Draft Blowing Hard in Portland

Troy Rutkowski (2010), D, Portland:

Strongs stride and strikes an imposing figure given his solid 6-foot-1, 220-pound frame .. boasts a heavy shot .. finishes his checks .. doesn't panic in high pressure situations .. needs to show more urgency at times as he can be a bit too lackadaisical .. will carry the puck up the ice, but isn't much of a threat to go end-to-end on too many attempts .. when he stops moving his feet he gets himself in trouble .. needs to cut off the pass better on an odd man rush .. can look a bit stiff if forced to turn quickly .. plays on both special teams .. on the number one pairing with Brett Ponich .. selected to be on Team Cherry for the upcoming CHL Top Prospects game .. CS Preliminary WHL rating = 5. (38gp, 7-16-23, -3)

Brad Ross (2010), LW, Portland:

Displays very good mobility and has the stickhandling prowess to take the puck to the net .. boasts splendid acceleration and top end speed .. can be guilty of overhandling the puck, but usually looks and finds the open man .. not a bruiser by any means, but should eventually fill out his 6-foo-1, 175-pound frame .. when he's on he can slip in to the holes of the defensive coverage .. doesn't appear as interested in his defensive responsibilities as he does the offensive ones .. possesses nice elusiveness avoiding checks .. is a bit sloppy with the puck at times .. will take shifts off and must be more consistent playing with grit and determination without the puck to prove he should be given a shot at the next level .. played on a line with Nino Niederreiter and Ryan Johansen .. is a regular on the powerplay .. CS Preliminary WHL rating = 13. (38gp, 16-21-37, +12)

Ryan Johansen (2010), C, Portland:

Surprisingly heavy wrist shot and pretty decent hands in close .. already boasts a pro size frame at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds .. has the speed and acceleration to pressure a defender in to make a mistake .. displays nice patience with the puck and can wait for a play to open up .. uses his long wing span effectively .. not a punishing hitter, but doesn't avoid contact either .. not blessed with an elite first step and some question whether he keeps his feet moving enough .. is able to take the pass in his feet with ease .. conscientious defensively .. centers one of the most dynamic draft eligible lines in the WHL which features Nino Niederreiter and Brad Ross .. is a regular on the powerplay as well as seeing a bit of time on the penalty-kill .. selected to be on Team Cherry in the CHL Top Prospects game .. CS Preliminary WHL rating = 9. (38gp, 11-23-34, +2)

Nino Niederreiter (2010), LW, Portland:

Slick puckhandler that can dazzle with his imagination, although he can be guilty .. hand-eye coordination is simply splendid .. showcases the hands to pick the corner with a lethally accurate wrist shot .. will take a defender wide and then cut in to the middle for a scoring chance .. 6-foot-2, 205 pounds and is fairly solid on his feet .. not hesitant to drive the net with the puck and rarely panics with a scoring chance on his stick .. must learn to attack the offensive zone with more speed as he tends to like to stop moving his feet and hold up looking to make a play .. will shoot from almost anywhere .. sports a deceptive stride which can catch a checker napping .. plays on a line with Ryan Johansen and Brad Ross .. a regular on the powerplay .. will be on the Swiss team playing at the World U20 Championships in Saskatchewan and has also been selected to be on Team Orr for the CHL Top Prospects game .. CS Preliminary WHL rating = 6. (37gp, 23-18-41, +7)