AHL: Crunch Time

One of the most fascinating teams in the AHL this season, the Syracuse Crunch boast two elite NHL prospects in Nikita Filatov and Steve Mason. McKeen's correspondent Max Giese recently took in some of their games and files the following notes on a number of their top prospects including both Filatov and Mason.

Nikita Filatov (CBJ), LW, Syracuse Crunch

A world-class talent that will serve as a cornerstone for Columbus to build around .. dynamic skater that is elegant and powerful with incredible lateral agility, as he can turn on a dime or burst wide to the outside on defenders without losing any of his scorching pace .. his blazing acceleratory gear enables him to hit his top speed in just a few strides and blow past opponents with frightening ease .. scary-good at handling the puck at full speed and it looks like he's got a yo-yo out there in the way he manipulates the puck as if it was attached to a string .. hands are remarkably fast and he freezes defenders with his electric stick fakes before dissecting defenses with his articulate passing game .. can snipe goaltenders with his explosive release and laser accuracy .. an offensive asset without the puck because he intelligently activates his feet to get open and find the developing seams .. with nothing that he can't do, Filatov kills the odd penalty and harnesses his elite quickness to supply ample pressure on the puckcarrier .. clearly an offense first, defense-second-type-of-player and can be guilty of floating high in the defensive zone, although he anticipates the game so well that he can also generate turnovers and transition them into instant offensive opportunities .. only chink in the armor is his lack of strength, but he is fearless going into traffic and does an exemplarily job at shielding the puck for an 18-year-old in the AHL .. Filatov is something special and is the type of player that fans pay to watch.

Steve Mason (CBJ), G, Syracuse Crunch

Colossal butterfly goaltender with freakish athleticism for a player of his size .. standing at 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds, Mason is blessed with the type of frame that can block out the sun even when down in the butterfly .. what makes Mason so special is his quickness and dexterity for a goaltender of his physical stature .. baits shooters into shooting where he wants them to by advertising a gaping five-hole that he closes with instantaneous quickness .. catches southpaw and has a fast glove hand .. projects the occasional bad rebound and will need to refine his control further, however he flashes the ability to direct pucks properly to the corners and swallow in shots up high .. has the all-important recovery quickness for a large butterfly goaltender .. possesses nimble feet that he really doesn't even need because he can cover his entire crease within one lateral step .. self-assured goaltender that just needs to focus in a little more intensely to eliminate the occasional bad goal he allows .. has fast and flexible legs that give shooters nothing to look at low .. commanding puckhandler that can send the puck end-to-end, although he can get out of control and become too adventurous handling the puck at times .. guilty of staying too deep in his crease and needs to challenge shooters more proactively in one-on-one situations .. like Carey Price in Montreal, Mason is a young stud-of-a-goaltender that will force his NHL club to make a difficult decision about their goaltending situation in the near future.

Kris Russell (CBJ), D, Syracuse Crunch

Diminutive, but skilled puckmoving defenseman that projects as a powerplay quarterback in the NHL .. an elite skater, Russell's feet are the cream of the crop and his recovery quickness is outstanding .. feet and hands work in unison, as he doesn't lose a step while carrying the puck .. owns a fast shot and supports an influential offensive element to his teams backend .. defends well in space where his sound positioning and first-class mobility make him difficult to get around .. standing only at 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, Russell's glaring weakness is his lack of strength and his defensive coverage down-low near his crease area suffers because of it .. has great defensive stickwork, but he still gets overmatched physically in one-on-one puck battles by larger opponents .. lacking in confidence right now and appears to hear footsteps when the opposition applies a strong forecheck, and his decision-making with the puck can become erratic because of it.

Tom Sestito (CBJ), LW, Syracuse Crunch

Blessed with great size and strength standing at 6-foot-5 and 226 pounds, Sestito is a power forward that can impose his will on opponents in traffic .. an erect skater that swallows the ice once he hits his full-stride, although he must improve on his quickness and tighten his turn radius .. strictly a straightaway offensive threat that can run guys over on his way to the net .. not going to make anyone miss with his finesse, however his puck control and strength on his stick in traffic are impressive .. would further his ability with the puck if his vision and decision-making were upgraded .. a physical presence that can get mean and become a punishing hitter, although he is guilty of going in and out at times, and must make that snarl of his a constant part of his game.

Maxim Mayorov (CBJ), RW, Syracuse Crunch

A Russian winger that innately plays an up-and-down-North American-style-of-game .. upright skater with prevailing strides and fast acceleration .. possesses strong wrists that stimulate his purposeful release that he can unload successfully in full flight .. weighing in at 6-foot-2 and 213 pounds, Mayorov is strong on his feet and checkers tend to just bounce off him .. feisty competitor that plays a hardnosed north/south game .. bit one-dimensional with the puck and needs to do a better job at utilizing his linemates, although he does effectively find the quiet ice when not in possession .. guilty of overhandling the puck at times and while his defensive game is adequate, he could further work on his play on that side of the puck.

Grant Clitsome (CBJ), D, Syracuse Crunch

Rookie defenseman that is struggling with pace and officiating of the AHL, as he is stubbornly having the bad defensive habits he could get away with at Clarkson plague his game and routine trips to the penalty-box for obstruction infarctions have been the result .. effectively angles-off the puckcarrier, although he plays smaller than his 6-foot-0, 208-pound frame would indicate and is having an issue defending the grown men in this league, especially down-low and near his net .. an encompassing skater with great feet that is skilled with the puck and should begin to generate more offense once he becomes accustomed to the pro-game.