Simon Despres selected to Team QMJHL
Zach Boslett | Penguin Prospects
Oct 25, 11:59 PM | Hype this story!
The Pittsburgh Penguins top prospect Simon Despres has been selected to play for Team QMJHL in the 2009 Subway Super Series against the best players from the Russian junior ranks. This is Despres’ third appearance in the tournament. He also played in 2007 and 2008.
The Subway Super Series is a 6-game series between the Canadian Juniors and the Russian Juniors. The name is taken from the old Summit Series that used to be held between the Russian and Canadian National teams. A strong performance in this tournament is a necessity if a player wishes to make the Canadian or Russian World Junior Championship Teams.
Penguin prospects Dustin Jeffrey, Luca Caputi, Nick Petersen, Keven Veilleux, and Alex Grant have all played for Canada in the past for the Subway Super Series.
An all star team of sorts is compiled for each of the leagues in the Canadian Junior ranks. Only Team QMJHL has released their rosters at this point but the other rosters will be released in the next few weeks.
Other possible Penguin prospects that can be considered for selection are: former Super Series player Nick Petersen, Nathan Moon, recently defected Russian goalie Alexander Pechurski, G Patrick Killeen, and Andy Bathgate. Only Petersen and Moon are serious candidates for inclusion on the Canadian rosters.
The Penguins will likely not have many prospects in the 2009 Series due to the fact that most of their prospects are playing in the AHL, ECHL, or NCAA.
The full roster can be found here.
Comments
Guest Informant
Oct 26, 05:32 AM
“recently defected Russian goalie Alexander Pechurski”
???
Ben Schmidt
Oct 26, 12:48 PM
Petersen would seem to not be playing in the Super Series this year, since he plays in the QMJHL (for the same team as Despres, even), and his name is not on the QMJHL roster.
Zach Boslett
Oct 26, 07:20 PM
right right thanks Schmidt. For some reason I thought he was in the O
@Guest
Pechurski defected to N. America and is currently playing with the Tri City Americans of the WHL
bag o' pucks
Oct 26, 09:01 PM
Zach, Pechurski’s Russia club didn’t clear his release from the team and he has been removed from Tri-City’s roster. The confusion may be my fault, as I had initially reported that Pechurski was in the Dub. Sorry about that. Got it straight from the Pens, though, that he hadn’t been released from his Russian club.
Zach Boslett
Oct 27, 12:40 AM
Hmm I had heard the same thing Pucks right around when you reported it. I had checked and he was listed on the Tri City website so I went with it. Good call
bag o' pucks
Oct 27, 10:37 AM
The unfortunate thing is that, as far as I can tell, he hasn’t logged any time in net for Magnitogorsk, either. I don’t think he’s played at all this season, so far, and I hope it doesn’t turn into a wasted development year. He’s 19-yrs old, he needs to play.
Things I hear about him are generally very good. A lot of the same things we heard about Fleury years ago: incredible reflexes, athleticism, flexibility, needs structure and control in his game. That comes with maturation and teaching. Not saying he’s got Fleury’s upside, but Pechurski has some good tools to work with.
Stan
Oct 27, 02:23 PM
http://www.whl.ca/stats/roster.php?step=&sub=&season_id=234&team_id=217
no Pechurski’s
Zach Boslett
Oct 27, 07:35 PM
http://whl.ca/stats/player.php?id=25530
I went the other way and searched for him because I was unsure of his team. I figured he didn’t have any stats because he hadn’t played yet.
Should have double checked my fault.
@Pucks
I have heard the same thing. If he can secure a release to come to America he may be a viable goaltending prospect
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