Thoughts on Owen Sound and Brampton from February 28

I've been itching to catch a Battalion game since Cody Hodgson returned to action, and was finally able to watch this lunchtime affair (time changed due to the Olympic Gold Medal game) between Brampton and Owen Sound. The game was largely controlled by the Battalion, who out shot the Attack 36-20 and used a two goal game from Hodgson to defeat Owen Sound by a score of 5-2.

This Brampton win extends their win streak to 3, and gives them a 6-3 record in their last 9, with those three losses all by only one goal. After a slow start (as expected), Hodgson has 8 goals and 9 assists in his last 8 games. With a healthy Cody Hodgson and a solid defense, I certainly wouldn't want to play Brampton in the playoffs. They look poised to be able to push any team (Barrie and Mississauga included) to the limit.

Meanwhile, the Attack continue to be one of the league's most inconsistent teams. One night they look great, the next they look like the worst team in the league. With the expectations the team had going into this season, you have to think management (Dale Degray, Mark Reeds) could (and should) come under heavy scrutiny from the ownership in Owen Sound.

Here are some thoughts on players from both sides...

Owen Sound Attack





Roman Berdnikov (2010)
Was completely invisible and a disappointment. At times he looked behind the play and I question his ability to accelerate as he had visible trouble creating space for himself.

Garrett Wilson (FLA)
Wilson had a good game, which seems to be par for the course this season as one of Owen Sound's most consistent performers. I've talked at length previously about the strides he's made this season, so I won't go there again. He had a really nice drive to the net in the second period that saw him beat the Brampton defenseman to the outside, then throw a pass into the slot to teammate Steve Shipley who missed the net high on a wrist shot. Also in the second, he came up with a steal off a poor Ken Peroff breakout pass, cut towards the middle and rifled a slap shot on Patrick Killeen who kicked the rebound right to Bobby Mignardi for the tap in. Obviously, Wilson drew the primary assist. Next year will be really interesting for him as he could have a really big year, with even larger improvements to his skating and strength.

Joey Hishon (2010)
Hishon had an excellent game, definitely the best one I've seen him play this season. He scored a highlight reel goal at the end of the first period, as he stepped out of the box shorthanded, gloved a clearing attempt, took two steps to reach max acceleration and blew by Brampton defenseman Ben Alavie for a partial breakaway. Hishon then went backhand and roofed it over Patrick Killeen. His speed and acceleration made him a threat nearly every time on the ice, even if Brampton's defense did a largely solid job against him. I would still like to see Hishon use his teammates better though. Too much of the predictable inside/outside move coming down the wing. It's good to see him generate chances with his speed, but he needs to have less of a one track mind. One thing I was particularly impressed with was his play without the puck, or at least his determination towards it. While Cody Hodgson largely got the best of him, Hishon was fighting him all game long in the corners and along the wall and showed a dedication to play without the puck that has been a criticism of most.

Steven Shipley (2010)
I continue to be impressed with Shipley. While his acceleration may not be amazing, I think the knocks towards his skating are unfounded. I think he moves quite well for a bigger forward, and once he does get going, he's got the leg strength and balance to be able to get past defenders one on one. He missed a glorious chance off a feed from Garrett Wilson, as he roofed it over the net in the slot. All game long, he worked hard on the penalty kill and in the corners, and was having some success being able to bring the puck into the offensive zone. On the downside, I'm not sure what the deal is with him continuing to be on the point on the powerplay. Owen Sound went 0/5 and whenever Shipley was on the ice on the point, the team had trouble even gaining the zone. Not a knock against Shipley, but he's much more effective offensively as he gets closer to the net. Please Mark Reeds, stop this madness!

Geoffrey Schemitsch (2010)
Schemitsch did not have a strong game at all. Absolutely the weakest I've seen him play all season. He had a lot of trouble defensively in coverage, as he was on the ice for 3 goals against. On the first Cody Hodgson goal, he and partner Milan Doczy must have gotten mixed up because somehow Hodgson wound up wide open in front of the net 5 on 5 for an easy goal. On the third period Stephon Thorne goal, Schemitsch was very passive in playing the puck carrier and allowed Thorne to pick up a loose puck off the wall and go right to the net for the shot on Stajcer, whom he beat over the shoulder. Not only did he fail to engage Thorne, but he provided a perfect screen on his own goaltender. On the positive defensively, Schemitsch remains a strong one on one defender, as he uses his solid mobility to prevent forwards from beating him to the net. Offensively, he failed to get anything going. Two bad turnovers as he tried to move the puck up ice by throwing it through the center of his own zone. He just had a lot of trouble with a strong Brampton forecheck and appears to be struggling to play the role of puck rusher, unless he has time and space.

Scott Stajcer (NYR)
Despite giving up 5 goals on 36 shots, I didn't feel Stajcer played THAT poorly. He had a lot of bad bounces go against him. Deflections, screens, and just terrible defense left Stajcer out to dry. In the first and second period, he made a few really big point blank saves to keep his team in the game. At this point though, he's still not technically sound enough to be the type of goalie who can consistently steal games for his team. With how poor Owen Sound's defense has been this season, could we blame this on a lack of confidence?

Brampton Battalion






Matt Clark (ANA)
Simply put, Clark may be the best defensive defenseman in the league. He's nearly impossible to beat one on one, as his size, strength and mobility make him as close to a rock as you can find. His positioning is exceptional too, as he consistently wins battles in the corners or anticipates the direction of loose pucks. On the penalty kill he played a particularly strong game, holding Owen Sound to 0 for 5. Offensively, he'll never be an elite player, but he makes a good first pass and can actually do a decent job of running the powerplay, getting his shot through to the net. This guy is ready for professional hockey next year.

Cameron Wind (2010)
In the battle of under appreciated defense prospects for this years draft (between he and Schemitsch), Wind easily won today. He played a very strong game and it's easy to see why Central Scouting continues to be high on him. Wind possesses good size, good mobility, a developing aggressive nature and an untapped offensive potential. Having seen Wind more earlier this season, I can appreciate the improvements in his offensive game. He looks much more confident in his ability to move the puck up ice and completed several successful rushes into Owen Sound's zone. He also made a few very nice defensive plays, cutting off the passing lane and winning lose battles in the corners. He laid a beautiful hit on Bobby Mignardi around his own blue line too, as Mignardi tried to gain access with his head down. With Brampton receiving more and more attention, Wind could slowly start to see his draft ranking rise.

Sam Carrick (2010)
Carrick started the year so well, but proceeded to go through a tough stretch during the middle part of the season. He's played much better this month though and had a very strong game today. Carrick, anchoring Brampton's second line, demonstrated a solid all around game and a good ability to take the puck strong to the net. Despite being only averaged sizes, Carrick is quite strong and at one point on the rush, skated the puck up ice with one hand as he used the other to fend off would be attackers. He scored his goal on a slapshot from the blueline in the first period, as he perhaps fooled Scott Stajcer. He later added an assist in the second period on Cody Hodgson's second goal of the game after winning a puck battle in the corner and getting it to Hodgson. I think Carrick has an edge to his game that will only be elevated as he gains confidence. He threw a couple checks, ran Scott Stajcer, and hit an Owen Sound player from behind. That edge may be the key that gets him drafted higher than many may expect.

Cody Hodgson (VAN)
Ladies and gentleman, Cody Hodgson is back. He was head and shoulders the best player on the ice this afternoon. Played just a tremendous game. Every time he was on the ice or touched the puck, it seemed like he was close to scoring or setting up a goal. His conditioning looked excellent as he played a good majority of the game, and even in the late stages was impossible to strip the puck from. Strangely enough (and perhaps speaking volumes about Owen Sound's defense), Hodgson scored both of his goals by being absolutely wide open. His first, by stopping a point shot and finding himself wide open in front of Scott Stajcer. He proceeded to make a move and went backhand to the top of the net, leaving Stajcer on his stomach. His second goal was scored he took a loose puck from the corner, walked right out into the slot and ripped one over Scott Stajcer's right shoulder. On the penalty kill, Hodgson was excellent too. Looks like the back problems are behind him for the time being.

Patrick Killeen (PIT)
No goalie in the league has been hotter than Killeen in the recent months. In 2010, he's got a .925 SV % and four shutouts through 23 games. It was a big year for Killeen who needed to prove to Pittsburgh that he was worthy of being signed as one of their 2008 draft picks. Needless to say, he's made great strides this year. A big goalie, Killeen has really tightened up his technical skills. He controls rebounds better, he's reacting to plays quicker, and he's playing the angles more effectively. I think the biggest thing might just be an increase in confidence, as Killeen's become the team's number one goaltender for the first time in his career. The one goal scored by Owen Sound's Bobby Mignardi was a bit of a soft one though, as he kicked out a soft shot right into the slot for Mignardi to put home into the open net. While the rebound control has improved, rebounds off low shots still require improvement. Killeen made 18 of 20 saves for the win.

Anybody else with thoughts on this matinee?

Ryan Yessie's Thoughts on Sarnia and Owen Sound from February 19

Ryan returns with his thoughts on the Owen Sound/Sarnia game from February 19th

"Owen Sound returns to Sarnia for the 2nd Friday in the last 3 weeks. A Shayne Campbell breakdown lead to Owen Sound stealing the win 2 weeks ago, but Campbell comes back strong with the first Shutout of his OHL career. Combined with a highlight reel goal by Craig Hottot, Sarnia wins 5-0.








Keevin Cutting - #2 - D - YOB: 1992 - 6‘1” - 177lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2011
Report: Feb/19/10: Cutting played decent tonight. He wasn’t noticeable most of the game, but he was, he was either throwing a couple decent hits, or moving the puck effectively, minus one bad turnover. In a 5-0 loss, and with a -3 rating not being noticeable most of the game was probably a good thing for Cutting. Cutting would greatly benefit from adding some muscle to his frame, as he has an extra year compared to most 1992’s and the game he appears to play would improve with that.
(Cutting had -3)

Cameron Brace - #7 - RW - YOB: 1993 - 5‘9” - 160lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2011
Report: Feb/19/10: After watching Brace two weeks ago, I decided to pay more attention to him tonight. His size may limit his ability as a pro, but for a 16 year old rookie his skating, and puck handling abilities are noticeable even after a handful of OHL games. He’s getting about 3^rd line ice time, but he is certainly making the most of it and may be able to land a spot on the 2^nd line next year.
(Brace had -1)

Jesse Blacker - #12 - D - YOB: 1991 - 6‘2” - 185lbs.
NHL: 2^nd Round - 58^th Overall by Toronto in 2009
Report: Feb/19/10: Blacker was pretty disappointing tonight. He was easily consuming the most ice time, but he made several turnovers, many which either resulted in goals or scoring chances. Of the 5 goals tonight, Blacker was on the ice for 3 of them. Blacker moved the puck up the ice well on a couple occasions but turned it over more than he advanced the play on the big passes. Blacker is a decent skater but could certainly improve in that department. Blacker’s frustrations peaked when he missed a hit, which resulted in him fighting the much smaller Hottot of Sarnia, however despite the size, Blacker did lose that fight. Unfortunately a game to forget for the Leafs 2^nd round pick in ‘09.
(Blacker had -3, 7 PIM)

Steven Shipley - #19 - C - YOB: 1992 - 6‘2” - 204lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Feb/19/10: Steven Shipley has been great both games over the last couple weeks. He produced a lot less this time around, but played the exact same effective game, however was just stopped by a hot goaltender. Shipley protects the puck as well as anyone in the OHL this year. You see a little bit of Greg Nemisz in his puck protection abilities. However where Nemisz is stronger along the board, Shipley can protect the puck and create offense from anywhere inside the blueline, and has a lot more offensive upside in terms of making a team better offensively, because of that ability to directly turn a puck protection play into a set up for a scoring chance, where as Nemisz generally appears to protect the puck for possession for the purpose of controlling a play rather than having him create an offense chance. Shipley‘s skating is decent for someone at his size, if he can improve it slightly, it should be enough for him as a pro, but should he really work on it, it should make him that much more dangerous as an NHLer. Shipley is a player I would like to see a top winger beside. He sometimes tries to do too much and doesn’t get enough support, where as if he had a pure 1^st line offensive talent beside him, it could really make him that much better. Overall these last few weeks I see a lot of potential in Shipley.
(Shipley was -1)

Geoffrey Schemitsch - #26 - D - YOB: 1992 - 6‘1” - 180lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Feb/19/10: Schemitsch played much better today, but still his assets and flaws seem to be magnified on the ice. Schemitsch is a guy who can be forced into turnovers. When he’s only had a very short time with the puck, a panic seems to set in and he can make some pretty bad turnovers. However if Schemitsch is given enough time (just a few seconds) he’s nearly flawless in his puck movement. When there was no forecheck, he could thread the needle sending the puck from his own zone to the opposition blueline. However with a strong enough forecheck, Schemitsch usually gave up posession of the puck. His shot from the point looks decent, but could improve and make him that much more effective, as his puck movement skills on the powerplay looked very good. Defensively Schemitsch looks reliable, not a guy you would want as your top shutdown guy, but someone who is going to be steady enough. His one on one play seems to be the best asset to his defensive game. A few times Schemitsch looked out of position defensively, but would really only require minor altering. Schemitsch should be a reliable draft pick for a team in the second half of the NHL draft.
(Schemitsch had 2 PIM)

Kyle Flemington - #6 - D - YOB: 1992 - 6‘7” - 227lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Feb/19/10: One of the key acquisitions in the Jordan Hill trade; Flemmington is starting to make his impact with the team. It’s hard to believe I’m actually talking NHL Entry Draft about a guy who spent a quarter of the season in Jr. B, but Flemmington may just be the exception. He uses his massive 6’7” - 227lb. Frame to physically punish his opponents. He has thrown some of the biggest hits in Sarnia this year, and has looked his strongest defensively along the board and behind the net. A low risk, low reward type defenceman, he’s in no way going to be the next Tyler Myers, but his skating is respectable for a 17 year old at his size, if he can get a little better, it could really help him out. He doesn’t appear to have much in terms of offensive potential, instead is safe making minor plays with the puck, and doesn’t attempt big break out passes nor does he try to push offense. He appears to be a player who understands his role, and what his strengths are and plays into them. Flemmington has quickly become one of the most feared fighters in the OHL, and has layed down a beating onto several who have opposed him, although it is difficult to find someone who can match his size in a junior league. Being behind Sol, O’Connor, Hermenegildo, Underwood, Walsh and Lepkowski on the depth chart, Saginaw did the right thing for his development in sending him to Jr. B and letting him get 20-25 mins/game, and it‘s clearly benefiting him now. Flemmington plays a safe enough game, along with a clean physical style to make him a very desireable player in the final 2-3 rounds.
(Flemmington had 5PIM tonight)

Shayne Campbell - #1 - G - YOB: 1992 - 6‘2” - 175lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2011
Report: Feb/19/10: Sting fans have been waiting a long time for Shayne Campbell to put it all together for 60 minutes straight, and tonight it finally happened. Shayne already displays great quickness and reflexes, as well as a great ability to recover back into position, and a really fast glove hand. His raw skills are impressive. Campbell also has the ability to make the big save. Some goaltenders have that ability to make a big save on what looks like a sure goal, despite Campbell’s record he has shown many times he can take away an open net, and steal goals away from the opposition. Campbell’s issues come from his lateral movement which has been improving a little, but his consistency is clearly the biggest battle so far in his junior career. Campbell has a tendency to allow at least one bad goal per game. Not only does this bad goal count against him, he appears to lack the ability to regain composure, and most of the goals he allows are in bunches. The next 3 minutes after a goal scored on Campbell are the most crutial, and unfortunately playing on one of the worst teams in the CHL this season, more times than not Campbell will face scoring chances within a minute or two after allowing a goal, and a lot of the time those shots also turn into goals. However on this night Campbell stood tall and stopped all 28 shots from Owen Sound, some of which were great scoring chances, including a penalty shot midway throught he 3^rd period. Two weeks ago Owen Sound was in Sarnia, and he lost that game 5-4, giving up 4 of the 5 goals. 3 of the 4 goals he allowed occurred within 26 seconds, so if you strike those 26 seconds, Campbell would have stopped 57 of 58 shots in two games vs. Owen Sound. Fortunately for Campbell he has a late 1992 birthdate, so he will still have one more season to prove himself as a legitimate NHL prospect, but if his raw skills, as well as his performance tonight are any indication, Campbell has some realistic NHL potential.
(Campbell stopped 28 of 28 shots)

Thoughts on Niagara and Owen Sound from December 30

Wanting to see the return of Joey Hishon to the Owen Sound Attack line up, I caught this one on the OHL Action Pack tonight.

The first period and a half was a real snooze fest. Really sloppy, disjointed play. It was clear that both of these two teams were rusty from the holiday layoff. When the pace finally did pick up, these two teams traded powerplays and scoring chances, with the Attack eventually coming out on top by a score of 3-1. For a large portion of the game though, Attack goaltender Scott Stajcer kept his team in the game by making a few big saves (especially on Andrew Agozzino).

It was a tough game for the Dogs. Already shorthanded defensively because Jay Gilbert's sitting at home waiting for a trade and Dougie Hamilton is at the World Under 17 Hockey Challenge, the Dogs suffered two defensive injuries relatively early on in the game, to Reggie Traccitto and Keith Maisonville. As a result, they looked dead tired by the end of this one and just had nothing left in the tank, allowing the Attack to take control of the game in the later part of the 3rd period. I think defenseman Matt Petgrave must have played 80% of the third period (no joke). However, as tired as the defense looked, the forwards looked even more distressed. If Majors coach Dave Cameron likes to roll four lines, Dogs coach Mike McCourt likes to roll two. I'm not sure why he played his forwards into the ground tonight, but Friesen, Agozzino and Hamilton especially were out there every other shift and it was obvious that they were tired. On powerplays, these guys were playing the full two minutes (save maybe 10-15 seconds as the penalty ended), and then they'd be out there two shifts later. While the Friesen, Agozzino and Hamilton line is obviously the teams most dangerous, it doesn't hurt to give them a break. It only makes them more effective in the long run...or say at the end of the game when your team needs a go ahead goal.

The Attack just plain didn't deserve to win this one. They got lucky that Niagara looked so tired. They were very sloppy. So many passes failed to connect, breakouts failed to occur and most of their game was played in the neutral zone as they attempted to get the puck by a Niagara defense. Even on the powerplay, despite scoring two goals with the man advantage, they did not look strong. One goal on a wild goal mouth scramble, the other on a long winded screen shot from the point (with the third coming with the empty net). First game back from the break, but this team did not look like a unit with great chemistry. A lot of individual efforts and just general disconnect.

On to individual player performances...

Niagara IceDogs







Alex Friesen (2010, but 1991 born)
Already passed over in one draft, I'd be very surprised to see Friesen passed over again this year. He's progressed incredibly well this year and taken huge steps forward offensively. His speed and work ethic in the offensive zone make him a real tough guy to contain. He was generating chances for the better part of the first two periods, although was not able to put anything up on the board. Kind of a jack of all trades type of a player, he projects well as a potential energy player at the next level.

Andrew Agozzino (2010, but 1991 born)
Agozzino has been just as good this year for the Dogs. He's the new captain, and he's playing with a lot of determination. He had a few really good chances to score tonight but just couldn't beat Scott Stajcer. Two stymied one time chances at the side of the net (saved by a sliding Stajcer), and one partial breakaway. He's got very good instincts on where to be for scoring chances, getting himself in good position for goal opportunities. The question is whether he's got a serious chance of being selected in 2010, the second time around. While I think Friesen has a good shot, I'm not as confident about Agozzino's chances. I was fairly high on Agozzino last year, when he was pretty much the same player he is now, and he failed to get drafted then. Scouts seem to be enamored with progression, of which Friesen has seen. Agozzino is the same player he was last year and if it wasn't good enough for NHL scouts last year, why would it be now? I'm still pulling for him though.

Freddie Hamilton (2010)
Hamilton was kind of along for the ride with Friesen and Agozzino tonight. He didn't really have a great game. Had a few chances set up by his linemates, but failed to get anything off. He's never a liability on the ice, but I don't see the upside that NHL Central Scouting does, when they ranked him 17th among OHL skaters in November. He did earn an assist on Josh Moes powerplay goal, although the goal was manufactured by Moes and not necessarily set up by Hamilton directly.

Matt Petgrave (2010)
Quite frankly, as an NHL prospect, I prefer Niagara's Petgrave to Hamilton. He had a very strong game tonight, especially considering he probably played 40 minutes. He brings the puck up ice with confidence and effectiveness. Has kind of a hunched over skating stride, but his mobility is solid. He keeps the puck in on the powerplay well, although I'd like to see him shoot the puck more. Whiffed on a beautiful chance to score on a one timer, as he snuck in from the point but didn't get much on the shot. He did make a couple of bad pinches, but he hustles back to his zone and never gives up on the play. Defensively he was excellent. Not afraid to take the body despite not being overly large, and he's surprisingly effective in the corners and in front of the net. Saved a goal with a very nice defensive play early in the game by tying up Joey Hishon as he tried to put home an easy tap in goal off a juicy rebound to the side of the net. Every time I see him, he seems to get better.

John Chartrand (2011)
I was surprised to see Chartrand get the start tonight over Mark Visentin. Petteri Simila is at the World Juniors as Finland's back up, and Chartrand was called up from Streetsville of the OJHL. He was the Dogs 4th rounder from 2009. Considering that when I heard he was getting the start and proceeded to check his Junior A stats this season (which aren't pretty), I was not expecting much out of him. But he was surprisingly strong. Made the saves he had too, kept his rebounds under control and looked generally calm in net. He seems like he could be the teams back up goaltender next season. The two goals scored against him were not really his fault. A wild goal mouth scramble and a screened shot from the point. Despite taking the loss, he was named the game's second star.

Owen Sound Attack





Garrett Wilson (FLA)
In the other times I've seen the Attack this season, Wilson had been a beast, but he was really quiet tonight. Outside of two very strong shifts, he wasn't noticeable to me. On one of the shifts he took a very nice feed from Steve Shipley and rang one off the post. And on the other, which just happened to be late in the third period, he did a good job to block a point shot and beat the Dogs defender to the loose puck for the open net clincher that made it 3-1. Still like the progression he's made this season.

Joey Hishon (2010)
Definitely was better than when I had seen him earlier in the season. But it's clear that he doesn't seem to have his full legs under him just quite yet. He was probably the best Attack forward on the night though (which isn't really saying much). Generated a few scoring chances off the rush and did a much better job of trying to use his teammates than he was earlier in the year. Did a good job on the penalty kill too, putting one off the crossbar on a shorthanded rush as he used the Niagara defender as a screen. A solid performance, but not an outstanding one.

Steven Shipley (2010)
For Steven's sake, I think I need to watch all of Owen Sound's games. He seems to play well when I'm watching. He didn't have an amazing game or anything, but was effective and had a few very good shifts. I was particularly impressed with his work on the penalty kill where he showed a lot of heart blocking shots and outworking Niagara players for loose pucks. His play away from the puck does seem to be improving, even if he could stand to use his size more to his advantage. He also had a shorthanded chance to score, breaking in and beating Andrew Agozzino (who was on the point) wide to the net, but a backtracking Matt Petgrave managed to lift his stick at the last second preventing a serious scoring chance. He was credited with the first Attack goal on the goal mouth scramble, where he simply shoveled the puck into the net. I still don't think the Attack are using him correctly though. I find him to be much more successful as a winger who can use his size to take the puck to the net from the outside lanes. He was also being used on the point on the powerplay again, which just does not work. He needs to be down low.

Geoffrey Schemitsch (2010)
I thought Schemitsch played another strong game. While he had some struggles in bringing the puck up ice and starting the rush (like every Attack defenseman), he did manage to break through into the offensive zone on a few occasions and picked his spots to pinch effectively. Defensively he was very solid, and did a good job on a couple odd man rushes, on one occasion taking the passing lane away from Andrew Agozzino and then collapsing on him forcing a poor shot attempt. He scored the game winning goal on a very good powerplay for him. Did a great job to keep the puck in the zone a couple of times, then managed to get the puck back and let a wrister go that found its way past Chartrand. He's got points in his last 6 games and is really heating up again. I'm very curious to see where Central Scouting has this guy when they release their rankings in a couple of weeks. I'm starting to wonder if I'm drinking crazy juice because I'm the only one talking about this kid.

Roman Berdnikov (2010)
Was not impressed by Berdnikov at all tonight. Was set up a few times by Joey Hishon or Bobby Mignardi and failed to get a shot off. The puck was rolling on him all night and he just had a really hard time. Took a lazy hooking penalty in the offensive zone out of frustration too. Playing with Hishon and Mignardi on that first line is a great opportunity for him, but he's going to have to play better than he did tonight to stay there.

Jesse Blacker (TOR)
Blacker had maybe the best game I've seen him play this season, which isn't really saying much. He was still only average on the night, but at least he seems to be limiting his turnovers. Still had one really bad one that resulted in Andrew Agozzino's partial breakaway though. If he could harness his raw abilities, he really could be quite an outstanding player. His combination of speed and puck handling ability makes him tough to stop once he gets up to full stride. Had a few nice rushes that generated scoring chances tonight. He was quiet defensively too, which is a good thing. One thing that I've noticed this year though is the absence of Blacker's physical game. Last year with Windsor, he was the type of defenseman who had the ability to lay a big hit, but I haven't seen that from him this year.

Scott Stajcer (NYR)
Stajcer was outstanding tonight. He really won this one for his team. Made several key saves in the first two periods to keep his team in the game, robbing Andrew Agozzino point blank a couple of times. One was a very nice save as he slide cross crease to rob a one timing Agozzino (who did fail to elevate the puck though). His rebound control was very strong tonight too. While Owen Sound has struggled with consistency, Stajcer has been largely effective for the last couple of months (after starting the season very poorly). Here's hoping he can continue to play well and that Owen Sound continues to climb up the standings of the Western Conference. He was the game's first star and took the win.

Anyone else with thoughts?

Thoughts on Saginaw and Owen Sound from November 18

Really exciting and fast paced Wednesday night game between the Saginaw Spirit and Owen Sound Attack. A lot of back and forth action, plenty of scoring opportunities, some good hits, a couple of fights; really not much else you can ask for in a hockey game. Oh sorry, you wanted defense? Not here. Both teams struggled with defensive zone turnovers and man coverage, which lead to a total of 12 goals scored in the game. Thanks to a late third period fluke goal by the recently acquired Ryan O'Connor, the Spirit came out on top of this wild west shootout by a score of 7-5.

The Attack came out firing on all cylinders and took control of the game in the opening ten minutes, scoring three unanswered goals. They looked a lot like the team I expected them to be this season. But then the wheels fell off and Saginaw scored five straight goals during the second half of the first and first half of the second. Turnovers, soft man defense and a real lack of backchecking from the forwards really cost the Attack. I would attribute at least three of those five goals to the fault of the forwards who did not hustle back to the other end or tie up their man. Now I will give Owen Sound credit, they battled back and tied the game at 5, only to lose on a terribly fluke goal by O'Connor. The Spirit defenseman one timed the puck from the point, it went WELL wide, so wide in fact that the angle it took off the boards brought it right back behind Stajcer, going off his skate and into the net. Someone who didn't see the game might see the score and assume that Stajcer was weak for the Attack, especially considering he only faced 34 shots (an average night by OHL standards). But he was really solid. I would say at least half of those shots by Saginaw were outstanding scoring chances. Stajcer stopped at least five Saginaw players point blank in the slot. Two of the goals were complete flukes too; the aforementioned O'Connor game winner and Vincent Trocheck's first period goal where the puck went off an Owen Sound defenseman and bounced to a wide open Trocheck for the tap in. I think it's also important to note that Owen Sound played this game with only 5 defenseman, as they were without the services of Milan Doczy and Keevin Cutting. Tough to play one of the league's best offensive teams a man down on the blueline. Definitely a tough loss for Attack fans to swallow.

Saginaw, well what can you say, they're good offensively. One of the hottest lines in the OHL performed up to expectations as Josh Shalla, Ivan Telegin, and Jordan Skellet combined for 3 goals and 8 assists in the game. These guys have a ton of chemistry and are playing with a lot of confidence right now. However, as much as this win must feel good, I think it also has to raise some alarms to Saginaw's management and fans. Since the Brodie/Crawford trade, this team has given up 19 goals in 4 games and they were not sharp tonight. They had trouble containing Owen Sound off the rush and did not put enough pressure on opposing forwards in the offensive end. These are two things that T.J. Brodie and Nick Crawford do very well, and in their absence, the rest of the Saginaw defense needs to find a way to get it done or improve. While their offense might take them places in the regular season, you know the saying, "defense wins championships."

Thoughts on individual players...

Saginaw Spirit





Garret Ross (2010)
Second time I've been impressed with Ross this season. While he didn't pick up any points, he was right in the middle of several solid scoring chances on the rush. He seems to have very good straight ahead speed and it gives the opposing defense a hard time. Came flying down the wing, beating his man to the net twice, but couldn't finish on the cross ice feeds. His forechecking forced a few turnovers in the offensive end and I'd say he has a very good chance of developing into a quality energy player. If he could finish off more of those offensive opportunities, he might get serious consideration in June. Types of players like Ross who've got speed, and a willingness to do everything on the ice do have a tendency to get drafted.

Jordan Szwarz (PHX)
I thought Szwarz had a pretty quiet game. He's usually one of those players who's all over the ice, but he didn't seem to have his usual energy in this one. Took two undisciplined penalties to start the game, maybe that took him out of it a bit. He did score a very nice goal in the second period. Defenseman Brad Walch made a nice slap pass to Szwarz in front of the net for the redirect over Stajcer's pad. It was Szwarz's only point of the game.

Ryan O'Connor (2010)
He's got to be disappointed that Central Scouting didn't include him in their Preliminary rankings, considering his skill level and track record in the league thus far. He had a good game tonight I thought. Wasn't on the ice for a goal against, and did a very good job of moving the puck up ice. Had a few very nice rushes and I think he picks his spots to pinch and rush very well. In the first period he took possession of the puck behind the net on powerplay rotation and made a beautiful pass to Ivan Telegin in front of the net for the goal. His goal was obviously a fluke that I've already mentioned above, but credit to him for getting himself in position for the shot. Defensively I felt he was solid too. Made a real nice hit on Daniel Zweep and was one of the few Saginaw defenseman who showed they could handle defending off the rush. O'Connor finished with a goal and an assist and was +3.

Ivan Telegin (2010)
I have a feeling that this guy's stock for 2010 is only going to go up and up. He's got 7 goals in the 7 November games thus far. It's getting to the point where I'm not sure who I like better among the Russians, Telegin or Barrie's Alex Burmistrov. Telegin was fantastic tonight. He's listed at 6'3, 185lbs, but he looks thicker than that. I've watched him against Owen Sound and against Peterborough and both teams had incredible difficulty controlling him in front of the net. Simply put, he's a beast near the crease. His goal was scored just that way, the defense couldn't handle him near the net and he put home a pass from Ryan O'Connor. But I like his vision and playmaking ability too. While O'Connor's goal may have been a fluke, the cross ice feed by Telegin over two Owen Sound sticks to O'Connor for the one timer was not. He's also quite the complete player who does make an effort to backcheck, does a great job on the penalty kill and works the boards. Lastly, for a big man, he moves quite well and he's not afraid to take the puck right to the net. The complete package. Finished the game with a goal and two assists.

Josh Shalla (2010)
Whenever I've seen him play, I've always come away underwhelmed. Tonight Shalla had 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists), but it might have been the quietest five point night I've ever seen. It's pretty obvious that Shalla is one of those guys who's not flashy, and who you don't really notice much until you look at the score sheet and he's had a multi point game. Not the quickest player on the ice, nor the biggest, but he's definitely got good hockey sense and offensive instincts. Made a nice pass to Michael Sgarbossa off the rush for a goal in the second, and scored a goal of his own after wiring home a slapper past Scott Stajcer. He sealed the deal with an empty netter with 12 seconds to go. I'm still not sure what to make of him and what type of role he'd have at the next level.

Cody Sol (ATL)
Sol is one of those guys who has to step it up in the absence of Brodie and Crawford. While I thought he showed some things offensively, that's not entirely what he's there for (or was drafted for). He was on the ice for 4 of Owen Sound's five goals. For a guy with his size, he has to do a better job of tying up his man in front of the net, and punishing those in the crease. He was caught skating around on two of those goals, failing to pick up a man. Offensively I thought he was pretty good though, and as much as I said this isn't what he's there for, it is something he'll have to contribute with now that Saginaw has lost their two best offensive defenseman (Brodie/Crawford). He's got a huge shot and he picks his spots in putting it on net, and he made a couple nice plays to keep the puck in at the line. But he's got to step it up defensively.

Michael Sgarbossa (2010)
I felt like I didn't notice Sgarbossa that much tonight. Scored a goal off a nice feed from Josh Shalla in the second and added an assist on the Vincent Trocheck fluke goal. Sgarbossa was the one who shot the puck that went off the Attack player's back and right to Trocheck. He saw some time with Shalla and Skellet, as well as on the third line with Garret Ross and Vincent Trocheck. Likely still needs to adapt to a new team. Still, a goal and an assist isn't a bad nights work.

Edward Pasquale (ATL)
Despite getting the victory in this one, I thought Pasquale was out played by Scott Stajcer. While he's got a good win total, I think it's safe to say he hasn't had an amazing season thus far. It's been plagued by inconsistency. He's given up 15 goals in his last 4 appearances. The Attack were definitely trying to go high on Pasquale tonight, exposing his tendency to 1) go down early on shots 2) stay back too far in his net and not challenge shooters. Four of the five goals given up by Pasquale were high on him. It'll be interesting to see what Atlanta does with Pasquale next year, because I don't think he's ready for pro hockey. I'm willing to bet he returns for an overage season, be it with Saginaw or with another OHL team. Made 31 of 36 saves for the win.

Owen Sound Attack






Curtis Crombeen (2011)
I haven't seen Owen Sound play since earlier in the season, but it certainly seems to me that Crombeen has come a long way. Playing with a lot more confidence at both ends of the ice and I actually think he was Owen Sound's best defenseman tonight. Had a couple very nice rushes where he took the puck from one end of the ice to the other, and quickly. Making better passes out of his zone too. Before he was trying to force passes, but now he seems to be keeping things simple. I also liked what I saw defensively. Actually made a couple nice physical plays to separate his man from the puck along the boards, and shows good mobility in transition defense. Maybe it was just a good game from him, but he certainly seems to have progressed already.

Roman Berdnikov (2010)
Not that much to talk about really. I thought he played a good first period, but disappeared after that. More than likely he's still working on his conditioning after missing such a large part of the season thus far. In the first he forechecked hard and had a large part in the third Owen Sound goal by Myles Doan. His the Saginaw player along the boards, and forced the turnover that would eventually lead to Doan's goal on a goal mouth scramble. He also attempted to throw a few open ice hits, so he's obviously got a little sand paper to his game. We'll see how he looks a month from now when he gets his legs back.

Jesse Blacker (TOR)
First chance to see Blacker with Owen Sound and I felt like he had a pretty poor game. While he is a very good puck rushing defenseman and has very good straight ahead speed, he seems to have tunnel vision with the puck. He gets the puck behind the net and makes his mind up that he's going to rush it. This "forcing" of the play lead to several turnovers and odd man rushes for Saginaw. He got beat quite badly off the rush on one play by Jordan Skellet too, as he got caught going for the hit, rather than skating with Skellet. He did get a little bit better as the game went along though. On the powerplay in the second period, he made a very nice pass to Bobby Mignardi at the side of the net, who then went to Garrett Wilson for the goal in the slot. He did a pretty good job of running the powerplay on the whole. But if he wants the big minutes (exactly what he's getting in Owen Sound), he's got to play smarter and better defensively. Finished the game with 3 assists, but a -1.

Garrett Wilson (FLA)
Was an absolute beast tonight for Owen Sound. Finished with a hat trick and a nice assist. He's taken quite a few steps forward this season. He's playing with more confidence with the puck, he's gotten stronger, and he's gotten quicker. His first goal was scored as he batted the puck out of mid air at the side of the net, off a rebound generated off a Steven Shipley rush to the net. His second goal was scored as he beat his man to the net, took a feed from Shipley in full stride and wired home a wrister past Pasquale. The hat trick goal was off a nice tick-tack-toe goal from Mignardi and Blacker (which I already mentioned), where Wilson finished off the play in the slot. His assist came off a nice find and pass to Bobby Mignardi for the one timer just inside the blueline. He had a couple other nice chances to score tonight too. Quickly becoming one of the better power forwards in the OHL.

Steven Shipley (2010)
Shipley was quite good tonight too. Used his size and speed to his advantage and did a good job to draw defensive attention to him. On Wilson's first goal, he won a puck battle off Josh Shalla in the corner and immediately took the puck right to the front of the net, generating a rebound that Wilson put home. Earned another assist off a nice pass to Wilson for his second goal. I like how he's becoming more confident in carrying the puck to the net. I still get bothered a bit by his lack of physical play though. There was one opportunity tonight that really caught my eye. The Saginaw defenseman had some trouble with the puck at his feet just to the side of the net. Shipley came in with speed, but instead of taking the body (the defenseman was straight on so it would not have been a dangerous engage), or engaging him physically to force a turnover, Shipley slowed up and tried to stick check him, allowing the Saginaw defenseman to compose himself and get the puck out of danger. I'm not asking him to be a power forward or a physical player, but I do expect 6'2, 200lbs forwards to use their size to force turnovers. He finished with 3 assists.

Geoffrey Schemitsch (2010)
Fresh off his interview with me (here), I thought Schemitsch had a pretty decent game. Some very good, some bad. The good first. I thought he did an excellent job on the penalty kill. He showed a little gusto in his game that I hadn't seen yet by being physical along the boards to retrieve the puck and stop offensive progress. He also made a couple really nice defensive plays off the rush, keeping the forward in front of him and using solid mobility and positioning to remove him from the puck. Had some big blocked shots too and gets himself in passing lanes, anticipating the play defensively. Offensively, he works the powerplay very well and does a great job of anticipating (again that word) the play and keeping the puck in the zone. He also had two very nice stretch passes that nearly resulted in breakaways. That shows vision. On the negative, the Jordan Szwarz goal was directly his fault as he failed to tie up his man in front of the net. This is something he needs to work on. Also, he had two terrible giveaways in his own zone, although neither resulted in a Saginaw goal. Had one bad pinch that resulted in a two on one too. But, he's a talented kid playing in his first OHL season from Midget. He's going to go through some adjustments. Considering all he's done thus far for Owen Sound, I'd say he's a pretty impressive prospect.

Scott Stajcer (NYR)
As I mentioned, he didn't play as poorly as his stat line might indicate. His defense did not help him out all that much tonight. Stopped quite a few point blank opportunities, being aggressive in challenging the shooter and decreasing their target. He controlled his rebounds well and did admirably in keeping Owen Sound in a game they didn't have as much business being in as they were. The two fluke goals I already mentioned didn't help his stat line either. Nor did that last one by O'Connor help his confidence or focus either. It was clear he was distracted at the end of the game as Mark Reeds tried to signal him to the bench for the extra attacker, but he wasn't paying attention. That really flustered the Attack's momentum with the extra forward and they weren't able to get anything going. I also worry about his read of the play at times. The second period Sgarbossa goal was not a strong one, as he reacted about 5 seconds too late to a cross ice pass to Sgarbossa for the one timer to the top of the net. While he wasn't likely to stop it, I'm curious as to why he was so slow to react to the play. Perhaps the Owen Sound defense screened his view of the pass? Either way, Stajcer deserved a better fate tonight. He made 28 of 34 saves and took the loss.

Anyone else out there with thoughts?

Interview with Owen Sound's Geoffrey Schemitsch

On Saturday, May 3, 2008, Geoffrey Schemitsch sat patiently as he waited for a phone call from an Ontario Hockey League team saying that they had selected him in 2008 Priority Draft. No call came. So he returned to the AAA Mississauga Reps, determined to play the best he could in hopes that he might catch some one's eye. Fast forward a year to May 2, 2009; another call-less day from an Ontario Hockey League team as the 2009 Priority Draft took place. Two years unselected, despite being one of the best midget aged defenseman in the GTA.

Somewhat dejected, but not willing to give up. he would now turn his attention to Tier II in hopes of possibly earning a scholarship from the NCAA. Already committed to playing for the Vaughn Vipers of the OJHL in 2009-10, Schemitsch got a call from Owen Sound. "As an undrafted player it was my intention to play in the OPJHL this year and work towards an NCAA scholarship," says Schemitsch. "I was offered a try-out with Owen Sound and felt it would be a good experience. Fortunately, I was offered a spot and I came to the conclusion that playing in the OHL this year would be a valuable stepping stone to playing at the highest level."

Schemitsch impressed the Attack enough with his offensive ability and game intelligence, that they didn't hesitate to sign him and bring him on board this year. Owen Sound was facing a tough situation, as captain and top offensive defenseman David Kolomatis was going to start the year in the AHL after being drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. That meant they needed someone on the blueline to step up and lead the powerplay and move the puck up ice. And since no current Attack defenseman had ever scored more than 3 goals or accumulated more than 20 points in an OHL season before, they needed someone to step up. Turns out that player was the newly acquired Geoffrey Schemitsch.

Even though the Attack struggled through the opening weeks of the season, (going 4-8-1-2 in the first fifteen games), and many of the team's players suffered through bouts of inconsistency, one player remained a strong contributor night in and night out. That was Schemitsch. With 2 goals and 12 assists through the team's first 15 games, Schemitsch established himself as that reliable offensive defenseman the team needed. But it hasn't been easy. "The players [in the OHL] are faster and stronger [than midget] and it takes time but you find a way to adjust," said Schemitsch. Though he does say that an effortless transition off the ice has made things easier for him on it. "Living away from home has been a smooth adjustment, my billets and the people here are great and have made it very easy. The people [in Owen Sound[ are unbelievable and I've been fortunate to have great coaches, teammates, and billets so the move has been a seamless transition."

Interestingly enough, Schemitsch isn't the only un-drafted 1992 born OHL rookie defenseman from the Greater Toronto Area that is finding success. Niagara IceDogs defenseman Matt Petgrave has been excellent in a similar role this season, especially lately with 8 points in his last 15 games. Petgrave played for the Toronto Titans Midget AAA team last year and was a strong opponent to Schemitsch's Mississauga Reps. "I played against Matt last year a number of times.  His team actually won our league championship and he was definitely a big factor in that. He's a good player and skater, with a noticeable ability to contribute all over the ice.  I'd say there was definitely a rivalry from my club's standpoint.  His team was tough to play against and we gave them a good run a couple of times," says Schemitsch.

Although Schemitsch has cooled lately, with only 1 point in his last six games, there is bound to be NHL interest in him come June. The 6'1, Thornhill native still sits just outside the top 10 of defenseman scoring in the OHL and is currently tied for second in OHL rookie scoring (behind Saginaw's Ivan Telegin). He has great mobility on the back end, moves the puck up ice effortlessly and is seeing time in all situations for Owen Sound. All this from someone who patterns his game after Chicago Blackhawk defenseman Duncan Keith. "I'd have to say I look at a guy like Duncan Keith as a player that I really admire.  He plays a strong all around game, really poised and makes good decisions, something that I try to do myself. I try to be calm on the back end and make good plays in all three zones while looking to contribute at both ends of the ice. I just have to keep getting stronger."

What does the future hold for Schemitsch? No one can say for certain. Last year, a similar OHL rookie defenseman named Calvin de Haan crept into the OHL with little fan fare. He put up 16 points in his first 15 games and began to slowly generate buzz for the NHL Entry Draft. Of course, he ended up getting drafted 12th overall by the New York Islanders in 2009. What does Schemitsch think of the comparison? "For sure you have to get excited looking at Calvin de Haan's situation.  He is obviously a great player who's had great success. I am trying to stay calm, focused, and not get overwhelmed [by the NHL draft]."

However, let it be noted that today NHL Central Scouting released its annual Preliminary Rankings for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. Schemitsch was not among the top 25 players ranked in the Ontario Hockey League (and neither was his teammate Joey Hishon). This surprised me. All I know is I see a talented young defenseman who plays the game the exact way NHL defenseman need to in order to excel in today's NHL. In fact, when I asked him whether he'd rather win a Memorial Cup, Gold Medal, or Stanley Cup, the answer was obvious to him. "I have to go with a Stanley Cup.  Winning a championship at the highest level is what you dream about," answered Schemitsch. To me that screams of a kid that's committed to do whatever it takes to get to the NHL and if I'm making a top 25 right now; Geoffrey Schemitsch is on it.

Here is the interview.

Otten - You had an agreement to play for Vaughn of the OPJHL, but decided to try out for Owen Sound this year. Was your first choice all along to play in the OHL, but because you went undrafted in the OHL, you just wanted to have a back up plan? Or were you seriously considering the NCAA option and what programs were recruiting you? Why did you ultimately choose the OHL?

Schemitsch - As an undrafted player it was my intention to play in the OPJHL this year and work towards an NCAA scholarship. I was offered a try-out with Owen Sound and felt it would be a good experience. Fortunately, I was offered a spot and I came to the conclusion that playing in the OHL this year would be a valuable stepping stone to play at the highest level.

Otten - Playing in AAA midget last year for Mississauga, and then this year playing in the OHL, what have been the biggest adjustments? Living away from home? Size? Speed? Rigorous schedule?

Schemitsch - Definitely the biggest adjustments have seen both on and off the ice. The players are faster and stronger and it takes time but you find a way to adjust. As well, being on the ice as much as we are is another adjustment from last year. Living away from home has been a smooth adjustment, my billets and the people here are great and have made it very easy.

Otten - I think it's safe to say that with your play so far this season, you have to be generating some NHL draft buzz. Have NHL scouts been talking to you already? If so, what have they been saying?

Schemitsch - I've heard that NHL scouts have been talking about me, but I haven't talked to any scouts directly.

Otten - I don't think it's out of the question to compare you to a guy like Calvin de Haan, as an OHL rookie defenseman who?s come into the league and put up great numbers. Calvin, of course, ended up going in the first round of the NHL draft last year. Do you look at Calvin's situation and get excited because that could be you, or do you try and stay a little more calm about the prospect of being an NHL draft pick...possibly even a high one?

Schemitsch - For sure you have to get excited looking at Calvin de Haan's situation. He is obviously a great player who's had great success. I am trying to stay calm, focused, and not get overwhelmed.

Otten - Your birthplace is listed as Toronto, but you played for the Mississauga Reps. Were you born and raised in Toronto, or an area of the GTA like Mississauga or Brampton? When did you first think about hockey as a possible profession?

Schemitsch - I was born in Toronto but lived in the US for the first two years, Seattle then Boston. Ever since, I've lived just outside of Toronto in Thornhill. Like any other Canadian kid playing hockey it's always a dream to play at the professional level. However, recently I've started to seriously think about hockey as a possible profession.

Otten - Moving from the GTA to Owen Sound (cottage country) had to be a big adjustment. What's your experience in Owen Sound been like so far?

Schemitsch - The experience has been great. The people are unbelievable and I've been fortunate to have great coaches, teammates, and billets so the move has been a seamless transition.

Otten - As a GTA boy, are you a Leaf fan? Or did you grow up as a fan of another NHL team?

Schemitsch - I always have been and still am a huge Leaf fan.

Otten - Do you have a favourite NHL player, or a guy you try to model your game after?

Schemitsch - I'd have to say I look at a guy like Duncan Keith as a player that I really admire. He plays a strong all around game, really poised and makes good decisions, something that I try to do myself.

Otten - What do you consider your strengths and weaknesses as a player?

Schemitsch - As player I see myself being able to play a strong two way game. I try to be calm on the back end and make good plays in all three zones while looking to contribute at both ends of the ice. I just have to keep getting stronger.

Otten - Perhaps a question you can't answer, but another 1992 born defenseman who played GTA Midget Rep is having a solid rookie season in the OHL; Matt Petgrave of the Niagara IceDogs. From what I understand he played for the Toronto Titans. Did you guys play each other a lot; develop a rivalry? If so, what's your opinion of him as a player?

Schemitsch - I played against Matt last year a number of times. His team actually won our league championship and he was definitely a big factor in that. He's a good player and skater, with a noticeable ability to contribute all over the ice. I'd say there was definitely a rivalry from my club's standpoint. His team was tough to play against and we gave them a good run a couple of times.

Otten - Last question. You have to choose one. Memorial Cup, Stanley Cup, or International Gold Medal (for Team Canada)?

Schemitsch - I have to go with a Stanley Cup. Winning a championship at the highest level is what you dream about.

Thanks to Geoffrey and Brent Fisher of the Owen Sound Attack for the interview and best of luck to Mr. Schemitsch and the rest of the Owen Sound Attack in the remaining 2009-10 season.

Sunday Top 10 - "Sleepers" for the 2010 NHL Draft

Completely inspired by The Scouting Report's "OHL Sleepers to Watch" (found here), I've decided to mold the theme of today's Top 10 in a similar fashion. I'm going to take a look at 10 players you may not have heard of right now, but by season's end you likely will have. These are NHL Draft prospects in their first year of eligibility (you've got to draw the line somewhere!). Thus a lot of them are OHL rookies, or guys who saw limited time last year. These are also guys who come June, could be hearing their name called at the 2010 NHL Draft, even though they are on few scouting lists right now.

I didn't rank them because at this point I think that defeats the purpose. It's too early in the season to determine what order these players should be ranked in. However, it's not too early to identify them as players to keep an eye on, and that is my purpose with today's Top 10.

Here they are...

Domenic Alberga - Brampton Battalion
Alberga led the OPJHL's Villanova Knights in scoring last year and is currently centering the Brampton Battalion's all rookie "92" line (with Phil Lane and Ian Watters). Scored his first OHL goal the other night and I think it's only a matter of time before that line starts to get comfortable. Alberga is strong on the forecheck and he appears to love to drive the puck to the net. He's also a budding physical player who might just have power forward potential. His skating looked only average, but he has lots of time to improve it.

Brandon Alderson - Sarnia Sting
Alderson played mostly midget AAA last year with the Oakville Rangers and is entering his first season in Sarnia. He has good size and appears to have a good nose for the net. He's been seeing some action on a line with Kale Kerbashian, who might be Sarnia's best offensive player, and he ended up scoring the game winner in Erie the other night. Sarnia's going to need some players to help fill the net this year and Alderson looks like a candidate to do so early in the season.

Chris Buonomo - Peterborough Petes
Buonomo split last season between the Petes and Peterborough in the OPJHL. He's not the biggest defenseman in the world at 5'11, but he's definitely aggressive. He gets right in there in the defensive end and is a really hard nosed player. He's been getting a fair amount of ice time thus far, even seeing some time paired with Jamie Doornbosch. Offensively, he appears to be no slouch either, scoring in Peterborough's first game of the season. If he can continue to show a physical two way dimension, he could be an attractive option on draft day.

Michael Houser - London Knights
Don't look now, but the Knights have found their goaltender of the future. Houser played for the atrocious Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL last season, where he performed admirably under the conditions (considering the other goalies on the team had SV% nearly .50 lower than his). The Knights found him and signed him this offseason, likely before he could make a decision on an NCAA scholarship. He was outstanding for London throughout training camp, and he has carried that over into the season. He got his first start of the season against Windsor last week (talk about throwing him into the fire) and he made 42 saves for the victory. London was horribly out shot in the game and he kept them in the game. He's not likely to get a lot starts this season behind the solid Michael Hutchinson, but it should be enough to catch scouts attention (ala Steve Mason behind Adam Dennis in 2006). He's also barely eligible for this year's draft, born September 13. That has to make him one of the youngest, if not the youngest, player available for the draft.

Philip Lane - Brampton Battalion
While yet to hit the scoresheet, Lane is bound to do so eventually. A budding power forward, Lane played last season for Buffalo of the OPJHL where he excelled. He's a high profile American player who has previously attended U.S. development camps. He signed with the Battalion this offseason and is likely to eventually make a big impact in the league. He's got great size, great wheels and a good attitude. In the game I saw, he was all over the ice, throwing hits, forechecking, causing turnovers. In a similar situation to a guy like Austin Watson, he'll take his time getting used to the league.

Dalton McGrath - Barrie Colts
One of the stars of the OHL preseason, Mcgrath has yet to start a game in the regular season for Barrie. But the late 1991 born goaltender is definitely one to keep an eye on. He was a rookie of the year in the OPJHL last season while playing for the Couchiching Terriers and didn't lose a single game during the regular season. Taking nothing away from Peter Di Salvo, I could see Mcgrath slowly taking starts away from him as the season progresses, similar to the way Di Salvo did to Michael Hutchinson last year. I'll be curious to see how McGrath fairs in his first start.

Matt Petgrave - Niagara IceDogs
A free agent acquisition by the IceDogs this offseason, Petgrave seems to have the potential to develop into a quality two way defender. He played last season for the Toronto Titans midget AAA team (and sparingly for Bramalea of the OPJHL). Throughout the two games he's played for the Dogs this season, he's been active at both ends of the ice. A solid skater who's capable of carrying the puck up the ice, but also a potentially strong defender. He also seems to have a penchant for throwing the big hit, although he needs to be careful in not taking himself out of the play defensively. Once he gains more confidence, we could see big gains from him on an arguably wide open Niagara blueline.

Charles Sarault - Kingston Frontenacs
Even though Sarault played for the Frontenacs all of last year, he's a player who saw limited ice time and produced very little in the way of offensive stats. This year, he's playing a larger role and is starting to see playing time with some of Kingston's better offensive players. He had a three assist night last night against Peterborough and appears to be poised to breakout. Sarault, only moderately sized at 5'10, is a real spark plug. He brings a lot of speed into the offensive zone and keeps his legs moving in attacking the puck carrier. He's got some offensive creativity too, although needs to be careful in getting too fancy.

Geoffrey Schemitsch - Owen Sound Attack
Another player signed as a free agent this offseason, Schemitsch is a two way defender who played midget AAA in Mississauga last year. He's got adequate size at 6'1, 180lbs and he has been playing in all situations for Owen Sound thus far. He brings the puck up the ice confidently, he runs the powerplay well and he even does a good job positionally on defense. He had a goal and an assist against Windsor last night and now has 4 points in 5 games to start the season. Seems like a really good find for Owen Sound and potential NHL draft pick.

Dalton Smith - Ottawa 67's
Saw little time with Ottawa last year, instead playing closer to home for Whitby of the OPJHL. But he did excel towards the end of the season and into the playoffs for the 67's. A big forward, Smith actually uses his size to his advantage, parking himself near the crease. He's got good hands in close, as evidenced by his 4 goals already this season. A real power forward prospect. Definitely one to watch this season.

Cameron Wind - Brampton Battalion
Wind played sparingly for the Battalion last season, but this year is taking on a much larger role, playing in all situations for the Battalion. He's a strong two way defender who has excellent size at 6'1, 200lbs. He's composed with the puck, does a good job of getting shot through to the net and he's a willing combatant in the defensive zone. He skates well for a big man too. While he hasn't put anything up on the score sheet yet, I'd say it's only a matter of time.

Whoops, was that 11? My bad!

All jokes aside, I do seem to have trouble sometimes keeping these lists at 10.

Anyone have any additional comments about these players, or for that matter, any players you've felt I missed?

Thoughts on Owen Sound and Sarnia from September 23

Bored on a Wednesday night and tired of watching the 4th place Toronto Blue Jays (yes...I know...baseball), I decided to throw on the Owen Sound/Sarnia game on the Action Pack. Nothing like watching two winless teams fight for their first victory!

All joking aside, it was actually a very entertaining game; albeit a sloppy one. Both teams had their share of troubles defensively, with penalties (both teams had 6 powerplays) and with turnovers. Thanks in part to three powerplay goals, the Attack came out on top by a score of 5 to 2. First time I've really seen both of these teams this season. My general thought is that Sarnia will be in for a long season, as expected. They work hard and they've got some young talent, but this year will not be pretty for them in the standings. Owen Sound, despite the win, needs to be A LOT better if they want to finish better than last year. Turnovers in the defensive end and undisciplined penalties could have been the end of the them against a better and more talented team. They'll be playing Kitchener and Windsor on the weekend and if they play like that defensively, it'll be a long weekend (and not the good type of long weekend).

One thing I've really noticed is how much Owen Sound misses David Kolomatis. Obviously it didn't show on the powerplay, but I think it shows a lot 5 on 5. He's such a good skater and generally has little trouble bringing the puck into the offensive zone. I noticed tonight that most of the Owen Sound turnovers occurred as Attack defenseman tried to force the puck up ice on a rush (hello Curtis Crombeen and Paul Bezzo). As such, Attack forwards were generally responsible for bringing the puck up across the red line. Also, Kolomatis is a vastly underrated defensive player, who really solidifies the back-end. He's been out with mono and as such I really expected him to be back in Owen Sound due to circumstances beyond his control. But instead the Kings (who drafted him in 2009) recently sent him to the AHL's Manchester Monarchs training camp. Since he's returning from mono, he's not likely to be ready physically for AHL action anyway, but none the less, his demotion to Manchester and not Owen Sound has to be troubling to Attack management.

Enough with the rant, here's some of my thoughts on Attack and Sting players...

Owen Sound Attack






Keevin Cutting (2011)
Played a quietly effective game tonight. To be honest, I didn't really notice him that much on the ice. He had one bad turnover that I remember, where he tried to get too cute with the puck, but I also remember him bailing out Paul Bezzo on a few occasions defensively. One thing I do feel the need to mention is how small he looks on the ice. He's listed at 6'1, 177lbs, but he doesn't really look 6'1. Perhaps because he's so slim in comparison to his teammates. As one of the younger 1992 birth dates in the OHL, he's got a lot of time to put on weight and size before the NHL comes calling in June of 2011. I'm interested to see how talented he is offensively, once he starts to gain more confidence in doing things with the puck.

Curtis Crombeen (2011)
Curtis Crombeen is going to be a good player in the OHL, but he doesn't look ready yet. Admittedly he did get better as the game went on, but he's still too careless with the puck for my liking. Made a couple bad pinches and turned the puck over trying to cut through the opposition with the puck. He also makes Keevin Cutting look like Paul Bezzo. He is very talented though and you can see that in the few successful rushes he did make. Elite skater with potentially elite puckhandling skills. Just needs to continue to adapt to the speed of the OHL game.

Garrett Wilson (FLA)
The best player on the ice for me tonight. It's obvious as to what Wilson worked in this offseason. His skating looks much better. He's still slow getting going, but because he's got good size, once he hits that top gear, he's hard to handle. He appears to have turned himself into more than the crease crasher and slot target he was last season. His line (with Shipley and Josh Moes) was the most effective for Owen Sound. He really appears confident in his ability to take the puck hard to the net and in so, created several scoring chances. He also made a really nice touch pass to Joey Hishon for the 2nd Attack goal, where he used his body to shield the defender going hard to the net. He's still a physical presence on the ice too. Looks much improved to me. He finished the game with 1 goal and 2 assists and was named the first star.

Joey Hishon (2010)
Hishon played a solid game tonight. His speed and puck control wreck havoc on opposing defenses. I do have one criticism though. I feel like he and his linemmates didn't really connect tonight. They were dangerous, but they did so on accord of their own individual efforts, more so on cycling and working as a cohesive unit. The line (Myles Doan and Bobby Mignardi with Hishon) and it's speed really gave the Sting defense fits. I felt like some of that connection problem came from Hishon himself, who tried to do a little bit too much. He's a great puckhandler, but I felt like he had already made up his mind a few times as to where he was going with the puck. While some teams love to see a guy like that, I think most prefer those types on the wing. As a center, and as a great playmaker, I think Hishon needs to use his linemmates more than he did tonight. But I suppose that is nitpicking on a night where he had a goal and an assist and was one of the game's most dangerous players. His powerplay goal off that nice Wilson feed really showcased Hishon's ability in close to the net where he made a nice move to cut back to the middle and out-waited the Sting goalie for the goal.

Steven Shipley (2010)
Shipley is a bit of an enigma. At times he was a dominant force on the ice and other times he appeared content to play a background role. I think it may be a confidence thing that will slowly allow him to become an impact player. He skates very well for a big man, accelerating to top speed in only a few strides. He used this skating ability on a few occasions to blow past a Sting defenseman on his way to the net. I also think he uses his size really well when he doesn't have the puck, making room for his linemmates. Truthfully, I'd love to see him on the wing where he'd be more fit to use his size and speed coming down the wing. One thing I don't want to see him doing is quarterbacking the powerplay like he did tonight. In my opinion, it's a total waste of his size and hands. Shipley finished the game with 2 assists.

Geoffrey Schemitsch (2010)
Liked what I saw of this OHL rookie tonight. He was probably the most effective Owen Sound defender at rushing the puck up the ice and he appears to have the confidence of the coaching staff as he played in all situations. He did have one very bad turnover where he panicked and tried to force a pass to the wing and it led to a near goal (if not for a post and his effort to come back and clear the puck from the goal line). But he was generally very solid and smart with the puck. Decent size, if he can have a good year, he might get NHL draft attention. He finished the game with 2 assists.

Scott Stajcer (NYR)
Stajcer was very shaky in the first period, but really settled down as the game went on. The two goals he gave up in the first were a direct result of very poor rebound control. That being said, the rebounds would have been a non issue had Owen Sound defenders tied up their man. He does have a tendency to give up bad rebounds on low shots to his pads. Stajcer needs to learn how to direct his rebounds to the corner and away from the slot. On high shots, he's excellent though and does a very good job of controlling shots to his chest. Another thing I'd like to see from Stajcer is for him to be more aggressive in challenging shooters. He rarely leaves the blue ice of his crease and got caught deep in his net a few times. He got lucky with a couple posts too. But you have to give him credit for shutting the door in the second and the third. He finished the game with 32 saves on 34 shots, got the win and was named the game's 2nd star.

Sarnia Sting






Nathan Chiarlitti (2010)
He's already matched his goal scoring total (and point total for that matter) from last season. Chiarlitti is also wearing an A this year, which proves that Dave McQueen and the coaching staff have a lot of confidence in him. He finished the game -2, but I'm not necessarily sure he deserved that fate. He looks pretty poised with the puck and did a good job at keeping the puck in the zone. He also was smart in his pinches. Defensively, he looked pretty solid. Did a good job with the rush and was hard to beat one on one. On the negative side, and perhaps part of the reason he was -2, he needs to work on his zone coverage. But he appears to have a pretty good head on his shoulders and has the makings of a steady two-way defender.

J.C. Campagna (2011)
One of those highly touted draft picks that the Sting managed to sign, Campagna had a solid game. He's got really great wheels and seems to have a nose for the net. His goal was scored as he jumped on a juicy rebound and put it top shelf. I really liked the energy he brought and he even got involved physically. Seems like a really talented 1993.

Brandon Francisco (2011)
Another of the highly touted draft picks from the 2009 priority draft, Francisco was supposed to be one of the most talented players available and a surefire top 10 selection. However, due to the same old NCAA connections, he slipped to the third round. You can see why he was so highly touted. Similar to Campagna, he brings a lot of speed and energy to the ice. He's got great hands and nearly scored off a nice rush. However, he appears a lot more physically immature than Campagna. At only 5'10, 155lbs, he was getting pushed around out there and got leveled twice with hits. He was really only noticeable on a couple occasions, as his body just isn't ready for a big role in the OHL. He'll be a good player though once he gets bigger and stronger.

Joe Rogalski (2010)
I thought Rogalski was less impressive than his defense partner, Nathan Chiarlitti. He got exposed a few times defensively, especially off the rush. He appears to be mobile and a solid skater, but he needs to keep his feet moving. He also had some trouble in the defensive zone with coverage. Offensively, he looked poised with the puck and did a good job rushing it and moving it up ice. But he's got to be better defensively. With his size and potential offensively, he'll definitely get a look from the NHL. Rogalski also finished -2.

That's all folks. I know there are quite a few Owen Sound fans who read the blog and obviously some Sarnia ones (Ryan Yessie I'm looking at you!), so I'd love to hear what you guys thought on the game too.