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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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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