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NHL ENTRY DRAFT
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The 2006 NHL Entry Draft begins tomorrow at 6 p.m. ET in Vancouver.
Outdoor Life Network will be airing it live in the U.S. and you can
watch it on TSN north of the border.

There is a lot of pre-draft buzz surrounding a possible trade with
Carolina sending Jack Johnson to Pittsburgh for the #2 pick with
speculation the Hurricanes weren't happy when last summer's 3rd
overall pick declined to turn pro and Carolina having interest in
drafting Jordan Staal, the younger brother of top forward Eric Staal.
I'm sure Jack wouldn't mind being reunited with best friend Sidney
Crosby, either. Definitely something to watch for.

Five Wolverines are expected to be drafted this weekend. How do they
stack up? It all depends who you listen to.

MARK MITERA
6'3, 202 pounds
Sophomore - Defenseman

Consistently the highest rated Wolverine available for the draft is
sophomore defenseman Mark Mitera. Bob McKenzie at TSN has him rated
the 16th best prospect, while the NHL Central Scouting Bureau has him
20th among North American skaters, the International Scouting Service
ranks him 48th, and the Red Line Report considers him the fifth best
defensive prospect.

What they had to say...

From NHL Central Scouting - Is a good skater with a smooth
stride...is strong on his skates and is hard to move off the
puck...good backwards skater who pivots well...makes crisp first pass
and likes the long pass...effective shot blocker used in all game
situations...solid hitter who finishes his checks and always gives an
effort.

From ISS - He demonstrated some abilities that would warrant a high
ranking and then all of a sudden he vanishes for a period of time. His
size and strength are impressive and he does have some skills but
urgency and a consistent effort are going to be required for him to
fulfill his expectations.

From TSN - CCHA All-Rookie Team honorable mention...Played for Team
USA in '06 WJHC and went from being the 7th defenceman to a number
three...Played for the U-17 and U-18 USNTDP...Earned a gold medal at
the 2005 World Under-18s...Played for Team USA at the 2004 World
Under-17s.

From Red Line - Mark Mitera is frequently overlooked since he's not
flashy. But he is big and physical, and plays a sound defensive game.
Mitera needs to make his decisions faster in puck movement, but he's
an intelligent kid who works hard on his game and has made steady
incremental progress.

CHRIS SUMMERS
6'1, 180 pounds
Freshman - Defenseman

One of the more interesting stories to follow this draft season has
been the rise of incoming freshman defenseman Chris Summers. The
Milan, Mich. native was ranked 47th among North American skaters by
the NHL Central Scouting Bureau and 70th by the International Scouting
Service and was pretty much off everyone's radar. That is, until this
past month.

Almost out of nowhere, Summers has seen his stock rise from perhaps
being picked in the middle of the draft to being picked in the first
round. He performed very well at the NHL Draft Combine and in his team
interviews earlier this month. TSN ranks Summers the 18th best
prospect, while Red Line has him as the third best defensive prospect
and in their mock draft had him going 10th overall.

What they had to say...

From NHL Central Scouting - Very good skater with agility, mobility
and lateral quickness...has very quick feet and good balance...smooth
and sure lateral mobility opens up passing lanes for him to move the
puck quickly with confidence...good passer who can hit the open
man...good shot from the point...showed value and versatility by
playing wing at the end of the season.

From ISS: Is another draft-day wild card, mainly because there isn't
a consensus among scouts with regards to his upside potential. Used as
a forward...Hit everything... strong on the puck, excellent stride,
can be nasty in front and in the corners. Still should be a D-men...
Summers combines the whole package in terms of defensive
responsibility and the ability to enhance the offence. To have success
at the next level he must continue to improve his defensive-zone
coverage and refine his decision-making skills.

From TSN - Helped U.S. capture gold at 2006 U-18s...Played some as a
forward at U-18 World Championships, but plans on playing defense next
year at the University of Michigan.

From Red Line - Summers is vastly underrated, but there's much to
like about his game. Start with excellent footwork, strong hockey
smarts, and good puck moving skills, and add in a nasty streak and a
penchant for big hits. Summers plays the game hard and is a team-first
guy at all times.

TREVOR LEWIS
6'1, 195 pounds
Freshman - Forward

From the hockey hotbed of Salt Lake City, Utah comes forward Trevor
Lewis. The incoming freshman saw his stock sore this past season with
the USHL Clark Cup Champion Des Moines Buccaneers. Lewis was second in
league scoring with 35 goals and 40 assists and was named the Let's
Play Hockey Player of the Year, the CCM Forward of the Year, and Curt
Hammer Award winner. The NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked him 30th
among North American skaters, up from 46th in their Mid-Term
Rankings,while TSN considers him the 21st best prospect available.
Lewis is expected to be drafted either late first round or in the
second round.

What they had to say...

From NHL Central Scouting - Trevor has excellent acceleration and
quickness. He intimidates defensemen as he comes down on them with his
ability to change direction at top speed. He can shoot the puck on the
fly. Does not hesitate to pull the trigger every chance he gets. He
has good puck skills and maneuvers very quickly in traffic. Passes the
puck very well. Scores big goals and makes big plays. Has been a "go
to guy" for his coach playing in all game situations this season. Good
on faceoffs. Very effective when forechecking, forcing turnovers that
create scoring opportunities.

From ISS: Lewis went through last year's draft and didn't get
selected in the 7 rounds but that will not happen again this year. He
has continued to grow and has continued to gain confidence in the
offensive end while becoming a more efficient scoring. His trademark
is that he is very quick and is light on his feet and challenges
opponents with his speed. His DZ play is certainly a concern but he
has electric feet and an ability to dart in and out of traffic that
allows him to create offensive chances.

From TSN - Won USHL player and forward of the year and Curt Hammer
award for most gentlemanly player...Was voted a USHL first team
all-star...Won U.S. junior player of the year award...Will attend the
University of Michigan next year...Finished 2nd in USHL points (75),
goals (35) and SHG (6)...Had 7 game winners and 13 power play markers
this year...Tied with teammate Kyle Okposo for league lead in playoff
points (16)...Was a +25 (4th in league) this year and finished with
236 shots (3rd in league).

BILLY SAUER
6'2, 170 pounds
Sophomore - Goaltender

The ups and downs of Billy Sauer's freshman season is definitely
reflected in his ranking. The NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked Sauer
13th among North American goalies, a drop from 4th in the Mid-Term
Rankings.

Sauer accelerated high school to join the Wolverines a year early
after Al Montoya left for New York. He helped the Wolverines out to a
9-1-1 start and No. 1 national ranking. Then Minnesota and Wisconsin
came to town, and that's where the turning point occured. Sauer seemed
to lose some confidence and consistency after that weekend. He started
to split nearly every game with senior Noah Ruden before coach Red
Berenson finally went with the senior full-time in February. Sauer had
a chance to regain the top spot during the last weekend of the regular
season against Ferris State. The Wolverines jumped out to a 3-0 lead
in the season finale, but Sauer gave up three third-period goals and
lost the game in overtime and his hopes of regaining the role for the
playoffs.

What Sauer had to say...

From The Ann Arbor News - "Wherever I go doesn't make me any
different a player, so I don't really care that much about that kind
of stuff."

Prediction...

Just a total guess, but if Sauer is still available by the 4th or 5th
round, I think the New Jersey Devils might take a shot with him.
During the Northern Michigan series in Marquette that Sauer and the
Wolverines swept, I was standing right next to a Devils scout who was
very impressed with his athletic ability.

BRIAN LEBLER
6'2, 195 pounds
Freshman - Forward

Considered one of the top power forwards in the BCHL, Lebler was
ranked 92nd among North American skaters by Central Scouting. He
netted 23 goals in 54 games for the Penticton Vees.

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THREE TIME CHAMP
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Just a quick congrats to former Wolverine defenseman Aaron Ward on
capturing his third Stanley Cup championship. Ward scored the opening
goal for Carolina in Game 7. Unlike his previous two championships in
Detroit, Ward played a critical role for the Hurricanes defense. He
becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer, however he stated in
an article recently that he expects to be back in Carolina.

As for his plans for his day with Stanley, Ward plans on bring the Cup
to family and friends in Detroit and Windsor, and will be making a
special trip to Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor. He said he
also plans on throwing a Stanley Cup party fundraiser for the
hospital, where he'll invite 400 guests and ask each to make a donation.

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I'll have an NHL Draft update on the website tomorrow night as it
occurs, and will send out another update later in the night.

That's all for now...

Go Blue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/