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Position - Prospect (Rank)
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D - Brain Lee (1)
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The University of North Dakota recruit was an imposing player at the high school level, possessing good size and
superb skating skills. He can play in all situations, can easily move the puck up ice, and is adept at joining the rush. Moorhead
High School Coach Dave Morinville told Hockey’s Future that Lee is very coachable and compares Lee to another American
defenseman, Brian Leetch.
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C - Alexei Kaigorodov (2)
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Kaigorodov has shined in international tournaments and fared well over in Russia. The question is how will he
hold up on the smaller ice and physical play of the North American pro game. His speed and hockey sense will help, but he'll
still need to add muscle in areas that won't take away from his game, but will make him more injury resistant and effective
in those games. There is a learning curve ahead for Kaigorodov, but he's got the potential to be a player in the NHL.
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He is a terrific sniper, and possesses a strong, accurate wrist shot. Although he could stand to gain a
few more pounds, Fehr does use his size well, and is very difficult to knock off the puck when he is cycling in the corners.
Like many players his size, he is not a great skater. However, he does make up for it with superb on-ice awareness and sound
defensive play. He has added about 15 lbs to his frame over the last year, and it appears that he may still be filling out
his 6’3 frame.
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The most dominant aspect of Bourret’s game is his physical play. Rare is the shift that he does not throw
a heavy body check. Built like a tank, Bourret hits to hurt – often – but he also does so cleanly. He is willing
to get his nose dirty, and stick up for his teammates. He played regularly in all situations.
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Kevin Klein is a smooth skater, a two-way puck-moving defenseman and is a very accurate passer when coming out
of his own zone. Has good speed and acceleration. Has great vision and can consistently find the open man. He likes to lead
the rush. A great shot-blocker, he will sacrifice his body fearlessly to block shots. He’s strong defensively in front
of his net and along the boards. Although not overly physical, has a tendency to go for the big hip check when an opponent’s
head is down. Good shot from the point on the power play, tries for accuracy to get the puck on the net. Good offensive instincts.
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Above all, Dubnyk possesses the one great talent no coach can teach: size. At 6'5, Dubnyk gives very little of the net
up to opposition shooters, and often looks like NHL goaltenders Olaf Kolzig and Sean Burke between the pipes with his hulking
size. Very strong positioning and great rebound control are two other strong characteristics of Dubnyk's play in the net.
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Smolenak has a great 6’3 frame that he uses well to drive wide on defensemen, although like most big wingers
his age, could stand to add some weight and strength. Smolenak is a natural goal-scorer who we’ve liked since the first
time we saw him. He’s just starting to make a name for himself with his soft hands as one of the most dangerous and
consistent scoring threats in the OHL.
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Giroux’s greatest talent is his playmaking ability. Boasting excellent hands and great vision, the diminutive
winger is able to use his quick skating ability to turn something out of nothing. Giroux, despite his size disadvantage, does
not mind getting his nose dirty, and will stand in to take a hit in order to make a play. He does get bodied often, but the
shifty winger is agile enough to avoid checks on a regular basis.
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Söderberg is a very explosive player. He is a good skater and has a powerful stride. With his quick feet he very easily
gets around the opponents. He has an accurate shot, has a fine scoring touch and is a good playmaker as well. His hockey sense
is top-notch and the way he handles the puck in full flight is very impressive. A strong player with great size combined with
good technical skills. Earlier his defense was somewhat questionable but he has become a much better player without the puck.
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D - Marc-Andre Gragnani (10)
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Gragnani is not a particularly mean or strong defenseman, but he does a number of things very well. He is extremely smart
both defensively and with the puck. His passing skills are good, and he knows when to pinch and when to retreat. In the defensive
zone he knows when to protect the net and when to pursue the puck in the corners. Gragnani’s heart, however, may be
his most appealing asset. He gives it 100 percent every shift and never takes a night off, and is willing to sacrifice his
body for the good of the team.
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Gergen has good skating and vision, but will be challenged by a new level of hockey where he won’t be able
to score 60 plus goals and dominate physically. He is still relatively small, but four years in college will help that and
the Michael Gergen that will come out the other side of the Minnesota-Duluth program should be a force to be reckoned with.
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Somewhat undersized butterfly goalie, but very quick and agile. He is very consistent and rarely has an off game.
Reflexes are top notch and he has a very quick and impressive glove. Moves well from side to side and has a winner’s
instinct.
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D - Dustin Byfuglien (13)
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One of his greatest advantages is that he is capable of playing both forward and defense. He hits hard, and
has a scoring touch. He has NHL skill, but may have some motivational problems. He is known to stick up for his teammates,
and has a good reputation as a fighter. A team can never have too many players who have great hitting skills, especially one
that can play multiple positions.
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Fraser brings a nice blend of size and skating and plays a physical brand of hockey. He is a prototypical stay at home
defenseman who has adjusted nicely to his first season of major junior hockey after playing in Junior A hockey last season.
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What makes many so intrigued by Ahnelöv is the way he combines his speed and passing skills with a pretty nasty
physical game. He likes to play the body and has good timing in his hits. Ahnelöv, who is an aggressive player, is offensive
minded and like to follow the rush. Usually he is very effective and difficult to stop when he reaches full speed, as he is
a very capable skater. His passing game is above average and overall his offensive skills are quite exciting.
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He’s a tremendously skilled player with hockey smarts to boot. Moulson’s also an excellent skater
with very good speed. He’s blessed with great hands, and his passing ability is outstanding. He uses his 6’1"/205
frame quite well. He’s strong and tough to move off of the puck. In addition to his well-publicized offensive skills,
Moulson is also a solid defensive player. He’s utilized in Cornell’s penalty-killing situations and has done very
well in breaking up plays, particularly in odd-man rush situations.
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LW - Dragan Umicevic (17)
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Umicevic is one of the most technically skilled Swedish players drafted in 2003. Umicevic can be a force offensively but
has displayed some inconsistency problems. When he gets it all together he is a spectacular player to watch who can create
scoring chances out of nothing.
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Weber is a big, strong, and mobile defenseman who has the kind of size and physical play that coaches want.
Earlier in Junior he concentrated on defense but lately he has became more offensive, ending up as the second leading scorer
on the Spitfires among defensemen.
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Ratchuk played offense growing up, but transitioned to defense and decided to stay back on the blue line. He has
great skating ability and tremendous speed. Ratchuk joined the USNTDP U-18 team. He demonstrated the progress he made playing
for the U-17 team by recording 30 points (12 goals, 18 assists) in 55 games.
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Aggressive, sleek skating forward. Has good size and very good hands. Very good with or without the puck. Can
create offense on his own or create it for his teammates.
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LW - Mason Raymond - Great skater and good hockey sense.
G - Kevin Armstrong - Developing goaltender, coming along.
G - Kristofer Westblom - Will finally play as the #1 tender in the WHL.
D - Marc Methot - Best defensive prospect in Jackets system.
RW - Sergei Shriokov - Highly Skilled, Gamble Pick.
RW - Mark Mancari - Big Power Forward in the making.
G - Chris Heino-Lindberg - Tough road ahead, but developing.
C - Jonathon Matsumoto - mini-scoring machine.
RW - Alexander Bumagin - Highly skilled Russian.
D - Kiril Tulupov - Big defenceman, very good shot but very raw skills.
LW - Dick Axelsson - Great size and, aggressive and physical player.
D - Vadim Khomitski - Very aggressive physical defenseman.
D - Denis Bodrov - Valuable special teams contributor.
D - Marek Biro - Hulking Slovakian defenceman.
G - Jeff Zatkoff - Goaltender with size, poised, confident and mature.
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Material added from Hockeyfutures.com
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