Cleaner more organized column: https://forums.operationsports.com/forums/nba-2k-basketball/952639-stakzz-mock-draft-2-0-w-team-analysis.html#post2049784283
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This is all opinionated and should be taken with a grain of salt. I am a member of Operation Sports Forum and for my community work I have received free/early releases from 2K Games. I will not be making anymore rosters nor draft classes this year per my current agreement w/ 2K sports. June and July are almost here and I am getting hives from being less involved than my previous years. So i bring to you a very thought out Summary of what i would like to see draft night.
The NBA Draft is far from perfect, while I do like the new Lottery system that went into effect this year, I just do not believe it can be perfect until GM's start drafting on team needs rather than chase the best available.
Format: The top three teams will have more detailed information on their current rosters and why I believe they will draft such player. The first two paragraphs of every breakdown explains team & draftee needs, while the last two paragraphs express the strengths and weaknesses of those players. Next to each team i will note important players whos status effects how their team moves this July!
1. New Orleans - Zion Williamson (Anthony Davis) [22ppg 8rpg 2apg 68%FG 33%3PT] New Orleans best fit: David Griffin is going to need to start their rebuilding process as if Davis is already gone. Drafting in hopes of bringing a big name to New Orleans as in incitative to change Davis’s mind will only result in another GM losing their job. If i was David Griffin i would only have two choices on draft night: Draft the biggest name, or draft your future offensive leader. For this i would be looking at Williamson vs Morant. Of course the likelihood of being fired becomes greater if Griffin selects Morant over Williamson. If the pelicans decide to draft Williamson, their focus will be on acquiring the right assets to play with Williamson. Don’t worry, whoever drafts Williamson will have four years and 8 expected draft picks where they will be looking to add height and floor spacing bigs.
Williamson best fit: (A team with expandable shooters and length, A primary ball handler to help Williamson get to his spots) Williamson will be a great player. But due to his laundry list of weaknesses, Williamson needs to be treated as a centerpiece from day one. Williamson will need to be surrounded by 3-4 Shooters. I’d prefer 4 as I don’t see him developing a jump shot the way Boston Celtics Jayson Tatum did the summer before his rookie season. Playing Williamson at the 3 leaves a huge offensive disadvantage, while playing him at the 4 leaves a huge height disadvantage. Playing with a 4-5 like Anthony Davis will be tremendous for Williamson, but 7 foot shooters don’t grow on trees, so trying to find 4 shooters who can play with an undersized forward won’t be easy. Williamson developing an outside shot allows him to move to the 3 spot and add some height to the front court.

• GM David Griffin along with the rest of the NBA execs had absolutely no plan for Zion since currently he is the projected #1 overall pick. Boston Celtics GM, Danny Ainge may have helped New Orleans start their rebuilding process off with a kick. By David Griffin waiting until the offseason to move Davis, that gave way to a potential trade with New York for what was believed to be the #1 overall. Now David Griffin has the best shot at Williamson as well as a trade asset in Davis where they can use Zion to convince Davis to resign or simply move the six time All-Star before the midseason trade deadline. New Orleans needs to draft as if Davis is gone. That means they need to gain a centerpiece whether that's Williamson or assets from the preestablished Davis trade. Free agents aren't knocking at David Griffin's door, New Orleans must become a free agent destination if they want to make it back to a top 8 team of the western conference.

Pros: Highly anticipated recruit with an admirable on and off the court attitude. Williamson’s humility is part of the reasons why we believe he can be a great player. He looks as if he wants to learn while Coach K has complimented his ability to be coached. Averaging 2.1spg and an added 1.8 rejections, Williamson height will not be a liability in today’s small-ball NBA lineups. Williamson can jump as high as you can shoot. Weighing more than most boxing heavyweight champions, your only hope at beating Williamson at the rim is to get past him and even still Williamson has the lateral quickness and defensive IQ to anticipate lane attacks. This unique combination is something that we have never seen in this association. Williamsons body allows him to guard the top four positions in today's NBA. Elite defense coupled with his offensive skill-set: being able to put the ball on the floor, willingness to take outside shots, high motor, willingness to initiate contact rather than avoid it like his other draft constituents. Williamsons game and his early attitude towards the game is a desired mold for the perfect NBA player.
Cons: While I do believe in the Williamson ceiling debate, the current consensus in regards to his floor should be more concerning. Any avid stat-junkie knows that the NBA adds an inch. Maybe two. Player measurements are vital as often High School coaches boost their players heights on online stat sites for HS Hoops. I like to callout real measurements and want to express in no way am I 'Williamson biased'. At 6 foot 6, 280lbs Williamson's potential is as high as the level of activity his body can endure. Although Williamson will be a great player, GM’s can be fired for the players they pass up on draft night (including David Griffin if he chooses to not draft the all-american). Sam Bowie, Kwame Brown, Greg Oden, Anthony Bennett, and Lonzo Ball are prime examples why GM’s with top picks could be more conservative. I believe Williamson has the biggest bust factor comparable and maybe even worse than Sam Bowie. I’m not saying that there is Michael Jordan level talent stashed away somewhere in this draft, but considering Williamson is the most anticipated draftee since Lebron James… Williamson has big shoes to fill if he can prevent breaking through them. Compared to future All-Star Ben Simmons who did not shoot jumpshots at the collegiate level, Williamson also lacks a reliable jumper but has not been afraid to show that part of his game. As i stated, Williamson puts the ball on the ground, but his movement w/ the ball is one-sided. Nba defenders will abuse this weakness by giving a poor shooter room to shoot, while elite defenders like Kawhi & Jimmy Butler will play to Williamson’s inability to switch hands when handling the ball. While ball handling and a jumpshot can be taught, at his height and weight what worries me is his ability to play season after season, 82 games - 48 minutes. Without a serious conditioning program, Williamson will not play an 82 game rookie season. Williamson’s iconic “through the shoe” Injury was painful to watch. Not because the number one college player in the country looked to have suffered a lower-body muscle injury, but due to Williamson’s muscle mass. That same injury would have not happened to a player with a lesser muscle. Lebron James sometimes plays at the weight of 260lbs+ and yet I do not think that James would have missed time do to an injury of that nature. Any nba player would kill to have Williamsons natural athleticism. So quick off his feet at nearly 300lbs of pure muscle, while other players like Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant don’t need the extra muscle to be effective on the offensive end.
2. Memphis - Ja Morant (Mike Conley Chandler Parsons) [24ppg 5rpg 10apg 45%FG 36%3P] Memphis Best Fit: With Conley & Parsons accounting for nearly 45% of the Grizzlies player payroll and only scoring a combined 28ppg - 27% of the teams scoring - I am either smelling a trade or another GM vacancy. Conley becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2021 making a fully guaranteed $22,426,383 while Parsons is serving a 25% max bid ending after the 2020 season where he will make a fully guaranteed $25,102,511. We all thought the that Memphis could compete with their big three of Conley, Parsons and Gasol (all respectable pros) but with injuries and trades, Memphis will be looking to use their assets to start their rebuilding process. Mike Conley can be considered a “win-now” facilitator. His veteran status is more treasured to a contending team so look for a possible outing for the 11-year vet from Ohio State.
Ja Morant Best Fit: Morant will have success on any team that selects him. While for personal reasons i’d like to see him in New York - or any team that’s well into their rebuilding process - Morant will make family with the Grizzlies other younglings. Morant is a player who can give you the same attitude, the same level of production whether he is the best player on the team or a backup option. Morant will feed his teammates, It’s up to them to knock down the shot. Morant will need high-motor bigs like Montrezl Harrell, guys who catch lobs out of the pick and roll.
Pros: Morant has NBA-level Point guard skills. The type of skills guards struggle to develop during the development years coined the ‘rookie contract’. There is misconception that young passive players can grow into a high-motor. This is untrue. Guys like Russell Westbrook, Draymond Green, Pascal Siakam all have a unique high-motor level of play unforeseen and unlike any previous association players. While I don’t compare Westbrook to Morant as their skillsets are very different, Understand that you get what you get when it comes to a players hustle and motor. This is the NBA, everyone plays their motor to a 100%, some players are just working with bigger engines. Taking that into account, if you draft Morant, you are getting something unique you may not get from his 59 other constituents this draft. As far as skillset goes, Morant can play in multiple styles when it comes to a point guard's role. Morant can run the offense through his own scoring, and while he can play a passive facilitator role, Morant is at his best with a mixture of scoring and assisting. His ability to shoot, draws defenders closer to the perimeter. What we usually see from collegiate shooters when defenders close in on the perimeter, they tend to launch bad shots or pass out to a teammate. With Morant, his elite quickness and ball-handling allowed him to get by defenders all season long often leading to primary and secondary help defenders closing in resulting in a foul at the rim or an open jump shot off an assist. Morant’s willingness to attack the basket puts defenders in a guessing situation. Morant has not shown us any terribly exploitable kinks in his game so far.
Cons: Most of Morant’s points came from the foul line and inside the arc. If your name is not Kevin Durant, you can not ignore that the midrange is a bad shot to take. Morant will have to put on some muscle if he wants to continue attacking the basket against NBA level defenders. Morant has the attitude of a champion. Not a complement, due to Williamson being in this draft, he and Morant will be forever compared. So in comparing their attitudes, I wouldn't mind having a guy on my team with an attitude similar to Morant’s, it is clear he wants to win. Often times Morant displayed his frustration on the court with himself and his teammates. Players known for their unsavory attitudes like Kyrie Irving, Westbrook and Dray Green cause trouble in the locker room. Morant just like these NBA vets, needs to realize it’s not your job to discipline or ridicule teammates for taking bad shots. The coach will explain why the shot was a bad shot and what they can do to get to a higher percentage shot. Your job as a facilitator of the offense is to put your guys in positions where they already have a good chance to make it. For this reason, I would rather have humility in my locker room which is the attitude you get when drafting Williamson. Continuing… Murray State! I’m not knocking on Murray State, I loved the Isaiah Canaan years. One of the best shooters to play at the college level, But guys like Isaiah Canaan & Washington’s Markelle Fultz are clear indications of what happens when Point Guards play for teams with weaker regular season opponents. I believe Duke’s Barrett could still be a #1 or #2 overall pick if he had a team where the entire offensive scheme is run through him. So yes the team you play for does affect your play which in terms can boost your draft rating which is an overall assessment that ranks you among your constituents. If Morant is truly a 3-star recruit, his play at Murray State aligned him with the 5 star recruits of his class. Who is to say that this would be the case if he played for Arizona, Kentucky or North Carolina. By numbers Morant would be the consensus for the number one pick, but due to Williamsons potential, whether or not Morant is better or will be better does not matter. Williamson has showed his weaknesses, shown us that he can play against the highest level of competition, but as far as Morant, he will have to continue to prove that come July.
3. New York - RJ Barrett (DeAndre Jordan) [22ppg 7rpg 4apg 45%FG 30%3PT] NY Best Fit: NY currently has no identity. No style of play. By trading away Kristaps Porzingis, the Knicks avoided having to give out a max guaranteed rookie contract extension and in return they gained a $22m DeAndre Jordan who becomes an unrestricted free agent this July. Nearly 50% of the Knicks player payroll ($59M) is tied into dead cap from guys who they recieve zero production from, coupled with the expiring Jordan, the Knicks will retain more than $90m (65% of team salary). By obtaining a 2nd year Dennis Smith Jr. NY will have a better chance of attracting free agents this offseason and considering the future RFA Smith won’t be crossing off the checklist to a max extension in 2021, The knicks look to be in a very good financial situation If they can spend that $90M this offseason. The Knicks should be looking to draft in the 2,4 and 5 spots. The stars that they will need to turn around the franchise won’t be found in this draft. Draft the best available at those positions and hope that the FA you bring in can influence the draftees production.
RJ Barrett Best Fit: Towards the end of the season, we started to see that Barrett cannot be the best player on a stacked Duke team. This does not mean that he struggles playing with talent, but rather his talent is less effective when the offense is not being run through him. Similar to James Harden, Barrett’s game is his scoring ability, and when too much team responsibility is put on Barrett, he does not produce as efficiently as he does when he’s locked in scoring. For this reason, If Barrett does not step up as a facilitator or defender, you are going to want to surround him with selfless guards and bigs who can defend. I’d like to see Barrett in Memphis. Barrett won’t make his NY teammates any better, but going to a Memphis team with veterans, an identity and young guys who know their roles, Barrett could potentially make Memphis a plus .500 team.
Pros: The original consensus for #1 pick. GM’s are comfortable with drafting guys like Barrett. All GM’s understand where players are ranked with other teams so being able to get a higher rated player at a lower pick adds job security for Scott Perry even if Barrett is the worst of the top three. With above average quickness, Barrett has the length to defend. Similar to Harden who is considered a mediocre defender, Barrett will find success playing the passing lanes and switching onto NBA sized point guards. He has shown us his ability to score, leading Duke in ppg very early as a Freshman with very little added help from the three ball. While he does not possess the strength of a James Harden, I do see the potential to add some weight to his frame. Barrett is able to dribble and drive on both sides of his body, making him a more skilled attacker than his teammate Williamson. While Williamson relied on his athleticism, Barrett relies on his skillset. Being able to pull up off the dribble or drive with either hand Barrett has the tools to apply pressure on good defenders. Shooting as inefficient as Barrett did this season, to be able to have that level of point production marks his basketball IQ which may be higher than some of his “one-and-done” constituents.
Cons: As i stated Barrett is not a good defender at this stage. He has all the tools to be an elite defender, but lacks the attitude and discipline to get low and into guys space without fouling. This can change once he reaches the NBA which is less half court, less zone and more isolation play than the collegiate level. Even though Barrett shot just 2 of 6 from deep, If you sag off as a defender, he will shoot. So Barrett’s mediocre shooting should be overlooked as he has all the tools to be an elite shooter in today's association. Offensively Barrett only has his skillset and length at this moment. Although he possess above average speed and quickness, he is not considered to possess the elite athleticism that Morant & Williamson holds. Throughout the season when the defense took away his shot and his path to the basket, Barrett showed to be ineffective. When the defense removes all of your spots, you can either work harder to get to your spots or work harder to help your teammates get to their spot. When you have RJ Barrett talent understand that if you are struggling with your defender, your teammates may be struggling as well, so instead of focusing on making his next shot, Barrett needs to look to drive and kick, attract a help defender, feed the postman (no karl malone). Barrett has done this averaging 4.3 assists per contest, but on paper Barrett looks similar to Lonzo Ball who averaged 7.6 assists at UCLA while shooting less and more efficiently. I have no excuses for Guards who can’t shoot free throws. I won’t be acknowledging every player who struggled at the freebie line, but i find it miraculous how guys can feel comfortable pulling up from deep, but become a liability when they are shooting for free.
4. Los Angeles Lakers - Deandre Hunter
The Los Angeles Lakers have to win now. What better way than drafting an NCAA Tourney winner.The Lakers have three key points this offseason: Lebron James, trades and Lonzo Ball. Lebron James needs to win now, which to me foreshadows trades as I never believed the lakers could win even a participation trophy with the semi-pro roster they assembled. No one expected Ball to not live up to his hype (I did). While Ball has a high ceiling comparable to players who have led their teams to championships, he is not ready now and the Lakers could have drafted 58 other players including a Donovan Mitchell with the potential that they’d be ready to play with James now. So for this reason either Magic Johnson is fired or Ball is traded to salvage assets. If i was an NBA exec, and the Lakers were at the table, If Ball is not on the table then i'm not giving up any assets. For this reason LA is going to have to part ways with Ball or bet on drafting a guy who can make immediate improvement. Instead of trying to surround James with shooters, LA needs to look to fill out their roster and start getting rid of some guys who are hurting their chances of contending.
5. Cleveland - Cam Reddish
Cleveland can improve at the 2-5 spot with this pick. They aren't going to focus on Kevin Love, but rather continue to fill holes in their roster. Seeing as they won by drafting an underrated Colin Sexton in the previous draft, Cleveland should be drafting a two guard that can play alongside Sexton and Osman.
6. Phoenix - Darius Garland
Phoenix will look to improve at the 1. While they lack in talent at the forward spot, James Jones has four young forwards under rookie contracts. Bringing in a coach like Monty Williams who has had success with the young group in Philadelphia, the young phoenix forwards - ranging in age 20-22 - will have to develop so future draft picks can be used to fill out the bench spots.
7. Chicago - Kobi White Chicago should be looking to improve at the point guard position in lu of attracting free agents. Kris Dunn has not lived up to his potential which awarded him a draft spot over younger and better players. Chicago should avoid drafting a big with this pick. Chicago needs to shift its focus on Boogie Cousins. Chicago has the best chance at landing Cousins after his future departure with the Warriors
*8. Atlanta - Sekou Doumbouya *
The Atlanta Hawks feels as good as any losing team could feel right about now. Well other than New Orleans. While they don’t have a top pick in a more top-heavy draft than the previous, Atlanta made one of the best picks last draft. In Trae Young, Atlanta gambled and got a guy who showed more potential in one year than guys who were drafted ahead of him. While Atlanta needs more production at the rim, Alex Len looks to be stepping into a new role. For this reason i believe Atlanta should look to improve at the 3 spot with this pick and draft Texas bigman Jaxson Hayes with the 10th pick. Taurean Prince was a member of my favorite Baylor team with Isaiah Austin back in 2013 and since Prince has been solid but not great. Prince looks to be either just about to hit his ceiling or maybe peeking over which both concerns me as he never had high potential to begin with. From Trae Young to Omari Spellman, Travis Schlenk won the lottery with every pick he made last draft. Atlanta wants to continue the hot streak by not only drafting the best player available, but also drafting good players that tend to slip on teams draft boards.
9. Washington Jarrett Culver
At this point in the draft, your not going to get the elite point guards, but Washington can settle for a combo guard this draft. While they would be better off drafting a big or forward, Washington has to be looking past the John Wall era. Wall has been good for jersey sales, but back in 2016 Wall along with Grunfeld could not attract FA Kevin Durant who grew up close to the DC area. Drafting a combo guard gives Wall assurance that this is his franchise, while if they lose Wall or Beal in the next four years, at least they have the second best combo guard of the 2019 draft.
10. Atlanta (from Dallas) - Jaxson Hayes Not much to put here, Atlanta will be select 3-5 considering they need to give Huerter and Young room to develop. Considering bigs are not at the top of this top heavy draft, Atlanta will find more success with using this latter pick to select a big that no one would have taken as high as their first pick (#8)
11. Minnesota - Tyler Herro/ Brandon Clarke Scott Layden and the Minnesota staff has been some of the most patient losers. I’m sure the players aren’t happy, but Minnesota feels comfortable in the current position they're in with their young guys. Wiggins gets a $25M max. The same will happen with Karl Anthony-Towns come July when he signs his 5-year $158M rookie max extension. It’s hard to have a good attitude when your losing 4-5 years in a row, but when you are getting paid $100M to lose, that’s gotta be a pretty happy loss. So while Minnesota does not have the allure the a Los Angeles does, Wiggins and KAT should have no trouble attracting big name free agents. Layden will look to spend his #11 lottery ticket to improve at the 4 or the 1 position. Jeff Teague expressed his $20M option to run through 2020, So If Minnesota cashes in on a 4, they’ll can move Teague before the trade deadline. Teague will become the third highest paid player while being the 5th highest scoring Wolf this season.
*12. Charlotte - Romeo Langford *
Charlotte cant bet on Kemba Walker taking their money. At this point they should be looking at how they can help Malik Monk produce for them the way he did for Kentucky. Monk dropping 20+ points per game will be enough to attract free agents in the future. Charlotte will look to improve at the 1-3 with this pick. And at this stage the best guards available: Kevin Porter & Langford are both combo guards that lack strong PG skills.
13. Miami - PJ Washington
Miami is the one team in the lottery in which needs help at every position. Miami will be hoping Culver or Garland slips as they could use a PG, but if Miami is selecting the best player available, that won't be a PG. Miami has very little money as they built their team around expiring bigman Whiteside. Although Whiteside had a terrifying run offensively and defensively dominating the NBA, it came at the worse time. Future bigs are going to need to have perimeter skills to go along with their bully ball. For this reason i like Bol Bol coupled with Adebayo, but Miami will avoid drafting a 5 and instead look to develop Bam Adebayo into a floor stretching big. So expect a trade or Andy Elisburg filling out the roster by drafting in the 2-4 positions with this pick.
14. Boston - Rui Hachimura (from Sacramento via Philadelphia)
The Boston Celtics do not have needs that can be fulfilled with a #14 draft pick, unless there is another greek freak i haven’t heard about lurking around in this draft. The C’s are going to be looking to add an asset at any position. If the pick is not traded, expect for Boston to select the best available. While the C’s won’t lose both their primary facilitators, they will lose one come July and at this point in the draft any PG taken will be seen as a backup with maybe starter potential. For these reasons the best available will be Kevin Porter, although considering the current issues with the C’s team morale and Porter’s off and on the court issues, Danny Ainge for sure has Nassir Little & Rui Hachimura higher on his draft board.
Feel free to share your opinions here or at OS Forum. Mock Draft 2.0 Will include possible picks for the remainder of the first round, as well as players who i believe will slip on draft day.

Hi all.
Firstly apologies for the lateness of this write-up. I've been pretty busy with life and school so I could not make my original deadline for game 41. If you haven't seen my first prospect check-in you can find it here although it obviously out of date now.
I feel it is important to add as a disclaimer that obviously I am far from a professional scout, nor have I really seen any of these players in action outside of a few games here or there. This means that the basis of my analysis is points which obviously don't always paint the full picture for a player, but its all I have to go on.
Anyway without further ado, let's take a look at some prospects.

AHL

It has not been smooth sledding for the Comets, as the team has been more or less buried under a mountain of injuries. It seems like half the team at any given time is made up of players on tryout contracts. Despite this adversity, the Comets have managed to keep their heads above water, thanks in part to some excellent goaltending, and stellar play from the players still in the lineup. The Comets sit 4th in the Northern Division.
Guillaume Brisebois (D 66th overall 2015)
Height: 6’3 Weight: 190 Hometown: St. Hilaire, Quebec
Age: 20

GP	G	A	Pts
40	1	6	7

It has been a pretty promising campaign for Guilamme Brisebois. The first year pro has added 5 more assists since our last check-in and leads the Comets in games played with 40. Brisebois has been thrown directly into the deep-end, partially out of necessity, and he's performed admirably given the circumstances.
Michael Carcone (RW undrafted, signed 2016)
Height: 5’10 Weight: 170 Hometown: Ajax, Ontario
Age: 21

GP	G	A	Pts
35	9	7	16

After a sluggish start, Michael Carcone has really picked up the pace. He's added 8 goals and 6 assists since the last check-in. As one of the few healthy Comets through the wave of injury, Carcone's improved play is definitely a part of why the Comets have managed to hold a positive record despite their bad luck. Carcone has provided the Comets with some solid secondary scoring, and he's shown some good growth in his game.
Cole Cassels (C 85th overall 2013)
Height: 6’1 Weight: 180 Hometown: Dublin, Ohio
Age: 22

GP	G	A	Pts
36	4	11	15

Are we finally seeing the emergence of Cole Cassels? At the time of the last write-up, Cassels had one solitary point, and I questioned whether he even had a future in the organization after this season. Since then, he's put up 4 goals and 10 assists in 28 games. The third-year pro has struggled to adapt to the American League after ending his junior career with a Memorial Cup win, but his 14 points are already a career best for Cassels. This hot streak is a long time coming for the Hartford native and it's really nice to see some signs of life at least from Cassels. If you remember the son of former Canuck Andrew Cassels missed the start of his season with an upper-body injury sustained during pre-season. I'm not getting my hopes too high yet for Cassels, but this improvement is an exciting development, to say the least.
Jalen Chatfield (D Undrafted, Signed 2017)
Height: 6’0 Weight: 188 Hometown: Ypsilanti, Michigan
Age: 21

GP	G	A	Pts
39	0	5	5

Without access to any real advanced stats, it's very difficult for me to discuss a player like Chatfield, since he plays a very defensively sound game and doesn't make much noise in the offensive zone. The first year pro left the pre-season with much fan-fair after playing a stretch of very excellent games. If not for a very crowded blueline, I wouldn't have been surprised if Chatfield would have been given a few NHL games at the start of the season. He's still looking for his first pro-goal, but if the Comets official Twitter is to be believed, Chatfield has been starting on the top pairing along with veteran blue-liner Patrick Weircoch for the past while which obviously is a very good look for the young defender. Chatfield is an attractive option for the team going forward on the blueline, especially if Chris Tanev gets moved out of town since they play a very similar style of game. Overall a very promising start for the young Michiganian.
Thatcher Demko (G 36th overall 2014)
Height: 6’4 Weight: 195 Hometown: San Diego, California
Age: 21

GP	W	L	OTL	SV%	GAA
28	16	7	3	0.929	2.28

If you ask me, Thatcher Demko has been the Canucks' prospect MVP this season, and yes I know Kole Lind and Elias Pettersson exist. The second-year pro has been the deciding factor in keeping the Comets afloat despite all their struggles. Demko's save percentage and goals-against average sparkle, especially when compared to his pipes partner Richard Bachman's rather ghastly 3.34 GAA and 3.34 SV%. Demko is top ten in SV% (4th), GAA (7th) and wins (5th) in the AHL, and it's just recently been announced that he, along with Reid Boucher, will be Utica's representatives at the AHL all-star game this coming Sunday and Monday. Utica is actually the host city of the game this year, so that should be extra fun for Demko to play in front of home fans. I think most people expected Demko to be good, being such a high rated goalie, but I'd bet that few expected him to be this good this early. Demko is developing at an extremely fast rate, and it is honestly not that far outside the realm of possibility that he ends up as Vancouver's starting goaltender by the end of next season. Everyone should be very exciting for this young man's future.
Nikolay Goldobin (RW/LW 27th overall 2014, Acquired 2017)
Height: 5’11 Weight: 185 Hometown: Moscow, Russia
Age: 21
With Utica:

GP	G	A	Pts
22	7	18	25

With Vancouver:

GP	G	A	Pts
14	2	2	4

Probably one of the most debated players in the Canucks or.nganization, the middle frame of the season certainly had its ups and downs for Goldobin. Not long after the last check-in, the injury bug hit Vancouver even worse, and Goldobin was called up. There were some good things and bad things that I saw during Goldy's 14 game stint in the NHL, which is a career high for him in terms of games played. The young Russian's talent is obvious, he's got great hands and clear offensive instincts. One needs to look no further for an example of Goldobin's offensive talents than his absolute beauty of a goal against the Kings, where he had Norris winner Drew Doughty searching for his jockstrap in the rafters after Goldobin walked him. That goal is going to be on end of season highlight reels across the country and was definitely the best moment of Goldobin's last NHL stint. There were definitely problems with Goldobin's stint as well. He still struggles defensively, he can tend to look invisible sometimes, and he certainly took a shift or two off here and there. Coach Green certainly didn't mince his words when he commented on Goldobin's poor practice habits early into his call-up. Speaking of, Travis clearly doesn't have a very long leash on Goldobin and he frequently found himself watching the game from the press box or riding the pine in the third period. While this is certainly frustrating for many fans, who see his tantalizing offensive game and want to see what he could do with a lot of ice time, in my opinion at least the tough love is good for Goldobin's game. Consistency has been Goldobin's biggest problem and he needs to learn to round out his game if he wants to be a full-time NHL player. Coming into the bye week with a lot of injured players returning to the lineup, Goldobin was sent back down to Utica, in order both to make room and to keep getting Goldobin ice time during the week-long break. I imagine that once some roster moves are made during the trade deadline period, Goldobin will find himself back up with the big club, but in the meantime, he needs to keep working at his game in Utica. Since returning to the Comets, Goldobin has factored in 4 of the 5 games he's played, so clearly, he's got a fire under him.
Joe Labate (LW 101st overall 2014)
Height: 6’5 Weight: 205 Hometown: Eagan, Minnesota
Age: 24

GP	G	A	Pts
31	6	5	11

It's been an up and down season for Joe Labate. The oldest Canucks draft pick left in the system, at age 24, Labate probably is what he is at this point. What Joe Labate is, in my mind at least is a big bodied, gritty forward, who will probably, unfortunately, remain an AHL/NHL tweener. Labate suffered an injury much like seemingly everyone else on the Comets earlier in the season. Labate's 6 goals tie him with his goal total from last season in a few fewer games, and he is on pace to pass his last season's point totals, although he only played about half the season due to his extended stay with the Canucks. Labate's biggest attribute, however, is his, well... bigness. Labate leads the Comets in penalty minutes by quite a considerable margin, and he's clearly using his physicality and size to his advantage. I don't know what the future holds for Labate, his age is quickly fazing him out of the "prospect" classification, but due to his size and toughness, he might be a decent piece to hold onto as a depth player.
Yan-Pavel LaPlante (LW 62nd overall 2013, signed 2016)
Height: 6’0 Weight: 183 Hometown: Chateauguay, Quebec
Age: 22

GP	G	A	Pts
5	0	1	1

Things have gone from bad to worse for Laplante, as he actually has not played a single game since our last check-in. According to this tweet by Comets play by play voice Andy Zilch, Laplante has suffered an upper-body injury and is out for an indefinite amount of time. Laplante has one more year under contract with the Canucks after this one, hopefully, it will one where he can actually play.
Zack MacEwen (C Undrafted, Signed 2017)
Height: 6’4 Weight: 202 Hometown: Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Age: 21

GP	G	A	Pts
37	4	16	20

While Demko may be my MVP, Zack MacEwan gets my vote for the biggest surprise of the season. The hulking centre from PEI was a big question mark heading into the season, having just been signed along with Jalen Chatfield as an overger out of the Q. So far though, MacEwan has been one of the Comets best players, and as one of the Comets few healthy players during the injury-pocolypse that was the month of December, he played a major role in keeping the team in the hunt. Due to the injuries, MacEwan found himself playing a pivotal role on the team, anchoring the first line. MacEwan has been on the first line since late December with a revolving door of linemates, although with Michael Chaput returning to the Comets, I imagine MacEwan will be bumped down to the second line. MacEwan could actually have a few more goals than he currently does as well, he's fourth on the team in shots on goal, and is shooting currently at a very low 6.1 percent, meaning that if his shooting percentage averaged out, you'd see a few more goals from MacEwan at least. All in all, a very impressive showing from the rookie, who's quickly proving the naysayers wrong.
Evan McEneny (D Undrafted, Signed 2014)
Height: 6’2 Weight: 201 Hometown: Hamilton, Ontario
Age: 23

GP	G	A	Pts
11	2	5	7

It's a tough time for Evan McEneny right now as just one season removed from his break-out year he's suffered a knee injury that will keep him on the sidelines for five months. This means that his season is effectively over. The Ontarian has one more year left on his contract, so hope is not lost for the young defender. This is now the second season that McEneny will likely lose to injury as his 2011-12 season with Kitchener lasted just two games before injuring this very same knee. Some bad luck for sure.
Griffen Molino (C Undrafted, Signed 2017)
Height: 6’0 Weight: 185 Hometown: Trenton, Michigan
Age: 23

GP	G	A	Pts
25	2	3	5

Yet another Comet affected by injury, Molino has just recently gotten back from a lower-body injury after missing a few weeks. The speedy winger has not really factored on the point sheet too much picking up a goal and 3 assists since our last check-in. Molino has never been a very prolific scorer even back in college, so his somewhat poor counting stats aren't super surprising. Molino is one of the few Comets prospects with NHL experience, so even though he is a first-year AHL player his experience with the Canucks last season will likely help him. Thanks to his 5 game audition last season, Molino's only got this year left on his contract, although he will still be an RFA. I don't think Molino's overall ceiling is that high, however, it's never a bad thing to have a player with his kind of speed in the organization, especially in the new speed orientated NHL.
Ashton Sautner (D Undrafted, signed 2015)
Height: 6’0 Weight: 195 Hometown: Flaxdale, Saskatchewan
Age: 23

GP	G	A	Pts
36	2	8	10

Now in his third AHL season, Ashton Sautner is on pace for his best statistical season. The defender was actually once a fairly decent scorer in the WHL with Edmonton, although you'd never know it by looking at his AHL numbers so far. Sautner was one of the many Comets to go down with an injury in December, but I believe he is back now, although it can be hard to figure out since the Comets don't tweet anything outside of their starting lineup. It's always good to see an improvement from a player, hopefully, Sautner can keep it up.

ECHL

There aren't many prospects on the Canucks' ECHL affiliate, just the two defenders. In Kalamazoo's first season back affiliated with the Canucks after only one year away, the team is doing okay. They are above 500 and currently sit fourth in the central division.
Anton Cederholm (D 145th overall 2013)
Height 6’2 Weight: 210 Hometown: Helsingborg, Sweden
Age: 22
AHL:

GP	G	A	Pts
12	0	0	0

ECHL:

GP	G	A	Pts
11	1	2	3

Due to the mountain of injuries with Utica, Cederholm made his AHL debut in November. The big Swede went pointless in his 12 games, and was reassigned back down to Kalamazoo on the 19th. Cederholm has never been anything close to an offensive defenseman, and scouts have wondered if his footspeed is good enough for today's game. I keep the tone of these write-ups mostly positive, since I like any good fan want all of our prospects to succeed but after so much time since being drafted with such little real successes, I have to wonder if Cederholm doesn't just pack it up and go back to home to Europe after this season ends. He has previously played in the SHL last season after being loaned there by the team.
Mackenze Stewart (D 186th overall 2014)
Height: 6’4 Weight: 215 Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
Age: 22
AHL

GP	G	A	Pts
2	0	0	0

ECHL

GP	G	A	Pts
26	3	6	9

Perhaps one of the most unique prospects in the Canucks system, the seventh round pick has intrigued and confused Canucks fans since his draft day. I say this both because of his incredibly unlikely personal journey to being drafted, and because despite his very low numbers and perceived little upside he was given an ELC. Indeed Mackenze Stewart, who's name's lack of an I confuses even further, has a very scrutinzed figure in Canucks prospect watchers. For those who are unaware of Stewart's story, he was deaf until getting a life-altering surgery to restore his hearing later on in his childhood. Because of his impairment, Stewart didn't begin playing organized hockey until the age of 12, much later than almost anyone who has made it as far as he had. In that way, the fact that Mackenze Stewart is a professional hockey player at all is nothing short of remarkable and a great example of what perseverance and hard work can do. Stewart's story gets even more intriguing when you consider that his last season's point totals were a career high for him, not just for the ECHL but for as long as his statistics have been recorded. This means that Stewart recorded more points his first season in the ECHL last year than he ever did throughout his entire junior career. Not only that, but Stewart is on pace to beat his last season's point totals. This is a very interesting trend, throughout his career Stewart continued on a slow but steady path of improvement. The Calgarian is still a very long shot from ever suiting up for an NHL game, but his continued progression is very fascinating to see. If Stewart does continue to defy the odds and somehow makes it, I think he'll be one of the greatest stories in recent memory.

CHL

Matt Brassard (D 188th overall 2017)
Height: 6’2 Weight: 197 Hometown: Barrie, Ontario
Age: 19
Playing with: Oshawa Generals (OHL)

GP	G	A	Pts
45	11	19	30

Matt Brassard is having a pretty good season. The seventh rounder from this most recent draft is on pace to pass his last season point total. The Barrie native has been extremely solid for the Generals, leading the team in defensive scoring and being second in plus/minus. Brassard's 30 points are actually good for 11th in scoring among defensemen in the OHL. So far its been a very optimistic start for Brassard, especially for a seventh round pick. Since Brassard will be 20 by the end of the year, he will be eligible for the Comets next season should the Canucks want to sign him
Cole Candella (D 140th overall 2016)
Height: 6’1 Weight: 196 Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario
Age: 19
Playing with: Sudbury Wolves (OHL)

GP	G	A	Pts
46	3	23	26

After an injury shortened draft season, and an adismal draft +1 year, Candella was a struggling prospect coming into this season. In the offseason he found himself dealt from the Hamiliton Bulldogs to the Sudbury Wolves, which was predictied to be a better team before the season began. It seems that the Wolves have been a pretty good fit for the Mississauga native, he's already put up a career high in points this season, despite the fact that his team is one of the worst in the OHL. Nice to see some improvement from the 19 year old.
Michael DiPietro (G 64th overall 2017)
Height: 6’0 Weight: 200 Hometown: Amherst, Ontario
Age: 18
Playing with: Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

GP	W	L	OTL	SV%	GAA
36	21	12	1	0.920	2.59

Michael DiPietro is following up a storybook season with an even better season. The Spitfires starter has put up his best save percentage so far, and is almost certainly going to surpass his number of games won this season as well. DiPietro's absurdly good 9.20 save percentage is tied for first among goalies who have played in at least 20 games and his goals-against average is also good for third in the OHL. The reigning Memorial cup winners have lost a lot of the talent from last season so they are not likely to be as competitive, as Windsor currently sits fourth in the West Division. This actually more impressive for DiPietro as he has less support from the team in front of him. Most assumed that DiPietro would be one of the goalies for Team Canada at the World Juniors, although unfortunately he was cut. Luckily, DiPietro is still eligible for the team next year, and he is much more likely to make the team now that Carter Hart, who played spectacularly for Canada will no longer be eligible.
Jonah Gadjovich (LW 55th overall 2017)
Height: 6’2 Weight: 209 Hometown: Whitby, Ontario
Age: 19
Playing with: Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
OHL:

GP	G	A	Pts
22	15	11	26

Canada (WJC):

GP	G	A	Pts
7	2	1	3

It's been a very good season for Gadjovich. He's been signed to his first NHL contract, got to represent his country, and continued to play very well for Owen Sound. The big winger has missed quite a few games, first with an injury early in the season, then due to the World Juniors, and now because of an illness. Because of these missed games, it's unlikely that he will catch his lofty point totals from last season, but with how many milestones Gadjovich has achieved this year, I'm sure it doesn't bother him too much. As I mentioned before, Gadjovich got the chance to wear the red and white this winter, he was the only Canucks draft pick that made the team out of the three that were invited. He played a mostly defensive role for Canada, although he did manage to put up three points and help bring the gold back home to Canada. With Jonah being signed to an ELC, don't be surprised to see him in the AHL as soon as next season.
Kole Lind (C/RW 33rd overall 2017)
Height: 6’1 Weight: 178 Hometown: Shaunavon, Saskatchewan
Age: 19
Playing with: Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

GP	G	A	Pts
38	24	42	66

Kole Lind is having a monster season, although if you're reading this you're probably well aware as Lind has been the 1talk of the Canucks corner of the internet. The Saskatchewan native is currently tied for 10th in league scoring and is riding a 16 game point streak. Not surprisingly Lind leads the Rockets, who are also first in the BC division in scoring. Lind's point totals would likely be even higher if not for a bought of mono he faced earlier in the season. Lind was a hopeful for Team Canada, but unfortunately, he was cut from the team. While surely disappointing for Lind, the cut just seemed to piss him off. Lind play picked up considerably since being cut, in fact, he scored a hat trick his first game back since training camp. That's the kind of push back you want to see.
Brett McKenzie (C 194th overall 2016)
Height: 6’1 Weight: 194 Hometown: Vars, Ontario
Age: 20
Playing with: Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
With North Bay (OHL)

GP	G	A	Pts
31	9	14	23

With Owen Sound (OHL):

GP	G	A	Pts
9	2	3	5

A runner-up for the OHL MVP award, some were assuming that McKenzie would be playing in Utica this season so it was a bit of a surprise when the centre was sent back to the OHL. This season has been a regression for McKenzie, after scoring at a point per game pace last season for North Bay. McKenzie was recently traded from the struggling North Bay to Owen Sound, and he was for a time at least playing on a line with fellow Canucks prospect Jonah Gadjovich as well as with Vegas first-rounder Nick Suzuki. It's a bit disappointing to see that McKenzie has been regressing, especially considering he's in his last year of junior when most players have their statistically best years.
Jakob Stukel (LW 154th overall 2016)
Height: 6’0 Weight: 192 Hometown: Surrey, British Columbia
Age: 20
Playing with: Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

GP	G	A	Pts
47	22	15	37

It's been an average season so far for Jakob Stukel. The Surrey native is seemingly a very streaky scorer, although he has been trending downwards pointwise since his draft year, which obviously isn't a promising sign. Calgary is not a very good team this season, currently sitting third last in the league. One good thing for Stukel is that he is leading his team in scoring, meaning that both of our prospects in the WHL are leading their respective teams in scoring.

USA

Adam Gaudette (C 149th overall 2014)
Height: 6’1 Weight: 182 Hometown: Braintree, Massachusetts
Age: 20
Playing with: Northeastern University (NCAA)

GP	G	A	Pts
24	17	19	36

There have been a lot of prospects to get excitied about this season, and it's lead Adam Gaudette to maybe take a step out of the spotlight in the minds of the collective Nucks fans consciousness. While Pettersson, Lind, and Demko's performances have left us floating on a cloud of optimism never felt in this city before, Gaudette has still continued to do his thing. The Massachusetts native has shot up the depth chart since being drafted in the 5th round back in 2015. Now in his third collegiate season, he's been one of the best players in the NCAA. Gaudette leads both his team Northeastern, and the entire NCAA in scoring and is currently a candidate and presumably is going to be a finalist for the Hobey Baker award for the best colligate player. Gaudette was a strong consideration for USA hockey to play on the Olympic team in South Korea although he ultimately was not chosen. With Gaudette now in his third year, the team really needs to try to sign the centre now, to avoid the possibility that he could depart the organization through free agency after his fourth season.Of course, nothing is official until the ink is dry, but Gaudette's recent comments on TSN 1040 should put any major fears of Gaudette leaving to bed as Gaudette repeatedly mentions his desire to play for the team that drafted him, and even went so far as to say that he would be open to signing a contract this season. Meaning that we could see Adam in a Canucks jersey before the end of the season.
William Lockwood (RW 64th overall 2015)
Height: 5’11 Weight: 172 Hometown: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Age: 19
Playing with: University of Michigan (NCAA)

GP	G	A	Pts
16	4	7	11

USA (WJC)

GP	G	A	Pts
3	0	0	0

It was a great start to the season for Will Lockwood, he was leading his university in scoring, and then he was selected to the US world junior team. He was getting some attention at the tournament as well, until in the outdoor game against Canada Lockwood went down hard and looked to be hurt. Lockwood wouldn't play again in the tournament, and then was diagnosed with a seperated shoulder shortly after the tournament ended. He had previously injured his shoulder and thus couldn't play during the Young Stars tournament. This is a tough blow for Lockwood, who was performing quite well this season. His shoulder injury is expected to end his season.
Jack Rathbone (D 95th overall 2017)
Height: 5’10 Weight: 177 Hometown: West Roxbury, Massachusetts
Age: 18
Playing with: Dexter School (USHS)

GP	G	A	Pts
0	0	0	0

Cape Cod Whalers U18 (MHSL)

GP	G	A	Pts
8	4	0	4

Rathbone's high school season has yet to begin, so he's returned to his midget team. Rathbone's situation does confuse me a little bit. He's decided to stay at home one more year in part to remain close to his little brother with autism, and thus I guess his high school team has allowed him to play for them again, despite the fact that I'm almost certain he's no longer in high school. 4 goals in 8 games is alright, he's playing major midget which is probably the lowest calibre of the leagues that all the Canucks prospects are in. Rathbone will be attending Harvard next season, so that will give us a much better picture of the kind of player that he is.

Europe

Rodrigo Abols (C 184th overall 2016)
Height: 6’5 Weight: 192 lbs Hometown: Riga, Latvia
Age: 22
Playing with BIK Karlskoga (Allsvenskan)

GP	G	A	Pts
7	2	3	5

with Orebro HK (SHL)

GP	G	A	Pts
26	0	0	0

After 26 games of being a non-factor for Orebro, Abols was reassigned down to the Allsvenskan. He's faired quite a bit better down there than he was up in Orebro. He's tied a career high in points in a men's league with 5, although the last time he played in a men's league it was for Dynamo Riga in the KHL, so the calibre was probably a bit higher. Abols, who was a standout at Canucks training camp three years ago has certainly struggled to adapt to the pro game, after coming over from the QMJHL. The Latvian currently plays on the worst team in the Allsvenskan.
Jonathan Dahlen (C 42nd overall 2016, Acquired 2017)
Height: 5’11 Weight: 176 Hometown: Ostersund, Sweden
Age: 20
Playing with Timra IK (Allsvenskan)

GP	G	A	Pts
31	20	17	37

We go from the worst team in the Allsvenskan to the best as Jonathan Dahlen's Timra IK is dominating Sweden's second tier and is looking likely to be promoted back to the SHL next season. The person spearheading this domination has been Dahlen, who despite missing seven games due to mono leads his team scoring by a fair margin. Dahlen was reportley given multiple offers to sign with SHL teams but he's chosen to remain in Timra. It's more than understandible why he would chose to do this, as he surely wants to see how far this team can go. The former Senators draft pick was traded to Vancouver for Alex Burrows and has been a very solid player in his native Sweden. Look for Dahlen to make his North American debut next season.
Kristoffer Gunnarsson (D 135th overall 2017)
Height: 6’1 Weight: 205 Hometown: Boras, Sweden
Age: 20
Playing with: Frolunda HC (SHL)

GP	G	A	Pts
38	0	0	0

If you came expecting points this entry and Kristoffer Gunnarsson are not for you. His career professional points total in 2, which he recorded last season in the Allsvenskan. Despite his total lack of offense, the big bodied Swede is clearly doing something right as he 's managed to stick with Frolunda without being sent down, something he's struggled to do at other points in his career. Gunnarsson is far away from the spotlight in Frolunda as he shares the blueline with likely 1st overall pick (and possible future Canuck) Rasmus Dahlin.
Lukas Jasek (RW 174th overall 2015)
Height: 6’00 Weight: 165 Hometown: Trinec, Czech Republic
Age: 20
Playing with: HC Liberec Bili Tygri (Czech)

GP	G	A	Pts
38	7	9	16

With HC Benatky nad Jizerou (Czech 2)

GP	G	A	Pts
4	1	3	4

Lukas Jasek has just kept on chugging. The Czech forward did have a bit of a slip, and was sent down to the Czech second league, but has since been called back up to his top league team. According to key Canucks prospect watcher Ryan Biech, Jasek has looked like a completely different player this season, much more improved. Jasek was one of Canucks Army and other advanced stat sites favourite prospects so it is interesting to see that he is slowly improving. Jasek could still very much be a hidden gem.
Olli Juolevi (D 5th overall 2016)
Height: 6’2 Weight: 182 Hometown: Helsinki, Finland
Age: 19
Playing with TPS Turku (Liiga)

GP	G	A	Pts
25	6	11	17

With Finland (WJC)

GP	G	A	Pts
5	1	3	4

After a difficult start to the season, the 2016 5th overall pick has made big strides in his first year playing against men. Juolevi is currently third in defensive scoring for TPS, and thanks to his late start as well as the World Juniors has played some 20 games less than some of his teammates. The rookie is currently being coached by former Canuck Sami Salo, who recently appeared on Vancouver radio and was optimistic about Juolevi's progress this season. As mentioned, Juolevi also represented Finland at the World Juniors in Buffalo where he finished (hehe) tied for third in scoring and looked good alongside Finland's very stacked blueline. The World Junior tournament has been a Jekyll and Hyde situation for Juolevi, in his first tournament he played incredibly well, and his performance helped to raise his draft stock. In his second tournament, he served as the captain for Finland, however both he and his country had an absolutely disastrous tourney, finishing at the bottom of their division and having to play to avoid being relegated to the second tier. After that national embarrassment, Juolevi came into this year's tournament with mixed expectations, he'd been stripped of the captaincy and didn't even wear a letter for Finland, which is disappointing but not surprising as surely the Finnish team wanted to distance themselves from their last performance. From what I saw of Juolevi, he didn't play as well as his first tournament, nor as poorly as his second. I think this performance is more indicative of Juolevi as a player. He looked confident and poised, he was steady in his own end and was effective on the breakout. While there were a few glairing defensive errors, all in all I thought he was one of Finland's better players. Juolevi was in consideration to make Finland's Olympic team as well, although he was ultimately not selected.
Petrus Palmu (RW 181st 2017)
Height: 5’6 Weight: 179 Hometown: Joensuu, Finland
Age: 20
Playing with: TPS Turku (Liiga)

GP	G	A	Pts
44	11	13	24

Petrus Palmu is having a pretty decent season, especially as a rookie. As I mentioned, Salo recently discussed both Juolevi and Palmu on the radio, and while he did have some good things to say about Palmu, he also mentioned that he needs to work on consistency. Palmu is top 5 in scoring in the Liiga and is seventh in scoring on TPS. So all in all, really not a bad season thus far for the Finn.
Elias Pettersson (C 5th overall 2017)
Height: 6’2 Weight 161 Hometown: Ange, Sweden
Age: 19
Playing with: Vaxjo Lakers (SHL)

GP	G	A	Pts
31	13	25	38

With Sweden (WJC)

GP	G	A	Pts
7	5	2	7

There isn't much I can possibly say about Elias Pettersson that hasn't already been said. Petterssson has been one of the most discussed topic in the collective Canucks zeitgeist. The Swedish centre has absolutely tore up the Swedish league, and he's scoring at a historic pace for a rookie. Before the World Juniors, Pettersson was actually leading the SHL in scoring, but obviously since he's missed so many games because of the tournament he's no longer leading the league. He's still however fifth in scoring despite missing some games. Pettersson also plays for an incredibly stacked team, as Vaxjo is first place in the SHL with a considerable 16 point lead over the second place team. Pettersson also looked incredible for Sweden at the World Juniors. Playing on the top line with Rangers prospect Lias Andersson and Buffalo prospect Alex Nylander, the three of them pulled team Sweden all the way to the Gold medal game where they ended up losing in a heartbreaker to a last minute goal by team Canada. That top line lead the way in scoring, and all three finished with 7 points in 7 games, which lead the team. Like Gaudette and Juolevi, Pettersson was considered but not selected for the Olympics. Couldn't ask for a better season so far from the 2017 5th overall pick, and it's going to be very exciting to see what the future holds for this young man.
Nikita Tryamkin (D 66th Overall 2014)
Height: 6’7 Weight: 265 Hometown: Yekaterinburg, Russia
Age: 23
Playing with: Yekaterinburg Avtomobilist (KHL)

GP	G	A	Pts
49	9	16	25

In his first season back home after leaving the Canucks, Nikita Tryamkin has been having an amazing season. The mammoth Russian defender left many fans heartbroken after he decided to return to his native Yekaterinburg instead of re-signing in Vancouver. Tryamkin has found a new level to his game, exploding offensively like he never has before. He leads his club in defensive scoring and also wears the A for the team. Funny enough, one of the things that Vancouver was criticized for was trying to make Tryamkin a meaner more physical player and that was pointed to as a reason why he left, however he leads his team in penalty minutes by a massive margin, already having over 100 PIM. In fact, he leads the entire KHL in penalty minutes. This is an aspect of his game that has never been there before, and it must be a little frustrating for management to see that he has seemingly found his meanness after being so critical of the team for trying to make him this type of player. Tryamkin played in the KHL all-star game and was a consideration for the Russian err excuse me.... Neutral Athlete from Russia Olympic team but was not selected. Now you may be thinking, well randomj77 this is great for Tryamkin but what does it have to do with the Canucks outside of making me feel sad? Well, hope is apparently not all lost as Tryamkin's agent and KHL manager has stated that he would possibly have an interest in returning to Vancouver someday. Additionally many perceptive fans have noticed that Tryamkin does keep tabs on the Canucks on Instragram, and will like a post or two occasionally. It's far from a sure thing, but I along with many fans hold hope that our big Russian baby will return to us someday.
Dmitry Zhukenov (C 114th overall 2015)
Height: 6’00 Weight: 178 Hometown: Omsk, Russia
Age: 20
Playing with: Omsky Yasterby (MHL)

GP	G	A	Pts
17	4	12	16

With Avangard Omsk (KHL)

GP	G	A	Pts
10	1	0	1

Since being sent down, Dmitry Zhukenov has been an extremely effective offensive player. The Omsk native was a QMJHL star last season but opted to return home rather than remain in North America. He struggled to find his footing with Avangard but since being sent down to the MHL (the Russian AHL) he has gone nearly a PPG. It's good to see that Zhukenov has been able to perform at a professional level, although only time will tell if the team will be able to convince him to come to North America.
Hope you enjoy my write-up, it took a little longer than expected to finish, but hey hopefully it provides a bit of extra Canucks content during the lull of the All-star break. Please note that I wrote this over multiple days so I think the AHL stats are already 2 games old, but I didn't want to wait any longer to post. I believe all other stats are up to date as of 4:30 PST on January 26th.
Thank you so much for reading if you made it this far!

Iowa State Cyclones
2014-15: 25-9 (12-6 in Big 12 play, tied for 2nd place), defeated Kansas to win the Big 12 tourney title, lost to UAB in the Round of 64 of the NCAA Tournament
Head Coach: Steve Prohm (First year)
Projected Starting Lineup
PG Monte Morris - 6'2", 175 Junior: 11.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 5.2 apg
SG Hallice Cooke - 6'3", 190 Sophomore: 8.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.5 apg @ Oregon St in 2013-14
SF Nazareth Mitrou-Long 6'4", 210 Senior: 10.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.0 apg
PF Georges Niang - 6'7", 225 Senior: 15.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.4 apg
C Jameel McKay - 6'9", 220 Senior: 11.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.4 bpg
Key Bench Players
G Matt Thomas - 6'4", 195 Junior: 4.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 0.7 apg
F Abdel Nader - 6'6", 230 Senior: 5.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.7 apg
Key Newcomers
G Jordan Ashton - 6'4", 191 Junior: 16.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 44% 3FG @ JuCo
G/F Deonte Burton - 6'4", 240 Junior: 6.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.1 spg career @ Marquette
F Brady Ernst - 6'8", 215 Freshman: Unranked 3-star prospect
F Simeon Carter - 6'9", 210 Freshman: Consensus Top 300 prospect
........................................................................................
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; and then came the heartbreak. 2014-15 was yet another tremendously successful season for Iowa St under hometown star and head coach Fred Hoiberg. The Cyclones spent big chunks of the season ranked in the Top 10, haymakered a handful of elite squads over the course off the year, and won the Big 12 tournament title over 10-time defending Big 12 regular season champ Kansas.
Then the Cyclones lost in stunning fashion to UAB in the first round of the NCAA tourney. And their star-making run towards the Final Four - which, make no mistake, was the goal for ISU last season - came crashing to a halt before it had even begun.
A couple of months later, Hoiberg was gone, having taken the Chicago Bulls head coaching job. It was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for Hoiberg, a former NBA Champion as a player with the Bulls.
And while Iowa St fans by and large respect Hoiberg's decision to follow his dream, it leaves wounded hearts back home in Ames. And Hoiberg isn't the only individual who has departed from the program this summer; improving Greek center Georgios Tsalmpouris turned pro in Europe, sophomore-to-be Clayton Custer transferred out of the program, and highly-regarded but troubled 4-star freshman guard Nck Niskowiak will not end up enrolling in the school due in part to legal issues.
That is a lot of adversity for a program which - so very recently - looked as though it was irreversibly on the rise. The hope is, though, that Hoiberg left enough grade-A ingredients in the cupboard for Iowa St to make another run deep into March.
Hoiberg's replacement is Steve Prohm, late of Murray St. Prohm has spent just four years as a head coach prior to taking this job with the Cyclones, but they have been four very successful years. Prohm helped current Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy to build up Murray St into a consistent force in the Ohio Valley, and once Kennedy moved on, Prohm was tabbed to lead the Racers. With an NCAA Tournament win to his credit - along with four straight OVC league titles - Prohm has been courted by high major programs before Iowa St came calling. Now, Cyclone fans are expecting their new coach to help this stacked roster deliver on its vast potential.
Make no mistake: these Cyclones are, on paper, one of the five best teams in America. And after the way last season ended - and playing without their star coach - they've got a big 'ol chip on their shoulders.
Georges Niang is the main attraction on this talented, multi-skilled team. A forward whose game has evolved throughout his career at ISU, Niang is poised to follow in former teammate Melvin Ejim's footsteps as Big 12 Player of the Year. Niang is as versatile as any post player in America, combining great hands, a guard-like feel for the offense, a reliable jumper and an ever-expanding array of moves in the post. Niang can man the controls of ISU's offense, be it out of the high post or in transition. Last season, he made 40% of his triple tries and sank 101 free throws (81%). He's a unique player who sets the pace for the Cyclone offense whether he's operating on the perimeter or in the paint. The backboard is Niang's friend and he's a tremendously versatile scorer inside, where his quickness and creativity more than compensate for a lack of ideal height.
Niang spoke of his decision to pass up a chance at the NBA draft during the summer, saying that he wanted to return to Ames in hopes of rewriting last season's disappointing script. "I didn't want to go out this way," the Cyclones' veteran leader said. "I didn't want to leave my mark like that." Niang and his veteran teammates know that the only way to ease the pain of last season's tourney loss is to come back with a vengeance in 2015-16.
Jameel McKay was a revelation for the Cyclones after becoming eligible midway through last season. It had been a few years since Iowa St had featured a serious rim protector, and McKay filled the bill while also proving to be a devastating option when finishing around the rim. He's a tremendous force on the glass, and posted five double doubles in the team's final 10 games. He is one of the more athletic offense-to-defense big men in the country, and McKay thrives on transition opportunities whether he's blocking a shot or finishing a lob. With a more reliable face-up jumper, McKay could become an even more dangerous scorer. He's already one of the toughest covers in the Big 12 and figures to make life truly difficult for most defenders as a senior. And his presence at the back end of Prohm's defense will continue to be invaluable. In recent years, Iowa St's up-tempo attack and smallish lineups have left them somewhat vulnerable in the paint defensively. While McKay isn't a massive banger, he can cover up dribble penetration by erasing shots.
On the perimeter, the Cyclones lose scoring guard Bryce Dejean-Jones but return a terrific starting duo and two talented newcomers. Monte Morris and Naz Long have been together leading ISU's attack for the past two seasons, and each brings a different but vitally important element. Morris is a classic point guard; he posted 176 assists against just 38 turnovers last year (he's at 310:66 for his career, which is preposterous), made 75% of his foul shots, and spearheads the Cyclone defense with his two steals per game. Morris took a huge step as a scorer last season, and his 11.9 points per game ranked second on the team. He scored in double figures 24 times, and averaged 14.7 points over the team's final 11 games. Morris is rapidly growing into one of the finest point guards in the nation, and could take the next step as an All-American type of player this year. Proud owner of a dangerous three point shot and one of the best nicknames in sports history - Threesus of Nazareth - Long is one of the country's most prolific sharpshooters. He splashed 77 triples a year ago, and knocked down three or more deep shots in a game 13 times last season. Entering his senior year, Long has improved his numbers every season of his career in Ames - as a junior, he became more adept at using his dribble to set up looks when defenders over-committed on his shot fakes. Long is a great weapon to help spread the floor in the Cyclones' multi-threat offense, and well, I'll just leave this here.
The new faces are Hallice Cooke (formerly of Oregon St) and Deonte Burton (who once played for Marquette). While Cyclone fans will have to wait until December to get a look at Burton, he brings huge offensive potential and a powerful dribble drive game. He's a powerfully-built wing scorer who loves to take it towards the goal, and during his transfer year off, Burton has worked on his handle and outside shot. He could well earn a starting spot when he's able to hit the court for the Cyclones, but even if he comes off the bench he should emerge as a key secondary scorer. Cooke is a more well-rounded guard who enters his sophomore year looking to be the team's 6th man. He didn't look out of place on a Beavers team which needed him to score right away as a freshman, and he even made a great 45% of his three point attempts. He's a willing and able playmaker who should fit well as a player whose skillset is somewhere between Moore and Long.
Dustin Hogue is is big loss for the Cyclones, as the graduated forward provided a vital presence defensively, energetically, and on the glass. Abdel Nader, a former Northern Illinois star turned transfer turned bench player, will look to seize a major role before he has to battle Burton for minutes. Nader can do a little bit of everything, but sometimes wasn't a good matchup and he didn't always play a constant role last year. He's got range out to the three point arc, but as an undersized frontcourt player, Nader needs to make far more than 22% of his deep shots. If he can emerge as a more consistent offensive presence, Nader could end up playing a significant role for Prohm's second unit. Rounding out the experienced reserves, Matt Thomas returns for his junior campaign looking to finally prove himself. A touted recruit, Thomas has always carried a reputation as a dangerous outside shooter. And he's got the stroke and the quick release to become a devastating weapon from the outside. So far, though, consistency has eluded Thomas. While the Cyclones have enough shooting, it would be great if Thomas can make better than 33% from deep. That will allow ISU to continue breaking apart defenses from the perimeter even when Long isn't in the game.
Burton and Cooke won't be the only new faces in Ames this year, but they will be by far the most prominent. JuCo guard Jordan Ashton isn't likely to carve out a big role immediately, but he is a strong outside shooter who can handle the ball. Ashton has good size, and with the experience gained in a reserve role this year, he could make a larger impact down the road. Freshmen forwards Simeon Carter and Brady Ernst also come aboard, but it's possible that one or both could redshirt. Carter is long and rangy with good potential on the defensive end. He's athletic and could become a nice reserve big man who can get up and down the court. Ernst is a do-it-all interior player whose recruiting star fell a bit after he suffered a knee injury in high school, but he should develop into a secondary scoring option at worst.
There is nothing not to like about this Iowa St team from a talent and production standpoint. There are shooters, scorers, playmakers, and energetic reserves who will wear down opponents for a full 40 minutes. This team should be highly motivated, having lost the man who brought them together, and having tasted the bitter loss to UAB last season. It's possible that Iowa St will meet UAB early in the upcoming season, at a non-conference tournament. If that scenario plays out, you can bet the Cyclones will be out to make a statement.
Prohm has once again inherited a roster from his predecessor which is ready-made to win big. Even so, the Cyclones' new coach is in a somewhat tricky situation. He is replacing a man who, in just under a decade as a player and coach combined, built a one-of-a-kind legacy at Iowa St, and Prohm's teams must live up to a very high standard. Likewise, Prohm must make this team his own if he is to lead this program forward. That means the Cyclones' new boss will have to walk a fine line between attempting to fix something which isn't broken, and attempting to put his own stamp on what is, now, his team.
If the veterans, newcomers, and new coaching staff can find equilibrium, this season will be very special. It's been 72 years since Iowa St reached the Final Four, but these Cyclones have the kind of aspirations which end in San Antonio.
Iowa St basketball has come to a crossroads. To Cyclone fans, the only proper way to savor the memory of the Mayor's journey would be for the team he built to hang a banner in Hilton Coliseum's rafters. These Cyclones have, on paper, everything you could ask for in a national title contender. If everything comes together, this could be the greatest season in Iowa St basketball history.

With trade deadline having come and gone, the busiest part of the season for Treliving's NHL roster has as well. And he's still got the expansion draft to look forward to, but that's not what this piece of writing will be about -- this is about scouting. And Calgary's scouts are just getting started.
Obviously Calgary's looking forward to the draft, but that's not the only thing we're scouting. Between now and then, there's the underrated way teams have been acquiring talent in recent years -- CHL, European, and NCAA free agents.
In the case of the non-professional leagues (CHL, NCAA), players are released from their contracts as soon as they play their final games (technically NCAA players don't have contracts, but the result is the same). For teams who're going to miss the playoffs, that'll be very soon (the last CHL games are scheduled for the 19th of March). For those that go deep, their seasons might end in months: the 2017 Memorial Cup ends in late May. For many of these players, they'll actually be able to join the teams that sign them (or, more often, their AHL affiliates) for playoffs -- something that can provide a big boost down the stretch towards the Stanley or Calder Cup.
For European professional leagues, most of their contracts end on the first of May. In these cases, since hockey is mostly over, most European free agents will just sign on or after July 1 and sync up with the normal NHL contract cycle.
In all cases, these players are only going to cost contract slots, cap space, and money, the cheapest that any asset in the NHL can be acquired at, which obviously makes them appealing. You're basically getting extra draft picks, and good scouting reveals gems with regularity.
In general at this point in the season, these free agents are ones who are no longer eligible for the draft. There's ways to get around this at other points in the year (see Nick Schneider for an example), but not in this period before the draft. The full rules for who's eligible for the draft are in article 8.4 of the CBA, which I'm not going to copy in it's entirety, but I will be quoting the major categories that a given league falls under when I get to it. If you'd like to see this yourself, the NHL hosts a PDF of the CBA here.
We'll start with CHLers. The CHL very rarely produces free agents of note, and that's because most CHL free agents fall under section (iv) of article 8.4:

(iv) a Player age 21 or older who: (A) has not been selected in a previous Entry Draft and (B) played hockey for at least one season in North America when he was age 18, 19, or 20 and shall be eligible to enter the League as an Unrestricted Free Agent pursuant to Article 10.1(d)

(article 10.1 covers types of unrestricted free agents -- 10.1(d) simply covers guys who're unrestricted because they've slipped through the draft)
This means that to be a CHL free agent, you almost always have to get through three drafts while playing in major junior (OHL/QMJHL/WHL) or the level below (AJHL/BCHL/USHL/etc.) without being selected -- and all of these leagues are heavily scouted, which means they're also picked over. Players who have weak draft years but typically deserve to be drafted end up getting selected in the next year (Andrew Mangiapane) or the one after (Tanner Pearson), and getting to 21 without being drafted is very difficult. It's not impossible -- see Mark Giordano and Tyler Johnson for examples, but often these players have flaws or injuries through their draft year that they require at least a year to work through.
Theoretically a player (who would almost always be European) who doesn't play three full seasons in NA could fall into this rule, but I can't think of a single example of one of these players who's actually become a UFA -- usually Euros who move to the CHL or USHL do so because they want to put themselves on the radar in a more heavily scouted league than a European minor league, so usually those players either get drafted (Vitali Abramov) because they make an impression, or they don't and end up returning to Europe (and then maybe they become European UFAs years later!). I doubt a North American who had the skill level to move to a European adult league before his 21st birthday would also slip through the draft, considering you'd need to be good enough to compete in an adult league.
Other than players who go undrafted through the CHL, the biggest other source of CHL free agents is players who were drafted (meaning they don't satisfy condition A), but who were not signed to a contract before the player's exclusive rights expired. A good example of this kind of player is Ryan Mantha, who was just signed by the Oilers -- he was drafted by the Rangers, but then they allowed his rights to expire without a contract, meaning he became a free agent. However, because CHL rights expire two years after a player is first drafted, there's almost 100% overlap between players who've been drafted and released and players who would've been free agents without being drafted, since the year they're released is their 20 year old season.
Moving onto highlighting some actual players: these young men are all born in 1996, so they're all going to be 21 by the end of 2017. This means Brayden Burke, born Jan 1 1997, who many of us wanted signed last season, isn't here -- he has to go through another draft to hit this point (and I highly doubt he'll go undrafted again).

• Jeremy Brodeur (Oshawa Generals, G) -- Yes, he's related. Jeremy Brodeur, one of Martin's twin sons, is undersized (6'1", 185lbs) for a goaltender in the modern NHL, which is likely why he hasn't gotten too many looks from scouts. Among OHL starters this year, his SV% is fourth (behind drafted prospects Parsons and McNiven, and DiPietro, a highly ranked goaltender for this draft), while his GAA is seventh. So he's putting up the results, making solid athletic saves and moving in the crease well. Most importantly, he's looking greatly improved from last year, where he was still OHL-starter capable but might not've had the best upside. Showing scouts he's got another level, plus him being a goaltender, plus who his dad is... I would be surprised if he doesn't find at least an AHL contract somewhere.
  
• Chad Butcher (Medicine Hat Tigers, RHC) -- Chad Butcher currently sits fourth in the WHL in points, with 91, and is third in the league in assists. An undersized player (5'10", 172lbs), Butcher's been a great contributor for the Tigers in the last couple seasons, primarily using his excellent vision of the ice to drive offense. Great hands and puck skills, needs elite skating to get to the NHL at his size.
  
• Alexis D'Aoust (Shawinigan Cataractes, RHW) -- I honestly thought Alexis was going to the dark side when he had a lengthy exhibition as a Vancouver training camp invitee last season, including games at the Penticton tourney and in their AHL affiliate's training camp, but they let a good thing slip through their hands. D'Aoust, an average sized but solid (5'11", 205lbs) player was returned to Shawinigan for his overage season and continued right where he left off -- ripping apart the competition to the tune of 1.3PPG in his last two seasons. He's probably the best goalscorer in the Q right now, a right-shot sniper who's currently 40th in QMJHL scoring with at least five fewer games played than anyone else above him in the league (he missed games because of the aforementioned training camp), and between 10 and 15 fewer games than most of them. On a PPG basis he's around 15th in the league, and basically every person he's trailing is a highly touted prospect like Nicolas Roy and Nico Hischier (for comparison, Pierre-Luc Dubois isn't one of them). As someone who trailed PLD by one point last year, I have no idea why he wasn't drafted, but he definitely deserves a chance in the pros.
  
• Matthew Highmore (St. John Seadogs, LHC) -- Matthew Highmore is probably on the small size for NHL forwards (5'11, 181lbs), even though he's not actually that small. He does a lot of things at a high level, but none of them are game-breaking, so he's one of those players that can slip through the cracks. He's an excellent skater and PKer who never gives up on the puck and is a great net-front presence, and currently sits in third place in league scoring in the Q. His shot isn't at a pro level yet, but his 33 goals suggest that it's at least good enough to get a look at the next level.
  
• Olivier Leblanc (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, LHD) -- Olivier LeBlanc, a previously drafted player (2014 7th rounder for CBJ) is a solid skater with great vision and passing skills, but he's going to need to bulk up to play in the NHL (6'0", 172lbs) and needs to work on his shot. He's one of few CHL players who can say they've been a captain at 18, and his leadership and work ethic are both things that have earned him praise at a lower level.
  
• Bobby MacIntyre (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, LHW) -- Bobby MacIntyre is an undersized forward (5'9", 192lbs) with great talent who really struggled with the step up to the OHL -- in his first two seasons with the Mississauga Steelheads, he scored only 31 points in 122 games. Since finding his confidence and (probably more importantly) building up some strength to play at a level with bigger, stronger players, he's tracked up tremendously, to the point where he's currently at 71 points in 55 games this season. Great puck skills and always brings energy. As with every undersized player, he needs to skate well to make it in the NHL, so the question here is whether he can improve his skating to that point -- and there's the question of whether his adjustment struggles will continue if he makes the step to the next level.
  
• Darren Raddysh (Erie Otters, RHD) -- Darren Raddysh is a average sized player (6'1", 185lbs) with average skating ability who's played four full OHL seasons (and 24 games of a fifth) with the Otters. In his draft year he had little offensive upside and played a safe, stay-at-home game, but since then his offensive play has blossomed to the point where this year he's broken the franchise record for points in a season from a defenseman... and he's still got games to go. In his four OHL seasons, Raddysh has been a rock on defense -- right now his OHL career +/- is +133, and in 2016-17 he's been a minus player only seven times in 54 games. The biggest question here is if he's a good enough skater to make the show, and even with that caveat I'm amazed he doesn't yet have a pro contract. I'd almost guarantee he gets a contract this season from someone (Darren is the brother of Taylor Raddysh, who was on the Canadian WJC this season and is a Tampa prospect).
  
• Tyler Wong (Lethbridge Hurricanes, RHW) -- Tyler Wong is an undersized forward (5'9", 176lbs) who's scoring at an unreal rate. Sound familiar? Wong's third in the WHL in points this season with 97, and leads the league in goals. He always had the production, but only in recent years has he become a legitimate defensive presence -- something that can be difficult to do if you're not big enough to outmuscle guys. Had a Marlies tryout last season that didn't go anywhere, and deserves another look.
  
• Dominic Zwerger (Everett Silvertips, LHW) -- an average sized forward (for once! 6'0", 205lbs), Zwerger's one of very few overager imports in the CHL, and he's the best offensive winger (PPG) on Everett, the team that is about to be the lowest scoring playoff team in the WHL for a second straight year. There are other overagers who'd fit on this list who outproduce him, but most of them (oh hey there, Reid Duke) have far more help from the rest of their team, while Everett's basically just a goalie show.
  

HM: Antoine Waked, Tyler Boland, Giovanni Fiore, and Francois Beauchemin (unrelated to the other one) are all top ten in scoring in the Q, and all are set to become UFAs. Waked in particular is known as a sublime power forward who's an absolute monster on the boards. Charley GraasKamp isn't scoring quite as well, but has also been injured. Reid Duke (Nolan Patrick's linemate) and Reid Gardiner have both been impact players on their teams in the WHL this season, and Gardiner got an extended look with the Penguins AHL affiliate earlier in the year. Jalen Chatfield, Medric Mercier, and Mathieu Henderson are all OHL defensemen who have no glaring weaknesses but don't appear particularly elite at anything, which makes them interesting if they can keep improving but tough to scout cause they don't stand out. Darby Llewellyn in Kitchener has an incredibly tough name to spell and plays good defense, but if the offense isn't there it's tough to get noticed.
Next up, Euros. Most of these players, like Jakub Nakladal, fall into this sub-heading of article 8.4:

(v) a Player age 22 or older who has not been selected in a previous Entry Draft and shall be eligible to enter the League as an Unrestricted Free Agent pursuant to Article 10.1(d).

But, many of them fall into other sections -- Radulov's a good example of one:

(iii) a Player who previously played in the League and became a Free Agent pursuant to this Agreement;

Or, like with the CHL, some players are drafted and then their rights expire -- Pribyl's one of these.
Because of the nature of the Euro leagues (i.e. adult leagues) these free agents are typically older than CHL or NCAA free agents -- where the oldest CHLer is 21 and the oldest NCAAer is 24 or maybe 25, European free agents are theoretically not limited by age: Radulov's playing in his 30 year old season, and last year, Evgeni Medvedev signed with the Flyers at 33! As such, I'll be be including birth years and age in each write-up, as well as their league.

• Yevgeni Dadonov (SKA St. Petersburg (KHL), 27 (1989), LHW) -- Yevgeni Dadonov is an average sized (5'11", 185lbs) former Florida Panthers draft pick who's had three straight 45+ point seasons (46 in 53, 46 in 59, 66 in 53) in the KHL with SKA -- this year his 66 points has him fifth in league scoring. He also holds the KHL record for most goals in a single post-season with 15. There was some concern that Radulov Panarin was driving the line in past seasons, but Dadonov's play this year suggests that it wasn't just Radulov Panarin making SKA's top line tick.
  
• Victor Ejdsell (BIK Karlskoga (Allsvenskan), 21 (1995), LHC/W) -- Victor Ejdsell is only 21, but he turns 22 three weeks before the draft, so he's basically the youngest player who could fit the conditions of 8.4(v) this season (except linemate Carl Persson, below). He's an absolute monster (6'5", 214lbs) who currently leads the Allsvenskan in points with 57 (with 1.14PPG, he's also leading the fifty highest point scorers in PPG -- and he's one of only two about 1.00). He's got unreal stickhandling ability and definitely deserves a look since he's so young that this is almost certainly not his peak.
  
• Jakub Jerabek (Vityaz Podolsk (KHL), 25 (1991), LHD) -- Another year, another Jakub. After a 15-16 season where he won the award for best defenseman in the Czech Extraliga (and scored the most of any defensemen in the league), the average sized (5'11", 190lbs) offensive defenseman earned himself a KHL contract and he hasn't even missed a beat -- he made it to the KHL all-star game as a rookie. He's fifth in scoring by defensemen in the KHL, and he's a great skater.
  
• Carl Persson (BIK Karlskoga (Allsvenskan), 21 (1995), LHW/C) -- the peanut butter to Ejdsell's jam, Persson's a more normal size (6'1", 194lbs), and he's basically the budget version. Responsible two way player with an amazing release -- 44 points on the season is good for a tie for fourth in league scoring. Like with Ejdsell, Persson turns 22 three days before July 1st this year, so he's probably one of the youngest possible acquisitions you could make this contract year (from this method of free agency).
  
• Vadim Shipachyov (SKA St. Petersburg (KHL), 29 (1987), LHC) -- Vadim Shipachyov is another average sized (6'1", 190lbs) Russian who's ripping apart the KHL -- with 76 points in 50 games he leads the KHL in points per game this year. He was also a sought after player last year, rumoured to be garnering NHL interest from many teams, foremost Montreal pre-Radulov. He's a Jiri Hudler type of playmaker, with great vision and good instincts for finding open ice with passes.
  
• Henrik Tommernes (Frolunda HC (SHL), 26 (1990), LHD) -- Henrik, a 2011 Vancouver draft pick who's rights have expired, has recently been having a ton of success in both the SHL and the Champion's League (an aggregated European league) with Frolunda, a powerhouse Swedish side. Tommernes is a mainstay powerplay quarterback with great passing ability and offensive talents -- he's top ten in scoring for the SHL this season... as a defenseman. He's average sized (6'1", 185lbs) and you'd probably want more physical presence and a higher top speed from an NHLer, but he still has good defensive instincts and restricts space well.
  

HM: We could really go down a rabbit hole with European players. Some Finns on the radar are Miro Aaltonen (KHL) and Henrik Haapala (leading scorer of the FEL), both undersized skill forwards. Other solid forwards who're larger are Mathais Brome (Allsvenskan) and Fredrik Handemark (SHL, 6'4"). Another promising Czech defenseman in Radim Simek (Extraliga). Both Vladimir Tkachevs (KHLers) have had rumoured interest. I can't tell if Emil Pettersson's (SHL) rights are still owned by Nashville or not, but if not then he fits here too.
Finally, NCAA guys. Most of these players fit into 8.4(iv) or 8.4(v), but there's also the drafted Vesey's and Kevin Hayes' who take the option of going to free agency because they know there's demand for them, or the guys (like John Gilmour or Matt DeBlouw) who don't get offered a contract before their rights expire. These players are free agents either when their season ends (if they're undrafted) or on August 15th (if they are drafted and don't get offered a contract or decide to go to free agency).
Good NCAA free agents like Bozak, DeKeyser, or Vesey, typically generate a lot of hype and interest from almost every team, and because of the longer development period NCAAers go through, they're often NHL ready as soon as they sign -- in general, you've got more certainty in the player you're getting than a CHLer, but less chance of surprise upside. But there's more than just high-impact guys in the collegiate programs -- Hathaway and Jooris are both recent graduates for the Flames, and there's tons of guys who've made it to the NHL coming from the NCAA as free agents, like Torey Krug, Mike Condon, Ben Scrivens, Chris Kunitz, Jason Garrison...
Like the Euros, these players will have age/year of birth in their write-ups, but they'll also have the year of school they're completing: seniors are almost guaranteed to find a home somewhere if they're good enough, while freshman, juniors and sophomores might just stay at school.

• Zach Aston-Reese (Northeastern, Senior, 22 (1994), LHC/W) -- the arguable jewel of this year's NCAA forward class, Aston-Reese is a hard-working player who 'plays the game right' with average size (6'0", 195lbs), and that's earned him a ton of praise this year for his play in all three zones -- and unlike many defensive players, he's actually got the production to go with the praise, with 60 points in 35 games this season. He's got the heart of a grinder even though he's got great puck skills, and that willingness to go to the dirty areas and a great work ethic will help him if he goes pro. He's had enough attention to be featured in Elliotte Friedman's 30 thoughts, so expect lots of interest from scouts and some tweets about his status once Northeastern's season ends.
  
• Gavin Bayreuther (St. Lawrence, Senior, 22 (1994), LHD) -- A smart defenseman who almost certainly had offers last season, Bayreuther's an average sized (6'1", 194lbs) player who has been one of the best defensemen in the ECAC for at least two years. He's got great hockey IQ and speed, with good offense for the NCAA, but probably needs to get better physically and defensively to make the NHL (related to Ben Lovejoy of the New Jersey Devils).
  
• Kristofers Bindulis (Lake Superior State, Freshman, 21 (1995), LHD) -- Bindulis is a big, lanky defenseman (6'3", 181lbs) who's a little bit of a project, but has encouraging tools and size. He plays with poise and doesn't panic, making smart decisions and seeing the ice well. Definitely needs to add bulk to his frame, which is another reason teams might leave him in the NCAA for a bit longer.
  
• Daniel Brickley (Minnesota State, Sophomore, 21 (1995), LHD) -- rumoured to be heavily scouted this season, Brickley's got the natural build (6'3", 205lbs) that anyone wants in their defensemen. He's got a great shot and is a decent passer (27 points in 28 games), and his finesse skating is good, but he's probably not ready for actual defense and needs to get faster to be an NHLer. A big question is whether his 'family advisor' (agent) will recommend he signs now or wait another year and bet on himself to improve -- if he does, he'll get bigger offers (also, he's related to Connor Brickley of the Florida Panthers).
  
• Spencer Foo (Union, Junior, 23 (1994), RHW) -- the right winger of Vecchione, Foo was a Flames development camp invitee who didn't really stand-out there, which was enough to keep him around over guys like Sevigny who looked like garbage. An average sized (6'0", 185lbs) right winger, Foo relies on speed to open up holes in defense and lead the breakout, making him a solid asset all over the ice and also one of Union's best PKers. Clearly there was interest from the Flames last season, but Foo's younger brother is also committed to join Union next year, so he may not sign a contract.
  
• Josh Healey (Ohio State, Senior, 22 (1994), LHD) -- Josh Healey is a "throwback" blueliner, in the words of Bob Mackenzie. He's average sized (6'0", 196lbs), and his game is usually described as old school, hard hitting, and physical. Has decent numbers as a passer, but that's not why he's around. If Bob Mackenzie's writing about him, I'd almost guarantee he's signed at some point.
  
• Mike Vecchione (Union, Senior, 24 (1993), RHC) -- if Aston-Reese isn't the best of this year's crop, Vecchione probably is. As a freshman he won a championship playing with Gostisbehere and Daniel Carr, and he's probably gotten more offers since then as he's become a more and more important part of Union College's team. He plays with (Flames development camp invitee) Spencer Foo and Sebastian Vidmar, who're both also free agents, so all three have gotten eyes this year. He's an undersized player (5'10", 192lbs) with great vision and creativity who's scored 58 points in 34 games this season.
  

HM: Tyler Kelleher is 5'6" but has 59 points in 35 games this season (only Aston-Reese has more in the NCAA this season) with unreal offensive skills -- as a senior, someone's going to take a flyer on him, especially since New Hampshire's season is on life support and could be done as soon as next week. Sebastian Vidmar, the third player on the Vecchione/Foo line, is a big 6'3" LW who's better than a point per game this year -- again, if he wants a contract, he'll probably have an offer, but he's a junior and could stay if he wants. Brady Ferguson (excellent forechecker with great speed, plays in a weak conference, junior), Joe Gambardella (like the hockey version of a bulldog, senior), and Tyler Sheehy (good hockey sense and amazing shot, sophomore) are all undrafted and in the top ten in NCAA scoring and will probably draw some attention.
And that's the list. Obviously the Flames won't be signing all of these guys, but hopefully some of them are on whatever scouting list the Flames have compiled. We've got five contract slots open this season (assuming none of Andersson, Kylington, or Schneider play more than 10 NHL games this year), so there's room for at least a couple of these guys!

NC State Wolfpack
Atlantic Coast Conference
Year Founded:1887
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Student Body Size:~25,000 undergraduate, ~9,500 graduate
Mascot:Mr. Wuf & Mrs. Wuf, Bonus: live mascot, Tuffy
Cheerleaders:pic 1, pic 2, Dance Team
Fight Song:Fight Song, Red and White song, Bonus: For cuteness
Arena:PNC Arena, PNC on gameday
Arena Location: about 4 miles from campus, right next to our football stadium, Carter-Finley. PNC Arena is also used by the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes.
Conference Championships: Conference Tournament(17) Southern Conference (7), 1929, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952. ACC (10) 1954, 1955, 1956, 1959, 1965, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1983, 1987. Regular Season (7) 1955, 1956 (co-champ), 1959 (co-champ), 1973, 1974, 1985 (co-champ), 1989
National Titles: (2) 1974, 1983
2012-2013 season
Record: 24-11
Coach: Mark Gottfried, assisted by Orlando Early, Bobby Lutz, and Rob Moxley
Key Players: Lorenzo Brown, Jr. PG, CJ Leslie, Jr F, Richard Howell, Sr F.
Biggest Moments Knocking off #1 Duke in Raleigh 84-76
defeating UNC in Raleigh 91-83
Making the NCAA tournament - This is one that might be a bit confusing to some, since our season was so disappointing. But considering where we were just 3 years ago, the fact that making it to back-to-back NCAA tournaments and getting an #8 seed makes us a terribly disappointing team shows how far we have gone in just three years. No one in Raleigh is satisfied where we are right now, but we know that we are on our way.
2013-2014 season
Roster: 2013-14 roster
Schedule: Schedule not released as of yet, confirmed OOC opponents include Northwestern (ACC-B1G Challenge), Tennessee, Cincinatti, Missouri, Florida Gulf-Coast, Detroit, George Mason, Appalachian State, Campbell, and North Carolina Central.
The Greats
Greatest Games
NC State 103 Maryland 100 OT 1974 ACC Championship game
Many dubbed this as the greatest game ever played at that time. Back when conferences could only send 1 team to the NCAA tournament and the ACC had 4 teams in the top 10 that year. NC State and Maryland were both ranked in the top 4 or 5 almost all year, and met with everything on the line, as only one team could move on. The linked John Feinstein article can do the game more justice than I can.
NC State 80 UCLA 77 2 OT 1974 Final 4
What many viewed as the title game that year. I bet most people other than State and Marquette fans even know that NC State beat Marquette in the final. Most people I know assume we beat UCLA that year in the final, and it's because of the greatness of this game.
NC State 52 Houston 50, 1983 NCAA championship game
One of biggest upsets in NCAA history. Similar to our 1974 semifinal with UCLA, everyone considered the matchup between Houston and Louisville to be the seminal title game, as it was assumed that either team would smash NC State. Then the miracle occurred. If watching Jim Valvano run around, desperately searching for someone to hug, doesn't make you smile, then i'm not sure what will.
NC State 69 Pepperdine 67 2 OT NCAA 1st round NC State came back from a 8 pt deficit with under a minute to go, and won the game in double overtime.
Greatest Players:
David "Skywalker" Thompson 1972-1975)
Greatest Player in NC State history. One of the best in NCAA history. 1st overall pick in 1975 NBA draft. If his career weren't derailed by his addiction problems he would likely have gone down as one of the greatest in the NBA as well. Many believe that the obsession and measuring of vertical leap in the NBA began because of him. Video discussing his jumping
Dereck Whittenburg 1979-1983
Mr. Clutch on the 1983 title team. whenever the team needed a clutch basket, the ball was always in his hands. Phenomenal shooter.
Chris Corchiani 1988-1991
The "fire" of the "fire and ice" backcourt with Rodney Monroe. He was a sparkplug of the later Valvano teams, adn was the soul of those teams. As of his graduation he was the NCAA D1's all time career assist leader although he was passed a few years later by Bobby Hurley from Duke. He still sits 2nd all time.
Other Notable players: Dick Dickey, Tom Burleson, Monte Towe, Thurl Bailey, Sidney Lowe, Rodney Monroe, Tom Gugliotta, Julius Hodge
Greatest CoachesEverett Case 1946-1964
One of the founding father's of ACC basketball. He is often credited with the rise in popularity of basketball in North Carolina. He is also credited with starting practices such as cutting down the nets after winning a championship, and shining a spotlight on players during introductions. He won 6 Southern conference championships, 4 ACC championships, and was inducted into the basketball hall of fame in 1982. Legend has it that he asked to be buried facing Highway 70, so that he could cheer on the Wolfpack as they travelled down the road towards Durham and Chapel Hill.
Norm Sloan 1966-1980
Took NC State to new heights, culminating in the 1974 NCAA championship. He won 3 ACC titles in his career, in 1970, 1973, and 1974. Known as "Stormin Norman" for his legendary battles with Dean Smith at UNC and Lefty Driesell at Maryland. Also legendary for his famous sportscoat. He was famous for never signing a contract with NC State. At the end of every season he walked into the AD's office and asked him if they were on for another year. Upon finding out that he was earning far less than rivals Smith and Driesell he began disputing with the AD, and ultimately resigned and began coaching at Florida. his resignation ultimately led to us hiring...
Jim Valvano 1980-1990
Jimmy V. The one and only. Had one of the largest personalities I can rfemember in College coaching. Famous not only for winning the 1983 NCAA title, but also for his public bout with cancer. His ESPY speech will go down in history as one of the best inspiration speeches ever. To learn more about the cause he championed so greatly, please visit his foundation site. Jimmy V Foundation
Greatest Rivalries
NC State vs UNC In recent years this has been more fierce on the football field, but it is a rivalry in most every sport. Some younger UNC fans will try to argue that it is not a rivalry, but anyone who knows the history of the two schools knows how big of a rivalry this is. Just ask Roy Williams.
NC State vs Duke A rivalry borne mostly out of proximity and a mutual hatred of UNC. There is a rivalry none the less. Going back to Norm Sloan and Vic Bubas. They were college teammates at NC State, Bubas went on to coach Duke, Sloan to NC state and they had many classic matchups. [Duke's site explains it far more in depth]{http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=205078966).
Traditions

1. During the National Anthem, everyone in the student section and many of the rest of the crowd, yell out "RED!" when the national anthem reaches "Rocket's red glare", and then end it with "Home of the Wolfpack!" Some have said its offensive, but I tell them to get that stick out of their ass.
   
2. The band performs a "fast fight song" at each game where they sprint to the four sides of the court and play a very fast version. Then they spring back to their corner, and begin to play a very slow version while the crowd claps slowly. the clapping slowly picks up as the band's speed picks up and its time so they are back to normal speed when we yell out "GO State" in the song. Video
   

Non-Sports traditions

1. Krispy Kreme Challenge

The original. 5 miles, 12 doughnuts, 1 hour. Can you do it?

1. Hillsborough Hike-Every holiday and other random times, students go to Hillsborough St. adjacent to main campus for a huge bar crawl. Biggest ones are Halloween and the end of Fall term.

Campus and surrounding area
City Population: ~420,000
City Skyline: Daytime, Nighttime
I think Main Campus is too big for one pic, but here is a sizable portion of it Main Campus, and here is Centennial Campus
Iconic Buildings: James B. Hunt Library. Robots grab your books for you. That's right.
DH Hill Library
SAS Hall
Court of Carolina, overlooked by 1911 building
The Memorial Belltower
Local Dining Amadeo's Italian
Covered with NC State athletic regalia. Good food, great atmosphere. very close to campus.
The Player's Retreat
Good food, good beer specials. Very close to campus. Legendary history with the university.
Char-Grill
Classic burgers and fries done '60's style.
Sammy's Grill
Typical bar food, but its a great atmosphere on game days.
Cueva de Lobos
Mexican place that caters to students with great beer specials and great food.
Two Guys Pizza
Mitch's Tavern
Located on Hillsborough St, Mitch's serves excellent food on top of some great beer specials. The famous bar scene in Bull Durham was filmed here.
Hillsborough Street, which runs adjacent to Main Campus, has dozens of restaurants and bars.
What is and What is to come
For many the 2012-2013 season was a bitter disappointment. A season that began with so much hope and so much promise ended suddenly in the 1st round of the NCAA tournament. It speaks to how quickly we have started to get back on our feet after some down times, that 24 wins and an 8 seed in the tourney can be considered an utter failure, but a failure is what it was. Outside of Richard Howell, who constantly amazed the ACC with his effort, tenacity, and outstanding rebounding, it's difficult to pick out any other NC State player and say that they improved from 2011 to now. Leslie and Brown seemed to have stagnated in their growth, or even regressed. Scott Wood has always been a great shooter, but never was able to add much else to his game. Rodney Purvis didn't really live up to the expectations that were laid on him as he got to campus. There were some highs, such as beating Duke and UNC in the same year for the first time since 2003. The Wolfpack also became the 9th team in ACC history to have four 1,000 point scorers on the team at the same time (Wood, Leslie, Brown, Howell).
The 2013-14 season will see a new beginning and a new era in Raleigh. 5 of our top 6 players from last season are now gone, including Leslie and Brown leaving early, Howell and Scott Wood graduating, and Rodney Purvis transferring. NC State adds a good recruiting class led by MCD's all-american Anthony "Cat" Barber to pair with good returners Tyler Lewis and TJ Warren. TJ Warren will be asked to shoulder much of the scoring load this season, as most of the points from last year are gone, but scoring is something that he is particularly adept at. Tyler Lewis and Cat Barber will give us our PG play, and LSU transfer Ralston Turner and JUCo pickup Desmond Lee will add to Warren on the wings. A trio of freshman will pair with senior benchwarmer extraordinaire Jordan vandenberg, 4 star recruits BeeJay Anya and Kyle Washington, and 3 star Lennard Freeman. This season should be an interesting one for the Wolfpack, as many newcomers and freshman will be asked to play huge minutes. The early season should be a struggle as the guys are learning, but there is certainly talent there if they are able to figure it out.
More Information
Subreddit:/NCSU
Please upvote this thread even if you are not interested in the team so that users who are interested will see it For more information on the X Teams in X Days Project, see: Link

Wichita St Shockers
2014-15: 30-5 (17-1 in Missouri Valley play, regular season conference champs), lost to Notre Dame in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament
Head Coach: Gregg Marshall (9th year)
Projected Starting Lineup
PG Fred Van Vleet - 5'11", 195 Senior: 13.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5.2 apg
SG Ron Baker - 6'4", 217 Senior: 14.5 ppg, 4.5 ppg, 2.5 apg
SF Evan Wessel - 6'5", 221 Senior: 4.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 0.8 spg
PF Rashard Kelly - 6'7", 232 Sophomore: 2.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.4 spg
C Anton Grady - 6'8", 240 Senior: 14.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.4 bpg @ Cleveland St
Key Bench Players
G/F Zach Brown - 6'6", 205 Sophomore: 3.3 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 0.4 bpg
F/C Shaq Morris - 6'7", 258 Sophomore: 4.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.8 bpg
C Rauno Nurger - 6'10", 242 Sophomore: 2.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 0.4 bpg
C Bush Wamukota - 6'11", 234 Senior: 1.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 46% FG
Key Newcomers
G Connor Frankamp - 6'1", 175 Sophomore: 2.5 ppg, 0.6 rpg, 0.6 apg @ Kansas in 2013-14
G Tyrone Taylor II - 6'1", 165 Freshman: Consensus Top 250 prospect
G Landry Shamet - 6'4", 185 Freshman: Consensus Top 150 prospect
F Markis McDuffie - 6'8", 190 Freshman: Consensus Top 150 prospect
F Eric Hamilton - 6'9", 220 Freshman: Consensus Top 300 prospect
...................................................................................
Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday have saddled up for one last epic ride, and they've won the gunfight against their fearsome and more numerous foes... Or wait, that's not exactly right. But there's still a great story unfolding out on the high plains.
At Wichita St, senior All-Americans Ron Baker and Fred Van Vleet have decided to put off their NBA dreams for one more season. Soon after their Sweet 16 run last season ended, the veteran duo announced their joint intention to play one more season with the Shockers, and chase one more deep tourney run. Then, their coach, Gregg Marshall, spurned reportedly lavish offers from high major schools so that he could return to pursue another Final Four with his outstanding guards. Yes, for one more season, this famous posse is riding together - and they've got legendary goals in mind.
Following their miracle run to the National Semifinals in 2013, Van Vleet, Baker and Marshall carved their names alongside Ralph Miller, Antoine Carr, Xavier McDaniel and Cliff Levinson in the Shocker pantheon. Last year's victory in a winner-take-all showdown in the NCAA Tournament against Kansas served to further endear the trio to the hearts of the Wichita St faithful. Yet, this team remains hungry for more: and they've loaded up accordingly. Make no mistake; it's Final Four or bust for Wichita St in 2015-16, and no smart person is going to bet against these Shockers.
Baker and Van Vleet are complete guards; both handle well, distribute well, shoot it from deep, put the ball on the floor, get to the foul line, and check their man on the other end. They've been through all the rigors of March, and proven their mettle in ways that many players only get to dream of. By themselves, these two guards would be enough to make Wichita St a threat to advance deep in March. In a perfect world, they would have someone to hurt opponents inside and free up Baker and Van Vleet outside. Maybe a transfer. Maybe a 6'8" banger who could score. Maybe someone like Gabe Blair (6'8" transfer), or Carl Hall (6'8" transfer) or Cleanthony Early (6'8" transfer) or Darius Carter (6'8" transefer) to fill the frontcourt void for this otherwise-elite team.
Turns out, Anton Grady's your huckleberry. That's just his game.
The former Cleveland St big man has averaged 11.3 points, 7 boards, and 1.2 blocks on 50% shooting in his collegiate career. Last year, he posted career-high averages of 14.3 points, 7.9 boards, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. He notched a dozen double-doubles. He got to the foul stripe almost five times per game. And he's decided to transfer out West and play his final collegiate season at Wichita St. With that resume, he's just what the Shockers need to balance out their guards and help lead a strong cast of supporting players. Grady just needs to do a better job of avoiding turnovers and especially foul trouble in order to make the jump from Horizon League to Top 10 contender. Luckily, he's had the summer to grow comfortable in his new digs, and will be able to use the MVC conference season to truly establish his role in the offense.
Joining Grady up front will be tough-minded forward Rashard Kelly, sweet-shooting center Rauno Nurger and powerful post scorer Shaquille Morris. The addition of Grady is perfect for not just WSU's guards, but for the young big men as well. Kelly figures to start at the 4, and has a year of banging against bigger players under his belt now. A solid rebounder and feisty defender, Kelly can score around the basket but needs to work on his jump shot - even so, he canned 4 of his 9 three-point attempts as a freshman. Likewise, Nurger can step out to the 3pt arc and hit shots. He's got to add strength but is being groomed as Marshall's center of the future. With a good feel on the offensive end, Nurger could give the team a look up front that it hasn't seen since Garrett Stutz graduated. And Morris, a potential star as soon as this year, will get to be the first big man off the bench - a role that should be perfect for him at this stage of his career. A big presence both on the court and in the locker room, Shaq Morris is the Young Aristotle of this Shockers squad. He continues to get in better shape, and last year saw the benefits of a redshirt season. As a freshman, Morris posted averages to 5.4 points, 3 boards and 1.1 blocks over the team's final 22 games: those 22 games included the MVC regular season, conference tourney and postseason. If Marshall uses Morris off the bench, he can bring a serious low-post scoring threat to Wichita St's second unit, and should present a real mismatch against opponents on a nightly basis. Morris is developing a comfort level operating with his back to the basket, and projects as a poor man's type of DaJuan Blair. With explosive quickness inside and a 7-foot wingspan to compensate for less-than-ideal height, Morris is a potential star going forward. Rounding out the depth inside is deep reserve Bush Wamukota, who played in 32 games last year but never really carved out a significant role. He's the tallest player on the roster, and Wamukota can run the floor and get on the boards. He didn't make a smooth transition from JuCo last season, though, and committed a foul every six minutes he was on the floor. If Wamukota can defend more efficiently this season, he could double his minutes.
As if that frontcourt trio of Morris, Grady and Kelly plus the two sharpshooting guards wasn't enough, Marshall adds a further pair of potential high-impact guards in transfers Connor Frankamp and Peyton Allen. Frankamp, a former 4-star recruit who defected from Kansas, has to feel that much better about his decision after last season's NCAA clash of Sunflower State squads. He brings a reputation as a strong shooter, but never seemed to fit into the rotation at Kansas. With the Shockers, Frankamp should begin his career as a scorer off the bench. He also has something extra to prove right away, following an offseason DUI arrest. If everything goes according to plan for Frankamp now that he's more established, he should provide a great lift - along with Morris - for Marshall's second unit. Allen had a promising first year at Texas A&M, and he'll help to replace Van Vleet and Bakers' production next year. Unfortunately, he's got to sit out this season due to NCAA transfer rules.
That's not all Marshall has, though - oh no. The Shockers also return a prototype glue guy in swingman Evan Wessel. A former touted recruit, Wessel has seen injury and a changing roster limit his opportunities somewhat at Wichita St. Rather than transfer or complain, though, Wessel has transformed into a defensive pest, heady ballhandler and high-energy leader who does whatever his team needs from him on a given night. The Wichita native posted career highs virtually across the board last year, and dropped 12 points (on four triples) and 9 boards on Kansas in the NCAA tournament. With good size and all the experience he's gained, Wessel figures to fill a valuable role once more. No matter how much talent the Shockers add around him, Wessel has proven to be a steady and versatile presence, and he's a guy who Van Vleet, Baker, and most importantly Marshall, can trust. Additional depth on the wing is provided by Zach Brown. In just over 10 minutes per game as a frehsman, Brown proved to have solid potential. He posted great percentages; 52% from the floor, 72% from the foul stripe and 42% from 3, in his limited playing time. With a full offseason to get stronger and better, Brown could push for even more minutes. At worst, his presence on the wing gives Marshall a solid 5-man second unit. With Frankamp handling the ball and knocking down shots, one of the freshman wings, Brown as a scoring threat, Nurger spacing the floor and Shaq Morris operating under the basket, Wichita St has the depth to deliver knockout blows after the stars push opponents onto the ropes.
And since, apparently, all of that still isn't enough for Marshall, the Shockers are welcoming a strong crop of four talented freshmen who play four different positions. One of the most touted youngster is bouncy 6'7" forward Markis McDuffie. A star prospect out of New Jersey prep powerhouse St Anthony's, McDuffie turned down SMU, Maryland and VCU to play out on the prairie. Landry Shamet is a scoring guard who committed to the Shockers over offers from virtually every high major team in the midsection of the country. Eric Hamilton is a versatile power forward out of Georgia by way of Sunrise prep in Wichita, continuing Marshall's strong ties to that school. And Tyron Taylor is a 3-star combo guard from the prestigious Hargrave Academy in Virginia, who chose Wichita St over Texas. Competition for minutes behind this team's stars will be absolutely fierce, and the future will be bright going forward with the potential that as many as five underclassmen will make up Marshall's 10-man rotation.
There is little more than really needs to be said about the Shockers: they are a fantastic, deep, experienced and well-rounded college basketball team. They've been to the NCAA Tournament four years in a row, and have won 7 tourney games in those four seasons. They have won 'the Big Game' virtually every time they've earned the opportunity to play in it, against whoever you like. They've won three consecutive conference titles, and they have two All-Americans and consummate star senior leaders in Van Vleet and Baker.
Gregg Marshall has established Wichita St as a legitimate national powerhouse, and with so many talented underclassmen on this team, the success will not simply end once Van Vleet and Baker go on to become 1st Round NBA Draft picks.
Marshall and his outstanding players have built a foundation that will last, and they want this season to be their masterpiece which resoundingly affirms all of the work they've put in making Wichita St great. Another Final Four is not just a dream or a goal for these Shockers: they have all the ingredients necessary to reach the top of the mountain once again.

Wichita St Shockers

Head Coach: Gregg Marshall (8th year)
Projected Starting Lineup
PG Fred VanVleet - 5'11", 194 Junior (11.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 5.4 apg)
SG Tekele Cotton - 6'2", 210 Senior (10.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.4 apg)
SF Ron Baker - 6'3", 217 Junior (13.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.1 apg)
PF Darius Carter - 6'7", 230 Senior (7.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 0.8 bpg)
C Bush Wamukota - 7'0", 235 Junor (6.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.0 bpg @ Kilgore JC)
Key Bench Players
G/F Evan Wessell - 6'5", 215 Junior (1.2 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 0.3 apg)
Key Recruits
G Corey Henderson Jr - 6'3", 175 Freshman (3-star prospect)
G Ria'n Holland - 5'11", 160 Freshman (redshirt 2013-14)
G/F Zach Brown - 6'5", 185 Freshman (3-star prospect)
F Rashard Kelly - 6'7", 215 Freshman (3-star prospect)
F Tevin Glass - 6'8", 220 Junior (12.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, @ Northwest Florida St JC)
F Eric Hamilton - 6'8", 210 Freshman (3-star prospect)
F/C Shaquille Morris - 6'7", 265 Freshman (redshirt 2013-14)
C Rauno Nurger - 6'10", 230 Freshman (3-star prospect)
.............................................................................................
Things were following the best-case scenario script for Wichita State's 2013-14 basketball season. And then the selection committee thought 'hey, wouldn't it be cool if we gave them a 1 seed but then stuck them with Kentucky in the 2nd game?' What followed was a game for the ages, but in the end, the Shockers were left bitterly disappointed. They did everything possible to follow up (and re-prove themselves after) their improbable Final Four run...except to get back again a year later. And you know they've heard all kinds of smack about how they shouldn't have even gotten a 1 seed to begin with; they heard it from some people before they'd even begun their 2014 NCAA tourney games. They'd heard about how their undefeated regular season was tainted by playing in the MVC, that their undefeated record should have an asterisk attached, and other such bollocks.
So you've got to imagine that, despite the loss of All-American forward Cleanthony Early and a trio of frontcourt reserves to graduation, the Shockers are going to be absolutely starving for a chance to haymaker a few blue-bloods this season. And even with a (mostly) thinner, younger frontcourt that will need time to mesh, there are three massive reasons why Wichita State is still a legitimate contender to win 3 or 4 games in March. Those reasons are Fred VanVleet, Ron Baker and Tekele Cotton.
Malcolm Armistead, while not always the most efficient lead guard, had a magical run in the 2013 NCAA tourney. Fred VanVleet was a highly-regarded freshman backup who showed some of his own skills on that journey. But mostly, he was stockpiling knowledge and confidence for his sophomore year. And what a second season it was. A classic point guard who creates all sorts of opportunities for his friends, VanVleet improved hugely as a scorer last year. He shot 48% overall, 41% from 3 and 83% from the FT line. He dished out 193 assists, and turned it over only 48 times. He stole the ball 69 times, and even managed to pick up almost 4 boards every night. He showed great defensive awareness. Any way you slice it, VanVleet has emerged as one of the best point guards in America.
Tekele Cotton is a tough guy. A physical, tenacious defender who can frustrate you with quickness, sticky fingers, outstanding anticipation when he beats you to your spot or, failing all that, pure strength and desire. As if being one of the nation's top perimeter defenders wasn't enough, Cotton has improved by leaps and bounds on the offensive end throughout his career. While he's not especially fluid, Cotton has the smarts to be a steady cog in the scoring attack because of his ability to be where an opportunity crops up and his dedication to improving his outside shot. Last year he knocked down 37% of his 3's and increased his FT mark from 54 to 69%. He dished 88 assists, and was guilty of only 39 miscues. His perimeter defensive responsibilities don't stop him from grabbing boards - and his 48 on the offensive end were just as many as Early pulled down. Cotton is the type of dedicated leader that every coach would love to have on his team, and he's absolutely vital to the Shockers. Few guards do so many things as well as Cotton.
The third and biggest guard is also the smoothest - and he's a very legitimate All-American candidate. Ron Baker has a wonderful feel for the game, and is as complete an offensive weapon as any 6'3" player you're going to find. He uses his size to drive the lane, and has a great handle when hunting for his shot. He made 38% of his threes and 84% of his free throws last year. Oh, and also found time to rack up 112 assists against 61 turnovers. He's a solid rebounder and defender, though he can be beaten with pure size and/or athleticism. And yet, with Cotton's ability to guard bigger players, Baker can occasionally use his own size to give 2 guards problems. Those three guards have a great rapport with one another, and are the driving force behind the success Wichita St will continue to achieve.
While we already know what to expect from that trio, there is potential for a fourth star to emerge. Darius Carter looks to continue WSU's run of excellent JuCo power forwards. While a bit undersized, Carter has a nose for the basket and is capable of scoring points in bunches. He worked his way to serious every-game minutes in his first year with the Shockers, and even played alongside fellow transfer forward Early for long stretches. Carter knows how to get to the free throw line, though he could certainly improve his percentage (64%) once at the stripe. While the three guards should take care of the biggest chunk of scoring, Carter can give the Shockers a different look by bulling his way to the hoop, pulling defenders into the lane to open up outside shots for his buddies. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him average a dozen points and six or seven boards per night, and he showed some legitimate shot-blocking ability as a junior.
Beyond those four, there are questions - but the Shockers are set to inject a considerable amount of young talent into the mix. Perhaps the youngster with the most potential to contribute immediately is redshirt freshman Shaquille Morris. While he's much shorter than his namesake, Morris does have the girth and broad shoulders - not to mention jovial personality - fit for comparison with the Big Aristotle. Morris also has the ability to play with his back to the basket, using his big frame to post on taller players and work around them for quality looks. He also has a soft touch when necessary, and reports are that he improved his footwork and handle considerably during his year off. While weight could be an issue, Morris has already dropped from 282 pounds down under 270, and has stated his goal is to play at under 260. With lots of minutes available at the 5, he's likely to have every opportunity to start. The more experienced pick to start at center - at least early on - is Bush Wamukota, who picked WSU over Saint Louis, Auburn and Colorado St. A slender seven-footer from the JuCo ranks, he is not much of an offensive player, but brings the length and defensive skills WSU will need to avoid missing a beat up front. Wamukota doesn't appear to have the same ceiling as Morris, though, and will need to show he's improved his hands and scoring ability to see the court for more than just the opening few minutes of games.
While Morris has been trying to shed pounds, fellow redshirt Ria'n Holland is keen to pack more onto his frame. The diminutive guard used his redshirt year to work on his handle, deep shot, and bench press numbers. Holland will have to fight for the few minutes behind VanVleet because Corey Henderson Jr is a larger, stronger, 3-star combo guard. Meanwhile, wing Zach Brown is a lanky athlete who could spell Baker. While not a refined offensive player, Brown can make things happen around the basket and isn't shy about getting physical when he needs to. He's also got the quickness to be effective in transition on offense and defense.
Tevin Glass is a stout 6'8" junior who flashed scoring ability at junior college, and given the production WSU has gotten from transfers like Carl Hall, Cleanthony Early, and Gabe Blair the past few years, who is going to bet against him? It's possible that Glass could also start at the 4-5 position over Morris or Wamukota. Freshman Rashard Kelly impressed with his ability to defend multiple positions and rebound last season at Hargrave Academy in Virginia. He turned down a host of east-coast offers, including George Washington and Xavier, to play out on the Great Plains, and has the aggressive streak to push for immediate playing time. WSU coaches have said he's impressed them as much as any of the freshman this offseason with his desire to go hard after any loose ball. Also joining the young group of forwards is 6'8" forward Eric Hamilton, a lanky prospect who can play above the rim. Hamilton had offers from a half-dozen other solid 'mid major' programs, but picked the Shockers and has the diverse skillset to be an asset at WSU early in his career. Finally, there is Estonian big man Rauno Nurger, a high school teammate of Brown's. He could one day become an impact big man, but needs to get stronger. With a decent handle and shooting range out to three, Nurger is also described as hard-nosed and willing to bang near the basket. And then there are is the one returning backup: Evan Wessell. Wessell was on the verge of becoming a mainstay when injuries began to interrupt his young career, and he saw only spot minutes as a sophomore. With good size and shooting ability, he could become a valuable backup for Ron Baker. But Wessell will have to fight with the incoming youngsters for minutes, however. With so many youngsters at the same positions, it's possible that one or two of the freshman may redshirt.
Wichita St arrived two years ago. They proved that their Final Four run was hardly a fluke in winning all of their regular season and Arch Madness games this past season. Now, the M.O is to show the nation that they can not only maintain elite success, but reach new heights. VanVleet, Cotton and Baker are outstanding players who would start for almost every team in the country. Carter has the ability and now the experience to become a high-impact starter as well. There are lots of new faces, but while unproven the kids bring plenty of talent to the table. If Morris, Glass or Wamukota can nail down the center job early in the season, WSU will be better for it.
This team is tough, experienced, and very talented. And they're sick of hearing about the loss to Kentucky. What a difference a year can make, eh? Two seasons ago, the Shockers would have been delirious with just getting to the Sweet 16. Now, a return to the Final Four is the only outcome that will bring true satisfaction. With key veterans returning and potential impact newcomers, it appears there is no stopping the momentum for Gregg Marshall's crew. While the Missouri Valley Conference is much stronger this season than last, the Shockers are not terribly concerned. They have become a legitimate national powerhouse.

Memphis Tigers

Head Coach: Josh Pastner (6th year)
Projected Starting Lineup
PG RaShon Powell - 6'1", 170 Freshman (Redshirt 2013-14)
SG Markel Crawford - 6'5", 190 Freshman (Redshirt 2013-14)
SF Nick King - 6'7", 220 Sophomore (4.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.5 spg)
PF Austin Nichols - 6'8", 220 Sophomore (9.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.2 bpg)
C Shaq Goodwin - 6'9", 247 Junior (11.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.8 bpg)
Key Bench Players
G/F Kuran Iverson - 6'10", 208 Sophomore (2.5 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.7 apg)
F/C Dominic Woodson - 6'10", 300 Sophomore (2.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 0.3 bpg)
Key Recruits
G Dominic Magee - 6'3" 180 Freshman (consensus top 80 propsect)
G Avery Woodson - 6'3", 190 Junior (15.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 38% 3FG @ East Mississippi J.C)
G/F Trahson Burrell - 6'7", 190 Junior (13.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.7 apg @ Lee (TX) J.C)
F Christopher Hawkins - 6'5", 240 Junior (12.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.9 apg @ Motlow (Tennessee) St J.C) ..........................................................................................
After being a guard-reliant team for the better part of the last decade, Memphis is going to focus on the frontcourt this year. And why not? When you've got a pair of ultra-talented big guys like Josh Pastner has, you'd want to focus your attack on the painted area, too.
Pastner's team last year was what has become a typical Pastner team; extremely talented, deep, long and quick and athletic. The Tigers ran on people at will with their bevy of experienced guards, and then found good looks inside. But in what has become a co-trend of Pastner teams, the Tigers seemed to fall short of their potential in March. They were beaten by 19 points in their first American Athletic Conference tournament game. They then gutted out a good win in a back-and-forth game against an underrated George Washington team in the NCAA's. But bookending their postseason record was another blowout loss, this time to Virginia. It's not as though the Tigers flopped; they had a good year. But fans and outside observers alike have begun to wonder when Pastner will get his team into the Sweet 16 and beyond.
Memphis has bid farewell to senior guards Geron Johnson, Joe Jackson, Chris Crawford and Michael Dixon. All were impact players. Pastner will try to blend transfer veterans with his talented freshmen, but the heavy lifting this season figures to be done by returning starters Austin Nichols and Shaq Goodwin. Both young big men showed flashes of dominance last season. Nichols had six games of 17 or more points as a true freshman, and he finished strong down the stretch. In the final 12 games Memphis played last season (7 of which were against ranked teams), he averaged 11 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. He has range on his jumper and a well-developed set of moves off his first dribble. His game is mature on offense, and with added strength he should be able to score even more effectively at the rim. He also managed to avoid foul trouble most of the time, but will look to make a better living at the FT stripe; he got there only 68 times last season, and made just 54%. Nichols has a very high ceiling.
Goodwin is more of a classic post player, but that's to say he can't knock down a jumper as well. The only limits on his ascension to stardom so far have been self-inflicted; Goodwin struggles often with turnovers and fouls. If he can clean that up, he could challenge for serious national accolades. He turned in six games of 20+ points last year (and seven games of 4+ turnovers), and will become a double-double machine if he can stay on the floor for longer stretches. Like Nichols, Goodwin was under 60% from the free throw line. Considering that he got there 156 times, that's a number that needs to come up. There is potential for Nichols and Goodwin to become one of the best scoring duos of any frontcourt tandem in the nation.
The top paint reserve is Dominic Woodson, an elite talent and massive presence. Yet he didn't play a lot as a freshman, and was in Pastner's doghouse a bit. He was thrown out of a game against Gonzaga for a flagrant foul; then a week later suspended by Pastner for bad behavior on the sidelines during a game against UCF. When he was on the court, he wasn't on for long and had problems with fouls. But Woodson also has the ability to become a high-impact player, and will look for a turnaround in his second season. If he improves quickly, Memphis will boast the league's best frontcourt by the time AAC play begins.
On the wing, Nick King and Kuran Iverson return, and both youngsters provide tantalizing mismatch options. Both have developing offensive potential, and both have range out to the 3pt arc. At 6'7" and 6'10", respectively, that kind of shooting ability might be fun for Memphis and frustrating for opponents. Contrasting the long, lean, shooting forwards is JuCo import Christopher Hawkins, a 6'5" boulder that likes to roll downhill. While his perimeter game is largely undeveloped, Hawkins can handle the ball well enough and causes real problems for opposing wings with his strength going to the basket. While he may struggle with turnovers at times, and will have to prove to defenders that he can make them pay outside of the paint as well, Hawkins is a likely bet to get serious minutes. With those contrasting styles already in the fold, Trahson Burrell adds the most diverse skillset of Pastner's wings. A solid ballhandler who knows how to beat defenses with the pass and dribble, Burrell can also score and figures to earn plenty of minutes due to his ability to play in a variety of situations.
The new backcourt faces will likely take awhile to gel, as Pastner dangles the proverbial carrot of playing time and figures out which pairings work most effectively together. Powell and Crawford are a pair of former top-100 recruits who both redshirted as freshmen. Crawford used the year off to continue recovering from an ACL tear which ruined his senior season of high school ball. He is considered to be a well-rounded offensive player and potentially excellent defender. With a year in the system and of watching the tourney-tested quartet of seniors who have departed, Crawford should be ready to hit the ground running. Pastner has to hope he will average double figures and lead the backcourt scoring attack, and those are not unreasonable expectations for such a talented prospect. Powell nearly left the Memphis program in early April, but after meeting with his family and assistant coach Robert Kirby decided to re-commit to being a key player for the Tigers. Said Pastner of Powell soon after, "I got big belief in Pookie," Pastner said. "Pookie is two feet in. He's on the caravan moving forward." Powell is a very quick guard who likes to force the issue both with the ball in his hands and when guarding his man. He'll push tempo and try to get towards the rim, and if he's improved the consistency of his ballhandling and learned to play under better control, he could very well debut as the team's starting point guard. True freshman Dominic McGee will look for minutes both on and off the ball, and has a nose for the rim. McGee has bouts of turnover issues, but also can make crazy shots in the paint and has the strength and fearlessness to finish among the trees. He'll push Powell for a starting spot, and can play with him and Crawford if the Tigers go with a three guard look and their post scorers. Avery Woodson will push Crawford at the 2 guard, and brings the best outside shooting ability on the roster. He has proven capable of being his team's go-to scorer in the JuCo ranks, and whether starting or coming off Pastner's bench Woodson will look to fill a valuable role as a floor-stretching scorer from day one.
This team is somewhat mysterious. There are going to be new starters at 3 positions, and 6 of the guys who are going to play key minutes have never played a minute at Memphis before. The frontcourt could be sensational. The guards and wings pose a wide array of potential mismatches. Pastner has got to get his youngsters to play together, and more efficiently. The team returns 5 players who saw significant minutes a year ago; none shot better than Goodwin's 59% at the free throw line. That kind of self-inflicted issue is the type of thing Memphis has to avoid in order to deliver on its vast potential. While this is going to be another team that's capable of beating just about every team it encounters, the questions about living up to expectations will linger for Pastner. That is, until one of his teams makes the jump from 'might be extraordinary' to 'extraordinary'.