Post by Jazz on Jun 24, 2004 0:58:44 GMT -5
Ones to watch in 2004 Entry Draft[/u][/color]
By Alan Adams | NHL.com columnist
June 19, 2004
source: NHL.COM
With the 2004 Entry Draft set for Raleigh, N.C., on June 26-27, here's a look at some of the top prospects.
copyright: NHL.COM
By Alan Adams | NHL.com columnist
June 19, 2004
source: NHL.COM
With the 2004 Entry Draft set for Raleigh, N.C., on June 26-27, here's a look at some of the top prospects.
- Alexander Ovechkin, LW, Dynamo (Russia) -- He is a highly skilled forward who can score and hit. Ovechkin is a superb skater with excellent acceleration. His shot is precise and deceptive and has great eye-hand coordination. He doesn't shy away from physical play.
- Evgeni Malkin, C, Magnitogorsk (Russia) -- Like Ovechkin, there isn't much Malkin can't do. He is a superb playmaker and has great hands and hockey sense. He suffered a concussion in January, but didn't show any lingering effects at the World Under-18 championships.
- Dave Bolland, C, London (OHL) -- Bolland grew on scouts as the season went on. He has a good shot, soft hands and will go to the traffic areas to get the puck. His hockey sense is better than average and he could wind up being an effective second line NHLer.
- Cam Barker, D, Medicine Hat (WHL) -- Anyone looking for an offensive-minded defenseman should search no further than Barker. He quarterbacked the power play in Medicine Hat and likes to lead the rush. He has a big shot and is a great passer.
- Marek Schwarz, G, Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) -- Schwarz has a knack of showing up in big games and what's not to like about that? He is competitive and plays the angles well. His lateral movement is exceptional and he has few weaknesses.
- Andrew Ladd, LW, Calgary (WHL) -- Central Scouting slotted Ladd as No. 1 among North American skaters in its final rankings. Ladd was the WHL's top rookie scorer and he led the WHL in plus-minus. He reminds scouts of Rick Nash of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
- Alvaro Montoya, G, Michigan (NCAA) -- Montoya moved into the spotlight with a sparkling performance for the gold medal winning United States at the 2004 World Junior Championship. He has a good glove hand, but more importantly, does not rattle easily.
- Lauri Tukonen, RW, Espoo (Finland) -- Here is a power forward in the true sense of the word. Tukonen is tenacious worker who likes to compete. Size and skill are not an issue and he has a great attitude. He is hard to knock off the puck.
- Drew Stafford, RW, North Dakota (NCAA) -- Stafford won't score 40 goals in a season, but he's the type of player teams want to have because of his attitude and work ethic. Stafford is a blue-collar forward who works for corners and drives to the net. He's fun to watch.
- Robbie Schremp, C, London (OHL) - Schremp has skill to kill. He had a stunning performance at the Prospects' Game in January when he scored a highlight reel goal and had two assists in the showcase event. Some scouts question his character and feel he is a hot dog.
- Ratislav Olesz, C, Vitkovice (Czech Republic) -- The fact Olesz has spent the last two seasons in the Czech Extra League bodes well for the team that drafts him. Olesz has good size and balance and is hard to move when he parks himself in the slot.
- Ladislav Smid, D, Libereo (Czech Republic) -- Smid plays a mature game for someone his age and that explains why he was a regular in the Czech Elite league this season. His instincts are good, but his skating could use some work. He has a mean side when provoked.
Alvaro Montoya led the United States to a gold medal at the 2004 World Junior Championship. - Travis Zajac, C, Salmon Arm (B.C. Tier II) -- Zajac put up big numbers this season, but it was against Tier II talent and because of that it was hard to get an accurate read on his NHL potential. But he showed he can score and is competitive and has a good feel for the net.
- Alexander Radulov, RW, Tver (Russia) -- Radulov is a creative forward who has great foot speed and can beat you one-one-one. He works hard all night, but has shown he has a hard time when teams play physical again him. He also has a temper, but that speaks to maturity.
- Enver Lisin, RW, Dynamo (Russia) -- Lisin is possibly the fastest skater in the draft and he uses his speed as a weapon. Whoever drafts Lisin will have to introduce him to his goalie because his defensive game is in need of work.
- A.J. Thelen, D, Michigan State (NCAA) -- Thelen impressed scouts with the way he quarterbacked the power play this season. He moves the puck well and has a heavy shot. He has great hockey sense and isn't intimidated by physical play.
- Devan Dubnyk, C, Kamloops (WHL) -- Size and skill are his strongest points and what else would you want in a goalie? Dubnyk had a great season in Kamloops and a superb World U18 tournament. He was the WHL's top goalie and its top scholastic player.
- Andrej Meszaros, D, Trencin (Slovakia) -- Meszaros suited up for Slovakia the 2004 World Hockey championship which speaks volumes about his potential. He is smart with the puck and has a great shot. He reads the play well and has great poise.
- Kyle Chipchura, C, Prince Albert (WHL) -- Chipchura is a jack-of-all-trades. He wins faceoffs, checks well, kills penalties and has good hockey sense. He can score and plays a sound defensive game. He'll be a second or third-line player.
Wojtek Wolski has the size needed to be an effective player in the NHL. - Wojtek Wolski, LW, Brampton (OHL) -- Wolski has the size needed to be an effective player in the NHL and his skill level is more than decent. He is strong along the boards and is hard to budge from in front of the net. Consistency was an issue this season, however.
- Boris Valabik, D, Kitchener (OHL) -- Valabik reminds scouts of Norris Trophy finalist Zdeno Chara but it may be a stretch to say he'll turn our like his fellow Slovak. Valabik has a mean streak and a strong physical presence. He is very competitive.
- Lauri Korpikoski, LW, TPS Turku (Finland) -- He was not on people's radar screen early in the season, but scouts started to take note in mid-February after a great effort at a tournament in Finland. He has great foot speed and is creative with the puck. He knows how to score.
- Alexander Picard, LW, Maine (QMJHL) -- Picard reminds people of Edmonton's Ryan Smythe with his work ethic and skating style. He'll be a versatile player for the team which drafts him. Picard can score and his defensive game is strong but could use some work.
- Roman Voloshenko, LW, Krylja (Russia) -- Here is another example of a skilled Russian who needs to work on his defensive game and show he can handle the physical side of the game. He may be the purest goal scorer in the draft.
- Petteri Nokelainen, C, Saipa (Finland) -- Nokelainen is a two-way player who is as strong defensively as he is offensively and that is saying a lot. He is a good penalty killer and a great team player. He competes and is very reliable.
- Jeff Schultz, D, Calgary (WHL) -- Shultz moves well for a tall and skinny kid. He has good hands and decent skill, but he needs to fill out a little more. He's not timid, but scouts were hoping for more physical presence.
- Jacub Sindel, C, Prague (Czech Republic) -- Sindel is small, skilled and has a great shot. He became the youngest player to ever record a hat trick in the Czech's top league this season. He competes hard, but needs to bulk up a little.
- Corey Schneider, G, Andover Academy (U.S. High School) -- Schneider made a name for himself at the World Under-18 championships in Belarus this spring. He flops around a little bit too much in his crease for some people, but he gets the job done.
- Kirill Lyamin, D, CSKA (Russia) -- Lyamin had a great U18 tournament. He is steady on his skates and he is good with the puck. His shot is better than average and has more confidence in his puck-handling skills now than he had earlier in the year.
- Bruce Graham, C Moncton (QMJHL) -- Graham's biggest downside is consistency. He didn't who up to play every night and that worries scouts. But he is a good skater with good hands and a good shot.
- Johannes Salmonsson, C, Djurgarden (Sweden) -- Salmonsson suffered a shoulder injury in November, but put off having surgery until the end of the season. In the interim, he showed scouts that he had soft hands and played good hockey.
- Mike Green, D, Saskatoon (WHL) -- Green's leadership skills came through in spades this season. The Blades were a poor team, but Green never gave up, which speaks volumes about his character. He is a tenacious defenseman who can quarterback a power play.
- Carl Soderberg, C, MIF Redhawks (Sweden) -- Soderberg won the Swedish Junior League scoring title despite the fact he played only a handful of junior games after mid-December. He has good hands, a big shot but scouts question his intensity.
- Kyke Wharton, D, Ottawa (OHL) -- Wharton turned an injury-plagued season into a positive by showing grit and character when he was health enough to play. Scouts like his size and his mobility and how he processes the game.
- David Shantz, G, Mississauga (OHL) -- Shantz showed scouts in the playoffs that he is cool under pressure. He has a decent glove hand and doesn't flop all over his crease. He reads the play well and another strength is his anticipation.
- Sami Lepisto, D, Jokerit (Finland) -- Lepisto is a late bloomer who played his best hockey of the season in helping Finland win a bronze medal at the 2004 World Junior championship. His has loads of skill, but size is an issue.
copyright: NHL.COM
I´m stunned because he did a great job in U20 this year and he wasn´t bad at all in Jokerit either 
