#16 Filip Forsberg 2 goals vs Russia at 2012 U18 WC (2012-04-17)

 Via Jerome at http://hockeyprospect.com 2012 World Under 18 hockey championship action from April 17th 2012, Filip Forsberg 2 goals vs Russia


Filip Forsberg (no relation to Peter Forsberg "Foppa"), puts his dynamic skill-set on fine display with two snipes for Sweden in their match against Russia at the World Junior Under 18s Hockey Championships.

Related articles

• Top Ten Fantasy Value Draft Eligible Players
• Islanders Possible Draft Targets
• 2012 NHL Draft Lottery Results Complete with NHL Mock Draft
• An April 2012 NHL Mock Draft (Picks 1-15)
• Selanne's Career Proves Patience Is The Best Option For Crosby

Read more...

Nikita Gusev 4 goal night - 2012 NHL Draft Eligible Prospect

Minor Hockey League (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Nikita Gusev Никита Гусев scored 4 goal in MHL playoff. Red Army won game 5-3 and advanced to the finals.


I called Nikita Gusev "the Russian Picasso on ice" during the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championships in Calgary, Alberta. He was passed over in the NHL draft already, but don't count on that happening this June.

My detailed profile on Gusev:
http://thehockeywriters.com/world-juniors-player-spotlight-nikita-gusev-the-undrafted-artist/ 

Related articles

• 2012 NHL Entry Draft Guide - The Next Ones
• 2012 NHL Mock Draft: 2nd Round March Madness Edition
• Andrei Vasilevski - The Next Ones: 2012 NHL Draft Prospect Profile - KHL Hopper or NHL Backstopper?
• Fixing the NHL Entry Draft Lottery System: Playoff For Number One
• The "Import"-ance of the European CHL Goalie

Read more...

Yakupov tops Central Scouting's final rankings - NHL.com - 2012 NHL Draft

While I'm tirelessly striving to finalize The Hockey Spy's NHL 2012 Draft Rankings, NHL Central Scouting released their final rankings at a curious time - the World Juniors U18s are playing out and the CHL playoffs in full force.

Yakupov tops Central Scouting's final rankings - NHL.com - 2012 NHL Draft:

"It should come as no surprise that right wing Nail Yakupov of the Ontario Hockey League's Sarnia Sting has been tabbed the top North American skater eligible for 2012 NHL Draft by NHL Central Scouting. Yakupov, 18, was the top prospect on Central Scouting's preliminary list of the top 25 skaters from the OHL in November and was regarded as the No. 1 North American skater on January's mid-term report. Yakupov has done nothing to disappoint the scouts this season.
"His first step and ability to control bouncing pucks, knock them down and make a play are the best of any of the guys in the draft," said Central Scouting's Chris Edwards. "He really gets up to top speed very quickly and his hands are outstanding. Like Pavel Bure, Yakupov is dangerous every shift. He may not have been dominant on every shift like Bure was, but he created something every shift … you have to be aware where he is on the ice all the time.""

Full article and for NHL Central Scouting Bureau's Final Rankings:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=626755

Related articles

• NHL Central Scouting final rankings make Nail Yakupov their top prospect
• NHL prospect Yakupov maintains No. 1 ranking
• Alex Galchenyuk - The Next Ones: NHL 2012 Draft Prospect Profile
• Who should the Oilers draft?

Read more...

Fixing the NHL Entry Draft Lottery System: Playoff For Number One | The Hockey Writers

1997 NHL Entry Draft (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fixing the NHL Entry Draft Lottery System: Playoff For Number One | The Hockey Writers:

The NHL Draft Lottery system requires revamping

NEW YORK/TORONTO – For the eighteenth time* since its inception in 1995, the National Hockey League Draft Drawing, a weighted system to determine the order of selection for the first 14 picks of the 2012 NHL Draft, will take place Tuesday, April 10, at 8 p.m. ET.

The League, in cooperation with TSN, will announce the results of the Draft Lottery live during a 30-minute program, produced and televised by TSN in Canada. The special presentation also will air in the U.S. on NBC Sports Network. Here’s hoping there’s not a nineteenth time.

*Sidenote: In 2005, a.k.a. the Crosby Draft, all teams had equal chances of getting the number 1 selection since it was after the lockout.

The NHL entry draft lottery system is broken and it’s about time to revamp it.

Read full article:
http://thehockeywriters.com/fixing-the-nhl-entry-draft-lottery-system-playoff-for-number-one/

Related articles

• How the NHL's draft lottery works
• The NHL draft lottery is Tuesday, and here are the rules
• Ole Ole Ole Ole! Habs Kick Leafs in Lottery Balls
• 2012 NHL Entry Draft Guide - The Next Ones

Read more...

OHL Priority Selection 2012 - Eric Cornel 3rd Overall

Ontario Hockey League (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

OHL Priority Selection 2012 - Eric Cornel 3rd Overall to the Peterborough Petes. He is a relative of The Hockey Writers Bruce Hollindrake, the site which I am one of the Managing Editors and I'm also the lead prospect/draft sportswriter.

Here's wishing Eric a very successful OHL career and beyond! Expect to see more of him on THW and here at The Next Ones, from the files of The Hockey Spy.

Related articles

• 2012 OHL Priority Selection Draft Results
• Connor McDavid selected first overall in OHL draft
• Kujawinski a Keeper in Kingston
• Top 10 Underrated OHL Overagers of 2011-12
• 2012 NHL Mock Draft: March Madness Edition (Picks 16-30)

Read more...

2012 NHL Mock Draft: 2nd Round March Madness Edition | The Hockey Writers

2007 NHL Entry Draft (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2012 NHL Mock Draft: 2nd Round March Madness Edition | The Hockey Writers:

Part 3: 2012 NHL Mock Draft - The 2nd Round

31 – Columbus: Malcolm Subban, G, Belleville, Bulls, OHL

Blue Jackets land the elite of the elite of players in Yakupov, and Subban, with patience, may just be the elite netminder they desparately need.

32 – Edmonton: Oscar Dansk, G, Brynas Jr. (SWE-JR)

Oilers hope there are two Kings of Goaltending from Sweden.

33 – Montréal: Tom Wilson, RW, Plymouth Whalers, OHL

Wilson will be ranked lower in my rankings, but Habs need an injection of size to the forward ranks. Wilson brings grit, physicality, and size; however, the offensive upside is questionable.

34 – Tampa Bay (from Minnesota via San Jose): Andrei Vasilievski, G, Tolpar Ufa, MHL, Russia

GM Yzerman will still be looking for answers between the Lightnings pipes, but the future looks set with Vasilevski. I’m not a fan of drafting goalies in the first round, but the elite three goalies in this draft are quickly snapped up here in the second round.

35 – Toronto: Nicolas Kerdiles, F, USA NTDP

Read full article and see the rest of the 2nd round mock draft at THW:
http://thehockeywriters.com/2012-nhl-mock-draft-2nd-round-march-madness-edition/

Related articles

• 2012 NHL Mock Draft: March Madness Edition (Picks 1-15)
• 2012 NHL Mock Draft: March Madness Edition (Picks 16-30)
• At the Draft Table: Edmonton Oilers

Read more...

NHL entry draft is more art than science (via The Province)

PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 20: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Evgeni Malkin #71 talk before a face-off against the Winnipeg Jets during the game at Consol Energy Center on March 20, 2012 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

NHL entry draft is more art than science

Excerpt:

"The methodology, you’ll be keen to know, is the same as the first study and based on baseball’s batting averages and slugging percentages.

One point, or a hit, is awarded to a team for drafting a player who makes the NHL for some duration. This could be Boris Valabik. It could be Sidney Crosby. They both count as a hit. Overall batting average is then calculated.

Slugging percentage is a tad more subjective, but more revealing.

Here players are graded on a four-point system: Four going to a superstar (Evgeni Malkin); three to an impact player (David Backes); two to an NHLer (Justin Abdelkader); and one point to a guy who makes the show without establishing himself as an NHLer (remember Jason King?).

Total points are then added up and the team’s slugging percentage is computed."

Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/sports/entry+draft+more+than+science/6319829/story.html#ixzz1rCMCsplv

Related articles

• Evgeni Malkin, Man on a Mission
• How To Read A Baseball Slashline
• Cleveland Indians' Asdrúbal Cabrera Should Get Second All-Star Appearance

• 5 Geeky Reasons to Join the GeekDad Fantasy Baseball League (GeekDad Weekly Rewind) (wired.com)

Read more...