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Last Word On Sports

Sports News Since 2011. Honestly.

Last Word On Sports Logo

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Month: April 2012

The Body Count Continues to Roll in as Torres is Suspended Indefinitely!

Posted on by Grant Alexander

And the cannon sounds again, as latest victim Marion Hossa is removed from the ice on a stretcher. All around the league superstars are dropping like flies, and surprise, surprise, it was another goon wielding the axe.  And his penalty?  The NHL has suspended Raffi Torres indefinitely, pending a hearing tomorrow afternoon (Friday).

Raffi Torres (the “axe man” in this case) is one of the dirtiest players in the league. He has been a dirty player for years, but it has only really come to light over the past two seasons where he’s had repeated incidents.  Here is a glimpse of his crimes:

– Hit to the head on Jordan Eberle on April 5th 2011, 4 game suspension

– Hit on Brent Seabrook on April 17th 2011, knocked him out for the series

– Elbow on Jan Hejda on Dec 29th 2011, $2500 fine

– Charge on Nate Prosser 2 on Dec 31st 2011, 2 game suspension

– Charge and hit to the head on Marian Hossa on April 17th 2012, TBA on Friday, April 20.

Surprisingly enough there was no penalty on the play in which Hossa was hit, but there is no doubt in my mind that he will face a hearing with the Head of Player Safety, Brendan Shanahan. Torres clearly took a running leap and targeted Hossa’s head. Hossa remains out indefinitely, having just been released from a Chicago area hospital. And that’s the real loss. And not just to the Chicago Blackhawks, but to the fans and to the game of hockey as well.

Losing a goon for X number of games, to take out an opposing superstar, is win-win. And the problem is there is no answer for it. You can suspend or even expel guys until the cows come home, but there will always be a plethora of two-bit thugs out there looking to make a buck, and possibly a name for themselves. The only real answer would be to punish the teams more severely to deter them from even carrying these types of players. Who would then be nothing more than walking liabilities.

What do you think a reasonable punishment would be?

-For every game that a player is suspended for that team will have to start by killing a 5-minute major?

-Very steep team fines for every game of suspension?

-The team has to play short one man on their bench for every player suspended?

…and that is the last word.

NHL Draft Prospect Profile #13: Brendan Gaunce

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Drafted 26th Overall by the Vancouver Canucks

Brendan Gaunce is our top ranked Canadian born forward prospect.  At #13 overall this really shows the lack of high end Canadian forwards available this year.  Gaunce is another big, two way centre playing in the OHL for the Belleville Bulls.  He is also a member of Team Canada’s entry in the U18 World Championships taking place right now in the Czech Republic.  Gaunce is the first of two Belleville Bulls rated in the first round, as he is joined by Malcolm Subban.

Center
Born Mar 25 1994 — Markham, ONT
Height 6.02 — Weight 205 — Shoots L

2010-11 Belleville Bulls OHL 65 11 25 36 40 -31 4 0 0 0 4
2011-12 Belleville Bulls OHL 68 28 40 68 68 4  6  1 2 3 2

Brendan Gaunce is the classic good old Canadian Boy hockey player.  He’s got great size and he is not afraid to use it.  He is extremely effective using his body in the offensive zone, winning board battles, getting to loose pucks, and scoring the points from the dirty areas of the ice.  Gaunce thrives in traffic, and combines his powerful physique with soft hands, good hockey sense and excellent passing ability to be a point per game player for the Belleville Bulls.  Gaunce is an extremely hardworking player and we’ve rarely seen this kid take a shift off.

Gaunce is also a very intelligent defensive player.  His coaches in Belleville use him in all situations, including when line matching against the opponent’s best players and on the penalty kill.  Gaunce uses his long reach to cut down on passing lanes and is not afraid to use his body to block shots.  He has good positioning and anticipation.  His size, strength and hard work also help him to win board battles in the defensive zone.

Gaunce has great intagibles, and in watching games it is obvious to us that Gaunce is a natural born leader. He wears the Alternate Captain’s “A” for the Belleville Bulls.  That shows the confidence his coaches have in him and the respect he has of management and teammates as it is very rare for a 17 year old CHLer to have a letter on his jersey.  Gaunce is also an Alternate Captain for Team Canada at the World Junior Championships.  Gaunce comes from a hockey family as his older brother Cameron Gaunce is a prospect with the Colorado Avalanche.

In terms of areas that could be improved, Gaunce could use some work on his skating.  His first step and acceleration definitely need a little work.  Gaunce however does possess decent top end speed when he has the opportunity to show it off.  However, his game is so full of stops and starts, battles on the boards, and puck possession in the offensive zone, improvements on that his first step, acceleration and agility will help Gaunce to be an offensive player at the next level.

In terms of a comparison and future projection, Gaunce reminds us of Ryan O’Reilly of the Colorado Avalanche.  We believe he has the potential to be a top 6 offensive contributor and to play effective shut down defence against the other team’s best players.  We even believe that if Gaunce can improve his quickness, he might be able to become a top line player, similar to a David Backes of the St. Louis Blues.

… and thats the Last Word.

NHL Draft Prospect Profile #12: Teuvo Teravainen

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Drafted #18 Overall by the Chicago Blackhawks

Our #12 prospect is creating a ton of buzz in the last few months.  Teuvo Teravainen (or Teräväinen) of Jokerit-Helsinki in the Finnish Elite League has rocketed up draft boards with some excellent international performances and really taken scouts by storm.

Right Wing/Centre
Born Sep 11 1994 — Helsinki, Finland
Height 5.10 — Weight 165 — Shoots L

2011-12 Jokerit Helsinki SM-liiga 40 11 7 18 6 -5

Teravainen is one of our favorite prospects to watch in this years draft.  He has incredible hockey sense and vision, and is an extremely creative playmaker.  Teravainen will attempt passes that most forwards don’t even dream about, feathering pucks through sticks and legs and putting them on the tape of his teammates.  He controls the play in the offensive zone often preferring to be a setup man working off the half boards.  Teravainen also possesses a very hard and accurate one timer and often unleashes it from the top of the circle.  He is especially effective on the Power Play.  Teravainen has really worked to improve his skating.  He always had good top end speed, but he’s made great strides in improving his first step, his acceleration and his agility. Teravainen has shown that he is willing to take a hit to make a play, despite the fact he is often facing larger opponents.

Teravainen had an excellent tournament in last summer’s Ivan Hlinka, leading the Finnish team in scoring.  He would follow that up by leading the entire tournament in scoring in the annual European 5 Nations tourney.  He carried the Finnish team in that tournament all the way to the championship.  However they had to settle for silver, losing to a deeper Swedish club. He’s carried that impressive performance into the World U18 Tournament, and we felt he was the best player on the ice in Finland’s recent win over Canada.

Teravainen is a bit undersized and this can cause him problems in the defensive zone.  He can be overpowered by bigger, stronger opponents, and this may mean that his future is as a Right Wing (where we are told he plays for Jokerit) instead of playing Centre (where we’ve seen him on the Finnish National Squad).  We highly doubt he will be NHL ready in 2012-13, as he really needs time to add some muscle to his slight frame.  It should however be noted that Teravainen is one of the youngest players eligible for this year’s draft.  If he was born a mere 3 days later Teravainen would not be eligible for the 2012 draft and would instead be part of the 2013 Draft class.

Its hard to pin down exactly one player who Teravainen reminds us of, so we are going to compare him what you would get if you took Ales Hemsky of the Edmonton Oilers, and added a great top of the circle PP one-timer to his game.

… and thats the Last Word.

UFC on Fuel TV 2: Rising Contenders

Posted on by Mark Modeski

Along with many, I have been pretty hard on the UFC brass for their decision to have such an event heavy schedule to start the year. However, after a month without any events, I found myself going through some withdrawal pains – and actually really looking forward to UFC on Fuel TV 2. While the event didn’t display anything near the likes expected from Evans v. Jones next week – it was a chance for a group of fighters to make a name for themselves and establish themselves as contenders.

Since their inception the UFC TV non-PPV events have been a breeding ground from some of the most promising fighters in the sport today: Josh Koscheck, Diego Sanchez, Thiago Alves all got their start on non-PPV events. UFC on Fuel 2 gave a new set a fighters a chance to make the same impact.

DaMarques Johnson was a star on TUF, and at one point seemed poised to be the next big thing at 170 lbs; however, he has been erratic and inconsistent at best since. Saturday night was no difference, as the TUF alumnus fell prey England’s John Maguire.

Denis Siver was well on the road to a title shot before falling prey to Donald Cerrone at UFC 137. UFC on Fuel TV 2, would be his chance for redemption at a new weight class (featherweight). The challenge put before Siver was not easy one in former contender Diego Nunes, also looking start his road back to the top. After two dominant first rounds, Siver almost fell prey to the Brazillian’s pinpoint striking – but, in the end managed to eek out the decision.

Paulo Thiago has been a fighter to watch since he stormed onto the scene with KO victory over Josh Koscheck. Thiago was given a stepping stone to help him to get back on the right path in Siya Bahadurzada. Unfortunately, Thiago’s night was short and sweet, as he fell to a devastating left hand from Siya. Bahadurzada may be a man to watch – but, I truthfully hope not, if for no other reason than that last name is going to cause problems for MMA reporters around the world.

Brian Stann made a lot of noise in 2011 after a couple of big wins of Jorge Santiago and Chris Leben – many thought he would soon be ready for a title run; unfortunately, after a loss to Chael Sonnen it was back to the drawing board. A fight against Alessio Sakara proved to be a redemption song for Stann, with a decisive first round knockout.

The main event was a match-up between two hyped up light heavyweights in Alexander Gustafsson and Thiago Silva. Silva back, looking a lot leaner, after a steroid suspension wanted to prove that he belonged in the elite at 205 lbs, Gustafsson wanted to prove he wasn’t all hype. In the end, the hometown boy in Gustafsson proved that he is “in the mix” with a decision win.

The fighters on this card did their job. They fought like it was their last, and put on an impressive displays of fighting and violence. If Dana White and the UFC keeps these cards coming, I don’t think any of us will have anything to complain about.

… and that is the last word.

 

NHL Draft Prospect Profile #11: Radek Faksa

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Drafted #13 Overall by Dallas Stars

Our 11th ranked prospect for this June’s NHL entry draft is a solid two way center from the Czech Republic, Radek Faksa of the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers.  Faksa hopes to follow in the long line of successful NHL drafted forwards from Kitchener, and continue the streak of top 10 picks following in the footsteps of Gabriel Landeskog and Jeff Skinner.  Faksa is the first of our Czech born forwards rated in the first round along with World Junior teammate Tomas Hertl.

Center
Born Jan 9 1994 – Opava, Czech Republic
Height 6.03 — Weight 202 — Shoots Left

2011-12 Kitchener Rangers OHL 62 29 37 66 47 19  7  2  2  4  4

This season Radek Faksa led all OHL rookies with 66 points in 62 games.   Faksa came to Kitchener and showed that he was very quick to adapt to the North American game.  Faksa pairs outstanding hockey sense and offensive instincts, with his very good vision and passing skills to be an excellent playmaker.  He also has a good wrist shot with an excellent release.  Faksa is an above average skater, with good speed and strong balance which makes him difficult to knock off the puck.  He isn’t afraid to go into traffic and to take hits to make plays for the Rangers. For these reasons we believe Faksa will be a top 6 centre at the NHL level.

At 6’3, 202lbs Faksa has the great size that many NHL teams covet down the middle.  Faksa uses that size effectively to protect the puck, to establish position in the offensive zone.  We do however think that Faksa can use his size more effectively and we’d like to see him drive the net harder with the puck on his stick.  We’d also like to see Faksa use his size advantage to be a more effective body checker, especially on the forecheck.

Faksa is also an excellent defensive player.  He is often used to check the opponent’s top line, and is a key penalty killer for Kitchener.  Faksa makes quick decisions and is equally adept at breaking up plays in both the neutral zone and his defensive end.  He uses his size and smarts to angle opponents to the outside and keep them from dangerous areas.  His long reach is an important asset in closing down passing lanes as well.  Faksa however could stand to improve on his faceoff skills in order to be a true shutdown centre in the NHL.

Faksa is an intriguing prospect, who will definitely be highly sought after come draft day.  His combination of excellent size and strong two way play will be in high demand.  We’d compare Faksa’s maximum potential to that of Mikko Koivu of the Minnesota Wild.  The major question in his game that keeps him a step below the elite centres in this draft is whether he possesses the real high end offensive skills necessary to be a first liner in the NHL.  However we do believe he can definetely be a solid top  6 player, with an outside chance of being a top liner.

… and thats the Last Word.

Old Time Hockey or Excessive Brutality?

Posted on by Grant Alexander

Wow… when is the last time we’ve seen this kind of physical intensity in the playoffs? Detroit vs. Colorado in the late 90’s? The Broad Street Bullies in the late 70’s? Maybe, but maybe not even, this years madness has been league wide!

A lot of people hate fighting in hockey, and say it has no place in the game. They also say that when the game is on the line like in the playoffs, you rarely see a fight. Well so much for that! And I wonder what they are saying now! I for one love it, and can’t remember being this hooked to every series, and this excited for every game, since the last time the Leafs were in it. And other than tight games, with lots of OT magic, I can’t think of a better way to further intensify a rivalry.

The other great thing about it is that the guys that are fighting, throwing those big hits, and doing whatever it takes to win, are the superstars on each team. Captains leading their teams into battle… can you think of anything better?

The bad thing is, this has also been the dirtiest playoffs in recollection. Because, despite all of the great bouts, and the insane level of intensity, players are getting hurt. I’m sure you are thinking that it goes hand in hand, the fighting and the dirty plays. For example, a player takes a cheap shot, and that brings on the violence. Well, in that you’re not entirely wrong, that is what happens. Players will always come to the aid of a fallen teammate, but believe it or not it is much deeper than that.

This years playoffs have more rivalry matchups than in recent history, and they have intensified throughout the regular season. The intensity level is raised by the skilled players. They are the ones getting all of the ice time at the beginning of the games. They are the ones crashing the net, playing hard in the corners, and getting their teams fired up. And by this point you would have seen a few scrums, and maybe even a fight. And if the game continued like that it would have been intense, physical, and highly skilled. But that’s not what happens.

This is the point in the game where the fourth lines come on. These guys are already hyped up to do their job, which is to frustrate the other teams stars, kill time while their stars are resting, and throw big hits. But now with the raised intensity, these guys end up being reckless. They think they are helping their teams by sacrificing themselves to take out a skilled player on the other team, but what they are really doing is ruining the game of hockey.

Goons don’t belong in hockey. Period. They drop the skill level of the league considerably. They have no integrity or respect for other players. And they get paid to hurt people, and take skilled players out of the game. And that is what is happening in these playoffs. Guys like, Asham, Rinaldo, and Carkner to name a few, are getting sent out to settle scores, or run players. These guys have no place in hockey.

So what is the answer to players getting injured? How do you stop these things from happening? Well, there are two ways a player has to answer for his actions. One is with the league; the other is on the ice. On the ice, typically a fight is coming. For the average player, who doesn’t fight a lot, this is a pretty good deterrent. Usually the player knows it’s coming, and it’s usually from the player he hit or a bigger teammate and he has to stand up and takes his licks like a man. The good thing is that usually ends up being the end of it. But with a goon, they’re looking for a fight. So there’s no real “on ice” punishment. And if you banned fighting completely, than you would end up seeing an eye for an eye type of stuff, and in that scenario everyone loses. So with those types of players you really have to look to the league to make things right. The league, or Brendan Shanahan who is in charge of player safety, is the one responsible for handing out suspensions and fines to the players, and in this he must be vigilant. He has to set a precedent that says, “This sort of nonsense will not be tolerated!” And I strongly think that repeat offenders should be out indefinitely. Lets keep are stars on the ice, and out of the press box.

Luongo Sidelined; the Canucks are Reeling

Posted on by Ben Kerr

When the Vancouver Canucks take on the LA Kings in tonight’s pivotal game three of their first-round series Canucks goaltender Corey Schneider will get the start.  This moves all-star netminder Roberto Luongo to the bench in a move makes little sense, not that it is unexpected.  It is just another move in a long line of confusing decisions from head coach Alain Vigneault this season.  The Canucks have had many opportunities to throw their support behind their number one netminder this year and give him a chance to prove he is the unquestioned starter but it never totally happened.

For me it all starts just after the new year when the Canucks were slated to play a much hyped match-up against their heated rival Bruins in Boston, on a Saturday no less.  Even though they play in opposite conferences they are heated rivals for one reason; the Bruins took the Cup from the Canucks in 7 games last spring.  In that series Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo was shell-shocked in every start he had in Boston.  Adding to the significance of this game is the fact it was their only match-up of the season and both teams were on fire.  The Canucks were in a familiar spot on top of the Western Conference and the Bruins looked to be there soon in the east, being on an incredible 23-4 run.  This was a chance to make a statement for the Canucks, that the team and their goalie we’re not afraid of the Bruins.  Instead they started Corey Schneider who earned a 4-3 win for his squad.  In spite of the win I was confused by the decision.  If Luongo is really your number one goalie then he must get the start in these types of games.

Returning from the all-star break later that same month the Canucks after the long all-star break layoff played a critical game against the hated Blackhawks.  Each of the last two seasons these teams faced off in classic playoff match-ups, with each team taking one series.  Luongo had started the last 5 games for the Canucks but he did not get the call in this game.  I thought it was odd the Canucks would not play their number one goalie against a hated foe.  At this point I was brimming with questions. Was Luongo really their #1?  We’re they trying to protect him?  If you can’t start him against the leagues best now what happens come playoff time?  If Corey Schneider has the confidence of the coach and the team then why not make him the #1 goaltender?

Here we are now, two games into the 2012 post-season the Canucks find themselves in an 0-2 hole in the series and Luongo finds himself on the bench.  I don’t think there are many who believe Luongo has been the issue with the teams fortunes these last two games.  In fact in game one he appeared to be the only reason the Canucks were in the game so late.  None the less he has been undermined already.  The timing of the move is curious.  I have nothing against Corey Schneider and I expect him to play well in his opportunity to start.  However, the decisions earlier in the season lead me to believe Vigneault may have been itching to make the move to Schneider as the starter.  If so, then why would he wait until the playoffs to make such a move? There is no doubt there was sufficient pressure on Luongo throughout the season that if Vigneault had have made such a move it would have been accepted.

It is tough to support the way Vigneault has made his decisions this season and his team may feel the same way.  As we sit on the brink of game three I find it hard to believe that if Alain Vigneault thinks Corey Schneider is the best goalie for his team tonight that he didn’t feel the same way two games ago.

Slow It Down, Pittsburgh!

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Watching the Pittsburgh Penguins struggle to check the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday night in their second loss of their first round playoff series a realization hit me.  I tried to deny it and thought if I kept my belief hidden maybe it wouldn’t come true.  But when the 3rd period collapse inevitably unfolded there was no longer any doubt, I wasn’t watching the Pittsburgh Penguins.  I was actually watching the 2008 Washington Capitals, a team with a wide-open style who tried to win by out scoring their oppoenent and not by limiting their own goals against.  And this scared me.  It scared me because I was cheering for the Penguins. It scared me because I hate the Flyers more than any team in sports.  And it scared me because teams that play like the 2008 Capitals never win.  Not in the playoffs.

Entering the playoffs the Penguins, along with the Western Conference Vancouver Canucks were seen as the big favorites.  Any why not?  Ever since falling to 9th place in the Eastern Conference on January 11th the Penguins had been a team on a mission.  What might have seemed impossible at the time, the Penguins fought closely with the New York Rangers, the conferences top team, to capture the top spot in the East over the final few weeks of the season.  They were able to put themselves in this position because of a remarkable 30-8-2 record after January 11th.  This turnaround occurred because of one simple change: more goals.  After sitting in 8th place in the league in Goals For on January 11th the Penguins would finish 1st at the end of the regular season by a wide margin (From January 11th onwards they scored 25 more goals in the 2nd place Boston Bruins).  They improved their goals average by a full goal per game moving from a strong 2.95 to an unheard of 3.95 goals per game.  The offensive turnaround was not mirrored by a similar defensive improvement.  In the last 40 games the Penguins actually gave up slightly more goals per game than the first half of the season (2.7 goals against per game). The change in he Penguins strategy was evident on the ice,  they did not shy away from long neutral zone passes and they chose to carry the puck over the blueline instead of dump-ins. Once in the attacking zone they favoured high risk lateral passes in an attempt to make a big play that often resulted in turnovers.  Everyone choose to ignore the warning signs, myself included, because the hot streak was so much fun.  With such a sterling late season record and a return of the recent return of Sidney Crosby how could anyone slow down this juggernaut?  But the Penguins exclusive improvement in the goals for department should have been an indication of the Penguins vulnerability in the playoffs.

In the opening minutes of game one the Penguins played like they were already in the cup finals.  They smashed the Flyers at every turn, they out skated them to every puck and they never gave them an inch of free ice.  The problem with those opening 10 minutes is how much of a contrast there is to their play then and for the rest of the series.  Since those opening minutes their play has made me believe they were only playing that tough for show.  They wanted to display that they were a physical team that knew what playoff hockey was all about, and after they had satisfied themselves that they had shown they knew the right way to play they reverted to the team they always were, or atleast the team they have become over the last half of the season.  Once their energy from the opening minutes was sapped the Flyers slowing took control of the game.  Suddenly they were the team on the attack and the Penguins defensive zone coverage was challenged.  The Flyers also used this change in tempo to become the more physical team, turning the tables on the Penguins hard-hitting early style.  It cannot be over-looked that the Flyers appeared to be the more determined team either, doing all the little things to make sure they get under the skin of the Penguins, including making sure they are the team getting the last shot on every single scrum around the net.  They are not giving and inch and they mean it.

I don’t doubt that any of this is lost on Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma.  But his team sold out during the last half of the season in order to win the easiest way possible.  He may know that a switch in tactics is required but you cannot just change your team DNA over the course of a few games.  It was clear in game two, even when the Penguins had a lead they were incapable of playing a defensive style.  Every time there was a turnover in their own zone their forwards would leave the zone early trying to get a jump on the rush up ice before the defense even had even secured possession of the puck.  It is things like this that are impossible to instantly erase.

The writing was on the wall but everyone chose to ignore it.  Part of it may have been the pedigree of the Penguins Super Duper Stars.  Part of it may have been their playoff tested team which has a recent Stanley Cup win to their name.  But what is clear is that this high-flying team is not that squad who beat the Detroit Red Wings in 7 games.  Pittsburgh scored goal totals of 4, 4, 2 and 2 to win the cup finals against Detroit in 2009.  Games 6 and 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals that year finished with identical scores.  Pittsburgh 2, Detroit 1, that’s playoff hockey.  That’s how you win.  It is not too late for the Penguins to make a change.  But what is certain is that one is required.  Because this team as it stands now is not going to hoist the cup.

NHL Draft Prospect Profile #10: Griffin Reinhart

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Edit: Selected #4 overall by the Islanders

As we round out the top 10 prospects for this year’s NHL draft, we come across yet another defenceman.  Today’s prospect is the big, physical specimen, Griffin Reinhart of the Edmonton Oil Kings.  The WHL is absolutely loaded with great defensive prospects this year and Reinhart joins Ryan Murray, Matt Dumba and Morgan Rielly in our top 10 draft eligible prospects.

Defense
Born Jan 24 1994 — West Vancouver, BC
Height 6.04 — Weight 202 — Shoots L

2009-10 Edmonton Oil Kings WHL 2 0 0 0 0 3 — — — — —
2010-11 Edmonton Oil Kings WHL 45 6 19 25 36 7 4 0 0 0 6
2011-12 Edmonton Oil Kings WHL 58 12 24 36 38 23  8 1 2 3 10

Reinhart comes from good bloodlines as he is the son of former Calgary Flames Defenceman Paul Reinhart.  Reinhart is already 6’4 and over 200 lbs, he is huge, and is a physically intimidating presence in the defensive zone.  He’s a heavy, hitter and is physically punishing to opposition forwards.  Reinhart is a true shut down defenceman, with excellent positioning in the his own zone, and his big frame and long stick allow him to block shots and cut down passing lanes.  He also uses his great size and strength to keep the Oil Kings’ crease clear, and is very effective in doing so.

Reinhart has some offensive potential.  He has a booming slapshot and excellent wrist shot which he unleashes from the point.  Reinhart makes quality passes both as part of his team’s breakout, and in the offensive zone.  Reinhart also has excellent offensive instincts and hockey sense, as he is quick to exploit gaps in opponent’s teams defensive coverage and chooses the right moments to pinch in.  Reinhart could use some work on his stickhandling and puck control as he is merely average in this area.

Reinhart is also an average skater.   His stride is choppy and he lacks the high end speed that other defensive prospects in this draft possess.  This has sometimes given him trouble in dealing with small, quick forwards, especially early in the year, but this has gotten better as the season progressed.

Reinhart really came into his own when teammate Mark Pysyk was away playing for Team Canada in the World Junior Championships.  Reinhart has been excellent in the second half of the season and in the WHL playoffs, and his improvement into a shut down defender has been instrumental in the Oil Kings’ long winning streak.  Reinhart’s game reminds us of Adam Foote, and if he can reach his potential he can certainly have as big an impact for the team that drafts him as Foote had for the Avalanche over his NHL career.  He absolute max ceiling may even be higher, as Reinhart has some untapped offensive potential in him as well.

… and thats the Last Word.