World Junior Report: Team Germany

Germany is really the one team I never got to see other than the Canada - Germany game and the Latvia - Germany game. Here are my observations from what I did see from the under performing Germany squad.

30. Philipp Grubauer - G - OHL Belleville Bulls
Grubauer was outstanding in the Canada game, he held his team in there when they had no business being there. Grubauer looked big in the net and challenged shooters really well. I thought he looked a lot better than his drafted counterpart Timo Pielmeier. His five-hole and his glove hand looked really weak though. He really didn't look like a draft worthy prospect unless it was a really late spare pick but he did have a really good tournament.

9. Jerome Flaake (TOR) - LW - DEL Kolner Haie
Flaake was a 5th round pick for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2008 draft. This tournament he lead team Germany in scoring with 3 goals and 2 assists in 6 games played. He was by far Team Germany's best player throughout the tournament. He looked really offensive orientated without a defensive side. Most of his goals we're scored by him doing most of the dirty work and then being able to finish. He has the size and the finish to play in the NHL but it may be his defensive lapses that holds him down. Ether way it didn't look like a wasted draft pick.

10. Denis Reul (BOS) - D - QJMHL Lewiston MAINEiacs
Denis Reul is a 5th round pick of the Boston Bruins in the 2007 entry draft. Reul is a really big body who skates well for his size. He appears to be more of a defensive defenseman than an offensive playmaker. He plays the body well and has good positioning. He still has to control his ability to avoid taking dumb penalties though. He finished the tournament with a -1 which isn't bad and 27 PIM which should have been a bit lower. He seams like a decent pick and I think playing in the CHL will help his development greatly.

1. Timo Pielmeier (SJ) - G - QJMHL Shawinigan Cataractes
A 3rd round draft pick of the San Jose Sharks in the 2007 entry draft, Pielmeier excelled in the 2008 IIHF World Juniors but this year not so much. I really didn't buy into the hype I was hearing about him this year and I thought his backup looked a lot better. He does play for a weak defensive team but look at Janus who is playing for a similar style team and he stole the show. Pilmeier needs to be able to step up his game and it really didn't look like he tried his hardest. As a 3rd round draft pick he should be a decent prospect, so maybe it was just a bad tournament. We'll see soon enough.

that's Team Germany, Latvia is tomorrow night..