Featured Article
Wild 2004 draft review
Written by: Glen Jackson on 07/06/2004 
The Wild selected a total of 12 players in Raleigh in the 2004 Entry
Draft, the most in franchise history. The late addition of a seventh round
compensation pick for the loss of Group III Free Agent Cliff Ronning had bumped
the number to be taken up from 11 a few weeks before the draft. Of the 12 who
were picked, five were out of the CHL, four were from Europe, two were from the
US college system and one was from Ontario’s Junior B league.
The two they selected from the college ranks equaled the total number of
college players drafted in the previous four drafts; but as the Wild is
maturing as an organization it can now afford to wait the two or three years
required before a college player is needed to join the team.
A.J. Thelen,
D (1986-3-11)
1st round, 12th overall – Michigan State (CCHA)
6’3”, 205 lbs
|
YEAR |
TEAM |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
PIM |
|
2002-03 |
Nat. U-17(USA) |
61 |
6 |
8 |
14 |
80 |
|
2003-04 |
Michigan St. (CCHA) |
42 |
11 |
18 |
29 |
46 |
With top-three defensive prospects their primary need heading into the
draft, A.J. (Anthony James) Thelen showed too much promise to resist taking him
over big Drew Stafford or goaltender Marek Schwarz. So, as expected, the Wild
took the big defensemen who displayed real talent as a power play quarterback
with Michigan State in 2003-04, but who also showed he was so much more than
just an offensive specialist.
At the mid-point of the season the Central Scouting Service had Thelen
ranked at 17th for North American skaters, and by the end of the
season his strong run as a freshman with Michigan State had brought him up to
11th after he finished 11th nationally in points per game
for defensemen and 20th for rookies.
Thelen is focusing on getting a little stronger in the offseason as well
as working to improve upon his already good skating and, even though he was the
second youngest player in Division I college hockey this year, he said that he
could be ready for the call of the Wild. “To be honest, if they wanted me to
play this upcoming season, I think I could prepare myself to do that,” he said
at the draft.
It
seems very unlikely that that would happen, although the Wild do have a need
for a true power play quarterback in the lineup and Thelen led Michigan State
in power play goals and was second in the CCHA in points for defensemen, but
foregoing his years of development in the CCHA would seem counter-productive.
Still, the Wild did it with first round selection Brent Burns last season, so
it is possible. Either way, Thelen is confident that he can meet the challenge.
“Physically and mentally I think I could be ready (to play in the NHL). There
are things I need to work on, but if they needed me, I could give it a shot.”
When
asked which NHL player he aspired to play like he named Rob Blake of the
Colorado Avalanche. “I
definitely pattern my game after him. I definitely try and play like he does.
My goal is to become as good as he has, or better.”
Happy to be drafted by the Wild, the Savage, Minnesota native is aware
of the pressure that he and others will apply to succeed with the team. “Definitely there is
pressure, but I’ve been through a lot of pressure situations and living away
from home with people I didn’t know. I’ve been through situations and I think
that this is something I can handle,” Thelen said.
He’s had a whirlwind year and was the talk of the NHL leading up to the
draft after he won the CCHA Best Offensive Defenseman award as well as making
the CCHA All-Rookie and All-Conference teams. He was also named to the
Second-Team All-American Team, the only freshman to receive the All-American
honors in 2003-04. Many organizations expressed interest in Thelen leading up
to the draft including the host Carolina Hurricanes, a team that has
traditionally shown a strong inclination to drafting defensemen in the early
rounds. When they traded up in the first round Thelen didn’t know what to
think. “My
heart was pounding too there. I mean being in front of the home town and
everything and people going crazy. I just kept an open mind.”
Along with his skating and overall skill, he’s shown that he has an
extremely hard and accurate shot and scouts feel that Thelen is good in his own
end as well (he finished among the leaders in the CCHA in plus/minus with a
rating of +16). Although this is one of the areas he will need to focus on as
he develops if he wants to make it to the top defensive pairing on the Wild one
day, and that seems like a challenge that Thelen is looking forward to
mastering on his way to the NHL.
Roman
Voloshenko, LW (1986-5-12)
Round 2, 42nd overall – Krylja (RUS-1)
6’1”, 189 lbs
|
YEAR |
TEAM |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
PIM |
|
2002-03 |
Krylja (RUS-1) |
5 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
2003-04 |
Krylja (RUS-1) |
42 |
6 |
8 |
14 |
28 |
|
2003-04 |
Russia (U-18 WJC) |
6 |
5 |
6 |
11 |
18 |
Despite the fact that Voloshenko’s CSS final ranking dropped four spots
from the midterm mark of 14th for European skaters, 2003-04 was a
fantastic development year for the winger from Brest, Belarus. He played with
the Krylja Sovetov (Soviet Wings), and played well enough to stick in Division
1. When Krylja was eliminated from the playoffs, Voloshenko was able to appear
with the Russian team at the World Under-18 Championships in Minsk, Belarus.
There he finished in a tie for the overall tournament scoring lead with 11
points in 6 games, while his primary linemates Alexander Radulov and Mikhail
Yunkov notched 7 and 8 points respectively.
Voloshenko is offensively gifted, owning a very good wrist shot. He’s
aggressive around the opposition net, but scouts and the Wild alike say that
his skating is his biggest weakness and that he will need to improve it to
break into the NHL. His acceleration is considered the biggest problem area.
Perhaps the Wild were also attracted to Voloshenko because he is a
defensively responsible winger who possesses real offensive talent. Given some
more years to develop, Voloshenko has a chance to begin filling the need for
scoring from the wings within the Wild system.
Peter
Olvecky, W (1985-10-11)
Round 3, 78th overall – Trencin Jr. (SLOVAK JR.)
6’2” 185 lbs
|
YEAR |
TEAM |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
PIM |
|
2003-04 |
Trencin (SLOVAK) |
16 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
18 |
|
2003-04 |
Trencin Jr. (SVK JR) |
42 |
16 |
20 |
36 |
86 |
Olvecky made the jump from the Slovakian Junior league, where he was
almost a point per game, to the senior squad where he failed to register a
single point, but still impressed scouts enough with his play that he went from
109th on the CSS midterm report all the way up to 67th
with their final list. Incidentally, that Trencin club is the same one that
Marian Gaborik played nine games for in 2003-04 during his holdout, and it was
recently announced that Olvecky’s agent Allan Walsh is one of the two agents
who are suing Gaborik. Gaborik’s brother Brano is a scout for the Wild and also
lives in Trencin, and he tipped the Wild off to Olvecky this year and they made
a point of seeing him play in an under-18 tournament in Russia.
Olvecky is a hard working grinder who digs up pucks in the offensive
zone and creates opportunities for his linemates. He is also responsible in his
own end, something the Wild obviously like to see in their prospects.
It’s been said that Olvecky has the potential to be a second line
winger, and with the third pick of the first day the Wild jumped at the chance
to take him and add another winger to the system, one they have very high hopes
for down the road.
Clayton
Stoner, D (1985-2-19)
Round 3, 79th overall – Tri-City (WHL)
6’3”, 225 lbs
|
YEAR |
TEAM |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
PIM |
|
2002-03 |
Tri-City (WHL) |
58 |
4 |
12 |
16 |
85 |
|
2003-04 |
Tri-City (WHL) |
71 |
7 |
24 |
31 |
109 |
Heading into the draft, defense was one of the Wild’s biggest
deficiencies at all levels of the organization. They signed the physical
two-way defenseman Ryan Stokes before the draft, took the offensive and
potential top-three blueliner Thelen in the first round, and with their last
pick of day one of the Entry Draft the Wild added another physical two-way
rearguard in Clayton Stoner.
Stoner showed a little offense in his game this past season with the
Tri-City Americans, finishing sixth in team scoring, but his real value is as
an all-around defenseman. He’s got great hockey sense and played so well for
the Americans that he and his defensive partner Shawn Belle, first round pick
of the St. Louis Blues in 2003, were named as co-MVPs of the Americans for the
2004 playoffs in recognition of their strong play at both ends of the ice. At
225 lbs Stoner is a tough customer, but his skating is keeping up with his big
frame after he lost some weight following his WHL rookie year, elevating him
above being nothing more than a bruiser.
Sure to be an fan favorite one day, Stoner is a competitor and team
player, often blocking shots and risking his health to help the team, and
scouts took notice of him this year, with his CSS ranking jumping from 193 at
the mid-term to 111th at season’s end.
Ryan Jones,
RW (1984-6-14)
Round 4, 111th overall – Chatham (WJRB)
6’1”, 200 lbs
|
YEAR |
TEAM |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
PIM |
|
2002-03 |
Chatham (WJRB) |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
|
2003-04 |
Chatham (WJRB) |
46 |
39 |
30 |
69 |
57 |
Ryan Jones could be considered a surprising pick, especially for the
fourth round. An “off the board” selection for the Wild, Jones had a very good
year in the Ontario Hockey Association’s Western Junior B league, leading the
league in scoring with 69 points (39 goals, 30 assists) in 46 games, and he was
also second in playoff scoring with 26 points in 17 games (17 goals, 9
assists).
The Wild’s Assistant General Manager and Director of Player Personnel,
Tom Thompson, has said in the past that the team values players who can play
the game at a high rate of speed and react well in high-tempo, high-pressure
situations. That is perhaps what made them take the overage player so early as
the OHA Jr. B league is known as a rough and physical league and for Jones to
lead in scoring while being physically abused by opponents throughout the
season is a testament to his abilities in an area the Wild value. It was also rumored
that three other teams besides Minnesota were interested in Jones and that
fact, if discovered through the interview process, combined with having 12
draft picks, might have forced their hand early.
In 2003-04 Jones helped lead the Chatham Maroons to the Western Jr. B
Championship, but they fell short in the three team round robin that determined
which two teams would play for the Sutherland Cup (the championship for OHA
Junior B’s three leagues). He ended up MVP for the Western Jr. B league and was
named a Veteran All-Star for right wing.
Jones accepted a scholarship to play for the University of Miami in Ohio
next season where the Wild hope the late-blooming 20-year-old will continue to
develop into a hard nosed forward who can grind out some goals at the pro
level.
Patrick
Bordeleau, LW (1986-3-23)
Round 4, 114th overall – Val D’Or (QMJHL)
6’5”, 195 lbs
|
YEAR |
TEAM |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
PIM |
|
2002-03 |
Gatineau (M.AAA) |
39 |
8 |
13 |
21 |
50 |
|
2003-04 |
Val D’Or (QMJHL) |
68 |
7 |
11 |
18 |
97 |
Regarded as a developing power forward, most of Bordeleau’s time last
season with Val D’Or was spent on the fourth line. However, he still managed to
collect 18 points despite the limited ice time, often producing scoring chances
by imposing his will on the opposing defense and setting up shop on the edge of
their crease for the screen. He has a good shot as well as some play making
ability. As with most 18-year-olds he still needs to fill out, especially
considering he is 6’5” tall, but he’s already becoming a force in the QMJHL and
he likes to mix it up, fighting 13 times in 2003-04.
Bordeleau
feels that he has much more to offer than what was asked of him in his first
season in the Q. “(I) forecheck a lot, can hit, can score, can drop the
gloves,” he said at the draft. He’s hoping to earn a promotion next season,
saying, “This year I didn’t get a lot of ice time. Next year I’m probably going
to play on the second line. Hopefully I’ll get a lot of points.” But for that
to happen he knows he needs to work on some aspects of my game. “Certainly my
acceleration, when I receive the puck (needs work). My defensive game too.”
With the Wild having three fourth round picks they had the luxury of
taking a chance on Bordeleau at this stage of the draft, and the system could
use the infusion of size on the wing if and when Bordeleau can crack the AHL
Houston Aeros lineup. Even if he should fail as a power forward, many teams
could use a guy in their system who relishes chances to drop the gloves. “I
like it. When I get punches, I want to punch too.”
Julien
Sprunger, RW (1986-1-4)
Round 4, 117th overall – Fribourg (SUI)
6’4”, 194 lbs
|
YEAR |
TEAM |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
PIM |
|
2002-03 |
Fribourg (SUI) |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2003-04 |
Fribourg (SUI) |
42 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
14 |
|
2003-04 |
Switzerland (U-18/1A) |
5 |
7 |
2 |
9 |
0 |
Sprunger has had an encouraging year. He spent the season with the
Fribourg senior team in the Swiss league and even though he only had 5 points
in 42 games of limited usage, it was a learning experience for him, the
benefits of which should show next season.
The real highlight for the Swiss phenom came at the World Under-18
championship starting in late March of this year. Team Switzerland had been
demoted after their 2003 showing when they finished ninth out of ten teams and
they were assigned to Division 1A for 2004. Enter Julien Sprunger who led the
team and was second overall in tournament scoring for that division with 9
points (7 goals, 2 assists) in 5 games while helping the Swiss to first in the
division, thereby promoting them back to full IIHF Under-18 status for 2005.
An anonymous NHL scout told Hockey’s Future before the draft that
Sprunger, “is a technical and smart player with goal scoring instincts. To make
the next step, Julien Sprunger must get stronger as he is not yet taking full
advantage of his size and weight.” CSS ranked him 27th among
European skaters.
With their third pick of the fourth round the Wild selected someone who
many feel might be the most talented Swiss born players ever, and one whose
potential offensive upside is quite large.
Jean-Claude
Sawyer, D (1986-8-12)
Round 5, 161st overall – Cape Breton (QMJHL)
6’2”, 194 lbs
|
YEAR |
TEAM |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
PIM |
|
2002-03 |
Cape Breton (QMJHL) |
31 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
44 |
|
2003-04 |
Cape Breton (QMJHL) |
56 |
5 |
13 |
18 |
48 |
Sawyer isn’t really a player that stands out from the others on the ice,
but a closer look shows that the native of Saint John, New Brunswick is quietly
developing into a decent two-way defenseman. Sawyer doesn’t have remarkable
size at 6’2”, 194 lbs, but he gets the job done and is a smart player, and he
still has a lot of growing to do.
He also got to be a part of a strong defensive corps who played in front
of burgeoning NHL goalie Marc-Andre Fleury in 31 games last season and 10 in
2003-04, a good situation for any young defenseman. The Screaming Eagles are a
strong team on defense and next season Sawyer should have a good opportunity to
mature with more ice time as some of the veterans on the blueline have moved
on, thus giving the Wild a better look at their fifth round selection.
Aaron
Boogaard, RW (1986-8-11)
Round 6, 175th overall – Tri-City (WHL)
6’2”, 220 lbs
|
YEAR |
TEAM |
GP |