Dean Prentice Prospect Of the Month

Ranger fans have spoken and they have spoken loud and clear as the first winner of the "Dean Prentice Prospect of the Month" award is 2006 first round pick Bobby Sanguinetti.

Sanguinetti who plays for the Brampton Battalion in the OHL has gotten off to a start that nobody possibly could have expected. After 17 games Sanguinetti has an impressive 9-15-24 with a +8 which is the 3rd among OHL defensemen.

Sanguinetti is already on a pace to blow past his OHL career best of 23-30-53 set last season. Sanguinetti who when the Rangers drafted him was to be as an offensive threat has done so.

With 5 power play goals out of his 9 goals for the season, Sanguinetti will be giving the Rangers that QB on the point that they have so badly needed since Brian Leetch was traded. Sanguinetti does not get enough credit for his passing skills but Sanguinetti's ability to take what the defense offers him is exceptional.

However perhaps the bigger surprise for Ranger fans this season has to be how much improvement they have seen from Sanguinetti on the defensive end. Truth be told Sanguinetti's offense has been so good that it has been a mistaken perception that his defense is weak.

While with Hartford during their playoffs last season, Sanguinetti more than held his own on the defensive end and this season his plus/minus are showing that his defensive game is there as he is at +8 after going -16 while he was with Owen Sound last season.

Sanguinetti is in line to represent the United States at the World Under-20 Championships this winter and his performance so far has done nothing to hurt his cause. Sanguinetti we believe has not even begun to touch his potential as this monthly award is just the beginning of what Prospect Park believes will be a trophy filled year for Bobby Sanguinetti.

Game Action

Ryan Hillier set up the game winning goal with the first of his 2 third period assists as his Halifax Mooseheads defeated the Lewiston MAINEaics 6-4 in QMJHL action Tuesday night. The assists for Hillier were his 9th and 10th of the season which is not bad for a player who for reasons unknown gets hassled by the Moosehead fans for not passing enough.

Hillier who now is 13-10-23 good for 13th in scoring in the QMJHL

College Hockey Poll

Hardly any change for Ranger prospects from last week, Carl Hagelin and Michigan are 2nd, Billy Ryan and Maine moved up 1 to 11th and Jordan Foote's Michigan Tech Huskies remained 13th.

We will have the prospect of the week tomorrow along with the expected new CHL poll along with David Skokan's Rimouski Oceanic hosting the Quebec Remparts