AHL: Rampage Rise like Phoenix

The myth of the phoenix is that at the end of its life cycle, it burns its nest with it in it, both are reduced to ashes, but a young phoenix arises from the ashes, regenerated to live again. It is thus fitting in 2008-09 that the San Antonio Rampage is the AHL affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes. San Antonio started the season with a horrific 2-20-0-1 record, going down in ashes, but as the NHL trade deadline passed, it was clear that the team had regenerated, as the Rampage held a 25-33-2-4.

Although still a long shot to make the AHL Calder Cup Playoffs, it's obvious to see that San Antonio is respectable again, thanks in part to contributions of players that started the season in Phoenix but have been re-assigned to the AHL affiliate, such as 2008 Hobey Baker Award winner Kevin Porter and third overall pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft Kyle Turris. Also instrumental in that resurrection have been the contributions of rookie-pros Chad Kolarik and Brett MacLean and AHL rookie David Schlemko, whose gone from patrolling the bluelines of the Central Hockey League to a cup of coffee with the Coyotes in less than a year.

McKeen's correspondent Kevin Wey had the opportunity to see the San Antonio Rampage once in late January and once in late February and files notes on Turris, Porter, Schlemko, MacLean, Kolarik, and a few other noteworthy Phoenix prospects.

Kyle Turris (Phx), C, San Antonio

Assigned to San Antonio for an 8-game stint from February 12 through March 2 .. one AHL viewing .. put in a very good defensive effort .. was very quick in getting to his defensive assignment and hounded opponents on the forecheck .. made it difficult for opponents to break the puck out and made it difficult for the pointmen while on the PK .. was also bothersome on the backcheck .. able to make very tight circles to react quickly to loose pucks .. displayed good offensive vision for spotting teammates and made hard, accurate passes .. as in the NHL game, even short passes were fairly hard .. able to connect on some nice saucer passes .. quick feet, but would like to see him generate more power in his crossovers .. played on the powerplay .. dynamic 19-year-old lived up to his billing and perhaps more defensively .. at 6-foot-0, 170 pounds, he does need to add more quality mass .. as of the NHL trading deadline, he had 4 goals and 3 assists in 8 games for San Antonio and 6 goals and 10 assists in 50 games for Phoenix.

Kevin Porter (Phx), LW, San Antonio

Started the season with Phoenix, but was assigned to San Antonio in December .. one of San Antonio's top offensive producers, but puts in a very good defensive effort .. consistently finishes his checks on the forecheck and has some success separating defensemen from the puck .. tenacious on the forecheck and creates turnovers or takeaways .. played on the powerplay .. has a fairly powerful stride and has good top speed .. displays some agility with the puck and can buy teammates a little time and make a play .. possesses a heavy one-timer .. 2008 Hobey Baker Award winner at Michigan, along with a number of other awards, plays a conscientious two-way game .. turns 23 in mid-March .. as of the NHL trading deadline, he had 9 goals and 12 assists in 26 games for San Antonio and 5 goals and 5 assists in 34 games for Phoenix.

David Schlemko (Phx), D, San Antonio

Has gone from Central Hockey League to NHL in less than a year .. puckmoving defenseman has been focusing on adding more strength .. listed at 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, but the weight may be inflated .. plays on the powerplay and is a threat pinching in from the point .. is responsible in pinching .. has a hard one-timer from the point .. also has a crisp wristshot from the point .. possesses soft hands and puts his passes on the tape to advance the puck or from the point .. lateral movement with the puck at the point is good and receives passes softly .. plays his two-on-one's well .. needs to become stronger along the boards so that fewer opponents fight through his checks .. did show a knack of teaming up with different d-partners to level opponents trying to split them .. no surprise on the powerplay, but also skated on the penalty kill .. only Rampage defenseman so far in 2008-09 to skate for Phoenix .. as of theNHL trading deadline, he had 5 goals and 19 assists in 53 games for San Antonio and had 1 assist in 3 games with Phoenix. Click the link for a recent interview with David Schlemko

Brett MacLean (Phx), LW, San Antonio

Has made noticeable strides in his skating since earlier in the season .. does not appear as heavy-footed and actually shows a little quickness and acceleration .. acceleration with the puck still must improve, though, otherwise separation will be almost non-existent at NHL level .. stride extension is good and can generate decent top speed .. possesses a hard shot .. has a decent snapshot that he can get off in stride .. also has a hard wristshot and slapshot .. has quiet but strong presence around the net and uses his 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame to set screens .. also able to create plays from around the net .. big man in front on the powerplay .. has the potential to become a secondary power forward on an NHL roster with further improvements to skating, particularly in the fast-twitch muscle fiber department .. as of the NHL trading deadline, he had 17 goals and 12 assists in 58 games.

Chad Kolarik (Phx), RW, San Antonio

Twenty-three-year-old second in San Antonio scoring, but not currently seeing the NHL upsides .. plays point on the powerplay .. has good lateral movement walking the blueline with the puck and to sidestep opponents .. displays his offensive vision in the offensive zone with centering passes off the half boards .. has an okay wristshot and a decent snapshot .. slapper from the point fairly hard .. does not currently have the offensive ability to make Phoenix's roster on offense alone, and doesn't add the element of sandpaper that teammate Kevin Porter does, so not certain if his game as it stands translates to the NHL .. as of the NHL trading deadline, he had 15 goals and 26 assists in 60 games for San Antonio.

Jonas Ahnelov (Phx), D, San Antonio

Plays a solid all-around game .. isn't flashy, but connects with crisp, hard, accurate passes, be they short breakout passes or longer passes into the neutral zone .. has a long stride that produces good speed .. shot selection features power .. has a hard one-timer, hard wrister, and a hard slapshot .. played on the penalty kill .. appears to be adjusting well to the North American game .. 6-foot-3, 215-pound defenseman has size, mobility, and keeps things fairly simple .. the Rampage defenseman whose game I expect to translate to the NHL the best, probably as a dependable fifth or sixth defenseman .. as of the NHL trading deadline, he had 1 goal and 6 assists in 41 games and a team-leading, plus-3 rating.

Alexander Nikulin (Phx), C, San Antonio

Skilled Russian centering San Antonio's fourth line, often with players incapable of fully capitalizing on his skill .. heads-up stickhandler able to continually assess his options .. slick hands with considerable dangle .. able to raise the puck quickly from in close .. displays excellent hand-eye coordination .. makes crisp, hard passes, but checks are often feather-light .. has a hard one-timer .. also has a hard shot in general .. sees some time on the powerplay, but saw little in second viewing .. skating with two fighters in second viewing, was almost invisible .. purely offensive player, and it's hard to see him staying in North America to center fourth lines in the AHL .. as of the NHL trade deadline, he had 6 goals and 15 assists in 50 games for San Antonio, after 2 goals in 5 games for Binghamton .. played one game with Phoenix and only saw 5:35 of icetime (0 points).

Sean Sullivan (Phx), D, San Antonio

Has improved since earlier viewings this season .. played a more positional game and was not guilty of running around .. developing into one of San Antonio's top defensemen .. has a hard shot from the point that is a scoring threat .. has a crisp wristshot from the point and a decent snapshot .. has good stride extension and is a fairly smooth skater .. has good mobility backwards and can adjust laterally without making crossovers .. confident in his mobility and lets his gaps shrink .. 5-foot-11, 194-pound defenseman played with some physicality, engaging much larger forwards physically and dropping a couple with low hip checks or battling for loose pucks .. also uses mobility to walk the blueline with the puck smoothly .. played on both the powerplay and the penalty kill .. turns 25 later this March .. making positive progress and could be worth a look in Phoenix .. as of the NHL trade deadline, he had 7 goals and 17 assists in 49 games for San Antonio.

Alex Bourret (Phx), LW, San Antonio

Checking-line forward has missed significant time due to injury this year .. very quick and agile .. uses his quickness to hound opponents on the forecheck and the backcheck .. more than willing to finish his checks and will go for some big ones .. also applies his quickness and agility with the puck to evade and escape pressure .. has a little dangle to go with it .. unfortunate that Bourret has missed so much time, as he has many of the characteristics of a successful NHL energy-line forward .. as of the NHL trading deadline, he had 3 goals and 11 assists in 37 games for San Antonio.

Sean Zimmerman (Phx), D, San Antonio

Started the season with Arizona Sundogs, but injuries in San Antonio have given him a chance .. playing primarily a sixth-defenseman role for Rampage .. 6-foot-2, 200-pounder plays the body and will engage at the blueline .. reduces crossovers backwards, allows gaps to shrink .. willing to drop to block shots or prevent passes .. sees some time on the penalty kill .. not particularly involved in the offense attack, but can use his reach to handle the puck wide with one hand .. as of the NHL trading deadline, he was pointless in 22 games for San Antonio and had 3 assists in 20 games for Arizona (Central League).

Al Montoya (Phx), G, San Antonio

Confidence has taken a beating this year, but will be San Antonio's starter down the stretch after Phoenix dealt Mikael Tellqvist and recalled Josh Tordjman .. looked good in this start - a shootout win .. made a number of quick, crisp glove saves .. was quick in his pad slides across the crease .. was also quick getting back up and in getting back to the far post, if necessary .. a strong finish to the 2008-09 season may salvage what was a diminishing NHL future .. as of the NHL trade deadline, he had played over 22 games, had a 4-14-2 record, a 3.60 goals-against average, and a .875 save percentage.

David Spina (Phx), RW, San Antonio

Fourth-year pro continues to improve .. still leans forward a lot skating, but knee bend is excellent and has very good speed and quickness as a result .. quick and possesses good acceleration to separate with the puck or crash the net post haste .. demonstrated good agility with the puck with switchbacks to evade checkers or spins to corral difficult pucks .. has good offensive vision and can connect on passes through traffic .. utilizes his points .. plays on the powerplay .. perhaps undersized at 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, but not an issue at the AHL level due to speed, quickness, and effort .. may or may not have an NHL future, but certainly quality AHL depth to help younger prospects succeed .. as of the NHL trade deadline, he was leading San Antonio in scoring with 15 goals and 31 assists.