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Future Watch 2014
The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions about the NHL and leagues across North America and the world.
Big Ideas In Montreal
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’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. OVERALL 26 1 JACOB DE LA ROSE JACOB DE LA ROSE, LW, 18, Leksand (Swe.) 6-2, 190, 43-7-6-13-14 2013 draft, 34th overall Concerns over de la Rose’s offense were tempered at the WJC, where he played on Sweden’s top line and…
Canes Must Dig Deep
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 overall Despite his size, McGinn hits like a truck. During Mc-Ginn’s AHL stint with Charlotte last season, coach Jeff Daniels called Canes exec Ron…
Bolts Buck The Odds
WHEN STEVEN STAMKOS broke his tibia in November, all but a few wrote off Tampa Bay’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 “can’t-miss” 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’s important to be reminded projections are just that: projections. Last year’s edition of Future Watch rated Tampa Bay’s draft performance over the past four years as…
Brain Boosters
BLUE JACKETS GM JARMO KEKALAINEN IS OBSESSED. NOT WITH A player’s size, statistics or nationality, but with the microprocessor between his ears. “You can change the rest dramatically,” Kekalainen said. “But how you think the game is everything.” 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’ 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. OVERALL 9 1 ALEXANDER WENNBERG, C, 19, Frolunda (Swe.) 6-1, 190, 44-16-4-20-8 2013 draft, 14th overall Wennberg’s performance at the world juniors – three goals, four assists in seven games – delighted the Blue Jackets, but his first-year…
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