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The last time we talked about the Montreal Canadiens,
we profiled Kamloops Blazers forward Tim Bozon.
The Canadiens are coming off a disappointing
2011-2012 campaign, which ended with the Canadiens selecting third overall in
the National Hockey League Entry Draft for the first time since 1968.
General manager Marc Bergevin selected Sarnia Sting
forward Alex Galchenyuk with that third pick, but his second round selection
could be an exceptional NHL talent for years to come.
We will stay in the Western Hockey League for this
profile and will look at Saskatoon Blades defenseman Dalton Thrower.
To solidify the defensive corps, Bergevin selected
Thrower in the late second round with the 51st overall pick.
As his last name would suggest, Thrower is not
afraid to drop the gloves. He brings an intensity and spirit to the game that
can inspire any team.
He returned for his third full season in Saskatoon
and looks to build upon his stellar season last year.
Over the course of the last season, Thrower
developed into a two-way defenseman. He was being used primarily on the
penalty-kill, but was added to the Blades powerplay unit because of his
powerful shot.
Thrower will be counted on as the go-to person on
defense for the Blades and has the potential to be a second pairing or a
shutdown defender in the NHL.
Another facet of his game that Bergevin and the
Canadiens scouting staff love is his mix of offensive skill and grit. He is a blue
collar, hard working defenseman, who gets the job done.
Dalton will bring a lot of nasty to the blueline of
the Canadiens. He will be a dual threat defender, which mean he is a threat on
offense with his skating ability and powerful shot, and will be a threat on
defense with his shutdown ability and tenacity in the corners.
His competence on offense and defensive is
compounded with his high hockey IQ, something that head coach Michel Therrien
will love.
I believe Thrower will be a captain in the NHL. His
leadership qualities will be magnified this season because he is a veteran in
the WHL.
Tuesday, on the Prospect Preview, I will take a
closer look at Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Matia Marcantuoni.
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