Game Report: Erie & Niagara from September 30

I caught the Ice Dogs and the Otters last night in St. Catharines. I was undeniably curious to catch the new look Dogs in action after adding Steve Shipley, Tim Billingsley, Jason Wilson and David Pacan in recent weeks. And quite frankly, they didn't disappoint.

The score was close, but generally speaking, the play was not. The Dogs squeaked away with a 5-4 victory, but outshot the Otters 51-31 during the game. This included a dominant third period where they put 23 shots on Ramis Sadikov. Once the forward lines develop more chemistry, this team is going to be one to watch in the East (if they weren't already before the moves).

The Otters defense had a lot of trouble with Niagara's size and speed combination. They were consistently outworked in their own end and were visibly tired by the end of the game. All four of the Dogs lines worked the cycle to perfection and really did well to gain and maintain possession in the offensive end. Erie's Ramis Sadikov had a great game. He looks poised for a good year. He's so big and his hybrid style helps him to take up a lot of the net.

The Dogs were also helped by 4 power play goals, as Erie's penalty kill unit had some trouble. Although in the end, Steve Shipley's even strength tap in goal in the third (the Dogs first even strength goal of the game) sealed the victory.

Player Reports

Erie Otters







#5 - David Shields (2009 NHL Draft - St. Louis Blues)
Shields had a game that was pretty much on par for him. He's a steady influence on the ice and someone you don't really notice unless you're paying attention to him. For a defenseman that can be a good thing. Last year I did notice that he had difficulty with forwards on the rush, and last night was no different. Steve Shipley blew by him just inside the blueline, leaving him flat footed. Shields is solid in coverage, but it looks like he can still stand to improve his agility and anticipation.

#7 - Brady Austin (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
Is he a defenseman or a forward? That's the question I want answered. He played forward last night, centering the team's third line. But I've seen him play defense previously and I've felt he's looked better there, using his size and aggressiveness to push forwards around. He still throws his body around as a forward (hit Ryan Strome from behind at one point in the second), but I didn't really notice him offensively at all. I wonder if he has the puck skill to excel as a forward, especially as a center?

#10 - Tyler Hostetter (Signed as a Free Agent by the Philadelphia Flyers)
I've always liked Hostetter. Definitely one of the more underrated defenseman in the league. He's not really a flashy guy, but someone who's quietly a good two way defender. He makes good decisions with the puck and had a couple of nice rushes into Niagara's zone, particularly in the third period when Erie was really trying to shift momentum. Defensively, I think his lateral mobility and general agility help him to play both off the rush and in the zone. I'm not really sure what type of NHL defenseman he could be, but he's a solid player.

#14 - Greg McKegg (2010 NHL Draft - Toronto Maple Leafs)
The new captain of the Erie Otters was actually pretty quiet until the third period. In the third, he was one of the only players coming alive for the Otters. On the powerplay, he came off the side wall and tried to throw a pass cross crease to Anthony Luciani, but Dogs forward Andrew Agozzino ended up tipping it into his own net. And later, to draw the Otters within one goal with about 5 minutes remaining, he cut to the middle of the ice with the puck and left a drop pass to Mike Cazzola who snapped the puck past Mark Visentin. The Otters are going to need McKegg (and Cazzola) to pick up where they left off last season...sans Zach Torquato.

#17 - David Broll (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
Was kind of excited to see him, but ultimately didn't notice him at all. He had a couple of big hits in the first period, but disappeared after that. I'll definitely hope to see him again.

Niagara IceDogs









#8 - Alex Friesen (2010 NHL Draft - Vancouver Canucks)
Alex is still one of the hardest working forwards in the league. His speed is hard to contain and he's relentless in pursuit of the puck. He and linemate Andrew Agozzino have such good chemistry and the two of them are constantly creating off the rush. Interestingly enough, Alex is one of the only forwards I'd actually trust on the point of the powerplay. He's QB'd the Dogs powerplay for the past year and a bit. Tonight he made a great defensive play as Shawn Szydlowski came flying down the wing on the penalty kill (one on one with Friesen), but Alex angled him off the puck and negated a serious scoring chance. Friesen added a goal and two assists on the powerplay too. All the secondary scoring the Dogs have added is only going to help him have an even better offensive season than last year.

#10 - Steve Shipley (2010 NHL Draft - Buffalo Sabres)
Who are you? Is this the same Steve Shipley as last year? Where the heck did the speed and acceleration come from? Shipley looked fantastic off the rush, blowing past Erie defenders (in particular David Shields on one play). What was once considered a serious fault, has to now be considered a weapon. Definitely looks like he's worked on it over the summer. Shipley had a great game all around though. On the powerplay in the third, Shipley took a rebound, did a dipsy doodle around Sadikov and got it out to Wilson at the edge of the crease for a tap in. He also picked up the game winning goal by going hard to the net following his own rebound and putting home the garbage. If he can increase his consistency this season, he'll have a big year.

#13 - Freddie Hamilton (2010 NHL Draft - San Jose Sharks)
Hamilton looked quite good on the powerplay, as he worked hard down low and did a great job moving the puck around quickly. He picked up a couple of assists. However, at even strength he wasn't nearly as noticeable I thought. I think it's a case of acclimatizing to new linemates (Shipley and Wilson for most of the night).

#15 - Jason Wilson (2010 NHL Draft - New York Rangers)
Truthfully, I didn't notice Wilson at all until the 3rd period, when he came to life. He grabbed a garbage goal off the aforementioned nice feed from Shipley on the powerplay. He also picked up an assist on the game winning goal by Shipley by breaking into the offensive zone with speed and getting the puck to a streaking Shipley for a shot (it was ultimately the rebound that Shipley put in for the goal). In the past, I've always noticed how physical Wilson is though and didn't see that tonight. Hopefully as he becomes more used to his new surroundings, we'll start to see the heavy hitter return.

#18 - Ryan Strome (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
Strome was the best player on the ice. I left incredibly impressed with him. Considering this seems to be carrying over from the preseason, this might be a permanent fixture. He showed a lot of offensive creativity. He undressed an Otters defenseman (I believe Derek Holden) with a beautiful toe drag to the middle of the ice, but couldn't beat Sadikov on the partial break. But he created a lot of room for himself with his hard work on the cycle too. He, Myles Doan, and David Pacan were ruthless in puck possession and really tired out the Otters defense. Strome may not be big, but he protects the puck very well, and his agility helps him to keep defenders from squaring him up. Strome also showed outstanding on ice vision. On the powerplay , he found a cutting Dougie Hamilton with a tape to tape pass and Hamilton buried it to tie the game at 2. He had another assist on the powerplay, but also scored. He was quarterbacking the powerplay at the time and perfectly timed a shot through a defender's legs, going five hole on Sadikov (catching him moving from right to left). If Strome continues to play like this during the year, he could easily be a top 40 NHL pick. Colour me very impressed.

#22 - David Pacan (2009 NHL Draft - Chicago Blackhawks)
Fresh off getting booted from the University of Vermont, Pacan suited up for his first game with the Dogs (and in the OHL). I thought he looked excellent. He's big and he plays big. Pacan cycled the puck very well and Erie's defenders had a tough time getting it off him. He also knows his role and goes hard to the net looking for loose pucks. Pacan added a secondary assist on the Jason Wilson powerplay goal. It'll be interesting to see him get more comfortable.

#23 - Mitchell Theoret (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
Theoret was great tonight, even if he got less ice time as the game went on. I was really impressed by his hustle and forechecking ability. He was another forward who gave the Otters' defenders a tough time on the cycle. But Theoret also created off the rush and looks to have a lot more offensive confidence this season. Considering how well he played in the preseason, I'd love to see the Dogs find a way to get him involved more as it's clear he's got more to offer than your typical fourth liner.

#27 - Dougie Hamilton (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
When I saw Bob Mackenzie list Hamilton as a potential top 10 selection for the 2011 draft, I was a little surprised. But the word was he had improved a lot and was fantastic at the Ivan Hlinka tournament. The word was right. Hamilton looked massively improved last night and really controlled the pace of play at both ends. He looks confidence and skilled in rushing the puck, with his skating and acceleration being much improved. He's taking chances offensively that he wasn't last year, but he's also quick to get back to his own end. He scored a beautiful goal on the powerplay, as he found space, cut to the net and one timed a pass from Ryan Strome to the back of the net. It was a laser. It actually seemed like he never left the ice on the powerplay and seems to be much more poised in moving the puck along the umbrella. And on defense, he was physical and controlled. He could have a monster year.

#29 - Mark Visentin (2010 NHL Draft - Phoenix Coyotes)
Visentin didn't have the best of games by his standard. He seemed to be fighting the puck a bit. The first goal against him was kind of weak. It was a partially screened shot from his right side, as Shayne Rover tried to get his stick/body in front of a wrist shot. I don't think Rover touched it, but it was a bit of a knuckler. It seemed like Visentin might have been caught a little bit too deep in his net. The second goal against was off a juicy rebound to Matt Paton in the slot. Third goal was no chance, deflection off his own player (Agozzino). Fourth goal was probably one he would have liked to have back too. Mike Cazzola let a wrister go from the slot that caught Visentin deep in his net again and beat him under the glove. Overall, Visentin was giving up more rebounds than he usually does too. But he did make some big saves when he needed too and ultimately worked hard enough to save 27 of 31 for the win. But the Dogs are going to need him to be better and I have no doubt he will be.

That's it, anyone else catch the new look Dogs in action?

Thoughts on the Ottawa and Niagara Round 1 Series

A little bit delayed, but I managed to catch all of the games in the Ottawa 67's/Niagara IceDogs Round 1 series. So I figured, why not write a little review since I haven't put up a game review in a little while.

Ultimately, I'm definitely eating some crow on this one. I thought that the Dogs speed and forechecking ability would create problems for the 67's defense, and I thought their goaltending would become exposed. While the Dogs did do a good job in using their speed to create chances, they ultimately lacked the balanced skill to finish them. However, the 67's goaltending (by Chris Perugini) did become a bit of an issue and it was Petr Mrazek who stole the show in Game 5 and finished off the Dogs. My guess is that Mrazek keeps going the rest of the way, unless he starts to struggle.

As much as I'm eating crow, I think it's safe to say that the 67's will need to play way better to beat the Majors. Still way too many turnovers in the Niagara series, and fortunately for Ottawa, the Dogs lacked the high end skill to finish most of them. You'd think that a series that ended in 5 games was completely one sided, but it really wasn't. The games were very close...for the most part and the series was very hard fought. Ultimately, the combination of the balanced scoring ability from Ottawa and the inexperience of the Niagara defense was too much to overcome and the 67's found themselves getting goals in key moments. Still though, the 67's will need to play way better to beat Mississauga, especially Tyler Cuma whom I felt played a very poor series in Niagara.

As for Niagara, it's the upswing for them. All their key cogs will be returning a year older, wiser, and stronger which usually means good things in this league. On top of that, they'll have some high end draft picks to infuse into the line up. This team could be very good (top of the Conference good) within a couple of seasons.

Let's look at some individual player performances...

Ottawa 67's







Tyler Toffoli (2010)
Tremendous performance in this series by Toffoli. He has really impressed me of late and he's definitely grown on me as a professional prospect. He lead the team in goals and scoring during the series and was an impact player nearly every time he stepped on the ice. He's certainly not the fastest skater (I'd say average), but he's very elusive and does have good overall agility. He turns well and is able to beat defenders by having the ability to make moves at his top speed. He's a very good overall offensive player too. Smart with the puck, good vision, knows where to be and how to create opportunities for his linemates. The key to Toffoli's success moving forward will be his aggression. In this series, Toffoli played harder and tougher than I've ever seen him play before. He was hitting. He was getting his nose dirty in the corners and in front of the net. He was definitely a pest for the Niagara defense. Because he's never going to be the fastest or biggest forward on the ice, the key to his professional development will be his ability to maintain that pesky style of play. In the series, he reminded me a lot of Corey Perry in his OHL days and that's definitely a compliment (even if many OHL fans outside of London despite Perry).

Corey Cowick (OTT)
I really haven't caught a lot of Cowick since he returned from his shoulder injury, but he too was excellent in the series. I don't remember him ever being this physical before. He was a bulldog, hitting everything in sight, driving hard to the net and really getting in the face of Niagara players. While he was no softie before, there is no question he's upped the ante on his physical play and I'd say it's definitely helped solidify his game. It makes him a much more attractive professional prospect. He finished tied with Toffoli for the team lead in goals with 5 and really looked confident in the goal scoring area, establishing himself near the net. His skating has improved too (I think), as he looks to have more of an extra gear which helps him in separation. Every NHL team can use an aggressive forechecker with good hands and I think that if Cowick can continue to play aggressively (much like Toffoli), he'll make a solid 3rd-4th liner.

Anthony Nigro (STL)
Truthfully, I'm not really sure what to make of Nigro. He was solid in the series, his usual self. Nigro is definitely a smart player and he's got good vision. He anticipates the play really well and does a great job of finding his teammates and working the cycle. That being said, I'm not sure he's a good enough offensive player to play a top 6 role in the NHL. Meanwhile, I'd say his defensive and physical abilities have declined since the move to Ottawa. He's still a good all around player, but again does he fit the profile of an NHL bottom line player. I get the feeling it's a bit of an identity crisis for Nigro. In Guelph, he was more of a forechecking, defensive forward. In Ottawa, he's become more of an offensive player. There's nothing wrong with balance, but I feel he's lost his niche (per say). What that means is that a team who's already stacked with prospects and players with contracts, has to make a decision on whether to sign Nigro or not. With 2008 CHL draftees like Phil McRae and Jake Allen already signed, it makes me wonder if the Blues have any intention in signing Nigro. Whalers forward James Livingston is in a similar situation with St. Louis, however, I think if there's only one contract available between the two, my bet is that Livingston gets it because he's the safer professional prospect.

Tyler Cuma (MIN)
I'm really not sure what's going on with Cuma. This year has not been a strong one for him, his first after knee surgery. He looks lost on the ice...truthfully. Before the surgery, he was a budding two way defenseman who looked confident bringing the puck up and running the powerplay, but who was also poised to become one of the best defensive defenseman in the league. Now, he's neither. It's almost as if he doesn't know what he should be either. Offensively, he turned the puck over way too many times and had the most trouble with the Niagara forecheck of any 67's defenseman. He had some really sloppy passes in the series. And on the point on the powerplay, he just doesn't look as comfortable as guys like Julien Demers, Travis Gibbons or even the young Cody Ceci. Defensively, he was good in one on one situations and remains very difficult to beat to the net. But in the zone, he's running around too much. While it's good that he's upped his aggressiveness this season, it's bad that he seems to be reliant on it now to play in the defensive zone. Before, he was much more reliant on anticipation, reading the play, and using his stick. Now he's going around trying to be a bully and it's not working for him. Cuma just needs to simplify his game and get back to the basics that made him such a coveted player in 2008. Here's hoping that the AHL provides this wake up call because he used to be one of my favourite defenseman to watch in the league. Most telling stat. Julien Demers and Travis Gibbons finished the series +17. Cuma and Zanetti finished the series -4.

Julien Demers (SJ)
Originally, I was worried about Demers' prospects of getting signed by San Jose this year. And while I still am worried, I think things look a little more promising now. Demers had an excellent series for Ottawa and was the teams best defenseman by a fairly large margin. He was much more aggressive offensively than he has been during the 2009-10 regular season (see the dip in his point production). By that I mean, he was bringing the puck up ice for the 67's and did a very good job to create plays on offense. Defensively, well he's always a rock. In that aspect, he's not really noticeable because he rarely makes mistakes. That being said, I wish he was as physical as he was two years ago. Then, he was quite the effective body checker, but I don't think I've seen Demers lay a really good check in quite some time. I think his mobility still suffers a bit too and I'm not sure how his game will transfer to the professional level. If he was like 6'3, 6'4, I'd be a lot more confident that he'd get signed. And that's not to say that 6'1, 200lbs is undersized, but for the type of game he plays, it can be. In a way, it reminds me a lot of former Windsor Spitfires defenseman Mitch Maunu. Now granted, Demers is definitely a better skater than Maunu was, but not by a ton. The point being that Maunu was a similarly sized stay at home defenseman and he failed to get signed and is now playing in the CIS for Lakehead. Cross your fingers and hope San Jose has him in their plans.

Dalton Smith (2010)
While he didn't really hit the score sheet hard (only 2 goals and an assist in the series), I thought Smith was quite impressive. It's the things he does away from the puck that make him such a valuable player. He's a real workhorse in the corners and along the wall. He's very strong for his age and he anticipates the play really well, which allows him to trap defenders into turning over the puck. He's quite the physical player and can really throw his weight around too. Best of all, is that he's already a complete player. He kills penalties quite well (again using that strong hockey sense) and is committed to the backcheck. The good bloodlines have definitely helped Smith gain a strong understanding of the game. Offensively, I think he's got a lot more potential than he's currently showing on the score sheet too. He's still learning how to use his size in front of the net, but he's actually got quite good hands and an improving shot. If only his skating and acceleration were better and I think we'd be talking about Smith as a possible late first, early second round player. But, my guess is that he still goes pretty early and inside the first three rounds.

Ryan Martindale (2010)
The announcers on both sides seemed to be very happy with the play of Martindale during the series, never ceasing to stop the hype, but quite frankly I just didn't see it. My guess is the coaching staff didn't either, as he was demoted to the third line towards the end of the series and was receiving considerably less ice time. He finished with only a goal and an assist and was generally snake bitten across the five games (Mark Visentin made quite a few nice saves against him). But as a late 1991 playing in his third OHL playoffs, I expected much more out of Martindale. On some shifts, he looks like a game changer. The size and skill combination is very enticing, especially when the player knows how to use his size offensively. Martindale protects the puck well and is able to fight through traffic for offensive chances. However, it's his play away from the puck that still leaves me wanting more. And his skating isn't as strong as I'd like either, nor has it really improved over the course of his OHL career. He still seems to be heavily favored by NHL scouts, in particular by CSS (who have him inside their top 10 of OHL players on their final list), but he's too much of an enigma for my liking, especially as a late 1991. While he started very strongly, he only had 9 goals in the final 43 games of the regular season. That's not the production of an NHL first rounder IMO.

Cody Ceci (2012)
I'll keep this one relatively short. I think Ceci made tremendous strides this season and turned himself into a very capable OHL defender by the end of the season. Which is remarkable considering Ceci played about half the season as a 15 year old. He's clearly physically immature at this point, but he's smart enough and skilled enough to keep up with the play. He played quite solid in the playoffs and looked very comfortable running the point on the powerplay. And save a few minor mistakes (that happen to the best of OHL defenseman), he looked good defensively too. That being said, I don't think he'll be ready for top pairing status next year, like some Ottawa fans are anticipating. I think that's too much to ask of him, but I definitely see him with an increased role and production next year.

Petr Mrazek (2010)
Depending on how Mrazek plays out the rest of the playoffs, I think I've found my second ranked goaltender from the OHL for 2010. He came in for Perugini in the 4th game and didn't look back. He's very unorthodox in net (what Czech goaltender isn't? Call it the Dominik Hasek syndrome), but he gets the job done. He absolutely won that fifth and deciding game for the 67's, because the Dogs were buzzing all game and he made some really tremendous saves. The one thing that's immediately noticeable about Mrazek is how well he moves in his net. He has excellent agility and covers side to side very well. He's also got good anticipation of the play and has that ability to bade shooters into where to put the puck. He spends a bit too much time on his stomach and knees for my liking at times, but teams don't seem to be able to beat him high with a ton of success so maybe it's moot. It'll be interesting to see if Mrazek gets the start in game one against Mississauga. I'd have to imagine he does, but maybe Byrne goes back to Perugini out of loyalty to give him another shot.

Niagara IceDogs








Alex Friesen (2010, but 1991 born)
After his recent accolade as the hardest working player in the Eastern Conference (as voted by OHL coaches), Friesen continued his much improved third season into the OHL playoffs. He was definitely one of Niagara's stand out players and ended up leading the team in playoff scoring with 7 points. It'll be interesting to see if he generates any interest from NHL clubs this June. He's definitely undersized, but he has a lot of redeeming qualities that NHL teams like in their bottom line players. He's quick, he's intelligent, he's solid on the forecheck and along the boards, he's good at creating chances for his linemates, and he's a quality penalty killer/defensive forward. All that and he's shown incredible improvement in his offensive game, which suggests there could be even more room for improvement. I think he's definitely got a chance.

Andrew Agozzino (2010, but 1991 born)
While I think Friesen has a very good chance of being drafted this year, I'm much more skeptical of Agozzino's chances. He's a great player and was Niagara's best player in the series (and probably all season), but he remains the exact same player who went undrafted last year. He's still a feisty little goal scorer who works hard on the ice and leads by example. I think the only hope he has is more exposure. Last year, the scouts didn't seem to be too enamored with the players on Niagara and he may have suffered from a lack of exposure. This year, thanks to Freddie Hamilton and Mark Visentin, he may have gotten a little more attention. Being recognized as one of the most underrated players in the OHL by the coaches definitely says something and I'll be rooting for him, but I anticipate it being a longshot that he gets drafted this year.

Freddie Hamilton (2010)
Considering how well he was playing going into the playoffs, I was really disappointed in the play of Hamilton in the series. In essence...not to sound harsh, but Hamilton and the rest of the Dogs secondary offense was the main reason for the loss in the series. Coach McCourt broke up the Friesen/Aggy/Hamilton line to spread out the offense, hoping that Hamilton could create on his own. If anything, the series proved that Hamilton was not yet ready for that challenge and remains a complimentary offensive player at this level. Whatever the case may be, Hamilton is still a legitimate prospect for the 2010 draft. He's a good two way forward who really doesn't have any glaring weaknesses. He hasn't really developed any above average strengths either though, which may drop him down a bit in the draft. I'll be curious to see if he makes the Canadian Under 18 team (which should be announced later this week).

Matt Petgrave (2010)
I think there was a lot to like from Petgrave during the series. He still makes way too many poor decisions with the puck in his own end. He needs to let the play come more naturally, and that only comes with experience and confidence. There's always the chance that he's just lacking hockey sense, but then I see some of the plays he's able to make in the offensive zone and I don't think that's the case, at least not to the full extent. Petgrave was definitely taking more chances offensively in the series and it was good to see as he made pinches and created chances on offense. Defensively, I really like the way he plays. He has lapses of concentration it seems in zone coverage, but overall he does a pretty good mirroring job. While he's only averaged sized, we're looking at a physical, mobile, potential two way defenseman who made some pretty good strides in his first OHL season. I still think he's a late round pick by an NHL team banking on him really improving.

Mark Visentin (2010)
In his first OHL playoffs, I thought Visentin played pretty well. He wasn't really able to carry over the caliber of play he was at going into the playoffs, but he certainly kept the Dogs in every game in the series. He had a couple bad goals in the early games of the series, but he made some really big saves too and I think he's the type of goaltender who'll come back next year and really improve. Overall, the season has to be considered a huge success for Visentin who showed massive improvements and a great work ethic all season long. I think he's definitely cemented himself as the best goaltending prospect from the OHL for the 2010 draft. Now it'll be interesting to see if he too can get a nod on Team Canada's Under 18 team.

Thoughts from anyone else who saw the series?

Thoughts on Niagara from the Weekend

The Niagara IceDogs are in the home stretch. There are 15 games left in the 2009-10 OHL regular reason and the team currently sits 5 points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Dogs are chasing the Brampton Battalion, Sudbury Wolves, and Oshawa Generals who are all 5 or 6 points ahead of them. Perhaps this team, in a rebuilding season, has deserved a slightly better fate thus far. The team plays hard and on any given night can beat any team in this league, (see their victories over London, Mississauga, Plymouth, and Kitchener this year). But they lack the top end talent to be able to string together consistent performances at both ends of the ice.

I caught the team's Thursday night game against the London Knights on t.v., however traveled to St. Catharines for their Saturday night affair against the Windsor Spitfires. This weekend was no truer example of the team's aforementioned consistency issues. On Thursday, the Dogs played outstanding defensive hockey and got under the skin of the visiting Knights, defeating them by a score of 2-1. However on Saturday, the team looked completely over matched against the Spitfires, falling 5-2 and getting out-shot 47-21.

If anything, the team's ability to occasionally play at a high level speaks volumes to the bright future this team has. As early as next season this team could compete for home ice advantage in the OHL playoffs. Young players like Freddie and Dougie Hamilton, Mark Visentin, and Ryan Strome will be a year older, stronger, and wiser. While players like Alex Friesen and Andrew Agozzino will be inching towards their final years in the league and should become more dominant offensive forces. And let's not forget the bevy of high end draft selections the Dogs have in the next few years. If anything, the fluctuation in performance by the team this year could be a good thing. After all, it's something all young teams go through. The players can identify the things they need to do night in and night out to make this team consistently competitive.

Let's take a look at some individual performances from the Dogs top end prospects this weekend.

Alex Friesen (2010, but 1991 born)
After getting past over last year, Friesen has become a much better player this season. He's still a speedy energy forward, but he's much more adept at handling the puck and as a result he's seen his offensive performance greatly increase. Friesen has become a very capable two way forward who uses his speed to forecheck hard and to generally get under the skin of the opposition. He's even added a physical element to his game this year which shows NHL scouts that this part of his game could develop more if need be. He absolutely laid out Taylor Hall on Saturday on the penalty kill. Hall came flying around the net with the puck and Friesen met him just as he passed it off. Hall sat out a few shifts and was visibly shaken up. Offensively, he had a mediocre weekend, with only an assist on the first Niagara goal on Saturday, but he brings much more to the ice than that. I think he's got a serious chance of being drafted this year in the later rounds. His progression this year bodes well for the type of offensive leaps forward we could see next year and he looks to be developing into a quality NHL checking line prospect.

Andrew Agozzino (2010, but 1991 born)
The new Dogs captain had a strong weekend. He played a solid game on Thursday against the Knights, but was held scoreless. On Saturday he scored the Dogs only 2 goals against Windsor. The first was off a nice redirect in front of the net, the second on a wrap around that caught Windsor goaltender Philip Grubauer off guard. Agozzino has played well all season and is coming off a record breaking performance at this years OHL All Star Game. I've heard a lot of fans hoping he gets drafted this season after getting passed over last year. Quite frankly, I'm just not sure it happens. As good as Agozzino has been this year, was he really any worse last year when NHL teams balked at him (much to my surprise)? Andrew Agozzino is the same player he was last year. Lots of heart, goal scoring ability, developing two way play, tenacity, but with the size and explosiveness concerns that scared away NHL teams. More than likely, Agozzino develops into a similar player as Saginaw's captain Tyler Murovich. Undersized and a solid OHL player, but a borderline NHL prospect. I'd love for him to prove me wrong though since few have earned it more.

Reggie Traccitto (Overage Free Agent)
Traccitto has been one of the most improved players in the league this season. He's emerged as the Dogs top defender and currently sits tied with London's Steve Tarasuk for goals scored from the blueline (with 15). Previously his career high in goals was 4. Traccitto's best asset is definitely his big shot from the point (who'd have guessed?). He does a great job of getting it off in traffic, especially on the one timer. While he was held goalless over the weekend, he did hit a post against Windsor off a one timer. Traccitto has also greatly improved his discipline. Previously he had a hard time controlling his emotions and was prone to taking stupid or lazy penalties in the defensive zone. He's taken great steps forward in that department and has actually turned into a very solid OHL defender. He lays it all on the line when he's on the ice, blocks shots, dives to get pucks out of the zone and does a good job in defensive zone coverage. The question remains, is Traccitto an NHL prospect? I'd say no, but I think he could easily play in the ECHL or perhaps even the AHL next season and find some success. The biggest thing that will likely hold him back is his lack of role at the next level. He's not quick or mobile enough to be a puck moving defenseman. He's not a good enough playmaker or distributor to be considered a serious offensive defenseman. And he's just not big enough to be a shut down type of guy. But you have to give props for the type of improvement he's made this year.

Freddie Hamilton (2010)
I just can't put my finger on Freddie Hamilton. He doesn't dazzle you or do anything that makes you say wow, yet we've got to consider him a serious prospect for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Often with players like Hamilton whom you say, "I don't really notice him until he puts two in the back of the net," it's a matter of having strong hockey sense. Hamilton just knows where to be on the ice, whether it be a goal scoring situation or a back checking assignment. On Thursday he scored both Niagara goals in the 2-1 victory. The first was off a rebound in front of the net which he comfortably put home. The second was off a nice wrister top shelf on a 2 on 1. On Saturday, he was much less noticeable and it's just a matter of stringing together consistent offensive performances. I think the question moving forward is, is Hamilton a winger or a center. He has the strong defensive tendencies you like to see in your center ice man and he's looked comfortable at the position before. However, I'd argue he's looked better offensively on the wing this season, simplifying the game and allowing him to go hard to the net for loose pucks. The big next step for Hamilton is increasing his strength and ability to carry the puck. I think his future lies in being a responsible two way winger who has the hands and hockey sense to be a quality goal scorer. If he can add that element of being strong with the puck and being able to carry it to the net, it'd make him an even stronger...and more obvious offensive contributor.

Ryan Strome (2011)
The big piece of the Pietrangelo trade, Strome has a lot of pressure on his shoulders going forward. In Barrie, I was always impressed with him, despite the lack of ice time he was receiving. He showed both an ability to carry the puck and elusive skating ability. But in Niagara, I've been underwhelmed with his performance with increased ice time. He was invisible all weekend and seems lost at times in the offensive zone. No reason to panic yet as he'll get every chance to improve going into next season.

Matt Petgrave (2010)
I continue to be impressed with Petgrave and I struggle to wonder why we don't hear his name more often in discussion for the 2010 NHL Draft. He's not the biggest, but he's a real battler. He played a lot against Nazem Kadri and Taylor Hall this weekend and did a pretty admirable job. Against the Knights and Kadri, he had a fantastic game and really frustrated Kadri specifically with his mirroring job. He got Kadri to take a couple of undisciplined penalties against him and generally got under his skin. Offensively he was great in that game too and brought the puck up ice very effectively. He earned an assist on the Freddie Hamilton 2 on 1 goal by starting the breakout quickly and joining the rush with Hamilton on the odd man rush. Against Windsor, he had a bit of a tougher game. He took some undisciplined penalties and had a few bad turnovers as he tried to force action up ice against a tough Windsor forecheck. Considering he's got good mobility, a high intensity level, and developing puck rushing ability, I have trouble believing Petgrave isn't receiving some form of attention from NHL scouts. He could definitely be a dark horse on draft day and looks to at least be a great find by the IceDogs as a future top 4 defenseman as they move forward.

Dougie Hamilton (2011)
Only played the game against London on Thursday, sitting out the battle against Windsor on Saturday. Played a solid game against the Knights, which has been the average for Hamilton this year. He's a serious NHL prospect moving forward with great size, improving offensive capabilities and the potential to become a physical shut down defender. He's right in there with a group of about 6 or 7 really solid defenders from the OHL in the 1993 birth group that could end up being first round picks in 2011.

Mark Visentin (2010)
The feeling seems to be that Visentin has become the top available goaltender from the OHL for this year's NHL draft. While slightly sluggish to that conception, I've come around to this belief as well. The improvement he's made this season from last is tremendous and really speaks volumes about his work ethic. Visentin is very positionally sound, finds pucks through traffic, controls his rebounds and does pretty much everything you ask a strong butterfly goaltender to do. On Thursday he was tremendous against London, keeping Niagara ahead as London pressed for a tie in the third period. I really like how he follows the play and seems able to read and predict pass and shot attempts. On Saturday, he was less effective. It seems like he was fighting the puck a bit and had a few shots squeak through his equipment. He also had trouble handling the puck and gave it away nearly every time he tried to do something with it. Marty Turco he is not, and this is something he'll need to improve upon moving forward...even if puckhandling ability in goaltenders has decreased in value since the inception of the trapezoid. Moving forward it's all about consistency for Visentin and being able to be a wall night in and night out. With his work ethic, I have no doubt he'll get there and develop into a top goaltender in this league. The really interesting thing will happen at the Under 18's, where he'll have a shot at cracking Team Canada's roster. Calvin Pickard of the WHL seems like a lock to be the starting goaltender of that team, since his team is already out of the playoff race, but Visentin could very well be his back up, or even surprisingly press him for playing time. With a strong finish to the season, Visentin could very well be a top 60 NHL Draft selection.

Anyone else with thoughts about the IceDogs and their weekend, or about the season thus far in general?

Thoughts on Niagara and Owen Sound from December 30

Wanting to see the return of Joey Hishon to the Owen Sound Attack line up, I caught this one on the OHL Action Pack tonight.

The first period and a half was a real snooze fest. Really sloppy, disjointed play. It was clear that both of these two teams were rusty from the holiday layoff. When the pace finally did pick up, these two teams traded powerplays and scoring chances, with the Attack eventually coming out on top by a score of 3-1. For a large portion of the game though, Attack goaltender Scott Stajcer kept his team in the game by making a few big saves (especially on Andrew Agozzino).

It was a tough game for the Dogs. Already shorthanded defensively because Jay Gilbert's sitting at home waiting for a trade and Dougie Hamilton is at the World Under 17 Hockey Challenge, the Dogs suffered two defensive injuries relatively early on in the game, to Reggie Traccitto and Keith Maisonville. As a result, they looked dead tired by the end of this one and just had nothing left in the tank, allowing the Attack to take control of the game in the later part of the 3rd period. I think defenseman Matt Petgrave must have played 80% of the third period (no joke). However, as tired as the defense looked, the forwards looked even more distressed. If Majors coach Dave Cameron likes to roll four lines, Dogs coach Mike McCourt likes to roll two. I'm not sure why he played his forwards into the ground tonight, but Friesen, Agozzino and Hamilton especially were out there every other shift and it was obvious that they were tired. On powerplays, these guys were playing the full two minutes (save maybe 10-15 seconds as the penalty ended), and then they'd be out there two shifts later. While the Friesen, Agozzino and Hamilton line is obviously the teams most dangerous, it doesn't hurt to give them a break. It only makes them more effective in the long run...or say at the end of the game when your team needs a go ahead goal.

The Attack just plain didn't deserve to win this one. They got lucky that Niagara looked so tired. They were very sloppy. So many passes failed to connect, breakouts failed to occur and most of their game was played in the neutral zone as they attempted to get the puck by a Niagara defense. Even on the powerplay, despite scoring two goals with the man advantage, they did not look strong. One goal on a wild goal mouth scramble, the other on a long winded screen shot from the point (with the third coming with the empty net). First game back from the break, but this team did not look like a unit with great chemistry. A lot of individual efforts and just general disconnect.

On to individual player performances...

Niagara IceDogs







Alex Friesen (2010, but 1991 born)
Already passed over in one draft, I'd be very surprised to see Friesen passed over again this year. He's progressed incredibly well this year and taken huge steps forward offensively. His speed and work ethic in the offensive zone make him a real tough guy to contain. He was generating chances for the better part of the first two periods, although was not able to put anything up on the board. Kind of a jack of all trades type of a player, he projects well as a potential energy player at the next level.

Andrew Agozzino (2010, but 1991 born)
Agozzino has been just as good this year for the Dogs. He's the new captain, and he's playing with a lot of determination. He had a few really good chances to score tonight but just couldn't beat Scott Stajcer. Two stymied one time chances at the side of the net (saved by a sliding Stajcer), and one partial breakaway. He's got very good instincts on where to be for scoring chances, getting himself in good position for goal opportunities. The question is whether he's got a serious chance of being selected in 2010, the second time around. While I think Friesen has a good shot, I'm not as confident about Agozzino's chances. I was fairly high on Agozzino last year, when he was pretty much the same player he is now, and he failed to get drafted then. Scouts seem to be enamored with progression, of which Friesen has seen. Agozzino is the same player he was last year and if it wasn't good enough for NHL scouts last year, why would it be now? I'm still pulling for him though.

Freddie Hamilton (2010)
Hamilton was kind of along for the ride with Friesen and Agozzino tonight. He didn't really have a great game. Had a few chances set up by his linemates, but failed to get anything off. He's never a liability on the ice, but I don't see the upside that NHL Central Scouting does, when they ranked him 17th among OHL skaters in November. He did earn an assist on Josh Moes powerplay goal, although the goal was manufactured by Moes and not necessarily set up by Hamilton directly.

Matt Petgrave (2010)
Quite frankly, as an NHL prospect, I prefer Niagara's Petgrave to Hamilton. He had a very strong game tonight, especially considering he probably played 40 minutes. He brings the puck up ice with confidence and effectiveness. Has kind of a hunched over skating stride, but his mobility is solid. He keeps the puck in on the powerplay well, although I'd like to see him shoot the puck more. Whiffed on a beautiful chance to score on a one timer, as he snuck in from the point but didn't get much on the shot. He did make a couple of bad pinches, but he hustles back to his zone and never gives up on the play. Defensively he was excellent. Not afraid to take the body despite not being overly large, and he's surprisingly effective in the corners and in front of the net. Saved a goal with a very nice defensive play early in the game by tying up Joey Hishon as he tried to put home an easy tap in goal off a juicy rebound to the side of the net. Every time I see him, he seems to get better.

John Chartrand (2011)
I was surprised to see Chartrand get the start tonight over Mark Visentin. Petteri Simila is at the World Juniors as Finland's back up, and Chartrand was called up from Streetsville of the OJHL. He was the Dogs 4th rounder from 2009. Considering that when I heard he was getting the start and proceeded to check his Junior A stats this season (which aren't pretty), I was not expecting much out of him. But he was surprisingly strong. Made the saves he had too, kept his rebounds under control and looked generally calm in net. He seems like he could be the teams back up goaltender next season. The two goals scored against him were not really his fault. A wild goal mouth scramble and a screened shot from the point. Despite taking the loss, he was named the game's second star.

Owen Sound Attack





Garrett Wilson (FLA)
In the other times I've seen the Attack this season, Wilson had been a beast, but he was really quiet tonight. Outside of two very strong shifts, he wasn't noticeable to me. On one of the shifts he took a very nice feed from Steve Shipley and rang one off the post. And on the other, which just happened to be late in the third period, he did a good job to block a point shot and beat the Dogs defender to the loose puck for the open net clincher that made it 3-1. Still like the progression he's made this season.

Joey Hishon (2010)
Definitely was better than when I had seen him earlier in the season. But it's clear that he doesn't seem to have his full legs under him just quite yet. He was probably the best Attack forward on the night though (which isn't really saying much). Generated a few scoring chances off the rush and did a much better job of trying to use his teammates than he was earlier in the year. Did a good job on the penalty kill too, putting one off the crossbar on a shorthanded rush as he used the Niagara defender as a screen. A solid performance, but not an outstanding one.

Steven Shipley (2010)
For Steven's sake, I think I need to watch all of Owen Sound's games. He seems to play well when I'm watching. He didn't have an amazing game or anything, but was effective and had a few very good shifts. I was particularly impressed with his work on the penalty kill where he showed a lot of heart blocking shots and outworking Niagara players for loose pucks. His play away from the puck does seem to be improving, even if he could stand to use his size more to his advantage. He also had a shorthanded chance to score, breaking in and beating Andrew Agozzino (who was on the point) wide to the net, but a backtracking Matt Petgrave managed to lift his stick at the last second preventing a serious scoring chance. He was credited with the first Attack goal on the goal mouth scramble, where he simply shoveled the puck into the net. I still don't think the Attack are using him correctly though. I find him to be much more successful as a winger who can use his size to take the puck to the net from the outside lanes. He was also being used on the point on the powerplay again, which just does not work. He needs to be down low.

Geoffrey Schemitsch (2010)
I thought Schemitsch played another strong game. While he had some struggles in bringing the puck up ice and starting the rush (like every Attack defenseman), he did manage to break through into the offensive zone on a few occasions and picked his spots to pinch effectively. Defensively he was very solid, and did a good job on a couple odd man rushes, on one occasion taking the passing lane away from Andrew Agozzino and then collapsing on him forcing a poor shot attempt. He scored the game winning goal on a very good powerplay for him. Did a great job to keep the puck in the zone a couple of times, then managed to get the puck back and let a wrister go that found its way past Chartrand. He's got points in his last 6 games and is really heating up again. I'm very curious to see where Central Scouting has this guy when they release their rankings in a couple of weeks. I'm starting to wonder if I'm drinking crazy juice because I'm the only one talking about this kid.

Roman Berdnikov (2010)
Was not impressed by Berdnikov at all tonight. Was set up a few times by Joey Hishon or Bobby Mignardi and failed to get a shot off. The puck was rolling on him all night and he just had a really hard time. Took a lazy hooking penalty in the offensive zone out of frustration too. Playing with Hishon and Mignardi on that first line is a great opportunity for him, but he's going to have to play better than he did tonight to stay there.

Jesse Blacker (TOR)
Blacker had maybe the best game I've seen him play this season, which isn't really saying much. He was still only average on the night, but at least he seems to be limiting his turnovers. Still had one really bad one that resulted in Andrew Agozzino's partial breakaway though. If he could harness his raw abilities, he really could be quite an outstanding player. His combination of speed and puck handling ability makes him tough to stop once he gets up to full stride. Had a few nice rushes that generated scoring chances tonight. He was quiet defensively too, which is a good thing. One thing that I've noticed this year though is the absence of Blacker's physical game. Last year with Windsor, he was the type of defenseman who had the ability to lay a big hit, but I haven't seen that from him this year.

Scott Stajcer (NYR)
Stajcer was outstanding tonight. He really won this one for his team. Made several key saves in the first two periods to keep his team in the game, robbing Andrew Agozzino point blank a couple of times. One was a very nice save as he slide cross crease to rob a one timing Agozzino (who did fail to elevate the puck though). His rebound control was very strong tonight too. While Owen Sound has struggled with consistency, Stajcer has been largely effective for the last couple of months (after starting the season very poorly). Here's hoping he can continue to play well and that Owen Sound continues to climb up the standings of the Western Conference. He was the game's first star and took the win.

Anyone else with thoughts?

Sunday Top 10 - Players Who are Exceeding Expectations

Since last week's Top 10 examined those players underachieving so far this season, I thought it might only be fitting to talk about those players who are playing incredibly well. However, not are they playing well, but they are exceeding the expectations that many had for them going into the season. The list is a real mixed bag that includes some overagers finally taking that step forward, draft eligible players maturing quicker than expected, and one free agent who was possibly even a long shot to make his team.

10. Jordan Skellett - Saginaw Spirit
The Saginaw Spirit are right in the thick of things in the Western Conference standings (to the surprise to this blogger) and Skellett has been a big reason. Carried offensively last year by two star overagers (Chris Chappell and Jack Combs), the Spirit have continued to get a strong improvement in production from their overagers this season. Once picked off the scrap heap in Erie, Skellett provided secondary scoring for Saginaw last season. But he's never been close to a point per game player in the league. Well, he currently sits third in the league in scoring and is on pace to double his production from last season. Skellett has always been a very capable playmaker, but now he's getting the ice time, and confidence to take his game to the next level.

9. Bobby Mignardi - Owen Sound Attack
When the Kingston Frontenacs made the move to acquire Tyler Beskorowany, a lot of Kingston fans were worried that the Fronts fixed one hole, by opening up a bigger one. Mignardi was a guy who had a disappointing 2008-09 season (like most of Kingston), and it was probably time for a change of scenery. Boy has that change helped. Frontenacs fans might have been right to worry that Mignardi had more in him. He currently sits 6th in goal scoring in the league with 15 and has been huge for an Owen Sound team who's needed his production in the face of consistency problems from the rest of their offensive forwards.

8. Alex Friesen - Niagara IceDogs
Even though he's gone kind of cold recently, Friesen has still been outstanding for the Dogs this season. Perhaps his coming out party was last season's playoffs when Friesen was one of Niagara's best players, and coming into this season there were some expectations that he could raise his game. But for a player who scored 11 goals last year, and who showed a lot of offensive frustration, I don't think the expectations were THAT high. Friesen was at one point in the top 10 of OHL scoring and has already surpassed his goal totals of last year. His speed and energy make him a very valuable offensive player in this league and as a 1991 born player, this could only be the tip of the iceberg.

7. Troy Passingham - Windsor Spitfires
Passingham played sparingly in the QMJHL the past two seasons, spending the majority of last year with the Vaughn Vipers of the OPJHL. Picked off the scrap heap and invited to training camp, Passingham earned the back up job behind Josh Unice to start the season. But as Unice struggled, Passingham provided a steady and calm presence in the net that was much needed for a team with high expectations. Then Unice got injured and Passingham was given the starter's role. He's been solid the entire season for Windsor and is providing much the same Andrew Engelage did last season. He's not losing games for Windsor and he's making the stops when he needs too. It remains to be seen whether the Spits will go out and get another goaltender, but Passingham has at the very least provided way more than was expected of him.

6. Anthony Luciani - Erie Otters
While the Erie Otters have struggled a bit without the likes of Ryan O'Reilly and Jaroslav Janus (who recently returned), it'd be tough to argue that they wouldn't be even worse off without Anthony Luciani. He had 14 points all of last season. This year, Luciani already has 14 goals and has often provided to a spark to an Erie team that's vastly needed it. It seems the rest of the Erie offense has finally started to come to life around him, which can mean things could get even better for him.

5. Tony DeHart - Oshawa Generals
Originally acquired by Oshawa in 2008 for a 6th round pick, DeHart is another player who was acquired without much fan fare. If you would have guessed that a "De" named defenseman would be leading the Generals, you would have likely guessed Calvin de Haan. But DeHart has been tremendous all season long for an Oshawa team that seems to be improved from last season (save their recent 7 game slide). He's provided leadership and excellent play at both ends of the ice and currently sits 6th in the league among defenseman scoring.

4. Matthew Tipoff - Belleville Bulls
The Belleville Bulls may be struggling through a rebuilding season, and they may have one of the worst goals per game in the league, but one player who hasn't struggled for them is Tipoff. An energy guy who had to be disappointed he went undrafted last year, Tipoff has completely brought his game to another level this season. He's currently in the top 10 of league scoring and has only been held pointless in three games this year. He's also a good 13 points ahead of the next Belleville forward in scoring. If only the rest of the Bulls younger forwards had taken that kind of a step forward.

3. Devante Smith-Pelly - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Smith-Pelly finished 11th in team scoring last year as a rookie, but did play a key energy line role for the Majors. Obviously, as a former first rounder, there were some expectations for Smith-Pelly to increase his production with increased ice time. But I can't say I thought he had this type of offensive production in him, at least this fast. But he's now leading arguably the best team in the East in goals, points, and +/-. Since being placed on the first line with Casey Cizikas and William Wallen (at least most of the time), Smith-Pelly has been on fire with 16 points in his last 9 games. This has to bode well for his NHL draft aspirations.

2. Taylor Beck - Guelph Storm
Last season, the consensus seemed to be that Beck was the complimentary player among the Guelph Storm's offensive players. A hard worker, but one with skating issues, Beck experienced some inconsistency in his offensive game. But with Matt Kennedy, Peter Holland, and Michael Latta experiencing injury troubles and consistency issues of their own, it's been Beck who has taken the team on his back offensively. Currently sitting 6th in league scoring with 31 points, Beck is 15 points ahead of the closest Storm player. Maybe we had it all wrong, maybe Beck was the true offensive star of the bunch? I definitely did not expect him to have the type of production he has this season.

1. Tyler Seguin - Plymouth Whalers
You had to have seen this one coming...right? Yes, he was an OHL first rounder, and yes he probably should have won the OHL Rookie of the Year last season. But I heard many a people claim that he was riding the coattails of his linemates Matt Caria and Chris Terry. And I heard quite a few question as to how he would do without them this season. Turns out, maybe Terry and Caria were riding Seguin's coattails. He currently sits 2nd in league scoring with 36 points and has thrust himself into the picture for first overall in 2010, despite being largely underrated by the mass population last year. With the amount of injuries the Whalers have suffered at forward, it's amazing that he's been able to do what he's been doing without a whole heck of a lot of help.

Honorable Mention:
I Did it, I did it! I made it through a top 10 without cheating the rules and including more than 10 players in my actual top 10. That being said, I think there are some players who need to have their names mentioned too (and in no particular order). Colts center Taylor Carnevale has been excellent for the team thus far, providing scoring and excellent penalty killing to one of the strongest teams in the East. His emergence has really helped to give the Colts a balanced offensive attack and the second best offense in the OHL. Owen Sound Attack defenseman Geoffrey Schemitsch has been arguably the league's best rookie this season. A walk on free agent, the expectations on Schemitsch were obviously small, but he currently finds himself top 10 in defenseman scoring and has been a calming presence to an inconsistent Attack defense. I didn't include him on this list because as a rookie, I felt like maybe it opened the door to including too many rookies on this list who obviously had small expectations going into the season. Mississauga St. Michaels Majors goaltender Chris Carrozzi has been outstanding this year, leading the league in goals against average and currently second in save percentage. Many people wrote the OHL veteran and NHL draft selection off this season, expecting him to give way to talented youngster J.P. Anderson. But he's forced a platoon situation yet again, one that even sees him getting the majority of starts. Who knows what happens as the season goes on, but Carrozzi is definitely playing the best hockey of his career when many expected him to be the back up. Finally, Windsor Spitfires defenseman Mark Cundari has been outstanding this season. Always a solid two way defender, Cundari's offensive game has improved dramatically this year and he's playing with a ton of confidence right now. He currently sits 5th in defenseman scoring and could even be forcing his way into contention for the Canadian World Junior team. As much as I've always liked Cundari, I would have never guessed that.

So...Hats off to all those players starting the season well and keep it up! Anyone you think I missed that deserves to be mentioned, then hit up the comments section and let me know!

Thoughts on Niagara and Mississauga from October 16

Went down to the Hershey Centre last night to check out the Dogs and Majors. Once bitter rivals, the bite between these two Central Division teams has left the building. When the Majors first moved to the Hershey Centre and the Dogs left for Niagara, you'd be hard pressed to find a more intense match up. But as one reader pointed out in comments not long ago, the bitterness among these two teams has long since dissipated. With only a handful of players still around from before the switch, the rivalry seems long forgotten.

This game was a real testament to that, for the majority. Definitely not the prettiest game to watch. Lacked any real energy for the first half of the game, especially from the IceDogs. There were some fisticuffs at the end of the game, but that was more to do with a cheap shot by Johnson Andrews than anything else. Possibly a little frustration from what appeared to be a lifeless IceDog team.

Perhaps the Dogs were tired after their longwinded shootout victory over Owen Sound the night before, because only a handful of their players showed any giddy-up at all. The lack of energy from their end really allowed the Majors to dictate the pace of play for the majority of the game. Of note, the IceDogs powerplay is particularly atrocious and almost frustrating to watch. They really miss Alex Pietrangelo and Drew Schiestel on the back end. Not one of the many different powerplay combinations could generate much of anything for the Dogs, including the ol' fashioned five forward powerplay unit (which I'm completely against using). This team is sitting at under 6 percent right now for their powerplay unit, that's by far the lowest in the league. With only 3 powerplay goals all year, the Dogs are close to giving up as many shorthanded markers (2) as they've scored powerplay goals. That right there is the definition of a struggling unit. It's almost as if the Dogs would prefer other teams didn't take penalties against them so that play could remain five on five. The other thing I've noticed as far as the Dogs go is the breaking up of the DeSousa/Friesen/Agozzino line in order to try and spread the wealth offensively. That line was performing so well and really dictating the pace of play. While spreading the wealth and getting production from your other lines is important, so is scoring goals. I'd much prefer the Dogs keeping that line together and pressure the secondary units to step up their game. One line working well together is better than 4 lines working averagely. Plus that aforementioned "mini" forward line really set the pace of games. They tired out opposing defenses and really brought energy to the ice and this is something the Dogs lacked tonight. It'll be interesting to see how the Dogs handle the struggling Sudbury Wolves (losers of 6 in a row) today at home.

As for the Majors, they played a really strong game. Defensively, the effort was tremendous. Chris Carrozzi didn't have to do a whole heck of a lot tonight, as the Dogs were kept to the outside for the majority of the game. I really think this team is one really solid offensive forward away from being a serious OHL contender. Getting Gregg Sutch back in a week or two shoudln't hurt.

Here are some thoughts on individual players...

Mississauga St. Michael's Majors




Tim Billingsley (PHX)
I think Billingsley is really starting to come around again. This is the third time I've seen him this season and he's gotten better each time. I think the background of my disappointment with Billingsley is that I remember how promising he looked in his first two years in the league, as a somewhat hard-nosed two way rearguard. Last year was a huge step backward for him, but he seems to be slowly putting it back together. I think the key for him is keeping things simple with the puck, like he did tonight. He's not a blessed puck mover so as long as he can make smart decisions with the puck and not rush movement up ice, he can limit his turnovers. Last night he actually laid a few nice hits too, which is an element that has been absent in Billingsley's game of recent times. He needs to play that way in order to be successful defensively. I think Dave Cameron has to be happy with Billingsley's progression this year too since he actually received some powerplay time tonight and didn't look out of place either.

Brett Flemming (WSH)
Good to see Brett back on defense after he was up at forward the last time I saw him play. Glad to see that experiment over. He's back paired with Cameron Gaunce on the Majors top defensive unit and I continue to be impressed with his play. His best asset is his mobility which he uses to play both ends of the ice. Made several nice rushes up ice tonight. He also used his speed to make a solid play at the defensive end. Turnover at the blueline led to a breakaway by Andrew Shaw, but Flemming caught up to him and forced him to a somewhat weak backhand attempt. It was good on him to not take a penalty on the play, but to play Shaw clean (although how much damage would an IceDog powerplay do anyway?) Was somewhat disappointed by the fact that he saw little powerplay time though. He finished the game a solid +2.

Casey Cizikas (NYI)
Thought he played a pretty solid game. As always, he was active on the penalty kill and I like the fact that he's starting to show a bit of grit to his game (saw his fight against Matt Clark recently). He's been more consistent this year in playing active and going to the net with and without the puck. He scored on a very nice tip in of William Wallen's point shot. Cizikas finished with a goal and an assist.

Jordan Mayer (2010, but 1991 born)
I'm always impressed by Jordan Mayer. He's definitely one of the elite skating forwards in the OHL. He can turn on the jets and really blow by an opposing defense. I like his fearless attitude too. Not the biggest, but he works hard in the corners and is active near the crease. Corey Bureau's third period goal was all Mayer. He drove hard into the offensive zone, came up with the puck, kept possession and found Bureau at the side of the net for the nice finish. His speed and work ethic really do wonders to confuse opposing teams defenses. As one of the youngest players eligible for the draft last year, here's hoping NHL teams have taken note of his progression this season.

Devante Smith-Pelly (2010)
Even though he was held off the scoresheet, I thought Smith-Pelly was the most impressive Majors forward on the night. Not always a consistent point producer, I don't think it's long before he starts hitting the stat line consistently. I really liked the newly formed Smith-Pelly/Cizikas/Wallen line. The thing I like about Smith-Pelly is that he plays bigger than he actually is. Only average sized, he generates a lot of power in his skating stride and it makes him very hard to contain on the rush. At times I've questioned his offensive ceiling and overall skill set, but I'm starting to believe it's more a matter of confidence with the puck on his stick. He showed a couple highlight reel moves tonight, one as he got past the Dogs defenseman with some nifty puckhandling, but couldn't get a serious scoring chance out of it. I think we're only seeing the tip of the iceberg with Smith-Pelly.

Cameron Gaunce (COL)
Cameron Gaunce was typical Cameron Gaunce tonight. Steady as he goes. Gaunce is almost always a solid two way defender who makes smart decisions with the puck. Sometimes he gets himself in trouble when he tries to do too much, like one turnover he had at the blueline that nearly led to an odd man rush. Not the most blessed stick handler you'll see, he's better when he relies on his on ice vision to make quick plays, rather than trying to play the puck possession game (part of the reason why the Gaunce/Flemming pairing works so well IMO). Gaunce can absolutely wire it from the back end too, scoring on a nice hard point shot in the first period. I also like the added physicality to his game this year. Always a criticism against Gaunce, it appears hes working on becoming more of a physical threat.

Chris Carrozzi (ATL)
Carrozzi was solid when he had to be tonight. Wasn't really tested a whole lot, but when he was he was up to the occasion. Made a nice save by sliding over to hug the post on the Andrew Shaw breakaway attempt. Made a couple second chance saves on goal mouth scrambles by standing his ground. One such occurrence happened because of Carrozzi's poor clear of the puck which led directly to a turnover and a couple scoring chances, but none of Niagara's forwards were able to get the puck over his pads. Carrozzi has always been a really steady goalie who doesn't necessarily wow you, but who won't lose the game for you either. It'll be interesting to see what happens as the season goes on. Whether the Majors keep Carrozzi to continue to split time with J.P. Anderson, or whether they trade him to one of the teams looking for a starting goaltender (ala Windsor). He made 22 saves for the shutout victory.

Niagara IceDogs





Alex Friesen (2010 but 1991 born)
Friesen has really taken steps forward this year. He's learned to use his speed to generate offensive opportunities and has a lot more confidence in carrying the puck into the zone. In a way, he's a very similar player to Mississauga's Jordan Mayer. Friesen was one of the few IceDogs who looked like they were actually tying tonight, but he often got swallowed by the Majors defense as he entered the zone. It'll be interesting to see if his steps forward this season earn him NHL draft attention.

Chris DeSousa (2010, but 1990 born)
This year is DeSousa's last chance at being drafted and he's playing like he wants it. I thought he was Niagara's best forward tonight. Not the greatest skater in the world (which can spell trouble for smaller players at the next level), DeSousa uses solid strength and positioning to get by defenders. It almost felt like he was all by himself out there, as he'd do well to get puck possession in the offensive zone, but receive no support from it. I think he's got a real nose for the puck too and has a pretty high level of hockey sense. Once the Alex Pietrangelo situation is cleared up, I'd be surprised if DeSousa wasn't the next IceDog captain (should Petro not return).

Matt Petgrave (2010)
I continue to see a lot of potential in this kid. He's not really putting up points right now, but I think it'll be really interesting to see what he does at the end of the year. An OHL rookie who played AAA last year, Petgrave is still going through some growing pains. He still turns the puck over in the offensive zone by making poor decisions. He still takes himself out of position going for the big hit. But, you can see the potential in him. The way he skates the puck up ice. The way he reads plays offensively. I'd love to see him get more playing time on the powerplay. It's pretty obvious that the PP isn't working as it is, so why not give Petgrave a chance on the first unit, so that he can develop his skills and get some experience.

Petteri Simila (MTL)
I thought Simila was outstanding tonight. The Dogs have been really blessed to get the quality of goaltending they have been getting so far this season. If not for Simila, this game could have been 6 or 7 nothing. You'd be blind to not notice his size on the ice, at 6'6 he's a behemoth goaltender. But I like the way he challenges shooters and makes himself even bigger. Often times you'll see big goaltenders stay deep in their net, but I like to see them stay aggressive and come right out to the top of the blue ice. He takes away the bottom of the net really well and controls the rebounds from his pads, directing them to the corner. Like some big goaltenders, I do think he needs to work on his lateral mobility. On two of the goals tonight he got beat going side to side (the Lopes SH goal, and the Corey Bureau goal). A skating and strength coach should help him improve his overall agility. He made 38 of 42 saves and took the loss.

Anyone else see the game?

Thoughts on Niagara and Mississauga from October 1

The first game of the year from my "10 Games You've Got to Watch." Tonight the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors came to the small ice in St. Catharines to play the Niagara IceDogs. These two teams have long been bitter rivals, with the rivalry increasing when the Majors moved to the Hershey Centre a few years back.

Amazingly enough, this game didn't have a single fighting major. But that doesn't mean it was without penalties! There were a grand total of 16 powerplays tonight, the Majors receiving 10 of them. However, it was not enough to beat the Dogs who overcame a shot disadvantage of 52-24 to beat the Majors by a score of 4 to 2.

It's been a tough week so far for the Majors. First they got bumped from the CHL Mastercard Top 10 Rankings. Today they learned that Overager and Los Angeles Kings draft selection Michael Pelech would not be returning to the club this season (confirmation here). And finally tonight they got beat by the Dogs, despite heavily outshooting them.

Despite the heavily inflated shot totals, I felt that the Dogs outplayed the Majors tonight. The vast majority of the Majors' shots came from outside. A lot of weak shots and attempts to just put the puck on net. As solid as Ice Dogs goaltender Mark Visentin was tonight, he really only had to make a few difficult saves. It's not that the Majors weren't getting into traffic areas and creating offense, it's just that they had a hard time manufacturing serious scoring chances. The Dogs on the other hand made the most out of their scoring opportunities and did a good job on the cycle to give themselves room to shoot. It was generally a solid effort for the Dogs tonight, who are likely a better team than their 1-2-1 record heading into the game would indicate.

One thing that confused me for the Majors was the movement of defenseman Brett Flemming to forward. Originally I thought the Majors were playing with 7 defenseman and 11 forwards, but then I realized Flemming was indeed skating as a winger (mostly on a line with William Wallen and Jordan Mayer). Flemming is usually a player who impresses me with his speed and puck rushing ability from the back end, and I felt like the life was sucked out of him tonight. He just wasn't visible or effective as a forward and I don't understand why he was moved there. I also thought that they missed his speed and puck rushing ability from the back end. The Majors are usually a deadly team off the rush and in the transition game, but they struggled in that aspect tonight. Most of their scoring opportunities came from winning battles through cycling. If he was moved due to a logjam on the blueline, it's still a bit of a head scratcher for me, considering that guys like Josh McFadden and David Corrente are nowhere near the talent Flemming is.

Anyway, here are some of my general thoughts on player performances...

Mississauga St. Michael's Majors






Tim Billingsley (PHX)
Last time I reported on the Majors, I was pretty hard on Billingsley. He played a solid game tonight though. Billingsley played a simple and smart game and didn't try to do anything outside of his skill set. He took the body well and did a solid job off the rush in staying with his man and keeping him to the outside. I'd still like to see him play more physical, because I've seen him with a bit of a mean streak before, but as long as he can play a strong positional game defensively, he's fine. On the negative side, I'm still not quite sure he has the composure with the puck to advance to an NHL career.

Brett Flemming (WSH)
As I mentioned, he skated as a forward 5 on 5 tonight. He played the point on the powerplay though. Not much to say that wasn't said above. As a forward he wasn't very effective.

Casey Cizikas (NYI)
Cizikas didn't have the greatest of games. He had a couple nice moments in the offensive zone and still did a good job on the penalty kill, but he didn't play as aggressive as a style as he usually does. He usually skates hard and puts a lot of pressure on the opposing team, but he was fairly invisible tonight. Considering the solid start Cizikas has had to the season, tonight's performance was an anomaly for Cizikas (and likely most of the Majors players). He finished with an assist.

Joseph Cramarossa (2011)
Late 1992 birthday, Cramarossa was flying tonight. He hit everything in sight. He laid one really nice check on Reggie Traccitto as he tried to carry the puck over the red line. He did a good job by putting pressure on the Niagara puck carrier and looks to have some offensive potential. I can't help but think that Cramarossa will develop into a fan favourite in Mississauga.

Jordan Mayer (2010, but 1991 born)
The more I watch the Majors (and Mayer), the more I think I'm realizing that the Majors offense runs through the speedy Mayer. He was one of the only Majors players who generated serious scoring chances tonight. He's got great wheels and he's really elusive on the ice. Despite being undersized, he doesn;t get pushed around. For his first goal, he showcased great hands in close by tipping the point shot beautifully and chipping his rebound over Visentin's pads. On his second goal he eluded the Niagara defenseman and took it to the net, shoveling it in between Visentin's pads and the post. Using his skating ability and fearless attitude, Mayer is not only one to watch for the Majors this year, but for June's NHL draft too. He finished with 2 goals.

Cameron Gaunce (COL)
Gaunce was solid tonight. As usual, he played a very quietly effective game. He doesn't make any plays that make you say "WOW," but he doesn't have to because he makes the smart choices at both ends of the ice. He runs the powerplay very effectively (and often plays the full two minutes), using his hard, low point shot to create scoring chances off his rebounds. Gaunce also picks his times to pinch in and/or rush the puck into the offensive zone very well. He increased the amount he was rushing as the game went on and as his team needed to gain entry into the offensive zone. Defensively he's generally a rock, although you'd always like to see him use his size to push people around. I'm pulling for him to get an invite to the Canadian WJC camp. He finished the game with 2 assists.

J.P. Anderson (2010)
Anderson didn't have the greatest of games. But he didn't have a lot of help either, with Niagara's goals coming off some nice individual skill efforts. The only goal I'm sure he'd love to have back was Niagara's first by Alex Friesen, which was a slapper that squeezed between his arm and body. He got pulled entering the third period after giving up 4 goals on 17 shots. His exit from the game was more a tactic to try and jump start the team by Dave Cameron, than it was punishment for poor play (at least in my opinion). Another performance you have to consider an anomaly.

Niagara IceDogs






Alex Friesen (2010, but 1991 born)
Where is the Alex Friesen from last season? The one who could use his speed to create scoring chances, but who couldn't finish them off. To his credit, he was fairly snake bitten too. I've never seen a player hit as many posts or get robbed by a nice save as many times as Friesen did last season. This year, he's capitalizing on his scoring chances and he's using his speed to create scoring chances for his teammates. He's also doing a lot more of the dirty work on the ice and is much more active on the cycle. This added aggressive aspect to his game has really elevated it to the next level. I hope he can continue to be as dynamic of a player as the season goes on. He finished the game with 2 goals and 2 assists.

Freddie Hamilton (2010)
Hamilton is a solid two way center. I really like the effort he gives defensively. He's also a good skater and does a good job of leading the rush into the zone as the center of the team's second line. Obviously you'd like to see him hit the score sheet more than he has, but if he continues to play a solidly efficient game, the points will come.

Chris DeSousa (2010, but 1990 born)
Like Friesen, DeSousa is off to a great start this season. Unlike Friesen, DeSousa is simply carrying over his solid play from last season when he scored 33 goals. Undersized, but not lacking heart. DeSousa grinds it out on the ice, outworking his opposition for the puck. He's got a really good head for the game too. He's a guy who can play in any situation and who really seems to find himself magnetically attracted to the puck. I only wish he was a slightly better skater, otherwise he'd be a shoe in for a professional career. He finished the game with 1 goal and 2 assists.

Andrew Agozzino (2010, but 1991 born)
We really need to come up with a solid nickname for the Dogs first line of Friesen, DeSousa and Agozzino. All of them are undersized, but they make up for it with hard work and a fair amount of skill. Agozzino was the quietest of the three tonight, but scored an absolute beauty of a goal. Friesen, from behind the net, passed the puck to him at the corner of the net near the circle and he absolutely roofed it short side on Anderson. Agozzino had a tiny hole to get it through with Anderson playing it more standing, and he just buried it. Great goal. It was his only point of the night.

Dougie Hamilton (2011)
The brother of Freddie, Dougie is a very solid defenseman. The Dogs 2nd rounder of this year, Hamilton is incredibly talented and looks to be one of the better OHL defenseman of the 1993 birth crop. He's got great size at 6'3 (and likely still growing) and is already playing a top 4 role for the Dogs. He controls the point on the powerplay, he makes good decisions with the puck and he's quietly effective defensively. Definitely an early player to watch for the 2011 NHL Draft. He finished with an assist.

Mark Visentin (2010)
What a difference a year makes. Visentin looked absolutely over matched in the OHL last season as an OHL rookie, but this year he's emerged as the team's number one netminder. A lot more composed in net, Visentin used to be prone to stretches of poor concentration. He'd play solid, then give up two real stinkers in a short period of time. This year, he seems to be a lot more confident in net. He's doing a way better job of controlling his rebounds too. A very impressive performance for him tonight, stopping 50 of 52 shots for the win. On the downside, he still needs to work on his glove. Nearly any goal that beats him, are ones glove side and he still seems to have a hard time holding on to pucks that enter his mitt. Maybe the Dogs should get him playing baseball.

That's it folks. Anyone else at the game with thoughts on either side?

Niagara IceDogs End of the Season Report

The Niagara IceDogs 2008-09 season came to an end last night following the teams' 5-2 loss to Belleville in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semi finals. The team fought hard throughout these playoffs, and there is no doubt in my mind that the coaching staff and management have to be happy with the effort level, considering that in my opinion, the team overachieved this season.

The core of this team is still very young, with a vast majority of them eligible for the draft this year. You have to expect that over the next couple of years, this team has a very good shot at being a very good hockey team.

Let's take a look at my final report on the team this season...

Jeremy Smith - Drafted by Nashville in 2007/54th

With the season over, and Smith already signed by Nashville, you have to think he could be headed to the AHL or ECHL sometime soon. I wish him nothing but success at the professional level, and I expect him to find it. He was absolutely sensational after coming over from Plymouth at midseason. Without him, I'm not even sure the Dogs make the playoffs, let alone advance to round 2. He was great throughout the playoffs too. Smith is just a solid technical goaltender. He comes out and plays the angles very well. He directs rebounds into the corner with ease and always seem to have control of the game. He is athletic and anticipates the play well, and has a very good glove hand. One thing that Smith does incredibly well and deserves attention, is his ability to make the saves through traffic. I think that speaks volumes of his technical ability. At the next level, professional goaltenders are to be expected to fight through screens and he does this among the best that I've seen at this level. He makes himself so large in net. The only thing I can say that Smith might need to work on, is letting the play come to him a bit more. In that, I mean that teams catch him cheating a lot. He'll really cheat for the glove save and they'll expose him down low, or vice versa. He can also get caught flopping, again as teams try to force him into cheating on the play. With Chet Pickard also graduating next year (more than likely), and Mark Dekanich already in the AHL, you have to wonder if Smith plays next season in the AHL, or the ECHL. Either way, I wish him the best. He's a solid prospect.

Mark Visentin - 2010 NHL Draft Eligible

This year was a great learning experience for Visentin. He got a lot of playing time at the start of the season before Smith's arrival. He won gold as a member of Team Ontario at the Under 17 World Hockey Challenge. And he was able to learn the ropes from a savvy veteran like Smith. When he did play, Visentin did look overmatched. He is relatively solid technically, but he wasn't able to react to the play quick enough, and he was prone to letting in some really bad goals, perhaps due to nerves ot lack of focus. But he was one of 2 92 born goaltenders in the O this year, so you have to give him some credit. I think the Dogs are going to look for big things from him next season with Smith all but gone and no one else really to take his place. I do expect Niagara to bring in a veteran, perhaps overager to help Visentin next year too.

Alex Pietrangelo - Drafted by St. Louis in 2008/4th

I think it's obvious that Petro has talent. He's an effortless skater who brings the puck up with ease. He is aggressive in attacking the offensive zone and is great at creating offense. When he returned from St. Louis, I found that he was struggling a bit defensively, perhaps maybe due to a lack of confidence with his demotion. However, after the WJC's, he came back a different player. He was a dominant force at both ends of the ice and was crucial in leading the charge into the playoffs. In the playoffs, I think it was a bit of a different story though. I actually think he struggled a bit in the playoffs. To me, it looked like he was trying to do too much. He was turning the puck over a lot, especially coming out of his own zone, as he attempted to force the breakout. Defensively, some games, he was absent. Whether that was because the team was trailing and the coaching staff told him to be aggressive, remains to be seen. But at times, I found him to be running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I think that he also showed a different side of himself in the playoffs. He was very physical, but in some not good ways as he was taking some bad penalties out of frustration. Alex Pietrangelo is a great talent and player, but I don't think he is ready for the big time, and by keeping him for those 8 games, the Blues did more harm than good to him. Next season, they are going to be faced with a tough decision. In my mind, he hasn't progressed enough to handle the NHL. He'd be much better off returning to Niagara, playing and leading an up and coming hockey team. However, it remains to be seen if that is what will happen.

Drew Schiestel - Drafted by Buffalo in 2007/59th

Schiestel is another guy who had an up and down season. He started the year off very well IMO. He was playing outstanding hockey. But when Pietrangelo returned, he definitely lost a step. I'm not sure whether that was because he was no longer in the spotlight, or for another reason. Throughout the middle part of the season and towards the end, he struggled on a lot of nights. With defensive zone coverage and with turnovers in both ends. He always has been a terrific skater, but I found him to be too reserved. He would get through everyone on the rush, enter the offensive zone, and then simply dump the puck in. Rather than carry it in and create offensively. He became too timid. However, in the playoffs, I felt like he played some of the best hockey I've ever seen him play. He was absolutely better than Pietrangelp in the playoffs, in my opinion. He played inspired hockey at both ends of the ice. He used his speed to enter the offensive zone and to lead the offensive attack, following through with his rushes and creating offense, unlike earlier in the season. He played hard defensively and played very physical, but smart physical. He really stepped it up. He's currently unsigned by the Sabres, but if they saw him play in the playoffs, they'd be crazy not to give him a contract.

Mathew Maione - 2009 NHL Draft Eligible

If this guy wasn't so injury prone, he could be quite the player for the Dogs. He's a tremendous skater from the backend. He is smart with the puck and can run the point on the powerplay. Defensively, he's solid one on one and in zone coverage. He isn't afraid to go into the corners, despite being undersized at 5'10. The guy battles hard and he has skill. At the end of the regular season, he was playing absolutely tremendous hockey. However, in the playoffs, it was pretty clear he was playing hurt, as he wasn't playing much. While I don't think he has any chance of getting drafted this year, he's a guy who could take big steps and one day earn a contract, if he can stay healthy and get some confidence.

Alex Friesen, Andrew Agozzino, Matt Sisca, and Chris DeSousa - 2009 NHL Draft Eligible

You might wonder why I chose to lump these guys together. It's not a slight at them, it just has to do with what a lot of people tell me when they watch the Dogs play. The thing I hear most is that people can't tell the difference between these four guys when they play. To an extent, I can see why. They are all undersized, they all are relatively quick and have no trouble entering the danger areas. They also all relatively skilled. However, I do think that they bring different things to the ice. Alex Friesen is probably the best skater of the bunch, and is a great forechecker. He works hard for everything he gets. If he had a slightly better skill set and slightly better hands, he would have been a point per game player this season. He did play incredibly well in the playoffs though and showed that he does have the ability to start generating offense on a more consistent basis. Andrew Agozzino was solid all season for the Dogs. He is well rounded, can skate, can score, plays both ways. He also had a very strong playoffs. I know that he's been relatively frustrated with the lack of attention he has been receiving for the draft, but to an extent I can see why. He is undersized, and he doesn't really have a standout quality. He is talented offensively, but is he talented enough to play on a scoring line. And he is a hard worker who can play both ways, but is he a good enough forechecker and mucker to play a 3rd line role. That being said, I would still be surprised if he isn't at least a late round pick. Matt Sisca might be the most skilled of any of them, but is also the smallest and the softest. I think that one day, he will be the leading scorer for the Dogs, perhaps as early as next season. However, I'm not sure I like the prospects of him getting drafted. Chris DeSousa has the best chance of the four of getting drafted in my opinion. He is undersized, but he's also the best at getting the most out of his size. He has good lower body strength and is good in working the corners. He uses his speed to his advantage and he has one heck of a shot that he gets off very quickly. On top of that, he's a quality pest who isn't afraid to drop the mitts or lower the boom with an open ice hit. If I were to rank them in order of how I think scouts view them for the draft I'd say 1) DeSousa, 2) Agozzino, 3) Friesen, 4) Sisca.

Andrew Shaw - 2009 NHL Draft Eligible

This fan favourite is a treat to watch. He works hard every shift, he forechecks incredibly hard, he isn't afraid of anyone. On top of that, I actually think he's a very skilled hockey player who just wasn't given enough ice time this year to show it. In the playoffs, when Marco Insam went down, Shaw began to see consistent shifts with the top 6, and he showed flashes of brilliance. He's a great playmaker and he has a nose for the net. I think he has some things going for him that could get him drafted. One, he's one of the youngest players eligible for the draft. Two, he's still a beanpole, so once he gets stronger, he's going to become even more effective with the type of game he likes to play. Three, he's going to see more ice time next year and should vastly improve his numbers. And four, he's a bit of an enforcer prospect who could profile as an NHL pest. I really hope someone takes a chance on this kid on draft day. I don't think they'll be disappointed in the long run.

Freddie Hamilton - 2010 NHL Draft Eligible

Hamilton was solid all year long for the Dogs. He plays both ways and you can tell that he has good hockey sense. His lack of strength really held him back from contributing more offensively this season, as well as his average skating, in particular his acceleration. With a summer to get stronger and faster, Hamilton should be ready to be a solid offensive contributor for the Dogs next season. I also see him as a future captain of the Dogs, you can tell he has the leadership capabilities in him. I think that should he progress next season, he'll be an NHL draft pick in 2010.