Whos Hot / Whos Not - April 03
Who's Hot/Who's Not - Hennessy One of QMJHL's Best
If the NHL Entry Draft criteria were based on likableness, Quebec Remparts
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forward Josh Hennessy
would easily go in the top three. Josh has the attitude coaches like - he's
personable, responsible and hard working. Now an assistant captain as a sophomore
in the QMJHL, the 18-year old centerman has proven that he can lead vocally
and by example. Within the locker room he is respected by his peers and is a
fan favorite among Quebec fans.
Mobile and crafty, Hennessy has blossomed into one of the league's best skilled
forwards in 2002/2003. Rewarded with top-line duty, Hennessy picked up where
he left off in the 2002 playoffs - when he collected an impressive 12 points
in 9 games. Playing on a line with explosive Russian Timofei
Shishkanov and the slick David Masse, Josh improved his 2001/2002 regular
season output by 44 points, amassing 33 goals and 51 assists in 72 games.
Hennessy's breakthrough campaign earned him an invite to the 2003 CHL Top Prospects
game, as he replaced an injured teammate Jean-Michel
Bolduc at the event. Josh has kept up his excellent play in the 2003
playoffs, amassing 6 goals and 15 points in 11 games.
Speed is Hennessy's glowing strength. His agility and acceleration make him
a serious threat to score at all times. Josh is strong and balanced on his skates
and due to his good lower body strength, he is a die-hard along the boards and
in traffic. Due to his quick hands, Josh gets to loose pucks ahead of the scrambling
defenders - his keen vision and precise passing skills have contributed to his
success. To boot, Hennessy has the necessary finish to become a solid pro. He
likes to jump up on the rush and can fire the puck swiftly and accurately at
full speed.
Josh Hennessy is ranked 55th overall (and 7th among QMJHL forwards) by McKeen's
Hockey Draft Insider. Hennessy's style of play and physical capabilities
- especially his speed - remind us of a young Brian Holzinger. If he continues
to put on muscle and adds a much-needed mean streak to complement his drive,
Josh is capable of maturing into an explosive offensive threat in the NHL.
On the Rise:
Kelly Guard - G
- Kelowna (WHL) - Was, by no means, a guarantee to be the Rockets' number one
goalie at the start of the season, but he grabbed hold of the opportunity and
made the best of it. Guard won 39 games with a record-setting 1.93 goals-against
average for the powerhouse Kelowna. In addition, he has impressed in the playoffs,
showcasing clutch mentality. Has gotten better as the season's gone on (WHL
Ranking: 19th).
Kevin Klein - D
- St. Michael's (OHL) - Quite possibly the best blueliner in the OHL playoffs.
Quarterbacking the Majors to a third-round match-up against the powerhouse Ottawa
67's definitely raises his stock a few notches. The most impressive thing about
Klein is his fearlessness - he is much more willing to jump into the rush than
ever before. Kevin is displaying a howitzer of a shot and his positioning is
brilliant. Good enough to go in the first round of the draft (OHL Ranking: 9th).
Joni Lappalainen - RW - Blues (SM-Liiga) - The hard-shooting winger
was passed up in last year's draft, but has made a strong case this season,
so a team should take a Flyer on him. Gifted finisher and spectacular stickhandler
with a powerful shot to boot. Lappalainen's biggest weakness is his skating
- his straight-away speed is okay, but he's just not a quick player (Finland
Ranking: 9th).
Colin McDonald - RW - New England (EJHL) - Tough, aggressive winger
capped off a splendid third season with the Junior Coyotes by winning both the
EJHL scoring crown (34-28-30-58) as well as League MVP honours. The Wethersfield,
Conn. native is a strong-skating, hard-shooting bull who overpowers defenders
with his prodigious mix of size (6-2/190), strength and determination. McDonald
will be attending Providence College in the fall where he projects as an impact
freshman (NCAA Ranking: 13th).
Ryan Munce - G
- Sarnia (OHL) - Every now and then, he shows flashes of brilliance. Munce's
on-and-off playoff did not help Sarnia's chances, as the Sting bowed out to
the Guelph Storm in the first round. Munce was excellent in game 3, stopping
41 shots, but disappointed in game 4, allowing four goals on 14 shots. Munce
has impressive reflexes and could be something special - if he learns to perform
better under pressure. Starred with gold medal-winning team Canada at the Under-18
WJC in Yaroslavl, Russia. (OHL Ranking: 21st).
="/viewprospect.asp?sport=4&pr_key=19642">Kevin Nastiuk - G - Medicine Hat (WHL) - Stood on his head when the
underdog Tigers swept the heavy favorites Swift Current Broncos in the first
round of the WHL playoffs. Struggled through an inconsistent season, but has
made major strides since his appearance at the Top Prospects game. Technical
skills are excellent - challenges the shooters more (WHL Ranking: 14th).
Corey Perry - C
- London (OHL) - Looks like a different player all of a sudden. With 22 points
in 13 playoff games, Perry is playing up to his potential, emerging as the Knights'
offensive leader. Corey has added a physical dimension to his game and has shown
better patience with the puck, in turn taking fewer undisciplined penalties
(OHL Ranking: 10th).
- D - Lokotomiv Yaroslavl - Had a stint in the Russian Superleague late in the
season and did not look out of place. The undersized (5-9, 165) defender lacks
strength, but does everything and would have been a likely top-2 round pick,
if he was two or three inches taller. Possesses excellent puck skills, good
maneuverability, powerful shot and incredible vision. Not a soft player, but
in desperate need of some bulking up (Russia Ranking: 17th).
RW - Pelicans (SM-Liiga) - An absolute beauty of a player, Santavuori is quickly
rising up the charts and impressing the onlookers. A fast and technical skater
who uses his speed well to create scoring chances. Very good finisher who needs
to add strength (only 6-0, 172) to stand his ground in front of the opponent's
net. Gets outmuscled in high-traffic zones by some of the bigger kids. He'll
require patience - very much like Juha Aaltonen - the other talented sniper
from Finland for this draft (Finland Ranking: 4th).
C - Montreal (QMJHL) - An underrated pivot with good hands and slick playmaking
abilities. His production has been consistent all year, but his aggressiveness
and willingness to go to the net have been the most impressive. Possesses good
size (6-3, 195), which he has been willing to use along the boards and in traffic.
Defensive awareness needs work and so does his agility (QMJHL Ranking: 10th).
RW - Umass - Werner came on after a slow start to his season. He posted 16 goals,
38 points but was ablaze to end the season. Werner scored six goals, 12 points
in his last eight games, including two three-point efforts. A product of the
US NTDP, Werner seems to have adjusted to the pace of college hockey and will
get better in short order (NCAA Ranking: 10th).
Taking a Fall
C - AIK (SEL 2) - An extraordinary skater, Beck is, quite possibly, in the top
five in this category among draft eligible players. Aside from his skating,
there isn't much else to see. Beck had a good start to his season and created
scoring chances by utilizing his terrific speed. However, once opposition adjusted
to his mobility, Beck's effectiveness was minimized. Does not shoot nearly enough
nor is he strong enough to cause any havoc in traffic.
Jiri Drtina - D
- Guelph (OHL) - Undoubtedly an attractive package with speed and puck moving
creativity. Drtina, however, lacks defense savvy, to put it very mildly. His
defensive awareness is nonexistent - decision making, receiving passes and keeping
the puck at the blueline have also been problems for him all year. The 2002
first overall CHL Import Draft selection, Drtina started his season with the
Soo Greyhounds, but was promptly dealt to Guelph as the Greyhounds' coaching
staff lost patience with his on-ice misadventures (OHL Ranking: 18th).
Martin Foldyna - C - Prerov Jr. - An energetic, aggressive forward with
a nasty edge and an added touch of defensive awareness. Does not have enough
skill to complement his drive, however. Foldyna's shooting skilsl are lacking,
while his positional play is a concern. An invitee to the Czech Under-18 camp,
Martin was a scratch after an unimpressive tryout.
RW - CSKA - Returned to CSKA after a loan with Elemash and did very little to
impress the scouts. Technically, he is a marvelous talent with top-line upside,
but his laziness is becoming a concern. Not at all a hard worker and is not
willing to learn new things (Russia Ranking: 7th).
Robin Kovar - C -Vancouver (WHL) - Was moved to the wing in the playoffs
and showed some promise after struggling to adjust to the pivot position. All
in all, Kovar's hockey sense is unacceptably bad, his vision is sub-par and
he does not use his teammates. Robin is a black hole, a kid who is not willing
to share. That's not all - he also has a nasty habit of skating with his head
down, so keep that stretcher handy (WHL Ranking: 28th).
- LW - Red Deer (WHL) - Quick, gritty and is quite a pest. But where is
all that talent we've waited for so long to see? It was either a myth or maybe
Customs has it, because it did not come off the plane with him (WHL Ranking:
24th).
C - Metallurg Magnitogorsk - One of the more consistent and mature players in
his age group, but upside is a concern. Somewhat undersized (5-10, 200), but
not skinny, Pestunov is a more filled out Egor Shastin - the type of player
who produces among those in his age group, whether in tournament action or in
the Superleague. However, when it comes to physical gifts, Pestunov is neither
skilled enough nor tough enough to be an impact player at the NHL level. He
has third line upside (Russia Ranking: 9th).
- D - Halifax (QMJHL) - Struggled through a tough second half to his season
after a promising start. A big rearguard (6-2, 207), Picard is a solid passer
with an accurate shoot and soft hands at the blueline. Picard makes his living
by rushing the puck, but his decision-making has not been impressive down the
stretch. Alexandre seems to lack patience and does his team few favors with
rushed, badly placed passes. Has taken a step back, but remains an intriguing
package that will require time and patience (QMJHL Ranking: 11th).
- D - Michigan (CCHA) - Looks can be deceiving at times, which is certainly
the case with the Wolverines' talented freshman rearguard. The fast, smooth-skating
native of Buffalo Grove, Illinois flashed his impressive offensive skill-set
to earn a spot on the CCHA's All-Rookie Team, but struggled all season with
his defensive-zone play. Richmond's risky outlet game and non-existent physical
play were regularly exposed by opposing forwards which often left him sitting
on the bench during crucial times in a game (NCAA Ranking: 19th).
Jeremy Williams - C - Swift Current (WHL) - Far and away the top scorer
for the Broncos in the regular season, Williams was virtually invisible during
the first round four-game sweep at the hands of the Medicine Hat Tigers. He
managed one paltry goal in the series (WHL Ranking: 20th).
Draft Confidential
Cam Abbott - LW- Cornell (ECAC) - Talented freshman vaulted up the rankings
over the second half, combining with twin brother Chris and tough guy Greg Hornby
to give the Big Red a formidable fourth line. Cam is a quick, energetic winger
with a knack for winning puck battles along the boards and a smart touch around
goal. Despite not being ranked by Central Scouting on their mid-term list, there's
a good chance that Cam, and perhaps even Chris, will draw some interest this
June from the more astute NHL scouts (NCAA Ranking: 26th).
- C - Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL) - The talented rookie impressed with 23 goals
and 73 points and was consistently solid in the playoffs, helping the Titan
to a game seven with the victorious Halifax in the second round of the playoffs.
There is nothing fancy in his game - Bergeron is a patient player with precise
passing skills and good smarts. Possesses slick puck skills, but needs to work
on his wrister (QMJHL Ranking: 15th).
Nigel Dawes - LW - Kootenay (WHL) - If this kid could find a pair of
high heel skates, he'd be in the first round (Dawes is 5-8, 175). Great creativeness,
and works hard at both ends. Unlike most smaller players, Dawes not only doesn't
avoid contact, he initiates it. Compares favorably to former QMJHL'er Brandon
Reid (WHL Ranking: 21st).
Miroslav Kopriva - G - Kladno Jr. - Overlooked in the 2002 NHL Entry
Draft, the big, athletic netminder backstopped the Kladno juniors all the way
to the Junior Extraleague championship title and established himself as the
top Czech junior goalie. He plays a stand-up style, covers lots of the net,
possesses very fast reflexes with a strong mental game. Kopriva has also made
remarkable strides handling the puck.
Oskari Korpikari - D - Kärpät - The 6-2, 198-pound rearguard is mainly
a stay-at-home type. Possesses a good reach and does not shy away from physical
contact. Positions himself very well on the ice and thinks a good game. Lacks
first step quickness and will need to bulk up. Played regularly in the SM-liiga
playoffs for Kärpät (Finland Ranking: 10th).
Alexander Naurov - RW - Lokotmotiv Yaroslavl - Smart, skilled player
who has served as a bench warmer for many games at the Under-18 tourneys this
season. When he does play, Naurov shows great savvy, speed and advanced puck
skills. Looks a lot like Timofei Shishkanov from a couple of years back. Someone
needs to give him the chance to allow him to blossom. Finally getting his due
at the Under-18's in Yaroslavl, but the best is yet to come from him (Russia
Ranking: 11th).
Dylan Reese - D - Pittsburgh Forge (NAHL) - Reese is a smooth skating
defenseman with superb vision and puck carrying abilities. He carries the puck
with confidence, reads plays well and an excellent passer. Reese amassed 11
goals, 41 points in 56 games, including seven powerplay tallies. He plays with
a mean edge at times but is more of a finesse pointman. Reese is committed to
Harvard in the fall.
Explosive Vanek is Pure Magic
With over half of his goals coming in the third period or overtime, Austrian
star Thomas Vanek
may as well have stayed on the bench for the opening two periods of both the
semi-final against Michigan and again in the final against the UNH Wildcats.
The Minnesota sniper showed off his flawed, Esposito-like skating technique,
and really struggled to stay up with the play, that is until there was something
at stake. Vanek's speed seems to improve when he senses a scoring opportunity
or a chance to be the difference-maker. Never was this more evident than in
the third period of the Frozen Four final when he showed his great patience
and puckhandling wizardry to pot the winning goal, and then drove the point
home with a dazzling end-to-end rush that turned into Jon Waibel's insurance
tally. Vanek's skating may not be pretty, but his hands are certainly a work
of art.
A 'Locke' to move up the rankings?
Our eyes and ears are patiently fixed on the OHL playoffs. As the powerhouse
Ottawa 67's square off against the surprising (Kevin Klein-led) St. Michael's
Majors, sniper Corey Locke
will be expected to shoulder the offensive burden. We like what we see from
him and despite his modest size (5-9, 175), we fully expect Corey to considerably
rise up our rankings - if he maintains his scoring pace (Locke currently the
tops all OHL playoff scorers with 25 points in 11 games).
Now sitting 60th in the McKeen's top 100
list, Corey was nothing short of spectacular during the regular season.
That said, we would like to see him perform in the OHL final against a team
like Kitchener or Plymouth - the other two truly elite teams in the league,
who are currently battling in the Western conference finals - before including
him on the riser list. Size is somewhat of a concern with Locke, but his vision
and smarts are top five in this draft.
Locke was initially eligible to enter the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, but did not
opt in due to a disappointing injury-filled rookie OHL campaign.