AHL: Admirals Continue to Lead

Sitting in first place in the West Division, the Milwaukee Admirals are one of the AHL's strongest teams and are loaded with worthy NHL prospects. Highlighting the list are forwards Mike Santorelli and Ryan Jones, both of whom are being fed heavy minutes in all situations by the Admirals coaching staff. McKeen's Director of Scouting Max Giese profiles several prospects playing in Milwaukee this season including both Santorelli and Jones.

Ryan Jones (Nsh), LW, Milwaukee Admirals

His game is full of sandpaper and every shift for him is one physical battle after another .. lacks speedy wheels, although he owns a reliable stride and stable mobility .. nothing sexy, but his puck protection is exceptional and he displays shades of Tomas Holmstrom with his ability to score goals on tips or by cleaning up the garbage .. ever calm with the puck on his blade and he astutely takes what the opposition is giving him, even scoring on the wrap around if called for .. the type of gritty and tough player that does the dirty work down low, which allows his skillful linemates to take over possession inside of the offensive zone .. wins the majority of puck battles he takes on thanks to his aggressive stick and he showcases the ability to pull the puck off the wall before moving it to the open linemate in the scoring area in the high slot .. backchecks hard and makes strong defensive marks, which allows the coaching staff to entrust him with key minutes.

Mike Santorelli (Nsh), C, Milwaukee Admirals

An upright, quick and nimble skater with the lively acceleration that makes him appear as if he is jumping for speed .. doesn't allow goaltenders to get set because his fast release fires the puck off his stick instantaneously and it propels an accurate shot .. handsy centerman that can execute with speed and his skill set allows him to slide the puck around defenders in one-on-one situations .. comfortably holds onto the puck to buy his teammates time to shake free and for openings to develop in the oppositions defenses .. his defensive game is progressing and the Admirals coaching staff isn't afraid to put him on the ice late in the game while preserving a lead because he works hard to maintain interior position of the ice in his own-zone .. slick and crafty in the faceoff circle with the ability to walk his opponent off the draw and begin the offensive attack .. the first-line centerman in Milwaukee and will be will be representing the Admirals at the AHL All-Star game.

Cody Franson (Nsh), D, Milwaukee Admirals

Despite being an oversized defender at 6-foot-5 and 219 pounds, Franson does not make opponents pay the price physically and must begin to play with more aggression .. avoids, rather than initiates the rough stuff .. skates with an erect posture and though he limits unnecessary steps while pivoting, they could be swifter and his lack of quickness leaves him prone to becoming flat footed at either blueline .. has soft hands and is successful at skating the puck up the ice .. a real gunslinger that can stretch the ice with his bullet passes and receivers must be ready to bear down when he calls their number on the breakout .. boasts quick vision and can send the puck through the opponents defensive box while working the point .. owns an elongated reach and maintains an active stick, but too often he gets caught watching the puck instead of looking at the crest of his opponent .. keeps his gaps tight and proactively attempts to hold the offensive zone, although he still falls victim to the occasional brain cramp.

Nick Spaling (Nsh), C, Milwaukee Admirals

His hockey sense is his top attribute and his three-zone awareness is unparalleled by his peers .. displays a healthy amount of speed and can maintain it while changing directions .. his pivoting and backwards mobility even makes most defensemen jealous .. disciplined in executing high-percentage plays with the puck and his ability to see the ice allows him not to telegraph his intentions while distributing .. doesn't panic when pressured by defenders and remains poised in the scoring areas .. his offensive upside isn't what makes him a prized prospect, it's his terrific defensive game .. a valued penalty killer that maintains an active stick and innately pressures the puckcarrier the instant they display signs of becoming uncomfortable or fumbling the puck .. this trait allows him to generate offensive opportunities from his strong defensive work .. doesn't hesitate going to the net and will compete along the boards .. still needs to get a bit stronger and he isn't an overpowering physical presence, although he always takes the body with a purpose.

Alexander Sulzer (Nsh), D, Milwaukee Admirals

Quick skater in tight quarters thanks to his fast feet and encompassing mobility, although he lacks an open-ice, pull-away gear .. poised puckcarrier that sees the ice well and hits his man in stride with the first pass, which allows them to enter the neutral zone with momentum .. finesse defender that relies on getting his body and stick in lanes to intercept passes more than brute tactics .. would rather front the puck in front of the crease than clear the area physically .. needs to keep his gaps tighter, although he does an adequate job of making anticipatory defensive reads and taking away time and space from the puckcarrier .. will compete and plays tough during the on-ice battles, although he needs to become stronger and upgrade his balance.

Patric Hornqvist (Nsh), RW, Milwaukee Admirals

Type of player that needs to be scoring to contribute and right now he is still adjusting to how that is accomplished in the North American rinks. .. lacks quickness out of the gate and opponents are able to skate by him in transition, although his agility is fine and his speed is okay once he finds his stride .. works hard to win foot races to negate icing calls, although he doesn't do his team many favors away from the puck and his defensive efforts are inconsistent at best .. owns a strongly released shot and he works well in space by supporting the puck and getting open in scoring positions.

Hugh Jessiman (Nsh), RW, Milwaukee Admirals

A terrible skater with burdensome feet and sloppy acceleratory steps .. worst of all is how horribly slow the recovery stage of his stride is .. every time Jessiman goes to make a play with the puck, his feet come to a stand still and he struggles to keep up with the pace of the game .. uses his 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame to shield the puck and drive to the goalmouth where he shows the ability to pull the puck in tight and get scoring chances around the net .. his spells of physical aggression are too far and few in between and he must become more physical and defensive-orientated to ever scratch the NHL.

Teemu Laakso (Nsh), D, Milwaukee Admirals

Mostly a no non-sense defender that eliminates mistakes from his game by taking care of his own end first .. solid skater with sharp strides and energetic lateral agility .. showcases the occasional flash of offensive upside in the way he can catch the opposition on a line change and execute the cross-ice pass coming out of his own zone .. seems a bit timid offensively right now and often plays it safe by only joining the rush when clearly appropriate .. proactively short-circuits the oppositions attack, although at times he gets caught chasing after something that is not there and he can get sucked out of position .. often elects to stay home in the defensive zone and while he is competitive, his lack of strength leads to him to getting boxed out by larger opponents.