Nick Petrecki

Petrecki hopes to dress in teal for the 2010-11 season. While he spent quite some time in the penalty box (106 PIM) last season with Worcester of the AHL, he struggled to get it together with any kind of regularity. Petrecki also failed to land among top five among defensemen in points -on his own minor-league team. Still, he is a rugged player who, with his hard-hitting mentality, could be useful in heavy traffic on NHL ice. Be cautious of growing pains associated with most young players, but know that Petrecki could be a good source of PIMs in the near future.

San Jose got a steal in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by nabbing Petrecki with the 28th pick. Since then, the blueliner has been a human wrecking ball in two seasons at Boston College, spending 263 minutes in the Sin Bin over that timeframe. He's signed on with the Sharks, but should see plenty of time with Worcester of the AHL in 2009-10.

Petrecki is the kind of guy who was probably able to buy beer at the tender age of 14. On draft day, he was already 6'3" and 213 lbs at just 17 -- heck, he's bigger than a lot of NHL defensemen right now. He has a bit of a mean streak and already shows a responsible defensive game. But scouts are split on his offensive ability -- some think it will come while others believe his hockey IQ is too low to allow an two-way game to appear. His fantasy value is best left to develop with age, sort of like a nice wine. Let's hope it gets better with time -- after all, no-one likes to invest in expensive grapes that are better used as vinegar.