Game Report: Greyhounds and Generals from February 18

I had a chance to watch this one last night. Even though it featured two teams heading in opposite directions (one up, one down), I figured that it'd be a good watch because of the quality of 2011 eligible talent playing.

But I was wrong. This one was pretty ugly. The Hounds were demolished by the Generals 6-1, who controlled the tempo of play (even if the Hounds outshot the Gennies) and capitalized on nearly every one of their scoring chances. It was just not a good game to assess any of the Hounds players because they were badly outplayed.

The one thing that always sticks out for me when I watch the Generals, is how balanced their scoring attack is. Every time I watch them, different players step up as the stand outs. This team is going to be damn good next year, as long as they can find a solution on defense and in net (with the pending graduations of players like de Haan, Di Salvo, Valentine, etc).

Player reports:

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

#5 - Ryan Sproul (Draft eligible in 2011)
Perhaps the player I was most excited about watching, considering how well he's been producing lately. I saw him about a month ago, where he looked fantastic. Last night was a horror story though. I'd have to imagine that was probably the worst game he's played all year. He was on the ice for four of the Generals six goals, and definitely deserved his -4 rating. He hit rock bottom in the second period (the last of the four goals he was on the ice for) when he coughed up the puck in his own end on the powerplay and the Generals scored a shortie. He tried to carry it over from behind his net, and turned it over to Andy Andreoff who slid it past Perugini. While still on the powerplay, I guess interim Coach Dave Torrie wanted to show some confidence in his young blueliner, so Sproul went back out there. Except he then tried to pass the puck up the ice from behind his own net, but ended up giving it away to Nicklas Jensen...who was luckily offside. That was the last we saw of Sproul (save a few sporadic shifts) until late in the third. It was late in the third that we finally got to see that hard shot of his, where he rang one of the post with a boomer from the point. He has to take this performance as a learning piece and move on. Hopefully this doesn't ruin any of the confidence he's gotten from his strong production of late.

#6 - Colin Miller (Draft Eligible in 2011)
If Miller were on a stronger team, I think we'd be talking about him as a possible selection. I've been impressed with him this year and he's one of those quietly effective guys (similar to a Stuart Percy in Mississauga). He was one of the few Hounds who had a decent game (had a couple nice hits, was strong defensively), but wasn't flawless as he was responsible for the first period goal by Andy Andreoff. He tried to keep the puck in at the point, but was caught pinching and the Gens went back on a 2 on 1, which Andreoff scored on. When he keeps it simple, he's a very effective player.

#7 - Daniel Catenacci (Draft Eligible in 2011)
I'm a fan, but it wasn't a good game by the Cat. He was completely neutralized by the Generals defense and wasn't really able to get anything going. The one good moment he did have was the thunderous check on Daniel Maggio against the boards, which was impressive considering the size difference.

#17 - David Broll (Draft Eligible in 2011)
I thought he was probably the best of the Hounds draft eligibles on the night. His skating looks improved since the beginning of the season, which is big for the type of power forward game he brings. He actually showed some good hands and offensive creativity that I hadn't seen from him before. In the first period, he went inside and out on a Generals defender in the slot to create a scoring chance for a teammate. He was relatively effective on the forecheck too.

#19 - Brett Findlay (Draft Eligible in 2011)
I thought Findlay had a good first period, but disappeared after that. This was the first time I've seen him play center, but he was more noticeable down the middle than he was on the wing in my previous viewings. At this point, I'm not sure he's a serious candidate to get drafted without elite size, and any real distinguishable characteristics.

#27 - Nick Cousins (Draft Eligible in 2011)
The most admirable thing about Cousins was that he was one of the few players still going hard in the third period when the game was out of reach. Unfortunately, he just wasn't very effective on the night, save for a nice rush in the first where he used a burst of speed to the outside to get past the defender for a scoring chance. Truthfully, I'm not sure I have a handle on the type of player he'll be at the next level (considering his lack of size).

Oshawa Generals

#4 - Scott Valentine (Drafted by Anaheim)
Valentine had a great game. He still doesn't have a contract from the Ducks, but with the way he's played this season, I'd be surprised if he didn't get one. He'll have to refine his approach for the next level, but the skill set is there for a quality third pairing guy in the NHL. As par for the course, Valentine had a couple of huge checks on players crossing the blueline. Bringing the puck across the blueline along the boards is like a death sentence when Valentine is on the ice. He's learned to pick his spots better this year too, as he was previously run around looking for the big hit and could get a bit lost defensively. Offensively, he did a nice job bringing the puck up ice and has improved his breakout pass and his first few steps (although he's always been a strong skater).

#11 - Alain Berger (Overage free agent)
Berger has had a good season for the Generals. Perhaps not to the level that I expected, but with the balanced scoring attack Oshawa has been employing, being third in goals on the team and on pace for 30 on the season is still solid. Berger remains most effective on the powerplay (third in the league in powerplay goals), where he scored last night (one of two on the night). He's not the most gifted skater, but he plays the game hard, he goes hard to the net and he has good hands in close. Both of his goals on the night were of that ilk. As a big body in front of the net on the powerplay, I think there's a chance he gets a look from an NHL team for a contract this offseason.

#15 - Andy Andreoff (Draft eligible in 2011, but 1991 born)
Passed over in two drafts already, Andreoff has been one of the league's most improved players this season and has a serious shot of getting drafted this year. He has the size, skill, and intensity to get a look. I thought he was Oshawa's best player on the night. The first goal he scored was beautiful, as he stole the puck off Colin Miller at his own blueline, took it all the way to the net, toe dragged around a sliding Derek Hartwick and deposited it past Chris Perugini. The second goal was just as nice, as he came in short handed, stole the puck off Ryan Sproul, and slipped the puck through Perugini's fivehole on the backhand. He was physical, he showed skill and he's made great strides this year. I think he would make a quality late round selection by an NHL club this year.

#17 - Nicklas Jensen (Draft eligible in 2011)
Jensen had a good game, even if he didn't get on the scoresheet. He finished plus three, as part of the big Andreoff and Berger line. He's definitely at his best when he's got the puck on his stick, where he's very hard to stop. His play without the puck offensively is still inconsistent (at least IMO), where at times he's a factor on the forecheck or with the cycle along the boards, but other times he isn't nearly as aggressive. But being able to keep the motor running 24/7, should be able to come to him with greater experience. He was also solid on the PK last night, where he helped to keep the Hounds at 0 for 5.

#24 - Calvin de Haan (Drafted by the New York Islanders)
Even if some people have been disappointed slightly by his offensive production this season, he's really improved in his own end. That's not to say that he's ever been a poor defender, but he's taken his defensive game to the next level this season. The Hounds were just not able to do anything offensively when de Haan was on the ice. He anticipates direction so well and is a very strong lateral and backwards skater, that he's very tough to beat to the net. He's also added a physical element to his game this year and has become tough to win battles in the corner against. I'm not one for NHL comparisons, but de Haan really reminds me of now ex Leaf, Tomas Kaberle, in the way that he approaches things offensively and defensively.

#25 - Colin Suellentrop (Draft eligible in 2011)
There are a lot of quality defenseman available from the OHL this year, and Suellentrop is right in that mix. He was very good defensively on the night, and the Hounds just couldn't really get anything past him. With his size, above average skating ability, and physical willingness, I think he's definitely an NHL draft pick. The offensive game has improved as the season has gone on too, as he slowly increases his confidence in carrying the puck up ice and making good passes out of the zone (instead of chipping it out).

#27 - Christian Thomas (Drafted by the New York Rangers)
What a season Thomas has had for the Generals. He had another solid game on the night and has 10 goals in the month of February (in 8 games). Some people look at his size and question whether he can keep up his play at the next level, but I think he definitely can. He may be small, but he's very quick, he's aggressive and he's hard to knock off the puck. He also doesn't need much room to get his shot off. These are all critical qualities for smaller players to succeed at the next level IMO. He finished the game with a goal and an assist. The goal was off a cross crease pass by Lucas Lessio, which Thomas one timed to the back of the net. He was also fantastic on the penalty kill, much like the rest of his Oshawa teammates on the night.

#38 - Lucas Lessio (Draft eligible in 2011)
This was definitely one of the better games I've seen Lessio play this season. From what I've been hearing around the league, he seems to have really ironed out some of those consistency issues in the past few months and is playing harder every game. Right now, his game offensively still revolves around his speed. He's very quick (especially those first few steps) and he's aggressive in using his speed, either with the puck on his stick or in trying to beat defenders to a loose puck. He needs to work on improving his play around the boards and in using his teammates, but I still think he's got a lot of potential. He did make a very nice pass to Christian Thomas for his goal.

Game Report: 67's and Generals from October 24

The NFL is on all day & Monday night, so why not watch a matinee OHL game instead? That was my thinking process today in deciding to catch Ottawa and Oshawa on the OHL Action Pack. I had yet to see Ottawa play this year and what a better game to watch than a divisional match up against the Gennies?

The Generals completely dominated play in this game, yet came out on the losing end. Oshawa did manage to salvage a point by getting the game to overtime (after scoring three straight goals in the third period), but Petr Mrazek backstopped the 67's to a shootout victory.

Ottawa had a lot of difficulty with the size and speed of Oshawa's forwards. While the 67's defense did do well to contain the initial rushes of Oshawa's forwards, it was the second effort and the constant motor of the Generals that gave them trouble. Every shift was worked almost like clockwork. Drive to the net, stymied, but then regain possession of the puck and set up in the Ottawa end. Ottawa had only 6 shots in the second and third period combined. It was definitely thanks to Petr Mrazek that they came out on top.

And for the Generals, it was some sloppy defensive and neutral zone play that cost them. Some bad turnovers by the defense really ruined the strong game by Oshawa's forwards. I think they really need to acquire a big, tough, physical stay at home guy (say is Dalton Prout available?). But their forwards are among the best in the entire league.

Here are the player reports:

Oshawa Generals





#4 - Scott Valentine (Drafted by Anaheim in 2009)
He had a pretty tough game I thought. He's really stepped it up offensively this year, but part of that could be because he's taking more chances. Looked to take the puck into the offensive zone a lot and was constantly pinching to try and keep the puck in...occasionally getting caught. The first 67's goal was a direct result of a Valentine turnover in his own zone. He tried to skate the puck out from behind the net, tried and failed to elude the forechecking Tyler Toffoli. Toffoli picked his pocket and put it past Zador. Also still tries to look for the big hit in the defensive zone. Ryan Hanes came down the wing one on one with Valentine. Valentine went for the big hit but Hanes stepped around him (and went through him) and went in alone. But Zador made the save. Big hits are a big part of Valentine's game, but he needs to be more patient. He'll get killed at the next level defensively, if he doesn't let the play come to him first. But I love the fact that he's becoming more involved offensively, as I've always felt he had the talent. He just needs to pick his spots better.

#7 - Tony DeHart (Drafted by the New York Islanders in 2010)
DeHart wasn't incredibly noticeable to be honest. Not really a bad thing. He was active offensively and did a good job of bringing the puck up ice. Defensively, he was solid.

#17 - Nicklas Jensen (NHL Draft Eligible in 2011)
One of the most impressive performances I've seen of a draft eligible prospect so far this season. Funny thing is that he didn't register a point, but sure as hell deserved one. He was absolutely fantastic. I can't say enough good things about his play. First thing you'll notice is how strong he is on his skates. His first step isn't amazing (but not poor either), but once he gets going he's very hard to stop. He protects the puck with his body very well and had a couple really nice rushes where he put the 67's defenders on his back on the way to the net but just couldn't finish. On another play, he outhustled the 67 defenders to a loose puck along the wall, cut hard to the middle, got knocked hard, but maintained possession of the puck while skating on one leg. Just a bull on skates. Very agile for a big man too. Made a really nice play behind the net, changing direction very quickly to generate a wrap around chance, but was stoned by Mrazek going post to post. He hustled defensively too and had a couple of good plays in his own zone to break up scoring chances. Put me on the Jensen bandwagon.

#21 - Scott Laughton (Draft Eligible in 2012)
Was quite impressed by the Generals first rounder. You can see why he's currently 2nd in goals scored by players from the 2010 Priority draft (behind only first overall pick Galchenyuk). Fills the open space on the ice well and skates well too. Scored a goal off a nice feed from Christian Thomas, where Laughton fired a wrist shot past Mrazek, catching him going cross crease. He's going to be an excellent player in this league.

#22 - Boone Jenner (Draft Eligible in 2011)
One of the few Generals forwards I was disappointed with. He's such a big guy, I wish he'd use his size more. I'm not asking him to be Cam Neely, but I felt like I rarely noticed him because he wasn't very active off or on the puck. I don't think the skating is as much of an issue as some other people have said...as he kept up well with the pace. He just didn't do a whole heck of a lot.

#24 - Calvin de Haan (Drafted by the New York Islanders in 2009)
de Haan is too good for this league. At this point, a lack of size and strength was probably the only thing that kept him out of the NHL this year. In the first period, I was a little disappointed with his play as I felt he was being a bit too conservative. But he really picked it up in the second and third period, rushing the puck up ice with ease. He's just such a smart player. It's little things that make you appreciate the high level at which he thinks the game. For example, on the powerplay he was forced to receive a choppy pass at the blueline, bobbled it a bit, and gained control with two Ottawa 67's PK'ers directly to his left and right. A lot of defenseman force a pass and panic, but de Haan gained control and out waited his opponents, keeping possession instead of passing. Then he got to his teammate on the wing. The game tying goal was a thing of beauty too. Took a pass, went to the middle of the ice, was going to shoot and decided against it, partially losing the puck behind him. But he kicked the puck up from skate to stick, kept on going and wired it far side past Mrazek with about a minute left. Defensively, he was flawless too.

#27 - Christian Thomas (Drafted by the New York Rangers in 2010)
Had a very solid game and is really firing on all cylinders right now. He is not afraid to shoot from anywhere on the ice, but at the same time he's smart about it. Gets himself into position to shoot really quickly and was constantly trying to use opposing defenders as a screen. But it was his passing game that really stood out today. It's his playmaking ability that has taken the step forward this year. He's much more patient with the puck and is letting the play develop around him. His assist on Scott Laughton's goal was especially nice, as he rushed down the ice, was cut off, spun out and waited just long enough to draw the defenders in to him. Then he fired a pass to Laughton in the slot for the goal. He's always got the motor running too and is constantly lifting sticks and winning battles in the corners. He has to be a shoe in for an invite to Team Canada's Under 20 camp at this point.

#38 - Lucas Lessio (Draft Eligible in 2011)
Jensen definitely stole the spotlight today, but Lessio was pretty good too. Right now, his speed is his best weapon. In particular, his first step/acceleration is fantastic. He's at full speed in only a couple of strides and it really makes him an impact player. Not only off the rush, but he closes in on defenders very quickly in the offensive zone as their trying to get the puck out. But don't confuse that as forechecking, which is something I'd love to see him use his speed for more. He had a couple of really nice rushes to the net, but couldn't finish on any of them. He was OK along the boards, but he needs to engage physically more.

#33 - Michael Zador (Drafted by Tampa Bay in 2009)
A big year for Zador in a lot of ways. He's being expected to be the starter for a team with aspirations in winning the Eastern Conference. And he's trying to earn a contract from Tampa Bay. While he hasn't been terrible this year, he hasn't been fantastic either. He did come up with a few big stops for the Generals, but at the same time he probably should have had the Cody Ceci goal. He still gives up way too many juicy rebounds into the slot area, of which Ottawa was never in position to capitalize on. On the plus side, he kept his team in the shootout, making four quality saves before giving up the game winner to Thomas Nesbitt. It'll be interesting to see what the Generals do this year. My hunch would guess that they try and get another quality goaltender to push Zador.

Ottawa 67's







#16 - Tyler Toffoli (Drafted by Los Angeles in 2010)
Toffoli had a good game. He was one of the few 67 forwards who was doing a whole heck of a lot. Was forcing a lot of turnovers in the offensive and neutral zones, and it was good to see him hustling. The skating looks a bit better, but he'll still need to work on becoming more explosive towards the net. Scored a nice goal by catching Scott Valentine coming out from behind the net, stripping him and firing a wrist shot past Michael Zador. On the downside, he did take a stupid penalty with about two minutes left, that lead to the eventual game tying goal. He was forechecking hard, forced the Generals defender out, but then used his stick to try and hold him up. He had no chance of getting the puck as the defender was past him, so it was just a sloppy play on his part.

#17 - Steven Janes (Draft Eligible in 2011)
Janes is a big guy and he skates well. That's really about all I can tell about him at this time. He worked the cycle well and is definitely tough to separate from the puck, but I'm not sure about the level of offensive skill he has. Definitely a lunch pail type guy, but with his size and speed, he could generate interest from NHL teams.

#18 - Shane Prince (Draft Eligible in 2011)
I was really disappointed in Prince's play. There is definitely some speed to his game, but it seemed like every time he had the puck, he had it stripped or he was muscled off it. As such, he wasn't really able to create anything offensively, save a nice saucer pass off the rush to Cody Lindsay...who would have been in all alone had he been able to coral the puck. I'm definitely going to need to see him play again (live this time) to make a fair judgment on his draft status.

#33 - Dalton Smith (Drafted by Columbus in 2010)
Offensively he was completely invisible. But he was very physical and had a couple of thunderous hits. But I'd definitely like to see him become more involved with the puck on his stick.

#77 - Ryan Martindale (Drafted by Edmonton in 2010)
If I hadn't have been looking for #77, I don't think I would have noticed he was playing. Martindale was completely invisible and it shows he's still battling the consistency issues he has since he came into the OHL. As a 1991, he needs to be better.

#83 - Cody Ceci (Draft Eligible in 2012)
Ceci looks good...and improved. He definitely looks a little bigger and a little stronger. He did a nice job of containing Oshawa's forwards off the rush and did an even better job of winning battles against them in the corner. He also looks more involved offensively and had a couple of nice rushes with the puck. He scored his goal from the point, releasing a wrister goal through a crowd and into the back of the net.

#1 - Petr Mrazek (Drafted by Detroit in 2010)
Mrazek was absolutely fantastic. He got beat on a couple of well placed shots that caught him going the wrong way in his crease, taking away his angle. He might want the Alain Berger goal back at the side of the net, but his defense was more to blame for leaving two players wide open at the side of the net on the powerplay. He didn't really know how to play it and was caught in the middle of his net...probably anticipating a pass in hopes that one of his defenders would pressure Berger. But he really kept Ottawa in a game they didn't deserve being in. He comes out to challenge shooters and did a VERY good job of controlling his rebounds. He managed to hang on to pretty much everything. He showcased a good glove today too, with a couple of highlight worthy glove saves. I definitely noticed that he isn't flopping around nearly as much as he was last year either, and seems to have reformed his style a bit so that he can take away the upper half. He made 35 saves...and stopped all five shooters in the shootout for the win.

Thoughts on Oshawa and Ottawa from October 4

Caught this one on the OHL Action Pack tonight after returning from a weekend vacation. The 67's came in to Oshawa playing their third game in three nights. They have to consider themselves lucky to come out of this one with a point as they were badly outplayed. Shots went in favor of the Generals 53-29, however a late 3rd period 67's goal by Ryan Martindale sent this one to overtime and eventually the shootout. It was there the Generals managed to come out on top after scoring on 3 of their 4 attempts.

Despite today's lackluster performance, it has to be considered a successful weekend for the 67's. Despite the fact that they lost 2 out of 3 games, they managed to come away with 4 points, with their one win coming against the defending Memorial Cup Champion Windsor Spitfires (4-3 on Friday). There does have to be some concern moving forward for the 67's though. Thought to be a strength of the team, the defense has not be strong thus far. Prone to turnovers and poor defensive reads/decisions, the 67's have looked anything but solid in their own end. Sure Anthony Nigro is out with mono, and sure Corey Cowick is out with his shoulder, but some of the other players need to take it upon themselves to step up their games. Even though the season is early, it does appear that the 67's may have some trouble separating themselves from the middle of the pack teams in the Eastern Conference.

Oshawa on the other hand seems to be headed in the right direction. They just got Calvin de Haan back, their younger players are taking steps forward, and they appear to have the right attitude on the ice. It does appear goaltending is currently a bit of a problem though. Neither Kevin Baillie nor Michael Zador have played well (just check out their save percentages, yikes!) and someone has step forward for the Generals if they too have aspirations of separating themselves from the middle to bottom tier of the East.

Some thoughts on individual performances from both sides...

Oshawa Generals





Scott Valentine (ANA)
There's a lot to like about Valentine. He's definitely a mean S.O.B. Has no problem clearing the front of the net or giving a shot to the back or two of an opposing forward. Offensively, he has powerplay capabilities and seems to do a good job of getting his point shot through. He's also a quality skater, and he uses this to his advantage both offensively and defensively. For a physically aggressive defender, skating is important. However there is also a lot to dislike about Valentine's game. He took himself out of position at least twice by going for the big hit on an opposing rushing forward, neither time connecting. He needs to pick his spots better, as it would appear forwards are starting to get a bit of a "book" on him. He also made a terrible pinch offensively which led to an Ottawa goal. He has the skating ability to carry the puck into the zone, but again it comes down to timing and being able to get back to the defensive zone quickly enough. There is potential there, and let's remember that he's only played over 50 games in the OHL in 3 combined seasons. A long term defensive project but one with some promise. He finished the night -3.

Tony DeHart (2010, but 1990 born)
Really seems to have flourished as an OHL defender. He's playing with Calvin de Haan right now on Oshawa's top defensive pairing. Speaking of which, we really need to come up with a quality nickname for that pairing; the De-fence brothers (someone has to come up with a better one than that)? Quality player at both ends of the ice. Defensively he kept players to the outside and made smart decisions with the puck. Offensively he did a great job moving the puck out of the zone and running the point on the powerplay, where he scored his goal off a nice low point shot (that was deflected in by Tyler Cuma). With the way he's progressing this year, he could be on some NHL team's radar. Had a goal and an assist tonight.

Andy Andreoff (2010, but 1991 born)
Thought to be a potential 2009 NHL draft selection, Andreoff's poor offensive season seemed to sour NHL scouts. This year he's performing much better and he looked very good tonight. Moves up the ice really well, takes the puck to the net and scored the game's opening goal. Constantly involved offensively. Perhaps a nice bounce back season puts him back on the NHL scouting list.

Jeff Hayes (Overage Free Agent)
Hayes was the best player on the ice tonight. It's easy to see why the Generals captain is a fan favourite in Oshawa. While small, he's fearless and he used his speed to generate numerous scoring chances. His overall skill set is very solid. His goal was a wrist shot wired to the top shelf, while his assist came off some fancy playmaking from behind the net to Boone Jenner. Tough to say if there is a future for him in professional hockey, but you have to like the attitude and skill set he brings to the ice, even if he is undersized. Finished with a goal and an assist.

Boone Jenner (2011)
The Generals are lucky to have this guy. Their first rounder in the 2009 Priority Draft, Jenner has a lot of potential in this league. He showed really nice hands by finishing off the Jeff Hayes pass to the front of the net. The pass was flipped between Tyler Cuma's skates and Jenner showed a soft touch by corralling the puck and putting it over Mrazek's pad. He had a couple other offensive chances in the game and I like the way he goes to the net looking for the puck. He'll get better and more consistent from shift to shift, as the season goes on.

Calvin de Haan (NYI)
He had a pretty solid game. He got hurt again in the first period, but returned to action after missing a few shifts. I think there is definitely something bothering him, although their is no word yet as to what. The fact that he appears to be playing with an injury, and still looks as good as he does, is a testament to his talent level. Defensively, he was solid tonight. He reads and reacts to situations very well on the ice and does a great job in taking away space from opposing forwards by using superb positioning skills. He did make one bad pinch tonight that led to an odd man rush for Ottawa and caused him to take a slashing penalty in an attempt to break it up. But, for all the times he pinches and manages to create a scoring chance, I'm sure Chris DePiero doesn't mind the odd chance going the other way as a result. A smart player who's going to be a treat to watch for Team Canada at this years World Junior Championships. He finished the game with an assist.

Christian Thomas (2010)
There is a reason they call him Stumpy Jr. He resembles his father a lot on the ice. His skating stride and ability, his elusive nature and ability to win loose puck battles, and his fearless drive to the net all remind one of his father Steve. He did a really good job on the cycle tonight and seems to hover around the net for scoring opportunities. On the downside, I'm not sure he has the shot his father had, but he's still a quality player. Made a really nice hesitation move in the shootout to beat Petr Mrazek. He finished the game with 2 assists.

Kevin Bailie (2010)
I wasn't incredibly impressed by Bailie tonight. While he wasn't terrible, he also didn't do much to win this one for his team, save a nice shootout save on Tyler Cuma. A former first rounder by the Generals, Bailie just didn't stand out tonight. He's obviously a big goalie (listed at 6'3), but he doesn't play big. He spends a lot of time in the butterfly and tends to stay on the ground more than he should. The goal that really let Ottawa back in the game was as a result of a bad turnover by Bailie as he tried to play the puck. This was Dalton Smith's marker at the start of the 3rd period. He's definitely going to need to play better to get serious attention from NHL teams. He stopped 25 of 29 shots for the win.

Ottawa 67's






Ryan Martindale (2010)
Probably the best game I've seen him play. He's a big guy and he played with a lot of attitude tonight. A good attitude. He used his size and tried to drive the puck to the net nearly every time he had it on his stick. He was also sensational defensively, stopping two easy goals for the Generals by returning to the defensive zone just in time. His late 3rd period goal off a nice slap shot earned Ottawa the point. On the negative side, I'd still like to see him use his teammates more, especially as a centerman. He tends to be too focused on making things happen and finishing them off at the same time, rather than making things happen for his linemmates too.

Tyler Toffoli (2010)
Toffoli also played a good game. He had two very nice passes that resulted in Ottawa goals and the more I see him, the more I'm realizing he's more of a playmaker than a goal scorer. I keep wanting to see him drive hard to the net with the puck, but I'm just not sure that's his game. He does need to shoot the puck more though and be a little more selfish (kind of the opposite of Martindale). On one opportunity he had a clear shot on net, but decided to make a drop pass to a teammate with a worse scoring chance. I think a lot of it could have to do with confidence level on the ice too. I'm not sure he knows how good he could be. Either way, looks like he's starting to come out of his little offensive funk. Had an assist and was +3 on the night.

Tyler Cuma (MIN)
Didn't have a good game again. Not sure what's going on there, it could be that he's just trying to do too much with the 67 blueline struggling. On the Tony DeHart powerplay goal he made a real boneheaded play, one that Don Cherry would have lambasted him over. With Petr Mrazek out of his crease to challenge the shooter and no Oshawa player screening him, he had a clear view of the puck to make the stop. However for some reason Cuma put out his stick to try and stop the puck and instead tipped it over Mrazek's shoulder to the top corner. If he lets that puck go, it's an easy save for Mrazek and an easy rebound to control. On the Jeff Hayes pass to Boone Jenner, he fell victim to Hayes puckhandling ability, failing to take the man and let the puck go between his legs to Jenner for the finish. Offensively, he seems to be forcing things too, trying to get his shot through and trying to make things happen when they aren't there. I think he's just pressing with the defense struggling.

Dalton Smith (2010)
Skating may be a bit of an issue, but he does so many things well I always tend to ignore it. He's always in the crease and causing trouble for the opposing netminder. He's got great hands, especially in close. On his 3rd period goal, he received a nice pass from Thomas Nesbitt (off the Bailie turnover) and put it from his stick to the back of the net at warp speed. He's also very physical and had a few really nice hits tonight. The complete package other than the skating, it's hard to think of this guy as anything but an NHL prospect.

Petr Mrazek (2010)
Mrazek had a heck of a game tonight. He let a real softie in on the first Oshawa goal (by Andreoff), but was outstanding from their on out. He made the best save I've seen this OHL season in the second period, robbing (I believe) Boone Jenner of a sure goal by stretching his pads and reacting to a quick pass and shot. He's definitely an incredibly athletic goaltender and moves very well in his crease, going from the butterfly to the stand up very quickly. He takes away the bottom of the net in the same way Mike Murphy does, by being quick and agile with his pads. It's pretty obvious he spent a lot of time watching Dominik Hasek as a kid too, as his flopping style resembles the Dominator. He has to be careful about committing to the play early though, as this is what burned him in the shootout. Oshawa's first two shooters used hesitation moves to get him down on the ground and out of position early before finishing off their goals. Still an impressive performance for a player who's going to start to press for the starting role. He stopped 48 of 52 shots, taking the loss.

That's it for tonight guys and gals. Anybody else catch this one?

Sunday Top 10 - 2009 NHL Draft Surprises

With the 2009 NHL Entry Draft behind us, it is time to take a look at the draft a little more closely. All in all, it was an incredibly successful one for the OHL with 45 players selected in the weekend's 7 rounds. For those number crunchers out there, that's just over 20%. One fifth of the players selected were from the Ontario Hockey League.

For me, it was a bit of a strange draft. A lot of interesting things happened, and there were a lot of surprises and disappointments. Thus, today's Top 10 will take a look at those interesting things, surprises, and disappointments. Obviously, since this is an OHL blog, the list will focus on the surprises for the Ontario Hockey League as it relates to the draft. However, the list can also serve as my commentary on the draft as a whole.

So here we go, the top 10 2009 NHL Draft surprises...

10. Calvin de Haan Goes 12th to the New York Islanders
For any other follower of the NHL draft, this occurrence would probably be up near the top 3 of draft surprises. But for me, it's only a mild surprise. Obviously, I've been a big supporter of Calvin this entire season. I had him ranked 4th ahead of the likes of Kadri, Kassian, and Holland (2 of which he went before). His intelligent play with and without the puck obviously caught the eye of the Islanders too, since they traded up to make sure they got him. Calvin was ranked in the 20's by pretty much every scouting agency, so I'm sure this comes as more of a shock to them. But it's why it made this list, even though it failed to shock me. Congrats to Calvin in finally getting the attention he deserves.

9. Jamie Devane Who?
At the beginning of the third round, the Toronto Maple Leafs took Jamie Devane with the 68th overall pick. This had a lot of people scratching their head, me included. It also had a lot of people, in particular Leafs fans, asking the question, "who exactly is this guy?" Devane is a big OHL rookie winger from Plymouth who failed to crack my top 50 OHL players eligible (and quite frankly didn't even get consideration). One thing is clear about Devane, he loves to fight. He had 19 fights this season and is definitely one of the tougher customers in the OHL (here is a fight against Brian Shaw of Erie). That being said, I'm not sure I see the offensive upside, at least to warrant a top three round selection. I generally have a problem when NHL teams take heavyweights with high selections, because every year good prospects cut from the same cloth can be found as free agents. Just look at the Sharks signing of Brandon Mashinter as proof. But we all know that Brian Burke likes size and physical tools, and it's obvious his scouting staff sees more in Devane than just another George Parros for Burke.

8. Casey Cizikas Goes in the Top 100
Consider this a good surprise. You've got to be happy for Casey to be the first pick of the 4th round at 92, again to the New York Islanders. You have to wonder if Garth Snow and his scouting staff have been reading my blog! Cizikas has been heavily scrutinized after originally being touted as a potential high selection at the beginning of the season. Most scouts had a lot of problems with his consistency and effort level. However, I've been a big supporter, probably one of the few. He's always impressed me when I've seen him play and I think he has a lot to offer to an NHL team. That being said, this is a surprise because for all intents and purposes, I expected him to fall at the NHL draft, regardless of how high I personally was on him. There has to be a huge weight lifted off Casey's shoulders now that he's gotten drafted, and drafted fairly high.

7. Darren Archibald Goes Undrafted
Come on Garth Snow, you grab the other two guys I've been high on, but not Mr. Archibald? Surely Darren would have been a better 5th round pick than Anton Klementyev! All kidding aside, it surprised me greatly that Darren went undrafted. I had him as the 2nd best draft re-entry from the OHL heading into the draft. Then 11 OHL draft re-entries went instead of him! To me, Darren has all the qualities NHL teams usually look for. He's a big guy who moves well, has good hands, and is developing a sense of using his size. I thought he looked very good for an OHL rookie playing his first season from Tier 2. Had an excellent playoff series. I see a lot of potential in him and I'm not the only one. Redline had him in the mid 100's if I'm not mistaken. ISS was high on him, as I heard an interview with Mike Oke where he stated Archibald was his late round sleeper. With Barrie apparently loading up for a run next year, Archibald could have a really good season in 2009-10. He can only hope then that he can be among those drafted. Fortunately there are many routes to the NHL.

6. The Fall of Ethan Werek
I know I was higher on Werek than most, (having him ranked 5th for OHL eligibles), but I still expected him to be a late first or early second round pick. However he ended up lasting till mid way through the 2nd, where the Rangers finally took him off the board. Sure the skating could use a bit of improvement, but it's not terrible. If you read his blog over at Coming Down the Pipe (here), you'll notice how well spoken he is. A smart and goal oriented kid, it's pretty clear that Werek will continueto devote himself to improvement. I see a kid who scored the third most goals among draft eligible players (behind John Tavares and the undrafted Chris DeSousa), and I wonder how some fail to see his potential as a top 6 forward. I think it's pretty obvious to say that I think the Rangers got one heck of a steal in round 2 with this talented young man.

5. Bryan Cameron = No Such Luck
I was incredibly surprised when the Los Angeles Kings didn't sign him to a contract before the June 1st deadline. I was even more surprised when no one took him on Saturday, as he re-entered the draft (along with 6 others from the OHL failing to a receive a contract from the OHL). Look, I know he's undersized at 5'10. And I realize that the type of game he plays will be hard to translate to the NHL due to his size. But how many players have scored three straight 30 goal seasons, and have been to two straight OHL all star games? He brings a lot of things to the table. I'm sure he gets an invite to an NHL training camp and he needs to show that team he's worth a contract. If not he'll be back in the OHL as an overager, however not likely in Belleville as they go full blown into a rebuild. I think it'd be a real shame for him to fall through the cracks after being such a high NHL pick originally, considering the OHL career he's had thus far. The four guys he's posing with in the picture, all got NHL contracts, which has to make him feel left out.

4. Kyle Neuber Gets Drafted
I mean no offense to Kyle Neuber when I mention him in this article. But for him to get drafted, it surprises me greatly. This goes back to my rant before about teams spending picks on heavyweight prospects, when so many are available as free agents. Kyle is an excellent fighter, one of the top heavyweights in the OHL (here's a clip to show you why). But how much of an NHL future does he have? His offensive skills aren't good enough to make him a regular contributor at the OHL level, let alone the NHL level. His skating isn't great. Basically, he brings little to the table save being an enforcer. And I thought the NHL was getting away from putting "true" enforcers on their 4th line. Yet, this NHL draft we saw a large number of enforcer type prospects being drafted, including Neuber to Columbus in the 7th round. It all seems odd to me.

3. No Love for Undersized Forwards
Somewhat related to the rant on heavyweight prospects, comes the surprise that so few skilled, undersized forwards were drafted. And those that were, were drafted late. Undersized defenseman seemed to be at a premium, Ryan Ellis, de Haan, Tyson Barrie, Sami Vatanen all went well. But the talented undersized forwards? Alex Hutchings, whom many had pegged as an NHL second rounder, falls to the 4th round. Phil Varone, one of the best players in the OHL playoffs, to the 5th round. Chris DeSousa, who scored the 2nd most goals behind John Tavares among OHL draft eligibles, undrafted. Brett Parnham, the OHL's goal leader and draft re-entry, not drafted. Andrew Agozzino, William Wallen, Jordan Mayer, Daniel Erlich, all undrafted. OHL players weren't the only ones effected. Kellan Tochkin, the WHL's rookie scoring leader for Everett, also fell victim to the undrafted list. So in an era when undersized forwards are excelling like never before in the NHL, why are so few being drafted?

2. OHL Goaltenders Get Knocked Down
While the goaltending crop for this years NHL draft didn't have a great reputation for being excellent, there were several OHL goaltenders slated to be high picks. OHL netminders occupied 3 of the top 5 spots on the Central Scouting's top NA goalies ranking. However, Plymouth Whalers goaltender Matt Hackett ended up being the 5th netminder taken in the draft (77th to Minnesota), despite being touted as possibly the top goalie available. The fall was more dramatic for the others. Edward Pasquale, who was so good for Saginaw this year, fell to the end of the 4th round, while Scott Stajcer and Michael Zador fell to the end of the 5th round. Barrie's Peter Di Salvo, Ottawa's Chris Perugini and Guelph's Brandon Foote all went undrafted. On the positive side, Erie netminder Jaroslav Janus finally heard his name called in the 6th, after being passed over in previous NHL drafts. For whatever reason, NHL scouts must have been down on North American goaltenders, as despite going 77th, Hackett was actually the first North American goalie taken. Four European netminders went before him, as early as the first pick of the 2nd round (the gigantic Mikko Koskinen to Long Island).

1. The Number of 1989 Born Players Drafted
While I'm not going to do the math, all it takes is one glance at the full NHL draft list to see the sheer volume of players drafted with a 1989 birth date. These players had been passed over in two previous NHL drafts, yet there progression caught the eye of NHL scouts enough to warrant a draft pick. To me, it seems like more 1989 born players went in the last 100 picks, than first year eligible 1991's. This is truly bizarre, as most years no more than a dozen of these types go. Just to give you an idea. Last year for the OHL, 3 1988's went (Andrew Campbell, Justin Azevedo, and Justin DiBenedetto). This year, 9 1989 players went (Janus, Kolomatis, Kennedy, Macdermaid, Neuber, Timmins, Cowick, Nolan and Pelech). That's quite the large jump. Perhaps we're seeing a shift in NHL draft philosophy. With the three year window to draft players, perhaps teams are going to start looking more at those late bloomers as draft options. Or maybe this year is an outlier.

Just like to say, Congrats to those 45 OHL players drafted. And to the many more who didn't hear your named called, take a good look at those nine 1989 born players drafted. They are the reason to not give up. They are the reason to push harder and improve, because NHL scouts are always watching.

Big day on Tuesday as the CHL Import Draft goes, where teams will look for the next Evgeni Grachev and Andrei Loktionov. I'll have coverage of that. Also stay tuned for next Sunday's Top 10, where I'll be profiling my early look at the top 10 for 2010!

Sunday Top 10 - Biggest Draft Risers

As you may recall, last week's Sunday Top 10 ranked the biggest draft fallers over the course of the 2008-09 OHL season. Today, we will rank the draft risers. These are the players who saw their stock increase the most over the course of the 2008-09 season.

Here is the top 10:

10. Brett Flemming - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Flemming is perhaps a bit of a reach for a list like this because he still could go undrafted. However, I think he did enough this season to warrant a look from scouts. Not the biggest defenseman out there at 5'10, 165lbs, Flemming proved that he could handle both ends of the rink. He moves the puck well, skates well, is developing some intensity and showed that at this level, his size isn't a detriment. As the season went along, he really developed and became the Majors 2nd most important defenseman behind OHL all star Cameron Gaunce. Progressing from part time OHL player to top pairing defenseman earns him a spot on this list. Without that progression and improvement, he doesn't get a sniff from NHL scouts.

9. Scott Valentine - Oshawa Generals
Valentine's rise in the draft rankings was pretty much done in the final third of the season. Not many guys rise like that without their team making the OHL playoffs. Valentine started the year stuck on the deep London Knight blueline and was earning little playing time. As part of the John Tavares trade, Valentine exploded in Oshawa with a larger role. With good size, offensive ability, and an aggressive nature, it's all a matter of whether that small sample size in Oshawa (26 games) is enough to impress the scouts. Judging from the fact that he went from unranked (210 spots available) to ranked 110 in the final ranking of the NHL's Central Scouting, he's getting that attention. Don't be surprised if this guy gets his named called in the first three rounds, well ahead of some of the others I personally have ranked ahead of him.

8. Darren Archibald - Barrie Colts
Archibald went undrafted last year while playing in the OPJHL on the stacked Stouffville Spirit team that included Ethan Werek and Corey Trivino. That summer, he was drafted as a mature pick in the 7th round of the 2008 OHL Priority draft by the Barrie Colts. Suiting up for Barrie this season did wonders for him. He emerged as one of the team's best forwards, finishing third in points and third in goals with 25. He performed even better in the playoffs, leading Barrie in scoring with 4 goals and 7 points in 5 games. Archibald has NHL size at 6'3, and is still learning how to use his frame. But he shows glimpses of possible power forward development, driving hard to the net and using his body. I think this guy goes higher than expected next weekend.

7. Kyle Clifford - Barrie Colts
Another Barrie forward, Clifford didn't necessarily wow scouts with his OHL season, where he finished with 16 goals and 28 points. However, his performance at the 2009 Under 18's did. He showcased his strong work ethic and ability to play hard, hanging in there against the cream of the crop of his age group. While he largely profiles as a character forward at the next level, some believe he has some offensive potential. I know of one scouting agency that has him inside their top 50 for the draft, which suggests he could be a selection in the top three rounds as well.

6. Taylor Beck - Guelph Storm
A former second round pick in the OHL Priority draft by Guelph, Beck exploded offensively this season after putting up moderate numbers in his rookie year. He finished 4th in scoring for Guelph and managed to earn himself a lot of NHL draft attention in the process. While his skating needs work, and some question his NHL upside, he remains an attractive selection due to the fact that his hard work creates scoring chances.

5. Matt Duchene - Brampton Battalion
OK, I know, somewhat odd seeing Duchene on this list given that he's always been considered a top 10 pick for 2009. However, Duchene came into the season as just that; a guy being considered as a top 10 selection. He finishes the season and goes into the draft as someone being pegged as a top 3 selection. Duchene's play in Brampton this season leaves some believing he could be the best player out of this draft class. Redline Report has him ranked second ahead of John Tavares. I've seen mock drafts recently that have the Islanders selecting him first overall. Duchene came a long way this season and really cemented his status as a franchise prospect.

4. Scott Stajcer - Owen Sound Attack
Last season, Stajcer played 6 games in the OHL, struggling badly. This season he begun playing very little behind high NHL draft pick Tyler Beskorowany. But as the season went along, Stajcer began to get better and better, and subsequently he earned himself into a platoon role. A big goalie, Stajcer needs to refine his mechanics, but he's showcased the ability to win, and even steal hockey games. While not appearing at the Under 18's had to have been a disappointment to a lot of scouts, I don't expect Stajcer to last outside the top 100.

3. Matt Clark - Brampton Battalion
Clark went from playing in the OPJHL last season to being one of the top defenseman on the best team in the Eastern Conference this year. Clark's big body, in combination with his mobility and physical presence makes him a very attractive selection for NHL clubs. While his offensive upside remains a bit of a mystery, he has the makings of a quality stay at home defenseman in the mold of a guy like Brooks Orpik, who was instrumental in helping the Pittsburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup.

2. Matt Hackett - Plymouth Whalers
After playing sparingly with Plymouth last season, Hackett failed to be selected in the 2008 NHL entry draft. This season, he came back strong and determined to prove scouts wrong. Hackett's strong play eventually led Plymouth to deal starter Jeremy Smith, and he proceeded to lead them to the 2nd round of the OHL playoffs. Hackett's strong play during both the regular season and playoffs earned him the top spot among North American goalies on the NHL's Central Scouting list. Don't expect him to fall through another draft.

1. Calvin de Haan - Oshawa Generals
Originally an undersized offensive defenseman when he was drafted in the 3rd round of the OHL draft in 2007, de Haan blossomed into a budding star with Oshawa this season. It was quite the year for Calvin who cracked the Generals roster for the first time, quickly became their top defenseman, made the OHL all star game, and was finally named to the 2009 Under 18 team for Canada. Despite putting up 63 points and a plus rating on a terrible Oshawa team, it was not until the Under 18's where Calvin really began to catch the eye of scouts. He was arguably Canada's best defenceman and one of the best defenceman in the tournament. Expect Calvin's great year to continue with a selection in the first round of the 2009 NHL entry draft next weekend.

Next Sunday's Top 10 will most likely focus on the NHL Entry Draft and be written after its conclusion. Expect something along the lines of, "Biggest surprises at the Entry Draft."