WJC: Scouting Team Canada
WJC: Scouting Team Canada (posted 02.08.07)
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by Jante Abrahamsson
If you are looking for the definition of a winner, you should look up Team Canada at the 2007 World Junior Championships. When they needed it the most, the team managed to pull up their absolute best performance and just ran over Russia in a commanding effort in the gold medal game.
While this Canadian team was perhaps not the one with the most raw skill in the tournament, they more than made up for any skill deficiencies with hard work, effort and a tremendous desire to win the third straight World Junior gold medal for their country. In any team with 22 clutch players if one like, Jonathan Toews and Carey Price, displayed competitiveness on a level that alone justifies their respective high first round selections in the previous two NHL drafts.
For the upcoming draft this summer, young Sam Gagner did not however raise his stock in this tournament, as the 17-year old centre often looked out of place and out of confidence.
Review: Toews embodied the clutch mentality surrounding the entire Canadian team. Toews could look almost out of place and be a non-factor in some games, only to be the best player in the whole tournament when it really mattered, like in the final against Russia.
Scouting: Has a fairly quick first stride and gears up well enough, while not being spectacular at it .. has an extra gear, but not an elite one .. carries the puck well and has great overall strength, comes out with the puck on his stack after almost any battle.. not the flashiest stick handler, but has a set moves and could have even displayed them more frequently .. could also get by defensemen on pure strength and his ability to cover the puck .. strong vision on the ice and one could easily spot his playmaking qualities .. could be a notch more poised when running the power play though, as he sometimes forces plays .. what makes Toews great is his intangibles more than anything else .. has a great hockey mind and reads the game like a book and he also has a natural desire to win and to work hard, he never quits and he is always there when it counts – things that can't be measured in a skills competition .. has a top-notch wrist shot, his quickness and accuracy there is certainly NHL calibre already .. is an obvious leader and gets other players to follow his example. Toews looks more like a Mark Messier than a Sidney Crosby type. (6-4-3-7)
Sam Gagner, C
Review: Gagner started the tournament fairly well in the first game, only to fade as things progressed when he failed to get his scoring going. Showed hints of upside, but this was simply not the right time for the 17-year old.
Scouting: Has a very fluid skating stride, but his lack of acceleration and elite top speed along with his strength didn't do him any favours here, as he lacked mobility to get out of the way of bigger defenseman and he was often caught up from behind when trying to carry the puck through the neutral zone .. one could see that he has hands however and he showed glimpses of future greatness in a few inspired power play shifts .. has a tremendous set of tools, but his unfamiliarity with this level of hockey hindered him from showing much of it .. lost many battles along the boards and was utterly ineffective in any kind of traffic areas .. didn't show much intensity defensively initially, but that was actually one of the few things in his game that improved during the course of the tournament .. .has a deceptive and quick wrist shot, which he should have tried to use more often. (6-0-0-0)
Review: If you already have NHL games and even goals under your belt coming into the World Juniors, it usually shows. It certainly did in Kris Letang's case, as he easily dominated the game every shift he played.
Scouting: Very mobile for a defensemen, smooth strides and great lateral movement made his transition to larger ice surfaces seamless .. accelerates well and even has an extra gear to use for offensive rushes .. likes to carry the puck and has the ability to go end to end at this level .. has an offensive mind set, but still held back a bit from joining the rush at times in this tournament .. strong in his own zone as well, an effective physical force in his own end, without looking overly intimidating at first sight .. reads the game well and rarely gets beaten one-on-one .. is an excellent passer, finds the right passing lanes with ease and could set up for some really creative plays offensively as well .. very good at running the power play from the blue line thanks to his passing skills, but can also shoot .. possesses an accurate slap shot and wrist shot that has a quick release .. .at this level of hockey, Kris Letang is a player virtually without flaws. (6-0-6-6)
Review: Cogliano's performance was somewhat of a disappointment considering he was a returning player, as he often failed to create anything of real value in the offensive zone. Just like anybody else on the team, he did however manage to raise his game when it counted.
Scouting: A smallish centre who must rely on his speed to be a factor offensively .. has a quick and smooth stride and his top speed is impressive although it should perhaps be a notch higher in order to lend him success at the next level, given his style .. is a decent passer, but he clearly has his limitations as a playmaker, has average vision and doesn't seem to have the ability to engineer creative plays on his own .. seems to rely heavily on his skating and his cycling in and out of traffic to make things happen .. a solid worker though, he keeps his feet moving at all times and raises the intensity level of the game when he is on the ice .. takes care of his defensive responsibilities well and has enough hockey sense not to put his team in any kind of jeopardy due to poor decision making .. carries the puck, but shows a limited amount of flair and lacks the moves to be a dangler when facing these types of opponents. (6-1-2-3)
Kris Russell, D
Review: Small, but a very mobile puck-moving rearguard that certainly got great return for the shots he invested in this tournament. Russell provided options for Canada offensively without ever being a liability in his own end.
Scouting: A very quick player who moves well in every direction and has an extraordinarily strong top speed for a defenseman .. relies on his skating ability, but still has good hockey sense and doesn't normally get caught out of position .. has his own zone covered well, despite his smallish frame .. has a good passing game and delivers crisp feeds, but thanks to his skating, he is better at carrying the puck than actually passing it .. likes to join the offensive rush and has a knack for coming into scoring situations from behind, as he reads the game well on offence .. shoots the puck well and both his slap shot as well as his wrist shot are solid, but he lacks elite velocity .. could also show more poise with the puck sometimes, as he could get a little predictable in what he is doing sometimes .. his overall vision on the ice could use some improvement, which he might gain with increased experience. (6-4-2-6)
Steve Downie, LW
Review: Was one of the most reputable Canadians coming into the tournament typecast as an agitator and a big pest before the puck even dropped in Leksand and Mora. Downie did not live up to this trait however and made an effort to keep his cool and play a clean game.
Scouting: Downie is a tough type of player who battles hard in every situation, but he kept it clean for the most part during this tournament .. has a lot of grit in his game and thrives in heavy traffic areas .. his skating ability is not more than average though, as his strides could look a little choppy and his top speed is rather mediocre as well as his lateral movement .. compensates for that with strength and a strong work ethic, as he never gives up and always shows a desire to win, whatever it might take .. the fundamentals are fairly ordinary, as he is a decent puck handler, but his hands are not very soft and if you're looking for some nice dangling, look elsewhere .. plays a rather simple game and just dumps the puck in the offensive zone rather than risking a turnover at the blue line .. can pass the puck, but is always looking for the safe options and never gets anything creative going .. likes to drive toward the net and knows how to pickup garbage goals, despite only possessing an average wrist shot .. good defensive game, he does what he's supposed to, back checks diligently and covers his man .. will not be an offensive prodigy in the NHL, but can certainly find himself a role-playing niche. (6-3-3-6)
Marc Staal, D
Review: Marc Staal is one of those players you must really watch and study to find on the ice. Plays a mistake free game as a stay-at-home defenseman, but can occasionally show hints of an untapped offensive potential.
Scouting: A big player with very good overall strength, and combined with his reach and decent mobility, makes him extremely hard to get around in his own zone at this level .. knows how to get his wheels going, although he is lacking an elegant stride and a top gear .. has an excellent positional game and reads the game very well, is always at the right place at the right time defensively and can break up plays before they even get steam .. doesn't take any prisoners with his physical play and can dish out big hits when he has to, but he is smart and not overly aggressive .. gives a mature impression and doesn't take unnecessary penalties .. very crisp passing game, as his quick and accurate outlet passes were the foundation of many Canadian attacks .. has some creative vision as well, if he only would explore it more, as he did in the final game against Russia .. didn't display more than an average slap shot, but if he decides to join the rush more frequently and play a little less safe with his passes, there is untapped offensive potential in this "over-Staal" package. (6-0-1-1)
Luc Bourdon, D
Review: Bourdon is a steady two-way defenseman who showed his value throughout the tournament, although he did not shine as much as Canada's other NHL experienced rearguard, Kris Letang.
Scouting: A player who almost always does the little things right, and plays a sound positional game in his own end, makes the right decisions with the puck and is a very stabilizing factor defensively .. has good overall strength and uses it well to his advantage, likes to play the body and doesn't hesitate to deliver big hits .. skates well, but not amazingly so, isn't sluggish and gets where he needs to be, but lacks real smoothness in his stride and that elite effortless type of mobility .. has a crisp passing game and distributes the puck, whether it's an outlet pass in his own end or on the blue line playing power play .. gets away his slap shot both quickly and with good velocity, making his point shot a valuable asset .. .isn't very dynamic in his offensive game, as he rarely joins the rush or sets up a really creative play .. decent puck handler who prefers passing the puck as opposed to carrying it. (6-2-2-4)
Carey Price, G
Review: Carey Price not considered the obvious starter coming into the tournament; he quickly cast away all the doubts and progressed to being one of the absolute key cogs behind Canada's third consecutive World Junior gold medal.
Scouting: Displayed a complete goaltending package here, as Price is a big, well-schooled butterfly goalie and is very athletic, which allows him to make really spectacular saves based on his lethal-quick reactions .. reads the game very well and lets the shooter come to him and always pressures them to make the first move .. quick glove hand, although he rarely has to show it off with his very solid positional game .. covers the shooting angles very well and also moves around with ease in his crease whenever necessary .. has the ability to step up his performance when the game is on the line and actually seems to thrive under pressure .. strong mental make-up and has no obvious flaw or weakness in his game.
Tom Pyatt, RW
Review: Pyatt, another returning player, has two looks to his game and although having a lack of offensive skill and flair is one of them, the flipside is his NHL- ready game with his hockey sense and physical maturity.
Scouting: Don't expect the unexpected when watching Pyatt play .. he always delivers a solid and consistent effort, but never surprises .. has a fairly smooth skating stride, knows how to accelerate, but lacks blistering top speed .. always keeps his feet moving though and keeps up the intensity level on the fore check .. knows how to play a more tactical game as well and close down the neutral zone .. excellent work ethic and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty if necessary, a loyal team player .. has quite limited offensive skill, as he is an average puck handler, with an average passing game, vision and shot .. his overall strength is good and he is tough to play against along the boards .. .high traffic areas are his main office and can pick some garbage goals through his ability to drive to the net and play relentless .. mature in his whole approach and physically ready for the next level, as long as one doesn't except him to be a scorer. (6-1-3-4)
Brad Marchand, RW
Scouting: A rather undersized winger who got quite a bit of playing time, despite not having an established role to fit into, like many other Canadian forwards .. after watching this tournament, nobody could say for certain whether Marchand was supposed to be a scorer, grinder or an agitator, but whatever it was, he didn't do any of it very well .. undersized, but lacked both pure speed and shiftiness to compensate for it .. mediocre puck handling skills and rarely got by a defenseman .. decent passing game, but nothing out of the ordinary and his vision was average at best .. got knocked off the puck fairly easily and didn't seem to possess much grit either .. took care of his duties defensively, but didn't impress in that area or any other, for that matter. (6-2-0-0)
Cody Franson, D
Scouting: An obvious power play specialist, but on this team he clearly had to take second chair behind the top Letang/Bourdon-pairing, which contributed to the fact that Franson never quite got into the tournament, giving his limited playing time in other situations .. good puck handling skills however, has the poise required for being a power play quarterback and distributes the puck well .. has a very strong and accurate slap shot from the point .. good skater with strong straightaway speed, his lateral movement could look sluggish at times though and he didn't seem accustomed to the larger European ice surface .. not a defensive defenseman at all and showed lapses in the coverage of his own end at times .. has a good frame, but didn't take full advantage of it in his physical game. (6-0-2-2)
WJC: Scouting Team Russia (posted 02.01.07)
by Jante Abrahamsson
With the days of prodigies Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin starring for Team Russia at the World Junior Championships gone, many predicted this would be somewhat of a re-building year for Russia's World Junior team. Unfortunately, someone forgot to bring that memo to this Russian team – who this time around also actually played and acted like a team, all through the tournament from the opening game effort against Czech Republic until the dwindling seconds of the final against Team Canada.
The Russians were able to get scoring from all of their four lines, but the top line featuring 2007 top prospect Alexei Cherepanov, was obviously the most prominent one. Cherepanov was the team's leading scorer as a 17-year old and while being neither a new Ovechkin nor an Evgeni Malkin in terms of style, Cherepanov certainly made a strong bid for first overall in this summer's draft based on his performance here.
Review: Was by far the best 17-year old in the tournament and arguably also the best pure sniper. Could still get outworked physically at times, but displayed tremendous offensive upside – but don't expect him to be a carbon copy of Alexander Ovechkin.
Scouting: One could instantly see that Cherepanov has a natural ability for scoring goals .. he gets into the right positions, find the openings in the defensive coverage and is extremely poised when he gets his chance .. has incredibly soft hands and could execute any way necessary, regardless if it is by deking the goalie or just quickly put the puck up in top corner form close in .. is a smooth skater with good balance and acceleration, but he doesn't seem to be the type of player who relies mainly on speed, as he rarely tried just to out skate anyone .. strong stickhandler with quite a few good moves up his sleeve, but is not the type of player who dangles just for the sake of it or tries to show off .. Cherepanov always has an idea with every play he is involved with, which displays a strong and mature hockey sense .. good vision, utilizes his linemates well and can set-up plays, although he is a finisher first .. excellent wrist shot, whereas his slapper is still a little under-developed .. needs to fill out his frame and add overall strength, as he still could lose quite a few physical battles and get knocked off the puck. (6-5-3-8)
Semen Varlamov, GK
Review: Showed that his performance in the U18-WJC last year was no co-incidence. Varlamov was clearly the best goaltender in the tournament until Carey Price came into his own and really stole the show in the final.
Scouting: A very entertaining goalie to watch – yet quite effective in terms of actually making the saves and doing it consistently .. has excellent reactions and moves very well around his crease, which allows him to make some seemingly impossible saves .. plays a very agile butterfly game and never gets stuck on the ice .. despite his often spectacular saves, he never seems to lose focus and manages to give a confident impression .. very strong glove hand .. has a strong positional game as well, as he reads the game well and generally tries to let the opponent make the first move .. has no obvious weakness in his game and has the potential for becoming of the best Russian born goaltenders in the NHL, if not the best.
Review: The blueliner was a huge presence on this Russian team, as the logged a huge amount of minutes and played in every key situation. Displayed a strong passing and shooting game, but also less than stellar skating at times.
Scouting: Puck moving defenseman with a very sharp passing game, delivers crisp feeds in all situations and sees the ice very well .. has decent straightaway speed, but his skating is till somewhat of a concern, as he his first strides and lateral movement could be sluggish at times .. reads the game well though and positions himself accordingly, which buys himself time .. very strong slapshot, on target and a quick delivery, decent wrister as well .. solid in his own end, has his big frame gives him a good reach .. could bump his physical game a notch though, as he is not very intimidating as it is, but he still manages to be effective enough .. could make the occasional questionable decision with the puck against opponents who know how to capitalize on his weakness and put him under heavy pressure, much like Canada did in the final .. his shooting and passing skills makes him an excellent powerplay choice. (6-2-2-4)
Review: Krysanov were the defensively responsible two-way centre in Russia's dynamic first line with Cherepanov and Bumagin. An unheralded and smart player who generally made the right decisions throughout the tournament.
Scouting: Has long, smooth strides when skating .. accelerates fairly well but his top speed is average at best .. what makes him stand out is his hockey sense and awareness .. reads the game very well and his a strong, although not flashy, puckhandler .. good frame and reach, covers the puck very well .. strong in the face-off circle and is a diligent defensive work horse .. has a solid playmaking skills as well, sees the ice more than adequately and could ignite some interesting plays .. utilizes his linemates well and knows how to keep an offensive pressure going through cycling and smart passes .. strong physically, but lacks aggression, uses his strength well for reactive purposes though .. has decent velocity in his wrist shot, but needs the work on quicker release .. could sometimes be a bit predictable when carrying the puck through the neutral zone, as he never dumps the puck and prefers to skate with into the offensive zone despite lacking quickness. (6-0-3-3)
Review: In terms of just playing style, Alexander Vasyunov was clearly the player most reminiscent of Alexander Ovechkin on this Russian team. In terms of actual performance and upside, the comparison however lacks a foundation in the reality.
Scouting: Vasyunov is in many ways the poster boy of the skilled Russian offensive floater .. has a very quick skating stride and his top speed is well above average, also fairly shifty in his movements, making him hard to catch .. has a deceptively quick and accurate wrist shot, but fires away to often at times and displays poor hockey sense in his way of always neglecting to utilize his linemates .. strong stickhandler and could put up some highlight reel moves, but loves his own routine a little too much at times and ends up losing the puck after winning little or no ground .. showed hints at upper body strength while battling the puck, but still comes out as too soft quite often and is generally not too good in traffic .. is a good passer in the technical sense, but as passing is always his second option, he rarely shows it .. the defensive game is virtually non-existent, display very little commitment for back checking and covering this own in the defensive zone .. tries to play the offensive game of an Alexander Ovechkin or an Ilya Kovalchuk, but just doesn't have quite enough talent to pull it off without looking overly careless or egoistic. (6-2-0-2)
Review: A player who continues to improve his game and have filled out well physically since the U18-WJC last year. Was able to provide solid secondary scoring on this Russian team and showed good chemistry with particularly Igor Makarov.
Scouting: Hasn't fully grown into his frame and got used to his body, which is also making his skating stride and overall movement on the ice looking a bit sluggish and uncoordinated, has the skating in him though, as he still accelerates fairly well and has a good top speed .. very good stickhandler and could deke his way through with ease .. good playmaking instincts and peripheral vision, but not quite elite .. quick wrister and is poised when the scoring opportunity arises .. could take more advantage of his size in forechecking situations, but still wins a good amounts of battles and seems hard to contain along the boards for defensemen .. does what he is supposed to defensively, but still shows more interest in the offensive side of things .. a player with upside enough to improve quite a bit in time for next year's tournament. (6-2-1-3)
Igor Makarov, LW
Review: One of the most offensively dangerous Russian players, as he could cause havoc in any defence with his speed and overall skill set. Has the prototypical traits when comes to expect in an offensively gifted Russian winger.
Scouting: An exciting offensive player with great wheels .. could accelerate from zero to full speed seemingly effortlessly and his top speed is certainly of elite calibre .. excellent in transitions and could tear up huge holes in the opposition trap thanks to his speed, very elusive player .. very confident and poised in scoring situations and his stickhandling is top notch, which combined with is speed and quickness, makes him almost unstoppable when he has his A game on .. has over the tendency to disappear from the games at times and doesn't show up in every shift .. a non-aggressive physical game and seems a bit reluctant at entering high traffic areas occasionally .. his defensive coverage is average at best and given that he has a solid wrist shot, he should shot the puck more often, instead of opting to wait finishing off a play until well into deking distance of the goalie. (6-2-4-6)
Review: Bumagin was the third link in top Russian line and his strong playmaking ability and overall poise with the puck, created plenty of both space and scoring opportunities for Alexei Cherepanov.
Scouting: A finesse player with very smooth skating, as he swiftly and effortlessly moves over the ices with elegant strides .. rarely depended on a blistering extra gear to get things moving, but at times he showed that his top speed is above average as well .. very soft hands and a light touch in everything he does, buys himself time and space in an authorative manner and was the obvious choice for running the Russian powerplay .. delivers excellent passing feeds and has a top notch vision, is very imaginative and creative with the puck .. could perhaps display a little mover intensity and urgency at times, but that just doesn't seems to be in his nature .. isn't a push over in physical battles and thanks to his slippery skating, he is well-equipped to move quickly in and out of traffic areas .. rarely shots the puck, but when he does, he displays a quick and accurate wrist shot with good velocity .. decent defensively, as he covers his own and doesn't float, but he clearly has an offensive mindset, which could make him a liability at times .. has, like many Russians, a big difference between his best and his worst, as he still needs to be a more consistent. (6-2-6-8)
Ilya Zubov, RW
Scouting: A fancy looking winger with good overall skills offensively .. a quick skater with a very smooth stride, although his top speed over longer distances is not elite .. strong in small spaces, good at getting the cycle going, but however lacks the peripheral vision to enable him to set up the really great plays out of his offensive dangling .. a very strong stickhandler, but isn't very comfortable in traffic areas despite having a decent, although not big, frame .. is the type of player who could get thrown off his game when things not going his way, not exactly clutch material. average coverage of what's going on his own end. (6-3-1-4)
Scouting: Dependable rearguard who could be used in all type of situations .. fairly smooth skater with enough mobility to never be bothered by the pace of the game .. effective in his own end and is aggressive enough when he has to, picks his spots and plays a smart game .. has a solid passing game and his quick outlet passes got many quick Russian attacks going .. moves well laterally as well, which combined to good slapshot makes him useful patrolling the offensive blueline during the powerplay .. makes to safe play when that is the best option, but also have the vision to be more creative when the opportunity comes around, which shows good hockey sense and maturity .. reliable and consistent. (6-2-1-3)
Anton Glovatsky, LW
Scouting: Was one of the most exciting Russians during the U18 WJC, but didn't get the same type of game going here at all and mostly logged fourth line minutes .. needs to bulk up and improve his overall strength, as he basically got tossed around in the corners and rarely came out with the puck from a battle, which also made him very reluctant to enter traffic areas .. smooth skater, but didn't seem to have the leg strength available to muster up much of an extra gear to get by charging defensemen .. stickhandles well and has a wide range of dekes to choice from, but created little out of it, as he much too often would find himself deadlocked along the boards .. good passing game and generally sees the ice well, but he simply got stuck in small spaces too many times over the course of this tournament. (6-0-1-1)
WJC: Scouting Team USA (posted 01.25.07)
by Jante Abrahamsson
Team USA had the perhaps most impressive roster on paper coming in to the tournament. While there, setbacks began right away for the American team, who eventually found themselves needing an overtime goal in the final group stage game against Sweden to reach the medal round.
When needed the most, defensive giant Jack Johnson showed up as the American savoir and granted them the goal needed to play for the medals – a goal which seemed to gel the team together and in the end they were only a heartbreaking shoot-out loss against Canada from the gold medal game. Individually, draft eligible Pat Kane and all blueliners named Johnson stood out from the crowd, while some other highly touted players had a rather bleak showing in Leksand and Mora.
Patrick Kane, C
Review: Was one of the few USA players who delivered right from the get go. The always very creative and dynamic Kane was one of the tournaments best offensive players.
Scouting: Has a very smooth and polished skating stride and has the ability to almost seamlessly accelerate up to a deceptively high top speed…looks very effortless in all his movements, which one at times could mistake for a lack of intensity…tremendous stickhandler and displayed the best deking arsenal of the tournament, could turn anyone inside and out at anytime .. a very poised finisher and possesses a lethal wrist shot, is however first and foremost a playmaker .. has great peripheral vision and is extremely imaginative in his offensive zone as he could set up plays out of nothing which is impossible to read for the opponents, great passing game and is very authorities while running the powerplay .. doesn't initiate any physical contact, but handles himself well in a battles and is very slippery and hard to catch for defensemen .. doesn't however hesitate to throw himself into traffic if that is what it takes to make an offensive play happen .. takes care of defensive duties well enough, but was clearly thinking offence first here. (7-5-4-9)
Erik Johnson, D
Review: Started out the tournament rather tentatively, but as things progressed, he turned out to be a clutch player for his team and ended up becoming the first defenseman to be the top scorer of a World Junior Championship.
Scouting: Incredibly smooth skating for a defenseman his size, moves terrific along the ice and never shows any signs of sluggish strides which are so very common among big rearguards in his age group…very solid top speed as well .. is an excellent passer, but could sometimes try to be a little too creative when searching for passing lanes, resulting in an occasional turnover .. is usable able to clear up his own mess though .. his shot is NHL calibre already, but wrist shot and slapper are top notch and was constant threat from the blueline on the powerplay, given both his shot and terrific passing game and vision .. on the top on everything else, Johnson was arguably the best hitter of the tournament, throwing out punishing checks and easily dismantling opponents along the boards in his own zone .. great anticipation and reads the game very well, always gives himself a great deal of time and space .. his only weakness is that he might has a tendency to be complacent at times and try too much offensively, but all things considered – Erik Johnson got the whole package. (7-4-6-10)
Jack Johnson, D
Review: In addition to his strong overall play, Jack Johnson displayed a tremendous amount of character, as he put the constant taunting from the numerous Canadian fans aside and was a clutch performer for the American team.
Scouting: A very good skater for a defenseman, although his stride his quite as smooth and effortless looking as Erik Johnson's…still moves along the ice very well and is very intelligent in his decisions, knows when to join rush and when to stay back .. mature and very solid passing game, could find good outlet passes in his sleep .. tremendous overall strength and is highly effective in physical battles, plays the body well when that is the best option and never lose sight of his positional coverage either .. surprisingly good and quick wrist shot, has an above average slapper as well, although the velocity might not quite be elite yet .. handles the puck with skill and poise and has no problem making end-to-end rushes even at this level .. showed a strong a mental game and showed when it mattered no matter what was going on around him, a clutch player with leadership qualities in addition to everything else. (7-3-0-3)
Kyle Okposo, LW
Review: Rush along the wing, deke a couple of players and eventually lose the puck and repeat as soon as possible. That was Kyle Okposo at the World Junior Championships in a nut shell, as the skilled winger was no way near playing a team game. Ironically enough, his only point in the tournament came through an assist.
Scouting: Displayed all the raw offensive tools to warrant his high selection in last year's draft .. is a strong skater, with very good acceleration and top speed, good lateral movement and slippery in his movements .. one of the tournaments top stickhandlers, as he could deke his way through almost anything .. also has a good wrist shot with a quick release, although accuracy could be lacking at times .. whether or not he is a good passer or if has elite vision on the ice, was not proven here as the talented winger constantly displayed poor hockey sense and neglected to use his linemates in any effective fashion, always chose dangling or an ill-directed shot as opposed to passing the puck .. uses his frame well the cover the puck and create space for himself offensively, but didn't dish out many hits and was not very aggressive .. casual defensive coverage at best, as Okposo displayed mediocre back checking and a disinterest to really dig in while in his own zone. (7-0-1-1)
Review: Was obviously in the shadow of both Johnson's on the American team, but the captain handled himself quite well and contributed strongly in both ends of the ice, without making many headlines.
Scouting: Doesn't have more than average top speed, but has a very smooth stride, making his movements look very elegant and calm .. strong lateral movement as well and thanks to his solid anticipation skills, he's often in the right place to make a play for the opposition wither before it ever caught steam .. strong passer and sees the ice quite well, could surprise with some really opening, smart feeds at times, but generally prefers to keep it quite simple, which he does with ease .. isn't the hardest hitter, but knows his positional game to the beat and never loses track of his man .. has a quick wrist shot and a decent slapshot, but was mainly used as an utility on the powerplay on this team, where he was supposed to just quickly distribute the puck to other players .. a quietly effective player, which one really has to watch to notice at times. (7-1-5-6)
Jeff Frazee, G
Review: The Americans didn't lose a spot in the final due to bad goaltending from the all in all, solid, starter Jeff Fraaze, but neither was he the best player at his position in this tournament.
Scouting: Plays a rather unpolished, homemade type of style and doesn't rely solely on the butterfly technique in his game .. seemed to have trouble reading the game and cover his angels properly at times .. his inconsistent game and style is not what generally inspire trust from team-mates .. on the flipside, Fraaze could be a game breaker when it is his day .. seems to have a competitive mindset and has very strong reflexes .. could make seemingly impossible type of saves and has a quick glove hand as well .. has the interesting Dominek Hasek-esque ability to make saves in the most unorthodox sort of ways .. moves well inside his crease, but not so much when leaving it .. is only average at handling the puck with his stick and should refrain doing so unless absolutely necessary.
Bill Sweatt, RW
Review: The team's speediest player was just mainly in a shut-down type of role, but glimmered offensively when he had the chance. Will likely have much bigger role in next year's tournament.
Scouting: Sweatt is best utilized when he gets allowed to use his speed to create havoc for the opposition…has a really strong acceleration, in smooth, effective strides and his blistering top speed is as elite as you are going to get .. could move a bit better laterally when going full speed, but does it well enough at this level to be very hard to catch .. isn't a natural finisher, but is decent in front of the net and more ice time in offensive situations would obviously have lead to much higher point totals for him here .. instead he showcased a solid defensive game, killing a good amount of penalties, backchecked very well and knew which passing lanes to cover .. stickhandles fairly well, but clearly relies more on speed than on dangling to get by offensively .. decent passing game, but lacks elite vision and that natural type of playmaking prowess .. always works very hard and will always deliver an honest effort, no matter the role given to him. (7-1-1-2)
Review: One of the American's that started out the tournament the slowest, but eventually found a way back into it. Showed impressive puckhandling skills, but should also have been more productive than what was the case.
Scouting: An impressive offensive player in many ways, has smooth skating strides and accelerates very well .. doesn't not have elite top speed, but that is well compensated by his strong hockey sense, vision and creativity on the ice .. a very strong set-up man who seemingly enjoys setting the table for a pretty goal even more than being the finisher himself .. both his wrist shot and slapshot are well above average an he should have used them more, instead of circling around, trying to find the most nifty passing option available .. very strong with puck, has excellent stickhandling skill, which combined with solid speed, reach and ability to cover the puck, makes him a very difficult package to handle for defensemen .. his intensity level could drop off severely occasionally though and he doesn't use his well-developed frame as pro-actively as one might could wish for .. seems like he needs to get a few things going his way early in a game to be truly on his A-game .. works adequately in his own zone, as his hockey sense directs him well, but he is definitely an offence first type of player. (7-3-3-6)
Nate Gerbe, LW
Review: The smallest player in the tournament displayed flashes of offensive brilliance at times, to then become a total non-factor a shift later. His speed and skill did not manage to fully make up for the lack of size, unfortunately.
Scouting: Has impressive acceleration on his wheels and his top speed is a lethal offensive threat, although his lack of size and, seemingly, strength, still made him fairly easy to shut down for the above average defensemen he encountered in this tournament .. is a good passer and could set up some plays, but lacks true elite vision, which he would have needed given his size .. has a slightly above average wrist, but should try to release quicker and more often .. seeks to create space and time for himself with speed bursts, but also tends to get tired of his high energy style and should try to play a simpler game at times .. works diligently defensively and might have an NHL future as a penalty killer is he keeps honing that skill .. strong stickhandler and has a good range of moves, but his lack of reach could sometimes make his dekes a notch less effective than they otherwise would have been .. has a lot of energy and doesn't back down from physical play and heavy traffic, despite the fact that he rarely actually wins a battle. (7-0-6-6)
Jack Skille, LW
Review: The 2005 first rounder made a solid, but not at all remarkable performance in Sweden. Skille was never relied upon for making much offence happen in this team and displayed his skill less frequently than he should have.
Scouting: Reminds a lot of Peter Mueller in certain facets of the game, but doesn't seem to have the same top end skill .. accelerates well on his skates, has a fairly smooth stride and a top speed slightly above average, but lacks the natural intensity and energy to make something happen with it every shift .. is neither the physical force he could be, although he is decent at covering the puck .. knows how to pass the puck and has some playmaking savvy, but again, doesn't show it frequently enough to be considered a constant threat .. has some force behind his wrist shot, but the accuracy leaves a bit left to be desired .. has a very average defensive coverage, as he could complacent at times in that part of the game as well .. still, Skille showed enough good parts in the tournament to not make it a totally underwhelming showing, but he left you wanting more. (7-1-5-6)
Mike Carman, C
Review: A solid team player who got his job description right from his first shift – play as a defensive third line centre, might the right decisions and kill penalties. Carman did just what was asked of him.
Scouting: Has the ability for being a decent offensive contributor, but had to focus on other tasks in this tournament .. moves well on the ice, despite a sometimes choppy stride, accelerates well however and his top speed is a notch above the average mark .. has strong intangibilities in his game, as he his work ethic is excellent and his positional coverage in his own zone are very good as well .. good overall strength, which he uses wisely .. wins a good amount of battles due to smartness, as he rarely resorts to using just brute strength .. solid stickhandler and could carry the puck into the offensive zone when opportunity arises .. solid passer and can actually make things happen in the offensive, but as said, that was not his role this time around. (7-1-0-1)
Brian Lee, D
Review: Despite being a top-ten pick in the 2005 draft, Lee played a rather fringe role in his third World Junior Championships appearance, as he remained firmly in the shadow of Erik and Jack Johnson.
Scouting: Lee has strong fundamentals in his game, but just doesn't stand out as much as Erik or Jack Johnson or was as reliable as a complement as Taylor Chorney .. has a smooth skating stride and is generally very mobile .. handles the puck with easy and certainly has qualities as a puck moving, offensive minded defenseman .. however, Lee's passing game wasn't as polished as many of the other American defenseman and he sometimes had trouble finding the right lanes for his feeds and caused the occasional turnover .. covers his own zone fairly, although not being physically intimidating, but he takes cares of his duties in an apt manner .. didn't log much, if any, time on the powerplay, which might hurt his confidence a bit .. has a decent slapshot and would likely have played a bigger role on less defensively stacked team. (7-0-0-0)
WJC: Scouting Team Sweden (posted 01.23.07)
by Jante Abrahamsson
Close, but no cigar. That's the one sentence summary to the host Sweden's performance at the World Junior Championships. After going a decade without capturing a medal, all the pieces seemed to be together to make it happen this year on home ice, but instead the Swede's ended up two goals shy of the bronze medal. The whole team never clicked as unit and most disappointing was the supposedly offensive leaders – the three first rounds picked B's, being Nicklas Backstrom, Patrik Berglund and Nicklas Bergfors, a trio which never lived up its potential.
Sweden did however present some undrafted gems to the hockey world, such as forwards Martin Johansson, Linus Omark and Patrik Zackrisson, who all showed that they could play against the best in the world, despite being overlooked in the NHL draft twice.
Review: At least in Sweden, Backstrom was more or less expected to score at will after his dazzling play in the Swedish Elite League. In this tournament however, Backstrom never found much of chemistry with any linemates. The fact that he still managed to score a point per game without almost not being noticeable is a testament to his quality.
Scouting: Perhaps the best puckhandler in the whole tournament, keeps the puck firmly locked to his blade and could carry it in to the offensive zone at will .. skates with a very fluid, elegant type of stride, but lacks an extra gear which made him less of a dynamic force here than what is visible in Brynas .. for a player who has displayed such high grade peripheral visions in past showings, Backstrom found it surprisingly hard to set up the great offensive plays he has the potential to do .. seemed frustrated at times and tried to be too fancy in his passing game, as his linemates also were not able to read his intentions properly .. showed some questionable defensive coverage at times, as he could have played his man better in his own end .. has a very quick and accurate wrist shot, making him an dangerous executor as well, although he just found the metal pieces of the bar and of the post in this tournament .. has improved his overall strength and is well equipped to handle the tight defensive coverage that surrounded him constantly. (7-0-7-7)
Martin Johansson, RW
Review: Was regarded as questionable selection in the Swedish team prior to the tournament, but Johansson diligent work ethic and knack for scoring important goals, quickly subdued any doubters.
Scouting: A solid skater with a very quick first step, although his top speed is not elite .. the type of player that is always on the move and plays with a great amount of intensity, works hard in all three zones and doesn't hesitate to throw himself into high traffic situations .. not a very strong puckhandler, but gets by defenseman thanks to his elusive quickness and determination .. creates a good amount of scoring chances thanks to his work ethic and has pretty good poise in front of the net .. decent passing game, but not a playmaker in any sense of the word .. prefers to dump the puck into the offensive zone rather than trying some difficult the deke or overly creative passing solution .. one of the best penalty killers of the tournament, thanks to his energy and strong defensive hockey sense, takes the right decisions when playing defence and never put his team in jeopardy. (7-3-2-5)
Linus Omark, LW
Review: The offensive wild card in the Swedish team. The hidden offensive gem gained quite a deal of well-deserved national recognition in Sweden thanks to his creative and inspired game during the tournament.
Scouting: A player who relies on his industrious and inventive offensive game .. a good, smooth skater who accelerates well and has a decent, albeit not blistering, top gear. elusive and slippery with puck and has a wide variety of dekes in his arsenal .. wants to play fancy and entertain the crowd, which at times hurts his effectiveness .. handles himself well physical despite his rather smallish frame, moves without hesitation in and out of traffic and keeps up a good intensity level, is not however a hard hitting forechecker and is not aggressive when it comes to contact .. .average defensive coverage, as he always thinks of the offensive opportunities that could arise first .. quick and fairly hard wrist shot, but his slapper lacks both accuracy and velocity .. very strong offensive vision and is the type of winger who enjoys setting up pretty plays just as much as finishing them off himself .. poised in all offensive situations thanks to his playful, yet determined, approach to the game of hockey. (7-2-3-5)
Review: Showed a more physical and aggressive side of himself in this tournament than ever before. Also displayed some shaky passing decisions at times, but Hjalmarsson was still altogether the best Swedish defenseman here.
Scouting: Seemed to enjoy himself on the World Juniors and delivered hard, punishing hits with a smile on his face .. caught opponents off guard everywhere, both along the boards as well as on open ice .. sometimes his extensive hitting game caught him a bit out of position in the defensive game and at times he looked like he could use some time to cool off .. still as confident and poised with puck as usual, being one of few Swedish defensemen able to deliver crisp outlet passes and start up plays quickly from their own end .. still made some glaring errors with puck, which could be attributed to lapses in focus rather than lack of skill .. has an above average slapshot and was a good choice on the point in the Swedish powerplay .. distributes the puck well offensively and joins the rush on occasion .. good effort in terms of work ethic and played a big leadership role on the team as well. (7-2-1-3)
Review: Had almost as much expectations as Nicklas Backstrom on his shoulders coming in to the tournament, but didn't' handle the situation very well. Aside from a couple of brilliant flashes, Berglund looked slow and flustered for most part of the tournament.
Scouting: Has all the tools for becoming an elite scoring centre in the NHL, but this tournament proved that there are still a few glaring weaknesses which need to be corrected in his game .. has a shaky mental game, and could easily disappear if things does not go his way early on .. could look sluggish on his skates sometimes and show mediocre acceleration one time and then the next time jump all over the defenseman, with long, powerful strides .. is an excellent stickhandler and has great, Jaromir Jagr-esque type of reach and enjoys making the long dekes .. has a very quick wrist shot which he heavily underused during this tournament .. has a huge frame, but totally lacked intensity .. did not deliver a single hit or won nearly as many battles as he should .. was not at all a factor in traffic areas and almost shied away from them .. his defensive coverage was also complacent at times. (7-1-2-3)
Review: Sundstrom played good in parts of games and was a complete non-factor in others. However, unlike Patrik Berglund, the latter may unfortunately be due to lack of ability rather than attitude.
Scouting: The multiple knee injuries Sundstrom has undergone during the past seasons has taken it toll on his speed, as that clearly showed against world class opponents .. Sundstrom has sluggish and heavy first strides, accelerates slowly and his top speed is just average at best .. however, his anticipation and ability to read the game is top notch and somehow compensates for his lack of speed .. very good upper body strength and wins a lot of battles around the boards .. has a strong passing games and sees the ice well, but seems to lack the really elite vision .. underrated shooting ability, has he releases all types of shots hard and accurate, the problem is that he does it not nearly enough .. good stickhandler and carries the puck well, but lacks the shiftiness needed for being a successful dangler .. with improved skating, Sundstrom should have an NHL future ahead of him .. always terrific work ethics and a very loyal team player .. very responsible defensively. (7-2-0-2)
Robin Lindqvist, RW
Review: Undrafted two-way player who could take on almost any role. Was primarily used as the muscle in Nicklas Backstrom's line here and handled to job well, despite not developing much chemistry with the blue chipper Backstrom.
Scouting: Just as Alexander Sundstrom, Lindqvist lacks wheels, although his top speed is a notch better than Sundstrom's .. a player who takes pride in always doing the little things right, constantly makes the right choices without the puck, regardless if it is in a forechecking or a back checking situation .. diligent workhorse with a good physical game, has a bit of mean streak and knows how to be aggressive in a controlled manner .. smooth passer, who given a little bit of time, could orchestrate some decent plays .. good puckhandler, but rarely does anything fancy either .. average shooting ability, but has enough poise and confidence to be a threat around the net when the opportunity arrives .. overall, a player who plays with a tremendous amount of heart. (7-2-0-2)
Review: Has been on the same line as Linus Omark for their whole junior career and this tournament was no exception from that rule. Reminds a lot of Omark, but has replaced some of the skill and flash with sound two-way play.
Scouting: Undersized centre, but plays like someone forgot to give him the memo on that .. doesn't hesitate to throw his small body into battle, no matter the odds .. comes away with puck more times than he really should though .. smooth skating stride and good top speed .. carries the puck quite well and could put up the occasional stickhandling move .. a solid middle of the road playmaker who likes his line to cycle the puck in the offensive zone and create chances out of nifty passes .. drives to the net when having an opportunity though and doesn't not shy away from heavy traffic .. quick, but somewhat inaccurate wrist shot .. reliable defensively and one the team's top penalty killers .. strong in the face off circle and makes the right decisions when playing defence. (7-2-0-2)
Review: A player who has been standing in the shadows of more highly touted players in his age group for his whole career. This tournament didn't turn that upside town, but at least it shifted the balance a little bit.
Scouting: Has improved quite a bit over the past year, has a smooth skating strides and accelerates effortlessly, although the blistering top gear is not there .. was, a little surprisingly, one of the top stickhandler's on the Swedish team, as some of his more advanced dangling moves had Alexander Ovechkin written all over them .. have many strong traits, but few of them really stand out compared to the tournament's top player's in each niche .. strong, solid physical player, passes the puck well, but his playmaking vision is still somewhat limited .. could be used in all types of situations, as he works hard in all three zones and have a solid hockey sense, which does that he rarely, if ever, looks out of place in whatever he is doing .. has an above average wrist shot, but underused and not quite top notch. (7-1-1-2)
Nicklas Bergfors, RW
Review: Arguably the biggest disappointment on the Swedish team and perhaps also in the whole tournament. The AHL-er failed to get anything going and lost his confidence as the tournament progressed. In the end, he could barely create a scoring chance.
Scouting: Strong skater with good straightaway speed and acceleration .. didn't however display any shiftiness in his skating patterns and eventually became quite easy to read for the opposition .. didn't use his linemates effectively at all, as her preferred just to come up along the wing and unwind an often less than accurate wrist shot .. was predictable in everything he did offensively, despite displaying an occasional glimpse of good stickhandling, but in the end, it didn't amount to much .. good upper body strength, but still wasn't a physical force in way, didn't drive in close to the nearly enough .. failed to get any chemistry with whoever he was playing with, due to his penchant for solo raids up and down his wing .. a year and a half in the AHL doesn't seem to have speeded up Bergfors' development at all. (7-0-2-2)
Review: Showed the best offensive upside among Swedish rearguards, but was also one of the most mistake prone in his own end, which lead to a very erratic overall impression.
Scouting: Has a bit of an odd skating style with a very low body position .. rather slow first strides but decent at full speed .. is a puck moving, offensive type of defenseman who likes to set up creative plays and join the offensive rush, both tasks that he managed well throughout the tournament .. has strong vision on the ice and the passing game to make true home run passes .. could however be quite hesitant in defensive situations and tends to make easy mistakes when under pressure by forcheckers .. questionable skating balance at times .. doesn't take advantage of his solid frame in any aspect of the game as he has the ability to be a physical force in his own zone .. lacks defensive hockey sense and gets beat one on one too frequently .. good slapshot in terms of velocity, but the accuracy is far from elite. (7-1-1-2)
Review: The unheralded St. Louis Blues draftee was a strong defensive presence for the Swedish through the whole tournament, except from a few lapses of judgement in the bronze medal game.
Scouting: Arguably the least flashy player on the Swedish team, as he neither has much of an offensive skill set or the aggressive hitting style like Daniel Rahimi's or the one Niklas Hjalmarsson presented in this tournament .. Hellstrom plays the body hard and consistently, but is not looking for hits that looks good for the crowd, rather just to disable the opposing attack .. fairly mobile skater who lacks top speed and the really smooth type of stride, but gets where he needs to be regardless .. plays a very simple game with the puck and barely has enough of a passing game to deliver decent outlet passes, most often that task is supposed to be handled b his partner in the defensive pairing .. reads the game well defensively and is strong in one on one situations thanks to his strong work ethic and willingness to play the body .. a stay at home sort of a player who lacks interest in joining the rush .. average shooting ability at best. (7-0-0-0)
Review: The Calgary Hitmen winger returned for his second appearance at the World Junior Championships, but never quite got it going the way he wanted it. Showed some frustration at times, but never stopped working hard.
Scouting: At his worst, Pettersson played a lot like Nicklas Bergfors in this tournament, as he had a tendency just to move up and down along the wing and get off bad angled wrist shots as soon as the net was in sight .. however, Pettersson soon started to utilize his linemates in a better way with some clever passes and he constantly displayed good work ethics .. his lack of size has never deterred him from high traffic areas and neither did it in this tournament, which made him score the important equalizing goal in the group stage game against USA .. has a quick and fairly accurate wrist shot and his skating is top notch, both in terms of acceleration and top speed, making a dangerous, dynamic, offensive threat when he is on his game .. doesn't take his defensive responsibilities lightly and his a loyal player with obvious leadership qualities. (6-1-1-2)
WJC: Scouting Team Czech Republic (posted 01.18.07)
by Jante Abrahamsson
Despite having some of the tournament's most highly-touted players on their roster, such as WHL scoring machine Martin Hanzal and Halifax standout Jakub Voracek, the Czechs failed to deliver a consistent effort and finished a rather disappointing fifth place. The team delivered perhaps their worst performance when it mattered most, during a 5-1 quarter-final loss to host Sweden.
The Czechs top performer was not one of the CHL players, but rather home-grown centre Vladimir Sobotoka, who clearly was the most dynamic offensive force on the team. Unlike many of his teammates, the Slavia Prague pivot never failed to show up and play.
Jakub Voracek, LW
Review: Taking all the hype into consideration, Voracek was arguably the biggest individual disappointment of the whole tournament. Seldom did the erratic Czech display why he is one of the most prolific scorers in the QMJHL.
Scouting: Big sized kid, but didn't make any use of his frame whatsoever here...displayed only average skating ability, with sluggish first strides and merely run of the mill top speed...did occasionally show some quick turns and slippery moves in the corners, but not enough to make it an lasting impression...carries the puck fairly well, but his lack of speed limits his options with it severely...didn't show any type of elite peripheral vision, distributed the puck serviceably, but lacked creativity and energy to engineer much of real value out of it...covered the puck well at times, but that was the end of Voracek's physical game as he lost a huge number of battles, lacked energy away from the puck and displayed a uninspired defensive game...constantly shies away from traffic despite having the frame of a freight train. (6-1-2-3)
Review: Just as with Jakub Voracek, Hanzal's performance at the World Juniors was basically a no show, as he showed little interest in what was happening on the ice.
Scouting: Should have most the tools to be a successful NHL player, as he got size, puck handling skills, soft hands and the eye of a playmaker...Hanzal showed all of that here, but only one thing at the time and the flashes of brilliance was also in general too far between...decent first strides for a big guy, but accelerates slowly up to an only average top speed, which could make his whole game looks like it lacks intensity...sees the ice well and has a natural knack for setting up his team-mates, when he wants to make a play happen...has a tendency to make situations more complicated by always aiming for the fancy way out...proactive physical play is non-existent and could often disappear when down a couple of goals and team is looking upon him for leadership...knows how to position himself defensively, but his effort could despite that seems half hearted at times. (6-2-1-3)
Michal Repik, RW
Review: Skilled and flashy – but yet ultimately way too ineffective. Repik also seemed to lack quite a bit in terms of necessary physical strength to be a solid contributor at this level.
Scouting: A smooth type of skater with very fluid strides, but without the most blistering extra gear, which never really gives him a step up on better opponents...could still be slippery at times, but his lacking upper body strength often makes him an easy target along the boards for defensemen....possesses very gifted stickhandling and could dangle with the best of them in this tournament, although he fails to drive to net and make plays happen in high scoring areas...good passer, but lacks that extra poise for being an elite playmaking talent....doesn't like heavy traffic and has a penchant for floating type of behaviour defensively...needs to improve his work ethic and overall hockey sense to be more effective. (6-0-0-0)
Review: Was without a shadow of a doubt the best player of this Czech team. Sobotka was slippery and elusive in the offensive end, constantly generating scoring chances. Unlike many of his team-mates, Sobotka never quit and was also a solid presence in his own zone.
Scouting: Has a very smooth skating stride and is quick in the first steps...slippery and hard to catch, moves swiftly in and out of traffic while handling the puck...very poised with the puck and is an excellent stickhandler who could deke his away around most defensemen...very strong vision on the ice and knows how to set up his linemates into high grade scoring situations...doesn't use his shot very much, but has an accurate wrist shot with a quick release and knows how to handle himself when given a chance to score, despite being a playmaker at heart....isn't very big, but handle abuse from bigger defenseman fairly well...is however not very intense in forechecking situation and does not initiate physical contact...has a very good hockey sense, which helps him defensively as well as offensively...reads the game well in his own end and works diligently. (6-4-4-8)
Michael Frolik, LW
Review: Another of the Czech's underachievers. Has a strong set of skills, but displayed a weak mental game as he tended to disappear when things were not going smoothly for him and when the team was down a goal or two.
Scouting: Have filled out his frame a bit over the past few months, but still isn't a player who thrives in high traffic areas...has a smooth, effective stride for a player his size, but will never have a blistering top gear...strong on the puck, distributes the puck well with crisp passes and know how to set up creative plays...has a good shot, but wrist shot and slapshot, but rather passes the puck along than going for the finishing touch himself...plays his best game when the team is up and things are going his way, if his team is down however, Frolik might degrade into constant solo raids or just completely disappear...not at all a clutch player...doesn't respond well to physical contact...shaky defensive coverage, as he tends to float around, hoping for a breakaway pass...is not a leader in any sense and needs a strong centre to be effective as he alone doesn't make his linemates better. (6-4-2-6)
Jakub Kindl, D
Review: Logged by far the most ice time of the Czech's defensive corps. The Detroit draftee did however come up with a very erratic performance, where good and solid plays were mixed up with horrendous ones.
Scouting: Looks very much like a confident, puck carrying rearguard at first sight, but cracks like a bubble under pressure...when opponents put on the forecheck, Kindl loses his poise and started to make erratic decisions with and without the puck...pretty good top speed for a big guy, but sluggish first strides and lateral movement which leaves a lot to be desired...fairly useful on the powerplay, as he possesses an accurate and hard slapshot and could distribute the puck well on the point...can deliver punishing hits in his own zone, but then tends to lose his position a bit due to questionable hockey sense...fundamentally good work ethics, but tends to get frustrated at times and lose focus on the team's game plan...despite everything, a good passer when not under heavy pressure as he knows how to find the right passing lanes out of the defensive zone. (6-0-4-4)
Tomas Kana, LW
Review: Along with Sobotka, Kana was the only one of the Czech's big offensive guns playing the domestic league. Kana handled himself well in his second World Junior tournament, but not well enough to bring much success to his team.
Scouting: Not as flashy in terms of stickhandling skill as many of his Czech team mates. But Kana is still a strong puck handler who combined with a deceptive speed and could ability to cover the puck, was one of the Czech's more consistent offensive threats...doesn't shy away from traffic areas and was one of the very few Czech's who actually drove to the net and initiated some contact...showed a knack for positioning himself around the net and pick some garbage goals in the process...displayed good work ethic and morale throughout the tournament, but lacked the elite skill for it to make an impact by itself...has a good passing game and can set up some plays in the offensive zone, although he isn't a natural playmaker. (6-2-3-5)
Scouting: The Czech's didn't have the help of strong goaltending this tournament. Pavelec played a very unconventional style of goaltending, which did him more bad than good...he was often out of position and he had to rely on his strong reflexes too many times to recover...his rebound coverage was shaky at best and looked unschooled...also hade the tendency to go down with his upper body first, instead who letting his legs to the job to cover the ice, as schooled butterfly goalie...decent glove hand and could make some big saves at times, but all in all, his lack of any type of consistency really hurt the Czech team.
Jakub Vojta, D
Scouting: Offensive minded defenseman who didn't quite get all the pieces together during this tournament…showed a good passing game and delivered strong, crisp feeds at all times, but was still just put in a secondary role behind Jakub Kindl on the Czech powerplay…fairly mobile skater, but he's not having elite wheels...gets from A to B without problems however...has an accurate slapshot and can release the puck quickly enough....reads the game well, but is still a bit too easy to beat when one-on-one...needs to become more assertive in his own end and be stronger physical presence. (6-0-3-3)
Scouting: A very serviceable third pairing type of defenseman who took care of his role quietly and well on the Czech team…a solid skater who moves well laterally and rarely gets beaten due to overwhelming offensive speed...is a stay-at-home type of player who rarely joins the rush and always chooses the safe option with the puck as he rather just dumps it in than risking a difficult centre ice pass...solid in the defensive zone, works well in the corners and uses his body in the right, without being the one who unleashes the crowd pleasing sort of heavy hits...possesses a slightly above average slapshot and should work on getting the offensive bits of his game to click even more. (6-1-1-2)
WJC: Scouting Team Finland (posted 01.13.07)
by Jante Abrahamsson
This Finnish team was unable to recoup the magic of last year's tournament, where the underdog Finns managed to capture the bronze. The team did not get the same kind of sensational goaltending from Tuukka Rask this time around. The offence was too centred around a single, albeit highly productive, line lead by Dallas Stars property Perttu Lindgren, who skated between Oskar Osala and Mikko Lehtonen.
The defensive corps was also lacking in talent and was arguably the weakest among the tournaments top six nations. The only exception was from the anchor and third time World Junior player Teemu Laakso, who was one of the top defensemen of the whole tournament. Regrettably for Finland, he just could not be on the ice for all sixty minutes. Overall, a 6th place in the standings was about on par with the talent level of this team.
Scouting notes
Review: Was expected to lead this Finnish team offensively and lived up to the demands. Lindgren didn't however overwhelm you in any sense or provided anything which could have raised his stock to the true elite level. Was always more serviceable rather than game breaking.
Scouting: Looks a little thin and needs to fill out a bit physically as his frame is not yet NHL ready…not a very intense player, but has that typical playmaker skill, which buys him time and space when he needs it…can control the pace of the action when he is at top of his game and runs the powerplay effectively...not a blistering skater, but has fairly smooth wheels and accelerates adequately, but is lacking the top gear...good stickhandler and carries the puck well into the offensive zone, but did not display the same type of exciting dangling that many others did in this tournament, Lindgren is not overly flashy in this sense...seems reluctant to move in to high traffic areas and drive to the net...his main strengths are his passing game and vision...sees the ice very well and provides his linemates with a good amount of scoring opportunities. (6-2-8-10)
Review: A heart and soul type of player who really knows how to give his team energy. Mixes size, intensity and skill in a very intriguing package. Was an excellent complement to Perttu Lindgren.
Scouting: A speedy winger with a good frame…very good along the boards, good upper body strength and his work ethic and intensity are top notch, which makes him a deadly combination for defensemen to handle…has excellent speed, good acceleration for a player his size and the top speed were one of the best in this tournament…thrives in high traffic areas and likes to take the shortest route possible for the net...not a pure sniper, but still has a decent knack for being on the right spot in the right time to pick up goals, underrated anticipation skills...his passing game is about average, never tries to set up any really creative play himself, but know how to execute them...handles to puck well, but don't expect him to put on any highlight reel type of moves as he relies on speed and strength to get by defenseman more than anything else...his defensive coverage could be questionable at times, which is more a question of maturity rather than effort. (6-4-6-10)
Review: The biggest positive surprise on the Finnish team. After only putting up average numbers in the OHL, Osala nearly stole the show in this tournament in terms of offensive output. Points that he earned through hard work more than dazzling skill.
Scouting: Doesn't have the same raw speed as his linemate Mikko Lehtonen…his first strides fails to impress and the top speed is in reality just a notch above average...still he gets around well on the ice simply because he wants to be there, although he might lack some skating fundamentals...has great overall strength and never gives up a battle, he hits hard, digs in along the corners and provides huge amounts of intensity...doesn't hesitate to take shots and drive to the net, although his shooting arsenal is no more than average either...is a surprisingly good passer and his hand isn't made of rock, knows how to utilize his team-mates when cycling in the offensive zone and can set up some decent plays...works hard in his own zone as well and has the attitude for making it to the NHL one day. (6-5-3-8)
Review: Laakso was clearly head and shoulders above any other Finnish defenseman in this tournament. Showed great overall skill and, obviously, logged a huge amount of minutes on the ice. No man can carry a whole defensive corps on his back in a tournament like this though and neither could Laakso, eventually.
Scouting: Has years of elite league experience under his belt by now and it showed here. Was always very poised in all situations and never got stressed up...mobile skater who seems to move effortlessly along the ice, also reads the game well enough not put himself in situations where he really needs to hustle...very useful on the powerplay, has he is a strong passer and has solid and accurate slapshot...constantly delivers quality outlet feeds and has no problems finding the right passing lanes...covers his own zone very well, is positionally sound thanks to his hockey sense and handles himself well in the physical game...isn't openly looking for the big hit, but doesn't hesitate to deliver them when the right time comes...has no major weakness in his game. (6-3-2-5)
Review: Was arguably the best goaltender of the tournament last year - an award Rask was far away from this time around. Rask didn't play bad per se, just not great enough to grant Finland any success in this tournament.
Scouting: Looking past his previous heroics, Rask did little to stand out from the rest of the goalie crop in Leksand and Mora…displayed good fundamentals in the way he handled himself in the net and moved around in the crease, but just didn't make those game breaking saves this time…is quick butterfly type of goalie with good coverage down low, but had a tendency here to live to fifth hole a bit open at times...reads the game well and is good at anticipating the shooter, gives a very calm impression when he is at the top of his game...is supposed to have a strong glove hand, but like much else, it didn't come out more than average in this showing.
Review: The Finn's chose a hardworking two-way centre as their captain this time around. Born in Estonia, Komarov put up a solid, but unglamorous performance for what is now his native country.
Scouting: Komarov's overall package has little to offer in terms of NHL upside. The undersized centre has a gritty edge to his game and doesn't back down for anything or anyone...works hard and wins a surprisingly high amount of the battles, but lacks an offensive game for most part...his hands isn't very soft and his hockey sense could sometimes put him out of either position or options against better opponents...still, a strong leader by example, strong in the face off circle and knows how to kill off penalties...has a decent passing game, but creative vision is in short supply... useful player, but with little upside...his skating could look a little choppy and lacks both drive and shiftiness. (6-2-1-3)
Review: The once highly touted winger made another underwhelming effort at the international stage and was mostly a no-show when his team needed to get some offence from him. Seems like a long shot at making the NHL at this point.
Scouting: A big player with a well-developed frame, but seems to be unable to create any kind of intensity by it and was far behind team-mates Osala and Lehtonen in terms of effective physical play…an average skater who lacks explosive top speed, has good balance though and could be slippery along the boards and in the corners on occasion...didn't display much of a shooting ability and his passing game was average at best, lacks the vision the orchestrate much of any offensive value on his own...seemed to lack competitive drive and also displayed shaky coverage in his own end...can carry the puck reasonably well, but doesn't seem to have much of stickhandling wizardry in him. (6-1-1-2)
Scouting: A fast, energetic player with solid top speed and acceleration. Could create scoring chances if he's being fed the right passes when he got his speed up, but often failed when it came to execution, lacks poise in front of the net...has some vision and a serviceable passing game...works hard and provides energy for his team, but really lacks to sufficient skill to be more than a passing offensive threat. (6-0-0-0)
Scouting: Was paired up with Teemu Laakso for most of the tournament, although that didn't help much…Seppanen was in many was the total opposite of Laakso, as he easily got under pressure when the opponents put on the forecheck and had trouble finding outlet passes out of his own end and constantly seemed to run out of time to make his decisions...decent frame, but not much a physical presence...decent skating ability in terms of speed, but with questionable balance and lateral movement....could get out of position defensively as well. (6-0-0-0)