Cross-Ice Prospects

Privyet my fellow droogs and welcome to episode SEVEN of Cross-Ice Prospects. 

On this week's show, we're trekking out to Russia to cover not one, not two, but five of the best prospects the country has to offer. Whether they're playing domestically in the KHL and MHL, or away from home in North America, each guy brings an exciting, unique skillset to the table. 

So pull up a seat and join us as we uncover the games of Rodion Amirov, Shakir Mukhamadullin, Daniil Gushchin, Marat Khusnutdinov, and Vasili Ponomaryov. 

Together, they make up The Russian Fab Five.

And this is their story.

Welcome one, welcome all! 

Episode SIX of Cross-Ice Prospects is here, and we're taking today's show stateside to compare two budding American stars. 

Both guys are undersized centres who dominated their competition and carried their teams offensively, and now, soon-to-be etching their names in the late first or early second rounds of Draft Day. 

We've got Thomas Bordeleau, the headsy do-it-all type from Dallas by way of Switzerland on one side. 

In the other, stands Brendan Brisson, the one-timer machine from the West Coast.

Gimme the Bordeleau family, gimme the Brisson family, and let's play some Prospect Showdown. There can only be one winner.

Cinco, cinco, cinco. Episode FIVE of Cross-Ice Prospects is here and today we're serving up a delicious treat from Sweden. 

You may recognize these two prospects from their days blazing up the World Juniors and U18s. One scored a hat-trick over Russia in the Gold Medal game, while the other, his countryman and linemate, assisted on it. 

These two young studs are the power couple of Swedish hockey.  Their dekes are nastier than pickled herring. Their passes are sweeter than Swedish fish. As hockey scout Ryan Kennedy calls it, they are the Terror Twins. 

They are... 

Lucas Raymond. 

And Alexander Holtz.

Today on the show, we're going to pit the BFFs against each other, see how their skills and games compare, and, when it's all said and done, find out who your team should take when Draft Day rolls around...

It's episode FOUR of Cross-Ice Prospects and we're travelling out west for this one, scouting none other than number four: Dylan Holloway. 

He's one of the strongest players in this year's NHL Draft, who's excelled at every turn he's stopped, from the Okotoks Oilers in the AJHL, to Team Canada at the Hlinka-Gretzky, and most notably, on the Wisconsin Badgers. 

Holloway might be one of the oldest players available, but he was the youngest in the NCAA, which makes his 17 points in 35 games no small feat.

These numbers might not jump off the page, but as we dig a little deeper into Holloway's stats and game, we quickly find a dominant young centre brimming with potential on all ends of the ice.

What's better than covering one NHL draft prospect? How about two. Today, it's the 3rd episode and FIRST Prospect Showdown. 

With this series, we'll compare two players who, for one reason or another, are inextricably linked in their draft class. Be it their size, position, team, or nationality, or a combination of other things. 

In one corner, we have Jamie Drysdale—a dynamic, undersized D-man with elite skating, while in the other corner stands Jake Sanderson—a bruising backender with a mean streak. 

These two guys present an enticing matchup, and our job is to uncover their skillsets, and answer the important question: who should be taken first?

We. Are. Back. for round 2 this week, with an episode devoted to the swift dangler from Deustchland, Herr Tim Stützle. 

Join us as we dive into a comprehensive examination of Stützle's background, his junior days, his electric season this year in the DEL, and when it's all said and done, why he may be the best prospect Germany has ever seen.

It's the first actual episode of Cross-Ice Prospects, and what better player to explore than Marco Rossi? He's tenacious, he's shifty, and he's skyrocketed up draft boards in recent months. Today on the show, we'll cover a bit of his upbringing in Austria, his journey to the OHL, his sensational skillset, his comparables, and his developmental projections.

I had a lot of fun making this first episode and I hope you enjoy listening!

It's the dawn of NHL Draft season. Hosted by Chris Berberian, Cross-Ice Prospects uncovers the most promising prospects out there, their bio and skillsets, their fancy stats and fun facts, all to paint a fuller picture each player your team might select on Draft Day.

Researched, written, and produced by Chris Berberian, couch-based hockey scout since 2007.