Who's Watching the Kids?

You want a reason why junior hockey should matter to those who follow the National Hockey League? Remember that knowledge is power, especially when someone from the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim is telling people that Oleg Tverdovsky can be the next Bobby Orr.

Tverdovsky, Hugh Jessiman and Alexandre Daigle have been passed off as the next big thing, the next hot new thing or the next real thing. But in the NHL, they were as much not the right thing as the oversold or over promised thing.

They are the things you remember when you hear a scout or a draft tout describes the promise of a player you have not seen or researched. Do you normally buy things that way? I didn't think so.

So here is your midterm study list, giving you time to do your own reading before the draft convenes on June 25 and 26 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Taylor Hall, a left wing for the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League, is rated as the top North American skater eligible for the 2010 draft. He is followed by Tyler Seguin (center, Plymouth, OHL), Cam Fowler (D, Windsor, OHL), Brett Connolly (RW, Prince George, Western Hockey League) and Riley Sheahan (C, Notre Dame, Central Collegiate Hockey Association).

The top-rated European skater is Mikael Granlund, who plays center and on the wing for HIFK in Finland.

The top-rated North American goaltender is Calvin Pickard, who plays for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL. His brother, Chet, was taken in the first round of the 2008 draft by Nashville. He now plays for the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League.

Jonas Gunnarsson of HV 71 juniors is the top-rated European goaltender.

Can you spot the stars? The flops? The sleepers? Let me know what you see, now and in June. In the meantime, I urge you to kick a few tires before the car salesmen/hockey scouts try to sell you on a new model. The Staples Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center, home of the auto show, share the campus. Be careful to whom you listen.



THE SCOREBOARD
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Minnesota 4, Pittsburgh 3
Colorado 3, at Calgary 2 SO
Nashville 3, at Vancouver 2
San Jose 2, at Los Angeles 1
The standings are here.
Recap by Sportsnet.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Lake Erie 3, at Hamilton 2 OT
The standings are here.
The roundup is here.

Shopping for the 2010 NHL Draft

The National Hockey League's central scouting service has released the fall rankings for teenage prospects who will discussed, downgraded, talked up and eventually selected at the 2010 draft.

Tyler Seguin of the Plymouth Whalers is ranked No. 1 for skaters from the Ontario Hockey League. Brandon Gormley of the Moncton Wildcats is the top player from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Brett Connolly of the Prince George Cougars leads the contingent from the Western Hockey League.

The complete ratings list of players from the QMJHL, OHL and WHL, as well as the United States Hockey League, can be found here.

The European junior ratings are here, and what the NHL calls the NCAA watch list of players can be found here.