WHL: Saskatoon Picking

The Saskatoon Blades have several prospects that stand a good chance of being drafted this season including defenseman Jyri Niemi, currently listed No. 28 on McKeen's Midterm Rankings for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. McKeen's correspondent Randy Gorman provides a comprehensive look at this year's draft-eligible players from the Saskatoon Blades.

Jyri Niemi (2008), D, Saskatoon Blades

The Finnish import has caught the interest of many scouts with his stellar two-way play .. the 6-foot-3, 190-pound defenseman played just 49 games due to injuries but scored 14 goals and had 34 points .. also had 57 penalty minutes and a minus–1 rating .. is blessed with great skating ability and has great poise and patience with the puck, as his hockey sense for a young player is over the top .. has one of the shots from the point in the WHL and he can let go some blasts with good accuracy .. he has really worked on his cycle down low defensively and protects the puck well .. is willing to battle hard and usually the knock against European players is that they do not play physical and are soft .. Niemi, however, is not afraid to go in the dirty areas to make a play .. delivers good outlet passes from his own end, as he pays attention to wear his teammates are and will be .. really improved as the season progressed and has a great chance of being a late first to an early-second-round selection.

Braden Holtby (2008), G, Saskatoon Blades

Holtby is among the top draft-eligible goalies coming out of the WHL this season .. the 6-foot-1, 198-pound netminder carried most of the load between the pipes putting up a respectable 25-29 record including two overtime and six shootout losses on a team that was offensively starved for goals .. posted a 2.84 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage .. he challenges shooters and plays with passion and fire .. for a big goalie, his lateral movement is quick and decisive .. he needs to be better at dealing with pucks coming through high-traffic areas where his vision is blocked .. stand-up goalie that faces shots square on, and often makes multiple stops from in close .. he gets to his feet quickly after going down and handles the puck well .. likely a mid-round selection, but could go as high as the second round.

Teigan Zahn (2008), D, Saskatoon Blades

Zahn is a big, bruising-type-of defenseman that plays physical and keeps his game simple .. the 6-foot-1, 217-pound defenseman played in 69 games recording 4 goals, 19, 104 penalty minutes and an abysmal minus–28 rating .. he is strong on his skates, as he glides out there with the best of them .. he has a good shot but he must hit the net with more regularity .. defensively, he needs work in his own end, as his minus–28 can attest .. he must make better decisions with the puck, as he tends to just throw the puck away .. he also is caught up ice and out of position at times .. must learn to be more patient and to play the game with poise .. has a warrior-like passion and delivers good bodychecks on opponents trying to beat him wide .. he needs to work on his defensive game and be more responsible with the puck .. however, many scouts believe he will develop over time so he has a chance at being a late-round selection.

Travis Toomey (2008), C, Saskatoon Blades

Played in all 72 games for the Blades this season and had 12 goals, 24 points, 99 penalty minutes and a minus–6 rating .. the 6-foot-4, 189-pound pivot skates very well for his size and has good vision as a playmaking center that mostly played fourth-line minutes .. he has good hands and is considered a finisher .. he likes to plant himself in front of the net and does not mind taking the punishment that usually goes with it .. he drives to the net like a power forward and always keeps his stick level to the ice to take advantage of his reach for tip-ins and redirections .. plays physical, but has to learn not to take bad penalties and play more disciplined .. defensively, he needs work in tying up players better and not letting them gain body position on the cycle or along the wall, which often leads to him taking holding or interference penalties .. he probably will not be drafted, but there could be some late-round interest due to his size and hands.

Gaelan Patterson (2008), C, Saskatoon Blades

The 6-foot, 194-pound pivot only appeared in 50 games this year due to injuries and healthy-scratch situations .. during that period, he produced just four goals and had a total of 10 points with a minus–3 rating .. needs to work on his skating, as it could be better for the next level .. he is a good passer and likes to set up shop behind opposing teams' nets .. his wristshot has some zip and is usually on target .. he needs to compete harder and play with more passion out there .. physically, he could probably add about 10 pounds to his frame to get stronger in the upper body .. defensively, he gets into trouble by trying to do too much, when he should be simplifying his game .. will not garner much draft interest this season, as he still has some work to do to be a better-rounded player.

Kevin Philp (2008), D, Saskatoon Blades

Listed as 6-foot-7 and 230, but should shed 10 pounds to get quicker and become more effective as a player .. played just 36 games recording one goal, 4 points, 44 minutes in penalties and a minus–3 rating .. he has to improve his skating and as mentioned get a little leaner .. has a good shot but must utilize it more .. for his size, he must play better physically and make players aware that he is a presence out there .. his outlet passes also need improving, as they are often hurried and erratic at times .. he does not protect the puck very well and is stripped of it often, as better agility and perseverance is needed to improve .. he has some potential but needs lots of work .. will likely not be drafted, unless due to his sheer size, he is selected in the later rounds as a project.