One of the most compelling games within the NHL game is the battle between one team’s top forward and another’s top defenseman. Tasked with shutdown duties, the defenseman’s job was made significantly more difficult by the NHL’s post-lockout rule interpretations, particularly with regard to obstruction and interference. Neutralizing elite-level forwards while playing within the rules has become an extremely high-level challenge, with only a handful of blueliners demonstrating the capacity to do so on a nightly basis.

The Rangers-Islanders rivalry now plays host to an incredibly compelling one-on-one battle of this nature, between the Rangers’ Jaromir Jagr and the Isles’ Brendan Witt, and it’s had a significant impact on the balance of power between the two teams.

Last season, the Isles lacked a single defenseman capable of standing up to Jagr’s unique combination of speed, skill, and strength, and the Rangers earned a 5–2–1 record in the season series. But this year, Witt has been an absolute force, matched against Jagr on virtually every shift and making life on the ice fairly miserable for the Rangers’ superstar. Not coincidentally, the Isles have won all three of the teams’ matchups thus far this season, with Witt’s success against Jagr a critical component of the Isles’ success.

Looking ahead to the Isles’ and Rangers’ more distant futures, there’s another compelling oneon-one battle brewing. At 9:30 a.m. today, Islanders prospect Kyle Okposo and the rest of Team USA’s squad will go up against Rangers prospect Marc Staal and mighty Team Canada in the IIHF World Junior Championship semifinal. Featuring the world’s top players under 20 (excepting those already making an impact in the NHL), this tournament provides a very efficient glimpse at hockey’s future stars.

Currently a freshman with the University of Minnesota, Okposo has tallied 15 goals in 18 games for the Golden Gophers, emerging as one of the nation’s most dangerous goal scorers. And at the World Junior Championships, he has been one of Team USA’s most important contributors. Although he has not registered a goal in the tournament, Okposo has made a meaningful impact on virtually every shift and was named Team USA’s best player in its critical victory over Sweden on Sunday.

A wrecking ball on the ice at 6-feet and 200 pounds, Okposo’s style that can best be compared to that of the Calgary Flames’ Jarome Iginla, currently one of the NHL’s top power forwards. Okposo has made huge leaps forward with his development this season, and has made it clear that the Isles were very wise to select him with the seventh overall pick of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Looking at the other end of the ice, Staal is one of the NHL’s finest defense prospects. One of four brothers either in the NHL already or en route, Marc is the sole defenseman in the Staal family. At 6 feet 4 and 205 pounds, Staal boasts an enviable combination of speed and skill and is expected to be a key component of the Rangers’ blue line in 2007–08. Though it’s quite possible that Staal would represent an immediate improvement over the likes of Marek Malik and Karel Rachunek, the Rangers are without question doing the right thing where Staal’s development is concerned.

By allowing Staal to hone his game with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves — and with Team Canada’s World Junior squad —before he embarks on his NHL career, the Blueshirts are ensuring themselves that Staal will spend some of his prime seasons wearing a Rangers’ sweater.

The current collective bargaining agreement grants players unrestricted free agency either at the age of 27 or after they’ve completed seven seasons of NHL service. Had the Rangers given Staal a roster spot this season, it would mean that the 19-year-old would become an unrestricted free agent at the age of 26. But by keeping him in the Canadian junior system for another year, the Blueshirts will maintain Staal’s rights until he turns 27. Every indication is that Staal will be far better at age 27 than he is at age 19, and so the Rangers’ cautious approach can be expected to pay huge dividends down the road.

Just as Jagr’s battles with Witt inevitably come to an end, Okposo and Staal should begin waging a war of attrition of their own. Judging from the two youngsters’ accelerated development, it will be “can’t miss hockey” when these two prospects go head-to-head in the NHL. The seeds for what could become a great rivalry will be planted when Okposo barrels into the Canadians’ defensive zone this morning, with only Staal and a goaltender separating him from international glory.

Mr. Greenstein is the editor in chief of InsideHockey.com.