Despite being a little full from indulging (or gorging) at the pizza hut buffet (seriously, is there a better deal out there? 8 bucks! That's it. And best of all, you don't have to eat for 24 hours after), I took in the Wolves/Majors game this afternoon. For our American friends (like the Sharks fans reading for an update on Michael Sgarbossa), it's our Family Day and a holiday.
I had really high expectations coming into the game, with these division rivals jockeying for position in the Eastern Conference. And the game didn't disappoint. It's also great to have a big crowd at the Hershey Centre (an uncommon event).
The Wolves largely dominated play for the first period or so and lead after one period thanks to a top shelf wrister from the red hot Michael Sgarbossa. But a boneheaded penalty by Ryan Hanes in the second period really turned the game in Mississauga's favour. Hanes broke his stick trying to fight with a Majors player (can't remember who) off the rush, then held him up to prevent him from going to the net. It was a pretty obvious call. But then he started jawing at the official and got an additional two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Majors scored twice on the 4 minute powerplay and never looked back. Those 2 goals really sucked the life out of the Wolves, who were never the same after. They started to gain some momentum back in the 3rd period, but Josh McFadden killed that with a stupid hit from behind in the corner that lead to a 5 minute man advantage (and a game misconduct for him).
The win was huge for the Majors, who now move into 6th place in the Eastern Conference.
Here are some individual performance thoughts:
Sudbury Wolves
#3 - Justin Sefton (Drafted by San Jose)
Not a terrific showing for Sefton. He had some issues offensively and was relatively ineffective at helping out the offense. Couldn't hold the puck in at the point a few times and his ability to get his shot through hasn't really developed as I figured it would this year. He was his normal physically imposing self, throwing his weight around in the defensive end. But he was exposed off the rush a few times (once badly by Mika Partanen), and showed that his mobility hasn't really improved all that much. He just needs to keep his feet moving to stay in front of forwards so that he can use his size (be it physically or by forecheck) to keep them to the outside. His partner Josh McFadden also had a brutal game defensively, which didn't help him out all that much either as he scrambled to cover up his mistakes.
#14 - Nicholas Baptiste (Draft Eligible in 2013)
I've been really impressed by what I've seen of Baptiste this year. He's already a very well rounded player and I really like his size and speed combination. For a big guy, he really moves well. He used that speed on the penalty kill to get himself a breakaway after Trevor Carrick's stick exploded at the point, but failed to score on the wrister. He also used his speed effectively to get to loose pucks in the corner and on the forecheck. And while he wasn't overly physical in today's game, I've seen him really throw the body around. I'd love to see the Wolves use Baptiste more on the wing with Sgarbossa and Leivo (instead of Schoenmakers or Pancel). Baptiste is definitely going to be a much talked about prospect next year.
#27 - Joshua Leivo (Drafted by Toronto)
I've certainly seen Leivo better this year, as he had just an OK game. He may only be listed at 6'1, but he looks much bigger on the ice and he's very hard to remove from the puck. His puck protection is very good and he has the hands to be able to avoid stick checks on his way to the net. While most of his drives saw him kept to the perimeter today, he didn't go without trying. He's progressed very well this year after exploding late last year, so the Leafs should be very happy with his selection.
#44 - Charlie Dodero (Draft Eligible in 2012, but second year eligible)
Easily one of the most improved players in the OHL this year. He's gone from being a very replaceable part to one of the top defensive defenseman in the OHL. He's got good size and is very solidly built. He just doesn't lose very many puck battles, and he has the mobility to stay with forwards off the rush. The greatest display of that today was when Sergey Kuptsov tried to get by him on the outside (not the easiest forward to contain once he gets going), but Dodero stayed right with him, separated him from the puck and finished him off hard on the end boards (leaving Kupstov slow to get up). His offensive game remains a bit of a work in progress, but he has the skating and puck handling ability to skate the puck out of trouble in his own end, rather than simply dump it out. There's a reason why this guy was rated by Central Scouting on their midterm rankings.
#61 - Nathan Pancel (Draft Eligible in 2012)
I've seen him play a few times this year now, and he's yet to hit the score sheet in those games. So it's hard for me to jump on his band wagon, as many others are right now. But it is easy to see why he's putting up some points. There's definitely some explosive skating ability in there, maybe not in terms of high end speed, but his first few steps looks quite good. He had a bad turnover in the neutral zone, but before the opposing player could really even get going, he had turned around, skated back and rubbed out the Majors player taking the puck back. For those that have never really seen him play, he's actually more aggressive away from the puck than you'd expect. He did have a few other costly turnovers in the neutral zone though, one leading to an odd man rush the other way. He needs to make quicker decisions with the puck and get stronger to win some of those battles in the corners. Still a very intriguing player for the draft.
#92 - Michael Sgarbossa (Signed by San Jose)
He's just ripping apart the OHL right now and has become one of the league's most dangerous offensive players. He had a terrific first half of the game, but seemed to run out of steam in the second half. For a smaller guy, he's incredibly strong. I was incredibly impressed by a play he made in the first period, when he came off the wall with the puck, fought through two Majors players towards the net (with them practically draped on his back) and still managed to put a shot on net. He also scored in the first period off a laser of a wrister to the top shelf, short side. As the game went on, he got a little sloppy with the puck and had a few nearly costly turnovers (with one brutal turnover that lead to a clear shot in the slot for a Majors player, as he peeled back with the puck in his own zone and fired a blind back hand pass up the middle). The question I ask myself now is whether he'll be able to play center at the NHL level. I'm inclined to think he might be better suited to the wing at the NHL level to take advantage of his speed and skill coming off the boards and down the wing. But he's ready for the next step.
#66 - Johan Mattsson (Drafted by Chicago)
I've been really impressed by Mattsson this year. He's a quality goaltender. He gets himself in good position to cut off the angles for shooters and he really controls his rebounds well. Anything in the chest, he's able to corral and he generally kicks out low shots to the corner. He absolutely could not be faulted for the goals scored against him in the game. One was a deft deflection in front of the crease. The second a bang/bang play from behind the net where his defenseman left a Major wide open in front of the net. The third, he made a tremendous toe save on a partial breakaway, but none of his defenseman took the trailer on the play who cleaned up the rebound to the top shelf. While he took the loss, he stopped 35 of 38 and was impressive.
Mississauga Majors
#2 - Dylan DeMelo (Drafted by San Jose)
DeMelo had a strong game for the second time in a row that I've seen him play. The last few times, I've been impressed by how he's turned up the dial on his physical play. He's starting to really enjoy rubbing guys out along the boards and is being more aggressive in front of the net. Offensively, he's keeping things simple in his own zone (something I've accused him of not doing in the past) and he's making better decisions on the point of the powerplay. DeMelo was on the ice for all three goals the Majors scored today, assisting on one (a secondary assist where he fed Riley Brace for a point shot that Jamie Wise tipped in). While I'm still not sure about his NHL upside, I think he's definitely progressed well, not only from the end of last season to this, but from the start of the season to this point.
#4 - Trevor Carrick (Draft Eligible in 2012)
I like that they've split up Carrick and DeMelo, and it's increased Carrick's opportunity to carry his pairing offensively. He's starting to carry the puck out of the zone more and is gaining the confidence to bring the puck over the blue line. He certainly has the poise and skating ability to do so. Just that created a goal in the second period, where he took the puck end to end, found Kristoff Kontos behind the net, who subsequently found Jamie Wise in front of the net for the goal. His rush drew the defense to him as he carried it deep, causing the confusion in Sudbury's coverage in front of the net. Defensively, he was as solid as always. His mobility and physical abilities make him difficult to get around and he puts himself in good position to make plays in front of the net. I definitely think this kid is worth a pick in the top 100 of the draft.
#16 - Kristoff Kontos (Draft Eligible in 2012)
Kontos played a quietly very solid game. His skating has definitely improved a lot over last season, and he's able to use it as a weapon to carry the puck deep into the zone. He certainly likes to have the puck on his stick and excels offensively when he does. His play away from the puck still leaves a bit to be desired for me (at least in terms of consistency), but I think there's definite potential there. He showed some solid playmaking ability and vision in the second by finding Jamie Wise in front of the net for his 2nd goal of the game. Kontos was also quite good on the penalty kill and played quite a bit a man down. Definitely a strong effort from him.
Showing posts with label Justin Sefton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Justin Sefton. Show all posts
Monday, February 20, 2012
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Thoughts on Sudbury and Barrie from November 12
With T.J. Brodie and Nick Crawford making their debut for Barrie, I figured I'd check out this game between Barrie and Sudbury on the OHL Action Pack. Barrie has been on fire lately, winning six in a row, and this one was no different. Crawford and Brodie each finished at +3 as the Colts took it to the Wolves by a score of 5-0. This Colts team is just dominating right now. An eye opening stat mentioned by the Colts broadcast crew was that the Colts have now gone 21 straight periods without being beaten. In other words, the Colts have not only gone seven straight games without losing, but they haven't even lost a period in any of those games. Quite impressive.
In watching Barrie before, and now with Brodie and Crawford, there is a difference. They join this lineup seamlessly and really help to get Barrie up ice quickly so that their forwards can take over play. Speaking of which, the Colts forward have really seemed to find some chemistry. All three lines were solid tonight, with even the fourth line of Ryan Strome, Dean Pawlaczyk, and David Mazurek dominating play down low on several occasions. Goaltender Peter Di Salvo had a great game too. I think there is much reason for Barrie fans to get excited this year, as this Colts team really does look like a contender for the OHL title, perhaps as the second best team behind the Windsor Spitfires.
Sudbury will have some tough times ahead. Already one of the worst offensive teams in the league, the Wolves will be without John McFarland for at least a few weeks as he's suffered a shoulder injury. The guys who need to pick up that slack, like Jared Staal and Marcus Foligno just aren't getting it done. Staal has 1 goal in his last 7 games, and Foligno hasn't scored since the third game of the season. The Wolves started this one with a bizarre offensive line up too. Nothing against Coach Foligno, because he knows what he's doing, but the forward lines he started with seemed like a recipe for disaster. The team's best player and only true offensive player, Eric O'Dell, was between 2 guys with a combined 4 goals on the year (Tarini and Allicock). Meanwhile, the club's other offensive threats were all on one, slow line (Kurtz, Staal, Foligno). Three very two way players, but also three forwards who lack the natural talent and foot speed to carry the puck into the zone. It's obvious that Coach Foligno is trying to find something without McFarland in the line up (and O'Dell's normal linemate), but it wasn't surprising to me that those lines failed to get anything done. And it didn't take long before they got thrown in the blender and mixed around. It wasn't until the 3rd period until the Wolves showed some life, much thanks to Eric O'Dell, but it was too little too late. Not a pretty game from their end at all and it certainly doesn't get easier for the Wolves to score as they'll be taking on the defensively stingy Mississauga Majors at home tomorrow.
On to some individual performance thoughts...
Sudbury Wolves
Justin Sefton (2011)
Highly touted draft selection of 2009, Sefton seems to be adjusting more and more to play in this league. I continue to be impressed with his defensive abilities, and ability to use his size at the ripe age of 16. On one occasion, beast Kyle Clifford came into the zone with a head of steam, but Sefton stayed in front of him, guided him to the boards and separated him from the puck. Quite a few defenders have a tough time with Clifford's size and speed combination, but not Sefton. He made a similar play on Stefan Della Rovere later in the game; another guy who's tough to contain. His offensive game still needs work, in particular his confidence in moving the puck up ice quickly, but I think there's some potential there. Late in the game he rushed the puck into the offensive end, which was a first for me in my viewings. He went end to end and took it right to the net, forcing Di Salvo to make a nice save. I hope he starts doing this more.
Jake Cardwell (2010)
Over the past two seasons, Caldwell has always been a guy who's caught my eye. He's got good size on the backend and he's not afraid to use it. He seems to be fairly mobile and has the ability to move the puck up ice. He runs the powerplay and can get his shot through to the net. The only thing missing is a big statline. I'm not entirely sure he's an NHL prospect, but I think it's worth giving him a solid shout out. He did well to defend against the Barrie rush and does a good job of staying ahead of the forwards. He had a couple nice rushes into the Barrie zone, in particular in the third period when Sudbury was trying to get some momentum back. He also hit the post with a point shot while on the powerplay. He did have a couple of turnovers in the defensive end, in particular one bad pass up the middle of the ice from behind his net, but nothing came of it.
Jared Staal (PHX)
Not much to say here. Completely invisible on the ice, for better or worse. Didn't make any glaring mistakes, but he didn't do anything in the offensive end either. Since his hot start to the season, he's gone quite cold as of late.
Daniel Maggio (NYR)
I thought he played a very solid game for a defender whose team just lost 5-0. Defensively he made a few very nice plays. For a guy his size, he has excellent mobility and he seems to do a very good job on rushing forwards. On two different occasions he was able to stay ahead of Kyle Clifford and Alex Hutchings, and keep them from the front of the net. It showed not only strong mobility, but good positioning too. He does need to tighten up his defensive zone coverage though and be quicker in picking up his man. Offensively, he rushes the puck well up ice and seems to make smart passing plays. On the powerplay, made a very nice play to keep the puck in the zone by knocking it down right at the line, then used the Brian Campbell esque spin'o'rama to elude two stick checks, and finishing the play off with a heads up cross ice pass for a one timer that was stopped by Peter Di Salvo. As a former 7th overall priority selection, his progress this year seems to be really flying under the radar.
Marcus Foligno (BUF)
Struggled tonight. Took two bad, sloppy, undisciplined penalties to negate his teams powerplays. The first a tripping call, the second a high stick. Nothing like taking two different penalties with the man advantage to kill any momentum offensively. Also had a couple terrible giveaways in his own end, one a bad pass to the middle of the ice that was picked off at the blueline. Another where he was stripped of the puck from behind while trying to carry it out of the defensive zone. Both led to scoring chances, but not to goals. Offensively, he just isn't getting anything done. As a penalty killer and board player, he's effective, but the Sabres didn't draft him to be a 4th line plugger. Hoping that playing for his dad again turns his game around for the better as the season goes on.
Eric O'Dell (ATL)
I thought he was really the only Sudbury forward who was able to generate offense tonight. Plays both ends of the ice, made a couple of very nice plays defensively to tie up his man. He works the cycle well and he can make things happen off the rush. Missed on a penalty shot (which was a terrible call) after taking the puck off a falling Nick Crawford and going hard to the net. Nothing to show for on the stat sheet, but this loss wasn't his fault. He's definitely missing John McFarland right now, as the two had built up quite the chemistry this season.
Barrie Colts
Alexander Burmistrov (2010)
Was part of the Colts most effective line on the night, with Alex Hutchings and Stefan Della Rovere. This line just couldn't be stopped. Burmistrov is such a smart offensive player. He doesn't need much room to slip through the defense and has a lot of confidence in carrying the puck. On Barrie's final goal of the game, he took the puck end to end on the powerplay, deking through two Wolves defenders, before smartly pulling up and finding Nick Crawford for the open point shot. Stefan Della Rovere promptly made the redirect, but it was Burmistrov's original play that got the ball rolling. His overall game is really rounding into form too. He's still doing good work on the penalty kill, but he's showing more effort 5 on 5 defensively and on the backcheck. He also is showing a willingness to stand in front of the net for screens, like he did on the Rovere tip in third period goal. Hasn't finished a game with a minus rating in 10 games. His stock for the draft can only go up at this point.
Alex Hutchings (TBL)
Simply put, Hutchings was a beast tonight. His speed caused a lot of trouble for the Wolves defense, in particular for the Wolves forwards on the backcheck. On the penalty kill, he was outstanding, pressuring on the forecheck and killing time along the boards. He takes the puck on the outside and goes hard to the net with speed, and his acceleration and low center of gravity make him very hard to stop, even if he is slightly undersized. Scored a goal on a nice pass from SDR in the first and picked up two assists on Barrie's 3rd and 4th goals. I'm disappointed he didn't get an invite to the Subway Super Series, because he deserves to be there. If there's an injury, I don't doubt he'd be the first they'd call to play.
Kyle Clifford (LA)
While he didn't have any points tonight, he made a difference. As I mentioned, his speed and size combination make him very hard to stop. While Sudbury's defense made a few nice plays on him, they largely had trouble containing him. On one excellent play, he slipped behind the defense for a breakaway, missed the net but followed up his rebound, shrugged off a check and took the puck hard to the front of the net on a wrap around. Unfortunately Andrew Loverock made a nice save on the play, but it showed how hard he is to stop with full momentum. He seems to be gaining a lot of confidence in just taking the puck to the net as soon as he gets it on his stick, which is something the Kings have to be happy with (in terms of his development).
Nick Crawford (BUF)
Played a tremendous game. Was solid defensively, playing a sound positional game. He keeps himself between the net and the opposing forward very well, and he reacts to the play like an NHL veteran. Offensively, he's incredibly smart too. Had three points on the night, a goal and 2 assists. What I like about Crawford is that he doesn't feel the need to take a big slapper from the point. He's comfortable putting a hard, accurate wrist shot towards the goal, and it creates scoring chances. He scored on one, and had another redirected for a goal. All in all, a tremendous first impression for him in Barrie, and perhaps out of the shadows in Saginaw, he'll start to garner the respect he deserves as an NHL prospect and top OHL defender.
Stefan Della Rovere (WSH)
Since starting the season very slowly, SDR has been outstanding of late (7 goals in his last 10 games). He's taking the puck hard to the net, he's crashing the net looking for rebounds, he's screening the goalie on point shots, and he's back to being his general shift disturbing self. Always a physical threat, Rovere is really hard to contain along the wall. Always keeps his feet moving in loose puck battles near the boards, part of the reason he rarely loses them. Scored a nice goal on a redirect in front of the net. Scored another goal on a nice reaction off a rebound, by turning and firing it top shelf, surprising Loverock. He also made a great pass to Alex Hutchings for the first goal of the game. Won a battle for the puck behind the net and made a beautiful back pass to a streaking Hutchings for the one timer. As long as he can keep his emotions in check and remain disciplined, he's such a valuable player to have on the ice in this league.
T.J. Brodie (CGY)
Like Crawford, this was Brodie's first game with Barrie and he was very strong. Interestingly enough, Brodie wasn't really involved offensively tonight like his partner Nick Crawford was. But he was solid defensively. Was never beat to the net, was winning battles in the corners. Did a good job on coverage. I even saw him rub out an opposing forward along the boards. That physical play is something you don't see enough of from Brodie. If he can put forth the defensive effort he did tonight...consistently for Barrie...it won't be long before more than just OHL and Calgary Flames fans know who this guy is. Like Crawford, he finished +3.
Bryan Cameron (Overage Free Agent)
Cameron didn't have a tremendous game, taking some undisciplined penalties. But he has been on absolute fire lately, with 7 goals in his last 5 games before this affair. I really like him as a player and I hope an NHL team gives him a shot this offseason.
Darren Archibald (2010, but 1990 born)
I was shocked when this guy went undrafted last season, after his strong OHL rookie season and playoffs. I'll be even more shocked if he goes undrafted or signed again this year. He's big, he can skate well for his size, and he has good hands and offensive instincts. A true power forward prospect who can do a little bit of everything. Besides Alex Hutchings, I thought Archibald was Barrie's best forward tonight. On his first shift of the game, he took a drop pass from Taylor Carnevale and ripped a snap shot off the crossbar. Later in the period, he flew down the wing, shrugged off a check from Josh McFadden, took the puck straight to the net and fired home a wrist shot top shelf. Quite an impressive goal. He also made a few really nice passes tonight in transition. Big power forwards who can play offense in transition don't grow on trees. He also kills penalties and makes a consistent effort on the backcheck. He saved a likely goal in the second period after coming back to the defensive zone to cover for a pinching defenseman, and intercepting a pass to a wide open Sudbury player in front of the net. After starting the season off slowly as he recovered from injury, Archibald has a 6 game point streak (6 goals, 4 assists) going now. This guy is a beast.
Taylor Carnevale (2010, but 1991 born)
Exploded offensively this season in Barrie and has a lot of people talking about his draft prospectus. Mark Seidel has him in his recent top 100 for the NACS. He seems to have very good chemistry with Darren Archibald and these two worked the give and go on several occasions. He has good speed and he's not afraid to work hard on the forecheck or in the corners. Kind of a jack of all trades who's smarts and vision give him the opportunity to put up points. He finished with a secondary assist on Archibald's goal.
Peter Di Salvo (2010, but 1990 born)
This one is for Mr. CAPS (read my comments section and you'll know!). Di Salvo was excellent tonight. Didn't really face much in the way of serious scoring chances until the third period, but he shut the door all night long. I really like how aggressive he is in challenging shooters. He gets out right past the blue ice and gives opposing shooters very little to aim for. His rebound control was a little bit suspect tonight, especially on long shots, but not much more you could ask from him tonight. Made all 28 saves for the shutout victory. By the way, Di Salvo has one of the coolest masks in the OHL (check it out)
That's it, anyone else see Brodie and Crawford's first game with the Colts?
In watching Barrie before, and now with Brodie and Crawford, there is a difference. They join this lineup seamlessly and really help to get Barrie up ice quickly so that their forwards can take over play. Speaking of which, the Colts forward have really seemed to find some chemistry. All three lines were solid tonight, with even the fourth line of Ryan Strome, Dean Pawlaczyk, and David Mazurek dominating play down low on several occasions. Goaltender Peter Di Salvo had a great game too. I think there is much reason for Barrie fans to get excited this year, as this Colts team really does look like a contender for the OHL title, perhaps as the second best team behind the Windsor Spitfires.
Sudbury will have some tough times ahead. Already one of the worst offensive teams in the league, the Wolves will be without John McFarland for at least a few weeks as he's suffered a shoulder injury. The guys who need to pick up that slack, like Jared Staal and Marcus Foligno just aren't getting it done. Staal has 1 goal in his last 7 games, and Foligno hasn't scored since the third game of the season. The Wolves started this one with a bizarre offensive line up too. Nothing against Coach Foligno, because he knows what he's doing, but the forward lines he started with seemed like a recipe for disaster. The team's best player and only true offensive player, Eric O'Dell, was between 2 guys with a combined 4 goals on the year (Tarini and Allicock). Meanwhile, the club's other offensive threats were all on one, slow line (Kurtz, Staal, Foligno). Three very two way players, but also three forwards who lack the natural talent and foot speed to carry the puck into the zone. It's obvious that Coach Foligno is trying to find something without McFarland in the line up (and O'Dell's normal linemate), but it wasn't surprising to me that those lines failed to get anything done. And it didn't take long before they got thrown in the blender and mixed around. It wasn't until the 3rd period until the Wolves showed some life, much thanks to Eric O'Dell, but it was too little too late. Not a pretty game from their end at all and it certainly doesn't get easier for the Wolves to score as they'll be taking on the defensively stingy Mississauga Majors at home tomorrow.
On to some individual performance thoughts...
Sudbury Wolves
Justin Sefton (2011)
Highly touted draft selection of 2009, Sefton seems to be adjusting more and more to play in this league. I continue to be impressed with his defensive abilities, and ability to use his size at the ripe age of 16. On one occasion, beast Kyle Clifford came into the zone with a head of steam, but Sefton stayed in front of him, guided him to the boards and separated him from the puck. Quite a few defenders have a tough time with Clifford's size and speed combination, but not Sefton. He made a similar play on Stefan Della Rovere later in the game; another guy who's tough to contain. His offensive game still needs work, in particular his confidence in moving the puck up ice quickly, but I think there's some potential there. Late in the game he rushed the puck into the offensive end, which was a first for me in my viewings. He went end to end and took it right to the net, forcing Di Salvo to make a nice save. I hope he starts doing this more.
Jake Cardwell (2010)
Over the past two seasons, Caldwell has always been a guy who's caught my eye. He's got good size on the backend and he's not afraid to use it. He seems to be fairly mobile and has the ability to move the puck up ice. He runs the powerplay and can get his shot through to the net. The only thing missing is a big statline. I'm not entirely sure he's an NHL prospect, but I think it's worth giving him a solid shout out. He did well to defend against the Barrie rush and does a good job of staying ahead of the forwards. He had a couple nice rushes into the Barrie zone, in particular in the third period when Sudbury was trying to get some momentum back. He also hit the post with a point shot while on the powerplay. He did have a couple of turnovers in the defensive end, in particular one bad pass up the middle of the ice from behind his net, but nothing came of it.
Jared Staal (PHX)
Not much to say here. Completely invisible on the ice, for better or worse. Didn't make any glaring mistakes, but he didn't do anything in the offensive end either. Since his hot start to the season, he's gone quite cold as of late.
Daniel Maggio (NYR)
I thought he played a very solid game for a defender whose team just lost 5-0. Defensively he made a few very nice plays. For a guy his size, he has excellent mobility and he seems to do a very good job on rushing forwards. On two different occasions he was able to stay ahead of Kyle Clifford and Alex Hutchings, and keep them from the front of the net. It showed not only strong mobility, but good positioning too. He does need to tighten up his defensive zone coverage though and be quicker in picking up his man. Offensively, he rushes the puck well up ice and seems to make smart passing plays. On the powerplay, made a very nice play to keep the puck in the zone by knocking it down right at the line, then used the Brian Campbell esque spin'o'rama to elude two stick checks, and finishing the play off with a heads up cross ice pass for a one timer that was stopped by Peter Di Salvo. As a former 7th overall priority selection, his progress this year seems to be really flying under the radar.
Marcus Foligno (BUF)
Struggled tonight. Took two bad, sloppy, undisciplined penalties to negate his teams powerplays. The first a tripping call, the second a high stick. Nothing like taking two different penalties with the man advantage to kill any momentum offensively. Also had a couple terrible giveaways in his own end, one a bad pass to the middle of the ice that was picked off at the blueline. Another where he was stripped of the puck from behind while trying to carry it out of the defensive zone. Both led to scoring chances, but not to goals. Offensively, he just isn't getting anything done. As a penalty killer and board player, he's effective, but the Sabres didn't draft him to be a 4th line plugger. Hoping that playing for his dad again turns his game around for the better as the season goes on.
Eric O'Dell (ATL)
I thought he was really the only Sudbury forward who was able to generate offense tonight. Plays both ends of the ice, made a couple of very nice plays defensively to tie up his man. He works the cycle well and he can make things happen off the rush. Missed on a penalty shot (which was a terrible call) after taking the puck off a falling Nick Crawford and going hard to the net. Nothing to show for on the stat sheet, but this loss wasn't his fault. He's definitely missing John McFarland right now, as the two had built up quite the chemistry this season.
Barrie Colts
Alexander Burmistrov (2010)
Was part of the Colts most effective line on the night, with Alex Hutchings and Stefan Della Rovere. This line just couldn't be stopped. Burmistrov is such a smart offensive player. He doesn't need much room to slip through the defense and has a lot of confidence in carrying the puck. On Barrie's final goal of the game, he took the puck end to end on the powerplay, deking through two Wolves defenders, before smartly pulling up and finding Nick Crawford for the open point shot. Stefan Della Rovere promptly made the redirect, but it was Burmistrov's original play that got the ball rolling. His overall game is really rounding into form too. He's still doing good work on the penalty kill, but he's showing more effort 5 on 5 defensively and on the backcheck. He also is showing a willingness to stand in front of the net for screens, like he did on the Rovere tip in third period goal. Hasn't finished a game with a minus rating in 10 games. His stock for the draft can only go up at this point.
Alex Hutchings (TBL)
Simply put, Hutchings was a beast tonight. His speed caused a lot of trouble for the Wolves defense, in particular for the Wolves forwards on the backcheck. On the penalty kill, he was outstanding, pressuring on the forecheck and killing time along the boards. He takes the puck on the outside and goes hard to the net with speed, and his acceleration and low center of gravity make him very hard to stop, even if he is slightly undersized. Scored a goal on a nice pass from SDR in the first and picked up two assists on Barrie's 3rd and 4th goals. I'm disappointed he didn't get an invite to the Subway Super Series, because he deserves to be there. If there's an injury, I don't doubt he'd be the first they'd call to play.
Kyle Clifford (LA)
While he didn't have any points tonight, he made a difference. As I mentioned, his speed and size combination make him very hard to stop. While Sudbury's defense made a few nice plays on him, they largely had trouble containing him. On one excellent play, he slipped behind the defense for a breakaway, missed the net but followed up his rebound, shrugged off a check and took the puck hard to the front of the net on a wrap around. Unfortunately Andrew Loverock made a nice save on the play, but it showed how hard he is to stop with full momentum. He seems to be gaining a lot of confidence in just taking the puck to the net as soon as he gets it on his stick, which is something the Kings have to be happy with (in terms of his development).
Nick Crawford (BUF)
Played a tremendous game. Was solid defensively, playing a sound positional game. He keeps himself between the net and the opposing forward very well, and he reacts to the play like an NHL veteran. Offensively, he's incredibly smart too. Had three points on the night, a goal and 2 assists. What I like about Crawford is that he doesn't feel the need to take a big slapper from the point. He's comfortable putting a hard, accurate wrist shot towards the goal, and it creates scoring chances. He scored on one, and had another redirected for a goal. All in all, a tremendous first impression for him in Barrie, and perhaps out of the shadows in Saginaw, he'll start to garner the respect he deserves as an NHL prospect and top OHL defender.
Stefan Della Rovere (WSH)
Since starting the season very slowly, SDR has been outstanding of late (7 goals in his last 10 games). He's taking the puck hard to the net, he's crashing the net looking for rebounds, he's screening the goalie on point shots, and he's back to being his general shift disturbing self. Always a physical threat, Rovere is really hard to contain along the wall. Always keeps his feet moving in loose puck battles near the boards, part of the reason he rarely loses them. Scored a nice goal on a redirect in front of the net. Scored another goal on a nice reaction off a rebound, by turning and firing it top shelf, surprising Loverock. He also made a great pass to Alex Hutchings for the first goal of the game. Won a battle for the puck behind the net and made a beautiful back pass to a streaking Hutchings for the one timer. As long as he can keep his emotions in check and remain disciplined, he's such a valuable player to have on the ice in this league.
T.J. Brodie (CGY)
Like Crawford, this was Brodie's first game with Barrie and he was very strong. Interestingly enough, Brodie wasn't really involved offensively tonight like his partner Nick Crawford was. But he was solid defensively. Was never beat to the net, was winning battles in the corners. Did a good job on coverage. I even saw him rub out an opposing forward along the boards. That physical play is something you don't see enough of from Brodie. If he can put forth the defensive effort he did tonight...consistently for Barrie...it won't be long before more than just OHL and Calgary Flames fans know who this guy is. Like Crawford, he finished +3.
Bryan Cameron (Overage Free Agent)
Cameron didn't have a tremendous game, taking some undisciplined penalties. But he has been on absolute fire lately, with 7 goals in his last 5 games before this affair. I really like him as a player and I hope an NHL team gives him a shot this offseason.
Darren Archibald (2010, but 1990 born)
I was shocked when this guy went undrafted last season, after his strong OHL rookie season and playoffs. I'll be even more shocked if he goes undrafted or signed again this year. He's big, he can skate well for his size, and he has good hands and offensive instincts. A true power forward prospect who can do a little bit of everything. Besides Alex Hutchings, I thought Archibald was Barrie's best forward tonight. On his first shift of the game, he took a drop pass from Taylor Carnevale and ripped a snap shot off the crossbar. Later in the period, he flew down the wing, shrugged off a check from Josh McFadden, took the puck straight to the net and fired home a wrist shot top shelf. Quite an impressive goal. He also made a few really nice passes tonight in transition. Big power forwards who can play offense in transition don't grow on trees. He also kills penalties and makes a consistent effort on the backcheck. He saved a likely goal in the second period after coming back to the defensive zone to cover for a pinching defenseman, and intercepting a pass to a wide open Sudbury player in front of the net. After starting the season off slowly as he recovered from injury, Archibald has a 6 game point streak (6 goals, 4 assists) going now. This guy is a beast.
Taylor Carnevale (2010, but 1991 born)
Exploded offensively this season in Barrie and has a lot of people talking about his draft prospectus. Mark Seidel has him in his recent top 100 for the NACS. He seems to have very good chemistry with Darren Archibald and these two worked the give and go on several occasions. He has good speed and he's not afraid to work hard on the forecheck or in the corners. Kind of a jack of all trades who's smarts and vision give him the opportunity to put up points. He finished with a secondary assist on Archibald's goal.
Peter Di Salvo (2010, but 1990 born)
This one is for Mr. CAPS (read my comments section and you'll know!). Di Salvo was excellent tonight. Didn't really face much in the way of serious scoring chances until the third period, but he shut the door all night long. I really like how aggressive he is in challenging shooters. He gets out right past the blue ice and gives opposing shooters very little to aim for. His rebound control was a little bit suspect tonight, especially on long shots, but not much more you could ask from him tonight. Made all 28 saves for the shutout victory. By the way, Di Salvo has one of the coolest masks in the OHL (check it out)
That's it, anyone else see Brodie and Crawford's first game with the Colts?
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Thoughts on Sudbury and Brampton from October 18
I hadn't had the chance to see Sudbury yet this season so I caught this one on the OHL Action Pak this afternoon. The Wolves were losers of seven straight games coming into this one. Meanwhile, the Battalion were coming off 3 wins in their last four and showing massive improvement at the offensive end. One would have thought that this one had the potential to get ugly for Sudbury, a team in the dumps coming in to play a team riding a high. But the Wolves hung tight, got some great goaltending and came out on top by a score of 3-0.
The Wolves are an interesting team. They have talent, especially at the offensive end. Obviously their defense and goaltending would have to be considered average, but their talent and depth at forward should be able to make up for it in a lot of situations. While the shot total was grossly in favor of the Battalion, I don't feel like the Wolves got grossly outplayed. They definitely got good goaltending from Alain Valiquette, which was refreshing to see. Valiquette was brutal against Niagara last night from everything I've heard, so it's good to see him bounce back. One thing that perplexes me a little bit is how good the Wolves penalty kill has been, yet how poor their goals against has been. Teams are beating the Wolves five on five and not with the man advantage, which is a bit of a rarity in a league where a good powerplay is so important. So why can't the Wolves play as good defensively five on five, as they do when they play with a man in the box? To me, that screams a team that is pressing and making things more complicated than they should be. With the Stepanov and Rinke incident, you have to think there is something slightly rotten behind the scenes and that probably compounds the on ice problems too. A win like they got today has the potential to get this team back on track, like they were in the first 5 or 6 games of the season.
The Battalion were visibly frustrated during the game. They had their offensive chances, but they just couldn't bury them. A lot of pucks bouncing over sticks on juicy rebounds, or shots fanned on in close to the net. While they only gave up 14 shots, a couple of bad defensive breakdowns cost them. More than likely this is how the Battalion season will go for the rest of the year. Some really good games, and some really poor ones. I look at them similar to the Kitchener Rangers of last year. A lot of quality young talent mixed with some veteran players, but inconsistent in their ability to generate offense. This team has the potential to be really good next year though (especially if an eventual Cody Hodgson trade nets them some really valuable assets).
Some thoughts on individual players...
Brampton Battalion
Matt Clark (ANA)
The Wolves are an interesting team. They have talent, especially at the offensive end. Obviously their defense and goaltending would have to be considered average, but their talent and depth at forward should be able to make up for it in a lot of situations. While the shot total was grossly in favor of the Battalion, I don't feel like the Wolves got grossly outplayed. They definitely got good goaltending from Alain Valiquette, which was refreshing to see. Valiquette was brutal against Niagara last night from everything I've heard, so it's good to see him bounce back. One thing that perplexes me a little bit is how good the Wolves penalty kill has been, yet how poor their goals against has been. Teams are beating the Wolves five on five and not with the man advantage, which is a bit of a rarity in a league where a good powerplay is so important. So why can't the Wolves play as good defensively five on five, as they do when they play with a man in the box? To me, that screams a team that is pressing and making things more complicated than they should be. With the Stepanov and Rinke incident, you have to think there is something slightly rotten behind the scenes and that probably compounds the on ice problems too. A win like they got today has the potential to get this team back on track, like they were in the first 5 or 6 games of the season.
The Battalion were visibly frustrated during the game. They had their offensive chances, but they just couldn't bury them. A lot of pucks bouncing over sticks on juicy rebounds, or shots fanned on in close to the net. While they only gave up 14 shots, a couple of bad defensive breakdowns cost them. More than likely this is how the Battalion season will go for the rest of the year. Some really good games, and some really poor ones. I look at them similar to the Kitchener Rangers of last year. A lot of quality young talent mixed with some veteran players, but inconsistent in their ability to generate offense. This team has the potential to be really good next year though (especially if an eventual Cody Hodgson trade nets them some really valuable assets).
Some thoughts on individual players...
Brampton Battalion
Matt Clark (ANA)
Clark had a good game. I think he's a solid NHL prospect for the different things he brings to the table. He's got great size and isn't afraid to use it. He absolutely leveled John McFarland behind the net with a clean hit, as McFarland brought the puck to the area with his head down. He had a couple other nice hits too, and he's generally intelligent about it too. He's not one of those guys who runs around looking to hit someone, taking himself out of position for it. He played on the first powerplay unit and I thought did a good job. He gets his point shot through to the net very well and it could have resulted in a few goals had the Battalion done a better job of getting forwards in front of the net, and if they could have done a better job of finishing off rebounds. On one occasion Clark out waited the forward at the top kill and put a good low shot through to the net. The rebound went right to Phil Lane for the easy tap in but it jumped over his stick and he didn't get a shot off. For his size, he's a good skater too. On one occasion he did get beaten by John McFarland (perhaps redemption for the hit) as he drove to the net, and Clark was forced to take a penalty. But McFarland is one of the better skaters in the league, so I'm not sure it's something to be too ashamed of. He just needs to remember to keep his feet moving.
Cameron Wind (2010)
Wind had limited OHL experience before this season but has done very well with an increased role in Brampton. He's a solid two way defender who I think is just starting to gain confidence in his offensive abilities. The thing that impresses me about Wind is his hockey sense. He always seems to be at the point to prevent the puck from getting out of the zone, and he's starting to get more confidence in pinching in. He also does a good job of getting his point shot through to the net, as he did on several occasions today. His looks fine too. Seen him play a few times now this year and I continue to come away impressed. Looks like a potential NHL draft pick to me.
Philip Lane (2010)
Lane had a bit of a tough game. He had a couple glorious scoring chances, but he just couldn't get the puck to settle down for him. The aforementioned Clark rebound was a gift, but he couldn't put it home. That being said, the effort was there and I think he's got a lot of potential in this league. He's a solid power forward prospect and a guy who will get better offensively with added strength. He's always active on the forecheck and he goes to the front of the net with his stick on the ice. Near the end of the game when Brampton was trying to drum up some offense, he was doing a very good job of working the cycle and seems to be one of those forwards who always comes away with loose pucks against the boards. Like any OHL rookie, I think he's going to be an even better at game 60 of this season.
Sam Carrick (2010)
I think Carrick is really starting to come into his own. He's been on fire lately with a couple of hat tricks and I think he's starting to gain confidence in his offensive abilities. With that added offensive confidence, I think other parts of his game are starting to develop too. He was a lot more physical today than I've seen him previously. Always a solid two way player, Carrick was taking the body today and laid a couple really nice hits. An average skater, but he does a good job of protecting the puck. On one nice rush up the ice, he used the defender as a screen and put a good, low, hard shot on net that generated a juicy rebound. But the Battalion forward (I believe it was Sean Jones) couldn't put it home. I think he's a guy who will continue to climb in the draft rankings.
Patrick Killeen (PIT)
Considering that he only faced 14 shots tonight but took the loss, you'd have to think Killeen played a poor game. I wouldn't say he did. The first goal was a tap in at the side of the net that he had no chance on. The second goal was a screen shot from the point that had eyes for the net. Again little chance. The third goal he probably misplayed a little bit, as I think he went down a little early and went for the pokecheck, missed and the Sudbury forward (Tarini) slid the puck by him. But the majority of Sudbury's shots were solid scoring chances and he did a good job of making some big saves to keep his team in the game. One was a solid stop on a two on one by Eric O'Dell and John Kurtz, as he eventually stoned Kurtz sliding across the ice showing good mobility. He's played very well on the whole this year and he's giving Brampton a chance to win every game he starts. He stopped 11 of 14 shots and took the loss.
Sudbury Wolves
Justin Sefton (2011)
This kid does not look or play like a 16 year old rookie. The 5th overall pick in 2009, Sefton is a physical beast. He's already strong enough and has enough conviction to push people around. He was very physical and did a great job of winning battles in the corners and bullying forwards in front of the net. By the time he's 18 or 19, he's going to be a beast at the defensive end. On the negative side, it does look like he needs to improve his skating, in particular his lateral and backwards mobility. Now don't be alarmed, he's no Devereaux Heshmatpour (gotta be some of you who get that reference), but he did get exposed once going backwards. The Brampton forward flew by him on the dump in, got the puck and then perhaps in frustration, Sefton took a bad penalty by pushing him into the boards from behind. I was a little bit underwhelmed by him offensively too, but at this point he seems more defensively focused. Nothing wrong with that.
John Kurtz (Overage Free Agent)
I think John Kurtz has the potential to make a solid professional hockey player. He'll never be more than a role player, but he has the on ice intelligence to make it in that capacity despite no above average offensive qualities. Kurtz's biggest strength is his two way player. He always seem to be in the right place on the ice at both ends, and I think this can be attributed to his hockey sense. Failed to convert on the Eric O'Dell two on one, but had a couple other solid opportunities to score. On one occasion he found a lane going to the net and got a good shot off only to be stoned by Killeen. He does everything well, which allows him to overcome his only modest skating ability. Got a tryout from the Maple Leafs this offseason, so hopefully he's able to catch on somewhere after this season is over.
John McFarland (2010)
He and Eric O'Dell were the most dangerous players on the ice tonight. This was probably McFarland's best game that I've ever personally witnessed. He was simply all over the ice. Was vicious on the forecheck, performed well on the penalty kill, laid a few nice hits. The move to the wing really suits him as it allows him to use his speed to fly down the side and to the net. Lately I've read a lot of people criticize his offensive potential and overall skill set. I've seen claims of "I don't think he belongs in the top 10 because he's not as naturally skilled as some of the other players available." I think that's bologna and I have no idea where these unfounded claims come from. I do agree that his hockey sense can come into question at times, as he'll fail to make things out of his rushes and fail to find the puck in tight situations. However his skill level should never come into question. Nor should his on ice vision with the puck. Made three absolutely beautiful passes today, two of which led to goals. The first was to Eric O'Dell, as he found him at the side of the net from all the way across the ice at the other point. Tape to tape, to the back of the net. On the second, he sprung O'Dell and Kurtz on the two on one with a beautiful tip pass to send O'Dell away with the puck. On the third, he drew the attention of the defense and gave it to Kyle Tarini for the walk in goal. For a player who's had some question marks about the way he uses his teammates, he certainly did well today. His goal was a screen shot from the point where he just tried to put the puck on net but ended up putting it in the net. He finished the game with 1 goal and 2 assists.
Jared Staal (PHX)
Staal is kind of frustrating to watch in all honesty. He has potential, but his skating still holds him back. He really does look like he's skating in molasses out there and his lack of speed burst prevents him from using his size on the way to the net. It also prevents him from being heavily involved on the forecheck. I just know that if he were a better and more explosive skater, he'd be such a quality player. This is because he is solid on the boards and in front of the net. He has good offensive instincts and does tend to make the most of his opportunities...when he gets them. On McFarland's point shot goal, he did all the work to gain possession of the puck along the boards and made a nice pass to McFarland. With the way the NHL game has evolved, I do think he could have a tough time keeping up with the pace enough to be a scoring line forward. But because of his hockey sense and board play, he could develop into a solid role player. He finished with an assist.
Daniel Maggio (NYR)
Finally healthy and playing with confidence, the former 7th overall Priority selection is off to a great start this season. He's Sudbury's number one defenseman and played a large majority of the game. He was incredibly physical and punished the Battalion forwards all night. On one occasion in particular, A Brampton forward (I believe Thomas Stajan) tried to get by him, failed and Maggio rode him right into the boards, erasing him from the play. He was very impressive defensively today. Offensively, he was just as equally impressive. He runs the powerplay very well and seems to have a really hard point shot. He could stand to do a better job of getting it through to the net, but that's minor nitpicking. He also showed a lot of confidence in bringing the puck up the ice. With great size, he's fairly mobile too (although no one will confuse him for Scott Niedermayer either). A really solid game from Maggio and it looks like he's progressed well this year. He finished the game with an assist.
Marcus Foligno (BUF)
Foligno has had a really disappointing start to the 2009 season, at least offensively. I think a lot of people, myself included, expected him to take some steps forward offensively this year. His skating doesn't look like it's improved and that appears to be what's holding him back. Like Staal, he couldn't be as effective in the offensive zone because of his failure to beat defenders to the puck. A real effective player along the boards, Foligno wasn't a factor in the cycle because Brampton's defenders were able to move the puck before he could get to them. On the positive side, he was excellent on the penalty kill. His strength away from the puck really allows him to be a factor at the top of the box. While his offensive game seems to have stalled, his two way ability seems to be blossoming. Maybe Buffalo sees him as an eventual replacement for Paul Gaustad?
Eric O'Dell (ATL)
As mentioned, he was incredibly dangerous today. He's a hawk on the puck and always seems to be around it. Not the world's best skater, O'Dell is still elusive on the ice and manages to give himself space on the ice to make offensive plays. Had an easy goal off the McFarland feed in the first. Made an incredibly nice pass to John Kurtz on the two on one, feathering it over the defender's stick, but Kurtz couldn't finish the play off. Later in the third, he made a tremendous play to charge into the offensive zone, lift the defender's stick, steal the puck and head in on net. But he missed the net on his shot as he tried to go top corner. He actually missed the net on a few chances in close too, so that's something he's got to work on. O'Dell is also a solid two way player and is quite often the first forward back. Made a really nice play to save a defenseman who got caught pinching, as he came back hard to disrupt the pass to the open wing. One thing that's always left me a little bit perplexed is his inconsistent physical game. When he played Under 18's in 2008, he was a physical force and threw his weight around with ease. But in the OHL, this side of his game has always been rare. If he could add that side to his game, he'd be a dominant player in the OHL on a night to night basis. He finished the game with the game winning goal.
Thoughts on Sudbury, or anything else mentioned?
Cameron Wind (2010)
Wind had limited OHL experience before this season but has done very well with an increased role in Brampton. He's a solid two way defender who I think is just starting to gain confidence in his offensive abilities. The thing that impresses me about Wind is his hockey sense. He always seems to be at the point to prevent the puck from getting out of the zone, and he's starting to get more confidence in pinching in. He also does a good job of getting his point shot through to the net, as he did on several occasions today. His looks fine too. Seen him play a few times now this year and I continue to come away impressed. Looks like a potential NHL draft pick to me.
Philip Lane (2010)
Lane had a bit of a tough game. He had a couple glorious scoring chances, but he just couldn't get the puck to settle down for him. The aforementioned Clark rebound was a gift, but he couldn't put it home. That being said, the effort was there and I think he's got a lot of potential in this league. He's a solid power forward prospect and a guy who will get better offensively with added strength. He's always active on the forecheck and he goes to the front of the net with his stick on the ice. Near the end of the game when Brampton was trying to drum up some offense, he was doing a very good job of working the cycle and seems to be one of those forwards who always comes away with loose pucks against the boards. Like any OHL rookie, I think he's going to be an even better at game 60 of this season.
Sam Carrick (2010)
I think Carrick is really starting to come into his own. He's been on fire lately with a couple of hat tricks and I think he's starting to gain confidence in his offensive abilities. With that added offensive confidence, I think other parts of his game are starting to develop too. He was a lot more physical today than I've seen him previously. Always a solid two way player, Carrick was taking the body today and laid a couple really nice hits. An average skater, but he does a good job of protecting the puck. On one nice rush up the ice, he used the defender as a screen and put a good, low, hard shot on net that generated a juicy rebound. But the Battalion forward (I believe it was Sean Jones) couldn't put it home. I think he's a guy who will continue to climb in the draft rankings.
Patrick Killeen (PIT)
Considering that he only faced 14 shots tonight but took the loss, you'd have to think Killeen played a poor game. I wouldn't say he did. The first goal was a tap in at the side of the net that he had no chance on. The second goal was a screen shot from the point that had eyes for the net. Again little chance. The third goal he probably misplayed a little bit, as I think he went down a little early and went for the pokecheck, missed and the Sudbury forward (Tarini) slid the puck by him. But the majority of Sudbury's shots were solid scoring chances and he did a good job of making some big saves to keep his team in the game. One was a solid stop on a two on one by Eric O'Dell and John Kurtz, as he eventually stoned Kurtz sliding across the ice showing good mobility. He's played very well on the whole this year and he's giving Brampton a chance to win every game he starts. He stopped 11 of 14 shots and took the loss.
Sudbury Wolves
Justin Sefton (2011)
This kid does not look or play like a 16 year old rookie. The 5th overall pick in 2009, Sefton is a physical beast. He's already strong enough and has enough conviction to push people around. He was very physical and did a great job of winning battles in the corners and bullying forwards in front of the net. By the time he's 18 or 19, he's going to be a beast at the defensive end. On the negative side, it does look like he needs to improve his skating, in particular his lateral and backwards mobility. Now don't be alarmed, he's no Devereaux Heshmatpour (gotta be some of you who get that reference), but he did get exposed once going backwards. The Brampton forward flew by him on the dump in, got the puck and then perhaps in frustration, Sefton took a bad penalty by pushing him into the boards from behind. I was a little bit underwhelmed by him offensively too, but at this point he seems more defensively focused. Nothing wrong with that.
John Kurtz (Overage Free Agent)
I think John Kurtz has the potential to make a solid professional hockey player. He'll never be more than a role player, but he has the on ice intelligence to make it in that capacity despite no above average offensive qualities. Kurtz's biggest strength is his two way player. He always seem to be in the right place on the ice at both ends, and I think this can be attributed to his hockey sense. Failed to convert on the Eric O'Dell two on one, but had a couple other solid opportunities to score. On one occasion he found a lane going to the net and got a good shot off only to be stoned by Killeen. He does everything well, which allows him to overcome his only modest skating ability. Got a tryout from the Maple Leafs this offseason, so hopefully he's able to catch on somewhere after this season is over.
John McFarland (2010)
He and Eric O'Dell were the most dangerous players on the ice tonight. This was probably McFarland's best game that I've ever personally witnessed. He was simply all over the ice. Was vicious on the forecheck, performed well on the penalty kill, laid a few nice hits. The move to the wing really suits him as it allows him to use his speed to fly down the side and to the net. Lately I've read a lot of people criticize his offensive potential and overall skill set. I've seen claims of "I don't think he belongs in the top 10 because he's not as naturally skilled as some of the other players available." I think that's bologna and I have no idea where these unfounded claims come from. I do agree that his hockey sense can come into question at times, as he'll fail to make things out of his rushes and fail to find the puck in tight situations. However his skill level should never come into question. Nor should his on ice vision with the puck. Made three absolutely beautiful passes today, two of which led to goals. The first was to Eric O'Dell, as he found him at the side of the net from all the way across the ice at the other point. Tape to tape, to the back of the net. On the second, he sprung O'Dell and Kurtz on the two on one with a beautiful tip pass to send O'Dell away with the puck. On the third, he drew the attention of the defense and gave it to Kyle Tarini for the walk in goal. For a player who's had some question marks about the way he uses his teammates, he certainly did well today. His goal was a screen shot from the point where he just tried to put the puck on net but ended up putting it in the net. He finished the game with 1 goal and 2 assists.
Jared Staal (PHX)
Staal is kind of frustrating to watch in all honesty. He has potential, but his skating still holds him back. He really does look like he's skating in molasses out there and his lack of speed burst prevents him from using his size on the way to the net. It also prevents him from being heavily involved on the forecheck. I just know that if he were a better and more explosive skater, he'd be such a quality player. This is because he is solid on the boards and in front of the net. He has good offensive instincts and does tend to make the most of his opportunities...when he gets them. On McFarland's point shot goal, he did all the work to gain possession of the puck along the boards and made a nice pass to McFarland. With the way the NHL game has evolved, I do think he could have a tough time keeping up with the pace enough to be a scoring line forward. But because of his hockey sense and board play, he could develop into a solid role player. He finished with an assist.
Daniel Maggio (NYR)
Finally healthy and playing with confidence, the former 7th overall Priority selection is off to a great start this season. He's Sudbury's number one defenseman and played a large majority of the game. He was incredibly physical and punished the Battalion forwards all night. On one occasion in particular, A Brampton forward (I believe Thomas Stajan) tried to get by him, failed and Maggio rode him right into the boards, erasing him from the play. He was very impressive defensively today. Offensively, he was just as equally impressive. He runs the powerplay very well and seems to have a really hard point shot. He could stand to do a better job of getting it through to the net, but that's minor nitpicking. He also showed a lot of confidence in bringing the puck up the ice. With great size, he's fairly mobile too (although no one will confuse him for Scott Niedermayer either). A really solid game from Maggio and it looks like he's progressed well this year. He finished the game with an assist.
Marcus Foligno (BUF)
Foligno has had a really disappointing start to the 2009 season, at least offensively. I think a lot of people, myself included, expected him to take some steps forward offensively this year. His skating doesn't look like it's improved and that appears to be what's holding him back. Like Staal, he couldn't be as effective in the offensive zone because of his failure to beat defenders to the puck. A real effective player along the boards, Foligno wasn't a factor in the cycle because Brampton's defenders were able to move the puck before he could get to them. On the positive side, he was excellent on the penalty kill. His strength away from the puck really allows him to be a factor at the top of the box. While his offensive game seems to have stalled, his two way ability seems to be blossoming. Maybe Buffalo sees him as an eventual replacement for Paul Gaustad?
Eric O'Dell (ATL)
As mentioned, he was incredibly dangerous today. He's a hawk on the puck and always seems to be around it. Not the world's best skater, O'Dell is still elusive on the ice and manages to give himself space on the ice to make offensive plays. Had an easy goal off the McFarland feed in the first. Made an incredibly nice pass to John Kurtz on the two on one, feathering it over the defender's stick, but Kurtz couldn't finish the play off. Later in the third, he made a tremendous play to charge into the offensive zone, lift the defender's stick, steal the puck and head in on net. But he missed the net on his shot as he tried to go top corner. He actually missed the net on a few chances in close too, so that's something he's got to work on. O'Dell is also a solid two way player and is quite often the first forward back. Made a really nice play to save a defenseman who got caught pinching, as he came back hard to disrupt the pass to the open wing. One thing that's always left me a little bit perplexed is his inconsistent physical game. When he played Under 18's in 2008, he was a physical force and threw his weight around with ease. But in the OHL, this side of his game has always been rare. If he could add that side to his game, he'd be a dominant player in the OHL on a night to night basis. He finished the game with the game winning goal.
Thoughts on Sudbury, or anything else mentioned?
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