Clearly you are aware of our new site here at DobberProspects as you are reading this but it has received recent shout outs over at Yahoo Sports and OnTheForeCheck. Great news! Dobber has been kind enough to provide this information free of charge (I think he’s crazy for doing this haha) so be sure to pay him back and spread the word on this new site! Thanks!

The Florida Panthers have recalled top goaltending prospect Jacob Markstrom from San Antonio of the AHL.

Maple Leafs’ prospect Jerry D’Amigo is playing lights out for the Toronto Marlies in the AHL playoffs. In Toronto’s first round sweep of the Rochester Americans, D’Amigo posted five goals, one assist and was plus-6 in three games en route to being named 1^st Star in all three games!

D’Amigo has had quite an interesting development route starting out playing in the US National Development Program (NTDP) before being drafted 158^th overall in 2009 (6^th round). Following the draft, D’Amigo headed to RPI (ECAC) where he posted 34 points in 35 games. He left RPI to turn professional with the Marlies to start the 2010-11 season and after struggling in his first pro season he was loaned to the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers recording 28 points in 21 regular season games and added a strong playoff performance with six goals and nine points in seven contests.

D’Amigo finished fifth in Marlies’ scoring with 41 points in 76 games as a recently turned 21-year old. Personally, I have never been a D’Amigo fan but his ability to step up in the post-season is something that Toronto could use…that is, if they ever reach the playoffs again. He projects to be a second or third line player at the next level and fit’s the “tweener” description perfectly.

Sticking with the Marlies, Nazem Kadri, Toronto’s “prized prospect”, scored beauty goal last night to seal the victory for Toronto.

Krys Kolanos (Flames) and Jon Matsumoto (Panthers) are tied with Jerry D’Amigo with six points of their own but in one less game. Flash back to the 2000 NHL Entry Draft and you will see that Krys Kolanos was the 19^th overall pick of the Phoenix Coyotes ahead of players like Alexander Frolov (20^th), Anton Volchenkov (21^st), Brad Boyes (24^th), Steve Ott (25^th), Justin Williams (28^th) and Niklas Kronwall (29^th). Kolanos has bounced around the NHL but has not found a home. Career AHLer. Jon Matsumoto is property of the Florida Panthers but is on the verge of becoming another career AHLer. He’s only 25-years-old but the former third round selection of the Flyers has been limited to just 15 NHL games (2 goals).

James Wright (Panthers) is a big bodied centerman impressing for the San Antonia Rampage registering two goals and three apples in two playoff games. Wright, drafted 117^th overall in 2008 by the Lightning, played 48 games for Tampa in 2009-10 and appeared to be making an impression with the Bolts. He was traded for spare parts in December to Florida, an organization that appears to be successful in reclamation projects these days. 

In the OHL Sunday night, Niagara goaltender Mark Visentin (Coyotes) scored his first career OHL goal in the IceDogs 5-2 win and it just happened to be shorthanded as well. Congrats Mark!

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Edmonton Oilers’ prospect Tobias Rieder was named OHL Player of the Week yesterday after posting four goals and seven points in three games. Rieder leads the Ontario Hockey League playoff scoring race with a ridiculous 13 goals and 27 points in just 15 games. The German import player was a fourth round selection (114^th overall) at last year’s NHL Entry Draft. Great value!

Tyler Randell (Bruins) is having a nice playoffs for the Kitchener Rangers after missing time to injury and suspension this season.  Last week, Randell had a four goal game and he scored again Monday night giving him seven goals and eight points in only five games.  Randell was taken 176th overall by Boston in 2009 and projects to be a power forward type at the NHL level.  His development has been good but it’s unlikely that he will become anything more than a fourth line player.

Looking ahead, the CHL Memorial Cup is shaping up to be a beauty this season as Charlie Coyle‘s Saint John SeaDogs continue to roll through the QMJHL recording their 10^th straight win Sunday night. Out west in the WHL, Sven Bartchi‘s Portland Winterhawks are showing teams why no lead is safe with the number of offensive options available. In the OHL, the Ryan Strome’s Niagara IceDogs, Tyler Toffoli’s Ottawa 67’s, Ryan Murphy’s Kitchener Rangers and Vladislav Namestnikov’s London Knights all feature potent offences. Junior hockey is showcasing some fantastic talent these days!

As Dobber mentioned in his ramblings today, the Elitserien regular season MVP and playoff MVP Jakob Silfverberg (Senators) made his NHL debut for Ottawa last night in their 3-2 loss. The transition to North American hockey is not easy (as Erik Karlsson pointed out last week) so expectations need to be tempered but I feel as though Silfverberg has the intangibles to up his game quicker than most. Could Silfverberg be the star of game seven? I’d love to see it!