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#11. Ryan Johansen | C | Portland (WHL)

Date of Birth: July 31st, 1992
Height: 6.02
Weight: 180lbs.
Shoots: R
Season Statistics: Regular Season | 71GP 25G 44A 69P 53PIM
Playoffs | 13GP 6G 12A 18P 18PIM
TSR Midterm Rank: 41 | Position Rank: 7th Forwards
League Rank: 3rd WHL | Country Rank: 6th Canada

Ryan Johansen almost never came to the Western Hockey League. After being selected by the Portland Winterhawks in the 7th round of the 2007 Bantam Draft, it’s easy to see why the Port Moody, BC native was excited to get a scholarship offer from Northeastern University. After scoring 17 points in 47 games for the Penticton Vees of the BCHL, Johansen came to a crossroads in his career: Either pursue a college scholarship, or come to the WHL and play for one of the top developmental hockey leagues in the world. As of now, it looks like Johansen made the right move.

Storming onto the scene with a Portland team that has finished at or near the bottom of the WHL standings for three consecutive years, Johansen quickly made a name for himself as one of the top young players on a rejuvenated Winterhawks team. The 6’3″ 190 pound center notched 25 goals and 69 points in 71 games played, while adding a solid +17 and 53 penalty minutes, quickly becoming one of the top prospects for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Johansen centered the team’s top line, along with fellow Draft eligible’s Nino Niederreiter and Brad Ross; together forming one of the more talented lines in the entire WHL. They were also very impressive in the playoffs, where Johansen scored 6 goals and 18 points in only 13 games played, along with 18 penalty minutes and a +3.

Johansen’s biggest asset is his ability to make plays. He uses his size to win battles in all three zones, and is very shifty, capable of beating defensemen one-on-one by using his deceptive speed and quick stickhandling. He moves extremely well for a player of his stature, often catching players off guard, when they think they have him reeled in; he simply shifts gears and goes right on by. He is a very good passer, able to find his linemates open and more often than not get the puck to them in a scoring area. Johansen also works hard on the forecheck and plays in both powerplay and penalty kill situations.

The main thing Johansen could stand to improve upon is his physical play, his 53 penalty minutes may be a little bit inflated due to playing on a line with super pest Ross. As a player with such an imposing height, it might benefit Johansen to add some body mass in the offseason and use his physical frame better to his advantage. As it stands, Johansen is still a pretty raw talent but has alot of the tools at his disposal to make him a very dangerous player every time he’s on the ice.

With another year of seasoning most likely ahead of him in the Western League, Johansen should be able to round out his game with a Winterhawks team that has some great building pieces around him. They have all the makings of a powerhouse in Portland, and Johansen is one of the biggest reasons for such a turn around. He may be considered a bit more of a project than some of the players picked around him, mainly due to the fact that he has arrived onto the scene so quickly; but he has a very high skill level and a seemingly endless ceiling. He has all the tools to be a top-6 forward in the NHL.

Pros: Size, playmaking ability, strong work ethic
Cons: Lacks physicality, could shoot more often
Skillset Comparison: Jason Spezza

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#15. Emerson Etem | C | Medicine Hat (WHL)

Date of Birth: June 16th, 1992
Height: 6.00
Weight: 174lbs.
Shoots: L
Season Statistics: Regular Season | 72GP 37G 28A 65P 26PIM
Playoffs | 12GP 7G 3A 10P 0PIM
TSR Midterm Rank: 21 | Position Rank: 10th Forwards
League Rank: 5th WHL | Country Rank: 4th USA

Joining the Medicine Hat Tigers as a 17 year old rookie, Emerson Etem took the Western Hockey League by storm in the 2009-10 season. After posting 19 goals and 33 points in 40 games with the US National Development team last year, Etem decided to go the Canadian Junior route, a decision that seems to have paid off. While playing in all 72 of the Tigers’ regular season games, Etem scored 37 goals – more than any other first year WHLer; also adding 28 assists for 65 points, fourth amongst WHL rookies. He would go on to add 7 goals and 10 points in only 12 playoff games, leading the Tigers in scoring in the postseason.

Etem displays an impressive skillset, but what might be most impressive is his ability to fade away from the play and seem almost invisible – only to appear and strike when you least expect him to. He has an NHL caliber wrist shot that almost always hits it’s mark, as characterized by his high goal total. Etem is also a great skater, with quick acceleration and blazing high end speed, and works tirelessly on both sides of the puck. These traits earned him an invite to the CHL Top Prospect’s game, where he put his skills on display, scoring a slick shorthanded goal. Etem showcased his two-way capabilities all season long in the WHL, as only four players scored more than Etem’s 5 shorthanded markers this season.

There are some concerns with Etem’s skating stride, perhaps mainly due to the fact that Etem skates hunched over, with his head down; which might open him up to devestating open ice hits. While it may not be the most orthodox syle, he is one of the quicker skaters in the entire draft. Etem isn’t much of a physical factor on the ice, as evidenced by his 26 penalty minutes (and 0 in the playoffs), but he is able to use his speed effectively on the forecheck, and in the defensive end to gain possession of the puck.

A native of Long Beach, California, Emerson Etem has followed a recent trend of top NHL prospects from the so-called “Sun Belt”. With solid credentials at every level, including time spent at the famous Shattock-St. Mary’s prep school in Minnesota, it’s hard to question Etem’s talent and commitment to being a professional hockey player. He is a very focused and determined player, and will make every effort to get to the next level in his career.

Pros: Great skater, excellent shot, hard worker
Cons: Awkward stride, lack of physicality
Skillset Comparison: Michael Cammalleri

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#20. Quinton Howden | LW | Moose Jaw (WHL)

Date of Birth: January 21st, 1992
Height: 6.03
Weight: 183lbs.
Shoots: L
Season Statistics: Regular Season | 65GP 28G 37A 65P 44PIM
Playoffs | n/a
TSR Midterm Rank: 18 | Position Rank: 14th Forwards
League Rank: 6th WHL | Country Rank: 9th Canada

Quinton Howden arrived on the scene of the Western Hockey League with extremely high expectations after being the first overall pick in the league’s annual bantam draft in 2007. After putting up impressive offensive numbers throughout his minor hockey career, there is no wonder why the Moose Jaw Warriors thought so highly of the 6’3″ forward out of Oak Bank, Manitoba. After joining the Warriors full time as a 16 year old, Howden’s offensive numbers have not been dazzling, but the lanky winger has made enough of a name for himself as a two-way force to have his name mentioned as a probable first round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

As a 16 year old in the WHL, Howden definitely had his share of ups and downs with the lowly Moose Jaw Warriors, potting 13 goals and 17 assists, along with a dismal -37 +/- rating while playing in 62 of the team’s 72 games. Howden quickly found out exactly how tough it can be for a 16 year old in the rough and tumble Western League, and would look to come back stronger in his draft year. Being sure not to disappoint, Howden’s 17 year old season showed a vast turn-around, as he would improve his numbers across the board; finding the back of the net 28 times in 65 games. Howden also added 37 assists and a hefty improvement in the +/- department, finishing out the season as a +14.

Offensively, Howden has shown potential; he was a point per game player while playing a strong two-way game – no easy feat for a 17 year old. His offensive game, however, is not what has NHL scouts turning their heads in excitement. Howden is a tremendous skater, and is able to effectively use his speed to create a name for himself as one of the top two-way forward prospects in the game. He has surprising acceleration for a player of his stature, and shows the hockey smarts and defensive poise to put that asset to good use.

Howden is not overly physical, and therefore he may benefit most from a good offseason in the weightroom; with a little added strength perhaps he could add that extra skill to his repertoire, something that he might need when facing the rigors of NHL sized forwards. He might also benefit from a calmer poise with the puck, which might further utilize his offensive potential.

Howden has the potential to be a top-6 forward in the NHL, but he looks like a solid bet to be a role player for whatever team selects him at the draft table. He is a fairly low-risk prospect – his size, skating, and defensive responsibility all make him an almost guaranteed depth forward, even if his offensive potential doesn’t translate to the next level.

Pros: Great speed/acceleration, Two-way game, Good Size.

Cons: Needs to be more confident with the puck.

Skillset Comparison: Rob Niedermayer

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Date of Birth: April 20th, 1992
Height: 6.04
Weight: 212lbs.
Shoots: R
Season Statistics: Regular Season | 65GP 7G 17A 24P 169PIM
Playoffs | 7GP 0G 1A 1P 21PIM
TSR Midterm Rank: 33 | Position Rank: 7th Defensemen
League Rank: 8th WHL | Country Rank: 11th Canada

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Calvin Pickard is currently playing with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League.

It has been a trying season thus far for the Seattle Thunderbirds in the US Division of the Western Hockey League. Starting the season as the youngest team in the WHL is never easy, and for a team that has only moved to get younger through the course of multiple deals this year (with only has 4 players over age 18), one player has given them a steady presence in their most important position. Goaltender Calvin Pickard might be quickly recognized by casual fans as the younger brother of Chet Pickard, a first round pick by the NHL’s Nashville Predators. Calvin has quickly proven to many, however, that Chet is not the only bluechip goaltending prospect in the Pickard household.

After a very respectable 16 year old rookie season in 2008-09 for Seattle, in which Pickard uprooted highly-touted Philadelphia Flyers draft pick Jacob DeSerres as starting netminder, Calvin started his draft eligible season on a team rebuilding for the future. Through 45 games, however, the 17 year old from Winnipeg has impressed scouts enough to be the number 1 ranked CHL goaltender on almost every mid-term scouting report. Playing more minutes (2704) than any other goaltender in the WHL, Pickard has posted a very solid 91.7% save percentage, and a respectable 2.86 goals-against average. Pickard has become a player that the young T-Birds can rely on for solid goaltending on a night in, night out basis; a fact that is proven by his ability to keep his team in games that they seem to have no business playing in.

While he doesn’t have the size of his brother (Calvin stands notably 2-3 inches shorter than Chet), Pickard fills alot of the net and gives opposition shooters very little to look at. Positionally sound, and also with very strong rebound control, you don’t see Calvin give up many soft goals, and he seems to bounce back fairly quickly after being scored on; which is a testament to his mental ability. With his impressive statistics on a fairly poor team, it is fathomable that Calvin could follow in big brother Chet’s footsteps and become a first-round pick in the upcoming NHL Entry draft.

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Brett Connolly is a 6’2″ 180 pound forward currently playing for the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League, and is widely considered the top prospect eligible for the 2010 NHL entry draft coming out of the WHL.

Connolly got off to a quick start in the 2008-09 season with Prince George, starting the season on the team’s top line that featured Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Dana Tyrell. It was believed early on that his success could be attributed to playing alongside Tyrell, a point that Connolly would be quick to prove wrong after Tyrell suffered an injury with Canada’s World Junior team. Connolly would go on to post the first 30 goal season by a 16 year old in the WHL since Patrick Marleau accomplished the feat in his preliminary season with Seattle in 1996. Connolly would also add 30 assists for a 60 point effort, while playing in 65 of the team’s 72 regular season games. Connolly was a -26 on the season, however; which might me due more to the fact that played for the Cougars, whose 25-44-0-3 record was due largely to the fact that the team gave up 298 goals against, second in the entire league.

To start the 2009-10 season, Connolly picked up right where he left off, finding the back of the net 4 times, while adding 2 assists for 6 points in his first 7 games of the season, while also showing a +2 before suffering a hip injury that has had him out of the lineup in recent weeks.

With room to grow into his 6’2″ frame, Connolly already seems to overpower many defensemen in the Western League, a league known to produce alot of rough and tumble NHL quality defenders. Connolly has an extremely accurate, high powered shot, sees the ice very well and has the ability to set teammates up for scoring chances, and isn’t afraid to go into high traffic areas to make a play. What is most impressive about Connolly’s point totals to this point is that the next closest scorer on the team was Cameron Cepek – a defenseman who scored 15 fewer points than Connolly.

Connolly is widely considered the best the WHL has to offer for the 2010 NHL draft, and will look to continue to impress scouts once he returns from injury. He was recently named to team WHL for the upcoming Super Series to face team Russia on November 26th, and will look to turn heads on a larger stage, featuring some of the best junior players in the world.

Brett Connolly is currently slated to be selected in the top 10 of next June’s NHL Entry draft.

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