Alexander Radulov, the 15^th pick in the 2004 draft, leads the pack of six Nashville Predators prospects who are currently playing in the CHL in the 2004-05 season.

Alexander Radulov, RW – Quebec, QMJHL

Height: 6’1, Weight: 178 lbs., DOB – 1986-07-05

Alexander Radulov joins Patrick Roy’s team, the Quebec Remparts, coming from his native Russia where he played with THK Tver of the Upper League and had 31 points in 42 games last season. Last summer’s first round pick, noted for his natural scoring ability and quick moves in the offensive zone, was a member of the gold medal winning Russian team at the 2004 IIHF world junior Under-18 championships and ranked second on that team in scoring with seven points. Radulov has posted 34 points already in only 27 games this season and has a +10 rating. He is the Remparts’ second leading scorer behind the Sharks’ Josh Hennessy.

2004-05 stats

Nick Fugere, LW – Gatineau, QMJHL

Height: 6’2, Weight: 230 lbs., DOB – 1985-09-20

Nick Fugere is a strong presence around the net in his fourth season in the QMJHL. A member of the 2003-04 QMJHL champion Gatineau Olympiques, Fugere has continuously posted big numbers in penalty minutes, with 121 last season. He has 70 so far this season, good for second on the team behind Maxime Rousseau. A fourth-round draft pick in 2004, Fugere is noted for a good slap shot having strength and size that make him tough to contain in front of the net. This season he has 11 points in 25 games with the Olympiques, good for seventh on the team.

2004-05 stats

Vaclav Meidl, C – Plymouth, OHL

Height: 6’4, Weight: 198 lbs., DOB – 1986-05-27

A third-round pick, Vaclav Meidl is playing in his second season with the OHL Plymouth Whalers. He had a good year in 2003-04, netting 14 goals and 28 assists for 42 points. In 2003 he played for the Czech Republic at the IIHF Under-18 world junior championships and was named to the 2004 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects game. So far this season Meidl is struggling with only nine points in 23 games, putting him 10^th on the team. He is tied for the second worst plus/minus on the team at –5.

2004-05 stats

Kyle Moir, G – Swift Current, WHL

Height: 6’2, Weight: 190 lbs., DOB – 1986-05-25

Kyle Moir is in his third season with the Swift Current Broncos. Last season he posted 22 wins in 46 games and had a goals-against average of 2.90. A fifth-round pick in 2004, this season with the Broncos Moir has a 6-12-2 record with a 3.18 GAA, who are tied for second to last place in the league with only 16 points in 25 games.

2004-05 stats

Shea Weber, D – Kelowna, WHL

Height: 6’3, Weight: 190 lbs., DOB – 1985-08-14

Shea Weber of the 2004 Memorial Cup champion Kelowna Rockets had a stellar season in 2003-04. In his second year with the club he had 32 points in 60 games and was first on the Rockets and 11^th in the WHL with a +23 rating last season. He was named to the 2004 Memorial Cup All-Star team after posting 17 points in the playoffs, with an average of one point per game. The 2003 second round pick has 20 points in 24 games this season, and leads his team in scoring from the blueline. He ranks second in the WHL in scoring by defensemen behind only the Blackhawks Cam Barker.

2004-05 stats

Lauris Darzins, C – Kelowna, WHL

Height: 6’2, Weight: 176 lbs., DOB – 1985-01-28

Lauris Darzins moves to North America this year after playing the last two seasons in the Finnish junior league with Lukko Jrs and joins Weber on Kelowna. A native of Lativa, Darzins was the ninth-round pick of the Predators in 2003. He played in 35 games last season with Lukko Jrs., scoring 17 times and adding eight assists for 25 points. Darzins is a fast skater who can control the puck well at top speed and can be creative offensively. He is tied for second on the team in goals scored with seven. He has played five fewer games than most of his teammates.

2004-05 stats

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