AHL: Wolves’ Dynamic Duo Making Mark

Chicago Wolves rookies Spencer Machacek and Riley Holzapfel have played on the same line together most of the season, they've contributed in all three zones together, and they even live together. Some day in the near future they'll probably be Thrashers together. The positional Machacek tallied a point in all but two games in February while the physical Holzapfel also started tallying regularly in the second half of February. Both have a strong chance of being rookies again in 2009-10, this time for Atlanta, where they could be linemates for years to come.

McKeen's correspondent Kevin Wey had the opportunity to catch the Chicago Wolves in action once in December and once in late February and files notes on Machacek, Holzpafel, goaltender Ondrej Pavelec, and several other Thrashers' prospects.

Spencer Machacek (Atl), LW/RW, Chicago

Rookie-pro seeing icetime in all situations .. has very little lean in his forward skating, but still has decent speed .. crossovers are sometimes more of a hop-step than a true crossover .. hustles on the forecheck and shows nice speed bursts down low .. finishes his checks .. not particularly big at 6-foot-0, 182 pounds, but still adept at protecting the puck around the net with swivels, stickhandling and can create plays .. has a fairly hard wristshot .. has a hard one-timer .. also displayed a decent backhand .. willing to block shots .. see times on both the powerplay and the penalty kill .. is adapting well to the AHL and now scoring a point nearly every game .. still projects to be a superior third-liner, but it's now looking very possible that he just may be a full-time NHLer in 2009-10 for the Thrashers .. as of the NHL trade deadline, he had 18 goals and 17 assists in 60 games. Click the link for a recent interview with Spencer Machacek

Riley Holzapfel (Atl), C, Chicago

Rookie-pro showing good chemistry with Machacek .. has some sandpaper in his game, is F1 on the forecheck often, and finishes his checks .. threat to lay down some hard hits .. has decent offensive vision off the half boards .. makes crisp, quick passes .. also able to make nice touch passes .. like Machacek, not real big at 6-foot-0, 185 pounds, but able to protect the puck down low, around the net and create plays .. sees time on the powerplay .. two-way center more physical than Machacek but not as big of an offensive threat .. won't be surprised if Machacek and Holzapfel comprise two-third's of Atlanta's third line long into the future .. plays enough of an energy game to succeed as a fourth-liner in the NHL, too .. as of the NHL trade deadline, he had 10 goals and 16 assists in 62 games with Chicago.

Ondrej Pavelec (Atl), G, Chicago

Wolves have less veteran offensive presence than in recent years, but Pavelec keeps them extremely competitive .. was in Atlanta for December viewing, pitched a shutout for the Wolves in February viewing .. his game looked more conventional and technical .. did a good job to stay compact in his butterfly and reduce any holes .. took most pucks in the logo and allowed no rebounds .. butterfly pads saves were consistently directed into the corners .. mobile in his crease with strong push-offs .. still displayed the quick glove he's been known for .. was active in coming out of his crease to stop dumped pucks that would not draw icing and looked confident doing so .. this Pavelec, one playing a more technical game but still having his base athleticism, has a very bright future .. Kari Lehtonen is a restricted free agent at the end of the season and Johan Hedberg has one year left on his contract, but Pavelec is unlikely to accept a third season in the AHL, thus someone will have to be moved .. as of the NHL trade deadline, he had played in 28 games with a 15-12-1 record, 3 shutouts, a 2.28 goals-against average, and a. 923 save percentage .. also played 541 minutes for Atlanta in 11 games and had a 3-6 record with a 3.55 goals-against average and a .884 save percentage.

Grant Lewis (Atl), D, Chicago

Missed 10 games from mid-November through early December due to a shoulder injury .. puckmoving defenseman is a regular on the powerplay, but wasn't double-shifting as in previous viewings this season .. fairly poised with the puck when pressured .. pinches into the offensive zone but looks for the pass .. crisp passer who can spring opponents with a hard pass up to the far blueline .. has quick feet walking the blueline .. 24-year-old, second-year pro made his NHL debut in early March, but still questionable as to whether he has a future in the NHL as a puckmoving defenseman, or only primarily at the AHL level .. as of the NHL trade deadline, he had 21 assists in 51 games for Chicago.

Jordan LaVallee (Atl), LW, Chicago

Definitely has the size needed to be a checking-line player in the NHL at 6-foot-2, 224 pounds .. stint in Atlanta in February seemed to increase confidence a bit, as he displayed smooth stickhandling and poise with the puck .. also demonstrated some agility with the puck down low to maintain possession and try to make plays .. flashed his hard snapshot .. had good stride extension and speed .. played on the second powerplay unit .. as usual, he finished his checks .. still to be seen whether LaVallee develops into an NHL checking-line forward, a fourth-liner with some skill, or if he only sees small stints in the NHL during his career .. was out of the lineup during the December viewing .. recalled to Atlanta Feb. 12 and returned to Chicago Feb. 25 .. as of the NHL trade deadline, he had 16 goals and 8 assists in 48 games for Chicago and played 2 games with Atlanta.

Arturs Kulda (Atl), D, Chicago

Skating stride is a little clunky and needs lengthening .. wide-tracked skater whose skating stance is as if he's sitting at all times, even skating forward .. lets gaps shrink, but doesn't have any alternative, because he lacks speed backwards .. gets down low backwards and will ride opponents into the boards .. plays on the penalty kill .. passes were generally crisp and on the tape .. would like to see him spend some quality time with a high-end power skating instructor this summer to adjust his stride and give him more speed .. as of the NHL trading deadline, he had 1 goal and 11 assists in 41 games for Chicago.

Scott Lehman (Atl), D, Chicago

Defenseman looked much improved in December viewing, but was playing forward in February viewing .. in December viewing, he was receiving regular icetime in all situations and the boost in his confidence showed .. played on the powerplay and worked the top of the umbrella .. skated the puck out of his zone often and did so successfully .. displayed decent speed bursts joining the attack .. made crisp passes .. played on the penalty kill .. defensively, needs to make sure he doesn't lose his positioning and doesn't face away from his assignment when stopping .. at forward, put in a good effort and played with some physicality .. hope to see Lehman back at defense because of how much improvement he had shown in December viewing from previous viewings .. recalled Dec. 18 to Atlanta and played 1 game before being re-assigned back to Chicago .. as of the NHL trade deadline, he had 2 goals and 2 assists in 41 games for Chicago.

Brett Sterling (Atl), LW, Chicago

Third-year pro's production has gone down all three years .. injured in early February and had not returned as of early March .. showed flashes in December viewing .. good speed with the puck and good quickness and acceleration for loose pucks .. able to emerge from board battles with the puck .. displays some slick stickhandling .. has a quick wristshot .. plays with some grit, but not as much as in previous seasons .. shows flashes of his skill, but shift-to-shift intensity seems to be lower, perhaps losing the belief that he has a strong chance in the NHL .. could be a career AHLer/European elite league player, as he does not have the defensive presence to make the NHL that route .. as of the NHL trading deadline, he had 13 goals and 13 assists in 38 games for Chicago and 1 goal in 3 games for Atlanta.

Mike Hamilton (Free Agent), LW, Chicago

Former Thrashers draft pick not signed by the club out of University of Maine .. had an excellent game in February viewing .. was active on the forecheck and the backcheck .. finished his checks on the forecheck and worked to angle opponents to the boards on the backcheck .. displayed good quickness to loose pucks .. scored two breakaway goals, one five-hole and one sniped with a very hard wristshot .. has decent size at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds .. 25-year-old, second-year pro might earn an NHL two-way contract yet .. as of the NHL trading deadline, he had 2 goals and 1 assist in 15 games for the Wolves .. earlier in the season he played for the Houston Aeros and scored 1 goal and 4 assists in 17 games .. also had 6 goals and 6 assists in 22 games for the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL.