September
14, 2005
Recruiting Trail: Top Defensemen & Goalies
Michigan
recruit Jack Johnson, the third overall pick in this year's
NHL Draft, tops the list of incoming defensemen in INCH's 2005
Recruiting Rankings.
Without question,
the top-rated incoming defenseman and goaltender in Inside College
Hockey's 2005 Recruiting Rankings can vouch for the other guy's
skills. As teammates on the U.S. Under-18 Team last season, Michigan
rookie blueliner Jack Johnson and netminder Jeff Frazee, who's attending
Minnesota, helped the squad to the gold medal at last spring's IIHF
U-18 World Championships in the Czech Republic, capping the tournament
with a 5-1 rout of Canada in the finale.
Johnson, who
was chosen by the Carolina Hurricanes with the third overall pick
in July's National Hockey League Entry Draft, is one of three NTDP
alums ranked among our top 15 defensemen. He's joined by Mark Mitera,
another Michigan recruit, and North Dakota freshman-to-be Zach Jones.
Frazee, meanwhile, heads our list of 10 goaltenders, nine of whom
are heading to the CCHA or WCHA — UMass prospect Jon Quick
is the exception.
Inside College
Hockey compiled its 2005 Recruiting Rankings with extensive input
from college and junior coaches, as well as professional scouts.
Participants were asked to evaluate recruits based on their projected
impact at the college level, not on their professional hockey prospects.
Stay tuned in
the coming days for our exclusive ranking of the top incoming classes,
best players by junior league or geographical area and our annual
all-name team.
