04-5 Online Prospect Magazine - N - O

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N-O

Jesse Niinimaki, Edm, C, (Rating: 3.0), Ilves Tampere (Fin) - Mercurial Finnish first-rounder got off to a promising start in his second full SM-Liiga campaign before sustaining a season-ending broken shoulder in October that required major reconstructive surgery .. A spirited, all-around pivot with excellent playmaking smarts, Niinimaki is fluid and sturdy, and effectively uses his good-sized frame and slick puckhandling to negotiate traffic, but still needs to upgrade his strength, conditioning and overall quickness .. A year away from North America.

Antero Niittymaki, Phi, G, (Rating: 2.5), Philadelphia (AHL) - Platooned again with AHL veteran Neil Little, Finnish sophomore gradually won over the No. 1 job with a progressive second half (14-6-2, 1.78, .929), and went all the way for the Phantoms in the playoffs (6-6, 1.81, .926) .. An agile, butterfly goalie, Niittymaki tends to play deep in the net, relying on his strong reflexes and upper-body positioning, but is learning to be more aggressive with shooters, while solving his propensity for allowing soft early goals .. Must seize backup opportunity given wealth of goaltenders queuing up in system.

Robert Nilsson, NYI, RW, (Rating: 3.5), Djurgardens (Swe) - Swedish first-rounder fell into disfavour with Leksand coach Jarmo Tolvanen and spent much of the season shuffling between the pressbox and the fourth line, before escaping to Switzerland, where he helped lift Fribourg into the playoffs .. The son of former NHL star Kent 'Magic Man' Nilsson is an inventive playmaker with shrewd offensive instincts and virtuoso stickhandling abilities, and has made enhancements to his first-step quickness and overall strength, but remains a risk-taker who will sacrifice defense in search of the flashy play .. Tries to get by on talent alone and must dedicate himself to rounding out his game.

Petteri Nokelainen, NYI, C, (Rating: 3.5), SaiPa (Fin) - Disappointed with plodding progress of 2003 draft pick Robert Nilsson, the Isles used their first round pick to select the nasty, hard-working Nokelainen who served as a physical disturber in his rookie SM-Liiga campaign, before breaking through offensively at the Under-18 World Juniors (6-5-6-11-16) .. Bullish and combative, Nokelainen makes his living by utilizing his quickness to drive the net and wreak havoc in traffic and surprises with adept shooting skills, although only average offensive creativity and unrefined playmaking abilities .. Has solid pro traits, but muddled offensive upside.

Eric Nystrom, Cgy, LW, (Rating: 2.5), Michigan (CCHA) - Former tenth-overall pick provided gritty boardwork and solid penalty-killing for the Wolverines, but contributed just four goals at even-strength, and has seen his production slide steadily since a promising 18-goal freshman season .. The son of former Isles' warrior Bob Nystrom is a rugged, north-south forward who boasts a powerful stride and an ability to protect the puck along the wall, however, he must upgrade his finesse skills and overall quickness .. Valued for the leadership and team-play intangibles more than his hands.

Rostislav Olesz, Fla, C, (Rating: 4.0), Sparta Praha (Cze) - Bulky Czech endured a challenging year, as he was unable to fulfill lofty scoring expectations in his second full Extraleague campaign, prompting many to question his finishing skills and was shaken up at the U20 World Juniors, suffering a concussion on an open-ice body check by Dion Phaneuf .. An athletic, strapping centerman, Olesz is a dedicated forward with a spacious body, excellent vision and quick wheels who excels as a forechecker due to strong arms, legs and a long reach .. Must get meaner to take the next step.

Patrick O'Sullivan, Min, C, (Rating: 3.5), Mississauga (OHL) - Slick second-rounder scripted an historic post-draft effort, sparking Team USA to a first-ever U-20 World Junior title with a pair of vital third-period goals in the gold-medal game, while leading the IceDogs in scoring during the regular season and playoffs (24-12-11-23), and to the OHL finals .. A speedy, highly-skilled playmaker, O'Sullivan has a gift for creating space thanks to superb anticipation and deft in-close puck skills, and can finish with authority as his shot is not only well-disguised, but accurate and remarkably powerful .. Showed much-improved defensive commitment and physical intensity during the playoffs, not to mention a flair for theatrics.

Maxime Ouellet, Wsh, G, (Rating: 4.0), Portland (AHL) - Former Philly first-rounder excelled while carrying the load in Portland, finishing second in the league with 10 shutouts, and outplayed partner Rastislav Stana in the playoffs (2-2, 1.59, .942) after posting inferior numbers to the red-hot Slovak during the regular season .. A poised, butterfly goalie with exceptional agility and reflexes, Ouellet possesses smooth mechanics and considerable net coverage due to his big frame, and has made significant advancements in quickness and positioning .. Did not look out of place during his first NHL appearances since debuting with the Flyers in `01-2.

Alexander Ovechkin, Wsh, LW, (Rating: 4.5), Dynamo Moscow (Rus) - Consensus No. 1 became just the second Russian to be selected first overall in the NHL draft after a decorated season that saw him establish himself as a force in the Super League with a club-high 13 goals, while also earning a spot on the World Cup roster, though some of the mystique wore off after a pedestrian World Junior performance (6-5-2-7) .. An elegant and powerful skater with a vast offensive arsenal headed by uncanny shooting skills, Ovechkin is a virtuoso with the puck, a pure goal scorer with an unmistakable competitive drive, a strong lower body and the maturity of a budding leader .. Has a year remaining on his contract with Dynamo who are asking a king's ransom for his release.