AHL: Maxwells House

Despite losing several top prospects to NHL promotion over the last few years, the Hamilton Bulldogs continue to be one of the top teams in the AHL thanks to a steady pipeline of prospects flowing back in. McKeen's correspondent Jeff Parzych has notes on several Bulldogs including Ben Maxwell who currently leads the AHL in rookie scoring.

Ben Maxwell (Mtl.), C, Hamilton Bulldogs

Playing in his rookie season, Maxwell ranks in the top ten in scoring among first-year players in the AHL .. plays in all situations for the Bulldogs, a fixture on their top powerplay unit and also sees time on the penalty kill .. better than average speed with a nice smooth stride, Maxwell does a good job of finding the open spaces on the offensive end .. can stickhandle in traffic, as the puck seems to be attached to his stick at times .. nice quick release on his shot .. been on a real tear after returning from a seven-game stint with the Canadiens, notching 4 goals, 5 assists in his last 10 games .. not the best along the boards… at 6-foot and 177 pounds, he needs to get stronger to compete consistently at the next level .. also needs to prove he can stay healthy after only playing a total of 70 games in his final two season with Kootenay of the Western Hockey League.

Ryan White (Mtl), C, Hamilton Bulldogs

Another rookie pivot playing for Hamilton after four very productive seasons with Calgary of the WHL .. having a very solid rookie campaign .. White has played in every game for the Bulldogs, posting 22 points (9g,13a) along with being an impressive plus-9 .. strong two-way player, excellent on the forecheck and finishes his hits well .. one of the top penalty killers for the Bulldogs along with veteran minor leaguer Steve Gainey .. sees the game really well, reads passing lanes and anticipates well .. doesn't possess blazing speed, but skating is better than adequate .. no real flash to his offensive game, just gets the job done .. has always scored at every level and that has translated to professional level so far.

Shawn Belle (Mtl.), D, Hamilton Bulldogs

Veteran blueliner acquired by Montreal in the summer of 2008 for center Corey Locke .. still possesses NHL-caliber skating ability .. very strong out of his breaks with excellent acceleration, almost impossible to get behind Belle in the defensive zone .. also strong along boards .. not overly physical, but will take the body when necessary .. seems to be under utilized by a deep Hamilton club .. looks to jump into play at times, but teammates rarely find the speedy defenseman ..also sees very little special teams play, almost exclusively even strength .. takes care of his own end, witnessed by a team-leading plus-19 .. seems like he could contribute more on the offensive end…has an average shot from point and sees the ice relatively well .. appears to lack confidence when pressured while carrying the puck .. .has become sort of an anomaly as a stay-at-home defenseman with blazing speed.

Yannick Weber (Mtl.), D, Hamilton Bulldogs

Swiss-born blueliner drafted by Montreal in the third round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft .. had two very productive seasons in OHL with Kitchener prior to joining Bulldogs .. short, stocky defenseman, Weber doesn't possess the best skating stride but gets from point A to point B relatively well .. strength is definitely on the offensive end, as he quarterbacks the Hamilton powerplay .. has an excellent set of hands .. displays a nice low, heavy shot and makes good decisions with and without the puck .. really stepped up his play on offensive end when Hamilton was down in this game .. jumped into the play numerous times and tallied on a nice backdoor play to bring the Bulldogs to within two .. forays into the offensive zone can be dangerous at times .. lack of top-notch recovery speed led to one interference call while attempting to get back and also an odd-man break for an opponent.

Ryan O'Byrne (Mtl.), D, Hamilton Bulldogs

Playing in only his 10th game with the Bulldogs after appearing in 22 games in Montreal .. big, physical defenseman who plays with a definite edge .. uses his size well and set the tone early in this one, leveling an oncoming player with a bone-crushing hit just past the blueline that drew the ire of the competition .. strong skater with a long stride .. above-average in and out of his breaks .. closes well on attackers and uses his pokecheck very effectively .. also very strong in front of the net .. not flashy on the offensive end, but gets the job done .. first pass out of the d-zone is solid and he makes good decisions with the puck ...lacks a booming shot from the point .. very solid stay-at-home defenseman, who has not carved out his niche at the NHL level yet, but should be encouraged by a recent call back up to the Canadiens.