Top Prospects at Traverse

Dan Rosen and Mike Morreale at NHL.com look at the top prospects at this year's Traverse City Tournament. Including Michael Del Zotto and Bobby Sanguinetti...

Michael Del Zotto, No. 20, 2008 - You may be asking yourself: How did a point-per-game defenseman in the OHL slip to the Rangers at No. 20? It's a question the Rangers were asking themselves a few months ago, but now they're just elated to have him. Del Zotto will be a player to keep an eye on in Traverse City as he makes his first attempt to prove some people wrong. In fact, of the seven other teams in Traverse City, four of them passed on Del Zotto. In fairness, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, St. Louis and Columbus did take up four of the first six picks of the draft, and nobody thought Del Zotto would go that high. However, this tournament gives him his first chance to could have. Del Zotto was third among OHL defenseman with 63 points in 64 games last season. That's 10 more points than Alex Pietrangelo in only four more games, and Pietrangelo was the fourth pick. The knock on Del Zotto is his in-zone play, but he'll be given time to develop. "We had held this guy in really high regard as far as how high he could go," Rangers Head Amateur Scout Jim Hammett said. "We think that he belonged in that upper echelon with some of the other defensemen that went higher, so overall we were absolutely thrilled that he was still there (at No. 20)."

Bobby Sanguinetti, No. 21, 2006 - Even though the Rangers have a strong stable of blueliners already, Sanguinetti will be given a chance to make the squad out of training camp this year. His training camp starts in Traverse City, where Sanguinetti will have to impress in a big way. For three straight seasons, Sanguinetti, who played for Brampton, finished in the top 10 in scoring among OHL defenseman, including last season when his 29 goals were the most among the blueliners and his 70 points were second. The Rangers like Sanguinetti's development in the defensive zone, but it still has to get better. That's an area where he'll need to show great improvement throughout his time in Traverse City and then in the Rangers training camp. However, the Rangers don't want to see any drop-off in his offense as he furthers his develop in the defensive zone. Sanguinetti, who had a goal and two assists in Traverse City last season during the Rangers' undefeated run, can be an offensive force. "I know what I'm capable of and the reason why they drafted me, the confidence they have in me," Sanguinetti told NHL.com. "I need to continue to show that I'm getting closer and closer to becoming a Ranger and that you want to compete for a job and that you're serious about it."

...FYI, this year's tournament will be televised on the NHL Network.