March Draft Update: Taking a Fall

Vitaly Anikeenko - D (Yaroslavl)

A pre-season favourite to be among Russia's top prospects for the 2005 NHL draft, however things have gone terribly awry over the past six months and his stock has sagged accordingly. "Despite the great size and above-average skating ability, he hasn't improved nearly as much as expected," according to one scout. "He's failing to take the next step in his development as his physical play and hockey sense just aren't progressing. He's not even skating on the top pairing in junior. Further complicating his situation is a lack of space on Lokomotiv's senior team with other young blueliners such as Denis Grot already loaned out to the High League. Anikeenko's trump card looked to be a guaranteed spot on Russia's U-18 WJC squad this spring and a chance to erase what has been a disappointing season. But even that is in jeopardy now as he was a surprising omission from the squad that participated at the U18 Five Nations Tournament. His size and natural ability still make him an attractive third or fourth-rounder, but he's effectively played himself out of the top two rounds thus far."

Marek Bartanus - LW (2005)

The big Slovak winger is turning out to be a bit too enigmatic for some tastes. With smooth hands and strong skating skills for a big man, he's a player who can tease on first glance. Yet, we're finding that the packaging may be better than the contents inside. "He captained the Slovakian team at the recent U-18 tournament held on home soil, but didn't really lead by example. Poor decisions, bad passes, ill-advised penalties - it wasn't pretty. He took shifts off and just seemed to be out of sync. Did show have some strong shifts, however his apparent lack of hockey sense always seems to hurt him in the end. His play with and without the puck really needs to improve significantly if he hopes to book a spot in the first round."

Michael Blunden - RW (Erie)

The second half of the season has been a major downer for the enormous Erie winger and it is looking as if he might be squeezed out of the first round. "Blunden, unlike teammate Ryan O'Marra, has difficulties with the consistency in his game, which can be traced to a sluggish first step that can leave him a step behind in quicker contests. Don't get me wrong, he's got very good speed once he gets going plus the pro-sized frame to be an absolute wrecking ball in all zones. His tenacious attacking and forechecking abilities are most attractive. This 'bull-in-chinashop' attitude makes him an excellent penalty killer when his head is in the game. However his lack of pure skill has become more evident through the season. Some nights, he accomplishes very little offensively. His effectiveness diminishes if he's not supercharged like he was at the Top Prospects Game. He didn't have as much jump the last time I saw him and, in my opinion, doesn't have the talent not to go full throttle all the time."

Alessandro Chiesa - D (Ambri-Piotta)

Missed a chance to throw his name into the draft ring with a drab performance at the recent U-19 tournament. The big Swiss assistant captain shows good consistency, but nothing stellar. "He didn't stand out at all," said one scout. "His sluggish first step and subpar acceleration still prevents him from being effective on transitions or turnovers. His skating's not bad otherwise. He plays with poise and can handle the puck, and also boasts a booming slapshot. I'd like to see him more aggressive and putting his gigantic frame to better use. Aside from his size though, the rest of the package doesn't look like it will develop into an NHL blueliner."

Jakub Kindl - D (Kitchener)

We have been giving Kindl the benefit of the doubt all season and our patience has finally run out. Though slick and talented, Kindl lacks confidence in his own abilities and plays like a stay-at-home defenseman trapped in the body of a stud prospect. "I've watched him a ton this year and he's now more tormenting to watch than ever," confesses one scout. "Maybe the schedule has taken its toll or perhaps it's a culture-shock thing, but his mental game has barely developed at all. He's not aggressive enough on the puck or on the pinch. In fact, he barely ever pinches. Sometimes soft and sometimes casual, he doesn't take chances. There is no cocky dimension here - just a plain mentality that severely limits him. On the bright side, he has a nice frame and can clear up space by setting smart picks. His hands are quick and he can break out of the zone after picking someone's pocket, but, regardless of how much open ice is available, he simply refuses to challenge the opposing defenders. It's frustrating to watch a guy this talented show no awareness of his great gifts. All the tools are here. I just wonder if he'll ever push himself to be a star."

Lukas Klimek - LW (Sareza Ostrava)

The gangly Czech forward was given the opportunity to make a name for himself at the U-19 Five Nations Tournament in Sweden but, for the most part, failed to stand out. "Despite upgrading on his work ethic and adding some bulk to his lanky frame, he struggled with the pace on the international stage and didn't think the game fast enough to succeed. He's still getting accustomed to the Division 1 senior level and is being brought along slowly with mostly third and fourth-line duty, however he hasn't been able to separate himself from the pack. He fits the mold

of a player who would benefit from crossing over to North America as his chances of becoming an NHL prospect are dwindling. The CHL is definitely a possibility for him next season."

Mathieu Labrie - D (Acadie-Bathurst)

Began the season on a strong note and looked to be a potential first-day pick for the draft, however, his play has regressed over the latter half. "He's been really suffering," observes one scout. "Playing for Bathurst hasn't helped his cause really as he's been hung out to dry a lot on plays. He needs to continue to work on his defensive positioning and overall physical game, and if he does, I feel he may turn into a good NHL prospect. There's upside here for sure. He is blessed with a deadly accurate pointshot that always finds the net, an asset that he successfully employs to create many good scoring opportunities. He works the puck around well, plays with confidence, and is a solid outlet player who can clear the zone with either a pass or a rush. He's not a complete bust just yet."

Richard Lelkes - LW (2005)

Our scout was shocked that the big Slovak assistant captain was named the 'Top Forward' at the recent U18 Vlado Dzurilla tournament. "I'm still scratching my head over that one. He basically won it because he put up some points against the US in the second game. But they were mainly secondary assists and he did almost nothing to deserve the points. He skated with his head down for much of the tournament and refused to involve himself physically. Not only did he lack effectiveness with the puck, he also lost one-on-one battles. In a word, he was sleepwalking. Like Bartanus, he seems to fall short in terms of hockey sense. I definitely see some potential and his size is obviously very intriguing, but his stock will fall unless he shows more life pronto."

Jordan Pearce - G (Lincoln)

It's not that the Anchorage, Alaska native is in freefall, but more a case that his stock isn't exactly on the rise. Still, despite posting lackluster numbers, there's a good chance that his name will be called on the first day of the draft. "He had some back troubles and that's never good." reports one scout. "But his magnificent flexibility and impressive cat-like reflexes haven't gone unnoticed either. He's a strong puckhandler, extremely aggressive, and has the natural athletic ability to pull off spectacular saves. But there's holes too. He needs to work on his angles as he can get too aggressive and lose body control. He's also prone to letting in soft goals. Some teams may opt for the more economical Drew O'Connell, the league's other A-list goalie, but if you're drafting based on upside, Pearce is your man."