UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE

by Ihor Stelmach

The 1996 NHL Entry Draft

Led by the Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche's drafting of Ukrainian defenseman Peter Ratchuk with their 25th selection of the first round, preliminary research reveals at least 10 known Ukes were chosen in this year's National Hockey League entry draft. The positional breakdown reveals four defensemen, two goaltenders, a pair of centers and one each at the wings. Seven of the 10 were drafted out of the junior hockey ranks in the Western Hockey League, two from the Ontario junior league and Ratchuk was drafted by Colorado straight out of high school.

Below is a listing of the 10 drafted Ukrainians complete with their final statistics for their completed 1995-1996 season, in order of entry draft selection.

Whalers reel in Wasyluk

The Hartford Whalers are of the opinion they got a first-round calibre pick in the second round of the 1996 NHL entry draft.

"He's a guy we had rated 10th on our list," Whalers general manager Jim Rutherford said after Hartford selected Medicine Hat Ukrainian leftwing/defenseman Trevor Wasyluk 34th over all at the Kiel Center in St. Louis.

The Whalers were excited and totally delighted to have nabbed Wasyluk, the most valuable player of the Canadian Hockey League's prospects game last winter at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.

"He's a player that has great potential," Rutherford said. "Consistency is something he has to work on, but he's got a good upside. lt was one of those guys we hoped would drop through to 34, and he did."

The Whalers are not certain whether they will play Wasyluk at wing or defense. Manager Rutherford loves the flexibility that gives the Hartford organization, particularly at the point on the power play. Hartford scout Ken Schinkel said Wasyluk's more natural position is left wing.

"I'm very excited, it's a dream come true," said Wasyluk, whose first cousin is Avalanche Ukrainian defenseman Curtis Leschyshyn (good genes, strong bloodlines). "They chose me because they want me to be part of their team and their franchise, so I'm very happy with that."

Wasyluk is 6-foot-1 and 187 pounds. Some scouts feel the shuffling between positions has hindered his development. A lack of aggressiveness has also been somewhat of a concern. The Whalers are confident they can develop this young Uke into a super pro prospect down the immediate road. (See mini-profile of Wasyluk below.)

Whale watch: One of Hartford's two fourth-round selections was still another Ukrainian, Detroit Whalers' (OHL) center Steve Wasylko. "We're getting told it doesn't matter when you get drafted," said Wasylko, the 104th player chosen. "It's what you do from now on."

"I'm real happy with our draft list," Rutherford readily admitted afterwards. "We had hoped picking at 34 that someone we had listed in the first round would drop. We had Wasyluk rated at 10th over all. I'm not saying that's right, but certainly based on our list, it appears that we got a good player there. In the fourth round we got Wasylko from the Detroit Junior Whalers. We know this guy real well. We think he was a real bonus player in that round. It was good. It turned out well, based on our plan. The same as all drafts, we'll find out in about four years," Rutherford said.

Ratchuk offensive on defense

Peter Ratchuk lists Paul Coffey as his favorite NHL player and has always admired former Boston Bruins legend Bobby Orr. The Colorado Avalanche thinks he compares quite favorably to Sandis Ozolinsh. Any guesses as to what playing style best characterizes the 1996 No. 1 draft pick of the Avalanche?

Yes, this 18-year-old Ukrainian is definitely considered an offensive defenseman. He isn't quite at the level of the afore-mentioned players, but Colorado is confident he will someday play at the NHL level.

"We've seen him for two years now and he's a very strong offensive defenseman, and we think he'll turn out to be a very solid NHL defenseman," said Avalanche chief scout Dave Draper.

Ratchuk, from Buffalo, scored 22 goals and 50 points in 35 games St. Mary's Prep School in Shattuck, Minn., last season. He was pleasantly surprised with his 25th overall selection.

"I didn't think I'd go as high as I did," said Ratchuk, who will play at Bowling Green University this coming season. "But it was an unbelievable feeling when I was." (See mini-profile of Ratchuk below.)

Avalanche Rumblings: With their fourth-round selection in the draft, Colorado pulled a Hartford and selected a second Ukrainian in goaltender Randy Petruk from Kamloops of the WHL. The Hockey News had Petruk rated as the 51st top amateur in its pre-draft guide. It is thought he slipped down so far because of his diminutive stature.

 

 

This U.S. high school defenseman will play under coach Buddy Powers at Bowling Green next season, and scouts like that idea.

Bowling Green has a history of developing good NHL defensemen, including Rob Blake, Garry Galley and Dave Ellett among others, and Powers was an assistant coach with the Falcons during those players' times there.

Ratchuk certainly gives the Falcons something to work with.

"He's a fast, highly skilled defenseman who is still physically immature," a scout said.

"He's a tremendously competitive kid, and there is reason to believe he will be an impact player as a college freshman."

He is, however, a 19-year-old, and that diminishes some luster. Ratchuk graduated from Shattuck, a private school coached by former NHLer Mike Eaves. Ratchuk, a Buffalo native, originally attended Lawrence Academy, but then jumped to Rochester of the United States League, only to finally end up at Shattuck.

 

 

Medicine Hat's Trevor Wasyluk has yet to score a goal in 10 career playoff games, but his sense of timing isn't all bad.

The big winger was named MVP of the Canadian Hockey League's prospects game before a bevy of NHL scouts and GM's.

"He has a ton of talent, and it hasn't all surfaced yet," said one scout who labeled Wasyluk an underachiever. "He has great speed. He's a raw talent. If he develops, he could turn into a special player."

Consistency has proven to be a problem, raising the spectre of lack of motivation. "Some nights he just doesn't show up," a scout said. "He has all the tools, but doesn't put them together."

Wasyluk was a key member of the Saskatchewan team that won the under-17 world title.

 

 

Randy Petruk has been fighting battles on two fronts. One of them he'll never win. At 5-foot-9, the Kamloops Blazers' stopper is on the small side for goalies. If that precludes him from consideration by some NHL clubs - and it does - there's nothing he can do to change that.

The other battle, though, is winnable: the fight to play well.

"He really had an off-year this season (1995-1996) after a really strong rookie year," one scout said. "His stock fell."

Petruk is a quick, reflex goalie who loves to challenge the shooters and make the acrobatic save. A number of scouts wondered how well that would play in the pro game, but he has his supporters.

"I can't believe a kid with his track record suddenly can't play the game," the scout said.

(Quotes courtesy of Whalers' beat writer Phil Sweetland and Avalanche beat writer Adrian Dater. Profile quotes from the Hockey News draft preview.)

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, November 3, 1996, No. 44, Vol. LXIV

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