Thunder Bay, ONT-

...The Timberwolves get a close this week at their future, as the annual ProspectCamp began in Thunder Bay on Monday.

...Some players arrived in town over the weekend to take in the surroundings and tour the place they hope to someday call home.

..."It's a beautiful city," said 2009 draftee, Matt Duchene. "I'm looking forward to advancing my career here. Everything about this place and this hockey club is pure class."

...Monday morning began with a light breakfast and then onto medical physicals and drills similar to those many of these players experience at the CCHL Combine in Dayton. "We really just want to see where these guys are at," said Timberwolves GM Blake Wendt. "You get a pretty good idea how serious they are at becoming a professional hockey player when they're put through a grind in the middle of summer. They should know pretty early on that we are serious about being the top conditioned club in this league. We expect no one to out work us."

...As each player completes their physical, they have a bite to eat and then get a tour of the training facility at "The Den" and then onto the Home of the Timberwolves, the Canadian National Gardens.

...Day 2 and beyond will consist of two groups taking part in on-ice and dryland drills and nightly scrimmages.

...The roster will drastically change by Wednesday, when nearly half of the Timberwolves prospects will have to depart for home due to NCAA rules and not being allowed to participate in any professional team function for more than 48 hours.

..."It's unfortunate, but the rules are quite clear and we respect them," said Wendt. "Of course we'd love for these players to be here for the entire week. But we're not here to jeopardize their eligibility."

...Groups are divided up as follows:

GROUP 1

Forwards

#19 Bryan Little

#38 James Neal

#48 A.J. Jenks

#49 Matt Halischuk

#50 Michael Latta

#58 Aaron Palushaj

#60 John Tavares

#73 Tomas Tatar

#76 Justin Mercier

#81 Matt Duchene

#85 Patrick Maroon

#87 Andrej Nestrasil

Defensemen

#42 Tyler Eckford

#46 Adam Comrie

#51 Jonas Junland

#54 John Carlson

#80 Alex Pietrangelo

#89 Jonas Ahnelov

#92 Josh Godfrey

#94 Colby Robak

Goaltenders

#64 Trevor Cann

#72 Brian Elliott

#84 Marco Cousineau

#90 Antoine Lafleur

GROUP 2

Forwards

#36 Anders Lee

#41 Justin Jokinen

#47 Derek Stepan

#52 Zach Budish

#56 Mike Carman

#59 Danny Kristo

#63 Ryan Thang

#71 Nico Sacchetti

#74 Nick Oliver

#82 Josh Birkholz

#83 David Toews

#86 Colin Greening

#91 Jay Barriball

#97 Patrick White

#98 Jake Hansen

Defensemen

#39 Matt Corrente

#40 Aaron Ness

#43 Jeff Foss

#53 Ben Blood

#65 Cade Fairchild

#70 Denis Reul

#77 Ian Cole

#79 Patrick Wiercioch

#93 Chris Summers

#96 Teddy Ruth

Goaltenders

#31 Karri Ramo

#62 Martin Jones

#68 Mike Lee

#95 Dan Dunn

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Thunder Bay, ONT
...The 2009 Entry Draft was supposed to be the "Year of the Swedes", after their strong performance at the World Junior Championships in Ottawa.
...The Thunder Bay Timberwolves once again chose to stay closer to home with their picks. Not one Swedish player was selected. In fact, the Timberwolves reached across the Atlantic only once in twelve picks.
...For Thunder Bay, it was the "Year of the... teammates"?
...JOHN TAVARES (C) - London Knights (OHL) - 6'0" 198lbs - Mississauga, ON
...Tavares vs Hedman? Not for Blake Wendt and his club. When the lottery was won, there was no doubt who he was taking first overall.
..."We weren't going to announce it to the world. What fun is that? But the day when found out we had the first pick, 'Tavares' was stitched onto our '09 Draft sweater. He was our guy."
...Does he have flaws? Of course. Is he on par with the Crosby's and Ovechkin's of the world? That's debatable. His skating has been questioned. His play away from the puck is nothing to write home about. But he is improving in those areas. What cannot be denied is his incredible hockey sense and offensive game. You don't break records in junior held by the greatest hockey player in history, being a bad player. John Tavares has been the most scrutinized, most scouted player in the modern era. His game has been picked apart to the point of it being ridicules. He is a very good hockey player with a huge upside.
...MATT DUCHENE (C) - Brampton Battalion (OHL) - 5'11" 200lbs - Haliburton, ON
...An obvious pick after Victor Hedman was taken second by Winnipeg. The Timberwolves snatched up the Haliburton-native without hesitation.
..."We would've been content if Hedman fell to us," said Wendt. "But we were really hoping we could get our hands on Duchene. The dropoff, if any, is not that far from Tavares. Two different style players. But two very dynamic and dominating players that any team would covet if they only had one. We are thrilled to have both in our organization.
...Duchene has all of the characteristics to draw accurate comparisons to the likes of Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic. Impressive speed, checking ability and hands to come through in clutch situations. He plays positional, sound hockey. With or without the puck, Duchene is a threat to the opposition whenever he is on the ice.
...ZACH BUDISH (C) - Edina Hornets (MNHS) - 6'3" 230lbs - Edina, MN
...When anyone misses almost an entire year of hockey due to injury, it can be devastating to ones career. To miss an entire year in ones Draft year is very hard to overcome, and scares off alot of teams.
...This was all the case for Zach Budish. Tearing his ACL during a high school football game in the fall, Budish missed his entire senior season for Edina. He not only seems to have recovered from the injury, he seems to have added more strength to what was already a pro-rated frame.
..."We had our concerns of course," said Wendt. "But he got into some Elite games after the high school season in Minnesota, and completely dominated the competition. Then he went onto perform in all of the drills at the combine with no issue. An easy decision when our third pick came around."
...MIKE LEE (G) - Fargo Force (USHL) - 6'0" 190lbs - Roseau, MN
..."Lee is a big athletic goalie who takes up a lot of the net. Plays forward in the crease, following the puck well. Is very calm but technical with his feet. Has a good habit of jumping up and addressing the shooter. Likes to glue himself the post when the opposition works down low. Has good side-to-side movement. Makes hard saves look easy because he’s very solid when it comes to positioning. Generally good with rebound distribution. Looks very calm and poised under pressure. Good with both the blocker and his glove." -HockeysFuture
...TOMAS TATAR (C) - Zvolen (Slovakia) - 5'11" 178lbs - Ilava, SVK
..."Tatar has long been known to be a tremendous scorer, but the WJC was his breakout party. Tatar has great hands and a tremendous shot. His ability to be in the right place at the right time is incredible. No player saw his 2009 draft stock rise higher then Tatar after this tournament." -HockeysFuture
...JOSH BIRKHOLZ (RW) - Fargo Force (USHL) - 6'1" 185lbs - Maple Grove, MN
..."Birkholz is a good skater with a good blend of size, skill, and speed. Generally really good on the forecheck. Does not back down and will go hard into the corners and show force. Sees time on the power play. Has a good touch around the net. Very conscious of defensive role, as he’ll come back and work the backcheck." -HockeysFuture
...ANDREJ NESTRASIL (RW) - Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL) - 6'2" 195lbs - Prague, CZE
..."Nestrasil's ability to make plays at high speed allows him to surprise his opponents and catch opposing defensemen flat-footed. At 6'2 and 194 pounds, Nestrasil has decent size, but he still has some work to do in adapting to the physical style in North America and playing a more complete game." -HockeysFuture
...MICHAEL LATTA (C) - Guelph Storm (OHL) - 5'11" 205lbs - St. Clements, ON
..."Latta may not have ideal size for an CCHLer, but he has shown that he has ample heart. He's displayed a willingness bordering on zeal for competing in the corners and in front of the net. an effective playmaking center who improves his linemates both through skill and by setting an example on how to pay attention to the intangibles that separate winning teams from the mediocre ones." -HockeysFuture
...NICK OLIVER (C) - Roseau Rams (MNHS) - 6'2" 185lbs - Roseau, MN
..."Oliver is a banging and crashing type of forward with size and grit. He can play both at center and on wing. Oliver brings a physical presence to his game, often delivering bone-jarring hits to opposing players. As he fills out his nearly 6’3 frame, he’ll become an even more intimidating force to be reckoned with. He is extremely competitive, works hard, and is never one to give up on the puck so easily. He also does an outstanding job of supporting plays as well. Oliver isn’t the prettiest skater, with long legs and a hunched-over style, but he does get around the rink quite well. One of Oliver’s best attributes is his shot. It’s accurate with a very quick release. He is very good around and has shown a knack for scoring the so-called “garbage” goals." -HockeysFuture
...MARTIN JONES (G) - Calgary Hitmen (WHL) - 6'3" 180lbs - North Vancouver, BC
...First ever player from the Western Hockey League drafted by the Timberwolves.
...45 wins and 5 losses for Calgary in 2008-09... 'nuff said.
...ANDERS LEE (C) - Edina Hornets (MNHS) - 6'2" 210lbs - Edina, MN
..."It is easy to spot him on the ice because of his imposing size and tremendous strength. He is exceedingly strong on his skates and quite mobile. What stands out about Lee’s skating however is the great balance and agility that he has for such a big man. He also has some speed to go with it. Lee utilizes his large frame, strength and long reach to great advantage. He is not only a difficult player to move off of the puck, but he can also power his way through the opposition’s checks too. He is very strong along the boards and in the corners. Where Lee’s use of his size and strength are particularly noticeable are in his relentless drives to the net and in protecting the puck. He can also deliver some bone-jarring hits as well." -HockeysFuture
...JUSTIN MERCIER (C) - Miami RedHawks (CCHA) - 5'11" 190lbs - Erie, PA
..."Mercier is a good all-around player who is ultra competitive, and who is noted for his unparalleled sense of urgency and willingness to play a very physical game. He makes the most of his ice time and works hard at both ends of the ice. He is tenacious on the forecheck and a monster around the net. He is very effective in tight situations and can battle through traffic. He has great anticipation and foresight, which makes his just as dangerous with the puck as he is without it. Mercier is a good positional player who is very reliable and will also work very hard on the backcheck."

Thunder Bay, ONT-

...In a Draft not being touted as one for the netminders, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves used their third round pick (62nd overall) on Mike Lee out of the USHL.

...Lee was the first year backstopper for the first year Fargo Force. Taking his team all the way to the USHL Championship where they ultimately lost to the Indiana Ice.

..."Mike Lee was far and away the MVP of the Force," said Timberwolves GM Blake Wendt. "He is cool as a cucumber under pressure and a very fine goaltender. It's hard sometimes to find goalies that are going to be successful pros. They usually take years to develop and are just tough to evaluate as an eighteen year old. Or club and our scouts are looking for guys with a history of success as different levels. Mike fits that mold. He took his high school team in Roseau deep into the Minnesota High School Tournament. He did the same in Fargo. He's also going to a very good US college program in St. Cloud State next season."

...Lee is a former teammate of Aaron Ness. A 2008 second round draftee of the Timberwolves who just completed a nice freshman season at the University of Minnesota. Lee will also be fighting for games with another Thunder Bay draftee at SCSU. Dan Dunn was drafted in 2007 and has been a backup himself at SCSU for the past two seasons.

Thunder Bay, ONT-
...With their fourth pick in the 2009 Entry Draft, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves went a route they have been known to do in drafts past. Taking a U.S. high school player for Blake Wendt is the norm this time of year.
...From the prestigious high school of Edina in an upscale community outside of the Twin Cities, Zach Budish joins a long list of fellow Minnesota high schoolers to put on a Timberwolves sweater on draft day.
...In Budish, Thunder Bay gets a hulking winger with an already pro-built body (6'3" 230 lbs) and someone not likely to have fallen all the way down to 40th overall if he had been born a year earlier.
..."Zach suffered a devastating knee injury playing football prior to his hockey season at Edina," said Timberwolves GM Blake Wendt. "He tore his ACL and missed his entire senior season. Definately a reason why I'm sure everyone was passing on him. We were not concerned after seeing him in prior to the injury and after for a few Minnesota Elite games and the Combine. The knee seems to have healed and our medical staff that evaluated him had no worries. Zach is going to be an amazing pro player. Some say his game emulates that of Keith Tkachuk, but Zach's bigger. We're perfectly fine with that."
...Budish is expected play at the University of Minnesota next season. A place some call the Timberwolves 'real' minor-league affiliate.

Thunder Bay, ONT-
...The next obvious choice after already drafting John Tavares first overall and the Winnipeg Ferrets then taking Victor Hedman second. Was of course taking the Haliburton, Ontario native, Matt Duchene.
..."This is exactly how we were wanting this draft to unfold," said Timberwolves GM Blake Wendt. "Matt Duchene is the complete hockey player. He's got a solid game at both ends of the ice. Superior speed to rush the puck, finesse it through or grind it. Go up the middle, split the 'D', or take it along the boards. He'll dig in the corners for you, drive the net or make that tape-to-tape pass to a teammate. His game is outstanding and the bonus is that he is well-spoken, down to earth and just a classy young man."
...The Timberwolves will now sit back and wait their turn until the end of the second round.

Thunder Bay, ONT-
...The Thunder Bay Timberwolves got their man. John Tavares was always the only choice to take first overall.
..."Without a doubt," said Timberwolves GM Blake Wendt. "I'd be lying if I said we didn't look at all our options. Even trading the pick. Any team would. It's the right thing to do for the success of your organization. But it was quickly realized that John Tavares would absolutely help our hockey club more than if we didn't have him. He's got four years of solid performance in juniors under his belt. Excellent coaching, and his game was taken to another level on the international stage. Some have questioned John's skating, but we have no concerns. The OHL is the most dominant junior league in the world, and you don't survive there if your skating isn't up to par. He's the most heavily scouted player in recent memory. His game was bound to get picked apart. That's fine. We are extremely happy to have had the chance to draft Tavares and look for him to have a major impact on the overall success of the Timberwolves for a long time to come."