The annual NHL Entry Draft Preview edition of The Hockey News came in the mail Saturday.

 The magazine profiled its top 60 prospects for the seven-round draft, which will be conducted June 21 in Ottawa.

 Two teenagers with ties to the Badgers are included in the list: incoming freshman defenseman Jake Gardiner is 39th, while defenseman Cody Goloubef, a sophomore-to-be, is 42nd.

 THN skinny on Gardiner, who played last season at Minnetonka (Minn.) High School: Gardiner was a forward until moving to defense two years ago, but he retained his offensive mentality on the blueline. Scouts agree he's one of the best skaters available, but there are other concerns.

"He's a great skater, but his hockey sense isn't great,'' a scout said. He's a bit of a riverboat gambler.''

 Gardiner has some filling out to do, but his smooth skating has scouts intrigued.

 "He's lean, but he sure can skate,'' another scout said. "I think he has lots of potential.''

 Gardiner is slotted as an early to middle second-round selection and a team might just get him as a steal in that spot. However, one scout thinks a team that has him rated too highly might be disappointed.

 "It all goes back to the U.S. high school thing,'' a scout said. "You look at a guy like Blake Wheeler and if somebody had taken him 20th, they'd probably be happy, but at fifth maybe not so much.''

 THN skinny on Goloubef, who played 38 games last season for the Badgers: There are precious few true freshmen in U.S. college hockey these days, but Goloubef is the exception, cracking the lineup at Wisconsin as a 17-year-old.

 And the fact he did it on such a talented defensive corps, which includes 2007 first-round picks Ryan McDonagh and Brendan Smith, makes it more impressive. He managed to work his way into the regular rotation right away and impressed with his poise.

 In fact, Goloubef has drawn favorable comparisons to Smith, who was drafted by the Red Wings out of Jr. A hockey last season.

 "He's already doing it at the college level and that's quite an accomplishment for a kid that age,'' one scout said. "He's very mature.''

 Goloubef is seen as a solid defensive prospect who has no discernable weakness, but no prominent strengths, either. Some like his ability to find the open man.