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#4. Brandon Gormley | D | Moncton (QMJHL)

Date of Birth: February 18th, 1992
Height: 6.02
Weight: 190lbs.
Shoots: L
Season Statistics: Regular Season | 58GP 9G 34A 43P 54PIM
Playoffs | 17GP 2G 15A 17P 8PIM
TSR Midterm Rank: 5 | Position Rank: 2nd Defensemen
League Rank: 1st QMJHL | Country Rank: 4th Canada

Being in the spotlight is nothing new for Brandon.  After a successful minor hockey career in PEI, Brandon followed the path set out by Murray Harbour’s Brad Richards in heading to Wilcox, Saskatchewan as a 14 year old in order to attend the prestigious the Notre Dame Hounds hockey program.  After playing a couple seasons in Wilcox, Brandon returned to Atlantic Canada as the 1st Overall draft choice of the Moncton Wildcats in the 2008 QMJHL draft.  Gormley and his reloaded Moncton team were able to enjoy great success in the two years since he joined the team, topped off by competing for the Memorial Cup after winning the 2009/10 QMJHL league championship.

Despite the team’s disappointment of finishing the Memorial Cup 0-3, Brandon showcased the attributes that will make him a top pick in this year’s upcoming NHL draft.  The most important part of his game is the cerebral aspect.  He showed great poise in all situations.  Defensively he knew where to be and when to jump into the play to eliminate a passing lane.  He seldom made a move he didn’t have to make.  On the breakout, Brandon showed great vision and tremendous passing ability.  His passes were both hard and accurate and only carried the puck when he had no other options.  Brandon is the type of defenseman that can be leaned to play heavy minutes as his smart decision-making allows him to conserve energy.  He makes his game look simple and effortless.  He uses his stick effectively in order to deflect passes and shots.  Like most prospects, Gormley needs to gain some more strength, but he projects to be a great shutdown player with offensive upside at the NHL level.

It is not hard to see that offensive upside.  Along with his smarts and great passing ability, Gormley possesses a strong and accurate shot.  He needs to learn to create more opportunities for himself by opening shooting lanes and getting defenders moving laterally but that will come in time.  Brandon is not an aggressive attacker and prefers instead to play more of a supporting role in the offensive end.

During the Memorial Cup, Brandon showed that he would not back down to grittier opponents and that he could raise his game when it mattered.  He was also able to showcase the skills and attributes that will make him a high pick at the NHL Entry Draft.  With his outstanding all-around play, expect him to go anywhere between 3rd and 6th in the draft.

Pros: great awareness, very smart, poised, hard accurate shot, great passing skills, plays an effective and simple game that will allow him to log big minutes, well rounded skills, not intimidated by more physical players

Cons: When compared to the other top defensemen available, Gormley is not as physical as Gudbranson and not as good a skater as Fowler

Skillset Comparison: Marc Staal

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Related posts

• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Mid-Term rankings Top 60 Skaters (1-30) (10)
• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Final Rankings: Top 100 (1-25) (5)
• TSR’s 2010 NHL Entry Draft Preliminary Top 15 Rankings (16)
• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Mid-Term rankings Top 60 Skaters (31-60) (6)
• OHL Set to Dominate the NHL Draft Yet Again (0)

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#5. Cam Fowler | D | Windsor (OHL)

Date of Birth: December 6th, 1991
Height: 6.02
Weight: 190lbs.
Shoots: L
Season Statistics: Regular Season | 55GP 8G 47A 55P 14PIM
Playoffs | 19GP 3G 11A 14P 10PIM
TSR Midterm Rank: 3 | Position Rank: 3rd Defensemen
League Rank: 4th OHL | Country Rank: 1st USA

Few players have experienced the type of success that Cam Fowler has had over the last year. Since last spring, Fowler has won gold medals at both the 2009 IIHF U18 Championships and 2010 World Juniors and then topped the season off by helping his team to the 2010 Memorial Cup. Fowler wasn’t just along for the ride either. He was named the tournament’s best defender at the 2009 U18 tournament, successfully carried out a primarily defensive role for the American World Junior squad while being one of the youngest players in the tournament and he followed that up by scoring 55 points in as many games for the Spitfires Memorial Cup championship squad.

Fowler is an elite skater that shows excellent lateral mobility. His stride is very smooth and he excels both in straight-line speed as well as in transition and pivoting. Defensively, his ability to change directions quickly factored in with his passing skills make him a threat to push the play back up ice on a counter attack before his opponents can get back in position. Conversely, if a quick pass is not an option, Fowler is just as content to carry the puck up the ice and lead the rush.

Fowler has good offensive awareness and is constantly in motion on the blue line in order to move defenders and create new looks. He seems to get shots on goal through traffic but they often don’t have much behind them. This area of his game needs great improvement. Overall, his instincts serve him well as he develops as a powerplay quarterback.

Defensively, Fowler has had his ups and downs this season. While looking susceptible at times in junior this year, Fowler stepped up his own zone play for the World Juniors. He has all the physical attributes to make him successful in his own end, but he needs to work on consistently making good reads and adding a physical element to his game.

Pros: Elite skater, offensive upside, winner

Cons: Strength, shot

Skillset Comparison: Jay Bouwmeester

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Related posts

• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Mid-Term rankings Top 60 Skaters (1-30) (10)
• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Final Rankings: Top 100 (1-25) (5)
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• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Mid-Term rankings Top 60 Skaters (31-60) (6)
• OHL Set to Dominate the NHL Draft Yet Again (0)

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#6. Brett Connolly | LW | Prince George (WHL)

Date of Birth: May 2nd, 1992
Height: 6.02
Weight: 181lbs.
Shoots: R
Season Statistics: Regular Season | 16GP 10G 9A 19P 8PIM
Playoffs | n/a
TSR Midterm Rank: 6 | Position Rank: 3rd Forwards
League Rank: 1st WHL | Country Rank: 5th Canada

If Brett didn’t have bad luck he’d have none at all.  Great expectations were placed on Connolly after being named the CHL rookie of the year in 2008-2009 beating out the likes of Evgeny Grachev and Dmitry Kulikov who was an early first round pick of Florida Panthers last year.   But from the start of the season Connolly became the victim of the injury bug.  It started in August when he injured his hip while playing for Canada’s U18 entry at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in Slovakia.  After trying to return from injury too quickly, Connolly re-aggravated the injury and ended up missing all but 16 games for the Prince George Cougars this year.  After posting 10 goals and 9 assists in those games, Connolly was invited to play for Canada again, this time at the IIHF U18 World Championships in Belarus.  Only this time, he encountered a bout of food poisoning that kept him out of a couple games there as well.

Despite the reoccurring hip injury and missing a huge chunk of his draft-eligible year, Connolly has still managed to keep his draft stock in check.  He showed well despite still being hampered by his injuries and playing for a very weak and depleted Prince George squad.  He claims to have finally taken care of the injury and does not expect there to be any lingering effects going forward.

Connolly is a big, skilled forward.  He possesses very good speed and is effective at both ends of the ice.  He uses his body effectively both to shield the puck from defenders as well as to take his man out when it is advantageous to do so.  His soft hands allow him to get shots off both quickly and accurately.  Connolly has a good sense for how a play is going to develop and he takes advantage of it by finding opens areas and seams in the defensive coverage.

Connolly was widely considered a Top 5 candidate going into the season and with the uncertainty of the injury status, Connolly becomes a high risk/high reward pick.  Depending on how he tests at the NHL Combine and individual teams’ testing, he could move inside the Top 5 or be a draft day faller.  With all the uncertainties around him, expect him to go anywhere from 3rd to 10th.  He has too much talent to fall any further.

Plus – Size/Skill package, well-rounded play

Minus - Injury history

Style Comparable - Patrick Marleau

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Related posts

• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Mid-Term rankings Top 60 Skaters (1-30) (10)
• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Final Rankings: Top 100 (1-25) (5)
• TSR’s 2010 NHL Entry Draft Preliminary Top 15 Rankings (16)
• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Mid-Term rankings Top 60 Skaters (31-60) (6)
• 2010 Draft Spotlight: Brett Connolly (0)

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#8. Nino Niederreiter | RW | Portland (WHL)

Date of Birth: September 8th, 1992
Height: 6.02
Weight: 201lbs.
Shoots: L
Season Statistics: Regular Season | 65GP 36G 24A 60P 68PIM
Playoffs | 13GP 8G 8A 16P 16PIM
TSR Midterm Rank: 10 | Position Rank: 5th Forwards
League Rank: 2nd WHL | Country Rank: 1st Switzerland

After being the 2nd overall pick of the 2009 CHL Import Draft, high expectations were placed on this product of Switzerland. Over the course of the year, he has not only exceeded those expectations, but created even loftier ones based on his international play.

Niederreiter had a strong start to the season with Portland and was then selected to play for Switzerland at the World Juniors. Despite being one of the youngest players in the tournament, he carried the Swiss team to an upset win over the heavily-favoured Russian squad and into a surprising 4th place showing at the tournament. After returning back to Portland, Niederreiter’s play tailed off as he possibly got fatigued by the long WHL season. After helping Portland advance to the 2nd round of the WHL playoffs, he was again summoned for international duty, this time to the Swiss National team to play at the World Championships.

A high game total seemed to play a part in Niederreiter hitting a wall after the World Juniors. Going into the WJC, Nino had 23 goals and 41 points through the season’s first 37 games. Post WJC, Niederreiter managed just 13 goals and 19 points in the following 28 games. He seemed to get going again for Portland in time for their playoff run where he put up 8 goals and 16 points in 13 playoff games.

Niederreiter has shown great hands and a very quick release. He loves to finish his checks and be involved in the game physically. He is a thick body who is strong on his skates. His skating is decent from a technical perspective, but he must improve in both his ability to accelerate and his top-end speed.

Niederreiter is more NHL-ready than many players in the draft despite being one of the youngest players eligible. Expect him however to return to the WHL and have another strong year as he continues to adapt to the longer NHL-style seasons. Nino will likely be the second player chosen from the WHL in this year’s upcoming NHL draft and should come off the board in the 7 to 12 range. His play this season should make him the highest drafted Swiss player of all-time.

Pros: Great combination of skill and size, Great Shot, Clutch, Physicality and Intensity, Excellent International Resume, nearly an entire year younger than some other players in the draft

Cons: Speed and acceleration, temper sometimes gets the best of him

Skillset Comparison: Erik Cole

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Related posts

• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Mid-Term rankings Top 60 Skaters (1-30) (10)
• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Final Rankings: Top 100 (1-25) (5)
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• #9. Mikael Granlund – 2010 Scouting Report (1)
• #7. Vladimir Tarasenko – 2010 Scouting Report (0)

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#13. Mark Pysyk | D | Edmonton (WHL)

Date of Birth: November 27th, 1991
Height: 6.01
Weight: 173lbs.
Shoots: R
Season Statistics: Regular Season | 48GP 7G 17A 24P 47PIM
Playoffs | n/a
TSR Midterm Rank: 14 | Position Rank: 5th Defensemen
League Rank: 4th WHL | Country Rank: 7th Canada

It has been a tough year for Mark Pysyk. After being part of the Canadian team that won gold at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament this past summer, Pysyk rejoined his Edmonton Oil Kings teammates looking to improve upon their past season where they were able to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Instead, the season became marred with injuries and losses.

After the Oil Kings started the season 4-1-0-2, Pysyk received a concussion in the eighth game of the year and was sidelined for two weeks. While he was out of the lineup, the team went 2-5-0-0 and things wouldn’t get any better as the Oil Kings would wind up winning only 12 of their final 65 games on their way to the worst record in the WHL Eastern Conference.

At the end of January, Mark broke his foot in a game blocking a shot. He played four more games before realizing it was broken, effectively ending his season 14 games early. All told, Pysyk managed to get into 48 of his team’s 72 games scoring 7 times while adding another 17 assists.

Mark is not your prototypical WHL defenseman. He is not a giant, physically intimidating player. Instead Mark’s game revolves around using his great hockey IQ and his top of the line skating ability. He excels in his own end where he consistently makes smart reads and is able to execute them while under pressure. He often makes plays many junior aged players would not think of.

The combination of Pysyk’s smarts and skating ability make him very effective in his zone as he can either skate the puck to safety, pass the puck using his solid puck moving skills or out-think his opponent to create the time and space he needs to either make a play or to wait for help if required. When defending the rush, Pysyk’s great skating ability and smarts allow him to close on forwards quickly where he chooses to use his stick instead of physically punishing his opponent.

Mark was relied upon heavily in all situations for the weak Edmonton squad, logging especially key minutes on the penalty kill and shutting down his opponent’s top line. His abilities allow him to be a very good special-teams player. While Pysyk’s game is more refined on the defensive aspect of the game, his skills and intelligence give credence to him being an effective power play quarterback in the future. His shot needs work, but isn’t horrible and it will continue to improve as he gains strength and weight.

Mark is a very talented young prospect with great upside. It also doesn’t hurt that he is a right-handed shot as those right-handed defensemen always seem to be in short supply. Judging where he goes on draft day will be a bit tricky however as there are some concerns about his game. Specifically his durability after the injuries he sustained this year, his size (Mark has average height, but is rail-thin and will likely need to add another 30 pounds to play in the NHL) and the lack of a physical game may hurt his draft stock.

Pros: extremely fluid skater, very fast, great awareness, hockey IQ

Cons: lack of physicality, injury history, size and strength

Skillset comparison: Jordan Leopold

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Related posts

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• WHL Feature: Eastern Conference Prospects Review (0)
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• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Final Rankings: Top 100 (1-25) (5)
• TSR’s 2010 NHL Entry Draft Preliminary Top 15 Rankings (16)

D TROY RUTKOWSKI | 1992 | 6’1” | 205LBS | 71GP 12G 31A 43P +13 70PIM

With Portland’s dynamic second line full of draft eligible players in Ryan Johansen, Nino Niederreiter and Brad Ross getting all the attention, Troy Rutkowski and Taylor Aronson have quietly gone about their business on defense. There’s a lot to like about Rutkowski in particular. He has an under-rated hockey sense and can be opportunistic in throwing big hits while not being afraid to mix it up if need be. Like many young players he needs to work on getting stronger and being more consistent. He skates fairly well but needs to focus on improving his quickness. At this point he’s a bit of a high risk, high reward type of player, but he should make some lucky team very happy they took a chance on him.


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C KEVIN SUNDHER | 1992 | 6’0” | 188LBS | 72GP 25G 36A 61P +9 101PIM

Speaking of Ross, Kevin Sundher gives you a pretty similar game to Ross with a lot less hype. At around 6 feet tall, Sundher isn’t the biggest guy, but he’s not small either. He’s a very good skater that was able to pot 25 goals playing for a very weak Chilliwack team. His 61 points placed him second on team scoring. He also brings grit to his game as can be seen by his 101 PIMs this year.


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D AUSTIN MADAISKY | 1992 | 6’2” | 199LBS | 65GP 7G 20A 27P -4 74PIM

A teammate of Sundher (and fellow 2010 draft eligible Alex Theriau of the Everett Silvertips) while playing for Vallley West Hawks in BC Major Midget, Madaisky is another guy under the radar a bit. That changed somewhat when he was a late invite to the CHL Top Prospects game, but he still doesn’t always get the credit he deserves since he doesn’t play a flashy game. While the defensive side of his game was on display early in the season, a trade to the Kamloops Blazers mid-season has provided him with more ample opportunities to show what he can do offensively. He will be expected to help carry the load for a young Kamloops team next season.


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D BRANDON DAVIDSON | 1991 | 6’2” | 194LBS | 59GP 1G 33A 34P +15 37PIM

Brandon was passed over for the Entry Draft last season, but that won’t happen again this year. He possesses very good size and projects as a shutdown defenseman. He’s not overly physical and the best thing about his game is that you don’t notice him. Nothing eventful ever seems to happen when he’s on the ice. He is able to gain possession of the puck and quickly move it up ice by utilizing his smarts and a good first pass. He led a weak Regina team in plus/minus at +15. To put it into perspective, Eberle and Weal were next best at +8 and +3 respectively.


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RW CODY BEACH | 1992 | 6’5” | 184LBS | 51GP 3G 11A 14P +6 157PIM

Cody’s stats aren’t going to blow anyone away, but with how well he’s been playing in the WHL playoffs, it would be hard to believe that this guy won’t get drafted this year. While he’s not even listed on Central Scouting’s Final list and clearly not the player his older brother is (Kyle led the WHL in goal scoring this year), he’s shown great improvements as the season has progressed and projects as a 4th line enforcer/energy player. He’s been hitting everything in sight, crushing opponent defensemen on the forecheck and at 6’4 or 6’5, is more than happy to exchange fists with anyone who offers (as witnessed by his 22 fighting majors this season). While he’s an avid fighter, he also likes to agitate. With his already giant size, it is hard to believe he is still one of the youngest players in the draft and could potentially still grow.

Related posts

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• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Mid-Term rankings Top 60 Skaters (31-60) (6)
• WHL Feature: Portland @ Calgary Recap (0)
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CALGARY HITMEN

RW TYLER SHATTOCK | 1990 | 6’3” | 200LBS | 72GP 30G 48A 78P +3 91PIM

NHL: 2009 STL (4/108)

After being passed over in his first draft year, St. Louis looks to have gotten a steal in the 4th round of 2009 with Shattock. There is a lot to like about his game. He has great size, which he uses effectively to protect the puck and to punish defenders. On top of that, he is a good skater with a nose for the net.

EDMONTON OIL KINGS

D MARK PYSYK| 1992 | 6’2” | 178LBS | 48GP 7G 17A 24P -19 47PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

Mark was a victim of the injury bug for a good chunk of the season but when he was in the lineup he was one the bright spot in an otherwise dreary season in Edmonton. He’s a smooth-skating defenseman that has a great mind for the game. His decision-making skills in his own end are years ahead of his opponents. While his strength is his smart defensive play, he also possesses the raw tools that could make him successful offensively. He showed spurts this season where he was able to single-handedly carry his young team.

F MICHAEL ST.CROIX| 1993 | 5’11” | 173LBS | 66GP 18G 28A 46P -21 30PIM

NHL: 2011 Eligible

For someone as gifted offensively as him, its been tough to see what he’s capable of when he is constantly chasing the puck in his zone along with his teammates. When he is able to showcase his skills with the puck, he shows good patience and vision. He’s still on the small side, but as he grows he should gain the strength needed to be a leader for the Oil Kings.

G CAM LANIGAN | 1992 | 6’3” | 183LBS | 38GP 3.83 GAA 0.891 SV%

NHL: 2010 Eligible

Cam has flown under the radar for most this season. As a backup to overager Torrie Jung, he’s shown glimpses of what he’s capable of. There are a lot of things to like about his game although he’s still a project at this point. While his stats aren’t great, the team in front of him has had many breakdowns in their own end leading to quality scoring chances for opponent shooter. He has good size (albeit on the slim side) and he is able to use it effectively. His technique is there in spurts, but his biggest obstacle is himself. Mentally he either seems to be in “the zone” or he breaks down and lets in soft goals. He is a good athlete and is able to make saves when he is caught out of position.

D KEEGAN LOWE| 1993 | 6’0” | 168LBS | 69GP 2G 12A 14P -16 60PIM

NHL: 2011 Eligible

The son of Edmonton Oilers GM Kevin Lowe has had a surprisingly good season for the Oil Kings. He is very scrawny and physically weak but can effectively uses his reach when he’s on his game. He has been trusted by the coaching staff to play key minutes including special teams. While he also has to improve his defensive zone coverage, his progress is encouraging. If he and promising 2009 3rd Overall WHL pick Griffin Reinhart (son of former NHLer Paul Reinhart) continue to improve, Pysyk won’t have to shoulder all the burden again next year.

KOOTENAY ICE

C MAX REINHART | 1992 | 6’1” | 178LBS | 72GP 21G 30A 51P +12 38PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

Another son of former NHLer Paul Reinhart, Max is a two-way centerman with good awareness. He started the season off slowly, but has been playing much better in the 2nd half of the season. He should receive some consideration as a late round draft pick.

MEDICINE HAT TIGERS

RW EMERSON ETEM | 1992 | 6’0” | 194LBS | 72GP 37G 28A 65P +8 26PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

At the beginning of the season, it could be seen that Etem had great speed, but he often stayed to the outside. As the year has progressed, he has constantly been going to front of the net providing screens and looking to score ugly goals. He has been using his speed more effectively in transition as he seems to think the game at a higher level now. His improvement in thinking the game has allowed him to put himself in situations where he can succeed with his skating ability.

F KALE KESSY| 1992 | 6’2” | 171LBS | 70GP 11G 18A 29P +12 123PIM

NHL: 2011 Eligible

Kessy is a big, young (2011-eligble) forward for the Tigers. He likes to play a very physical game and is just as willing to fight as hit (he had 13 fighting majors this year). He owns a long reach which he uses to his advantage. His skating needs work (both in agility and top-speed). With some seasoning, Kessy could develop into a quality power forward.

G TYLER BUNZ | 1992 | 6’1” | 198LBS | 57GP 2.91 GAA 0.898 SV%

NHL: 2010 Eligible

As the starting goalie for the offensive-minded Medicine Hat Tigers, Bunz has the formidable task of keeping the puck out of his net during some run and gun hockey. He is a blocking-style goalie that just tries to get his body in front of the puck. Positioning and technique are keys to his game as he emphasizes those strengths over athleticism.

MOOSE JAW WARRIORS

RD DYLAN MCILRATH | 1992 | 6’5” | 215LBS | 65GP 7G 17A 24P +20 169PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

McIllrath’s play makes it tough to gauge what his role will be in the professional ranks. Some days, he looks like he’ll be a 7th defenseman inserted when a team needs toughness. Other days, he looks like a legitimate Top 4 dman. As the season has progressed, there seems to be more of the latter than the former.

One thing is certain is that McIllrath plays a simple tough game. He makes opponents fear him. While he is generously listed at 6’5 (he appears to be closer in height to Howden and McFaull), there is no arguing his toughness. His strength is what sets him apart from other big defenders in the draft as is his willingness to fight any and all comers (19 fights in the regular season). As his gap control and skating are steadily improving, he should develop into a nice defensive defenseman that instills fear into his opponents while chipping in with the occasional goal with his heavy shot.

RED DEER REBELS

C RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS | 1993 | 6’0” | 160LBS | 67GP 24G 41A 65P -4 28PIM

NHL: 2011 Eligible

An early favorite Top 5 pick for the 2011 draft, Nugent-Hopkins oozes skill. He has soft hands with a really quick release. He can dangle the puck and is a very shifty skater. He has great vision and likes to set up near the half wall. On a team with such skilled offensive players as Willie Coetzee and Landon Ferraro, Red Deer revolves their power play around Nugent-Hopkins. They attack by letting him direct the play from the right side faceoff circle. A Red Deer defender will pass the puck into his wheel house (he’s a left-handed shot) where he can either take a one-timer or set up his teammates with precision saucer passes.

D ALEX PETROVIC| 1992 | 6’4” | 193LBS | 57GP 8G 19A 27P +3 87PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

Petrovic is another big WHL defenseman with some grit to his game. He is a bit of a project for NHL teams, but at 6’4, he has a large frame and loads of untapped potential. His skating can be awkward and he doesn’t effectively use his body enough. On the other hand, he isn’t afraid of the rough stuff and is fairly agile for a big man. He has a good first pass, but he does struggle in transition and can be caught napping on long breakaway passes up the seam. Offensively, he has the skills (and shot) to be a threat when his team is set up in the offensive zone.

SASKATOON BLADES

D DUNCAN SIEMENS | 1993 | 6’3” | 192LBS | 57GP 3G 17A 20P +11 89PIM

NHL: 2011 Eligible

Siemens has it all; size, skill, and smarts. Not to mention that as one of the youngest players eligible for the 2011 NHL draft, he still has a lot of time to continue to grow and improve his game. He is a pretty fluid skater and he thinks the game quite well. The 3rd overall pick of the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft, Siemens has the potential to be a marquee player in Saskatoon and beyond.

REGINA PATS

RW JORDAN EBERLE | 1990 | 5’11” | 184LBS | 57GP 50G 56A 106P +8 32PIM

NHL: 2008 EDM (1/22)

What more needs to be said about Eberle. All he does is score big goals when his team needs them most. He is good at sneaking to the side of the net for opportunistic rebounds. Like many great scorers, he gets the puck off his stick very quickly. While he is known for his goal scoring, his passing is perhaps underrated. He has the vision to find guys in tight through traffic and the skill to get them the puck. He was arguably the most dominant player in the WHL this season.

C JORDAN WEAL | 1992 | 5’9” | 165LBS | 72GP 35G 67A 102P +3 54PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

Weal has incredible chemistry with Eberle. Both players are methodical at attacking the defense and because they both think the game at such a high level, they create space for one another. Like Eberle, he loves to work from the side boards and attack gaps in the defense. Depending on how the defenders react, Weal either attacks a seam towards the middle of the ice or cycles the puck with Eberle. Weal is a very good skater and is very shifty.

Related posts

• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Mid-Term rankings Top 60 Skaters (1-30) (10)
• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Final Rankings: Top 100 (1-25) (5)
• CHL Feature – 2009/10 Junior Preview (0)
• WHL Feature: Brandon, Moose Jaw, Calgary Reports (2)
• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Final Rankings: Top 100 (76-100) (0)

In the first game, the Hitmen played the Moose Jaw Warriors.  Although its been a quarter of a century since the franchise left Winnipeg, the Warriors have had a distinct Manitoba flavour to them this year as they are being led in part by a couple draft-eligible Manitobans in Quinton Howden and Dylan McIlrath.

The other game featured the Brandon Wheat Kings in town for a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Final.  The 2010 Memorial Cup hosts have added some high profile players this year to compliment the pieces they already had.

MOOSE JAW WARRIORS

LW Quinton Howden | 1992 | 6’3” | 183LBS | 46GP 20G 30A 50P +14 26PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

Quinton Howden may be the most effortless skater in the WHL right now.  His fantastic acceleration often provided his defensemen with a great outlet option.  It also aided his transition game in the neutral zone where he was very effective in back checking and then turning the play back up the ice.  He showed good hands in sending Moose Jaw captain Jason Bast in on a breakaway and was one of the few Warriors to pressure the Calgary defense at all.  Howden could stand to benefit by showing more patience with the puck, allowing time for his teammates to join in and help him.  He finished the game pointless and a -1.

RD DYLAN MCILRATH | 1992 | 6’5” | 215LBS | 46GP 4G 11A 15P +21 127PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

McIlrath looked shaky at first, but after he got the first couple shifts out of the way, he looked very comfortable.  He played a very simple game in both ends.  He knows his role is a stay-at-home dman and he didn’t even look interested in going into the offensive end.  There was a few times were McIlrath was being so cautious that he didn’t even cross the blueline in order to support the play and keep the puck in the zone.  For his size, Dylan is a decent skater although like most big men, he has to work on his mobility and transition game.  He could also improve his gap control.  McIlrath was physically very solid and proved to be very hard to knock off his feet.  In one instance was able to clear out two Hitmen in front of his net simultaneously.  He and Kendall McFaull were steady defensively, blocking shots and effectively kept shooters to the outside.  He made good outlet passes and displayed patience with the puck until finding someone to pass to.

LW ANTONIN HONEJSEK | 1991 | 6’0” | 180LBS | 44GP 14G 17A 31P +10 18PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

Honejsek looked a bit like a waterbug out there.  He has a distinctive stride and the combination of the stride causing him to lean forward, his height, and having his head down looks to be a recipe for disaster if a defenseman can line him up.  Fortunately for him, he proved to be a slippery player with the puck and able to avoid the big hits.  He looked to others to create scoring chances for him.

LD KENDALL MCFAULL | 1992 | 6’2” | 185LBS | 41GP 4G 5A 9P +8 43PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

McFaull was paired with McIlrath for most the night and the two of them were very successful in breaking down the Calgary attack.  He showed good mobility and looked to be bigger than he is listed.   He played smart and displayed poise in the corners.  Although McFaull looks to have potential as an all-around defenseman, he still looks to be quite raw offensively.

CALGARY HITMEN

D MATT MacKENZIE | 1991 | 6’2” | 198LBS | 44GP 4G 23A 27P +4 49PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

As the season has progessed, MacKenzie’s game seems to be changing.  MacKenzie looks to have steadily improved his skating and is focusing more on the defensive part of his game.  He hasn’t been as aggressive at pinching in the offensive end, and while his stats may be declining from his early season pace, he is playing a much more complete game.  He is getting more effective at using his reach to his advantage, but he still doesn’t always use his size to his fullest capabilities.

RW CODY BEACH | 1992 | 6’5” | 184LBS | 35GP 2G 7A 9P +4 106PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

As usual, Beach used his body well on the forecheck, however, his lack of foot speed prevented him from being more effective in that role.  He needs to improve his skating if he hopes to be drafted in June.

D PETER KOSTERMAN | 1993 | 6’4” | 182LBS | 25GP 0G 1A 1P -3 2PIM

NHL: 2011 Eligible

With Calgary’s 1^st pick in the 2008 WHL draft, they choose a lanky local kid in Peter Kosterman.  He possesses great size at 6’4 and at only 16, is still learning to use his body.  He needs to work on skating in transition, but is improving in that regard.  Although Peter is not as physical, there are a lot of similarities between him and Alex Plante when the latter was the same age.  While he’s a project, Kosterman looks to have lots of potential.  He should merit watching for the 2011 draft.

D JAYNEN RISSLING | 1993 | 6’3” | 211LBS | 25GP 0G 4A 4P -1 13PIM

NHL: 2012 Eligible

Jaynen is a late-born ’93 and therefore isn’t eligible until the 2012 draft.  Like Peter Kosterman, Rissling is a big kid who has been solid in the limited minutes he’s received.  The Calgary coaching staff hasn’t had to rely on the youngsters too much and have been good at giving them safe minutes while continuing to develop them.  Rissling’s skating leaves much to be desired and he needs to work on his mobility.  He will also be interesting to follow over the next couple seasons.

BRANDON WHEAT KINGS

RW MARK STONE | 1992 | 6’3” | 190LBS | 27GP 11G 13A 24P +11 14PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

Although Mark didn’t make the scoresheet in the game against Calgary, he played a pretty solid game.  He was able to work the tough areas and was especially good in front of the net distracting Martin Jones and the Calgary defense.

LW MATT CALVERT | 1989 | 5’10” | 182LBS | 50GP 34G 35A 69P +30 54PIM

NHL: 2008 CLB (5/127)

After having a strong showing at Columbus’ training camp, Matt Calvert continues to impress.  He may just be Brandon’s best player and considering all the great players the Wheat Kings have, that’s saying a lot.  His energy is contagious and he seemed to take over the game at will in the 3^rd period leading his team to the come from behind victory.  Calvert displayed great smarts and patience in setting up Brayden Schenn for the fifth goal.  He added the empty netter to finish with two points.

C SCOTT GLENNIE | 1991 | 6’1” | 188LBS | 49GP 22G 38A 60P +25 24PIM

NHL: 2009 DAL (1/8)

It was a real “snake in the grass” performace from Glennie.  Not overly noticeable for the first 2 periods, Glennie found himself a couple scoring chances in the 3^rd and capitalized in a big way.  The first was a nice breakaway goal where he tucked the puck in between Martin Jones’ pads, while the other was a long wrist shot through heavy traffic.  The first goal really breathed life into a Wheat Kings squad that had been down 3-1 midway through the final frame.  He finished with 2 goals and an assist.

D Colby Robak | 1990 | 6’4” | 207LBS | 53GP 11G 39A 50P +38 4PIM

NHL: 2008 FLA (2/46)

Robak is a smooth-skating offensive-minded defenseman.  His typical game was on display again against Calgary where he potted a goal and added an assist.  He is a strong presence on the point and while not very physical, proved himself to be quite competent in his own end defending against the Hitmen’s high-scoring forwards.

C BRAYDEN SCHENN | 1991 | 6’0” | 192LBS | 41GP 20G 42A 62P +26 45PIM

NHL: 2009 LAK (1/5)

Schenn played a complete game.  He showed his physical side early on with a couple huge hits.  He and Calvert have developed great chemistry and combined for several good scoring chances.   Brayden showed good pursuit of the puck and solid two-way play.  Schenn finished with a nice goal on a 2-on-1 chance and also added an assist.

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Here is a feature by TSR’s newest contributor, Scott McDougall. Scott is an avid WHL follower, and often frequents Calgary Hitmen games at the Saddledome. Here is the first of Scott’s features for TSR. Hope you enjoy!

Yesterday afternoon in Calgary, the #1 ranked team in the CHL played host to an up and coming Portland Winterhawks team that was off to a great 8-4-0-0 start.  The Winterhawks were in the midst of their longest road trip of the season of which this game was the fourth of seven.  In a tightly contested game, the Hitmen completed a comeback from a 3-0 deficit when Los Angeles Kings prospect Brandon Kozun scored with just under 40 seconds left to play in regulation to sneak out a 6-5 win in front of 7000+ fans in the Saddledome.

PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS

D BRETT PONICH | 1991 | 6’7” | 225LBS | 13GP 1G 4A 5P -6 15PIM

NHL: 2009 STL (2/48)

It looks to be a bit of a rough start to the season for the Portland captain and tonight was no different.  Ponich played tough minutes against Calgary’s top scorers, but seemed to struggle all game against the Calgary forecheck.  He didn’t effectively use his size advantage.  Probably a game he’d like to forget as he had a few costly turnovers and didn’t contribute much offensively.  -2 on the night.

LW NINO NIEDERREITER | 1992 | 6’2” | 203LBS | 13GP 6G 8A 14P +3 14PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

Niederreiter was Portland’s best player yesterday.  He scored a couple nice goals.  The first was a one-timer on the PP on a nice pass from Troy Rutkowski, while the second showed his quick release as he got his wrist shot off through some traffic.  He started the game with some poor defensive play in his own end resulting in a couple good Calgary scoring chances, but got stronger defensively as the game progressed.  He was very strong on his feet, while possessing both good speed and size.  Combined with his intelligence for the game and it is easy to see why he should be an early pick in June.   Look for him to stand out on the Swiss team at the World Juniors.

LD TROY RUTKOWSKI | 1992 | 6’1” | 219LBS | 13GP 5G 12A 17P +5 23PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

Rutkowski is an offensive defenseman that showed great fortitude in anchoring the Winterhawks PP.  He was able to identify weaknesses in the defense and made several great plays to take advantage of them both in regards to generating scoring chances and maintaining possession of the puck in the offensive zone.  Physically, Rutkowski proved to be a bit of an enigma.  He tries to play physical and he’s got decent size, but he was run over a few times by the older, stronger Calgary forwards as he attempted to play the body.  He was also caught running around trying to make the big hit instead of breaking up the play, resulting in some opposition scoring chances.

Troy also had some playing time on the PK in which he effectively closed shooting lanes and blocked shots.  He has the physical tools to be good player at next level, but needs to improve his skating and make smarter plays defensively.  He lacked some toughness for a guy of his size, but his game is his offensive skill and he did make some smart passes.  He has an average shot, but this will come along once he is stronger.  He received a lot of ice-time and ended up with a pair of assists.

LW BRAD ROSS | 1992 | 6’1” | 173LBS | 13GP 6G 6A 12P +5 35PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

A member of Canada’s U18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial team this past summer, Brad has been off to a good start to the season.  The younger brother of Phoenix Coyote 1^st rounder Nick Ross was able to generate scoring chances against Calgary with his great speed, easily beating NHL prospects such as Kris Foucault in foot races throughout the game.  He also showed glimpses of being a surly competitor (he’s currently among the WHL leaders in minor penalties) as he wasn’t afraid to mix things up with larger competitors he felt were taking liberties with him.  Brad possesses both great top-end speed and excellent agility allowing him to get a jump on defenders during both breakouts and turnovers.  He is definitely dangerous on the rush, but he sometimes looks to shy away from the corners and caused turnovers when pressured in his own end.  Like most young players, he needs to bulk up.

C RYAN JOHANSEN | 1992 | 6’3” | 188LBS | 13GP 6G 6A 12P +3 11PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

Ryan is having a great start to the season.  He played a lunch-bucket game.  He simply wanted the puck more than anyone else and was able to strip defenders of loose pucks and then get the puck to his skilled linemates (Niederreiter and Ross).  He complimented the other two very well and was able to keep up with them on the rush.  He definitely looked his best when digging in the corners and at loose pucks in the slot area.  Scored a goal and had a couple assists, both times by winning puck battles and giving the puck to his linemates.

RD TAYLOR ARONSON | 1991 | 6’1” | 196LBS | 13GP 0G 6A 6P +2 15PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

Taylor  made a few smart plays down low when Calgary was intensely pressuring him.  Was partnered with Rutkowski and saw lots of ice-time.  More defensively responsible than his partner and while lacking the offensive flair of Rutkowski, he is capable in the offensive end and showed the ability to make a good outlet pass.  He played a good all-around game.

LW JACOB BERGLUND | 1991 | 6’1” | 199LBS | 13GP 1G 2A 3P +1 6PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

Another late 1991 birthday, Berglund is excellent in his own end.  He was Portland’s top PK forward.  He was able to cover shooting lanes well, was strong on his skates and proved extremely tough to knock off the puck.  His physical maturity allowed him to effectively hold onto the puck long enough to be sure he could clear the zone.  Berglund did not show much offensive flair, but he took the puck hard to the net and generated a couple scoring chances with hard work.  He could prove to be a useful defensive forward in the pros.

RW TY RATTIE | 1993 | 6’0” | 170LBS | 7GP 2G 2A 4P -1 4PIM

NHL: 2011 Eligible

The 2nd overall pick in the WHL Bantam Draft in 2008, Ty is very small, but completely willing to go to battle.  He was absolutely crushed near the goal line in the second period and got right back up fighting for the puck like nothing happened.  His willingness to go to the tough areas put him in some scoring situations.  He seemed to have a knack for knowing where the puck is going before it gets there.  Scored a wraparound goal and added an assist in front of friends and family (he’s from nearby Airdrie, AB).  He kept his man in check in the defensive zone and showed good hands.  His skill set reminds me a bit of another Airdrie product, Zach Bochyuk.  He finished with a goal and an assist in the game.

D JOE MORROW| 1992 | 6’0” | 197LBS | 12GP 1G 9A 10P +16 15PIM

NHL: 2011 Eligible

Joe Morrow was very impressive.  He is very cool and collected in his own zone, which can be attested to by his +16 in only 12 games so far this season.  He was partnered with another young defenseman in Daniel Johnston and they looked very comfortable playing as the third pairing for the Winterhawks.  Calm with the puck as well as in the corner, Morrow displayed very good skating ability, hockey sense and the ability to QB the PP.  Was very good in transition and while not overly big or strong, used smart angles to cut off opposing rushes and separate the opposition from the puck.  He almost always made the safe play.  Morrow and Rattie should make the 2011 draft interesting for Winterhawks fans.

D DANIEL JOHNSTON | 1992 | 6’0” | 192LBS | 10GP 0G 7A 7P +13 6PIM

NHL: 2011 Eligible

Another late 1992 birthday like Morrow, Daniel Johnston showed a willingness to stand up to Cody Beach who is 5 inches taller than him when Beach  hammered Morrow’s head into the boards.  A quiet night for him as he and Morrow didn’t allow many scoring chances or need to spend too much time in their own end.

Other notes: Neither Seth Swenson or Gaspar Kopitar played.  Swenson  took part in the pre-game warm-up.

CALGARY HITMEN

D MICHAEL STONE | 1990 | 6’4” | 207LBS | 11GP 3G 5A 8P -3 14PIM

NHL: 2008 PHO (3/69)

Michael showed the talent that made him a 3rd round pick of the Coyotes.  He is the vocal leader of the Hitmen. He possesses great size and strength.  He has a fantastic shot, although the shots are often blocked.  Despite not getting any points, he had a solid game (even hit a post).  He had several good hits and made smart safe plays in his own end.  A good end to end rush towards the end of the 1^st period.  Good all-around game.

D MATT MacKENZIE | 1991 | 6’2” | 198LBS | 11GP 1G 10A 11P +6 6PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

Matt Mackenzie played a similar type game in the offensive zone as Rutkowski.  He doesn’t always use his size, but it is apparent that he needs to get stronger.  He has a good frame, but needs to fill out some more to take advantage of it.   His shot is very weak, but that should also improve once he puts on some muscle.  He possesses good offensive awareness and he made a few smart pinches to keep the puck in the offensive zone.  He used screens effectively when shooting on net providing his teammates with rebound oppurtunities.  His skating needs a lot of work, especially his transition and acceleration but he has enough tools that some NHL team will be excited at the thought of developing this raw prospect.  Matt had three assists in the game.

RW CODY BEACH | 1992 | 6’5” | 184LBS | 6GP 0G 2A 2P +2 18PIM

NHL: 2010 Eligible

Cody, the younger brother of Chicago draft pick Kyle Beach played a power-forward game.  He was skating decently for his size and was banging bodies early on.  He wasn’t very noticeable late in the game.

Other notes: Austin Madaisky wasn’t in the Calgary lineup.  Peter Kosterman and Jaynen Rissling both played well and will be discussed in more detail later this month.

All images are the property of their respective team/website. These logos and photographs are used soley for factual purposes, and TSR in no way claims these logos to be their own. All rights remain with the owners of the logos and images. Special thanks to Blitzen Photography.

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