Peter Quenneville was ranked 150th by NHL Central Scouting in their North American Mid-Term Rankings.

Simply put, Quenneville is the real deal. As a 17-year-old this season, Quenneville finished in 3rd place in the AJHL scoring race and was nothing short of spectacular this season. Currently slated to head off to Connecticut where he will eventually join Quinnipiac, Quenneville is a player that Bobcats fans can get very excited about. The thing that I really noticed about his game that generally wouldn’t be noticed is how he plays the game with such ease and does a great job of outsmarting the opposition.

Despite being a smaller player, Quenneville is very elusive and does a great job of finding open space on the ice. Despite showing a willingness to compete, Quenneville avoids big hits and as a result, has shown impressive durability throughout the season. Offensively, he has great patience and controls the pace of the game very well. Has a tremendous shot and a quick release that makes him a threat inside the offensive zone as well. Skating needs to improve as Quenneville will need to add another gear to play at the next level due to his size, and Quenneville will also need to do a better job of managing his shift lengths which will come as he matures as a player.

’94 G Matt Tomkins – Sherwood Park Crusaders
NHLCS: 15th, North American Goalies
Property of: Vancouver Giants

If I could find 1 word to sum up the play of the Crusaders rookie goalie, that word would be: Battle. Tomkins has great lateral movement and does a great job of basing his style around his ability to cover the net. Rebound control is average, as Tomkins does a good job of absorbing pucks into his upper body, but his ability to control rebounds on lower shots is a concern. That’s where his ability to battle comes in, however, as Tomkins does a good job fighting for space in the net and making recovery saves that other goalies cannot replicate. Tomkins tracks the puck well and does a good job managing angles and squaring up to shooters, but his technique will need refinement as his hands are not great for a goaltender.

’92 C Carson Cooper – Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Property of: Vancouver Giants (protected)
Committed to: Yale University

The Oil Barons captain is set to take his game to the Ivy League with Yale University next season. Cooper is a centreman that plays a very good 2 way game and is equally effective in the defensive zone as he is offensively. Cooper competes hard and never takes a shift off, leading by example as a player who generally works the hardest on his team. He’s a good skater and his speed should serve him well playing in the NCAA over the next 4 seasons.

’93 D Colton Parayko – Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Committed to: University of Alaska-Fairbanks

At 6-foot-4, Colton Parayko is one of the biggest players in the AJHL and he’s not afraid to use his size to his advantage. The St. Albert, Alta. native is one of the most physical players in the league and combined with his long reach and defensive positioning, he’s also one of the top defensive defensemen in the league. Skating is a bit of an issue, as Parayko has an awkward long stride that probably lacks catchup speed at the NCAA level, but he does a good job on getting by with what he has. Parayko does have a rocket of a shot and has shown some nice offensive production this season as one of the top scoring AJHL defensemen.

Tags: 2012 nhl draft prospects, Carson Cooper, Colton Parayko, Matt Tomkins, Peter Quenneville

About the Author: Andrew Choquette