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Franchise Player
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1. Andrei Kostsitsyn Prospect Grade: 9.0 C
Kostsitsyn is an excellent puck-handler, with above-average speed. What sets him apart from other players is his ability to handle the puck at top speed. He has good hockey sense, although like most players his age he needs to work on playing without the puck.
He is also blessed with a quick release and heavy shot. The only things that kept him out of the top-five in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft were health concerns.
2. Maxime Ouellet Prospect Grade: 8.0 A
Maxime Ouellet (pronounced Max-EEM Wuh-LETT), the Flyers first round pick in the 1999 entry draft (#22 overall) is generally acknowledged as being among the top goaltending prospects in the NHL
Central Scouting Report: "Relies on the butterfly but also is capable as a standup goalie ... Likes to challenge shooters ... Has good quickness and reaction time, he also maintains solid position to avoid the need to scramble ... Uses his stick to break up passes around the net ... Could show more patience before going into the butterfly...Good agility and balance ... Plays his angles very well ... Good stand-up style ... Showed very good concentration in all game situations ... Mentally tough, good competitor and great composure."
3. A.J. Thelen Prospect Grade: 8.0 C
Thelen is a big, mobile defenseman that has an incredible offensive upside. He skates with a pro stride and makes quick, crisp passes. As a freshman, he exhibited offensive flair quarterbacking the power play and rushing the puck up ice during even strength play. He is still a bit raw in the defensive end, but is a solid positional player. With his size and speed, Thelen can really challenge opponents with aggressive play, but still needs to work on reading when to jump up on the rush. He has a hard, accurate shot and possesses excellent vision and puck poise, which makes him especially dangerous on the power play.
4. Alexander Polushin 8.0 B
After ridding himself of the "lazy" or "disinterested" label that followed him during his draft year, Polushin has established himself as one of the better prospects to come out of the 2001 draft. He boasts NHL size (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) and has NHL skating ability and uses these traits well along the boards and driving to the net. He has good hands as he can deliver soft passes, handle the puck well, and he has a quick and accurate shot. He has excellent poise with the puck not unlike the Lightning's own Brad Richards. He doesn’t get too high or too low – he just goes out and does his job -- whatever he's asked to do.
After his performance at the 2002 WJCs, Lightning head scout Jake Goertzen said, "Polushin has excellent size and he is a very, very smooth skater with good talent level. He displayed all of this at the World Juniors Championship. What was most impressive though was he brought his intensity level up to match the caliber of the tournament and he scored, arguably the best goal of the championship game. If he plays the way he played in the tournament, and there is no reason he can't, he will have no problem adjusting to North American style hockey. He showed the willingness to hit and grind it out to get the puck ... he was impressive."
Polushin seems to do everything well – defensive play, skating, physical play, shot, stickhandling, hockey sense, and effort. However, what’s missing is Polushin putting it all together and sustaining it on Russia’s highest level. Of course, he must shake off the rust of missing nearly a season’s worth of play and stay healthy. All areas of his game are good, but could be better. He has the ability to be great, but hasn't reached that point yet. He could also stand to be more selfish offensively and use his abilities within his already polished defensive game.
5. Jason King Prospect Grade: 7.5 C
An excellent skater, King has worked hard to develop this facet of his overall game. He has a good shot coming off the wing, and has improved in that respect as well. - King led the entire Canadian Hockey League in scoring, with 63 goals with the Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)… Finished the season as the all-time leader in goals for the Mooseheads (114)
6. Miroslav Blatak Prospect Grade: 7.0 C
Blatak is a typical small sized defenseman who compensates for his size by playing a smart game. He is a good skater who has quick feet and good overall speed. He is very mobile and has good lateral movement. Blatak is a very smart defenseman who plays with his head. He reads the play well and is very calm with the puck. He carrys the puck with confidence and isn`t affraid of joining the rush. Although adding some weight in the off-season Blatak is still a bit soft and easily pushed around. In order to take his game to the next level he will have to add strength and play more aggressive in the defensive zone.
7. Jarkko Immonen Prospect Grade: 7.0 B
A very creative player, Immonen’s hockey sense is at an elite level. He can find an open player almost every time he passes, and consistently finds open space to become a passing option for his team mates. He can read the game very well on both offensive and defensive sides of the puck. Immonen is an awesome playmaker and seldom makes a bad pass. He can stickhandle extremely well at top speed, making him a dangerous player on the rush. Last season, Immonen played PP situations at the blue line and scored some clutch goals with his impressive slap shot. This season, he plays more as a playmaker and favors a quick wrist shot to beat goaltenders in close.
Immonen is great two-way player, who sees spot duty on JYP’s penalty-killing units. While lack of size is a cause for concern, Immonen rarely gets pushed around. He has great game reading ability which helps him avoid getting hit, but he also doesn't shy away from contact and doesn't fade out in games when the opposition is clearly trying to rough him up. Immonen also possesses top notch faceoff skills. He’s one of the best face-off men in Finland and is always on the ice taking draws when it matters most.
The main source of concern in Immonen’s game is his skating. He isn't the fastest guy on the ice, but he has been training hard and getting better. He has gained some speed but it's not his main asset. He still needs to improve his acceleration and agility on his skates.
8. Ryan Bayda Prospect Grade: 7.0
Bayda is a very good skater, with good agility and balance. He is a very smart player, who is a good playmaker, as evidenced by his more than one assist per game in the BCHL. He has a very accurate shot, which he can get off at a good rate, with a quick release. He is a good player away from the puck, too. He can forecheck, and plays with a lot of tenacity on the Defensive End. He loves to play physical, he's probably the best bodychecker that the 'Canes have on their current Prospect List. He's also a good worker along the boards, and in the corners. He needs to get stronger, though, like many collegian athletes.
9. Eric Nystrom Prospect Grade: 6.5 A
Eric Nystrom is an agressive two-way player. He plays well in traffic and handles his responsibilities well at both ends of the ice. Nystrom is not a sniper, but he is a balanced skater with good puck skills. Hockey sense and great attitude are also some of Nystrom stronger sides to his game.
With above-average hands, Eric could develop into a top-line player at the pro level, but his strength and offensive consistency still need to improve.
10. Konstantin Glazachev Prospect Grade: 6.5 B
Glazachev would have to be considered close to NHL ready after two seasons in the Russian Super League. He will have to continue to work on his defensive play and get physically stronger before he can compete at the NHL level.
Target NHL Year: 2005-06
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