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ZACK TORQUATO
Zack Torquato
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
Vitals: 6'0'' / 195 lbs.
Birthdate: June 8, 1989
Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Acquired: Detroit's fourth choice (178th overall) in the 2007 draft
CSS Ranking: 61st North American skater (2007)
Contract: None
RWC Says: Scoring forward

STORIES

AWARDS
  • 2006-07 OHL All-Star Game (Western Conference representative)
  • 2006-07 CHL Top Prospects Game (Team Bowman/Demers) (did not play because of injury)

HISTORY
2004-05:
  • Drafted third overall in OHL draft by Saginaw after season with Stratford Ontario midgets.
2005-06:
  • Produced well as 16-year-old rookie in OHL with Saginaw (65-19-18-37, plus-4).
2006-07:
  • Won gold with Canada at Junior World Cup in Czech Republic in August.
  • Produced well early in OHL season with Saginaw (22-10-13-23).
  • He and four Saginaw teammates got into legal trouble in October and ended up in court in February.
  • Pleaded guilty in February to misdemeanor assault and battery charges.
  • Received a sentence of two years probation and 250 hours community service.
  • Traded to Erie in November with second- and fourth-round picks for Ryan O'Marra.
  • Finished season as Erie's leading scorer and most valuable player (43-20-26-46).
  • Had 30 goals among 69 points in 65 games overall and was a minus-24.
  • Helped Canada to fourth-place finish at world under-18 championship in Finland.
2007-08:
  • Captained OHL's Erie and finished second in team scoring (66-25-42-67).
  • Finished with team-worst minus-33, fifth worst in the OHL.
  • Erie had a dismal year, missing the playoffs at a Western Conference-worst 18-46-2-2.
  • Managed point-per-game pace despite team average of just three goals scored per game.
  • Signed amateur tryout at end of season to join AHL's Grand Rapids (11-1-0-1).
2008-09:
  • Returned to OHL with Erie, posting a career-high in goals (29) among 63 points in 66 games.
  • Helped Erie get to the playoffs, where they lost in five games (5-2-4-6).
  • Signed AHL amateur tryout contract and appeared in one game with Grand Rapids.
  • Not signed by Red Wings by June 1, 2009, deadline and allowed to re-enter draft.

SCOUT COMMENTS
"He has a real good touch down low and around the net. He's good with the puck and he sees the ice very well, and he's a responsible player in his own end. He's not a pretty skater. Is the skating going to affect him at the next level? That's what we have to find out (in the next two years).” -- Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill (June 2007) ...

STRENGTHS
Soft hands and a great scoring touch in the goal area ... Quick release on a dangerous shot ... Excellent vision and talented playmaker ... Terrific hockey sense and anticipation ... Knows how to find offensive openings ... Especially dangerous on power plays ... Quick in small areas ... Good defensively ... Began wearing a letter in the OHL at age 17, a sign of strong leadership traits.

WEAKNESSES
Overall skating speed and acceleration is his Achilles' heel, and is a big concern of the Red Wings' ... Slight and extremely immature physically, and needs to bulk up ... Doesn't play with much grit or edge, and could stand to get more involved in heavy traffic.

PROJECTION
Torquato never materialized as the Red Wings hoped. They thought he would be a 100-point scorer in the OHL but he never cracked the 70-point plateau. His lack of production, combined with concerns about his skating, sank his bid for a contract. He is no longer Detroit property.

STATISTICS
  REGULAR SEASON PLAYOFFS
SEASON TEAM LEAGUE GP G A PTS PIM GP G A PTS PIM
2005-06 Saginaw OHL 65 19 18 37 56 4 1 0 1 6
2006-07 Saginaw OHL 22 10 13 23 24 -- -- -- -- --
  Erie OHL 43 20 26 46 69 -- -- -- -- --
  Canada W-U18 6 0 3 3 2 -- -- -- -- --
2007-08 Erie OHL 66 25 42 67 112 -- -- -- -- --
  Grand Rapids AHL 11 1 0 1 8 -- -- -- -- --
2008-09 Erie OHL 66 29 34 63 78 5 2 4 6 11
  Grand Rapids AHL 1 0 0 0 0 -- -- -- -- --

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The next wave

RWC's top 10 prospects (2009-10 preliminary)
01 F Tomas Tatar » Grand Rapids (AHL)
02 D Jakub Kindl » Grand Rapids (AHL)
03 D Brendan Smith » Wisconsin (NCAA)
04 G Thomas McCollum » Grand Rapids (AHL)
05 F Gustav Nyquist » Maine (NCAA)
06 F Landon Ferraro » Red Deer (WHL)
07 F Jan Mursak » Grand Rapids (AHL)
08 F Cory Emmerton » Grand Rapids (AHL)
09 F Joakim Andersson » Frolunda (SEL)
10 F Mattias Ritola » Grand Rapids (AHL)
» COMPLETE RANKING »