Sunday Top 10 - Players Who Could be Traded Before or During the 2009-10 Season

First off, apologies for the lack of list last Sunday. I ended up going away on vacation.

For today's Top 10, I will get out my crystal ball and attempt to predict the OHL players who could be changing teams in the upcoming year. I expect that some of these players could be dealt before the start of the 2009-10 season, while others may be trade victims closer to the deadline when their teams fall out of contention.

As for the actual ranking (number allotment), the list was organized by the likelihood of players actually getting traded. Also taken into account is the potential impact a player could make on their new team. This impact is the reason I didn't include some lesser players who could have a higher likelihood of being traded.

Your top 10 players who could be traded in 2009-10.

10. Nathan Moon - Kingston Frontenacs
Moon is the definitely the least likely player to get traded on this list, however I would not have included him if I felt like there was no chance he was sent packing. I think a lot depends on the way the Fronts start the 2009-10 season. For maybe the first time in a while, the Fronts have some elevated expectations for next season. Many expect the Fronts to return to the playoffs thanks to solid young talent like Erik Gudbranson, Ethan Werek, and Taylor Doherty, in addition to veterans like Moon and Brian Lashoff. Not to mention the club no has a full season of "Killer" behind the bench. But as many Kingston fans can tell you, expectations only go so far. Moon has long been rumored to be in and out of favor in Kingston, despite his talent level. If the Fronts struggle yet again and are on pace to miss the playoffs, Moon could be the first guy shipped off to a contending team. However, I could also see Moon dealt as part of a package to help the team get better goaltending. For instance, a team like Sault Ste. Marie could use a talented center, while they have Cody St. Jacques and Bryce O'Hagan as bargaining chips in net.

9. Eric O'Dell - Sudbury Wolves
While O'Dell is currently the offensive leader of the Wolves, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility to see him traded. The Wolves could be more inclined to let John McFarland and Marcus Foligno play center this year, which could make O'Dell a trade piece in order to improve the team's blueline. Sudbury could be a team that falls anywhere from the middle of the East to out of the playoffs. A lot depends on the way their defence and goaltending, as well as John McFarland, perform. Perhaps O'Dell is the guy they use in order get a solid two-way defenceman, maybe a guy like Jacob Muzzin from Sault Ste. Marie, Michael D'Orazio in Owen Sound, or Matt Clark in Brampton.

8. James Livingston - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
I've heard a lot of rumours about Livingston being on the trade block and I don't really understand them. The Hounds should be much improved this season and Livingston is currently their most dangerous offensive player, as well as a veteran presence. I have high expectations for him to take huge steps forward this season, likely his last in the OHL. That being said, you can't ignore rumours, so I've included him on this list. Perhaps the Hounds feel that their year is next year, and could look to flip Livingston for a younger offensive player.

7. Brett Parnham - Oshawa Generals
I have a hard time seeing the Generals being significantly better than they were last season. They could probably slot anywhere from 6-10 in the East, depending on the steps forward some of their "role" players take. Parnham, a 50 goal scorer last season for Oshawa, could be a prime target for trade should the Generals falter. Pretty much anyone in the league would be happy to add this sniper to their team and as such, Parnham could have a dozen likely destinations should he be traded.

6. Cody St. Jacques - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
St. Jacques has apparently expressed his interest to be traded to Hounds management, and with good cause. He's suddenly third on the depth chart after the signing of NHL 2nd round pick and Import selection Robin Lehner. The Hounds starter from last season is definitely a capable OHL starting goaltender and deserves a chance to show what he can do, after previously getting stuck behind Thomas McCollum in Guelph. There is always the chance that Bryce O'Hagan goes instead, with St. Jacques kept as a veteran mentor to Lehner. However, with his trade request, I'd say the likelihood is that St. Jacques is the one on his way out. There are a few teams in the OHL with an insecure goaltending situation that St. Jacques could help, like Kingston, Erie, Windsor, Brampton, and his former team in Guelph.

5. Matt Martin - Sarnia Sting
After such a strong season in Sarnia this past season, Martin's future with the club (and the OHL) is in doubt. Martin would prefer to play in the AHL, since he is an Islanders draft selection, however he's apparently playing hardball with New York for a contract. With a demand for a higher salary (rumours say as high as first round money!), the Islanders have yet to sign Martin. This makes him a candidate to return to the OHL for his overage season. However, he's apparently expressed that he would rather not be in Sarnia, especially with the team going through a slight rebuild. Also complicating the situation is the number of OA's Sarnia could have returning (upwards of 6). If Martin is indeed in the OHL next year, I don't expect it to be with Sarnia. He could have a big impact to whatever team he's traded to. Don't count out his hometown Spitfires making a pitch for him, especially if several of their OA's do not return after being signed/drafted to the NHL (MacDermid, Greenop, Timmins, Young).

4. Bryan Cameron - Belleville Bulls
Cameron failed to earn a contract from the LA Kings (after being a 3rd round pick), and also failed to be re-drafted, meaning he's likely headed back to the OHL this season. There is always the chance he catches on somewhere at a training camp, or on an AHL contract, however those situations appear to be longshots at this point. If he returns to the OHL, I don't expect it to be with Belleville, who's gone into full rebuild mode. Cameron is a 3 time 30 goal scorer in the league and one of the most dangerous offensive wingers in the OHL. If he's put on the trade block, I'd expect him to generate quite the amount of interest. I'm sure a team like London would love to get their hands on him to help their powerplay. They have the room for an overager too.

3. Matt Clark - Brampton Battalion
Clark made quite the splash in his first season in the league, going from unknown Junior A player to a top 3 defenceman on a Conference winning team and a 2nd round NHL draft pick. As a late 1990, Clark is likely playing in his last season in the OHL (as a high draft pick, he's bound to be signed by Anaheim after the season). Brampton is rebuilding in the wake of the reality that Matt Duchene will not be returning. That leaves Clark a probable trade option for the Battalion. I've heard rumours about Barrie possibly being interested. With Barrie loading up on offence, Clark would be an absolutely perfect acquisition for them in order to secure their blueline. If not Barrie, I'm sure their are 18 other teams who'd take Clark off Brampton's hands.

2. Tyler Beskorowany - Owen Sound Attack
With one of the league's top goaltending duo's broken up already (Hutchinson and Di Salvo in Barrie), it's only a matter of time before the one in Owen Sound follows suit. With Scott Stajcer having one more year of eligibility over Beskorowany, I'd expect him to be the one the stays to be a part of the young and improving Attack. That leaves Tyler Beskorowany on the outside looking in. This Dallas Stars 2nd round pick has had trouble performing consistently, but the talent has always been there. He has the potential to be one of the best goaltenders in the OHL and should be an attractive option for many of the teams with suspect goaltending. If Josh Unice falters in Windsor, I'd expect the Spitfires to be the team that goes hard after Beskorowany. I could also see Erie making a big play for the big man.

1. Shawn Lalonde - Belleville Bulls
Without question, Lalonde enters the 2009-10 season as one of the best blueliners in the OHL. He's an elite two-way defender who can instantly make a team's defence better. As previously mentioned, Belleville is rebuilding and thus Lalonde is likely to be traded. He could likely bring back a pretty handsome return to Belleville. I've heard a lot of rumours about Barrie having interest, similar to the Matt Clark situation. However, in the end, I'd expect the London Knights to be the ones who get Lalonde. With the graduation of John Carlson, Kevin Montgomery and possibly Michael Del Zotto, the Knights could be without a proven powerplay QB and number one defenceman. Lalonde would fit in incredibly well with the Hunter's system and could be a mentor to the highly touted Scott Harrington.


Anyone I missed? Anything you disagree with? Any rumours you're hearing? Let me know!

The Sunday Top 10 - Top Complete Fighters

In today's Top 10, we look at the OHL's best and most useful fighters. In that I mean, players who fight, and fight often (in most cases), but are also skilled, important members of their team. So, apologies to guys like Peter Stevens and Mike Yovanic, but this is a list of the top complete fighters, not just the best fighters. The criteria I used to measure whether they were fighters or not, was whether they had ever been in more than 10 fights before in a season. Of course there is also some subjectivity in my selections, because I took into account whether these guys were winning some of these fights. Confused? I hope not. I've embedded a clip of each guy at his best with the gloves off, for entertainment purposes of course.

Here is the top 10...

10. Luke Gazdic - Erie Otters
Gazdic will never be mistaken for a superb offensive player, but he's worked hard to improve his puck skills and it showed where he set a career high with 20 goals this season. He is an effective energy player who seems to do anything to help his team win. He hits anything that moves and is one of the most feared body checkers in the OHL. And of course, he fights and fights well. Gazdic fought 12 times this year, inlcuding fights against heavyweights Mike Yovanic, Kyle Neuber, and Brandon Mashinter.
Here is a clip of Gazdic TKO'ing Mike Yovanic from earlier this season.


9. Andrew Shaw - Niagara IceDogs
This kid is nuts. In a good way. At just under six feet and max 160lbs, Shaw came into the league this year willing to fight anyone, even if it was a guy 5 inches and 75lbs bigger than him. And he holds his own and never gives up. His offensive game improved greatly over the course of the season and I think eventually you'll see him being a very solid offensive contributor in this league, when he's given more ice time. Being the youngest player on this list is an impressive feat.
Here is Shaw fighting Jack Walchessen this season.


8. Zac Rinaldo - London Knights
Rinaldo is a human wrecking ball on the ice. He's absolutely one of the best body checkers and most aggressive players in the OHL. While he's developed the reputation for playing a bit dirty, he's often able to back things up with his fists. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, Rinaldo put up nearly a point per game in his time with London this year. Again, while he'll never be a big time offensive contributor at the next level, he's starting to realize that he can create offense with the energy he brings to the ice. He's also developed into a real quality piece in the puck possession game, in particular during the cycle.
Here is Rinaldo tossing around behemoth Taylor Doherty from this season.


7. Kyle Clifford - Barrie Colts
The draft eligible Clifford got better and better as the season went along, thus explaining his rise through the draft rankings from season start to season finish, culminating with a spot on the Canadian Under 18 team. He forechecks hard and appears to know where to go on the ice offensively. Clifford also developed quite the penchant for fighting this season, dropping the gloves 14 times. While his offensive abilities may be hitting the tip of the iceberg, his physical abilities are clearly a strength of his.
Here is Clifford fighting Matt Clark of Brampton, a fellow draft eligible player.


6. Anthony Peluso - Brampton Battalion
Peluso made great improvements this year, in my opinion. After the trade from the Soo to Brampton, he looked to be playing inspired hockey. With Brampton his offensive game began to come out, as he was turning his hard work on the forecheck into scoring opportunities. When you go hard to the net, good things often happen, and Peluso has started to become a solid opportunistic scorer, even netting 8 in the playoffs. I think his play in Brampton really helped to earn him that contract from St. Louis recently. While Peluso didn't fight quite as much this year (with 8), he did have 14 last season.
Here is Peluso TKO'ing former Knights defenseman Todd Perry from a few years ago.


5. Harry Young - Windsor Spitfires
Young is the only defenseman I put on this list, but he deserves it. Not only did the towering defenseman fight 20 times this season, but he's developing into a strong shutdown defender who is using his size to gain position on opposing forwards. He also serves as the captain of Windsor where he's clearly demonstrated his leadership capabilities in leading that team this season. While this New Jersey Devil draft pick could still stand to improve his mobility, the Devils have to be happy with the progression of the rest of his game.
Here is Young in a fight with the Knights Jason Wilson.


4. Brandon Mashinter - Belleville Bulls
Ok, I cheated a bit. Mashinter has never fought more than ten times in his OHL career. While he may not fight a lot, when he does, he can throw them with the best in the OHL. His reputation as one of the best fighters in the OHL, earns him the right to this list, despite not meeting the fight criteria I set. I'm not sure there was a more improved player in the OHL this season, than Mashinter. Formerly a purely physical grinder who was relied on for his fists, Mashinter turned into a goal scorer this season, scoring 34 goals and earning a contract from the NHL's San Jose Sharks. Nearly every aspect of his game improved this season, including his skating which went from terrible to acceptable.
Here is Mashinter really tossing around IceDog and fellow listee Andrew Shaw during this season's playoffs.


3. Matt Martin - Sarnia Sting
Martin turned a 25 goal season into a selection at the 2008 NHL entry draft, after failing to be drafted in 2007. This season, Martin continued to improve, scoring 35 goals and performing at over a point per game pace. Martin is an incredible physical presence on the ice, throwing body checks left and right, driving hard to the net, and winning battles in the corners. On top of that, Martin can really throw them and should make a solid professional hockey player.
Here is Martin taking on fellow power forward James Livingston of Sault Ste. Marie.


2. Stefan Della Rovere - Barrie Colts
Many hockey fans became familiar with Della Rovere during this years World Junior's, where his undisciplined play hurt Canada in some instances. When he's playing within the limits, Della Rovere is quite the effective pest. He skates hard and he plays hard. Rovere is one of the best body checkers in the OHL, but is also a beast on the cycle, where his strong lower body help to protect the puck in the corners. Rovere is also a solid offensive player who has the ability to make his linemmates better. As much as Rovere likes to stir things up, he can also back it up with his fists, with a total of 24 fights over the last 2 seasons.
Here is Della Rovere scuffling with number 3 on this list, Matt Martin.


1. Zack Kassian - Peterborough Petes
This potential top 15 draft pick for the 2009 NHL draft, is a throwback to the power forwards of yester years. Kassian uses his size to his advantage, being physically aggressive, as well as driving to the net with the puck on his stick. As a potential first round pick, Kassian obviously has a ton of offensive talent, but the kid loves to fight with 14 scraps this season, holding his own in the vast majority of them.
Here is Kassian fighting IceDog forward Chris DeSousa from late last season.


For next week's Sunday Top 10, I'm going to ask you, the readers, for a top 10 idea you want to see. Simply post your idea as a comment and I'll see what I can do about getting it done.

Ryan Yessie's Sarnia Sting Mid-season Report

Ryan took the time to give his mid-season report on Sarnia. He generally doesn't report on them as he focuses on the other team, so for the significant players on the Sting, here is his take on them.

Greg Sutch - YOB: 1992 - 6’2” - 190 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Sutch started out slow this year, he looked snake bitten but after about 15 games his skill started to show, and he was able to reach his top speed which is extremely impressive. He looks a lot bigger than his 6’2 - 190 lb. Frame and has a great deal of speed. He looks a lot like a poor man’s Bobby Ryan because he skates like few teenagers his size can, he has very good hands around the net, and drives to the net very well. He has great size and strength and imposes it whenever possible. He doesn’t have the natural scoring instincts Bobby Ryan had, but he does look a lot like him during his rookie season. Sutch will need to work on his defensive play alittle, as well he will need to grow into his body alittle more as the coordination seems slightly off almost like the skill and the size is there, but like some players that grow too fast he almost has to grow into his body. Sutch will also have to overcome a significant hearing impairment but is able to play at the level he does because of his incredible hockey sense. Sutch has a shot at being a 1st round pick between 10-25 next year if a team is willing to overlook his disability. (Sutch has 2G, 8A, 10PTS, +0, 36 PIM in 41 GP)

Nathan Chiarlitti - YOB: 1992 - 6’0” - 185 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Chiarlitti is not too noticeable on the ice, he showed at the U-17 tournament that he certainly has some skill to become a two-way defenceman, but for now while he’s behind the top 4 this year, there’s the potential he will become a top 4 defenceman next year regardless of who comes back, so this is a good learning process for him, as he is beginning to earn shifts with #1 defenceman Mark Katic. Chiarlitti shows poise unbecoming of a rookie, and something you’d expect to see out of a 19 year old defenceman in the OHL and not a 16 year old. He always seems very calm and makes the right decisions when moving the puck. He’s steady defensively and wasn’t expected to make the team this year. He shows solid positioning and quietly could become a very decent player going into the 2009 draft. (Chiarlitti has 1G, 0A, 1PT, +2, 6 PIM in 31 GP)

Justin DiBenedetto - YOB: 1988 - 6’0” - 195 lbs.
NHL: 6th Round - 175th Overall by NY Islanders in 2008
Report: DiBenedetto leads the OHL in goals mid-way through the season. He has great scoring instincts and generally seems to know the right time when to pass and when to shoot. He looks very good cycling the puck out there, and as far as the offensive zone he’s as good as they come. He drives to the net more frequently and plays with an edge he never had before. His skating is decent and he has a quick release on his shot. What will hurt DiBenedetto is his tendency for not taking enough responsibility in the defensive zone, I’ve seen him a few times coasting back instead of skating hard, he isn’t very effective on his own side of the red line and that will definitely need to improve if he’s going to reach his potential. (DiBenedetto has 29G, 31A, 60PTS, +5, 64 PIM in 40 GP)

Jamie Arniel - YOB: 1989 - 6’0” - 190 lbs.
NHL: 4th Round - 97th Overall by Boston in 2008
Report: The start of the 08-09 season was tough for Arniel. He was one of the first players sent back from Bruins camp, and couldn’t get his game together in Sarnia after an unfortunate drinking and driving incident raised questions about his commitment to the Sarnia Sting, the OHL and his hockey career. With everything going on around him it took him about 6 games to get it going, but once he got it going he started to put points up. Unfortunately he was still tagged as a very soft player after a few incidences where he skated away with his head down instead of defending his teammates and not being willing to hit. Arniel now looks like he’s playing the best hockey possibly of his career. He has some solid speed and can move up and down the ice fairly well. He’s not great defensively but not horrible either. He has one of the quickest releases and most accurate shots in the league, he’s a natural goal scorer. Recently he has been throwing the body around a lot more, and he’s been very willing to engage physically. Also Arniel is a very disciplined player. The only real knock on Arniel at this point is that he shoots from ridiculous angles instead of passing to the open man, same with 2 on 1’s goaltenders seem to be cheating alittle playing the shot and Arniel will shoot right into the goaltender cutting off the angle rather than attempting a pass which; if successful would result in the other player having an open net to shoot into. Remarkably Arniel is on a 7 game goal scoring streak at the moment and is only 5 goals behind DiBenedetto for the league lead in goals. (Arniel has 24G, 21A, 45PTS, +2, 22PIM in 40GP)

Matt Martin - YOB: 1989 - 6’3” - 200 lbs.
NHL: 5th Round - 148th Overall by NY Islanders in 2008
Report: Matt Martin was a walk on Jr. C hockey player who was brought in to fight. No one would have thought that within 36 months he would be an NHL draft pick, the Captain of the team, and challenging for the OHL scoring lead. Martin is only 6 goals behind DiBenedetto, and is much more than a goal scorer. He has great leadership skills and has really been the voice of the Sting in the dressing room and on the ice. He has always played with a huge edge, and has thrown some massive hits on guys bigger than him. He’s shown a willingness to fight whenever called upon but has kept it to a minimum lately since he is one of the top players for Sarnia. Martin is decent defensively, and drives to the net well. He doesn’t have that natural talent and has worked extremely hard for everything he’s accomplished. He will likely have a future in the NHL, if not as a power forward then as a role player that could chip in the odd goal. Martin’s biggest obstacle will be his skating, as it is really the only thing that could stop him entering pro hockey, and may be what keeps him in the OHL for a final year. (Martin has 23G, 19A, 42PTS, +4, 78 PIM in 40GP)

Michael Neal - YOB: 1989 - 6’3” - 205 lbs.
NHL: 5th Round - 149th Overall by Dallas in 2007
Report: Michael Neal is the younger brother of James Neal. He has the size, and the willingness to hit, and the same decent defensive presence, and ability to cycle. Unfortunately Michael Neal doesn’t have his older brother’s fighting ability, or his hands. Neal should be an intriguing prospect, as he can hit, and hit very hard, he can help create turnovers he is difficult to move when doing the cycle game. However Neal seems to either get nervous or just doesn’t have very much goal scoring instincts. He scored a very nice goal his second game in Sarnia, but since then has had a very difficult time just hitting the net, let alone putting it in the net. Also Neal could add another strong element to his game if he showed a willingness to fight more often, and was an effective fighter, however his scraps are few and far between. (Neal has 5G, 10A, 15PTS, -1, 30 PIM in 43GP)

Ben O’Quinn - YOB: 1991 - 6’1” - 185 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2009
Report: I’ve been interested with him all year, at the start of the year he walked off the team and it just seemed like a 4th liner was quitting the team. The team was able to bring him back after a few days, and he received good ice time for a few games then went back to 5 mins per game. Over time he earned a little more time over every game untill he eventually got a place on the DiBenedetto line about two weeks ago. O’Quinn displays some very impressive speed, and has some decent hands but likely will never be a big goal scorer even at the junior level let alone pro. His future lies in his effort that he puts in every shift, as well as his ability to win face offs when called upon. He is also a very good penalty killer and could end up being a 6th or 7th round pick in this year’s draft as a defensive specialist with some speed and a bit of raw talent. (O’Quinn has 6G, 10A, 16PTS, +5, 18 PIM in 42 GP)

Jesse Stoughton - YOB: 1991 - 5’9” - 160 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2009
Report: Stoughton is another guy who could go in the final two rounds and surprise some people. Stoughton is just starting to show his goal scoring ability, as he’s put in 3 goals and 5 points in his last 3 games. But ontop of that is the great defensive skill Stoughton posesses. Despite being a rookie Stoughton has mainly been one of Sarnia’s top penalty killers and has continued to get better throughout the year. Stoughton has produced fairly well this year considering the majority of games he was receiving 4th line minutes. Stoughton is fairly undersized which might affect his attempts to go pro, but he’s a strong skater and very fast so it should be very interesting to see how this player develops over the next 24 months. (Stoughton has 5G, 8A, 13PTS, +1, 18 PIM in 42 GP)

Mark Katic - YOB: 1989 - 5’11” - 185 lbs.
NHL: 3rd Round - 62nd Overall in 2007
Report: Katic has continued to improve from last year, he remains arguably the fastest skater under 20 in the world, and still distributes the puck well, his defensive play is still very strong highlighted by his ability to play defenders effectively in one on one situations. He has clearly improved his point shot, as he already has 7 goals this year, 2 more than his personal record. He is also hitting more, but has been a lot better at avoiding contact himself which has prevented him from sustaining any injuries this year. Katic has been playing great and is finally starting to somewhat live up to the expectations that he would be a key offensive contributor. Katic is 50/50 on whether or not he’ll return next year, as the Islanders would not be smart to rush him too fast giving his history with injuries and his size. (Katic has 7G, 23A, 30PTS, +4, 26 PIM in 40 GP)

Joe Rogalski - YOB: 1991 - 6’2” - 185 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Rogalski has quietly been one of the most dependable players on the Sting. Rogalski displays great acceleration and very impressive speed, Rogalski has actually rushed the puck up a few times more recently which is unusual for him as he’s been staying back his first year and a half in Sarnia, but he rushed the puck with great skating ability. He handles the puck well, makes the right first pass, and has always been very reliable defensively. If he can add 20 lbs. Within the next 2 years he could slowly become a dominant defenceman in the OHL. He needs to play more physical and that is really the only flaw in his game. He doesn’t put up big numbers, but he contributes more offensively than his numbers would suggest. Rogalski is a steady defenceman and should challenge to go late in the 1st round at next years draft. (Rogalski has 1G, 8A, 9PTS, -7, 28 PIM in 45 GP)

Dan Spence - YOB: 1988 - 6’0” - 185 lbs.
NHL: Free Agent
Report: Spence has been a saviour in net for the Sting this year, and has single handedly won a few games for the team, and has always kept them in every game. Spence has great reflexes and has an incredibly fast glove hand. He plays with an unorthodox style somewhat like Mike Murphy’s style, but like Murphy it has been working very effectively for him. Spence could easily challenge for the GAA lead if the Sting had a stronger defense core. His GAA is 4th in the league behind only Murphy, McCollum and Spitfire net minder Engelade. His save percentage is 3rd behind only Murphy and McCollum. Spence will likely see a pro contract the free agent route when his season completes in Sarnia. (Spence is 17-11-2, 2 SO, 2.53 GAA, .920 SV%)