Feb Draft Update: On The Rise

Simon Bolduc - LW (Acadie-Bathurst)

This hulking native of Cap-Rouge, Quebec has found the net just five times this season, however our QMJHL watchers have noticed steady improvement in his game since the opening month. "He's one of my favorite darkhorses this year," comments one scout. "Energetic, hard-working winger who uses his 6-foot-5 frame to battle in the corners and bulldoze his way to the front of the net. He's shown decent puck skills and offensive instincts, and his footwork is quite good for a big man, strong powerful strides and deceptive speed, though he needs to get stronger on his skates as he tends to get knocked down too easily. The raw skill set is here to develop into an effective pro power forward and I see him knocking on the draft door quite possibly by the third or fourth round. You can't go too far wrong with this kind of size, strength and willingness to compete every shift."

Evan Brophey - C (Belleville)

Top Prospects Game participant can be one of the OHL's most dangerous offensive weapons when he plays smart and hungry, however his inability to maintain energy and a strong work ethic has been frustrating for scouts. "Brophey has shown me more dedication than last year but he still slacks off too much at times," says a scout. "But he has really taken off after an early-season trade from Barrie. He's a strong skater with a terrific shooting arsenal. He seems to be growing vertically every time I see him and his point totals have grown accordingly. He has a magnificent pair of hands and wins faceoffs. I think that his skills could land him in round two."

Chris Butler - D (Sioux City)

Smart, reliable, solid, quietly effective - all aptly describe this Kirkwood, Missouri native whose efficient two-way play drew a heated recruiting battle last Spring with defending champion Denver Pioneers coming out on top. "He is a very sound technical skater," according to one scout. "His body is upright and well-balanced regardless of which way he moves and he really possesses impressive first-step fluidity, speed and lateral agility. He handles the puck well, gets physical when needed, consistently makes good safe outlet decisions, and also supports the puck well in all three zones." A second scout concurs. "He gets the job done in an unflashy, business-like way. He's rarely out of position and plays with a bit of an edge. The Blues could do worse than spending a third-round pick on this stable homegrown product."

Tom Fritsche - LW (Ohio State)

Team USA's last cut for the Under-20 World Juniors is a shifty and aggressive attacker with the puck. Creative and always willing to try something new, Fritsche is explosive and tenacious. "He knows how to find open space out there and has very quick hands." says a scout. "He is still not strong enough to power though checks along the boards but he'll instead wiggle his way free, looking to take alternate routes. He's very industrious that way. I would like to see him add some added muscle to his upper body but he appears to have strong legs. He's aware defensively but is more oriented to attack, quickly breaking out of the zone and creating openings with his speed and anticipation. His balance is good and he keeps his feet and hands moving."

Magnus Isaksson - C (Lulea)

"Finally getting some recognition", says our Swedish correspondent, referring to Isaksson heading to his first international competition for the Five Nations tournament in February. "He is in excellent shape and has been a standout in junior with seven points in the last five games. He is productive and entertaining, as opposed to last year when he was only the latter but could not buy a goal for himself. While smallish, he compensates with smarts, creativity, quick feet and, most importantly, the willingness to compete physically. Magnus is not as intense as Fredrik Pettersson but he refuses to get pushed around."

Petr Kalus - RW (Vitkovice)

The slick, chippy winger was a standout in January in the junior league, picking up where he left off at the Under-18 Five Nations. "Kalus shows that when on his game he can dominate junior action and if not for the depth of the senior club he would likely get a promotion to the pros, " says a correspondent. "He has soft hands and skates with quick bursts of speed to go along with a tenacious approach. He is a bit dirty, something he doesn't show as much in international action, which is okay but every now and then he'll overuse his stick. Must utilize his linemates more creatively."

Anton Krysanov - C (Lada Togliatti)

Multi-dimensional player began to draw serious scouting interest in late December when he was somewhat unexpectedly called up to play for Togliatti of the Super League. He impressed enough to stick with the club for several games, thriving under the tutelage of Petr Vorobiev, a staunch promoter of young talent. "Krysanov has nice size and good puck tools," says a correspondent. "He does need to vastly improve his skating to pace his development. However his vision and mature all-around play have been real eye-openers. An indication of his development is that his call-up was not a reflection of the Superleague's Under-20 rule, which states that each team must ice two teenage players. However, with Dmitri Vorobiev and Grigori Panin already regulars, Krysanov truly earned his role."

Marek Kvapil - RW (Saginaw)

Explosive attacking winger was a mystery selection by Saginaw at last summer's import draft and has paid huge dividends as the offensive leader with the Spirit. Also stood out at the World Junior Championships. "He was basically in the doghouse in Slavia Prague and no team was willing to give him a shot in the pros," says a scout. "He was 19 when the Spirit drafted him and had a reputation for being strictly a one-way player, however he's very good at that. He's been on fire the past two months and is one of the fastest skaters in the OHL; slippery, explosive all at the same time. He has magnificently quick, soft hands around the net and can finish with an effortless flick of the wrist; his release is nasty. His imagination and stickhandling wizardry are hard to ignore. With all of that in mind, Kvapil's professional future is not a given. He just recently turned 20, which makes his junior dominance less impressive. His physical strength and two-way dedication are causes for concern. At his worst, he's a lazy cherry-picker and while he succeeds stickhandling through OHL defensemen, you can bet he'll have a harder time trying that trick against men."

Richard Lelkes - LW (Dukla Trencin)

Steadily climbing the charts, this big 6-foot-3 teenager is among the top snipers in the Slovak Junior Extraliga with 20 goals in just 27 games for Trencin, and has also appeared in 25 games for the senior team. However our scout warns not to get too excited just yet. "He is still looking a bit lazy and doesn't make full use his excellent physical tools, although he is seeing a larger role on the Trencin senior team and even skated on the top three lines at the Super Six Tournament. He has excellent size and would be a premiere forward prospect and potential first-rounder if he wasn't so sleepy-looking during shifts. His lack of effort is keeping him down in the mid-to-late second round. The upcoming Four Nations tournie in Slovakia should shed more light on his progress."

Phil Oreskovic - D (Brampton)

We loved what we saw from Oreskovic last year, but he looked like a shadow of his former self in early season viewings, seemingly losing his physical edge and making horrendous decisions with the puck. But the big fella seems to be back in the groove. "He's built like a truck and is playing with an edge," says a scout. "What I also like about him is that his knows his limitations, moving the puck quickly and staying in position. Skating is a bit of an issue but you no longer see him get flat footed often. He intimidates opposing forwards with his presence and meanness, laying guys out on the ice with bone-crushing checks. Few are foolish to challenge him with a head of steam."

Pier-Olivier Pelletier - G (Drummondville)

He may be far from having the polish and fundamentals of his idol Martin Brodeur, but Pelletier has been quietly making a name for himself on a sub-par Voltigeurs team. "His poise is excellent for his age but his glove hand is the Achilles Heel at the moment. That's where guys are going on him and he'll have to improve it if he's to be a serious prospect. He's a very good positional goalie with sound reflexes both laterally and vertically. His rebound control was fine and his ability to recover with surprising balance and dexterity impress me. His size and athleticism are getting noticed by NHL scouts."

Bobby Ryan - RW (Owen Sound)

"He and Latendresse probably exhibit the finest true power forward qualities for this draft," says a correspondent. The massive Ryan was a rarity among sophomore players in the OHL, dominating with his size and his hands on his way to a top-five position in league scoring before Alex Bourret's unforgiving hit in the Top Prospects Game put him out of action. "Once he gets his sights and reach on the puck in the corners he is virtually unstoppable. He is just so strong and he surprises you with how deceptively he moves, with nifty hesitations and a good first step. He is a horse out there and probably has top-three hands in the draft."

Devin Setoguchi - RW (Saskatoon)

Top Prospects Game standout has been cementing a reputation as a goal scorer with undeniable physical jam. "If I am an NHL General Manager and I am picking in the top ten of the draft, this guy is in the back of my head, " says a scout. "Devin has a sniper's touch but combines an elite combination of a wide, powerful skating base, strength on the puck and meanness. His goal scoring gifts are undeniable - he has a knack for arriving in prime scoring positions in the nick of time. He is constantly in motion on the ice, tenacious and aggressive. His physical intensity gives the impression that he is three inches and 20 pounds bigger. Always keeps his feet driving through checks and is fearless in danger areas."

Sergei Shirokov - LW (CSKA)

We gave him serious props before the World Junior Championships and Shirokov reaffirmed our admiration of his scoring exploits in North Dakota where he was one of Russia's prized offensive weapons. It was somewhat unfortunate that most headlines involving Shirokov's name were for his cocky gestures and post-goal celebrations. Despite the apparent attitude, he exhibits a sniper's scoring touch and surprising strength on the puck. Shirokov was initially a long shot to make the Russian roster considering the Russian coaching staff intended to select "two or three" players from the selects squad in the series against CHL. His inclusion may have been in part due to his chemistry at pre-tourney camp with future star Evgeny Malkin. The rapport between the two continued into the tournament itself, where both stood out for their strength down low as well as their raw skill.

Jonathan Sigalet - D (Bowling Green)

His draft stock will undoubtedly be affected by older brother Jordan's startling disclosure in late December that he had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis the previous March. Jon is, nonetheless, holding firm in our rankings based on his upward development as a sophomore. "He has a slightly bent-over stride yet is fluid and effortless," says our scout. "Sigalet possesses fast acceleration and excellent top-end speed. He is a hard-working and very confident player who takes chances to generate offense and is displaying a 'take-charge' attitude in all three zones. Smart and effective on offense, he makes productive and timely pinches and loves to jump into the fray down from the point. Looks much stronger on his skates this year and is making a greater physical commitment in his own zone. Very skilled hands, moves the puck with ease with an exceptionally smooth delivery; solid qb material. Excellent at poke checks; aggressively attacks puck carriers off the rush, but could use some work at positioning himself around his own goal and clearing the crease smartly. Always alert and thinking up new solutions."

Victor Stancescu - LW (Switzerland)

Romanian-born captain enjoyed a coming-out party at the WJC, leading the Swiss in goals, points, shots and plus-minus. Skates well and has quick, skilled hands. Displays excellent shooting abilities including a fast release that he can get away in tight spaces. "There's a Czech-like quality about his game," commented one scout. "He stands up to the rougher play and works his north-south lanes well. He always seems to make himself available to his center and defensemen." `85-born winger may not get passed over at the next draft after this eye-opening performance.

Tobias Viklund - D (MoDo)

Despite the recent roster addition of Adrian Aucoin, Viklund has managed to hang on to a regular spot on MoDo's blueline. "The reason why he is still there is because he is stronger and has matched up effectively with men. He has a very calm, cool approach to the game with and without the puck and has made great strides in one-on-one coverage. One area where he has yet to exhibit enough confidence is on the rush but I trust that will come in time. He is a good skater, quick and agile so that was never a concern." Already 18, Viklund is older than the vast majority of players eligible for the draft but is worth a day two flyer.

Jakub Vojta - D (Sparta Praha)

Enigmatic Czech could easily be noted as a riser or a faller depending on whether you feel the glass is half-empty or half-filled. "After a whole load of viewings, he is still somewhat of a two-sided mystery to me," says a scout. "At his best, he looks like a top 15 draft pick, but there are a few reasons which make me VERY concerned about this player. First, he totally refuses to show up in the junior Extraleague games and pulls off strong efforts only for NHL scouts at international tournaments. That said, he can be really outstanding when he wants to, like at the Five Nations where he was arguably the top rearguard. He played smart at both ends and moved the puck accurately. Also, he excels only against European opponents. He wasn't the same force when the Czechs met Canada at the U18 Junior Cup. As well, his attitude and work ethic leave much to be desired, which reflects in his consistently sub-par showings on the Czech junior level. On talent alone, he is a serious prospect but his oft lack of motivation remains a serious concern."