WHL Report: Vancouver Giants

Although most NHL scouts who have Vancouver penciled on their calendar likely do thanks to David Musil, he's not the only Vancouver Giant who can expect a call on Draft Day. McKeen's correspondent Matt Bugg files reports on fellow 2011 eligible players Nathan Burns, Brendan Jensen, Tyler Hart and Luke Fenske.

Nathan Burns (2011), LW, Vancouver Giants

Burns has been a revelation for the Giants since finally returning to action following ACL surgery in March to correct a long-standing knee problem .. has collected three goals and four points in his first five games since debuting on October 22 .. despite being of only average size (6-0, 165), Burns is a strong, balanced skater who goes to the tough places .. plays at a tremendous pace, pursuing pucks and making things happen every shift and with any linemate .. possesses soft hands in tight, and can create something out of nothing by corralling loose pucks along the half-boards and either walking out front for a greasy opportunity or setting up a teammate with a seeing-eye pass .. although not an explosive skater, he is extremely agile and owns good foot speed .. transitions and pivots are all top-notch and when combined with his smooth stickhandling, Burns is the definition of slippery .. hockey sense and creativity both rate above-average .. excels at making short-range passes off the rush through coverage, which forces defensemen to legitimately worry about either a shot or a pass during odd-man breaks .. overall, it is simply amazing that there is little sign of rust from his long lay-off and recovery.

Brendan Jensen (2011), G, Vancouver Giants

Although a highly-regarded minor hockey player, the California native fell to the sixth round of the 2008 Bantam Draft over concerns whether he would report .. appearing in his first full season, Jensen has been simply stellar, taking over the starting job from 19-year-old Mark Segal .. a great skater who possesses explosive lateral movement .. battles hard for real estate in his crease and always tries to ensure he has a clear sightline, but if his vision is obscured, he isn't afraid to trust his reflexes or his instincts .. to call him athletic would be selling him short .. Jensen is simply elastic, recovering and stretching and otherwise getting himself in front of any puck he can .. while his speed and reflexes can lead to rebounds, they also ensure he is usually the first to them .. strong positionally .. is one of those rare goalies who can stop both long-range point shots and in-tight opportunities with equal consistency .. many times, a goaltender's style or skill set will be suited better for one over the other, allowing shooters to tailor their shot selection, but not so with Jensen.

Luke Fenske (2011), D, Vancouver Giants

Very smooth skater, especially backwards .. leverages his speed and acceleration not only to shut down opportunities, but to join the rush for an odd-man rush .. a player who is both creative and confident enough to see and consider all opportunities, rather than the safest or easiest play .. at 6-foot-1 and 204 pounds, he has the requisite mass to make good contact, and likes to do so frequently with big hits that neither take him out of position or cross the line into penalty territory .. although Fenske's size, mobility and physical game are all key attributes for success at the next level, there are still questions whether he has the tools to produce consistently in the other end of the rink .. in 83 total major junior and Tier II games the last two seasons, he has totalled just three goals and twenty-one points .. although a willing and smart puckhandler, he does not own an especially accurate outlet pass and fights the puck when forced to skate long distances with it .. shot arsenal is serviceable but his slapper is lacking both the elite velocity and accuracy necessary to be a point threat.

Tyler Hart (2011), D, Vancouver Giants

Like Fenske, Hart is another bigger, physical rearguard who owns some very intriguing tools .. along with his workable 6-foot-1, 201-pound frame, he owns above-average top-end speed .. once on his horse, he can get from behind the opponent's blueline to the neutral zone in just a few strides .. in addition to not being afraid to rush the puck all the way to the net by himself, he is a strong puckhandler and can throw his man with deceptively slick moves at top speed .. an eager combatant for pucks and a well-versed bodychecker, Hart's strength is a point of concern at the present .. too often, he gets dumped when fighting for the puck against older, more filled-out opponents .. as a late-born 1992, one might expect him to be a bit more refined in this area than others who have had one less off-season in a junior program, but on the flip side, Hart's tremendous positioning and sound defensive instincts are what allow him to be a difference-maker in the WHL .. most impressive feat to date has been playing a regular role with the Spruce Grove Saints of the AJHL during their run to the Doyle Cup and acquitted himself well against opponents 20-21 years of age.