The Next Ones

World Junior Journal – Team Canada Needs MacKinnon, Drouin and Shinkaruk

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 08:15:03 PST

World Junior Journal – Team Canada Needs MacKinnon, Drouin and Shinkaruk:

CALGARY – From the onset of Team Canada’s selection camp, the atmosphere at the stunningMarkin MacPhail Centre has been electric.

31 players remain at camp vying for the 23 roster spots.

Here are ten reflections and observations heading into Thursday before the final game against theUniversity of Calgary Dinos and subsequently, the final cuts:

Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin: The dynamic 2013 NHL draft eligible duo from the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL should both be on Team Canada’s 2013 World Junior squad. (Photo: Mike Dembeck)

1. The World Junior Hockey Championships is thought of, in general, as a 19-year-old tournament. Nonetheless, Team Canada would be making a monumental mistake in not taking all of the three youngest remaining players left at camp. Rarely does Team Canada rely on first year NHL draft eligble players to play key roles. This might be even more a consideration given the abundance of available talent with the NHL lockout. This year is different.

Nathan MacKinnon has likely has his place cemented in the lineup with his unparalleled explosiveness. The other two remaining projected top 10 2013 NHL draft eligible players also bring unique and dynamic qualities to the team. Jonathan Drouin brings incomparable puckhandling wizardry and creativity to the rink. Hunter Shinkaruk provides elite goal-scoring ability; he has a nose for the net and not afraid to go to the dirty areas. Are the kids physically mature enough to handle the rigors of the World Junior tournament?

Future Considerations’ scout Zenon Herashymiuk concurs that the 2013 eligibles stepped up their game (FC).

2. The other projected top 10 player, Ottawa’s (OHL) all-around centreman Sean Monahan, was amongst the first five cuts. He exhibited hints of what could be, but ultimately is not quite ready to contribute at the level Team Canada needs. Look out in Malmö, Sweden for the World Juniors in 2014 should he not make the NHL after being drafted.

*For the remainder of my 10 reflections from Team Canada Selection Camp, read the full article at The Hockey Writers.

2013 NHL Draft Rankings War Room Top 90

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 17:26:41 PST

2013 NHL Draft Rankings War Room Top 90:

Guest post by Eldon MacDonald

This is the fourth in a series of nine postings of the top 90 prospects for the 2013 NHL draft.

There are a few things that you should be aware of in the 31-40 category:

a – As I mentioned in post 1 (1 to 10), there are a number of good goalies this year, four of which I have in round 2 (Fucale, Comrie, Martin and McAdam). I have not included any in round one due to the glut of NHL quality goalies around, but that does not mean they don’t have first round skills. It is possible that one or more could get their name called on Day 1 of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft – most likely by a team with more than one 1^st round pick.

b – I have also not included any Russian born players who remain in Russia in the first round due to the Russian factor, even though they may have 1^st round skills – such as Valeri Nichushkin.

c – As I previously mentioned in post 3 (21 to 30), this 31 to 40 group are almost interchangeable with the 21 to 30 group as to the likelihood as to where they will end up on the draft board in June 2013. Their future play will determine the outcomes.

Tri City’s Eric Comrie challenging Zach Fucal for top goalie in the 2013 NHL Draft (Photo: WHL.ca)

Background

Historically, players selected in the range of 31 to 45 have only a 33% success rate: This means that in a normal year 6 to 7 of the players below are not going to make it as an NHL regular. However, since this is a good year I believe that number will reduce substantially. This still means that there are likely to be 3 to 4 players in the group below who do not make it to the big league.
Vitals: The vitals reading left to right are:
1. Shoots
2. Position
3. Height and weight
4. Birth date
5. Citizenship
6. League
7. Team and player number
Rankings: I have listed some alternative rankings to give you some more information so you can make your own rankings, should you wish. You should check out some of the web sites listed below if you want a different perspective on the rankings:
- NHL – NHL Central Scouting – North American and International Preliminary Rankings
- CR-THW – The Hockey Writers, Christopher Ralph’s The Next Ones Top 60 – Oct-12
- FC – Future Considerations – Nov-12
- HP – HockeyProspect.com – Nov-12
- ISS – ISS – Nov-12
- McK - McKeen’s – Nov-12
- THG – The Hockey Guys - Nov-12
- THN – The Hockey News (Ryan Kennedy) – Nov-12
- TSN – The Sports Network’s Craig Button – Dec-12
- OHL – OHL Prospects blogspot of Brock Otten – Nov-12

Round 2 – 31 to 40 – Historical success rate of about 33%

31. Fucale, Zach

a – Vitals: L – G – 6’1, 181 – 28-May-95 – CAN – QMJHL – Halifax #31

b – Rank: NHL–QMJHL-Goal-1; CR-THW–40; FC-28; ISS-Goal-1; McK-19; THG-18; THN-23; TSN-14.

c – Commentary: Dr. Cool-Tender – Calm, efficient, self-effacing netminder who makes those in front of him feel confident that he will look after his end of the game every time out. Plays every game; a student of the game like every goalie should be; set QMJHL record for most wins by a 16 year old goalie; won gold medal with Team Canada at the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Tournament – with a shutout in the gold medal game to boot. Top rated goalie in the draft on most of the rankings.

d – Twitter: @Fucale31

e – YouTube video:

32. Nichushkin, Valeri:

a – Vitals: L – L/C – 6’3, 176 – 4-Mar-95 – RUS – MHL – Chelyabinsk #43

b – Rank: NHL–RUS-1; CR-THR–20; FC-10; HP-26; ISS-Goal-12; McK-10; THG-13; THN-21; TSN-8.

c – Commentary: Mr. Game Breaker – Tantalizing package of skating, game-breaking abilities and has drawn comparisons to Evgeni Malkin – you would think I would have in the top 10 and maybe I should. However, he signed a 3-year contract to stay in Russia so it would take an awfully brave GMto take him in the top 10. However, clubs such as Washington, Tampa Bay, Detroit and St.Louis (and others on occasion) have been known to snag some Russians bargains in the draft. Nichushkin is one the true wildcards of the 2013 draft class.

e – YouTube video: love how he blows by defensemen.

33. Horvat, Bo:

a – Vitals: L – LW/C – 6’0, 203 – 5-Apr-95 – CAN – OHL – London #53

b – Rank: NHL–OHL-5; CR-THW-26; HP-21; McK-29; THG-26; TSN-36; OHL-OHL-8

c – Commentary: Mr. Shutdown – Shutdown centre with offensive skills – skating, shot, hands, face-offs and good work ethic – has not received the offensive minutes to date to put up the points he is capable of. He won gold medal with Team Canada at the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Tournament.

d – Twitter: @BoHorvat

e – Youtube video: CTVLondon. Mark Hunter says he is going to set Bo up front on the power play so maybe he is going to get those offensive minutes yet. With Corey Perry mentoring him, who knows what good things might happen.

34. De La Rose, Jacob

a – Vitals: L – C/LW – 6’2, 183 – 20-May-95 – SWE – SWE-1 – Leksand #9

b – Rank: NHL–SWE-3; CR-THW–30; ISS-21; McK-26; THG-30; THN-18; TSN-45

c – Commentary: Mr. Everything – Goran Stubb, NHL European Director of NHL Central Scouting told NHL.com, “He’s speedy and plays a strong two-way game. He can pass and shoot at top speed and is always on the puck. He’s a strong finesse-type player”. On Team Sweden’s preliminary roster for U20 Worlds; was Captain of the Swedish U18 Team at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament.

d – Twitter: @Jacobdelarose

e – Video: Gangnam style with Filip Forsberg, a must see. I can see a trip to the White House coming like the Korean rapper Psy.

35. Bailey, Justin

a – Vitals: R – C/RW – 6’3, 190 – 1-Jul-95 – USA – OHL – Kitchener #95

b – Rank: NHL-OHL-9; CR-THW–39; TSN-43; OHL-OHL-15

c – Commentary: Mr. Elegance – Just oozes that tall, stately elegance that Jean Beliveaupossessed. Excellent skater, long reach, can score those breath-taking goals. Needs to put it all together as we have only seen glimpses of his potential to date but, oh, those glimpses were wonderful.

d – Twitter: @justinbailey95

e – YouTube video: Courtesy of NHLVideo. It sure didn’t hurt Sidney Crosby to live with Mario Lemieux so I am sure it didn’t hurt Justin Bailey to live with Pat Lafontaine.

36. Wennberg, Alexander

a – Vitals: L – C – 6’1, 174 – 22-Sep-94 – SWE – SWE-2 – Djurgården #10

b – Rank: NHL-SWE-5; TSN-25

c – Commentary: Mr. Stealth – Really good center flying under the radar; feet, hands, vision; game. On the preliminary roster for Team Sweden for the U20 Worlds at Christmas.

d – Twitter: @winiss10

e – YouTube video: Courtesy of Simon Gunnarsson; the old “puck in the pants routine” gets ‘em every time.

37. McCoshen, Ian

a – Vitals: L – D – 6’3, 207 – 5-Aug-95 – USA – USHL – Waterloo #3

b – Rank: NHL-USHL-2; CR-THW–28; ISS-30; TSN-42

c – Commentary: McShutdown – NHL sized body who plays a steady defensive game at the back-end and works on the power play. Should make his money as a solid shutdown defenseman who works on the PK and makes quality outlet passes.

d – Twitter: ijmccoshen3

e – YouTube video: Courtesy of USHLinteractive

38. Comrie, Eric:

a – Vitals: L – G – 6’1, 170 – 9-Jul-95 – CAN – WHL – Tri-City #1

b – Rank: NHL–WHL-Goal-1 ISS-Goal-3; McK-30; THN-30; TSN-32

c – Commentary: The Brick Stop – Another student of the game, Eric has great anticipation and vision, great lateral movement and the reflexes required to be a number one goalie. Eric is in the running to be the number one goalie selected along with Zach Fucale and Spencer Martin. When you have NHL brothers who have been shooting the puck at you since you were 4 or 5, you’ve got to be good just to make it home to the dinner table every night. And yes, his brother is the recently retired Mike Comrie; another brother is Paul Comrie, who had a short NHL career due to injury; his sister-in-law is Hilary Duff; his father (Bill) and uncles (Fred and John) founded The Brick, a major retailer of furniture, mattresses, appliances, electronics and computers in Canada.

d – Twitter: @ericcomrie1

e – Youtube video: Courtesy of TheWindsorStar

39. Kujawinski, Ryan

a – Vitals: L – C – 6’2, 205 – 30-Mar-95 – CAN – OHL – Kingston #17

b – Rank: NHL–OHL-12; CR-THW–10; ISS-23; THG-20; TSN-35; OHL-OHL-3

c – Commentary: Mr. Down Low – Size, skating, puck possession skills, good down low, great wrist shot; needs to work on his defense and utilize his size more effectively. Big things were expected of him this year as he was the 4^th overall pick in the 2011 OHL draft. Started the season well with OHL Player of the Week honors but has not been able to sustain that high level of play. If he starts to pick it up again, he could be considered a potential 1^st rounder; if not –well, there is no such thing as the status quo with draft rankings this early in the season.

d – Twitter: @Kuj17

e – YouTube video:

40. Theodore, Shea

a – Vitals: L – D – 6’2, 182 – 3-Aug-95 – CAN – WHL – Seattle #17

b – Rank: NHL-WHL-32; CR-THW-27; ISS-28; McK-28; TSN-46

c – Commentary: Mr. Motion – Size, skating, vision, those precise outlet passes, can carry the puck, good shot, shows excellent power-play skills; needs to work on his defense, upper body strength and overall physicality. Shea won gold medal with Team Canada at the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Tournament.

d – Twitter: @Theodore

e – YouTube video: Courtesy of Puckster Canada

*This post was originally published at The Hockey Writers (THW).

Previously posted:

Part 1: 1 to 10

Part 2: 11 to 20

Part 3: 21 to 30

Next Up:

Part 5: 41 to 50

2013 NHL Draft War Room Rankings Top 90 (Part 3: 21-30)

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 17:23:22 PST

2013 NHL Draft War Room Rankings Top 90 (Part 3: 21-30):

Guest post by Eldon MacDonald

Part 3: 21 to 30

Kerby Rychel has surely shown that he does not need to use his last name to woo admirers. His talents have been demonstrated on several occasions since he has been in the OHL and they will surely help him be a first-round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. (Aaron Bell/OHL Images)

This is the third in a series of nine postings of the top 90 prospects for the 2013 NHL draft.

There are a few things that you should be aware of in the 21-30 category:

a – There is a lot of fluidity in the rankings and not much difference in the possibilities for the players in the 21 to 45 range in terms of where they get selected in Newark, New Jersey come next June. In the next couple of posts you will see that the rankings are all over the map for this group of players.

b – This 21-30 range is a group I usually fail at, if you consider failure to be that the NHL did not draft your selection in the 1^st round. However, if you consider success as who will be the best NHL player in the long-term, then the results can reveal a different story. Go ahead, you be the judge: here is the list of players I ranked in the first round for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft that the NHL drafted in the 2^ndround. If you click on the player’s name, you will get the original article I wrote about them for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft (my ranking and where they were drafted are noted below).

(i) Kucherov, Nikita – Me = 23; NHL = 58 to Tampa Bay; 2012-13 stats: Rouyn-NorandaQMJHL– 7-6-6-12-0(+6). I still think Stevie Y got away with one here. And yes, he is on the preliminary roster of Russia for the 2012 U20 tournament.

(ii) Khokhlachev, Alexander – Me = 25; NHL = 40 to Boston; 2012-13 stats: Moscow Spartak KHL – 23-2-3-5-18-(-1). The jury is still out on this guy but I still like his chances.

(iii) Saad, Brandon – Me = 25; NHL = 43 to Chicago: 2012-13 stats: Rockford AHL – 15-5-4-9-2. This guy will be in Chicago this year if we have NHL hockey this year.

(iv) Grimaldi, Rocco – Me = 27; NHL = 33 to Florida: 12-13 stats: University of North Dakota– 14-5-6-11-6. Hasn’t played much since the draft due to injury but I still believe this guy has what it takes to be an NHLer. He is on Team USA’s preliminary roster for the 2012 U20 tournament so I am sure we will be seeing a lot of him just after Christmas.

(v) Jenner, Boone – Me = 29; NHL = 37 to Columbus; 12-13 stats: Oshawa 30-27-19-46-28-(+13) – Much improved since the draft, a player who will look good in a Team Canada uniform if the NHL doesn’t start up. Columbus is going to be real happy with this guy.

(vi) Ritchie, Brett – Me = 30; NHL = 44 to Dallas; 12-13 stats: Niagara Falls 32-27-23-50-25-(+28). Ditto to what I said about Boone Jenner. One of my personal favourite prospects; Dallas has a real steal here.

c – I thought this was going to be easy but it just seems to get harder and harder to satisfy yourself that you have the rankings correct, or at least in the ball park. The two biggest question marks I had in the 21 to 30 group were Artturi Lehkonen and Valentin Zykov. With Artturi, the question came down to size as he certainly has the skills and results to be 1^st round material. However, the combination of a solid body, not being a perimeter player and the fact that he has not yet completed the gym work to add weight and strength in his draft year (unlike most North American players) leads me to believe that the best is yet to come from Artturi and we will see Artturi’s name called on Day One of the 2013 NHL draft. For Valentin, the question was one of consistency. He certainly has the size and skills for round one but has shown too much disparity between his best games and his average games. However, an improved consistently of late enticed me to count him as a 1^st rounder.

Background

16 to 30 has 76% success rate: This means 2 to 3 of the players below are not going to make it to the show.
Vitals: The vitals reading left to right are:
1. Shoots
2. Position
3. Height and weight
4. Birth date
5. Citizenship
6. League
7. Team and player number
8. Rankings: I have listed some alternative rankings to give you some more information so you can make your own rankings, should you wish. You should check out some of the web sites listed below if you want a different perspective on the rankings:
  - NHL – NHL Central Scouting – North American and International Preliminary Rankings
  - CR-THW – The Hockey Writers, Christopher Ralph’s The Next Ones Top 60 – Oct-12
  - FC – Future Considerations – Nov-12
  - HP – HockeyProspect.com – Nov-12
  - ISS – ISS – Nov-12
  - McK - McKeen’s – Nov-12
  - THG – The Hockey Guys - Nov-12
  - THN – The Hockey News (Ryan Kennedy) – Nov-12
  - TSN – The Sports Network’s Craig Button – Dec-12
  - OHL – OHL Prospects blogspot of Brock Otten – Nov-12

Round 1 – 21 to 30 – Historical success rate of about 76%

21. Dickinson, Jason

a – Vitals: L – C/W – 6’2, 176 – 4-Jul-95 – CAN – OHL – Guelph #11

b – Rank: NHL–OHL-6; CR-THW–33; HP-16; ISS-14; McK-16; THG-22; THN-25; TSN-17; OHL-OHL-5

c – Commentary: The Promise – This is a player who has shown the promise of much greater results. Tall at 6’2, slick hands with a compact stride, excellent vision, good in traffic, and can be one of those difference-maker type players. Show us the consistency and intensity, Jason, and top 10 is not out of reach.

d – Twitter: jdickinson_11

22. Lehkonen, Artturi

a – Vitals: L – LW – 5’10, 163 – 4-Jul-95 – FIN – FIN-1 – KalPa #62

b – Rank: NHL–FIN-3; CR-THW–27; HP-20; ISS-13; THG-24; THN-16; TSN-19

c – Commentary: Mr. I Score Goals – Fast, furious, loves to score goals but makes those delicious passes as well, great puck skills, small but not weak, hard-worker, and having considerable success in top Finnish men’s league at 17. Oh yeah, and his vision is elite. Top goal tournament goal scorer at the 2012 World U18 Championship and he is on Team Finland’s preliminary 2012 U20 roster.

d – Twitter: @arsilehkonen

23. Rychel, Kerby

a – Vitals: L – LW – 6’1, 200 – 7-Oct-94 – CAN – OHL – Windsor #16

b – Rank: NHL–OHL-3; CR-THW–18; FC-25; HP-24; ISS-20; McK-24; THG-17; THN-29; TSN-22; OHL-OHL-6

c – Commentary: The Very Good Son – Goal scorer (41 in his pre-NHL Draft eligible year), good down-low, nice hands and can play the gritty, hands-dirty game too. Started slow this year but after his line mate, Josh Ho Sang, a potential Top 10 pick in 2014, scored his first goal, the line sort of took off. How high he will go is a story yet to be told. He is the son of former NHL enforcer and Windsor Spitfire GM, Warren Rychel. Kerby was a gold medal winner on Team Canada at the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Tournament.

d – Twitter: @Krychs

24. Compher, JT

a – Vitals: R – C – 6’0, 165 – 8-Apr-95 – USA – USHL – USA U18 #7

b – Rank: NHL-USA-1; CR-THW–19; FC-22; ISS-29; McK-22; THG-27; THN-20; TSN-21

c – Commentary: Mr. Energy – Drive hard, play hard, create energy, hit the corners, put up some offense, play shutdown hockey, play a good defense, be a pest – that’s JT Compher in a nutshell. JT projects as a two-way forward with a solid NHL future after he adds a little more weight and strength. Gold medal winner with Team USA at the 2012 U18 World Tournament.

d – Twitter: @Jcomph7

25. Zykov, Valentin:

a – Vitals: R – RW – 6’1, 215 – 15-May-95 – RUS – QMJHL – Baie Comeau #73

b – Rank: NHL–QMJHL-3; TSN-28

c – Commentary: The Russian High Note – When he is on a roll, he plays at such a high note that Everest and K2 seem possible – size, skating, shot, drive to the net, more irritating than black flies in Labrador, a one-man wrecking crew, and top 10 material. Unfortunately, Valentin does not always play on such a high note. Not that he is bad or disappears at other times; it is just that there is such a high level of disparity in his level of play. Lately, he has playing with greater consistency which is why I have him ranked in the top 30. However, it is those high notes which would even make Celine Dion proud that causes the excitement around this guy.

26. Thompson, Keaton

a – Vitals: L – D – 6’1, 165 – 14-Sep-95 – USA – USHL – USA U18 #6

b – Rank: NHL-USA-5; CR-THW–41; FC-17; ISS-22; TSN-24

c – Commentary: Mr. Impressive – The smooth and easy of defense; fluid, consistent, calm under pressure, one and out passes, can join the rush, and not afraid of the rough stuff. A player who has been increasingly impressive so far with hints of what he can develop into. Go ahead, Keaton, add some weight and strength and see where this game can take you.

d – Twitter: KThomps48

27. Fasching, Hudson

a – Vitals: R – RW – 6’2, 214 – 28-Jul-95 – USA – USHL – USA U18 #22

b – Rank: NHL–USA-3; CR-THR–21; ISS-24; McK-25; THN-19; TSN-69

c – Commentary: Mr. Special – Power forward in the making with excellent size, good skating and decent hands, makes this player special. Go ahead, Hudson, add some every game consistency and drive, and you can turn that special into extra special.

d – Twitter: @Hfasching22

28. Carrier, William

a – Vitals: L – LW – 6’2, 198 – 20-Dec-94 – CAN – QMJHL – Cape Breton #28

b – Rank: NHL-QMJHL-7; CR-THW-23; McK-27; TSN-44

c – Commentary: Mr. Turn and Burn – Power forward who likes to burn through defenses who has a solid physique, is solid on his skates, loves to drive the net, plays good defense, is solid no matter who the opponent may be and has that every game consistency and drive. Top of the line player on not so stellar a team (two GMs fired already this year and it isn’t even Christmas).

29. Bowey, Madison:

a – Vitals: R – D – 6’1, 194 – 22-Apr-95 – CAN – WHL – Kelowna #4

b – Rank: NHL–WHL-10; CR-THW–29; FC-26; HP-22; THG-29; TSN-40

c – Commentary: The Next One – Skating, vision, good in all zones, likes to join the rush, strong upper-body strength and plays on a good team which is known for developing high-end defensemen such as Shea Weber, Josh Gorges, Tyler Myers, Luke Schenn amongst others.

d – Twitter: @m_bows4

30. Santini, Steve

a – Vitals: R – D – 6’2, 205 – 7-Mar-95 – USA – USHL – USA U18 #16

b – Rank: NHL-USA-4; CR-THW–56; FC-23; HP-18; ISS-16; THG-23; THN-24; TSN-33

c – Commentary: Mr. Impact – The big hitter; Steve can play down and gritty or up on the power play. Santini is a very good skater with excellent hockey sense; the combination of size and skating make this guy a player to watch.

*This post was originally published at The Hockey Writers (THW).

Next Up:

Part 4: 31 to 40

Part 1: The Top 10

Part 2: 11 to 20

NHL 2013 Draft War Room Top 90 December Rankings (Part 1: Top 10)

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 17:16:34 PST

10 Year Logo Flashback: 2002 NHL Entry Draft (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NHL 2013 Draft War Room Top 90 December Rankings (Part 1: Top 10):

Guest post by Eldon MacDonald

This is the second in a series of nine postings of the top 90 prospects for the 2013 NHL draft.

Max Domi (Terry Wilson/OHL Images.)

The biggest problem I had in the 11 to 20 category was whether or not to include Anthony Mantha. He certainly has the size, the skills and certainly the results to be included in this category. However, he has consistency issues: sometimes he plays like Superman and at other times, The Invisible Man. Since he has been playing with a little more consistency lately I have included him in this category at #13. Go ahead, Anthony, make us all proud.

Background

Players drafted 1 to 15 have an 82% success rate; 16 to 30 have 76%: Therefore, if you average the two numbers, players drafted 11th to 20th have about a 79% success rate. This means 2 to 3 of the players below are not going to make it.
Vitals: The vitals reading left to right are:
1. Shoots
2. Position
3. Height and weight
4. Birth date
5. Citizenship
6. League
7. Team and player number
Rankings: Check out some of the web sites listed below if you want a different perspective on the rankings:

NHL – NHL Central Scouting – North American and International Preliminary Rankings
CR-THW – The Hockey Writers, Christopher Ralph’s The Next Ones Top 60 – Oct-12
FC – Future Considerations – Nov-12
HP – HockeyProspect.com – Nov-12
ISS – ISS – Nov-12
McK - McKeen’s – Nov-12
THG – The Hockey Guys - Nov-12
THN – The Hockey News (Ryan Kennedy) – Nov-12
TSN – The Sports Network’s Craig Button – Oct-12
OHL – OHL Prospects blogspot of Brock Otten – Nov-12

Round 1 – 11 to 20 – Historical success rate of about 79%

11. Burakovsky, André

a – Vitals: L – LW – 6’1, 176 – 9-Feb-95 – AUT – SWE-2 – Malmo #55

b – 12-13 Stats: 19 1 3 4 6 +2

c – Rank: NHL–SWE-2; CR-THW–16; FC-13; HP-8; ISS-11; McK-18; THG-15; THN-17; TSN-21

d – Commentary: Mr. Clutch – Speed, hands, offense, puck protection; just needs to fill out a bit. His dad, Robert, played 23 games for the Ottawa Senators.

12. Zadorov, Nikita

a – Vitals: L – D – 6’5, 230 – 15-Apr-95 – RUS – OHL – London #65

b – 12-13 Stats: 27 2 9 11 26 +20

c – Rank: NHL–OHL-7; CR-THW–22; FC-18; ISS-19; McK-13; THG-19; THN-15; TSN-7; OHL-OHL-7

d – Commentary: Mr. Awesome – Imposing size and wing span, great stick work, excellent mobility, good on the man-to-man, tough to play against. Shows you what Hal Gill might look like if he could skate.

e – Twitter: @zadorov61

13. Mantha, Anthony

a – Vitals: L – RW – 6’3, 200 – 16-Sep-94 – CAN – QMJHL – Val D’Or #8

b – 12-13 Stats: 26 25 19 44 30 +15

c – Rank: NHL–QMJHL-6; CR-THW–57; FC-19; HP-30; McK-15; THN-17; TSN-HM

d – Commentary: The Invisible Man – Amazing skills, amazing reach, fantastic results; big guy who just seems to appear out of nowhere all the time (like Paul Bunyan lurking in the weeds) – just needs to be more consistent.

14. Morrissey, Josh

a – Vitals: L – D – 6’0, 184 – 28-Mar-95 – CAN – WHL – Prince Albert #10

b – 12-13 Stats: 28 5 14 19 33 +9

c – Rank: NHL–WHL-6; CR-THW–8; FC-14; HP-10; ISS-25; McK-12; THG-16; THN-13; TSN-8

d – Commentary: The Cog – Elite skating defenseman who is equally effective at both ends of the ice; a key cog behind his team’s success as he plays in all situations.

e – Twitter: @Morrissey_10

15. Erne, Adam

a – Vitals: L – RW – 6’1, 198 – 20-Apr-95 – USA – QMJHL – Quebec #73

b – 12-13 Stats: 27 16 19 35 26 +7

c – Rank: NHL-QMJHL-5; CR-THW–14; FC-24; HP-11; ISS-18; McK-21; THG-12; THN-11; TSN-20

d – Commentary: Mr. Heartbeat – He possesses a tantalizing combination of size and speed that you just can’t overlook. Plus, he seems to be get better and better each time you see him.

e – Twitter: @Adamerne73

16. Hägg, Robert

a – Vitals: L – D – 6’2, 201 – 8-Feb-95 – SWE – SWE J20 – MODO J20 #14

b – 12-13 Stats: 22 8 11 19 18 +6

c – Rank: NHL-SWE-4; CR-THW–13; FC-15; HP-23; ISS-17; McK-14; THG-21; THN-10; TSN-HM

d – Commentary: The Game Pacer – Has the tools, size, shot, pass, spacing and the hockey sense to use those tools to his best advantage. Can elevate his game to the situation, something teams love to see. The Captain of his team.

e – Twitter: @Robbanhagg

17. Gauthier, Frédérik

a – Vitals: L – C – 6’4, 1219 – 26-Apr-95 – CAN – QMJHL – Rimouski #23

b – 12-13 Stats: 23 11 13 24 14 +15

c – Rank: NHL-QMJHL-4; CR-THW–35; FC-20; HP-12; ISS-26; McK-17; THN-22; TSN-15

d – Commentary: Mr. Not Just Anybody – Huge, excellent skater for a big guy; strong on defense for a rookie. Needs to initiate more plays and find just how intimidating his imposing size can be in physical encounters – when that happens and it will, watch out for “la magie”.

e – Twitter: @FredGauthier95 (not used to date)

18. Duclair, Anthony

a – Vitals: L – LW – 5’11, 182 – 26-Jul-95 – CDN – QMJHL – Quebec #94

b – 12-13 Stats: 14 7 13 20 4 +14

c – Rank: NHL-QMJHL-8; CR-THW–17; HP-29; TSN-25

d – Commentary: Mr. Electric – Enough speed to electrify the Colisée Pepsi, fantastic plus-minus since his line seems to have the puck all the time, exceptional puck control at high speed, a shot that goes boom-boom and a winner to boot.

e – Twitter: @aduclair10

19. Domi, Max

a – Vitals: L – C – 5’10, 194 – 2-Mar-95 – CAN – OHL – London #16

b – 12-13 Stats: 28 14 24 38 30 +18

c – Rank: NHL-OHL-4; CR-THW–15; FC-16; HP-15; McK-20; THG-11; THN-28; TSN-12; OHL-OHL-4

d – Commentary: McThrill – “He’s highly skilled. He makes plays. He scores goals. He can play with an edge but I would much rather it be a Mark Messier type edge than my type of edge. I just want him to live his dream and be himself. He doesn’t need to fight tough guys to do that”, Max’s Dad, long-time Maple Leaf enforcer, Tie Domi, to The Toronto Star.

e – Twitter: @max_domi

20. Lazar, Curtis

a – Vitals: R – C/RW – 6’0, 198 – 2-Feb-95 – CAN – WHL – Edmonton #27

b – 12-13 Stats: 27 8 9 17 14 +5

c – Rank: NHL-WHL-8; CR-THW–9; FC-11; HP-17; ISS-6; McK-11; THG-9; THN-6; TSN-10

d – Commentary: Mr. Detail – Kid has already gone to the Memorial Cup and won a gold medal on Team Canada at the 2012 Ivan Hlinka with Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin as his linemates. He is the detail man on every team he plays for; he does all the little things right; he is the guy every coach wants on their team. Could go higher if he picks up his scoring pace a little bit.

e – Twitter: @CurtisLazar95

Part 1: The Top 10

*This article was previously published at The Hockey Writers.

Next Up:

Part 3: 21 to 30

NHL 2013 Draft War Room Top 90 December Rankings (Part 1: Top 10)

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 17:07:58 PST

2011 NHL Entry Draft (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NHL 2013 Draft War Room Top 90 December Rankings (Part 1: Top 10):

Guest post by Eldon MacDonald

This is the first in a series of nine articles ranking the top 90 prospects for the 2013 NHL draft. This series are the musings of one hockey fan, for other hockey fans, with the intention of making them memorable enough to enable even the casual reader to remember the prospect’s name when it comes up at the draft next June.

Some will prove successful; ultimately some will not. I am hoping to achieve a better success rate than the 19% chance the NHL teams currently have in selecting an NHL player in the fourth round.

NHL Entry Draft Historical Success Rate

In looking back at the 2003 to 2005 entry drafts, it is interesting to note the success rate for each of the rounds. By my calculations (players that are NHL regulars, for the most part; your list could be slightly different), here are the figures:

01-15: 82% (03-93%; 04-73%; 05-80%)
16-30: 76% (03-93%; 04-67%; 05-67%)
31-45: 33% (03-33%; 04- 7%; 05-60%)
46-60: 24% (03-33%; 04-33%; 05- 7%)
61-90: 24% (03-33%; 04-20%; 05-20%)
91-120: 19% (03-10%; 04-30%; 05-17%)
120-150: 11% (03-10%; 04-13%; 05-10%)
151-180: 9% (03-13%; 04-13%; 05- 0%)
181-210: 10% (03-17%; 04- 3%; 05-10%)
Over 210: 12% (03-13%; 04-10%; 05-15%)
Overall: 23% (03-25%; 04-20%; 05-23%)

The 2013 Draft

In looking over the 2013 draft, there a number of things that stand out:

This is a good draft class – especially for forwards. Where were all the good forwards for the 2012 draft; they were still in the womb, holding out 2013 draft eligibility.
This is a QMJHL-heavy draft – This year the Dub has their usual plethora of defensemen but it is the “Q” which is producing quality talent at an astonishing rate. Usually the scrub of the draft, this year the QMJHL is likely to put anywhere from 7 to 10 prospects in the 1^st round and still have some left over for rounds two and three. The OHL, however, is having an off-year. While it still is producing a large quantity of prospects, the league does not dominate the high-end part of the draft like it usually does. As for US players, most of the high-end ones are in the CHL (Jones, Erne), but there are a number of Team USA and USHL players who have a chance of crowding the end of round one. As for Europe, Sweden is producing at their usual high rate of late. Finland could produce up to 3 first rounders (Barkov, Ristolainen Lehkonen). Russia is generally having an off year (other than Nicushkin) unless you include their countrymen playing in the CHL (Zadorov, Zykov).
The goalies – Last year two goalies were selected in the first round. This year there are three goalies at this point who have a chance of being first rounders – Fucale, Comrie and Martin. More may emerge in the second half of the season. However, I have not included any of them in my first round rankings. This should not be considered a reflection on the abilities of these three goalies, but more a consideration that there is a glut of goalies of NHL caliber in the pipeline at the moment. Teams who have two or more first rounders make good candidates for taking a goalie in the first round. Thus, we should not discount the possibility of goalies being selected come the Friday night of the draft.

The Top 10 in 2013

Top 15 has 82% success rate: At an 82% success rate, 1 to 2 players on the list below are not likely to ever become regular NHL players. I wonder which players will not be on the 82% side.
Vitals: The vitals reading left to right are:
- Shoots
- Position
- Height and weight
- Birth date
- Citizenship
- League
- Team and player number
Rankings: You should check out some of the web sites listed below if you want a different perspective on the rankings:

NHL – NHL Central Scouting – North American and International Preliminary Rankings
CR-THW – The Hockey Writers, Christopher Ralph’s The Next Ones Top 60 – Oct-12
FC – Future Considerations – Nov-12
HP – HockeyProspect.com – Nov-12
ISS – ISS – Nov-12
McK - McKeen’s – Nov-12
THG – The Hockey Guys - Nov-12
THN – The Hockey News (Ryan Kennedy) – Nov-12
TSN – The Sports Network’s Craig Button – Oct-12
OHL – OHL Prospects blog of Brock Otten – Nov-12

Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin: The dynamic 2013 NHL draft eligible duo from the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL (Photo: Mike Dembeck)

Round 1: 1 to 10 – Historical success rate = 82%

1. MacKinnon, Nathan

a – Vitals: L – C – 6’0, 182 – 1-Sep-95 – CDN – QMJHL – Halifax #22

b – 2012-13 Stats: 26 22 34 46 33 +26

c – Rank: NHL–QMJHL-1; CR-THW–1; FC-1; HP-1; ISS-1; McK-1; THG-1; THN-1; TSN-2

d – Commentary: Mr. MacMoney – Generational talent; clutch scorer; able to elevate his game at key times; and an intensity like “The Rocket”, Maurice Richard.

e – Twitter: @Mackinnon9

2. Jones, Seth

a – Vitals: R – D – 6’4, 206 – 3-Oct-94 – USA – WHL – Portland #3

b – 2012-13 Stats: 25 7 12 19 21 +20

c – Rank: NHL–WHL-1; CR-THW–2; FC-2; HP-2; ISS-2; McK-2; THG-2; THN-2; TSN-1

d – Commentary: The Bear Back There – Don’t roil him or you will pay. Franchise blueliner with bear-like size who can take over a game. Son of Popeye Jones, former long-time NBA player.

e – Twitter: @seth_jones04

3. Monahan, Sean

a – Vitals: L – C – 6’2, 193 – 12-Oct-94 – CAN – OHL – Ottawa #20

b – 2012-13 Stats: 24 12 24 36 8 -3

c – Rank: NHL–ONT-1; CR-THW–3; FC-5; HP-3; ISS-5; McK-5; THG-4; THN-5; TSN-6; OHL–OHL-1

d – Commentary: Mr. Everything – All around centre who can do everything and has the size and leadership that teams are so desperate for.

e – Twitter: @Monahan20

4. Drouin, Jonathan

a – Vitals: L – LW – 5’11, 190 – 28-Mar-95 – CDN – QMJHL – Halifax #27

b – 2012-13 Stats: 20 15 16 41 14 +19

c – Rank: NHL–QMJHL-2; CR-THW–7; FC-6; HP-4; ISS-4; McK-9; THG-5; THN-7; TSN-13

d – Commentary: Mr. Smooth and Easy – Vision, passing, stick-handling are sublime; makes everyone around him better, even the dynamo named Nathan MacKinnon.

e – Twitter: @jodrouin27

5. Barkov, Alexander

a – Vitals: L – C – 6’2, 205 – 2-Sep-95 – FIN – FIN-1 – Tappara #16

b – 2012-13 Stats: 27 13 14 27 4 +9

c – Rank: NHL–FIN-1; CR-THW–6; FC-3; HP-5; ISS-3; McK-4; THG-3; THN-3; TSN-3

d – Commentary: Big Finnish centre who can skate, pass, shoot and score; having considerable success in top Finnish men’s league, the SM-liiga.

e – Twitter: @Barkovsasha95

6. Lindholm, Elias

a – Vitals: R – C – 6’0, 192 – 2-Dec-94 – SWE – SWE-1 – Brynas #28

b – 2012-13 Stats: 28 5 12 17 2 -2

c – Rank: NHL-SWE-1; CR-THW–11; FC-4; HP-6; ISS-10; McK-3; THG-6; THN-4; TSN-5

d – Commentary: Calle Järnkrok’s cousin has the size, smarts and defensive acumen to be one of the most sought after players in this draft.

e – Twitter: @lindholmelias

7. Shinkaruk, Hunter

a – Vitals: L – LW – 5’11, 175 – 13-Oct-94 – CDN – WHL – Medicine Hat #9

b – 2012-13 Stats: 25 17 21 38 8 +3

c – Rank: NHL–WHL-2; CR-THW–4; FC-8; HP-13; ISS-7; McK-7; THG-7; THN-9; TSN-11

d – Commentary: Mr. Fast and Furious – A go-to scorer with elusive speed.

e – Twitter: @H_S_9

8. Ristolainen, Rasmus

a – Vitals: R – D – 6’3, 203 – 27-Oct-94 – FIN – FIN-1 – TPS #55

b – 2012-13 Stats: 24 2 5 7 18 -5

c – Rank: NHL–FIN-2; CR-THW–12; FC-7; HP-7; ISS-8; McK-6; THG-8; THN-8; TSN-19

d – Commentary: Goran Stubb, NHL Director of European Scouting, told NHL.com:

“He’s a mobile, strong, offensive-minded defenseman with very good puck-handling and passing skills. He’s young, but he knows how to use his size and strength. He’s one of the best young defensemen in Europe in his age group. He’s a leader on the ice and plays with confidence”.

9. Pulock, Ryan

a – Vitals: R – D – 6’1, 211 – 6-Oct-94 – CAN – WHL – Brandon #2

b – 2012-13 Stats: 24 9 16 25 12 +14

c – Rank: NHL–WHL-3; CR-THW–5; FC-9; HP-14; ISS-15; McK-8; THG-10; THN-14; TSN-9

d – Commentary: The Captain – Elite defenseman with NHL shot and vision. Shows leadership and yes, he is the Captain of the Brandon Wheat Kings.

e – Twitter: @rpulock2

10. Nurse, Darnell

a – Vitals: R – D – 6’5, 184 – 4-Feb-95 – CAN – OHL – Sault Ste. Marie #25

b – 2012-13 Stats: 28 5 15 20 64 +9

c – Rank: NHL–OHL-2; CR-THW–24; FC-12; HP-19; ISS-9; McK-23; THG-14; THN-12; TSN-23; OHL-OHL-2

d – Commentary: Dr. Defense - Prongeresque like blueliner with like-minded size, skating and in the process of developing like-minded temperament. Father (Richard) played football for the Hamilton Tiger Cats of the CFL and uncle (Donovan McNabb) for the Washington Redskins of the NFL.

e – Twitter: @drtwofive

*This article was originally published at The Hockey Writers.

Next Up:

Part 2: 11 to 20

Is NHL 13 The Cure For NHL Withdrawal Syndrome?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 10:27:02 PST

Would n't you like to play the role of Jeremy Roenick, NHL CBA mediator, if EA Sports made a special mode in NHL 13? (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Is NHL 13 The Cure For NHL Withdrawal Syndrome?:

Excerpt:

"NHL 13 is the latest entry of the continual evolution of the EA Sports hockey series, with each edition getting more realistic than the last. While simply playing the game as is helps ease the dismay and apathy felt by NHL hockey fans during the NHL lockout, I have embarked on a quest to unveil features that would go even further to help ease or even potentially cure NHL Withdrawal Syndrome.

Features Wishlist For NHL 13

Gary Bettman – Donald Fehr Fight Mode: featuring a variety of slapstick maneuver options (visualize Alexander Semin fisticuffs skill s).
Play the part of NHL CBA mediator with ability to choose a celebrity mediator from the following:
- JR (Jeremy Roenick): in which case no one else gets a chance to talk.
- BizNasty: use your imagination.
- Chuck Norris: just cause.
- Jonathon Toews: “Captain Serious” stare-down; first to blink gives up most concessions.
- Clint Eastwood: #Eastwooding
- Down Goes Brown: Bettman and Fehr make it too easy for one-liners from the most hilarious hockey personality on the planet
- Robert De Niro: “Are you talking to me?”
- Jack Nicholson: “You can’t handle the truth.”
- David Letterman: I’m sure Dave can come up with a Top 10 highlighting how dim-witted it is that there is no agreement to thispoint.
- Charlie Sheen: A Sheen-esque party might loosen up all parties involved. #Winning
Play the part of an Insurance Agent during NHL Lockout laughing all the way to the bank, especially when Sidney Crosby signs across the pond. Cha-ching on a hefty $400,000-per-month premium.
Play the part of filthy rich Russian oil tycoon KHL franchise owner, control his actions during his monumental post-Sid signing party bash.
Play the part of the commissioner starting up an alternate rival pro league and enticing players to join – the Planet Hockey League (PHL).
Instead of clicking “Quit” to exit game, you select “Gary Bettman Mode” and your PS3 shuts down and refuses to come back on for random periods of time.

Be a Pro – Roman Hamrlik Mode: where you have to keep dodging hits from your own teammates
Enhanced “Be A Player” Mode: create yourself in the game and watch as your virtual player sits on his couch playing NHL 13 until the lockout is over.
When you start the game Ricky DiPietro is already on the injured reserve list and you have to play a full season before he is eligible to be used.
Enhanced GM Mode: sign your star player to a 9-10 million dollar a year deal in July and try to get 10-20% back in September.
When you launch the game it does not actually start; rather, a screen appears with Morgan Freeman stating you have to pay 15% more, but Visa is gladly accepted. Then and only then, the game will start.
Every five seasons in Be A GM Mode, a season gets cancelled.
Ryan Kesler dive mode
Mini-game where you play as Shea Weber and you slam different players’ heads into the boards.
David Booth hunting mini game, with extra points for biggest buck you bag.
Be a Pro Goalie Mode: start out as a rookie goalie; when you become too good, the games changes the rules to offset your skills – for instance, equipment shrinks during the game and nets get bigger and bigger.
Phoenix Coyotes Owner Mode: additional owner features include getting to attend city council meetings and discuss/threaten relocating to Seattle, Kansas City or Quebec City. You also get to hear pitches from the cities involved on why you should move the team there and start a bidding/bribery war if possibly. Also known as Grand Theft Franchise Mode.
CHL Franchise Beat The System Mode: see Portland Winterhawks and Windsor Spitfires for more details.

What additional feature on NHL 13 would you like to see to ease the pain of NWS (NHL Withdrawal Syndrome)?

Continue to read the full article, originally posted at The Hockey Writers:
Link: http://thehockeywriters.com/is-nhl-13-the-cure-for-nhl-withdrawal-syndrome/

Anthony Duclair: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 16:09:36 PST

Anthony Duclair: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine:

By Eldon MacDonald

Anthony Duclair – “Mr. Electric” – Left Wing – Canada

Anthony Duclair: 2013 NHL Draft eligible prospect; First round talent playing for the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL. (Wikimedia Commons/ThinkingW)

Size: 5’11”, 182 lb.

Shoots: Left

Born: 26-Aug-95 – Montréal, QC; Hometown: Pointe-Claire, QC

Team: #10, Québec Remparts, QMJHL

2011-12 Stats: 63-31-35-66-30-(+38) + QMJHL playoffs: 11-3-5-8-8-(-5)

QMJHL draft: #41 in 2011 (round 3)

Twitter: @aduclair10

Rankings:

A List – NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Rankings

17 – The Hockey Writers, Christopher Ralph’s The Next Ones Top 60

22 – HockeyProspect.com – Oct-12

24 – The Scouting Report – Sep-12 Preliminary Top 30

25 – TSN’s Craig Button – Oct-12

29 – Future Considerations – Oct-12

"Mr. Electric “It came down and across the ground so quick that I didn’t even get a chance to blink” – my brother, Alex, describing a lightning strike in front of his garage. Well, Anthony Duclair may not be quite that quick, but he is electrifying on the give and go. He has that world class speed that money can’t buy; combine that with elite stickhandling and a howitzer for a shot and you have yourself an elite hockey player. To put the icing on the cake, he was +38 last year with the Remparts, tops on the club at 16 – absolutely ridiculous. "

Read the full article, originally published at The Hockey Writers - Combine:
Link: http://thehockeywriters.com/combine/anthony-duclair-nhl-2013-draft-war-room-prospect-profile/

Adam Erne: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 16:07:15 PST

Adam Erne: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine:

By Eldon MacDonald

Adam Erne – “Mr. Heartbeat” – Right Wing – USA

Adam Erne of the Quebec Remparts excelling in the QMJHL in his NHL draft eligible year (Jonathon Roy)

Size: 6’1”, 198 lb.

Shoots: Left

Born: 20-Apr-95 – New Haven, CT; Hometown: North Brantford, CT

Team: #73, Québec Remparts, QMJHL

QMJHL draft: #22 in 2011 (round 2) – drafted by Halifax

Twitter: @Adamerne73

2011-12 Stats: 64-28-27-55-32-(+6) + QMJHL playoffs: 11-2-4-6-10-(+5)

Rankings:

A List – NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Rankings

06 – HockeyProspect.com – Oct-12

08 – The Scouting Report – Sep-12 Preliminary Top 30

HM – Bob MacKenzie – Pre Season Poll of Scouts (HM = 11 to 20)

12 – The Hockey Guys – Nov-12

13 – Future Considerations – Oct-12

14 – The Hockey Writers, Christopher Ralph’s The Next Ones Top 60

17 – ISS – Oct-12

20 – TSN’s Craig Button – Oct-12

21 – McKeen’s – Nov-12

"Mr. Heartbeat In the New York Times best seller, “The One Minute Manager”, it is said that you have only 45 seconds to make your impression in a job interview. Well, it took only a heartbeat for Adam Erne to tell me that he is going to be a NHL player in the near future. He has that combination of size and speed that you just can’t overlook. Plus, he seems to be getting better and better each time you see him. The hearts of QMJHL goalies seem to be beating a little faster these days when Adam steps on the ice."

Read the full article, originally published at The Hockey Writers - Combine:
Link: http://thehockeywriters.com/combine/adam-erne-nhl-2013-draft-war-room-prospect-profile/

Scott Oke: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 16:03:49 PST

Scott Oke: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine: "By Eldon MacDonald

Excerpt:

Scott Oke - “The Castaway” – Left/Right Wing – Canada

Scott Oke (lavantage.qc.ca/Flickr)

Size: 6’3”, 201 lb.

Shoots: Left

Born: 16-Mar-93 – St. Lambert, QC

Team: #71, Rimouski Océanic, QMJHL

QMJHL Draft: #37 (3^rd round) by Saint John – 2009

2011-12 Stats: 64-13-25-38-32-(+13) + playoffs 21-7-4-11-6-(-1)

Twitter: Okester71

Rankings:

Unranked but hopefully not forgotten

Confession Time

They say “confession” is good for the soul. It allows you to feel clean from your guilty sins, it is free and makes you feel free, allowing you to examine your failings as part of the first step to making things right. So here goes a NHL draft confession:

2011 NHL Entry Draft – Confession #1 Scott Oke played on the 4th line as a utility player for the powerhouse Saint John Sea Dogs, the year they won the Memorial Cup. He finished the year with only ten points in 54 games. NHL Central Scouting, however, recognized the potential in Scott as they ranked him 44th best North American player, a ranking that would normally get him drafted in the 2nd or early 3rd round. NHL Central Scouting’s ranking was no aberration either as Bob MacKenzie’s poll of NHL scouts earned Scott an honourable mention in their top 60 rankings. When the dusted settled after the draft, Scott was left the dubious distinction of being the highest rated player not drafted."

Read the full article which was originally published at The Hockey Writers - Combine:
Link: http://thehockeywriters.com/combine/scott-oke-nhl-2013-draft-war-room-prospect-profile/

Jan Košťálek : NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 09:52:34 PST

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jan Košťálek : NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine:

Excerpt:

Jan Košťálek, The Hockey Player

Outside of Océanic supporters and a few die-hard QMJHL fans, most in North America have never heard of Jan Košťálek. Jan Košťálek may be new to hockey fans over here but he is not new to hockey. In fact, Jan is already a veteran of international hockey at the ripe old age of 17 having played in some 40 matches for his country, the Czech Republic (19-U16; 11-U17; 6-U18; 4-U19). In addition, he has suited up for 10 games for HC Sparta Praha of the top Czech professional league, playing against men."

Read full article at The Hockey Writers Combine: http://thehockeywriters.com/combine/jan-kostalek-nhl-2013-draft-war-room-prospect-profile/

Nathan MacKinnon: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 10:49:49 PST

Nathan MacKinnon: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine:

Nathan MacKinnon: Probable #1 Overall Selection in 2013 NHL Draft

Guess post from Eldon MacDonald

Nathan MacKinnon – “Money” – Center/Right Wing – Canada

Vitals: Size – 5’11”, 179 lb.

Shoots: right

Born: 1-Sep-95; Halifax, NS

Team: Halifax, QMJHL

Twitter: @Mackinnon9

2011-12 Stats: 58-31-47-78-45-(+11)-(+59) + QMJHL playoffs 17-13-15-28-12-(+12)

Rankings:

1 – Bob MacKenzie’s Pre-season Poll of Scouts

1 – The Hockey Writer’s Top 30 – Aug-12

1 – ISS’ Top 30 – Aug-12

1 – Future Considerations – Sep-12

First things first, catch Nathan’s September 29^th, 2012 shoot out goal against Cape Breton – the goalie (6’6 Philippe Trudeau) who had an excellent game was completely mesmerized – watch the high leg kick to make the goalie think he was shooting and then just tucking it in. (Yahoo Sports)

Why is guy the biggest hype since Sidney Crosby and why is he so often compared to SC87 – a hype likely to be compounded by the lack of NHL hockey with the lockout. Check out the eerie similarities between the two:

Home town – Cole Harbour, NS (Halifax suburb) – Check
Athletic parents – Crosby: father drafted by Montreal; MacKinnon: father a marathon runner; mother was youngest swimmer in the Canada games.
Prep school – Shattuck St. Mary’s, Minnesota – Check
1^st overall in QMJHL draft – Check
Pre-season favourite to go 1^st overall in NHL draft – Check
Gold medaled – Crosby – Vancouver Olympics and U20; MacKinnon – August 2012 U18 Ivan Hlinka Tournament
Size – Crosby 5’11 – 200; MacKinnon – 5’11 – 179
Build – Robust stocky build; very solid on his skates, aggressive edges – Check
Acceleration – Ladies and gentleman: “Hold onto your socks!” – Check
Dangle – All the way around or right through, baby; traffic not a problem – Check
Shot – Ultra quick release, hard, accurate – Check
Hockey sense – Born for the NHL; processes the game at another level – Check
Will – Finds a way to get it done even when there is tough going – Check
Rises to the occasion – When the game is on the line, he is the go-to guy and more often than not, the clutch performer – Check

You would think with all the similarities MacKinnon is very similar to Crosby on the ice. Well, such is not the case.

Crosby is a puck carrier with outstanding vision who thinks pass first but still has an elite shot.

MacKinnon is more a shooter of the Steven Stamkos variety and has good, but not elite vision. In fact, on Bob MacKenzie’s pre-season NHL draft ranking show, the lack of elite vision was the only significant shortcoming that NHL scouts noticed in MacKinnon.

Assuming MacKinnon continues to progress, his upside is that of a perennial candidate for the Rocket Richard Trophy (most goals in the season). He probably will never win the Art Ross Trophy (most points in a season). Maurice “The Rocket” Richard never won the scoring title either, but that does not diminish his legendary status.

Thus, MacKinnon’s game projects to the NHL as an elite goal scorer, but he will do it as Nathan MacKinnon and not in the mold of Sidney Crosby.

So how do you characterize Nathan MacKinnon? Two words immediately come to mind: “Money” and “Memories”.

When the game is on the line or when a gold medal is to be won, Nathan has that will and desire allowing him to elevate his game such that he is able to perform at a level that appears to be a little above mere mortals. For instance:

2011-12 QMJHL regular season game: The battle of the 1st overalls (2012 potential #1 – Mikhail Grigorenko versus 2013 potential #1 – Nathan MacKinnon) – The resul: 5 goals for Nathan, no goals for Mikhail. Could you cut him a little slack, next time, Nathan?
2012-13 QMJHL playoff series: Halifax (Nathan MacKinnon) versus Quebec (Mikhail Grigorenko). Nathan gave Mikhail ahead start as Halifax lost the first three games of the playoff series to Quebec, but proceeded to rally his team winning the final four games of the series in one of the most exciting comebacks in QMJHL playoff history.
August 2012 Ivan Hlinka Tournament: After a rocky beginning, Nathan pulled his game together and scored a hat trick for Canada in the gold medal game and led the tournament in scoring – five goals and eleven points in five games.
2012-13 QMJHL regular season games glance:
1. Game 1 – One-timer in OT to win it for Halifax, many missed seeing it because they were caught in a blink.
2. Game 2 – two goals, two assists, +4, I guess you could say he was a little more than just OK.
3. Game 3 – One goal, bad game for Halifax (6-1 loss) but Nathan played well – 17 for 22 in the face-off circle as he has really turned his game around in this area.
4. Game 4 – Shootout goal to help win it for Halifax – the bedazzle almost caused the ice to melt.

What does a “Money” guy do: he produces “Memories”. Nathan, the money guy, has already caused many excellent memories and hopefully will produce many more. Here are some of the “Money” guys who have gone before him in junior hockey that Nathan has caused me to remember.

Jonathan Huburdeau – He won the Memorial Cup in his draft year (2011) and was named MVP of the tournament. Did you notice this summer in the Canada-Russia series, Jonathan was almost invisible until the final game when the Challenge win was on the line. Jonathan then reappearedand was instrumental in the Canada win.
Jordan Eberle – If you don’t know who Jordan Eberle is or the impossible things he accomplished in the World U20’s (2008-09 & 2009-10), I don’t know what to tell you.
Jonathan Toews – “Mr. Shootout” of the 2006-07 World U20’s; I am sure Captain Serious bleeds ice water.
Sidney Crosby – Yes, Sid won a World U20 gold, but my memory from junior hockey of him was the final game of the 2005 Memorial Cup when his Rimouski team played London. Sid was going to the net (to tie the game) and the whole London team including the water boy and trainer had to pile on him to stop him and preserve a London victory. I might be exaggerating a little bit, but not as much as you would think.
Wayne Gretzky – My favourite memory from junior hockey comes from the “Great One” himself, Wayne Gretzky. I had the privilege of watching him live at 16 playing in the 1977-78 U20 World Championship at the old Montreal Forum. He played on a line with Tony McKegney and Wayne Babych. Gretzky ended the series with 8 goals and 17 points in only six games. In the first game against Team Russia, he completely mesmerized the Russians and Canada won. However, Team Russia must have watched some video as he was not nearly as effective in the second game and Canada lost.

The 2012-13 season is still young and hopefully the best memories are yet to come from this exciting prospect who is also one of the youngest kids in the 2013 draft. However, there is a lot of hockey yet to be played this year so surprises are likely to occur, good and bad. Will we be writing that Nathan is still likely to go one or two in the draft at the end of the season? He has his challengers, but “Money” MacKinnon likely has a more than a few memorable performances for us yet.

This article was originally published at The Hockey Writers Combine: http://thehockeywriters.com/combine/nathan-mackinnon-nhl-2013-draft-war-room-prospect-profile/

Jonathan Drouin: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 10:50:40 PST

Jonathan Drouin: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine:

Guest post by Eldon MacDonald

Jonathan Drouin – “Mr. Smooth and Easy” – Left Wing/Center – Canada

Jonatha Drouin (Richard Lafortune/Flickr)

Size: 5’11”, 190 lb.

Shoots: Left

Born: 27-Mar-95 – Ste. Agathe, QC

Team: Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL

Twitter: @jodrouin27

2011-12 Stats: 33-7-22-29-12-(-5) + QMJHL playoffs 17-9-17-26-4-(+6)

Rankings:

07 – The Hockey Writers; Christopher Ralph’s The Next Ones Top 60 – Oct-12

HM – Bob MacKenzie’s Pre-season Poll of Scouts (HM = Between 11 & 20)

15 – ISS’ Top 30 – Aug-12

19 – Future Considerations – Sep-12

The Dynamic Duo

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Rocky and Bullwinkle; there have been some great duos in history. There is yet another duo on the way out of the QMJHL. Jonathan Drouin and Nathan MacKinnon have been heating it up for the Halifax Mooseheads. Consider their exploits so far:

2011-12 QMJHL Playoffs: After losing the first three games of the semi-final series to Quebec, the Mooseheads, lead by the dynamic duo, fired back to win the next four games and the series. In 17 games of the playoffs, Drouin had 26 points; MacKinnon had 28.
2012 Ivan Hlinka Tournament: Led by the top line featuring Drouin and MacKinnon, Canada won the tournament. In five games, Drouin had 5 points and MacKinnon 11.
2012-13 QMJHL Regular Season: After week three and seven games, Drouin leads the duo with 15 points to MacKinnon’s 13. Drouin was also named CHL player of the week for week one.

Mr. Smooth and Easy, a star in his own right

For those of you thinking that Jonathan Drouin plays in Nathan MacKinnon’s shadow (the pre-season consensus number 1 ranked 2013 draft pick), you had better do a quick rethink. Jonathan Drouin is a serious star on the ice in his own right with or without his famous sidekick. In fact, I call him “Mr. Smooth and Easy” because of everything he does is so effortless and oh so smooth.

The smooth and easy comes from a combination of two uber elite skills – vision and passing. He sees the ice so well that he acts as the “game controller” and choreographs the action with his agility and adept passing.

The way he and MacKinnon play together reminds me of ex-Moosehead, Alex Tanguay playing with Jerome Iginla; the playmaker and the finisher. However, Jonathan can also shoot too and has a very quick release along with a hard, accurate wrister.

His lean body, his less than imposing stature and his ability to suddenly change directions and dart through traffic to the net also make you recall Jeff Skinner, in his draft year.

The Road Behind

The road to the NHL for any hockey player, even for a destined star like Jonathan Drouin, is not always paved. In fact, Jonathan has already braved a few bumps along the way. In his pre-draft year Jonathan, starting out at barely 150 lbs soaking wet, was so physically immature that he decided to delay his entry in the QMJHL even though the Halifax Mooseheads desperately wanted him to play for them. Luckily for the Mooseheads, a growth spurt and some additional pleadings caused Jonathan to rethink his position and he joined the Moose on December 13^th, 2011, right before Christmas.

Jonathan did okay the rest of the regular season but it was not until close to the playoffs that the star arrived, and then he was put with Nathan. It was the comeback against Quebec in the playoffs (winning the semi-finals after losing the first three games) and the dynamism and leadership shown by Jonathan in that comeback that cemented in many minds that this kid was a star in the making. It is going to be hard to top his game-winning goal in overtime in game seven to finish the comeback and win the series but I believe he is capable of even bigger goals in the future.

Over the summer, Jonathan worked hard on his conditioning and added 15 pounds to his slender frame. He confirmed this week that he is now 5’10¾ and 190 lb. (14 lb. more than shown on the Moosehead web site). He also spent some time on his skating with Barb Underhill, former world figure skating for Canada in 1984. Barb is the person who is credited with greatly improving the skating of 6’7 New York Ranger, Brian Boyle. This is reminiscent of Jeff Skinner yet again as the Hurricanes star winger had figure skating in his background as well.

The road this current year started out extremely smooth. In week 1, Drouin earned CHL player of the week honours and by Week 3 he was only two points out of the Q scoring lead. However, in the game on October 6^th, a bump occurred on the road to the draft. Jonathan took a nasty hit along the boards from Saint John Sea Dog, Benjamin Houde, and is currently listed as day-to-day with a sore shoulder.

The Road Ahead

I was just about to make a big mistake and write what Jonathan had to do to make the “bigs”. However, on second reflection, Jonathan has already shown sufficient high-end skills, has accomplishments that most players never come close to achieving and most important of all shown a willingness to do what it takes to address the short-comings in his game. So, yes, to reach his full potential Jonathan will need to continue to refine and improve his physical game to the point where it adds to the equation and not deducts from it. However, seeing what he accomplished over the summer with his strength and skating training, you know they will come. While most including Bob MacKenzie have this young stud in the teens for the upcoming NHL draft, I believe my editor, Christopher Ralph, has it right and that Jonathan is definitely in the top 10. How high in the top 10 depends on how much Jonathan is able to improve his physical game and not so much on how many points he puts on the board as the draft is done on projection as much as accomplishments. I will leave you with one last “wow” followed by “quel feint” so you do not forget this future star in the making.

This article was orginally published at The Hockey Writers Combine: http://thehockeywriters.com/combine/nathan-mackinnon-nhl-2013-draft-war-room-prospect-profile/

William Carrier: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 10:27:52 PST

William Carrier: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine:

By Eldon MacDonald

William Carrier (Photo: Ghyslain Bergeron)

William Carrier – “Mr. Turn and Burn” – Left Wing/Center – Canada

Size: 6’1”, 198 lb.

Shoots: Left

Born: 20-Dec-94 – Ville LaSalle, QC; hometown, Pierrefonds, QC

Team: Cape Breton, QMJHL

2011-12 Stats: 66-27-43-70-65(-10) + QMJHL playoffs 4-3-3-6-4-(+4)

Rankings:

A List – NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Rankings

23 – The Hockey Writers, Christopher Ralph’s The Next Ones Top 60 – Oct-12

29 – Future Considerations – Sep-12

Mr. Turn and Burn

My favourite TV program is “Ice Road Truckers”, a reality show about truckers hauling heavy loads over frozen ice in the winter. When a trucker reaches his destination on this program, his goal is usually to turn and burn to the next destination as quickly as possible in order maximize his haul loads and pay check during the short winter season, when the ice will support a full-sized haul rig. Turn and burn describes William Carrier and his approach to the game to a T.

Whenever he gets the puck in his own zone or neutral ice, his first inclination is always to turn and burnwith the puck and hit or blow past the opposing defenceman. Although he patterns himself after Rick Nash, a more apt comparison would be Max Pacioretty when he goes down the left side (his usual itinerary) or Erik Cole when he barrels down the right side. And barrels is what he does, he approaches the D at top speed and attempts to barrel over them or around them. He also has that “man-sized” body to eventually wear down an opponent. Although he is listed as 6’1 198 lbs on the Screaming Eagles website, I would be very surprised to find that he was anything under 6’2 and 205 to 210 lbs.

Mr. Successful, even when it is not easy

One of the things I admire the most about William Carrier is that he doesn’t allow distractions to bother him. He will give you the same effort and have close to the same success whether he is playing the high-flying Halifax Mooseheads and Nathan MacKinnon or some other team further down in the standings. Neither as he has let the situation in Cape Breton effect his game whether it be his mediocre team or the management turmoil (Cape Breton GM, Pierre Roux was fired on October 15, 2012). He is a leader by doing, which is why the Cape Breton coaching staff have given him an “A” to wear on his sweater.

The Road Behind

We should not be surprised by William’s success this year as he had 70 points last season in 66 games and followed it up by with six points in four playoff games. By way of comparison, Nathan MacKinnon had 78 points in 58 games. The only good thing about getting swept in the 1^st round of the Q playoffs was that William was able to suit up for Team Canada at the U18’s where he earned a bronze medal along side his Team Canada teammates.

Over the summer, William worked hard on his strength and conditioning. Of particular note was his emphasis on leg strength as Carrier wants to improve on his start-up and acceleration speed. He is plenty fast, however, when he hits the blueline, as most defencemen in the Q will attest to.

The road this current year has turned out very smooth for William. In fact, after eleven games, he is 5^th in the Q in scoring with 21 points, two ahead of the pre-season favourite for No 1 draft choice in the 2013 NHL draft, Nathan MacKinnon. William was also named Q player of the week once (to zero for Nathan, better pick it up Nathan!).

The Road Ahead

Yes, I am an admirer of William Carrier and not just because he originated from one of my 14 former hometowns, Ville LaSalle, QC. However, I also realize that while his talents are very good, they also do not all fall in the elite or exceptional category. So, what would sell a prospective NHL team on William Carrier as a high draft draft choice?

Size: He has that man size of NHL ready chisel – Check
Skating: Powerful stride, rock steady on his skates, hard to knock down, looks like a rhino in heat on full charge when he approaches the blue-line – Check
Goes to the net like a true power forward: Mr. Turn and Burn, at your service – Check it out
Hangs out in in front of the net: Have you ever had an unwanted little brother who turned out to be 6’2; that’s right, you can’t get rid of him of him no matter how hard you try – Check (just ask any Q goalie)
Can fight for his team: William is not a person looking for a fight but will engage for the good of the team or to take care of himself – Check it out
Shot: Hard, accurate wrister with a decent release; slap shot – doesn’t use so much – Check
Stickhandling: Has the finesse to handle the puck and skate around defenders – Check
Defensive play: William is considered a good player at both ends of the ice – Check
Reliability: William can be counted on in all situations – Check
Leadership: the “A’, eh – Check

As to deficiencies, William should continue his program of improving upon his first few strides. He also should try to make better use of his teammates. Maybe it is partly because he is not surrounded by stars, but William is sometimes guilty of trying to do too much by himself.

William is the kind of player that will get a big look at the combine because every team is looking for a power forward with the kind of qualities he possesses. As can be seen from the rankings above, he is starting to be seen in the later part of the 1^st round in some rankings. However, if he continues to improve at his current rate, he is likely to shoot quite a bit higher. He probably does not possess top ten skills but could shoot up into the teens. After all, he already has Nathan playing catch-up in some aspects. And lastly, he was just named to Team QMJHL for the upcoming Subway Super Series against Team Russia. The Russians better keep their head up while he’s on the ice!

This article was originally published at The Hockey Writers Combine: http://thehockeywriters.com/combine/william-carrier-nhl-2013-draft-war-room-prospect-profile/

Frédérik Gauthier: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 10:19:08 PST

Canadian ice hockey player Vincent Lecavalier (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Frédérik Gauthier: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine:

By Eldon MacDonald

Frédérik Gauthier - “Mr. “Not Just Anybody” – Center – Canada

Size: 6’4”, 219 lb.
Shoots: Left
Born: 26-Apr-95 – Mascouche, QC
Hometown, St-Lin Laurentides, QC
Team: #23, Rimouski Océanic,
QMJHL 2011-12 Stats: QMJHL rookie in 2012-13

Rankings:

A List – NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Rankings

22 – ISS – Oct-12

35 – The Hockey Writers, Christopher Ralph’s The Next Ones Top 60 – Oct-12

Mr. Not Just Anybody

Who is the player that player that Kyle Woodlief of Redline Report is calling “the biggest surprise anywhere so far”? No, I am not going to tell you but I will let you check it out for yourself.
Who is the player that made a commitment to attend not just any school but “the school”? No, I am not going to tell you what school but I will give you a hint; George W. Bush, yes, the George W. Bush, is a graduate from there.
So who could have helped Frédérik change his mind about attending the prestigious “the school” and committing to play in the Q at Rimouski? It couldn’t be just anybody. As not to be too cruel, I will give you a hint: both Sidney Crosby and Vincent Lecavalier are ex-Rimouski Océanic players. If you guessed either one, you would be correct. As Frédérik, himself, told LaPresse, “When a guy like that (Crosby) calls you, you listen”. Oops…I just gave up the answer to question 2 with the “LaPresse link”; got to be more careful.
So who is the player that led the CHL rookie scoring race as of October 19, 2012 with 16 points in 12 games? Couldn’t be just anybody and I am going to be a nice guy for once and tell you!!! Yes, surprise, surprise, it was Frédérik Gauthier, #23, from the Rimouski Océanic.

Not Just Any Player but Frédérik Gauthier, The Player

Why are scouts so excited about this player who suddenly appears on the scene and seems to be on an upward progression to stardom?

Scoring: At one time, he was not known for his scoring ability but look at the “Leader Board” – Number one in the CHL in rookie scoring. The trio of Frédérik, 6’3 201 lb. Scott Oke and 5’11 180 lb. Peter Trainor are cutting quite a swath in the early days of the 2012-13 QMJHL season. As well as scoring, all of them have a very high plus-minus (+12 to +14 with +13 for Frédérik).
Skating: He has been criticized in the past for his skating but look at his first goal against Shawinigan on October 7, 2012. The player that scored that goal was flying. Yes, he could stand to improve his agility and his passing speed but Frédérik has improved his skating enough that he just leaves scouts wondering how good he can be if he improves his skating even further. The video is from Jerome Berube of HockeyProspects.com and you really should bookmark his site if you want to follow the exploits of the stars of the 2013 NHL draft. Seek out his isolation video of Nathan MacKinnon when you are there.
Size: Many say that he doesn’t use his size enough. Although this is true to a certain extent, at 6’4, 219 lb. he is plenty strong to do what he wants for the most part. His 6’4 size also gives him a considerable reach advantage over most players. 6’4, 219 pounders who can skate decently and score don’t grow on trees. The thought of what this guy can do when he starts to more effectively optimize the use of his god-given size and strength down the road is what has scouts droolingtoday.
Defensive awareness: The scouting fraternity tend to agree on one thing: Frédérik Gauthier has that defensive awareness that is not often seen in “raw rookies”. His acumen in his own end is reminiscent of Sean Couturier.
Vision: A lot of that defensive awareness comes from Frédérik’s ability to read what is happening around him and properly adjust to the changing circumstances. At the moment, Frédérik is still too passive in his play in that it is still mainly reactionary. However, as he adjusts to his new league that will start to change and he will be the one initiating the play.
Other skills: Frédérik is still very raw in most of his skills. However, they are coming along. For instance, he is still under 50% in face-offs but he had one game recently where he went 17 to 23. His passing is pretty good but his shot is something that requires an upgrade to bring it to NHL minimums.

The Road Ahead: how much more “magique” is there to come?

Frédérik Gauthier is different than most of his competitors vying to be a 1^st round draftee in the upcoming 2013 NHL Entry Draft. He is different because he is just coming out of a huge growth spurt (think mere mortal to The Hulk) and is a raw rookie. He is a player trying to establish his game, a player trying to carve out his identify, a player working on his relationships with his new teammates, a player trying to find out what works and doesn’t at his new level and a player adjusting to his new mammoth size .

In such a milieu, there is likely to be a few curves along the road to the draft, maybe even esses. However, the combination of enormous size, the ability to put up the points, the ability to work well with his teammates, his innate defensive zone awareness and the decent full-steam speed are enough that scouts can overlook any skills that need further work.

Watch a game on television featuring Gauthier and you may not hear Frédérik’s name for extended periods. But then, suddenly, you hear what is the best word in the French language: “magique”. When you hear that word you know the announcers are likely referring to Frédérik Gauthier.

You often see new rookies in the league make a sudden drastic improvement in their game after they adjust to the league. Many times that happens just after the Christmas break. Will that happen to Frédérik? Will we see a transformation of some those raw skills that he now possesses into even more “magique”? I am betting that the answer is yes, but there are no guarantees.

It is a little early for draft projections with Frédérik but the potential is there for him to rocket into the teens of the 1^st round. ISS already have him at 22 in their Oct-12 rankings.

This article was originally published at The Hockey Writers Combine: http://thehockeywriters.com/combine/frederik-gauthier-nhl-2013-draft-war-room-prospect-profile/

The Next Ones 2013 NHL Draft Preliminary Rankings : The Hockey Writers

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 20:38:22 PDT

The Next Ones 2013 NHL Draft Preliminary Rankings : The Hockey Writers:

Excerpt:

"2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the NHL Entry Draft. With an immense amount of talent to be had, this installment of hockey’s version of Christmas is shaping up to be one of the finest in the past decade.

Is it ever too early to think about the NHL’s next entry draft? With the Fail For Nail 2012 NHL draft playing out in June, the focus is now turned to the 2013 class which has the potential to be the best since the revered 2003 draft. Unfortunately for Rangers fans, the team won’t have the opportunity to redeem the gaffe of drafting Hugh Jessiman 12th overall in 2003, with their 1st round pick being traded to Columbus in the Rick Nash deal.

It is also eight years since the historic post-lockout Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes Lottery Draft. The similarities between the upcoming draft and the 2005 edition are downright eerie.

Any rankings completed at this point will evolve and look quite different as the hockey season wears on. Prospects who are not currently so highly regarded will attempt their best impersonations of Hampus Lindholm in an effort to escalate their draft stocks. At the other end of the spectrum, there will be Nick Ebert-like plummets. In a vast majority of preliminary rankings last season, Nick Ebert was highly touted as a potential Top 10 pick. The Los Angeles Kings prospect ended up drafted last overall as 2012’s Mr. Irrelevent.Ebert has plenty of incentive to prove naysayers wrong this season and beyond.

Not Winnin’ For MacKinnon

Sidney Crosby: Let the parallels be drawn with The Next, Next One – Nathan MacKinnon (Icon SMI)

By now, most hockey fans know the story of Nathan MacKinnon and the uncannily similar path shared with Sidney Crosby. The two sub-6’0” ultra-talented, exceptionally explosive, game-breaking centremen both hail from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. They both played at the hockey factory that is Shattuck-St. Mary’s prep school. They were both drafted 1^st overall in the QMJHL.

Both Crosby and MacKinnon went into their draft eligible seasons as the favoured number one overall selection.

The season before Crosby’s draft was lost due to a NHL lockout. The current season is in great danger of the same fate.

Will every NHL team have a shot (with weighted odds) at drafting the phenom prospect MacKinnon as they did Crosby? Who will land The Next, Next One?

Keeping Up With The Joneses

Unlike Crosby, MacKinnon faces a colossal challenge for the number one overall draft position. The son of former NBA player, Popeye Jones, Seth Jones has everything you want in a future cornerstone blueliner – size, skill, skating ability, hockey IQ and passion.

Depending on the team holding down the number one overall pick and how the season plays out, Jones has a legitimate chance at supplanting MacKinnon as the top pick in 2013."

Read the full article and see the Top 60 rankings here:

THW Link: http://thehockeywriters.com/the-next-ones-2013-nhl-draft-preliminary-rankings/

The Top 10:

# Pos Players   DOB Ht Wt S Team
1 C Nathan Mackinnon 9/1/1995 5'11 179 R Halifax Mooseheads
2 D Seth Jones   10/3/1994 6'4 206 R Portland Winterhawks
3 C Sean Monahan   10/12/1994 6'2 193 L Ottawa 67's
4 LW Hunter Shinkaruk 10/13/1994 5'10 175 L Medicine Hat Tigers
5 D Ryan Pulock   10/6/1994 6'01 213 R Brandon Wheat Kings
6 C Alexander Barkov 9/2/1995 6'2 194 L Tappara
7 LW Jonathan Drouin 3/28/1995 5'11 176 L Halifax Mooseheads
8 D Josh Morrissey 3/28/1995 6'0 184 L Prince Albert Raiders
9 C Curtis Lazar 2/2/1995 6'0 198 R Edmonton Oil Kings
10 C Ryan Kujawinski 3/30/1995 6'2 205 L Kingston Frontenacs

Matt Dumba scores brilliant goal from his knees

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 22:49:03 PDT

PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 22: Mathew Dumba, drafted seventh overall by the Minnesota Wild, poses for a portrait during Round One of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft at Consol Energy Center on June 22, 2012 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Minnesota Wild's prospect and Red Deer Rebel, blueliner Mathew Dumba, scores a remarkable goal against the Saskatoon Blades on October 3rd, 2012 in the WHL. Dumba was drafted 7th overall in the 2012 NHL Draft and was rated 2nd overall by my The Next Ones Final Rankings.

If Hockey Won't Fight Cancer, Hockey Fans Will : The Hockey Writers

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 08:11:52 PDT

If Hockey Won't Fight Cancer, Hockey Fans Will : The Hockey Writers:

A great cause intiated by my colleague at The Hockey Writers, Ross Bonander who is also a healthcare journalist.

Excerpt:

"The other day I wrote “Who Fights Cancer in a Lockout?” at Overtime, noting that should the lockout cancel games in October, it also cancels the biggest charity initiative of the NHL season, “Hockey Fights Cancer” (HFC). This means that the league, the players, and the fans won’t take part in the league-wide initiative, resulting in about $1 million not going to cancer charities this year.

Well if the NHL won’t do it, and the NHLPA can’t do it, then we the fans should.

To that end, I’ve created a grassroots fundraising team with the Livestrong Foundation entitled “Hockey Fans Fight Cancer.”

100 % of donations go to Livestrong.

100 % of donations go straight to Livestrong, meaning your donation never changes hands except from you to them.

Charity & foundation watchdog CharityWatch ranks Livestrong among the highest cancer charities operating today so you can trust your donation is being put to good use.

The lockout means plenty of leftover hockey-related revenue. All I’m asking is a donation of $1 to $5 per fan.

To visit the team page or to make a donation, click HERE.

The URL is: http://laf.livestrong.org/goto/HFFC

The NHL can afford to act leisurely. Cancer patients cannot. As a cancer care advocate for people diagnosed with blood disorders, and as someone who has lost somebody close to me to cancer, I can vouch for that reality. If you prefer to donate to another charity, like Susan G. Komen or Prostate Cancer Canada or the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, please do.

This is a chance to show the world that the bottom-line driven, fan-neglected choices made by NHL ownership don’t define us as a fan base."

Signed,
Ross Bonander, hockey fan

This article was originally published at The Hockey Writers:
http://thehockeywriters.com/if-hockey-wont-fight-cancer-hockey-fans-will/

NHL 13: IN STORES NOW! 9/10 - GameTrailers

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 07:50:24 PDT

Hayley Wickenheiser This photo from [www.VancityAllie.com]'s blog! You can also follow her on Twitter at [www.twitter.com/VancityAllie] (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NHL 94 seems like a childhood dream. NHL 13 has now hit the shelves like a Scott Stevens massive bone-crunching hit.

In NHL 13, they've added new legends into the mix and have introduced NHL Hall of Famers Doug Gilmour, Jari Kurri, and NHL legend Dominik Hasek to the roster of legends. Accompanying those players will be four-time Olympic Medalists Angela Ruggiero and Hayley Wickenheiser who become the first ever women’s hockey superstars added as playable characters in the EA SPORTS NHL Franchise.

NHL - 'Together We Can' #NoLockout

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 20:43:01 PDT

Brilliant video compilation by Janne Makkonen if you haven't seen already:

"Published on Aug 31, 2012 by r4ndomduud

NHL - Together We Can - Janne Makkonen
Follow on Twitter - https://twitter.com/JanneMakkonen1
Songs: Maybeshewill-Not for want of trying Maybeshewill-He films the clouds pt2

As we all know, we might not see any NHL hockey next year because of the disagreements with the NHL and NHLPA in terms of economic issues and whatnot. Understandably money is an important thing in the NHL and let alone hockey. But we've come to a point where you have to draw the line. We're in a point where hockey is more a product to make money than a beautiful game, which revolves around big money. Money seeming to be the bigger value than the game itself. Even though it's strongly biased towards the NHLPA, I hope you guys understand the main message and idea of the video even if you were standing in a neutral position."

Last Man Standing (Goalies) Quick Clip - NHL 13

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 20:48:26 PDT

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 20: Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers poses after being named the EA SPORTS NHL13 cover athlete during the 2012 NHL Awards at the Encore Theater at the Wynn Las Vegas on June 20, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

"Software Engineer James Banting gives you a behind the scenes look at goalies in NHL 13. Goalies are powered by the all-new EA SPORTS Hockey IQ and feature goalie anticipation, complete limb movement and enhanced user goalie control. The result is the most realistic goalies ever in a hockey game." - EA Sports

2012 NHL Draft: The Next Ones Final Rankings | The Hockey Writers

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 19:23:57 PDT

ST PAUL, MN - JUNE 24: First overall pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Edmonton Oilers poses for a photo portrait during day one of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft at Xcel Energy Center on June 24, 2011 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

2012 NHL Draft: The Next Ones Final Rankings | The Hockey Writers:

Because every prospect has a story behind the talent...

"Chris’s List: A common query is how these particular rankings are formulated. There is now an abundance of sources of hockey prospect information. You can check out my blog The Next Ones for your online eNewspaper, linking to the best of the best of these resources. TSN has Craig Button’s Craig’s List, which is a “monthly rankings represent his individual assessment of where players are slotted in the NHL draft. They will be posted in addition to Bob McKenzie’s consensus NHL rankings, which is compiled four times a year. Bob’s rankings represent the consensus NHL team view of where players are slotted in the NHL draft.”

In contrast, The Next Ones rankings take into account many influences. While I obviously cannot reveal all my trade secrets, the following are some of the considerations contemplated when compiling the rankings. First of all, my personal prospect analysis and scouting reports from live player viewings (due to geography restraints mainly limited to WHL and this year’s World Juniors) and video analysis. Admittedly, there is nothing comparable to live viewings. Secondly, my personal ranking system with influences from contacts whom I consider respected, knowledgeable, passionate hockey people with unique insight from all over this great hockey universe of ours. Many thanks to those who passionately offer up their unequivocal outstanding scouting analysis to me – you know who you are. Thirdly, I utilize some unique statistical analysis for guidance purposes only. Compiling and merging all of data along with copious amounts of research results in Chris’s List coming to fruition."

Full article of The Next Ones Top 150 Final Rankings at The Hockey Writers:
http://thehockeywriters.com/2012-nhl-draft-the-next-ones-final-rankings/

2012 NHL Mock Draft: The Next Ones – 2 Rounds | The Hockey Writers

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 19:19:34 PDT

Toronto Maple Leafs player scoring goal against Detroit Red Wings, Stanley Cup Playoffs, 1942 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2012 NHL Mock Draft: The Next Ones – 2 Rounds | The Hockey Writers:

Because every prospect has a dream...

"Of course, temptation got the best of me again yet again this season as today’s article embarks on my fourth and final mock draft of the season. Here are my first three best guesstimates based on the timing of the respective mock: 2012 NHL Mock Draft: Memorial Cup Edition – 2 Rounds March Madness Edition – detailed two round mock draft with rationale The January edition of my mock draft was titled: Fail For Nail or Mikhail For alternative perspectives from THW colleagues: 2012 NHL Mock Draft Madness (B. Ross) A June 2012 NHL Mock Draft (D. O’Connor)"

Full article at: http://thehockeywriters.com/2012-nhl-mock-draft-the-next-ones-2-rounds/

Dalton Thrower – The Next Ones: NHL 2012 Draft Prospect Profile | The Hockey Writers

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 10:13:04 PDT

Western Hockey League (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dalton Thrower – The Next Ones: NHL 2012 Draft Prospect Profile | The Hockey Writers:

Dalton Thrower THW Close-Up:

Date of birth: 12/20/1993

Place of birth: North Vancouver, BC, CAN

Ht: 6’0″ Wt: 190

Shoots: Right

Position: Defenseman

NHL Draft Eligibility: 2012 1st year eligible

THW Ranking (May): 16^th

Other Rankings (via Lighthouse Hockey)

ISS: 27
CSS (N.A. skaters): 26
McKeen’s: 27
Future Considerations: 28
The Hockey News: 29
Craig Button: 51
Hockey Prospectus: 57
Consensus aggregate of several services (NHL Numbers): 35

"He is a silky smooth and efficient skater. His game does go well beyond the numbers, but he did finish 8th in defensemen scoring in the WHL. He can man the left or right point, delivers crisp and accurate passes, and has a blistering shot. He is also adept at rushing the puck. Dalton is effective at both ends of the rink, improving his defensive play as the season wore on. He is sound in his positional play, but has noted himself that he still needs to continue to work on gap control. Thrower’s really elevated his game throughout this season. He was relied upon heavily by the Saskatoon Blades when the blueline was decimated with injuries; Thrower excelled when called upon to log a ton of ice time."

Full article at THW: http://thehockeywriters.com/dalton-thrower-the-next-ones-nhl-2012-draft-prospect-profile/

Troy Bourke - The Next Ones: NHL 2012 Draft Prospect Profile | The Hockey Writers

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 10:10:44 PDT

Third jersey Logo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Troy Bourke - The Next Ones: NHL 2012 Draft Prospect Profile | The Hockey Writers:

Troy Bourke THW Close-Up:

Date of birth: 03/30/1994
Place of birth: Onoway, AB, CAN
Ht: 5’10″ Wt: 180
Shoots: Left
Position: Forward
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2012 1st year eligible

THW Ranking (May): 56^th

Other Rankings:

NHL Central Scouting: 123^rd (NA skaters)
Hockey Prospects: #43 overall

"It’s never a good idea to base an opinion on a prospect solely on statistics. This is definitely the case with Prince George Cougars forward, Troy Bourke. First off, many sites report his dimensions as 5’10” and weighing somewhere between 150 to 160 lbs. Troy has concentrated his training on adding weight to his frame. While he’s certainly not going to project as a behemoth forward, he currently tips the scales at about 180 lbs.

Secondly, if you take a glance at his stat line for the past two seasons, one might ponder if he’s actually regressed as a player. You couldn’t be more wrong if you jumped to that conclusion."

'via Blog this'

Ville Pokka – The Next Ones: NHL 2012 Draft Prospect Profile | The Hockey Writers

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Ralph) — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 10:08:20 PDT

LAKE PLACID, NY - AUGUST 09: Olli Määttä #59 of Team Finland trips up Erik Thorell #26 of Team Sweden at the Lake Placid Olympic Center on August 9, 2011 in Lake Placid, New York. Team Sweden defeated Team Finland 7-1. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Ville Pokka – The Next Ones: NHL 2012 Draft Prospect Profile | The Hockey Writers:

Excerpt:

"Sisu. From none other than Wikipedia, Sisu “is a Finnish term loosely translated into English as strength of will, determination, perseverance, and acting rationally in the face of adversity.” If you take the literal translation, it is equivalent in English to “having guts”.

While maybe not yet a master of sisu, the Finnish blueliner prospect definitely has some degree of sisu now; an excellent foundation upon which to build as he grows as a player and a person. With a big blow to the blueline when Olli Määttä was injured in Finland’s first game of the WJC U20s in Calgary, Pokka’s role increased substantially. The young defenseman did not disappoint exhibiting his solid 2-way play which leans towards the offensive side. Pokka finished the championships tied for 6th in scoring amongst defenseman scoring with 4 points in 7 games."

'Full article: http://thehockeywriters.com/ville-pokka-the-next-ones-nhl-2012-draft-prospect-profile/

The Next Ones

World Junior Journal – Team Canada Needs MacKinnon, Drouin and Shinkaruk

Related articles

2013 NHL Draft Rankings War Room Top 90

Background

Round 2 – 31 to 40 – Historical success rate of about 33%

Previously posted:

Next Up:

2013 NHL Draft War Room Rankings Top 90 (Part 3: 21-30)

Next Up:

Previous:

Part 1: The Top 10

Part 2: 11 to 20

Related articles

NHL 2013 Draft War Room Top 90 December Rankings (Part 1: Top 10)

Background

Previous:

Part 1: The Top 10

Related articles

NHL 2013 Draft War Room Top 90 December Rankings (Part 1: Top 10)

NHL Entry Draft Historical Success Rate

The 2013 Draft

The Top 10 in 2013

Round 1: 1 to 10 – Historical success rate = 82%

Related articles

Is NHL 13 The Cure For NHL Withdrawal Syndrome?

Related articles

Anthony Duclair: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine

Anthony Duclair – “Mr. Electric” – Left Wing – Canada

Rankings:

Adam Erne: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine

Adam Erne – “Mr. Heartbeat” – Right Wing – USA

Rankings:

Scott Oke: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine

Excerpt:

Scott Oke - “The Castaway” – Left/Right Wing – Canada

Rankings:

Confession Time

Jan Košťálek : NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine

Related articles

Nathan MacKinnon: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine

Related articles

Jonathan Drouin: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine

Jonathan Drouin – “Mr. Smooth and Easy” – Left Wing/Center – Canada

Rankings:

The Dynamic Duo

Mr. Smooth and Easy, a star in his own right

The Road Behind

The Road Ahead

Related articles

William Carrier: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine

Mr. Turn and Burn

Mr. Successful, even when it is not easy

The Road Behind

The Road Ahead

Related articles

Frédérik Gauthier: NHL 2013 Draft War Room Prospect Profile : Combine

Rankings:

Mr. Not Just Anybody

Not Just Any Player but Frédérik Gauthier, The Player

The Road Ahead: how much more “magique” is there to come?

Related articles

The Next Ones 2013 NHL Draft Preliminary Rankings : The Hockey Writers

Related articles

Matt Dumba scores brilliant goal from his knees

Related articles

If Hockey Won't Fight Cancer, Hockey Fans Will : The Hockey Writers

Related articles

NHL 13: IN STORES NOW! 9/10 - GameTrailers

Related articles

NHL - 'Together We Can' #NoLockout

Last Man Standing (Goalies) Quick Clip - NHL 13

Related articles

2012 NHL Draft: The Next Ones Final Rankings | The Hockey Writers

Related articles

2012 NHL Mock Draft: The Next Ones – 2 Rounds | The Hockey Writers

Related articles

Dalton Thrower – The Next Ones: NHL 2012 Draft Prospect Profile | The Hockey Writers

Related articles

Troy Bourke - The Next Ones: NHL 2012 Draft Prospect Profile | The Hockey Writers