Ryan Yessie's Thoughts on Belleville from December 13

Ryan Yessie was able to attend the Bulls vs. the Sting last Saturday. Sarnia returned the favour on Belleville from last month. Belleville got out to a quick 2-0 lead before Sarnia scored 4 unanswered goals to defeat the East leading Bulls 4-2. Belleville ran out of gas by the middle of the second after playing 3 games in 3 nights.

Here are Ryan's thoughts on the Bulls...

Bjorn Krupp - YOB: 1991 - 6’2” - 190 lbs. NHL: Eligible in 2009
Report: Dec/13/08: I have heard the good and the bad about Krupp, and I was able to see him first hand. He really didn’t impress me, he had good positioning defensively, and played his own zone very well, but no skating, puck movement or offensive abilities to really speak of. However between the good reports, and his last name he should hear his name called sometime in the late rounds of 2009. But keep in mind Uwe Krupp went late in the draft and went a few years before his name became known, so this may be the same for Bjorn as he really showed no glaring weaknesses.

Shawn Lalonde - YOB: 1990 - 6’1” - 190 lbs. NHL: 3rd Round - 68th Overall by Chicago in 2008
Report: Dec/13/08: Lalonde played fairly well he displayed some speed and ability to rush the puck on occasion. Lalonde was very good with his positioning, and what really surprised me was his big shot from the point. Lalonde doesn’t look like anything special out there, but at the same time if he continues his course, he could one day be a #5 defenceman that can help out in the mould of Mike Van Ryn without quite the natural talent Van Ryn entered the league with, or as much physicality, but you can tell Lalonde has put on some muscle since last year. (Lalonde had 4 PIM)

Stephen Johnston - YOB: 1990 - 6’1” - 185 lbs. NHL: 6th Round - 181st Overall by Detroit in 2008
Report: Dec/13/08: I’ll be honest I didn’t know what the hell the Red Wings were thinking drafting this guy, he didn’t look like anything special and he didn’t contribute much offensively. However the Red Wings have earned the right to draft questionable players, because they always seem to pan out. Johnston is starting to show why the Red Wings were so adamant about selecting him. He displayed great speed, possibly the fastest skater on Belleville on this night. His key to success seems to be the way he glides down the ice, he has effortless looking strides but travels so fast. He was effective in all 3 zones. He also distributed the puck very well throughout the game, especially early setting up Tyler Randell twice. (Johnston had 2A, 2 PIM)

Tyler Randell - YOB: 1991 - 6’1” - 195 lbs. NHL: Eligible in 2009
Report: Dec/13/08: Randell looked fairly impressive, he drove to the net, and made scoring chances happen, and they happened for him on this night. Two goals before the game was even 8 minutes in. Randell showed great patience on the first goal outwaiting the veteran Spence and had an open cage to put it into in the end, the second goal he just ripped a wrist shot past the net minder. If it wasn’t for a great save Randell would have had a hat-trick. He plays with an edge at times but that seems to get him into penalty trouble sometimes. His size and speed don’t exactly stand out, but he shows a willingness to drive to the net, and at 17 the way he plays he could turn into a project that pays off in the end for some team out there. (Randell had 2 G)

Nick Palmieri - YOB: 1989 - 6’2” - 215 lbs. NHL: 3rd Round - 79th Overall by New Jersey in 2007
Report: Dec/13/08: What can i say, this guy looks like a real NHL prospect. Considering his size I haven’t seen a big man skate like that since Anthony Stewart when he was with Kingston. To some Anthony Stewart might be a somewhat mediocre name to compare him to, but those who saw Stewart play in Kingston would know why I’m making this comparison. This was one of those games where stats didn’t tell the whole story. He drove to the net hard, protected the puck impressively well, and was willing to move the puck appropriately to set up the right play. He was reading and anticipating the play very well. He used his body more than I’ve ever seen him, and he certainly played bigger than his already imposing size. I liked the way Palmieri played and I seriously believe if he can continue to improve his game the way he has he could turn into a 2nd line power forward.

Matthew Tipoff - YOB: 1990 - 5’11” - 180 lbs NHL: Eligible in 2009
Report: Dec/13/08: Like Stephen Johnston; Tipoff went under most teams radar last year and didn’t produce too much. He as well could have landed a late round pick, however his birthdate was in October which left his first draft eligible year to be 2009. Tipoff played great, he showed off some solid skating abilities, always had his stick in the passing lanes, and played with a very high amount of energy throughout the game and was continuously a nuisance to whoever had the puck for the Sting when he was on the ice. He doesn’t have a great deal of positioning as he was noticeable because he was flying around the ice and didn’t stop moving his feet. I was impressed with this considering they played 3 games in 3 nights, and Belleville was not at their highest level tonight. Tipoff moved the puck well, and looks like a legitimate mid round prospect that may be worth taking a chance on. (Tipoff had 1A)

Philip Grubauer - YOB: 1991 - 6’0” - 165 lbs. NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Dec/13/08: With a late birthdate Grubauer won’t be eligible till next year, but with the way Mike Murphy is playing I was fortunate enough to see him play as he has only played 3 games in the past month. He played his best game in over a month, but still let in a soft goal. He looks like he may have some potential but it’s hard to tell as he did have a tired team in front of him, but makes you appreciate even more what Murphy has done on a nightly basis. Grubauer played fairly well positionally, but his biggest weakness seemed to be when players were driving or crashing the net, he appeared to become very nervous and that was the result of two of the three goals allowed. He needs to focus on the shooter first and not be distracted by whats going on around him if he wants to turn into a legitimate prospect. (Grubauer stopped 31 of 34 shots)