Jonathan Quick
Goaltender
DOB – 1-21-86
Records/Stats:
Kings: 1-2, 3.84, .855
Reading (ECHL): 23-11-2, 2.79, .905
Manchester (AHL)
– Reg season: 11-8-0, 2.32, .922
– Post season: 0-1, 1.02, .974
Manchester coach Mark Morris on Jon Quick:
“I definitely think that he has had the full gamut of experiences. I think he was real fortunate to get all the minutes that he could in Reading and when he got the call to the NHL he performed admirably. It really has been quite a roller coaster that he has been on in terms of movement, but he was as good as they get for us. In his playoff game he did all he could to keep the game close and he gave us every opportunity to win that game.”
Development areas:
“He is an extremely competitive goaltender and he is so flexible and so acrobatic. Some of the body positions that he gets in and some of the ways that he finds to stop pucks is not normal. His compete level in practice is extremely high and if he just gets a little better positionally he won’t have to rely on his reflexes so much.”
Oscar Moller
Forward
DOB – 1-22-89
Stats:
Chilliwack (WHL)
– Reg season: 39 goals, 43 assists (82 points), 42 PIM
– Post season: 2 goals, 1 assist
Manchester (AHL)
– Post season: 1 assist
McKeen’s Hockey.com on Oscar Moller:
“He’s an undersized, highly skilled prospect who plays a strong all-around game,” described one scout. “He’s good behind the puck, he’s good with the puck, he’s solid defensively. He’s got a great shot, probably his best attribute.” While he’s quite courageous for his size on most occasions, he can be a little inconsistent in his effort. “He’s not very big,” added another scout. “Sometimes he doesn’t come out with maximum energy level.” If Moller were two inches taller and had an extra gear, he’d be a surefire top-15 pick. “He is oozing with character and leadership qualities,” gushed one head scout after the scouting combine. “He lacks speed; otherwise he’s a top-end pick.” The one thing scouts just can’t overlook however is average speed in a small package, no matter how much character the player may have. Thus Moller may not be a top 30 pick, although he’s close given his skills and drive.
“Bud has great offensive numbers, but he is a very well-rounded player. He scores goals so that captures attention as it should, but he is very responsible and understands the defensive side of the game.”
“Bud has taken the next step strength and confidence-wise, and he expects to impact every game, and he does. He’s got an unbelievable shot, and he is a very good and fast skater. He’s got great hands too, down low, in tight, he can play a physical, aggressive, down low, hard-to-play-against, protecting the puck type game. He’s got the skills to make one-on-one skills to beat you. He’s not one dimensional.”
Development areas:
“I don’t think Bud has glaring weaknesses. Going from playing against young men or kids at the junior level to playing against men who do it for a living, it is really about strength. Some of it will be physical, and a lot of it will be mental development.”
Thomas Hickey
Defenseman
DOB – 2-8-89
Stats:
Seattle (WHL)
– Reg season: 11 goals, 34 assists (45 points), 49 PIM
– Post season: 1 goal, 9 assists
Seattle Coach Rob Sumner on Thomas Hickey:
“He was a year older, and physically he could really battle. The physically maturity helped him round-out his game. I think it has improved his shot. His skating ability and his shot are strong aspects of his game.”
Leadership: “He’s our captain, and as an 18-year-old player, that is rare in our league. Usually that is for 19 or 20-year-olds. He really go into the leadership mix at 16 because he was such a good player and logged so much ice time as a young player that he was a leader among that young group and respected by the older guys. He formally got in to the leadership mix at 17 when I put an ‘A on his sweater, and that was very young, but he was ready for it. He is mature beyond his years.”
Development areas:
“He dominates at our level against the young guys, but looking ahead to the NHL, there are very, very strong men at that level and he’s going to have to take another step strength and physical development-wise. And I think his shot has improved, but I think the next step is to create more strength on the shot as well.”
NHL next season?
“I know the guy and how competitive he is and how he comes to play and impact games, so I would certainly never count Thomas out. I think the world of Thomas and believe he is going to be a great NHL player.”
Marc-Andre Cliche
Forward
DOB – 3-23-87
Stats:
Manchester (AHL)
– Reg season: 11 goals, 10 assists (21 points/52 games played), 25 PIM
– Post season: 1 assist, 9 SOG (4 games)
Manchester coach Mark Morris on Marc-Andre Cliche:
“Marc is a steady, reliable depth forward right now. He is extremely coachable, very mature and he’s very responsible. His confidence grew when he returned from the injury, and strangely enough it has worked to his favor because he gave us a real boast with added goal scoring that we didn’t know he had along with his ability to shut down the opposition. He’s a key penalty killer and we just got better in that area when he returned to the lineup.”
“His defensive game is pretty sound. His reaction time is improving. He is a strong guy on the face-offs, and he also is good at positioning himself to block passing lanes. He is a real character guy who is willing to do what it takes, especially in responsible roles, the kind that most guys aren’t willing to pay a price for, he is willing to do it. He’ll block shots and take a hit to make a play. He is accountable.”
Development areas:
Speed?
“He surprises us with his speed sometimes, when goes after a loose puck. He finds a way to get there. He won’t wow you at first glance with his speed, but he is a strong kid and I think his desire is going to negate any shortcomings he may have.”
“I think he has made some huge strides and I can see him being a responsible third or fourth line guy in a few years.”
Following up on the player evaluations from a couple weeks back, Don volunteered to do prospect evaluations as well, and did a ton of great leg work to track down information and get fresh quotes directly from coaches. Don compiled 10 top prospects and I’ll start posting them in alphabetical order, along with, in maybe cases, a quick YouTube video to show what these guys look like…
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Jonathan Bernier
Goaltender
DOB – 8-7-88
Records/Stats:
Kings: 1-3-0, 4.03, .864
Lewiston (QMJHL): 18-15-0, 2.73, .908
Manchester (AHL):
– Reg season: 1-1-1, 1.63, .946
– Post season: 0-3, 2.76, .908
Manchester Coach Mark Morris on Jonathan Bernier:
“I’ve been sold on the kid since the very first time I saw him in development camp a couple of summers ago. I was blown away by his calm demeanor in net, his quickness, and he is very calculated in his movements, but positionally he is sound. He gives off an air of sure-handedness and calmness when there are mad scrambles in front of the net. There’s no panic. He’s got a high threshold for just holding his position and he doesn’t seem to give up a lot of rebounds. The puck seems to stick to him like velcro.”
Development areas:
“There aren’t a whole lot of major things that I can talk about when it comes to his weaknesses. I just think that over the course of time he will learn how to be a better puck handler and just seasoning. I don’t see a whole lot of holes in his game.”
Mental aspects of the game (following demotion):
“I think most guys who come our of Junior think they should be in the National Hockey League, and I’m not saying this about Jonathan in particular, but some guys that are drafted high just don’t have a clear understanding of the hockey that is played in the American League and the purpose of the league, which is to get these guys quality minutes and learning at a rate to get them ready for the NHL. You just don’t want to see a guy get in over his head and I think it is something that he is starting to appreciate now with the quality of shots and level of proficiency in the American League.”
Lewiston coach Ed Harding on Bernier:
“Jonathan is a very mature 19 year old. He is a professional with very good leadership qualities. Over his years in Lewiston, he has learned to compete hard every minute and his practice habits have developed tremendously.”
