Carlo Colaiacovo, D – 1st Round, 17th overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft

After a solid rookie season, 21-year-old Colaiacovo continues to impress as a sophomore with his gutsy play and seeming endless energy. He has maintained his success offensively this season, leading all St. John’s defensemen in points with 13. He is currently +1, and shows a stronger commitment to defensive play. He continues to play in all key situations for St. John’s and is becoming a true complete player.

Brendan Bell, D – 3rd Round, 65th overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft

Bell has rebounded nicely thus far from a sub-par rookie campaign and has begun to climb back up the prospect charts for Toronto. The 21-year-old has worked hard on his defensive play and from all indications, seems intent on improving his game further. His +8 puts him third on the team in that category. Still, what is perhaps most surprising is his increasing willingness to grind and bang. He continuously works hard and his penchant for being caught out of position seems to be a thing of the past. More and more, Bell looks like he learned from last season and no longer takes the AHL for granted.

Jay Harrison, D – 3rd Round, 82nd overall in 2001 NHL Entry Draft

Harrison has been injured for the better part of the season so far. In the few games he played, the 22-year-old looked very ordinary on the ice as the entire St. John’s team struggled early on. It will be interesting to see how Harrison responds to walking onto a team that has turned the corner and is now challenging for supremacy in the division.

Kyle Wellwood, C – 5^th Round, 134^th overall in the 2001 Entry Draft

Since the day he was drafted, Kyle Wellwood has consistently proven his skeptics wrong. This season, he has done more than that. He has shown flashes of brilliance, coupled with consistent top flight play. With the lockout currently in effect, many thought that the 21-year-old Wellwood would take a backseat to higher profile prospect, Matt Stajan. But from almost the first drop of the puck this season, Wellwood has game after game been St. John’s best player. He leads the team in goals with 13, points with 27, and game winning goals with 3. He has the second best plus/minus with +10, with his defensive game coming along very nicely. While there is still most of the season left to go, Wellwood’s performance shows no signs of letting up, which bodes extremely well for a team that has missed the playoffs the past two seasons.

Ian White, D – 6th Round, 191st overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft

It seems as though someone forgot to tell 5’10 Ian White that he was too small to make much of a difference at the professional level. White, competing in his rookie year in St. John’s at age 20, has done more than just make the team after four fantastic years in junior, as he consistently sees top 4 minutes. What’s more, his underrated defensive game has really come to the forefront, as evidenced by his +13, which leads the team. As White gains more ice time, expect his performance to continue to improve as he continues to settle in to his role with the club.

Jeremy Williams, C – 7th Round, 220th overall in 2003 NHL Entry Draft

Despite an excellent transition to the right wing last season with Swift Current, Williams started this season back at the center position. The 20-year-old rookie has posted respectable numbers through the first quarter of the season and has earned time on the power play. Due to the glut of centermen in the organization, Williams has been hard pressed this season to expect anything more then third line minutes, but thus far he has worked hard to make the most of his opportunity. Lately, his play has really improved and has gained the attention of management and coaching. During his last game, he was switched back over to the right wing and performed very well collecting 2 points on a line with Matt Stajan.

Nathan Barrett, LW - Signed as a free agent by Toronto, July 31, 2002

Originally drafted by the Canucks, Barrett came to St. John’s as a free agent in 2002-03. Since he has come aboard, the now 23-year-old has been every bit as good as he was in the WHL. His entire game has come along nicely, only not at the level he might have had he not been bitten by the injury bug and missed 10 games. After playing at a very good pace last season, Barrett is on a torrid pace, scoring seven points in eight games this season. This pace is unlikely to continue, however, as has he is currently at an unnaturally high 31 percent shooting percentage, but he could still add fuel to the Canucks misfortune as the one who got away.

Tyson Marsh, D - Signed as a free agent in 2002

Marsh’s first season has been merely satisfactory. Never seen as a point producer while in junior, he has done nothing to sway that assessment thus far in the AHL. In fact, Marsh has yet to do much at all in terms of showing any promise for an NHL future. A healthy scratch for a number of games, Marsh has had a quiet start to his pro career, with no points in 14 games.

Jean-Francois Racine, G - 3rd Round, 90th overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft

One of the most pleasant surprises of the new season has to be the play of Jean-Francois Racine. After years of dominating the CHL, Racine came aboard as the backup goaltender this season in St. John’s. After struggling in his first game this season, Racine settled in after that posting great numbers as a rookie in the AHL. After an injury to Tellqvist early in the season, Racine took control and proceeded to register four wins over his next five games. Shortly thereafter in a surprising move, management signed former Penguins goaltender Jean-Sebastien Aubin to a PTO contract, which led to questions about Racine’s fate when Tellqvist came back. These questions were answered when Racine was sent back to the CHL upon his return. Management’s reasoning being that Racine showed such promise that they wanted to see him get the bulk of the minutes and games in order for him to further develop. Watch for Racine to get the call to start for St. John’s once the NHL lockout ends.

Ben Ondrus, RW – Signed as free agent in 2003.

Ondrus has been an absolute spark plug for the Leafs this season, providing gritty two-way play all season. Whenever he is on the ice, one can’t help but notice him. He still needs some work on his positioning, but that will most likely come with experience. His high energy, no holds barred style has served him and the rest of the Leafs well this season. He is a regular contributor on the penalty kill as well as being out on the ice when the other teams’ best players are. He never gives an inch and forces players to work for their chances.

Regan Kelly, D - Trade with Philadelphia – 2000

Kelly certainly looked promising in 2003-04, earning a top 6 role on St. John’s. One of the few defensemen to finish with a plus rating last season, Kelly seemed to be in line for a more pronounced role this season. However, Kelly’s role has actually taken a hit as of late and he has been struggling to reaffirm his game. This is a pivotal year for Kelly in the Leafs organization, as his entry-level contract expires this season. While it is still early, Kelly’s performance does not bode well for a new contract. He has the most penalty minutes among Leaf prospects on the team, with 50 in only 14 games.

Kris Newbury, LW - Signed as a free agent in 2004

After having started the season in the CHL, not much was expected of Newbury. However, when injuries hit the club early on, Newbury got the call for the Baby Leafs. With his good foot speed, Newbury has managed to provide reliable and effective play as a call up and has even shown the odd flash of skill. While it is still early in the season, don’t be surprised if Newbury finds himself playing full time for St. John’s this season.

Scott May, C - Round 7, 222nd overall in the 2002 Entry Draft

May has had less than a strong start to his pro career at this point in the season. He has split time between the fourth line and the press box this season as he learns the AHL game and nuances of the pro forecheck. A strong player in the NCAA, May has a long road ahead of him as he continues to establish a pro career.

Andy Wozniewski, D – Signed as a free agent in 2004.

A former Wisconsin Badger, Wozniewski has earned a top 4 spot on the blueline as a rookie, no small task given the large number of defensemen currently in the Leafs organization. A tireless defenseman, game in game out, he provides a strong, stabilizing force for the Baby Leafs. Often paired with Colaiacovo, Wozniewski has brought his punishing hits to the pro level, while not racking up a lot of penalty minutes. The future looks bright for Wozniewski, who is becoming a fan favorite on the Rock.

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