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Future Watch 2014

The Hockey News - Future Watch 2014

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0003-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-012215/9920387-1-eng-US/f0003-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">TOO GOOD TO BE 2John Gibson, holding off Martin Pluss of Switzerland at the 2013 worlds, is ranked No. 2 in FW14. (ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-021612/9920394-1-eng-US/f0003-022.jpg" title="f0003-02" width="75" height="74"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"> &#9632;</div>

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IN THIS ISSUE

The Hockey News

<div class="byline">BY GRANT MCCAGG</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-011317/9921023-1-eng-US/f0025-012.jpg" title="f0025-01" width="244" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-02930/9921016-1-eng-US/f0025-022.jpg" title="f0025-02" width="1369" height="1489"><figcaption class="caption-body">TEUVO TERAVAINEN (MATTI KORPI / JOKERIT)</figcaption></div>CHICAGO BOASTS A SKILLED AND DEEP GROUP OF FORWARDS, particularly at center. Mark Kelley, Chicago&rsquo;s director of amateur scouting, expects some of them to move to the wing, as Ryan Hartman, Mark McNeill and Kevin Hayes have already done. &ldquo;We conscientiously shored up the center position in recent drafts,&rdquo; Kelley said.The Hawks will look for defensive and goaltending depth in the future, but Kelley is happy with the development of several blueliners Chicago has drafted. &ldquo;We have a good range of prospects, from a high skill set to character, gritty competitors.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 3</h2>1 TEUVO TERAVAINEN, C, 19, Jokerit (Fin.)5-11, 185, 42-8-32-40-12 2012 draft, 18th overallKelley felt like a fan watching the talented Finn at the world juniors. &ldquo;It was fun to watch,&rdquo; Kelley said. Teravainen ran away with the WJC scoring title. &ldquo;What&rsquo;s really encouraging, up against his peers he really stood out,&rdquo; Kelley said. &ldquo;His imagination, creativity and poise with the puck are what set him apart.&rdquo; He needs to gain strength, but skating isn&rsquo;t a concern. &ldquo;His skating has always been deceptive,&rdquo; Kelley said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s similar to Patrick Kane&rsquo;s at the same age.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 47</h2>2 RYAN HARTMAN, RW, 19, Plymouth (OHL)5-11, 190, 44-22-21-43-78 2013 draft, 30th overallHartman is slightly off last season&rsquo;s pace in Plymouth, but the big club isn&rsquo;t alarmed. &ldquo;Expectations might have been for him to be scoring (more), but we like his intangibles,&rdquo; Kelley said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s really hard to play against. He provides energy and he puts the puck in the net.&rdquo; Hartman plays a rambunctious style that often belies his size, but needs to get physically stronger. &ldquo;His conditioning has to be right at the top with the way he plays,&rdquo; Kelley said.3 ADAM CLENDENING, D, 21, Rockford (AHL)6-0, 194, 55-7-36-43-52 2011 draft, 36th overallClendening has climbed Chicago&rsquo;s depth chart due to his offensive dominance in Rockford. Poise and patience with the puck are his main assets and, according to Kelley, &ldquo;he&rsquo;s an elite passer in all three zones.&rdquo; The power play quarterback leads the IceHogs in scoring. The Hawks do not lack offensive blueliners, so he&rsquo;s not being rushed. He needs to keep working on his skating. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s worked really hard off the ice and that needs to continue,&rdquo; Kelley said.4 BRANDON PIRRI, C, 22, Rockford (AHL)6-0, 183, 23-10-12-22-10 2009 draft, 59th overallPirri has come a long way since being drafted as a scrawny 17-year-old, playing with Patrick Kane on the Hawks at times. &ldquo;He and Kane have great chemistry,&rdquo; Kelley said. &ldquo;The puck finds him.&rdquo; Pirri has split time between the NHL and AHL after he led the AHL in scoring in 2012-13. &ldquo;He put on 20 to 25 pounds of muscle since he was drafted and his play on the other side of the ice has improved,&rdquo; Kelley said. &ldquo;His playmaking ability is his strength.&rdquo;5 MARK MCNEILL, RW, 20, Rockford (AHL)6-2, 211, 56-16-13-29-35 2011 draft, 18th overallAfter an 81-point draft year, McNeill regressed in his final two WHL seasons. And while the strong skater with puckhandling skills and brawn has shown offensive flashes in Rockford, they aren&rsquo;t frequent enough. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s his first year as a pro, it&rsquo;s a learning year,&rdquo; Kelley said. &ldquo;He does compete and battle, but consistency is his issue. With his size and skating, he can win battles along the boards. We need to get a physical element out of his game on a regular basis.&rdquo;<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 KEVIN HAYESRW, 21, Boston Col. (HE)6-4, 216, 33-22-29-51-12 2010 draft, 24th overallHulking winger with soft hands is putting up excellent scoring numbers on a power-house NCAA line.7 JOAKIM NORDSTROMC, 21, Rockford (AHL)6-1, 192, 46-14-13-27-19 2010 draft, 90th overallHawks feel the swift-skating center&rsquo;s progression has been as pronounced as anyone&rsquo;s in the system.8 PHILLIP DANAULTC, 20, Rockford (AHL)6-0, 190, 52-4-12-16-34 2011 draft, 26th overallRookie pro with high-end character traits and two-way ability adjusting slowly. His offense is lagging badly.9 JEREMY MORINRW, 22, Rockford (AHL)6-1, 192, 40-18-21-39-47 Trade (Atl), June 23, 2010Competitive winger sports heavy shot. Management considers him close to being an NHL regular.10 DREW LEBLANCC, 24, Rockford (AHL)6-0, 194, 56-7-11-18-10 Free agent, April 12, 2013Crafty playmaker sees the ice well, but must keep developing his skating skills and his play without puck. &#9632;

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Hawks Are Centered

<div class="byline">BY RANDY SPORTAK</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-011345/9920947-1-eng-US/f0023-012.jpg" title="f0023-01" width="244" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-02967/9920940-1-eng-US/f0023-022.jpg" title="f0023-02" width="1368" height="1525"><figcaption class="caption-body">JOHNNY GAUDREAU (JOHN QUACKENBOS / BOSTON COLLEG)</figcaption></div>AFTER YEARS OF BARREN CUPBOARDS AND FAILED PROSPECTS, the Calgary Flames finally have some legitimate talent to be excited about. Considering we&rsquo;re talking about a squad that has gone through a tear-down and started to rebuild, it&rsquo;s about time there was greater emphasis on drafting and developing. Having three first-round picks in 2013, and appearing to hit a home run with sixth overall selection Sean Monahan, has helped the cause. The Flames will reel in another high first-rounder this year. With any luck, the next few years will show the results of Calgary&rsquo;s current crop.<h2>OVERALL 29</h2>1 JOHNNY GAUDREAU, LW, 20, Boston College (HE)5-9, 159, 33-29-34-63-14 2011 draft, 104th overallThanks to his skill and vision with the puck while shooting or passing, Gaudreau has lit up the NCAA ranks for a third straight season and looks like a slam-dunk Hobey Baker winner. He has big upside, but there are questions to answer at the next level. Size and strength are two obvious issues. Skating-wise, he&rsquo;s elusive and stronger in battles than first credited. He must increase his top-end skating speed to recreate the breakaways he gets in college.<h2>OVERALL 35</h2>2 SVEN BAERTSCHI, LW, 21, Abbotsford (AHL)5-11, 190, 26-5-6-11-16 2011 draft, 13th overallAnointed as &ldquo;the next one&rdquo; after finishing last season on a seven-game point streak, Baertschi was expected to be a key player going forward, but hasn&rsquo;t delivered. He was in the doghouse after a substandard camp and was demoted in December. He hasn&rsquo;t met expectations in the AHL, either. Consistency and effort in all three zones are issues. He has scoring touch, but patience may be necessary while he rounds out his game and works on becoming stronger.<h2>OVERALL 48</h2>3 EMILE POIRIER, LW, 19, Gatineau (QMJHL)6-1, 184, 56-42-38-80-123 2013 draft, 22nd overallDespite an awkward style, Poirier is a powerful and fast skater. With good timing to begin a rush, he creates oddman situations or breakaways, one reason for the big spike in his numbers. He&rsquo;s also willing to play a physical and competitive game. Poirier must become better conditioned to play a complete shift, however. He has work to do on his defensive game, often becoming focused on the puck in his own zone and getting caught looking the wrong way.4 JON GILLIES, G, 20, Providence College (HE)6-5, 225, 14-7-5, 2.23, .926 2012 draft, 75th overallAfter a fantastic freshman year, Gillies started well, but has dropped off since a sub-par showing for the U.S. at the WJC. He&rsquo;s playing through an injury, which is sharpening his mental game. There&rsquo;s speculation he may want to turn pro after his sophomore year. Gillies has the size all teams are looking for in net, but doesn&rsquo;t always remembers to use it to full advantage. Leg strength must also continue to be developed to help him withstand the crease battles.5 MORGAN KLIMCHUK, LW, 18, Regina (WHL)6-0, 185, 48-25-36-61-19 2013 draft, 28th overallInjuries, one on the eve of training camp, affected Klimchuk&rsquo;s game in the first half. When healthy, he&rsquo;s played well. His biggest strength may be his work ethic. Not only is he extremely fit, he&rsquo;s ahead of most players his age in developing his all-around game, including defensive zone play. His competitiveness is a plus, but also a red flag because he gets his nose dirty and risks injury. Must build strength at the gym so he&rsquo;s less susceptible to being hurt.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 JONI ORTIOG, 22, Abbotsford (AHL)6-1, 193, 20-6-0, 2.22, .926Finn has been rock solid NHL test. Still working on his rebound control.7 MARK JANKOWSKIC, 19, Providence Col. (HE)2012 draft, 21st overallMoved to center full time, where the Flames want him. Good skill and skating ability. Scoring more now.8 MARKUS GRANLUNDC, 20, Abbotsford (AHL)6-0, 185, 50-23-21-44-22 2011 draft, 45th overallNifty playmaker with vision for passing. Good first year in North America. Must become stronger.9 MAX REINHARTC, 21, Abbotsford (AHL)6-1, 190, 48-13-28-41-28 2010 draft, 64th overallBig jumps in his consistency and defensive play. A smart pivot who must improve his skating.10 BILL ARNOLDC, 21, Boston College (HE)6-0, 218, 33-12-32-44-45 2010 draft, 108th overallAn all-around player with questionable skating. Producing points, but that won&rsquo;t be his role as a pro. &#9632;

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Regaining Firepower

<div class="byline">BY GRANT MCCAGG</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-011498/9921365-1-eng-US/f0034-012.jpg" title="f0034-01" width="243" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-021051/9921358-1-eng-US/f0034-022.jpg" title="f0034-02" width="1369" height="1518"><figcaption class="caption-body">JACOB DE LA ROSE (JESSICA STR&Ouml;M)</figcaption></div>WHEN MICHAEL MCCARRON STEPPED ON THE stage at the 2013 draft and towered over the proceedings, it symbolized a shift in philosophy for the Canadiens. The club hoped to address a need for large, gritty forward prospects at the top of the draft and by the third round had landed McCarron, Jacob de la Rose and Connor Crisp.Montreal&rsquo;s scouting staff has been successful in filling some organizational needs in recent drafts and the Habs now boast a nice blend of gritty and skilled forwards, stay-at-home defensemen and a highly touted goalie in the system.<h2>OVERALL 26</h2>1 JACOB DE LA ROSE&nbsp;JACOB DE LA ROSE, LW, 18, Leksand (Swe.)6-2, 190, 43-7-6-13-142013 draft, 34th overallConcerns over de la Rose&rsquo;s offense were tempered at the WJC, where he played on Sweden&rsquo;s top line and scored two game-winners. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s so much maturity in his game, really smart, off the ice he has good discipline,&rdquo; said Martin Lapointe, Montreal&rsquo;s director of player development. &ldquo;Good skater, defends his teammates, kills penalties.&rdquo; De la Rose has a good shot and good hands. &ldquo;He needs to play a physical game consistently and drive to the net,&rdquo; Lapointe said.<h2>OVERALL 33</h2>2 ZACH FUCALE, G, 18, Halifax (QMJHL)6-1, 176, 29-9-3, 2.35, .9052013 draft, 36th overallFucale is the youngest QMJHL goalie to win 100 games. Halifax has featured several stars over his three-year career, but great teams need solid goaltending and he&rsquo;s delivered since winning the job as a brash rookie. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s an athlete, very agile, great reflexes,&rdquo; Lapointe said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a great kid off the ice and it shows in his play. He likes talking to his defensemen, really communicating. He battles a lot, never gives up, but his demeanor is very calm.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 36</h2>3 JARRED TINORDI, D, 21, Hamilton (AHL)6-6, 227, 47-3-6-9-702010 draft, 22nd overallTinordi started the year in the NHL after a strong preseason, but turnovers hurt his confidence and he wound up demoted. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not worried about him,&rdquo; said Lapointe, who calls Tinordi a hard worker and leader. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s coming along well, skating has gotten a lot better since he was drafted. He needs to move the puck quicker. When you see an open man, move it. When he plays physical, he&rsquo;s at his best.&rdquo; The Habs recalled Tinordi right after the Olympic break.4 MICHAEL MCCARRON, RW, 18, London (OHL)6-6, 238, 57-12-17-29-1092013 draft, 25th overallMcCarron has been eased into London&rsquo;s veteran lineup with bottom-line minutes. &ldquo;He wants to put up points, but it takes a big guy time to adjust,&rdquo; Lapointe said, comparing McCarron&rsquo;s slow OHL start to Tinordi&rsquo;s. &ldquo;He needed to get used to the quickness of the game at the next level.&rdquo; He&rsquo;s at his best when he keeps his feet moving. &ldquo;His first couple of steps need work,&rdquo; Lapointe said. &ldquo;This off-season will be crucial to him, to get his legs stronger.&rdquo;5 ARTTURI LEHKONEN, RW, 18, KalPa (Fin.)5-11, 163, 33-7-13-20-42013 draft, 55th overallLehkonen&rsquo;s two-way play at the WJC helped Finland win gold. &ldquo;He played well,&rdquo; Lapointe said. &ldquo;I like his hockey sense. He has good skill and anticipation.&rdquo; The slender winger played on Finland&rsquo;s top line with Chicago prospect Teuvo Teravainen and excelled killing penalties and blocking shots. &ldquo;He competes,&rdquo; Lapointe said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s not afraid to go in corners and battle, he wants to get his nose dirty, but he needs to gain strength and lean muscle mass.&rdquo;<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 SEBASTIAN COLLBERG RW, 19, Frolunda (Swe.)5-11, 181, 38-3-6-9-82012 draft, 33rd overallMulti-skilled winger has yet to find scoring touch in SHL. His defensive game needs polishing.7 CHARLES HUDON LW, 19, B-Comeau (QMJHL)5-10, 178, 49-23-46-69-732012 draft, 122nd overallMultiple injuries in junior raise durability concerns. A crafty, versatile forward with strong work ethic.8 SVEN ANDRIGHETTO RW, 20, Hamilton (AHL)5-9, 183, 41-12-16-28-222013 draft, 86th overallSpeedy AHL rookie adapting well to pro game. Will have to be special to crack a roster rife with small guys.9 MARTIN REWAY LW, 19, Gatineau (QMJHL)5-9, 174, 36-20-37-57-422013 draft, 116th overallSize and durability are concerns, but no denying the diminutive Slovakian&rsquo;s elite offensive skills.10 TIM BOZON LW, 19, Kootenay (WHL)6-1, 199, 61-30-35-65-472012 draft, 64th overallElusive, consistent scorer with quick release. Does not play to his size or battle in high-traffic areas, though. &#9632;

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Big Ideas In Montreal

<div class="byline">BY BRIAN COSTELLO</div>THE ANAHEIM DUCKS ARE THE QUIET SUPERSTARS OF PLAYER development. The top-ranked team in Future Watch 2014 improved upon a second-place ranking last year and a third-place finish in 2012. Yet the Ducks have had just one top-10 draft selection in the past eight years. (By comparison, Edmonton and the Islanders have had six, Columbus, Florida and Winnipeg/Atlanta five.) How is Anaheim doing it? Seems rather obvious, but it comes down to prospect identification and talent development. No one has done it better the past few years. Anaheim has stepped ahead of the Detroit Red Wings in this regard.Of Anaheim&rsquo;s top 10 prospects, only Shea Theodore (26th) and Rickard Rakell (30th) were taken by the Ducks in the first round. John Gibson, the No. 2 prospect in all of Future Watch, was an absolute steal 39th overall in the 2011 draft. So too was Sami Vatanen 106th. Justin Schultz was also a Ducks pick, 43rd in 2008, before declaring himself a free agent and moving on to oilier pastures.Of Anaheim&rsquo;s young NHLers, Corey Perry (28th in 2003), Ryan Getzlaf (19th in &rsquo;03) and Cam Fowler (12th in &rsquo;10) were premium selections from those slots in the draft. And no organization is as deep in the crease. It&rsquo;s too simplistic to say the Ducks have had good fortune at the draft table. They&rsquo;ve shown a deft touch bringing players along at different speeds.Anaheim&rsquo;s magic blueprint is touched upon in different ways in this year&rsquo;s Future Watch. On our report card page (pg. 18), we show how Anaheim is among leaders when it comes to yielding promising players despite a middle-of-the-pack average draft slot. Adam Proteau looks at how teams have to walk the fine line between fast-tracking a first-rate talent to the NHL and babying him in the minors to maximize the long-term return (pg. 12). And Ken Campbell examines the floundering development tract the Edmonton Oilers are in the midst of (pg. 10).Future Watch trumpets the top 75 NHL-affiliated prospects in the game, as determined by an independent panel of NHL scouts. With this exclusive ranking, we can classify prospects in three categories. A-listers are part of the top 75. B-listers are outside the top 75, but part of each team&rsquo;s top 10. C-listers didn&rsquo;t make either list.I&rsquo;d also like to point out how the team grades work on pg. 18. They&rsquo;re based on each team&rsquo;s list of top 10 prospects and 21-and-under NHLers. That explains why the Carolina Hurricanes, the only team without a top 75 prospect, gets a B-plus grade. Their young NHLers are all solid contributors.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-012270/9920432-1-eng-US/f0004-012.jpg" title="f0004-01" width="619" height="147"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-021922/9920425-1-eng-US/f0004-022.jpg" title="f0004-02" width="420" height="643"></div> &#9632;

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DEPARTMENTS

Baby Quack Attack

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0006-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-021709/9920501-1-eng-US/f0006-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">(DAVID CONNELL PHOTOGRAPHY)</figcaption></div>LAST SEASON, THE QUEBEC League&rsquo;s Halifax Mooseheads had the most important carpool crew in hockey. In the driver&rsquo;s seat was center Nathan MacKinnon, soon to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL draft and now a frontrunner for the Calder Trophy as a member of the Colorado Avalanche. Riding shotgun was left winger Jonathan Drouin, whose individual skills were so finely honed that one of his shifts got its own YouTube video and is now simply known as &ldquo;The Shift.&rdquo; In the backseat, you had goalie Zach Fucale, who would help the Mooseheads win a Memorial Cup, get drafted by his hometown Montreal Canadiens and become the youngest netminder to win 100 games in the &lsquo;Q.&rsquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-012500/9920508-1-eng-US/f0006-012.jpg" title="f0006-01" width="197" height="167"></div>This is not a metaphor, by the way. The three young stars literally carpooled to school together, with Fucale often settling debates and looking up fun facts with his phone from the back seat.But with MacKinnon tearing it up in the NHL and the other two finished high school, those days are gone. Drouin went two picks after his buddy in the draft, with Tampa Bay snapping him up third overall. And though initial punditry dreams of the young winger riding shotgun on the ice with Lightning superstar Steven Stamkos might have been premature, it seemed likely Drouin would at least get a nine-game tryout with the Bolts.That didn&rsquo;t happen. Drouin, the No. 1 ranked prospect by a panel of 17 scouts for this year&rsquo;s Future Watch, was cut by the Lightning before the season, sending a shockwave through the hockey world. Surely a team that hadn&rsquo;t made the playoffs the past two seasons could use a player who had already won two titles (one Memorial Cup and one QMJHL) and averaged more than two points per game with the Mooseheads last season, right? Well, perhaps not. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s what we thought was best for his development,&rdquo; says Stacy Roest, Tampa Bay&rsquo;s director of player development. &ldquo;We had a good young group already coming up.&rdquo;Actually, it&rsquo;s more like a laundry list: Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson, Alex Killorn, J.T. Brown, Nikita Kucherov and Richard Panik have all played integral roles or at least supporting ones for the Bolts and all are forwards. None had an 82-game NHL season under his belt before this campaign, but each was older and more experienced than Drouin.For a player whose star had soared since he jumped from midget AAA to the QMJHL midway through 2011-12, this was the first real adversity Drouin faced. He even made the Canadian world junior team last season as an underager. &ldquo;He wanted to be in Tampa Bay &ndash; that was his goal,&rdquo; says Halifax coach Dominique Ducharme. &ldquo;When you get sent down, it&rsquo;s something you need to deal with. It took maybe three weeks for him to find his rhythm and set new goals for himself.&rdquo;The point production was never an issue. Once again, Drouin is killing the &lsquo;Q&rsquo; with a fevered pace of two points per outing, but he&rsquo;s also doing it in brand-new circumstances. First and foremost, he&rsquo;s playing center for Halifax instead of wing. That brings new opportunities and new responsibilities. &ldquo;It was a bit of a change in the beginning, but Tampa Bay wanted me to try it out,&rdquo; Drouin says. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s helping my defensive play because I have to be the first forward back in the defensive zone. Offensively, I&rsquo;m using my speed on the breakout more instead of hanging out on the wall waiting for the play.&rdquo;For Ducharme, it gets his best player closer to the puck. When you have the hands and mind of Drouin, that&rsquo;s a good thing. He&rsquo;s even winning most of his draws. In terms of his development, it plays into what Tampa wants to see from its prized prospect: a more wellrounded game. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s competing, he&rsquo;s good down low and he&rsquo;s putting in the work,&rdquo; Roest says. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve always talked about this as a process; taking things step-by-step.&rdquo;With high school done, Drouin has more time to put into his game, too. He works out in the gym every morning, which wasn&rsquo;t possi ble as a student. His frame is solid at 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds, but that &ldquo;man strength&rdquo; NHL teams covet is a work in progress. &ldquo;I want to get stronger and bigger,&rdquo; Drouin says. &ldquo;I want to play more of a north-south game than an east-west one on the ice.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-012199/9920494-1-eng-US/f0007-012.jpg" title="f0007-01" width="1391" height="1513"><figcaption class="caption-body">CENTER STAGEJonathan Drouin has shifted from the wing to the middle to refine his defensive play. (FREDERICK BREEDON/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div><blockquote class="pullQuote">When he gets the puck, the crowd gets excited. He makes plays other kids can&rsquo;t &ndash; Stacy Roest</blockquote>Though east-west hasn&rsquo;t been too bad so far. Drouin is one of the most dynamic players to jump on the radar in years. &ldquo;He has great skills,&rdquo; says teammate Nikolaj Ehlers. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m looking at him every practice. It&rsquo;s amazing he&rsquo;s only one year older than me. He makes everyone else on the ice look good.&rdquo;Drouin&rsquo;s legacy in Halifax and the QMJHL has solidified so quickly that Ehlers, a Danish-born winger who is up for this year&rsquo;s draft, is receiving high praise from scouts by getting comparisons to his power play buddy and sometimes linemate, though Ehlers won&rsquo;t go as high because he&rsquo;s smaller, at 5-foot-11, 163 pounds. Ehlers has also found a great role model in Drouin, who has taken on more of a leadership role with the Mooseheads and is setting an example in the weight room. &ldquo;He really fits in,&rdquo; Ehlers says. &ldquo;Even though he probably won&rsquo;t be here next year, he&rsquo;s working hard with the guys every day.&rdquo;But it hasn&rsquo;t been all roses and sunshine since Drouin went back to junior. He was the centerpiece of Canada&rsquo;s WJC team that flopped in Sweden. Though he doesn&rsquo;t think the team played too badly in the bronzemedal loss to Russia, there was the 5-1 semifinal debacle against Finland and the team&rsquo;s defense overall. Drouin was second on the team with nine points in seven games. He scored Canada&rsquo;s only goal against Finland and was on the ice for the only tally against Russia, but a more dominating performance would have helped in either game.Now the next step is obvious. With Fucale in net and Ehlers putting up gaudy numbers, Drouin has a strong chance of leading Halifax back to the Memorial Cup. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s been a huge piece of the team,&rdquo; Fucale says. &ldquo;Every time he&rsquo;s on the ice he makes a difference and he keeps getting better. He has it in mind he wants to be in the NHL as soon as possible and you can see and feel that in him.&rdquo;Will there be a spot in Tampa next season? It&rsquo;s one that must be earned, if recent history is any indicator. Forward Brett Connolly went sixth overall in 2010 and though he was GM Steve Yzerman&rsquo;s first pick ever, he&rsquo;s still working his way up the ladder, spending most of this season in the American League. But if Drouin can play responsibly and keep up the pace the best league in the world demands, he has that undeniable &ldquo;wow&rdquo; factor. &ldquo;When he gets the puck, the crowd gets excited,&rdquo; Roest says. &ldquo;He makes plays other kids can&rsquo;t and his vision on the ice is excellent.&rdquo;He also has something to prove, though he&rsquo;s taking a mature approach to spending another year in junior: &ldquo;Of course it was disappointing, but after it happened, I knew I wasn&rsquo;t going to be called back up. I have a lot of years ahead of me. I&rsquo;m not panicking.&rdquo;What Drouin will do is stay in the driver&rsquo;s seat in Halifax, where he&rsquo;ll attempt to steer the Mooseheads to glory again.And yeah, this time it is a metaphor.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-012389/9920487-1-eng-US/f0008-012.jpg" title="f0008-01" width="1390" height="1518"><figcaption class="caption-body">PATIENCE IS A VIRTUEDrouin emerged as a leader with Halifax despite initial demotion disappointment. (DAVID CHAN)</figcaption></div><h2>AUTHORITATIVE RANKING</h2>THE FUTURE WATCH TOP 50&nbsp;is a who&rsquo;s who of the best prospects in the game. We invite scouts from all 30 teams to provide their feedback on drafted players using a five- to 10-year projection forecast.NHL teams have mid-season scouting meetings right after the World Junior Championship wraps up in early January. It&rsquo;s after these sessions we&rsquo;re in contact with GMs, directors of player personnel and head scouts getting their latest assessments on players they&rsquo;ve drafted.The depth of our committee &ndash; 17 scouts this year &ndash; makes this an authoritative list. For each prospect, we discard the highest and lowest mark, then blend the rest. The system is weighted to give top-10 prospects sequentially more balloting points than those in the 11-50 range. Players in the 51-75 range have their overall ranks posted on the team pages. &#9632;

f0006-02

Calm Before Storm

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0008-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-021832/9920539-1-eng-US/f0008-022.jpg"></div>THE VOTING FOR TOP NHL-AFFILIATED PROSPECT WASN&rsquo;T REALLY CLOSE. Jonathan Drouin had more than twice as many first-place votes as John Gibson, who finished as runner-up. Drouin was in the top four on 14 of 17 ballots. There&rsquo;s always a fine line between which players we classify as prospects and which ones we&rsquo;ve upgraded to NHLers. The cutoff is 50 games, but if a sub-50 game prospect is playing regularly in the NHL and has clearly won a permanent job (rather than being an injury replacement), we take him out of the prospect listing. See pg. 16 for some examples. &#9632;

f0008-02

TOP 50 VOTE BREAKDOWN

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0010-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-021733/9920584-1-eng-US/f0010-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">SLICK, BUT NOT THICKPicking a grittier player than Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in 2011 might have served the Oilers better. (BOTH: ANDY DEVLIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-012364/9920591-1-eng-US/f0010-012.jpg" title="f0010-01" width="169" height="212"></div>IT WAS EARLY JANUARY AND EDMONTON Oilers coach Dallas Eakins walked into the dressing room after the second period. They trailed 2-0, no surprise since they were playing Pittsburgh, but Eakins could feel they were still in the game. Yet he could also feel it slipping away. Players were starting to turn pucks over and make individual plays, the way young players often do. So he issued them a challenge. &ldquo;I just walked in and said, &lsquo;What&rsquo;s it going to be?&rsquo;&rdquo; Eakins says. &ldquo;&lsquo;You guys have all told me face-to-face that you&rsquo;re tired of losing. So what&rsquo;s the storyline tonight? The poor Edmonton Oilers, they just lost to Pittsburgh, they&rsquo;re almost there and we&rsquo;ve just shot ourselves in the foot&hellip; is that going to be the storyline every night, that we&rsquo;re almost there?&rsquo;&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-031120/9920577-1-eng-US/f0010-032.jpg" title="f0010-03" width="168" height="168"></div>The Oilers came back and won the game on an overtime goal by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, to go along with another goal and an assist. Taylor Hall scored, too. Jordan Eberle and Justin Schultz each had two assists and, for one night at least, it was good to be young and an Edmonton Oiler.But there have been far, far too few of those nights. The truth is, the Oilers aren&rsquo;t ever close to being almost there. They&rsquo;re about as far from almost there as a team could be. Exiting the Olympic break, they were 17 points out of a playoff spot, last in the Western Conference and 29th overall. It looks like another year of sitting in the front row of the draft. If they hold to form the rest of the season and end up drafting second, the Oilers will match the Pittsburgh Penguins as the only NHL team to have the No. 1 or 2 overall pick four of five years.With the salary cap in place, the importance of drafting and developing your own talent has never been greater. It is even more pronounced for the Oilers because they are not a desired destination for unrestricted free agents and, sadly, most players who have even limited no-trade clauses have the Oilers high on their list of teams they would not accept a trade to.When the Quebec Nordiques had three straight first overall picks in 1989, &rsquo;90 and &rsquo;91, they landed Mats Sundin, Owen Nolan and Eric Lindros. None of them was around when the Nordiques-turned-Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup five years later, but many of the assets they got in return were. The Penguins picked first in 2003 (Marc-Andre Fleury), second in &rsquo;04 (Evgeni Malkin), first in &rsquo;05 (Sidney Crosby) and second in &rsquo;06 (Jordan Staal) and all four were key cogs in the team&rsquo;s run to the 2008 Stanley Cup final and 2009 Cup win.<blockquote class="pullQuote">When you always pick first or second overall, you almost never get to bring your players along slowly</blockquote>The Oilers had the first overall choice in 2010, &rsquo;11 and &rsquo;12 and have Hall, Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov to show for it. If you follow the history of the Penguins and Nordiques/Avalanche, that should mean the Oilers will be winning Cups soon, no? Well, no, and part of the reason is it looks more and more like they took the wrong players.Now, this is no knock against Hall and Nugent-Hopkins, who are fine young players with a lot of potential. But what if the Oilers had decided to actually build a team instead of taking the most offensively talented player available? Let&rsquo;s say they took Tyler Seguin instead of Hall in 2010, Gabriel Landeskog instead of Nugent-Hopkins the next year and Ryan Murray instead of Yakupov in 2012. How different would their team be? They&rsquo;d probably still be struggling, but they&rsquo;d have a skilled center, a big winger with skill and leadership and a two-way defenseman who can move the puck and log serious minutes.Hall is a terrific young winger who will be a star in the league, but the Oilers would have had to take Seguin to get the help down the middle. Having Seguin would have allowed them to pass on Nugent-Hopkins and get help on the wing with Landeskog. Avoiding the temptation to take the best offensive player available and going with a defenseman would have resulted in the Oilers having Murray&hellip;or Morgan Rielly&hellip;or Hampus Lindholm&hellip;or Jacob Trouba. So instead of having and abundance of one thing, high-end offensive talent, you end up with strengths in three distinct areas of the game.In terms of developing their players, the Oilers have thrown much of their young talent, whether it&rsquo;s Sam Gagner or Andrew Cogliano or Hall, Nugent-Hopkins or Yakupov, into the fire that is the NHL without any time to continue their development in junior or the minors. And there&rsquo;s nothing wrong with that if you have bridge players between the ages of 25 and 27 to carry the load and lead the way for the youngsters. If the Oilers have been negligent in their development plan over the years, that&rsquo;s where they have been the most culpable. They have drafted precious few players beyond the first round who become contributing NHLers and have been unable to trade for or sign players who can help in that regard. From the 2005, &rsquo;06 and &rsquo;07 drafts, which would have supplied those players who would be in the mid-to-late 20s right now, only Gagner and Jeff Petry remain.It&rsquo;s almost become a vicious cycle. When you&rsquo;re picking first or second overall, you almost never get to bring your players along slowly. They end up playing roles far too big and important for their physical development and experience level and when you don&rsquo;t have the players who can fill that role in their stead, the losing continues and you run into a situation where you face the danger of losing becoming acceptable.Look at Nugent-Hopkins, for example. He has a lot of room to grow, but he&rsquo;s 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds. And he regularly has to go nose-to-nose with Joe Thornton, Anze Kopitar, Ryan Getzlaf and David Backes. For now, he doesn&rsquo;t stand a chance.During the national anthem for a recent game against Anaheim, Eakins looked at the Ducks bench and noticed their players were a head taller than his. It can be daunting. &ldquo;The good thing about our kids is they don&rsquo;t shy away from it,&rdquo; Eakins says. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re like, &lsquo;f---it, I&rsquo;ll try again, I&rsquo;ll try again.&rsquo; They welcome it.&rdquo;The Oilers will get better, but it&rsquo;s going to take a while. For the longest time, they talked about everything being &ldquo;part of the process&rdquo; and it seemed the only &ldquo;process&rdquo; they were going through was finishing in last place and getting high picks. That process continues and it will only let up once those high picks become mature players.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-011964/9920570-1-eng-US/f0011-012.jpg" title="f0011-01" width="884" height="875"><figcaption class="caption-body">FAIL ON NAIL?Picking Nail Yakupov gave the Oil what they already had when top-flight D-men were available.</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0010-02

FEATURES

Diminishing Returns

<div class="byline">BY ADAM PROTEAU</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0012-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-012302/9920622-1-eng-US/f0012-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">RARE BREED OF SHARKSan Jose filters most of its prospects through the AHL, but Tomas Hertl made the NHL at 19. (DAVE SANDFORD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>TO FARM OR NOT TO FARM?&rdquo; isn&rsquo;t only a question you ask when considering how to consume and produce your food. It&rsquo;s also what the management teams for all 30 NHL franchises ask themselves every year when it comes to their collections of prospects. And, as it goes with most other aspects of the game, there&rsquo;s no single answer, no sole method to turn potential into producers at the best level hockey has to offer.In every NHL era, there exists players who made the league straight out of the junior ranks and wound up not blossoming to the degree their draft status suggested they would &ndash; leading to the conclusion they were rushed into action and ought to have been sent down to hone their professional game. More recent examples include former Maple Leafs and current Flyers defenseman Luke Schenn; one-time Islander and current Wild winger Nino Niederreiter; and Jets center turned Kontinental Leaguer Alexander Burmistrov. However, for every example of a prospect who should have been farmed out, there&rsquo;s a counterargument that comes in the forms of NHLers who made the jump straight out of junior and fit in right away: Colorado&rsquo;s Gabriel Landeskog, Carolina&rsquo;s Jeff Skinner and Calgary&rsquo;s Sean Monahan are three forwards who did so and San Jose&rsquo;s Marc-Edouard Vlasic is a blueliner who&rsquo;s also part of that impressive club.So, where&rsquo;s the line between babying a young player in the minors and ruining him by giving him the keys to the kingdom? It depends on whom you ask. The one commonality between all NHL teams is they approach each prospect case by case. No team sends all its players to one of their minor league affiliates regardless of how they perform in training camp, just as no team includes all their top picks on the big-league roster after every draft. Perhaps the best current example of the year-to-year differences in which young talent is handled can be seen with the Hurricanes.Once Canes GM Jim Rutherford got a good look at Skinner (who Carolina drafted seventh overall in 2010), he never had any question the then-18-year-old could play at hockey&rsquo;s top level, in large part because he was prepared in one particular area the Hurricanes GM thinks is a key for rookies intending to stick at the NHL level. &ldquo;Jeff Skinner was so well-prepared physically and that&rsquo;s one of the biggest things for these players,&rdquo; Rutherford says. &ldquo;They have skill and hockey sense, but if they&rsquo;re not ready physically, it&rsquo;s tough going through that 82-game schedule. That&rsquo;s where Skinner was so well-prepared &ndash; so much more than probably any player I&rsquo;ve seen come through the Hurricanes.&rdquo;One year after Skinner was drafted, the Hurricanes used the No. 12 pick to select defenseman Ryan Murphy from the same Kitchener Rangers team Skinner played for. However, Murphy returned to that Ontario League squad for two years before cracking the NHL lineup as a regular this season. And after that, Carolina&rsquo;s 2013 first-rounder, center Elias Lindholm, made the leap from his Swedish League team to play for the Canes this year. &ldquo;Ryan Murphy has been an exceptional player at all levels, but we felt he needed more time from a development point of view,&rdquo; Rutherford says. &ldquo;With Lindholm, his hockey sense is good and although it took him a little while the first couple months to adapt to the more physical play and to playing so many games, he&rsquo;s playing in our top nine now and he&rsquo;s doing fine.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s tough because we draft these players, especially in the top 10, and we get anxious to get them in the lineup to help our teams. But ultimately, it depends on the player.&rdquo;Although the San Jose Sharks also have exceptions to their guidelines for drafting and development, they&rsquo;ve employed a distinct strategy in Doug Wilson&rsquo;s decade as GM in that they farm out 99.9 percent of their prospect pool. The anomaly was Vlasic, who as a 19-year-old was, in Wilson&rsquo;s words, so &ldquo;technically elite&rdquo; team brass had to keep him with the Sharks despite having every intention prior to camp of sending him back for his final year in the Quebec League. But other than Vlasic and current NHL rookie Tomas Hertl (who played two seasons in the Czech men&rsquo;s league), all of San Jose&rsquo;s homegrown NHL roster players have spent time with its AHL affiliate&rsquo;s longtime coach Roy Sommer before graduating to the major league team.By and large, Wilson&rsquo;s Sharks see the first three professional years of a prospect&rsquo;s career as a crucial partnership between player and franchise. He doesn&rsquo;t like the term &ldquo;report card&rdquo; to judge a player as much as he does a &ldquo;progress report.&rdquo;And because he&rsquo;s built such great strength down the middle of the team and on its blueline &ndash; with Joe Thornton, Logan Couture, Joe Pavelski, Hertl and Patrick Marleau able to play center, and one of the NHL&rsquo;s most underrated defense corps &ndash; if Wilson does choose to recall a youngster, he can put the player in a position where he can build confidence in himself and between himself and his coach.For example, forwards such as Couture and Hertl spent time on the wing before they moved into the more crucial center role; and a D-man prospect like Justin Braun can average some 16-and-a-half minutes in his rookie season of 2010-11 and progress to the point where he was two-thirds of the way through 2013-14: leading all Sharks with 21: 25 of ice time per game. &ldquo;We think it&rsquo;s important to go through that maturing process,&rdquo; Wilson says. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a man&rsquo;s league and although sometimes supply and demand allows some players to get fast-tracked, I&rsquo;m not sure that&rsquo;s good for anybody. You&rsquo;d like to let them ripen a bit more and respect the journey to be able to play in this league.&rdquo;From Wilson&rsquo;s perspective, there are many tools a young player needs to master to be at his best during his peak years of age 25-28. Nutrition and conditioning are two of those, but so is a player learning not to put himself in vulnerable spots on the ice and managing his life away from the rink. Playing in the minors may not sit well with overzealous youngsters who believe in themselves and their abilities, but Wilson sees giving players too much, too soon as a bigger disservice to their long-term well being. &ldquo;Players and agents want players to get there as quickly as possible, but often it&rsquo;s not the right thing to do,&rdquo; Wilson says. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not tough love, it&rsquo;s just the reality that this is the best league in the world and you don&rsquo;t want to make it easy for them because we&rsquo;re trying to build a career for them, not just get them a cup of coffee.&rdquo;Other factors can affect a young player&rsquo;s development, including an NHL collective bargaining agreement that pressures teams into giving them big money and extended term in their second professional contract and making them significant focuses of their marketing and promotion. But for Wilson and the Sharks, prospects need to firmly establish themselves for years before that comes to pass. &ldquo;Some teams will over-promote, but here we go the exact opposite,&rdquo; Wilson says. &ldquo;They need to earn their equity with their coaches and their teammates.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0012-01

Fast Tracks, Long Roads

<div class="byline">BY BRIAN COSTELLO</div>TIM ERIXON DIDN&rsquo;T THINK HE&rsquo;D GET A JOB ON THE CALGARY BLUELINE RIGHT AWAY, SO HE REQUESTED A TRADE from the team that made him a first-round draft pick. That was three years ago and he&rsquo;s still trying.Erixon has been part of the Future Watch family five years now, fluctuating between the No. 15 and 61 spots. That still classifies him as an A-list prospect, very well regarded in the scouting community. It&rsquo;s high time he left the nest, though. It&rsquo;s different with goalies, who typically take longer to develop and win one of just 60 NHL jobs. Jake Allen is so close, he can taste it.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-012007/9920660-1-eng-US/f0013-012.jpg" title="f0013-01" width="639" height="1002"><figcaption class="caption-body">(DEREK LEUNG/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-021398/9920653-1-eng-US/f0013-022.jpg" title="f0013-02" width="1390" height="959"></div> &#9632;

f0013-01

THE REGULARS

<div class="byline">BY MATT LARKIN</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0014-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-021721/9920705-1-eng-US/f0014-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">TEEMU IN TEUVOTeuvo Teravainen is Finland&rsquo;s most lethal scoring prospect since Teemu Selanne. (ANDRE RINGUETTE / HHOF-IIHF IMAGES] / TER AVAINEN)</figcaption></div>ADMIT IT. YOU WERE A LITTLE misty-eyed watching Teemu Selanne at the 2014 Olympics. At 43, he had us choked up, winning the tournament MVP award and leading injurydepleted Finland to a bronze medal. It was just one more feat heaped upon a mountain of them and it was what we&rsquo;ve come to expect from one of the game&rsquo;s classiest veterans since he exploded onto the scene in 1992-93.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-012283/9920712-1-eng-US/f0014-012.jpg" title="f0014-01" width="201" height="167"></div>Selanne the rookie was a true revelation. He embarrassed the NHL&rsquo;s freshman records, potting 76 goals, many of them spectacular, some punctuated by his trademark celebration of throwing his glove in the air and miming a rifle to blow it away. With all due respect to Jari Kurri, who had some awfully good running mates in Edmonton, Selanne was special because he was the first Finn to truly dominate the NHL as the featured star on a team. He had broken a barrier for Finnish superstars, yet no one else followed. We&rsquo;ve seen a bevy of fantastic Suomi players over the years, and the goaltending factory there needs no introduction, but no Finn has ever won the league&rsquo;s scoring crown. No Finn has won the Norris as the NHL&rsquo;s top defenseman nor the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP. Finland hasn&rsquo;t produced a superstar skater since Selanne.But the events of the past year suggest that is about to change. Seth Jones, THN&rsquo;s Draft Preview cover boy, sat idle as Finland&rsquo;s Aleksander Barkov went No. 2 overall in 2013. The Buffalo Sabres chose big blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen six slots later. At the 2014 world juniors, a shifty Finn named Teuvo Teravainen left the field in the dust to win the scoring race. Ristolainen sealed the gold medal for Finland with an overtime goal. Minnesota prospect Mikael Granlund rode shotgun as Selanne&rsquo;s 2014 Olympic linemate and made the Games&rsquo; all-star team.The new class of Finns is on the way and its members project not just as the admirable, head-down, team-first types, but also as superstars and award winners. Just ask our Future Watch scouts and NHL executives. Teravainen and Ristolainen rank third and seventh in the 2014 overall rankings, with No. 24 Sami Vatanen giving Finland three players in the top 25. Last year, Granlund was the lone Finn in the top 30. While goalies like Tuukka Rask ranked highly in recent years, Finland had no skaters in the top 50 from 2007 to 2010. It had one in 2011, two in 2012, four in 2013.<blockquote class="pullQuote">They changed how they train. Finnish players and coaches are teaching more individual skills now</blockquote>So we know Finland has begun producing prospects with higher ceilings, but why?According to Goran Stubb, the NHL&rsquo;s director of European scouting, it started with a summit. Sweden famously had one in 2003 to improve its hockey development and Finland had one just a few years ago in Helsinki, with far less publicity. Coaches, scouts, management and all sorts of hockey minds were on hand. &ldquo;They changed the way of training, so now the Finnish players, the coaches, are trying to teach the young Finnish players more individual skills than before,&rdquo; Stubb says. &ldquo;And of course, that was exactly what Sweden did 10 years ago. They are delivering the most players from European countries nowadays, so it&rsquo;s kind of a Swedish model that the Finns have taken.&rdquo;Stubb suggests the summit is a big reason why more Finnish prospects like Teravainen, who can take over games, are emerging. Ristolainen, hailing from the post-summit generation, confirms the commitment to individual skill in his youth training. &ldquo;When I was in high school, we had our morning practice, skills like moving and shooting, and forwards did their own stuff,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;In the afternoon, we had a whole team practising together and then there was more team stuff. So I had a lot of both.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-011973/9920698-1-eng-US/f0015-012.jpg" title="f0015-01" width="1348" height="884"><figcaption class="caption-body">HEART OF A LIONRasmus Ristolainen played hero at the 2014 world juniors, scoring the overtime winner. (LUDVIG THUNMAN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-021401/9920691-1-eng-US/f0015-022.jpg" title="f0015-02" width="666" height="667"><figcaption class="caption-body">RASMUS RISTOLAINEN</figcaption></div>A key selling point that made Barkov the No. 2 overall pick: he&rsquo;d already spent two years playing and excelling against grown men in the Finnish League. It&rsquo;s an advantage many prospects playing in Europe have over anyone playing major junior. Even if a prospect would be better served in the American League, the Canadian Hockey League&rsquo;s transfer agreement prohibits a player from full-time AHL employment until he&rsquo;s exhausted his major junior eligibility. To do so, you must have turned 20 by Dec. 31 of a given season or completed four years of junior service.Finns arrive in North America already having played against men and it actually comes out of necessity, because the club teams need the young players. Stubb says the Finnish League can&rsquo;t compete financially with what the NHL, Kontinental League or even the German and Swiss Leagues can offer, so many local players leave. That means the SM-liiga has no choice but to thrust youngsters into its lineups. &ldquo;Finnish clubs will often take the replacements from their own junior teams,&rdquo; Stubb says. &ldquo;So that&rsquo;s why a player like Teravainen, who&rsquo;s 19 years old, is already in his third season in the Finnish league. Kasperi Kapanen is 17, he&rsquo;s now in his first and he already played some games last year.&ldquo;So that&rsquo;s an advantage. It&rsquo;s better for Finnish talent to stay in Finland and play in the Finnish league rather than go and play junior hockey in North America.&rdquo;By the time they arrive, they&rsquo;re more prepared than ever for the NHL. Ristolainen, at 19, is already a 6-foot-4, 219-pound monster who butted heads against grown men for two full seasons in the Finnish League. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s different when you play against adults,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s more thinking. I get more patient when I play with adults. When I watch some Finnish junior games, everybody is pretty much running around and throwing the puck everywhere. When I play with the men, when I get the puck, I&rsquo;m not throwing it right away.&rdquo;All the influences on Finnish talent suggest the recent trend, in Future Watch and on the draft board, is not a fluke. On top of the country&rsquo;s commitment to individual development and letting the kids play with the men, Finland has the advantage of passion. Whereas countries like Sweden or Germany love soccer just as much, Stubb says, in Finland &ldquo;100 or 99 percent&rdquo; of young athletes want to become hockey players. It&rsquo;s only a matter of time before some of them pop up among the NHL scoring leaders and get their names engraved on some individual hardware.Teemu, prepare to pass the torch. &#9632;

f0014-02

Flashy Finns

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0016-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-012048/9920757-1-eng-US/f0016-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">(GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>THE FUTURE WATCH TOP 50 RANKING IS A BLEND OF ratings provided by a panel of 17 NHL head scouts and GMs. The process begins shortly after the world juniors when each team&rsquo;s top-10 list of prospects is determined in consultation with organization scouts. The master list of 300 prospects is distributed to a scouting rep from each NHL team. We asked them to formulate a list of the top 50 prospects based on long-term NHL upside (five to 10 years) and 17 scouts provided feedback. A spread-sheet does the rest. Voting points are weighted heavily towards players at the top. This year, 137 of the 300 prospects received votes.Our line in the sand for when a prospect crosses over to become an NHLer is 50 games. We do make exceptions on a case-by-case basis. For example, Nathan Beaulieu, Martin Marincin, Cody Ceci and Connor Murphy hadn&rsquo;t reached 50 games yet, but were playing enough important minutes in the months leading up to our deadline that we classified them as NHLers. Others, who were almost there, like Sami Vatanen, Tim Erixon and Sven Baertschi, found themselves down in the minors as our deadline approached so we reclassified them as prospects. The ages on the team pages are as of Jan. 31.The player&rsquo;s rank from last season&rsquo;s Future Watch is in parentheses, with unranked players from last year&rsquo;s list denoted as &ldquo;nr&rdquo; and prospects drafted in 2013 as &ldquo;new.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-021561/9920750-1-eng-US/f0016-022.jpg" title="f0016-02" width="2352" height="1449"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-011760/9920743-1-eng-US/f0017-012.jpg" title="f0017-01" width="2352" height="2183"></div> &#9632;

f0016-01

Top 50 Prospects

<div class="byline">BY BRIAN COSTELLO</div>THE IDEA FOR A HANDICAPPING system came several years ago when a scout for a perennial bottom-dwelling club in team grades bemoaned the fact his bosses often gave him a hard time with his run of C-pluses.The team he worked for sometimes traded its first-round draft pick. When it didn&rsquo;t, that pick was late in the first round. That made accumulating skilled top-shelf NHL prospects a lot more challenging than his scouting peers.The handicapping chart levels the playing field because it compares a team&rsquo;s list of prospects against how early that team selects in the draft. It gives perspective to the team grades you see below. The listing on the right ranks teams based on their report card average (below) and average first selection in the past four drafts.For example, the St. Louis Blues were middle of the pack in report card grade (14th). But take at look at when their first pick came in the past four drafts (14th, 32nd, 25th and 47th) and perspective is added. The Blues had the 24th highest average first pick the past four years, so they&rsquo;re a plus-10, as they&rsquo;re 10 spots higher in grade than average draft rank. That means St. Louis did a better job than many of its peers in procuring talent.Anaheim finished first on both charts. Our scouting panel selected the Ducks&rsquo; top 10 prospects and 21-and-under NHLers best in class. And because Anaheim ranks 14th in average first picks the past four drafts, it is left with a plus-13 handicapped rating.The team that has drafted the earliest the past four drafts is of course Edmonton (1st, 1st, 1st and 7th). Yet the Oilers report card ranked just 11th, for a differential of minus-10.The handicapping system gives cosmetic lifts to teams that haven&rsquo;t had a lot of early draft picks. Los Angeles and Vancouver are near the bottom in team grades. But they&rsquo;re both actually plus teams because their ADR is even lower.This system also takes a bit of shine off the teams with very high report card grades. Florida, Colorado and Winnipeg are all in the top 10. But when you look at how early they&rsquo;ve drafted lately, they should be that high. The Jets should be even higher.The teams at the bottom of the list have a minus because their report card ranking is lower than their average first-pick ranking the past four drafts.<h2>HANDICAPPING SYSTEM</h2>This chart orders teams on their draft performance in comparison to other clubs. Average Draft Rank (ADR) is the average position of the team&rsquo;s first pick in each draft since 2010. Rank (Rk.) is the team&rsquo;s placement in Future Watch grades (bottom). See story for explanation on +/&ndash;.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-011926/9920795-1-eng-US/f0018-012.jpg" title="f0018-01" width="765" height="1513"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-021426/9920788-1-eng-US/f0018-022.jpg" title="f0018-02" width="2334" height="1064"></div> &#9632;

f0018-01

Giving Meaning To The Grades

<div class="byline">BY ERIC STEPHENS</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-011679/9920833-1-eng-US/f0020-012.jpg" title="f0020-01" width="243" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-021201/9920826-1-eng-US/f0020-022.jpg" title="f0020-02" width="1366" height="1486"><figcaption class="caption-body">(JOHN WRIGHT)</figcaption></div>A DEEP PROSPECT POOL BUILT UP OVER YEARS OF ASTUTE DRAFTING has helped infuse the Anaheim Ducks with fresh talent that has supplemented a talented core and pushed them to the top of the NHL.The play of surprising rookie defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen, along with goalie Frederik Andersen, has eaten away at the depth, but the Ducks still have their fair share of prospects knocking on the door. Some are can&rsquo;tmiss while others are long shots. It&rsquo;s crucial a top contender like the Ducks have cost-effective players coming up to play alongside the big-money stars.<h2>OVERALL 2</h2>1 JOHN GIBSON, G, 20, Norfolk (AHL)6-3, 212, 17-11-4, 2.27, .923 2011 draft, 39th overallSo much hype has followed Gibson since his star turn for Team USA in capturing gold at the 2013 world juniors and the Pittsburgh native has done nothing to diminish the high expectations. His first season in the AHL has been exceptional as he&rsquo;s among leaders in minutes played, with an AHL-best five shutouts. Gibson is a sure-fire NHLer, the only question is when. He&rsquo;s fourth on Anaheim&rsquo;s goaltending depth chart, but that will change in the next few months.<h2>OVERALL 24</h2>2 SAMI VATANEN, D, 22, Norfolk (AHL)5-10, 185, 6-1-5-6-4 2009 draft, 106th overallVatanen has split time between Anaheim and Norfolk, but has been up enough to convince team brass his puckmoving ability and potent shot from the point are for real. There have and will be bumps along the way as he&rsquo;s been burned by some risk-taking and struggled in defending bigger forwards. Anaheim still has veterans in Luca Sbisa, Bryan Allen and Mark Fistric that will forestall Vatanen&rsquo;s playing time, but that&rsquo;s a nice problem to have.<h2>OVERALL 28</h2>3 RICKARD RAKELL, C, 20, Norfolk (AHL)6-2, 199, 39-12-21-33-10 2011 draft, 30th overallThe Ducks have given Rakell a taste of the NHL the past couple of seasons without needing to force feed him into a permanent spot. Part of the reason they&rsquo;re eager to see him at the highest level is his hockey sense. The young Swede has a soft pair of hands and some nifty moves that have allowed him to become one of Norfolk&rsquo;s top offensive players. Even if he&rsquo;s able to translate that at the NHL level, the defensive side of his game needs refinement.<h2>OVERALL 75</h2>4 SHEA THEODORE, D, 18, Seattle (WHL)6-2, 183, 60-17-49-66-39 2013 draft, 26th overallThe Ducks have done well working recent first-round picks into the lineup and are tickled they found a gem late in the opening round last summer. Theodore was impressive in camp, but the plan all along was for him to continue developing in junior. A tremendous skater with offensive instincts, Theodore is improving in his defensive game, which was a knock on him at the draft. He is the Thunderbirds&rsquo; leading scorer and the WHL&rsquo;s top point-producing D-man.5 STEFAN NOESEN, RW, 21, Norfolk (AHL)6-2, 205, 2-0-0-0-4 Trade (Ott), July 5, 2013Noesen&rsquo;s development took a hit when he was shelved for the entire season after tearing knee ligaments during a practice session with the Admirals in October. He&rsquo;ll have catching up to do as he was entering his first year as a pro following four seasons in the OHL. Born and raised in Texas, Noesen acquitted himself well with Plymouth as a power winger who can score (97 goals in 182 games) and play with grit. Expect a full season or two in the AHL.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 WILLIAM KARLSSONC, 21, HV-71 (Swe.)6-0, 180, 49-13-19-32-10 2011 draft, 53rd overallThe playmaking pivot is showing more of a willingness to shoot the puck and has emerged as a leader.7 NIC KERDILESLW, 20, Wisconsin (Big Ten)6-2, 200, 21-11-13-24-27 2012 draft, 36th overallA shoulder injury ate up part of sophomore season, but the budding power forward shows scoring touch.8 NICK SORENSENRW, 19, Quebec (QMJHL)6-2, 183, 37-23-25-48-41 2013 draft, 45th overallDisplays a high level of skill, but injuries interrupted parts of two seasons. He needs to add bulk.9 CHRIS WAGNERC, 22, Norfolk (AHL)6-0, 200, 53-8-9-17-58 2010 draft, 122nd overallPlays a heavy game for his size and is an adept and willing grinder who possesses leadership qualities.10 MAX FRIBERGLW, 21, Norfolk (AHL)5-11, 197, 51-11-15-26-50 2011 draft, 143rd overallHas good tools and a shooter&rsquo;s mentality, but size is an issue. Will make it as a top-six forward or not at all. &#9632;

f0020-01

At Head Of The Class

<div class="byline">BY MIKE LOFTUS</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-011345/9920871-1-eng-US/f0021-012.jpg" title="f0021-01" width="244" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-02871/9920864-1-eng-US/f0021-022.jpg" title="f0021-02" width="1369" height="1448"><figcaption class="caption-body">MALCOLM SUBBAN (JAMES JOINER/PROVIDENCE BRUINS)</figcaption></div>THE BRUINS AREN&rsquo;T FANATICAL ABOUT HOW THEY ACQUIRE PROSPECTS, just as long as they acquire them. That rings especially true this year, with two of their top five prospects drafted, two acquired in trades and another signed as a free agent.It&rsquo;s no accident two of that group are goalies. The B&rsquo;s had to restock once Tim Thomas departed after 2011-12. Before long, they expect support for starter Tuukka Rask in Niklas Svedberg, who brought extensive pro experience with him from Sweden, and 2012 first-rounder Malcolm Subban, a long-term project.<h2>OVERALL 25</h2>1 MALCOLM SUBBAN, G, 20, Providence (AHL)6-2, 201, 9-7-3, 2.27, .921 2012 draft, 24th overallSubban&rsquo;s first pro season started slowly and he was sidelined twice by minor ailments, but steadily improved and got hot in the new year. &ldquo;He&rsquo;ll have some consistency issues, even in-game,&rdquo; said Providence coach Bruce Cassidy. &ldquo;But all in all, he&rsquo;s progressing well. When there&rsquo;s a message, he receives it and away he goes.&rdquo; Eased in after three OHL campaigns, Subban is scheduled to work more often down the stretch of the AHL season.<h2>OVERALL 50</h2>2 JOE MORROW, D, 21, Providence (AHL)6-1, 206, 46-5-21-26-26 Trade (Dal), July 4, 2013The whirlwind may be over for 2011&rsquo;s 23rd overall pick, who was traded by Pittsburgh, then Dallas before his second pro season. After his productive WHL career, the Bruins want him to retain his offense and tighten his defense. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re trying to build in Bruins habits on structure &ndash; when to go, decision-making, breakout options,&rdquo; Cassidy said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s working on that mindset of when to attack and when to defend.&rdquo; Cassidy said Morrow&rsquo;s defending has improved.<h2>OVERALL 59</h2>3 RYAN SPOONER, C, 21, Providence (AHL)5-11, 181, 29-5-21-26-6 2010 draft, 45th overallIn 22 games with Boston, Spooner displayed NHL tools, but he still needs work. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got to learn to start taking more pucks to the net,&rdquo; said coach Claude Julien. Spooner had no goals and &ldquo;struggled to help out with the defense&rdquo; on occasion, Julien said. But it was a positive experience. &ldquo;If he keeps improving the way he has, there&rsquo;s a good future here for him. Love his speed, love his creativity, but when you play in the NHL, you need a little bit more than that.&rdquo;4 NIKLAS SVEDBERG, G, 24, Providence (AHL)6-1, 176, 20-11-3, 2.71, .910 Free agent, May 29, 2012With two AHL and three SHL seasons, Svedberg should be an NHLer in 2014-15. Highly decorated (all-star, allrookie, best goalie) in the AHL, Svedberg made 33 saves to win his NHL debut in January. Julien said further NHL evaluation is likely this season when Boston rests Rask before the playoffs. Svedberg keeps Providence afloat when players are called up, &ldquo;which is a great mentality,&rdquo; Cassidy said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s the battler, the competitive side of him.&rdquo;5 DAVID WARSOFSKY, D, 23, Providence (AHL)5-9, 170, 47-3-24-27-11 Trade (StL), June 26, 2010Warsofsky has taken major steps in his third pro season. An alternate captain at Providence, he&rsquo;ll beat his previous AHL highs for assists (24) and points (29) unless the Bruins continue to need him. He held his own duringa six-game call-up, scoring a goal and playing up to 20 minutes. He continues learning to use above-average skating and defensive positioning to make up for his lack of size while also honing his instincts for when to join the offense.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 ALEXANDER KHOKHLACHEVC, 20, Providence (AHL)5-11, 187, 45-14-22-36-16&nbsp;2011 draft, 121st overallAfter a nomadic 2012-13 making scorer learning Bruins system full time now.7 BRIAN FERLINRW, 21, Cornell (ECAC)6-2, 217, 26-12-12-24-24 2011 draft, 121st overallBig Red&rsquo;s big winger scores big goals: five on PP and four game-winners through mid-February.8 LINUS ARNESSOND, 19, Djurgarden (Swe.)6-2, 192, 40-1-4-5-36 2013 draft, 60th overallTwo-time WJC participant (silver in &rsquo;14) also a secondyear pro in Sweden. Good experience for a teenager.9 ANTHONY CAMARALW, 20, Providence (AHL)6-2, 192, 47-8-10-18-41 2011 draft, 81st overallRookie pro finishes his checks. Still working on creating and finishing more scoring chances.10 JARED KNIGHTC, 22, Providence (AHL)5-11, 203, 43-3-12-15-8 2010 draft, 32nd overallAfter losing rookie pro season to injury, still trying to catch up and relocate offensive game. &#9632;

f0021-01

Bruins Cast Wide Net

<div class="byline">BY JOHN VOGL</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-011564/9920909-1-eng-US/f0022-012.jpg" title="f0022-01" width="243" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-021144/9920902-1-eng-US/f0022-022.jpg" title="f0022-02" width="1369" height="1508"><figcaption class="caption-body">RASMUS RISTOLAINEN (MICHELINE VELUVOLU/ROCHESTER AMERICANS)</figcaption></div>FEW ORGANIZATIONS, IF ANY, HAD HAPPIER PROSPECTS THAN THE Sabres at the start of the season. Buffalo planned to build on the fly with no regard for wins and losses, so it fielded a youth-laden lineup with four teenagers. The kids were getting ice time and big paychecks. Once Pat LaFontaine stepped in as president of hockey operations in November, the plan changed. He shipped the teens back to junior or the minors. It could be a while before they&rsquo;re back. &ldquo;The old-school part of it is you really have to earn it,&rdquo; LaFontaine said. &ldquo;This is the big leagues.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 7</h2>1 RASMUS RISTOLAINEN, D, 19, Rochester (AHL)6-4, 224, 22-5-7-12-10 2013 draft, 8th overallThough not flashy, Ristolainen has a knack for big plays. He scored the gold medal-winning goal in overtime for Finland at the WJC. The play illustrated his calm with the puck, a trait learned during two seasons in the Finnish league. More apt to pass the puck than lug it up-ice, he complements draftmate Nikita Zadorov. Ristolainen has the size to win battles in front of the net, but doesn&rsquo;t go out of his way for a big hit. Though smooth, he&rsquo;s not the quickest skater.<h2>OVERALL 8</h2>2 NIKITA ZADOROV, D, 18, London (OHL)6-5, 228, 28-11-15-26-39 2013 draft, 16th overallZadorov has risen from raw talent to top prospect through his aggressiveness. The big D-man loves to hit and carry the puck, making him dangerous at both ends. He was supposed to get only a short look in camp and head to London, but stuck for seven games and scored his first NHL goal. His bodychecks left an impression, though they sometimes took him out of position. He was named a tournament all-star at the WJC, scoring four times for Russia.<h2>OVERALL 42</h2>3 MIKHAIL GRIGORENKO, C, 19, Quebec (QMJHL)6-3, 209, 15-11-11-22-2 2012 draft, 12th overallGrigorenko is a case study in how not to develop a prospect. The Sabres have started him in Buffalo two straight seasons before returning him to Quebec. It&rsquo;s burned the first two years of his entry-level deal and the bridge between the team and his agent. He is too good for junior, but lacks the work ethic for the NHL. He&rsquo;s not AHL-eligible yet, so he&rsquo;s in limbo. His hands are on display daily at practices, but Buffalo coaches haven&rsquo;t seen that drive during games.<h2>OVERALL 54</h2>4 JOEL ARMIA, RW, 20, Rochester (AHL)6-3, 195, 35-5-11-16-28 2011 draft, 16th overallArmia was an offensive talent in Finland, so fans were eager to see one of the few snipers in the system play in North America. He has yet to live up to the billing in the minors. A broken hand sustained in an NHL pre-season game has slowed his adjustment from the European style. He was used to more time and space on the outside and hasn&rsquo;t adapted to smaller rinks yet. Still, his gifts are evident and his size will help once he learns to go down low.5 JAKE MCCABE, D, 20, Wisconsin (Big Ten)6-1, 210, 30-7-15-22-51 2012 draft, 44th overallMcCabe&rsquo;s leadership made him captain of the U.S. WJC team in 2013 and an alternate captain with Wisconsin. He&rsquo;s not afraid to talk, which is good for an NHL club with a reputation for being quiet. He&rsquo;s also known to chirp an opponent, then hit him. His two-way game continues to improve, particularly on offense, as he&rsquo;s scored more this year than he did in first two college seasons combined. He can quarterback a power play or help kill a penalty.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 JOHAN LARSSONC, 21, Rochester (AHL)5-11, 206, 31-9-21-30-54 Trade (Min), April 3, 2013Organization likes his work ethic, but skill is still developing. Point-per-game player in AHL for first time.7 J.T. COMPHERC, 18, Michigan (Big Ten)6-0, 185, 28-11-16-27-16 2013 draft, 35th overallIntensity at both ends of the ice make him tough to play against. Fast and effective without the puck.8 NICK BAPTISTERW, 18, Sudbury (OHL)6-1, 196, 56-38-37-75-53 2013 draft, 69th overallHis speed and work ethic have resulted in a bonanza of goals. Can be effective as a checker, too.9 GUSTAV POSSLERRW, 19, Modo (Swe.)6-0, 183, 22-8-7-15-4 2013 draft, 130th overallWas performing well until season-ending knee injury in December. Potential as a slick scoring winger.10 BRAYDEN MCNABBD, 23, Rochester (AHL)6-4, 208, 34-7-21-28-41 2009 draft, 66th overallRunning out of time to make statement to Sabres brass with so many elite &lsquo;D&rsquo; prospects in system now. &#9632;

f0022-01

Brakes On The Babies

<div class="byline">BY LUKE DECOCK</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-011505/9920985-1-eng-US/f0024-012.jpg" title="f0024-01" width="243" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-021081/9920978-1-eng-US/f0024-022.jpg" title="f0024-02" width="1368" height="1478"><figcaption class="caption-body">BROCK MCGINN (TERRY WILSON/OHL IMAGES)</figcaption></div>IT HAS BEEN FEAST OR FAMINE FOR THE HURRICANES IN THE FIRST round, from Calder Trophy winner Jeff Skinner (2010) to busts like Philippe Paradis (2009) and Zach Boychuk (2008), to no pick at all (2006, 2012). Their most recent pick, Swedish center Elias Lindholm, jumped immediately to the NHL, while the jury is still out on defenseman Ryan Murphy (2011).Carolina has done well finding players ready for the NHL (Skinner, Lindholm, 2010 second-rounder Justin Faulk) but struggles to develop players from the later rounds. Defenseman Brett Bellemore, who broke through at 25, is an exception.1 BROCK MCGINN, LW, 20, Guelph (OHL)6-0, 185, 48-36-32-68-34 2012 draft, 47th overallDespite his size, McGinn hits like a truck. During Mc-Ginn&rsquo;s AHL stint with Charlotte last season, coach Jeff Daniels called Canes exec Ron Francis, concerned: &ldquo;Are you sure this kid&rsquo;s OK? He&rsquo;s walking around the dressing room with his shirt off and looks 12.&rdquo; Francis said McGinn would be fine. On his first shift McGinn levelled the biggest player on the other team. His scoring is in question, but not his physicality or pedigree, with two brothers in the NHL.2 MICHAL JORDAN, D, 23, Charlotte (AHL)6-1, 195, 46-3-8-11-10 2008 draft, 105th overallSo far he&rsquo;s more famous for the name he shares with another Charlotte resident than for his game, but Jordan is unquestionably the Checkers&rsquo; No. 1 D-man. He has shown steady progress in the AHL, earning a five-game call-up to the Hurricanes last season. He&rsquo;s been the keystone of the Checkers&rsquo; top pairing with Danny Biega, logging heavy minutes and taking on additional power play responsibilities. He may, like Bellemore, pay NHL dividends down the road.3 VICTOR RASK, C, 20, Charlotte (AHL)6-2, 200, 52-9-16-25-14 2011 draft, 42nd overallThe skilled Swede is struggling to adjust to pro hockey. He was a point-per-game player for Calgary over two WHL seasons, however, and has top-six potential if he puts it all together. His erratic production has seen him slide down the lines in AHL Charlotte after he started as the first-line center. Rask moves well enough to play in the NHL, with good size, good hands and a heavy shot. But he must prove himself at the AHL level, albeit with plenty of time to do it.4 TREVOR CARRICK, D, 19, Sudbury (OHL)6-2, 180, 60-20-22-42-97 2012 draft, 115th overallOver his OHL career, he&rsquo;s gone from stay-at-home blue-liner to power play quarterback. His offense has improved to the point Sudbury paid a heavy price to acquire him from Mississauga for a playoff run. There are still questions about whether Carrick&rsquo;s skating will hold him back at the NHL level, but he has legitimate size and a growing skill set that bodes well for his professional future if he continues to develop at his current pace over the next few seasons.5 PHIL DI GIUSEPPE, LW, 20, MICHIGAN (Big Ten)6-1, 195, 28-8-9-17-27 2012 draft, 38th overallThe streaky winger with soft hands has yet to emerge as a big-time goal scorer in three seasons at Michigan. His goal production has declined each year and he went more than two months without a goal at one point this season. With the offense not flowing, Di Giuseppe has focused on improving in other areas. &ldquo;Defensively, I&rsquo;ve gotten better,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Sometimes, I&rsquo;m not scoring, but I&rsquo;ve tried to pick up other aspects of my game.&rdquo;<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 BRETT PESCED, 19, New Hampshire (HE)6-3, 190, 34-4-11-15-6 2013 draft, 66th overallBig, solid stay-at-home defenseman logging heavy minutes as a sophomore. Offensive numbers are up, too.7 SERGEY TOLCHINSKYLW, 18, S.S. Marie (OHL)5-9, 165, 59-26-54-80-22 Free agent, Aug. 22, 2013Undrafted rookie-camp sensation continues to score explosively in OHL. Size remains biggest hurdle.8 DANIEL ALTSHULLERG, 19, Oshawa (OHL)6-4, 201, 29-11-3, 2.49, .919 2012 draft, 69th overallRanks in the OHL&rsquo;s top five in every major category. Signed a pro contract with Carolina in December.9 KEEGAN LOWED, 20, Charlotte (AHL)6-2, 200, 44-2-6-8-53 2011 draft, 73rd overallKevin&rsquo;s son has displayed his father&rsquo;s toughness while adjusting to AHL. Not out of place in first pro season.10 JACCOB SLAVIND, 19, Colorado Col. (NCHC)6-3, 194, 25-4-15-19-11 2012 draft, 120th overallPlayed for U.S. at world juniors. Impressive offen-seminded freshman on a struggling Colorado team. &#9632;

f0024-01

Canes Must Dig Deep

<div class="byline">BY ADRIAN DATER</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-011514/9921061-1-eng-US/f0026-012.jpg" title="f0026-01" width="243" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-021090/9921054-1-eng-US/f0026-022.jpg" title="f0026-02" width="1369" height="1497"><figcaption class="caption-body">CHRIS BIGRAS (AARON BELL/CHL IMAGES)</figcaption></div>FIVE CURRENT COLORADO AVALANCHE REGULARS WERE DRAFTED within the first three rounds since 2009. A couple others from that group will probably wind up playing consistently in Denver in the next couple of years.There was some worry the Avs had rushed them into the league out of necessity, but they&rsquo;ve gotten lucky with the fast developments of Matt Duchene, Ryan O&rsquo;Reilly, Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon. There may not be blue-chippers currently in the pipeline, but management believes at least a handful of the following players can go on to become solid.<h2>OVERALL 64</h2>1 CHRIS BIGRAS, D, 18, Owen Sound (OHL)6-1, 194, 47-4-15-19-42 2013 draft, 32nd overallNumbers indicate it has been a down year for the young D-man, but it really hasn&rsquo;t. He played for the Canadian world junior team and greatly impressed Avs coach Patrick Roy in camp, so there&rsquo;s a long shot he&rsquo;ll make the big club this fall. Bigras has played a lot for Owen Sound. Some say he&rsquo;s tried to do too much, but the Avs are excited about his future. &ldquo;Puck-mover, good skater and thinker,&rdquo; said Craig Billington, the Avs&rsquo; vice president of player development.2 DUNCAN SIEMENS, D, 20, Lake Erie (AHL)6-3, 209, 22-1-0-1-13 2011 draft, 11th overallA lower-body injury wiped out much of Siemens&rsquo; season with the Monsters, but Avs management remains patient and optimistic with him. Billington believes Siemens has to stop putting pressure on himself. &ldquo;He trained hard in his rehab,&rdquo; Billington said. &ldquo;At the end of the day, he just needs to get back in the lineup and play. He was playing well before he got hurt. He just needs to have the mindset of &lsquo;What do I need to do to become an NHL player?&rsquo;&rdquo;3 JOEY HISHON, C, 22, Lake Erie (AHL)5-10, 175, 33-8-11-19-10 2010 draft, 17th overallAfter missing nearly two full years with concussion problems and other injuries, the former Owen Sound star finally started to play regularly with the Monsters and he put up decent numbers. &ldquo;When he&rsquo;s on the ice, the skill is very noticeable,&rdquo; Billington said. Until Hishon proves otherwise, though, questions will remain about his durability. On a team already loaded with young talent at center, Hishon may be in the wrong organization right now.4 CALVIN PICKARD, G, 21, Lake Erie (AHL)6-1, 198, 12-13-3, 2.96, .900 2010 draft, 49th overallAs many management people will tell you, the second year is among the toughest of any in a player&rsquo;s career development. Pickard, the former Seattle Thunderbird, is no different. He&rsquo;s had some really good games, but consistency has been a problem. For goalies, that is often normal. The Avs are not down on Pickard, but there is a long way to go before he&rsquo;s NHL material. As his SP after 30 games with the Monsters shows, he&rsquo;s not stopping the puck enough.5 STEFAN ELLIOTT, D, 23, Lake Erie (AHL)6-1, 190, 41-7-11-18-10 2009 draft, 49th overallAfter a sensational final year of junior with Saskatoon in 2010-11, Elliott had trouble getting a foothold on an NHL career. In 57 games of experience with the Avalanche, he&rsquo;s done some good things. But like many young D-men, finding that everyday consistency, especially in his own end, remains a work in progress. A quad injury stalled his progress this season, but the Lake Erie staff was actually happy with how he was playing before it.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 SAMI AITTOKALLIOG, 21, Lake Erie (AHL)6-1, 181, 10-11-2, 2.69, .909 2010 draft, 107th overallGot his second career NHL start this season as a call-up, but was benched after two periods.7 SPENCER MARTING, 18, Mississauga (OHL)6-2, 198, 22-29-3, 3.65, .896 2013 draft, 63rd overallHe&rsquo;s had to face a ton of rubber on a bad Steelheads team, so it&rsquo;s been a trial by fire this season.8 WILL BUTCHERD, 19, Denver (NCHC)5-11, 201, 28-6-5-11-4 2013 draft, 123rd overallAvs have liked the kid from the local school. Has showed decent promise as two-day defenseman.9 MITCHELL HEARDC, 21, Lake Erie (AHL)6-1, 195, 45-3-5-8-123 2012 draft, 41st overallSandpaper type of player. Needs to find a niche as a defensive center to move to the next level.10 TROY BOURKELW, 19, Prince George (WHL)5-10, 176, 63-26-52-78-56 2012 draft, 72nd overallSaw ice time with Matt Duchene and Ryan O&rsquo;Reilly in training camp. Point per game guy with Cougars. &#9632;

f0026-01

Accelerate The Youth

<div class="byline">BY AARON PORTZLINE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-011393/9921099-1-eng-US/f0027-012.jpg" title="f0027-01" width="244" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-02978/9921092-1-eng-US/f0027-022.jpg" title="f0027-02" width="1369" height="1488"><figcaption class="caption-body">ALEXANDER WENNBERG (JESSICA STR&Ouml;M)</figcaption></div>BLUE JACKETS GM JARMO KEKALAINEN IS OBSESSED. NOT WITH A player&rsquo;s size, statistics or nationality, but with the microprocessor between his ears. &ldquo;You can change the rest dramatically,&rdquo; Kekalainen said. &ldquo;But how you think the game is everything.&rdquo;That is his No. 1 criterion entering a draft, which is why he was thrilled to land Alexander Wennberg in his first. Wennberg is one of six forwards in the Blue Jackets&rsquo; top eight prospects, reflecting a push to boost the skill up front. There is hope on the horizon with Wennberg, Kerby Rychel, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Marko Dano.<h2>OVERALL 9</h2>1 ALEXANDER WENNBERG, C, 19, Frolunda (Swe.)6-1, 190, 44-16-4-20-8 2013 draft, 14th overallWennberg&rsquo;s performance at the world juniors &ndash; three goals, four assists in seven games &ndash; delighted the Blue Jackets, but his first-year performance in Sweden&rsquo;s top league has been illuminating. Wennberg leads Frolunda with 16 goals. Kekalainen likes to say Wennberg is a threezone player with smarts, a high hockey acumen and a quick &ldquo;processor.&rdquo; The thin, rangy Swede needs to add muscle mass and increase his fitness.<h2>OVERALL 44</h2>2 TIM ERIXON, D, 22, Springfield (AHL)6-2, 200, 34-5-26-31-12 Trade (NYR), July 23, 2012Erixon has been on the NHL radar for three different teams for what seems like forever. He was leapfrogged in training camp last fall by David Savard, so he remains a depth player for the Blue Jackets and a frequent recall from the AHL. It&rsquo;s his third year as a fringe NHLer, but don&rsquo;t think for a moment the Jackets have given up on him. They are convinced he&rsquo;s an NHL player once his body fills out and he gets better at handling big players in the corners.<h2>OVERALL 46</h2>3 OSCAR DANSK, G, 19, Erie (OHL)6-3, 201, 23-9-1, 2.37, .913 2012 draft, 31st overallDansk has bloomed in his second year of major junior, ranking as one of the top OHL goaltenders and leading Erie to a major turnaround from 2012-13. It took him 30 starts to double his win total from a year ago. After serving as a third-stringer in 2013, Dansk started for Sweden and was named best goaltender at the world juniors. He&rsquo;s very agile and athletic, but there is work to be done on the technical aspects of his game and his &ldquo;default&rdquo; positioning.<h2>OVERALL 52</h2>4 KERBY RYCHEL, LW, 19, Guelph (OHL)6-1, 205, 48-27-49-76-34 2013 draft, 19th overallContinues to put up more than 1.5 points per game at the junior level, but his penalty minutes have dropped from last season, perhaps a sign he&rsquo;s working on his game rather than trying to live up to his last name by fighting. Rychel, the son of former NHL enforcer Warren Rychel, grew up in NHL dressing rooms and it&rsquo;s a matter of when (not if) he&rsquo;ll have his own stall. The Blue Jackets think he&rsquo;ll be a power forward who scores and, on occasion, fights.5 OLIVER BJORKSTRAND, RW, 18, Portland (WHL)5-11, 166, 60-43-53-96-30 2013 draft, 89th overallBjorkstrand has adapted very well to the North American game playing in his second season in the WHL. He was third in league scoring, surpassing his goals, assists and points from last season by January. The biggest issue with Bjorkstrand will be his ability to bulk up and add muscle. He&rsquo;s rail thin, to the point he loses most physical battles even at the junior level. Bjorkstrand is two seasons away, but has the smarts, guile and moxie to make it.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 MARKO DANOC, 19, Bratislava (KHL)5-11, 183, 37-2-2-4-34 2013 draft, 27th overallGoals and points hard to come by so far in his KHL career, but doesn&rsquo;t shy away from checking battles.7 JOSH ANDERSONLW, 19, London (OHL)6-2, 193, 51-23-22-45-72 2012 draft, 95th overallDid not look out of place last fall in NHL camp. Multifaceted game, but seen as third-line role player.8 MICHAEL CHAPUTC, 21, Springfield (AHL)&nbsp;6-2, 197, 36-15-14-29-49 Trade (Phi), Feb. 28, 2011Versatile forward made NHL debut earlier this season and was more physical than expected.9 DILLON HEATHERINGTOND, 18, Swift Current (WHL)6-3, 205, 60-5-26-31-59 2013 draft, 50th overallA classic stay-at-home type who will likely be 6-foot-4, 225 pounds by the time he&rsquo;s finished growing.10 MIKE REILLYD, 20, Minnesota (Big Ten)6-0, 174, 30-8-14-22-12 2011 draft, 98th overallOffensive blueliner is still undersized despite a huge growth spurt, but has excellent mobility. &#9632;

f0027-01

Brain Boosters

<div class="byline">BY MIKE HEIKA</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-011491/9921137-1-eng-US/f0028-012.jpg" title="f0028-01" width="243" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-021045/9921130-1-eng-US/f0028-022.jpg" title="f0028-02" width="1369" height="1509"><figcaption class="caption-body">JAMIE OLEKSIAK (MICHAEL CONNELL/TEXAS STARS)</figcaption></div>THERE IS CERTAINLY A &ldquo;DETROIT WAY&rdquo; THAT FOLLOWS AROUND products of the Red Wings system and you&rsquo;d think there is no candidate better suited to follow that philosophy than new Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill. But while Nill will do a lot of things the way he was trained to in 19 seasons in Detroit, he also is expected to forge his own path. For one, he is inheriting a pool of prospects selected on Joe Nieuwendyk&rsquo;s watch that fits into the mold of fairly large and North American. Secondly, Nill probably has a few tricks up his sleeve as he makes his own drafts and possibly moves a few of these prospects along.<h2>OVERALL 38</h2>1 JAMIE OLEKSIAK, D, 21, Texas (AHL)6-7, 254, 49-4-11-15-21 2011 draft, 14th overallThe Stars are taking the long way with Oleksiak. After 16 NHL games in 2012-13 and seven to start this season, the hulking D-man is pretty much slotted in the AHL for the rest of the year. Depending on his development, he could crack Dallas&rsquo; top seven next season. While fans would love more physicality from him, the Stars are more concerned with his decision-making. Pairing him with AHL veteran Derek Meech has helped the learning process.<h2>OVERALL 39</h2>2 BRETT RITCHIE, RW, 20, Texas (AHL)6-3, 220, 49-14-18-32-41 2011 draft, 44th overallRitchie may make the biggest long-term impact on the Stars, but he has to bust through the AHL ceiling to get that opportunity. He has Alex Chiasson and Valeri Nichushkin sitting ahead of him in the NHL and will have to climb over talented AHL veteran Colton Sceviour, too. The burly winger is strong on the forecheck and conscientious on the backcheck, but must prove he can be a dependable goal scorer. That will help the rookie pro take the next step.<h2>OVERALL 68</h2>3 JACK CAMPBELL, G, 22, Texas (AHL)6-3, 190, 5-0-0, 1.40, .947 2010 draft, 11th overallCampbell&rsquo;s high points still make the Stars believe he&rsquo;ll be worth the 11th overall pick, but the journey has been interesting. The lanky goalie has been sidelined most of this season by a quadriceps/knee injury, but was rock solid in five games &ndash; all wins. In a perfect world, Campbell would seize the No. 1 job and get the AHL playoff starts. With Dan Ellis under contract another year, Campbell is still a year away from becoming an NHL back-up.4 RADEK FAKSA, C, 20, Sudbury (OHL)6-3, 210, 50-20-24-44-42 2012 draft, 13th overallFaksa looks like a third- or fourth-line center and that&rsquo;s fine with the Stars. While he was taken with the hope of offensive upside, he&rsquo;s developing into a big checker with some scoring ability. That could be huge if Dallas continues to develop smaller, skilled centers to slot ahead of him. Illness and a knee injury slowed his offensive progress last season, but he can score. He was traded to Sudbury this year and a nice playoff run will help before he turns pro.5 DEVIN SHORE, C, 19, Maine (HE)6-1, 185, 30-13-26-39-18 2012 draft, 61st overallA quick riser in college, Shore is showing playmaking and goal-scoring ability as a center. He&rsquo;ll make the tough decision at the end of the season on staying in college another year or going pro. He will battle 2013 first-rounder Jason Dickinson to climb the Stars&rsquo; depth chart moving forward and continues to work on his skating. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got great vision and makes his linemates better and he&rsquo;s just moving forward,&rdquo; said Stars assistant GM Les Jackson.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 JOHN KLINGBERGD, 21, Frolunda (Swe.)6-2, 180, 45-10-13-23-12Slick-skating defenseman stayed an extra year in Europe, but could be ready for NHL next season.7 JASON DICKINSONC, 18, Guelph (OHL)2013 draft, 29th overallQuick playmaking center is proving he can also defend Quick playmaking center well. Lanky player will need to add extra weight.8 PATRIK NEMETHD, 21, Texas (AHL)6-3, 235, 23-0-4-4-20 2010 draft, 41st overallA solid defensive defenseman in the mold of Nicklas Grossman. Has battled injury problems.9 ALEX GUPTILLLW, 21, Michigan (Big Ten)6-3, 192, 24-9-10-19-18 2010 draft, 77th overallTalented goal scorer has battled to find maturity, but could jump to pros next year. Finishing junior season.10 PHILIPPE DESROSIERSG, 18, Rimouski (QMJHL)6-1, 187, 24-13-7, 2.76, .901 2013 draft, 54th overallBig, athletic goalie continues to hone his craft. Calm and aggressive. Working on details like rebound control. &#9632;

f0028-01

Stars Have Nill Power

<div class="byline">BY BOB DUFF</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0029-011311/9921175-1-eng-US/f0029-012.jpg" title="f0029-01" width="244" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0029-02900/9921168-1-eng-US/f0029-022.jpg" title="f0029-02" width="1369" height="1514"><figcaption class="caption-body">ANTHONY MANTHA (DAVID CONNELL)</figcaption></div>SPEED? SKILL? SIZE? SURE, THE DETROIT RED WINGS LIKE THOSE qualities in their search for prospects. But there&rsquo;s another element they seem to possess a knack for consistently unearthing&ldquo;When you look at the guys recently drafted, the credit goes to our scouts,&rdquo; said Jiri Fischer, Detroit&rsquo;s player development coach. &ldquo;They pick guys who are really high-end IQ guys. Whatever level they play at, sooner or later, they seem to figure things out. The hockey intelligence of reacting, changing, adapting, evolving, is hard to pinpoint at a young age. Our scouts, they&rsquo;ve done their homework.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 10</h2>1 ANTHONY MANTHA, RW, 19, Val d&rsquo;Or (QMJHL)6-4, 205, 49-50-55-105-63 2013 draft, 20th overallDetroit&rsquo;s first choice in last year&rsquo;s draft has taken the QMJHL by storm. Even though he missed most of a month playing for Canada in the world juniors, Mantha still leads the league in scoring. A powerful skater and a pure goal scorer with a knack for working in traffic, he also topped Canada at the WJC. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a big, strong, 6-foot-4 guy who holds on to the puck under pressure in the offensive zone,&rdquo; Fischer said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m excited about him turning pro next year.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 32</h2>2 TOMAS JURCO, RW, 21, Grand Rapids (AHL)6-2, 193, 32-13-19-32-14 2011 draft, 35th overallFew have played as much the past three years as Jurco, with Calder Cup (2013) and Memorial Cup (2011, 2012) experience. &ldquo;Last year he was finding a way to transition to pro,&rdquo; Fischer said. This season, Jurco transitioned into an NHLer and Olympian for Slovakia. &ldquo;Every game he plays at the NHL level, he&rsquo;s dangerous,&rdquo; Fischer said. &ldquo;With his speed, his high-end skill at top speed, he&rsquo;s a dangerous player. He&rsquo;s learned how to forecheck.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 41</h2>3 CALLE JARNKROK, C, 22, Grand Rapids (AHL)5-11, 176, 54-11-19-30-14 2010 draft, 51st overallJarnkrok finally made the move to North America. &ldquo;The stuff he can do, he is as good as anybody in terms of handeye coordination and skill in tight places,&rdquo; Fischer said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s just a matter of time until he starts putting up big numbers.&rdquo; Jarnkrok&rsquo;s biggest challenges are adjusting to the smaller rink and bulking up his frame. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s done everything to improve,&rdquo; Fischer said. &ldquo;He knows he has to work on his strength, his power. He needs to work on his explosiveness.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 63</h2>4 XAVIER OUELLET, D, 20, Grand Rapids (AHL)6-1, 190, 49-4-9-13-20 2011 draft, 48th overallDuring his first stint with the Wings this season, Ouellet quickly made a fan. &ldquo;He makes good decisions with the puck and doesn&rsquo;t get himself in trouble,&rdquo; coach Mike Babcock said. &ldquo;Smart players with hockey sense don&rsquo;t tend to make a bunch of mistakes.&rdquo; Fischer believes those smarts allow Ouellet to overcome deficiencies. &ldquo;His skating needs to improve, but thanks to him being so smart on the ice, he<h2>OVERALL 66</h2>5 RILEY SHEAHAN, C, 22, Grand Rapids (AHL)6-2, 212, 31-8-10-18-12 2010 draft, 21st overallIt&rsquo;s been a slow progression, but Sheahan is providing the big-body presence up front that&rsquo;s been lacking in Detroit. &ldquo;Last year in Grand Rapids, he got better,&rdquo; Fischer said. &ldquo;In the playoffs, he was a very productive player. This year since he&rsquo;s got called up, he&rsquo;s strong on the puck, he makes plays now with a guy on his back, he makes plays off the rush. He&rsquo;s got high-end skill in tight places. He can withstand the pressure of being down low in the offensive zone.&rdquo;<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>D, 21, Grand Rapids (AHL)6 RYAN SPROUL6-3, 185, 53-8-16-24-32 2011 draft, 55th overallSkill Soo grad has plenty of skill and an accurate, hard shot. He needs to upgrade his defensive zone play.7 PETR MRAZEKG, 21, Grand Rapids (AHL)6-2, 184, 13-5-1, 2.21, .923 2010 draft, 141st overallMrazek loves pressure. &ldquo;He wants to be the guy,&rdquo; Fischer said. He&rsquo;s been solid in nine NHL games.8 MATTIAS BACKMAND, 21, Linkoping (Swe.)6-2, 169, 48-5-14-19-12 2011 draft, 146th overallA strong skater and puck mover with a high hockey IQ. He&rsquo;s responsible with or without the puck.9 TEEMU PULKKINENLW, 22, Grand Rapids (AHL)5-11, 198, 54-19-23-42-26 2010 draft, 111th overallCame to AHL after a few solid years in Jokerit. Armed with a dangerous shot, he beats defenders 1-on-1.10 MARTIN FRKRW, 20, Grand Rapids (AHL)6-0, 198, 32-1-5-6-16 2012 draft, 49th overallPure scorer with powerful shot has found transition to pro game challenging. He&rsquo;s spent some time in ECHL. &#9632;

f0029-01

Intelligence Quotient

<div class="byline">BY ROB TYCHKOWSKI</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-011499/9921213-1-eng-US/f0030-012.jpg" title="f0030-01" width="243" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-021034/9921206-1-eng-US/f0030-022.jpg" title="f0030-02" width="1369" height="1704"><figcaption class="caption-body">DARNELL NURSE (CLAUS ANDERSEN/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>THERE PROBABLY ISN&rsquo;T ANOTHER TEAM IN THE NHL THAT HAS placed more emphasis on the draft than the Edmonton Oilers. While the organization&rsquo;s clockwork failure over the last five years (30th, 30th, 28th, 24th and another lottery spot expected in 2014), is provoking anger and frustration in the market, it is also providing management with an opportunity to stock the shelves. Aside from the household names like Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov, the Oilers have accumulated a larger group of lesser-known prospects selected high in the second and third rounds.<h2>OVERALL 21</h2>1 DARNELL NURSE, D, 19, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)6-4, 194, 58-12-36-48-76 2013 draft, 7th overallNurse is a physical specimen being counted on to anchor the Oilers blueline one day. He has the size and is developing the strength to compete against grown men. He has the kind of aggressiveness the Oilers are desperately seeking. Nurse has also shown an ability to generate offense at the OHL level, putting up 48 points through 58 games. There is still work to be done on his overall game, particularly with regards to defensive zone coverage.<h2>OVERALL 43</h2>2 OSCAR KLEFBOM, D, 20, Oklahoma City (AHL)6-3, 213, 42-1-6-7-10 2011 draft, 19th overallThere are a lot of expectations being placed on the defenseman, but his first season in the AHL has been a struggle. He&rsquo;s had shoulder problems the last couple of years (surgery last year and nagging trouble this season). He is still projected to be a top-two defenseman for the Oilers one day, just not as quickly as some had hoped. He&rsquo;s got the size and skating ability to be a good player, but is still adjusting to North American opponents.3 LAURENT BROSSOIT, G, 20, Bakersfield (ECHL)6-3, 202, 14-6-1, 1.96, .928 Trade (Cgy), Nov. 8, 2013The former Edmonton Oil King has been dominant in the ECHL this season, posting five shutouts in his first eight games and maintaining a rock-solid GAA and SP through 20 games. That&rsquo;s great news for a team searching for its goalie of the future. Of course, there is a difference between putting up numbers on a strong ECHL team and establishing yourself in the NHL. Brossoit has struggled in two brief AHL stints, so he&rsquo;s a long way away.4 TYLER PITLICK, C, 22, Oklahoma City (AHL)6-2, 194, 29-6-9-15-10 2010 draft, 31st overallPitlick brings decent size and speed to the table and when he&rsquo;s playing with passion and energy he&rsquo;s been effective at the AHL level. Keeping his intensity up and simplifying his game are two elements the organization is asking him to focus on in Oklahoma City because his entry into the NHL will be as a hard-nosed, responsible bottomsix energy player. He&rsquo;s already had a three-game stint with the Oilers in which he didn&rsquo;t look out of place.5 MARTIN GERNAT, D, 20, Oklahoma City (AHL)6-5, 191, 40-3-12-15-20 2011 draft, 122nd overallGernat has a tremendous wingspan and can close a lot of passing lanes with his reach. He moves well and has a good first pass and eye for the game, which has helped him produce offensively with the Barons. Because of injuries and call-ups, he&rsquo;s being pressed into tougher minutes than originally anticipated and seems to be handling the responsibility well. The biggest thing he needs to work on is his strength. He is a rail-thin 191 pounds.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 MITCHELL MOROZLW, 19, Edmonton (WHL)6-3, 214, 60-31-27-58-140 2012 draft, 32nd overallHe&rsquo;s a power forward in the WHL, but can he use his size and strength to be one with the Oilers?7 ANTON SLEPYSHEVLW, 19, Sal. Yulaev (KHL)6-2, 194, 32-3-5-8-4 2013 draft, 88th overallFormer KHL first-overall pick has had some breakthrough moments on the junior scene.8 JUJHAR KHAIRALW, 19, Everett (WHL)6-4, 215, 49-14-19-33-50 2012 draft, 63rd overallBig kid with skill is strong on the boards and adjusting well in his first year of major junior after leaving NCAA.9 BOGDAN YAKIMOVC, 19, Nizhnekamsk (KHL)6-5, 220, 33-7-5-12-2 2013 draft, 83rd overallA huge, strong body who is good in the faceoff circle, but lacks much of an offensive game.10 GREG CHASEC, 19, Calgary (WHL)6-0, 205, 61-31-42-73-59 2013 draft, 188th overallA point-per-game pivot with a real edge to his game. He&rsquo;a a fine puck distributor with great patience. &#9632;

f0030-01

Building Blocks

<div class="byline">BY GEORGE RICHARDS</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-011361/9921251-1-eng-US/f0031-012.jpg" title="f0031-01" width="244" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-02924/9921244-1-eng-US/f0031-022.jpg" title="f0031-02" width="1369" height="1549"><figcaption class="caption-body">MIKE MATHESON (JOHN QUACKENBOS / BOSTON COLLEGE)</figcaption></div>THE PANTHERS HAVE A NICE PROBLEM WHEN IT COMES TO SCOUTING their top two prospects: they play on the same team. And although defensemen Mike Matheson and Ian McCoshen usually don&rsquo;t play together at Boston College, the Panthers would like to see them do that in the future. Being part of the Panthers organization gives Matheson and McCoshen something else in common aside from trying to lead the Eagles to an NCAA title. They do keep up with the goings on in the NHL. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ll talk about what happened in Florida, but it&rsquo;s tough to see the games because we&rsquo;re taking care of what we&rsquo;re doing,&rdquo; Matheson said.<h2>OVERALL 22</h2>1 MIKE MATHESON, D, 19, Boston College (HE)6-2, 190, 31-3-13-16-452012 draft, 23rd overallMatheson has followed up a strong freshman season at BC. &ldquo;He learned a lot,&rdquo; said Panthers assistant GM Mike Santos, a BC grad himself. &ldquo;This has been a good year for him.&rdquo; Matheson also shone at development camp the past two summers. Some think he could leave BC in April if the Eagles win a national title. Matheson is an elite and smooth skater who makes smart plays. The Panthers feel he has a pro-game mentality, but want to see him get stronger.<h2>OVERALL 53</h2>2 IAN MCCOSHEN, D, 18, Boston College (HE)6-3, 205, 28-4-8-12-402013 draft, 31st overallMcCoshen is a big-bodied defenseman with a big-time shot. The freshman spent the past three seasons in the USHL and the Panthers like how he has reacted to playing important games at BC. He, like Matheson, was logging big ice time before getting a concussion prior to the Beanpot Tournament. &ldquo;Playing with Mike and being familiar with him will help us in the future,&rdquo; McCoshen said. &ldquo;It helps to have someone who shares the same goals and dreams.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 69</h2>3 ALEX PETROVIC, D, 21, San Antonio (AHL)6-4, 206, 37-2-10-12-752010 draft, 36th overallPetrovic has gotten his feet wet at the NHL level after turning pro with Florida&rsquo;s AHL affiliate in San Antonio in 2012. The towering defender is a tough customer who loves doling out hits. He still needs to fill out his lanky frame and continue to get stronger physically. Petrovic has an impressive shot and played well in his limited time with the Panthers (11 games). The organization envisions him evolving into a middle-pair blueliner within a few years.4 VINCENT TROCHECK, C, 20, San Antonio (AHL)5-11, 185, 51-15-22-37-282011 draft, 64th overallRanked 10th last year, Trocheck has moved up with a strong offensive year. Offense has never been a problem, but the Panthers want him to refine the defensive side of the game to be more versatile. After playing long shifts on his junior team, Trocheck is adjusting to life where he&rsquo;s not his team&rsquo;s offensive focus. He plays without fear and has no problem going into corners and camping out in front of the net. He&rsquo;s adept at scoring hard-earned goals.5 ROCCO GRIMALDI, C, 20, North Dakota (NCHC)5-6, 172, 30-12-17-29-302011 draft, 33rd overallAlthough a knee injury slowed Grimaldi two years ago as a freshman, he&rsquo;s now enjoying his best season with the Fighting Sioux as a junior. The Panthers like that Grimaldi has not only accepted his smallish size, but embraces the fact he&rsquo;s nowhere near the tallest player on the ice. Grimaldi is fast, shifty and talented and uses his lack of height as an advantage. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a hard guy to catch, a hard guy to stop,&rdquo; Santos said. &ldquo;He drives big defensemen crazy.&rdquo;<h2>ON THE HORIZON The NEXT 5&nbsp;</h2>6 QUINTON HOWDEN LW, 22, San Antonio (AHL)6-2, 189, 51-9-15-24-182010 draft, 25th overallHas played 18 NHL games with Florida, but needs to improve the physical element of his game.7 COLBY ROBAK D, 23, San Antonio (AHL)6-3, 194, 47-6-10-16-222008 draft, 46th overallTime starting to run out for the big rearguard who shoots well and can move the puck.8 SAM BRITTAIN G, 21, Denver (NCHC)6-3, 229, 13-11-6, 2.10, .9312010 draft, 92nd overallA senior, Brittain has had an up-and-down collegiate career, but is back as the Pioneers&rsquo; starter.9 MICHAEL DOWNING D, 18, Michigan (Big Ten)6-3, 194, 27-2-7-9-482013 draft, 97th overallA shutdown defender in his freshman year, Downing has good size and is a strong two-way skater.10 KYLE RAU C, 21, Minnesota (Big Ten)5-8, 173, 30-7-21-28-122011 draft, 91st overallA former Mr. Minnesota prep standout, Rau is a shifty forward who makes plays. Roomed with Nick Bjugstad. &#9632;

f0031-01

The Eagles Are Landing

<div class="byline">BY DOUG WARD</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-011477/9921289-1-eng-US/f0032-012.jpg" title="f0032-01" width="243" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-021003/9921282-1-eng-US/f0032-022.jpg" title="f0032-02" width="1367" height="1579"><figcaption class="caption-body">TANNER PEARSON (STEVE BABINEAU)</figcaption></div>THESE ARE NOT WAYNE GRETZKY&rsquo;S KINGS ANYMORE. UNDER GM Dean Lombardi, the Kings are built to play a physical style and the surest path to coach Darryl Sutter&rsquo;s lineup is found by playing in a straight line. That approach is a common thread among several top prospects &ndash; including highly regarded winger Valentin Zykov &ndash; who play aggressive games. Another trend is more coincidence than master plan: just two years after United States natives Dustin Brown and Jonathan Quick were instrumental in the Kings&rsquo; Stanley Cup run, six of the organization&rsquo;s top 10 prospects were born in the U.S.<h2>OVERALL 55</h2>1 TANNER PEARSON, LW, 21, Manchester (AHL)6-1, 205, 41-17-15-32-182012 draft, 30th overallPearson is gifted with good instincts and the Kings like his willingness to battle along the wall. &ldquo;What you really notice about Tanner is the puck jumps off his stick,&rdquo; said director of player development Nelson Emerson. Pearson has already appeared in nine NHL games, including one in last year&rsquo;s playoffs. He has worked hard to improve his skating and has added enough bulk that Emerson believes size won&rsquo;t hold him back.<h2>OVERALL 62</h2>2 VALENTIN ZYKOV, LW, 18, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)6-2, 209, 45-20-36-56-682013 draft, 37th overallZykov and the Kings, who have both struggled to light the lamp lately, seem to be meant for each other. Zykov is big, physical and plays in a straight line without getting too fancy. &ldquo;He does all the right things,&rdquo; Emerson said. &ldquo;He takes the puck to the net and battles hard. He plays a simple game.&rdquo; Zykov has a strong work ethic and plays in all three zones, but needs to work on his skating. Emerson cautions the teenager is at least a couple of years away.<h2>OVERALL 65</h2>3 HUDSON FASCHING, RW, 18, Minnesota (Big Ten)6-2, 213, 29-11-14-25-202013 draft, 118th overallA freshman at Minnesota, Fasching is a big-bodied winger with a physical style. Fasching goes to the net, battles hard and has a nice scoring touch. He has improved his skating and helped the Gophers to a No. 2 national ranking. Emerson loves Fasching&rsquo;s makeup and ability to play a grinding style. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a really neat kid who has demanded a lot of ice time with his play,&rdquo; Emerson said. &ldquo;We like that he plays in the Kings&rsquo; M.O. He uses his body well.&rdquo;4 DEREK FORBORT, D, 21, Manchester (AHL)6-4, 218, 57-1-15-16-342010 draft, 15th overallIn his first full AHL season following three years at the University of North Dakota, Forbort is still adjusting to pro hockey. &ldquo;Derek is finding his way in the American League, where you play against older players,&rdquo; Emerson said. Forbort moves well for a player his size. &ldquo;He is a really good skater,&rdquo; Emerson said. &ldquo;He moves very fluidly on the ice.&rdquo; Forbort is sound positionally and plays a physical game, but must improve offensively and master his passing.5 LINDEN VEY, RW, 22, Manchester (AHL)6-0, 200, 31-11-24-35-182009 draft, 96th overallVey scored 46 goals at Medicine Hat in 2010-11, but he needs to spend more time in the weight room to produce at the NHL level. What Vey lacks in brawn, he makes up for in brainpower. Scouts are enthralled by his hockey sense. &ldquo;L.V. has been able to put up numbers at every level,&rdquo; Emerson said. &ldquo;He really knows the game and is able to read the play.&rdquo; Vey has appeared in 15 NHL games, but he has struggled to keep up with the physical play.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 NICK SHORE C, 21, Manchester (AHL)6-0, 195, 50-10-20-30-242011 draft, 82nd overallA pro in his approach to the game. &ldquo;Takes pride in workouts and being prepared,&rdquo; Emerson said.7 MICHAEL MERSCH LW, 21, Wisconsin (Big Ten)6-2, 216, 30-19-11-30-162011 draft, 110th overallWins battles in front of the net. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s absolutely unreal around the blue paint,&rdquo; Emerson said.8 JOEL LOWRY LW, 22, Cornell (ECAC)6-2, 185, 26-6-15-21-332011 draft, 140th overallDisplays sound fundamentals inherited from his father, Dave, a 20-year NHL player.9 NIC DOWD C, 23, St. Cloud St. (NCHC)6-2, 196, 30-18-15-33-262009 draft, 198th overallBecoming adept at using his big body and edgy style to control opponents at center ice.10 KEVIN GRAVEL D, 21, St. Cloud St. (NCHC)6-4, 201, 30-4-12-16-22010 draft, 148th overallDeveloping ability to use height and long reach to his advantage, like a lighter Zdeno Chara. &#9632;

f0032-01

No Power Shortage

<div class="byline">BY MICHAEL RUSSO</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-011311/9921327-1-eng-US/f0033-012.jpg" title="f0033-01" width="244" height="244"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-02909/9921320-1-eng-US/f0033-022.jpg" title="f0033-02" width="354" height="414"><figcaption class="caption-body">MATHEW DUMBA (BRYAN HEIM/PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS)</figcaption></div>IT&rsquo;S ALL ABOUT PATIENCE NOW. THE WILD ARE COMPRISED OF SEVERAL veterans on long-term deals and a bunch of 21- and 22-year-olds, including four of the Wild&rsquo;s top-five in the 2013 Future Watch &ndash; Mikael Granlund, Jonas Brodin, Charlie Coyle and Jason Zucker and ex-Islanders first-rounder Nino Niederreiter. That limits roster spots for a while, meaning the Wild&rsquo;s next rung of prospects will &ldquo;come up when they&rsquo;re ready,&rdquo; assistant GM Brent Flahr said. The common theme with most of these prospects? Size. &ldquo;Because the Granlunds and Zuckers aren&rsquo;t the biggest bodies, we made a conscious effort to draft bigger,&rdquo; Flahr said.<h2>OVERALL 31</h2>1 MATHEW DUMBA, D, 19, Portland (WHL)6-0, 183, 18-3-11-14-282012 draft, 7th overallDumba made the Wild as an extra. That&rsquo;s not an ideal route for a teenager, but the Wild, unable to send him to the AHL, decided working with assistants Rick Wilson and Darryl Sydor and watching Ryan Suter would be beneficial. Dumba only played 13 games. The Wild returned him when his WHL rights were traded and hope for a playoff run for the physical blueliner with a big shot. &ldquo;This is going to end up being a really good developmental year,&rdquo; said GM Chuck Fletcher.<h2>OVERALL 58</h2>2 GUSTAV OLOFSSON, D, 19, Colorado College (NCHC)6-4, 191, 24-4-3-7-102013 draft, 46th overallOlofsson was born in Sweden, but has no accent after spending much of his youth in California and Colorado. He represented Sweden in the WJC and idolizes the puckmoving game of Brodin. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s such a good skater and intelligent and moves the puck well,&rdquo; Flahr said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s intriguing because he&rsquo;s only played competitive hockey a year-and-a-half.&rdquo; There&rsquo;s room to grow; his dad is 6-foot-8 and 275 pounds. Olofsson might shift to Portland in the WHL.3 DARCY KUEMPER, G, 23, Iowa (AHL)6-5, 205, 7-10-0, 2.47, .9292009 draft, 161st overallAfter a rocky first two outings, some Wild fans griped the team traded the wrong goalie &ndash; Matt Hackett &ndash; in last year&rsquo;s Jason Pominville trade. Not the case anymore. The former WHL player of the year and major junior goalie of the year returned to Iowa, got his game together and helped save the Wild&rsquo;s season. Prior to the Olympic break, Kuemper was 8-2-2 in 13 NHL starts since Jan. 7. Is he Minnesota&rsquo;s goalie of the future? &ldquo;Certainly has a chance to be,&rdquo; Flahr said.4 BRETT BULMER, RW, 21, Iowa (AHL)6-4, 212, 27-10-6-16-262010 draft, 39th overallIf he could stay healthy, he&rsquo;s exactly what the Wild lacks &ndash; a top-nine forward who can skate, shoot and play with a mean streak. Bulmer has a knack of getting under opponents&rsquo; skin. The Wild forecast him to be a power winger, but he&rsquo;s been ravaged by injuries since a nine-game look in 2011-12. There were good signs during a five-game NHL stint earlier this season, but in his first game back in Iowa, he sprained a knee and sustained a high ankle sprain.5 MARIO LUCIA, LW, 20, Notre Dame (HE)6-3, 203, 33-15-12-27-102011 draft, 60th overallLike most of the Wild&rsquo;s college prospects, Lucia is several years off. The son of University of Minnesota coach Don Lucia aims to finish school, then needs time to develop in the AHL. A member of the CCHA all-rookie team in 2013, Lucia has rebounded from a slow first month as a sophomore. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a 6-4 winger with skill, so we&rsquo;re excited,&rdquo; Flahr said. &ldquo;With his body type, he needs time to grow into his body. When we drafted him, he was a tall, skinny, lanky kid.&rdquo;<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 TYLER GRAOVAC C, 20, Iowa (AHL)6-5, 200, 40-6-6-12-202011 draft, 191st overallLate-round steal? Junior goal scorer combines size, skill and hockey sense on both sides of puck.7 ZACK PHILLIPS C, 21, Iowa (AHL)6-0, 194, 52-9-15-24-102011 draft, 28th overallElite hands and scoring instincts, but until he improves skating and conditioning, he won&rsquo;t see NHL.8 KURTIS GABRIEL RW, 20, Owen Sound (OHL)6-4, 218, 50-10-28-38-842013 draft, 81st overallLate bloomer playing an overage season. He&rsquo;s a big, physical player with an element of toughness.9 RAPHAEL BUSSIERES LW, 20, Iowa (AHL)6-2, 202, 42-4-14-18-372012 draft, 46th overallPlays a heavy game and with edge, he&rsquo;s skilled and consistently improved all year as a rookie pro.10 ADAM GILMOUR C, 20, Boston College (HE)6-4, 194, 33-7-9-16-102012 draft, 98th overallWith good hands and instincts, he&rsquo;s the definition of raw. Must get stronger, but he&rsquo;s in a great spot to grow. &#9632;

f0033-01

Plumb and Dumba

<div class="byline">BY DAVID&nbsp;BOCLAIR</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-011387/9921403-1-eng-US/f0035-012.jpg" title="f0035-01" width="244" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-02990/9921396-1-eng-US/f0035-022.jpg" title="f0035-02" width="1369" height="1459"><figcaption class="caption-body">FILIP FORSBERG (SCOTT PAULUS/MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS)</figcaption></div>MANAGEMENT HAS SAID, &ldquo;THE ROAD TO NASHVILLE GOES through Milwaukee&rdquo; so many times over the years the phrase qualifies as a franchise mantra. Last summer, though, management threw up a roadblock. Unimpressed by its forward prospects late in 2012-13, when injuries decimated the NHL roster, the Predators signed four free agents up front and opted for more AHL seasoning for the young centers and wingers.Since they&rsquo;re all in the minors, the forwards dominate the top 10 prospects on a team known more for developing defensemen.<h2>OVERALL 4</h2>1 FILIP FORSBERG, LW, 19, Milwaukee (AHL)6-2, 194, 26-8-10-18-8Trade (Wsh), April 3, 2013Forsberg&rsquo;s skill has been apparent from the moment Nashville acquired him, but hasn&rsquo;t kept him in the NHL full time. He&rsquo;s been a point producer on the power play in brief stints with Nashville and is ideally a point-per-game player at Milwaukee. His first season in North America has revealed a pressing need to get bigger and stronger. An injury at Milwaukee cost him a month, but an MVP performance at the world juniors helped him regain confidence.<h2>OVERALL 70</h2>2 COLTON SISSONS, C, 20, Milwaukee (AHL)6-1, 194, 51-19-15-34-62012 draft, 50th overallHis first pro season has been much like his WHL career. He&rsquo;s a consistent and timely scorer and one of the AHL leaders in game-winning goals. That made him one of three rookies named to the AHL All-Star Game. Sissons also chipped in an assist in his NHL debut in late January. He is a reliable two-way player who has dramatically reduced his time in the penalty box, although those numbers will spike as his confidence and compete level grow.3 TAYLOR BECK, RW, 22, Milwaukee (AHL)6-2, 207, 43-12-19-31-262009 draft, 70th overallAmong those who got NHL auditions last season, Beck was the most consistent and most prepared physically. It&rsquo;s no coincidence he was promoted the first time Forsberg was demoted and when Matt Hendricks was traded. His size and ability to battle in the corners and in front of the net fit a team that scores primarily through perseverance. He&rsquo;s going to those areas more consistently and balancing his goals and assists, both welcome steps in his evolution.4 MAREK MAZANEC, G, 22, Milwaukee (AHL)6-4, 189, 9-6-3, 2.43, .9182012 draft, 179th overallMazanec fits the mold of Predators goalies because of his size and athleticism, but no one expected the impact he made in his first North American season. Fourth on the depth chart at the start of camp, he saw his first NHL action in November when an infection sidelined Pekka Rinne. In 25 games for Nashville over two months, he impressed and inspired teammates with his joyful approach. He was the league&rsquo;s rookie of the month in November.5 AUSTIN WATSON, C, 22, Milwaukee (AHL)6-4, 203, 53-13-15-28-222010 draft, 18th overallWatson starts slowly at all levels, but once he turns the corner there&rsquo;s no looking back. So it&rsquo;s not a big concern his journey to the NHL has taken longer than those of his draft class or other recent Preds first-rounders or that he looked lost at times in a six-game NHL audition last year. He still projects as a top-six forward who plays in all situations. The fact he&rsquo;s one of Milwaukee&rsquo;s shot leaders suggests he&rsquo;s using his size and playing with more confidence.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 MIIKKA SALOMAKI RW, 20, Milwaukee (AHL)5-11, 205, 52-12-22-34-62011 draft, 52nd overallCombative and productive forward&rsquo;s first North American season has unfolded as expected.7 BRENDAN LEIPSIC LW, 19, Portland (WHL)5-10, 177, 51-34-46-80-932012 draft, 89th overallA small player who delivers huge numbers, especially recently. Led major junior in scoring in 2012-13.8 JONATHAN DIABY D, 19, Victoriaville (QMJHL)6-5, 240, 29-7-16-23-512013 draft, 64th overallSidelined early by a shoulder injury. Projects to be much bigger. Huge increase in offense this season.9 JUUSE SAROS G, 18, HPK (Fin.)5-10, 181, GP 36, 1.57, .9432013 draft, 99th overallSmall but unusually quick, he is a star in his first season in Finland&rsquo;s top league. Helped Finland win WJC.10 JIMMY VESEY LW, 20, Harvard (ECAC)6-1, 195, 27-13-9-22-122012 draft, 66th overallSophomore continues to show a real ability to score goals, which Nashville needs more than anything else. &#9632;

f0035-01

A Step Backward

<div class="byline">BY RICH CHERE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-011399/9921441-1-eng-US/f0036-012.jpg" title="f0036-01" width="243" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-02960/9921434-1-eng-US/f0036-022.jpg" title="f0036-02" width="1369" height="1490"><figcaption class="caption-body">STEFAN MATTEAU (JAMES DIBIANCO JR)</figcaption></div>THE KEY TO THE DEVILS&rsquo; THREE CUP WINS FROM 1995 TO 2003: stellar defense, led by Hall of Famers Scott Stevens and Scott Niedermayer. It&rsquo;s tempting, with the depth and talent the Devils have at that position, to forecast another era of glory led by Eric Gelinas, Jon Merrill and Adam Larsson, plus Steve Santini and Damon Severson in the system.&ldquo;The depth at defense, without question, is exceptional,&rdquo; said New Jersey GM Lou Lamoriello. &ldquo;But that&rsquo;s a tough thing when you talk about Stevens and Niedermayer. Let&rsquo;s not get ahead of ourselves. They are still prospects and there is still potential.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 34</h2>1 STEFAN MATTEAU, LW, 19, Albany (AHL)6-2, 216, 46-11-10-21-56 2012 draft, 29th overallMatteau has shown mental toughness after being cut from the 2013 U.S. WJC squad and leaving his junior team following a rift with his coach late last season. He may have been the best U.S. forward at the 2014 WJC. At Albany, he&rsquo;s becoming a physical player whose deceptively good shot can make him a 20-goal scorer. &ldquo;He is a horse, so powerful,&rdquo; said David Conte, the Devils&rsquo; director of scouting. &ldquo;To look at him you&rsquo;d think he&rsquo;s 25, but he&rsquo;s a 19-year-old.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 67</h2>2 STEVE SANTINI, D, 18, Boston College (HE)6-2, 207, 28-2-8-10-42 2013 draft, 42nd overallSome might call Santini the Devils&rsquo; top prospect. He nearly put a much bigger opponent over the boards at the Beanpot tourney with BC and punished opposing forwards at the WJC. He&rsquo;s been suspended twice for what some feel were clean hits. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not going to put a Scott Stevens moniker on him, or even Ken Daneyko, but there is that style,&rdquo; Conte said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a true hard-nosed competitor. He&rsquo;s a throwback. And a great kid, so positive and upbeat.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 71</h2>3 DAMON SEVERSON, D, 19, Kelowna (WHL)6-2, 210, 54-13-39-52-44 2012 draft, 60th overallAfter strong rookie and training camps, Severson hit potholes back in junior. His mobility and skill make him a potential force, but he lacks maturity. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s no question, in our opinion, he&rsquo;s going to be an NHL player from what we&rsquo;ve seen in the rookie camps and training camp,&rdquo; Lamoriello said. &ldquo;He went back to junior this year and maybe didn&rsquo;t do the things he would have liked.&rdquo; Cut from Canada&rsquo;s WJC team, he regained his form later in the season.4 REID BOUCHER, LW, 20, Albany (AHL)5-11, 195, 35-14-12-26-8 2011 draft, 99th overallA 23-game stint in the NHL, in which he scored just two goals despite considerable time on the Devils&rsquo; top lines, did not change the expectation he&rsquo;ll be a steady goal scorer at the top level. Boucher needs to be a point-a-game player in the AHL and be responsible defensively to force a recall. He impressed his Devils teammates with his leg strength and willingness to battle in front of the net and corners. His quick shot will take care of the rest.5 KEITH KINKAID, G, 24, Albany (AHL)6-3, 190, 20-8-2, 2.24, .917 Free agent, April 18, 2011Cory Schneider is the goaltender of the future, but Kinkaid is in line to share duties after Martin Brodeur is gone. Kinkaid has pushed slightly ahead of Scott Wedgewood for starts in Albany, posting a lower GAA and higher SP, though Kinkaid is three years older. His experience, size and athleticism have impressed the Devils, who would not hesitate to recall him as a backup. The question is whether he&rsquo;d be ready next season to stay in the NHL.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 GRAHAM BLACKC, 21, Swift Current (WHL)6-0, 184, 59-29-51-80-41 2012 draft, 135th overallOveraged junior is average in size, but sees lots of playing time in all situations. Long-term project.7 REECE SCARLETTD, 20, Albany (AHL)6-1, 180, 43-4-13-17-16 2011 draft, 159th overallAdjusting well to the travel and punishment of being an AHL rookie. Reliable defensively.8 BLAKE PIETILALW, 20, Mich. Tech (WCHA)5-11, 190, 35-8-19-27-82 2011 draft, 129th overallStill challenged by college game. More playmaker than scorer. Numbers not improving year to year.9 SCOTT WEDGEWOODG, 21, Albany (AHL)6-2, 194, 9-11-3, 2.70, .890 2010 draft, 84th overallWasn&rsquo;t the No. 1 guy at start of junior career, either. Size and mechanics keep him in long-term picture.10 RYAN KUJAWINSKIC, 18, Kingston (OHL)6-2, 207, 35-16-13-29-27 2013 draft, 73rdoverallNagging groin problem has hampered him this season. Big, skillful and works hard when healthy. &#9632;

f0036-01

Devilish Defense

<div class="byline">BY GRANT MCCAGG</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-011250/9921479-1-eng-US/f0037-012.jpg" title="f0037-01" width="244" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-02889/9921472-1-eng-US/f0037-022.jpg" title="f0037-02" width="1369" height="1455"><figcaption class="caption-body">RYAN STROME (BILL TENCA/PUCK STOPPER PHOTOGRAPHY)</figcaption></div>AN ORGANIZATION THAT ONCE FACED A SHORTAGE OF DEFENSIVE prospects now has one of the deeper blueline crops in the league. It&rsquo;s not surprising after the Islanders chose defensemen with all seven selections in the 2012 draft, then added Ryan Pulock with the 15th overall pick in 2013. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve done a really good job of drafting different types of defensemen,&rdquo; said director of player development Eric Cairns. &ldquo;But we&rsquo;re very happy with our prospect pool.&rdquo;The Islanders&rsquo; top 10 prospects include six who are 6-foot-3 or taller and a nice mix of forwards and defensemen.<h2>OVERALL 5</h2>1 RYAN STROME, C, 20, Bridgeport (AHL)6-1, 188, 37-13-36-49-41 2011 draft, 5th overallStrome has lived up to offensive expectations, but it&rsquo;s improvements to his overall game that will soon land him permanent NHL duty. &ldquo;He took a step in his conditioning last summer and he&rsquo;s taken a step in his game away from the puck,&rdquo; Cairns said. &ldquo;What he&rsquo;s needed to do is get the junior habits out and get the pro habits in, like stops and starts instead of circling.&rdquo; Strome&rsquo;s power play acumen, instincts and vision impress Cairns the most.<h2>OVERALL 11</h2>2 GRIFFIN REINHART, D, 20, Edmonton (WHL)6-4, 205, 36-3-15-18-42 2012 draft, 4th overallThe Islanders don&rsquo;t expect to wait much longer for their prized defensive prospect, who Cairns said made a bid at making the team last fall. Reinhart is big, strong and mobile. The knock has been a lack of intensity and aggression, though Cairns said Reinhart has improved in that regard. &ldquo;He does contain and dictate where the man should go, but his hockey sense and smarts are 5 out of 5,&rdquo; Cairns said. &ldquo;He has the ability to slow the game down.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 60</h2>3 RYAN PULOCK, D, 19, Brandon (WHL)6-1, 218, 57-20-33-53-16 2013 draft, 15th overallThe Isles think they&rsquo;ve found their future power play quarterback and with good reason. Pulock has four WHL seasons of 40-plus points before turning 20. &ldquo;He has a great skill set,&rdquo; Cairns said. &ldquo;His shot, work on the power play and offensive potential are elite.&rdquo; Pulock is playing with an edge more consistently this season and will only get stronger physically. The Isles still want his overall game to mature, however.4 ANDERS LEE, C, 23, Bridgeport (AHL)6-3, 227, 54-22-19-41-83 2009 draft, 152nd overallLee was an all-state athlete recruited by Div. I programs in football, hockey and baseball. He chose hockey after he was drafted. &ldquo;His play in front of the net and his hands in tight areas are his strengths,&rdquo; Cairns said. &ldquo;He can get the puck up (on a goalie) in a hurry or make a pass and he&rsquo;s excellent along the wall.&rdquo; Paradoxically, he was a nationally ranked speed skater in high school, yet needs work on his hockey stride, along with his defensive zone coverage.5 VILLE POKKA, D, 19, Karpat (Fin.)6-0, 206, 47-5-19-24-14 2012 draft, 34th overallA two-way defenseman who already has three seasons in Finland&rsquo;s top league, Pokka forged a key role on an underrated Finnish blueline at the WJC. Cairns lists poise, shot, puck possession and defensive game as Pokka&rsquo;s main attributes. &ldquo;His mobility is coming along,&rdquo; Cairns said. &ldquo;He needs to work on his speed, but he uses economical movement and balance in tight areas. I&rsquo;m not worried about his skating.&rdquo; He must mprove his conditioning and strength.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 SCOTT MAYFIELDD, 21, Bridgeport (AHL)6-4, 209, 54-3-11-14-82 2011 draft, 34th overallTowering blueliner with a natural nasty streak is gaining confidence in his first full pro season.7 ADAM PELECHD, 19, Erie (OHL)6-3, 216, 50-9-37-46-40 2012 draft, 65th overallReliable, intelligent twoway defenseman with grit leading a high-flying Erie squad in plus-minus.8 JOHAN SUNDSTROMC, 21, Bridgeport (AHL)6-3, 201, 33-6-10-16-29 2011 draft, 50th overallImpressed Islanders at camp with toughness and muscle gain. Faceoffs still need improvement.9 TAYLOR CAMMARATAC, 18, Minnesota (Big Ten)5-7, 157, 28-7-10-17-6 2013 draft, 76th overallDiminutive forward with crafty puck skills and good hockey sense. Not afraid to get his nose dirty.10 ANDREY PEDAND, 20, Bridgeport (AHL)6-4, 207, 12-2-3-5-9 2011 draft, 63rd overallMammoth blueliner has a cannon of a shot, good mobility and an unpredictable temperament. &#9632;

f0037-01

Long On Rearguards

<div class="byline">BY STEVE ZIPAY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-011357/9921517-1-eng-US/f0038-012.jpg" title="f0038-01" width="243" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-02951/9921510-1-eng-US/f0038-022.jpg" title="f0038-02" width="1369" height="1531"><figcaption class="caption-body">J.T. MILLER (CHRIS RUTSCH)</figcaption></div>THE LINEAGE OF THE RANGERS&rsquo; MOST PROMISING PROSPECTS IS similar to the team&rsquo;s roster. A blend of Americans, Canadians and Swedes, so the roots aren&rsquo;t far from the tree. Of their top 10, five were born in the U.S., three in Canada and two in Sweden. Six are forwards, four defensemen. The gap in the future landscape remains in the blue paint, where no youngster is knocking at the door. Fortunately, Henrik Lundqvist is expected to handle the lion&rsquo;s share of the goaltending in the foreseeable future, while Cam Talbot, 26, has been a surprisingly high-quality backup.<h2>OVERALL 23</h2>1 J.T. MILLER, C, 20, Hartford (AHL)6-2, 212, 26-10-16-26-33 2011 draft, 15th overallA playmaker who is comfortable at center or wing, Miller, who was one of John Tortorella&rsquo;s favorite youngsters and has played 51 NHL games during 2012-13 and 2013-14, has been up and down. New coach Alain Vigneault believes he will be a solid NHL player, but whether he&rsquo;s a third-liner or higher is to be determined. Miller was among the final cuts in camp and is the guy most ready to play in case of injury. Look for him to get more NHL time down the stretch.<h2>OVERALL 74</h2>2 BRADY SKJEI, D, 19, Minnesota (Big Ten)6-2, 197, 29-3-4-7-20 2012 draft, 28th overallSkjei has superb skating skill the organization compares to that of Ryan McDonagh, Chris Kreider and John Moore. Against older college athletes, he&rsquo;s been a plus-player in a quality program and has an underrated, accurate wrist shot. Still developing, he gained confidence and valuable experience playing for Team USA at the WJC, impressing the Rangers brass. He&rsquo;s considered a two-way blueliner, but the offense hasn&rsquo;t arrived yet for him in college.3 JESPER FAST, RW, 22, Hartford (AHL)6-0, 185, 29-9-11-20-20 2010 draft, 157th overallThe Swedish winger, whom Vigneault referred to as &lsquo;Quickie&rsquo; in camp, made the opening-day roster and played eight games when Ryan Callahan was returning from shoulder surgery and Carl Hagelin was rehabbing. Considered a very smart player with speed and good penaltykilling ability, he took time to adapt in his first year in North America. Fast continues to learn how to battle effectively along the boards, an essential skill for the next level.4 CONOR ALLEN, D, 24, Hartford (AHL)6-2, 210, 48-5-14-19-49 Free agent, March 29, 2013A late-maturing defenseman, Allen got his first taste of the NHL in three games and didn&rsquo;t disappoint. In Vigneault&rsquo;s system, defensemen are asked to react quickly with a good first pass, clear rebounds and make the right reads to decide when to join the rush, all elements Allen can supply. He learned a lot from former NHLer Ed Olczyk and could be a third-pair or spare defenseman this season should injuries occur. He needs time in minors.5 DYLAN MCILRATH, D, 21, Hartford (AHL)6-5, 230, 38-4-6-10-131 2010 draft, 10th overallThe hard-luck knee injuries were something the organization couldn&rsquo;t anticipate when picking McIlrath over Cam Fowler four years ago. McIlrath has handled the adversity and been patient through the recoveries. A good skater for his size, but not quick, he has to play a simple game in the defensive zone. His shot from the point has improved, but his main attribute is his muscle and willingness to drop the gloves and stick up for his mates.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 ANTHONY DUCLAIRLW, 18, Quebec (QMJHL)5-11, 177, 58-50-48-98-54 2013 draft, 80th overallOffensive dynamo who caught fire after being challenged to play at full speed on a nightly basis.7 DANNY KRISTORW, 23, Hartford (AHL)6-0, 195, 45-17-14-31-14 Trade (Mtl), July 2, 2013Forced into a top role because of injuries and call-ups, he became Pack&rsquo;s leading goal scorer.8 RYAN GRAVESD, 18, Val-d&rsquo;Or (QMJHL)6-4, 225, 56-5-13-18-64 2013 draft, 110th overallHas made big strides on and off the ice. Profiting from trade to better club and weight training.9 OSCAR LINDBERGC, 22, Hartford (AHL)6-0, 190, 52-13-21-34-46 Trade (Phx), May 8, 2011Two-way center who works well with fellow Swedish forward Jesper Fast. Has 18-20 goal potential.10 CRISTOVAL NIEVESLW, 20, Michigan (Big Ten)6-3, 201, 27-2-11-13-18 2012 draft, 59th overallPlaymaking sophomore is still adding strength and muscle. Might stay three years in top program. &#9632;

f0038-01

Mixed Bag Is A Drag

<div class="byline">BY BRUCE GARRIOCH</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-011243/9921555-1-eng-US/f0039-012.jpg" title="f0039-01" width="244" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-02844/9921548-1-eng-US/f0039-022.jpg" title="f0039-02" width="1369" height="1502"><figcaption class="caption-body">CURTIS LAZAR (EDMONTON OIL KINGS)</figcaption></div>THE OTTAWA SENATORS USED TO BE BIG SPENDERS. THAT MINDSET has changed. Other teams will talk about draft and development, but the Senators are not all talk and no action. The course they&rsquo;ve set is to build through the draft and no longer attempt to throw around big cash.While they dealt away their first-round pick in 2014 as part of a deal for right winger Bobby Ryan, the Senators will try to get one back before June if they fall out of contention. The mandate from owner Eugene Melnyk to GM Bryan Murray along with assistants Pierre Dorion and Randy Lee is simple: keep the cupboard stocked.<h2>OVERALL 14</h2>1 CURTIS LAZAR, C, 19, Edmonton (WHL)6-0, 196, 47-35-29-64-192013 draft, 17th overallCanada didn&rsquo;t have a good world juniors, but Lazar did, stepping up his play under pressure. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a total character guy,&rdquo; Lee said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s honest. He wants to get better and he makes himself accountable. He&rsquo;s someone who can be a big piece and you can build around.&rdquo; Lazar isn&rsquo;t naturally gifted offensively, but works hard and scores clutch goals. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a guy when you&rsquo;re down, he&rsquo;ll help you come back and protect leads,&rdquo; Lee said. &ldquo;A playoff-type performer.&rdquo;2 MARK STONE, RW, 21, Binghamton (AHL)6-2, 205, 24-12-14-26-42010 draft, 178th overallIf Stone can stay healthy, he could have it all. He injured his shoulder in his first game this season with Binghamton and after being called up in January was hurt in practice. He has good hockey sense and he&rsquo;s worked hard on his skating. Stone has a gift you can&rsquo;t teach: putting the puck in the net. But he can&rsquo;t do it from the press box. &ldquo;When he plays he shows he&rsquo;s an NHL player,&rdquo; Lee said. &ldquo;He has to reinvest to make up time (missed by injuries).&rdquo;3 MARK BOROWIECKI, D, 24, Binghamton (AHL)6-2, 205, 39-1-3-4-1062008 draft, 139th overallBorowiecki made an impact on a call-up at the start of the season, but Ottawa had too many D-men. He has a one-way contract and will be there next season. The Sens wanted him to work on his puck skills in the AHL and have seen a genuine improvement. He plays 25 minutes a night in Binghamton. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s the ultimate teammate,&rdquo; Lee said. &ldquo;He could be that shutdown guy because he is very hard to play against. We had Anton Volchenkov play like that.&rdquo;4 MATT PUEMPEL, LW, 21, Binghamton (AHL)6-1, 205, 51-19-10-29-802011 draft, 24th overallPuempel struggled in junior with injuries, suspensions and a lack of success over three seasons in Peterborough. After a trade to Kitchener, Puempel had his feet firmly planted on the ground and coach Steve Spott demanded improvement. Puempel has worked hard to do that. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s been a &lsquo;Yes sir, No sir&rsquo; type of guy and he&rsquo;s made himself better,&rdquo; Lee said. Puempel can score, but he also goes to the net and even drops the gloves. His stock has risen.5 MIKAEL WIKSTRAND, D, 20, Frolunda (Swe.)6-1, 185, 13-2-5-7-22011 draft, 196th overallWikstrand, a two-way blueliner, has had a long trek to being a true prospect. He&rsquo;s not the type who will wow anybody with his play. He&rsquo;s signed through next year with Frolunda, but has also played with Mora in a lesser league (27-4-16-20-14). There&rsquo;s little point rushing him to North America because he&rsquo;d be a long shot for the Sens. &ldquo;Playing with men will put him in a better position to challenge for a spot two years from now,&rdquo; Lee said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a smart player.&rdquo;<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 JEAN-GABRIEL PAGEAUC, 21, Binghamton (AHL)5-9, 175, 30-9-21-30-192011 draft, 96th overallHasn&rsquo;t recaptured last year&rsquo;s playoff magic. His role as an NHLer isn&rsquo;t carved out yet. Is he a scorer or not?7 MARCUS HOGBERGG, 19, Mora (Swe.)6-5, 209, GP 14, 2.86, .8972013 draft, 78th overallA big goalie with fast feet. He was a backup at the world juniors and needs playing time.8 STEPHANE DA COSTAC, 24, Binghamton (AHL)5-11, 180, 42-13-28-41-24Free agent, March 31, 2011Was read the riot act by Sens to go to AHL with a better attitude. He did. He&rsquo;s a point-per-game player there.9 MIKE HOFFMANC, 24, Binghamton (AHL)6-0, 185, 51-30-37-67-322009 draft, 130th overallCan really light up AHL scoresheet, but has struggled to duplicate success when called up to NHL.10 DEREK GRANTC, 23, Binghamton (AHL)6-3, 206, 24-6-6-12-52009 draft, 130th overallChance to be a role player in the NHL, but can&rsquo;t take a night off if he wants to pass others on depth chart. &#9632;

f0039-01

Dollars And Sens

<div class="byline">BY WAYNE FISH</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0040-01952/9921593-1-eng-US/f0040-012.jpg" title="f0040-01" width="243" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0040-02626/9921586-1-eng-US/f0040-022.jpg" title="f0040-02" width="1369" height="1511"><figcaption class="caption-body">SCOTT LAUGHTON (CLAUS ANDERSEN/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>IT MIGHT TAKE THE OLDEST, DUSTIEST SCRAPBOOK IN THE ATTIC TO FIND the last time a homegrown Flyer defenseman was named to the All-Star Game. Would you believe it was 1981 and none other than Behn Wilson? The likes of Mark Howe, Eric Desjardins, and Kimmo Timonen were imported from other teams. The point is the Flyers are still trying to develop another one of their own to steady their back line.Today, five of Philadelphia&rsquo;s top 10 prospects are defensemen &ndash; two of whom were chosen in the first two rounds of the draft. Maybe one of them is a star of the future.<h2>OVERALL 15</h2>1 SCOTT LAUGHTON, C, 19, Oshawa (OHL)6-1, 194, 48-37-43-80-652012 draft, 20th overallLaughton impressed the Flyers with a second straight strong training camp. He made the opening night roster, but was returned to Oshawa the next day. A natural leader, he was named Canada&rsquo;s WJC captain. &ldquo;That was a huge thing for him,&rdquo; said Flyers GM Paul Holmgren. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re happy with the way he&rsquo;s coming along. He&rsquo;s done everything you expect from a top prospect.&rdquo; With Oshawa, he already has a career high in points and plays with an edge.<h2>OVERALL 56</h2>2 SAMUEL MORIN, D, 18, Rimouski (QMJHL)6-7, 210, 46-7-20-27-1002013 draft, 12th overallMorin raised eyebrows at the draft by revealing he models his game after Chris Pronger&rsquo;s, aspiring to the future Hall of Famer&rsquo;s physicality &ldquo;He needs to continue to grow into his frame,&rdquo; Holmgren said. The Flyers like the confidence in Morin&rsquo;s game. &ldquo;He has put up a fair amount of points and he&rsquo;s matched up against other teams&rsquo; best lines all the time, so he&rsquo;s doing good things,&rdquo; Holmgren said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got edge in his game. He can handle himself.&rdquo;3 SHAYNE GOSTISBEHERE, D, 20, Union (ECAC)5-11, 175, 32-8-18-26-182012 draft, 78th overallGostisbehere&rsquo;s small frame stands out on his profile page. He added 15 pounds in the past year, but &ldquo;you don&rsquo;t want him to get too heavy,&rdquo; Holmgren said. &ldquo;All of a sudden he might lose his quickness and speed. He&rsquo;s a player who can use his stick more to be effective.&rdquo; A leader on Union College&rsquo;s 2012 run to the Frozen Four, he&rsquo;s a strong skater who makes quick decisions on the offensive side of the puck and Holmgren says he&rsquo;s improved defensively.4 NICK COUSINS, C, 20, Adirondack (AHL)5-11, 190, 50-5-9-14-252011 draft, 68th overallThe hard-nosed Cousins has had to alter his off-ice habits to successfully continue his career. He hasn&rsquo;t scored much this season, but is holding his own as a two-way player and the Flyers hope his offense returns. &ldquo;His point production isn&rsquo;t what it was the last two years of junior, but (the AHL) is a new game and he has to learn it,&rdquo; Holmgren said. &ldquo;He has stretches where he&rsquo;s a real good player, others where he isn&rsquo;t. He has to be more consistent.&rdquo;5 MARK ALT, D, 22, Adirondack (AHL)6-4, 210, 51-2-12-14-21Trade (Car), Jan. 13, 2013Alt is treasured as a right-handed shot and fundamentally sound coming from the University of Minnesota. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s very athletic, real good with the puck and he&rsquo;s one of the steadiest guys on (Adirondack),&rdquo; Holmgren said. If injuries strike the Flyers, Holmgren said Alt would be among the first call-ups. One drawback is he&rsquo;s not much of an offensive threat. He comes from an athletic family: His father, John, played for the NFL Kansas City Chiefs.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 ANTHONY STOLARZG, 20, London (OHL)6-6, 220, 21-4-2, 2.58, .9252012 draft, 45th overallWas playing well in first full OHL season until serious leg cut (55 stitches) sidelined him for a month.7 ROBERT HAGGD, 18, Ornskoldsvik (Swe.)6-2, 203, 46-1-5-6-20 2013 draft, 41st overallPoised, strong on the puck and adept at moving it up ice. Highly experienced for his age.8 TAYLOR LEIERLW, 19, Portland (WHL)5-11, 180, 53-32-35-67-272012 draft, 117th overallDid well to make Canada&rsquo;s team at the WJC. Offensively gifted, but projects as more of a two-way player.9 OLIVER LAURIDSEND, 24, Adirondack (AHL)6-6, 220, 52-1-7-8-1332009 draft, 196th overallBig and rangy, with 15 NHL games under his belt. Intimidating presence in the defensive zone.10 PETR STRAKARW, 21, Adirondack (AHL)6-0, 200, 46-7-15-22-18Free agent, April 11, 2013Exceptional speed, strong showing in Flyer training camp. Reasonable offense in first pro season in AHL. &#9632;

f0040-01

Looking Back

<div class="byline">BY SARAH MCLELLAN</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0041-01830/9921631-1-eng-US/f0041-012.jpg" title="f0041-01" width="244" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0041-02552/9921624-1-eng-US/f0041-022.jpg" title="f0041-02" width="1369" height="1490"><figcaption class="caption-body">MAX DOMI (CLAUS ANDERSEN/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>IN THE ERA OF QUICK FIXES, THE COYOTES HAVE REMAINED PATIENT, AT least when it comes to their group of maturing prospects.They&rsquo;ve been content to wait on their youngsters, letting them grow and gain experience at the junior level or in the minors. It&rsquo;s been five years since the organization implemented this philosophy, which coincided with the arrival of coach Dave Tippett, and the Coyotes have accumulated a range of players in their system that are on the brink of advancing to the NHL. The most important decision facing the team&rsquo;s brain trust is determining these players&rsquo; readiness.<h2>OVERALL 18</h2>1 MAX DOMI, C, 18, London (OHL)5-10, 197, 53-30-53-83-842013 draft, 12th overallDomi was one of the final cuts at Coyotes camp last fall and his return to junior wasn&rsquo;t smooth. His season started with a suspension and inconsistent play. But after more bad news &ndash; he didn&rsquo;t make Canada&rsquo;s WJC squad &ndash; he took off. He&rsquo;ll again contend for a spot with the Coyotes this fall and they hope to see a more mature player. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s been a dominant player in that league,&rdquo; said assistant GM Brad Treliving. &ldquo;Highly skilled, very productive on a good team.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 37</h2>2 BRANDON GORMLEY, D, 21, Portland (AHL)6-2, 196, 48-6-26-32-262010 draft, 13th overallGormley arrived at camp as one of the fittest players &ndash; including the veterans. He&rsquo;s used that conditioning to play in all situations for Portland and he&rsquo;s taken on a leadership role as an alternate captain. This is the evolution Phoenix had in mind for his second AHL season. All that stands between him and the NHL is the Coyotes&rsquo; need for a lefthanded D-man. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s just got to continue doing the things he&rsquo;s doing there and wait for his opportunity,&rdquo; Treliving said.<h2>OVERALL 49</h2>3 HENRIK SAMUELSSON, C, 19, Edmonton (WHL)6-3, 216, 54-29-50-79-852012 draft, 27th overallSamuelsson&rsquo;s skills with the puck are clear. He has a strong shot and solid vision in the offensive zone. His production ranks among the best for the team&rsquo;s prospects. The Coyotes see room for improvement, though. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to come down to getting a little quicker and his play away from the puck,&rdquo; Treliving said. And that isn&rsquo;t the only adjustment to make. Samuelsson has been playing center for the Oil Kings, but the Coyotes see him as a winger.4 CHRIS BROWN, RW, 22, Portland (AHL)6-2, 215, 47-14-20-34-682009 draft, 36th overallBrown&rsquo;s AHL numbers are down from his rookie year, but the Coyotes believe he&rsquo;ll score in the NHL. They&rsquo;re impressed with little details he&rsquo;s worked on: his board work and defense. That awareness can earn him time in Tippett&rsquo;s system. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a big guy and he can get to the front of the net and he can shoot the puck,&rdquo; Treliving said. A lot of the work coaches have done with Brown in Portland is his play away from the puck.5 LUCAS LESSIO, LW, 21, Portland (AHL)6-1, 206, 45-17-17-34-442011 draft, 56th overallLessio made the Coyotes, but was demoted after three games. He struggled to settle into the AHL as a firstyear pro and was hobbled by injuries. In time, he became comfortable with the Pirates. January was a turning point for him offensively. His size and strength on the puck are assets. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a big guy who can skate and has a dynamic element to him,&rdquo; Treliving said. Consistency will be key for Lessio to show he&rsquo;s ready for another shot in the NHL.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 MARK VISENTING, 21, Portland (AHL)6-2, 205, 12-16-4, 3.33, .9002010 draft, 27th overallMixed results in his first full season as a No. 1 in the pros. Needs to adjust to a heavier workload.7 LAURENT DAUPHINC, 18, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)6-0, 185, 52-24-30-54-562013 draft, 39th overallCompetitive, skilled and intelligent with the puck on his stick. Needs to mature physically to handle pros.8 ANDY MIELEC, 25, Portland (AHL)5-9, 180, 50-20-32-52-56Free agent, April 2, 2011Consistent scorer at AHL level, solid all over the ice. Nearing a bigger opportunity with the Coyotes.9 TOBIAS RIEDERC, 21, Portland (AHL)5-11, 190, 45-18-12-30-6Trade (Edm), March 29, 2013Easy to play with and boasts an impressive hockey IQ. Good offense as a rookie pro, but must get stronger.10 PAVEL LAPLANTEC, 18, Victoriaville (QMJHL)6-0, 184, 54-21-16-37-322013 draft, 62nd overallStruggled early, then drastically improved his production after a December trade. Plays a hard style. &#9632;

f0041-01

Pups On The Cusp

<div class="byline">BY JONATHAN BOMBULIE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0042-01882/9921669-1-eng-US/f0042-012.jpg" title="f0042-01" width="243" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0042-02580/9921662-1-eng-US/f0042-022.jpg" title="f0042-02" width="1369" height="1486"><figcaption class="caption-body">DERRICK POULIOT (BRYAN HEIM/PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS)</figcaption></div>THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE PENGUINS PROSPECT MAP HASN&rsquo;T&nbsp;changed much in the past five years. The blueline is the high point. Even with 2012 first-rounder Olli Maatta established in Pittsburgh at 19 and Joe Morrow traded in the Brenden Morrow deal last year, blue-chippers remain.The low point is up front, where the Penguins must hope an impact player or two emerges from an unspectacular group of forwards. The new development is in goal. For the first time since drafting Marc-Andre Fleury first overall in 2003, the Penguins have high-end netminding prospects in their system.<h2>OVERALL 20</h2>1 DERRICK POULIOT, D, 20, Portland (WHL)6-0, 203, 50-17-45-62-612012 draft, 8th overallPerhaps the best skater in his draft class, Pouliot is a power play whiz and an asset in the transition game. He&rsquo;s not an aggressive defender, however, so the Pens are monitoring his progress closely. Pouliot got a long look in camp, then played with Aaron Ekblad on Canada&rsquo;s most consistent pair at the WJC. He&rsquo;s added about 10 pounds since draft day. &ldquo;I try not to play undersized, but I still have to get stronger to handle those bigger guys,&rdquo; Pouliot said.<h2>OVERALL 45</h2>2 BRIAN DUMOULIN, D, 22, Wilkes-Barre (AHL)6-4, 219, 37-3-9-12-19Trade (Car), June 22, 2012Dumoulin emerged as a minute-munching, top-pair blueliner during the 2013 AHL playoffs. &ldquo;And the closest the AHL gets to the NHL is at playoff time,&rdquo; said Pens assistant GM Jason Botterill. Dumoulin hasn&rsquo;t been as impressive this season, slowed by a concussion and an ankle injury, but he had a solid six-game NHL debut. He&rsquo;ll never be the bone-rattling physical force some players his size are, but he uses his reach well to erase scoring chances.3 TRISTAN JARRY, G, 18, Edmonton (WHL)6-2, 183, 38-12-2, 2.18, .9152013 draft, 44th overallAfter Pittsburgh traded up to draft Jarry last June, his first month as a WHL No. 1 was terrible. The slump didn&rsquo;t last. In mid-October, he started a tear, winning 18 of 20 starts, with more shutouts than regulation losses. &ldquo;We really like the fact that he bounced back strong,&rdquo; Botterill said. They like Jarry&rsquo;s size, athleticism and makeup, but he must rely less on natural ability and more on technique as he climbs the ranks. A long-term project.4 SCOTT HARRINGTON, D, 20, Wilkes-Barre (AHL)6-2, 210, 54-3-14-17-452011 draft, 54th overallWith two WJCs, two Memorial Cup appearances and two AHL playoff games, Harrington has the resume to be a big-game defender. He&rsquo;s solid in his own zone and has put up more points than expected by getting the puck to his forwards quickly. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s done a nice job adapting to how we want to play systematically and he&rsquo;s done a good job, for a young guy, showing strength and the ability to compete down low,&rdquo; said Wilkes-Barre/Scranton coach John Hynes.5 MATT MURRAY, G, 19, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)6-5, 172, 30-10-5, 2.54, .9212012 draft, 83rd overallThe Penguins made goaltending a priority at the 2012 draft, leading them to Murray. He was a backup at 17 and mediocre at 18, but delivered on his potential this season. His numbers are among the OHL&rsquo;s best and he set a Greyounds single-season record with his sixth shutout by his 40th start. His combination of height, smarts and technical proficiency is rare. The Penguins want him to improve his quickness as he fills out and works on his skating.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;THE NEXT 5</h2>6 JAYSON MEGNAC, 23, Wilkes-Barre (AHL)6-1, 195, 16-9-3-12-4Free agent, Aug. 1, 2012Tremendous skater has logged some first-line NHL minutes despite pedestrian production.7 OSKAR SUNDQVISTC, 19, Skelleftea (Swe.)6-3, 196, 45-5-9-14-162012 draft, 81st overallA rangy, two-way center. Playing at the world juniors and against men in Sweden are big steps forward.8 SCOTT WILSONC, 21, UMass-Lowell (HE)6-0, 184, 22-5-9-14-182011 draft, 209th overallIf he can handle the physicality, he&rsquo;s great around the net &ndash; though his production has dipped as a junior.9 JOSH ARCHIBALDRW, 21, Neb. Omaha (NCHC)5-11, 181, 30-26-12-38-35 2011 draft, 174th overallMakes an impact with high-end speed. Offensive upside limited, but his scoring has spiked in college.10 ERIC HARTZELLG, 24, Wilkes-Barre (AHL)6-4, 205, 10-7-1, 2.19, .914Free agent, April 14, 2013Great combination of size and athleticism. High-strung at times. Sparkling numbers in debut AHL season. &#9632;

f0042-01

Pens Pad Pipeline

<div class="byline">BY JEREMY RUTHERFORD</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0043-01859/9921707-1-eng-US/f0043-012.jpg" title="f0043-01" width="244" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0043-02603/9921700-1-eng-US/f0043-022.jpg" title="f0043-02" width="1369" height="1483"><figcaption class="caption-body">DMITRIJ JASKIN (ROSS DETTMAN/CHICAGO WOLVES)</figcaption></div>NOW THAT THE BLUES HAVE CREATED A WINNING ATMOSPHERE IN&nbsp;St. Louis, the hope is they have done the same with their top minor-league affiliate. After a long-standing relationship with Peoria, Ill., the Blues sold their American League affiliate and reached an agreement for their players to suit up with the independently owned Chicago Wolves. The club won Calder Cups in 2008 and 2002 and has a current string of 19 consecutive winning seasons.Blues GM Doug Armstrong believes a successful environment can help player development. Judging by his top prospects&rsquo; progression this season, the move paid off.<h2>OVERALL 16</h2>1 DMITRIJ JASKIN, LW, 20, Chicago (AHL)6-3, 204, 39-14-14-28-282011 draft, 41st overallJaskin&rsquo;s evolution from curious draft selection, buried in a Czech men&rsquo;s league, to high-end NHL prospect continues. Blues coach Ken Hitchcock is perhaps Jaskin&rsquo;s biggest fan, comparing him to Jaromir Jagr and Marian Hossa. The winger has been summoned to St. Louis several times, displaying tremendous puck-protection skills. His size will make for a smoother transition to the NHL, but he must improve his skating and adapt to the pace of the game.<h2>OVERALL 27</h2>2 JAKE ALLEN, G, 23, Chicago (AHL)6-2, 203, 23-12-2, 2.12, .9232008 draft, 34th overallWhen Blues camp began, Allen was the odd man out in net, but it didn&rsquo;t affect his attitude. After nine NHL wins and all-rookie honors in 2012-13, he was destined for the AHL because Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott had a year left on their contracts. Allen maturely accepted his assignment and turned in another stellar AHL season. He is as athletic as they come, possesses outstanding side-to-side ability and continues to work on closing his holes.<h2>OVERALL 51</h2>3 TY RATTIE, RW, 20, Chicago (AHL)6-0, 189, 53-21-15-36-302011 draft, 32nd overallA talented WHL producer, Rattie was out to prove he could score at the pro level and he&rsquo;s done that in the AHL. He projects to be a top-six forward who contributes on the power play in the NHL. The knock is his skating, but scouts say he is surprisingly fast and can get separation. The undersized winger has filled out somewhat the past two years, but has to add more strength and must will himself to go to the hard areas of the ice more often.4 JOEL EDMUNDSON, D, 20, Chicago (AHL)6-4, 210, 45-2-3-5-832011 draft, 46th overallAfter being drafted as a project and dealing with injuries earlier in his career, Edmundson has developed into an attractive asset. His size made him a worthwhile gamble and while he hasn&rsquo;t completely caught up to the learning curve in the pros, he&rsquo;s shown signs of becoming a tough, mobile D-man. If he maxes out in the next few years, he will be a top-four blueliner at the next level. At worst he&rsquo;s a No. 5. Improved skating will influence where he winds up.5 JORDAN SCHMALTZ, D, 20, North Dakota (NCHC)6-2, 192, 29-4-15-19-122012 draft, 25th overallMany considered Schmaltz a reach and his exclusion from the WJC seemed to verify that. Team USA, which had a deep blueline, cut him during its evaluation camp. After returning to college, he&rsquo;s shown enough skill to make people believe there is plenty of upside. He&rsquo;s a puck-moving defenseman who can put passes on his teammates&rsquo; sticks in motion. He is also a qualified power play specialist. Defensive zone play remains a work in progress.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;THE NEXT 5</h2>6 TOMMY VANNELLID, 19, Medicine Hat (WHL)6-2, 175, 55-13-27-40-282013 draft, 42nd overallHe is the Blues&rsquo; bestskating prospect on the blueline, but he needs to battle harder in his own end.7 COLTON PARAYKOD, 20, Ala-Fairbanks (WCHA)6-6, 218, 30-4-18-22-162012 draft, 86th overallGreat size and instincts. Still projects to be a solid fifth defenseman in a shutdown role at NHL level.8 WILLIAM CARRIERLW, 19, Drum&rsquo;ville (QMJHL)6-2, 198, 57-16-38-54-682013 draft, 57th overallA player who takes pride in the details of his game, he could wind up better as a pro than as a junior.9 JORDAN BINNINGTONG, 20, Kalamazoo (ECHL)6-2, 170, 17-10-1, 2.33, .9222011 draft, 88th overallDoesn&rsquo;t have the same natural athleticism as Jake Allen, but his reads and positioning are top-tier.10 ZACH POCHIROC, 19, Prince George (WHL)6-2, 161, 56-26-32-58-1112013 draft, 112th overallHe has defined his future role as an agitator, but needs to pack on a lot more muscle to back it up. &#9632;

f0043-01

Top To Bottom

<div class="byline">BY DAVID POLLAK</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0044-01761/9921745-1-eng-US/f0044-012.jpg" title="f0044-01" width="243" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0044-02498/9921738-1-eng-US/f0044-022.jpg" title="f0044-02" width="1369" height="1463"><figcaption class="caption-body">MIRCO MUELLER (CHRISTOPHER MAST)</figcaption></div>THE SHARKS ARE ACCUSTOMED TO HAVING THEIR PROSPECT POOL&nbsp;dinged by outsiders. GM Doug Wilson has a ready response: &ldquo;I need to be respectful, but agents and teams jointly try and over-promote their people. Just look at who&rsquo;s playing. That&rsquo;s really what it&rsquo;s about.&rdquo;Critics notwithstanding, every year the Sharks add a rookie or two to their highend mix. This year, Tomas Hertl and Matt Nieto jumped into the mix. &ldquo;Our history is our history,&rdquo; said Wilson, who cites statistics that show San Jose picks since 2003 rank third among teams in games played. &ldquo;That speaks volumes.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 17</h2>1 MIRCO MUELLER, D, 18, Everett (WHL)6-3, 201, 50-4-17-21-312013 draft, 18th overallThe Sharks compare his playing style to that of Marc-Edouard Vlasic &ndash; steady, defense-first, capable of shutting down top players. Mueller&rsquo;s production has dipped, but scouting director Tim Burke isn&rsquo;t concerned. Mueller can move the puck out of his own zone and that aspect of offense doesn&rsquo;t translate into great numbers. Can Mueller, like Vlasic, make the jump at 19? &ldquo;Tough to say because of where our team is,&rdquo; Burke said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d say it&rsquo;s 50-50.&rdquo;2 GABRYEL BOUDREAU, LW, 18, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)5-11, 170, 59-14-13-27-752013 draft, 49th overallAnother case where the points are down considerably, but the Sharks aren&rsquo;t alarmed. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s on a good team and there&rsquo;s a lot of offense spread around,&rdquo; Burke said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;ve got so much firepower they play everybody.&rdquo; What Boudreau &ndash; a rare wing taken high by a team that prizes other positions more &ndash; also has going for him is his &ldquo;skilled agitator&rdquo; style. &ldquo;He bangs into goalies and is a pain,&rdquo; Burke said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a hard guy to cover because he&rsquo;ll give you a shot.&rdquo;3 TAYLOR DOHERTY, D, 22, Worcester (AHL)6-8, 235, 48-3-6-9-952009 draft, 57th overallIt&rsquo;s taken a few years, but Doherty&rsquo;s confidence is starting to match his imposing size. &ldquo;He went through the process of becoming a pro, figured out what he can and can&rsquo;t do,&rdquo; Burke said. &ldquo;The last time I was with him it was like, &lsquo;I know I can play in this league now.&rsquo;&rdquo; The Sharks contend Doherty would have already gotten an NHL shot with some teams, but finds himself behind a corps filled with other homegrown D-men. &ldquo;He can move for a big guy,&rdquo; Burke said.4 FREDDIE HAMILTON, C, 22, Worcester (AHL)6-1, 195, 42-15-14-29-22010 draft, 129th overallThe older brother of Boston&rsquo;s Dougie Hamilton went back and forth to Worcester four times before the Olympic break, a fill-in as San Jose coped with injuries. He saw action in 11 NHL games and the Sharks liked what they saw. &ldquo;Very reliable,&rdquo; Burke said. Hamilton is being groomed as a versatile center-wing. The Sharks decided to give Hamilton more minutes in the minors &ndash; &ldquo;breaking through in a higher role,&rdquo; according to Burke &ndash; rather than limited NHL ice time.5 CHRIS TIERNEY, C, 19, London (OHL)6-1, 195, 59-35-44-79-102012 draft, 55th overallWhen San Jose drafted him, there were questions about spending a high pick on a third-line player, even if he was on a team that went to the Memorial Cup. Since then, Tierney has worked his way up the Knights&rsquo; depth chart, scoring at almost a 1.5 point-per-game pace and serving as captain. &ldquo;We liked everything about his game other than he didn&rsquo;t shoot enough and he&rsquo;s sticking it to us right now,&rdquo; Burke said. &ldquo;He went back and proved to us he can score.&rdquo;<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;THE NEXT 5</h2>6 NICK PETRECKID, 24, Worcester (AHL)6-3, 230, 30-1-1-2-432007 draft, 28th overallInjuries a factor, but hasn&rsquo;t lived up to potential. Consistently physical, inconsistent in other areas.7 KONRAD ABELTSHAUSERD, 21, Worcester (AHL)6-5, 225, 37-3-8-11-102010 draft, 163rd overallAlready a top-four D-man first year in AHL after winning Memorial Cup in Halifax with Nathan MacKinnon.8 HARRI SATERIG, 24, Worcester (AHL)6-1, 205, 12-19-1, 3.21, .8842008 draft, 106th overallCould have been Sharks&rsquo; backup, but staff wanted him playing more in minors. Has NHL starter potential.9 CHRISTOPHE LALANCETTEC, 19, Drum&rsquo;ville (QMJHL)6-0, 180, 59-15-35-50-352012 draft, 109th overallGood production on good team. Sharks say he still needs to add more weight and strength.10 DYLAN DEMELOD, 20, Worcester (AHL)6-1, 195, 44-1-15-16-372011 draft, 179th overallFaltered some after showing progress end of last season. Adjusted to speed, worked up to top-four. &#9632;

f0044-01

Deceptive Progression

<div class="byline">BY DAMIAN CRISTODERO</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0045-01669/9921783-1-eng-US/f0045-012.jpg" title="f0045-01" width="244" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0045-02452/9921776-1-eng-US/f0045-022.jpg" title="f0045-02" width="1369" height="1422"><figcaption class="caption-body">ANDREY VASILEVSKIY (YURY KUZMIN/KHL PHOTO AGENCY)</figcaption></div>FOR YEARS, THE LIGHTNING&rsquo;S MINOR LEAGUE SYSTEM WAS BARREN.&nbsp;From 1998, when it drafted Vinny Lecavalier, to 2008, when it drafted Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay&rsquo;s best homegrown player was arguably Paul Ranger.The Lightning had six rookies playing significant roles this season: forwards J.T. Brown, Nikita Kucherov, Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat and defensemen Radko Gudas and Mark Barberio. (see pg. 57 for more.) &ldquo;The minor league system has done a great job,&rdquo; said player development coach Stacy Roest. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re pushing them, but not putting them in a position where it&rsquo;s too tough.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 1</h2>1 JONATHAN DROUIN, C, 18, Halifax (QMJHL)5-11, 192, 39-24-60-84-412013 draft, 3rd overallThe big question was how Drouin would react to being sent back to junior after a disappointing camp. He did not let down and will surely be with the Lightning next season. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard whenever you get reassigned to a club,&rdquo; Roest said. &ldquo;There was an adjustment period, but now he&rsquo;s doing well. He&rsquo;s playing both ends. He&rsquo;s killing penalties. He plays a lot of minutes.&rdquo; He also has been switched from left wing to center. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a dynamic offensive player,&rdquo; Roest said.<h2>OVERALL 13</h2>2 ANDREY VASILEVSKIY, G, 19, Salavat Yulaev (KHL)6-3, 203, 11-8-0, 2.37, .9192012 draft, 19th overallThe Bolts cannot wait to get Vasilevskiy to North America, perhaps as soon as this spring after his KHL season is over. &ldquo;He is so athletic and big,&rdquo; Roest said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re excited about what he has to offer the organization.&rdquo; Vasilevskiy helped Russia to a bronze medal at the 2014 WJC and his experience in the KHL puts his development ahead of other prospects. &ldquo;He moves so quick but, he&rsquo;s in control,&rdquo; Roest said, &ldquo;and he really sucks up rebounds well.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 72</h2>3 SLATER KOEKKOEK, D, 19, Windsor (OHL)6-2, 187, 59-15-37-52-382012 draft, 10th overallWith Koekkoek&rsquo;s shoulder problems finally behind him, his development is expected to spike. &ldquo;With the year he&rsquo;s having now,&rdquo; Roest said, &ldquo;he&rsquo;s playing big minutes. He&rsquo;s the captain at Windsor. He&rsquo;s come a long way.&rdquo; Koekkoek is a great skater and had he not been injured during his draft year he might have gone higher than the 10th overall pick. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s worked hard on his defensive game,&rdquo; Roest said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s learning the finer points of playing defense.&rdquo;4 ADAM ERNE, LW, 18, Quebec (QMJHL)6-1, 210, 48-21-41-62-652013 draft, 33rd overallErne made himself known in his first NHL action, scoring twice on the power play and once in a shootout in Tampa Bay&rsquo;s pre-season win over the Blues. He also earned a three-game suspension for an illegal check to the head of St. Louis&rsquo; Vladimir Sobotka. Everything you get with Erne was on display. &ldquo;He works hard and he likes to bang around,&rdquo; Roest said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a smart player. He can make plays. He can score. He&rsquo;s got a lot to work with.&rdquo;5BRETT CONNOLLY, RW, 21, Syracuse (AHL)6-2, 201, 42-13-19-32-302010 draft, 6th overallConnolly dealt with disappointment when he was sent back to the minors out of camp. He struggled at first with the Crunch, but righted the ship. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s always hard when you get put back in the AHL from the NHL,&rdquo; Roest said. &ldquo;The one thing he&rsquo;s done is put the work in. He&rsquo;s becoming a better player.&rdquo; In 84 NHL games, Connolly didn&rsquo;t have consistent success with just six goals. Roest said the organization still believes he has a bright NHL future.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;THE NEXT 5</h2>6 NIKITA NESTEROVD, 20, Syracuse (AHL)6-0, 185, 41-3-9-12-372011 draft, 148th overallSmart and moves the puck, but defending on smaller North American ice is the challenge.7 VLADISLAV NAMESTNIKOVC, 21, Syracuse (AHL)6-0, 171, 36-15-19-34-212011 draft, 27th overallNephew of former Red Wings player Slava Kozlov received rave reviews from Bolts coach Jon Cooper.8 ANDREJ SUSTRD, 23, Syracuse (AHL)6-8, 225, 9-1-1-2-2Free agent, March 21, 2013Skyscraper made the team out of camp before being sent down to the minors after 38 games.9 KRISTERS GUDLEVSKISG, 21, Syracuse (AHL)6-4, 190, 11-8-2, 2.69, .9002013 draft, 124th overallTeam loves the way he battles and his commitment to off-ice work. Great Olympic showing for Latvia.10 CEDRIC PAQUETTEC, 20, Syracuse (AHL)6-1, 206, 46-4-20-24-542012 draft, 101st overallRelentless and solid two-way player is good defensively and wins more than his share of faceoffs. &#9632;

f0045-01

Bolts See The Light

<div class="byline">BY MICHAEL TRAIKOS</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0046-01676/9921821-1-eng-US/f0046-012.jpg" title="f0046-01" width="243" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0046-02448/9921814-1-eng-US/f0046-022.jpg" title="f0046-02" width="1370" height="1535"><figcaption class="caption-body">FREDERIK GAUTHIER (RIMOUSKI OCEANIC)</figcaption></div>IF YOU WERE TO PICK ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE THE TORONTO MAPLE&nbsp;Leafs&rsquo; philosophy at the draft, it would be &ldquo;safe.&rdquo; After years of trading away picks and prospects, the organization&rsquo;s focus has been to restock the cupboards by taking low-risk, low-reward players instead of trying to swing for the fences.That was certainly the case with 2013 first-round pick Frederik Gauthier, who the Leafs project as a No. 3 center. &ldquo;You have to rate the risk-reward factor versus a guy you know is going to be an asset,&rdquo; said Dave Morrison, Toronto&rsquo;s director of amateur scouting. &ldquo;He might not be as flashy, but you know he&rsquo;ll be an asset.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 61</h2>1 FREDERIK GAUTHIER, C, 18, Rimouski (QMJHL)6-4, 215, 45-11-28-39-232013 draft, 21st overallTeams can overvalue their prospects. But the Leafs are realistic about Gauthier&rsquo;s future. &ldquo;Is he going to be a big scorer in the NHL?&rdquo; Morrison said. &ldquo;Probably not. But he&rsquo;s going to help us win hockey games.&rdquo; Gauthier projects to be a third-line center. That might not sound like much for a first-round pick, but it was the role he played for Canada at the world juniors, where he killed penalties, took defensivezone faceoffs and was used in a shutdown capacity.1 MATTHEW FINN, D, 19, Guelph (OHL)6-1, 205, 56-14-40-54-402012 draft, 35th overallA year ago, Finn finished outside the top 30 among OHL defensemen in scoring. This year, he&rsquo;s in the top three. What&rsquo;s different? &ldquo;He&rsquo;s healthy,&rdquo; Morrison said. Finn missed 27 games and played through mononucleosis last season. Now the Guelph captain is on his way to joining Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner on a young Leafs blueline. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s having a terrific year on a terrific team,&rdquo; Morrison said. &ldquo;He has the potential to be on the power play.&rdquo;3 ANDREAS JOHNSON, LW, 19, Frolunda (Swe.)5-10, 183, 39-15-8-23-22013 draft, 202nd overallThe Leafs do not take many chances, but they took a gamble on Johnson when they selected him in the seventh round. So far, it&rsquo;s paying off. The forward, who recently made the jump to the Swedish League, is having a breakout year after helping his country reach the final at the world juniors. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a small player, but protects the puck well and has a high IQ,&rdquo; Morrison said. &ldquo;He has the ingredients that will help him over here.&rdquo;4 CONNOR BROWN, RW, 20, Erie (OHL)5-11, 170, 58-41-71-112-222012 draft, 156th overallWhen the Leafs selected Brown in the sixth round, all anyone talked about was his minus-72 rating. Two years later, he was the first to reach 100 points in all of major junior. While playing with projected 2015 top pick Connor McDavid has helped, the two have been split up for half the season. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s just McDavid,&rdquo; Morrison said. &ldquo;In (Brown&rsquo;s draft year), he had 53 points as a 17-year-old out of tier-II. So, it&rsquo;s not unexpected.&rdquo;5 PETTER GRANBERG, D, 21, Toronto (AHL)6-3, 209, 51-2-2-4-222010 draft, 116th overallYou&rsquo;d think Granberg, who matched up against Steven Stamkos at the World Championship, would be an NHLer by now. But the Leafs have been patient, keeping him in Sweden for three years before bringing him to North America. Now, it is just a matter of waiting for a roster spot. &ldquo;A year ago, he looked like he was going to be an NHLer,&rdquo; Morrison said. &ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t know how long it would take to make the transition. By the looks of it, it won&rsquo;t be long.&rdquo;<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;THE NEXT 5</h2>6 ANDREW MACWILLIAMD, 23, Toronto (AHL)6-2, 229, 42-0-5-5-652008 draft, 188th overallThe stay-at-home defenseman&rsquo;s game is about punishment. &ldquo;He hits to hurt,&rdquo; Morrison said.7 GREG MCKEGGC, 21, Toronto (AHL)6-0, 191, 42-13-21-34-102010 draft, 62nd overallIce time limited during the lockout, but McKegg is aiming to become a point-pergame scorer in the minors.8 JOSH LEIVOLW, 20, Toronto (AHL)6-2, 195, 38-12-13-25-102011 draft, 86th overallA right-handed left winger like Joffrey Lupul. Toronto sees top-six potential with this power forward.9 TYLER BIGGSRW, 20, Toronto (AHL)6-2, 224, 43-6-2-8-342011 draft, 22nd overallCompared to Milan Lucic on draft day, Biggs is developing into more of a fourth-liner.10 STUART PERCYD, 20, Toronto (AHL)6-1, 187, 48-1-14-15-262011 draft, 25th overallDoesn&rsquo;t hit or score, but he possesses sufficient hockey IQ to become another Carl Gunnarsson. &#9632;

f0046-01

No Risky Business

<div class="byline">BY BEN KUZMA</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0047-01610/9921859-1-eng-US/f0047-012.jpg" title="f0047-01" width="244" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0047-02400/9921852-1-eng-US/f0047-022.jpg" title="f0047-02" width="1369" height="1524"><figcaption class="caption-body">BO HORVAT (CLAUS ANDERSEN/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>WHILE THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS AWAIT THE RECOVERY OF 2013 first-round pick Hunter Shinkaruk, who had season-ending hip surgery in January, one thing is crystal clear: there has never been more interest in what the franchise has &ndash; or lacks &ndash; for prospects because the future has become as important as the present for this aging club.&ldquo;We&rsquo;re very deep right now,&rdquo; said Canucks assistant GM Lorne Henning. &ldquo;We have our own farm team now (the AHL&rsquo;s Utica Comets) and had an excellent draft and a great foundation down there. The kids are getting better.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 12</h2>1 BO HORVAT, C, 18, London (OHL)6-0, 206, 47-26-42-68-322013 draft, 9th overallHe&rsquo;ll always be linked to the draft-day trade for Cory Schneider to get New Jersey&rsquo;s first-round pick, but what put Horvat on the fast track was his excellent play at the WJC in all situations, along with his leadership. He&rsquo;s won&rsquo;t dazzle with speed, but has an uncanny ability to find his linemates. His two-way effectiveness could land him NHL duty next season in the third-line slot, where the Canucks have struggled to find a replacement for Manny Malhotra.<h2>OVERALL 40</h2>2 HUNTER SHINKARUK, C, 19, Medicine Hat (WHL)5-10, 181, 18-5-11-16-292013 draft, 24th overallLasted 18 games before hip-labrum surgery. Playing through pain affected his scoring, but in the pre-season Vancouver liked his ability to find the net from tough angles. Shinkaruk&rsquo;s explosiveness and good hands were evident, but his size and upper-body strength were concerning, as he handily lost board and puck battles. A good stride and balance help, but getting healthy and stronger are imperative. He probably needs another WHL season.3 FRANK CORRADO, D, 20, Utica (AHL)6-2, 191, 43-5-5-10-362011 draft, 150th overallWhen recalled in 2012-13 for three regular season games and all four playoff games &ndash; they ate up the first year of his contract &ndash; adrenaline powered Corrado to not look out of place at the NHL level. With the injuries in Vancouver this season, the recall demands and adjustments have been greater after a strong pre-season. Playing 25 minutes a game in the minors, including on the power play and penalty kill, will accelerate his development.4 BRENDAN GAUNCE, C, 19, Erie (OHL)6-2, 205, 55-25-35-60-572012 draft, 26th overallHe didn&rsquo;t get a ringing endorsement and was kept off Team Canada for the WJC. But an OHL trade from Belleville placed Gaunce on a high-octane Erie team with Canucks free-agent signee Dane Fox. The results have been encouraging. Playing center and left wing gives him the versatility the Canucks covet as they attempt to remake their club. They lack a true power forward and the opportunity is there for Gaunce to parlay those OHL goals into an NHL job.5 COLE CASSELS, C, 18, Oshawa (OHL)6-0, 178, 54-23-40-63-812013 draft, 85th overallThe son of ex-Canucks pivot Andrew Cassels, Cole showed good offensive touch at the Young Stars tournament in Penticton and opened up a lot of eyes with heady play and an edge to his game. A complete player at both ends of the ice, he proved he did more than just hang around his dad. &ldquo;I have a bit of my dad&rsquo;s hands and I take some of his hockey sense into my game,&rdquo; Cassels said. &ldquo;If I&rsquo;m doing something wrong, he&rsquo;s not afraid to call me.&rdquo;<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 DANE FOXC, 20, Erie (OHL)6-0, 185, 58-56-37-93-109Free agent, Dec. 28, 2013Passed over in NHL draft, scoring at goal-a-game clip. Smart playmaker. Good release. Discipline is an issue.7 NICKLAS JENSENRW, 20, Utica (AHL)6-3, 203, 47-14-4-18-202011 draft, 29th overallMissed five weeks with shoulder injury, needed 19 games for first AHL goal. Must develop confidence.8 BEN HUTTOND, 20, Maine (HE)6-3, 200, 30-13-13-26-42012 draft, 147th overallHobey Baker finalist has size, puck-moving ability and an offensive flash that has him climbing depth chart.9 ANTON CEDERHOLMD, 18, Portland (WHL)6-2, 214, 62-2-11-13-822013 draft, 145th overallImproved mobility has allowed physical Swede to move into shutdown role. He&rsquo;s a solid, heavy hitter.10 JORDAN SUBBAND, 18, Belleville (OHL)5-9, 175, 57-11-28-39-512013 draft, 115th overallThird member of the Subban clan drafted. Makes up for lack of size with good wheels, offensive smarts. &#9632;

f0047-01

Tomorrow Tops Today

<div class="byline">BY BRAIN MCNALLY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-01474/9921897-1-eng-US/f0048-012.jpg" title="f0048-01" width="243" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-02305/9921890-1-eng-US/f0048-022.jpg" title="f0048-02" width="1369" height="1571"><figcaption class="caption-body">EVGENY KUZNETSON (YURY KUZMIN/KHL PHOTO AGENCY)</figcaption></div>THE CAPITALS WERE BUILT THROUGH THE DRAFT. ALEX OVECHKIN,&nbsp;Nicklas Backstrom, Marcus Johansson, John Carlson, Mike Green, Karl Alzner and the organization&rsquo;s top three goalies, Braden Holtby, Michal Neuvirth and Philipp Grubauer, all are homegrown.But trades and graduation have left a farm system in transition. What&rsquo;s left is a pair of legitimate high-end talents, a few depth defensemen and players who project as third-liners. If Washington hits on Andre Burakovsky and can convince Evgeny Kuznetsov to sign after his KHL deal ends, it would infuse some added skill.<h2>OVERALL 6</h2>1 EVGENY KUZNETSOV, C, 21, Chelyabinsk (KHL)6-1, 198, 27-7-10-17-102010 draft, 26th overallKuznetsov has long been considered one of the best in the world outside the NHL. But questions have lingered about when he will decamp for Washington. Kuznetsov&rsquo;s main reason for signing with Traktor was to make Russia&rsquo;s roster for the Olympics, but inconsistent play and injuries early in the season ended his chances. He had just 17 points heading into the KHL&rsquo;s Olympic break. Will he join Washington soon? His contract expires April 30.<h2>OVERALL 19</h2>2 ANDRE BURAKOVSKY, LW, 18, Erie (OHL)6-2, 187, 47-31-36-67-302013 draft, 23rd overallHe wasted no time coming to North America after he was chosen in the draft. The Austrian-born Burakovsky is a left wing in an organization with no elite scoring options at that position now that Alex Ovechkin has moved to the right side. He has adjusted well in his first OHL season playing on one of the league&rsquo;s best offensive teams. Burakovsky had seven points in seven games for Sweden at the WJC, collecting a silver medal.3 NATE SCHMIDT, D, 22, Hershey (AHL)6-0, 198, 27-1-7-8-10Free agent, April 3, 2013An undrafted free agent who played college at Minnesota, Schmidt flashes offensive skill. He&rsquo;s split time between the NHL and AHL due to injuries and his own solid play in the minors. Though not big, he&rsquo;s solid and has a powerful shot. Schmidt&rsquo;s greatest asset is his skating. He&rsquo;s very smooth and has good acceleration. He hasn&rsquo;t put up jaw-dropping numbers in the minors, but it is his first full pro season and there&rsquo;s room to grow.4 MICHAEL LATTA, C, 22, Hershey (AHL)6-0, 213, 31-7-17-24-113Trade (Nsh), April 3, 2013The &ldquo;other&rdquo; player in the infamous Filip Forsberg-Martin Erat trade last spring, Latta provides the Caps with an option at fourth-line center, but has spent most of his season developing at Hershey while seeing time at wing, too. He is part of what is a concerted effort by GM George McPhee to acquire players who are difficult to play against. The combative Latta fits that bill with 100-plus penalty minutes. He has shown some offensive skill in the minors.5 PATRICK WEY, D, 22, Hershey (AHL)6-3, 210, 20-1-3-4-202009 draft, 115th overallWey is a unique asset in an organization that features offensive blueliners Mike Green and John Carlson, but few young, physical defensemen. Wey is a stay-at-home type with the frame and willingness to clear opposing forwards from the front of the net. The former Boston College star is another player who has spent time with Hershey and Washington. To become a regular, Wey must work on his skating, which isn&rsquo;t a strength early in his pro career.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 RILEY BARBERRW, 19, Miami (NCHC)6-0, 194, 30-18-20-38-222012 draft, 167th overallSophomore is a two-way force on rebuilding Miami (Ohio) and was captain of Team USA at world juniors.7 MADISON BOWEYD, 18, Kelowna (WHL)6-2, 203, 61-15-34-49-832013 draft, 53rd overallFormer baseball pitcher is one of the top scoring blueliners in the WHL. Needs a physical element.8 STANISLAV GALIEVRW, 22, Hershey (AHL)6-2, 187, 9-3-1-4-02010 draft, 86th overallLost development time after missing two months with a shoulder injury. Returned in late February.9 CHANDLER STEPHENSONC, 19, Regina (WHL)5-11, 201, 59-28-46-74-512012 draft, 77th overallHe has moved to center, where his scoring touch is now paired with improved two-way play.10 ZACH SANFORDLW, 19, Waterloo (USHL)6-3, 190, 40-12-16-28-432013 draft, 61st overallBig winger adjusting to first year in USHL. Headed to Boston College next season. A long-term project. &#9632;

f0048-01

Waiting For Kuznetsov

<div class="byline">BY TIM CAMPBELL</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-01465/9921935-1-eng-US/f0049-012.jpg" title="f0049-01" width="244" height="244"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-02361/9921928-1-eng-US/f0049-022.jpg" title="f0049-02" width="1369" height="1477"><figcaption class="caption-body">JOSH MORRISSEY (THOMAS PORTER)</figcaption></div>THERE IS NO DUST SETTLING ON THE WINNIPEG JETS&rsquo; PROSPECT&nbsp;list. It&rsquo;s a near-complete turnover in one year &ndash; five names graduated to the NHL roster and a wave of 2012 and 2013 draft picks (the Jets had 16) supplanted all but center Adam Lowry, the 2013 WHL player of the year.Conscious his free agent options are limited, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff needs that momentum via youth to continue. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s kind of lost in the shuffle this year that we have a 19- and 20-year-old that are making a big impact on our team,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;That we are on any given day one of the youngest teams if not the youngest in the NHL.&rdquo;<h2>OVERALL 30</h2>1 JOSH MORRISSEY, D, 18, Prince Albert (WHL)6-0, 186, 49-22-40-62-492013 draft, 13th overallMorrissey&rsquo;s hockey IQ, quickness, agility and offense have him on the fast track. He&rsquo;s already signed an NHL entry-level deal. He played for Canada at the WJC and led WHL blueliners in goals past the midway point of the season. This likely won&rsquo;t be the same quick-stardom story Jacob Trouba authored, but Morrissey&rsquo;s competitive streak is underrated. The Jets will have room for a puck-moving D-man considering their incremental shift towards speed.<h2>OVERALL 57</h2>2 NIC PETAN, C, 18, Portland (WHL)5-9, 173, 54-34-72-106-552013 draft, 43rd overallThere&rsquo;s a lot in the plus column. Petan, also signed, played on Canada&rsquo;s WJC team and piles up points in the WHL, where he shared last season&rsquo;s scoring title. On the minus side, not much, except for size. &ldquo;We drafted him and didn&rsquo;t look at his size,&rdquo; Cheveldayoff said. &ldquo;To a certain extent you can&rsquo;t help but notice it, but there are lots of players at different sizes at the NHL level. The dynamic things he brings to the table are what excite us the most.&rdquo;3 ERIC COMRIE, G, 18, Tri-City (WHL)6-0, 175, 24-22-7, 2.59, .9232013 draft, 59th overallOVERALL 73Comrie is quick and technically driven and his appearance so high on Winnipeg&rsquo;s list reveals the good situation Cheveldayoff has in terms of goalie prospects. In addition to Comrie, Connor Hellebuyck is at No. 6 and the Jets even consider RPI&rsquo;s Jason Kasdorf, who&rsquo;s been injured for most of the season, in this stable, too. The younger brother of ex-NHLer Mike Comrie has not let early-2013 hip surgery &ndash; prior to his selection by the Jets &ndash; deter his progress.4 ADAM LOWRY, C, 20, St. John&rsquo;s (AHL)6-5, 205, 47-13-8-21-412011 draft, 67th overallInjuries have slowed Lowry&rsquo;s first pro season. It&rsquo;s only his second year at center, but he&rsquo;s progressed. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s really come on since Christmas, been very, very strong,&rdquo; Cheveldayoff said. &ldquo;It just goes to show with a lot of young players that they&rsquo;re highly touted and have ability, but it takes time to find their way at different levels. We saw it with Mark Scheifele.&rdquo; Lowry&rsquo;s size, improved skating and quicker processing of the game have pushed him up the Jets&rsquo; list.5 ANDREW COPP, C, 19, Michigan (Big Ten)6-1, 205, 26-13-11-24-202013 draft, 104th overallCopp was passed over at the 2012 draft and lasted several rounds in 2013. The two-sport athlete broke his collarbone as a high school quarterback before he could go all-in on hockey, but Trouba&rsquo;s close friend is catching up. Copp&rsquo;s offense has improved, he&rsquo;s good on draws and he&rsquo;s a leader at Michigan. &ldquo;Great world juniors (with USA) and people outside the organization, the way they talk about him, they really can see him as a pro,&rdquo; Cheveldayoff said.<h2>ON THE HORIZON&nbsp;The NEXT 5</h2>6 CONNOR HELLEBUYCKG, 20, UMass-Lowell (HE)6-4, 201, 12-6-2, 1.90, .9382012 draft, 130th overallThe tall, rangy stopper has become a team leader and has already shown he can steal some games.7 JULIAN MELCHIORID, 22, St. John&rsquo;s (AHL)6-4, 209, 32-0-6-6-202010 draft, 87th overallBig wingspan on a defenseman who&rsquo;s growing into his frame. Still progressing. Mobile for his size.8 SCOTT KOSMACHUKRW, 20, Guelph (OHL)6-0, 190, 58-40-42-82-682012 draft, 70th overallContinues sniping, with offensive numbers up each year, and is now bringing sandpaper to his game.9 J.C. LIPONRW, 20, St. John&rsquo;s (AHL)6-0, 180, 51-6-23-29-932013 draft, 91st overallA winger with edge. &ldquo;Flies under radar first time you play him, not the second,&rdquo; Cheveldayoff said.10 RYAN OLSENC, 19, Kelowna (WHL)6-2, 194, 60-27-28-55-612012 draft, 160th overallMaturing, sturdy center. Developing a two-way game. Consistency has become a strength this season. &#9632;

f0049-01

Clear The Runway

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0050-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-01454/9921966-1-eng-US/f0050-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">EXCEPTIONAL STATUSMan-sized defenseman Aaron Ekblad has been identified as a premier talent since he was 15. (TERRY WILSON/OHL IMAGES)</figcaption></div>JUNIOR HOCKEY IS ALL ABOUT development and education, but sometimes the lessons learned are harsher than others. Midway through the World Junior Championship in Malmo, Sweden, Barrie Colts defenseman Aaron Ekblad was in a good place. Despite being the youngest blueliner on the team, he was also one of Canada&rsquo;s best, demonstrating tremendous poise and rewarding the team&rsquo;s brass for selecting him. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m happy to be here and happy to be playing with such great players,&rdquo; he said at the time. &ldquo;Getting the minutes I am, the trust the coaches have in me is great and that&rsquo;s building my confidence.&rdquo;But ultimately, Canada&rsquo;s fortunes sank in the medal round and while Ekblad was still a great contributor, even he looked shaky in the semifinal loss to Finland. Canada would drop to fourth after another loss to Russia. &ldquo;We learned a lot of harsh lessons,&rdquo; says Ekblad, 18. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s an unfortunate thing to happen. But the positive is being prepared so it doesn&rsquo;t happen again.&rdquo;Based on Ekblad&rsquo;s trajectory, he might be too busy in the NHL to contest for another medal at the world juniors. Scouts regard him as the best defenseman available in the draft this year and his play in Malmo demonstrated he will not be intimidated by older competition. When you&rsquo;re 6-foot-4 and 217 pounds and smart enough to win academic awards all three years in the Ontario League, that only makes sense. &ldquo;He has the body of like, a 35 or 40-year-old,&rdquo; says Minnesota Wild prospect Matt Dumba, who roomed with Ekblad at the world juniors. &ldquo;The guy shaves his chest every week. I can&rsquo;t believe it. Just a huge human being; I call him &lsquo;Shrek.&rsquo; But he&rsquo;s a great kid.&rdquo;The decision to bring Ekblad to Sweden naturally came downt to his talent, but philosophically Hockey Canada took a leap of faith in bringing three underaged players (Sam Reinhart and Connor McDavid being the others) when in the past the party line had always been that the world juniors was a tournament for 19-year-olds. &ldquo;It was real interesting with Aaron,&rdquo; says Team Canada head scout Ryan Jankowski. &ldquo;It was a process to really become familiar with him. Could he do it on this stage? The one thing about Aaron is he&rsquo;s mature beyond his years both on and off the ice.&ldquo;His play at the (summer under-18) Ivan Hlinka tournament was the first step in thinking he could be a candidate to make this team. You go watch him in Barrie, he plays a lot of minutes. He really has to manage his ice because he plays so much.&rdquo;The recipient of an exceptional status waiver through the &ldquo;John Tavares Rule,&rdquo; Ekblad entered the OHL as a 15-year-old and has not disappointed. Named the captain of the Colts this year, he is putting up roughly a point per game from the blueline for the first time in his career while playing important minutes for a very good team.Last season, he helped the Colts come within one goal of an OHL championship, as they fell in Game 7 to the London Knights despite a slew of injuries. Barrie had to play the final game without Mark Scheifele, a dominant junior player now racking up points for the Winnipeg Jets. Ekblad&rsquo;s play in the series caught the eye of London GM Mark Hunter and his brother Dale, who coaches the Knights. Both were also part of Canada&rsquo;s Ivan Hlinka effort in the summer. &ldquo;They spoke volumes about him in the playoffs last year,&rdquo; Jankowski says. &ldquo;He and Mark Scheifele were Barrie&rsquo;s two best players. He&rsquo;s been battle-tested and gone through a lot &ndash; he&rsquo;s not your typical 17-year-old.&rdquo;Canada won gold at that tournament and Ekblad&rsquo;s signature game came early, when he set up three goals against the Czech Republic and made a pass that led to a penalty shot for the Canucks. In effect, he helped on every goal in the victory.Thanks to his wide variety of skills at both ends of the ice and size that can&rsquo;t be taught, you can expect many more dominant efforts by Ekblad as his career takes bloom. &#9632;

f0050-01

Ekblad Has The Tools

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0051-01353/9921997-1-eng-US/f0051-012.jpg" title="f0051-01" width="592" height="649"><figcaption class="caption-body">(THOMAS PORTER)</figcaption></div><h2>1 LEON DRAISAITL&nbsp;C, PRINCE ALBERT (WHL)</h2>The high-scoring pivot&rsquo;s style has been compared to that of Joe Thornton and Anze Kopitar thanks to his big frame and playmaking ability. The German national is particularly dangerous because he can make equally good plays on the forehand and backhand. Possesses professional awareness and anticipation.SCOUT SAYS: &ldquo;He&rsquo;s going to be in the NHL for sure next year. Complete player, playmaking center who makes guys around him so much better.&rdquo;<h2>2 AARON EKBLAD D, BARRIE (OHL)</h2>He&rsquo;s a big defenseman who can do everything on the ice and does so with poise. His extra junior experience makes him all the more ready for the big time and he looked solid on an otherwise ragged Canadian D-corps at the world juniors. Ekblad can play huge minutes and is developing more of an edge to his game.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;You&rsquo;re getting a building block for any team. He plays the game with authority and he can move the puck.&rdquo;<h2>3 SAM BENNETT C, KINGSTON (OHL)</h2>Bennett ran up a 25-game points streak from November to January, despite missing time due to a groin injury. For a top-end talent, he can play the game in a variety of styles and his versatility isn&rsquo;t common for a top-five pick. His hockey sense is off the charts and he plays with that extra pop teams crave.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;Elite offensive skill and vision. May have the strongest stick in the league. Never gets outmuscled and torques his body to win battles.&rdquo;<h2>4 SAM REINHART C, KOOTENAY (WHL)</h2>The youngest of the three Reinhart brothers may turn out to be the best. Sam is an incredibly smart player and can really put points on the board. He fared well at the world juniors and is capable of playing in all situations. Sometimes scouts want to see him dig in a bit more, but he&rsquo;s still pretty special.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;Seventy percent of junior centers end up playing wing. He&rsquo;s a center. Cerebral, smart, makes others better. Not flashy, but a solid two-way player.&rdquo;<h2>5 MICHAEL DAL COLLE LW, OSHAWA (OHL)</h2>A big-bodied winger with a wicked release to his shot, Dal Colle has been piling up points for the Generals all season and is one of the top scorers in the OHL, alongside Bennett. At 6-foot-2 and just 171 pounds, he&rsquo;s got to fill out his frame. Not an overly physical player, Dal Colle lets his hands and skates do the talking.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;Great offensive instincts. Great hands, skill, vision and creativity. Good on the power play and knows where to be to get scoring chances.&rdquo;<h2>6 WILLIAM NYLANDER C, MODO (SHL)</h2>William is the son of former NHLer Michael Nylander and has played alongside his dad this season. But he&rsquo;s also been moved around a lot, with Modo being his third team. He found excellent chemistry with fellow 2014 prospect David Pastrnak in Sodertalje and has elite offensive tools while making plays at high speed.SCOUT&nbsp;SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;Outstanding with the puck. When you go to the game as a scout, you want to pay for the ticket just to see him.&rdquo;<h2>7 BRENDAN PERLINI LW, NIAGARA (OHL)</h2>Playing on the top line of a rebuilding Ice-Dogs franchise, Perlini has found excellent chemistry with Toronto pick Carter Verhaeghe and piled up the points as a result. He&rsquo;s a big kid with great skating ability and is a focused young athlete whose dad had a cup of coffee with the Maple Leafs before moving to England.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a big man who skates very well. Tremendous release. Finds the seams, finds the holes and makes himself available.&rdquo;<h2>8 KASPERI KAPANEN RW, KALPA (FIN.)</h2>The son of Sami Kapanen is playing against men, but it&rsquo;s him and fellow teen Artturi Lehkonen doing the heavy lifting for a disappointing squad. Kapanen missed the world juniors due to injury and despite all the adversity has impressed scouts with his quickness, compete level and nose for the net.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;Pro demeanor, knows where he needs to be. Distributes the puck, reads off his teammates. A smart player with very good awareness on the ice.&rdquo;<h2>9 HAYDN FLEURY D, RED DEER (WHL)</h2>A strong defenseman with an enviable 6-foot-3, 198-pound frame, Fleury has put up top-20 numbers among defensemen in the WHL. Like Ekblad, Fleury is a poised player and in a draft that doesn&rsquo;t feature a lot of high-end talent on the back end, he&rsquo;s second only to the Colts star.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;Big, fluid, mobile and really composed. This guy is very good. He&rsquo;s got the three &lsquo;S&rsquo;s &ndash; size, skating and sense. It&rsquo;s hard to find defensemen like him.&rdquo;<h2>10 NICK RITCHIE&nbsp;LW, PETERBOROUGH (OHL)</h2>Ritchie tied a franchise record by potting five goals in one game and has generally been scoring in bunches. His big brother Brett is a Dallas Stars prospect and Nick is also gifted with size, coming in at 6-foot-3 and 229 pounds. That weight does concern scouts a bit, but his skills are unquestioned.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;Power forward potential. Puck skills and hockey sense are pretty good. Strong, plays with a nasty edge and shoots bombs. Has a little bit of Milan Lucic in him.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0051-01

SNEAK PEEK 2014 DRAFT

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0052-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0052-01351/9922035-1-eng-US/f0052-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">SWEET IN SWEDENJack Eichel&rsquo;s play in Malmo thrust him into the discussion as the top 2015 prospect. (MATTHEW MURNAGHAN/HHOF-IIHF IMAGES)</figcaption></div>IT&rsquo;S HARD TO BELIEVE ANYBODY could challenge Canadian phenom Connor McDavid for top spot in the 2015 draft, but then again, it was hard to watch the World Junior Championship in Malmo and not notice Jack Eichel.The American center anchored the second line, was trusted with last-minute faceoffs when his team was trailing and put up a point per game at the tourney while McDavid was relegated to spot duty on the Canadian squad. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a credit to the coaches who believed in me and my teammates for making me look good,&rdquo; Eichel says. &ldquo;We played a good 5-on-5 game throughout the tournament and the team allowed me to play my game.&rdquo;It&rsquo;s not a perfect comparison, of course. Canada&rsquo;s brass was easing McDavid into the world juniors and will expect him to dominate when the mid-season classic comes to Toronto and Montreal next year, but it is prudent to reconsider conventional wisdom and conceive of a world where McDavid goes second overall. &ldquo;Particularly after the world juniors, he&rsquo;s going to fight McDavid for the No. 1 spot,&rdquo; says one scout. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve talked to a handful of guys who would take Eichel first right now.&rdquo;A late birthday, Eichel was born in 1996 and is therefore one of the oldest players available in 2015. That extra time will help him, especially if he goes through with his plan to accelerate his education to attend Boston University next season as a true freshman. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a good fit for me,&rdquo; Eichel says. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s only a half an hour from my house and my parents will get to see a lot of my games. Growing up in Boston I always wanted to play in Hockey East, play in the Beanpot and things like that.&rdquo;<blockquote class="pullQuote">He&rsquo;s going to fight McDavid for No. 1. I&rsquo;ve talked to a handful of guys who would take Eichel first &ndash; NHL scout</blockquote>The Terriers could use him, too. Rival Boston College has won five straight titles at the Beanpot tournament, the four-school city showdown that also features Harvard and Northeastern. Boston University is rebuilding after the retirement of iconic coach Jack Parker and scandals involving some players. But the rival Eagles do the arms race better than anyone and will also be getting Noah Hanifin soon. He&rsquo;s in Ann Arbor, Mich., with the U.S. National Team Development Program, the same hothouse where Eichel plays. The NTDP has seen an amazing amount of talent pass through its doors in recent years, but Eichel was second in team scoring with 25 goals and 53 points in just 33 games, many against college teams such as Michigan and North Dakota. &ldquo;He can change the pace of a game,&rdquo; says the scout. &ldquo;As close to a total-package player to come out of the program since Patrick Kane.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-01329/9922028-1-eng-US/f0053-012.jpg" title="f0053-01" width="880" height="1425"><figcaption class="caption-body">THE NEXT SID?Connor McDavid, two years from being draft eligible, is already drawing Crosby comparisons. (TERRY WILSON/OHL IMAGES)</figcaption></div>Kane, of course, went first overall to the Blackhawks in 2007 and has carved out an excellent NHL career. Though the two are different players, offense is a big plus for both. &ldquo;I like to get the puck and make plays: shoot it and move it,&rdquo; Eichel said. &ldquo;I like to use my speed and create things offensively.&rdquo;But whether it&rsquo;s fair or not, the chatter surrounding the 2015 draft will always begin with McDavid&rsquo;s name. The Erie Otters wunderkind is tearing up the Ontario League and will do so again next year. Even though Eichel is a Boston kid whose major junior rights are owned by the Quebec League&rsquo;s Saint John Sea Dogs, even he wasn&rsquo;t immune to the hype about his peer from Ontario at the world juniors. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m part of the hockey world so you always hear about him,&rdquo; Eichel said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a very good player so he deserves the attention he&rsquo;s gotten. But at the tournament, I didn&rsquo;t look at it as a 1-on-1 battle.&rdquo;McDavid&rsquo;s Canadians won the head-tohead match, 3-2 in another New Year&rsquo;s Eve classic, but Eichel had the better tournament overall. If the talented pivot can keep it going with the Terriers next season, you never know whose name will get called up to the podium first. &#9632;

f0052-01

You Don’t Know Jack

<h2>1 CONNOR MCDAVID C, ERIE (OHL)</h2>Some say best prospect since Sidney Crosby. McDavid&rsquo;s speed and creativity make him a constant threat. Joined OHL a year early.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;His flash, his ability to skate at a high level and make plays at a high level&hellip;it&rsquo;s like the defensemen just part away when he&rsquo;s coming up the ice.&rdquo;<h2>2 JACK EICHEL C, U.S. NTDP (USHL)</h2>Great frame, elite hockey IQ and an incredible skill set. If he goes through with his plan, will get huge spotlight as NCAA freshman.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;When he&rsquo;s dominating a game, it looks effortless. Shoots like a pro. His skating is ugly, but it works &ndash; his first three strides are great.&rdquo;<h2>3 NOAH HANIFIN D, U.S. NDTP (USHL)</h2>Man-child (6-2, 201) will fast-track to Boston College or wait one more year. He&rsquo;ll bring vision, poise with the puck and an all-around game.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;Noah is all-world. He&rsquo;s dominant in both ends. Never forced into making a bad decision, he&rsquo;s a complete 200-foot player and plays in all situations.&rdquo;<h2>4 OLIVER KYLINGTON D, FARJESTAD (SWE.)</h2>Excellent skater won AHL all-star puck control relay competition when his team travelled to St. John&rsquo;s to face the minor league&rsquo;s best.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;The skating alone makes him a really good player. Calm with the puck, has a really good stick and is great on the power play. Really good package.&rdquo;<h2>5 COLIN WHITE C, U.S. NTDP (USHL)</h2>Complete center has drawn Jonathan Toews comparisons. He&rsquo;s the top scorer on the NTDP&rsquo;s U-17, a loaded squad. Makes his linemates better.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;For a well-rounded player, he has great acceleration. Great skater. He leads by example and brings guys with him to the fight.&rdquo;<h2>6 MATT BARZAL C, SEATTLE (WHL)</h2>Top pick in 2012 WHL bantam draft. Compared to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins early on thanks to his vision and playmaking ability.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a good skater and smart. Doesn&rsquo;t have blazing speed, but he&rsquo;s going to put up good numbers. Just a steady playmaker.&rdquo;<h2>7 PAVEL ZACHA LW, LIBEREC (CZE.)</h2>Power forward (6-3, 203) earned spot on Czech WJC team. Two goals in four games at Five Nations and has played against men back home.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;Big, strong, powerful winger. He&rsquo;s a really good skater, too. He&rsquo;s fast and he can shoot the puck.&rdquo;<h2>8 DANIEL SPRONG C, CHARLOTTETOWN (QMJHL)</h2>Dutch kid came to Montreal to make his dream come true. Super-smart and skilled, he was the second-highest scoring rookie in the &lsquo;Q.&rsquo;SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;Stocky. He&rsquo;s thick. Shoots the puck like nobody else. Very strong on his skates and he plays defensively.&rdquo;<h2>9 ZACH WERENSKI D, U.S. NDTP (USHL)</h2>Played major midget last season and needed a bigger challenge. Numbers aren&rsquo;t eye-popping, but he&rsquo;s caught scouts&rsquo; eyes with size and skill.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;An exceptional player who has had a quiet year. Really gifted offensive defenseman. Has a big body and he uses it.&rdquo;<h2>10 DYLAN STROME C, ERIE (OHL)</h2>Ryan&rsquo;s brother had decent numbers on incredible forward corps in Erie. More chances to shine next season. Has the hands and mind to do it.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;He doesn&rsquo;t skate as well as Ryan, but he&rsquo;s bigger. Great hockey sense and ability to read the play. He has the requisite skill to make things happen.&rdquo; &#9632;

2015 PROJECTED TOP 10

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0054-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-01340/9922090-1-eng-US/f0054-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">NO EXCEPTIONTyler Benson was picked first in the WHL draft, but didn&rsquo;t apply to join the Vancouver Giants early. (CHRIS RELKE/VANCOUVER GIANTS)</figcaption></div>PERUSE TYLER BENSON&rsquo;S TWITTER page and you&rsquo;ll find a lot of links to his favorite Vines, the six-second video clips so popular through social media. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re pretty creative,&rdquo; Benson says. &ldquo;They just make me laugh.&rdquo;And while jokes about AT-AT Walkers from Star Wars blasting Olympic skiers in Sochi will fade quickly, Benson&rsquo;s reputation in the hockey world will only grow. Benson, the top pick in the 2013 Western League bantam draft, is a high-scoring left winger who will join the Vancouver Giants full time next season and is one to watch for the 2016 NHL draft.This season, he&rsquo;s a member of the Pursuit of Excellence under-18 prep team based in Kelowna, B.C. The P.O.E. Academy ices seven teams (boys and girls) and combines hockey with education. A typical day would include two hours of practice, one hour in the gymnasium, one hour on skill development off the ice and three hours of in-class school time, focusing on core classes such as math and science.And while those two courses in particular are favorites of Benson&rsquo;s, it&rsquo;s hard to overlook his prowess on the ice. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a pretty special athlete,&rdquo; says coach Ryan Wade. &ldquo;He knows what he wants to do and he knows it&rsquo;s going to take hard work. He has great vision and stick skills, but again, it&rsquo;s the work ethic that stands out.&rdquo;The leading scorer on the Kelowna team by a wide margin, Benson put up 25 goals and 63 points through 31 games, playing against other hockey-specific programs such as the Edge School in Calgary and teams in the North American Prospects League such as the Anaheim Jr. Ducks and St. Louis Selects.Last season, Benson scorched the competition at home in Edmonton as a member of the South Side Athletic Club Lions, amassing 146 points in 33 games and prompting talk he&rsquo;d apply for exceptional status to join Vancouver a year early.Ultimately, Benson decided to take it slow and use the year between the draft and his rookie season to better his game. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a big development year,&rdquo; Benson says. &ldquo;One of the areas of my game I wanted to work on was skating and they focus on that here.&rdquo;As an Edmonton product, Benson followed the Oilers as a kid, but also the Detroit Red Wings. He counts Philadelphia&rsquo;s Brayden Schenn as an NHLer he&rsquo;d like to model his game after, due to Schenn&rsquo;s proclivity as a hard-working power forward who can also bring offense. Though Benson may only come in at 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds right now, he&rsquo;s no pushover on the ice. &ldquo;He doesn&rsquo;t want to lose a 1-on-1 battle,&rdquo; Wade says. &ldquo;He has a strong stick and he rarely loses a battle along the wall.&rdquo;Benson will need to be strong once he heads even further west, to Vancouver, next season. The Giants are a middling squad in the Western Conference right now and though they&rsquo;re not bereft of NHL prospects, they are on the lower end. Benson already saw action in three games and Vancouver won two of them. Though he didn&rsquo;t tally any points, he was happy to get his skates wet, so to speak &ldquo;I got better every game, so it was a good experience for me,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;Now I have to get ready for the bigger and better goalies next year.&rdquo;Undoubtedly, those goalies will be ready for him. As the No. 1 pick in the bantam draft, Benson will be known around the league before he even steps on the ice, so one more year out of the brighter spotlight of &lsquo;The Dub&rsquo; won&rsquo;t hurt him right now. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a tough situation &ndash; sometimes he can&rsquo;t be a kid,&rdquo; Wade says. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got enough pressure on himself, so I just want him to go out and play. Anybody we play against knows who he is.&rdquo;And once he brings his full skill set to Vancouver, the rest of the hockey world is going to catch up on just what Tyler Benson brings to the ice.<h2>PHENOMS TO WATCH</h2><h3>JAKOB CHYCHRUN D, TORONTO (GTMMHL)</h3>Will battle Sean Day as most-talked about D-man in OHL. Incredible size at 15.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;He&rsquo;ll push pace, but gets back in time. Composed, just scratching the surface.&rdquo;<h3>LUKE KIRWAN LW, U.S. NTDP (USHL)</h3>Classic power forward who shoots the puck like a pro and has underrated feet.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;Ripping it up. I love Luke. D-men respect him when they go back for the puck.&rdquo;<h3>CHAD KRYS D, NEW JERSEY (U19 ELITE)</h3>Top prospect for Quebec League draft. Dynamic offensive defenseman.SCOUT SAYS:&nbsp;&ldquo;Smart, responsible, confident. He&rsquo;ll try things other guys wouldn&rsquo;t think about.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0054-01

Hurry Up And Wait

<div class="byline">BY RORY BOYLEN</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0056-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0056-01268/9922121-1-eng-US/f0056-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">BROTHERS IN CHARMMatt Carey, left, and older sibling Greg have NHL scouts swooning over their goal-scoring ability. (TARA FREEMAN)</figcaption></div>IN THE NHL&rsquo;S SALARY CAP ERA, COLLEGE free agents get more attention than ever. The collective bargaining agreement after the lost 2004-05 season changed the signing rules to better comply with a cap by putting an entry-level limit on NCAA free agent contracts. No NHL team can offer a college UFA more than the rookie limit.These players are attractive because they&rsquo;ve had time to develop. They grow into their bodies and round out their skill sets by their early 20s, so NHL teams can rely less on projections to determine their futures and more on what the players currently do well and not so well.But view all the attention on these players with caution. Every now and again we&rsquo;re treated to an undrafted college free agent success story, such as Chris Kunitz, Martin St-Louis or Dustin Penner, but those who stick and have success in the world&rsquo;s best hockey league are in the vast minority. Picking up college free agents is a good way for NHL teams to develop potential assets on the cheap, but on its own this is not a good way to build a successful franchise.This year&rsquo;s class of college free agents includes interesting names. Defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, brother of Toronto&rsquo;s James, plays at New Hampshire. Forward Kyle Baun, grandson of the famous Bobby, could move on from Colgate. Ryan Haggerty, the nation&rsquo;s No. 3 goal scorer, should be available out of RPI. Scouts are also keeping tabs on defensemen Christian Folin of UMass-Lowell, Kevin Czuczman of Lake Superior State, Shayne Taker of Notre Dame and Justin Baker from St. Lawrence.But every class has its, shall we say, valedictorian, who represents the gold standard. Last year it was Danny DeKeyser, who is already a strong contributor on Detroit&rsquo;s blueline. Others over the years have been Matt Gilroy and Stephane Da Costa.The top unsigned U.S. college player, according to scouts, is Greg Carey, 23, of St. Lawrence University. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a player that&rsquo;s, I don&rsquo;t want to say one-dimensional, but he has a dimension that&rsquo;s superior and that is his ability to score goals,&rdquo; says St. Lawrence coach Greg Carvel, who has been an assistant with Anaheim and Ottawa. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve seen that level. He can shoot and score at the NHL level for sure.&rdquo;The six-foot, 200-pound Carey was on NHL teams&rsquo; radar last off-season. At the end of 2012-13, he led NCAA players with 28 goals and was a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, so it was rumored he would sign into the NHL and forego his senior year.Instead, the Hamilton, Ont., native returned to St. Lawrence to finish his history studies. According to Carvel, Carey has a 3.7 GPA and was named a finalist for the Div. I Class Award, which honors seniors who have notable achievements in classroom, community, character and competition.Another, non-academic reason Carey stuck around one more year: his 22-year-old brother Matt joined the team as a freshman and the two have played on a line together all season. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re both goal scorers,&rdquo; Carvel says. &ldquo;Coming into the year everyone said Matt was a playmaker, but he&rsquo;s like Greg. He shoots the puck. They&rsquo;re good for each other in that they play with pace, they move around the offensive zone very quick and move the puck quick and find each other. If you look at Matt&rsquo;s goals, most are assisted by Greg. They just have good chemistry.&rdquo;Making this year&rsquo;s college free agent class all the more interesting are rumors Matt (sixfoot, 195) will also make himself available. Some scouts think he&rsquo;s the better prospect, but just as Greg used his college years to round out his game, Carvel feels Matt would benefit from that route. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a case where I&rsquo;m sure he&rsquo;s getting interest from NHL teams, but although he&rsquo;s done well offensively, his game has a long way to go,&rdquo; Carvel says. &ldquo;Physically he needs to get a lot stronger. I don&rsquo;t think he&rsquo;s even close to ready, but we live in a world where if he says he&rsquo;s ready to go, I&rsquo;m sure teams will be interested because he does have great offensive abilities.&ldquo;At the end of the year we&rsquo;ll have a discussion and I&rsquo;ll make it very clear to him that the NHL will always be there, you need to make sure you&rsquo;re really ready to go.&rdquo;Should both Saints forwards become available to NHL front offices, there is speculation they&rsquo;ll come as a package deal. For now, the focus remains on Greg, the senior, who will make one last push for college hockey&rsquo;s highest individual award. &#9632;

f0056-01

Courted By The NHL

<div class="byline">BY GARETH BUSH</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0057-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0057-01253/9922152-1-eng-US/f0057-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">DEJA VUTyler Johnson wouldn&rsquo;t be the first small, undrafted forward to succeed with the Lightning. (ABELIMAGES/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>WHEN STEVEN STAMKOS broke his tibia in November, all but a few wrote off Tampa Bay&rsquo;s chances in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Apart from Martin St-Louis, the Lightning were left with depth forwards and a cluster of middle-tier prospects with little to no NHL experience.Tampa was consistently dressing six rookies and all were asked to step up. None of Alex Killorn, Tyler Johnson, J.T. Brown, Nikita Kucherov, Ondrej Palat, Mark Barberio and Radko Gudas were ever &ldquo;can&rsquo;t-miss&rdquo; prospects. At best, they were B-listers in past editions of Future Watch. None of them ever made the top 50. But every once in a while it&rsquo;s important to be reminded projections are just that: projections.Last year&rsquo;s edition of Future Watch rated Tampa Bay&rsquo;s draft performance over the past four years as the second worst in the league. Aside from the consecutive lottery picks of Stamkos (first overall in 2008) and Victor Hedman (second in 2009), the team has only had four players in our annual top-50 prospect list the past four years, with an average rank of 32.25.Not only is Tampa&rsquo;s group of six playing beyond expectation, it&rsquo;s been an integral part of the team remaining an East contender. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s surprising a lot of people in this league,&rdquo; says Dave Andreychuk, who won a Stanley Cup with the Bolts in 2004 and now works for them in a management role. &ldquo;You have to look internally at what they&rsquo;ve done in the past, those young kids, and the success they had in the minors. But has the progression and the maturity been a little quicker than we thought? Absolutely.&rdquo;Johnson, Palat, Barberio and Gudas credit their progression to two factors. The first is their American League success in 2011-12 playing for Calder Cup-champion Norfolk, which won a record 28 straight games.The second is the coach of that team, Jon Cooper, now mans the bench in Tampa Bay. Since reuniting at the NHL level, they&rsquo;ve performed beyond expectations laid upon them by scouts and fans alike. The only one not surprised is Cooper. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m a true believer that a team that plays together and wins together can have a lot of success,&rdquo; Cooper says. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not that one or two guys are in the lineup and squeezing the stick tight every night. The fact that we brought so many rookies in at the same time has helped.&rdquo;Leading the way is Johnson, who has planted himself into Calder consideration as a 5-foot-9, 182-pound undrafted free agent signing. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s easier when all of us are going through the same situations and can talk to one another and help each other out,&rdquo; Johnson says. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m playing with guys who have helped me all year and without them there&rsquo;s no way I could be doing what I&rsquo;m doing.&rdquo;Barberio, recognized as the AHL&rsquo;s 2011-12 top defenseman, and Gudas have been welcome additions to the blueline. Palat has excelled alongside Johnson and St-Louis, while Kucherov and Brown have helped stabilize the bottom six. Considering the group&rsquo;s AHL success and early NHL performance, it&rsquo;s safe to conclude there&rsquo;s been a lack of respect for their worth since Day 1. And that&rsquo;s just fine with them. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think we pay much attention to the reports and stuff like that,&rdquo; says Barberio, who ranked 10th, fourth and sixth in Tampa&rsquo;s top-10 prospects list the past three editions of Future Watch. &ldquo;From the AHL level on, we&rsquo;ve been lucky to have an organization like Tampa that puts a lot of effort into their young guys and gives us the tools to succeed.&rdquo;Another element to analyzing player upside is how each franchise manages its prospects. Detroit has long been revered for its development, particularly the patience shown in the maturation of each player, regardless of draft rank. When Steve Yzerman was hired as Lightning GM in 2010, he brought a lot of what he learned in Detroit with him. &ldquo;He believes in developing young players at the AHL level,&rdquo; Barberio says. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s very honest with the prospects and just wants us to succeed.&rdquo;Let this Lightning youth movement be a reminder rookies&rsquo; success isn&rsquo;t always correlated with how highly they rank on paper. And who doesn&rsquo;t love a good underdog? &#9632;

f0057-01

Bolts Buck The Odds

<div class="byline">BY BRIAN O&#x2019;NEILL</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0058-01273/9922197-1-eng-US/f0058-012.jpg" title="f0058-01" width="725" height="1101"><figcaption class="caption-body">COREY PERRY (ROBERT LABERGE/GETTY IMAGES/NHLI)</figcaption></div>THE 2003 DRAFT CLASS WILL GO down as one of the deepest in NHL history and that is reflected in the Future Watch top 50 list from 2004. Eighteen players from that list were drafted in the first round alone.A decade ago we asked a panel of scouts to rank the best prospects not in the NHL and the ballots came back with saliva on them. Today, that top 50 list, made up of prospects mainly from the 2002 and 2003 drafts, looks like a murderer&rsquo;s row of NHL stars. The scouts were right. A true measure of how deep that 2003 draft was is that Anaheim right winger Corey Perry was drafted 28th overall. He sits one spot higher at 27th on the Future Watch list. Consider his resume: Perry is the only 50-goal scorer from that draft and his 524 points rank fourth in the class. He&rsquo;s also a two-time Olympic gold medallist, a Cup champion and won the 2009-10 Hart and Richard trophies.Locked up through the 2020-21 season, Perry and Getzlaf will be a potent part of the Ducks attack for years to come. Not too bad for two late first-round picks.Scouts swung and missed in 2009 when they put Nikita Filatov at the head of the top 50 list. He was a bust in the NHL.Here are THN&rsquo;s top 50 prospects from Future Watch 2004 and 2009. Players are listed with current team and NHL games played as of Feb. 7, 2014.<h2>2004</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0058-02184/9922190-1-eng-US/f0058-022.jpg" title="f0058-02" width="723" height="2572"></div><h2>2009</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0058-03106/9922183-1-eng-US/f0058-032.jpg" title="f0058-03" width="723" height="2572"></div> &#9632;

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