.
9. Colin Jacobs, C Seattle- On talent alone, this 6-2, 195-pounder from Texas probably belongs here, but some of the scouts we've talked to aren't sold on his upside at the NHL level. The old scouting kiss of death- "looks like a player but don't know if he will be one" is something we've heard several times with Jacobs. That said, he can skate well, has some stickhandling ability and definitely likes to use his big frame to bang bodies. He cut down on his penalty minutes this season by playing a more clean, disciplined style which is good news for him and the Thunderbirds. His production was a disappointment, however- 22 goals and 44 points in 68 games. More was expected of this kid, who was seen as a solid early second-rounder prior to the start of the year. Where will he end up in June? Probably in the second round somewhere, but he could drop toward the bottom 10 and be closer to 60 or might be an early third-rounder. His development time in Texas/lack of elite competition early has caused some scouts to question his awareness and ability to process quickly, but he does have a solid work ethic and could develop a better defensive positional game, whether the natural sense is there or not.
You can get a little bit of an appreciation for what Jacobs can do at the junior level with this vid from NHLDraftVideo. Goes hard to the net and outworks defenders to put it in, but what you see is pretty much what you get.
10. Myles Bell, D Regina- Admittedly, B2011DW was a fan of Bell's game early in the season, but his production really tailed off as the Pats' season went south. He's an intriguing player who can move well enough and likes to carry the puck into the offensive zone. But, Bell is not a speed burner, which can lead to his being caught up ice. He also doesn't have a lot of height, even though he is a stout 210 pounds and built more like a bowling ball at 6-feet. This very good puckhandler isn't afraid to take chances and is dangerous on the power play. He's got some fight in him, too, which is always a bonus for NHL clubs. The problem starts with his defensive play, as multiple scouts have dinged him for an indifference and even more damning, at times clueless approach that takes him out of position and leads to goals against. He's one of these guys who looks a lot like a specialist- you can have him out there in certain situations and he'll move the puck well and make a good power play QB, but whether he can take a regular NHL is in doubt. Players like that, especially because he lacks ideal size, are becoming less and less valuable as NHL clubs are looking to maximize bang for the buck. So, if Bell slips a little more than anticipated, don't be surprised. There is some upside with his offensive game, but his overall play leaves a good bit to be desired, apparently.
Here's a video of Bell doing what he does best- going end-to-end with the puck Even here, you can see the lack of speed, but he's one of those guys who compensates with his offensive sense, ability to see holes open and handle the puck to get there.
11. Kale Kessy, LW Medicine Hat- We admittedly have a bit of a mancrush on Kessy, who is drawing comparisons to Milan Lucic according to the latest issue of Red Line Report. He doesn't get much of an opportunity to play an offensive role for the Tigers given their high-octane attack, but he's quietly scored some nice goals and certainly brings that legitimate toughness power forwards need to be able to change the flow of a game with a big hit, a fight and even a goal. Kessy is a decent skater, but needs to improve his lateral movement and get a little stronger on his skates. The fact that he's 6-2, but only about 175 has a lot to do with this- as he fills out and gains upper and lower body strength, he'll be better as he drives the net and a tougher customer when the gloves come off. He's also a pretty good shooter and puckhandler; not great, but he can make things happen in close. He's under the radar in terms of not being much of a draft name, but he's in the top-10 because he's got that developmental promise that Lucic turned into a household name. Don't be surprised to see Kessy come off the board much earlier than anticipated given his Central Scouting ranking and where other services have him. Red Line was the only service to peg Lucic as a potential top-50 pick, and they're on the Kessy bandwagon, so why not have him here? We've also heard from at least two NHL scouts who really like him as well and see the same kind of upside- Kessy fought so well last year that he earned himself some space and respect this year. That's saying something.
Here's just one of many fight videos you can access on Kessy over at YouTube. He's a lot like the old Primus song "Jerry Was A Racecar Driver" in that he may not win all of them, but he never gets manhandled or destroyed. A lot of pure toughness with this guy.
12. Adam Lowry, LW Swift Current- At 6-4, the son of former NHLer Dave Lowry has very nice size for the big league, although he has a lot of growing/filling out to do. He's still quite gangly and needs to improve his stride and overall speed and lateral quickness, but Lowry has very good hockey sense and plays a physical game despite his lack of mass and weight right now. Stats were nothing to get excited about (61-17-22-39 on a weak team), but he's got some raw potential and promise, plus the NHL bloodlines that teams love. He's a longer-term project who will require faith and patience, but could be a good one once his coordination gets more in line with his big body.
13. Reece Scarlett, D Swift Current- The offense didn't come as expected for this very averaged-sized defenseman who is a very good skater and puckhandler. His six goals and 24 points in 72 games for the Broncos helped to drop him down the draft lists after some early season promise, but he could be an interesting longer-term project pick for a team that has the stones to take him in the second round. He makes a nice breakout pass and seems to have the vision and hockey sense to be a legit PMD at the next level. The size is a concern, but he's a smart player who has some raw, projectable upside. If he slips to the third or fourth rounds, it might be an ideal scenario for him, as there will be very little pressure on him to develop and perform. He's a good, solid kid who sticks up for his teammates, but had his hands full on a pretty inexperienced team. Will be interesting to see how he does moving forward.
Overagers worth a look:
Brendan Shinnimin, C Tri-City- Small, but feisty and skilled center finished sixth in WHL scoring this year with 34 goals and 96 points for the Americans. The '91 birthdate followed up a solid 82 point season in 2010. Has speed and hands, and was suspended 12 games for a vicious hit from behind on Josh Nicholls. Very good hockey sense and could be a draft option after improving on his point totals.
Andrej Kudrna, LW Red Deer- Good size and skill for this Slovak, but compete levels have been questioned over the years. His production is what could see him get drafted, as he has been a consistent point producer in the WHL with Vancouver and Red Deer, but the lack of intensity is clearly what has kept NHL teams away. Did he do enough this season to get one last look?
Marcel Noebels, RW Seattle- Knocked for skating and soft play, this German is a 1992 who was passed over last season, but has some potential given that he was arguably Germany's best player at the WJC. He took the puck to the net hard and was involved throughout the games on one of the weaker teams there. With 25 goals and 49 points in 65 games, he did pretty well in North America for the T-Birds. He's a better skater than we thought, and at 6-3, 210 brings the kind of size that gives him a shot.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
CHL Top Prospects Game Analysis: Team Cherry
I've only watched the game once, but this was quite the one-sided affair despite the way the matchup looked on paper for Don Cherry's boys.
But that's the great thing about sports: the games aren't played on paper!
Team Orr took advantage of mediocre goaltending from Christopher Gibson and David Honzik, and also made plays that the Team Cherry netminders had no chance on. But at the end of the day, the Doug Gilmour-coached squad found the back of the net to the tune of seven goals. Three in three minutes to start the third period opened up a 6-1 lead for Team Orr and Dougie Hamilton closed it out with a late power play blast, ending the 16th iteration of the CHL's draft showcase with a 7-1 final.
Here are some observations on the one viewing I had watching the game on tape delay this afternoon on NHL Network. Keeping in mind that video leaves so much out that you get seeing a player in person, here are some observations of Team Cherry, who had some real talent and took the initial advantage, but were unable to solve Liam Liston and ended up not getting much going against Jordan Binnington, either. Will follow up with Team Orr later tonight, which will have far more detail and commentary given that the white team had quite an offensive display and got some pretty good defense, too.
Team Cherry (Red sweaters)
Goalies
Christopher Gibson, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)-- The CHL's leader in save percentage (.888) had a rough time, and as a former goalie I empathized with what Gibson went through. He watched Liston stand on his head on the other end and get some real favorable bounces, while seeing very little action, only to see Daniel Catenacci blazing down the ice on a breakaway after a busted play with the man advantage. Just like that, it was 1-0 and Team Orr never looked back. Gibson saw fewer than 10 shots in his 30 minutes and gave up three goals. He's got nice size and athleticism, but the book on the Finnish native is to force him to move laterally, and Orr did that on two of the strikes. Give the Orr shooters credit-- they buried their chances, but Gibson could have lifted his club with just one save-- probably the one he didn't make on Catenacci. Didn't get it done.
David Honzik, Victoriaville (QMJHL)-- Another European playing in the Quebec league, this Czech takes up a lot of net with his big frame, but he spent far too much time down in the butterfly and it cost him on a couple of shots. Again, Orr was buzzing his net hard early in the third period, but Honzik faltered, playing deeper and deeper in his net and dropping to the ice on just about every shot. In his defense, he didn't get much help from his 'D' and he did come out on Hamilton to cut down the angle- the Niagara defender put home a perfect slapper off the far post. But, Honzik didn't impress on the whole and like Gibson, was pretty mediocre. He didn't give his team any reason to believe that they could get back into this one, and that was it in a nutshell.
Defense
Ryan Murphy, D Kitchener (OHL)-- Clearly the most visible of any of Cherry's defensemen, and arguably, on the entire team, Murphy showed off why he has 17 goals and 52 points as the top-scoring defender available in the entire draft. He's an explosive, dynamic skater (you've heard this ad nauseum, I realize) and was apparently playing last night's game on a bad ankle, which made his rushes all the more remarkable. Even hindered, the Orr skaters could do little to stop him when he revved it up just past his own blue line and accelerated effortlessly through the neutral zone. Unfortunately for Murphy, he wasn't able to finish off any of his rushes nor were his teammates able to capitalize on them. But, you saw what he's capable of offensively. Murphy played a chippy, physical game, hitting Jonathan Huberdeau near his own blue line in the second period and later drilling Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in the neutral zone, getting tagged with the interference call that led to the Hamilton power play tally. He took a stick in the mouth from Lucas Lessio that drew blood (but no call) and was clearly riled and peeved with the lack of offense from his team. You could see the frustration boiling over with him at the end, but despite the seven goals surrendered by Cherry, Murphy lived up to the hype.
Scott Harrington, D London (OHL)-- Murphy's d-partner blew a tire on the Catenacci goal, allowing the fastest skater to break away from everyone and score the first goal of the game, a shortie. He had some good moments, too, but his stock has fallen off this season because the offensive element of his game that was expected coming into the year hasn't been there. He's not exactly a shutdown guy either, so what are you left with. Losing the edge and giving up the goal when Cherry was dominating play turned the momentum of the game and it was a tough break for Harrington.
Myles Bell, D Regina (WHL)-- If Murphy showed something to the NHL scouts and GMs in attendance, Bell probably hurt his case. Early in the game, he was rushing the puck effectively and with abandon and was involved, but he disappeared as the game went on, and that doesn't play to Bell's favor. He's not an explosive, fast skater like Murphy is and relies more on guile and his offensive instincts to generate scoring chances. However, he's not very strong defensively, and as the game went on, you saw him exposed a little bit with some bad decision-making and by being out of position. He was caught sleeping on the Vince Trocheck goal in the 3rd period, making a lazy play to allow the Saginaw standout to get behind him and leaving Honzik out to dry. He did try to goad Huberdeau into a fight, but by then, it was too late. Someone will certainly draft Bell for his offensive potential, but he's got a lot of work to do on his defensive play and lackadaisical attitude, which has been relayed to me by several NHL scouts out West. You saw that on primetime with the Trocheck goal-- there's no way it should have happened. He's a hard-shooter who won the event with a 98 mph shot, so Bell has some potential to get the goals in the NHL one day, but he's got to improve the all-around game.
Duncan Siemens, D Saskatoon (WHL)-- Siemens showed off his mobility and hard-nosed game, but like his scouting report, didn't do a great deal to stand out beyond his fight with David Musil. Siemens will likely play in the NHL, but I don't get why he's so highly rated in some circles. Top-10? Not based on what we saw in the prospects game. Tough nut for sure, but upside is limited. I would have no problem with Siemens closer to 20-25, but I think any team grabbing him closer to 10th will be disappointed in the long run.
Joe Morrow, D Portland (WHL)-- The puck-mover didn't do a great deal to stand out either way. He was involved earlier in the game when Cherry had a string of power plays, but when the offense tilted the other way, Morrow was largely invisible. You can see the size and skill, but this wasn't a great game for him.
Tyler Wotherspoon, D Portland (WHL)-- Paired with Morrow, Wotherspoon was the meat-and-potatoes player on the pairing. Haven't heard great things about his potential at the next level, and while he appears to be an honest banger type, he might be limited when not playing against junior players. Time will tell, but he's a no-frills guy who doesn't belong in the conversation when it comes to the first two, maybe three rounds of the draft.
Forwards
Shane Prince, LW Ottawa (OHL)-- The team's lone goal scorer finished off a nice give-and-go with Ty Rattie to beat Binnington through the five-hole and make it a 3-1 game in the second period. He's quick and opportunistic, who seems to see the ice pretty well and smartly picks his spots. You can see that he's more of a playmaking winger who distributes, but his goal was a nice example of a player who has a pretty good shot and made it count, finding the twine from the high slot after Rattie got it to him with the shooting lane wide open.
Ty Rattie, RW Portland (WHL)-- Arguably Cherry's best forward, Rattie showed off the hands and creativity that has seen him be a going concern for the Winterhawks this season. He's one of those slippery forwards who doesn't have a lot of size, but manages to snake his way through defenses, using his wheels and quick stick to find the seams and exploit the space his opponents tend to give him. He did ring a shot off the post in the third period, and was in on a frustrating 3-on-1 rush with Ryan Strome and Nicklas Jensen that did not result in a shot on net. Impressive player and one of the few Cherry players who got a point, but ultimately, not much to see in this one game. His strong WHL play will have to do the talking come draft time.
Sean Couturier, C Drummondville (QMJHL)-- Like the rest of his team, Couturier started strong making some visible offensive plays and initiating contact in and around the net. But, he tailed off and was not able to mount much of a consistent presence as the game went on and Orr started to take control. This is the concern that scouts have with Couturier-- he's a very good player, but not dominant to the point that he's taking control of a game like this. He wasn't able to do it in the WJC, which you can understand, but given the setting amongst his draft peers, more was expected to be honest.
Ryan Strome, C Niagara (OHL)-- The guy can skate and is highly creative. He had some good rushes up the ice and tried to make plays, hit the open teammates, but again, there just wasn't much doing for Team Cherry in this one. His 19th overall ranking by Central among North Americans is way too low based on what you can see from him, but like most, disappointed that we didn't get to see some finished plays from Strome.
Tomas Jurco, LW Saint John (QMJHL)-- Puckhandler extraordinaire had some chances early, but either couldn't get the bouncing puck to settle or wasn't able to get his shots past Liston. As the game went on, like many of his teammates, Jurco was less and less visible. The winner of the breakaway event in the skills competition is one of those guys who can electrify with one shot and shift, but when he's out of the play, he's really out of it.
Rickard Rakell, RW Plymouth (OHL)-- Skilled Swede has been on the hot list of late after having a five-goal outburst for the Whalers in two games last week. He had his moments, and if you paid attention to his scouting report, he did what he does best: finish his checks along the walls, create a few turnovers, and even got the puck to open ice on a power play in the third period. Philip Danault couldn't finish off one of Rakell's good passes, but the Whaler fought for loose pucks and did the little things that often go unnoticed. He's not a flashy offensive player but is smart and gets the job done.
Mark McNeill, C Prince Albert (WHL)-- The big, powerful Raiders thoroughbred came in third in the fastest skater competition, which sent ripples through the scouts in attendance yesterday. He's already got the size, skill and toughness to be an intriguing prospect and darkhorse top-15 selection, so the speed is sure to have more teams going out West to get more looks. Unfortunately, this game didn't really play to his strengths...puck possession, using his big body to cycle and come off the walls and get the puck to the net. He did a few things of note, but once Orr broke it open, McNeill wasn't very visible.
Mark Scheifele, C Barrie (OHL)-- Another player who was active, but ultimately came up short because of the one goal scored. He did anticipate a poor breakout pass, pick it off at the blue line and skate in on Binnington on a breakaway in the third period, but the Owen Sound goalie stopped the shot and turned the rebound away from danger. I've heard some pretty polarizing opinions on this particular player, so rather than rehash them here, will just say that this game didn't do a lot to persuade either way. More information is required for further evaluation.
Phillip Danault, LW Victoriaville (QMJHL)-- The Tigres' captain showed off his nice wheels, but couldn't get much going offensively. Like much of his team, you saw some flashes, but Team Cherry stopped generating sustained offensive pressure in the second period, and players like Danault fell by the wayside on video, with not much to see when they weren't playing the puck.
Tobias Rieder, LW Kitchener (OHL)-- Like the WJC, didn't see anything beyond flashes of the skilled German's talent and offensive potential. He'll go long stretches where you don;t notice him, and then he'll impress with a little burst through traffic or an honest effort down behind the net or along the boards.
Nicklas Jensen, LW Oshawa (OHL)-- He was a horse in the one live viewing I got of the Danish winger earlier this month, but this wasn't Jensen's time to shine. He got off a few shots and did some solid work at times, but like Rieder and Danault, we just didn't see enough offensive sustainment/play from Cherry to get much of a read. His size, skating ability and shot are a plus, but without being able to look at his play away from the puck, it was not much of a sample to go off of.
Matt Puempel, LW Peterborough (OHL)-- Did he play? Heard his name a few times, but to be honest, this wasn't much of a showing for the CHL Rookie of the Year who has picked his game up considerably over the last 60 days. I need to watch the game a few more times to try and get a better read, because to the first look, he didn't accomplish much if at all.
That's a wrap on Cherry. Will be back later to recap the victorious Team Orr. I'll watch the game a few more times and reserve the right to revise my opinion if I notice something new or different. :) But this post is based on one viewing only, and there are likely some things I missed the first time around.
But that's the great thing about sports: the games aren't played on paper!
Team Orr took advantage of mediocre goaltending from Christopher Gibson and David Honzik, and also made plays that the Team Cherry netminders had no chance on. But at the end of the day, the Doug Gilmour-coached squad found the back of the net to the tune of seven goals. Three in three minutes to start the third period opened up a 6-1 lead for Team Orr and Dougie Hamilton closed it out with a late power play blast, ending the 16th iteration of the CHL's draft showcase with a 7-1 final.
Here are some observations on the one viewing I had watching the game on tape delay this afternoon on NHL Network. Keeping in mind that video leaves so much out that you get seeing a player in person, here are some observations of Team Cherry, who had some real talent and took the initial advantage, but were unable to solve Liam Liston and ended up not getting much going against Jordan Binnington, either. Will follow up with Team Orr later tonight, which will have far more detail and commentary given that the white team had quite an offensive display and got some pretty good defense, too.
Team Cherry (Red sweaters)
Goalies
Christopher Gibson, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)-- The CHL's leader in save percentage (.888) had a rough time, and as a former goalie I empathized with what Gibson went through. He watched Liston stand on his head on the other end and get some real favorable bounces, while seeing very little action, only to see Daniel Catenacci blazing down the ice on a breakaway after a busted play with the man advantage. Just like that, it was 1-0 and Team Orr never looked back. Gibson saw fewer than 10 shots in his 30 minutes and gave up three goals. He's got nice size and athleticism, but the book on the Finnish native is to force him to move laterally, and Orr did that on two of the strikes. Give the Orr shooters credit-- they buried their chances, but Gibson could have lifted his club with just one save-- probably the one he didn't make on Catenacci. Didn't get it done.
David Honzik, Victoriaville (QMJHL)-- Another European playing in the Quebec league, this Czech takes up a lot of net with his big frame, but he spent far too much time down in the butterfly and it cost him on a couple of shots. Again, Orr was buzzing his net hard early in the third period, but Honzik faltered, playing deeper and deeper in his net and dropping to the ice on just about every shot. In his defense, he didn't get much help from his 'D' and he did come out on Hamilton to cut down the angle- the Niagara defender put home a perfect slapper off the far post. But, Honzik didn't impress on the whole and like Gibson, was pretty mediocre. He didn't give his team any reason to believe that they could get back into this one, and that was it in a nutshell.
Defense
Ryan Murphy, D Kitchener (OHL)-- Clearly the most visible of any of Cherry's defensemen, and arguably, on the entire team, Murphy showed off why he has 17 goals and 52 points as the top-scoring defender available in the entire draft. He's an explosive, dynamic skater (you've heard this ad nauseum, I realize) and was apparently playing last night's game on a bad ankle, which made his rushes all the more remarkable. Even hindered, the Orr skaters could do little to stop him when he revved it up just past his own blue line and accelerated effortlessly through the neutral zone. Unfortunately for Murphy, he wasn't able to finish off any of his rushes nor were his teammates able to capitalize on them. But, you saw what he's capable of offensively. Murphy played a chippy, physical game, hitting Jonathan Huberdeau near his own blue line in the second period and later drilling Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in the neutral zone, getting tagged with the interference call that led to the Hamilton power play tally. He took a stick in the mouth from Lucas Lessio that drew blood (but no call) and was clearly riled and peeved with the lack of offense from his team. You could see the frustration boiling over with him at the end, but despite the seven goals surrendered by Cherry, Murphy lived up to the hype.
Scott Harrington, D London (OHL)-- Murphy's d-partner blew a tire on the Catenacci goal, allowing the fastest skater to break away from everyone and score the first goal of the game, a shortie. He had some good moments, too, but his stock has fallen off this season because the offensive element of his game that was expected coming into the year hasn't been there. He's not exactly a shutdown guy either, so what are you left with. Losing the edge and giving up the goal when Cherry was dominating play turned the momentum of the game and it was a tough break for Harrington.
Myles Bell, D Regina (WHL)-- If Murphy showed something to the NHL scouts and GMs in attendance, Bell probably hurt his case. Early in the game, he was rushing the puck effectively and with abandon and was involved, but he disappeared as the game went on, and that doesn't play to Bell's favor. He's not an explosive, fast skater like Murphy is and relies more on guile and his offensive instincts to generate scoring chances. However, he's not very strong defensively, and as the game went on, you saw him exposed a little bit with some bad decision-making and by being out of position. He was caught sleeping on the Vince Trocheck goal in the 3rd period, making a lazy play to allow the Saginaw standout to get behind him and leaving Honzik out to dry. He did try to goad Huberdeau into a fight, but by then, it was too late. Someone will certainly draft Bell for his offensive potential, but he's got a lot of work to do on his defensive play and lackadaisical attitude, which has been relayed to me by several NHL scouts out West. You saw that on primetime with the Trocheck goal-- there's no way it should have happened. He's a hard-shooter who won the event with a 98 mph shot, so Bell has some potential to get the goals in the NHL one day, but he's got to improve the all-around game.
Duncan Siemens, D Saskatoon (WHL)-- Siemens showed off his mobility and hard-nosed game, but like his scouting report, didn't do a great deal to stand out beyond his fight with David Musil. Siemens will likely play in the NHL, but I don't get why he's so highly rated in some circles. Top-10? Not based on what we saw in the prospects game. Tough nut for sure, but upside is limited. I would have no problem with Siemens closer to 20-25, but I think any team grabbing him closer to 10th will be disappointed in the long run.
Joe Morrow, D Portland (WHL)-- The puck-mover didn't do a great deal to stand out either way. He was involved earlier in the game when Cherry had a string of power plays, but when the offense tilted the other way, Morrow was largely invisible. You can see the size and skill, but this wasn't a great game for him.
Tyler Wotherspoon, D Portland (WHL)-- Paired with Morrow, Wotherspoon was the meat-and-potatoes player on the pairing. Haven't heard great things about his potential at the next level, and while he appears to be an honest banger type, he might be limited when not playing against junior players. Time will tell, but he's a no-frills guy who doesn't belong in the conversation when it comes to the first two, maybe three rounds of the draft.
Forwards
Shane Prince, LW Ottawa (OHL)-- The team's lone goal scorer finished off a nice give-and-go with Ty Rattie to beat Binnington through the five-hole and make it a 3-1 game in the second period. He's quick and opportunistic, who seems to see the ice pretty well and smartly picks his spots. You can see that he's more of a playmaking winger who distributes, but his goal was a nice example of a player who has a pretty good shot and made it count, finding the twine from the high slot after Rattie got it to him with the shooting lane wide open.
Ty Rattie, RW Portland (WHL)-- Arguably Cherry's best forward, Rattie showed off the hands and creativity that has seen him be a going concern for the Winterhawks this season. He's one of those slippery forwards who doesn't have a lot of size, but manages to snake his way through defenses, using his wheels and quick stick to find the seams and exploit the space his opponents tend to give him. He did ring a shot off the post in the third period, and was in on a frustrating 3-on-1 rush with Ryan Strome and Nicklas Jensen that did not result in a shot on net. Impressive player and one of the few Cherry players who got a point, but ultimately, not much to see in this one game. His strong WHL play will have to do the talking come draft time.
Sean Couturier, C Drummondville (QMJHL)-- Like the rest of his team, Couturier started strong making some visible offensive plays and initiating contact in and around the net. But, he tailed off and was not able to mount much of a consistent presence as the game went on and Orr started to take control. This is the concern that scouts have with Couturier-- he's a very good player, but not dominant to the point that he's taking control of a game like this. He wasn't able to do it in the WJC, which you can understand, but given the setting amongst his draft peers, more was expected to be honest.
Ryan Strome, C Niagara (OHL)-- The guy can skate and is highly creative. He had some good rushes up the ice and tried to make plays, hit the open teammates, but again, there just wasn't much doing for Team Cherry in this one. His 19th overall ranking by Central among North Americans is way too low based on what you can see from him, but like most, disappointed that we didn't get to see some finished plays from Strome.
Tomas Jurco, LW Saint John (QMJHL)-- Puckhandler extraordinaire had some chances early, but either couldn't get the bouncing puck to settle or wasn't able to get his shots past Liston. As the game went on, like many of his teammates, Jurco was less and less visible. The winner of the breakaway event in the skills competition is one of those guys who can electrify with one shot and shift, but when he's out of the play, he's really out of it.
Rickard Rakell, RW Plymouth (OHL)-- Skilled Swede has been on the hot list of late after having a five-goal outburst for the Whalers in two games last week. He had his moments, and if you paid attention to his scouting report, he did what he does best: finish his checks along the walls, create a few turnovers, and even got the puck to open ice on a power play in the third period. Philip Danault couldn't finish off one of Rakell's good passes, but the Whaler fought for loose pucks and did the little things that often go unnoticed. He's not a flashy offensive player but is smart and gets the job done.
Mark McNeill, C Prince Albert (WHL)-- The big, powerful Raiders thoroughbred came in third in the fastest skater competition, which sent ripples through the scouts in attendance yesterday. He's already got the size, skill and toughness to be an intriguing prospect and darkhorse top-15 selection, so the speed is sure to have more teams going out West to get more looks. Unfortunately, this game didn't really play to his strengths...puck possession, using his big body to cycle and come off the walls and get the puck to the net. He did a few things of note, but once Orr broke it open, McNeill wasn't very visible.
Mark Scheifele, C Barrie (OHL)-- Another player who was active, but ultimately came up short because of the one goal scored. He did anticipate a poor breakout pass, pick it off at the blue line and skate in on Binnington on a breakaway in the third period, but the Owen Sound goalie stopped the shot and turned the rebound away from danger. I've heard some pretty polarizing opinions on this particular player, so rather than rehash them here, will just say that this game didn't do a lot to persuade either way. More information is required for further evaluation.
Phillip Danault, LW Victoriaville (QMJHL)-- The Tigres' captain showed off his nice wheels, but couldn't get much going offensively. Like much of his team, you saw some flashes, but Team Cherry stopped generating sustained offensive pressure in the second period, and players like Danault fell by the wayside on video, with not much to see when they weren't playing the puck.
Tobias Rieder, LW Kitchener (OHL)-- Like the WJC, didn't see anything beyond flashes of the skilled German's talent and offensive potential. He'll go long stretches where you don;t notice him, and then he'll impress with a little burst through traffic or an honest effort down behind the net or along the boards.
Nicklas Jensen, LW Oshawa (OHL)-- He was a horse in the one live viewing I got of the Danish winger earlier this month, but this wasn't Jensen's time to shine. He got off a few shots and did some solid work at times, but like Rieder and Danault, we just didn't see enough offensive sustainment/play from Cherry to get much of a read. His size, skating ability and shot are a plus, but without being able to look at his play away from the puck, it was not much of a sample to go off of.
Matt Puempel, LW Peterborough (OHL)-- Did he play? Heard his name a few times, but to be honest, this wasn't much of a showing for the CHL Rookie of the Year who has picked his game up considerably over the last 60 days. I need to watch the game a few more times to try and get a better read, because to the first look, he didn't accomplish much if at all.
That's a wrap on Cherry. Will be back later to recap the victorious Team Orr. I'll watch the game a few more times and reserve the right to revise my opinion if I notice something new or different. :) But this post is based on one viewing only, and there are likely some things I missed the first time around.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Central Scouting Preliminary Rankings: The WHL Pt. 1
Welcome to Chapter 1 of a two-part breakdown of Central Scouting's Western Hockey League preliminary rankings. I know I said this would close out the series, but I'll actually do that with the USHL, coming in the next 1-2 days.
B2011DW managed to talk to at least three different NHL scouting sources about this list, plus an independent one thrown in for good measure. It's an interesting list, and one scout said that after eight (Duncan Siemens) it is almost as if Central "drew a big line across the list and said, 'Here's a really big dropoff.'"
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at the top is a no-brainer. He's in discussions as a potential No. 1 overall pick in the June NHL draft, but one scout cautioned that the ultra-talented (but smallish with a slight frame) center has not done a lot to separate himself from the pack to provide the impetus for the team holding the top pick, whoever that ends up being, to take him there. At the same time, the scout said that even if Nugent-Hopkins doesn't erupt over the season's second-half to position himself for top consideration, he doesn't see the Red Deer standout falling much at all because he does all of the offensive things at such a high, high level. The skill package is elite as is the hockey sense, and even though a lot of his early year production has come with the man advantage, he's just not going to drop very far if at all.
Things get interesting with the No. 2 player on the list, Portland winger Sven Bartschi, who edged teammate Ty Rattie, much to the consternation of several of the sources. Bartschi is Swiss, but unlike Winterhawks mate Nino Niederreiter, does not play with that edge that saw his countryman go to the New York Islanders with the fifth overall pick last June. While he has excellent speed and hands, he's undersized and one scout said that he doesn't have anywhere near Rattie's creativity or elite hands/wheels/vision.
"(Bartschi) is a good two inches smaller than Rattie," the NHL scout said. "Rattie makes everything happen out there, while Bartschi tends to benefit from it. Bartschi's probably closer to 5-9, while Rattie is maybe a shade under 6-foot, but (Bartschi) plays like he's 5-9; he doesn't like to get hit and won't go into the dirty areas, which is something Rattie excels at."
Rattie is only two points (39) behind Boston prospect Craig Cunningham for the WHL scoring lead, and has been a revelation this season with his tenacious, complete game compared to the hot doggery and one-dimensional side he showed as a rookie.
"It only takes one game to watch Rattie and you can tell he's great," the scout said. "You don't get that from watching Bartschi, I'm afraid. He'll go where he's told, but he requires direction, whereas Rattie just understands the flow and gets there, usually making the play when he does."
After Rattie at No. 3, Central has big, skilled defenseman David Musil next. Musil is a focal point this season because so much was expected of him but all four sources who weighed in on the analysis all say he's not playing well enough to merit consideration in the top-five and could see a precipitous drop by the team the draft rolls around.
Musil's large frame (almost 6-4), skating and hands are a scout's dream, but he seems to be lacking in the kinds of intangibles that would see him maximize his impressive natural gifts such as fire and desire.
"It looks to me like he put on some weight," one NHL scout said. "He's a little slower than I remember him being last year, but unfortunately, he's still playing with a lack of passion I saw a season ago."
Musil's hands and vision make him a superb candidate to run the power play, but his lack of physical game and sense of urgency have soured people on him in the early going.
"He's about 6-4, but he plays like he's 6-feet tall," said another scout. "He doesn't use his size at all."
Another NHL scout was critical of Musil as well.
"You want more out of him," he said. "He's weird in that he comes across as a stay-at-home defender who isn't going to do much, and then he gets the puck and all of the sudden, he's playing with a lot more energy. Don't know what to make of that, really, but it's not what I would call a strength."
If anyone can get the most out of a player, it is Vancouver Giants head coach Don Hay, but even with the skills, the lack of hustle, questionable conditioning and mediocre overall play have Musil trending downward despite the freakishly good athletic genes between former NHL defenseman (and Edmonton scout) Frantisek Musil and tennis pro (and sister of former NHL star Bobby Holik) mom Andrea Holikova-Musil.
Rounding out No. 5 is one of the previously-kept secrets, Portland d-man Joe Morrow, but the cat is now out of the bag on this guy, who could be a top-20 pick when all is said and done. Morrow may be the most underrated puck-moving defenseman in the draft right now, though one could argue now that Central has him as high as five that he is no longer under the radar. He has a cannon for a shot, and has some serious NHL upside.
"I love his game," one independent scout said of Morrow. "This is a guy who skates well, makes that outstanding first pass and can really fire the puck from the point. He's only OK defensively, but it's all things that coaches can address at the next level."
Another NHL scout acknowledged the howitzer drive of Morrow's. "He's a little too happy with the velocity of his shot," he said. "There are times when he could take something off it and try to hit the corners or get it off a little faster, but he goes all the way back (with the stick) every time. It's funny, because I think goalies are afraid of his shot. You can tell by the body language that when his stick goes up, they're tensing up and just praying that one of their 'D' are going to jump in front of it."
After Morrow at No. 6 is another secret no longer, Prince Albert center Mark McNeill, who like Rattie, has really come on in his second WHL campaign. Already a physical specimen at 6-2 and nearly 210 pounds at age 17, this kid is going to get a lot stronger before all is said and done. He's a nice blend of skill (though he's not an elite skill level player like the 'Nuge or Rattie), physical play and fighting ability. His 27 points in 23 games with the Raiders is impressive when you consider that the team has trouble scoring goals.
"He's still a wildcard," an NHL scout said. "But if McNeill keeps this up, everyone's going to have a real good idea of who he is and he'll end up going pretty high in the draft."
Regina defenseman Myles Bell is a B2011DW favorite, and is ranked at No. 7, controversial in that he's ahead of Siemens from Saskatoon, who many consider a better NHL prospect.
With Bell, it's more a matter of a maddening lack of consistency. He's got some nice numbers so far-- six goals and 16 points in 23 games with the Regina Pats, which is just two less than he had all of last year. However, he's not a great skater (though his straight-ahead speed when he has the puck is quite good), and lacks the kind of defensive awareness you want in a player at the next level. He's been compared to Mike Green without the high-end speed, because when on his game, Bell can rush the puck and make things happen in dynamic fashion.
"With all of his talents, at the end of the day, he just doesn't do much when I see him," an NHL scout said. "What's worse, he's looked flat and lazy at times. He's a productive player, but you need to see more effort, more of a sense of urgency from him and you don't always get that with Bell."
Rounding out coverage of Part 1 of the WHL is Saskatoon Blades defenseman Duncan Siemens, who many feel is too low at No. 8 on Central's list. At the same time, some independent lists out there have him inside the top-10 and hovering around No. 5 overall, which is too high for this solid, if unspectacular prospect.
"Fifth overall, no way-- but I like him," said an NHL scout. "He's one of these guys who's easy to slot right in the middle of the first round unless he has a Dylan McIlrath-like second half where you're wondering where all the points came from."
Another NHL talent evaluator was pretty effusive in his praise of Siemens as a good skater with size and an edge even if the offense hasn't been there.
"He's not putting up points," the scout said. "He's about 6-3 and skinny as a rail, but he's got that frame to grow into about 210-215 pounds eventually. He's a good, fluid skater, and the thing is, he tries to play a physical style now, which means he'll be a physical player at the next level, which is good. There are no real flaws to him, and you don't see anything from him that isn't coachable."
One independent scout was less-enthused.
"I just don't see much upside with this guy," he said of Siemens. "He'll fight, but he doesn't relish it the way (Dylan) McIlrath does. He's a good skater and passer, but he can't seem to translate those skills into production. I see a middle-of-the road NHL defenseman who will log you some minutes, but isn't going to be a top-pairing guy or someone who is going to give a team that extra dimension on offense everyone is looking for."
The source did admit that Siemens is a solid NHL prospect, however, and worthy of selection in the first round. And, like Nashville All-Star Shea Weber (a 2nd-round pick in '03 for the same kinds of reasons), he's one of these players who, if he starts picking up the points, will move to the top of prospect discussions because of everything else he brings to the table.
Stay tuned for Part 2 and the final portion of the Central Scouting series-- the USHL this weekend!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
A way early Bruins mock draft Rounds 1-3
Yeah, yeah-- I know. It's far too early for this kind of thing.
But you know what? People love trying to play what if. And, last year I didn't do a single mock until June.
Time to go ahead and buck that trend. I won't make a habit of it, but why not play around a little bit on a lazy Sunday? (I always loved that Chris Parnell/Andy Samberg Chronicles of Narnia rap on SNL- ignore the Spanish subtitles- this is worth watching but parental advisory in effect for adult language WARNING)
OK, enough of the pop culture segue: Here's the mock draft assuming the lottery were to result in Boston ending up with the No. 4 selection.
The (I know its early 4 all the haterz) B2011 DW Boston Bruins Mock Draft v 1.0
1st Round
4. (from Toronto) Ryan Murphy, D Kitchener Rangers (OHL)-- This kid's brilliance on offense would be precisely what Boston needs, and they'd have no problem selling his upside toBoston fans, who are clamoring for skill and offense on the blue line. He's not very big, but if you watch the highlights, he's got some real skill (some have used his name in the same sentence as Bobby Orr-- I won't do that. Or did I just do that?) This blog has done plenty on Murphy already-- you can catch up on your reading and know that there will be more on him as the season goes on. In fact, by June, Murphy may have played his way into the top-two selections of the draft- should be interesting to see how high he goes.
15. (Boston pick) Dillon Simpson, D University of North Dakota (WCHA)-- The 6-1, 200-pound defenseman (those vitals may be a bit inflated, though- he looks a little smaller) is in his first NCAA season after placing Jr. A in Alberta last season with Spruce Grove (in the same junior league Joe Colborne graduated from- the AJHL). The son of former NHL scorer and HNIC analyst Craig Simpson has outstanding bloodlines and is one smart, heady player. He caused some consternation when he picked the Sioux in Grand Forks over his dad's Lansing Spartans alma mater, but the WCHA will be an excellent level for him to develop in. He's already made an immediate impact as you can see from his first career NCAA goal below.
Simpson is a few years away from competing for an NHL job, but he could evolve into a very good one. Right now, he's seen as a borderline No. 1/solid 2, but he could raise that projection if he keeps it up as a freshman this year.
2nd round
40. (from Minnesota) Austen Brassard, RW Belleville Bulls (OHL)-- It's been a disappointing season thus far for Brassard who was a preseason pick to do some big things for the Bulls after coming over from Windsor last year. But, there's no denying the size and skill package of this power winger, and he might be the right kind of upside/roll the dice pick for the Bruins 10 picks into the second round. Skating is an issue for him, but he's got nice hands and a good shot. He's a willing fighter with a mixed track record as a middleweight at the OHL level. At 6-2 and about 180 pounds, he has a lot of growing to do, but again-- it could be about the eventual payoff with this guy. He looked great with Belleville after the trade last season, racking up 17 points in 26 games for the Bulls. He only has four goals and 11 points in 21 games, off the pace. You can read more about him here.
45. (Boston pick) Myles Bell, D Regina Pats (WHL)-- This offensive defenseman has drawn comparisons to Washington All-Star and Norris Trophy finalist Mike Green as a player who has some scoring chops, but is lacking in defensive ability. Although not the skater that Green is, Bell has some real upside and one only need look at some of his highlight videos to see how naturally the attacking aspect of the game comes to him. With six goals and 16 points in just 21 games, he's three points away from passing his entire season totals (in 61 games) from last year. Bell is a real work in progress, but he's as solid an option as they come in the second round. Thee's a big potential payoff with him, even with the questionable defensive sense and play, and the scoring skills are probably why he won't last as late as pick 45. Of course, had you told me last year just before the 2010 NHL draft that Ryan Spooner would be there for the B's, I would not have believed it, either.
3rd round
81. (Phoenix pick) Peter Ceresnak, D Trencin (Slovakia)-- The Bruins go to Eastern Europe for their third-rounder, acquired from the Coyotes for Derek Morris last spring (and compensating for the loss of Boston's pick as part of the Nathan Horton trade). Improved skating stride for this big (6-2, 205), hard-nosed and physical defender has been a key to his rising draft stock. With all the defenders on the list bringing more of a finesse, offensive streak, this kid is more of the meat-and-potatoes type, but has some potential as a solid, if unspectacular puck mover.
There it is. Now, rip it apart, folks!
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
Friday, October 8, 2010
The 'Nuge red-hot entering the weekend (Updated with WHL video link)
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins or the 'Nuge-- the Red Deer City Madman as he's becoming more known as on this blog space-- is justifying all of the preseason hype as a candidate for top-three consideration in June.
The only knock on this kid is that he has a slight frame, because everything else about him is top-shelf. He's explosive, dynamic and an offensive machine who has terrific hands and hockey sense.
In his first seven games, he has three goals and 13 points, and believe me-- the best is yet to come with this one.
I'm guessing that he's going to be a ongoing player of discussion as the hockey season progresses. He was immense at the Ivan Hlinka in August, scoring the gold medal-winner and confounding every team he played with the ability to put the puck in the net.
You can see a little of the 'Nuge's prodigious passing talent on the WHL's Plays of the Week video.
But check out the No. 1 play- made by Regina Pats defenseman Myles Bell. Just beautiful. And, you can now see where some of the Mike Green comparisons come from after watching him finish off that rush. He may or may not have Green's NHL ceiling, but that's definitely a dangerous offensive d-man in development there with Bell. Last year, he had 4 goals in 61 games for the Pats. It took him just seven games to pot his fourth this season.
Keep an eye on him, because with his offensive production, he's going to be moving up the draft boards for sure.
***
On a more somber note-- thoughts and prayers to Atlanta goalie Ondrej Pavelec, who lost consciousness and collapsed to the ice just 2:25 into the season opener at Philips Arena. He was wheeled out in a gurney and no other updates have been forthcoming. Obviously, we hope he's going to be OK, but he was largely motionless and it didn't look good at all. The play had been stopped on an icing and all the players were at the other end, so it wasn't a result of contact or anything related to game action.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Sunday WHL watch: Myles Bell
Regina Pats defender Myles Bell is another one of those intriguing offensive upside-but- defensively shady-type prospects to keep an eye on. You can read more about him in my WHL preseason watch list post from August, but I got this via email from one of my contacts out in Western Canada this evening:
"Bell looks like he's going to score 20+ goals this year, maybe more. He's shooting the puck with authority and jumping into the play/leading the rush at the right time. Defense is still rough, but offensively, I think he's one of the better players coming out of the WHL this year. Will be interesting to see what he's looking like in January."
Bell isn't tall at 6-feet, but is stocky and has a strong lower body. You can see how strong he is on his skates when he fights and there are videos out there on YouTube available. And, he's a right shot, which is also appealing, especially if he can boost his offensive numbers from the 4 goals and 18 points he got last season. Right-shooting offensive 'D' are rarer commodities than their left-shot counterparts, so in Bell's case as our friends north of the border would say, "Bonus, eh?!"
Bell has two goals and three points in two games for the Pats this season. He tallied the lone Regina goal in their 3-1 loss to the Brandon Wheat Kings today.
Here's a look at his first WHL goal last season, also scored incidentally, against the Wheaties:
Sunday, August 22, 2010
B2011DW's Official WHL Watch List
Hope you all enjoyed the OHL player preview yesterday. Talked to NHL and independent sources about the WHL this season, and this is what they had to share with me in terms of players to keep an eye on.
1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C Red Deer Rebels: Clearly the cream of the WHL draft-eligible crop right now, the "Nuge" has proven himself to be a scoring savant. He led Canada to an unprecedented 15th gold medal at the Ivan Hlinka tournament this month, and then did himself more favors at the NHL's R & D camp this week, showing off his high-end speed, hands and overall scoring chops. He was a finalist for the CHL's rookie of the year honors, missing out to Matt Puempel, but Nugent-Hopkins appears to have eclipsed the OHL forward this summer given his tremendous international showing and outstanding upside. He's got an explosive burst and the ability to slide in and out of skating lanes effortlessly. His hands are made of gold and when the puck is on his stick, he's always a danger. The gold medal-winning shot he put past Steve Michalek from the outside would not have been stopped by most NHL goalies-- hard, high and up where not many could get it. The knock? He's only average-sized (6-0, 160) and doesn't have the functional strength right now that would make him the undisputed No. 1 player in the draft, but this kid is going to give Sean Couturier and Adam Larsson (both of whom are a few months older as late '92s) a run for their money at the top of the 2011 class (Red Line Report has him at No. 3 in their August rankings, the first for the 2010-11 season). "He's got everything: speed, he can shoot and create for his linemates," said one NHL scout who covers the WHL. "He's smallish. His build reminds me of Kyle Turris; he's going to have to eat a lot of porterhouse steaks."
2. David Musil, D Vancouver Giants: If size and athleticism were all that counted, Musil would be at the head of the class. Both parents are former world class professional athletes, with dad, Frantisek, having patrolled NHL blue lines (now a scout for the Edmonton Oilers) after defecting from Czechoslovakia when that country was still behind the iron curtain, while mother, Andrea Holikova (Bobby Holik's older sister) was a tennis pro and comes from a highly accomplished and competitive family of parents and brothers who all played pro sports in their native country. In a little irony, it was Andrea who escaped to North America first, and actually attended the 1989 NHL Draft, going onstage to receive her younger brother's Hartford Whalers jersey when that team made Holik the 10th overall selection. Musil at 6-3, 190 has the size and frame to be a monster when he fills out. He's extremely agile and skilled on his skates and has an interesting backstory in terms of how he ended up in Vancouver last season. Born and raised in the Czech Republic, his parents moved to Vancouver and the Giants, catching wind of this, listed Musil as a local player per their right, setting off a firestorm of controversy as other WHL teams (and even some outside the CHL) lodged complaints given that he had not been drafted in the WHL bantam draft and was technically a European and subject to the CHL's import draft rules. To resolve the WHL conflicts there was a drawing, and the Kootenay Ice were "awarded" Musil's rights. However, it was made clear that with his folks living in Vancouver, he would not report to the WHL frontier town and would return to the Czech Republic. Therefore a deal was struck between the Ice and Giants to keep him in Vancouver. Now that you know the backstory, you can keep an eye on this big, powerful, skilled defenseman who physically has everything you look for in a player, but may not have the natural instincts and intangibles to be the sum of his very impressive parts. Time will tell, but as of now, he deserves consideration in the top-five of the 2011 draft class.
3. Shane McColgan, RW Kelowna Rockets: Like Beau Bennett and Emerson Etem, McColgan is a Southern California kid who has gone north of the border and will likely earn a high draft grade in June. Although undersized (5-10, 160), McColgan is an explosive skater with high-end elusiveness and terrific hands to handle the puck in traffic and create offense on the fly. An injury prevented him from competing for Team USA in Slovakia this month, and the Americans certainly missed his scoring prowess. He's been on a lot of scouts' watch lists since he joined the Rockets late in the 2009 campaign, and after his first full WHL campaign, has done nothing to dissuade anyone of the opinion that he's a first-round caliber prospect even though he has a lot of work to do on his strength and overall conditioning before he's ready to challenge for an NHL job. "He's small, but super skilled," said an NHL scout who's seen him since he came into the Dub. "In terms of scoring ability, he's not that far away from (Nugent-Hopkins), but he's smaller and that's a consideration."
4. Jesse Forsberg, D Prince George Cougars: Although this rugged rearguard does not possess ideal size (6-0, 195), he's a nice skater and plays a solid two-way game. He likes to hit and take the body and moves the puck pretty well, though wouldn't at present be considered a high-end offensive defenseman but more of a safe second-pairing 'D' who is a complete player in all zones. His younger brother was just the top bantam pick in the WHL for the Cougars, so there is some natural talent in the family and the two will hopefully get some time together on the blue line there. "He's a very physical, well-rounded player-- there's a lot to like there," said the NHL scout. "You wish he was a couple of inches taller, but he's skilled and intelligent, so you can see he has the ability to compensate for the lack of height and reach."
5. Duncan Siemens, D Saskatoon Blades: About as young as you can get with a September 11, 1993 birthdate, Siemens is also the kind of intriguing player with some rough edges you would expect from a player with size (6-3, 196) who is still growing into his body. A key contributor for Canada at the Ivan Hlinka, he skates pretty well in a straight line, but has issues with his footwork, agility and pivots/turns. Siemens is at his best when keeping it safe and simple. Plays with a real physical edge and can be mean and nasty when he wants to. His puck skills are average to below-average and what could keep him from cracking the first round, but at present, he has the size and potential to be a solid second-rounder with the chance to move up if he can improve his mobility and puck handling, because he's big, smart, aggressive and has the ability to do things at both ends of the ice. "He plays pretty mean," the NHL scout said. "He can do a bit with the puck, though. He's not an offensive whiz or as smooth as Musil or Forsberg, but he's got some upside."
6. Reece Scarlett, D Swift Current Broncos: Some scouts really like this guy (RLR, who have him 15th on their August list) and some not as much. Just about everyone I talked to recognizes his high-end talent that could see him land somewhere in the top-20 come draft time, but a few have expressed misgivings about his consistency and ability to put it all together enough between now and June. Another great name to go along with Boone Jenner, Scarlett will be one of the more watched players this season because of his impressive tool box. A skinny beanpole who has to put on another 40-50 pounds before he'll have the functional size for his 6-1 frame, he's a mobile skater who can activate quickly and jump into the play with ease. The lack of strength became evident in Slovakia, as RLR said that Scarlett was bulled over by bigger, stronger players and had trouble keeping containment down low. However, with his speed and puck skills, he's a project worth following. "He's a legit high-end talent with some first round potential," the NHL scout said. "He looked good last year at the Under-17s and is a finesse d-man who needs to put it together. The raw skill is there, but he needs a lot of work."
7. Adam Lowry, LW Swift Current Broncos: Although not as talented as teammate Scarlett, Lowry is the kind of player who could, through sheer will and determination, earn a higher draft position when all is said and done. At 6-2, 165 pounds, he has a lot of filling out to do, but already plays a big man's game with some real sandpaper and anger. His skating needs to get a lot better, and he didn't have the greatest Ivan Hlinka, so we're talking a work in progress here. It's a cliche, but this relentless forward is the kind of kid who will go through a wall for his coaches and teammates, and even though he's got a slight build, brings a lot of force and physicality with him wherever he goes. His hands and instincts aren't as developed as Ryan Kesler at the same age, but Lowry is a player who reminds some scouts of the gritty Vancouver forward, who is far more valuable than his modest stats line would indicate. "He's a big banger who loves to go into the dirty areas of the ice and actually has some pretty decent hands," the NHL scout said. "I wouldn't go so far as to say he's as good as Kesler was at the same stage, but the way he works along the walls and in front of his net reminds me of the same kind of player. If he can bring some offense this season, people will take notice."
8. Ty Rattie, RW Portland Winterhawks: Portland doesn't have a Fab three this year as they did in 2010 with Ryan Johansen, Nino Niederreiter and Brad Ross, but Rattie will bring the scouts out west to Oregon once again in 2011. This small, but skilled winger can move and create, showing a deft touch with the puck. He doesn't have the kind of blinding speed some small guys possess, but he's got some fine edge control and can really scoot laterally. The size and lack of strength is a problem for him when he goes into heavy traffic or tries to take the puck to the net; relies on quick hands and individual moves to gain penetration.
9. Myles Bell, D Regina Pats: This offensive defender is an interesting player to watch because he's pretty accomplished at advancing the puck and setting up plays, but is below average defensively. The question with this kind of player then becomes: is his offensive talent good enough to overcome the defensive issues which could make him a liability at crunch time? This is the question that Mike Green has answered in the affirmative for Washington, and while Bell is not the pure talent Green is, it is still the kind of problem set that will come up in scout meetings across the NHL's Original 30 this season. Bell is a pretty good skater with decent acceleration, but doesn't have some of the high-end speed you want from an offensive d-man. RLR feels that he's the rare player who is a better skater with the puck on his stick than without, however. He has nice vision and a touch on the puck, which allows him to send forwards out on the jailbreak play with relative ease. He's not tall, but squat and strong with powerful lower leg drive and a willingness to stick his nose in. Has a booming shot that he can get off quickly from the point. Probably should be higher on this list based on his upside, so we'll see. It's only August, after all, and he only just turned 17 this month.
10. Colin Jacobs, C Seattle Thunderbirds: Power center is another interesting prospect to come out of the non-traditional hockey hotbed of Texas. Possessing very nice size (6-2, 195), he's a solid skater who doesn't possess high-end offensive skills, but will play a hard-nosed game and likes to get involved physically. Red Line Report did a very nice in-depth feature on him in their August issue, but if you want to know more about him, you'll have to subscribe, or hope that Kyle Woodlief shares some info. on the youngster in one of his gratis USA Today columns
2012 draft watch: Ryan Murray, D Everett Silvertips: (H/T to Jerome from Montreal who pointed out that Murray is a late-September 1993 birthdate and therefore ineligible for the 2011 draft. A shame that he missed the September 15 cutoff by less than two weeks) This is a decent two-way defenseman who doesn't flash a lot of high-end ability, but by certain accounts, is pretty safe. He played a solid game at the Ivan Hlinka and according to RLR, is "the type of player a coach can trust." Moves the puck well and shows some power play potential, but keeps things simple and doesn't attract a lot of attention when he goes about his business. Could be someone who moves up draft boards because of his solid skill set, or he might not gain much upward mobility because of the lack of flash. Keep an eye out on this one.
2013 draft watch: Hudson Fasching, C Apple Valley H.S.: Might as well preview another big, promising young power forward who will be eligible in three years' time. Fasching really turned heads at the Select-15 Festival last month. At 6-3, 190 the Minnesota machine already one big hoss who skates well and drives the net with impunity. Unstoppable force with excellent hands who can beat you any way he wants. Like Brandon Saad and Seth Ambroz back in 2008, he's emerged as a dominant presence on the U.S. scene and we expect that two years from now, he'll be headlining posts as we prepare for the 2012-13 campaign and are analyzing the high-end prospects for that class.
Other WHLers to watch
Marek Tvrdon, LW Vancouver
Mitch Topping, D Chilliwack
Kale Kessy, LW Medicine Hat
Sven Bartschi, LW Portland
Michael St. Croix, C Edmonton
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Ivan Hlinka roundup Day 3: Canada rolls in Group B, USA, Sweden, Czechs also in the semi-final
Team Canada continued its dominance in the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament Wednesday in Slovakia, thrashing the host team by a 6-1 score to go 3-0 in the tournament.
The Canadians won it thanks to a pair of first period goals from defensemen Duncan Siemens and Scott Harrington, which gave them a 2-0 lead before Matt Puempel, Myles Bell and Boone Jenner (two goals) closed out the scoring. Puempel and Siemens also added helpers to the scoresheet, while Garett Meurs and David Broll each had two assists on the game.
Team USA closed out Finland to move to 2-1and win the Group A round robin while dropping their opponent out of medal contention with a 5-2 victory today. Cason Hohmann had another two point contest with a goal and an assist, John Gaudreau scored for the second straight contest. Justin Selman, Tanner Sorensen and Sean Kuraly also scored for the Americans. Connor Murphy (two assists) paced the USA blue liners in scoring today. USA got a solid performance in net from Nutmeg stater Steven Michalek, who made 26 stops. Markus Granlund had one of Finland's goals in the loss, Robert Leino the other.
Sweden blasted the Swiss to earn a spot in the semifinal round against the USA on Friday, topping their opponent 7-1. Oscar Klefbom (four assists) Pontus Åberg (3 points- too bad he's a 2012-eligible or the Swedish class would be even more insane this year), Joachim Nemark and Mika Zibanejad paced the Tri Kronor assault, who popped in the first four goals of the game and cruised from there.
The Czech Republic defeated Team Russia 3-2 to eliminate them from medal contention, again leaving the highly-skilled Russians to wonder why they weren't more successful in this tournament, where talented individuals couldn't do enough to form a team dynamic. The Czechs will hope goalie Jaroslav Pavelka can be as sharp against Canada as he was today. On paper, they don't have the talent and ability of Canada, but they did take them to OT in the exhibition round, and could pull an upset if they can pull it together for 60 strong minutes.
The Canadians won it thanks to a pair of first period goals from defensemen Duncan Siemens and Scott Harrington, which gave them a 2-0 lead before Matt Puempel, Myles Bell and Boone Jenner (two goals) closed out the scoring. Puempel and Siemens also added helpers to the scoresheet, while Garett Meurs and David Broll each had two assists on the game.
Team USA closed out Finland to move to 2-1and win the Group A round robin while dropping their opponent out of medal contention with a 5-2 victory today. Cason Hohmann had another two point contest with a goal and an assist, John Gaudreau scored for the second straight contest. Justin Selman, Tanner Sorensen and Sean Kuraly also scored for the Americans. Connor Murphy (two assists) paced the USA blue liners in scoring today. USA got a solid performance in net from Nutmeg stater Steven Michalek, who made 26 stops. Markus Granlund had one of Finland's goals in the loss, Robert Leino the other.
Sweden blasted the Swiss to earn a spot in the semifinal round against the USA on Friday, topping their opponent 7-1. Oscar Klefbom (four assists) Pontus Åberg (3 points- too bad he's a 2012-eligible or the Swedish class would be even more insane this year), Joachim Nemark and Mika Zibanejad paced the Tri Kronor assault, who popped in the first four goals of the game and cruised from there.
The Czech Republic defeated Team Russia 3-2 to eliminate them from medal contention, again leaving the highly-skilled Russians to wonder why they weren't more successful in this tournament, where talented individuals couldn't do enough to form a team dynamic. The Czechs will hope goalie Jaroslav Pavelka can be as sharp against Canada as he was today. On paper, they don't have the talent and ability of Canada, but they did take them to OT in the exhibition round, and could pull an upset if they can pull it together for 60 strong minutes.
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