Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website

Wes O'Neill, David Brown and Michael Bartlett Ranked In NHL Central Scouting's Mid-Term Rankings

Jan. 15, 2004

Toronto, Ont. – The National Hockey League’s (NHL) Central Scouting Service has listed three Notre Dame hockey players on their mid-term rankings for the 2004 NHL Entry Draft scheduled for June 25-27 in Raleigh, N.C. Wes O’Neill (Fr., Essex, Ont.) and Michael Bartlett (Fr., Morton Grove, Ill.) were ranked among the top 270 draft-eligible North American players while David Brown (Fr., Stoney Creek, Ont.) was among the top 30 ranked goaltenders.

O’Neill, a 6-4, 215-pound defenseman, was ranked 19th overall and third among all collegiate players behind North Dakota forward Drew Stafford (9th) and Michigan State defenseman A.J. Thelen (16th). The left-handed shooting defenseman has played in all 20 games for the Irish this season and has two goals and six assists for eight points. His +8 plus-minus rating is ties him for the team lead. Born on March 3, 1986, O’Neill will have to “opt-in” to be selected in the 2004 Entry Draft.

Bartlett is a 6-0, 193-pound forward who is ranked 211th overall and 36th among college skaters. Bartlett has seen action at all three forward positions for Notre Dame this season. In 20 games, he has four goals and five assists for nine points. He owns one power-play goal and one game winner while being -4 for the year.

Brown ranks 29th among the 30 goaltenders rated and is second among collegiate goaltenders. Only Michigan’s Al Montoya (1st overall) is ranked ahead of Brown among the collegians. On the year, Brown has played in 15 games and has a 7-4-2 record. His 2.36 goals-against average and .920 save percentage rank third in the CCHA. The freshman goaltender owns four shutouts (a Notre Dame single-season record) on the year. He has been named the CCHA rookie of the week three times, CCHA defensive player of the week, once and in October was the Hockey Commissioner’s Association’s national rookie of the week.

Both O’Neill and Brown were ranked in Central Scouting’s preliminary rankings issued in December.