[Dion]

"I was always a smart player growing up because I was smaller than I am now, so I had to be smart," Jankowski said. "Now, since my growth spurt, I've still maintained those smarts and I really like to use that on the ice -- my hockey sense and my vision. That all started when I was smaller. But now, after my growth spurt, I've benefited from the natural strength that comes with that and being able to use my body to protect the puck."

Jankowski began to open some eyes at a summer showcase event in Boston in July 2011, playing on a team with players three or four years older than him, yet still standing out.

"Come January, I don't think we had a single game where we didn't have about 25 NHL scouts in the stands," Rioux said. "It was certainly not something we'd ever experienced before."

What those scouts saw was a center with a strong skating stride and extraordinary vision that was still learning to play in his new, drastically bigger body.

"His skating, for one thing, is effortless, and he's got that top-end speed, but it's his hockey sense, his vision and his patience. His teammates just have to get there and the puck will be on their stick. He's that kind of playmaker. I think he's shown the teams what they needed to see, so I don't think there will be any hesitation [at the draft]."

"I've been working out a lot," said Jankowski, who has committed to Providence College but likely will play next season for Dubuque of the United States Hockey League. "But I'm a bit of a late developer, so I'm still working on the strength. There's room for improvement."

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=635275