Author Archives: Bryan Reynolds

Wild prospect camp wrapping up

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SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Wild will wrap up their development camp this weekend with two scrimmages, one for season ticket holders, the other open to the general public. The scrimmages are the fun part of a weeklong practice session in which young prospects and unsigned invitees are given lessons on hockey sense, and are put through torturous skating drills. First year Houston Aeros Head Coach Mike Yeo said that they were out to teach the kids “What it means to be a pro, how to play at this level, the pace, the execution. We’re also teaching them a lot of positional skills, and some individual skills.” Off-ice training included nutrition information and work out regimens to take back to their respective teams. Asked if anyone in camp stood out, Coach Yeo said, “At different times, I think everybody. The thing that I’ve been really impressed with is some of the guys that have been here before, the example that they’re setting for the younger guys. I think I’ve seen something from a lot of different guys.” He went on to explain that development camp is nowhere near a one dimensional training course. “It doesn’t mean that the skills that we’re doing are all about scoring goals, sometimes it can be about puck protection, sometimes it can be about defensemen going back retrieving the puck, and I think that in each drill there have certainly been some guys that have stood out.” The message was certainly clear to the players receiving the lessons from Coach Yeo, on the ice with the first ever Director of Player Development for the Wild, Brad Bombardir, Wild Goalie Coach Bob Mason and first year Aeros Assistant Coach Darryl Sydor. The Wild’s top defensive prospect Tyler Cuma, who has been to the camp before, said that the day had gone “Pretty good, pretty tired, but I got a good workout.” He added that the defensemen had been “Doing a lot of those D-on-D drills, showing us different things on what to do out there.” What Cuma was hinting at was Yeo was not afraid to pull players aside and give them a little extra motivation. Tyler Johnson of the Spokane Chiefs explained that Yeo “is a great coach, and a great guy. He certainly motivates, and makes you work hard, especially in the summer when you’re not going all out. But he expects that out of you, so you have to do that. It feels good.” While it was clear to the players that no one was there to earn a spot on the Wild’s roster, they certainly understood that Chuck Fletcher and Todd Richards were watching. With that information in hand, players tempered expectations when asked about their chances for making the squad in the fall. Aeros center Cody Almond expounded that the Wild had “picked up Cullen, so that didn’t help my chances at all. But I think I have a shot if I play my best.” Johnson said his plan was to “in the AHL, make that, but if not, I’ll play with the Chiefs again.” Cuma’s battle is definitely uphill, with the Wild willing to go with six NHL level defensemen going into the season, and names like Brent Burns, Nick Schultz, and Marek Zidlicky in front of him on the depth chart, and he made it clear that he understands the mountain in front of him, “I know there are a lot of spots that are taken, and five or six of us that are fighting for one or two spots. It’s going to be quite the battle come September 10th, and I’m going to come in and make sure I give myself the best opportunity.” Despite the players and coaches being in full on hard work mode, there was still fun to be had. Asked of his plans for next season, Wild draft pick Jason Zucker reminded the Minnesota media that he is attending Denver University next season, a rival of the hometown Golden Gophers. Asked if he thinks the fans at Marriucchi will notice him, maybe cheer a little for him, Zucker smiled and said “I hope so. We’ll see what happens. It’s a great rivalry.” Some of the participants have loftier goals, such as Schilling, who is headed back to Miami for a run at a third straight NCAA title game. Asked if the Redhawks can win it all this year, he too smiled and said, “Yeah. Well, third time’s a charm.” Not to be outdone, Coach Yeo confirmed his desire to win a Calder Cup with the Aeros, while giving a bigger picture of what that would mean for the organization. “Well, you know what, that’s the plan. We want to help the Minnesota Wild win the Stanley Cup, and I believe in order to do that, that it helps to build winners in the American Hockey League. If those guys are used to playing in those pressure packed games, and know what it takes to win, then certainly when they come up here, they’re going to be better prepared.” Where ever the players invited to camp wind up, it is clear that each of them feels they are learning skills and gaining knowledge that they otherwise may not have come across. Certainly dealing with a coach that has a clear understanding of his role in the organization, and is dedicated to the success of the franchise as a whole, will help with their ability to one day skate in the NHL. Only time will tell, but so far it looks like the prospects are in good hands. The author can be reached at bryan.reynolds@prohockeynews.com
 
 
 

Minnesota Wild 2010 Draft in Review

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SAINT PAUL , MN – The Minnesota Wild matched the number of picks in the first two rounds over the past three years in this year’s draft alone. After years of trading draft picks away, Chuck Fletcher has made it clear that picks are a valued commodity, especially early round picks. Historically, selections in the first two rounds are statistically more likely to make an impact in a franchise’s success, so with four selections in the first two rounds in this years draft, Fletcher has added some odds-on talent to a nearly bare cupboard. The Wild made six selections in all, five of which were forwards, an area of need throughout the organization. The last Wild draft pick to make the team on a full time basis was Colton Gilles, who was promptly sent to the AHL with the Houston Aeros by the new administration. Before Gilles, it was James Sheppard who is widely regarded as a bust and has been given a short leash at this year’s training camp. Cal Clutterbuck was a third round selection for the Wild and plays the energy role well, but has made only a minor impact in the offensive side of the game. Knowing his franchise needs help in the forward ranks, here are the picks Chuck Fletcher made in this year’s draft: Mikael Granlund 5’ 10” 180lbs Center, HIFK Finland Compared fairly or unfairly to Saku Koivu, Granlund’s physical attributes match Koivu’s almost directly. He was described as the smartest player in the draft and the best playmaker in the draft as well. The Wild reportedly had him as the third best player overall, and even when top rated defensemen Brandon Gormley and Cam Fowler well, the Wild stuck to their draft board. Granlund is coming into an organization that has produced two Finnish stars (Mikko Koivu and Niklas Backstrom) which should bode well for Granlund who is under contract with his current team for one more season, and you can bet the Wild will be pushing hard to get him across the pond as soon as that deal expires. Brett Bulmer 6’ 1” 165 lbs Left Wing, Kelowna Rockets Needing to add some bulk to his frame, Bulmer is a physical player with a full fight card in his young junior career.  Projected as a solid second line wing, if Bulmer adds upwards of forty pounds, he could make a strong power forward. He is a perfect fit for the Wild’s system with his strong physical abilities and up-tempo style. Some have criticized his hockey knowledge, but his meteoric rise up the rankings made NHL teams take notice. He is likely one of the sleepers of this draft. Johan Larsson 5’ 10” 200lbs Left Wing, Brynas U-20 Named captain of his Swedish U-18 WJC squad, Larsson posted 14 points in 5 games during the tournament. He already has the size to be a NHL level player, and has shown willingness to battle with anyone on the ice. Defensively responsible, Larsson’s offense is now coming around to match. If he can continue to develop the offensive side of his game, he will be a top-flight NHL player. Jason Zucker 5’ 10” 175lbs Left Wing, USA U-20 The first ever Nevada born player ever drafted by the NHL, Zucker was attractive enough for the Wild to trade their third and fourth round picks to move up and draft him. He had 18 points in 22 games with the US Developmental program last season and certainly showed what he is capable of with the puck. Zucker is considered a very good, very hard forechecker, which fits very well with the Wild’s system. He will get some time to develop and hone his skills further. He has committed to the University of Denver for next season. Johan Gustaffson 6’ 2” 207lbs Goaltender, Koping HC The only non-forward drafted by the Wild this year, Gustaffson adds to an already strong organizational depth at the goaltender position. With Niklas Backstrom firmly implanted as the teams number one goalie, Josh Harding as his backup, and Anton Khudobin and Matthew Hackett moving up the ranks quickly, Gustaffson is a low risk pick in the sixth round. His numbers have been impressive in international tournaments, posting a 2.02 and 2.21 GAA the past two tournaments he’s played in. While it is not clear if Gustaffson has NHL dreams, he was reportedly at the draft in LA, which indicates that at least he has an interest. If he makes his way across the Atlantic, the Wild will have a steal. If he doesn’t, losing a sixth round pick is not a huge loss. Dylan McKinlay 5’ 11” 170lbs Right Wing, Chilliwack Bruins An excellent checking forward who has also shown flashes of offensive ability. He still has some room to add bulk, and has some room to develop on the offensive side, but McKinlay worked his way up from a fourth liner to a top six type of forward with Chilliwack in just one season.  Seventh round picks are not generally looked at with a ton of hope, but the Wild have drafted a kid with some real talent that, if he works as hard as he has thus far, could turn out to be a solid NHL player. A low risk, high reward type of pick. The author can be reached at bryan.reynolds@prohockeynews.com
 

Wild add another Finn

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SAINT PAUL , Minn. – In his second draft at the helm, Chuck Fletcher has had a year of experience, a year of evaluating the organization, and a year of his own scouts gathering information. Last season, he was presented with a draft list created mainly for Doug Risebrough, and Fletcher accepted it for what it was. The Wild drafted Nick Leddy, yet another defenseman, after trading down to secure more draft picks. With the Wild’s top prospects being defensemen, the addition of Leddy was not a popular one with Wild fans.
  At the trade deadline, Leddy was included with Kim Johnsson in a trade that brought Cam Barker to the Wild. At the ime of the deal,  it was suggested in the Minneapolis Star Tribine that the Wild was not happy with the development of Leddy under the University of Minnesota ’s system, and added to the glut of defensive picks, he was willing to part with Leddy, the furthest from NHL action. Fletcher and the Wild deny having any issues with his development, or with the University.  
This season, the Wild have the ninth pick overall. The last time the Wild picked ninth, the selection was James Sheppard, who has yet to realize the potential of a player selected that high.  Looking at the list of former number nine picks, the track record is not stunning. Dion Phaneuf tops the list of players taken at that spot in the past 20 years. After that, the talent level drops off rather sharply.
 
All of this adds up to the Wild picking in the top ten, needing top flight prospects at nearly every position except defense and outside the group of players that are likely to make an immediate impact.
 
The popular choice here in Minnesota would be Nick Bjugstad, a big center out from Blaine, a suburb of Minneapolis. His size would be welcome, at 6’ 5” he stills has plenty of room to add muscle, and he has the ability to play nearly anywhere on the ice. However, the Wild have some issues to overcome when it comes to Bjugstad.
  The first and foremost issue will be the fact that Bjugstad is committed to the University of Minnesota. As mentioned above, there may be issues of confidence in the program’ s ability to develop NHL stars.  The second issue is Bjugstad ’s performance in the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament. Playing as a man among boys, Bjugstad was nearly invisible, and was shut down easily by the opposing squads.    
Bjugstad’s stock was raised with his performance at the NHL Draft Combine, but the issues outweigh that, and the Wild are unlikely to draft him.
 
That leaves some very good, very solid picks still on the board. Jack Campbell, the top rated goaltender in the draft. Derek Forbert, a highly rated, very big defenseman. Or even Emerson Etem, one of the fastest players in the draft.
 
The biggest area of need for the Wild is forwards. The old adage, however, is that you do not draft for need, instead drafting the best available player, regardless of position. The Wild will follow that advice closely, and at the same time, be able to fill a need.  The best available player still on the board, and best suited to the Wild’s system is Mikael Granlund from HIFK Helsinki. Granlund is a center capable of a solid two-way game; his only drawback is his size. At 5’ 10”, 180 lbs, he is not exactly small, but he will not be the largest player on the ice either. The Wild have some history with Finnish centers, and feel very comfortable drafting out of Europe, so Granlund going in the top ten should not be a shock to anyone. The Hockey News compares him to Saku Koivu in terms of his playing style, and his numbers certainly bear out (40 points in 43 games in the SM-liiga, and 7 points in 6 games in the World Junior Championships). It shows the type of production he can put up against his peers. While neither of those are the NHL, Granlund has shown he has the ability. Couple that with some time in the AHL, he will make a fine addition to the future of the Minnesota Wild.
 
Look for Chuck Fletcher to explore draft day trades, including finally settling the future of goalie Josh Harding, and potentially moving down in the draft to secure more picks. Should he be unable to find a suitable trade, the words you are most likely to hear from Chuck Fletcher will be the following.
 
“With the ninth pick in the 2010 NHL draft, the Minnesota Wild select Mikael Granlund, center from HIFK Helsinki.” To learn more about Mikael Granlund click on his name.
 
The author can be reached at bryan.reynolds@prohockeynews.com

Minnesota Wild Top 5 Center Prospects

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SAINT PAUL, Minn. – If the goaltender is the most important position on the ice, center is a very close second. They are the pivot for the forwards. They follow the puck, roaming the entire surface, going anywhere needed in order to set up a scoring play, or to take the open shot. They also have huge defensive responsibilities and are expected to follow the puck to the far reaches of the ice. The good news for the Wild is that they have Mikko Koivu, one of the best two-way centermen in the game today. The bad news for the Wild is that there is little to no depth below him. Since Koivu made the team and holds the top line center spot, the Wild have searched for the man to skate on the second line. Here is how the future of the center position looks for the Wild: 1.   Casey Wellman – Signed at the end of this season, Wellman finished sixth in the NCAA scoring race. He was a free agent, having gone undrafted before turning into an offensive threat this season. He is signed with the Wild through the end of next season, after which he becomes a restricted free agent. Wellman likely signed with the Wild because he knew he would get a chance to play immediately, without being sent to Houston (AHL). Wellman has shown good hands, NHL caliber speed, and a wrist shot to go with the best of them. While he needs to bulk up, he is likely to remain in the NHL next season. 2.    Cody Almond – Given two games of limited NHL experience this season, Almond is certainly one of the brighter pieces of the Wild’s future. He can play nearly any role, from scoring winger to shut down center. If his development goes as planned, he is looking at a Koivu type of game. Unless the Wild make some off-season acquisitions, Almond should see increased time at the NHL level. For more information on Almond, see Pro Hockey News Aeros Beat Writer Heather Galindo’s report from earlier this season . After Almond, the light dims significantly. No other prospect looks to have much of a chance to see NHL time short of major injury issues with the Wild. Some other faces in the organization include: 3.    Anthony Hamburg – A seventh round draft pick in last summer’s draft, Hamburg is currently playing with the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. He has already exceeded expectations and has a strong work ethic, something that serves him well. While he is still a long shot, the Wild organization’s lack of depth at center could bode well for him. 4.    Julian Walker – The Wild took a gamble on Walker, taking him in the 6th round in 2006. Players from Switzerland are slow to make the jump to North America, and Walker is likely no exception. While he plays a strong game, and has the size (6’ 2”, 209lbs), Walker has shown no interest in moving to North America to develop in the AHL. Unless something drastic happens, such as being given a guaranteed shot at the NHL, there is little chance he will make the move from overseas. The Wild has centers in the organization; however, even Hamburg and Walker were stretches to be considered true prospects with hope of making the league. To list players like Morten Madsen, Chris Hickey, Nathan Smith, or Peter Zingoni as true prospects would be disingenuous. They are career AHL players, but should the Wild become desperate for fill in players due to injury one of all of them could get a shot. Even with that unlikely occurrence, the Wild would sooner make a trade than use the bottom rung of the depth ladder.  This is not to say these players are incapable of solid hockey, however they have been around long enough that if they were going to get their shot, they likely would have already. The author can be reached at bryan.reynolds@prohockeynews.com

Day One: NCAA West Regional

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SAINT PAUL, Minn. – For the second time in a week, the SCSU Huskies and the Wisconsin Badgers will meet at the Xcel Energy Center. Last week, it was SCSU defeating Wisconsin for a chance at the WCHA title. Tonight, the teams have a rematch with a trip to the Frozen Four in Detroit on the line. The attendance here was paltry, announced at just over 7,200, with nowhere near that many actually in the building. The fans were either quiet because there were so few of them, or their cheering was absorbed by the sheer size of the building. The loudest group of fans was a handful of maybe 25 NMU fans decked out in full regalia of hard hats and fluorescent wigs, all the while facing a fan base that needed to travel less than an hour to support their squad. Game One: NMU vs SCSU In the first game of the day, SCSU faced off against the Northern Michigan Wildcats in a game that neither team seemed to want to win. Both sides looked to be content to play end to end hockey without taking many shots on goal or creating much traffic in front of the net. There were certainly flashes of offense, with both teams creating breath taking chances and trading 99 shots on goal, but those opportunities were interrupted by long periods of both teams dumping the puck deep and changing lines, neither team creating a strong forecheck on most dump ins. As the game wore on, the finality of the game looked to sink in as both teams finished the third period strong and the game needed two overtimes to settle it. In the end, SCSU’s Tony Mosey deflected a shot from Garrett Roe past NMU’s Brian Stewart, who had 50 saves on the night,  and SCSU won its first ever NCAA Frozen Four tournament game. Game Two: Wisconsin vs Vermont Top seed Wisconsin had an easier time dispatching Vermont in the second game. The Badgers power play scored on its first three opportunities, giving them enough to secure a shot at SCSU for a berth in the Frozen Four. The Catamounts had upset story written in their notebooks after the first period, being up 2-1 after the opening frame. However, in the final two periods, Vermont had little to no effective offensive chances, with the highly touted Wisconsin defense tightening up after giving up the lead. Wisconsin’s offense, not to be outshined by the defense, took 42 shots on Catamounts goalie Rob Madore and had more solid scoring chances than could be tracked. If not for Madore, this game could have gotten out of hand quickly. Even the Catamounts 6’ 6” defenseman Kyle Medvec, a Minnesota Wild draftee, was invisible on the ice. The story of the night will be Vermont’s inability to stay out of penalty trouble, and that they gave Wisconsin too many chances to win. The Catamounts stayed in the game, until the very end, but Hobey Baker finalist Blake Geoffrion netted the game winning goal at the 19:16 mark of the third period. Regional Final: Wisconsin vs SCSU With two teams from the WCHA facing off for a chance to go to the Frozen Four, the expectation would be that the fan bases would respond by filling some seats, but with the lack of attendance at yesterday’s games, that expectation needs to be tempered. Expect another mostly empty building witnessing a hard fought, well played hockey game between two teams very familiar with each other. The author can be reached at bryan.reynolds@prohockeynews.com  

NCAA West Regional preview

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SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The NCAA Frozen Four West Regional skates into town starting Friday night featuring top seeded University of Wisconsin (UW), #2 seed Saint Cloud State University (SCSU), #3 seed Northern Michigan University (NMU), and #4 seed University of Vermont (UVM).  The regional is made up of two teams from the WCHA (UW and SCSU), one from the CCHA (NMU), and one from Hockey East (UVM). All games will be played at the Xcel Energy Center, home of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.
The NCAA Frozen Four tournament has been crazy the past few years with Miami (Ohio) University and Bemidji State University making names for themselves with impressive runs last season. The game Friday are: Wisconsin vs Vermont at 4:30PM Central Time, and Saint Cloud State vs Northern Michigan immediately following. The championship for the region is Saturday at 8PM Central Time.
University of Wisconsin (UW)
The third overall seed in the tournament, the Badgers carry the top seed in this regional. UW is no stranger to the building, as the annual WCHA Final Five tournament has a permanent home here in Saint Paul, the Badgers finished third in the tournament just last weekend.  They finished with a record of 25-10-4, good for second place in the regular season, and have been picked by the likes of ESPN’s Barry Melrose to win the NCAA Frozen Four title.
The strength of Wisconsin comes from their defense, with a corps led by five NHL draft picks, including Brendan Smith, a finalist for the 2010 Hobey Baker Award.  They are led in scoring by forward Michael Davies with 50 points (18G, 32A). Blake Geoffrion, another Hobey Baker Award finalist who leads the team in goals with 25.
Wisconsin current owns six NCAA Championships and currently has 11 NHL draftees on their roster: C Derek Stephan (Round 2, 2008 by NY Rangers), D Brendan Smith (Round 1, 2007 by Detroit), LW Blake Geoffrion (Round 2, 2006 by Nashville), C Craig Smith (Round 4, 2009 by Nashville), D Justin Smith (Round 2, 2008 by Anaheim), D Ryan McDonagh (Round One, 2007 by Montreal), D Cody Goloubef (Round 2, 2008 by Columbus), D Jake Gardiner (Round 1, 2008 by Anaheim), C Patrick Johnson (Round 7, 2008 by Montreal), C Podge Turnbull (Round 5, 2007 by Los Angeles), and G Brett Bennett (Round 5, 2006 by Phoenix).
Saint Cloud State University (SCSU)
Another team intimately familiar with their surroundings this weekend, the Huskies make their home just an hour from Saint Paul. They finished second in the WCHA tournament, losing the championship game to the University of North Dakota. They finished the WCHA season with a record of 23-13-5, good for third place. The Huskies are led in scoring by forwards Garret Roe and Nick Lasch, who each have 46 points (19 G, 27A).
One stat that may haunt the Huskies is the fact that they have never won a game in the NCAA tournament.
SCSU has seven NHL draftees: Goalie Dan Dunn (Round 6, 2007 by Washington), LW Garret Roe (7th Round, 2008 by Los Angeles), RW Ben Hanowski  (Round 3, 2009 by Pittsburgh), Goalie Mike Lee (Round 3, 2009 by Phoenix), RW  Nick Oslund (Round 7, 2006 by Detroit), D Oliver Lauridsen (Round 7, 2009 by Philadelphia), and C Aaron Marvin ( Round 3, 2006 by Calgary).
Northern Michigan University (NMU)
The Wildcats finished the CCHA season in fourth place with a 20-12-8 record, good for fourth in the conference. They played their way to a second place finish in the CCHA tournament losing to powerhouse Michigan University in the title game. This will be the school’s eighth trip to the Frozen Four with one championship under their belt in 1991.
NMU earned its bid with its strong showing in conference play all season long, with the cincher being the second place finish in the CCHA tournament.
They are led in scoring by Mark Olver with 48 points (19G, 29A), followed by Greger Hanson with 38 points (16G, 22A). Olver is also a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.
The Wild Cats have two NHL draftees: F Mark Olver (Round 5, 2008 by Colorado) and C Matt Butcher (Round 5, 2005 by Vancouver).
University of Vermont (UVM)
Vermont has to be considered the Cinderella story of at least the West Regional, having finished in eighth place in the regular Hockey East standings. The Catmounts made an impressive run last season, reaching the Frozen Four, losing to eventual NCAA Champions Boston College in the Semi-Final game. This will be the fifth visit to the Frozen Four for Vermont, who currently own a 3-5 record in the tournament.
Their bid to the NCAA is unconventional, having finished eighth in their conference, however non-conference wins against Denver, Yale, University of Minnesota – Duluth, Boston College, and University of New Hampshire kept the Catamounts ranked #14, and earned them a bid.
Forward Brayden Irwin leads the Catamounts with 34 points (15G, 19A), followed by Colin Vock with 28 points (11G, 17A).
UVM has never won an NCAA Frozen Four Chmapionship.
Vermont has four NHL draftees: D Drew MacKenzie (Round 7, 2007, by Buffalo), F Matt Marshall (Round 5, 2007, by Tampa Bay), F Kyle Medvec (Round 4, 2006 by Minnesota), and C David Pacan (Round 6, 2009 by Chicago).
The author can be reached at bryan.reynolds@prohockeynews.com