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Last Word On Sports

Sports News Since 2011. Honestly.

Last Word On Sports Logo

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Month: May 2012

Can Life Possibly Be Any Sweeter in Phoenix Right Now?

Posted on by Grant Alexander

The Phoenix Coyotes have done the impossible! They have knocked off the heavily favoured Nashville Predators, and now find themselves in the Conference Championships for the first time in history! Led by the stellar play of goaltender Mike Smith this team looks hungry and focused, and wants nothing else but to bring the Stanley Cup back to the Desert. The only problem is they may be facing their toughest opponent yet.

The Los Angeles Kings are the team to beat right now. They have knocked off the number one and two seeds in stunning fashion, and hold an 8-1 record thus far. They are also the favorite to win the Cup now, and seem determined to do so. I wouldn’t write Phoenix out of this series though as they have a lot of similarities with the Kings, and a lot of momentum as well. Their goaltending is pretty much a wash, as Smith and Quick have both been stellar. Both teams have also been great on D in their own zone, and have had key goals coming from all four lines. They were also both underdogs in their first two series, and won both without needing seventh games.

There’s no question that this will be the toughest challenge yet for the desert dogs, but having already exceeded expectations they really have nothing to lose. Because of that, they are playing loose, light, and enjoying themselves, and that can be a deadly combination. But whatever happens in the next round and going forward, the Phoenix Coyotes have made franchise history this season, and nobody can take that away from them!

The other great news for the fans and residents of Glendale, Arizona, is their beloved Phoenix Coyotes might once again become permanent residents themselves. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced Monday that the league has reached a preliminary agreement to sell the team to a group headed by former San Jose Sharks CEO Greg Jamison. Bettman and Jamison both held press conferences to discuss the proposed sale, but it is still in it’s infancy, so only time will tell if this is the deal that finally goes through and keeps the Coyotes in Phoenix for long term. Jamison is also currently in negotiations with the city of Glendale over a new lease on the arena. Both the sale and the arena lease will probably take a few months to negotiate and complete, so don’t expect anything further to be announced until this season is at an end. So as it stands, it might still be Gary Bettman on the ice raising the Cup as the “owner” of the Phoenix Coyotes…

NHL Draft Prospect Profile #33: Stefan Matteau

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Drafted 29th overall by the New Jersey Devils.

If the name Stefan Matteau is familiar to hockey fans, it should be.  Stefan is the son of former NHLer Stephane Matteau who scored the famous Game 7 OT goal for the New York Rangers in the 1994 Conference Final victory over the New Jersey Devils en route to winning the Stanley Cup.   Matteau joins Griffin Reinhart, and Henrik Samuelsson as prospects who are sons of former NHLers in this year’s entry draft.

Left Wing
Born Feb 23 1994 — Chicago, IL
Height 6.01 — Weight 207

2010-11 U.S. National Development Team USHL 28 4 5 9 47 0
2011-12 U.S. National Development Team USHL 18 6 4 10 93 4

Matteau was born in Chicago during his father’s time with the Chicago Blackhawks.  He has spent the last two years playing for the US NTDP. Matteau had hoped to play for the US in the recent IIHF Under 18 World Hockey Championships but was ruled ineligible due to a little known IIHF rule which requires a player to play 3 seasons after the age of 10 in the country who he wishes to compete for.  Matteau was declared ineligible as he has been playing hockey in Canada except for these last 2 years.  Matteau was originally committed to play NCAA hockey at the University of North Dakota, but has since dropped out of that commitment and announced he will be joining the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the QMJHL.

When you watch young Stefan Matteau, you can definetely see the influence that his father has had on his son’s game.  Like his father, Matteau is a gritty, hard working, winger who is capable in all three zones.  Matteau seems to relish playing a physical game, is effective on the boards winning battles, and protecting the puck in the cycle game.  He is more likely to bull through a defender than to go around them.  Matteau has a hard, heavy wrist shot and a decent release.  When Matteau doesn’t have the puck in the offensive zone, you can find him near the opponents crease.  He gets to the front of the net and causes havoc when he’s there attempting to screen the goalie, tip in goals, and bang in rebounds.  Matteau just loves initiating contact and is a very physical player.  He’s also likely to be found right in the middle of any after the whistle scrums.  His offensive game is a little limited by his average passing skills and vision, and his average hands making moves in tight to the goal, and around defenders.

Matteau is a smart defensive player.  He has very good positioning and is active in the defensive zone.  He is often used in a penalty killing role for the US-NTDP team.  He uses his stick to effectively cut down on passing and shooting lanes, and uses his physical game as effectively in the defensive zone as he does in the offensive zone.  He can however sometimes have issues with especially quick opponents.

Matteau’s skating is a bit of a work in progress.  He has decent top end speed, but he needs serious work on his first step quickness and his acceleration.  He is however very strong on his skates and has great balance.  Its very difficult to knock Matteau off the puck, and he has a powerful stride when he gets going which helps him to charge the net effectively.

Matteau also needs to work on his discipline.  He has a tendency to take bad penalties at key times, and has even been suspended on occassion, causing him to miss games.  Learning how to play a physical game without going over the edge will be his next challenge.

Matteau has the potential to be a top 6 winger in the NHL, but he will need to continue to work on his game to get there.  We’d compare his maximum potential to be a cross between his father and Tomas Holmstrom of the Detroit Red Wings.

… and thats the Last Word.

Cameron Wake Cashes In: NFL Players Who Got Their Start in the CFL

Posted on by Michael Kovacs, ADMIN

A smile came across my face as I read the announcement that the Miami Dolphins have re-signed defensive standout, Cameron Wake, to a 4-year extension worth $49 million, with $20 million guaranteed.  The deal was a necessity for Miami, as Wake was only set to earn a measly $650,000.

The Dolphins linebacker was so effective for the Dolphins that Pro Football Focus (http://www.profootballfocus.com) rated him as the league’s premiere pass rusher.  Amassing 28 sacks with 112 tackles, Wake has been a tremendous success story since arriving in Miami from the CFL’s BC Lions.  In fact, he has led the Fish in sacks and tackles for the past two seasons.

As great as Cam is doing on the field in the NFL, I admired him well before that.  He burst on the Canadian scene in 2007, and in only two seasons with the Lions, he dominated the defensive line.  With 39 sacks in two seasons, he was routinely controlling offensive lines, earning Rookie of the Year honours in 2007, and was a West Division All Star and Defensive Player of the Year both seasons.  His success was noticed south of the border, and he was given a shot with Miami.

We couldn’t have CFL and NFL chat without mentioning by far the most successful player to have played in both leagues – Warren Moon.  Moon, the only player to be inducted in both league’s Hall of Fame, was an Edmonton Eskimo from 1978-1983.  During his years in Alberta, he won five consecutive Grey Cups, a record still in tact.  Considering the Grey Cup will be played for the 100th time this year, that’s quite a feat.  He also threw for over 21,000 yards in those six seasons, leading to him being scouted and signed by Houston in 1984.  Between Houston, Minnesota, Seattle and Kansas City, he threw for almost 50,000 yards and appeared in nine Pro Bowls.  Most CFL fans regard him as one of, if not the best, to have ever played the position in Canada.

If Moon isn’t the most talented to have played in the North, perhaps Doug Flutie tops the list.  Flutie, who became a household name with his “Air Flutie” hail mary pass vs. Miami in 1984 to win the Orange Bowl, dominated the CFL for much of the 1990’s.  After several stops in the NFL including Chicago and New England, Doug joined the BC Lions in 1990.  Playing also for Calgary (where other NFL quarterbacks tutored under him, including Jeff Garcia) and Toronto, Flutie threw for over 41,000 yards in only 8 seasons, for an average of over 5,000 per season!  Flutie was also known for his scrambling, which he perfected in the CFL as he ran for over 4600 yards.  Whispers of whether the NFL was calling surfaced for the last few years of Flutie’s career in the CFL, and they were finally answered by Buffalo, which is only 90 minutes down the highway from his former Toronto Argonauts.  Flutie’s diminutive size, ferocious attitude toward the game, and never-say-die mentality, earned him a great following in Buffalo.  Perhaps nothing is more memorable then when Flutie was replaced by Rob Johnson by then coach Wade Phillips, who later said he was told to by owner Ralph Wilson.  This was on the heels of a season where Flutie filled in for Johnson, leading the Bills both on the field and in the locker room.  After Buffalo Flutie made stops in San Diego and finally New England where he retired.  A fan or not, you cannot deny the appeal of Flutie, and his Flakes.

You may remember Joe Theismann as much for his “Sore Muscle” cream as you do for his CFL career.  Joe played his college ball at USC and was drafted by Miami.  After a deal couldn’t be reached with the Fish, he opted to play in the CFL for the Toronto Argonauts for three seasons.  He led the team to the Grey Cup in 1971, which he lost as a result of one of the most famous fumbles in league history.  Late in the fourth quarter, with Theismann’s Argos pressing, back Leon McQuay fumbled near the goal line, costing the team the Grey Cup.  In 1973, the NFL came calling in the form of the Washington Redskins, where Joe began as a punt returner.  Huh?  A punt returner?  Anyway…  Joe set numerous Redskins passing records and made several trips to the Pro Bowl.  His career was cut short when he was sacked – really, really hard – by the most talented defensive player to ever have played (my opinion, disagree below in comments), Lawrence Taylor.  Taylor tried to get medical attention for the pivot as he lay on the turf, but the damage was done, Theismann’s leg was in shambles, and his career was over.

The list certainly goes on, but these are the three stand-outs for me, during my 28 years watching both leagues pretty closely.  I alluded to Jeff Garcia, who certainly had a great CFL career in Calgary, and decent-enough NFL career as well.  And I would be remiss if I didn’t add Cookie Gilchrist, the long time Hamilton Ti-Cat and Buffalo Bills player who not only was a stand-out on the field, but is very memorable for what he did for civil rights in the US in the 60’s.  But not having seen him, I can’t speak to his dominance personally.

Back to Cam Wake.

You can see there is a rich tradition of CFL players making the jump to the NFL.  Whether Cam Wake joins the company of the legends aforementioned has yet to be seen.  Simply, he was a beast in the CFL and is doing the same in the NFL, and I for one and proud of that fact.

…and that is the last word.

 

Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry allegedly in nightclub incident in Finland, at IIHF World Championships.

Posted on by Ben Kerr

After news last week about the Nashville Predators and the suspension of two players for breaking curfew by being out at a Scottsdale Arizona Bar late the night before game 2, comes another incident of players misbehaving in bars.

The latest involves Anaheim Ducks, and Team Canada players Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, who allegedly had an altercation at the Finnish Night Club “Circus”.

Apparently the two players got into a heated argument with local patrons at the club, hours after Canada’s Overtime Loss to the United States on Saturday.  It is alleged that Getzlaf threatened to beat up a group of men and said, “I can knock all of you out in 3 minutes, I’m the captain of the Anaheim Ducks.”  It is unclear whether there were actual blows exchanged, but it appears that none were.

“Circus” is a hotspot Helsinki night club where famous Finnish celebrities and musicians are often known to appear.  It is said the two players were seen at the club with former Miss Finland Sara Sieppi.

The incident is alleged to have occured at approximately 3 am Helsinski time, and occured outside the club as the place was emptying following last call.

Getzlaf is the Captain of the Canadian Team in the World Championships.  Getzlaf and Perry are long time Teammates who won the Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007, and who won Olympic Gold with Team Canada in 2010.

More on this as further news breaks.

 

… and thats the Last Word.

NHL Draft Prospect Profile #32: Colton Sissons

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Drafted 50th Overall by the Nashville Predators

Colton Sissons is a rugged power forward prospect who has grown in the tough and tumble WHL playing for the Kelowna Rockets.  Sissons is a character guy who excudes leadership.  His coaches in Kelowna have seen this as they named Sissons the team’s Captain prior to the start of the season, and with just 1 year of WHL experience under his belt at the time.  Sissons continues the run of power forward prospects in this section of our draft board, along with Martin Frk, Tom Wilson, and Stefan Matteau.

Right Wing
Born Nov 5 1993 — North Vancouver, BC
Height 6.01 — Weight 189 — Shoots Right

2010-11 Kelowna Rockets WHL 63 17 24 41 46 15 10 3 3 6 6
2011-12 Kelowna Rockets WHL 58 26 15 41 62 -13 4 1 1 2 2

Sissons is the type of player that every coach dreams about.  He oozes intangibles. He’s a great all-around player, who plays hard in all three zones, and who never takes a shift off.  Sissons will go through a wall if he thinks it will help his team win.  He’s a heart and soul type guy.

Sissons also possesses some offensive skill.  He’s got a hard and accurate shot.  Sissons is also a good playmaker, he has good vision and can set up teammates in the offensive zone.  Sissons has decent stickhandling, but he is far more likely to try and bull his way through a defender and take the puck right to the net, than he is to try to get around him with fancy moves.  Sissons is a strong forechecker and his tireless work ethic helps him to win many board battles.

Sissons is a sound defensive player.  This is another area his non-stop motor and ability to win board battles comes into play.  He is good positionally in the defensive zone and blocks a lot of shots.  We have often seen Sissons used in a matchup type of role where he is expected to both play against the other teams’ top line, and bring his much needed offence to the Rockets’ attack.

Sissons biggest weakness is his skating.  His stride is unorthodox.  His top end speed is average, maybe even a hair above average, but its nothing to right home about.  His agility needs work, and he could also stand to develop a quicker first step and better acceleration.  This is what has made the difference between Sissons being ranked as first round talent and falling to the 2nd round on our draft rankings.  Sissons will also need to bulk up before moving on to the NHL level, however we don’t consider this a big deal, as it is common in 17 and 18 year old prospects.

Sissons work ethic and intangibles make him a solid bet to be an NHL player.  The question in his game is around his skating and may make the difference between a 2nd and third line player.  If Sissons can improve on that weakness we could see him playing a role as a top 6 forward in the NHL.  We’d compare Sissons maximum potential to develop into a player similar to a Ryan Clowe of the San Jose Sharks.

… and thats the Last Word.

 

Nate Diaz: Does He Deserve a Title Shot?

Posted on by Mark Modeski

This weekend marked FOX’s third foray into conventional TV on the back of  the UFC. The event itself was stacked-up with a myriad of well-respected fighters, but the biggest story surrounding the event was the possibility of Nate Diaz, brother to Nick, getting a shot at the title.

Nate has always had a dynamism to his style of fight somewhat similar to his brother, albeit more grounded in BJJ than Nick’s. He carries himself in a manner reminiscent of his brother also, which we already know can prove problematic.

When Nate exploded onto the scene via The Ultimate Fighter, he put together a series of wins that made people take him seriously; his come-from-behind wins always made for a good watch.  That said, Nate suffered a setback evident of a number of young fighters – the mental effect of the first loss. After Nate’s first loss in the UFC to Clay Guida, he fell again to Joe “Daddy” Stevenson. After briefly rebounding against Melvin Guillard, Nate Diaz would lose again to Gray Maynard; “cut rumours” started to swarm.

Fast forward to 2011-2012. After a continued streak of inconsistency at welterweight, Nate got his groove back at lightweight and strung together a series of wins against respectable contenders: Takanori Gomi, Donald Cerrone, and most recently last night’s tilt with Jim Miller.

So does this most recent slew of wins entitle him to a shot at the title? I think one could argue, yes. I think the more important question is who else deserves a shot a current champ, Ben Henderson? Frankie Edgar will get the first crack (or re-crack) at Henderson, but after that there is no one else who has put together a series of wins at lightweight that would warrant a title shot. Someone needs to join the queue, and Diaz fits the build.

For all of our sake, I do hope that Henderson beats Edgar, which I am sure he will, as I think a Henderson-Diaz clash would certainly be entertaining.

Other notes from UFC on FOX 3:

  • Lavar Johnson and Pat Barry had a hard-fought back-and-forth one round fight with the surging Johnson laying down an impressive TKO on Barry
  • Alan Belcher exposed the one-trick game of Rousimar Palahares. Not only did Belecher defend against the leg locks of Palahares, but he took it to him on the ground, eventually sealing the victory by strikes from inside the guard
  • Josh Koscheck looked like he wanted another head for his mantel in the first round, but fell prey to the pinpoint striking of Johny Hendricks. Hendricks is starting to position himself for a shot at the title

… and that is the last word.

Serie A: Juventus win the Scudetto!

Posted on by Luciano Giuliano

Juventus FC are the 2011-2012 Italian Champions as the Old Lady was victorious in her match against Cagliari, 2-0. She could not do it all by herself, however, needing help from rivals, Inter, who beat AC Milan 4-2 in the Derby della Madonnina at the San Siro.

The Bianconeri were in control of the match from start to finish and scored through Mirko Vucinic at the sixth minute and doubled her lead through a Cagliari own-goal in the second period.

Although at times it seemed as if Serie A would need the last round of games to decide the title winners considering that the Rossoneri were battling Inter in a teeter-totter of a match. The Nerazzurri took the lead through a strike from Diego Milito in the 14th minute. A moment of controversy occurred when Christian Abbiati batted away an incredible Wesley Sneijder header, which the Inter players believed crossed the line. Replays do not show a clear enough image.

The controversy was not done there, this time swinging to the other end. Kevin Prince Boateng was sent into the box, could not control the ball effectively as it drifted away from him.  Inter ‘keeper, Julio Caesar, dove in and got a clean touch on the ball as Boateng fell over him, causing the ref to point to the spot.  It was a bad call.  Ibrahimovic stepped up and blasted home the equalizer – 1-1 at half time.

Early in the second, Ibrahimovic powered through to hand Milan a 2-1 lead. At this point, Juve would need to win the final round to decide the Scudetto. However, the Nerazzurri were desperate to qualify for the Champions League and began to push forward and were awarded a spot kick when Milito was fouled in the box. El Principe converted, 2-2, as the Inter and Juve fans were sent into a frenzy.

At the 75th minute, Inter coach Andrea Stramazzoni introduced substitute Giuseppe Pazzini for Ricky Alvarez. Within four minutes of his entry, Pazzini headed the ball in the box, which caught Milan’s veteran defender Alessandro Nesta in the arm, which caused the ref to point to the spot again! Milito stepped and converted giving Inter the 3-2 lead and more hope for that final third spot.

It still was not done though as Inter rubbed salt in the Diavoli’s wounds with a fourth and spectacular goal from Maicon with a solo effort that flew over Amelia and dipped into the far corner – 4-2. That is all she wrote for the Rossoneri.

Congratulations to Juventus and the Bianconeri supporters for winning their 28th Scudetto and their first since the dark age of Calciopoli. The Serie A victory is well deserved seeing that Juventus are still unbeaten this term.

The Old lady is back where she belongs, my friends, which is on top of the Serie A.

Forza Juve!

…and that is the last word.

Serie A: The Scudetto Winner could be decided today….

Posted on by Luciano Giuliano

Who will win the Scudetto? The suspense may result in sleepless nights for clubs Juventus and AC Milan as well as their supporters as they continue to battle it out for first-place.

Up until the latest midweek round, it appeared that the Old Lady of Italian football was almost certain of adding a 28th Scudetto to her trophy cabinet (well, 30th if you count the revoked titles). However, Bianconeri veteran ‘keeper Gianluigi Buffon’s late stage blunder in the match against lowly Lecce has now re-opened the title race.  The Diavoli took full advantage of Juve’s miscue and bagged all three points against Atalanta closing the gap to a measly single point going into the final two rounds. This outcome has also allowed the Rossoneri to gain much needed confidence going into the Derby della Madonnina against cross-city rivals Inter.

Juve will win the Scudetto today if…

…the Turin giants beat Cagliari this afternoon and Inter get a result in the derby.

It will be decided in Week 38 if…

1) the one-point gap remains after this round, then it will be decided in the final match day next weekend.

2) Milan could potentially leap frog Juventus should Massimiliano Allegri’s men defeat the Nerazzurri and Juve fail to get a victory.

3) Week 37 could also result in equal points at the top of the standings if the Bianconeri lose for the first time this season and the Rossoneri draw in the derby. This is still a positive note for Juventus as due to the better head-to-head record, the Bianconeri will clinch the title if tied in points at the end of week 38.

Juventus will take on Cagliari at the Stadio Nereo Rocco in Trieste where 30,000 Bianconeri supporters have gathered hoping to spur on the players to victory. The final result for Sardinian side’s season is already decided at this point as Massimo Ficcadenti’s boys have secured their Serie A stay for next season. Will they play to win or will they look to take on the role of Scudetto deciders? The Bianconeri normally have difficulty playing against teams who utilize ‘catenaccio’ – the old all-out defending Italian style of soccer. Motivation will certainly not be lacking to defeat Juventus as the Rossoblu side will be remembered as the only team to defeat Antonio Conte’s men this season. Which is more important: ending Juve’s unbeaten record or putting a fork in the road in the Bianconeri’s quest for the title?  Will Cagliari play all out for the win, or will they look for the draw in this important match?

The same could also be said for Inter this evening. The Nerazzurri are currently fighting for third place which allows direct qualification into next year’s Champions League. Massimo Moratti’s side has hit a brick wall though and has slim chances after their 3-1 loss to Parma in midweek. Inter trail Napoli, who occupy third place, by three points. Seeing that the Azzurri have the edge due to a better head-to-head record, Inter’s hopes of Champions League next season may already be over. The Nerazzurri must avoid defeat or a draw this evening and need Bologna’s help to stop Edinson Cavani and Co. and will need Napoli to draw or lose in the last round as well. But, a derby is a derby and bragging rights are just as precious to hold over a rival in addition to ending Milan’s dream of a second straight Scudetto.

In 2002, on almost the same day (Cinco de Mayo), Inter needed a victory in the last round to secure a title triumph but came up short against Lazio who defeated the Milan-based side 4-2 gifting Juventus the Serie A crown. After the Calciopoli scandal in 2006, Inter and Juventus turned into bitter rivals both on and off the pitch with verbal stabs being thrown from both ends. Will the Nerazzurri do the favour for Juve or for Milan?

A lot is at stake in the final two games and both Juve and Milan deserve the title this year. Unfortunately, there can only be one winner.

Who will win the Scudetto? When will it be decided? Whats your take?

Forza Juve!

…and that is the last word.

NHL Draft Prospect Profile #31: Tom Wilson

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Drafted 16th overall by the Washington Capitals.

In our internal discussions, Tom Wilson was the toughest and most controversial of our prospect rankings.  There was a ton of debate over Wilson.  One of the contributors to this series had Wilson ranked as high as the Mid-Teens.  Another had Wilson ranked in the 50s.  In the end, when we tabulated the votes we found that Wilson was at #31, just outside the first round bubble.

Wilson for the Plymouth Whalers in the OHL.  He was also a member of Team Canada’s gold medal squad in the 2011 Ivan Hlinka Tournament.  He is a huge winger who plays with reckless abandon, and is seen as a power forward prospect. He’s fought the injury bug over the last two seasons suffering from a severed tendon in his wrist in 2010-11, and losing time this season to a sprained MCL, and to a broken knuckle suffered at the Top Prospects game in a fight with Dalton Thrower.

Right Wing
Born Mar 29 1994 — Toronto, ONT
Height 6.04 — Weight 200 — Shoots R

2010-11 Plymouth Whalers OHL 28 3 3 6 71 0 — — — — —
2011-12 Plymouth Whalers OHL 49 9 18 27 141 17 13 7 6 13 39

Wilson had an excellent showing in the OHL playoffs teasing more offence than he had shown in his two years in the OHL.  However the question remains, was his 13 game, 7 goal and 13 point performance a sign of things to come.  A turning point for Wilson, or will he revert to the form that has saw him score 9 goals in 49 OHL games in the regular season.  The question that remains is: Does Wilson have the offensive tools of other power forward type prospects like Henrik Samuelsson, and Colton Sissons?

Wilson has the size that NHL teams drool over.  His skating stride is unconventional, but it works for him and he generates very good speed for a big man.  He also has decent agility, especially for a guy his size.  He does however need to be stronger on his skates, and to work on his edgework.

Wilson is a punishing body checker who loves to dish it out and absolutely hammers defencemen on the forecheck.  He can be scary in the neutral zone as well, as Wilson absolutely loves catching an opposing player with their head down and laying him out.  He is no doubt one of the most feared hitters in the OHL and someone that all players need to be aware of when he is on the ice.

There are however questions about Wilson’s game, especially in the offensive end of the rink.  His wrist shot is fairly hard, and has good accuracy, however his release needs to be a lot quicker to fool pro goalies consistently. His stickhandling, is a work in progress as are his hands in tight to the goal.  His offensive ceiling is the biggest question mark, and is the reason why we had such a hard time ranking Wilson.  Could he become a top 6 player in the NHL?  Is he destined for a bottom 6 role?  Exactly how much he can improve these aspects of his game will determine this.

Wilson is a hard worker, and this certainly helps in the defensive end of the rink.  He’s a conscientious backchecker and continues his very physical game in his own end of the rink.  He is strong on board battles and willing to throw a big check.  His one issue is that this sometimes leads to a lack of discipline, either through getting himself out of position trying to make the big hit, or in taking an ill-timed trip to the penalty box.

When coming up with a comparable for Wilson, we again had a tough time.  One of our contributors said that Wilson could develop into a clone of Milan Lucic of the Boston Bruins.  However another contributor believes his ceiling is closer to a third line player like Colby Armstrong, with better fighting skills.  One thing we do agree on, Wilson is a safe bet to make the NHL one day, his size, skating ability, robust physical game, and toughness, will make him a good bet to develop into a third line contributor at minimum.

Despite our ranking of 31, we feel that Wilson will be drafted much higher than that come draft day in June.  One thing to remember with controversial prospects like him, is that it takes a whole bunch of teams to pass over him, to make a guy fall down a draft board, it only takes one team to love him to pick him.  We feel that Wilson has such a split of opinion that there will be at least one team (probably more) who absolutely love him.

… and thats the Last Word.