Saturday, April 25, 2009

Red Light District: Alex Ovechkin's "The Goal"

Alexander Ovechkin Amazing Highlight Reel Goal vs. Rangers (Playoffs Game 5, 24th April 2009)







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Thursday, April 23, 2009

"Price" And Time Right For Burke To Trade For Canadiens' Carey Price

Check out my latest article at The Hockey Writers (THW) in my Leafs Revolution column.

http://thehockeywriters.com/price-and-time-right-for-burke-to-trade-for-canadiens-carey-price

The timing could not be better for the Leafs to go after an elite young
franchise goalie. How quickly the mighty have fallen. After last
season's tremendous rookie year and being named THN's Top Prospect in
last year's prospect edition, Price has had an inconsistent year this
season, to put it mildly.






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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Shots From The Slot: Top Shelf Toronto Maple Leaf News

While the season has been over for the Leafs for what seems like an eternity, hockey's most financially valuable franchise remains at the forefront of the hockey news world.


"Shots From The Slot" will keep you up to date on all the Leafs latest happenings.

http://thehockeywriters.com/shots-from-the-slot-top-shelf-toronto-maple-leaf-news/

This is latest article for my Leaf Revolution column at The Hockey Writers (THW), as the staff writer for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The video clip is of one Jonas Gustavsson, a 24 year old elite goalie in the SEL whom the Leafs and Brian Burke covet.





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Monday, April 20, 2009

The Hockey Spy's 2009 Mock NHL Entry Draft V1.1

The Hockey Spy's NHL 2009 Mock Draft Round 1 (last Update April 21/09)


Notes up front:

- The mock draft at this point is based on teams drafting BPA (Best Player Available). I will begin with a first round mock and expand from there leading up to the June Entry Draft, likely including three rounds or 100 players.
- I am not a big fan of drafting a goalie in first round unless the talent and potential are simply undeniable. Last year, for instance, given the astronomical odds of actually being a NHL GM, I would have considered selecting Jacob Markstrom and Chet Pitkard in the first round. This year, I would not select a netminder at all. Olivier Roy would be the closest thing to a 1st-round talent goalie, but I seem him more as an early to mid second rounder. - NHL Player Comparisons are simply to give the reader a feel for the players' style and ultimately likely equal the player's ceiling potential being reached. It is often an exercise in futility, but does offer up some value. If I add the suffix "-lite" or "Jr." after a NHL player comparison, it simply refers to the fact the prospect likely has no chance to reach that high a potential, but rather resembles or plays a style reminiscent of the respective NHLer.
- "One-Timer" heading is meant to be a quick synopsis of the prospect. As we move closer to the June entry draft, The Hockey Spy will reveal more detailed information on the prospective players.



- NHL teams not listed at hits point. I'll wait until positions are set after April 16th.



- Stats are from hockeydb.com when the player is available from the database. Some prospects were not available, thus a hyper-link available (click on the player's name for the link) taking you to their stats page {See Nick Leddy and Tomas Tatar). For Jeremy Morin and Kyle Palmieri here is the link for US-U18 team stats (options on left hand side). Any questions, email The Hockey Spy.



 
# - Name - Hometown - Height - Weight - Amateur League - Amateur Club - Position


1. New York Islanders: John Tavares - Oakville, ONT - 6'0" - 198 lbs - OHL - London - C
One-Timer: Already a legend, J.T. has broken the all-time OHL goal-scoring record this season. Possessing elite hands, hockey sense and an innate pure goal-scorers touch, J.T. seems destined to be an NHL superstar. Skating is about the only issue scouts can identify, but even that is far from a liability.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Dany Heatley, Brett Hull, Mike Bossy
ISS: 1 CSB: 1-NA TSN: 1 NACS: 1
ETA = Ready




2. Tampa Bay Lightning: Victor Hedman - Örnsköldsvik, SWE - 6'6" - 220 lbs - SEL - Modo - D
One-Timer: A fast and smooth skating defenseman, offensively and defensively sound and is 6'6" 220lbs and only recently turned 18?!? Is he genetically engineered? Nope! It's one Victor Hedman, who's a shoe in to go second overall in June, with more than a few GMs considering him at first overall.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: hybrid of Jay Boumeester and Chris Pronger
ISS: 2 CSB: 1-E TSN: 2 NACS: 2
ETA = Ready




3. Colorado Avalanche: Matt Duchene - Haliburton, ONT - 5'11" - 196 lbs - OHL - Brampton - C
One-Timer: Duchene is an explosive skater and speedster with great hands, good passer and has a great shot with a quick release. Matt can also play in his own end, being responsible defensively.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Marian Hossa, Simon Gagne, Joe Sakic Jr.
ISS: 4 CSB: 2-NA TSN: 3 NACS: 3
ETA = Ready to 1 year




4. Atlanta Thrashers: Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson - Norrköping, SWE - 6'1" - 198 lbs - SEL - Timra - LW One-Timer: MSP is a super creative winger with speed to burn. Known more of a playmaker, the talented Swede still knows how to finish. The powerful and smooth skating MSP is also very tough to knock off the puck.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Forsberg-lite, Marian Hossa
ISS: 3 CSB: 2-E TSN: 7 NACS: 6
ETA = 1 year




5. Los Angeles Kings: Evander Kane - Vancouver, BC - 6'1" - 181 lbs - WHL - Vancouver - C
One-Timer: Kane is a physical forward with sniper-like instincts. He is ultra-competitive, consistent and has an innate ability of knowing where to be on the ice at all times. Put that with his great hands and goal-scorer's touch and you have yourself an elite forward in the making.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Iginla-lite
ISS: 7 CSB: 3-NA TSN: 4 NACS: 5
ETA = 1 to 2 years




6. Phoenix Coyotes: Jared Cowen - Allan, SK - 6'5" - 218 lbs - WHL - Spokane - D
One-Timer: The towering all-around defender unfortunately had his season cut short in February with a knee injury. He has already won a Memorial Cup at age 16 and was a valuable shutdown defender on that squad. While the injury may hurt the big and mobile d-man's stock on draft day, if he does drop at all he will likely have GMs who passed him over regret their decision in the future.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Pronger-lite, Braydon Coburn, Robyn Regehr
ISS: 6 CSB: 7-NA TSN: 11 NACS: 7

ETA = 2 to 3 years



7. Toronto Maple Leafs: Brayden Schenn - Saskatoon, SK - 6'0" - 192 lbs - WHL - Brandon - C
One-Timer: The talented and enthusiastic two-way forward is the younger brother of the Leafs' Luke. He plays even bigger than his size suggests. He possesses excellent leadership qualities as well.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Mike Richards, smaller Ryan Getzlaf, Mark Messier Jr.
ISS: 5 CSB: 5-NA TSN: 5 NACS: 4
ETA = Ready to 1 year




8. Dallas Stars: Jordan Schroeder - Prior Lake, MN - 5'9" - 180 lbs - WCHA - Minnesota - RW One-Timer: Although most will dwell on his size, Schroeder more than makes up for this deficiency with his outstanding hockey sense and intelligence, poise, pucks skills and blazing speed. He is the ultimate team player, has excellent creativity and is not intimidated by the physical play despite his size. He is described as more of a playmaker, but the shot he exhibited at the WJC was just as lethal as his passing.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Paul Kariya, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Zach Parise
ISS: 11 CSB: 4-NA TSN: 12 NACS: 12
ETA = 2 years




9. Ottawa Senators: Ryan Ellis - Freelton, ONT - 5'9" - 183 lbs - OHL - Windsor - D
One-Timer: The PP QB magician, Ellis is an offensive dynamo from the blueline! Size will also be the biggest issue with Ryan, but having watched him closely at this year's WJC it is hard to fathom he won't excel at the next level. His hockey sense and smarts are off the chart, and not surprisingly he was the OHL's scholastic player of the year last year. My feeling is at worst, if he is in fact too small to play on the blueline in the big leagues, convert him to forward! It likely won't be necessary, but in all honesty I'd foresee an extremely smooth transition.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Andrei Markov, Dan Boyle
ISS: 12 CSB: 15-NA TSN: 13 NACS: 11
ETA = 2 years




10. Edmonton Oilers: Dmitry Kulikov - Moscow, RUS - 6'1" - 195 lbs - QMJHL - Drummondville - D
One-Timer: Deadly on the powerplay, Kulikov displays tremendous hockey sense and vision. The offensive d-man is exudes great confidence as well, helping him acclimatize rapidly to the North American brand of hockey. The talented puck-moving blueliner also boasts a great shot and is an excellent passer. Interestingly, at this year's WJC he was a cast in more of a shutdown role and adapted nicely to what was asked of him.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Sergei Zubov, Andrei Markov
ISS: 14 CSB: 17-NA TSN: 11 NACS: 8

ETA = 1-2 years



11. Nashville Predators: Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Karlskrona, SWE - 6'2" 176 lbs - Allsvenskan - Leksand - D
One-Timer: The secret is out. Readers don't even need The Hockey Spy to reveal this sky-rocketing gem! "OEL" has been called a poor-man's Nik Lidstrom. That's actually a compliment! Already possessing a pro-level shot, the fluid puck-moving defenseman might very well land in the Top 10 of this draft.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Niklas Kronwall, Nik Lidstrom Jr.-lite
ISS: 28 CSB: not ranked TSN: 10 NACS: 73
ETA = 1 year

12. Minnesota Wild: David Rundblad - Lycksele, SWE - 6'2" - 190 lbs - SEL - Skelleftea - D
One-Timer: The good-sized Swedish d-man is a beautiful skater, adept at making "coast-to-coast" plays on the ice. He is first and foremost a puck-moving blueliner, but given time to develop a more efficient defensive side to his game, should be become a well-rounded two-way defenseman.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Mark Streit, Scott Niedermayer Jr.-Lite
ISS: 29 CSB: 4-E TSN: 23 NACS: 23

ETA = 2 years



13. Buffalo Sabres: Nazem Kadri - London, ONT - 6'0" - 177 lbs - OHL - London - C
One-Timer: A fast, creative, versatile forward, Kadri is an offensive spark-plug. He displays very good vision on the ice as well and this bodes well for his puck possession style of play.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Marc Savard, Scott Gomez
ISS: 8 CSB: 11-NA TSN: 8 NACS: 9

ETA = 1-2 years



14. Florida Panthers: John Moore - Winnetka, ILL - 6'2" - 180 lbs - USHL - Chicago - D
One-Timer: An intriguing combination complete package of skills and size. Out of the USHL, will he be the John Carlson of this year's draft? I read that Moore cites Scott Niedermayer as a major influence, and considers himself a puck-moving defenseman. He also play a relentless physical game and should be a gem if he the whole develops from the sum of his parts.

NHL Player(s) Comparison: Scott Niedermayer Jr.-Lite
ISS: 17 CSB: 8-NA TSN: 15 NACS: 16

ETA = 2 years



15. Anaheim Ducks: Simon Despres - Laval, PQ - 6'4" - 214 lbs - QMJHL - Saint John - D
One-Timer: Depres projects to be a shutdown blueliner at the next level. He can make a good break out pass out of his own zone and can play physical as well. The big d-man keeps things simple, but efficient on a very consistent basis. NHL Player(s) Comparison: M.E. Vlasic (but bigger)
ISS: 15 CSB: 6-NA TSN: 14 NACS: 10

ETA = 1 year



16. Columbus Blue Jackets: Peter Holland - Caledon, ONT - 6'2" - 190 lbs - OHL - Brampton - C
One-Timer: The future power forward is a good skater with a nice shot, can also be a set-up man and is no slouch in defensive zone coverage. He is also noted to be effective in the face-off circle and also focuses on scholastics off the ice, planning to earn a degree somewhere along the line - depending on where hockey takes him.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Ryan Kesler, Jason Arnott
ISS: 13 CSB: 9-NA TSN: 17 NACS: 14

ETA = 2 years



17. St. Louis Blues: Scott Glennie - Winnipeg, MTB - 6'1" - 180 lbs - WHL - Brandon - C
One-Timer: A consistent scorer with a pure goal-scorers touch, the speedy and talented forward unfortunately had his season cut short with a broken elbow. At the time, he was tied for 6th in the WHL scoring race. Some wonder if his stock is elevated because of playing with the likes of Schenn and Matt Calvert, but others argue it may in fact be Glennie helping the offensive stats of the other two.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Jeff Carter Jr., Mike Gartner, Geoff Sanderson
ISS: 20 CSB: 12-NA TSN: 9 NACS: 13

ETA = 2 years



18. Montreal Canadiens: Jacob Josefson - Stockholm, SWE - 6'0" - 187 lbs - SEL - Djurgarden - C One-Timer: The well-ronuded two-way centerman had an up and down year in the SEL, but finished strong with 5 pts in his last 6 games. He has a good level hockey IQ and doesn't shy away from the physical side of the game.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Henrik Sedin-lite, Zetterberg Jr.-Lite
ISS: 10 CSB: 3-E TSN: 18 NACS: 17

ETA = 2 years



19. New York Rangers: Zack Kassian - LaSalle, ONT - 6'3" - 205 lbs - OHL - Peterborough - RW
One-Timer: The stock of this budding power forward has been rising this season after raising his offensive game, averaging just over a PPG in the OHL. He is also one of the OHL's toughest players and doesn't shy away from donnybrooks, but likely needs to show more discipline after sometimes taking needless penalties. There is no doubting the size, skill and energy he brings to the table, but he does need to continue to work on his skating and likewise getting quicker.

NHL Player(s) Comparison: Milan Lucic, Scott Hartnell, Brendan Morrow
ISS: 19 CSB: 24-NA TSN: 16 NACS: 19
ETA = 2 years




20. Carolina Hurricanes: Calvin de Haan - Carp, On - 6'0" - 165 lbs - OHL - Oshawa - D
One-Timer: The dynamic puck-moving d-man actually increased his production after the trade of Tavares, scoring 17 points in his final 13 games. He actually out-dueled Matt Duchene to win the puck-control relay at the Top Prospects Skill Competition. He does need to fill out physically and although adequate in his own zone, he could improve his defensive play.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Niklas Kronwall
ISS: N/A CSB: 38-NA TSN: 21 NACS: 25

ETA = 3 years



21. Calgary Flames: Landon Ferraro - Burnaby, BC - 6'0"- 170 lbs - WHL - Red Deer - C
One-Timer: Son of former NHLer Ray Ferraro, Landon has wheels - as evident by his winning the fastest skater event at the Top Prospects Game's Skill Competition. Other than his skating, Landon's hockey smarts and hard work make him a solid NHL prospect, even setting bloodlines aside. The young Ferraro also knows a thing or two about scoring.

NHL Player(s) Comparison: David Krejci
ISS: 18 CSB: 13-NA TSN: 24 NACS: 18

ETA = 2 years



22. Philadelphia Flyers: Louis Leblanc - Kirkland, PQ - 6'0" - 178 lbs - USHL - Omaha - C
One-Timer: The fast, offensive centerman was actually considered to be a top 10 prospect coming into this hockey season. He is Harvard-bound next season.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Patrick Marleau Jr.

ISS: 16 CSB: 18-NA TSN: 22 NACS: 37

ETA = 2-3 years



23. Pittsburgh Penguins: Charles-Oliver Roussel - St-Eustache, PQ - 6'1" - 200 lbs - OMJHL - Shawinigan - D
One-Timer: The two-way blueliner is extremely poised and very versatile. Whether you need him to man the powerplay, shut-down the opposing key players, or play a nasty physical game - Roussel will be making the NHL team's scouting department who decides to select him look very good! NHL Player(s) Comparison: Shea Weber-Lite
ISS: N/A CSB: 30-NA TSN: not ranked NACS: 53
ETA = 1 year




24. Vancouver Canucks: Carter Ashton - Saskatoon, SK - 6'4" - 212 lbs - WHL - Lethbridge - RW
One-Timer: The son of former NHLer, Brent Ashton, who played 2 games shy of 1000 in the NHL. The budding 2-way power forward out of the "Dub" has seen his stock rocket as this season went on. The physical forward doesn't shy away from the rough stuff and established himself as a 30-goal scorer this year. He has great character and quite versatile as well.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Mike Knuble, Ryan Malone
ISS: 22 CSB: 10-NA TSN: 19 NACS: 39
ETA = 2-3 years




25. Chicago Blackhawks: Nick Leddy - Eden Prairie, MN - 5'11" - 180 lbs - MN-HS - Eden Prairie - D One-Timer: The recently crowned "Mr. Hockey", as the best high-school player in Minnesota high school, is a tad on the small side, but boy is he fast! He is a very poised player and an uncanny ability to make plays at high speeds. He posses very good vision and thus makes intelligent decisions on both sides of the rink.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Kris Russell, Dan Boyle, Brian Rafalski
ISS: N/A CSB: 25-NA TSN: not ranked NACS: 34
ETA = 3 years

26. New Jersey Devils: Chris Kreider - Boxford, MASS - 6'2'' - 200 lbs - HS-MASS - Andover - LW One-Timer: High schooler has NHL frame and possesses a great touch around the net. The power forward is also a beautiful skater. He'll need some time to develop, but is an intriguing sleeper.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Travis Zajac
ISS: 30 CSB: 14-NA TSN: 20 NACS: 42
ETA = 3 years

27. Washington Capitals: Jeremy Morin - Auburn, NY - 6'0" - 190 lbs - USA-U18 - NTDP - C
One-Timer: One word: Sniper! There are some issues with his attitude and certain aspects of his game (skating and physical fitness), but he has tons of potential and the kid simply knows how to fill the back of the net. He had 26 goals and 22 assists in 46 games with the U18 team this year.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Alexei Kovalec Jr.-Lite
ISS: 23 CSB: 21-NA TSN: 25 NACS: 20
ETA = 3 years

28. Detroit Red Wings: Ethan Werek - Stouffville, ONT - 6'2'' - 195 lbs - OHL - Kingston - LW
One-Timer: With 64 points in 66 games in his OHL rookie season, Werek displays a combination of offense and grit. He utilizes his good hands, strength and reach in close, scoring most of his goals in the "dirty" areas. Ethan has a decent shot with better-than-average passing ability. He does need work on the defensive side and on his discipline, as he sometimes takes needless penalties.

NHL Player(s) Comparison: John Leclair
ISS: 24 CSB: 43-NA TSN: not ranked NACS: 15

ETA = 3 years



29. Boston Bruins: Kyle Palmieri - Montvale, NJ - 5'11" - 191 lbs - USA-U18 - NTDP - C
One-Timer: Palmieri is an explosive skater with and without the puck. He has very good vision and uses the this to distribute the puck to his teammates effectively. Kyle had 30 points in 33 games with the U18 team this season.

NHL Player(s) Comparison: Chris Drury
ISS: 21 CSB: 19-NA TSN: 29 NACS: 22
ETA = 3 years

30. San Jose Sharks: Tomas Tatar - Slovakia - 5'11" - 176 lbs - Slovakia - HKM Zvolen- C
One-Timer: Possessing tremendous hands and a great shot, Tatar, who had an unbelievable WJC breakout performance, also has an uncanny ability to be at the right place at the right time.

NHL Player(s) Comparison: Jiri Hudler, Zigmund Palffy
ISS: N/A CSB: 17-E TSN: not ranked NACS: 47

ETA = 2 years

Legend:

ETA = Estimated Time Of Arrival to NHL

ISS = International Scouting Services

CSB = Central Scouting Bureau (NA = North America , E = Europe)

TSN = Bob McKenzie's mid-season rankings

NACS = North American Central Scouting - Mark Seidel



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Thursday, April 16, 2009

Flames Vs Blackhawks: The "Real" Numbers Game

There's a number of web destinations out there that break down the hockey stats in ways you can't even fathom!


Hockey Numbers displays and breaks down goals scored for all teams at even strength, on the PP and on the PK.


NHL shift charts at http://www.timeonice.com does a great job of tracking just what it says.


Puck Prospectus looks at stats and numbers from angles you've never even thought of!


Puck Daddy has a superb analysis of the Flames-Blackhawks matchup.


Now that we're all mesmerized by those numbers, let's take a look at the "real" number that Flames fans care about!


"55" times the luck (Pardy - hey, everyone needs a token Newfie on their team - see Cleary on the Wings last season!)


"34" Saves! (Kipper)


"33" Wooden Slapshots (Aucoin still opts for a $30 wooden stick rather than the composite alternative and possesses the Flames hardest shot.)


"25" Bricks taken from the Bulin Wall (David Moss will hopefully be planting his behind in front of Khabibulin all series long)


"24" quotes! (Conroy is always up for an interview!)


"23" Unsung hero #1 (Nystrom: can he bring his Dad's Cup winning magic? Click here for video 1980 Cup-winning GOal!)


"22" times the heart and soul! (Langkow: hopefully his wrist injury is closer to 100%)


"21" "He shoots, He Scores!" (Jokinen gotta be pumped for his first playoff showing ever)


"20" times the speed! (Glencross: the fastest Flame will need his top gear against the speedy Hawks!)


"17" is back baby {in the words of George Costanza}!!! (Rene Bourque: It's no coincidence the Flames down-slide coincided with this even strength and PK specialist)


"16" Unsung hero #2 (Dustin Boyd - I just have a feeling Boyd is going to break through in a big way)


"13" One-timers! (Cammalleri! - 39 tallies in the regular season!)


"12" times the domination (Iginla will step it up the way only Iggy can and terrorize the Blackhawks "D"!)


"7" times the size and skill! (Bertuzzi: This is the time of year Sutter signed Big Bert for. He has been at times lackadaisical, but if he can play at the level he is capable of, the Flames will be extra dangerous!)


"3" Hits everything that moves! (Phaneuf: the Flames do need him to take his game to the next level, especially as long as Regehr and Sarich are out with injuries. This year has been a major disappointment, but he has the tools - if he can only locate the toolbox!) 


*Okay - admittedly, this is all borderline hallucinogenic optimism, but you have to believe in the "C" of Red!



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Wednesday, April 15, 2009

The Hockey Spy's NHL Awards Choices and New Trophies Revealed!

With the quest for Lord Stanley just underway, I thought it appropriate to look (revisited from my March article) at the leading candidates for select trophies, along with trophies I feel should be added to the mix to honour not only current players, but legends of the past as well.

The NHL actually just announced in March the Awards show is heading to Vegas - on a three year deal starting this year on June 18, with the post-season gala taking place at the Palms Hotel.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman stated, "Las Vegas specializes in shining the spotlight on outstanding performers. Its innate energy offers an exciting setting for our celebration of excellence."

Current Awards (Top 3 candidates and The Hockey Spy's current choice)
:

Art Ross: Malkin, Ovechkin, Crosby
Winner = Malkin

Rocket Richard: Ovechkin, Carter, Parise
Winner = Ovechkin

Hart Trophy: Malkin, Ovechkin, Parise (Was the 1st NHLer this year to 40G-40A this season was also +30)
Projected Winner = Parise

Vezina: Tim Thomas, Steve Mason, Niklas Backstrom
Projected Winner = Steve Mason - put Chara and Wideman in front of this guy and his GAA would be <1.80 and he'd have 15 shutouts at this point. Mason makes the Blue Jackets a very dangerous playoff team.

Calder: Steve Mason, Bobby Ryan, Pekka Rinne
Projected Winner = Steve Mason - should be 1st guy since Eddie "The Eagle" Belfour to win Vezina & Calder in same season.

Selke: Datsyuk, Mike Richards, Mikko Koivu
Projected Winner = Mike Richards

Lady Bying: Pavel Datsyuk, Patrick Marleau, Dennis Wideman (like to see a d-man win this award)
Projected Winner = Patrick Marleau - to break Datsyuk's 3-yr hold

Jack Adams: Claude Julien, Joel Quenneville, Brent Sutter
Projected Winner = Claude Julien

Masterton: Phil Kessel, Craig Conroy, Rod Brind'Amour
Projected Winner = Phil Kessel - battled cancer and has had a major breakthrough offensive year proving naysayers wrong about his attitude and his zest for the game. Conroy is my darkhorse, taking less money to stay with the Flames.

Lester B. Pearson: Ovechkin, Steve Mason, Malkin
Projected Winner = Ovechkin

Norris: Mike Green, Niklas Lidstrom, Zdeno Chara
Projected Winner = Mike Green

The Hockey Spy's Proposed Awards:
Bobby Orr Trophy (Replace Norris Trophy, but find another way for the NHL to honour James Norris):
Projected Winner = Mike Green

Rod Langway Trophy
(Best Defensive D-man - see Mirtle's interesting post for a stat-based analysis of this suggested award): Duncan Keith, Paul Martin, Nik Lidstrom
Projected Winner = Keith

Wayne Gretzky Trophy (Most Assists Per Game with >70% games played): Malkin, Crosby, Datsyuk
Projected Winner = Malkin

Mario Lemieux Trophy
(Most Creative Offensive Player - as voted by NHL peers, weighted on goalie and d-man picks): Malkin, Datsyuk, Crosby
Projected Winner = Datsyuk (Malkin could easily take it home and appropriate since, of course, he's a Penguin).

Mark Messier Trophy
(Most Effective Leader/Captain): Iginla, Mike Richards, Niklas Lidstrom
Projected Winner = Iginla

Sam Pollock Trophy (Best GM)
: Peter Chiarelli - Boston, Darryl Sutter - Calgary, Lou Lamoriello - New Jersey
Projected Winner = Chiarelli - Boston. Ken Holland of Detroit could probably win this award every year and would likely win this award in reality. I'm basing candidates on what they've done this year and more recently to shape current team. Chiarelli is deserving on multiple levels. Firstly, the signing of Chara and Savard a couple years back now look brilliant indeed, along with off-season signing of former Coyotes draftee Blake Wheeler. Secondly, drafting gems beyond the 1st round: Bergeron, Krejci and Lucic are all major contributors. Thirdly and lastly, even without blockbuster trades the Bruins have made very effective trades which shape the current team. Dennis Wideman for Brad Boyes has worked out for both teams, but Wideman emergence this year as an elite d-man gives Beantown the nod in this one. Bringing in Recchi and Montador at the trade deadline were not the blockbusters trade rumour generators alike were predicting, but should prove effective for the stretch run and post-season. Maybe the best decision by Chiarelli was a NON-move at the trade deadline. Not giving up Phil Kessel for Pronger was the right move!

Post your comments and award winners below!

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Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Top 10 Keys For The Flames If They Hope To Burn The Blackhawks

Behind Enemy Lines: My colleague Jim Neveau - Blackhawks Correspondent at The Hockey Writers (THW) states his case, listing his 5 Keys For Success For The Blackhawks.

Flames fans and hockey fans alike by now already know how futile the Flames attack has been against the Blackhawks. Amassing a paltry one point in four contests against Chicago this season, as Michael Cammaleri summed it up, (courtesy of Randy Sportak at calgarysun.com) "We're due!" Calgary lost by a combined score of 19-7 in the four games against Chi-town.

So...should the Flames even show up in the Windy City for game one? Is it a foregone conclusion the young gun Hawks will extinguish the already flickering Flames?

It's an old cliché - but that's why they play the games. As Herb Edwards (click for video clip) emphatically stated a few years back, "You play - to win the game!" Indeed, the Flames will show up, but if they have any chance of succeeding against a talented Blackhawk squad, here are 10 keys for Flames victory they will likely have to accomplish.

1. Tear down the Bulin Wall! Khabibulin has been a Flames killer throughout his career, posting a 22-5-2 record against Calgary. Toss in his win in the 7 game series Cup final in 2004 and you have a major psychological hurdle for Flames shooters to overcome.

2. Kipper to regain 2004 form. He has been good this year, but not as consistent as he will need to be if the Red Mile will be in fine form going well into the playoffs. At times, Kiprusoff has been outstanding, but with a depleted defense due to trips to the infirmary, the outstanding play will have to be more of a constant rather than sporadic.

3. Keenan et al have to find the best solution to have Iggy and Olli coexist. It's not a personality conflict, but rather an on-ice mismatch. Both are shooters and have not found the chemistry everyone thought would develop when Sutter brought in the big Finn center on trade deadline day. We know how important Iggy is to the Flames {time to check out the Youtube hit video "Hey There Iginla" by a Calgary ophthalmologist} and his play seemed to pick up at the end of the season, even if the results were not there in terms of Flames victories.

4. The Blueline has to step up in the absence of Regehr and possibly Sarich. The two best defensive d-men are likely out of the Flames lineup. Phaneuf (reportedly a back injury) is also banged up. If the Flames have any hope of shutting down the likes of Kane, Toews and Havlat, the remaining blueliners will have to play out of their minds. The Flames have recalled Anders Ericsson, but that might just have the Hawks forwards licking their lips. Phaneuf, Leopold, Aucoin and Pardy will be key performers on the back end.

5. Intensified physical play! The veteran Flames must step up and play an aggressive, but disciplined physical game and show the young Blackhawks what playoff hockey is all about.

6. Flames forwards will have to try and solve the highly effective duo of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook patrolling the Hawks back end, and/or take advantage of other defensive pairings. The afore mentioned duo is quickly becoming one of the best shutdown pairs in the league. Keenan will have to work diligently to find ways to break through these guys. There might be holes back there to be found, however, as you think back to Brian Campbell's poor series against Calgary in last year's playoffs, when he was with San Jose.

7. Rene Bourque recovery from high ankle sprain and for him to regain his mid-season form. I'm sure he'd love to show his former club what they gave up on. Amazingly, only one of his 40 points (a PP assist) was not scored at even strength in his 58 games played. The valuable PK and 2nd line forward's absence was certainly felt when he went down. It wasn't a coincidence that Calgary's downward spiral coincided with Bourque's absence.

8. Solve the powerless PP. With the weapons the Flames have offensively, it's hard to fathom the Flames went the last 10 games without a PP marker (0-43 streak). Mix it up! Put some big bodies in front of the opposing netminder - Bertuzzi, Moss, Jokinen, even Phaneuf! The Flames need to be less predictable, but keep it simpler at the same time. I don't have to acknowledge how important special teams are in the post-season.

9. Keenan must unlock the optimum line combinations for his club. He's not likely to start now, but his juggling of the lines drives me insane. Although some of the best ever constantly did it, such as Scotty Bowman, I'd rather see some of the linemates be more constant. I think that added edge of anticipating where your teammate is going to be, not just where he is at the moment, makes a tremendous difference.

10. Without home ice advantage, the Flames must find the remedy for their road woes. They finished the season less than .500 away from the friendly confines of the Saddledome, but they'll have to take the Blackhawk Faithful in attendance in Chicago out of the game. As Scotty Bowman once said, "Every boo on the road is a cheer!"


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The Hockey Spy's NHL Playoff Predictions: Western Conference (Round One)

The Hockey Spy adds to the run of playoff predictions out there in cyberspace, tossing you his 20 pesos worth. If you missed it, here is my Eastern Conference First Round predictions. Read on for Western Conference coverage.

My colleague Greg Caggiano (G-Cagg) at The Hockey Writers has a great rundown in his version of playoff predictions.

The Two-Line Pass via Puck Daddy also has interesting take on the upcoming quest for Lord Stanley.

Let's now take a look at the Western Conference .

Western Conference (First Round):

San Jose Sharks (1) vs. Anaheim Ducks (8)

- Goalies: Nabokov > Hiller/Giguere
- Defense: Dead Even (Sharks depth likely gives them slight edge)
- Forwards: Thornton, Marleau and all the depth >> Getzlaf, Perry and Ryan

* Fearless Prediction: Sharks in 7 (But Ducks could surprise!)

Detroit Red Wings (2) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (7)

- Goalies: Mason >>>Osgood/Conklin
- Defense: Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall, Stuart et al >> Commodore et al
- Forwards: Datsyuk, Zetterberg and the clan > Nash, Huselius, Umberger, Vermette et al

*Fearless Prediction: Blue Jackets in 7! (It will take a monstrous Mason peroformance, but Wings might just be ripe for the picking.)

Vancouver Canucks (3) vs. St. Louis Blues (6)

- Goalies: Luongo > Chris Mason
- Defense: Ohlund, Salo, Edler (Scandanavian trio) et al > Blues' Blueline (If only EJ wasn't hurt)
- Forwards: Sedins, Sundin (Swedish trio) et al > Backes, Berglund, Oshie et al (But give them a couple more years!)

*Fearless Prediction: Canucks in 6 (It was good while it lasted in St. Lou - they'll be better in the not so distant future)

Chicago Blackhawks (4) vs. Calgary Flames (5)

- Goalies: Bulin Wall = Kipper (Khabibulin's mastery over the Flames likely gives Chi-town the edge)
- Defense: Keith, Seabrook, Campbell, Barker et al > Injury-riddled Regehr (out), Phaneuf (back), Sarich et al
- Forwards: Iginla, Jokinen, Cammallari = Patrick Kane, Toews, Havlat et al (Both squads deep and Flames should have boost from return of Rene Bourque)

*FearlessPrediction: Blackhawks in 6.

Feel free to comment, criticize and post your own picks.



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The Hockey Spy's NHL Playoff Predictions: Eastern Conference (Round One)

The Hockey Spy adds to the run of playoff predictions out there in cyberspace, tossing you his 20 pesos worth.

My colleague Greg Caggiano (G-Cagg) at The Hockey Writers has a great rundown in his version of playoff predictions.

The Two-Line Pass via Puck Daddy also has interesting take on the upcoming quest for Lord Stanley.

Let's break down the Eastern Conference first.

Eastern Conference (First Round)
:

Boston Bruins (1) vs. Montreal Canadiens (8)

- Goalies: "The Tank" Thomas > "Shakey" Carey Price
- Defense: Chara & Wideman et al (et al = the rest) >>Markov, Komo & Schneider et al.
- Forwards: Savard, Kessel, Krejci and plenty of depth > Kovalev, Koivu et al

*Fearless Prediction: Bruins in Five

Washington Capitals (2) vs. New York Rangers (7)

- Goalies: "King" Henrik Lundquist >> Theodore
- Defense: Mike Green et al >> Marc Staal et al
- Forwards: Great 8, Semin, Backstrom >>> Drury, Gomez et al

* Fearless Prediction
: Caps in Five

New Jersey Devils (3) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (6)

- Goalies: Brodeur > Ward (but closer than you think!)
- Defense: Devils > Canes (only because of Devils defensive team play)
- Forwards: Parise, Elias, Gionta et al > Staal, Whitney, Cole et al (slight advantage Devils)

* Fearless Prediction: Devils in Seven

Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (5)

- Goalies: MA Fleury > Niitymaki/Biron
- Defense: Gonchar, Boucher, Letang et al > Timmonen & Coburn et al
- Forwards: Malkin, SC87, Staal, Guerin, Kunitz et al > Mike Richards, Jeff Carter et al

* Fealess Prediction
: Penguins in Six

Feel free to comment, criticize and post your own picks.



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Monday, April 13, 2009

Quest For The Holy Grail Update: The John Tavares Sweepstakes



With the official 2009 NHL Entry Draft Lottery taking place tomorrow evening, I thought we should revisit the teams' percentage shots at winning the big prize - the #1 overall pick in June! I have also added the prospect by each respective team, based on my recently posted The Hockey Spy's NHL Entry Draft Rankings.

This time of year when you think of the "Quest For The Holy Grail", you think of a grueling Cup run to have members of the victorious team engraved on the chalice of Lord Stanley. Tomorrow, however, the Holy Grail is the prize position of the winner of the NHL 2009 Entry Draft lottery - John Tavares. If you happened to forget just how talented this kid is, take a lot at the above video clip of a goal scored at this past year's WJC.

Coming into this hockey season, hockey experts projected Victor Hedman would likely be the 1st overall selection this June. An elite d-man with mammoth size and outstanding skill, he's the type of guy you can build a franchise around. While that may very well still be the case, Tavares has risen atop of this year's draft crop and is now the consensus #1 pick after the fantastic WJC tournament he had. The elite centerman is the Next "Next One"!

Tavares has just recently shattered the OHL all-time goals record with 215, after sniping a hat-trick on Mar. 8 in a London Knights 4-3 victory over the league-leading Windsor Spitfires.

As of Apr. 13/09, here's a lookout teams with the highest projected percentage chance of landing Tavares, that is the 1st overall pick in the 2009 Entry Draft (courtesy of TSN's Lottery Lookout ):

Team (% Chance of Winning*, % Chance of Winning 1st Overall Pick):

1. New York Islanders (25%, 48.1%) = John Tavares
2. Tampa Bay Lightning (18.8%, 18.8%) = Victor Hedman
3. Colorado Avalanche (14.2%, 14.2%) = Matt Duchene
4. Atlanta Thrashers (10.7%, 10.7%) = Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson
5. LA Kings (8.1%, 8.1%) = Evander Kane
6. Phoenix Coyotes (6.2%) = Jared Cowen
7. Toronto Maple Leafs (4.7&) = Braydon Schenn
8. Dallas Stars (3.6%) = Jordan Schroeder
9. Ottawa Senators (2.7%) = Ryan Ellis
10. Edmonton Oilers (2.1% = Dmitri Kulikov

* % Chance of Winning = chance the team's ball will get drawn in the lottery
** = "Player" is what prospect the team would get based on The Hockey Spy's current Draft Rankings {This is not a mock draft - stay tuned for The Hockey Spy's Mock Draft}
***Note: A team cannot move up more than 4 positions (thus only the bottom 5 teams have a shot at #1 overall) and a team cannot mov down more than 1 position.

The Islanders could use a potential franchise player like Tavares to help try and turn this team around. The Lightning, with Vinny and Stamkos already patrolling the middle, might be tempted to grab d-man Hedman even if they win the draft lottery. One thing is for certain: the winner of all the losers will be one thrilled franchise!

Interestingly, in the 13 years since the lottery has been introduced (not counting the SC87 post-lockout draft when everyone had an equal shot), only 6 out of the 13 teams with the highest percentage chance actually went on to get the #1 overall pick. In fact, in the past 9 weighted lotteries, only 2 of the teams with the highest percentage change indeed landed the coveted position. Obviously then - nothing is etched in stone at this point. Have no fear Islander Faithful, however, as the worst they can do is #2 overall. If that happens to be one Victor Hedman, you might just end up with the best player out of this draft!

Stay tuned as The Hockey Spy infiltrates the amateur hockey ranks to uncover in depth previews, prospect profiles, rankings and mock drafts via Eagle Eye Scouting - your source for inside coverage of the NHL 2009 Entry Draft.




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Monday, April 6, 2009

The Hockey Spy's 1st 2009 Mock Entry Draft (Part 3 of 3)

The Top 10!

Notes up front:

- The mock draft at this point is based on teams drafting BPA (Best Player Available). I will begin with a first round mock and expand from there leading up to the June Entry Draft, likely including three rounds or 100 players.
- I am not a big fan of drafting a goalie in first round unless the talent and potential are simply undeniable. Last year, for instance, given the astronomical odds of actually being a NHL GM, I would have considered selecting Jacob Markstrom and Chet Pitkard in the first round. This year, I would not select a netminder at all. Olivier Roy would be the closest thing to a 1st-round talent goalie, but I seem him more as an early to mid second rounder.
- NHL Player Comparisons are simply to give the reader a feel for the players' style and ultimately likely equal the player's ceiling potential being reached. It is often an exercise in futility, but does offer up some value. If I add the suffix "-lite" or "Jr." after a NHL player comparison, it simply refers to the fact the prospect likely has no chance to reach that high a potential, but rather resembles or plays a style reminiscent of the respective NHLer.
- "One-Timer" heading is meant to be a quick synopsis of the prospect. As we move closer to the June entry draft, The Hockey Spy will reveal more detailed information on the prospective players.
- NHL teams not listed at hits point. I'll wait until positions are set after April 16th.
- Stats are from '08-'09 season in format of GP-G-A-Pts +/- (if latter is available)


# - Name - Hometown - Height - Weight - Amateur League - Amateur Club - Position

1. John Tavares - Oakville, ONT - 6'0" - 198 lbs - OHL - London - C
One-Timer: Already a legend, J.T. has broken the all-time OHL goal-scoring record this season. Possessing elite hands, hockey sense and an innate pure goal-scorers touch, J.T. seems destined to be an NHL superstar. Skating is about the only issue scouts can identify, but even that is far from a liability.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Dany Heatley, Brett Hull, Mike Bossy
ISS: 1
CSB: 1-NA
TSN: 1
NACS: 1


2. Victor Hedman - Örnsköldsvik, SWE - 6'6" - 220 lbs - SEL - Modo - D
One-Timer: A fast and smooth skating defenseman, offensively and defensively sound and is 6'6" 220lbs and only recently turned 18?!? Is he genetically engineered? Nope! It's one Victor Hedman, who's a shoe in to go second overall in June, with more than a few GMs considering him at first overall.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: hybrid of Jay Boumeester and Chris Pronger
ISS: 2
CSB: 1-E
TSN: 2
NACS: 2


3. Matt Duchene - Haliburton, ONT - 5'11" - 196 lbs - OHL - Brampton - C
One-Timer: Duchene is an explosive skater and speedster with great hands, good passer and has a great shot with a quick release. Matt can also play in his own end, being responsible defensively.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Marian Hossa, Simon Gagne, Joe Sakic Jr.
ISS: 4
CSB: 2-NA
TSN: 3
NACS: 3


4. Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson - Norrköping, SWE - 6'1" - 198 lbs - SEL - Timra - LW
One-Timer: MSP is a super creative winger with speed to burn. Known more of a playmaker, the talented Swede still knows how to finish. The powerful and smooth skating MSP is also very tough to knock off the puck.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Forsberg-lite, Marian Hossa
ISS: 3
CSB: 2-E
TSN: 7
NACS: 6


5. Evander Kane - Vancouver, BC - 6'1" - 181 lbs - WHL - Vancouver - C
One-Timer: Kane is a physical forward with sniper-like instincts. He is ultra-competitive, consistent and has an innate ability of knowing where to be on the ice at all times. Put that with his great hands and goal-scorer's touch and you have yourself an elite forward in the making.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Iginla-lite
ISS: 7
CSB: 3-NA
TSN: 4
NACS: 5


6. Jared Cowen - Allan, SK - 6'5" - 218 lbs - WHL - Spokane - D
One-Timer: The towering all-around defender unfortunately had his season cut short in February with a knee injury. He has already won a Memorial Cup at age 16 and was a valuable shutdown defender on that squad. While the injury may hurt the big and mobile d-man's stock on draft day, if he does drop at all he will likely have GMs who passed him over regret their decision in the future.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Pronger-lite, Braydon Coburn, Robyn Regehr
ISS: 6
CSB: 7-NA
TSN: 11
NACS: 7


7. Brayden Schenn - Saskatoon, SK - 6'0" - 192 lbs - WHL - Brandon - C
One-Timer: The talented and enthusiastic two-way forward is the younger brother of the Leafs' Luke. He plays even bigger than his size suggests. He possesses excellent leadership qualities as well.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Mike Richards, smaller Ryan Getzlaf, Mark Messier Jr.
ISS: 5
CSB: 5-NA
TSN: 5
NACS: 4


8. Jordan Schroeder - Prior Lake, MN - 5'9" - 180 lbs - WCHA - Minnesota - RW
One-Timer: Although most will dwell on his size, Schroeder more than makes up for this deficiency with his outstanding hockey sense and intelligence, poise, pucks skills and blazing speed. He is the ultimate team player, has excellent creativity and is not intimidated by the physical play despite his size. He is described as more of a playmaker, but the shot he exhibited at the WJC was just as lethal as his passing.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Paul Kariya, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Zach Parise
ISS: 11
CSB: 4-NA
TSN: 12
NACS: 12


9. Ryan Ellis - Freelton, ONT - 5'9" - 183 lbs - OHL - Windsor - D
One-Timer: The PP QB magician, Ellis is an offensive dynamo from the blueline! Size will also be the biggest issue with Ryan, but having watched him closely at this year's WJC it is hard to fathom he won't excel at the next level. His hockey sense and smarts are off the chart, and not surprisingly he was the OHL's scholastic player of the year last year. My feeling is at worst, if he is in fact too small to play on the blueline in the big leagues, convert him to forward! It likely won't be necessary, but in all honesty I'd foresee an extremely smooth transition.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Andrei Markov, Dan Boyle
ISS: 12
CSB: 15-NA
TSN: 13
NACS: 11


10. Dmitry Kulikov - Moscow, RUS - 6'1" - 195 lbs - QMJHL - Drummondville - D
One-Timer: Deadly on the powerplay, Kulikov displays tremendous hockey sense and vision. The offensive d-man is exudes great confidence as well, helping him acclimatize rapidly to the North American brand of hockey. The talented puck-moving blueliner also boasts a great shot and is an excellent passer. Interestingly, at this year's WJC he was a cast in more of a shutdown role and adapted nicely to what was asked of him.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Sergei Zubov, Andrei Markov
ISS: 14
CSB: 17-NA
TSN: 11
NACS: 8


Legend:
ISS = International Scouting Services
CSB = Central Scouting Bureau (NA = North America , E = Europe)
TSN = Bob McKenzie's mid-season rankings
NACS = North American Central Scouting - Mark Seidel

The Hockey Spy's Eagle Eye Scouting will continue to bring you updated mock drafts and player profiles leading up to the June NHL Entry Draft. The Hockey Spy is your quintessential guide to the NHL draft.



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The Hockey Spy's 1st 2009 Mock Entry Draft (Part 2 of 3)

Players Ranked 11-20:

Notes up front:

- The mock draft at this point is based on teams drafting BPA (Best Player Available). I will begin with a first round mock and expand from there leading up to the June Entry Draft, likely including three rounds or 100 players.
- I am not a big fan of drafting a goalie in first round unless the talent and potential are simply undeniable. Last year, for instance, given the astronomical odds of actually being a NHL GM, I would have considered selecting Jacob Markstrom and Chet Pitkard in the first round. This year, I would not select a netminder at all. Olivier Roy would be the closest thing to a 1st-round talent goalie, but I seem him more as an early to mid second rounder.
- NHL Player Comparisons are simply to give the reader a feel for the players' style and ultimately likely equal the player's ceiling potential being reached. It is often an exercise in futility, but does offer up some value. If I add the suffix "-lite" or "Jr." After a NHL player comparison, it simply refers to the fact the prospect likely has no chance to reach that high a potential, but rather resembles or plays a style reminiscent of the respective NHLer.
- "One-Timer" heading is meant to be a quick synopsis of the prospect. As we move closer to the June entry draft, The Hockey Spy will reveal more detailed information on the prospective players.
- NHL teams not listed at hits point. I'll wait until positions are set after April 16th.
- Stats are from '08-'09 season in format of GP-G-A-Pts +/- (if latter is available)


# - Name - Hometown - Height - Weight - Amateur League - Amateur Club - Position


11. Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Karlskrona, SWE - 6'2" 176 lbs - Allsvenskan - Leksand - D
One-Timer: The secret is out. Readers don't even need The Hockey Spy to reveal this sky-rocketing gem! "OEL" has been called a poor-man's Nik Lidstrom. That's actually a compliment! Already possessing a pro-level shot, the fluid puck-moving defenseman might very well land in the Top 10 of this draft.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Niklas Kronwall, Nik Lidstrom Jr.-lite
ISS: 28
CSB: not ranked
TSN: 10
NACS: 73

12. David Rundblad - Lycksele, SWE - 6'2" - 190 lbs - SEL - Skelleftea - D
One-Timer: The good-sized Swedish d-man is a beautiful skater, adept at making "coast-to-coast" plays on the ice. He is first and foremost a puck-moving blueliner, but given time to develop a more efficient defensive side to his game, should be become a well-rounded two-way defenseman.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Mark Streit, Scott Niedermayer Jr.-Lite
ISS: 29
CSB: 4-E
TSN: 23
NACS: 23


13. Nazem Kadri - London, ONT - 6'0" - 177 lbs - OHL - London - C
One-Timer: A fast, creative, versatile forward, Kadri is an offensive spark-plug. He displays very good vision on the ice as well and this bodes well for his puck possession style of play.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Marc Savard, Scott Gomez
ISS: 8
CSB: 11-NA
TSN: 8
NACS: 9


14. John Moore - Winnetka, ILL - 6'2" - 180 lbs - USHL - Chicago - D
One-Timer: An intriguing combination complete package of skills and size. Out of the USHL, will he be the John Carlson of this year's draft? I read that Moore cites Scott Niedermayer as a major influence, and considers himself a puck-moving defenseman. He also play a relentless physical game and should be a gem if he the whole develops from the sum of his parts.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Scott Niedermayer Jr.-Lite
ISS: 17
CSB: 8-NA
TSN: 15
NACS: 16


15. Simon Despres - Laval, PQ - 6'4" - 214 lbs - QMJHL - Saint John - D
One-Timer: Depres projects to be a shutdown blueliner at the next level. He can make a good break out pass out of his own zone and can play physical as well. The big d-man keeps things simple, but efficient on a very consistent basis.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: M.E. Vlasic (but bigger)
ISS: 15
CSB: 6-NA
TSN: 14
NACS: 10


16. Peter Holland - Caledon, ONT - 6'2" - 190 lbs - OHL - Brampton - C
One-Timer: The future power forward is a good skater with a nice shot, can also be a set-up man and is no slouch in defensive zone coverage. He is also noted to be effective in the face-off circle and also focuses on scholastics off the ice, planning to earn a degree somewhere along the line - depending on where hockey takes him.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Ryan Kesler, Jason Arnott
ISS: 13
CSB: 9-NA
TSN: 17
NACS: 14


17. Scott Glennie - Winnipeg, MTB - 6'1" - 180 lbs - WHL - Brandon - C
One-Timer: A consistent scorer with a pure goal-scorers touch, the speedy and talented forward unfortunately had his season cut short with a broken elbow. At the time, he was tied for 6th in the WHL scoring race. Some wonder if his stock is elevated because of playing with the likes of Schenn and Matt Calvert, but others argue it may in fact be Glennie helping the offensive stats of the other two.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Jeff Carter Jr., Mike Gartner, Geoff Sanderson
ISS: 20
CSB: 12-NA
TSN: 9
NACS: 13


18. Jacob Josefson - Stockholm, SWE - 6'0" - 187 lbs - SEL - Djurgarden - C
One-Timer: The well-ronuded two-way centerman had an up and down year in the SEL, but finished strong with 5 pts in his last 6 games. He has a good level hockey IQ and doesn't shy away from the physical side of the game.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Henrik Sedin-lite, Zetterberg Jr.-Lite
ISS: 10
CSB: 3-E
TSN: 18
NACS: 17


19. Zack Kassian - LaSalle, ONT - 6'3" - 205 lbs - OHL - Peterborough - RW
One-Timer: The stock of this budding power forward has been rising this season after raising his offensive game, averaging just over a PPG in the OHL. He is also one of the OHL's toughest players and doesn't shy away from donnybrooks, but likely needs to show more discipline after sometimes taking needless penalties. There is no doubting the size, skill and energy he brings to the table, but he does need to continue to work on his skating and likewise getting quicker.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Milan Lucic, Scott Hartnell, Brendan Morrow
ISS: 19
CSB: 24-NA
TSN: 16
NACS: 19


20. Calvin de Haan - Carp, On - 6'0" - 165 lbs - OHL - Oshawa - D
One-Timer: The dynamic puck-moving d-man actually increased his production after the trade of Tavares, scoring 17 points in his final 13 games. He actually out-dueled Matt Duchene to win the puck-control relay at the Top Prospects Skill Competition. He does need to fill out physically and although adequate in his own zone, he could improve his defensive play.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Niklas Kronwall
ISS: N/A
CSB: 38-NA
TSN: 21
NACS: 25


Legend:
ISS = International Scouting Services
CSB = Central Scouting Bureau (NA = North America , E = Europe)
TSN = Bob McKenzie's mid-season rankings
NACS = North American Central Scouting - Mark Seidel

Next up: Players ranked 1-10


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Sunday, April 5, 2009

The Hockey Spy's 1st 2009 Mock NHL Entry Draft (Part 1 of 3)

Players Ranked 21-30:

Notes up front:

- The mock draft at this point is based on teams drafting BPA (Best Player Available). I will begin with a first round mock and expand from there leading up to the June Entry Draft, likely including three rounds or 100 players.
- I am not a big fan of drafting a goalie in first round unless the talent and potential are simply undeniable. Last year, for instance, given the astronomical odds of actually being a NHL GM, I would have considered selecting Jacob Markstrom and Chet Pitkard in the first round. This year, I would not select a netminder at all. Olivier Roy would be the closest thing to a 1st-round talent goalie, but I seem him more as an early to mid second rounder.
- NHL Player Comparisons are simply to give the reader a feel for the players' style and ultimately likely equal the player's ceiling potential being reached. It is often an exercise in futility, but does offer up some value. If I add the suffix "-lite" or "Jr." After a NHL player comparison, it simply refers to the fact the prospect likely has no chance to reach that high a potential, but rather resembles or plays a style reminiscent of the respective NHLer.
- "One-Timer" heading is meant to be a quick synopsis of the prospect. As we move closer to the June entry draft, The Hockey Spy will reveal more detailed information on the prospective players.
- NHL teams not listed at hits point. I'll wait until positions are set after April 16th.
- Stats are from hockeydb.com where available.

# - Name - Hometown - Height - Weight - Amateur League - Amateur Club - Position


21. Landon Ferraro - Burnaby, BC - 6'0"- 170 lbs - WHL - Red Deer - C
One-Timer: Son of former NHLer Ray Ferraro, Landon has wheels - as evident by his winning the fastest skater event at the Top Prospects Game's Skill Competition. Other than his skating, Landon's hockey smarts and hard work make him a solid NHL prospect, even setting bloodlines aside. The young Ferraro also knows a thing or two about scoring.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: David Krejci
ISS: 18
CSB: 13-NA
TSN: 24
NACS: 18


22. Louis Leblanc - Kirkland, PQ - 6'0" - 178 lbs - USHL - Omaha - C
One-Timer: The fast, offensive centerman was actually considered to be a top 10 prospect coming into this hockey season. He is Harvard-bound next season.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Patrick Marleau Jr.

ISS: 16
CSB: 18-NA
TSN: 22
NACS: 37


23. Charles-Oliver Roussel - St-Eustache, PQ - 6'1" - 200 lbs - OMJHL - Shawinigan - D
One-Timer: The two-way blueliner is extremely poised and very versatile. Whether you need him to man the powerplay, shut-down the opposing key players, or play a nasty physical game - Roussel will be making the NHL team's scouting department who decides to select him look very good!
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Shea Weber-Lite
ISS: N/A
CSB: 30-NA
TSN: not ranked
NACS: 53


24. Carter Ashton - Saskatoon, SK - 6'4" - 212 lbs - WHL - Lethbridge - RW
One-Timer: The son of former NHLer, Brent Ashton, who played 2 games shy of 1000 in the NHL. The budding 2-way power forward out of the "Dub" has seen his stock rocket as this season went on. The physical forward doesn't shy away from the rough stuff and established himself as a 30-goal scorer this year. He has great character and quite versatile as well.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Mike Knuble, Ryan Malone
ISS: 22
CSB: 10-NA
TSN: 19
NACS: 39


25. Nick Leddy - Eden Prairie, MN - 5'11" - 180 lbs - MN-HS - Eden Prairie - D
One-Timer: The recently crowned "Mr. Hockey", as the best high-school player in Minnesota high school, is a tad on the small side, but boy is he fast! He is a very poised player and an uncanny ability to make plays at high speeds. He posses very good vision and thus makes intelligent decisions on both sides of the rink.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Kris Russell, Dan Boyle, Brian Rafalski
ISS: N/A
CSB: 25-NA
TSN: not ranked
NACS: 34


26. Chris Kreider - Boxford, MASS - 6'2'' - 200 lbs - HS-MASS - Andover - LW
One-Timer: High schooler has NHL frame and possesses a great touch around the net. The power forward is also a beautiful skater. He'll need some time to develop, but is an intriguing sleeper.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Travis Zajac
ISS: 30
CSB: 14-NA
TSN: 20
NACS: 42

27. Jeremy Morin - Auburn, NY - 6'0" - 190 lbs - USA-U18 - NTDP - C
One-Timer: One word: Sniper! There are some issues with his attitude and certain aspects of his game (skating and physical fitness), but he has tons of potential and the kid simply knows how to fill the back of the net. He had 26 goals and 22 assists in 46 games with the U18 team this year.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Alexei Kovalec Jr.-Lite
ISS: 23
CSB: 21-NA
TSN: 25
NACS: 20

28. Ethan Werek - Stouffville, ONT - 6'2'' - 195 lbs - OHL - Kingston - LW
One-Timer: With 64 points in 66 games in his OHL rookie season, Werek displays a combination of offense and grit. He utilizes his good hands, strength and reach in close, scoring most of his goals in the "dirty" areas. Ethan has a decent shot with better-than-average passing ability. He does need work on the defensive side and on his discipline, as he sometimes takes needless penalties.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: John Leclair
ISS: 24
CSB: 43-NA
TSN: not ranked
NACS: 15


29. Kyle Palmieri - Montvale, NJ - 5'11" - 191 lbs - USA-U18 - NTDP - C
One-Timer: Palmieri is an explosive skater with and without the puck. He has very good vision and uses the this to distribute the puck to his teammates effectively. Kyle had 30 points in 33 games with the U18 team this season.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Chris Drury
ISS: 21
CSB: 19-NA
TSN: 29
NACS: 22

30. Tomas Tatar - Slovakia - 5'11" - 176 lbs - Slovakia - HKM Zvolen- C
One-Timer: Possessing tremendous hands and a great shot, Tatar, who had an unbelievable WJC breakout performance, also has an uncanny ability to be at the right place at the right time.
NHL Player(s) Comparison: Jiri Hudler, Zach Parise-lite
ISS: N/A
CSB: 17-E
TSN: not ranked
NACS: 47

Legend:
ISS = International Scouting Services
CSB = Central Scouting Bureau (NA = North America , E = Europe)
TSN = Bob McKenzie's mid-season rankings
NACS = North American Central Scouting - Mark Seidel

Next up...players ranked 11-20

The Hockey Spy
: your quintessential resource for the NHL Entry Draft!

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Friday, April 3, 2009

Shots From The Slot: Around The Hockey World In 80 Seconds!

In a new regular feature, "The Hockey Spy" brings you Shots From The Slot: Around The Hockey World In 80 Seconds. Tune in and gain access to highlight goals, saves and performances along with great articles and inside news from all over this hockey world.

Here's today's issue:



  • Turning Over a New Leaf :  "The Hockey Spy" is now also a staff writer and correspondent on The Hockey Writers, a fantastic new hockey online destination. Check out my latest posts - The Leaf Revolution:


- "Sour" Brian Burke Compares Missing The Playoffs To a "Kick In The Groin" and Some Othe Great Insights on the Leafs
- 10 Reasons For Leaf Fans To Be Optimistic About The Future
- Luke Schenn Demonstrates His Toughness Yet Again
- TML Sign Slapshot Jr. Christian Hanson - Son of One of The Hanson Bros.
- Latest News!!! Tyler Bozak signs with the Leafs.





  • Raffi Torres of the Cloumbus Blue Jackets nominated for the Bill Masterton Trophy: Victory Belongs to the Most Perservering. Great article, but I think this award belongs to Phil Kessel this year.

  • Mikka Kiprusoff outstanding glove save as Flames regain first place in the Northwest (tied with Canucks, but they have the tiebreaker with more wins). This is going to be an amazing race for the stretch run! Start paying attention at the 1:30 mark of these highlights!

That's it for this edition of "Shots From The Slot". Stay tuned this weekend as "The Hockey Spy" finally reveals his 1st round "mock" draft of this June's NHL Entry Draft. The Hockey Spy has been working relentlessly behind the scenes to bring you up to speed on this year's crop of prospects.



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