Rookie Watch: Phoenix Coyotes

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Each Day until September 15th TPS will take a look at one team from the East and one team from the West and spotlight a few rookies to watch for this season. Today in the West it’s the Phoenix Coyotes.

Tuesday Night Recap

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"If you missed it live...click the archive..."

Last night we kicked off the show with discussions ranging from a David Frost sighting to WHL players demanding a trade and who's back or not from NHL camps. Guests last night included a new NCAA Head Coach who already has a stellar reputation, one of our CHL media regulars looking at who is and isn't still at NHL camps, a look at the Phoenix Coyotes and a 2011 eligible prospect who'd be getting top-10 hype if he were a few inches taller.

Staying Power

Now that every team has played atleast 10 games, it's time to look at those youngsters who have passed the magic mark of 9 games and look destined to stay in the NHL.

Oscar Moller, of the LA Kings scored twice, giving him 4 on the year and helping the Kings against Calgary Saturday night. Moller has 6 points in his 10 games with LA who weren't sure before the 9 game mark if they were going to keep the now former Chilliwack Bruin of the WHL. Saturday night Moller was all over the ice, and as usual shooting from every direction, which led to his 3rd tally this year. Unlike Moller, there wasn't much doubt about his teammate and Kings rookie blueliner Drew Doughty who had just one assist heading into action Saturday night, but a league leading (heading into Saturday) plus 6 when it comes to NHL freshmen.



The guy drafted 3 spots after Doughty this past June also isn't going back to Junior. Luke Schenn played his 12th game in comeback victory over New York Saturday, and picked up an assist, his 3rd on the season. Schenn has been physical, has racked up 17 minutes in penalties, and is playing more than 21 minutes a night. I was one of the guys who thought going back to Kelowna would have been a good move as the Rockets could be Memorial Cup contenders this year and Schenn would surely captain Team Canada at the World Juniors, but he certainly hasn't looked out of place in the NHL thus far.

Maybe the biggest surprise of this year's crop of rookies is Philadelphia D-man Luca Sbisa. Most (myself included) expected the 19th overall pick last June, to end up back in Lethbridge helping the Hurricanes to a 2nd straight WHL Eastern Conference Championship. But injuries in Philly and great play by the Italian born, and Swiss raised blueliner have kept in the city of brotherly love, where Sbisa has 5 assists and is averaging almost 25 shifts per game.

The Kitchener Rangers weren't likely expecting the Great Dane Mikkel Boedker back this season, in fact former Rangers head coach Peter Deboer told TPS before last year's Memorial Cup that Boedker was NHL ready, even before he was drafted. Boedker was drafted 8th overall and before Saturday night was averaging a point every 2nd game for Wayne Gretzky's EX-JETS. His terrific speed and vision on the ice has Boedker playing in the desert dogs top 6.

A couple of other notes, both Zach Bogosian and Alex Pieterangelo are hurt right now, and if their injuries linger on, would the Thrasher and Blues think of sending them back? I highly doubt it, but who knows. Brandon Sutter is also hurt, but he won't be returning to Red Deer, and the Saskatoon Blades are hoping to get Colton Gillies back, will it happen? Maybe. Gillies is playing less than 10 minutes a night for Jacques Lemaire's Wild and has only played 8 games. The Blades are a great team this year and Gillies might be better off leading the charge in toon town, rather than going into the wild and sitting on the bench.

There's a few others out there who have made it past the 9 game mark, let me know who has impressed you thus far.

Top 5 Tuesdays: Best of Denmark

This week's Top 5 is a quick look at why many consider Denmark to be a blossoming hockey nation. For a sport to take hold in any country or area of a country (like California or Texas), the residents have to have examples, successful people to take inspiration from. In Denmark, kids grow up playing soccer first and foremost but with the ongoing success of young hockey players like these... perhaps that country will start being included in the second tier of hockey powers alongside Swtizerland and Germany.

#5 - Morten Madsen

Madsen was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the 4th round of the 2005 draft but the first time I'd heard of him was the season prior. I had been talking to a NHL scout about Peter Regin, another Dane who could have made this top 5 list. Regin was drafted by Ottawa in the 3rd round of 2004 and is now playing in the AHL for their farm team. Anyway, in that discussion about Regin the NHL executive told me that "next year's Dane is going to be the one to watch" and of course he was talking about Madsen.

Madsen moved to the QMJHL and scored 100 points as a 20-year-old with Victoriaville (pictured). Hopes were high for the forward and certainly his willingness to play junior in Canada was seen as a big positive by NHL watchers. However, Madsen struggled last year in the AHL under Kevin Constantine - no surprise there as the former NHL and WHL head coach is renowned for his defense-first slant. Madsen only managed 20 points but is still considered a potential NHL level talent although he might need a different organization to breakout offensively.

#4 - Frans Nielsen

The New York Islanders used a 3rd round pick on Nielsen back in 2002 and he's been a part of their minor league team in Bridgeport since the 2006-07 season. Nielsen has the distinction of being the first Dannish Citizen to play in the NHL. The Edmonton Oilers had a Dane named Poul Popiel play for them way back when but he had apparently become an American citizen by then.

Thus far in his career he hasn't been overly impressive from an offensive standpoint but he's got flash and teases with the potential of being able to deliver more than he has. Currently he's playing with the Islanders.

#3 - Jannik Hansen

Like Peter Regin, Jannik Hansen was also a 2004 draft pick but much later than his fellow countryman. The Vancouver Canucks took a 9th round flyer on the Dane but haven't second guessed that choice since then. Hansen played for the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL and had 64 points in as many games. Thenext season it was off to Manitoba where he contiued to play well until the playoffs - because he was recalled to the NHL.

The Canucks were in injury trouble and recalled Hansen to help them out and he didn't disappoint. Although he wasn't an offensive weapon by any stretch of the imagination, he was very successful as a checking forward. It appeared certain that he'd stick with the team to start the following year however a training camp injury kept him from making the team and limited him to just 5 regular season games.

Hansen is currently in the NHL though with the Canucks and playing a key role with Ryan Kesler and Alexandre Burrows.

#2 - Lars Eller

Casual hockey fans don;t know the name as of yet but certainly those who follow prospects and/or the St. Louis Blues will know who Lars Eller is. The Blues took him 13th overall in the 2007 NHL Draft making him the highest drafted Dane ever (didn't last long) and instantly drew comparisons to Anze Kopitar of Slovenia as potential impact player from an traditionally non-hockey country.

Eller is still playing in Sweden for Frölunda but is considered a NHL-caliber blue chip prospect for St. Louis. A contact I have in Sweden tells me that he'd guess Eller would be a 2-way forward in the NHL, more of a playmaker than a scorer but certainly one that can play an offensive role. When he'll come over is probably the bigger question right now.

#1 - Mikkel Bødker

Will he be the Wayne Gretzky of Denmark? Probably not but if Frans Nielsen is getting the rock star treatment back home for his thus far unremarkable NHL success, you can only imagine what awaits Mikkel Bødker (Boedker over here).

Phoenix drafted the speedster 8th overall this past June and confirming what then-Kitchener Rangers head coach Pete DeBoer told us on the show last May, Boedker made a quick transition to the NHL. He's already playing a second line role for the Desert Dogs and has contributed his first NHL goal in the process.

He was a standout in his brief OHL career potting 73 points in 62 regular season games for the Rangers but he tnook his game to another stratosphere in the playoffs. Boedker had 35 points in just 20 games for Kitchener in their trip to the Memorial Cup where, as hosts, they eventually lost a hard fought game to the Spokane Chiefs.

We started calling Boedker The Great Dane last year and so far I haven't come up with a better moniker to slap on him. He's terrific and with Kyle Turris, Kevin Porter, Peter Mueller, Keith Yandle, Martin Hanzal and Viktor Tikhonov around him, the Coyotes might finally make a dent in their desert market.

There were a few others I wanted to mention other than Peter Regin. Goalie Sebastien Dahm didn't get drafted but played for 4 different OHL clubs in his 3-year CHL career... getting acquired by playoff bound teams twice so obviously he was of value. He's now playing in the AHL for the Syracuse Crunch, minor league affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Philip Larsen is a Dallas Stars prospect who they drafted in the 5th round of 2008. He's still playing in Sweden but was one of their better players at the 2008 WJC in Prague.

Finally, both Kirill Starkov and Slava Trukhno are Russian by birth but were raised in Denmark. Starkov was drafted by Columbus in 2005 (6th round) and Trukhno by Edmonton in the 4th round the same year. Both are currently in the AHL for their respective organizations. I know for sure that while Trukhno is proud of his Russian heritage, he prefers to spend his off-seasons back in his adopted home of Denmark.

Great Danes!

How far down your list of developing hockey powers is Denmark? Yes Denmark, the home of the Little Mermaid, Vikings and Metallica's drummer is also slowly becoming a legitimate hockey nation.

OK before you start in on me here, I'm not suggesting that the Danes are going to win the 2010 Olympics or win the next World Junior tournament. What I am saying is that like Switzerland, Germany and even Latvia... Denmark is getting to the point of credibility in the tier below the true hockey power nations.

Canada, Russia, Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the United States have been the 7 hockey powers for the last couple of decades and really, Slovakia hasn't been a member in the club for all that long and not on an annual basis either.

But back to the Danes and why I believe they're ready for permanent promotion up the ladder. Just look at the number of Danes being drafted in the last 5 years alone. Sure they might not be everyday NHL players just yet but all are still with the teams that drafted them and many have played in the NHL already, are on the farm or are still playing junior.

In 2002 the New York Islanders drafted Frans Nielsen in the 3rd round and has played 31 NHL games to date but appears in the loop for a regular job next year. In 102 AHL games with Bridgeport, Nielsen has 30 goals and 82 points.

Two years later a pair of Danes were drafted starting with Peter Regin by Ottawa in round 3 and then Jannik Hansen by Vancouver in the 9th round. Regin has completed 3 straight years in the Swedish Elite League but rumors are he may be ready to make the change to North America and the Sens still own his rights. He compiled 31 points in 55 games with Timra, 3rd best on his club.

Hansen has spent the last two seasons in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose and has 77 points over the two seasons. Many felt that Hansen would crack the Canucks roster last fall but an injury kept him on the farm and he lost his spot.

There were 3 players drafted in 2005 that have ties to Denmark. Morten Madsen was plucked by the Minnesota Wild in the 4th round and after scoring 100 points in the QMJHL with Victoriaville, he spent 2007-08 in Houston with the AHL Aeros. Although he only scored 3 times in the AHL, the 32 goals that he netted with the Tigres suggest an offensive upside yet to be tapped into.

Russian born but Denmark raised forwards Kirill Starkov and Slava Trukhno were drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets and Edmonton Oilers respectively. Starkov spent a season in the WHL with the Red Deer Rebels and had 71 points in 72 games. However, this past season the Yekaterinburg native bounced between the ECHL and the AHL but produced with both teams.

Trukhno was a dominant force in the QMJHL and had 3 straight 25-goal seasons and ended his junior career with 106 points last season in Gatineau. This past season he developed slowly in the AHL with Springfield before having a burst of production late in the year.

Last June the St. Louis Blues stepped up and made Lars Eller the highest drafted player from Denmark when they snapped him up with the 13th overall pick. Eller split his time between the SEL and the top junior league and may be a player who comes to the CHL next season or plays a bigger role in the SEL.

The trend is going to continue this year when Mikkel Boedker of the Kitchener Rangers is selected, likely in the top 10. His head coach Pete DeBoer recently told us during our 3rd Annual Memorial Cup Coach's Show that he felt Boedker was the most NHL-ready player in the draft next to Steven Stamkos and predicted that he'd be in the NHL next year. Boedker was a standout at the Top Prospects Game and has been all year with the Rangers too and certainly has been in the sights of scouts all season. Vetern blogger James Mirtle mentions Boedker a couple of times at his site recently (link).

Lesser known defenceman Philip Larsen will also get drafted after playing in Sweden this past year. Both he and Boedker were on Denmark's entry at the 2008 World Junior Championship in Prague.

There is also OHL netminder Sebastien Dahm worth mentioning. Dahm has now completed his junior eligibility and will likely get pro offers from both sides of the Atlantic. The 20-year-old has played for 4 different OHL teams and has been a populare trade deadline asset for teams looking to add a stronger netminder.

Collectively that's a lot of talent and worthy of respect. This is a group that should be able to contend with the Germans and the Swiss for the next several years and if development back home continues, who knows how far the Scandinavian country can go. Maybe 15 years from now we're looking at Denmark on a level close to or equal with Finland and Sweden.

Top Prospects Report Card (Pt. 2)

Same format as with the blueliners and the masked men but obviously this time I'm looking up front.

Jamie Arniel, Sarnia Sting (OHL) : (23/46) Arniel was a standout at the U18's last spring alongside Steve Stamkos but really, what he'll be remembered for at the Top Prospects game is being the recipient of Colby Robak's sensational long-bomb pass. Credit to Arniel for finishing off the play but outside of that, he had a pretty quiet night. Grade -C

Josh Bailey, Windsor Spitfires (OHL): (19) He scored twice, one being gift wrapped by Hodgson, but Bailey was an integral part of White's top line. Has a lot of hustle and decent size at 6'1 190lbs. He's an aggressive skater and on that line, that was the perfect fit to match with Hodgson and Boychuk, two guys who are probably more skilled than him but needed a worker with hands. That might be a good, simple description of Bailey; a worker with hands. Grade B

Mikkel Boedker, Kitchener Rangers (OHL): (13/11) (and it is pronounced as 'Mikhail' as though he were Russian ) I really enjoyed my conversations with Boedker and outside of Stamkos was team Red's best forward. The Dane had a goal and a helper in the 8-4 loss. In the skills competition he wasn't entered in the fast lap, a shame because he has great wheels, but he did clock in a 92mph slap shot which was 4th best of the 8 entries. Boedker will be gone by the mid point of round 1. Grade +B

Zach Boychuk, Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL): (11/10) He was named Player of the Game for Team White after his 1G, 2A performance. He had some serious chemisty with Hodgson and Bailey which was great to see. I've been a Boychuk backer for a while now so I was pleased to see him put together a week that would help erase a WJC tournament where he was a it player. Hands, vision, speed, hockey sense... everything you'd want but unfortunately in a 5'10 package. Grade -A

Phillipe Cornet, Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL): (31/72) Based only on this game I'd say the ISS number is more appropriate. He apparently had a goal but I swear I didn;t notice this guy even in the skills competition where he was 1/7 in the accuracy shooting. Grade D

Joel Champagne, Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL): (87/80) Here's an example of a guy that only got an invite to the game because enough NHL teams voted him in for a closer look. His line with Chicoutimi teammate Deschamps and Val d'Or's Maxime Sauve were terrific for their hard work and forecheck. He had a second assist on the opening goal of the game but more telling for me was how he and his line became the #1 power play unit because they were having their way with Red's best. Grade +C

Nicolas Deschamps, Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL): (28/107) See Champagne because they're pretty much interchangeable write ups. Unlike Champagne though, Deschamps did not register a point. Grade +C

Chris Doyle, PEI Rocket (QMJHL): Honestly, I had to look at the roster twice to double check that this player was even in the game. Put it this way; his team won 8-4 and he ended up a minus-2. Grade F

Tyler Ennis, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL): (17/12) The one guy on the ice brave enough to try and get creative and fancy during the game but just couldn't pull it off. One scout put it to me pretty sucinctly when he said "All the talent in the world but he's getting pushed around in junior... I don't think he's got a chance in the NHL." He's listed as 5'9 and 160 lbs but let's be honest, he's 146 lbs soaking wet (confirmed) and 5'9 if his hair is standing up. Grade +C

Jordan Eberle, Regina Pats (WHL): (24/17) He's one of my personal favorites and I know some folks thought he played well in the game but I have to admit I was disappointed. I didn't see the things I like most from Eberle; the one-on-one attacking and creative dekeing especially. He can pass and skate and shoot but in this game he was held off the scoresheet and he did not standout on skills day either. Grade +C

Cody Hodgson, Brampton Battalion (OHL): (10/6) I'm on record as saying that Hodgson was my pick for Player of the Game. To me he was responsible for two tap-in goals that Team White scored and on top of that his 3 points in all were equalled only by Boychuk. He's fast, showed unreal vision and passing skill and he's on the top power play and top PK unit for the Battalion. He leads his team in scoring and plays against the opposition's top lines... sensational. Grade A

A.J. Jenks, Plymouth Whalers (OHL): (20/26) I don't think he's a first rounder but he's a 2-3rd line power forward with OK hands but an above average sandpaper grit. He's a former 7th round pick that is delivering for the Whalers (albeit it he probably dropped that low because he was committed to the Michigan Wolverines). 6'2 and 21-, he was one of the bigger guys in the game and wasn't shy about playing the body. I liked him, but maybe not enough for the 1st round. Grade +C

James Livingston, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL): (42/39) Personally, I really like what Livingston showed in thie game. He and big Tyler Myers were going at it all night and Livingston was clearly the one trying to keep that kettle on the burner throughout the game. He finished minus-2 but I still liked him. Grade -B

Brandon McMillan, Kelowna Rockets (WHL): (44/68) A late edition to cover for the injured Kyle Beach but couldn't fill those big shoes. McMillan's claim to fame will be that he smoked the field in the fast lap as the only guy to break the 14 second mark with a blistering 13.897. Half a second off the NHL record, that's impressive. Outside of that, he didn't do much outside of getting pasted by teammate Luke Schenn in an open ice collision. Grade -C

Phil McRae, London Knights (OHL): (38/49) Bar none, worst interview that I had that week. Chalk it up to nerves maybe but Basil's son seemed like an introvert compared to the rest of the guys here. He had a second assist on the final goal of the game and was one of the only Red players to end with a plus-rating but really did little to impress me. Grade -C

Greg Nemisz, Windsor Spitfires (OHL): (25/16) His first attempt in the hard shot competition came it at 81mph which was slower than one of the media guys... not an impressive feat there. He redeemed himself with a 88mph seocnd attempt but even that was 7th of 8 entries. He scored on Pickard in the breakaway challenge but I think he might have slept in and missed the game because I didn't notice him or his assist. Grade -C

Maxime Sauve, Val d'Or Foreurs (QMJHL): (36/55) The best individual on the Flying Frenchmen trio as he played between the two Chicoutimi forwards. Had an assist and ended plus-1 but I remember him as a quick, shifty ball of energy with some flair. I think he helped his stock go up a bit with his play here. Grade +C

Jared Staal, Sudbury Wolves (OHL): (32/57) No he's not going to be the best Staal brother, but he might not be a bust like some are saying either. I was impressed with the goal he scored because he was outstretched and scored on a backhand shot that he actually lifted into the top half of the net - not easy to do when you're completely stretched already. Patiently answered the endless "brothers/family name/genetics" questions with a smile. For some reason I found myself looking for flaws and came away pleasantly suprised. Grade -B

Steven Stamkos, Sarnia Sting (OHL): (1/1) Gordie Howe hat trick has captured some attention but his goal was practically a tap in. I didn't see the blazing speed or the incredible puck skills in this game even though you know that they're in there. Even in the skills competition he failed to score in the breakaway relay depite a creative between-the-legs shot attempt. He'll go 1st overall but for his performance in this game alone... Grade -B

Mikhail Stefanovich, Quebec Remparts (QMJHL): (16/29) The knock on him is that he's very inconsistent and sometimes lazy. I hope that's why I didn't really come away with a great impression because this is a player I was looking forward to seeing. Very limited in his English, answered all of my questions in 2 words or less, and I can;t say I ever noticed a smile. He's got size and talent. One scout told me he's the best player available from the Q and another said he'd be gone by the midway point of the first round but to be honest, although I don't doubt it, it didn't look like it here at the TPG. Grade C

Kelsey Tessier, Quebec Remparts (QMJHL): (33/32) Stefanovich's teammate with the Remparts is a self described "Mike Cammalleri type player". He's small but quick and can definitely put up some points. The New Brunswick native was a terrific interview and I really think that he'll be a first round pick because some team will become enamored with his off ice personality. He's enthusiastic, was excited to be here, says all the right things and knows that at 5'9 and 172 lbs he's got an uphill battle. I liked him. Grade -B

Mitch Wahl, Spokane Chiefs (WHL): (37/25) Directly involved in the incident that led to Kyle Beach's concussion (see 2 blog entries below this one), I enjoyed hearing his side of the events. For the record, Wall says he knows Beach a bit away from the rink and that he's "not a bad guy". Anyway, Wahl is another smaller skilled guy which seems to be the theme amongst the forwards this year. I like him but not as much as some of the others like Boychuk, Hodgson, Eberle and Bailey. cored his goal on a really sweet redirection from a point shot after winning the faceoff back to the blueline. Grade +C

James Wright, Vancouver Giants (WHL): (43/35) I didn't notice him in the skills competition, he was a slow 15.245 seconds in the fast lap and failed to score on his breakaway relay chance. In the game I don't think we said his name more than once (I was doing colour on the Fan 590's webcast of the game). Grade D

Geordie Wudrick, Swift Current Broncos (WHL): (69/69) Might have been the guy to bolster his stock the most with the way he performed in the skills and the game. He was really off the radar coming in but scored twice in the 3x3 game, was robbed after a brilliant breakaway relay attempt, and showed some hustle in the big game as well. Speaks a mile-a-minute but thatmight have been nerves as most media weren't asking to speak with him. Have to admit that in the games I've seen the Broncos play this year, Wudrick was a no-show but he caught my eye here. Grade -B


That's it. If you saw the game or skills competition and want to tell me you agree or that I'm on crack, please do!