Feb Draft Update: Under the Radar

Andrew Cogliano - C (St. Mike's)

While turning things up a notch to reaffirm himself as the star attraction of the OPJHL, Cogliano has nevertheless been subject to tremendous scrutiny as scouts have started taking issues with some problems that seem to be creeping into his game at this level. In fairness to Cogliano, he is too good to be playing in the OPJHL, and it is only his age that restricted him from graduating to NCAA hockey this season (committed to Michigan last season). "He possesses great speed and agility which may only be matched by Sidney Crosby in this year's draft," says a scout. "While his defensive indiscretions are troubling, it is reasonable to assume that he will make the requisite strides in his all-around game when he finally graduates to a higher level of competition. Most definitely a strong candidate for the first round of the draft in spite of his low ranking on Central Scouting's mid-terms (no. 87 among North American skaters)."

Lukas Endal - LW (Slavia Praha)

The Havlickuv Brod native busted out offensively in January for Slavia's junior team with leaders Vladimir Sobotka called up to the senior team and Tomas Svoboda out of the lineup with an injured thumb. "He stepped up and was productive," says a Czech scout. "His assets really began to shine through - his soft hands, crafty approach and the ability to pick his spots precisely. He really stood his ground in traffic and battled for the puck, although he needs to lose some body fat. What I like about him is that he can finish. He's got a terrific wrister that consistently burns goalies. His skating needs to improve - his takeoff makes him look plodding and he really struggles with his turns. I could see him take the CHL route next year."

Joe Finley - D (Sioux Falls)

It's hard not to draw comparisons with a young Zdeno Chara as the similarities are striking. Built to rumble at an intimidating 6-foot-7 and a sturdy 240 pounds, and he isn't shy about using it. "He'll drop the gloves at the tip of a hat and can hit to hurt," says a scout. "He frustrates opponents with that monstrous wingspan and looks even bigger in person than last year's hulk Boris Valabik, though he's not as consistently nasty. He has good puck skills for his size and is a decent enough skater as well. His turns and first steps are on the sluggish side, but he's not that awkward all things considered. He has strengthened his lower body and coordination should improve once he gets fully accustomed to that body. Still, he's a massive project. His one-on-one instincts are pretty raw and he gets caught flat-footed. There's upside here though. He's a tad overwhelmed by the speed as a USHL rookie, but he has a ferocious shot. I see him as a potential shutdown type who you want on the ice to defend a lead in the final minute and can crash the crease on the power play."

Vladimir Karpov - LW (Salavat Ufa)

Eyebrows were raised when Karpov was rated first among Russians by Central Scouting. While we question whether he is deserving of that honour just yet, he is nevertheless an intriguing candidate who could ascend into the top 30 if he can bolster his resume over the coming months. The jury is still out somewhat according to one scout. "Unlike Istomin and Zubov and others, Karpov has not been a participant at any of the high-profile international tournaments and is a wildcard at this stage. He played two games in the Super League back in September, but only due to a number of factors such as the absence of Alexander Ovechkin, an injury to Vladislav Evseev, not to mention the NHLers (Datsyuk, Afinogenov) had yet to report. His skating and his strength are exceptionally well-developed for his age and he's a guy that loves to create. On the flipside, there are areas of his defensive game that need work and he still has to learn how to control his power and emotions better. He's got a mean streak that hasn't matured yet. We'll see how he responds to the brighter spotlights ahead." Karpov will get another opportunity to showcase his wares in the senior circuit as he was loaned out this week to Salavat Ufa.

Kevin Lalande - G (Belleville)

Emerging butterfly goalie is slowly taking over with the Bulls, outplaying overager Eric Tobia in his rookie season. Lalande solidified his stock with sublime 42-save effort to defeat the virtually unstoppable London Knights 2-1. "This kid is an athletic goalie with excellent dexterity and flexibility between the pipes. He has quick, elastic legs he can stretch from post to post and moves quickly laterally. I love his poise and his personality - he is vocal, demanding and a born leader. I see him becoming the consensus top OHL goalie prospect for the draft."

Bryan Lerg - C (Michigan State)

Spartans' freshman has played out of the spotlight on the fourth line where his talents have been underutilized alongside plumbers Jim McKenzie and Adam Nightingale. "He is a hidden gem," says a scout. "Smallish but stocky, Lerg is a very good skater with an explosive first step who really powers though the first few strides and reaches top speed swiftly. He moves deceptively and disguises his intentions exceptionally well - for instance, he has a nice slick backhand flip pass he uses off the rush and is very adept at setting up one-timers for his mates. He makes plays at high tempo and possesses a sharp release. The one issue with Lerg this season is that he doesn't appear to be ideally suited to play on the checking line. More than a few times in a game he looks a tad bored with such a strict role and therefore stops moving his feet. He must learn to maximize his energy and intensity level on each shift."

Ryan Mior - G (PEI)

Once considered a first round talent, Mior has since plummeted down the rankings and now must re-earn a spot in the top rounds, a much tougher task. Struggling as a backup to Jonathan Boutin early this season and frustrated with a lack of playing time, Mior left his team during the holidays and demanded a trade. The Rockets abided, trading the older Boutin to Quebec and Mior rejoined the team as the number one. "He is still shaky and inconsistent," says a correspondent. "While some of that could be attributed to his inability to get into a rhythm all year, I think that his attitude plays a role. He was always a very emotional netminder but, while his competitive spirit goes a long way, he lacks patience and the kind of poise that scouts were expecting him to develop under the tutelage of Boutin. Positionally he's a mess, he flops around and, frankly, I don't think NHL scouts will care for his trade request."

Cal O'Reilly - C (Windsor)

Accustomed to getting no respect, O'Reilly wasn't taken until 150th overall in the 2002 OHL draft and now his name is barely uttered for the NHL draft, despite a breakout sophomore season (58 points in 51 games). "He's not big but stocky with a nice compact skating stride and a solid center of gravity," says a scout. "Very opportunistic, has quick hands and feet as well as excellent tenacity on the puck. He has high-end stickhandling abilities and moves with tight turns and cuts, very balanced in all areas of skating with a sneaky, explosive first step. I like how he's always near the puck and his in-close control is superb - he can hold the puck in tight to his body while he's at full speed and can also pivot and make plays. While not overly aggressive, he handles body contact well and will elevate his hitting at times, though he displayed more of a consistent grinder attitude to start this season. Cunning player, always in the right spot to pick off passes and nab loose pucks from scrums along the boards, and I never see him knocked down either - he is very sturdy on his feet. Watch for him to really dominate the OHL next year."

Todd Perry - D (Barrie)

Frustrated with being a regular healthy scratch as a freshman with the BC Eagles, Perry decided at New Year's to join the Colts, who took a flyer on him in the 12th round of the 2003 OHL Priority Selection. The Ingleside, Ontario native was also selected in the 2002 OHL draft, ninth overall by the Sarnia Sting, though he opted instead for the collegiate route. Barrie's gut feeling paid off when Perry's draft stock suffered. "He was a bit tentative to start but is getting more comfortable with each shift," says one scout. "He's more than just a stay-at-home type - can move the puck and shows some instincts on offense. Hasn't seen much power play time so far as his conditioning was lacking, pretty understandable. Appears to be a smart defender who knows how to defend, but doesn't show much of an edge to his game yet despite a big, solid frame. He needs to get stronger and learn to make plays quicker - his tempo isn't there yet but you can see that he will get better. Good skater and makes nice sharp passes. Just needs to get tougher and more physical."

Tomas Popperle - G (Sparta Praha)

A revelation in the senior Extraleague, the 84-born goalie has broken through with a dominating season, leading the league in save percentage after taking over as Sparta's starter when Petr Briza went down with an injury in mid-November. Popperle made headlines again at the Spengler Cup when he stole the starting job from David Aebischer. "He should be a sought-after player in the upcoming NHL draft," says a Czech scout. "One area of significant improvement to his game has been his added poise. Whereas in previous years he was prone to giving up weak goals due to poor focus, he has really economized his game. Does not play a fixed style - he plants himself very firmly and just sucks the pucks in without going down as a butterfly would. His dexterity is very good and he is sound positionally. He moves quickly side-to-side with strong recovery instincts and determination. Two areas that he must upgrade though are his glove hand and puckhandling."

David Rutherford - RW (South Surrey)

Fast-climbing BCHL star was expected to go the US college route but recently had a change of heart and signed with the Vancouver Giants, the timing of which is exquisite for the WHL club given the departure of offensive leader Adam Courchaine at season's end. According to a scout, the Giants have landed a gem. "He's tiny but electrifying - he can really scoot, great wheels and very slippery with the puck. I've seen him freeze goalies out of their pants and go end-to-end slicing through defenses like a hot knife through butter. Sneaky finishing skills around goal, he makes plays at full speed and cuts on a dime with the puck. He strikes me as having a real strong sense for the game each time I see him - he just seems to know how to use his speed and find weak seams in a defense. Doesn't shy away from contact either and works tirelessly both on and off the ice - wants to be a player. But it's the old story - four inches taller and he'd be a top-end prospect."

Viachaslav Shypila - D (Belarus)

Big rangy `85-born rearguard caught our attention at the World Juniors. "He reminds me a bit of Jaroslav Modry in that he's an obscure overlooked European who possesses excellent size at 6-foot-4 and doesn't immediately catch your eye," says one scout. "He moves quite effortlessly for a big man and should get quicker as he gains strength. His frame still has a lot of filling out to do. The thing that impressed with me was his defensive savvy. He was used in all key situations by the Belarus coach and made some intelligent decisions. Showed good poise and skills, and is willing to get involved physically though that area of his game is still under construction. Decent looking prospect with some potential upside."

Trevor Smith - C (Omaha)

One of the top sleepers to emerge out of the junior ranks over the past two seasons. Rose to prominence last year with a team-high 28 goals for the Quesnel Millionaires and has continued his scoring heroics in the USHL this season. It helps to have the scouts out to watch teammate Brock Bradford, however Smith is a prospect in his own right. An unassuming player who isn't always noticeable until he gets into shooting position. "His shot is absolutely lethal, great release and accuracy," according to one scout. "He's a strong defensive pivot as well. His skating stride needs some work as it's a bit labored, but he's an interesting player because he has a knack for being in the right place at the right time and then making something of the opportunity. He's mature, a leader and that big-league shot makes him a specialty teams weapon."

Paul Stastny - RW/C (Denver)

Demonstrating remarkable poise and patience for a freshman, Stastny is producing at a near point-per-game pace in the stacked Pioneers lineup, last year's defending champions. The smart, highly-skilled natural center has adjusted well lately to playing out of position on the right wing. "Stastny is stocky and thick with excellent hand-eye coordination like his father (Peter Stastny), but is not nearly as dynamic on his feet. He has a knack for arriving at the right place at the right time and likes to act as a trailer on the rush. Plays a very responsible game and is lethal at following up rebounds. I don't see home-run potential however he keeps proving that he can create on the strength of his low key, industrious approach."

Garrett Suter - D (Green Bay)

There's obviously a productive gene pool at work here given his father (Bob), older brother (Ryan) and two uncles all played for the Wisconsin Badgers, with uncle Gary spending 17 seasons in the NHL. Our scout says the youngest Suter comes by his competitiveness honestly. "He's one tough hombre who likes to hit and use his stick a lot. Just a nasty, chippy player in his own zone. His top speed isn't elite, but he has deceptive closing speed and smooth in-tight mobility. He's also skilled with the puck, boasts a powerful shot that he keeps low to the ice, and makes informed outlet decisions. Usually gets the puck out of the zone quickly and safely, though he could be more consistent at times - will make a nice feed on one play and follow it up with a brain-scratcher. He's not quite as big as Ryan nor does the rest of the package show the same potential, but he's a trooper who makes life miserable for opposing forwards every night." Garrett is committed to join the Badgers in the fall and could get a bite on day two of the draft."

Paul Szczechura - C (Western Michigan)

Cerebral sophomore pivot reminds us a bit of Adam Oates. The late '85-born Brantford native was coached for three years by Walter Gretzky in his younger days, and the education seems to have rubbed off. "He leaves a bigger and bigger impression on me with each viewing," says a scout. "He reads the game like a book and is very poised and talented with the puck. While not the flashiest player, he is smooth and composed and keeps his stick well prepared. Shifty puckhandler and calculating passer who uses his wingers well and gets the puck to open teammates on the tape. Very good agility and quickness, and though not particularly big, he has excellent lower body strength for his size. He would benefit from adding muscle to his arms and torso, also needs to improve his faceoff skills. Nothing stands out initially however the entire package is pretty solid and worth a draft chip."

Patrick Thoresen - LW (Djurgarden)

Back on some radars is talented 21-year old Norwegian who many predicted to fade into obscurity after a couple of draft rejections and an unsuccessful NHL camp invite with the St. Louis Blues. Thoresen has been promoted to Djurgarden's top line and has thrived playing alongside locked-out NHLers Marcus Nilson and Nils Ekman. "I realize why NHL scouts weren't willing to give him his due - he was skilled but soft. However, he is much stronger now and doesn't really look out of place beside NHLers," says a scout. "He's a competitive player, strong physically and a very good stickhandler. He has a nose for the net and can finish with a quick release. Not a great skater but has quick takeoff and a fluid stride. I was shocked to see how far he has progressed. Even if he never turns up in the NHL, I could definitely see him becoming a star in Europe."

Alexander Yeremenko - G (Dynamo)

Late-blooming netminder will be 25 in April but, after toiling in the shadows for years, is starting to emerge as an elite Superleague stopper. After combining to play 25 games with Dynamo in two seasons starting in 2002-2003, Yeremenko impressed the coaches after a solid stint during his loan with Amur last season. He was brought in this fall to split duties with former Rangers' draftee Vitaly Yeremeev, but quickly bested the veteran to establish himself as league-leading Dynamo's starter with a 2.13 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage in 30 appearances. "Yeremenko has emerged as an up-and-coming member of Russia's national team and I see him eventually replacing Maxim Sokolov as resident non-NHL starter between the pipes," says a Russian scout. "He is a hybrid goalie with a lively glove and a quick butterfly. He plays deep in his crease but compensates with excellent flexibility and quickness, especially his lateral movement. He has his own peculiar quirks such as his closed-eye meditation sessions during stoppages in play, but he is very mentally strong and thrives under pressure. Will entice some NHL team at the next draft though the age factor obviously works against him."