by Robert Rice, Senior Writer, All Habs Hockey Magazine

TORONTO, ON — This week in review (March 11th – March 17th), top honours belong to a prospect who has been a dominant name on the scoresheet this season.

Your comments are most welcome. If you have a question about any of the prospects email me, and perhaps it will be answered in the weekly All Habs Mailbag feature that appears on these pages on Thursdays.
With the conclusion  of the Canadian Hockey League Regular Schedule and the playoffs already going on in Europe, Catching the Torch will be shifting to last year’s “Playoff March” format and will give reports at the conclusion of each round of the CHL playoffs for action in all other active leagues.

 

The Three Stars

 

1. LW Tim Bozon 

As the regular season in the Western Hockey League drew to a close, Tim Bozon made sure to close it out on a high note with the Kamloops Blazers. Bozon would put on one of his best games of the season for Kamloops on Friday, scoring two goals and two assists in a 5-2 victory over the Prince George Cougars. Bozon would not notably slow down in the following game, scoring a goal and two assists as Kamloops would shut out Prince George in a 7-0 victory in the back to back series to end their season. Bozon over the weekend would match his previous season mark of 36 goals and reach 55 assists, 20 more than he had last season, finishing 9^th overall in WHL scoring. Tim Bozon was drafted in the 3^rd round, 64^th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2012 NHL Draft.

 

2. RW Danny Kristo

In college hockey this past season, there have been few players as dominant as Danny Kristo while he continues to lead the University of North Dakota in scoring. Kristo’s scoring talent would be a key factor this past week to help North Dakota in their opening series of their Conference Tournament. Kristo would begin the weekend series leading North Dakota with two goals and an assist in a 5-3 victory over Michigan Tech. Kristo would score the lone goal for North Dakota in a 2-1 loss to Michigan Tech the following game. Kristo would pick up an assist as North Dakota would blank Michigan Tech in a 6-0 victory to win the Best-of-Three series and move on to the next stage of Tournament. Kristo is currently 3^rd overall in NCAA scoring. Danny Kristo was drafted in the 2^nd round, 56^th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2008 NHL Draft.

 

3. D Darren Dietz

Darren Dietz has been one of the leading offensive defencemen in the WHL this season and as the regular season closed out for the Saskatoon Blades, he did not slow down. Dietz would start the week going without a point in a 3-2 shootout victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings but soon picked his pace up. Dietz would score his 24^th goal of the season, a goal in an eventual 6-5 overtime loss to the Prince Albert Raiders. Dietz would finish his week marking three assists in a 4-3 shootout loss to Prince Albert in a rematch. Dietz’s 24 goals this season led all WHL defencemen and his 58 points ranked him 3^rd overall in WHL defensive scoring. Darren Dietz was drafted in the 5^th round, 138^th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2011 NHL Draft.

 

 

On The Radar:

–          D Nathan Beaulieu scored two assists.

–          D Mac Bennett scored two assists.

–          LW Charles Hudon scored two assists.

–          D Dalton Thrower scored a goal and assist.

Question Marks:

–         D Morgan Ellis has no points in his last 31 games.

–         RW Louis Leblanc has 1 point in his last 7 games.

 

NHL Graduates:

C Alex Galchenyuk: 19 years old, 6’0”, 194 pounds, LH shot.

Junior Club: Sarnia Sting – Team Captain

 

Season Stats

33GP

27G

34A

+16

22 PIM

 

RW Brendan Gallagher: 20 years old, 5’9″, 182 pounds, RH shot.

 

Season Stats

36GP

10G

10A

-1

61 PIM

 

 

Season-Ending Injuries:

 

LW Blake Geoffrion: 24 years old, 6’1”, 190 pounds, LH shot.

 

Season Stats

10GP

4G

2A

-3

9 PIM

 

C Joonas Nättinen: 21 years old, 6’2”, 187 pounds, RH shot.

 

Season Stats

24GP

5G

4A

+6

8 PIM

 

 

Complete Statistics for the week of March 11th, 2013
Legend
Skaters: Games Played, Goals, Assists, +/-, Penalty Minutes
Goalies: Wins, Losses, Overtime Losses, Shootout Losses, Goals Against Average, Save Percentage
Teams: Wins, Losses, Overtime Losses, Shootout Losses. For NCAA, Wins, Losses, Ties. For Elitserien/Allsvenskan/Extraliga, Wins, Losses, Overtime Losses.
Season Stats: Season scoring prior to the past week.

The AHL Report: The Hamilton Bulldogs have been the AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens since 2002. It is the most common route for developing Montreal Canadiens prospects into full-time members of the organization. There are currently 9 members of the Hamilton Bulldogs that can be thought to have future consideration for an NHL position. The Hamilton Bulldogs are 24-31-1-5 this season, 5^th in the North Division, 29^th overall in the AHL.

 

 

D Nathan Beaulieu: 20 years old, 6’2”, 194 pounds, LH shot.

 

Season Stats	57GP	6G	14A	-10	50 PIM
Weekly Stats	2GP	0G	2A	+1	2 PIM
Complete Stats	59GP	6G	16A	-9	52 PIM

 

C Michaël Bournival: 20 years old, 5’11, 191 pounds, LH shot.

 

Season Stats	52GP	7G	15A	+5	20 PIM
Weekly Stats	2GP	0G	0A	-1	0 PIM
Complete Stats	54GP	7G	15A	+4	20 PIM

 

C Gabriel Dumont: 22 years old, 5’10”, 189 pounds, RH shot.

 

Season Stats	52GP	15G	15A	+2	81 PIM
Weekly Stats	0GP	0G	0A	0	0 PIM
Complete Stats	52GP	15G	15A	+2	81 PIM

 

D Morgan Ellis: 20 years old, 6’1″, 202 pounds, RH shot.

Season Stats	54GP	3G	4A	-12	53 PIM
Weekly Stats	2GP	0G	0A	-1	0 PIM
Complete Stats	56GP	3G	4A	-13	53 PIM

 

RW Patrick Holland: 21 years old, 6’, 175 pounds, RH shot.

 

Season Stats	57GP	7G	14A	-7	4 PIM
Weekly Stats	2GP	1G	0A	-1	0 PIM
Complete Stats	59GP	8G	14A	-8	4 PIM

 

RW Louis Leblanc: 21 years old, 6’, 190 pounds, RH shot.

 

Season Stats	45GP	9G	4A	-9	41 PIM
Weekly Stats	2GP	0G	0A	-1	0 PIM
Complete Stats	47GP	9G	4A	-10	41 PIM

 

D Greg Pateryn: 21 years old, 6’2”, 219 pounds, RH shot.

 

Season Stats	22GP	4G	4A	-3	15 PIM
Weekly Stats	2GP	0G	0A	0	0 PIM
Complete Stats	24GP	4G	4A	-3	15 PIM

 

D Jarred Tinordi: 21 years old, 6’6″, 218 pounds, LH shot

 

Season Stats	55GP	2G	9A	-7	51 PIM
Weekly Stats	0GP	0G	0A	0	0 PIM
Complete Stats	55GP	2G	9A	-7	51 PIM

 

G Dustin Tokarski: 23 years old, 5’11”, 198 pounds, Catches left.

 

Season Stats	41GP	22-11-4	2.25 GAA	.912%
Weekly Stats	2GP	0-1-0	3.18 GAA	.903%
Complete Stats	43GP	22-12-4	2.29 GAA	.911%

 

 

The Juniors Report: The Canadiens currently feature prospects playing in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and the Western Hockey League (WHL). These leagues can be considered the primary conduit towards professional hockey in North America.

 

 

QMJHL:

 

LW Olivier Archambault: 19 years old, 5’11”, 184 pounds. LH shot.

Junior Club: Drummondville Voltigeurs

Team Record: 38-26-2-2

 

Season Stats	62GP	31G	34A	-7	52 PIM
Weekly Stats	2GP	1G	0A	+1	4 PIM
Complete Stats	64GP	32G	34A	-6	56 PIM

 

LW Charles Hudon: 18 years old, 5’10”, 171 pounds, LH shot.

Junior Club: Chicoutimi Saguenéens – Team Captain

Team Record: 30-31-2-5

 

Season Stats	54GP	30G	39A	+13	66 PIM
Weekly Stats	2GP	0G	2A	+2	0 PIM
Complete Stats	56GP	30G	41A	+15	66 PIM

OHL:

 

C Brady Vail: 19 years old, 6’, 195 pounds, LH shot.

Junior Club: Windsor Spitfires – Alternate Captain

Team Record: 26-33-3-6

 

Season Stats	65GP	19G	35A	-20	41 PIM
Weekly Stats	3GP	1G	0A	-3	2 PIM
Complete Stats	68GP	20G	35A	-23	43 PIM

 

WHL:

LW Tim Bozon: 18 years old, 6’0”, 183 pounds, LH shot.

Junior Club: Kamloops Blazers

Team Record: 47-20-2-3

 

Season Stats	67GP	33G	51A	+30	58 PIM
Weekly Stats	2GP	3G	4A	+7	0 PIM
Complete Stats	69GP	36G	55A	+37	58 PIM

 

D Darren Dietz: 19 years old, 6’1”, 195 pounds, RH shot.

Junior Club: Saskatoon Blades – Alternate Captain

Team Record: 44-22-2-4

 

Season Stats	69GP	23G	31A	+10	98 PIM
Weekly Stats	3GP	1G	3A	-1	2 PIM
Complete Stats	72GP	24G	34A	+9	100 PIM

 

D Dalton Thrower: 19 years old, 5’11”, 200 pounds, RH shot.

Junior Club: Saskatoon Blades

Team Record: 44-22-2-4

 

Season Stats	52GP	5G	20A	+18	89 PIM
Weekly Stats	2GP	1G	1A	0	0 PIM
Complete Stats	54GP	6G	21A	+18	89 PIM

 

 

US College Hockey (NCAA) Report: The Canadiens have drafted a number of college players in recent years, these are generally ‘project players’ who benefit from additional years in lower level hockey to develop their skills.

 

 

D Mac Bennett: 21 years old,  6′, 180 pounds, LH shot.
NCAA Team: University of Michigan Wolverines – Alternate Captain

Team Record: 17-18-3

 

Season Stats	26GP	6G	11A	-1	4 PIM
Weekly Stats	2GP	0G	2A	+1	0 PIM
Complete Stats	28GP	6G	13A	0	4 PIM

RW Danny Kristo: 22 years old, 5’11”, 188 pounds, RH shot.
NCAA Team: University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux – Alternate Captain

Team Record: 21-11-7

 

Season Stats	34GP	21G	24A	+12	22 PIM
Weekly Stats	3GP	3G	2A	+4	0 PIM
Complete Stats	37GP	24G	26A	+16	22 PIM

 

C Mark MacMillan: 21 years old, 6’, 183 pounds, LH shot.

NCAA Team: University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux

Team Record: 21-11-7

 

Season Stats	36GP	13G	12A	+10	20 PIM
Weekly Stats	3GP	0G	0A	+1	0 PIM
Complete Stats	39GP	13G	12A	+11	20 PIM

 

 

Czech Extraliga Report: The Extraliga is the top professional league in the Czech Republic.

 

 

C Daniel Pribyl: 20 years old, 6’3”, 193 pounds, RH shot.

Extraliga Team: HC Sparta Prague

Team Record: 29-19-4

 

Season Stats

42GP

12G

10A

+14

10 PIM

 

Team Playoff Record: 2-3

 

Playoff Stats

4GP

0G

0A

-1

4 PIM

 

 

Elitserien Report: The Elitserien or Swedish Elite League is the top professional league of Sweden. A prospect playing well in this league is a typical indication they may be ready for the NHL. The Allsvenskan is the secondary professional league of Sweden, playing directly under the Elitserien.

 

 

RW Sebastian Collberg: 18 years old, 5’11”, 180 pounds, RH shot.

Elitserien Team: Frölunda HC

Team Record: 29-21-5

Playoff Record: 1-2

Season Stats

35GP

6G

3A

+1

6 PIM

 

Playoff Stats

3GP

0G

1A

0

0 PIM

 

 

Allsvenskan Team: Örebro HK

                                               

Season Stats

15GP

6G

2A

+4

2 PIM

 

 

D Magnus Nygren: 22 years old, 6’1”, 191 pounds, RH shot.

Elitserien Team: Färjestads BK

Team Record: 34-14-7

Playoff Record: 3-0

 

Season Stats

51GP

13G

19A

+11

49 PIM

 

Playoff Stats

3GP

0G

1A

+3

4 PIM

 

RW Erik Nyström: 19 years old, 5’11”, 176 pounds, LH shot.

Allsvenskan Team: Karlskrona HK

Team Record: 12-38-2

Relegation Series Record: 2-1

 

Season Stats

23GP

5G

6A

-3

4 PIM

 

Relegation Series Stats

2GP

0G

1A

-1

0 PIM