Bruins 2010 Draft Watch

Please join the 2011 NHL Draft discussion over at...

2010-08-07T11:25:00.001-07:00

Bruins 2011 Draft Watch

(and be sure to tell your friends!)

http://bruins2011draftwatch.blogspot.com/

I won't be doing anymore posts here, but this site will remain in effect for archival purposes, so feel free to look around.

Closing the book on Bruins 2010 Draft Watch

2010-08-07T11:09:00.000-07:00

Well, it's hard to believe, but this is the last post of Bruins 2010 Draft Watch.

I've made about 400 posts since I began the blog last October, and it's been fun, but the 2010 NHL Entry Draft is coming up on two months in the books and second overall selection Tyler Seguin has already signed with the Bruins and appears to be on the cusp of beginning what the team and its fans believe will be a long and successful career in the Hub.

I've had a blast, but don't fret-- it's time to debut Bruins 2011 Draft Watch.

http://bruins2011draftwatch.blogspot.com/

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: The Rest 36-41

2010-08-06T10:15:00.000-07:00

Loyal readers, at the risk of being lambasted I'm going to cut off the series at 35 with Ben Sexton and do a quick writeup on the remaining prospects in the system: Cody Wild, Zach McKelvie, Mark Goggin, Alain Goulet, Adam Courchaine and Carl Soderberg.

36. Acquired from the Edmonton Oilers at the trade deadline last March, Wild is a stay-at-home, shutdown defender who played for the Boston Jr. Bruins and at Providence College before turning pro with the Oilers. He split his season last year between the AHL and ECHL and looks like another journeyman minor leaguer. A Rhode Island native, he's a nice local story to go home to Providence, but aside from his size and decent mobility, there isn't much upside here.

37. A speedy defenseman out of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, McKelvie probably deserves to be somewhere inside the the top-35, but given that I have absolutely no frame of reference on him, and his status being up in the air with the U.S. Army (and trust me- I know all about how vague and nebulous dealings with Uncle Sam can be), he's here. He signed last year but was prevented from being an active participant at Bruins camp because a policy change caused him to return to West Point to serve as a coaching assistant before reporting to his infantry officer basic course and Ranger school at Fort Benning, Ga. The Bruins have been able to maintain his rights and extend his contract, but at present he's in limbo as far as his pro hockey future goes.

38. A skilled, average-sized forward in prep, Goggin was in Wilmington, but injured and didn't do any of the on-ice work. He had a mediocre freshman season at Dartmouth College and that was coming off of a disappointing senior year at Choate. He's fallen off the map a bit after impressing a lot of folks in his first Bruins development camp in 2008 after being a seventh-rounder. He's a good skater with some offensive skills, but simply has not elevated his game or production since the B's drafted him. He has more time to develop, but is looking more and more like a longshot to ever amount to much.

39. Drafted in the sixth round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft out of the Aurora Tigers of the OPJHL, Goulet doesn't have great size and lacks jump in his skating stride. However, he's one of those players who sees the ice tremendously well and can really move the puck. His development caught a snag with the University of Nebraska-Omaha, where he left for the QMJHL midway through his sophomore season to play for his old junior coach. Goulet went on a tear with the Gatineau Olympiques, averaging more than a point per game from the blue line, but admittedly doing so as an older player. He did not sign with Boston last year but spent the season in Providence and has been invited to Bruins training camp once again.

40. Courchaine was signed as a free agent a few years back after going to camp as an invite out of the Ottawa 67s. To be frank, his development simply has not progressed since being offered a contract by the Bruins, as he was an uneven OHL goalie with more downs than ups. He seems to lack the skills and overall ability to be much more than a career minor leaguer, but is signed and has two more years left on his deal. Expect him to probably spend most of the year in Reading of the ECHL, where he can get more playing time than he would in Providence.

41. Soderberg has been a study in frustration since the Bruins traded Hannu Toivonen to St. Louis for his rights coming up on three years ago (and Toivonen has since been dealt by the Blues to Chicago). The former second-round pick in 2004 will turn 25 this season, but has yet to come over to North America and even compete in a development camp or rookie or even main camp for the Bruins since they acquired him. Possessing very nice size and offensive skills, his talent alone should have him nowhere near bottom on the Boston prospect list, but because he's seemed to avoid the NHL like the plague, where else do you put him? Also adding to the uncertainty is the fact that he suffered a serious eye injury in 2008 and still plays with a full face shield. He'll have to lose the mask if he has any inclination of trying to make a run at a spot in Boston. It may be time to accept that he's one of those players who simply doesn't have the ambition or drive to be an NHL player. There's nothing wrong with that, and Soderberg wouldn't be the first. But, it's a shame he and his representation allowed Boston to surrender an asset for him if he didn't have the commitment to at least try and make it work.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #35 Ben Sexton

2010-08-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

Ben Sexton, C
5-11, 190
June 6, 1991
Shoots: Left
Boston's 5th choice, 206th overall (seventh round) in 2009 Draft
Signing status: Unsigned

Talent Analysis

Physical: Sexton doesn't have ideal height, but has a thick body and appears to have packed on some good pounds since he was drafted. Conditioning is very good with a little more room to fill out. Nice skater who possesses above average first step quickness and good straight-line speed. Agile and balanced on his edges; can change direction quickly. Always moves his feet and competes well. Seems to be a better player in tight quarters than in space. Goes to the net, but hands are pretty average and has trouble finishing off scoring chances. Heavy stick; does not receive passes all that adroitly. Not an overly physical player, but does stick his nose in and wins battles for loose pucks by outhustling opponents and staying focused. Pretty good defensively; seems to understand positioning and diligently backchecks. Has had issues with staying healthy and battling nagging injuries in the past, so his durability will be something to watch.

Intangibles: Does not appear to be all that instinctive a player, but works hard and that counts for something. Smart, hard-working kid knows pro hockey having grown up as the son of former Senators and Panthers GM Randy Sexton. Didn't get off to a very good start with the Penticton Vees of the BCHL last year, but worked his way into more of a role by season's end and his production picked up. His former Nepean Raiders coach (and former Bruin) Garry Galley had very nice things to tell me about his attitude and work ethic, but reiterated that Sexton missed time to injuries while playing for him.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Sexton made some money (figuratively of course) in Wilmington last month. To coin a phrase Bill Belichick has made famous in sporting circle: He is what he is. That is, a solid, unspectacular player who doesn't have a lot of size or high-end skills but skates well, hustles and plays a good two-way game. Sexton looked strong on his skates, but his skill limitations came into play when it was time for him to convert scoring chances in close during the drills and scrimmages. That said, he had a strong camp and was a pleasant surprise as someone who has been criticized on this space in the past.

Projection
Another longshot as a fourth-line checker/grinder/energy guy, Sexton will likely take a while to make an impact at the NCAA level, but could in time work himself into the prospect picture for the Bruins. He's 35th on the depth chart, but is on the long-term plan and could become more of a prospect if he can prove his effectiveness at the next level. Sexton looks like a journeyman type of minor league forward but we'll reserve judgment until we can see him compete at the NCAA level.

Quotable
“Things have been going good; I’m really enjoying myself the second time around. I’m a little bit more comfortable. The skates have been good; the off-ice workouts have been good. I’m really enjoying myself.”- Ben Sexton to hockeyjournal.com, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

“I think I bridged the gap between that this year by heading out to the BCHL. I mean, moving away from home was definitely an adjustment, so I think I’ll be used to that heading to Clarkson.”- Ben Sexton, July 6-10, 2010

The Final Word
There were arguably some better options available to Boston in seventh round, but to Sexton's credit, he looks the part of a legitimate NHL draft pick. Last November, I spoke to a scout who saw him at Penticton and he was barely getting it done on the third line and looked like a real bust at the BCHL level (which is a pretty scary statement in itself). However, by the time the playoffs rolled around, Sexton had worked his way up to the second line and was doing more, finishing with a modest 13 goals 42 points in 50 games, but boosting his production considerably over the second half (23 points in his last 21 games after posting just 10 in his first 20 contests). Let's face it-- Sexton was a late, late draft pick, so his chances of winning a job in Boston are slim, but he at least has the look of a prospect and will have a chance at doing something at Clarkson, even if he may not hit his stride right away.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #34 Levi Nelson

2010-08-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

Levi Nelson, C
6-0, 180
April 28, 1988
Shoots: Left
Boston's 6th choice, 158th overall in 2006 Draft
Signing status: Signed through 2011

Talent Analysis

Physical: Average size and slight build despite the fact that he plays a physical, agitating style. Good skater with quick burst and above average speed and agility. Average puck skills and shot. Will go into traffic willingly, but does not excel at making moves at top speed. A better skater without the puck than with it. Does not have the skills to be a scorer at the highest level; must be a grinder/agitator to have any chance at an NHL job. Likes to make hits and finish his checks; plays bigger than his size. Has a gritty, abrasive style but doesn't drop the gloves all that much. Plays a solid two-way game, but has not been able to carve more of a niche for himself in terms of role and ice time in Providence under Rob Murray.

Intangibles: Was Swift Current's captain under then GM and head coach Dean Chynoweth, a former Bruin (now an Islanders assistant coach). Had a reputation for being an intense, hustling player in junior, but has struggled with uneven compete levels and bounced between the AHL and ECHL in his rookie season because he reportedly didn't bring the requisite work ethic. Lacks offensive hockey sense and hands to be a scorer, but does have a good handle on his position and is a solid two-way player with a heat-seeking missile mentality.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Did not attend

Projection
NHL potential is as a fourth-liner whose time with the Bruins is running out because he hasn't developed and progressed since signing with the team in 2008. He was an overachiever in junior when the Bruins drafted him, with one scout telling me that he was one of the most competitive players he'd seen in a long time. Unfortunately, Nelson hasn't brought the same kind of hustle and energy with him to the pro ranks and has yet to make much of an impact.

The Final Word
The former sixth-round pick in '06 was a project pick at the time who didn't have a great deal of upside, but had potential because of his energetic two-way game and intangibles. Four years later, he doesn't appear to have "it" and barring a major breakthrough in Providence, will likely be let go to pursue his pro hockey dreams elsewhere. He's higher than others in the Boston system because he was a two-time 20 goal man in junior and has the kind of ability to be an NHL player, but as of yet, has simply not put it together enough to warrant serious consideration by the B's.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #33 Zach Trotman

2010-08-06T07:31:00.000-07:00

Zach Trotman, D
6-4, 200
August 26, 1990
Shoots: Right
Boston's 8th choice, 210 overall (seventh round) in 2010 Draft
Signing status: Unsigned

Talent Analysis

Physical: Big frame but lean with much more room to add muscle mass and strength (he'll probably play in the 220s when he reaches his physical maturity). Good mobility; above average straight line speed and lateral agility and crossovers. Moves well in all directions and has pretty good footwork for a big man but is still growing into his body and could stand to improve balance and strength on his skates. Solid passer who can make the first pass but hasn't translated his ability into production at the junior and NCAA level. Average shot; the point slap shot is not particularly powerful, but he does a good job of mixing up the shot variety and can get the puck on net effectively from the blue line. Defense and positional play is a work in progess. Shows a willingness to play a physical game and uses his size effectively along the boards and in front of the net. A good solid shutdown 'D' prospect based on his one year in the NCAA with Lake Superior State, but could spend the next three years in school before he's ready for the pro ranks.

Intangibles: Quiet, but confident player who has a good grasp of his strengths and shortcomings. Needs work in his decision making, and will get that with increased playing time and experience with the Lakers. Offensive hockey sense tough to gauge; has the physical tools to provide more of an offensive contribution, but has not done much to date. Is a long-term project who appears to have the physical and mental chops to develop into a pro prospect eventually.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Trotman is not very dynamic, but showed some flashes of being an interesting option on the blue line in time (a long time, that is). He played a mostly conservative, safe, simple game, but also demonstrated an ability to get the puck in on net from the point with a quick wrist/snap shot. It looks like his confidence was steadily improving over the course of the week, although he did miss the final Saturday on-ice session for what was an undisclosed injury.

Projection
Bottom-pairing shutdown defender does have some modest upside, but is extremely raw and has a tough row to hoe in order to someday win an NHL job. As the very last draft pick in the 2010 class, the B's surrendered their seventh-round pick to Chicago next year to get Trotman, so it was about the value the team saw in the Novi, Michigan resident. Time will tell whether he continues to develop the offensive side of things which will determine if he has an NHL future. Trotman is a bit of a late-bloomer who actually grew up in Indiana and didn't play high-level hockey until he moved to Michigan as a teenager.

Quotable
"I'm looking to improve on my overall game. I've got to get faster at making decisions on the ice and I'm working on doing more offensively. I'm looking forward to this season and trying to become more of a two-way player and hopefully getting more points."- Zach Trotman to B2010DW, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

"It's been a good time; I've enjoyed getting to know all of the players here and the coaches and learning about the Bruins' system and how they do things. I'm just trying to learn what I can and take it back to school with me."- Zach Trotman, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

The Final Word
Like most of the prospects after 20 on Boston's prospect depth chart, he's a longshot to become a regular NHL contributor. That said, he has the size and mobility to eventually make a run. He's going to need a lot of time and patience, but with three more years of school and another few more likely in the minors, Trotman is a low-risk, moderate-reward kind of player. While he's not the high-level prospect you might find from some internet sources out there who were touting him as a second-round pick, this defenseman did not look at all out of place in Wilmington and could make some noise down the road. He has the tools and the attitude to make himself into something in time.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #32 Nick Tremblay

2010-08-05T11:56:00.000-07:00

Nicholas Tremblay, C
6-0, 190
April 5, 1988
Shoots: Left
Boston's 5th choice, 173rd overall (sixth round) in 2008 draft
Signing status: Unsigned

Talent Analysis

Physical: Average height, but is stocky with some mass on his upper body and strong on his skates. A sublime skater; possibly the best pure skater in the entire Boston organization-- right up there with Marco Sturm. Explodes to top speed in just one or two strides from a standstill and has a mastery of his edges that some players can only dream of. Some players have a separation gear, but Tremblay has about three. Form and technique are just about flawless and when he revs it up through the neutral zone, defenders had better have their gap control straight or Tremblay is blowing by them. Hands and shot are decidedly average-- and what is keeping him from being more productive in college and higher on the Boston prospect depth chart. Stickhandling could stand to improve and is more of a "crest shooter" at this stage; must work on hitting the corners and finding the holes in order to get the puck to the back of the net. Physical play is not there yet; will go into traffic, but does not initiate much and plays more of a finesse game. If he can improve his three-zone play, could be a very effective checker and penalty killer with his pure speed.

Intangibles: Hockey sense is a question mark at this stage; he has the speed and explosiveness to do a lot more than he has to date. Good character and team player; shows a lot of determination on and off the ice. An underrated leader; does the right things and inspires others through a positive example.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Solid camp performance highlighted by the clinic he put on during the second day (on-ice) power skating instruction where he was far and away the best skater of anyone on the ice. Seems to be gaining more and more confidence, but still did not do enough offensively in the scrimmages to warrant the kind of consideration that would see him project as a potential top-six forward at the NHL level. He was constantly backing up defenders and looked great as he surged up and down the Ristuccia ice, but at the end of the day, he didn't accomplish a great deal on the offensive ledger alongside fellow Clarkson U. forward Ben Sexton and whomever else played on that line (Tyler Randell was there at times, as was Justin Florek). The skating is world class, but Tremblay has simply got to pick up the production in order to have a shot at being signed and put into the mix.

Projection
Bottom six/fourth line checking or part-time forward at the NHL level, productive scoring presence in the AHL. If being an NHL player was all about the speed and character, Tremblay would be near the top of the Boston prospects roster, but he has a lot of improving to do in other areas before he can be considered a legitimate B's future option. He gets high marks for his attitude and willingness to improve, but this is a huge year for him at Clarkson now that he's spent two seasons in Potsdam.

Quotable
“I think (development camp's) a lot tougher mentally. We had The Program coming in; it was really challenging, especially because we went there before going on the ice—it was exhausting, but I’m really enjoying it.”- Nick Tremblay to hockeyjournal.com, Wilmington, Mass.; 6-10 July, 2010

"Obviously, my skating is the best part of my game and it's something I keep working on. I’m trying to work on my shot a lot. I think it was a big thing for me last year, trying to hit the open corners and not the side of the net every time. I’m just trying to get a harder shot, make it more accurate.”- Nick Tremblay, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

The Final Word
It isn't like Tremblay was a second- or third-round pick, so the Bruins can afford to be patient with his development even though he just turned 22 in April and is older than a lot of the team's players in the system. If he can prove that he's an offensive threat at the NCAA level, he'll have a chance to work his way into the NHL as a grinder, and he can put the puck in the net as evidenced by his 50+ goals scored in one season with the Smiths Falls Bears of the CJHL. At the same time, he was passed over twice prior to being picked in the sixth round two years ago and thus far, has not shown a great deal to convince anyone that his development will culminate with a solid NHL forward when all is said and done. As a good number of his fellow forward prospects down the depth chart are coming to understand, there is a glut of talent ahead of him on the roster, so trying to break in with Boston right now as a forward isn't the greatest situation to be in.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #31 Justin Florek

2010-08-05T07:08:00.000-07:00

Justin Florek, LW
6-4, 195
May 18, 1990
Shoots: Left
Boston's fifth choice, 135th overall in 2010 draft
Signing status: Unsigned

Talent Analysis

Physical: Big, lean winger has the height and long limbs to be an effective power forward but has a long way to go in terms of filling out his frame and gaining the requisite strength to be a physical force. Good skater with a long, loping stride and the ability to cover ground quickly. Still a bit gangly, and not as proficient in his lateral movements as he is in a straight line when he's going up and down the wing. Okay hands but not high-end offensive skills; doesn't handle the puck a lot in traffic, but has a nice shot and the ability to finish off chances in close and around the net. An underrated playmaker; able to find seams in defenses and set up teammates for scoring chances. A willing physical player who understands his role and responsibilities and uses his size well to gain position in front of the net. Must get a lot stronger. Looks to have a bit of a mean streak, but is more of an honest skater who doesn't try to intimidate but won't shy away when the hitting picks up, either. Plays a solid three-zone game and is an effective special teamer at the NCAA level.

Intangibles: Hard-working, character player who is a good teammate and has the desire to go along with an impressive set of natural gifts. He's an intelligent two-way player, but doesn't appear to have the kind of elite offensive instincts that would translate into a top-six role in the NHL. However, he understands that he's most effective when going to the net and picking up the trash. A diligent, responsible player who puts in the work without a lot of fanfare.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Skating on a line with Tyler Randell and Joe Colborne at times, Florek did not look out of place as he hustled, took the puck hard to the net and was able to win a lot of battles for loose pucks in front of the goal and along the walls. In all honesty, Florek is a longshot, but he's got some character and a good atttitude; he seems genuinely pleased to be a Bruins draft pick and will put in the work to make a run at an NHL job eventually. There is not much flash or dash with this player, but he has nice size, good mobility and uses his physical tools well. He did well at camp, but has a long way to go.

Projection
Florek could possibly make the NHL as a third-line winger, but will probably spend considerable time in the minors first. He's raw and doesn't do much at the high end of the offensive spectrum, but is the kind of guy who could exceed expectations because he has the work ethic to go with his size and skating.

Quotable
"He's a big kid who moves well and has some good upside as a power forward. We think he's only scratching the surface of what he's capable of and with his character, is someone we're glad to have in the organization."- Bruins amateur scouting director Wayne Smith to B2010DW, Los Angeles; June 26, 2010

“First year, I was heartbroken like any kid would be expecting to get drafted and not being drafted. The second year I didn’t really think about it but obviously, it’s in the back of your head. And then, the third year, I just picked up the shift on Saturday, draft day, and didn’t even think about it. I was working when I got the call.”- Justin Florek to hockeyjournal.com, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

“I’m a big power forward; I pick up loose pucks around the net and maintain possession down low. I throw the body around when I need to. I’m a defensive forward; I penalty kill a lot and play the power play, penalty kill, 5-on-5– I do it all.”- Justin Florek, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

The Final Word
Florek is the kind of player who illustrates the kind of prospect depth the Bruins have at forward. He isn't someone who is going to jump out at you, but could develop into a legitimate offensive player in the AHL and has a shot at carving a niche at the NHL level despite being passed over in the draft previously. Unfrotunately for him, trying to make an impression in Boston is going to be a tall order, as they have quite a few players who bring a similar style and ability to Florek. As is the case with other late-round picks, time is on Florek's side, as he can spend one or two more years in school before turning pro and then can spend an additional couple of years honing his game and gaining experience in the minors. Ultimately, however, the ability to gain a roster spot in Boston is going to be difficult, so he'll need to emerge as a force at NMU this season to position himself for the chance, at least.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #30 Maxim Chudinov

2010-08-04T11:48:00.000-07:00

Maxim Chudinov, D
5-10, 195
March 25, 1990
Shoots: Right
Boston's 7th choice, 195th overall (seventh round) in 2010 Draft
Signing status: Unsigned

Talent Analysis

Physical: One more sub-6-foot defender to the Boston mix doesn't hurt, right? Short and squat, with extremely strong legs and a powerful upper body despite the lack of height-- a real specimen. Short arms and stick pose a challenge for him defensively. Very good skater with fast initial step, smooth acceleration and the ability to move well laterally and backwards. Makes a good first pass and can move the puck well on the transition. For his size, has a cannon shot from the point, but needs to work on getting it off faster and without so much of a windup/wasted motion. Good wrister and has the mobility to get in below the circles and let it fly. Had a career year in 09-10 playing with fellow Bruins prospect Yuri Alexandrov on Cherepovets Severstal of the KHL, scoring six goals and 13 points in 47 games. His stats line in his first 46 career Russian elite/KHL games: 0-0-0. Plays with some bite: will initiate and likes to hit. Gets up under bigger players and leverages them off-balance with his strength and technique. Working on playing a more positionally sound defensive game, which is important given his lack of size and reach.

Intangibles: Pretty good vision and instincts, but more is needed to be seen from him at the KHL level. He'll have an opportunity to pick up more minutes with Alexandrov headed to North America. Has a reputation as a fierce competitor (read: borderline dirty player) and could be seen as a slightly less-skilled, but nastier version of David Warsofsky. Said to have a lot of heart, character and drive-- if he continues on his upward developmental curve in Russia, could zoom up the Boston prospect depth chart.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Did not attend; watch for him to be there in 2011.

Projection
Chudinov is hard to peg right now because there aren't a whole lot of folks who have seen him play, but he was more productive than Alexandrov was at the same age, and his 13 points are pretty solid numbers for a Russian defenseman. The safe bet is that he's a top-four with special teams acumen, but we'll have to see how he performs in the next couple of seasons. Peter Chiarelli not only likened his playing style to that of Brian Rafalski, but said at the draft that he didn't expect Chudinov to compete for a spot in Boston for another two years, so it will be interesting to see what transpires from here.

Quotable
"I really like this player. He's short, but built like a fire hydrant and he can skate and shoot the puck. He plays with an edge and in my opinion has been one of the better young Russian d-men in the international competitions he's been involved in over the past several years. This is a pretty good pick for Boston in the seventh round; there's some upside here."- Red Line Report chief scout Kyle Woodlief to B2010DW, Los Angeles; June 26, 2010

The Final Word
Chudinov is another player who may be a tad low on the list, but in the absence of more anecdotal evidence, and given the fact that we know he's at least two years away if not more, he debuts at No. 30 with the chance to move up if he can continue to build on what was a very solid season. His upside is a bit of a question mark at this stage, but he's definitely a player to watch and may have been a solid value for Boston after being passed over twice previously, but really coming on at 19.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #29 Jordan Knackstedt

2010-08-04T11:06:00.000-07:00

Jordan Knackstedt, RW
6-2, 200
September 28, 1988
Shoots; Right
Boston's 6th choice, 189th overall (seventh round) in 2007 Draft
Signing status: Signed through 2011

Talent Analysis

Physical: Power winger has the broad frame, strength and hands to be a player but lacks the skating ability to be much more than a roleplayer. Strong upper body with the potential to add a few more pounds of muscle mass, but must be careful not to add too much weight at the expense of any mobility. Below average first step quickness, mediocre straight line speed and average agility are what helped drop Knackstedt down to the seventh round in his draft year. Good hands with a quick shot. He can score goals from the outside and from in close, but is at his best when he is driving to the hard to the net and banging pucks in. Play in all three zones/defensive awareness still needs work. Plays with an edge; is a good fighter and willing to defend his teammates. A physical, banging forward who skates up and down the wing and doesn't do anything all that exceptionally, but has the size and raw talent to make the NHL as a lower line player.

Intangibles: Got in some hot water with the Boston coaches at training camp last fall when he showed up too heavy and was not allowed to participate with the other players during the first few days. He got off to a slow start in Providence and looked dead in the water until picking it up considerably in the second half and earning Rob Murray's praise for re-dedicating himself to making it work in Providence. Played well on a unit with Zach Hamill and John Lammers, showing good chemistry and effort levels. Does not have the creativity to create offense on his own, but puts forth a diligent work ethic and knows that he must go to the net and take care of rebounds to be productive.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Did not attend

Projection
After putting up a 31-goal, 85-point season in his final junior season with the Moose Jaw Warriors, Knackstedt has shown some progress in two full years at the AHL level, but appears to be a pretty standard, fourth-line meat-and-potatoes winger barring some kind of unforseen change. His 14 goals last year are pretty remarkable (seven of them coming in March) when you consider how poorly he fared in the early going, even being option to Reading of the ECHL at one point before injuries brought him back up. To his credit, he didn't sulk after the humiliation he went through of being banished from the ice at camp because of a too-high body fat percentage, but did yeoman's work to get his weight down and within the standard the Bruins demand. He appears to have satisfied his Providence coach that it was a lesson learned, but the question Knackstedt must answer now is in the mind of Claude Julien in Boston. He has the size and hands to be an NHL player, but the skating is a drawback and he'll have to overcome that through sheer determination and effort.

Quotable
“(Knackstedt) came to camp and wasn’t in the shape he needed to be. He trained hard, but didn’t train the way he needed to, and his body fat was a little over. He wasn’t allowed to skate with the big club and was sent down right away, and he had to work himself into the right shape. To his credit, it’s unbelievable where he is today compared to where he was in terms of his conditioning and body composition. It was a hard lesson for him, but it was a lesson learned.”- Providence coach Rob Murray to hockeyjournal.com; March, 2010

“As far as his hockey goes from the blue line in, he’s pretty dangerous. He’s not the most fleet of foot, but he has good hands, vision, shooting ability and he protects the puck. It’s the other parts of the game, things like getting the puck out along the boards or making the right decisions in the neutral zone, what he’s supposed to do in his own end — those are things he’s had to work on but is making an improvement in.”- Rob Murray to hockeyjournal.com; March, 2010

“My body fat percentage was obviously too high. I trained hard last summer, but trained the wrong way and it really set me back. My body fat is now around seven percent and I’m really happy with where I am right now. I learned an important lesson — at times, you can try to put on too much weight too quick, and by eating the wrong things, or eating too much at night, it can get you into trouble.”- Jordan Knackstedt to hockeyjournal.com; March, 2010

“I’ve obviously got to get better (at skating). I’m in the gym a lot working on it and doing things that allow me to work on developing quickness in my feet, agility and stuff like that."- Jordan Knackstedt; March, 2010

Knackstedt putting better foot forward
http://www.hockeyjournal.com/news/2010/03/10_kirks.php

The Final Word
Another member of Boston's thus far unproductive '07 draft class, Peter Chiarelli's first as Bruins GM, Knackstedt showed some initial promise as a late-round pick and could in fact make the NHL one day despite his skating issues. The problem he faces is that Boston does not have a lot of room for advancement right now, even on the fourth line, so any chance Knackstedt gets to play with the big club will likely have to come via injury to someone else. This is a huge training camp for him to be able to prove to Julien and staff that last year was an honest mistake and that he learned from it. He comes off as a serious, hard-working guy who wants to make it. We have to remember that even with the intriguing scoring skill, he was still just a seventh-round pick and has always been seen as a longshot. Even if he does make it to the show, it will likely be in a limited role and even that would be pretty much gravy. He may have to make his NHL coin for another team that has the room to utilize him in some capacity.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #28 Tyler Randell

2010-08-03T09:41:00.000-07:00

Tyler Randell, RW
6-2, 195
June 15, 1991
Shoots; Right
Boston's 4th choice, 176th overall in 2009 Draft
Signing status: Unsigned

Talent Analysis

Physical: A power forward prospect who has all of the abilities and skills to be an impact NHL player but has yet to put it all together. A good skater with nice jump and an efficient stride; gets up to speed quickly and can really motor in the open ice. Lateral agility is OK and could stand to improve overall edgework. Crashes the net and creates problems for opposing defenders and goalies with his strength and stick. Excellent shooter with quick hands and a hard, heavy wrister that he can wire topshelf with ease. Gets a lot of power on his slap shot and can do damage with it when he gets some space to work with. Underrated backhander. Not much of a passer; tends to finish off chances going up and down the wing rather than setting the table for his linemates. When on his game, plays with a nasty edge, banging bodies and dropping the gloves. Has had 17 fights over the past two OHL seasons against some scrappy and tough customers. Can handle himself well in that department and seems willing to stick up for teammates when the situation calls for it. Battled through a back injury last season which may have significantly affected his production and overall physical play.

Intangibles: An enigma; given his talent and skill level, Randell should be doing more at the OHL level than he has. In talking to people who know him well, you get the impression that he's not put forth the maximum effort and has issues with the compete level at times. Whispers were in Montreal that he fell to the sixth round because he lacked the heart and drive to be the sum of his impressive parts, and thus far, he hasn't done much to dispel those thoughts. When motivated and on his game, he's a force; if the light ever comes on for him and stays on, he could be something at the highest level. Hockey sense isn't exceptional; he has to play a standard up-and-down game to be effective and you don't get much creativity from him.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Randell didn't do a lot to stand out in the D-Camp scrimmages where his other OHL peers like Jared Knight, Ryan Spooner and Tyler Seguin stole the show, but in watching him closely during the various drills, you could see his impressive abilities on display. For me, based on what I'd heard about him from various sources, Randell's stint in Wilmington was a microcosm of where he is as a prospect: an incomplete picture and very much a raw work in progress. The guy can skate well and when he's open for a shot (mostly during the drills), he can really uncork a variety of drives that confound goalies in a variety of ways. However, when he's in action as was the case during the scrimmage, he didn't accomplish an awful lot. He attracted notice during the drills at main camp last year, too, so he's definitely got some ability. It was simply disappointing that Randell was unable to take the proverbial bull by the horns more and make himself stand out given that it was his second time in Wilmington with the prospects and he had an advantage over the first-timers.

Projection
Randell was described to me by one NHL scout as a "poor man's Zack Kassian" at last year's draft, meaning that like the Buffalo first-rounder (and rumored object of Boston's affections when they thought they had traded Phil Kessel to Toronto for Tomas Kaberle and the 7th overall pick), he had some size, skill and toughness, which always makes for a coveted package. Unfortunately, neither player has done a lot to elevate their stock since being drafted and questions abound over the intangibles aspect of their game. I've talked to a lot of people about Randell and I always get the impression that he's getting damned with faint praise...hockey isn't all about the skills, and without the requisite passion and hockey intellect, players don't reach the NHL and stay there.

Quotable
"Tyler is a very big, physical, skilled player. What he's going to need to work on is his consistency. There are games when he's dominant and other nights, he's filling a sweater. At this level, he should be scoring 25-30 goals in a season, so this is a big year for him."- Kitchener Rangers coach Steve Spott to B2010DW; June, 2010

"I've told Tyler that there's going to be someone from Boston evaluating him every night. The difference in the paycheck between Boston and Providence every night is huge. Like (Dustin) Byfuglien, he's going to have to go to the net and make his hay there. Last year was tough for him because he battled through some back injuries, but with his size and skill level, he's capable of bigger things, and he knows that."- Steve Spott to B2010DW; June, 2010

“I think I’ve progressed a lot since the last time I was here. It’s been great so far this week. We did the Program, which was some crazy training. It was great to work as a team with these guys and push each other to be the best we can be.”- Tyler Randell to B2010DW, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

“I think the best thing I bring is strength and teamwork. I’ll battle in the corners and drag the puck to the net. I’ll always be there for my teammates if they’re in trouble. I’m more a team player and hard, gritty player.”- Tyler Randell to B2010DW, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

“When I have the chance, I’ll let the shot go. But other than that, I’ll drive my body to the net and use my size and weight and get in that crease.”- Tyler Randell to B2010DW; July 6-10, 2010

The Final Word
On paper, Randell should be higher on the Boston prospect depth chart, but he was a sixth-round pick for a reason. Make no mistake-- it was a value selection for the Bruins, because talent-wise, he was probably a solid third-rounder. If he can get the motor started and bring up the effort levels, he has a chance, but as of now, Randell is a longshot. This is a big year for him: if he can get his 25 or more goals as his junior coach has said he's capable of (and even expected), then he'll probably sign and get a shot in the Boston organization next season. If not, then look for the B's to pass on him next June, and he'll likely end up being another draft footnote: a player possessing the right size and ability, but not able to do all of the other things it takes to be an NHL regular.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #27 Jeff LoVecchio

2010-08-02T07:45:00.000-07:00

Jeff LoVecchio, LW
6-2, 200
August 26, 1985
Shoots: Left
Signed by Boston as a free agent; March, 2008
Signing status: Signed through 2011

Talent Analysis

Physical: Nice size and strength to go with a real fast set of wheels. Has a long, powerful stride and can accelerate quickly. Very good lateral/crossover mobility and ability to shake and bake in the open ice to elude defenders. Hands and shot are average; he doesn't have the stickhandling or finishing skills to complement his terrific speed. A very good checker/grinder whose feet never stop moving. Plays a solid defensive game and brings the kind of energy that you need from a bottom-line guy. Plays abrasively enough in the physical department, but is not what you would call "hard-nosed" or "tough" in that he doesn't drop the gloves (other than his one preseason donnybrook with Sergei Kostsitsyn last September) and may be averse to such things after suffering such a severe concussion two years ago. Works hard in the weight room and is a capable physical specimen even with the lack of pure skill.

Intangibles: Hard worker and leader who was captain at Western Michigan U. and wore an 'A' for Providence last year even though it was really only his rookie season after missing all of 08-09 with a concussion. Doesn't have the vision or hockey sense to be much more than a fourth-liner at the highest level if he gets there. His heart, desire and coachability are what will keep him in the mix for an NHL job, however, even with his drawbacks. He's a good guy who earns the trust and respect of coaches and teammates with a great attitude.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Did not attend.

Projection
It's fourth line or bust for LoVecchio, who has always been an extremely popular player wherever he's gone because he plays with such intensity and enthusiasm. That said, he's very limited in terms of his scoring ability/upside, so you're looking at another Nate Thompson-kind of guy in that LoVecchio will probably make his NHL debut sometime soon, but isn't going to play many minutes or generate much offense.

The Final Word
The size and speed are NHL-worthy, but the hands and offensive hockey sense are what will likely prevent LoVecchio from being the kind of player who enjoys a sustained run at an NHL career. Again, he's a popular guy because he hustles his tail off and always looks like he's doing something. But, at the end of the day, he's not much of a threat to put the puck in the net, so he'd have to do a great deal more than he basically brings to the table to beat out the guys ahead of him on the depth chart. Players like LoVecchio you don't want to count out completely however because they find ways to get it done. The offensive upside just isn't there, but he's going to push for time in Boston this season even if in a limited/fill-in role.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #26 Zane Gothberg

2010-08-02T06:43:00.000-07:00

Zane Gothberg, G
6-1, 177
August 20, 1992
Catches: Left
Boston's 6th choice, 165th overall in 2010 Draft
Signing status: Unsigned

Talent Analysis

Physical: Although lean, Gothberg has a sizeable frame and is long-limbed, which is ideal for NHL goalies these days. Highly athletic, with excellent quickness, reflexes and flexibility. His style is best described as a hybrid between butterfly and standup; he keeps his feet more than the average butterfly netminder, but will scramble and employ older save techniques such as the two-pad stack and the half-butterfly. Quick glove and blocker hands; could stand on working to catch the puck cleanly more, but usually gets a piece of the shot to make the stop. Very good puckhandler; makes crisp passes to start the breakout and can clear it off the glass on his own. Patient; he will outwait the shooter rather than commit first. Decent rebound control, but that is a skill he, like most young goalies, must continue to work on. Fundamentals will need some refining; he's more of an athletic and instinctive player than he is a technician at the position at this stage of his development.

Intangibles: Relaxed, even quirky Gothberg personality masks a fierce competitor and highly successful Minnesota H.S. product. Seems to display exceptional mental toughness and an ability to shake off bad goals with subsequent big stops/tough saves. One-of-a-kind personality and extrovert who keeps everyone loose with his love of Miley Cyrus and Lil' Wayne music and a willingness to admit it on the record. Hard worker who leads by example and is a quick study.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
After Mike Hutchinson, Gothberg was probably the best of the four goalies in camp. Despite not yet being 18 and having faced high school-level shooters as recently as four months prior to his stint in Wilmington, he looked the part of an NHL prospect, flashing the natural, raw ability that could very well see a big payoff for the Bruins down the road. You could see a marked improvement in Gothberg's performance from beginning of the D-Camp to the end, and he seemed to maintain his composure throughout. He made some highlight reel stops against several of the better players there, including Tyler Seguin and Joe Colborne. He also gave up a memorable bomb to Jared Knight that an NHL goalie would not have been able to stop. All in all, he did not look at all out of place. As noted above, his technique has some holes that good coaching can address, but all of the things you can't teach a goalie: size, reflexes and the natural ability to see the play developing and anticipate where to be to make the save-- Gothberg has in spades. As a bonus, he's a character: his midwestern accent could have seen him cast in the mid-90's classic film "Fargo" and he was one of the more popular guys in the dressing room according to an informal poll I took of the B's prospects. It's going to take some time, but this guy could be a very good one.

Projection
Gothberg is a long-term project, but he has NHL starter upside with his natural talent and intangibles. The fact that Minnesota has not been a good producer of NHL goaltending talent probably made teams wary of taking Gothberg too high, but the B's were thrilled to get him in the sixth round. He just put up an impressive performance over the weekend at the USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, forming a tandem with Dallas first-rounder Jack Campbell to lead Team White to a 3-0 record in the intrasquad scrimmages. Splitting the duties, Gothberg allowed just one goal on 26 shots over the three contests. As one of 42 players competing for a spot on the 2010 World Jr. squad which will convene in Buffalo, N.Y. in December to defend the gold medal Team USA won last January, Gothberg is getting a great opportunity to develop his confidence against the best of his peers from the U.S. and will go up against the Swedes and Finns this week in some international exhibition play. Should he beat out Andy Iles and Michael Houser, Gothberg would be Campbell's backup in Buffalo, but Iles likely has the inside track because he's a U.S. NTDP product. Gothberg will have to shine this week and with the USHL's Fargo Force in the early going this year to have a shot. A University of North Dakota recruit, Gothberg will either play one or two seasons in the USHL depending on the goalie situation in Grand Forks a year from now.

Quotable:
“I have been privileged to coach Zane for the last three years. He has been a coaches dream to have on my team. The best things about Zane do not even involve his on ice performance, without being asked he put in the time to help out our youth programs and he just plan gets it. He is a very mature and confident young man. He makes our team better because of this. He has great leadership and his work ethic is where it needs to be to get to the next level. He has size and also quickness. If he continues to progress and I am sure he will, I see good things for Zane.”- Thief River Falls H.S. head coach Tim Bergland to NHL.com, 2010

“This kid is very good. He impressed me the first time I saw him. He's very controlled. He is a lot like Michael Lee (selected by the Phoenix Coyotes in Round 3, No. 91, in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft) from the previous year, only quicker. I like his quickness and net coverage. I like his strength. He's smart and reads the play well. There's not a lot that I don't like about his game. As the years go by, he's going to be a very good NHL goaltender."- NHL Central Scouting's Al Jensen to NHL.com, 2010

“We were really excited about Gothberg. He’s a bankable kid for us. We have some goaltending depth right now that we’re very comfortable with. He has excellent quickness. We really like the kid’s character; we had him higher than where he went.”- Bruins amateur scouting director Wayne Smith to New England Hockey Journal, Los Angeles; July 26, 2010

“It just shows you that every ounce of energy you have left, you have to put it forward otherwise these guys are going to beat you clean. Got snipped a couple of times out there but that was just cause mentally and physically I need to get to the next level. From here, it’s a good building block towards the future. Just hanging with the guys and soaking it all in.”- Zane Gothberg to hockeyjournal.com, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

"Yeah, it's exciting for sure. I'm really looking forward to going (to Lake Placid) and getting a chance to play with and against so many great players. I got a taste of it last year when I got a chance to play with the U.S. team in Slovakia, so I'm just going to focus on getting through this week and learning as much as I can and then will get ready for the USA Hockey camp later on."- Zane Gothberg to B2010DW, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

The Final Word
Is Gothberg too low on this list? Given his tools and upside, he probably is. But, he's at least four to five years away from being ready to compete for an NHL job, so time is on his side. Because he's raw and Minnesota hasn't been a strong goalie pipeline, Gothberg is further down the list for now, but if he can play well in the USHL and then take the A-game to UND, he'll be a player to watch. If nothing else, this is a fun guy to root for. He's extremely grounded, has strong family values and brings an impressive resume with him for a sixth-round pick, having won the Frank Brimsek Award this past season, given to the top Minnesota high school goalie. He's ready for the next challenge.

Boston Bruins Prospects 1-25

2010-07-31T10:46:00.000-07:00

Despite my best efforts, not going to complete the series by August 1st, so I'll close out the prospects coverage tomorrow and next week.

Until then, here's a one-source post that allows you to see what I've written about the Bruins' top (in my view) 25 prospects:

1. Tyler Seguin, C/W
2. Joe Colborne, C
3. Jordan Caron, RW
4. Maxime Sauve, C/LW
5. Jared Knight, RW
6. Ryan Button, D
7. Brad Marchand, RW
8. Ryan Spooner, C/W
9. Yuri Alexandrov, D
10. Zach Hamill, C
11. David Warsofsky, D
12. Adam McQuaid, D
13. Jamie Arniel, C
14. Tommy Cross, D
15. Michael Hutchinson, G
16. Alexander Fallstrom, RW
17. Andrew Bodnarchuk, D
18. Steven Kampfer, D
19. Yannick Riendeau, RW
20. Jeff Penner, D
21. Mikko Lehtonen, RW
22. Matt Bartkowski, D
23. Craig Cunningham, LW
24. Matt Dalton, G
25. Lane MacDermid, LW

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #25 Lane MacDermid

2010-07-31T10:00:00.000-07:00

Lane MacDermid, LW
6-3, 210
August 25, 1989
Shoots: Left
Boston's 3rd choice, 112th overall (fourth round) in 2009 Draft
Signing status: Signed through 2012

Talent Analysis

Physical: Big, strong, physical winger with good bloodlines; his father, Paul, played nearly 700 NHL games for the Hartford Whalers, Winnipeg Jets, Washington Capitals and Quebec Nordiques. slightly below average skater; had trouble keeping up with the play in the AHL at the beginning of the season last year, but worked hard on it and is steadily improving. Puckhandling and shooting skills are also a work in progress, but his real strengths are what could get him to the NHL as an enforcer: the hitting and fighting. He goes out and hits everything in sight, kind of like a poor man's Milan Lucic (when Lucic is healthy and on top of his game). Led Providence with 21 fighting majors last season and probably would have had more had he not broken his thumb in a fight against Zach Sill of the Binghamton Senators in mid-March. Has continued to build his strength in the gym and it shows in his fights, as he stands in against opponents and gives and takes punches while remaining upright. Relishes the fighting aspect of the game and is developing into a feared pugilist in the minors.

Intangibles: Hard worker who understands his role and his limitations. Earned Providence coach Rob Murray's respect for his willingness to go the extra mile to address the shortcomings in his game while regularly fighting and taking one for the team. Character guy who understands what it takes to make it in the pros and has been a model citizen on the farm.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Did not attend

Projection
Fourth line enforcer; MacDermid is developing into a similar player to Shawn Thornton and could provide the same kind of impact that 'Sugar" has for the B's. He's a willing and nasty fighter and should elevate his offense a bit in his second AHL season after putting in the work to improve his hockey skills.

Quotable
"We've never had to tell him to get in the gym, to do a little extra. We got back from a Sunday afternoon game a while ago, and as I was leaving to go home I looked in the gym, and there was Dermie. We had Monday off and he understood, 'Here's a good chance for me to get a workout in.'''- Providence head coach Rob Murray to Mark Divver, Providence Journal; March 26, 2010

The Final Word
There are other Bruins prospects in the system with better skills and upside than MacDermid, but nobody's tougher. So long as he's willing to be patient, he'll get his shot with Boston when Thornton moves on. We're at the point where arguing about where the prospects are listed is a bit of an exercise in futility, as the Bruins have only so many openings. But, as far as toughness goes, that will be MacDermid's ticket to the big show. He's not great shakes as a player, but he'll go out and fight anyone without needing to be told what to do. We can certainly argue that the Bruins could have gotten more value for their buck than MacDermid in the 4th round of the 2009 draft, but they also ended up with Alexander Fallstrom, so the two together are not a bad haul from that round and both have a shot at playing for the big club if they continue to take steps forward.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #24 Matt Dalton

2010-07-31T09:26:00.000-07:00

Matt Dalton, G
6-1, 190
July 4, 1986
Catches: Left
Signed as a free agent by Boston; April 22, 2009
Signing status: Signed through 2011

Talent Analysis

Physical: Good size and athleticism with the requisite quick reflexes to play the position effectively. Takes up a good portion of the net and stays square to the shooter; very good with his angles and positioning. Quick pads and glove; gets down and back up quickly while maintaining good net coverage. Needs to improve rebound control. Puckhandling is average. Is an effective puckstopper who is still honing his skills and fundamentals, but plays a good, consistent game overall.

Intangibles: Big-game player who led tiny Bemidji State to its improbable Frozen Four run in April '09. In five postseason games for the Beavers, Dalton posted insane numbers, going 4-1 wit a 1.60 GAA and .948 save percentage. His heroics kept his team in the semifinal game against Miami Unversity, when the RedHawks tilted the ice in BSU's end and pelted Dalton with shot after shot. Dalton played well in Reading of the ECHL, showing enough poise that he was recalled to Boston for a week in early March to backup Tim Thomas when Tuukka Rask was injured. Although he didn't play, the chance to be around the team and practice with the players provided him some confidence going into his second pro season.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Dalton had an okay camp, but more was expected to be frank. He just turned 24 and was the only player there with any legitimate pro experience (aside from Adam Courchaine's four games with Providence in '08 and '09), but didn't do a great deal to stand out. As Don Sweeney said, the goalies were at the biggest disadvantage, and because they are constantly under assault both in the drills and scrimmages, it's hard to get a read on them in the D-Camp setting. As things stand right now, a solid main camp from Dalton will give him the chance to spend the season in the AHL with Providence, likely backing up the more experienced Nolan Schaefer, but with enough playing time to keep developing.

Projection
A raw prospect who has been a late-bloomer, Dalton would need some major breaks to go his way to see any considerable NHL time. He's a good athlete and has shown promise at the NCAA and ECHL levels, but his chances of making the big show as anything other than a fill-in or backup are pretty slim. That said, he's a serviceable player who's shown a penchant for putting teams on his back when under fire, so keep an eye on him.

Quotable
“I want to dominate at whatever level I’m at. Whether it’s NHL, AHL or wherever, I want to dominate and that’s my goal. I’ve had a taste of it now and kind of know what to expect, and I’m excited.”- Matt Dalton to hockeyjournal.com, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

The Final Word
After Mike Hutchinson, Dalton is the best the Bruins have for goaltending prospects, but none are considered high-end or "blue chip" players at the position as it stands right now. This isn't a bad thing because between Tuukka Rask and Tim Thomas, there isn't any room for young, raw players. If injuries set in, however, Dalton could see a callup, and if the B's were to be hit with a rash of boo boos at the position, that's going to be an issue for Boston. The best thing B's fans can hope for is that Dalton makes the Providence roster and can continue to gain pro experience and play well without being thrown into the fire this season.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #23 Craig Cunningham

2010-07-30T13:07:00.001-07:00

Craig Cunningham, LW
5-10, 180
September 3, 1990
Shoots: Left
Boston's 4th choice, 97th overall, in 2010 Draft
Signing status: Unsigned

Talent Analysis

Physical: Short but stocky forward is naturally strong and better suited to transition from major junior to the pro grind than one would think simply by looking at his vitals on paper. Strong upper- and lower-body drive for his size. Very good skater who doesn't have explosive speed, but is highly quick and agile; outstanding edge control provides him the balance and elusiveness to slip checks and create space for himself. Soft hands for passing and scoring goals. Can feather feeds through traffic and find open teammates for quality scoring opportunities. Has a quick stick and is exceptionally good at getting it on loose pucks and putting them home in close. Chippy player who gives as good as he gets; not afraid to get his nose dirty. Doesn't have the size to be a physical force, but willingly initiates contact and finishes his checks-- plays with a lot of energy. Another dedicated gym rat who became a close friend and workout partner of Milan Lucic's when the two were teammates on the Memorial Cup-winning Vancouver Giants in 2006-07.

Intangibles: This fierce competitor has had to overcome a great deal before age 20; lost his father, Alvin, to a car accident 10 years ago and had to grow up quickly. Highly coachable player who is as mature and focused as any 19-year-old prospect you'll find. Has the kind of heart and desire that may transcend his size deficit at the next level, but has a ways to go before he'll be ready to seriously compete for an NHL job. An affable yet serious type who learned the value of hard work watching his mother, Heather, work two jobs to support him and his two brothers after his father passed away. One of those classic "more than the sum of his parts" type players you hear about; he elevated himself from 0 goals at age 16 to 11 to 28 to 37 this past season while facing other teams' best defensive focus. Driven to succeed and is a fine leader and teammate.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Cunningham kept the skeptics (present company included) at bay in Wilmington this month by showing off the skills and drive that the B's raved about when they drafted him with a surpisingly high pick for a player who was twice passed over previously in the draft. He played well on a line with Ryan Spooner and camp invite Tyler Brenner, going hard to the net and generating some good scoring opportunities. All three wore a teal penney throughout camp and scored goals while making it exciting for the fans in attendance. Cunningham also showed a nice chemistry skating with '09 top pick Jordan Caron when the team went to a three-on-three scrimmage format on the last day. Cunningham wasn't a dynamic presence, but he grew on me as the days progressed, and certainly did not look out of place.

Projection
The Bruins did not draft Cunningham with the thought of having him serve as an AHL Marty St. Pierre-type of filler player, but hope that he could one day become a fixture on their third line and see a lot of special teams time. If you listen to Cunningham's junior coach, Don Hay, and former NHL star and family friend Ray Ferraro, he's going to not only make it to the NHL one day, but stay there. If you look at the youngster's steady progression, there is reason to believe that he can make that happen at some point, but his lack of size will be the biggest obstacle to his quest to reach the highest level. He has an overage year of junior eligibility left, so depending on how Boston's contract and cap situation looks, they could defer his signing for another season, or go ahead and get the soon-to-be 20-year-old into the pro mix right away.

Quotable
“He’s just such a coachable young man. Right from the time he was 16, he really understood everything that was being taught to him. He tried to do everything that was being taught to him, and he continually got better and better. The evolution is that he’s a 19-year-old player now; he knows what the expectations are and he’s grown with different leaders. He’s a real Giant-type player—he’s a really hard-working young man.”- Vancouver Giants Don Hay to Straight.com; December, 2009

“When he was 16 we saw some skill in him, but he didn’t score a goal the whole year. But in that training camp with his own age group, he was one of the top players. We knew he had the skill, but he wasn’t having the success as far as putting up numbers. But killing penalties and doing all the things—playing five-on-five, finishing checks—he did all those things. Now, as a 19-year-old, his skill level has caught up and he’s been a real, real good player for us.”- Don Hay to Straight.com; December, 2009

"We really like this kid. He led Vancouver in scoring andwas one of the top scorers in the entire WHL this past season, but beyond that, you have to look at what he's gone through in his life and how he's had to overcome a lot. He brings a lot of energy and passion to everything he does, and he's just one of those players that we looked at a lot this year and felt he brought both that scoring and character to the table."- Bruins director of amateur scouting Wayne Smith
to B2010DW; Los Angeles; June 26, 2010

"Craig Cunningham / LW ('90): Has become shifty and dangerous enough that he's turned into a real pro prospect. Seems to me like he's grown a little bit (maybe an inch or so) in the last two years, so that also helps. And he was one of the youngest players in the 2008 draft, so he's closer to being a part of last year's group. I'll be shocked if someone doesn't grab him at least late in the draft - could even go in the middle rounds. If somehow he doesn't go, he'll have a lot of calls from teams for a camp invite."- Mike Remmerde, NHL Draft Notes Blog, June 22, 2010

"It was a great experience. I really like all the guys here; it kind of felt like we became a team right away which was pretty cool. All the stuff we did in the first few days-- I mean-- it was hard, but I think it made the week easier as you got more and more comfortable within the organization and with the people you were around all day."- Craig Cunningham to B2010DW, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

"I'm a two-way player. I can play a checking role or scoring role; it doesn't matter. I can play up or down the lineup-- I can be moved up or moved down. I pride myself on my work ethic and that's kind of what gets me to where I am today."- Craig Cunningham to B2010DW, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

Fast rising Cunningham leads Vancouver Giants to the net
http://www.straight.com/article-275161/vancouver/fastrising-cunningham-leads-giants-net

The Final Word
Looking back on it, it's easy to get caught up in the fact that the Bruins spent a top-100 pick on a player who was passed over some 420 times previously as Red Line Report pointed out in their July draft recap, where Cunningham was featured as one of the most "overvalued" picks of the draft. That said, some players simply take a longer time to develop, and in Cunningham's case, the skill was always there, he just took more time to put it together. I went to Wilmington interested in what he could do because the fact of the matter is, while sources I spoke to from the WHL beat at the draft expressed surprise that Cunningham was drafted as high as he was, not one person had a bad word for him. Not one. Now, is he going to be a legitimate NHL player, or one of these 'tweener guys who's an AHL star, but only plays bit roles now and then as he bounces around the circuit with numerous NHL clubs? That's for Cunningham to determine, but he's one of those guys who you come to appreciate the more you see him. He could in time prove the doubters wrong and establish himself as a valuable character role player who can do a little bit of everything.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #22 Matt Bartkowski

2010-07-30T08:13:00.000-07:00

Matt Bartkowski, D
6-1, 190
June 4, 1988
Shoots: Left
Acquired by Boston from Florida with Dennis Seidenberg for Byron Bitz, Craig Wellar and a 2010 2nd-round pick (Alex Petrovic); March 3, 2010
Signing status: Signed through 2012

Talent Analysis

Physical: Live, athletic frame with room to grow. Will need to add bulk, but is on the right track in his physical maturation process. Good skater; moves well in all directions. Isn't a blazing skater, but is able to keep puck carriers in front of him and can crossover and pivot fluidly. Decent passer; can hit the long clearing pass and moves the puck out of his end quickly. Puckhandling is a bit rough; better at making the safe passing play than having to carry it out under pressure. Has an underrated shot that he gets off quickly from the point; heavy and accurate. Very good defensively; understands positioning and likes to take the body. An effective open-ice hitter and does well at pinning his man along the boards and clearing traffic from in front of his own net. Keeps things pretty safe and simple for the most part, but has the mobility and potential to play more of a two-way game if he can improve his puckhandling and overall confidence. Has a reputation for being a tough, hard-nosed player, but will need to prove that in the AHL first-- wearing full face shields in the NCAA is one thing, but how he does when the gloves come off in the pros will be another thing entirely.

Intangibles: Bright kid (engineering major at Ohio St.) who brings a good attitude and some tenacity to the ice. Seems to have a good, solid instinctive feel for the defensive flow of the game, but the questions he must answer at the next level are whether he can bring the same kind of effectiveness offensively. A mature 22-year-old who spent two years away from home with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL before spending two seasons at Ohio State closer to his Pittsburgh home.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Bartkowski had a solid, solid performance. He's not a dynamic player who really stands out, but he does skate well and surprised me a bit with some plays he made where he joined the rush or made some smart pinches to not only maintain offensive possession, but get a good shot off from the point or make a nice pass. I thought going in that he would be a lot more conservative and play it safe, so it was nice to see that he was more aggressive. The camp itself didn't lend itself to seeing the kind of physical, hard-edged stuff that Bartkowski reportedly excels at, so it will be interesting to see how he does at rookie camp and in the minors this season. Overall, he was a pleasant surprise and looks to be a player who is pretty well-rounded and only lacks seasoning and experience.

Projection
Bartkowski looks like a lower-pairing, stay-at-home defender who could end up working himself into a fourth spot with special teams time if he can improve his puck skills. If he can develop an ability to fight (not a skill that can be honed in the NCAA), he'll be even more appealing, because he skates pretty well even if he is more of a vanilla type of defender who isn't dynamic. He's pretty buried on the depth chart right now, but the best thing for him will be to go down to Providence, work hard and earn a lot of minutes. From there, he might be able to work himself into a limited stint from Boston and who knows where it might go from there?

Quotable
"It was a hard decision to make (turning pro or staying in school) but in the end, I weighed my options with my family and we felt that signing with Boston was the best thing for me right now. I can finish my degree in the summers, but the situation was right for me to go ahead and take that next step, so I'm glad to be here."- Matt Bartkowski to B2010DW, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010.

"I consider myself a good defenseman who takes care of my own end first and sticks up for my teammates. I would say that's the biggest thing; just keeping things simple and making the right plays whenever I can."- Matt Bartkowski to B201DW, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

The Final Word
This is a player who could move up the prospect depth chart pretty well, but is similar to Adam McQuaid in that he's a defense-first player who plays the game with an edge, and will need a good amount of time in the minors to get seasoned before he's ready to make a run for an NHL job. He doesn't have McQuaid's size or toughness, but he's a better skater, so he should be able to carve a niche for himself in Providence this season and next. He's on the long path to a possible spot in Boston, but seems to have the physical and intangibles package to generate some positive notice from here on out.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #21 Mikko Lehtonen

2010-07-30T07:41:00.000-07:00

Mikko Lehtonen, RW
6-3, 200
April 1, 1987
Shoots; Right
Boston's 3rd choice, 83rd overall in 2005 Draft
Signing status: Restricted free agent

Talent Analysis

Physical: Wide-bodied power forward has the size and strength to do a lot in this game, but is still filling out and hasn't yet learned to use his physical gifts properly. A substandard first-step skating ability and his top speed is good, not great. Although he has a long stride, he seems to be a lumbering skater who takes too long to get it in gear. Directional change is mediocre; turns more as opposed to stopping and moving in a different direction. Has been observed skating better and faster than in some of the games watched with Providence; is it a lack of ability or lack of hustle? Very good hands and shot; can score from the outside and in close. Wrist shot has a rapid release and is accurate. Decent passer, but the strength of his offensive game is in the finish. Defensive play is average to below average; struggles with assignments and sticking with his man, especially when the tempo of the play picks up. Not very physical and gets pushed off the puck too much for a player of his size and natural strength.

Intangibles: After spending two seasons in Providence, you can see why this first-round talent fell down to the bottom of the third round in '05: his intensity and work ethic isn't where it needs to be in order to keep a job in the NHL. Like most players, Lehtonen is a nice guy and talks a good game about putting in the work, but the fact that Rob Murray benched him in the playoffs two years ago after he led the team in goal scoring (28) in the regular season speaks volumes as to where Lehtonen's head and compete levels have been since coming over to North America from Espoo of the Finnish SM-Liiga in 2008. He's gotten a pair of one-game recalls to Boston, but one can only deduce that the coaching staff didn't see enough that they liked of him to give Lehtonen an extended look. This is a damning assessment when you consider the injury woes the B's had last season and the fact that jobs up front were up for grabs, but he wasn't able to secure one.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Did not attend

Projection
At one time, Lehtonen had the ability and upside to have an outside chance at being a top-two line forward in the NHL, but the skating and lack of fire has been his biggest hindrance and is why he's dropped out of the top-10 from where he was a year ago. Last season was an important test for Lehtonen, and he pretty well flunked it. He wasn't able to be the kind of consistent presence and difference-maker that Providence was desperate for despite ample opportunities to get it done. Sure, he didn't have much of a supporting cast, but the legitimate players find a way to get it done and make an impact. Lehtonen's best contributions have been fleeting at best. He's reportedly decided to play in Europe this year, and it wouldn't surprise if he were to give up his NHL pursuits with Boston altogether. Lehtonen has the skill to be a serviceable player in Europe, but without the grit and passion, he's simply not good enough to be much more than a solid AHL guy over here. Luckily for Boston, as a player picked in the late third round, a miss here isn't catastrophic and isn't the bad April Fool's joke (a play on his birthdate, folks) it would have been had they grabbed him in the first or second.

The Final Word
You don't want to write off a prospect with Lehtonen's physical abilities at age 23, but it appears to be where he's headed. He's just outside the top-20 because he could theoretically turn things around and his ability alone should have him higher even if it looks like he may be at the end of the line and is following the same path back to Scandinavian obscurity that former 1st-rounder Martin Samuelsson did five years ago. Lehtonen's been solidly productive in the AHL, but has also come off as soft and lacking in the drive that NHL coaches demand from players who can't get by on their talent alone. Boston's system and ethos do not appear to be a good fit for the affable but uneven Lehtonen, and he's on the verge of becoming a classic case study in what often happens to those players with impressive talent who fall down the draft board because of concerns about intensity and work ethic. He's not a bad guy, but the perception is that he wasn't willing to work as hard at improving his game that he needed to. And the fact that Boston gave him little opportunity speaks volumes to where they see him: icetime must be earned.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #20 Jeff Penner

2010-07-29T13:35:00.000-07:00

Jeff Penner, D
5-10, 191
April 13, 1987
Shoots: Left
Signed by Boston as a free agent; March, 2008
Signing status: Signed through 2011

Talent Analysis

Physical: Did someone say undersized defenseman? Blazing skater whose mobility is his best attribute. Explosive first few steps and excellent four-way directional speed. Jumps up into the play; a very good puck mover at the AHL level. Makes the quick first pass and can transition from defense to the attack quickly. A key element of the Providence power play over the past two seasons for his ability to move well along the blue line, shoot the puck from the point and distribute effectively into the more open spaces on the ice. Still learning how to play the position in terms of locating himself and does not play a very physical or rugged game, which stands in contrast to Andrew Bodnarchuk. Suffered a major back injury during his bantam year which prevented his being drafted into the WHL; since then he's worked himself gradually to the NHL by playing Jr. B and going all the way to Fairbanks, Alaska to get his shot, playing two scoreless games for Boston last season after injuries to the defense corps gave him his chance.

Intangibles: Hard working, character player who has stuck with hockey instead of giving up when facing some tough adversity. His defensive hockey sense is suspect; doesn't seem to play instinctively and gets caught out of position. A riverboat gambler who will go for the score, but has a lot to learn yet about playing defense.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Did not attend

Projection
Third-pairing defenseman and power play or penalty killer is about the best Penner can hope for at the NHL level. He's a skilled player, but because he's so similar to the glut of what the Bruins already have, Penner appears to be on the outside looking in unless injuries open the door for him this year. He has the look of one of those career 'tweener AHL players: he'll spend most of his time at that level and play pretty well, but will not likely be able to translate that success into a regular stint in the big show.

The Final Word
As an undrafted free agent, Penner was not a bad signing and has progressed in the two full years since becoming a part of the Boston organization. However, he lacks the size and grit that other small prospects like David Warsofsky, Andrew Bodnarchuk and even Steve Kampfer possess. I hesitate to use the word 'soft' but there has to be a certain on-ice tenacity that I have found lacking in Penner when viewing him. His skills are right behind Warsofsky, but the toughness quotient is going to be his biggest stumbling block to making a lasting impact in Boston. That said, he played well enough to get his cup of coffee last year and may get another look, even if the odds are stacked against him.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #19 Yannick Riendeau

2010-07-29T12:33:00.000-07:00

Yannick Riendeau, RW
5-10, 180
June 18, 1988
Shoots: Left
Signed as a free agent, May, 2009
Signing status: Signed through 2012

Talent analysis

Physical: Small winger who is coming off an injury-riddled first pro campaign after dominating the Quebec league in scoring the year before. Needs to add weight and functional strength to his undersized frame. Below average skater who skates hunched over and has a choppy stride. Slow first step and only average speed. Excellent passer and shooter; has terrific hands and an ability to create something from nothing. Deadly in between the hashmarks, where he can get rid of the puck in an instant and has a very accurate shot. Tends to play on the perimeter when the hitting picks up. Not a physical player, but will take the hit to make the play. Played through a shoulder injury that required major surgery in the summer of '09 and forced him to miss the first three months of the season. Also injured his wrist during the '09 Memorial Cup tournament and then re-aggravated it after a few games with Providence, further setting him back.

Intangibles: Possesses elite offensive hockey sense; was a highly productive player in junior and even though an overage player at 20, scored 29 goals in 19 games in leading Drummondville to the '09 President's Cup as QMJHL champion. His 53 playoff points were as many as Mario Lemieux racked up with the Laval Voisins in 1984. Hard worker who is dedicated to being a player after being passed over in the draft despite being a high midget draft pick. Posted his career-best season while dealing with the pain of the shoulder injury for much of the 08-09 campaign; a gutsy competitor albeit a fragile one.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Did not attend

Projection
Riendeau is a flawed player as far as hockey tools go. His size and lack of skating ability get to the heart of why he wasn't ever drafted, but as far as his hockey intellect goes, he's right up there with the best prospects in Boston's system. It's very difficult to project what kind of impact he'll make in the NHL (if he even gets there), but history has shown that more than a few guys who didn't look like players coming out of junior or college became legitimate NHL stars (Adam Oates and Steve Thomas to name two). Will Riendeau follow a similar path? That's asking a lot, but given that the Bruins didn't spend a draft pick on the 22-year-old, then it's not a bad roll of the dice to take-- the team is playing with house money on this guy. Because he lacks speed and size, Riendeau probably can't be a bottom-six forward who is required to perform a grinding/checking role, so his immeasurables and outstanding passing/shooting/hands are going to have to take him into a top-six role at some point. Tall order, but in looking at his numbers and how he played in the Memorial Cup a little over a year ago, he's worth keeping an eye on.

Quotable
“Yannick’s a very instinctive player. Can you teach the hockey sense side of things? Probably not; I think you can get players to become more aware during offensive situations, but the offense comes naturally to him. We’re excited that he’s the kind of player who reads the developing play so well and sees things on the ice others don’t.”- Bruins assistant GM Don Sweeney to hockeyjournal.com; January, 2010

“His first game was the best out of the ones he’s played. He showed some offensive touch, played well defensively and showed that he has some upside. His speed wasn’t an issue. He was moving his feet and staying involved in the play, and as long as he’s playing at that higher pace and skating, he’ll be fine at least at our level.”- Providence Bruins head coach Rob Murray to hockeyjournal.com; January, 2010

Holding Pattern for Riendeau
http://www.hockeyjournal.com/news/2010/01/16_holding.php

The Final Word
At first glance, Riendeau doesn't look like he has a shot at being an NHLer given his lack of size and skating ability, but people said the same things about Mark Recchi, too. Riendeau's first pro season was a wash, but he showed flashes of promise and was a point-per-game player for Reading of the ECHL. If he can stay healthy, he should make a much bigger impact this year for Providence's fortunes. If not, he'll put up big numbers for the Royals. Either way, he's an intriguing prospect who has some real upside even if he's quite the longshot.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #18 Steve Kampfer

2010-07-28T13:41:00.000-07:00

Steven Kampfer, D
5-11, 197
September 24, 1988
Shoots: Right
Acquired from Anaheim for 2010 fourth-round pick (Justin Shugg- Carolina via Anaheim) , March, 2010
Signing status: Signed through 2013

Talent Analysis

Physical: It feels like deja vu all over again after banging out profiles on David Warsofsky, Andrew Bodnarchuk, but Kampfer is another undersized defender in Boston's system. Like Bodnarchuk, Kampfer is strong for his size and puts in an honest effort with his off-ice conditioning and strength training. Good skater with nice blend of speed and quickness. Moves well laterally and backwards. Likes to jump up into the play and has a separation gear that can get him past defenders when he sees an opening. Fine passer who can start the play up and out of his zone quickly. Possesses a nice shot; better with quick wrister or snap shot than he is firing a slap shot from the point. Good passer who sees the ice well and can get the puck out quickly. Like most defenders his size, he has his hands full when trying to move bigger, stronger forwards out from in front of his net or fighting for pucks along the walls. Chippy and rugged; adept at making contact in the open ice (as Michigan State's Corey Tropp can attest). Made a nice first impression in six games with Providence last spring, scoring a goal and three points while earning the distinction to most as the best of the team's late-season additions (Joe Colborne, Max Sauve). Positioning needs work, and he'll get that chance in Providence.

Intangibles: Had a strong senior season after struggling to make his mark in his first three collegiate campaigns. Has been involved in several ugly incidents both on and off the ice, but appears to have turned the corner (for more on the issues, see the link in the quotable section) and kept his nose clean as a senior. Has persevered despite several tough setbacks; the Bruins traded for him even after being well aware of his past. Seems to bring a maturity and understanding of his shortcomings, which is a good sign as he begins the first real phase of his pro career.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Kampfer was the defense version of Alexander Fallstrom at camp: he had a very good performance that didn't go unnoticed, but didn't generate a lot of attention, either. He's got nice wheels and you could see him taking advantage of openings to jump up into the play and bring the offense. Kampfer scored a nice goal on a long clearing pass from Tyler Seguin in one scrimmage, zooming up the left side of the ice, then making a nice oblique cut to his right before wiring a low wrister into the net.

Projection
Like Bodnarchuk, the odds for Kampfer are long, but he does bring the requisite skill level to make a run at an NHL job at some point. He looked good in his late-season audition with Providence, so it will be interesting to see how he performs over the course of a full season. College players often have trouble adjusting to the longer schedule and grind, so that may be Kampfer's biggest challenge as a rookie pro. The trade (originally drafted in the fourth round in 2007 by Anaheim- missed being eligible for the 2006 draft by 10 days) originally didn't look all that great on paper, but Kampfer has been better than advertised and is a player to watch this season.

Quotable
“I think it helped me out a lot. I was excited to get out there, I was excited to sign with the Bruins. Going out there and playing with guys of that level and starting my development going forward was a big help.”- Steve Kampfer to B2010DW, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

“I need to work on my defensive game. It was something that we talked about at the end of the year, just positioning, stickwork and just getting stronger in the corners and moving guys out of the way. Overall, I gotta get better in every aspect of the game, but those are the things I gotta keep working on.”- Steve Kampfer to B2010DW, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

"It was a year of hell. With everything I went through, you take things for granted and you want to make sure you're not missing out on certain aspects of life and you're not taking things for granted. So when I came into this year, I was excited, I was happy to play hockey. It was a second chance to get back and play hockey, and I wanted to make it everything I could."- Steven Kampfer to Ann Arbor.com; March, 2010

Here's a link to a very good story by Jeff Arnold of Ann Arbor.com which chronicles Kampfer's college career and controversy that dogged him:
http://www.annarbor.com/sports/michigan-hockey-defenseman-steve-kampfer-leaves-the-past-behind-to-enjoy-the-fruits-of-the-present/

The Final Word
He's never been a point producer at any level, but Kampfer has the tools to be an NHL player eventually. How far he goes and whether he can get it done in the Boston organization remains to be seen, but he's been impressive in limited viewing since the team traded for him at the March deadline. He provides the Bruins with a more mature, pro-ready player to help Boston's farm team in Providence and gives them more of an emergency option as opposed to what they would have likely drafted in the June draft's fourth round.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #17 Andrew Bodnarchuk

2010-07-28T13:05:00.000-07:00

Andrew Bodnarchuk, D
5-11, 200
July 11, 1988
Shoots: Left
Boston's 5th choice, 128th overall in 2006 Draft
Signing status: Signed through 2011

Talent Analysis

Physical: Another member of Boston's sub-6-feet brigade on 'D', Bodnarchuk is a dedicated gym rat who has done very well at building his strength, but will always face a mismatch when going up against the biggest, strongest of the NHL's ever-growing legion of power forwards. Plus-skater who has very good acceleration, speed, quickness and lateral mobility. Solid passer and shooter, but has become more of a stay-at-home, defensive player in the pros after putting up solid offensive numbers in junior. Plays bigger than his size; likes to initiate contact and will take the hit to make the play. Low center of gravity allows him to get up under bigger, stronger players to separate them from pucks. Pound-for-pound, one of the most rugged prospects in Boston's system. Overall defensive game and positioning needs work.

Intangibles: Hard worker and good teammate who was one of Rob Murray's go-to guys in Providence last season and was rewarded with a late-season callup, playing in all of Boston's final five regular season contests. Tenacious and learns from mistakes; settled in after a rocky start in Boston against Toronto and was a solid defensive performer to close out the season. Lacks the elite instincts needed to be a top defender at the next level, but has the desire and intensity to make something of himself.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Did not attend.

Projection
Bodnarchuk looks like a bottom-pairing/extra defender at the NHL level, but he could improve enough to play more of a role in time. He's a wolverine on skates; not all that big, but plays with an edge and keeps himself in the best shape possible. Like Don Sweeney, he comes from the Maritimes and went to St. Paul's Academy in Concord, NH before opting away from the NCAA track and staying at home to play major junior. Also like Sweeney, he understands his size is a major obstacle and will likely need to make the most of any chance he gets in Boston when spots are opened up because of injuries. He's going to be a very solid AHL defenseman, but how far he can go at the highest level is a tossup because of the organization's other undersized players at the position who have a little more upside.

Quotable
“I talked to (Murray) quick, and he sort of gave me the, ‘Congratulations; good work, good luck.’ But, I know I put in my work this year and I’m glad it’s been noticed, so I’ll just go from here now.”- Andrew Bodnarchuk to hockeyjournal.com; April, 2010

“It’s unbelievable; it’s a dream come true. It feels like the jitters are out now that the first game’s gone. My mind was going a little quicker than I wanted to during the first game, but as the game went on, I saw it slow down. (I’m) just more comfortable around the room comfortable around the guys.”- Andrew Bodnarchuk to hockeyjournal.com; April, 2010

“(It sends) a really strong message. I saw it last year too, with the guys being called up: the Boychuks, Lashoffs and Karsums, guys getting a sniff and getting a chance. So, it’s really encouraging for the young guys in Providence to know that Boston does like to call up and work with what they’ve drafted. For the younger guys down there, take a look, put in the work and it’ll pay off.”- Andrew Bodnarchuk to hockeyjournal.com; April, 2010

Bodnarchuk, Marchand on this ride together
http://www.hockeyjournal.com/news/2010/04/13_bodnarchuk.php

“You look at their roster and you pretty well know who their top six (defencemen) are, just by looking at their contracts. There are three or four players, neck-and-neck, battling for that (seventh) spot … I’m looking forward to it.”- Andrew Bodnarchuk to Metro Halifax; July, 2010

“Hopefully, this year is going to be another step toward being a full-time NHLer. It tends to take a little bit longer for defencemen, especially for a shorter guy. I’m just looking to make more and more strides as the year goes on.”- Andrew Bodnarchuk to Metro Halifax, July, 2010

The Final Word
Although skilled enough, Bodnarchuk's lack of size and upside pushes him further down the depth chart, especially with the infusion of talent via the draft and trades. He's a good kid and hard worker, but the one-year contract extension he signed this month speaks for itself in terms of how he's viewed by the team right now and what his realistic chances of making an impact in Boston this year are. He'll be a valuable veteran in Providence for Murray if nothing else, and his small taste of the NHL life will put him on the short list for recall if needed, but he's got a tough challenge ahead of him to establish himself as a big league regular as anything more than a fringe/depth guy.

Boston Bruins Prospect Series: #16 Alexander Fallstrom

2010-07-28T07:27:00.000-07:00

Alexander Fallstrom, RW
6-2, 192
September 15, 1990
Shoots: Right
Acquired from Minnesota with a 2011 second-round selection for Chuck Kobasew in October, 2009
Signing status: Unsigned

Talent Analysis

Physical: Tall and lanky build; needs to add significant mass and strength in the next few years of his development. Improving his upper body power and drive will be his biggest challenge between now and when he turns pro. Adequate skater; first few steps are mediocre, but decent speed and quickness gets him where he needs to go. Will never be a burner, but his skating flaws are easily correctable and don't stand out in competition. Very good hands and a quick stick; able to work effectively with limited time and space. Good, heavy shot that he can release quickly. Will drive hard to the net and bang in the rebounds. Able to get his stick on pucks for deflections and redirections. Shields the puck well from defenders and is serviceable down low and on the cycle. Very good defensive player who understands positioning and his responsibilities. Finishes his checks; plays more of a North American-style game given his time spent playing prep and in the NCAA. Ripped it up for 87 points in 40 games his final prep season at Shattuck, so the kid can score. It's just a matter of figuring out how much of his scoring touch at the lower levels will translate at Harvard and in the pro ranks.

Intangibles: Heady winger works hard and is diligent in his approach to on- and off-ice work. Born in Gothenburg, Sweden but raised in Stockholm and eschewed the traditional route most Swedes take by going through the pro development system via junior teams in favor of going to Shattuck St. Mary's in Faribault, Minnesota at age 16, earning the captaincy as a senior in 08-09. Has a nose for the net; seems to recognize scoring opportunities and then place himself in areas where he can impact the play. Intelligent and well spoken; understands his role and plays it well. Another character kid who took a lesser-traveled road than most of his peers but appears on track to succeed.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Fallstrom had one of the more underrated performances in Wilmington this month. Nothing he does jumps out at you, but when the puck ended up in the back of the net on some nice plays in scrimmages or drills, Fallstrom was often times the culprit (and beneficiary of some great passes from Joe Colborne). He's a smart kid who paid attention to what was going on and displayed a strong showing in all zones, but flew under the radar for much of the week. Many of his higher-profile teammates garnered the lion's share of the attention and headlines, but in retrospect, Fallstrom was one of the more complete and productive players on the ice during the scrimmages. He and Colborne made life very tough on the defenders who went up against them, using their size and skill to move the puck through traffic and generate myriad scoring chances.

Projection
Solid third-line player with the intelligence and hands to make a modest contribution on offense at the NHL level. He had more of an adjustment period in the ECAC with the Crimson last season, but watch for him to bump his points up significantly this season, as he has the tools to be a productive player for Ted Donato's squad. Like some of the other prospects in Boston's system, Fallstrom is in a good situation where he can take his time to round out his game and the pressure will not be on him to contribute right away. He's an atypical Swede in that he isn't the greatest skater, but unlike former B's prospect Anton Hedman, Fallstrom's mobility is not a major drawback, and by the time he's ready to progress to the next level, the skating should be fine. Could be a high-end scorer in the minors before he makes a run at regular NHL employment, but at worst, should be an effective 50-point defensive forward who can play in all situations and will earn the trust of his coaches to play in big moments.

Quotable
"I'm having a lot of fun for sure. This is a very good experience and my first time working with the Boston coaches, so I'm just trying to learn what I can and bring it back with me to Harvard for the upcoming season."- Alexander Fallstrom to B2010DW, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

"Fallstrom's not the most exciting player to come out of Shattuck (St. Mary's), but he did very well there. I remember watching him and not noticing him much, and then I'd look at the score sheet afterwards and he had three or four points. He's the kind of player who keeps it simple, but goes hard to the net and is an opportunistic scorer. Maybe not a high-end offensive player at the next level, but he plays an honest two-way game and has the skills to put up some points with the right linemates."- NHL scout to hockeyjournal.com; May, 2010.

The Final Word
It is intriguing that the Wild gave up Fallstrom so soon after drafting him (ironically with the '09 fourth-round selection the Bruins sent to them as part of the Manny Fernandez trade), but he appears to be a legitimate NHL prospect, albeit one who is on the long-term plan after completing his freshman season at Harvard. He's a poor man's Jordan Caron; doesn't have great feet, but is instinctive, hard working and brings a solid two-way game to the table to go with nice finishing skills. He's not going to be a star, but he's smart, physical and brings his 'A' game to the trenches. If he can get the offense going at Harvard, he'll move up the prospect depth chart quickly because he does so many other things well and has the desire to be more than the sum of his parts.

Boston Bruins Prospect Series: #15 Michael Hutchinson

2010-07-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

Michael Hutchinson, G
6-3, 190
March 2, 1990
Catches: Right
Boston's 3rd choice, 77th overall in 2008 Draft
Signing status: Signed through 2013 (unless he returns to junior for another season; 2014)

Talent Analysis

Physical: Big, lean frame takes up a lot of the net. Excellent size and athleticism for the position. Still adding muscle and mass to his body, but will be able to stand up well to net-crashers and heavy traffic outside his crease. Quick, instinctive goalie who is a prototype player for the modern age. Moves well laterally and goes down into a compact butterfly. Recovery from the down position is very good. Quick pads; stays square to the shooter and is tough to beat down low. Could stand to improve economy of motion and positioning. The rare right-handed catcher; pretty good glove hand. Good puckhandler who can clear the puck himself or move it up to the 'D' quickly. An all-around physical specimen who has the look of a good, solid NHL netminder one day but who still needs to tweak and refine his game. He had a solid, productive year with the Knights, but might return to junior for an overage year if Boston can't find room for him on the farm.

Intangibles: One of the nicest kids you'll meet; relaxed and personable-- genuinely enjoys playing the position. Can get into a zone and is nearly unbeatable when he does. Earned a third-round draft grade when he stoned the heavily-favored Brampton Battalion in the '08 playoffs while a member of the Barrie Colts. Handled the pressure of playing in London last season well enough, but consistency is still the biggest shortcoming in his game. Needs to find an element of intensity and focus and build on it, as he's skilled enough to be a player at the next level.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment

Hutch was the best of Boston's four goalies at the D-Camp, but in all honesty, that isn't saying a great deal. He got much better as the week went along, which is reflective in the challenge that the goalies face in terms of coming into camp cold, without having had the benefit of facing a lot of shots, getting down their timing and having had months since facing game situations. He was shaky early, but by the second and third day of scrimmages, was on his game pretty well and showed off some promise.

Projection

As things stand right now, it appears that Hutchinson has the makings of a solid backup at the NHL level. His fundamentals are sound, but he is still a long way off from seriously competing for an NHL job and could see another year in the OHL (as an overager) followed by several more in the minors after that. One factor that could influence whether the Bruins to bring Hutchinson to the pros or keep him in the OHL is that London spent a pick on a goaltender (Anaheim '09 third-rounder) in Russian Igor Bobkov during last month's CHL Import Draft. Splitting the duties in London probably isn't the best situation for both goalies or with last year's backup Michael Houser in the mix, so there could be another trade looming. If he can address some of the consistency that's been lacking in his game over the past couple of seasons, he has a chance to open some eyes, because there are no real physical flaws there. He's a middle-tier prospect who has the potential to move up on the depth chart because of the things he does so well, but after seeing Tuukka Rask in the Boston system over the past several years, there is a clear distinction with Hutchinson in terms of ability and upside: he's a cut below.

Quotable

“I think that each year coming to these I feel more relaxed. This year I came in and right from the start, I felt really comfortable with the speed of the shots and the speed of everything, so I didn’t have that adjustment period for the first couple of days this year. I feel really good about the progress I’ve made so far.”- Michael Hutchinson to hockeyjournal.com, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

“My goal is not to be back in junior hockey next year. So I’m going to do everything I can this summer to help me take the step to the next level.”- Michael Hutchinson to hockeyjournal.com, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

“They’re at the biggest disadvantage. They’ve been off their teams and haven’t seen shots n game situations for an extended period of time. They have to knock some rust off. The shooters have the advantage.”- Bruins assistant GM Don Sweeney, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

The Final Word
A long-term developmental project for the Bruins, Hutch has a shot at playing one day so long as he's willing to be patient. He was not a highly-touted prospect in his draft year, but came off the board pretty early because of the kind of potential he showed in stoning the Cody Hodgson-led Battalion that spring. He's had to overcome a pretty mediocre 08-09 season, where he split the work pretty evenly with Peter Di Salvo, and he did that by winning 32 games as a Knight and posting his best goals against average (2.86) as an OHL regular. Hutchinson is an interesting prospect to watch, but he doesn't have the kind of pure potential that Rask did, and so he'll have a lot of work ahead of him if he's going to make it to the NHL and stay there.

Boston Bruins Prospect Series: #14 Tommy Cross

2010-07-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

Tommy Cross, D
6-3, 210
September 12, 1989
Shoots: Left
Boston's 2nd choice, 35th overall in 2007 Draft
Signing status: Unsigned

Talent Analysis

Physical: Possesses excellent size and functional strength for the defense position. Has had three major surgical procedures on his right knee (meniscus) since being drafted by the Bruins (he was picked after suffering the first injury to the meniscus playing baseball) and plays with a brace on it. Very good skater with a long stride and able to generate power with each step. Solid when moving backwards and laterally; able to keep opponents to the outside and has the quickness to jump up into the play at times. First pass ability is good; has the physical tools to outlet rapidly and lead the rush if need be. Big, powerful shot; he takes a little bit of time to get it off, but it is hard and heavy. Needs to work on his shot's accuracy. A shutdown defender who effectively uses his size and strength to pin opponents against the boards. Can play the game with a physical edge, but doesn't always bring the kind of sheer power that he's capable of.

Intangibles: Outstanding character player and leader who was named an assistant captain of the '10-11 Eagles squad by his teammates, and also captained the USA Under-18 select team at the 2006 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. Exudes confidence and professionalism; a very mature, respectful, well-spoken player who leads by example and is a vocal presence in the dressing room. Some scouts questioned his hockey sense in his draft year; has all the tools to be a two-way defender at the next level, but may be more of a stay-at-homer in the mold of Mark Stuart if he reaches the NHL. Could stand to show more fire and aggressiveness at times on the ice-- can play a bit passively when the situation calls for more physicality and nastiness.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
The fact that Cross was able to fully participate in the recent development camp was a success in itself, as he was on crutches in 2008 and then had only limited on-ice participation (as Max Sauve did this month) in 2009. For once, Cross was able to show off his skill set and he managed to impress, keeping things relatively simple while demonstrating his smooth skating and big shot. Even with the knee brace, he showed none of the ill-effects of the multiple surgeries at camp. After watching him in that setting, you can come to appreciate what the Bruins saw in Cross when they moved up three spots to pluck him in '07, but the impressive physical attributes alone are not enough to see him as a high-end prospect because of so many questions that linger about the strength of his knee and the fact that he simply has not come all that far in his development since being picked as one of the class's youngest players three years ago. He was very good defensively all week, and seemed to be genuinely happy to be out there every day and a part of the action. He didn't do anything to really stand out offensively, but he delivered the goods as advertised on 'D' and it will be interesting to see how he does in his junior year at BC wth renewed confidence and coming off a championship season.

Projection
Cross has the tools to be a solid second-pairing defender in the NHL, but where the questions come in are whether he has the proverbial toolbox and durability to do it. He's an intelligent, hard-working guy, but the hockey sense is going to be critical, especially if you factor in the possibility that the numerous setbacks and surgeries have affected his psyche. Nobody but Cross knows for sure, but you wonder if he's thinking about the possibility of being one skate blade caught in a rut away from oblivion and how that impacts his play and approach. His time and space will become much less at the next level, so instinct will have to trump over self-preservation. It's a big question that lingers and can only be addressed by Cross continuing to play at a high level for Boston College and then seeing how he does when he turns pro.

Quotable
“I don’t know if there’s any way to necessarily tell, without the injuries, where he’d be. But we feel good about the progress he has made because of the injuries, and the setbacks and the adversities he’s faced. He has been dealt an awful lot.”- Bruins assistant GM Don Sweeney, Wilmington, Mass; July 6-10, 2010

"I feel great; I'm ready to go. Both legs feel fine and I'm just skating as much as I can and enjoying being here where I can continue to develop my game and improve in all areas."- Tommy Cross to B2010DW, Wilmington, Mass; July 6-10, 2010

"Just being here and able to participate this week is huge for me. I've had some setbacks and have had to work hard to get back to this point where I feel good about my game, so I'm just excited to be able to be around the coaches and players and soak it all in and learn what I can."- Tommy Cross to B2010DW, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10

The Final Word
On talent alone, Cross probably belongs in the top-10 of the Bruins prospect list. However, he needs to do a lot more than a strong showing a D-camp to gain some real upward mobility. You want to pull for the guy because he's shown the commitment and dedication to go through significant rehabilitation and suffer the pain in order to keep playing the game at a high level. Cross has some intriguing potential, but the fact of the matter is, his playing status may be "day to day for life," meaning that if he continues to progress and works his way through the Bruins system and up the depth chart, then he could be a nice player. But as of right now, he's not shown enough in the years since he was picked pretty high by the team (who gave up a third-round pick in the process to move just three spots) to justify that move. He's a hard enough worker that he can overcome the injury, but in his case, making it to the NHL will truly be a case of mind over matter. Therefore, he's out of the top-10 for now, but this is a big year for his development and staying on the right track.

Boston Bruins Prospect Series: #13 Jamie Arniel

2010-07-26T14:56:00.000-07:00

Jamie Arniel, C
5-11, 190
November 16, 1989
Shoots: Right
Boston's 4th choice, 97th overall in 2008 Draft
Signing status: Signed through 2012

Talent Analysis

Physical: Average-sized player whose number one challenge right now is to get stronger and continue to add muscle mass to his slight frame. Above average skater with good jump and the quickness and agility to get things done in all zones. Solid puckhandler who can advance the puck in traffic and has quick enough hands to finish in close. Good passer and shooter who scored 30 goals in junior and could hit 20 in the right situation eventually. Plays with a little grit and jam, but doesn't have the size or temperament to bring a consistent physical presence and mean streak.

Intangibles: Very good defensive hockey sense and the ability to read the developing play effectively. His uncle, Scott Arniel, was a solid NHL two-way forward (known mostly for his time with the Winnipeg Jets and Buffalo Sabres) who had a brief stint with the Bruins and is now the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Involved in an ugly off-ice incident after he was drafted, but to his credit, Arniel seems to have put the problem behind him and has been a model pro since.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Graduated from development status-- did not attend. Socred 12 goals, 28 points in 67 AHL games with Providence as a rookie; won AHL Rookie of the Month honors in November.

Projection
As it stands right now, Arniel's upside appears to be as a third-line pivot. He's got good bloodlines and was a solid value pick for the Bruins two years ago. Not ready for primetime yet, Arniel nevertheless could see time in Boston this season if injuries decimate the forward group as it happened last year. He's solid across the board and can play special teams, so in time, Arniel might be the kind of ideal option in terms of ability and salary cap hit to play on the lower lines and work him into the NHL. He was a standout player at last year's B's Rookie Camp and tourneyin Kitchener, so it will be interesting to see how he's progressed since then. Like Brad Marchand, he'll have to guard against complacency and taking a step back after making a good impression on the Boston coaches and brass a year ago.

Quotable
“Jamie is pretty multidimensional in terms of where he can play and the kinds of things he’s able to do. I don’t know that he’ll be that No. 1 center in the NHL, but he’ll be the kind of dependable guy that the coach feels comfortable putting out there to play a lot of different roles for the team.”- Providence head coach Rob Murray to New England Hockey Journal; December, 2009

The Final Word
The term "jack of all trades, master of none" certainly applies to Arniel, who doesn't have elite hockey skills nor does he score in bunches, but just seems to have all the attributes that solid, longtime NHL players possess. He's not all that big, but should be okay so long as he continues to work on his strength. He's not a blazing skater, but he's quick enough. He doesn't score a lot of goals, but he's capable of getting some big ones. This isn't the kind of player who will garner a lot of headlines, but he's on a steady path of progression which should end up in Boston eventually. Just don't expect him to be a top-six forward who comes out of nowhere to be an NHL star-- this is a player you win with in the trenches...nothing more, nothing less.

Boston Bruins Prospect Series: #12 Adam McQuaid

2010-07-26T14:21:00.000-07:00

Adam McQuaid, D
6-3, 210
October 12, 1986
Shoots: Right
Acquired from Columbus for a fifth-round selection (2007) in May, 2007
Signing status: Signed through 2012

Talent Analysis

Physical: Big and strong as an ox, McQuaid is the prototypical stay-at-home shutdown defender with some snarl. Still filling out his big frame and will play closer to 220-225 when all is said and done. Has a wide wingspan and uses it to try and keep forwards to the outside. Skating is average, with OK frontward (straight line) mobility, but below average ability to pivot and turn smoothly; he's continuing to work on that, but we've seen him susceptible to getting beaten wide with speed, or by smallish agile forwards who can exploit his footwork deficiencies. Positionally sound; keeps himself between the net and the puck and maintains his coverage well. Still working on gap control against the rush, but does a good job of keeping the middle of the ice and the front of his net clear. Relishes physical play and is an effective open ice hitter. Staples his man to the boards and doesn't let him loose; very difficult to beat along the wall. A good, solid fighter who will drop the gloves and handles himself well. He's a borderline heavyweight but a real force when fighting players more in his class, using his upper body strength and sizeable reach to good effect.

Intangibles: Eager and highly coachable, McQuaid worked hard in junior to earn a second-round draft grade (55th overall by the Blue Jackets in '05) out of the OHL's Sudbury Wolves, and then worked even more to address his skating shortcomings as a pro, showing marked improvement in each of his first three seasons after being acquired and signed by Boston. He's a good guy who leads by example and was an anchor in Providence for Rob Murray last season; his callups to Boston had a pretty detrimental effect on the Baby B's season, as he was a stabilizing force for the AHL club and even chipped in with some offense for the first time in his pro career. Disciplined player: doesn't take bad penalties or let emotions get the best of him. Had as many fights (3) as he did minor penalties last season with the B's, which speaks to his maturity and understanding that there's a time to sit in the box, and a time to play it smart and help your team. Some players of his type never get that, and drive their coaches nuts in the process.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Graduated from development status- did not attend; played 19 regular season games in Boston plus nine more in the 2010 postseason.

Projection
McQuaid is never going to be a first-pairing guy, but his upside may be as a solid, unspectacular No. 4 in time, which isn't a bad thing. Of course, some would argue that the fact that he was a late second-round pick means he should be more, but you're getting a physical, tough, defensive player who brings a mean streak and a willingness to defend his teammates. In other words, he's a player you win with. He proved he can handle the speed and skill of the NHL last season, and even if he doesn't win a job in Boston out of camp, he'll be the first guy they look to in the event of any injury. He's on a two-way deal this season, and that will become a one-way for the 2011-12 season, so expect him to split time between Providence and Boston this season.

Quotable
“He’s maturing as a player. He showed a lot of compete, he’s close. I think he has a real chance to be a regular in that 5-6 pair and, then, who knows? That’s what we strive for in developing these guys.”- Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli via conference call; July 15, 2010

“Year after year Adam has improved (since turning pro) and there hasn’t been a drop-off. This year, he’s brought it up a level and is contributing offensively and is a plus-14. For him to post that kind of a stat after being out there every night against the other teams’ top lines speaks volumes for how far he’s come as an NHL prospect.”- Providence head coach Rob Murray to New England Hockey Journal; December, 2009

The Final Word
He's a meat-and-potatoes defender; what you see is what you get with him. But, he proved in his almost 30 NHL games (including the playoffs) that he can be effective at this level, even if it is more likely to happen as a third-pairing, hard-nosed Sean O'Donnell type of player. Some may not be happy that he's as high as #12 on the list, but here's the deal: it isn't always about the upside. Sometimes, you just have to take a step back and look at what a player brings to the table. McQuaid may be safe, but he was a good value for the B's (acquired for a fifth rounder) and has put in the work to develop himself into a legitimate option for this team. Because the B's have several defensemen under 6-feet, players like McQuaid are valuable even if it is in a limited capacity at a little under 11 minutes of ice time per game.

Boston Bruins Prospect Series: #11 David Warsofsky

2010-07-26T12:50:00.000-07:00

David Warsofsky, D
5-9, 170
May 30, 1990
Shoots: Left
Acquired from St. Louis for C Vladimir Sobotka; June 26, 2010
Signing status: Unsigned

Talent Analysis

Physical: Very undersized for the defense position, but has high-end skating and hockey skills, which help to offset the physical mismatches he's bound to face in the pros. A sublime skater; explodes to top speed from a stop in just a few strides and exhibits outstanding four-way directional mobility. Tremendous backwards mobility and lateral/crossover ability. Very good puckhandler who can make the effective clearing pass and loves to jump up into the play using his speed and puck skills to motor through the neutral zone and back defenders up. Soft hands for on target passes in the offensive zone, and he's more of a puck distributor than an actual triggerman when playing the point. Possesses a big shot despite the lack of big size, but is a more effective scorer from the high slot, when he can rip off wrist and snap shots through screens. At a disadvantage physically because of his lack of size, but will initiate contact and is willing to take the hit to make plays. It's not the size of the dog, but the size of the fight in the dog with Warsofsky: he proved that adage correct when he manhandled the much bigger Tommy Cross during a scrum in the BU-BC Fenway game. Has a high panic threshold, meaning he'll hold onto the puck as long as possible to wait for an opening, knowing he's going to get blown up when the nearest opponent finishes his check. Refining his defensive play: solid positionally, but still prone to trying to do too much in his own end and getting to running around. A bit of an agitator; will yap a bit and get under the skin of opposing players. Productive in all the right ways as a sophomore last season: finished second on the team in goal scoring by defensemen with 12, but tied for the NCAA lead with four shorthanded markers, including a highlight reel end-to-end beauty against BC during the Beanpot tourney in February. A standout at Cushing Academy before joining the NTDP, he racked up 83 points from the blue line in two seasons in Ashburnham.

Intangibles: Has overcome the doubters and naysayers at every level so far; captained the 2008 U.S. NTDP Under-18 team and played in all 45 games as a freshman at Boston University in 08-09, earning a national championship and Beanpot trophy in the process. Very good vision and offensive hockey sense. Defensive awareness and decision-making need work; will try to carry the puck out of the zone from in front of his net or make low percentage passes that beg for turnovers. A good, solid character guy who is from the South Shore (Marshfield) and always dreamed of playing for the Bruins-- now will have his chance after being acquired by the team on the draft's second day. A winner; won the 2009 Frozen Four in Washington, a gold medal at the 2010 World Jr. Championship in Saskatoon last winter and a bronze medal at the 2008 World U-18 Championship. Roomed with '09 NY Rangers third-round pick Ryan Bourque at Cushing and was coached on defense by Bourque's father, Boston legend Ray Bourque while the two played there.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Warsofsky had a solid performance at camp this month, showing off his natural talent and ability at times, while also demonstrating that he's best served by continuing his development in the NCAA this season. A memorable highlight was the shootout goal he scored in the final scrimmage, where he was one of the few B's prospects to find the back of the net. He made a bevy of moves before roofing a backhander over a prone (and helpless) Mike Hutchinson after Warsofsky got him to bite on the first of several fakes. On the downside, he made repeated attempts to walk the puck out from in front of his own net, and on the second attempt, Tyler Seguin stole it away and got off a very nice scoring chance (Zane Gothberg made an even better save). But overall, Warsofsky did exactly what was expected: used his skating and puck skills to move the puck and be a going concern on offense. He also had a memorable one-on-one defensive stop on Jordan Caron early in the camp during a drill, when he used his quickness and savvy to block the bigger, stronger Caron from bulling his way to the net, while at the same time, maintaining net coverage so that the power winger couldn't even get a shot off.

Projection
Warsofsky is one more small, but skilled defender the Bruins have added to the prospect stable (where he joins Andrew Bodnarchuk, Steven Kampfer, Jeff Penner and Maxim Chudinov as blue liners all under 6-feet) but it's hard to predict where he will play at the NHL if he gets there. Of that group, the Terrier standout is the most skilled and has the most offensive upside, which is why he's just outside the top-10. However, because of the lack of size, he's going to have to keep building his strength and will likely need a couple more years of NCAA play and apprenticeship in the minors before he'll be ready to seriously challenge for an NHL job. Warsofsky could be a top-four in the NHL, but realistically, he's probably a third-pairing guy who will see time on special teams on the PK and PP units. He's a long-term project, but Warsofsky is both skilled and tenacious; except for the lack of size, he'd be a high-end prospect, so he could overcome the modest expectations to be more than the sum of his parts in time. It's all about the upside with this guy. Is he going to be a big-time scorer from the blue line in the NHL? Probably not. But Don Sweeney had a gleam in his eye whenever he talked about Warsofsky at camp, so one can only imagine that the former rearguard who logged more than 1,000 big league games with the B's sees a good bit of himself in the BU standout.

Quotable
"It's unbelievable to be a part of the Bruins organization and to be given the chance to fulfill a dream I've had for a good many years. Obviously, there are going to be some fans who are sad to see (Vladimir) Sobotka go, so I've got to show them that I can play this game and will one day hopefully be doing a lot to help Boston win a lot of hockey games. That would be a dream come true for me."- David Warsofsky to B2010DW, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

"I know that I'm not going to grow another two or three inches, but I am going to hit the weights hard to keep building my strength and give everything I have. I can't do anything about my height, but there are other factors I can control, so I'm all about learning as much as I can here this week, and then continuing to do the things I have to in order to play at the next level."- David Warsofsky, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

“We did scout to potentially draft David. It just so happened that a team took him in front of us.”- Bruins assistant GM Don Sweeney, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6, 2010

“I’m envious of the position he’s in, to be honest. David has challenges, but he’s got a skill set that will afford him the opportunity to go out and play. The smaller man does have a bit more leeway in the game now, as it’s composed, if he has the courage to go into areas and be smart enough and quick enough to take advantage of the skills he has.”- Don Sweeney, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6, 2010

The Final Word
You have to like this guy: he's a local who grew up a fanatical Bruins supporter, has made himself into a legitimate NHL prospect despite the fact that 10 years ago his size would have scared all 30 teams away. Warsofsky's a bulldog on skates, and if you've followed his career progression to date, there is no reason to think that he won't succeed in his bid to make the team some day. The problem for Warsofsky is going to be that he falls into a category that the B's have a surplus of, so for him to win a spot is going to be a difficult challenge and he may have to hope for management to clear out some of the competition along the way. Because he's going back to school for his junior year at a minimum, and could very well return to Commonwealth Ave. for his senior season, it might not become an issue for the Bruins until 2012, but he'll still have his work cut out for him.

Boston Bruins Prospect Series Recap: 1-10

2010-07-25T14:54:00.000-07:00

The blog's Boston Bruins prospects top-10 is done. I'll be cranking out the rest of the prospects this week (hopefully) and we'll take it from there.

Here they are:

1. Tyler Seguin, C
2. Joe Colborne, C
3. Jordan Caron, RW
4. Maxime Sauve, C/LW
5. Jared Knight, RW
6. Ryan Button, D
7. Brad Marchand, RW
8. Ryan Spooner, C/W
9. Yuri Alexandrov, D
10. Zach Hamill, C

Boston Bruins Prospect Series: #10 Zach Hamill

2010-07-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

Zach Hamill, C
5-10, 180
September 23, 1988
Shoots: Right
Boston's 1st choice, eighth overall in 2007
Signing status: Signed through 2011

Talent Analysis

Physical: Another of Boston's undersized players who has struggled to build strength and add mass since the team spent a top-10 pick on him three years ago. He's listed at 5-11, 190 in some areas, but the height and weight measurements are highly generous, as he's progressed slowly in terms of adding the weight and being able to keep it on over the course of a season. Average skater who lacks a quick first step and high-end speed, although he's a better skater than he gets credit for simply because of his lack of size; if he were 6-1 or 6-2, he'd get high marks for his skating. Agility and lateral movement are fine; Hamill shows very good balance and is able to shake off hits and maintain puck control. Very good passer who has the ability to feather pucks through a maze of bodies and hit teammates in stride. Good stickhandler who slows the play down in order to set the table effectively. Can shoot the puck, but does not do so nearly enough, and that has shown in his AHL stats to date where he has tended to be a streaky finisher who scores in bunches only to go long stretches without finding the back of the net. Defensive game is coming along, but still needs work and will never be a strength of his.

Intangibles: Hamill's offensive hockey sense is first-rate, and is what got him drafted so high, when he led the WHL in scoring (albeit with just 93 points- one of the lowest totals in league history). He sees the ice better than just about any prospect in Boston's system not named Seguin or Colborne, and instinctively is able to sense the flow in the offensive end and make plays (see his participation in a Michael Ryder strike to earn his first NHL point in last season's finale against Washington). His compete levels are up and down: he had a sterling reputation coming out of junior, but his intensity has at times wavered in Providence. Hamill's challenges go beyond the physical, and he's had to work at getting comfortable in the AHL. His late-season callup to Boston does speak well to his progress, but he could be the odd-man out once again this year, as the Bruins seem to have too much depth at center in terms of talent and one-way contracts for him to have a legitimate chance of breaking camp with the team barring a rash of injuries. He will play hurt, and may have damaged his standing in his first pro season because he tried to soldier through after suffering a serious thumb injury he kept quiet. After making it worse, he had surgery that cost him the first couple of months of the 08-09 season and may have done lasting damage. Although showing a pain threshold and courage that was clearly admirable, a playmaker's best attributes are his head and hands, and it is not quite known if his thumb has degraded his ability to be the kind of scoring presence he was before the injury.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Graduated from development status; did not attend.

Projection
Hamill is clearly at a crossroads within the Bruins organization, and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him dealt as part of a package at some point. He got off to a terrible start in his first full pro season because of the thumb injury and his confidence is always something the team has to take into account (his success last season noticeably coincided with when Providence brought junior linemate and close friend John Lammers on board). I've also heard rumors that the Bruins have already tried to trade him, so unless he has some kind of terrific showing out of left field, the chance of Hamill becoming the player the team envisioned when they drafted him is on the wane. At the same time, he's in the top-10 here, because having seen the way he played in that last (meaningless for both teams) regular season game, Hamill did not look out of place and he still has NHL potential. I still believe he has top-six upside because of the things he does so well that can't be taught, but that's more the heart talking to be honest. The head, after seeing him in action at the AHL and NHL levels, says that's going to be a real stretch barring some major sea change, and he may be more of a third- or fourth-liner and special teamer in the NHL if at all.

Quotable
“I thought he was pretty poised with the puck, and he competed hard in our own end. He was pretty good; he was in the right position, I though the focus was good. Obviously, he got a helper there on that one goal and that’s what we wanted to see. We wanted to put him in some positions there where he had an opportunity to showcase his talent, and the power play was a part of it, and I thought he did well.”- Bruins head coach Claude Julien on Hamill, Washington, D.C.; April, 2010

“I was keeping it more simple, not forcing plays in the second half (of last season). Just kind of playing my game, keeping things simple and as plays opened up, I made them.”- Zach Hamill to hockeyjournal.com; April 2010

Hamill Makes Most of Callup to B's
http://www.hockeyjournal.com/news/2010/04/11_hamill.php

The Final Word
I thought about having David Warsofsky here at 10, but in the end went with the former first-rounder because when subjectively comparing the two in terms of overall skill, the former WHL scoring champ is a nose better. Hamill is the most polarizing prospect in Boston's system, but because of the recent draft and trades, he's fallen down the list a bit, which should make his critics happy (although I know some will complain that he's not low enough-- I can deal, though). Admittedly it's a tough call even having him in the top-10, but in the end, it comes down to the fact that I saw him in a live NHL setting and believe that he can be a player in this league, he's just not going to be an elite scorer. The problem with Hamill from a Bruins standpoint, is that because of where he is and who he is in terms of his development and size/style, he's more of a JAG (just another guy) vying for a spot that has to be filled by players ahead of him in the pecking order because of the economics of the game dictates that they'll be in Boston before Hamill unless he outplays them by such a wide margin as to force the team's hand into keeping him. He's got the skills to be something more than just a minor leaguer, so the question therefore becomes: will he get his shot in the Boston organization? My belief is probably not, but it is in GM Peter Chiarelli's best interest to keep showcasing him, which is what the cynical types will say happened in mid-April with his one NHL shot (to date).

I remember talking to him last fall and he told me he added seven pounds to his light frame in the offseason. One of my journalist colleagues overheard the discussion and later quipped to me, "The problem is, (Hamill's) actually proud of that," which underscores the problem he's had making a real impact in both the NHL and AHL thus far. If you're an undersized guy who isn't the best skater, then you'd better produce consistently. Hamill has yet to do that in Providence, so it looks like this could be the time to grant him a change of scenery (especially if it works as part of a package to unload one of the team's less desireable veteran player/contracts). Hamill is a good kid who's had to overcome a lot (read Fluto Shinzawa's post '07 draft article for more on that) in his young life, but it looks like he may simply be up against too much to make those bones in Boston.

To close out, he'll turn 22 just a few weeks before the start of the regular season, so to hear some folks writing him off heading into his third pro try is simply ridiculous. Hamill may make it, he may not. But his ultimate NHL future is not going to be decided this year, so regardless of what happens, he's still a player to watch. Fair is fair, and while he's not set the world on fire, judging Hamill simply because he was the eighth overall pick in a weak draft is an argument lacking in the proper context. Pragmatically speaking, however, he simply may not get the kind of opportunity he needs to make a statement in Boston, and therein lies the conundrum in ranking this player.

Boston Bruins Prospect Series: #9 Yuri Alexandrov

2010-07-25T12:20:00.000-07:00

Yuri Alexandrov, D
6-0, 185
June 24, 1988
Shoots: Left
Boston's 2nd choice, 37th overall in 2006
Signing status: Signed through 2012

Talent Analysis

Physical: Lacks ideal size for a defenseman at the NHL level with average height and below average strength at this stage of his development. Overall conditioning needs work prior to the start of rookie and main camps in September. Good, not great skater. Accelerates out of the blocks well, but does not possess the kind of straight-line speed (forwards or backwards) or the lateral quickness to rate him as a "plus" skater. Very good passer; makes a crisp first pass and can transition the play from defense to the attack very well with his ability to put the puck on a player's tape and spring the jail break. Excellent in puck distribution, especially on the power play, where time and space is opened up in the offensive zone. Shot is only average; lacks the kind of power and heaviness that distinguishes other top point shooters from their peers. Positional defensive game is solid; understands where he needs to be and has a quick stick to clog up passing lanes or create turnovers if the puck carrier gets within his reach. Physical game is below average; will use his body to leverage players off the puck, but does not make big open ice hits and has problems moving big, strong power forwards from the front of his net.

Intangibles: Smart and experienced; has been playing against men since age 17, so no player in Boston's system has done more at a high level than Alexandrov has. Relies on his hockey IQ to make plays at both ends of the ice, though is more of an offensive presence/puck-moving defender than he is a shutdown presence. Was named captain of the Russian WJC team at age 19, so he does bring good immeasurables like leadership to the mix. Even though his English skills are limited, he showed a willingness to try and talk and seemed to fit in well with the other prospects at camp, making an effort to overcome the cultural barrier; seems to have an impressive attitude that could carry him far. Showed none of a sense of entitlement that other Russians who have preceded him to Boston have.

Boston Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment:
Overall, Alexandrov's performance in Wilmington was a disappointment, but the camp itself did not play to his strengths and the format did not allow the experienced Russian pro to show off what he does best. His conditioning was not what it should have been, and Assistant GM Don Sweeney made mention of that. Alexandrov spent a lot of time hunched over, gathering his breath in between drills. During the drills themselves, he seemed to have trouble picking them up and executing at as high a level as others, likely because of the challenge of communication. His shot isn;t anything to write home about, and he wasn't able to do much with it, either from the outside or in close when conducting drills. He showed flashes of what he can do in the scrimmages, but didn't do a lot to stand out either positively or negatively. Given his draft standing and the fact that he's been a solid performer in Russia's top pro league (the Kontinental Hockey League since 2008) for the past five seasons, I can't indict him for his mediocre/up and down showing this month.

Projection
On talent alone, Alexandrov has the look of a second-pairing defender and low-end No. 3 or solid No. 4. However, the fact that he's evolved steadily with his production over the past three years and has put up statistics comparable to several top offensive Russian d-men (Sergei Zubov and Sergei Gonchar) when they were near the same age, leads to believe that he has the hockey sense and intangibles to possibly become a solid No. 2 at the NHL level if he's willing to put in the time to develop in the AHL and gain more strength and experience with the North American style. After having seen him at camp, Alexandrov does not appear to be the kind of finished product who can immediately jump in and lay claim to a roster spot in Boston in a few months, but he should get an extended look in the preseason by virtue of his age and experience. It will be interesting to see how he looks in game situations.

Quotable
“Obviously, there’s a language barrier there and [there's] cultural differences. Once he’s on the ice, he feels most comfortable and that’s a good thing. But there’ll be systematic things and nuances he’ll have to figure out. We’ve tried to attack that communication and tried to get better at it because there is a gap there. And the onus falls on him a little bit to understand that and immerse himself in that.”- Bruins Assistant GM Don Sweeney on Alexandrov, Wilmington, Mass.; July 10, 2010

“You can tell when the game starts, his positional play, his understanding and his stick positioning is very, very good,” Sweeney said. “You can tell that’s been taught and built into his game. When you play against bigger and stronger players, you have to develop those techniques and he’s done that."- Bruins Assistant GM Don Sweeney on Alexandrov, Wilmington, Mass.; July 10, 2010

“To be honest with you, and something we’re communicating with him, I didn’t think he was in quite as good a shape as he was the year before so that’s got to be something he’ll have to attack and address between now and September to realize that he continues to push forward. I would tell all the kids that. I’m not going to single him out for any particular reason, except that the facts are what they are.”- Don Sweeney, July 10, 2010

The Final Word

Alexandrov is an intriguing prospect. Like Ryan Button, he brings some real positive traits to the table, but at the same time, whether those can translate into a top-three player or better at the highest level remains to be seen. The Bruins have neglected drafting and developing high-end talents on defense for some time now, and that shows in the raw projectability of their two "best" prospects at the position (and you can certainly argue whether David Warsofsky grades out ahead of either Button or Alexandrov, and in making that case, it underscores the dearth of talent on 'D'). Alexandrov can't be truly judged until we see where he stands in preseason action and then likely at the AHL level, where he should at least begin the 10-11 campaign even if he does see some time in Boston this season at some point. He's not a player who is really going to jump out at you if you're expecting grand things from him, but if you look closely at Alexandrov, you'll see the high-end passing and smart decision-making. Unfortunately, there simply wasn't enough of that kind of a condition at camp, so he's fallen off in the rankings a bit.

Remember, though, that the B2010DW Bruins prospect list is highly subjective. We're all likely to have differing opinions on these guys and what their potential is, and because I don't have a crystal ball, I'm probably going to get more of these wrong than right. At the end of the day, all of the praise or criticism for these prospects doesn't mean much. And, nobody's going to remember whether Alexandrov was 9th or 2nd on some internet list. If he's able to win an NHL job and become a solid contributor to Boston's fortunes for a long time, that's going to be the payoff. But, Alexandrov has a tough road ahead of him: he's not very strong, doesn't speak the language and his real desire to play in the NHL will be tested because unless he has some kind of monster performance in September, it doesn't appear that he's going to be able to beat out the established (and might I say much higher paid) options ahead of him. Playing for Rob Murray in Providence will benefit him, but he'll need to check the ego at the door and be ready to combat the homesickness that could occur as Rhode Island is a long way from Cherepovets (which is the sister city of my hometown of Hudson, N.H., btw. My close childhood friend, Tim, traveled as a teenager to Cherepovets in 1988 to play a U.S.-U.S.S.R. basketball tournament as part of that community outreach, btw). Until Alexandrov proves himself, there's a skepticism factor with him. We watched Sergei Zinovjev crash and burn as a Boston Bruin six years ago because he wasn't willing to pay his dues and found it much easier to return to Russia and the good life rather than work at the flaws in his game.

Boston Bruins Prospect Series: #8 Ryan Spooner

2010-07-25T10:22:00.000-07:00

Ryan Spooner, C/W
5-10, 176
January 30, 1992
Shoots: Left
Boston's 3rd choice, 45th overall, in 2010
Signing status: Unsigned

Talent Analysis

Physical: Lacks height and has a slight build; will always be considered an undersized player unless he hits some kind of major growth spurt. Plays bigger than his size; takes the puck hard to the net and not intimidated by physical play in front of the crease and in the "dirty" areas. As such, durability will be a concern because Spooner does not slow down for anything. Blazing skater with explosive first few steps and separation gear. Can really fly in a straight line, but is also very good on his edges and able to move laterally. Will burn defenders with his pure speed, but can actually play the waterbug style effectively as well by turning opponents inside-out with shifty moves in traffic. Excellent puckhandler who can carry the biscuit both in space and under pressure. Uses combination of tremendous hands with head and shoulder fakes to create space for himself and open up shooting and passing lanes. Very good shooter who can roof the puck top shelf from the outside or use quickness of hands for the finish off the deke or with lightning strikes in close. Underrated passer who can set the table with the best of them. Diligent backchecker who will gain more awareness of the defensive nuances as he gains more experience and sees ice time in a lot of different situations. Collarbone injury that cost him the rest of the season after mid-January was probably a blessing in disguise for the Bruins: there is little doubt that had he played out the string, he would have been off the board before pick 45.

Intangibles: Excellent work ethic; wants the puck at crunch time and has the natural instincts to finish when the game is on the line. High character player who never stops working. Plays with a lot of guts: on the night he broke his collarbone, he finished out the game without telling anyone he was hurt. Only after x-rays taken the next day showed the fracture did he realize the severity of his injury. Offensive instincts are right up there with Tyler Seguin: Spooner's always on the go and can quickly sense openings and make the right play. Hunts opposing defenses and goalies: using his speed and agility to circle and seek an opening, then exploding into it with the quickness and violence of the ocean's ultimate predator, the shark. A good, solid kid who may be a little shy, but is well spoken and exhibits the requisite confidence and attitude to be a gamer one day.

Bruins 2010 Development Camp assessment
Spooner was in the top-five of the best performances at camp this month, in my opinion. Like Jared Knight, he was a standout offensive performer who attracted positive attention every day. Showed off his impressive speed and stickhandling during the very first on-ice session, making a variety of moves at full gallop and fearlessly attacking into the teeth of the defense and often times scoring the goal or setting up a teammate. He skated on a line with fellow 2010 draftee Craig Cunningham and camp invite Tyler Brenner most of the week and the trio made a lot of hay and opened up some eyes with their strong offensive zone play. His skills and upside culminated in a two-goal performance at the camp's final scrimmage, where he and Knight dueled each other goal-for-goal in impressive fashion and won the respect and praise of those in attendance. His defensive play is still a work in progress, but he showed a willingness to backcheck and pick up his man, so as he continues to play a lot of minutes and learn the nuances of play in his own end, Spooner should develop as a solid player in all three zones, but one who is best served when bringing the offense.

Projection
Spooner is almost assured of going back to junior and the Peterborough Petes for the 10-11 hockey season, but it will be interesting to see how he performs at Bruins rookie and main camps in September and how he looks against the NHL and pro players there. Given his skills and offensive upside, he could one day earn a spot in Boston's top-six forward grouping and has 30-goal potential at the NHL level if he can continue to develop physically. Given the B's current situation, they don't have to rush Spooner, so he'll probably play two more years of junior, turn pro and then work his way up from there possibly with a season or two in the AHL. However, if he maintains his progression, he could speed up the timetable a bit. His size, coupled with his fearlessness and the high tempo at which he plays will be a concern for more lost time to injuries as we saw last winter. If he doesn't make the NHL as a scoring forward, he has the intelligence and work ethic to be a third-liner with special teams capability. Spooner has the potential to be a real scoring force in the AHL-- a high-end point producer who will have to prove he has that extra something that will allow him to bring that production to the highest level. He was not invited to the Team Canada Evaluation Camp which will be held the first week of August, but a strong OHL start could see him work his way into the mix and possibly get a look in December (especially if Seguin makes the B's roster in October and is not cleared to participate in the late-December/early January tourney in Buffalo, N.Y.).

Quotable
"(I'm) an offensive player. I can be both a goal scorer and playmaker and I think that's what sets me apart from most of the smaller forwards out there."- Ryan Spooner at the 2010 NHL Draft, Los Angeles, CA; June 26, 2010

"I think it's sunk in (that I'm a Boston Bruin). I wasn't sure how things would go at the draft, but was very happy when I heard my name called, and so now being here with the guys and having the chance to meet the coaches and the rest of the staff has been great. We're just now getting a chance to skate a bit and show off our hockey skills, so this is just a situation where I'm trying to listen to the coaches and do what I do best, which go out and skate hard, take the puck to the net and generate some offense and all-around good play."- Ryan Spooner to B2010DW, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

"He's a very skilled player who has a lot of speed and can score just about any way you need him to. I'm convinced that he would have been a first-round pick if not for the broken collarbone, so Boston really benefited from that. I know that Ryan may have been disappointed that he slipped down (the board) a bit, but in the end, I think you'll see him use that disappointment as some real motivation to go out and prove that he was in fact a first-round talent."- NHL scout to B2010DW; June, 2010

"We're ecstatic to have Ryan in the organization. I'll admit that as we were getting close to that (45th) pick, we were really hoping that he would be there for us, so there was little hesitation (on our part) when it came time to make the selection. He's the guy we wanted there, and we're thrilled it worked out. He's a player and I think the fans will like him a lot as they get to know him."- Bruins amateur scouting director Wayne Smith to hockeyjournal.com; June 26, 2010

"Clear first-round talent in our view. Did enough before the injury that he should not have been knocked down this far, but small guys always have durability concerns."- Red Line Report, July, 2010 issue; rated Spooner as the 12th-best individual "value" pick of the 2010 NHL draft.

The Final Word
The terms "value" and "upside" epitomize Spooner's selection last month in Los Angeles. He's not a big guy, but he plays big and has a knack for scoring, which is always in demand from NHL teams, especially one that finished dead last in offense during the 09-10 season. Spooner isn't going to provide immediate help to the NHL club, but he's a clear upgrade in talent for the system, and could buck the projections and make an earlier contribution than currently projected. The B's hit paydirt with the 45th overall pick seven years ago in Patrice Bergeron, but expecting Spooner to follow a similar rapid path to the big show is placing the expecations a bit too high right now. That said, most seem to agree that he's an excellent prospect with the room to grow and flourish, but without the kind of crushing expectations that go with being a top selection. He became the first Petes player to score 30 goals at age 16 (a feat duplicated this year by 2011 top prospect Matt Puempel), so he's got the ability and potential to be a legitimate scorer at the next level. Time will tell whether he can get there, but he's got the makings of a good pro.

Back to business

2010-07-25T10:20:00.000-07:00

Vacation over...the Texas coast was grand. Couldn't have asked for better weather.

Now, time to get serious about the Bruins prospect list. Gotta close out B2010DW and roll out the next blog. I wanted to get it done by July, but obviously, that will depend on how long it takes me to roll through all of the prospect profiles.

Boston Bruins Prospect Series: #7 Brad Marchand

2010-07-22T07:29:00.000-07:00

Brad Marchand, RW
5-9, 190
May 11, 1988
Shoots: Left
Boston's 4th choice, 71st overall (third round) in 2006 Draft
Signing status: Signed through 2011

Talent Analysis

Physical: Diminutive, undersized winger is built like a fire hydrant with strong leg drive and low center of gravity. Excellent quickness and first-step burst. Elusive, agile skater who can handle the puck at top speed and 'shake n' bake' defenders when in possession. Good shooter; sees the ice well and uses his quickness to find open shooting lanes and get the puck on net. Solid passer and playmaker. Plays a gritty, sandpaper game despite the lack of size. Needs to continue building his upper body strength to better handle the competition at the NHL level, but has proven himself able to handle the rigors of the pro hockey grind with two AHL campaigns and time split in the NHL. He did miss time last season due to a freak tendon injury he received due to a cut skate blade, but physicality and strength has not been a problem for him.

Intangibles: Big-game player who elevates his performance in the clutch. Was a playoff performer in junior with Moncton and Val d'Or, and continued his superb postseason play with Providence as a rookie in '09 (the team failed to qualify for the '10 playoffs). With the departure of Vladimir Sobotka, Marchand is now the top agitator in the Boston organization. Good hockey sense, but does not possess high-end offensive instincts. More effective as an all-around player in all three zones. Still working on on-ice discipline and not letting his emotions get the best of him to the team's detriment, but has progressed well as a pro and was given a 20-game audition in Boston when injuries set in. Had a nice stint in Boston at the end of the season with childhood friend and minor/junior teammate Andrew Bodnarchuk, who was recalled to the Bruins to close out the 09-10 campaign to help offset losses to the Boston defense (Dennis Seidenberg, Mark Stuart).

2010 Development Camp Assessment
Did not attend-- graduated from "developmental/rookie" status.

Projection
Marchand's NHL upside may be as a third-liner, but his versatility and big-play ability should see him play a more active and prominent role for the big club in 10-11, even if it may have to come on the fourth line. The Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia native will need to make sure he comes to camp hungry and ready to perform as he did a year ago; he's on the bubble and must get off on the right foot with the coaches given Boston's roster turnover. With ice time and a regular role, he could be a modest scoring presence for the B's good for about 40 points, but his real value will lie in his energetic play, ability to get under opponents' skin and a penchant for coming up large when the games matter most. However, nothing's going to be handed to him.

Quotable
"Brad is a player who has really grown over the past season and more since he turned pro. He's a smart, instinctive player who understands his role and has a knack for getting it done when he's needed the most. He's still addressing the finer points of his game and the importance of not hurting the team with bad penalties, but he's done a fine job for us and has a chance to make an impact with Boston pretty soon."- Providence head coach Rob Murray to hockeyjournal.com; December, 2009

"I like the challenge of the playoffs, and I think I'm a player who can raise the level of my play when the pressure goes up and every game counts. It's something I've always been able to do and I take a lot of pride in it."- Brad Marchand to hockeyjournal.com; April, 2009

“It’s really special. It’s very, very rare that two best buddies growing up end up playing together in the NHL. It’s something that is very special for us to enjoy together and it’s a lot of fun.”- Brad Marchand to hockeyjournal.com; April, 2010

The Final Word
Marchand has paid his dues and should be ready to be a roster regular in Boston this season. That said, competition for spots will be fierce, and he'll need to avoid anything that could put him behind the eight ball right off the bat. His 20 games of experience last season was a nice start, but he didn't find the back of the net (one assist), so he'll need to produce more in order to hold down a spot. Like Sobotka, he may find himself shuttling between Boston and Providence depending on his performance, but if he puts his best foot forward, he should get his chance. Again, with Marchand, it's all about his versatility. He's the closest thing to a finished product that the Bruins have in their system, but the lack of offensive upside is what has dropped him behind others ranked ahead of him right now. In time, however, he could prove to be a much more valuable contributor than his seventh overall ranking would seem to indicate.

Jared Knight: The Sebastian Vollmer factor?

2010-07-20T12:02:00.000-07:00

Here's a brief interlude from the prospects series, but had a quick flash of inspiration after reading my daily Boston sports links today.

I was glancing at Mike Reiss's always excellent mailbag over on ESPN.com Boston, and I came across an interesting discussion about Patriots offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer, who was a second-round selection of the Pats in 2009, and was considered in some circles to be a reach at the time, and had very low expectations going into the 2009 NFL season. He ended up being the team's most impactful rookie (although you can also make a case for WR Julian Edelman) but, as I read the exchange between Reiss and a Pats fan, I couldn't help but be reminded of the similarity between Vollmer and Bruins '10 second-rounder Jared Knight, who like Vollmer, was not invited to the draft combine, but still managed to sell the team on his merits.

Granted, there's a world of difference between a pro football prospect and a hockey one, but the whole thing has me thinking: could Knight end up being the B's version of Vollmer? A player who was drafted pretty high but without the requisite pedigree, but who comes in an overachieves despite where he was viewed in the public/conventional/media-based scouting reports?

Here's the excerpt from the Reiss mailbag, and I do think that there are some interesting parallels between the two players. Again-- not saying that Knight is going to come in and light it up and be playing in the NHL at 18 (he's got some very limited options and stiff competition up front, so I don't see it happening), but you don't want to count guys like him out, either.

Q. Hey Mike, I was reading a bit about Sebastian Vollmer today and I came across this piece from last year, in which you provided analysis on the Pats selecting Vollmer in the second round. I don't mean to rake you over the coals, but I did get a chuckle reading your comment that "Even though he played on the left side in college, he won't be asked to protect Tom Brady's blindside." Not that many could have predicted his development, but it really is amazing to see how opinions change on a draft after a year or two. At the same time, it got me thinking about how some players work out great in a particular scheme, but might not have the same impact for another team. There were a lot of circumstances that lead to Sea Bass starting for the Pats, but BB [Bill Belichick] and [assistant head coach Dante] Scarnecchia didn't seem to have any reservations about keeping him on the line when [[Nick] Kaczur came back. Do you think that Vollmer was an underrated talent coming into the draft, or do you think the particular circumstances in New England are what has lead to his quick development? -- Jon (Chicago)

A. Great submission, Jon. I like it because it shows how quickly opinions can change, adds some accountability to the process, and shows how some of the media-based draft "scouting" reports influence opinion. A lot of people were wrong on Vollmer, who was an underrated talent coming into the draft (he wasn't invited to the combine). I also think the Patriots' system has aided in his development.

Link to full story here:

http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nfl/columns/story?columnist=reiss_mike&id=5395135

I like Mike's answer, and I think it is certainly an interesting development to watch if you happen to be a Bruins and Patriots fan.

Boston Bruins Prospect Series: #6 Ryan Button

2010-07-20T06:26:00.000-07:00

Ryan Button, D
6-1, 195
March 26, 1991
Shoots: Left
Boston's 2nd choice, 86th overall (third round) in 2009
Signing status: Unsigned

Talent Analysis

Physical: Does not possess ideal height for a defenseman, but is long-limbed and in very good physical condition. Needs to continue to add muscle mass and strength, his biggest hurdle to making it as an NHL regular. Superb skater with high-end four-way mobility; can accelerate rapidly and use his speed to lead the rush. Very good on his edges, with the ability to make tight turns and change direction in an instant. Excellent athleticism; has fluid movement in his hips when pivoting and can handle the most elusive of skaters who attempt to jitterbug, or the fastest of them who will try to use their speed to gain position on the outside. Comes from excellent athletic stock: father is an accomplished triathlete, while cousin, Jennifer was an Olympic swimmer. Makes a very good first pass and keeps his head up, looking to make the quick outlet. Can carry the puck at speed and lead the rush if he is inclined to do so. Shoots the puck well from the outside, but is more lethal with his wrist and snap shots when he steps in from the blue line and works inside the circles. Has not been all that productive because his team, the Prince Albert Raiders, has struggled to generate a lot of offense in his time there. Could be poised for a breakout offensive season given his age, experience and budding confidence. Solid defensively; takes the body and finishes his checks. Understands positioning and just needs to continue to gain experience and resist the urge to try and do too much. Tough: will drop the gloves and fight to defend teammates and is pretty effective for a middleweight. One scout I spoke to last year believes that head coach Bruno Campese restricted Button's pugilistic activities because of his role and value to the team, but the lack of quantity in bouts is not due to a reluctance on the player's part.

Intangibles: A solid citizen and hard worker who is a good teammate. Works out in the offseason with several Edmonton-based pro players, including Boston fan favorite Johnny Boychuk. Humble to a fault; can be very tough on himself when he doesn't play to his and others' expectations. A leader; has the ability to inspire his teammates through his play or in the dressing room, where he is articulate and confident enough to speak up when something needs to be said. Outworked and outperformed higher bantam selections to earn a spot on the Raiders as a WHL rookie three years ago, so he understands that draft position doesn't mean much-- that it is what you do with the opportunities presented that matter most. Will likely go back to junior for one final year, but has a chance to make an extended stay at training camp in Boston and present himself as a legitimate option for the team in 2011.

2010 Development Camp analysis
Button was arguably the best all-around player for the team at the July camp. He showed off his sublime skating skills at drills and in the scrimmages. The two-way defenseman also outshined other more experienced players with his good decision-making, physical play and offensive production.

Two plays that captured the potential Button brings to the Bruins down the road: in the first scrimmage (Thursday) he took a pass at the left point and drew his stick back like he was going to fire a slap shot. When Jordan Caron moved in close to block the shot, Button pulled the stick down, gathered the puck and zipped around the forward, curling around the left circle and then beating goalie Mike Hutchinson with a bullet snap shot to the short side that knocked the water bottle off the net. The shot was all the more impressive because Hutch catches right, meaning that Button beat him cleanly to his glove side. The second play happened on the second day (Friday) when Button took the puck in the neutral zone, accelerated to the blue line, then put the puck into the right corner. Then, he beat the defender to it in a footrace, fought off the check to maintain control and put a perfect pass out front to a wide-open and alone in front Joe Colborne, who one-timed the shot home.

Button showed off good improvement in his physical conditioning, having grown about an inch since he was drafted and adding good weight and strength to his build. It showed on the ice, and he made a definitive statement about his potential at the next level. Based on his camp performance, he is one player to keep a close eye on at main camp in September.

Projection
A year ago, it was looking like Button would be a solid No. 4 in the NHL, but after a very good second half of the 09-10 campaign and his standout camp performance, he has the tools to be a solid No. 3 and possibly even a No. 2 if he continues to develop the offensive side of his game. His size will not be an issue, as he has the skating chops and will likely be stronger than average given his diligent off-ice work habits. How far he goes and how quickly he makes the jump will likely depend largely on factors beyond his control, as Boston is pretty well stacked with defensemen under contract at present, but if he makes the same kind of statement in September that he did in July, he'll force the Bruins to re-think his timeline a bit. The team was thrilled to land Button in the late-third round in '09, but he struggled in the early part of 09-10. Once he seemed to relax, his production came on and he carried that success into the summer. Watch for him to continue his upward mobility in September.

Quotable
"I'm just a lot more relaxed this year. I know the coaching staff, I know the trainer, I know the general managers; (Don) Sweeney. I just know everyone. I'm a lot more comfortable and I'm not afraid to come ask and I can also help the young guys out. They're here for the first time like I was last year, so I have the responsibility to help them out."- Ryan Button to B2010DW, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

"The first day (at camp) was a lot of team-bonding stuff; having to do stuff together, having to help each other out. Then, the second day was swimming and kind of helping each other again. It was all about helping each other; that was the main thing and objective to help your teammates. It wasn't about yourself, but your teammates. They told us straight out, 'We don't care about you, you don't care about yourself. It's all about your teammates-- it's all about the guy beside you. If they fail, then we all fail.' I think it was really good to start off with that and kind of bond us as a team-- well, we're not a team, but we're here for a good week, so it's good to know the guys and I think it really sped up the process of meeting people and getting on the same page."- Ryan Button, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

"I think it went really well. It started off, and things were pretty tough with The Program and stuff like that, but it got easier as the week went along and it made it a little easier on the players that we could relax and play hockey-- that's the main reason we're here. We're not here to swim in pools or run a million times. We're here to play hockey, and as the week went on, we got to do that and so it was a lot of fun and I feel a lot more comfortable going to main camp now."- Ryan Button, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

"I've been working hard on my strength and my fitness. I think I came here and people told me that I look a little taller, I look a little thicker, so hopefully, I can do that a little more and keep getting thicker before the main camp. I mean, those guys are men out there, so I'll spend more time in the gym so I'm better prepared to handle the size, strength and speed those NHL players all have."- Ryan Button, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

“Actually, physically, he surprised me a little bit walking through the door. I think he hit a little growth spurt during the course of the year. I had seen him out in a very cold part of the world earlier in the year and he wasn’t as physically developed as he is right now. He’s done a lot of bit of work; he’s working with a bunch of pro guys in the off-season and the fruits of those labors are starting to bear forward. So, I’m happy with where he’s at right now. But again, he’s got a long way to go and he understands that. But he’s a good skater and yet you get on the power skating side and dial it down to little specifics and everybody has things to work on.”- Bruins Assistant GM Don Sweeney on Ryan Button, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

The Final Word
No player did more to raise his profile in the Bruins organization at camp than Button. He demonstrated all of the positive attributes that had the team raving about him in Montreal when they nabbed him at the end of the third round. Even with the excellent showing in Wilmington this month, Button is not a sure bet to be a top-flight two-way NHL defender, but it certainly looks like he'll play and contribute to some degree because of his athleticism, intelligence and attitude.

Still on vacation, working on prospect series

2010-07-19T09:46:00.000-07:00

Yes, faithful readers-- I am still very much alive.

I'm actually enjoying the beach and some time away from hockey and the prospects analysis.

But, will start putting together a few more prospect profiles this week and will be back full bore next week (Monday) to finish up the player-by-player look at Boston's system.

Just wanted to give you and update and let you know to check in tonight or tomorrow for prospect #6-- Ryan Button.

Prospect #7 will be between Brad Marchand, Ryan Spooner and Yuri Alexandrov.

B's Prospect Series 1-5 in the books, 6-10 coming soon

2010-07-14T19:43:00.000-07:00

I've managed to get the top five Boston Bruins prospects (at least as I see it) in the books for you, but I'm headed to the beach this week and next, so I'll do what I can, but the rate at which I post these may be sproradic. I'll do my best, faithful readers.

But, to keep it all centrally located for you, here are the first five with one-click links to 'em for ease of navigation. You already know that Ryan Button is No. 6 if you read all of Jared Knight's profile, but 7-10 will have to be a surprise. One thing D-Camp reinforced to me: while the forward prospects look pretty good, the Bruins really need to do something about the 'D' and goaltending. There are some decent darkhorses, but no one who is really going to strike fear into the hearts of the opposition the way Drew Doughty does. Get ready for a long string of Norris Trophies out in Tinseltown, btw. It's coming. And the goalies? I like Mike Hutchinson, and Zane Gothberg is an intriguing project, but there's not one high-end future NHL starter in the bunch. At least, not as it stands right now.

Well here's your 1-5, at least:

1. Tyler Seguin, C
2. Joe Colborne, C
3. Jordan Caron, RW
4. Maxime Sauve, LW/C
5. Jared Knight, RW

Boston Bruins Prospect Series: #5 Jared Knight

2010-07-14T18:39:00.000-07:00

Jared Knight, RW
5-11, 185
January 16, 1992
Shoots: Right
Boston's 2nd choice, 32nd overall in 2010
Signing status: Unsigned

Talent analysis

Physical: Below average size, but very athletic and strong. First step is so-so; lacks a real explosion, but straight-line speed is fine and demonstrated fluidity and good agility in his movements, especially when gaining the zone and crossing up the defenders. Hands are unreal- a wicked, wicked shooter and the rare example of a player who was talked up by management and then instantly delivered the goods. Can wire it top shelf from the outside, or crash the net and beat the goalie with quick moves in close. Relentless; feet are always moving and he plays as aggressively as they come when the puck is anywhere near him on the ice. Soft hands for giving and receiving passes. High-end skillset; played at top speed once his diabetes was diagnosed and treated, and really opened eyes at D-camp last week for his consistency and presence every day. A physical presence who gets up under bigger players with his low center of gravity and then lowers the boom. Defensive game is solid-- could stand to continue to learn that aspect and make himself more of an all-around player, but there is no questioning his energy and lethality in the offensive zone.

Intangibles: Scoring instincts and knack for finding the back of the net are off the charts. He's one of those players who is always around the puck-- as if it follows him around on the ice. Like every good scorer, he wants the puck on his stick at crunch time and he delivers more often than not. On the downside, someone who's scouted him said he needs to work on creating a little more for others, and is interested in how he'll do without Nazem Kadri feeding him the puck in London next season (Kadri is all but a lock to be in Toronto helping them to avoid handing another lottery pick to the B's). However, that's where the negatives end: He breathes, eats, sleeps hockey-- as committed a player you will find at any level. A dedicated gym rat; works his butt off in the weight room, so size will not be an issue for him. Like other players with his condition, he appears to have his diabetes under control and shows no signs of it affecting his play or energy. Comes from a close, stable family; father, Duane, is a 20+ veteran of the Battle Creek, Michigan Police Department. Excellent character and values, even though he drew the ire of USA Hockey when he shifted gears and went back on his commitment (and a verbal commitment to the University of Michigan) to go the OHL route, creating a contentious situation. Knight's intentions were clear-- he desired the best route to a possible NHL career and Dale Hunter's team provided that avenue. Some may criticize how it went down, but it appears that as the second selection of the second round, that Knight made the right choice.

2010 Development Camp assessment
Wow. That's really the best word to describe it. Prior to the draft, I looked at Knight and wondered if he had the size and skating to be a desireable target for Boston. Well, to the B's credit, they kept their interest in him a secret until shortly before the draft, but after watching him in Wilmington, I can't help but feel like I missed the boat on this kid. Although it was just a few days and internal scrimmages and drills, he showed every bit of the player Peter Chiarelli and Wayne Smith described in L.A. when they gushed about his natural scoring talents. He scored goals in all matters of ways in Wilmington: with a wicked wrister, hard snap shot, a surprisingly powerful slapper, or using the good old fashioned deke to fake out the goalie in close then tuck it into the short side. A lot of his goals were top shelf- where mama hides the cookies as Rick Jeannerette likes to say (usually much to the chagrin of Bruins fans listening to his call of the Buffalo-Boston games). But, Knight was the steak to Tyler Seguin's sizzle in Wilmington. The two fed off each other every day (Knight and Jordan Caron were both playing the off-wings with Seguin in the middle at camp).

Projection
He has the look of a 1st or 2nd-line winger if what we saw at D-camp wasn't a fluke. At worst, he'll play on the third line, because he simply brings too much to the table to be an outright bust. Players with Knight's natural instincts and hands don't grow on trees, and he'll endear himself to coaches with his pitbull-like mentality and nonstop motor. He can play a little center, too, which makes him all the more appealing given his versatility, but clearly his pro future lies at wing. The biggest obstacle to Knight's ascendancy as I can see it is his health. He's like a lot of undersized players who play a physical style in that he's going to suffer his share of bumps and bruises (or worse) because he simply does not know how to go at less than full tilt. He scored a memorable goal in such fashion, tucking the puck past Adam Courchaine after a dizzying array of moves in close after he dropped his shoulder and got around the defender. Knight slammed into the posts and lay on the ice for a few moments before getting up and returning to the bench, not missing a shift. But that incident encompasses Knight's risk at the pro level: he's going to do what comes natural, and as the old cliche goes, he might write checks his body can't cash. Changing him will be impossible, so the team can only hope he'll hold up under the strain. Knight, for all his skill and character, will likely go back to junior unless he is so other-worldly at camp in September.

Quotable

"Jared's just a natural scorer, an amazing shooter who makes it look easy most of the time. He's the kind of player who goes out there with the confidence and belief that he's going to put the puck in the net on that shift and then he delivers. He's been through a lot over the past year and bounced back stronger than ever. I can't say enough about this kid and what it means to us that he's a Boston Bruin."- Bruins director of amateur scouting Wayne Smith to Bruins2010DraftWatch; June 26, 2010

“I had a great time, no doubt about it. The fans were really into it all week and it was just a great experience all around.”- Jared Knight to hockeyjournal.com, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

“I think the killer instinct has just gotta be in you. If you want that puck bad enough, you’re gonna get it. I think the shooter aspect comes from just working in the basement shooting pucks over and over with my dad, shooting on the shooter tutor downstairs, things like that.”- Jared Knight to hj.com, July 6-10, 2010

“They’re very professional the way they go about things. They have their trainers doing all their things and the coaching staff acting the way they do. So, it’s just a very professional organization, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”- Jared Knight to hj.com, July 6-10, 2010

“I think when you’re playing with guys like this, I think I said yesterday there’s six-foot guys, six-foot-six guys and I’m one of the smaller guys, so I just need to get stronger and just keep working in the weight room and improving my speed. I think another thing is just improving my defensive game. If you want to play in the NHL, you have to be good defensively, so that’s what I think I need to work on.”- Jared Knight to B2010DW, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

The Final Word
I agonized over whether to have Knight or Ryan Button at the 5-spot for the B's, and in the end, I simply could not ignore what the diminutive winger did. This is not to downgrade Button, as I thought the two were the most successful of the players at camp on the whole, but Knight was the 32nd pick for a reason, and he proved that at D-Camp last week. Now, given the way things go at camp, the rankings could shift a bit, and Button's stock is seriously on the rise. But in the end, it was all about upside, and Knight is showing that he's got some legit chops as a potential top-six forward. Where it all ends up, I don't know. If I could have two No. 5s, I'd have Knight and Button there, but that's not how it works. So, watch for Button-- I didn't have him in my top-10 a few weeks ago, and he's the biggest riser on my list at No. 6. But Knight I had at 6, and he deserves to move into the top-five after his performance. He earned it. Is he ready for primetime, probably not. But, he's one who is going to have a lot of people watching him this year and next. One member of a rival OHL organization told me via email today that Knight was a "great pick" and a "pain in the arse to play against." High praise indeed, and I'm sure if the OHL teams had their druthers, they'd love to see Knight make the Boston roster this fall. Probably not going to happen, but don't tell Knight that-- he'll come in looking to make the cut. It will be interesting to see how he does when he's going up against the big time and actually trying to wrest a job from someone older, bigger and more experienced.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #4 Maxime Sauve

2010-07-14T16:45:00.000-07:00

Maxime "Max" Sauve, C/LW
6-2, 190
January 30, 1990
Shoots: Left
Boston's 2nd selection, 47th overall in 2008
Signing status: Signed through 2013

Talent Analysis

Physical: Sauve possesses a nice, live athletic frame; is long-limbed and has more room to fill out. Upper body will need more strength training and development. Explosive skater; one of the fastest of any player in the Bruins organization if not the fastest. Erupts out of the blocks and puts defenders on their heels when he attacks them with speed. Also shifty with his east-west movement, but Sauve's greatest strength is his ability to come right at the teeth of a defense and still be able to get himself into position to generate scoring chances. Good puckhandler; handles the biscuit at top speed and willingly heads into traffic. Solid shooter; not overly dynamic or spectacular, but is able to get rid of it quickly and finish off chances in close. Quick hands on the deke make him lethal when he brings the puck in alone at full gallop. Defensively responsible, but clearly an offensive-minded player. Like several of his peers, will likely need to shift to wing in order to get a shot in Boston given the big club's glut of centers.

Intangibles: Sauve may have the most underrated hockey IQ of any prospect in Boston's system; simply did not get enough credit for his vision, puck distribution and ability to see things opening up beforehand. Son of J.F. Sauve, former NHL and longtime pro (Max was born in France while his dad was playing overseas) and nephew of longtime NHL goalie Bob Sauve. Cousin, Philippe, was an NHL goaltender with the Phoenix Coyotes and had a cup of coffee with the Bruins in 2007. As such, Max grew up around pro hockey and not only understands the requirements, but has the discipline to mold himself into a player. Speaks better English than he gives himself credit for. Like David Krejci, is thoughtful, introspective and will give intelligent answers to serious questions without the easy cliches.

2010 Development Camp assessment
Sauve had recently had the screws removed from his right ankle, injured back in November, so he was not cleared for regular participation in Wilmington last week. He had limited chances to skate after the sessions were over and took shots against goalies who stayed out afterwards to help him get some work in. It was an unfortunate situation, because Sauve, like Colborne, had the skill, experience and confidence to make a splash at the camp. He's expected to be 100 percent when main camp convenes in September.

Projection
If he continues to develop as expected, Sauve could eventually become a top-six forward, but realistically, he's going to have to make his bones on the third- or fourth lines initially if he can crack the Boston roster. Given his excellent skill set and hockey intellect, he could earn some time on the power play and penalty killing units. Has the speed and moxie to do it at both ends of the ice. Showed a lot to the Bruins brass in the spring when he scored a pair of goals in six games with Providence (with the screws in his ankle), and did it while not being completely healthy and on top of his game. Like Caron, he's a solid citizen and coachable player who listens and tries to apply what he learns. Sauve's very quiet by his nature, and without the confidence in his language skills, he won't make much of an impression in the dressing room, but at the end of the day, he's going to go out and make a hard run for an NHL job this fall. He's probably going to be a victim of the numbers game, but spending a year in Providence is not a bad thing.

Quotable
(I talked briefly to Max when he was about to take the ice on the first day, but didn't really have the opportunity to get him on the record in the dressing room last week, as he was normally on the ice when the room was open and returned after it closed- so the quotes are from a piece I did on him back in April when he was a member of the Providence Bruins)

“I feel good to be (in the AHL. It’s been good, but I’m not completely better after ankle surgery yet.”- Maxime Sauve to hockeyjournal.com; April 10, 2010

“It was a lot of fun (playing against Jordan Caron in the QMJHL playoffs). He’s a great player and can a lot of score goals. In the playoff (series) he would score, and then I would go out and score, so we had a good thing going. I can’t wait to play with him on my team."- Sauve to hockeyjournal.com; April 10, 2010

"I’m a playmaker; I make some plays and score some goals. I’m not 100 percent right now, but I skate fast and am working on it every day.”- Sauve to hj.com; April, 2010

"Max has not looked out of place in this, his first taste of pro hockey. His speed is a real asset, and when you consider that he's not fully 100 percent yet, you can start to gain an appreciation for just how quick he is when completely healthy. I think he's benfited from getting into the games and now has a better understanding for what is expected of him at this level and the next."- Providence Bruins head coach Rob Murray to hockeyjournal.com; April, 2010

The Final Word
In this blog's opinion, Sauve is the most underrated of the Boston prospects, as he's not really been thought of as a legitimate top-six forward option, and has kind of flown under the radar because he missed so much time in a year that he could have possibly scored 100 points had he not messed up his ankle and missed three months of the season (it is important to note that not one player hit the century mark in the QMJHL for the first time in history this year). Sauve is a player who has the speed, hands and sense to be a going concern and when you think about the matchup nightmares he could one day pose if he's skating on a line with Tyler Seguin or perhaps Joe Colborne or Ryan Spooner, it brings his potential more into perspective. Sauve got lost in the shuffle in junior a bit because he played on such a bad team, but he started to show what he can do last fall in the '09 preseason, and he's going to be even better this time around. Is it going to be enough for him to earn a job in Boston? That'll be a tall order for sure, but at the same time, because he couldn't compete at D-camp, he was a bit out of sight, out of mind. Who is to say that had he been out there, we wouldn't be talking about Sauve in the same breath as Seguin, Colborne and Caron when it comes to young players who have a shot. Of course, the spots are limited, and Sauve is likely best served skating in Providence for a full year. But, he could be up with the big team before long because speed kills, and if the team is hit with a raft of injuries up front as was the case last season, he's likely to be on the short list for recall. His realistic Boston ETA is 2011-12, so Providence fans should get at least one year of enjoyment out of him. After that, all bets are off. This kid is that good.

Boston Bruins Prospect Series: #3 Jordan Caron

2010-07-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

Jordan Caron, RW
6-2, 205
November 2, 1990
Shoots: Left
Boston's 1st choice, 25th overall in 2009 Draft
Signing status; Signed through 2013

Talent Analysis

Physical: Large frame with natural strength and a wide skating base. Should add another 10-15 pounds to his body before all is said and done. Average skater; straight-line speed is fine and he has better agility than originally thought. However, he doesn't have a strong first-step, and he appears to favor his left (skating) side. Skating deficiencies are nothing that can't be improved with some power skating work. Superb hands; handles passes cleanly and can advance the puck up the ice, or protect it down low and on the cycle. Excellent shooter with an NHL-ready release. Shot is hard and heavy; he generates a lot of power and torque on it. Caron is not an overly physical, nasty player with a mean streak, but he does initiate contact and use his big body to shield the puck well in the offensive zone. He goes hard to the net and like most players of his type, sets up shop in front and is difficult to move.

Intangibles: Solid feel for the game; has a knack for scoring and proved he can play an effective defense/checking role as evidenced by his performance with Team Canada at last year's World Jr. Championship tourney. Has an easygoing personality that belies a good competitive drive; he beat out other more skilled players to earn a spot on the WJC team because he brings certain attributes that can't be taught/are appealing to any team's makeup such as size, strength and two-way play. Caron is never going to be a 'rah-rah', in-your-face kind of guy, but is starting to exhibit solid leadership traits that will serve him well. Intelligent and easy to work with; makes a concerted effort to address his faults and isn't a player who dismisses the observations and suggestions from his coaches.

2010 Development Camp assessment
Caron had a solid performance at camp, even if Jared Knight stole a lot of the thunder on the left side centered by Tyler Seguin. The power winger's game isn't going to jump out at you because he essentially goes up and down the wing, takes the puck into traffic and doesn't generate a lot of highlight reel stuff. But, he was pretty effective in creating time and space for his linemates and he did show the flashes of why he was the team's first round selection a year ago. His skating shortcomings were on display on the camp's second day, but he didn't exhibit major flaws. He himself talks about needing to pick up an extra step, so as long as he's willing to put in the work, Caron should be fine. What he does well is to provide a physical net presence and good offensive puck possession. He displayed those attributes well throughout the camp and even showed off a nice chemistry when he was skating with Craig Cunningham during the final day's 3-on-3 scrimmage. If both are in Providence this season, you can bet that Rob Murray will put them together at some point, as he was there for the scrimmage and undoubtedly picked up on how well the two complemented each other with their skilled, but grinding style.

Projection
Caron is tougher to project at the NHL level because he is still very much a work in progress. The Bruins no doubt see a top-six forward and solid power winger in him to draft him where they did (and they indicated that he was pretty high on their '09 board). However, other NHL teams saw him more as a third-liner and checking guy, and that's what he did for Team Canada, so whether he can improve his skating and his hands can be enough to score at the next level is going to be the biggest factor in how effective Caron ends up being. He's a smart, coachable kid who has a very good reputation in the dressing room and is willing to work. Look for him to come to main camp hungry after being denied the chance last season, but he's a work in progress who may take some time to find the offensive element to his game if he reaches the NHL early without much developmental time on the farm.

Quotable

“Just the offense stuff was much harder this year, I think. The pool stuff and the workout yesterday was harder than what we did last year. But, on ice, I think it’s pretty much the same. Same coaches, so it’s been much like last year.”- Jordan Caron at Development Camp, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10

“I think I gotta work on my speed again and my explosion. If I can do that, I think everybody here is gonna have his chance. So I gotta keep working out and going on the ice a lot to make sure I’m ready in September.”- Jordan Caron at Development Camp

"Being on (Team Canada) was huge for me. It was a big goal to make that team and be able to play with so many of the best players in the world. It was a great experience, even though we didn't win. I think it helped me a lot to have a chance to make the NHL this year, and it taught me that I gotta keep working hard and working on my game."- Jordan Caron at Development Camp

"Jordan's quiet; he's not going to tell you that he knows the expectations are there. But I just like their (Caron and Joe Colborne) daily approach; it's no-nonsense, it's I want to get better, I need to get better. Recognizing that I need to get better, and that's an important aspect of anyone's development curve. And I think that it sets a great example for the rest of our guys. If we can find the guys that have been earmarked as first-round selections who set the bar for everybody else, then we're heading in the right direction. But I would expect that regardless of what round you're drafted in, each and every one approaches it that way, then we're headed in the right direction as well."- Bruins Assistant GM Don Sweeney at Development Camp, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

The Final Word
Caron did well last season to bounce back from that collarbone fracture that cost him the first month-and-a-half of the QMJHL campaign. It says a lot for him that even after missing significant time, he was still able to nail down a spot on Team Canada for the World Jr. tourney, so he has a lot of confidence in his game and the ability to get his foot in the door. That said, while he's a player who has a good chance of making the Boston roster, he'll need to show the coaches a continued dedication to improvement between now and the September camp. Remember, he'll be a rookie in terms of facing off against NHL competition because he was unable to participate in any of the on-ice work at main camp a year ago because of the injury he sustained at Team Canada camp in August. Because Caron is a big body who brings an offensive element to the table, he could secure a spot with the Bruins on the lower lines, but he'll have his work cut out for him. He may be better off at least starting the year in Providence where he can get top-six forward ice time and gain some confidence as opposed to being thrown into the mix with the big club right away. But all of that will clearly depend on how well he performs at camp and in the preseason. Expect him to get a pretty long look and be one of the final cuts, if he is to at least start his pro career in the AHL. In all likelihood, Caron is being groomed to make a contribution to the B's fortunes sooner rather than later, and even with the drawbacks in his skating, he could earn an NHL look in short order.

Another nice Development Camp recap

2010-07-13T16:58:00.001-07:00

This from my New England Hockey Journal colleague Doug Flynn:

http://blackandgold.hockeyjournal.com/2010/07/development-camp-some-final-thoughts/

I think his analysis is spot-on. And, it just reinforces what people who were able to attend saw last week.

A lot of promise from the prospects, but you can't get too overboard in the good feelings, because at the end of the day, it was a compartmentalized setting. We'll have a much better idea of how the kids look when those not returning to the NCAA are going up against the NHL regulars and experienced pros in September.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #2 Joe Colborne

2010-07-13T15:13:00.000-07:00

Joe Colborne, C

6-5, 216

January 30, 1990

Shoots: Left

Boston's 1st choice, 16th overall in 2008 Draft

Signing status: Signed through 2013

Talent Analysis

Physical: Colborne has made a quantum leap in his physical development, having added almost 30 pounds of muscle to his long, lanky frame since the B's drafted him two years ago with the 16th overall pick and he tipped the scales at about 190 pounds. Size creates matchup nightmares for defensemen charged with moving him from out from in front of the net and goalies who are trying to maintain sightlines to the puck on the outside. Outstanding skater with good initial burst and a long stride that gets him up to speed quickly. Balanced and strong on his skates despite the high center of gravity. Excellent east-west lateral agility and ability to shift into multiple gears on the fly. Very good stickhandler; deftly controls the puck and can make pinpoint passes in all situations. Showed an ability to dangle with the puck in heavy traffic areas, which should help him to generate offense at the next level. Elite shooter; has an NHL-caliber release and can get his hard shot off in an instant. Has a cannon of a slap shot that he unleashed at camp; needs to use it more. Will need to continue his progression in physicality since being drafted; has improved in his willingness to initiate contract and work in the dirty areas in front of the net and in the corners, but must prove himself at the pro level now against bigger, stronger more experienced competition.

Intangibles: Like Seguin, Colborne has high-end sight and a hockey IQ; he's able to survey the ice, read the play instinctively and hit the open man or keep the play alive. Another character youngster who was stung by some of the pre-draft criticisms about his heart/compete level because of his family's wealth, and has dedicated the last two years to proving the naysayers wrong. Has worked extremely hard to prepare himself physically, but will need to apply that same work ethic to his competitive drive and handling the inevitable adversity he'll face as he transitions from the NCAA to his first fulls season in the pros. Also like Seguin, Colborne carried himself as a model citizen at camp, staying on the ice late to help teammates and continue honing his skills. Affable and approachable, Colborne comes off as someone who understands his own shortcomings and realizes that his body of work is still incomplete.

2010 Boston Bruins Development Camp assessment

One of the more dominant performers at the camp, Colborne continues his development on an upward curve. He's had the benefit of two other summer sessions in Wilmington, but with the knowledge that unlike the previous two, he'll actually be in the mix for an NHL job come September, he took a business-like approach and was on target with expectations given his impressive talent and experience within the organization. Colborne displayed high-end skills throughout camp and was a productive, involved player during the scrimmages. He scored several goals by going to the front of the net and wiring passes home with his wicked one-timer and release. Colborne can dangle in heavy traffic and made several eye-popping plays in scrimmage and during drills to skate through multiple players, protect the puck and then dish to a wide-open teammate for an easy tap-in (Alexander Fallstrom seemed to be the one who benefited most from Colborne's largesse) He also took on an active leadership role with the players who were in their very first setting with the Bruins, receiving praise from first-time prospects like Fallstrom, Ryan Spooner and Craig Cunningham for going out of his way to lead by example and be a peer mentor for them early on.

Projection

The problem with being on a team with Tyler Seguin is that you can't have two No. 1 centers, but Colborne could be a 1A kind of guy and solid No. 2 in time (of course Marc Savard, David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron will make that a tough road). He had the best success of his two-year NCAA career when he moved to the wing, so like Seguin, he might have to play there before he can nail down a spot at center. However, the organization seems pretty set on developing Colborne at center and taking full advantage of his impressive size and skill package. On talent alone, Colborne is as impressive a prospect as they come, and he talks a good game about recognizing his shortcomings and working to address them. Now, as he enters his rookie pro season, the proof will be in the pudding. He showed some real upside in his first couple of AHL games with Providence, but hit the wall. Sustaining his success and strong play in all zones over the course of an 80+ game season will be Colborne's biggest challenge, but he's talented enough to get some games in Boston this year depending on the situation.

Quotable:

"I think the biggest thing is to be more vocal. I've tried to do that and step up in areas where everyone's kind of looking around to see how to do it. And, I remember how I felt two years ago coming in and I had no idea what to expect. So, I've just tried to be really open with the new guys on what to expect, what's going to be coming up later in the week and they've all kind of adapated really well and everyone's starting to jell as a team. We're looking forward to a good rest of the week."- Joe Colborne, Development Camp, Wilmington, Mass; July 6-10, 2010

"When I showed up at Denver (University) I was-- a lot of people called me a 'stringbean', and I was just a skinny little kid. I just now weighed in at just under 216, but when I've been training I've been up to 218, 219. But, it's been great. What they did for me was unbelievable. They took a skinny kid, added 30 pounds to me and really taught me the more physical side of the game. I learned to battle in the corners against some big boys. Every day in practice was just a grind to make sure I had d-men leaning on me. Especially out here, I felt stronger and I am playing against some younger guys again, but I felt strong out there, felt quick."- Joe Colborne to B2010DW

"Well, today (Saturday), we weren't expecting the amount of people who came out at all. We showed up an hour and fifteen minutes before the practice like we usually do and the parking lot was packed; people were out there walking around and we were just in shock. It was unbelievable and it was exciting. Everyone was having fun out there and cheering every time someone scores a nice goal. It was unbelievable and it really gets you excited for training camp."- Joe Colborne to B2010DW

"Being from Calgary, it gets pretty warm, but nothing like this week (in Boston) and how hot it was. And to have those people sitting out there for hours (in Bruins jerseys) waiting for autographs and coming early to the rink-- I have so much respect for them. And that's what makes hockey in Boston so much fun and that's what excites me so much about being a part of this organization to hopefully make the jump to the Bruins pretty quickly."- Joe Colborne to B2010DW

"This (camp) experience opened my eyes and I'm getting pretty close to fulfilling my dream of playing in the NHL-- it's right on the tip of your finger. So, it's going to be an unbelievable month of training, probably my best ever. And, I look forward to coming back to camp heavier, faster amd stronger. I feel like it's all starting to come together; my reactions just feel better. I feel like I'm finally used to this body and it's going to continue to be a work in progress, but the steps I've made, I'm kinda showing how important these camps are to the development of different guys personally, I think that coming here for the last couple of years has been monumental to my progress."- Joe Colborne to B2010DW

The Final Word

Colborne is the prototypical Boston Bruins prospect: He's big, skates extremely well, is highly skilled and brings the kind of character, selflessness and coachability that on the face of things would guarantee his stardom in this town for years. That said, he's still got to prove that he can be more of a force in all areas of the ice and is not just a big, skilled guy with limitations as Blake Wheeler has demonstrated to the B's. If looking good and sounding good were all that mattered, then Colborne would be a future Hall of Famer, but it will take much more than that for him to have success. He'll be set up well if he plays in the AHL under head coach Rob Murray this season. Murr is like his mentor, Scott Gordon, in that he's intelligent and demanding, and has got a knack for developing talent/getting the most out of them. I think you'll see the Providence Bruins bounce back strong with the team they'll ice this season, especially if Colborne is playing a key role for them. In looking at how he performed at Denver when he shifted to the wing, his first AHL game last spring and his standout performance in Wilmington last week, he's a close second place to Seguin in the organization's prospect depth chart.

Boston Bruins Prospects Series: #1 Tyler Seguin

2010-07-13T06:12:00.000-07:00

Tyler Seguin, C/W

6-1, 185

January 31, 1992

Shoots: Right

Boston's 1st choice, 2nd overall in 2010 Draft

Signing status: Unsigned

Talent Analysis

Physical: Good size, with athletic frame and room to add mass/strength. Very well conditioned with a body fat percentage of about 7 percent. Plus-skater with extremely quick first step and rapid acceleration. Excellent with both straight-line speed and shifty, lateral elusiveness. Plays an uptempo, aggressive style; never stops moving his feet and very effective when forechecking and putting pressure on the puck carrier. Outstanding stickhandler who carries the puck with authoriy; attacks defenses when he's in possession. Soft hands and a quick stick make him arguably the best passer in the entire draft class; a smooth playmaker who makes those around him better because he can find openings and seams in defenses for prime scoring chances. Superb shooter with a fast release on a hard, accurate drive. Underrated finisher; unlike pure passers, likes to score goals and won't pass up shooting opportunities when they are there. Solid defensively, but will need experience to fine-tune his play in all three zones. Does not play a physical style, but will initiate contact and is willing to take a hit to make the play.

Intangibles: Elite hockey sense; sees the ice extremely well and can instantly diagram the unfolding play in front of him and exploit the options and openings. Excellent work ethic; literally willed himself into becoming an OHL/draft superstar within 18 months of getting off to a brutal start in his major junior career. Mature and polished beyond his years; some say he's sticking to the script, but having spoken to him before his star went supernova, little about him has changed from late '09 until now. Took it upon himself to meet and engage with Bruins fans at Development Camp without having to be prodded by the team to do so, demonstrating that he already understands the off-ice obligations and unwritten rules of conduct as a pro athlete that others take longer to embrace. A clear leader among his peers who will grow and develop into much more as he's surrounded with veteran NHL players like Mark Recchi and Patrice Bergeron among others.

2010 Boston Bruins Development Camp Assessment: Although Seguin was not as productive as fellow OHL draftees Jared Knight and Ryan Spooner, there was little doubt by anyone who watched him that he was the most skilled player on the ice throughout camp. Seguin delivered the goods as advertised in terms of being a speedy, offensive-minded centerman (he played on a line flanked by Knight and '09 first-rounder Jordan Caron in each of the three scrimmages from Thursday-Saturday). He really opened eyes during the drills, where he demonstrated his outstanding skating and puckhandling ability. Seguin was paritcularly good in his shootout demonstrations, and he would have tallied on his final shootout chance after beating Zane Gothberg with a shifty move, but he hit the post. As far as interviews went, there was not a hint of pretention on Seguin's part, and he was extremely accomodating each day during media availability, and I was particularly impressed when I saw him going out and signing autographs and mugging for photos with fans without any prompting. The kid gets it, and Bruins fans should be very happy that he's with the team because at least right now, he has the look of the complete package.

Projection

Seguin clearly is a natural center, but is versatile and intelligent enough to begin his NHL career in Boston along the wall if that is what it takes. Director of Central Scouting, E.J. McGuire, told me at the draft that Seguin is skilled and talented enough to perhaps force Boston's hand into keeping him on as a pivot, but the bottom line is-- the kid is not served well by going back to junior, and unless something catastrophic happens at camp, he'll be on the team when they drop the puck in Prague, even if it means playing wing. Eventually though, he'll be the man in the middle, and has the ability and upside to be a top-flight NHLer for years. While Seguin may not be considered a generational talent along the lines of Alexander Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby when they first came in, and he'll likely need an adjustment period in the NHL before the offensive numbers click for him, he's going to be a very good one in time.

The final word

Seguin is Boston's best prospect, and he won't likely be one for long, as it looks like he'll make the team out of camp and contribute right away just like Phil Kessel did four years ago. He's got it all and as I sat next to Joe Haggerty at one of the sessions, I remarked that Seguin is like that kid you all knew growing up who was a great student and athlete, and for whom everything came naturally. You could see him absorbing the instruction and drills the Bruins coaches were teaching like a sponge, and the sky is the limit with him.

Quotable (all quotes provided to B2010DW):

"It was great to be on the ice with the Bruins logo on, even if it was on a practice jersey."- Tyler Seguin, Boston Bruins Development Camp, Wilmington, Mass.; July 6-10, 2010

"Tyler's speed and hockey sense are what make him such a threat to score every time he's out there. He's such a great kid who works hard and is very humble, too. I can't even begin to describe how excited we are that he's a Boston Bruin."- Wayne Smith, Boston Bruins director of amateur scouting, Los Angeles; June 26, 2010

“I wouldn’t say it was a wakeup call, but it was something nice where I can now have a bar set for myself. I know the things I can improve on and hopefully make this organization, make this club and it’s a measuring tool so I can go out this summer and know what I need to work on.”- Tyler Seguin, Boston Bruins Development Camp, Wilmington, Mass; July 6-10, 2010

“Obviously, I’m going to try and put on some more weight. I’ve put on about eight or nine pounds since the season was over. I want to get about five more pounds so I’m up around 195 (pounds). Other than that, it’s just all the little things. You always want to get that one level up in speed and shot, quick hands. You have to be so much faster, a second faster at the next level, so I’m going to be working on the little things like that this summer.”- Tyler Seguin, Boston Bruins Development Camp, Wilmington, Mass; July 6-10, 2010

On the road again

2010-07-11T05:30:00.000-07:00

Now that camp is done, I'm getting back on the road to head home.

I'll be back starting Monday with a comprehensive player-by-player prospect review and analysis of camp.

Thanks for reading and I'll be back soon.

Bruins Development Camp Day 5: And, that's a wrap!

2010-07-10T12:06:00.000-07:00

Well, 2010 Boston Bruins Development Camp is in the books, and I must say I had a great time here over the past five days.

This blog post won't be comprehensive, but wanted to get something up and on the net to briefly summarize what went on today.

First of all, the place was packed with fans, which, wasn't unexpected given the good turnout throughout the weekdays. You just knew that on a day when people who couldn't get out of their jobs during normal business days could attend, they would surge on the Ristuccia. The Bruins even opened up the media area to the fans to handle the spillover, and it still wasn't enough to accomodate everyone. It was great for the Bruins prospects to see that kind of fan support, and Joe Colborne told me that he thought everyone was phenomenal and that it was a real treat for the players to do their thing in front of so many dedicated fans.

The B's did drills for the first full hour session, and about 20 minutes of the second after they resurfaced the ice. Then, they scrimmaged for another 30 minutes, starting out at 5-on-5, then going to 4-on-4 and ultimately finishing the scrimmage going 3-on-3, which really worked the goalies out. Then, everyone got to do one shootout attempt, and that closed the book on the camp.

I tried to get a better look at the lower-end guys today because much has been written about the usual suspects, but once again, Colborne, Jared Knight and Ryan Spooner made that difficult because they were so involved offensively. Jordan Caron and Craig Cunningham showed off some nice mojo together during 3-on-3 play, and when I was talking to Cunningham afterward, he was praising Spooner (his 5-on-5 linemate- they alternated taking draws and playing center, with invite Tyler Brenner on the other side.) while Caron sat on the other side of him pointing at his own chest, looking for a little love. Cunningham finally caught on and gave Caron his due. That little example of rapport is why the Bruins are doing these camps- it gives someone brand new to the organization like Cunningham a chance to glom on to someone who's been around a little longer and he'll not have to spend time getting comfortable with a completely new dressing room when he comes back in late August.

Zach Trotman did not skate today. Not sure why. Mark Goggin did not skate all week- he had an injury I couldn't get any fidelity on, but was around the team at least, and participated in the off-ice training. Max Sauve was out there today at the end of the session, skating a bit and working one-on-one with Mike Hutchinson, who was the best of Boston's four goalies today.

Now, here are some quick notes on some of the lesser-discussed prospects:

Alexander Fallstrom, F-- Outside of the forwards who've gotten the lion's share of the attention in my writeups, Fallstrom was the biggest standout up front. He doesn't possess elite speed, but he's a decent enough skater who has good east-west lateral movement. He's a smart forward who does all the little things and has nice hands. He spent most of the camp riding shotgun with Big Joe Colborne and was an effective winger, putting away a lot of the pucks Colborne dished to him in drills and in scrimmages. Fallstrom is a heady, instinctive player who has a nice frame (with still a lot of room to grow into), but I have to say that every time I keyed on him, he was doing the right things. Put this kid on your watch list, because bigger things are in store.

Ben Sexton, F-- I've been tough on Sexton for being selected in the seventh round in 2009 ahead of some other guys I personally liked better, but he had a solid camp here. He's in very good shape and skates well. He's not big, but is thickly built and gets out of the blocks pretty quickly. He appears to be a pretty smart, two-way player but his hands aren't great. If he ever makes it, it will be as a bottom-line checking forward and energy guy. He's got a long road ahead of him.

Nick Tremblay, C-- If speed and being a good guy were all that mattered in a pro hockey player, Tremblay would be destined for the Hall of Fame. That said, I was far more impressed with what I saw from him in this camp setting as opposed to the few televised games I've seen him play over the past two years. His hands aren't as quick as his feet, but he gets that and is working to address his shot and puckhandling. The Bruins had him out on a line with Sexton (and Tyler Randell) all week, so they did Clarkson coach George Roll a nice favor by helping them to develop some chemistry. They did some good things overall, but that line didn't generate a lot of offense. I'm really intrigued as to how Tremblay will fare this season...his wheels are world class, but he's not brought much else to the table. Now entering his junior season, it's as good a time as any for him to get the consistent offense going.

Tyler Randell, RW-- Tools, tools, and more tools-- this kid's got 'em. This guy has it all-- a big body with functional strength, a powerful stride that generates good top speed, and a wicked wrist and snap shot that he can wire top shelf easily. What dropped him to the sixth round was some shortcomings in the intangibles-- compete level and hockey sense. His coach at Kitchener, Steve Spott, told me that he can be dominant and then he goes through stretches where he's filling a sweater. So, if the light comes on for Randell, he could be a very good third- or fourth-line NHLer one day. He'll fight when he needs to and prides himself on playing hard in front of the net. Every time I look at him in a camp setting (he was sniping the top corners on Tim Thomas and Tuukka Rask both last fall at training camp), I say, "That kid's a player," but he has yet to put it together over the course of a season. Careers aren't made in camps, so if he ever gets it going, he could be a very nice player for where he was picked.

Justin Florek, LW-- I was not a fan of the pick when it was made, but it's hard not to like this guy based on what he brought to the mix this week. He's not a high-end offensive player, but he's like Randell in that he can do things other players can't because of his good size and mobility.
Florek is an intelligent player who hustles and plays pretty disciplined but showed some signs of playing with an edge/mean streak. Every time I keyed on him, he was doing what you want a budding power forward to: going to the front of the net to take away the goalie's sight lines, finishing his checks and being a disruptive force in the offensive end. Again, I'm not saying that Florek is a lock for the NHL or the Bruins, but he's a player you appreciate more when you see him live, and he did come out of the U.S. NTDP, so he's ahead of the power curve in terms of his conditioning and experience. He's headed back to Northern Michigan this season and it will be interesting to see what he does.

Matt Bartkowski, D-- Steady and solid. Those are the two words I use to describe this player. He's a good skater-- better than I thought he would be coming in. And, the last two days, he showed more of a willingness to try and get involved in the offensive flow of the game. His shot isn't going to scare anyone, but he's responsible and seems to make the safe play out there. He's kind of a ghost-- in five days of covering the camp, I somehow never managed to track him down in the dressing room if you can believe that. He just seems to quietly go about his business with very little fanfare. He has the makings of a solid stay-at-home d-man in the AHL, possibly with more offense to his game than he showed at Ohio State. But, he'll have his work cut out for him to crack Boston's back end as a regular.

Zach Trotman, D-- He's a lot like Bartkowski in that he doesn't do a great deal to jump out at you, but he's pretty mobile and keeps it simple. He didn't skate today, but looked good the other sessions if unspectacular. He has a lot of work in the weight room to do, however. He's tall and lanky, very much an unpolished prospect and an obvious longshot because of where he was drafted, but he didn't embarrass himself at any time and performed about as well as to be expected for his first time at a development camp.

Ryan Donald, D-- OK, not technically a Bruins prospect, but he gets on here simply because of his insane through-the-legs, backhander he roofed up under the crossbar during the shootout session to whoops and a massive ovation. He's a minor leaguer-- his agility and speed aren't NHL-caliber, but he seems like a guy who worked hard all week and genuinely enjoyed the opportunity to be there (as did Marc Cantin and Brenner). I give him full marks for pulling off that trick shot when he did...he was one of the final shooters and certainly went out in memorable fashion.

Guys who helped themselves the most at this camp (in my view): Colborne, Ryan Button, Knight, Spooner

Nobody really hurt themselves, although Yuri Alexandrov did do as much as was expected of him. I think he'll need to bring it up a notch in September, but as it stands today, he's not ready for primetime and will need to develop in the minors. Everyone looked like they belonged and as there were no jobs up for grabs, they did what they set out to accomplish: Bond as much as they could in an artificial setting while getting a brief immersion into the systems, coaches and staff so that they can come back to Boston (for those not returning to college) in September with a good foundation in place that sets the conditions for success.

Well, it's been fun.

Now, I'll go full bore into doing some updated profiles and projections for you on these kids and where they stand heading into the 2010-11 season. It may take a while, but hang in there and the payoff will be worth it.

Many thanks to those who have commented or took the time to introduce themselves to me this week. I had a blast and look forward to doing it all over again.

Bruins Development Camp Day 4: The Usual Suspects

2010-07-09T19:05:00.000-07:00

This blog post won't be as comprehensive as others, because I got behind the 8-ball with other things tonight. I'll provide some more comprehensive and in-depth content here as the camp wraps and I can write profiles on the prospects and how they did.

Today, a lot of guys stood out in positive fashion. Joe Colborne continued to show off his impressive size, skills and work ethic. He's a great kid and always has been-- he's honest and genuine and I never understood where the questioning his heart came from. He may have a longer fuse than some might want in a player of his build, but he puts forth the effort you want to see. Now, development camp is one thing...let's see how he looks at training camp when he's fighting with guys for an NHL job and in the preseason when he'll be going up against guys who will really be wanting to stick it to him. But, I don't think there are any doubts as to why the Bruins picked him where they did (16th) in 2008.

Today, he was an on-ice predator, finding seams and doing damage. He's such a smart player; you can see it in the way he holds onto the puck and distributes it so well. I'm still looking for more physicality, but this hasn't really been the setting. He knows that they're going to bring the hitting in the fall, so it'll be interesting to see how he responds. For the time being, however, he's been fine.

On defense, Ryan Button was the player of the day once again. He's got the speed, agility, first-pass ability and offensive instincts to be a very good one in the NHL one day. His biggest challenges will continue to be getting his build and strength NHL-ready, but as far as attitude goes, he's a gamer. Today, he corralled the puck in the neutral zone, gained the blue line and then dumped it, beat the defenseman to it down on the far wall behind the goal line and then found a wide-open Colborne alone in the slot for a one-timer that he put home with ease. Button's strong play went beyond the offense, too. He exhibited excellent gap control throughout the scrimmage, made good decisions with and without the puck and generally played like a high-end No. 2 NHL defenseman. Now again, like Colborne, Button's big test will come in September when he goes up against the big boys, but now that he's gotten a taste of what he's capable of, I'm pretty encouraged to say the least. With him, you can absolutely not judge him by the stats-- the Raiders simply aren't going to generate much no matter what he does. But even a casual fan with little understanding of the game could sit in the frigid Ristuccia today and recognize that he's the best defender out there.

Jared Knight. What else can you say about this guy? He's absolutely lived up to the 32nd overall billing with a real nose for the net, passion, desire and oh yeah-- those killer shooting skills Peter Chiarelli and Wayne Smith raved about. He did it again today, twice, scoring an old fashioned take the puck to the net with the defender with you and bang it past the goalie. Bang is the operative word here, because as the puck crossed the line, Knight got jammed hard into the net, knocking it off its moorings while he crashed to the ice and lay there for a few moments before regaining his feet (didn't miss a shift, btw- old school hockey, eh!) One of my favorite sayings is the one about it not being the size of the dog that matters, but the size of the fight in the dog. Well, Knight is a classic example of that. He's not very big, but he's an animal (no pun intended) about his fitness and conditioning. Scouts say he's not a great skater, but the kid out here in Wilmington has shown some nice jump and is so good in his east-west moves that it's hard to notice any deficiencies. And if they exist, well, they've got to be easily correctable with additional training.

Knight's second goal drew gasps and sighs from the crowd because he showed his lethality from the outside as he gained the zone, then let fly a hard, heavy wrist shot near the left wall that zipped over Zane Gothberg's glove and up under the crossbar. Just an electrifying shot. And one of my colleagues leaned over to me and said, "High school goalie or not, that was an NHL-caliber shot!" Indeed. I know the comparison is hackneyed, but I'm going to use it. Knight is like Mark Recchi...he just knows what to do with the puck when he's anywhere near the net. And, you can't put a pricetag on guys like that. They're gold to any team who drafts them.

Is he going to make a real run at a job in Boston come September. I don't know. The odds are stacked against him, simply because he has a limited set of options. But I do know this-- he's going to make things interesting. In all likelihood, he'll return to London, but he's definitely one to watch.

Yuri Alexandrov had a better day on Friday. I think he may be one of these players who will do his best work not in the drills and isolated instruction, but in games where his experience playing in the KHL and hockey sense/instincts can come to bear in a fluid, spontaneous environment. I like his attitude, though. He was laughing in the dressing room afterward today and apparently was a good sport about doing an interview with John "Bish" Bishop of Boston Bruins.com even though his English is limited. I see a guy who's trying to fit in and seems to be displaying more confidence as the sessions have gone on. I'll have my eye on him tomorrow in the extended scrimmage; I think he's going to be fine, even if time in Providence is in the offing come fall. Rob Murray will take very good care of him there.

Steve Kampfer had another solid day today. He's got the wheels and the vision to make the first pass and get the puck up ice, but gave one of the more thoughtful and intelligent answers about what he needs to improve on, not taking the easy way out that most players take by answering "everything" but instead giving me several legitimate areas that need work in his mind, namely his defensive positioning and moving opponents out of the danger areas in front of his net. He's another undersized player on 'D', so he's going to need to learn about leverage and all of the other subtle tricks that the smallish defenders must master in order to make it to the NHL.

Tyler Seguin's ability has not yet translated into major production in the scrimmages yet, but he's just a guy that when you watch, you can appreciate how well he thinks the game faster and more effectively than everyone else. He's not only fast, but slippery as well, and can thread the needle. Plus, he hustles and isn't afraid to stick his nose in and do a little dirty work. He had a strawberry on his chin from where it looked like he either took a stick or maybe kissed the dasher somewhere. He did spring Knight for that second goal on the bomb from the outside, but we haven't as yet, seen Seguin setting the table in dynamic fashion as we saw on the Plymouth Whalers highlight videos, or finishing with equal aplomb, but based on what I've seen from him all week, it's coming. Maybe not tomorrow, but by September, Seguin will do some things to wow you.

Ryan Spooner had another one of his patented "danglesauce" days on Friday. He's a nonstop motor who never quits, and is fearless about taking the puck to the net. I worry a little bit about how well his body will hold up doing things like that, but he's certainly a guy who knows what he needs to do out there and isn't afraid in how he goes about it.

Well, that's about it. I bantered a little more than usual today, so not as organized in my notes (hey- this is a full disclosure blog) but when I actually get a chance to lay out everything side-by-side when it's all over and I'm back at home base, the payoff will be worth it.

I'm already reaching out to my contacts around the areas and compiling my initial 2011 watch list, so before you know it, I'll be rolling out Bruins2011DraftWatch and you can start the clock on tracking the guys who could get the call in St. Paul next June. I can't believe the time is winding down on this particular space since I started it back in October, but as they say, the show must go on.

Bruins Development Camp Day 3: Power skating notes and a look at the defensemen

2010-07-08T18:04:00.000-07:00

The second day of on-ice work began with dedicated power skating work in the first hour. The team broke up into forwards, defensemen and goalies and worked different skill sets/received specialized instruction today. It all wrapped with a nice scrimmage that gave fans in attendance a few things to talk about, especially Ryan Button, who was the best player on the ice today.

Given Joe Colborne's experience and familiarity of being in his third B's prospects camp, he had the task of demonstrating the various drills to the forwards

It was pretty interesting to see the varying levels of skating proficiency in the Bruins players.
Nicholas Tremblay really stood out. What he was doing out there for those who saw him, epitomizes the meaning of the scouting term describing someone as a "plus-skater." He not only had the speed, but the balance and excellent edge control to go with it. Hockey isn't just about the skating, so if Tremblay could round out his game more, he's certainly a guy to watch at least in a checking role.

Tyler Seguin was very good as well. He just strikes you as one of those guys who is a quick study and good at everything. If he wasn't executing the drills precisely the first time, he had it down pat on the second run. Jared Knight wasn't the fastest guy in his group, but he was precise and his technique was flawless. I mentioned that observation to one of the members of the Boston Bruins brass in attendance and he concurred, noticing Knight's excellent form as well.

Contrary to some reports I've seen, I felt that Jordan Caron struggled with the skating drills today and was one of the weakest I saw in the forward group. He's not a "bad" skater, but he lacks a strong first couple of steps and is not as good on his right side as he is his left. On one particular drill, when the players had to make 's' cuts on one skate while lifting the opposite skate in the air, Caron did not do well while cutting on his right. Once he changed direction and had to cut on the left skate, he did much better. But each time the forwards did drills to isolate the skating legs, I noticed that he had distinct difficulty mastering his edges and mobility on the right foot/leg. Now, I didn't see Milan Lucic when he was at development camp in 2007, but someone told me Caron was far more effective and agile than Lucic was. So, you have to take this all with a grain of salt. That said, Caron himself has said that he needs to improve his skating. And after watching him today, I agree.

As far as the defensemen went today, Button was outstanding in the skating drills, as was Tommy Cross and David Warsofsky. The d-men focused most of their work on pivots, turns and backwards mobility. Button has a fluid stride and makes extremely tight turns, essential qualities for a two-way rearguard. Because they were on the far side of the ice, it was tougher to see who was doing what, but it seemed like whenever I noticed a player in a black practice jersey (the defenders wear black, forwards white) moving well it was either No. 78 (Button) or No. 82 (Cross). I thought Steve Kampfer (No. 88) was also pretty smooth as well.

Button's signature moment came during the scrimmage, when he showed off what I heard from scouts about in his draft year: an underrated offensive ability. He doesn't have a lot of help up front on the Prince Albert Raiders, but if his confidence can grow after making a play like he did today, then maybe he will carry more of the offensive load for that club than the previous couple of seasons.

The play started when Button took a pass at the left point. He started to pull it back as if to fire a slap shot from the point, sucking Jordan Caron to him. With the open ice in front of him, he then deftly pulled the puck away from Caron and kicked in the after burners, zooming around the left circle before cutting in on Mike Hutchinson and firing a bullet that beat the right-catching goalie on the shortside and popped the water bottle into the air.

"It was kind of funny actually; I shot the puck and didn't know if it went in or not," Button said to me while suppressing laughter, clearly enjoying the moment. "I've been telling everyone that'll never happen again. I've been working on my shot, so it was nice to have it pay off with a nice goal."

Warsofsky is explosive and quick, with high-end speed in a straight-line, but also the agility and elusiveness that an undersized player must possess at that position. He appears to have outstanding vision and the ability to read the developing play. During the scrimmage, he picked off a pass in the neutral zone and exploded up the ice before wiring a wicked laser that Adam Courchaine managed to get his glove on, otherwise it too, would have been a Button-esque highlight goal.

Cross has showed off the tools that saw the Bruins trade up in the early second round in 2007 to land him. He's big, strong and skates well. During the scrimmage, he kept things simple and on one play, he stapled Justin Florek to the wall and didn't let him move until one of his teammates was able to pull the puck from the scrum and then transition it out.

"It's great, I'm enjoying this as opposed to other years," Cross said when I asked him for the umpteenth time this week how it felt to be an active participant as opposed to the previous iterations of camp, when he was on crutches or in limited skating activity as was the case in 2009. "It's a fun experience and it makes it that much better to be out there on the ice with the coaches and trying to get better."

A member of the reigning NCAA champion Boston College squad who captured the crown in Detroit last April, Cross got through the entire campaign without an injury setback for the first time since the 06-07 season, when he became a top-35 selection by the Bruins out of the Westminster School in Connecticut.

"It was just a really valuable year," he said, reflecting on his national championship run with the Eagles. "Just to be on a team that goes through a playoff run and goes through ups and downs over the course of the year. To learn what it takes to win and how tough it is. It's just a valuable thing.

"Individually, I made some big strides this season. I certainly have a long way to go and I'm ready to make those jumps."

Zach Trotman also skates pretty well for his size. He's a bit gangly and will need some work on his pivots and turns, but his overall mobility is solid. And he assisted on one of the goals when he threw the puck in on net from the point. I believe it was Tyler Brenner who deflected it in past Matt Dalton, but couldn't be sure as I was screened from seeing the front of the net. Dalton verified after the scrimmage that the shot was deflected.

Yuri Alexandrov hasn't done a great deal in the two days I've observed him. On the first day, he looked a bit gassed and spent time hunched over catching his breath. I'm not sure what he is at this point. There are times when I can see his smooth passing and vision, but I've also seen him swiping at the puck ineffectively and not making the kind of aggressive plays that a defender of his experience would in this kind of setting. I'll be interested in seeing how he plays in more of an extended scrimmage, because the limited action drills don't play to his strengths.

Kampfer scored one of the scrimmage's goals when he walked in with the puck and rifled it past Courchaine. It was a nice play on what appeared to be a defensive breakdown by the penny-wearing side. I like his wheels and he's kept things pretty simple thus far.

Matt Bartkowski is a player who is the epitome of the KISS acronym in hockey: Keep It Safe, Simple. He's an OK skater, and he plays hard along the walls, but he's not leading any rushes and when the puck is on his stick, he's making the safe outlet play and throwing it into the corner. I'm going to make a concerted effort to watch him Friday, which is tough, because he doesn't do much to stand out. When you're talking about a stay-at-home shutdown defenseman that's not at all a bad thing.

As far as forwards go, the Seguin-Knight-Caron line showed some skill, but weren't able to find the back of the net. It'll be interesting to see if they get another chance to form a trio and get after it tomorrow.

All in all, a good day. Will be back with more thoughts tomorrow night after Friday's activities.

Observations on Development Camp Day 2

2010-07-07T17:58:00.000-07:00

Joe Colborne holds court with the Boston media after
Bruins Development Camp's first day of on-ice work concluded.

It was the second day of Boston Bruins Development Camp, but the B's prospects had a chance to show their stuff with their first couple of hours on the ice at Ristuccia Memorial Arena in Wilmington, Massachusetts.

The first day was a physical testing day for the kiddos, and they spent about three hours in the pool this morning, testing their fitness and bonding as a team before taking the ice.

Here are some observations, and I did some interviews as well that I'll throw some highlights in on. I apologize for the whole scattershot method, but I've had a long day split between hockey (work) and family (vacation) commitments, so going to hit this hard and quick and then hope to get some more detail and fidelity in the coming days.

So, here goes.

First of all, to coin a phrase from former Arizona Cardinals head coach Dennis Green: Tyler Seguin is what we thought he is.

That's right. The youngster and second overall pick in the 2010 draft is the real deal. He showed off a dazzling skill package today and granted, it was against peers and not-ready-for-primetime players (and let's face it-- a good number of them never will be), but if you were there and you didn't come away impressed with the kid, then I have to believe you weren't watching No. 57 on the ice.

The first thing that jumps out at you with Seguin is the fast tempo he plays with. He can speed it up or slow it down at will, and he makes everything he does look exceedingly simple. That's the mark of a real player, and leads me to believe that the book on Seguin is not hype. I said to one of my (much more famous and accomplished) colleagues in the stands that for all the talk of Jeff Skinner and his 50 goals (and I mean this with absolutely zero disrespect to Skinner), Seguin finished with just two fewer than Skinner. Seguin can finish the play off, and we saw it over and over again today. Now, it'll be a different story when he's going up against veteran NHL defensemen and goalies, but for one afternoon, this guy was the star of the show. And I believe much bigger things are in store.

Joe Colborne. OK-- at first, I was not overly impressed with what I was seeing from No. 59, but as the time went on, he became more and more noticeable. He's got a long, powerful skating stride and it's really something to see him up close when you consider how big he is. My first sit up and pay attention moment came when Colborne was doing 2-on-2 drills with Alexander Fallstrom as his forward partner. He sucked both defenders to him (David Warsofsky and Ryan Donald) by using his extensive reach to dangle and do a now-you-see-it-now-you-don't, then fought both off and slid a perfect saucer through the maze of bodies to Fallstrom, who buried the shot on Matt Dalton. Absolutely beautiful setup and executed in textbook fashion.

Ryan Spooner. After Seguin, he was the forward who impressed me the most, because he showed quite a bit of steak to go with his sizzle. Spooner is fast, really fast. He breaks out of a stop like Sonny Crockett's Ferrari Testarossa and what I really liked about him was that he would take the puck to the net hard like he was 6-2 or 6-3, and not 5-10. He was creating all day-- creating chances not only for himself but the guys out there with him. The size is going to be a bit of an issue, moreso because he's playing the kind of style that lends itself to the saying that his heart is writing checks his body can't cash, but there's no denying the skill level. I'm still trying to figure out how the Bruins got this guy at 45. Here are my notes from today on Spooner: "Creativity on display every time I watch him. Wicked release. Goes hard to the net."

Jared Knight. When I watched him abuse Zane Gothberg on three consecutive shots (and I don't mean any disrespect to Gothberg-- I thought he looked fine considering that he just graduated from high school) I was witnessing the sublime shooting skills Peter Chiarelli and Wayne Smith gushed about in L.A. I love his attitude, too. He said that you either have a killer instinct to score goals or you don't, and he's got it. My notes were pretty simple and to the point on Knight: "Release is as advertised; iow-- really good!"

Jordan Caron. I did notice the heavy feet, still. He's not a bad skater, but he takes more time to get up to speed than you like to see. It's noticeable when the play picks up from a halt and I can't help but think that any team who can cycle the puck effectively can exploit that lack of suddenness when Caron is on the ice. That said, his hands are excellent. He handles passes extremely well and has a great shot. With his size and strength, he could make it out of camp I suppose, but that skating is going to hold him back unless he can pick up a step coming out of the blocks. I also saw a great play by David Warsofsky at one point to deny Caron a path to the net. In fact, Warsofsky's positioning was so good, that he prevented Caron from getting off a shot, even and it makes you wonder. If Caron can't power his way past the 5-9 Warsofsky, what's he going to do against an average-sized defender who's about 6-2 and has much more experience?

I talked to Max Sauve before he took the ice to skate after the prospects did their on-ice work. He said the injury is the same he suffered in November- to his right ankle. He had played at the end of the year with a pin inserted into the ankle and had it removed recently, so he's not cleared yet for contact, but expects to be ready to go. The ice was bad at the end of that second session and we were a bit worried about him going out there, but saw him afterward in the dressing room and he gave the thumbs up that he was fine, while verifying that the ice was "a disaster."

Zane Gothberg. The kid wasn't bad, I have to admit. Don Sweeney talked about the goalies being at the biggest disadvantage in this setting because they don't have the timing and aren't with their teams, so coming in cold to just start facing shots puts them in a tough spot. I agree. And while Gothberg is extremely raw, you can see why he has potential. He's one of those guys who with some experience and refinement, could be very good. He's got to work on concentration and focus, though. I watched him make a series of staccato-rapid saves and then give up a weak sauce shot from Craig Cunningham that any level goalie has to stop. Again, this is a practice setting, and these guys are facing a ton of rubber, so nobody's Monday morning quarterbacking, and Gothberg is a long way off. But, the raw material is certainly there. And good kid, too. Here are some snippets of an interview I conducted with him afterward:

B2010DW: You played a little international hockey last year with Team USA (Ivan Hlinka tournament) what was that experience like and how do you think that helped you get yourself in a position to be drafted?

Zane Gothberg: Oh, yeah. I'm sure-- there were plenty of scouts there, I know. The bleachers were full of dark coats and stuff and it was good. I got a chance to play with a lot of guys who were drafted in the first round and maybe higher in the draft. Charlie Coyle, Kevin Hayes were some big names. Nick Bjugstad, too. So, the level of competition and I really opened my eyes to international hockey. Playing against Sweden where they forecheck, different backcheck I mean it's just-- systems-wise it kind of opened my eyes to it.

B2010DW: Is it kind of hitting you when you're out there and you're taking shots from guys like Seguin, Knight, Spooner, Caron the list goes on and on-- a list of accomplished players-- what you have to do in order to play at the next level and be successful?

ZG: Oh, yeah. For sure. We had a pretty hard day so far, and then getting on the ice was tough too. It just shows you that every ounce of energy you have left, you have to put it forward otherwise these guys are going to beat you clean. Got snipped a couple of times out there but that was just cause mentally and physically I need to get to the next level. From here, it's a good building block towards the future. Just hanging with the guys and soaking it all in.

Gothberg will join the USHL's Fargo Force next season and possibly beyond depending on how well he plays and what the situation is in net at the University of North Dakota in 2011-12.

I tracked Colborne down and enjoyed meeting him for the first time after chatting numerous times with him on the phone.

B2010DW: So, what were your thoughts on the first on-ice session in your third Bruins Development Camp?

Joe Colborne: I feel like the pace was a little slower, but that was to be expected given what we've done over the past few days. But, it was great to see the new guys come out and they had a lot of fire out there. But again, I think tomorrow is going to be a lot better show of the talent. I thought we were-- everyone's a little nervous on the first day as usual and it is July, so we'll see how it goes the rest of the week.

And on that note, Joe. We'll close out this post and look forward to tomorrow's sessions.

(Thanks to Chris and Cinde for letting me use their camera-- I brain-cramped and forgot mine, but wanted to get some shots of the guys and they were kind enough to hook me up)

Back in Boston

2010-07-06T17:23:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to seeing what the kids have tomorrow at Bruins Development Camp. Of course, there isn't a great deal to these on-ice sessions. It's more about introducing the prospects to the organization, coaches and system and providing them the opportunity to establish a rapport and do some good team-building exercises. Jobs aren't up for grabs here, so the atmosphere is relaxed, providing the brand-new draft picks an intro to the kinds of things they'll see at veteran camp, the area and most importantly, a chance to bond with their peers in the organization.

A year in the development of Tyler Seguin...Red Line style

2010-07-05T12:07:00.000-07:00

Back when Joe Colborne was Boston's first-round selection in 2008, I charted his progress over a year in the Red Line Report, going through each issue from the 2007-08 season to pull out highlights and scouting reports on him.

I thought that as I get ready to travel to Boston to see Colborne and the newest raft of B's prospects at the development camp this week, now would be a good time to do the same for Tyler Seguin, the second overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Now, from talking to Tyler several times during the season and then in L.A. before and after the Bruins called his name, he brought up the point each time that unlike Taylor Hall, he was not seen as a potential NHL franchise-type player when he first arrived in the OHL two years ago, and that he's been most proud of his significant improvement from one year to the next. Seguin's assessment is borne out when you go back to Red Line's 2009 NHL Draft Guide, in which they posted their top-70 rankings for the 2010 draft class one year out. Seguin is on there, but all the way down at No. 13. And, he gets nary a mention in the one-page narrative which accompanies the rankings.

Well, Seguin made some money in July when he attended Team Canada's Under-18 evaluation camp, because by the August 2009 issue, he had moved up to No. 5 on Red Line's top-110 (they don't expand their rankings to cover all seven rounds until a couple of months of the hockey season are in the books).

Here's the writeup on Seguin in the Aug. '09 issue, based on what Red Line's scouts saw from him at camp. It shows clearly that Seguin burst out of the gates in the middle of the summer, and never looked back.

Tyler Seguin, RLR Aug. '09:
Best player all camp long ownedthe puck and made his line go. Has a knack for thinking one step ahead of where the puck is headed and being the in the right place at the right time with his stick on the ice ready to finish. Eagerly challenged defenders at the blue line and, despite his lack of a separation gear, was slippery to contain due to his magnetic puck control. Routinely makes plays in tight and maintains possession while knifing through congested areas. His special hands facilitate delicate passes and precise finishing ability, as he buried the puck top shelf from in tight. Hits wingers on the tape with cross-ice saucers without breaking stride. Intelligence and vision are so exceptional it's easy to overlook skating deficiencies, though quicker feet would help. Keen anticipation allows him to intercept breakouts and turn them into prime scoring chances. Won't overpower guys physically and doesn't finish all his checks, but arrives early to puck battles and will take hits to make plays. Dangerous player who makes those around him better.

A ringing endorsement, though the skating comments are curious to say the least. One NHL scout told me in April that he graded Seguin a 5 out 5 in skating, even if he didn't have the explosiveness and lightning speed that Hall possesses.

In September RLR raved about Seguin's huge role in leading Team Canada to gold at the Eight Nations (aka Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament) in Slovakia, and moved him up two spots to No. 3 on their overall rankings behind Hall and teammate Cam Fowler, while featuring him in their "rising" section and profiling him in their OHL top-18 (at No. 3, obviously).

Seguin, RLR Sep. '09:
...Tyler Seguin was magnificent in leading Canada to the gold, and continues to show that his game has morphed to a whole new level since we last saw him skating for Plymouth.

Rising:
Tyler Seguin-- Was the best performer at both Team Canada's U-18 evaluation camp and the Ivan Hlinka Eight Nations tourney-- that basically makes him the best '92 on the planet.

OHL preseason profile (3 of 18)
Had an excellent second-half last year, and appears to have made huge improvements in his overall game. Was easily the best player this summer at both Team Canada U-18 camp and the Ivan Hlinka tourney. Slick and smart with a bit of an edge to his game. Outstanding hands; can dangle at top speed with his head up looking to make plays. Can either dish or score and does both very well. Lacks an overdrive gear to his skating, but he can get there. Not the biggest cat, but he's not small and far from a shrinking violet. Was paired with two OHL stars when he took off last season, but the big question ios can he continue to thrive in his own and make his mates better. We think the answer is yes.

As you can see, Red Line was enamored with Seguin, and the OHL season had not even begun yet. They featured him in their always-informative monthly "draft spotlight" segment, which is an interview with player and coaches, framing the individual's potential nicely. I won't reprint it here, but knowing now how things turned out when it was written for the September issue, everyone could pretty well see the writing on the wall for him.

In October, the Seguin machine was in full swing, with RLR putting him on top of their rankings for the first of two consecutive months before Hall would re-take the lead in December and take it all the way home. However, while it raised eyebrows in October, had anyone posted Kyle Woodlief and Co.'s reasoning for Seguin being on top of the world in April, it would not have made a ripple in the gulf of debate between the two outsized OHL stars.

Seguin, RLR Oct. '09:
...We know it's only three weeks in and this may be controversial, but Tyler Seguin's performance, dating all the way back to August's Team Canada U-18 Evaluation Camp and the subsequent gold medal performance at the Ivan Hlinka Eight Nations tourney, means that the Plymouth star has ascended the throne and currently sits atop Red Line's early season rankings. Before you laugh, hear out our reasoning.

It's simple: Seguin has just been on fire! He is presently leading the OHL in scoring with staggering 11-7-18 totals in only seven games. He has recorded a point in each of his team's seven games and has been in on 18 of Plymouth's 29 goals so far this season- or 62%. He is the Whalers' unquestioned main man and, with the injury to R,J, Mahalak, has elevated his game and put the entire Whalers' squad on his back.

Plus, he's doing all this without the support of a star studded lineup, the way Hall and Fowler benefit from in Windsor.

We're not taking anything away from Hall or Fowler. We just feel that Seguin has to be rewarded for achieving an incredibly high level of play and sustaining it for over two months now. At Red Line, we reported that he was a man among boys in dominating Team Canada's U-18 camp and he was clearly the Hlinka tournament's dominating force in Slovakia. Whether or not Seguin can maintain this level of play for an entire season remains to be seen, but for now, he has earned the right to be RLR's #1.

In November, Seguin was still No. 1 on RLR's rankings, but the publication moved on to cover different players and topics. However, I conducted an interview with Woodlief and Seguin came up in the discussion. Here's what RLR's chief scout had to see about him then:

Bruins2010DraftWatch: How is the Class of 2010 shaping up overall?

Kyle Woodlief: I think it's a pretty good crop, a fairly deep crop and I really like a few of the players at the top. (Center) Tyler Seguin is going to be a top forward someday with his outstanding two-way game and upside.

B2010DW: Red Line has Seguin over Hall as the top player available in the draft;(Editors' note: So does Central Scouting, who released their midterm rankings today. More on that later) Why Seguin over Hall, who has certainly been a fan favorite to be the No. 1 pick in June?

KW: (Seguin's) just a smarter, better player overall. He's got the two-way game and is a tremendous hockey player who thinks the game as well as he plays it. Hall's skills are elite and he's more polished at this stage of his career, but in my opinion, Seguin does more to win hockey games on a nightly basis than Hall does. His developmental curve is a straight line heading upward right now, and I just really like his upside and potential to be a star performer at the NHL level one day.

By December, Hall was back on top to stay, but again, RLR showed a penchant for some prescient prognosticating as evidenced by their prediction for a head-to-head playoff matchup between Windsor and Plymouth way back before Christmas:

Seguin, RLR Dec. 09:
...Dig in and gird yourself for a long battle folks, because with the calibre of the horses in this showdown, we spect this see-saw battle (between Hall and Seguin) to continue all season long, right down to the wire next spring when the OHL playoffs commence.

And wouldn't it be special to see Seguin and Hall (and lively longshot Cam Fowler) square off in a kind of "match race" if Windsor and Plymouth manage to draw each other at some point in the OHL's western conference playoffs- not at all an unlikely scenario?

In January, Seguin's inability to make Team Canada's World Jr. Team didn't dampen RLR's enthusiasm, as he was profiled in the OHL's midseason recap profiles section.

Seguin, RLR Jan. 2010:

OHL midseason profile (2 of 18):
Hall is the flashy Pavel Bure/Ilya Kovalchuk of this crop, Seguin is the Joe Sakic/Steve Yzerman. Not as up-front dynamic as Hall, but a damn fine player with some great puckhandling skill; can dangle in traffic and dart east-west effortlessly to avoid contact. Can thread the needle with his pinpoint passes or laser beam shot. Not a blazing skater, but it's not a major flaw. Pro-release wrist and snap shots already. Makes those around him better, gets them involved in the play. Equally adept at dishing and finishing. Will take hits to make plays. Smart and creative, still has to improve his play away from the puck and in his own end, but doesn't shirk his responsibilities or float outside the blue line.

In February, RLR recapped the CHL Top Prospects game in January, played in Windsor's home rink. Seguin captained Team Orr, and they had this to say about him:

Seguin, RLR Feb. 2010:
Tyler Seguin-- Just average for us here. Showed his lateral agility, has the ability to avoid contact with quick moves at top speed. Lacking a breakaway gear, but his first two steps are good. Has the ability to make something out of nothing. Maintains puck possession after first contact.

RLR also had this interesting tidbit on the Seguin-Hall dynamic in their "Off the Record" section about a Plymouth-Windsor game played the day before the Prospects events kicked off:

"...First off, on a day when all the participants knew that half the audience were scouts, Seguin clearly outplayed Hall at the offensive end all day, playing the game at top speed every shift and creating a lot of chances. Seguin also opened the scoring with a great backhand goal on the fly to get his team rolling on the way to an easy win."

You can read the rest in Woodlief's Feb. USA Today column if you check the archives on that site.

The months of March, April and May were quiet for Seguin, as he was outplayed by Hall (who also had a better team around him) in the OHL playoffs' second round and missed out on the Under-18 tourney because of his OHL commitment (maybe that was a good thing in hindsight given Team Canada's putrid performance there).

That leads us to the annual 2010 Red Line Report draft guide, which had this writeup on him:

Seguin, RLR June 2010:
The premiere two-way talent in this draft. The yang to Taylor Hall's yin. Seguin is much more cerebral, though also highly skilled, dangerous and productive. Tied for the OHL scoring lead with Hall despite having much less talent to work along with him. Tremendous vision and anticipation, deftly moving laterally to create time and space. Has a plus-shot, especially his wrist/snap shots which he can release off either foot at top speed. Isn't nearly as gifted or explosive a skater as Hall, as he lacks the blazing speed, but his quickness and agility are excellent. Can score and distribute the puck with equal aplomb. Isn't overly physical, but competes hard and will compete in the dirty areas. High-end creativity and puck skills. Driven and hard-working off the ice; has come a long way in a short period of time thanks to his determination.
Projection: Star calibre first line pivot
Style compares to: Joe Sakic

No. 2 on Red Line's award for "Best natural hockey sense" behind Mikael Granlund.

Well, there you have it: a year in Seguin's development as chronicled by Red Line. My thanks to Kyle and staff for letting me share their observations here on this forum. I often find it fascinating to go back and put the puzzle pieces together when all is said and done-- much harded to do during the course of the season, when the mind is trying to gather as much info. on all the other prospects as possible. Now, with the draft in the books and Seguin a Bruin, it's much easier to compile the reports and put together the picture that the RLR scouts so painstakingly tried to paint over a period of 365 days.

Enjoy, and I'm looking forward to seeing Seguin on the ice in Wilmington this week.

The buzz on Tyler Seguin

2010-07-04T10:28:00.001-07:00

The latest post-draft issue of New England Hockey Journal has hit the streets, and it's got some pretty comprehensive coverage on the B's picks and New England-area selections compliments of yours truly.

It was a lot of fun to be in Los Angeles to cover it all after putting so much time and effort into the draft watch blog and NEHJ/hockeyjournal.com. Of course, the magazine cover is so much hyperbole, but I'm the writer-- I don't come up with the headlines. I thought B's amateur scouting director Wayne Smith came up with an excellent answer for the "Can Tyler save the franchise?" question, but you have to read the article to find out what he said.

To answer a question posed in the comments section, Bruins 2010 Draft Watch will be retired after the B's Development Camp is over and I finish posting reports and observations on the prospects in attendance.

In mid-July, I'll then make my last post here and roll out Bruins 2011 Draft Watch-- a whole new blog and URL and begin the whole process over again.

Happy 4th of July, everyone! Hope you have a nice, enjoyable Sunday. I'll be getting on the road to Boston Tuesday, so things will be pretty light around here until the fun begins with the first on-ice session Wednesday (won't be going to the first media availability on Tues. but suspect that my NEHJ colleague, Doug Flynn, will be there.)

The stealth selection: Jared Knight

2010-07-03T12:17:00.000-07:00

In hindsight, shoulda seen it coming. Really. I mean, when you're a team that can't shoot a puck into the ocean from the end of a pier like the Boston Bruins were this past season, finishing dead-last in the NHL for offense, then picking up a legitimate sniper prospect is a top priority.

Right winger Jared Knight to the B's with the 32nd overall selection makes perfect sense, but the amateur scouting staff did a nice job of keeping the 36-goal scorer under the radar, even if Knight's agent, Murray Kuntz, countered their attempts to keep the buzz on him minimal with some brilliant marketing of his own. What Kuntz did, in terms of employing several videos and beating the bushes for his clients is exactly why such a vocation exists. Does anyone think that Knight and his family could have done it as effectively on his own?

Anyway, not to be forgotten in all of this is the fact that Knight did his part to earn an early second-round nomination despite not being the kind of archetypal player the B's look for. Listening to Peter Chiarelli and Wayne Smith talk after the draft, it was the shooting and scoring skills that are his best attributes (I hear he's an underrated playmaker and he's not averse to dropping the gloves, too).

He's the first-ever NHL draft pick from Battle Creek, Michigan, home of the Kellogg corporation and also known as "Cereal City" to those who know it best. His dad, Duane, is a 24-year veteran of the Battle Creek Police Department. The kid, by all accounts, is driven and responsible, even if he lacks the size and pure speed that the B's like to see in their prospects. Here's a terrific story on him, which will form a nice segue until we can see him in action next week and at the September training camp (which will be here before you know it).

Knight was flying under the radar in many aspects, but for the Bruins, having him in stealth mode was precisely what they wanted. Sure, they could have rolled the dice and risked him still being there at 45 had they passed on him at 32, but in the end, they obviously got their guy.

Praise for B's scouting staff

2010-07-02T13:58:00.000-07:00

I just realized that I didn't say anything about it in my post-draft recap, but I think that the Boston Bruins amateur scouting staff did a nice job at the 2010 draft. (Cue up G. Love and Special Sauce's "Thanks and Praise" here)

GM Peter Chiarelli has surrounded himself with some smart hockey people: Jimmy Benning and Scott Bradley were a big part of the success with their expertise and experience as amateur scouting chiefs for Buffalo and Boston respectively, on top of their duties as assistant GM and director of player personnel. Scouting is in their blood, and they are invaluable to what the Bruins are doing for the future.

I think Boston's amateur scouting director Wayne ("Smitty") Smith, collegiate scouting director John Weisbrod, and regional scouts Dean Malkoc (Western Canada/WHL), Mike Chiarelli (Ontario), Scott ("Fitz") Fitzgerald (New England, Quebec), Jack Higgins (Ontario), Denis LeBlanc (Quebec), Mike McGraw (Minnesota/Midwest/USHL), Svenake Svensson (Europe) and Jukka Holtari (Europe) (Plus anyone I may have inadevertently missed) did well to bring in some legitimate talent.

We can't always agree on all of the picks, and not every prospect can play for the big club. But the bottom line is-- scouting is more of an art than a science and at first blush, the team came away with a solid haul.

I've been honored to come to know and learn a bit about the major sacrifices these guys make for love of the game. They're rarely acknowledged or appreciated, so here's a hats off to them as we get ready to check out some of the fruits of their labor next week.

Bruins announce 2010 Development Camp Roster

2010-07-02T12:53:00.000-07:00

Here's the roster, now for a few notes:

Invite Marc Cantin is a defenseman and member of the 2010 Memorial Cup champion Windsor Spitfires after being acquired from the Belleville Bulls at the CHL trade deadline.

Here's what the Spits' media guide had to say about him (special thanks to Spitfires media relations guru Robbie Gagnon for the hookup):

Cantin is a physical defenceman who skates well and can play against the opposing team’s top lines. He makes good decisionsconsistently and plays a solid defensive game. Cantin played big minutes in the Windsor Spitfires OHL Championship run this season andwas tied for fourth in the entire league with a +13 plus-minus rating. He will be expected to log big minutes in a shutdown defensive role forthe Spitfires at the 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup in Brandon.

Tyler Brenner was a member of the 2010 Cinderella story, Rochester Institute of Technology, who made it all the way to the Frozen Four (knocking off heavy favorites Denver University and UNH along the way) before turning into a pumpkin against Wisconsin. The 22-year-old winger from Linwood, Ontario scored 15 goals and 26 points in 33 games for the Tigers. His bio on the R.I.T. website lists Bobby Orr's 1970 Stanley Cup-clinching goal as his favorite hockey moment and Orr is the person in history he'd most like to meet. Maybe he gets his wish...

Defenseman Ryan Donald spent four years at Yale University and played three games in the AHL with the Springfield Falcons (1 assist) at the conclusion of the 2009-10 season. His two goals and eight points last season was a career-best.

All of the 2010 draft picks will be at Ristuccia save for seventh-rounder Maxim Chudinov, who might come next year.

Also present will be forward Alexander Fallstrom, a fourth-round selection of the Minnesota Wild in 2009 who was acquired along with a second-round pick in 2011 for Chuck Kobasew last fall. He just completed his freshman season at Harvard University (four goals, 12 points in 32 games). The Swede was a teammate of Anaheim first-rounder Emerson Etem at Shattuck St. Mary's in 2007-08.

"He's a great player," Etem told Bruins2010DraftWatch last month when asked about Fallstrom. "He plays with a ton of energy and is really smart."

Also in attendance will be Kitchener winger Tyler Randell, a sixth-round 2009 draft choice of the B's. I talked to his coach Steve Spott recently, and here's what he had to say about Randell:

"Tyler is a very big, physical, skilled player," Spott said. "What he's going to need to work on is his consistency. There are games when he's dominant and other nights, he's filling a sweater. At this level, he should be scoring 25-30 goals in a season, so this is a big year for him."

Spott also talked about some of the tactics he's employed to help motivate Randell, a player who was seen in some circles as high as a second- or third-round talent, but who slipped down because of the lack of consistency.

"I've told Tyler that there's going to be someone from Boston evaluating him every night," Spott said. "The difference in the paycheck between Boston and Providence every night is huge. Like (Dustin) Byfuglien, he's going to have to go to the net and make his hay there. Last year was tough for him because he battled through some back injuries, but with his size and skill level, he's capable of bigger things, and he knows that."

Bruins fans will be buzzing at the camp because of the arrival of Tyler Seguin for his first on-ice work that folks will be privy to, but there are so many intriguing subplots as well: How will the second-round OHL connection of Jared Knight and Ryan Spooner look? Can Joe Colborne finally exhibit some dominance in his third such apperance at development camp? Will Yuri Alexandrov grab the bull by the horns after being pretty conservative in his approach last summer? How are the goalies going to look?

This is going to be a great time.

Have a nice Fourth of July weekend for those of you in the USA and I'll be around here and there, but you'll have a lot of good coverage for the prospect camp starting next Wednesday the 7th. Traveling to Boston on the 6th, so won't be at the first media session, but everything else afterward.

Drop me a line at kluedeke@hockeyjournal.com if you have any questions or want to meet up at Ristuccia on any of the days.

Not much of a market for Thomas?

2010-07-02T09:12:00.001-07:00

Well, we have yet to see anything materialize on the trade front for the Bruins, but am hearing they are still in active talks.

My speculation on Tim Thomas being involved yesterday was just that; speculation. It makes sense that the team would want to move him, but it takes two to tango, and several of his potential landing spots/destinations appear to be off the table given some of the signings that took place.

James Murphy is reporting that Marc Savard trade discussions are ongoing and that a GM told him that there is a market for him, whereas the one for Thomas has thinned out.

All this means is that the Bruins may hold onto Thomas for the time being, and when an NHL team inevitably loses a starter to serious injury or a club like Washington doesn't get championship-caliber goaltending from Simeon Varlamov or Michal Neuvirth, that a deal will be struck then.

With the long holiday weekend around the corner, if a trade isn't announced today, then something will likely have to happen next week or later.

Chiarelli conference call: "We talked to a couple of agents, a couple of GMs..."

2010-07-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli conducted a conference call with media to discuss the re-signing of forward Daniel Paille and the first day of NHL free agency.

Paille was inked to a two-year deal at a reported $2.15 million, which saves a slight amount on his former cap hit of $1.3 million.

"I think Dan has the ability to play up the lineup," Chiarelli said when asked if Paille was seen as a fourth-liner next season. "With him it's about confidence. He didn't have a lot of confidence in Buffalo, but I think you saw some really good spurts with us."

Chiarelli lauded Paille for his size, speed and ability to forecheck, adding that perhaps too much was expected of No. 20 when injuries deep-sixed the B's in the playoffs, but if he can regain his confidence, he could play a bigger role with the team than just on the penalty kill.

Chiarelli also said that he talked to a few agents and GMs today, but nothing has materialized. He did say that he discussed possible options with the agents for unrestricted free agents Steve Begin and Miroslav Satan, but that if at all (he termed it putting them in a "holding pattern"), they would be revisited at a later date and that the Bruins are pretty well set with the UFA shopping list as it stands today.

"I've gotta leave some spots open for competition for the younger guys," he said with respect to positions at forward and whether he was looking to sign anyone else on the market.

Chiarelli also indicated that there weren't a lot of surprises today, and that with the exception of one or two defensemen, most of the key targets he anticipated as being in demand were indeed already off the market. The forward crop was thinner, but Ilya Kovalchuk is still out there. The B's GM chalked that up to fewer suitors in line for the dynamic winger's services, meaning a deal will take a little longer to hammer out.

As far as goalies went, there were fewer big signings and at shorter money than we've seen in the past.

"I would say that there were some goalies who took a bit of a haircut from what they were earning," said Chiarelli.

He also addressed the status of RFAs Blake Wheeler, Greg Campbell and Mark Stuart (and Adam McQuaid), saying that he'll look to them next to reach agreements to stick around in Boston, and was optimistic he can get something done. "I think we can get them back in the mix," he said when asked if he could do it with the team's remaining cap space (not including any movement via potential trades). "It might be a little tight."

Even the infamous Carl Soderberg's name came up, with Chiarelli saying that he'd initially been told that the Swedish Secret would come to camp by Soderberg's agent, but then the player changed his mind and signed with an SEL team. The Bruins still hold his rights for "a couple more years" and Chiarelli said the B's would keep an eye on him. But, it is looking less and less like Soderberg is any kind of option for the Bruins if he shows no inclination to compete for a spot at a time when the club is thin on forwards and he has a better-than-normal chance of making it.

Chiarelli added that he expected trade talks to resume in the coming days as the primary (free agent) market gets settled and teams get a better handle on their needs and what is still available either in free agency or on rosters. I still think that Tim Thomas is a player that the Bruins want to move, and Washington makes sense, as the Capitals were quiet today via free agency and still have a big hole in net to fill. I got another tip that led me to believe the two teams are talking, but won't share that right now. We'll see where this goes.

When asked if anything he saw/read/heard today made him laugh, Chiarelli was pretty diplomatic, saying that he was oversaturated with information coming in, but that he knows the reality of the team's situation.

"Those rumors are bound to happen," he said, perhaps a tacit acknowledgement of the effect teachnology and the new social media has on the instantaneous ability to break stories much faster than a decade ago.

De-Mo re-signs with Desert Dogs; B's to get third-rounder in '11

2010-07-01T11:05:00.000-07:00

Well, the announcement from TSN that Derek Morris just signed a four-year extension with Phoenix means that the Bruins replace the third-rounder they sent to Florida for Nathan Horton, with the conditional pick they acquired from the Coyotes last March.

By virtue of Morris hanging his hat in Phoenix once more, the fourth-rounder now becomes a third to Boston in the next draft.

So, your adjusted Bruins pick board now looks like this:

Boston Bruins 2011 Draft Picks

1st Round- 2
Boston
Toronto (Completes Phil Kessel trade)

2nd Round- 2
Boston
Minnesota (Completes Chuck Kobasew trade)

3rd Round- 1
Phoenix (Completes Derek Morris trade)
Boston pick traded to Florida in Nathan Horton deal; June, 2010

4th Round- 1
Boston

5th Round- 1
Boston

6th Round- 1
Boston

7th Round- 0
Boston pick traded to Chicago for their 7th rounder in 2010 (Zach Trotman)

Boston Bruins 2011 Draft Picks Update: 30 June

2010-06-30T12:48:00.000-07:00

By popular request, here is the latest on Bruins picks for the 2011 Draft.

Right now, B's are looking at eight selections, with a third- and seventh-rounder already having been traded, but extra 1st, 2nd, 4th-rounders having been picked up, with the possibility that the 4th could turn into a third if Phoenix re-ups Derek Morris.

One of those 2011 first-rounders will turn into a nice bargaining chip at next March's trade deadline if the Bruins are solidly in contention. We'll have to wait and see.

Boston Bruins 2011 Draft Picks

1st Round- 2
Boston
Toronto (Completes Phil Kessel trade)

2nd Round- 2
Boston
Minnesota (Completes Chuck Kobasew trade)

3rd Round- 0
Traded to Florida in Nathan Horton deal; June, 2010

4th Round- 2
Boston
Phoenix (Completes Derek Morris trade)*
*Becomes third-round pick if Morris re-signs with Coyotes

5th Round- 1
Boston

6th Round- 1
Boston

7th Round- 0
Traded to Chicago for their 7th rounder in 2010 (Zach Trotman)

Bruins top-10 prospects list (vacuum packed)

2010-06-29T13:33:00.000-07:00

Per request, I'm going to hit you with my as-of-today, Boston Bruins top prospects listing as I see it on June 29th. Now, this list is being created in a vacuum, so I will reserve the right to adjust and publish a more comprehensive list after I attend the B's development camp next week.

I'll follow up with the other requests I've received this week, because as much as I want to take a break, it's just not really in my blood. Must be all the years I spent on tanks...when you can go about three days without sleep at a time during field exercises and combat operations, you tend to figure out that rest is overrated.

Anyway- here's the top-10 list with brief snippets on each player. At the conclusion of camp, I will publish a comprehensive listing with detailed profiles on every prospect in attendance.

For now, this should serve as a nice bridge to get us there.

Boston Bruins Prospects Pre-development camp edition

1. Tyler Seguin, C
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 draft goes right to the head of the class in Beantown (and probably won't be there long because he's going to make the team next year). The Bruins think so highly of him that they have allowed him to claim No. 19, last worn in November, 2005 by Joe Thornton in Boston. It also happens to be the same digits that Seguin's idol, Steve Yzerman, wore in his 20+ year Hall of Fame career in Detroit. Seguin is as good a prospect as the Bruins have had since Thornton, but my feel after being around him for a few days in L.A. and having talked to him several times during the season is that he's more mature and better ready to make the transition to the NHL than Thornton was in 1997.

2. Joe Colborne, C/LW
Colborne took over for Tuukka Rask as Boston's top prospect in 2009-10, but he doesn't have Seguin's skill and upside, so he's back to being No. 2. At 6-5, he's got the kind of size most can only dream of having. He left Denver University after two years and had an excellent sophomore year, his scoring taking off after moving to the wing. He got some good seasoning in Providence at the tail end of the year, but showed he's clearly not ready for primetime in Boston. He's going to have his ups and downs in 10-11, but the team will be patient and keep grooming him for a job up the middle with the big club.

3. Jordan Caron, RW
The left-shooting power (off)winger may lack ideal scoring upside, but don't count him out as a 30-goal or more guy one day. He does a lot of things well and is a horse along the wall and down low/in front of the net. He's not a fighter, but plays with a lot of energy and is a smart, dedicated, coachable player. Watch for him to earn Providence coach Rob Murray's trust off the bat, and if he can stay healthy, may be among the best in the AHL rookie class this year. I thought that prior to the collarbone fracture at Team Canada evaluation camp Caron could have hit 50 goals in the 'Q' and after he struggled to find his timing upon returning to action in November, he hit his stride nicely once he was traded to Rouyn-Noranda, scoring at that kind of a pace.

4. Maxime Sauve, C/LW
The blazing fast center will likely move to wing given Boston's surplus of talent up the middle, but he's got to get stronger in order to play regularly in the NHL. He impressed at training camp and preseason a year ago, but could benefit from a full year on the farm; there's no need to rush or expect him to be in Boston right away unless he plays so well as to leave the team no choice but to keep him on. The wheels and hands are what get him noticed on the ice right away, but he's actually got some pretty nice offensive hockey sense to boot. He needs to work on his defensive awareness, but as the son and nephew of NHL players, he grew up around pro hockey and knows what he needs to do in order to be successful.

5. Yuri Alexandrov, D
The 37th overall pick in 2006 signed a two-year deal and is skilled and experienced enough to make the Boston roster out of camp so long as he can prove he's strong enough to handle the NHL grind. He's put up very nice numbers for a KHL defenseman and has some interesting potential if he continues to develop. Remember that because he's been playing pro hockey since the age of 17 that he's not your average North American rookie. His biggest challenge will be the smaller ice surface and cultural transition and not the level of play, but don't be surprised to see him in Boston quite a bit next year.

6. Jared Knight, RW
A bit of a surprise pick at 32nd overall on Saturday, Knight has scored some outstanding goals for his namesake club in junior. Although not invited to the draft combine, his agent, Murray Kuntz, did a brilliant job of marketing his client to NHL teams and the B's were obviously smitten with Knight's natural shooting ability, production and tenacity. On the downside, he's under six-feet and is a barely average skater needing some hitch in his stride. Also, one NHL scout I talked to really wanted to like Knight, but told me that he's done most of his damage on the power play and needs to improve his 5-on-5 play next season; didn't feel he was all that creative (at least for himself) and really benefited from playing with Nazem Kadri.

7. Brad Marchand, LW
The infusion of pure talent into the organization has dropped Marchand down the depth chart a bit, but he got a chance to play in Boston last season and proved he belonged, even if he wasn't able to find the back of the net (one assist). Marchand's value lies in his speed, sandpaper game and clutch play. He's been an outstanding find in the third round of the '06 draft and you could certainly make an argument to have him higher on the list, but in the end, I don't see a lot of offense from him at the NHL level unless he takes a quantum leap in his development. Still, he's a player for all of the other reasons.

8. Ryan Spooner, C
The small but highly skilled pivot became the first 16-year-old in Peterborough's long and storied history to score 30 goals in 2009, but a fractured collarbone last January cost him 21 games and a chance to make a definitive statement as a first-round pick. He's a very talented forward with some real speed and will go back to junior with the chance to put up a lot of points while he continues to get stronger. I thought he was a terrific value at 45th overall; one mock draft had him going 20th overall to Pittsburgh, and I have a hunch that he was a first-rounder on more than one NHL team draft list.

9. Zach Hamill, C
The most polarizing prospect in Boston's system earned a little breathing room for himself when he rebounded from a horrific start in Providence last season, finished the year strong and earned his first NHL callup to Boston for the 09-10 year's final game, earning an assist. He's criticized mainly for being the eighth pick in a down draft, but he looks like he could be a serviceable NHLer on the third line and on special teams in time because of his soft hands and elite hockey IQ. Strength/adding mass to his lean frame and getting quicker continue to be his biggest obstacles to a regular spot in Boston, but if the team runs into salary cap issues, Hamill might not be that terrible an option for the bottom line.

10. David Warsofsky, D
He's on the list ahead of Button, Cross and McQuaid because of the upside. Yes, he's tiny. But, the beautiful skater has the hands, shot and sense to overcome his size deficit. Oh, and he's pretty pugnacious, too. When Peter Chiarelli first announced the trade in the post-draft media scrum at the Staples Center on Saturday, my first thought was that Vladimir Sobotka was being swapped for a carbon copy version of himself on defense. I believe he's a guy who can be more than the sum of his impressive parts in time. I heard from one insider at the draft that the South Shore (Marshfield) standout may have been bored in the NCAA at times last year, so he'll certainly get his challenge in the AHL. I also thought his manhandling of the bigger, stronger Cross in front of the net in the Fenway game between BU and BC was something to behold: heart-- you can't teach it.

On the bubble: Ryan Button, D; Adam McQuaid, D; Jamie Arniel, C; Tommy Cross, D

* Fluto Shinzawa reported in the Boston Globe that B's 7th-rounder Maxim Chudinov will not be at development camp next week. Chudinov projects around 15 on Boston's prospect rankings...I will do a more comprehensive list with scouting reports and background info. after development camp.

Back at home base

2010-06-28T20:40:00.000-07:00

I had a great time in Los Angeles, but I'm back on the East Coast and it's nice to be home. Weather in SoCal was fabulous, though. For real. Came back to 90% humidity here...bleccch.

Was in the air when the Mark Recchi post-signing conference call happened, but he'll be very, very good not only for Tyler Seguin, but all the young kids who will be around him in training camp. He's a pro who will show them what right looks like.

OK. We have some time before prospects development camp, so what would you guys like to see on here between now and then?

Boston Bruins 2010 draft: the day after Pt 2 of 2

2010-06-28T07:54:00.000-07:00

Continuing on with the post-draft breakdown of the Boston Bruins' 2010 haul in Los Angeles, I thought that they did a solid job to close out the second day in the last two rounds.

In Round Six, they grabbed the very raw Zane Gothberg, a Minnesota high schooler from the border (with North Dakota) town of Thief River Falls. Opinions are a little divided on this kid, but I like the pick for a couple of reasons, not the least of which is that Gothberg has some very good upside to go with his sterling character and work ethic. Another positive to the selection is that Gothberg is a long-term project, so given Boston's situation right now with Tuukka Rask, Tim Thomas with the big team and Mike Hutchinson (third-rounder in '08) on the farm, there is absolutely no sense of urgency to get him in the mix. He'll have all the time to develop in the meantime, and that's looking like one or two years in the USHL with the Fargo Force followed by three, maybe four years at the University of North Dakota (depending on their goalie situation) before he's going to be ready to even be discussed as an option for Boston.

I've been told he's a highly skilled kid who has a great personality. One person went so far as to say the way he (Gothberg) talks reminds him of the William H. Macy character from the 90's movie "Fargo" after slamming a double espresso, and he meant that in a good way; that the youngster is extremely enthusiastic and is brimming with confidence and it shows when you talk to him (that edit was for Bruins fan "Pie O My" who apparently didn't get the meaning of the Macy character reference).

I give the pick a B+. Gothberg has some real potential down the road and was a solid value in the sixth round to boot-- Central Scouting had him as their sixth goalie among North Americans. He's done well enough to get an invite to the Team USA World Jr. Evaluation Camp, and although he's not likely to make the cut, that he's on the roster shows that Gothberg has done well to get himself on USA Hockey's radar.

In the seventh round, the Bruins addressed the defense position, grabbinig a pair of 20-year-olds in Russian Maxim Chudinov and a third Michigander in Zach Trotman of the once-formidable Lake Superior State Lakers on the cold, cold Upper Penninsula town of Sault Ste. Marie.

Chudinov has gotten more than a few thumbs-up from scouts I talked to at the draft who had seen him. Red Line Report's Kyle Woodlief was particularly enthused, saying: "I think he's a really good player. He's got nice skills and also plays a physical game as well. He's not all that tall, but he's got a squat build and has very strong legs which generate a lot of power in his skating and gives him the leverage to get up under guys who are maybe a little taller or wider, but not as strong on their skates."

Peter Chiarelli told us all afterward that although the team normally shies away from Russians (told ya) this was an exception because the team had real discussions with Chudinov and his agent, who are close with B's prospect Yuri Alexandrov on the Cherepovets KHL team. We're still trying to figure out if Chudinov is going to come over on July 6-10 for Bruins development camp, but it looks like he's expected to sign in two more years and after four years of KHL play at 22 by that time, he could be ready to step in and contribute right away.

I give the pick a solid B, with waffling toward a B+ because of his edginess. This is one of those players who very well could be ready to immediately make an impact once he's ready, but at the same time, we need to temper expectations and remember that he's a seventh-rounder and probably doesn't have top-pairing potential, even with some nice numbers in the KHL. Just a good, solid versatile guy who can play it both ways, but is stronger and a little nastier piece of work than most Russians. He might be cut from the similar cloth as former Detroit Red Wings star Vladimir Konstantinov, without the size and higher-end skill, but same kind of player and on-ice mentality.

Trotman has the nice, tall frame (6-3) and expects to fill out the lanky build with about 30 pounds of solid muscle when all is said and done. He's got pretty good feet, but lacks the vision and hands to be much more than a mobile shutdown guy in the pros. At the same time, the Bruins liked his character and drive, and saw some real potential in the kid as a late-bloomer.

Again, we're talking about the very last pick in the 2010 draft here, so while you obviously don't get too high about it, you have to be realistic if you're looking to be critical. I was told he's a solid guy who's going to play a lot of minutes in the next few years and is probably a longshot anyway. The Bruins could have done much worse, and who knows? Maybe Trotman ends up being one of those guys who overachieves and surprises a lot of people in time. Pick grade: C+

Now, as to why the Bruins didn't trade for any defensemen who fell, or grab any early in the second round... I think once again, it illustrates the team's philosophy of Best Player Available. Even though they grabbed Seguin 2nd and then followed up with Knight 32nd when guys like Justin Faulk, Alex Petrovic, Jon Merrill, etc. were there, and then went with Spooner at 45 when they weren't just tells you that they simply do not deviate from the method of stockpiling talent in the early rounds. Although Chiarelli said he was surprised that Cam Fowler and Brandon Gormley fell, he didn't entertain the serious notion of trading up for them, which surprised a lot of folks, myself included. But at the end of the day, while WE may think highly of said players, the team evaluated them on- and off the ice and decided the risk-to-benefit simply wasn't there.

Right, wrong, good or indifferent, it looks like 2011 may be the year where the Bruins could try to load up on a real option for the blue line. Or, they've added enough prospects up front in this class, that they could do something similar to what happened with their trading of Vladimir Sobotka for David Warsofsky, whom I've always liked as a great skater and real skill guy who brings great intangibles to the mix. He's the classic overachiever, even though he's yet another undersized defenseman for the Bruins, but try finding someone who has a bad word to say about him, NHL or otherwise, and you'll be looking for a while.

I still remember the way he manhandled Tommy Cross in the BU-BC game at Fenway last January, and this was from a guy who gave away four-to-five inches and about 20 pounds. I don't know exactly what Warsofsky's upside is, but he's better than most of Boston's prospects on 'D' and has that special compete/fiery intangible to his game that coaches will love. I suspect he'll find a way to be a player for the B's sooner than people think.

Well, it's time to start getting ready to head to the airport to wing my way back to the East Coast. I had a nice time here seeing so many people I know and meeting new folks. I thank all who have taken the time to read and post great feedback. I'm probably going to take a little bit of a rest this week unless I get some breaking news, but will be back and then after the July 4th holiday, it'll be off to Boston to see the new guys on the ice.

Boston Bruins 2010 draft: the day after Pt 1 of 2

2010-06-27T10:46:00.000-07:00

I've slept on what transpired in Los Angeles over the past two days (and not much, mind you- we had a very nice time out and about Friday and Saturday nights w/ a sincere h/t to our new pals in the NHL) and I've got to grade the Boston Bruins draft a solid 'B'.

Anytime you can come out of it with a high-end player of Tyler Seguin's caliber, well...let's just say that they could have had not one more pick and the organization is better today than it was on Friday at 4 pm local (Pacific). That said, there was some things to like about the draft and some other head-scratchers that make you kind of just shrug and leave you no choice but to wait and see how it all plays out.

Seguin was the no-brainer. Let's face it- we all pretty much knew that once Taylor Hall grabbed the CHL by the throat by leading Windsor's galaxy of stars all the way through the OHL and Memorial Cup that he was going to be the guy for Edmonton. And, there were plenty of Boston fans who were more than happy to let that transpire and welcome Seguin with open arms.

There's no more need to rehash Seguin here; he's an A+ pick and the man of the hour in Boston right now. After hanging out with him a bit this week in L.A. at the Target Terrace, I'm convinced that the team scored huge with this kid. I was equally impressed with Hall for his gamesmanship and big stage presence when it comes to winning games, but Seguin is a better fit personality-wise for the team and is simply a mature, polished player who is ready to take on the NHL next season.

Jared Knight was an interesting selection at 32. The Bruins made it abundantly clear that they liked this guy enough to take him at 15, which would likely have spawned a Dylan McIlrath-to-the-Rangersian reaction from a lot of Boston fans. Now, Peter Chiarelli did caveat that statement with the fact that Knight was the last of the cluster of four or five guys the B's targeted at 15 before they dealt the pick to Florida for Nathan Horton this week.

I have to give credit to the B's staff for their subterfuge in disguising their genuine love for Knight, which dates back to last season based on some of amateur scouting chief Wayne Smith's comments yesterday. They did a great job of keeping their interest in Knight very cool and under the radar, which is the way the team likes to operate. I didn't catch wind of the legitimate interest until I found out he was in Boston visiting last week and by then, I had pretty well missed the bus on Knight. Kudos to Mark Edwards, Alex Linsky and the guys over at HockeyProspect.com who had Knight highly ranked because their interest in the undersized but dangerous forward mirrored Boston's.

I've got to give the pick a B- because even though he has the high-end offensive tools and the major league shot, I've not gotten raves about his overall game from two of my OHL sources outside of Boston. I think that had the B's grabbed Ryan Spooner at 32 and Knight at 45, it would make more sense to me, but then again, what do I know? Knight could end up being every bit the scoring presence the B's think he's going to be. I'll have a better idea when I see him at camp and I do respect the hell out of a guy who markets himself like he did after getting snubbed by Central and not getting an invite to the combine.

Spooner...well, what can I say? I felt like Rob Schneider's old early 90's SNL character "Orgasm Guy" (Oh god, Oh god, Ooooh) when they announced the pick. In fact, I was talking to one of my OHL sources in early May who was adamant that Spooner would not be available to Boston at 32 let alone 45. And, he absolutely loved him, I would add.

Undersized? Yep. Needs to add strength? Uh huh. An effing amazing skater who has the stones and chops to get it done all over the ice? You betcha. Spooner gets a solid 'A' from me.

Now, after missing out on the third round, I thought there were some intriguing options available in the fourth to the Bruins, so I was more than surprised when Craig Cunningham's name was announced at 97 (in another little twist, he led Vancouver with 97 points). The instant I heard it, my thought was, "Oh, great- I just got MacDermid'd", which is exactly what that pick was. Skilled guy? Sure. Hard working? Yes. But an early September 1990 birthdate who had been previously passed over. Now, I've heard very good things about him both as a player and a person.

Mark Stowe, who's a player agent based in the Pacific Northwest (he represents former Bruin Shaone Morrisonn for one) and knows him well thinks very highly of Cunningham, and believes that he has the skill and moxie to make something of himself in Boston. I respect that, and I appreciate Stowe's efforts to shed some light on the player the Giants like to call "Richie."

The B's also got a solid character reference from Milan Lucic, who is tight with Cunningham and just the other day was working out with him and joking that the Bruins were going to bring him in. Boston's Western Canada scout, Dean Malkoc, was a major impetus behind the pick, so it will be interesting to see where Cunningham goes from here. He's ready to contribute right away and they'll need him in Providence. I think he's like a Marty St. Pierre, personally-- he'll end up being a pretty good AHL scorer in time and will help in a pinch, but top-six forward in the NHL? That's a tall order. My grade: C+ (because of the speed, skill and universal praise for his character)

The Bruins MacDermid'd us again in the fifth round when they grabbed May 1990 birthdate Justin Florek out of Northern Michigan. Big guy, good hands, good hockey sense...not a great skater. Maybe that's why he got passed over twice; third time was the charm. I heard some OK things about him from Red Line's Max Giese (who is, by the way, one of the most hard-working independent scouts out there- he's going places), but I guess I have a harder time getting on board with someone who seems to be a big kid, good guy, but simply hasn't done a great deal to stand out. Now, I do know that at least one NHL team was surprised that Florek was passed over in '09, so maybe, just maybe he did enough this year to get over the hump. But, I keep thinking that Troy Rutkowski of Portland might have been a better roll of the dice in the fifth. He went two spots after Florek did to Colorado at 137 overall. Grade: C-

OK- gotta run. I'll be back later with more analysis and a final recap of the draft.

Spooner to the Bruins at 45

2010-06-26T10:59:00.001-07:00

The B's continued their tour of the Ontario Hockey League when they selected Peterborough Petes star Ryan Spooner.

I've heard a lot of real good things about this kid from my OHL sources. Personally, I would have flip-flopped the picks of Knight and Spooner, but these are two highly skilled scoring forwards. They don't have a lot of size, but they can really get it done in the offensive end.

Here's what I wrote about Spooner on the Bruins 2010 Draft Watch blog in a post called "Here Come the Little Guys" back in February.

Ryan Spooner, C Peterborough Petes (OHL) 5-10, 177

Another super-fast, game-breaking scorer from the Ontario League, Spooner showed what he is capable of in the CHL Top Prospects Game, when he finished off a 2-on-1 break with Taylor Hall. Spooner has excellent speed and always keeps his feet moving, which is sure to earn him high marks from scouts. He may not quite have Skinner's natural touch around the net, but he's got the wheels and intensity to make NHL teams forget about his small, light frame. He hasn't had a lot of help in Peterborough this year scoring-wise, but he's shown to have the kind of character and ability to come through despite increased checking pressure that makes him a player to watch, especially if he slips out of Round One. Author's Note- A broken collarbone suffered by Spooner in January will probably impact his draft status negatively. With him out for the most crucial period of time for a team trying to make the OHL playoffs means that Spooner will likely end up becoming a nice value pick for a good team that otherwise would not have had a shot at him were he playing and contributing to the Petes' playoff run. Bad break for Spooner and Peterborough, because the kid has the goods. 2/19/10

And, although I didn't have much on Jared Knight, I did see Spooner as a viable option for the Bruins back in April.

Jared Knight to Bruins at 32

2010-06-26T10:07:00.000-07:00

London Knights forward Jared Knight is now a Bruin, taken 32nd.

Not surprising-- he came into Boston for a visit.

The skinny on Knight is that he is an undersized, but very tenacious forward with a lot of skill. He had a poor start to the season and looked out of sorts until it was determined that he suffered from Diabetes. Once treated, he really took off, finishing the season with 36 goals.

He's not big (about 5-11 and that's being generous) but anyone who's seen his workout video he made because he wasn't invited to the combine knows that the kid has some real functional strength and a legitimate hockey body right now.

His skating is average; he lacks in an explosive burst, but he's fine in a straight line and turns well.

Knight's real strengths lie in his shooting skills and offensive hockey sense, which, when added to his high-energy and toughness, makes him a pretty intriguing prospect to watch here in the next couple of years.

On Easter Sunday, I wrote up a little something on him for those who may not be familiar:

Jared Knight review and projection- April 2010

I just found out from John "Bish" Bishop who interviewed him as pool reporter over the phone, that Knight missed the draft because his sister had a driver's test. He said it was OK that he wasn't in L.A. because his family is very close and he had the chance to celebrate his selection with his family.

Second round thoughts

2010-06-26T10:04:00.000-07:00

Alex Petrovic, Justin Faulk and Tyler Toffoli are on the board.

But, what about skilled Swede Calle Jarnkrok. I've talked to a few teams and they said that he's a heck of a player and they'd take him.

Tyler Pitlick to Edmonton at 31- good selection. Thought he could go 1st, but early 2nd is good.

And Charlie Coyle

2010-06-25T21:36:00.001-07:00

Charlie Coyle, 28th overall to San Jose

Another great kid...the fact that he went just four picks after Hayes shows how close the two were all year. I think he's a tad safer to make the NHL than Hayes, but not as big an upside.

Their rivalry will continue in the Hockey East with Coyle at BU. Great stuff for hockey fans.

Here are the New Englanders: Kevin Hayes

2010-06-25T21:33:00.000-07:00

Kevin Hayes, 24th overall to Chicago

Kudos to Pie-Mac for calling both Hayes and Coyle in the first round.

Hayes is a terrific young man and he's moving on to Boston College in the fall.

Second coming

2010-06-25T17:31:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Boston Bruins, Tyler Seguin!

Final draft thoughts...the big day is here

2010-06-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

Well, the big day is finally here!

All the work, all the speculation, now we’ll get down to the nuts and bolts of the 2010 NHL Draft and the players we’ve been following all year (and in some cases for much longer, right, Taylor Hall?) will know their NHL futures.

I spoke to Brandon Gormley yesterday at the top prospects luncheon and he had some nice things to say about the Bruins: “Yeah, it was great—everything went well and I had a nice time meeting with all those guys. Cam Neely was there and it was an honor to meet with the players and staff. I think they wanted to get to know me more and personalities and things like that. It was a good time.”

Then, came the surprise: When I asked him how his visit to Boston went, he replied: “I didn’t go to visit Boston, actually, but I’ve heard great things about the city.”

Now, there are two conclusions you can draw from that: No. 1, the Bruins recognize that Gormley is out of reach and therefore didn’t want to expend the time and energy to bring him to Boston for a visit. OR—the more likely scenario is, that they knew, even with the 15th pick prior to the Horton trade, they were out of range for the surefire top-five player, so they didn’t want to alert any other teams who may covet Gormley by tipping their hand with a visit to the Hub. That’s my feeling, because I’ve been hearing about the team’s interest in Gormley for months now. And why not? He’s skilled, poised, mature and has a depth of character that the team covets.

It remains to be seen whether GM Peter Chiarelli can make the move to land Gormley, but trade rumors have been swirling around about Marc Savard, Tim Thomas and Michael Ryder. We’ll see if there is any truth to the belief that Gormley is coveted by the Bruins and if they’re willing to give up the core player and assets to do it.

Now, moving onto 32. I’m hearing that Edmonton has some real interest in Charlie Coyle at 31 if he slips out of the first round, and that makes a lot of sense. He’s a very good player, and could be a first-rounder if you’ve read the comments section here recently. Now as far as Chicago goes, I’m hearing from a good source here in L.A. that the’Hawks covet Austin Watson, actually and with two first-round picks and two second-rounders, are trying to wheel themselves in position to get Watson.

Coyle and Kevin Hayes could both go in the first, but I think that’s more of a longshot. They’re good guys, but I think it’s one or the other but not both. We’ll see- 22 and 24? Probably very early but you never know.

If you believe that Jack Campbell is the only goalie who will be picked in the first round, then Seattle’s Calvin Pickard might be an interesting option to Boston at 32. Now, he’s under the radar a bit because his team didn’t make the WHL playoffs and he didn’t play well in Team Canada’s disastrous under-18 outing, but this kid is a real athlete who was a major reason the Thunderbirds even had a shot at the postseason. He was often assaulted nightly in net and put up great individual numbers even if the wins weren’t there.

“I think it’s pretty clear he’s the second-best goaltender in this draft and there’s a pretty big dropoff after that, so if you’re thinking of getting a goalie and you can get him in the early second, that’s a pretty good value there,” said Red Line Report’s Mike Remmerde.

Portland’s Brad Ross is another consideration at 32. Red Line had him in their first round, and as much as Remmerde likes him, even he admits that top-30 will probably be too high for the agitator extraordinaire, who impressed a lot of people with his skill and production this year playing on the uber-draft line of Nino Niederreiter and Ryan Johansen.

London Knights forward Jared Knight could also be in play at 32-- he didn't get an invite to the NHL combine, but put out an impressive video of his own attempts to duplicate physical testing and even some on-ice skating work. He visited Boston along with Watson and Justin Faulk two weeks ago, so you have to think the interest is there. At 32? Maybe not. But 45, certainly. He's got a pretty mediocre first few steps, but is one of those guys who came on strong after a diabetes diagnosis early in the season.

Chiarelli has said he doesn’t plan on moving the 32nd pick because his staff believes that the value between 15-32 is pretty close and they believe that they can land a player they had targeted early in the 2nd that they had projected in the middle of the 1st. That said, that’s also scoutspeak for “anything can happen” and don’t be surprised to see the Bruins jump up a few spots in the late 1st to get a player they covet who perhaps drops unexpectedly and they don’t want to risk losing by waiting till 32. When it comes to this strategy, everything is so dependent on what happens with those teams in front of Boston as we get down to pick 25 and later.

Finally, welcome back Rex!

James Murphy reported that future Hall of Fame winger Mark Recchi has signed a one-year extension and will be made formal on Monday. It’s a nice Catch-22 for Boston, who will return the ageless one for a 22nd NHL season and his second full campaign with the B’s since being acquired in March, 2009. The veteran forward will be a solid option on the ice, but he’ll really bring value in helping to mentor and set the right example for Boston’s top pick and any of the other youngsters on the team next year. Last fall, he took '09 third-rounder Ryan Button under his wing, and he’s one who takes his leadership duties and professionalism seriously. Although we missed Rex at Botegga Louie—we ran into NHL commissioner Gary Bettman there—sounds like Joe Haggerty got the better end of the deal in his chat with Recchi.

Well, I’m seeing a lot of NHL jerseys on Figueroa street, so hockey is in the air. Time to wrap this up and get ready for the big event. We’ll be at the rink in a couple of hours…it’s almost time.

Tyler Seguin

2010-06-25T00:13:00.000-07:00

The logical option for Boston with the No. 2 overall choice in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft displayed some California cool on the eve of his big moment, meeting the press and getting some good natured jabs in at the media at large and the circus that has become the Taylor-Tyler debate.

Tyler Seguin and Brandon Gormley at Top Prospects luncheon; June 24, 2010

2010-06-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

Tyler Seguin (l) and Brandon Gormley hang out before

the media availability. Will we possibly be seeing these

two in Bruins jerseys tomorrow evening?

The NHL hosted a nice shindig for the top-10 (as ranked by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau) prospects in the 2010 draft today at the Target Terrace in Los Angeles.

You can also get more draft coverage over at http://www.hockeyjournal.com/

Arrived in Los Angeles...blogging to resume forthwith

2010-06-23T18:32:00.000-07:00

So, two things I noticed about LAX Airport today when I got in:

1. It's a very big place.

2. They don't have much in the way of restaurants.

But we were hungry and had an hour-plus to kill before a third colleague's flight arrived, so Mike, Rod and I end up over at the Encounter Bar (pretty much the only place serving food that you didn't have to pass a security checkpoint to have access to)...you had to ride an elevator to get to it, and the ceiling was decorated with some kind of 60's-era pink art deco and the elevator music sounded like the lost soundtrack to Gene Roddenberry's never-aired Star Trek spinoff show (back in the days before Deep Space Nine, Voyager and what have you) It was weird, but the bar was nice with a nice view of the airport, the distant smog-obscured L.A. skyline and not much else.

Anyway- there isn't much of a point to this other than to say that tomorrow, I'll be back in the saddle. Will attend the top prospects luncheon and meet and greet- going to forego the B's presser because it's over in Marina del Rey and conflicts with the prospects dealio, which is downtown.

I missed the whole Dustin Byfuglien trade, so am still playing catch up.

Oh, and thanks for the kind comments, guys. Just trying to do my part to raise the buzz factor on this important draft for Boston. It's a little bit of a buzzkill to not have the 15th pick, but the more I think about it, the more I can't take too much of an issue with the Horton-Campbell deal.

Time will tell...Bruins might still have some moves up the sleeve...

Off to L.A.

2010-06-23T05:47:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm headed to the airport to catch my flight to Los Angeles.

Have a busy few days ahead, but it's all good. Even with the 15th overall selection now belonging to Florida, this is still going to be a key event for the Bruins and they'll infuse some organizational depth with their seven (or whatever they end up with pending any more trades) picks.

Keep checking back in with the blog, but the priority of effort is going to be the New England Hockey Journal and hockeyjournal.com

Jumping in the wayback machine and traveling to 2003...

2010-06-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

Now that Nathan Horton is a member of the Boston Bruins, I thought it would be cool to go back to 2003 and see what the various draft publications and magazines were saying about him then. I went through my archives and found old standbys Red Line Report and THN, plus the defunct Hockey's Future publication (which lasted the 2002-03 season before shutting down) and ISS's first-ever draft guide.

Let's face it-- Horton hasn't achieved all that was expected of him, but he's that rare mix of real size and pure scoring ability at forward, even if he hasn't put it all together yet. He's not been in the greatest situation down in Florida, so perhaps the change of scenery will do him good.

Anyway-- here are some of the writeups on him. He had quite the buzz going back then, and I've seen moments when he justified every bit of that hype. Unfortunately, those moments have been few and far between for him thus far in his NHL career.

Nathan Horton, C Oshawa Generals (OHL)

Red Line Report 2003 Draft Guide
Ranking: #2 of 281 (Behind M-A Fleury)
Projection: 1st line power forward
Style compares to: Joe Thornton-lite/Bill Guerin

Entered season as top-ranked player, but was maddeningly inconsistent. Terrific size, speed, strength and a bit of a nasty streak all add up to world-class prospect. Outstanding skater for a big man who can make plays at top speed and is adept at giving and receiving passes. Has excellent hands and a shot that he can get off in tight quarters, but sometimes doesn't look like a pure finisher. Very strong on the puck, has a solid work ethic, and understands defensive concepts. Year has been marked by too many highs/lows. Needs to play a physical style but occasionally plays on the perimetre. If he learns to compete hard all the time, Horton has the highest upside (of any '03 prospect). Struggled for quite a while after getting jaw broken by fellow top prospect Anthony Stewart in early season fight, but could be a franchise player. Once he's comfortable with the role of true power forward, he will be a force.

RLR 2003 Awards section:

#10 in "Best Pure Skaters" category": Rare for such a big man to have the combination of power, acceleration and balance that he has.

The Hockey News 2003 Draft Preview
Ranking: #3 of 100

There is a train of thought that says Nathan Horton could wind up being a better NHL player than Eric Staal if he shows more consistency in his game. The book on Horton reads like this: smart player, above-average skater who competes very well, smart defensively and responsible in his own end. He has the makings of a budding power forward who can put up points and finish plays. But he could use his size better.

There were times this season when scouts wished they could see the Horton they saw in 2001-02. He played a hungrier game then.

"Consistency is a concern, but we heard the same thing about (Ilya) Kovalchuk and (Jason) Spezza," said one GM. "These guys sometimes get bored. But he turned it up in the playoffs when he had to."

Scouts still talk about the time Horton took a beating in a fight with Anthony Stewart of Kingston and how he wasn't the same player for about a month after.

"But he came back at the end of the season and he had a couple of great playoff games."

Hockey's Future Magazine, June 2003 Draft Issue
Ranking: #3 of 240 (Behind Eric Staal, M-A Fleury)

The Analysis: Nathan Horton is a power-forward type center with enough finesse elements in his game to be offensively productive at the NHL level. For his above-average size, he has great skating ability. He also has terrific touch around the net and the offensive awareness to develop plays. His overall offensive ability is coming out of the raw stages that plagued him earlier in his career. Horton continues to show promise of being a consistently productive offensive force. He is an agile enough skater currently to handle OHL defensemen down low but could use a little refining at the next level. He's an exceptional skater with great straightaway speed, excellent puck skills as well as an accurate wrist shot and slap shot. Horton goes to the net with tenacity and is physically dominating in traffic and along the boards every game. He is great on the forecheck and he can force defensemen to make mistakes and create space for his smaller teammates. His defensive responsibilities need work, but that will come with time and increased opportunities to learn that aspect of the game.

The Skinny: Horton has the potential to be somewhere in between a Joe Thornton and a Jason Arnott or Keith Primeau-type player in terms of offensive production. His bull in a china shop mentality will serve him well through the rigors of the NHL grind. Expect him to be a team's No. 1 center in the future or a great No. 2. One of the top prospects this year, Horton is expected to be among the top five picks in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

Internation Scouting Services 2003 NHL Draft Guide
Ranking: #1 of 250
Report Card
Size/Strength: A
Skating: B+
Shot/Scoting B+
Puckhandling: B
Hockey Sense: A
Leadership: A+
Poise: A
Defense: B

Skill: Blue-chip prospect. Good neutral-zone player. Has a nose for the net. Has a good scoring touch. Explosive skater. Strong in the corners and in front of the net. Protects the puck well- a real team leader.

Overall Game: Highly skilled, tough power forward with tremendous upside. He shows great strength and balance. What makes him ISS's #1 ranked prospect is his ability to dominate both offensively and physically, and control the pace of the game. After suffering an injury, he bounced back from a somewhat disappointing regular season filled with high expectations. Horton elevated his game in the playoffs, displaying his franchise player qualities.

Weakness: His only need is consistency.

ISS forecaster: The total package; look for Florida to add Horton to complement Bouwmeester and Luongo.

(Editor's note- The ISS rankings are curious- Eric Staal had significantly higher grades on his report card than Horton did but was ranked #2. Weird.)

So, that was what was being said about him seven years ago.

Now, that you've seen Horton in action since at the NHL level what say you?

Seems like a disappointment who's shown flashes of that predicted dominance, and has certainly done OK in scoring as 20-goal guy, but who probably hasn't been nowhere near as good as people thought he'd be.

Can he turn it around in Boston? We'll find out soon enough.

I've dug up some stuff on Greg Campbell and will get to him a little later, but let's face it- he's replacing Steve Begin in the lineup. He's a fourth-line veteran with NHL experience, but he'll contribute offense just once in a blue moon...just like Begin.

Wideman, 15th pick to Florida for Horton, Campbell

2010-06-22T11:03:00.000-07:00

Well, the big story is breaking...Nathan Horton, the third overall selection in 2003 and Gregory Campbell have been acquired by the Bruins for lightning rod defender Dennis Wideman, the 15th overall selection in the draft and another undisclosed pick (maybe one of the 2011s edit- report is 3rd rounder in 2011), according to TSN's two-headed monster of Bob McKenzie and Darren Dreger.

It was initially looking like the Bruins might have avoided having to give up the mid-first-rounder, when Dreger tweeted that players were being notified and it was a two-for-one Panthers to Boston swap, but the pick is a part of it.

Well adios, aspirations on Austin Watson, Emerson Etem, Dylan McIlrath, etc. but if you're a fan of Horton's I guess you really like this deal. He's a former 31-goal scorer and he certainly addresses a major need for the B's.

On paper, Boston gets a power forward and finisher, but Horton doesn't have the greatest reputation for attitude. Will he get it together and rehab his image in Beantown?

I guess we'll see. Horton has been a bit of an enigma thus far in his career, but there's no denying that he's that big-body with real skill.