Season Preview: Brock Nelson

Brock Nelson

Position: C
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 185 lbs
Birthdate: October 15, 1991 (19 years old)
Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Acquired: Draft, Round 1, 30rd overall, 2010 NHL Entry draft

2010-2011 Team: North Dakota Fighting Sioux (WCHA)
2010-2011 Stats: 42 GP - 8 G - 13 A - 21 P - 27 PIM
2011-2012 Team: North Dakota Fighting Sioux (WCHA)
Team Role: Top 9 Forward

Last year: Nelson had a very good freshman year for North Dakota, averaging half a point a game mostly playing in a third line role. Brock was also invited to play for the United States World Junior team around Christmas, in which he played 5 games but only had one assist despite being injured during the tournament. North Dakota made it to the Frozen Four last season, giving Nelson the opportunity to play for a national championship, but he was unfortunately injured there too leaving the NCAA Semifinals against Michigan on a stretcher. Injuries aside, 21 points is nothing to sneeze at for a freshman, so overall Nelson put a very solid season together.

Expectations: Nelson will enter his sophomore college season much improved. After seeing him this summer, it is clear he has hit the weight room. He gained muscle and speed, and will be expected to improve upon his freshman point total. It's unclear right now where Nelson will slot in, but it will certainly be in the top 3 lines. With high powered, small forwards like Danny Kristo and Mario Lamoureux, Nelson will provide an element of size and speed that the Sioux can certainly use going forward. Brock is still a few years away, but it's important that he continues his development curve as he is playing in a great program at UND. Now a younger team, Nelson may be forced to take on a leadership role earlier than expected.

Projections: 44 GP - 14 G - 17 A - 31 P

Thoughts:

CH: The Nelson pick really came out of nowhere back in 2010, as the Islanders slipped back very late in the first round to select him. He looked a little uncomfortable in his first prospect camp, but that was certainly not the case this past summer. During the scrimmage, he looked like a completely improved player. His skating was above average. His size is above average. He has a great nose for the net and playmaking ability. Working with Anders Lee, the two combined for a multitude of goals on the top line for the White team. I'm really looking forward to watching him develop, as he certainly has the tools to be a versatile NHL player. The only question is where his potential will take him. The Islanders may have uncovered a great prospect here, it's just going to take a little while to get there.

AT: Along with Anders Lee, his performance at the Blue and White scrimmage was absolutely astonished compared to what he'd shown previously at camps, and even more so astonishing seeing how horrifying his last injury was. After most of us saw the replays, we thought there was a chance he'd never be the same. Man, this crow is tasty. His playmaking ability and passing still need a bit of work, but they were by far improved upon what we'd seen previously. He's bigger, stronger, and ready for his sophomore year at UND. There was clearly a reason Garth traded up to get him, and I think we may have seen it.

News: NHL National TV Schedule Released

The NHL released their national TV schedule today for NBC, NBC Sports (VERSUS), and NHL Network. The league will show over 300 games this season on the three channels. 

The New York Islanders, however, will only be on national TV for two games:

- November 7 at Boston on VERSUS
- March 31 vs. Boston on NHL Network

The Islanders will not be shown on NBC this season.

CH: Not really that surprising the Isles only have two games on National TV this year. They are still a bottom dwelling team until proven otherwise. While they are certainly an entertaining bunch to watch, there is not much star power on this team - therefore making them unattractive to the TV station. I'm not sure John Tavares is at the level of superstardom that would make him "must see TV" the way Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are. The point is simple here: if/when the Islanders get better and become a playoff team, there is no doubt they will be on for everyone to see more often than not.

Report: Islanders Viewing Party Switches Games

According to Stu Hackel of SI.com, the Islanders have decided to replace the game shown at Friday's Isles MeetUp at Champions from the brawl filled 9-3 domination of the Pittsburgh Penguins to the "very good but not as great" 7-6 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres.

In a statement, the team said, “The New York Islanders have requested that MSG Network change the originally scheduled game to be viewed at the Friday, Aug. 19 meetup. As a part of MSG Plus’ Summer Ice programming, the schedule had the Islanders game from Friday, Feb. 11 against the Pittsburgh Penguins set to air at 7 p.m. Instead MSG Plus will air the Islanders 7-6 overtime victory on Sunday, Feb. 13 over the Buffalo Sabres.”

This came after a media/fan outrage when the Islanders announced they would be showing the controversial Penguins game at the meetup earlier this week.

CH: This is likely the last time we reference this Penguins game unless it is in passing. There is little question the NHL pressured the Islanders into taking the Pens game off, to which the Isles responded by asking MSG to change the game. We can argue for hours if it is hypocritical (it is, given the NHL shows plenty of brawl filled games on NHL Network), or a bad PR stunt or whatever. What's sad is the Islanders seem to be more worried about their competitors customers than their own, but one would have to imagine their hand was forced. Either way, the debate is pointless.

Both fanbases have made themselves out to be martyrs during this week, which is wrong. The Islanders, highlighted by Trevor Gillies' inexplicable hit and taunt of Eric Tangradi, did plenty wrong during the game. The Penguins, highlighted by Eric Godard jumping the bench to "save" Brent Johnson, did some questionable things as well. The fact is this game is now going on six months old, and everyone needs to get over it.

But by get over it, I don't mean forget about it. This game meant so much to Islander fans, including myself, and no one can ever take that away from us.  Some quick final points:

• The Islanders played a potential defining game in their rebuild, one in which their fans are certainly treating it as such. That cannot be taken away from the Islanders or their fans, no matter how much other parties try.
• The Pens, right or wrong, did not like the events that went down in this game. It seems the organization is over it. Their fans and the media - not so much. That's what propelled this to levels of ridiculousness.
• I still do not understand why a fan gathering of 150 fans on Long Island affects a single person in Pittsburgh
• A renewed rivalry between the Islanders and Penguins is great for the league. The Atlantic Division is filled top to bottom with rivalries, which increases the passion and quality of play.

AT: At this point, I'm not sure if there's going to be any matchups with Atlantic division teams where the fans of each team don't absolutely despise each other. The fact that the media and the league have blown this completely out of proportion is disgusting, slightly infuriating and somewhat amusing. If this is how bored fans get during the offseason, man, I really can't wait for the season to start just so we can start arguing over actual hockey, not viewing parties. That's all I can say on this. Grow up, Pittsburgh fans. You have a star player who is the face of the NHL - one who may never play again. Methinks you have better things to worry about.

Season Preview: Kirill Petrov

Kirill Petrov

Position: RW/LW
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 209 lbs
Birthdate: April 13th, 1990 (21 years old)
Birthplace: Kazan, Russia
Acquired: Draft, round 3, 73rd overall, 2008 NHL Entry draft

2010-2011 Team: Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk
2010-2011 Stats: 47 GP - 8 G - 11 A - 19 P - 20 PIM
2011-2012 Team: Ak Bars Kazan
Team Role: Bottom 6 Forward

Last year: After playing for Ak Bars Kazan for so long and getting minimal playing time, in a bit of KHL contract trickery that we here in the NHL are a bit confused by, Petrov was loaned to another club last year, Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. On this club, he had somewhat decent playing time (albeit still on a lower forward role) and was able to further establish himself as a top prospect for the Islanders. Much like in the SEL, when younger players get low playing time or have stats on the lower side, it says very little about them and the actual skill they possess. Petrov was easily one of the best players on Yugra according to multiple sources and was an absolute force for Yugra in their first round playoff series against Metallurg. Last season was a confirmation from Petrov that he is exactly the type of player we know he can be.

Expectations:
Petrov is back with Ak Bars this year to fulfill the final year of his KHL contract. As we know, Petrov does not receive a lot of playing time on Ak Bars with an experienced and talented forward core headed by Aleksey Morozov helming the top 6 offense. Petrov's final year may not be very telling stats wise, but the end of this year should tell us whether his consistent statements that he wants to play in the NHL hold true. 

Projections: 40 GP - 3 G - 4 A - 7 P

Thoughts:

AT: Petrov has always been an interesting prospect. He's come to camps before (although didn't this year due to a family sickness), has stated his intention and desire to play in the NHL and willingness to play in the AHL if need be, and seems to be dedicated to hockey for his career. However, with so many convoluted contract situations coming out of the KHL not only with Petrov but with many other Russian prospects, it simply becomes a game of "wait and see". We know Petrov has the talent to be a top 6 winger in the NHL at one point in his career, but whether he actually sees the NHL at any point soon is something that is nothing more than conjecture and guessing at the moment. We hope at the end of 2012 we see Petrov in the AHL or NHL, but it's just a waiting game right now.

CH: I think Alex has it exactly right. Petrov was certainly worth taking a chance on in 2008, but if he will ever come to North America is anyone's guess. My hope for Petrov is that receives proper time to develop, as he already lost 2 years of development time between 2008-2010 before being loaned to Yugra last season. I would expect, however, for Petrov to play low minutes again for Kazan, which means that it would be in his best interest (and the Isles of course) to sign a contract with the team next year, even if that means adjusting for an entire season in Bridgeport. There is no question that Petrov's potential is sky high, but it's a matter of if he will ever reach it. My hope is that we get to see him play first hand come 2012-13, but really he's such a wildcard that it's as big of a wait and see game as it gets. His season starts soon, so we will certainly watch it closely to see how he does.

Season Preview: Anders Lee

Anders Lee

Position: C

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 212 lbs

Birthdate: July 3rd, 1990 (21 years old)

Birthplace: St. Paul, Minnesota, United States

Acquired: Draft, 6th round, 152nd overall, 2009 NHL Entry Draft

2010-2011 Team: Notre Dame Fighting Irish (CCHA)

2010-2011 Stats: 44 GP - 24 G - 20 A - 44 P - 16 PIM

2011-2012 Team: Notre Dame Fighting Irish 

Team Role: Top 6 Forward

Last year: Lee completed his freshman year at Notre Dame last year as an older 20 year old. That said, he put together an outstanding freshman campaign scoring 24 goals and averaging exactly one point per game over the course of the 44 game season. Lee was a major reason the Irish were able to finish in the Frozen Four last year, scoring the game winning goal in overtime in the first round against Merrimack (and adding another goal in the same game). 

Expectations: Now 21 years old entering his sophomore season, Lee and the Irish are a more experienced team. They have proven they can make it to the Frozen Four and will surely want to improve on that to win a national championship. Lee will certainly want to improve on his great freshman stats, and will definitely get the opportunity to do so. Lee is joined this year by 2011 Isles draft pick Robbie Russo, who is entering in a promising freshman class for the Irish. Up front, led by T.J. Tynan, Riley Sheahan and Billy Maday, Lee joins a formidable group of forwards who will push to take the Irish to the next level.

Projections: 41 GP - 27 G - 17 A - 44 P - 24 PIM

Thoughts: 

CH: It is really hard to imagine Lee drastically improving on such an impressive rookie season in the CCHA. However, I do think he is capable of increasing his goal total. After watching him at rookie camp, you could tell that Lee has some serious potential. After dropping in the draft because of his offers to join some college football programs, Lee decided on hockey and chose to play in the USHL a year before heading to Notre Dame on a hockey - not football - scholarship. He did anything but disappoint there, and it is easy to see why. While Lee is not the strongest skater - he has anything but a pretty stride - he hockey sense is off the charts. During the games I saw of him at both college in the Isles prospect scrimmage, Lee knows his size and heads to one place in the offensive zone. In front of the net. These instincts, along with his great hands, have and will do Lee well over the years. I look forward to see how he does in his sophomore year, because if it is anything like his freshman year, it will surely be a sight to see.

AT: Always criticized for his skating skills, what Anders Lee showed this year in the Blue and White scrimmage and in his rookie season at Notre Dame has proven everything we've known about him to be wrong. Strong(er) skating, great puck possession skills, fantastic two-way play, a nice shot, great hockey sense (and to think he could've played football!), and skilled hands. While Lee joins a myriad of centers in the Islanders organization right now, it is hard to see him not finding a role in Bridgeport fairly soon. He still has many things left to develop at Notre Dame and plenty of time to do it, but I love what we saw this year and hope to see more.

Arena: What Comes Next?

It's been a little over two weeks since the August 1 referendum was handily defeated. Since then, Nassau County has put out the start of an RFP process (Mangano was not apparently happy with the results). Three local municipalities - Brooklyn, Queens, and Suffolk County - have publicly expressed their interest in becoming the new home of the New York Islanders. And all the while, Islander fans are left wondering what comes next. 

Photo Credit: Newsday

CH: To be honest, it is hard to really determine the answer to that question. The Islanders certainly have local options, and it is important to remember that because come 2015 if there is still no answer, there will be blame to go around if the team leaves New York state (or even the Long Island landmass). To be honest, they have zero reason to leave the area. But one has to wonder what is going through the mind of owner Charles Wang right now.

Wang seems steadfast in trying to make it work with Nassau County. On one hand, the loyalty he has shown the Islanders' home for almost 40 years is admirable. But on the other hand, you have to wonder why. Wang has been at this for close to ten years, and we are left in an almost identical situation as we were in year 1 - except for the 800 pound elephant in the room. That is, the lease is expiring in four years, and counting.

I think it is certainly possible the Islanders come to some sort of solution in Nassau County. Whether it's getting in bed with the enemy (ABLI) or some sort of tax increase that the County imposes without bonding (very unlikely), it can be done. But Wang should not sit around and wait for that to happen. To be honest, he cannot wait. If Wang is true to his words, he is out of options...in Nassau. He should be publicly courting other local municipalities.

To start, there is Queens. The RFP for the Willets Point project was pushed back to September 9. Wang could partner up with another developer to build a mini-Lighthouse in Queens. To go along with that, there is plenty of space in the Citi Field parking lot to build a hockey arena. This would make the Willets Point-Mets area a year round destination, which is exactly what the Lighthouse project was meant to be. There is already zoning for an arena in the parking lot, and if the Mets could benefit from it, they would not be any sort of roadblock to stop it. The advantages to Queens are plenty: corporate support, accessibility from New York City and Long Island alike, partnership with one of the MLB's most valuable franchises, and increased exposure all around.

Of course, a second Long Island proper option is Suffolk County. The Heartland Project in Brentwood is going into the final stages of planning and *could* be ready to go in the near future. If the Wolkoff's want to involve Wang and the Islanders, a partnership could be formed. Steve Levy, Suffolk's lame duck County Executive has already stated he has had very preliminary discussions with Wang about moving the team one county east.

But can Suffolk work? Absolutely, if it is in Brentwood. Yes, it is about 30 minutes east of Uniondale. But much of the Islanders fanbase comes from Long Island proper. For the commuters, I would recommend moving game start times back a half hour to 7:30, but it would really be no different than operating out of Nassau County. There would be similar corporate support, a similar culture and fanbase, and a retention of "Long Island's team." It's an option that should seriously be explored.

Finally, there is Brooklyn, which is a very interesting case. To start, Brooklyn is the only municipality with a new arena in the midst of construction. However, while it can fit a hockey rink, only 14,500 seats will be open for viewing, many of which will have obstructed views. Secondly, it is the most inaccessible area on Long Island for Nassau and Suffolk residents to get to. Long Islanders like to drive places, and getting to Brooklyn in the middle of rush hour would not be high on anyone's list. However, the fact of the matter is that they are constructing an arena and it is a viable place for the Islanders due to that corporate support and increased exposure. But it should be treated only as a last resort: either Brooklyn or out of state. I take Brooklyn.

Overall, Wang and the Islanders have options. It's just a matter of actually exploring them. And if he does, the Islanders can put the pressure on Nassau and hopefully come to a conclusion once and for all.

AT: I feel that at this point, Nassau is done unless they come up with a total sweetheart deal for Wang. With Murray as the TOH supervisor, it's very difficult to see that happening in time for the Islanders. After both public and private options were denied, it's time for Wang to puff out his chest and show Nassau he means business. Clearly, the incompetency of the government has gotten to an all time high, and we as fans can not and should not stand for it, nor should Wang as the owner. It's put up or shut up time, Nassau County. Do you want the only professional team you will ever have to stay?

Suffolk is definitely a possibility, though the concern of corporate support as mentioned is definitely one that should be heavily looked into before any real plans are submitted. As a Suffolk resident I would gladly welcome the Islanders, I'm just not sure if it's the most economically viable, especially if we have a losing team. I don't really think people traveling a little extra if they're in Nassau would be that much of a concern if the start times are moved out and if people are dedicated to the team. Plenty of people make it to Mets, Yankees and Ranger games on a pretty constant basis even on weekdays during heavy work season, so I don't think it would be that much of a problem. Suffolk also keeps the Islanders on Long Island, which is great just in terms of pride. The Heartland project is a very, very large project, so if something solid can come out of it, it'd be fantastic.

Queens is most definitely an option and seems to be openly courting the Isles coming west, and as with Suffolk I don't think travel would be that much of a problem, and people would adjust just find. Corporate support should and probably would be fantastic and you'd be in a great and convenient location. There's just one problem with this, however... Queens is not Long Island. Geographically, sure.. but if I'm recalling the logo correctly, Queens isn't even on the logo, nor is Brooklyn. While I personally wouldn't really care as my beloved New York Jets don't even play in New York, I know many fans would be very upset by the "Islanders" essentially leaving "Long Island". Queens would be a great solution economically and for the long run, but I simply have to question if any fans would lose some of their "fandom" so to speak if Queens were to be the option. Yet, as Carey mentioned, if it's between Brooklyn, Queens or out of state, I take the former two options ten times out of ten.

Brooklyn however I do not see as a viable option. Yes, there is an arena pretty much almost completed, but the occupancy is low for hockey, Wang would be splitting tenancy with another owner, and getting there for Long Island residents would be a major hassle. It simply does not seem to line up. I would however be completely fine with the Islanders staying there for a season while a new arena is being built in Nassau, Suffolk or Queens. Besides that, it'd be very difficult for me to jump on the Brooklyn bandwagon unless the only other option was out of state.

We definitely need to hear something soon. I know Wang doesn't want the players to be distracted from arena business, but we as fans are VERY distracted. Many fans are still very upset about the vote, and while personally I will root as hard as I ever did this year for the team, I know there are fans who think this is the end and may be much less enthused. I really hope there's something going on behind the scenes. Time is ticking away, and 2015 will be here before we know it.

Around The NHL: Rick Rypien Passes Away

Winnipeg Jets forward Rick Rypien was found dead in his Alberta home at age 27, according to multiple reports including TSN. Rypien, who had played his entire career with the Vancouver Canucks before signing with the Jets this past summer, scored 9 goals and had 7 assists with 226 penalty minutes in 119 NHL games. 

CH: This is just terrible, terrible news. This is the second death of the summer for the NHL, both of which fall in the enforcer category. I am sure that many will talk about the nature of fighting in the game and weather it should be kept or taken out. I think that is nonsense. Fighting has been part of the NHL game for years and is a staple of the culture of the league. Now, I don't agree with stage fighting, but that is another conversation for another time. But does anyone not enjoy a passionate, spur-of-the-moment fight between guys you would never expect to throw down?

I think what the NHL really needs to look at is how they can help players off the ice. The league has an outstanding substance abuse program, one in which Nashville forward Jordin Tootoo came out of as a huge success story, but with these recent tragedies it may not be enough. I don't have the answer here, so it's unfair for me to harshly criticize the league. And this is not the right forum to do it. But two deaths in two months is two too many, and it's something that as a person - let alone a hockey fan, that I never want to see happen. If anything, it's just a reminder of how important it is to take care of yourself and if you need help, seek it. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Rypien family, the Winnipeg Jets, the Vancouver Canucks, and the NHL as a whole.

AT: 100%, completely agreed with Carey here. The NHL needs to invest further in post-career health care access (I'm sure they have some form already) for those who have retired, and the league needs to monitor those players who are continuously taking shots to the head or seem on edge. These are not robots. They are human beings playing a professional sport who have every mistake come under criticism from local and national media outlets. Most remember what happened with Rypien and his interaction with a fan, and while we were all quick to jump on him for what he did (and rightly so), we tend to forget that this is a human being that we're talking about, and they have the same emotions and feelings we do sitting here blogging. When you insult us, we take offense, and so do most players. Some learn to grow a thick skin, but it's not as if Rypien was in the spotlight being a 4th line enforcer. Without having much media coverage on him and then having a spur of media coverage in a short time all being negative against you, for some that is difficult to cope. I hope that in the future the NHL takes a hard lesson from this and works actively with players to speak up when they feel less than normal.

My deepest prayers go out to the Rypien family, the Jets and Canucks communities and to anyone who ever enjoyed seeing Rypien both on the ice and off the ice.

News: Islanders Announce Training Camp Dates

On their official website, the New York Islanders have announced their training camp schedule. You can view that here. 

Among the key dates for Long Island fans are:

• Sept. 13 - 7:00 PM - Boston Bruins Rookies vs. New York Islanders Rookies - Nassau Coliseum
• Sept. 14 - 1:00 PM - New York Islanders Children's Foundation Golf Event - Bethpage Red
• Sept. 24 - 7:00 PM - Preseason: New Jersey vs. NY Islanders - Nassau Coliseum
• Sept. 25 - 9:00 AM - 3rd Annual Islanders Community Event - Adventureland (Rt. 110)
• Sept. 30 - 7:00 PM - Preseason: NY Islanders vs. New Jersey - Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
• Oct. 1 - 7:00 PM - Preseason: Boston vs. NY Islanders - Webster Bank Arena, Bridgeport, CT

Also listed are the rookie camp attendees:

Goalies: Mikko Koskinen, Anders Nilsson, Kevin Poulin

Defensemen: Art Bidlevski, Calvin de Haan, Matt Donovan, Mark Katic, Brenden Kichton, Anton Klementyev, Aaron Ness, Benn Olson, Andrei Pedan

Forwards: Casey Cizikas, Justin DiBenedetto, Brett Gallant, Kirill Kabanov, Tyler McNeely, Nino Niederreiter, John Persson, Rhett Rakhshani, Tony Romano, Ryan Strome, Mitchell Theoret, David Ullstrom

Note: It's our goal to be at as many of these events as we can. No matter what, we will do our best to provide comprehensive coverage of training camp. Stay tuned.

Season Preview: Scott Mayfield

Scott Mayfield

Position: D
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 201 lbs
Birthdate: October 14th, 1992 (18 years old)
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
Acquired: Draft, 2nd round, 34th overall, 2011 NHL Entry Draft

2010-2011 Team: Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
2010-2011 Stats: 7 G - 9 A - 16 P - 159 PIM
2011-2012 Team: University of Denver Pioneers
Team Role: Top 4 D-Man

Last year: Mayfield absolutely dominated last year in the USHL. He was a complete shut down defenseman who would use his body and his excellent control of the puck to shut opponents out from creating any type of play near him. This is not a defenseman who shies away from the physical aspect of the game. Equally impressive was the speed Mayfield was able to show even having his rugged,  6'4" frame. If what Mayfield showed in terms of his play can carry over to Denver for this coming season, we're in for a real treat.

Expectations: Mayfield is also known for his offensive prowess, so he needs to step that up this year playing for Denver. Even though he is coming in as a freshman, he is the tallest and biggest player of the UD defense corps and should be getting top 4 minutes by the end of the year. The jump from the USHL to the NCAA is quite substantial and Mayfield will be playing against players who are 1, 2 and 3 years ahead of him both in years and in development. If he can continue to work on his body, build muscle and refine his hockey sense that certainly needed some work last year, Mayfield should become the number one D-man for Denver within a year or two. Mayfield definitely has some competition on the depth chart such as John Lee (2007 Panthers 5th round pick) and Dave Makowski, but as long as he continues to refine his game, he shouldn't have a problem finding a slot on the 2nd D pairing this year.

Projections: 40 GP - 10 G - 12 A - 22 P - 86 PIM

Thoughts: 

AT: Just another gem out of the draft from Garth Snow, making the right pick at a great location in the draft. Originally thought to go in the late first round, Mayfield fell to us at 34. With comparisons to NHL greats like Chris Pronger and established d-men such as Victor Hedman, this pick really could end up being one of the steals of the draft. While as I mentioned his hockey sense, his offense and his body need work, Mayfield comes off as the complete D-man. If what we have here really matures into what his potential holds, well.. our D corps in a few years is looking mighty fine.

CH: Mayfield was drafted exactly where we rated him, pretty much, so right there you can call it a good value pick. He is going to a great program at Denver where he should get plenty of ice time and the ability to develop. Denver has recently developed prospects like Rhett Rakhshani, who was in the running for AHL Rookie of the Year, and Matt Donovan, a former USA WJC-20 member who is making is AHL debut this season. So right there you know he is in good hands. Obviously, Mayfield has great size and will need to use it as he fills into his body. He is a three to four year project, so we will not be seeing him any time soon, but like Alex says he does have very good potential. Given the fact that he filled an organizational need and is very skilled at his position, I'm very excited to see how he develops.

Season Preview: Johan Sundstrom

Johan Sundstrom

Position: C

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 196 lbs

Birthdate: September 21st, 1992 (18 years old)

Birthplace: Goteborg, Sweden

Acquired: Draft, Round 2, 50th overall, 2011 NHL Entry Draft

2010-2011 Team: Frolunda (SEL)

2010-2011 Stats: 41 GP - 1 G - 0 A - 10 PIM

2011-2012 Team: Frolunda (SEL)

Team Role: 4th Line Center

Last year: Sundstrom played for a number of teams last year, including Frolunda of the Swedish Elite League, which is extremely impressive for an 18 year old kid. He played 41 games with the team, scoring only once in limited ice time. When he played against players in his age group, Sundstrom was dominant. He finished with 19 points in 15 games with the Frolunda U20 team. In the playoffs with the Frolunda U20 team, Sundstrom had 8 goals and 15 points in 7 games. Unfortunately, he did have an underwhelming WJC, finishing with only 1 point in 6 games. 

Expectations: Sundstrom will most likely play the season in the Swedish Elite League with Frolunda. It's important to remember that while he is a solid prospect, Frolunda has many veterans that will get playing time over him. Sundstrom will most likely play a 4th line role for the team, which is the role that most teenagers fill in the SEL. For example, David Ullstrom had a very solid season in the AHL last year after playing bottom line minutes for HV71. Recently, Sundstrom was part of a four-team international team tournament in Lake Placid. He was absolutely outstanding, finishing with 13 points in 5 games. A big key for Sundstrom will be how he performs at thw WJC U-20 this year. He will be expected to be a leader for Sweden as they strive to earn a medal this year. But for now, he will learn a lot as the SEL season is around the corner.

Projections: 44 GP - 3 G - 2 A - 5 P

Thoughts:

CH: When this pick was made, I thought the Isles reached a little for him. After seeing him play at the scrimmage in July, I thought there was some real validity in selecting him at 50. And then his performance at the Lake Placid tournament proved that notion. Against players his own age, Sundstrom is extremely effective. Given that he had a spot in the SEL last year, it's clear that the Frolunda organization saw something in him. He is driven by his hockey sense and ability around the net. While he does have pretty good speed, he will need to improve it a little bit. His size speaks for himself - already 6'3" and 196 pounds, he is a short time away from having an NHL body. Overall, he plays a very nice two-way game, which means that if a spot opens up on the Isles 3rd line in the future, he may end up being the guy to fill it.

AT: I as well thought choosing a checking center was a little bit of a stretch at 50, but as Carey mentioned his performance at the Lake Placid tournament proved he was worthy of that pick. 14 points in 5 games is not something you wouldn't bat an eye at. Sundstrom was also equally impressive at the Blue and White scrimmage earlier last month at Nassau Coliseum. It is clear he has the skills on him to succeed and much like the much earlier taken Mika Zibanejad, you can not rely on his stats in a professional league to see how he will play in the NHL. All of that comes down to professional scouting and actually watching the prospect play in real games against his own age group. As Sundstrom fills out and refines his skills, it will be exciting to see him develop. Expect him to spend 1 more year in the SEL and then head to the AHL barring no restrictions.