It's often said the biggest impact superstars can have on their team is making those around them better.

John Tavares is likely going to have to do plenty of that this year.

There is no question No. 91 is an exceptional talent. When at his best, very few are in the same league as the Oakville product. He can score at will, and does possess that uncanny ability to elevate the level of play of those around him.

That, above all else, will likely determine the fate of this club after losing many a key player from a year ago.

Gone are the likes of Brett MacLean, Patrick Asselin, Dale Mitchell and Kevin Baker and among those expected to fill the void are Tyler Taylor, Kory Nagy and a slew of youngsters.

And dare we say import pick in Alexander Denezhkin?

Denezhkin was featured on a line with Tavares and Nagy on Team White during Thursday's intraquad game. And though it's only a scrimmage, and the first one at that, it could be an indication coach Chris DePiero wants to see what he can get out of the 5-foot-11 Russian.

But it wasn't Denezhkin that caught my eye as much as it was another import pick: Team Red's Robert Kousal.

At 6-foot, 183 pounds, the Czech forward has size and a little bit of an edge. But it was his skating and swift stick handling that stood out. In fact midway through the first of the three 15-minute periods, Kousal was absolutely robbed of a sure goal by goalie Neil Conway, who otherwise was quite ordinary.

Granted yesterday was only the second full day of camp, but with a team that, outside of Tavares and fellow centre Brett Parnham, has little to get excited about offensively, Kousal could play himself into a pretty good position.

Of course, as we've seen in the past, those unpredictable European picks could just as easily be a bust.

So by no means should we anoint Kousal a star in the making in August, but he could be someone we hear a lot more about in the coming months. Or maybe not.

Has anyone seen Ziga Pance recently? Didn't think so.

As for a few other Thursday observations:

- I would think the intensity level needs to increase with jobs on the line. No fights and very little physicality.

- I love the speed displayed by Jeff Hayes, but man he is small. If I didn't know better I'd swear he lost some size off his 5-foot-7 frame of a year ago.

- 2007 fourth rounder Nick Esposto showed some great vision on the ice, creating a few chances from the right side.

- Kory Nagy looks like he's worked on his hands over the summer and amped up his offensive creativity.

- And perhaps most shocking... Sean Perkins stopped Tavares on a third period breakaway. Honestly, it happened.