nivek_wahs
04-04-2007, 02:56 AM
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/story.html?id=eba2d00d-be3a-43e1-b1d0-2c9788cc10b1
Potential draftees raising eyebrows
Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Wednesday, April 04, 2007
The Regina Pats' Class of 2007 is scoring high marks in the playoffs.
Defenceman Nick Ross, goaltender Linden Rowat and wingers Brett Leffler and Michael MacAngus all distinguished themselves in various ways during Regina's first-round triumph over the Swift Current Broncos.
As luck would have it, all four players are also eligible for the 2007 NHL entry draft.
"Obviously the farther you go (in the playoffs) the more chance you have of people seeing what you can do," offered Ross. "I feel very fortunate that I'm on a team like this. Hopefully we can keep going because when the team plays good it makes everyone look good."
Ross was a physical force for the Pats in Game 6 against the Broncos while finishing the series with four assists and a team-best plus-six rating.
Rowat also had his best performance in the deciding game, a 2-1 overtime decision. He started all six contests, posting a 4-2 record with a 2.21 goals-against average, a .923 save percentage and one shutout.
Leffler helped set the tone with his physical game, shot-blocking talents and with his work on the penalty kill, which is ranked No. 2 in the league during the playoffs at 90 per-cent efficiency. By the way, he also scored the overtime winner in Game 6.
MacAngus is tied with Garrett Festerling for the team lead with four goals. His nine points are second behind Festerling, who' leading the league in that category.
"Team success leads to individual success," noted Rowat. "When everyone is chipping in and doing their part, it makes you look good individually. Definitely the team has contributed to my individual success."
Ross, Rowat and Leffler made the grade in the mid-season rankings by Central Scouting. Based upon their recent performances, it's reasonable to think all three will have seen their stock rise when the final rankings are released later this month.
"It's a talented group," noted GM Brent Parker. "They're all playing to their potential and contributing."
That includes MacAngus, who didn't make the cut for the Central Scouting midterm rankings. However, it wasn't until after Christmas that the gritty 18-year-old turned his game up a notch.
"He's a tremendously smart player," noted Parker, who acquired MacAngus on Jan. 10 from the Saskatoon Blades. "He knows how to get to open ice, he goes to the corners and he can finish a little bit. He's maybe not the fleetest of foot but he's not a terrible skater by any stretch. If I'm an NHL guy, he's certainly somebody I'd be thinking about."
Central Scouting ranked Ross No. 17 among North American skaters while Rowat came in at No. 6 among North American goalies and No. 1 in the WHL. Leffler was rated 132nd overall in North America.
"I don't worry too much about the draft," said Leffler. "I just want to win a Memorial Cup. This second round is going to mean a lot to us. Now that we a round, we know what it's going to take. But it's going to be even harder."
MacAngus agreed.
"I don't focus on it that much but people come up and ask if I think I'm going to get drafted," he said. "I just say, 'We'll see in the summer.' Obviously everyone wants to get drafted. That's why we all play, to make it to the NHL. But if you worry about that too much your play is just going to go down because you're not focused on the game and what the teams needs to be done."
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007
Potential draftees raising eyebrows
Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Wednesday, April 04, 2007
The Regina Pats' Class of 2007 is scoring high marks in the playoffs.
Defenceman Nick Ross, goaltender Linden Rowat and wingers Brett Leffler and Michael MacAngus all distinguished themselves in various ways during Regina's first-round triumph over the Swift Current Broncos.
As luck would have it, all four players are also eligible for the 2007 NHL entry draft.
"Obviously the farther you go (in the playoffs) the more chance you have of people seeing what you can do," offered Ross. "I feel very fortunate that I'm on a team like this. Hopefully we can keep going because when the team plays good it makes everyone look good."
Ross was a physical force for the Pats in Game 6 against the Broncos while finishing the series with four assists and a team-best plus-six rating.
Rowat also had his best performance in the deciding game, a 2-1 overtime decision. He started all six contests, posting a 4-2 record with a 2.21 goals-against average, a .923 save percentage and one shutout.
Leffler helped set the tone with his physical game, shot-blocking talents and with his work on the penalty kill, which is ranked No. 2 in the league during the playoffs at 90 per-cent efficiency. By the way, he also scored the overtime winner in Game 6.
MacAngus is tied with Garrett Festerling for the team lead with four goals. His nine points are second behind Festerling, who' leading the league in that category.
"Team success leads to individual success," noted Rowat. "When everyone is chipping in and doing their part, it makes you look good individually. Definitely the team has contributed to my individual success."
Ross, Rowat and Leffler made the grade in the mid-season rankings by Central Scouting. Based upon their recent performances, it's reasonable to think all three will have seen their stock rise when the final rankings are released later this month.
"It's a talented group," noted GM Brent Parker. "They're all playing to their potential and contributing."
That includes MacAngus, who didn't make the cut for the Central Scouting midterm rankings. However, it wasn't until after Christmas that the gritty 18-year-old turned his game up a notch.
"He's a tremendously smart player," noted Parker, who acquired MacAngus on Jan. 10 from the Saskatoon Blades. "He knows how to get to open ice, he goes to the corners and he can finish a little bit. He's maybe not the fleetest of foot but he's not a terrible skater by any stretch. If I'm an NHL guy, he's certainly somebody I'd be thinking about."
Central Scouting ranked Ross No. 17 among North American skaters while Rowat came in at No. 6 among North American goalies and No. 1 in the WHL. Leffler was rated 132nd overall in North America.
"I don't worry too much about the draft," said Leffler. "I just want to win a Memorial Cup. This second round is going to mean a lot to us. Now that we a round, we know what it's going to take. But it's going to be even harder."
MacAngus agreed.
"I don't focus on it that much but people come up and ask if I think I'm going to get drafted," he said. "I just say, 'We'll see in the summer.' Obviously everyone wants to get drafted. That's why we all play, to make it to the NHL. But if you worry about that too much your play is just going to go down because you're not focused on the game and what the teams needs to be done."
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007