As some of you may recall, Sean Keogh used to contribute to this blog and still occasionally does from time to time. I met Sean while working for HockeysFuture several years ago, and he's a stand up dude. He's always been a huge OHL fan and continues to follow the league, however unfortunately he's stuck in Graduate School in Europe (perhaps I'm exaggerating about the "stuck" part). This leaves him on the outside looking in. But when he returns for the Holiday break, it's always great of him to contribute. It serves as an interesting read because of nature behind the report. Obviously Sean follows the league closely, but for the last few years, he only gets to see games live around Christmas. That means, his reports can serve as a very good account of how far players have progressed in that one year. Essentially, changes may be more obvious to him because he's not seeing them play throughout several points of the season.
Anyway, without further ado, here's his report.
This was my first time being in the stands for an OHL game this year, and for better or worse it was not a particularly competitive match-up. On paper and on the ice it was a mismatch, as the division-leading offensive juggernaut from Ottawa was up against a last placed Peterborough who has struggled all year, although less so of late. On the other hand, the two clubs met up Thursday in Peterborough for the first half of a home and home, and the game was surprisingly tight.
In the end the game was not particularly close, as the 67s took it 6-0 in what easily could have been a far worse result for the Petes. Although the play was incredibly one-sided, the 67s just could not cash in the first period. The final shots were 43-23 and if there was a scoring change counter, it would have been far more lopsided. It is always hard to watch the players on the losing team in these games, particularly unfortunate considering Peterborough might have the better 2011 NHL Draft prospects.
As long as the 67s play as they did tonight, they are an extremely dangerous team. When the first line of Prince, Toffoli and Martindale was on the ice, the puck rarely left the Peterborough zone. With the blueline back to full health, and Mrazek more than capable of bailing his team out as well, the 67s are a fairly complete team behind their dominant top line. Peterborough on the other hand looked overwhelmed and out of sync, and really nobody on their club stood out positively in this game.
Ottawa 67's
Tyler Toffoli – Drafted by Los Angeles
The triggerman on the top line, Toffoli was constantly dangerous all night, scoring one goal and assisting on another. He easily could have had a couple more goals too, hitting at least one post and constantly buzzing around the net. His goal was a classic goal scorer’s play, digging a puck out of a scramble in front, dragging it to safety and ripping it high. He also had a couple of nice breaks on the penalty kill, drawing a penalty on one. There is a lot to like in his game, and he is a well-rounded and competitive junior player, but as an NHL prospect it is really all about his goal scoring ability, particularly thanks to his shot. Many times tonight he got himself open off the cycle work of his linemates and wound up for a shot. Other times he was more involved in creating the play, and I think it is important for him to stay aggressive.
Ryan Martindale – Drafted by Edmonton
The pivot on the top line, Martindale was like his linemates constantly dangerous, picking up the sixth goal for the 67s late in the game. Of all the chances he created for or received from his linemates, the goal was actually one of the less impressive, a weak backhander in front of the net off a slick pass from Prince. He looks a step quicker and more assertive than last year. Had a number of nice plays making quick cuts into the middle, but seemed to rip the shot high or wide every time. Cycled well with his linemates, uses his reach better now, and finds guys effectively, but there is always something just a tad missing. It will be interesting to see if Edmonton signs him this year or if he gets another year in the OHL in 2011-12.
Shane Prince – 2011 Draft Eligible
The draft eligible member of the 67s top line, Prince had an excellent game, picking up three assists, creating a ton of chances and being named first star. He set up Nesbitt beautifully for the first goal, was involved in Toffoli’s snipe, and made a slick pass to Martindale for his. The top line was running through him tonight most of all, and the puck was on his stick a ton. Quick dish passes, give and gos, it was a fairly impressive display. I saw Prince a handful of times live last year and was not overly impressed. His skating has clearly improved significantly. But even in this game he was not really burning people with speed but rather quick darting moves and agile cuts. His physical tools are not exceptional in general, not an amazing shot or great size or superb hands, but his anticipation is off the charts. One of the reasons the line was so effective is because Prince in particular, but Toffoli and Martindale as well, simply won so many races and cut off so many passes from the Petes that they regained control all game. Prince is clearly an intense player who demands a lot of himself. The line was a bit snakebitten in the first, and a couple of times he banged his stick against the boards out of frustration. There has been a lot of debate about Prince’s NHL potential, and I will reserve judgment on that until I get a few more live views this month.
Dalton Smith – Drafted by Columbus
Smith had a solid game, chipping in a short-handed goal and skating on the second line with overagers Thomas Nesbitt and Cody Lindsay. The goal was a nice drive to the net, although Smith only had to overpower Lino Martschini, a 5’5”, 126lbs import from Switzerland, to pick up a rebound on a shot from Marc Zanetti. He had a handful of other scoring chances down low. The hands and skating did not look any better than last year, but he played a solid game overall. Sometimes Smith seems to get lost looking for hits, and finding the right balance between offence, defence and physical play remains elusive, though he can contribute an all-round game when he is on, and for the most part he was in this game.
Cody Ceci – 2012 Draft Eligible
A late 1993 birthday, Ceci looks ready to be drafted. He was skating on the second pairing with Marc Zanetti all game, playing in all situations and performing confidently and competently. I like Ceci as a prospect because he is so well-rounded, and already has a pretty solid build. His skating has improved and it will be interesting to see how much further his game can improve before the draft next year.
Sean Monahan – 2013 Draft Eligible
This was my first proper look at Monahan, who is having a solid rookie season playing on the third line for the 67s. He was quite good in this game, setting up two goals, one for Ben Dubois, and another for Tyler Graovac. The latter in particular was the result of a nice play along the boards, give and go at the point, and dish to Groavac down low. Another young player with a solid build, he is a remarkably well-rounded prospect for somebody who only turned 16 a few months ago.
Petr Mrazek – Drafted by Detroit
It was not a busy night for Mrazek. He made a handful of nice saves, bailing out the 67s on one or two occasions for the shutout, but in general having a relatively easy night stopping all 23 shots he faced. Maybe his most memorable moment was when he took a hack from a Petes player and reacted by going after him, an interesting move for a goalie with two career penalty minutes.
Peterborough Petes
Austin Watson – Drafted by Nashville
Although nobody on Peterborough had a particularly good game, Watson was probably the best. He had a few good chances, a couple as a result of turnovers by the 67s, and a couple others he created himself, but could not break the shutout. As always Watson was solid in all three zones, demonstrating good defensive track and solid penalty killing work. I have seen him have better games in the past.
Matt Puempel – 2011 Draft Eligible
Not a great game for Puempel. He was relatively noticeable, but was fairly ineffective overall. When he was controlling the puck, he was knocked off the puck frequently, and lacked the skating ability to really create space for himself. I know he is a player who thrives on finding space and being in the right place, but tonight he was not particularly dangerous and had few such opportunities. He has been scoring at a great clip lately though, so it was possibly just an off night for him, like the rest of the team.
Alan Quine – 2011 Draft Eligible
I was really looking forward to seeing Quine and was disappointed I barely saw him. He was quite invisible all night. Playing on the first powerplay unit he was noticeable only because the puck was then on his stick, but at even strength he created little offence other than one impressive rush late in the game. Like with Watson and Puempel, it was not a great game to evaluate him.
Clark Seymour – 2011 Draft Eligible
Other than engaging in some rough stuff at different moments in time, Seymour was more or less invisible. The size is there, but the Petes blueline as a whole seemed to struggle with the skill and speed of the 67s, and Seymour was neither better or worse than the other defencemen in that regard.
Slater Koekkoek – 2012 Draft Eligible
A promising prospect who had a couple of nice offensive plays from the blueline. Showed off some nice vision and mobility moving in off the point showing confidence with the puck. Like with Seymour, it was a hard game to really evaluate his defensive play.
Thanks a lot to Sean for this report. Hopefully he can give us another one before he heads back to school.
Showing posts with label Austin Watson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Austin Watson. Show all posts
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Thoughts on Ottawa and Peterborough from March 4
Just how much do the Peterborough Petes miss Ryan Spooner? Since suffering a broken clavicle at the end of January, the Petes are 2-15 without him. Prior to the injury, the Petes were still in the hunt for the coveted East Division title. Now they are clinging to their playoff lives as their losing streak was stretched to 10 games tonight against Ottawa in a 6-4 loss. The Petes had ample opportunity to pull ahead in this game, with several 5 on 3 powerplays, but they just couldn't score with the man advantage and finished the night 1 for 7. With only 4 games left for the Petes, they are only 5 points ahead of Oshawa (who sit 9th), and the Generals have two games in hand. Peterborough really has to pull up their socks.
Now in fairness, when the Petes lost Spooner, they also lost Austin Watson for several weeks to a broken ankle. Watson has since returned, but the Petes continue their losing ways. Having watched tonight's game, it's obvious as to how much the Petes miss Spooner. Not only is he the team's most dynamic offensive player, but he's also very good on the powerplay and five on five he helps to spread out the offensive production; giving Peterborough better depth. With Spooner not expected to return this season, it's completely likely that Peterborough could miss the playoffs all together. However, with Oshawa struggling just as much, I don't see them making up the 5 points at this point. That being said, the likelihood that the Petes finish 8th and earn a date with Barrie in the first round appears very high. And we can assume that would mean a real quick exit and a disappointing finish to what appeared to be a promising season.
As for Ottawa, I'm still not convinced they're going to do much damage in the playoffs. I worry about their goaltending a lot. I worry about their team speed. And I worry about their special teams play (even if it was good tonight). The defense just hasn't been as strong as many had thought it would be and neither Chris Perugini or Petr Mrazek are currently capable of carrying a team in a playoff series...at least in my opinion. Team speed was something that was abused last year against Niagara as the Dogs outskated and outworked the 67's in a first round upset. And everybody knows Scotty Bowman's theory on special teams play and its correlation with a strong playoff performance. A date with Niagara again this year could mean a repeat of last year. And even if the 67's do get out of the first round, I don't see them getting past the second round against (likely) Mississauga, Kingston, or Brampton.
Here are some individual thoughts...
Ottawa 67's
Tyler Toffoli (2010)
This was the best game I've ever seen Toffoli play. I still have some question marks about his game and its transition to the next level, but you can't deny his goal scoring instincts. The puck was magnetically drawn to him tonight. He scored a third period hat trick and added a first period assist too. First goal was off a board ricochet to the front of the net that he buried top shelf over Jason Missiaen. Second goal was generated by a great forecheck from Dalton Smith as he stole the puck, fed it to Cody Lindsay who then threw it over to Toffoli in the slot for the one timer to the back of the net. Hat trick goal was a softie, but the eventual game winner. Toffoli took a puck to the net, threw down a weak backhand that squeaked through Missiaen's five hole. Even in the first two periods when he wasn't scoring, Toffoli was making things happen was constantly dangerous. On the negative side, I still think there has to be some concern over his skating, but being such a smart player certainly helps alleviate those concerns. I'd also like to see him build on his aggressive play. Occasionally he'll throw a big check and look like a pest, but it's not a consistent effort to play in such a manner. I'm starting to see a lot of similarities between Toffoli's and Corey Perry's game at the same age. Both had similar concerns about skating and the transition of their offensive skills to the NHL level. Perry certainly developed well and if Toffoli could harness that aggressive nature in a more consistent way, he'd be just as an effective junior player too.
Anthony Nigro (STL)
Nigro had a quiet game. Wasn't really noticeable save a nice pass to a streaking Ryan Martindale for the first Ottawa goal. The Martindale, Nigro, Cowick line was pretty quiet all night.
Julien Demers (SJ)
Demers was Demers. Not really the type of defenseman you notice unless you're strictly watching for his number. He makes generally smart decisions with the puck and is pretty solid defensively (although I still wonder what happened to the hard hitting Demers we once knew). My concern is that he hasn't really progressed over his OHL career. His mobility is still a concern defensively as faster players can get around him one on one. At the next level, I'm just not sure what role he plays either. Is he good enough offensively to carry production over to the next level? Is his defensive game good enough should the offensive production not carry over? Questions, and I'm sure the same ones San Jose are asking themselves as they decide whether or not to sign Julien.
Corey Cowick (OTT)
Cowick was probably the least visible of his line (Martindale, Nigro) and really didn't have a stand out game.
Dalton Smith (2010)
Smith is just a really solid hockey player. He's the type of player NHL scouts love and I'm sure he'll have a very strong playoffs for Ottawa. He had an excellent game tonight. Smith finished with a goal and an assist, but was all over the ice all night; forechecking and playing at both ends of the ice. His goal gave Ottawa a 2-1 lead in the first period, as he took a long rebound off a Tyler Cuma shot and buried it past Jason Missiaen on a bad angle. His assist was more impressive as he beat Jeff Braithwaite to a loose puck dump in, used one hand to keep Braithwaite from the puck, and the other hand to make a pass to Cody Lindsay who in turn gave it Toffoli for the goal in the slot. The skating, I think, has improved over the course of the season and will only continue to get better. Smith is a player and deserves to be receiving more attention than he is for the 2010 Draft.
Tyler Cuma (MIN)
Cuma didn't play a bad game. He was relatively solid defensively, save a couple dumb penalties. He looks improved offensively since the beginning of the season, making a few nice rushes into the offensive zone and doing a good job of running the point in the zone, getting pucks on net. But I still can't help but feel underwhelmed. As a first rounder, the expectation needs to be higher. I also just can't help but remember the Cuma previous to his knee injury, the one who was developing into a dynamic player at both ends of the ice. Maybe that comes back, maybe it doesn't. Either way, I think he's further away from NHL duty than Minnesota might like to admit.
Ryan Martindale (2010)
Had the strongest game of his line (Nigro, Cowick), as he looked poised to take the puck to the net and does a good job of using his size to his advantage offensively. Scored a nice goal by accepting a pass full stride from Anthony Nigro, cutting toward the middle of the ice and throwing it over Jason Missiaen's shoulder, not on the first try, but on the second as he whacked the puck out of the air as he skated by his own slight rebound. Like Toffoli and Smith, skating is a concern, in particular his ability to accelerate and play in transition, but I too think it can be improved to the point where it will no longer be a flaw.
Peterborough Petes
Jeff Braithwaite (2010)
He kind of had a difficult game, but I see aspects of his game that make me think he's capable of more than he's giving this season. He made two bad plays on back to back shifts that just killed Peterborough. First was miscommunication with his goaltender as he got the puck caught under his skates as the two met behind the net to determine who would play it. Instead a turnover occurred that ended with a Tyler Toffoli goal. Seconds later, Braithwaite was beaten to a dump in by Dalton Smith and muscled off the puck as Smith partially set up Toffoli's second goal. Even though Braithwaite ended up finishing -4, I felt like he didn't play THAT poorly (save those two boneheaded moves). There is a lot to like. He's got decent size. He can skate quite well and has generally good mobility. He ran the point pretty well on the second powerplay unit and was doing a good job of getting his shot through to the net. He made a nice defensive play on Toffoli's 3rd goal, but a bit of bad luck cost his team the victory. He used his stick to deflect a cross ice pass that would have resulted in the game winning goal anyway, but instead tapped the puck to a wide open Toffoli who beat Jason Missiaen on the backhand. I think Braithwaite is capable of more.
Austin Watson (2010)
I think Watson played a pretty good game. As the game went along, he got better and better. It'll be interesting to see where he goes in this year's draft. He's already a tremendous player without the puck. He is very good defensively, in the corners and on the forecheck. He blocks shots and does all those little things that are so important. Just back from a broken ankle (due to blocking a shot at the Prospects Game), Watson had a couple big shot blocks in the third period to keep his team in the game. Offensively, he's inconsistent. One shift, he looks confident with the puck and in finding offensive space. The next he looks almost lost. Scored his goal by going hard to the net and finishing off a pass from Pat Daley from behind the net. Watson added an assist on Daley's powerplay goal earlier in the game too. As a good skater and an offensive project, is Watson the OHL's version of Colton Gillies, the former Wild first rounder?
Matt Puempel (2011)
The first thing I need to learn how to do is spell his last name correctly every time I write about him (which is only going to be increasingly more often). Puempel was Peterborough's best forward tonight and is a tremendous contributor for a 1993. He's producing offensively, despite clearly lacking the strength to as dominating as he could be. He wants to take the puck hard to the net and win battles in the corners, but he's just not strong enough to do that at a consistent rate. Instead, he utilizes open space and capitalizes quickly before the defense can react. Scored a nice goal after taking a drop pass from Jamie Doornbosch, waiting out Chris Perugini and then going high over his right shoulder with a powerful wrist shot. Puempel is not only going to be the only 1993 to score 30 goals (one off the mark), but he could very well be the only 16 year old to score 20 (with Boone Jenner and Michael Curtis at 18). No offense to Jenner, but the Rookie of the Year is going to come down to Puempel or Kitchener's Ryan Murphy.
David Quesnele (2010)
Not sure what happened to the guy I was so impressed with earlier in the year, but Quesnele hasn't even registered a point in like 25 games. Bad luck or just poor play? He looked half decent tonight and generated a few scoring chances by bringing speed into the offensive zone, but NHL scouts look at production too.
Adam Sedlak (2010)
Such an inconsistent and frustrating player. Sedlak clearly has talent. He can skate the puck out of the zone, he can make a good play defensively and he's got a big shot from the point. But something is missing; something preventing him from putting it all together as a late birthday 1991. He had a terrible turnover that lead to Ottawa's first goal by Ryan Martindale, as he skated the puck right into coverage with his head down and got stripped by Anthony Nigro. But he also made a strong defensive play by breaking up a 2 on 1 by sliding to prevent a pass for the open net goal. On the downside, he seems to get outworked in the corners and had trouble in defensive zone coverage. For a more offensive defenseman, he also struggles with the outlet pass. He seems much more comfortable skating the puck out of the zone and is prone to turnovers when attempting to pass out. Depending on whether he can find an NHL team who believes in his tools, he may or may not get drafted.
Jason Missiaen (MTL)
To sign Jason Missiaen or not to sign him, that is the question the Montreal Canadiens are asking themselves. On one hand, Missiaen can take away the bottom of the net quite well because he's so large and has shown an ability to steal games in the past. But on the other hand, he continues to struggle with his positioning in the net and is prone to over committing or reading the angle poorly. Two of tonight's goals against fall into those categories; the Dalton Smith 2-1 goal, and the Tyler Toffoli game winner. However, even though his numbers haven't been sparkling, he's been one of the busiest goalies in the league. If they have the room under the 50 contract limit, I think they'd be smart to sign him still. He's still a project, but if they can get a goaltender coach to work on some of the more technical aspects of the game, they could have a solid goalie on their hands...which I think was the plan all along for Missiaen. He made 32 of 37 saves and took the loss.
Thoughts on tonight's East Division rivalry game?
Now in fairness, when the Petes lost Spooner, they also lost Austin Watson for several weeks to a broken ankle. Watson has since returned, but the Petes continue their losing ways. Having watched tonight's game, it's obvious as to how much the Petes miss Spooner. Not only is he the team's most dynamic offensive player, but he's also very good on the powerplay and five on five he helps to spread out the offensive production; giving Peterborough better depth. With Spooner not expected to return this season, it's completely likely that Peterborough could miss the playoffs all together. However, with Oshawa struggling just as much, I don't see them making up the 5 points at this point. That being said, the likelihood that the Petes finish 8th and earn a date with Barrie in the first round appears very high. And we can assume that would mean a real quick exit and a disappointing finish to what appeared to be a promising season.
As for Ottawa, I'm still not convinced they're going to do much damage in the playoffs. I worry about their goaltending a lot. I worry about their team speed. And I worry about their special teams play (even if it was good tonight). The defense just hasn't been as strong as many had thought it would be and neither Chris Perugini or Petr Mrazek are currently capable of carrying a team in a playoff series...at least in my opinion. Team speed was something that was abused last year against Niagara as the Dogs outskated and outworked the 67's in a first round upset. And everybody knows Scotty Bowman's theory on special teams play and its correlation with a strong playoff performance. A date with Niagara again this year could mean a repeat of last year. And even if the 67's do get out of the first round, I don't see them getting past the second round against (likely) Mississauga, Kingston, or Brampton.
Here are some individual thoughts...
Ottawa 67's
Tyler Toffoli (2010)
This was the best game I've ever seen Toffoli play. I still have some question marks about his game and its transition to the next level, but you can't deny his goal scoring instincts. The puck was magnetically drawn to him tonight. He scored a third period hat trick and added a first period assist too. First goal was off a board ricochet to the front of the net that he buried top shelf over Jason Missiaen. Second goal was generated by a great forecheck from Dalton Smith as he stole the puck, fed it to Cody Lindsay who then threw it over to Toffoli in the slot for the one timer to the back of the net. Hat trick goal was a softie, but the eventual game winner. Toffoli took a puck to the net, threw down a weak backhand that squeaked through Missiaen's five hole. Even in the first two periods when he wasn't scoring, Toffoli was making things happen was constantly dangerous. On the negative side, I still think there has to be some concern over his skating, but being such a smart player certainly helps alleviate those concerns. I'd also like to see him build on his aggressive play. Occasionally he'll throw a big check and look like a pest, but it's not a consistent effort to play in such a manner. I'm starting to see a lot of similarities between Toffoli's and Corey Perry's game at the same age. Both had similar concerns about skating and the transition of their offensive skills to the NHL level. Perry certainly developed well and if Toffoli could harness that aggressive nature in a more consistent way, he'd be just as an effective junior player too.
Anthony Nigro (STL)
Nigro had a quiet game. Wasn't really noticeable save a nice pass to a streaking Ryan Martindale for the first Ottawa goal. The Martindale, Nigro, Cowick line was pretty quiet all night.
Julien Demers (SJ)
Demers was Demers. Not really the type of defenseman you notice unless you're strictly watching for his number. He makes generally smart decisions with the puck and is pretty solid defensively (although I still wonder what happened to the hard hitting Demers we once knew). My concern is that he hasn't really progressed over his OHL career. His mobility is still a concern defensively as faster players can get around him one on one. At the next level, I'm just not sure what role he plays either. Is he good enough offensively to carry production over to the next level? Is his defensive game good enough should the offensive production not carry over? Questions, and I'm sure the same ones San Jose are asking themselves as they decide whether or not to sign Julien.
Corey Cowick (OTT)
Cowick was probably the least visible of his line (Martindale, Nigro) and really didn't have a stand out game.
Dalton Smith (2010)
Smith is just a really solid hockey player. He's the type of player NHL scouts love and I'm sure he'll have a very strong playoffs for Ottawa. He had an excellent game tonight. Smith finished with a goal and an assist, but was all over the ice all night; forechecking and playing at both ends of the ice. His goal gave Ottawa a 2-1 lead in the first period, as he took a long rebound off a Tyler Cuma shot and buried it past Jason Missiaen on a bad angle. His assist was more impressive as he beat Jeff Braithwaite to a loose puck dump in, used one hand to keep Braithwaite from the puck, and the other hand to make a pass to Cody Lindsay who in turn gave it Toffoli for the goal in the slot. The skating, I think, has improved over the course of the season and will only continue to get better. Smith is a player and deserves to be receiving more attention than he is for the 2010 Draft.
Tyler Cuma (MIN)
Cuma didn't play a bad game. He was relatively solid defensively, save a couple dumb penalties. He looks improved offensively since the beginning of the season, making a few nice rushes into the offensive zone and doing a good job of running the point in the zone, getting pucks on net. But I still can't help but feel underwhelmed. As a first rounder, the expectation needs to be higher. I also just can't help but remember the Cuma previous to his knee injury, the one who was developing into a dynamic player at both ends of the ice. Maybe that comes back, maybe it doesn't. Either way, I think he's further away from NHL duty than Minnesota might like to admit.
Ryan Martindale (2010)
Had the strongest game of his line (Nigro, Cowick), as he looked poised to take the puck to the net and does a good job of using his size to his advantage offensively. Scored a nice goal by accepting a pass full stride from Anthony Nigro, cutting toward the middle of the ice and throwing it over Jason Missiaen's shoulder, not on the first try, but on the second as he whacked the puck out of the air as he skated by his own slight rebound. Like Toffoli and Smith, skating is a concern, in particular his ability to accelerate and play in transition, but I too think it can be improved to the point where it will no longer be a flaw.
Peterborough Petes
Jeff Braithwaite (2010)
He kind of had a difficult game, but I see aspects of his game that make me think he's capable of more than he's giving this season. He made two bad plays on back to back shifts that just killed Peterborough. First was miscommunication with his goaltender as he got the puck caught under his skates as the two met behind the net to determine who would play it. Instead a turnover occurred that ended with a Tyler Toffoli goal. Seconds later, Braithwaite was beaten to a dump in by Dalton Smith and muscled off the puck as Smith partially set up Toffoli's second goal. Even though Braithwaite ended up finishing -4, I felt like he didn't play THAT poorly (save those two boneheaded moves). There is a lot to like. He's got decent size. He can skate quite well and has generally good mobility. He ran the point pretty well on the second powerplay unit and was doing a good job of getting his shot through to the net. He made a nice defensive play on Toffoli's 3rd goal, but a bit of bad luck cost his team the victory. He used his stick to deflect a cross ice pass that would have resulted in the game winning goal anyway, but instead tapped the puck to a wide open Toffoli who beat Jason Missiaen on the backhand. I think Braithwaite is capable of more.
Austin Watson (2010)
I think Watson played a pretty good game. As the game went along, he got better and better. It'll be interesting to see where he goes in this year's draft. He's already a tremendous player without the puck. He is very good defensively, in the corners and on the forecheck. He blocks shots and does all those little things that are so important. Just back from a broken ankle (due to blocking a shot at the Prospects Game), Watson had a couple big shot blocks in the third period to keep his team in the game. Offensively, he's inconsistent. One shift, he looks confident with the puck and in finding offensive space. The next he looks almost lost. Scored his goal by going hard to the net and finishing off a pass from Pat Daley from behind the net. Watson added an assist on Daley's powerplay goal earlier in the game too. As a good skater and an offensive project, is Watson the OHL's version of Colton Gillies, the former Wild first rounder?
Matt Puempel (2011)
The first thing I need to learn how to do is spell his last name correctly every time I write about him (which is only going to be increasingly more often). Puempel was Peterborough's best forward tonight and is a tremendous contributor for a 1993. He's producing offensively, despite clearly lacking the strength to as dominating as he could be. He wants to take the puck hard to the net and win battles in the corners, but he's just not strong enough to do that at a consistent rate. Instead, he utilizes open space and capitalizes quickly before the defense can react. Scored a nice goal after taking a drop pass from Jamie Doornbosch, waiting out Chris Perugini and then going high over his right shoulder with a powerful wrist shot. Puempel is not only going to be the only 1993 to score 30 goals (one off the mark), but he could very well be the only 16 year old to score 20 (with Boone Jenner and Michael Curtis at 18). No offense to Jenner, but the Rookie of the Year is going to come down to Puempel or Kitchener's Ryan Murphy.
David Quesnele (2010)
Not sure what happened to the guy I was so impressed with earlier in the year, but Quesnele hasn't even registered a point in like 25 games. Bad luck or just poor play? He looked half decent tonight and generated a few scoring chances by bringing speed into the offensive zone, but NHL scouts look at production too.
Adam Sedlak (2010)
Such an inconsistent and frustrating player. Sedlak clearly has talent. He can skate the puck out of the zone, he can make a good play defensively and he's got a big shot from the point. But something is missing; something preventing him from putting it all together as a late birthday 1991. He had a terrible turnover that lead to Ottawa's first goal by Ryan Martindale, as he skated the puck right into coverage with his head down and got stripped by Anthony Nigro. But he also made a strong defensive play by breaking up a 2 on 1 by sliding to prevent a pass for the open net goal. On the downside, he seems to get outworked in the corners and had trouble in defensive zone coverage. For a more offensive defenseman, he also struggles with the outlet pass. He seems much more comfortable skating the puck out of the zone and is prone to turnovers when attempting to pass out. Depending on whether he can find an NHL team who believes in his tools, he may or may not get drafted.
Jason Missiaen (MTL)
To sign Jason Missiaen or not to sign him, that is the question the Montreal Canadiens are asking themselves. On one hand, Missiaen can take away the bottom of the net quite well because he's so large and has shown an ability to steal games in the past. But on the other hand, he continues to struggle with his positioning in the net and is prone to over committing or reading the angle poorly. Two of tonight's goals against fall into those categories; the Dalton Smith 2-1 goal, and the Tyler Toffoli game winner. However, even though his numbers haven't been sparkling, he's been one of the busiest goalies in the league. If they have the room under the 50 contract limit, I think they'd be smart to sign him still. He's still a project, but if they can get a goaltender coach to work on some of the more technical aspects of the game, they could have a solid goalie on their hands...which I think was the plan all along for Missiaen. He made 32 of 37 saves and took the loss.
Thoughts on tonight's East Division rivalry game?
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Ryan Yessie's Thoughts on Sarnia vs. Windsor from January 9
Sarnia came out and played their game of the year, but a few very questionable calls, and a relentess 3rd period effort by the top ranked team in Canada results in a 5-4 Windsor victory at the RBC Center Saturday night.
Taylor Hall - #4 - LW - YOB: 1991 - 6‘1” - 185lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Jan/09/10: Taylor Hall has become a little less respectful towards his opponents as he used to be in his first two seasons in the OHL. Brent Sullivan caught Hall around the boards, early in the game and delivered a massive, yet clean hit, Hall gets up and cross checks Sullivan in the back as he’s skating away. This results in Brett Appio the only other player left to attack Hall. Appio landed one, maybe two shots on Hall before he turtled and a linesman and referee intervened. The funny part was when Hall jumped up looking like he was ready to fight momentarily. Hall received a penalty for the cross check, and was a non factor for most of the 1st period. Hall several times tried to showboat with his stick handling, carrying the puck, putting the puck through his skates, most of these resulted in a turnover, one resulted in him getting nailed with what probably could have been considered a head check. Despite all of this Hall was in on 4 of the 5 goals in this game, with a goal and 3 assists. This may be a tribute to how talented he really is that he can do all these careless things, and still be a directly positive impact on his team winning the game. Hall still has every element to his game, however the defensive part is lacking. He’s alright short handed although I think he’s out there to think offense just as much as defence out there, but especially 5 on 5 he seems a little hesitant to be willing to jump back into the play. Realistically this, and his new found attitude seem to be the only flaws in his game, and to me he is still the clear cut #1 Overall pick.
(Hall had 1G, 3A, 2 PIM)
Ryan Ellis - #6 - D - YOB: 1991 - 5‘10” - 170lbs.
NHL: 1st Round - 11th Overall by Nashville in 2009
Report: Jan/09/10: Ellis’ puck control in terms of handling it is amazing, especially on the point on the power play. He really is smart, and one thing I noticed about Ellis is when you’d see other defensemen make those fancy back hand passes and gets picked off, Ellis takes that extra split second peak over his shoulder just to make sure the play is there, and it seems to separate him from most PPQB’s. Ellis’ puck handling abilities outside the offensive blue line seem to be bpretty questionable at times. He’s made some really bad decisions, and his offensive and defensive game seems to be the tale of two players. Ellis’ skating is much better from 12 months ago, but in all honesty for a defenceman his size still needs more improvement. Ellis will almost definitely be back in the OHL next season. Ellis blasted one from the point with only 12 seconds left that turned out to be the winning goal of the game.
(Ellis had 1G)
Marc Cantin - #11 - D - YOB: 1991 - 6‘1” - 201lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Jan/09/10: Cantin is a guy who I could see get picked in this years draft in the late rounds. He plays a hard nosed physical style, however the way he hits looks a little on the edge. He was challenged to fight multiple times but declined at times where it looked his team could use some extra motivation, which was disappointing as a fan to see more. Cantin received two minor penalties in this game, but other than that Cantin was very effective for his team.
(Cantin had -1, 4 PIM)
Adam Henrique - #14 - C - YOB: 1990 - 6‘0” - 196lbs.
NHL: 3rd Round - 82nd Overall by New Jersey in 2008
Report: Jan/09/10: It’s only been 18 months, but Henrique could very easily be considered the steal of the 2008 draft. He was not at the top of his game tonight, however he was still an impact on his team. He won a couple clutch, critical face-offs, and was very good defensively keeping it safe, while at times being on the kill with a forward partner that was thinking offense while trying to kill off the penalty.
Cam Fowler - #24 - D - YOB: 1991 - 6‘2” - 190lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Jan/09/10: Fowler is certainly making his push to become the 2nd Overall pick for this draft. It’s not likely he’ll land 1st overall, but Fowler is a can’t miss prospect and will likely be a franchise defenceman for some team. Folwer combines projectable size with great skating ability. He didn’t put up any offense, but he did rush the puck up the ice effectively. I would consider him somewhat comparable to Erik Johnson of the St. Louis Blues. Like Johnson he does have a good shot from the point, a very solid skater for a defenceman with a big frame. Unlike Johnson I think Fowler is a little safer defensively, although that area could use improvement, but the one area he is not like Johnson, and I think needs to try harder to bring into his game is the physical element. Someone his size could still grow another inch, or two and if he can get himself to 205-215 lbs. He could be a physically imposing defenceman while still being a solid skater and offensive contributor.
Kenny Ryan - #26 - RW - YOB: 1991 - 6‘0” - 204lbs.
NHL: 2nd Round - 50th Overall by Toronto in 2009
Report: Jan/09/10: Kenny Ryan has put up close to a point per game since joining the OHL, but for the time this year I can’t really say I saw a lot in his game. He threw a couple hits, and got decent ice on the penalty kill, but he doesn’t see overly engaging on. He could be a valuable penalty killer at the next level, but needs to continue to work on his offensive skills if he would like to be much of an impact player in the NHL.
Justin Shugg - #44 - RW - YOB: 1991 - 5‘11” - 185lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Jan/09/10: Shugg reminds me quite a bit like Guelph forward and NHL draftee Michael Latta. Despite the size, Shugg is built pretty solid and is able to throw a solid hit. It seems, atleast in Sarnia this year Shugg has got lost in the mix with his ice time, much like Jesse Blacker last year you can tell Shugg has some solid potential but it’s a lot less noticeable because he’s not one of the lead guys for Windsor. Shugg appears to have a solid shot, and a decent skater.
Austin Watson - #61 - RW - YOB: 1991 - 6‘3” - 187lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Jan/09/10: Scouts seem to give Watson a little extra credit due to his size, in the times I’ve seen him this year and last, Watson doesn’t appear to be as significant of a prospect as he’s being projected to be a 1st round pick. Watson does a good job around the boards, and is a hard worker when he gets to the front of the net. Watson was very defensively responsible tonight and seems to do a good job breaking down plays in his own zone. Watson seems to play fairly similar to Kenny Ryan in both games I’ve seen him, and like Ryan, He needs to put forth more effort in developing his offensive game if he wants to be anything more than a 3rd liner in the NHL. The potential, and the size is there, Watson may just need a little more time
(Watson had 1G)
Eric Wellwood - #67 - RW - YOB: 1991 - 5‘11” - 179lbs.
NHL: 6th Round - 172nd Overall by Philadelphia in 2009
Report: Jan/09/10: Hall may have had a goal and 3 assists, but Wellwood was, in my opinion the best Windsor player on the ice today. He plays with a never quit attitude, and has great speed. His size makes it difficult to keep up with bigger opponents sometimes, but his relentless effort and active stick make him a very solid and projectable penalty killer. Wellwood also handles the puck very well, and has a great shot. Wellwood appears to be a player who will have a good shot at starting his pro career in 2010-2011.
(Wellwood had 1G, 1A)
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Thoughts on Windsor and London from October 8
Tonight saw match up number 2 from my 10 Match-up's you've got to see this year, as the London Knights traveled to Windsor to take on the Spitfires. Two teams with a lot of fire power, I expected a bit of a "shoot-out." What I got was a hard fought, back and forth game that ended in a 2-0 victory for the Spitfires. The goaltending at both ends of the ice was tremendous, especially Michael Hutchinson who really kept London in the game.
London was largely snake bitten on the night. They created a lot of scoring chances, but failed to finish any of them off. Part of it was solid goaltending from Troy Passingham and part of it was just a failure of the Knights main offensive weapons to put the puck in the net. London had 33 shots on net, but they could have easily had 10 more. So many good scoring opportunities were wasted by players who couldn't get the puck off their stick, or corral a rolling puck.
The biggest surprise of the night was the fact that these two teams combined to go 0 for 14 on the powerplay. Some really good penalty killing by both sides and, as mentioned, solid goaltending.
With so many guys to write about, I'm going to keep some of the reports brief. This will be especially true for those players who really didn't do a whole heck of a lot. My thoughts on both sides...
London Knights
Phil Varone (SJ)
I really expected Varone to come roaring out of the gates this year offensively. It's his third full year in the league as a veteran 1990 born player, and he's coming off an excellent 2009 playoff performance. But thus far, it just hasn't happened and at this point, you might have to consider the fact that it might never happen. It's not a direct criticism of him, but maybe he's just not as offensively talented as we once thought. He's still a dynamite penalty killer, and he skates hard on the forecheck. He had a breakaway with less than 2 minutes left, but couldn't beat Passingham. That would have been a huge goal for London. He looks like he could be a potential 4th line energy player and penalty killer at the NHL level, but I'm really not sure he's got the offensive potential to be more than that.
Zac Rinaldo (PHI)
Dare I say Rinaldo was London's best forward tonight? I remember having a debate with someone last season about Rinaldo's offensive potential in this league. I really didn't think he had the skill to develop into a scoring option the way other "scrappers" have in their veteran seasons. I must admit, I was wrong. He was dynamite tonight. On the penalty kill, he was a force. His forechecking really disrupted the ability of Windsor's defenseman to move the puck up ice. Offensively, he looked like a man possessed, taking the puck to the net and showing some really good puck control. On one occasion he got Ryan Ellis to bite on the fake and walked right around him to the net. Only an Ellis hook prevented Rinaldo from putting a good shot on net. Most importantly, he was disciplined and didn't take any bad penalties, while still playing his in your face style. He's really developing into a quality professional hockey league prospect.
Phil McRae (STL)
Still goalless on the season, it's easy to see why after this game. He's really pressing out there. Was not sharp tonight. Had two glorious opportunities at the side of the net after good cross ice passes, and both times he failed to even get a shot off, as he fanned on them. Outside of that, he just wasn't creating much offensively on his own accord either. The Knights really need him to step up his game.
Nazem Kadri (TOR)
Kadri didn't really have a good game. He was largely neutralized by Mark Cundari, who did a great job of getting in his face. Through the first half of the game, even though he was invisible, he did a good job of keeping his composure and sticking to the game plan. But, in the second half, it was obvious he was getting frustrated. Turned the puck over in the second period along the wall, as he tried to carry it out himself. This indirectly led to the Justin Shugg goal. In the third period, he really started to force things and turned the puck over terribly twice in a matter of minutes. As much as he's capable of doing great things, he needs to be less predictable with the puck. Windsor's forecheck and defenders really started pressuring him and he did not respond well. In a big game like this one, London needs Kadri to play better.
Jared Knight (2010)
At this point, I'd say the only thing preventing Jared Knight from making a bigger impact in the league is consistency from shift to shift. He needs to figure out a way to bring energy to the ice every time he steps on it, rather than just on a few shifts. On the couple shifts he was visible, he was hitting hard, causing turnovers and creating offensive chances from the cycle. But on his other shifts, he was invisible.
Michael Hutchinson (BOS)
The best goaltending performance I've seen so far this season. I'd be surprised if one of his two brilliant saves didn't make next week's Top 5 plays of the week. In the first period, the left handed goalie slid across the crease robbing Adam Henrique point blank with his blocker after a juicy rebound (Clip, 20 second mark). In the third, he threw on his glove going the opposite direction, taking an easy goal away from a Spitfire player. All night, he fought through screens and did a great job of making the save and controlling the rebounds. His composure was tremendous. He's also tremendously athletic and reads the play very well. Unfortunately for him, the black mark on his performance was Richard Panik's game winning goal. On the wrap around, he failed to get his paddle down and Panik slid it under him. Definitely one he'd love to have back, but it doesn't take away from his brilliance tonight. He made 41 of 43 saves, taking the loss.
Windsor Spitfires
Taylor Hall (2010)
Truthfully, he had a bit of a quiet game. His line with Richard Panik and Adam Henrique was not as dangerous as the Greg Nemisz, Scott Timmins, and Justin Shugg line. While he didn't really stand out offensively, on the plus side he did do a solid job on the penalty kill and I'd say his two-way game is starting to greatly improve. Just an interesting observation, but Taylor Hall has 17 points in 9 games. All of those points have come in 5 games, with him being held pointless in the other four. Windsor fans who've seen him more often this season, would it be correct to say he needs to find a way to make an impact offensive every game?
Ryan Ellis (NSH)
I thought Ryan Ellis played a very solid game tonight. I think he's really starting to prove those doubters wrong about his ability to play five on five at the next level. He is still learning though, but in a positive way. As an example. Tonight he bit on a fake by Zac Rinaldo, went for the puck and Rinaldo went right around him to the net. He was forced to take a penalty to prevent the goal. Not a good play and a situation where he's got to play the man regardless of whether Rinaldo has the size advantage on him. Fast forward to the third period, Rinaldo goes in on a drive towards the net, tries to use his size to go right around Ellis. Ellis has absolutely none of it, stays with him, pushes him off the puck and puts him to the ice. It's impressive for him to show, "Hey I messed up the first time, that won't happen again." Of course, offensively he was Ellis. Controls play and makes decisions with the puck that few do.
Adam Henrique (NJD)
Didn't really do much tonight. Simply a quiet game from him. But I do like him as a player.
Cam Fowler (2010)
I couldn't wait to get a peak at Fowler. First time I've seen him play in the OHL (although had seen him play in international tournaments). I thought he played O.K. Some really positive things, and some negative things. First the positive. I thought he did a very good job defensively tonight. He stays with his man and does a good job with coverage. He's also obviously an elite puck mover and seems to have very good offensive instincts. When to join the rush or make a pinch. He actually had a breakaway after pinching and stealing the puck from Steve Tarasuk, but fanned on the attempt on net, failing to get a shot off. On the negative side, for an offensive defenseman, he needs to do a way better job of getting the puck on net from the point. If you look at a guy like Ryan Ellis, he seems to find a way to get his shot on net every time. However, I'm not sure Fowler got his on net once. They were either blocked (for the majority) or shot way wide. He doesn't have to wind up for that big slapper every time. Also on the negative, he needs to take care of the puck better in his own end. I'd read that Windsor fans we're seeing this too. He had two bad giveaways in his own end that resulted in scoring chances for London. The potential is obviously there though, especially in terms of developing into an elite two-way defender.
Saverio Posa (2010)
I've had a fair amount of people ask me about him, and now I can at least tell them I've seen him once. I liked what I saw. He seems very composed on the back end. Did a good job of keeping the puck in the offensive end. Got an assist on the Richard Panik goal by doing just that. Didn't make any glaring defensive mistakes. For the amount of ice time he got, I thought he made a good impression.
Richard Panik (TBL)
Seems to be a bit of an enigma. He had two very good shifts, but outside of that he was relatively invisible. On one of those shifts, he managed to score the game winning goal on a wrap around. He fought off the London defenseman and took it right to the net. On another shift, he showcased some elite puck skills, getting around a couple London defenders before being stopped and stripped of the puck. On those same shifts, he was all over the ice too. He made a nice play on the backcheck to break up a London rush, before going in on the aforementioned rush of his own (where he went around two London defenders). At this point, it seems all about being able to put it together for the full 60 minutes.
Justin Shugg (2010)
Quite possibly the best Windsor forward tonight. Really liked what I saw, and I think it's great seeing him take that step forward this year after coming into the league with a fair amount of hype. He was very dangerous on the forecheck and was forcing turnovers. The turnovers came as a result of winning battles in the corner and showed a bit of a grit side to his game. He also showed a lot of skill. Made an outstanding pass to Taylor Hall on the powerplay in the first period; tape to tape cross ice. But Hall was robbed by Hutchinson as he slid from post to post. On his goal, he made a very nice deke on Hutchinson and slid it by him on the forehand. I hope he keeps up the solid play.
Mark Cundari (STL)
Honestly, one of the most underrated players in the league. If this guy were on any other team, he'd be on their top defensive unit. He did an outstanding job shutting down Nazem Kadri all night, getting in his face and taking away his space. He was throwing hits all night. Offensively, his pass to Justin Shugg for the second Windsor goal was excellent. He recognized the wide open Shugg in front of the net and hit him perfectly with the puck between the London defense. He earned another assist on the Panik goal. I obviously really like him as a player. On the slightly negative side, he does have to watch the undisciplined penalties though.
Harry Young (NJ)
Truthfully, if he hadn't of mixed things up with Zac Rinaldo at the end of the second period, I'm not sure I would have noticed him on the ice at all. Perhaps that's a good thing for Young though. Playing that quietly solid defensive game.
Austin Watson (2010)
Offensively, he didn't do a lot for me. In all other areas, he was an absolute stand out. Was absolutely tremendous on the penalty kill. He anticipates the play really well and did a great job of disrupting the London rush into the zone. He was also very physical, eager to throw his weight around. I love to see that in players his size. Had a few nice attempts to take the puck hard to the net and made a really nice play to keep the puck in the zone on the Panik goal (earning a secondary assist). But I like the intangibles.
Greg Nemisz (CGY)
I like Nemisz as a player. He was good tonight. Controls play in the offensive zone by using the cycle, obviously has soft hands (especially for a big man). He's not afraid to take the puck to the net, often using his size to shield the puck. Just a solid all around offensive game. I also liked what I saw in terms of using his size more. I've never really seen him be a physical presence before, but he laid a few nice hits tonight. Perhaps it's the start of a good new habit. My only concern is to what role he plays at the NHL level, since I don't see him taking the physicality to the next level. Could he be the next Eric Daze, and will Calgary fans forgive him for having size, but being more of a finesse player?
Eric Wellwood (PHI)
Liked what I saw from Wellwood tonight. He really is the opposite of his brother Kyle. He skates well, he's an excellent two way player and he has a level of grit to his game. Seems to be one of those guys who's always got his motor running and who skates hard. This allows him to excel on the forecheck and on the penalty kill. I'm not sure he has a whole lot of offensive potential at the NHL level, but he could definitely develop into a quality role player.
Jesse Blacker (TOR)
Outside of a few nice rushes with the puck, he wasn't noticeable tonight. He's gotten off to a bit of a slow start offensively this year. I definitely expected him to explode a little bit, since I really liked what I saw last year. Perhaps he's still feeling a little trapped by the fact he's surrounded by so many talented offensive defenseman. The fact that he was quiet though, tells you he didn't make any glaring mistakes defensively.
Scott Timmins (FLA)
Timmins plays a quietly effective game. Smart with the puck, solid at both ends of the ice, wins battles in the corners. He's definitely not flashy, but he has a certain calmness to his game. I'm still not sure what the future holds for him at the next level though.
Troy Passingham (2010, but 1990 born)
Boy, if this kid keeps playing like this, Windsor won't need to go out and get another goalie. He was outstanding tonight. It's funny, but because of his size, he looks kind of unorthodox in his movements. His saves weren't necessarily pretty, but he got the job done. His breakaway save on Phil Varone with 2 minutes left in the game was huge. Stuck the pad out after flashing the low corner to him. He did a very good job of controlling his rebounds too. Colour me impressed! Passingham made 33 saves for the shutout victory.
Well that's it. Some of the reports were a little short winded, so if you have any other questions, feel free to post them. And as always, if you've got any additional comments, I welcome them.
London was largely snake bitten on the night. They created a lot of scoring chances, but failed to finish any of them off. Part of it was solid goaltending from Troy Passingham and part of it was just a failure of the Knights main offensive weapons to put the puck in the net. London had 33 shots on net, but they could have easily had 10 more. So many good scoring opportunities were wasted by players who couldn't get the puck off their stick, or corral a rolling puck.
The biggest surprise of the night was the fact that these two teams combined to go 0 for 14 on the powerplay. Some really good penalty killing by both sides and, as mentioned, solid goaltending.
With so many guys to write about, I'm going to keep some of the reports brief. This will be especially true for those players who really didn't do a whole heck of a lot. My thoughts on both sides...
London Knights
Phil Varone (SJ)
I really expected Varone to come roaring out of the gates this year offensively. It's his third full year in the league as a veteran 1990 born player, and he's coming off an excellent 2009 playoff performance. But thus far, it just hasn't happened and at this point, you might have to consider the fact that it might never happen. It's not a direct criticism of him, but maybe he's just not as offensively talented as we once thought. He's still a dynamite penalty killer, and he skates hard on the forecheck. He had a breakaway with less than 2 minutes left, but couldn't beat Passingham. That would have been a huge goal for London. He looks like he could be a potential 4th line energy player and penalty killer at the NHL level, but I'm really not sure he's got the offensive potential to be more than that.
Zac Rinaldo (PHI)
Dare I say Rinaldo was London's best forward tonight? I remember having a debate with someone last season about Rinaldo's offensive potential in this league. I really didn't think he had the skill to develop into a scoring option the way other "scrappers" have in their veteran seasons. I must admit, I was wrong. He was dynamite tonight. On the penalty kill, he was a force. His forechecking really disrupted the ability of Windsor's defenseman to move the puck up ice. Offensively, he looked like a man possessed, taking the puck to the net and showing some really good puck control. On one occasion he got Ryan Ellis to bite on the fake and walked right around him to the net. Only an Ellis hook prevented Rinaldo from putting a good shot on net. Most importantly, he was disciplined and didn't take any bad penalties, while still playing his in your face style. He's really developing into a quality professional hockey league prospect.
Phil McRae (STL)
Still goalless on the season, it's easy to see why after this game. He's really pressing out there. Was not sharp tonight. Had two glorious opportunities at the side of the net after good cross ice passes, and both times he failed to even get a shot off, as he fanned on them. Outside of that, he just wasn't creating much offensively on his own accord either. The Knights really need him to step up his game.
Nazem Kadri (TOR)
Kadri didn't really have a good game. He was largely neutralized by Mark Cundari, who did a great job of getting in his face. Through the first half of the game, even though he was invisible, he did a good job of keeping his composure and sticking to the game plan. But, in the second half, it was obvious he was getting frustrated. Turned the puck over in the second period along the wall, as he tried to carry it out himself. This indirectly led to the Justin Shugg goal. In the third period, he really started to force things and turned the puck over terribly twice in a matter of minutes. As much as he's capable of doing great things, he needs to be less predictable with the puck. Windsor's forecheck and defenders really started pressuring him and he did not respond well. In a big game like this one, London needs Kadri to play better.
Jared Knight (2010)
At this point, I'd say the only thing preventing Jared Knight from making a bigger impact in the league is consistency from shift to shift. He needs to figure out a way to bring energy to the ice every time he steps on it, rather than just on a few shifts. On the couple shifts he was visible, he was hitting hard, causing turnovers and creating offensive chances from the cycle. But on his other shifts, he was invisible.
Michael Hutchinson (BOS)
The best goaltending performance I've seen so far this season. I'd be surprised if one of his two brilliant saves didn't make next week's Top 5 plays of the week. In the first period, the left handed goalie slid across the crease robbing Adam Henrique point blank with his blocker after a juicy rebound (Clip, 20 second mark). In the third, he threw on his glove going the opposite direction, taking an easy goal away from a Spitfire player. All night, he fought through screens and did a great job of making the save and controlling the rebounds. His composure was tremendous. He's also tremendously athletic and reads the play very well. Unfortunately for him, the black mark on his performance was Richard Panik's game winning goal. On the wrap around, he failed to get his paddle down and Panik slid it under him. Definitely one he'd love to have back, but it doesn't take away from his brilliance tonight. He made 41 of 43 saves, taking the loss.
Windsor Spitfires
Taylor Hall (2010)
Truthfully, he had a bit of a quiet game. His line with Richard Panik and Adam Henrique was not as dangerous as the Greg Nemisz, Scott Timmins, and Justin Shugg line. While he didn't really stand out offensively, on the plus side he did do a solid job on the penalty kill and I'd say his two-way game is starting to greatly improve. Just an interesting observation, but Taylor Hall has 17 points in 9 games. All of those points have come in 5 games, with him being held pointless in the other four. Windsor fans who've seen him more often this season, would it be correct to say he needs to find a way to make an impact offensive every game?
Ryan Ellis (NSH)
I thought Ryan Ellis played a very solid game tonight. I think he's really starting to prove those doubters wrong about his ability to play five on five at the next level. He is still learning though, but in a positive way. As an example. Tonight he bit on a fake by Zac Rinaldo, went for the puck and Rinaldo went right around him to the net. He was forced to take a penalty to prevent the goal. Not a good play and a situation where he's got to play the man regardless of whether Rinaldo has the size advantage on him. Fast forward to the third period, Rinaldo goes in on a drive towards the net, tries to use his size to go right around Ellis. Ellis has absolutely none of it, stays with him, pushes him off the puck and puts him to the ice. It's impressive for him to show, "Hey I messed up the first time, that won't happen again." Of course, offensively he was Ellis. Controls play and makes decisions with the puck that few do.
Adam Henrique (NJD)
Didn't really do much tonight. Simply a quiet game from him. But I do like him as a player.
Cam Fowler (2010)
I couldn't wait to get a peak at Fowler. First time I've seen him play in the OHL (although had seen him play in international tournaments). I thought he played O.K. Some really positive things, and some negative things. First the positive. I thought he did a very good job defensively tonight. He stays with his man and does a good job with coverage. He's also obviously an elite puck mover and seems to have very good offensive instincts. When to join the rush or make a pinch. He actually had a breakaway after pinching and stealing the puck from Steve Tarasuk, but fanned on the attempt on net, failing to get a shot off. On the negative side, for an offensive defenseman, he needs to do a way better job of getting the puck on net from the point. If you look at a guy like Ryan Ellis, he seems to find a way to get his shot on net every time. However, I'm not sure Fowler got his on net once. They were either blocked (for the majority) or shot way wide. He doesn't have to wind up for that big slapper every time. Also on the negative, he needs to take care of the puck better in his own end. I'd read that Windsor fans we're seeing this too. He had two bad giveaways in his own end that resulted in scoring chances for London. The potential is obviously there though, especially in terms of developing into an elite two-way defender.
Saverio Posa (2010)
I've had a fair amount of people ask me about him, and now I can at least tell them I've seen him once. I liked what I saw. He seems very composed on the back end. Did a good job of keeping the puck in the offensive end. Got an assist on the Richard Panik goal by doing just that. Didn't make any glaring defensive mistakes. For the amount of ice time he got, I thought he made a good impression.
Richard Panik (TBL)
Seems to be a bit of an enigma. He had two very good shifts, but outside of that he was relatively invisible. On one of those shifts, he managed to score the game winning goal on a wrap around. He fought off the London defenseman and took it right to the net. On another shift, he showcased some elite puck skills, getting around a couple London defenders before being stopped and stripped of the puck. On those same shifts, he was all over the ice too. He made a nice play on the backcheck to break up a London rush, before going in on the aforementioned rush of his own (where he went around two London defenders). At this point, it seems all about being able to put it together for the full 60 minutes.
Justin Shugg (2010)
Quite possibly the best Windsor forward tonight. Really liked what I saw, and I think it's great seeing him take that step forward this year after coming into the league with a fair amount of hype. He was very dangerous on the forecheck and was forcing turnovers. The turnovers came as a result of winning battles in the corner and showed a bit of a grit side to his game. He also showed a lot of skill. Made an outstanding pass to Taylor Hall on the powerplay in the first period; tape to tape cross ice. But Hall was robbed by Hutchinson as he slid from post to post. On his goal, he made a very nice deke on Hutchinson and slid it by him on the forehand. I hope he keeps up the solid play.
Mark Cundari (STL)
Honestly, one of the most underrated players in the league. If this guy were on any other team, he'd be on their top defensive unit. He did an outstanding job shutting down Nazem Kadri all night, getting in his face and taking away his space. He was throwing hits all night. Offensively, his pass to Justin Shugg for the second Windsor goal was excellent. He recognized the wide open Shugg in front of the net and hit him perfectly with the puck between the London defense. He earned another assist on the Panik goal. I obviously really like him as a player. On the slightly negative side, he does have to watch the undisciplined penalties though.
Harry Young (NJ)
Truthfully, if he hadn't of mixed things up with Zac Rinaldo at the end of the second period, I'm not sure I would have noticed him on the ice at all. Perhaps that's a good thing for Young though. Playing that quietly solid defensive game.
Austin Watson (2010)
Offensively, he didn't do a lot for me. In all other areas, he was an absolute stand out. Was absolutely tremendous on the penalty kill. He anticipates the play really well and did a great job of disrupting the London rush into the zone. He was also very physical, eager to throw his weight around. I love to see that in players his size. Had a few nice attempts to take the puck hard to the net and made a really nice play to keep the puck in the zone on the Panik goal (earning a secondary assist). But I like the intangibles.
Greg Nemisz (CGY)
I like Nemisz as a player. He was good tonight. Controls play in the offensive zone by using the cycle, obviously has soft hands (especially for a big man). He's not afraid to take the puck to the net, often using his size to shield the puck. Just a solid all around offensive game. I also liked what I saw in terms of using his size more. I've never really seen him be a physical presence before, but he laid a few nice hits tonight. Perhaps it's the start of a good new habit. My only concern is to what role he plays at the NHL level, since I don't see him taking the physicality to the next level. Could he be the next Eric Daze, and will Calgary fans forgive him for having size, but being more of a finesse player?
Eric Wellwood (PHI)
Liked what I saw from Wellwood tonight. He really is the opposite of his brother Kyle. He skates well, he's an excellent two way player and he has a level of grit to his game. Seems to be one of those guys who's always got his motor running and who skates hard. This allows him to excel on the forecheck and on the penalty kill. I'm not sure he has a whole lot of offensive potential at the NHL level, but he could definitely develop into a quality role player.
Jesse Blacker (TOR)
Outside of a few nice rushes with the puck, he wasn't noticeable tonight. He's gotten off to a bit of a slow start offensively this year. I definitely expected him to explode a little bit, since I really liked what I saw last year. Perhaps he's still feeling a little trapped by the fact he's surrounded by so many talented offensive defenseman. The fact that he was quiet though, tells you he didn't make any glaring mistakes defensively.
Scott Timmins (FLA)
Timmins plays a quietly effective game. Smart with the puck, solid at both ends of the ice, wins battles in the corners. He's definitely not flashy, but he has a certain calmness to his game. I'm still not sure what the future holds for him at the next level though.
Troy Passingham (2010, but 1990 born)
Boy, if this kid keeps playing like this, Windsor won't need to go out and get another goalie. He was outstanding tonight. It's funny, but because of his size, he looks kind of unorthodox in his movements. His saves weren't necessarily pretty, but he got the job done. His breakaway save on Phil Varone with 2 minutes left in the game was huge. Stuck the pad out after flashing the low corner to him. He did a very good job of controlling his rebounds too. Colour me impressed! Passingham made 33 saves for the shutout victory.
Well that's it. Some of the reports were a little short winded, so if you have any other questions, feel free to post them. And as always, if you've got any additional comments, I welcome them.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Sunday Top 10 - Big Guy Breakouts
This week's Top 10 will take a look at the top big forwards who could have breakout offensive seasons in 2009-2010. I alluded to this in last week's Top 10 (2010 rankings), by mentioning that guys like Greg Sutch and Austin Watson could have monster years. So I decided to create a hole list around it.In order to narrow down the search, I've given the list some parameters. To be "big" a player had to be 6'2 and taller. And in order to have a potential "breakout" season, this player had to have less than 40 points last season.
Here are your top 10 forwards with size who could breakout offensively next season:
10. R.J. Ma
halak - Plymouth WhalersA late 1991 birthdate, Mahalak isn't eligible for the NHL draft until 2010. If he wants to get drafted, he's going to have to step up offensively next season. With Plymouth Captain Chris Terry moving on, a wing spot will open up on the team's first line with Tyler Seguin. Does Mahalak have what it takes to seize that spot? Not to mention that with Terry and Caria gone, the Whalers are going to have to become more than a one line team. Mahalak has some good hands and he's shown a willingness to do everything the team needs of him so far in his OHL career. Now the team needs him to start becoming a force in front of the net, can he step up to the challenge?
9. Jason Wilson - London Knights
Wilson played his first OHL season last year as a 1990 birth date. As an "overaged" rookie, he potted 12 goals and saw limited time on offensive lines. With London's offensive lines a bit up in the air right now, Wilson could play himself on to an offensive role. He has one thing going for him, his size. Wilson is one of the few Knights forwards with good size and a physical nature to his game. With London getting roughed up a bit by Windsor last year, don't be surprised if Wilson gets the call to be a big body in front of the net on a scoring line, or at least on the powerplay. He demonstrated some ability to put the puck in the net last season, so I wouldn't be surprised to see him pot 20 this year.
8. Dalton Smith - Ottawa 67's
Smith saw very limited time with Ottawa last season, playing the majority of the year closer to home. However, when he did play, he made an impact. Smith is the son of former 67 and Buffalo Sabre, Derrick Smith. Dalton impressed me most in the playoffs against Niagara, where he made things happen every time he was on the ice. While he didn't put up any points, he showcased an ability to win battles in the corners and take the puck to the net. This budding power forward is eligible for the 2010 draft and could be one of those surprise players who shoots up the draft rankings. With Ottawa's top three scorers likely moving on (Couture, Cowick, Kiriakou), the opportunity will be there for Smith to seize a top 6 scoring role.
7. Steven Shipley - Owen Sound Attack
I think it's safe to say that more will be expected of this 3rd overall pick in the 2008 Priority draft. Shipley showed glimpses of the capability to produce points, however he needs to continue to learn to use his size to his advantage offensively. With 39 points last year, Shipley sneaks under the parameters set for this list. If Shipley wants to be drafted high to the NHL in 2010, he's going to need to step up next season. Owen Sound could be fairly deep offensively next year, with some returning OA's, so Shipley is going to have to earn his minutes. I'm thinking he does.
6. Garrett Wilson - Owen Sound Attack
Back to back Attack. Wilson is a big Owen Sound forward who does use his size to his advantage. He loves being that presence in front of the net. In 2008-09, he had a bit of a weird season. He got off to a blazing start, but was then suspended for a suspect slewfoot on the Rangers Dan Kelly. The suspension definitely took him out of his groove, as he was never able to regain that consistency the rest of the season. This 4th round pick by Florida in 2009 should be able to secure a spot playing with Joey Hishon next year and he could benefit huge being Hishon's "garbage man."
5. Kyle Cl
ifford - Barrie ColtsAfter getting drafted 35th overall (to LAK), I think it's safe to say the pressure is on for Clifford to step it up offensively. While I do question his overall offensive potential, he does have the size and skating ability to be a force in this league. Many NHL teams feel he has the hands too. Next year he's going to have to prove it. Barrie is assembling quite the offensive team next season, and Clifford is going to be expected to be right in the middle of it. Last season, Stefan Della Rovere took that step forward from grinder to scorer for Barrie. But can Clifford?
4. Marcus Foligno - Sudbury Wolves
I will repeat what I said a few weeks ago about Foligno in relation to the NHL draft. "I think what needs to be remembered is that Marcus is one of the youngest players eligible for the draft. Nick, when he put up 70 points and went in the first round, was almost a full year older than Marcus was in his 2nd OHL season. At the same age, Nick actually put up pretty similar OHL stats." So if Nick Foligno took that step forward offensively when he was 18, I think we can expect Marcus to as well. Sudbury is going to be expecting him to be more involved on a consistent basis and even though he's playing for his father, he's going to have to earn his ice time. Judging by what Sabres fans are saying about his performance in their Development Camp, I'd say there is a pretty good chance he takes some big steps forward next season.
3. Gregg Sutch - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
This former 11th overall pick played in a checking line role for Sarnia last season, w
here he showcased his excellent skating, as well as his ability to crash and bang. However, he requested a trade this offseason and was recently shipped to Mississauga. The Majors will be losing 4 of their top forwards going into next season (Pelech, Gomes, Daugavins, Messier) and will be expecting Sutch to carry the torch. Judging by how much they gave up to get him, I think it's safe to say they have high expectations. What a lot of people don't know about Sutch is that he's hearing impaired and wears a hearing aid in both ears (here is an excellent article on it). I think this speaks wonders about Sutch's hockey sense, since he relies so heavily on reading and reacting to the plays. I expect Sutch to have a very good year in Mississauga where could establish himself as a potential first round selection for 2010. That is, if the NHL can look past his empairment.2. James Livingston - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
A lot of people, including myself, expected last year to be Livingston's coming out party. He has everything going for him; size, speed, skill, and physical aggression. Yet, he actually regressed offensively, suffocated by a terrible Greyhounds team. This NHL 3rd rounder (STL in 2008), will need to be a leader in the Soo's surge to get back to the playoffs. The Greyhounds should be a better team next year. They've picked up veteran talent in T.J. Battani and Vern Cooper, drafted Daniel Catenacci first overall, and selected Robin Lehner in the import draft. Now they need there returning players to step up to the plate and Livingston is their clean up hitter.
1. Austin Watson - Windsor Spitfires
With only a few forwards not returning for the defending Memorial Cup champions, the battle for ice time will be just as fierce as it was this season. In 2008-09, this Michigan rookie played well in a limited role for Windsor, giving us only a glimpse of his offensive potential. He skates exceptionally well for a big man and is not afraid to use his size to help him get the puck to the net. I'm hoping that he gets an increased role in Windsor next season and that he really explodes offensively. If he does, he could very well end up a high draft pick in 2010.
Anybody on your team you expect to take that step forward? Anybody you think I missed?
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Sunday Top 10 - Most Impressive 1992 Born Players
Today's Sunday Top 10 is all about "natural" rookies. With Evgeni Grachev winning the OHL rookie of the year for 2008-09 recently, there has been a lot of talk about how the OHL should change the eligibility for the award, so that "real" rookies, 16-17 year first year players, are the ones who are winning it. Not NHL drafted imports or transfers from the United States.
With that concept in mind, here are the 10 1992 born OHL'ers who impressed me the most this season. This isn't necessarily an order of how I see them being drafted. Although I do think that for a 92 player, at least at this point, its hard to pinpoint draft stock as of this moment. These 92's have a habit of shooting from 5'10 to 6'0, and from having below average skating, to becoming speedsters, over the course of their first summer following their rookie year. So you can say, well this guy really impressed me, but he's too small, he isn't much of a draft pick for next year, but in my opinion you'd be wrong. I think the most important thing for a 92 player to do is to simply be noticeable on the ice. And not just that, but improve throughout the course of the season.
Without further ado, here is my list of the 10 1992 born players who impressed me the most this OHL season.
10. Devante Smith-Pelly - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
While Smith-Pelly never seemed to see a lot of ice time with some of the more talented players on the Majors, his line was always noticeable in my viewings. His motor is constantly running and he shows great speed on the forecheck. For a 92 born player, he actually seems relatively strong, especially in the corners. With even more strength, he could be a monster to handle in the cycle. He also showed a willingness to go hard to the net and to play a physical game. He had a solid last two months of the OHL season and a great first round against Barrie, showcasing that the offensive skills are there. I look for him to really solidify himself in the Missy top 6 next year, and to really emerge as a solid shift disturber.
9. Ryan O'Connor - Barrie Colts
When I saw Barrie this season, O'Connor was frequently their best defenseman. Quite an impressive feat for a 92. He showcased a great ability to lead the offensive charge, especially in running the point on the powerplay. With 10 goals this season, I think that with added strength his shot is going to develop into one of the better from the backend in the OHL. Defensively, he was pretty solid too. He always stayed with his man and made smart reads on the play. He does have some to learn about timing and when to attack and being a little more careful with the puck, but these things will come with experience and coaching. For me, outside of Gudbranson, O'Connor was the best 92 defenseman I saw this year. And that's a list of solid players (Beukeboom, Silas, Braithwaite).
8. John McFarland - Sudbury Wolves
The first thing you notice about the 1st overall pick from the last OHL Priority draft, is how highly skilled he is. He has great speed and great agility. He stickhandles through the neutral zone with ease and is incredibly dangerous in the goal area. However, as the game goes on, you start to notice other things, bad things. The fact that he doesn't backcheck. The fact that he doesn't seem to enter the danger areas to make a play. The fact that he often seems selfish in the offensive end and doesn't utilize his teammates well. Then you see him getting beaten to loose pucks in the third period and you question his endurance. The skill level is 100% there, but the effort, conditioning and overall play are not. I hope that Coach Foligno continues to work with him and I hope that offseason conditioning helps to make him a threat for all three periods.
7. Tyler Toffoli - Ottawa 67's
Toffoli was a consistent contributor for the 67's this season. He showcases great offensive ability, especially in the slot area. He's not afraid of the danger areas and is by no means a perimeter player. He was outstanding for Team Ontario at the Under 17's as well. Another encouraging sign was his strong performance against Niagara in the playoffs. He's just one of those guys who may not be the fastest, but he seems to be elusive in finding space for himself. As he gets stronger and more conditioned, his offensive numbers will only go up as he is able to win those one on one battles. Kilrea and the coaching staff had a lot of faith in him too. During the playoffs, when the Couture line was struggling or when Ottawa would need a goal, Kilrea would send Toffoli out there with Couture. That's confidence in a rookie.
6. Austin Watson - Windsor Spitfires
Watson is a guy right now who is all potential. In the times I saw him this year, he failed to hit the scoresheet, but he was still visible. At 6'3, he's still only pushing 170lbs. Yet, I found him winning battles in the corner and being a load for defenseman infront of the net. At that size, he is also a tremendous skater. He has the complete package, now he just needs the conditioning and the ice time to flourish. I didn't see him play in the second half of the season, but his numbers really took a hit. I'm wondering if he's been invisible, or whether he's just not getting the icetime on a talented Windsor club. Either way, he's absolutely one to watch for next year with tools to drool over.
5. J.P. Anderson - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
I'll admit, when I started putting together this list sometime before the playoffs, Anderson was down around 9-10. But his outstanding playoff performance raised him. I saw him play a few times against Brampton and
he was just tremendous. I saw him earlier in the season in Niagara too, where he was also solid. He's not a big goalie, but he's very aggressive on challenging shooters and reads the play very well, which helps to maximize the size he does have. He is also very athletic and has the ability to make highlight reel saves. He has some things to work on, but the foundations are there. The fact that he backstopped Ontario to the Under 17 gold, and helped Missy push Brampton to 6 games, tells me that he is right now, by far the top 92 goalie that the OHL has to offer.
4. Jared Knight - London Knights
This guy is a battler. He plays very hard every shift, is great on the forecheck and is very physical. He's actually quite a similar player to Devante Smith-Pelly in the type of game they play. However, I think Knight's skill level is higher. He can dangle and he has the ability to really put big offensive numbers on the board. He kind of disappeared towards the end of the regular season, perhaps due to fatigue. But once his conditioning levels increase and he adds strength, I think you could see the makings of a dominant power winger.
3. Tyler Seguin - Plymouth Whalers
Seguin closed out the last two months of the season, on a rediculous scoring pace. Seguin played on the hottest line in the OHL with Chris Terry and Matt Caria. A lot of people felt like Seguin was just along for the ride, but I think he had a lot to do with the lines success. After all, Seguin finished second in scoring for Team Ontario at the Under 17's too. He is just a great all around offensive player, in particular playmaker. I think the test for a lot of people will be to see how he plays next season when Terry and Caria depart. However, I expect him to continue to produce and elevate his game.
2. Erik Gudbranson - Kingston Frontenacs
Gudbranson is the complete package. At 6'3, he skates so well and has the ability to rush the puck up the ice with ease. At 6'3, he also isn't afraid to use his size and has begun to develop a bit of a mean streak. With added strength, I think we could see that mean streak develop even more. Defensively, he's relatively solid. He made some rookie mistakes this year when I saw him play, in particular with defensive zone coverage, but I mean he just turned 17 and he's playing 30 minutes a night and wearing an "A". What more can you say? I know a lot of people were somewhat underwhelmed by the offensive numbers he put up this year, however I think you can chalk that up to lack of talent on Kingston, and the fact that the second half of the season, his powerplay time really decreased. Next year, I expect him to crack the 40 point mark and to be a top 10 NHL draft pick.
1. Jeff Skinner - Kitchener Rangers
Skinner is the type of guy you pay to go watch play. He's already a fan favourite in Kitchener and it's easy to see why. Skinner never gives up on the play. While a little undersized at 5'10, his lower body strength is excellent and it allows him to be involved in all aspects of the offensive game, in particular along the boards and behind the net. He has excellent speed and excellent overall offensive ability. At times, he has the puck on a string and I saw him make quite a few defenders miss this season. Most of all, he had an absolute explosive end to the season. I don't think size holds this guy back at all.
Stay tuned for next Sunday's top 10, as we look at the Top 10 Import Players in the OHL.
With that concept in mind, here are the 10 1992 born OHL'ers who impressed me the most this season. This isn't necessarily an order of how I see them being drafted. Although I do think that for a 92 player, at least at this point, its hard to pinpoint draft stock as of this moment. These 92's have a habit of shooting from 5'10 to 6'0, and from having below average skating, to becoming speedsters, over the course of their first summer following their rookie year. So you can say, well this guy really impressed me, but he's too small, he isn't much of a draft pick for next year, but in my opinion you'd be wrong. I think the most important thing for a 92 player to do is to simply be noticeable on the ice. And not just that, but improve throughout the course of the season.
Without further ado, here is my list of the 10 1992 born players who impressed me the most this OHL season.
10. Devante Smith-Pelly - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
While Smith-Pelly never seemed to see a lot of ice time with some of the more talented players on the Majors, his line was always noticeable in my viewings. His motor is constantly running and he shows great speed on the forecheck. For a 92 born player, he actually seems relatively strong, especially in the corners. With even more strength, he could be a monster to handle in the cycle. He also showed a willingness to go hard to the net and to play a physical game. He had a solid last two months of the OHL season and a great first round against Barrie, showcasing that the offensive skills are there. I look for him to really solidify himself in the Missy top 6 next year, and to really emerge as a solid shift disturber.
9. Ryan O'Connor - Barrie Colts
When I saw Barrie this season, O'Connor was frequently their best defenseman. Quite an impressive feat for a 92. He showcased a great ability to lead the offensive charge, especially in running the point on the powerplay. With 10 goals this season, I think that with added strength his shot is going to develop into one of the better from the backend in the OHL. Defensively, he was pretty solid too. He always stayed with his man and made smart reads on the play. He does have some to learn about timing and when to attack and being a little more careful with the puck, but these things will come with experience and coaching. For me, outside of Gudbranson, O'Connor was the best 92 defenseman I saw this year. And that's a list of solid players (Beukeboom, Silas, Braithwaite).
8. John McFarland - Sudbury Wolves
The first thing you notice about the 1st overall pick from the last OHL Priority draft, is how highly skilled he is. He has great speed and great agility. He stickhandles through the neutral zone with ease and is incredibly dangerous in the goal area. However, as the game goes on, you start to notice other things, bad things. The fact that he doesn't backcheck. The fact that he doesn't seem to enter the danger areas to make a play. The fact that he often seems selfish in the offensive end and doesn't utilize his teammates well. Then you see him getting beaten to loose pucks in the third period and you question his endurance. The skill level is 100% there, but the effort, conditioning and overall play are not. I hope that Coach Foligno continues to work with him and I hope that offseason conditioning helps to make him a threat for all three periods.
7. Tyler Toffoli - Ottawa 67's
Toffoli was a consistent contributor for the 67's this season. He showcases great offensive ability, especially in the slot area. He's not afraid of the danger areas and is by no means a perimeter player. He was outstanding for Team Ontario at the Under 17's as well. Another encouraging sign was his strong performance against Niagara in the playoffs. He's just one of those guys who may not be the fastest, but he seems to be elusive in finding space for himself. As he gets stronger and more conditioned, his offensive numbers will only go up as he is able to win those one on one battles. Kilrea and the coaching staff had a lot of faith in him too. During the playoffs, when the Couture line was struggling or when Ottawa would need a goal, Kilrea would send Toffoli out there with Couture. That's confidence in a rookie.
6. Austin Watson - Windsor Spitfires
Watson is a guy right now who is all potential. In the times I saw him this year, he failed to hit the scoresheet, but he was still visible. At 6'3, he's still only pushing 170lbs. Yet, I found him winning battles in the corner and being a load for defenseman infront of the net. At that size, he is also a tremendous skater. He has the complete package, now he just needs the conditioning and the ice time to flourish. I didn't see him play in the second half of the season, but his numbers really took a hit. I'm wondering if he's been invisible, or whether he's just not getting the icetime on a talented Windsor club. Either way, he's absolutely one to watch for next year with tools to drool over.
5. J.P. Anderson - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
I'll admit, when I started putting together this list sometime before the playoffs, Anderson was down around 9-10. But his outstanding playoff performance raised him. I saw him play a few times against Brampton and
he was just tremendous. I saw him earlier in the season in Niagara too, where he was also solid. He's not a big goalie, but he's very aggressive on challenging shooters and reads the play very well, which helps to maximize the size he does have. He is also very athletic and has the ability to make highlight reel saves. He has some things to work on, but the foundations are there. The fact that he backstopped Ontario to the Under 17 gold, and helped Missy push Brampton to 6 games, tells me that he is right now, by far the top 92 goalie that the OHL has to offer.4. Jared Knight - London Knights
This guy is a battler. He plays very hard every shift, is great on the forecheck and is very physical. He's actually quite a similar player to Devante Smith-Pelly in the type of game they play. However, I think Knight's skill level is higher. He can dangle and he has the ability to really put big offensive numbers on the board. He kind of disappeared towards the end of the regular season, perhaps due to fatigue. But once his conditioning levels increase and he adds strength, I think you could see the makings of a dominant power winger.
3. Tyler Seguin - Plymouth Whalers
Seguin closed out the last two months of the season, on a rediculous scoring pace. Seguin played on the hottest line in the OHL with Chris Terry and Matt Caria. A lot of people felt like Seguin was just along for the ride, but I think he had a lot to do with the lines success. After all, Seguin finished second in scoring for Team Ontario at the Under 17's too. He is just a great all around offensive player, in particular playmaker. I think the test for a lot of people will be to see how he plays next season when Terry and Caria depart. However, I expect him to continue to produce and elevate his game.
2. Erik Gudbranson - Kingston Frontenacs
Gudbranson is the complete package. At 6'3, he skates so well and has the ability to rush the puck up the ice with ease. At 6'3, he also isn't afraid to use his size and has begun to develop a bit of a mean streak. With added strength, I think we could see that mean streak develop even more. Defensively, he's relatively solid. He made some rookie mistakes this year when I saw him play, in particular with defensive zone coverage, but I mean he just turned 17 and he's playing 30 minutes a night and wearing an "A". What more can you say? I know a lot of people were somewhat underwhelmed by the offensive numbers he put up this year, however I think you can chalk that up to lack of talent on Kingston, and the fact that the second half of the season, his powerplay time really decreased. Next year, I expect him to crack the 40 point mark and to be a top 10 NHL draft pick.
1. Jeff Skinner - Kitchener Rangers
Skinner is the type of guy you pay to go watch play. He's already a fan favourite in Kitchener and it's easy to see why. Skinner never gives up on the play. While a little undersized at 5'10, his lower body strength is excellent and it allows him to be involved in all aspects of the offensive game, in particular along the boards and behind the net. He has excellent speed and excellent overall offensive ability. At times, he has the puck on a string and I saw him make quite a few defenders miss this season. Most of all, he had an absolute explosive end to the season. I don't think size holds this guy back at all.
Stay tuned for next Sunday's top 10, as we look at the Top 10 Import Players in the OHL.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Thoughts on Weekend Action Against Sarnia and Windsor
This weekend, the Niagara Ice Dogs took on a couple of non conference teams in the Sarnia Sting, and Windsor Spitfires. It gave me great opportunity to catch a glimpse at a few players that I haven't had a chance to see this season, at least in regular OHL play. On Friday night, the Dogs defeated the Sting 2-1 in a relatively boring game. On Saturday night, they lost 8-4 to Windsor. They played hard against Windsor and hung with them for two and a half periods until the Spits finally blew things out of reach.
Thoughts from Friday, December 5, 2008 against Sarnia.
Jamie Arniel (Drafted in 2008 by Boston/97th)
Arniel was very good tonight. In fact, I was impressed with his play at the ADT Challenge as well. He appears to be on the right track to putting that whole Guelph situation at the back of scouts minds and really making his play the sole focus. In seasons past, I've always been critical of his effort and it's consistency. I thought he had a tendency to take shifts, or even periods off. But in the two times I've seen him this season so far, he seems to be playing much harder and could be evidence to why he's posting over point per game numbers for the first time in his OHL career. He works hard in the corners, he has good speed which he uses to carry the puck and he has relatively good hands in close. He also has been working on his defensive game and becoming more involved physically. He's starting to turn himself into a complete player, which is ultimately what he needs to do to succeed at the next level. I'm not sure his offensive skills are good enough alone for him to succeed in the NHL. I see him as a future 3rd liner who works hard for his goals and is an asset to his team in all areas. His addition to the Team Canada selection camp roster is a testament to his coming of age and his improvement as a hockey player.
Michael Neal (Drafted in 2007 by Dallas, 149th)
After being drafted by Dallas (obviously same team who has his brother James), Neal missed the entire 2007-08 season, save a few playoff games, due to a knee injury. That really hurt his development. The season after a player is drafted is often the season where they take the biggest steps forward and learn to work on the things that they need to improve upon to become NHL players. Getting a taste of the show at prospect camps often gives players that final motivation to get better. Neal unfortunately did not have that chance, until before this season. He's not really putting up many points, and nor do I think he ever will. But he's actually a pretty similar player to his brother. He appears to be a great skater, he takes the body hard and he has solid puck carrying ability. The only difference really appears to be James finishing ability and offensive hockey sense is/was much higher. Neal was actually very good tonight, perhaps Sarnia's best player tonight for me. I'd say it's probably borderline for Dallas if they sign him this offseason, but with James in Dallas thriving, they may not want to upset one of their core young players by not retaining his brother. If he does end up getting a contract from Dallas, I think he could actually be an NHL player. With the game today being built on speed and the forecheck, Michael Neal could have a place as a 4th liner/depth player.
Mark Katic (Drafted in 2007 by the New York Islanders, 62nd)
Katic was alright tonight. I've actually never been the biggest fan of his play, but I'm starting to come around. It's not that I don't like him as a player, it's more that I've always felt he was overrated and that ultimately his NHL potential was overrated too. I think his defensive game has come leaps and bounds, and that he's proven now to be a very smart defender who has good positioning and uses an active stick to break up plays. And he's obviously an outstanding skater who can lead the rush. However, I'm not sure his offensive abilities will translate to him putting up a lot of points in the NHL. Maybe it's just me, but I've always looked at him and thought he could be hitting the scoresheet more often, but he doesn't really. To me, I think that offensively he doesn't think the game at the same level as guys who are able to step into the NHL and start putting up the points in a faster and more aggressive game. An example tonight was near the end of the game, Sarnia is trying to get the puck up ice to try and tie the game and Katic is spending the entire time skating around in his own end, moving around the forecheck. He could have beat the attack by simply making a pass to a teammate or gaining the line and dumping it in, but instead was skating around aimlessly. I think that ultimately, Katic will find his role in the NHL, as one of those steady, yet non flashy number 4 or 5 defenseman. Does a little bit of everything, but never really puts up the big points.
Justin DiBenedetto (Drafted in 2008 by the New York Islanders/175th)
DiBenedetto was invisible for me tonight. I've seen him better obviously, but tonight he did not make an impact. As I mentioned before, it was a pretty boring game and neither team could really get anything going off the rush. He's obviously taken a big step forward this season without Stamkos and shown people that he's not the next Dany Roussin (off collar reference for some of you out there). Not much more to say here.
Matt Martin (Drafted in 2008 by the New York Islanders/148th)
Similar to DiBenedetto, Martin didn't make much of an impact for me. He was aggressive on the forecheck and he was playing physical, but didn't have the puck on his stick very much tonight. I think the Isles have to be happy with the fact that he's taken the next step offensively this year and that he's apparently cut down on some of those undisciplined penalties. Again not a lot to say here.
Miroslav Preisinger (NHL Draft Eligible in 2009)
I had heard a lot of good things about Preisinger from our contributor Ryan Yessie, but he was pretty disappointing for me tonight. He did have one very nice hit and showed a willingness to get involved physically, which is something you like to see from European finesse players. But Preisinger showed me nothing offensively. I can't say I even remember him touching the puck in the offensive zone tonight. Judging by his offensive stats, he's been quite the enigma this season. To get drafted, he's going to need to show a lot more than 2 goals in the second half of the season.
Gregg Sutch (NHL Draft Eligible in 2010)
Sutch was another guy who was completely invisible tonight. As a recently named member of Team Ontario for the Under 17's, I was expecting a more involved showing for Sutch. But he looked relatively soft in the corners and was outmuscled easily by the Ice Dog defenders. As such, he was another guy who didn't really make any noise offensively tonight.
Thoughts from Saturday, December 6, 2008 against Windsor.
Taylor Hall (NHL Draft Eligible in 2010)
What else is there to say about this kid. He's unreal. Everytime he was on the ice tonight, he controlled the play. It was almost as if his linemmates were along for the ride. He skates effortlessly with the puck and makes defenders miss nearly every time he touches the puck. The encouraging thing about him, is that everytime he has the puck on his stick, he's looking to drive to the net for a scoring opportunity. Pretty much no one could touch him tonight. It's almost unfair that this kid has another year of OHL hockey to play before his draft year.
Ryan Ellis (NHL Draft Eligible in 2009)
I was not impressed by Ellis tonight. After coming away impressed with his play in the OHL last season, and at the Under 18's, I've found him generally underwhelming this season. I think the main difference is defensively and physically. Last season, in particular at the Under 18's, I saw him taking the body with authority and being involved physically. This season, I've yet to see that same aggressiveness. Tonight he was completely passive, and often times it looked like he was waiting for defense partner Rob Kwiet to make the play so that he could get open for a pass and lead the rush. He was also completely ineffective at rushing the puck tonight and was often left out of position defensively because he was taking liberties with the puck. He's still a treat to watch on the powerplay and his shot is an A+. He gets it through everytime. But the last few times I've seen him play now, I find myself asking the question. Is he only a future powerplay quarterback? He needs to find that aggressiveness in his play again in order to find success in every situation at the next level.
Rob Kwiet (Overager and NHL free agent)
Many believe Kwiet to be the best available overage player in the OHL this season. He sure plays a lot for Windsor, at times it seems like he never leaves the ice. He's a great skater and he makes a very good first pass. Defensively, he engages the puck carrier and does a relatively good job with coverage for a mainly offensive defenseman. The big question is, does he have a future at the next level? I'm just not quite sure. He has some good intangibles, but nothing has ever screamed, NHL player to me. I've seen Kwiet play a lot in his OHL days, due to his time with the Majors before. I think he's still got a shot to get himself an NHL contract, but I'm not sure he's ever going to be more than a depth player.
Adam Henrique (Drafted in 2008 by New Jersey/82nd)
Henrique was quite good tonight. He's quite the speedster and has outstanding acceleration. At one point, he blew by and Ice Dog defender coming off the wing, and put a good shot at goaltender John Cullen. He was also very aggressive at driving to the net, picking up two goaltender interference penalties. At this point, I think the Devils have to be very happy with his progression this season, as he's producing at over a point a game.
Jesse Blacker (NHL Draft eligible in 2009)
Blacker was ranked 19th on the CSB's preliminary draft list for the OHL, which was surprising to me. He was however relatively impressive in this game. He showed very good speed in rushing the puck and a willingness to jump up into the attack. He was almost too aggressive in that respect. A few times he was caught up ice, which lead to an odd man rush for the Ice Dogs. However, as a young and inexperienced player (only 47 OHL games under his belt to date), he's going to learn to pick his spots better. I liked how he was not afraid to engage his man in the corner and how he came away with the puck nearly everytime in those one on one battles. I think that because he and defense partner Mark Cundari are playing second fiddle to Ellis and Kwiet right now, his offensive stats are a little bit underwhelming. But he's clearly got talent and I think someone is going to take this kid in the first three rounds on draft day.
Richard Greenop (Drafted in 2007 by Chicago/156th)
I think that it's needless to say that the Hawks did not draft Greenop for his offensive ability. He is what he is. He's a big gu, who skates reasonably well for his size, and who can throw his body around and be aggressive on the forecheck. He's also a pretty good fighter who's not afraid to drop the mitts. That being said, I'm sure they'd be lying if the Hawks told you they were happy with his offensive progression. Even a 4th line scrapper, in this day and age, needs to have some offensive skill to survive in the NHL. With the decreasing role that heavyweights are playing, you need to bring other things to the table besides fighting in order to see more than 2-3 minutes of ice per game. Personally, I don't think Greenop is an NHL player, at least not a regular one, for that reason.
Justin Shugg (NHL Draft eligible in 2010)
I think that a lot more has been expected of Shugg, considering he was a top 10 Priority selection in 2007 by Oshawa. Especially considering that he was playing well for Oshawa in his rookie season before the trade to Windsor. In this game, Shugg skated on the top line with Taylor Hall and was actually relatively impressive. He showed good skating ability in keeping up with Hall, and a willingness to go into the corners for the puck. He also made a nice play on his goal, as he showed good anticipation. Ice Dogs goaltender attempted to clear a rebound out of his crease, but Shugg cut out from behind the net and knocked the puck down in mid air and put it fivehole on Cullen as he was still down in his butterfly. I think that he has some skill and he has potential. Since his draft year isn't until 2010 because of a late birthday, he's still got a shot to bring up his game and get himself on the scouting map. A trade (which has been much rumoured), to a team with less scoring depth might not hurt either.
Mark Cundari (Signed by the St. Louis Blues as a free agent)
Cundari earned himself a contract by playing very well at the Blues prospect camp this past offseason. I felt that he was very impressive in the times I saw him last year, and in the ADT this season. But he did not have a great game. He does take the body very well and has an underrated ability to move the puck, but tonight his one on one play was exposed a little bit. He was made a fool by Alex Pietrangelo on one rush, where he tried to play the puck instead of taking the body and Petro deked him out of his skates (Cundari actually got so crossed up, he fell over). On another occasion he tried for a big hit as a player crossed the red line, missed and took himself completely out of position as the Ice Dogs came back on a 2 on 1. But one thing that impressed me was that I think he realized what he had done wrong earlier. Later in the game, Ice Dog forward Chris Desousa tried the same move Petro did, but Cundari this time played the man and sent Desousa to the ice, voiding the scoring chance. I think he was a solid signing by the Blues, even if he does have some things to work on.
Austin Watson (NHL Draft eligible in 2010)
This kid is going to be a great player. For a 1992, his strength on the drive and in the corners is unreal. He worked the cycle well all night and showed great speed as he drove hard to the net. He also wasn't afraid to take a beating in front of the net to cause a screen. While he didn't hit the scoresheet, I thought he was definitely visible. I think he's going to be a very high pick in 2010, thanks to his combination of size and skill.
Greg Nemisz (Drafted in 2008 by Calgary/25th)
Nemisz was good tonight. I think his skating and first step are much improved this season, and he now skates fairly well for a big man. He's always aggressive on the forecheck and is often the first opposing player in the zone to work the cycle. Still though, and maybe I have unfair expectations, I want to see him use his big body more offensively. I think he could stand to use his size more as he drives to the net, shielding the puck with his body. I also think he needs to become more involved in front of the net, screening the goal and looking for rebounds. He has good puck skills and he has good hands, I just want to see him taking that next step. I'm not saying he needs to start playing like the next Brendan Shanahan. But at the same time, I don't think his offensive skills are good enough for him to play a more finesse game at the next level. He needs to get start getting a little more dirty.
Dale Mitchell (Drafted in 2007 by Toronto/74th)
Mitchell is always a fun player to watch. He's like a little wrecking ball of energy. Always keeps his feet moving, always attacking, and is a relentless forechecker because of it. Is also an aggressive body checker who is constantly looking for someone with their head down. He's got above average speed which he uses to come off the wing, and actually has a very hard, and often accurate shot. Likely is going to be one of those fan favourite type energy players in the NHL, as long as he can continue to play his style without injury.
.....................................................................................................................................................................
Just something else to mention. Windsor's goaltending was terrible in this game. Engelage was pulled entering the 2nd period after giving up two real softies, and Gleeson wasn't a whole lot better as he gave up a real softie too. There has been a lot of talk about Windsor trying to improve in net, and now I see why. If they want to be serious Memorial Cup contenders, they've got to do something.
Thoughts from Friday, December 5, 2008 against Sarnia.
Jamie Arniel (Drafted in 2008 by Boston/97th)
Arniel was very good tonight. In fact, I was impressed with his play at the ADT Challenge as well. He appears to be on the right track to putting that whole Guelph situation at the back of scouts minds and really making his play the sole focus. In seasons past, I've always been critical of his effort and it's consistency. I thought he had a tendency to take shifts, or even periods off. But in the two times I've seen him this season so far, he seems to be playing much harder and could be evidence to why he's posting over point per game numbers for the first time in his OHL career. He works hard in the corners, he has good speed which he uses to carry the puck and he has relatively good hands in close. He also has been working on his defensive game and becoming more involved physically. He's starting to turn himself into a complete player, which is ultimately what he needs to do to succeed at the next level. I'm not sure his offensive skills are good enough alone for him to succeed in the NHL. I see him as a future 3rd liner who works hard for his goals and is an asset to his team in all areas. His addition to the Team Canada selection camp roster is a testament to his coming of age and his improvement as a hockey player.
Michael Neal (Drafted in 2007 by Dallas, 149th)
After being drafted by Dallas (obviously same team who has his brother James), Neal missed the entire 2007-08 season, save a few playoff games, due to a knee injury. That really hurt his development. The season after a player is drafted is often the season where they take the biggest steps forward and learn to work on the things that they need to improve upon to become NHL players. Getting a taste of the show at prospect camps often gives players that final motivation to get better. Neal unfortunately did not have that chance, until before this season. He's not really putting up many points, and nor do I think he ever will. But he's actually a pretty similar player to his brother. He appears to be a great skater, he takes the body hard and he has solid puck carrying ability. The only difference really appears to be James finishing ability and offensive hockey sense is/was much higher. Neal was actually very good tonight, perhaps Sarnia's best player tonight for me. I'd say it's probably borderline for Dallas if they sign him this offseason, but with James in Dallas thriving, they may not want to upset one of their core young players by not retaining his brother. If he does end up getting a contract from Dallas, I think he could actually be an NHL player. With the game today being built on speed and the forecheck, Michael Neal could have a place as a 4th liner/depth player.
Mark Katic (Drafted in 2007 by the New York Islanders, 62nd)
Katic was alright tonight. I've actually never been the biggest fan of his play, but I'm starting to come around. It's not that I don't like him as a player, it's more that I've always felt he was overrated and that ultimately his NHL potential was overrated too. I think his defensive game has come leaps and bounds, and that he's proven now to be a very smart defender who has good positioning and uses an active stick to break up plays. And he's obviously an outstanding skater who can lead the rush. However, I'm not sure his offensive abilities will translate to him putting up a lot of points in the NHL. Maybe it's just me, but I've always looked at him and thought he could be hitting the scoresheet more often, but he doesn't really. To me, I think that offensively he doesn't think the game at the same level as guys who are able to step into the NHL and start putting up the points in a faster and more aggressive game. An example tonight was near the end of the game, Sarnia is trying to get the puck up ice to try and tie the game and Katic is spending the entire time skating around in his own end, moving around the forecheck. He could have beat the attack by simply making a pass to a teammate or gaining the line and dumping it in, but instead was skating around aimlessly. I think that ultimately, Katic will find his role in the NHL, as one of those steady, yet non flashy number 4 or 5 defenseman. Does a little bit of everything, but never really puts up the big points.
Justin DiBenedetto (Drafted in 2008 by the New York Islanders/175th)
DiBenedetto was invisible for me tonight. I've seen him better obviously, but tonight he did not make an impact. As I mentioned before, it was a pretty boring game and neither team could really get anything going off the rush. He's obviously taken a big step forward this season without Stamkos and shown people that he's not the next Dany Roussin (off collar reference for some of you out there). Not much more to say here.
Matt Martin (Drafted in 2008 by the New York Islanders/148th)
Similar to DiBenedetto, Martin didn't make much of an impact for me. He was aggressive on the forecheck and he was playing physical, but didn't have the puck on his stick very much tonight. I think the Isles have to be happy with the fact that he's taken the next step offensively this year and that he's apparently cut down on some of those undisciplined penalties. Again not a lot to say here.
Miroslav Preisinger (NHL Draft Eligible in 2009)
I had heard a lot of good things about Preisinger from our contributor Ryan Yessie, but he was pretty disappointing for me tonight. He did have one very nice hit and showed a willingness to get involved physically, which is something you like to see from European finesse players. But Preisinger showed me nothing offensively. I can't say I even remember him touching the puck in the offensive zone tonight. Judging by his offensive stats, he's been quite the enigma this season. To get drafted, he's going to need to show a lot more than 2 goals in the second half of the season.
Gregg Sutch (NHL Draft Eligible in 2010)
Sutch was another guy who was completely invisible tonight. As a recently named member of Team Ontario for the Under 17's, I was expecting a more involved showing for Sutch. But he looked relatively soft in the corners and was outmuscled easily by the Ice Dog defenders. As such, he was another guy who didn't really make any noise offensively tonight.
Thoughts from Saturday, December 6, 2008 against Windsor.
Taylor Hall (NHL Draft Eligible in 2010)
What else is there to say about this kid. He's unreal. Everytime he was on the ice tonight, he controlled the play. It was almost as if his linemmates were along for the ride. He skates effortlessly with the puck and makes defenders miss nearly every time he touches the puck. The encouraging thing about him, is that everytime he has the puck on his stick, he's looking to drive to the net for a scoring opportunity. Pretty much no one could touch him tonight. It's almost unfair that this kid has another year of OHL hockey to play before his draft year.
Ryan Ellis (NHL Draft Eligible in 2009)
I was not impressed by Ellis tonight. After coming away impressed with his play in the OHL last season, and at the Under 18's, I've found him generally underwhelming this season. I think the main difference is defensively and physically. Last season, in particular at the Under 18's, I saw him taking the body with authority and being involved physically. This season, I've yet to see that same aggressiveness. Tonight he was completely passive, and often times it looked like he was waiting for defense partner Rob Kwiet to make the play so that he could get open for a pass and lead the rush. He was also completely ineffective at rushing the puck tonight and was often left out of position defensively because he was taking liberties with the puck. He's still a treat to watch on the powerplay and his shot is an A+. He gets it through everytime. But the last few times I've seen him play now, I find myself asking the question. Is he only a future powerplay quarterback? He needs to find that aggressiveness in his play again in order to find success in every situation at the next level.
Rob Kwiet (Overager and NHL free agent)
Many believe Kwiet to be the best available overage player in the OHL this season. He sure plays a lot for Windsor, at times it seems like he never leaves the ice. He's a great skater and he makes a very good first pass. Defensively, he engages the puck carrier and does a relatively good job with coverage for a mainly offensive defenseman. The big question is, does he have a future at the next level? I'm just not quite sure. He has some good intangibles, but nothing has ever screamed, NHL player to me. I've seen Kwiet play a lot in his OHL days, due to his time with the Majors before. I think he's still got a shot to get himself an NHL contract, but I'm not sure he's ever going to be more than a depth player.
Adam Henrique (Drafted in 2008 by New Jersey/82nd)
Henrique was quite good tonight. He's quite the speedster and has outstanding acceleration. At one point, he blew by and Ice Dog defender coming off the wing, and put a good shot at goaltender John Cullen. He was also very aggressive at driving to the net, picking up two goaltender interference penalties. At this point, I think the Devils have to be very happy with his progression this season, as he's producing at over a point a game.
Jesse Blacker (NHL Draft eligible in 2009)
Blacker was ranked 19th on the CSB's preliminary draft list for the OHL, which was surprising to me. He was however relatively impressive in this game. He showed very good speed in rushing the puck and a willingness to jump up into the attack. He was almost too aggressive in that respect. A few times he was caught up ice, which lead to an odd man rush for the Ice Dogs. However, as a young and inexperienced player (only 47 OHL games under his belt to date), he's going to learn to pick his spots better. I liked how he was not afraid to engage his man in the corner and how he came away with the puck nearly everytime in those one on one battles. I think that because he and defense partner Mark Cundari are playing second fiddle to Ellis and Kwiet right now, his offensive stats are a little bit underwhelming. But he's clearly got talent and I think someone is going to take this kid in the first three rounds on draft day.
Richard Greenop (Drafted in 2007 by Chicago/156th)
I think that it's needless to say that the Hawks did not draft Greenop for his offensive ability. He is what he is. He's a big gu, who skates reasonably well for his size, and who can throw his body around and be aggressive on the forecheck. He's also a pretty good fighter who's not afraid to drop the mitts. That being said, I'm sure they'd be lying if the Hawks told you they were happy with his offensive progression. Even a 4th line scrapper, in this day and age, needs to have some offensive skill to survive in the NHL. With the decreasing role that heavyweights are playing, you need to bring other things to the table besides fighting in order to see more than 2-3 minutes of ice per game. Personally, I don't think Greenop is an NHL player, at least not a regular one, for that reason.
Justin Shugg (NHL Draft eligible in 2010)
I think that a lot more has been expected of Shugg, considering he was a top 10 Priority selection in 2007 by Oshawa. Especially considering that he was playing well for Oshawa in his rookie season before the trade to Windsor. In this game, Shugg skated on the top line with Taylor Hall and was actually relatively impressive. He showed good skating ability in keeping up with Hall, and a willingness to go into the corners for the puck. He also made a nice play on his goal, as he showed good anticipation. Ice Dogs goaltender attempted to clear a rebound out of his crease, but Shugg cut out from behind the net and knocked the puck down in mid air and put it fivehole on Cullen as he was still down in his butterfly. I think that he has some skill and he has potential. Since his draft year isn't until 2010 because of a late birthday, he's still got a shot to bring up his game and get himself on the scouting map. A trade (which has been much rumoured), to a team with less scoring depth might not hurt either.
Mark Cundari (Signed by the St. Louis Blues as a free agent)
Cundari earned himself a contract by playing very well at the Blues prospect camp this past offseason. I felt that he was very impressive in the times I saw him last year, and in the ADT this season. But he did not have a great game. He does take the body very well and has an underrated ability to move the puck, but tonight his one on one play was exposed a little bit. He was made a fool by Alex Pietrangelo on one rush, where he tried to play the puck instead of taking the body and Petro deked him out of his skates (Cundari actually got so crossed up, he fell over). On another occasion he tried for a big hit as a player crossed the red line, missed and took himself completely out of position as the Ice Dogs came back on a 2 on 1. But one thing that impressed me was that I think he realized what he had done wrong earlier. Later in the game, Ice Dog forward Chris Desousa tried the same move Petro did, but Cundari this time played the man and sent Desousa to the ice, voiding the scoring chance. I think he was a solid signing by the Blues, even if he does have some things to work on.
Austin Watson (NHL Draft eligible in 2010)
This kid is going to be a great player. For a 1992, his strength on the drive and in the corners is unreal. He worked the cycle well all night and showed great speed as he drove hard to the net. He also wasn't afraid to take a beating in front of the net to cause a screen. While he didn't hit the scoresheet, I thought he was definitely visible. I think he's going to be a very high pick in 2010, thanks to his combination of size and skill.
Greg Nemisz (Drafted in 2008 by Calgary/25th)
Nemisz was good tonight. I think his skating and first step are much improved this season, and he now skates fairly well for a big man. He's always aggressive on the forecheck and is often the first opposing player in the zone to work the cycle. Still though, and maybe I have unfair expectations, I want to see him use his big body more offensively. I think he could stand to use his size more as he drives to the net, shielding the puck with his body. I also think he needs to become more involved in front of the net, screening the goal and looking for rebounds. He has good puck skills and he has good hands, I just want to see him taking that next step. I'm not saying he needs to start playing like the next Brendan Shanahan. But at the same time, I don't think his offensive skills are good enough for him to play a more finesse game at the next level. He needs to get start getting a little more dirty.
Dale Mitchell (Drafted in 2007 by Toronto/74th)
Mitchell is always a fun player to watch. He's like a little wrecking ball of energy. Always keeps his feet moving, always attacking, and is a relentless forechecker because of it. Is also an aggressive body checker who is constantly looking for someone with their head down. He's got above average speed which he uses to come off the wing, and actually has a very hard, and often accurate shot. Likely is going to be one of those fan favourite type energy players in the NHL, as long as he can continue to play his style without injury.
.....................................................................................................................................................................
Just something else to mention. Windsor's goaltending was terrible in this game. Engelage was pulled entering the 2nd period after giving up two real softies, and Gleeson wasn't a whole lot better as he gave up a real softie too. There has been a lot of talk about Windsor trying to improve in net, and now I see why. If they want to be serious Memorial Cup contenders, they've got to do something.
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