AHL: Dakers Gives Sharks Bite

Taylor Dakers (SJ), G, Worcester Sharks

After struggling as a rookie last season in the AHL and being sent down to Phoenix of the ECHL, Dakers has been rock solid between the pipes for the Worcester Sharks this season and has stolen play time away from Thomas Greiss .. does a good job maintaining his height when down in the butterfly by keeping his shoulders upright .. calm and economical in approach while pushing off to challenge shooters appropriately .. his square positioning and net coverage allows him to take up a lot of the net while down in the butterfly .. guilty at times of collapsing too early and tends to stay down while being in no rush to recover back to his stance if the puck is near his crease .. has quick step lateral crease movement .. likes to advertise the five-hole to shooters before taking it away swiftly .. often makes the first save, however his rebound control requires improvement and this leads to him struggling if the play breaks down around him .. actively plays the puck, however he must improve on his puck-handling skills .. has regained his stock as a prospect in the Sharks organization.

Jason Demers (SJ), D, Worcester Sharks

Rookie offensive defenseman that is benefiting from the tutelage of Kyle McLaren, whom he is often partnered with .. confident in himself and remains poised while making shrewd plays under pressure .. boasts lively hands and sees the ice well which allows him to emerge as an accurate passer and a creative play-maker from the point .. not afraid to take his time breaking the puck out of his own end and will wait until the last possible second before he moves it, drawing opponents to him and away from his teammates in the process .. quick skater that is fast on his feet, although he's remains very raw in terms of defensive tactics and is overly reliant on his mobility to break up plays .. tries to play physical, but he mostly bounces off opponents because he lacks strength .. showcases some character by sticking up for his teammates and entering a scrap even though he can't fight .. has a shot at playing in the NHL if his defensive game catches up to his offensive abilities.

Mike Moore (SJ), D, Worcester Sharks

Robust two-way defenseman that has developed a reputation in the AHL as a devastating open-ice hitter .. strong skater that is swift out of his turns and pivots .. not a crafty player with the puck and could use more finesse, although he sees the ice well enough and can put a hard pass on his teammates tape .. often more successful carrying the puck himself rather than passing it and he wisely plays within his limits to prevent any costly errors .. if he does cough up the puck, he displays enough speed to recover .. receiving time on the power-play because of his heavy shot that he gets through traffic and on net .. defends with a purpose and doesn't get caught running around .. takes good angles to opponent puck-carriers and can lock them onto the boards with his skating and physicality .. this tough Princeton grad was the last defenseman cut from the San Jose Sharks' training-camp and is close to being NHL ready.

Derek Joslin (SJ), D, Worcester Sharks

Polished two-way defender that may be NHL ready, although he continues to benefit in the AHL while receiving loads of ice time in all-situations .. the number one defenseman in Worcester and anchors both special team units .. an all-compass skater with deceptive mobility because of his long and relaxed strides that eat up the ice .. his influential first step allows him to escape away with the puck from oncoming pressure .. confidently lugs the puck up ice and his rangy puck skills enable him to make opponents miss in the open ice .. astutely picks his spots when he jumps into the rush, as he exploits holes and supports the puck-carrier to create odd man opportunities .. his shot from the point is very effective and he commits smart plays with the puck while under fire .. not a mean or physically imposing defender, but he's sturdy in the trenches .. does a fine job at ceiling puck carriers to the outside .. effectively angles off opponents before activating his stick to take away time and space .. boasts uncanny hockey sense and defensive reads allow him to recover for others mistakes and break up last minute plays .. if injuries cripple San Jose's blue-line, the Sharks will call upon Joslin with confidence.

Jamie McGinn (SJ), LW, Worcester Sharks

Tenacious two-way winger with a burgeoning power game .. has emerged as a reliable grinder in the NHL already as a rookie this season, but has also flashed his offensive upside in Worcester to become more down the road .. skating was deemed a weakness of his coming out of the draft, however he has worked hard to quicken his feet and strengthen his stride since, and now possesses above-average speed .. strong taking the puck to the net, controls the puck well, and his sudden release allows him to burry his chances in tight .. makes his presence known in front of the opponents net every game and is difficult for defenders to handle within 15-feet of the goal and along the wall .. valued at the NHL level already for his gritty and smart work on the forecheck as well as his supportive defensive positions that clog opponents outlet passes .. teammates and management love his character and he could be in the NHL full-time as soon as next season.

Lukas Kaspar (SJ), LW, Worcester Sharks

After making the San Jose Sharks out of training-camp and playing in their first six games of the season, Kaspar initially sulked and played poorly when he arrived back in Worcester .. he rediscovered his game in December and earned a three-game recall before being sent back to Worcester where so far he has played the best hockey of his professional career .. swift skater for a player of his size that gets really low in his stride with a forward lean .. difficult to budge off balance because of his low center of gravity .. can tease you with highly skilled plays in all three zones, but he's also prone to committing critical mistakes that lead to goals in his own net instead .. not aggressive enough physically but has shown signs of life in this capacity heading towards the new year .. kills penalties in the minors, but won't in the NHL because he struggles to get to the oppositions points in time to block shooting lanes .. an NHL caliber athletic package that is beginning to come around and it's too early to give up on him.

Mike Morris (SJ), RW, Worcester Sharks

The Sharks' first-round pick in 2002, Morris is a promising prospect that continues to be derailed by injuries .. was one of the Worcester Sharks' best players during the first-quarter of the season after a strong training-camp in San Jose, however he is now out indefinitely with yet another concussion .. boasts quick feet and acceleration that provide him with a good burst of speed out of the gate .. such a smart player with good timing to the net and is always aware of his developing surroundings ..has great hockey sense and is always quick into open space before taking that one last step to open further shooting and passing lanes .. creative play maker that sees the ice well and can execute any type of pass .. also owns a nippy shot but he's definitely a pass first shoot later type of player .. covers for pinching defenseman and will remain the third man high in the offensive zone if necessary .. likely would've made his NHL debut this season if he wasn't injured.

Steve Zalewski (SJ), C, Worcester Sharks

Comparable to current San Jose Shark center Joe Pavelski, Steven Zalewski is a play-making center that can execute from both side of his stick while providing a heady defensive presence down the middle .. valued penalty-killer in the Worcester line-up and is often the first man over the boards to kill a five-on-three .. lacks prototypical size but his strong wrists stimulate his crisp passing game and hard wrist shot .. this Clarkson grad's skating continues to get stronger and he remains a key prospect in the Sharks organization.

Frazer McLaren (SJ), LW, Worcester Sharks

Standing at 6-foot-5 228 pounds, McLaren knows his role and has done a good job serving as the enforcer in the Worcester Sharks' line-up .. overall a fluid skater for his size, although he is still working on improving his quickness and overall coordination .. the physical presence he provides with bone rattling hits and the ability to throw his fists makes him a regular in the line-up .. might have some untapped offensive upside because he loves to go to the net at every opportunity and was a decent scorer in the WHL .. boasts a long reach and makes himself a rangy roadblock for opponents to get around in his own zone by opening up his body and stick.