BY SCOTT
HADDOW
When the dust finally settles on the 2006 NHL Entry Draft,
there could be a handful of Sudbury Wolves selected by big
league clubs.
The draft will be aired on TSN. Check local listings for times.
Nick Foligno heads the list of 2006 candidates, but he's
just the tip of the iceberg for talent eager to have their
rights claimed by a NHL franchise.
Devin DiDiomete and Matt Dias are also on the radar screen,
albeit on the far fringes, while Kevin Baker and Jonathan
D'Aversa, both of who were passed over last season by all 30
NHL clubs, could be selected.
DiDiomete is a six-foot, 205-pound winger, who has plenty of
toughness and grit.
The winger recorded 15 goals, 36 points and 202 penalty
minutes in 60 games.
His all-around, unrelenting game has endeared him to fans,
and despite his size, attracted some attention from scouts.
"Devin is a heart-and-soul type player," said one prominent
scout, who wished to remain anonymous. "He's a hard worker and
a good up-and-down winger. He's not intimidated and defends his
teammates."
Wolves head coach and GM Mike Foligno backed up the scout's
comments about the robust DiDiomete.
"Devin is a grinding forward who's always in your face,"
said Foligno. "He's a good fighter and can defend his
teammates. He brings a lot to the table and is really
physical."
Dias stormed the OHL as a 17-year-old rookie, and showed a
real knack for scoring goals. In 57 games, Dias tallied 18
goals and 34 points.
"Matt was a first year player and really came into his own
about mid-season, where he started to play with confidence and
was on a roll," said Foligno. "Unfortunately he injured his
shoulder and that set him back a bit. He's an intelligent and
heads-up player. He has a great touch around the net. He also
has the ability to score goals."
Dias felt his season was decent. "I thought my season went
well...but the injury took its toll," said Dias. "I learned to
keep my game simple this past season."
Smooth-skating defender D'Aversa will warrant consideration
after he piled up seven goals and 46 points in 62 games. He was
a solid +13 and benefited from playing with Marc Staal.
"Jonathan played a sound game for us...and stepped it up
when he had to," said Foligno.
Scouts drool over D'Aversa's commanding presence on the
blueline. "He's a very smart defenceman...He has excellent
positioning and always makes a good first pass," said the
scout.
Baker exploded this past season, chalking up 34 goals and 63
points in 68 games. "Kevin was overlooked last season but
bounced back with a great season for us...Some teams will have
to think about selecting him," said Foligno.
Scouts enjoyed Baker's blazing speed. "His biggest asset is his speed," said the scout. "He has a sneaky stick and fools goalies because he shoots from everywhere. He doesn't have the size, but in today's NHL, his speed could get him picked."
