AHL: Rapid Fire Hudler

Detroit Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland will have some thinking to do this season in regards to Jiri Hudler's status. The explosive Czech sniper is dominating the AHL (5-9-4-13) and only Detroit's offensive depth is keeping him from ascending to the NHL. McKeen's correspondent David Burstyn provides in-depth notes on Detroit's and Montreal's farmhands, including Hudler, Valtteri Filppula, Andrei Kostitsyn and Maxim Lapierre.

Andre Benoit (Mtl), D, Hamilton

Next to Danny Syvret is the smallest defender on the team .. a shifty skater who can keep up with the speed of the pro game .. moves well side to side but was beaten to the outside on a few occasions and needs to make slight adjustments to not get caught .. showed some apprehensiveness and nervous jitters in his pro debut .. while playing with Hainsey one could sense that he always wanted to dump the puck off to his defensive mate as opposed to making something happen on his own .. offensively he contributed with Hamilton's only goal of the contest on the PP, recognizing a defensive breakdown, pinching and tipping a Corey Locke shot .. decision-making was suspect as he was prone to bad giveaways and poorly timed icings .. played on the PP regularly .. coach Lever will still have to mix up his defense pairings to get the most of Beniot as he shows some offensive promise.

Maxim Lapierre (Mtl), C, Hamilton

One of the best Bulldogs in the early going .. physical but has a disciplined approach .. speedy forechecker with fast feet .. sometimes gets caught a tad flatfooted but has great speed to the outside and protects the puck extremely well .. 6-2, 205-pounds of energy and hits like a freight train; once completely nailed Bootland, knocking him hard into the glass, leaving the hapless opponent staggering back to the bench .. inspires guys around him with spirited play .. able to create his own scoring chances; carried the puck from the side boards, towards the net with a defender draped all over him and still managed to get a shot off .. has to utilize his teammates better .. will become a favorite amongst players, coaching staff and fans this season.

Corey Locke (Mtl), C, Hamilton

Quick player has improved his speed by leaps and bounds .. creative guy makes unexpected passes .. size remains a concern as he does not assert himself into the danger areas to score .. has to be more aggressive and charge the net harder to create scoring chances and draw penalties .. needs to make quicker decisions in the defensive end, as he frequently holds on to the puck too long and gets stripped .. seems lost at times in the transitional game, as he fails to establish a rhythm with his linemates, though a mutual fault .. shot selection on a 5-on-3 PP was questionable .. wins draws with modest success .. a perimeter player at this time, but has to understand that new rules will favour his game if he makes some adjustments.

Andrei Kostitsyn (Mtl), RW, Hamilton

Still all-offense; when he is not scoring he is basically useless .. shows flashes of creativity in behind the net .. struggles when challenged by strong, experienced defenders; several benchings have already resulted this season .. some renewed work ethic is flashed but thereafter lazy habits resurface .. cost the Bulldogs a game against Grand Rapids when his dumb-headed offensive charge led to a brutal turnover and a successful rush the other way .. completely lost in the defensive zone, failing to pick up his man in the high slot .. passes mostly off the mark .. not a fast skater, though he can be deceptive .. excellent stickhandler, maybe too skilled for his own good .. must step up with team's key losses like Tomas Plekanec.

Valtteri Filppula (Det), LW, Grand Rapids

Brainy two-way player with jam .. shows drive and stickhandling prowess with the puck .. smart, conservative approach; never seems to make the wrong play .. quick tape-to-tape passes get him out of trouble .. not a fast skater but anticipates well and relies on hockey sense .. will find a niche in the NHL eventually due to his strong play away from the puck.

Jiri Hudler (Det), LW, Grand Rapids

Small, crafty scoring winger with some aspects to still iron out .. scores goals due to a lightning-quick release .. very quick stick, blazing feet allow him to gain a step on defenders .. makes plays at top speed, dancing in the offensive zone with excellent stickhandling artistry .. impressive positional sense .. on a line with former NHLers Don MacLean and Eric Manlow and chemistry is apparent .. downside is that he is a liability defensively, frequently ignoring assignments and showing little to no desire to backcheck .. attention to defense and penchant for taking the odd shift off is holding him back from wearing a Red Wings jersey .. as long as Detroit's top two lines are occupied he stays a Griffin.

Kyle Quincey (Det), D, Grand Rapids

Big, punishing defender with lively feet .. plays a simple, effective game .. never seen out of position and makes smart outlet feeds to relieve pressure in his end .. being rewarded with substantial icetime, including second PP until duty .. exhibits a mean streak; other players seem reluctant to play the puck around him .. might be the one to enter Detroit's lineup once Chelios finally hangs them up.