NFHL Future s Top 20 Players Not Playing in the NFHL 1984 Edition

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1 NFHL Future s Top 20 Players Not Playing in the NFHL 1984 Edition The most highly anticipated, always appreciated, review of the best players outside of the NFHL is back! Last year s top prospect, Ron Francis, graduated to the pros and a new number one is has been named. Only players 22 years of age and younger who have played the majority of games outside of the NFHL are eligible. The rankings are based on their performance in the 1984 season, with some consideration given to future projections. Rank Previous Player Team 1 15 Nikolai Borschevsky Los Angeles Kings 2 NR Dominik Hasek Boston Bruins 3 7 Ron Hextall Detroit Red Wings James Patrick Calgary Flames 5 16 Brian Mullen New York Islanders 6 NR Pat Verbeek Boston Bruins 7 NR Bobby Carpenter Colorado Rockies 8 2 Brian Bellows Los Angeles Kings 9 12 Steve Yzerman Hartford Whalers 10 NR John MacLean Boston Bruins 11 NR Kirk Muller Chicago Blackhawks 12 NR Ray Sheppard Vancouver Canucks Brent Sutter Edmonton Oilers 14 NR Luc Robitaille Quebec Nordiques 15 8 Kjell Dahlin Montreal Canadiens 16 NR Gary Suter Philadelphia Flyers 17 NR Tom Barasso Edmonton Oilers 18 NR Patrick Roy Buffalo Sabres 19 NR Brian Lawton Los Angeles Kings 20 9 Doug Gilmour Toronto Maple Leafs

2 1. Nikolai Borschevsky After a surprising sophomore season in which he racked up 41 goals, Nikolai Borschevsky followed that by winning the NMFHL scoring title. At just 20 years of age, the future appears bright for the Soviet forward. He utilizes a quick-release shot that allows him to shoot in tight spaces and his skating has improved markedly from last season. He should not have any difficulties when he moves to the NFHL in the next year or two. For Nikolai, it s never going to be a question of talent. The last two seasons have proven that he is an elite talent. His lack of size and intensity are the only things that could keep him down on the farm. Nikolai needs to get stronger or he will get pushed around by the bigger, meaner players lurking in the NFHL. Once he does that, expect for Nikolai to take the NFHL by storm! Projection: All Star, 100 point forward 2. Dominik Hasek Inexplicably passed over by the Toronto Maple Leafs in favor of Ed Belfour, Hasek was drafted by the Calgary Flames 8 th overall in the 1983 draft. Less than a year later, Hasek was traded for Bernie Nicholls and ended up in Boston. Since then, Hasek has blossomed into an elite net minder, recording the lowest goals against award in the NMFHL. Unlike Nikolai Borschevsky, Hasek is incredibly intense and he plays every game likes it s a playoff game. With cat-like reflexes, Hasek loves to challenge shooters and, more often than not, he makes the save. If there is a drawback to Hasek s game, it is puck handling. He hasn t adapted to the North American style which has led to some rather embarrassing moments for the young Czech. Note to Hasek: Never play the puck behind the net! Projection: Vezina Trophy Winner 3. Ron Hextall Rising 4 spots to number 3 on the list, Hextall is very Brandon, MB 19 Round 1-10th (1982) close to making his debut in the NFHL. He could probably supplant Glenn Hanlon as the Red Wings backup, but the expansion draft has most likely pushed 6'3" 191 G Hextall s arrival to Like Hasek, Hextall GP GAA aggressively cuts down the angles on shooters and has the quickness to scramble back to the net. Hextall is also an excellent puck handler and almost scored a goal from the other side of the ice. Projection: Vezina Trophy Winner Tomsk, USSR 19 Round 1-11th (1982) 5'9" 180 RW Pardubice, Czechoslovakia 19 Round 1 8th (1982) 6'1" 165 G GP GAA

3 4. James Patrick Patrick was the anchor of a Timmins team that finished second in the NMFHL last season. He doesn t put up flashy numbers, but that is most likely due to the absence of star forwards on the team. At 20 years of age, the former 1st round pick of the Winnipeg Jets is the complete package and is used to shut down the opposing team s best forwards. Patrick is probably polished enough to make the jump to Calgary next season given the win now attitude in Calgary. Winnipeg, MB 20 Round 1-11th (1981) 6'2" 200 D Projection: Norris Trophy Finalist NFHL ETA: Brian Mullen Apparently, the Islanders felt that Mullen needed another year or seasoning in Portland. Many thought that Mullen s time in Portland would be short lived, but the Islanders depth at forward has allowed Mullen time to blossom into a very good player. Power forwards generally take longer to develop than speedy forwards and Mullen has steadily increased his production and he looks to be ready to jump back to the pro squad. Either that or he will be trade bait as the Islanders looks to defend their championship. New York, NY 21 Round 1-14th (1980) 5'10" 180 LW Projection: 40 goal scorer NFHL ETA: Pat Verbeek The little Rat, Pat Verbeek is not an easy man to ignore. At just 5 feet 9, the stocky forward can be heard during each break in action chirping until his opponents are at the point of madness. This little rat is not just an agitator; Verbeek has great hands and vision. He probably would have hit the magical 50 goal mark and won the scoring title, if not for an ill-timed 11 game stint in Boston late in the season. The time in Boston showed that Verbeek will be a player in the league for many years to come. Sarnia, ON 20 Round 1 6th (1982) 5'9" 190 LW Projection: 40 goal scorer

4 7. Bobby Carpenter Bobby Carpenter arrived in Colorado as part of the Ron Greschner trade with Edmonton. Carpenter plays wise beyond his years. He is future captain material (once Tapio Levo retires) and will be the defensive conscious of the team. Ranked at number 7, Carpenter is not just a defensive dynamo. As his 38 goals attest, Carpenter has solid hands and that should translate to him being a top 6 forward for the Rockies sometime in the near future. Like his namesake, Bobby will soon replace his idol, Bob Gainey, as the top two way player in the league. Beverly, MA, USA 21 Round 1-13th (1981) 6'0" 200 C Projection: 35 goal scorer & Defensive Specialist NFHL ETA: Brian Bellows While his point totals was virtually the same as last season s, it might be a surprise to many to see Bellows drop all the way down from the 2 nd spot. Upon closer analysis, Bellows has regressed in almost every facet of his game. His goals are down from 49 to 37 and his penalty minutes are up. After failing to make the Kings squad, Bellows has played with chip on his shoulder. The more aggressive game was expected to translate into more scoring chances. Instead, Bellows has been more undisciplined and he has shot the puck less, causing his stock to drop somewhat. At just 20 years of age, Bellows still has time to develop into the top prospect that he was projected to be last season. Projection: Borderline All Star, 35 goal scorer 9. Steve Yzerman St. Catherine s, ON 20 Round 1-5th (1982) 5'11" 210 LW The 1983 top pick has been progressing nicely down in Connecticut. Playing on a very mediocre team, Yzerman has focused on improving the defensive part of his game. He played inconsistent at times, which is expected of most young players trying to learn the ins and the outs of the game. With two solid seasons of the AHL under his belt, Yzerman was called up to play with Hartford during the playoffs. He didn t look out of place in the Whalers run to the conference final and the experience will prove invaluable as he attempts to stick with the pro squad next season. Cranbrook, BC 18 Round 1-1st (1983) 5'11" 185 C Projection: All Star, 90 point forward

5 10. John Maclean Add John Maclean to list of Boston s top prospects. The Bruins are replicating the LA Kings model of redevelopment by infusing solid forwards to complement an elite goaltender. Consider John Maclean the yin to Pat Verbeek s yang. The gritty forward has a nose for the net, and like his counterpart, Maclean isn t afraid to get his nose dirty. The deadly Bruins combo was the top line in the NMFHL and aim to replicate that success to the pros in the next few years. At just 19 years of age, it wouldn t be surprising to see Maclean lead the NMFHL in points in the near future. Projection: 2 nd line point forward 11. Kirk Muller The pride of Kingston, Ontario enjoyed a fine rookie season while playing for a horrible team in South Bend. While the team didn t have much success, Muller was a pleasant surprise, Kingston, ON 18 Round 1 6th (1984) leading the team in points. At first glance, Muller doesn t do anything that stands out. In fact, he kinda looks like an Average 6'0" 205 LW Joe. He already has the pro-typical body to play in the NFHL, but he lacks refinement. Management appears to have Muller on the same development path as former South Bender, Darryl Evans. That would be a wise path to take with Muller. He could use a few more years down at Notre Dame. Projection: 2 nd line, 30 goal scorer. NFHL ETA: Ray Sheppard Oshawa, ON 19 Round 1-19th (1983) 6'0" 200 RW Not exactly, the fleetest of foot, Sheppard knows how to do one thing well and that s score. Sheppard s line of Torrie Robertson and Mikal Pivonka racked up nearly 300 points to lead the Kamloops team to the top of the NMFHL standings. Sheppard has a nose for the net and will just plant himself in front of it. He s deceptively strong and is extremely hard to move which creates all sorts of problems for screened goaltenders. Once Ray improves his skating, he should turn into a very productive professional. Pembrooke, ON 18 Round 1 (1984) 6'1" 195 LW Projection: 40 goal scorer

6 13. Brent Sutter Dropping one spot is the last remaining farm teamer of the heralded Oiler dynasty. The absence of Ron Francis and Bobby Carpenter hurt Sutter s productivity, which is the main reason for his drop. The departures left a huge void in leadership which Sutter inexplicably did/could not fill. Sutter has immense talent and will make the Oilers team sooner rather than later. His lack of discipline is a reason for concern, but those problems will be sorted out in Edmonton. Otherwise, Sutter could be riding the lonely roads in Red Deer once again. Viking, AB 21 Round 1-11th (1980) 6'0" 188 LW Projection: Third Line, 70 point forward 14. Luc Robitaille If only the Nordiques has selected Brett Hull. Those were the words muttered by the young Montrealer after GM Andy Leblond destroyed the alternate universe and took Lucky Luc with the 3 rd overall pick. It s no secret that Robitaille had his sights set on the bright lights of Los Angeles. Forever linked, Luc toiled in Fredrickto (minus the N), while Hull played a major role in the resurgence of the Kings, finishing 2 nd in the Calder vote. Luc played well in his rookie season, averaging almost a point per game. He s not the fastest skater and, like so many other forwards these days, it s his nose for the net that will eventually see him called up to the Nordiques club. Judging by the development plan of management, Luc will be a name to remember for a few more top 20 lists as he perfects his craft. Projection: 35 goal power forward 15. Kjell Dahlin He s fast, he stickhandles well, and he has a rocket of a shot. He favorably compares to Kent Nilsson. That was the scouting report last season for Kjell Dahlin. Scanning a few lines further and there is this little nugget, What remains to be seen is whether his General Manager has the patience to see his development through to completion. One year later and Dahlin is no longer property of the Washington Capitals, but instead a member of the Montreal Canadiens, having been acquired as part of the Rick Martin deal. The turmoil did not benefit the forward as his numbers were down across the board. As a result, his ranking has dropped. Projection: 30 goal scorer Montreal, QUE 18 Round 1 3rd (1984) 6'1" 185 RW Timra, Sweden 20 Round 1-18th (1981) 6'0" 175 RW

7 16. Gary Suter A surprising trade by the Flyers put the Flyer with the 5 th pick and, with their Nostradamus like draft projections, they selected Gary Suter. He had some growing pains in his rookie season and looked, at times, very much out of place. At other times, he looked like a future Norris Trophy winner. He already has the skills to play in the NFHL and probably could have made the team, if they weren t the two time defending champions. Instead, Suter was paired with Marty McSorely down in Sulphur. The two fed off each other striking fear in opposing forwards, punishing anybody that was foolish enough to cross the blue line with their head down. Suter plays with a mean streak and his ability to control his rage will determine whether he becomes Larry Robinson or Rob Ramage. Projection: Norris Trophy Finalist 17. Tom Barasso 69. No, it s not some sort of double-entendre. The number represents the astonishing number of games that Tom Barasso played this season. Only Jeff Reese played more games (73). Want to know Reese s GAA? A ridiculous 7.63!! That just shows how impressive Barasso was this season. Ranking in the top ten in goals against, Barasso was the only goaltender to play more than 60 games, the only to play more than 55 games, and one of only 2 to play more than 50 games. Barasso is a workhorse and the future in net for the Oilers. At 6 feet 3 inches, there isn t much that he can t see, whether a forward trying to obstruct his view or a defender trying to block a shot. Not as quick as his contemporaries (Hasek, Hextall, or Roy), he plays a traditional style in net and uses his long limbs to bat the puck away. Barasso could use a year or two of development before getting the call up, but that will depend on whether the Oiler use him as trade bait to upgrade on John Davidson in net. Projection: All Star Goaltender NFHL ETA: Patrick Roy Madison, USA 18 Round 1-5th (1984) 6'0" 205 D Boston, USA 19 Round 1-12th (1983) 6'3" 210 G GP GAA As the second pick in the heralded 1984 draft class, a lot is expected of Patrick Roy. Fellow top picks Mario Lemieux and Brett Hull competed all season long for the Rookie of the Year. So how did Patrick, the self-anointed King, fare in his rookie season? Judging by the reviews, it was mostly positive. Roy has already shown that he was markedly better than Ken Holland, recording a GAA of almost a half goal per game better. At 18 years of age, Roy has the best Montreal, QUE 18 Round 1 2nd (1984) 6'2" 190 G GP GAA

8 reflexes in the minors and stole a handful of games while his team was badly outshot. Roy plays with supreme confidence, almost to the point of arrogance. The thing is: Roy is that talented. With the proper development, Roy has a ceiling above Hasek and Hextall. He can be that good. Projection: Vezina Trophy Winner 19. Brian Lawton Do you smell that? Probably not! That s because Brian Lawton does not stink anymore!! The Kings were panned for taking Lawton at 17 th instead of Peter Zezel or John Maclean. Two years later and it appears that the Lawton pick just might be justified. Playing with Brian Bellows and Nikolai Borschevsky, Lawton notched his first 100 point season. As a sophomore, Lawton played with confidence, something that was sorely missing from his rookie year. He shot the puck more and, in turn, that created more opportunities for his line mates. Lawton isn t quite pro-ready yet. Like many other young players, his body needs time to fill out before he can make the jump to the Kings roster. Unlike last season, his jump to the NFHL seems like a matter of WHEN, not IF. Projection: Top 9 forward, 30 goal scorer NFHL ETA: Doug Gilmour Dubbed The future captain of the Maple Leafs, Dougie G just wants to hit reset or delete on his 1984 season. Nothing went right for him. He had an awful training camp which was followed up by a very inconsistent season. In fact, there were rumblings that the unthinkable had occurred: Toronto had secretly put him on the trade block. Whether that is true or not, remains to be seen. As the former 1 st overall pick, 1985 will be a make or break year for the young center. Another season like the last and not only will be a former Maple Leaf, but he will also be left off this list. It s time for Gilmour to decide if he wants to be an NFHL player or just a career NMFHLer. Projection: Top 6 forward, 80 points New Brunswick, USA 19 Round 1 17 (1983) 6'0" 180 LW Kingston, ON 20 Round 1-1st (1982) 5'11" 175 C