SHARKSPAGE

Max Giese: San Jose Sharks 2010 NHL Entry Draft recap part 2

SAN JOSE SHARKS TABLE AT THE 2010 NHL ENTRY DRAFT IN LOS ANGELES

View the 2010 NHL Entry Draft preview here, live from the draft in Los Angeles recap part 1 here, a photo gallery from the draft is available here, video interview with San Jose Sharks first round draft pick Charlie Coyle, 2010 NHL Entry Draft recap part 2:

SAN JOSE SHARKS 2010 DRAFT REVIEW

Charlie Coyle, RW South Shore EJHL, 6-2/202, selected (1st round) 28th overall

“He’s got an NHL body and can play a power game and a finesse game,” San Jose Sharks Director of Scouting Tim Burke told The Mercury News. “He’s a guy with power and skill that can play with skilled players. I think he has the potential to be a top six kind of guy.”

Redline Report ranked Charlie Coyle 37th overall; projecting him as a playmaking 2nd line winger with a style of play that compares to Blake Wheeler. “Great hockey sense and makes his teammates better. For a guy his size, has soft hands and likes to pass first, shoot second. Has a good shot with a quick release we’d like to see him use more often. Sees the ice really well and finds the open linemate. Uses his body to establish position and likes the physical aspect. Only blemish is he’s an average skater who lacks first step quickness.”

Kirk Luedeke of the New England Hockey Journal ranked Charlie Coyle as the top draft eligible prospect out of New England this year. “Seamlessly transitions from finesse to a power game depending on the situation,” said Luedeke in his excellent article previewing the draft for the New England Hockey Journal. “Has good on-ice vision and overall hockey IQ. First-step explosion is only average. Gritty, gutsy gamer played hurt in the EJHL playoffs and elevated his performance, nearly upsetting the favored Jr. Monarchs in the championship game.”

McKeen’s Hockey ranked Coyle 30th overall in their draft guide. “Coyle collected some hardware this season being named the EJHL Rookie of the Year. A tyrant down low, he has good board presence, was able to spin off checks and protect the puck to make plays. He has good vision with the puck and was often placed on the point in power-play situations. Coyle needs to be more selfish as he can look for the pass far too often. To go along with his size, he brings a wealth of hockey sense to the package. He is ok when he gets moving, but off the mark he has a hard time pulling away from defenders. He competed hard while playing hurt through the playoffs, further illustrating his character.”

International Scouting Services ranked Charlie Coyle 28th overall in their draft guide. “He can play a variety of roles and has a strong understanding of system play. Has a long reach and protects the puck well. A physical presence and a two-way player, Coyle was second on his team and fifth in the EJHL in scoring with 63 points. He has skated for Team USA Under-18 Select team in Slovakia during the summer and at the Four Nations Cup in Finland in November and will attend Boston University in the fall.”

An NHL Scout agreed to share his thoughts on Charlie Coyle with Sharkspage in return for his anonymity. “He fits in where they took him and was slotted appropriately at 28. He’s a big kid who plays both ends of the rink well. Competes hard and has an underrated skill level. He has a good all-around game and what stands out most is his work ethic. He really competes and is willing to play in traffic and can stay on the puck. His offensive skills are better than people give him credit for.”

Max Gaede, C/W Woodbury Minnesota HS, 6-2/187, selected (3rd round) 88th overall

“He’s a strong kid that’s got a lot of talent,” San Jose Sharks Director of Scouting Tim Burke told The Mercury News. “He gets everybody involved and made his team better. He’s kind of a rink rat player. One of those players where you may look at it and say why wasn’t he rated a little bit higher. Well, he wasn’t in a glamorous program.”

ISS ranked Max Gaede 169th overall in their draft guide. “Good grinding forward with great hands. Plays very hard and uses his size. Owns a fast release and plays with an edge. Has quick decision making and excellent distribution skills.”

An NHL scout agreed to share his thoughts on Max Gaede with Sharkspage in return for his anonymity. “He was a reach in the third round. He’s a good athlete but still needs to learn a lot about the game. He has size, strength, and can skate. There is some offensive skill there but mentally is where he needs work and that is what’s going to limit him. Tyler Pitlick leaving for Medicine Hat is seen as a positive more because of the brand of hockey Pitlick plays than Mankato being a bad spot for developing players. I guess you could make an argument that the WHL would be good for Gaede too but I think Mankato is a good spot for him.”

Cody Ferriero, C Governor’s Academy, 5-11/190, selected (5th round) 127th overall

“Feisty kid with real good skill level,” San Jose Sharks Director of Scouting Tim Burke told The Mercury News. “He’s not 6-feet, but he’s built for hockey. The kid’s got an edge to him, too.”

Kirk Luedeke mentioned Cody Ferriero in his article previewing the NHL draft for the New England Hockey Journal. Kirk states that “Ferriero is another small but skilled forward who could be drafted in June, much like his older brother Benn, who is in the San Jose organization after a standout career at BC. The younger Ferriero is arguably this New England class’s most talented player but he needs improvement in his maturity and discipline, in the words of several scouts who acknowledged the upside, but have issues with his attitude.”

Many familiar with the Ferriero family echo Luedeke’s sentiments about Cody’s immaturity on the ice. Scouts like that he plays a feisty game but at times it comes at a detriment to his team in the way of a bad penalty. Cody is also prone to trying to do it all on his own with the puck at times. That said it’s easier to tone a guy down then to light a fire under them and word is Benn Ferriero also had some maturity issues when he was Cody’s age and grew out of it into a consummate professional. The Sharks most be hoping Benn can rein in his brother a bit and that Cody follows a similar maturation process into a contributor in the pro ranks.

ISS ranked Cody Ferriero 186th overall in their draft guide. “Good stick with an excellent release. Strong on his skates and is a feisty player. Puck control and stickhandling skills are strong. Has good speed and a good work ethic.”

Freddie Hamilton, C Niagara OHL, 6-1/187, selected (5th round) 129th overall

“A real responsible two-way centerman who can play in every situation,” Sharks Director of Scouting Tim Burke told The Mercury News. “He played for Team Canada in the under-18 in Belarus and our European scouts were able to see him there. We didn’t even mention him to them, but he found them and that’s a good thing.”

Freddie Hamilton was ranked 119th overall by Redline Report. “Touted as a great skater with terrific athletic bloodlines, but he barely ever touches the puck and almost never has an impact on the game.”

Here’s my scouting report on Freddie Hamilton that I submitted to Redline Report after seeing him in Calgary last August during Team Canada’s U-18 Team evaluation camp. “Won’t fill the stat sheet, but he does all the little things that help teams win and is not fun to play against. Hits opponents hard right in the mouth from the opening puck drop to the final buzzer. Hard-nosed player outworks the opposition in 1-on-1 battles and comes out of corners with the puck. Not a high-end skill guy and has a weak shot. But does a nice job sustaining the offensive attack by keeping the puck inside the offensive zone and opening up the ice for his more skillful linemates. Went hard to front of net and ruthlessly competed to hold position. Shutdown defensive centre with good coverage ability and awareness of defensive assignments.

Redline Report also featured Freddie Hamilton in the November Issue in our Off The Record segment. “Elusive OHL centre Freddie Hamilton of Niagara is an interesting prospect to watch out for as the season progresses. He comes by his superb athleticism naturally, as sports are in his blood – literally. One little known fact about Fast Freddie is that both his parents, while not hockey players, were Canadian Olympians. Dad was on the men’s Olympic rowing team and mom was a member of the women’s Olympic basketball team. So there’s some pretty impressive athletic genes running through the family, and that athleticism and work commitment seems to have rubbed off on young Freddie.”

ISS ranked Freddie Hamilton 88th overall in their draft rankings and listed him as an ISS Draft Sleeper. “A good sized, physical forechecker, Hamilton does the little things that help teams win. He saw his role and ice time change as the World U-18 tournament progressed and by the end of it was playing on the top PP unit and collecting more and more minutes in crucial situations. A strong two way forward, with some offensive punch, Hamilton has a good shot that can freeze goaltenders and/or create good rebounds. Could be more physical and get to the net more.”

An NHL Scout agreed to share his thoughts on Freddie Hamilton with Sharkspage in return for his anonymity. “Off the ice other players tell me he’s a very intelligent kid. On the ice he has some skill but needs to bring it more consistently. He’s on a team with a lot of similar, interchangeable guys and too often he just blends in. He’s a two-way guy and has some character. In the fifth round he’s a long shot but usually it’s the character guys that have a chance. His home rink is the smallest in the OHL and it’s difficult for anyone to separate and show creativity playing there.”

McKeen’s Hockey ranked Freddie Hamilton 108th overall on their final list.

Isaac MacLeod, D Penticton BCHL, 6-4/205, selected (5th round) 136th overall

“He’s a big tall kid that’s got a real good feel for the game,” Sharks Director of Scouting Tim Burke told The Mercury News. “He has good reach and size. He’s a late bloomer, but sometimes a late bloomer has a real good head.”

Redline Report’s Western Scout Mike Remmerde ranked MacLeod 56th overall amongst draft
eligible players who played in Western Canada this season. “Has some interesting natural offensive instincts for such a big guy, but stride isn’t good and has slow feet. He’s versatile and spent some time playing on the wing in the playoffs but he’s a defenseman going forward.”

McKeen’s Hockey Western Canadian Scout Randy Gorman on MacLeod. “I like him and I wanted him in our rankings. He’s a hulky defenseman that plays with an edge in his own zone. He occasionally joins the rush but looks after his own end first.”

An NHL Scout agreed to share his thoughts on Isaac MacLeod with Sharkspage in return for his anonymity. “He’s a big, raw kid who skates well. He’s definitely a project. He isn’t an offensive defenseman and he’s not a physical defenseman either. He lacks an identity right now. His size and his reach are his top attributes.”

Konrad Abeltshauser: Konrad Abeltshauser Halifax LD 6-5 190, selected (6th round) 163rd overall

“Huge kid with a long reach who can move pucks,” San Jose Sharks Director of Scouting Tim Burke told The Mercury news. “We’re pretty happy he did fall to this round because we didn’t have any way to move up for him.

Redline Report ranked Konrad Abeltshauser 40th overall and first on our list of the most underrated players available in the draft. Redline projects Abeltshauser as a smooth #3-4 d-man who can help on the PP with a style of play that compares to Tom Gilbert. “Huge German blue-liner made a great transition to North American game, but had trouble staying in the lineup with a broken wrist and a tweaked knee. Tremendous tools and nice offensive upside. Quite mobile for a tall, gangly kid. Terrific puckhandler who makes crisp, accurate outlets. Uses an exceptionally long, Chara-like stick that he uses to clog passing lanes and break up rushes. Reads play well defensively and has fine anticipation. We’d like to see him develop more of a mean streak and use his size better around crease. One of Red Line’s favorite sleepers.”

While most scouts agree that he needs to play more physical, Abeltshauser did impress scouts in the fall when he showed toughness coming back early from a broken wrist and picked up right where he left off with four assists in his first three games back.

ISS ranked Konrad Abeltshauser 133rd overall in their draft guide. “Offensive puckmoving defenseman. Good size, but needs to fill out and add strength. Reads play well away from puck. Good active stick. Acceleration could be better. Overall mobility is decent but could be better. Abeltshauser played his best hockey at the IIHF World U-18 B championships in Poland, helping lead Germany to victory and a promotion to the Pool A tournament in 2011. The Halifax Mooseheads rookie was the highest scoring defenseman at the even with 2 goals and 9 assists, as well as a plus 13 rating, in 5 games.

An NHL Scout agreed to share his thoughts on Konrad Abeltshauser with Sharkspage in exchange for his anonymity. “Very tall kid and very skinny with a lean body. His decision making passing the puck is really good. I wouldn’t call him an offensive defenseman, he’s more of a breakout guy. Not a great skater but his mobility is okay for a guy of his size and I think the lack of strength is a major factor with his skating.”

Lee Moffie, LD Michigan CCHA, 6-1/200, selected (7th round) 188th overall

“He’s a kid that we’ve watched over a three-or-four-year period and he’s gotten better every year,” San Jose Sharks Director of Scouting Tim Burke told The Mercury News. “We think he’s a leader. He can move pucks. He’s got a physical element to him.”

Redline Report ranked Lee Moffie 255th overall in our March issue.

Moffie’s scouting report reads: Offensive defenseman who has the ability to rush the puck or make the pass and join the rush. He has a fluid stride and a quick burst of speed coming through the neutral zone with the puck. Seamlessly changes directions on his skates and is a poised puck mover who runs a productive powerplay. Underrated in his ability to control the pace of the game when the puck is on his stick although at times he sacrifices defensive positioning for the offensive push. Has decent size and strength with an occasional mean streak but he needs to be more intense away from the puck and play physical on a consistent basis. Needs to take the body more while defending one-on-one. Excels as the third man in the rush, making the first pass, and getting pucks on net from the point.

An NHL Scout agreed to share his thoughts on Lee Moffie with Sharkspage in exchange for his anonymity. “I have seen plenty of Moffie over the years but didn’t follow up on him this year with Michigan. Maybe it’s not fair that I even comment on him. But he always had some jump to his game but if he hasn’t improved significantly since I last saw him than he was a stretch to be picked even in the 7th round.”

Chris Crane, RW Green Bay USHL, 6-0/190, selected (7th round) 200th overall

“A hard-nosed kid, a real tough kid,” San Jose Sharks Director of Scouting Tim Burke told The Mercury News. “A real energy, tenacious kind of player.”

At Redline Report we ranked Chris Crane 203rd overall and here’s my report on Chris from the February issue of Redline Report. “Tough, character kid is relentlessly competitive and difficult to play against. Has a strong, thick build and plays a hard-nosed brand of hockey. Will fight to spark his team and throws hard rights. Scrappy, challenges opponents, and works his ass off every shift. Tireless in puck pursuit and is a quality penalty killer. There’s not much in terms of offensive upside though, as he isn’t all that skilled or fast – rather, he creates opportunities with his motor and relentless work.”

An NHL Scout agreed to share his thoughts on Chris Crane with Sharkspage in exchange for his anonymity. “I’m a big fan of Chris Crane. He competes hard, sticks up for his teammates, and isn’t a lot of fun to play against. He’s a warrior. I wrote the word warrior next to his name a lot this year. He does all of the little things that coach’s love and teams need to win. He gets pucks deep and is a great penalty killer. He was great in the playoffs for Green Bay and was dynamic killing penalties. He doesn’t offer anything high end in terms of offensive skills but this is a kid who is going to play in the NHL because he wants it so bad.”

Max Giese, a scout for the industry leading Red Line Report publication and former head scout for McKeen’s Hockey Magazine, has been covering prospects for Sharkspage.com since 2006.

[Update] NHL Draft weekend a surprise for Weymouth’s Charlie Coyle, Marshfield’s David Warsofsky – PatriotLedger.com.

Coyle, 18, the forward who developed at Thayer Academy and with the Eastern Junior Hockey League’s South Shore Kings, knew he might be selected in Round 1 of the NHL Entry Draft at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. He was ranked 24th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, and had interviewed, in one way or another, with all but three of the NHL’s 30 teams prior to the draft.

He didn’t think he’d be picked at No. 28 overall, though. That was the Sharks’ pick. “That was my worst interview,” Coyle laughed the morning after. “They were the last interview I did at the (Central Scouting Combine), and it felt like they were ganging up on me.