AHL: Sniper School, Lupul Style
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Anaheim Mighty Ducks used the seventh overall pick in 2002 to grab this sniper .. numbers have been impressive this year, but play has been inconsistent .. will have to score in order to stick in the NHL because he is undersized, lacks defensive awareness and doesn't play a physical game .. will turn the puck over at his own blueline at times when he tries to stickhandle his way out of the zone .. has excellent hands and uses lateral movements and dangle to make up for his mediocre skating .. his stride and leg strength have improved along with his first step, which is better than average .. hard to move off the puck, but his top-end speed is still in need of an upgrade .. seems to lack NHL-level vision at times .. will ignore a wide-open outlet in the neutral zone to take it in on his own but is often stopped, causing a turnover the other way .. needs to simplify his game .. for a player of his size and skating, he'll need to quickly adjust to a faster and more physical NHL game .. will fight through traffic when the puck is on his stick and has deceptive speed and leg strength, making him tough to contain one-on-one .. rarely takes a beating in front of the net to score garbage goals .. his magnificent hands have a soft touch in front, partnering well with an uncanny ability to sneak into the play and fire his laser-like elite shot, much like Brett Hull .. has a sniper's instinct and can pick corners from even the toughest of angles .. makes goalies work on what should be routine saves because of his quick, deceptive shot .. elite goal scoring ability will be his ticket to the NHL .. is still about two years away from being an impact offensive player .. needs to move the puck more quickly and will need to play a simpler game at the next level .. great upside despite his defensive deficiencies and he is noticeable offensively night in and night out at this level .. came on strong for Cincinnati in the playoff run.
Stanislav Chistov (Ana), LW
Showed his undeniable upside this season despite sub-par numbers .. has God-given talent but lacks size .. defensive awareness is a concern .. loses his man in the defensive zone, leaves the points open and exits the zone too early .. will occasionally make a nice play and then just chip the puck out when his team needs a change .. lacks interest in backchecking, but will battle hard occasionally .. generally tends to use his stick instead of working hard, which leads to unneeded penalties .. ideal skater for a man his size .. has game-breaking slipperiness .. can maneuver in traffic areas and come out untouched .. rarely fights through checks .. has magnetic hands and the puck just seems to be glued on his stick, allowing him to pull off some highlight reel moves .. can catch a defenseman off-guard, using his effortless stride to gain separation outside .. with space and time and he immediately becomes a dangerous player .. game noticeably excels on the PP .. would greatly benefit offensively from a crackdown on obstruction, but the flip side of that is that his own defensive deficiencies would rear their ugly head .. has elite speed and shiftiness from inside the blueline .. excellent moves and hands .. great playmaking upside .. sees the ice well .. can complete what look like impossible passes .. quick release with a real snap to his shot .. sometimes tries to be too slick and do one move too many, taking himself out of some scoring opportunities .. undeniable offensive upside but his development is in a crucial period .. would benefit from a more demanding NHL coach to shape his game .. if the Ducks are patient and careful with Chistov, he could still emerge as the game-breaking first liner we expected.
Tim Brent (Ana), LW
Anaheim had to draft him twice after not coming to contract terms this past summer .. 37th overall pick in 2002, Ducks needed to re-draft him 75th overall in 2004 .. had impressive season in his first year of pro hockey .. continues to battle his lack of elite physical abilities .. not the biggest, the strongest, nor the fastest and he doesn't have God-given hands, so he should be seen as an overachiever .. heart, grit and zone awareness could have this gutsy player land the role of Captain one day .. in some respects, he's a Mike Ricci-light player that is a better skater than Ricci .. plays on the first PK unit and has excelled throughout the season as a defensive center able to shut down other teams' stars .. skating isn't flashy nor is it incredibly fast, but he's strong and well-balanced on his skates with a good first step that allows him to battle in traffic against stronger opponents .. could stand to add bulk to his frame .. courageously goes to the front of the net to park on the power play .. always the first fore-checker and also the first one back .. smart defensively and seemingly always prevents his man from becoming involved in a scoring play .. draws accolades for his calm, poised play with the puck .. Ducks have a solid third-line center who could step into a second-line role if needed .. smart, defensively-aware player who gives it his all and is a coach's dream.
Chris Kunitz (Ana), LW
Exceeded his goal total of a year ago but has been slowed down by injuries that have affected his aggressiveness .. a quick but undersized forward that is elusive .. isn't blessed with a long, rangy frame but has done his part and is a well-built, stocky player .. stride is fine .. acceleration and agility are good .. moves his legs fast and has the ability to make a sharp cut laterally, but top end speed needs more work .. a smart, instinctive player who has impressive anticipation .. has the ability to pick-pocket a defender and then is off to the races offensively .. quick and accurate shot appears to lack power .. good at sticking with bigger defenders and fighting through traffic, but he's smart enough to pick his spots .. defensively aware .. shows leadership qualities by sticking up for his teammates against any sized opponent .. has a knack for scoring big goals and seems to get better as the game goes on .. should be a solid third-liner that won't be a physical force but will still score occasionally.
Mark Popovic (Ana), D
Wears the "A" on his jersey .. solid frame and is well built .. smart, reliable defender who skates exceptionally well .. runs the PP in Cincinnati but is not likely to find a home on the PP in the NHL .. closing and lateral speed really stand out .. maintains healthy gaps with the rushing forward and stays with the fastest opponents .. not afraid to hit, but isn't overpowering .. gives up his body to block a shot when needed .. has offensive upside thanks to his resourceful playmaking ability .. opts for the safe play but still has the ability to hit a breaking forward with a nice pass .. tends to not shoot from the point, but when he does it gets through and creates those low, juicy rebounds that forwards love .. may not be flashy, but he's getting closer to being a safe NHL defenseman that will be able to keep up with the pace of the game.
Michael Holmqvist (Ana), LW
Rediscovered himself after battling injuries and playing time .. put together an impressive campaign, although the clock is ticking on this soon-to-be 26-year old player .. is NHL-ready .. excellent frame and reach and is steadily building it up at 6'3, 215, although the NHL grind might wear better on him by adding more bulk .. first line ice time with the likes of Lupul has probably inflated his numbers .. shows nifty hands and the ability to stick-handle at top speed and through traffic .. has a quick release and likes to use it, but it ultimately lacks power .. plays a mature game by working hard in all three zones .. gives commendable backchecking efforts, but seems to lack awareness in his own zone .. could use more sand paper in his game .. accurate hitting form, but doesn't pack much punch for a big guy .. perimeter game often sees him avoid the traffic areas .. shows clever playmaking skills and is precise at moving the puck .. skating is impressive for a 6'3 forward .. has a nice burst of speed and can really fly with swift top-end speed .. gains high marks for his clutch play and is demonstrably better when the game is on the line, something that should translate well at the NHL level .. although not the player he projected to be when drafted, he still should fit in well on one of Anaheim's third line winger slots.
Dustin Penner (Ana), C
A hulking forward that stands at 6'2, 240 and plays the style of game you want out of a big man .. has a knack for finding himself in the middle of anything and everything on the ice .. has a rough first step but after that his skating is actually impressive for a man of his size .. non-stop motor allows him to skate hard, battling to keep his legs driving and not stopping until he hits somebody .. creates turnovers on the forecheck and is exceptionally good at getting down low quickly and finishes his hits .. not a mean-spirited player and doesn't agitate; rather, he just plays a hard, physical game that complements his size .. agility and in-close skills are impressive for his frame .. surprisingly soft hands when needed .. coaching staff loves him and rewards him with playing time when the skilled players aren't earning it .. if the Ducks don't find room for him, another team will.