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Future Watch 2007
The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions about the NHL and leagues across North America and the world.
Houston, we have a prospect
This isn’t your father’s Wild. In this franchise’s infancy stage, early picks Marian Gaborik, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Brent Burns were handed NHL jobs as 18-year-olds. That won’t happen anymore. With the Wild in its sixth season, top prospects such as Benoit Pouliot and James Sheppard will have to develop in the minors and “earn a job now,” said Tom Lynn, the Wild’s assistant GM/hockey operations. “If Bouchard came in Year 6, he’d be down there,” GM Doug Risebrough added. “This is a long-term thing with (Pouliot and Sheppard).” 1 BENOIT POULIOT, LW, 20, Houston (AHL) 6-3, 183, 39-17-10-27-64 OVERALL 20 Pouliot has soft hands, can be electrifying at times and is no doubt the Wild’s most skilled prospect. He got a tiny taste of the NHL during a three-game stint in November. The promotion ended with coach…
Price is right for ace stopper
Perhaps they’re not yet ready to challenge for a Cup, but when the Canadiens require a spare body due to an injury, they feel confident recalling a player from the minors and knowing they can remain competitive. That wasn’t always the case. “Over the past few years we’ve built up our depth considerably,” said Trevor Timmins, the director of player recruitment and development, who oversees a dozen amateur scouts. Timmins alone will watch more than 200 games this season and make four trips overseas to Europe. 1 CAREY PRICE, G, 19, Tri-City (WHL) 6-3, 212, 19-10-0, 2.53, .913 OVERALL 5 As high as the Canadiens were on Price, whom they consider their goaltender of the future, they were even more effusive in their praise after he helped Canada to gold at the World Junior Championship.…
Red Wings rely on late sleepers
In the past 10 years, the Red Wings have had only three first round picks and just four selections in the top 40. It has put pressure on the scouting staff to dig up mid- and late-round gems. And they’ve delivered. Past sleepers included Pavel Datsyuk (171st overall in 1998) and Henrik Zetterberg (210th in 1999). “We’re happy with the development of our prospects and the job the scouts have done, considering we haven’t had a lot of first round picks and not a lot of high picks,” said Wings assistant GM Jim Nill. “We have confidence in our staff that we can find these players.” 1 JAKUB KINDL, D, 19, Kitchener (OHL) 6-3, 200, 39-6-33-39-88 OVERALL 25 An impressive training camp nearly earned Kindl a spot on the Red Wings season-opening roster. Instead, this future…
Avalanche hit the books
Quite possibly, nobody has as many frequent flyer miles as Avalanche director of player development Craig Billington. The ex-NHL goalie is on the road at least three weeks every month – and Denver is a long way from most of its top prospects. Billington is in ‘charge’ of about 40 of them, checking on their development. He loves it and as a former player known for his sunny outlook on life, he likes what he has to work with right now. “We have a good group,” he said. “My job is to try and help them get to the (NHL) level a little sooner.” 1 CHRIS STEWART, RW, 19, Kingston (OHL) 6-1, 228, 42-27-32-59-87 OVERALL 37 The big-bodied Stewart impressed at Avalanche training camp and is averaging more than a point a game for Kingston. He is…
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