Last Updated:  2010 Jan 13
Each player is projected on making it to
the NHA on a grading scale of 1-10.
PLAYER LEGEND - (HIGHLIGHT COLOUR DEFINES LEAGUE PLAYING IN)

Playing in the N.H.A.
Playing in the N.H.A. Farm League
Playing in N.A. Development League (Prospect)
Playing in the NCAA or other Amateur League (Prospect)
Playing in Europe (Prospect)
Hartford Whalers

Organization Ranking (21)
              Change  (-3)
Top Prospects
Other Notables
Graduated
Summary Strength Average Weakness
       
Goaltending   X  
Defense X    
Centers     X
Wingers     XX
Drafting   X  
Draft Picks     XX
Left Wing Center Right Wing
1) Ryan Hillier  7.0 D 1)  Cal O'Reilly  7.0 C 1)  Jakub Klepis 6.5 C
2)  Stefan Meyer  6.5 D 2) Igor Mirnov  7.0 F 2)  Mike Iggulden  6.0 C
3)  Sergei Anshakov  7.0 F 3) Dwight Helminen  5.5 C 3)  Juuso Puustinen  7.0 F
4)  Arttu Luttinen  6.0 D 4)  Vincent Bellissimo 5.5 C 4)  Thomas Beauregard  6.0 D
5)  Ryan Dingle  6.5 F 5) Wacey Rabbit  6.5 F 5) Janos Vas  6.0 D
  6)  Ivan Khomutov 6.0 F  
  7)  Matt Ryan  6.0 F  
  8)  Tyler Redenbach  4.0 C  
     
Defense (L) Defense (R) Goaltenders
1)  Ryan McDonagh  8.0 C 1)  Colby Cohen  7.0 C 1)  Michal Neuvirth  7.5 C
2)  Chris Butler  7.0 B 2)  Nate Guenin  5.5 B 2)  Thomas Greiss  7.0 C
3)  Boris Valabik  6.0 A   3)  Teemu Lassila 6.0 D
4)  Tyler Eckford 7.0 C    
5)  Steve Wagner  6.0 B    
6) Alexander Hellstrom 5.5 B    
7)  Ryan Lannon  6.0 C    
8) Brian Lee  6.0 F    
9) Mike Egener  5.5 F    
     
Pawtucket
Patriots
Draft Review  -  Hartford Whalers                                                                                                              by Robert Michaud

Transactions (leading up to and throughout the draft):

     No Transactions

Organizational Weaknesses (prior to Draft):
     Top 4 defensemen; Skilled wingers; Shut-down centermen

NHA Draft Preview Prediction:     Oscar Moller to WHALERS at #16 overall
Actual Result:                                 WHALERS select Ryan McDonaugh at #16 overall

2007 NHA Entry Draft Selections
     Ryan McDonagh, D     (Minn.)     [1st Round (16th Overall)]
     Colby Cohen, D           (USHL)     [2nd Round (44th Overall)]

Hartford certainly possesses some excellent talent at the forward position (though most of this talent is already contributing at the pro level), allowing the Whalers to add to their defense where they picked up two more solid prospects in this year's draft.  Adding Ryan Mcdonagh and Colby Cohen to their system, the franchise will have a solid nucleus on defense for years to come, though next year they will probably need to look at bringing in some forward prospects to round out their system again.

Possible draft-day steals:     Too early to predict
   1)  Ryan McDonaugh, D
        Acquired:  16th OV, '07 Draft
   2)  Chris Butler, D
        Acquired:  67th OV, '05 Draft
   3)  Michal Neuvirth, G
        Acquired:  72nd OV, '06 Draft
   4)  Boris Valabik, D
        Acquired:  30th OV, '04 Draft
   5)  Cal O'Reilly, C
        Acquired:  from Vampyres
   6)  Thomas Greiss, G
        Acquired:  from Bulldogs
   7)  Tyler Eckford, D
        Acquired:  146th OV, '04 Draft
   8)  Colby Cohen, D
        Acquired:  44th OV, '07 Draft
   9)  Steve Wagner, D
        Acquired:  from Vampyres
10)  Jakub Klepis, RW/C
        Acquired:  NHA Dispersal Draft
11)  Ryan Hillier, LW
        Acquired:  81st OV, '06 Draft
12)  Alexander Hellstrom, D
        Acquired:  109th OV, '06 Draft
13)  Nate Guenin, D
        Acquired:  from Bulldogs
14)  Ryan Lannon, D
        Acquired:  from Bulldogs
15)  Mike Iggulden, RW
        Acquired:  from Bulldogs
16)  Stefan Meyer, LW
        Acquired:  NHA Dispersal Draft
17)  Igor Mirnov, C/LW
        Acquired:  from Bulldogs
18)  Sergei Anshakov, RW
        Acquired:  NHA Dispersal Draft
19)  Juuso Puustinen, RW
        Acquired:  97th OV, '06 Draft
20)  Dwight Helminen, C
        Acquired:  Free Agent signing
     Thomas Beauregard, RW
     Vincent Bellissomo, C
     Ryan Dingle, LW/C
     Mike Egener, D
     Ivan Khomutov, C
     Teemu Lassila, G
     Brian Lee, D
     Arttu Luttinen, LW/RW
     Wacey Rabbit, C
     Tyler Redenbach, C/LW
     Matt Ryan, C
     Janos Vas, RW/LW
     Travis Zajac, C
2009/06/01  Hartford Whalers - Facing the Future
The Hartford Whalers have been up-and-down over the first few NHA seasons but they certainly have their share of good luck, as they have made the post-season twice in three years and were still able to draft the top young player in the game, Alexander Ovechkin. While hockey is a team sport and no man can win a game by himself, having a generational talent locked up over the long term means good things for a franchise; Alex Ovechkin is the type of player who makes the others around him better, which in turn makes the team that much stronger. A lack of high end goaltending prospects means that this club will have to look elsewhere to stop pucks if either of Michal Neuvirth or Thomas Greiss don’t develop as expected.

Left Wing - Alexander Ovechkin is the face of this franchise, and quite possibly the future face of the NHA, as he appears destined to become one of the league's top players.

Center - The organization's top prospect down the middle would have to be Travis Zajac; he can play in all situations with his great defensive game, and can still play a Top 6 role offensively. At the other end of the spectrum, the Whalers have a very talented playmaker in Cal O’Reilly, who would likely fit in well next to a goal-scoring winger when his game develops.

Right Wing - Igor Mirnov has the talent to become an effective Top 6 forward but he has shown no desire to leave the Russian Leagues. If the Whalers can get the talented winger to come over to North America they may have another gem on their hands.

Defense - On defense, Hartford has a very promising offensive defenseman in Chris Butler. Butler has a well-rounded game at this point, and figures to crack a very good defense core in a few season's time.

Goaltending - Michal Neuvirth and Thomas Greiss are the two top netminders in the Hartford prospect system; Greiss has so far shown a lot more at the professional level than Neuvirth has, but both would be longshots to develop into the calibre of a #1 goaltender.
Whalers 2006 Draft Review

Whalers 2005 Draft Review

Hellions 2004 Draft Review