AHL: Detroits Grand Prospects

After finishing with the best overall record in the AHL in 2005-06, the Grand Rapids Griffins suffered a minor setback this season with the promotion of several top prospects such as Jiri Hudler, Tomas Kopecky, and Valtteri Filppula to Detroit. This season, the Griffins finished fourth in the North Division with 85 points and were knocked out of the playoffs in a tough opening round, seven-game series against the Manitoba Moose. The pipeline of prospects, including goaltender Jimmy Howard remains strong however, as Mckeen's reviews several highly coveted prospects that made an impact with the Griffins this season.

Jimmy Howard (Det), G, Grand Rapids

Played nearly 50 games this season and started every playoff game before losing in the opening round against the Manitoba Moose in seven games .. posted great numbers in the playoffs and was one of the key reasons the Griffins nearly upset the Moose .. he is very athletic and has a tremendous feel for the game .. has a tendency to sprawl on the ice to make his saves .. he over commits, but his agility and reflexes allow him to make saves .. struggles slightly down low and around his net .. goes down too early on shooters from the left side, as he tends to favour his right side slightly .. average stickhandler .. a great skater, his movement and mobility serve him well in that area due to his lower body leg strength .. should eventually assume the reigns in Hockeytown but becoming a starter will take much more work and mental toughness.

Danny Syvret (Edm), D, Grand Rapids

The former Memorial Cup-winning London Knight has made great strides in his game to warrant two NHL call-ups in his first two seasons as a pro .. played 16 games this year with the Edmonton Oilers registering one assist, albeit with limited icetime .. a late-bloomer in junior in terms of offence, he did not find his scoring touch until his third season and his pro path could follow a similar trend .. improved on offensive totals, as he appears more confident in the Grand Rapids system after spending last year with the Hamilton Bulldogs .. sees PP time in Grand Rapids and benefits from an aging defensive unit that has taught him the ropes .. he can chip in with an assist, as he keeps his shots relatively low and soft on the net for tip ins .. has average puck moving skills and vision .. he relies on angling players in the defensive zone, as he is very passive in physically .. should continue to develop however, a roster spot in the NHL this year may be unlikely if Oilers management spend their money on a prolific free agent defenseman.

Kyle Quincey (Det), D, Grand Rapids

The type of player that when he goes unnoticed, he is usually doing a great job .. a complimentary defenseman in the AHL, he factors to be a top-five defender for the Red Wings as early as next season .. has a good feel for the game and can make good plays with the puck .. shows good puck-settling skills, as he is very adept at retrieving a puck off the boards from his backhand to forehand .. a nice skater, he is fast and boasts terrific lateral movement .. could still improve on his stops and starts, as sometimes he is drawn out wide by a forward, who will then cut to the net with a quick change of direction .. he does have a decent wingspan and can usually stop a player with his reach and stick however, he would have difficulty against smaller, faster players like a Martin St.Louis or Mike Cammalleri .. slowly becoming a very viable option for an aging Detroit blueline.

Derek Meech (Det), D, Grand Rapids

Has responded well with the additional duties thrust upon him this season, as he was named an assistant captain to start the year .. registered career-highs in all offensive categories, which resulted into a brief audition with the Red Wings is more involved and plays with greater confidence when rushing the puck up the ice .. has the ability to beat players to gain the zone .. plays the point on the PP and does an admirable job .. improved foot speed would allow him to be more effective in joining rushes at the NHL level .. has a good shot but at times, he fails to get into proper position to unload it, as he can be guilty of watching the play .. will not knock anyone senseless but he does have some jam to his physical game .. with a surplus of prospects on the back end (and only so many spots) eager to make their mark with the Red Wings, the organization runs the risk of losing some to free agency, where Meech may be lost before he becomes a key contributor.

Darryl Bootland (Det), RW, Grand Rapids

Bootland suffered a setback this season as he never really found his game .. gets to where he is going by running over people .. relies heavily on his strength, as he lacks a finesse game .. his skating is average, as he is not graceful and does not have exceptional speed or agility .. struggles from lapses in judgement and bouts of laziness, as he looked undetermined on several shifts .. has decent defensive ability, as he will hound a puckcarrier enough to force a turnover .. does not shoot nearly enough, which resulted in his decline in offensive production this year .. provides a grit factor to his game, which may be his calling card into the NHL.

Ryan Oulahen (Det), LW, Grand Rapids

A versatile forward that is able to play with any set of linemates due to his speed and hard work .. he is quick and possesses swift acceleration, yet is a tad choppy, almost as if he is running on the ice .. does not have the greatest set of hands but he stays with plays and works hard putting forth a solid, honest effort every time he steps onto the ice .. he reads the rush very well and plays good positional defence, which makes him a mainstay on the PK .. he does not shoot or pass the puck exceptionally well .. he shoots from the faceoff circle and the left side but does not really drive the net to generate scoring chances .. his low centre of gravity and strength make it hard to knock him off the puck .. paying his dues in the AHL and working toward a fourth-line checking spot in the future.

Evan McGrath (Det), C, Grand Rapids

After putting up solid numbers in his final season of junior, the Oakville native had to make some serious adjustments in his first pro season .. spent a handful of games in the ECHL to start the season to be acclimatized to the speed and strength required in the AHL .. is still under developed in terms of strength and conditioning and too many times he is out-muscled off the puck in all areas of the ice .. does not play with intensity and he will need to show more determination in all facets of his game .. he has adequate speed to keep up with the play however, his lack of courage hinders his game .. played on the PP in an attempt to prompt some offence and increase his confidence, but he failed to recognize his time and space and did not go to the openings .. debut season has been a definite growing and learning experience.

Matt Ellis (Det), C, Grand Rapids

Second year captain returned for his fourth season with the Griffins, as he was a free agent signing from St.Mikes out of the OHL .. played with the Red Wings this season but was used sparingly and could not seem to find his game .. anticipates well at the AHL level, as he excels down low where he uses his centre of gravity and strong lower body to bully his way to the net .. a decent skater, he can plough his way into the zone but is not explosive .. he is quite shifty and can manoeuvre himself into tight spaces .. he gives up too much time and space when defending, as he is guilty of chasing guys around the rink and over committing on one player thus confusing the system .. needs to be less zealous .. an admirable AHL player who most likely will be a role player call up. as he lacks the true scoring prowess to stick with the parent club for extended periods.