Jets prospect Adam Lowry, who spent the year with the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL, was announced as Player of the Year.  Lowry had a phenomenal season playing in all 72 games, scoring  45 goals with 43 assists for 88 points.

Once his WHL season finished the Jets moved him to their AHL affiliate St. John’s IceCaps where he signed an amateur tryout contract.  In nine games with the Caps he had one assist, finished a -1 with 14 shots on goal.

Here is what he had to say:

Give him a follow on twitter:  @ALowsyPlayer17

Links:

Swift Current Broncos:  Lowry named Player of the Year.

For those not on twitter, Renaud Lavoie of RDS (French TSN) reported that Jets prospect Adam Lowry (2011 Entry Draft 3rd Round 67th overall) who is currently with the St. John’s IceCaps has signed a three year deal.

Lowry had an excellent final campaign in Jr. with the Swift Current Broncos where he amassed 45 goals, 43 assists for 88 points in 72 games.

On Thursday, April 4th the Jets announced that Lowry had signed an amateur tryout offer (ATO) and would be joining their AHL affiliate St. John’s IceCaps.  Since joining the team Lowry has one assist in six games with the Caps.

Scott Brown confirmed the news this morning.

And now Lowry made a comment about joining the Jets family:

Update II:  Jacob Trouba took to twitter to share in the excitement

Update III:  GM Kevin Cheveldayoff spoke with the media following the Jets loss to the Islanders:

Kevin Cheveldayoff

Audio courtesy of TSN Radio 1290.

According to EJ Hradek a senior reporter for NHL Network/NHL.com it is looking so.  He just tweeted the following:

Matt Slovin, who is the Managing Editor and hockey beat writer for Michigan Daily added the following:

Should be interesting to see how this impacts the Jets.  We have contacted Scott Brown, Senior Director of Corporate Communications, to find out if the Jets have further comment.  We will update this post as soon we hear further.

We have already examined the options for Trouba if/when he leaves college.  Listen here.

Simply put the four options for Jacob Trouba are as follows;

1. Remain in the NCAA.

2. Leave NCAA and play in CHL

3. Leave NCAA and play in AHL

4. Leave NCAA and play in NHL

We examined the above options in detail on last night’s NHL Mid-Week show with Illegal Curve on TSN Radio 1290 and you can catch our discussion here.

Trouba discussion

So now that your head is swimming or we have cleared things up for you, which path do you think would be the best choice for Jacob Trouba?  Sound off.

Though never a huge scorer at any level, Wright nevertheless possesses enough offensive skill to be considered a threat with the puck. Possessing a big frame (6’4) and a solid defensive acumen, he can slot in anywhere from lines 2-4 and make a contribution. He may still need to add a little strength (only 196 pounds) but will want to balance any added muscle with the need to retain his speed. Still fairly young (a 1990 birthdate), Wright would figure to be a solid addition to the Jets, especially at centre. He certainly makes them tougher to play against and adds such much needed depth scoring.

It will be interesting to see how the coaching staff uses him. I believe that he could flourish in the right role/environment and could be a good addition to one of the power-play units, especially with his size and reach.

This week the Winnipeg Jets development camp is taking place at the MTS Iceplex. Two players attending camp this year are Lukas Sutter (2^nd round, 39^th overall, 2012) and Ryan Olsen (6^th round, 160^th overall, 2012). Both players played for the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL this past season.

Following the NHL Entry Draft, Head Coach and General Manager of the Saskatoon Blades Lorne Molleken appeared on the Illegal Curve Hockey Show to discuss the two Jets’ draft picks.

Lukas Sutter

Position: Centre

Born: October 4, 1993 (age 18)

Height: 6’0

Weight: 215 lbs.

Last season: 70 GP, 28G, 31A, 59 P, 165 PIM

On Sutter’s greatest asset:

“First and foremost he’s a young guy that is very committed to being the best he can be. He’s a typical Sutter, they play for keeps, and Lukas has evolved into a player in Saskatoon that is difficult to play against. He’s a fierce competitor and on most nights he plays against the other teams’ best players. This year he put up some good numbers offensively and we feel he still has plenty of room to grow.”

On Sutter’s maturity and responsible play in the defensive zone:

“He obviously comes from a hockey background; he was probably the most improved player on our hockey club last year. As a seventeen year old, he struggled, as far as the different aspects. But certainly this year, he came in; he played in all situations for us, and was a guy that we really counted on. He takes a lot of pride in the little things and works extremely hard at it, when I talk about little things; that’s faceoffs, board battles, and puck battles in tight areas. He’s a player that has a chance to be a guy that can contribute at the NHL level.”

On his skating which has been seen by some as a weakness:

“I think that we all maybe questioned that as a sixteen and a seventeen year old, but he’s worked real hard at that skill and his skating never hampered him at all last year. He’s shown steady improvement in that area. Like we talked about earlier, he finds a way to get things done, he’s a fierce competitor.”

Ryan Olsen

Position: Centre

Born: March 25, 1994 (Age 18)

Height: 6’3

Weight: 198 lbs.

Last season: 67 GP, 15 G, 17 A, 32 P, 64 PIM

On Ryan Olsen:

 “We actually traded Ryan at our Bantam draft this year; he was a first round Bantam pick of ours, and certainly played extremely well as a sixteen year old for us. Last year he struggled in the first half of the year, but really improved his play in the second half. We host the Memorial Cup this year in Saskatoon and we decided at the Bantam draft we would make a couple trades, bringing in some older, experienced players who have all participated in the Memorial Cup.”

“Ryan was one guy that teams targeted; we didn’t want to give up that young asset. But as we move forward we knew we had to get older, we needed more experience, and unfortunately Ryan was the guy that we moved. I said to all teams, he’s a big centre iceman that skates extremely well, sees the ice extremely well and not to give up on him.”

The Illegal Curve Hockey Show will air at a special time this summer on Saturdays from 9am–11am.

The same writers publish the same articles either denouncing or defending the CHL, and the same teeth are gnashed and the same hands are wrung over what to do with big-time colleges losing blue chip recruits to CHL powerhouses. Both sides trumpet their successes and adamantly declare themselves the best option for player development and the surest path to the NHL.  (Just ask Jets 1st round pick Jacob Trouba).

I personally take no side in the issues, as I am of the belief that there is a right path for everyone and circumstances will often help decide that path. Recent first-overall selection Nail Yakupov was likely better suited to the CHL as his development path was accelerated, while late bloomers will likely have a better chance to succeed using the collegiate route.

That said, I feel the hockey world has advanced to the point where the old barriers between the CHL and the NCAA should be broken down. Considering the CHL to be a “professional” league while the USHL plays a similar schedule and style without gaining the pro designation does not fit the reality of the situation. Keeping the barrier in place is somewhat damaging to hockey in that it forces very young players to make very large life-decisions at a time when they should be having fun playing the game. I can’t imagine sitting down at 15 to make a potentially life altering choice, with two separate factions each trying to convince of what was best…

In light of this situation, I am proposing (and I am sure I am not the first to do so) that the two sides work out a cooperative framework based on this idea. Allow players to skate in the CHL while they are still high-school eligible (or perhaps one year past high school eligibility) and provide a one-time transfer option for those wishing to move on to the college game. The proposal would cover players who are of an age where they are too young to enter into a contract and are being committed to a potentially irreversible course by their parents.

Using a local example, if Jets’ 2ndround selection Lukas Sutter decided that he had nothing left to learn in Saskatoon, he could go to play for a college team (say for a minimum two year commitment, though that would have to be flexible. This system would ease the transition for players who, under the current system, cannot go directly to the American Hockey League but rather have to return to junior hockey. Allowing these select players to gain a slight bump in competition (based on the older players in the college game) would provide a good intermediate step before they moved onto the professional game (at whatever level).

The system is not perfect, granted. The one-time rule imposes another big decision on a teenager and colleges would have to be willing to take on a player for a potential short period of time.  The benefit, at least in my mind, is that it would somewhat level the playing field in which the NCAA seems to be consistently on the losing end in terms of losing players. I can’t say that this idea would be an air-tight solution, but it would help to create a give-and-take scenario where college coaches could work to get players back from the CHL, instead of losing them outright.

I am extremely interested in hearing what Jets’ fans have to think about this issue. The two drafts under the new regime have seen a healthy number of collegians or future collegians chosen, and the Jacob Trouba story is not the last time we will hear about a Jets’ draft pick deciding between the CHL and the NCAA.

If you think it’s a good idea, a bad idea or have some constructive comments on how to better the idea, lets hear it in the comments or on Twitter, where I can be reached @ICKyleK.

For Illegal Curve, I’m Kyle Kosior.

Goalies:

Corbin Boes – #34
Chris Carozzi – #35
Connonr Hellebyuck – #30
Jason Kasdorf – #75
Robert Levin – #1
Jamie Phillips – #50

Defence:

Ben Chiarot – #63
Aaron Harstad – #86
Joey Leach – #65
Julian Melchioro – #71
Will O’Neill – #43
Zach Redmond – #59
Brennan Serville – #81
Cody Sol – #64
Peter Stoykewych – #85
Jacob Trouba – #45
Zach Yuen – #60

Forwards:

John Albert – #70
Nicolas Bligh – #42
Austen Brassard – #61
Yasin Cisse – #83
Danny Dries – #67
Norm Ezekiel – #29
Jason Gregoire – #57
Carl Klingberg – #48
Scott Kosmachuk – #72
Tanner Lane – #87
Adam Lowry – #56
Blair Macaulay – #51
Zack Mitchell – #88
Zach O’Brien – #73
Eric O’Dell – #58
Ryan Olsen – #68
Jordan Samuels-Thomas – #84
Vinny Saponari – #82
Mark Scheifele – #55
Lukas Sutter – #47
Ivan Telegin – #52
Matt White – #76

Here is the complete list of players selected by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

1st pick:  Jacob Trouba.  Follow him on twitter @JacobTrouba

2nd pick:  Lukas Sutter.  Follow him on twitter @Suttsy23

3rd pick:  Scott Kosmachuk.  Follow him on twitter @KossyBoy

4th pick:  None.

5th pick:  Connor Hellebuyck.

6th pick:  Ryan Olsen.

7th pick:  Jamie Phillips.

Instead rated 9th overall in the final TSN draft rankings, the Jets took Jacob Trouba.  Our own prospects expert Kyle Kosior, who is in Pittsburgh for the draft had this to say about him:

A strong skater with excellent physical strength, Trouba can use his size and skill to take command of a game. Trouba is also used in all situations and can provide help at both ends of the rink.

From TSN:

Jacob is an initiating player who takes charge. It begins with an intense desire to impact the game in some way. He takes charge of situations and if an opponent is not prepared to commit 100% versus him, he will find himself falling short. He is a very strong skater, with excellent balance & this allows him to jump into the attack and move up ice but it also allows him to deliver bone jarring hits as well as fend off opposing checks. With his size and skating combination, he’s a very difficult player to break down defensively and to gain the upper hand on. Very good understanding of the game and his awareness and poise allows him to make strong plays under pressure. He moves the puck well and can make plays offensively but his best offensive weapon is a heavy shot that can overwhelm goalies and creates challenges for them in terms of corralling it. He thrives in the competitive moments and the bigger the game, the better he is. He plays to win and there is no sacrifice he won’t make in the game to help his team win.

Here is some background on the Jets newest pick.

Born:  Rochester, Michigan
Shoots:  Right
Position:  Defence
Height:  6″ 2
Plays for:  University of Michigan

If you’d like to follow Trouba on twitter his handle is: @JacobTrouba

With that in mind, I have decided to take a look at six possible prospects who the Jets could call to the podium at the end of June in Pittsburgh. Previous 9^th overall picks are sort of a mixed-bag of talent, potential and busts. Names such as Dougie Hamilton, Mikael Granlund, Jared Cowan, Josh Bailey, Logan Couture and James Sheppard should give Jets’ fans a healthy dose of optimism and just a smidge of fear, but odds are that the Jets will at very least get a contributing roster player.

Culling the names from Craig Button’s, Bob McKenzie’s list and also Corey Pronman of Hockey Prospectus, we come up with the following names that may or may not set the Jets’ cheering section (me) to cheering:

1. Griffin Reinhart
2. Jacob Trouba
3. Filip Forsberg
4. Morgan Rielly
5. Radek Faksa
6. Matthew Dumba

In speaking with some reputable scouts (NHL- LA, Florida, New York Rangers, Tampa) as well as some collegiate coaches, I feel that, coupled with my own viewing on television, I have a relatively good idea of who’s who. With that in mind, here are a few notes on each player:

Griffin Reinhart (D, Edmonton Oil Kings, WHL, 6’4, 206)- A big-bodied defender who uses his size and positional awareness to be a shutdown-type guy, Reinhart has some offensive upside and good hockey bloodlines.

Jacob Trouba (D, USNTDP, USHL, 6’2, 196)- A strong skater with excellent physical strength, Trouba can use his size and skill to take command of a game. Trouba is also used in all situations and can provide help at both ends of the rink.

Filip Forsberg (LW, Leksands, Sweden, 6’2, 181)- Forsberg is considered to be a complete package winger. Able to score, play sound defense while being physical at both ends, he could go top 3 or fall to 10. He has a quick release and can back defenders off with his size and speed.

Morgan Rielly (D, Moose Jaw Warriors, WHL, 6’0, 190)- One of the smartest  players available, Reilly uses his high hockey IQ to make plays and to get himself out of trouble. Good on-ice vision and a desire to succeed and win.

Radek Faksa (C, Kitchener Rangers, OHL, 6’3, 206)- The prototypical big-bodied centre, Faksa is able to play a two-way game but his real strength is his ability to create offense in a variety of ways. He is a strong enough skater to create off the rush and has the strength to make things happen off the cycle.

Matthew Dumba (D, Red Deer Rebels, WHL, 5’11, 183)- A possible future captain with some offensive ability, Dumba plays a gambling style of game at both ends of the rink. A fearsome open-ice hitter, there are some concerns that his style of play may put unnecessary strain on his smaller frame. Has a heavy shot and can be used in all situations.

In all likelihood, Trouba and Forsberg will be gone before the Jets walk to the podium, leaving them with a choice of defenders or Radek Faksa. Though they could use either type of player, it will come down (hopefully) to whom they consider to be the better player.

If I were a betting man, and the stack of Sport Select slips in my car says I am, I would wager that the Jets call Matthew Dumba’s name. He has top-5 talent but had bit of rough year, making neither the World Junior Team nor the WHL playoffs, and his stock may have slipped just a little. Should the Jets have the chance, I doubt they pass him up.

His two-way ability and open-ice hitting make him not only a valuable hockey player, but also a guy that will quickly endear himself to the MTS Centre faithful.

Be sure to follow on Twitter @ickylek for live updates from the NHL Draft in Pittsburgh.

1.    Spencer Machacek (St. John’s IceCaps) – Machacek put up four points (all assists) as the IceCaps twice defeated the visiting Connecticut Whale. The two wins improved the IceCaps record to 11-2-3 for a league leading 25 points.

2.  Michael Forney (Colorado Eagles)- The Eagles had another so so weekend in losing a 5-4 game to Utah and then dropping them 3-1 on Saturday night. Forney figured prominently in both games, notching 2 goals Friday night and a goal and an assist in the Saturday night win. He is performing at a high level and may yet see time in St. John’s. I am pulling for him, as he had a promising future not long ago.

3.  Zach Yuen (Tri-City Americans)- The Americans had a good week, piling up wins over Medicine Hat, Kootenay and Lethbridge. Yuen, a Jets’ 4th rounder, went 1-1 and a +2 with 6 PIMs, in helping his team keep pace with the Saskatoon Blades.

In 4 games over the last week/weekend, the IceCaps went 4-0 in taking down Worcester (twice), Connecticut and Bridgeport.  Perhaps inspired by being in the same neighbourhood as the parent club, Edward Pasquale posted 4 wins with a 0.926 save percentage and a 1.95 GAA.  Pasquale, who started 3 games and came on in relief of David Aebischer in the final tilt, was also twice named to the Three-Star selections.

Barrie Colts – Ivan Telegin

The Colts had another tough weekend, going 1-2 with an OT loss.  They did, however, come up with a big 5-2 win over Windsor last Thursday night, with Ivan Telegin leading the way with a goal and two helpers (all at even strength).  The Colts overcame an early deficit to shoot down the Spitfires and improve their record to 8-6-0-1.  Mark Scheifele added two assists in the game, part of a 4-point weekend for the Jets prospect.

Vastra Frolunda – Fredrik Pettersson

The Frolunda Indians had a strong week, going 2-1 and solidifying their hold on 3^rd place in the SEL.  Pettersson, not to be confused Fredrik Petterson-Wentzel, put up four points (all assists) as the Indians dropped a close one to Djurgardens and then defeated MoDo and Linkoping to complete the week.

The top three were:

Paul Postma (AHL)- It was a tough weekend for St. John’s, going 0-3 (two losses came in OT), but Postma was the model of consistency for the Ice Caps, getting 1 G, 3 A and registering 8 shots on net. The Jets need that kind of contribution from the blueline, so perhaps a call up is in Postma’s future.

Akim Aliu (ECHL)- The Eagles fared a little better than the IceCaps, going 2-1 over the weekend. Akim Aliu, who played in only two of the three games (its unclear why he didn’t play Saturday), still posted good numbers (2 G, 1 A and 8 shots over the two games). Aliu and Michael Forney are the only signed Jets prospects with the Eagles, though camp invitee Jake Marto is also with the club.

Mark Scheifele (OHL)- You couldn’t ask for a better return to junior for the talented centre. Scheifele put up 8 points (2 and 6) in 3 games back with the Barrie, hitting the ground running and showing no signs of a let down after his demotion. I would imagine other prospects will be hard pressed to keep up with Scheifele in this section, but I will try and keep the spotlight even.

You can email any questions to kyle@illegalcurve.com or find me on Twitter @ickylek

While none remain with the Jets currently, it is important to be aware of what is happening with these kids.  We aim to keep you up to date (stats as of February 10th) with all the latest on these 7 players;

A very promising high school player, Forney attempted to make the jump directly from the Thief River Prowlers to the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux (with a 3-game pit stop in Des Moines of the USHL).   As is evidenced by his very brief stay in Grand Forks, the transition was not smooth.  Slowed by injuries, Forney never really adapted to the pace.  Forney played (sparingly) in 19 games over two seasons with the Sioux, registering only 2 points.  I recall one painful (to watch) sequence when the Sioux were hemmed into their own zone, with Forney on the left wing.  He had numerous chances to clear, but was either stapled to the boards or just failed to get it out.  The other team (I forget who) ultimately scored and Forney never saw the ice again.  His body language in games and even in pre-game skates told a lot, he was just out of his element.

Forney made a pretty astute move in the fall of 2008, going back to junior and playing a full season with the Green Bay Gamblers.  Scoring a point per game with the team, Forney rediscovered his scoring touch and was said to be very eager to play and very coachable.  He even added a little grit to his game under Coach Jon Cooper.

Forney has spent the last two seasons with Gwinnett in the ECHL, with brief stops in Chicago of the AHL. He scored 66 points in 66 games with Gwinnett last year, and figures to move on to the Ice Caps this season.  Having had the chance to see him skate in a few workouts this summer, Forney seems to have filled out his 6’2 frame and quickened his step.  He has an excellent shot and sees the ice very well.

Fellow Illegal Curver Richard Pollock also remarked favourably on his performance at the Jets camp, noting that he was often around the puck and seemed have added some explosiveness to his game.

The Jets will have to make a decision on Forney this year, as he is in the final year of his deal.  I would be that Forney, with all his arrows now pointing in the right direction, will show well in the American League and be offered another deal.  He has scored well with every team he has played on (excluding the Sioux) and has a good track record internationally. Forney has obviously shown a commitment to improve and to overcome his rocky start and will hopefully be a contributor for the team down the road.

Please leave your thoughts in the comments or follow me on Twitter @ICKylek.

The game itself wasn’t pretty, which is basically what you would expect given the fact that these kids were thrown together and have only practiced together twice. Still, there was a lot of skill (individual and otherwise) on display and the Jets acquitted themselves quite well against a San Jose team playing with one game under their belt.

My thoughts on a few selected players after the jump.

Jason Gregoire- Started the game very tentatively, but soon found a comfort level and showed his maturity and all-around game. Was very good on the fore-check with Lowry, meshed well with Klingberg and Scheifele and showed calm feet on the PK. Was rewarded with a goal on the nice feed from Scheifele and also hit the post on another chance. I still think he makes the team out of camp.

Carl Klingberg- My personal favourite prospect was doing what he does best. Making room for teammates and playing an aggressive game. Took a penalty with a dangerous hit in the 2^nd, but looked good on the “top” line with Scheifele and Gregoire. Klingberg made a nice play early in the game to take the puck from the corner to the front of the net. Has an edge to his game that I hope translates well to the next level.

Michael Kirkpatrick- I thought he looked very dangerous early on and faded somewhat as the game wore on. His compete level is very high and had a good battle with a 6’5 San Jose defender early in the game.

Ivan Telegin- He displayed a nice range of skills and was quite good on the boards. Not afraid to mix it up or take a chance to make a play.

Zach Yuen- I was impressed with the skill Yuen displayed. I knew he was a solid defender, but he has an upside I was previously unaware of. Moves very well and closes gaps effectively.

Julian Melchiori- Despite the fact that he looked a little uncomfortable with the speed of the game and rushed a few plays, he seemed to calm down later in the game and seemed to gain confidence with the puck.

Zach Redmond- As was the case with Gregoire, Redmond showed his age and poise all night. Wearing the captain’s C, he was able to control the pace of the game when needed and served as a calming influence at both ends of the ice.

Adam Lowry- I thought Lowry was very impressive in his debut, with a motor that just keeps running. He supplied energy every time he stepped on the ice.

Mark Scheifele- I would say his performance erased any doubts people had about using the 7^th overall pick to get him. He was the best player on the ice and showed very smooth hands to go with great speed. Scheifele displayed a level of patience and calm feet on the PK not often seen in players his age.

Watch for another Prospect Pulse tomorrow following the Oilers-Jets tilt tonight. Follow me on Twitter @ICKylek or leave your comments below.

A winger with the Kamloops Blazers (and coincidently traded for Jets’ prospect Shayne Wiebe), DePape (who is nursing a sore hip) is a right-handed shot who stands 5’10 and weighs in at 190 pounds.  A former Winnipeg Saint, DePape posted very respectable numbers with the Blazers last year (54-21-27-48) to go along with 49 PIMS.

More on DePape after the jump.

A bit of a late bloomer, DePape had a strong U-17 tournament for Team Western a few years back, but struggled as he adjusted to life in the WHL.  DePape’s counting numbers improved significantly once he was dealt to Kamloops, and he scored nearly a point-per-game with the Blazers.  Despite the improved numbers, DePape went undrafted and is attending the Jets rookie camp on a tryout agreement.

DePape, who will most likely head back to Kamloops for the season, has good hands and offensive instincts to go along with a plus shot.  Though he is agile in tight spaces, DePape doesn’t have high-end speed and needs to get a little stronger to compensate for his relatively small stature.

Though a long-shot to make the team, DePape might well figure into the plans of the Ice Caps going forward, and as mentioned previously in this space, any time the Jets front office can procure an undrafted player to help the team, it has to be considered a win.  It also never hurts to have local kids competing for spots with the team.

I thought it would be fun, just for argument’s sake, to mock up a roster of Jets’ rookies that may participate in the tournament this fall. It seems that other teams are using a 23-man roster, so we will follow suit. I left out the guys returning to college as well as the AHL veterans.

More on KK’s list after the jump.

The list is obviously just a guess based on the prospects currently in the system, and I had to bend the rules a little bit by allowing some players who have made their pro debuts. I would imagine that the Jets would have some players in camp as undrafted free agents, etc., similar to what other teams do every season. It stands to reason that a few of these kids will also get a look in the rookie tourney.

On paper, this team looks pretty decent up front with some holes on the back end and in net. However, the rookie tournament is very useful for evaluating your young players in context, and this roster would allow the Jets ample opportunity to see what they have in the system.

By comparison, this team would not look out of place against some of the entries from last year (Edmonton, Calgary, San Jose).  Toronto has just released their roster for their rookie tournament this year, as have Dallas, Minnesota and St. Louis.  In looking at these rosters, there are more high-end prospects and college free agents. I would imagine Winnipeg would close this gap in the coming years.

How do you think this prospective Jets’ roster stacks up? Leave your thoughts in the comments or find me on Twitter @ICKylek

The Jets recently signed centre Michael Kirkpatrick out of Saint John* in the QMJHL to a two-way deal. While this might look like a move designed to generate interest in the Ice Caps, the Jets may have landed a legitimate prospect in Kirkpatrick. The undrafted native of North Sydney, NS played four years at Saint John, with excellent point totals during his last three seasons to go with excellent production during the playoffs.

Before we get ahead of ourselves, I should note that an elite player should be kicking out the jams at the junior level during his 19 and 20 year old seasons so it is important to note that Kirkpatrick isn’t exactly setting the world on fire. However, in a prospect pool somewhat devoid of high-end offensive talent, he certainly fills a niche.

More on Kirkpatrick after the jump.

Generously listed at 5’10, 175, Kirkpatrick was most likely passed over during his two draft years due to size concerns. Though the size issue has waned in recent years, Kirkpatrick’s production likely wasn’t enough to overcome those concerns and the fact that he may not have been seen enough for scouts to get a good read on him. He also played on a loaded team (Huberdeau, Jurco, Galiev et al), so there are no inflated totals due to high amounts of ice time (hello, Rob Schremp).

Though blessed with excellent offensive instincts, Kirkpatrick plays a well rounded game. A 2011 nominee for the Guy Carbonneau Award (best defensive forward), he plays the game with a high energy level and does not shy away from contact. Said to be adept at creating offense, Kirkpatrick was able to generate 3.77 shots per game for himself, which is in the neighourhood of the stats posted by 8th overall pick Sean Couturier. Though this metric may be slightly suspect, Kirkpatrick also led the QMJHL in what are noted as “dangerous shots”.

I would imagine he will be given plenty of time to hone his game at the American League level and work on strength and the speed of the pro game. Though he is by no means a lock to make the NHL, any time spent with the Jets would be considered a coup for that team’s procurement department.

*many thanks to Andre, a former Winnipegger who now lives in Saint John, NB who pointed out an error we were making in our Atlantic Canada vernacular.

I ranked the prospects based solely on my own feelings as how they should fit into a list of 10.  The criteria used were very simple, namely what kind of potential/talent does the player have and how will that potential/talent be applied at the NHL level. Additionally, they had to be under 23 years of age and without a significant number of games played at the professional level (in North America).

Kyle’s Top 10 after the jump.

The Top 10:

1. Mark Scheifele- No real surprise here. The first actual Jets first-rounder in nearly a generation, Schiefle showed the Jets’ brass enough for them to ignore more famous options (Sean Couturier) and select this Barrie Colt 7th overall. He decided against the college route to try and fast-track his development, and has showed very well in recent international competitions. He is a player on the rise, and it might not be long before we see him at the MTS.
2. Jason Gregoire- Gregoire, who will turn 23 this winter, gets the benefit of the doubt from me here because I have seen him so much. A strong two-way winger with a plus shot and good skating ability, I would not be the least bit surprised to see Gregoire spend a good portion of this season in the NHL. He as a few years clearance on some of the other prospects, and plays a pro-style of game and is likely very adaptable to any role Claude Noel might give him.
3. Paul Postma- Playoff series are won by teams that have players of Postma’s ilk in their lineup. Once a long-shot to make the NHL (as are most 7^th rounders), Postma has done yeoman like work to improve his defensive game while retaining the offensive prowess that got him drafted in the first place. He makes a great first pass and is adept at running the power play. Like Gregoire, he will be 23 this winter and those few extra years give him a leg up on some of the other contenders on this list. I would foresee him being perhaps a 5-6 guy on the Jets who contributes to the power play without hurting you at evens.
4. Carl Klingberg- I have been very high on Klingberg since first seeing him play at the World U-18’s in Fargo a few years back. A Swedish power forward with a penchant for big hits, Klingberg is a beast on the forecheck and can really create a lot of room for his linemates. I feel pretty guilty putting him at #4 on this list, but he is not likely to produce great numbers at the NHL level. That said, he is a very valuable prospect going forward and will play in the NHL very soon.
5. Patrice Cormier- A very wise old coach once told me his favourite players were those guys who could find the line, go right up to it and put a couple toes across, but never actually cross the line. Cormier strikes me as the type of player who plays the game right on that edge but may be prone to making a quick foray to the other side just to see what is it like. Though people will decry this type of player, I would bet the same people would still want that player on their team. Cormier is a tough as nails center who likely won’t score much (his numbers to date back this up), but will give the opposition fits and allow his teammates to “play bigger”. Having an unpredictable player like this on the team gives Coach Noel a good option to send over the boards when the game is down and dirty.
6. Ivan Telegin- This big winger (6’3), who was recently acquired by the Barrie Colts, is blessed with a great set of hands and has shown a desire to improve his game. After a so-so rookie year in the OHL, Telegin produced at better than a point-per-game clip with Saginaw this last season, all while keeping his head above water in the +/- department. He has the option of returning to junior, where he could line up with Scheifele, or moving on to the professional ranks. It may be worthwhile to the Jets to attempt to foster some chemistry between Telegin and Scheifele, but if the Russian winger shows well at camp, there may be no point to returning him to the OHL.
7. Vinny Saponari- I keep talking about interesting Jets prospects, and Saponari is no different. A former Boston University player who was let go from the team for a drinking incident and subsequently denied a transfer to Boston College, played with the Dubuqe Fighting Saints of the USHL this winter and will enter Northeastern University this fall.  The 6’1, 200 pounder from Georgia, Saponari will be leaned on heavily to produce in what will be his junior season. He posted big numbers for Dubuque last year after having a solid sophomore season at BU. Saponari has offensive talent and will be a very interesting player to follow. Hopefully he can put his dismissal behind him and move forward as a prospect.
8. Eric O’Dell- I previously wrote about O’Dell in a Prospect Pulse and noted his playmaking abilities. After a strong year in junior and the overcoming of a potential heart problem, O’Dell should figure prominently in St. John’s to start the year. Playmaking aside, O’Dell has also shown talent as a goal scorer and a team can never have too many of these guys in the system. A former second rounder, O’Dell may be a year or two away from challenging for a spot, but keep a close eye on him at the AHL level.
9. Zach Redmond- Though Redmond is currently 23, I have given him an exemption and allowed him onto the list because he has yet to play a professional game. Coming out of the unheralded Ferris State program in Michigan, Redmond possesses a big shot and was team captain for the Bulldogs. Able to play in any role, Redmond can make a nice first pass and will not hurt you defensively. It is unclear what his upside will be at the pro-level, but he should challenge for a top 4 role with the Ice Caps this season and be able to showcase both aspects of his game.
10. Julian Melchiori- A former 3^rd round selection, Melchiori spent last season with the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL after deciding to take the major junior route instead of attending U.Mass-Lowell. Though he didn’t put up big numbers for Kitchener (1-18-19), he did get noticed for how well he moves and skates for a player of his size (6’4, 210) and is included on this list for that reason. Big and mobile defenders do not grow on trees, so Melchiori has the potential to turn himself into a valuable commodity.

Honorable mentions go to Daultan Leveille and Adam Lowry. Spencer Machacek, Arturs Kulda and Ben Maxwell missed the cut do to age limits and/or professional games played.

Again, I want to stress that this list is based solely on my own thoughts and prejudices and is a way for me to share who I will be keeping an eye on this winter.

Please leave your thoughts in the comments or hit me at on Twitter @ickylek

Leveille, who played Junior B hockey in Ontario during his draft year, (which is a higher level of hockey than Junior B in Western Canada, etc.) enjoyed a good deal of attention from scouts attracted to his elite-level speed and offensive instincts. Though Leveille was very slight of build (weighing as little as 150 pounds), he was ranked as high as 48 by ISS and the Thrashers selected him 29th overall in 2008. Drafted by the Ottawa 67’s of the OHL, Leveille was committed to Michigan State, which in retrospect was likely the right choice for this late bloomer, given the oft-repeated notion that he had to gain strength to be effective at the professional level.

In his first season at Michigan State, Leveille posted respectable numbers of 9-8-17 in 38 games, but with a -19 rating. You’ll never catch me raving about my love for +/-, but it can at least tell us that Leveille was playing an awful lot with the puck in the own zone. It should also be noted that the 2008-09 Michigan State Spartans were awful, going 10-23-5. Leveille was also the youngest full-time player on that team.

More on Leveille after the jump.

Leveille, a native of St. Catherines, ON, has improved his point totals slightly during his sophomore (6-19-25) year before taking a step back in an injury-shortened junior year (8-10-18) in East Lansing. Leveille did, however, drastically improve his +/- totals, jumping to +14 as a sophomore and falling back to -3 as a junior. Leveille also suffered some personal tragedy in his junior year, with his brother Clayton passing away.

Going into his senior year, Leveille will be looked upon to lead the Spartans offensively. Still only 6’ and 175 pounds, Leveille is adding weight to his slight frame and working on becoming a more rounded player. First year coach Tom Anastos will likely have Leveille centering State’s top line, so I would expect his point totals to increase along with his ice time.

Looking into the future, it is unclear what type of role Leveille would take with the Jets’ organization. I asked around about his game, and though speed and skill were mentioned consistently, so were lack of hockey sense, poor decision-making and lack of strength.

Though he possesses all-world speed and excellent offensive skills, Leveille has yet to dominate the college game. He has stated that he sees himself as a playmaker, which his stats reflect, but also that he needs to get bigger and stronger (setting a goal of 185 pounds). I would think that he could use his speed to make himself into a Todd Marchant-type, being a penalty killer and defensive specialist who could supply a few goals along the way, but Leveille will still have to work at getting stronger to adapt to the professional game and the length of the season. As with most prospects, only time will tell.

Please leave your thoughts in the comments or follow me on Twitter @ickylek

It was with great interest that I recently read that Kasdorf would not be reporting to RPI this fall as originally planned.  Instead, it would appear Kasdorf is slated to spend another winter in Portage la Prairie plying his trade for the Terriers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

Kasdorf, who posted a GAA of 2.53 in 34 games played with a save percentage of .912 (2 shutouts), will obviously be leaned on heavily in Portage and will see a ton of minutes.  I do, however, wonder if playing in Portage is the best developmental track for him (with no disrespect intended to Portage or the MJHL)?  Though Kasdorf’s numbers are not all-world, they still show a goaltender who has obviously adjusted well to the level of play in the MJHL.

More on Kasdorf after the jump.

In a season where many of his peers will be logging significant minutes in major junior, college or the minor leagues, Kasdorf will be playing in a Tier II junior league not widely noted for producing talent.  I realize that the Portage option is much better for Kasdorf than going to RPI and being either a back up or 3^rd-string goalie (behind Bryce Merriam and Scott Diebold).  He will get significant game action and the chance to take Portage back to the playoffs.  However, if he is not being challenged on a daily basis, I believe there is a risk of a stagnant year in his development.

If Kasdorf wishes to retain his college eligibility, he (and the Jets) are left with very few options.  He could play in the BCHL (a slight step up from the MJHL) or the USHL, which would likely be another step up still.  I have not been actively keeping up on #1 goaltender vacancies in either the BCHL or the USHL, but one would think there would be some interest in Kasdorf.  I would guess there are also some college teams looking for goaltenders (hello, Michigan) this season, though it may be tough for Kasdorf to ignore the positives of playing for former goalie Seth Appert at RPI.

I am loathe to advocate for a kid switching teams this late in the summer, but if the Jets are serious about developing Kasdorf then they should seriously consider how his long term development will be hindered by a year playing against lesser competition.  For a tall and lanky goaltender with raw skills to be facing competition he knows he can dominate instead of challenging himself can have a detrimental long term effect on development.  The Jets should be proactive with Kasdorf and give the goalie the opportunity to prove himself at a higher level.  Better competition will help the player and will assist the Jets in evaluating exactly what kind of prospect they have on their hands.

Please leave your thoughts in the comments or follow me on Twitter @ickylek

The Nigerian-born Aliu, who spent some formative years in Ukraine and speaks fluent Russian (would have likely been best-friends with Bryzgalov), has bounced around the AHL and ECHL since turning pro in 2009-10, with less than stellar results. Perhaps more well known for some on (tussles in training camp) and off-ice altercations (bar fights, etc.), Aliu was included in the Chicago Blackhawks-Atlanta Thrashers blockbuster deal.

Hockey-wise, Aliu is your prototype power forward. Standing 6’3 and tipping the scales at 225, Aliu possesses a lethal wrist shot (accurate with a quick release) and doesn’t mind mixing it up. His mix up of talent, size and grit suggest that he should be a top-6 forward, but until he erases the perceptions around him (un-disciplined, etc.) it is unlikely he will become a go-to option on any team.

The downsides to his game are so-so puck handling skills and poor on-ice awareness. Additionally, Aliu is a good straight-ahead skater, but some question his agility. Question marks aside, Aliu’s potential is such that one hopes the fresh start with the Jets will be the tonic Aliu needs to overcome the question marks surrounding him. If he can concentrate on hockey, Aliu could be a devastating force on the Jets right-side. If not, I would imagine the Jets waste little time in sending Aliu away, as this type of player does not seem to mesh with the Jets’ long term plans. Aliu is signed to a two-way deal through the end of this season, so the time for a decision will come quickly.

I would envision him as most likely filling a 2^nd (playing soft minutes against weak opposition) or 3^rd line role (if he can learn defensive awareness) but I can’t see why he wouldn’t be able to ride shotgun on the 1^st line or play a 4^th line energy role. He has the potential to a crowd favourite at the MTS given his penchant for big hits, etc., but the downside to this player is also quite extreme in that he could become a very unwelcome distraction/disturbance in the dressing room.

It is my hope that the fresh start and fresh surroundings offer Aliu the chance to tell his own story. I would be remiss if I were to forever paint a kid in a negative light just because he resisted being hazed. Granted, things went downhill pretty quickly after the incident and Aliu hasn’t helped his cause since then, but he is still a very young player with good years ahead of him.

Illegal Curve had the chance to get a quick late-night
scouting report on newly signed Winnipeg Jets Center Ivan Telegin.

Courtesy of Corey Pronman of Hockey Prospectus:

” (Telegin’s)a toolsy forward who has a lot going for him. He’s a big guy who at times can dominate physically, and has a decent skill set for a big forward in terms of his skating and puck skills. He can look a little lost though at times and his game to game effort level wavers. Sometimes he’s an absolute beast, and others times he kind of drifts.”

A self-described goal scorer (his numbers indicate a propensity to pass first) Albert models his game after Martin St. Louis.  Taking the US National Team Development Program (based in Ann Arbor, MI) route to Ohio State (Columbus, OH), Albert is part of an ever-growing crop of Ohioans making their way through the hockey ranks.  A solid if not spectacular performer at USNTDP, Albert went on to a very solid career at Ohio State, totally 33-91-124 in 159 games.  The former Buckeye captain also brings a lot of intangibles to the table, including hockey smarts, penalty killing ability and a good track record in the faceoff circle.

More on Albert after the jump.

Scouts were initially attracted to Albert because of his solid production in Ann Arbor and his excellent track record of putting up points against NCAA teams (The US Development Program plays exhibition games against college programs). Albert’s time at Ohio State allowed him the chance to develop the aforementioned finer points of his game, and in a discussion with Illegal Curve Twitter follower @tbonnar, we concluded that Albert may translate into a Shawn Horcoff-lite type of player (without the massive contract).  They possess many of the same attributes (faceoff skills, penalty killing acumen, speed, defensive awareness and above-average offensive skills).

Standing 5’10 and weighing 180 pounds, Albert will have to work on strength and conditioning at the AHL level, but he seems determined enough so that this would not be an issue.  As noted by @tbonnar, at the very worst the Jets have a solid AHL centre.  It’s my belief that Albert will find his way to the NHL in a lower-6 capacity and figure into the penalty killing equation within a season or two.  I truly believe that the Jets need players like Albert to succeed long term, and it’s tough to discount smart players with speed, skill and hockey sense.

Please leave your thoughts in the comments, or follow me on Twitter @ICKylek

Here is a sneak peek of a prospect report I wrote on goaltender Edward Pasquale.

Edward Pasquale- G (4th round, 117th overall in 2009 from Saginaw Spirit of the OHL)- 20-year-old Edward Pasquale is currently fourth on Winnipeg’s goaltending depth chart (behind Ondrej Pavelec, Chris Mason and Peter Mannino) and will play for the new AHL team in St.John’s, Newfoundland to start the season. The Toronto native split backstopping duties between the AHL’s Chicago Wolves and the ECHL’s Gwinnett Gladiators last season, posting a 11-11-1 record, one shutout and a save percentage of .900 in 24 games for the Wolves and a 7-4 record with an .898 Save Percentage for the Gladiators. Pasquale has great size for a goalie (6’2’’, 220) and has very good lateral movement in the crease. Barring a significant injury, Pasquale will start somewhere in the neighbourhood of 30-40 games for St.John’s this season.  The good news is even if Pasquale never plays a game in Winnipeg next year, there is already a restaurant in town named after him. Click here to check out Pasquale’s Restaurant in Winnipeg.

Gregoire, who played his junior hockey for the Winnipeg South Blues and Lincoln Stars prior to moving on to UND, is a gregarious winger with good offensive instincts.  A former member of the all-WCHA Academic team, Gregoire is blessed with above-average hockey sense and is a player who makes the most of his opportunities.

More on Gregoire after the jump.

The versatile left-winger left school after his junior year to take advantage of a cap loophole and make himself a free-agent. Fielding offers from several teams, Gregoire decided on the home-town Jets.

Going forward, Gregoire figures to be in the mix for a job on the left wing with the big club. A 1989 birthdate, Gregoire will bring a mature game to camp and Illegal Curve would not be surprised if he made the club in a 3rd-line checking role or a 4th line energy role. A left-handed shot (quick release and accurate), Gregoire is said to be very coachable and well-liked in the room.

Standing not quite 6’ tall and tipping the scales at nearly 200 pounds, Gregoire can play a variety of styles and could make himself a valuable addition to Coach Noel’s depth chart. The aforementioned hockey sense, coupled with his preference to play up-and-down the wing and his knack for scoring timely goals would seem to indicate that he would slot in somewhere between 3rd and 6th on the Jets current left-wing depth chart.

Working in Gregoire’s favour is the fact that he is a little older than Carl Klingberg and he likely has more offensive upside (scoring at more than a point-per-game in the WCHA) than both Klingberg and the recently acquired Kendal McArdle. On the other hand, both Klingberg and McArdle have been playing professional hockey, so Gregoire will have to work hard to set himself apart from the pack by displaying some grit (he has it) and toughness (ditto). Gregoire’s leadership qualities may also come into play, and it never hurts to have a local kid in the lineup.

Follow me on Twitter @ICkylek for more prospect news.

Breaking down the picks made by the Jets, we see that they certainly have a “type” in terms of what they are looking for in a player. Kids with size, character and upside seem to be what the team is looking for, and they stayed true to that formula during this draft.

Player grades after the jump.

The Jets chose the following players:

Mark Scheifele-C (1^st round, 7^th overall from the Barrie Colts)- The Jets made a bit of a reach pick with Scheifele, in that he was slotted in the middle of the first round by most lists. He put up good numbers on a terrible team (coached by Jets alum Dale Hawerchuk) and is thought to be a kid with good character as well as offensive skills. Was the leading scorer for Canada on the U-18 team. Needs to work on strength and quickness. The Jets obviously liked him, as there were higher rated players available.

Adam Lowry-LW (3^rd round, 67^th overall from the Swift Current Broncos)- A kid with good pedigree (son of ex-NHL’er Dave Lowry), he also had a brother drafted by the LA Kings. A self-described physical player, Lowry combines grit with some offensive flair and isn’t afraid to fight. One scout we spoke with really liked his determination and willingness to do the little things well to help the team win. Despite missing training camp with mono, he put up respectable numbers with 18 goals, 27 assists and 84 PIMS in 66 games.

Brennan Serville-D (3^rd round, 78^th overall from Stouffville of the OJHL, committed to University of Michigan) Serville is also a bit of a reach, in that he was ranked in the 100’s in terms of skaters available. But, like Scheifele, the Jets obviously saw something they liked in this raw defender and moved up to get him. Tall and rangy, he put up decent numbers this season and has represented Canada in the World Junior A Challenge and has played in the CJHL Prospects game. Serville will be tutored by Red Berenson at Michigan, which bodes well for the Jets. I like the aggressiveness the Jets showed in getting Serville.

Zachary Yuen-D (4^th round, 119^th overall from the Tri-City Americans)- a 6’0, 205 pound defender, Yuen is said to be blessed with acute hockey sense. He played a big role on a successful Americans team as a 17-year old, and followed that up with a very good 2010-11, putting up 32 points from the blue-line. He plays a game that trends toward the shut-down role, but can contribute offensively as well. I heard it suggested that one of the reasons why his stock fell is that he is a little short for a shut down guy (seems spurious, at best) and that he doesn’t do any one thing extremely well.

Austen Brassard-RW (5^th round, 149^th overall from the Belleville Bulls) Going back to Ontario, the Jets picked up a right-winger once thought to be a potential first-round selection due to his early selection in the OHL. A slow start and a poor team meant that he put up only 34 points this year, and despite being the 64^th-ranked North American skater, he fell to the 5^th round. That said, Brassard has good potential and the Jets may have a steal on their hands. He has size and can play a high-energy game.

Jason Kasdorf-G (6^th round, 157^th overall from the Portage Terriers of the MJHL) Not exactly known for producing NHL’ers, the Terriers did supply this tall goaltender to the home-town Jets. Kasdorf is committed to RPI, where he will play under the highly-respected Seth Appert. The Illegal Curve crew met him and his family on the street, and they are very nice people. I don’t know much about his game other than that he took Portage to the Anavet and Royal Bank Cups this past spring. Likely a project goalie at this point, but he has the right frame and attitude to succeed.

Aaron Harstad-D (7^th round, 187^th overall from the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL) Green Bay has had a respected program for many years, which is a good sign for Harstad. The word from the USHL people is that he is a stay-at-home type defender with good size (6’2, 187) and a bit of a mean streak. He does have some issues surrounding his work ethic, but is committed to Colorado College. I peg him as a draft and follow sort of player.

The Winnipeg Jets made seven selections in all, including one first-rounder and two players in the third round. In reviewing these picks, we see that they made two “reach” picks and have three potential steals in Brassard, Yuen and Kasdorf. As I tweeted during the draft, I feel that the current crop of players should start with a B- grade.

There is no obvious game breaker in the group, and no one in the later rounds seems like an obvious bet to overachieve. That said, the Jets were very true to their word in terms of what they were looking for, and obviously went after players they wanted with some gusto. I am reluctant to give too high of mark due to my years of watching the Oilers make reach picks in the first round (Mikhnov, Niinimaki, Pouliot, etc.) and having the experiments fail. I  hope Scheifele turns into a top-6 forward, but its too early to tell.

For juxtaposition and a different take on Winnipeg’s choices, read Mark Seidel’s (chief scout for North American Central Scouting) take here:

Winnipeg Jets – Grade: A+

The decision to not retain Rick Dudley or Head Scout Dan Marr caused us concern because we weren’t sure where the scouting information was going to come from but it became very obvious that Craig Heisinger and Kevin Cheveldayoff had been doing their home work because they went off the board and selected a big time favourite of ours, Mark Scheifele from the Barrie Colts. Scheifele was arguably Canada’s best player at the Under 18 World Championships and the Jets may have gotten some inside information from Scheifele’s Coach/GM in Barrie and Winnipeg’s biggest superstar ever, Dale Hawerchuk. The Jets didn’t have a 2^nd round pick but their two 3^rdround picks represented 2^nd round value in the huge defender from Swift Current, Adam Lowry and the future NCAA superstar, Brennan Serville. In the 4^th round, we think the Jets got the absolute best value of the entire draft with Zach Yuen from the Tri-City Americans. At NACS, we had Yuen ranked #52 overall and think he has a chance to become a very good NHL defender and for the Jets to trade up to #119 to get him, it showed a vision and competence that bodes very well for the fans of the Jets. They finished the weekend off with another great value in the burgeoning power forward, Austin Brassard at #149 from the Belleville Bulls. Their last 2 picks followed the pattern they established early in the Draft that they wanted sized prospects that were excellent value and despite it being Cheveldayoff and Heisinger’s first NHL Draft, they showed they were prepared and took almost every other team to school, which was very impressive.

Gregoire, a left-winger chosen in the 3^rd round (76^th overall) out of Lincoln in the USHL in the 2007 Entry Draft, left UND after his junior season to take advantage of the “Blake Wheeler-rule” in the CBA, which allows players to sign with any team should his drafting team not sign him within 30 days past the 4-year mark of the team drafting said player.

More about this prospect after the jump.

A solidly built player with offensive talent, Gregoire plays a robust game and would figure to be a 2^nd or 3^rd line winger at the NHL-level. He possesses a hard, accurate shot and is not afraid to play a physical game. In addition to his offensive skills, he is a hard worker who wins a lot of board and front-of-net battles with superior strength and tenacity. He has shown a steady improvement in production and leadership from junior to the college game, and played on one of the most feared lines in college hockey this past season.

If signed by Winnipeg, I would think he would spend time in the minors honing his game, but would not be surprised to see him in the NHL in short order. He plays a style of game that would fit in will with what Chevaldayoff and Heisinger are said to want to play, and having a home-town kid on the roster can’t hurt.

Your thoughts in the comments, as always.

At the time, my best guess was Ryan Strome with an outside chance of Dougie Hamilton, Mika Zibanejad or a couple of others.  As is often the case in the run-up to the draft, there are trade rumours and whispers of certain prospects “rocketing” up the charts after positive testing sessions and interviews.   Phrases such as “…won’t make it out of the Top 10” are thrown about, and the natural human tendencies towards group think take over.

Now, I can’t say to what extent these tendencies affect General Managers and scouting staffs, but I firmly believe they play at least a small part in their selections.  With that in mind I wanted to do a quick refresher on some of the possible #7’s.

Two players thought to have improved their selection order are the aforementioned Mika Zibanejad and Ryan Murphy. They are definitely firmly in the mix, as are Ryan Strome, Dougie Hamilton and maybe, just maybe Sean Couturier (though I really, really doubt it).

More about the possible draft choices for Winnipeg after the jump.

Here is a quick primer on the possible new additions to the Winnipeg franchise:

Ryan Strome:· Centre, Niagra Ice Dogs, OHL· 6’0, 184 lbs· 65 GP, 33 G, 73 A, 106 Pts· Seen a one-dimensional scorer, Strome is thought to be one of the best puck handlers in the draft. A possible #1 centre, Strome could be too much for Winnipeg to overlook, as #1 centre types with skill and hockey sense do not grow on trees. Some doubts as to how he will project in the NHL, but might be the safest pick here.

Dougie Hamilton:· Defence, Niagra Ice Dogs, OHL· 6’4, 193lbs· 67 GP, 12 G, 46A, 58 Pts· Often referred to as the consolation prize of defencemen in the first round, Hamilton’s only crime as compared to Larsson is that he did not play in a “men’s” league like Larsson. So even if Larsson might be ready sooner, Hamilton could still end up being the better player in the long-term. Big kid with offensive ability and a mean streak. Who wouldn’t love a player named Dougie?

Ryan Murphy:· Defence, Kitchener Rangers, OHL· 5’11, 177 lbs· 63 GP, 26 G, 53A, 79Pts· Murphy is one of the players that has shot up the draft charts this week as the speculation builds he could be a steal in the top 10, given his offensive output. Often compared to other smaller defencemen with skill (Housley, Rafalski, Ellis, et al), the question is whether or not Winnipeg wants to gamble with the #7 pick. I see Murphy as high-risk, high-reward.

Mika Zibanejad:· Centre, Djurgarden, Swedish Elite League· 6’2, 191lbs· 26 GP, 5G, 4A, 9Pts· The hybrid Finn, Swede and Iranian centre is another player that has been climbing the charts this week on the strength of some good testing and interviews. Since I am not privy to what is asked and answered in the interviews, I assume he has impressed with his insight into Scandanavian-Middle Eastern relations. Hockey wise, he is a solid two-way type with a little sandpaper to his game. I think part of the reason why he is suddenly popular is that he might be ready to step in right now. Likely projects as a 2nd or 3rd line centre, so is that worth a #7 overall?

Sean Couturier:· Centre, Drummondville Voltigeurs, QMJHL· 6’4, 194lbs· 58GP, 36G, 60A, 96Pts· As discussed in the Previous Prospect Pulse, Couturier has had the misfortune to have been identified early as a potential #1 and to have been plagued with a poor season (by his standards) due to illness. Should he fall (I don’t think he will) to #7, Winnipeg would be crazy not to take him. He is big, plays centre with above-average skill, can score and is capable in his own end. As with Strome, these guys don’t go on trees.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. With all the talk of trades, etc., this could very well be a wild and wooly first round, with players climbing and falling well out of their projected range.  Even a talent like Cam Fowler fell to the mid-first round last year, so anything can happen.  The important thing is that you listen to the Illegal Curve Radio show live on both Friday and Saturday, and follow our Twitter (@illegalcurve, @ICKylek and @ICEzra) feeds for live action from the draft. Your comments below, as always.

Postma figures to fit in on the opposite end of the spectrum as Kulda, as the former Western Leaguer (Swift Current, Calgary) is an offensive-prototype defenseman. A smooth and swift skater, Postma sees the ice well and has been able to post steadily increasing offensive numbers since his 16 year old season with Swift Current of the WHL, highlighted by an 84 point campaign with the Calgary Hitmen and a 45 point outing with the Chicago Wolves last season.

Calling once again on two former coaches, both noted that Postma has good vision and is very good on the power-play and is equally comfortable shooting and passing the puck. He is able to use his speed and skating to set the tone of the play and to get out of trouble when need be.

More about this prospect after the jump.

The negatives to his game are common with young defensemen, in that he can be somewhat lackadaisical with the puck, especially in his own end, and tends to overplay the puck on occasion.  His physical stature is likely a negative at this point, standing 6’3 but weighing only 175lbs.  That obviously makes for a lanky-type defender, but one that needs to add weight to win the battles at the NHL level.  Both coaches I spoke to noted that he is easily separated from the puck and often loses front-of-net battles.

Despite the negatives to his game, Postma is still only 22 years old and has already played a game in the NHL.  I would expect he stays at the American League level this season, but could be a call up if the Winnipeg club needs a power-play specialist (someone like Marc-Andre Bergeron) at the NHL level.

The Latvian defender and former Peterborough Pete (and 7th round NHL draft choice) most likely figures to be a physical blueline presence that looks after his own end first, but can also make an offensive contribution by way of his heavy shot.

Prospect Pulse had the opportunity to speak to a current NHL assistant coach as well as a former AHL assistant coach, and the recurring theme to their discussions of Kulda was his “rawness”.   He can make and take a pass, can get his big shot off in a hurry, but is still a little unsure as to where to be in defensive zone coverage and will often make mistakes by erring on the side of being cautious, which leads to him getting caught in “no-man’s land” situations.

That said, he obviously has some defensive bonafides, as he managed to keep his plus/minus to a respectable -2 on a Chicago Wolves team that gave up more goals than it scored. Kulda did post a stunning +46 in 2009-10, but he happened to be paired with future Hall of Famer Chris Chelios.

More about this prospect after the jump.

A solid 6’2’ and 200 pounds, Arturs Kulda is a punishing hitter who the above-mentioned coaches figure will be used as a shut-down 3 or 4 type in the NHL.  Depending on who ends up on the Winnipeg blueline, he could also be called upon to employ his big shot on the power-play.  He has improved over each of his seven seasons in North America, and the people I spoke to believe he can step into Winnipeg’s lineup if he has a successful summer of training.

Let us know which prospects you’d like more info on for our Prospect Pulse series.

I think it’s important, for the time being, to give the incoming boss a clean slate. Given a quick perusal of the current crop of prospects, I think it’s fair to say that this is somewhat of an underwhelming group. There are some good players on the list, to be sure, with the likes of Carl Klingberg, Patrice Cormier and Spencer Machacek at the top of the heap. That said, very few players of the current crop are likely to be first-line impact players at the NHL-level. With this in mind, I would give the group a C+ rating as a whole.

Going forward, it is imperative that Chevaldayoff and crew improve this group in a big hurry. The team will be playing in a very competitive Western Conference (eventually), and will need to draft well and be proactive in scouting the college ranks for useful players if they want to compete.

As a measuring stick, I propose that Illegal Curve takes three different measurements to gauge the success rate of each draft. College free-agent signings from the spring preceding the draft will be included in that years class, regardless of age. The first measurement will be the number of potential impact players drafted, traded for (prospects/picks only) and signed in that year. The word potential will be defined by a panel of Illegal Curve contributors and weight will be given to draft day steals (players who were not thought to be available when the Winnipeg team is set to pick).  A letter grade will be assigned at this time, with the hopes that there is room for improvement.

The second measurement will be taken three years from the draft date, and will focus on the player’s progress in whatever league they are playing in currently. If the player has graduated to the NHL, for example, points will be given for not only the movement upwards but for the work said player is doing at that level. If the player is in the AHL kicking out the jams, that’s worth something, as is tearing up their respective college leagues, etc. A letter grade will be assigned at this time, as well as a comparison to the draft day grade.

The third and final measurement will be taken five years hence. The only two ways to score points here will be for a graduation to the NHL (and level of success at the big leagues) or for an imminent call-up (giving credence to the school of thought that defenders and goalies take longer to ripen). Points will be deducted for a bust, and the criteria for a bust will again be determined from a panel of Illegal Curve Experts (and David).

I am looking for feedback from readers on the system as proposed, as well as thoughts on how we could better measure the incoming prospect pool. It is an inexact science to be sure, but its nice to have parameters set forth so we know what to expect from both management and from draft classes. Incoming general managers will not be tagged for grades earned from past gm’s, but the organization as a whole has to live and die with what its employees do.

So, IC readers, how to we measure this? Do we have a good system, or can you do it better?

With the relocation of the Thrashers to Winnipeg, I took a moment to peruse the incoming crop of prospects.  The one that really caught my eye was Carl Klingberg, who I had the opportunity to watch at the World U-18’s in Fargo, ND a few years back.

Many, many years ago, I recall the Jets drafting Mats Lindgren and describing him a “Swedish grinder”.  I had a good laugh over that one, since my teenage-self thought it was pure folly to go prowling the hinterlands of Sweden looking for a plugger.  Low and behold, some 15 years later I found myself saying, “Wow, that kid is a Swedish power forward.”

To read the rest of Kyle’s assessment of Klinberg and to watch his post draft interview, click read more.

Quick, big and mean for a Swede, Klingberg took it to Team Canada’s defenders for 3 full periods and ate the Americans lunch in the two games I saw live.  Though the chances were not coming from his stick, per se, Klingberg excelled at creating scoring opportunities for his linemates and made every other Swede on the ice bigger with his presence.  He possesses a quick first step, gets to speed almost immediately and has decent lateral movement.  I didn’t see him get many shots, as his game is almost all below the hash-marks, but he was good with the puck in tight spaces and seemed to have at least average hands.

On the downside, I found that Klingberg would err on the side of making a hit rather than taking the puck when there was a play to be made.  Keep in mind that this viewing was 2 full seasons ago, and can likely be chalked up to youthful exuberance.  His hockey sense seems to be astute, as he was always in position and played within his limitations.

A quick perusal of www.hockeydb.com will show you that his numbers aren’t great, but keep in mind he is a young man playing in a tough Swedish league, where point totals aren’t often high and the 2^nd assist is given out sparingly. Going forward, I would envision him as an agitator-type, playing anywhere from the 2^nd line to the 4^th line, and being a fan favourite in Winnipeg.

Here is his interview from Draft Day:

We’re number 7!

Well, the good news for Winnipeg/Manitoba hockey fans is that might mean the chance to draft the next Jeff Skinner for our new NHL franchise.

Winnipeg/Manitoba will have the 7th overall pick at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Friday, June 24, 2011 and if last year’s 7th overall pick, Carolina Hurricanes forward Jeff Skinner, is any indication of the draft number’s potential, we very well could be watching the next Calder Trophy Winner (Skinner is nominated for and is expected to win The 2010’11 Calder Trophy for the league’s top rookie player) in just under four months at The MTS Centre.

The purpose of this article is to give you a little sneak peek at who the Winnipeg/Manitoba franchise might select with its First Round draft pick and what may lead True North Sports & Entertainment and its management team to make said decision.

Let’s look at The Top 20 Rated North American Prospects as ranked by NHL Central Scouting.  To read entire article, click read more.

Source: TSN NHL Draftcentre

Now, as we discussed on The Illegal Curve Hockey Show this past week, we believe that The Winnipeg/Manitoba franchise’s strength currently lies in its defence and goaltending and its biggest weakness is depth at the forward position.  Because Winnipeg/Manitoba has young, talented defensemen in abundance in Tobias Enstrom, Dustin Byfuglien and Zach Bogosian, plus prospects Arturs Kulda and Paul Postma (stay tuned to Illegal Curve as we’ll have detailed prospect reports on these players), we feel that their focus at The NHL Entry Draft and in Free Agency should be securing skilled forwards.

Based on this assertion, The Winnipeg/Manitoba franchise will almost surely target a player that may be ready to step into The NHL next season with its first round selection.

We must mention a few things before we continue. Firstly, the incoming 2011 NHL Draft class is considered to be strong by some and a little weak by others. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Gabriel Landeskog, Adam Larsson (Swedish defenseman who played for Skelleftea and was ranked 2nd overall by International Scouting Services) and Jonathan Huberdeau are considered to be top-flight prospects and are expected to go somewhere in the top four but after that this draft class is fairly unknown.

Hold on though. Don’t get too jaded.  Heading into last year’s NHL Entry Draft, Jeff Skinner (then of of The OHL’s Kitchener Rangers) was ranked 34th overall by Central Scouting and we all know how he turned out.

Of the Top 20 rated prospects, Winnipeg/Manitoba would love to get their hands on Landeskog, Nugent-Hopkins or Huberdeau but it’s expected that those three will be gone by the time Craig Heisinger/Mark Chipman/New GM step to the podium on June 24th with the 7th overall pick.

Now, with Larsson expected to go to either Edmonton or Colorado at either 1st or 2nd overall, here’s where it gets interesting. The New York Islanders and Ottawa Senators are picking fifth overall and sixth overall respectively, right ahead of the Winnipeg/Manitoba franchise.

The Islanders are rebuilding but have lots of young offensive talent in John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey and Michael Grabner while Ottawa is also stronger at forward than on defense. Ottawa’s top rearguards right now are Sergei Gonchar and Chris Phillips, who are not exactly youngsters (It should be noted that Erik Karlsson is an up-and-comer on the Sens blueline).

What this means is that Center Sean Couturier (Drumondville Voltigeurs), the 2010’11 QMJHL MVP and only draft eligible player to play for Canada at The 2011 World Junior Hockey Championships, may be available at the 7th overall pick.  Couturier simply oozes offensive potential, as he was the first 17 year-old since Sidney Crosby to lead the QMJHL in scoring (96 points in 2009’10). Couturier had 96 points again in 2010’11 which is fine but Couturier fell down the draft rankings (He was ranked 2nd overall by NHL Central Scouting at mid-season) as some believed his play and work ethic tailed off down the stretch this year. Regardless, Couturier has the size, speed and hands that any NHL team would want in today’s fast and furious game. Winnipeg/Manitoba will be forced to consider him at 7th overall. It should be noted that Couturier does have work to do on his defensive game and conditioning, but so do many players at this age.

Moving down the list, Center Ryan Strome may be the next best option at forward. This is no knock to Winger Sven Baertschi (Ranked 7th overall, played for WHL’s Portland Winterhawks) but Strome is pure offensive power personified. Strome skyrocketed up the draft rankings this year (Strome was ranked 19th by CSS at mid-season) playing for Niagara in The Ontario Hockey League. Strome finished 3rd in OHL scoring with 106 points and impressed many scouts with his offensive creativity and ability to find his teammates at all areas of the ice. Strome is hot right now and might not even be available at 7th overall and Ottawa/New York could be interested in him.

There are two more players that we want to look at who we consider to be good options but let’s pause for just a second.

You may have noticed that Couturier and Strome are both center prospects. Well, this sits well with IC as The Winnipeg/Manitoba franchise, in our opinion, does not have enough depth at this all-important position.  Nikolai Antropov (31 years old, 41 points in 76 games last year) centered the top line at times last year along with Bryan Little (23 years old, 48 points in 76 games)  while Alexandre Burmistrov (20 years old, 20 points in 74 games) centered the third line. Finally, Tim Stapleton, Jim Slater and Ben Maxwell took turns centering the team’s fourth line.

So back to the prospects.

Another good option for Winnipeg/Manitoba at the 7th overall slot may be Zack Phillips (Saint John Sea Dogs of The QMJHL), who is rated a little further down the list at 15th overall by CS but who could easily be ranked several slots higher. Phillips has been ranked in The Top 15 for North American prospects for quite some time now but his stock has gone way up since The Sea Dogs won the Memorial Cup. Phillips had 38 goals and 95 points for Saint John this year and another 24 points in the playoffs. The scouting report on Phillips is that he is strong on the puck, has nifty hands and is extremely intelligent in all three zones. Most importantly, however is that he is known for a very strong work ethic and for pushing his teammates. These are intangibles that True North loves.

Mika Zibanejad is an interesting wild card. Zibanejad is a offensive-minded center who played for Djurgarden in Sweden and has an all-around bang and crash type of game. Zibanejad is ranked 7th overall by International Scouting Services and there have been rumblings that a team could take him as high as fourth. Zibanejad describes himself as playing a Canadian style of game and even though scouts have disagreed on his offensive upside, he has garnered quite a bit of positive attention.

Other players that Winnipeg/Manitoba may strongly consider at the 7th overall pick are Center Mark McNeill (WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders), Center Mark Scheifele (OHL’s Barrie Colts) and RW Ty Rattie (WHL’s Portland Winterhawks).

Let us know who you think should be taken with the first ever pick by the Winnipeg/Manitoba franchise.  Sound off in the comments section.