WHL: Peter The Great

Peter Mueller passed on an opportunity to play in the NCAA for a chance to head West and ply his trade under coach Kevin Constantine. So far things have gone well with the American phenom leading the Everett Silvertips with 32 points (13-19-32) in only 30 games. We have notes on Mueller as well as teammates John Lammers, Ondrej Fiala and Leland Irving.

John Lammers (Dal), LW

Blessed with splendid speed and mobility which allow him to really pressure the puck carrier on the forecheck .. suffered from a bout of mononucleosis earlier in the season .. most often finds himself on a line with Brady Calla and various centers .. will take a hit to make a play and conversely does take the body on the forecheck, however lacks the size and strength to punish .. has shown more defensive awareness this year under the guidance of coach Kevin Constantine and on occasion will even drop down to block a shot .. is most effective when he keeps his feet moving even after first contact and displays a willingness to pay the price to drive to the crease .. a regular on the PK and PP.

Ondrej Fiala (2006), C

Czech native is listed as a center, but has consistently lined up on the left side on the Peter Mueller line .. will get to the net looking for the puck .. doesn't shy away from parking himself in front and taking the punishment dished out .. crisp, tape-to-tape passer .. boasts some willingness to fight through traffic, although would be more effective if he added some size and strength .. skilled stickhandler in tight spaces, but due to not being strong enough isn't always able to protect the puck as well as he should .. is a nice overall skater with above average mobility and acceleration .. participates on both the powerplay and penalty-kill.

Peter Mueller (2006), C

Will be representing the USA at the upcoming WJC's .. strong on the draw .. displays good puck pursuit and a commitment to the defensive aspects of the game .. does a nice job using his large wingspan to close down passing lanes .. centers the line of Ondrej Fiala and Torrie Wheat .. very solid on his skates and although he has pretty good feet his skating can appear a tad choppy at times .. boasts splendid offensive awareness thanks to excellent vision and the ability to think a few steps ahead .. good in the face-off circle, positionally sound in his own zone and rarely hurts his team defensively .. slick stickhandler and the confidence to use his imagination .. crisp passer that rarely misses the mark .. lacks an extra gear, yet does appear to get to his fair share of loose pucks thanks to his aforementioned ability to think two steps ahead .. often used at the point on the powerplay to take advantage of his vision and playmaking skills .. has innate ability to elude a hit or limit the damage .. exhibits good work habits without the puck .. takes the body reasonably well and doesn't shy away from contact .. a regular on both the penalty-kill and powerplay.

Leland Irving (2006), G

Looking more comfortable in the number role as the season rolls along .. moves extremely well thanks to nimble feet which aid in his ability to quickly recover after going down .. displays very good rebound control and rarely bobbles a shot with his catcher .. won't shy away from coming out to challenge a shooter .. finds the puck through traffic .. can lose his concentration at times when he leaves the net to play the puck leading to miscues handling the puck .. positionally sound and is able to stay square to the shooter as he moves across the crease .. has progressed nicely in to a potential first round pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and should find himself with a spot in the upcoming Top Prospects Game.