2011 Draft Watch - Duncan Siemens

The season for the 2011 prospects is upon us and with the 2011 NHL Entry Draft being hosted in Minnesota, I thought it would be a good idea to get comfortable with some potential Wild first round draft picks. As apparent in the Wild Prospect Rankings, the Wild have an even spread of prospect talent, meaning they could potentiallly pick in any position (forward, defense or goaltender).

In this series, I will introduce 10 potential Wild draft picks, assuming the Wild will pick at around 9th overall, as thehockeynews expect us to end up 13th, much like the previous season, where we ended up with the 9th overall pick (who turned out to be Mikael Granlund).

So enjoy and keep your eye out for these players!

With the graduation of Sam Klassen and possibly Jyri Niemi, Duncan Siemens should see a large increase in icetime and responsibility.

Known primarily as a two-way defender, Siemens possesses the height and size that scouts drool over. Only 17, Siemens is written down as 6'3" 193lbs, a quite solid build for an NHL player. With his size, he is also known as a physical defenseman, described as "... a big player who moves very well and brings a big, physical presence," according to Hockey Canada's head scout Al Murray and as a "a big, punishing defenceman who can really skate," by Blades assistant GM Jarrod Brodsky. (http://bit.ly/bSSA9G)

Al Murray added "There’s some very high-skilled players that didn’t get selected for the team, but there’s other players like Duncan who bring something else to the table, as far as physical play and a solid defensive work ethic with some bite to it. All of those things are valuable when you’re trying to put a team together."

"I like to catch guys with their heads down," Siemens confirmed. "I watched Scott Stevens when I was young, so that’s where I learned to throw my body around." (Quote extracted from http://bit.ly/bmmHJj)

One of the youngest players in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Siemens will have plenty of chances to prove himself with the Saskatoon Blades. The Scouting Report (http://bit.ly/cGS9YQ) mentioned that  "Siemens had a few growing pains last year and perhaps didn’t meet some of the lofty expectations, but there’s a lot to like about him and he’s a guy that could definitely be a riser this year. He’s a steady type of player that’s good in his own end, but is also very effective transitionally and does have some offensive skill. He’ll have a bigger role with the Blades this year and there will be plenty of opportunity for him to play in all different types of situations where he can really show off what type of player he can develop into."

The Scouting Report also said "Siemens has it all; size, skill, and smarts. Not to mention that as one of the youngest players eligible for the 2011 NHL draft, he still has a lot of time to continue to grow and improve his game. He is a pretty fluid skater and he thinks the game quite well. The 3rd overall pick of the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft, Siemens has the potential to be a marquee player in Saskatoon and beyond." (http://bit.ly/c2WHOr)

Siemens possesses a well-rounded package that will have NHL teams drooling. Posting 89 penalty minutes in only 57 games, Siemens is a two-way defender with a physical streak, and has a combination of size and skill that will make him a high-demand prospect. To conclude, below are some videos to see him physical

Tyler Yaworski vs Duncan Siemens (via HordiBrusk29)

Shayne Neigum vs Duncan Siemens.wmv (via HordiBrusk29)

Special Mention - Thanks to Steve Hiscock (http://www.pbase.com/avalon642) for an amazing photo of Siemens. Without him, this article will be highlighted with a photo mobile phone.