Kukla's Korner Hockey

Category: NHL-Prospects

Analyzing the Players

by Alanah McGinley on 06/19/08 at 01:29 PM ET
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From Adam Kimelman at NHL.com,

The latest attempt to analyze players is psychological examinations. The League provided a five-minute test at the 2008 NHL Scouting Combine, coordinated by Dr. Ralph Tarter of EXACT Sports, with the results made available to all 30 teams. [...]

“What we’re using are three normed and validated, and American Psychological Association-approved, psychological tests that measure normal personalities,” [former NHL player Joe] Day said. “We’re not looking at any pathology. … It’s measuring normal adult behavior. Two of the instruments we use measure traits. Are you a dominant or aggressive person? Are you highly assertive? Another one measures emotional intelligence. So while you could be dominant and aggressive in social situations, with a high level of emotional intelligence you should be able to channel those traits appropriately to the context or situation. So it’s a nice blend.”

read on for a look at how the Blackhawks in particular are expanding their use of psych testing

Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, NHL Talk, NHL Prospects | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: nhl+entry+draft, psychology,

Hockey Bloodlines in the Draft

by Alanah McGinley on 06/11/08 at 09:15 AM ET
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From Larry Wigge at NHL.com,

Hockey bloodlines, you see, are notoriously accurate in predicting which players you might take a harder look at in the annual draft. This year is no different. For instance:

* Alex Pietrangelo will be the first player picked in this draft who has ties to the game. His dad’s second cousin is Frank Pietrangelo, who was a goaltender in the NHL for many years with Pittsburgh and Hartford.

* Colin Wilson is the son of former NHL center Carey Wilson.

* Philip McRae is the son of former NHL winger Basil McRae.

and the list goes on...

Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Prospects | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Defencemen Tops in the Draft

by Alanah McGinley on 05/31/08 at 07:01 PM ET
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From Michael Traikos at the National Post,

After Stamkos, the next five North American skaters are all defenceman. But the order in which they will be drafted depends on whom you ask and when.

According to Central Scouting, Peterborough’s Bogosian is ranked the highest at second overall. Four months earlier Guelph’s Doughty (third) was the top-ranked defenceman. One league scout believes Kelowna’s Tyler Myers (fourth) has the potential to become the best of the bunch five years down the road, while another puts Kelowna’s Schenn (fifth) and Niagara’s Pietrangelo (sixth) at the top because they are the most NHL-ready.

“There’s no slot after No. 1,” said Rick Dudley, assistant general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks. “With most organizations, there’s a difference of opinion over who’s the second to sixth player in this draft. That’s a little unusual.”

Trying to choose between five defencemen who have the capability of becoming franchise players is so difficult that teams are asking the players themselves for advice.

more...

Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Prospects | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: 2008+nhl+draft,

Checking Out Stamkos

by Alanah McGinley on 05/30/08 at 02:11 PM ET
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From Erik Erlendsson at Bolts Report,

I’m currently up in Toronto for two purposes. The first was to have the chance to meet Steven Stamkos and his family, which I did on Thursday night. The other was to swing by the combine today for the physical testing of the top prospects, including Stamkos, to find out about this VO2 bike test they put the prospects through, which has barf buckets right next to the bikes. Look for that story in Saturday’s paper.

As far as Stamkos goes, he certainly seems like one of the nicest high-profile teenagers you might ever meet. Spent just over two hours at the family house outside of Toronto and had some great conversations. Very humble family and you can see how that has carried over to Steven. Despite all the heavy marketing the Lightning have already done with Stamkos, they still answer everything with “if Tampa Bay drafts’’. They are taking nothing for granted, and that’s just how they are, they don’t want to get ahead of anything.

more on Stamkos

Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL Talk, NHL Prospects | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: steven+stamkos,

Blogging the Combine

by Alanah McGinley on 05/30/08 at 11:35 AM ET
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From TSN,

Over 100 of the top prospects available in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft are in Toronto to take part in the league’s Combine. The players will take part in physical testing and most have a series of interviews set up with representatives from NHL clubs.

TSN is at the combine, too, and will file reports on the various activities throughout the day in this Combine Blog.

9:39 - The NHL annual meat market is already well underway with one group having completed the physical testing portion. The prospects are all wearing heart monitors so their heartbeats can be tracked during the workouts.

updates being added throughout the day. 

P.S. TSN’s Draft 2008 page and the NHL’s Draft Guide can both provide more information on all the prospects. 

Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Prospects | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: nhl+combine, prospects,

Life as a Prospect

by Alanah McGinley on 03/04/08 at 12:32 PM ET
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From Zach Bogosian at NHL Connect:

My name is Zach Bogosian and I play junior hockey for the Peterborough Petes in the Ontario Hockey League. This is my draft year for the NHL and I am currently rated No. 3 among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings. NHL.com has asked me to do a blog about my experiences leading up to the NHL Entry Draft this June in Ottawa.

You can read the 17-year old’s first post here.

Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Prospects | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: ohl, prospects, zach+bogosian,

Youth Isn’t Everything

by Alanah McGinley on 02/25/08 at 02:25 PM ET
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From Al Strachan at Fox Sports,

As the trading deadline approaches, fans prepare for the familiar scene. 

The also-rans ship out their veterans. In return, they may take youngsters with potential, but only when they can’t get first-round draft picks.  Those first-rounders are widely believed to be the most valuable currency in the National Hockey League.

Listen to the average fan and he knows the answer: “You’ve got to build through the draft,” he will say. “You need to start with good young kids and you only get them with high draft picks.”

Nice theory. Totally wrong.

continued...

Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Prospects | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: nhl+draft, prospects,

Jared Staal on Deck

by Alanah McGinley on 01/23/08 at 06:42 PM ET
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From Jim Matheson at Canwest News via the National Post,

Jared Staal, a six-foot-three right-winger from Thunder Bay., Ont., is projected as a second-round pick in this April’s draft. That might be because it’s a very deep draft pool this year and because Staal’s skating needs some work.

“He certainly has skill, but there’s a lot of pressure on Jared following his three brothers. This is a big week for Jared,” said Kevin Prendergast, the Edmonton Oilers’ vice-president of hockey operations.

Staal is keeping the Top Prospects game in perspective.

“I’ve got to realize it’s just one game,” he said. “I don’t think it’ll make or break things for me ... I’m just trying to show I deserve to be here.”

more... on the next Staal heading towards the NHL

Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Prospects, Non-NHL Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: chl, jared+staal, prospects,

The Next, Next One?

by Paul on 11/29/07 at 08:26 AM ET
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from Lynn Zinser of the New York Times,

“There are a lot of Next Ones,” said David Andrews, chief executive of the American Hockey League, the N.H.L.’s top minor league. “And that’s not to say John Tavares isn’t. But there are 200 first- and second-round draft picks in the A.H.L., and none of them thought they were going to play in the American Hockey League.”

For now, Tavares deals with his fame by staying in a protective circle formed by his team, his coach and his family. His father, Joe, and mother, Barbara, and his two younger sisters make the drive from their hometown, Oakville, for most of Oshawa’s games.

more

Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Prospects | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: hockey+scouting, John+Tavares,

Blue-Chip Defensemen Coming to the 2008 Entry Draft

by Alanah McGinley on 11/15/07 at 02:59 PM ET
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From Brad Holland at NHL.com,

NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary rankings for the 2008 Entry Draft are out and, as expected, Sarnia Sting forward Steven Stamkos heads the list of Ontario Hockey League prospects. Belarussian forward Mikhail Stefanovich of the Quebec Remparts heads the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League list, while power forward Kyle Beach is ranked as the Western Hockey League’s top skater.

Each of the three, Stamkos especially, is expected to be a huge part of whichever team is lucky enough to nab him at this summer’s Entry Draft in Ottawa. But while the top player from each league is a forward, the 2008 Entry Draft will likely be remembered as the year of the blue-chip defensemen.

continued...

Filed in: NHL Talk, NHL Prospects | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: 2008+entry+draft, mikhail+stefanovich, nhl+scouting, steven+stamkos,

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