The Hot List from the Hockey News

The Hockey News publishes a weekly list of top prospects. This week's entry can be found here.

1. Louis Leblanc, C – Lac St. Louis Lions (QMAAA): Leblanc is a sought-after commodity these days. The only non-major junior player invited to Canada’s Under-18 camp for the Ivan Hlinka tourney, Leblanc has also chosen Harvard over Val d’Or for the final step in his amateur career. In the meantime, the USHL and Omaha could be the next destination for the high-scoring pivot. Leblanc was the Quebec Midget AAA leading scorer and MVP this season, while passing Daniel Briere’s mark with 85 goals over two years. Draft eligible in 2009.

2. Patrick Wiercioch, D – Denver Pioneers (WCHA): Yup, Wiercioch is no longer headed to the Wisconsin Badgers. With a backlog of bodacious blueliners in Madison and David Carle’s situation in Denver, the Pios managed to pluck the highly touted defenseman from their conference rival.

Wiercioch, a second-round selection of the Senators in June, comes from the sturdy Omaha Lancers of the USHL, where, despite injuries, he was pleased with his environment.

“I was surrounded by one of the best teams in junior hockey,” he said. “We had 19 Division I scholarship players on the roster.”

The B.C. native was also happy to be selected by a Canadian franchise, especially one he sees himself playing for in the future.

“I think Ottawa is a good fit,” he said. “I’m an offensive defenseman, much like the first pick (Erik Karlsson).”

While Wiercioch had planned to spend the next few years in Wisconsin, the timeline likely doesn’t change for Denver, where he expects to grow his game at the proper pace and go pro when the time is right.

“Making the NHL is the No. 1 goal,” he noted. “If I feel I’m ready to make the jump, then I’ll be confident in that decision.”

In the meantime, Wiercioch brings a good deal of buzz and even more playmaking ability to the Mile High City. Drafted 42nd overall by Ottawa in 2008.

3. Stepan Novotny, RW – Kelowna Rockets (WHL): The fact Denver landed Wiercioch took the sting out of losing Novotny to the Dub. The Czech national started off his North American career as a star with prep school Shattuck-St. Mary’s before hopping over to the USHL to play tougher competition with the Indiana Ice. Those enemies will get meaner and nastier in the Western League, so Novotny will have a chance to really show what he’s made of. Draft eligible in 2009.

4. Steven Anthony, C – Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL): The prized rookie didn’t blow the hinges off the door as a 16-year-old, but the Sea Dogs were a deep squad and he was only 16. With some attrition in the Saint John ranks, look for Anthony to get back to the offensively dominant player he was with Sidney Crosby’s old squad, the Dartmouth Subways. Draft eligible in 2009.

5. Jared Cowan, D – Spokane Chiefs (WHL): The upcoming season was supposed to be the Memorial Cup run for the Chiefs, but wouldn’t you know it, those darned kids caught fire too soon. The run for a repeat is now on and Cowan, all 6-foot-5 and 207 pounds of him, will be there for the defense. Draft eligible in 2009.

6. Patrik Berglund, C – Vasteras IK (Swe): The early buzz coming out of St. Louis is that the 6-foot-4 Berglund is coming to town and he plans on staying a while. With 45 points in 36 games this year, the young Swede brings a scoring dimension the Blues could use. Drafted 25th overall by St. Louis in 2006.

7. Josef Pontasch, LW – Detroit Belle Tire (MAHA): USA Hockey’s Select 17 festival wrapped up on the weekend and the leading scorer was Pontasch, who tied Beau Bennett of the L.A. Jr. Kings with 11 points, but scored five goals to Bennett’s four. Nonetheless, they’re two names to watch out for. Draft eligible in 2009.

8. Michael Frolik, C – Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL): With a sagging offense and a pivot spot available, look for Frolik to make a serious challenge for a roster spot in Florida this fall. The Czech center was dynamite alongside Jakub Voracek at the world juniors, but missed significant time with injury as well. Drafted 10th overall by Florida in 2006.

9. Riku Helenius, G – Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL): At 6-foot-3, 203 pounds, Helenius covers a lot of net, which he’ll do once again for Seattle next season. The Finn’s first North American campaign was a success, if not one overshadowed by fellow Dub net stars Chet Pickard and Dustin Tokarski. Drafted 15th overall by Tampa Bay in 2006.

10. Brian Salcido, D – Portland Pirates (AHL): Technically, Salcido isn’t a Pirate anymore; when the season begins, he’ll either be with the new AHL affiliate Iowa Chops or the Anaheim Ducks. It goes without saying the offensively savvy defenseman would prefer to be a Duck. Drafted 141st overall by Anaheim in 2005.

CHL Import Draftees

The Hockey News examines the top incoming Import Draftees headed to the CHL.

The article can be found here.

Simon Olsson, C – Chicago Steel (USHL): At 5-foot-8, 170 pounds, there isn’t a lot more to Olsson other than his blinding offensive skills. The transplanted Swede was nearly a point-a-game player for the Steel this year, with 56 in 57 games. The P.E.I. Rockets will have to pry him away from the WCHA's Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks, however, as Olsson committed to the NCAA school back in March. Draft eligible in 2009.

Having seen Olsson play, I can safely say he should impress in PEI. A very talented, shifty player who can put up points in bunches.

Prospect Pulse

Note: My recent prospect features have been very heavy on Euro and American content. I feel that most Canadians get a pretty steady diet of information on the top Canadian juniors and prospects from our sports media. With that in mind, I am trying to go off the path a little to highlight some exceptional talents from around the world.

Both of these young Slovaks are named Juraj Mikus. (The left one is the older, former Canadiens prospect) They are about a year about in age and are/were prospects in the NHL. I had heard some buzz about Juraj Mikus the forward playing on a line with Ziggy Pallfy in the Slovakian league and thought he might be a good feature for Prospect Pulse. About 20 minutes into researching this post, I realized there was double the fun. Here goes:

Juraj Mikus the Elder, originally taken in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens (4th Round, 121st overall), came over to play in North America last year and ended up with decent point totals despite a slow start. Despite the more than point a game clip, the Canadiens declined to sign him, citing too many forward prospects in their system. The right shooting forward had a strong draft year campaign, leading the Slovak team in scoring at the World Junior Championships. He is playing this year with Skalica of the Slovak Extraleague.

Taken in nearly the same spot (5th Round, 134th overall) by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Mikus the Younger is a talented offensive rearguard who put up very good numbers in the Slovak junior league. The 6'4, 185 defender posted a solid +32 rating, but needs to fill out his frame in order to advance to the next level. Expected to stay in Slovakia to develop, internet scouting reports on him are sketchy and/or unreliable because of the other Mikus. Even Hockey's Future has the wrong picture and stats up for him. He is expected to play this year with Dukla Trencin in the Slovak Junior League.

News You Can Use in the Late Morning:

-Lightning forward Tim Taylor likely finished after hip surgery.

-Colby Cosh with a post linking pre-season success to regular season wins. (Hat tip, Mirtle)

-Pens and Sabres to play an outdoor game.

-The Leafs' Paul Maurice predicts the playoffs for the Leafs. They were pretty close last year, and with the steps backward taken by the Islanders, its certainly possible.

-Interesting notes on off-season training.

-Profile on Oilers prospect Chris Van de Velde. The Oilers hope he builds upon last years' strong second half.

-Sens' prospect Jim O'Brien has not changed his mind about the pro game.

-Cujo waiting for the phone to ring.

-Mike Comrie plays grab-ass with Hilary Duff. Maybe she is after the Brick fortune? Little Mikey should watch out, at only 19, she has been passed around by more than her share of emo rockers.

-Panthers ink Noah Welch.

-5 Rookies to watch at Leaf's camp.

-Killer named one of the assistant coaches for the Spengler Cup. Maybe there are some 14 year old babysitters in Switzerland.

-5 Players on the bubble at Leafs' camp.

-Arnott named Predators captain.

-An update on the Wickenheiser playing with men story.

-The Kings' Derek Armstrong is willing to play any role on the revamped roster.

-The Ducks' Bobby Ryan ready for a fresh start.

-Hints and tips on how to select a hockey stick. (Hat tip, Kukla)

-Hawks open camp today.

-Ducks-Kings Game Day Preview.

-A heated battle to back up Kipper.

-A couple of brief profiles of Caps' prospects.]

-Wes Goldstein with a preview of the Central and Northeast divisions.

-Lightning players look for ways to escape Camp Torturella.

-Lightning training camp lines.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Kyle Kosior

Prospect Pulse Part Deux

San Jose GM Doug Wilson went into the 2007 NHL Entry Draft with no first round picks, and managed to swing a couple of days so that he walked away with Logan Couture and Nick Petrecki as first rounders. McKeen's notes that the 6-3, 215 pound Petrecki went into the 2006-2007 season pegged as a potential top 5 pick, only to nearly slip out of the 1st Round with his erratic play for Omaha of the USHL.

A first round pick in the OHL draft, Petrecki opted for the USHL so he could play with the Boston College Eagles. Some scouts dismissed his choice and suggested that it cost him a top 5 selection in the draft, but the feeling is that Petrecki will still be an NHL calibre defenseman based on his agility, meanness and shot.

Possessing some offensive upside, Petrecki strives to be a solid 2-way performer. He plays a solid physical game and aims to hurt people with his checks. One of the knocks on his game is that he fails to notice players out of his field of vision in the defensive zone, and is extremely error prone when off his game. McKeen's Forecaster was especially wary of these shortcomings, while most other scouting services and reports keyed in on his positive attributes, namely his size, mobility (especially skating) and physical game. Petrecki is also said to possess a booming shot, having won the Hardest Shot competition at the USHL All-Star Game.

An in-depth Q and A can be found here.

Some Apres-Supper News:

-Brian Lawton has left his sports agency firm to pursue full time work in the NHL.

-World Junior and Calder Cup phenom Carey Price looks to crack the Habs lineup this fall. I saw him the AHL playoffs and he was nearly unbeatable.

-Bruins and Islander swap prospects.

-Ducks officially suspend Niedermayer. Zzzzzzz, wake me up when this is over.

-Ovechkin "not surprised" at the outcome of the not so Superseries. Ouch, the comrades aren't going to like this.

-Ted Leonis predicts the playoffs for the Caps.

-The Canucks Aaron Miller to have abdominal surgery.

-The Sabres change their game-plan.

-Oilers to unveil new jerseys at the Joey Moss Cup.

-An interesting interview with the Kings prospect Jack Johnson.

-Some news from the Caps' camp.

-Who's still looking for work.

-A Q and A with the Hansons. Fuckin' machine took my quarter.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Kyle Kosior

Prospect Pulse:

Vitali Karamnov, the 18-year old son of former St. Louis Blue (and current Dynamo Moscow coach) Vitali Karamnov, has been invited to camp with the Edmonton Oilers. Undrafted, the younger Karamnov is in North America and is expected to spend the year with the Everett Silvertips of the WHL. "Vi", as he likes to be known, attended the Oilers' rookie camp this summer and showed enough to get invited back to fall camp. Rated as high as 48th for the 2007 Draft (The Hockey News had him at 63), Karamnov went undrafted due to the lack of the transfer agreement. Kevin Prendergrast, the Oilers' VP of Hockey Operations, has stated that he was surprised he was still available late in the draftt, but decided not to use a pick because of recent troubles with Russian prospects (I am looking at you Mikhnov).

Scouting reports on the Russian center invariably describe him as being a good skater with an above average skill set. Analysis differs on his defensive game and his offensive tendencies. Some say he needs to add a physical dimension to his game while others say he plays a responsible game and will throw the body every chance he gets. From the blue line in, some scouts feel he tends to look for the pass too much (the Russian Ales Hemsky?) and some describe him as a sniper.

Though the captain of Russia's entry in the U-18 tournament is not expected to challenge for a roster spot, he might well play his way into the Oilers prospect pipeline. Though the Oilers cannot sign the 18 year old, it may give them good insight for next year's draft. Its a good sign that he is coming over to North America as an 18 year old. Further, having a coach for a father may help speed his development and curb the tendency for this newest generation of Russian prospect to play a selfish game.

Here is a video of Karamnov, from the Phoenix Coyotes website. Note that he will play in traffic, but he doesn't seem to have much urgency in his defensive game.

News You Can Use Late in the Morning:

-Tom Barrasso has signed on with the Carolina Hurricanes to be a goaltending consultant to their prospects. Lets just hope he only gives lessons on being a goalie and not on being a nice guy.

-The USHL and QMJHL square off tonight and tomorrow in the CCM Junior Classic Tournament. Indiana and Omaha will play Quebec and Rimouski. This should give junior hockey fans from both sides of the 49th some fodder for discussion. Notable prospects that will play in the tourney include Kelsey Tessier and Nico Sachetti. The son of Phoenix GM Don Maloney is skating with Omaha as a non-roster player.

-Former Alaska Seawolf Charlie Kronschnabel gets an invite to Oilers' camp after being discovered at Chad Moreau's conditioning camp in California. Word on the Oiler blogs is that he was in better shape than many current Oiler players.

-Dave Bell hired as an assistant coach in Springfield. He should help Bucky learn the ropes.

- The Score.ca has an interesting Cabbie segment titled "Hockey Day in Israel".

-The Detroit Wings will offer $9 tickets for games this season. Hey, its cheaper than crack and downtown Detroit is the adventure of a lifetime.

-Caps prospect Karl Alzner has had a busy year. Its no wonder some kids burn out on hockey.

-Inside College Hockey has an interesting, albeit a little old, article on college prospects who may depart academia a little early to play professionally.

KK out.

Prospect Pulse

Shying away from the beaten path a little, the Regina Pats have an Italian prospect in camp. Marco Insam, an 18 year old winger, came to Canada at age 15 to play for the Hounds of Notre Dame. The Regina Pats selected him in the second round of the CHL import draft after he posted decent numbers in Midget AAA.

The 6-2, 200 pound Insam decided to come to Canada and adopt a North American style of game in order to further his career. Though not a lock to even make the Pats' roster, his story may help to send scouts into more untraditional hockey locales in search of talent. The young Italian notes that hockey is becoming more popular in Northern Italy, given its proximity to Austria, Germany and Switzerland. The recent success of Slovenian Anze Kopitar and the economic realities of the cap world should spur a new focus on untapped markets. This may help GM's to "steal" quality players in the late rounds of the draft and provide their teams with much needed youth and depth.

News You Can Use in the Late Morning:

-Former Calgary Flame and Jeff Friesen in talks with Leksand of the Swedish Elite League. Maybe he can be the latest teammate of Ed Belfour to slip and fall and cut his head.

-Per TSN Broadband, Scott Niedermayer apparently will not attend Ducks' training camp. Niedermayer is an all-world defenseman with nothing left to prove, but seriously, shit or get off the pot. Its September already.

-My Swedish is a little rusty, but I think Hayley Wickenheiser may have signed with IFK Arboga.

-The Blues have signed slick winger David Perron, currently stomping Commies with Team Canada. This is another feather in the cap for JD, who is assembling a talented, up and coming squad.

-A slideshow of the Penguins' new uniforms (set to A-Team-esque music). Not that bad, I guess.

-Rangers prospect Carl Hagerlin, a high scoring Swede, opts for the University of Michigan over the CHL or Swedish Elite League.

-Interesting story on TSN Broadband this morning about Benjamin Rubin, an Orthodox Jew playing in the QMJHL.

-Team Canada Coach Sutter praises the trio of goaltenders for being the difference in the series. Is it so lopsided that Sutter has stopped watching? From what I have seen, the goalies aren't getting that much work. Also note how Luke Schenn refers to the coach as "Mr. Sutter".

-Former Fighting Sioux centre Brady Murray is back from Switzerland and is skating at Kings' rookie camp. Note to Murray, my sister in law is single and lives in LA. Please date her before and actor gets her.

-Calgary's GM not too pleased with his prospects heading overseas.

-Vets vie for the captaincy in Edmonton.

-Leafs prospect not the second coming of Borje Salming, but may compete for a roster spot. Great, get ready for wall to wall Anton Stralman coverage on TSN.

-A legal battle brews over the White Out. Like man, this belongs to Winnipeg. Perhaps friend of the blog Joshua Slayen could write a brief on this matter?

KK out.

Prospect Pulse

Word out of Chicago today has Tampa Bay prospect Luca Cunti coming to North America to play for the USHL's Chicago Steel. Cunti, a skilled Swiss sniper, had previously let it be known that he wasn't all that interested in playing in North America unless it was at the NHL or NCAA level. He changed that tune after he was drafted and indicated he would like to go the NCAA route. A St. Cloud recruit, Cunti had trouble getting through the NCAA clearing house and will apparently report to the Steel.

An initial glance at Cunti's numbers in the various Swiss leagues he played in will tell you that he has all-world talent. What the numbers don't tell you is that Cunti lives a privileged life in Switzerland. Scouts and GM's drool over the adjectives used to describe his skills; soft-hands, dynamic, fluid, explosive. The problem here is that GM's get so jazzed by the superlatives that they fail to notice stinging phrases such as "likes to be an entertainer rather than a hockey player", "cancerous" and "un-coachable".

Consider this quote from a Bolts prospect website:

Cunti ranks 3rd for Red Line's Cournoyer Trophy for the best skater in this draft and the 13th best natural goal scorer. He also, unfortunately ranks 2nd for the "Scarecrow Award" for those with "$5 million dollar skills and 10 cent heads" with the damning sentence, "Played on three teams this year and every dressing room was pleased when he left." Ouch.

That being said, if I was being paid $850,000 tax-free to live on a lake and chase Swiss Misses all day, I might be self-absorbed too. I love inside information like this because it helps to give insight into how a player will perform in certain situations. Will a talented Swiss forward give 100% on a cold January night with his team trailing 2-1 late in a game in Kearney, Nebraska, or will his mind drift to nuzzling in some female fan's Swiss Alps at the chalet? Seems like there is a definite LACK of pulse with this prospect.