Each day until September 15th TPS will take a look at one team from the Eastern Conference and one club from the West and spotlight a few rookies to watch for this season. This afternoon we explore the potential first year guys for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Showing posts with label Tokarski (Dustin). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tokarski (Dustin). Show all posts
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Rookie Watch: Tampa Bay Lightning
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Each day until September 15th TPS will take a look at one team from the Eastern Conference and one club from the West and spotlight a few rookies to watch for this season. This afternoon we explore the potential first year guys for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Each day until September 15th TPS will take a look at one team from the Eastern Conference and one club from the West and spotlight a few rookies to watch for this season. This afternoon we explore the potential first year guys for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Lightning Prospect Snap Shot
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The Tampa Bay Lightning joined the league back in 1992 and have had a roller coaster existence over their 18-year history. They've finished dead last in the standings, they've won the Stanley Cup, drafted 1st overall three times, played in front of over 28,000 people in an indoor game yet have had numerous off-ice problems as well.
There are a lot of critics when it comes to the idea of hockey in Florida and yet Tampa Bay appears to be one of the more viable locations of the Southern based franchises.
There are superstars on the Tampa roster including perennial all-stars like Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis. Strong draft position in recent years has allowed the team to add franchise players like Steven Stamkos and defenceman Victor Hedman to build a solid future around.
Here is a look at some of the other promising players coming down the pipe for the Tampa bay Lightning...
The Tampa Bay Lightning joined the league back in 1992 and have had a roller coaster existence over their 18-year history. They've finished dead last in the standings, they've won the Stanley Cup, drafted 1st overall three times, played in front of over 28,000 people in an indoor game yet have had numerous off-ice problems as well.There are a lot of critics when it comes to the idea of hockey in Florida and yet Tampa Bay appears to be one of the more viable locations of the Southern based franchises.
There are superstars on the Tampa roster including perennial all-stars like Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis. Strong draft position in recent years has allowed the team to add franchise players like Steven Stamkos and defenceman Victor Hedman to build a solid future around.
Here is a look at some of the other promising players coming down the pipe for the Tampa bay Lightning...
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Top 5 Tuesday: Young Defenceman
Only once in the last 4 draft classes has a defenceman not been taking either first or second overall. So it stands to reason that there are some blue chip blueliners in the NHL right now. But not all of them have come in the top 2, 5 or even 10 on draft day. Here are are the 5 best young blueliners in my opinion. 5. Michael Del Zotto-New York Rangers
The 19 year old has shot out of the gate in New York with 2 goals 3 assists in 5 games, putting him a tie for 3rd in scoring among defenceman. The 20th pick in the 2008 draft has exploded up the depth chart in New York and is getting regular power play time on the first unit, often times with forward Ales Kotalik manning the left side. Del Zotto has one power play goal and has set up Kotalik twice by faking a shot and feeding a one timer. He leads all Ranger d-men in points and is only playing 15 minutes a night.
The 19 year old has shot out of the gate in New York with 2 goals 3 assists in 5 games, putting him a tie for 3rd in scoring among defenceman. The 20th pick in the 2008 draft has exploded up the depth chart in New York and is getting regular power play time on the first unit, often times with forward Ales Kotalik manning the left side. Del Zotto has one power play goal and has set up Kotalik twice by faking a shot and feeding a one timer. He leads all Ranger d-men in points and is only playing 15 minutes a night.
4. Alex Goligoski-Pittsburgh Penguins
Taken in the 2nd round of the 2004 draft, Goligoski's route to the NHL may have taken
a little longer than Pittsburgh expected, but now that he's arrived full time he's making his mark. In his second full season, Goligoski has 4 points in 6 games and a plus 5 rating so far this season. Goligoski's strong play last year (20 points, +5, 45 games) allowed the Penguins to deal Ryan Whitney and he hasn't made them regret their decision. The 24 year old was drafted out of high school, then spent a year with Sioux City of the USHL. After 3 years with the Minnesota Golden Gophers he played one full season with Wilkes-Barre. Last year he split time between the big club and the AHL, but looks to be a full time Penguin now.
a little longer than Pittsburgh expected, but now that he's arrived full time he's making his mark. In his second full season, Goligoski has 4 points in 6 games and a plus 5 rating so far this season. Goligoski's strong play last year (20 points, +5, 45 games) allowed the Penguins to deal Ryan Whitney and he hasn't made them regret their decision. The 24 year old was drafted out of high school, then spent a year with Sioux City of the USHL. After 3 years with the Minnesota Golden Gophers he played one full season with Wilkes-Barre. Last year he split time between the big club and the AHL, but looks to be a full time Penguin now.3. Erik Johnson-St. Louis Blues
Johnson might have drifted from peoples minds after missing all of last year due to a knee injury suffered in a golf cart incident, but he's back with the Blues and reminding people why St. Louis took him first overall in 2006. He has size at 6.04 and 234 pounds, skates extremely smooth despite tearing his ACL and MCL last year, and has terrific instincts. As a rookie he played 18 minutes a night on a Blues team that missed the playoffs. St. Louis is one of the "it" teams this year, a club on the rise that made the playoffs without the services of Johnson last year and could do some real damage with him. He's likely not even 100 per cent recovered and is just in his sophomore season, but Johnson will anchor the Blues, and maybe team USA's blueline for years to come.
2. Viktor Hedman-Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa's blueline was atrocious last year, this season it's a reason the Lightning are tied for first with Washington in the Southeast division. Tampa's blueline is an overall +3 and Matthias Ohlund and Hedman have 4 points each. There were a 
lot of people (not me, but Guy Flaming was one of them) who thought Hedman should have been drafted first overall, now he's making his case. The 6.06 Swede has done everything for Tampa. His 4 assists are tied for the team lead, he's +2, has 8 penalty minutes and is playing 25:40 per game, putting him top ten in the NHL among all defenceman, not just rookies.
lot of people (not me, but Guy Flaming was one of them) who thought Hedman should have been drafted first overall, now he's making his case. The 6.06 Swede has done everything for Tampa. His 4 assists are tied for the team lead, he's +2, has 8 penalty minutes and is playing 25:40 per game, putting him top ten in the NHL among all defenceman, not just rookies.1. Drew Doughty-L.A. Kings
When Canada's Olympic summer orientation list came out and Drew Doughty was on it, most thought he was token young player invite. He started dispelling the theory that week, and has continued to prove he belongs so far this season. Doughty scored a beauty Tuesday night against the Islanders, and is second among blueline scorers with 2 goals and 4 assists in 5 games. The Kings like the Blues and Lightning are much improved this year with 8 points to lead the Pacific Division, and have won 4 straight. Just like with St. Louis and Tampa Bay, a young blueliner is a big reason why. Doughty led all defenceman in shots with 126 and was tied for points with 27 last year. He wasn't a finalist for the Calder trophy last year, but it won't be long before his name starts surfacing for the Norris.
As for tonight's show, we'll be joined by Tampa Bay prospect Dustin Tokarski. The goaltender has started his pro career with Norfolk, this after winning a Memorial Cup and WJC title during his junior career. Our ICU Video Focus of the Week will be the Brandon Wheat Kings. The Memorial Cup hosts recently stopped in Edmonton and skated away with a 4-1 win so we'll speak with some key players and head coach Kelly McCrimmon. The NCAA season is underway and we'll continue our season previews with Hockey East, which produced the Frozen Four champion last year. Finally, we welcome the first of many scouts to the program as Mark Seidel from North American Scouting will be our guest. 7-9 PM MST on the TEAM 1260 in Edmonton or online http://www.thepipelineshow.com/. Have a question for us or one of our guests? Drop us a line pipeup@theteam1260.com.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
The Down-Low with Bristowe
The Down-Low with Bristowe
The WHL’s Western Conference of the playoffs has gone as predicted so far. Both series are even at 2 after the first 4 games with the home teams prevailing in all of the games. Vancouver dominated in their own building as they always do and didn’t allow 20 shots in either game. Spokane got back in the series in game 3, but they needed World Junior star Dustin Tokarski to steal them game 4. Tokarski made 41 saves in a 1-0 win. I still believe Vancouver has the edge in the series because they have more depth. I guess we’ll tell by this time next week.
The other western series was exactly the same. Tri-City took care of Kelowna in the first two games at home. Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton came out saying he was not pleased with his team’s performance down in Kennewick Washington. Kelowna bounced back at home in game 3 with a solid 7-2 win. Again like the other series, game 4 would be a little different. The Americans held a 3-2 lead half way through the third only to see Kelowna tie it a minute later. In overtime the Okanagan bunch would connect on the power play for the third time in 4 opportunities to win it 4-3 and tie the series at 2. It was former Rocket Riley McIntosh who was in the box when the deciding goal went in. In my opinion, Kelowna has not played their best hockey yet. If they don’t do that in the next two or three games it will not matter.
One other note I wanted to make is about the Canadian Under 18 team and some of the things Hockey Canada has done to impress me. Even though the players are representing our country, Hockey Canada is still making sure the players are keeping up on their school work. Before the players left, Hockey Canada made sure they spoke with the player’s teachers and the young men were still required to bring their school work. Hockey Canada Head Scout Al Murray is one of the classiest guys you can talk to. When Brett Connolly made the team he was quick to respond with a phone interview where he laid out everything on the table. Finally, I was impressed with Hockey Canada’s initiative to provide activities that would help the team bond. The first order of business was attending the Minnesota Twins home opener against the Seattle Mariners together.
Kudos to Hockey Canada and all the best at the World Under 18 Hockey Championship.
That’s the Down-Low with Bristowe.
The WHL’s Western Conference of the playoffs has gone as predicted so far. Both series are even at 2 after the first 4 games with the home teams prevailing in all of the games. Vancouver dominated in their own building as they always do and didn’t allow 20 shots in either game. Spokane got back in the series in game 3, but they needed World Junior star Dustin Tokarski to steal them game 4. Tokarski made 41 saves in a 1-0 win. I still believe Vancouver has the edge in the series because they have more depth. I guess we’ll tell by this time next week.
The other western series was exactly the same. Tri-City took care of Kelowna in the first two games at home. Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton came out saying he was not pleased with his team’s performance down in Kennewick Washington. Kelowna bounced back at home in game 3 with a solid 7-2 win. Again like the other series, game 4 would be a little different. The Americans held a 3-2 lead half way through the third only to see Kelowna tie it a minute later. In overtime the Okanagan bunch would connect on the power play for the third time in 4 opportunities to win it 4-3 and tie the series at 2. It was former Rocket Riley McIntosh who was in the box when the deciding goal went in. In my opinion, Kelowna has not played their best hockey yet. If they don’t do that in the next two or three games it will not matter.
One other note I wanted to make is about the Canadian Under 18 team and some of the things Hockey Canada has done to impress me. Even though the players are representing our country, Hockey Canada is still making sure the players are keeping up on their school work. Before the players left, Hockey Canada made sure they spoke with the player’s teachers and the young men were still required to bring their school work. Hockey Canada Head Scout Al Murray is one of the classiest guys you can talk to. When Brett Connolly made the team he was quick to respond with a phone interview where he laid out everything on the table. Finally, I was impressed with Hockey Canada’s initiative to provide activities that would help the team bond. The first order of business was attending the Minnesota Twins home opener against the Seattle Mariners together.
Kudos to Hockey Canada and all the best at the World Under 18 Hockey Championship.
That’s the Down-Low with Bristowe.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The Down-Low with Bristowe--Western Conference 1st Round Playoff Preview
The Down-Low with Bristowe
Posted by Allan Bristowe
Western Conference Playoff Preview
Where will the West be won? The Western Conference playoffs appear to be a 4 horse race. You may have heard our predictions on The Pipeline Show on Monday night where I had a chance to share my opinions with Guy Flaming and Dean Millard. First and foremost I promise not to go on and on (and on) about the Cougars in their series with the Vancouver Giants.
(1) Vancouver Giants vs. (8) Prince George Cougars
I won’t go on and on….because this series won’t go on for very long. There was a 66 point difference in the standings between the teams in the regular season. The Giants feature arguably the best defence in the league and the Cats main go to player is 16 year old forward Brett Connolly. The Cougars lost the season series 8 games to none and were outscored 40-11. In their last contest over the weekend the Cougars were shut out by the Giants back-up goalie. The Giants will use the series to get their game on track after going 4 and 4 in March. The Cats will use the post season to gain some valuable playoff experience for their young team. Giants in 4.
Key Match-up in the series: Brett Connolly vs. Jonathon Blum
(2) Tri-City Americans vs. (7) Everett Silvertips
This series on paper appears to be a mis-match. The Americans claimed their second straight US division title, while the Silvertips were one of the big sellers around the WHL trade deadline making a block buster deal with Lethbridge where they unloaded Kyle Beach. Tri-City won the season series 8-1-0-1 and held the Tips leading scorer Kellan Tochkin to only 6 points in the 10 games. There is some question about Americans goalie Chet Pickard after suffering a concussion late in the season but he was the teams back-up in their final two regular season games. This is another series where the top team is going after another league title and the lower seed is looking to gain from the post season exposure. Americans in 4.
Key Match-up in the series: Kellan Tochkin vs. Mitch Fadden
(3) Kelowna Rockets vs. (6) Kamloops Blazers
The battle of the K town teams was one sided during the regular season. The Rockets blasted the Blazers this season winning all 9 meetings and had 30 more goals. Kelowna is looking to make a run this season while the Blazers were a middle of the pack team all season and had trouble finding their consistency. I do think the Blazers might give the Rockets a better run in the playoffs. Goalie Justin Leclerc might be able to pull out a game or two. Plus the Blazers do have some guys that could surprise. C.J. Stretch had 86 points while Tyler Shattock was a point a game player. Rockets in 5 or 6 at the most.
Key Match-up in the series: Justin Leclerc vs. The entire Rockets offense
(4) Spokane vs. (5) Seattle
The 4 versus 5 series is usually the closest and that should be the case here. Spokane won the season series with 5 wins in 9 games. The Seattle Thunderbirds could be the team to dethrone the defending Memorial Cup champions. With Canadian World Junior captain Thomas Hickey anchoring their blue line and forwards such as Ottawa Senators first rounder Jim O’Brien up front the T-Birds have more talent than some people might realize. The Chiefs have the experience of knowing how to win going all the way last year. Spokane has the Canadian World Junior goalie in Dustin Tokarski who some how finds a way to get the job done when the games are on the line. I think this will be a hard fought series with Spokane prevailing in either 6 or 7 games.
Key Match-up in the series: Thomas Hickey vs. Drayson Bowman
That’s the Down-Low with Bristowe for the opening round of the Western Conference Playoffs.
Posted by Allan Bristowe
Western Conference Playoff Preview
Where will the West be won? The Western Conference playoffs appear to be a 4 horse race. You may have heard our predictions on The Pipeline Show on Monday night where I had a chance to share my opinions with Guy Flaming and Dean Millard. First and foremost I promise not to go on and on (and on) about the Cougars in their series with the Vancouver Giants.
(1) Vancouver Giants vs. (8) Prince George Cougars
I won’t go on and on….because this series won’t go on for very long. There was a 66 point difference in the standings between the teams in the regular season. The Giants feature arguably the best defence in the league and the Cats main go to player is 16 year old forward Brett Connolly. The Cougars lost the season series 8 games to none and were outscored 40-11. In their last contest over the weekend the Cougars were shut out by the Giants back-up goalie. The Giants will use the series to get their game on track after going 4 and 4 in March. The Cats will use the post season to gain some valuable playoff experience for their young team. Giants in 4.
Key Match-up in the series: Brett Connolly vs. Jonathon Blum
(2) Tri-City Americans vs. (7) Everett Silvertips
This series on paper appears to be a mis-match. The Americans claimed their second straight US division title, while the Silvertips were one of the big sellers around the WHL trade deadline making a block buster deal with Lethbridge where they unloaded Kyle Beach. Tri-City won the season series 8-1-0-1 and held the Tips leading scorer Kellan Tochkin to only 6 points in the 10 games. There is some question about Americans goalie Chet Pickard after suffering a concussion late in the season but he was the teams back-up in their final two regular season games. This is another series where the top team is going after another league title and the lower seed is looking to gain from the post season exposure. Americans in 4.
Key Match-up in the series: Kellan Tochkin vs. Mitch Fadden
(3) Kelowna Rockets vs. (6) Kamloops Blazers
The battle of the K town teams was one sided during the regular season. The Rockets blasted the Blazers this season winning all 9 meetings and had 30 more goals. Kelowna is looking to make a run this season while the Blazers were a middle of the pack team all season and had trouble finding their consistency. I do think the Blazers might give the Rockets a better run in the playoffs. Goalie Justin Leclerc might be able to pull out a game or two. Plus the Blazers do have some guys that could surprise. C.J. Stretch had 86 points while Tyler Shattock was a point a game player. Rockets in 5 or 6 at the most.
Key Match-up in the series: Justin Leclerc vs. The entire Rockets offense
(4) Spokane vs. (5) Seattle
The 4 versus 5 series is usually the closest and that should be the case here. Spokane won the season series with 5 wins in 9 games. The Seattle Thunderbirds could be the team to dethrone the defending Memorial Cup champions. With Canadian World Junior captain Thomas Hickey anchoring their blue line and forwards such as Ottawa Senators first rounder Jim O’Brien up front the T-Birds have more talent than some people might realize. The Chiefs have the experience of knowing how to win going all the way last year. Spokane has the Canadian World Junior goalie in Dustin Tokarski who some how finds a way to get the job done when the games are on the line. I think this will be a hard fought series with Spokane prevailing in either 6 or 7 games.
Key Match-up in the series: Thomas Hickey vs. Drayson Bowman
That’s the Down-Low with Bristowe for the opening round of the Western Conference Playoffs.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
THN Future Watch - Goalies
The Hockey News recently released their annual prospects focused issue called Future Watch and as usual, there's lots of interesting stuff to be found.First off, whether you agree with the rankings of the prospects who are already drafted or on the lists for the 2009, 2010 or even the 2011 NHL drafts... you have to remember that these things are all done on opinion.
As a guy who has been a part of Hockey's Future since 2003, I've been a part of my fair share of prospect rankings and I can tell you first hand that they are (1)extremely difficult (2)never 100% correct and (3)completely subjective.
Try getting ten people in the same room to agree on what kind of pizza to order or which Star Wars movie was the best... it'll never be a conscensus and that's OK because everyone has their own opinion.
One thing that stood out to me about THN Future Watch this year is the goalies who did and didn't make the list. I've talked to plenty of scouts and some have told me that they have a hard time projecting goalies. In fact, that's why some teams have specific goalie scouts.
Without breaking any copyright laws here, I'm going to list the goalies who made the top 50 but not tell you exactly where they placed on the list. If you really want to know everything... go pick up your copy or better yet, get a subscription.
Anyway, here are the names of the goalies THN considered worthy of the Top 50 this year:- Jacob Markstrom (Florida)
- Tuuka Rask (Boston)
- Simeon Varlamov (Washington)
- Ondrej Pavelec (Atlanta)
- Chet Pickard (Nashville)
- Jonathon Bernier (Los Angeles)
- Cory Schneider (Vancouver)
- Brian Elliot (Ottawa)
- Jake Allen (St. Louis)
A couple guys just missed out on the top 50 but consider them as honorable mentions...
- Justin Pogge (Toronto)
- Thomas McCollum (Detroit)
Now I'm not going to assume to know all the ins and outs for qualifying for THN Future Watch, we'll have Ryan Kennedy on The Pipeline Show this Tuesday and he can explain that. All I'm going to say is that there are some goalies in the Top 50 who I'm not sure are even the best goalie in their respective organizations. Plus some pretty good ones didn't make the grade at all either.
One of the factors to consider is the difference between the time the list was made and the time it was published. Is Jonathon Bernier still LA's top goalie prospect or was Jonathon Quick ineligible because he'd recently blown past Bernier into a NHL spot? (Personally Bernier would be higher for me anyway).
Jake Allen made the grade ahead of Ben Bishop and that one could be debated by Blues fans I'm sure.
Here are a few others names that I'm sure received recognition but for whatever reason, fell short.
Jhonas Enroth (Buffalo) - He's seeing the bulk of the action for the Portland Pirates this year and has pretty respectable numbers as a rookie in the league. Enroth has WJC experience with Sweden and was a 2nd round pick in 2006.
Leland Irving (Calgary) - Was he the reason Everett was so strong in the WHL or was he more a product of Kevin Constantine's uber-defensive systems? As a rookie in the AHL this year the former 1st rounder's numbers aren't as good as Enroth's but they are still OK. He might not be the slam dunk many thought he was during his draft year but I still think Irving has NHL starter potential. Irving July '07 on TPSMatt Keetley (Calgary) - kind of the opposite to Irving as a junior, Keetley came out of nowhere and usurped a starting job in Medicine Hat and was taken in the 5th round by the Flames because few saw him enough. He's had a tough year on the farm though with an .899 save percentage and just 7 wins in 30 games. Keetley Fall '08 on TPS
Jimmy Howard (Detroit) - He's posting the best GAA and SV% of his pro career and is in a position where the Red Wings are either going to have to play him or deal him next year. He's a former 2nd round pick (2003) and he had an excellent NCAA career at Maine.
Daniel Larsson (Detroit) - He's splitting time with Howard in Grand Rapids but the Wings 3rd round pick from 2006 is 20-9-2 so far this year. Hockey's Future ranks him as Detroit's top goalie prospect ahead of both Howard and McCollum.
John Curry (Pittsburgh) - Undrafted, Curry joined the Penguins after a stellar 4-year career at Boston University. He's currently backstopping the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins in the AHL and has a 24-11-0 record with .916 sv%. He's unheralded but one to watch for.
Tyson Sexsmith (San Jose) - He's been one of the best WHL goalies in each of the last 3 seasons, won a Memorial Cup as a rookie with the Vancouver Giants and was one of four players to try out for the WJC in December. There might be some of the same question around him that Leland Iriving faced - product of the system under Don Hay or not. Sexsmith on TPS Dustin Tokarski (Tampa Bay) - Has won a Memorial Cup and a gold medal at the WJC and he's still only 19-years-old. His numbers in Spokane are even better than they were last year despite a poorer record for the team. Team Canada chose him over two goalies that did make THN's top 50 list. Tokarski May '08 on TPS
Riku Helenius (Tampa Bay) - Only 14 starts for Norfolk this year but his .932 sv% and 2.27 GAA suggest he's got the pro potential everyone believed he did during his draft year. The big Finn was taken 15th overall in 2006 ahead of Irving, Neuvirth, Enroth, Steve Mason and Larsson. Braden Holtby (Washington) - Has been outstanding this season with the Saskatoon Blades and should see his stock sky rocket no matter what happens in the playoffs. He has a 40-14-3 record and has help take a team that pre-season polls described as a non-playoff club and has backstopped them to a 2nd place finish in the Eastern Conference. Holtby on TPS
Michal Neuvirth (Washington) - Excellent OHL goalie (aside from the Memorial Cup debacle with Plymouth) that has bounced around the ECHL, AHL and even the NHL this year. He's got the ability to play at the top level and THN ranks him ahead of Holtby on the Caps page.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Chiefs' Bowman POW
It's no coincidence that the hottest team in the WHL has the hottest player right now, as Spokane's Drayson Bowman was been named the Boston Pizza player of the week today. You can read the full release here
The defending Memorial Cup champions look poised to make another run as they've rung up 11 straight wins, but thanks to Tri-City and Vancouver also playing pretty well over that span, still sit 3rd in the Western Conference. They weren't in last week's national top ten rankings, but you have to think they'll bowl their way in on Wednesday. This past week the Littleton, Colorado product lit the lamp 5 times and helped do it 5 more while earning a plus 6 rating in 3 Spokane wins.
The 2007 3rd round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes didn't get off to as good of start as he did last year, despite the massive amount of praise he was getting at the World Junior Championship from a certain broadcaster. Bowman played only 66 games last year and recorded 82 points. Up until he left for the WJC he was on pace for just 79 points and that was over a full season. If you pro rated it over the 66 games he suited up for last year it worked out to just 72 points.
Whether it was motivation from the U.S. having a disappointing showing, or that he only notched 4 points in 6 games while playing on the all WHL line with fellow Chief Mitch Wahl and Seattle's Jim O'Brien, Bowman has been lights out since returning to Spokane. He has a 10 game scoring streak going right now racking up 10 goals and 9 assists over the span. He's also been plus 13 with 26 penalty minutes, including a fight with Tri Cities Tyler Schmidt a week ago Saturday. Bowman scorched the Chilliwack Bruins this past Saturday with 3 goals and 2 helpers.
Bowman's sizzling play has his pro rated point totals higher than before the WJC, if he plays in all of the Chiefs remaining 22 games he could top out at 81 points. Just for fun though I pro rated his numbers as if he could keep up his current pace and it would give him 61 second half points ad 94 overall. Regardless if he keeps up his 1.9 point per game pace or not, Bowman should head into the WHL's playoff race red hot, which is where he was deadly for Spokane last year, putting up 20 points in 21 games, then adding 6 goals for 8 points in 4 games as the Chiefs won the 2nd Memorial Cup in team history.
Notes: Drayson Bowman might not be the only Chief getting some hardware this week. Goaltender Dustin Tokarski went 3-0 with 2 shuts outs and 81 saves on 82 shots. The World Junior gold medalist is the WHL's nomination for CHL goaltender of the week, but he'll be in tough to beat out Scott Stajcer of Owen Sound who made 130 saves in 3victories for the Attack.
The OHL's players of the week is Cody Hodgson of the Brampton Battalion. The full release is here. Hodgson beats out his World Junior teammate and current London Knight John Tavares, despite a 6 point outing from the projected #1 pick this June.
Finally in the Q, Chicoutimi Saguenéens forward Jacob Lagacé and Val-d’Or Foreurs goaltender Raffaele D’Orso were named the offensive and defensive players of the week. That release can be found here.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Top 5 Tuesdays: 2009 WJC Moments
There's no question that the now completed World Junior Championships had some amazing moments ranging from goals, saves, controversy, disappointments and utter joy. So many in fact that narrowing it down to 5 might be pretty tough to do but here's a list of memories that will last for me.
5. Jaroslav Janus VS USA
TSN's Pierre McGuire called it "Slovakia's 1980" comparing it to the Miracle on Ice from the Olympics where American college kids beat the juggernaut Soviet Red Army team. I wouldn't go that far, especially since Slovakia does have a World Hockey Championship to their credit, but the upset win over USA in this tournament was definitely memorable.
But let's be honest here; the only reason USA didn't crush the Slovaks was because of the unbelievable performance of netminder Jaroslav Janus. Tomas Tatar was fun to watch (not a big fan of the showboating but the skill is obvious) and Milan Kytnar represented the Oilers well but it was the Janus Show that got Slovakia past USA.
4. Dustin Tokarski VS Colin Wilson
At one point during the epic New Year's Eve match between Canada and USA the teams had scored on half of the shots they'd taken. It wasn't a very good game for either Dustin Tokarski or Thomas McCollum for the first 30 minutes. However, the difference in the contest, and arguably the tournament, is that Tokarski eventually found his game while McCollum never did.
The Spokane Chiefs rode 'Tick' to a WHL championship and a Memorial Cup title last year so the Saskatchewan kid had proven himself in big games. That's why he got the nod against the Americans and when he made this ridiculous steal against Colin Wilson you knew he'd be Pat Quinn's guy the rest of the way.
3. John Tavares VS USA
It was a wildly entertaining game between USA and Canada but it certainly got off to a rocky start for the home fans. Down 3-0 it wasn't looking good for Canada, especially because of how well the Americans had been playing in the tournament up to that point. Canada hadn't faced any adversity coming into the game and I made the prediction on TPS the night before that the Americans would win on New Year's Eve.
When John Tavares scored the first Canadian goal and the fans erupted you had to have gotten the sense that the game was far from over. What makes this next goal clip so key is that not only is the goal and absolute beauty but it came immediately on the heels of last one. Momentum immediately shifted completely in Canada's direction and with the added adrenaline thanks to the melee at the benches, it seemed like just a matter of time before Canada would even the score.
2. Mattias Tedenby VS Slovakia
He's tiny but he's as shifty and skilled as they come. The New Jersey Devils get heaps of praise for their record at the NHL draft, more than I think they deserve, but they had to have been smiling when they saw Tedenby deke his way through the entire Slovak team and the marching band on the field to set up this one. In the running for my Goal of the Tournament:
1. Jordan Eberle VS Russia
I don't think there is any doubt about it but the semi-final game between Canada and Russia will go down in history as one of the most memorable and entertaining ones in WJC history. It's definitely on par with the CAN/USA shootout in 2007 but I'm not sure if history will rank it above or below the CAN/RUS thriller of 1991.
A see-saw battle between traditional hockey rivals, Canada and Russia waged an exciting tug-of-war on ice that seemed to be over when Dmitri Klopov scored to put Russia ahead 5-4 with just over two minutes to play. What ensued was a frantic attempt by Canada to even ths score and a costly error by Russian forward Nikita Klyukin to go for the empty net that set up the last 30 seconds of the game...
Despite Pierre McGuire labelling the goal as "Tavares' Magical Play', I agree with my co-host Dean Millard who says that it was Ryan Ellis who deserves way more credit for his job in keeping in the clearing attempt of Nikita Filatov. The shootout would follow with goals by Tavares and Eberle but I'll remember the shootout for one other reason: The inexcusable decision by Russian head coach Sergei Nemchinov to not use his most talented player. We see it in the NHL all the time, coaches like Craig MacTavish waiting until the 3rd shooter to use their best player (Ales Hemsky) and in Nemchinov's case it came back to bite him in the ass.
This picture sums it all up for me as I try to imagine the thoughts going through Filatov's head as he lays on the ice. Is he thinking about his failed clearing attempt with 20 seconds to go? Is he wondering, like Gretzky in 1998, how he doesn't get a chance in the shootout? I wonder....
A fantastic WJC that set a new attendance record and captured the attention of the junior hockey world for 31 games. I'm already looking forward to Saskatoon and Regina next year!
5. Jaroslav Janus VS USA
TSN's Pierre McGuire called it "Slovakia's 1980" comparing it to the Miracle on Ice from the Olympics where American college kids beat the juggernaut Soviet Red Army team. I wouldn't go that far, especially since Slovakia does have a World Hockey Championship to their credit, but the upset win over USA in this tournament was definitely memorable.
But let's be honest here; the only reason USA didn't crush the Slovaks was because of the unbelievable performance of netminder Jaroslav Janus. Tomas Tatar was fun to watch (not a big fan of the showboating but the skill is obvious) and Milan Kytnar represented the Oilers well but it was the Janus Show that got Slovakia past USA.
4. Dustin Tokarski VS Colin Wilson
At one point during the epic New Year's Eve match between Canada and USA the teams had scored on half of the shots they'd taken. It wasn't a very good game for either Dustin Tokarski or Thomas McCollum for the first 30 minutes. However, the difference in the contest, and arguably the tournament, is that Tokarski eventually found his game while McCollum never did.
The Spokane Chiefs rode 'Tick' to a WHL championship and a Memorial Cup title last year so the Saskatchewan kid had proven himself in big games. That's why he got the nod against the Americans and when he made this ridiculous steal against Colin Wilson you knew he'd be Pat Quinn's guy the rest of the way.
3. John Tavares VS USA
It was a wildly entertaining game between USA and Canada but it certainly got off to a rocky start for the home fans. Down 3-0 it wasn't looking good for Canada, especially because of how well the Americans had been playing in the tournament up to that point. Canada hadn't faced any adversity coming into the game and I made the prediction on TPS the night before that the Americans would win on New Year's Eve.
When John Tavares scored the first Canadian goal and the fans erupted you had to have gotten the sense that the game was far from over. What makes this next goal clip so key is that not only is the goal and absolute beauty but it came immediately on the heels of last one. Momentum immediately shifted completely in Canada's direction and with the added adrenaline thanks to the melee at the benches, it seemed like just a matter of time before Canada would even the score.
2. Mattias Tedenby VS Slovakia
He's tiny but he's as shifty and skilled as they come. The New Jersey Devils get heaps of praise for their record at the NHL draft, more than I think they deserve, but they had to have been smiling when they saw Tedenby deke his way through the entire Slovak team and the marching band on the field to set up this one. In the running for my Goal of the Tournament:
1. Jordan Eberle VS Russia
I don't think there is any doubt about it but the semi-final game between Canada and Russia will go down in history as one of the most memorable and entertaining ones in WJC history. It's definitely on par with the CAN/USA shootout in 2007 but I'm not sure if history will rank it above or below the CAN/RUS thriller of 1991.
A see-saw battle between traditional hockey rivals, Canada and Russia waged an exciting tug-of-war on ice that seemed to be over when Dmitri Klopov scored to put Russia ahead 5-4 with just over two minutes to play. What ensued was a frantic attempt by Canada to even ths score and a costly error by Russian forward Nikita Klyukin to go for the empty net that set up the last 30 seconds of the game...
Despite Pierre McGuire labelling the goal as "Tavares' Magical Play', I agree with my co-host Dean Millard who says that it was Ryan Ellis who deserves way more credit for his job in keeping in the clearing attempt of Nikita Filatov. The shootout would follow with goals by Tavares and Eberle but I'll remember the shootout for one other reason: The inexcusable decision by Russian head coach Sergei Nemchinov to not use his most talented player. We see it in the NHL all the time, coaches like Craig MacTavish waiting until the 3rd shooter to use their best player (Ales Hemsky) and in Nemchinov's case it came back to bite him in the ass.
This picture sums it all up for me as I try to imagine the thoughts going through Filatov's head as he lays on the ice. Is he thinking about his failed clearing attempt with 20 seconds to go? Is he wondering, like Gretzky in 1998, how he doesn't get a chance in the shootout? I wonder....A fantastic WJC that set a new attendance record and captured the attention of the junior hockey world for 31 games. I'm already looking forward to Saskatoon and Regina next year!
Doubting Dustin...and what's wrong with a dynasty?
As time ticked down World Junior Championship play by play man on the FAN radio network Dan Dunleavy put it as good as I've heard it....
"Turn around and give me 5" Dunleavy shouted across the airwaves heard across Canada including on the TEAM 1260 in Edmonton. It was indeed a round of 5 Alive for every Canadian hockey fan, and here are some observations from a fantastic tournament.
When will that bozo who hosts The Pipeline Show stop doubting Dustin Tokarski? That bozo would be me by the way. I didn't pick Tokarski (pictured courtesy Sportsnet.ca) to make the team, thought he struggled against the U.S.A and Russia and would have started Chet Pickard in the gold medal game. But really this kind of stuff isn't new for the Watson, Saskatchewan netminder. He wasn't drafted by a WHL team, yet has a AAA midget national championship, a Memorial Cup (for which he was named MVP) and now a WJC gold medal to his credit. He's a 5th round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2008 who just signed a contract with the Bolts over the Christmas season and will head back to Spokane of the WHL with a little more jump in his step.
Cody Hodgson and Jordan Eberle were drafted 12 spots apart last June, but both the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers appear to have a lot to look forward to with both players. Hodgson was Canada's best all around player, and seems to have few flaws in his game. Eberle has the nose for the net that the Oilers have been craving for years.
The question is will both players be able to continue their brilliance at the next level? I'm betting yes, especially after Hodgson came close to making the Canucks this year.
John Tavares has pulled ahead of Victor Hedman in the race to the podium in Montreal this June, but Hedman was obviously not 100 per cent health wise, and could still edge Tavares as the #1 pick this summer, it all depends who's drafting. The kid I'm really excited about is the other Swede, Magnus Svensson Paajarvi. Speed to burn, a big body (who wears Peter Forsberg's #21) and the confidence to go with it. Jordan Schroeder of the United States, Evander Kane and Ryan Ellis of Canada also upped their draft stock big time with great tournaments. And if any team is in the market for a 19 year old undrafted goaltender who never gives up, Slovakian pipeman Jaroslav Janus is your man. Back to back 46 save outings led to a massive upset of the States and almost beating Sweden in the semi-final. Janus plays for Erie of the OHL and was the Otters MVP last season.
Will James Van Reimsdyk pull a Kyle Okposo and leave the University of New Hampshire for the NHL after this tournement? Okposo said good bye to the Minnesota Golden Gophers after last year's touranment and joined the New York Islanders. The 2nd overall pick from 2007 certainly looks ready to turn pro and after 3 WJC tournaments the Flyers might be tempted to throw them in their line up with all the injury problems they're having right now. He has spent the same amount of time in college that Okposo did before bolting.
For all those dynasty haters out there who think it would have been better for the tournament if Canada hadn't won a 5th in a row. Give your head a shake. Yes Canada has won 5 straight for a 2nd time in tournament history, but it's not like it's been a cakewalk. 2 years ago they needed a shoot out win just to make the gold medal game, last year it was a golden goal from Matt Halischuk in overtime against Sweden, and of course we would be wrapping up this year's tournament very differently had Jordan Eberle waited 5.4 seconds before tying things against Russia in the semi-final this year. Let's not forget about the 7 year gold medal drought that Canada went through from 1998-2004.
Lastly, just a tip of the cap to Peter Loubardias of Rogers Sportsnet for making back to back impressive predictions.
Last year the voice of the Flames on Sportsnet told TPS that Matt Halischuk would score a big goal for Canada. This year when pressed for another gaze into the future, Peter told us that Cody Hodgson would lead Canada in scoring. With Hodgson's empty net goal against Sweden, he ended up leading the entire Tournament in scoring. You can hear both predictions at our website here.
"Turn around and give me 5" Dunleavy shouted across the airwaves heard across Canada including on the TEAM 1260 in Edmonton. It was indeed a round of 5 Alive for every Canadian hockey fan, and here are some observations from a fantastic tournament.
When will that bozo who hosts The Pipeline Show stop doubting Dustin Tokarski? That bozo would be me by the way. I didn't pick Tokarski (pictured courtesy Sportsnet.ca) to make the team, thought he struggled against the U.S.A and Russia and would have started Chet Pickard in the gold medal game. But really this kind of stuff isn't new for the Watson, Saskatchewan netminder. He wasn't drafted by a WHL team, yet has a AAA midget national championship, a Memorial Cup (for which he was named MVP) and now a WJC gold medal to his credit. He's a 5th round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2008 who just signed a contract with the Bolts over the Christmas season and will head back to Spokane of the WHL with a little more jump in his step.
Cody Hodgson and Jordan Eberle were drafted 12 spots apart last June, but both the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers appear to have a lot to look forward to with both players. Hodgson was Canada's best all around player, and seems to have few flaws in his game. Eberle has the nose for the net that the Oilers have been craving for years.
The question is will both players be able to continue their brilliance at the next level? I'm betting yes, especially after Hodgson came close to making the Canucks this year.John Tavares has pulled ahead of Victor Hedman in the race to the podium in Montreal this June, but Hedman was obviously not 100 per cent health wise, and could still edge Tavares as the #1 pick this summer, it all depends who's drafting. The kid I'm really excited about is the other Swede, Magnus Svensson Paajarvi. Speed to burn, a big body (who wears Peter Forsberg's #21) and the confidence to go with it. Jordan Schroeder of the United States, Evander Kane and Ryan Ellis of Canada also upped their draft stock big time with great tournaments. And if any team is in the market for a 19 year old undrafted goaltender who never gives up, Slovakian pipeman Jaroslav Janus is your man. Back to back 46 save outings led to a massive upset of the States and almost beating Sweden in the semi-final. Janus plays for Erie of the OHL and was the Otters MVP last season.
Will James Van Reimsdyk pull a Kyle Okposo and leave the University of New Hampshire for the NHL after this tournement? Okposo said good bye to the Minnesota Golden Gophers after last year's touranment and joined the New York Islanders. The 2nd overall pick from 2007 certainly looks ready to turn pro and after 3 WJC tournaments the Flyers might be tempted to throw them in their line up with all the injury problems they're having right now. He has spent the same amount of time in college that Okposo did before bolting.
For all those dynasty haters out there who think it would have been better for the tournament if Canada hadn't won a 5th in a row. Give your head a shake. Yes Canada has won 5 straight for a 2nd time in tournament history, but it's not like it's been a cakewalk. 2 years ago they needed a shoot out win just to make the gold medal game, last year it was a golden goal from Matt Halischuk in overtime against Sweden, and of course we would be wrapping up this year's tournament very differently had Jordan Eberle waited 5.4 seconds before tying things against Russia in the semi-final this year. Let's not forget about the 7 year gold medal drought that Canada went through from 1998-2004.
Lastly, just a tip of the cap to Peter Loubardias of Rogers Sportsnet for making back to back impressive predictions.
Last year the voice of the Flames on Sportsnet told TPS that Matt Halischuk would score a big goal for Canada. This year when pressed for another gaze into the future, Peter told us that Cody Hodgson would lead Canada in scoring. With Hodgson's empty net goal against Sweden, he ended up leading the entire Tournament in scoring. You can hear both predictions at our website here.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Top 5 Tuesday
With Canada's roster selected yesterday, I figured I would throw out 5 players I'll be watching closely and expecting special action from starting Boxing Day. I haven't always agreed with decisions that Hockey Canada has made when it comes to this tournament, in fact there have been some that I just can't understand. Cutting Eric Fehr who twice scored 50 goals in the WHL. Not inviting Kyle Beach to a camp, who knows maybe he's changed? And telling Cam Ward he just wasn't good enough. However in most years, HC has proven why they pick the team and I don't as their record is pretty darn good at this event. This year they will try and earn a 5th straight gold medal for a 5th straight time.
5. Stefan Della Rovere- Forward
Every good hockey team should have that one guy who forces the opponents to keep their head on a swivel. Brandon Sutter and Jordin Tootoo have been Canadian players in the past that have filled that role. Oilers prospect Ryan O'Marra filled that role nicely in 2006 as evidenced by this hit:
This year it could be Stefan Della Rovere who becomes a fan favorite like Jordin Tootoo did in Halifax in 2003, but the difference is Della Rovere doesn't take a 20 foot run or jump a few feet to deliver hits. He is short and stocky like Tootoo and does pack a punch when he crunches guys. He can also chip in offensively, as he leads Barrie in scoring this year with 31 points and 93 penalty minutes in 29 games. When Pat Quinn needs some energy, don't be surprised if he taps Della Rovere on the shoulder.
4. Ryan Ellis-Defence
Ellis becomes the first 17 year old to crack Canada's blueline since Jay Bouwmeester turned the trick in 2001 and it's not hard to see why. Ellis is second in team scoring with Windsor this year after piling up 48 points in 30 games, and maintaining an incredible plus 31 rating. The 5'10 rearguard will be a power play specialist for Canada, just as he is in Windsor where 7 of his 15 goals have come with the man advantage. Ellis told TPS that his playing time from the U-18 world championships to the Ivan Hlinka tournament increased quite a bit and if he proves to the coaching staff early in this tournament that his size and age aren't a liability he could earn more then just power play time, something Kris Russell did when he played with Canada. Ellis won't be afraid to roam the ice on the power play and sneak down for back door goals.
3. Angelo Esposito-Forward
After getting the early morning phone call he didn't want for 3 straight years, Angelo Esposito received a knock on his door this year, telling hime he wasn't going anywhere. Did Hockey Canada as guy mentioned simply not want to cut a guy for a 4th straight year? I don't think they would keep someone, especially when they don't have an extra forward, for that reason. Esposito is such an insteresting study. After registering 98 points in his QMJHL rookie season, his point totals have plummeted, from 79 to 69 in about the same amount of games played each season. And as noted, he didn't miss any time to play for Canada. This year Esposito could prove he is ready for the spotlight and feed his naysayers a huge helping of crow, or the tournament might expose him as a player not able to compete with the big boys.
2. Jamie Benn/Brett Sonne-Forwards
You might be asking yourself who Jamie Benn and Brett Sonne are and why are they on this team? After all Benn was a 5th round pick of Dallas in 2007 while Sonne was a 3rd round selection of St. Louis the same year. Neither have the pedigree of Cody Hodgson or the hype of John Tavares. But check out these numbers for Benn in Kelowna: 24 Goals, in 27 games, along with 21 helpers putting him 5th in league scoring. Sonne's numbers are even more impressive with the Calgary Hitmen: 23 goals, 32 Assists for 55 points in 34 games, good enough for top spot in the Western Hockey League. It might come as a surprise for casual hockey fans, but The Pipeline Show wouldn't be shocked if either guy led Canada in scoring, provided they are put in offensive situations.
1. Chet Pickard/Dustin Tokarski-Goalies
What, you're surprised I made the goaltending situation my top story? You obviously haven't listend to TPS often enough or read Coming Down The Pipe regularily. Before the team was picked I had Pickard and Jake Allen as my netminders. I like so many others before me counted Dustin Tokarski out. However my esteemed collegue Guy Flaming did not, as he nailed the two netminders, as did Sam Cosentino and Peter Loubardias on previous TPS shows. So now that two have been chosen who starts? The coaches have said they will let the exhibition games decide that.
Pickard (pictured below)was the highest goalie chosen in last year's draft, going 18th to Nashville, while Tokarski led Spokane to a Memorial Cup championship and was named MVP. Earlier this season Pickard was struggling, but got red hot at the right time, entering Canada's camp as the CHL goaltender of the week. Pat Quinn said he would like to go with one guy, but as he showed with Canada at the 2002 Salt Lake City games, he won't be afraid to swap his tenders should one guy have an off game. The Canadians face the Czech Republic on Boxing Day, and I expect Pickard to be the starter, but wouldn't be at all shocked if Tokarski plays a role in Canada's tournament. After all, Steve Mason wasn't Canada's starter when the event began last year.A couple of bonus items this week, on what else to watch for. Pat Quinn. The coach stated this week he hasn't watched a single QMJHL game this year, which tells you he doesn't exactly have his finger on the pulse of junior hockey. But he knows the game and every player I've spoken with who played for him at the Under 18 event spoke highly of how he handled the bench and related to the players. Cody Hodgson. The Canucks 2007 first rounder will play second fiddle to John Tavares down the middle, but might end up being the best forward Canada will have. He's been compared to Sam Gagner and has a deadly shot. Tyler Myers. The giant blueliner who stands 6'7 once played for the States, but Canada is glad he picked the Maple Leaf over stars and stripes for this event. Myers is huge, but unlike most big men, can get around the ice easily, and can you imagine a pairing of him and Keith Aulie? The Brandon Wheat King blueliner is 6'6. John Tavares. The deadliest sniper within 12 feet outside of the NHL will go head to head with the man battling him for top spot at this year's draft, Victor Hedman. I have gone on record as a Tavares guy for the upcoming draft, but can't wait to see the two battle each other at the WJC as the key guys for their respective teams. It won't happen until the medal round if it happens at all. For a complete schedule of the tournament, click here.
By the way, tonight on TPS Guy and I will speak with Oilers prospect Riley Nash, who I was shocked didn't make this team. We may also speak to one player who did make the grade. Mike Oke of International Scouting Services is scheduled to join us to chat about the draft elegible players in the tournament. Stefan Elliot of the Saskatoon Blades wasn't invited to Canada's camp but was recently a 2009 Draft Prospect Preformer of the week, and we'll chat with him about the season so far in Saskatoon. Also Flaming Hot/Not, my fantasy prospect pick up of the week, Bad Ass trivia and more, starting at 7 PM mountain time on The TEAM 1260 and online around the world at www.thepipelineshow.com
Monday, June 16, 2008
Top 5 Goalies for 2008
To me they are the big wildcard every year because you can never really be sure that a team is going to take a goalie. I've talked to some NHL scouts who are of the opinion that in the cap era you don't need to draft a goalie at all because there will always be ones available. I've also talked to scouts who say that the only way you'll get an elite goalie is to draft and develop one yourself.
In a conversation that the Edmonton Journal's Jim Matheson and I had with New Jersey Devils GM Lou Lamoriello right before Christmas he told us "I think today you have a better chance of finding someone than you did yesterday because of the rules regarding the CBA and free agency with the number of games goalies have to play compared to forwards. We would always prefer to, if we can, draft our own and develop our own and have him come along that way."
With that in mind I don't know that we can positively say that team X will take a goalie or that team Y positively will not draft one or when or where in the draft a goalie selection makes more or less sense.
Here are The Pipeline Show's top 5 goalies for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft... and yes, I know I'm actually listing 6... That's just how we do things around here. The links are to the bio pages for each keeper and the extra little tidbits or comments made here are our thoughts and remarks.
#1 Chet Pickard - Tri City Americans
He's a Manitoba kid so obviously Millard has him already slated as a future Hall of Famer. Pickard was fantastic all year for the Americans but even better than that in the playoffs where he had a 1.78 GAA, .937 SV % and 11-3-2 record. The Canadian prominently features Captain America on his mask, a design submitted by a kid in a local contest. I like his size at 6'2 and 210 lbs because he's tall but not so tall where he becomes awkward. Oh and the correct pronunciation of the last name is PICK-erd not Pi-CARD.
#2 Thomas McCollum - Guelph Storm
Dean has McCollum second on his list but he actually comes 3rd on my own. I thought McCollum was the best of the four goalies at the Top prospects game but quite honestly, none of them really played very well. His numbers were actually a bit worse in each category than in 2006-07 but still pretty good. Also has good size at 6'2 and 205 lbs so really there might not be much to seperate he and Pickard in that sense.
#3 Jacob Markstrom - Brynas & Sweden U18
I have the Swede in the second spot on my list but Deano has him like this, at number 3. Scouts I talked to had nothing but outstanding things to say about his performance at the U18 tournament in April. I personally won't be stunned if Markstrom turns out to be the first goalie chosen although both Millard and I have only 1 goalie going in round 1 in our mock (and it isn't this guy). He's 6'3 and 180 lbs so room to fill out still but has great height already. Could be the guy for Sweden at the next World Junior Championship in Ottawa now that Enstrom is too old (if I got that right).
#4 Jake Allen - St. John's & Canada U18
He kind of came out of nowhere at the U18 tournament but his 8-0 shutout of the Russians in the gold medal game and his play even before that has him high on many mock drafts. Allen is a New Brunswick native and is another 6'2 keeper available this year. We had Jake on as a guest back on May 6th and you can hear that interview here. After playing back up all year we expect Allen to have a breakout year with the Montreal Juniors next season.
#5 Dustin Tokarski - Spokane Chiefs
We mentioned how strong Pickard's stats were in the playoffs but even they pale in comparison to what Tokarski put together. A 1.38 GAA and .944 save percentage during the WHL playoffs and then his stellar performance at the Memorial Cup that earned him the award as tournament MVP. So what's the downside? He's smaller at 5'11 and 185 lbs and he played on a defensively strong team so some scouts believe he and his stats were more of a product of that than he was. 'Tick' was also a guest on TPS on May 27th.
Honorable Mention: Harri Sateri - Tappara & Finland U18
How can you have a draft without a notable netminder from Finland? You can't because the Scandinavian country has been a goalie factory for the last decade and a half and still churns more out every year. This year the best Finn available is Sateri who has solid size at 6'1 and 190 lbs. He was much higher on most lists earlier in the year but if he's lost ground in the rankings it's more to do with the rise of others than his own performance dropping off much. The catchy rhyming name is a marketing campaign waiting to happen... how long before he's called Harri "Carrey" Sateri?
Wedensday we will unveil our Top 5 Overage Players who should get serious consideration this year after going undrafted through a previous draft.
In a conversation that the Edmonton Journal's Jim Matheson and I had with New Jersey Devils GM Lou Lamoriello right before Christmas he told us "I think today you have a better chance of finding someone than you did yesterday because of the rules regarding the CBA and free agency with the number of games goalies have to play compared to forwards. We would always prefer to, if we can, draft our own and develop our own and have him come along that way."
With that in mind I don't know that we can positively say that team X will take a goalie or that team Y positively will not draft one or when or where in the draft a goalie selection makes more or less sense.
Here are The Pipeline Show's top 5 goalies for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft... and yes, I know I'm actually listing 6... That's just how we do things around here. The links are to the bio pages for each keeper and the extra little tidbits or comments made here are our thoughts and remarks.
#1 Chet Pickard - Tri City Americans
He's a Manitoba kid so obviously Millard has him already slated as a future Hall of Famer. Pickard was fantastic all year for the Americans but even better than that in the playoffs where he had a 1.78 GAA, .937 SV % and 11-3-2 record. The Canadian prominently features Captain America on his mask, a design submitted by a kid in a local contest. I like his size at 6'2 and 210 lbs because he's tall but not so tall where he becomes awkward. Oh and the correct pronunciation of the last name is PICK-erd not Pi-CARD.
#2 Thomas McCollum - Guelph Storm
Dean has McCollum second on his list but he actually comes 3rd on my own. I thought McCollum was the best of the four goalies at the Top prospects game but quite honestly, none of them really played very well. His numbers were actually a bit worse in each category than in 2006-07 but still pretty good. Also has good size at 6'2 and 205 lbs so really there might not be much to seperate he and Pickard in that sense.
#3 Jacob Markstrom - Brynas & Sweden U18
I have the Swede in the second spot on my list but Deano has him like this, at number 3. Scouts I talked to had nothing but outstanding things to say about his performance at the U18 tournament in April. I personally won't be stunned if Markstrom turns out to be the first goalie chosen although both Millard and I have only 1 goalie going in round 1 in our mock (and it isn't this guy). He's 6'3 and 180 lbs so room to fill out still but has great height already. Could be the guy for Sweden at the next World Junior Championship in Ottawa now that Enstrom is too old (if I got that right).
#4 Jake Allen - St. John's & Canada U18
He kind of came out of nowhere at the U18 tournament but his 8-0 shutout of the Russians in the gold medal game and his play even before that has him high on many mock drafts. Allen is a New Brunswick native and is another 6'2 keeper available this year. We had Jake on as a guest back on May 6th and you can hear that interview here. After playing back up all year we expect Allen to have a breakout year with the Montreal Juniors next season.
#5 Dustin Tokarski - Spokane Chiefs
We mentioned how strong Pickard's stats were in the playoffs but even they pale in comparison to what Tokarski put together. A 1.38 GAA and .944 save percentage during the WHL playoffs and then his stellar performance at the Memorial Cup that earned him the award as tournament MVP. So what's the downside? He's smaller at 5'11 and 185 lbs and he played on a defensively strong team so some scouts believe he and his stats were more of a product of that than he was. 'Tick' was also a guest on TPS on May 27th.
Honorable Mention: Harri Sateri - Tappara & Finland U18
How can you have a draft without a notable netminder from Finland? You can't because the Scandinavian country has been a goalie factory for the last decade and a half and still churns more out every year. This year the best Finn available is Sateri who has solid size at 6'1 and 190 lbs. He was much higher on most lists earlier in the year but if he's lost ground in the rankings it's more to do with the rise of others than his own performance dropping off much. The catchy rhyming name is a marketing campaign waiting to happen... how long before he's called Harri "Carrey" Sateri?
Wedensday we will unveil our Top 5 Overage Players who should get serious consideration this year after going undrafted through a previous draft.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Goaltending Wins Championships
Looking ahead to the Memorial Cup this weekend and one thing is clear; the team that gets the best performance out of their netminder will probably win.
We see it year after year in the Stanley Cup playoffs and it's no different at the minor league, NCAA or junior level. A hot goaltender is more often the not the deciding factor in whether a team wins or loses. In an event like the Memorial Cup where you have 4 teams where there is very little seperating them, at least on paper, it could all come down to which masked man makes the best stand.
It doesn't always work out that way though. Last year Jonathon Bernier and Matt Keetley were the top netminders at the Memorial Cup and yet Vancouver came away with the win. However, Tyson Sexsmith wasn't exactly a shrinking violet in net. Perhaps further to the point, the Plymouth Whalers were completely sunk because their goalie, Michal Neuvirth, really shit the bed and the club paid the price.
With that in mind, here's a look at the four goalies in the 2008 Memorial Cup.
Ryan Mior - Gatineau Olympiques
The un-drafted 20-year-old just set a new record this year with 270 QMJHL games played in a career surpassing Jacques Cloutier's 30-year-old record. Mior also set the new record for career shutouts (15) and a new team record for goose eggs in one season (6) which was previously held by Jose Theodore.
Mior got his start with the PEI Rocket but was dealt to Gatineau days before Christmas in 2006. The native of St. John's Newfoundland was chosen by the Rocket 7th overall in 2003. At 6'0 and 181 lbs he's an average sized goaltender.
Mike Murphy – Belleville Bulls
Like Mior, Murphy is also un-drafted but in this case the goaltender is just finishing the first year as the bona fide starter for his team. You wouldn’t know it though with the way he’s played for the Bulls. This season Murphy was named OHL Goaltender of the Year twice and capped that off by winning the league Goaltender of the Year award as well. Recently on The Pipeline Show’s 3rd Annual Memorial Cup Coach’s Show, Belleville bench boss George Burnett talked about the importance Murphy has had for the success of his club this season. He ended the OHL campaign with the best GAA (2.24) and save percentage (.929).
“The sign of a top goaltender in any league is that he gives you an opportunity to win each and every night and we didn't respond to the effort that he put forth [in Game 7]", said Burnett after his club lost the OHL final to Kitchener.
Murphy was hurt early in Game 1 of the series and did not play in Game 2. With the Bulls down 3-0 to the Rangers, Murphy's play was a big reason Belleville was able to force a 7th game.
"Murph's been outstanding," Burnett added, "I think he's a young man that is motivated by the lack of attention. I expect he's going to be a huge factor for our team over the next two weeks."
Josh Unice – Kitchener Rangers
The rookie has been a fantastic addition to the Rangers this season and has had top 5 stats all year long. Some of that will be attributed to the quality of the team in front of him but there is no denying that the Chicago Blackhawks prospect is a contributor to Kitchener’s strength and not someone along for the ride.
Unice, a 5'11 and 175 lb goaltender, played for the US national Development team last season. The Ohio native was a third round pick by Chicago which looks like a steal of a deal with the way he's played. He was ranked as the 15th best North American goalie heading into the draft but was the 6th masked man snapped up once the actual draft took place.
Unice ended the OHL season with the 3rd best GAA (2.45) and share of the top spot for shutouts (4).
Dustin Tokarski - Spokane Chiefs
Unbelievable. That's the word to describe how Spokane's netminder has played in the post season. Tokarski's 1.38 GAA and .944 SV% is outstanding and a major reason why the Chiefs have reached the Memorial Cup. The 2008 eligible netminder hails from Watson, Sk and is currently listed by Central Scouting as 7th in North America... but that's going to change, guaranteed.
Tokarski is 5'11 and 185 lbs so pretty much par for the course compared to the other 3 netminders at the Memorial Cup. In the WHL's Western Conference series against Tri-City the clubs went the full 7 games but 5 of them needed extra time. Tokarski allowed a total of 10 goals against in that series and just 5 more in the 4-game sweep over Lethbridge to claim the WHL crown.
Another strong performance at the Memorial Cup could lift Tokarski into top 5 contention for goalies in the class of 2008.
This past Tuesday we were pleased to present or 3rd Annual Memorial Cup Coach's Show. If you missed it live you can click the archive... right here.
We see it year after year in the Stanley Cup playoffs and it's no different at the minor league, NCAA or junior level. A hot goaltender is more often the not the deciding factor in whether a team wins or loses. In an event like the Memorial Cup where you have 4 teams where there is very little seperating them, at least on paper, it could all come down to which masked man makes the best stand.
It doesn't always work out that way though. Last year Jonathon Bernier and Matt Keetley were the top netminders at the Memorial Cup and yet Vancouver came away with the win. However, Tyson Sexsmith wasn't exactly a shrinking violet in net. Perhaps further to the point, the Plymouth Whalers were completely sunk because their goalie, Michal Neuvirth, really shit the bed and the club paid the price.
With that in mind, here's a look at the four goalies in the 2008 Memorial Cup.
Ryan Mior - Gatineau Olympiques
The un-drafted 20-year-old just set a new record this year with 270 QMJHL games played in a career surpassing Jacques Cloutier's 30-year-old record. Mior also set the new record for career shutouts (15) and a new team record for goose eggs in one season (6) which was previously held by Jose Theodore.
Mior got his start with the PEI Rocket but was dealt to Gatineau days before Christmas in 2006. The native of St. John's Newfoundland was chosen by the Rocket 7th overall in 2003. At 6'0 and 181 lbs he's an average sized goaltender.
Mike Murphy – Belleville Bulls
Like Mior, Murphy is also un-drafted but in this case the goaltender is just finishing the first year as the bona fide starter for his team. You wouldn’t know it though with the way he’s played for the Bulls. This season Murphy was named OHL Goaltender of the Year twice and capped that off by winning the league Goaltender of the Year award as well. Recently on The Pipeline Show’s 3rd Annual Memorial Cup Coach’s Show, Belleville bench boss George Burnett talked about the importance Murphy has had for the success of his club this season. He ended the OHL campaign with the best GAA (2.24) and save percentage (.929).
“The sign of a top goaltender in any league is that he gives you an opportunity to win each and every night and we didn't respond to the effort that he put forth [in Game 7]", said Burnett after his club lost the OHL final to Kitchener.
Murphy was hurt early in Game 1 of the series and did not play in Game 2. With the Bulls down 3-0 to the Rangers, Murphy's play was a big reason Belleville was able to force a 7th game.
"Murph's been outstanding," Burnett added, "I think he's a young man that is motivated by the lack of attention. I expect he's going to be a huge factor for our team over the next two weeks."
Josh Unice – Kitchener Rangers
The rookie has been a fantastic addition to the Rangers this season and has had top 5 stats all year long. Some of that will be attributed to the quality of the team in front of him but there is no denying that the Chicago Blackhawks prospect is a contributor to Kitchener’s strength and not someone along for the ride.
Unice, a 5'11 and 175 lb goaltender, played for the US national Development team last season. The Ohio native was a third round pick by Chicago which looks like a steal of a deal with the way he's played. He was ranked as the 15th best North American goalie heading into the draft but was the 6th masked man snapped up once the actual draft took place.
Unice ended the OHL season with the 3rd best GAA (2.45) and share of the top spot for shutouts (4).
Dustin Tokarski - Spokane Chiefs
Unbelievable. That's the word to describe how Spokane's netminder has played in the post season. Tokarski's 1.38 GAA and .944 SV% is outstanding and a major reason why the Chiefs have reached the Memorial Cup. The 2008 eligible netminder hails from Watson, Sk and is currently listed by Central Scouting as 7th in North America... but that's going to change, guaranteed.
Tokarski is 5'11 and 185 lbs so pretty much par for the course compared to the other 3 netminders at the Memorial Cup. In the WHL's Western Conference series against Tri-City the clubs went the full 7 games but 5 of them needed extra time. Tokarski allowed a total of 10 goals against in that series and just 5 more in the 4-game sweep over Lethbridge to claim the WHL crown.
Another strong performance at the Memorial Cup could lift Tokarski into top 5 contention for goalies in the class of 2008.
This past Tuesday we were pleased to present or 3rd Annual Memorial Cup Coach's Show. If you missed it live you can click the archive... right here.
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