Like many of the Sunday Top 10 articles on this blog, it's become a tradition for me to rank the "true" OHL rookies who impressed me the most. By true, I mean those 1994 birth date, sixteen year olds (sometimes fifteen) who did more than just get their feet wet in the OHL this season.
Now I must warn you. This isn't an early ranking of these players for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. This is a list of those 1994's who impressed me the most this year, and is not meant to be an early draft prognostication (as if it was, the list would look different).
As I mentioned, this is somewhat of a tradition, so it only seems fair to link you to the versions of yesteryear. 1992's. 1993's.
Here's this year's list.
10. Matia Marcantuoni - Kitchener Rangers
Even though he didn't really play the final two months of the season because of a high ankle sprain, Marcantuoni did enough in the opening months of the season to open some eyes. He has the potential to develop into quite the well rounded center, with speed, a complete offensive arsenal, and a developing edge to his game. He's likely to be the team's number one center next year (or at least number two behind Michael Catenacci) so I'd expect pretty big things from him next year after a summer of strength training.
9. Scott Laughton - Oshawa Generals
While it might have been hard for Laughton to stand out this year in Oshawa, thanks to the forward depth the team has accumulated, he made the most of his ice time. As a high priority selection, you'd expect the offensive skills to be there...and they are. Laughton is going to be an elite goal scoring center in this league. But what caught me off guard was the development of the rest of his game. Laughton is already a very complete player who plays the game hard, and isn't afraid to get his nose dirty. While it may be equally hard for him to stand out next year when all of Oshawa's talented forwards likely return, he does enough of the little things right to make me believe that he'll be just fine.
8. Adam Pelech - Erie Otters
The Otters, even if they lost the battle with Windsor in the opening round, had a very good season. One of the biggest reasons for their success this season was the play of their underrated defense and that includes the third Pelech brother to play in the OHL. Brothers Michael and Matt had very productive OHL careers (even if their pro careers haven't gone quite as well so far), and Adam looks to be on track make it a hat trick. He's cut from a similar cloth to brother Matt (a former first rounder of Calgary); a solid stay at home defenseman who can move bodies with a good frame. But the difference is that I think Adam has the potential to be better offensively because he moves the puck better and has the skating ability to lead the rush. I think Adam could be the best Pelech yet!
7. Ryan Rupert - London Knights
A third round pick of the Knights, Rupert originally failed to make the team and didn't really start making his impact until the new year. Before that he was putting up great numbers in the GOJHL with Lambton. He's not the biggest, but he's a fearless player and has all the attributes you like to see in smaller offensive guys. He's quick, he battles away from the puck, and he's not afraid to stick up for himself. I'm not sure where the Knights keep finding these guys outside of the first couple of rounds, but Rupert looks like a guy who could make a very large impact in this league (along with twin brother Matt).
6. Gianluca Curcuruto - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
A very composed and intelligent defenseman, Curcuruto was maybe the top all around defenseman for the Hounds in his freshman season. He played in all situations for the team and finished at only -1 on the year...which has to be considered quite the feat on a last place team. I think we're looking at a player who's only scratching the surface of his potential; a potential we're likely to see more of next year.
5. Slater Koekkoek - Peterborough Petes
I wonder if any of the teams drafting in the top 6 are kicking themselves for letting Koekkoek slide to the Petes at 7th. Originally considered a possible top 3 pick, Koekkoek took a minor tumble on draft day, but he's certainly proved himself to be a future OHL all star. Offensively, he has all the tools and already controls the point on the powerplay quite effectively. Defensively, he's a work in progress, but he has all the intangibles that would suggest that part of his game will improve (like a desire to impose his size). It'll be interesting to see how he plays for Team Canada at the Under 18's.
4. Nick Ebert - Windsor Spitfires
You've got to be impressed by this Windsor blueliner. Coming over from the USHL, he had pretty high expectations and he met them (you don't say that for every player in his situation). Ebert is really the whole package. He can skate, he can shoot the puck, he plays both ends of the ice. The thing about Ebert's game that not a lot of people realize is how physical he is. He really throws the body around defensively. Sure he's a bit rough around the edges and has some learning to do (when it comes to pinching, or going for the big hit), but he's had a tremendous season and looks like he's well on the path to replacing Ryan Ellis in Windsor next year.
3. Alex Galchenyuk - Sarnia Sting
I bet you're probably surprised to see him at three, and really it doesn't have anything to do with Alex being bad (how could you be bad with the rookie season he put up), but more so to do with the next two really knocking my socks off. Alex is just a tremendous offensive player. He might have the best hands in the entire OHL, and next year's he's going to make one NHL GM very happy. Along with Nail Yakupov, he's become such an electrifying player who plays the game at full speed ahead. He's also got a bit of a mean streak, which he'll need as teams start to further zero in on him. I wouldn't be surprised if he lead the league in scoring next year.
2. Sean Monahan - Ottawa 67's
How good was this guy this year? Monahan was outstanding for the 67's, playing a bevy of roles for the team, whether it be the checking line center or on a scoring line. He's got great size down the middle, and unlike a lot of kids his age, he actually knows how to use it. He protects the puck unbelievably well and is already a very hard player to contain offensively. The best thing about Monahan is that he's already a very good two way player. When he's centering Tyler Toffoli next year, a lot of people are going to start to take notice of this kid. He's the complete package.
1. Jesse Graham - Niagara IceDogs
When the Dogs took Graham 6th overall, a lot of people were left scratching their heads a bit. Sure he was expected to be a first round pick, but over guys like Slater Koekkoek and Alex Gudbranson? Once Dogs fans got a glimpse of Graham in action, the critics were silenced. A lot of people are going to look at him at number 1 and ask me if I'm insane. And I'm cool with that. But let me tell you, this kid is a great hockey player. How many 16 year old defenseman are on the top pairing of the 3rd best team in the OHL and play 30 minutes a night in all situations? Graham's offensive stats may not wow you, but he gets the job done. He's a tremendous skater and compliments Dougie Hamilton very well in this regard as the two take turns bringing the puck up ice. He's also very mature defensively, with his +27 being BY FAR the best rating of any 16 year old defenseman in the league (Adam Pelech was 2nd at +14). While Graham may not be the biggest, he was the sixteen year old who caught my eye the most this year.
All in all, the defenseman crop for next year's NHL draft seems to be pretty freaking outstanding (especially when you throw in a late 1993 like Cody Ceci).
Showing posts with label Alex Galchenyuk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alex Galchenyuk. Show all posts
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Game Report: Sarnia & London from September 25
The OHL is back folks. While I haven't yet had a chance to get to a game live, I did catch the Sting versus the Knights on the OHL Action Pack.
It was a pretty exciting game, with a pace that increased as the game went along. Things started rather slowly with a somewhat timid first period, but the second period saw 6 goals scored. In the second half of the period especially, the action was fast and furious. The game ended up going to overtime where Seth Griffith capitalized on a Brett Ritchie turnover to head up ice on a two on one with Jared Knight, who finished off a beautiful cross ice feed for the game winner. If you count the shootout winner last night, it's Knight's second game winner in a row.
The Knights as a whole looked pretty good. Some sloppy defensive play at times, but the team has a nice mixture of speed and tenacity. One thing that struck me as somewhat odd was Dale Hunter's consistent use of five forwards on the powerplay (with Colin Martin, Michael MacDonald, and Jared Knight seeing time on the point). As the game went along, Scott Harrington began to see more and more time, but the five forward unit was used a fair amount. Even after Jarred Tinordi comes, you have to wonder if Dale Hunter has little faith in his defense's ability to move the puck and quarterback the powerplay.
The Sting are going to be an exciting team this season. Think of them like the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL right now. A ton of exhilarating young talent up front and a high tempo offense, but perhaps a team too green to be a consistent standings threat. Sarnia did look real good against a tough London team (a day after shutting out Windsor), but defensively they struggled tonight. A lot of turnovers and lazy penalties that led to strong scoring chances for London. On the plus side, John Cullen looked great in net and if he can continue to be a rock back there, the Sting might win more games than they lose.
Player Reports:
Sarnia Sting
#9 - Brandon Francisco (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
Playing on Sarnia's top line with Brett Ritchie and Alex Galchenyuk (Brandon Alderson also shuffled in at times), Francisco was the least visible of the three IMO. Showed flashes of being able to dart in and out of traffic, but wasn't able to find a lot of room. However, he did score a goal, capitalizing on a mistake by Scott Harrington at the blueline.
#10 - Nail Yakupov (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
Everything Yakupov does is done at high speed. I can't wait to see this guy live at some point this year to better appreciate how fast he plays the game. At this point, he could stand to use his teammates a little better as he seems to get tunnel vision in the center of the ice, but his puckhandling skills are fantastic. He turns and pivots on a dime and takes the puck with him. He seems to make it look really effortless. He scored a really nice goal in the second period, as he beat Michael D'Orazio and Jared Knight to the net on the rush and finished off a one timer from Kale Kerbashian. Funniest moment of the night happened in the third period when Yakupov tried to step up and engage Colin Martin as he carried the puck up ice. Brave, but the much bigger Martin ended up completely running over Yakupov. At least it shows he's got guts.
#20 - Brett Ritchie (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
Ritchie had an OK game. First some positives. In the first period he showed a great burst of speed as he blew past Michael D'Orazio one on one for a shot on net that forced Michael Houser to make a big save. And all night he was working hard to get open near the net. It's clear he's put on a lot of strength this offseason and he's become quite the difficult player to contain. Negatively, while he was getting himself in good position to score, he was snake bitten on the night. Twice he whiffed on cross crease passes that likely would have resulted on goals. Both were tough to handle due to the velocity of the pass, but as a scoring power forward, he's going to have show that he can finish at least some of those off. Also, it was Ritchie's turnover along the boards that led to the eventual game winner by Knight (although if Joe Rogalski isn't pinching, it's a 2 on 2 and likely a dead play).
#74 - Joe Rogalski (2010 NHL Draft - Pittsburgh Penguins)
This is Rogalski's 4th OHL season and the Sting are going to rely heavily on him this season. But he did not have a strong game tonight. He was kind of all over the ice and had a lot of trouble with London's forecheck tonight. In the third period especially, he had a hard time and it seemed like every time he touched the puck in his own end, a Knight forward had already collapsed on him and created a tie up or turnover. He's got to make quicker decisions with the puck against a team with speed like London. And in overtime, it was probably his costly pinch that resulted in the game winning goal. As Brett Ritchie was pinned along the boards in London's zone, Rogalski pinched to try and help out Ritchie, but instead a turnover was created and Rogalski got trapped up ice as Griffith and Knight flew up ice to end the game. On a positive note, he picked up a secondary assist on Brandon Francisco's goal as it was his dump in that gave Harrington trouble at the blueline.
#94 - Alex Galchenyuk (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
Is it a little early to say Yakupov/Galchenyuk 1 and 2 in 2012? You never know what the future holds, but Galchenyuk was the most impressive player on the ice for me tonight. The first overall pick completely lived up to the hype. He's got speed to burn, but he's very smart in using it. Seems to be very patient with the puck and doesn't force the play, but when he sees an opportunity he goes for it. Like his second period goal, where he took a pass from Brandon Alderson, cut to the middle of the ice and let a wrist shot go to the top corner. His cut to the middle left Reid McNeill in awe (and on the ground as Joe Rogalski promptly ran him over). I must say, I was hearing a lot of talk about his one dimensional play, but I saw none of that tonight either. He saved a goal early in the game as he hustled back to tie up Stephen Sanza at the side of the net on an odd man rush, and was aggressive in attacking the net (with and without the puck) all night long. Colour me impressed!
#33 - John Cullen (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011, Born in 1991)
When Cullen first came to the Niagara IceDogs two years ago, I thought he was going to develop into a premier backstop in this league. But inconsistency ultimately led to his trade from the organization and he's yet to get another shot as a starter until now. He was excellent in this game (a day after shutting out the Spitfires). He's a very athletic goaltender and he made some big saves for his team tonight. Unfortunately he got left hung out to dry by his defense a few times and that was the difference. But he did get his team a point by stopping 42 of 46.
London Knights
#3 - Reid McNeill (2010 NHL Draft - Pittsburgh Penguins)
McNeill looks like he has a lot more confidence this year. I thought he had an excellent game. Was active in moving the puck up ice, but most of all was intelligent about it and picked his spots well. He was also solid offensively. In the first period he saved a goal by tying up Kale Kerbashian in front of the net and then sending the free puck out of the slot and to the boards. This was generally the theme of the night as he (along with partner Michael Moffat) neutralized the Sting attack. I would have really liked to see what he could do on the powerplay, but was never given the opportunity.
#4 - Michael Moffat (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
Who? I didn't even go into this game looking for him, but he made himself pretty noticeable. He was an absolute rock defensively tonight. The rookie defenseman from Waterloo looked like an OHL veteran out there. As the game went along he began receiving more and more ice time and was even out there in the final minute of regulation. He didn't give any of Sarnia's forwards an inch tonight. He negated players on the rush (off memory Brett Ritchie, Kale Kerbashian, and Alex Galchenyuk) and used his size to prevent them from generating a scoring chance. He also did a great job in the corners as I don't ever remember him losing a battle along the boards. With great size (6'1, 200lbs) and a strong defensive game, he could be a guy to watch this year.
#6 - Scott Harrington (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
If it weren't for that costly error at the blueline, Harrington would have played a pretty damn near perfect game. Even with the error, he was excellent. The error I speak of happened in the second period as Harrington tried to glove down a high dump in at the blueline, missed and then fell down, leading to an odd man rush and a goal by Brandon Francisco. It was a tough play, but Harrington needs to have confidence in his ability to win loose puck battles and let that one go, rather than jump to glove it down. But otherwise, Harrington looked fantastic. He was used on the powerplay where it appears he's ready to step up his offensive production. He also looked good in rushing the puck up ice and was very aggressive in bringing it into the offensive zone. He made a tremendous play in the first period to negate a breakaway (by I believe Jesse Staughton). He caught up to the Sting player, used his stick to redirect the puck and then gained face to face body position and put the player down to the ice. Absolutely textbook. I also liked his increasingly physical demeanor. This is going to be key for him going forward. He doesn't have ideal size for a shutdown defenseman in the NHL, so he's going to have to show he can be a physical force to really attract attention for the first round (IMO).
#10 - Danny Elser (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
Not a ton to say about Elser, the former Shattuck St. Mary's forward. He's got some speed and he looks to have some offensive potential. Showed glimpses of ability but may need more time before things start coming together.
#17 - Seth Griffith (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
I thought Griffith was excellent tonight. He's definitely a good offensive player and a guy who's going to put up points in this league. He looked quite quick and was always pushing the pace of play. His pass to Jared Knight for the game winner in OT was a thing of beauty. The Sting defenseman played it really well, but Griffith showed patience on the two on one and put the puck right on Knight's stick.
#18 - Vladislav Namestnikov (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
I was expecting a little bit more from Namestnikov to be honest. There is definitely a lot of potential there. He definitely has good hands and when he had time and space (particularly on the powerplay), he made some Sting players look foolish as they tried to get the puck off him. But through stretches of the game he was largely invisible. Maybe my expectations were too large as I compared him to the way Yakupov and Galchenyuk looked out there. He did pick up a secondary assist on the powerplay as he moved the puck very effectively with the unit.
#70 - Chris Tierney (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
Was hearing from a lot of London fans that they didn't think he was ready, but after tonight's viewing I'd have to disagree. I thought he was the best London forward on the ice tonight. He looks like the total package offensively. Patient with the puck, worked the cycle well, was creative in making plays out of nothing. He also took the puck hard to the front of the net. While he didn't come away with any points, I thought he looked great.
#71 - Phil Varone (2009 NHL Draft - San Jose Sharks)
Varone is probably a good bet to be the Knights captain this season and he had a good game tonight. He looks a lot faster this year and seems to be ready to finally take his offensive game to the next level (in his last year in the league). He consistently went to the net looking for scoring chances and worked hard on the forecheck and the cycle. He scored a nice goal in the second period that put the Knights up 2-0. Hopefully he can keep it up (and stay healthy).
#97 - Jared Knight (2010 NHL Draft - Boston Bruins)
Probably still trying to get back into the gears of the OHL, Knight looked pretty tired at the start of the game. But as the game went on, he got stronger and stronger. Had a couple of great scoring chances in the third period as he took the puck hard to the net, but was stymied by Cullen. He was finally rewarded in OT as he finished off the Griffith pass for the game winner. The one thing I did notice tonight though was that Knight doesn't seem to have any chemistry with his linemates. A lot of his offensive chances were created by himself. It'd be such a waste of Knight's terrific release if London can't find a playmaker to pair with him.
#29 - Michael Houser (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011, Born in 1992)
I was a little bit surprised when Houser went undrafted this year. And things will be interesting for him once Igor Bobkov shows up from Anaheim. But for now he's the starter and he looked good tonight. Was aggressive in challenging the shooters and wasn't giving Sarnia's shooters much to aim at. He gave up a few rebounds, but his defense was there to clear them. Wasn't at fault on any of the Sarnia goals. If the Knights can get a solid platoon going this year, that'd be fantastic. He stopped 35 of 38 for the win.
That's it for the first game report of the 2010-2011 season! Thoughts, comments?
It was a pretty exciting game, with a pace that increased as the game went along. Things started rather slowly with a somewhat timid first period, but the second period saw 6 goals scored. In the second half of the period especially, the action was fast and furious. The game ended up going to overtime where Seth Griffith capitalized on a Brett Ritchie turnover to head up ice on a two on one with Jared Knight, who finished off a beautiful cross ice feed for the game winner. If you count the shootout winner last night, it's Knight's second game winner in a row.
The Knights as a whole looked pretty good. Some sloppy defensive play at times, but the team has a nice mixture of speed and tenacity. One thing that struck me as somewhat odd was Dale Hunter's consistent use of five forwards on the powerplay (with Colin Martin, Michael MacDonald, and Jared Knight seeing time on the point). As the game went along, Scott Harrington began to see more and more time, but the five forward unit was used a fair amount. Even after Jarred Tinordi comes, you have to wonder if Dale Hunter has little faith in his defense's ability to move the puck and quarterback the powerplay.
The Sting are going to be an exciting team this season. Think of them like the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL right now. A ton of exhilarating young talent up front and a high tempo offense, but perhaps a team too green to be a consistent standings threat. Sarnia did look real good against a tough London team (a day after shutting out Windsor), but defensively they struggled tonight. A lot of turnovers and lazy penalties that led to strong scoring chances for London. On the plus side, John Cullen looked great in net and if he can continue to be a rock back there, the Sting might win more games than they lose.
Player Reports:
Sarnia Sting
#9 - Brandon Francisco (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
Playing on Sarnia's top line with Brett Ritchie and Alex Galchenyuk (Brandon Alderson also shuffled in at times), Francisco was the least visible of the three IMO. Showed flashes of being able to dart in and out of traffic, but wasn't able to find a lot of room. However, he did score a goal, capitalizing on a mistake by Scott Harrington at the blueline.
#10 - Nail Yakupov (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
Everything Yakupov does is done at high speed. I can't wait to see this guy live at some point this year to better appreciate how fast he plays the game. At this point, he could stand to use his teammates a little better as he seems to get tunnel vision in the center of the ice, but his puckhandling skills are fantastic. He turns and pivots on a dime and takes the puck with him. He seems to make it look really effortless. He scored a really nice goal in the second period, as he beat Michael D'Orazio and Jared Knight to the net on the rush and finished off a one timer from Kale Kerbashian. Funniest moment of the night happened in the third period when Yakupov tried to step up and engage Colin Martin as he carried the puck up ice. Brave, but the much bigger Martin ended up completely running over Yakupov. At least it shows he's got guts.
#20 - Brett Ritchie (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
Ritchie had an OK game. First some positives. In the first period he showed a great burst of speed as he blew past Michael D'Orazio one on one for a shot on net that forced Michael Houser to make a big save. And all night he was working hard to get open near the net. It's clear he's put on a lot of strength this offseason and he's become quite the difficult player to contain. Negatively, while he was getting himself in good position to score, he was snake bitten on the night. Twice he whiffed on cross crease passes that likely would have resulted on goals. Both were tough to handle due to the velocity of the pass, but as a scoring power forward, he's going to have show that he can finish at least some of those off. Also, it was Ritchie's turnover along the boards that led to the eventual game winner by Knight (although if Joe Rogalski isn't pinching, it's a 2 on 2 and likely a dead play).
#74 - Joe Rogalski (2010 NHL Draft - Pittsburgh Penguins)
This is Rogalski's 4th OHL season and the Sting are going to rely heavily on him this season. But he did not have a strong game tonight. He was kind of all over the ice and had a lot of trouble with London's forecheck tonight. In the third period especially, he had a hard time and it seemed like every time he touched the puck in his own end, a Knight forward had already collapsed on him and created a tie up or turnover. He's got to make quicker decisions with the puck against a team with speed like London. And in overtime, it was probably his costly pinch that resulted in the game winning goal. As Brett Ritchie was pinned along the boards in London's zone, Rogalski pinched to try and help out Ritchie, but instead a turnover was created and Rogalski got trapped up ice as Griffith and Knight flew up ice to end the game. On a positive note, he picked up a secondary assist on Brandon Francisco's goal as it was his dump in that gave Harrington trouble at the blueline.
#94 - Alex Galchenyuk (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
Is it a little early to say Yakupov/Galchenyuk 1 and 2 in 2012? You never know what the future holds, but Galchenyuk was the most impressive player on the ice for me tonight. The first overall pick completely lived up to the hype. He's got speed to burn, but he's very smart in using it. Seems to be very patient with the puck and doesn't force the play, but when he sees an opportunity he goes for it. Like his second period goal, where he took a pass from Brandon Alderson, cut to the middle of the ice and let a wrist shot go to the top corner. His cut to the middle left Reid McNeill in awe (and on the ground as Joe Rogalski promptly ran him over). I must say, I was hearing a lot of talk about his one dimensional play, but I saw none of that tonight either. He saved a goal early in the game as he hustled back to tie up Stephen Sanza at the side of the net on an odd man rush, and was aggressive in attacking the net (with and without the puck) all night long. Colour me impressed!
#33 - John Cullen (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011, Born in 1991)
When Cullen first came to the Niagara IceDogs two years ago, I thought he was going to develop into a premier backstop in this league. But inconsistency ultimately led to his trade from the organization and he's yet to get another shot as a starter until now. He was excellent in this game (a day after shutting out the Spitfires). He's a very athletic goaltender and he made some big saves for his team tonight. Unfortunately he got left hung out to dry by his defense a few times and that was the difference. But he did get his team a point by stopping 42 of 46.
London Knights
#3 - Reid McNeill (2010 NHL Draft - Pittsburgh Penguins)
McNeill looks like he has a lot more confidence this year. I thought he had an excellent game. Was active in moving the puck up ice, but most of all was intelligent about it and picked his spots well. He was also solid offensively. In the first period he saved a goal by tying up Kale Kerbashian in front of the net and then sending the free puck out of the slot and to the boards. This was generally the theme of the night as he (along with partner Michael Moffat) neutralized the Sting attack. I would have really liked to see what he could do on the powerplay, but was never given the opportunity.
#4 - Michael Moffat (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
Who? I didn't even go into this game looking for him, but he made himself pretty noticeable. He was an absolute rock defensively tonight. The rookie defenseman from Waterloo looked like an OHL veteran out there. As the game went along he began receiving more and more ice time and was even out there in the final minute of regulation. He didn't give any of Sarnia's forwards an inch tonight. He negated players on the rush (off memory Brett Ritchie, Kale Kerbashian, and Alex Galchenyuk) and used his size to prevent them from generating a scoring chance. He also did a great job in the corners as I don't ever remember him losing a battle along the boards. With great size (6'1, 200lbs) and a strong defensive game, he could be a guy to watch this year.
#6 - Scott Harrington (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
If it weren't for that costly error at the blueline, Harrington would have played a pretty damn near perfect game. Even with the error, he was excellent. The error I speak of happened in the second period as Harrington tried to glove down a high dump in at the blueline, missed and then fell down, leading to an odd man rush and a goal by Brandon Francisco. It was a tough play, but Harrington needs to have confidence in his ability to win loose puck battles and let that one go, rather than jump to glove it down. But otherwise, Harrington looked fantastic. He was used on the powerplay where it appears he's ready to step up his offensive production. He also looked good in rushing the puck up ice and was very aggressive in bringing it into the offensive zone. He made a tremendous play in the first period to negate a breakaway (by I believe Jesse Staughton). He caught up to the Sting player, used his stick to redirect the puck and then gained face to face body position and put the player down to the ice. Absolutely textbook. I also liked his increasingly physical demeanor. This is going to be key for him going forward. He doesn't have ideal size for a shutdown defenseman in the NHL, so he's going to have to show he can be a physical force to really attract attention for the first round (IMO).
#10 - Danny Elser (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
Not a ton to say about Elser, the former Shattuck St. Mary's forward. He's got some speed and he looks to have some offensive potential. Showed glimpses of ability but may need more time before things start coming together.
#17 - Seth Griffith (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
I thought Griffith was excellent tonight. He's definitely a good offensive player and a guy who's going to put up points in this league. He looked quite quick and was always pushing the pace of play. His pass to Jared Knight for the game winner in OT was a thing of beauty. The Sting defenseman played it really well, but Griffith showed patience on the two on one and put the puck right on Knight's stick.
#18 - Vladislav Namestnikov (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
I was expecting a little bit more from Namestnikov to be honest. There is definitely a lot of potential there. He definitely has good hands and when he had time and space (particularly on the powerplay), he made some Sting players look foolish as they tried to get the puck off him. But through stretches of the game he was largely invisible. Maybe my expectations were too large as I compared him to the way Yakupov and Galchenyuk looked out there. He did pick up a secondary assist on the powerplay as he moved the puck very effectively with the unit.
#70 - Chris Tierney (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
Was hearing from a lot of London fans that they didn't think he was ready, but after tonight's viewing I'd have to disagree. I thought he was the best London forward on the ice tonight. He looks like the total package offensively. Patient with the puck, worked the cycle well, was creative in making plays out of nothing. He also took the puck hard to the front of the net. While he didn't come away with any points, I thought he looked great.
#71 - Phil Varone (2009 NHL Draft - San Jose Sharks)
Varone is probably a good bet to be the Knights captain this season and he had a good game tonight. He looks a lot faster this year and seems to be ready to finally take his offensive game to the next level (in his last year in the league). He consistently went to the net looking for scoring chances and worked hard on the forecheck and the cycle. He scored a nice goal in the second period that put the Knights up 2-0. Hopefully he can keep it up (and stay healthy).
#97 - Jared Knight (2010 NHL Draft - Boston Bruins)
Probably still trying to get back into the gears of the OHL, Knight looked pretty tired at the start of the game. But as the game went on, he got stronger and stronger. Had a couple of great scoring chances in the third period as he took the puck hard to the net, but was stymied by Cullen. He was finally rewarded in OT as he finished off the Griffith pass for the game winner. The one thing I did notice tonight though was that Knight doesn't seem to have any chemistry with his linemates. A lot of his offensive chances were created by himself. It'd be such a waste of Knight's terrific release if London can't find a playmaker to pair with him.
#29 - Michael Houser (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011, Born in 1992)
I was a little bit surprised when Houser went undrafted this year. And things will be interesting for him once Igor Bobkov shows up from Anaheim. But for now he's the starter and he looked good tonight. Was aggressive in challenging the shooters and wasn't giving Sarnia's shooters much to aim at. He gave up a few rebounds, but his defense was there to clear them. Wasn't at fault on any of the Sarnia goals. If the Knights can get a solid platoon going this year, that'd be fantastic. He stopped 35 of 38 for the win.
That's it for the first game report of the 2010-2011 season! Thoughts, comments?
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