I’d rather be talking about Minnesota’s playoff games right now, but as you can tell that didn’t quite work out since I am talking about the Wild’s future talent instead. I have been a long-time subscriber to the Hockey News, and one issue I always can’t wait to see is their annual Future Watch feature. Why? Not only do I get perhaps an idea of who are the top prospects of the rest of the league but also I get to see how a panel of NHL scouts view the Wild which you would have to believe is the most objective source one can ask for. How did the Wild stack up in this year’s issue? Well according to the panel of 23 NHL scouts was asked to evaluate the prospect pool of the league’s 30 teams and the Wild ranked a humiliating 29th. In the same issue, when you factor in Minnesota’s average draft position which is around 8th throughout its franchise history it ranked dead last. Popular prospect evaluation website Hockey’s Future.com also has Minnesota ranked 30th. Ouch. Dead last is not just embarassing it is a huge indictment to the players this team has selected the last 9 seasons. Certainly it must be seen as an indictment of Minnesota Assistant General Manager Tommy Thompson who has been the architect of the team’s draft just prior to the 2002-03 season. Draft read like an incrediblely long list of failure starting with 1st round failure A.J. Thelen (12th Overall in 2004), and James Sheppard (9th Overall in 2006); a player who will be a restricted free agent this summer with just 11 goals and 49 points in 224 NHL games has to be considered a huge disappointment, along with a host of failed 2nd round picks like Roman Voloshenko and Ondrej Fiala. Many Wild fans still chaffe at the fact Thompson chose to draft big and slow enforcer Matt Kassian in the 2nd round, 57th Overall in 2006. It are these drafting woes that have forced the organization to go to far more expensive free agency to fill its holes, and it continues to be a source of weakness for the Wild. Part of the issue stems from the fact the team has opted to trade away picks for players it needs in the present or it has rushed some of its prospects to the NHL too quickly and they struggled to step up their level of play, with James Sheppard and Colton Gillies being terrific examples of this. Other organizations, like the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings for example have not fallen into the trap of rushing their young talent too early and instead opted to let their youngsters season in the minors until they are ready to take the next step and they’ve reaped the rewards of being patient.
I do not dispute or challenge Minnesota’s paltry ranking at all, in fact I would have ranked them in the bottom five of the NHL without hesitation. The Wild’s prospect pool is simply not that impressive. No real shining stars, and while there are some viable NHL prospects there are no game changers. You can sense the level of frustration the organization is having with its milquetoast prospect pool as it fired its American Hockey League affiliate Head Coach, Kevin Constantine on Thursday. Despite what some fans may think about Constantine, a known defensive-hockey guru he played the Wild’s new aggressive forechecking system probably to his team’s detriment as the Aeros finished last in the Western Division and out of the AHL playoffs. Was the failure of this season really Constantine’s fault or is he just the scapegoat for someone elses’ mistakes? Thompson has somehow avoided all accountability despite undeniable failure with important selections. Why he hasn’t been sent packing just baffles me. Minnesota has also had NHL Hall of Famer Guy Lapointe as its Coordinator of Amateur Scouting from the team’s inception so the team’s failures at the draft table also are a reflection on him as well. He too should have his feet held to the fire for this situation the organization finds itself in. There was a mild house cleaning in the team’s scouting staff shortly after the Wild hired Chuck Fletcher as General Manager, but really did any of the team’s scouts deserve to stick around? No doubt Chuck Fletcher has some more tough decisions to make but kicking Tommy Thompson and Guy Lapointe to the curb may be a step in the right direction.
Minnesota is set to select 9th Overall in this year’s draft, a draft that E.J. Maguire the Director of the NHL’s Central Scouting Service says is fairly deep although I am not quite sure that is true. If the Wild’s prospect pool has any real depth it is at defense where it has a few decent players at that position and to a lesser extent between the pipes, but at forward it is pretty bleak. Perhaps the biggest thing Minnesota lost when then-General Manager Doug Risebrough decided to let franchise winger Marian Gaborik leave for nothing in return the team really has not drafted any blue chip quality skilled scoring forwards since perhaps selecting Patrick O’Sullivan 56th Overall in 2003. The void of having an internally developed scoring winger really may cast a long shadow that may haunt this organization for years to come as anyone knows those types of players are hard to come by. That really is what Minnesota should be looking for with its first pick, and so far in a poll I have here it seems to be the top choice of Wild fans as well. I can promise you that the State of Hockey News will have a full series of draft previews of possible 1st round selections that fit Minnesota’s needs in the next few weeks as we get closer to the NHL draft. So before discussing this year’s draft, what does Minnesota’s prospect pool look like? According to Minneapolis Star Tribune‘s Michael Russo, the pre-eminent Wild beat writer here is how he saw the Wild’s Top 10 prospects as he placed them in the Hockey News‘ 2010 Future Watch issue.
1. (D) ~ Marco Scandella
2. (D) ~ Nick Leddy
3. (G) ~ Matthew Hackett
4. (D) ~ Tyler Cuma
5. (LW) ~ Colton Gillies
6. (D) ~ Clayton Stoner
7. (C) ~ Cody Almond
8. (G) ~ Anton Khudobin
9. (D) ~ Justin Falk
10. (RW) ~ Petr Kalus
While at the time of writing Russo obviously did not know that the Wild were going to deal away Nick Leddy (19th Overall, 2009) along with Kim Johnsson to Chicago for Cam Barker but the fact they would part with Leddy so soon also may demonstrate the team was not overly happy with how he was performing with the University of Minnesota where he had a very mundane freshman season with the Golden Gophers scoring 3 goals and 11 points in 30 games. Considering Tommy Thompson was gushing in the local players over how incredible Leddy was and then having a rather forgettable freshman season is perhaps another blemish to his questionable reputation at the draft table. But hey, I think you can already figure out I am not a big fan of Tommy Thompson’s so I’ll move on and rate my Top 10 Wild prospects. In some ways I may agree with Russo, but perhaps for different reasons as I’m pretty sure I’ve paid far closer attention to Minnesota’s prospect depth than he has. I do have the benefit of having a little bit more of the season to deal with where the team did acquire two decent players out of the college ranks as free agents which I am fairly certain could have made Russo’s list if they had been there when he made it. So without further adieu, here is my Top 10 Wild prospects for the Spring of 2010.
1. F – Casey Wellman ~ University of Massachusetts-Amherst Minutemen (Hockey East)
Height: 6’0″ Weight: 160lbs 2009-10 Stats: 36GP 23G 22A = 45pts 38 PIM’s
Talent Analysis: The California-native who grew up a San Jose Sharks fan, learning the game on their practice facilities ice and later honed his game in Michigan was considered by many to be the jewel of the college free agent class this spring. 22 teams did their best to woo the speedy skilled forward, but ultimately Chuck Fletcher’s persistence won him out and marked a distinct change of direction for the Wild who had traditionally avoided being all that active in signing college free agents. Wellman spent the rest of the season with the Wild and while he only registered 1 goal and 4 points in 12 games and while that may not jump off the page he showed fans, coaches and management that they had signed a swift, creative and assertive scoring forward. Wellman demonstrated terrific hockey sense and even gave a good show of his character when he stepped up to challenge Philadelphia’s Daniel Carcillo. For the Minutemen this season Wellman used his tremendous speed and quick release to great effect and was amongst the NCAA’s top scorers. He will have to work on his defensive game, and most of all his strength (to add some more muscle to that very slight 160lbs frame) but he was never short of hustle in the games he played and always could be counted on to race back to help out in the Wild’s zone. His addition was huge since the team is woefully short on skill with most of the forward prospects it has in the system. Signed as a free agent (3-year entry level deal) after the conclusion of his sophomore season at UMass-Amherst.
2. D – Marco Scandella ~ Val ‘d Or Foreurs (QMJHL)
Height: 6’3″ Weight: 200lbs 2009-10 Stats: 31GP 9G 22A = 31pts 41 PIM’s
Talent Analysis: It has been a very steady climb for the skilled two-way defenseman, but there have been some bumps along the way as well. Possessing great mobility, good on-ice vision as well as being able to play solid defensively Scandella is the team’s best blueline prospect since it drafted Brent Burns and converted him back to the blueline after milquetoast results as a forward. The bumps I mentioned earlier stemmed from a big suspension he recieved this season for delivering a high hit on Rimouski’s Alexander Durrette. It was not Patrice Cormier-type of dirty hit, but it left Durrette’s face permanently disfigured and in need of plastic surgery. Scandella recieved a 15-game suspension, but when he returned he wasted little time getting involved for the Foreurs as he blasted home a goal on the first shot he took. The Montreal-native was a top pairing defenseman on Team Canada that won the silver at this year’s World Junior Championships. He logged big minutes and while you would never call him flashy he makes smart and decisive plays with the puck and is very capable on the power play as he possesses a heavy slap shot. Like most prospects, Scandella will need to add bulk to his 6’3″ frame but looks to be in prime position to perhaps make the team as early as the 2011-12 season. Selected 55th Overall in 2008.
3. G – Matthew Hackett ~ Plymouth Whalers (OHL)
Height: 6’2″ Weight: 167lbs 2009-10 Stats: (33-18-1) 2.62GAA .925%SP
Talent Analysis: To some it may seem odd to call a 3rd round pick a steal, but the Minnesota Wild feel they got a real gem last year when they selected Matt Hackett. Playing on a solid scoring team Matt Hackett was the wall for what was a below average Whalers’ defense meaning he saw a lot of shots most nights. While that may have hurt him in the goals against average department it also meant he had a lot of activity and opportunities to improve his game. The big, athletic goaltender plays a typical butterfly style and is very efficient in his movements. He has a very quick glove and he uses his positioning well. Like many young players he could stand to gain muscle on his gangly 6’2″ frame. In the playoffs Hackett helped the Whalers advance to the second round where he was stormed by the offensive juggernaut that is the Windsor Spitfires. Yet despite the fairly short playoff run this season the Wild liked what they saw to sign him to a 3-year entry level deal. He recorded 4 shutouts and was amongst the top of the OHL in most goaltending categories. He was the last goaltender cut at Team Canada’s World Junior Championships camp, but he didn’t show much frustration when he returned to Plymouth which demonstrates good mental resilience. Selected 77th Overall in 2009.
4. D – Nate Prosser ~ Colorado College Tigers (WCHA)
Height: 6’2″ Weight: 210lbs 2009-10 Stats: 39GP 4G 24A = 28pts 58 PIM’s
Talent Analysis: Some may accuse me of making Prosser a bit of a homer pick since we attended the same alma mater and I’ve been watching him play all the way since his high school days but at the same time it also provides me some unique perspective to just how far he has come as a player. Even from his high school days at Elk River he was a poised presence on the blue line, playing big minutes on the penalty kill and quarterbacking the power play. His game is very remiscent of another former Elk River product, Paul Martin who is of similar build and skillset. Like Martin, there are no real skills that are way beyond that of other players in the league, but it is a well-rounded game where there are no real glaring weaknesses that make both of them so effective and make them a jack of all trades. In the 3 games Prosser played for the Wild he showed the same poise and ability to move the puck up the ice with either a good outlet pass or by carrying it up the ice himself and his play impressed the Wild coaching staff and management who had originally intended to let him simply practice with the team until its conclusion until injuries forced him into the lineup. He got considerable time on the power play and penalty kill and did not look that out of place. In college Prosser was much the same way and since he has played against men it gives him an advantage over some of his fellow blueline prospects who have only played junior hockey. Physically speaking, Prosser could stand to add more muscle but he certainly did not let his lack of bulk disuade him from getting involved physically in the games he played. I am not sure the Wild expected him to be as effective as he demonstrated himself to be but they’re certainly glad they picked him up now. Prosser signed as a free agent this spring after he graduated from Colorado College.
5. D – Tyler Cuma ~ Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
Height: 6’1″ Weight: 193lbs 2009-10 Stats: 52GP 5G 17A = 22pts 73 PIM’s +9
Talent Analysis: It has been another rough season for Tyler Cuma. After a knee injury derailed his season he sustained at Team Canada’s WJC tryout camp last year, he still struggled to stay healthy this season as well. Missing out on Canada’s gold medal last year was hard on Cuma, but perhaps it stung even worse when he was cut rather quickly from their WJC camp this season. Cuma would return to the 67’s and struggled to find his form and only as the playoffs neared did he start to revert to his old game of being solid defensively and using his excellent skating to help support the offensive attack. He will never be a big time scorer, but the team insists his true potential is as shutdown defenseman who you pair against the opposition’s top lines. I must say when I read in the Hockey News‘ future watch that Tommy Thompson used the phrase “We’re not worried” that immediately prompted me to worry that Cuma could very well be damaged goods and despite all the upside some thought he had he just hasn’t lived up to the hype. Cuma was a late cut from Minnesota’s training camp and many fans felt he looked very natural during pre-season play but with a bunch of young blueliners in the prospect pool he’ll really have to push himself to set himself apart from the others. It will be very interesting to see what happens to him at the team’s prospect camp this summer as well as training camp, as he has one more season of junior elligibility left and his last two junior seasons have been below average at best. Selected 23rd Overall in 2008.
6. LW – Colton Gillies ~ Houston Aeros (AHL)
Height: 6’4″ Weight: 199lbs 2009-10 Stats: 72GP 7G 13A = 20pts 73 PIM’s
Talent Analysis: Colton Gillies was disappointed when the team chose to send down the former member of the Saskatoon Blades to play for the team’s AHL affiliate in Houston. The Wild told Gillies they felt it was best for his development to get increased ice time in the AHL then have him simply play a 4th line role with the Wild. How did this pay off? Well, hardly anything to write home about as he managed very modest totals for playing in a checking role with the Aeros. Athletically speaking Gillies is very gifted with excellent speed and efficient skating stride but his puck skills are very raw at best. He is at his best in a forechecking role which is precisely where the Wild would like him to eventually play for them someday but despite their assurances that his lack of production was expected not disappointing but 20 points in 72 games is a big let down from his nearly a point-per-game production he had in late season stint two years ago. He will never be an NHL power forward but he may be a big and fast checking winger who can use his size to punish with big body checks and he played that role reasonably well this season in Houston. Yet considering when Minnesota picked him (even trading up to do so), as they selected 16th Overall in 2007 you have to question the value they have recieved.
7. C – Cody Almond ~ Houston Aeros (AHL)
Height: 6’2″ Weight: 215lbs 2009-10 Stats: 48GP 7G 11A = 18pts 77 PIM’s
Talent Analysis: A season ago, Cody Almond was a part of a Kelowna team that came within one game from winning the Memorial Cup. This year he ended his first professional season playing some games with the Minnesota Wild. A player that Tommy Thompson called his “pet project” when the team selected him 140th Overall in 2007, Almond is more of a power forward type who uses his size well to protect the puck and is adept at working the puck into the high traffic areas or drawing defenders towards him before delivering the quick pass. Almond has a reasonably quick release and after struggling with some injury issues early in the season he battled back to be a versatile center used both on the power play and on the penalty kill. His hard work and willingness to drop the gloves when need be earned him two call ups with the Wild and after his first cup of coffee where Minnesota Head Coach Todd Richards described him as “a deer in headlights” he looked much more comfortable in his next stint, even scoring a goal against the Edmonton Oilers. Almond does not possess blinding speed but he shows good on-ice awareness and he makes up for his lack of wheels by being solid positionally and works well along the boards. It is very unlikely he’ll ever be a big scorer at the pro level but he is the type of internally developed role player that can help save an organization some money under the salary cap.
8. G – Anton Khudobin ~ Houston Aeros (AHL)
Height: 5’11” Weight: 203lbs 2009-10 Stats: (14-19-4) 2.42GAA .907%SP
Talent Analysis: Most goaltenders are a strange breed and are known for their pecularities and sometimes almost asocial behavior, but Anton Khudobin is more like the class clown. Down to earth, easy going who plays an unorthodox and flopping style of play not quite akin to Dominik Hasek but more like a tetris piece as he contorts himself in all sorts of shapes and formations to stop the puck. Khudobin became sort of a cult favorite amongst Wild fans for earning two victories during a mid-season call up where he did not allow any goals. He still needs to work on his positioning but he is very athletic and has great natural instincts. Khudobin would’ve probably earned a lot more starts for the Aeros had the Wild had so many injury woes between the pipes. The Russian netminder would’ve had another shot late in the season when Josh Harding went down with an injury but a stolen passport prevented him from joining the team while it was on a 3-game road trip to Canada. Khudobin’s AHL numbers would’ve been more impressive but he did not recieve much goal support while in Houston. Barring more injury issues in Minnesota, Khudobin will likely get one more full season in Houston before the team makes a big decision on whether he’s worthy to be Niklas Backstrom‘s backup. Selected 206th Overall in 2004.
9. D – Justin Falk ~ Houston Aeros (AHL)
Height: 6’5″ Weight: 214lbs 2009-10 Stats: 69GP 3G 9A = 12pts 87 PIM’s
Talent Analysis: Sort of like Cody Almond, two seasons ago Justin Falk was apart of a Memorial Cup with the Spokane Chiefs. Instead of returning to the Chiefs as they attempted to defend their title, he would sign a pro deal and play for the Houston Aeros having a solid rookie season. This year he was supposed to expand on his progress and by all accounts he did just that. A big and mobile stay-at-home defenseman, Falk is very solid positionally who can move the puck up the ice effectively. He will never have a big offensive portion to his game, and even though he showed a willingness to stick up for his teammates he is not a very good fighter for a player of his size. Falk still needs to work on filling out his 6’5″ frame and work at playing with more of an edge since he’s athletically gifted enough to stay with most forwards in the league. In late-season call up Falk was hobbled quickly by a concussion but he came back and showed no hesitation to get involved physically and hopefully this small cup of coffee he earned this season will inspire him to add strength. I do not think he will be with the big club next season but rather continuing to log big minutes with the Aeros. Minnesota selected 110th Overall in 2007.
10. C – Erik Haula ~ Omaha Lancers (USHL)
Height: 6’0″ Weight: 170lbs 2009-10 Stats: 56GP 28G 44A = 72pts 59 PIM’s
Talent Analysis: Unlike the rest of the Wild’s prospects in this article, Erik Haula is the only one still playing at the time of writing, as his Omaha Lancers are battling through the USHL Semi-finals. Haula is the only other skilled forward in Minnesota’s prospect pool apart from Casey Wellman as he has had a terrific regular season and is following it up with a strong playoffs registering 6 assists so far in just 3 games. The Pori, Finland native is a superb playmaker and loves to dangle the puck as he looks to set up his teammates. Haula is already committed to playing for the University of Minnesota next season and Don Lucia could use a skilled set up man like Haula who also has a pretty decent shot when he uses it. Being that he hasn’t yet started his college career he is still a long way off before being in a Wild sweater but if his Junior ‘A’ season is any indication he could very well be as close the team has come to finding a late-round gem as he was selected 182nd Overall in 2009.
Other players in the system but not in the Top 10, I guess someone may call it honorable mention but when you’re rated 29th by the Hockey News and 30th by Hockey’s Future.com then perhaps the word honorable isn’t really that appropriate. Yet here are the ‘next five’ in Minnesota’s system that are not quite Top 10 material just yet.
11. D – Maxim Noreau ~ Houston Aeros (AHL)
Height: 5’11” Weight: 192lbs 2009-10 Stats: 76GP 18G 34A = 52pts 60 PIM’s
12. G – Darcy Kuemper ~ Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
Height: 6’4″ Weight: 195lbs 2009-10 Stats: (28-23-4) 2.73GAA .908%SP
13. LW – Kris Foucault ~ Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
Height: 6’1″ Weight: 204lbs 2009-10 Stats: 68GP 22G 21A = 43pts 31 PIM’s +3
14. D – Kyle Medvec ~ Vermont Catamounts (Hockey East)
Height: 6’6″ Weight: 225lbs 2009-10 Stats: 39GP 5G 10A = 15pts 50 PIM’s
15. LW – Eero Elo ~ Lukko Rauma Fox (Sm-Liiga-Finnish National League)
Height: 6’3″ Weight: 189lbs 2009-10 Stats: 19GP 7G 3A = 10pts 6 PIM’s
This concludes this 2010 State of Hockey News Top 10 Wild Prospect list, please do not hesitate to tell me what you think whether you agree, disagree or even share your own list. Comments welcome!
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
