50 in 30: B2011DW's Honorable Mentions

Our honorable mentions made the first post lengthy, so we're going back to post the HMs so we can give them some love and have the labels to get them listed so this post doesn't fall through the cracks.

In the meantime, enjoy.

We'll have 40-31 for you soon, along with some Memorial Cup analysis as soon as we can break down the Saint John-Mississauga film.


Honorable Mention

Lucas Lessio, C Oshawa (OHL)- This kid is big and skilled. There is no questioning his size, speed and offensive prowess when on his game. But B2011DW watched him in a game in January and absolutely despised his compete level and general attitude in that particular contest. On one play, he was tripped, fell to the ice and then chirped at the referee all the way up the ice while his team took off on a 2-on-1. Had he hustled, it would have been a 3-on-1 and might have resulted in a goal. We have no doubt that this kid will appeal to some team because of his myriad hockey tools, but Bruins fans would be wise to cross him off their wish list- we don't see it happening. Even so, he's near the top-50 because of his potential upside and will likely be a second-rounder, maybe even a late-first. But if this draft is pick your flavor, B2011DW chooses to pass on him.

Shane McColgan, LW Kelowna (WHL) 01/01/1993
Undersized winger (5-8, 168- don't believe his listed 5-11 height on Hockey DB) from SoCal was seen as a potential top-10 coming into the season, but got off to a terrible start and never recovered in the court of public opinion. Will NHL scouts view him differently. One such talent evaluator expressed concern at McColgan's small frame and the fact that the kid likely has little to no room to grow. Tremendous skating and hands; erupts into overdrive in just a few strides and carves the ice with his edges like a maestro. Plays bigger than his size and has an edge to him even if often physically overmatched. The bad news for McColgan is that his production didn't take off after posting 25 goals and 69 points last year as a rookie. Illness started him slowly and though he recovered and heated up down the stretch with fellow mighty mite Zach Franko, it may not be enough for him to recoup a top-60 selection.

Adam Lowry, LW Swift Current (WHL) 6-4, 185 03/29/1993
Upside and bloodlines- that's the name of the game with the Swifty winger and son of former NHLer Dave Lowry. Hit a seismic growth spurt recently, so the coordination isn't there for this rough, knock-kneed skater. However, if scouts think he's going to improve the stride and footwork when he grows into his giant frame better, look out. Has good hands and works hard in the corners, throwing his weight around. His dad was a respected energy guy for the Canucks, Blues, Panthers, Sharks, and Flames- he played 1,084 games, so that's a legitimate competitor given that he never scored more than 19 goals in a single season (and went to the Stanley Cup finals twice with Florida in '96 and Calgary '04). The younger Lowry has the potential to be a better scorer than his old man if he can get faster. Keep an eye on this kid- he could be a good one.

Michael Mersch, LW University of Wisconsin (WCHA) 6-2, 200 10/02/1992
Not a great skater, which is what is keeping this honest, industrious and smart winger from having more buzz around him. One scout described him as being a premier guy above the waist...it's the legs that are holding him back. Tenacious and opportunistic; he only scored eight goals and 19 points for the Badgers this season, but his playing style reminds of Mike Knuble. Ugly stride, but goes to the net, fights off defenders for position and can make things happen. He hasn't been as productive as Knuble was at the same stage, but Mersch is the kind of guy you win with.

Kale Kessy LW Medicine Hat (WHL) 6-3, 190 12/04/1992
We keep hearing the phrase "poor man's Milan Lucic" with Kessy and we don't disagree, but does he have the skill level to bring the offense that Lucic has developed with the Bruins? He's certainly tough, but has been buried on a deep offensive for the Tigers. Also like Boston's power forward and leading goal scorer, Kessy was not picked in the WHL Bantam Draft, but just kept plugging away to grab Medicine Hat's attention and get listed/earn a shot. NHL teams love the big guys with legitimate toughness and upside...Kessy has it. As such, his draft position will likely reflect that kind of projection. Average skater, above average hands but very tenacious and tough- where will it land him? Our guess is top-60.

Scott Harrington, D London (OHL) 6-1, 200 03/10/1993
It was a very disappointing season for this defender who came into the year with hopes for a first-round draft grade by this time. Hasn't happened for him, but he's a good defensive defenseman with size and mobility. Just because he may lack the offensive vision and sense does not mean there isn't a place in the NHL for Harrington, but his stock will drop. Some we talk to still believe he has some potential, so we've got him hovering around the top-50. Probably higher than most, but too early to dismiss him altogether.

Gregory Hofmann, C Ambri-Piotta (SUI) 6-0, 170 11/13/1992
On pure talent and potential alone, Hofmann is closer to 50 than many. However, his body type is an issue- rail thin, and even more concerning for NHL teams is the lack of a desire to show a commitment by playing junior hockey. Creative, skilled player is your high-end finesse pivot who plays with a lot of determination and poise. But teams want to know that if they're going to draft a player he brings that same kind of determination when it comes to committing to the organization and showing a willingness to ride the buses. The NHL is so much more physical than anything Hofmann is used to, so he's going to slide.

Marek Tvrdon, RW Vancouver (WHL) 6-2, 190 01/31/1993
Remember this guy? He was one of the better-looking Slovak players in the draft discussion and was one of the first prospects we featured in our ever popular "A Guy You Should Know" series way back in September. Unfortunately, he seriously injured his shoulder, which shelved him for the season just about 10 games in and threw Vancouver's plans into disarray. He looked like a guy who was on the verge of vaulting up draft lists, so it will come down to the teams who saw him enough last year (at the U18 and other tourneys) and in the early going. He's a skater who can score and bang if he could just up the intensity and consistency. We believe that had Tvrdon stayed healthy, he would be firmly in the top-50 discussion across the board. He's got potential for a Curtis Hamilton-like pick this time around.

Central North American Skaters rankings: The rank and file

We're back with our ongoing analysis of Central Scouting's release of their North American skaters list. We won't hit it from top-to-bottom, but the focus of this post will be to identify other name players who have either slipped, and some who have made significant jumps on the list.

At the top of the second round,Seth Ambroz is one of the bigger fallers in the 2011 class, even though he still stands to be taken earlier than his performance this season and that fact that it appears that he's plateau'd should warrant. We don't want to hammer the Minnesota power forward, but when we hear the same things from various sources about a lack of progress, his poor skating and an overall mediocre level of commitment and effort. If the shoe fits, wear it, Seth. We don't want to hear about summers off hanging out with friends when guys like Jason Zucker and Shane Prince are leaving home at young ages to pursue their hockey dreams and busting their humps to address the holes in their game because their lack of God-given size and natural strength handicaps them in this sport. So, Ambroz is a teenager and should be allowed to be a kid. Yep- we get that. We also get that while he's been off taking it easy and not improving his skating skills over the past several seasons, other kids have been working their bags off to pass him up. And this year, you've seen exactly that.

Make no mistake- Ambroz will be a top-60 pick. He could even be a top-40. But if he goes there, it will be because an NHL team is convinced they can flip the lightswitch on, and it will likely be a club that has a few extra picks they can afford to gamble with. Ambroz has all the tools- it's the toolbox and inner fire we're worried about. But, he has ample time to get it together and become the kind of player scouts were drooling over in the previous three years when he emerged as a 15-year-old.

One big riser on Central's rankings, and likely most team draft lists, is rugged WHL defenseman Joel Edmundson. We have nary a word on the WHL rookie for Moose Jaw, but he jumped 36 spots from 69 at mid-term to 33. For some dope on him, we went to the April issue of Red Line Report, which featured him the monthly "risers" section and in the April annual "underrated" section of their underrated/overrated review. At 6-5, he's got prototypical size and pretty mobile for a player of his size. Because he's a bit of a late-bloomer, only in his first major junior season, he's had a bit of a steep learning curve and has some issues with mistakes made from a lack of experience (gap control). However, he plays like his size and if you have faith that his development curve will continue upward, he should go off the board pretty early.

Stefan Noesen is on the list at 35, and the Plymouth Whalers power forward has helped himself immensely with his productive season and the strong playoff round he had against Kitchener. He works hard and gets the most out of his skills, banging bodies, clearing space for his linemates and providing opportunistic offense with a quick stick and heavy shot.

"Noesen is a riser," said one NHL scout we talked to when the Central List came out. "I wouldn't at all be surprised to see NHL teams that have him in their first round. He came a long way this year."

Cape Breton forward Logan Shaw is a legitimate sleeper and underrated right winger who played on a poor team, but showed off some progress. He's still quite lanky at 6-3 and only about 180 pounds, but will put on considerable weight and strength. He's an above average skater, but has good hands and anticipation, putting together a solid offensive season for the moribund Screaming Eagles with 26 goals and 46 points. He's a classic project pick, but one who could pay off for a team gutsy enough to pick him sooner rather than later because scouts weren't exactly flocking to Cape Breton this season.

Saint John's Scott Oke is on the list at 44, ahead of Oshawa forward Lucas Lessio, who has legitimate skills but has had issues with intensity and compete levels this year. One NHL scout finds this a bit ridiculous (his words not ours). He openly wondered if Central's Quebec scout only watched the Sea Dogs this year based on the fact that a kid with five goals and 10 points in 54 games with just 15 penalty minutes came away with a second-round grade.

"He's big and can skate," the scout said of Oke. "But he played on the third- and fourth lines on the best team in Canada. I don't know that you make such a leap of faith for a kid who scored a total of five goals and 10 points, three of which came in one game. I would probably have Oke 100 spots lower."

The scout viewed Ryan Tesink, another Sea Dog who checked in at 47, but had eight goals and 35 points much the same way. In fairness, both players had a tough time cracking an elite lineup, but while Tesink showed flashes of some offensive talent and creativity, he's only about 160 pounds and not all that tall, so he has major physical and conditioning work to do.

Another huge riser on the blue line in the second round is Sault Ste. Marie's Ryan Sproul, who was also a RLR riser in April. He moved up 70 spots from 124 to 54 and has a lot of NHL scouts buzzing. Unfortunately, his Greyhounds didn't make the playoffs, and he was a curious omission from Team Canada's Under-18 squad, so whichever NHL team got to see him the most in one of the OHL's tougher draws is the team that will hold an advantage on where to value him going into the draft. The question then becomes- where do the NHL teams out there see him? He scored his first goal at the end of November and finished with 14, which tells you a lot about how meteoric a rise he's had.

Green Bay (USHL) defenseman Andy Welinski is another big mover up the list, moving from 103 to 48. At 6-1, 192, he's got the size and will add a few pounds as he gets stronger/physically matures. He plays with his head up and sees the ice well, using his vision and strong skating ability to make plays at both ends of the ice. He's more of a defender at this stage of his development, using his stick to take away lanes and exhibiting strong gap control, but there is a bit of untapped offensive potential as well, shown in the strong second half he had for the Gamblers. One scout we talked to doesn't see what the fuss is about with Welinski given his numbers, however.

The third round has some interesting players who are both risers and fallers. The latter category has Seattle center Colin Jacobs, who has good size, talent and upside, but who wasn't able to put it together this season for the non-playoff Thunderbirds. One NHL scout told us earlier this season that Jacobs is the classic guy who "looks like a player, but may not ever be one" because of a lack of hockey sense.

Edmonton's Travis Ewanyk, on the other hand, is trending upward as a big kid and decent skater who plays a power game. He's in Germany for the U18 tournament and could raise his stock even more after a 16 goal, 27-point season.

Also keep an eye out on three skilled, but smallish OHL forwards in this round ranked 71-73: Nick Cousins (buried in the Soo but underrated), Alan Quine (who did not meet expectations but has legitimate scoring upside) and Tobias Rieder (small, but skilled and industrious).

Sudbury defender Justin Sefton is 89th on the list after not being ranked (as is U.S. forward Austin Wuthrich), but an NHL scout chuckled when Sefton's name came up. "Real tough kid but he can't skate," he said. He wouldn't come out and say it, but we think that Sefton's powerful KO of David Broll back in early March has more to do with it than anything else. Sefton's lack of mobility isn't enough to off-set any size/toughness advantage he brings to the mix to have him this high in the scout's view.

Scott Harrington's spot in the fourth round is reflective of his fall from first-round candidate this season to later-round reclamation project for the team that invests a pick on him.

Kale Kessy, the hard-nosed Medicine Hat winger came in at 101, and an NHL scout thought that was too low. "Someone will take him higher because they see him as a poor man's Milan Lucic right now," he said. "Teams are looking for that legitimately tough guy who can score some goals and change the pace of a game and Kessy has that kind of potential."

On the flip side, we interviewed a WHL player recently and asked him about Kessy. He had no idea who we were talking about, which seemed strange, but there it is. Apparently, Kessy didn't have the same impact on this particular Dub skater as he's made on scouts who have watched the Hat play this season.

We will wrap up the North American season with a look at the goalies and some sleepers to keep an eye on.

Under-18 Championship Analysis: Canada

Team Canada announced the roster today for the World Under-18 Championship tournament which will be held in Crimmitschau and Dresden, Germany, next week (official games begin April 14th).

This post will analyze the 2011-eligible players *only*. We'll get to the 2012 draft prospects in a later post.

At first look, this Canada team will avoid the poor performance of the 2010 entry a year ago. It has some balance between skill and power, finesse and brute force. There is an interesting dynamic on defense, where the majority of the players at that position are 2012-eligible players (4-3), whereas at forward, the roster leans heavily to 2011 (11-2).

How it will work out this month remains to be seen, but at face value, the team has the talent and versatility to win gold in Germany. A lot of it is going to come down to the goaltending, but this squad has to be seen as a contender.

Andrew D'Agostini, G- Small, unorthodox goalie was under siege for much of the year playing for the Peterborough Petes, and his numbers reflect that: 10-25-2 record, .882 save percentage, 4.35 GAA. He's not a butterfly-style goalie and to be honest, at his size, the current accepted netminder style is not a good fit. He tends to rely on his quickness, positioning and never-say-die attitude to get things done. Unfortunately, his size limits him, and he wasn't able to overcome Peterborough's talent issues this season. He'll backup Malcolm Subban (Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban's brother), but may be on the team because of his mental makeup and ability to play under extreme pressure, which is what this kind of tournament is. If Subban falters, D'Agostini could enjoy success given the talent level of the team in front of him because he's used to seeing a ton of rubber and having to deal with playing from behind a lot. He's seen it all before.

Ryan Murphy, D- We won't break down his talent here. Just go to the myriad posts this blog has done in the past, including this week's "case for" entry to see what the small but dynamic Murphy brings to the table. His presence on the U18 squad is a validation of the snub he got from Al Murray over the summer, when Murphy was not selected for the gold medal-winning team that traveled to Slovakia for the Ivan Hlinka tourney. With 26 goals and 79 points in just his second OHL season, this kid is the real deal and will give Canada a legitimate offensive threat every time his skates touch the ice. He could make or break a potential top-five selection in the 2011 draft with his performance this month, and if his performance to date is any indication, we believe he'll raise his stock when the games are in the books.

Scott Harrington, D- If Murphy raised his stock this season and and answered a lot of questions about his NHL upside, Harrington's season had the opposite effect in many scouting circles. With good size and skating ability, Harrington was projected as a player who was a solid defensive presence, but who had some offensive potential as well. Unfortunately, that element of his game did not come in what was a pretty tough year for the London Knights. The defense isn't so much an issue for Harrington with the scouts as it was his indecision and attempt to bring the offense, only to be met with a lack of success. He has the attributes to be a solid NHL defender in time, but he took a step back in his development with his six-goals and 22 points. He's rock solid defensively, using his strength to keep the front of his net clear and an active stick to limit time and space and take away shooting lanes. He can make the basic breakout, but isn't much of a puck mover. He keeps things simple, and as long as he doesn't try and do too much, he's fine. Harrington could end up being a real value pick for an NHL team if he drops, but he could also just be one of those meat-and-potatoes role players who never really establishes himself as the kind of player scouts thought he might be going back to last year.

Reece Scarlett, D- This raw, but very intriguing rear guard is your classic stealth prospect right now. He played for Swift Current, not a choice destination for scouts these days, so he could very well be much higher on certain team lists of those who saw him more than others, because one scout told us that Scarlett has to grow on you a bit. He's extremely lean, and doesn't have great height either, but he has long limbs which contributes to a fluid stride and a nice wingspan. He didn't get much production for the Broncos (6-18-24 in 72 games) but he didn't have a lot of help up front, either. You can't read too much into the stats with him because much of what makes him an interesting prospect is found in his hockey sense and decision-making. If he gets stronger, he has the potential to hit a rapid developmental stride and become one of those late-bloomer types that has everyone wondering how he slipped down to where it was he's likely to get drafted.

Daniel Catenacci, F- Small, ultra-skilled forward is still learning how to better use his teammates, but he's going to be one of the most dangerous scoring players in the entire tourney. Extremely fast and quick, he can handle the puck at speed and goes fearlessly to the net. His 45 assists were fifth-best in the OHL among 2011 draft prospects, but when you analyze his game, he's capable of doing so much more to create for his linemates and be a little more unselfish with the puck.

Austen Brassard, F- Disappointing year for the Belleville prospect who looked so good for the Bulls after being acquired from the stacked Windsor Spitfires at the 2010 OHL trade deadline. Power forward is a good skater with a powerful stride and some underrated quickness. He's got a big, heavy shot and is one of those guys who may bring a big payoff in time because all the physical tools are there. Some scouts question his overall feeling for the game and sense of urgency at times, but these are things to watch, and he'll likely get called sooner rather than later because of his size, skill level and upside.

Brent Andrews, F- 6-1, 197-pound winger is a grinder who won't get you much in the scoring department, but goes up and down the wing, works hard and is a responsible player in all zones. He played on one of the weaker QMJHL clubs in Halifax and isn't going to wow anyone with his skill set, but is an intelligent and disciplined player. He scored 12 goals and 29 points in 67 games for the Mooseheads this season.

Colin Smith, F- Small, skilled forward for Kamloops tallied 21 goals and 50 points this year on the non-playoff Blazers. He is a quick, darting player who hits holes in defenses and has a knack for the net. He tends to get physically overpowered because of his lack of size and strength, but he brings good depth and energy for Team Canada, albeit as a more unheralded player not seen as much of an NHL draft prospect by at least one NHL scout who covers the west we spoke to.

Alan Quine, C- One of the 2011 draft's "what the hell happened to?" guys this season: average sized, but excellent skater who possesses the offensive hockey sense and hands to be a high-flying scorer. Very soft hands and on paper is one of the most talented of any 2011 draft prospect coming out of the OHL, but got off to a poor start with Kingston and was then traded to Peterborough. Not much for the defense side of things, but if you're looking for a kid who can set 'em up with the best of them, Quine is certainly right there. Like most guys his size and body type, he lacks strength and has a lot of work to do in that area. Does not play much of a physical game, but has some of the best natural offensive upside of any forward on the team. A disappointment of a draft season, yes, but don't count this guy out just yet.

Nick Cousins, C- Tiny at 5-9, 155-pounds, this kid can absolutely fly and is one of the more underrated scorers to come out of the OHL this season. With Cousins, it's easy to see him get lost in the shuffle a bit with so many solid OHL draft prospects coming out in 2011, so he could do a lot to gain some attention for himself at this tournament. Great wheels, hands and sense- works hard and had as solid as season for a non-playoff club as you can have. Underrated. Beyond the size, the scouts don't have a bad word for this kid.

Seth Griffith, F- Give FOB (friend of blog) Dominic Tiano credit (and he has his own very nice OHL blog you should visit) for turning us onto Griffith, but the diminutive but tenacious scorer for London last summer. Speed and hockey skills aside, what really earns Griffith high marks with scouts is how well he performed and produced *after* a lot of veteran players were traded away from London in December and early January. He took full advantage of the ice time and delivered, scoring 22 goals and 62 points in 68 games, but showing some real potential because a good portion of his production came against good teams and were meaningful goals/points. In the playoffs, he added three goals and seven points in six games, with the last two games getting blanked by Owen Sound.

Mark McNeill, C- This bull of a center is one of the draft's meteoric risers. We talked to his former Prince Albert teammate Ryan Button, who is in Providence of the AHL right now after being traded to Seattle at mid-season, and Button raved about McNeill's physical maturity (6-2, 210 and capable of getting even stronger sources say), pure strength and skill package. McNeill scored 32 goals and 81 points for the lowest-seeded team to make the WHL playoffs (and went out in the opening round against Saskatoon), and McNeill then had an excellent postseason as well, despite being the focus of the Blades' checking attention. He's a powerful skater who goes to the net, fights off checks and has the vision, hands and stick to be a legitimate scorer at the next level. He will undoubtedly be one of the focal points of scouting efforts across the board in Germany.

Mark Scheifele, C- Big pivot is versatile to play wing, too. Good skater, but lacks top geat and breakaway speed, but agile and powerful. Tough to knock off stride when he gets going. A good puckhandler and playmaker, Scheifele has been steadily rising all year after a 22-goal, 75-point season for the non-playoff Colts. One scout we talked to wasn't impressed with the 6-3, 180-pounder early in the year, but moved off of that opinion and acknowledged that he has upside and is a pretty safe pick to develop into a solid NHL player in time.

Travis Ewanyk, F- Raw, but big-hitting power forward is rising on draft lists despite his modest production on the Edmonton Oil Kings. Potential high payoff in time because he skates well and has a nice shot. A nice open-ice hitter who relishes contact and will be even nastier when he adds mass to his 6-1, 184-pound frame. Posted 16 goals and 27 points, but added 126 penalty minutes as a hard-nosed, intimidating presence you win tough games with. His production is poised to make a big jump next season and potentially beyond. Definitely a player to watch.

Risers and fallers in 2011 draft

Time to look at some risers and fallers for the 2011 draft.

Up next will be a post with some sleeper picks for the class, and with that, should bring everyone up to speed on many of the top options for June. We will come back in May with a playoff review when the league championships are all in the books.

Risers

Ryan Sproul, D Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)- Hit a huge growth spurt and now stands at about 6-4 after being drafted by the Greyhounds at a little over 6-feet. Played in the OJHL before jumping to the OHL and showed a lot of promise as a mobile, agile two-way defenseman who came out of left field this season laboring for a non-playoff squad. He didn't suffer any ill-effects of the surge in height, and is a powerful skater with a long, fluid stride that scouts really like. When he adds strength and mass to his skinny frame, he'll be even more of a defensive horse than he is already. As one would imagine, he's got a big gun from the point, and just think how much more lethal it will be when he develops more oomph behind it. Very raw, but with one of the most intriguing projectable of any player in the OHL, this guy is going to be the subject of a lot of internet draft chatter between now and June 24-25.

Here's a nice feature on Sproul from Brock Otten's OHL Prospects blog

Seth Griffith, C/RW London (OHL)- Smallish but skilled forward came on strong for the Knights after a large chunk of veterans were traded away. Showed some chemistry with B's prospect Jared Knight and fellow 2011 draft prospect Vladislav Namestnikov. Quick and agile; handles the puck well and has the look of a dangerous scorer in the OHL over the next couple of years. His lacrosse background serves him well in hockey. A player to watch; was a sleeper but finished season with nearly point-per-game for London (22-40-62 in 68 games as a rookie), so he's on a lot of NHL radars now.

Rasmus Bengtsson, D Rögle (SWE-2)- Youngster has gained a lot of confidence playing in Sweden's Allsvenskan division against men: 45 games, 2-7-9. He's a good skater who plays a solid two-way game and has the size (6-2, 196) to be an effective NHL player eventually. Has a cannon of a shot, but could stand to improve quickness of his release and accuracy. Overall, he's an interesting developmental project as a player who needs to be a little more physical and assertive in his own end, but appears to have the tools to be an NHL prospect to watch.

Magnus Hellberg, G Almtuna (SWE-2)- A 1991 birthdate and late-bloomer who was passed over in 2009 and 2010, NHL teams won't make that mistake again in 2011. Huge at 6-5, 185 pounds and cat-quick between the pipes. Performed brilliantly for Almtuna in the Allsvenskan this season, posting a 2.04 GAA and .936 save percentage in 31 games. He was then loaned to IFK Kumla in the Division 1 league and posted a 2.01 GAA and .938 mark. With his superb athleticism, upside and performance, his developmental curve is straight up, not to mention as an older, more mature player, he's ready to come to the AHL next season and start right away.

Andrey Pedan, D Guelph (OHL)- Big Russian defenseman (6-4, 195) came into the OHL this year with a lot of hype after an outstanding Ivan Hlinka tourney for Team Russia and only managed to score two goals and 12 points in 51 games, with both tallies coming at the very end of the season. Interestingly enough, he's already posted five points in just three playoff games and his stock is on the rebound. NHL teams liked his size and mobility/agility as an effective shutdown 'D', but he had shown very little offensive element to his performance to justify a high pick. Now, with Pedan starting to bring the offense at crunch time, he's elevating his profile at just the right time.

Zach Franko, LW Kelowna (WHL)- A smaller guy at 5-11, 160, but shifty, fast and a very good puckhandler. Franko, like teammate Shane McColgan, got off to a slow start offensively, but really came on over the second half for the Rockets and will no doubt be on a lot of teams' boards come June. He finished the year with 22 goals and 53 points in 72 games, but has fine hockey sense and vision to go with his wheels and quick stick. He's got to get much stronger, but he could explode offensively in the WHL over the next 1-2 years.


Mitch Elliot, LW Seattle (WHL)- Behemoth winger at 6-5, 215 pounds has legitimate toughness but a modicum of skill as well. He hasn't been very productive with the non-playoff Thunderbirds over the past couple of season, scoring just 6 goals and 17 points in 128 games to go with 157 penalty minutes. Elliot's upside is limited, but he skates pretty well for such a big guy and NHL teams do love their tough wingers.


Fallers

Alan Quine, C Peterborough (OHL)- This skilled pivot with a high hockey IQ came into the year as a first-round projection, but got off to a slow start with Kingston and never recovered. He was on the gold medal team at the Ivan Hlinka tourney, and was eventually traded to Peterborough for Ryan Spooner. He finished the season with 26 goals and 53 points in 69 games split between the Frontenacs and Petes. He has tremendous vision and high-end passing skills with a quick release and accurate shot. Unfortunately, defense is not his strong suit, and his average size (6-0, 180) doesn't make for a very physical player. Quine could be one of those one-dimensional guys who is doomed to be a minor leaguer, but if he ever figures out how to round out his game, he certainly has the talent to be a top-six NHL forward.

Garrett Meurs, C Plymouth (OHL)- Another disappointment like Quine in that Meurs was a playmaking pivot from whom bigger things were expected after a 16-goal, 34-point rookie campaign with the Whalers. The 5-11, 172-pounder only managed 10 goals and 40 points in 2011, but played better hockey near the end of the season after looking listless and ineffective for much of the time. Meurs is a talented forward who isn't the prettiest-looking skater, but manages to get where he needs to go. Needs to improve first step in the eyes of several scouts, who feel his skating will hold him back at the next level. Shows the intangibles you want like vision, offensive instincts and has a feisty side despite not being the biggest guy out there. Another member of Team Canada's Ivan Hlinka champion last August, Meurs must get a lot stronger. His stock is on the wane, but if he gets back on his developmental track, he's got potential as a later value pick in this class.

Jesse Forsberg, D Prince George (WHL)- Smallish defender at 6-0, 195 pounds was one of the higher-rated players in the WHL coming into it, but pretty much fell off the map with a subpar offensive season and a weird, hunched-over skating style that is a turnoff for scouts. Works hard and plays a gritty, hard-nosed game despite a lack of height and power, but is pretty limited in terms of his puck-moving ability and upside at the next level. Could force his way into the NHL much like Andrew Ference did, but Ference at least put up some pretty good numbers in Portland back in the day. Forsberg's 2 goals and 16 points at the junior level will give pause to any team thinking of drafting him in the top-100, but he has the kind of edge and work ethic to make himself a player one day. Worth the risk after the third round.

Austen Brassard, RW Belleville (OHL)- A frustrating tease, in the words of one NHL scout. This 6-2, 190-pound winger put up 17 points in just 26 games last season after being traded from Windsor to the Bulls, so the conventional thinking was that Brassard would make the obvious jump in production this year. Didn't happen. With 19 goals and 34 points in 67 games, the talent is not an issue, as he's a pretty good skater and has the quick hands and nose for the net, but brings a maddening inconsistency and penchant for disappearing for large stretches to the mix. Brassard is capable of doing so much more, but is largely undelivered potential at this point. He's worth a gamble with a later-round pick like the sixth the B's spent on Tyler Randell two years ago, but the light may never come on for Brassard.

Scott Harrington, D London (OHL)- First-round talent had high hopes this year and looked like a good bet to deliver after a solid Ivan Hlinka performance in August. Unfortunately, Harrington struggled with the defensive aspect of his game this season, which was a strength last season, and according to scouts, showed off some indecisive play early on and never really found his groove. Although mobile with crisp change-of-direction ability, Harrington was never thought of as an offensive player, but his gap control, positioning, smarts and work ethic all drew raves last year. This season, he regressed and seemed to let the pressure of his draft year and London's struggles get to him. He could be a solid pro if he can get back to his previous level, but that will require a club who saw enough of him last year to be confident he can get his mojo back.

Andrei Makarov, G Lewiston (QMJHL)- Highly athletic Russian goalie carried high expectations all the way to Maine, but played so poorly early in the season that even his late resurgence may not be enough to see him picked. His poor technique and lack of fundamentals were exposed early on, but to his credit, he battled and tried to work through it. Showed improvement as the season wore on, and he could be one of these guys who goes the distance because he has such natural size, flexibility and is a bit of an acrobat in net. He's going to require a great deal of time and patience, but the payoff could be big.

Jared Knight weighs in on draft-eligible teammates Namestnikov, Harrington

Had a nice chat with Bruins prospect and London Knights winger Jared Knight this week, and picked his brain a bit about two high-profile OHL teammates expected to go pretty high in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. He was kind enough to allow me to let him share his thoughts on his teammates, and I always enjoy hearing what these players have to say about their peers. I hope you do as well.

Russian center Vladislav Namestnikov hasn't played a lot with Knight (much to Boston boosters' chagrin) this season, but he could end up going top-10 in the draft. Here is what Knight had to say about him:

He'll be a first-rounder. He has a lot of speed and is really slick and creative. I love watching him in practice when we'll be doing these 1-on-1 drills, and he'll be going through the defenseman, putting the puck through their legs, sticks, pretty much anywhere he can find an opening.

Knight also related a humorous story about how when he first met Namestnikov, and only knew him as "the Russian":

I was talking real slow to him so he could follow what I was saying. All of the sudden, he comes back with this rapid answer and almost no accent and it was a total surprise to me. I found out later that he was pretty much raised over here (when Namestnikov's dad, Evgeny played in the NHL and minor leagues), but he's definitely not having any issues adjusting to the play and culture here.

Knight also weighed on on defenseman Scott Harrington, who's been an up-and-down performer this season after some pretty big things were expected from him going into it.

He's another first-rounder in my opinion. He's a big, solid stay-at-home guy with some skill as well. He's a strong skater, makes a good first pass. He's a good leader, and is just solid in every aspect of the game. He can do a lot out there.

Thanks, Jared, for sharing your opinion and helping the B2011DW readers, fans and followers to get to know your teammates a little better.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to ask him about Seth Griffith, another interesting prospect and potential sleeper pick, but we'll follow up on him before the season is out.

QMJHL, OHL Super Series rosters announced

I was going to wait until the WHL roster was put out, but with the QMJHL and OHL being on the streets, don't want to get too far behind the power curve for the 2010 CHL vs. Russia Super Series.

These have pretty much been walkovers in recent years, with the CHL clubs manhandling Russian squads who haven't the best the country has to offer. I don't expect this year to be any different, especially with so many of Russia's top 2011 draft eligibles skating in (gulp) the CHL-- Alexander Khoklachev, Andrey Pedan, Vladislav Namestnikov, Andrei Makarov and so on.

Here's the QMJHL entry with the 2011 draft-eligibles in bold:

Goalies

Jean-Francois Berube, Montreal Juniors
Maxime Clermont, Gatineau Olympiques
Olivier Roy, Acadie-Bathurst Titan

Defensemen
Nathan Beaulieu, Saint John Sea Dogs
Nicolas Deslauriers, Gatineau Olympiques
Simon Despres, Saint John Sea Dogs
Jerome Gauthier-Leduc, Rimouski Oceanic
Brandon Gormley, Moncton Wildcats
Ryan Kavanagh, Rimouski Oceanic
Jean-Philippe Mathieu, Drummondville Voltigeurs
Xavier Ouellet, Montreal Juniors
Charles-Olivier Roussel, Montreal Juniors

Forwards
Guillaume Asselin, Chicoutimi Sagueneens
Louis-Marc Aubry, Montreal Juniors
Michael Bournival, Shawinigan Cataractes
Jonathan Brunelle, Drummondville Voltigeurs
Sean Couturier, Drummondville Voltigeurs
Jonathan Huberdeau, Saint John Sea Dogs
Brandon Hynes, Victoriaville Tigres
Louis Leblanc, Montreal Juniors
Philippe Lefebvre, Montreal Juniors
Jonathan Lessard, Acadie-Bathurst Titan
Philippe Paradis, PEI Rocket
Trevor Parkes, Montreal Juniors
Zack Phillips, Saint John Sea Dogs

There will be two games-- one in Saint John (Nov. 8) and one in Drummondville (Nov. 10). Berube, Kavanagh and Lefebvre are scheduled to play only in Saint John, while Clermont, Mathieu and Brunelle are on the docket for Drummondville.

OHL-- One game in London (Nov. 11), one in Sudbury (Nov. 15)

London roster

Goalies

Scott Stajcer, Owen Sound Attack
Scott Wedgewood, Plymouth Whalers

Defensemen:
Jesse Blacker, Owen Sound Attack
Calvin de Haan, Oshawa Generals
Taylor Doherty, Kingston Frontenacs
Erik Gudbranson, Kingston Frontenacs
Scott Harrington, London Knights
Ryan Murphy, Kitchener Rangers


Forwards:
Taylor Beck, Guelph Storm
Sam Carrick, Brampton Battalion
Joey Hishon, Owen Sound Attack
Peter Holland, Guelph Storm
Boone Jenner, Oshawa Generals
Michael Latta, Guelph Storm
Lucas Lessio, Oshawa Generals
Michael MacDonald, London Knights
Ryan Martindale, Ottawa 67’s
Christian Thomas, Oshawa Generals
Tyler Toffoli, Ottawa 67’s
Ethan Werek, Kingston Frontenacs
Garrett Wilson, Owen Sound Attack

Sudbury roster

Goalies
JP Anderson, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
Mark Visentin, Niagara IceDogs

Defense men
Brock Beukeboom, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Jesse Blacker, Owen Sound Attack
Taylor Doherty, Kingston Frontenacs
Ryan Ellis, Windsor Spitfires
Erik Gudbranson, Kingston Frontenacs
Dougie Hamilton, Niagara IceDogs


Forwards
Casey Cizikas, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
Marcus Foligno, Sudbury Wolves
Joey Hishon, Owen Sound Attack
Zack Kassian, Windsor Spitfires
John McFarland, Sudbury Wolves
Greg McKegg, Erie Otters
Matt Puempel, Peterborough Petes
Justin Shugg, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
Devante Smith-Pelly, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
Ryan Spooner, Peterborough Petes
Ryan Strome, Niagara IceDogs
Ethan Werek, Kingston Frontenacs

Now, we're waiting on the WHL (Nov. 17- Kamloops, BC; Nov. 18- Prince George, BC) and Russian rosters to be released.

The kids looked good in Montreal

Just a quick post on a few thoughts about last night's 4-2 win by the Boston Bruins over the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre.

First of all, Nathan Horton has been all smiles since arriving in Boston, and he gave an indication of what could be in store (provided he can remain healthy) when he unloaded that big league heavy wrister past Carey Price just 1:33 in. Regardless of how his NHL career has gone, he was the third overall pick for a reason, and you saw one of the key factors of that selection with that shot. When he gets up his head of steam like he did, and has the time and space to generate the unreal power and torque on the shot, it becomes exceedingly difficult for any goalie to stop.

Tyler Seguin assisted on Johnny Boychuk's goal (and Boychuk has looked like a total stud in the camp sessions so far-- he looks like he picked up a step since last spring, and is really putting in a visible effort), and was OK-- solid-- but not spectacular. He's obviously learning, but didn't look at all out of place last night. I've said it before and will again-- he'll be in Boston simply because he's too good to go back to junior and the Bruins will want to control his development as opposed to giving up control to the Plymouth Whalers. Nothing against his junior team, of course, but Seguin is the crown jewel of Boston's future, so they'll want to exert as much influence on him as they can. Sending him back to the OHL risks stagnation and they won't allow that. UPDATE-- I've seen some real harsh criticisms of Seguin on the internet today and I honestly don't get it. He wasn't that bad, although admittedly, I was watching a stream. But, I think the critiques are once again a product of the enormous expectations. I thought some of the same criticisms I saw from people of him in the rookie games were over the top, so I guess we'll have to see how it all plays out from here.

Matt Bartkowski continues to impress. Logged over 18 minutes of ice time and finished the night with a +2 rating. Now that I'm watching him closely, I think he could see NHL games in Boston this year if injuries take a toll. Bartkowski is a guy this blogger wasn't thrilled with when the deal with Florida went down, but I have to eat crow and admit to doing a complete 180 on it, especially with Dennis Seidenberg signed to a cap-friendly extension. Peter Chiarelli and his scouts deserve a lot of credit for both Seids and Bartkowski, who looks like a 3-4 year pro out there-- not a player just a few months removed from patrolling the Ohio St. blue line.

Adam McQuaid was also good last night and he's going to be the seventh defenseman and NHL understudy a la Boychuk last season. Would rather he played in Providence, but the B's can't slide him past the rest of the league on waivers-- someone would snap him up quickly. So, he'll sit, but the moment someone on 'D' goes out with injury, he'll be in, and he looks to have built on what was some solid spot duty last season.

Nice to see Ryan Spooner still with the team. He's still pretty small, although it was evident to me that he's been working hard in the offseason to build up his strength. There is no denying his skills/talent and he'll go back to Peterborough soon because there are too many guys in Boston for him to have a legitimate shot at making the team right now. But make no mistake-- the longer he's around to get in some exhibition games and be around the team, the better his confidence and perspective will be going back to junior.

Tuukka Rask isn't a "kid" at 23 anymore, but his performance last night has to have Bruins fans giddy with what could be a huge year for him. He's been lights-out in camp and last night, he made a mockery of Montreal's goalies. The more you see Rask, the less important, you come to realize, is the need for Boston to spend a high draft pick on a goalie. Obviously, if there is a value selection sitting there in June, they'll consider it, but with Hutch just starting up on the pro side, and sixth-rounder Zane Gothberg on the five-year plan, that pretty much frees up the B's to focus 2011 on shoring up the defense.

That's why I'm labeling the 2011 draft watch the "year of the blue liner" in anticipation that the B's will add at least one high-end talent on defense, and probably several others with raw, but bankable potential. Of course, don't expect them to keep all five of their picks in the first three rounds in the process, but they're going to make sure they come away with some upside and skill at the position.

Although I've seen him ranked all over the map in the pre-season, I'm betting that Youngstown's Scott Mayfield will make a run as one of the higher-end guys in this draft. He's got the size, mobility, intelligence and a little snarl to really appeal to scouts. Kitchener's Ryan Murphy is another hyped kid and rightfully so with his skating and puck skills, but the Bruins already have five sub-6-foot prospects on 'D' (seven when you include the two in Boston's top-six in Andrew Ference and Matt Hunwick) Will they really spend a high pick on Murphy (assuming he's available)? That's the question he'll have to answer this season.

And of course, Adam Larsson is the big prize on defense-- a future franchise cornerstone for whichever team finishes last overall. Yes, before the season has begun, I'm predicting that Larsson will be selected ahead of the likes of Sean Couturier and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, neither of whom have the sustained and bankable stardom that John Tavares had in '09 when Victor Hedman could have been the No. 1 pick. And, don't forget about David Musil, either. The Vancouver Giants star has a world of size and talent, but has more to prove this year than any other player in the top-five because some warts on his game have already been identified by scouts (namely intensity and decision-making), so he'll be closely scrutinized. Still, with that kind of raw talent and superior bloodlines, hard to imagine he'll slip very far if at all.

Other guys to watch: slick, skilled Russian d-man Andrei Pedan, who is with the OHL's Guelph Storm, a pair of big and talented but raw players in Dougie Hamilton (Niagara- OHL) and Dillon Simpson (University of North Dakota) and smallish puck mover Adam Clendening, whom the Bruins will get a lot of viewings in over at Commonwealth Ave. There's also Scott Harrington of London, who has size and skill, but who right now isn't being projected as having a lot of offensive upside from the scouts I've talked to. Would be nice to see him exceed expectations and put up some numbers and jump into the race as a legit. candidate to be a No. 1 or high-end No. 2 NHL defenseman.

Should be a great year to focus on d-men and see which cream rises to the top!

B2011DW's Official 2010-11 OHL Watch List

Here is a list of some players who, going into the 2010-11 season, some NHL and independent scouts think are worthy of first- or second-round consideration. Once again, Ontario is providing a good percentage of the potential NHL talent coming down the pipeline in the next 2-5 years.

1. Brandon Saad, LW Saginaw Spirit: At 6-2, 200 this big-bodied American has a lot of skill and is arguably the best prospect the OHL has to offer this season and could be NHL-ready in 2011-12, he's that good and physically developed. Along with Seth Ambroz, Saad has been a force up front for about three years now and continues to develop on an upward curve at a time when big, skilled power forwards are more in demand than ever. "He's a great skater, playmaker, has good hockey sense and has that goal scoring ability you look for," said an NHL scout familiar with his game.

2. Gabriel Landeskog, RW Kitchener Rangers: This Swedish power forward prospect has come on like gangbusters since coming over to the OHL last season and big things are expected of him this year. He loves to take the body, goes hard to the net and has the size (6-1, 200) to go with excellent skating chops to be the kind of complete package every NHL team covets. "He's an angry, angry player some nights. He bangs, he scores and even plays some defense, too," another NHL scout said.

3. Matt Puempel, LW Peterborough Petes: The word on the street right now is: don't be fooled by the points production Puempel put up at the Ivan Hlinka-- he wasn't that good. The reigning CHL rookie of the year is coming off a 33-goal season with the Petes at age 16 who can skate and score, but who also reportedly had a pretty poor Team Canada evaluation camp. Add Red Line Report to the list of people unimpressed with Puempel this summer: they called him the "most disappointing" player on Team Canada, and while acknowledging his outstanding physical and skill package, said that he had a lot of trouble finding his comfort zone and consistency up front. For a kid thought to be a consensus top-five pick next June, this is an interesting development and bears watching.

4. Ryan Murphy, D Kitchener Rangers: Ah, if he only had another three or four inches on his frame. This offensive defenseman has been described to me alternately as "unreal" and "fabulous" offensively, and a "disaster" and "complete gongshow" defensively. But even with the critiques of his defense, those folks say he's just so good at skating and generating offense that you can overlook the defensive problems with this kid. He's a premier puck mover and blazing skater with high-end speed and agility and the creativity to do whatever he wants with the puck. But at 5-10, 160 pounds, has a lot of growing to do and is not ever going to have the size that makes Drew Doughty a future Norris Trophy winner and a player everyone salivates over.

When compared to Ryan Ellis, Nashville's top pick in 2009, an NHL scout had this interesting bit to say about Murphy: "I think he's a much more dynamic player than Ellis is." And honestly, that's a mouthful right there. Another scout said this: "If you don't stop this kid at your own blue line, you're ****ed. He's right by you and is creating a scoring chance, because he's pretty unstoppable if he cranks it up through the neutral zone." The bad news for Bruins fans: He's another small defenseman, and the team already has a surplus of those, albeit none with Murphy's pure talent. Curiously enough, Murphy was left off Team Canada's gold medal-winning Ivan Hlinka squad, a decision that most every scout I've talked to has derided at ludicrous.

5. Alan Quine, C Kingston Frontenacs: Heady centerman has the speed and intelligence to produce offensively, but plays on a bad team. He only has average size at 5-11, 175 pounds, but shows a willingness to go into traffic. He performed well at Team Canada evaluation camp and was in the Hlinka team that captured gold. He was solid if unspectacular in that tournament, and he'll need to improve on the 11 goals he scored last year to make a legitimate run at a top-20 selection.

6. Garett Meurs, C Plymouth Whalers: Often overshadowed on the Whalers because of the presence of Tyler Seguin, Meurs has managed to capture the attention of scouts nonetheless because of his excellent hockey skills. "Meurs always seems to be the 'other guy' on whatever line he plays on, but he produces," one NHL scout recently. He's probably not going to be a star NHLer, but Meurs is the kind of complementary player with the ability to score 30-35 goals and be a valuable contributor for years.

7. Dougie Hamilton, D Niagara Ice Dogs: At 6-4, 190 pounds, and some speed and solid footwork, this player is a raw, but intriguing talent. What Derek Forbort was last season to people who desired a defender with legitimate size and some offensive chops, Hamilton is to this draft. He's well behind Adam Larsson and David Musil in terms of pure talent and upside at the defense position, but could develop into one of the better players in this class over time. Moves well in all directions and will jump up into the rush. Right now seen as more of a physical defense-first player who is gangly and still rounding into his athletic form. But, he has tremendous athletic bloodlines, his parents Doug (rowing) and Lynn (basketball) having both been Canadian Olympians. Depending on what kind of season he has, he's either going to shoot up the board or fall precipitously, because there will probably be little middle ground for a project like him.

8. Scott Harrington, D London Knights: On paper, this 6-1, 190-pound rearguard may be another guy for Bruins fans who believe the team desperately needs size and talent on defense to put some time and energy into following. He's big, strong, skilled, skates well and plays a very good shutdown game. Even his supporters acknowledge that he may not be much of an offensive presence at the next level, but he's one of those players you can put the term "upside" on. That said, others aren't so sure. "I think he's overhyped and needs to show more," said one NHL scout. "He's got good size, is a good skater and is good defensively, but he doesn't do a lot for me. At least, he's not someone I'm looking at in the first round right now unless he picks it up and shows me some more."

9. Boone Jenner, C Oshawa Generals: Beyond the great name, this is a pretty good-sized (6-1 195) centerman with some real skill and upside. Bad news up front: His skating is not NHL-caliber, and he's definitely going to have to improve on his first few steps and overall agility if he's going to have a chance at being a top-two liner in the show one day. However, he's so good on the puck and oozes hockey sense, plus has a tremendous work ethic (two scouts have used the ubiquitous "He skates his bag off!" line with me) to boot. If he can improve the skating/speed, he's got a shot to be a player. But, where you take a guy like this is the big question right now. Red Line has him 14th overall, but others I have talked to see him more as a late-first/early second, while yet another said the skating could drop him a lot lower if he hasn't addressed it this season.

10. Lucas Lessio, LW Oshawa Generals: Jenner's new teammate comes over from the St. Mike's Buzzers of Jr. A after deciding not to follow a path to the University of Michigan. The two had a chance to skate together at the Ivan Hlinka and get some chemistry down for the upcoming OHL season. A pure talent with speed and goal scoring instincts, but doesn't always give it his all on the defensive side of things and can be a one-man show at times. He's definitely a player to watch this season to see how he handles the challenge of the OHL after tearing it up last season for the Buzzers and having a good showing at the Ivan Hlinka.

More OHL players to keep tabs on:

Austen Brassard, RW Belleville Bulls: Traded from Windsor in the Philipp Grubauer deal, this power forward lives up to his team's name. He's a powerful, physical player who will go through people on his way to the net. Can skate OK, but has a nice modicum of skill to his package, so if he can pick up a step or three, could be a real monster when he fills out (6-2, 192).

Brett Ritchie, RW Sarnia Sting: If he were a better skater, a lot of people would be pretty excited about this kid. At 6-3, 204, he's already a horse and real tough to contain when he gets it going and grabs possession of the puck in the offensive zone. Protects the puck well and showed some scoring panache in Slovakia at the Ivan Hlinka, but has a lot of improving to do before he can be considered a legitimate top-six forward prospect.

David Broll, LW Erie Otters: The third of three big power forward prospects, Broll is a mean, nasty hitter who is the most intimidating of the three, but also possesses the lowest ceiling at present. He's got a really poor first few steps and lacks agility/turning ability, but is one of those straight-ahead skaters who's fine once he gets going. Another Hlinka alum, Broll's got some skill, too, but his real effectiveness is when he's bowling guys over and opening up space for his linemates. Because of the size (6-2, 220) and nastiness, he'll be a top-two round pick in June, but like Ritchie and Brassard is a work in progress and probably comes with more risk than the other two. Because Mississauga is hosting the 2011 Memorial Cup, scouts will get a chance to see how he progresses this season from start to finish-- should be very interesting to see.

Daniel Catenacci, LW Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds: The top selection in the OHL draft two years ago is a flashy, explosive player who doesn't have a lot of size (5-10, 180), but has the jets, hands and dash to attract notice. He's very skilled, good on the puck and can finish in a variety of ways, but some wonder how his game is going to translate at the next level. He's the classic player who will fool the novice or uninitiated fan who will be easily dazzled by his pure speed and slick moves, so when watching this player, you have to focus on the little things like his awareness, presence and willingness to work as hard in all zones as he does when the puck is on his stick. Because of his pure talent and draft pedigree, Catenacci will be closely scrutinized this year, but will need to do more than just score to earn a high grade and early selection in June.

Carter Sandlak, LW Guelph Storm: At 6-2, 199 this is just a big, no-frills up-and-down winger who grinds and brings the physicality, but not much else. Not a very good skater, but he hustles the best he can and is at his best when taking the body and laying into people. Doesn't have the skill or creativity to be much more than a fourth-line NHL player, but has the kind of desire and other intangibles to watch and see where he gets himself.

Stuart Percy, D Mississauga St. Mike's Majors: A B2011DW favorite-- but is on the outside looking in to start the season. Has a nice 6-1 frame, but skating is just ehhh. If he can pick up a step, he could work himself solidly into the 1st round. "He's got some good hands and hockey sense," said one NHL scout familiar with him. "His skating needs some work; if he's not moving his feet or if he gets caught flat-footed, he can have issues out there, but he's got the potential to be a solid puck-mover and first-round pick if he can improve his overall mobility." Percy is the kind of player the Bruins normally target under the radar because he does have the nice size and skill package. Red Line said he was "unnoticeable" at the Ivan Hlinka, but that can be a pretty good thing when you play defense. Watch this guy.

Vince Trocheck, C Saginaw Spirit: Smallish Michigander has some real speed, skill and moves. He was on the USA team that won silver at the Hlinka and has a real shot to be one of those second-round picks who ends up impressing a lot of people over the course of the season. "He's dynamic and has an edge for a smallish guy. He plays hard in traffic," one scout said.

Craig Duininck, D Windsor Spitfires: Another American who opted for the OHL and who won a Memorial Cup last spring with Taylor Hall. He's got good size, feet and the ability to move the puck although is nothing flashy. He's also got some guts; dropped the gloves against a much bigger, more accomplished opponent and got tuned, but stood in there and took one for the team. "He's a nifty little player; he would have gotten more hyped if he had played on any other team last year," said an NHL scout.

Matt Mahalak, G Plymouth Whalers: A big frame and some real athleticism are only the beginning of Michigan native's promise. He also plays a fundamentally sound game and shows the kind of calm and poise you want to see in a netminder. This will be an interesting year for him, with Seguin expected to be on the Bruins.

Tyson Teichmann, G Belleville Bulls: Very slight (145 pounds dripping wet) goalie shutout Team USA to capture gold in Slovakia, but wasn't sensational (and with that team in front of him, didn't have to be) in the Under-18 tourney this month. Makes a good first save, but could stand work on rebound control. Good glove and stick and overall has some strong attributes, but is not considered to be anything all that special in what is shaping up to be a weak goalie class.

Other OHLers to watch (mostly Europeans that I don't have a baseline for yet)

Nicklas Jensen, LW Oshawa

Vladislav Namestnikov, C London

Andrei Pedan, D Guelph

Tobias Rieder, LW Kitchener

Rickard Rakell, RW Plymouth

Danny Elser, C London

Colin Suellentrop, D Oshawa

Steve Broek, LW Kingston

Cody McNaughton, RW Guelph

Seth Griffith, C London

Ivan Hlinka roundup Day 3: Canada rolls in Group B, USA, Sweden, Czechs also in the semi-final

Team Canada continued its dominance in the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament Wednesday in Slovakia, thrashing the host team by a 6-1 score to go 3-0 in the tournament.

The Canadians won it thanks to a pair of first period goals from defensemen Duncan Siemens and Scott Harrington, which gave them a 2-0 lead before Matt Puempel, Myles Bell and Boone Jenner (two goals) closed out the scoring. Puempel and Siemens also added helpers to the scoresheet, while Garett Meurs and David Broll each had two assists on the game.

Team USA closed out Finland to move to 2-1and win the Group A round robin while dropping their opponent out of medal contention with a 5-2 victory today. Cason Hohmann had another two point contest with a goal and an assist, John Gaudreau scored for the second straight contest. Justin Selman, Tanner Sorensen and Sean Kuraly also scored for the Americans. Connor Murphy (two assists) paced the USA blue liners in scoring today. USA got a solid performance in net from Nutmeg stater Steven Michalek, who made 26 stops. Markus Granlund had one of Finland's goals in the loss, Robert Leino the other.

Sweden blasted the Swiss to earn a spot in the semifinal round against the USA on Friday, topping their opponent 7-1. Oscar Klefbom (four assists) Pontus Åberg (3 points- too bad he's a 2012-eligible or the Swedish class would be even more insane this year), Joachim Nemark and Mika Zibanejad paced the Tri Kronor assault, who popped in the first four goals of the game and cruised from there.

The Czech Republic defeated Team Russia 3-2 to eliminate them from medal contention, again leaving the highly-skilled Russians to wonder why they weren't more successful in this tournament, where talented individuals couldn't do enough to form a team dynamic. The Czechs will hope goalie Jaroslav Pavelka can be as sharp against Canada as he was today. On paper, they don't have the talent and ability of Canada, but they did take them to OT in the exhibition round, and could pull an upset if they can pull it together for 60 strong minutes.

Ivan Hlinka: The 2010-11 hockey season begins today

The annual under-18 extravaganza in Piestany, Slovakia, the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament (named for the star Czech forward, IIHF Hall of Famer and former Pittsburgh Penguins coach who was killed in a car accident in 2004) gets underway today and the annual competition has become a who's who of the upcoming draft class.

The tournament, originally known as the Pacific Cup and Nations Cup , it differs from the April IIHF Under-18 World Championship tournament in that the Ivan Hlinka is not an official IIHF-sanctioned event. That said, it's usually a tournament that brings much more higher-end talent to the mix especially on Team Canada, because the CHL season is not yet underway and therefore the playoffs in the three major junior leagues do not conflict. As an example, Tyler Seguin led Team Canada's Ivan Hlinka squad (who won gold) in scoring last August, but did not play for the Under-18 championship team because Plymouth was in the process of getting swept by Taylor Hall and the Windsor Spitfires. Ryan Spooner was also on the Canada squad that took gold in '09.

Last year, Jeff Skinner used the Hlinka tourney as a springboard for his impressive run from being considered a non-1st-round pick in the preseason by many public scouting sources, to top-10 selection with what was a tremendous performance offensively.

Just to underscore Canada's dominance in the tourney since its inception in 1991, they've come away with the gold 14 times and have 17 total medals (failing to earn a medal just twice-- in 2003 and 2007). Russia/USSR (3), the United States (1) and Sweden (1) are the only other countries to capture gold.

This year, Canada looks stronger than ever, with a formidable roster lacking only in potential top pick Sean Couturier, who as a late '92 birthdate, is not eligible (Hall did not play for Canada last year for the same reason-- his late '91 status). Couturier did play in the '09 Hlinka, so he's at least gotten a taste of the storied competition.

Guys to watch up front for Canada as top-10 candidates in 2011 include: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Red Deer Rebels, WHL) not all that big (6-0, 166) but is tremendous with the puck and can create offense on the fly with his superior hockey sense and vision. He lost out on CHL Rookie of the Year honors to Matt Puempel of the Peterborough Petes, who followed Spooner as only the second 16-year-old in Petes history to score 30 goals in a season. Boone Jenner has a great name, and at almost 6-2, 197 pounds is a big man in the middle for the Oshawa Generals with skill and a knack for offense, not to mention the character and leadership that wins you hockey games. Phillip Danault of the Victoriaville Tigres is another player to watch in this tourney-- he could pull a Skinner and elevate his stock if he can keep putting the puck in the net, as he had quite a productive evaluation camp. Don't forget about tall, lanky center Jonathan Huberdeau, who had an excellent QMJHL playoffs for Saint John last spring. He's a stringbean at 6-2, 166 pounds, but has the skill level to make a run at a top-30 selection in June. I also like the look of Sarnia Sting power winger Brett Ritchie, who is already about 6-3 and tipping the scales at over 200 pounds. He's a decent skater who works hard and be a handful at this tourney with his big frame and willingness to do the dirty work along the walls and in front of the net. One forward who could generate some buzz this year is former St. Michael's (CCHL) winger Lucas Lessio. Originally committed to the University of Michigan, Lessio opted instead for the OHL and the Oshawa Generals (who acquired his draft rights from the Niagara Ice Dogs) and folks will get to see what kind of chemistry he can put together with Jenner in Slovakia. At 6-1, 195 he has good size, wheels and scored 30 goals and 72 points in 41 games last season for the Buzzers, so he's got some offensive pop, bringing Canada a real embarrassment of riches up front (so what else is new, eh?).

On defense, Canada left the small but ultra-skilled Kitchener Rangers star Ryan Murphy at home, which is a curious decision, as he has evoked a lot of comparisons to another player with the same first name and similar game in '09 top-rounder Ryan Ellis. It seems that Murphy is the kind of player tailor-made for this competition, so for him to be left off the Canada roster is an ongoing source of debate. If Canada wins it all as expected, there won't be an issue, but if they don't, then expect a lot of second-guessing to occur.

I like Mississauga defender Stuart Percy and am intrigued with him and how his season will unfold. He was the 15th overall pick by the St. Mike's in the '09 OHL priority selection and has nice size and skills, to go along with some toughness. Check out video of his two fights last season if you can find it on the web-- he can throw 'em. I got a tip from one of my Ontario sources that he could be a guy who shoots up the various draft boards between now and June because he has all the tools to do it. And, he'll be appealing to Boston because he's got some size (although he's not a monster at about 6-1) which would put him in a different category from the midget brigade the B's have assembled in their prospect stable thus far at the position. London Knights defenseman Scott Harrington is another two-way defenseman with some real skill and given Boston's time spent scouting Jared Knight and keeping tabs on Mike Hutchinson, expect that he's already on their radar in the first round.

Team USA will have their hands full in this tourney. The U.S. NTDP doesn't send the cream of their crop, giving players who come from other developmental programs a chance to compete. There aren't a lot of big-name players on this roster outside of Minnesota power forward Seth Ambroz, but there are several sons of former NHLers who could make names for themselves: Connor Murphy (son of former Bruin Gord Murphy), Lukas Sutter (Rich Sutter's boy, born in St. Louis when his dad played for the Blues) and Keegan Lowe (Edmonton Oilers president and 6-time Stanley Cup champion Kevin Lowe's son) are all on the squad. Ambroz is the top draft candidate on the USA roster at present, a big body who has the size, shot and edge to be a true power forward in the NHL someday.

For the Americans to have a chance, they're going to need great goaltending, and they don't ge the luxury of going to the well to use Jack Campbell this year. Connecticut native Steven Michalek and Jay Williams (from the hockey hotbed of Virginia) will have to shoulder the load. The team's medal hopes took a big body blow when skilled forwards Shane McColgan and Alex Gacek had to bow out because of injuries.

Team Sweden has a few interesting players on the roster, namely Mika Zibanejad and Victor Rask, who is big, skates very well and brings a high energy level with him. Rask was impressive in international play last season and could see some playing time with Leksands this year given his nice size (6-1, 195), skill level and maturity. He's definitely one to watch. Unfortunately for Sweden, Adam Larsson and Kitchener forward Gabriel Landeskog aren't playing by virtue of their late '92 birthdates. But fear not, you'll get to see Larsson and probably Landeskog as well in Buffalo this winter, skating for Team Sweden's WJC (Under-20) squad. Zibanejad has a high-end skill level to go with good size (6-1) and the kind of natural hockey sense and offensive creativity that could see him earn a first-round grade in the 2011 NHL draft. Zibanejad, who is a member of the Djurgården hockey club, opened a lot of eyes at the World Under-17 Challenge last year in Timmins, Ont. and he brings the kind of swagger to go with a very high upside that you normally don't see from the Scandinavian ranks.

On defense, the New Jersey-born Joakim Ryan is an interesting draft story for 2011. The son of Swedish tennis pro Catarina Lindqvist and agent Bill Ryan was cut by the U.S. NTDP, so Sweden grabbed the lanky, but skilled rearguard and added him to their national team. He's got nice wheels and good puck-moving ability; he can lead the rush or play a sound positional defense. He'll play this season in the USHL for the expansion Dubuque Fighting Saints and is headed to Cornell University next fall. He aappears to be one who got away for the Americans. Ryan's been a prolific scorer from the blue line over the past two seasons skating with the New Jersey Jr. Devils (midget AAA) and Christian Brothers Academy in his native Garden State.

The Czechs are more known for who isn't playing for them than who is. Lukáš Králík is a big, right-shooting forward who plays for HC Olomouc has shown some nice offensive potential, and is expected to carry much of the team's scoring duties. Also, keep an eye on Matěj Beran of HC Karlovy Vary, who has the tools and upside to break out in this, his draft season.

Czech skill forward Martin Frk is not playing (due to commitment to the Halifax Mooseheads), nor is huge defenseman David Musil (due to injury). Musil is already considered a top-five selection this season because of his size (6-5) and athleticism/upside. He is the son of former NHL rearguard (and current Edmonton scout) Frantisek Musil and Bobby Holik's sister, Andrea Holikova, who was a world-class tennis player. Holikova, you may not recall, actually attended the 1989 NHL Draft in her younger brother's stead to receive Holik's Hartford Whalers jersey when the team took him with the 10th overall pick (he was unable to travel to the U.S. back then because Czechoslovakia was still behind the Iron Curtain). With those bloodlines, the younger Musil is a raw, but very intriguing prospect with a very high ceiling.

I don't have a lot of detailed insight on Team Russia, Slovakia or Finland, but Markus Granlund, Mikael's younger brother, is skating in this tournament for Team Suomi. He doesn't have his older brother's sublime hockey sense and playmaking ability, but is still considered a player to watch this season.

Canada kicks off the play today with a match against Sweden, while USA takes on the Czech Republic, Slovakia versus Switzerland and Russia against Finland in four games split in two venues of Piestany and Breclav.

UPDATE: Canada defeated Sweden by a 6-3 score in the opening contest today-- no surprise. Also not surprisng was the fact that Nugent-Hopkins, Puempel and Lessio scored. Sault Ste. Marie forward Daniel Catenacci scored twice. Joachim Nemark had a goal and a helper in the loss.