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Post by thedarcy on Jun 24, 2007 10:56:48 GMT -3
What would be tremendously amazing would be if we could finally get 2 Euro's that both produce at least average levels. There's no reason with a Latal that we should have another Euro that is always teetering on the healthy scratch border. We've managed to do well over the years with at least one Euro that's good, and the other has been marginal. Hruska - decently skilled, but never fully made the adjustment to north american life and hockey Persson - employed the epitome of Swedish style of hockey; hard nosed, but give or take on his finish Truhkno - best by far, top 10 Q player, should see him in the Edmonton system sooner then later Korpinen - bore a less husky style the Hruska, but fell into the same pit of not making the adjustment to N.A. hockey Truhkno - 2nd season was his breakout, trading him seemed detrimental, but on the long term it has worked out not too badly Skorykh - the Scorpion as named by the folks who sit in front of me, still managed to amass 25pts in 44 games, but i will leave it at that as everyone has their opinion on this guy Latal - good speed, flashy player, will be a fan fave this year if he wasn't on your list last year Cmorej - fun name, i felt he had a lot of potential when he and Latal were paired, but when Latal broke out mid season, Pete was left in his wake and found himself oft filling a spot in the stands A Vorecek or Bashkirov would be a welcome addition to the team. I fully believe finding someone of the calibre of Latal who has already had a brief N.A. experience via being drafted would be the best choice. There are tons of diamonds in the rough, and with a predetermined amount of CHL roster spots for Euro's, there is no reason why there shouldn't be more and more players making the successful jump to the Q or elsewhere in the CHL. I suspect that if we get a Euro that's 8 or better on the depth chart by midseason, and there's a natural progression throughout the season, it will be one of our deciding factors on how deep we go in the playoffs. D
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Score
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Post by Score on Jun 25, 2007 12:03:32 GMT -3
Anyone hear any info on where the Rocket plan on dipping into?
Russia is out I imagine.
Germany and Czech are two areas that I assume they head to.
Gotta think that Micalef has some sort of connections across.
Draft is Wednesday.
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Post by Krang7 on Jun 25, 2007 13:12:21 GMT -3
I've heard a Swede, but that was a couple months ago and it was a pretty vague rumor.
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Score
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Post by Score on Jun 26, 2007 10:40:30 GMT -3
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Score
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Post by Score on Jun 26, 2007 22:10:01 GMT -3
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Score
Draft Pick
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Post by Score on Jun 27, 2007 5:49:37 GMT -3
Draft day for Rocket The Guardian
With the P.E.I. Rocket defence considered solid for the 2007-08 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season, Serge Savard Jr., Rocket president and general manager, has a singular focus with his lone pick in today’s CHL import draft.
“My best option right now, the most work we’ve done, is for a skilled forward,” said Savard of his 33rd overall selection.
The draft starts at 10 a.m. with teams selecting every 15 minutes until after the seventh pick. Then it’s every 10 minutes. P.E.I. chooses at 3:50 p.m.
Q teams are allowed two imports.
The Rocket blueline seems OK with 20-year-old Jason Swit and 19-year-olds Pierre-Luc Lessard and Benoit Gervais leading a group of young charges headed by Jordon Southorn.
So offence is key, spurred on by the graduations of David Laliberte, who set new team single-season scoring records with 98 points and 50 goals, and Guillaume Doucet, who had his best season with 71 points in 70 games.
It means third-year players like Chad Locke and Matthew Lachaine and sophomore Maxim Cliche must produce to help out veterans Geoff Walker and Brett Morrison and Martin Latal, who the Rocket picked 37th overall last season in the Euro draft.
Savard said he’s tried to deal for a higher pick in today’s draft, but the price is too high so movement isn’t likely.“I would be surprised at this point. We’re not prepared to trade first- or second-round picks. There are a couple of guys we’re eyeing,” he said, although he wouldn’t reveal which players the team has scouted.
Europeans are a different breed when it comes to the import draft. Most rarely continue with their QMJHL draft teams for more than two seasons, either being dropped or traded by their squad after a year, returning to Europe and playing pro or moving on to the NHL. Former Rocket leading scorer Slava Trukhno was an exception. He spent two years with P.E.I. before being shipped to Gatineau last year. He signed a three-year, entry-level NHL contract with Edmonton in January and will likely play pro with the Oilers’ AHL affiliate in Springfield, Mass., this season.
His is a success story; highly-rated Russian Anton Skorykh’s wasn’t. Red Line Report, an independent scouting newsletter used by the NHL, pegged him as a second-round NHL pick in 2005. P.E.I. drafted Skorykh 14th overall in 2005, but an inability to adjust to the more physical North American game and a late start meant he lasted just one QMJHL season. That delayed beginning went into mid-November, 22 games into the 2005-06 season, after months of negotiations (with nine different people) to pry Skorykh away from his Lada Togliatti club in Russia.
And that headache still smarts, said Savard.
“I can assure you it’s not going to be a Russian,” he said.
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Post by Krang7 on Jun 27, 2007 8:25:28 GMT -3
It means third-year players like Chad Locke and Matthew Lachaine and sophomore Maxim Cliche must produce to help out veterans Geoff Walker and Brett Morrison and Martin Latal, who the Rocket picked 37th overall last season in the Euro draft. You would think that they would have mentioned Chris Doyle in this little blurb...
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Post by Hockeyfan99 on Jun 27, 2007 13:17:31 GMT -3
You want to talk about the differences in Financial resources among teams. Read the following article on some of what Roy gave the Bashkirov Twins www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20070627/CPSOLEIL/70626275/5179/CPSPORTSThe article identifies that the Twins got: - A few months stay in Roy's mansion - Then an apartment for the Twins and their parents - A Porche for "transportation" - For the upcoming season, the Twins had requested an apartment closer to downtown (ie. more expensive) which the team had arranged. WOW and that's not counting any exchange of money.
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Post by backofthewetbus on Jun 27, 2007 15:47:51 GMT -3
Rocket pick Jan Kana forward C Republic 176 LBS
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Post by Krang7 on Jun 27, 2007 15:53:23 GMT -3
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Post by Hockeyfan99 on Jun 27, 2007 16:25:04 GMT -3
Just for people's interest on Hockey's Future Message Board one poster's attempt at looking at the 2008 NHL draft has Kana identified as a potential first round pick. hfboards.com/showthread.php?p=9691171Now I don't know this poster and his opinion in trying to rank these players really means squat but I do find the possability that Jana is on the "radar" as a potential high NHL draft pick interesting. Can anyone confirm whether or not Jana is considered a potential NHL draft pick? Maybe someone has a recent copy of ISS's monthly reports. Is Jana identified in their top 100?
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Post by CountryBoy on Jun 27, 2007 16:33:23 GMT -3
Here's a scouting report is found on McKeen's Hockey Prospects page. It's a summary from the 2006 U18 World Cup tournament in Slovakia. Q players Angelo Esposito, Logan MacMillan, and Alex Grant were on Canada's gold medal winning squad. Here's the entire link mckeenshockey.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=575127#czeHere's Kana's writeup. To me, he sounds like a very similar player to Latal. Jan Kana (2008), LW Tournament wrap-up: tied with Jakub Voracek and Vladimir Ruzicka for leading Czech Republic in assists (3 assists) .. finished second on Team Czech Republic in points (4 points) .. second-most frequent Czech shooter (11 shots) .. the most scrappy player from all Czech players .. played a consistent tournament without any significant off-games .. showed a fearless approach and quality determination no matter who the opponent was .. pulled off a solid showing against both Finland and USA .. very energetic in the final game against Switzerland which helped him to earn Czech 'Player of the game' honors .. filled his gritty role well and wreaked havoc among the opponents .. the gritty member of the elite Czech offensive unit pulled off a solid tournament showing but would be rated higher if he would show quality hockey sense in his play. Scouting: a smallish wrecking pinball .. a solid skater with okay acceleration and top-end speed .. looks flashy and quick .. solid change of pace and explosiveness .. sharp turns .. possesses above-average lower-body strength and balance .. tough to get knocked off the puck .. good stickhandling skills .. only an adequate playmaker with a decent vision and awareness of his linemates .. shoots and passes equally well .. still prone to some boneheaded plays when trying to be over-creative with the puck .. very confident in his finishing skills .. possesses an okay variety of shots .. likes to let his hard slap shot go .. likes to battle in the opposing slot and look for rebounds .. capable of a smart way to score a goal .. prone to occasional careless finishing of the chances in-close .. could use more vision hockey sense in his play .. makes up for his lack of size with his competitiveness and a fearless approach .. plays way bigger than his size and often hammers opponents along the boards .. often agitates .. willing to fight .. digs for the loose pucks in the corners .. shows a commitment to the defensive play but hampered by occasional downs .. blocks the passing lanes of the opposition fairly well .. adequately fast at marking his man .. an active force on the penalty killing units .. a belligerent player but prone to inconsistent shifts .. a '90 born underaged forward .. shoots right. cb
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Post by 1barney22 on Jun 27, 2007 16:33:49 GMT -3
Here are his stats
2006-2007
HC Vitkovice - Jan Kana
GP G A Pts PIM 35 21 17 38 135
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crocop
Rookie
Beware the left high kick
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Post by crocop on Jun 27, 2007 17:09:56 GMT -3
This kid sounds like he is going to be a good player.
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Post by Score on Jun 27, 2007 19:06:42 GMT -3
Rocket Selects Forward in 2007 CHL Import Draft
The P.E.I. Rocket is proud to announce their selection of Czech Republic, 17 year old (eligible in 2008 NHL entry draft), 5’7”, 176lb forward Jan Kana in today’s 2007 CHL Import Draft.
With the 33rd selection in today’s CHL Import Draft, the P.E.I Rocket offensive line just got a little more punch for next season. “We are very excited to have Jan join us” said Serge Savard Jr. “With his offensive skills and the offensive skills of Martin Latal we will have a very energetic European Duo and islanders will love to see the two in action together,” added Savard.
The 17-year old played last season with the Vitkovice of Czech Republic. Kana was also a member of Team Czech Republic at the 2007 Under-18 World Championships where he received Czech “Player of the Game” Honors for his gritty role on the elite team.
In scouting reports from the 2007 International Ice Hockey Federation where Kana finished tied with Jakub Voracek in assists and finished 2nd on Team Czech Republic in points. Kana is described as “a player that plays way bigger than his size and often hammers opponents along the boards. Kana showed a fearless approach and quality determination no matter who the opponent was. Jan likes to battle in the opposing slot to look for rebounds and is capable of a smart way to score a goal. Kana is described as a smallish wrecking pinball, a solid skater with top-end speed. Looks flashy, quick and tough to get knocked off the puck.”
Last season with HC Vitkovice A league U20 in 35 GP, he had 21 G, 17 A for a total of 38pts and 135 PIM, in 6 playoff games he scored 5 G.
Sounds like a solid player for us!!
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