Jeff Zehr punished

By pbadmin
Jeff Zehr, who was selected in the second round with the Islanders third choice 31st overall in the 1997 Entry Draft, is currently in hockey limbo. Zehr’s junior team, Windsor (OHL) has decided to punish him for missing curfew. This punishment has been so severe that Zehr was told he will no longer play for Windsor. In fact, if a trade can not be made between Windsor and another junior team, Zehr will be forced to sit out the entire season. His only other foreseeable option would be a callup by the New York Islanders. Every game that Zehr misses in his stay at junior jockey only hinders his development. It is a situation that should be resolved.

Zehr improved at the midpoint of last season just enough for Central Scouting to rank him to go in the middle of the first round. By fortune for the Islanders, this future power forward, who has been compared to Brenden Shanahan, was available early in the second round. Last season he played 57 games, 27 goals, 32 assists, totaling 59 points and 196 penalty minutes. He is a big guy at 6’3″, 195 lbs. Some observers have justified the Islanders decision to select a goaltender and a defenceman because of the selection of such a highly touted power forward. Most scouts feel that he has the talent to play on top lines, but he has to harness his talent. If he is unable to complete that feat, he might only be a third line checking forward.