For my second blog of the new season, I will highlight some players who are rising and falling in the early going:
RISING
Tyler Seguin, Plymouth Whalers – Previous No. 10; Current No. 1
What more can you say about a kid who has jumped to the No. 1 slot ahead of Taylor Hall and Cam Fowler? Last year I was very impressed with his play in the second half when he was on what was arguably the best line in major junior with Matt Caria and Chris Terry. This year both of them have graduated from the Whalers, but Seguin has continued to play outstanding hockey. Seguin looks like a man playing among boys and comparisons to Steve Yzerman are not as big a stretch as some would suggest.
Alexander Burmistrov, Barrie Colts – Previous No. 59; Current No. 15
Burmistrov has had an exceptionally strong start for the powerful Colts and seems to have adapted to the North American game very well. Our initial rankings had Burmistrov at No. 59, but after a few more viewings we quickly realized the error of our ways and boosted him into the middle of the first round.
Mikael Granlund, HIFK Helsinki – Previous No. 8; Current No. 4
Granlund has played 13 games in the top Finnish league this season, tallying three goals and nine assists for 12 points – a phenomenal pace for such a young player. HIFK has played him as a right winger, although he has been a center in the past. Granlund will probably need two or three more years to perfect his physique and skills before he’s prepared for the NHL, but make no mistake, this kid is destined for greatness. In some ways, he reminds me of Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom in the 2006 draft when big names like Phil Kessel, Jordan Staal, Erik Johnson and Jonathan Toews were constantly being talked about, while Backstrom was quietly one of the best.
FALLING
Kirill Kabanov, Moncton Wildcats – Previous No. 4; Current No. 12
There is no denying Kabanov has an immense amount of talent, but he allegedly was causing problems off the ice in Russia by showing some resistance to his coaches. I’m happy he decided to challenge himself against the world’s best prospects in Canada, but it’s time for him to buy in, prove his worth on the ice and realize he still has a lot to learn as a player.
John McFarland, Sudbury Wolves – Previous No. 5; Current No. 9
McFarland had an unbelievable Ivan Hlinka tournament, where he captained Team Canada through a dominating gold medal performance. However, his 2009-10 season is off to a poor start. At times his play has reverted back to how he looked in his rookie season. Much like Kabanov, McFarland’s skill set will keep him in the top 15, but there are some concerns surrounding him that have us monitoring him closely.
Teemu Pulkkinen, Jokerit – Previous No. 6; Current No. 11
Pulkkinen has one goal and two assists in 12 SM-Liiga games this season, which isn’t bad considering his team is struggling. However, his minus-10 is the worst in the league. He has started to work a lot harder in the neutral and defensive zones, but it’s obvious he will strictly be an offensive-minded player.
Here are our new rankings as of Oct. 20, 2009:
Mark Seidel is the chief scout for North American Central Scouting and co-hosts the radio show "Breakout; The Hockey Show; NHL 2009" on the Prime Sports Network. He is also a regular contributor to Hockey Night in Canada on Sirius Radio as their draft and junior hockey insider. Read his other blog entries HERE.