PROSPECTS PULSE

Prince of the draft Shane Prince of the Ottawa 67’s skates

Spencerport native

W
with Team Cherry in the CHL/NHL Top
Prospects game last month in Toronto.
peaking at perfect
owe them a ton for what they’ve done
time by racking up WRKHOSJHWPHZKHUH,DPµ
Prince also credits much of the quan-
points in the OHL tum leap he made, from 30 points all of
last season split between Ottawa and
Kitchener to the more than 100 he’s on
By Kirk Luedeke pace to score, to the work he did in the
offseason beyond the obvious move
Although every player strives for to a scoring role from the third- and
the best in their NHL draft season, Ot- fourth-line duty he previously held.
tawa 67’s forward Shane Prince could “I have a great trainer in my home-
not have asked for a more favorable town — Rick Billitier — who is a role
situation. PRGHOIRUPHµ3ULQFHVDLG´+H·VEHHQ
A native of Spencerport, N.Y., Prince my trainer for a few years now and I
is near the top of the OHL scoring race give him a lot of credit for working me
in his third major junior season after really hard, and that’s important for a
leaving his home near Rochester at guy like me who doesn’t have a lot of
age 15 to skate in the league known natural size. He doesn’t let me get away
for producing some of the more visible with taking shortcuts, and we just had
NHL stars. After two seasons in which a really productive summer of building
Prince’s performance on the lower P\VWUHQJWKDQGFRQGLWLRQLQJµ
lines went largely unnoticed, the 2010- That diligence is what has helped
11 campaign has been a coming-out keep Prince productive and healthy de-
party for the left winger. spite the rigors of the highly competitive
Every year, players projected for OHL. As a reward for his success, Prince
early selection fall short in their draft about the line is that I feel like we bring veloped with his minor hockey before was named to the CHL Top Prospects
seasons, while others rise to the occa- the best of everything. I’m more of a play- jumping to the OHL however, Prince’s Game in January as an injury replace-
sion. Forwards such as Alan Quine and maker and a grinder that the line needs; hustle and energy is not a surprise. ment for Gabriel Landeskog, and scored
Austen Brassard have disappointed, but 7\OHU PRUH RI WKH ÀQLVKHU ZKR JHWV WKH Coming from a hockey family where a goal in the contest. It seems like every-
Prince has gone in the opposite direc- goals and Ryan is a well-rounded player, his father, Dan, played Jr. B in the Roch- thing Prince does is setting him up for
tion. With his output of 21 goals and 76 ZKHWKHULW·VSOD\PDNLQJRUVFRULQJµ ester Americans system, Prince played what could be a short wait at the NHL
points in 44 games — just three points While Prince may not have been seen for the Syracuse Stars minor hockey (QWU\'UDIWLQ6W3DXO0LQQFRPH-XQH
behind league leader and linemate Tyler as much of an NHL prospect prior to this program growing up, which was quite ´2EYLRXVO\ WKH WHDP FRPHV ÀUVW LQ
Toffoli (L.A. Kings) — Prince has been season, teams are paying more attention a haul from his Spencerport home. any situation, but this is the year that
rocketing up draft lists this season. to him because any hockey play-
´,W·V GHÀQLWHO\ EHHQ JUHDW VR IDUµ of his produc-
Prince said recently. “It’s great to start tion and heady ‘It’s easy to get caught up in the points this er looks forward
to — his draft
the year strong and keep the wins going. game as one of
The team’s going great, and I’ve enjoyed Ottawa’s scoring
year with Prince. But he’s a smart kid who \HDUµ3ULQFH
said. “Right now,
my best year in the OHL individually, so stars. He was the
things are moving along in the right di- 35th-best North
plays a responsible defensive game, too.’ it’s working out
as well as any
rection. I just want to do what I can to American skater — An NHL scout for an Eastern Conference team player could
KHOSWKHWHDPNHHSLWJRLQJµ on NHL dream of. I’m
At 5-foot-11 and just under 190 Central Scouting’s midterm rankings, “A group of us from Spencerport ORRNLQJ IRUZDUG WR JRLQJ RXW WR 0LQ-
pounds, Prince may not have ideal size, and could end up higher at season’s end. ZRXOG FDUSRRO WR WKH SUDFWLFHVµ KH nesota with my family and taking it in,
but he’s a fast skater with excellent puck “It’s easy to get caught up in the said. “It was about an hour-and-a-half and just sharing the experience. “
skills and offensive hockey sense. Origi- SRLQWVWKLV\HDUZLWK3ULQFHµVDLGRQH trip one-way, two to three times a week However, as alluring as the thoughts
nally drafted by the Kitchener Rangers, NHL scout who is based in Ontario for for practices, not including our travel of summer and taking that next critical
he was dealt to Ottawa a year ago in Jan- an Eastern Conference team. “But he’s DQGJDPHVFKHGXOHµ step in pursuing his NHL dream may be
uary, but went on his scoring tear only a smart kid who plays a responsible If that kind of pace was rough for (he grew up a hardcore Buffalo Sabres
after head coach Chris Byrne juggled his defensive game, too. Now, he doesn’t Prince to keep up with, he has no regrets. fan), Prince has his priorities in line.
OLQHV DIWHU WKH ÀUVW PRQWK :LWK 3ULQFH have great size, and he’s got to prove “A lot of times, it meant going ´0\ IRFXV LV GHÀQLWHO\ LQ 2WWDZD
DQG 7RIIROL ÁDQNLQJ FHQWHU 5\DQ 0DU- he can get the production without (Ty- straight from school to the car and do- right now, with my team and trying to
tindale, an Edmonton prospect, the line OHU7RIIROLDQG5\DQ0DUWLQGDOHEXW ing homework on the ride down, prac- ZLQ DQ 2+/ FKDPSLRQVKLS DQG 0H-
has made the lives of opponents mis- he’s got legitimate skill and has been as WLFLQJDQGWKHQKRPHIRUEHGµKHVDLG PRULDO&XSµKHVDLG´(YHU\WKLQJHOVH
erable, to the tune of 88 goals and 215 FRQVLVWHQWDVWKH\FRPHµ ´0\ SDUHQWV DUH WKH RQHV ZKR JDYH ZLOOKDYHWRZDLWµ
points among them in late January. The scout also said Prince’s work up a lot to help me pursue my hockey
“Over the last 25 games or so, we re- ethic is another strength he brings to dreams — a lot of miles on the car and Kirk Luedeke can be reached
DOO\ WRRN RIIµ 3ULQFH VDLG ´:KDW , OLNH the mix. When you consider how he de- time spent in different rinks, and so I at feedback@[Link]

22 NEW YORK HOCKEY JOURNAL February 2011

 NYHJ Top Five
New York/New Jersey
2011 NHL draft prospects

1. Shane Prince
Position: LW Size: 5-11, 185
Hometown: Spencerport, N.Y.
Current team: Ottawa 67’s (OHL)

2. Adam Clendening
Position: D Size: 5-11, 187
Hometown: Wheatfield, N.Y.
Current team: Boston University
The skinny: Dropping to No. 2
here is more about Prince’s
dominant season than Clenden-
ing’s performance. Freshman
is 61st on Central Scouting’s
rankings

3. Matt Killian
Position: D Size: 6-2, 190
Hometown: Basking Ridge, N.J.
Current team: Delbarton (N.J.) H.S.
The skinny: Stock holding
steady; Central Scouting’s 77th
North American skater has
upside.

4. Charles Orzetti
Position: LW Size: 6-4, 215
Hometown: Wyckoff, N.J.
Current team: N.J. Hitmen (EJHL)
The skinny: At No. 120 on
Central’s midseason list, Orzetti
has a good shot at being drafted
after injury-plagued, lost 2009-10
campaign.

5. Rob O’Gara
Position: D Size: 6-3, 175
Hometown: Nesconset, N.Y.
Current team: Milton (Mass.)
Academy
The skinny: This skilled two-way
‘This is the year that any defender with size who is devel-
oping rapidly this season after
hockey player looks forward beginning as a relative unknown
to — his draft year. Right is a new debut in the top five;
95th skater by Central.
Photoa/Claus Andersen/Getty Images

now, it’s working out as well

Keep an eye on
as any player could dream of.’ Other New York draft prospects
worth watching: Dillon Don-
— Shane Prince of Spencerport, N.Y.
nelly (D, Shawinigan, 6-1, 190,
Amherst, N.Y.); Colin Stevens
(G, Boston Jr. Bruins, 6-2, 162,
Niskayuna, N.Y.)

February 2011 [Link] 23