AHL: Admirals on the Defensive

The Norfolk Admirals find themselves in the basement of the East Division heading into this year's All-Star break. The Admirals have given up more goals than any other team in the league, which is part of the problem. McKeen's correspondent Kevin Hopson has notes on several Norfolk defensemen, including 20-year-old Kevin Quick and goaltender Karri Ramo.

Kevin Quick (TB), D, Norfolk Admirals

Quick has bounced around between the ECHL, AHL and NHL this season but appears to have found his niche in Norfolk .. his plus-two rating is tied for first among Admirals' defensemen and he is currently seeing top-line duties with Ty Wishart .. though Quick has yet to register a point this season, his efficient skating style and offensive prowess could make him a promising powerplay specialist down the road .. his smooth, genuine stride allows him to breeze through the neutral zone and gain the opponent's blueline practically at will .. additionally, Quick possesses solid vision and can feed the puck to his linemates with regular success .. it is not uncommon to see him pinch aggressively and streak down the wing, as he is very capable of charging the net and working below the hash marks .. Quick can also use his swift pace to recover in defensive transition and skate the puck out of trouble in his own end .. Quick is not a brutish defenseman by any means, but he shows a willingness to play the body and demonstrates firm puck strength along the boards .. if there is a noticeable weakness in his game, it is that Quick can sometimes make poor decisions in the defensive end .. for example, he has a tendency to force short passes, which can result in takeaways.

Ty Wishart (TB), D, Norfolk Admirals

Wishart registered his first NHL point against the Buffalo Sabres on January 21 before being re-assigned to Norfolk later in the week .. paired alongside Kevin Quick and posting a similar plus-two rating, Wishart has become the anchor of the Admirals' defensive corps this season .. Wishart's calmness and level-headedness in the defensive end comforts his coaches and teammates, alike, as his responsible play makes him a "go-to-guy" in pressure situations .. he uses the boards intelligently, which allows him to avoid aggressive forecheckers without compromising his low-risk game .. Wishart constantly keeps his head on a swivel and possesses marked vision given his ability to accurately survey the ice .. he can hit a moving target with a concise outlet pass or send a tape-to-tape laser half the length of the ice if necessary .. combined with his commanding shot from the point, Wishart owns offensive skills that can be useful on the man advantage .. he is also an adequate skater who is capable of bringing the puck up ice .. because of his large frame (6-4, 205), Wishart can afford to sacrifice his body .. he will take a knee or extend his leg in an effort to block shots, not even thinking twice about it.

Andy Rogers (TB), D, Norfolk Admirals

Rogers is a traditional stay-at-home defenseman who gets a kick out of punishing his opponents .. it is rare to see a shift where Rogers is not standing up a player at the blueline, knocking him on his backside from an open-ice hit or squeezing him along the boards .. his animal instinct, immense frame and physical game are ideal traits for a defenseman who likes to play the body, which is why he does it so well .. surprisingly, Rogers has the ability to control his caged fury, which means he does not pick up a lot of penalties despite his love for initiating contact .. even more remarkable is his proficient skating game ..at six-foot-five and 225 pounds, Rogers is a freak of nature when it comes to mobility and speed, as he maneuvers extremely well for a player his size.. Rogers' quickness not only allows him to chase down loose pucks, but it also provides coverage in the defensive end that is nearly infinite .. his offensive potential is limited but he does demonstrate the ability to feed teammates in transition and bolsters a powerful shot as well.

Karri Ramo (TB), G, Norfolk Admirals

Ramo is considered to be Tampa Bay's goalie of the future, but past viewings don't warrant this standing .. Ramo possesses the size and reflexes to be an effective netminder but his poor positional play and wasted movement get him into trouble much too often .. for example, he shows a tendency to over commit when the puck is shot from the wing .. unless he smothers the puck or pushes it off to the short side in these instances, Ramo essentially takes himself out of the play and restricts his ability to recuperate in net .. Ramo also needs to work on his rebound control .. bad bounces can magnify his unrestrained movement and lead to quality second-chance scoring opportunities for opponents.

Vladimir Mihalik (TB), D, Norfolk Admirals

Mihalik is like Frankenstein on skates .. his colossal frame (6-7, 222) makes him an intriguing defensive prospect, as he possesses the force to manhandle opponents down low .. Mihalik is taking advantage of his size more and more now, which he was criticized for not doing earlier in his career .. he has elevated his physical play and is even showing the propensity to scrap a little after the whistle .. unfortunately, he still has some work to do .. for one thing, Mihalik could do a better job of finishing his checks .. instead of completely taking his opponent out of the play, Mihalik will lean on him or nudge him from behind, which reduces his success at separating the player and the puck .. he could change this by being more forceful in his delivery .. Mihalik also needs to develop a more resourceful skating game .. despite having an extended reach, which helps with his recovery, Mihalik is prone to being beat when he is back on his heels .. he displays quicker foot speed and better acceleration when moving forward and can contribute offensively given his ability to tee-off from the point .. however, it is unlikely that Mihalik will ever put up big points as a defenseman.