Ranked 27th among North American prospects on Central Scouting’s final ranking, was 16th at mid-season … Scored a goal for Team Tiger in a 7-4
win at the 2002 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Saskatoon … Completed his second season with Brandon … Helped Brandon advance to the WHL Eastern
Conference Championship … Captured a Gold medal with Canada’s under-18 team at the 2001 Six Nations tournament in the Czech Republic (0-1-1 in
5GP) … Played for Team Western at the under-17 2001 World Hockey Challenge in Nova Scotia, leading the team in scoring (9-1-10 in 4GP) … Team
Western was defeated by Ontario in the Bronze medal game … Selected 39th overall by Brandon in the 1999 WHL bantam draft … Appeared in three
games with the Wheat Kings in the 1999-00 season as a 15-year-old … Spent the majority of the 1999-00 season playing for the Winnipeg bantam AAA
team … Named to Western Canada Bantam Championship All-Star Team in 1999-00.
Shoots right … A well-balanced and agile skater … Possesses good puck-handling skills, maneuvering well in heavy traffic … Anticipates the
play very well and displays creative playmaking ability … Used in power play and penalty killing situations … An aggressive forechecker and a
tough competitor … Plays a sound positional game away from the puck … Will sacrifice himself to make the play … A versatile player who can play
any forward position.
Chance in the NHL: 5.5/10
|
Team |
Year |
GP |
G |
A |
P |
PIM |
| Brandon, WHL |
2001-2002 |
71 | 18 | 30 | 48 | 96 |
#132 (Round 5) John Zeiler – Right Wing – Sioux City, USHL
Strong, aggressive forward. Likes to crash the net but also stays behind the play
and trails to pick up the loose garbage in front of the net. Good overall skills, and likes to play along the boards.
Chance in the NHL: 5/10
|
Team |
Year |
GP |
G |
A |
P |
PIM |
| Sioux City, USHL | 2001-2002 | 60 | 23 | 27 | 50 | 116 |
#186 (Round 6) Jeff Pietrasiak – Goalie - Berkshire, USHSE
Pietrasiak, 6’1″, 180 lbs. and agile, is from Shrewsbury, Mass. (outside Worcester), and played at St. Peter Marian HS before going to Berkshire as a junior. With Berkshire this past season, he had eight shutouts. Noteworthy games included a 1-1 tie vs. Taft Dec. 4; a 2-2 tie vs. Cushing on Jan. 13; a 1-0 shutout over Westminster on Feb. 17; and, the biggest of all, a 2-0 shutout that at Taft in the NEPSAC quarterfinals that sent Berkshire on to the final four in Salem, NH.
Chance in the NHL: 4/10
| Team | Year | GP | GAA | SV% | SO |
| Berkshire, USHSE | 2001-2002 | 32 | 2.05 | .909 | 5 |
#216 (Round 7) Ladislav Kouba - Left Wing – Red Deer, WHL
The big, sturdy former forward of Plzen showed his versatility and an ability to handle heavy traffic very well in his second
season of major junior hockey in Canada. Kouba is a solid skater for a player of his size, even if he is no speedster. He has soft hands which enable him to
handle the puck smoothly. Once on a scoring chance, Ladislav doesn’t hesitate to fire the puck at the net. His deft passing is also very useful, but
Ladislav could further develop his decision making. He plays very good on special units and isn’t afraid of going in front of the net and look for rebounds.
Ladislav is also very good in the defensive aspect of the game and shows the signs of a potential future power forward. He has a superb size and is slowly
learning how to use it to his advantage. Needed more time to adjust to the tough WHL, but is on the rise and the NHL teams are aware of this fact and may
call his name after the draft passes the halfway mark.
Chance in the NHL: 4/10
| Team | Year | GP | G | A | P | PIM |
| Red Deer, WHL | 2001-2002 | 62 | 16 | 14 | 30 | 33 |
#249 (Round 
Marcus Smith – Defense – Kitchener, OHL
His biggest asset is his offensive ability, he skates well, carries the puck, and has a boomer of a shot. Needs to work on his defensive positioning and taking the body more in his own end.
Chance in the NHL: 3/10
| Team | Year | GP | G | A | P | PIM |
| Kitchener, OHL | 2001-2002 | 63 | 6 | 25 | 31 | 54 |
#280 (Round 9) Russell Spence – Center – Opaskwayakn, MJHL
Russell Spence, a 6’3″, 200 pound center from Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, played this season for the OCN Blizzard in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. Played 2001-2002 for OCN Blizzard in Manitoba Junior Hockey League … tied for 17th in MJHL scoring with 29 goals and 52 assists for 81 points in 55 games … added nine goals and seven assists in 21 playoff games … had six power play and league leading seven shorthanded goals and was named MJHL Co-Player of Week on October 8 … one of just three MJHL players rated as a ‘B’ Player in NHL Central Scouting Bureau October 2001 Players to Watch listing … selected for Manitoba’s team in Viking Cup where he scored two goals and two assists and was MJHL Game Star in their semi-final loss … named to MJHL Sherwood Division All-Stars and also nominated as one of finalists for The Lorne “Windy” Lyndon Memorial Trophy which is awarded to player that best combines hockey ability and sportsmanship along with a nomination for an MJHL All-Star forward position … played 2000-2001 for Portage Terriers in MJHL and totaled 26 goals and 24 assists for 50 points while earning a spot on MJHL Allard Division All-Stars … winner of both Puck Handling and Fastest Skater events at All-Star game … in three years with Terriers played 152 games and had 55 goals and 67 assists for 122 points including 11 power play and 7 game winning goals.
Chance in the NHL: 3/10
| Team | Year | GP | G | A | P | PIM |
| Opaskwayakn, MJHL |
2001-2002 |
55 | 29 | 52 | 81 | ? |
