2010 NHL Entry Draft: Five Sleeper Picks Your Team Should Get

With the NHL Entry Draft fast approaching we have already read countless articles about the top ten players entering Draft. Needless to say, there are plenty of other players out there, many of whom are best described as “hidden gems”.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at five players that, while not getting a ton of press, could emerge as a nice “sleeper” pick for some NHL team.

Brad Ross, Left Wing, Portland Winterhawks- WHL

Expected to go early in the second round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Brad Ross is projected to be an agitator. He has drawn comparisons to Darcy Tucker, Steve Downie and, to a lesser extent, Matt Cooke, which is quite the compliment.

Much like Tucker, Downie and Cooke, Ross can play a little as well, posting 27 goals, 68 points and a lofty 203 penalty minutes as a member of the Western Hockey League’s Portland Winterhawks.

At 6’0, 175 pounds, Ross still has a bit of filling out to do, but those that have watched Ross play say that he is a pain in the butt to play against, which should serve him well in the NHL.

Agitators have proven their worth time and time again in the NHL and, given the fact that there are very few players that can fill the role, Ross should be a highly sought-after player come draft day.

Make no mistake about it, this kid can throw the knuckles and is as tough as anyone coming out of the WHL in quite some time.

Don’t be surprised if an NHL team ends up using their first round pick on Ross. This kid is as close to a “sure-thing” as there is in the draft and, as I pointed out, players with his abilities and skill-set are tough to find.

Some of the teams that may be interested in Ross include, the San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, New York Islanders, St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars.

Teemu Pulkkinen, Right Wing, Jekerit (SM-Liiga)

While his numbers don’t really suggest it, this kid is a pure sniper, one that may one day score 40 goals at the NHL level.

At just 5’10, 171 pounds, Teemu Pulkkinen will likely need to add another 20 pounds to his frame before he is a serious threat to make the NHL.

Projected to be a late second round/early third round selection, Pulkkinen did himself proud at this year’s World under-18s finishing third overall in scoring, posting seven goals and 13 points in six games as a member of the Finnish squad.

This kid has a bullet of a shot and his release time is off the charts, which should bode well for him in the coming years.

The biggest knock on Pulkkinen is his defense, which is poor at best and his overall skating ability is a tad on the weak side. Could he turn into a Martin St. Louis? Maybe. But he will have to amp up his compete level and, as I stated earlier, needs to pack on a few pounds yet.

One thing’s for sure, the NHL team that lands Pulkkinen will get a great prospect, who, with the right seasoning, may turn into one of the NHL’s top goal scorers.

Just about any NHL team could use a pure sniper, that said, given the fact it will likely take Pulkkinen 2-3 years before he makes it to the NHL, a few of the NHL teams that may show interest in this young star include, the Columbus Blue Jackets, Atlanta Thrashers, Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers and Minnesota Wild.

Petr Straka, Left Wing, Rimouski, QMJHL

Fresh off his Quebec Major Junior Hockey League rookie-of-the-year winning season, Straka, who hails from Plzen, Czechoslovakia, is set to be drafted in late second round/early third round.

Through 62 games Straka scored 28 goals, added 36 assists, while boasting 54 penalty minutes. His combination of skill, scoring prowess and grit has many scouts excited about the young Czech.

While many scouts feel it is easy to put up points in the QJMHL, Straka looks to be the real deal. His skating is excellent and he has good size at 6’1, 185 pounds.

While hardly NHL ready, Straka could be a steal for a team that allows him to develop both physically and adapting to the North American game.

It says here Straka will be a top line forward in the NHL, his skill set, size and hockey sense are just too good to pass up.

Some NHL teams that may look to draft Straka include, The Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers and Boston Bruins.

Ryan Spooner, Centre, Peterborough Petes, OHL

If not for a broken collarbone Spooner may very well be a top 15 pick in this years NHL Entry Draft.

Through 47 games with the Peterborough Petes Spooner posted 19 goals, 35 assists for 54 points. His better than a point-a-game average stands out as one of the best in the OHL, while his above average hockey sense helps Spooner emerge as the total package.

At 5’11, 174 pounds Spooner is a little on the small side, but that’s kinda the way the NHL is leaning these days- smaller players with speed that can finesse their way through hulking defensemen.

Spooner’s ability to distribute the puck may be what gets him to the NHL. That said, you cannot ignore the 19 goals he scored this season, or the 30 goals he scored in his rookie OHL season.

Some NHL teams that may select Spooner include, the New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers.

Jared Knight- Centre, London knights, OHL.

While no Bobby Clarke, Jared Knight has one thing in common with the Flyers best hockey player of all-time, diabetes.

Knight, who stands 5’11 and weighs in at 180 pounds, likes to take it to the opposing defensemen, often taking the puck right to the net. He’s a good skater with great hands who has a gritty side to his game when he wants to play that way.

After scoring at just under a point-a-game pace in the regular season (36 goals, 57 points in 63 games played), Knight registered 12 goals and 17 points in 12 playoff games with the London knights, proving once and for all that despite his soft start to the season that he is for real.

Projected to be a late second round/early third round selection, there should be numerous NHL teams interested in landing Knight, including, the Phoenix Coyotes, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Atlanta Thrashers, Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers.

For more NHL news and notes check out my website at www.theslapshot.com