Sonstiges » r-old Gerber teaming with Calgary netminder Reto Berra – a

Four years ago, the question surrounding who would be the first pick in the NHL Draft was, Taylor or Tyler? For 2015, its Mac or Jack? Erie Otters star forward Connor McDavid and Boston University forward Jack Eichel occupy the first two spots on TSN Director of Scouting Craig Buttons debut ranking for the 2014-15 season. Nick Chubb Browns Jersey . Click here for Buttons September Rankings. McDavid has already been on the radar of NHL clubs for a few seasons and will be much-discussed heading into next years Draft Lottery. Eichel was a standout for the U.S. National Under-18 program and was the youngest player to skate for the Americans at last years World Junior Championship. He is entering his first season of college hockey and turns 18 next month. In both players, Button sees the kind of prospect that can make a huge and immediate impact on the team that drafts him. "I think they are generational talents and as their play will show," Button explains. "They are capable of making significant imprints upon a game. As the season progresses it will not solely be about their accomplishments but about their impact on a franchise. "The excitement of a fan base will be palpable knowing that while their team is weak, one of these players could change the fortunes of a franchise." McDavid will be building on an OHL season in which he scored 28 goals and 71 assists in 56 games and finished fourth in league scoring. Eichel averaged nearly two points per game for the U-18 team with 20 goals and 25 assists in 24 games. Defenceman Noah Hanifin of Boston College takes the third spot on the list and Button believes hes a name that the hockey world will be hearing more often. "Noah is a calm in the eye of the storm type player," says Button. "The faster the game moves, his capability of maintaining control increases. He has a mastery of the game from an intelligence aspect, always seemingly two and three steps ahead of the play. Combined with his outstanding physical skills, you have a player who will play impactful minutes." Rounding out the top five are defenceman Oliver Kylington of Farjestad in the Swedish Elite League and McDavids Erie teammate Dylan Strome. When it comes to goaltending talent, Button predicts that NHL general managers arent likely to find it in the first round at next years draft in Sunrise, Florida. "There is not a goaltender in this draft who can give a team the assuredness of sound play warranted of a first round selection," explains Button. "Puck possession is a prevalent theme and having players who can excel in this aspect makes goaltenders better. The reverse is not true so unless a goalie has qualities that are obviously outstanding, the first round will continue to shut out goaltenders." But when it comes to skaters, he sees a very deep draft with plenty of intrigue for NHL teams to consider. "Drafts are so often defined by the star quality at the top of the draft but when you look at teams being built for Stanley Cup success - specific elements stand out," Button explained. "Strong two-way centres, puck moving defenceman who will join the attack and offensive wingers. This draft has those types of players available and teams picking throughout the first round and into the second and third rounds will have the opportunity to bolster their teams. "Drew Doughty was the 2nd overall pick, after Steven Stamkos, but Los Angeles also selected Slava Voynov early in the second round. Two important players on two Stanley Cup teams. The draft is the path towards success so a deep draft benefits all teams as they pursue the ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup. "(Its) a draft with no certainty as to who will be the first overall selection but a belief the first two players selected will be franchise players. How does it get better than that?" Carlos Hyde Jersey . And I wanted to take this opportunity to share some of my experiences gained through International competition and the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Seven NHL referees and six linesmen will be assigned upcoming games in Sochi by the IIHF as part of their 28-man officiating roster comprised of 14 refs and 14 linesmen. Baker Mayfield Jersey . -- The Washington Redskins coaching staff distanced itself from other coaches Thursday by siding with ownership -- and not the players -- in the NFLs labour dispute. http://www.footballbrownsnflprostore.com/Youth-Zane-Gonzalez-Elite-Jersey/ . Lexie Lou earned a commanding 4 1/2-length win Sunday in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks.SOCHI, Russia – It was the third game of the Olympics for the Canadians in Torino, Italy when the wall of Martin Gerber emerged in shocking fashion. Gerber stopped each and every one of the 49 shots peppered by Team Canada en route to a highly improbable 2-0 victory for Switzerland. In a two-week tournament like the Olympics, goaltending performances of that caliber have the potential to shock, rattle and awe even the most powerful foes, hindering medal hopes with save after unlikely save. Eight years after Gerber shook up what was an ultimately doomed 2006 Canadian bid – they finished seventh – lies another Swiss goaltender in Jonas Hiller capable of doing the same, if not more, at the Sochi Olympics. "Every year at a tournament like this you need a good goalkeeper to have success," said Andreas Ambuhl, a winger for Switzerland and teammate of Hiller for years with Davos in the Swiss League, "especially a team like us." Switzerland is still buzzing from a silver medal finish at the 2013 World Championships – the now 39-year-old Gerber teaming with Calgary netminder Reto Berra – and though they have no grand illusions about their chances at these Olympics, possession of a goaltender like Hiller poses at least the possibility of a little unlikely noise. Hiller is back to top form in Anaheim after a couple bumpy seasons punctuated by injuries. The 31-year-old stopped 36 of 38 shots in his final game before the Olympics and owns a .943 save percentage in his last five starts. "Theres no doubt," said Swiss head coach Sean Simpson, a Canadian and former Chicago Blackhawks draft pick who has yet to actually coach Hiller during his four-year run ass bench boss of Switzerlands national program. Austin Corbett Jersey. "Any of the goalies, they stand on their head they can make a difference in a one-game scenario thats for sure." Simpson would consider a trip to the quarterfinals as success for his squad, which sits in a group with Sweden, Latvia and the Czech Republic. In the past 50 years the Swiss have never finished higher than sixth which they managed during that unlikely 06 run with Gerber at the forefront. Sizzling efforts in goal have the potential to alter the face of the Olympics, both for powerhouses like Canada, who must decide between Carey Price and Roberto Luongo, and lesser limelight squads like the Swiss. Its why Finland still holds dark-horse medal potential despite losing potential captain Mikko Koivu and second centre Valteri Filpulla to injury. With Tuukka Rask, Antii Niemi and Kari Lehtonen as sterling options between the pipes, the Finns have the goods in goal to rattle more than a few cages. It was during those same 06 Olympics in Torino that then-Flyers goaltender and Finnish product Antero Niittymaki carried his country to a silver medal – they fell to Sweden, who was led by Henrik Lundqvist – leading the tournament with a mighty .951 save percentage. One need only remember the heroic efforts of Dominik Hasek in 1998. Hasek allowed just six goals in Nagano – posting a crazy .971 save percentage – willing the Czech Republic to their first and only gold medal. "Theres going to be lots of strong goalies here," said Simpson. "Jonas, hes got a great personality and hes going to give the team a lot of confidence when hes in net there for sure." Cheap Steelers Jerseys Cheap Patriots Jerseys Cheap Bills Jerseys Cheap Jets Jerseys Cheap Giants Jerseys Cheap Redskins Jerseys Cheap Bears Jerseys Cheap Eagles Jerseys Cheap Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Jaguars Jerseys Cheap Raiders Jerseys Cheap Dolphins Jerseys Cheap Panthers Jerseys Cheap Lions Jerseys Cheap Browns Jerseys ' ' '