WHL: Keaton Busts Out

WHL: Keaton Busts Out (posted 12.25.06)

by Ron Jones

Keaton Ellerby (2007), D, Kamloops

Lanky defender isn't shy about rushing with the puck, yet generally doesn't overhandle it .. takes a hit to make a play .. will be an immovable force once he fills out his large frame .. displays poise that is usually limited to more veteran blueliners .. defensively conscientious and communicates with his teammates, especially in the Blazers' zone .. extremely mobile with quick feet and is so sturdy on his skates that most of the time an opponent that tries to him gets the worst of it .. boasts very good hand-eye coordination .. effective playing the man on one-on-ones .. moves the puck crisply and on target .. his play without the puck has matured leaps and bounds since he broke in to the league .. played a ton in all situations, including both special teams .. sports the speed and strength to fend of checkers. (33gp, 2-9-11)

C.J. Stretch (2007), C, Kamloops

Very mobile pivot, although can look a tad sluggish out of the blocks on occasion .. displays some vision with the puck and looks for his teammates .. centered a line of Brady Mason and Alex Rodgers .. not great physically, however he does do a nice job using his positioning to close passing and shooting lanes .. works hard without the puck .. generally is smart in his decision making .. sees time on the powerplay. (35gp, 3-10-13)

Travis Dunstall (2007), LW, Kamloops

Displays very good closing speed, yet needs to work on consistently keeping his feet moving .. doesn't have much success in the dirty areas .. does a nice job protecting himself from big hits and will take a hit to make a play .. goes to the net for the puck .. uses an active stick without the puck .. must show more determination on every shift .. his skating is far from effortless, however he still sports good speed .. saw second unit powerplay time .. played on a line with Brock Nixon and Juuson Puustinen. (25gp, 8-12-20)

Alex Rodgers (2007), LW, Kamloops

Boasts the overall speed to slip behind defensive coverage which makes him a bit of a threat in odd man situations or even four-on-four .. must continue to add some muscle to his small frame .. works hard on the forecheck and most turnover he creates are from stick checking and not using his body .. has maturing hands and can finish when given time and space .. played on a line with Brady Mason and C.J. Stretch .. played on the penalty-kill. (28gp, 5-8-13)

WHL: Tyrell, Diamond in the Rough (posted 12.21.06)

by Patrick King

Dana Tyrell (2007), C, Prince George

Sophomore forward is making a name for himself early in his draft year .. plays on the team's top line with Nick Drazenovic and Eric Hunter .. plays in all situations and is a valuable penalty killer .. one of the hardest workers in the league, constantly moving his feet and creating havoc for defenders .. is always skating hard, never coasts or takes a shift off .. strong on the forecheck, uses his exceptional speed to close in on defensemen and take away time .. finishes his checks strong .. very team oriented; isn't afraid to take a hit to create a scoring chance for his teammates .. kept several plays alive due to his hard work .. scored a goal due to his hard work when he intercepted a pass at the opposing blue line, used the defenseman as a screen and shot it top corner .. deceptively quick; was caught up on the PK and rushed hard to get back in the play .. is positionally sound .. created an outlet for his defense when he rushed across center, making himself open for the feed .. strong defensively; eliminated a few scoring chances by tying up forward's stick .. although not very big, standing five-foot-11 and 180 pounds, fights to get around his checks and stands in front of the net fearlessly .. sees the ice very well .. sparkplug has already eclipsed career high in goals and assists midway through the season .. is very well suited for the NHL style and will be a diamond in the rough on draft day.

Ty Wishart (SJ), D, Prince George

Started the game on a pairing with Jesse Dudas but had several defensive partners throughout the contest .. plays in all situations and easily surpassed the 30-minute mark .. showed signs of fatigue late in each period .. a lot of his points come from point shots .. is often set up on the PP from the right halfboards for one-time slapshot .. shots are, for the most part, low and accurate to create rebounds .. controls the puck well and often carries it towards the middle on the PP for shot .. is a very confident puckrusher and will hold on to the puck if he doesn't like his options .. surveys his options before making outlet pass .. passes are often crisp and tape to tape .. is a strong skater, very fluent for his size .. uses his size to his advantage; uses size to angle opponents .. is defensively sound; keeps his head on a swivel and doesn't give much space to opposing forwards .. would like to see him assert himself more physically, uses his frame more for positioning .. would like to see him clear his net more regularly and aggressively .. very active on the PK and can be seen moving up to challenge the defensemen at the point .. has a high panic threshold, which sometimes gets him in trouble as he's overconfident in his abilities at times .. was beat wide by a streaking Dwight King while on the PP, tried using his reach to knock the puck away but missed, creating a chance .. late in a shift on the PP, misplayed a bouncing puck by the point and couldn't catch opposing forward, resulting in a goal .. laid on the ice while defending a 2-on-1 but forward shot it, resulting in a goal from the rebound .. showed frustration late in the game as he was losing steam .. has a lot of potential at the next level and is a project worth mentoring .. has top pairing potential but will need to work on a few aspects of his game before he's ready.

Devin Setoguchi (SJ), RW, Prince George

Plays on the second line with Brett Robertson and Jared Walker .. scored a goal on his first shift by collecting a rebound with an open net to shoot at .. scored another goal with a two-man advantage; was set up for the one timer at the left halfboards and slapped it short side for the goal .. has a booming slapshot which he is set up to use quite often on the PP .. plays the right point on the PP .. although gifted offensively, has a tendency to underutilize his teammates; tried going through three defenders on a few occasions rather than passing to an open teammate .. passes aren't always crisp; one pass to Robertson was flipped, which made it hard to control .. has a 'shoot-first' mentality, and elected to shoot on a few occasions from bad angles rather than looking to make a play to his teammates .. has shown more willingness to play physically this season .. plays on the team's second PK unit .. thwarted a rushing Kris Hogg by rushing back, lifting Hogg's stick and stealing the puck .. showed his frustration late in the game when his stick broke, went to get a new one but was given wrong stick and slashed it against boards in frustration .. might need an attitude adjustment at the next level as he seemingly continues putting himself above the team .. not a surprising cut from Canada's junior selection camp.

WHL: Spencer For Hire (posted 12.17.06)

by Ron Jones

Jonathon Blum (2007), D, Vancouver

Not blessed with elite overall speed, in fact his skating in general isn't elite in any category, however he rarely is caught out of position thanks to his ability to read the play .. on the right side partnered alongside Brett Festerling .. plays with poise at the point and is quite effective at keeping the play onside .. not hesitant to carry the puck, yet is usually smart about reading the pressure and moving it before he loses it .. plays on both special teams and saw even more ice time with Cody Franson away with the Canadian World Junior team. (36gp, 6-23-29)

Spencer Machacek (2007), RW, Vancouver

Critics have described him as a lunch bucket player due to his lack of elite skill, however few can question his work ethic on most nights .. not a heavy hitter but takes the body effectively and usually finishes his checks .. goes to the net and will park himself there .. decent hand-eye coordination .. played on a line with James Wright and Milan Lucic .. his draft stock would be higher if only he could finish the chances that his determination and anticipation get him .. works hard away from the puck making him an effective checker .. played on both special teams. (28gp, 6-7-13)

Mitch Czibere (2007), C, Vancouver

Isn't overly big or strong, but competes well physically and does a solid job most games of finishing his checks .. comes back and is defensively aware .. uses his splendid mobility and acceleration to get in on the forecheck .. centered an "energy line" of Craig Cunningham and Garet Hunt .. plays on the penalty-kill thanks to his ability to close the ability to close the gap quickly on the puckcarrier .. in 95 career regular season games he has only seven goals and hasn't shown an ability to get scoring chances let alone finish when the opportunity presents itself .. at this point is a bit of a dark horse to hear his name on draft day. (33gp, 4-7-11)

BCHL: Nash Bridges Gap (posted 12.15.06)

by Ron Jones

Matt Grassi (2007), D, Salmon Arm

Nice sized blueliner, 6'3-200lbs., uses an active stick and good mobility to close passing and shooting lanes .. lacks elite acceleration and top end speed .. can get caught being a bit slow on his turns .. protects the puck with his body .. on the penalty-kill. (22gp, 0-8-8)

Erik Spady (2007), D, Salmon Arm

Hits with authority and does possess a bit of a nasty streak that he shows on occasion .. will pinch in from the point if he sees an opening .. boasts good mobility and overall speed and is at his best when he keeps his feet moving .. moves the puck crisply and on target .. generally is effective in moving the puck from the point and does get PP time .. also sees time on the PK. (33gp, 7-19-26)

Riley Nash (2007), C, Salmon Arm

Possesses tremendous vision and reads the play an elite level .. extremely mobile as he can turn on a dime .. takes a hit to make a play and will finish his checks and is fairly effective at taking the body .. displays good puck pursuit as well as terrific closing speed .. centered the top line of Cody McMullin and Ben Winnett .. doesn't hesitant to go in to the dirty areas .. boasts elite imagination in the offensive zone .. likes to do a lot of timing plays with his linemates where he passes the puck even before the player has gotten open, but by the time the player does get open the puck has arrived .. ties up his man well enough off the draw .. likes to do the drop pass, but generally doesn't over use it .. displays leadership and communicates well with teammates .. delivers sharp, accurate passes and takes the pass smoothly .. receives a ton of ice time including both special teams. (29gp, 15-24-39)

Ben Winnett (2007), RW, Salmon Arm

Is a very good skater that doesn't mind flying in to traffic .. communicates effectively with his linemates .. possesses a powerful stride as well as some offensive imagination .. can be guilty of not bearing down in his zone as much as he should .. plays on both special teams and plays the left side on the powerplay .. drives to the net looking for the pass .. boasts a physical component to his game and likes to finish his checks, however can get a tad carried away and take too many needless penalties .. sports a quick release and won't hesitate to take a shot. (30gp, 22-26-48)

Randy Hanagan (2007), F, Salmon Arm

Import from London, Ontario .. very good jump of the blocks and is blessed with a fairly powerful stride .. pretty good backchecker .. sees time on the powerplay and penalty-killing units .. a decent player at this level, but limited pro potential which likely means he'll not be drafted. (32gp, 13-5-8)

WHL: Doyle's Unplugged (posted 12.11.06)

by Ron Jones

Taylor Ellington (2007), D, Everett

Would benefit from improving his jump out of the gates .. moves the puck crisply and on the tape .. sports a hard wrist shot .. plays a patient game in his own end, especially on the penalty-kill where he allows his defensive partner to do most of the running around .. will carry the puck on occasion, however lacks the elite top end speed to and stickhandling ability to go end-to-end or even to back off defenses .. protects the puck reasonably well with his body .. plays with poise, although has an irritating habit of tapping on the ice with his stick when he wants the puck .. was on the third pairing with Eric Doyle. (26gp, 4-1-5)

Zach Hamill (2007), C, Everett

Speedy center loves to dart in and out of traffic, although rarely stays in the dirty areas for very long .. displays imagination with the puck, as showcased when he used the boards to bounce a pass to himself as he slips by an opponent .. rarely if ever gets involved physically, but remains a threat to create a turnover with his active stick .. doesn't look interested in paying the price to drop down to block a shot .. plays on both special teams .. played on a line with Shane Harper and the newly acquired Dan Gendur .. wears an A. (28gp, 14-24-38)

Eric Doyle (2007), D, Everett

Silky smooth skater backwards and forwards .. sports a terrific burst from his first few strides and is quite strong on his skates .. takes the pass easily .. boasts some zip to his wrist shot that should eventually translate to more points .. can stand a man up at the point with a solid hit .. very aggressive trying to put pressure on the puckcarrier while trying to kill penalties .. doesn't have any problems holding up to the hits when he goes back to retrieve the puck behind the net .. saw infrequent time on the powerplay .. won't hesitate to unload a howitzer from the point .. will pinch when given an opportunity, but has yet to develop the vision to become an elite playmaker .. must learn to take more care with his passes as he still tends to turn it over a bit too easily .. was on the third pairing with Taylor Ellington. (25gp, 2-11-13)

BCHL: Turris Turns It On (posted 12.08.06)

by Ron Jones

Jamie Benn (2007), LW, Victoria

Moves the puck well and displays good puck presence .. lacks the explosive speed that elite players such as Kyle Turris does, however does have surprising top end speed from point A to B when he chooses to use it .. strong on his skates and can take a hit and keep going .. his mobility and acceleration is fine .. supports the puck well, but needs to show more determination without it .. sports a bit of a nasty streak and is more than willing to go to the net and park himself in front .. takes a hit and often is the one to be still standing .. boasts the ability to fire a wrist shot in from anywhere and is hesitant to shoot .. not the slickest stickhandler around .. was a regular on the powerplay .. played on the top line with Tyler Bozak and Garry Nunn. (26gp, 25-11-36)

Garry Nunn (2008), RW, Victoria

Extremely quick out of the gates .. not surprising isn't the strongest guy around at 5'9-175lbs. and sometimes has difficulty fighting through contact .. plays on the powerplay .. possesses the ability to collect a loose puck and instantly push up the ice .. boasts the speed and stickhandling ability to beat a defender wide .. does a nice job putting pressure on the puck while closing down passing and shooting lanes .. mobile with good overall speed .. already has a knack for getting open with only the goalie to beat .. on the number one line with Jamie Benn and Tyler Bozak. (28gp, 14-21-35)

Ilan Cumberbirch (2007), D, Burnaby

Sports some sting to his slat shot, although he needs to work on its' accuracy .. as his single point would attest, he lacks offensive ability .. sees time on the penalty-kill .. when he moves the puck it is with workmanlike at best and the longer the pass the less effective it is .. a bit stiff on his turns and his jump out of the gates is slow, making him a liability on dump ins .. is fairly effective keeping the puckcarrier in front of him on a one-on-one. (14gp, 1-0-1)

Justin Courtnall (2007), LW, Burnaby

Given the name it is no shock that he is a quick skater with decent agility, yet he still looks a bit fragile on his skates .. can look a tad lost in his own zone, although does try to block the pointman's passing and shooting lanes .. sometimes has trouble after contact .. displays good effort in the dirty areas and does a solid job holding defenders off along the wall .. if he improves his overall strength, especially in the lower body, he might garner some interest. (23gp, 1-2-3)

Kyle Turris (2007), D, Burnaby

Possesses elite vision and his anticipation skills are second to none .. not only is his wrist shot deadly accurate, but it is also explosive off the blade .. his release is effortless which makes his one-timers all the more dangerous .. wears an A .. usually displays terrific puck pursuit thanks to superior speed and mobility .. is conscientious defensively .. is a splendid player with or without the puck due to his innate ability to read the game so well and keep his feet moving .. plays the point on the powerplay .. seems to always be on the ice as he double shifts and gets extended time on special teams .. can overpower a goalie with a howitzer or pick the top corner .. gets a marvellous jump off his first few strides .. plays with poise that belies his age .. knows when to pinch in when playing the point and when to hang back .. gets open at the right time .. lacks the thickness at 165lbs. and will have to get stronger for the next level, yet he doesn't shy away from traffic and is so elusive that he rarely takes a punishing hit .. excellent hand-eye coordination .. played on a line with Tyler McNeely and Jovan Matic .. the puck seems to follow him around .. rarely has his shots blocked and is an expert at dishing out seeing-eye passes through traffic .. can play any forward position. (22gp, 26-18-44)

WHL: Alzner Hits Mark (posted 12.07.06)

by Anthony Mauro Jr.

In a recent game Tri-City played Calgary and won 5-3. Tri-City outplayed the Hitmen the entire game and as a result surged in the second period notching three consecutive goals to put the game out of reach. Tri-City received immediate production from two key players returning from mid-October injuries in veteran forward Ladislav Scurko (torn ACL) and budding two-way defenseman Tyler Schmidt(high ankle sprain). In executing a gritty, relentless team effort, combined with two fresh additions to the lineup, Tri-City came out victorious.

Juraj Valach (2007), D, Tri-City

Six-foot-six towering Slovakian blue liner has turned into the American's go to rearguard .. appears smaller than listed size because of bent over skating style .. owns long, powerful strides where he gracefully covers a lot of ice .. loves to lead the rush and sustain offensive zone pressure, which is usually uncharacteristic of a guy his size .. because of his swift skating, he can press as he has the ability to race back and catch opponents .. right-handed shot is an impressive point man .. can unleash any type of shot with great power .. picked up a power-play assist .. biggest downside is he lacks a physical edge and can be too passive at times .. does have some agility problems and difficulty turning .. may be overzealous at times .. got burned after stepping up in the neutral zone attempting a takeaway .. prone to minor lapses in defensive awareness as he left Petterson all alone in front of the net for a slam dunk rebound goal .. will be a scary blue liner if he adds strength and bite .. this competent and mobile blue liner oozes confidence and is sure of himself when the puck on his stick .. a top 30 2007 draft talent.

Carey Price (Mtl), G, Tri-City

Montreal's 2005 first round pick is an imposing presence in net for Tri-City .. it is clear that the American's put a lot of faith and trust in Carey .. handles this pressure well and exudes star-like confidence in net while having a strong charisma about him .. adept at flashing his five-hole to shooters and quickly closing it for an easy save .. fights through screens and exhibits remarkable focus .. has quick lateral movements in the crease and gets from post to post hastily .. is a calming influence in net .. will not hesitate to catch, hold on to the puck, and dictate the pace of the game at any particular time in the game .. possesses great reflexes .. made numerous kick saves in succession on otherwise guaranteed goals .. big game goalie is able to handle action packed flurries and rapid fire sequences .. single handedly killed a bunch of 5 on 3's .. still improving as he needs to add consistency to his rebound control .. at times eats up rebounds like Pac Man, while other times lets long, hard rebounds get away .. was beat blocker side after letting up a long rebound .. had no chance on the two other goals after redirected passes and shots took him out of position .. had a great showing stopping 34 of 37 shots while earning his 10th win of the season .. proving to be a worthwhile selection at 5th overall as he is the type of goalie capable of carrying a team on his back.

Ladislav Scurko (Phi), C, Tri-City

Takes no time to understand why Philadelphia made him one of their 2004 draft selections .. not a typical finesse European .. loves to get involved physically .. plays a borderline dirty brand of hockey as he had an elbowing penalty and two hits from behind .. . showed to be a smooth skater regardless of being out with a torn ACL since October 20th .. Slovakian sniper has quick hands in tight .. possesses great finishing abilities with an outstanding release .. opportunistic scorer knows how to position himself in front of the net .. picked up his 3rd and 4th goals from quick scores on top of the Hitmen crease .. a limited puckhandler who lacks creativity and imagination with the puck .. constantly looks for a quick move to get rid of the puck once on his stick .. an average face-off man .. follows the play well on the attack .. is aware at all times in the offensive zone and makes sure not to commit three forwards deep .. on the other hand must support his defenseman better as he lost coverage of his man quite a few times .. style and appearance resemble Ex-Lightning Martin Cibak .. potentially solid NHL checking line center will score some goals with his deadly release.

Tyler Schmidt (2008), D, Tri-City

Left-handed shooting defenseman from Winnipeg looks like a WHL carbon-copy of Luc Bourdon .. has a lot of poise for a 1990 born defenseman and plays in all situations .. mobile, two-way defenseman with an edge .. will be an impressive force on the American's blue line once he adds strength and quickness to his skating .. has played in big games and this shows in his confidence and overall feel for the Junior game .. won the Winnipeg AAA Midget Hockey League Championship last year .. did not look affected in his first game back by a high ankle sprain suffered on October 21st .. is smart as he pinches effectively and constantly keeps the play alive in the offensive zone .. active after whistles and makes it a point to clear forwards from the front of the net .. scored on an accurate point shot while his teammates created a commotion in front of the Hitmen net .. is a great team player .. flattened Petterson after he whacked at Price and proceeded to rough him up into the boards as well .. has an admirable edge and is competitive .. stepped up in the neutral zone and laid into Hitmen veteran White along the boards .. is looking like a stud defenseman for the 2008 draft.

Joel Broda (2008), C/W, Tri-City

Saskatoon native is a high-energy player who wreaks havoc in the offensive zone .. smart forechecker whose persistent style causes opposing defenseman to commit turnovers .. shift-to-shift sparkplug .. likes to initiate contact and has enough power in his stride to hit effectively .. consistently first player to the puck and wins a lot of battles .. a versatile forward that can play either wing or center .. supports his defenseman well as he has a good habit of strong backchecking .. has above average anticipation and reads plays real well .. looks to be limited offensively which may be a result of youth and inexperience .. great acceleration and has a strong stride .. can let loose quick, unexpected shots that catch goalies off guard .. possesses decent vision and average passing skills .. is an honest, two way player who will get better offensively with maturity .. is the type of first year player that will gain confidence and improve each and every game of his rookie season .. will be an interesting prospect to track and see his overall progress for next years draft.

Karl Alzner (2007), D, Calgary

Ultra-smooth defenseman hails from Burnaby and naturally lists Duck Scott Niedermayer as hockey hero .. stands a tall six-foot-two and carries a solid 200+ .. hockey sense and instincts define the good players from the great and he has those qualities in spades .. certainly has a great mind for the game .. an all-compass skater whose skating is light and relaxed .. has an active stick when shadowing a forward where he clogs lanes and breaks up plays .. positionally sound rearguard .. a calm guy who plays with ice water in his veins .. an absolute staple on the Hitman blueline .. does lack the edge that you would like to see from a top defenseman prospect .. is not shy about initiating contact but it is obvious that he prefer/relies on smart, positional defense instead .. does everything above average .. logs a ton of minutes and has earned the confidence of coach Kisio .. executes tape-to-tape outlets and smart chip outs .. can thread any type of pass in any type of position .. pinches effectively in the offensive zone .. is a respectable point man on power play .. picked up a power play assist .. could stand to reduce power play giveaways resulting from poorly timed passes .. lack of physical game could be misconstrued as being passive and not competitive .. solid bet to make the top ten in 2007 draft with his seamless overall game.

Ryan White (Mtl), C, Calgary

If he was not a hockey player, says he would be a rock star and it sure shows in his on-ice personality .. has a competitive fire raging within .. always mixing it up with defense after whistles .. went right after Tri-City defenseman Schmidt after being laid out along boards .. aggressive forechecker is always the first man to return on the back check .. possesses a choppy skating style which is nonetheless quick and effective .. agile on skates and changes directions quickly .. has composure and puck poise .. took puck from behind his own net, skated up ice, and made a nifty move past an oncoming forward still in the defensive zone .. shows supreme confidence in himself .. advances the play real well as center .. hard-nosed forward with a low center of gravity .. phenomenal on face-offs .. was unable to showcase any offensive talents other than efficient passing ability .. Montreal's 2005 3rd round pick will make an ideal 3rd line center with incredible face-off ability.

Alex Plante (2007), D, Calgary

Big man on defense is one of the most perplexing defense prospects I have seen in a while .. at six-foot-five you expect a big shutdown, physically punishing defenseman but that is not the case .. if anything, is a power play specialist .. is a slick passer and opportunistic shooter with the man advantage .. picked up a nice PP goal off a rebound let loose by Price .. has impressive hands is able to make surprisingly nice moves standing still and also in flight .. not sure he has a natural feel for the game .. has very good stats and measurables but is a product of being able to handle less talented and developed junior players .. is a peculiar skater .. legs flail out to sides in a way that makes him seem like a poor skater .. possesses subpar acceleration, surprising agility and mobility, and just average straight line skating and speed .. lags a bit skating backwards and has trouble containing smaller, shiftier forwards on the attack .. has top-end potential as a similar player to Minnesota's Kurtis Foster .. right now should be a first day talent for the 2007 NHL draft.

Robin Figren (NYI), RW, Calgary

Called Fig Newton by his teammates he is an exciting, dynamic right winger .. comes in a small package but has undeniable offensive skills .. aggressive in the offensive zone and has a killer instinct when the puck is on his stick .. an electric player is a threat whenever he is on the ice .. a quick, agile skater who can change directions at the drop of a hat .. is a sniper who can unleash his shots in any position .. rifles beautiful sneak shots after making slick moves at any spot on the ice in the attacking zone .. an able dangler .. finessed his way past defender with speed and displayed nice hands in tight getting off a quick shovel shot .. is non-existent in the defensive zone .. not much of a back checker and is light on providing help to his defense .. could stand to develop some and add some meat to his bones .. much more visible than Petterson .. has NHL skills that will translate but what will be his downfall is his lack of defensive game and slight frame .. is on the right track skill wise and the Islander's will pray he can convert his offensive game to the pro's.

Brodie Dupont (NYR), LW, Calgary

New York's third round selection was unimpressive the entire game and leads me believe it was a rare off-night .. has routinely put up stellar outings this year in all types of competition, the most recent being the ADT challenge .. has a great frame with a broad upper body and strong lower body .. has pro-skating and coordination .. is able to move wherever he wants to and is not limited by size .. does flash soft, sweet hands but did not make anything happen offensively .. had a disappointing effort and seemed disinterested .. played a perimeter game .. did not involve himself until late third period when the game was out of reach and threw a meaningless heavy check along the right boards .. off-night and all, his successful year seems to be a product of his being a veteran and having another year of junior experience moreso than being a supreme talent .. the future is bright for Dupont and the Ranger's should be excited to have a prospect with some skills and a supposedly great attitude.

Fredrik Pettersson (Edm), LW, Calgary

Another highly touted prospect who was invisible most of the night .. buzzed around the ice but was ineffective and rarely created any offense on his own .. scored his seventh goal on a weird bounce off of traffic .. oddly has better stats than Figren but is smaller and not as skilled .. easily pushed around and struggled to get close to the net .. has good offensive skills, he needs to let loose and just shoot .. is agile and has some dance with the puck .. will need to bulk up, improve his defensive tendencies, and become more of a consistent threat offensively .. Edmonton's 2005 draft pick may be one of those rare complimentary types who will adjust to each level he progresses, but there are some doubts.

Michael Stone (2008), D, Calgary

"Stoner" is having a productive first season with the Hitmen already notching thirteen points in twenty-six contests .. a tall, rangy defenseman with solid skating skills .. should loosen up and get more comfortable as the season progress, which will be a tremendous help to him .. looks a bit stiff and does not get the most out of his strides just yet .. has a booming shot from the point and absolutely loves to let it go at all times .. likes to initiate contact and is becoming a budding physical presence on the Hitman blue line .. needs to get quicker and more confident at this level .. has good hands but can also stand to improve passing and better utilize his decent vision of the ice .. Calgary's next defensive draft prospect in the pipeline after Alzner and Plante is turning into a solid 2008 draft eligible.

BCHL: Eagles' Eye Basford (posted 12.01.06)

by Ron Jones

Brandon Clark (2007), D, Surrey

Spokane, Washington native is overall a nice skater, but lacks the elite skill level to make him a top prospect .. in his first 26 games he has produced nine (5-4-9) .. doesn't display a lot of imagination with the puck, didn't do much to take the man on rush down his side .. plays on the powerplay .. partnered with Jesse Felske.

Eliot Raibl (2007), D, Surrey

Currently has only four assists (0-4-4) after 26 games .. dishes out crisp, hard passes right on the tape .. does a decent job keeping opponents to the outside .. lacks elite top end speed when carrying the puck out of his zone .. backs up his defensive partner well .. partnered with Jeffrey Ceccacci.

Adam Basford (2007), LW, Surrey

Lanky left winger had 20 points (7-13-20) in his first 26 games .. tends to be more of a setup man than a scorer as he displays nice vision and shows that he deliver the pass on target to the open man .. slap shot doesn't stand out .. still needs to add some pounds to his frame .. needs to work on clearing the puck .. although not rugged in anyway, he does seem willing to take a hit to make a play and will go to the dirty areas .. needs to work on improving the jump he gets out of the blocks and his mobility is only slightly better than average .. a regular on the powerplay .. played on a line with Clayton Spalding and Brodie Reid.