Tuesday, October 21, 2003

By Dejan Kovacevic, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

A look at players drafted by the Penguins but not yet signed:

Name: Stephen Dixon

Position: Center

Size: 5 feet 11, 185 pounds

Shoots: Left-handed

Born: Sept. 7, 1985; Halifax, Nova Scotia

Acquired: Penguins' seventh-round choice, 232nd overall, 2003 NHL Entry Draft

2002-03 club: Cape Breton, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

Statistics: In 12 games, 5 goals, 14 assists, 2 penalty minutes, plus-14 rating

Scouting: Has helped his team, which owns junior rights to Marc-Andre Fleury but must play without him while he is in NHL, to go 11-3 and sit atop Atlantic Division. ... Ranks 14th in league in scoring and is 13 points off the lead. ... More talent has helped improve plus-minus rating. Last season, when team finished last in division, he had team-worst minus-36 rating. Also led team in scoring with 28 goals, 42 assists, producing 15 points more than next-closest teammate. ... Has won 63 percent of faceoffs. ... Showed in intrasquad tournaments in Penguins training camp to have good vision, soft passing touch and above-average quickness.

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