March Whos Hot / Whos Not: UNDER THE RADAR
Brouwer - RW (Moose Jaw) - We're as guilty as anyone for overlooking
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the Warriors' assistant captain, who was passed up in last year's draft after
a less-than-impressive 21 points, however, the Delta B.C. product has already
doubled his goals and assists intake this year. Says our WHL scout: "I
like his quick feet and lively stick. He's very chippy and imaginative - I love
the way he gets to loose pucks quickly. He accelerates very well and always
does something good on every play. He's an effective, hard-working forechecker
and he's got the range to get to appropriate shooting areas and unleash a hard
slapper. An effective guy in traffic and does some damage near the crease."
Martin Davidek - RW (Sparta Praha) - Sulked with the underdog Opava
team, but got his wish when loaned to the powerhouse Sparta Praha juniors. Since
the loan, Davidek came out of nowhere to emerge as the Czech junior Extraleague's
leading scorer. Davidek's exploits earned him his first invitation to the international
stage. According to our Czech scout: "He's an above-average skater with
a good first step and sound agility. His finishing skills attest for his production
- he has a quick, accurate wrist shot. What I like about him is that he scores
and he finds the back of the net without having to put a lot of shots on net
- he has a very high shooting percentage. He's a pure finisher. His puck skills
are very smooth and his hand-eye coordination and vision earn high marks. I
do have some reservations; he's a fairly one-dimensional player and doesn't
show much interest in helping out in his own end. I would also like to see more
of a mean streak and better work habits when not on the puck."
Dey - RW (Green Bay) - Named Minnesota's 'Mr. Hockey' last year as a
senior at North St. Paul high school, Dey got off to a slow start with the Gamblers
as he worked on adding more of a defensive element to his game. Everyone knew
he had wheels and could score. A quick, agile skater with a lively first stride
and good stickhandling skills, Dey is also a very intelligent player who brings
a great deal of heart to the mix as well every night. He has good stickhandling
skills, but what really makes him dangerous is his shot. His release is excellent
and he derives tremendous power due to his strong arms. "I like the whole
package - his size, skating and 'heads-up' style," our scout concludes.
"He stands out more each time I see him play and could go far given that
lethal shot he packs."
Carl-Johan Eriksson - C/LW (Brynas) - A virtual unknown coming into
the season, the late 85-born Eriksson has produced impressively in the juniors
and has seen icetime at international levels as well. Says our Swedish scout:
"He's a top-notch skater with great acceleration and breakaway speed. Eriksson
handles the puck really well and has a deceptive wrist shot. His biggest flaws
are mainly related to his lack of consistency and defensive immaturity. I would
also like for him to refine his playmaking skills. He needs to read the game
better; he will explode offensively if he learns to properly utilize his linemates."
Gudmundsson - LW (Mora) - One of the finest stickhandlers among the
Swedish 86-born group. A creative forward with the puck, he also displays impressive
vision and a crafty passing game. Gudmundsson can score - he has a hard and
accurate wrister, but is a bit limited by his lack of breakaway speed, partly
due to a lack of lower body strength. Somewhat undersized and lacking in the
physical department, Gudmundsson, regardless, has very good hands. Defensive
awareness also needs some fine-tuning, as he tends to float on the perimeter.
- LW (Barrie) - Another older player snubbed at last year's draft event
and it is no secret as to why. From a scouting standpoint, Hamilton is a very
intriguing player who leaves you begging for more. Besides having good size,
Ryan is mostly all skating - and what a skater he is. He possesses an explosive
first step - has a quick, lively stride and moves like a pro. On the downside,
Hamilton doesn't really get involved in the action as much as we would like;
more of a perimeter player. Despite his early lack of production, he has started
to put up some points - he has a nice array of crisp, accurate shots and we
have seen him really fool the goalies by threading the needle. Says one of our
scouts: "he has a bit of Jeff Friesen in him, the way he skates. And the
thing is, his hands aren't bad, I just wish he'd show a lick of effort once
in a while."
Kell - RW (London) - Not an exciting prospect, but a tireless worker
and an energetic, character type. One of the Knights' top penalty killers, Kell
utilizes his mobility to strip opposing players off the puck and attack the
other way. According to our OHL scout: "I have seen him about 10 times
this year and I like him an awful lot. He's a spunky type - his top speed and
first step are definitely assets. He's a fine forechecker and a stifling penalty
killer. I, however, feel that he has limited offensive upside, as his game is
more about creating turnovers than doing something with the puck himself. That
said, he can make the safe play, hits the crease and plays fearlessly with his
frame. This is a guy who knows his role and has pro potential."
Seitsonen - C (Prince Albert) - Our reviews, thus far, are mixed. The
pros are encouraging, while the cons are troubling. The Finnish import has made
a smooth transition in his North American debut with the Raiders, and is a strong
puckhandler with a big, rangy NHL-type frame that should take on much more muscle.
His lateral wingspan is extremely impressive - he's able to pick off passes
due to an ability to extend his body and cover an abnormal amount of area. He
plays tough in traffic, though not a nasty presence, and loves to shoot off
the rush using the d-man as a screen. Has a lively shot, but, at times, not
much awareness of his teammates as he tends to be a bit selfish. What troubles
us, though, is his penchant to fade at the end of shifts - he'll start with
a giddyup and then the tank seems to run dry. Also, his first step lacks explosiveness
and overall skating isn't always balanced, sometimes awkward and jerky. However,
that said, he does show the odd surprising burst of speed whenever a scoring
opportunity presents itself, which gets you thinking. All in all, high-end speed
is quite good, but he needs to move his feet away from the puck, especially
in the neutral zone where he tends to glide and rely too much on his stick.
Seitsonen is a versatile player and we'd like to see him utilized in the middle,
where he's more involved and prompted to work harder and utilize his under-utilized
speed.
Silverson - D (Leamington) - This mammoth, 6-foot-4, 215-pound defender
stayed out of the OHL due to his interest to play in college, recently committing
to the University of Notre Dame for the fall of `05. A native of Thunder Bay,
Ontario and last season's 'Rookie of the Year' in the Superior International
Junior Hockey League, Silverson has really caught our eye with his strength,
speed and ornery defensive-zone play. He throws guys around like rag dolls and
loves to punish opponents with huge hits. Though his first step and acceleration
need work, he does have surprisingly good lateral agility and top-end speed
for a player his size. Silverson also shows very good poise when working the
puck out of his zone and doesn't panic under forechecking pressure. Once he
hits top gear carrying the puck through the neutral zone, he looks like a solid
pro prospect. He's definitely on our radar.
Slade - G (Regina) - Slight-framed goalie arrived in Regina after backing
up Devan Dubnyk in Kamloops and quickly became a fan favorite due to a string
of standout performances. While his style and technique aren't especially fluid,
Slade has shown that he can be a clutch guy. He possesses very quick feet and
a lively glove. Among many of his weaknesses is his tendency to flop around
and leave certain angles uncovered. Must work on rebound control and on improving
his composure under heavy fire. With his quickness, we feel that Slade can develop
into a solid netminder in time, if he receives the proper guidance. You can't
argue with results and he's gotten them from what we've seen. Pencil him in
as a good late-round pick.
Wirtanen - C (HPK) - A solid, though fairly unspectacular two-way center.
A very committed, sturdy forward in his own end who finishes his checks and
always stays in position. Says our Finnish scout: "He's strong on his feet
and shows pretty good balance, although his skating technique is only 'okay'
as he lacks some top-end speed and agility. He doesn't offer great hands either,
but he protects the puck well and has good lower-body strength. I like his willingness
to participate in traffic and he finds ways to strip the puck away from opposing
forwards. He is also a superb faceoff man. Better playmaker than a goalscorer,
although most of his production comes off hard work along the boards. Deserves
good press."