Utah Grizzlies Update
The Utah Grizzlies broke even this weekend. First, they smoked the Vipers 4-2 in Detroit on Friday, but the following evening maintained vanilla status quo by falling to Grand Rapids by the identical score. It’s been a break even road tour, and the Grizzlies have gone 3-3-0. But after Thursday’s game at Milwaukee, the Grizzlies will finally head back home after their weary road-trip still nursing a winning record (currently they are 8-6-0). Once there, Utah will surely try to put more fuel in the gas tank and gear-up for a tenacious home stand.
Top Utah Scorers
| Player | GP | G | A | Pts |
| Greg Leeb | 14 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Jamie Wright | 14 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| David Ling | 12 | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| Chris Wells | 14 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| Alan Letang | 14 | 2 | 7 | 9 |
| Ryan Christie | 14 | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| Eric Houde | 14 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
Jackman still Progressing
Jackman up. Jackman down. Jackman up. Jackman down. We’re all getting dizzy watching one of the most highly touted Stars draft picks of the last half-decade (Richard Jackman) fail to make much impact in the NHL – only to be sent down to the IHL — time and time again. But is there hope for the young, engimatic slapshooter? Craig Ludwig’s tire-tracked visage assured reporters last weekend that there definitely is. According to the Grizzlies defensive coach, Jackman still continues to make improvements and his defense has never looked better. Ludwig contends that Jackman has been somewhat of a head case at the NHL level. He’s never really gotten comfortable and played his game to the ability that the organization believes he can. So will the supposed real Jackman show up anytime soon? Who knows for sure, but insiders claim his positioning is getting sounder all the time, his slap shot is less telegraphed, and he seems to be getting more and more comfortable. And Stars management still believes he is a potential NHL defenseman.
So, yes, Stars fans. There is still hope. In the meantime, I’ll be moving him back off the “graduated” category where I had prematurely stashed him.
Source: Jennifer Floyd, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Prospect Notes
Approximately four days after I officially give Marcus Kristofferson “dropped off the face of the Earth” status, it is reported that he has been picked up by Swedish Elite League club Djurgårdens IF, after being dumped by his Finnish club, Ässät Pori. Hopefully Kristofferson will prove useful there, and continue the promising numbers that he demonstrated last year for the Espoo Blues. I’ll keep you informed of his progress.
In a similar situation, Gabriel Karlsson has left Finnish hockey (where he had only recorded 4 points in 17 games) and returned to the Swedish Elite League. He is now playing for the SEL club Leksand, where he has recorded 1 goal in 4 games.
Two young prospects will probably follow Jancevski and ink a contract with the Dallas Stars organization soon. 19 year-old center Jeff Bateman is continuing to improve for Brampton of the OHL and is getting plenty of ice time. He now ranks 3rd on the club in scoring (18 points in 15 games), is a +4, and has 20 penalty minutes. Of those 18 points, most are of the “assist” variety. Bateman just returned to the Brampton lineup on November 10 against the Belleville Bulls after missing four games with a minor injury.
This week, Bateman — the only Brampton Battalion player to ever be selected in the NHL draft — is the subject of a local television news feature in Ontario called “Nuts and Bolts of the Brampton Battalion”. The special, which begins on November 16, features some of Bateman’s accomplishments, his draft selection, his team records (most goals (4) ever scored for Brampton in a game, most assists (5) ever scored for Brampton in a game) and his history.
Justin Cox is putting up similar numbers for Prince George (WHL). He also ranks 3rd on the club in scoring with 6 goals, 13 assists, and 19 points). Unfortunately, Cox will soon be lagging far behind Bateman in television appearances.
Northeastern University Sophomore Michael Ryan is lighting the lamp with frequency. In only 8 games, Ryan has produced 10 points (7 goals, 3 assists). At this stage of the season, he ranks 11th in goals scored for the entire NCAA and 3rd in the Hockey East.
