Taking peek at prospects

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/11/2011 (5085 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

UNIONDALE, NY — It has been said a gazillion times that the long, gruelling NHL season is a marathon, not a sprint. And that, in part, explains why the Winnipeg Jets opted to pit stop in south Florida on Tuesday during their longest road trip of the season before heading north for New York/New Jersey.

Recharge, regroup, reload and all that jazz.

(It also begs the question that if the shinny season is akin to a 26-mile run and not a 100-yard dash, then why don’t more NHL GMs scout Kenyan distance runners for talent? But we digress…)

Now, with all that in mind we thought we’d take this opportunity while the Jets take a mental and physical maintenance day to check in on some of their prospects down on the farm and in junior hockey. Call this our Jets Farm Report, which we will serve up periodically during the season…

THE AFFILIATE

St. John’s IceCaps (AHL)

Record: 5-2-3; 13 pts (heading into Tuesday’s game against Worcester); first in Atlantic Division

Notable: The IceCaps had dropped two straight OT games before Tuesday and have set up atop the Atlantic without a single player in the AHL Top 20 scorers.

Bad News First

— St. John’s is last in the AHL on the power play.

— Veteran netminder David Aebischer’s numbers: a 2-3 record, 3.18 goals against average and so-so .881 save percentage.

The Good Stuff

— Defenceman Paul Postma, who impressed during Jets’ camp with his offensive skill set, leads the IceCaps in scoring with two goals and six assists in nine games.

— LW Carl Klingberg leads the team in goals with six in 10 games and is a +3.

— D Zach Redmond is a solid +6 and has four assists in 10 games.

— G Peter Mannino (called up to Jets) had a 2.47 GAA and .902 save percentage and is 2-2 before joining the big club.

THE 2011 Draft Picks

(Heading into Tuesday games)

C Mark Scheifele, Barrie Colts: Has lit it up since returning to Barrie with two goals and six assists for eight points in just three games. Already he is fourth in Colts’ scoring. Hoping to have a big role for Canada at the WJC.

LW Adam Lowry, Swift Current Broncos: The big winger is playing with some oomph — leads the Broncos in penalty minutes, but is also second on the team in scoring with five goals and 16 assists in 16 games.

D Brennan Serville, University of Michigan: Has three assists in seven games in his first season with the Wolverines.

D Zach Yuen, Tri-City Americans: Three goals, six assists for nine points and a solid +12 in 16 games. Is seeing significant time on the power-play and penalty-kill units.

RW Austen Brassard, Belleville Bulls: Has five goals, seven assists in 14 GP; tied for team lead in scoring.

G Jason Kasdorf, Des Moines (USHL): Has posted a 1-3-1 record with a 4.26 goals against average and .854 save percentage for a squad that has struggled to open the season.

D Aaron Harstad, Colorado College: A freshman with the Tigers after playing in the USHL. Has one assist in two games so far this season.

FIVE WORTH TRACKING

C Ivan Telegin, Barrie Colts: The 2010 fourth-round draft pick has three assists in six games.

G Fredrik Petterson-Wentzel: Considered the best goaltender prospect in the Jets system, Petterson-Wentzel is the No. 2 netminder for Farjestad of the Swedish Elite League and has appeared in four games this year with a 3.44 GAA and .875 save percentage).

D Will O’Neill, University of Maine: This seventh-round pick from 2006 is now a senior and has one goal and four assists in six games to lead all Maine D-men in scoring.

D Cody Sol, Kitchener Rangers: Big dude (6-6, 242) who showed something at Jets’ camp and is back in the OHL.

RW Vinny Saponari, Northeastern University: Punted from Boston University after helping lead the school to a national title for ‘rules violations’ — for which Saponari defended himself — he spent last year in the USHL and is now tied for the team lead in scoring.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca Twitter:@WFPEdTait