At six-foot-three and 215 pounds, Windsor pivot Jordan Maletta is among the bigger players available for the 2013 NHL Draft.
The former first-round pick of the Spitfires comes under the microscope here, along with two other draft eligibles in Adam Bateman and goalie Jordan DeKort.
Jordan Maletta (C) - won a bronze medal with Team Ontario at the U17 World Challenge, although his tournament was cut short by a knee injury in the opening game ..a physical specimen with a real presence on the ice however, unfortunately, does not apply himself nearly enough in a physical sense .. consistency remains an issue moving forward as his efforts on both sides of the puck are erratic .. impresses one shift - only to disappear for the rest of the period .. must keep baring down and increasing his intensity - as he does show more inclination to finish his hits .. skating continues to advance with the development of his lower-body strength .. turns, pivots and transitions are strong, however his first-step quickness is an area that requires further improvement .. handles the puck well for a big man, possesses slick toe-drags and stickhandling shifts .. could show more hunger for the puck in scoring areas and better capitalize on his chances .. uses his spacious frame defensively to eliminate players from the action, as he can lean on them .. though his instincts and positioning are still quite unrefined, he does a solid job of shadowing and not losing assignments .. needs to show better determination for NHL scouts - and that he can be more of a difference-maker.
Adam Bateman (D) - a light and fluid skater with excellent four-way agility .. boasts superb lateral quickness to recover in the event he gets caught out of the play .. fast and seamless footwork in transitions, reaches top speed swiftly .. excels on breakouts, makes solid outlets and quick decisions .. his first passing abilities set him apart as a player .. thrives on the powerplay, distributes the puck with intelligence and poise .. can lose his sense of positioning at times - will get ahead of himself with questionable pinches and unnecessary risks .. can be prone to losing focus and getting beaten 1-on-1 due to poor body positioning .. routinely gets beaten down low by a lack of size and strength .. despite having a nice offensive component to his game, Bateman hasn't gotten any bigger since last season, and is now coping with the challenges of containing players which has exposed his game.
Jordan DeKort (G) - Won the starting duties as a 16-year-old for LaSalle Jr. B, Windsor’s affiliate club .. started in 37 games plus all of the Vipers' playoff games, pushing the eventual Western Conference Champion London Nationals to five games including three overtime losses .. focuses on positioning and keeping his mammoth six-foot-four, 200-pound frame square to the play - allowing pucks to hit him .. can get caught too deep in the crease, especially when he is slow to read the play develop .. doesn't challenge shooters at times and can be exposed high glove side .. adeptly manages rebounds, especially given his young age .. needs to continue to be patient and wait out opposition shooters, as he can drop into his butterfly early, exposing the upper portion of the net .. especially needs work in his shoot-out skills .. intimidates with his excellent lower-net coverage .. economical in his movements as he moves swiftly laterally .. displays strong mental strength and always exudes positive body language, regardless of the score .. expected to back-up starter Jaroslav Pavelka.