07 September 2010
Scouting Report - 19 December 2009
Peoria Rivermen (STL) @ Abbotsford Heat (CGY)
Heading into action, both teams were maintaining a position on the Western Conference playoff structure. Peoria sat at 5th and Abbotsford at 8th though the Heat had played more than every other team in the AHL, except Bridgeport and Manitoba, so winning is essential moving forward into the new calendar year.
This was a well played game, had a lot of action, and competition for puck possession was maintained along boards, behind net, on the forecheck. Good professional hockey product, though fan attendance (3,872) was poor in the brand-new facility. Fights were prevalent in the early stages and set tone for a game that was contested up until the last minute of regulation.
Peoria was 3rd in West Division at 16-10-1-2 with 90 goals-for and 88 goals-against. The Rivemen came in on a four game winning streak and were ascending the standings with a 7-3-0-0 mark in the last ten games.
Abbotsford sat 5th in the North Division at 15-13-2-2 with 87 goals-for and 92 goals-against. In the last ten contests, the Heat have established a 5-4-0-1 record and lead the league by a substantial margin in penalty minutes.
Player notes:
Peoria Rivemen:
(C-#29) Brett Sonne came in with a four-game point-scoring streak as a rookie and was completely invisible. With nine points overall and 2 goals and 2 assists in the past four, I was hoping to see a spark and was completely underwhelmed. I am familiar with the player from his Western Hockey League career and have seen him in action at the junior level, with impressive results. Could have been just a bad game.
(G-#35) Hannu Toivinen was between the pipes instead of Ben Bishop. Veteran presence was quite subtle, but the team seemed to feed off of it, with defender joining the rush and handling the puck loosely in the zone. Heat did not pressure them much though. Toivinen was calm and stayed put in crease during stoppages.
(D-#44) Jonas Junland is a very impressive defenseman, in all three
zones. His effectiveness with and with out the puck is tangible at all times. With the biscuit, Junland is an adept passer, yet displayed a hard shot early, keeping Abbotsford honest and keeping his options open. Used in all situations, Junland’s shot was set-up as a primary option on point during the powerplay and he is confident to unleash it. Physical play in his own end is not over-powering, but his positioning is such that he breaks up most every development one could ask for. He is the most NHL-ready player of both teams.
(C-#20) Lars Eller is the Danish sensation the Blues were hoping for. His calling-card had been that of a superb two-way forward, so heading into play I was expecting to see diminished offense, but he was impressive in all aspects. Just twenty years old and flying high.
Never over-matched, he is a true #1 centre at the AHL level already. Took important faceoffs, established physical contact when needed, back-checked and transitioned well. Was one that all members (even the captain) of the team looked at as the barometer of intensity. His line was dangerous at all times (even-strength and on powerplay), and Eller’s playmaking is a vital cog in the Rivermen’s attack. Smooth skater with a penchant for his craft.
(RW-#8) Aaron Palushaj is also a supreme prospect and lived up to the billing. While not outrightly impressive, unless you knew who he was, his subtle playmaking and quick hands are evident upon closer inspection. Broke up plays well in neutral/defensive zone and brought good foot/stick work along the boards when needed. Palushaj owns a really good shot that is loaded up quickly. His value to the team was important, as the Rivermen do not have a bevy of skilled forwards. Coming out of the NCAA, his scoring was not the issue; his competitiveness and play along the boards impressed.
(C-#21) Yan Stastny -thinking I had him pegged from years of reading about him and seeing his multiple games up with St.Louis, while also considering his lineage. He set the bar for the team and is appropriately the team’s captain. Stastny is dangerous with the puck and hit Abbotsford players with multiple bodychecks. Solid veteran presence.
As a whole, the Rivermen defensemen were capable and mobile, if rather unimpressive. Bryce Lampman let a howitzer of a slapshot go to beat Leland Iriving that was timed perfectly and virtually unstoppable. I was looking for more as a whole. The forwards were physical and wore down the Heat.
Abbotsford Heat:
(G-#35) Leland Irving (left) is a
focused competitor, who seems superstitious; he would skate to his left and circle with an eye on the scoreboard after every stoppage and then return to his routine in net afterwards to get set. Made a number of solid, athletic stops and is a good prospect.
(G-#36) Matt Keetley is a favourite of mine, having been a big part of the Darren Helm / Gord Baldwin / Tyler Ennis-led Medicine Hat Tigers team that beat the eventual Memorial Cup Champion Vancouver Giants in a seven-game thiller of a WHL Final in 2006 (the Tigers also made the Memorial Cup Final game).
Keetley was sidelined during the match we saw in Abbotsford, but apparently shone in the follow-up contest 20 December, making 28 saves for a 3-1 victory.
(RW-#19) J.D. Watt has not found his game in the AHL professional ranks yet, though youth is on his side. Invisible playmaking, he was seldom used and ineffective with his stick, though he did get into a pushing match in the first period.
(C-#11) Mikael Backlund is a very skilled playmaker, but was over-matched in the physical play. That said, he was able to get into prime scoring areas to finish towards the end of the game and his important powerplay marker to draw the Heat within one goal was a perfectly placed one-timed shot upstairs.
A relatively strong skater, Backlund would do well to emulate the back-checking of Eller to become a more complete weapon. His sublime playmaking will have him on the Calgary Flames’ roster in due time.
(D-#28) Gord Baldwin is a previous WHL Champion and stalwart defender. Not a strong skater, Baldwin is most effective in front of his own net, punishing the opposition. Crafty playmakers and the fleet of foot had him in distress at times. Plays big minutes, paired with Keith Seabrook on the first defense pairing and is an absolute monster out there.
(D-#2) Keith Seabrook was used in a ton of situations and bore down hard, most of the time. Brother Brent plays for the Chicago Blackhawks, so inevitably comparisons are made, especially because both play defense.
Keith lacks the size of his Brent, but is a slick puck-moving defender. Saw a lot of ice and was an effective pivot on the point during powerplay. Picks his spots very well but lacked intensity at times. Just twenty-one years of age, Seabrook has a lot of time to gain appropriate defensive acumen.
(D-#4) John Negrin is a tremendous skater and rivals Peoria’s 
Junland as the best NHL-ready prospect in this particular game. Absolutely pushed the play forward and was quite effective when exercising his physical presence, which he did very often. Plays an NHL game already and will surely be promoted in the future.
His awareness of all players on the ice and vision was apparent and helps him to dictate the play rather than respond to it. Moves the puck and put it on net effectively, using his surroundings to favour. Negrin was never hurried when it did not suit the play and backed fore-checkers off with his calm demeanor and pinpoint passing.
(D-#17) Matt Pelech is a defenseman of note, because of his time spent with the Flames already. A rather unimpressive skater, he is a punishing defenseman that made forwards pay for their inattention behind the Abbotsford net.
(LW-#15) Jason Jaffray continues to impress into his eighth professional campaign. Slick playmaking including an incredible behind-the-back pass for a goal and a perfect assist on Cam Cunning’s goal. Jaffray is an elite AHL playmaking forward and a standout on a lackluster group of Abbotsford forwards.
(RW-#9) Kris Chucko is a useful player and can play either a complimentary scoring role or a third-line presence role. Chucko pushed and ground out the puck from the boards and was an effective hitter. He does not compromise position or possession in order to lay hits; he must be a coach’s favourite.
The defensive core is a well-rounded and effective one, but drops off for the third pairing, though they are quite physical. I was disappointed not to see Keith Aulie in action (has not seen action since 13 December). The forwards lacked personality and I was unimpressed by Jamie Lundmark (though he did net one goal and an assist the next night).
Official game sheets/boxscores:
Saturday 19 December 2009:
http://theahl.com/stats/official-game-report.php?game_id=1006492
Follow-up game - Sunday 20 December 2009:
http://theahl.com/stats/official-game-report.php?game_id=1006506
video highlights of the game at: http://ahl.neulion.com/team/console.jsp?catid=2&id=3883
21 December 2009
Robin Keith Thompson
*photos courtesy and copyright of Chiller Instinct/Robin Keith Thompson and taken 19 December 2009 - all rights reserved.
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