The Scouting Report» Ty Rattie Archives – The Scouting Report

WHL Feature: Portland @ Calgary Recap

Scott McDougall — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:53:24 +0000

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.

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CHL Feature – 2009/10 Junior Preview

scottcampbell — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 15:50:53 +0000

While roster turnover in professional hockey normally brings limited change to rosters each year, even despite the salary cap, it is something that has become customary in junior hockey every off-season. Unlike professional leagues, junior hockey teams are handicapped by the limited amount of eligibility their players have to play in their respective leagues. As a result, every off-season is particularity exciting as some teams fall from grace, while others get ready to ascend to the top. This off-season has been particularly exciting and we’ll elaborate on some of the bigger storylines to follow from some of the high profile junior leagues in North America.

Often considered the weakest link out of the three CHL leagues, the QMJHL took some of the national spotlight from the WHL and OHL this summer with some big news of its own. Leading the way has been the ongoing dilemma with Russian phenom Kirill Kabanov and where he will indeed play the 2009/10 season. After indicating that he wanted to play in the CHL in early 2009, Kabanov’s intentions seemed to change when his rights were traded from his previous KHL club Spartak Moscow, to KHL powerhouse Salavat UFA. However, the terms of Kabanov’s contract have apparently changed as he will no longer have an NHL escape clause until his mid to late 20’s which has once again caused the 17 year old Moscow native to apparently switch his intentions to playing in the CHL.

Luckily for the Moncton Wildcats, this means that they are now one step closer to landing a player who many feel could contend for top honours in the 2010 draft class. After selecting Kabanov with the 7^th overall pick in this summer’s CHL Import Draft, Kabanov is now in New Brunswick as he looks to obtain a transfer from the IIHF to allow him to play in the QMJHL this season. While Salavat is disputing this heavily, and rightfully so, if Kabanov does land in the QMJHL, he will likely be one of the most followed players in the league since Sidney Crosby’s reign ended in 2005.

The Kabanov impasse has overshadowed another Russian’s arrival to the QMJHL as well. After a tough season last year, the St. John Sea Dogs were able to add two major components to their rebuild after they were able to nab fellow 2010 eligible Stanislav Galiev with the 1^st pick in the Import Draft, and supplemented that with flashy Slovakian Tomas Jurco with the 4^th pick. While Jurco is not eligible until the 2011 Entry Draft, both players look like they will be impact players this season and will definitely be worth keeping an eye on throughout the season.

How can you top the notion that your league has produced the first overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft for the last three years? Easy, you do it again. With the resurgence of the OHL kicked into high gear, the 2010 draft crop will definitely be one of the biggest storylines to follow in the league this season. Two Windsor Spitfires, Taylor Hall and Cam Fowler, will be top contenders for the first pick in the draft, hoping to follow in the footsteps of Kane (2007), Stamkos (2008) and Tavares (2009) in continuing the OHL dominance at the top of the draft. As if having these two guys wasn’t enough, when you look around the league and see some of the other players available, the 2010 NHL Entry Draft’s first round will surely be littered with upwards of 10 OHL players.

One of the big teams to follow this season will be the Kitchener Rangers, who have done a nice job rebuilding over the past season after hosting the Memorial Cup in 2008. After adding a trio of Americans with Columbus first rounder John Moore, Atlanta second rounder Jeremy Morin and Colorado goaltending prospect Brandon Maxwell, the team has done a nice job of adding some high end talent to the team. Adding in third overall pick Ryan Murphy and one of the top prospects for the 2011 Entry Draft in Gabriel Landeskog, there is certainly a lot to be excited about. Oh, and don’t forget about guys like Jeff Skinner, Jason Akeson and Chris MacKinnon and this team has the potential to be one of the better teams in the league with a roster that is littered with several NHL calibre prospects as well.

After producing some solid high end players in 2009, the 2010 NHL Entry Draft doesn’t look as promising for the WHL. While Brett Connolly will surely be a Top 10 pick and Mark Pysyk could break into the Top 15, the draft crop from the WHL lacks the high end talent it normally produces. While 2010 will probably be considered a bit of an off year for the league, there is a gem that is waiting to be uncovered yet, the 2011 crop.

Many scouts have been quick to label the 2011 Draft as one of the worst in the past decade, when you look closer at some of the players that will be eligible, that opinion seems to be on the contrary. Although the draft may lack some of the high end impact prospects from other drafts, there is no doubting that there is a considerable amount of quality depth in this draft, especially from the WHL in particular.

Leading the way is Red Deer’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, a slick forward who has extremely good offensive instincts. Two other players who are at a similar level are Shane McColgan of Kelowna and Colin Jacobs of Seattle. All three of these players saw some time in the WHL last season as 15 year olds, and despite their young age, each of them showed that they could already be impact players in the league despite their inexperience. However it doesn’t stop there as several other players like Ty Rattie, Duncan Siemens and Michael St. Croix will all be interesting players to follow this season. All in all, the 1993’s in the WHL will be an intriguing age group to watch as they appear poised to break a reign of OHL dominance in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft.

There will always be people who are often quick to simply write off the United States’ top calibre of junior hockey despite the fact that the league continues to take steps towards becoming a better league. This year, they’ve done that by bringing on the USNTDP program into their league for a second stint. There will always be advocates and critics of how the program is operated and whether it is ultimately beneficial or not, but one thing cannot be disputed, and that is the fact that many of the top 16 and 17 year old American players continue to call this program home during their first two years of junior eligibility. With the NTDP joining the regular league schedule this season, they will help bolster the quality of play in the league and should attract plenty of attention from the NHL scouting community which will only help create more exposure for the growing league.

One USHL player of particular intrigue will be Omaha’s Seth Ambroz, a 6’3” forward who played 61 games with the team as a 15 year old where he registered a very impressive 14 goals and 31 points. He has been generating a lot of hype with his combination of size and skill and scouts will be following his progress a lot this season to get a gauge on just how good Ambroz might be able to be.

Suffice to say, with junior hockey across the continent surging in popularity, there is plenty to be excited about once again in 2009/2010. Across the CHL and the USHL, many of the top young players in the world will once again be on display and it will be very interesting to see who will surprise and who will disappoint.