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Blues AHL prospect report

Written by: Darryl Hunt on 01/06/2004 Subscribe to HF's RSS Feed

JOAN W

Here's a look at five Blues prospects playing for the Worcester IceCats.

 

Peter Sejna, LW (17 games; 3 goals, 4 assists, +4)

When Peter Sejna arrived in Worcester after 18 games with the St. Louis Blues, the rookie appeared totally shell-shocked and lacking confidence. If Sejna’s progress continues along its present path what they'll get back in St. Louis will be a bona-fide NHL left wing. In just the last three weeks Sejna has made huge strides in his game. He is now skating with the confidence he showed in his NHL debut last season when he beat the Avalanche's Patrick Roy to score his first NHL goal.

 

Jay McClement, C (32 games; 4 goals, 6 assists, +7)

It took Jay McClement a few games, but it's now evident why he's the Blues No. 1 rated prospect. One of the IceCats' best penalty killers and faceoff men, McClement has left many defensemen chasing him out of the defensive zone with his incredible speed. He still needs to work on getting his shot off quicker, but his other skills keep him firmly entrenched as the best prospect in the system.

 

Colin Hemingway, RW (13 games; 2 goals, 0 assists, +1)

Colin Hemingway has had some issues adapting to the pro game. His streaky play resulted in a five-game stint with Peoria of the ECHL where he racked up 6 assists, but he's so far been unable to put it together at the AHL level. A concussion has sidelined him as of late. Hopefully for him, the time spent watching will transfer to the ice just as it did for fellow prospect Johnny Pohl last season. An off-season of strength and conditioning will be a must for Hemingway to be successful as a pro.

 

Johnny Pohl, C (29 games 7 goals, 6 assists, -8)

The "sophomore slump" seems to have hit the University of Minnesota graduate. Last season, teams gave Pohl lots of room to makes plays and it showed on the score sheet as he netted 26 goals and 58 points. This season, teams are playing the body against him more, resulting in fewer scoring chances, and the chances he does get he is failing to convert on. Defensively, Pohl has had issues too, resulting in his plus/minus dropping a staggering 19 ticks from the end of last season. Pohl did make his NHL debut earlier this season, but will need to improve greatly to make the trip to St. Louis again.

 

Mike Stuart, D (23 games 0 goals, 3 assists, +1)

A free agent signee by the Worcester IceCats last season, Stuart has played himself onto the Blues' depth chart with solid defensive play. Not possessing great offensive skills or blinding speed, Stuart gets the job done with great positioning and intuition. His puck handling in the defensive zone is above average, and his outlet passes are stuff that forwards dream of. Due to injuries in St Louis, Stuart made his NHL debut earlier this season, playing 10:44 of generally mistake-free hockey. Stuart certainly has the skills to be an NHL fifth or sixth defenseman if given the chance.

 


Copyright 2004 Hockey’s Future. Do not reprint or otherwise duplicate without permission of the editorial staff.


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