Game Report: Spirit & Majors from January 2

Even with the Canadian Juniors playing today, I wasn't going to miss the opportunity to see the best team in the Western Conference for the first time (live) this year. Just so happens it was a match-up between the top team in the East and the top team in the West. This should have been a battle for the ages...but it wasn't.

I have to say, this was one of the worst OHL games I've been to in my life. No flow to the game what so ever, thanks in part to a total of 17 powerplays (9 for Saginaw, 8 for Mississauga). Just sloppy play, little end to end action and a game where the Saginaw Spirit looked like the much better hockey team.

Granted, the Majors were without captain Casey Cizikas and head coach Dave Cameron, but they looked pretty terrible out there against the best team in the West. While I didn't watch it, I can't imagine their 5-2 loss against Guelph the other night looked a whole lot better. On the powerplay, they couldn't generate anything and were kept completely to the perimeter. In fact, on many of the Majors' 8 powerplays, they were unable to gain possession of the puck in the offensive zone. It was downright ugly. So ugly that frustration caused star forward Justin Shugg to destroy his stick while on the bench after yet another blown opportunity with the man advantage.

The Majors were also unable to generate much in the way of offense 5 on 5. Despite an advantage in shots, I felt like the Majors were vastly outplayed by the Spirit who were able to generate offense from speed and from turnovers that they caused in the offensive zone. Mississauga had few solid scoring chances in the game (a Mika Partanen slapshot down the wing that went off the post, and a couple of chances in the slot), with the majority of shots coming from the perimeter. It was clear, the game plan was just to get pucks on net, but when your opposing goaltender doesn't give up any rebounds (Mavric Parks), that's just not going to cut it. At least get some bodies in front of the net to try and make it more difficult for Parks.

Meanwhile, Saginaw looked pretty good. With the acquisition of John McFarland, they've clearly got a more balanced scoring attack and can roll three lines that can take the puck to the net. The McFarland, Saad, Trocheck line in particular, is incredibly fast and the Majors had trouble preventing them from entering the zone with possession of the puck. And if they couldn't carry the puck across the line, they'd dump it in and use their speed to gain possession.

If I was a Majors fan, I'd be pretty worried (in all honesty). The rest of the league's top teams are either making moves to get better (Saginaw, Niagara, Oshawa), or are looking sharper as the season moves on (Ottawa, Owen Sound, Kitchener, Windsor). Meanwhile, the Majors look to have stagnated a bit. This team needs help. It needs a true powerplay quarterback to improve the team's average at best powerplay. It also needs a few more dynamic offensive forwards that can help push the pace of play and provide a change of pace from some of the team's grinding offensive lines. With an overage spot open, there should definitely be at least one acquisition. And honestly, the team should also jettison Anthony Peters for another overage skater. Yes, he's been a great teammate and provides a veteran presence in case J.P. Anderson gets injured. But it makes no sense to be using a vital overage spot on a back up goaltender who'll see ZERO time in the playoffs when other needs should be addressed.

On to some individual player reports:

Saginaw Spirit







#6 - John McFarland (Drafted by Florida in 2010)
I thought he was the best player on the ice for either team today. He looks really good (and comfortable) on the wing with Trocheck and Saad. The ankle looks fully healed now as he was explosive coming down the wing with speed. He had a couple of really nice rushes as he flew down the wing, beat his defender to the outside and went hard to the net. He was also very physical (most physical game I've seen him play) and was very active on the forecheck and in the corners. He scored a goal off a turnover forced by Ivan Telegin. He took the puck, cut to the slot on his backhand, and slid the puck through Anthony Peters fivehole. It's definitely refreshing to see him playing so well in Saginaw, where he can hopefully re-invigorate his promising OHL career.

#10 - Jordan Szwarz (Drafted by Phoenix in 2009)
Szwarz had a very solid game and was named the game's second star. He opened the scoring by deflecting a Ryan O'Connor point shot in front of Anthony Peters. His biggest strength has always been his elusiveness on the ice, as he's a bit like a waterbug out there. He's everywhere and active in all three zones. His speed and ability to create turnovers on the forecheck are definitely strengths. He earned a secondary assist on the powerplay goal by Josh Shalla later in the game, off a nice passing play in the slot. I do question the type of role he'll take on in the NHL though. I'm not sure if he's big enough or skilled enough to take on a top six role in the NHL, which means he might have to add a physical element to his game to succeed in a bottom six, energy role.

#15 - Anthony Camara (Draft Eligible in 2011)
Started the game on a line with Jordan Szwarz and Josh Shalla, but saw some action on other lines too. He wasn't really noticeable, save for a few nice hits and a fight with Gregg Sutch at the end of the game, that left Sutch bleeding (thanks to I believe an inadvertent headbutt).

#22 - Brandon Saad (Draft Eligible in 2011)
The man I was most looking forward to seeing, as this was my first viewing of him live. His performance left me somewhat split. On one hand, I was impressed with his skating ability, which is excellent for a big guy. He nearly broke through the defense twice, but just couldn't get by the last defender after beating the rest of the team. He also clearly is an intelligent goal scorer who knows where to go on the ice and isn't afraid of going hard to the net for a goal. He scored after finding a loose puck in the slot on the powerplay in the second period. But on the other hand, I was left underwhelmed by a prospect whom is getting consideration for the top 5 of the NHL draft. When comparing him to Gabriel Landeskog or even Ryan Strome, he's just not as dynamic of a player, nor does he make as big of an impact on the ice. I stick by my midterm ranking of Saad behind those two guys. Is Saad really not just a bigger, and better skating version of Matt Puempel? Definitely a great prospect, but I'm not sure I'm buying the top 5 or even top 10 hype.

#89 - Vincent Trocheck (Draft Eligible in 2011)
Continues to be a favourite of mine. He's not the biggest, but he's an incredibly effective player. He plays in all situations for the Spirit, including seeing the majority of the penalty killing time for Saginaw. His speed and tenacity away from the puck, make him a very dangerous player despite his lack of size, which is what you want to see from an undersized forward (especially a center). He finished with a secondary assist on Saad's powerplay goal, but he could have had a beautiful primary assist on a John McFarland goal, had John not fanned on it in front of the net. On the powerplay, he deked out a Major defender and feathered a pass to McFarland cross crease for the one timer. He's just a good little player.

#49 - Mavric Parks (Overage Free Agent)
I have to think that this guy is going to get serious pro consideration this offseason. He's not the biggest goaltender (pushing 6 feet), which is probably a strike against him when it comes to NHL interest, but he plays big and comes up with big saves. He's very aggressive in challenging shooters and sees the puck very well through traffic. He's also very good at controlling rebounds and has excellent awareness of the game. The Majors were peppering him with shots from the outside, in hopes of getting a big rebound. But he just wouldn't give any up. He's having his second excellent season in a row for a quality team and deserves to get a pro contract (IMO). He made 33 saves for the shutout victory.

Mississauga Majors






#2 - Dylan DeMelo (Draft Eligible in 2011)
DeMelo has been a rock for the Majors this season and plays with overager Marc Cantin on arguably, the team's shutdown line. He saw a ton of action against John McFarland's line and these two were going at it hard all night. DeMelo put McFarland down hard along the boards in the first. McFarland did the same later in the game. But he didn't have the best of games in the defensive end. His pairing got exposed for three goals against today (two ES, one PP), of which DeMelo looked to be a little overmatched against the speed and creativity of the Spirit forwards. He made a really nice play offensively though, and generated one of the Majors best scoring chances in the game. He kept the puck in at the line by jumping to glove down a lob pass, then deked around a Spirit defender to get himself into shooting position in the slot, but was stymied by Parks.

#4 - Justin Shugg (Drafted by Carolina in 2010)
Shugg was clearly frustrated by his team's lack of drive and ability to produce offensively today. He was trying to do too much out there on the ice, and if he got around the first defender, he'd just keep going with his head down to the net and turned the puck over. He took a couple of tripping penalties in the game too, just being a little too aggressive on the attack. He took his frustration out on his stick after a failed powerplay, destroying it on the bench. The passion is refreshing though, on a day where the Majors looked as flat as a pancake.

#5 - Stuart Percy (Draft Eligible in 2o11)
Percy had a quiet game. I truthfully never really noticed him for the good or the bad. As a defender in a 4-0 loss, that's perhaps a good thing.

#23 - Devante Smith-Pelly (Drafted by Anaheim in 2010)
He's got his entry level contract now, and earned a third star today, but I thought he had a pretty quiet game. I've actually been a little bit underwhelmed by his progression this year as I don't think he's taken his game to that next level yet. He needs to become a more consistent physical threat, and still needs to improve his skating.

#26 - Rob Flick (Drafted by Chicago in 2010)
Flick's had a tremendous season thus far, proving that he's more than just scrappy third line center. He's already eclipsed his career high in goals with 18 (previously 15) and is third on the team in goals. His line with Joseph Cramarossa and Gregg Sutch has really good chemistry and he's done a dynamite job with the team's second powerplay unit. But he was pretty quiet this afternoon, minus a great fight with Ben Chiarot (after Chiarot tried to take off Brett Flemming's head with a forearm check).

#27 - Mika Partanen (Draft Eligible in 2011)
Fresh off being the last cut by Team Finland at the WJC's, Partanen started this game on the Major's first line with Justin Shugg and Devante Smith-Pelly. But like most of the games I've seen, Partanen didn't last until the end of the game on the top unit (getting replaced by Rob Flick in the third period). He did ring one off the post in the first period, firing a slapshot coming down the wing and getting it through Parks but not the far post. But his ice time was severely cut in the third period and the coaching staff doesn't seem to have the confidence to give him serious powerplay time.

Well that's it. Your thoughts?

Thoughts on Saginaw and Peterborough from October 22

First time watching both of these teams this season, and since there were quite a few guys I wanted to catch a glimpse of on both sides, it was almost overwhelming to keep up. It was actually a very entertaining game that saw a lot of good scoring chances at both ends of the ice. The Petes looked good as they managed to snap a four game losing streak (in which they'd given up 23 goals in those four games). Jason Missiaen had a really solid game as he looks to get back on track after a string of really poor starts. The Spirit got a lot of opportunities but just couldn't bury them, while some sloppy defense cost them the game despite outshooting the Petes 42-11 in periods 2 and 3.

Some thoughts on some of the players on both sides...

Saginaw Spirit





Nick Crawford (BUF)
I thought he played a really strong defensive game. He's only moderately sized (6'1), and he's not a physical defender, but he does a very strong job as a positional defender. The Petes forwards had a tough time getting by him on the way to the net and did a good job in picking up his man in coverage, tying him up and not allowing a scoring opportunity. I was also impressed by the way he won battles in the corners, just by out maneuvering Pete players and using his stick to get the puck out. Offensively, I thought he struggled a bit though. Made a few questionable decisions with the puck early on and had a few giveaways. Settled down as the game went on and made a couple nice plays later in the game to keep the puck in the offensive zone. But overall I was somewhat underwhelmed by his offensive abilities. As a quietly effective defender, perhaps I was looking for more flash and dash to his game than I should have been. He finished with an assist.

Garret Ross (2010)
I actually really liked what I saw from Ross, as he played on the Spirits' top line with Jordan Skellett and Josh Shalla. Not a big winger, but he brings a lot of energy to the ice. I thought he looked more impressive than his two linemates. He took the puck to the net hard on a couple occasions and created scoring chances off rebounds. Looked like a really solid skater because of these rushes and his work on the forecheck. Had a couple good offensive opportunities in the slot too, but couldn't beat Missiaen. Not sure how long he stays on that first line, but if he does, his energy will no doubt lead to some offensive production and he could be a guy to watch for June's draft.

Jordan Szwarz (PHX)
Has been underwhelming on the stat sheet so far this season (as it was expected he'd be an offensive leader for the Spirit this season). But I thought he played a really good game and was probably Saginaw's best forward with Ivan Telegin. I was a big fan of his for the draft last year and admit he's a bit of an enigma. When he's on...like he was tonight...his speed and energy in the offensive zone leads to offensive opportunities. Not a big guy, but he's elusive on the ice and seems to find the scoring areas really well. As an example, scored a side of the net goal on a beautiful slap pass from T.J. Brodie. He got himself in good position and was wide open for the redirect/tap in. Like any developing energy player, he needs to remember that in order for him produce offensively, he's got to play his game every shift. He finished with a goal and an assist.

Tyler Murovich (Overage Free Agent)
I really like Murovich and I'm pulling for him to earn a professional contract this year. From what I've been told, he was close in Columbus/Syracuse this offseason. Just to give you an idea of the type of player Murovich is, on one shift, he blocked a hard point shot from the point with his shin, dropped to the ground in pain. He proceeded to get up, re-enter play and no more than 10 seconds later he forced a turnover by the Saginaw bench by throwing a big hit on a Petes player trying to get the puck back into the offensive zone. All heart. He's one of the better two way forwards in the league and I think he has an underrated offensive game. His goal was a weak one five hold that Missiaen would like to have back, but he had a few other offensive opportunities tonight that just missed. He'll never be a scoring line player in the NHL, but many teams need the type of heart and character he brings to the ice.

Jordan Skellett (Overage Free Agent)
Finally exploding offensively in the league this season, I thought Skellett was disappointing. He had a couple nice shifts, and showed some good things with the puck, but overall his performance was underwhelming. He is definitely an excellent playmaker and that's his bread and butter. Made a very nice pass to a streaking Ivan Telegin for the Spirit's opening goal. Made a couple other nice passes too, especially from behind the net where he tries to control play. On the downside, I felt like he overhandled the puck on several occasions that led to turnovers and just looked like he was trying to force the play. I think he's a good junior hockey player, but I can't see him having an extended professional hockey career.

Ivan Telegin (2010)
Our friend Alessandro Seren Rosso will be happy to hear that Telegin looked very strong in tonight's game. Been looking forward to seeing him play. Scored a beautiful goal on a pass from Jordan Skellet, as he was hit streaking towards the net. He took the puck on his stick, kept skating, made a nice deke around Missiaen and slid it home on his forehand. Later in the game he had a breakaway opportunity but was obviously hooked by Jamie Doornbosch and couldn't get a shot off (of which no penalty was called and it sent Spirit coach Todd Watson into an extreme fit of rage). On a few other players he showed good speed, especially acceleration for a big man. He shifted back and forth between center and wing and saw a good amount of time on special teams. On the powerplay he was being used as a screen in front of the net and did a good job to hold his place. Seems to be the model of consistency so far this season, being held pointless in only 2 games.

Josh Shalla (2010)
Truthfully, he was invisible for most of the game. Towards the end, he had a couple nice passes and showed a willingness to go to the net for a rebound. But I don't have much to offer on him. After the first period, I actually had to check to see if he was playing because I noticed him that little. He finished a team low -3. I'll need to see him again.

Cody Sol (ATL)
I thought Sol was pretty brutal tonight. Definitely didn't look like an NHL draft pick. On the positive, he was physical and threw a couple really good hits, unfortunately a few of those took him out of defensive position. With the puck in his own zone, he was terrible. Gave it away several times as he tried to throw the puck up the middle of the ice. However he did look somewhat comfortable playing the point in the offensive zone and he really has a hard shot (which you'd have to expect considering his size) that he actually gets through to the net well. But for a guy who's bread and butter is supposed to be as a strong physical stay at home defenseman, he needs to tighten some things up.

T.J. Brodie (CGY)
Brodie was absolutely electric offensively tonight. He got better and better as the game went on too. His skating ability is so good from the back end, just an explosive player. On one occasion he picked the puck up at the blueline and went by three Petes players to the net in what seemed like a split second. It was a loose puck that he picked up near the boards and then accelerated to the front of the net, but only got a weak shot off. Had a few other nice rushes tonight too. His assist to Jordan Szwarz was a thing of beauty; a slap pass right to Jordan Szwarz at the side of the net for the easy tap in. Completely fooled the Petes defense and Jason Missiaen. On the downside, he was careless with the puck on a few occasions. Made poor reads in trying to rush up ice and skated into traffic giving the puck up. He definitely needs to pick his spots better. He also looked lazy at times in the defensive zone. While he can be a solid positional defender, he looked really lazy on Adrian Robertson's second period goal. He failed to tie up Robertson as he went hard to the net, leaving him with a redirect on a cross ice pass. If he fails to tie up forwards like that in the NHL, he'll be eaten alive. A ton of talent here though and I think a serious candidate for the Canadian WJC team.

Edward Pasquale (ATL)
Not sure if Pasquale's poor start statistically has been as a result of poor play in front of him, or poor play by him. But he wasn't incredibly sharp tonight. He looked really slow in his net, especially in terms of reacting to offensive plays. On David Quesnele's goal to open the game, he got himself so far out of position on the flop that he had no chance to stop Quesnele's shot. He had trouble with another shot late in the game as Matt Puempel tried to bank it off him and into the net. He was still on his knees after an original shot and failed to get back up to cover the post. Luckily enough the puck hit the post. The other four goals were tricky ones for Pasquale to stop, but good goalies put themselves in position to at least make a few big saves and Pasquale made none of those tonight. Perhaps all the trade rumours surrounding him have effected his play. He made 24 of 29 saves and took the loss.

Peterborough Petes





Matt Puempel (2011)
The Petes recent first rounder looked very good tonight. Was all over the ice and did a good job of working puck possession with Ryan Spooner and Pat Daley. Was effective off the rush and scored a really nice goal off a feed from Pat Daley from behind the net. Daley hit Puempel with a pass after he beat his defender to the net and put it home high blocker side. His other goal was a beautiful tip in off a Chris Buonomo point shot. Showed great hands and coordination on both goals. Recently returning from a concussion, it doesn't look like he's missed a step. Finished with 2 goals.

Chris Buonomo (2010)
I liked Buonomo's game tonight. He seems to be one of those under heralded draft eligible defenseman the OHL has to offer this season (Petgrave, Levi, Chiarlitti, etc), and one has to wonder if he can separate himself from the pack. He's not that big, but he plays with an edge and appears to have a lot of mobility from the back end. Defensively he was solid too, and I didn't notice any real mistakes. Showed an ability to get his point shot to the net on the powerplay, like he did on Matt Puempel's redirect. He did have some turnovers with the puck in his own zone as he tried to force passes up ice. In this case, he needs to either get confidence in bringing the puck up himself, or make smarter, less rushed passes.

David Quesnele (2010)
Had an absolutely fantastic game. I really liked the way he was around the puck all night. Was good in the corners, showed no fear in going hard to the net, was active on the forecheck. Just all over the ice. On his first goal he did a good job of finding the puck in a crowd and putting it to the back of the net. On his second goal, he went hard to the net and took a pass from Joey West from behind the net; one timing it past Pasquale. Made a tremendous pass to Adrian Robertson for his late second period goal, going cross ice to hit the streaking defenseman through T.J. Brodie. I thought he was the best Petes player on the ice tonight, finishing with 2 goals and an assist.

Ryan Spooner (2010)
Throughout the first two periods, Spooner was the best player on the ice. His speed and tenacity without the puck is refreshing to see. On one occasion he took the puck hard to the net, got a shot away, kept skating behind the net, came out and stole the rebound away from T.J. Brodie by lifting his stick and then got another shot away, drawing a penalty from Edward Pasquale after on a frustrated slash. Drew two secondary assists thanks to hard work along the boards in keeping the puck moving to his teammates. He did disappear in the third period though, but did enough in the first two to make a serious impression.

Adam Sedlak (2010)
I thought Sedlak played a very strong defensive game. Nothing flashy, but just a solid defensive presence. Stays with his man well and shows good mobility. Also showed a willingness to play a quiet physical game, tying up his man and clearing the front of the net. Didn't really see a lot offensively, but with solid size, mobility and defense, he's likely to attract NHL draft attention.

Jamie Doornbosch (2010, 1990 born)
Not the best game I've seen Doornbosch play. Looked a little lethargic defensively tonight. Got caught standing still a few times, in particular against Ivan Telegin on his goal and his breakaway attempt. But he moves the puck up ice well and has good offensive instincts. I wonder if he'll get NHL attention at the draft this year if his strong offensive season continues.

Barron Smith (TOR)
I thought he played a pretty good defensive game tonight. Like the Spirit's Cody Sol, he can take himself out of the play going for the big hit, as he did a few times, but he also clears the front of the net well and seems to excel in the defensive zone. His partner Chad Lowry really struggled tonight and got exposed a few times off the rush, to which Smith had to bail him out. He's definitely never going to put up the offensive stats his father did in the NHL, but he could have a future as a 5-7 guy at the next level.

Jason Missiaen (MTL)
Still a hot and cold goaltender, Missiaen needs to find a way to perform consistently. He's either a sieve or a wall and nothing in between. Tonight he was a wall, after struggling in his past few games. Obviously his size is his biggest strength, but he actually moves well in his net for a big man (at least in my opinion). Takes away the bottom of the net really well with his pads, which seemingly can stretch from post to post. If only he could strengthen his five hole, which he gave up a weak goal to Tyler Murovich on, then he'd be unbeatable down low. I like how he still challenges the shooter too, which really takes away the top of the net too. Sometimes with bigger goalies, they're content to stay back in their crease. On the downside, Missiaen definitely needs to work on controlling his rebounds. I think close to half the shots he faced tonight were off rebounds he gave up. Your classic 2nd and 3rd chance opportunities. Luckily enough he was up to the task in stopping them, but the Spirit were also unable to get those chances up over his pads. I really think there is potential there if a team is willing to be patient with him. Made 45 of 48 saves tonight and got the win.

As always I welcome your comments and questions and would love to hear from those who've seen the Spirit or Petes more than I have.

Thoughts on October action by a new contributor

Alright folks, in an effort to make this blog the most comprehensive it can be, I've brought in another person to provide his thoughts on OHL action. His name is Ryan Yessie and he's a Sarnia Sting fan. He's also an avid OHL follower and he's someone who's opinion on OHL prospects I greatly trust. I hope you enjoy reading his posts!

Here are some thoughts from Ryan on a few October games he was able to catch.

October 10. - Sarnia vs. Windsor



Miroslav Preisinger (NHL: 2009 Eligible)
Report: Oct/10/08: Preisinger has really brought his game to another level since having a very slow start this year. At first it looked like he didn’t have the skill to keep up, after being a player considered to be picked in the first round of this years draft, his play was alittle disappointing. He was easy to knock off the puck, and seemed afraid of physical contact, as well he wouldn’t shoot the puck. Tonight Preisinger played at high speeds most of the night and made a picture perfect pass to set up a goal in the 3rd period. For what it’s worth E.J. Maguire was at the game and about 5 ft. away from myself when the goal went in.. it looked like he couldn’t take his notebook out fast enough and began to write something down seconds after the goal. (Preisinger had 1A)

Ryan Ellis (NHL: 2009 Eligible)
Report: Oct/10/08: Ellis looks like the real deal, skates quickly and accelerates in his first few strides effortlessly. Great positioning defensively. He isn’t going to wow anyone with his defensive ability, but they are much better than the average offensive defenceman. Ellis showed great puck moving skills, could work on his shot power, but that will develop as he gets stronger. (Ellis had 1A, 2PIM)

Taylor Hall (NHL: 2009 Eligible)
Report: Oct/10/08: It’s amazing that Hall is still going to be in the OHL one more year, he along with Katic were easily the fastest skaters on the ice tonight. Hall plays a lot like Stamkos, just does everything at such a high speed, he doesn’t look quite up to par with what Stamkos was in his two years in the OHL overall, but Hall without question belongs in the same class. (Hall had 1G, 1A)

October 11. - Sarnia vs. Saginaw

Cody Sol (NHL: 2009 Eligible)
Report: Oct/11/08: Sol looked pretty good out there overall, big defenceman, doesn’t use his size physically that well, but uses it well positionally. Very smooth skater, very impressive for someone his age. Unfortunately he left near the end of the 1st period and didn’t return. Don’t expect much offensive output from him. But he could be a good reliable defenceman as time goes on.

Jordan Szwarz (NHL: 2009 Eligible)
Report: Oct/11/08: Szwarz looked very impressive. Great puck skills, and decent speed, moved the puck well and has a good accurate shot. Playing on the top line with Combs. He looked like the best forward on the team tonight. Not sure where he projects but he’s the kinda player you could steal in the 4th or 5th round. (Szwarz had 1G,1A)

T.J. Brodie (NHL: Calgary 4th rd/114th overall)
Report: Oct/11/08: Brodie looked like he really improved from training camp. Plays with an extra jump in his game than he had last year. Doesn’t shy away from initiating physical contact, great puck movement and played well in both ends of the ice. Most improved player on Saginaw from last year hands down. (Brodie had 1G,1A)

Shayne Campbell (NHL: Eligible in 2011)
Report: Oct/11/08: 15 year old goaltender that made the team for the Sting. Looked very impressive in two games against Windsor, and one against Saginaw. However after sitting out 3 games in a row and not being given much time ahead of the overagers Hache seems to have lost some of his confidence. Made a few impressive saves, but also let in some goals that he would have had in his first 3 games. Campbell still has plenty of time, but as it stands Sarnia is not handling his development properly. (Stopped 26 of 31 shots)

October 17. - Sarnia vs. Oshawa



John Tavares (NHL: Eligible in 2009)
Report: Oct/17/08: Tavares looks like a top pick in the draft, he has impressive lateral movement, he seems to always make the right decisions with the puck, and is almost impossible to move from the front of the net, when he is moved he always seems to find the right spot. He isn’t going to dominate with speed and skill like Hall or Stamkos, instead he has remarkable positioning, great puck movement, and a hard accurace shot with a quick release. However if Taylor Hall was in the draft this year, I believe he would go ahead of Tavares. (Tavares had 1G, 1A)

Brett Parnham (NHL: Eligible in 2009, but 1989 born)
Report: Oct/17/08: Parnham scored a highlight reel goal in this game, great stick handling ability made this goal happen. He has a good shot and nice offensive instincts. However Parnham is likely to be a long shot to be an NHL prospect because he lacks size, abandons his defensive responsibilities too much, as well he has a bad shot selection sometimes trying to get a near impossible goal rather than passing it up to create a scoring opportunity for his team. (Parnham had 2G)

Joe Rogalski (NHL: Eligible in 2010)
Report: Oct/17/08: Rogalski is a late birthday so he won’t go till next year, but does have an outside shot at being a 1st round pick. His defensive positioning is very impressive and he does seem to have some good offensive skills as well, he moved the puck very well tonight and is very composed and doesn’t appear to make many mistakes. (Rogalski had 1A)

October 18. - Sarnia vs. Barrie



Stefan Della Rovere (NHL: Washington 7th rd/204th overall)
Report: Oct/18/08: Della Rovere has great quickness on the ice, he is very hard to knock off the puck as well. Got in a fight with Daniel Lombardi and it wasn’t even a contest, Della Rovere won the fight easily, however it should be noted that Lombardi separated his shoulder at one point of this fight. He was called on by Matt Martin to fight in the second but refused, so Martin clocked one of his teammates with a cross-check which lured Stefan into a second fight, he didn’t fair as well, if a win would be given it would have got to Martin but it would have been a very narrow one at that. Della Rovere did a good job of staying out of the box after this, and scored a very nice goal to keep his team in it for the time being. Sting players did attempt to lure Della Rovere into the 3rd fight which would have accompanied a game misconduct but used good judgement to stay in the game. Della Rovere scored a Gordie Howe hat-trick in the losing cause. (Della Rovere had 1G, 1A, 10 PIM)

Peter DiSalvo (NHL: Eligible in 2009)
Report: Oct/18/08: DiSalvo played decent early but it appeared the nerves of playing against his old team in his former home arena caught up to him, as he let in a few bad goals, uncharacteristic of the year he’s had so far. DiSalvo showed good positioning at times. DiSalvo was pulled halfway through the game. (DiSalvo stopped 19 of 23 shots)

Michael Hutchinson (NHL: Boston 3rd rd/77th overall)
Report: Oct/18/08: Hutchinson came in for DiSalvo and played very solid, had several highlight reel saves. Great positioning, uses the butterfly appropriately knowing when to go down and when to stay up. Quick glove hand and was good on the breakaway. (Hutchinson stopped 10 of 11 shots)

October 24. - Sarnia vs. Ottawa



Thomas Nesbitt (NHL: Eligible in 2009, 1990 born)
Report: Oct/24/08: Nesbitt played very impressively he had great speed, and seemed to affect the game every time he was on the ice, he made two very nice passes to set up two goals in tonights game. Was passed over last year, but could be a good sleeper pick in the late rounds this year as his game seems to have improved from last year. Very quick skater. (Nesbitt had 1G, 2A, 2PIM)

RYAN YESSIE

Thoughts on Saginaw from October 25 vs. Niagara

Last Saturday the Saginaw Spirit came to the Garden City to take on the Ice Dogs and were defeated 5-4. Was my first time seeing the Spirit this season. Here are my thoughts on some of the Spirit players...

Adam Comrie (Drafted 2008 by Florida/80th)

He was every bit as impressive as the times I saw him last year, maybe more so. He scored a goal with a huge blast from the point. He looks a lot more confident in using his shot this year. He's always had that big cannon from the point, but he looks more anxious to use it. He was unleashing it all night on the Ice Dogs. It's actually quite accurate too and he generated a few scoring chances off it later in the game. He also looks more confident in using his strong skating ability to rush the puck up the ice this year. He was joining the rush a lot more than I saw him doing last year. I think this is good because as mentioned his skating ability allows him to join the rush, but also get back on defense. Defensively he was solid and remains a very solid positional player. Ideally, because of his size, I'd still like to see him become more aggressive physically. But he's not timid out there either. His puck skills skill need a bit of work though. Comrie still looks kind of stiff when he's handling the puck, especially at the point on the powerplay. In terms of a player comparison. I think it's pretty tough to say. I think the one guy Comrie may remind me of, or at least has the chance to develop into, is Sami Salo. Good two way player, works the point with a hard shot, and is a big guy who can skate and lay the body.

Nick Crawford (Drafted 2008 by Buffalo/164th)

Crawford was another guy that impressed me a lot. Can't say I ever really noticed him much last season, but he was very noticeable on Saturday. As evidenced by his 3 assists, he moved the puck very well with a good first pass. He also has the skating and puck handling ability to rush the puck up the ice with confidence. He saw a ton of powerplay time and was definitely the Spirit's go to guy, playing the full 2 minutes in some instances. Defensively, he was alright. He took the body a few times, but also got caught a few times in making pinches. When he moves on to the next level, he'll definitely need to add some strength because he got outworked a few times infront of the net and in the corners. But as a puck moving defenseman, he definitely appears to have NHL upside.

Jack Combs (Undrafted Overager)

Combs has already impressed me. He attended the prospect and training camp of the Colorado Avalanche this year but failed to earn a contract, thus his return to Saginaw for his overage year. They must be happy to have him back though. He's a great offensive player, particularily a great playmaker. He can skate fairly well and really seems to have a head for the game. He was in on all four of Saginaw's goals Saturday evening. Defensively he isn't quite as involved, but I'm sure this is an area he'd like to improve upon as well. And physically, he seems to get involved and isn't afraid to go to the net, which is what you like to see with somewhat undersized players. I'd be really surprised if he doesn't get an NHL contract after this season, especially considering some of the names that did last offseason (cough, Justin Soryal, cough).

Jordan Skellet (Undrafted 89)

Skellet is another guy that I enjoy watching play. Was always impressed with him when the Otters came to St. Catharines last year. He's a bit of a pest out there and is always buzzing around the ice looking for either an opportunity to score or an opportunity to hit someone. He drives to the net with and without the puck. He's undersized, but he skates fairly well and is involved in many different aspects of the game. He's had a great start to his year with Saginaw after sitting out the start of the year, while he waited for a trade from Erie. If he keeps this up, and as long as NHL teams don't blacklist him for his trade demand, he should begin to get serious sniffs from NHL teams, at least as maybe a late round draft pick in the coming years.

Chris Chappell (Undrafted Overager)

Another guy who really impressed me. He had a hell of a game. Chappell is their captain and a guy who's looking like a serious breakout candidate. Career high before this game was 14 goals (last season). He's already got 9. He's a big monster, listed at 6'4, 212. But he can skate. Blew through the Ice Dogs defense for one of his two goals on the night. Had other scoring opportunities as well. Looks to be a big strong guy with good skill. Not sure how he managed to put up so few points before this season. Definitely a guy to watch.

Jordan Szwarz (2009 Eligible)

Szwarz never hit the scoresheet, but he impressed me at times. Was more so a factor at the beginning of the game, but you can tell he has skill. Looked like a very good skater who was elusive and could find the openings for scoring chances. Just missed wiring one top corner on one attempt in the slot. Other times he was invisible and not involved physically. So he appears to be an enigma, not unlike many draft eligible players in this league. But he's off to a good start this year and looks to be a guy who'll find himself somewhere on the draft radar.

Edward Pasquale (2009 Eligible)

Pasquale didn't start the game. The Spirit gave the start to rookie Joe Lepara, who lasted a few minutes into the 2nd period. But Pasquale is a solid goaltender. He's a very big presence in the net and makes himself even bigger when he comes out to challenge shooters. Only let in one goal, the game winner by Chris DeSousa. He really kept Saginaw in the game and allowed them to get back into it and tie it up. Wasn't incredibly flashy but, as long as he's stopping pucks, that's all that matters. It'll be an interesting race to see who emerges as the top draft eligible goalie. But it definitely looks like Pasquale is in the mix.

That's all I've got. Now if you're asking yourself, why are all these reports positive. Don't get used to it. It's just that the main Saginaw guys did look fairly solid. I could have wrote a very negative report about rookie goalie Joe Lepara, but I chose to spare him that. The one guy I really wish I could have seen was T.J. Brodie. He didn't play in the game, but has had a great start to his season.