AHL: Chicago Wolves Calder Cup Finals Report

The 2008 Calder Cup Champion Chicago Wolves' rode the hot goaltending of rookie Ondrej Pavelec all the way to the Calder Cup Finals, where other key Atlanta Thrashers prospects such as Boris Valabik and Bryan Little had a big impact in the playoffs. McKeen's correspondent Max Giese was on hand for the finals and filed these notes on several Thrashers prospects.

Ondrej Pavelec (Atl), G, Chicago Wolves

Was the best of all the goaltending prospects in the AHL this season and will challenge Kari Lehtonen for the starting job in Atlanta shortly .. possesses the special combination of lively limbs and great anticipation .. has that quality of making the big save at the right time that all good NHL goaltenders possess .. doesn't rely on any set style or technique, however he's brilliant in the way he maximizes his Gumby-like frame to play big .. almost unbeatable down low and his rebound control is superb .. stays square to the puck at all times and doesn't open up holes while moving laterally .. plays big in traffic and his glove hand is elite .. a confident goaltender that responds well to giving up goals .. his first instinct is to always take away the lower portion of the net, although the most notable chink in the armor that will need to be corrected against NHL shooters is the fact that he can be guilty of staying down on the ice for too long .. has limited puckhandling skills and can be adventurous at times outside of his crease .. Pavelec doesn't have anything else to prove at this level and will create an interesting training camp battle for Atlanta's goaltending supremacy in the fall.

Bryan Little (Atl), C, Chicago Wolves

Developed a knack for scoring the big goal in these playoffs and seemingly got better with each and every game in the Calder Cup Finals .. was cemented in as the Wolves second-line center during the Calder Cup Playoffs and this continued throughout the finals .. a heady two-way pivot that anticipates the play and activates in space well .. an adequate skater with a decent burst of speed, Little does lack a third gear which would allow him to burn by a defender with the puck in the open ice .. not overly large, but he utilizes his sturdy balance to gain leverage in one-on-one battles and he cleverly shields the puck with twists-and-turns .. an opportunistic player that can transition defense into offense .. scores most of his goals by being in the right place at the right time before utilizing his quick release and accurate shot to burry his chances .. looks really confident right now and appears more comfortable holding onto the puck for one more stride to allow passing lanes to develop and scoring opportunities to present themselves .. wasn't a dominant game-breaker throughout the playoffs but his detailed two-way game and nice skill-set make him a lock to be a full-time Thrasher next year.

Boris Valabik (Atl), D, Chicago Wolves

Simply has been a tower of power on the backend for the Wolves throughout the playoffs and finals .. development continues to be on the up-swing, as he went from a third-pairing defender last year to now being lined-up against the opposition's top lines, being on the ice late in a game to preserve leads, and on the top penalty kill unit this year .. maximizes his colossal frame by playing almost like a second goaltender in front of the crease area and blocking several shots a game .. can now defend adequately against speedy opponents thanks to his ever-improving foot-speed .. the type of defenseman that goaltenders love to have in front of them, as he keeps the crease area clean with authority .. his presence with the puck continues to mature, as he now checks down his secondary options and can move the puck accurately up ice instead of just whacking it off the boards .. however, he's still prone to turning the puck over with an errant pass nearly every game .. was a targeted man in every series, but showed adequate discipline while remaining a physical force that would stand-up for his teammates when needed .. a strong camp should solidify himself as an NHL defenseman next year.

Arturs Kulda (Atl), D, Chicago Wolves

Signed just prior to the Calder Cup Finals by the Thrashers to a three-year-entry-level contract, and earned it by emerging as an influential player on the backend for the Wolves throughout the playoffs .. his sensationally fast adaptation to the AHL coming out of the OHL has catapulted his stock as a prospect and Kulda hasn't looked back with a strong Calder Cup Final .. brings a little bit of everything to the table and he's a confident young man with the demeanor of a future NHLer .. isn't blessed with high-end finesse skills, but he keeps his game simple and moves the puck up ice with surprising accuracy and without committing errors .. receiving time on the powerplay where he consistently gets his quick point through and on net .. a healthy-sized defender that can use his deceptive strength to knock over larger, unsuspecting opponents .. is sturdy defending down low, as he's a tough player that also possesses the great wheels to skate with even the speediest of attacking forwards .. could use more urgency at times in his game and can still be guilty of watching the puck and getting beaten one-on-one in the open ice .. still a year or two away, but is now clearly a prized prospect in the Thrashers organization.

Jordan LaVallee (Atl), LW, Chicago Wolves

Has rebounded from a disappointing Calder Cup Playoff with an outstanding final .. simply playing the best hockey he has in awhile and has been rewarded with time on the powerplay and the second line .. he appears re-energized and his improved play is attributable to the fact that he's moving his feet and giving the full-effort every shift, two traits that he wasn't displaying earlier in the playoffs .. Jordan is also working in space better, which has aided in his ability to find openings to unleash his heavy shot .. his confidence in his ability with the puck has also peeked again, evidenced by never hesitating to shoot and even making the odd, nice pass to an open linemate in scoring areas .. he's using his terrific size to be a monster on the cycle and in front of the net while creating havoc down low .. will need to continue to conquer his poor mobility but he looks to be ready to assume a role on a checking line with Atlanta next season.

Colin Stuart (Atl), LW, Chicago Wolves

The Calder Cup Finals haven't seen Colin Stuart display any new hidden wrinkles to his game, however he has been valuable as ever in performing his role of a checking winger .. he's been routinely lined-up against and asked to negate the oppositions top offensive threats and has been effective in this role .. Stuart is a strong penalty killer that can also use his speed to springboard opponents turnovers into offensive opportunities heading the other way .. he's also been a pest and got under the opponents skin with his relentless physical play .. his speed and willingness to drive hard to the net provide him with a few scoring opportunities every game, but his future is that of a checking-line winger.

Nathan Oystrick (Atl), D, Chicago Wolves

Two-way defenseman that has performed well in all situations .. his competitive physical play and adequate body positioning around his crease has negated his lack of size and has made him a valued penalty killer .. his fluid agility and ability to maintain himself as an active offensive threat has made him a valued asset on the powerplay .. he owns a big shot that was respected by opponents and he can utilize fake shots to send the opposition sprawling to open up passing lanes .. plays an instinctive, and proactive game that can lead the highlight play but can also get him in trouble .. quite often he just goes without second thought whether it be when he's jumping into the play or going head hunting for the big open-ice hit .. likely will receive his first NHL audition next season.