The Month Of Zorro

The Dean Prentice Prospect of the Month is meant to acknowledge the Ranger prospect who has worked the hardest at both ends of the ice. We had hoped that name recognition would not have turned out to be the main determining factor but it was.

So far this season the award has been basically been owned by the "Big Three" of Bobby Sanguinetti who won it in October and November, Ryan Hillier who earned it for January and Tomas Zaborsky who won it for December.

For the month of February we decided to make the selection ourselves mainly because the more we watched the more we saw a bit of the old time Ranger show up in Tomas Zaborsky.

We believe that while we look at the Ranger's future all the time, we want Ranger fans to remember the teams past players as well. Tomas Zaborsky reminded us of the quiet left wing in more ways than one.

It is interesting to note that both played left wing, both are 5'11 and both were responsible at both ends of the ice. If Tomas Zaborsky did in fact mirror the former Ranger Prentice's career then Ranger fans will really wind up as winners as Prentice averaged 14 goals a season over 11 years as a Ranger.

Zaborsky's February started slowly; in fact Zaborsky carried over a goal scoring slump from January that eventually ended 2 games into February. Zaborsky only scored 4 goals all month but it was all the other things that stood out like a 5 game scoring streak, like during that scoring streak his Spirit also had a 5 game winning streak against some of the best teams in the OHL.

But there is more as Zaborsky had 9 assists and was a +7 but here is a number that really stands out; in 12 games during February only one 2 minute minor. That in all the games, with all the minutes and going against some of the brightest of future NHL stars that Zaborsky only had 2 PIMs says a lot about his ability to help his team by staying out of the penalty box.

Zaborsky was the Ranger's 5th round pick in the 2006 Entry Draft; he was supposedly just a one way offensive player who only scored goals. Zaborsky has been in North America he has shown that he is just as solid on the defensive end and that gives us reason to believe that one day he just might be wearing Ranger Blue.

Bobby Sanguinetti was the other prospect who really earned serious consideration for his 3rd prospect of the month award as the Brampton Battalion defender was 7-5-12 with a +4 which are impressive numbers but in the end it was how Zaborsky finished the month on fire that was the difference.

(Tomas Zaborsky picture courtesy of the Saginaw Spirit)