NHL Draft: Profiles 76-80
76. Nichlas Torp D, HV 71 (Swe)
He's a spirited competitor,
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he's fearless and scrappy, wears an 'A' on Under 18 team.
Displays some offensive abilites on the power play. He uses all
body parts to defend, he's a solid all-around skater who likes to
play the body one-on-one, has good mobility and agility. Torp
shows good urgency and recovery abilities when he does make
a mistake. Because of his ultra aggressiveness, he will overpursue.
He needs to develop better patience in certain situations.
77. Josh Unice G, NTDP (USA)
Unice began the season as
the less heralded goaltender on the USNTDP, but has played
his way to the number-one status with an excellent season,
including stellar overtime losses to both North Dakota and
Boston College, and an impressive performance at the Under 18
Championship in Finland. "He has the size and mental makeup
of a true number one," contended one scout. "He possesses
excellent work ethic and is a true competitor. He is able to fight
through traffic and screens and is very active in his crease.
Unice likes to drop with the paddle down in traffic and he scrambles
a bit. Athleticism is evident as is his resiliency. He does not
overcommit or drop early, and stays square to the shooter, but
he will cheat a bit to get across the ice. Unice is strong on the
near post and active around the goal mouth with his stick.
Unice continued his stellar play at the Under 18's, garnering a
1.30 GAA and .935 save percentage in the regulation round of
the tournament. He'll attend Bowling Green University in 2007.
78. Drew MacKenzie D, Taft (USHS)
Very polished for a 17-yearold
prep hockey defenceman. He understands the game, and
while he's not overly physical, he controls his gaps well and
moves laterally with ease. Very poised, he never seems to panic
and always makes a smart decision with the puck. Willing to
join the rush, as well as lead it, with great foot speed and coordination.
Makes tape-to-tape passes with some zip and possesses
a nice shot from the point. Strong overall game, good
size and coordination. One of the draft's darkhorses as he was
not heavily scouted in Connecticut.
79. Drayson Bowman LW, Spokane (WHL)
Kills penalties, skates like a
pro in a straight line, with a strong, effortless stride. Bowman
leaves his followers wanting more, and plays a very static game
on the power play, waiting for the one timer. He lacks urgency
and imagination and plays a north/south game. He looks great in
the neutral zone, but has no puck protection skills, and gets easily
pokechecked. He'll take a pass in stride well but has no
moves to get past his check. Needs to develop his upper body
to match his powerful legs. Skating is his best asset, some
would say his only strong one.
80. Antoine Lafleur G, PEI (QMJHL)
The third-ranked goalie on
Central Scouting's North American final rankings, Lafleur is a tall
butterfly goalie with fast reflexes and good first-shot stopping
abilities. Lafleur likes to challenge shooters by aggressively cutting
down angles and blocking the net with his rangy 6-foot-4
frame. Not all the scouts are enamored with his style however as
he can be vulnerable to backdoor plays when he gets pulled out
too far. "He may need to adopt a more conservative approach
and learn to play in the middle of his net," said one Quebec
scout. "His side-to-side movement is quite smooth when he
stays on his knees, but he isn't as quick nor as supple moving
laterally on his feet. He also gives up some easy rebounds and
tends to overhandle the puck, at times with disastrous results."