Ryan Yessie's Thoughts on Belleville and Sarnia from October 9

Sarnia's rookies put on an outstanding performance as they score five 2nd period goals to dismantle the Belleville Bulls 9-4.

Bjorn Krupp - #4 - D - YOB: 1991 - 6’3” - 195lbs.
NHL: Signed by Minnesota as a Free Agent in 2009
Report: Oct/9/09: Krupp looks A LOT bigger than last year, however he is the same old player. Really disappears during the game, plays decently in his own zone, still does not hit nearly as much as someone his size should. Personally I’m a little surprised Minnesota used an entry level free agent contract on Krupp. He has the intangibles to be a potential NHL stay at home defenceman but there’s other 1991’s out there with far more upside.
(Krupp was a -2)

Stephen Johnston - #10 - C - YOB: 1990 - 6’1” - 190lbs.
NHL: 6th Round - 181st Overall by Detroit in 2008
Report: Oct/9/09: Johnston once again was not an impact player in the Belleville/Sarnia game, however he was as usual steady. He’s a great skating forward, who does a good job in his own zone, and is willing to initiate as well as take contact to make the play. He will have a tough time in Detroit with players like Abdelkader and Helm playing a more prominent role with fairly similar games, but Johnston could find himself a spot in the NHL on someone’s 3rd line, but it’s becoming more and more apparent if Johnston makes it, it’ll be as an energy/PK specialist type role.
(Johnston was a +1 w/ 2PIM)

Shawn Lalonde - #9 - D - YOB: 1990 - 6‘1” - 195lbs.
NHL: 3rd Round - 68th Overall by Chicago in 2008
Report: Oct/9/09: Lalonde played outstanding tonight offensively. He is a very smooth slick skater out there, and looks a lot bigger than 6’1” - 195 out there. He looked a lot like John Carlson from London last year the way he carried the puck up the ice at times, and would pinch in from the point at the right time. He has a blast from the point, and a very quick and accurate wrist shot, which is how he scored his goal tonight. Offensively Lalonde has everything you’d look for an in offensive defenceman, with above average size than most of your speedy puck moving defencemen. Defensively he looked like he was willing to hit when the situation called for it, defensively he didn’t look like anything special but wasn’t a burden to his team either. I’ve been really impressed with how much Lalonde has developed over the last 2 years.
(Lalonde had 1G, -1)

Stephen Silas - #26 - D - YOB: 1992 - 6‘0” - 190lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Oct/9/09: Silas is a defenceman I’m pretty high on going into this draft. You look at his points and how he looks on the ice and you’d think offensive defenceman, and you’d be right, but I think a lot like former Sting defenceman Mark Katic; Silas gets unfairly labeled and judged based on his offensive contributions. Silas made multiple solid defensive plays, and only gave up defensive positioning at opportune times, he didn’t cause any mistakes that lead to a breakaway or any goals. Silas is a smooth skater, and willing to carry the puck, but passes it off at intelligent times. He looks mature beyond his years and plays every shift to the end. Silas took on Miro Preisinger in a fight, Preisinger who is built pretty solidly, and has already shown well in another fight did seem to do more damage, but Silas who is not really regarded as much of a fighter at all hung in and held his own against a very tough opponent.
(Silas had 1A, -2, 7PIM)

Matthew Tipoff - #27 - LW - YOB: 1990 - 6‘0” - 190lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Oct/9/09: Tipoff could arguably be the best player on the Belleville Bulls based on his performance tonight, and his track record based on this season so far. Tipoff plays with a very high energy hitting anything that moved, and skating very well. Tipoff carried the puck, but instead of a lot of players that carry it across the blueline he would go after advantageous positioning in order to set up a scoring chance rather than throwing it at the net. His puck protection is great for someone who isn’t particularly big. Tipoff did release a few shots and he did appear to have a quick release. I could really see this guy ending up like an Alex Burrows type player with a little less physicality, and without the fighting, I could really see him playing an energy line type role but still producing points. Tipoff was critical on the PK despite Sarnia scoring twice with him on the ice. He never seems to leave during PK time, and really prevented a few goals from going in. I was huge on him after seeing him play last year, and my opinions only get better on him after his performance at the RBC Center this season.
(Tipoff had 2A, +0)

Philipp Grubauer - #33 - G - YOB: 1990 - 6‘0” - 180lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Oct/9/09: Grubauer was pulled after giving up 4 goals on 24 shots, but honestly Grubauer couldn’t have been held responsible for any of those goals. All of Sarnia’s goals on him were passing plays where any goaltender would have been scored on, and one was a rebound. Grubauer showed great positioning, and was always in an ideal spot to make the save. Rebounds were few and far between despite getting burned on one of them. This game easily could have been 6 or 7-0 after the first if it wasn’t for Grubauer, and after 20 minutes it looked like Grubauer was going to steal this game. That wasn’t the case after the explosion of offense in the second period. Grubauer really didn’t look like he let the goals phase him even with a 2-1 or 3-1 score he came out and made a big save right after the goals. Very quick glove hand and kicked the pads out quickly as well. Like I said the stats can’t really explain his performance and he may be one of those goaltenders who doesn’t have great statistics that gets picked higher than those that do, based on scouts seeing things like what I saw today. Very impressed with Grubauer.
(Grubauer stopped 20 of 24 shots)

Nathan Chiarlitti - #5 - D - YOB: 1992 - 6‘0” - 185lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Oct/9/09: This was quite possibly the best game of Chiarlitti’s career. He was his usual poised self defensively doing a great job stopping the offense, especially getting involved in the corners battling for loose pucks. Chiarlitti is very good defensively, but he’s not one for a lot of action in front of the net, his best area’s are either in the corners, behind the net or taking on the winger coming off the boards. Offensively Chiarlitti has shown a very solid and accurate wrist shot from the point, in which he used to score his second goal of the season tonight. He moved the puck well up the ice in transition which lead to him helping break out Ben O’Quinn and Jesse Stoughton for a shorthanded goal. Chiarlitti is not a guy who stands out on a game to game basis, but is always solid, reliable and is starting to show off his offensive assets. Chiarlitti is an average skater, but if he can either become more physical or quicker on his feet he should establish himself as a sure fire prospect in the 2010 draft.
(Chiarlitti had 1G, 1A, +3, 4PIM, named 1st Star of the game)

Brandon Alderson - #18 - RW - YOB: 1992 - 6‘4” - 195lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Oct/9/09: This may have been Alderson’s best game of the year that I’ve seen. There’s the good and the bad, however as a rookie the bad is more along the lines of something he just needs to improve on. Alderson apparently doesn’t fight as he’s had several opportunities to, but outside the rough stuff he reminds me a lot of what a young Brandon Mashinter brought to the team. Alderson goes right to the net and establishes himself there, that is how he scored one of this two goals tonight. He is very difficult to move and if he can add 15-20 lbs to his frame he'd be a force. He was good along the boards and threw a few good hits, but overall he’s still being considered a little soft, and if he developed a mean streak he could become a lot more valuable as a hockey player. Alderson’s skating desperately needs to be improved, especially someone at his size it’ll be essential for him to become a better skater and get bigger. Alderson has shown he has good hands and has used them in tight areas, as well as unleashing a solid wrist shot to score a second goal on the night. Alderson could be labeled a project in terms of being an NHL prospect. He has a lot to work on, but has the hands and the size to be a player to watch over the next few years. If he develops his skating to an acceptable level for a prospect by the time he’s an overager he could become somewhat of a less physical/fighter but more offensive upside version of Brandon Mashinter.
(Alderson had 2G, +2, 2PIM)

RY