McArdle made a great leap forward in 2004-05.

North American talent is plentiful
Compiled by John McGourty | NHL.com
July 27, 2005

The NHL will conduct the 2005 Entry Draft on Saturday, July 30 in Ottawa. Here is a look at some of the top-ranked North American skaters.

Kenndal McArdle -- Moose Jaw Warriors left wing Kenndal McArdle, ranked seventh in North America by NHL's Central Scouting Service, made a great leap forward in 2004-05. McArdle jumped from eight goals two years ago to a team-leading 37 goals and 37 assists, tenth-best in the Western Hockey League, in 70 games. He also had 122 penalty minutes. That helped secure for him an invitation to try out for Canada's team at the 2006 World Junior Championship.

McArdle actually jump-started his career in the 2004 WHL Playoffs. After scoring eight goals and eight assists in the regular season, McArdle clicked for three goals and two assists in 10 2004-playoff games.

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McArdle is a solid 5-feet-11 inches and 190 pounds. He gets his speed and strength from his powerful lower body. Scouts rave about McArdle's character, especially after he took the blame last season for his coach's firing and rallied his teammates from the WHL cellar to a playoff berth.

According to NHL Central Scouting, McArdle is an explosive skater, extremely strong on his feet and not easily knocked off the puck. His quick acceleration allows him to find open holes and create scoring chances. He plays at a very high skill level and is tough to contain when driving to the net from either wing. He is very tough on opposing defensemen in one-on-one situations.

One of McArdle's offensive weapons is the give-and-go. He handles the puck well in traffic and makes good decisions in tough spots. He has a quick release on his wrist shot and an excellent one-timer shot. Scouts appreciate that McArdle is a very gritty player who competes hard every night and can work through adversity. He delivers big hits in every zone, doesn't back down from a challenge and stands up for teammates. He has a great attitude and desire for hockey.

Ryan Parent -- Guelph Storm defenseman Ryan Parent may be the best-skating blueliner in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He enters the 2005 Entry Draft as the No. 8 skater in North America according to CSS. He also has great leadership skills as evidenced by his prominent role on Canadian national teams in recent years.

Parent captained Team Canada to a gold medal at the World Under-18 Hockey Challenge in 2004 and was captain of Canada's silver-medal team at the 2005 World Under-18 Championships. Parent also won a gold medal as captain of Team Ontario at the Under-17 Hockey Challenge. He also played for Team OHL at the 2004 Canada-Russia Challenge. Parent was voted to the Canadian Hockey League's 2005 Top Prospects Game where he won both the 60-yard dash and the full-lap competition.

Parent is regarded as a solid defensive defenseman with few holes in his game. At 6-foot-2, 183 pounds, he still has some growing to do, but he projects as a top-four NHL defenseman with good penalty-killing skills. On a Guelph team with only one other regular in the plus category, Parent finished plus-5. He had only 36 penalty minutes in 66 games and 18 PIMs the previous season in 58 games.

Marc Staal is the younger brother of Carolina's Eric.

At the end of the 2004-05 season, the OHL coaches voted Parent the second-most improved player in the league and the third-best penalty killer and best penalty killer among defensemen.

According to CSS, Parent is an outstanding, effortless skater possessing a long, fluid stride. He combines balance, speed and agility both forward and backward. His skating mobility is his biggest asset and it allows him to keep the play in front of him. He seems to know where the puck is at all times. As a pure defensive defenseman, his biggest contribution to the offense is his quick outlet passes. He has a heavy, accurate shot from the point.

Parent is not a punishing defenseman, but he can be aggressive in one-on-one battles along the boards. He is an on-ice leader who is very adept at killing penalties.

Marc Staal -- Sudbury Wolves defenseman Marc Staal is a very skilled young player who is growing into his body and projects as a good long-term NHL defender. Staal is ranked ninth in North America by CSS. He did something this past season that is quite rare for defensemen. Voted to the 2005 CHL Top Prospects Game, Staal won the puck-control competition. The last thing most coaches want to see is defensemen showing off their puck-handling skills, but Staal is a smart player who makes good outlet passes.

Staal is tall and thin at this stage of his physical development, standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 196 pounds. Still, that's up 13 pounds from a year ago. Staal is not a great scorer. He had one goal in 61 games a year ago and six goals in 65 games this past season. He increased his assists from 13 two years ago to 20 last season.

Staal shouldn't be too intimidated by the offensive players in the OHL. He's seen better. He's the younger brother of Carolina Hurricanes center Eric Staal who was the second overall pick in the 2003 Draft. His younger brother, Jordan, was with the Peterborough Petes this past season.

Marc Staal won a gold medal with Team Ontario at the 2004 World Under-17 championships and another gold medal for Team Canada in the 2004 Under-18 tournament. He played for Team OHL in the 2004 Canada-Russia Challenge series.

Staal logged a lot of minutes with Sudbury and was almost always on the ice against the opponent's top line. He is not a punishing hitter, but finishes his checks well. He uses his size well in front and is rough along the boards.

According to CSS, Staal is a very good skater with a long stride who moves well laterally. He's an aggressive defenseman who is offensively inclined. Staal likes to join the rush and pinch in from the point for shots. He can also be very patient with the puck, circling back to let teammates regroup on the attack. Staal makes excellent outlet passes to open teammates. His shot is rated as good.

Devin Setoguchi -- Saskatoon Blades right wing Devin Setoguchi, the 10th ranked skater in North America according to CSS, is a rugged 5-foot-11, 186 pounds. He has a tremendous shot and won the hardest-shot competition at the 2005 CHL Top Prospects Game. He was the fifth overall selection in the 2002 WHL Entry Draft and finished 14th in rookie scoring two years ago. He had 33 goals and 31 assists in 69 games. That includes a 15-game drought in which he had only one goal and two points.

Setoguchi was Team Canada's leading scorer at the 2005 World Under-18 Tournament, where he had four goals and two assists in six games. He was a member of Team Pacific at the 2004 Under-17 World Hockey Challenge and a member of Team Canada at the 2004 World Under-18 Tournament.

According to CSS, Setoguchi is a strong skater with a quick stride. He's solid on his skates and has tremendous balance and mobility. Setoguchi displays exceptional lateral movement with skating with the puck and is outstanding in one-on-one situations. He controls the puck well with his head up in full stride and in tight situations.

Setoguchi has great awareness of where his teammates are and distributes the puck well using flat or saucer passes. He can in many different ways, either with his hard, quick, accurate shot or deking defenders and goaltenders. He goes hard to the net and has good hand-eye coordination for one-timers. He has excellent scoring instincts. He usually starts a game with hard hits and finishes checks with authority. He's a very competitive player as illustrated by the fact that most of his goals come on the road rather than at home. He's a feisty player who is always in the face of the opponent. He plays with an edge that keeps the opposition honest.

He uses his body well to protect the puck and knows his responsibilities away from the puck. He's also a threat to score on both the power play and penalty killing. The only knock is he could be more consistent from game to game.

Jack Skille -- Most scouts are convinced that U.S. national team right wing Jack Skille, the 11th ranked skated in North America according to CSS, is going to be a solid NHL power forward. Skille is interesting because he was a finesse player until he started growing into his 6-foot-1, 198-pound frame. Now, he's a bull whose trademark move is flying down the right wing and ripping a heavy slap shot.

He grew up in Wisconsin, left high school to play in the United States' developmental program and will attend the University of Wisconsin this fall.

Setoguchi has a great awareness of where his teammates are on the ice.

Skille is said to be an intelligent player who understands his defensive responsibilities. He's rugged along the walls and extremely competitive. Skille was quoted as saying he spend his pre-draft year "competing" rather than "auditioning" and he was willing to let the chips fall where they may. He said his coaching staff's feedback was worth more than wondering what scouts were thinking.

Skille was a member of the gold-medal Team USA at the 2005 World Under-18 Championship and played on the silver-medal 2004 team as well. Skille had three goals and three assists to help Team USA win the 2004 Compuware Four Nations Cup. He had two goals and an assist in the 6-4 opening-game victory over Switzerland. Skille's laser-beam under the crossbar tied the game with the Czechs, 2-2, en route to a 4-3 victory.

According to CSS, Skille is a powerful skater with very good straightaway speed. He uses his speed to break away down the wing for scoring opportunities. He's strong on his skates when battling for the puck along the boards and in the corners. He's a power forward who drives aggressively and consistently to the net. Skille has a quick release on both his wrist and snap shots. He makes good decisions with the puck and can score in traffic. Skille works hard to make the most of his scoring opportunities.

Skille plays with drive and determination. He's a high-energy player who gets involved on every shift and will not be intimidated. He finishes his checks with authority. He's very aggressive in the corners and along the boards. Skille is a durable player with very good stamina.

Matt Lashoff -- Kitchener Rangers defenseman Matt Lashoff, ranked 12th among North American skaters by CSS, was a top-four defenseman on the team with the third-best regular-season record in the Ontario Hockey League. The 6-foot-2, 201-pounder missed the first part of the season with mononucleosis, but came back very strongly. The illness didn't keep him from being selected to the CHL Top Prospects Game. He helped Kitchener to the OHL finals against the London Knights.

The Albany, N.Y., native played on the second power-play and penalty-killing units and could move up to first unit this season. His skating and reliability are his chief assets.

Lashoff has been asked to try out for U.S. team in the 2006 World Junior Championship. He was at the selection camp last year but, unbeknownst to him at the time, he was coming down with mono and it affected his play.

According to CSS, Lashoff is a very good skater who possesses long, fluid strides, quick pivots and remarkable agility for a big player. He's solid and hard to knock off balance. His confidence in his skating allows him to take offensive gambles yet recover quickly to his defensive responsibilities. He's an adept passer, skillful at making decisions on both breakout plays as well as finding open teammates in the offensive zone. Lashoff is capable of going end-to-end with the puck.

He has a good shot. He battles effectively in situations along the boards as well as in front of the net. He breaks up a lot of passes with his stick. Lashoff is a consistent competitor, at home and on the road. He shows patience and poise under pressure and will take a hit to make a play.

Ryan Stoa -- U.S. National Team Development Program center/left wing Ryan Stoa, ranked 13th among North American skaters, is considered one of the best American forwards. Stoa, a 6-foot-3, 200-pounder, has committed to play at the University of Minnesota this fall and there's speculation he may be moved to a wing. However, due to Minnesota's lack of size in the pivot, Stoa is likely to remain in the middle. Stoa was overshadowed on the U.S. national team by Phil Kessel (only two of Stoa's goals were on the power play), but he was third-leading scorer with 14 goals and 24 assists in 38 games against mostly college competition.

Stoa helped lead the U.S. National Under-18 Team to the gold medal at the 2005 World Under-18 Championship. He also helped lead the U.S. Under-18 Team to the gold medal at the Four Nations Cup and helped the Under-17 Team capture gold at the 2003 U17 Four Nations Cup.

One report called him talented, but indifferent but the NHL Central Scouting calls him a "consistent competitor."

According to Central Scouting, Stoa is a very good skater with a smooth, fluid stride. He has deceptive speed in the open ice and receives passes in full stride. He is dangerous in one-on-one situations. Stoa is a creative playmaker, patient and elusive when handling the puck. He sees the ice well and passes the puck well from both his forehand and backhand.

Stoa uses his size and long reach to protect the puck in the corners and along the boards. He has a very hard, accurate wrist shot. Stoa has very good hands with a good touch in close. He is equally effective at center and left wing.

Stoa plays more of a finesse game but will be physical when forechecking and battling along the boards. He uses his size and strength to his advantage in the corners and to establish position in front of the net.

O'Marra led Team Canada to a silver medal at the Under-18 Championships in 2005.

Ryan O'Marra -- Erie Otters center Ryan O'Marra, ranked 14th among North American skaters, is viewed as a highly skilled player who skates well. He's not overly rugged at 6-foot-2 and 193 pounds, but he is conscientious about finishing his checks and about his defensive responsibilities. He was the Otters' second-leading scorer with 25 goals and 38 assists in 64 games.

O'Marra gained attention a year ago with a bang-up finish to his rookie OHL season when he was named OHL Player of the Week on March 29. O'Marra had three goals and four assists in three games. He was the 12th-leading rookie scorer in 2003-04 with 16 goals and 16 assists.

O'Marra led silver-medal Team Canada at the 2005 World Under-18 Championships with five goals. He was the fifth-leading scorer, with three goals and two assists, when Canada won the 2004 Under-18 Junior World Cup. He helped Team Ontario to a Gold Medal at the 2004 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. He was voted to the CHL Top Prospects Game.

According to CSS, O'Marra is a good skater for a player his size and is improving his agility and foot speed. He is solid on his skates and tough to knock off the puck. He sees the ice well and moves the puck effectively through traffic. His soft hands make him a skilled playmaking type of forward. He carries the puck well. O'Marra likes to hover around the net, ready to release his good wrist shot.

O'Marra plays a steady two-way game and shows good hustle getting back to his own end. He gives a consistent effort each shift at home and on the road. He played the point on the power play and was used on the penalty-killing unit. He's not a punishing forward but does finish his checks.

Brian Lee -- Defenseman Brian Lee is the best player coming out of Minnesota this year and the only high-school player chosed for Team USA at the 2005 World Junior Championship. He also is the 15th-ranked skater among North American prospects by the NHL's Central Scouting Service. Lee, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound right-hand shot, played last season with his Minnesota high-school Moorhead Spuds and later the USHL Lincoln Stars. Lee is the 2005 Minnesota "Mr. Hockey" and the Associated Press Player of the Year.

The Spuds were undefeated in section play and 25-2-2 overall, but they were upset in the state finals. Lee had three assists in 12 regular-season games. He had two goals and three assists in the playoffs but the Stars were knocked out in four games. Lee has committed to the University of North Dakota this fall.

According to CSS, Lee is a very strong skater both forward and backwards with remarkable balance and mobility. He is an upright skater who takes short, quick strides when starting from a standstill. He has plenty of acceleration when needed and can lead the rush. He has very good hands and playmaking ability. He has patience and poise on the power play.

Lee has a very good wrist shot from the point and finds his teammates in traffic with a smooth passing touch. He's a smart player who sees the ice well and takes advantage of plays developing in front of him. Lee, the Spuds' team captain, leads by example. He has a calm, confident manner and takes control in bad situations. He is very good one-on-one and is well positioned.

Brendan Mikkelson -- We're going to enjoy Portland Winterhawks defenseman Brendan Mikkelson's sense of humor. The Winterhawks noted in his player profile that Brendan's dad, Bill, played four seasons in the NHL. Brendan, in another section, noted Dad holds the NHL record for worst single-season plus-minus with minus-81 while playing for the expansion Washington Capitals in 1974-75.

We're also going to enjoy his skating, which Portland GM Ken Hodge calls "big-time." Mikkelson, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound left-hand shot who is the 16th-overall North American skater, got off to a good start a year ago in Portland. But after helping Canada to a silver medal at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, he was a frequent scratch in the second half of his rookie season. He came on strongly this year as one of four projected NHL defensemen on Portland's roster, along with Braydon Coburn, Mike Funk and Jordie Fike. Mikkelson played some of his best hockey while replacing Coburn on the top pairing during the 2005 World Junior Championship.

Mikkelson was a member of silver-medal Team Canada at the 2005 World Under-18 Championship.

According to CSS, Mikkelson is an excellent skater with a smooth, effortless stride. He has good agility and mobility. He can switch for forward- to backward-skating with ease and quickness. Scouts suggest he should jump into the play more often, which would produce bigger offensive numbers. That's likely to happen this season, with Coburn gone.

Mikkelson makes sharp, crisp passes to his forwards. He has a good slap and wrist shot, which he puts on net consistently. He is effective killing penalties and on the power-play point. He can take out an opponent with good positioning but doesn't hit hard, given his light frame. He's hard to beat in one-on-one situations because of his good skating. His sense of anticipation helps him intercept many passes and he is excellent at starting the offensive transition.

Alex Bourret -- It won't be evident for a long time whether Lewiston MAINEiacs center/right wing Alex Bourret has Marcel Dionne's scoring ability, but he does have his body. As well as Don Cherry's seal of approval.

The 5-foot-9, 210-pounder, ranked 17th among North American skaters by CSS, is a left-hand shot and plays the off wing when not in the pivot. He led the MAINEiacs with 85 points off 31 goals and 55 assists, but he will be playing for the Shawinigan Cataractes this season after Lewiston dealt him for a first-round pick in the 2005 QMJHL Draft.

Bourret might have had the best game of anyone at the 2005 CHL Top Prospects Game. Not only did he have a goal and an assist for victorious Team Cherry, he also knocked Bobby Ryan out of the game with a shoulder injury and laid a crushing hit on Marc Staal.

"When you see these kids play, they play for keeps," Don Cherry said. "They're hitting and banging and that's the way hockey should be played."

According to CSS, Bourret is a very good skater, strong on his skates with balance, agility and speed. He is quick off the mark and changes direction swiftly. He uses body movement, twists and turns, to get open. He carries the puck with poise and confidence and can go end-to-end. He is smart and creative and finds teammates with good passes. He does that by holding onto the puck and drawing opponents to him. He plays the give-and-go very well. Bourret is adept at making short passes in tight quarters. He goes hard to the net and possesses a very good shot. His speed and tenacious forechecking causes turnovers and scoring chances. He is hard to defend one-on-one and is effective on the power play. He also kills penalties.

Bourret is a very gritty competitor who can be abrasive and mean. He finishes his checks with authority. He plays aggressive in all areas of the ice and catches opponents with their heads down. He comes to play with an edge to his game, is determined and involved at all times.