Feb Draft Update: Taking a Fall

Andrew Andricopoulos - D (Quebec)

Our patience is running thin with the fleet American rearguard who has been nothing short of a bust so far in the free-wheeling QMJHL, despite being an off-season favorite for the first round. "Scouts definitely fell for his skating and he is a magnificent skater but he has no presence with the puck whatsoever," says a correspondent. "Defensively he is inconsistent and is intimidated with physical forwards. He is not physical and is soft on guys near the crease. He has promising offensive instincts but has not really developed any timing when joining the rush. One of the season's biggest disappointments."

Dan Bertram - RW (Boston College)

We have been underwhelmed by Bertram who, as the youngest player in Division 1 college, had a terrific start to his freshman campaign but has since hit the wall. "He started on the top line but has been moved down to a younger line with Joe Rooney and Matt Greene," reports one scout. "He really needs to kickstart and re-energize his game to avoid falling out of the first round entirely. Lately he seems to have lost a step, arriving to the action late and rarely getting a sniff of possession. He isn't as productive on the puck as he was earlier in the season either. Maybe it's a weight issue, but his stride lacks some zip and he appears tired, though it's important not to lose sight of the fact that he's still very young. His in-close puck skills and finishing kick are spectacular. I can see him still going in the top half of the first round with a more convincing finish."

Tim Kraus - RW (Vancouver)

Bobbed on the radar in November with seven goals riding shotgun on Gilbert Brule's wing, but has since dried up and even been a healthy scratch a few times over the last month. "He's the type of the player that if he isn't scoring, then he doesn't give you much else," says a scout. "There's nothing about his game that really stands out and the one thing he was having success at isn't working anymore. He was finishing earlier, but has gone scoreless in his past 10 games and has just two in his last 19. The one area that he needs to improve in his work ethic. His effort has been questioned and he will have to show a more consistent dedication on the ice to hear his name called at the next draft."

Tomas Kudelka - D (Zlin)

The gangly rearguard struggled last month, coming off an average Five Nations showing where he was clearly outclassed by the enigmatic Jakub Vojta on the top pairing. Despite picking up his game as the tournament progressed, Kudelka played uninspired hockey upon his return to junior. "He still can't seem to find a way to emerge as a dominating two-way force and separate himself from his peers on defense, which is what I have been expecting," says a scout. "His careless decisions with the puck have become an annoyance and he does not make full use of his wheels and lateral agility. He has been very shaky and unsure of himself positionally. That said, his lanky body carries a lot of promise and I like his attitude, which I why I expect him to get over the hump. He is a hard working guy but he needs to keep his focus." Recently called up to the Extraleague as an injury replacement for Roman Hamrlik.

Teemu Laakso - D (IFK Helsinki)

After laying claim to a first round spot with a sensational showings at last year's Viking Cup and the April Under-18 tournament, Laakso has been a bit underwhelming ever since. The rearguard's questionable size was exposed at the recent Under-20 World Junior Championships. "He's a smart, skilled defender with good mobility," says a scout. "His work habits are consistently strong and he is an excellent passer who makes intelligent outlet feeds. He is very adept at using his stick and body to defend the goal area and knows how to tie up opponents effectively. However his size is going to be an obstacle as he moves up to higher levels. There's simply not much of him to go around compared to NHL blueline standards, and he hasn't enjoyed any late growing spurts either. He can be overwhelmed by bigger, stronger opponents down low and he needs to keep getting stronger on his feet. In the WJC match against the Czechs, his skates were tapped slightly by Jakub Petruzalek while turning and he wiped out completely."

Morten Madsen - RW (Frolunda)

The gifted Dane has stagnated in the Swedish junior league, as has his team. The clear league leaders at the holiday break have run into cold mid-to-late season stretches and Madsen has not helped. "His lack of patience concerns me," says a scout. "Guys at times get complacent at the junior level but Madsen's frustrations and lack of dedication may be more serious than that. He handles setbacks the wrong way, taking unnecessary penalties and losing his focus at both ends of the ice. He does not work hard for the puck at all times and seems to be taking his team's success for granted."

Tom Mannino - RW (Saginaw)

"For a guy who puts up points like he does, Mannino is absolutely dreadful when looked at as a prospect and a potential pro," says a scout. "His playing approach reminds me of that of Miguel Delisle; he's in love with the puck and has a scoring touch, but I never see him work for it nor move his feet well without it. He floats on the periphery, unwilling to get involved physically and does not know how to use his linemates, as if he's playing street hockey. He shoots well but his whole repertoire is basically that of a receive-and-shoot mentality. While a decent skater, I did not find him to be a reliable stickhandler; he frequently makes miscues with the puck because he overhandles it so much."

Patrick McNeill - D (Saginaw)

Trigger-happy quarterback loves to pinch but often finds himself in too deep and struggling to get back into position. "McNeill's lack of timing consistently contributes to odd man rushes the other way," says a scout. "When he falls behind the attacker he will frequently over-use his stick instead of moving his feet in an attempt to nullify the player's rush. I am also very disappointed to see that he has added very little strength since his rookie year. He is not hardy enough in possession to establish the confidence in his teammates. He consistently gets badly outmuscled in front of his own net because his body is not fully developed. While the effort is there, he is often confused and lacking poise defensively. In terms of pure quarterbacking skills, he is one of the best in the draft. His mobility and crispness of outlet passes are top-notch. There are very few blueliners in this draft who have the ability to go end-to-end with the puck like he does."

Jean-Philippe Paquet - D (Shawinigan)

Steady defenseman never seems to fill our glass, leaving us expecting more. The stable, wide-bodied rearguard is built like a pro and skates like one as well, with smooth, powerful strides, good acceleration and agility. "He's an all-weather type," says a scout. "You don't see him play a fancy game but he gets the job done, even though the whole package is less than the sum of the parts. While rugged and strong, he is not a punisher. His one-on-one defensive skills are raw; he recovers well due to his excellent mobility, yet can lose his positional advantage defending against elite puckhandlers, at times slowly responding to nifty moves. His puck movement is competent but he's not as comfortable with the puck when under duress. A bit mechanical in his movements occasionally, he lacks puckhandling confidence all the time."

Colton Yellow Horn - LW (Lethbridge)

We love his spirit and ability to generate offense, however his stock is falling. "His skating is good but not elite enough to make up for his lack of size, especially moving up to higher levels of competition," warns a scout. "It's not that he's a bad skater, he's just not a powerful one. He's also not as strong on the puck as he is going to need to be. Gets knocked off the puck far too easily and is not that great in traffic. His skills are attractive though and he has shown that he is elusive enough to create consistently at this level. I just don't know if it's enough."