AHL: Davids Goliath Effort

Despite languishing in the cellar of its Conference, the Utah Grizzlies had a chance to win more games than it probably deserved thanks to the goaltending of David LeNeveu. We've got detailed notes on the outstanding Phoenix netminding prospect, plus scouting reports for Jakub Koreis, Randall Gelech, Kiel McCleod, Fredrik Sjostrom and defenseman Matthew Spiller.

David LeNeveu (Phx), G

An excellent goaltending prospect stuck on a terrible team in Utah that could still single-handedly win a game .. shut down the high-powered Milwaukee Admirals late in the year .. strong fundamental goalie with an accomplished butterfly that is so tight that even without having his stick on the ice there is no five-hole .. no effects of fatigue despite playing ten more games in net this year compared to last .. played some of his best games late in the season .. among the best balance of any goaltender out there .. moves laterally incredibly quickly, yet still keeps his feet planted and gets square to the shooter .. rarely makes an awkward-looking save or has trouble regaining position on a rebound after going down .. impressive balance .. magnificent leg strength allows him to push off well .. doesn't overdo his movements laterally as many goalies his age do .. calm and methodical in his movements .. has some kinks in the armor .. tends to go down way too early and often leaves the corners open .. his legs are elite quick while has hands may simply be described as good .. keeps his pads vertical and square with that tilt to the post in his form that the most of the top NHL goaltenders have .. that form allows shots to be deflected into the corner instead of back in front into traffic areas .. blocker is incredibly good with great rebound control .. keeps his paddle on the ice and takes away everything low while staying on one knee, readying himself for a quick pass or a shot up high .. a competitor that shows number one goalie qualities .. consistency should be commended this season, especially given the team he was on .. due for an NHL tryout as soon as the league resumes play.

Jakub Koreis (Phx), C

Former 19th overall pick by the Coyotes had an awful first season in the pros .. struggled early in the season and saw ice time decrease dramatically thanks to his uninterested appearance .. Phoenix brass obviously made the call to give him more responsibility and ice time in all situations near the end of the year, something that could pay off down the line .. noticeable development in the last few weeks of the season .. big kid at 6'3, 213 who can play a mature two-way game .. was once labeled as the safest pick in the draft in '02 after the top ten were gone .. skating is hit and miss .. moves smoothly for his size, showing good agility and a smooth cross-over .. effective in-close speed thanks to his long stride and quick first step .. skating needs work when going from zone to zone .. adequate foot speed for his size .. stride lacks strength and conditioning, something that becomes more apparent as the shift wears on .. seems to play a perimeter game, which isn't necessarily good for a big man .. chooses to work the outside but his speed isn't fast enough at this level to make it work .. willing to pay the price in front of the net .. exceptional balance and strength allows him to plant in traffic and he can't be moved .. great on the cycle and does his best work along the boards, where he can stickhandle with one hand and hold off defenders with the other .. playmaking ability hasn't come along as nicely in his transition to the pro game .. given time he should be able to make reads more quickly .. deserves recognition for his PK work .. back-checks hard .. shows slick defensive awareness .. plays a strong two way game, despite his mediocre +/- rating .. forecheck improved as the year went on ..impressive shot but he needs to use it more often .. release is quick and it comes off his stick quickly .. accurate shot but ultimately lacks power .. becomes more dangerous when he uses his size to go to the front of the net and shoots .. scored a goal against Milwaukee by using his size down low, winning a battle in the corner and taking the puck in front on a wrap-around, showing the maturity and poise to hold onto the puck and make the goalie flinch first, burying it five-hole .. overall had a horrible season, but showed some signs late that should make the Coyotes confident they still have a legit prospect here .. likely a third line center who brings mature two-way game and will play on the PK.

Randall Gelech (Phx), RW

Blessed with a power forward frame (6'3, 210) but doesn't play like one .. no mean streak .. the only way he uses his size to his advantage is with his low center of gravity and his strong legs and balance that allow him to plant in the corners or in front, making him hard to move .. needs to be more competitive and motivated to become more of a presence on the ice .. picks his spots and is prone to long stretches of going completely unnoticed .. solid skater for his size .. good acceleration but his feet stop moving and he coasts too much, possibly from coming off his ankle injury .. appears to have good defensive awareness and receives plenty of PK time despite his bad +/- rating .. identifies his man well and ties him up quickly .. stealthily sneaks into prime scoring positions .. should shoot more since it's his best asset .. quick and accurate release that packs a powerful punch .. has trouble creating plays .. should forecheck harder .. will benefit from more ice time and seasoning in the minors, but seems to need a fire lit under him.

Kiel McLeod (Phx), C

Hard not to notice the towering forward standing at 6'6, 233 .. lanky but has strong legs and arms .. can really lean on players and move them off the puck with little effort .. loves to plant his feet in front and crash the net, but could still be a bit more aggressive and mean to take advantage of his size .. solid first step with surprisingly good agility for such a big man .. lumbering foot speed and bad top-end speed are a bit of concern .. long stride still manages to get him around the nice .. packs a hard, accurate shot accurate .. quicker release would prevent telegraphing the location of the shot, while still taking advantage of its immense power .. solid hands and uses his long reach to get around defenders but struggles with in-close hand-eye coordination .. sometimes lets passes and opposing clears go through his legs or right by his stick .. has shown more of an edge than last year but too many of his PIM's are still coming from lazy penalties .. gets PP time and converted several scoring chances with the man advantage thanks to his rocket shot and being able to stand his ground in front of the net.

Fredrik Sjostrom (Phx), RW

11th overall pick in 2001 hasn't been the dominating offensive force Coyotes management expected .. gets knocked off the puck easily but doesn't back down from physical challenges and will take a hit to make the play .. skates hard and shows a lot of character and drive going for loose pucks .. defensive zone coverage is a bit worrisome at times, although it has improved .. showed more commitment toward the end of the year .. awkward stride, like a grasshopper on ice because he moves his body and limbs, hoping to gain momentum and speed .. quick feet and a frog-like stance with a crouched skating stride .. slippery at times and can really burst laterally, lending itself to being crafty one-on-one .. lacks all-around agility .. seems to battle to stay on balance when crossing over or regaining stride after he stops, sometimes actually falling over .. point totals would have been higher if he wasn't on such an offensively-challenged squad .. nice hands and can dangle around defenders .. when given time he's a weapon, especially on the PP .. can thread the needle with beautiful passes .. makes you wonder what he could do with more skill on his team, as he's often the one who has to rush the puck up to the offensive zone – something that's really not a strength .. really competes offensively and doesn't back down, finishing his hits with vigor at times.

Matthew Spiller (Phx), D

Hulking defenseman at 6'5, 230 .. excellent reach and range along with a physical edge .. good agility and quick legs for his size, but lacks a powerful first step .. can still get to players in one or two strides because of his range .. has a lively stick that is effective with the poke check .. mean physical side could really blossom if he added bulk .. can lean on people and wear down forwards in his own zone .. doesn't stray far from his net .. likes to play a crease-clearing style and takes an exception to anyone who gets in front of his goaltender .. smart player that makes sure his goalie isn't screened .. makes sound outlet decisions .. not much creativity in the offensive zone, generally just shooting the puck soon after it hits his stick .. packs a wallop of a shot that isn't highly accurate, but is kept low and on the ice to maximize rebounds .. shows good instincts and knows when to leave the offensive zone to get back on D .. backwards skating is fine and he can stick with his man .. struggles with quick, shifty defenseman and can get caught holding .. might have a problem in the NHL with an obstruction crackdown .. has a temper and is prone to bad penalties .. should be a good sixth defenseman who doesn't hurt the team thanks to his size and physical play.