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Future Watch 2006

The Hockey News - Future Watch 2006 - CA

<div class="byline">BY ROB TYCHKOWSKI</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0035-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-02830/8843442-1-eng-US/f0035-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Rob Schremp (DAVE SANDFORD/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-011191/8843449-1-eng-US/f0035-012.jpg" title="f0035-01" width="203" height="218"></div>A team that has long traded better than it has drafted (just six of their starting 18 skaters are Oilers draft picks), the Edmonton Oilers are beginning to show a little progress in developing their own talent.Ales Hemsky is on the verge of becoming something special, while Jarret Stoll and Shawn Horcoff are emerging into key contributors.A little farther away, Rob Schremp, Marc-Antoine Pouliot and Devan Dubnyk are expected to make an impact.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. ROB SCHREMP</h2><h3>C, LONDON (OHL)</h3>Many thought he&rsquo;d sulk after coming a whisker away from making the big team on his first try, but he went back to the London Knights and took his frustrations out in the OHL instead, turning the league into his own personal chew toy.A highly skilled player, Schremp has all of the offensive upside the Oilers want &ndash; and is becoming more responsible defensively &ndash; but they told him to spend the year working on his strength and conditioning, neither of which did him any favors in Oilers&rsquo; camp.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 25th overall.<h2>2. M-A POULIOT</h2><h3>C, HAMILTON (AHL)</h3>A first-year minor league pro, Pouliot hasn&rsquo;t had much trouble adjusting.He had a good training camp in Edmonton and his ability to play both center and wing will increase his chances next fall.A naturally gifted puck-handler and playmaker, he just needs to gain a little strength and maturity.The fact Edmonton doesn&rsquo;t have its own AHL team and is farming him out to Montreal&rsquo;s is a little unnerving for Oilers brass, who&rsquo;d like a little more say in how he&rsquo;s handled. But so far he&rsquo;s right on course in terms of his development.Early knocks about being injury-prone, not to mention hotheaded and easily thrown off his game, have been put to rest.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 22nd overall.<h2>3. ANDREW COGLIANO</h2><h3>C, MICHIGAN (CCHA)</h3>The Wolverines freshman has speed to the burn and heaps of creative ability.The only player to be drafted out of junior-A in Ontario last year, Cogliano now must prove he is capable of dancing around defenders while competing at a high level of hockey.He may not be a big guy, but that does not stop Cogliano from playing the game with all kinds of heart.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 25th overall.<h2>4. DEVAN DUBNYK</h2><h3>G, KAMLOOPS (WHL)</h3>You can&rsquo;t teach size and Dubnyk has a lot of it, having gained almost 15 pounds in the last year. He&rsquo;s a big target and well schooled in how to use that to his advantage, in the mold of Sean Burke.He&rsquo;s playing for a Kamloops team that was brutal last year and average this season, which isn&rsquo;t a bad thing because he&rsquo;s getting a lot of work.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 14th overall.<h2>5. MATT GREENE</h2><h3>D, IOWA (AHL)</h3>He&rsquo;s a big, tough kid who showed well enough in training camp that when the Oilers needed a call-up in early December, he&rsquo;s the guy they called.Greene didn&rsquo;t play much, but giving him a taste of the NHL was their way of letting him know they like what he&rsquo;s doing down there.Greene knows he&rsquo;s in the plans, which is why he decided to forgo his final year of college hockey and turn pro. It&rsquo;s a big jump, going from weekend games in the NCAA to a pro grind, but the rookie is handling it well.He hasn&rsquo;t been afraid to mix it up or stake his territory in the slot.Acquired: 2002 entry draft, 44th overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Rob Schremp, C, 19, 5-11, 200London (OHL) 27-32-46-78-26Overall 152. M-A Pouliot, C, 20, 6-2, 195Hamilton (AHL) 37-7-15-22-34Overall 393. Andrew Cogliano, C, 18, 5-9, 178Michigan (CCHA) 17-8-11-19-16Overall 754. Devan Dubnyk, G, 19, 6-6, 207Kamloops (WHL) 15-14-0-0, 2.39, .9165. Matt Greene, D, 22, 6-3, 233 Iowa (AHL) 26-2-5-7-476. J-F Jacques, LW, 20, 6-4, 225Hamilton (AHL) 31-10-11-21-72&nbsp;He&rsquo;s a handful who doesn&rsquo;t mind throwing fists and can also finish around net.&nbsp;Acquired 2003 draft, 68th overall7. Danny Syvret, D, 20, 5-11, 203Hamilton (AHL) 22-0-9-9-12Steady, smart defenseman&rsquo;s progress made Alex Semenov expendable.Acquired 2005 draft, 51st overall8. Jeff Deslauriers, G, 21, 6-4, 190 Hamilton (AHL) 3-6-0, 3.28, .890With the Canadiens calling the shots in Hamilton, he&rsquo;s not getting enough work.Acquired 2002 draft, 31st overall9. Kyle Brodziak, C, 21, 6-2, 200 Iowa (AHL) 20-4-4-8-16&nbsp;Hard-working second-year pro who didn&rsquo;t look out of place in seven-game NHL stint.Acquired 2003 draft, 214th overall10. Colin McDonald, RW, 21, 6-3, 203 Providence (HE) 18-6-10-16-27&nbsp;Has popped more than his share of game-winning goals; likes the rough stuff.&nbsp;Acquired 2003 draft, 51st overall &#9632;

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NHL TEAM REPORTS

Slick Schremp heading west

A panel of 21 NHL talent evaluators provided grades on top-10 prospect lists and 21-and-under NHLers. Results were blended and ranked. The 2005 rank is in parentheses.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-03503/8842910-1-eng-US/f0021-032.jpg" title="f0021-03" width="711" height="3255"></div> &#9632;

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Features

REPORT CARDS

<div class="byline">BY BRIAN MURPHY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-011122/8843563-1-eng-US/f0038-012.jpg" title="f0038-01" width="256" height="183"></div>The prospect pipeline already has delivered top-10 picks Marian Gaborik, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Mikko Koivu to Minnesota.And, winning the No. 4 lottery pick in last summer&rsquo;s NHL entry draft allowed the Wild to cash in a bonus chip and grab Benoit Pouliot.Until Pouliot arrives, the franchise is educating a tightly bunched group of not-ready-forprime-time players on the nuances of the Wild ways. It is a responsible, sometimes maddening, high-tempo system that requires players to multi-task and give themselves unselfishly to the common cause.The Wild are committed to developing a strong core of players and supplementing that group with strategic acquisitions.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. BENOIT POULIOT</h2><h3>C, SUDBURY (OHL)</h3>Pouliot is piling up points in junior. But what the Wild like most is that his hard-nosed coach, former NHLer Mike Foligno, is challenging Pouliot by playing him in high-pressure situations.The Wolves are a conservative team by Ontario League standards; Pouliot is expected to kill penalties and protect leads in addition to sniping for points.He needs to thicken his 179-pound frame to compete down low in his own end against top opponents.Still, he is the Wild&rsquo;s most talented forward prospect and his destiny could very well find him on the wing whenever he arrives in Minnesota.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, fourth overall.<h2>2. JOSH HARDING</h2><h3>G, HOUSTON (AHL)</h3>Despite his immense talent, do not count on Harding being the No. 1 goalie in Minnesota &ndash; yet.He is poised to become next season&rsquo;s backup to either Manny Fernandez or Dwayne Roloson, depending on which free agent the Wild opt to re-sign.Now starting on a full-time basis, Harding has developed nicely in his second pro season.He is an aggressive goalie who remains cool amid chaos, controls rebounds and is a confident puck-handler with a great glove.Acquired: 2002 entry draft, 38th overall.<h2>3. ROMAN VOLOSHENKO</h2><h3>LW, HOUSTON (AHL)</h3>He is progressing well on the ice despite being among the youngest players in the league.Voloshenko has improved the clunky skating that bogged him down overseas, mastering a more fluid stride.Scoring has never been a problem and Voloshenko figures to respond to the unrelenting pressure to produce over a long pro season.His challenge is to learn how to play a complete game; an NHL prerequisite to be sure, but it is the golden ticket to St. Paul.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 42nd overall.<h2>4. DANNY IRMEN</h2><h3>C, MINNESOTA (WCHA)</h3>A hard-hitting forward, Irmen inspires his teammates with dogged tenacity. He&rsquo;s a leader in the dressing room and the North Dakota native is equally adept at playing with or without the puck.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-02749/8843556-1-eng-US/f0038-022.jpg" title="f0038-02" width="1405" height="1899"><figcaption class="caption-body">Benoit Pouliot (SUDBURY WOLVES HOCKEY CLUB)</figcaption></div>Irmen has soft hands to go with his big frame and has the vision and passing abilities to find open teammates, as well as bury the puck himself.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 78th overall.<h2>5. PATRICK O&rsquo;SULLIVAN</h2><h3>C, HOUSTON (AHL)</h3>A shoulder injury derailed O&rsquo;Sullivan&rsquo;s chances of cracking the Wild, but he has been a money player in the early stages for Houston.Because of his below-average size, O&rsquo;Sullivan&rsquo;s future might be on the wing, although he is a proven commodity in the faceoff circle.He&rsquo;s a strong skater with a wicked shot that he&rsquo;s capable of unleashing quickly and covertly. O&rsquo;Sullivan needs to experience the grind and punishment of an entire AHL season.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 56th overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Benoit Pouliot, C, 18, 6-3, 179Sudbury (OHL) 23-17-17-34-70Overall 142. Josh Harding, G, 21, 6-1, 180Houston (AHL) 19-6-0, 2.49, .924Overall 403. Roman Voloshenko, LW, 19, 6-1, 189Houston (AHL) 28-19-11-30-14Overall 634. Danny Irmen, C, 21, 6-0, 190Minnesota (WCHA) 11-5-7-12-24Overall 705. Patrick O&rsquo;Sullivan, C, 20, 5-11, 190Houston (AHL) 33-16-16-32-326. Erik Reitz, D, 23, 6-1, 210Houston (AHL) 31-4-12-16-61Nagging injuries to shoulder and elbow have prevented him from taking next step.Acquired 2000 draft, 170th overall7. Clayton Stoner, D, 20, 6-3, 225Houston (AHL) 35-3-8-11-64Junior-A sleeper from B.C. can make plays and loves the rough stuff.Acquired 2004 draft, 79th overall8. Peter Olvecky, LW, 20, 6-2, 185 Houston (AHL) 26-6-3-9-26Coachable Slovakian is learning to see ice better and slowly adjusting to new lifestyle.Acquired 2004 draft, 78th overall9. A.J. Thelen, D, 19, 6-3, 210Prince Albert (WHL) 39-7-11-18-34Left sour experience at Michigan State for endless ice time on bad Raiders team.&nbsp;Acquired 2004 draft, 12th overall10. Miroslav Kopriva, G, 22, 6-2, 176 Houston (AHL) 1-1-0, 4.33, .875Moonlighting with Austin of Central League to get some valuable starts.Acquired 2003 draft, 187th overall &#9632;

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Pouliot lurks in Wild thicket

<div class="byline">BY MIKE HEIKA</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-011134/8843373-1-eng-US/f0033-012.jpg" title="f0033-01" width="276" height="191"></div>The Dallas Stars believe the path to success in the new NHL will have everything to do with balance; the financial balance brought to the budget by impact youngsters, the energy brought to the lineup by young role players, and the skills balance offered by a group of prospects who must be able to skate and play with the puck.If Dallas is going to remake itself from a veteran-laden, $60 million, slow-footed roster to a versatile, slick-skating, budget-conscience bunch, then the whole key is kids.Opportunities abound in Dallas and already the likes of Jussi Jokinen, Trevor Daley, Steve Ott and Antti Miettinen are grabbing them.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. MATT NISKANEN</h2><h3>D, MINNESOTA-DULUTH (WCHA)</h3>A talented all-around athlete from the Iron Country, Niskanen is getting his first real opportunity to concentrate completely on hockey.The big blueliner is fast on his feet and able to move well laterally. He also has a booming shot from the point.He should get plenty of college minutes before the Stars try to pluck him away.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 28th overall.<h2>2. LOUI ERIKSSON</h2><h3>RW, IOWA (AHL)</h3>Speedy and skilled, Eriksson shot near the top of the Stars&rsquo; prospect list when he was named rookie of the year in the Swedish Elite League in 2003-04.He was hoping to make the jump to the NHL this season and still might, but his transition to North American hockey has been a little slow.However, the good news for Dallas is Eriksson is starting to figure out how to use the new rule changes to his advantage.The Stars have Jokinen and Miettinen ahead of him in the lineup, but they&rsquo;ll probably have to make some tough money decisions in the summer and will be using this season as Eriksson&rsquo;s application tape.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 33rd overall.<h2>3. JOHAN FRANSSON</h2><h3>D, LULEA HF (SWE.)</h3>The Stars are thick with European prospects, but this is the only one in the top 10 playing in Europe this year.Fransson had a great training camp in Dallas and is trying to take the next step in the Swedish Elite League.While Fransson is not scoring a great deal, he is learning how to play a smart two-way game.The Stars believe when Fransson gets to North America, he&rsquo;ll have plenty of chances to expand on his offensive skills.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 34th overall.<h2>4. NIKLAS GROSSMAN</h2><h3>D, IOWA (AHL)</h3>A solid defensive defenseman, Grossman is learning to accept more puck-handling responsibility in North America.He has battled a shoulder injury in Iowa, so his transition has been slow. This might be one of those years where a player takes one step back in hopes of future progress.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-02766/8843366-1-eng-US/f0033-022.jpg" title="f0033-02" width="1405" height="1899"><figcaption class="caption-body">Loui Eriksson</figcaption></div>However, Grossman is part of the deepest group of rearguard prospects the team has had in years, so he better not wait too long.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 56th overall.<h2>5. VOJTECH POLAK</h2><h3>LW, IOWA (AHL)</h3>The surprise hit of the Stars&rsquo; prospect list this season, Polak is a rolling ball of, &ldquo;Oh, wow.&rdquo;Slight in build and still a little soft on his skates, Polak can, nonetheless, do some wonderful things at very high speeds.He made his NHL debut this season, but did not get a shot off in three games.His strong performances in pre-season shootouts also helped him. Like Eriksson and Miettinen, Polak should play himself onto the NHL roster in the near future.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 36th overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Matt Niskanen, D, 18, 6-0, 194Minnesota-Duluth (WCHA) 20-1-8-9-20Overall 492. Loui Eriksson, RW, 20, 6-2, 185Iowa (AHL) 31-7-9-16-11Overall 563. Johan Fransson, D, 20, 6-1, 183 Lulea HF (Swe.) 30-1-2-3-424. Niklas Grossman, D, 20, 6-4, 187 Iowa (AHL) 16-0-1-1-125. Vojtech Polak, LW, 20, 6-0, 183 Iowa (AHL) 24-8-11-19-226. Junior Lessard, RW, 25, 6-1, 195 Iowa (AHL) 20-7-7-14-20&nbsp;Trying to establish himself as a presence in the slot; battling injury problems.Acquired Signed as free agent, 20047. Mark Fistric, D, 19, 6-3, 225Vancouver (WHL) 38-4-14-18-103&nbsp;Physical defenseman has been sharpening skills, elbows in a fourth major junior year.Acquired 2004 draft, 28th overall8. Shawn Belle, D, 20, 6-2, 225 Iowa (AHL) 19-0-0-0-24&nbsp;Development hampered by injury; smooth-skater looking for first pro point.Acquired Trade with St. Louis, 20049. James Neal, RW, 18, 6-2, 185Plymouth (OHL) 36-13-26-39-50Showing terrific offensive touch; already has solid defensive reputation.Acquired 2005 draft, 33rd overall10. Yared Hagos, C, 22, 6-1, 205 Iowa (AHL) 30-4-6-10-22Solid defensive center is displaying both smarts and toughness.Acquired 2001 draft, 70th overall &#9632;

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Euro flavor hits Texas

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0005-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-012017/8842547-1-eng-US/f0005-012.jpg"></div><a href="https://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a> &#9632;

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IN THIS ISSUE

The Hockey News KNOW YOUR GAME

<div class="byline">BY JASON KAY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0006-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-012235/8842578-1-eng-US/f0006-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">KEEN EYE David Bolland is just one of many prospects to watch out for. (CLAUS ANDERSON/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>There&rsquo;s an incongruence in the hockey world around which we need to be aware, though not necessarily afraid.At the NHL level, the game has returned stronger than anticipated. Revenues will approach, if not surpass, previous high-water marks. The product has changed for the better and, particularly in Canada, the enthusiasm for it is infectious.Time will tell whether that fever spreads to the grassroots. What we do know is the growth rate of minor hockey participation in Canada and the United States has flattened, the women&rsquo;s game notwithstanding.Industry players &ndash; including the NHL, equipment manufacturers, national associations, etc. &ndash; will continue to monitor the trend and co-operate to plant more seeds, but in the end it will be the game itself that dictates its future. As long as it evokes passion (and remains affordable and accessible), the masses will follow.One area in which we can guarantee growth is our coverage of tomorrow. In this new, expanded version of Future Watch, we&rsquo;ve incorporated all our regular core components &ndash; prospects, prospects and more prospects &ndash; and enhanced them with features and commentary of what&rsquo;s in the pipeline.Here are some snapshots:&bull; Expert industry reporter Matt Carlson examines the grassroots trends and the potential impact.&bull; THN&rsquo;s Ryan Kennedy asks the age-old scouting question: how old is too young when it comes to recruiting kids?&bull; The NHL&rsquo;s new economic structure could impact how teams draft and how they handle prospects in their system. Mike Brophy explains.&bull; Denis Gibbons tells us just how good Russian super phenom Evgeni Malkin is expected to be.&bull; We rank and rate the top 50 young studs bound for the NHL and the top 10 by team in our expanded prospects report section.&bull; We grade each NHL franchise in terms of its stable of prospects.&bull; We gaze into our crystal ball for the 2006 and 2007 drafts and go beyond to highlight some of the best young teenagers on the horizon.A bright future? Likely. If for some reason you&rsquo;re pessimistic, remember this: it could be last year. &#9632;

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Growth chart

<div class="byline">BY MATT CARLSON</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0008-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-012125/8842647-1-eng-US/f0008-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">GAL&rsquo;S GAME The growth of women&rsquo;s hockey in North America is up three-fold in the past decade. (DAVID STLUKA)</figcaption></div>The NHL may be back with a buzz, but hockey&rsquo;s grassroots could be greener.If the sport&rsquo;s best league continues to generate obstruction-free excitement, more people of all ages and skill levels around the world might want to play the game. No one in the hockey industry will deny participation &ndash; not just being a spectator &ndash; is its true lifeblood.But while post-lockout NHL attendance figures are mostly healthy, participation numbers are a little anemic, especially in North America.Unless you&rsquo;re a girl.Female participation in Canada and the United States is surging, while the number of male skaters has been dwindling.According to Hockey Canada, female registration for all levels and ages reached nearly 66,000 in 2004-05. The figure was about 19,000 in 1994-95. USA Hockey&rsquo;s stats show 50,489 registered female players in 2004-05, compared to just under 19,000 a decade ago.&ldquo;The growth of female hockey has been just staggering,&rdquo; said Paul Carson, Hockey Canada&rsquo;s director of development. &ldquo;The statistics don&rsquo;t even take into account girls under 12 who may be playing in boys hockey.&rdquo;Girls and women have taken to the ice as new opportunities arise. Improved local programs, as well as enormously successful Canadian and American national teams, have helped fuel the rapid growth.Conversely, many boys and men also have been exposed to a broadened menu of sports and recreational choices. That may partly explain why male hockey registration numbers haven&rsquo;t been growing in Canada over the past 10 years.Hockey Canada had 475,556 registered male players of all ages in 2004-05, down from 493,762 in 1994-95.&ldquo;Whenever there&rsquo;s a downward or upward trend, you don&rsquo;t want to get too excited,&rdquo; Carson said. &ldquo;And in Canada, it&rsquo;s not just the registration numbers. It&rsquo;s more important to look at the percentage of available youth that sign up.&rdquo;But the percentage of Canadian males aged 5-19 who have been registering for hockey programs has been slipping, according to Hockey Canada&rsquo;s numbers.From 1994-95 to 2004-05, the percentage of British Columbia youth playing the game shrank from 12.6 to 9.0. In Alberta, the dip was from 17.7 per cent to 15.6. In Saskatchewan, it dropped from 26.0 to 23.0. In Manitoba, the percentage slid from 20.4 to 16.6. In Quebec, it went from 14.5 to 11.9 per cent.For the same 10-year span, the percentage of young males skating increased slightly in Ontario, going from 16.7 to 16.8. The largest growth by percentage occurred in New Brunswick (from 19.5 to 23.0) and Nova Scotia (from 15.2 to 17.5).It&rsquo;s too early to tell whether that will result in more NHLers coming out of Atlantic Canada and fewer from the West. But Carson sees Canada&rsquo;s increasing urbanization as a reason why fewer young men may be playing the game.&ldquo;Just about any small town you went into on the Prairies had a rink,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Now those small communities are losing population. Families and their kids are starting to go to the big city.&rdquo;And in the cities, Carson added, &ldquo;Kids have more choices today as opposed to 10 years ago or 25 years ago. Still, we&rsquo;re seeing a greater demand in urban areas for teams and facilities. I&rsquo;m not sure if the facilities are keeping up.&rdquo;<blockquote class="pullQuote">National team development has been outstanding &ndash; David Ogrean, USA Hockey executive director</blockquote>Although rinks often receive public funding or subsidies in Canada, the price of ice time is climbing in many parts of the country &ndash; especially in cities where demand is outstripping supply.&ldquo;The other challenge is keeping the costs in perspective,&rdquo; Carson said. &ldquo;We have to make sure the game doesn&rsquo;t get priced out of the recreational marketplace. There needs to be options for players at every level who want to participate.&rdquo;The lack of rinks and ice time generally has been seen as a reason why U.S. hockey participation has been capped and is regional.&ldquo;In Minnesota, the state has spent millions of dollars on the construction and refurbishment of rinks in the last 10 years,&rdquo; said David Ogrean, USA Hockey&rsquo;s executive director. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s the only part of the country where there&rsquo;s that mentality to that degree. Most rinks in the United States are private and that&rsquo;s where the growth will come from.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-011928/8842640-1-eng-US/f0009-012.jpg" title="f0009-01" width="2510" height="1697"><figcaption class="caption-body">STICK SAVE Hockey Canada says it&rsquo;s important to make sure the game doesn&rsquo;t become too expensive for kids and their families. (SPORTS ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY)</figcaption></div>Additional ice and interest in the U.S. helped boost male participation in the 1990s. USA Hockey had 393,967 registered male skaters in 2004-05. In 1994-95, it had 331,116.But in the past several years the figures have been slipping. In 2000-01, USA Hockey had 399,347 registered male players.&ldquo;We went through a cycle of new rink construction in the 1990s, but that&rsquo;s not a perpetual phenomenon,&rdquo; Ogrean said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s one reason why the growth has flattened out the last few years. We don&rsquo;t have the same rink boom.&ldquo;Another thing that&rsquo;s becoming worrisome is the concept of &lsquo;volunteer&rsquo; is becoming more scarce,&rdquo; Ogrean added. &ldquo;Both parents might be working 50 hours a week. A key is recruiting new volunteers into our infrastructure.&rdquo;On the other hand, the quality of elite-level American skaters has soared over the past 25 years. Following Canadians, Americans are the No. 2 nationality in the current NHL and all recent NHL drafts. American NHL stars are commonplace. There will never be another &lsquo;Miracle on Ice&rsquo; Olympic gold medal for Team USA.&ldquo;Our national team development program over the last 10-plus years has been outstanding,&rdquo; Ogrean said. &ldquo;But we&rsquo;d like to see the numbers at the grassroots level start to grow every year.&rdquo;Both Hockey Canada and USA Hockey are taking a close look at why and how young players lace up skates in the first place.A traditional formula applies in both countries. First, a kid lives in a strong hockey community or area (more common in Canada). Second, the kid lives in a hockey family &ndash; dad played the game or an older brother plays. Given these circumstances, a youngster is apt to start skating and enter structured hockey programs as early as possible. He might want to play, or his parents want him to play.But both Hockey Canada and USA Hockey want to reach out to young players &ndash; and their parents &ndash; who don&rsquo;t fit this hockey community/family model.&ldquo;The numbers that concern me most are the under-8-year-old-players and their first experience with the game,&rdquo; Ogrean said. &ldquo;We want them to come to the rink, fall in love with the game and make sure the support structure is there.&rdquo;To help ease the financial burden of getting kids on the ice, most key players in the North American hockey industry &ndash; including Hockey Canada, USA Hockey, the NHL, NHLPA, equipment manufacturers, retailers and rink operators &ndash; have aligned to create a grassroots initiation program, called OneGoal.Details were announced at the new OneGoal industry trade show in Boston, Jan. 7-9. However, OneGoal&rsquo;s initial strategy is well defined: get kids under eight on the ice.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-012094/8842633-1-eng-US/f0010-012.jpg" title="f0010-01" width="2698" height="1489"><figcaption class="caption-body">JUST LIKE JACK Jack Johnson, a member of Team USA at the 2006 WJC, helps get some young players get an understanding of the game. (DAVE SANDFORD/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>&ldquo;We really want to provide an industry-wide invitation to the sport for four to eight-year-olds,&rdquo; said Mike Whan, CEO of Mission-Itech Hockey and chairman of the OneGoal Committee. &ldquo;This is the greatest team effort ever undertaken for the game of hockey. The industry has come together as a whole, not just mentally, but financially, with a $3 million pledge over the next three years.&rdquo;Some of the money will be used to create a campaign to draw kids and their parents to hockey. Short public-service announcements will appear on NHL telecasts and a OneGoal website is launched.The website directs kids and parents to rinks offering OneGoal introductory programs. The deal: boys and girls get three-to-five on-ice sessions for less than $50. These include rental of skates and special OneGoal sticks and equipment.&ldquo;The idea is to make it easy and inexpensive,&rdquo; Whan said. &ldquo;Not too many eight-year-olds who go out and skate a few times in a non-pressure environment don&rsquo;t like the game.&rdquo;On the other hand, many kids who start out playing at a young age &ndash; sometimes because their parents want them to &ndash; can burn out and quit hockey by the time they reach high school. Either they don&rsquo;t want the rigor and pressure, or they&rsquo;re not progressing fast enough or on a track that will land them on rep or traveling teams.Both Hockey Canada and USA Hockey want to make two points here. First, it&rsquo;s all right to be a happy houseleaguer who just likes to play. Second, a kid should be able to start skating at age 12, 13 or 14 and still be able to become a top-flight player if he or she has the talent and desire.&ldquo;One of the things that can hurt is over-stratification,&rdquo; Ogrean said. &ldquo;We use buzzwords, like houseleague or recreational player, to refer to level of play. Sometimes those words say to kids, &lsquo;You&rsquo;re not very good.&rsquo; Then the kid says, &lsquo;I&rsquo;ll go try something else&rsquo;.&rdquo;And for kids who first try something else, then turn to hockey, the opportunities should be better.&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve always believed that kids should be able to enter any sport at any period of time,&rdquo; Carson said. &ldquo;We have a program &ndash; the Hockey Canada Skills Academy &ndash; that allows this.&rdquo;The Skills Academy program works with local junior and senior high school, and some intermediate schools, to incorporate ice time. Although the program is operating at just over 50 locations, Carson hopes to expand it.&ldquo;I visited Kelowna, B.C., and kids in Grade 10 were out on the ice playing shinny,&rdquo; Carson said. &ldquo;I was asked if I could spot the kids who hadn&rsquo;t started playing until they were in Grade 9. Those kids actually were in the middle of the pack skills-wise.&rdquo;Of course, there&rsquo;s more to the hockey world than North America. According to statistics from the International Ice Hockey Federation, no country is enjoying explosive hockey participation growth right now.Behind Canada and the United States, the nations with the largest total (male and female combined) participation numbers in 2004-05 are the Czech Republic (83,589 players from a total population of just 10.2 million), Russia (77,202 players, but a total population of 143.4 million), Sweden (67,774 players from a total population of just nine million), Finland (62,886 players from a total population of just 5.2 million), Germany (30,344 players from a total population of 82.4 million) and Switzerland (25,105 players from a total population of 7.5 million).The IIHF provides direction to national governing bodies (NGBs) in any nation with a hockey program &ndash; from Portugal to Ireland to the United Arab Emirates. It sponsors development camps that allow national team players &ndash; even from non-hockey powers such as Mongolia and Taiwan &ndash; to skate together.But according to Darryl Easson, the IIHF&rsquo;s sport development manager for youth hockey, grassroots programs vary from country to country based on tradition, wealth, rinks and other resources.&ldquo;We can help or supplement them, but they have to initiate the work inside their countries,&rdquo; Easson said. &ldquo;We have a learn-to-play program and a lot of the thinking in it came from the Hockey Canada initiation program. But in the end, it&rsquo;s up to the individual NGB. We can&rsquo;t go into a country and actually run it.&rdquo;Easson points out Sweden and Finland have excellent grassroots programs that involve a large base of players. Denmark and Norway are making impressive strides to catch up, while Switzerland also has a healthy recreational hockey culture.On the other hand, nations such as Russia and &ndash; to a lesser extent &ndash; the Czech Republic, place more emphasis and resources on elite player development as opposed to broad participation.&ldquo;In Russia, the teaching skills and technical skills are fantastic, but they concentrate on their best players,&rdquo; Easson said.Easson suggests some countries have underdeveloped potential when it comes to participation and, possibly, elite player development. Hockey is only popular in small pockets in many larger and wealthier Western European nations such as Germany, France and England.Easson said, however, some up-and-comers over the next decade could be Poland (population 39 million), Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia, provided investment is made.Then there is China&rsquo;s 1.3 billion people. Only a small percentage would need to pick up the game to make it the world&rsquo;s biggest hockey country in terms of total players. But, as of 2004-05, China had only 420 players according to IIHF statistics. &#9632;

f0008-01

Dwindling numbers

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0012-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-012040/8842727-1-eng-US/f0012-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">(MITCHELL LAYTON/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>The search for the &lsquo;Next Big Thing&rsquo; in hockey is a quest that gets more rabid with each passing year. From the NHL to junior, every team has scouts looking for a diamond in the rough no one else knows about.But with everyone looking in the same places, it&rsquo;s hard to get a pick past the competition. In 2003, the Florida Panthers tried to argue that a then 17-year-old Alexander Ovechkin was in fact old enough to be draft-eligible if leap years were taken into consideration. (He was born one day after the Sept. 16 cutoff.) The NHL saw things in a slightly different way and Ovechkin was drafted as an 18-year-old the next year by Washington.Of course, the Panthers were right to covet Ovechkin, who&rsquo;s on the verge of superstardom. But of all the numbers he put up as a teenager, that &lsquo;17&rsquo; turned out the be the most important when determining his fate. Consequently, to feed the buzz machine that surrounds all sports, the hockey world is always on the lookout for the next best player; and lately, that translates into &lsquo;the best youngest player.&rsquo;Sidney Crosby and Jason Spezza were household names before they could even drive a car, and you can add the names Phil Kessel and Jonathan Toews to that list.<blockquote class="pullQuote">Being 15 and playing 20-year-olds, obviously it was a big step. &ndash; Jason Spezza</blockquote>Now attending the universities of Minnesota and North Dakota, respectively, Kessel and Toews were raising eyebrows long before their 16th birthdays, as was 15-year-old OHL rookie John Tavares of the Oshawa Generals. Which leads to a dilemma: how young is too young?Should scouts be checking out 10-year-olds with &lsquo;intangibles?&rsquo; What about that kid playing novice level in Shawinigan? What kind of &lsquo;upside&rsquo; does he have?Luckily, the race to the bottom of the age groups is far from taking off. The Canadian Hockey League, North America&rsquo;s top junior circuit, is made up of the Western, Ontario and Quebec Leagues. Each has its own draft to help teams re-stock their rosters. The OHL and QMJHL draft teenagers 15 and 16 years of age, while the WHL has a bantam draft for 14 and 15-year-olds. However, they can&rsquo;t play major junior until they&rsquo;re 16.Major junior allows 15-year-olds only in very special circumstances &ndash; such as the young Mr. Tavares &ndash; which makes scouting teens anytime before that relatively pointless, despite what overaggressive hockey parents may think.&ldquo;We all think our son is better,&rdquo; said Dennis MacInnis, director of scouting for International Scouting Services, one of the top hockey scouting agencies in the world. Realistically, noted MacInnis, his team only pays attention to the near future. This season, that means players with 1990 birthdays. &ldquo;We focus on the draft years,&rdquo; he said. Occasionally, some players with 1991 birthdays will be seen at tournaments with two age groups, such as the Atlantic Cup. But scouts still consider them works in progress.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-011842/8842720-1-eng-US/f0013-012.jpg" title="f0013-01" width="1877" height="2480"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jason SpezzaOttawa Senators (PHILLIP MACCALLUM/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ll see who they&rsquo;re playing against, just to see if anyone is dominating,&rdquo; MacInnis said.MacInnis points to the recent example of Angelo Esposito, now playing with the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec League.Esposito, who was six feet tall, led his bantam league in scoring as an underager, but was still too young for junior-A or the NCAA.&ldquo;Under the rules, he would have had to go back to bantam,&rdquo; MacInnis noted. &ldquo;There was no sense for him to go back.&rdquo;With that in mind, Esposito&rsquo;s parents enrolled him at Shattuck St. Mary&rsquo;s prep school in Minnesota. Sidney Crosby and Carolina&rsquo;s top pick in 2005, Jack Johnson, are among the school&rsquo;s alumni. This season, Esposito is tearing up the &lsquo;Q&rsquo;, registering 24 goals and 58 points through 30 games.Another option for underagers is the United States League, which has acted as a bridge for American teens too young for the NCAA, but romping in their high school leagues.&ldquo;They want more and feel they need more,&rdquo; said USHL president Gino Gasparini.Ottawa 2005 top pick Brian Lee was one player who made the leap, suiting up with the Lincoln Stars after his high school team&rsquo;s year had ended.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-012014/8842713-1-eng-US/f0014-012.jpg" title="f0014-01" width="170" height="118"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-021522/8842706-1-eng-US/f0014-022.jpg" title="f0014-02" width="2893" height="197"><figcaption class="caption-body">LITTLE STARS Age groups for youth hockey in the U.S., shown below, are capped at 18-years-old.</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-031051/8842699-1-eng-US/f0014-032.jpg" title="f0014-03" width="150" height="120"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-04728/8842692-1-eng-US/f0014-042.jpg" title="f0014-04" width="2893" height="195"><figcaption class="caption-body">CANUCK KIDS Youth hockey in Canada includes a juvenile division for players 18, 19 and 20 years of age.</figcaption></div>&ldquo;He was an advanced player, so he jumped,&rdquo; said Gasparini, adding that many USHL players are still in high school. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got some 10th graders, 11th graders&hellip;Thirty-five to 40 per cent (of the league) are high school-aged players.&rdquo;With youths like Lee at their disposal, Gasparini is quick to point out how important development is in the league.&ldquo;We have to make sure we&rsquo;re caring for them,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We provide a schedule and support structure for them.&rdquo;With so many options available to teenage hockey stars &ndash; CHL, USHL, or NCAA &ndash; figuring out what is best for their burgeoning pro careers is a difficult decision. Imagine being 15 and deciding to move away from your parents in small-town Manitoba or Wisconsin to play on the other side of the continent for the Vancouver Giants or Boston College Eagles. Especially when, as MacInnis noted, most boys that age are thinking about &ldquo;driver&rsquo;s licenses and girlfriends.&rdquo;The choice of where to play is a tough one, but the most important one is made before that. Going pro means having an agent, but it&rsquo;s not always so simple for teen phenoms. If a player has aspirations to play NCAA hockey, the rules governing representation are different and much more costly.Bryan Deasley, who represents John Tavares, noted that there is a distinct difference between being a player&rsquo;s agent and being his advisor. Deasley is Tavares&rsquo; agent, but if the youngster wanted to play NCAA hockey, Deasley would have served as his advisor.&ldquo;You&rsquo;re really down to semantics,&rdquo; Deasley said. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re really providing the same services.&rdquo;As always, it comes down to money. According to the NCAA&rsquo;s rules, a player &ndash; or by extension, their family &ndash; must pay for all extra ice time or extras such as strength coaches or sports psychologists themselves, the advisor isn&rsquo;t allowed to help them out.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-05496/8842685-1-eng-US/f0014-052.jpg" title="f0014-05" width="1453" height="2773"><figcaption class="caption-body">TOEWS TIME North Dakota freshman Jonathon Toews won&rsquo;t be drafted until June, but is already a household name. (MIKE MOHAUPT/HOCKEY HALL OF FAME)</figcaption></div>&ldquo;I have to track my time and docket it, (as an advisor)&rdquo; Deasley noted.And while the NCAA may seem like a tougher road financially, Deasley points out just what is at stake in choosing a school.&ldquo;If you&rsquo;re going to a big university like Michigan, there&rsquo;s a lot to be addressed,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Four years, that&rsquo;s $160,000 worth of scholarships.&rdquo;Some schools, such as Notre Dame, have even instituted a certification process, much like the CHL does for its agents.&ldquo;Agents are around,&rdquo; Deasley said. &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s acknowledge that and recognize the professional ones that are doing it right.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-011824/8842678-1-eng-US/f0015-012.jpg" title="f0015-01" width="1137" height="1627"><figcaption class="caption-body">PICK LEE Ottawa&rsquo;s Brian Lee played in the USHL before jumping to the NCAA with UND. (MIKE MOHAUPT/HOCKEY HALL OF FAME)</figcaption></div>Tavares chose the OHL, where he was quickly selected first overall by Oshawa. And while Deasley puts a lot of stock in letting players grow, Tavares was different.&ldquo;We can&rsquo;t place an age on his physical development,&rdquo; Deasley said. &ldquo;This is a unique personality and things are going to happen quicker.&rdquo;Tavares isn&rsquo;t out of place with the older kids, ringing up 23 goals and 40 points in 34 games.One player who knows what Tavares is going through is Ottawa star Spezza. As another highly-touted youth, he joined the OHL&rsquo;s Brampton Battalion at 15, another example of a special player given an age exemption.Spezza had the benefit of living at home that season, which he says helped what turned out to be the right career move.&ldquo;It was a good chance for me to play against older guys,&rdquo; Spezza said. &ldquo;Being 15 and playing 20-year-olds was a big step.&rdquo;Spezza reflects fondly on his first year with Brampton, noting he took on a sort of &lsquo;little brother&rsquo; role on the team. &ldquo;Our captain would drive me to the rink every morning,&rdquo; he recalled.As for the hype surrounding him, Spezza tried to avoid it.&ldquo;You don&rsquo;t worry about it &ndash; people will talk,&rdquo; he said.No matter how much potential a young player has, they have to want it for themselves &ndash; not for their parents.&ldquo;The necessity for me,&rdquo; Deasley said, &ldquo;is to meet the player and the family and make sure it&rsquo;s a good fit.&rdquo;For MacInnis, any lobbying by parents is usually discounted.&ldquo;We try and avoid it as much as we can,&rdquo; he said. There are exceptions, of course. MacInnis recalled one parent who constantly sent video clips and emails about his 13-year-old son.&ldquo;He was very aggressive,&rdquo; MacInnis said of Troy Crosby, who has a son named Sidney. &ldquo;And hey, he was right.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0012-01

Stepping into spotlight

<div class="byline">BY MIKE BROPHY</div>One of the best assets a team has is its prospects. And you could make the case prospects are more valuable now than ever before.Since all teams are now subjected to a salary cap, selecting the right young players &ndash; and holding on to them &ndash; is the ticket to long-term success for an organization. Add to the equation rookies are subject to a salary cap that makes them considerably more affordable than they were under the old collective bar-gaining agreement, and you can see why teams may be more willing to live with their kids longer now and groom them rather than trade them away.Rookies can earn a maximum of $850,000 in base salary, but it can go as high as $3.7 million with bonuses.&ldquo;I think that clearly is something that factors into your decision to trade or keep a young player,&rdquo; says Tampa Bay GM Jay Feaster. &ldquo;You have them locked up at a low wage and there&rsquo;s no question that is something that goes into your thinking.&rdquo;In the past, many teams traded away their kids knowing they could fill the holes with veterans through trades and free agency.Now, with the cap hanging over their heads like a 39-million pound black cloud, big-spending teams are subject to a bottom line just like everybody else.&ldquo;If you make your cupboard bare, you can&rsquo;t buy your way out of mistakes,&rdquo; says San Jose GM Doug Wilson. &ldquo;There are &lsquo;today teams&rsquo; and &lsquo;tomorrow teams&rsquo;. A lot of teams that came out of the former system did everything they could to try to win the Cup every year, so it makes sense that their cupboard would be bare. They could buy their way out of a problem.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-011791/8842765-1-eng-US/f0016-012.jpg" title="f0016-01" width="829" height="1341"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jarome Iginla (MARCO CAMPANELLI/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>Of course that doesn&rsquo;t mean a team that thinks it is close to winning the Stanley Cup won&rsquo;t deal a prospect if it is convinced it can get back the missing piece of the puzzle.When the Dallas Stars thought they were close, they happily sent the rights to Jarome Iginla with Corey Millen to get veteran center Joe Nieuwendyk. While Iginla has blossomed into what many feel is the best player in the NHL &ndash; twice leading the league in goals &ndash; the Stars won the Stanley Cup in 1999 and Nieuwendyk led the playoffs in goals that season with 11.Likewise, when the Flames felt they were an experienced defenseman away from being a Cup champion in 1988, they surrendered up-and-coming star right winger Brett Hull along with Steve Bozek to St. Louis for Rob Ramage and Rick Wamsley. The Flames won the Stanley Cup the following season. So even though Hull went on to become the third-highest goal-scorer in NHL history and won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP in 1991, it was a smart trade for the Flames.&ldquo;If you feel you are close and this is the deal that puts you over the top, then absolutely, you make it,&rdquo; Feaster says. &ldquo;When I traded the fourth pick overall to get (Ruslan) Fedotenko and then traded (Alexander) Svitov to get (Darryl) Sydor, even if I was working with this new system and knew I could have Svitov for a long time at a low number, it would not have made any difference at all. I really believed we were close and we won the Cup.&rdquo;<blockquote class="pullQuote">If you think you can win the Cup, you&rsquo;ll trade a young kid. &ndash; Red Wings GM Ken Holland</blockquote><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-011594/8842758-1-eng-US/f0017-012.jpg" title="f0017-01" width="2123" height="1932"><figcaption class="caption-body">DRAFT CRAFT San Jose GM Doug Wilson believes in patience with draftees such as Steve Bernier rather than trading away the future. (JEFF VINNICK/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>Of all the big-spending teams, perhaps no team more so than the Detroit Red Wings have successfully dipped into the free agent market, yet also drafted well and groomed their youngsters. (See pg. 21 for more.)&ldquo;There are different circumstances on every trade,&rdquo; says Detroit GM Ken Holland. &ldquo;The question at the trade deadline is, do teams want to trade their young players, because young players who can play and are cheap are going to be pretty coveted. At the same time, if you think you have a chance to win the Stanley Cup, you&rsquo;ll trade a young kid. If you think you can win the Cup, then you are prepared to pay a price to pursue that goal.&rdquo;Under the old CBA, Holland could take on an expensive player at the trade deadline, knowing he&rsquo;d be paying him the final third of his contract, and that the Wings had what seemed like an unlimited budget. Now, the Wings and other traditional big spenders such as the Maple Leafs, Rangers, Flyers and Stars, must adhere to the cap. If they want to add a big-ticket player, it usually means moving out the equivalent amount of salary in the trade.&ldquo;I still think there will be trades, but you&rsquo;ll find that teams that are in around $32-35 million might be able to add one player,&rdquo; Holland says.Under the old CBA, teams drafted players and had them tied up until they were 31. In the new world, players are free younger &ndash; as early as 27 in a couple of years. So again, the circumstances have changed and teams have to take that into consideration. Some NHL team executives are inspired by the level playing surface.Wilson, for one, says he likes the idea of grooming his prospects.&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to change that dynamic because I really believe that competition is a great motivator,&rdquo; Wilson says. &ldquo;Players look over their shoulders and see a younger player who makes less money is working his butt off in Cleveland (San Jose&rsquo;s AHL affiliate), it should make them work harder. We believe strongly in developing our guys, not churning and burning them.&ldquo;We feel it takes two to three years for a guy to be graded fairly. You can take a look around and see a number of players who are dominant yet are playing for their second or third team.&rdquo;Wilson says teams have to be on their toes moving forward.&ldquo;It narrows the parameters of competition, you have to be humming on all cylinders,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;Your scouts have to do a really good job of drafting people; your coaches have to do a good job of developing them.&ldquo;You have to make good decisions to make lateral deals. I don&rsquo;t mind it. I think it&rsquo;s OK.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0016-01

The future is now

<div class="byline">BY DENIS GIBBONS</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0018-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-011674/8842810-1-eng-US/f0018-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Evgeni Malkin (IHA)</figcaption></div>If Evgeni Malkin had chosen to sign a contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins prior to this season, perhaps the Pens would be in serious contention for a playoff spot today rather than trolling at the bottom of the league.Yes, that&rsquo;s a lot of ground for one player to make up his own, but if any non-NHLer could do it, Malkin is the one.How widespread is the praise Malkin&rsquo;s play has inspired? Consider that NHL scouts have made the 19-year-old Russian phenom an unprecedented unanimous selection as Future Watch&rsquo;s top NHL prospect. It&rsquo;s the first time that has happened since The Hockey News began assessing the top 50 prospects in 1995.Malkin&rsquo;s name was listed first on all 21 ballots ranking NHL-affiliated prospects.It&rsquo;s yet another tribute for the sublime skills of the 6-foot-3, 195-pound center who has burned up the Russian Superleague this season and earned a spot on the Russian Olympic team.With a rare combination of skill, size and speed, Malkin is sure to give Pittsburgh a second impact player to go along with Sidney Crosby when he arrives in North America for good next season when he&rsquo;ll be 20.&ldquo;I think he is the top forward in the Superleague,&rdquo; said former NHL coach Dave King, who is behind the bench with Malkin&rsquo;s Metallurg Magnitogorsk team this season.&ldquo;He can dominate a game. Besides his offensive talent, he is an excellent penalty killer with his reach and range on the ice being great assets.&rdquo;In his first 30 league games, the second overall choice in the 2004 NHL draft (behind Alexander Ovechkin) produced 13 goals and 31 points and was leading the Superleague in scoring. He was named the league&rsquo;s player of the month for October.In mid-December, shortly before coming to Vancouver for the World Junior Championship, Malkin was named best forward at the Rosno Cup in Moscow, a four-team tournament involving national teams (minus NHLers) from Russia, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic.<blockquote class="pullQuote">Zhenia is the best Zhenia is God. &ndash; Shouting Metallurg fans after Malkin scored the tying and winning goal against defending champion Moscow Dynamo</blockquote><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-011528/8842803-1-eng-US/f0019-012.jpg" title="f0019-01" width="2890" height="1975"></div>In a league game earlier this year against defending champion Moscow Dynamo, Magnitogorsk trailed 2-1 with 30 seconds to play when Malkin tied the score, despite being surrounded by four Dynamo players. He was penalized after the play, but came back to score the winning goal in overtime, leading Metallurg fans to shout, &ldquo;Zhenia is the best, Zhenia is God.&rdquo;Zhenia is a Russian nickname for Evgeni.Malkin has soft hands and is a playmaking master. No-look passes are part of his bag of tricks. His most impressive move is one in which he leaves the puck for a teammate, but accelerates in a way that makes defenders believe he still has it on his stick.Malkin may have inherited some of his passing skills from his father Vladimir, who played center for Magnitogorsk before the club joined the Superleague. Asked what he would do with his first NHL paycheck, the younger Malkin said he would buy presents for his family.&ldquo;They helped me a lot, and it was definitely my father who brought me out to the hockey school,&rdquo; he said.Malkin is quite able to defend himself, but in case there is trouble, Metallurg defenseman Vladislav Bulin, a 1992 Philadelphia draft pick who knocked around bodies in the AHL for a couple of seasons, looks after things. The NHL&rsquo;s top prospect has suffered two concussions in his short career, but both were diagnosed as minor.He feels fortunate to be playing for King in his NHL warm-up campaign.&ldquo;Yeah, King gives me more ice time than he gives to the other players on the team,&rdquo; Malkin said. &ldquo;And it gives me more inspiration. I know he has faith in me. He trusts me but doesn&rsquo;t put any pressure on me. I&rsquo;m not afraid to make a mistake, I just don&rsquo;t think about it. I just play.&rdquo;The Penguins had hoped he would leave Russia to play in the NHL this season, but he signed a deal with Magnitogorsk that didn&rsquo;t include an out-clause even had the Russian Hockey Federation signed a transfer agreement with the NHL.&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t regret staying at home at all,&rdquo; Malkin has said. &ldquo;I feel that I&rsquo;m growing, maturing, gaining experience. Now, when Dave King is our coach, we play more NHL-like hockey. It&rsquo;s faster.&rdquo;King agrees Malkin made a wise decision.&ldquo;He is becoming a leader as well as a better player,&rdquo; King said. &ldquo;He logs a great deal of ice time and our off-ice training is very demanding here in Russia so he is getting much stronger physically.&rdquo;Penguins European scout Mark Kelly has seen Malkin play this season, but the team&rsquo;s chief scout Greg Malone said there isn&rsquo;t a lot of vigilance necessary.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s one of those guys that we don&rsquo;t have to spend a lot of time watching,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s more important for us to find some players who can play with him.&rdquo;Malone said the only area the Pens were concerned about was Malkin getting stronger, and he&rsquo;s doing that now.&ldquo;What I like is that he moves the puck when he should and he shoots when he should,&rdquo; Malone said. &ldquo;As talented as he is offensively, he comes back deep into his own zone to help his defense. He&rsquo;s not a one-way offensive player.&rdquo;Last season, Malkin had 12 goals and 32 points in 52 games in a Superleague loaded with NHL stars during the lockout. Malkin also made his World Championship debut last spring at the age of 18, once again against NHL players, and earned a bronze medal.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-021157/8842796-1-eng-US/f0019-022.jpg" title="f0019-02" width="1644" height="1416"><figcaption class="caption-body">(IHA)</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0018-01

No stopping Malkin

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0020-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-011437/8842841-1-eng-US/f0020-012.jpg"></div>A look at tomorrow&rsquo;s stars today30 Team Reports, Top 50 Prospects & 300 Player Evaluations &#9632;

f0020-01

The Class of 2006

<div class="byline">BRIAN COSTELLO&nbsp;Senior Editor</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-011170/8842879-1-eng-US/f0021-012.jpg" title="f0021-01" width="294" height="356"></div>Like the NHL prospects we cover, The Hockey News is always looking for ways to improve our game.We&rsquo;re constantly trying to talk to more scouts to get more opinions on the 300 prospects you see in these pages. The more opinions we seek, the more authoritative the rankings are.Future Watch had its beginning in 1984 as a theme issue called &lsquo;In The System&rsquo;. In 1992, it picked up the name Future Watch and for the first time we graded the prospects for each team in the form of a report card. A panel of NHL scouts did the evaluating for us.Over the years, readers &ndash; and some teams &ndash; have taken exception to a particular grade. We explain the process is based on a consensus of opinion from professional scouts in an independent forum. The number of scouts providing grades has grown from five early on to 21 this year.In 2000, we asked our panel to base their rankings on not just a team&rsquo;s top 10 prospects, but also their 21-and-under NHLers. We didn&rsquo;t think it right a team grade of prospects was penalized if an 18, 19, 20 or 21-year-old player was fast-tracked to the NHL.In time, teams with a lot of early draft selections naturally rose up the report card rankings, while teams drafting lower with their first pick on a consistent basis generally slipped.So in Future Watch 2006, we&rsquo;re introducing a leveling system to provide another layer of prospect context. If you&rsquo;d like to see which teams have done the best in relation to where they have drafted since 2000, check out the new chart below.The Columbus Blue Jackets have had the earliest first picks the past six drafts &ndash; fourth, eighth, first, fourth, eighth and sixth for an average first pick position of 5.2. The Columbus team grade of prospects and 21-and-under NHLers is A-minus, third overall. So the team that, in theory, should have the best crop of prospects and young NHLers is actually third overall for a difference of minus-2.At the other end of the spectrum are the Detroit Red Wings. Because the Wings routinely finish high in the standings, they draft low and often trade away their first pick. Since 2000, Detroit&rsquo;s first picks have been 29th, 62nd, 58th, 64th, 97th and 19th, for an average first pick position of 54.8, by far the lowest in the NHL. But the Detroit team grade of prospects and 21-and-under NHLers is B-minus, or 13th overall. So the team that should have the weakest crop of prospects and young NHLers comes in with a differential of plus-17, second best in the NHL.Claiming the title in this ranking of team grade versus pipeline strength is Philadelphia.The Flyers rank 26th when it comes to how high their first picks have been since 2000. By all rights, Philly&rsquo;s list of prospects and 21-and-under NHLers shouldn&rsquo;t be that strong. But according to our panel, the Flyers have the fourth best list behind Pittsburgh, Anaheim and Columbus.The Penguins, who finished a runaway first on the report card on the strength of Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury and Evgeni Malkin, were a plus-two on the differential chart because they&rsquo;ve had the third-earliest drafting sequence since 2000.<h2>LEVELING SYSTEM</h2>This listing shows the average draft position for each team since 2000. The number in parentheses indicates how each team ranks in comparison to its report card ranking. For example, in entry drafts since 2000, Pittsburgh has selected an average of eighth overall, third highest among NHL teams. Pittsburgh&rsquo;s top-ranked report card (see chart on right) is two spots higher (+2) than its average draft position.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-02764/8842872-1-eng-US/f0021-022.jpg" title="f0021-02" width="707" height="1409"></div> &#9632;

f0021-01

Perspective on team grades

<div class="byline">BY BRIAN COSTELLO</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0022-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-011320/8842948-1-eng-US/f0022-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">BACK IN THE NHL Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (ranked No. 6) was a prospect in Wilkes-Barre when our top-50 list was spawned. (ELSA/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>NHL stars such as Marian Hossa, Roberto Luongo and Alexander Ovechkin once graced the No. 1 rung of the Future Watch top-50 prospect ladder, but none did so with the dominance of Evgeni Malkin.The 19-year-old Russian center appeared first on the ballot from all 21 NHL scouts who provided a list of already-drafted prospects.The previous two winners of the Future Watch top-50 list &ndash; Kari Lehtonen and Ovechkin &ndash; already established themselves as NHLers so they weren&rsquo;t eligible for the competition. That left Malkin to run away from a talented field that included prospects such as Jack Johnson, Bobby Ryan and Marc-Andre Fleury.&ldquo;He&rsquo;ll be an impact player immediately,&rdquo; said one scout.&ldquo;Can you imagine Pittsburgh with (Sidney) Crosby, Fleury, Malkin, and maybe even Phil Kessel (projected No. 1 draft pick in 2006)?&rdquo; added another scout.The top-50 prospect list is a who&rsquo;s who of the best NHL-affiliated players. It is the combined opinions of 21 NHL scouts. Thirty scouts &ndash; one from each team &ndash; are asked to participate in the project, which includes perusing each team&rsquo;s top-10 list and formulating a master top-50 ranking. Scouts are asked to project five to 10 years into the future and speculate which prospect will be the most effective NHLers.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-011184/8842941-1-eng-US/f0023-012.jpg" title="f0023-01" width="1470" height="1212"><figcaption class="caption-body">Tuukka Rask (IHA)</figcaption></div>The annual Future Watch project is two months in the planning and execution. Teams are asked to assist with helping establish their own top-10 list of prospects and those lists are later justified to reflect a player&rsquo;s presence on the top-50 list.And what is a prospect? It is generally a player with fewer than 50 games NHL experience, although exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis.Top-10 lists are formulated in mid-November. Young NHLers who have proven themselves in the big league through the first six weeks are no longer considered prospects even though they are under the 50-game mark. Crosby, Ovechkin and Dion Phaneuf are obvious examples, but positive judgements are also made on dozens of other young regulars. In some cases, such as Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry in Anaheim and Braydon Coburn in Atlanta, the prospect is sent to the minors part way through our evaluating process. Rather than starting over with refreshed top 10 lists each day/week, we keep the demoted player off the prospect list and retain him in the 21-and-under NHL category.Because of our set deadlines with scouts to assemble a top-50 list, we also have a cut-off point for prospects moving up to the NHL. If you&rsquo;ve been through the lists, you&rsquo;ve no doubt wondered why it includes current NHLers such as Buffalo&rsquo;s Derek Roy, Florida&rsquo;s Anthony Stewart, Ottawa&rsquo;s Patrick Eaves, Philadelphia&rsquo;s R.J. Umberger, Pittsburgh&rsquo;s Fleury, Toronto&rsquo;s Carlo Colaiacovo and Washington&rsquo;s Brooks Laich.<blockquote class="pullQuote">(Malkin) is an impact player &ndash; NHL scout</blockquote>It&rsquo;s because they were either not with the NHL at the time the lists were assembled or because it was expected they were in the NHL temporarily as an injury replacement. In some cases, they played well enough to warrant full-time NHL duty.One player who caused much consternation in the small window we formulate our top-10 lists was Brandon Bochenski.Ottawa&rsquo;s No. 7 prospect a year ago, we expected him back for another year with us at Future Watch. But he made the Senators out of camp and we bid him a hearty adieu. After 10 NHL games, however, he was demoted to the AHL for what looked like another year of seasoning. So we slipped him back onto Ottawa&rsquo;s top-10 list only to see him get recalled after 14 AHL games.It should be noted prospect evaluations by scouts occurred just prior to the world juniors, so strong performances there are not reflected in these rankings. &#9632;

f0022-01

Makings of a list

The top 50 ranking is a blend of ratings provided by a panel of 21 NHL scouts. Prospects are listed in order of 2006 Future Watch top prospect ranking. Last year&rsquo;s rank is in parentheses after the name. Players who weren&rsquo;t ranked in 2005 are denoted as (nr), while players listed as (new) are prospects drafted in 2005.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-02841/8842993-1-eng-US/f0023-022.jpg" title="f0023-02" width="643" height="707"><figcaption class="caption-body">Evgeni Malkin (DAVE SANDFORD/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-03631/8842986-1-eng-US/f0023-032.jpg" title="f0023-03" width="643" height="707"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jack Johnson (BRIAN BAHR/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-04466/8842979-1-eng-US/f0023-042.jpg" title="f0023-04" width="1469" height="2421"></div> &#9632;

f0023-02

THEHOCKEYNEWS TOP 50

<div class="byline">BY DAN WOOD</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-011282/8843031-1-eng-US/f0024-012.jpg" title="f0024-01" width="253" height="218"></div>The list of Future Watch prospects for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim is notable both for the players included, and two who are not.Center Ryan Getzlaf and right winger Corey Perry, each first round picks in 2003, spent the first month and a half of the NHL season with the Ducks before being assigned to AHL affiliate Portland, Maine. As a result, they are not ranked among Anaheim&rsquo;s top 10, where they would no doubt have headed the list otherwise.Getzlaf and Perry are not the only reasons for Anaheim to be optimistic about its prospects, particularly up front.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. BOBBY RYAN</h2><h3>RW, OWEN SOUND (OHL)</h3>After missing most of Anaheim&rsquo;s training camp because of a shoulder injury, the right winger excelled upon his return to Owen Sound, despite not having a lot of talent around him.Still only 18, Ryan already has the build of a classic NHL power forward; one who possesses tremendous scoring touch and vision in the offensive zone. With rule changes in the NHL this season, Ryan&rsquo;s size and skill figure to eventually present a formidable challenge for opposing defenders.The consolation for the Ducks just missing out on securing the No. 1 pick in the 2005 draft (Sidney Crosby), Ryan is working to improve his quickness and conditioning, elements that will accelerate his arrival in Anaheim.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, second overall.<h2>2. LADISLAV SMID</h2><h3>D, PORTLAND (AHL)</h3>In his first season in North America, Smid has enjoyed a largely seamless transition from the European style of his native Czech Republic. He has displayed intelligence and strong puck skills, while showing no fear of jumping into the play.Just 19, Smid needs some seasoning and Ducks brass is committed not to rush him.Still, there remains a chance he could get a trial in Anaheim before season&rsquo;s end.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, ninth overall.<h2>3. STANISLAV CHISTOV</h2><h3>LW, MAGNITOGORSK (RUS.)</h3>After spending the 2004-05 NHL lockout season with Cincinnati of the AHL, Chistov accepted a big-money deal from the Dave King-coached Mettalurg Magnitogorsk club to play in his native Russia this season.Despite his decision to play abroad, Anaheim has by no means given up on the dynamic left winger. At 22, Chistov remains remarkably skilled and has the experience of having been a regular on a team that went to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final in 2003.Acquired: 2001 entry draft, fifth overall.<h2>4. DUSTIN PENNER</h2><h3>LW, PORTLAND (AHL)</h3>The term &lsquo;meteoric rise&rsquo; certainly applies to Penner. After being cut from a number of junior teams in Manitoba just a few years ago, Penner has spent time this season playing left wing on a line with center Andy McDonald and right winger Teemu Selanne in Anaheim.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-02916/8843024-1-eng-US/f0024-022.jpg" title="f0024-02" width="1405" height="1899"><figcaption class="caption-body">Bobby Ryan (DAVE SANDFORD/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>Penner, 23, remains raw, but represents a rare combination of size and skill and is now beginning to display his potential.Acquired: Signed as free agent, May 12, 2004.<h2>5. BRENDAN MIKKELSON</h2><h3>D, VANCOUVER (WHL)</h3>A series of injuries, including a sprained knee ligament, have significantly limited Mikkelson&rsquo;s playing time and development after he turned in a strong performance at Anaheim&rsquo;s camp.Mikkelson, 18, will likely remain in Vancouver next season, when the Giants will host the Memorial Cup. While he still needs to gain size and strength, his skating and passing ability enable him to play a strong transition game that is important in the new NHL.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 31st overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Bobby Ryan, RW, 18, 6-1, 213 Owen Sound (OHL) 33-23-50-73-24Overall 32. Ladislav Smid, D, 19, 6-3, 204Portland (AHL) 29-1-12-13-16Overall 103. Stanislav Chistov, LW, 22, 5-10, 193Magnitogorsk (Rus.) 32-9-15-24-51Overall 574. Dustin Penner, LW, 23, 6-4, 240Portland (AHL) 24-17-20-37-31Overall 725. Brendan Mikkelson, D, 18, 6-2, 180Vancouver (WHL) 18-2-6-8-326. Shane O&rsquo;Brien, D, 22, 6-2, 237Portland (AHL) 32-4-17-21-111&nbsp;Maturity and emotions are key challenges for O&rsquo;Brien to reach the next level.&nbsp;Acquired 2003 draft, 250th overall7. Chris Kunitz, LW, 26, 6-0, 194Portland (AHL) 5-0-4-4-12&nbsp;Established himself as a reliable regular with the Ducks in December.Acquired Signed as free agent, 20038. Curtis Glencross, C, 23, 6-1, 195 Portland (AHL) 26-8-6-14-62Second-year pro still struggling to find consistency at professional level.&nbsp;Acquired Signed as free agent, 20049. Aaron Rome, D, 22, 6-1, 230 Portland (AHL) 18-1-6-7-35&nbsp;Broken jaw sustained early this season has delayed his development.&nbsp;Acquired Signed as free agent, 200410. Jordan Smith, RW, 20, 6-2, 215 Portland (AHL) 31-4-6-10-74Former defenseman shifted to forward, looking good in fourth-line role.Acquired 2004 draft, 39th overall &#9632;

f0024-01

Forwards fuel Ducks future

<div class="byline">BY JOHN MANASSO</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0025-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-02798/8843062-1-eng-US/f0025-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ondrej Pavelec (MIKE SULLIVAN/QUALITY CAMERAS)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-011149/8843069-1-eng-US/f0025-012.jpg" title="f0025-01" width="229" height="215"></div>The Thrashers&rsquo; system is not loaded with high-end NHL prospects &ndash; largely because most of their touted youngsters already have reached hockey&rsquo;s highest professional level.But they do have a number of players in the minors who they think can become solid NHLers.Atlanta is counting on defenseman Braydon Coburn, who has seen action in both the NHL and American League this season, to develop into a No. 1 defender. The team also has high hopes for goalie Kari Lehtonen, who has been limited to just a few games in the cursed Atlanta crease this season because of injury.Starting with Coburn (who had established himself in Atlanta when this list was put together), the Thrashers are especially thick with rising rearguards.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. ONDREJ PAVELEC</h2><h3>G, CAPE BRETON (QMJHL)</h3>The Thrashers were able to pick the Czech goalie after they twice traded down to amass picks in the first round.Pavelec elected to play for Cape Breton in the Quebec League, a bit of a rarity for a European goalie.But the 18-year-old has made a huge impression, earning the league&rsquo;s defensive player-of-the-week honors back in October.Thrashers coach Bob Hartley said that Patrick Roy, owner of the QMJHL&rsquo;s Quebec Remparts, told him Pavelec is the real deal.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 41st overall.<h2>2. BORIS VALABIK</h2><h3>D, KITCHENER (OHL)</h3>Valabik did not have a particularly good 2004-05 season with Kitchener, largely due to injuries.He played only 43 games and still managed 231 penalty minutes. A demonstrably aggressive player and punishing body-checker at 6-foot-7, Valabik is sure to be an intimidator. In fact, very few OHL players challenge him to fights, anymore.Healthy again, Valabik is logging plenty of ice time in Kitchener and is adjusting well to the new rule regulations, according to GM Don Waddell.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 10th overall.<h2>3. ALEX BOURRET</h2><h3>RW, SHAWINIGAN (QMJHL)</h3>The right winger came to training camp without the benefit of the Thrashers&rsquo; strength and conditioning program because of the lockout. As a result, his development suffered, and that is the area where he most needs to improve.Nonetheless, the organization loves his skill and the way he goes through defenders to get the puck, despite his diminutive size.Bourret&rsquo;s coach in Shawinigan, Eric Veilleux, played for Hartley at several levels and is staying on top of the conditioning issue, which Bourret has made good on a promise to fix.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 16th overall.<h2>4. JIM SHARROW</h2><h3>D, GWINNETT (ECHL)</h3>Sharrow is playing his first year of professional hockey after three solid seasons in the QMJHL with Halifax. He needs to work on his upper-body strength if he&rsquo;s going to do battle with the NHL&rsquo;s big forwards in the defensive zone.However, as his junior numbers indicate, Sharrow has a promising offensive upside.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 110th overall.<h2>5. NATHAN OYSTRICK</h2><h3>D, NORTHERN MICH. (CCHA)</h3>This seventh round pick in 2002 could prove to be a diamond in the rough. Named a first-team all-CCHA defenseman at Northern Michigan in 2004-05, Oystrick is maintaining a high level of play on an average team this season.The 6-foot, 195-pounder will have the disadvantage of not playing his first full pro season next year until he is almost 24. Waddell said some college players struggle at the conditioning aspect when they transition to the pro game.Acquired: 2002 entry draft, 198th overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Ondrej Pavelec, G, 18, 6-2, 177Cape Breton (QMJHL) 15-10, 2.51, .927Overall 582. Boris Valabik, D, 19, 6-7, 230Kitchener (OHL) 25-1-3-4-1093. Alex Bourret, RW, 19, 5-10, 209Shawinigan (QMJHL) 38-26-42-68-604. Jim Sharrow, LW, 20, 6-2, 195Gwinnett (ECHL) 18-3-7-10-125. Nathan Oystrick, D, 23, 6-0, 195Northern Michigan (CCHA) 18-4-7-11-326. Scott Lehman, D, 19, 6-1, 200 St. Michael&rsquo;s (OHL) 38-3-24-27-83&nbsp;Tough defender capable of providing offense and can play in any situation.Acquired 2003 draft, 76th overall7. Tomas Pospisil, RW, 18, 6-0, 185Sarnia (OHL) 31-17-12-29-36Distributes the puck well, but needs to develop a quicker release.Acquired 2005 draft, 135th overall8. Karl Stewart, LW, 22, 5-10, 180 Chicago (AHL) 28-9-6-15-64Bad showing at training camp did nothing to raise his esteem in management&rsquo;s eyes.Acquired Signed as free agent, 20019. Jordan LaVallee, LW, 19, 6-2, 220Quebec (QMJHL) 4-0-4-4-2Not afraid to enter the fray physically and has a knack for sniping clutch goals.Acquired 2005 draft, 116th overall10. Andrei Zubarev, D, 18, 6-1, 220Kazan (Rus.) 31-1-9-10-26Has tremendous offensive upside, but must work on his language skills.Acquired 2005 draft, 187th overall &#9632;

f0025-02

Not too hot down south

<div class="byline">BY MIKE LOFTUS</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0026-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-02922/8843100-1-eng-US/f0026-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Mark Stuart (SPORTS ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-011288/8843107-1-eng-US/f0026-012.jpg" title="f0026-01" width="194" height="212"></div>No matter how the Bruins&rsquo; current campaign plays out, a look ahead to the offseason brings worry for 2006-07.Four of Boston&rsquo;s most veteran defensemen &ndash; Brian Leetch, Hal Gill, Jiri Slegr and Ian Moran &ndash; are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents this summer.Help, however, should be on the way in the form of several budding blueliners.Defensemen dominate the top of the Bruins&rsquo; prospects list and most of those already under contract may get a taste of the NHL by season&rsquo;s end.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. MARK STUART</h2><h3>D, PROVIDENCE (AHL)</h3>Instead of playing his senior season at Colorado College, Stuart (no relation to current Bruin Brad Stuart) is using regular American League ice time to learn how to pick his spots.&ldquo;He could do a few more things in college,&rdquo; said Jeff Gorton, Boston&rsquo;s assistant GM. &ldquo;At the pro level, he&rsquo;s learning when he can step up to make his hits and when he can&rsquo;t.&rdquo;The Bruins see Stuart as he was advertised &ndash; a physical, stay at-home defenseman who&rsquo;ll eventually skate against top lines in the NHL.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 21st overall.<h2>2. PETR KALUS</h2><h3>LW, REGINA (WHL)</h3>One of the early prizes of Boston&rsquo;s draft class of 2005, Kalus has adapted quickly to North American hockey this year after a productive (20 goals) and pugnacious (161 PIMs) final season at the Czech junior level. He&rsquo;s scoring at an even better pace in the WHL, leading the Pats in goals (21) and points (33) in 31 games.&ldquo;We knew he was a good player who could really skate and worked hard,&rdquo; Gorton said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been a little surprised by his offensive touch.&rdquo;Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 39th overall.<h2>3. MATT LASHOFF</h2><h3>D, KITCHENER (OHL)</h3>Injuries and illness have made it difficult for Boston&rsquo;s most recent first rounder to show all he can do. But during a healthy training camp, the Bruins were impressed with Lashoff&rsquo;s ability to rise to the occasion.&ldquo;As camp went on, he got better and better,&rdquo; Gorton said. &ldquo;He probably looked best during our black-white scrimmage and in an (NHL) exhibition game. We think that&rsquo;s a good sign.&rdquo;Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 22nd overall.<h2>4. MILAN JURCINA</h2><h3>D, PROVIDENCE (AHL)</h3>The huge Slovak blueliner was up and down between Boston and Providence over the first third of the season. He&rsquo;s still learning to adjust to the new style of play in the NHL.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s working through some problems he&rsquo;s run into with penalties,&rdquo; Gorton said.As Boston sees it, Jurcina&rsquo;s strength can make it appear he has committed infractions when he hasn&rsquo;t.A third-year pro who skates well for his size and has a hard shot, Jurcina is simply waiting in line to play full time in Boston.Acquired: 2001 entry draft, 241st overall.<h2>5. LARS JONSSON</h2><h3>D, HV-71 (SWE.)</h3>Timing between Jonsson and the Bruins has meant everything &ndash; or nothing.The Bruins tried several times to sign him, but Jonsson, who can become a free agent if not signed by the 2006 entry draft, was comfortable playing in Sweden.This year Jonsson seemed to be more interested in coming to North America, the problem was the Bruins had just drafted or signed several young defensemen.Boston continues to monitor and meet with Jonsson, who has NHL size and skating skills and is scoring consistently after changing teams in the Swedish Elite League.Acquired: 2000 entry draft, seventh overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Mark Stuart, D, 21, 6-1, 209Providence (AHL) 32-0-1-1-40Overall 312. Petr Kalus, LW, 18, 6-1, 186 Regina (WHL) 31-21-12-33-333. Matt Lashoff, D, 19, 6-2, 205Kitchener (OHL) 24-2-23-25-664. Milan Jurcina, D, 22, 6-4, 233Providence (AHL) 7-0-3-3-85. Lars Jonsson, D, 23, 6-2, 207 HV-71 (Swe.) 30-7-10-17-286. Ben Walter, C, 21, 6-1, 195Providence (AHL) 25-6-14-20-6First-year pro is proving he is capable of more than just scoring goals.Acquired 2004 draft, 160th overall7. Martins Karsums, LW, 5-10, 190Moncton (QMJHL) 23-11-13-24-38Bruins like his two-way game and willingness to do the little things.Acquired 2004 draft, 64th overall8. Sergei Zinovjev, C, 25, 5-11, 172Kazan (Rus.) 27-9-17-26-42Returned to Russia rather than report to AHL after stint with Bruins in &rsquo;03-04.Acquired 2000 draft, 73rd overall9. David Krejci, C, 19, 5-11, 176 Gatineau (QMJHL) 25-16-19-35-28Small, intelligent player; Bruins expect second QMJHL season to be coming-out party.&nbsp;Acquired 2004 draft, 63rd overall10. Mikko Lehtonen, RW, 18, 6-3, 196Espoo (Fin.) 21-4-0-4-0&nbsp;Was promoted to senior league in Finland, but Bruins wish he&rsquo;d see more ice.Acquired 2005 draft, 83rd overall &#9632;

f0026-02

Second Stuart on the way

<div class="byline">BY TIM GRAHAM</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0027-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-02853/8843138-1-eng-US/f0027-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Drew Stafford</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-011231/8843145-1-eng-US/f0027-012.jpg" title="f0027-01" width="229" height="217"></div>The Sabres are young. They were one of the NHL&rsquo;s youngest teams in 2003-04 and got even younger this season.At one point in December, they had five rookies on their roster, and that wasn&rsquo;t even counting Derek Roy, a top prospect who has since been called up.The organization has plenty of youth from the pro ranks down to the junior and college levels.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. DREW STAFFORD</h2><h3>RW, NORTH DAKOTA (WCHA)</h3>There&rsquo;s no shortage of excitement surrounding Stafford, who has been performing like a true power forward at the college level. Scouts rave about the way he keeps his feet moving and drives to the net.The physical junior has taken on an added leadership role as well. He is shooting more frequently and scoring at a significantly better pace than in the past.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 13th overall.<h2>2. DEREK ROY</h2><h3>C, ROCHESTER (AHL)</h3>Roy, close to an NHL regular before the lockout, didn&rsquo;t make the roster out of training camp. Rather than sulk, he tore up the American League, leading Rochester in several offensive categories when injuries prompted a Buffalo recall.&ldquo;He came back with a very good attitude,&rdquo; said Sabres player personnel director Don Luce. &ldquo;When you&rsquo;re talking about young players, you&rsquo;re dealing with maturity. The light bulb goes off at times. Derek&rsquo;s went off (at training camp). He had a good camp, but needed to do more.&rdquo;Roy is fearless despite his size and does all the little things well when focused.Acquired: 2001 entry draft, 32nd overall.<h2>3. MAREK ZAGRAPAN</h2><h3>C, CHICOUTIMI (QMJHL)</h3>The team&rsquo;s most recent first round pick slouched a bit at the start of the season, as some youngsters do right after they&rsquo;re drafted, but Zagrapan rebounded to become one of the top offensive centers in the Quebec League.Zagrapan is a Slovak who played in the Czech Republic before making the move to junior. The Sabres project him as more of a set-up man than a scorer. They like that he&rsquo;s being groomed on North American rinks and believes that decision bodes well for his desire to play in the NHL.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 13th overall.<h2>4. ANDREJ SEKERA</h2><h3>D, OWEN SOUND (OHL)</h3>Like Zagrapan, Sekera is a European who opted to hasten his development in Canadian major junior.The 19-year-old Slovak is showing signs of becoming the type of defenseman the Sabres have long been without: a sound defensive rearguard who can be an offensive force.Sekera skates and competes well and has been a dominant blueliner in the Ontario League.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 71st overall.<h2>5. DAN PAILLE</h2><h3>LW, ROCHESTER (AHL)</h3>No Sabres prospect has been more frustrated with the pace of his development than Paille.Known throughout his junior career as a bone-rattling player cut from the same cloth as former Sabre Michael Peca, Paille suffered a broken jaw on the first day of training camp with Rochester.Eight days after coming back, he sustained a broken rib that sidelined him even longer and prevented him from playing his physical style of game when he came back.Paille, as Luce describes him, is &ldquo;a heart and soul kid&rdquo; and the top defensive forward prospect in the organization. He is aggressive and, when healthy, strikes fear into opponents with his speed and affinity for hitting.Acquired: 2002 entry draft, 20th overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Drew Stafford, RW, 20, 6-1, 202North Dakota (WCHA) 22-14-9-23-47Overall 162. Derek Roy, C, 22, 5-9, 186Rochester (AHL) 8-7-13-20-10Overall 323. Marek Zagrapan, C, 19, 6-0, 195Chicoutimi (QMJHL) 33-22-33-55-37Overall 414. Andrej Sekera, D, 19, 6-0, 191Owen Sound (OHL) 34-15-28-43-365. Dan Paille, LW, 21, 6-1, 195 Rochester (AHL) 11-3-4-7-66. Jason Pominville, RW, 23, 6-0, 178Rochester (AHL) 18-19-7-26-11&nbsp;Led AHL in goals before recall; he&rsquo;s now shining in power play, penalty-killing roles.&nbsp;Acquired 2001 draft, 55th overall7. Philip Gogulla, RW, 18, 6-2, 176Cologne (Ger.) 32-3-8-11-39&nbsp;A big scorer in Germany junior ranks, he&rsquo;s a strong-skating, two-way player.&nbsp;Acquired 2005 draft, 48th overall8. Clarke MacArthur, LW, 20, 6-1, 191 Rochester (AHL) 23-4-10-14-16Overshadowed by draft-classmate Thomas Vanek, he has impressive all-around game.Acquired 2003 draft, 74th overall9. Michael Funk, D, 19, 6-4, 199Portland (WHL) 33-6-21-27-38Strong stay-at-home defenseman was only junior player to skate in pre-season game.Acquired 2004 draft, 43rd overall10. Jiri Novotny, C, 22, 6-4, 194 Rochester (AHL) 32-10-16-26-18&nbsp;Previously written off as a bust, has responded well to increased responsibility.Acquired 2001 draft, 22nd overall &#9632;

f0027-02

Youthful depth boosts system

<div class="byline">BY RANDY SPORTAK</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0028-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-02894/8843176-1-eng-US/f0028-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Eric Nystrom (MARK JOHNSON/OMAHA AK-SAR-BEN KNIGHTS)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-011272/8843183-1-eng-US/f0028-012.jpg" title="f0028-01" width="211" height="210"></div>The long process of rebuilding the Calgary Flames&rsquo; system is under way, though far from complete.Finally able to have enough legitimate prospects to build a minor league team again, the Flames have spent the past few drafts restocking the system, with mixed results.Only one player from the 2000 draft &ndash; goaltender Brent Krahn &ndash; even remains on the organization&rsquo;s radar. That&rsquo;s more of the same for a franchise with only three of its own draft choices on its NHL roster (Chuck Kobasew, Matthew Lombardi and Dion Phaneuf).However, there are some potential players from the past few years.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. ERIC NYSTROM</h2><h3>LW, OMAHA (AHL)</h3>A first-year pro after graduating from the University of Michigan, Nystrom had a strong training camp and is making the adjustment to the professional game.He could have made an NHL team with a weaker crop of forwards, but the Flames wisely sent him to the minors to get more experience and development time.Possessing good hockey sense and defensive awareness, Nystrom won&rsquo;t put up dazzling numbers, but he should have more of an impact once he begins to assert himself in the offensive zone.Acquired: 2002 entry draft, 10th overall.<h2>2. BRENT KRAHN</h2><h3>G, OMAHA (AHL)</h3>Krahn has finally developed to the point of being an AHL starting goalie for Omaha.Consistency is still an issue, however; he is capable of blanking the opposition one night and struggling mightily the next.Krahn still must learn to develop the mindset of a No. 1 goaltender. If he does, he&rsquo;s a potential NHL starter a few years down the road.Acquired: 2000 entry draft, ninth overall.<h2>3. ANDREI TARATUKHIN</h2><h3>C, YAROSLAVL (RUS.)</h3>Becoming a veteran in Russia&rsquo;s top league, Taratukhin has shown good improvement of his offensive skill in his third season.He is a solid two-way player with good defensive awareness and skating skills to compliment his size, and he&rsquo;s finally providing offensive punch, too.Taratukhin is unlikely to develop into a flashy Pavel Datsyuk-type player, but still has good upside as a second or third-line player capable of scoring a few goals while defending his zone effectively.Acquired: 2001 entry draft, 41st overall.<h2>4. KRIS CHUCKO</h2><h3>LW, MINNESOTA (WCHA)</h3>Chucko went to the University of Minnesota intending to improve his skating and stride on the bigger ice surface. The Flames believe the dividends are starting to show.Although he still has to work on his power and explosiveness, Chucko is developing into a power forward, learning to shoot more and believe in his offensive skills.He has seen an increase in ice time during his sophomore season, but not being a first-liner and playing on the second power-play unit means he isn&rsquo;t skating as many minutes as he or Calgary would like.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 24th overall.<h2>5. DUSTIN BOYD</h2><h3>C, MOOSE JAW (WHL)</h3>Boyd is the most offensively gifted player in the Flames&rsquo; system and is learning what it means to be a go-to guy on a top-notch team in Moose Jaw.A fast skater and nifty playmaker, Boyd has shown an improved touch in his fourth WHL season and was a star performer for Canada at the WJC.The Flames believe he needs to pay more attention to his defensive assignments to make the next step.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 98th overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Eric Nystrom, LW, 22, 6-1, 205Omaha (AHL) 35-4-8-12-25Overall 652. Brent Krahn, G, 23, 6-4, 210Omaha (AHL) 8-8-6, 2.67, .9103. Andrei Taratukhin, C, 22, 6-0, 200 Yaroslavl (Rus.) 23-5-11-16-464. Kris Chucko, LW, 19, 6-2, 200Minnesota (WCHA) 20-3-7-10-185. Dustin Boyd, C, 19, 6-0, 190Moose Jaw (WHL) 32-27-20-47-66. Tomi Maki, RW, 22, 5-11, 195 Omaha (AHL) 37-8-9-17-17Strong scorer has shown physical panache; striving for consistency.Acquired 2001 draft, 108th overall7. Tim Ramholt, D, 21, 6-1, 195Kloten (Switz.) 29-0-1-1-32Good skater, but decision to play in Switzerland has slowed development.Acquired 2003 draft, 39th overall8. Brandon Prust, LW, 21, 5-11, 195Omaha (AHL) 36-5-10-15-114&nbsp;Determined skater and very coachable; learning to curb bad habits from junior.&nbsp;Acquired 2004 draft, 70th overall9. Matt Pelech, D, 18, 6-3, 220Sarnia (OHL) 19-0-2-2-59 Shoulder injuries have hampered his season; has strong foot speed for a tall teen.Acquired 2005 draft, 26th overall10. Daniel Ryder, C, 18, 5-10, 195Peterborough (OHL) 35-22-22-44-28&nbsp;Is a top player on a terrific club; improving his special teams contributions.Acquired 2005 draft, 74th overall &#9632;

f0028-02

Farm system still searching

<div class="byline">BY LUKE DeCOCK</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0029-011132/8843221-1-eng-US/f0029-012.jpg" title="f0029-01" width="250" height="186"></div>It has been a long time since the Hurricanes have had this much elite talent in their system, but that statement is as much a reflection of how barren the stockpile was before as it is a compliment about the current crop.Having a few miserable seasons at the NHL level has helped the Hurricanes build a base of prospects, with top-five picks in Eric Staal, Andrew Ladd and Jack Johnson three years in a row.Staal is already a star in the NHL, and 2002 first round pick Cam Ward isn&rsquo;t far behind. Ladd made his NHL debut this season and Johnson has been not only the best freshman in college hockey, but perhaps the best defenseman.The Canes lacked top-end prospects like that for years, after trading away four first round picks and wasting others on busts like Jeff Heerema, Nikos Tselios and Igor Knyazev.Still, with the exception of goaltending, Carolina could use more depth at every position.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. JACK JOHNSON</h2><h3>D, MICHIGAN (CCHA)</h3>Facing sky-high expectations in his first year at Michigan, Johnson has delivered. Not only has he provided the defense and physical play he showed with the U.S. under-18 team, he&rsquo;s one of the top scorers among all NCAA freshmen.Johnson was the CCHA rookie and defensive player of the week before his college career was a month old.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s just doing exactly as we had hoped,&rdquo; said Carolina chief scout Sheldon Ferguson. Johnson&rsquo;s style has been compared to Ed Jovanovski and Scott Stevens, but he still has plenty of developing to do and the Canes are preaching patience.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, third overall.<h2>2. ANDREW LADD</h2><h3>LW, LOWELL (AHL)</h3>Ladd has shown flashes of scoring ability and thrown a few big hits at the NHL level, but a lack of defensive polish, not uncommon for a player of his age, was evident.There&rsquo;s no question about Ladd&rsquo;s size or grit, but it remains to be seen whether he&rsquo;s a legitimate NHL scorer or just a useful, hard-hitting role player.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, fourth overall.<h2>3. DANNY RICHMOND</h2><h3>D, LOWELL (AHL)</h3>Richmond was keenly disappointed not to win a roster spot in training camp, but he didn&rsquo;t have to wait long for his chance.After playing well in the AHL, he was called up to make his NHL debut in November.The son of former NHL defenseman and current scout Steve Richmond, the younger Richmond has a real zest for the game, a fact which is not lost on the Hurricanes.To stay in the NHL permanently, he needs to corral that energy and learn to play a more consistent, controlled game in his own zone.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 31st overall.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0029-02768/8843214-1-eng-US/f0029-022.jpg" title="f0029-02" width="1405" height="1899"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jack Johnson (AMIR GAMZU/WOLVERINE PHOTO)</figcaption></div><h2>4. JUSTIN PETERS</h2><h3>G, ST. MICHAEL&rsquo;S (OHL)</h3>A big, athletic goalie with strong fundamentals, Peters&rsquo; stock rose after a sparkling performance at rookie camp.But since returning to St. Mike&rsquo;s, he has given up some bad goals and the Canes are concerned about his inconsistency.Carolina fell in love with Peters at the 2004 draft combine, when he dazzled them during his fitness tests. The Canes compare his mental toughness to that of current rookie Cam Ward.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 38th overall.<h2>5. NATHAN HAGEMO</h2><h3>D, MINNESOTA (WCHA)</h3>Among Hagemo&rsquo;s better attributes is the fact he does not let his relatively small stature affect his willingness to mix it up.He is a tremendous skater who sees the ice well. A shoulder injury dating back to last season has limited his effectiveness.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 58th overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Jack Johnson, D, 18, 6-1, 201Michigan (CCHA) 17-5-16-21-83Overall 22. Andrew Ladd, LW, 20, 6-2, 200 Lowell (AHL) 15-7-4-11-11Overall 203. Danny Richmond, D, 21, 6-1, 192Lowell (AHL) 28-3-9-12-424. Justin Peters, G, 19, 6-1, 213St. Michael&rsquo;s (OHL) 10-6-2-1, 3.83, .8935. Nathan Hagemo, D, 19, 5-11, 192Minnesota (WCHA) 3-0-0-0-66. Joe Barnes, C, 19, 6-3, 212Saskatoon (WHL) 31-18-14-32-29Season has been typical of career; flashes of brilliance interrupted by injuries.Acquired 2005 draft, 64th overall7. Casey Borer, D, 20, 6-2, 197St. Cloud State (WCHA) 18-1-4-5-14A strong, defensive defenseman, Huskies captain continues to develop.Acquired 2004 draft, 69th overall8. Brett Carson, D, 20, 6-4, 220 Calgary (WHL) 37-6-13-19-36A defense-first blueliner with a long, powerful skating stride.Acquired 2004 draft, 109th overall9. Kevin Nastiuk, G, 20, 6-1, 180 Lowell (AHL) 1-7-3, 3.45, .887Has not made a smooth transition to pro hockey, but he&rsquo;s eager to learn.Acquired 2003 draft, 106th overall10. Jakub Vojta, D, 18, 6-0, 194Ottawa (OHL) 35-1-16-17-60&nbsp;Nifty passer is always a threat to use his speed to join the offensive attack.Acquired 2005 draft, 94th overall &#9632;

f0029-01

Canes’ eyes lighting up

<div class="byline">BY TIM SASSONE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-02863/8843252-1-eng-US/f0030-022.jpg" title="f0030-02" width="938" height="1266"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jack Skille (DAVID STLUKA)</figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-011282/8843259-1-eng-US/f0030-012.jpg" title="f0030-01" width="146" height="141"></div>The Blackhawks certainly are not short on prospects. After drafting 29 players over the last two years &ndash; including a whopping 17 in 2004 &ndash; Hawks GM Dale Tallon believes he is well on his way to achieving his objective: an organization capable of producing a steady stream of prospects to the NHL level.Already the Hawks had four rookies playing regularly and contributing, in defensemen Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, and wingers Rene Bourque and Pavel Vorobiev.They used a fifth forward, Matt Ellison, to trade for promising young center Patrick Sharp.&ldquo;The foundation has to be built,&rdquo; Tallon said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got to keep developing the minor league system and get deeper at all positions.&rdquo;Here are the top five prospects:</div><div style="clear: both;"></div><h2>1. CAM BARKER</h2><h3>D, MEDICINE HAT (WHL)</h3>Barker was the last player cut from the Hawks&rsquo; roster several weeks into the season.Tallon and coach Trent Yawney thought long and hard about keeping Barker around all year, but the decision was made to send him back to junior.&ldquo;It was better for him to play in the world juniors and play lots of minutes than to play limited minutes here,&rdquo; Tallon said.Barker has become more committed to training and adding the quickness the Hawks feel he needs to move into a regular role in Chicago next season.&ldquo;They said that about Seabrook too, and look at him now,&rdquo; Tallon said, referring to Seabrook&rsquo;s stellar rookie year.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, third overall.<h2>2. JACK SKILLE</h2><h3>LW, WISCONSIN (WCHA)</h3>Skille has something the Hawks need desperately and that&rsquo;s speed. It doesn&rsquo;t hurt he also can score, which is another area where the Hawks are lacking.It would be a surprise if Skille, a Wisconsin freshman, stayed more than two years in college before turning pro.&ldquo;With his game, he&rsquo;s either going to get a scoring chance or a penalty is going to be called because he goes hard to the net and is hard to stop,&rdquo; Tallon said. &ldquo;With the new rules, speed like he has is a commodity.&rdquo;Acquired: 2005 entry draft, seventh overall.<h2>3. DAVID BOLLAND</h2><h3>C, LONDON (OHL)</h3>Bolland is racking up points once again in junior, but it&rsquo;s his overall game that&rsquo;s appealing.Tallon is satisfied Bolland will be quick enough to play in the NHL once he gets stronger and adds a little weight.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s smart and has great hands,&rdquo; Tallon said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got grit and determination. He&rsquo;s a rink rat and that&rsquo;s the type of kids we want to play here.&rdquo;Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 32nd overall.<h2>4. MICHAEL BLUNDEN</h2><h3>RW, ERIE (OHL)</h3>The Hawks were thrilled Blunden was still on the board when they were called upon to make the 43rd pick of the 2005 draft.Blunden has become an even more dangerous scorer this season in Erie after opening a lot of eyes at Chicago&rsquo;s camp. The fact he made Canada&rsquo;s team for the world juniors endorsed that belief.&ldquo;This kid is coming on,&rdquo; Tallon said. &ldquo;He has a real good shot, is a good skater, finishes his checks and competes hard every shift.&rdquo;Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 43rd overall.<h2>5. COREY CRAWFORD</h2><h3>G, NORFOLK (AHL)</h3>After a slow pro start, Crawford has come on at Norfolk and showed many of the same qualities that made him a strong goaltender in junior. He&rsquo;s got the talent to become a starting goalie in the NHL and eventually take over from Nikolai Khabibulin.&ldquo;His work ethic is terrific and he has good size,&rdquo; Tallon said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a No. 1-type goalie for sure. He has that mentality and the size, strength and ability.&rdquo;Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 52nd overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Cam Barker, D, 19, 6-3, 213Medicine Hat (WHL) 23-5-12-17-61Overall 92. Jack Skille, LW, 18, 6-1, 198Wisconsin (WCHA) 18-6-4-10-13Overall 133. David Bolland, C, 19, 6-0, 176London (OHL) 29-28-43-71-48Overall 464. Michael Blunden, RW, 19, 6-3, 206 Erie (OHL) 30-27-21-48-315. Corey Crawford, G, 21, 6-2, 183Norfolk (AHL) 7-9-1, 2.43, .9086. Anton Babchuk, D, 21, 6-5, 212Norfolk (AHL) 23-5-6-11-20Has one of the biggest shots around, but defensive consistency will dictate future.Acquired 2002 draft, 21st overall7. Mikhail Yakubov, C, 23, 6-3, 202 Spartak (Rus.) 29-5-7-12-38Creative playmaker with good speed, but sub-par work ethic has held him back.&nbsp;Acquired 2000 draft, 10th overall8. Troy Brouwer, RW, 20, 6-3, 210 Moose Jaw (WHL) 39-28-28-56-73&nbsp;WHL&rsquo;s leading scorer has big-league shot and plays extremely well in heavy traffic.Acquired 2004 draft, 214th overall9. Adam Berti, LW, 19, 6-3, 198Oshawa/Erie (OHL) 30-19-19-38-32Up-and-down winger whose biggest demon is playing a consistent game.&nbsp;Acquired 2004 draft, 68th overall10. Colin Fraser, C, 20, 6-1, 190 Norfolk (AHL) 30-5-3-8-67Hawks like his grit and view him as a defensive specialist if he gets quicker.&nbsp;Acquired Trade with Philadelphia, 2004 &#9632;

f0030-02

Filling the nest with promise

<div class="byline">BY ADRIAN DATER</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0031-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-02784/8843290-1-eng-US/f0031-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Wojtek Wolski (MIKE DUNPHY)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-011180/8843297-1-eng-US/f0031-012.jpg" title="f0031-01" width="221" height="215"></div>The Colorado Avalanche has had the rap of being an organization whose youthful depth has been depleted due to numerous trades in recent years.However, the team can boast some young firepower at the NHL level, with rookie forward Marek Svatos and sophomore defenseman John-Michael Liles both having stellar seasons.And while deals have taken an undeniable toll on the amount of quality youngsters in the organization, Colorado feels pretty good about the players currently coming up the pipeline.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. WOJTEK WOLSKI</h2><h3>LW, BRAMPTON, (OHL)</h3>Wolski had a storybook start to the season.He beat the odds and cracked the opening-night NHL roster, putting up six points in nine games for Colorado.But the Avs opted to send Wolski back to junior and things didn&rsquo;t go as well after that.He was criticized somewhat for his play at even strength and was left off the Canadian world junior team.Jim Hammett, the chief scout for the Avalanche, doesn&rsquo;t see what the fuss is all about.&ldquo;I saw him play twice against the Russian selects and he scored three goals and was first star; everything we&rsquo;ve asked (of) Wojtek, he has done,&rdquo; Hammett said.Wojtek needs to use his size more to his advantage.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 21st overall.<h2>2. PAUL STASTNY</h2><h3>C, DENVER, (WCHA)</h3>Stastny, the son of Hall of Famer Peter Stastny, did not have the kind of start that followers of the two-time defending NCAA-champion Pioneers expected.Stastny did start playing better in December and if this season is anything like last year for him, the bigger the games get, the better Stastny will perform.He&rsquo;ll need to improve his foot speed for a good career in the NHL, but there is no question he inherited much of his father&rsquo;s skill, especially his hands.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a guy with great hockey sense and he&rsquo;s a great passer&hellip;If he&rsquo;s not scoring, I think he&rsquo;s still been contributing,&rdquo; Hammett said.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 44th overall.<h2>3. RYAN STOA</h2><h3>C, MINNESOTA, (WCHA)</h3>The tall center did not have a terrific start to his freshman year.However, Stoa helped lead the U.S. under-18 team to the gold medal at the 2005 IIHF world under-18 championship last spring in the Czech Republic, and the Avs are excited he&rsquo;ll develop into a good two-way center in the future.One of Stoa&rsquo;s best attributes is his work ethic.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 34th overall.<h2>4. T.J. HENSICK</h2><h3>C, MICHIGAN, (CCHA)</h3>Hensick might not have over-whelming size, but his speed and hockey sense more than make up for it.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s highly skilled; I saw him play a couple times and he really dictated the tempo,&rdquo; Hammett said. &ldquo;He had the puck all the time. This kid wants the puck all the time.&rdquo;Hensick is a junior and likely will play out his eligibility at Michigan. But being part of an Avalanche organization that will need centers in the coming years, Hensick might think about coming out early.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 88th overall.<h2>5. BRAD RICHARDSON</h2><h3>C, LOWELL, (AHL)</h3>The former Owen Sound star is in his first year of pro, including a brief stint with the Avalanche.While he did not post any points with Colorado, Richardson did not embarrass himself either.He needs to get stronger and adapt more to the bigger pro game, but Hammett is a believer.&ldquo;We&rsquo;re sure happy with him,&rdquo; Hammett said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a smart two way kid.&rdquo;Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 163rd overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Wojtek Wolski, LW, 19, 6-3, 200Brampton (OHL) 25-15-28-43-16Overall 242. Paul Stastny, C, 20, 6-0, 200 Denver (WCHA) 22-5-24-29-553. Ryan Stoa, C, 18, 6-3, 200 Minnesota (WCHA) 20-2-2-4-254. T.J. Hensick, C, 20, 5-10, 180Michigan (CCHA) 19-10-19-29-165. Brad Richardson, C, 20, 5-11, 180Lowell (AHL) 28-4-13-17-206. Brandon Yip, RW, 20, 6-1, 170 Boston University (HE) 15-6-5-11-24Has made impact in freshman year after playing in B.C. junior league.Acquired 2004 draft, 239th overall7. Tom Fritsche, LW, 19, 5-11, 183Ohio State (CCHA) 17-6-11-17-10&nbsp;Ohio native is having another strong season during his sophomore year.Acquired 2005 draft, 47th overall8. Johnny Boychuk, D, 21, 6-2, 215Lowell (AHL) 36-2-10-12-34Rugged rearguard has been asked to work on defensive play and it&rsquo;s improving.&nbsp;Acquired 2002 draft, 61st overall9. Brett Hemingway, RW, 22, 6-1, 185 New Hampshire (HE) 19-11-12-23-12A tall, lanky junior with good hands; he simply knows how to find the net.Acquired 2003 draft, 225th overall10. Mikko Kalteva, D, 21, 6-3, 190 Jokerit (Fin.) 30-0-1-1-14Already playing in senior league, he&rsquo;s a tough, stay-at-home defenseman.Acquired 2002 draft, 107th overall &#9632;

f0031-02

Youth fountain still refilling

<div class="byline">BY AARON PORTZLINE</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0032-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-02837/8843328-1-eng-US/f0032-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">| Gilbert Brule (DAVE SANDFORD/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-011259/8843335-1-eng-US/f0032-012.jpg" title="f0032-01" width="217" height="217"></div>The future has been the present so far this season in Columbus, and that doesn&rsquo;t necessarily say good things about the organization.A relentless combination of injuries and ineffectiveness at the NHL level has led to a slew of prospects making their way to the big league this season.Six players had made their NHL debut with the Blue Jackets before Columbus had played one third of its games.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. GILBERT BRULE</h2><h3>C, COLUMBUS (NHL)</h3>It has been a brutal start to an NHL career for Gilbert Brule.In his second game of the season, Brule had his sternum fractured on a hit by Calgary&rsquo;s Roman Hamrlik, costing him 18 games. Five games into his return, he broke his right leg, landing him back on injured reserve.Thus, it has been hard to get a read on Brule. He can skate. He can shoot. He can score. After all, he made the Blue Jackets out of training camp. Clearly, though, he needs to bulk up before he&rsquo;s able to play the two-way, hardnosed game he possesses.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, sixth overall.<h2>2. PASCAL LECLAIRE</h2><h3>G, SYRACUSE (AHL)</h3>The Blue Jackets signed Martin Prusek over the summer to back up Marc Denis, giving them their best 1-2 punch in franchise history. Or so they thought.Leclaire was the star of training camp and was the team&rsquo;s best goaltender in the first two months of the season, despite being shuttled back and forth from Syracuse to Columbus.Leclaire is a natural athlete with a lightning-fast glove hand and he does not get flustered by players buzzing in and around his crease.Acquired: 2001 entry draft, eighth overall.<h2>3. ALEXANDRE PICARD</h2><h3>LW, SYRACUSE (AHL)</h3>After a stellar junior career, Picard has been solid, but not spectacular in Syracuse. He sustained a concussion during a two-game stint with the Blue Jackets in November after taking a hit from Phoenix&rsquo;s Denis Gauthier.It is hoped Picard will continue to fill out his 6-foot-2 frame; he weighs in at 190 pounds.He&rsquo;s known to play with an edge, but must quickly shake a reputation for being injury prone.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, eighth overall.<h2>4. AARON JOHNSON</h2><h3>D, SYRACUSE (AHL)</h3>When the Blue Jackets look one or two seasons down the line, they see Aaron Johnson and Rostislav Klesla running the points on the power play.Johnson has always possessed exceptional skating and puck-handling skills and he sees the ice very well. What&rsquo;s starting to round into form now is his defensive awareness.In the past, Johnson wanted in on every rush. He couldn&rsquo;t avoid the urge to pinch in.This season, he&rsquo;s starting to figure out what it will take to leave the AHL for the bright lights of the NHL.This much is certain: it won&rsquo;t be long.Acquired: 2001 entry draft, 85th overall.<h2>5. OLE-KRISTIAN TOLLEFSEN</h2><h3>D, SYRACUSE (AHL)</h3>Forget the stereotypes &ndash; this is one Norwegian who plays extremely physical, never passing on a chance to make a big hit or even drop the gloves.The Blue Jackets thirst for a player like this on their blueline every night. At his current rate of development, Tollefsen could be a regular in Columbus as soon as next season.He joined the Blue Jackets in late November after a wave of injuries and looked perfectly comfortable at the NHL level.Tollefsen may never provide much offensively, but he&rsquo;s not a liability with the puck, either. Best of all, he&rsquo;s extremely hard to play against.Acquired: 2002 entry draft, 65th overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Gilbert Brule, C, 18, 5-10, 175Columbus (NHL) 7-2-2-4-0Overall 72. Pascal Leclaire, G, 23, 6-2, 200Syracuse (AHL) 3-3-0-1, 2.82, .920Overall 513. Alexandre Picard, LW, 20, 6-2, 190Syracuse (AHL) 12-3-2-5-21Overall 554. Aaron Johnson, LW, 22, 6-2, 211Syracuse (AHL) 26-3-16-19-545. Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, LW, 21, 6-2, 220 Syracuse (AHL) 28-1-7-8-756. Kris Russel, D, 18, 5-10, 160Medicine Hat (WHL) 30-8-17-25-10One of the best power play threats in WHL, but size will always be an issue.Acquired 2005 draft, 67th overall7. Steven Goertzen, RW, 21, 6-2, 216 Syracuse (AHL) 14-3-2-5-24Consistent hard work on fourth line has made him a regular lately in Columbus.Acquired 2002 draft, 225th overall8. Adam McQuaid, D, 21, 6-3, 210 Sudbury (OHL) 37-2-6-8-62Has been asked to shoulder more of the load in Sudbury and responded well.Acquired 2005 draft, 55th overall9. Kirill Starkov, C, 18, 6-0, 194Vastra Frolunda (Swe.) 25-0-0-0-2Getting first taste of elite league after dominating the under-20 league.Acquired 2005 draft, 189th overall10. Joakim Lindstrom, C, 22, 6-0, 187Syracuse (AHL) 22-6-8-14-16&nbsp;Has good offensive skill and instincts, but must learn to play with more tenacity.&nbsp;Acquired 2002 draft, 41st overall &#9632;

f0032-02

Opportunity aplenty in Ohio

<div class="byline">BY ANSAR KHAN</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-011274/8843411-1-eng-US/f0034-012.jpg" title="f0034-01" width="253" height="237"></div>The Detroit Red Wings haven&rsquo;t had a top-10 pick since 1991. They&rsquo;ve relinquished six of their last nine first-rounders in trades for Brendan Shanahan, Chris Chelios, Mathieu Schneider and Robert Lang. In the last seven drafts, their first selection has been 120th overall, 29th, 62nd, 58th, 64th, 97th and 19th.Still, they&rsquo;ve managed to stockpile several prospects projected to be impact players.&ldquo;We&rsquo;re very happy with our prospects. Our scouts have done a good job,&rdquo; said assistant GM Jim Nill. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re hoping one or two of these guys can become better than projected, hope that one becomes a star.&rdquo;Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. NIKLAS KRONWALL</h2><h3>D, DETROIT (NHL)</h3>The Red Wings liken his projected return, just prior to or right after the Olympic break, to the acquisition of an impact player at the trade deadline. Had Kronwall not torn his left anterior cruciate ligament in a pre-season game Sept. 27, he would have been a Calder candidate.Kronwall has the complete package &ndash; he can move the puck quickly, has a terrific shot and sees the ice well. He also delivers crunching open-ice checks.He&rsquo;ll be a 25-minute-a-game player when he returns, possibly paired with three-time Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom.&ldquo;This guy is a scary-good player,&rdquo; said Red Wings coach Mike Babcock.Acquired: 2000 entry draft, 29th overall.<h2>2. JIRI HUDLER</h2><h3>C, GRAND RAPIDS (AHL)</h3>A blazing start in Grand Rapids, coupled with Robert Lang&rsquo;s groin injury, led to Hudler&rsquo;s promotion Dec. 4.Hudler was hot and cold in training camp, leading Babcock to question why he doesn&rsquo;t play hard all the time. But Hudler has been consistent this season. He is more mature, more confident and stronger than in 2003-04.The Wings believe the new rules will create space for Hudler. But Babcock wants him to show more grit, determination and defensive savvy.Acquired: 2002 entry draft, 58th overall.<h2>3. JIMMY HOWARD</h2><h3>G, GRAND RAPIDS (AHL)</h3>The former Maine college star could be Detroit&rsquo;s undisputed starting goalie next season.After watching from the bench the first three weeks as Manny Legace&rsquo;s backup, Howard was sent to Grand Rapids when Chris Osgood returned from his groin injury. He played well before being recalled when Legace sustained a sprained knee.Howard has good size, is technically sound and doesn&rsquo;t yield many rebounds. He stepped up in big games at the college level.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 64th overall.<h2>4. VALTTERI FILPPULA</h2><h3>C, GRAND RAPIDS (AHL)</h3>Babcock raved about Filppula almost every day in training camp, but the Wings had no room to keep him on their roster. He was better off starting in Grand Rapids, where he has been able to play an important role on the team and get accustomed to North American hockey.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-02860/8843404-1-eng-US/f0034-022.jpg" title="f0034-02" width="1405" height="1899"><figcaption class="caption-body">Niklas Kronwall (RICK STEWART/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>He&rsquo;s an excellent skater who&rsquo;s strong on the puck. He goes to the net and isn&rsquo;t afraid of traffic. He&rsquo;s a playmaker, but still needs to improve his shot.Acquired: 2002 entry draft, 95th overall.<h2>5. IGOR GRIGORENKO</h2><h3>RW, CHEREPOVETS (RUS.)</h3>He is making his way back from a near-fatal automobile accident in May 2003. The injuries he sustained could impact the hard-driving style he once played, but he still has the skills to play in the NHL.He&rsquo;s a fast skater with good lateral movement, a nifty stickhandler with tricky 1-on-1 moves. He&rsquo;s equally adept at scoring or setting up teammates.The biggest question is whether he can still play the same intense, physical style he did before the accident.Acquired: 2001 entry draft, 62nd overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Niklas Kronwall, D, 24, 5-11, 165Detroit (NHL) injuredOverall 52. Jiri Hudler, LW, 21, 5-9, 178Grand Rapids (AHL) 33-18-28-46-20Overall 293. Jimmy Howard, G, 21, 6-0, 218Grand Rapids (AHL) 8-3-1, 2.76, .900Overall 474. Valtteri Filppula, C, 21, 5-11, 202Grand Rapids (AHL) 33-13-21-34-20Overall 605. Igor Grigorenko, RW, 22, 5-10, 203Cherepovets (Rus.) 32-10-15-25-146. Jakub Kindl, D, 18, 6-2, 199Kitchener (OHL) 29-7-25-32-66Big, strong puck-mover showing offensive flash that was missing from last season.Acquired 2005 draft, 19th overall7. Kyle Quincey, D, 20, 6-2, 206Grand Rapids (AHL) 35-4-15-19-56Stay-at-home defender making smooth transition from major junior to pro.Acquired 2003 draft, 132nd overall8. Evan McGrath, C, 19, 5-11, 181Kitchener (OHL) 35-22-44-66-37Plays consistently at both ends; among league&rsquo;s scoring leaders.&nbsp;Acquired 2004 draft, 128th overall9. Joey MacDonald, G, 25, 6-1, 198 Grand Rapids (AHL) 5-4-1, 3.87, .877Has good size and lateral movement; just settling in after undergoing back surgery.Acquired Signed as free agent, 200110. Justin Abdelkader, LW, 18 6-1, 195Michigan State (CCHA) 20-5-4-9-51&nbsp;Two-way player is physical and battles hard; making successful jump to college.Acquired 2005 draft, 42nd overall &#9632;

f0034-01

Wings’ gems always late

<div class="byline">BY BRIAN BIGGANE</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0036-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-02760/8843480-1-eng-US/f0036-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Anthony Stewart (DARREN ABATE PHOTOGRAPHY)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-011164/8843487-1-eng-US/f0036-012.jpg" title="f0036-01" width="223" height="217"></div>Like a lot of teams, the Panthers&rsquo; future is in many ways also their present.Injuries, that at one time early this season had knocked five regulars out of the lineup, forced several callups, both from Rochester of the AHL to replace the injured regulars, and from the Florida Ever-blades of the ECHL to replace the departed Rochester players.A string of high draft picks helped Florida excel in past editions of Future Watch. The Panthers had top grade in 2004 and 2005 and were fourth in 2003. But with most of those players now in the NHL, the shelf is no longer so well-stocked.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. ANTHONY STEWART</h2><h3>RW, ROCHESTER (AHL)</h3>Feeling Stewart had played much of his final OHL season, &ldquo;a little heavy,&rdquo; as director of hockey operations Jack Birch diplomatically put it, the Panthers asked Stewart to lose 10 to 15 pounds last summer, and he did.The difference showed up right away on the scoresheet, as he put up two goals and five points in four games in Rochester before being called up to Florida.However, his progress was derailed in November after he injured his wrist against Carolina. Stewart underwent surgery in December.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 25th overall.<h2>2. KENNDAL MCARDLE</h2><h3>LW, MOOSE JAW (WHL)</h3>Florida moved up from 29th to 20th in last summer&rsquo;s draft to get McArdle and despite modest numbers, he has lived up to expectations thus far.&ldquo;He got off to a slow start point-wise, but that&rsquo;s natural,&rdquo; said director of scouting Scott Luce. &ldquo;A lot of first round picks think it&rsquo;s going to be easier the second time around, but it&rsquo;s actually harder because teams focus in on them.&rdquo;McArdle has taken over a leadership role both on and off the ice, serving as assistant captain.&ldquo;We like his speed, his offense and his passion,&rdquo; Luce said.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 20th overall.<h2>3. KAMIL KREPS</h2><h3>C, ROCHESTER (AHL)</h3>Kreps has made steady progress in his two pro seasons, splitting 2004-05 between the AHL (San Antonio) and ECHL (Texas) and spending most of this season with the AHL team in Rochester.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a skilled centerman with good speed, (he&rsquo;s) smart with the puck, has got a great shot, just needed to get stronger,&rdquo; Birch said. &ldquo;His best attribute is his passing game and ability to read the play.&rdquo;Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 38th overall.<h2>4. STEFAN MEYER</h2><h3>C, ROCHESTER, (AHL)</h3>Meyer finished eighth in WHL scoring in 2003-04 with 77 points before starting this year with Florida of the ECHL. He was moved up to Rochester when the spate of injuries hit.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a little ways away,&rdquo; Birch said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a young guy who just needs to get stronger and more consistent. Randy (coach Randy Cunneyworth) has been concerned that he hasn&rsquo;t followed the game plan as well as he should.&ldquo;He&rsquo;ll probably spend the rest of the year in the AHL, but he has all the attributes to be a pretty decent player.&rdquo;Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 55th overall.<h2>5. DAVID SHANTZ</h2><h3>G, PETERBOROUGH (OHL)</h3>After a so-so year with Mississauga of the OHL last season, Shantz was traded to Peterborough this year, as the Petes have developed into one of the best teams in the Canadian Hockey League.&ldquo;Our concern was he had gotten away from what it takes to be a good goalie, and that&rsquo;s to be in top physical condition,&rdquo; Birch said. &ldquo;So it looks to me he&rsquo;s got his game in order.&rdquo;Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 37th overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Anthony Stewart, RW, 20, 6-2, 228Rochester (AHL) 4-2-3-5-0Overall 442. Kenndal McArdle, LW, 19, 5-11, 195 Moose Jaw (WHL) 38-18-21-39-813. Kamil Kreps, C, 21, 6-2, 194Rochester (AHL) 26-5-8-13-104. Stefan Meyer, C, 20, 6-2, 195 Rochester (AHL) 27-7-6-13-385. David Shantz, G, 20, 6-1, 204Peterborough (OHL) 19-5-1-0, 3.17, .9056. Vaclav Nedorost, C, 23, 6-1, 190 Florida (NHL) injuredUnderwent knee surgery in September and it&rsquo;s unlikely he&rsquo;ll play this season.&nbsp;Acquired Trade with Colorado, 20037. Tyler Plante, G, 18, 6-2, 185Brandon (WHL) 9-17-4-1, 3.89, .890&nbsp;Team struggled in early going, but he still managed to post respectable numbers.Acquired 2005 draft, 32nd overall8. David Booth, LW, 21, 6-0, 212Michigan State (CCHA) 13-3-6-9-18&nbsp;Has physical tools and an NHL-ready shot, but battled injury early in the season.&nbsp;Acquired 2004 draft, 53rd overall9. Martin Lojek, D, 20, 6-5, 228Florida (ECHL) 17-2-8-10-30&nbsp;Has NHL size, but must mature into it; did raise some eyebrows at Florida&rsquo;s camp.Acquired 2003 draft, 105th overall10. Gregory Campbell, LW, 22, 6-0, 197Rochester (AHL) 11-3-3-6-30 Has proven he&rsquo;s a reliable two-way player during big-league opportunity.&nbsp;Acquired 2002 draft, 67th overall &#9632;

f0036-02

Stewart Cats’ top candidate

<div class="byline">BY RICH HAMMOND</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0037-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-02706/8843518-1-eng-US/f0037-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Anze Kopitar (IHA)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-011037/8843525-1-eng-US/f0037-012.jpg" title="f0037-01" width="193" height="193"></div>Some would argue the future is now for the Los Angeles Kings. Three of their top young players &ndash; 21-year-old Dustin Brown, 22-year-old Tim Gleason and 23-year-old Michael Cammalleri &ndash; are already playing significant minutes in the NHL.But the Kings still have a handful of top prospects in the lower levels, including defenseman Denis Grebeshkov and left winger Jeff Tambellini, both of whom have some NHL experience.Los Angeles is especially pleased with its past two drafts, which netted a pair of top-rated forwards in Anze Kopitar and Lauri Tukonen. Both could make an impact as soon as next season.L.A. also has a couple of defensemen it believes could be ready for the NHL in 2006-07.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. ANZE KOPITAR</h2><h3>C, SODERTALJE (SWE.)</h3>Kopitar was a disappointment in training camp. But not because of his performance on the ice.Team officials were impressed by the poise and talent of Kopitar, who didn&rsquo;t turn 18 until Aug. 24, and tried to convince him to play in the AHL. However, Kopitar chose to spend his first pro campaign in Sweden.The Kings believe Kopitar might be NHL-ready next season and wish they could keep closer tabs on him this year. But they aren&rsquo;t too upset because Kopitar is playing against men for the first time and there is a bit of a learning curve.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 11th overall.<h2>2. DENIS GREBESHKOV</h2><h3>D, MANCHESTER (AHL)</h3>Grebeshkov was expected to make the team out of camp, but performed well below expectations.The Kings held out hope until the very end, believing he could be an everyday defenseman and a contributor on the power play. But he was too inconsistent and sent to Manchester.While he hasn&rsquo;t shown much in the way of a scoring touch, Grebeshkov has been solid at both ends in Manchester.The Kings remain high on Grebeshkov, but would like to see him emerge this season.Acquired: 2002 entry draft, 18th overall.<h2>3. LAURI TUKONEN</h2><h3>RW, MANCHESTER (AHL)</h3>It&rsquo;s hard for the Kings not to dream about the day when Tukonen will play alongside Kopitar in Los Angeles.The two were paired together for much of training camp and developed a rapport.Tukonen has been playing big minutes for the Monarchs and displaying a good finishing touch.He&rsquo;s still a bit raw to be considered for the NHL, but the Kings think he will realize his top-six potential as a forward before long.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 11th overall.<h2>4. JEFF TAMBELLINI</h2><h3>LW, MANCHESTER (AHL)</h3>Anyone who listened to coach Andy Murray at the start of the season wouldn&rsquo;t have expected to see Tambellini in a Kings uniform this season.Tambellini had a poor training camp, but dazzled in Manchester with 14 goals and 25 points in his first 18 games. So when the Kings went through a dry spell and needed some speed and scoring, Tambellini got the call. He was a consistent performer and, in just his third NHL game, he skated on the Kings&rsquo; top line with Craig Conroy and Pavol Demitra.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 27th overall.<h2>5. KONSTANTIN PUSHKAREV</h2><h3>C, MANCHESTER (AHL)</h3>Pushkarev had a good season in the Western League last year and earned an assignment to Manchester this season after a respectable training camp.The Kings have an excess of centers, both at the NHL level and below, but Pushkarev also has played left wing, so that versatility will serve him well in the future.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 44th overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Anze Kopitar, C, 18, 6-4, 220Sodertalje (Swe.) 27-5-7-12-22Overall 112. Denis Grebeshkov, D, 22, 6-1, 195Manchester (AHL) 28-0-16-16-41Overall 263. Lauri Tukonen, RW, 19, 6-2, 198Manchester (AHL) 21-5-9-14-10Overall 354. Jeff Tambellini, LW, 21, 5-11, 186Manchester (AHL) 28-17-16-33-10Overall 425. Konstantin Pushkarev, C, 19, 6-0, 180Manchester (AHL) 33-10-7-17-20Overall 696. Brian Boyle, C, 21, 6-7, 222Boston College (HE) 16-4-12-16-32The Kings&rsquo; top college prospect is a physical monster with a nice scoring touch.Acquired 2003 draft, 26th overall7. Richard Petiot, D, 23, 6-3, 200Manchester (AHL) 29-3-5-8-26Steady, but not spectacular; has been known to dish out bone-crunching hits.Acquired 2001 draft, 116th overall8. Noah Clarke, LW, 26, 5-9, 193Manchester (AHL) 32-6-19-25-21Gritty winger with some touch, but Kings aren&rsquo;t short on that type of player.Acquired 1999 draft, 250th overall9. Barry Brust, G, 22, 6-1, 226 Manchester (AHL) 6-1-1, 2.30, .928&nbsp;Solid in limited action, splitting time between AHL and ECHL.Acquired Signed as free agent, 200410. Dany Roussin, C, 20, 6-2, 195 Manchester (AHL) 17-1-2-3-22Life isn&rsquo;t as easy without former teammate Sidney Crosby, but earned AHL shot fast.Acquired 2005 draft, 50th overall &#9632;

f0037-02

Some sparkle on the horizon

<div class="byline">BY HERB ZURKOWSKY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0039-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-02664/8843594-1-eng-US/f0039-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Carey Price (CHRIS RELKE/GETTTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-011037/8843601-1-eng-US/f0039-012.jpg" title="f0039-01" width="227" height="191"></div>The Canadiens have seen the light under GM Bob Gainey and his assistant, Andre Savard, deciding it was about time to move into the 21st century after years of archaic thinking.That has meant viewing Europe as something other than an idyllic holiday destination and believing it might actually be a hotbed of hockey talent.As well, especially since the lockout, management has been more willing to give its youngsters an opportunity.Montreal&rsquo;s roster this season is sprinkled with a healthy dollop of youth, with forwards Chris Higgins, Tomas Plekanec and Alexander Perezhogin making significant contributions.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. CAREY PRICE</h2><h3>G, TRI-CITY (WHL)</h3>Price attended the Canadiens&rsquo; training camp this season, played in some exhibition games and did not look out of place, proving he could potentially be Montreal&rsquo;s starting netminder of the future.He has all the tools, including great size to take up most of the net.He&rsquo;s calm, athletic and reads the play, and can handle and move the puck well.Like New Jersey&rsquo;s Martin Brodeur, Price rises to the level of the game or the goaltender he&rsquo;s facing. The bigger the game, the better he plays.All he lacks is maturity at this point.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, fifth overall.<h2>2. GUILLAUME LATENDRESSE</h2><h3>RW, DRUM&rsquo;VILLE (QMJHL)</h3>Latendresse came very close to cracking the Canadiens&rsquo; roster out of training camp, before Gainey ultimately decided his time would better be spent developing further at the junior level.Latendresse is a power forward with soft hands and a great shot who electrified the Montreal faithful by scoring fairly frequently in the pre-season.It&rsquo;s hard to project how many goals he&rsquo;ll score at the NHL level, but Latendresse has a nose for the net and can play a physical game from the edge of the crease.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 45th overall.<h2>3. ANDREI KOSTITSYN</h2><h3>RW, HAMILTON (AHL)</h3>The major barrier Kostitsyn still faces, despite the fact it&rsquo;s his second season in North America, is the language. Once he becomes more comfortable with English, he&rsquo;s expected to blossom because he has so much natural talent.His best attribute is his shot, but he must figure out a way to find the open ice more.He&rsquo;s strong and has good balance. By trying to play within the system, Kostitsyn has sacrificed a bit of creativity. He must learn to mesh the two together to succeed.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 10th overall.<h2>4. KYLE CHIPCHURA</h2><h3>C, PRINCE ALBERT (WHL)</h3>Chipchura has shown no ill effects from the torn Achilles tendon that sidelined him most of last season. He continues to show that he&rsquo;s a solid, two-way player with size. He&rsquo;s also reliable with or without the puck.Although considered more of a playmaker, Chipchura has produced when teamed with offensive players.He has tremendous character and coaches love him because they know what they&rsquo;re getting when he hits the ice.Chipchura has to improve his quickness, but is considered a strong prospect.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 18th overall.<h2>5. YANN DANIS</h2><h3>G, HAMILTON (AHL)</h3>Although not a physically big goaltender, Danis is strong technically and absorbs everything he&rsquo;s taught.Danis, who earned a shutout in his first NHL start when Cristobal Huet was out with an injury, makes up for his size by playing the angles well and being in position.Acquired: Signed as free agent, 2004.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Carey Price, G, 18, 6-3, 210Tri-City (WHL) 12-12-3-1, 2.87, .909Overall 122. G. Latendresse, RW, 18, 6-2, 225Drum&rsquo;ville (QMJHL) 26-22-19-41-57Overall 233. Andrei Kostitsyn, RW, 20, 6-0, 200Hamilton (AHL) 34-7-14-21-38Overall 534. Kyle Chipchura, C, 19, 6-2, 208Prince Albert (WHL) 30-8-18-26-39Overall 715. Yann Danis, G, 24, 6-0, 181Hamilton (AHL) 7-7-1, 2.73, .903Overall 746. Alexei Yemelin, D, 19, 6-0, 187 Togliatti (Rus.) 30-2-5-7-89Has a bit of everything; he&rsquo;s physical, has good skills and moves the puck well.Acquired 2004 draft, 84th overall7. Mikhail Grabovsky, C, 21, 5-11, 181Dynamo Moscow (Rus.) 29-2-10-12-20&nbsp;A good skater with a lot of drive and skills; he should excel under new NHL rules.Acquired 2004 draft, 150th overall8. Sergei Kostitsyn, RW, 18, 5-11, 185London (OHL) 31-17-30-47-34Strong playmaker with soft hands who plays a high-energy game.&nbsp;Acquired 2005 draft, 200th overall9. Juraj Mikus, RW, 18, 6-1, 190Skalica (Slov.) 34-4-7-11-40Intelligent, playmaking winger, but he must get stronger to reach potential.&nbsp;Acquired 2005 draft, 65th overall10. Matt D&rsquo;Agostini, RW, 19, 6-0, 170Guelph (OHL) 38-15-31-46-46Creative player with a good shot; Habs like his character and work ethic.&nbsp;Acquired 2005 draft, 190th overall &#9632;

f0039-02

Price is right for Canadiens

<div class="byline">BY DAVID BOCLAIR</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0040-01731/8843639-1-eng-US/f0040-012.jpg" title="f0040-01" width="258" height="184"></div>The Nashville Predators believe their organizational depth is as good as it ever has been &ndash; in no small part because the NHL roster is as good as its ever been.For the first time in franchise history, Nashville actually can afford to be patient with the many draft picks it secured in the years of small-market maneuvering under the old business plan.No longer will prospects be pressed into action the way players like Scott Hartnell and David Legwand had to be.Team officials believe that bodes well for the future.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. SHEA WEBER</h2><h3>D, MILWAUKEE (AHL)</h3>Weber has hardly been eased into his first professional season.He has been asked to play in all situations in Milwaukee and has done nothing to diminish optimism within the organization.He has the size that Nashville rarely, if ever, has been able to find on defense, and has plenty of skill to go along with it.He showed during training camp scrimmages and pre-season games that he can be physical against NHL players right now.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 49th overall.<h2>2. ALEXANDER RADULOV</h2><h3>RW, QUEBEC (QMJHL)</h3>Radulov was one of the top forwards during training camp, but was returned to the QMJHL where he has been predictably dominant.Radulov has the type of skill that can&rsquo;t be taught. He&rsquo;s a great shooter, passer and scorer, but he also has a passion for the game and works tirelessly to improve his weaknesses and strengthen his strengths.Being coached by Patrick Roy, he has gained a greater sense of responsibility, yet has sacrificed none of his offensive instincts.In a year and a half since being drafted, he has established himself as the most eagerly anticipated offensive prospect in franchise history.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 15th overall.<h2>3. SCOTTIE UPSHALL</h2><h3>LW, MILWAUKEE (AHL)</h3>He was the absolute best player for Milwaukee during a season-opening losing streak and earned an early recall when injuries hit the Predators&rsquo; forwards.Upshall is as complete a prospect as the organization has, which has made it difficult to project what role he eventually will assume in the NHL.He has enough skill that he could become a player on the top two lines, plus he has the competitiveness and game instincts that could allow him to thrive in a more defensive role.He has done some of everything during this season&rsquo;s NHL stint.Acquired: 2002 entry draft, sixth overall.<h2>4. TIMOFEI SHISHKANOV</h2><h3>D, MILWAUKEE (AHL)</h3>A slow start to this season created concern among some team officials, but he displayed the resiliency and work ethic to get through it.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0040-02441/8843632-1-eng-US/f0040-022.jpg" title="f0040-02" width="1405" height="1899"><figcaption class="caption-body">Shea Weber (SCOTT PAULUS)</figcaption></div>In so doing, he removed any doubt over whether he is committed to playing in North America and the NHL, and has positioned himself to continue what has been a steady growth for the past three seasons.Like Radulov, he plays with a passion and enthusiasm not normally associated with Russians.Acquired: 2001 entry draft, 33rd overall.<h2>5. RYAN PARENT</h2><h3>D, GUELPH (OHL)</h3>Simply put, the kid can skate.Having watched him in training camp, coaches and management believe he is exactly what the new NHL requires.He can maintain position against a player who does not have the puck or can generate enough speed and power to disrupt one who has the puck.Parent didn&rsquo;t dress for a preseason game, though coach Barry Trotz said he likely should have.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 18th overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Shea Weber, D, 20, 6-3, 213Milwaukee (AHL) 33-10-12-22-29Overall 42. Alexander Radulov, RW, 19, 6-1, 188Quebec (QMJHL) 31-28-43-71-55Overall 193. Scottie Upshall, LW, 22, 6-0, 197Milwaukee (AHL) 5-2-4-6-4Overall 484. Timofei Shishkanov, LW, 22, 6-1, 209Milwaukee (AHL) 34-13-12-25-26Overall 525. Ryan Parent, D, 18, 6-2, 183Guelph (OHL) 30-2-12-14-63Overall 676. Brian Finley, G, 24, 6-3, 201Milwaukee (AHL) 7-3-0, 2.59, .910&nbsp;Has thrived because of above average foot-work and uncanny flexibility.&nbsp;Acquired 1999 draft, sixth overall7. Kevin Klein, D, 21, 6-1, 187 Milwaukee (AHL) 31-4-17-21-4Made big-time strides over the course of a year, resulting in NHL debut recently.Acquired 2003 draft, 37th overall8. Konstantin Glazachev, LW, 20, 6-0, 186Yaroslavl (Rus.) 25-7-4-11-6A quick, darting skater who has the ability to put the puck in the net.&nbsp;Acquired 2003 draft, 35th overall9. Grigory Shafigulin, C, 20, 6-2, 185 Yaroslavl (Rus.) 17-1-5-6-10&nbsp;Has the type of size Nashville has always lacked up the middle; good defensively.&nbsp;Acquired 2003 draft, 98th overall10. Pekka Rinne, G, 23, 6-5, 207Milwaukee (AHL) 13-8-1, 2.51, .908Has shown great athleticism, good hands and puck-handling ability.Acquired 2004 draft, 258th overall &#9632;

f0040-01

Foundation finally in place

<div class="byline">BY RICH CHERE</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0041-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0041-02379/8843670-1-eng-US/f0041-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Travis Zajac (UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0041-01620/8843677-1-eng-US/f0041-012.jpg" title="f0041-01" width="203" height="216"></div>The losses were huge. Through the first one-third of the season, New Jersey barely resembled the team that had won three Stanley Cups in nine years.Scott Stevens, a future Hall of Famer, retired. Scott Niedermayer, the 2003-04 Norris Trophy winner, left as a free agent. Patrik Elias, the team&rsquo;s leading scorer the past five seasons, remained sidelined with hepatitis A. And two-time Vezina goalie Martin Brodeur missed time with a sprained knee.&ldquo;How many teams could survive losing those players?&rdquo; asked David Conte, the team&rsquo;s director of scouting.New Jersey is trying its best to do so, with several home-grown players. Conte acknowledged that years of trades and drafting from the back row depleted the Devils, but says the organization still has up-and-coming talent.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. TRAVIS ZAJAC</h2><h3>C, NORTH DAKOTA (WCHA)</h3>An NCAA Frozen Four all-star last season, Zajac has picked up right where he left off.A premier player on a premier team, Zajac is still learning the game while seeing time on North Dakota&rsquo;s No. 1 line.While the Winnipeg product has not yet matured physically, he has been able to use his size effectively and has reminded some scouts of a young Joe Nieuwendyk because of his intelligence and quick hands.Zajac&rsquo;s anticipation also has made him a shorthanded threat.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 20th overall.<h2>2. NICKLAS BERGFORS</h2><h3>C, ALBANY (AHL)</h3>Bergfors has been averaging just under a point per game while learning the physical aspects of a teenager playing against men.A pleasant surprise at training camp, Bergfors is not afraid to shoot the puck and is never intimidated physically.The Devils are very interested in what effect the grinding AHL schedule will have on the young prospect.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 23rd overall.<h2>3. JEFF FRAZEE</h2><h3>G, MINNESOTA (WCHA)</h3>Mentally tough, Frazee has met all the challenges put to him.It would be unfair to compare the Minnesota-born goalie to Martin Brodeur, but there are similarities in their demeanor.&ldquo;It doesn&rsquo;t matter what his save percentage or his goals-against average are,&rdquo; Conte said. &ldquo;When a game is on the line, he&rsquo;s better.&rdquo;So far Frazee has proven to be a big-game, big-save goalie who embraces pressure.His fundamentals still need some work, as he often tries to do too much.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 38th overall.<h2>4. ALEXANDER SUGLOBOV</h2><h3>RW, ALBANY (AHL)</h3>The Devils are taking their time with this promising Russian.Suglobov was not among the early call-ups this season, even though he has been one of Albany&rsquo;s top scorers.While he has, at times, been dynamic in using his size, skill and speed, the Devils would like to see a bit more consistency.Before he can be a scorer in the NHL, Suglobov needs to be a nightly force in the AHL. For now, the primary factor holding him back is the Devils&rsquo; depth on the wings. That is, it&rsquo;s more of a wait-his-turn situation than a question of how good he&rsquo;ll be.Acquired: 2000 entry draft, 56th overall.<h2>5. ARI AHONEN</h2><h3>G, ALBANY (AHL)</h3>The only reason Ahonen did not remain with the Devils as Martin Brodeur&rsquo;s backup was because Scott Clemmensen had more NHL experience. Ahonen performed just as well as Clemmensen in training camp.The biggest concern at this point in his career is, will Ahonen get frustrated waiting to play in the NHL? This season marks his fifth in Albany; he still hasn&rsquo;t played a minute with the Devils.Acquired: 1999 entry draft, 27th overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Travis Zajac, C, 20, 6-2, 205North Dakota (WCHA) 22-5-17-22-16Overall 212. Nicklas Bergfors, C, 18, 5-11, 190Albany (AHL) 24-5-7-12-6Overall 383. Jeff Frazee, G, 18, 6-0, 185Minnesota (WCHA) 3-1-2, 3.01, .8914. Alexander Suglobov, RW, 23, 6-0, 200 Albany (AHL) 31-13-12-25-285. Ari Ahonen, G, 24, 6-2, 190Albany (AHL) 2-8-0, 3.94, .8926. Petr Vrana, C, 20, 5-10, 185Albany (AHL) 32-8-11-19-24&nbsp;Doesn&rsquo;t have size, but boasts Neal Broten/Sergei Brylin-type tools.Acquired 2003 draft, 42cd overall7. Barry Tallackson, RW, 22, 6-5, 210Albany (AHL) 22-6-10-16-29Nicknamed &lsquo;Condor&rsquo; because of his size and long arms; just needs to speed up a bit.&nbsp;Acquired 2002 draft, 53rd overall8. Tuomas Pihlman, C, 23, 6-2, 210 Albany (AHL) 18-5-6-11-18&nbsp;Has good size and understands the game well; has been up with big team.&nbsp;Acquired 2001 draft, 48th overall9. Patrick Davis, LW, 19, 6-2, 205 Windsor (OHL) 36-19-11-30-61Many of his goals are highlight material; he&rsquo;s versatile, but needs to settle into a position.&nbsp;Acquired 2005 draft, 99th overall10. Jason Ryznar, LW, 22, 6-3, 200Albany (AHL) 33-4-10-14-40&nbsp;Hardworking, strong defensively and at killing penalties; he has shown some spunk.Acquired 2002 draft, 64th overall &#9632;

f0041-02

Devils’ hands never idle

<div class="byline">BY PETER BOTTE</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0042-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0042-02389/8843708-1-eng-US/f0042-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Sean Bergenheim (BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0042-01643/8843715-1-eng-US/f0042-012.jpg" title="f0042-01" width="200" height="221"></div>Former prospects of the New York Islanders are like opinions: everyone in the NHL has one. GM Mike Milbury spent much of his tenure on Long Island spreading his draft picks around the league via various trades, with many developing into stars, or at least contributing NHL players, in other cities.But the impulsive Milbury mostly has resisted such urges in recent years, and four former first round picks have played for the Isles this season, led by No. 1 overall pick goalie Rick DiPietro (in 2000) and forwards Robert Nilsson (15th, 2003) and Petteri Nokelainen (16th, 2004).Milbury&rsquo;s scouting staff also has uncovered mid-round gems &ndash; such as rookie defenseman Chris Campoli &ndash; in recent drafts.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. RYAN O&rsquo;MARRA</h2><h3>C, ERIE (OHL)</h3>O&rsquo;Marra gets strange looks at the Canada-U.S. border, since it says on his passport that he was born in Tokyo, Japan, where his father temporarily was transferred on business.But the Ontario-raised O&rsquo;Marra has been lighting it up in the OHL after a brief, but impressive stint at New York&rsquo;s training camp.The Isles see O&rsquo;Marra as a Michael Peca-type; a high-character, hockey-smart, two-way center, whom Milbury said &ldquo;scored as high as anyone who has taken our (psychological) test in the last five years.&rdquo;Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 15th overall.<h2>2. SEAN BERGENHEIM</h2><h3>LW, BRIDGEPORT (AHL)</h3>Bergenheim looked to be a shifty player in the mold of Jason Blake after an all-star season at Bridgeport last year.But the speedy Finn, who played 18 games with the Isles in 2003-04, endured a lackluster training camp and took it hard when he was beaten out for an NHL roster spot by fellow Euro forwards Nokelainen and Nilsson.Bergenheim has had trouble regaining his scoring touch in Bridgeport, and was bypassed several times when the Isles reached down to the minors for injury replacements.Acquired: 2002 entry draft, 22nd overall.<h2>3. BLAKE COMEAU</h2><h3>C/W, KELOWNA (WHL)</h3>Comeau got a brief look on a line with Alexei Yashin and Miroslav Satan at camp, before being returned to Kelowna.Comeau was paid a compliment by former Isles great Brent Sutter when the coach named him captain of Team WHL for a match against the Russian selects earlier this season. Comeau also had a solid world junior under Sutter, skating on a two-way line.The Isles are projecting him as an energy forward with third-line potential.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 47th overall.<h2>4. JEREMY COLLITON</h2><h3>C, BRIDGEPORT (AHL)</h3>Comeau got a brief look on a line with Alexei Yashin and Miroslav Satan at camp, before being returned to Kelowna. Colliton played briefly on a line with Sidney Crosby on Team Canada&rsquo;s 2005 WJC squad, but this gritty center was just as elated to skate for a few games with the likes of Isles enforcer Eric Godard in November.Colliton has impressed team brass by displaying a defensively responsible approach and strong faceoff success at Bridgeport in his first pro season.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s going to play in this league, there&rsquo;s no doubt in my mind,&rdquo; said Isles coach Steve Stirling. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s just a matter of when he&rsquo;s ready to stay.&rdquo;Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 58th overall.<h2>5. BRUNO GERVAIS</h2><h3>D, BRIDGEPORT (AHL)</h3>Two years removed from the double disappointment of being the surprise final cut in camp and a subsequent severe knee injury (torn ACL), Gervais appears poised to join Campoli, his former defense partner, in making a quick NHL ascent.The smooth, steady blueliner has shown no ill affects from his injury, posting solid offensive numbers.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 182nd overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Ryan O&rsquo;Marra, C, 18, 6-1, 195Erie (OHL) 29-13-22-35-71Overall 362. Sean Bergenheim, LW, 21, 5-11, 200Bridgeport (AHL) 33-10-13-23-583. Blake Comeau, C/W, 19, 6-1, 198Kelowna (WHL) 27-12-25-37-244. Jeremy Colliton, C, 20, 6-2, 195 Bridgeport (AHL) 33-8-15-23-305. Bruno Gervais, D, 21, 6-0, 188Bridgeport (AHL) 30-11-13-24-426. Dustin Kohn, D, 18, 6-1, 182Calgary (WHL) 34-2-12-14-18&nbsp;Offensive numbers are down, but Isles asked mobile skater to concentrate on &lsquo;D&rsquo;.Acquired 2005 draft, 46th overall7. Shea Guthrie, RW, 18, 6-0, 187Clarkson (ECAC) 16-6-11-17-29 Making an impact playing on top line during freshman year with Knights.Acquired 2005 draft, 76th overall8. Igor Volkov, LW, 22, 6-0, 190Ufa Salavat Yul. (Rus.) 32-12-8-20-14&nbsp;Rediscovered his touch after moving from Moscow Dynamo to his former club.Acquired 2003 draft, 246th overall9. Frans Nielsen, C, 21, 5-11, 192Timra (Swe.) 30-3-7-10-16&nbsp;Looking to become the first Danish player to earn regular NHL work.Acquired 2002 draft, 87th overall10. Wes O&rsquo;Neill, D, 19, 6-4, 215 Notre Dame (CCHA) 17-2-11-13-14Big, mobile defender is maturing with Irish under former Isles assistant Jeff Jackson.Acquired 2004 draft, 115th overall &#9632;

f0042-02

Long Island finds stability

<div class="byline">BY LARRY BROOKS</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0043-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0043-02421/8843746-1-eng-US/f0043-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Marc Staal (SUDBURY WOLVES HOCKEY CLUB)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0043-01638/8843753-1-eng-US/f0043-012.jpg" title="f0043-01" width="199" height="220"></div>The New York Rangers have a crop of top prospects already performing in the NHL, with Henrik Lundqvist and Fedor Tyutin playing well, and there are more blue-chippers still on their way to Broadway.The organization&rsquo;s philosophy has long shifted from its previous free-spending ways to the more traditional approach of building a core from within. But more than that, sharp drafting is a necessary tool in a salary-cap era in which a steady flow of young, cheap labor is a necessary ingredient for success.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. MARC STAAL</h2><h3>D, SUDBURY (OHL)</h3>Impressive enough in his first pro training camp to earn a look in a pre-season game, the 18-year-old mobile defenseman is, in the words of vice-president of player personnel Don Maloney, &ldquo;a dominant force at the junior level and the kind of player who can be a core player in the NHL.&rdquo;The younger brother of Carolina standout Eric Staal, the Wolves rearguard is adding an offensive component to his already outstanding defensive game.He needs to get physically stronger, but is definitely on pace, if not ahead of the curve.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 12th overall.<h2>2. AL MONTOYA</h2><h3>G, HARTFORD (AHL)</h3>Montoya rebounded with outstanding early-season work for the Wolf Pack following a difficult first pro training camp, much of which can be attributed to adapting his instinctive game to technical adjustments suggested by goaltending coach Benoit Allaire.&ldquo;Mental toughness is what separates Al,&rdquo; Maloney said of the goaltender who suffered a broken finger that sidelined him throughout November and early December.The Blueshirts believe he&rsquo;s two or three years away, and with Lundqvist already in Manhattan, they have the luxury of allowing Montoya time to develop.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, sixth overall.<h2>3. LAURI KORPIKOSKI</h2><h3>LW, TPS TURKU (FIN.)</h3>Keenly aware defensively and when playing without the puck, the 19-year-old left winger is developing offensively as one of the youngest players in the Finnish Elite League.Korpikoski is currently completing a tour of service in the Finnish army.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s gone a little under the radar, but we&rsquo;re very pleased,&rdquo; Maloney said.&ldquo;The question is whether he&rsquo;ll develop enough of an offensive game to become a top (first or second line) NHL forward.&rdquo;Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 19th overall.<h2>4. IVAN BARANKA</h2><h3>D, HARTFORD (AHL)</h3>Baranka is an excellent skater who has had an impressive beginning to his pro career in Hartford and is likely to get a sniff with the Rangers should a recall be necessary. Already physically developed at the age of 20, Baranka simply needs to add a level of maturity to his all-around game.&ldquo;I&rsquo;m hoping he gets a chance to play a little in the NHL this year so he gets an understanding of what it&rsquo;s all about,&rdquo; Maloney said.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 50th overall.<h2>5. JARKKO IMMONEN</h2><h3>C, HARTFORD (AHL)</h3>One of four assets the Rangers received from Toronto in the Brian Leetch trade (along with young Blueshirt defenseman Maxim Kondratiev and two draft picks), Immonen has been very impressive this year in Hartford and appears on the cusp of a spot on Broadway.&ldquo;Jarkko has everything except Pavel Bure speed,&rdquo; Maloney said, &ldquo;but his head compensates for that.&rdquo;He has also become a dominant faceoff man.Acquired: Trade with Toronto, 2004.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Marc Staal, D, 18, 6-3, 195Sudbury (OHL) 28-7-23-30-33Overall 82. Al Montoya, G, 20, 6-2, 200Hartford (AHL) 8-3-0, 2.44, .917Overall 283. Lauri Korpikoski, LW, 19, 6-1, 185TPS Turku (Fin.) 29-2-2-4-8Overall 454. Ivan Baranka, D, 20, 6-3, 200Hartford (AHL) 31-2-3-5-375. Jarkko Immonen, C, 23, 5-11, 200Hartford (AHL) 33-10-13-23-186. Michael Sauer, D, 18, 6-2, 210Portland (WHL) 25-5-15-20-32Offensive, physical defenseman has been hampered by shoulder injury.Acquired 2005 draft, 40th overall7. Nigel Dawes, LW, 20, 5-8, 190 Hartford (AHL) 32-12-10-22-10 Small sniper has gotten progressively better in his first professional season.&nbsp;Acquired 2003 draft, 14th overall8. Hugh Jessiman, RW, 21, 6-6, 225 Charlotte (ECHL) 19-10-10-20-39&nbsp;A long-term project, has started playing better since demotion to ECHL from AHL.&nbsp;Acquired 2003 draft, 12th overall9. Bruce Graham, C, 20, 6-6, 235 Hartford (AHL) 23-2-5-7-15Growing into body; making good transition to pro hockey, has good hands, instincts.Acquired 2004 draft, 51st overall10. Tom Pyatt, C, 18, 5-11, 180Saginaw (OHL) 29-13-17-30-19Sleeper who put up good numbers, but needs to be more fleet on his feet.Acquired 2005 draft, 107th overall &#9632;

f0043-02

Another star Staal coming?

<div class="byline">BY BRUCE GARRIOCH</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0044-01529/8843791-1-eng-US/f0044-012.jpg" title="f0044-01" width="249" height="215"></div>The Ottawa Senators are going to pay the price for drafting and developing players.&ldquo;You&rsquo;re going to have to come to the realization that someday you&rsquo;re not going to be able to keep all your players,&rdquo; said Senators GM John Muckler. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s the reality of a salary-cap system, and teams are going to have to get used to that fact.&rdquo;But, that doesn&rsquo;t mean the Senators are going to rush out and trade all their prospects just so they can win a Stanley Cup this spring. The approach simply doesn&rsquo;t make sense.&ldquo;We&rsquo;re still going to draft and develop our players,&rdquo; Muckler said.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. PATRICK EAVES</h2><h3>RW, BINGHAMTON (AHL)</h3>Eaves has been called up a couple of times and has performed well.He didn&rsquo;t have a great training camp, but Muckler attributed that to wide eyes rather than a lack of skill.&ldquo;My belief is he was in awe. If you&rsquo;ve ever talked to the kid you realize he&rsquo;s the nicest guy going and I think he couldn&rsquo;t believe what was happening around him,&rdquo; said Muckler.Eaves is a smart player with the puck and even better without it. He&rsquo;s also strong defensively.Everybody has a different opinion on what kind of player he might be in the league. Suffice to say, he&rsquo;ll be with the Senators for a long time.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 29th overall.<h2>2. BRIAN LEE</h2><h3>D, NORTH DAKOTA (WCHA)</h3>The only knock on Lee is he has to get stronger, but that will come with maturity.Lee makes good decisions with the puck and has plenty of upside potential.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a Wade Redden-type of defenseman. He makes that first (pass) well and has good vision to see the ice,&rdquo; Muckler said.Lee is only a freshman and in a perfect world the Sens would let him develop for a few years in college. However, if Redden or Zdeno Chara opt to flee as unrestricted free agents this summer, it could alter Lee&rsquo;s schedule.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, ninth overall.<h2>3. BRANDON BOCHENSKI</h2><h3>RW, BINGHAMTON (AHL)</h3>Bochenski started off like wildfire in the pre-season, but struggled once the puck was dropped for real and was sent down to the minors.He was back playing well with the big team in December when a shoulder injury derailed his progress.The Senators vow Bochenski, who does possess a good nose for the net, will be a regular in the league someday.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s improved his skating and he&rsquo;s got a skill that you can&rsquo;t teach: scoring goals,&rdquo; Muckler said.Acquired: 2001 entry draft, 223rd overall.<h2>4. ALEXEI KAIGORODOV</h2><h3>C, MAGNITOGORSK (RUS.)</h3>Kaigorodov might be the most deceptive player in the organization.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0044-02306/8843784-1-eng-US/f0044-022.jpg" title="f0044-02" width="1399" height="1899"><figcaption class="caption-body">Patrick Eaves (PHILLIP MACCALLUM/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>The Senators tried to sign Kaigorodov last summer and had a deal done, but couldn&rsquo;t bring him to Ottawa because of the lack of a transfer agreement.Muckler has no doubt he could be playing in Ottawa as one of the top three centers. The organization loves his size and skill.&ldquo;We hope we can get him next year,&rdquo; Muckler said.Acquired: 2002 entry draft, 47th overall<h2>5. VITALY ANIKEYENKO</h2><h3>C, YAROSLAVL (RUS.)</h3>Muckler got a first-hand look at Anikeyenko when he was in North America with a touring Russian team last month and liked what he saw.Nobody expects Anikeyenko to come to North America right away and he might play some pro overseas.The Senators like his ability to move the puck and the way he skates.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 70th overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Patrick Eaves, RW, 21, 6-0, 192Binghamton (AHL) 18-5-8-13-10Overall 172. Brian Lee, D, 18, 6-2, 202North Dakota (WCHA) 20-2-10-12-24Overall 223. Brandon Bochenski, RW, 23, 6-1, 197Binghamton (AHL) 14-5-12-17-22Overall 504. Alexei Kaigorodov, C, 22, 6-3, 185Magnitogorsk (Rus.) 32-4-15-19-16Overall 595. Vitali Anikeyenko, C, 18, 6-3, 180 Yaroslavl (Rus.) 24-0-1-1-266. Jeff Glass, G, 20, 6-2, 201Charlotte (ECHL) 6-3-3, 2.89, .918&nbsp;Will be given every opportunity to move up within the organization.&nbsp;Acquired 2004 draft, 89th overall7. Igor Mirnov, C, 21, 6-0, 187Moscow Dynamo (Rus.) 22-4-7-11-18&nbsp;He&rsquo;s a lightning-fast skater, but must genuinely want to come to North America.Acquired 2003 draft, 67th overall8. Kirill Lyamin, D, 19, 6-3, 198Central Army (Rus.) 18-0-1-1-24Big and strong; is considered a solid stay-at-home blueliner.&nbsp;Acquired 2004 draft, 58th overall9. Shawn Weller, LW, 19, 6-1, 186Clarkson (ECAC) 18-10-4-14-49&nbsp;Asserting himself well at college level, but sophomore needs more time to develop.Acquired 2004 draft, 77th overall10. Alexander Nikulin, C, 20, 6-1, 192Central Army (Rus.) 32-8-6-14-10An intelligent player who possesses great vision on the ice; good offensive upside.&nbsp;Acquired 2003 draft, 67th overall &#9632;

f0044-01

Senators stay the course

<div class="byline">BY WAYNE FISH</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0045-01450/8843829-1-eng-US/f0045-012.jpg" title="f0045-01" width="257" height="186"></div>Two minor league championship teams &ndash; the AHL&rsquo;s Philadelphia Phantoms and ECHL&rsquo;s Trenton Titans &ndash; have helped produce enough valuable, confident and experienced players to cover holes in the Flyers&rsquo; injury-plagued lineup this season.By December, no less than 13 members of the 2004-05 Calder Cup-winning Phantoms had seen playing time in a Flyers uniform. Management is hoping that successful trend continues.&ldquo;We think we have strong depth,&rdquo; said assistant GM Paul Holmgren.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. R.J. UMBERGER</h2><h3>C, PHILADELPHIA (AHL)</h3>The Pittsburgh native enjoyed a strong training camp and was called up when captain Keith Primeau went on extensive leave with a concussion. Umberger filled in nicely as a two-way player on fellow rookie Jeff Carter&rsquo;s line and showed confidence around the net, as a two-goal game against the Islanders in late November demonstrated.&ldquo;He has a good mentality about what he needs to do,&rdquo; Holmgren said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know if he&rsquo;s exceeded expectations, but he&rsquo;s played very well.&rdquo;Acquired: Signed as free agent, Aug. 16, 2004.<h2>2. STEVE DOWNIE</h2><h3>RW, PETERBOROUGH (OHL)</h3>Although off-ice events have dominated early-season coverage thanks to a OHL hazing incident in Windsor, Downie has impressed talent evaluators with his determined approach to the game, as evidenced by his highly impressive showing for Canada at the world juniors.During his suspension from the OHL for his part in a fight stemming from the hazing incident, Downie was invited to practice with the Flyers for a couple days. Several veterans commented on Downie&rsquo;s willingness to listen to what others had to say.Flyer coaches said Downie has a determined attitude that should see him through this difficult year that saw him traded from Windsor to Peterborough.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 29th overall.<h2>3. STEFAN RUZICKA</h2><h3>LW, PHILADELPHIA (AHL)</h3>The Flyers&rsquo; highest ranked European prospect also is the most talented player in their system. But coming off a 37-goal season for the OHL&rsquo;s Owen Sound Attack, Ruzicka had a rough start for the Phantoms with just two goals in 23 games before emerging for five in the next 10.&ldquo;He has struggled a e bit with the number of games,&rdquo; Holmgren said. &ldquo;But he&rsquo;s one of the most skilled young players on the Phantoms. His production is not where we want it to be, but he does a lot of things that other players can&rsquo;t.&rdquo;Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 81st overall.<h2>4. RYAN POTULNY</h2><h3>C, MINNESOTA (WCHA)</h3>The 2003 draft is shaping up to be an impressive one for the Flyers with Carter and Mike Richards making NHL contributions and Ruzicka and Potulny bright lights in the pipeline.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0045-02277/8843822-1-eng-US/f0045-022.jpg" title="f0045-02" width="1405" height="1899"><figcaption class="caption-body">R.J. Umberger (BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>The University of Minnesota junior is having a breakout offensive season and is worthy of Hobey Baker Award consideration. He has worked hard to increase strength and stamina and is a terrific finisher from close range. Look for him to consider turning pro a year early.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 87th overall.<h2>5. RANDY JONES</h2><h3>D, PHILADELPHIA (AHL)</h3>He was considered the organization&rsquo;s No. 8 blueliner and first in line to be called up to the Flyers when he was sidelined with appendicitis in November. The appendectomy has slowed his progress, but team officials are confident Jones can bounce back in the second half.Coaches on both the Phantoms and Flyers like his decision-making and read-and-react ability.&ldquo;He has great poise and hockey sense,&rdquo; Holmgren said.Acquired: Signed as free agent, July 24, 2003.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. R.J. Umberger, C, 23, 6-2, 200Philadelphia (AHL) 8-3-7-10-8Overall 432. Steve Downie, RW, 18, 5-10, 192Peterborough (OHL) 13-7-16-23-36Overall 613. Stefan Ruzicka, LW, 20, 5-11, 189Philadelphia (AHL) 33-7-8-15-324. Ryan Potulny, C, 21, 6-0, 190Minnesota (WCHA) 20-18-11-29-275. Randy Jones, D, 24, 6-2, 200Philadelphia (AHL) 11-0-2-2-186. Freddy Meyer, D, 25, 5-10, 192 Philadelphia (AHL) 11-3-3-6-22Missed two months with broken leg; not big, but good skater, very competitive.Acquired Signed as free agent, 20037. Ben Eager, LW, 21, 6-3, 215Philadelphia (AHL) 18-4-4-8-61&nbsp;Broad-Street-Bully in the making has a mix of toughness and skill&hellip;mostly toughness.Acquired Trade with Phoenix, 20048. Alexandre Picard, D, 20, 6-2, 220Philadelphia (AHL) 35-3-5-8-29Has made adept transition from junior to pros; makes smooth first pass out of zone.Acquired 2003 draft, 85th overall9. Rejean Beauchemin, G, 20, 6-1, 195Trenton (ECHL) 2-6-1, 3.01, .906Flyers&rsquo; management insists nothing should be read into demotion to ECHL.Acquired 2003 draft, 191st overall10. Josh Gratton, LW, 23, 6-0, 208Philadelphia (AHL) 33-3-5-8-196Lesser-skilled version of Downie has same &lsquo;in your face&rsquo; attitude and work ethic.Acquired Signed as free agent, 2004 &#9632;

f0045-01

Stepping up to the plate

<div class="byline">BY JERRY BROWN</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0046-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0046-02271/8843860-1-eng-US/f0046-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Blake Wheeler (JOSH HOLMBERG)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0046-01440/8843867-1-eng-US/f0046-012.jpg" title="f0046-01" width="226" height="227"></div>After icing teams that were almost devoid of homegrown talent &ndash; Shane Doan and Daniel Briere are the only impact players produced since the team left Winnipeg in 1996 &ndash; the Coyotes now have highly touted draftees developing in the system.Keith Ballard has proved himself this season, but he was a 2002 draft pick of Buffalo. Previous high picks such as Patrick DesRochers, Scott Kelman and most recently Krys Kolanos failed to live up to first round billing. And Fredrik Sjostrom and Jakub Koreis are now projected as checkers rather than scorers.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. BLAKE WHEELER</h2><h3>LW, MINNESOTA (WCHA)</h3>Last year&rsquo;s decision to forego his comfort zone and rock-idol status as a senior at Minnesota&rsquo;s Breck High School was difficult. He moved up in class with Green Bay of the USHL and had growing pains despite putting up 19 goals and 47 points in 58 games.But the move is paying dividends for Wheeler as a freshman with the Golden Gophers, where he&rsquo;s already proving he belongs at one of the nation&rsquo;s premier hockey schools. Coaches rave about his work ethic, which combines well with his skill set &ndash; a huge frame and great hands.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, fifth overall.<h2>2. DAVID LENEVEU</h2><h3>G, SAN ANTONIO (AHL)</h3>The plan was for him to start the season in the AHL, but a severe groin injury to Brian Boucher in training camp elevated LeNeveu to Phoenix&rsquo;s goalie of the future. After losses in his first four starts, he earned his first NHL win Oct. 25.LeNeveu&rsquo;s determination and willingness to work are impressive. He soaked up a lot being around veteran Curtis Joseph on a daily basis before he was eventually sent down to San Antonio.Technically sound, LeNeveu has shown the necessary quickness for the NHL. He still has a lot to learn, but is off to a great start.Acquired: 2002 entry draft, 46th overall.<h2>3. MARTIN HANZAL</h2><h3>C, CESKE BUDEJOVIC (CZE.)</h3>The Coyotes were disappointed the big center didn&rsquo;t come over to play for Regina in the WHL this season, where he would have pushed his development into a scorer. Instead, he remains at the high level in the Czech elite league, but in a defensive role.Hanzal&rsquo;s combination of size, toughness, puckhandling skills and speed make him even more valuable in the new NHL. He will never be a fast player, but questions about whether he has NHL-level speed have been quelled with his recent play.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 17th overall.<h2>4. ENVER LISIN</h2><h3>RW, AK-BARS KAZAN (RUS.)</h3>Next to Wheeler, Lisin is the most intriguing prospect in the system. Known as one of the fastest skaters in the world and with improving skills, the more wide-open NHL would figure to be tailor-made for his attributes.Still only 19, Lisin needs to fill out more and coaches are trying to introduce him to the defensive side of the game. Comparisons to Ilya Kovalchuck &ndash; from an offensive standpoint &ndash; and the ability to reach that extra gear have convinced the Coyotes to be patient. He has yet to show the finishing skills to match his imposing speed.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 50th overall.<h2>5. MATT JONES</h2><h3>D, SAN ANTONIO (AHL)</h3>The final cut in camp, the University of North Dakota alum showed the skill and maturity to make a run at the NHL roster. His high level of play with the Rampage gave the Coyotes the confidence to trade a handful of useful defensemen &ndash; Cale Hulse, David Tanabe, Brad Ference &ndash; in anticipation of Jones&rsquo;s arrival.He has improved his efficiency as a skater and, like Keith, uses his compact frame and powerful legs to deliver big bodychecks.Acquired: 2002 entry draft, 80th overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Blake Wheeler, LW, 19, 6-4, 200Minnesota (WCHA) 18-4-6-10-12Overall 252. David LeNeveu, G, 22, 6-1, 187San Antonio (AHL) 2-5-0, 3.06, .9053. Martin Hanzal, C, 18, 6-4, 198 Budejovice (Cze.) 18-0-1-1-104. Enver Lisin, RW, 19, 6-2, 190Kazan (Rus.) 30-7-4-11-165. Matt Jones, D, 22, 6-0, 218San Antonio (AHL) 28-0-7-7-226. Matthew Spiller, D, 22, 6-5, 233San Antonio (AHL) 34-2-5-7-89Coyotes impressed with how he has picked up his speed; size keeps him in discussion.Acquired 2001 draft, 31st overall7. Kevin Porter, LW, 19, 5-11, 194Michigan (CCHA) 17-10-6-16-10Work ethic, ability to score and set up teammates erases concerns about size.&nbsp;Acquired 2004 draft, 119th overall8. Logan Stephenson, D, 19, 6-2, 189Tri-City (WHL) 35-5-23-28-84Well on his way to point production, but must tighten up his defensive work.&nbsp;Acquired 2004 draft, 35th overall9. Pier-Olivier Pelletier, G, 18, 6-1, 175 Drummondville (QMJHL) 10-12-0, 4.05, .849&nbsp;Has played OK on mediocre team in high-scoring league; will need hip surgery.&nbsp;Acquired 2005 draft, 59th overall10. Keith Yandle, D, 19, 6-2, 195 Moncton (QMJHL) 37-15-33-48-63Racking up points with regularity and also takes care of business in his own end.&nbsp;Acquired 2005 draft, 105th overall &#9632;

f0046-02

Retooling the rebuilding

<div class="byline">BY JOE STARKEY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0047-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0047-02288/8843898-1-eng-US/f0047-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Evgeni Malkin (IHA)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0047-01433/8843905-1-eng-US/f0047-012.jpg" title="f0047-01" width="220" height="218"></div>No team can match the Penguins&rsquo; under-25 star power. As early as next season, Evgeni Malkin could join fellow center Sidney Crosby, goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and defenseman Ryan Whitney to give the franchise an extraordinary core group on which to build.Elsewhere, the top-graded team in Future Watch 2006 features some depth on defense &ndash; including a potential top-four D-man in Noah Welch &ndash; and a lot of role players. The lacking ingredient is pure goal-scorers.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. EVGENI MALKIN</h2><h3>C, MAGNITOGORSK (RUS.)</h3>Described by TV analyst and former Penguins assistant coach Pierre McGuire as &ldquo;Ron Francis with speed,&rdquo; Malkin should provide the Penguins with a much-needed center to complement Crosby. That could happen as early as next season, provided Malkin is able to extricate himself from his contract, which has several years remaining.After a couple of slow-scoring years playing against older players, the fiercely competitive Malkin exploded to a point-pergame pace this season. He&rsquo;s stronger, too, and will reap long-term benefits from working with veteran coach Dave King, who runs the Magnitogorsk bench.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, second overall.<h2>2. MARC-ANDRE FLEURY</h2><h3>G, WILKES-BARRE (AHL)</h3>He became a lightning rod when he was the Penguins&rsquo; best goalie in camp, but was sent to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton because the team was leery of having to pay him a $3.04-million bonus if he played 25-plus NHL games.In the meantime, Fleury established himself as the best goalie in the AHL and was the key to Wilkes-Barre&rsquo;s phenomenal start. He&rsquo;s much more in control than in recent years. He&rsquo;s also more patient and his puckhandling issues aren&rsquo;t as big a concern with the restrictions on goalies.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, first overall.<h2>3. NOAH WELCH</h2><h3>D, WILKES-BARRE (AHL)</h3>Many thought he should have made the NHL roster out of training camp. Welch is a big, strapping leader who barely needed any transition time in going from college (Harvard) to the pros.Welch&rsquo;s game doesn&rsquo;t have a glaring weakness. He&rsquo;s not a crushing hitter, but he&rsquo;s effective physically, in front of the net and in the corners. He&rsquo;s not flashy, but he&rsquo;s competent on the power play. He was leading the AHL in plus-minus in early January.Acquired: 2001 entry draft, 54th overall.<h2>4. COLBY ARMSTRONG</h2><h3>RW, WILKES-BARRE (AHL)</h3>Armstrong is an in-your-face player looking a lot more like a first or second line player than he did last season, though he likely is slated to be an energy guy and third-liner in the NHL. If he had been a third round pick, people would be thrilled with how he has developed.Expectations are probably higher because he went in the first round. Armstrong has added something each season, including some much-needed weight. He struggled in camp this year because of a bad shoulder.Acquired: 2001 entry draft, 21st overall.<h2>5. RYAN STONE</h2><h3>C, WILKES-BARRE (AHL)</h3>He has flashed some serious versatility in his first year of pro. One shift, he&rsquo;ll deliver a big hit. The next, he&rsquo;ll dangle between two defensemen. The next, he&rsquo;ll score a goal. He&rsquo;s a decent passer with a heavy shot and an attitude, though he still needs plenty of polish.Former Baby Pens &ndash; and current Pens &ndash; coach Michel Therrien worked Stone hard, probably because he saw plenty of potential &ndash; a rare player who has size, physicality and skill. Stone finished second in the WHL scoring race last season. And he&rsquo;s scoring at a decent rate in Wilkes-Barre, too.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 32nd overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Evgeni Malkin, C, 19, 6-3, 186Magnitogorsk (Rus.) 32-15-20-35-22Overall 12. Marc-Andre Fleury, G, 20, 6-1, 175Wilkes-Barre (AHL) 10-2-0, 1.57, .939Overall 63. Noah Welch, D, 23, 6-4, 212Wilkes-Barre (AHL) 33-3-7-10-23Overall 644. Colby Armstrong, RW, 23, 6-2, 195Wilkes-Barre (AHL) 31-11-18-29-445. Ryan Stone, C, 21, 6-1, 203Wilkes-Barre (AHL) 28-7-10-17-156. Daniel Carcillo, LW, 20, 5-11, 191 Wilkes-Barre (AHL) 28-8-10-18-165Potential Darcy Tucker clone made name for himself in ejection from Philly shootout.Acquired 2003 draft, 73rd overall7. Michel Ouellet, RW, 23, 6-0, 203Wilkes-Barre (AHL) 19-10-20-30-12Added penalty-killing ability to deft scoring touch; he&rsquo;s now producing in NHL.Acquired 2000 draft, 124th overall8. Ben Eaves, C, 23, 5-8, 180 Wilkes-Barre (AHL) 5-1-2-3-0&nbsp;Speedy center&rsquo;s career on hold as he continues recovery from kneecap surgery.Acquired 2001 draft, 131st overall9. Alex Goligoski, D, 20, 5-11, 180Minnesota (WCHA) 20-2-15-17-16&nbsp;Offensively gifted blueliner needs to bulk up; on pace to equal last year&rsquo;s point total.Acquired 2004 draft, 61st overall10. Kristopher Letang, D, 18, 5-11, 190Val d&rsquo;Or (QMJHL) 31-12-9-21-77Lightning fast, offensive blueliner on pace to double point totals from last season.Acquired 2005 draft, 62nd overall &#9632;

f0047-02

Star power in abundance

<div class="byline">BY TOM TIMMERMANN</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0048-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-02185/8843936-1-eng-US/f0048-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Marek Schwarz (IHA)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-01292/8843943-1-eng-US/f0048-012.jpg" title="f0048-01" width="217" height="199"></div>The Blues&rsquo; run of 25 straight playoff berths has also assured them of 25 straight low picks in the NHL entry draft.Because of past trades and blunders, the Blues have had just three top-20 picks in the past 16 seasons, so the organization&rsquo;s depth isn&rsquo;t what it could be.Even with a lottery last time, the Blues ended up 24th in draft order. Progress is being made under Jarmo Kekalainen, who took over in 2002 as the team&rsquo;s director of amateur scouting.The Blues&rsquo; struggles have led to many prospects from Peoria getting called up ahead of schedule. Defenseman Dennis Wideman and left winger Lee Stempniak would have been on this list, but were recalled to St. Louis and established themselves as regulars.St. Louis does appear set in goal, where the team has several solid creasemen coming.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. T.J. OSHIE</h2><h3>C, NORTH DAKOTA (WCHA)</h3>Oshie, drafted out of high school, has quickly adapted to the collegiate game and already is making a good impression at North Dakota, one of America&rsquo;s top college programs.Oshie is quick, with good skills and is a tough competitor. The Blues love his character, desire and great hockey sense, but also want to see him put on about 20 pounds.&ldquo;He has taken big strides to a pro career,&rdquo; Kekalainen said.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 24th overall.<h2>2. MAREK SCHWARZ</h2><h3>G, SPARTA (CZE.)</h3>After one season in Canada, Schwarz got homesick and returned to the Czech Republic, where he&rsquo;s in the Elite League.He came back home to be Sparta Praha&rsquo;s top goalie, but a coaching change has relegated him to backup status on his team behind a veteran stopper, so his ice time is down.His junior year last season was average, which is not unusual after coming in from Europe.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 17th overall.<h2>3. JEFF WOYWITKA</h2><h3>D, PEORIA (AHL)</h3>He has already gone up to St. Louis and back to Peoria a couple times and the Blues believe that with a little more time and seasoning, the two-way defender will be around to stay.This is only the third pro season for Woywitka, who the Blues feel will benefit from the NHL&rsquo;s new rules. He&rsquo;s a good skater, especially considering his size, and he has good puck skills.He&rsquo;s not a big hitter, but his size allows him to move opponents around.Acquired: Trade with Edmonton, 2005.<h2>4. DAVID BACKES</h2><h3>C, MIN.-MANKATO (WCHA)</h3>Backes doesn&rsquo;t play on the best team in the WCHA, but he&rsquo;s the player his team looks to for leadership and example.He&rsquo;s a consistent scorer and a hard worker who went to Europe on his own last summer to work on his skating and other needs.The Blues also like his hockey sense for where to be and what to do on the ice, plus his overall skill level, great hands and accurate shot.He needs to work on his quickness to be more dangerous.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 62nd overall.<h2>5. ROMAN POLAK</h2><h3>D, VITKOVICE (CZE.)</h3>Polak is a classic stay-at-home defenseman, the kind who works well when paired with an offense-minded blueliner.Polak is reaping the benefits of getting time against older players in the Czech Elite League.Although his puckhandling skills still need to improve, he can make a good first pass to get the offense going. Just don&rsquo;t look for him to pinch in from the blueline very often, if at all.He skates well, especially considering his size, and is a good open-ice hitter. Polak also has long arms, which allow him to cover even more ice.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 180th overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. T.J. Oshie, C, 19, 5-11, 181North Dakota (WCHA) 20-11-10-21-29Overall 332. Marek Schwarz, G, 19, 5-11, 176Sparta Praha (Cze.) 7-8-0, 2.57, .920Overall 343. Jeff Woywitka, D, 22, 6-2, 209 Peoria (AHL) 21-1-2-3-194. David Backes, C, 21, 6-2, 200Minn. State-Man. (WCHA) 21-9-14-23-545. Roman Polak, D, 19, 6-1, 198Vitkovice (Cze.) 26-0-1-1-106. Carl Soderberg, C/W, 20, 6-3, 198 Malmo (Swe.) 13-7-10-17-6Strong skater is a first-line center on team trying to crack Sweden&rsquo;s top league.&nbsp;Acquired 2004 draft, 49th overall7. Scott Jackson, D, 18, 6-4, 200 Seattle (WHL) 28-2-11-13-28Knows how to move the puck, but has been slowed by knee injury.&nbsp;Acquired 2005 draft, 37th overall8. Jason Bacashihua, G, 23, 5-11, 175 Peoria (AHL) 9-4-0, 2.63, .903&nbsp;Has big-game potential and hasn&rsquo;t looked out of place since big-league promotion.&nbsp;Acquired Trade with Dallas, 20049. Nikita Nikitin, D, 19, 6-3, 172 Omsk (Rus.) 29-1-1-2-12Has good shot, but still requires a lot of tutelage regarding play in his own end.Acquired 2004 draft, 136th overall10. Ben Bishop, G, 19, 6-5, 205Maine (HE) 7-4-0, 2.15, .912&nbsp;Imposing stature will always garner him some looks in the crease; very agile.&nbsp;Acquired 2005 draft, 85th overall &#9632;

f0048-02

The dark side of playoff run

<div class="byline">BY ROSS McKEON</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0049-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-02174/8843974-1-eng-US/f0049-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">| Devon Setoguchi (CHRIS RELKE/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-01259/8843981-1-eng-US/f0049-012.jpg" title="f0049-01" width="221" height="223"></div>One look at the Sharks roster leaves no doubt on the importance they place on the draft. Most of their players are original draft picks developed in the system.Six San Jose picks have made their NHL debut this year, including Nolan Schaefer, Ryane Clowe, Doug Murray, Josh Gorges, Steve Bernier and Grant Stevenson.San Jose has the reputation of developing excellent goalies and that continues to be the case. Schaefer burst onto the scene and won his first five NHL games &ndash; a franchise record.Organizational depth also allowed for the franchise-defining trade of draftees Marco Sturm and Brad Stuart, along with Wayne Primeau, to Boston for Joe Thornton &ndash; the first superstar to ever suit up for the Sharks.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. DEVIN SETOGUCHI</h2><h3>RW, SASKATOON (WHL)</h3>As much as his early selection in 2005 NHL draft surprised the experts, Setoguchi opened eyes at his first pro camp.The Sharks knew about his speed, hockey sense and competitive nature. But they weren&rsquo;t expecting Setoguchi to make such a strong showing that he would last until the final week of camp before being returned to junior.Remarkably poised and undaunted by the situation, Setoguchi was sent back with instruction to work as hard in the defensive zone as up the ice, because that&rsquo;s what will enable him to stick in the NHL.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, eighth overall.<h2>2. MATT CARLE</h2><h3>D, DENVER (WCHA)</h3>As a co-captain of the University of Denver, Carle is trying to lead his squad to a third straight national title &ndash; an endeavor the Sharks both understand and support despite their excitement for him to turn pro.The junior rearguard continues to show an obvious flair for offense with his passing skills, the ability to see the ice and smooth skating. At the same time, the Sharks have asked him to continue working on details in his game and to remain committed in his own end as well. He&rsquo;s extremely competitive.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 47th overall.<h2>3. STEVE BERNIER</h2><h3>RW, CLEVELAND (AHL)</h3>Overcoming fitness and skating deficiencies helped Bernier make his NHL debut this season.A shooter who isn&rsquo;t afraid to venture to the front of the net, Bernier has a number of skills and ways to score. He has good anticipation and usually ends up with the puck on his stick.Bernier may have stuck around longer in his first NHL taste if not for a non-serious injury. He could be recalled from Cleveland at any time.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 16th overall.<h2>4. LUKAS KASPAR</h2><h3>RW, CLEVELAND (AHL)</h3>He continues to adjust to his first season of pro hockey in Cleveland, just one year after playing in North America for the first time.Kaspar&rsquo;s challenge is to play well every night. He competes, has size, a good set of offensive skills and is very strong. The Sharks are pleased with his progress and are keeping a close eye with the possibility of giving him a look-see in the NHL at some point this season.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 22nd overall.<h2>5. DOUG MURRAY</h2><h3>D, CLEVELAND (AHL)</h3>An eye injury prevented the physical defenseman from getting any pre-season playing time. He wasn&rsquo;t able to work on the ice at camp, but made up that time in Cleveland and was promoted in December for his NHL debut.Murray may not be labeled a mobile or swift defenseman, but he leaves his mark with strong body-on-body play, something lacking at times on the San Jose blueline after Stuart was dealt. Murray is only an average skater, but with superior strength and excellent hockey sense.Acquired: 1999 entry draft, 241st overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Devin Setoguchi, RW, 18, 5-11, 186Saskatoon (WHL) 38-19-33-52Overall 272. Matt Carle, D, 21, 6-0, 190Denver (WCHA) 22-8-21-29-26Overall 623. Steve Bernier, RW, 20, 6-2, 230Cleveland (AHL) 30-12-13-25-23Overall 664. Lukas Kaspar, LW, 20, 6-2, 198Cleveland (AHL) 36-5-11-16-305. Doug Murray, D, 25, 6-3, 245 Cleveland (AHL) 20-1-7-8-376. Dimitri Patzold, G, 22, 6-0, 200Cleveland (AHL) 3-8-0, 4.20, .862Skilled, strong and competes, but must learn to play well night in and night out.Acquired 2004 draft, 22nd overall7. Grant Stevenson, C, 24, 5-11, 170 Cleveland (AHL) 17-8-8-16-8Energy forward with scoring knack making space for himself in San Jose.Acquired Signed as free agent, 20038. Josh Hennessy, C, 20, 6-0, 190Cleveland (AHL) 38-8-16-24-32Opened eyes at camp with strong skating, good hockey sense and attention to detail.&nbsp;Acquired 2003 draft, 43rd overall9. Mike Morris, RW, 22, 6-1, 182Northeastern (HE) 0-0-0-0-0Might be lost for senior season after sustaining concussion in car accident.Acquired 2002 draft, 27th overall10. Tim Conboy, D, 23, 6-1, 205 Cleveland (AHL) 37-5-5-10-61Solid, skilled blueliner impressed at camp; needs more experience at the pro level.Acquired 2002 draft, 217th overall &#9632;

f0049-02

Depth, patience key for Sharks

<div class="byline">BY TOM JONES</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-01252/8844019-1-eng-US/f0050-012.jpg" title="f0050-01" width="242" height="210"></div>The benefit of having a good NHL team with a young nucleus is allowing future prospects to grow on the farm.Unlike the old days when top draft picks such as Roman Hamrlik and Chris Gratton were rushed to the NHL, the Lightning are allowing recent picks to percolate in junior or the minors. No one is being called up until they are ready and, with a young NHL core, there&rsquo;s no rush.For a short spell (1999-2003), the Lightning either traded its first round pick or traded the player it drafted. The most recent &ndash; and only &ndash; first-rounder on the roster is Vincent Lecavalier.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. VLADIMIR MIHALIK</h2><h3>D, RED DEER (WHL)</h3>Mihalik is adjusting to the North American style of hockey quicker than expected. Rather than playing in Russia, the Lightning convinced Mihalik to go to Red Deer. The hulking defenseman &ndash; he&rsquo;s 6-foot-7 &ndash; not only has continued his physically punishing play, but also has learned to temper his game and become proficient with the North American style of offense.Because of his quick development, the Lightning is hoping Mihalik can compete for a NHL spot as early as next year and no later than 2007-08.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 30th overall.<h2>2. ANDY ROGERS</h2><h3>D, PRINCE GEORGE (WHL)</h3>Rogers&rsquo; talent was evident in camp, but his strength and conditioning needed improvement. The Bolts plan to put the 6-foot-5 defender on a program next summer and are confident he is just about ready for the NHL.He has had a few setbacks this season with injuries, including an ankle problem that has kept him from being 100 per cent. The Lightning are hoping he&rsquo;ll make the NHL roster next season.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 30th overall.<h2>3. MATT SMABY</h2><h3>D, NORTH DAKOTA (WCHA)</h3>Tampa tried to talk him into leaving North Dakota to play in the farm system, but Smaby felt returning to college for his junior season would be best for his development. He was named captain at North Dakota and is having the type of season he expected and the Lightning wanted, with one exception.The Lightning was hoping he would add offense to his game, but that hasn&rsquo;t happened. Still, Tampa was impressed with Smaby&rsquo;s camp and he&rsquo;s another blueliner on the verge of getting a long look next season if he decides to turn pro a year early. He&rsquo;s another biggie-sized &lsquo;D&rsquo; prospect, a 6-foot-5 bruiser who continues to show the toughness and grit that made him a high pick.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 41st overall.<h2>4. MIKE EGENER</h2><h3>D, JOHNSTOWN (ECHL)</h3>This has been a trying season for Egener. The Lightning expected him to compete for an NHL spot. Instead, he has landed all the way back in the ECHL. After struggling with confidence at Springfield, where he played in 2004-05, Egener was sent to Johnstown. Tampa told him, though, that they were not abandoning him.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-02164/8844012-1-eng-US/f0050-022.jpg" title="f0050-02" width="1405" height="1899"><figcaption class="caption-body">Vladimir Mihalik (CAT TAIL PUBLISHING LTD)</figcaption></div>Feeling it was time for Egener to take a step back and relax, the Lightning is hoping he won&rsquo;t feel as much pressure playing in Johnstown and that he can rediscover his game.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 34th overall.<h2>5. DOUG O&rsquo;BRIEN</h2><h3>D, SPRINGFIELD (AHL)</h3>Like many young players &ndash; particularly young defenseman &ndash; O&rsquo;Brien is looking for consistency. GM Jay Feaster reports some nights O&rsquo;Brien is the best player on the ice. On other nights, he can&rsquo;t be found or if he is, it&rsquo;s because of a mistake.He has drifted back and forth, but because of the flashes of greatness, the Lightning has faith he will smooth out the rough spots and become more steady.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 192nd overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Vladimir Mihalik, D, 18, 6-7, 222Red Deer (WHL) 33-3-6-9-492. Andy Rogers, D, 19, 6-5, 206Prince George (WHL) 21-0-3-3-513. Matt Smaby, D, 21, 6-5, 220North Dakota (WCHA) 22-3-4-7-714. Mike Egener, D, 21, 6-4, 195 Johnstown (ECHL) 12-1-1-2-515. Doug O&rsquo;Brien, D, 21, 6-1, 200Springfield (AHL) 34-3-7-10-306. Gerald Coleman, G, 20, 6-4, 190 Springfield (AHL) 11-8-1, 3.34, .892Has developed so quickly he has gone from project to prospect in one year.Acquired 2003 draft, 224th overall7. Marek Kvapil, RW, 20, 5-11, 172Springfield (AHL) 33-5-10-15-16Impressed Lightning executives at camp, but hasn&rsquo;t scored at pace hoped for in AHL.&nbsp;Acquired 2005 draft, 163rd overall8. Karri Ramo, G, 19, 6-2, 192HPK (Fin.) 3-2-4, 1.77, .937&nbsp;Lightning goalie coach believes Ramo will not only be an NHL goalie, but a stud.Acquired 2004 draft, 191st overall9. Nick Tarnasky, C, 21, 6-2, 233Springfield (AHL) 27-2-3-5-23&nbsp;Lightning liked his stint with team, but fourth-line energy player won&rsquo;t score often.Acquired 2003 draft, 287th overall10. Ryan Craig, C, 21, 6-1, 208Springfield (AHL) 28-12-10-22-14&nbsp;Displays both good character and consistency; expected to play in NHL next year.Acquired 2002 draft, 255th overall &#9632;

f0050-01

Development, not desperation

<div class="byline">BY KEN CAMPBELL</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0051-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0051-02173/8844050-1-eng-US/f0051-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Tuukka Rask (IHA)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0051-01246/8844057-1-eng-US/f0051-012.jpg" title="f0051-01" width="189" height="223"></div>Yes, the Toronto Maple Leafs have had their most prominent and useful advantage effectively taken away from them, but that doesn&rsquo;t mean they won&rsquo;t be able to compete in the new NHL world order.In fact, the new collective bargaining agreement and the manner in which it limits big-market teams from simply spending their way out of trouble might, in fact, be a blessing for the Leafs. Now they have to focus on drafting and developing players.To his credit, GM John Ferguson saw this coming a long time ago and began pouring more resources into scouting and development. He has beefed up the scouting staff, both with full and part-timers, and hired former NHL coach Paul Maurice to guide the team&rsquo;s AHL affiliate.Perhaps most encouraging for fans of the blue-and-white, the Leafs look like they&rsquo;re beginning to do something they have rarely done before &ndash; hit the occasional home run after the first round.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. TUUKKA RASK</h2><h3>G, ILVES TAMPERE (FIN.)</h3>The Leafs considered having Rask come to North America this season to play junior or in the AHL, but decided to leave him in Finland, where he splits time on his team with a 26-year-old vet.North America got a good glimpse of him, however, as he was the top goalie at the World Junior Championship in Vancouver leading Finland to a bronze medal. Rask is seen as a raw talent who most certainly possesses athleticism, but now must refine his technique and learn his position better.The fact he&rsquo;s playing in the Finnish Elite League as an 18-year-old speaks highly of him.Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 21st overall.<h2>2. CARLO COLAIACOVO</h2><h3>D, TORONTO (AHL)</h3>Teammates have taken to referring to Colaiacovo as &lsquo;Bubble Boy&rsquo; because of his propensity for getting injured, and this season is no exception.Colaiacovo missed at least 20 games in each of his first two years as a pro and it has hindered his development. He still needs to improve on his defensive-zone coverage, but his offensive instincts are first-rate.Colaiacovo was once considered hands-down the first call-up on defense. Staffan Kronwall was the first to move, but both were with the big team in January.Acquired: 2001 entry draft, 17th overall.<h2>3. JUSTIN POGGE</h2><h3>G, CALGARY (WHL)</h3>No prospect has made more progress in the past year than Pogge, who was pumping gas at a marina in B.C. the day the Leafs drafted him in 2004.Even prior to his spectacular performance backstopping Canada to gold at the WJC, a number of observers maintained Pogge was the best goalie in major junior this season. His mind-boggling numbers with the Calgary Hitmen are as much due to his fine play as that of the powerful team in front of him.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 90th overall.<h2>4. JEREMY WILLIAMS</h2><h3>C, TORONTO (AHL)</h3>A former 50-goal, 100-point man in junior, Williams has yet to hit his stride as an offensive producer in the AHL, but he also does enough to tease the organization on a regular basis.Maurice regularly uses him on the point on the power play, because Williams possesses an accurate, lethal shot. He&rsquo;s not a big man, but if the obstruction crackdown continues, there could be a place for him in the NHL.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 220th overall.<h2>5. ANDY WOZNIEWSKI</h2><h3>D, TORONTO (AHL)</h3>The big rearguard has a big shot, though it&rsquo;s unlikely he&rsquo;ll ever evolve into much of an offensive threat. But there&rsquo;s no reason he can&rsquo;t become a dependable defensive defenseman who holds down the fort.Acquired: Signed as free agent, 2004.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Tuukka Rask, G, 18, 6-2, 165Ilves Tampere (Fin.) 4-6-3, 2.31, .922Overall 372. Carlo Colaiacovo, D, 22, 6-1, 188Toronto (AHL) 14-5-6-11-14Overall 543. Justin Pogge, G, 19, 6-3, 183Calgary (WHL) 22-5-0, 1.53, .928Overall 734. Jeremy Williams, C, 21, 5-11, 184Toronto (AHL) 28-10-18-28-295. Andy Wozniewski, D, 25, 6-4, 220Toronto (AHL) 15-1-1-2-226. Robbie Earl, LW, 20, 5-10, 184Wisconsin (WCHA) 19-9-14-23-35Has developed into top-flight college player because of his speed and power.Acquired 2004 draft, 184th overall7. Roman Kukemberg, C, 25, 6-1, 198 Toronto (AHL) 20-0-4-4-10Big center can skate and play two-way game, but hampered by injuries.Acquired 2004 draft, 113th overall8. Ben Ondrus, LW, 23, 6-0, 185 Toronto (AHL) 26-7-3-10-60&nbsp;No player in the organization is more determined; could develop as fill-in guy.Acquired Signed as free agent, 20049. Ian White, D, 21, 5-10, 185 Toronto (AHL) 25-4-12-16-20&nbsp;No doubting his skill, but lacks NHL size and sometimes disappears for stretches.Acquired 2002 draft, 191st overall10. Phil Oreskovic, D, 18, 6-3, 217 Brampton (OHL) 37-2-5-7-114&nbsp;Stay-at-home rearguard has NHL size and plays a robust, physical game.Acquired 2005 draft, 82nd overall &#9632;

f0051-02

Changing for the better

<div class="byline">BY ELLIOTT PAP</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0052-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0052-02137/8844088-1-eng-US/f0052-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Luc Bourdon (MIKE DEMBECK)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0052-01235/8844095-1-eng-US/f0052-012.jpg" title="f0052-01" width="202" height="217"></div>It has been almost 30 years since the Vancouver Canucks drafted a goaltender &ndash; Glen Hanlon in 1977 &ndash; who eventually became their No. 1 puck stopper, a dual indictment on their scouting and development systems.That lengthy shutout could end in the next few seasons. The Canucks are ecstatic about a pair of promising goalies, in Cory Schneider and Julien Ellis.&ldquo;In terms of prospects and guys who have a chance, our goaltending has never been as deep as it is right now,&rdquo; said GM Dave Nonis.The Canucks don&rsquo;t appear to have much coming up front, but they&rsquo;re looking good on defense.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. LUC BOURDON</h2><h3>D, MONCTON (QMJHL)</h3>Bourdon, traded from Val d&rsquo;Or to Moncton during the world junior event, is an outstanding skater with good offensive instincts and an emotional side to his game that reminds Canuck watchers of a young Ed Jovanovski.Like Jovanovski, Bourdon&rsquo;s skating allows him to take risks and recover. &ldquo;Luc had a bit of slow start after coming close to making our team,&rdquo; Nonis said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got a lot of ability and we&rsquo;re very happy with him. We like his speed, his aggressiveness and he has some belligerence in his game, too, which is nice to see.&rdquo;Acquired: 2005 entry draft, 10th overall.<h2>2. CORY SCHNEIDER</h2><h3>G, BOSTON COLLEGE (HE)</h3>As an NCAA player, Schneider is not permitted to attend NHL camps, so he hasn&rsquo;t been able to measure himself against the league&rsquo;s best shooters. But Schneider did face the game&rsquo;s best junior players at the world juniors and although the U.S. team finished fourth, he got an excellent grade.Schneider had an outstanding freshman season in 2004-05 at Boston College, where he lost only one of his 18 decisions. The Eagles aren&rsquo;t as strong this season, so he&rsquo;s getting more work, which is fine for the Canucks.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s one of the top college goalies statistically and he&rsquo;s a lot like Alex Auld &ndash; a big guy who isn&rsquo;t overly active in the net,&rdquo; Nonis said. &ldquo;He lets the puck come to him and he&rsquo;s very cool.&rdquo;Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 26th overall.<h2>3. KIRILL KOLTSOV</h2><h3>D, OMSK AVANGARD (RUS.)</h3>The organization&rsquo;s current enigma, Koltsov bolted from the AHL&rsquo;s Manitoba Moose mid-season last year and hasn&rsquo;t returned, opting to play for his Russian club team Omsk Avangard.The shifty little blueliner still remains on the Canucks&rsquo; radar.&ldquo;In terms of ability, Kirill does things that other players on our reserve list can&rsquo;t do,&rdquo; Nonis said. &ldquo;He has offensive instincts you can&rsquo;t teach. But in his own end, it&rsquo;s still a challenge.&rdquo;Acquired: 2002 entry draft, 49th overall.<h2>4. KEVIN BIESKA</h2><h3>D, MANITOBA (AHL)</h3>Thought to have a chance at making the big team in pre-season, an ankle sprain on the eve of training camp killed this rockhard defenseman&rsquo;s hopes.Bieska skates well and hits hard, but has to be more controlling of his emotions. He was recalled from Manitoba in January and didn&rsquo;t look out of place.&ldquo;I wouldn&rsquo;t be surprised if he takes the next step in a year and becomes a (regular),&rdquo; Nonis said.Acquired: 2001 entry draft, 151st overall.<h2>5. JULIEN ELLIS</h2><h3>G, SHAWINIGAN (QMJHL)</h3>The Canucks were pleased with Ellis&rsquo; NHL camp in 2005 and figure they have a bit of a steal with the sixth round pick.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s coming along better than we expected,&rdquo; Nonis said. &ldquo;I think he was drafted later than he would have liked, but since then he has put in some pretty good performances.&rdquo;Ellis is a more active and athletic goaltender than Schneider, but, according to Nonis, remains in control of his game.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 189th overall.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Luc Bourdon, D, 18, 6-2, 210Moncton (QMJHL) 20-2-18-20-54Overall 182. Cory Schneider, G, 19, 6-2, 195Boston College (HE) 9-4-1, 2.28, .911Overall 683. Kirill Koltsov, D, 22, 5-11, 183Omsk (Rus.) 25-5-2-7-404. Kevin Bieska, D, 22, 5-11, 185 Manitoba (AHL) 20-2-14-16-565. Julien Ellis, G, 19, 6-0, 186Shawinigan (QMJHL) 16-9, 2.96, .9086. Maxime Ouellet, G, 24, 6-2, 195 Manitoba (AHL) 3-1-0, 2.74, .909Has some big-game ability, but must make sure he&rsquo;s in peak physical form in future.Acquired Trade with Washington, 20057. Tomas Mojzis, D, 23, 6-0, 195 Manitoba (AHL) 18-4-6-10-26An excellent skater, he sustained a major setback with broken jaw this year.&nbsp;Acquired Trade with Toronto, 20028. Alexander Edler, D, 19, 6-3, 212Kelowna (WHL) 28-6-23-29-24&nbsp;Puck-moving Swede is adjusting well to &lsquo;W&rsquo; with good sense, but must get stronger.Acquired 2004 draft, 91st overall9. Mason Raymond, LW, 20, 6-0, 170Minnesota-Duluth (WCHA) 22-8-14-22-12&nbsp;Good offensive player, but better start logging some time in the weight room.&nbsp;Acquired 2005 draft, 51st overall10. Marc-Andre Bernier, RW, 20, 6-3, 170Manitoba (AHL) 16-0-0-0-7&nbsp;Former junior marksman struggling mightily to erase goose-egg totals in AHL.&nbsp;Acquired 2003 draft, 60th overall &#9632;

f0052-02

Crease cram about to hit

<div class="byline">BY DAVE FAY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0053-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-02140/8844126-1-eng-US/f0053-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Eric Fehr (COURTESY HERSHEY BEARS HOCKEY CLUB)</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-01218/8844133-1-eng-US/f0053-012.jpg" title="f0053-01" width="181" height="201"></div>If there is one thing the Washington Capitals have plenty of, it&rsquo;s prospects. The question remains, how many will eventually become NHL veterans?&ldquo;We have a lot of youngsters in terms of volume and our depth is potentially as good as it has ever been,&rdquo; said GM George McPhee. &ldquo;But we have to be patient and see how they come along. The plan is to reconstruct this team properly. The mandate is to be patient and to do it right.&rdquo;Right now the plan is to raise players who can compliment left winger Alex Ovechkin and build a machine around him.Here are the top five prospects:<h2>1. ERIC FEHR</h2><h3>RW, HERSHEY (AHL)</h3>Wherever he has been in his budding career, Fehr has scored goals by the bushel. He averaged more than 50 goals a season during his last two years with Brandon in the WHL and is an offensive catalyst for Hershey.Fehr is very strong around the net, willing to battle for loose pucks and knows where they go once he finds them. He needs to work on his responsibilities away from the puck if he wants to take the next step.Acquired: 2003 entry draft, 18th overall.<h2>2. CHRIS BOURQUE</h2><h3>C, HERSHEY (AHL)</h3>Chris Bourque doesn&rsquo;t worry about his size. Even though others worry about it constantly, it doesn&rsquo;t bother the 19-year-old.At 5-foot-7 and 177 pounds, Bourque is making his way through a hockey world populated by much larger men. Currently with Hershey in the AHL, he missed nine games with a concussion, but otherwise has not missed a beat.The Caps loaned him to the U.S. team for the world juniors and he showed his offensive prowess lading the Americans in scoring. He has excellent vision on the ice and exceptional hockey sense &ndash; the latter passed down through genes from legendary father, Ray. His aggressive, fearless style of play reminds many of Dino Ciccarelli.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 33rd overall.<h2>3. MIKE GREEN</h2><h3>D, HERSHEY (AHL)</h3>Green was without a doubt the standout defenseman in camp, so much so he earned a berth with the Caps. But it soon became obvious both he and the team would benefit greatly in the long run if he put some time in at the AHL level.Very mature for his years, Green understood and went willingly. He has excellent vision on the ice to go with a keen hockey sense. He&rsquo;s poised with the puck and does not get rattled. He doesn&rsquo;t shy away from physical contact, either.Acquired: 2004 entry draft, 29th overall.<h2>4. TOMAS FLEISCHMANN</h2><h3>LW, HERSHEY (AHL)</h3>He spent 13 games with the parent team as an injury replacement and played decently. But seven minutes a night was not going to go very far toward his development and he was returned to Hershey.Nonetheless, the Caps were able to see firsthand the Czech native is a creative skater with terrific hands. He has a great attitude about hockey &ndash; it appears it is all he wants to do. Despite his lack of bulk, he charges into corners to battle for pucks.Acquired: Trade with Washington, 2004.<h2>5. BROOKS LAICH</h2><h3>C, HERSHEY (AHL)</h3>Laich opened the season in Hershey, but was the first forward recalled when an opening occurred.He was averaging less than 10 minutes of ice per game in the NHL, but management says he has made tremendous progress. He&rsquo;s another young player who truly enjoys playing the game.He is an excellent skater and a well-rounded player at the moment who needs to gain experience at the NHL level to secure a spot for the longer term.Acquired: Trade with Ottawa, 2004.<h2>ON THE HORIZON</h2>1. Eric Fehr, RW, 20, 6-4, 201Hershey (AHL) 35-15-19-34-28Overall 302. Chris Bourque, C, 19, 5-7, 177Hershey (AHL) 20-5-10-15-43. Mike Green, D, 20, 6-1, 200Hershey (AHL) 25-3-13-16-514. Tomas Fleischmann, LW, 21, 6-1, 188Hershey (AHL) 22-8-16-24-145. Brooks Laich, C, 22, 6-2, 208Hershey (AHL) 10-7-6-13-86. Jakub Klepis, RW, 20, 6-1, 206 Hershey (AHL) 22-3-8-11-26&nbsp;Has high skill level and excellent shot; is willing to get involved and pay the price.Acquired Trade with Buffalo, 20047. Jeff Schultz, D, 19, 6-6, 215Calgary (WHL) 33-2-17-19-28&nbsp;Awesome size and skating ability, he&rsquo;s an offensive catalyst from blueline for Hitmen.&nbsp;Acquired 2004 draft, 27th overall8. Jonas Johansson, RW, 21, 6-1, 180 Lulea (Swe.) 10-0-0-0-0Development not progressing as hoped for 2002 first pick (28th) by Avalanche.&nbsp;Acquired Trade with Colorado, 20039. Sasha Pokulok, D, 19, 6-5, 220Cornell (ECAC) 11-1-4-5-29Skates well for big man and takes care of defensive coverage; possesses heavy shot.&nbsp;Acquired 2005 draft, 14th overall10. Joe Finley, D, 18, 6-7, 229North Dakota (WCHA) 20-0-2-2-26&nbsp;The larger half of twin towers in North Dakota skates well for player his size.Acquired 2005 draft, 27th overall &#9632;

f0053-02

Time has come for new plan

<div class="byline">BY ALAN ADAMS</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0054-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-01225/8844164-1-eng-US/f0054-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">DOUBLE TROUBLE Erik Johnson could be drafted right behind fellow Yank Phil Kessel. (JIM MCISAAC/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>Watch out. Here come the Yankees.We&rsquo;re not talking about Major League Baseball&rsquo;s overspending, underachieving dynasty here. We&rsquo;re referring to the rise of hockey across the U.S. and how the future bodes well for the U-S-A in both the NHL and on the world stage.If you believe the gold medal win by the U.S. at the 2004 World Junior Championship in Helsinki was a fluke, think again.The United States is on the cusp of greatness. The tag &lsquo;alsorans&rsquo; no longer applies.&ldquo;If they ever get their act together, watch out,&rdquo; says Barry Trapp, head scout of the Toronto Maple Leafs. &ldquo;They are just coming in leaps and bounds.&rdquo;How far have the Americans come? Critics have conceded that Phil Kessel of the University of Minnesota will be the top pick in the NHL draft in June. But what will make headlines is that the Americans will likely have five players taken in the first 15 selections and could go 1-2, with Erik Johnson of the under-18 national team development program following Kessel.Tracing the boom&rsquo;s origins is not exactly rocket science.At the beginning of the 1990s, the NHL was a 21-team league and Los Angeles, featuring Wayne Gretzky, was the only so called sunbelt team. USA Hockey had 195,125 players on its registry for 1990-91.Seven years later, the NHL had three teams in California and two in Florida, as well as squads in Dallas, Nashville, Phoenix and Raleigh, N.C. Minor pro hockey mushroomed, and Texas and Florida are among the world leaders in pro teams per capita.Hockey took gigantic steps, thanks to expansion. According to USA Hockey, the country had 449,610 registered players in 2004-05 and 2,000 ice surfaces.Before he became GM of the Atlanta Thrashers, Don Waddell ran an IHL team in San Diego. There was one sheet of ice in the city when he arrived and five when he left several years later. Atlanta now has eight ice surfaces and plans are in the works to make it a dozen in the not-too-distant future.&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t doubt the NHL&rsquo;s going to the south has propelled youth hockey in a lot of areas,&rdquo; says Waddell, also GM of the 2006 U.S. Olympic team. &ldquo;There is a direct correlation with what has happened in the NHL.&rdquo;Back in the Miracle on Ice days, most players hailed from states north of the Mason-Dixon.But the finalists in USA Hockey&rsquo;s national championships last season saw Texas, California, Arizona and Florida all fighting for national titles.&ldquo;There are facilities now,&rdquo; says Jim Johansson, director of operations for USA Hockey. &ldquo;Kids have a place to skate and that has been a positive in expanding hockey in the U.S.&rdquo;NHL teams and players are also getting more involved in minor hockey. Mike Modano of Dallas has his own all-star junior league in Dallas, for example.Roller hockey also helped. Phoenix GM Mike Barnett coached a team of 10-year-olds last season and a majority of the players were new to skating, but had a keen understanding of what to do with the puck because they played in-line.&ldquo;They had puck skills that were more advanced than the kids who played just ice hockey,&rdquo; Barnett says.There are more options available for good American players wanting to become NHL players. The field includes prep schools in the east, high school in Minnesota and junior leagues scattered throughout the country, with the United States Hockey League and North American League getting the most recognition from scouts.More and more Americans are also chasing the dream of playing in the NHL by taking the major junior route.Another option is USA Hockey&rsquo;s elite development program in Ann Arbor, Mich. The program &ndash; for kids 18 and under &ndash; has created more depth at each age level. Those players are better prepared to play in international tournaments such as the World Junior Championship.&ldquo;The future looks very, very good,&rdquo; Waddell said. &#9632;

f0054-01

American revolution

<div class="byline">BY ANDY BAGGOT</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0056-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0056-01172/8844202-1-eng-US/f0056-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Phil Kessel (TOM DAHLIN/HOCKEY HALL OF FAME)</figcaption></div>In the summer of 2004, Phil Kessel sat in his Madison, Wis., home and sputtered in shock at the notion anyone would compare him to two of the biggest names in the history of American hockey.Kessel was a few months shy of his 17th birthday when told many observers liken him to either Pat LaFontaine, a Hall of Famer who scored 1,013 points in 16 NHL seasons, or Mark Johnson, a prolific college sniper at Wisconsin best known for leading Team USA in scoring during its miracle run to the Olympic gold medal in 1980.&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t believe you&rsquo;re being compared to people like that,&rdquo; Kessel said. &ldquo;Guys you&rsquo;ve always looked up to.&rdquo;A year later, Kessel is still hearing the comparisons, but with all due respect to LaFontaine and Johnson, the ante has been upped a bit.People are calling Kessel the next Sidney Crosby, who is being called the next Wayne Gretzky &ndash; the greatest player in history.Crosby was the first overall pick by Pittsburgh in the 2005 NHL draft, grabbed with glee by Hall of Famer player/owner Mario Lemieux.Kessel is projected to be the first overall pick in 2006. He burst on to the international scene in December of 2004, wowing NHL observers with his relentless end-to-end offensive dashes with Team USA at the 2005 World Junior Championship.&ldquo;Conventional wisdom is he&rsquo;ll go No. 1,&rdquo; Minnesota Wild assistant GM Tom Lynn told the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press, adding his team will admire Kessel from a distance because &ldquo;we&rsquo;re not going to be in a position to be drafting a guy like that.&rdquo;If Kessel is taken with the No. 1 pick, it remains to be seen if he will join Crosby in the NHL next season or spend another year playing for U.S. college power Minnesota.&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve always looked at it like it&rsquo;s going to be a four-year thing for me,&rdquo; Kessel said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve always planned on going all four years to college, getting out and getting a job. You never know what can happen in life. I&rsquo;ve never planned on going a year to college and going somewhere else.&rdquo;Kessel and Crosby are about the same size and have the same unteachable offensive instincts. Both are tremendous skaters with above-average strength and vision.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0057-01158/8844195-1-eng-US/f0057-012.jpg" title="f0057-01" width="1470" height="1085"><figcaption class="caption-body">(KESSEL: TOMDAHLIN/HOCKEYHALLOFFAME)</figcaption></div><blockquote class="pullQuote">Conventional wisdom is he&rsquo;ll go No. 1 &ndash; Minnesota Wild assistant GM Tom Lynn</blockquote>While Crosby rewrote the Quebec League record book during two seasons at Rimouski, Kessel did the same during two seasons with the elite U.S. national team developmental program in Ann Arbor, Mich.In 107 career games with the U.S. national team development program under-18 squad, Kessel accounted for 104 goals and 180 points. Prior to that, from 2001 to &lsquo;03, Kessel scored 289 goals in 157 games with the Madison Capitols bantam and midget teams.Johnson, who scored 125 goals in 125 games for Wisconsin before spending 11 seasons in the NHL, was an early tutor for Kessel. So was Bob Suter, a standout defenseman at Wisconsin and a 1980 Olympian who coached Kessel at the bantam and midget levels.Though Kessel is from Wisconsin and Crosby is from Nova Scotia, Kessel has a note-worthy link to Canada. His father, Phil Sr., was a Canadian Football League quarterback for the Calgary Stampeders in 1982.The way Kessel is playing as a freshman center for the Golden Gophers, he will likely have the option of turning pro after one year in college. Through 16 games in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association &ndash; which has produced the last four NCAA champions &ndash; Kessel led Minnesota with 21 points, eight of them goals, and 77 shots on goal.&ldquo;He&rsquo;d have a half-dozen more assists this year if guys could make a goal-mouth tap-in,&rdquo; said Gophers coach Don Lucia. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s rifling that pass and it&rsquo;s going off their stick.&rdquo;Kessel, listed at 6-foot and 190 pounds, scored his first collegiate goal on a penalty shot. He centers the top line and sees extensive duty on the power play and penalty kill.Lucia, who led the Gophers to NCAA titles in 2002 and &rsquo;03, said Kessel qualifies as an elite player because he&rsquo;s putting up dominant numbers as a freshman in a league notorious for humbling young players. And Kessel is young: he turned 18 on Oct. 2, having accelerated his high school in order to test himself at the next level as soon as possible.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a young pup,&rdquo; Lucia said. &ldquo;Like a lot of great players, he&rsquo;s a little high-strung. He&rsquo;s one of those kids who wants perfection every day and has to learn that it&rsquo;s OK if it doesn&rsquo;t happen every day.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0056-01

Hype in full throttle

<div class="byline">By Matthew Wuest</div>1. Phil Kessel, C, 6-0, 189, Minnesota (WCHA), 18-9-13-22-16.2. Michael Frolik, LW, 6-0, 180, Kladno (Cze), 34-2-6-8-26. The nifty Czech Elite League regular is a treat to watch and could challenge for the top spot. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s dangerous on the rush and can go end-to-end,&rdquo; said a scout. &ldquo;He does everything at a high level.&rdquo;3. Erik Johnson, D, 6-5, 227, U.S. under-18 team, 15-5-7-12-24. Far and away the best blueline prospect in the draft, Johnson is the complete package. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got the tools to be a dominating defenseman,&rdquo; said one scout. &ldquo;He could even go second overall.&rdquo;4. Jonathan Toews, C, 6-1, 195, North Dakota (NCAA), 18-7-4-11-6. Toews is a leader who makes an impact at both ends of the rink. &ldquo;He plays a real up-tempo game,&rdquo; said a scout. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a great skater and has great puck control at top speed.&rdquo;5. Peter Mueller, C, 6-2, 210, Everett (WHL), 32-15-22-37-28. The American-born pivot has excellent skills and is capable of playing a power game. &ldquo;He can play whatever style you want him to play,&rdquo; said a scout.6. Jordan Staal, C, 6-4, 210, Peterborough (OHL), 36-20-23-43-40. The brother of Eric is a top scorer on one of the top-ranked junior teams in Canada. &ldquo;When he gets the puck down low, he&rsquo;s very tough to defend against,&rdquo; a scout said. &ldquo;He makes things happen.&rdquo;7. James Sheppard, LW, 6-2, 200, Cape Breton (QMJHL), 38-18-32-50-48. Hampered by a shoulder injury early in the year, Sheppard is fast becoming a force. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a big, strong power winger,&rdquo; said a scout. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a hard guy to stop cutting to the net off the wing.&rdquo;8. Bryan Little, C, 5-10, 194, Barrie (OHL), 38-27-41-68-58. The Colts captain is an offensive dynamo who already has 34 and 36-goal seasons in the OHL. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s built like a fire hydrant,&rdquo; said one scout. &ldquo;Size is not a problem.&rdquo;9. Kyle Okposo, LW, 6-1, 205, Des Moines (USHL), 26-16-17-33-41. The stocky Okposo is an energetic bull who wins battles and has great instincts. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s strong on the puck and along the boards,&rdquo; said a scout. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s very clever.&rdquo;10. Derick Brassard, C, 6-0, 168, Drum. (QMJHL), 32-22-44-66-48. One of Quebec&rsquo;s most exciting players, Brassard is an explosive offensive force. &ldquo;He has a lot of speed, sees the ice, and has a great release,&rdquo; a scout said.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0057-02110/8844233-1-eng-US/f0057-022.jpg" title="f0057-02" width="750" height="1139"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jordan Staal (KENNETH ANDERSEN)</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0057-02

2006 NHL DRAFT

<div class="byline">BY NEIL HODGE</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0058-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0058-01169/8844264-1-eng-US/f0058-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Angelo Esposito (STEVE DESCHÊNES)</figcaption></div>The new phenom who&rsquo;s taking the Quebec League by storm is the first to dismiss any talk of resemblance between him and Sidney Crosby.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s flattering, but you can&rsquo;t compare me to Crosby,&rdquo; said Quebec Remparts center Angelo Esposito. &ldquo;Crosby is mentioned with guys like Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky. I&rsquo;m a regular 16-year-old kid trying to be the best I can be.&rdquo;Let&rsquo;s get something straight &ndash; there&rsquo;s nothing regular about Esposito. The rookie is among the QMJHL scoring leaders with 58 points, including 24 goals in 30 games, and he was on pace for roughly 140 points this season.Crosby won the league scoring title with 135 points as a 16-year-old rookie in 2003-04. Esposito played the past two seasons for Shattuck-St. Mary&rsquo;s, a prep school in Minnesota which is also Crosby&rsquo;s alma mater.&ldquo;Esposito is definitely a first rounder for the 2007 draft, probably a top 15 pick,&rdquo; said New York Islanders scout Mario Saraceno. &ldquo;His main attribute is his speed, his acceleration and his mobility. He&rsquo;s a very good skater. He&rsquo;s got quick hands and he sees the play well.&ldquo;It would&rsquo;ve been interesting to see him play for (expansion franchises) Saint John or St. John&rsquo;s. He has terrific skill and I think his transition is made a little easier by playing on a pretty good team. He&rsquo;s adapted quickly to the league and it helps because he&rsquo;s got a good support cast and he&rsquo;s getting lots of ice time.&rdquo;Other scouts have him rated a lot higher. International Scouting Services has him rated No. 1.Any similarities between Crosby and Esposito?&ldquo;They&rsquo;re both highly skilled, but they&rsquo;re different players,&rdquo; Saraceno said. &ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s too soon and not fair to compare them. Let&rsquo;s just say Esposito is a very good prospect. Crosby is Crosby.&rdquo;Esposito, a Montreal native, is no relation to Phil and Tony Esposito. He was the top prospect available in the 2005 QMJHL draft, but he made his NCAA intentions known so he slipped to the 11th overall pick.<blockquote class="pullQuote">It&rsquo;s flattering, but you can&rsquo;t compare me to Crosby &ndash; Angelo Esposito</blockquote>&ldquo;My plan all along was to play U.S. college hockey,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The night before the draft (Quebec GM) Patrick Roy called and my dad told him I was going (to a) U.S. college. He just took a risk, drafted me and then convinced me to come here.&ldquo;I always followed college hockey. I came into this season not really knowing what major junior was about. It&rsquo;s a great league, an offensive game, and that&rsquo;s the way I play so it&rsquo;s a big plus for me. It was a great decision. I have no regrets.&rdquo;Esposito speaks English and French. &ldquo;I talk to my grandparents in Italian,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I struggle a bit, but I manage.&rdquo;One scout believes Esposito, 6-foot-1 and 177 pounds, will be an early pick in the 2007 draft.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a good feeling, but it&rsquo;s still far away,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve got to keep working hard to get better. The biggest aspect of my game is speed. I&rsquo;ve got to work on my defensive game. There&rsquo;s always things you can work on.&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t come into this season with any goals for stats or trying to break any records. I just want to be the best player I can.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0058-01

Just call him Espo

<div class="byline">By Matthew Wuest</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0059-01149/8844295-1-eng-US/f0059-012.jpg" title="f0059-01" width="758" height="1150"><figcaption class="caption-body">Drew Doughty (COURTESY GUELPH STORM)</figcaption></div>Drew Doughty, D, 6-0, 185, Guelph (OHL), 35-3-16-19-18. The gifted offensive blueliner is already turning heads in the Ontario League. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got size, he&rsquo;s a great skater, and he&rsquo;s very smart,&rdquo; one scout said.Jimmy Hayes, LW, 6-4, 203, Noble and Greenough (U.S. prep), N/A. A strapping forward with a scoring touch, the American-born winger is an exciting package. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got huge upside,&rdquo; noted a scout.Phillip McRae, C, 5-11, 160, U.S. under-17 team, 20-4-2-6-4. If the world-class playmaker reaches the size of his father, Basil, look out. &ldquo;He sees plays two steps before they happen,&rdquo; said a scout.Yann Sauve, D, 6-2, 208, Chateauguay (Quebec midget), 28-11-8-19-41. A potential take-charge blueliner, Sauve skates well and launches rockets from the point. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s going to be a top, top NHL defenseman,&rdquo; said a scout.Colten Teubert, D, 6-4, 180, Southwest Vancouver Hawks (midget), 14-4-4-8-53. Teubert was selected No. 1 overall in May&rsquo;s WHL draft by the Regina Pats. &ldquo;He could be a captain one day,&rdquo; said one scout. &#9632;

f0059-01

2008 NHL DRAFT

<div class="byline">By Matthew Wuest</div>Angelo Esposito, LW, 6-1, 170, Quebec (QMJHL), 30-24-34-58-25.Karl Alzner, D, 6-2, 200, Calgary (WHL), 38-3-12-15-12. Already in his second WHL season, Alzner is a poised, all-around workhorse with great smarts. &ldquo;He plays like a seasoned veteran,&rdquo; said one scout.Mikael Backlund, C, 6-0, 185, 13-7-8-15-20, Vasteras (Swe-Jr). The top-ranked Swede is lighting up an under-20 league as a 16-year-old. &ldquo;He has a chance to be very good,&rdquo; said a scout. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s smart and skilled.&rdquo;Logan Couture, C, 6-0, 191, Ottawa (OHL), 35-13-17-30-26. Couture is a mature, two-way forward with great hands. &ldquo;For his age, he plays so defensively responsible,&rdquo; said a scout. &ldquo;He has a knack with the puck, too.&rdquo;Keaton Ellerby, D, 6-4, 174, Kamloops (WHL), 38-1-3-4-75. A rangy, physical blueliner, Ellerby is just starting to fill out his frame. &ldquo;He has all the qualities you want in a big defenseman,&rdquo; a scout said.Colton Gillies, C, 6-3, 190, Saskatoon (WHL), 36-6-4-10-34. Gillies is a swift-skating, hard-hitting forward who plays with plenty of energy. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s the best big-guy skater I&rsquo;ve seen in a while,&rdquo; said one scout.Jim O'Brien, C, 6-3, 184, U.S. under-18 team, 13-1-5-6-10. He can be a force if he&rsquo;s on his game. &ldquo;When he gets pissed off, nobody can stop him,&rdquo; said a scout. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a me-against-the-world mentality.&rdquo;Nick Petrecki, D, 6-3, 200, Omaha (USHL), 25-0-2-2-40. The Boston College-bound Petrecki looks like an impact blueliner. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s rawness that has to be molded, but he&rsquo;s a pro-style defenseman,&rdquo; said one scout.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0059-0296/8844326-1-eng-US/f0059-022.jpg" title="f0059-02" width="753" height="1621"><figcaption class="caption-body">Angelo Esposito</figcaption></div>Michal Repik, LW, 5-11, 175, Vancouver (WHL), 37-18-19-37-30. The Czech Republic native wasted no time adjusting to North America. &ldquo;He scores highlight-reel individual goals,&rdquo; said one scout. &ldquo;He&rsquo;ll be a top-line guy.&rdquo;Jakub Voracek, RW, 6-1, 175, Kladno (Cze-Jr), 27-14-22-36-28. Aggressive with a great touch, Voracek has a nose for the net. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s big, strong and he competes,&rdquo; said a scout. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s an up and-down winger.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0059-02

2007 NHL DRAFT

<div class="byline">BY MATTHEW WUEST</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0060-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0060-01139/8844364-1-eng-US/f0060-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">John TavaresOshawa Generals</figcaption></div>John Tavares has been fast-tracked as quickly as anyone in the history of the sport. His next step, however, feels light years away.The Oshawa Generals rookie center, playing in the Ontario League as a 15-year-old on a special exemption, will be a four-year veteran of major junior before he is finally eligible for the NHL entry draft in 2009. His birthdate &ndash; Sept. 20, 1990 &ndash; misses the cutoff for the 2008 draft in Ottawa by a mere five days.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be a long time, but I&rsquo;m glad I&rsquo;ve got a little while to prepare myself for when the time comes,&rdquo; Tavares said, having played against older competition since novice (when he was eight-years-old). &ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to give me a lot of time to develop. It will bring the best out in me.&rdquo;The Oakville, Ont., native hasn&rsquo;t wasted any time establishing himself in the OHL, producing an impressive 23 goals and 40 points in 34 games. That places him second in rookie scoring, trailing only 18-year-old Sergei Kostitsyn, a native of Belarus who plays for London.The Generals, however, are one of the worst teams in the OHL this season. Changing that is at the top of Tavares&rsquo;s priority list.&ldquo;I want to help turn the Generals around, into a winning team,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I want this team to win an OHL championship and to have a shot at the Memorial Cup.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0061-01139/8844357-1-eng-US/f0061-012.jpg" title="f0061-01" width="2155" height="1872"><figcaption class="caption-body">(IAN GOODALL)</figcaption></div><blockquote class="pullQuote">I want to be a complete player &ndash; John Tavares</blockquote>Although playing on a losing team doesn&rsquo;t sit well with Tavares, it has afforded him the luxury of quality ice time. That has given NHL scouts a chance to evaluate him.The 6-foot, 183-pound pivot is a sparkling talent with the puck, a crafty stickhandler who has a quick release and loves to shoot. While he isn&rsquo;t a speed merchant, his anticipation, vision and playmaking ability are exceptional.&ldquo;The thing that sets him apart is his great feel for the game &ndash; his hockey sense &ndash; like all those great players have,&rdquo; said one scout. &ldquo;He has natural instincts, the ability to put the puck to the right spot and to make the right play at the right time.&rdquo;As impressive as Tavares has been, there is room for improvement. After his sizzling start of 18 points in 12 games, he recorded just nine in his next 14 contests. He followed up with 13 points in the next eight. Finding consistency and improving his play without the puck are on his agenda.&ldquo;I want to be a complete player,&rdquo; Tavares said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to be a guy known as just a power play specialist or an offensive guy. I want to be used in all situations.&rdquo;Tavares lives in the same billet house as captain Peter Tsimikalis and 16-year-old rookie Dale Mitchell. He sits between Tsimikalis and linemate Cal Clutterbuck in the dressing room, and counts Mitchell as his closest friend.On his off-days, Tavares takes the GO Train to Oakville to visit his family &ndash; parents Barbara and Joseph &ndash; and younger sisters Barbara and Laura.By all accounts, he is growing up quickly.&ldquo;For a player to do the things that he is able to do at this level &ndash; at this age &ndash; is quite exceptional,&rdquo; said one scout. &ldquo;He looks like he&rsquo;s a special player.&rdquo;With Tavares as the cornerstone, the rebuilding Generals are a franchise generating excitement for the future. Construction on a new arena in downtown Oshawa is zipping along for next season and the city is a potential host for the 2008 Memorial Cup.Said Tavares: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m going to try and make these the best four years of my life.&rdquo;<h2>2006 OHL DRAFT: FIVE TO WATCH</h2>MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO, D, 6-0, 180, Markham Waxers (minor midget). His defensive game isn&rsquo;t the best, but it&rsquo;s his offensive game that has OHL teams excited. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s hyper-mobile and he has a whole pile of skill and upside,&rdquo; said one scout.CODY HODGSON, C, 5-10, 175, Markham Waxers (major midget). The stocky forward has great wheels and plenty of natural talent. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t want to say he&rsquo;s an offensive machine, but he&rsquo;s both a finisher and a setup guy,&rdquo; said a scout.PHILLIP MCRAE, C, 5-11, 160, U.S. under-17 team. The son of former NHL enforcer Basil has a dizzying set of skills. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s 180 degrees different from his father,&rdquo; a scout said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got a gift with the puck and he makes guys around him better.&rdquo;ALEX PIETRANGELO, D, 6-2, 185, North York Canadiens (minor midget). Pietrangelo is an all-weather rearguard who has good size and a physical edge. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s never scored on,&rdquo; one scout said. &ldquo;He looks after his own end and he&rsquo;s very workmanlike.&rdquo;STEVEN STAMKOS, C, 6-0, 165, Markham Waxers (minor midget). Stamkos puts up gaudy numbers for the Waxers, one of Ontario&rsquo;s top midget teams. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a pure offensive player,&rdquo; said a scout. &ldquo;He can score and create offensively.&rdquo;<h2>2006 WHL DRAFT: FIVE TO WATCH</h2>CARTER ASHTON, C, 6-2, 190, Saskatoon Frostbite (bantam). The son of former NHLer Brent plays a hard-edged physical game with a mean streak. &ldquo;He works and plays with grit,&rdquo; said one scout. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a power forward.&rdquo;JIMMY BUBNICK, C, 6-0, 160, Saskatoon Outlaws (bantam). Bubnick has all the tools &ndash; including slick puck skills &ndash; to be a big-time point-producer. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s lots of dangle in his game,&rdquo; said a scout.JARED COWEN, D, 6-4, 185, Saskatoon Contacts (midget). An early favorite to go No. 1 overall, Cowen is a mobile, two-way blueliner who is already playing midget. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s the full meal deal,&rdquo; one scout said. &ldquo;He can do it all.&rdquo;LANDON FERRARO, RW, 5-11, 165, Burnaby Winter Club (bantam). His dad, Ray, piled up 400 goals in the NHL. Landon is cut from the same cloth. &ldquo;He oozes skill,&rdquo; said a scout. &ldquo;He might raise some eyebrows.&rdquo;RYAN HOWSE, C, 5-11, 170, Prince George (bantam). The spunky, undersized freewheeler has some grit and sandpaper to his game. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a Daymond Langkow type of player,&rdquo; a scout said. &ldquo;He scores like crazy.&rdquo;<h2>2006 QMJHL DRAFT: FIVE TO WATCH</h2>LUKE ADAM, F, 6-1, 201, St. John&rsquo;s (midget). Adam is a powerful, physical forward with a scoring touch. &ldquo;His weakness is skating, but he has everything else,&rdquo; said a scout. &ldquo;He drives to the net and loves to carry the puck.&rdquo;PATRICE CORMIER, C, 6-2, 195, Moncton (junior A). Cormier is a bluechip prospect who has played junior A since he was 14. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s strong with great hands,&rdquo; a scout said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a playmaker and he can score, too.&rdquo;CHRIS DOYLE, C, 5-10, 165, Notre Dame (midget). Doyle isn&rsquo;t very big, but the hard-working forward has upside as a scorer. &ldquo;He has an NHL shot,&rdquo; said one scout. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a real competitor with a lot of leadership.&rdquo;COLIN GORMAN, D, 6-4, 210, Halifax (midget). A strapping bruiser, Gorman also has some skill and can log plenty of minutes. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a tough, tough guy and he finishes every check,&rdquo; a scout said.YANN SAUVE, D, 6-2, 208, Chateauguay (midget). A swift-skating blueliner with a heavy shot, Sauve is one to watch for the future. &ldquo;He loves to carry the puck and he&rsquo;s physical, too,&rdquo; one scout said. &ldquo;He could be the first pick in the (QMJHL) draft.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0060-01

Born in 1990: a special case

<div class="byline">BY SCOTT SILLS</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0062-03" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0062-0348/8844409-1-eng-US/f0062-032.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Darcy Tucker (RICK STEWART/GETTY IMAGES)</figcaption></div>Predicting the five-to-10-year outcome on young prospects is not unlike calling the future on the stock market. You&rsquo;re certainly happy with the ones you get right, but it&rsquo;s those mighty whiffs that you often remember most.Teemu Riihijarvi, who was selected 12th overall in 1995, was supposed to pay big dividends to the San Jose Sharks. Even our panel of Future Watch scouts liked him the following year, slotting him 43rd on the top-50 prospect list. A 6-foot-6 winger with great skills, hockey sense, passion and heart, he was supposed to evolve into an imposing scoring power forward.Ten years later, Riihijarvi is the only player from the Future Watch 1996 top-50 prospect list not to play in the NHL. Four others played fewer than 15 games.However, the scouting panel did well gazing into the future. Thirty-five of the 50 players have managed at least 100 NHL games and 17 of them have played more than 500 games, including Toronto&rsquo;s Darcy Tucker.The five-year backtest isn&rsquo;t so clear cut. Some prospects listed on the 2001 top-50 list are still classified as prospects. Ari Ahonen, Brent Krahn and Lars Jonsson haven&rsquo;t played in the NHL yet, but they&rsquo;re still highly regarded. Many others are just getting their feet wet this year.That goes to show you can never rush a prospect &ndash; or give up on him. We&rsquo;ll check on this group again in five years.<h2>10-YR REWIND 1996</h2>Bryan Berard was the top NHL-affiliated prospect in Future Watch 1996. Here&rsquo;s a look at the top-50 list with current team and NHL games played as of Jan. 4, 2006.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0062-01140/8844402-1-eng-US/f0062-012.jpg" title="f0062-01" width="710" height="2803"></div><h2>5-YR REWIND 2001</h2>Rostislav Klesla was the top NHL-affiliated prospect in Future Watch 2001. Here&rsquo;s a look at the top-50 list with current team and NHL games played as of Jan. 4, 2006.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0062-0277/8844395-1-eng-US/f0062-022.jpg" title="f0062-02" width="711" height="2780"></div> &#9632;

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Future Watch 2006

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