Tweet For Derek Forbort, jumping to the U. Super Bowl Ahmad Bradshaw Jersey.S. National Team Development Program from his Duluth, Minn., high school wasnt much different than being the new kid in school. But rather than sit quietly on the sidelines, Forbort threw himself into the program and became a major piece of the team. And in the process earned accolades from scouts around the NHL. The 6-foot-5, 198-pound defenseman is No. 9 on NHL Central Scoutings final ranking of North American skaters. Click image to enlarge "If were trying to paint a portrait of Derek to someone whos never seen him play, hes the kind of player that if youre not looking for him hes not going to jump out at you," Kurt Kleinendorst, who coached the USNTDP under-18 team this past season, told NHL.com. "Hes not Paul Coffey, swinging around the net ... he does all the little things well. Hes got good skills, hes very coachable, he makes the right plays. Hes in the moment and hes going to make the play that needs to be made. If hes under pressure, hell deal with the pressure and hell make the quality play. If he has time, hell take that time and make the best play. If he has the option to carry the puck, hell carry the puck. He doesnt do anything with the puck or without the puck that jumps out at you. His game is all-encompassing." "Derek Forbort has good top-end ability at both ends," Central Scoutings Jack Barzee, who specializes in U.S.-based prospects, told NHL.com. "Hes smart and skates so well, hes almost 6-5 and hes got everything there in front of him. Its just a matter of filling out and getting more experience and playing. Hes probably a top-two defenseman in the NHL if he reaches his potential." Thats a pretty big claim, but Forborts talents make it fit. He had 28 points in 65 regular-season games, and he had 2 points in six games as the U.S. won gold at the IIHF World Under-18 Championship in Belarus; his plus-9 rating tied for the top spot at the tournament. Kleinendorst following his heart After a very successful season running the U.S. National Team Development Programs under-18 squad, Kurt Kleinendorst left the elite USA Hockey program at the end of May. Despite saying the 2009-10 season was the most fun hes had coaching, Kleinendorst said he wants to return to coaching at the professional level. Prior to joining USA Hockey, he spent three seasons as coach of the Lowell Devils, the New Jersey Devils AHL affiliate. He also has professional experience coaching in the ECHL and in Europe. Kleinendorst said he made his decision to leave at that point so USA Hockey would have the rest of the spring and all summer to find a quality replacement. He also said he left with no solid job offers, but hoped his body of work during the season would be enough to get his phone ringing. Kleinendorsts team went 36-18-0-2 playing in the USHL, as well as against NCAA and Canadian university teams. He led the team to the Four Nations championship in Finland in November, the Six Nations Cup in Belarus in February, and the gold medal at the IIHF World Under-18 Championship in Belarus in April. "When Brian Burke left Anaheim, he said it wasnt the first time in my life I jumped without a parachute," Kleinendorst told NHL.com. "Very similar circumstances here. And its fair to USA Hockey -- they can get the right coach who can take over and lead the next group forward. I see the contradiction in how much I appreciated what Im doing, and at the same time Im doing whats in my heart." -- Adam Kimelman Kleinendorst told NHL.com that Forbort was able to have the success he did because of how he embraced the demanding national team program. "Looking back, I was always impressed with him from Day 1 in regard to the way he handled himself as a person," said Kleinendorst, "how nothing seemed to overwhelm him, he never fell behind. He worked as hard as anybody. And what you saw at the rink and on the ice just reinforced to me that I shouldnt have been surprised." Forbort admits it took him some time to adjust to things. "It was difficult at first," Forbort told NHL.com. "The speed of the game out here made it a little tough, but its been a good transition." If Forbort did have issues, he certainly did a nice job hiding them. "He never, from Day 1, the first practice, to the first game, during the first game, never looked uncomfortable," said Kleinendorst. "He wasnt turning pucks over because he wasnt ready to make the play. He just fit right in." He made the adjustment off the ice, as well. Forbort moved out of his parents home in Duluth and into the home of a billet family in Ann Arbor, Mich., and had to get used to a new school and new teachers, and make new friends. "The off-ice stuff is every bit, or more important, than the on-ice," said Kleinendorst. "The on-ice was the easy part. Ive said this to my guys, its not about the hockey -- its about everything else. You have to take it even farther, you have to take it to a kid who had to come in and adjust to his billet family ... he went to school on the first day and had to learn his way around a high school that he wasnt used to, had to get to know the other kids in the student body. He also was trying to get to know his teammates here." Now, you wouldnt know Forbort only has just one year in the program. "He was a year behind, but if you were to go up to the weight room today and watch him work out, hes right there," said Kleinendorst. "Hes right there with everybody in every way. He just did it in one year and not two." Forbort is set to take his considerable skills next season to the University of North Dakota. Moving up another level, Kleinendorst said the only thing Forbort needs to add to his game is a bit of toughness. "He needs a little more grit," said Kleinendorst. "If he can find that grit, thats going to help him elevate his game. And find it without taking anything else away. He has to take what hes got and add to it." After watching Forbort make a near-seamless adjustment to the USNTDP program this season, Kleinendorst has no doubt hell do just fine at the next level. "I think that what well find is that because of the fact he is an elite player," said Kleinendorst, "when he gets to the University of North Dakota, I would be comfortable saying hed do the exact same thing." Contact Adam Kimelman at akimelman@nhl.com Eli Manning Super Bowl Jersey. Leftwich spent the 2008 season with Pittsburgh, performing as the backup to Ben Roethlisberger after Charlie Batch was shelved with a broken right collarbone. The Marshall product appeared in five games for the Super Bowl champion Steelers, completing 21-of-36 passes for 303 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Super Bowl Victor Cruz Jersey. Jason Kubel added two hits and two RBI for the Twins, who got five innings from starter Nick Blackburn. The right-hander allowed seven hits, including Casey Kotchmans two-run homer in the fourth. Authentic Jason Pierre-Paul Jersey. [PhotoAgencies] Chinas Ma Lin returns a shot to Alexander Shibaev of Russia during their Group A First Division match at the 2010 World Table Tennis Championships in Moscow, May 26, 2010. Giants Super Bowl XLVI Jersey. Kobe Bryant, hobbled by a bum ankle and sore shoulder, played 48 minutes and finished with 42 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in a playoff-like atmosphere at Staples Center. The Lakers have won five in a row and 13 of 14 and hindered their division rivals playoff chances, as Phoenix fell three games behind of Memphis for the eighth and final playoff spot with its fifth loss in seven games. Brandon Jacobs Authentic Jersey. Jason Terry netted 29 points for the Mavericks, who posted their 10th straight season with at least 50 victories. Jason Kidd chipped in 12 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, as the Mavs continue to hold onto the second spot in the Western Conference. TORONTO -- Canadas entry for the upcoming IIHF World Hockey Championship is starting to take shape despite a murky playoff picture making the job more complicated for Dave Nonis. The general manager has received commitments from a number of NHL players, including forward Rick Nash, who is sitting out the final two games for the Columbus Blue Jackets with a back injury but is expected to appear in his fourth world championship. Nash was named MVP of the 2007 tournament in Moscow while helping Canada win gold and was part of the Olympic team last year in Vancouver. Ottawas Jason Spezza and Colorados Matt Duchene, two other forwards with previous world championship experience, have also signed on and could be joined by a third in John Tavares. The leading goal-scorer from last years team requires clearance from the New York Islanders after their regular season wraps up Saturday. "Im looking forward to getting a chance to play and it extends my year, so itll be something thats exciting for me to get a chance to win a gold medal," said Spezza. Forwards Chris Stewart of the St. Louis Blues and Andrew Ladd of the Atlanta Thrashers will also be part of the Canadian squad along with Blues defenceman Alex Pietrangelo. Nonis is the senior vice-president of hockey operations for the Toronto Maple Leafs and may bring a couple of his own players along. James Reimer is expected to be one of the three Canadian goaltenders, capping a memorable year that saw him go from ffourth on the organizations depth chart at training camp to No. Eli Manning Womens Jersey 1 by the end of the season. The 23-year-old from Morweena, Man., has made it known that hes eager to travel to Slovakia for the event. "Ive always wanted to wear the Maple Leaf," Reimer said Friday. "Im wearing it right now (but) its not red and white. If the opportunity arises, it will be exciting. "Its been a dream of mine ever since I was little kid -- just like making the NHL -- to play for Team Canada so if that what happens, Ill be excited beyond words." It promises to be a busy weekend for Nonis and assistants Rob Blake, Bob Murray and Brad Pascall. Theyve yet to finalize a coaching staff -- that could happen as soon as Saturday -- with less than two weeks remaining before the team opens training camp in Paris. Canada will play exhibition games there and in Prague before opening the tournament in Kosice, Slovakia, with a game against Belarus on April 29. More players will be added to the roster once the NHLs playoff picture becomes clearer over the weekend. The Carolina Hurricanes are sitting ninth in the Eastern Conference and have a handful of players that would be of interest, including captain Eric Staal and goalie Cam Ward, both members of the world championship team that won gold in 2007. In the West, Dallas, Chicago and Anaheim are battling for the final two playoff spots and all three feature players who suited up for Team Canada at the Vancouver Olympics. ' ' '