Galvanizing Galiev

Last season, the Saint John Sea Dogs traded away some of their best talent to load up for 2009-10 and really make a run for the Presidents cup. Thus far, the plan is working very well. At one point, the team had a 22-game winning streak from the beginning of November until the beginning of January. Rookie sensation Stanislav Galiev has not disappointed and should be a first round pick at the upcoming NHL Entry draft. McKeen's correspondent Rick Springhett looks at a well-stacked Saint John Sea Dogs team.

Kevin Gagne (2010), D, Saint John

5-foot-8 defenseman who keeps surprising people with his effective play .. can't really initiate contact due to his size but will put himself in front of opposing players to slow them down .. effective at the point due to his keen judgment .. knows when to pinch in and when to back off from the play .. not a very hard shot but he does hit the net regularly .. good first-step quickness with an effortless stride and excellent lower-body strength .. sticks to his man in the defensive zone and quick to steal the puck away from the opposition .. gap control is solid .. does not miss an opportunity to get the puck out of his own zone .. absorbs hits very well along the walls .. currently at over plus-30 this season, so he can handle himself defensively.

Stanislav Galiev (2010), LW, Saint John

Forward with great passing ability, vision, imagination and precision .. distributes the puck in all directions without warning .. excellent stickhandler in traffic but usually able to distribute the puck before an opponent can get to him .. doesn't always shoot the puck when a opportunity is present .. should do so, as he possesses a quick release .. not afraid to take a hit and works hard to get possession of the puck along the walls .. teammates are confident that he can get it on their stick at any time .. very quick skater, he has some explosiveness although his stride can be slightly choppy .. surprisingly effective in his own zone for such an offensive threat .. cuts the passing lane properly and is quick to pounce on a loose puck .. usually the first forward back .. lacks a bit of consistency from shift to shift .. shows a lot of enthusiasm with his teammates .. the type of player that makes the players around him better.

Danick Gauthier (2010), C/RW, Saint John

Listed as a right-wing but is playing center .. might be better-suited for the latter .. not faring well in the faceoff circle, as he does not have very quick hands .. has trouble corralling passes .. good wristshot that he keeps low .. does not miss too many scoring opportunities up close .. choppy stickhandler .. not a graceful skater, he seems to just push himself forward instead of gliding on the ice .. lack of speed and footwork gives him trouble in the defensive zone against teams that distribute the puck quickly .. goes to the slot hard when he sees a loose puck .. will not create plays, as he does not have that kind of vision or anticipation but can finish them .. uses his size with consistency.

Stephen MacAulay (2010), LW, Saint John

Defensive specialist on a loaded Saint John team .. not a very powerful shot but does hide his intentions well with a quick release or by effectively using opponents as a screen .. creates space for his linemates on the rush by going to the net hard, but at the same time, staying open enough to stay a passing option giving opposing defensemen something to think about ..cycles the puck well against the boards .. tries to make himself as wide as possible on the forecheck to limit the options for opponents ..manages to hold on to the puck in traffic but doesn't do anything overly creative with it either .. has a lot of filling-out to do physically ..choppy skater who keeps his legs a little wide hindering his ability to make sharp turns .. makes sure that his defensive zone is well taken care of .. understands what he needs to do to help his team be successful.

Nathan Beaulieu (2011), D, Saint John

Young defenseman who has grown about four inches in the last few years .. very smooth skater who seems to pick up speed effortlessly .. skates backwards quickly but does need to improve his mobility slightly .. sees time on special teams with a veteran defense corps .. good gap control and positioning .. ability to quickly pivot often gives him the ability to skate himself out of trouble .. does not panic when pressured .. seems hesitant to shoot from the point making him slightly predictable for opposition .. always moving at the opposing blueline.. makes smart passes and is confident in his ability .. could be a high pick at next years draft .

Tomas Jurco (2011), RW, Saint John

Slovak-born rookie has been a pleasant surprise .. quick skater with some nice mechanics, he should improve his speed as he gets stronger .. very quick release from inside the faceoff circle .. thinks the game well in all three zones .. has a high shot total but too many come from far away .. learning how to get open to receive a pass would help matters .. doesn't have great peripheral vision at this point so most of his passes are short .. may be a question of him learning to communicate with his linemates better .. defensively, he will cover his man well and stay with him until he angles along the wall .. a lot of upside, as he does have some natural abilities, but will need to develop them.