panoo

Prospects for NHL draft from Europe say they deserve more credit
By MIKE ZEISBERGER -- Sun Media

The studs of the 2007 European prospect class have arrived at the annual NHL scouting combine looking to silence the critics.

Russian winger Alexei Cherepanov and Swedish centre Mikael Backlund, the top-ranked European skaters on Central Scouting's list, began meeting with various teams yesterday in Toronto during the opening day of the prospects combine.

Both players hope to change the impression of many scouts and personnel men who feel the cache of European players eligible for the 2007 entry draft in Columbus is not as deep as it has been in previous years.

"I don't (agree) if that is what people are saying. I think the (crop) of Europeans available in the draft this year is good," Backlund said last night from his Toronto-area hotel.

"(Sweden) finished second in the world juniors. Russia won the under-18 tournament. That's why I think there will be a lot of good European players taken."

The interview process will continue during the next several days, with prospects scheduled to work out for teams Friday and Saturday.

For a player such as Backlund, it will be a busy week. He is scheduled to sit down with 29 of the 30 NHL teams, the only exception being the Dallas Stars.

"It's fun," Backlund said. "The questions have been pretty simple so far."

By the time the five-day combine comes to an end, Central Scouting director E.J. McGuire expects approximately 100 prospects will have attended the event.

FULL STORY