Novoseltsev Adjusting Well to North American Game

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Born: January 23, 1979
Hometown: Golitsino, Russia
Position: Right Wing
Number: 25
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 200 lbs
Shoots: Left

The other day, a thought came to my mind. It must be tough for a junior aged player to come to North America from other countries to play hockey. Let’s think about it for a second. They have to learn a new language, adapt to a rougher style of play and adapt to a smaller ice surface.

Well, Ivan Novoseltsev of the Sarnia Sting has adjusted to the North American style of play quite nicely. He has great speed and has size that makes him look more like a Canadian player than a Russian player. During the past two seasons I have been very impressed with his play.

Usually European players need a season or two to adapt to the new style of play before they start to realize their true potential. Novoseltsev proved everybody wrong in his rookie season. He had a very impressive year. During the 1997-98 season Novoseltsev dazzled everybody with his skills. His totals were pretty high. He scored 26 goals and 48 points in just 53 games. During that first season he played alongside a great group of players. He played alongside players like Darren Mortier, Jeff Heerema, Jon Sim and Chad Cavanagh.
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IHL Profile – Marty Turco

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Height: 5’11
Weight: 175
Position: Goalie
Catches: Left
Born: 8/13/75
Birthplace: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

STATS-
GP G.A.A. W L SOL GA Save %
1998-99 54 2.61 24 17 10 136 .920%

Marty’s rookie season was a great one. The Dallas Stars’ goalie of the future quickly won the starting job in Michigan, where he was nominated for the league MVP and top goaltender awards. Turco also lead the Wings past the experienced Fort Wayne Komets in the first round of the playoffs by posting a 2-0 record in the opening round. With the assumption in Dallas of Roman Turek being lost in the expansion draft, Turco has a good shot at backing up Belfour next season. In his college career, he was an all-star and won the MVP award in the 1998 NCAA tournament after being drafted by the Stars in 1994.

PLAYOFF RECAP
Round 2
Detroit VS Indianapolis
Game 1: April 27: IND 1 @ DET 0 (2 OT)
HIGHLITES- The battle of the goaltenders lasted 5 periods before the Ice’s Craig Mills put one past Detroit goalie Andrei Trefilov. Indy goaltender Marc Lamothe continued his shutout streak, which he has not allowed a goal in the 3 playoff games he’s played.

Orlando VS Michigan
Game 1: April 27: MIC 1 @ ORL 5

HIGHLITES- Solar Bears’ goalie Tyler Moss was strong in goal, while Orlando welcomed goals from Todd Krygier (2), Pat Neaton, Dave Mackey, and Pierre Sevigny.

Houston VS Long Beach
Game 1: April 28: LB 4 @ HOU 1
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Thunder Bay Flyers retool for next year

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If re-building is what the Thunder Bay Flyers did this season by making the play-offs with a 19-30-7 record. Then the 1999-2000 season the Flyers must be re-tooling for better things to come. The biggest change has already taken place. As Gary Wenzel was fired as head coach and general manager after only one season behind the bench. His replacement is Thunder Bay native Todd Jones who spent the last three years as assistant coach and assistant general manager of the Sioux City Musketeers. Both the Flyers and Musketeers are owned by Superland Sports business tycoon Ted Carlson.

The Flyers have 11 players returning to the Lakehead. The veterans will be led by Pat Sharp with 19 goals, 24 assits for 43 points in his rookie season. Other returning forwards are Derrick McIver 43 points last year, Chris Sharp 32 points, Murray MaGill, Clayton Carson, Aaron Grynol, Jeff Miles, Chris Shaffer 40 points. The defence looks to be a question mark with only two d-man suiting up from Wenzel’s squad. Rookie defenceman Jesse Baraniuck had a strong play-offs and Tyler Williamson returns for his third season on the blueline.
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Penguins Prospect Update

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April 27th, 1999

The playoffs are starting to wind down for most of the Penguins prospects, and most are done for the season. The NCAA tournaments are complete and the Syracuse Crunch finished with one of the worst records ever in AHL history. Canadian Major Junior hockey is in the finals of each league’s playoffs and only one Pittsburgh draftee has survived to that point, Joel Scherban of the London Knights. In the IHL, the Conference Semi-Finals are about to begin and only Robert Dome of the Houston Aeros is still playing.

In the OHL, the London Knights have surprised everyone by knocking off top-ranked Plymouth in the second round, then pulling off another upset of Owen Sound in the Conference Finals. Joel Scherban, a seventh round pick of the Penguins, is finishing off his second OHL season strong. After being injured for all but a handful of games in his draft year, he ended this season with 54 points in 68 games and is continuing to do well in the playoffs. He scored two goals in the last game of the Owen Sound series and has five goals and ten assists total.
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Montreal Canadiens Top junior Prospects Update

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POS HT WT AGE DRAFTED
Mike Ribeiro C 5-10 167 20 D-Mtl98 (2/45)

GP G A PTS +/- PIM PP SH
98-99 Stats 69 67 100 167 +52 137 24 8
98-99 Playoff 11 5 11 16 -3 12 3 0
(QMJHL)

#1 Strength- Vision and creativity.
#1 Weakness- Size.
Ribeiro is a creative playmaker with impressive vision. He can spot teammates in the offensive zone as well as any player in the Quebec League. He is a natural scorer who must improve his skating. Size remains the big question mark.

Ribeiro’s performance during the regular season was outstanding. He led the entire CHL in scoring, while averaging 2.42 PPG. He won the QMJHL’s offensive player of the week award 3 times and turned some heads among the Habs’ brain trust.

Unfortunately, Ribeiro’s playoff performance left something to be desired. His average of 1.45 PPG was a full point below his season average. He also finished the playoffs an uncharacteristically low -3.

Immediately following Rouyn-Noranda’s loss in four straight games to Hull, Ribeiro was called up to the Canadiens AHL affiliate in Fredericton. It is still unknown whether Ribeiro will dress for any of the Baby Habs’ playoff games.(end of regular season)

Projection at NHL level- Second line center.
Current Stock Status- On the rise.

POS HT WT AGE DRAFTED
Eric Chouinard C 6-4 192 18 D-Mtl98 (1/16)
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