NHL FanHouse

Hi, My Name Is ... Kyle Palmieri

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, NHL Draft, College Hockey

Every Tuesday, FanHouse discusses the top NHL prospects found in college hockey.

College hockey can be a humbling experience, even for highly-touted NHL prospects. It doesn't make a kid a lesser prospect, but being 18 and having to deal with guys who are often 22-25 years old can be tough. This is true no matter how talented a kid is. For Notre Dame freshman forward Kyle Palmieri (NHL rights: Anaheim), the first part of the season has been spent adjusting, and the Fighting Irish are about to be rewarded for their patience.

Palmieri -- the 26th overall pick this past June -- scored the only regulation goal for Notre Dame Thursday against Michigan State, and the Irish went on to win in a shootout. Then on Sunday, he picked up his first career game-winning goal, as Notre Dame beat the Spartans 4-1 in Fort Wayne, Ind.

In 14 games this year for Notre Dame (6-5-3), Palmieri has picked up four goals and two assists. It might not be what some expected of him, but it's not uncommon for even first-round picks to struggle out of the gates in college.

Palmieri has all the tools to succeed. He's a great skater, has a nose for the net, and as many people found out at the NHL's pre-draft combine, the kid is absolutely ripped.

20th-ranked Kyle Palmieri is ripped - he took off his shirt and everyone in the room turned their heads to see that the guy is cut.

Raw strength might not mean much without skill, but the point is that Palmieri is not a kid who has to kill himself in the weight room to become a decent pro prospect. He just has to work on his game, and the early signs are that he'll come around quite nicely, both for Notre Dame and the Ducks.

Other Players to Watch

Led by a slew of upperclassmen who are playing very well, Quinnipiac is off to a blistering 10-1 start. The Bobcats program has been consistently solid since joining Division I in 1999, making one NCAA Tournament and not yet posting a single losing season. It's early yet, but they have the best record in the country right now. Senior Brandon Wong (undrafted) -- the team's leading scorer -- had three points in a Friday win over Colgate, then the Bobcats took a 3-0 lead and held on to beat Cornell 3-2 on Saturday.

Junior defenseman Erik Gustaffson (undrafted) of Northern Michigan is considered a top free agent. The star had a huge weekend as NMU swept Nebraska-Omaha. Gustaffson picked up four assists in the wins, while forward Mark Olver (Colorado) scored twice and assisted on two other goals. NMU is unbeaten in their last four.

Denver goalie Marc Cheverie (Florida) returned from injury Friday against North Dakota. The results were quite impressive, as Cheverie pitched his fourth shutout in six games in a 1-0 win. Saturday night, Cheverie stopped 24 shots as Denver completed the sweep with a 3-2 win. Cheverie had 58 saves on 60 shots for the weekend. He has a 1.19 goals against and a save percentage of .961.

Sophmore center Jack Connolly (undrafted) scored three goals over the weekend for Minnesota Duluth in a weekend sweep of rival Minnesota. It was UMD's first sweep of the Gophers since the 2003-2004 season. Sophomore goalie Brady Hjelle (2010 draft eligible) turned aside 36 shots in Saturday's 3-2 win.

Hi, My Name Is ... Kyle Palmieri originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DraftWatch 2010: Cam Fowler, the Kid Who Said No to Notre Dame

Christopher Botta — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: NHL Draft

When he was 15 years old, phenom defenseman Cam Fowler locked in a scholarship to play college hockey at Notre Dame. Two years later, at the age of 17, the kid from Farmington Hills, Mich. made a phone call he said was "the toughest thing I've had to do in my life so far."

He broke his commitment with head coach Jeff Jackson and Notre Dame, electing to play Canadian junior hockey with likely 2010 first overall pick Taylor Hall and the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League.

"That was not easy," Fowler told FanHouse after a long practice in Windsor the other day. "Notre Dame was very good to me and Coach Jackson has been like a mentor. It was just decided, after a lot of talking and analyzing with my family and advisors, that the full schedule and competition of junior hockey was the best avenue for me."

It's a road that will take a sharp fork next June when Fowler's is one of the first names to be called at the 2010 NHL Draft. But here's the thing about this kid's ability: he's so good, Fowler was going to be a top selection whether he played for the juggernaut junior team in Windsor, a top NCAA program in South Bend or high school hockey in Hawaii.

"Pure, pure talent," declared an amateur scouting director for a Western Conference team. "Before this season even started, I had him with Taylor Hall as the two players guaranteed to go in the first five overall picks. I think he would have benefited playing for Jackson in South Bend and it would not have had any effect on his draft ranking.

Prospect to Watch: Brett Connolly
While he does not crack the FanHouse Top 5, the 6-2, 190-pound left wing with Prince George is a big favorite of scouts for his combination of skill and Western Canadian tenacity.

"The best thing about Fowler playing in Windsor, to be honest with you, is that it's gravy for us scouts. We get to watch Fowler and Hall in the same game, on the same team and almost definitely in the OHL playoffs and Memorial Cup in the spring."

Playing with Hall was one of several appealing factors in Fowler's decision to join Windsor. "Taylor and I are here for each other. We support each other," said the Spitfires defenseman, who turns 18 on Dec. 5. "I thought being on Taylor's team would be a major positive, and it has been amazing for me so far."

Unlike some draft prospects, who feign innocence about where they stand in the rankings, Fowler is very educated about his "competition" at the top of this year's draft class. During a conversation with this reporter, he was well aware of fellow world-class teenagers like Tyler Seguin and Kirill Kabanov and how they are performing this season. "There's a lot of talent coming through this year," he said.

Fowler would like to go No. 1, although he does not openly pine for the honor like Kabanov does. He believes he has a chance. "Taylor and I have talked about it a little," said Fowler. "We can joke around because we're teammates and we're not in competition. The way I see it, the first pick could come down to which team has it and what their biggest need is. If they need a forward to carry them, to me there's no question Taylor is that player. But if they're set at forward and need a defenseman, maybe I'm their guy."

With apologies to the small minority of draftniks who believe Moncton's Brandon Gormley is in the conversation, Fowler has emerged as the top defenseman in the Class of 2010. "Maybe if this was a decade ago, Cam would be in a group of five or 10 kids you could argue over," said Windsor GM Warren Rychel, a former NHL player. "But in today's game, which is so much about skating, quickness and moving the puck? I'm not sure if you'll find anyone who doesn't think Cam is the top defenseman."

One Eastern Conference team scouting director, with the biggest vote at the draft table, backed up Rychel's assessment. "The first defenseman will be Fowler," said the longtime scout. "If anything was going to change about his ranking, it would have happened if it turned out the Ontario League was a bigger challenge for him than we projected. It isn't. He has been outstanding."

Next up for Fowler is a probable roster spot with Team USA at the World Junior Championships in Saskatoon at the end of December. He'll have to play against Taylor Hall of Team Canada, but yearns for the opportunity of international competition on a big stage. "I haven't heard if I've made it yet," said Fowler. "The announcement should be soon. I'm really anxious about it."

At the NHL Draft in June, he will not have to wait long.

FanHouse's 2010 NHL Draft Top 5, 11/18/09
	Player	Team	GP	G-A-P
1.	Taylor Hall, C	Windsor (OHL)	25	21-24-45
2.	Cam Fowler, D	Windsor (OHL)	25	3-26-29
3.	Tyler Seguin, C	Plymouth (OHL)	18	19-17-36
4.	Brandon Gormley, D	Moncton (QMJHL)	22	5-11-16
5.	Kirill Kabanov, LW	Moncton (QMJHL)	11	5-9-14

DraftWatch 2010: Cam Fowler, the Kid Who Said No to Notre Dame originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hi, My Name Is ... Cody Goloubef

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, NHL Draft, College Hockey

Every Tuesday, FanHouse discusses the top NHL prospects found in college hockey.

Last year, the Wisconsin Badgers were loaded with defensemen. Entering the season, their top four were all high NHL draft picks. Three of those four are back this year, but it seems that junior Ryan McDonagh (NHL rights: N.Y. Rangers) gets a lot of the attention. While people gush -- justifiably -- about McDonagh's skills, junior Cody Goloubef (Columbus) might have become the best of the bunch.

While McDonagh is struggling a bit to start the season, spending too much time in the penalty box and not producing a lot of offense, Goloubef continues to show all-around improvement to his game.

After starting out in 2007 as the youngest player in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, Goloubef showed he was mature beyond his years. He picked up ten points in 40 games as a freshman, then improved his output in his sophomore season.

Goloubef is a smart player. He makes great first passes out of his defensive zone, and is very capable offensively. It's very hard to trap the Badgers in their own end with Goloubef on the ice, because he has such a good sense for the forecheck pressure and can get the puck away from heat. He doesn't have a booming shot, but he is effective at finding shooting lanes and getting the puck to the net. While he's a good positional player who is rarely in the wrong spot, Goloubef isn't the most physical, and he can be a bit limited trying to play against bigger forwards.

Already possessing plenty of international experience, Goloubef is going to be a nice addition to the Columbus organization in the near future. Yes, they've done well populating their team with forwards, but Goloubef can bring them an offensive dimension they really don't have much of right now.

Not only that, but a full season of playing against some of the big, tough, and experienced forwards he'll see in the WCHA is only going to help his pro preparation.

Other Players to Watch

It's not often that a team can boast two five-point performances in a single game, but it happened Saturday. Minnesota Duluth -- off a 3-2 upset loss Friday in which they outshot visiting Michigan Tech 50-19 -- blitzed the Huskies 8-1. Junior Justin Fontaine (undrafted) had four goals and one assist, posting UMD's first four-goal game in nearly 12 years. Sophomore forward Mike Connolly (undrafted) scored once and assisted on four other goals. If that wasn't enough, junior Rob Bordson (undrafted) had four assists.

Sophomore forward Zac Dalpe (Carolina) assisted on two goals Friday, then scored twice Saturday, as Ohio State swept Western Michigan with matching 4-2 wins.

Two years ago, then-freshman goalie Richard Bachman burst on the WCHA scene, leading Colorado College to a league championship and NCAA bid. Now, with Bachman gone to the Dallas Stars organization, another freshman has taken the ball. Joe Howe (2010 draft eligible) stopped 59 of 61 shots as the Tigers swept Minnesota State, Mankato, over the weekend. Howe is now 7-1-1 in nine starts for CC, who has the unexpected early lead in the league (they were picked in the bottom half of the league in preseason polls).

After suffering their first loss of the year Friday at Yale, Cornell rallied to blow out Brown 6-0. Senior Colin Greening (Ottawa) had three assists, while senior Blake Gallagher (undrafted) scored twice and assisted on a goal. Senior goalie Ben Scrivens (undrafted), who was one of the nation's best last year, pitched the shutout with 28 saves.

Merrimack and Boston University split an exciting home-and-home series. The Warriors won on their ice Friday, 6-3, while BU won at home Saturday 6-4. Merrimack freshman Stephane da Costa (undrafted) had four more points (two goals, two assists) on the weekend, and now has 14 points in just eight games. Meanwhile, BU got three points from sophomore forward Chris Connolly (undrafted) in their Saturday win, and defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk (Colorado) had three points on the weekend.

Hi, My Name Is ... Cody Goloubef originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hi, My Name Is ... Carl Sneep

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Penguins, NHL Draft, NHL Fans, College Hockey

Every Tuesday, FanHouse discusses the top NHL prospects found in college hockey.

More and more underclassmen are signing pro contracts and not playing four years of college hockey. This puts additional pressure on seniors to help carry the load for their teams. Coaches love to lean on experience when the playoffs come, and while the freshmen and sophomores might have all the talent, it's the older guys who bring valuable experience to a locker room. For Boston College, there's hope that a big defenseman -- who happens to be off to a great start -- can help lead them back to the NCAA Tournament.

Carl Sneep (NHL rights: Pittsburgh) has played three years under legendary head coach Jerry York. While he has shown flashes of offensive ability, he has yet to fully realize his potential as a contributor. Not only is he off to a hot start offensively this year, but Sneep is in the role of experienced leader for a young group of defensemen.

"Probably the most pleasant surprise has been Carl Sneep's play for us," York said. "He's a fourth-year player with us and the only upperclass defenseman we can go to. So he's kind of standard-bearer. He's had a real good start for us and (has) shown improvement."

So far, so good for Sneep. He has three goals and eight points in the Eagles' first six games. That matches his career-high for goals in a season, and he's more than halfway to his season-best of 15 points, set in his sophomore season. The Nisswa, Minn., native scored twice on Friday, as the Eagles settled for a 4-4 tie at New Hampshire, then assisted on three goals in a 5-1 win over Northeastern Saturday.

While Sneep is a bigger guy, he isn't the most physical defenseman you'll ever see. That's probably the one major knock on his game as he prepares to move on from college hockey after this season. Instead, he appears to have a much more notable offensive upside than people may have thought. He's a steady player who moves the puck well, and he doesn't easily succumb to pressure in his own zone.

Odds are Sneep will get even better this season. He figures to see a lot of ice time in all situations, both even-strength and on special teams. The Eagles figure to be playing deep into March again this season, so that will only aid Sneep's preparation for the next level.

Other Players to Watch

One has to think this was a banner weekend for Miami. The RedHawks swept Michigan in Ann Arbor, winning 3-1 and 5-1, and Michigan coach Red Berenson went after his team pretty hard Saturday.

"I'm embarrassed," Berenson said. "We played like a bunch of spoiled brats, and we've gotta suck it up. When you're getting beat, you just keep working hard for the team. You don't take it out on the other team and take stupid penalties that are going to hurt your team even further. That's not the way we play hockey, and this team will learn that."

For Miami, senior Jarod Palmer (undrafted) and freshman Curtis McKenzie (Dallas) each had three points. Sophomore goalie Cody Reichard (undrafted) played both nights, stopping 47 of 49 shots faced.

Notre Dame senior defenseman Kyle Lawson (Carolina) had a hand in three of the four goals the Irish scored (one goal, two assists) in a weekend split at Alaska.

Sophomore forward Gustav Nyquist (Detroit) helped lead Maine to a big win Sunday over Boston University. Nyquist scored a first-period goal and assisted on the game-winner as the Black Bears hung on to beat BU 3-2. It was Maine's second straight win over a ranked Hockey East opponent after a 1-5 overall start.

College Hockey America's leading scorer, Bemidji State junior Matt Read (undrafted), had another big weekend. He tallied two goals and two assists as the Beavers swept Robert Morris (Pa.) at home, winning 2-0 and 6-1.

Colgate senior David McIntyre (New Jersey) helped the Red Raiders sweep weekend games against Harvard and Dartmouth. The Hobey Baker candidate scored once and also picked up four assists over the two games.

Hi, My Name Is ... Carl Sneep originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hi, My Name Is ... Chris Brown

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Coyotes, NHL Draft, College Hockey

Every Tuesday, FanHouse discusses the top NHL prospects found in college hockey.

It's been a pretty good start to the season for Michigan. The Wolverines took care of business on the road last weekend, sweeping Lake Superior State (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) to open their Central Collegiate Hockey Association schedule.

Even though junior star Louie Caporusso (NHL rights: Ottawa) has just one goal in the Wolverines' first six games, Michigan has gotten early contributions from a highly-touted freshman.

Second-round draft pick Chris Brown (Phoenix) was expected to become a really good player for Michigan. It was likely not assumed that he would rip off four goals and six points in their first six games. Brown had two goals in a 6-3 win Saturday over Lake Superior State that finished off the weekend sweep.

Brown has been playing on a line with experienced forwards Matt Rust (Florida) and Carl Hagelin (N.Y. Rangers). Surely, working with a pair that has combined for over 100 points at Michigan has helped Brown make the transition to college. The former Dallas Junior Stars product came to Michigan from the U.S. National Team Development Program, which is based in Ann Arbor. He is one of seven NTDP products currently skating in the Maize and Blue.

While he's a good skater, Brown has to get some more muscle. He projects as more of a power forward as he gets older, and 195 pounds is not going to be enough for him to play that type of role. The Coyotes are likely to be patient with Brown, as they have done a good job letting young players develop in college before turning them pro.

Certainly, Brown is in the right program and with the right coach (legendary Red Berenson) to fulfill his potential and be a polished product for Phoenix to sign, even if it takes two or three years to make it happen.

Not only that, but Brown is likely to have opportunities to experience elite-level college hockey while he's at Michigan. The Wolverines are an NCAA Tournament regular, and this year's team is anxious to atone for a loss to underdog Air Force in last year's first round.

Other Players to Watch

Hopefully, this isn't the sign of a jinx on this column. Last week's subject, Denver goalie Marc Cheverie (Florida), was injured Friday in a collision with a Minnesota State (Mankato) player. Forward Justin Jokinen (Buffalo) was driving the net when he was tripped by Denver defenseman Patrick Wiercioch (Ottawa). Jokinen's skate caught Cheverie in the leg, and the ensuing cut required stitches at a local hospital. Cheverie could miss a couple weeks for the Pioneers, who won Friday and tied Saturday's series finale. There is no blood visible at any point in this video, which gives you a better idea of what happened.

Minnesota finally won games and scored goals this weekend, sweeping Alaska-Anchorage 5-1 and 4-1 at home. Captain Tony Lucia (San Jose) -- head coach Don Lucia's son -- scored three times and assisted on two other goals in the series. 2009 first-round pick Jordan Schroeder (Vancouver) had two assists in each game for his first four points of the season.

New Hampshire was whipped pretty badly in Madison over the weekend. The Wildcats were outshot 94-35 and outscored 10-2 in a non-conference sweep by Wisconsin. The Badgers have a couple well-known prospects on their blue line, including former first-round picks Ryan McDonagh (N.Y. Rangers) and Jake Gardiner (Anaheim). Junior Brendan Smith (Detroit) was the star against UNH, however, racking up four assists and playing very well in his own zone.

Boston University and UMass-Lowell split a home-and-home series in Hockey East. The defending national champions needed a Colby Cohen (Colorado) goal to steal Friday's game at Lowell in overtime. UML senior Ben Holmstrom (undrafted) scored a power-play goal in the second period that proved to be the game-winner in Boston on Saturday. BU sophomore defenseman David Warsofsky (St. Louis) had a good weekend, scoring twice on Friday and picking up an assist in Saturday's game.

Merrimack is off to a good start this season, thanks in large part to high-scoring forwards Chris Barton and Stephane Da Costa (both undrafted). The pair combined for two goals and seven points in a home-and-home split against Boston College over the weekend (each team won on their home ice). Barton leads the team with seven goals and ten points in eight games, while Da Costa -- who scored five goals in his Merrimack debut -- has eight points in four games. Merrimack, a longtime cellar dweller who hasn't had a winning season since joining Hockey East 20 years ago, sits at 5-3 overall and 2-1 in conference play.

Cornell stars Riley Nash (Edmonton) and Colin Greening (Ottawa) each had two points in the Big Red's season-opening 3-2 overtime win over Niagara Friday.

Hi, My Name Is ... Chris Brown originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hi, My Name Is ... Marc Cheverie

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Panthers, NHL Draft, College Hockey

Every Tuesday, FanHouse discusses the top NHL prospects found in college hockey.

Two big stories emerged from a Western Collegiate Hockey Association weekend series at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis. Unfortunately, most college hockey followers only know about one of them. While everyone is well aware of the early-season struggles of Minnesota (0-3-1 record, three goals scored in four games, and all three losses have been shutouts), they've probably dismissed the accomplishments of the Denver goalie who held the Gophers off the board for 120 minutes.

Despite facing a lineup that featured 16 NHL draft picks Friday and 17 Saturday, junior goalie Marc Cheverie (NHL rights: Florida) didn't allow a single goal.

Cheverie was very good as a full-time starter last year, winning 23 games, pitching four shutouts, and posting a .921 save percentage while leading Denver to the NCAA Tournament. However, the Pioneers were upset by Miami in the first round of regional play, and Cheverie faced competition this year from freshman Adam Murray (undrafted), who came from the U.S. National Team Development Program.

Head coach George Gwozdecky made it clear before the season that he would rotate Cheverie and Murray early in the season. Gwozdecky, who won his 500th career game over the weekend, said he had talked to Cheverie long before the season, and the veteran was well-aware of the situation going into the season.

However, that rotation only lasted two weeks. Cheverie won both his starts, getting the first game of series against Vermont and Ohio State. Murray started the next day of both series and took the loss in both games.

Cheverie then shut out Minnesota Friday night with a 30-save effort. That would be -- at least for now -- the end of the goalie rotation. Gwozdecky came back with "Chevy" Saturday night, and he was rewarded with another 30-save shutout, marking the third straight start where Cheverie held his opponent off the scoreboard.

Denver won both games by matching 3-0 scores, and they have some serious momentum as they embark on the long, taxing WCHA season.

Cheverie has good fundamentals for a goalie, but he is more aggressive than most. He likes to challenge shooters, and he plays his angles well. If he continues to play at this high a level throughout the season, he has the talent to carry a loaded Denver team far, and it's likely that he would earn a shot at professional hockey after this season.

Gwozdecky has handled complicated goalie situations very well over his tenure at Denver. He's used rotations more than a few times, only to settle on a goalie for the postseason. It usually works for him, and it's doubtful that a highly-touted goalie like Murray is going to sit too long. That said, Denver's best bet might to be to ride this "Chevy" as far as they can go.

Other Players to Watch

After a bit of a rough start for freshman Mike Lee (Phoenix) in his WCHA debut, St. Cloud (Minn.) State used junior Dan Dunn (Washington) Saturday night against Minnesota Duluth. Dunn was outstanding, stopping 31 of 33 shots faced in a 4-2 win. The Huskies were buoyed by two short-handed goals in the second period, and Dunn also stopped a penalty shot during the middle stanza.

Staying out west, senior forward Bill Sweatt (Chicago) had seven points (one goal, six assists) in Colorado College's weekend sweep of Michigan Tech. Sweatt had a hand in all four goals as CC won 4-1 Friday, then chipped in three assists in the Tigers' 8-5 comeback win Saturday.

New Hampshire's Blake Kessel (N.Y. Islanders) had a big weekend. The sophomore defenseman scored one goal and assisted on four others as the Wildcats beat Northeastern 4-2 and Maine 5-2 in Hockey East action. Blake is the younger brother of Toronto Maple Leaf Phil Kessel.

Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk (Colorado) of Boston University assisted on two goals in a 3-2 win over Michigan Saturday, marking the defending national champions' first win of the season.

Hi, My Name Is ... Marc Cheverie originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DraftWatch 2010: Kirill Kabanov Embraces North American Style

Christopher Botta — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: NHL Draft, FanHouse Exclusive, Junior Hockey

When he's not pursuing his goal of becoming the first overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft, 17-year-old Kirill Kabanov helps out with renovations on the home of his host family in Moncton, New Brunswick.

"They treat me like a son," Kabanov said of his billets. "I want to help out any way I can. This is my home."

It will likely be for just one year. The super-skilled left wing is a certain top-10 pick in the draft next June. His decision to move from his native Russia to play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this season has elevated his already-lofty status in the NHL scouting community.

"If Kabanov stayed in Russia, even with all that uncertainty about contracts and the KHL, I still think he would have gone somewhere in the first 12 picks," said a scouting director for a Western Conference team. "Now that he's demonstrated the commitment to play in North America, he could go in the top five -- maybe the top three."

In a phone conversation with FanHouse, the amiable teenager did not try to play it cool when stating his intentions.

"It's important for me to be No. 1," said Kabanov. "I'm trying to be No. 1. Am I going to cry if I don't get picked first? Of course not. But this is one of the reasons I came to Canada."

Okay, but why is it so important to be the first overall pick?

"It means you were the best of all the great young players in the world," said Kabanov. "I always want to be the best. My goal is to help Moncton win a championship and to be No. 1 in the draft. For me, that would be a great year."

Realistically, the skinny, 6-3 left wing may have to settle for being second, third or a bit higher in the draft. Taylor Hall, a center with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League, has been projected as a franchise player and the cream of the 2010 draft. Teams looking for a No. 1 defenseman with one of the top five picks will lust after Hall's teammate Cam Fowler.

Kabanov's playmaking ability and heavy shot are enough to have him near the top of most early-season draft lists. To have a chance of reaching his goal of being No. 1, Kabanov will have to show scouts all year in Moncton that he's more than just a gifted finisher, but a leader, a clutch performer, a true franchise player.

Prospect to Watch: Vladimir Talasenko
The 6-1, 200-pound left wing from Russia is moving up draft charts after an impressive start to his KHL season. "He is a bull," said one European scouting director for an NHL team. "He's a player a lot of teams are starting to watch more closely."

"You can't deny the kid has star potential," said an Eastern Conference scout who watched Kabanov and the Wildcats win 4-2 in Montreal on Thursday. "I'm just not ready to put him in the top five. In the Montreal game, he was the best player in the first period, tailed off a bit in the second and by the third he was worn down.

"He made the right move to play this season in Canada. As a 16-year-old, he didn't match the year (Alexander) Ovechkin or (Nikita) Filatov had when they were his age. Now that he's in North America, he's learning it's a much different game than what he'd see back home. In Russia, Kabanov could make a pass and no one would touch him. Here, like we all saw Thursday, he made a pass and someone drove a shoulder into his chest. He has to prove he can battle. "

Early on, he has answered the bell. He has three goals and nine assists in his first eight games with the Wildcats. Entering a potentially difficult environment as a European teenager joining a team of Canadians (and one Slovak) a few weeks into the season, Kabanov has won everyone over with his work ethic and charm.

"Kirill is determined to be a star, but he's very down to earth," said Moncton general manager Bill Schurman. "He's always laughing and he's full of mischief. It didn't take long for him to start creating the pranks, instead of being on the other end of them. He's just a very likeable young man."

On game night, Kabanov -- who had a goal and an assist in his team's 5-3 win on Saturday in Rouyn-Noranda -- has made an immediate impact on a team that was predicted to contend in the QMJHL even before he arrived. "He's not just a good player, but a very exciting player to watch," said Schurman. "At our home games, there's been an electricity in our arena we haven't seen since Sidney Crosby used to come in with Rimouski."

Like most NHL scouts, the Wildcats GM is quick to point out that Kabanov is not in the Crosby-Ovechkin category. So is Kabanov himself. "No, no, no ... I'm not talking about that," he laughed. "One thing at a time. I'm in the Quebec League because it is my best chance to get to the NHL soon. No comparisons, please."

So Kabanov plays in the "Q" under Wildcats coach Danny Flynn, a former Islanders assistant who is highly regarded for teaching ability. On off nights, he watches the NHL Center Ice package -- keeping a close eyes on his longtime friend Filatov and the Columbus Blue Jackets. And whenever he has the time, he takes a break from building an NHL career by helping out at his home away from home.

"I like them and they like me," Kabanov said of his billets. "I feel like I'm where I belong, on the ice and in this house. Hockey is a like a religion in Canada. It's all good. It's all very exciting."

FanHouse's 2010 NHL Draft Top 5, 10/27/09
	Player	Team	GP	G-A-P
1.	Taylor Hall, C	Windsor (OHL)	15	15-17-32
2.	Cam Fowler, D	Windsor (OHL)	15	2-19-21
3.	Tyler Seguin, C	Plymouth (OHL)	14	17-13-30
4.	Kirill Kabanov, LW	Moncton (QMJHL)	8	3-9-12
5.	Mikael Granlund, C	HIFK Helsinki (Finland)	15	4-12-16
Note: While Hall could stay at No. 1 all year and Fowler is a safe bet to remain in the top five, the names and order of prospects No. 2-5 are likely to change for the next six months.

DraftWatch 2010: Kirill Kabanov Embraces North American Style originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hi, My Name Is ... Corey Tropp

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:40:00 EST

Filed under: Sabres, NHL Draft, College Hockey

Every Tuesday, FanHouse discusses the top NHL prospects found in college hockey.

Last year, he was vilified. Fans wanted to run him out of college hockey. Instead of finishing his sophomore season at Michigan State, forward Corey Tropp (NHL rights: Buffalo) found himself looking for a place to play hockey. A vicious assault of Michigan's Steve Kampfer (Anaheim) got Tropp suspended by the school for the rest of the season. What's happened since is a great story of redemption.

MSU head coach Rick Comley believed all along that Tropp's behavior was out of character, and this incident would be an isolated one.

Tropp first planned to spend the rest of last season playing with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States Hockey League. The USHL, however, imposed a suspension of their own on Tropp, and then he eventually decided to return to school without playing a game for the Stampede.

Only time will tell if Comley's hunch is correct, but so far, he and the MSU program have been rewarded for the decision to reinstate Tropp.

The players have welcomed Tropp -- now a junior -- back with open arms. Tropp was named an assistant captain for the Spartans this year, and Comley didn't waste time putting him on the ice.

Last week, Tropp scored once and had three assists in the Spartans' season-opening sweep of Clarkson. When MSU traveled to Orono, Maine, this past weekend, Tropp was even more explosive. The forward picked up a hat trick in Friday's 5-3 Spartan win, as he scored once five-on-five, one power-play goal, and added a short-handed tally. Tropp chipped in another goal and an assist on Saturday, as Maine won 5-3 to split the series.

After making headlines for the wrong reasons last year, Tropp has been to the sin bin just once this year, more in line with his normally disciplined style of play. Tropp had 16 penalty minutes in 42 games during his freshman season, then 45 in 21 games last year. He totaled 97 penalty minutes in 100 games with Sioux Falls before going to college.

The five-point weekend gives Tropp nine points (four goals and five assists) in just four games this season. He's tied for the NCAA lead with Minnesota Duluth forwards Jack Connolly and Justin Fontaine (both undrafted).

While there is no denying the awful nature of Tropp's behavior that fateful night in Ann Arbor, there is also no question that he accepted his punishment and has worked hard to win the trust of his teammates once again. None of this is going to change how Tropp is treated by Michigan fans when the Spartans visit Yost Ice Arena Nov. 13.

Tropp's hot start does show that some people can take advantage of their second chances. For him to get a chance in the pros, he needs to continue playing with discipline. His goal-scoring touch is clearly developing, but no one will care about that if he isn't behaving himself on the ice. Tropp's story may lead some to wonder why he's still allowed to play college hockey, but it will be gone and forgotten as long as he doesn't come close to repeating what he did to Kampfer.

(Kampfer, by the way, is a senior defenseman for the Wolverines this season. He was in the lineup for each of Michigan's two games so far, but has not registered a point.)

Other Players to Watch

If you're going up against Minnesota Duluth, stay out of the box. UMD has scored seven of its 13 goals with the man advantage. Fontaine and Connolly are responsible for a mind-boggling ten goals, with six of them coming on the power play. Fontaine scored four goals and assisted on another in the Bulldogs' weekend sweep of Minnesota State, Mankato.

St. Cloud State fans can't complain about the start they've had in goal. Yes, the team is 1-2-1, but freshman Mike Lee (Phoenix) has a 1.97 goals against and a .933 save percentage over his first three career starts.. He's been a star at every level he's played at, and there's no reason to think Lee will falter in college.

Alabama-Huntsville doesn't have a conference to play in after this season. College Hockey America is disbanding, and UAH is the only school yet to find a home. In other words, the future of the program is -- at best -- uncertain. After splitting with CCHA power Notre Dame in their opening weekend, the Chargers visited Air Force this week. They came away with back-to-back 4-2 wins. 3-1 Huntsville is led by junior goaltender Cameron Talbot (undrafted), who has posted a .947 save percentage in four starts. It should be an interesting weekend coming up, as UAH plays their home opener against Western Michigan, a CCHA team.

Freshman Curtis McKenzie (Dallas) of Miami had four points for the RedHawks in a weekend set at New Hampshire. Miami won the first game 6-3 before rallying to gain a 5-5 tie Saturday. Junior Carter Camper (undrafted) had two goals in the Friday win.

Hi, My Name Is ... Corey Tropp originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hi, My Name Is ... Mike Cichy

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Canadiens, NHL Draft, College Hockey

Every Tuesday, FanHouse discusses the top NHL prospects found in college hockey.

As the college hockey season gets underway, freshmen are often just trying to get some game experience and adjust to the speed of the college game, which is much different than the high school, prep school, or junior team they came from.

For North Dakota forward Mike Cichy (NHL rights: Montreal), you couldn't have scripted a better start to his college career.

The Connecticut native picked up three points in two Fighting Sioux wins over Merrimack. Cichy assisted on both of North Dakota's second-period goals on Friday before putting the Sioux ahead for good with his first collegiate goal Saturday.

Cichy was a forgotten man in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, going 199th overall to Montreal. The Canadiens have a chance to leave Cichy in college for a couple years, but early returns seem to indicate that they'll have a nice prospect on their hands soon.

His draft day adventure was chronicled in a story for The Hockey News.

1:26 p.m. - You just got picked by the Habs, congratulations!

- Wow, ha ha, thank you! Shock for me right now, wasn't expecting it at all.

- You gonna call some people, celebrate?

- Ha ha, it's possible. I think I'm going to spend some time with my mom, she deserves it.

Cichy does need to put on some more muscle. He had some room to skate against Merrimack, a school that put up a fight over the weekend, but hasn't had a winning season since they joined Hockey East in 1989. That room will likely diminish greatly as the Sioux open their Western Collegiate Hockey Association schedule Friday and Saturday against rival Minnesota.

Generally, he looks like a player who will continue to contribute for the Sioux, who were picked second in the WCHA in pre-season polling by both the league's coaches and media. However, you can see the need for more strength, and no one really knows how he'll respond to the physical pounding skilled players take on a nightly basis in this league.

Surely, he'll experience tougher weekends than this one. Freshmen always do. However, this was a fine start to his college career, one that has to raise at least a couple eyebrows in Montreal.

Other Players to Watch

Two potential All-American defensemen had huge weekends. Northern Michigan junior Eric Gustafsson (undrafted) scored two goals and assisted on two others in a weekend split of non-conference games in the Superior Showcase. Gustafsson is an impressive puck-moving defenseman who might be a bit undersized, but isn't afraid to mix it up and can win physical battles. He could be a top free-agent once NMU's season ends. The Wildcats lost to Michigan Tech 5-3 on Friday before beating Minnesota Duluth 3-1 Sunday. Meanwhile, North Dakota's Chay Genoway (undrafted) had three assists against Merrimack.

Michigan State was awful last season, but their season was largely defined by a January night in Ann Arbor, where two of their players carried out a heinous on-ice assault of a Michigan player whose only crime was throwing a clean hit. One of the involved Spartans, Corey Tropp (Buffalo), was reinstated to the program after last season ended, and he got his junior year off to a good start. In a weekend sweep of Clarkson, the forward scored once and assisted on three other goals. Perhaps more importantly, Tropp was only penalized once, a holding minor in Friday's game.

Senior forward Nick Fanto and junior Rich Purslow (both undrafted) had four-point weekends (two goals, two assists) for Nebraska-Omaha, as the Mavericks won the Icebreaker Tournament in Omaha. Playing for the first time under new head coach Dean Blais, UNO beat Army and UMass-Lowell to claim the title.

Notre Dame had to settle for a split against Alabama-Huntsville, as the Chargers scored with five seconds left to win Friday, 3-2. The Irish rallied to win 3-1 Saturday. Freshman Kyle Palmieri (Anaheim), a 2009 first-rounder, scored once in each game for Notre Dame, while senior defenseman Kyle Lawson (Carolina) scored the game-winner Saturday and added an assist.

It was a great start to the season for Quinnipiac. The Bobcats swept a two-game set at Ohio State, winning 4-2 Thursday and 3-1 Friday. Senior center Eric Lampe (undrafted) had a hand in four of QU's seven goals, scoring three and assisting on another.

Hi, My Name Is ... Mike Cichy originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hi, My Name Is ...: Meet This Year's Best

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: NHL Draft, College Hockey

Every Tuesday, FanHouse discusses the top NHL prospects found in college hockey.

Last year, we scoured the 58 Division I hockey schools for the best players we could find. As the 2009-2010 season gets underway this weekend, and Boston University tries to defend their dramatically-won NCAA title, it's time to take a sneak peek at this year's top talent.

Let's take a look at the top NCAA players conference-by-conference.

Atlantic Hockey

Jacques Lamoreux, F, Air Force (NHL rights: Undrafted)
The junior was one of the top scorers in the nation a year ago, leading the upstart Falcons within one goal of the Frozen Four. He's a tad undersized, but is a prolific goal scorer at the college level. While his military commitment isn't likely to go away, he's going to be an interesting prospect when his college eligibility winds down.

Andrew Volkening, G, Air Force (Undrafted)
While Lamoreux led the way offensively during Air Force's super 2008-2009 season, Volkening was the rock. The junior was among league leaders in all major goaltending categories last season, and surely he is motivated by the very odd goal that ended the Falcons' season against Vermont. Volkening enters the season as one of the more experienced goalies you'll find anywhere in the country, and he would love nothing more than to go out with a trip to Detroit (the site of the 2010 Frozen Four).

Central Collegiate Hockey Association

John Albert, F, Ohio State (Atlanta)
On a team full of talented youngsters, it's Albert who leads the way. The crafty playmaker was tops among OSU returnees in points a year ago, picking up 11 goals and 39 points. For the Buckeyes to improve on a first-round NCAA exit (a blowout at the hands of eventual champion Boston University), they'll need more out of Albert, who could be in his final season of college hockey.

Carter Camper, F, Miami (Free agent)
Though undersized at five-foot-nine, 173 pounds, Camper competes his tail off, and he is one of the top free agents in the country. He was a huge part of Miami's run to the national championship game last year, and he's on virtually everyone's All-America watch lists heading into the season. As long as Miami is a top dog in the CCHA, he'll get plenty of attention.

Louie Caporusso, F, Michigan (Ottawa)
With former running buddy Aaron Palushaj now with the St. Louis Blues organization, Caporusso will be expected to take on a heavy role for the Wolverines. He's coming off a 24-goal season, and is only a junior, but the Senators figure to be keeping close tabs on him.

Ian Cole, D, Notre Dame (St. Louis)
All told, there are six NTDP recruits on the Irish roster. Cole might be the most NHL-ready. The defenseman showed a goal-scoring touch at times last year, picking up a big one late in a game at Ohio State, but he's going to make his money in his own zone. Cole doesn't back down, is great at protecting his net, and looks like a future NHL captain.

Erik Gustaffson, D, Northern Michigan (Free agent)
A serious All-America candidate, Gustaffson is another player who has to be considered among the best free agents in college hockey. Off a 34-point sophomore season, Gustaffson will pilot a NMU power play that has serious expectations attached to it. They hit on only 13.4 percent of their chances last year, which was the difference on a relatively low-scoring team. The Wildcats made the CCHA semifinals in Detroit after a disastrous start to the season.

Daultan Leveille, F, Michigan State (Atlanta)
Expectations in East Lansing are that the Spartans will be greatly improved this season, after last year's ten-win disaster. Leveille, a very talented scorer from Ontario, is a big reason for hope in this program. If Michigan State can find a couple other players to help Leveille out, the Spartans could make an impressive leap in the CCHA standings.

Kyle Palmieri, F, Notre Dame (Anaheim)
The 2009 first-round pick joins a Fighting Irish team that appears to be the CCHA's most talented. It's probably the most motivated, too, as the Irish lost to eventual Frozen Four participant Bemidji State 5-1 in their NCAA Tournament opener last year. Palmieri is the latest in an impressive line of recruits from the National Team Development Program (a program based in Ann Arbor, Mich.), and the Ducks draft choice should make an immediate impact.

College Hockey America

Matt Read, F, Bemidji State (Free agent)
Read made a name for himself by playing well in the NCAA Tournament. He's an older junior, as he'll turn 24 next summer, but he could still get a look if he continues to develop. Read led the Beavers in scoring with 40 points last year, and he'll be counted on for more production this season.

ECAC Hockey League

Zane Kalemba, G, Princeton (Free agent)
Kalemba was awesome last year, posting a miniscule 1.82 goals against and leading the Tigers to a second straight NCAA Tournament. However, it all blew up in his face. Leading Minnesota Duluth 4-2 with under a minute to go, Kalemba was victimized by two goals, including one with 0.8 seconds to play, and then UMD won the game in overtime on a power-play goal. It should be plenty of motivation for Kalemba to prove himself as a legitimate Hobey Baker candidate in his senior year.

Louis Leblanc, F, Harvard (Montreal)
It seemed to be a no-brainer that Leblanc would be the Canadiens' first-round pick, especially considering that the draft was held in Montreal. Now, it's time for Leblanc to help the Harvard program back to prominence. It's a lot of work for a very talented player, and he'll need help. The Crimson won just nine games and were awful offensively last year.

David McIntyre, F, Colgate (New Jersey)
McIntyre led the Red Raiders in scoring last year, and he'll be a captain during his senior year. He has decent size, can skate, is a good scorer, and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty. In other words, he's the kind of college prospect who should work well in the Devils' system.

Riley Nash, F, Cornell (Edmonton)
Nash has the look of a future NHLer. He skates well, has good size, and is very good with the puck. He's the kind of player who can play a lot of minutes, and he will this year with Cornell. The Big Red will use him on their top line, the top power play unit, and they'll even stick Nash on the ice to kill penalties.

Hockey East

Nick Bonino, F, Boston University (Anaheim)
While Hobey finalist Colin Wilson got all the accolades last year, Bonino put together a great season. He picked up 18 goals and 50 points, including the game-tying goal in the final minute of the NCAA final against Miami. Bonino has good size and strength, and now we'll see how he performs with the spotlight. Wilson left for Nashville after last season, and Bonino should take over as BU's go-to guy up front.

Jimmy Hayes, F, Boston College (Toronto)
Hayes was ho-hum as a freshman, contributing eight goals in 39 games while learning the ins and outs of college hockey. The Eagles missed the NCAAs last year, something that doesn't happen often. With leading scorer Brock Bradford gone, guys like Hayes and Cam Atkinson (Columbus) will be expected to shoulder more of the load as sophomores.

Peter LeBlanc, F, New Hampshire (Chicago)
LeBlanc is one of only four seniors on the New Hampshire roster this season, and he is one of the players expected to help ease the early departure of star James van Riemsdyk, who made the Flyers' NHL roster out of training camp. LeBlanc scored 14 goals last year, third on the team, and he'll get plenty of top-line time this year. He's also a team captain.

Gustav Nyquist, F, Maine (Detroit)
Most of the time, a Maine freshman who leads his team in scoring will get some attention. However, times have changed at Maine. The Black Bears nearly missed the Hockey East playoffs last year, and Nyquist (13 goals, 32 points) is flying under the radar heading into this season. Maine should be better, with Nyquist leading the way. Once he's done at Maine, the talented 20-year-old will have a chance to join a long line of Swedes with the Red Wings.

Kevin Shattenkirk, D, Boston University (Colorado)
Like Bonino, Shattenkirk was somewhat overshadowed last year. Senior Matt Gilroy had a huge season, won the Hobey Baker, and signed a lucrative free-agent deal with the New York Rangers. Shattenkirk isn't the biggest defenseman on the team, but he moves the puck extremely well and has a lethal shot. Expect to see a lot of him on the Terriers' power play this season.

Western Collegiate Hockey Association

Zach Budish, F, Minnesota (Nashville)
No one knows how good Budish will be in college. He missed his senior season at Edina (Minn.) High School because of a blown-out knee suffered playing football. He's still going straight into college hockey, and the Predators thought enough of him to pick him in the second round of the draft. Budish is big and strong, but also has a great shot and is crafty with the puck. He's had plenty of time to rehab the knee, and could make a huge impact on a Gopher team that is trying to get back in the NCAA Tournament.

Joe Colborne, F, Denver (Boston)
The big forward is probably not going to be around the college game much longer, as he's very close to being ready for the leap. Colborne came on like a freight train late last season, earning respect from nearly everyone in the WCHA for his acclimation to the college game. There's enough talent and experience on this Denver team that he's not likely to go it alone, which is a good thing.

Cody Goloubef, D, Wisconsin (Columbus)
While Ryan McDonagh (N.Y. Rangers) and Jake Gardiner (Anaheim) are former first-round picks, Goloubef might be the most consistent of the Badger defensemen. He gets some power play time, but also works very hard in his own zone and is an extremely smart player.

Jason Gregoire, F, North Dakota (N.Y. Islanders)
For North Dakota, this is potentially a huge season. They have higher expectations than anyone in the league except Denver, and the Fighting Sioux look to an experienced crop of sophomores to help lead the way. Gregoire had 29 points last year, but looked very strong at times. Freshman Danny Kristo (Montreal) might get more headlines, but Gregoire is in a better position to be a factor this season from the start.

Dylan Olsen, D, Minnesota Duluth (Chicago)
He's a bit of a late bloomer, but Olsen turned heads at the World Under 18 Championships last year, and the Blackhawks snatched him up in the first round in June. Olsen should see plenty of time on UMD's top defensive pairing, and his size and hands are a welcome addition to a defense that struggled to move the puck at times last year.

Jordan Schroeder, F, Minnesota (Vancouver)
Schroeder fell a bit in the draft, and that may be a bit of motivation for him heading into what most believe will be his last year at Minnesota. The playmaking center had a perfect linemate last year in Ryan Stoa, who is now in the Colorado system. It will be interesting to see how he adapts to new linemates and if it has any impact on his production. As usual with undersized players in the WCHA, there is some worry about his durability, but he didn't miss a game last year, and he's got enough muscle and toughness that he can take the hits he'll get from opponents. If they can catch him first.

Patrick Wiercioch, D, Denver (Ottawa)
Yes, Wiercioch is a bit on the lanky side. He could stand to get a bit more muscular. However, that is about the only bad thing you can say about Wiercioch. He's tall, has great hands, and is a force at both ends of the ice. Wiercioch will work on his defensive skills in his sophomore season at Denver, and he'll do it as part of one of the best teams in the country.

Hi, My Name Is ...: Meet This Year's Best originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ray Shero Talks About Building the Penguins, Defending the Cup

Adam Gretz — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Penguins, NHL Draft, NHL Free Agency, NHL Economics, FanHouse Exclusive

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ray Shero was kind enough to spend nearly an hour on the phone with FanHouse's Adam Gretz discussing a variety of topics. This is the third of a three-part series. Wednesday's entry: Ray Shero discusses how the 2009-10 Penguins were built through free agency, trades, the draft, and what he expects from the defending Stanley Cup champions.

NHL FanHouse Season Preview:
Season Predictions | Other Predictions
Hot Seat Coaches | Coaches in Waiting
Ray Shero Discusses Life After the Stanley Cup
The John Tavares Handbook

With their Game 7 win over the Detroit Red Wings on June 12, 2008, the Pittsburgh Penguins ended a 17-year Stanley Cup drought, bringing home the franchise's third championship and starting a weekend-long celebration that took over the Pittsburgh streets and night clubs (actually, as recently as a week ago, it was still taking place in some unusual places).

Such a celebration begs the obvious question: how difficult was it to put the success of the 2008-09 season in the past, and start focusing on a 2009-10 season which would be starting in just a little under four months, with the NHL draft and the start of free agency were already knocking on the door?

"It wasn't too difficult at all," said general manager Ray Shero. "We won on a Friday, we enjoyed the weekend maybe until Monday or Tuesday, but, really, it was right back at it trying to sign our own free agents before July 1, then of course you're also getting ready for the draft. I know from talking to some of the Steelers when they won their Super Bowls, the next day they were back in their office getting ready for the draft. So, it's pretty quick when you have to turn back to business, but it's also a nice problem to have."

The Penguins entered the offseason with a number of potential free agents, including forwards Ruslan Fedotenko, Bill Guerin, and Craig Adams, as well as defensemen Rob Scuderi and Hal Gill. The team not only managed to keep all three forwards, but did so on one-year, cap-friendly deals.

FanHouse Chats With Ray Shero:
Part 1: On His Father, an Icon
Part 2: On the Anatomy of a Trade
Part 3: On Building the Pens, Defending the Cup

The two defensemen, on the other hand, were a different story.

Scuderi, one of the heroes of the Penguins postseason run and an exceptional shot-blocker and penalty-killer, signed a lucrative contract with the up-and-coming Los Angeles Kings, while Gill, a hulking 6-foot-7 stay-at-home-defenseman, inked a two-year deal with the Montreal Canadiens as part of their somewhat drastic offseason overhaul.

Replacing them on the Pittsburgh blueline will be 24-year-old Alex Goligoski, a talented offensive-minded defenseman that is currently one of the organization's top prospects, as well as veteran Jay McKee, who had been bought out by the St. Louis Blues earlier in the offseason. Goligoski played 45 games with the Penguins during the '08-'09 campaign, registering six goals and 14 assists. McKee, entering his 14th season in the NHL, remains a viable top-six defenseman, though one that has been dogged by injuries in recent seasons.

Is it a concern changing a third of the defense with players that have seemingly different skillsets than their predecessors?

"We'll see how it goes," Shero said. "It's difficult, and impossible, to keep everybody with the cap system. Hal (Gill) got a two-year deal in Montreal and Rob (Scuderi) got a four-year deal in Los Angeles, both for a lot of money, and I'm very happy for both of those guys, but that's the system."

"More importantly," he added. "For us, the big thing was we knew internally that Alex Goligoski is ready to play a more prominent role for us. Along with signing Jay McKee as more of a penalty killer and a defensive guy, we like the idea of Alex in our lineup, and (Kris) Letang, and guys like that."

Shero singled out Letang, a former third-round pick from 2005, as a player he expects to have a breakout season after scoring 10 goals to go with 23 assists in 74 games a year ago.

"It's difficult, and impossible, to keep everybody with the cap system. Hal (Gill) got a two-year deal in Montreal and Rob (Scuderi) got a four-year deal in Los Angeles, both for a lot of money, and I'm very happy for both of those guys, but that's the system." "While they are different than Scuderi and Gill, a guy like Goligoski is a really good skater and can move the puck better," Shero said. "He might not be as good defensively as Gill or Scuderi at this point in his career, but he certainly has the upside to get better. So we have two young guys in Goligoski and Letang that have upside to their game, and it's time to give these guys more of a role and an opportunity to move forward."

******

Something the Penguins are hoping to avoid this season are the early season and midseason slumps the team encountered in each of the past two years. In 2007, they started slow out of the gate with an 8-11-2 mark before getting hot in December, while a fast start in 2008 was nearly derailed by a 12-19-2 run between December and February that ultimately cost Michel Therrien his job. The promotion of former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton head coach Dan Bylsma, as well as the in-season additions of Guerin, Chris Kunitz and Adams (and the return of injured defenseman Sergei Gonchar) helped get the season back in the right direction.

Shero believes a full training camp with Bylsma, as well as having Guerin, Kunitz and Gonchar from the start will help the team to avoid those types of slumps.

"We hope so," he said. "A full camp with Dan and some of these veteran players back in and I do believe, at this point, we have a better team on paper than we did last year at this same time, for sure. The majority of these guys have won together."

******

While discussing the makeup of this year's roster, one thing I wanted to focus on was, from my observation, a focus on North American players as opposed to European players. Go back a decade and the Penguins were, essentially, a European All-Star team every season, boasting names like Jaromir Jagr, Alexei Kovalev, Martin Straka, and Robert Lang. The 1999-00 team, for example, didn't have a North American skater among its top-eight point producers. It also wasn't uncommon to hear pundits and critics cite them as being "too European." Whatever that means.

Fast forward to this year, and the only European players on the roster are forwards Evgeni Malkin (Russia) and Ruslan Fedotenko (Ukraine) and defensemen Sergei Gonchar (Russia) and the recently-signed Martin Skoula (Czech Republic).

A look at the Penguins' farm system and their recent draft picks seem to indicate that won't be changing anytime soon. The club's top prospects list at Hockey's Future is nearly devoid of European talent, and in four draft classes under Shero the Penguins have used only three of a possible 24 picks on European players: Viktor Ekbom (seventh round, 2009), Alexander Pechursky (fifth round, 2008), and Timo Seppanen (seventh round, 2006).

Is it an organizational philosophy and preference? Or is it all simply a coincidence?

"I think it's more of a coincidence," Shero said. "For one thing, teams aren't taking as many Russian players now with the lack of a transfer agreement in place, so a lot of teams are shying away from the Russians. From our standpoint, there's been some players we've wanted to take, but they may have been taken right before us so we elected to take a North American and that's just the way it fell for us. There's not an aversion to European players or any specific country. A couple of years ago we took a Russian goaltender in the fifth round, we took a Swedish player this year, so we're not adverse to taking European players at all, that's just the way it fell for us."

This year's draft was dominated early by Swedish prospects, while there's been a noticeable drop in talent from countries that used to be hockey super powers, such the Czech Republic, which was documented in great detail by James Mirtle earlier this summer.

"I think it sometimes just goes in cycles," said Shero. "A number of years ago it was the Swedes that weren't producing the players, or so it seemed. Then they revamped their national program and then in the last eight to 10 years or so, they've produced some pretty decent players. Of course they had (Victor) Hedman drafted second overall this year, and there's some good young players coming into the league, a guy like Oscar Moller comes to mind."

He continued: "Some countries, like Germany for example, are producing decent players for us, but at the same time the German league is so heavily populated with Canadian import players that there hasn't been a lot of room for some of these younger players to play on those teams and develop. So maybe it goes to the national team and their philosophies and so forth. Europe has always been a good pipeline of talent for the NHL and there's going to be some top players coming out again. Like 29 other teams we're going to have our eyes on those players, and from our standpoint, if it's a Swede, or a Russian, or a Czech, or whoever it is that can help the Penguins, we'll certainly pick him."

Ray Shero Talks About Building the Penguins, Defending the Cup originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Future Is Bright: West's Top Prospects

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: NHL Draft, College Hockey, International Hockey, Minor League Hockey, Junior Hockey

Thanks in part to the salary cap, player development is a huge key in today's NHL. With that in mind, FanHouse presents a handy team-by-team guide to the league's top prospects. None of the players listed have played a game in the NHL, and there are also no 2009 draft picks on the list. After the jump, check out the best prospects from the Western Conference.

Central Division

Chicago Blackhawks

Kyle Beach, LW
2008 1st round pick
Age: 19
2008-2009 team: Everett/Lethbridge (WHL)
54 games, 24-39-63

Beach isn't far away from the NHL, though he's likely to spend the season in Lethbridge after a cup of coffee with the Blackhawks during training camp. He has the physical maturity to play in the NHL, but there isn't room for him in the Blackhawks lineup. Since he still has major junior eligibility, he can't go to the AHL. It just seems to be unrealistic for Chicago to keep him on their roster, unless they really think he's ready now.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Ted Ruth, D
2007 2nd round pick (Washington, traded to Blue Jackets February 2008)
Age: 20
2008-2009 team: Notre Dame (CCHA)
36 games, 2-5-7

While he's never been known as a huge offensive contributor, Ruth has worked hard on that side of his game. In his first two years at Notre Dame, he's been used mainly as a stay-at-home guy, and that's clearly still his strength. Ruth has seen a lot of ice time in college, and he should see even more as he emerges as a big-time leader for the Fighting Irish this season.

Detroit Red Wings

Thomas McCollum, G
2008 1st round pick
Age: 19
2008-2009 team: Brampton (OHL)
54 games, 34-16-4, 2.11 GAA, .927 saves

For McCollum, last season was a mixed bag. Off being drafted in the first round in 2008 by Detroit, a strong season in the OHL was marred around the holidays. McCollum had an up-and-down World Junior Championships, playing in goal for Team USA. The tournament ended with McCollum and his teammates giving up 12 goals over two consecutive losses. McCollum is still a year or two away from being NHL-ready, and he's heading for Grand Rapids this season.

Nashville Predators

Colin Wilson, C
2008 1st round pick
Age: 19
2008-2009 team: Boston University (Hockey East)
43 games, 17-38-55

He did it all in college. Wilson was a major star at BU, and helped the Terriers to a national championship last spring. Now that he's in the pros, expect him to land in Nashville. There isn't much left for Wilson to prove. Not only that, but the Predators are so starved for offensive depth that it makes practically no sense to stash him in the AHL for any part of the season.

St. Louis Blues

Ian Cole, D
2007 1st round pick
Age: 20
2008-2009 team: Notre Dame (CCHA)
38 games, 6-20-26

Cole has "captain" written all over him. He's a tough player with offensive upside, and he brings the intensity to every shift. While Alex Pietrangelo -- a fellow first-round defenseman -- continues to struggle with his consistency, Cole may pass him on the prospect board. Another year at Notre Dame should leave Cole prepared for the transition to pro hockey in the fall of 2010.

Northwest Division

Calgary Flames

Greg Nemisz, C
2008 1st round pick
Age: 19
2008-2009 team: Windsor (OHL)
65 games, 36-41-77

Some taller players need to grow into their body. Nemisz is not one of them. He's a thick, skilled power forward who helped the Spitfires win the Memorial Cup, producing seven points in six games. Keep a close eye on Nemisz as he works to improve his skating. The Flames are dreadfully thin at center, and it might not be long before he gets a shot at making the team.

Colorado Avalanche

Ryan Stoa, LW
2005 2nd round pick
Age: 22
2008-2009 team: Minnesota (WCHA)
36 games, 24-22-36

After a knee injury wiped out his 2007-2008 season, Stoa returned and had a huge year for the Gophers. He showed signs of development into a big-time scorer, using great chemistry with freshman Jordan Schroeder to set career highs across the board. Stoa signed with Colorado a week after his junior season ended, but didn't get a chance to play in the pros. That will change this year.

Edmonton Oilers

Jordan Eberle, C
2008 1st round pick
Age: 19
2008-2009 team: Regina (WHL)
61 games, 35-39-74

Eberle is a confident, talented, fast pivot, and it's just a matter of time before he's dazzling the Alberta faithful. He's not the biggest player, but he has great hands, a nose for the net, and he feels he's ready for the NHL this year. Worst case, Eberle has to wait one more year. However, new coach Pat Quinn coached Eberle in the 2008 World Juniors, and it's not like the Oilers are full of centers who are locks to make the team.

Minnesota Wild

Tyler Cuma, D
2008 1st round pick
Age: 19
2008-2009 team: Ottawa (OHL)
21 games, 1-8-9

Odds are that Cuma will be returned to his junior team. That said, players beat the odds all the time, and no one should be betting against Cuma. He is off a serious knee injury, but his game fits new Wild coach Todd Richards. Cuma has quick feet and great passing ability. Richards wants defensemen who can move the puck and get up and down the rink in an up-tempo system.

Vancouver Canucks

Cody Hodgson, C
2008 1st round pick
Age: 19
2008-2009 team: Brampton (OHL)
53 games, 43-49-92

Perhaps the most prolific scorer in Canadian junior hockey last year, Hodgson is flat-out good. He's the kind of player who can be on the ice no matter the situation. His last year in junior hockey was perhaps his best, and now it's time for the Canucks to make a decision. They can try to leave him in the AHL for more seasoning, or they can find enough ice time to justify having him on the NHL roster. The latter is more likely, as Hodgson doesn't really much more to prove outside of the NHL.

Pacific Division

Anaheim Ducks

Jake Gardiner, D
2008 1st round pick
Age: 19
2008-2009 team: Wisconsin (WCHA)
39 games, 3-18-21

Gardiner is a former forward, so it should shock no one that a Wisconsin team struggling to score used him as a forward on the power play. He should be strictly a blue-liner this year, and if he can improve like he did in his freshman year, things are looking good for the future. His offensive instincts are undeniable, but he's adjusted to playing defense well. Another year or two of college are in order, but Gardiner definitely bears watching as the Ducks re-tool their roster with younger defensemen.

Dallas Stars

Jamie Benn, LW
2007 5th round pick
Age: 20
2008-2009 team: Kelowna (WHL)
56 games, 46-36-82

A bit of a late bloomer, Benn should be on a fast track to the NHL. The winger was a big part of Kelowna's Memorial Cup run, and the Stars could use a dynamic young forward on their NHL roster. What's more likely is that Benn will be sent to the AHL and closely watched as a potential in-season callup.

Los Angeles Kings

Thomas Hickey, D
2007 1st round pick
Age: 20
2008-2009 team: Seattle (WHL)
57 games, 16-35-51

You've probably heard this story before. The Los Angeles Kings are stuffed full of tantalizing young prospects, and Hickey is the latest in the line. He has plenty of physical and mental maturity, and he could end up helping the Kings on the power play immediately.

Phoenix Coyotes

Nick Ross, D
2007 1st round pick
Age: 20
2008-2009 team: Vancouver (WHL)
74 games, 11-32-43

There isn't much about Ross' game that stands out. He's more of a defensive defenseman, in that he just does his job and stays out of the spotlight. Don't be fooled by his production in major junior, because Ross won't be a big goal scorer when he hits the NHL in a couple years.

San Jose Sharks

Logan Couture, C
2007 1st round pick
Age: 20
2008-2009 team: Ottawa (OHL)
62 games, 39-48-87

Where Couture is impressive is his commitment level. He's a hard-nosed player who will stick his nose in things defensively, but he also can put the puck in the net, and he's a good passer who can set up teammates. The catch here is that Couture is practically blocked from getting to the NHL this year by a strong Sharks roster. That's fine, because he'll be part of one of the NHL's better farm systems (especially when it comes to goalies).

Future Is Bright: West's Top Prospects originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Future Is Bright: East's Top Prospects

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: NHL Draft, College Hockey, International Hockey, Minor League Hockey, Junior Hockey

Thanks in part to the salary cap, player development is a huge key in today's NHL. With that in mind, FanHouse presents a handy team-by-team guide to the league's top prospects. None of the players listed have played a game in the NHL, and there are also no 2009 draft picks on the list. After the jump, check out the best prospects from the Eastern Conference.

As mentioned above, there are just two rules that will apply to everyone you read about. No players drafted in 2009 are on this list, and we've also eliminated anyone who has played in the NHL -- even if it's just one game. All statistics are from the 2008-2009 season.

Atlantic Division

New Jersey Devils

Mattias Tedenby, LW
2008 1st round pick
Age: 19
2008-2009 team: HV-71 (Sweden)
32 games, 3-1-4

Tedenby lacks size, but has great speed and is a top playmaker. His regular season numbers don't impress, but he tallied six times in 18 playoff games. Tedenby's arrival in Jersey is expected to be put off one more season, and he should get some serious ice time in Sweden this winter.

New York Islanders

Travis Hamonic, D
2008 2nd round pick
Age: 19
2008-2009 team: Moose Jaw (Western Hockey League)
57 games, 13-27-40

The Islanders clearly like Hamonic's game and his character. He's the kind of player who can become a difference-maker on the blue line. He is projected as more of a stay-at-home player, but 13 goals in 57 games is nothing to sneeze at. Like fellow defenseman and 2008 second-rounder Aaron Ness (University of Minnesota), Hamonic is still a couple years away from the NHL.

New York Rangers

Ryan McDonagh, D
2008 1st round pick (Montreal, traded to Rangers June 2009)
Age: 20
2008-2009 team: Wisconsin (WCHA)
36 games, 5-11-16

McDonagh was caught in a glut of top defensemen at Wisconsin a year ago. Despite that, he emerged as one of the top players on a team that recovered from an 0-6-1 start to narrowly miss the NCAA Tournament. Now that Jamie McBain (Carolina) has moved on, expect McDonagh to get a lot of power play time this season.

Philadelphia Flyers

James van Riemsdyk, LW
2007 1st round pick
Age: 20
2008-2009 team: New Hampshire (Hockey East)
36 games, 17-23-40

The Flyers used a high pick (second overall) on van Riemsdyk, a big power forward from New Jersey. This is the year that Philadelphia expects to see some return on their investment. van Riemsdyk will spend a good chunk of this season in the AHL, but depending on how he adjusts to pro hockey, could be brought up if someone gets hurt. van Riemsdyk got two years of college hockey in, so he should be physically ready for the jump.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Eric Tangradi, LW
2007 2nd round pick (Anaheim, traded to Penguins February 2009)
Age: 20
2008-2009 team: Belleville (Ontario Hockey League)
55 games, 38-50-88

At some point, at least one Philadelphia guy will be quite popular in Pittsburgh. Tangradi, a native of Philly, had three big years in the OHL, producing over a point per game in 52 career playoff games. There's a nice story with Tangradi, too, as he's still recovering from severing a tendon in his left hand during an OHL playoff game last spring. The comeback is going well, and Tangradi is likely headed to the AHL for more seasoning.

Northeast Division

Boston Bruins

Joe Colborne, C
2008 1st round pick
Age: 19
2008-2009 team: Denver (WCHA)
40 games, 10-21-31

Give Denver coach George Gwozdecky credit. He brought Colborne along slowly, and the player people saw in March was different than the one that started his college career in October. The six-foot-six forward still has to grow horizontally and fill out a bit, but he'll play a key role this year on a Denver team expected to be No. 1 in most preseason polls.

Buffalo Sabres

Tyler Myers, D
2008 1st round pick
Age: 19
2008-2009 team: Kelowna (WHL)
58 games, 9-33-42

With one year of WHL eligibility available, Myers is under a lot of pressure in Sabres camp. He will be given every opportunity to make the roster, but the team won't hesitate to send him packing for Kelowna again if they don't think he's ready. They have up to ten regular-season games to make that call. Myers is a big skater who can pass and shoot. He has the size and skill set to be a major player in the NHL.

Montreal Canadiens

P.K. Subban, D
2007 2nd round pick
Age: 20
2008-2009 team: Belleville (OHL)
56 games, 14-62-76

While Subban won't wow anyone with his physical play, he's more than adequate as a defender, and his passing is superb. Despite having an impressive offseason, Subban is not likely to make the big club this season. He's eligible to play in the AHL, though, and is a good candidate to head to Hamilton.

Ottawa Senators

Patrick Wiercioch, D
2008 3rd-round pick
Age: 19
2008-2009 team: Denver (WCHA)
36 games, 12-23-35

By the end of the season, Wiercioch was running the Pioneers' power play, and running it well. Expect to see more of that in his sophomore season at Denver. He is still a tad thin for a defenseman, but he has long arms, great hands, and is coming into his own as a defensive player. He could make a big impact on Ottawa's blue line by 2010.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Tyler Bozak, C
Free agent, signed April 2009
Age: 23
2008-2009 team: Denver (WCHA)
19 games, 8-15-23

A knee injury basically ruined Bozak's sophomore season at Denver, but scouts had already seen enough by the time he went down. A cameo appearance in the NCAA Tournament was made at less than full health, but Bozak will be good to go this season. Given Toronto's absence of high-level prospects, expectations are high for a kid most hadn't even heard of before last fall.

Southeast Division

Atlanta Thrashers

Angelo Esposito, C
2007 1st round pick (Pittsburgh, traded to Thrashers February 2008)
Age: 20
2008-2009 team: Montreal (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League)
35 games, 24-18-42

Given that Esposito is coming off a major knee injury, it makes sense for him to start the season in the AHL. However, if he's recovered, he won't stay there long. Given the lack of quality forward depth at the NHL level, the Thrashers probably can't afford to keep Esposito stashed away in the minors for very long. The former first-rounder had a huge World Junior tournament playing for Team Canada.

Carolina Hurricanes

Jamie McBain, D
2006 3rd round pick
Age: 21
2008-2009 team: Wisconsin (WCHA)
40 games, 7-30-37

McBain was ready to leave college, but is he ready for the NHL? The puck-moving defenseman had his best season as a junior for Wisconsin, but the Badgers just missed the national tournament as their forwards struggled to score consistently. McBain has grown into his body, improved his skating, and should be a nice player for the Hurricanes' AHL team, with a possible jump to the NHL by the end of this season or 2010-2011 at the latest.

Florida Panthers

Colby Robak, D
2008 2nd round pick
Age: 19
2008-2009 team: Brandon (WHL)
65 games, 13-29-42

The Panthers are a bit lean on defense thanks to the loss of Jay Bouwmeester, but there is plenty of help on the way. Robak may not make an impact on the NHL roster until 2010, but he bears watching as he develops in the WHL this winter. He's got a thin body, but is tall and can really skate well. He's a classic two-way defenseman who will get time both on power play and penalty kill.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Dustin Tokarski, G
2008 5th round pick
Age: 20
2008-2009 team: Spokane (WHL)
54 games, 34-18-2, 1.97 GAA, .937 saves

The 2008 Memorial Cup MVP helped Canada to the 2008 World Junior Championships gold medal, and now he's looking like he is ready to jump to pro hockey. Tokarski has dominated the WHL, has good fundmentals, and is about to join an organization in dire need of a "goalie of the future."

Washington Capitals

John Carlson, D
2008 1st round pick
Age: 19
2008-2009 team: London (OHL)
59 games, 16-60-76

Carlson is a powerful skater who projects as a do-everything type in the NHL. He's capable of playing rough and tough, can move the puck, and has a strong shot. The Capitals may not have room for Carlson on the NHL roster when training camp breaks, but it's unlikely he'll stay away much longer. He's dominated major junior, and needs a bigger challenge for his game.

Future Is Bright: East's Top Prospects originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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John Tavares Meets Long Island

Kevin Schultz — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Islanders, NHL Draft, NHL Fans

LONG ISLAND, N.Y. -- On Wednesday, the New York Islanders formally introduced their first overall pick, John Tavares, to fans and the media. A few hundred fans packed in to get their first glimpse at their young star at a lunchtime press conference on the floor of the Nassau Coliseum.

About 20 rows of fans were seated between the stage and television cameras, and they gave a standing ovation when he was introduced. So much so that if you catch the highlights on TV tonight it might look more like a political rally than a press conference.

So, on a Wednesday in July, the Islanders officially started the John Tavares Era. There was more excitement in the Coliseum than there was on most game nights last season.

Aside from draft parties, this mid-summer press conference was a rare occurrence. But it was the second step in the marketing and selling of Tavares to Long Island. The first step came 12 days ago, when the team selected the center first overall.

On Wednesday, season ticket holders who became such on impulse at the draft party due to excitement over the pick got a chance to meet Tavares and get autographs. There were also ticket reps and a merchandise stands selling Tavares stuff.

A year ago, the Tampa Bay Lightning declared their pick of Steven Stamkos right after they won the draft lottery and the right to the 2008 first overall selection, giving them an extra couple of months to get their "Seen Stamkos?" ad campaign going around the Tampa area. GM Garth Snow gave the Islanders sales team no such advantage this year, but you can bet they'll be hard at work from now until the season starts in October. In fact, Tavares will likely make the rounds on the Island soon, meeting and greeting fans before ever skating on Coliseum ice. The next event for fans to see Tavares is this Sunday, when the team will open one day of rookie camp at its practice facility to the public.

And it seems the Islanders have themselves a very well-mannered and family-friendly young star to sell to New York families -- one of their target demographics over the past few years.

"I couldn't be more excited, thrilled and humbled than to be with the New York Islanders and this community," Tavares said to the crowd.

That's a good thing too, because he's currently Long Island's biggest rock star, and is going to be face-to-face with most of that community during his currently unnamed summer tour (how about Tavares Fest '09?).

John Tavares Meets Long Island originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:29:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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College Talent Taken in NHL Entry Draft

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: NHL Draft, College Hockey

College hockey continues to send more and more quality players to the NHL. This growing trend was underscored this week, when two former NCAA stars made up half the group of players named to the Hockey Hall of Fame's Class of 2009.

During the NHL Entry Draft this weekend, fans of the college game had to wait around a little while for their first selection. It wasn't until the 16th pick that incoming Minnesota freshman Nick Leddy was chosen by the Minnesota Wild. From there, things got a bit more active for college hockey fans.

Leddy was one of seven active or future college players picked in the first round. He was joined by four forwards, Minnesota sophomore-to-be Jordan Schroeder (22nd to Vancouver), Notre Dame recruit Kyle Palmieri (26th to Anaheim), Boston College's Chris Kreider (17th to the Rangers), and incoming Harvard freshman Louis Leblanc (18th to Montreal), and two defensemen, Colorado College recruit John Moore (21st to Columbus) and Minnesota-Duluth signee Dylan Olsen (28th to Chicago).

Schroeder was the only one of this group to play in college last season, and he had an impressive season at Minnesota, racking up 13 goals and 45 points for a team that narrowly missed the NCAA Tournament. He also performed well for Team USA at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championships.

All seven players are expected to play college hockey this coming season, even though mentions were made during TSN's coverage of a few of them defecting to major junior, most notably Moore and Olsen. Olsen says he plans on attending UMD this fall, and told the Duluth News Tribune he has the blessing of the Chicago Blackhawks.

As the draft moved into Saturday, a ton of players with ties to U.S. colleges came off the board. Among the notable names were Boston University goalie Kieran Millan, who went in the fifth round to Colorado after helping BU win the national championship in April. Highly-touted Denver recruits William Wrenn and Drew Shore went in the second round to San Jose and Florida, respectively.

Among the players drafted by Pittsburgh was Ben Hanowski. The third-round pick played high-school hockey at Little Falls, Minn., and became the state's all-time leading scorer this past season. Hanowski is signed to play college hockey at St. Cloud (Minn.) State.

Nine member of the United States' National Team Development Program -- based in Ann Arbor, Mich. -- were picked on Saturday. Of the nine, six of them went in the second round. It's another step forward for the NTDP program, which aims to develop players at a higher level than what can be found in a "normal" high school setting.

While it was surprising to see guys like Moore and Schroeder last as deep into the first round as they did, it was generally a good draft weekend for college hockey. Not only that, but there are plenty of undrafted talents who will have a chance to prove themselves in college and potentially move on to professional careers.

College Talent Taken in NHL Entry Draft originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are the Islanders Relevant Again?

Adam Gretz — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:30:00 EST

Filed under: Islanders, NHL Draft, NHL Fans

John Tavares has yet to step on the ice for the New York Islanders, but he's already making an impact for the once-proud franchise that has been aimlessly stumbling along a path of mediocrity for the past decade-and-a-half. This is, after all, a franchise that hasn't won a playoff series since David Volek beat Tom Barrasso in double-overtime way back in 1993.

Can Tavares, an 18-year-old phenom, change all of that? Well, he certainly can't hurt. Heading into Friday's NHL Entry Draft, there were rumors that the Islanders might be leaning toward either Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman or Brampton center Matt Duchene with the top pick. In the end, the team selected Tavares, and already Islanders fans are roaring their approval in the form of cold hard cash.

Following the selection of Tavares on Friday, Newsday spoke to Islanders president Chris Dey as he proclaimed to the hockey world that the Islanders are, in fact, relevant once again, saying: "That was an opportunity for us to make a statement to the hockey world ... We are relevant, we matter."

There was also this interesting nugget of information, again, from Newsday:

That relevancy was reflected in ticket and merchandise sales. According to Dey, more than $79,000 in ticket plans (not including renewals) were sold in the first hour after the pick, along with $15,000 worth of Tavares merchandise.

Perhaps the sudden increase in ticket sales had something to do with the announcement that if fans bought season tickets that night, they would have an opportunity to meet Tavares this week.

The Islanders hosted a draft party on Friday that drew an estimated 10,000 fans (they averaged just under 14,000 fans per game during the regular season). When the selection of Tavares was announced, the scene looked something like this:

That's just awesome. But, the original question remains: are the Islanders relevant again? Not quite, but they could be getting there, and, if nothing else, they appear to be on the right track.

It would be incredibly unfair to Tavares to expect him to walk into New York and instantly turn the Islanders around. Last year's No. 1 pick, Steven Stamkos, for example, was the consensus top pick in the draft, and he was joining a team that was four years removed from winning the Stanley Cup, and still featured players such as Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis. Stamkos not only struggled early on, but the team was a disaster on (and off) the ice. I'm not suggesting that Tavares and the Islanders will be a repeat of last year's Tampa Bay squad (because, well, nobody can repeat that mess), just pointing out that it takes time to correct years of bad moves and re-stock what has been a depleted roster.

That said, with Tavares, and other youngsters like Kyle Okposo and Josh Bailey, and veterans Mark Streit and Rick Dipietro, there at least appears to be some hope for the future if you're an Islanders fan.

Are the Islanders Relevant Again? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Look at Day 2 of the NHL Draft

Adam Gretz — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:49:00 EST

Filed under: NHL Draft, NHL Fans

The Montreal Canadiens, host team for this year's NHL draft, made the final pick on Saturday afternoon, selecting Finnish goalie Petteri Simila 211th overall, bringing the first part of the offseason to a close. The second day may not have the appeal or star-power of the first round, but there's always the possibility of finding the next Henrik Zetterberg, Henrik Lundqvist or Luc Robitaille at the bottom of the pile.

While Chris Pronger and Jay Bouwmeester have new homes, Dany Heatley, Vincent Lecavalier, Tomas Kaberle and Ryane Clowe are in the same cities they were during the season (for now). After the jump, a recap of the trades that did happen, as well as some of the noteworthy picks in rounds two through seven.

Movers and Shakers

Jay Bouwmeester getting sent to Calgary may have been the biggest deal of the day, but it certainly wasn't the only move announced on Saturday.

Edmonton trades Kyle Brodziak and a pick to Minnesota for two draft picks: First-year general manager Chuck Fletcher picks up a big, gritty forward to fill out his third or fourth line. Over the past two years the 6-foot-2 Brodziak has scored 25 goals to go with 33 assists for the Oilers.

Washington trades Sami Lepisto to Phoenix for a fifth-round pick: Nice trade for the Coyotes, as Lepisto brings plenty of potential offense from the blue line. A former third-round pick of the Capitals in 2004, the 24-year-old is coming off back-to-back 40-point campaigns with Hersey of the American Hockey League, while he's seen limited action in the NHL the past two seasons, recording five assists in 14 career games. He's not a complete player by any means, but for a fifth-round pick it's certainly worth the gamble for Phoenix.

Los Angeles trades Brian Boyle to New York Rangers for a 2010 third-round pick: A former first-round pick in 2003, Boyle never really amounted to much in Los Angeles and now he gets an opportunity for a fresh start with the Rangers. He's big (6-foot-7, 244 pounds) and a restricted free agent. In 36 career games he has 10 points (8 goals, 2 assists).

Phoenix trades Brandon Prust to Calgary for Jim Vandermeer: Prust originally played for Calgary, but was sent to Phoenix at this year's trade deadline in the Olli Jokinen deal. This clears over $2 million in cap space for the Flames, which is a pretty big deal considering the contract Bouwmeester is likely to receive in the coming days.

Pittsburgh trades Chad Johnson to New York Rangers for a fifth-round pick: Pittsburgh gets back the fifth-round pick it originally traded to Toronto at last year's deadline for Hal Gill. Johnson, a fifth-round pick himself back in 2006, has spent the past four seasons playing at Alaska-Fairbanks and was the CCHA goalie of the year in 2008-09.

Keeping It in the Family

... Pittsburgh selected the sons (and grandson) of three former NHLers. In the second round, the Penguins picked Philp Samuelsson, son of former defenseman Ulf Samuelsson. Somewhere, Cam Neely and Mike Milbury are having bad flashbacks thanks to the thought of another Samuelsson playing for the Penguins. In the fourth round, the Penguins selected Alex Velischeck, son of former Minnesota North Star Randy Velischeck, and later, using the pick acquired from the Rangers for Chad Johnson, they selected Andy Bathgate, grandson of NHL Hall of Famer, and former Penguin, Andy Bathgate. Bathgate (the original) led the Penguins in scoring during their inaugural season in 1967, and also scored the first goal in franchise history.

... With the 80th overall pick, the New York Rangers selected Ryan Bourque, son of former Boston Bruins great Ray Bourque.

... Brayden Schenn, brother of Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Luke Schenn, went fifth overall to the Los Angeles Kings.

... The Detroit Red Wings made their first pick in the second round (No. 32 overall) and selected Landon Ferraro, son of 18-year NHL veteran Ray Ferraro.

Random YouTube Highlight:

Landon Ferraro, goal-scoring machine ...

Odds and Ends

... After no goalies went in the first round, the New York Islanders opened Day 2 by selecting Mikko Koskinen from Blues of the FNL. In 33 games this season, the 6-foot-5 netminder posted a 17-9-7 record to go along with a .932 save percentage. The Islanders followed up that pick with another goalie in the third round, taking Anders Nilsson from Sweden. Taking multiple goalies isn't all that unusual. But, two of your first four picks when your current starting goalie in the NHL, Rick Dipietro, is signed until 2020? That certainly gets your attention.

... ESPN's Pierre Lebrun reports that several teams have contacted the Detroit Red Wings about trading for the rights to Marian Hossa.

... Here's some good news for Petteri Simila, final pick of this year's draft: Since 1980, eight players selected last have played in the NHL: Andy Brickley, Igor Vyazmikin, Sergei Pryakhin, Hans Jonnnson, Kim Jonnson, Jay Henderson, Jonathan Ericsson, and Patrik Hornqvist.

A Look at Day 2 of the NHL Draft originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Swedish Prospects Dominate NHL Draft's First Round

Adam Gretz — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:10:00 EST

Filed under: NHL Draft, NHL Fans, NHL Media Watch

The first round of the NHL Draft saw the league's general managers clean out the Swedish cupboard, as seven players from Sweden were selected on Friday night. Massive defenseman Victor Hedman led the way, going to the Tampa Bay Lightning with the No. 2 pick, while Leksand's Oliver Ekman-Larsson went to Phoenix at No. 6.

Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson, projected by many as a top-six pick going in, slipped down to Edmonton with the tenth overall pick, while David Rundbald, Jacob Josefson, Tim Erixon and Marcus Johannson rounded out the Swedish invasion.

After the jump, more thoughts and observations on what happened (and what didn't happen) during the opening round.

More: No Surprises Among Top Three Picks

All quiet on the trade front

Aside from the Chris Pronger blockbuster that came out of left field, nothing interesting happened in terms of the big-name players that were supposedly on the block. Dany Heatley, Vincent Lecavalier, Tomas Kaberle, Jay Bouwmeester, and even San Jose's Ryane Clowe, are all still with their current clubs. That's not to say there weren't rumors flying around for most of the day. One of the big ones that TSN reported earlier on Friday was that Boston had offered Phil Kessel to Toronto for Kaberle and the No. 7 pick. As good as Kessel is (and as good as he can be in the future) that doesn't seem like enough for a top-pairing defenseman and a top-10 pick in what's supposed to be a strong draft. Not surprising that nothing came of it.

For the second day in a row word surfaced that a Bouwmeester trade could be imminent, and for the second day in a row nothing happened. At this point, the Panthers should be ecstatic with a second-round pick for the rights to negotiate with Bouwmeester.

Personally, I was hoping that a Lecavalier-to-Montreal trade would have been announced at some point, just to see what would have been a magnificent reaction in the Bell Centre. Honestly, the fans might have rioted in celebration like it was 1993 all over again.

We need more Brian Burke

TSN decided to put a microphone on Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke, and, quite honestly, they couldn't have made a better choice. Always great for a quote, Burke offered some candid, and sometimes hilarious, insight every time the camera went to him. Some of my favorites:

-- Early in the draft, Burke was spotted having a conversation with Montreal Canadiens general manager, Bob Gainey, and he helped create a rumor in the process: "The rumor is (Vincent) Lecavalier is going to either you or the Islanders."

The Islanders? Needless to say, word spread quickly.

-- Prior to Toronto's pick at No. 7, Burke had an exchange with Ottawa general manager Bryan Murray that consisted of Burke asking him if Nazem Kadri was the guy the Senators liked. When Murray responded that yes, in fact, he was, Burke said "Well, we're taking him."

-- On not moving up in the first round (paraphrasing): We could have moved up. We could have moved up to No. 2, but we would have had to give up (Luke) Schenn, we still wouldn't have had Tavares, and we would have ended up looking like idiots.

TSN needs a draft tracker

Something missing from TSN's draft coverage, and something that every other network has for its coverage of over other sport: a scrolling draft tracker across the bottom of the screen. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just something simple that keeps viewers updated on the players that have already been taken. Not everybody tunes in for the first pick and memorizes every selection as they happen.

Random YouTube highlight of one of the first round picks

No. 10 pick Magnus Paarvji-Svensson makes a ridiculous pass from behind the net.

Other odds and ends

... Pierre McGuire interrupts analysts and talks over people during the draft just like he does during games.

... Louis Leblanc, selected 18th overall by Montreal, received quite a loud, and lengthy, standing ovation from the hometown fans. No pressure on the young man, of course.

... Detroit traded out of the first round for the fifth time since 2000. The Red Wings' first pick will now be the No. 32 overall selection, and my money is on Swedish prospect Carl Klingberg.

... Pittsburgh closed out the night by selecting Saint John defenseman Simon Despres.

... Update on the ESPN John Tavares poll: America is catching on.

Swedish Prospects Dominate NHL Draft's First Round originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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John Tavares, Victor Hedman, Matt Duchene Top Three in NHL Entry Draft

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:50:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Islanders, Lightning, NHL Draft

For many months, the first three picks of the NHL Entry Draft were expected to go this way. The only question was the order.

Center John Tavares and defenseman Victor Hedman were the top two players in this draft, no matter how you try to rate players. OHL star Matt Duchene joined them as the consensus third pick in the months before the draft. Right off the start Friday night, things played out as expected, as the New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Colorado Avalanche stayed put and made the first three selections.

Tavares and Hedman were the top two going back to before the World Junior Championships, which started the day after Christmas. That Tavares ended up with the downtrodden Islanders, and Hedman with the defensively-challenged Lightning, could not be considered a surprise.

Both should play in the NHL this fall, and there's no question Tavares becomes the face of this Islander franchise. A draft night crowd at Nassau Veterans' Memorial Coliseum went crazy when the pick was announced. It wouldn't even be a joke to say it was as loud as they've cheered in years, and it's clear Islander fans don't think he's a soccer player.

Hedman is a 6-foot-5 defenseman who should be a main anchor on the Tampa Bay blue line within a couple of years.

For Duchene, what happened next had to be considered a dream come true. Every young hockey player dreams of the chance to be drafted. Duchene's dream went one step further, because not only did he get drafted, but it was his favorite team growing up that made the pick.

Duchene grew up a huge Colorado Avalanche fan. During an interview with Duchene after the pick, TSN showed a photo of a much younger Duchene sitting in his bedroom, surrounded by Avalanche memorabilia. The Ontario native is a bit small, and might not be ready to play in the NHL this season as he continues to develop his game.

The first three picks went as expected, and there is some serious impact potential among these three players. In fact, it could be argued that they've already made an impact by giving their fans hope, if only for one night.

John Tavares, Victor Hedman, Matt Duchene Top Three in NHL Entry Draft originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN Poll: Americans Think John Tavares Is a Soccer Player

Adam Gretz — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:25:00 EST

Filed under: NHL Draft, NHL Fans

Here's a bucket of cold water right to the face. ESPN has a poll up right now asking the question: Who is John Tavares? The choices: Emergency starter for the Mets, U.S. Soccer midfielder, Ricky Rubio's agent, or NHL draft prospect.

The answer, of course, is NHL draft prospect (and he's likely to go No. 1 to the New York Islanders in about four hours). Unfortunately, based on the 6,062 responses as of 3:15 PM ET, only 22 percent of ESPN's readers know that, while an incredible 38 percent(!) are living under the assumption that he is a midfielder for the U.S. Soccer team. The only individual state that knows Tavares' true identity is, of all places, Rhode Island. My goodness is that embarrassing.

Frankly, I don't know if that says more about the popularity of hockey in the U.S., or Soccer.

Of course, ESPN's readers/viewers might have a better understanding of what sport Tavares plays, and the high level he's capable of playing it at, if the self proclaimed world wide leader in sports actually spent some time covering the NHL (and the draft) as opposed to what Kevin Love is twittering (or tweeting?) about his team's draft picks, or the most recent time Brett Favre changed his mind about something.

Just a thought.

ESPN Poll: Americans Think John Tavares Is a Soccer Player originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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