2006 Future Watch

By: Grant Farhall

THE PREAMBLE 

Ok, Welcome to CPHL Futurewatch 2006. Before we get to all the fun stuff, there are some questions that I want to answer about this report and how it’s created.  

What is this report?

This report is an evaluation of each CPHL organization’s prospect base. It is an examination purely of just this one facet of an organization and is not intended to make judgments on organizations overall or the capabilities of any GMs. (Except for the Islander GM…such a noob). 

How seriously should we take this?

Not at all. No one should be upset with his or her ranking. Its all for fun.  

What’s different this year?

I’m glad you asked. A few things:

1. The “Prospect To Watch” has been replaced by “Ready to Step In” which is an overview of players that are CPHL ready or close to it.
2. My personal favorite feature “Darkhorse” is back. Just as an FYI, last year we proved to be bang on with some darkhorses such as Chris Campoli, Tomas Plekanec, Pavel Vorobiev, Garth Murray, Staffan Kronwall and Richie Regehr. Others, well let’s just say they are still darkhorses.
3. GM Comments for most teams have been included this year
4. The biggest change this year is that this is now solely an analysis of prospects. CPHL players under 23 (included last year) are no longer part of this. Frankly we all know that Rick Nash is a good player…we don’t need a report like this to tell us that.

How do you define a prospect? 

This is the biggest challenge of the report, and source of great angst for the author. I think my definition is better this year, but still not perfect. In general I followed these guidelines:

-         If a player is a regular CPHLer or has a high enough CPHL rating (67+) AND is a regular NHL player – They are NOT a prospect

-         If a player does not have a high enough CPHL ranking to be a regular, but is a regular NHLer  – they ARE a prospect (e.g. Dustin Brown)

-         If a player has a high enough CPHL ranking but is NOT a regular NHL player – they ARE a prospect (e.g. Braydon Coburn)  

Still, there were some prospects that were hard to define one way or the other. For instance, is Alexander Semin a prospect or not? Others on the bubble included Andre Mezerjos, Stanlisalv Chistov and Kari Lehtonen. Ultimately in most of these cases I defaulted to the criteria above to make my determination.  

Admittedly some of those decisions can be debated.  

Where do you get the information for your analysis?

The primary sources are The Hockey News, HockeysFuture, and Hockeydb.com 

Hockeysfuture? Isn’t it kinda lame?

Yes in some respects. But it is the net’s largest collection of prospect info and is free. My biggest personal beef with HF is that it is biased towards skilled prospects and doesn’t value character or “role” players at all. But in a sim league, I would suggest skill is more important than character so in this context, the HF bias isn’t a bad thing. Regardless, the resources used are far from perfect, but its what we got to work with.  

AND THE WINNER IS… 

For the first time, the top ranked organization is not up the highway from Calgary. In fact, Edmonton slipped all the way to 6^th in the organization. Which isn’t to say that they aren’t still the best overall organization for young talent, it’s just that a good chunk of their prospects have graduated.

This year’s #1 ranked team are the Philadelphia Flyers, though it was a virtual dead heat between the Flyers, Wild and Rangers, with the Caps, Avs and Oil also meriting consideration. The Flyers edged them out because they have slightly better top end talent than the Rangers, and slightly better depth than the Wild. Congrats go to both the current GM Noops and former GM Spike who had a hand in acquiring a lot of the assets in the Flyer organization.  

The Rangers improved their prospects the most over the past year, rising 18 spots in the rankings, while also advancing further in the playoffs. Impressive work to say the least.

Other teams rising in the rankings included the Devils (+16), Sharks (+8), Sabers (9) and the Lightning (+14). It’s good to see some of the organizations that have been struggling for a few seasons improve their standing in this ranking as it bodes well for the future.

I hope you all enjoy this little (or not so little) report.

Overall Rankings  

1. Philadelphia Flyers

Organizational Grade: A 

Top 10 Prospects

1. Gilbert Brule (8.0B, HN#7)
2. Shea Weber (8.0B, HN#4)
3. Josh Harding (8.0B, HN#40)
4. Dave Bolland (7.0C, HN#46)
5. Dustin Brown (8.0B)
6. Eric Fehr (7.5B, HN#30)
7. Marek Zagrapan (8.0C, HN#41)
8. Brian Lee (8.0C, HN#22) 
9. Tim Gleason (7.0A)
10. Maxime Talbot (6.5A)

Ready to Step In: The Flyers should get an injection of talent from their prospects in the upcoming CPHL season. Tim Gleason has developed into a steady dman for the NHL Kings and can offer the same for the CPHL Flyers. Gilbert Brule will likely make the Jackets out of camp and afforded the opportunity to play on one of their top 2 lines. Dustin Brown is also a sure-thing to make the CPHL team, joining Shea Weber who although, a CPHLer, is still considered a prospect due to lack of NHL activity. Eric Fehr is the final possible prospect for next year.  

Darkhorse: Evgeny Tunik finally made it over to this side of the pond last season, a critical step in his development. He is a big center/forward who has some, but not a ton of skill. Not surprising for a man of his size, his skating is a little weak. His upside is probably as a 3^rd liner with a bit of scoring ability, but he could also easily never quite figure out how hockey’s played in North America.  

Overview: What a list! The CPHL Flyers are reaching a fork in the road. With one of the deepest pool of prospects in the entire league, Philly will have to decide whether to use some of this young talent as trade bait, or simply wait for their youth to mature into front line players. The latter route probably holds a better long-term future, but it will take some time to get there. None the less, this is a deep, skilled and balanced list of prospects that should have their GM drooling. 

GM Comments: “The Flyers organization is stacked with top quality prospects and needless to say the Flyers are very excited about the future of the organization. The 2006 edition of the flyers prospects include many new faces; Gilbert Brule, Eric Fehr, Dave Bolland, Marek Zagrapan, Alex Bourret, Shea Weber, and Josh Harding. GM Noops has had many offers for his plethora is blue chippers but has decided to stick with all of them to date. 

The organization is stacked with quality prospects at all positions, especially up front where the organization has the ability to boast blue chippers Brule, Fehr, Dustin Brown, Bolland, Zagrapan, and Bourret. All of these players are projected to become top six forwards. 

At the blue line the organization is lead by Shea Weber. Weber is one of the best defensive prospects in the game. He can score, throw punishing hits, and excels as a leader in the playoffs. GM Noops loves the blue chipper and many reporters consider Weber to be the only untouchable in the organization. 

In net, the organization is hoping to see Josh Harding make the team in the 2008-09 season. If Harding can continue to improve and impress management they may see him with the big club sooner than that! The Flyers farm club also has the likes of Julien Ellis and Tyler Plante.  

A number of the flyers prospects have improved their stock tremendously over the course of the 2005-06 season. At the top of the list: Dave Bolland, Marc-Andre Gragnani, Julien Ellis, and Josh Harding. The team also has numerous projects in who could turn out to be excellent CPHLer’s. This list includes Evgeni Tunik, and Jordan Lavallee.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTHS:

o          Solid overall depth – abundance of blue chip talent

o          Many are ready for the primetime

o            Excellent high quality prospects with scoring potential up the middle

o          Skilled wingers with size

o          Strong depth on the blue line

o          Top pairing of offensive defenseman

o          Quality goaltending prospects

o            Numerous projects that could turn into excellent CPHLer’s

TOP PROSPECTS

Offensemen:

o          Gilbert Brule

o          Eric Fehr

o          Dustin Brown

o          Dave Bolland

o          Marek Zagrapan

o          Alex Bourret

Defensemen:

o          Shea Weber

o          Tim Gleason

o          Brian Lee

o          Marc-Andre Gragnani 

Goaltending

o          Josh Harding

o          Julien Ellis

o          Tyler Plante

2. Minnesota Wild

Organizational Grade: A 

Top 10 Prospects

1. Evgeny Malkin (9.0B, #1)
2. Hannu Toivonen (8.0A)
3. Nik Kronwall (8.5B, HN#5)
4. Alexei Kaigorodov (8.0C, HN#59)
5. T.J. Oshie (8.0D, HN#33)
6. Denis Grebeshkov (7.5B, HN#26)
7. Matt Greene (7.0A)
8. Pekka Rinne (7.5B)
9. M.A. Poliout (7.0B, HN#39)
10. Kevin Bieksa (6.5B)

Ready to Step In:  The Wild should have a number of their prospects ready for the CPHL next season. 3 players, no longer considered prospects should have more full-time positions…Nokelainen, Semin and Campoli. In edition, the Wild will sign Evgeny Malkin at some point and he is one of those rare prospects that warrants a good rating right from the start. Nik Kronwall should also finally arrive in the CPHL after an injury-related delay. Alexei Kaigorodov, Dens Gebeshkov, Kevin Bieksa and Matt Greene are also possibilities.   

Darkhorse: The Wild entered the 2005 CPHL Draft with their eye on Marek Kvapil. Kvapil had a fantastic training camp with the NHL Lightning but struggled to find his game in his debut pro season in the AHL. However, he got better as the season progressed and the Wild  are convinced that Kvapil will be a top 6 forward in the NHL/CPHL.  

Overview: The Wild lost some of their youth throughout the season in order to take a run at the CPHL championship, but they have retained a very solid prospect list. They have good balance with bluechippers on defense, in goal and up front. And of course, they also have the top prospect in the CPHL in Evgeny Malkin.

3. NY Rangers

Organizational Ranking: A 

Top 10 Prospects

1. Alexander Radulov (8.0B, HN#19)
2. Braydon Coburn (8.0B)
3. Anze Kopitar (8.0B, HN#11)
4. Ondrej Pavelec (8.0C, HN# 58)
5. Mikko Koivu (7.5B)
6. Roman Voloshenko (7.5B, HN#63)
7. Blake Wheeler (7.0C, HN#25)
8. Mike Egener (7.5C)
9. Brendan Mikkelson (7.5C)
10. Matt Pelech (6.5C)

Ready to Step In: Mikko Koivu had a disappointing year for the NHL Wild in his rookie season as more offensive output was expected, however he did show he belongs in the NHL and should be a member of the CPHL Rangers next season. Braydon Coburn already has a good enough CPHL rating to play as a #5-7 dman for the Rangers should they need him to, however they may also choose to leave him in the minors for another year. The Rangers should have a bumper crop of rookies in 2007/2008 if they hang on to prospects such as Kopitar, Radulov, and Voloshenko, all whom should be ready by then.

Darkhorse: The Rangers have a lot of boom/bust prospects that are out of their top 10 – players that if they make it, could have a big impact. But we will focus on former first rounder Sasha Pokulok…why you ask? 6’5”, 220 that’s why. Pokulok is quite simply huge and if he can find a way to use that body, he could be a top 4 dman in the NHL and CPHL. He’s a 2005 draft pick so he has plenty of time to develop, although he is very raw and his skating is a concern.  

Overview: The Rangers have one of the most impressive lists of prospects in the CPHL. GM Jeff Philipoff does as good a job of any GM in balancing short-term success with long-term considerations. Their prospects are both very good in terms of high-end talent with the likes of Radulov, Kopitar, and Coburn, positional balance (they boast strong prospects up front, on the blueline and a potential franchise goaltender) and perhaps most of all…depth. The Rangers have 20 prospects that would appear on most CPHL lists including good prospects like Martins Karsums, Sashak Pokulok, Tim Brent, and Chris Bourque who do not appear on the top 10 above. Very impressive indeed.  

GM Comments:

“Forward Prospects are the strength of the organization.   Rangers like to grab talented European players.   

Top Forwards:

Alexander Radulov  -  First line Star player potential

Anze Kopitar First line Star player potential

Roman Voloshenko - Top 6 Forward potential

Blake Wheeler Top 6 Forward potential'

Mikko Koivu  

Rangers blueline prospects are lead by three former first round selections.   Rangers defense prospects are viewed as very solid. 

Braydon Coburn  -  Future Top 4 Dman

Sasha Pokulok  - Future Hard hitting / Top Defense Dman

Matt Pelech  - Future top 6 Dman. 

Rangers future goalie is Ondrej Pavelac . Ondrej was a high second round selection.  Rangers believe he will be a starter in 3 to 4 years”

4. Washington Capitals

Organizational Grade: A-  

Top 10 Prospects

1.      Luc Bourdon (8.0C, HN#18)

2.      Steve Bernier (7.5B, HN#66)

3.      Jeff Tambellini (7.5B, HN#42)

4.      Valtteri Filppula (7.5B, HN#60)

5.      Ryan Parent (7.5B, HN#67)

6.      Igor Mirnov (7.5B) 

7.      Lukas Kaspar (7.5C)

8.      Alex Picard (7.0B)

9.      Ian White (7.0C)

10. Dan Bertram (7.0C)  

Ready to Step In: The Caps have a high number of rookies that are ready to make their mark in the CPHL adding to their already young core that includes MA Fleury, Ryan Suter, and Nathan Horton. Garth Murray (who doesn’t even make the top 10) proved he can play at the NHL level with the Habs and offers grit with a bit of scoring. Steve Bernier is a future power forward that had one of the best 2^nd halves of any rookie. Jeff Tambellini will be afforded every opportunity to make the Islanders, as will the Nucks’ Luc Bourdon. And Valtteri Filppula is a good bet to be on the Wings next season.    

Darkhorse: The NHL Red Wings have a reputation for being one of the best drafting teams in the league, particularly when it comes to European talent. And Tomas Kopecky may add to that reputation. Kopecky is an older prospect, having being drafted in 2000 but is finally starting to realize his potential. More encouraging is the fact that heis doing it on North American soil. Kopecky has good chemistry with fellow Caps prospect Valtteri Filppula and both of them may be future Caps.  

Overview: The Capitals prospect cupboard is very full, and has everything you would want:

High end talent: Check

Depth: Check

Balance: Check

Close to CPHL ready: Check 

The only apparent weakness is in goal where the organization doesn’t have a good tending prospect. Ahhhh, but a closer look reveals that Alex Auld and MA Fleury, two young starters are already up with the CPHL club and no longer eligible. So indeed, this is an organization that has its future looking very bright and with a number of these prospects ready to break into the CPHL, that future isn’t to far off at all. 

GM Comments: “The Capitals feel that they have successfully rebuilt an empty cupboard of prospects.  Especially on Defense.  Boasting future top 4 dmen like Luc Bourdon, Ryan Suter, Christoph Schubert and Alexandre Picard who are all either currently in the NHL or pretty close.   Bourdon nearly made the Canucks out of camp last season, and Picard was used as a call-up in Philly. 

On forward the depth is not quite as strong... but it boasts three  solid young players that all played in the NHL at various times of the year. 

These include future 1st line power-forward Steve Bernier who stepped in and contributed 27pts in 39 games with the Sharks to end the season, after beginning the year in the minors.  Jeff Tambellini and Valterri Fillpulla also saw duty with their big clubs and should see increased roles next season.  Lukas Kaspar is an enigmatic player that might end up being a bust. 

Recently drafted Ryan Parent and Dan Bertram have had solid seasons the year following their drafting.  The team has high hopes for both of these players. 

In Goal...  if MA Fleury can still be considered a prospect he is one hell of one... after that the cupboard is completely bare.  The team is

basically holding out all hope the Fleury reaches his potential. The capitals also have two first round draft picks, included one in the

top 5 of this years draft.  That should ensure another influx of young talent into the organization.”

5. Colorado Avalanche

Organizational Grade: A-  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Andrew Ladd (8.0B, HN#20)
2. Jack Skille (7.0B, HN#13)
3. Loui Eriksson (7.5B, HN#56)
4. Carlo Colaiacovo (8.0C, HN#54)
5. Justin Pogge (8.0C, HN#73)
6. Enver Lisin (7.0B) 
7. Aleksander Suglobov (7.5C)
8. Petr Kalus (7.5C)  
9. Daniel Paille (6.5A)
10. Jason Bacashihua (7.5C)

Ready to Step In: The Avs do not have a sure thing in terms of a player that will be ready to step in next season. Andrew Ladd got into about 30 games with the Hurricanes this season, but it is unlikely that will be enough for an off-season re-rate high enough to make him useable on a regular basis to start the season. But if the scoring forward can make the Canes out of camp, he could be a contributing member of the Avs by midseason. Other than that Carlo Colaiacovo is a possibility for next season and Jason Bacashihua played some games for the Blues late in the season and could battle for a backup job. Most of the top prospects are not likely to be ready until the 07/08 season. 

 Darkhorse: In terms of Avs goaltending prospects, Justin Pogge made all the headlines this year. However Thomas Greiss also started to turn heads in Germany, leading his league in save percentage and ranking in the top 5 in GAA. The German has good size and athleticism, reminding some of a young Olag Kolzig. Kolzig took a number of years to mature into a good goalie, but if the Avs take a similar patient approach with Greiss, they could be rewarded.   

Overview: A number of the Avalanche prospects took important steps forward this season in their development. Justin Pogge rose from a marginal prospect to one of the best netminders in junior hockey. Andrew Ladd show early signs that he will be a solid NHLer. And a lot of their other prospects enjoyed good years. The Avalanche have strength in the forward and goaltending departments but are somewhat weak on the blueline, which is the only thing holding the organization back from a higher ranking in this report.

GM Comments: “The Colorado Avalanche are excited about their prospect base. Guys like Andrew Ladd and Daniel Paille should be able to step in and make an impact next season. Jack Skille is still a couple years away but we feel he will be an important part of the Avs future. Hopefully Justin Pogge will pan out and be the Avs future 'tender.”

6. Edmonton Oilers

Organizational Grade: A-  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Rob Schremp (8.0B, HN#15)
2. Ray Emery (8.0B)
3. Cam Barker (8.0B, HN#9)
4. Scottie Upshall (7.5A, HN#48)
5. Devan Dubnyk (8.0C)
6. Lauri Korpikoski (7.5C, HN#45) 
7. Hugh Jessiman (7.5C)
8. Roman Wick (7.0C)
9. Ben Walter (7.0C)
10. Denis Kulyash (7.0D)

Ready to Step In: The Oilers have 4 players that are clearly ready to make the transition to the CPHL. Andrej Meszaros didn’t play with the CPHL Oilers this year but his rating (67) and NHL games played precludes him from the top 10 list above. That being said, he will be a new addition to Edmonton next season. Ray Emery should receive a very large bump in re-rates and be ready for back up duty. And Scottie Upshall and Tomas Plekanec also appear poised to make the Oil though there likely won’t be room for them all. Others such as Rob Schremp, Cam Barker and Hugh Jessiman could make their NHL teams out of training camp and warrant mid-season re-rates.  

Darkhorse: First the good news about Johannes Salmonsson. The talented Swede forward showed a commitment to making the NHL by coming over to North American this season to play in “the Dub”. The bad news? That transition has not been an easy one as Salmonsson has struggled on the scoresheet as well as away from the puck. However, look for him to start to make the adjustment to the North American game over the next couple of season.  

Overview: The Oilers have dominated the past editions of Hockey Futures report in the CPHL, thanks in large part to the work of former GM Speeds. Though he has long departed, his work is still paying dividends as the Oilers boast one of the best collections of young CPHL talent, and a tremendous roster of prospects. But, for the first time…the gap between the Oil’s prospects and other teams appears to be narrowing. None the less, the Oilers’ prospects include a franchise goalie in Emery, possible future Norris candidate in Barker and one of the best junior scorers of recent memory in Schremp. Add to that a collection of other solid prospects and the Oilers remain one of the best organizations in the biz.  

GM Comments:
“The Oil are still very deep in the prospect area. With 6 big boys already making huge waves in the NHL and CPHL:

Jeff Carter – 20years old

Zherdev – 20 years old

Bergeron – 19 years sold

Bouwmeester – 21 years old

Weiss – 22 years old

Plekanec – 22 years old  

The Oilers still have a boatload of talent below the top 6 big boys, starting with Ray Emery, Robbie Schremp, Cam Barker and of course Andrej Meszeros who lead the NHL from start to finish in the +/- department. Below the top 4 there is still plenty of talent to go around with such names as Scotty Upshall, Rob Globke, Brett Lebda and Ben Walter already contributing at the NHL level. And two years away such players as Devan Dubnyk, Hugh Jessiman, Lauri Korpikoski and Denis Kulyash will be ready to explode.    

In Goal

Ray Emery (NHL’s defensive player for the month of march) top goalie prospect on any team .Devan Dybnyk (made the Canada Juniors team) top prospect 2 – 3 years away. 

Forwards:

Robbie Schremp (145 points in 57 games in London OHL)
Scot Upshall (44  games 20 points +13 in the NHL)

Rob Globke (16 games 1 goal in the NHL)

Hugh Jessiman (signed 3 year contract with Rangers playing in the minors. Career potential TSN - First line winger)

Young Lauri Korpokoski played great for Finland in the Juniors

Ben Walter (6 NHL games)   

Defense:

Adnrej Mezaros (lead the NHL in +/- from start to finish and has 36 points so far)

Cam Barker  (Chicago’s top prospect)

Denis Kulyash (played for Russia in the Olympics… great Russian prospect)

7. New Jersey Devils

Organizational Grade: B+  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Jack Johnson (8.5B, HN#2)
2. Benoit Pouliot (7.5B, HN#14)
3. Ladislav Smid (8.0C, HN# 10)
4. Michel Ouellet (8.0C)
5. Eric Nystrom (6.5A, HN#65)
6. Martin Hanzal (7.0B)
7. Marc-Edouard Vlasic (7.5C)
8. Mark Fistric (6.5C)
9. Alexander Svitov
10. Vernon Fiddler

Ready to Step In: The Devils iced one of the CPHL’s youngest lineups last season, meaning players like Dan Fritsche (who is only 19) and Staffan Kronwall are not included on their prospect list as they already have been established as a regular CPHL players. For next season, the most likely to crack the lineup is Mihel Ouellet. Ouellet is a talented player who is unbelievably streaky, and needs to demonstrate consistency to stick at the CPHL level. But he should get his crack in 2006/2007. Vern Fiddler has established himself in the NHL with the Wild and should re-rate to be a 4^th liner next season. The organization’s top 3 prospects (Johnson, Pouliot, Smid) are likely a year away still but expect them to make an impact in 2007/2008.  

Darkhorse: Ben Eager was drafted in the first round way back in 2002, and still needs more time to develop in the minors. But his overall package is intriguing. Eager has the big 3 “Ss” that scouts love – size, skill and strength. Well…scouts also love skating but that’s beside that point. Eager is taking longer to develop than many thought he would and needs to find that elusive consistency that so many young players struggle to get. But if he does – the Devils could have a gem.  

Overview: GM Rein is taking a long-term approach with the organization and has done a nice job assembling some very important building blocks. Jack Johnson is a franchise defenseman and Benoit Pouliot should develop into a top line player. If Rein can make some shrewd moves to add a few more scorers and a bluechip goaltending prospect he is well on his way. The Devils would also benefit greatly if Svitov returns to North America and makes good on his tremendous upside. Still work to do…but Rein has reversed the negative momentum that had this organization heading downwards in both the standings and prospect ratings. 

GM Comments: “I feel that our prospect pool is much better than it was when I first took over the team.  Our organization is devoid of impact type players and our hope is that the likes of Pouliot and Johnson can develop into that type of player.  I like the top three defenceman that we have, but would like to have a couple more scoring forwards and a top goaltending prospect in the 21-24 year range.  The past two seasons we have ranked in the mid 20s in the future watch and the same in the overall standings.  That was simply unacceptable as we lacked immediate CPHL talent and had very little in our system that could come in and play for our team.  I felt that we needed to stockpile and develop some prospects to get this organization moving forward as it's too hard to get star players for mediocre players.”  

8. St. Louis Blues

Organizational Grade: B+  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Bobby Ryan (8.5C, HN #3)
2. Marc Staal (8.5C, HN#8)
3. Cory Schneider (7.5B, HN#68)
4. Nik Bergfors (7.0B, HN#38)
5. Jeff Frazee (7.5C)
6. Alexei Shkotov (8.0C)
7. Alex Goligoski (7.5C) 
8. Matt Keith (6.5C)
9. Mikhail Yakubov (7.0D)
10. Dany Roussin (7.0D)  

Ready to Step In:  It will be tough for any rookie to have the impact on the Blues that Syd Crosby had in 2005/2006. In fact, despite the fact the Blues prospect list is very impressive, they may not have any freshman make the team this season. Marc Staal, who was recently signed by the NHL Rangers could be on the team by mid-season if his rookie NHL season goes as well as it should. Apart from that, most of their other prospects are a season or two away.  

Darkhorse:  Flames fans are very familiar with the Tim Ramholt saga. A 2^nd round draft choice who had a very solid final year of junior hockey, but suddenly bolts back to his native Switzerland where his development seemingly grinds to a halt. Ramholt was thought by many to have a future in the NHL, but he will need to rediscover his ambition and desire to play in North America to realize that potential.   

Overview: The future in St. Louis is indeed bright. Their CPHL squad already boasts some of the best young talent in Syd Crosby, Ryan Whitney, Brent Burns and Eric Staal all of whom are already CPHL players and therefore exempt from this analysis. The Blues continued their solid drafting in 2005 grabbing a potential franchise dman in Marc Staal and a power forward in Bobby Ryan. Getting one impact player in a draft is nice – two is a coup. Add to that the solid prospects like Nik Bergfors and a pair of very nice looking goaltenders and the Blues have a very good prospect list…one that has top end talent, a bit of depth and nice balance throughout positions.  

GM Comments: “Brent Burns is only 20, and is versatile, can play D, or the wing.
Ryan Whitney = with the departure of Tarnstrom, him and Gonchar became the top power play guys. Big things for him in Pittsburgh
Niklas Bergfors is the top winger on the Devils prospect list, Devils always come up with good guys. Bobby Ryan is to be a power player like a Keith Tkachuk....look for him to develop quickly. Marc Staal is supposed to be like his brother, but on d.”

9. Tampa Bay Lightning

Organizational Grade: B+  

Top 10 Prospects:

1. Marek Schwarz (8.0C, HN#34)
2. Kevin Klein (7.0A)
3. Anton Babchuk (8.0C)
4. Dennis Wiseman (6.5C)
5. Konstain Pushkarev (7.5C, HN#69)
6. Corey Crawford (7.5C)
7. Ryan O’Marra (7.0B, HN#36)
8. Anthony Stewart (7.0C, HN#44)
9. Matt Lashoff (7.5C) 
10. Matthew Spiller (7.0C) 

Ready to Step In: The Lightning finished at the bottom of the CPHL standings this past year but help is on the way. On the defense Denis Wiseman was one of the bright spots in a brutal year for the St. Louis Blues, while Anton Babchuk used a change of scenery to his benefit after joining the Hurricanes mid-season. Both can be expected to be patrolling the Lightning blueline this upcoming season. Up front, Brad Richardson had a cup of coffe with the Avs, including a stint in the playoffs. More exciting is the play of Corey Perry and Patrick Eaves, both of whom are not on the top 10 list above as both have established themselves as regular CPHL/NHLers.  

Darkhorse: Lars Jonsson was once considered a top end prospect, but his failure to develop has many thinking he might end up as a total bust. The Bruins prospect, however, had a good year this past season but up until this point getting him over to North American has been a challenge. Indeed, Jonsson seems comfortable playing in Sweden and may never make the trek.  

Overview: Anytime a team finishes last in the standings, it has not been a good year. But, things are looking up for the Lightning, a long-suffering team of the CPHL. Under the management of Droopy Drew, the organization has acquired a stockpile of good prospects that can be used to stock the CPHL team, and as trade bait. The list is long enough to allow for a bit of both and with some savvy off-season trades, this team isn’t far away from contending for a playoff spot. The prospect base has good balance with 3 solid goaltending prospecs, a number of very promising dmen and some forwards with high upside. Their ranking in this analysis suggests that the Lightning are one of the CPHL’s up and coming teams.  

GM Comments:
 “Here's my 2 cents on my top prospects under 23.  

Jay McClement  C  - Jay pas posted 6g 19 a in 63 games witht the blues this season.  

Patrick Eaves  RW  - Posted 19g 8a in 55 games with Ottawa this season  

Corey Perry  RW  - Perry has 12g and 12A in 53 games with the Ducks this season.  

Dennis Wideman  D  - Dennis stepped into a PP role in STL Posting 8g  15A in 63 games with the Blues  

Anthony Stewart  RW  - Anthony has been hurt most of the season but still has good power forward potential.   

Brad Richardson  C  - 3g 8a in 38 games with COL this season.  

Ryan Potulny  C - 4th ranked prospect with the Flyers.  Finished School with U of Minny and played 2 games in Philly this season.  

Anton Babchuk  D - Anton was traded from the Hawks to the Canes this season posted 5g 5a in 38 games.  

Johnny Boychuk  D - Johnny stepped into his first pro season after toiling with the WHL hitmen.  

Matthew Spiller  D- Spiller is a hulking 6-5 210lb and still growing.  Is in his first pro year in Utah.  

Kevin Klein  D  -Is in Nashvilles future plans along with Weber.  

Corey Crawford  G -Played 2 games in Chicago this season.  Has spent the rest of the season in Norfolk.  

Ryan O Marra  C - Drafted in 1st round last year and signed a deal with the Isles.  May see time with them next season.   

Matt Lashoff  D  - Drafted in 1st round last year and signed a deal with Bos.  

Jeff Glass  G  - CHL goalie of the year last season.  Has bounced between the ECHL and AHL this season.  

Marek Schwarz  G -  1st round pick of the Blues last year.

10. Buffalo Sabres

Organizational Grade: B  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Drew Stafford (7.0B, HN#16)
2. Tuuka Rask (8.0C, HN#37)
3. Andrew Cogliano (8.0C, HN#75)
4. Peter Budaj (7.5C)
5. Mike Green (7.0C)
6. Matt Niskanen (7.5C, HN#49)
7. Jeremy Colliton (7.5C)
8. Kris Chucko (6.5B)
9. Tom Fritsche (7.5C)
10. Jakub Kindl (7.0C)   

Ready to Step In:  The Sabres are need of a backup but that should be taken care of with the arrival of Peter Budaj next season. The backstopper played 34 games this past year for the Avs, showing that he’s ready for the CPHL. Apart from Budaj, most of the Sabres prospects remain a year or two away, though Mike Green is somewhat close, having played about 25 games in the NHL this year. He will likely make the Caps lineup in 2006 and could be a mid-season re-rate candidate for the Sabres.  

Darkhorse: Lots of candidates here but we will focus on Tomas Fleischmann. The talented Czech player is known mostly for being a key piece in the deal that saw the NHL Caps traded Bob Lang to the Red Wings. However, he was not merely a throw in and has already made his NHL debut. Although that debut did not exactly go swimmingly, Fleischmann has begun to adjust in the North America game in the AHL, and with a weak Capital squad, he will receive oodles of chances. When Chris Clark is your #1 winger…you can afford to take a chance on kids like Fleischmann.   

Overview: There is wide debate about what is more important when it comes to prospects – talent at the top end, or depth. The Sabres appear to believe in that latter strategy as they have amassed one of the deepest pools of prospects in the CPHL. In fact, the Sabers have a number of noteworthy prospects that do not even appear on their top 10 including Kenndal McArdle, Yuri Trubachev, and Juraj Mikus. This author will also respectfully disagree with the GM’s assertion they lack a game breaker up front – this is precisely the role that Andrew Cogliano should be able to fill, mind you a few years down the road. The Sabers have a pair of great prospects in net including Rask who has franchise goalie potential. They are weaker on the blueline side of things and could be expected to focus on that side of things in the upcoming draft. Overall the Sabers are one of the healthiest CPHL franchises with a good CPHL team and very solid prospect list.   

GM Comments: “We feel we have a very solid group of prospects. We are lacking a game breaker up front, but our group includes 9 former NHL first rounders and several other players that are sure fire CPHLers. Strong in goal and in second and third line forwards.”  

11. Toronto Maple Leafs

Organizational Grade: B  

Top 10 Prospects  

1. Andrei Kostsitsyn (8.5B, HN#53)
2. Matt Carle (8.0B, HN#62)
3. Pascal Leclaire (8.0B, HN#51)
4. Lauri Tukonen (7.5B, HN#35)
5. Stefan Ruzicka (7.5B)
6. Alexandre Vincent (7.0C) 
7. Ryan Stoa (7.5C)
8. Jarko Immonen (7.0B)
9. Stephane Veilleux (6.5A)
10. Barry Tallackson (7.0C)   

Ready to Step In: The Leafs had an impressive group of rookies this season including Joni Pitkanen, Henrik Lundqvist and Fedor Tyutin. As for the new rookie crop, Dominic Moore got off to a very hot start with the NHL Rangers before cooling off, but he still got into almost all the Rangers’ game and should be ready for a full time job with the Leafs. Andrei Kostsitsyn is already playing with the CPHL Leafs but is considered a prospect still because of his lack of NHL games. Matt Carle signed a late season contract with the NHL Sharks and played well in the post-season, and is a candidate to be a mid-season call-up.  

Darkhorse:  There are 2 reasons to be excited about prospect Vitaly Anikeyenko. One, he is the type of big defenseman that hockey teams look for. And two, he was a NHL draft choice of the Ottawa Senators, one of the best drafting organizations in the league. Anikeyenko must learn to use his size more and develop a bit of a mean streak. A very raw prospect indeed, but one with intriguing upside.  

Overview: The strength of the Leafs organization from a prospect perspective is in forwards. Andrei Kostisitsyn has all-world talent and already seems to be a favorite of the magical CPHL sim. Other players such as Immonen, Tukonen and Moore are not superstars but still have good upside and can be potential second liners. The blueline is led by Matt Carle, but Toronto could due with a few more quality defense prospects. In goal, the Leafs have two solid prospects in Leclaire and Vincent. Overall, the Leafs have an above average prospect group that fits in well with a very young CPHL team that is on the upswing.  

GM Comments: “We've a lot of solid prospects but we're lacking the blue chip guys.  The two guys we are most excited about are Kostsitsyn and Carle, but other than them it's mostly depth players right now.  Luckily we are young enough at the CPHL level that this shouldn't hurt us.  The obvious hole in the organization is 1st line forwards.  Hopefully the Leafs can draft a few this summer.”  

12. Vancouver Canucks

Organizational Grade: B-  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Devin Setoguchi (8.0B, HN#27)
2. Travis Zajac (7.0B, HN#21) 
3. Chris Kunitz
4. Jaroslav Balastik
5. Martin St. Pierre (7.0B)
6. Nate Hagemo (7.0B)
7. Scott Jackson (7.0C)
8. David Krejci (7.0C)
9. Nicolas Blanchard (7.0C)
10. Aki Seitsonen (6.5C)  

Ready to Step In: The Canucks had a couple of nice rookies in their lineup this season in Petr Prucha and Trevor Daley (though the latter only played in 18 games), and they can expect a couple more next year too. Chris Kunitz and Jaroslav Balastik are both a little old to be prospects (25 years each) but we can simply consider them late bloomers as both did not prove to be regular NHLers until this season. Both played well enough to warrant re-rates high enough to be regular Canucks in 2006/2007.  

Darkhorse: If you believe in bloodlines, then Tom Pyatt has a chance at making it. The brother of Sabres Taylor Pyatt is not the physical presence of his sibling but does have an intriguing package of skills. Pyatt’s stock has risen since drafted last summer, as he enjoyed a very good junior year. The only thing missing is size really…and even then he does not play as small as he is.  

Overview: The Canucks had one of the best drafts last summer, which was vital to restocking their prospect base. GM Mango grabbed Devin Setoguchi later than where he would go eventually in the NHL draft, and then added other solid prospect such as Brian Lee, Nicholas Blanchard, Tom Pyatt, Joe Barnes and Nate Hagemo. The Nucks GM also used some of her picks to stock up on goaltending prospects – a smart strategy based on the belief that if you pick a number of goalies one of them will develop into something worthwhile. The Canucks lack a lot of truly high-end talent in their prospect list, but they do have a deep pool of solid prospects that stand a good chance of making the show.  

GM Comments: “There are a lot of experiment prospects on my roster: Berra, and Kovac. That had strong world jr tournies and are the starting goalies for their countries. We are also waiting to see what happens with Liv. Our strongest prospects are: Zajac, Steoguchi. Prospects that should be making the CPHL jump next year include Kunitz and Balastik. Although they have made the NHL jump, they have yet to make the CPHL jump.”  

13. Chicago Blackhawks

Organizational Grade: B-  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Noah Welch (8.0B, HN#64)
2. Brandon Bochenski (7.5B, HN#50)
3. Aaron Johnson (7.0A)
4. Blake Comeau (7.0B)
5. Patrick Sharp (7.0C)
6. Richard Petiot (7.0B)
7. Paul Gaustad (6.0A)
8. Nolan Schaefer (6.0C)
9. David Backes (7.0C0
10. Paul Ranger (7.0C)  

Ready to Step In: The Hawks are another team that has a number of young CPHLers that are no longer considered prospects, including Jussi Jokinen and Lee Stempniak and of course Kari Lehtonen. The Hawks do have a large group of players that could be ready for the start of the 2006 season including Patrick Sharp, Brandon Bochenski, Paul Gaustad, and Paul Ranger (who had a great playoff for Tampa despite losing in the 1^st round). Nolan Schaefer, though older than Lethonen should receive a bit of a re-rate but perhaps not enough to compete for the backup job next season.  

Darkhorse:  Like many smallish defenders before him, Derek Meech will have to overcome his lack of size to make the NHL. Meech has a great deal of skill including speed and passing abilities, but he will have to improve his defensive game and put on some strength in order to take that next step.  

Overview:  Chicago was the #2 team in last year’s futures ranking, but used a lot of the young talent to improve the CPHL team. The current Hawks prospect list may lack superstar names, however they have a very deep pool of players that are close to being CPHL ready, giving GM Becky a great deal of flexibility heading into the season. The Hawks could have 4 or 5 rookies in their lineup to start next year, with more on the way. And with a youngish CPHL roster that includes franchise goalie Kari Lehtonen, and young stars like Ales Hemsky, the future is very bright.  

GM Comments: “The Hawks have a boatload of goalie prospects, but Kari Lehtonen is the best of the best. We feel he is a franchise player, and will be an outstanding goalie in both the NHL and the CPHL. Nolan Schaefer also has a chance to make some sort of mark in the NHL. But since he is 25, I am not sure we can still consider him a  prospect.”  

We think the Hawks have a real good base for the blueline for the future, with at least 4 sure fire NHL defensman 22 and under.  Sure fire, since they have all had a taste of NHL play this season.”  

14. Atlanta Thrashers

Organizational Grade: B-  

Top 10 Prospects:

1.      Carey Price (8.0C, HN#12)  

2.      A.J. Thelan (8.0C)

3.      Colby Armstrong (7.5B)

4.      Matt Ellison (7.0B)

5.      Timofei Shishkanov (7.5C, HN#52)

6.      Dimitri Patzold (7.0C)

7.      Ilya Zubov (7.0C)

8.      Peter Regin (7.0C)

9.      Boris Valabik (6.5C)

10. Sami Lepisto (6.0B)  

Ready to Step In: Perhaps overshadowed by his team-mate Sydney Crosby, Colby Armstrong very quietly put together a very solid NHL rookie season, with 40 points in 47 games. He’s ready for a CPHL gig. Apart from Mr. Armstrong, there are not many candidates for CPHL graduation except for perhaps Matt Ellison who played in 31 NHL games in 2005/2006.   

Darkhorse: The Oilers reached a bit when they drafted Roman Tesliuk in the 2004 2^nd round. Tesliuk has not improved much in junior hockey since being drafted, but one has to still like his combination of size and skill. His upside is that of a 2^nd/3^rd pairing dman who can play on the PP, but he will need to get back on a positive development path for that to happen.  

Overview: The Atlanta Thrashers have consistently been contending for CPHL glory in the last number of seasons, but unlike many of the teams at the top of the heap, they have managed to still build a solid prospect list. Though lacking in high end scorers or a true stud dman, there are about 10-12 players that have a reasonable chance at being solid CPHLers. Not bad at all.  

GM Comments: “The Thrashers often maligned for having a great CPHL roster and nothing much in the prospect cupboard are certainly not in a poor position prospect wise. We feel the Thrashers have good overall depth, however we exhibit very good strength in futures goaltending and defence. The Thrashers are top 10 in the CPHL in future rankings!  

The Prospects for the Thrashers are:  

Carey Price - G  Prospect Grade: 8.0 C

It is Price’s agility and quick reflexes that had many teams looking for a potential franchise goaltender interested in him in 2005. Not only is Price able to read and react quickly, but he is also able to steer rebounds into the corners with relative ease. Playing a butterfly style, Price is excellent at taking away the lower portion of the net, and relies on his quick hands to cover the upper portion.  

Andy Chiodo - G Prospect Grade: 7.0 D

 Athletic goaltender. His speed and lateral movement are very good. He is a hard worker and strives to always get better.  

Dimitri Patzold - G Prospect Grade: 7.0 C

A very young goalie with a high potential, has more talent than Robert Müller. His coolness and his reflexes are his best attributes. Has very good skating skills and good reaction time.  

AJ Thelan- D 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.  

Boris Valabik - D Prospect Grade: 6.5 C

He brings so much to the table with his size and reach. He might be OK in another two years to play for the team. The guy they compare him to is Chara at his age, they think he’s further ahead with skating and all that.  

Roman Tesliuk- D Prospect Grade: 6.0 C

Solid puck moving defenseman who is a key component to the Blazers' power play. Proficient in all aspects of the game, Tesliuk doesn't really lack in any one specific area either. Very strong in the physical contact department.  

Sami Lepisto- D Prospect Grade: 6.0 B

Lepisto's main strengths lie in his offensive game. He has good overall puck skills, including an excellent left-handed onetimer. He also has a good vision of the ice. Perhaps his greatest asset is - however - his confidence with the puck, which is rarely seen from a player as young as he is.  

Michal Barinka- D Prospect Grade: 6.0 B

Barinka has a great size skill ratio, and is solid in the corners and in clearing his front. He is a good skater with impressive strength, agility and balance and takes advantage of his assets in one-on-one situations.  

Ilya Zubov- C Prospect Grade: 7.0 C

Offensively a very gifted forward, the best 87 born forward Russia has to offer…a technical forward, who is also a very good skater with an impressive top speed...possesses a precise and very dangerous wrist shot…sees the ice very well and can distribute the puck.  

Peter Regin- C Prospect Grade: 7.0 C

Regin has a knack for scoring goals and his overall offensive talent is outstanding. He sees the ice well and is calm when he passes the puck, which bodes well for a future as a playmaker.  

Eric Himelfarb- C Prospect Grade: 6.5 D

Himelfarb is at his best during in-game competition. He has ok speed, with an impressive work ethic. His shot is decent, but his vision is above average.  

Timofei Shishkanov- LW Prospect Grade: 7.5C

Shishkanov’s 6’1 and 203lb frame is definitely more than sufficient for the rigors of the NHL. He is a very talented player. Shishkanov is an excellent skater, able to blow by his opponents with great moves. He also possesses a solid shot, though he rarely uses it and does not really have a trademark shot that he is known for.  

Colby Armstrong- RW Prospect Grade: 7.5B

Armstrong is an incredibly talented player. He is a powerful skater with a smooth stride and possesses strong lateral movement, even at top speed. He has a good set of hands, and is very effective at puck protection through the neutral zone and in traffic. He is a heads-up player with good on-ice awareness, and has the passing ability to make use of it.  

Matt Ellison- RW/LW Prospect Grade: 7.0B

Though 6'0, he has a strong stride, a take charge attitude, and excellent offensive talents. He continues to fight hard whether he is killing penalties, on the power play, or when he team is behind. A good wall player, play-maker and scorer.  

Libor Pivko- RW/LW Prospect Grade: 6.0B

Pivko is a talented all around player that doesn't seem to excel in any one particular area. He is a good skater, and strong on his skates. He is a good passer and can play in all situations.  

Boyd Gordon- RW Prospect Grade: 6.0B

Although Gordon isn't a particularly big nor physical player, he has above-average passing and shooting skills. A deceptively quick skater, Gordon has good on-ice vision and has exhibited good hockey habits over the years.  

Ivan Tkachenko- RW Prospect Grade: NG

His explosive skating combined with a high level of agility makes Tkachenko a spark-plug whenever he’s on the ice. Although undersized and lacking the strength of an NHL regular, Tkachenko’s speed is rivalled only by his smooth set of hands.”  

15. Dallas Stars

Organizational Grade: B-  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Patrick O’Sullivan (8.5B)
2. MA Bergeron 
3. Marcel Goc (6.5A)
4. Jeff Wowtyka (7.0C)
5. Mathieu Aubin (7.0B)
6. Kiriil Koltsov (7.0C)
7. Alexei Smirnov (6.5B)
8. Jim Slater (6.5B)
9. Yan Stastny (6.5C)
10. Perttu Lindgren (7.5C)  

Ready to Step In:  It should be noted here that the Stars had a number of players that proved challenging in terms of classifying them as prospects or not – namely Marcel Goc and MA Bergeron – both of whom are established NHLers. Ultimately it was decided they should still appear as prospects in this evaluation as their CPHL ratings are simply not high enough to be considered regular CPHLers yet. That being said both will be members of the Stars next season full-time. In addition, Jim Slater could also be rated high enough to become a depth player for the team. Patrick O’Sullivan had a strong rookie pro season in the AHL and is a possible mid-season re-rate candidate.   

Darkhorse: Mathieu Roy is one of those CPHL rarities – a player that was drafted in the CPHL entry draft, but not the NHL draft. However since the 2005 off-season Roy has put together a solid enough junior season that NHL scouts are paying him more attention this time around. Expect him to go in the 3^rd-5^th round in the NHL, meaning the Stars showed good scouting when they drafted him last season. As is so often the case, size is the primary concern with Roy but he has tremendous skill and could excel in the so-called “New NHL”.  

GM Comments: “We feel our forward prospects are average, goaltending is below average and defense is slightly above average.  Definitely in need of bolstering all the way around.”  

Overview: The Stars enter the most important off-season in the franchise’s history with a need to improve at both the CPHL and prospect level. However they have a staggering 12 picks in the first two rounds of the draft to work with. Ideally they can use these picks to grab a handful of bluechip prospects as well as to fill some holes with the big club. The Stars are badly in need of goaltending prospects though Ryan Miller is young enough that it’s not a huge concern. Their forwards and defense prospects are better, but apart from Pat O’Sullivan they lack any prospects with true star potential. New GM Ryan Teeling has his work cut out for him but appears to be up to the challenge.    

16. Mighty Ducks of Anaheim  

Organizational Grade: B-  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Al Montoya (8.0B, HN#28)
2. Jimmy Howard (7.5B, HN#47)
3. Steve Downie (6.0C, HN#61)
4. Josh Hennessey (7.0B)
5. Brett Skinner (7.0C)
6. Alex Edler (7.0C)
7. Michael Garnett (6.0C) 
8. Jeremy Williams (7.0C)
9. Mason Raymond (7.0C)
10. Jozef Balej (7.0C)  

Ready to Step In: Michael Garnett impressed many with is play when called up to the Thrashers this season and should be close to being ready for a backup role with the Ducks. Apart from that most of their prospects are about a year or 2 away, though Jeremy Williams could compete for a post mid-season if he makes the NHL Leafs out of camp.  

Darkhorse: Cody Bass is never going to blow you away with his skill, but comparisons to uber-checker Kris Draper should have the Ducks excited. He is a good skater, face off man and responsible defensively. In his final junior season, he was asked to shoulder more of the offensive load for his team, and simply put…he couldn’t. As such, one questions what his upside is…but if he turns out to be anything like Draper, the Ducks have a gooder.   

GM Comments: “Here are a few of the bright spots I consider for strong prospects first mainly be each and every goalie I have on both the AHL and ECHL level. As for guys on d Brett Skinner is going to one day play in the NHL as will Alexander Edler as well as Dustin Byfuglien  and now for the forwards Steve Downie is a can not miss , Tyler Redenbach  should make it one day,Andrei Taratukhin  and Dan Collins”  

Overview: The Ducks were another team with a very strong 2005 rookie class with the likes of Brent Seabrook, Zach Parise and Ryan Kesler. Although their current prospect list lacks those types of big names, it is deep in terms of potential CPHLers. The organization is particularly strong in the net with 3 legitimate goaltending prospects including potential franchise goalie Aldo Montoya. Their blueline is also an area of strength. Look for the organization to restock their forward ranks in the upcoming draft as that is probably the area of biggest concern.  

17. Pittsburgh Penguins

Organizational Grade: B-  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Chris Higgins (8.0B)
2. Steve Eminger (7.5B)
3. Justin Peters (7.5B)
4. Konstatin Glazachev (7.0B)
5. Jonathan Quick (7.0C)
6. Jason King (7.0C)
7. Miroslav Blatak (7.0C)
8. Jakub Vojta (7.0C)
9. Chris Durand (7.0D)
10. Dan Ryder (7.0D)     

Ready to Step In: The Pens don’t have a lot of guys that are close to being ready...but the two they do have are dandies. Steve Eminger had a solid rookie season on a bad Caps squad and is definitely ready for the CPHL. But more exciting is the emergence of Chris Higgins (who this author once admittedly referred to as “pure junk”) as a future power forward. Higgins had a 23 goal campaign for Les Habs and looked better as the season wore on.  

Darkhorse: Mike Smith is one of those prospects that has improved steadily since he was drafted. A 5^th round selection in 2001, Smith has moved up from the ECHL to the AHL and has gotten better with each step. He has always had superb puck handling skills but has developed the other parts of his game to be a legitimate pro goalie. At 24 years of age he isn’t young and yet more patience is required.  

Overview: As impressive as the Pens turnaround has been this year, almost as impressive is their GM’s ability to do it without totally decimating the prospect pool. Goffie’s love of the Habs likely motivated him to hang on to Chris Higgins…a decision that has paid off as Higgins is already proving to be very solid. After Higgins, there isn’t any one prospect that oozes superstar potential or anything, but there is a solid and balanced collection of prospects with a more than fair shot of making it.  

GM Comments: “I think the Penguin organization has a solid base of prospects but nothing spectacular.  It has a lot of prospects that will make an impact in the CPHL one day but none that seems to be definite star quality a lot of low risk high reward type pickups like Boisclair and Brouwer.  Chris Higgins and Steve Eminger lead the way and should graduate to the big league club after putting up awesome years in the NHL.”   

18. Carolina Hurricanes

Organizational Grade: B-  

Top 10 Prospects

1.      Guillaume Latendresse (7.5C, HN#23)

2.      Danny Richmond (7.5B)

3.      Sean Bergenheim (7.0B)

4.      Carl Soderberg (7.5C)

5.      Nigel Dawes (7.0B)

6.      Nik Grossman (7.0B)

7.      Dustin Boyd (7.0C)

8.      Jeff Schultz (6.5B)

9.      Rejean Beauchemin (7.0C)

10. Michael Blunden (6.0B)   

Ready to Step In: Guilaume Latendresse nearly made the Habs out of camp last season. Ultimately, it will be up to Montreal as to whether or not they want him to spend more time maturing before giving him a roster spot. Danny Richmond played a combined 20 games between the NHL Canes and Hawks this year and is a candidate for CPHL duty, as his Sean Bergenheim who played 28 games for NYI. None are sure things, but all have a chance at being on the Canes next season at some point.  

Darkhorse: As admitted in the preamble to this entire piece, the author admits to not seeing many of these players in person. But an exception to that is Gord Baldwin, and for that reason we will spotlight him here. And 6’5” and 200 pounds even, Baldwin has the potential to develop into the big, nasty, mean type of stay at home defender that every team needs. He’s about as raw as they come prospect wise and probably at least 4 years off, but this author likes the look of him. To borrow a phrase from Mr. Reginald Dunlop….Baldwin=BIG! BIG=GOOD!  

Overview: A compelling argument can be made that the Canes have the CPHL’s best young duo in Ovechkin and Nash. But GM Doug Whalen has done a nice job in acquiring a number of other very good prospects. Most of them are concentrated at the ECHL level and still a few years off but they are impressive none the less. Whalen believes Latendresse has huge potential and he indeed might be correct. Add to that a nice group of defenseman prospects and you have a solid basis for long-term success. The Canes would be well served to acquire a solid goaltending prospect in some manner, and with 5 1^st rounders in the next 2 years, they should be able to find one.  

GM Comments: “Over the last two season the Hurricanes have put more attention into player development, overall we’re pretty pleased with our results” “Our primary focus all along has been to boost out overall depth on the wings and defense, with Boyd, Latendresse and Blunden in the forward ranks and Richmond, Grossman and Liffiton at the backend we feel we’ve achieved it” “ Although as a unit I feel we lack a certain high end skill, with 5 1^st round picks in the next two drafts and Alexander Ovechkin in the pro ranks it isn’t much of a concern… right now.  

19. LA Kings

Organizational Grade: C+  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Wojtek Wolski (8.0B, HN#24)
2. David LeNeveu (8.0B)
3. Shea Guthrie (7.0B)
4. Olivier Latendresse (7.0C)
5. Johan Ryno (7.0C)
6. Nikolai Lemtyugov (7.0C)
7. Mario Scalzo (7.0C)
8. Kirill Lyamin (7.0C)
9. Evgeny Artyukhin (6.5C)
10. James Wisniewski (6.5C)  

Ready to Step In: The Kings had arguably the best group of rookies in the CPHL last year with Alex Steen, Thomas Vanek, Dion Phaneuf, and Wojtek Wolski (Wolski still classified as a prospect due to limited NHL games) playing with the big club. As for 2006/2007, David Leneveu might be ready for a backup role with the Kings while Jamies Wisniewski had a cup of coffee this year in the NHL and might be rated high enough to be a #7 dman this year. Evgeny Aryukhin, who payed 68 games for the NHL Bolts is probably the most CPHL ready at this point.  

Darkhorse:  You will notice a common theme in many of these darkhorse picks…size. In the later rounds of drafts NHL teams will routinely pick up big dudes who are long-term projects. Nicholas Tuzzolino is yet another example of this. At 6’5” he is a big boy to say the least. He went completely undrafted in his first eligible year but turned it around the following year motivating the Islanders to grab him. His upside is likely limited because of questionable skating but he projects to a #5-#7 stay at home defender..  

Overview:  The Kings ranking in this analysis is somewhat misleading. Although they are in the bottom half of the ranking, in reality the Kings have one of the strongest teams in the CPHL when it comes to young talent – it just so happens that most of it has already graduated to the CPHL level. A strong draft this off-season will help re-stock the prospect pool.  

GM Comments: “The Los Angeles Kings are happy with the state of the farm team. We have a good mixture of offense, defence and goaltending with prospects who are young and have exciting futures ahead of them. Leading the corps is future standout and organizational gem Wojtek Wolski on offense who will be a regular player with Colorado next year on a top line. Hobey Baker nominees (Parse and Elliott) and WJC players (Lyamin) bring good depth to the farm team on all fronts. Players ready for the spotlight include Artukhin and Wisniewski who will push for jobs out of training camp”  

20. Ottawa Senators

Organizational Grade: C+  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Kurtis Foster (7.0C)
2. Alexandre Picard (7.5B, HN#55)
3. Paul Stastny (7.5B)
4. Ahren Nittel (7.0C)
5. Alexander Nikulin (6.5B)
6. Cal O’Reilly (6.5C)
7. Nick Johnson (6.5C)
8. Phillipe Seydoux (6.5C)
9. Shane O’Brien (6.0B)
10. Tomi Maki (6.0C)  

Ready to Step In: After bouncing around a few NHL organizations Kurtis Foster has finally landed in the Minnesota Wild and carved himself a spot in the NHL. Foster has a HUGE shot but is sometimes lacking in the defensive side of things. That being said, he will be ready to step into the Senator lineup next year…as long as there is room for him. The Sens have a deep, talented blueline and Dan Hamhuis will also be looking for a full-time spot. Complicating matters is the fact that Foster is over the age of 23 meaning the Sens GM will have to be confident that he can last the entire season with the big club in order to bring him up, or risk losing him to waivers.  

Darkhorse: Curtis McElhinney has performed well wherever he goes, but still does not get mentioned much as a top or even second tier goaltending prospect. His ceiling is probably as a NHL backup, but then again goalies are arguably the toughest position to project. If Brent Krahn steps into the backup role next season with the Flames, McElhinney could get a shot at a true #1 spot in the AHL and if he does well his stock could rise substantially.  

Overview: The Senators prospect base is somewhat lacking in the area of high end “can’t miss” prospects, but the Sens’ GM has done well to assemble a group that has some under-rated possibilities. The defense in particular is not strong, but the Senators have arguably the best young defense in the CPHL so it is not a concern in the least.   

GM Comments: “We like our Forward prospects.  We feel have a good mix of Skill and  and Grit.  Paul Stastny, Ahren Nittel, Alexandre Picard, David Vandergulik and Alexander Nikulin will be counted on for skill and playmaking. Brandon Crombeen is the Grit.. Our prospects on defence are not quite as good.   With Jay Harrison,  Shane O’Brien and Philippe Seydoux being our best prospects.  In goal we have a few have 2 prospects..  McEihinney and Battochio.  Both are wild cards at best.. Both could be solid or nothing. They have lots of development to do before they prove they are ready for the big leagues.  

Top 10

Alexandre Picard

Paul Stastny

Ahren Nittel

Axlexander Nikulin

Alexander Seydoux

David Vandergulik

Curtis McEihinney

Tomi Maki

Shane O’Brien

Jay Harrison  

Overall not a blue chip group by any means. But the potential to get a few solid players from the mix.  

21. Columbus Blue Jackets

Organizational Grade: C+  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Christian Ehroff (8.0B)
2. Zybnek Michalek (7.0C)
3. Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers (7.5C)
4. Brian Sutherby
5. Tomas Surovy
6. Andy Rogers (7.0B)
7. Tobias Stephan (7.0C)
8. Karl Stewart (6.0C)
9. Magnus Akerlund (6.5C) 
10. Nathan Saunders (6.0C)  

Ready to Step In: Should they choose, the Jackets could have as many as 4 good rookies in their lineup next season. Christian Ehroff is the most impressive of the quartet and a future PP QB for CBJ. But Michalek, Sutherby and Surovy all found full time positions with their NHL clubs this past year, and are ready for at least part time CPHL duty…giving the Jackets a ton of flexibility for off-season moves.   

Darkhorse: We’ll give Oliver Setzinger some attention here, admittedly for the most part due to the fact his name is so darn cool and it would be a crime of play by play commentators don’t have a chance to say “Oliver let’s go a SetZINGER from the line!”. 

 Anyhoo, Setzinger is part of an effort from NHL clubs to find players in less explored countries – in this case Austria. Good size and skill but needs to get over to North America to have any hope of making the NHL.   

Overview: As mentioned above, the Jackets could boast 4 solid rookies next season. However, once those four find their way on to the big club, there isn’t much else on the way. Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers is still considered a good netminding prospect but the forward and defensive ranks need to be restocked. However currently the Jackets only own one pick in the next 2 years, and none in 2006 as of yet. It will be interesting to see if their Jackets GM makes some moves to acquire picks heading into the draft.  

GM Comments: “Top Prospects: Brian Sutherby, Tomas Surovy, Karl Stewart, Oliver Setzinger, Christian Ehrhoff, Zbynek Michalek, Nathan Saunders, Andy Rogers, Zack Fitzgerald, Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers  

Not much coming from the forwards, except the duo of Sutherby and Surovy, both expecting a moderate jump to being useful CPHL forwards. The barn is nearly empty, but the Jackets are a very young team anyway. Defense is the strong suit of the Jackets, already boasting a strong under-30 core, expect Ehrhoff and Michalek to see large boosts to become solid members of the Jackets top six next season. After them, Saunders, Rogers and Fitzgerald could all become serviceable lower pairing defenders. With the duo of Legace-Clemmensen, it is very clear that goaltending prospects will be a long term concern of the Jackets. While there is faith in Drouin-Deslauriers, time is running out on Tobias Stephan, and Legace isn't getting any younger...” 

22. SJ Sharks

Organizational Grade: C+  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Igor Grigorenko (8.5C)
2. Mark Stuart (7.0B, HN#31)
3. Sergei Kostsitsyn (7.5C)
4. Petr Vrana (7.0B)
5. Mikko Lehtonen (7.0C)
6. Jakub Klepis (7.0C)
7. Dragan Umicevic (7.0C)
8. Cam Janssen (5.0B)
9. Paul Bissonnette (6.5C)
10. John Mitchell (6.0C)  

Ready to Step In: The Sharks had a trio of quality rookies this past season in Vermette, Morrison, and Nilsson, but it will be difficult for them to repeat that feat in 2006/2007. Cam Janssen got into over 40 NHL games this past season and could be ready for the CPHL, but as a goon his value and potential impact is somewhat low. Mark Stuart could be ready by mid-season. Igor Grigorenko’s arrival has been seemingly imminent for a number of years. Will 2006 be his year? The Sharks certainly hope so.  

Darkhorse: He was a darkhorse pick last year and remains one this year. Oiler fans continue to drool over the supposed skill of Dragan Umicevic. And its no question that he is a player that does have talent, but does that talent transfer to the tougher North American game? Tough to say…but he is the type of player that if he does make it, he will be a top 6 forward. Boom or bust.  

Overview: The rebuilding of the Sharks is going to be a slow process. Last year the Sharks finished dead last in the future rankings, as well as near the cellar of the CPHL standings – a brutal combination. But things are looking up. The organization has a number of good young players and solid prospects. Mark Stuart is an under-rated defenseman that can be the cornerstone of the blueline for years. But realistically the Sharks dearly need some of their longshots to pay off. Their GM recently went on a signing binge, inking a number of undrafted prospects. This strategy is sound as it allowed the organization to purge a number of go nowhere prospects from their farm team and replace them with players that could turn out. Time will tell. 

GM Comments: “Last year the Sharks were ranked last among the teams with respect to prospects. This, coupled with a big league rosters of has-beens, wanna-be's and never will-be's, created a huge task for me when I took over the team. Adding players like Antoine Vermette, Petr Vrana, Robert Nilsson, Igor Grigorenko, Shonne Morrison, in addition to the emergence of Sergei Kosistsyn and Jakub Klepis, and the acquisition of (relatively) high quality minor league prospects like Angeldis, Tregunna, Gajewski,  Wilson, and Stuart has greatly increased the talent pool. While the prospects are not in the Sidney Crosby category several of them are bonafide top-grade talent. Help is on the way...sooner or later.” 

23. Nashville Predators

Organizational Grade: C+  

Top 10 Prospects

1.      Brian Boyle (8.0C)

2.      Robbie Earl (7.0B)

3.      Brett Carson (7.0C)

4.      Antti Miettinen (6.0B)

5.      Grant Lewis (7.0C)

6.      John Vigilante (7.0C)

7.      Mark Mancari (7.0C) 

8.      Nathan Davis (7.0C)

9.      Chris Thorburn (6.0B)

10. Ivan Baranka (6.5C)  

Ready to Step In:  In general the Preds prospects are not “ready for prime-time”. The sole exception is Antti Miettinen who made the NHL Stars out of camp and never looked back, posting a 30 point rookie campaign. With a year with so many uber-rookies, guys like Miettinen are overshadowed, but having stuck with the team all season, it should warrant a re-rate high enough to put him in the CPHL in 2006/2007.  

Darkhorse: Like many prospects, Radek Smolenak struggles with consistency. On some nights he can be the best player on the ice, and on others he can vanish completely. The NHL Lightning took a strategy to draft size in the 2005 draft and Smolenak at 6’3” fits in with this. For the Predators, they have a prospect that is extremely raw but with all the tools required to become a dangerous pro scorer. Consider the guy to be boom or bust though.  

Overview: Since being taken over by Joe Schum, the Predators have become one o the most active organizations in the CPHL. Many a quality prospect has made their way through Nashville, only to be flipped in another deal. Expect that to continue and as such any evaluation of their prospects should be done keeping in mind they are all likely trade bait. The group listed here is not great, but it is far from terrible. No real stars, but a number of under-rated players who’s stock have improved since their draft day. 

24. Florida Panthers

Organizational Grade: C  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Dustin Penner (7.5C, HN#72)
2. Ryan Craig (6.5B)
3. Andrew Alberts (6.5B)
4. Danny Irmen (6.5B, HN#70)
5. Brendan Bell (6.5B)
6. Kris Letang (7.0C)
7. Ryan Shannon (6.5C)
8. Curtis Glencross (6.5C)
9. Tomas Troliga (6.0C)
10. Matt Demarchi (6.0C) 
11. Justin Abdelkader (6.0C)  

Ready to Step In: Ryan Craig has come out of nowhere to score 15 goals (thus far) for the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. Craig has very good footspeed and plays a strong two-way game. He should re-rate high enough to be a solid enough player on the Panther’s 4^th line in the 2006/2007 season. In addition to Craig, the Panthers could also see Andrew Alberts on their big club next season. The big defender has not put up many points for the NHL Bruins this season but played in a lot of games, establishing himself as a physical, stay at home d-man – perfect as a #6/#7 dman for the kitties.  

Darkhorse: Keep an eye on 2005 draft pick Justin Abdelkader. He is a strong skater with a good shot and good enough size to play the pro game. He is the type of prospect that needs time to mature, likely 2 or even 3 seasons in the minors. At the rate the Panthers play the chances are slim he will be their property when he finally makes the show, but in terms of a under-rated prospect that could make an impact, he’s your guy.  

Overview: With Dave Penney at the helm, prospects are merely ammunition for trade. Not that there is anything wrong with that. The Panthers are the most active team in the CPHL and their GM has demonstrated an ability to acquire high-end prospects and then flip them for better value. Their current prospect base has some nice depth players in the system, but no one with top line potential. As established by Penney’s comments – prospects are simply not a priority in the Panther’s organization so their somewhat low ranking in this evaluation should not be a surprise to anyone.  

GM Comments: “The Florida Panthers do not stock good prospects when they can be turned into great current CPHL talent.  The Panthers have the ability to contend for the Stanley Cup and have decided to take a "Win Now" approach.  We truely believe that there are only a couple of elite teams in the CPHL with the talent to win the cup, and we are one of them.  To have prospects when they can be turned into immediate help just doesn't make sense for us right now.  

25. NY Islanders

Organizational Grade: C  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Jiri Hudler (7.5B, HN#29)
2. Jakub Koreis (6.5B)
3. Brandon Prust (6.0B)
4. Viacheslav Buravchikov (6.5C)
5. Niklas Hjalmarsson (6.5C)  
6. Colin Fraser (6.0C)
7. Alex Sundstrom (5.5C) 
8. Brett Sterling (7.0D)
9. Andrew Sarauer (6.0C) 
10. Duncan Milroy (6.0D)  

Ready to Step In: Jiri Hudler is quickly arriving at the point in his career where he will have to demonstrate an ability to play at the NHL/CPHL level or he will likely be defined as simply a minor league scoring machine. Hudler faces the challenge of trying to crack an always deep Red Wings lineup, but he should get a shot next training camp. His CPHL rating already allows him to be a part of the Islanders.  

Darkhorse: Jason Smith is an obscure goaltending prospect that started to turn heads this past year when he assumed the #1 job for the Sacred Heart Pioneers. Smith posted a 2.1 GAA and Save Percentage of 0.933 leading some to believe that the Devils stole him in the 6^th round in 2003. The key will Smith will be getting time in the nets and being in an organization that is patient with him. A long-term prospect to be sure, but goalies are known to bloom late.  

Overview: The Islanders received a D- last year in this assessment, which was of particular concern due to the fact that also had one of the oldest CPHL teams, with many potential retirees. However in the last year GM Kevin Wu avoided disaster by trading some older players and acquiring some good young talent. This change in approach is more apparent at the CPHL level that has a decidedly younger feel to it. Regarding prospects, the list is still not tremendous, but it is vastly improved over last year at this time. Hudler is a potential front line player and prospects like Prust, Sundstrom and Fraser will be CPHLers at some point. The Islanders still have some work to do prospect-wise, but things are definitely improving.  

GM Comments: “At the end of last season, the Islanders were a team in severe turmoil with an aging roster, accompanied by little in terms of future to look forward to. Through a series of deals which took the entire season to complete, the Islanders are much happier with their prospect base as Jiri Hudler has become an important part of the CPHL Islanders, although he would still be considered a prospect. Players like Brandon Prust and Duncan Milroy provide bright spots for the future of the Islanders. In any case, the future on the Island looks much better, which was the goal of the Islander GM at the end of the 2004-2005 season, and the current outlook is a far cry from what was available last April.  

Most excited about:  Derek Roy. Although not a "prospect" after his season in the NHL, Roy was the main target in the deal with the New York Rangers when they approached Jeff about a deal involving John LeClair. The Islanders were surprised the Rangers were willing to part with Roy, but are extremely excited now about the role Roy will fill on the Islanders for years to come.”  

26. Montreal Canadiens

Organizational Grade: C-  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Fred Sjostrom (7.0B)
2. Adam Pineault (7.5C)
3. Evan McGrath (7.0C)
4. Greg Campbell (6.0A)
5. Chad Painchaud (7.0C)
6. J.F. Jacques (6.5B)
7. Doug Lynch (7.0C)
8. Justin Keller (6.5C)
9. Juraj Gracik (7.0D)
10. Rosario Ruggeri (7.0D)  

Ready to Step In:  Greg Campbell will never set the world on fire offensively, but the son of Colin Campell is a sure-fire CPHL/NHLer. He has a solid all around game and acquitted himself well when up with the Panthers this season. He is the Habs’ closest prospect to the CPHL, but faces an uphill battle because of the organizations glut of young talent ahead of him. Fred Sjostrom also should be ready to compete for a forward spot with the team next season.  

Overview: For much of the year the Montreal Canadiens trade block outlined their desire to acquire young CPHL ready talent, not prospect 3-5 years down the road. And certainly when you look up and down their roster, they have done just that. For this reason it should be no surprise that their prospect list is not tremendous, though they have arguably the best collection of young CPHL talent in the league. The Habs do have some prospects that will likely make the CPHL positions in depth roles, as well as some long-shots that have much higher upside. But with the youth the Habs have with the big club, the future is not a concern in the least.  

Darkhorse: Even though Doug Lynch appears on the Habs’ top 10 we will discuss him here as a darkhorse. The rearguard faces a tremendous challenge to reverse the negative momentum he has generated for himself. Prior to the lockout Lynch was considered a very solid blueline prospect. 2 years later and Lynch is with a new NHL organization (the Blues) and spent a good chunk of time in the ECHL this season. But Lynch remains a guy that appears to have the talent for the NHL…if he can regain his confidence he should get another shot with the talent starved NHL Blues.  

GM Comments: “Forwards - We don't have great depth, but a few hilites would be Fredrik Sjostrom, Greg Campbell, Evan McGrath, and Justin Keller.  Sjostrom/Campbell played regularily in the NHL this season, McGrath and Campbell both lead their CHL clubs in scoring and could make the jump to the NHL in the next couple years.  

Defense - Very weak at the blueline, this is a major concern for us, as many of our blueliners will be UFA in the next two seasons.  

Goal - Cam Ward and Brian Finley are both solid in terms of NHL potential.  Ward is well on his way to establishing himself as a number one.   

Overall the Prospect level of our organzation has been depleted, but with younger CPHLers like Frolov, Cheechoo, Kobasew, Ruutu, Michalek, Ponikorovsky, and Richards, our forward ranks and goal look solid.  

27. Phoenix Coyotes

Organizational Grade: D+  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Kyle Chipchura (6.5B, HN#71)
2. Casey Borer (7.0B)
3. Filip Novak (7.0C)
4. Bret Lebda (6.0B)

5.      Kyle Klubertanz (6.5C)

6. Ilya Nikulin (6.0B)
7. Owen Fussey (5.5B) 
8. Marius Holtet (6.0C)
9. Daniel Lacosta (6.0C)
10. Zdenek Bahensky (7.0D)   

Ready to Step In: Bret Lebda is the sole prospect in the Coyotes organization that is possibly ready to step in, having played 43 games with the Detroit Red Wings. Apart from Lebda, the rest of the Desert Dog prospects appear to be a couple of years away, though Novak could be slightly ahead of the rest.  

Darkhorse: Without question, goaltender Daniel Lacosta struggled after being drafted in the 2004 entry draft by the NHL Jackets. However, this past season Lacosta rediscovered his confidence and his game and has worked his way back up into legitimate prospect territory. His 26-13-1 record, 2.51 GAA and 0.918 all give the CPHL Yotes hope that they have their goalie of the future in Lacosta.  

Overview: The new Coyotes’ GM assessment of his prospects is both brutally honest and accurate. Simply put – there isn’t much there. Chipchura is a good prospect but frankly is the type of character guy that is more valuable in real life than in any fantasy or sim league. The Coyotes are particularly lacking in quality forward prospects, but their blueline is a little better. Filip Novak has a lot of upside but has regressed a bit in the last few seasons. Meanwhile Casey Borer has improved his stock since being drafted. If both Novak and Borer can develop into dependable rearguards things look a little less dim for the Yotes.  

GM Comments: “The Coyotes is very weak in the prospect categories.  Some of the fewnoticeable prospects include the former Hitmen player Owen Fussey and Kyle Chipchura from the Prince Albert Raiders.  The Coyotes are looking to deal some veterans in the future in-order to get some bluechip prospects for the future of the organization.”    

28. Quebec Nordiques

Organizational Grade: D+  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Yan Danis (7.0C, HN#74)
2. Kevin Nastriuk (7.5B)
3. Kari Ramo (7.0C)
4. Vince Bellissimo (6.5C)
5. Jakub Sindel (7.0D)
6. Patrick Davis (6.5C0
7. Billy Ryan (5.5C) 
8. Jiri Novotny (6.0C)
9. John Laliberte (6.0C)
10. Steve Werner (6.0C)  

Ready to Step In:  Yan Danis is ready to assume the role of a backup in the CPHL. 19 year old Rusty Olesz is already with the team, and no longer considered a prospect.  

Darkhorse: Jakub Sindel has a reasonably decent shot at making the NHL/CPHL. He is a bit under-sized but possesses good foot speed, a decent shot and offensive creativity. His defensive game is a work in progress and he needs to add some bulk to his frame. However, he has been playing North American hockey since AAA midget, which bodes well for his future. He is also considered to be very coachable and willing to work on those aspects of his game that need work. All good signs.   

Overview: Ahhhhhh…the challenges of being an expansion team. One can understand that as an expansion GM tries to put a competitive CPHL team on the ice, the prospects can be left behind a bit. The Nords are actually very solid in net with Yan Danis already aproven, a good prospect in Nastiuk and another with good potential in Ramo. They do however need to fill out the rest of their positions as very few of their prospects look like they will turn out. However this is a first-year organization and there are a lot of other priorities the require attention before having a solid prospect base. 

29. Detroit Red Wings

Organizational Grade: D+  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Shawn Belle (7.0B)
2. Mikhail Grabovsky (7.5C)
3. Mark Giodarno (6.5B)
4. Ivan Khomutov (6.5B)
5. Matthew Ford (6.5C)
6. Corey Locke (7.5D)
7. Geoff Platt (6.0C)
8. Danny Syvret (6.0C)
9. Andrej Sekera (6.0C) 
10. Dan Travis (6.0C)  

Ready to Step In: With Keith Ballard, Kyle Wellwood, and Marek Svatos already graduated to the big club, the cupboard is a little bare in terms of imminent arrivals.  

Darkhorse: And now the curious case of Ari Ahonen. The former NJ first rounder was thought by many scouts to be a can’t-miss goaltending prospect. Fast forward years later and Ahonen is still toiling in the minors waiting for his shot at the NHL. In fact he has yet to play in a single NHL game. Playing in an organization that has Martin Brodeur with the big club doesn’t exactly present a lot of opportunities for a young goalie to prove himself, but Ahonen’s development has also appeared to have stalled, as evidenced by the fact that Scott Clemmenson is now Brodeur’s backup in the swamp. However, the tools are still there and goaltenders have been known to bloom late. Don’t count out Ahonen yet…  

Overview

The Red Wings have focused their attention on improvement with the big club this past season and that paid off with a longer playoff run than many expected. However the time is drawing near for their GM to focus some energy on the prospect pool,  which is lacking in some areas – particularly up front and in the cage. However, although they do not have a true bluechip defense prospect, a closer look reveals a lot of under-rated rearguards that should turn into solid CPHLers. Belle, Giodarno, Sekerja, Syvret gives the blueline a nice future. Look for the Wings to acquire some prospects and picks in the offseason to restock their pool.  

GM Comments: “We lack good quality prospects up front and in net. With several good young players on the big club this should buy us some time to try and rebuild the farm system through trades and drafting.”

30. Calgary Flames

Organizational Grade: D+  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Brent Krahn (7.0B)
2. Artu Luttinen (6.5C)
3. Richie Regehr (6.0C)
4. John Lammers (7.0D) 
5. Grigory Shafigulin (6.0C)
6. Ray Sawada (6.0C) 
7. Andre Deveaux (5.5C)
8. Peter Hafner (5.5C)
9. David Turon (5.0C)
10. Ryan Jones (5.0C)   

Ready to Step In:  The two closest prospects to making the CPHL Flames are coincidently both members of the NHL Flames organization. Richie Regehr was called up for a handful of games this season, and did not look out of place. The challenge for Regehr 2.0 is that he is behind a Flames blueline that is somewhat set in terms of its top 6 for the foreseeable future. His best shot is to make the team as their #7/#8 blueliner. Brent Krahn is more likely to have a spot on the club next season as a backup goalie. Krahn put together a solid AHL campaign and could be ready to step into the #2 role with the NHL Flames. Neither player will be ready for CPHL duty in October, but could be at mid-season.  

Overview: The Calgary Flames are another one of the CPHL’s most consistent organizations, but one that does not put a lot of value into prospects, apart from using them as trade bait. While Brent Krahn is a solid goaltender that still has #1 potential, there is a massive drop off after his name. In fact, apart from Richie Regehr, all of the prospects listed above should be considered long-shots. But it’s hard to argue with success, and the Flames are always near the top of the standings and season’s end. Once again, the Flames declare loud and proud…”PROSPECTS SHMOSPECTS!”  

Darkhorse:  The long awaited breakout season finally happened last year for John Lammers. The winger was always considered to be talented, but that talent did not transition to the score sheet until last year when Lammers scored 38 times for Everett of the WHL. Lammers has tremendous speed but is considered to be a bit of a project. Give him a couple of years in the AHL though and he might turn out to be a solid pro.  

31. Winnipeg Jets

Organizational Grade: D  

Top 10 Prospects

1.      Wacey Rabbit (6.5C)

2.      Patrick Leahy

3.      Kyle Brodziak (6.0B)

4.      Kamil Kreps (7.0D)

5.      Kevin Porter (5.5B)

6.      Jared Aulin (6.0D)

7.      Nathan Gerbe (6.0D)

8.      Ryan Steeves (6.0D)

9.      Lance Manson (6.0D)

10. Marcus Paulsson (6.0B)  

Ready to Step In:  Patrick Leahy is the oldest prospect in this entire report at 26 years of age. But it has taken him this long to arrive with the NHL Bruins where he played over 40 games this season. If he doesn’t get lost in the shuffle, he should re-rate high enough to warrant 4^th line duty next season. Kyle Broadziak enjoyed limited time with the Oil this year and isn’t far off.  

Darkhorse: Originally Kamil Kreps was ticketed to be on the Florida Panthers by 2006/2007. However, after 2 years of stagnated development, that timeline has been pushed out at least by a year. There’s still promise though…as Kreps has shown moments when he looks like he can realize his potential. A trip down to the ECHL to regain his confidence might be just what the doctor ordered.  

Overview: CPHL GM of the Year Mike Walsh accomplished what many (including this author) though impossible- taking an expansion team all the way to the playoffs. To accomplish this mighty feat, Walsh used absolutely everything at his disposal, so one should not be surprised in the least that the Jets’ prospects is very thin. Once again, it is important to acknowledge the challenges of taking on an expansion team and factor that in to being the chief reason for the Jets’ poor ranking this report.  

GM Comments: “The future of the Jets will have to be via trades, and signing as Jets GM Walsh has traded away most if not all of the blue chip prospects the organization once had. GM Walsh believes in playing for present and it’s not likely the Jets will hold on to top level prospects for along period of time.  

Closest to CPHL ready: ·

Center Kyle Brodziak-filled in during several stretches this year when the Jets were beat up with injuries. Has also played in a handful of games for the Oilers in the NHL this year.  

·Winger Patrick Leahy-didn’t get much time at the CPHL level, however he has been with the Bruins of the NHL for most of the season.  

·Winger Kamil Kreps-Kreps stock has probably dropped the past year or so but the Jets still hope he will make an impact in a few years down the road. There is a very good chance he will crack the 06-07 Florida Panthers of the NHL roster.  

The rest of the Jets AHLers or ECHLers have to be considered long shots at best. The Jets do have 3 interesting young prospects Nathan Gerbe, Kevin Porter, and Daniel Larsson. These 3 all played in the WJCH held in Vancouver and Jets still have high hopes for the 3 of them.” 

32. Boston Bruins

Organizational Grade: D-  

Top 10 Prospects

1. Steven Goertzen (5.5A)
2. Lasse Kukkonen (5.5A)
3. Adam Munro (6.5C)
4. Vladimir Korsunov (6.5D)
5. Sergei Soin (6.0D)
6. Henrik Juntunen (6.0D)
7. Viktor Uchevatov (6.0D)
8. Greg Watson (5.0C)
9. Frantisek Lukes (5.0C)
10. Johan Bjork (5.0C)  

Ready to Step In:  To suggest that any of these prospects is ready to step in would be misleading at best. However one should note that Steven Goertzen played in 39 games for the Blue Jackets this past season so he is a possibility. Though his stats (0 goals, 0 assists) aren’t entirely encouraging. Adam Munro also got into 10 games for the Hawks.  

Darkhorse: Let’s be honest, all of these prospects are longshots…but we’ll throw our vote behind Lasse Kukkonen because he has a cool name.  

Overview:  Simply put – prospects are not a priority for the Bs. But its hard to argue with the success that organization has had. Indeed, the Bruins are the poster boys for why building a solid prospect base isn’t a requirement for CPHL success. However, with an early playoff success this year, will the Bruins philosophy change? Meh. Probably not.

GM Comments: “The Boston Bruins feel that prospects are a very important part of building a competitive team.  Not only can they fill in when injuries hit the big club but they can also prove valuable years down the road. “