Ryan Yessie's Thoughts on Sault Ste. Marie and Sarnia from November 21

Ryan was at the Sault Ste. Marie and Sarnia game on Saturday and has filed a report for us. The Hounds, thanks to solid goaltending from Robin Lehner, shutout the Sting 2-0. This handed Sarnia its 5th straight loss and a trip to the very bottom of the Western Conference standings.

The SOO





Daniel Catenacci - #7 - C - YOB: 1993 - 5‘10” - 170lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2011
Report: Nov/21/09: Catenacci looked decent out there in this game. His skating is solid, he engages in battles for the pucks, and seems to be able to absorb a decent amount of punishment from bigger opponents. He certainly in no way stood out or take over even a few shifts as other 1st overall picks have done in the past. He will continue to be a good forward, but this seems to be a tribute to how weak the 2011 draft will be. Catenacci really didn’t have any standout flaws in his game, but none of his skills appeared to be standouts either. Combine that with his small stature, and Catenacci will be a decent prospect, and will be a 1st rounder in next year’s draft, but will not project to be more than a 2nd line forward.
(Cantenacci had 1G, +1, 2 PIM tonight)

Brett Thompson - #9 - C - YOB: 1991 - 5‘8” - 160lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Nov/21/09: To be honest when I saw Thompson listed as 5’8” 160lb.I was surprised. He looked a lot bigger on the ice than that, and played a huge impact in this game. Thompson showed off great speed, and good shiftiness when coming up the ice with the puck. He made some very solid tape to tape passes. He banged in the puck in the crease for what turned out to be the winning goal, but what was more impressive was the way he set up a 2 on 1 goal for Catenacci drawing in the goaltender and the defenceman towards him then sending it over to Catenacci for the goal that put this one in the books. Thompson wasn’t someone I was expecting too much from, but he looked really good out there tonight, I was impressed.
(Thompson had 1G, 1A, +1 tonight)

James Livingston - #12 - RW - YOB: 1990 - 6‘1” - 210lbs.
NHL: 3rd Round - 70th Overall by St. Louis in 2008
Report: Nov/21/09: Livingston is someone who once again leaves me wanting to see more out of him. He didn’t look very different from last year. He threw some big hits, he only got one shot on net, which may be playing an impact on my opinion. His skating is not great but not bad either, average skater for his size. Livingston however appeared to show some leadership qualities at times, as well as being on the ice almost entirely for every penalty, which shows that at the NHL level even if he can’t become the power forward St. Louis thought he would when they picked him in the 3rd round, he can still be a special teams player, and is more than physical enough to fill a bottom 6 role. Livingston did have great positioning on defence tonight.

Nick Cousins - #27 - RW - YOB: 1993 - 5’9” - 155lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2011
Report: Nov/21/09: Cousins looked pretty good out there tonight, displayed great speed, handled the puck well, and positioned well. He got caught a few times trying to do too much in the offensive zone, but has so much speed to his game he was able to make it back in his own zone. He played on a line with Livingston, so that shows the SOO has confidence in him going forward. He’s certainly a player to watch going into the 2011 NHL draft. He could turn out not far off of his teammate Catenacci in the draft.

Brandon Archibald - #3 - D - YOB: 1992 - 6‘3” - 200lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Nov/21/09: Above all Archibald was the one I was most disappointed in tonight. He has great size, and although he did hit, he didn’t utilize his size nearly as well as he should be. His skating is very awkward and always looks like he’s got one broken foot he leans to one side, and really can’t generate speed. However backwards Archibald is very smooth, with good lateral movement, it was very odd, and I almost think he should skate backwards both directions because he was about as fast, and much more fluid going backwards as he was going forward. Archibald turned the puck over a little too many times for a potential prospect, and was just not at the level I expected him to be at after hearing so many great things to start the season.
(Archibald had 1A, +1 tonight)

Brock Beukeboom - #25 - D - YOB: 1992 - 6‘1” - 196lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Nov/21/09: Before this game I had Archibald slightly past Beukeboom. That all changed tonight. Beukeboom played very good tonight for the SOO and was arguably their best defenceman. He plays a safe stay at home game, but seems to be a very good skater, always moving his feet, and really seems to build his game around protecting his own net. He had good body positioning on incoming forwards, and although I’d like him to hit a little more, he wasn’t bad in this regard either. Beukeboom will never put up a lot of points but seemed to hit his outlet passes fairly well. Beukeboom isn’t going to be a franchises key defenceman, but I could see him landing in a Steve Staios type role one day.
(Beukeboom had 2 PIM tonight)

Robin Lehner - #35 - G - YOB: 1991 - 6‘4” - 224lbs.
NHL: 2nd Round - 46th Overall by Ottawa in 2009
Report: Nov/21/09: Lehner played outstanding and earned the shutout tonight. Lehner’s reflexes are second to none, he really doesn’t come out of his crease enough which is really the only knock in his game, and at his size it doesn’t hurt his game as it would to other goaltenders. His reaction time, as well as his recovery ability are simply amazing. I was a little weary about him getting drafted so high, but after seeing him, he simply stole this game. If Sarnia had scored first this would have been a very different game. At one point during the tie game Lehner made a save and gave up a rebound and an open net, he quickly recovered and dove across the net and got enough to prevent the puck going in. Simply blown away by Lehner’s performance tonight.
(Lehner stopped all 25 shots for a shutout tonight)

Sarnia






Shayne Campbell - #30 - G - YOB: 1992 - 6‘2” - 175lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2011
Report: Nov/21/09: Campbell played great in relief of Adam Courchaine who suffered an upper body injury. Letting in 6 goals over the course of the two games, many of those wouldn’t have been stopped by any goaltender in the league. Campbell continues to show great reflexes, and is starting to get quicker with his recovery. Because of his quickness he makes saves that other goaltenders at his general skill level wouldn’t make. Although there are those out there that feel Campbell isn’t capable of being a starting goaltender, he reminds me a lot of former goaltending prospect Parker Van Buskirk, however Parker’s development was largely ruined playing behind overagers, with the injury to Courchaine, Campbell will now get an opportunity to show that he can handle the starting job, when/if Courchaine does get traded. Campbell certainly made a big step in that direction with his performance this weekend.
(Campbell stopped 56 of 62 shots in 2 games this weekend)

Joe Rogalski - #74 - D - YOB: 1991 - 6‘2” - 185lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Nov/21/09: As promised I was going to do a write up on Rogalski, so I did watch him closely this weekend to get a good look at how he has developed this season. Rogalski continues to rush the puck up the ice, but is very smart about moving the puck to his linemates at the right time. He appears to be the kind of player that doesn’t want to play selfish often passing instead of shooting on the power play. Skating wise Rogalski has it down in both directions he is an above average skater, and a very good one for a defenceman pushing 6’3”. Rogalski has a decent shot, but if he used it more often he might be more effective with it, which is something he should look to improve in. Also what needs improvement is Rogalski’s ability to add muscle. He’s shown a willingness to hit, but just simply isn’t as effective as he could be being only 185 and not looking a pound bigger. Rogalski is reliable in his own zone, probably not a guy you’d put on your PK in the NHL, but is someone who can do his job in his own zone. At the start of the year I said Chiarlitti had taken the edge over Rogalski as the top prospect out of Sarnia this year, recently Rogalski has re-claimed that title, and if he continues to improve may hear his name called in the 2nd/3rd round. There’s no question his strengths are skating, and his puck moving abilities, as well as his potentially imposing size at 6’2“-6’3”.

Thanks to Ryan Yessie for this report. Anyone else out there have comments on the Hounds or Sting?

Thoughts on Windsor and Sault Ste. Marie from November 5

Having only seen these teams a few times this year so far, I decided to catch this one on the Action Pack last night. The game saw the recent return of very important players for both clubs. Jordan Nolan was playing in his second game back after serving a 20 game suspension stemming from an incident involving Plymouth's R.J. Mahalak at the end of last season. Ryan Ellis played in his first game in over a month after suffering a wrist injury. Meanwhile the Hounds were still without the services of forward James Livingston (death in the family) and goaltender Robin Lehner (apparently has H1N1 virus).

After coming away with two wins last weekend, it was a big chance for the Hounds to get back on track and start off this week well. But they came up short. The Spitfires forwards were just too fast and too skilled, causing a lot of trouble for the Hounds defense. Bryce O'Hagan had a very good game in net for the Hounds, as he faced 45 shots, the majority of which were solid scoring chances. I still think that Sault Ste. Marie is a good team in the West and that they'll make the playoffs. But with a young defense (minus the two overagers) and a young roster in general, there will be some bumps along the way.

Some individual thoughts on the players...As always with a Windsor game, it's hard to keep up with the many NHL prospects they have.

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds






Brandon Archibald (2010)
Of the Hounds younger defenseman, Archibald was the best last night. I know that's not saying a lot, but I felt he displayed some things that makes him an attractive NHL prospect. I know every time I've seen him play, I've come away impressed (to differing extents). He made a couple of nice defensive plays on Taylor Hall, staying with him on the rush and forcing him to go outside. For a big guy, he has pretty good mobility. He did get blown by once by Hall though on the powerplay, as he was caught standing still. That's more positionally related though and not necessarily mobility. Offensively, he had his ups and downs. I know he can handle the puck and make a good first pass out of his zone, but he needs more confidence doing it. Towards the end of the game he made a nice pinch and put a good hard shot on net. He's capable offensively, just needs more confidence. I think he's nearly a carbon copy to Matt Clark in Brampton, and we saw how high Clark was drafted in 2009. This leads me to believe Archibald is easily a top 60 selection at this point too.

Daniel Catenacci (2011)
All this kid needs is added strength. He's got all the offensive capabilities you look for. Killer speed, which he used to breakthrough the defense on a few occasions last night. Offensive instincts, he knows where to be on the ice. His all around game is maturing and he's not afraid to take a hit to make a play or go into the corners for a loose puck. He's just missing the strength and conditioning that would allow him to be a dominant offensive force in this league. Because he's not strong enough, he's relying strictly on his speed right now to generate offensive scoring chances. Any time the game slows down, he gets held up by the defense. His shot strength isn't where it needs to be at this point either. Had a few good opportunities coming down the wing, but put a weak shot right into the chest of Passingham both times. By the end of the season, you'll see, he'll be much better and more dynamic, as he gets stronger.

Jordan Nolan (LA)
Didn't take him long to get his game back. He was the Greyhounds best skater in the game. Really the only Greyhound player generating scoring chances (save a few nice plays from Catenacci). His acceleration and first step aren't great, but once he gets going, he's hard to stop. Took the puck to the outside and beat his defender along the wall a couple of times, both leading to eventual scoring chances. On the lone Hounds goal, he made a beautiful pass to a streaking Michael Quesnele on the powerplay. It was a beautiful and hard pass cross ice through two Spits defenders. The only thing he's missing right now is his timing. Had a few good opportunities to score but missed on them as he either failed to get a shot off, or shot it well wide.

Brock Beukeboom (2010)
I like Beukeboom, but he had a terrible game last night. Definitely the worst I've ever seen him play. To an extent, I almost feel like he was exposed a bit too. Greyhounds fans might be able to comment more, but after that hot start, he's really quieted down lately. His mobility and foot speed really got exposed in this game as a weakness. Richard Panik exploded by him twice, once hitting the post, the other time drawing a penalty. On a few other plays, his positioning got exposed as players went by him as he got caught standing around or turning around. He was terrible with the puck too, committing several bad passes. One was inside his own zone as he made a pass to partner Michael Quesnele. The pass was more like a slap shot and Quesnele was nowhere near ready for the speed or inaccuracy of the pass, this lead to a turnover and another post hit by Richard Panik. Towards the end of the 3rd period, he committed an atrocious turnover that lead to a Spitfires 3-0 break and a Taylor Hall goal. As the rest of his team was going off for a change, instead of dumping the puck in, he decided to make a drop pass...to no one. Just a complete brain fart. Definitely not the best game for this 2010 prospect.

Bryce O'Hagan (2010)
I thought he played exceptionally well last night. He has very good goaltending mechanics. Got himself square to the shooter on every play and reads and reacts well to the play, knowing when to challenge the shooter. His rebound control is very strong too and he did a good job of freezing that puck. He really couldn't be faulted on any of the Spitfires goals and did his best to keep his team in the game. After starting the season so well, he's struggled lately on the stat sheet. Hounds fans is this a reflection of his play or on the Hounds defense? On the negative side, he really needs to stop handling the puck. Every time he went out to try and make a play on the puck, he ended up giving it away to the Spitfires. And every time that caused a scoring chance. Stay in your net Bryce!...or keep working on those puck skills (or at least the timing of using them anyway). He made 41 of 45 saves and took the loss.

Windsor Spitfires







Taylor Hall (2010)
Just all over the place in this one. After some people criticized him for not really taking a step forward last season (perhaps merited), there is no doubt in my mind that he has this year. His speed and puck carrying ability is second to none in this league. His ability to make plays at his highest speed is his greatest quality. He's really cut down on the turnovers this year too, from what I've seen. In previous years, I found that he could be forced into turning the puck over around the neutral zone, but I haven't been seeing that this year. He's been much smarter with the puck. To open the game he had a highlight reel goal, an NHL quality goal on the powerplay. Cam Fowler hit him with a pass cross ice and Hall unleashed a howitzer on the one timer top shelf. Not even Roberto Luongo stops that one. Gained an assist after making a nice pass to Adam Henrique on a two on one in the third period. Finally, got a late third period goal after stealing Brock Beukeboom's terrible backpass and going in on a breakaway, going five hole on O'Hagan. I think Hall's defensive game has improved by leaps and bounds too, and he's playing effectively on the penalty kill. Not much he can't do right now. Finished the game with 2 goals and an assist.

Ryan Ellis (NSH)
Good to see Ellis back from that wrist injury. He was great in the game. Solid at both ends of the ice, is starting to become a very capable positional defender. Absolutely nailed Daniel Catenacci with a great hit as he tried to gain access over the blueline. Not many guys run a powerplay like this guy too, which everyone knows. His instincts are so strong. I've never seen a defenseman at this level with the ability to keep the puck in the zone that he has. Unless the puck is going 100mph out of the zone, this guy is stopping it at the line. He finished with an assist.

Adam Henrique (NJ)
Had a solid game as always. Brings speed, forechecking ability, hard work and two way play to the ice every game. Made a nice move in close for the 2 on 1 goal with Taylor Hall. Went to the backend and chipped it up over O'Hagan's shoulder. Not much else to say here other than he's turned into one of the more dependable players in the OHL and if I'm picking Team Canada for the WJC's, he's part of my shutdown line.

Cam Fowler (2010)
So much to like about Fowler. That pass to Hall on the powerplay for the one timer goal was a work of art. Hard, through the defense, right on the stick. As I said, that's an NHL play. Defensively, he's solid positionally and uses his mobility to prevent forwards from getting by him. His play along the boards and in front of the net is vastly improving too. On the downside, every time I see him play, he makes at least one boneheaded play with the puck in his own zone. Tonight was a bad pass straight up the middle of the ice from behind his net. It was picked off and created a good shot opportunity on Passingham. Those brain farts really have to improve. He finished with an assist.

Kenny Ryan (TOR)
My first look at Ryan in the OHL and didn't come away impressed. Only one viewing so by no means am I making a concrete assessment of Ryan's future. But he was very sluggish in this game. Hard to tell if it was effort/endurance or skating, but he had a really hard time in getting by the opposing defense (about the only Windsor play who did have trouble). He tried to be active on the forecheck, but was often too slow to reach the puck carrier. Outside of that, he was pretty much invisible. But I've heard some good things out of the folks in Windsor, so I'm obviously going to see him play again. He finished with an assist on the Hall/Henrique two on one goal.

Richard Panik (TBL)
To an extent, I think Panik has been receiving some criticism in Windsor this year. Fans expected more out of him offensively than he's been giving them. Every time I've seen him play, I have come away with something different. The true reflection of an enigma. But he was quite good last night. He hit two posts and had a very nice pass to Scott Timmins for his first period goal. I actually really like his on ice vision as every time I've seen him play, he makes a really nice pass finding a streaking player. Shows good awareness and anticipation of the play. His speed and size makes him difficult to contain too, when he shows the willingness to take the puck to the net. At this point of the season last year, guys like Loktionov and Grachev were enigma's too. For Euro players, it can take time for them to find consistency in the OHL.

Justin Shugg (2010)
Another guy who's been ice cold lately after a hot start. Not going to add much here. Was pretty invisible in the game.

Mark Cundari (STL)
Honestly, the most underrated player in the OHL (I think I say that every time I see Windsor). He's playing with so much confidence right now too. Offensively, he's making the smart play and he's taking good chances with the puck. He's not afraid to pinch in to make a play to keep possession in the offensive end. He does a great job of getting his shot through to the net, and unlike a guy like Cam Fowler, he doesn't feel the need to use a slapper all the time. Defensively, he's a rock. Not a single Greyhound player got by him tonight (OK that's a lie, one did and he took a holding penalty on the play, but it was as he was coming back into the zone on a rush, so technically, the player didn't get by him, he was returning on the backcheck). He's physical, he's smart and he's definitely an NHL caliber prospect. Don't be surprised if he gets an invite to the Team Canada WJC camp with the way he's playing right now.

Harry Young (NJ)
Harry was Harry tonight. Good defensive composure, good for a few hard slapshots on net from the point. Made a really nice defensive play on Jordan Nolan. Nolan got by him on his way to the net, but Young kept his feet moving, engaged physical contact and used his long reach to knock the puck away. If you're a big stay at home defenseman, that's all you can ask for.

Austin Watson (2010)
Had a good game even though he didn't get any points to show for it. I know I keep saying it, but when this guy adds more muscle to his frame, he's going to be an absolute beast. He's already hard for defenseman to contain down low. I like his willingness to take the puck to the net as soon as he gets it on his stick too. He doesn't mess around.

Greg Nemisz (CGY)
Had a very strong game despite not notching any points. In the first period, he had several quality scoring chances. I think his speed has really improved, and he's using his size more to take the puck to the net, rather than being satisfied with being a complimentary offensive player. I don't think he'll ever been a power forward at the NHL level, because he doesn't really hit people or use his size in that way, but as an offensive forward with size and soft hands, he still has a great future ahead of him. If not for a few nice saves from Bryce O'Hagan, Nemisz would have definitely hit the score sheet.

Eric Wellwood (PHI)
Really like him on the wing, where he was playing last night. Definitely one of the fastest players in the OHL, and that causes a lot of problems for opposing defenses. He had a couple of nice rushes with the puck, although nothing really came of them. He was also very good on the penalty kill, as he always is. Before being held pointless in his last two games, Wellwood was on a major tear with 16 points in 9 games. Looks like the Philadelphia Flyers were pretty smart in grabbing him with a draft pick in 2009.

Scott Timmins (FLA)
Timmins has 11 goals in his last 10 games and really seems to be playing with a lot of confidence right now. Showing no hesitation in shooting the puck. In a couple of occasions, he really rifled it just missing the net. Puck was on his stick one second, and to the net the next. No hesitation and that shows confidence. I'm still not sure he's an offensive player at the next level, but he's at least a very strong two way forward who hit the ice for you put in a solid effort. Scored his first period goal off a nice feed from Richard Panik, as he was found cutting to the net across the ice, beating his defender and going over O'Hagan's shoulder (and off the cross bar and then off a Greyhounds defenseman) and in.

Questions and comments are always welcome. Anyone else see the game?

Thoughts on Sault Ste. Marie and Kitchener from October 12

Happy Thanksgiving everyone (well at least my Canadian readers). Nothing makes a Canadian Thanksgiving complete (besides food), like some good ol' hockey and today saw the match up of two of the best teams in the Western Conference as the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds took on the Kitchener Rangers at the Aud. The Hounds came into the game riding a 2 game losing streak, while the Rangers had yet to suffer a regulation loss.

When the dust settled, the Hounds ended up on the wrong side of a 4-2 score and extended their losing streak to 3 games after starting the year with 7 straight wins. I don't think Hounds fans should be discouraged. Tough games, and ones the Hounds stayed competitive in. I don't see this as the end of the Hounds Cinderella story or anything. They are a solid team and they'll get back to winning once the shock of their first losses wears off.

As for the Rangers, they look really strong. They aren't getting as much respect as they should right now, in my opinion. I think most of it stems from the fact that they haven't played as many games as some of the other teams in the league. They have by far the best winning percentage in the league thus far, but are only tied for third in points. If they don't make the CHL Top 10 rankings this week, it'll be a travesty. They look solid at both ends of the ice, rolling two really strong scoring lines and playing solid defense. They finally got some good goaltending from Brandon Maxwell today too, after he struggled in his opening three games.

Most importantly, this game represented the reality of the OHL. In 2008, these two teams met in the Western Conference finals. In 2009, they both missed the playoffs. In 2010, they are forces to be reckoned with again. Look no further than the Eastern Conference this year. In 2009, Belleville and Brampton met in the East finals. In 2010, they are tied for last in the East. It's a whirlwind league, whose natural design sees this up and down competitive nature. It also shows that in the OHL, rebuilds or "retools" should not take longer than a season to accomplish. Teams like the Kingston Frontenacs, and Peterborough Petes should not have been making excuses the past few years for on ice performance in the face of rebuilds, as teams continue to show that the rebuilding process can be successful in only a years time. That being said, it is worth mentioning that Kingston and Peterborough are finally back to the top of the East after three year absences (ironically the last time these BOTH teams finished with home ice advantage in round one was 2005-06).

Anyway back to the game at hand and my impressions on the Rangers and Hounds...

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds





Brandon Archibald (2010)
Played a quietly effective game. Big defenseman with good mobility who plays a very quietly effective defensive game. Keeps players to the outside, makes smart decisions with the puck. He also works on the second powerplay unit and does a good job moving the puck around the ice. Guys like him always generate attention from NHL scouts. I look at him and see a guy like Brampton's Matt Clark, who ended up being a high 2nd round pick in 2009.

Jacob Muzzin (Overage Free Agent)
After failing to sign with Pittsburgh, Muzzin is back in the OHL for his overage season. I'm a big fan of his as a player and I think Pittsburgh made a mistake in not signing him (although admittedly they do have several similar prospects like Robert Bortuzzo and Ben Lovejoy). The Hounds have to be happy to have him back as he's serving as their captain and leading their defense in scoring. He's a big guy who loves to use his size. He laid out Jeff Skinner twice as he tried to bring the puck to the net. He also is smart with the puck and moves up it up very well. His skating isn't the greatest and it needs to be improved for the professional level, but he has all the other tools that you'd look for in a rugged NHL defenseman. I hope someone gives him a contract this offseason. He finished the game with 2 assists.

Daniel Catenacci (2011)
The first overall pick in the 2009 OHL Priority Draft, Catenacci showed some good things today. I like his composure with the puck in the offensive zone. With rookies, you find that they try to force things or try to make moves with the puck in traffic and end up turning it over. Catenacci played the simple possession game in the offensive end, he worked the cycle and he didn't turn the puck over. While he never really generated any offensive chances, I was impressed with the maturity of his game. As he gets stronger and gains more confidence, he's likely to start contributing more.

James Livingston (STL)
Livingston was one guy whom I felt really needed to step up his game this year and thus far he has. He's definitely a power forward who looks to drive to the net with the puck on his stick. But he's actually a fairly skilled puck handler who's able to get through defenders not only with his size, but his skill too. With great hands, it's always been a wonder to me as to how he's never put up better stats in this league. One thing I will say though is that his skating has never really improved in the league. Only an average skater, I thought that Livingston could make gains on his speed and acceleration in the same way a guy like James Neal did in his time in the league. But he still looks like he's skating in molasses at times. That explosive skating ability is about the only thing lacking in his game, and probably the thing that prevents him from really taking over shifts. He finished with a goal and an assist, both on somewhat goal mouth scrambles.

Kyle DeCoste (TBL)
After playing so well for the Hounds late last year, I expected him to make a much larger contribution this year. Thus far, he's been largely disappointing. With only 1 goal in 7 games, he's on pace to take a step backwards offensively. Truthfully, he was largely invisible today. If he's not contributing on offense, DeCoste usually at least contributes physically. But he didn't do a whole lot of that today either. Seems to be just going through the motions.

Brock Beukeboom (2010)
Beukeboom was alright today. I liked his willingness to play the body and he made sure the Rangers forwards knew he was there. I liked the way he controlled the point on the powerplay, using his big shot to create scoring chances. He does a good job of getting it through to the net too. Outside of that, not much else to say really. He wasn't terrible, and he wasn't great.

Nick Cousins (2011)
Invisible tonight. If I wasn't looking for him on a shift, I had a pretty hard time finding him. That being said, I saw a little bit of him earlier this season and in the preseason and he was at times then, one of the best players on the ice. Simply the trials and tribulations of being an OHL rookie.

Robin Lehner (OTT)
A lot of promising things here. A big goaltender who's definitely a pure butterfly goaltender. Does an outstanding job of taking away the bottom of the net. Completely robbed the Rangers twice by stretching out in the splits and getting his pad on the shot. I really liked the way he controlled his rebounds too. For a big netminder, this can often be a problem as they've got a lot more body to cover up. On the negative side, he's very timid in net for a big goaltender. Seems very content in playing back in his net and it was obvious the Rangers were trying to go upstairs on him. The first Rangers goal scored by Jeremy Morin was a weak one, where he failed to challenge the shooter and Morin had enough space to get it under his arm. He'd really be a lot more effective if he used his size to take away the top of the net too, by being aggressive and challenging shooters. He made 35 of 38 saves and took the loss.

Kitchener Rangers






John Moore (CBJ)
My first look at Moore and I was impressed...although admittedly not as "wowed" as I expected myself to be. Perhaps it was all the hype that got me thinking he was going to dominate. The skating ability was definitely as advertised. Very smooth skater who carries the puck up ice with ease. That being said, I'd like to see him use that ability to generate more scoring chances. Maybe it's a confidence thing or a feeling out process, but for the majority his rushes ended with him just dumping the puck into the zone. Defensively, he uses his skating ability to really stay with forwards and plays a solid positional game. He did make an error in coverage on the first Greyhounds goal though, failing to tie up his man (Livingston) as he put home the cross crease pass. Played a solid game, but I did expect a little more. But as I mentioned, it could have been due to unfair expectations.

Dan Kelly (Overage Free Agent)
I'm not sure if he has a future at the next level, but I really like Kelly. Without question one of the best defensive defenseman in the OHL, Kelly is a rock in his own end. The Hounds were unable to get by him all day. I really like the added aggression and toughness he showed too. Previously, I always found him to be more of a positional defender, but he was banging bodies tonight. If he wants a future at the next level, he's going to have to continue to do this. Offensively, he plays a safe game like many stay at home guys. Moves the puck up ice, doesn't force anything. He knows his limitations. Like Jacob Muzzin, I'm rooting for him to get an NHL deal, even if it would appear to be a bit of a long shot.

Tyler Randell (BOS)
Was alright today. Works the cycle well, goes to the net hard. He missed a couple good opportunities to score that he's got to do a better job getting his stick on the puck. Skating still is a bit of an issue, especially his acceleration. I'd also like to see him play more aggressive away from the puck. He has the size to bang bodies and I've seen him do it before, but it's an inconsistent quality. If he has a future at the NHL level, it's as a gritty scoring winger, and that means he's going to need to find a way to increase his energy and aggression levels on the ice.

Jason Akeson (2010, but 1990 born)
Akeson is another guy I really like as a player. I was kind of disappointed no one took a chance on him at the 2009 NHL Draft, but he's had an explosive start to the season. I think he's a really smart player and the majority of his success comes from his elite hockey sense. As a result of being smart with the puck, he is an excellent playmaker who does a good job at finding his teammates in strong scoring positions. He made be a tad undersized (5'10ish), but he competes and isn't afraid of the danger areas. Nice to see Akeson and his former teammate Eric O'Dell in the top 10 of OHL scoring. Both were hesitant to join the OHL over the NCAA route and leave their Cumberland CJHL team in 2008. But it's worked out well for both of them thus far I would say. Akeson finished with an assist.

Ryan Murphy (2011)
I came to the game expecting John Moore to be the dynamic playmaker, but instead it was Murphy who wowed me with his skating and puck carrying ability. Had two absolutely beautiful rushes with the puck where he exploded up ice and into the offensive zone. He took the puck right towards the net too and showed no fear or hesitation in doing so. Really seems to have elite puck skills. Defensively he wasn't noticeably poor either. He needs to add size in order to be able to consistently eliminate opposing forwards, but he plays a solid positional game and uses his skating ability to his advantage. I hope he can grow a little bit, but he has the makings of a dynamic offensive defenseman in this league. He finished the game with an assist.

Jeff Skinner (2010)
Skinner had a bit of a tough game. Had some good opportunities to beat Lehner but was stopped by the big netminder. He also got drilled a few times by Muzzin, and generally had a tough time getting to the net through the Hounds big defenseman. But you can't fault him for not trying. Skinner's always got his motor running and is active on the forecheck and generated some turnovers. I think he'd make a lot better winger than he would a center, as he's playing right now. I find that sometimes he tries to be too cutesy with the puck, kind of the Nazem Kadri syndrome. Instead of making the simple play, he tries to dangle or make the more difficult one. If he could play the wing and use his speed and no quit attitude to go up and down the ice, I think he'd be a lot more consistent at the offensive end.

Jeremy Morin (ATL)
Two goals in his first five games. Seven goals in his last two games. Four of those came tonight. He's definitely got a nose for the net, which was advertised to be his forte. He's not the best skater, but he's very elusive on the ice and seems to be one of those guys who can get himself open. Like any good scorer, he loves to cut to the middle of the ice with the puck on his stick too, which is how he scored his first goal. Came from behind the net, cut to the middle and put it high on Lehner (although it was a weak goal). Other two goals were of the garbage variety, while the 4th was an empty net effort where he stripped Vern Cooper of the puck and had the easy put away. Was very impressed by Morin tonight.

Gabriel Landeskog (2011)
I liked what I saw from Landeskog today. He's got a lot of energy. He skates hard, asserts himself physically. Seems to have good hands in close to the net. Morin mopped up some of his garbage after he made a nice play to get the puck on net. I think as the year goes on, he'll start getting better and better. He finished with an assist.

Brandon Maxwell (COL)
Maxwell was pretty solid today. He's got kind of an unorthodox style and flops around a little bit. That early commitment to the ice could be what's gotten him in trouble early in the season. But he did a very good job of taking away the bottom of the net tonight and seems to have very good reaction time in the crease. Made a few really nice saves by sliding cross crease and showed good lateral mobility. Hopefully he can string some good performances together and show the Rangers they made a good decision by bringing him into the fold. He made 29 of 31 saves for the victory.

That's it for the game. Anyone else catch the game today or have general comments about the Hounds and/or Rangers?

Thoughts on Sault Ste. Marie from February 5

Last night, the Niagara Ice Dogs battled the underachieving Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and defeated them by a score of 5-3. The Dogs controlled the majority of the game, outshooting the Hounds 55-30. Not only was it the 22nd time this season that the Soo have given up 5 goals or more, but it was the 4th game in a row giving up 5+ and it stretched the club's losing streak to 9 games. It's tough seeing the Hounds struggling so much, since the team has been to the playoffs each of the last four seasons, winning their division in two of those.

Here are my thoughts on a few Greyhounds...

Jacob Muzzin - Drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2007/141st

Muzzin is a big, physically imposing defenseman. He was good tonight. While many might point to the team's second worst -22 rating and assume Muzzin is struggling, I believe it to be more a reflection of the team's performance. Not to mention Muzzin plays against the opposing team's top line. He made a few really solid plays with his stick breaking up passes, and he was aggressive in playing the man infront of the net. His skating looked alright, especially for a big man. Often times, big and physical junior aged defenseman can have trouble with their mobility, but I don't see it being a big issue for him. In fact, offensively he lead the rush up ice several times and actually joined for a two on one at one point, showing good speed to get back to the defensive zone afterwards. The Pens have to make a decision about signing him, but I would be surprised if they didn't. He has the potential to be a bottom pairing NHL defenseman.

Matthew Lyall - NHL Free Agent (Overager)

Lyall was the best player on the Greyhounds last night. Despite being somewhat undersized, he was all over the ice and showed little hesitation in standing in the slot or charging the net. The first goal of two he scored was a beauty. Fired home a pass in the slot top shelf on Jeremy Smith. The offensive instincts look really solid, as he was often in the right place for a scoring chance. I'm not sure he attracts attention from NHL scouts, but I wouldn't be surprised if he at least got a chance at the AHL next season.

James Livingston - Drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 2008/70th

Livingston had a really solid game for the Greyhounds last night. He got better as the game went on and ended up with a goal and an assist. The goal was a beauty as he stole the puck off Alex Pietrangelo and went in on a breakaway. To score he deked out Jeremy Smith, and roofed it on the backhand. He had numerous other scoring chances in the game, but they were turned away by Smith. Physically, he was good, showing good strength along the boards to win battles, and he crunched Alex Pietrangelo pretty good behind the net. He also saw time on the penalty kill and did an admirable job winning battles and getting the puck out. At times, I felt he was somewhat behind the play, whether that's a skating or effort issue, I'm not sure. Last season his skating was a bit of an issue, so perhaps he hasn't improved upon it much. The one thing I'd like to see more from him is being aggressive on the forecheck. As a big guy who has the strength to win battles, the fact that he was the follower on many rushes is disappointing. He should look to pattern his game after a guy like James Neal who was a similar OHL player, but was also an absolute beast on the forecheck. I think a lot of people have looked at Livingston and assumed he had regressed and was having a terrible season. I would say his declining numbers are more a reflection of the Soo's struggles. He's not really a guy who's going to create chances for himself, so if the team isstruggling offensively, he's going to as well. I still think he has the chance to be a good pro hockey player. Next OHL season is the bigger one for him, as he'll need to be the offensive leader for the Greyhounds as they try to get back to the playoffs.

Kyle De Coste - Drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008/147th

Was De Coste even playing last night? The game sheet says so, but I sure as hell didn't notice him. De Coste was drafted much to my surprise last season, and was traded at the deadline from Brampton to the Soo. He's suppposed to be an energy player who generates chances from the rush and the cycle, but he did neither tonight. Perhaps an off game, or perhaps a reflection on his poor status as an NHL prospect. Either way, doesn't look like he's taken much of a step forward this season. I won't make any more generalizations since I seriously didn't notice him play last night.

Brock Beukeboom - NHL Draft Eligible in 2010

Beukeboom had a solid game. He looks to be poised at both ends of the ice. He has good size and he skates well, leading the rush at times. He made smart decisions with the puck and he spent some time at point on the powerplay. Defensively, I didn't feel he was overwhelmed, and did a good job positionally. I think that you'll see his offensive stats really jump next season as he makes a push for the top 3 rounds of the 2010 NHL draft. He's certainly got the bloodlines on his side, with his father being former NHL defenseman Jeff Beukeboom.

Bryce O'Hagan - NHL Draft Eligible in 2010

O'Hagan had a good game despite giving up 5 goals. He's had a bit of a rough season, with a GAA close to 4, and a save percentage below .890. But he sees a ton of rubber and it's not easy being the goalie on a struggling team. He's still got time to turn things around, because as a late 1991, he's not eligible for the NHL draft until 2010. He does have good potential to improve. He showed good mobility, squared up the shooter, kept rebounds to a minimum and made the saves he had to. For young goaltenders on struggling teams, it's all about mental toughness. If he can stay confident, he'll end up being better for seeing so many pucks this season.