RHL17 Entry Draft Review

After the dust settled on the draft floor, the Grande Prairie Stingers came away with four players to add to their list of prospects.

Derick Brassard

DOB: Sep 22, 1987
Age: 19
Place of Birth: Hull, Que., Canada
HT: 6-0 WT: 180
Shoots: L
Drafted: 1st Rd, 8th overall

Scouting Report
On our mid-season prospect rating, he was higher than some of the more prominent players that were taken earlier in the draft. Derick has been one of the most exciting player in the QMJHL for the last two seasons. I think his draft stock has fallen a bit because he was injured for most of the 06-07 season. He came back strong, and was producing close to two points a game. He will be looked upon to challenge for the top two center positions in a few years. He has excellent on ice vision, a dynamic skater and playmaker, and has very accurate wrist and slap shots. His defensive game is already quite good, but he will need to gain more strength against the stronger RHL defensemens. The team will bring him along slowly, but he will get a long look at camp. He will likely be sent back to Juniors or our minor league affiliate in Tucson until he is ready.
Career Potential: First Line Center

Shane O'Brien

DOB: Aug 09, 1983
Age: 23
Place of Birth: Port Hope, Ont., Canada
HT: 6-2 WT: 237
Shoots: L
Drafted: 2nd Rd, 47th overall

Scouting Report
O'Brien was still on the board in the middle of the second round, and we knew we had to act quickly to get him. We traded Eminger earlier in the day believing that we can still get Shane later in the draft. He would not have lasted until we picked again early in the third round. We are very happy to have Shane in our organization, but I think we might have frustrated a few teams with this selection. He's a gritty blueliner who uses his size effectively, and can intimidate the opposition. Our coaching staff will be challenging him to rush the puck more often, and developing the offensive side of his game. Our scouts have seem glimpses of his offensive potential, and he will be given some power play time if he can contribute. He is quite a complete player, but he will need some polishing if he is to log bigger minutes on the ice. We think that he is at least a year away, but may get a call-up or two if there are injuries to our team.
Career Potential: Top Four Defensemen

Jan Mursak

DOB: Jan 20, 1988
Age: 19
Place of Birth: Maribor, Slovenia
HT: 5-11 WT: 173
Shoots: R
Drafted: 3rd Rd, 66th overall

Scouting Report
We have heard Jan's name popping up every now and then during our scouting trips around the OHL. He is one player that can draw fans to the rink every night. He is a spunky, hardworking, and intense player. You may think that he might be another European player with supreme skill, but plays like a marshmallow, Jan is far from that. He is super competitive, and he is not afraid to get his nose dirty. His skating would be one of his greatest assets, but his stick handling is also at a high level. Although he is more of a play maker than a scorer, he is quite capable at putting the puck in the net. Like most players his age, he will need to fill out his frame, and become a lot stronger. We have seen Jan play alongside Anze (Kopitar) at the World Under-20 championship, and we hope that they can find success again playing as line-mates in a Stingers uniform.
Career Potential: Second Line winger

David Clarkson

DOB: March 31, 1984
Age: 23
Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario
HT: 6'1 WT: 205
Shoots: R
Drafted: 3rd Rd, 82nd overall

Scouting Report
Clarkson just came on our draft board recently. He may not be a prospect that is on every teams' radar, but our scouts cannot help but notice him whenever they check into Bergfors' (drafted 1st rd, RHL16) development in Lowell. David has all around upside, and he can play all three forward positions. His offensive potential may be limited, but given the right line mates, we believe that he can bang in a few pucks given his willingness to crash the net. He plays with great passion, never afraid to take the body, and hardly ever takes a shift off. He is a feisty and fiery leader that our coaches will be counting on to play the important minutes come playoff time.
Career Potential:Third Line Winger

TRADE LOG:

Draft Day Transactions
Written by Eddie Menzei on 23/07/07

In
Dustin Brown, Brent Burns, Jay Pandolfo, Jussi Markkanen, REA3, STR2

Out
Steve Eminger, Niko Kapanen, Jan Bulis, Mike Modano, Stu Barnes, GPS2

The Stingers are becoming younger yet again after trading away a few of their most productive veterans for young players team management feel strongly will one day be the back bone of a championship team.

"Trading away your top players (and young players) is always difficult", said GM Kos Ng, "but it was a decision that we had to make to secure the pieces that we needed to ensure long term success. Our goal has always been to become one of the top teams the league; not just to reach the playoffs, but to compete for the championship every year".

The Stingers has some excellent up-and-coming young talent, but there is little expectation for them to carry the team deep into the playoffs for a few more seasons. When asked what free agents the team seeks to fill out the roster, head coach Mike Leung told reporters, "Obviously, we need to add some offensive and defensive elements to our forward lines. We also need some shut-down ability on our back end to support our goaltenders".

The franchise has a lot of work to do before the season begins, but if recent history has any indication of what fans can expect from the team, much like the trade action that recently transpired, there will be some more bold and aggressive moves to bring in players that will make this team better.

TRADE LOG:

Stingers trade for Yandle

The Grande Prairie Stingers acquires defensive prospect Keith Yandle from the Guelph Reapers for forward Radim Vrbata.

What does it give the Grande Prairie Stingers?
The Stingers add more depth to the back end with the addition of Yandle. With an abundance of two way defencemens in the system, the Stingers went shopping for a specialist who can quaterback the powerplay. Keith Yandle was selected in the third round of the RHL16 entry draft.

Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM
2005-06 Moncton Wildcats QMJHL 66 25 59 84 109
2006-07 San Antonio Rampage AHL 69 6 27 33 97
2006-07 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 7 0 2 2 8

Honors and Awards
2005-06 CHL - Defenceman of the Year (Canadian Major Junior)
2005-06 QMJHL - Emile "Butch" Bouchard Trophy (Best Defenceman)
2005-06 QMJHL - Telus Defensive Player of the Year
2005-06 QMJHL - First All-Star Team

What does it give the Guelph Reapers?
Fans in Guelph will once again see Vrbata back in the Reapers lineup. The team addresses one of the holes on the right wing with this versatile forward. Vrbata was involved in a trade that brought Petr Nedved, and Scott Mellanby to Guelph earlier last season. In the 39 games that he played for the Stingers, Vrbata was inconsistent on most nights, producing 5-8-13, and averaged 14 minutes of ice time. He is a player that can put up good numbers if given a larger role, and more time on the power play.

Expansion Draft Preview

Players Exposed for Pickup
Written by Eddie Menzei on 30/06/07

As the deadline came and went for RHL teams to submit their protection list for the upcoming expansion draft, some players that are left exposed will not be worried about calling Vulcan, Alberta their new home for the upcoming RHL season.

"It is nothing new to me (to be left unprotected)" said Stingers forward Randy Robitaille. "You just have to be ready when you get the phone call, and be prepared to move on".

The Stingers will have eleven players available for the MindMelds to choose from, including Robitaille. Although most of these players will have played their last games in Grande Prairie, some may still be re-signed in the off season to asisst a young team that needs veteran leadership.

"There have been discussions about bringing a couple of the guys back to provide some stability," said GM Mike Leung "but we will be patient, and will look at a few options when our budget is finalized".

Exposed Players:
R.Robitaille, C
T.Green, C
R.Johnson, C
Vigier, RW
Wilson, RW
O'Donnell, D
Poapst, D
Pilar, D
B.Ference, D
Stafford, D
B.Boucher, G

Dispersal Draft News

Stingers nabs Defenceman
Written by Eddie Menzei on 27/06/07

The Stingers came away with an important piece to their future puzzle as they selected Defenceman Mike Green from the RHL Dispersal Draft. Armed with the 8th pick at the draft, Stingers management believed that they came up with the best player available when they made their selection.

"We were looking to solidify our back end the whole time," said chief scout Ben Wiebe. " He is still quite young, but we felt that he has the upside to become a good player for us in the near future".

Currently listed at 6'1, and 198lbs, Green is a feisty offensive minded defenceman who is comp0sed with the puck, and posesses great vision. His fluid skating, and puck moving ability made him a player that the Stingers have targeted since his RHL draft year.

"We had him ranked quite high in our expansion year, and was hoping that he would drop to us with our second pick" said GM Kosoo Ng. Green did not make it that far, as he was selected by the Washington Defiance, nine picks after the Stingers took Alex Ovechkin in the RHL 15 entry draft.

Green will come to the Stingers as a very promising young defender, but he still rather raw for a team that desperately needs consistency on the blue line. If Green can round out his game, and develop quickly in the minors, it will not be long before he is counted on to log big minutes on the back end alongside another former WHL defenceman, Barrett Jackman.

STINGERS PIPELINE: Fall '06

PROSPECT WATCH
Written by Eddie Menzei on 09/10/06

The Stingers office continues to be busy this season. To ensure that their prospects are on track in development, team scouts will be counted on to keep tabs on each player throughout the year. Although there are a few prospects distributed in other parts of the globe, most are currently playing on clubs based in North America. With a good balance of prospects in all positions, team management is confident that these young players will one day make their impacts felt as the team slowly rises in the RHL standings.

NHL
Ilja Bryzgalov G (ANA)
Lukas Krajicek D (VAN)
Scottie Upshall RW (NSH)
Alexander Ovechkin LW (WSH)
Mark Stuart D (BOS)
Gilbert Brule C (CLB)
Anze Kopitar C (LA)

AHL
Lukas Kaspar LW (Worchester Sharks)
Garrett Stafford D (Worchester Sharks)
Adam Pineault RW (Syracuse Crunch)
Robbie Earl LW (Toronto Marlies)
Nicklas Bergfors RW (Lowell Devils)
Petr Kalus RW (Providence Bruins)
Barry Tallackson RW (Lowell Devils)
Justin Pogge G (Toronto Marlies)

Europe
Johan Fransson D (Frölunda, SEL)
Jakub Sindel C (Plzen, Czech)
Perttu Lindgren C (Ilves, FNL)

Junior/College
Marc Staal D (Sudbury, OHL)
Wes O'Neill D (Notre Dame, NCAA)
Grant Lewis D (Dartmouth, NCAA)