The 2011 World Under-18 Championship is in the books, and Team USA achieved a first- winning three consecutive gold medals for the first time in USA Hockey history.
The 2009 squad did it on home soil in North Dakota, winning gold mainly thanks to 17-year-old Jack Campbell's arrival on the international stage as a force to be reckoned with, the precursor to the following season when he would capture championships at the 2010 Under-20 and again the Under-18 tourney in Belarus.
This time, the USA team, not considered by most as exceptional as the force of nature that blew through the field a year ago, got the goaltending from new star John Gibson, and then a host of balanced, opportunistic two-way play by the rest of the team led by forwards J.T. Miller (leading scorer with 13 points in six games), Reid Boucher (top goal-getter with eight), Robbie Russo (captain and strong two-way performance- eight points, +5 rating) and of course, the heroics of Rocco Grimaldi, who may not have shot out the lights on the scoreboard, but made myriad contributions to the championship in other areas.
Still, Team Sweden came to within just 1:29 of capturing that country's first gold medal in Under-18 tournament history (remarkable that the Tre Kronor have never accomplished this feat given Sweden's status as a two-time Olympic champion and global hockey power).
The defense corps, led by Jonas Brodin and captain Oscar Klefbom, performed in outstanding fashion throughout the tourney. Along with Rasmus Bengtsson and Albin Blomkvist, they formed one of the most effective top-four back line units you will see in hockey. The Swedish D didn't make many mistakes, but unfortunately when they did, it resulted in a spectacularly devastating loss at the hands of the Americans in overtime.
Russia captured bronze, and got a ridiculous offensive explosion from forward Nikita Kucherov, scoring 11 goals and 21 points in just 8 games. It was Alexander Ovechkin-like production, and the enigmatic winger certainly succeeded in raising his stock for the 2011 draft. Just how much, remains to be seen, however. More on Kucherov later.
Other big stories for the Russians were the performances of 2012 eligibles Nail Yakupov (6 goals, 13 points) and Mikhail Grigorenko (4 goals, 18 points) in seven games. Yakupov started slowly, but came on strong in the final couple of games of the the preliminary round and in the last two against Sweden and Canada. Grigorenko was consistently excellent throughout, and we could be looking at a possible 1-2 Russian class of Yakupov and Grigorenko or vice versa just as we saw in 2004 with Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin.
Of course, if Canadian stud defender Ryan Murray has anything to say about it, he'll crash the top-two party in 2012. He was tremendous as the captain and as a stalwart dual-threat on the back end. Although Ryan Murphy won top defenseman honors with a brilliant 13-point performance to set a Team Canada scoring record (that's right- forwards too- Murphy scored more points than any Canadian player in U18 tourney history- wow!), it took Murphy's four-point day in a losing cause for the bronze medal to secure the honors, otherwise, it just might have been Murray.
Once again, the history of the U18 tourney having positive and negative effects on the upcoming draft class proved true, and scouts are no doubt eagerly anticipating the race to 2012, with so many intriguing story lines emerging in Germany.
Now, let's look at some players who helped and hurt themselves in this tournament in our view. We can't dedicate this space to each and every one, so consider this the cliff's notes version.
Risers
Nikita Kucherov, F Russia- We're going to start calling him "Midas" because everything he touched turned to gold. Unbelievable offensive performance by one of the more skilled prospects in the entire class, but who hurt his standing this season by looking disinterested and acting at times petulant in earlier tournaments. Kucherov saved his best for last, putting on a tour-de-force that no doubt will have some NHL teams who do not fear drafting out of Europe readjusting their previous thinking on him. Before the tourney we would have thought there was no way Kucherov would be a first-round pick, but if you're a club picking in the final few spots of this draft, why wouldn't try to swing for the fences? If he does drop into the second, the wait won't be a long one. Showed enough game-breaking speed, quick hands and an absolutely serial killer instinct when it came to finishing off chances.
Ryan Murphy, D Canada- When you've been one of the most talked-about prospects for the top-10 of the NHL draft all season, is it actually possible to raise your stock? Well, the Aurora, Ontario native and Kitchener Rangers star did it in Germany. The production was record-setting in itself, but it was how Murphy scored the points that had tongues a-wagging. Whether firing up the ice like he had rockets on his skates, or slithering through defenses while showing off several gears and superlative edge control/balance or making 360-degree spin moves and blind passes on the stick tape of teammates, Murphy was as dynamic as they come. Bruins fans who were hoping he would fall to the ninth spot now can only hope that if he is Boston's target, that the team can move up to secure him, because we just don't see him dropping very far out of the top-five (if at all even) after the kind of season, OHL playoffs and now Under-18 performance he just had. In fact, B2011DW wouldn't be at all surprised if the New Jersey Devils grabbed him as high as fourth overall. Sure, it will depend on who drops to them, but for a team who knew exactly what it had with Scott Niedermayer for over a decade, this kid's high-end offensive chops aren't far off.
J.T. Miller, C USA- One of the bigger disappointments this season for the U.S. NTDP because his production never seemed to be commensurate with his excellent physical tools, Miller finally broke through with the kind of dominant, consistent scoring performance scouts have been waiting for. The 6-1 center from Ohio scored four goals (and some big ones at that) and was a consistent passer and playmaker. The top line of Miller, Boucher and Grimaldi gave other teams fits throughout the tourney and Miller was often the one who found himself with the time and space to make things happen with. To his credit, he did. It helped to have a linemate in Boucher who was shooting the lights out in critical situations, but Miller looked and played like a solid first-round pick. Someone who liked his tools but was concerned with the lack of production just might have seen enough to grab him top-20. Even if he slips out of that bracket, we can't imagine he'd miss on the opening 30 picks. Too much talent and upside there.
Jonas Brodin, D Sweden- The controller; we were pretty impressed at how smoothly and effectively Brodin took charge of the Swedish defense corps, turning them into the prettiest transition unit in the entire field. The way Sweden broke out of their end was poetry in motion, and it all started with Brodin who isn't a flashy player (just one assist in four games), but seems to see the ice and think many steps ahead of everyone else like a chess grandmaster. He's got the head and feet to orchestrate the attack, even if he lacks the strength and overpowering shot to be a big point getter. If intelligent puck movers are at a premium, then don't expect Brodin to last very long on June 24th- he's slick and when it comes down to it, a pretty commanding presence. He doesn't get enough credit for what he brings to the table in our view.
Mark Scheifele, C Canada- Young colt lived up to his Barrie namesake with a very good offensive performance. Scored one of the more memorable goals of anyone in the tourney against Finland when he read a bungled pass, split the defense, fought off a hook from behind and still managed to put the puck in the net with a nice backhand deke. 6-3 guys don't typically move the way he does with that ability to separate, so there is a lot of raw material to work with. At about 175, he's nowhere near as strong as he needs to be. However, he more than solidified a first-round draft grade in our view. He's a poor man's Ryan Johansen at this stage we feel- won't go as high, but his progress and potentially high ceiling will see him picked ahead of other higher-profile players who are bigger names and have been in draft discussions longer. Classic guy who came into the U18s with some questions to answer and passed with flying colors. Happens every year.
Joel Armia, F Finland- Took charge up front for Finland and proved himself a solid first-round selection with his offensive performance. His big frame needs work to add mass and strength, but he's got a long stride and the ability to generate speed and separation. He's still a little gangly and not overly strong on his skates, but getting there. A vicious killer between the hashmarks- wants the puck and knows what to do with it when he gets it. One of the best pure goal scorers in the draft and impressed us with his vision and playmaking skills in this tourney as well. Creative and a better puck distributor than we gave him credit for. Not very physical, but not a soft player, either. Uses his trunk and long limbs to create space and bull his way to the net. Doesn't speak English very well yet, but uses two very important words often: "puck" and "score". His effort without the puck is what is holding him back from a top-10 selection in our view. He can be lackadaisical and is inconsistent in his backchecking efforts. If its a maturity thing, he could be a homerun pick, but if he's only motivated offensively, then he's a one-dimensional guy and may never be as good a player as he should be.
Victor Rask, C Sweden- Got his sliding value going in the other direction with a very good preliminary round performance, especially against Canada to earn the top seed in group. Big, offensively-savy centerman who isn't a great skater but gets from point A to B well enough. He'll get more balanced and stronger on his skates, and while he'll never be a speed demon, he goes to the net with some power. Soft hands for passing and can unleash a good, heavy shot. Not much of a showing against the USA in the gold medal game, but we're grading the overall tournament performance and he did some nice things reminiscent of what scouts were expecting from him after his performance in this same tournament a year ago. Will some team take him in the 1st round? Possibly- don't bet against it. However, his season overall is still a disappointment given the expectations he had coming in. Good rebound, but he won't get anywhere near the bounce of a Kucherov, for example.
Reid Boucher, F USA- Gutsy little scorer found the back of the net eight times in the tournament, which wasn't at the top of the charts, but his timing was tremendous. Michigan State recruit is undersized and not all that fast a skater, but he more than makes up with it for his natural anticipation and knack for finding open ice and a wicked shot that he can unleash from anywhere. He did this at the Five Nations in February and raised a few eyebrows, but the encore performance on an even bigger stage should have done enough to see him secure second-round status. Scorers like Boucher don't grow on trees, and while he's not the showman Grimaldi is in terms of being noticeable on every shift, he's highly dangerous and just knows how to be clutch. Also led his team in plus/minus with +9, so he's responsible defensively and kills penalties, too. One of Ron Rolston's go-to guys who delivered.
John Gibson, G USA- What more can we say about this guy that we haven't already? Super size, quickness and technique. Makes things look easy when they aren't. But the best thing about him is his calm and poise. He weathered the storm of a Canada comeback yesterday to secure an overtime win, then hung in with his team down a couple of goals to make every stop the rest of the way in yet another overtime victory to clinch gold. We were looking for him to step out from behind Campbell's international shadow, and the Pittsburgh native did precisely that. Awesome performance from the tournament's top netminder, and he's all but sewn up status as the first goaltender off the board in June.
Robbie Russo, D USA- It's no secret that B2011DW was pretty critical of Russo's performance during earlier viewings of him this season, and we weren't hearing great things about him from sources either. But, he pulled it together in time to have an excellent tournament befitting of some of the hype. He's headed to Notre Dame next season and should make a pretty immediate impact if he plays in the NCAA like he did in Germany. Smart, crisp puck mover all tournament long and worked with Connor Murphy to set up the winning goal against Sweden. Wasn't as strong as the tourney went on as he was in the beginning, but what can we say? He at least looked like the PMD some circles were hyping him as.
Connor Murphy, D USA- This was a make-or-break tourney for Murphy to land in the top-60 and he looks to have made it. Big, talented two-way defender who won't put up a ton of points, but is an effective point man with a big shot. Miami University recruit is staying in his home state to play for the Redhawks, and the only real questions he needs to answer are ones about his durability. Kid can play and looks to have more offensive potential than his dad, Gord, who was a solid NHL stay-at-homer in his day.
Dmitrij Jaskin, F CZE- Power winger helped himself with four goals in five games, showing off his wicked release and powerful shot. Heavy feet, yes, but competes hard and is a physical player with a North American flavor to his game already. Below average skaters always have it in tough to make it in the NHL, which is a skating man's league, but when they are big, strong, intelligent and passionate about the game the way Jaskin is, they usually find a way to make it. If he could get a little faster he has top-six potential for sure.
Fallers
Tyler Biggs, F USA- Tough tournament for a kid who is unfairly becoming a whipping boy, but we also have to call it the way we see it. He hurt his team with way too many penalties. Now in fairness, some of the calls that went against him were the classic- he's bigger (no pun intended) than the other guy and the hits looked worse than they were- type infractions that tend to get whistled more during international play. However, he also took his share of lazy, undisciplined calls and that's what drives us crazy. The roughing call he took against Canada just after Boucher made it 4-1 was particularly galling because it was completely unnecessary and also sparked that team's comeback. Biggs is a powerful skater with a heavy shot, but we didn't see him creating much on his own offensively other than scoring the winning goal against Canada in OT that several onlookers felt goaltender Malcolm Subban should have stopped. Biggs was unfairly rated too high by Central scouting at mid-term and he's the easy target right now because he didn't produce consistently while others on his squad did. Right or wrong, fair or unfair- it is what it is.
Joachim Nermark, F SWE- Ugh. Just a disappointing showing for a guy who was tremendous at the Ivan Hlinka but has been all downhill since. One goal in five games...invisible against the USA. One scout we talked to said, 'We have no use for him." Ouch. He may yet be a top-60 pick because of what he did in Slovakia, but we wouldn't touch him in that range based on what we saw here. Risky pick and we're not even sure of the payoff. Did not help himself at all.
Samu Perhonen, G FIN- Brutal is a polite way to put this promising netminder's performance. He was shaky from jump street against Canada and never recovered, stopping a putrid 87.5% of his shots and going 2-2 in the process. We thought this cat would challenge Gibson for top netminder honors at the 2011 draft, and now we don't even think Perhonen will be the first European picked (Magnus Hellberg). He's still a top-two or three-round pick, but after seeing him and Gibson in the same competition, they seem light years apart. Perhonen's lack of poise was what was particularly troublesome- just couldn't seem to make the big save when his team needed it. However, Perhonen still has the size and athletic ability/upside to be a high-end stopper in the NHL one day. If he slides, that could be great news for the team that grabs him.
Reece Scarlett, D CAN- Has showed some impressive traits and potential in flashes, but this was a tough tourney for the WHL defender. He's not where he needs to be in terms of his physical development and strength. He also made some bad pinches and decisions that proved costly. Seemed hesitant at times and was caught in no man's land. Real smooth stride and mobility, but in this game, that split second delayed reaction will burn you even if you skate well. He wasn't quite ready for primetime and opponents exploited him.
Daniel Catenacci, F CAN- Just two assists for this speedy, skilled and even dynamic forward were a major disappointment. Capable of so much more, yet went invisible for long stretches. On top of that, took a lot of bad penalties and never could seem to get out of his own way. All of this from a guy some on the internet are talking about as a potential first-rounder in June? We don't think so. Soo Greyhounds teammate Nick Cousins skated circles around him (4-4-8) and was one of the guys who emerged as a big-time clutch performer.
Miikka Salomaki, F FIN- We weren't very impressed with this guy's NHL upside, but kept hearing that teams were keeping an eye out for him. Well, after watching him at the WJC over the winter and on video at the U18s, we can't see him being a top-three round pick. He might get there, but that could be a mistake. Doesn't do anything particularly well, and just seems like a solid Euro leaguer and nothing more.
B2011DW will be back with a look at some sleepers who may have emerged from the shadows a bit, and even if some were more known, appear to have the inside track on hearing their names called in Minnesota.
*(Not affiliated with the Boston Bruins or the New England Hockey Journal)
Showing posts with label Nikita Kucherov. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nikita Kucherov. Show all posts
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Three-peat for USA at World Under-18s
Defenseman Connor Murphy had the game of his young life, scoring twice including an overtime strike to give Team USA a come-from-behind sudden death victory over Sweden by a 4-3 score.
The goal had a little controversy in that it was scored as an American power play expired. Swedish captain Oscar Klefbom was called for holding when he took down Rocco Grimaldi as the little dynamo drove to the net for a scoring chance.
Murphy rifled a blast into the far side past netminder Niklas Lundstrom after his initial drive was blocked. When the puck bounced right back onto his stick, he re-cocked and fired, catching Lundstrom on his knees in anticipation of the initial shot. The goaltender may have been screened by the prone defenseman and didn't see the puck come screaming off of Murphy's stick until it was too late to react.
USA never led in the contest, falling behind in the first period on an early goal by Filip Forsberg. '94 defenseman Jacob Trouba tied the game with just eight seconds left in the opening frame with his only goal of the tourney.
Sweden got it going later in the second when Albin Blomkvist took a pass at the point, stepped up into the zone and ripped a hard wrist shot that beat goaltender John Gibson high to the glove side. Moments later, Gustav Björklund took a drop pass on a Sweden rush and fired it home to give his team what looked like an insurmountable 3-1 lead with 20 minutes left.
However, Murphy started the comeback with a score in the first two minutes of the final period to give the Americans hope. Although they had chances, they couldn't solve Lundstrom as time bled off the final clock and it appeared that Sweden would grab its first-ever Under-18 gold medal.
However, with just 1:29 left in the game, Reid Boucher, whose name was synonymous with "clutch" all tournament long, took a J.T. Miller pass, broke into the clear on a 2-on-1, and wired the puck into the net to send the game to overtime.
When Murphy scored, he secured USA Hockey's first-ever three-peat at the IIHF's Under-18 Championship. Coach Ron Rolston also earned his third gold medal.
For Sweden, it was a tough way to lose- getting called in overtime, but they played with fire all game, taking Grimaldi down in several cases, and not getting called for it. While one might argue that the penalties should have been called then and not in OT, the flip side of that argument is that the Swedes knew they were playing a dangerous game. By continuing to test the referees' patience, they finally got burned.
Miller, Gibson and defenseman/team captain Robbie Russo were named Team USA's three best players for the tournament, while Gibson also earned all-tournament honors as top goalie. Ryan Murphy (Canada) and Nikita Kucherov were named top defenseman and forward.
In any case, B2011DW salutes Team USA and all the teams for an excellent tournament. We will have more in-depth player recaps and observations to bring you in the coming days, but for now, the focus will shift back to the CHL playoffs, with all major junior leagues playing their respective semifinal series.
The goal had a little controversy in that it was scored as an American power play expired. Swedish captain Oscar Klefbom was called for holding when he took down Rocco Grimaldi as the little dynamo drove to the net for a scoring chance.
Murphy rifled a blast into the far side past netminder Niklas Lundstrom after his initial drive was blocked. When the puck bounced right back onto his stick, he re-cocked and fired, catching Lundstrom on his knees in anticipation of the initial shot. The goaltender may have been screened by the prone defenseman and didn't see the puck come screaming off of Murphy's stick until it was too late to react.
USA never led in the contest, falling behind in the first period on an early goal by Filip Forsberg. '94 defenseman Jacob Trouba tied the game with just eight seconds left in the opening frame with his only goal of the tourney.
Sweden got it going later in the second when Albin Blomkvist took a pass at the point, stepped up into the zone and ripped a hard wrist shot that beat goaltender John Gibson high to the glove side. Moments later, Gustav Björklund took a drop pass on a Sweden rush and fired it home to give his team what looked like an insurmountable 3-1 lead with 20 minutes left.
However, Murphy started the comeback with a score in the first two minutes of the final period to give the Americans hope. Although they had chances, they couldn't solve Lundstrom as time bled off the final clock and it appeared that Sweden would grab its first-ever Under-18 gold medal.
However, with just 1:29 left in the game, Reid Boucher, whose name was synonymous with "clutch" all tournament long, took a J.T. Miller pass, broke into the clear on a 2-on-1, and wired the puck into the net to send the game to overtime.
When Murphy scored, he secured USA Hockey's first-ever three-peat at the IIHF's Under-18 Championship. Coach Ron Rolston also earned his third gold medal.
For Sweden, it was a tough way to lose- getting called in overtime, but they played with fire all game, taking Grimaldi down in several cases, and not getting called for it. While one might argue that the penalties should have been called then and not in OT, the flip side of that argument is that the Swedes knew they were playing a dangerous game. By continuing to test the referees' patience, they finally got burned.
Miller, Gibson and defenseman/team captain Robbie Russo were named Team USA's three best players for the tournament, while Gibson also earned all-tournament honors as top goalie. Ryan Murphy (Canada) and Nikita Kucherov were named top defenseman and forward.
In any case, B2011DW salutes Team USA and all the teams for an excellent tournament. We will have more in-depth player recaps and observations to bring you in the coming days, but for now, the focus will shift back to the CHL playoffs, with all major junior leagues playing their respective semifinal series.
Friday, April 22, 2011
World Under-18 Semifinals Saturday: USA-Canada, Sweden-Russia
The big-four hockey powers are all in the World Under-18 Championship dance!
USA is attempting to win three U18 gold medals for the first time in history, but it won't be easy. Though Germany pushed Canada to the brink, Soo Greyhounds forward Nick Cousins continued his excellent play in the tourney with a late power play goal with less than five minutes left to propel Canada into the final-four, 4-3.
Russia smoked Finland by a 5-2 score, with defenseman Andrey Pedan getting a pair of assists, while forward Nikita Kucherov continued his tourney-leading points assault with a goal and helper. Kucherov is tremendously talented, but has been graded down for diving and effort concerns this season. We've not seen much of that in the tourney, however. He's been the real straw stirring the drink for the Russians. Pedan is more of a project, a big kid at about 6-5 who can skate and shoot, but played a very conservative game for Guelph of the OHL this season. He's been more active offensively on the bigger ice surfaces of the U18s and is the kind of raw prospect with impressive physical tools who could be worth a look in the third round.
Sweden will take on the Russians, and you have to like the Swedish defensive group. Led by Jonas Brodin, they also boast some studs in Oscar Klefbom and Rasmus Bengtsson and small but skilled Karl Johansson. It will be Russia's high octane offense led by Kucherov and also featuring Nail Yakupov and Maxim Shalunov against Sweden's mobile, heady and dangerous blue line corps. Can't wait!
The Americans have been off since Tuesday when they beat Germany to go 4-0-0-0 in the round robin. This is a tough challenge for them, because like the WJC U20 team who cruised, they have yet to go up against a squad in the tourney with the kind of size and power along with some smaller speed and skill players like Cousins, Daniel Catenacci and high-flying defenseman Ryan Murphy.
USA will need a terrific game from John Gibson to advance to the gold medal game, but they have no shortage of gamers who have managed to alternately grab the ring and be heroes when the team has needed it. One player who has yet to make much of an impact is winger Tyler Biggs. Getting some offense going against Canada would be a good spot for him to start.
USA is attempting to win three U18 gold medals for the first time in history, but it won't be easy. Though Germany pushed Canada to the brink, Soo Greyhounds forward Nick Cousins continued his excellent play in the tourney with a late power play goal with less than five minutes left to propel Canada into the final-four, 4-3.
Russia smoked Finland by a 5-2 score, with defenseman Andrey Pedan getting a pair of assists, while forward Nikita Kucherov continued his tourney-leading points assault with a goal and helper. Kucherov is tremendously talented, but has been graded down for diving and effort concerns this season. We've not seen much of that in the tourney, however. He's been the real straw stirring the drink for the Russians. Pedan is more of a project, a big kid at about 6-5 who can skate and shoot, but played a very conservative game for Guelph of the OHL this season. He's been more active offensively on the bigger ice surfaces of the U18s and is the kind of raw prospect with impressive physical tools who could be worth a look in the third round.
Sweden will take on the Russians, and you have to like the Swedish defensive group. Led by Jonas Brodin, they also boast some studs in Oscar Klefbom and Rasmus Bengtsson and small but skilled Karl Johansson. It will be Russia's high octane offense led by Kucherov and also featuring Nail Yakupov and Maxim Shalunov against Sweden's mobile, heady and dangerous blue line corps. Can't wait!
The Americans have been off since Tuesday when they beat Germany to go 4-0-0-0 in the round robin. This is a tough challenge for them, because like the WJC U20 team who cruised, they have yet to go up against a squad in the tourney with the kind of size and power along with some smaller speed and skill players like Cousins, Daniel Catenacci and high-flying defenseman Ryan Murphy.
USA will need a terrific game from John Gibson to advance to the gold medal game, but they have no shortage of gamers who have managed to alternately grab the ring and be heroes when the team has needed it. One player who has yet to make much of an impact is winger Tyler Biggs. Getting some offense going against Canada would be a good spot for him to start.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
World Under-18 Championship Day 4: USA- Russia observations
Reid Boucher ripped a shot into the top corner of the net with just 21 seconds left as Team USA avoided an embarrassing collapse in the third period after holding a 3-1 lead over Team Russia, winning the game by a 4-3 score.
The Americans lead their pool in preliminary round play with a perfect 3-0-0-0 record against Switzerland, Slovakia and Russia, who went 1-1-1-0, needing a shootout to beat Germany yesterday.
J.T. Miller (two goals) was named player of the game for Team USA, while Maxim Shalunov captured the honor for Russia. Although Shalunov played well and gave the Americans fits with his quick stick and ability to go end-to-end, it was a curious selection, given that Nikita Kucherov scored twice including tallying the tying goal with 4:43 left. Top 2012 frontrunner Nail Yakupov posted a three-point night, figuring in all three Russian goals
Defenseman Seth Jones continues to impress with his size, mobility and opportunistic two-way play. That's the good news. The bade news is that he can't be drafted until 2013.
John Gibson gave up three goals, but he also played a money game when it mattered most, in the dying minutes with the score tied 3-3 and in the final 21 seconds when he had to make at least three big saves in close to preserve the lead. He is getting it done, period.
USA closes out the preliminary round against Germany on Tuesday, but by virtue of their sterling record (and Russia needing a shootout to get past the Germans) they have clinched the top record and will get a bye to the semi-finals later this week.
Reid Boucher, F- Pure scorers come in all shapes and sizes, but this one happens to be just 5-10 and about 190 pounds. After Grimaldi, he's the U.S. Under-18 Team's most prolific and consistently dangerous scorer, and the Russians found that out as he sniped a laser from the outside with less than 30 ticks on the clock. It was an NHL shooter's goal...Ilya Bryzgalov could have been between the pipes and he wouldn't have stopped it. Grimaldi won the draw cleanly back to Boucher and positioned five feet outside the left circle, he wired it top corner glove side before poor Andrei Vasilevski could react. This kid has some serious hands and is going to be a real threat for the Michigan State Spartans when he joins them next season.
J.T. Miller, F- Two goals and player of the game honors showed what MIller can accomplish when he's on top of his game. He skates very well, goes to the net hard and protects the puck. His goals were scored as a result of hard work and being in the right place at the right time. He's been one of USA's more productive players in the tournament, and this was what was lacking from him much of the season. Scouts could see his tools/skills, but he simply wasn't finding the back of the net and consistently making his presence known. He was classic "see the sizzle, but where's the steak?" player, but he's putting it together at the right time.
Rocco Grimaldi, F- He didn't find the back of the net today, but Grimaldi had two huge plays in securing the win, both clean faceoff wins. The first came with 22 seconds left in the game, when he beat his man clean and put the puck right in Boucher's wheelhouse for the winning score. The second came with five seconds remaining and the faceoff deep in the USA zone to Gibson's right. Grimaldi again won it cleanly drawing back to the end boards for Jones, who pinned it against the wall and bled the clock (getting a nice crosscheck from a frustrated Russian for his efforts). Even when he doesn't have a big, productive outing, Grimaldi is proving that he can excel in big moments. That Ron Rolston had him out there not only for the winning goal but the decisive defensive faceoff with the game on the line speaks volumes for how this kid is viewed by the coaching staff. Rolston even had him playing the point on the power play with Robbie Russo's unit, working the blueline with Russo while Jones rotated down to the right halfwall most times. The setup paid off for one Miller goal, but Grimaldi didn't have a direct hand in it.
Travis Boyd, F- Another solid game and opportunistic goal from the unheralded forward from Hopkins, Minnesota. He's a darting, quick little guy with the shiftiness and smarts to make things happen at both ends. He's a better shooter than we thought, beating Vasilevski clean with a bullet from the slot, and he also has some creativity, as he scored the shorthanded goal against Slovakia by making the goalie commit and then just using his own speed and momentum to guide the puck into the open space the netminder vacated. It doesn't seem like much, but when you factor in the kind of natural feel it takes to make a play like that at top speed, you have to give the kid credit.
Cole Bardreau, F- Like Boyd (and Boucher and Grimaldi), Bardreau is yet another undersized but effective forward for Team USA. The Fairport, NY native may not have the scoring chops of the other guys, but he's been a defensive stalwart up front for Rolston's boys and is a major factor in the team's success on the PK so far.
Robbie Russo, D- Another superb two-way game from Russo, who has been a fine puck mover and overall presence for USA in all three games. His movement and distribution on the power play today was particularly effective, and he works extremely well in concert with Seth Jones when the two are working the point together. He assisted on Miller's first period power play goal and used his mobility and smarts throughout the game to make strong plays on both offense and defense. We're starting to see where all that second-round talk was coming from.
John Gibson, G- Victimized by a deflection and some scrambly play in front of his own net to see a 3-1 lead disappear, Gibson showed why with goalies it often isn't how many goals you give up but when that matters most. Russia had all the momentum when they tied the game with a little less than five minutes left, but Gibson then locked it down, making several huge saves to keep it tied. One in particular stood out just before Boucher's winning goal, when Gibson stoned Shalunov on a hard, heavy shot that would have likely been the game. Then, after his team took the lead, Gibson turned away several more shots in the final 21 ticks and looked real cool doing it. His 36 saves don't look as great on paper, but this was an immense performance from the University of Michigan recruit.
Maxim Shalunov, F- Player of the game for Russia didn't see the score sheet, but was a going concern all night. He's got very nice size, is a powerful skater and excellent stickhandler. He uses his speed and skill to skate through opposing teams and then has a wicked little release at the end. He was consistently attacking all game long, and scouts have said that if he could find away to keep the switch on all the time, he's be a solid first-rounder. He looked good today, but unfortunately, he spends a good deal of time on cruise control.
Nikita Kucherov, F- The book on Kucherov is pretty simple: small guy, very fast and highly skilled- a game-breaker. But kills it with his attitude, histrionics and lackadaisical play. Today was an example of the good Kucherov (though we did catch at least one major league dive he took when Tyler Biggs finished a check). He has a nasty shot that is very accurate, and he can back defenses up with his speed or he pounces on loose pucks in close and buries them. He made an athletic play on the tying goal and you wonder if some team like Washington or the New York Rangers with their draft history will roll the dice on this guy at some point.
Andrey Pedan, D- Big Russian D is a powerful skater and looked good in puck retrieval as he's able to use that long stride to cover a lot of ground and get back quickly. Moved it out smartly and played poised and confident on the blue line. Has a lot of physical tools in terms of his nice 6-5 size and long limbs/athleticism. We'd like to see him shoot the puck more, as he passed on several open shots that we saw in favor of moving it to different spots in the o-zone. He's raw, but teams just might take the plunge in the feeling that he's going to get stronger and more confident in doing more offensively as he develops. Played for Guelph of the OHL this season, so that's a bonus as well.
Nail Yakupov and Mikhail Grigorenko are 2012 eligibles, but also played very well for Russia. Yakupov scored a power play goal and assisted on both of the other Russia goals. He showed off his brilliant speed and killer anticipation on one breakaway play, but Gibson came up with the save. Grigorenko was showed off some real nice hands and puck control on the power play. You can tell that he thinks the game at a very high level the way he can slow things down or speed them up, and the Americans gave him entirely too much space to work with. They're lucky he didn't burn them. Both are key guys to watch at this time a year from now.
The Americans lead their pool in preliminary round play with a perfect 3-0-0-0 record against Switzerland, Slovakia and Russia, who went 1-1-1-0, needing a shootout to beat Germany yesterday.
J.T. Miller (two goals) was named player of the game for Team USA, while Maxim Shalunov captured the honor for Russia. Although Shalunov played well and gave the Americans fits with his quick stick and ability to go end-to-end, it was a curious selection, given that Nikita Kucherov scored twice including tallying the tying goal with 4:43 left. Top 2012 frontrunner Nail Yakupov posted a three-point night, figuring in all three Russian goals
Defenseman Seth Jones continues to impress with his size, mobility and opportunistic two-way play. That's the good news. The bade news is that he can't be drafted until 2013.
John Gibson gave up three goals, but he also played a money game when it mattered most, in the dying minutes with the score tied 3-3 and in the final 21 seconds when he had to make at least three big saves in close to preserve the lead. He is getting it done, period.
USA closes out the preliminary round against Germany on Tuesday, but by virtue of their sterling record (and Russia needing a shootout to get past the Germans) they have clinched the top record and will get a bye to the semi-finals later this week.
Reid Boucher, F- Pure scorers come in all shapes and sizes, but this one happens to be just 5-10 and about 190 pounds. After Grimaldi, he's the U.S. Under-18 Team's most prolific and consistently dangerous scorer, and the Russians found that out as he sniped a laser from the outside with less than 30 ticks on the clock. It was an NHL shooter's goal...Ilya Bryzgalov could have been between the pipes and he wouldn't have stopped it. Grimaldi won the draw cleanly back to Boucher and positioned five feet outside the left circle, he wired it top corner glove side before poor Andrei Vasilevski could react. This kid has some serious hands and is going to be a real threat for the Michigan State Spartans when he joins them next season.
J.T. Miller, F- Two goals and player of the game honors showed what MIller can accomplish when he's on top of his game. He skates very well, goes to the net hard and protects the puck. His goals were scored as a result of hard work and being in the right place at the right time. He's been one of USA's more productive players in the tournament, and this was what was lacking from him much of the season. Scouts could see his tools/skills, but he simply wasn't finding the back of the net and consistently making his presence known. He was classic "see the sizzle, but where's the steak?" player, but he's putting it together at the right time.
Rocco Grimaldi, F- He didn't find the back of the net today, but Grimaldi had two huge plays in securing the win, both clean faceoff wins. The first came with 22 seconds left in the game, when he beat his man clean and put the puck right in Boucher's wheelhouse for the winning score. The second came with five seconds remaining and the faceoff deep in the USA zone to Gibson's right. Grimaldi again won it cleanly drawing back to the end boards for Jones, who pinned it against the wall and bled the clock (getting a nice crosscheck from a frustrated Russian for his efforts). Even when he doesn't have a big, productive outing, Grimaldi is proving that he can excel in big moments. That Ron Rolston had him out there not only for the winning goal but the decisive defensive faceoff with the game on the line speaks volumes for how this kid is viewed by the coaching staff. Rolston even had him playing the point on the power play with Robbie Russo's unit, working the blueline with Russo while Jones rotated down to the right halfwall most times. The setup paid off for one Miller goal, but Grimaldi didn't have a direct hand in it.
Travis Boyd, F- Another solid game and opportunistic goal from the unheralded forward from Hopkins, Minnesota. He's a darting, quick little guy with the shiftiness and smarts to make things happen at both ends. He's a better shooter than we thought, beating Vasilevski clean with a bullet from the slot, and he also has some creativity, as he scored the shorthanded goal against Slovakia by making the goalie commit and then just using his own speed and momentum to guide the puck into the open space the netminder vacated. It doesn't seem like much, but when you factor in the kind of natural feel it takes to make a play like that at top speed, you have to give the kid credit.
Cole Bardreau, F- Like Boyd (and Boucher and Grimaldi), Bardreau is yet another undersized but effective forward for Team USA. The Fairport, NY native may not have the scoring chops of the other guys, but he's been a defensive stalwart up front for Rolston's boys and is a major factor in the team's success on the PK so far.
Robbie Russo, D- Another superb two-way game from Russo, who has been a fine puck mover and overall presence for USA in all three games. His movement and distribution on the power play today was particularly effective, and he works extremely well in concert with Seth Jones when the two are working the point together. He assisted on Miller's first period power play goal and used his mobility and smarts throughout the game to make strong plays on both offense and defense. We're starting to see where all that second-round talk was coming from.
John Gibson, G- Victimized by a deflection and some scrambly play in front of his own net to see a 3-1 lead disappear, Gibson showed why with goalies it often isn't how many goals you give up but when that matters most. Russia had all the momentum when they tied the game with a little less than five minutes left, but Gibson then locked it down, making several huge saves to keep it tied. One in particular stood out just before Boucher's winning goal, when Gibson stoned Shalunov on a hard, heavy shot that would have likely been the game. Then, after his team took the lead, Gibson turned away several more shots in the final 21 ticks and looked real cool doing it. His 36 saves don't look as great on paper, but this was an immense performance from the University of Michigan recruit.
Maxim Shalunov, F- Player of the game for Russia didn't see the score sheet, but was a going concern all night. He's got very nice size, is a powerful skater and excellent stickhandler. He uses his speed and skill to skate through opposing teams and then has a wicked little release at the end. He was consistently attacking all game long, and scouts have said that if he could find away to keep the switch on all the time, he's be a solid first-rounder. He looked good today, but unfortunately, he spends a good deal of time on cruise control.
Nikita Kucherov, F- The book on Kucherov is pretty simple: small guy, very fast and highly skilled- a game-breaker. But kills it with his attitude, histrionics and lackadaisical play. Today was an example of the good Kucherov (though we did catch at least one major league dive he took when Tyler Biggs finished a check). He has a nasty shot that is very accurate, and he can back defenses up with his speed or he pounces on loose pucks in close and buries them. He made an athletic play on the tying goal and you wonder if some team like Washington or the New York Rangers with their draft history will roll the dice on this guy at some point.
Andrey Pedan, D- Big Russian D is a powerful skater and looked good in puck retrieval as he's able to use that long stride to cover a lot of ground and get back quickly. Moved it out smartly and played poised and confident on the blue line. Has a lot of physical tools in terms of his nice 6-5 size and long limbs/athleticism. We'd like to see him shoot the puck more, as he passed on several open shots that we saw in favor of moving it to different spots in the o-zone. He's raw, but teams just might take the plunge in the feeling that he's going to get stronger and more confident in doing more offensively as he develops. Played for Guelph of the OHL this season, so that's a bonus as well.
Nail Yakupov and Mikhail Grigorenko are 2012 eligibles, but also played very well for Russia. Yakupov scored a power play goal and assisted on both of the other Russia goals. He showed off his brilliant speed and killer anticipation on one breakaway play, but Gibson came up with the save. Grigorenko was showed off some real nice hands and puck control on the power play. You can tell that he thinks the game at a very high level the way he can slow things down or speed them up, and the Americans gave him entirely too much space to work with. They're lucky he didn't burn them. Both are key guys to watch at this time a year from now.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Central Scouting European final rankings: The next tier
We're back with more analysis on Central Scouting's final rankings released on Monday, with a focus on the European skaters.
We saw a predominance of Swedish players in the first 10 slots of round one with six of the 10 wearing the Tre Kronor, with three Finns, a Czech rounding out the top tier on the Euro list.
You'll notice a continuing trend of Swedes on this list, and it appears a fair accompli that like the 2009 draft, Sweden will dominate the European slice of the 2011 class.
The first post talked briefly about Gregory Hofmann, who jumps into the list at 11 and is an underrated prospect who hasn't gotten the attention he deserves because his last name isn't Hofmannsson. B2011DW loved Hofmann at the WJC, where he was Switzerland's second-best forward after Nino Niederreiter and probably the top forward of all the 2011 eligibles in our view. He's only got average size and lacks strength, but he's fast, creative and just has a knack for making big plays at crunch time.
After Hofmann comes one of the true 2011 enigmas in Swedish center Victor Rask. Rask came into the season as one of the top draft candidates, not just out of Europe, but in the entire draft. He brought very good size (6-2, 195), hockey sense/vision and soft hands to the mix and seemed poised to make a big impact even if his skating wasn't elite. Unfortunately, Rask has become one of those players who every year fails to meet expecations in their draft season. He's still bound to go high enough in this class, but where he looked like a slam-dunk 1st-rounder, he could slide into a potential value selection in the second round.
Max Friberg and Jeremy Boyce-Rotevall continue the Swedish hit parade at 12 and 13. Friberg is a late '92 and played for Sweden at the WJC. He doesn't have high-end offensive skills, but plays a good two-way game and has the intelligence to be a checking presence at the least, with a modicum of potential to develop into more. Boyce-Rotevall has good wheels and hands, but his creativity and hockey sense may prevent him from being the kind of scorer that his pure talent should dictate.
Nikita Kucherov is the first Russian on the list at 17. The undersized winger (5-10, 165) from the CSKA Jr. team is a typical small Russian player in that he has terrific wheels, hands/puck skills and is a dangerous offensive presence. Unfortunately, he also carries some of the stereotypical drawbacks- undisciplined, tends to take dives and is inconsistent with his compete level. These attributes plus the recent trend of concerns with signability of Russian players will inevitably drop him lower than his talent would see him get picked normally.
Right behind him is Russia's top defenseman Zakhar Arzamastsev, a smooth-skating rearguard with offensive potential. He's not flashy guy, but has solid vision and hockey sense. He was barely noticeable during the 2010 Subway Series, but in a good way. He kept things simple exhibited good gap control and
Another interesting entry on Central's final list at 23rd is overage defenseman Klas Dahlbeck, a 1991-born player who made a positive impression at the WJC in the winter by showing off excellent mobility and lateral movement. At 6-2, 194 he has the size and fluid skating to advance the puck and play an effective game in his own end. We don't know about his vision and offensive sense to be a legitimate offensive defenseman in the NHL one day, but he certainly has the attributes to be at least a solid shutdown guy. Watch him- NHL teams are always on the lookout for players who are more mature and advanced in their development. Depending on his contract situation with Linkoping, Dahlbeck could potentially step right in to the AHL or even NHL next season.
We'll be back with the meat of the middle rounds and then the goalies and some sleepers.
We saw a predominance of Swedish players in the first 10 slots of round one with six of the 10 wearing the Tre Kronor, with three Finns, a Czech rounding out the top tier on the Euro list.
You'll notice a continuing trend of Swedes on this list, and it appears a fair accompli that like the 2009 draft, Sweden will dominate the European slice of the 2011 class.
The first post talked briefly about Gregory Hofmann, who jumps into the list at 11 and is an underrated prospect who hasn't gotten the attention he deserves because his last name isn't Hofmannsson. B2011DW loved Hofmann at the WJC, where he was Switzerland's second-best forward after Nino Niederreiter and probably the top forward of all the 2011 eligibles in our view. He's only got average size and lacks strength, but he's fast, creative and just has a knack for making big plays at crunch time.
After Hofmann comes one of the true 2011 enigmas in Swedish center Victor Rask. Rask came into the season as one of the top draft candidates, not just out of Europe, but in the entire draft. He brought very good size (6-2, 195), hockey sense/vision and soft hands to the mix and seemed poised to make a big impact even if his skating wasn't elite. Unfortunately, Rask has become one of those players who every year fails to meet expecations in their draft season. He's still bound to go high enough in this class, but where he looked like a slam-dunk 1st-rounder, he could slide into a potential value selection in the second round.
Max Friberg and Jeremy Boyce-Rotevall continue the Swedish hit parade at 12 and 13. Friberg is a late '92 and played for Sweden at the WJC. He doesn't have high-end offensive skills, but plays a good two-way game and has the intelligence to be a checking presence at the least, with a modicum of potential to develop into more. Boyce-Rotevall has good wheels and hands, but his creativity and hockey sense may prevent him from being the kind of scorer that his pure talent should dictate.
Nikita Kucherov is the first Russian on the list at 17. The undersized winger (5-10, 165) from the CSKA Jr. team is a typical small Russian player in that he has terrific wheels, hands/puck skills and is a dangerous offensive presence. Unfortunately, he also carries some of the stereotypical drawbacks- undisciplined, tends to take dives and is inconsistent with his compete level. These attributes plus the recent trend of concerns with signability of Russian players will inevitably drop him lower than his talent would see him get picked normally.
Right behind him is Russia's top defenseman Zakhar Arzamastsev, a smooth-skating rearguard with offensive potential. He's not flashy guy, but has solid vision and hockey sense. He was barely noticeable during the 2010 Subway Series, but in a good way. He kept things simple exhibited good gap control and
Another interesting entry on Central's final list at 23rd is overage defenseman Klas Dahlbeck, a 1991-born player who made a positive impression at the WJC in the winter by showing off excellent mobility and lateral movement. At 6-2, 194 he has the size and fluid skating to advance the puck and play an effective game in his own end. We don't know about his vision and offensive sense to be a legitimate offensive defenseman in the NHL one day, but he certainly has the attributes to be at least a solid shutdown guy. Watch him- NHL teams are always on the lookout for players who are more mature and advanced in their development. Depending on his contract situation with Linkoping, Dahlbeck could potentially step right in to the AHL or even NHL next season.
We'll be back with the meat of the middle rounds and then the goalies and some sleepers.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Red Line Report scout Radim Jelinek interview: 2011 Eastern Europe draft prospects midseason report Pt. 2
We're back with the second part of the interview with Red Line Report Czech/Slovak scout Radim Jelinek.
Be sure to check out Part 1 if you haven't seen it yet.
This is a pretty lean year for Czech and Slovak players in the NHL draft who aren't already over in North America this season, playing major junior hockey and in Czech forward Petr Placek's case, prep hockey in New England for Damon White's Hotchkiss club.
Radim will now detail the Slovak and Russian crops and we'll look ahead to 2012 and beyond, with a taste of things to come in the future out of Eastern Europe.
Bruins 2011 Draft Watch: With Slovak forwards Tomas Jurco and Marek Tvrdon (among others) in North America this season (and Tvrdon injured for the rest of the year), is defenseman Peter Ceresnak someone to keep an eye on as a draft option from Slovakia who is still playing in Europe this season?
Radim Jelinek: I won´t be surprised if Ceresnak is first and the only one Slovak still playing in Europe selected in June in Minnesota. However I´m not a big fan of him and I´m personally much more interested in 6-4 tall D from Kosice Martin Gernat who also belongs into the group of sleepers I mentioned in previous answer. Gernat is a smooth skater with fluid stride and decent footwork for his size. Has very good vision and hands, moves the puck well, handles the puck with confidence making solid decision with puck. Likes to join the rush regularly and shows good instinct in sliding from the point into scoring positions. Just started developing physical play in his game, still very inconsistent using his body, needs to play aggressive, physical game all the time. When he uses it then he is tough to beat 1 on 1, angles forwards to the outside, tights forward up at the boards, hits hard. Lacks strength right now and still growing but has frame to fill it out. D-zone coverage is still very average, needs to read the play better defensively, improve positional play and play much tighter game. Very raw but I like his progress throughout the season and see some similar things in his game as in Martin Marincin´s. He is far from him as Marincin was first rounder in my eyes while Gernat is later-round pick but upside is there.
On the other hand, Ceresnak is already well built physically, strong on skates. Feet are a bit slow and heavy, passes are firm and can make good outlet but not smart or creative with puck. Defensively he is strong in battles and is tough to beat in 1 on 1 situations. However doesn´t read the play in own zone, when opposing forwards start cycling, collide each other, shift spots then he is not able to read those situations properly, picks up wrong player consistently, gets out of position, wanders around own zone without his player.
B2011DW: How does the crop of Russian players look to you this season? Maxim Shalunov and Zakhar Arzamastsev are the highest-ranked players who stayed in Russia-- can you talk about those two and what chances they have to be drafted in June?
RJ: As I already said before, I personally consider Russian crop without all CHL-ers as extremely weak. I don´t see many NHL prospects behind Shalunov and Arzamastsev, at least those who are first year eligible. Both mentioned guys are the best Russians, at least for now.
Shalunov has first round tools but no toolbox, classical Russian enigmatic player. February´s Five nation tournament and then World U-18 champs could have great impact on where he is selected in June. He is a big, powerful winger built like a tank, when he plays with passion he goes through checks, finishes checks and drives the net hard. Soft hands, can beat D with variety of moves off the rush and cuts to the net from wide. Hard wrist shot with quick release. Deceptive skater, first steps are very short and stride is wide and a bit short but has actually good speed and strong on skates. Problem is that he lacks intensity, invisible for longer periods with zero effort off the puck. Lazy on backcheck and plays very selfishly trying low percentage 1 on 1 flashy moves all the time.
Arzamastsev is more of offensive D who runs the PP well, sees the ice well and can make good first pass out of zone. Handles the puck well and good thought process with puck. Okay skater, doesn´t initiate contact much but not afraid of physical play. From mid to later-round prospect. Last guy I should mention is winger Nikita Kucherov. Not big but doesn´t stop trying to make something offensively, good skills. Has good hands and quick and shifty skater, creates separation and moves his feet. Not more then potential late-rounder though.
B2011DW: With high-end Russians like Alexander Khokhlachev and Vladislav Namestnikov in North America this season, have you heard talk of more Russian and Eastern European players like G David Honzik leaving their clubs to play in the CHL to try and improve their chances of being picked high in the NHL?
RJ: I haven´t heard anything particular yet, no specific names but I don´t doubt that tendency from several previous seasons will continue and some of the top Czechs and Russians(and also some other who should better stay home) will come over next summer. One of the reason for so many Russians coming over to play in CHL nowadays could be the fact the if they leave as 17 year old and spend three years there, then they become free agent in KHL.
By the way, annual exodus of majority of top Czech/Slovakian NHL prospect to CHL before their draft year became big problem(along with outdated system of players development and inability to bring up new generation of good players) for future of many Czechoslovakian NHL scouts. I counted 8 local scouts losing their job mostly because of that in last couple of years. Scouts understand reasons why very young players tend to leave so early and mostly approve of that step but in the end they get into very bad situation (partially) because of that.
B2011: Kosice defenseman Tomas Tkac is 144th on the Red Line rankings this month; a 6-5, 180-pounder is interesting. What can you tell people about his game and possible upside?
RJ: Uff, I was probably too ecstatic after first two viewing before Christmas. Tall guy who came absolutely out of nowhere, just converted into defenceman… Early on he impressed me with solid thought process with the puck, decent mobility for huge D, steady puck movement, willingness to get involved physically in battles. However when I have seen him this month, he looked very awkward, lacking coordination, choppy handling the puck, having no idea how to play defence in own zone. I still think that he is worth of keeping an eyes on him next year if there is any progress in his game but right now Ican´t imagine him as legitimate draft prospect.
B2011DW: Looking ahead to 2012 and beyond, Martin Frk is certainly one player attracting attention, but are there players still over in your area of expertise in Europe who are worth noting and keeping an eye on 18 months from now?
RJ: There are certainly prospects worth of keeping an eye for 2012 but I haven´t seen another Dmitri Jaskin yet. Actually 94´birthyear is considered as weaker in Czech. Tomas Hertl(late 93´) is probably the best but needs to stay healthy. He is big and strong creative playmaker with soft hands, excellent stick skills, vision, smartness. Smooth skater with speed, agility, balance. Slick with puck in tight, tough to separate off the puck, shields the puck very well.
I also like natural tools of tall goalie Marek Langhammer, puck skills and offensive upside of tall D Ronald Knot, Michal Plutnar and Karel Plasil. Among forwards I could mention names like Radek Faksa, Dominik Volek(David Volek´s son) or Patrik Machac but I don´t see another Michal Frolik, Jakub Voracek or David Krejci. I should also note that outside of Frk, several other promising 2012 eligible already play in USHL: Zehnal twins or Adam Chlapik.
It looks like very poor year for Slovaks next season conversely to 2013 which could be strong year for Slovakian forwards(but many things could happen in next 30 months) with names like Marko Dano, Matej Paulovic, Tomas Torok, Martin Reway, Patrik Koys.
Special thanks once again to Radim for taking time out of his busy schedule to provide such detailed answers on players that most of us have little to no access to.
If you have any specific questions, email me or post comment and I will try to pass them along to Radim for clarification.
Be sure to visit the Draft Watch blog tomorrow (Tuesday) for the next part in the "Case For" series, where we will break out a candidate for that Toronto pick at the top of the 1st round and why that player would make sense for Boston.
For Red Line Report subscription information, you can visit their website at www.redlinereport.com
Be sure to check out Part 1 if you haven't seen it yet.
This is a pretty lean year for Czech and Slovak players in the NHL draft who aren't already over in North America this season, playing major junior hockey and in Czech forward Petr Placek's case, prep hockey in New England for Damon White's Hotchkiss club.
Radim will now detail the Slovak and Russian crops and we'll look ahead to 2012 and beyond, with a taste of things to come in the future out of Eastern Europe.
Bruins 2011 Draft Watch: With Slovak forwards Tomas Jurco and Marek Tvrdon (among others) in North America this season (and Tvrdon injured for the rest of the year), is defenseman Peter Ceresnak someone to keep an eye on as a draft option from Slovakia who is still playing in Europe this season?
Radim Jelinek: I won´t be surprised if Ceresnak is first and the only one Slovak still playing in Europe selected in June in Minnesota. However I´m not a big fan of him and I´m personally much more interested in 6-4 tall D from Kosice Martin Gernat who also belongs into the group of sleepers I mentioned in previous answer. Gernat is a smooth skater with fluid stride and decent footwork for his size. Has very good vision and hands, moves the puck well, handles the puck with confidence making solid decision with puck. Likes to join the rush regularly and shows good instinct in sliding from the point into scoring positions. Just started developing physical play in his game, still very inconsistent using his body, needs to play aggressive, physical game all the time. When he uses it then he is tough to beat 1 on 1, angles forwards to the outside, tights forward up at the boards, hits hard. Lacks strength right now and still growing but has frame to fill it out. D-zone coverage is still very average, needs to read the play better defensively, improve positional play and play much tighter game. Very raw but I like his progress throughout the season and see some similar things in his game as in Martin Marincin´s. He is far from him as Marincin was first rounder in my eyes while Gernat is later-round pick but upside is there.
On the other hand, Ceresnak is already well built physically, strong on skates. Feet are a bit slow and heavy, passes are firm and can make good outlet but not smart or creative with puck. Defensively he is strong in battles and is tough to beat in 1 on 1 situations. However doesn´t read the play in own zone, when opposing forwards start cycling, collide each other, shift spots then he is not able to read those situations properly, picks up wrong player consistently, gets out of position, wanders around own zone without his player.
B2011DW: How does the crop of Russian players look to you this season? Maxim Shalunov and Zakhar Arzamastsev are the highest-ranked players who stayed in Russia-- can you talk about those two and what chances they have to be drafted in June?
RJ: As I already said before, I personally consider Russian crop without all CHL-ers as extremely weak. I don´t see many NHL prospects behind Shalunov and Arzamastsev, at least those who are first year eligible. Both mentioned guys are the best Russians, at least for now.
Shalunov has first round tools but no toolbox, classical Russian enigmatic player. February´s Five nation tournament and then World U-18 champs could have great impact on where he is selected in June. He is a big, powerful winger built like a tank, when he plays with passion he goes through checks, finishes checks and drives the net hard. Soft hands, can beat D with variety of moves off the rush and cuts to the net from wide. Hard wrist shot with quick release. Deceptive skater, first steps are very short and stride is wide and a bit short but has actually good speed and strong on skates. Problem is that he lacks intensity, invisible for longer periods with zero effort off the puck. Lazy on backcheck and plays very selfishly trying low percentage 1 on 1 flashy moves all the time.
Arzamastsev is more of offensive D who runs the PP well, sees the ice well and can make good first pass out of zone. Handles the puck well and good thought process with puck. Okay skater, doesn´t initiate contact much but not afraid of physical play. From mid to later-round prospect. Last guy I should mention is winger Nikita Kucherov. Not big but doesn´t stop trying to make something offensively, good skills. Has good hands and quick and shifty skater, creates separation and moves his feet. Not more then potential late-rounder though.
B2011DW: With high-end Russians like Alexander Khokhlachev and Vladislav Namestnikov in North America this season, have you heard talk of more Russian and Eastern European players like G David Honzik leaving their clubs to play in the CHL to try and improve their chances of being picked high in the NHL?
RJ: I haven´t heard anything particular yet, no specific names but I don´t doubt that tendency from several previous seasons will continue and some of the top Czechs and Russians(and also some other who should better stay home) will come over next summer. One of the reason for so many Russians coming over to play in CHL nowadays could be the fact the if they leave as 17 year old and spend three years there, then they become free agent in KHL.
By the way, annual exodus of majority of top Czech/Slovakian NHL prospect to CHL before their draft year became big problem(along with outdated system of players development and inability to bring up new generation of good players) for future of many Czechoslovakian NHL scouts. I counted 8 local scouts losing their job mostly because of that in last couple of years. Scouts understand reasons why very young players tend to leave so early and mostly approve of that step but in the end they get into very bad situation (partially) because of that.
B2011: Kosice defenseman Tomas Tkac is 144th on the Red Line rankings this month; a 6-5, 180-pounder is interesting. What can you tell people about his game and possible upside?
RJ: Uff, I was probably too ecstatic after first two viewing before Christmas. Tall guy who came absolutely out of nowhere, just converted into defenceman… Early on he impressed me with solid thought process with the puck, decent mobility for huge D, steady puck movement, willingness to get involved physically in battles. However when I have seen him this month, he looked very awkward, lacking coordination, choppy handling the puck, having no idea how to play defence in own zone. I still think that he is worth of keeping an eyes on him next year if there is any progress in his game but right now Ican´t imagine him as legitimate draft prospect.
B2011DW: Looking ahead to 2012 and beyond, Martin Frk is certainly one player attracting attention, but are there players still over in your area of expertise in Europe who are worth noting and keeping an eye on 18 months from now?
RJ: There are certainly prospects worth of keeping an eye for 2012 but I haven´t seen another Dmitri Jaskin yet. Actually 94´birthyear is considered as weaker in Czech. Tomas Hertl(late 93´) is probably the best but needs to stay healthy. He is big and strong creative playmaker with soft hands, excellent stick skills, vision, smartness. Smooth skater with speed, agility, balance. Slick with puck in tight, tough to separate off the puck, shields the puck very well.
I also like natural tools of tall goalie Marek Langhammer, puck skills and offensive upside of tall D Ronald Knot, Michal Plutnar and Karel Plasil. Among forwards I could mention names like Radek Faksa, Dominik Volek(David Volek´s son) or Patrik Machac but I don´t see another Michal Frolik, Jakub Voracek or David Krejci. I should also note that outside of Frk, several other promising 2012 eligible already play in USHL: Zehnal twins or Adam Chlapik.
It looks like very poor year for Slovaks next season conversely to 2013 which could be strong year for Slovakian forwards(but many things could happen in next 30 months) with names like Marko Dano, Matej Paulovic, Tomas Torok, Martin Reway, Patrik Koys.
Special thanks once again to Radim for taking time out of his busy schedule to provide such detailed answers on players that most of us have little to no access to.
If you have any specific questions, email me or post comment and I will try to pass them along to Radim for clarification.
Be sure to visit the Draft Watch blog tomorrow (Tuesday) for the next part in the "Case For" series, where we will break out a candidate for that Toronto pick at the top of the 1st round and why that player would make sense for Boston.
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