DanStewart
Registered User
FC has a couple articles up running down some of the draft eligibles and how they faired at the 2011 WJC in Buffalo.
For the rest of the article.
For the rest of this article.
Discuss and leave your questions and comments below.
Future Consideration said:Sean Couturier / Canada
Left Wing / Drummondville (QMJHL)
HT: 6’-3†/ WT: 200 Lbs
GP 7 G 2 A 1 PTS 3 PIM 0
Key stat: Couturier ended the tournament a plus -6.
WJC Report: Did not stand out offensively like other potential top draft picks have in recent years. He was able use his big frame and long reach to play an effective game along the wall, owning the cycle game and protecting the puck behind the net but ultimately could not show much of his offesnive creativity as he has with Drummondville this season.
He fit in nicely as a complementary player on Canada as he used his smarts and strong defensive awareness to not only shut down the oppositions chances by applying strong backpressure but also filling in for pinching defenders and blocking shots.
For those who see his skating as a weakness, it looked fine when up against the cream of the crop in Buffalo which leads you to believe the much talked about shortcoming is no longer an issue. If anything his acceleration is an area needing improvement but not to the point of keeping him out of the NHL. Couturier did nothing to hurt his draft stock in Buffalo but he also did not give it that shot in the arm so many others have in the past.
Adam Larsson / Sweden
Defense / Skelleftea (SEL)
HT: 6’-2†/ WT: 215 Lbs
GP 6 G 1 A 3 PTS 4 PIM 4
Key stat: Larsson ended the tournament a plus -4, good for second on the Swedish team.
WJC Report: A rather ordinary showing through the preliminary round, Larsson turned it on for the semi-final game against the Russians as he became more aggresive and took control of the play at both ends of the ice.
He looked overly tentative and indecisive early on and had many asking if he was worth even a first round pick at all nevermind first overall. But even through the rough streaches in the preliminary round games he did show some flashes of his high skill level, strong vision and passing ability as well as his ability to read the play.
Larsson, just like Couturier, really left the tournament the same way as he started it, maybe dropping a bit in some draft rankings due to a lack of consistency in his overall play but still showing the talent to be a top NHL defender one day.
Gabriel Landeskog / Sweden
Right Wing / Kitchener (OHL)
HT: 6’-1†/ WT: 205 Lbs
GP 1 G 1 A 1 PTS 2 PIM 0
WJC Report: One of the main billing draft prospects entering the 2011 Championship in Buffalo...
For the rest of the article.
Future Consideration said:The award for top underage prospect, meaning not even draft eligible this year, was an easy one this year.
Top Underage Prospect: #5 F Martin Frk.
The choices were limited and Frk was the only prospect that made a real impression. Just ask Canadian defensman Erik Gudbranson who took a ’between the legs hook and jerk’ which was called a spear on the ice and resulted in a game misconduct for the young Czech player.
For the rest of this article.
Discuss and leave your questions and comments below.