Donovan Making An Impression

From Katie Strang of Newsday:

"Just got off the phone with Assistant GM/Director of Amateur Scouting Ryan Jankowski, who gave me an update on Islanders prospects Aaron Ness and Matt Donovan's performance at the U.S. junior evaluation camp in Lake Placid, NY

Jankowski, who watched both play in two intersquad games, said that while the Islanders have higher expectations for Ness, who the team drafted in the 2nd round of the 2008 draft, Donovan was the one to make the impression."

"We have lower expectations for Matt [compared to Ness] because he was a 4th-round pick and is a guy that will develop over the years, but he was a pleasant surprise for us. We have a lot of patience for a guy like Matt, who is just going into college and has a decent amount of time to develop as a player while working with high-quality coaches and playing against tough opponents. We knew he had high-end skill, but the most important thing was that he could show that at a higher level, which he did." Jankowski said.

I already have Matt Donovan down in a "Prospect Watch" section, which was updated late last season, so look him up. He could be a real promising player for the Islanders in a few years. The determining factor will be how much time is needed for Donovan to shine at the University of Denver. If he does have a good showing this year, watch the Islanders prospect ranking move up the boards a little.