Ryan Yessie's Thoughts on Barrie and Sarnia from October 15

Sarnia had trouble containing Barrie's offensive push but great goaltending from Courchaine combined with a solid team effort helped Sarnia to their second consecutive win vs. a Top 10 team in Canada with a 3-2 victory over the Barrie Colts.


Alexander Burmistrov - #8 - C - YOB: 1992 - 6‘0” - 170lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Oct/15/09: After seeing Burmistrov with all this hype around his game, there was the good and the bad but overall I was disappointed. In terms of skill Burmistrov is a very fast skater, he moves his legs quickly and is very shifty and can change directions on a dime. He handles the puck very well and has very gifted hands, mixed with speed and shiftiness he made a few Sting players look like house league players when chasing after him. He protects the puck well for someone at only 170. Burmistrov is a guy who could be a high percentage player for the shootouts, and could be a shootout specialist if he makes the NHL. He looked fairly reliable in the defensive zone. Generally when you have a player as flashy as Burmistrov they tend to float, but not Alex. He engaged very actively defensively and caused a few turnovers. The negative side is Burmistrov for one tries to do everything himself, and outright does not utilize his linemates whatsoever. Even during the power play he’d stickhandle his way into a situation that saw two of the four Sting players chasing him. Meanwhile, his defenceman with a wide open shot he refused to pass to him and eventually the puck was off Burmistrov’s stick and down the ice, this happened a few times, twice during the critical part of the game. Secondly Burmistrov whenever physical contact is engaged, if it becomes too much, he’ll fold like an accordion and act like he got shot. During the 2nd period he absolutely embarrassed himself. Preisinger’s stick came up near the face, but went wide over Burmistrov’s shoulder.. After the stick had alredy made it’s way up and down, Burmistrov randomly dropped to the ice flopping around and started crawling on his hands and knees probably about 8 to 10 feet trying to sell the high stick and acted like a player would if they were seriously injured and bleeding profusely. It was an absolutely pathetic display and the referee either wasn’t looking and thought he missed an obvious call, or is just plain incompetent because Preisinger received a high sticking call, there was not a trace of blood, and Burmistrov was back on the ice within 20-30 seconds. The raw skill is there for Burmistrov, he is an excellent skater and puck control expert and could be a game breaker in the offensive zone. But overall as a Canadian hockey fan Burmistrov is not someone I’d ever want to draft to my team just based on his ignorance for the integrity of the game, and his inability to handle anything more than the minimum physical contact without trying to act like he’s hurt.

Michael Sgarbossa - #11 - C - YOB: 1992 - 5‘11” - 165lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Oct/15/09: Sgarbossa is a name I had circled going into this game, I’ve heard good about him, but he hasn’t done enough to really stand out in terms of a prospect for the 2010 draft. Sgarbossa looked pretty good out there at times, but really never created any scoring chances, also I believe he didn’t even have a shot on net. Barrie kept putting him out there in critical moments, and things such as his skating and puck moving seemed to help his team, but didn’t really stand out in any way.
(Sgarbossa was a +1)

Kyle Clifford - #13 - LW - YOB: 1991 - 6‘1” - 200lbs.
NHL: 2nd Round - 35th Overall by LA in 2009
Report: Oct/15/09: Clifford was the best player for Barrie in this game. He’s a very quick skater for someone his size, and he absolutely punished a few players with some massive hits. He mixes things up and makes things difficult for the opposing team in the offensive zone. Clifford had the first goal of the game, in which he created the play almost entirely on his own, as it looked like Sarnia was going to transition the puck out of the zone, Clifford delivered a massive hit behind the net, knocking the puck loose then got open for Della Rovere to pass it to him, and he buried it in an impressive 10 second or so set by Clifford. Later on he set up the tying goal in the 3rd period protecting the puck and making the right pass out to the point. Overall Clifford didn’t look like he had a weakness in his game. He skated better than someone his size, but hit harder than someone bigger as well. Impressed with Clifford overall.
(Clifford had 1G, 1A, +2)

Ryan Strome - #16 - C - YOB: 1993 - 5‘11” - 160lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2012
Report: Oct/15/09: Strome received limited ice time, but looked very impressive despite not making any eventual contributions towards the game. He did well in the face-off circle. He has a very quick release with a laser shot, unfortunately all 3 times that impressive shot when right into the logo of Adam Courchaine. Strome also showed off some good speed down the wing and carried the puck well. Definitely a positive first impression from this 16 year old.

Stefan Della Rovere - #19 - LW - YOB: 1993 - 5‘11” - 200lbs.
NHL: 7th Round - 204th Overall by Washington in 2008
Report: Oct/15/09: After Della Rovere was the talk of the rink for the following couple weeks after Barrie left last year, He was very surprisingly quiet during the game. He started out well making an excellent pass to Clifford to complete the play Clifford created. He did make a good hit or two, but was very undisciplined as well and is very lucky to come away with only two penalties. There are good penalties and bad penalties and Della Rovere could have had 4 or 5 really bad penalties called on him this game. Defensively he was alright but not as good as we’re accustom to seeing and hearing from Stefan. Overall an off game for SDR.
(Della Rovere had 1A, +2, 4PIM)

Ryan O’Connor - #21 - D - YOB: 1992 - 5‘8” - 175lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Oct/15/09: If Clifford didn’t steal the show it would have been Ryan O’Connor that stood out for Barrie. I had O’Connor ranked #13 on my preliminary list, and Burmistrov #9. I think these two should at the very least be switching spots on that list, as O’Connor really played like a Ryan Ellis kind of defenceman. I know that comparison is getting beat to death but both have good offensive instincts, where as Ellis’ are better, O’Connor is better at carrying the puck up the ice, and his top speed is better, the first few steps for O’Connor could use work, but when he gets going he can fly. Unlike Ellis who is used mainly at his actual position; O’Connor moved up to forward several times on the special teams, and was many times the 4th forward on the ice while Barrie was down (which doesn’t seem to happen a lot this season) where they are similar and maybe where O’Connor is better is the physical department, however he got a little too rough and let Zach MacQueen get under his skin a little, and took an undisciplined penalty, but this guy is a hitting machine. He threw a couple hits that could be considered some of the biggest in this game, even with players twice his size throwing them, he really layed into a few guys at his size it was something else to see. Where Ellis has O’Connor beat is the natural anticipation for the play.. While O’Connor is not bad at this, it’s what sets Ellis apart from other smaller sized defencemen. Also judging by O’Connor’s shot it’s not where Ellis’ is. Overall I find myself comparing the two throughout this scouting report, but to best break it down the two are similar, and where Ellis may be more known for his anticipation and devastating point shot, O’Connor may be more established as a puck carrier who makes smart plays, and throws massive hits for his size.
(O’Connor was -1, 2PIM)

Josh Brittain - #22 - LW - YOB: 1993 - 6‘4” - 217lbs.
NHL: 3rd Round - 71st Overall by Anaheim in 2008
Report: Oct/15/09: Overall Brittain wasn’t a game breaker but he did help the Colts out tonight. Brittain unleashed a pretty solid shot, and went to the net hard every time he didn’t have the puck. He made power plays miserable for Courchaine and created a screen that made it very possible for Barrie to score if their power play was connecting better. Brittain really looks like a power forward, and could wind up in that role one day. He needs to get faster and be more willing to just throw his weight around at times.

Taylor Carnevale - #27 - LW - YOB: 1991 - 5‘11” - 184lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Oct/15/09: Carnevale was passed over in last year’s draft, and was honestly not someone I heard a lot about until this season. He’s off to a great start this season which may once again make it possible for him to get drafted. Carnevale did very well in the face-off circle, and displayed good speed while carrying the puck up ice. Had a few chances to get some assists, as he appeared more willing to set up the goal than to score it.
(Carnevale was a +1)

Peter DiSalvo - #35 - G - YOB: 1990 - 6‘0” - 180lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Oct/15/09: Honestly any chance of me considering DiSalvo a prospect anytime in the near future is gone. Last year I figured maybe it was just nerves coming back to Sarnia, but he played horrible tonight again, fortunately his team in front of him kept him in the game. DiSalvo looked fearful of playing the puck even in situations where Sarnia wasn’t pressuring he would give them an offensive zone face-off instead of passing the puck back behind the net for his defenceman. DiSalvo had decent reflexes, but oddly enough they were hit and miss as at times he looked like he had trouble reading shots. He gave up several rebounds. DiSalvo looks like an average OHL starter at best.
(DiSalvo stopped 20 of 23 shots)

Ben O’Quinn - #22 - C - YOB: 1991 - 6‘1” - 185lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Oct/15/09: I can’t seem to help but always find myself impressed with Ben O’Quinn most games, especially where he came from being a 4th line/pk guy with 5 mins per game last year at this time. Jordan Hill may have scored the winning goal, but this play was created off the stick of Ben O’Quinn. He passed it through the sticks and skates of 4 players and threaded the needle right onto the stick of Hill to tap it into an open net. Earlier O’Quinn set up what was at the time the go ahead goal with a perfect pass to Hill, the point shot was going in however Kerbashian helped that out. O’Quinn was out there several times in critical defensive moments including the final 1:10 of the 3rd period with a one goal lead. I have a hard time not seeing O’Quinn getting drafted, based on the way he’s been playing game to game for Sarnia. Great hands, will never be a big time scorer, but they are good enough to make him a contributor on the 3rd line of some NHL team one day.
(O’Quinn had 2A)

Miroslav Preisinger - #28 - C - YOB: 1991 - 6‘0” - 175lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Oct/15/09: So much for Preisinger being labeled a playmaker only. About half a period before Preisinger’s phantom high stick that sent Burmistrov into a seizure on tlhe ice, Preisinger collected up a drop pass and absolutely sniped a laser to the top shelf over DiSalvo’s glove hand, very few goaltenders would have been able to catch up to that. Opinions on Preisinger are hit or miss, but the fact remains he does own a good shot, can threat perfect passes through traffic, and is one of the most devastating import players physically in the OHL. How this season goes for him should be very interesting, but he does have a very real chance of getting picked up this year by an NHL team.
(1G, 2PIM)

Adam Courchaine - #1 - C - YOB: 1991 - 6‘3” - 185lbs.
NHL: Signed by Boston as a free agent in 2007
Report: Oct/15/09: This was Sarnia’s first look at Courchaine in a home game after his fight last week in Saginaw. Courchaine looked shaky at first giving up an early goal and almost giving up a few more in the 1st, but once he settled in he looked excellent. He had perfect positioning, and the quickness to cover up just in time, at times it almost looked like he wanted to make the second save dramatic. Rebounds were really the only issue in his game. Also has an awkward glove hand where he keeps it close to his waist almost like there’s one of those stretch ropes attached to it, it usually doesn’t leave his side, and when it does it’s nothing dramatic, but he made several good saves with it, so I guess whatever works. Overall Courchaine was great under pressure, as I mentioned rebounds were an issue but he did an outstanding job on the 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th chances that would develop from them. He could be a huge trade asset for the Sting, maybe even to a team like Barrie who seems to be having issues with DiSalvo. If the goaltenders were on different sides, this would have likely been a 6-1 win for Barrie. I have to say I’m very impressed with Sarnia’s new goaltender, and although his style is a little unnerving at times, and does worry me despite the performance, he should be able to keep Sarnia in every game.
(Courchaine stopped 33 of 35 shots)

RY

Ryan Yessie's OHL Draft Sleepers

In lieu of Brock's great 10.. er.. 11 sleeper picks in the OHL, I have decided to throw together a list of 10 MORE excellent sleeper picks. Basically the method is if I already consider them a prospect for the 2010 draft, then they can't make this list. This looks like one of the best crops to come out of the OHL in years.. maybe ever. I can easily assemble a list of 50-60 players that could all be drafted this year.. so here's 10 more sleepers to add to your potential list of soon to be NHL prospects. This is in alphabetical order, not necessarily the order of talent.

Patrik Andersson - D - Kitchener Rangers
Info: Andersson has size at 6’2” but also is a smooth skater with good puck movement skills including an excellent first pass. Andersson comes over from Sweden and despite being a 19 year old rookie, may very well interest a lot of scouts by the end of the year.

Brandon Archibald - D - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Info: Archibald is a big 6’3” 200lb. Defenceman, and will get a lot of action on the blueline for the progressing SOO team. Physical but also is moving the puck well has opened the season with a 5 game point streak despite only putting up 8 assists all last year.

Jeff Braithwaite - D - Peterborough Petes
Info: Braithwaite is a reliable defenceman, who can move the puck well and is a decent skater.

Nathan Chiarlitti - D - Sarnia Sting
Info: I’m breaking my rules a little bit but although I consider him a prospect for this draft, he appears to be flying well under the radar for everyone else, which qualifies him as a sleeper. Chiarlitti has near ideal size at defense for a 17 year old. Chiarlitti scored the first goal of the season for Sarnia. He’s been playing a defensive stay at home style most of the time, and has excellent positioning, and patience beyond his years as well as good decision making under pressure. Chiarlitti has some untapped offensive skills that may be unleashed this year on a weak Sarnia blueline.

R.J. Mahalak - LW - Plymouth Whalers
Info: Mahalak is unliked by many outside the Plymouth fan base, but Mahalak shows the size and the skill of a potential prospect. Unsure going into this year if he’d have the points to go with the physical edge that would make him an intriguing prospect, Mahalak has started strong putting up 4 points in his first 4 games.

Petr Mrazek - G - Ottawa 67’s
Mrazek who was brought over from the Czech Republic apparently may have won the job from Chris Perugini in Ottawa. If this does indeed occur expect Mrazek to get a lot of attention from scouts.

Ben O’Quinn - C - Sarnia Sting
O’Quinn who was a 4th liner + PK specialist until midway though last season, didn’t produce enough to get drafted. So far he’s Sarnia’s leading scorer. Despite 3 losses O’Quinn contributed offensively in all 3 games. O’Quinn will be counted on both sides of the puck this year, and could legitimately be Sarnia’s top scorer as well.

David Quesnele - RW - Peterborough Petes
Info: Quesnele already had some potential going into this year, but has put up 2 goals and 4 points in his first 5 games. Built solid at 5’10” 195 he should only get stronger from here on in.

Justin Shugg - RW - Windsor Spitfires
Shugg got lost between all the prospects from last year, as well as all the talent that surrounded the Windsor team last year despite putting up 17 points. The late 1991 birthdate makes Shugg eligible in 2010 and he will one again be a name lost behind teammates and potential 1st overall picks Taylor Hall, Cam Fowler and sure fire NHL draft pick Austin Watson. But make no mistake, Shugg will get drafted and will likely be a pleasant surprise to whoever lands him.

Ivan Telegin - C - Saginaw Spirit
Telegin comes over from Russia with great size (6’3”) and apparently the ability to put the puck in the net, evidence of this is the 3 goals in his last 2 games for Saginaw. A rookie in the OHL and entering his first year as a NHL draft eligible prospect, expect Telegin to get a lot of attention later this season.

Two other guys i felt had potential to make this list, but may already be too established as potential NHL prospects..
Josh Shalla - RW - Saginaw Spirit
Michael Sgarbossa - C - Barrie Colts

RY

Ryan Yessie's Sarnia Sting Season Preview

After a season that surprised many outside of the Lambton County area, the Sting are once again predicted to become basement dwellers. They will be without the firepower or Arniel, Martin, DiBenedetto, Katic, and the stellar goaltending of Dan Spence. Some questions are still out there such as which OA's will Sarnia use? Will Adam Courchaine show up to steal a few games, or is he taking the AHL route? Although standings wise the Sting are less than 50/50 to so much as take the 8th spot in the Western Conference, there are some interesting prospects on the horizon. Sarnia could logically see anywhere from 2-5 players drafted in the 2010 NHL Entry draft. They already have 3 players to watch for the 2011 draft, as well as a potential 1st rounder in the 2012 NHL draft, that should all be in their line-up this season. This will be a trying season for Sting fans, but the future looks very, very bright.

FORWARDS

Ted Brithen - was one of the best players in the Swedish junior ranks. Turning 19 it's no secret Brithen would like to take a shot at the NHL, why else would a good 19 year old swede want to play in the OHL? Brithen has shown explosive speed and offensive skillset so far in camp, and is a question mark but after all the 19 year old players drafted this year, it should be interesting to see how Brithen's skillset translates to a top 6 forward spot on an OHL club.

Kale Kerbashian - has shown flashes of NHL draft worthy skills, unfortunately his size combined with his inconsistencies have prevented him from getting drafted thus far. Needless to say 2009-2010 the year before Kerbaishan becomes an overager is a critical year if he wants to pursue a professional career, and Sarnia's lack of offensive talent this year may be exactly what Kerbashian needs to get every opportunity to show what he's capable of.

Michael Neal (DAL) - Neal's potential OHL status is still up in the air. He will be an OA, which Sarnia has several of, and at the end of the year he didn't look like he'll be sticking around. Working during the summer with his older brother NHLer James Neal, has apparently proven invaluable. Shockingly Neal has reportedly been one of Dallas' top prospects in the Traverse City tournament. This could mean a potential spot on the Iowa Stars in the AHL, or if he returns to the OHL this massive improvement from just 5 months ago could secure him a spot on the Sting.

Miroslav Preisinger - Preisinger showed flashes of NHL potential during his rookie year in the OHL, but not enough to get drafted. That didn't stop Preisinger from reinventing himself during the later part of the season. Once timid, afraid of contact and playing without intensity, Preisinger has shown amazing passing skills, as well as some ability to finish. Also he seems to be a gifted hitter, something sting fans would have never expected watching his first few games. Evidence of this is when he layed out gritty forward Michael Latta with a clean open ice hit, that left him down for several minutes. If he can take his added ice time and show off his offensive skills while still playing with an edge, NHL teams might be willing to line up to draft this Slovak.

Ben O'Quinn - No one player improved during the 2008-2009 season than Ben O'Quinn. Mostly a marginal player with PK time to start the year, O'Quinn took advantage of some injuries, suspensions and World U-17 tournament as an opportunity to show his talents back in the OHL. O'Quinn finished the year paired with Arniel most of the time and either Justin DiBenedetto or Matt Martin. It should be interesting to see if O'Quinn can show off his skills again without quite as talented linemates. If so, and combined with his great defensive awareness O'Quinn could see himself drafted next summer.

Brett Ritchie - He won't be eligible untill 2011 but Ritchie already has power forward size at 6'3" - 190. Ritchie will be interesting to watch, and should show off some great talent. He has goal scoring prowess and is willing to play very physical. In fact he could be a step up from a similar player Sarnia took in last year's 1st round, Greg Sutch.

Brandon Francisco - A sure fire first rounder, Francisco isn't eligible to be drafted untill 2012 but he's certainly got to be highly regarded for that draft. Francisco shows off amazing speed and arguably has the best hands of anyone drafted in this year's OHL draft. Francisco was a goal scoring machine and it should be very interesting to see how Francisco can contribute as a major part of a rebuilding team in Sarnia.

Joseph (J.C.) Campagna - Not a name that jumps out, but Campagna left Ohio to play for Sarnia this summer. So far in camp he's played amazing showing decent speed, good awareness in the offensive zone, and on a small team this 6'1" 16 year old centerman brings some much needed size to the line-up. Campagna isn't eligible untill 2011 but he's certainly a player to watch for this upcoming season.

DEFENCEMEN

Nathan Chiarlitti - Going into the 2010 draft Sarnia has two defencemen who are prett much locks to get drafted if not in the top 60. Chiarlitti is one of those two, and personally i think has the edge at this point on Rogalski. If you live in Sarnia and see the press conferneces, posters, pocket schedules you'll notice that with Stamkos, Martin, DiBenedetto, Arniel and Katic gone from this recent Sting era that Nathan Chiarlitti is now the face of this franchise. Although he only put up 1 point last year, Chiarlitti put up multiple points in the short U-17 tournament last winter. I should be noted that Chiarlitti was behind several veterans on the depth chart and was not a lock to make the Sting. Chairlitti made the team as a 3rd pairing defenceman due to showing poise and patience beyond his years, as well as being very coachable in terms of his role on the team. Chairlitti was primarily used to play a safe defensive game. Now as a top 4 defenceman on this team, Chiarlitti is expected to produce much more offensively, and still be a rock on the defensive end. Chiarlitti doesn't posess the speed that Rogalski does, but he has outstanding positioning at all times on the ice and willingness to do what it takes to win.

Joe Rogalski - Rogalski has been considered for a while to be one of the top 5 defenceman to be drafted out of the OHL. That may become top 6 depending on how you look at it with the addition of Cam Fowler to the O, but Rogalski has ideal size (6'3") and has amazing speed, sometimes looking Katic-esque on the rush (litearlly, becasue their numbers were similar at 71 and 74 sometimes you couldn't tell). This speed, and size will be Rogalski's ticket to the NHL as he is a lock to get drafted. The only knock on Rogalski is that even with all these skills he's played 2 seasons and hasn't stood out on a consistent basis. That may all change this year, Rogalski is expected to be the #2 defenceman teaming up with physical and solid defensive overager Jordan Hill on the top defensive pairing, which will really allow Rogalski to show off his talents.

GOALTENDING

Adam Courchaine (BOS) - Courchaine is expected to make the AHL Providence Bruins, however if he returns he will be the starting goaltender for the Sting this season. If he returns the Boston prospect will have alot to prove as an overager with this team.

Shayne Campbell - Campbell was a late pick in the 2008 OHL Priority selection, but suprised many by making the team. Campbell will rely on his lightning quick reflexes, and his ideal size. Some feel Campbell doesn't have what it takes to be a full time starter in the OHL but Campbell has shown the potential last year at times to not only to be a starter, but to be a guy who could steal games on a consistent basis. Personally he reminds me alot of Atlanta goaltending prospect Chris Carrozzi in style and skillset. Campbell is not eligible untill 2011 so he has plenty of time to show what he's capable of.

RY

Ryan Yessie's Sarnia Sting Mid-season Report

Ryan took the time to give his mid-season report on Sarnia. He generally doesn't report on them as he focuses on the other team, so for the significant players on the Sting, here is his take on them.

Greg Sutch - YOB: 1992 - 6’2” - 190 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Sutch started out slow this year, he looked snake bitten but after about 15 games his skill started to show, and he was able to reach his top speed which is extremely impressive. He looks a lot bigger than his 6’2 - 190 lb. Frame and has a great deal of speed. He looks a lot like a poor man’s Bobby Ryan because he skates like few teenagers his size can, he has very good hands around the net, and drives to the net very well. He has great size and strength and imposes it whenever possible. He doesn’t have the natural scoring instincts Bobby Ryan had, but he does look a lot like him during his rookie season. Sutch will need to work on his defensive play alittle, as well he will need to grow into his body alittle more as the coordination seems slightly off almost like the skill and the size is there, but like some players that grow too fast he almost has to grow into his body. Sutch will also have to overcome a significant hearing impairment but is able to play at the level he does because of his incredible hockey sense. Sutch has a shot at being a 1st round pick between 10-25 next year if a team is willing to overlook his disability. (Sutch has 2G, 8A, 10PTS, +0, 36 PIM in 41 GP)

Nathan Chiarlitti - YOB: 1992 - 6’0” - 185 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Chiarlitti is not too noticeable on the ice, he showed at the U-17 tournament that he certainly has some skill to become a two-way defenceman, but for now while he’s behind the top 4 this year, there’s the potential he will become a top 4 defenceman next year regardless of who comes back, so this is a good learning process for him, as he is beginning to earn shifts with #1 defenceman Mark Katic. Chiarlitti shows poise unbecoming of a rookie, and something you’d expect to see out of a 19 year old defenceman in the OHL and not a 16 year old. He always seems very calm and makes the right decisions when moving the puck. He’s steady defensively and wasn’t expected to make the team this year. He shows solid positioning and quietly could become a very decent player going into the 2009 draft. (Chiarlitti has 1G, 0A, 1PT, +2, 6 PIM in 31 GP)

Justin DiBenedetto - YOB: 1988 - 6’0” - 195 lbs.
NHL: 6th Round - 175th Overall by NY Islanders in 2008
Report: DiBenedetto leads the OHL in goals mid-way through the season. He has great scoring instincts and generally seems to know the right time when to pass and when to shoot. He looks very good cycling the puck out there, and as far as the offensive zone he’s as good as they come. He drives to the net more frequently and plays with an edge he never had before. His skating is decent and he has a quick release on his shot. What will hurt DiBenedetto is his tendency for not taking enough responsibility in the defensive zone, I’ve seen him a few times coasting back instead of skating hard, he isn’t very effective on his own side of the red line and that will definitely need to improve if he’s going to reach his potential. (DiBenedetto has 29G, 31A, 60PTS, +5, 64 PIM in 40 GP)

Jamie Arniel - YOB: 1989 - 6’0” - 190 lbs.
NHL: 4th Round - 97th Overall by Boston in 2008
Report: The start of the 08-09 season was tough for Arniel. He was one of the first players sent back from Bruins camp, and couldn’t get his game together in Sarnia after an unfortunate drinking and driving incident raised questions about his commitment to the Sarnia Sting, the OHL and his hockey career. With everything going on around him it took him about 6 games to get it going, but once he got it going he started to put points up. Unfortunately he was still tagged as a very soft player after a few incidences where he skated away with his head down instead of defending his teammates and not being willing to hit. Arniel now looks like he’s playing the best hockey possibly of his career. He has some solid speed and can move up and down the ice fairly well. He’s not great defensively but not horrible either. He has one of the quickest releases and most accurate shots in the league, he’s a natural goal scorer. Recently he has been throwing the body around a lot more, and he’s been very willing to engage physically. Also Arniel is a very disciplined player. The only real knock on Arniel at this point is that he shoots from ridiculous angles instead of passing to the open man, same with 2 on 1’s goaltenders seem to be cheating alittle playing the shot and Arniel will shoot right into the goaltender cutting off the angle rather than attempting a pass which; if successful would result in the other player having an open net to shoot into. Remarkably Arniel is on a 7 game goal scoring streak at the moment and is only 5 goals behind DiBenedetto for the league lead in goals. (Arniel has 24G, 21A, 45PTS, +2, 22PIM in 40GP)

Matt Martin - YOB: 1989 - 6’3” - 200 lbs.
NHL: 5th Round - 148th Overall by NY Islanders in 2008
Report: Matt Martin was a walk on Jr. C hockey player who was brought in to fight. No one would have thought that within 36 months he would be an NHL draft pick, the Captain of the team, and challenging for the OHL scoring lead. Martin is only 6 goals behind DiBenedetto, and is much more than a goal scorer. He has great leadership skills and has really been the voice of the Sting in the dressing room and on the ice. He has always played with a huge edge, and has thrown some massive hits on guys bigger than him. He’s shown a willingness to fight whenever called upon but has kept it to a minimum lately since he is one of the top players for Sarnia. Martin is decent defensively, and drives to the net well. He doesn’t have that natural talent and has worked extremely hard for everything he’s accomplished. He will likely have a future in the NHL, if not as a power forward then as a role player that could chip in the odd goal. Martin’s biggest obstacle will be his skating, as it is really the only thing that could stop him entering pro hockey, and may be what keeps him in the OHL for a final year. (Martin has 23G, 19A, 42PTS, +4, 78 PIM in 40GP)

Michael Neal - YOB: 1989 - 6’3” - 205 lbs.
NHL: 5th Round - 149th Overall by Dallas in 2007
Report: Michael Neal is the younger brother of James Neal. He has the size, and the willingness to hit, and the same decent defensive presence, and ability to cycle. Unfortunately Michael Neal doesn’t have his older brother’s fighting ability, or his hands. Neal should be an intriguing prospect, as he can hit, and hit very hard, he can help create turnovers he is difficult to move when doing the cycle game. However Neal seems to either get nervous or just doesn’t have very much goal scoring instincts. He scored a very nice goal his second game in Sarnia, but since then has had a very difficult time just hitting the net, let alone putting it in the net. Also Neal could add another strong element to his game if he showed a willingness to fight more often, and was an effective fighter, however his scraps are few and far between. (Neal has 5G, 10A, 15PTS, -1, 30 PIM in 43GP)

Ben O’Quinn - YOB: 1991 - 6’1” - 185 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2009
Report: I’ve been interested with him all year, at the start of the year he walked off the team and it just seemed like a 4th liner was quitting the team. The team was able to bring him back after a few days, and he received good ice time for a few games then went back to 5 mins per game. Over time he earned a little more time over every game untill he eventually got a place on the DiBenedetto line about two weeks ago. O’Quinn displays some very impressive speed, and has some decent hands but likely will never be a big goal scorer even at the junior level let alone pro. His future lies in his effort that he puts in every shift, as well as his ability to win face offs when called upon. He is also a very good penalty killer and could end up being a 6th or 7th round pick in this year’s draft as a defensive specialist with some speed and a bit of raw talent. (O’Quinn has 6G, 10A, 16PTS, +5, 18 PIM in 42 GP)

Jesse Stoughton - YOB: 1991 - 5’9” - 160 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2009
Report: Stoughton is another guy who could go in the final two rounds and surprise some people. Stoughton is just starting to show his goal scoring ability, as he’s put in 3 goals and 5 points in his last 3 games. But ontop of that is the great defensive skill Stoughton posesses. Despite being a rookie Stoughton has mainly been one of Sarnia’s top penalty killers and has continued to get better throughout the year. Stoughton has produced fairly well this year considering the majority of games he was receiving 4th line minutes. Stoughton is fairly undersized which might affect his attempts to go pro, but he’s a strong skater and very fast so it should be very interesting to see how this player develops over the next 24 months. (Stoughton has 5G, 8A, 13PTS, +1, 18 PIM in 42 GP)

Mark Katic - YOB: 1989 - 5’11” - 185 lbs.
NHL: 3rd Round - 62nd Overall in 2007
Report: Katic has continued to improve from last year, he remains arguably the fastest skater under 20 in the world, and still distributes the puck well, his defensive play is still very strong highlighted by his ability to play defenders effectively in one on one situations. He has clearly improved his point shot, as he already has 7 goals this year, 2 more than his personal record. He is also hitting more, but has been a lot better at avoiding contact himself which has prevented him from sustaining any injuries this year. Katic has been playing great and is finally starting to somewhat live up to the expectations that he would be a key offensive contributor. Katic is 50/50 on whether or not he’ll return next year, as the Islanders would not be smart to rush him too fast giving his history with injuries and his size. (Katic has 7G, 23A, 30PTS, +4, 26 PIM in 40 GP)

Joe Rogalski - YOB: 1991 - 6’2” - 185 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Rogalski has quietly been one of the most dependable players on the Sting. Rogalski displays great acceleration and very impressive speed, Rogalski has actually rushed the puck up a few times more recently which is unusual for him as he’s been staying back his first year and a half in Sarnia, but he rushed the puck with great skating ability. He handles the puck well, makes the right first pass, and has always been very reliable defensively. If he can add 20 lbs. Within the next 2 years he could slowly become a dominant defenceman in the OHL. He needs to play more physical and that is really the only flaw in his game. He doesn’t put up big numbers, but he contributes more offensively than his numbers would suggest. Rogalski is a steady defenceman and should challenge to go late in the 1st round at next years draft. (Rogalski has 1G, 8A, 9PTS, -7, 28 PIM in 45 GP)

Dan Spence - YOB: 1988 - 6’0” - 185 lbs.
NHL: Free Agent
Report: Spence has been a saviour in net for the Sting this year, and has single handedly won a few games for the team, and has always kept them in every game. Spence has great reflexes and has an incredibly fast glove hand. He plays with an unorthodox style somewhat like Mike Murphy’s style, but like Murphy it has been working very effectively for him. Spence could easily challenge for the GAA lead if the Sting had a stronger defense core. His GAA is 4th in the league behind only Murphy, McCollum and Spitfire net minder Engelade. His save percentage is 3rd behind only Murphy and McCollum. Spence will likely see a pro contract the free agent route when his season completes in Sarnia. (Spence is 17-11-2, 2 SO, 2.53 GAA, .920 SV%)