WHL Report: Saskatoon Blades Part 1

Thanks to a deep, talented core of young talent, the Saskatoon Blades sit atop the WHL with 74 points. In Part 1 of his report on the Blades, McKeen's correspondent Matt Bugg looks at their top four prospects eligible for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. (Duncan Siemens pictured).

Duncan Siemens (2011), D, Saskatoon

It is impossible not to take notice of Siemens, a top-ten talent for the Draft .. at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, he is physically ready for the NHL and is constantly manhandling opponents .. however, it is skating that makes him a truly world-class defensive prospect .. long, powerful legs move him a country mile with each stride, and his first step is both quick and fluid .. agility and turns are also first-rate for a skater of his size, allowing him to maintain body position on even the fastest forward .. defensive instincts are also immediately noticeable .. cool, calm and collected, and utilizes his tremendous hand-eye coordination to knock down most shots or passes before they become a danger .. angles well, but has not entirely figured out how to best use his strength and wide shoulders to box out opponents .. offensively, he handles the puck extremely well and owns a crackling wristshot .. on the powerplay, he will jump up to the front of the net once possession has been established .. surprisingly, does not utilize his slapshot with great frequency, and will need to work both on becoming a more creative puck-mover and a better outlet passer to become a premier offensive quarterback.

Brent Benson (2011, C/W, Saskatoon

Jack-of-all-trades has been cold as of late after posting 21 points in 22 games over November-December .. extremely versatile, having the ability to line up on either wing or in the middle .. wins draws consistently and cleanly, using his feet to corral the puck .. similarly, works the wall hard and can be relied upon to win back puck possession if his team loses it .. also advanced defensively, and is always the first forward back at the first sign of trouble .. although an intelligent player with a wide bag of puckhandling tricks and good elusiveness, two things prevent Benson from being a consistent offensive producer .. while he possesses good top-end speed, his first few steps can be bow-legged and rob him of significant explosiveness .. as such, he is unable to jump on opportunities that arise from his hard work and above-average hockey sense .. secondly, Benson doesn't own elite offensive skill .. while more of a playmaker than a scorer, he does not have the fine timing and patience to exploit holes in a team's defense, and lacks a great shot arsenal .. with improved work in one or both areas, he could be a two-way force.

Matej Stransky (2011), RW, Saskatoon

Czech import owns pro size at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds .. a master at using his long reach to evade defenders by pulling the puck across his body in wide, untouchable swoops .. also a treat to watch in tight thanks to his quick hands and creativity. . Stransky, nevertheless, has had several problems adapting to the Canadian junior game .. skating - especially his first step - is sub-par, owing mostly to an extremely short stride .. hockey sense does not appear to be first-rate, as he often skates the puck into coverage rather than around it or into open ice .. above all, plays too much of an individual game, and will attempt the same shot from the same area over and over without variation or concern for the situation .. when given open ice to work alone on the goalie, he can score dazzling goals or make heads-up drop passes, but such opportunities are rare at the next level - especially when you are neither fast enough nor smart enough to create and capitalize on them.

Darren Dietz (2011 0, D, Saskatoon

Two-way defender is rapidly gaining notice with six points in his last nine games .. nimble skater who can stop on a dime .. rarely over-commits on defense, and in fact, often fools opposing forwards by appearing to be headed one direction until he smoothly uses his skating ability and quick stick to intercept the puck .. heads-up playmaker who can spring the attack with crisp, accurate passes in any direction .. not a traditional powerplay quarterback, but lethal thanks to his ability to swoop effortlessly from the blueline to the faceoff circle and back .. as of late, he has been utilized as a screen and is showing a talent for deflections and rebound control .. well-sized at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds .. with Colorado Avalanche prospect Stefan Elliott, overager Teigan Zahn and perhaps even Duncan Siemens all poised to graduate to the next level, Dietz is a good bet to handle top-pairing duties next season in Saskatoon and is showing he has both the skill and hockey sense to do the job.