Little Hockey Star Oliver Wahlstrom Will Amaze You
Total Pro Sports - So you are at a hockey game and have had to go to the washroom since the middle of the period, but you decide to hold it in because you do not want to miss out on an amazing goal or a big mid-ice collision. Finally the horn goes off to end the period. So is that your cue to head off to the washroom?

If your answer there is yes, you likely would have missed the best part of Monday afternoon's game between the Colorado Avalanche and the Boston Bruins.

During the first intermission of this Columbus Day matinee game, the tykes made their way onto the ice for a shootout. What is usually an enjoyable event that provides some laughs and a few tumbles from the kids, actually gave the crowd the greatest display of skill they would see all afternoon (and that is not an insult to the Avs or Bruins).

Oliver Wahlstrom of the Portland Jr. Pirates '97 Pee Wee Major AAA club participated in Mini 1-on-1 at the TD Garden Arena. After picking up speed through the neutral zone, he preformed a lacrosse-like move, scooping the puck up while spinning and firing it into the net.

At only 9-years-old, Oliver has the skills to develop into a fine hockey player, and with the salary cap forcing NHL teams to rebuild through the draft, some GMs may want to begin taking a look his way. After all, his draft eligibility is only six years from now, a reasonable timeline some teams may have regarding their Stanley Cup hopes. In fact, Brian Burke may be at his door step already.

By Greg Wyshynski

Oliver Wahlstrom's shootout attempt in the Boston Bruins "TD Bank Mini 1-on-1" competition begins as expected: Deliberate skating to the puck before picking up speed into the zone. But once he gets between the faceoff circles ... well, let's just say we wouldn't have been shocked to see him pull a rabbit out of his helmet before sawing a woman in half. This is hockey magic.Not too shabby for a 9 year old, eh? Your heart has to go out to the goalie, though, who's probably still frozen in his crease as we speak.

Wahlstrom plays for the Portland Junior Pirate Pee-Wee Major 97s, a team of 12-year-old players based in Maine. The team told us this morning that Wahlstrom is just 9 years old, playing up with older competition. One look at this goal, and you can see why. It also doesn't hurt that his father, Joakim Wahlstrom, was a 10-year veteran of the Swedish Elite League.

According to NESN, that stunning tally came during the taping of the TD Bank Mini 1-on-1, a series that will debut during the first intermission of the Bruins' game against the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 29. It's also shown in-game at the TD Banknorth Garden.

Heck of a goal by Wahlstrom. Wonder if it could have beaten a goalie of slightly larger stature? Not that we'd want to see Wahlstrom try that trick-shot on Bruins netminder Tim Thomas(notes), who'd probably skate out the crease and bulldog the lad if the puck flew by him.