AHL: Brassards Crunch Time

The Syracuse Crunch currently sit comfortably in third place in the AHL's North Division, as many players are having successful seasons. Mckeen's correspondent David Burstyn has notes on several players making an impact including 2006 first round draft pick Derick Brassard.

Marc Methot (CBJ), D, Syracuse

Methot has already been called up this season, however, his stint was a brief one .. it is still a learning curve for the 6-foot-2, 200-pound-left-shooting defender .. his skating and defensive ability are certainly NHL caliber, however it is his puckhandling skills that need refinement and Columbus management does not want to rush him, rather ease him into the program slowly .. gaining more confidence in his shot, as he has scored more goals this season than he has in any individual season while a member of the London Knights in junior .. uses his body and stick to neutralize offensive rushes and plays a solid defensive game .. his footwork down low gets him into trouble, as he can be turned inside out by faster players .. he has managed to move his feet quicker when the play shifts, a skill most likely learned at the NHL level .. is being encouraged to handle the puck more and skate out of the zone with it .. slowly adapting more to the offensive side of the game, as he stays in the offensive zone longer to maintain pressure .. complimentary fifth defenseman whose career path as an NHL regular is inevitable.

Zenon Konopka (CBJ), C, Syracuse

Gives the farm team some scoring depth while providing a physical element to his play .. eagerly looks for a hit and often comes out of position to administer one .. captain is good in a straight line but struggles with his turns and pivots .. works the down-low area of the ice effectively, as he can assert his strong frame on the right side of the puck to win battles .. good offensive attributes .. he does not excel in any particular area but he does boast a good shot and exhibits decent playmaking skills .. may be buried on the depth chart, as other prospects have slowly usurped him.

Adam Pineault (CBJ), RW, Syracuse

Is putting it together in his second season and he is in the upper echelon in team goal and overall scoring .. plays on both special teams .. is slowly learning the defensive side of the game .. he is cognizant of his man in the defensive zone but can get careless, as he always wants the puck and follows it too much on occasion .. needs to tie up the stick of his man defensively so he does not get a shot off .. follows plays well when team is on the offensive .. he is a strong skater with a good lower-body thrust and skating mechanics .. tenacious in his puck pursuit, as he is always pumping his feet .. he is an offensive-minded player who backs off defensemen with his speed .. great outside speed, as he can force a defender out wide and has the courage to go hard to the net with the puck often resulting in a quality scoring chance .. good shot selection in close .. needs more development but should see some games next season as an injury call up should he continue to develop at this pace.

Tom Sestito (CBJ), LW, Syracuse

Sestito is no stranger to the Syracuse hockey system, as he played there as an underage player before embarking on a productive three-year OHL career, which saw him explode for 42 goals and another 11 in the playoffs in his final season .. towering forward gives the Crunch size and presence up front .. good up-and-down winger whose agility and coordination suit him perfectly for the left side .. he does not see much icetime and as a result, he is very conscious not to make a mistake .. has not been encouraged to handle the puck regularly, as the system within his line is more of a dump and chase .. he can get his shot away in traffic and he does boast a good snapshot in close .. needs to move his feet more in traffic and separate himself from coverage .. will have to bide his time and learn the pro game better but this is common amongst first year players.

Derek Dorsett (CBJ), RW, Syracuse

Dorsett's pugilistic approach to the game is not unlike a Sean Avery or a Jordan Tootoo .. a last round pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Dorsett enjoyed an outstanding final year of junior with the Medicine Hat Tigers recording personal bests in regular season points .. his performance in the playoffs is what set him apart, as he took his Tigers to the finals of the Memorial Cup .. a hard-nosed winger who hits everything in sight .. fluid skater, as he is used in PK situations and is often the high man .. can recover nicely should he be caught flatfooted and displays a good defensive conscious .. hard to play against because he is wiry and strong and is always involved .. he constantly moves his feet and as a result, the opposition is often forced to haul him down resulting in penalties .. shows no fear, as he willingly dropped the gloves with Mathieu Biron (Hamilton Bulldogs), an adversary who is six inches taller and 40 pounds heavier .. showing a flair for the offensive side of things as well .. he displays good patience with the puck and is smarter than most first year pro's in terms of the decisions he makes with the puck .. racking up healthy PIM's and should emerge as the statistical leader in that category on the team .. committed work ethic and sheer determination should see him land a role in Blue Jackets organization.

Alexandre Picard (CBJ), LW, Syracuse

Picard has taken a step back in his development, as he appears to be a shadow of his former self from the player that was drafted eighth overall in the 2004 draft .. his point totals have dipped in three consecutive seasons .. playing with grit and sandpaper and is at least trying to contribute in the physical side of the game .. his biggest problem lies in his anticipation and overall hockey smarts .. his skating is ok but not dynamic .. his puck skills are ok .. his complete lack of confidence usually results in him throwing the puck away or surrendering it without advancing it or making a play .. performed very poorly in his brief NHL audition last season and has not responded well this year, as he is on pace to record his worst point totals since joining the AHL in 2005-06.

Derick Brassard (CBJ), C, Syracuse

The first thing you notice about Brassard is his speed and agility .. the rookie centre is a highly athletic player who oozes individual skill and outstanding puckhandling ability .. on the flipside, he is also grossly underdeveloped physically, as his upper body is in need of 12-15 pounds of muscle .. Brassard will be known more for his finesse than his positioning down low .. he is a good open-ice player and when given room, he can excel at slowing down the game to his pace .. his offensive reads are spectacular .. his vision and passing skills are off the charts, which is the only reason he has been able to survive at the AHL level .. he still needs to learn to shield the puck better, as experienced players stripped him off the puck .. to his credit, he is a quick study and learned the habits of the opposition and in the third period, he was able to dance in the offensive zone unmolested .. needs to play with more urgency and intensity .. skill level is there to be a top-six forward in the NHL, but increased strength is mandatory and he must be able to overcome the injury bug, as he is gaining a reputation for being too brittle.

Joakim Lindstrom (CBJ), C, Syracuse

Lindstrom might envision himself as a top-six forward but Columbus management might not .. he leads the team in points but also owns the worst plus/minus on the team .. the stats do not lie and Lindstrom needs to work on the defensive side of the puck .. a choppy skater but gets the most out of his stride in terms of quickness .. he is adept to getting into open scoring areas and unleashing his powerful snapshot .. what stands out in Lindstrom's game is his knack for stickhandling in traffic and getting into better scoring areas .. his upper-body strength and brute force allow him to skate into the slot .. he competes hard for the puck in the offensive zone, as he is puck hungry .. gives his team a shot in the arm with his all-out shifts in the offensive zone .. his vision is a plus .. has been recalled on two separate occasions this season, as he appears to be the most NHL ready amongst all the forwards in Syracuse.