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The signing of the new NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement was good news for the Carolina Hurricanes, precisely the type of team that this CBA is intended to keep afloat. It remains to be seen if it will succeed, as financial restrictions continue to hamper them even now with the salary cap, even making it difficult for the team to sign many prospects who they might otherwise like to retain and develop.

 

Although the ‘Canes system is one of the sparsest in the league because of this, it remains one of the better ones for elite prospects who hope for a fast track to the NHL, such as Cam Ward, and possibly their first round pick in 2005, Jack Johnson.

 

The Hurricanes were one of the more active trading teams before and during the 2005 entry draft. The day before the draft, the ‘Canes traded two of their three third round selections, acquiring defensemen Mike Commodore from the Calgary Flames and Andrew Hutchinson from the Nashville Predators. They added even more defensive depth by acquiring blueliner Derrick Walser from the Columbus Blue Jackets during the draft for their fourth round pick in 2006. Another draft day trade saw restricted free agent Jeff O’Neill get his wish from ‘Canes management, being sent to his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs for a conditional draft pick in 2006.

 

When the dust settled, the ‘Canes came away from the draft with the trade acquisitions and nine new prospects for the system.  Three of the selections were Europeans in a year that saw a drop in overseas picks due to a variety of factors starting with rule changes which introduced a time limit on signing players from outside of North America.

 

Also of note, and in direct opposition to one of the ‘Canes biggest draft trends, they didn’t select a single goalie (a position which currently accounts for approximately 25 percent of the ‘Canes prospect base). They also didn’t pick a single Plymouth Whaler, although fourth round pick Ondrej Otcenas was scouted and drafted by the Whalers in the CHL Import draft earlier this summer.

 

The only remaining draft day tendency of any significance has been the selection of a fair number of defensemen, especially those who can dominate physically or who specialize in contributing offense. They stayed true to that tendency and in total the ‘Canes selected six blueliners starting with Johnson, the consensus best available in the draft.

 

 

Jack Johnson, D (1987-1-13)

1st round, 3rd overall – U.S. National U-18

6’1, 201 lbs

 

YEAR	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2003-04	U.S. Nat. U-17	29	3	12	15	93
2003-04	U.S.A. (U-18 WJC)	6	2	0	2	18
2004-05	U.S. Nat. U-18	42	14	27	41	170
2004-05	U.S.A. (U-18 WJC)	6	0	2	2	35

 

Jack Johnson came into the spotlight while spending two years at Shattuck-St. Mary’s prep school in Minnesota where he played with his good friend Sidney Crosby.

 

“We became friends in 10th grade. We hit it off right at try-outs,” Johnson said at the draft of the start of his friendship with Crosby. “We were the two sophomores on the team. We've kept in touch ever since, talking once, twice a week, and we always work out together.”

 

Johnson found that friendship a help leading up to the draft with all of the hype surrounding he and the other top eligible prospects. “It was a little bit stressful. I was nervous,” he said. “It was nice to have a friend (in Crosby) here to kind of take your mind off things and just be a regular teenage kid here.”

 

Following play with Shattuck-St. Mary’s, Johnson went on to play with the U.S. National Team Development Program during the 2003-04 season. He continued with Hockey USA and the development program in 2004-05 where he was among the best defenders in the system for the second year running, leading all defensemen in scoring during that time frame. Johnson has also seen some international competition, playing in the IIHF World U-18 Championships the past two years. Over the course of the 2004-05 season he helped Team USA to commanding tournament sweeps of the Five Nations Tournament, Compuware Four Nations Cup, and the U-18 2005 IIHF World Under-18 Championships.

 

For his age, Johnson has a tremendous amount of skill and ability. He is a slick defenseman who moves well with or without the puck. His stick-handling ability is well above average. He plays with an edge and will not back down to aggressors, but will not seek out trouble either. He does extremely well defending in his own zone and reads the attack very well. Johnson plays a very tight and functional game that stifles opposition more often than not. He also has above average offensive instincts, a good shot from the point and a great wrist shot.

 

Hurricanes’ General Manager Jim Rutherford and Director of Amateur Scouting Sheldon Ferguson must have been very happy to see the best defenseman available fall into their laps at the number three position in the draft after many expected Anaheim to snatch him up.

 

Johnson committed to play for the University of Michigan four years ago but Rutherford is interested in the possibility of having him join the AHL’s Lowell Lock Monsters instead, stating that he feels Johnson is very close to being ready for the NHL. If Johnson and the Hurricanes decide not to pursue that avenue he will be entering his freshman year at Michigan for 2005-06. If that should happen, and with the Wolverines having graduated four out of seven of their defensemen, expect Johnson to step in and make an immediate impact for Coach Berenson's squad. Johnson will also be a lock to anchor the blue line for Team USA at the 2006 World Junior Championships in British Columbia this winter.

 

“I really had no idea what was going to happen,” Johnson said when asked if he had the sense he might end up with the ‘Canes. “I'm just happy it happened and happy to be a part of the Carolina Hurricanes organization.”

 

 

Nathan Hagemo, D (1986-10-8)

2^nd round, 58^th overall – U. of Minnesota (WCHA)

5’11, 192 lbs

 

YEAR	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2003-04	U.S. Nat. U-18	50	7	18	25	59
2003-04	U.S.A. (U-18 WJC)	6	2	1	3	8
2004-05	U. of Minnesota (WCHA)	25	2	7	9	22
2004-05	U.S.A. (WJC)	7	0	0	0	14

 

Nate Hagemo came to the University of Minnesota as a highly regarded defenseman, and he has more than exceeded those expectations. Despite missing 14 games due to neck and shoulder injuries as well as the World Junior Championships, Hagemo became a driving force on the Golden Gophers blue line this season. He finished tied for fifth on the team in plus/minus (+9).

 

Hagemo is a fiercely competitive defenseman who plays a lot bigger than his 5’11, 192 lbs frame. He is hard-nosed and never one to back down from a challenge, regardless of the physical size of his opponent. He’s an excellent skater with tremendous speed and is extremely hard working and smart. While his numbers appear less than impressive, Hagemo has shown flashes of very good offensive skills. He is willing to get involved in plays and can lead the rush and his transitioning is also quite good. Hagemo is confident with the puck and can make some very nice outlet passes. With continued physical development and maturity, Hagemo can become a more menacing presence on the blue line and the ‘Canes hope he can develop into a well-rounded pro in the coming years.

 

 

Joe Barnes, C (1986-6-16)

3^rd round, 64^th overall – Saskatoon (WHL)

6’3, 212 lbs

 

YEAR	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2003-04	Saskatoon (WHL)	58	5	17	22	90
2004-05	Saskatoon (WHL)	72	30	32	62	73

 

At first glance it would appear that Saskatoon Blades center Joe Barnes is the complete package. Not only does he stand at 6’3, 212 lbs, but he also put up an impressive 62 points while playing in all 72 games for the Saskatoon franchise, a significant improvement over the 22 points he had the previous season. In fact, Barnes was so successful in his overall development that he was named both the club’s most improved and most dedicated player.

 

But as talented as the Winnipeg, Manitoba native is for a player his size, his mental makeup may hold him back. That knock, though, seems to be the only deterrent for a player who chose not to opt into last year’s draft after suffering a neck injury.

 

Although some scouts fail to see an NHL-caliber player in Barnes, the ‘Canes might end up with a steal of a pick if he can improve his mental game.

 

 

Jakub Vojta, D (1987-2-8)

4^th round, 94^th overall – Sparta Jr. (CZE JR.)

6’0, 194 lbs

 

YEAR	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2004-05	Sparta Jr. (CZE JR.)	38	2	7	9	42
2004-05	Czech Republic (U-18 WJC)	7	1	0	1	8

 

An offensive minded blueliner, Vojta makes use of his ability to join the rush and support the offense. He is a crafty passer who is adept at creating good plays and is a solid skater with above-average straightaway speed and decent first-step quickness, although his lateral movement is just adequate. A player with solid determination, Vojta is capable of leading by example, but he needs to work on playing all of his games at full intensity and determination.

 

Vojta isn’t timid, but could display his physical mean streak more often instead of using his stick when battling in the trenches. His defensive zone coverage is perhaps his best asset, however he still suffers from the odd positional breakdown. The versatile rearguard has been known to play up front on the wing as well. The biggest question with Vojta is his attitude, though he has shown himself to be a good leader in the national team, he lacked passion and determination in many games played for Sparta juniors.

Vojta was the first overall pick of the CHL Import Draft chosen by Ottawa 67’s and will play in the OHL in 2005-06.

 

 

Ondrej Otcenas, C/W (1987-3-6)

4^th round, 123^rd overall – Trencin Jr. (SVK JR.)

6’2, 187 lbs

 

YEAR	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2004-05	Trencin Jr. (SVK JR.)	49	13	24	37	97
2004-05	Slovakia (U-18 WJC)	6	4	1	5	10

 

Ondrej Otcenas was not considered to be a legitimate prospect entering the season but he climbed the charts with his hard work and constant improvement. He split time between Trencin’s midget and junior squads this past season in 2004-05 and was one of Slovakia’s best players at the Under 18 WJC with 4 goals and 1 assist and a +2 rating in six games. An industrious ‘character’ centerman, Otcenas was the grinding force paired with the more skilled players on Slovakia’s national Under-18 team.

 

Offensively, Otcenas is effective down low and in the lower half of the offensive zone and he eagerly battles with opposing defenders in the trenches. He’s good at moving bodies, but doesn’t appear to have enough vision and passing skills to make an effective offensive center at the pro level. His skating is average, but his balance is good and he has good lower-body strength.

 

Defensively, Otcenas was very effective throughout the season, especially in tournament play. Otcenas has a good attitude and work ethic and he leads by example with his hard work on the ice and attention to defense on a consistent basis.

 

Otcenas was drafted 25th in the CHL Import Draft by the Plymouth Whalers and is expected to report for the 2005-06 season where the Hurricanes will be able to keep close tabs on the 18-year-old.

 

 

Timothy Kunes, D (1987-2-12)

5^th round, 145^th overall – New England Jr. (EJHL)

6’1, 170 lbs

 

YEAR	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2003-04	New England (EJHL)	34	2	13	15	18
2004-05	New England (EJHL)	50	12	28	40	51

 

Kunes is an effective and physical two-way defenseman who scored 40 points in 50 games in 2004-05 for the New England Jr. Falcons of the Eastern Junior Hockey League, earning him second team All-EJHL honors. He was also named the Falcons’ Player and Defenseman of the Year and he led the league in scoring for defense. In 2003-04 he was named Rookie of the Year for the Falcons.

 

The Huntington, New York native will switch bird breeds and play for the Boston College Eagles in 2005-06.

 

Risto Korhonen, D (1986-11-27)

5^th round, 159^th overall – Karpat Jr. (FIN JR.)

6’3, 202 lbs

 

YEAR	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2003-04	Karpat Jr. (FIN JR.)	36	1	3	4	30
2003-04	Finland (U-18 WJC)	6	1	1	2	4
2004-05	Karpat Jr. (FIN JR.)	36	5	12	17	73
2004-05	Finland (WJC)	6	0	1	1	10

 

A big and smart player, Korhonen has garnered attention since 2001-02, which made him the top player of the country's draft class at the time. Since then others have caught up with him, but he still played in both the Under-18 and Under-20 World Championships while still a year and a half younger than most players, but in the latter Korhonen struggled.

 

Korhonen has earned his hype as a big, physical player. However, at 6'3, he won't impress in the NHL with size alone. Fortunately his strength and will are on par with his frame and there is no question that his presence is punishing for opponents. Korhonen is a smooth skater but by no means speedy, yet even while he hunts for hits all over the ice he is rarely caught out of position. Although he is solid in his own end he is also used to support the offense as he handles the puck with skill and smarts.

 

Korhonen must learn to cope with ever stronger opponents to continue to progress. He is closer to going forward in that respect, having left Kärpät and the stacked defense corps behind and is now seeking ice time with HPK in the Finnish elite league.

 

 

Nicolas Blanchard, C (1987-5-31)

6^th round, 192^nd overall – Chicoutimi (QMJHL)

6’3, 176 lbs

 

YEAR	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2003-04	Cap-de-le-Madelene (QAAAJHL)	42	24	31	55	N/A
2004-05	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	69	13	26	39	31

 

Nicolas Blanchard enjoyed a successful year with Richard Martel’s Sagueneens. He was used on both the second and third lines and was able to generate points offensively. He scored five goals on the power play, showing why Martel wasn’t afraid of using this rookie in key situations.

 

Blanchard possesses the size and the willingness to play physical. With more pounds on his frame, he could very well dominate his opponent with or without the puck in the future. Blanchard will need to focus on developing consistency in his play in 2005-06, as well as bulking up somewhat.

 

 

Kyle Lawson, D (1987-1-11)

7^th round, 198^th overall – US National U-18

5’11, 192 lbs

 

YEAR	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2004-05	U.S. Nat. U-18	39	3	20	23	8
2004-05	U.S.A. (U-18 WJC)	6	1	1	2	0

 

The third of former U.S. National Development Team defensemen selected by the ‘Canes in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Lawson is an offensive-minded blueliner who will need more time to develop into the role.

 

Lawson isn’t as in your face as Jack Johnson, but he’s effective defensively. He stands up well at the blueline and he works hard in the corners and out front of the net and boasts solid all-around play.

 

Drafted in 2004 by Tri-City in the USHL, Lawson instead chose to join the NTDP and he will play for the Fighting Irish at the University of Notre Dame in the fall.

 

Jeff Dahlia, Ivana Paulova, D.J. Powers and, Jes Golbez Ursulak contributed to this article. Copyright 2005 Hockey’s Future.  Do not reprint or otherwise duplicate without permission of the editorial staff.