Thoughts on Kitchener and Guelph from November 28

I caught this one on the OHL Action Pack last night, but didn't have time until this morning to write about it. I haven't seen much of Guelph yet this season, so I figured what better game to watch than a Battle of Highway 7. Kitchener and Guelph are always bitter rivals in the Midwest Division and their match-ups make for entertaining hockey.

This one definitely looked like a match up of bitter rivals as it was a very spirited affair. A total of 52 penalty minutes were handed out and a total of 16 powerplays were given between the two teams. Albeit, the majority of those penalties were the result of some very undisciplined and lazy hockey from Guelph and Kitchener, however the point being that it was a scrappy game.

Neither team came into this one playing their best hockey of the season. The Storm were riding a 4 game losing streak, while the Rangers were a modest .500 over their last 10 (after starting the season so red hot). A lot of Guelph's problems this season can definitely be attributed to injury, as they've been without captain Matt Kennedy, Michael Latta and Peter Holland through stretches. Losing three of your four best forwards definitely makes life tough. However Kennedy remains the only one of the three still out of the line up (with a groin injury), meaning that the Storm should be able to start stringing some wins together soon. And soon was last night as they used a hat trick from Taylor Beck to propel them to a 7-4 victory over the Kitchener Rangers. The Storm will definitely be a dangerous team when all their players get back in the groove.

The Rangers however looked very sloppy last night. A lot of defensive miscues and undisciplined penalties. Kitchener's defense just got outworked and looked very weak along the boards and near the net as Guelph's forwards worked the cycle and found room near the crease. Any time a team lets in 7 goals, you might look to the goaltending, but Brandon Maxwell wasn't too fault for this loss. He had little chance on the majority of Guelph goals, which tells you his defense needs to step up. While Kitchener is obviously still a very solid team and a contender in the West, I think it should come to no surprise that they've been linked to adding another quality defenseman (Sam Lofquist before Guelph snagged him, and Taylor Doherty in trade talks).

Let's look at some individual performances.

Kitchener Rangers






John Moore (CBJ)
I've been underwhelmed with Moore in past viewings this season, but he was quite good last night. Seemed a lot more willing to use that skating to not only bring the puck up ice, but continue with it into the offensive zone. Had a couple very nice rushes into Guelph territory. His passing was very crisp too. He seems to have very good vision and anticipation of the play. Picked up a very nice assist on Chris MacKinnon's second period powerplay goal by firing a slap pass from the point to him at the side of the net for the redirect. Defensively there was some good, some bad. He was directly responsible for the J.P. Labardo second period goal. As Labardo (or Cody McNaughton one of the two) took the puck hard to the net, Moore was soft on them as he failed to move his feet and tried to use his stick cutting behind the net. Instead they blew by him, took the puck around the net and cut back out for the wrap around which generated the rebound J.P. Labardo eventually put home in the goal mouth scramble. However, later in the game he seemed to have learned his lesson. Taylor Beck tried to get through him to the net with a nice move and Moore took the man and put Beck hard into the net, knocking it off it's moorings. Defensively, it looks like its just a consistency issue where he'll need to figure out how to play the puck carrier hard every time.

Tyler Randell (BOS)
I thought Randell played a very solid game. His line with Andrew Crescenzi and Ben Thomson was the most consistent for the Rangers tonight, despite not getting on the board. He was very good along the boards and was a load to handle for the Storm defenseman in front of the net. Seems to be seeing time on the first powerplay unit right now too. Had a very nice assist on Matt Tipoff's opening goal of the game as he recovered a missed shot by Chris Mackinnon and fed a backhand pass cross crease to Tipoff for the tap in goal. For all intents and purposes, he has disappointed offensively this season though. Perhaps it's just a matter of confidence in his ability to use his size to generate scoring chances.

Ben Thomson (2011)
A Rangers 8th rounder this past year, Thomson has been a very pleasant surprise. He was recently named to Team Ontario for the Under 17's, so clearly others in the league have taken notice of him. He's a very big kid, already looks like one of the biggest Rangers forwards on the ice. He throws his body around and was solid along the boards as he and linemates Tyler Randell and Andrew Crescenzi dominated the cycle on several shifts. It'll be interesting to see his development going into next season. Could be a potential power forward.

Andrew Crescenzi (2010)
I continue to be impressed with this big Rangers forward. Playing in his first season in the OHL, Crescenzi seems to be finally gaining confidence in his offensive abilities. He's quite large (easily 6'4, 200lbs) and he plays that way. Uses his size to protect and puck and took it hard to the net on a couple of occasions, generating a scoring chance. He's kind of a big and awkward skater, but I wouldn't say his speed or acceleration is poor. Had one rush where he took the puck from the redline and beat all the Storm defenseman to the net, but couldn't beat St. Jacques. His play along the boards is excellent too, as mentioned about his line tonight. He's not putting up the offensive stats to generate NHL attention, but I do think he has potential.

Ryan Murphy (2011)
This guy is so talented. He will be a tremendous offensive defenseman in this league, something I've said in any of my viewings of him this season. Moves the puck up ice effortlessly. Skating and Puckhandling ability are definitely plus assets for him. He anticipates the play very well too though. He's one of those guys who seems to find the seam up the middle. Defensively, he's definitely improving. Off the rush, he uses his skating ability to stay in front of forwards and he's not afraid to play the body either. Along the boards, he's a bit of a warrior too. Was pushing and shoving in loose puck battles, even winning a few against bigger Storm forwards. However he does have some problems with bigger/stronger forwards near the net. Was unable to push Taylor Beck or Michael Latta off the puck on a few occasions, especially as they were moving in and behind the net. But he's young kid, and he's going to get stronger. The important thing is that he shows concern for the defensive end and has a bit of a physical intensity to him. All things that will likely be increased by the time he leaves this league. He finished with a secondary assist.

Jeff Skinner (2010)
Outside of a few shifts, Skinner was pretty invisible last night. As much as I like him as a draft prospect, his play without the puck in his own zone needs to improve. Got beat along the boards several times tonight and he needs to do a better job of tying up his man. Not his best effort.

Jeremy Morin (ATL)
I thought Morin was the best Rangers forward on the ice last night (even better than Chris MacKinnon and his hat trick). While his play in the OHL so far has been represented by his goal scoring ability, it was his playmaking ability last night that shone. Nearly every time he was on the ice, he was making things happen with the puck; making defenseman miss as he carried the puck in the offensive zone. In the second period, he deked around Peter Holland and Adam Comrie before passing it off to Chris MacKinnon for the tap in at the side of the net. I think the skating concerns have been overblown. He's not the world's best skater, but he has some elusive ability on the ice as evidenced by the amount of room he created for himself with the puck. Had a couple other very nice passes that did not amount to goal, but instead quality scoring chances. It's good to know that he's not just a one trick pony. Morin finished with 2 assists.

Brandon Maxwell (COL)
As I said earlier, Maxwell was not to blame for this loss. Wasn't the best game of his career or anything (far from it), but the majority of the 7 goals against were not his fault. One that was though, was Michael Latta's first period goal where Maxwell came out to play the puck, fanned on it and Latta picked it up and beat Maxwell on the wrap around before he could recover. He tried to make the fancy play instead of just flicking the puck to the corner. But he made some big saves in this one to keep it close for the majority of the first two periods. I like how he challenges shooters at the top of his crease and I like his quickness and mobility in the net. If it weren't for a couple of easy tap ins, redirects and pucks off other players skates, Maxwell would have had a solid night! Instead, he makes 31 of 38 saves and takes the loss.

Guelph Storm






Ben Chiarot (ATL)
Chiarot was excellent last night. He's a big body defenseman that actually uses his big body. The Rangers could just not beat him along the wall. While he is physical and does not hesitate to push and shove around the net, he's also smart positionally. On one occasion Jeff Skinner dumped the puck in and came flying into the zone for retrieval. Chiarot, knowing that Skinner could potentially beat him to the puck, angled Skinner away from it by physically engaging him and then blocking him with his body as he tapped the puck out to his forward to get the puck up ice. I like how he keeps things simple offensively too. Makes the smart pass, and does it quickly. He finished +1 in the game.

Sam Lofquist (2010, but 1990 born)
What a find this guy has been so far for Guelph. He played a TON last night and in every situation. He was outstanding. Lofquist, a former member of the USNDP and Minnesota Golden Gophers, has stepped right into Guelph's line up as someone who can play in all situations. He's got great size, he's solid positionally, he was physical in the defensive end, he moved the puck up ice well by pass or carry, and he controlled the point on the powerplay like a 3 year OHL veteran. I liked his mobility on the back end too, as I didn't expect him to be the type that could carry the puck into the offensive zone based on what I'd read about him at Minnesota. He picked up three assists on the powerplay and I really liked the way he moved the puck smartly and was able to get his point shot through. Put a nice low shot on net for Matt Sisca to tip in to start the third period. While he may not have been getting the playing time at Minnesota to show what he's capable of, if he keeps playing like this, he'll quickly get back on to the NHL radar.

Peter Holland (ANA)
Holland was pretty good last night. His skating looks improved (wasn't poor to begin with) and he was able to cut through Kitchener's defense. When the puck is on his stick, he's able to keep control very well and shields the puck with his frame. That makes him very hard to knock off the puck when he's in full stride. Had four assists on the night, two of which were very nice plays to set up Taylor Beck for a tap in at the side of the net. However, he still leaves me somewhat underwhelmed. I'm not entirely sure why, but there's something missing. He still needs to play harder without the puck and along the boards. Was one of the only Guelph forwards last night who didn't have their way with the Rangers defense on the cycle. Was really soft on Jeremy Morin during his pass to Chris MacKinnon on their second period goal. Weakly waved his stick at Morin as he blew by him. At the next level, that type of weak play without the puck won't cut it. He doesn't have to develop into a power forward, but adding a little sandpaper to his game could go a long way.

Michael Latta (NSH)
Latta is just a very solid player. No real flaws in his game, but at the same time, nothing that he does exceptionally well. He's not the biggest guy, but he's very strong and that makes him very hard to contain in the cycle. He brushed off Ranger defenseman numerous times in the offensive end in order to gain possession or keep possession of the puck. He scored a nice goal by taking the puck off Brandon Maxwell and beating him on the wrap around. Defensively and physically, he's a solid contributor too. Dropped the gloves with Dan Kelly, coming to the aid of a high sticked teammate. For everything he does well, I'm not sure his skating has improved much. He still looks a bit sluggish entering the offensive zone, and it prevents him from being a more dynamic player. Once he's able to gain puck possession, he outworks and outhustles the opposition, but in terms of being a factor in transition, he is mostly not. That being said, for all the things he does well, he should be able to carve out a career in the NHL for himself. He also finished with a secondary assist on the night.

Taylor Beck (NSH)
Beck has exploded offensively this season and I think it's easy to see why. Not only has he gotten stronger (and more equipped to play his style of game), but his skating has visibly gotten better. He was a factor on the rush with the puck on his stick and he generated more than a few scoring chances by taking it hard to the net. While none of his 3 goals on the night were spectacular, he put himself in good position to score the goal. His increased strength and skating ability has increased his elusiveness on the ice and he's now able to create more room for himself offensively. Was absolutely Guelph's best forward on the night and looks to be turning himself into quite the excellent NHL prospect.

Adam Comrie (FLA)
Comrie was quietly efficient last night. Paired with Ben Chiarot (mostly), they kept the game very simple and did a good job of getting the puck up ice quickly to their forwards. Comrie did a good job defensively, save the Jeremy Morin dangle. On the play he got caught turning around and Morin went right by him. However, he also got lost defensively in coverage as he was caught standing around looking at Morin while Chris MacKinnon slipped past him for the tap in. Overall though he did a good job of winning battles in the corners and keeping Ranger forwards away from the front of the net. Wasn't spectacular, but he played a very calm and collected game. I'm interested to see if he makes the United States WJC team.

Comments?

Thoughts on Sault Ste. Marie and Kitchener from October 12

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

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

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

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

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

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds





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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kitchener Rangers






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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Sunday Top 10 - Jumping Ship to the OHL

First off, sorry for the lack of updates recently. My computer access has been limited lately due to some computer/virus related problems again. I should be back up and running soon enough which will mean more updates.

As for the Sunday Top 10, this week we look at 10 player who look like they will be jumping ship to the OHL next season. That is to say, 10 players from outside leagues who look to or have already committed to playing in the OHL next season. This list does not include "natural" OHL rookies, or 93 born players who were just recently drafted in the Priority draft. This is a list of "overage" rookies, if you will. There is a lot of talent on this list, some of whom have already stated they will be playing in the OHL next season. Others is merely speculation on my part based on a little background research. Quite frankly, I'd be surprised if every player on this list isn't in the OHL next year, but you never know.

Here is the Top 10...

10. Chase Balisy - U.S. National Under 17 Team
Balisy is a very interesting case. He actually played last season in Toronto with the Montreal Jr. Canadiens alongside OHL first overall pick John McFarland. Originally from California, Balisy returned to the U.S., accepting an offer to play for the Under 17 Development Program this season, where he had 39 points in 67 games. Balisy also shifted back and forth between forward and defense this year, generating offense from both spots. He's an excellent playmaker with speed to burn, although he is undersized at 5'10. Balisy does not currently have an NCAA committment, and with his previous time spent playing in Canada, it is expected he will make the jump to the OHL next season.
Destination team - London Knights

9. Adam Clendening - U.S. National Under 17/18 Team
Clendening is an averaged sized (5'11), but very skilled blueliner who has long been rumoured to be jumping ship to the OHL. He spent the majority of his season with the U.S. Under 17 team where he had 14 points in 39 games. He did also see some time on the Under 18 team, in particular playing at the recently concluded World Under 18 Championships, where he helped Team U.S.A. capture the gold. This feat is especially impressive considering that Clendening is a late 1992 birthdate, making him one of the youngest players in the program, and not eligible for the NHL draft until 2011. Don't expect him to become an impact player right away, but he should be able to jump right into the top 4 of a team's defense.
Destination team - London Knights

8. Brandon Pirri - Georgetown Raiders (OPJHL)
This is purely speculation on my part, but I have a hard time seeing this talented forward at R.P.I. next season. Pirri is an exceptionally talented offensive forward who had 94 points in 44 games this season, and is expected to go in the top 3 rounds of the NHL draft this year. He was spurned by the Canadian Under 18 team, which had to hurt his stock a bit since scouts were unable to make a comparison against his equally talented peers. However, R.P.I. was one of the worst teams in the NCAA this season. If an NHL team takes Pirri high, which is very likely, I'd say it's also likely they convince him to go to the OHL where he'll be surrounded by a few more talented players. Pirri was originally drafted by Sudbury, but don't be surprised to see his rights traded.
Destination team - Sudbury Wolves?

7. Jerry D'Amigo - U.S. National Under 18 Team
D'Amigo is a 5'11, 200lbs hard working forward who finished second in scoring on the Under 18 team this season, with 56 points in 53 games. He was especially outstanding for Team U.S.A. at the Under 18's, where he finished with 13 points in 7 games in helping Team U.S.A. to gold. He was also named to the tournament all star team. Interesting enough, D'Amigo is another R.P.I. recruit who's slated to go in the first three rounds of this years NHL draft. However, unlike Pirri, his intent to play in the OHL appears to be much more forward. While he hasn't signed a contract yet with Kitchener, like Morin and Maxwell, he has apparently been seen in the Kitchener area, leading you to believe it's just a matter of time. On the other hand, as recently as a few months ago, his family has stated he's still dedicated to RPI. So who really knows, and a lot depends on whoever drafts him in the NHL Should he report to Kitchener he'll be an impact player for them next season.
Destination team - Kitchener Rangers

6. Brandon Maxwell - U.S. National Under 17/18 Team
Maxwell had quite the incident filled year. Maxwell started the season as potentially the best goaltender available for 2009 NHL entry draft. However, as the season went along, things started to happen. First, Maxwell tried to get out of the development program so that he could go play for Windsor. His push was denied by USA Hockey and he was forced to stay with the Under 18 team. From there, things spiraled from bad to worse. His play slipped, and he was eventually booted from the Under 18 team for an altercation with another teammate. He was demoted to the Under 17 team, where he was not incredibly great, finishing the season with a Sv% under .900. However, his rights were traded to Kitchener and he has already signed the contract to play with the Rangers next season. It remains to be seen how talented Maxwell is, simply because of all the drama that surrounded him this year. I guess we'll see how he responds next year in Kitchener where he's going to be responsible for backstopping an up and coming team who expects to challenge for a Division title.
Destination team - Kitchener Rangers

5. Richard Panik - HC Trinec (Czech League)
Panik has long be considered a first round selection for the 2009 draft, at one point last year, even as high as the top 10. However this season has not been kind to him. His stats have greatly slipped with HC Trinec in the Czech junior league and he was completely overshadowed on the Slovakian World Junior team by fellow 2009 eligible teammate Tomas Tatar. Panik was taken last year in the Import Draft by Windsor, but decided to not come over. However, he has since committed to coming over next season and will be a Spitfire in 2009-10. Panik is a big body with a lot of skill and should be an impact player, especially with the talent he'll be surrounded with.
Destination team - Windsor Spitfires

4. Brandon Saad - Mahoning Valley Phantoms (NAHL)
Saad, a talented winger from Pittsburgh, as the 10th overall selection in the 2008 OHL Priority draft by the Saginaw Spirit. However, he did not play in Saginaw this season because he wanted to play one last season with his brother George in the NAHL, even turning down the USDP for that chance as well. Saad is a big time offensive forward who is an especially dangerous goal scorer. He was named the NAHL's Rookie of the Year and he also lead Team USA in scoring with 9 points at the Under 17 World Hockey Challenge. While he hasn't yet signed to play in Saginaw, it's all but expected he will, with no NCAA committment, and quotes saying that he would head to Saginaw after one more season in the NAHL. He should jump right into the Saginaw line up and become an impact forward.
Destination team - Saginaw Spirit

3. Jeremy Morin - U.S. National Under 18 Team
Jeremy Morin is a winger who lead the Under 18 in scoring this season with 33 goals and 59 points. He also finished second in penalty minutes with 107. He's been considered a first round selection for the 2009 NHL draft pretty much all season, even increasing his stock with a very solid Under 18 championship performance with 10 points in 7 games. He just recently signed his contract to play for Kitchener next season, where he'll likely jump right into the line up and become an immediate team leader and leading scorer.
Destination team - Kitchener Rangers

2. John Moore - Chicago Steel (USHL)
Somewhat surprisingly, Moore was drafted yesterday by Kitchener in the second round of the OHL Priority draft. Even more surprising is the fact that Moore is apparently heading to Kitchener, ditching his committment to Colorado College. This incredibly talented blueliner is slated to be a top 20 selection in the 2009 NHL entry draft after putting up 37 points in 49 games and being named the USHL defenseman of the year. He should enter Kitchener's line up and have a very similar impact to John Carlson's in London this year. In other words, he should be one of the best defenseman in the league next year.
Destination - Kitchener Rangers

1. Cam Fowler - U.S. National Under 18 Team
It should not be surprising to most that Fowler tops this list. This 6'2, 190lbs defenseman is an absolutely elite player. He is the complete package. Outstanding skater and offensive producer, but also a developing dominant two way defenseman. He was absolutely fantastic at the Under 18's, leading U.S.A. to gold and being named the tournament's top defenseman. He could very well go first overall in 2010, likely battling with future teammate Taylor Hall in Windsor. This kid could very well be the OHL defenseman of the year next year, his first in the league. He's that good.
Destination - Windsor Spitfires

Other Notables

I don't usually include any honorable mentions in the Sunday Top 10, however this list is a little different because of the nature of the topic. Here are a few more situations to keep an eye on...

Kenny Ryan, Stephan Johns, Jack Campbell to Windsor. Ryan is a great goal scorer who was a big part of the Under 18 team this year. Johns is a talented and big, imposing defenseman from the Under 17 team. And Jack Campbell was the goaltender who lead Team USA to Gold at the recent Under 18's. All three are potential impact players. All three are potential recruits to Windsor. However, they remain longshots at best at this point, however with Kitchener spending so much money this offseason to bring in talent, don't be surprised to see Windsor make a big pitch to get these guys. Especially Jack Campbell, who could be their goaltender of the future.

USHL star Stanislav Galiev, of the Indiana Ice, is looking to join the CHL next year and will go wherever he is selected in the Import Draft. He's someone to look for if he joins an OHL team as he's an incredibly talented offensive player who could make a big impact. He's also 2010 NHL Draft Eligible.

When Kyle Palmieri was booted from the US Development Program this year, many expected him to announce his decision to join Guelph next year shortly after. However, he has remained adamant about his intent to play for Notre Dame next season. We do now how quickly things can change though, so keep an eye on this situation and don't be surprised to see him commit to Guelph after the NHL draft.

Which brings me to my next point. There are a lot of guys who could have made this list, too many to even mention. A lot can be said about their intentions now, but even more can be said after the NHL Draft, when a team can influence their new draft pick to select the route they decide is best for said players development.

Stay tuned next Sunday for a yet decided Top 10!