One is a silky smooth-skating defenseman with vision and poise. The other is a pesky forward with magic mittens.

Together, they’re the odd couple.

Blueliner Derrick Pouliot and forward Brendan Leipsic are highly ranked prospects for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. They’re teammates on the Western Hockey League’s Portland Winterhawks. They’re also roommates.

It’s not all sunshine and roses at their house, which is shared by a third Winterhawk. Both have habits that get on the nerves of the other, as most 17-year-olds tend to do.

“He always hogs the flatscreen upstairs,” charged Leipsic. “Always playing video games.”

“(He’s) wanting to watch sports non-stop, probably football,” fired back Pouliot, who has 12 points in 14 games.

One would think that all the time spent together, both on and off the ice, would offer no escape for either prospect.

“There are no real breaks,” Leipsic admitted, who has five goals and eight points in nine games after missing parts of the season due to a concussion and suspension.

“I can go in my room if I want to just be alone away from him,” Pouliot added.

But the sum of their parts are greater when together. Pouliot, ranked 11th overall by Future Considerations and Leipsic, seen as an early second rounder, can lean on one another throughout their draft journey.

“Most of the time it’s pretty good,” Pouliot admitted. “I like the kid. He’s a really good roommate.”

An odd couple indeed.

An odd couple of highly touted prospects that will hear their name called at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.