Catching up with some Combine-bound 2011 draft eligibles

This post is dedicated to some of the draft eligibles who made the NHL's Draft Combine invite list, but who haven't had much mention here at B2011DW.

Jonathan Racine, D Shawinigan (QMJHL)- Tall but lanky defender (6-2, 180) needs work on his skating stride and lacks strength and balance on his skates. Works hard and plays with some intensity, but physically is not yet the sum of his parts. Lacks both upper- and lower-body strength, but should get there in time. Not much of an offensive dimension to his game- handles the puck like a grenade and seems to lack the vision and touch that would allow him to be a PMD- more of a meat-and-potatoes stay-at-homer. Plays a hard-nosed game and is willing to fight if need be. Exhibits good gap control and positioning for the most part, but is raw and a classic long-term type of project player who will require the full time in major junior and likely 2-3 more years in the minor leagues before he's ready to compete for an NHL job.

Olivier Archambault, LW Val-d'Or (QMJHL)- Small winger who isn't blazing fast but is a darting, slashing presence. Has a nice, wide base. Gets off the mark quickly, but isn't a dynamic top-end skater. Agile and elusive; can gain the zone by himself and finds open teammates. Shows strong work ethic and character- nothing really flashy with this guy, but is a versatile, utility forward who can kill penalties and may have some upside at the next level if he can get stronger. Very light and cannot stand up to the big, strong defenders in work along the walls- has to rely on a quick stick and short distance burst to open up space for himself. Scored 20 goals, 53 points in 65 games with the Foreurs this season.

Marcel Noebels, LW Seattle (WHL)- Big German winger (6-2, 205) was passed up last year, but has done enough to get himself drafted after coming to North America this season. One of Team Germany's best players at the 2011 WJC- worked hard, drove the net and made things happen offensively. Followed that up with solid production in the WHL, too- 28 goals and 54 points in 66 games. Willing to hustle and backcheck, but needs to pick up the awareness of defensive assignments. Not a great skater, but is improving in that regard, lengthening his stride and using his strength and power to get up the ice. Still sluggish in his first few steps, but has the frame, hands and potential to be a worthy prospect for this class.

Austen Brassard, RW Belleville (OHL)- Dropped off the radar a bit after failing to meet high expectations this season, but this is one prospect who could end up hitting a nice developmental stride if he can put it together. Looked promising with Bulls at end of '09-10 (17 points in 26 games) but only scored 19 goals, 34 points over full 67-game schedule in his draft year. Strong on his skates and stick and doesn't have terrific speed, but is agile and leans into guys, taking them to the net with him. Protects the puck well and can outmuscle guys along the walls and in front of the net. Decent hands/stick and some scoring skill, but goes long stretches where he disappears, according to NHL scouts. Because of his size/upside, he'll get drafted, but more of a tease right now than anything else.

Karl Johansson, D Brynas Jr. (SWE-Jr)- Little Swede is fast and skilled, but at 5-9, 167 is not going to be a high pick in the draft. Showed some nice wheels and puck distribution playing on an excellent Swedish defensive corps that came within 1.5 minutes of capturing gold at the World Under-18 championship. Slick, mobile and sees the ice well. Has some mustard on his passes and hits the short-to-intermediate and longer stretch passes well. His games reminds us of David Warsofsky. Probably not an option for Boston given the number of small defenders they already have (and could increase if Ryan Murphy ends up being their top pick), but still a player to watch as a mid-round draft wildcard.

Sean Kuraly, C Indiana (USHL)-How do we put this delicately? At B2011DW are not on board with Kuraly, who we do not feel has justified his spot at the combine. He's got very good size and skating ability, but with just eight goals and 29 points in 51 games, we're wondering where the upside is. Have not heard great things about compete level and attitude. Impressive physical traits, yes, but this is a player that we don't have a lot of information on because many of the scouts we've talked to about him don't have a lot to say. Kuraly will probably be a solid NCAA player, but this blog is about NHL prospects, so there is a reason why there hasn't been a great deal on him.

Max Friberg, LW Skovde (SWE-3)- Doesn't have much size or strength, but stays low to the ice and gets up under guys who try to knock him off stride. Quick change of direction and balanced movement on his edges are a plus. Friberg lacks speed and elite puck skills to be much of a high-end NHL prospect or top-six forward option. Hockey sense is questionable and doesn't have much playmaking prowess. Hustles and tenacious on the forecheck and backcheck but isn't much of a player to get excited about.

Mike Reilly, D Shattuck St. Mary's (HIGH- MN)- Undersized defender has good skill and smarts, but has a long road ahead of him. Short and slight, there isn't much room to grow on that 5-11 frame of his, which is the primary concern we get when asking scouts about him. He sees the ice well, is a strong skater and can advance the puck effectively. He's going to need to spend a lot of time working on his strength, but should be a good player at the NCAA level. Whether he has the talent and upside to overcome his lack of size/strength remains to be seen, and he's a risky guy. Could get a look in the later rounds, but it will be interesting to see how Reilly performs during the physical testing portion.

Alexander Ruuttu, C/RW Jokerit Jr. (FIN-Jr)- Bloodlines prospect is the son of former NHLer Christian Ruuttu and was born in Chicago in December 1992 when his dad played for the Blackhawks. Smaller than his father, he plays a similar speed game with good hands. Alex scored 18 goals and 31 points for Jokerit's junior (under-20) squad this season in 41 games. Needs to get a lot stronger, but could be an interesting developmental project type player if he's a chip off the block.

Maximilien Le Sieur, RW Shawinigan (QMJHL)- Raw winger with some jump and speed gets downgraded for questionable hockey sense, which has hindered his production. Late September 1992-birthdate missed the 2010 draft by a mere 12 days, but more was expected from him offensively this season after he scored 16 goals and 44 points in 68 games for the Cataractes. Will fight if provoked, but that's not his style. Can bang and grind, and will need to bring that kind of energy with him if he has a shot to make it at the next level.

A closer look at the QMJHL top-five (Mid-season edition)

Was told that I spend too much time on the OHL and not enough on the QMJHL and WHL on this blog, so here's an attempt to remedy that situation. (Appreciate the feedback, btw- always looking to make this blog better and more appealing to the readership, so please continue to post comments direct to the blog here or email me or PM me over at HFBoards username Kirk- NEHJ or hit me up at Twitter @kluedeke29 if there is something in particular you are looking for)

Also- I'm crafting a new exclusive prospect info. series here on B2011DW called the "Case For" where I will profile one player in-depth every month with detailed analysis on strengths, weaknesses, where that player projects in the NHL, how long before making an impact, scout quotes, etc. Even if you aren't a Bruins fan but read this blog, you're sure to find the series informative, as much of what NHL teams look for in the draft tend to be similar, so you can draw logic lines between what I write and what your team is seeking as you read.

First up in the series is Kitchener Rangers' captain and all-star winger Gabriel Landeskog, whom I will be checking out at the WJC in Buffalo next week. How awesome is that going to be?

In the meantime, though-- I owe you a QMJHL update, so here are some notes on the top 'Q' draft eligibles as we roll into the holiday break and WJC.

1. Sean Couturier, C Drummondville-- Still the odds-on fave to be the top overall selection in June's entry draft. It is rare for players to have the size, skill, instincts package that Couturier does. Like Sidney Crosby, who incidentally, Couturier is linked to as the best prospect to come out of the 'Q' since Crosby did it with Rimouski in 2005, Couturier is the son of a journeyman pro hockey player who never really did much. Their progenies are special players who (in Couturier's case-- Crosby is obviously already there) seem destined for stardom. Couturier is an excellent puckhandler who can do it all- make moves in open ice or in tight traffic, rip off a rocket shot or soft-touch it to teammates for the easy score. His vision and offensive hockey sense are elite right now-- he can do pretty much whatever he wants to dictate the tempo/flow at this level. His skating is only average, however. He has a lumbering first few steps and lacks the explosion/suddenness that scouts would love to see. That said, he's still such a physical and instinctive specimen that it's hard to imagine that he'll lose his top billing between now and June.

Scout's take: "What else do you want to see from him? Led the league in scoring last year at 17; great size, hands. Great hockey IQ, strong as an ox and plays a good game without the puck. He's really hitting his stride now, and I think the WJC will be an excellent test for him. I expect him to demonstrate his worth, even if he may not see as much ice time as some of the more senior/experienced players on Team Canada."- NHL scout, Western Conf. team

2. Jonathan Huberdeau, C Saint John-- He's actually got more points than Couturier does (54 to 52 but in 34 GP as opposed to 32 for Couturier), but this ultra-talented center is moving on up the draft boards and is going to be a high pick in Minnesota. Huberdeau came into the season with the reputation as being more of a playmaker than finisher, but he's annihilated that perception with 24 goals so far to go with his 30 helpers. His vision and creativity allow him to give opposing teams fits, and after a slow start, the Sea Dogs, who are just sickeningly loaded with 2011 draft eligible talent, have really come on. He's tall but extremely lanky, and even with his terrific skill set, Huberdeau is going to be a longer-term project for whichever NHL team drafts him because he's only around 160 pounds and has a ton of off-ice work to do before he'll be ready to make a run at an NHL job. Defensive game is only average and he'll have to work on that, but he's so good with the puck in the offensive zone, that the overall game is barely a blip on the radar for him.

Scout's take: "I really liked Huberdeau coming into the year, but had no idea he was going to score as much as he has. This is a kid who just naturally gravitates to the areas of the ice where he can either put the puck in the net or get it to a teammate who finishes off the play. I like what he and Zack Phillips are doing and really think Huberdeau is primed for a big second half."- NHL scout, Western Conf. team

3. Nathan Beaulieu, D Saint John-- Excellent two-way defenseman who didn't have a great start, but has pulled it together over the last couple of months. Very good size, but fine skater with solid footwork and the ability to get the puck up the ice quickly and lead the rush. Solid defensively; it isn't his strong suit-- transition game and getting the puck up ice/generating offense from the blue line is. But, he's not a liability in his own end and uses his active stick to take away passing lanes and force turnovers. His six goals and 22 points in 34 games is solid production, but he's capable of doing more in the second half. His +25 rating is indicative of his ability to start the attack and his supremely talented forwards have been able to get it into the net at the other end. Even though you can make the case that Tomas Jurco should be No. 3, I tend to value that potential high-end PMD, which is what Beaulieu is, a little more than the super stickhandling Slovak forward. But, the margin between the two is very close and you can go either way.

Scout's take: "He's the best puck-moving defenseman in the Quebec League, and I think he's underrated when it comes to talking about the best guys in the draft overall in that category. He's got the size, skating and strength to be very effective. His puck distribution is very good and his shot is improving. He still needs to get it off a little faster, but is coming along. He's pretty tough, too-- will fight to defend his teammates and does the little things to win. Smart player."- NHL scout, Eastern Conf. team

4. Tomas Jurco, RW Saint John-- Yes, dear, we're talking about another Saint John Sea Dog here. Jurco has been a big story in draft discussions since last season, when he came over to Saint John and demonstrated his sublime puckhandling talents. Not an explosive skater, but pretty good speed and agility-- one of those more quick/elusive than fast players who turns defenders one way and the other before taking the puck to the net. Good character kid who learned English quickly and made a seamless transition. Creative and absolutely unreal with the slick puck moves in close/traffic while playing the off-wing. Doesn't have a big shot, but qets it off quickly and with nice accuracy-- can pick the corners. Only OK defensively-- not a liability, but you can definitely tell that the effort level in his own end isn't quite what it is when on the attack. But, he'll get better at it...has a solid feel for his responsibilities and has the work ethic to get the job done as he matures.

Scout's take: "Intelligent and competitive Slovak winger. Tenacious and persistent on the forecheck. Smooth skater with power in his stride. Good set-up man who is unselfish to a fault; does the hard work digging loose pucks free and getting it to linemates in good scoring territory. "- Red Line Report, December issue

5. Zack Phillips, RW Saint John-- Former New England prep player's offense has skyrocketed over the past 45 days...went from being an up-and-down scoring presence to a dynamic, lethal, consistent killer with Huberdeau. He has 25 goals, 51 points in 34 games-- eight goals more than Jurco does. At only 6-0, 180 his size is average as is the skating, but when it comes to being in the right place at the right time, Phillips has that down pat-- a real knack for the offensive aspects of hockey. Keeps his stick on the ice and is very opportunistic around the net. Showing that he made the right move by leaving Lawrence Academy for the Quebec League, Phillips is tearing it up. Just think of the sick stats he would have put up for the Spartans had he stuck around...but the level of competition would have dinged him. The size and lack of dynamic skating will bring his draft stock down a bit, but if Phillips keeps putting up the big points, he seems destined for second-round draft status at least.

Scout's take-- "The first few times I saw him, Phillips didn't do much, but he definitely grewon me. You look at him and he's not as obvious a player as Huberdeau and Jurco, but at the end of the night, you look at the scoresheet and he's got a couple of goals. He plays an honest game and is one of those players who just seems to get it done when the puck is on his stick around the net."- NHL scout, Eastern conf. team

Other QMJHL players to watch:

David Honzik, G Victoriaville-- Czech goalie has size and lots of talent. Pretty focused kid with long limbs/athleticism. Stops the puck well, but needs work on the other aspects of the game like puckhandling/slowing down end-arounds.

Phillip Danault, LW- Victoriaville-- Little winger has some real offensive hockey tools and is making them work this season. Some (RLR) have questioned how well his small size and overall skill level will translate in the pros, but can't argue with the production: 13G, 40 points in 34 games for the Tigres. Like old NHL coach Michel Bergeron, Danault's nickname should be: Le Petit Tigre

Xavier Ouellet, D Montreal-- Another skilled puck-mover, this one doesn't have the size, skating or pure upside of Bealieu. Still Ouellet is underrated. He has terrific vision and the ability to distribute the puck extremely well on the PP. Someone will fall in love with him for the draft, but how high he goes is up for debate because he's much stronger in the intangibles than the measurables.

Christopher Gibson, G Chicoutimi-- Another import goalie, Gibson is the Finnish son of a British ex-pat who helped the Notre Dame Hounds to the Midget AAA championship (with Jaden Schwartz) before taking his talents to Chicoutimi. Like most Finns, he's tall, athletic butterfly goalie who takes up a lot of the net. His .928 save percentage on a bad team is a true testament to this kid's talent and upside.

Olivier Archambault, LW Val-d'Or-- Skilled winger has a lot of offensive potential, but is small and may have trouble translating that upside in the pro ranks much like Danault. He's got some real pluck and hard not to notice him, but doesn't have the top-shelf skills to say that he'll be a draft pick for sure.

Anton Zlobin, LW Shawinigan-- Wrote skilled Russian and breakaway ace up in a recent edition of "A Guy You Should Know" so check it out-- see labels over the the right.

Jimmy Appleby, G Quebec-- The tiny goalie is nowhere on anyone's draft radar, but he's extremely quick and has played well as the Remparts' backup. 2 shutouts in six games and he reminds me of Mike Vernon. Not saying he'll get drafted, but keep an eye on him nonetheless.

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Central Scouting Preliminary Rankings: The QMJHL

E.J. Maguire and his Central Scouting staff have made public their preliminary lists for all of the major junior leagues and USHL, as well as Europe today, and not surprisingly, there is no shortage of controversy and disagreement.

Bruins2011DraftWatch kicks off the analysis of the rankings with the QMJHL and will look at each league separately so as not to create an unreadable mishmash of comments and draft thoughts.

It's no surprise that Sean Couturier sits atop the 'Q' ranking, as he's been on scouts' radars for quite some time now. The big, skilled center just got an audition for scouts during the Subway Super Series against Team Russia and the reviews on his performance were mixed.

"He showed off his impressive size and potential at times," one NHL scout who covers the Quebec and the Maritimes for a Western Conference team told B2011DW via email today. "But he didn't control the play as often or with the consistency that I've come to expect. I still think he's the best player to come out of the (QMJHL) since Sidney Crosby, but his average footspeed got exposed a bit against the quicker, faster Russian squad."

Couturier is still a heck of a talent and draft prospect-- he'll be at the top of the debate all year without a doubt. But, perhaps the Subway Series is the first inkling that the gulf between him and other contenders for the top spot such as Adam Larsson and even Gabriel Landeskog is not as wide as many would think.

A pair of Saint John (New Brunswick) Sea Dogs follow Couturier on the list-- center Jonathan Huberdeau and defenseman Nathan Beaulieu. Huberdeau is a tall, skinny playmaker who has had an excellent offensive campaign thus far, leading the team ins scoring with 15 goals and 30 points in 23 games. Coming into the season, Huberdeau was known for his high-end hockey sense as more of a setup man, but he's found the back of the net as often, and players who show balance between goals and assists are always coveted commodities.

"We knew he had the offense prior to the season," the scout said when asked about Huberdeau. "But the goal scoring has been a bonus. He's a very smart, instinctive player. I think he's still learning and needs to improve his complete game, but he's on the rise with the kind of start he's had."

Beaulieu has struggled to live up to the expectations that preceded him after an outstanding summer Team Canada WJC Evaluation Camp. His three goals and 12 points are OK, but looking beyond the stats, you have a nice blend of size (6-3, 191), skating and passion. He may not have elite puck skills, but he's better than his numbers indicate and could develop into an excellent NHL defenseman in time.

"Beaulieu is a very good skater," the scout said. "He didn't get off to a great start, but he's done better over the last month or so, and has the skills to be a fine NHL prospect. I'm not sure of his upside, but with his size and mobility, he's up there."

Rounding out the top-five of Quebec players are a couple of offensively talented wingers in Phillip Danault (Victoriaville) and Olivier Archambault (Vald-d'Or). Neither possesses blazing speed, but have a keen offensive intellect that keeps them in the middle of the action at all times.

"They're smaller guys who know how to score," said the scout. "I'm a little less impressed with their overall defensive efforts and they need to get a lot stronger. But at least in the Quebec League, they are pretty effective."

One player who fell further than expected was Saint John's Tomas Jurco, the third draft prospect from a loaded team that had seven- count 'em- SEVEN players in Central's QMJHL top-25 list.

Jurco is a late-'92 from Slovakia who came over to the Sea Dogs last year and made the adjustment to the North American game pretty readily. He's a puckhandling wizard/freak who is highly effective in traffic and in front of the net. At 6-2, 193 pounds (and he's probably closer to 185 when all is said and done), he's slight and needs to get stronger, but his 12 goals are a little less than half of what he put up all of last season, so he should have 35-40 if all goes well.

"I'm surprised he's lower than Danault and Archambault," the scout said. "It may have to do with his defensive game, which is not as strong, but he does have so much potential offensively. We have him higher than that."

Montreal Juniors defenseman Xavier Ouellet got off to a blazing start offensively and has come down to earth, but is still scoring at about a point-per-game clip (2 goals, 21 points- 23 games) for the club known formerly as the Fog Devils. Ouellet could be one of those prospects who is a better hockey player than an athlete. He doesn't possess great size, or speed and mobility or even an overpowering shot, but he still manages to make the effective first pass and distribute the puck well from the point.

"Every time I've gone to see him, I wanted to grade him down for something but so far it hasn't happened," the scout said. "He's not an explosive skater, but he gets where he needs to go. He doesn't have any real skills that jump out at you, but then he'll make a nice pass and the puck is in the net. He's smart positionally and takes good angles to compensate for the smaller size."

Rounding out the top-10 is Shawinigan power winger Maximilien Le Sieur who is second behind Michael Bournival on the team in scoring with 11 goals and 24 points. Although not tall, Le Sieur is built like a bowling ball and brings some toughness to the table.

"He's got some heavy feet but there's some interesting potential there," the scout said.

Another pair of Sea Dogs in Scott Oke and Ryan Tesink are 9th and 10th-- just ahead of teammate Zack Phillips who was surprisingly not in the top-10. Oke is a lanky winger with very raw, projectable potential, but his three goals and four points in 20 games for Saint John makes his presence in the top-10 is intriguing to say the least. Tesink and Phillips are higher on the depth chart and have been much more involved in the offense, posting 15 points and 24 points respectively. Phillips has already admitted disappointment in where he was ranked, so it will be interesting to see how he responds to the slight.

Moving on to the goaltenders, Finnish netminder Christopher Gibson (the son of a British ex-pat father and mother from Finland) tops the list. He's outperformed fellow draft eligible Robin Gusse in Chicoutimi, posting an outstanding .928 save percentage and 7-6-3 record with 2.20 GAA on a poor team.

"Gibson is that prototype butterfly goalie with size and athleticism from Finland," said the scout. "He came from the Notre Dame Hounds program and won a championship for them there, so he's very accomplished and proving himself in the Quebec league on a team that doesn't score a lot."

Also in the mix for top-two round consideration is Czech goalie David Honzik, who left Europe to play for the Victoriaville Tigres this season. He's struggled a bit with the transition this season, but with a 6-3 frame and terrific athleticism, Honzik is a long-term project who could pay big dividends along the lines of a Jaroslav Halak down the road so long as the team that drafts him is willing to be patient and develop him. Long-limbed and instinctive, he has nice potential so long as you get past the pedestrian stats.

While there are certainly some interesting prospects in the QMJHL this season, Central it appears that got their top-three right. In terms of pure talent and pro potential, Couturier, Huberdeau and Beaulieu are the best that league has to offer. This blog would have Jurco at four, but that's certainly up for debate.

One thing to remember with the CSS preliminary rankings is that they have less to do with performance and more to do with getting names out there for the NHL teams to consider. Of course, that's the party line. (wink wink, nod nod)