2006 NHL DRAFT COMBINE INVITEES
World's top prospects to be tested at NHL Draft Combine May 30 to June 3 in Toronto
NEW YORK/TORONTO - The world's top 115 players eligible for selection in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft have been invited to the League's annual Draft Combine, May 30 to June 3, 2006 at the Park Plaza Toronto Airport Hotel.
The Draft Combine will give NHL clubs a chance to eval uate hockey's future stars just three weeks before the 2006 NHL Entry Draft in Vancouver, June 24. Each NHL club will be represented at the Combine by scouts, management and athletic training staff. The players will conduct interviews with the clubs and undergo medical examinations and fitness testing.
The invitees represent the NHL Central Scouting department's top-rated 70 skaters and nine goaltenders from North American leagues and the projected top 36 European skaters and goaltenders. The NHL will release its final rankings of Draft-eligible players on Thursday, April 20.
Highlighting the list of invitees is a record 10 players from the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based United States National Under-18 team, led by defenseman Erik Johnson, the top-rated North American player in Central Scouting's mid-season rankings.
Among the many invitees with famous family connections in hockey are: Peterborough Petes center Jordan Staal, whose brothers Eric (Carolina Hurricanes) and Marc (Sudbury Wolves, OHL) attended the Combine in 2003 and 2005, respectively; center Viktor Tikhonov (Demitrov, Russian league), grandson of the legendary Soviet coach of the same name; U.S. National Under-18 left wing Blake Geoffrion, grandson of Hockey Hall of Famer Bernie Geoffrion and son of former NHL player Danny; and Sudbury Wolves left wing Nick Foligno, son of former NHL player and current Wolves head coach Mike Foligno.
The 2006 NHL Entry Draft is Saturday, June 24 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, broadcast nationally in Canada on TSN and in the United States on OLN beginning at 6 p.m., Eastern time.
Following is a list of the 115 players invited to the 2006 NHL Draft Combine:
| NORTH AMERICAN INVITEES (SKATERS) |
| NAME |
LEAGUE |
DOB |
HT |
WT |
POS |
| John Armstrong |
OHL |
Feb. 26, 1988 |
6'2" |
188 lbs. |
C/RW |
| Victor Bartley |
WHL |
Feb. 17, 1988 |
6'0" |
197 lbs. |
D |
| Matt Beleskey |
OHL |
Jun. 7, 1988 |
5'11" |
202 lbs. |
LW |
| Francois Bouchard |
QMJHL |
Apr. 26, 1988 |
6'0" |
180 lbs. |
RW |
| Derick Brassard |
QMJHL |
Sept. 22, 1987 |
6'0" |
172 lbs. |
C |
| Benjamin Breault |
QMJHL |
Feb. 21, 1988 |
5'10" |
177 lbs. |
C |
| Codey Burki |
WHL |
Nov. 17, 1987 |
6'0" |
190 lbs. |
C |
| Brady Calla |
WHL |
Mar. 14, 1988 |
6'0" |
190 lbs. |
RW |
| Mathieu Carle |
QMJHL |
Sept. 30, 1987 |
6'0" |
206 lbs. |
D |
| Michael Carman |
USA |
Apr. 14, 1988 |
6'0" |
180 lbs. |
C |
| Michael Caruso |
OHL |
Jul. 5, 1988 |
6'2" |
191 lbs. |
D |
| Cal Clutterbuck |
OHL |
Nov. 18, 1987 |
5'10" |
196 lbs. |
RW |
| Matthew Corrente |
OHL |
Mar. 17, 1988 |
5'11" |
189 lbs. |
D |
| Simon Danis-Pepin |
H. EAST |
Apr. 11, 1988 |
6'7" |
208 lbs. |
D |
| John Degray |
OHL |
Mar. 14, 1988 |
6'4" |
204 lbs. |
D |
| Jesse Dudas |
WHL |
Mar. 31, 1988 |
6'1" |
214 lbs. |
D |
| Cory Emmerton |
OHL |
Jun. 1, 1988 |
5'11" |
177 lbs. |
C/LW |
| Ondrej Fiala |
WHL |
Nov. 4, 1987 |
6'1" |
183 lbs. |
C |
| David Fischer |
USHSW |
Feb. 19, 1988 |
6'3" |
185 lbs. |
D |
| Nick Foligno |
OHL |
Oct. 31, 1987 |
6'0" |
188 lbs. |
LW |
| Michael Forney |
USHSW |
May 14, 1988 |
6'2" |
185 lbs. |
LW |
| Blake Geoffrion |
USA |
Feb. 3, 1988 |
6'1" |
190 lbs. |
LW |
| Claude Giroux |
QMJHL |
Jan. 12, 198 |
5'10" |
169 lbs. |
RW |
| Michael Grabner |
WHL |
Oct. 5, 1987 |
6'0" |
170 lbs. |
RW |
| Eric Gryba |
USHL |
Apr. 14, 1988 |
6'3" |
215 lbs. |
D |
| Ryan Hiller |
QMJHL |
Jan. 25, 1988 |
5'11" |
179 lbs. |
LW |
| Bud Holloway |
WHL |
Mar. 1, 1988 |
6'0" |
190 lbs. |
C/RW |
| Riley Holzapfel |
WHL |
Aug. 18, 1988 |
5'11" |
170 lbs. |
C |
| Bobby Hughes |
OHL |
Nov. 11, 1987 |
5'10" |
170 lbs. |
C |
| John Hughes |
OHL |
Jan. 6, 1988 |
5'9" |
175 lbs. |
C |
| Erik Johnson |
USA |
Mar. 21, 1988 |
6'4" |
222 lbs. |
D |
| Phil Kessel |
WCHA |
Oct. 2, 1987 |
6'0" |
189 lbs. |
C |
| Derrick Lapoint |
USHSW |
May 13, 1988 |
6'2" |
175 lbs. |
D |
| Pierre-Luc Lessard |
QMJHL |
Jan. 16, 1988 |
6'0" |
180 lbs. |
D |
| Trevor Lewis |
USHL |
Jan. 8, 1987 |
6'1" |
192 lbs. |
C |
| Bryan Little |
OHL |
Nov. 12, 1987 |
5'10" |
190 lbs. |
C |
| Milan Lucic |
WHL |
Jun. 7, 1988 |
6'2" |
204 lbs. |
LW |
| Luke Lynes |
OHL |
Nov. 28, 1987 |
6'0" |
195 lbs. |
C/LW |
| Aaron Marvin |
USHSW |
May 27, 1988 |
6'2" |
191 lbs. |
C |
| Shawn Matthias |
OHL |
Feb. 19, 1988 |
6'3" |
211 lbs. |
C |
| Ben Maxwell |
WHL |
Mar. 30, 1988 |
6'0" |
177 lbs. |
C |
| Jamie McGinn |
OHL |
Aug. 5, 1988 |
5'11" |
179 lbs. |
LW |
| Mark Mitera |
CCHA |
Oct. 22, 1987 |
6'3" |
202 lbs. |
D |
| Kevin Montgomery |
USA |
Apr. 4, 1988 |
6'1" |
185 lbs. |
D |
| Peter Mueller |
WHL |
Apr. 14, 1988 |
6'2" |
205 lbs. |
C |
| Andreas Nodl |
USHL |
Feb. 28, 1987 |
6'1" |
196 lbs. |
RW |
| Kyle Okposo |
USHL |
Apr. 16, 1988 |
6'0" |
195 lbs. |
RW |
| Oskar Osala |
OHL |
Dec. 26, 1987 |
6'4" |
217 lbs. |
LW |
| Theo Peckman |
OHL |
Nov. 10, 1987 |
6'1" |
216 lbs. |
D |
| Jeff Petry |
USHL |
Dec. 9, 1987 |
6'2" |
176 lbs. |
D |
| Graham Potuer |
WHL |
Feb. 18, 1988 |
6'0" |
220 lbs. |
D |
| Rhett Rakhshani |
USA |
Mar. 6, 1988 |
5'10" |
170 lbs. |
RW |
| Joe Ryan |
QMJHL |
Oct. 19, 1987 |
6'1" |
189 lbs. |
D |
| Boby Sanguinetti |
OHL |
Feb. 29, 1988 |
6'1" |
174 lbs. |
D |
| James Sheppard |
QMJHL |
Apr. 15, 1988 |
6'1" |
204 lbs. |
C |
| Ben shurton |
OHL |
Jun. 14, 1988 |
5'11" |
186 lbs. |
D |
| Carl Sneep |
USHSW |
Nov. 5, 1987 |
6'4" |
210 lbs. |
D |
| Jordan Staal |
OHL |
Sept. 10, 1988 |
6'4" |
215 lbs. |
C |
| Chris Stewart |
OHL |
Oct. 30, 1987 |
6'1" |
228 lbs. |
RW |
| Brian Strait |
USA |
Jan. 4, 1988 |
6'0" |
200 lbs. |
D |
| Chris Summers |
USA |
Feb. 5, 1988 |
6'1" |
180 lbs. |
D |
| Bryce Swan |
QMJHL |
Oct. 6, 1987 |
6'2" |
191 lbs. |
RW |
| Jonathan Toews |
WCHA |
Apr. 29, 1988 |
6'1" |
195 lbs. |
C |
| Ryan Turek |
USHL |
Sept. 22, 1987 |
5'11" |
170 lbs. |
C |
| Ivan Vishnevski |
QMJHL |
Feb. 18, 1988 |
5'11" |
176 lbs. |
D |
| Mike Weber |
OHL |
Dec. 16, 1987 |
6'2" |
199 lbs. |
D |
| Ryan White |
WHL |
Mar. 17, 1988 |
5'11" |
200 lbs. |
C |
| Nigel Williams |
USA |
Apr. 18, 1988 |
6'4" |
226 lbs. |
D |
| Ty Wishart |
WHL |
May 19, 1988 |
6'4" |
205 lbs. |
D |
| Ben Wright |
WHL |
Mar. 18, 1988 |
6'2" |
189 lbs. |
D |
| NORTH AMERICAN INVITEES (GOALTENDERS) |
| NAME |
LEAGUE |
DOB |
HT |
WT |
POS |
| Kevin Armstrong |
WHL |
Jun. 29, 1988 |
6'0" |
178 LBS. |
G |
| Brett Bennett |
USA |
Mar. 8, 1988 |
6'1" |
185 lbs. |
G |
| Jonathan Bernier |
QMJHL |
Aug. 7, 1988 |
5'11" |
177 lbs. |
G |
| Ryan Daniels |
OHL |
Jun. 22, 1988 |
6'1" |
205 lbs. |
G |
| Leland Irving |
WHL |
Apr. 11, 1988 |
6'0" |
177 lbs. |
G |
| Kris Lazaruk |
WHL |
Jun. 6, 1988 |
6'1" |
165 lbs. |
G |
| Steve Mason |
OHL |
May 29, 1988 |
6'3" |
186 lbs. |
G |
| Joseph Palmer |
USA |
Feb. 1988 |
6'1" |
205 lbs. |
G |
| Jeff Zatkoff |
CCHA |
Jun. 9, 1987 |
6'1" |
150 lbs. |
G |
| EUROPEAN INVITEES (SKATERS) |
| NAME |
LEAGUE |
DOB |
HT |
WT |
POS |
| Jonas Ahnelov |
SWE JR. |
Dec. 11, 1987 |
6'2" |
205 lbs. |
D |
| Yuri Alexandrov |
RUS |
Jun. 24, 1988 |
6'0" |
172 lbs. |
D |
| Artem Anisimov |
RUS |
May 24, 1988 |
6'3" |
191 lbs. |
C |
| Nicklas Backstrom |
SWE |
Nov. 23, 1987 |
6'0" |
183 lbs. |
C |
| Patrik Berglund |
SWE |
Jun. 2, 1988 |
6'4" |
187 lbs. |
C |
| Marek Biro |
SVK JR. |
Feb. 8, 1988 |
6'3" |
198 lbs. |
D |
| Robin Figren |
SJL |
Mar. 7, 1988 |
5'11" |
176 lbs. |
RW/LW |
| Michael Frolik |
CZE |
Feb. 17, 1988 |
6'1" |
187 lbs. |
RW |
| Jesse Joensuu |
FIN |
Oct. 5, 1987 |
6'4" |
207 lbs. |
LW |
| Jan-Mikael Juutilainen |
FIN JR. |
Jan. 5, 1988 |
5'11" |
183 lbs. |
C |
| Tomas Kana |
CZE |
Nov. 29, 1987 |
6'0" |
189 lbs. |
C |
| Denis Kazionov |
RUS |
Dec. 8, 1987 |
6'3" |
187 lbs. |
LW |
| Nikolai Kulemin |
RUS |
Jul. 14, 1986 |
6'0" |
201. lbs. |
RW/LW |
| David Kveton |
CZE |
Jan. 3, 1988 |
5'11" |
180 lbs. |
C/RW |
| Tony Lagerstrom |
SJL |
Jul. 19, 1988 |
6'1" |
187 lbs. |
C |
| Martin Latal |
CZE JR. |
Mar. 17, 1988 |
5'11" |
165 lbs. |
RW |
| Igor Makarov |
RUS |
Sept. 19, 1987 |
6'1" |
183 lbs. |
RW |
| Tomas Marcinko |
SVK JR. |
Apr. 11, 1988 |
6'4" |
187 lbs. |
C |
| Jan Mursak |
CZE JR. |
Jan. 20, 1988 |
5'11" |
168 lbs. |
LW |
| Igor Musatov |
RPL |
Sept. 23, 1987 |
6'1" |
180 lbs. |
LW |
| Robert Nyholm |
FIN JR. |
Mar. 7, 1988 |
6'1" |
194 lbs. |
LW |
| Dennis Persson |
SWE JR. |
Jun. 2, 1988 |
6'1" |
183 lbs. |
D |
| Andrei Popov |
RUS |
Jul. 15, 1988 |
6'1" |
187 lbs. |
RW |
| David Ruzicka |
CZE |
Mar. 8, 1988 |
6'3" |
185 lbs. |
D |
| Timo Seppanen |
FIN |
Jul. 22, 1987 |
6'1" |
205 lbs. |
D |
| Juraj Simek |
SUI |
Sept. 29, 1987 |
6'1" |
189 lbs. |
RW/LW |
| Viktor Tikhonov |
RUS |
May 12, 1988 |
6'2" |
180 lbs. |
C |
| Jiri Tlusty |
CZE |
Mar. 16, 1988 |
6'1" |
198 lbs. |
C |
| Alexander Vasyunov |
RPL |
Apr. 22, 1988 |
6'0" |
187 lbs. |
LW |
| Vladimir Zharkov |
RPL |
Jan. 10, 1988 |
6'0" |
187 lbs. |
RW |
| Valeri Zhukov |
RUS |
Feb. 8, 1988 |
6'1" |
187 lbs. |
D |
| EUROPEAN INVITEES (GOALTENDERS) |
| NAME |
LEAGUE |
DOB |
HT |
WT |
POS |
| Reto Berra |
SUI |
Jan. 3, 1987 |
6'4" |
192 lbs. |
G |
| Jhonas Enroth |
SWE |
Jun. 25, 1988 |
5'10" |
174 lbs. |
G |
| Riku Helenius |
FIN |
Mar. 1, 1988 |
6'3" |
202 lbs. |
G |
| Michal Neuwirth |
CZE JR. |
Mar. 23, 1988 |
5'11" |
169 lbs. |
G |
| Semen Varlamov |
RPL |
Apr. 27, 1988 |
6'2" |
183 lbs. |
G |
