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#6: Boston Bruins Top 10 Prospects |
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We are back after a break for the weekend to bring you part 5 in the never-ending story that is the top-ten prospects per organization. This series combines the intelligence of Brian Huddle and the lack of a life in Adam French to give birth to the brainchildren that are our opinions on prospects. Enjoy.
1.
Dougie Hamilton, Defense,
Niagara IceDogs, OHL,
9th overall, 2011.
18 years old,
6’4, 187.
Hamilton is a beast plain and simple. He has amazing conditioning, excellent skating, a great hard shot, great offensive instincts, even stronger defensive instincts and a penchant of hitting people. He is the perfect defender. He is coming off a year where he had 12 goals and 58 points in 67 games and 16 points in 14 games in the playoffs leading his team in points (4 more than Strome). During those playoffs he averaged about 30-35 minutes a game yet never seemed to tire. The Bruins got a steal at number 9 in Hamilton this year and may be the best defenseman from the draft. His weakness is his lack of a mean streak, he will hit people but not as much as one would expect from a guy of his size and strength.
Upside: Top Pairing Defenseman
NHL Comparable: Drew Doughty
2.
Ryan Spooner, Left Wing,
Kingston Frontenacs, OHL,
45th overall, 2010,
19 years old,
5’10, 176.
Spooner is small but dynamic; he has great speed and determination. The 19 year old had a great year in the OHL managing 81 points in 64 games and playing great in both the playoffs and his 3 games in the AHL. He has an above average shot and good hands but his real strength is his fearless play and relentless forecheck. He reads the play very well and seems to see everything on the ice. He will be going back to Kingston and will likely have a spot on the Canadian WJC team. He was the main reason why Boston felt that Joe Colborne was available to be traded.
Upside: Top-6 Forward
NHL Comparable: Danny Cleary
3.
Jordan Caron, Right Wing,
Providence Bruins, AHL,
25th overall, 2010,
20 years old,
6’2, 201.
A typical Bruin style guy Caron is a scorer with some grit and a nose for the net. He’s strong along the boards and has a wicked wrist shot. He isn’t a great skater and his play style lends itself more towards the PP than 5vs5. He has been accused at times of being a puck hog in junior, but seemed to have found a good balance last season in the AHL. He’s had some injury issues due to his play style but going forward with his size he should be ok.
Upside: 2nd/3rd Line Forward
NHL Comparable: RJ Umberger
4.
Alexander Khokhlachev, Center/Left Wing,
Windsor Spitfires, OHL,
40th overall, 2011,
17 years old,
5’10, 187.
Khokhlachev along with having the greatest name to grace hockey is a pure offensive force with slick hands and a nasty shot. He has tremendous speed and loves to bear down on the defense from the left side. I saw him mostly in the MHL when he was 16 where he was lighting it up against players up to 21 years old. Playing in the OHL has helped his development and has allowed him to adjust to the smaller arenas. What he needs to work on is his play in the defensive end where at times he gets lost or gives up on the play. He is an unusual pick for Boston but a player who with some bulking up should find himself in the league soon.
Upside: Top-6 Forward
NHL Comparable: Mikhail Grabovski
5.
Matt Bartkowski, Defense,
Providence Bruins, AHL,
190th overall, 2008,
23 years old,
6’1, 203.
Bartkowski is a big time hitter who loves to punish opposing players. He goes for big open ice hits quite a bit but that can sometimes leave him out of position. He has an extremely hard shot though his accuracy is not great. He is a stay at home defenseman by trade and really does well on the boards and at pushing players off the puck. He still needs to improve his skating to be a quality NHL player but the mechanics are all there. He’ll play another full year in Providence after a solid rookie year where he led the defense in points (Not the highest PPG).
Upside: 5-6 Defenseman
NHL Comparable: Johnny Boychuk
6.
Jared Knight, Right Wing
London Knights, OHL,
32nd overall, 2010, 19 years old,
5’11, 202 lbs.
One of the hardest workers on the ice, game in and game out, Knight brings so many things to the table, it’s hard to not envision a terrific NHL Career ahead of him. He shows a high commitment to the two-way game, and is aggressive in all three zones. Knight has an accurate shot, with some power behind it, and a quick release to fool a lot of goalies. Though his skating is quick and elusive, work on his explosiveness in his initial stride will be needed.
Upside: Top Six Goal Scoring Forward
NHL Comparable? Mark Parrish
7.
Maxim Sauve, Center
Providence Bruins, AHL
47th overall, 2008, 21 years old,
6’2, 184 lbs.
A high amount of hockey sense and the ability to handle the puck like a madman, Sauve is the kind of offensive centers team look for. An explosive skater, Sauve really jumps out of the gate and backs up defensemen. He has tremendous hands with the puck, and can turn a defender inside out. He has a quick shot, though nothing to write home about. There’s been some injury concerns over his career, but he’s still produced.
Upside: Top Six Center
NHL Comparable? Simon Gagne
8.
Carl Soderberg, Center
Malmo Redhawks, Swe-1
49th overall 2004 (St. Louis), 25 years old,
6’3, 207 lbs
An explosive skater, who keeps his feet moving in all areas of the ice, Soderberg is another center that teams would love to have. His size and top end hockey sense make for a workhorse down the middle. He has good heavy shot with some accuracy, and can handle the puck at the highest of speeds. Carl shows a decent two-way game, though he’s not much of a defensive specialist. Soderberg would be much higher on this list if it weren’t for the fact that he’s questionable to ever play in North America.
Upside: Top Six Center
NHL Comparable? Mats Sundin-lite
9.
Zach Hamill, Center
Providence Bruins, AHL
8th overall, 2007, 22 years old,
5’11, 180 lbs
A small but effective center, Hamill has seen his stock drop in the B’s organization since being taken 8th Overall. Hamill sees the ice as well as most, and can really set things up on special teams where he can find teammates. He has a knack for slowing the game down with good puck handling. Hamill’s shown good skating at times, though some would argue that fact. He’ll need to get stronger on the puck. He’s as streaky as they come, and there’s talk he may need a change of scenery.
Upside: Second-Third Line Center
NHL Comparable? Marc Savard-lite
10.
Craig Cunningham, Left Wing
Portland Winterhawks, WHL
97th overall, 2010,
5’10, 184 lbs
Though not the quickest, Cunningham is an elusive skater who is able to find open space on the ice. Craig shows a real edge to his game, but doesn’t have the body to play that way all the time. Cunningham shows soft hands and can make plays and finish, and does so through traffic. He’s a coachable player who is always hard at work in the gym, and will likely carve an NHL Career somehow because of that pure desire.
Upside: Third Line Forward, with Power Play Time.
Honourable Mention: Ryan Button
Thanks for reading.
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