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Stars CHL prospects update
Written by: Courtney Wagner on 01/10/2005 
Shawn Belle, D – Tri-City Americans, WHL
Height: 6’2, Weight: 211 lbs., DOB – 1985-01-03
Shawn Belle, the 30th overall pick in the 2003 draft by the St. Louis Blues was traded to the Dallas Stars last year. He is in his fourth season with the Tri-City Americans of the WHL. In 55 games last season Belle had nine goals and 29 points. Belle was a member of the gold medal winning Team Canada at the 2005 World Junior Hockey Championships and also represented the team in 2004, winning a silver medal. A good two-way defenseman, Belle has great skating ability with good acceleration. In 33 games so far this season, Belle has eight goals and 27 points, good for a tie for second on the team with Minnesota prospect Clayton Stoner.
2004-05 stats
| Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
| Tri-City | 33 | 8 | 19 | 27 | 46 | -4 |
Mark Fistric, D - Vancouver Giants, WHL
Height: 6'2, Weight: 232 lbs., DOB - 1986-06-01
Mark Fistric, the 28th overall pick in the 2004 draft, has seen limited action in his fourth season with the Vancouver Giants due to an injury (broken jaw). In 72 games last season he had 12 points and his 192 penalty minutes placed him in second on the team in that category, behind Philadelphia prospect Triston Grant. Fistric was named Vancouver's top defenseman last season and was selected to the 2004 CHL Top Prospects game. He is known as a defensive defenseman who plays a physical game and is not afraid to drop the gloves. In seven games this season he has two points and a +5 rating.
2004-05 stats
| Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
| Vancouver | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 18 | +5 |
John Lammers, LW - Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL
Height: 5'10, Weight: 182 lbs., DOB - 1986-02-28
A third-round pick in the 2004 draft, John Lammers is in his third season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL. In 62 games last season he had 45 points and his 21 goals were good for second on the team behind Tampa Bay prospect Nick Tarnasky. Lammers was captain of Canada's team at the 2004 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championships. He is noted for having good speed and being a strong fore checker. In 39 games this season he has 10 goals and 24 points and his -11 rating puts him in last place on the team in that category.
2004-05 stats
| Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
| Lethbridge | 39 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 31 | -11 |
B.J. Crombeen, RW - Barrie Colts, OHL
Height: 6'2, Weight: 212 lbs., DOB - 1985-07-10
A second-round pick in 2003, B.J. Crombeen is in his fourth season with the Barrie Colts of the OHL. In 2003-04 he had 21 goals, 50 points and his 154 penalty minutes were the highest on the team. He is known to have a strong drive to win and will help his team any way he can and his size enables him to play a physical game. Crombeen won a gold medal with the Canadian team at the 2003 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championships. In 37 games this season he has 17 goals, 28 points and a +7 rating.
2004-05 stats
| Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
| Barrie | 37 | 17 | 11 | 28 | 51 | +7 |
Eero Kilpelainen, G - Peterborough Petes, OHL
Height: 6'1, Weight: 165 lbs., DOB - 1985-05-07
Eero Kilpelainen, a fifth-round choice in the 2003 draft, is in his rookie season with the Peterborough Petes of the OHL, coming from his native Finland. In 37 games last season with KalPa he had two shutouts and a 2.86 goals against average. In 2003 he played for Finland at the IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championships. Kilpelainen is small at 165 lbs., but he makes up for his size with his quickness and agility. In 25 games this season he has 11 wins and a .899 save percentage.
2004-05 stats
| Team | GP | Min | GA | SO | Avg. | W | L | T | SV% |
| Peterborough | 25 | 1497 | 85 | 0 | 3.41 | 11 | 10 | 4 | .899 |
Niko Vainio, D - Peterborough Petes, OHL
Height: 6'1, Weight: 185 lbs., DOB - 1985-01-24
Niko Vainio, an eighth-round selection in 2003, is in his rookie season with the Peterborough Petes of the OHL, coming from his native Finland, like teammate Eero Kilpelainen. He has been plagued with injury and has only appeared in 11 games with Peterborough this season. Vainio is known to take part offensively and is a strong skater who sees the ice well. He has one goal, six points and a -10 rating this season.
2004-05 stats
| Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
| Peterborough | 11 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 10 | -10 |
Matt Nickerson, D - Victoriaville Tigres, QMJHL
Height: 6'4, Weight: 235 lbs., DOB - 1985-01-11
Matt Nickerson, a third-round pick in 2003, is in his first season with the Victoriaville Tigres of the QMJHL after playing NCAA hockey with Clarkson University last season. He had five goals and 179 penalty minutes in 2003-04. A big defenseman at 235 lbs., Nickerson is noted for his strength and playing a very physical game. In 26 games this season he has one goal and seven points and his 95 penalty minutes are tops on the Tigres in that category.
2004-05 stats
| Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
| Victoriaville | 26 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 95 | -5 |
Francis Wathier, LW - Gatineau Olympiques, QMJHL
Height: 6'3, Weight: 196 lbs., DOB - 1984-12-07
Francis Wathier, a sixth-round selection in 2003, is in his fourth season with the 2003-04 QMJHL Champion Gatineau Olympiques. In 51 games last season he had nine goals, 25 points and 127 penalty minutes. Wathier has good size, plays with grit and is not afraid to drop the gloves. In 46 games this season he has 10 goals, 24 points and a +2 rating.
| Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
| Gatineau | 46 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 66 | +2 |
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