Got a chance to see the new look Mississauga Majors play against the (at the time) Eastern Conference leading Brampton Battalion last night.
I say new look Mississauga Majors because the team has undergone quite the dramatic overhaul in the past few days. Gone are veterans (and important members of last year's Memorial Cup squad) J.P. Anderson, Joseph Cramarossa, and Derek Schoenmakers. In are a whole slew of draft picks and Kris Kontos and Brandon Maxwell. This probably isn't the last of the deals too, as I'd expect that the likes of Riley Brace and Jordan Mayer are still on the market.
Some saw these trades as a rebuild. But, really (and as the team's performance last night indicated), it's more of a retool. By trading the above guys, the Majors aren't going to suddenly be the worst team in the Eastern Conference. If anything, I'd argue that Kontos could even be an upgrade over Schoenmakers, while Maxwell and Anderson aren't separated by much at this point. And Cramarossa, thanks to injuries and suspension, has barely played for Missy this year. General Manager (and Head Coach) James Boyd definitely did a great job with these trades so far.
It was definitely a good game with a high intensity level and some great back and forth action. Perhaps most disappointing for me were some of the injuries in the game. Obviously I knew Stuart Percy would be out as he continues to nurse the injuries he suffered thanks to Andrew Crescenzi's hit from behind (sprained wrist mostly). But Brampton was missing two of the guys I was hoping to see most, defenseman Marcus McIvor and rookie forward Brandon Robinson. McIvor is apparently out with a high ankle sprain he got working out, while Robinson remains sidelined with a concussion he incurred at the Under 17's.
The Majors ended up winning the game 3-2 in a shootout, backstopped by some excellent goaltending from Brandon Maxwell in his Mississauga debut. The win moved the Majors ahead of the surging Oshawa Generals (5 game winning streak) into 8th in the East...for now. With all their injuries and trade requests (Austin Watson), it wouldn't surprise me if the Petes were the ones falling out of favor in the Eastern playoff race come March.
Some player reports...
Brampton Battalion
#6 - Dylan Blujus (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
Blujus picked up two assists in the game, although neither was particularly pretty. The first was a point shot that went well wide (not purposely) and came back to Barclay Goodrow for his first goal. The second was off a dump in from the point that Ian Watters got possession of, only to hand off to Goodrow for his second of the game. Blujus does show good smarts on the point and can make a good first pass. But he's definitely not a dynamic player. Defensively, he wasn't noticeable, good or bad. But he didn't really get a ton of ice time 5 on 5, paired with rookie Brenden Miller (while his regular partner Marcus McIvor is out). He did play on the penalty kill though and looked fairly solid there. But he's definitely an awkward skater and could use to be more assertive along the wall and in front of the net in the defensive end...especially given his size.
#10 - Philip Lane (Drafted by Phoenix)
I didn't notice him as much as the last time I saw Brampton play this year, but he definitely looks better this year. His best work was done on the penalty kill, where he was aggressive on the forecheck and did good to make it very hard for Missy to gain the zone. Brampton has the best PK in the league, and there's no doubt he's been a big part of that. He's playing on the team's 2nd line with Patrik Machac and Mitchell Porowski and didn't get a ton of help from his linemates. Even if the stats aren't saying it, it's been a good year for Lane after last year's disappointing effort.
#11 - Patrik Machac (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
Honestly, outside of a nice shootout goal, he was pretty invisible. I saw him earlier in the season and was very impressed, but it appears he's in a bit of a funk. Hasn't scored in his last 14 games. The speed, tenacity, and energy I saw at the beginning of the year just wasn't there.
#16 - Sam Carrick (Drafted by Toronto)
The best player on the ice for Brampton. He looks great...and more focused this year. In the past I've been critical of him because I felt like he was spending too much time running around the ice being a pest and fighting...and not enough time using his offensive gifts. This year when I've seen him, he's managed to find that great balance. Firstly, he looks a lot faster. In the first, he took the puck near Brampton's net, turned on the burners up to the red line, and worked a give and go with Barclay Goodrow that saw Carrick take the puck hard to the net for a scoring opportunity. He used his speed all night to drive the outside, hard to the net and created a lot of scoring chances from it. He worked the boards and the cycle effectively and was a real menace for Mississauga's defenseman. He also looked great defensively and on the penalty kill and was really all over the ice. It's great to see him taking that step forward as last year really wasn't a strong one for him. He finished the game with a secondary assist on the first Goodrow goal.
#23 - Barclay Goodrow (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012, second year eligibility)
I was surprised that Goodrow didn't get drafted in the later rounds last year. Size and a goal scorer's touch are often a good enough combination to have your named called...even if you have some skating concerns like Goodrow. This year Goodrow looks great. It's clear he worked on his skating in the offseason. He's still not a burner, but his acceleration and ability to find holes appears stronger. He's also upped the physical play (absolutely destroying a Majors player...either Kuptsov or Kopstals in the first period). The subtle improvements in his game this year could have him get his named called this time around. The first goal he scored, he took a carom off the end boards and put it home using two whacks at the side of the net. The second was more of a finesse play, taking the puck from behind the net, swinging around and rifling a wrister to the far top corner over Maxwell.
Mississauga Majors
#2 - Dylan DeMelo (Drafted by San Jose)
I thought DeMelo was better with the puck last night, than he has been in my other viewings this year. He only had one minor turnover in the first, and did a pretty good job of handling Brampton's stiff forecheck the rest of the game. He's not afraid to jump up into the rush and had a couple of nice scoring opportunities by being the trailer on the play. I did feel like he struggled defensively though. He and partner Alex Cord had a really tough time containing the Carrick, Goodrow, Watters line and were getting pushed around a lot in the corners and in front of the net. On Goodrow's 2nd goal, DeMelo was caught stuck behind the net after he made a weak effort to try and stop Goodrow's progress. He did earn a secondary assist on Jamie Wise's powerplay marker in the second.
#4 - Trevor Carrick (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
I thought he was the best defenseman on the ice for either team on the night. Saw him earlier in the year, and came away lukewarm. This time, he was dynamite at both end's of the ice. He saw a LOT of playing time too, dare I say the most of any Majors' defenseman. Defensively, he was rock solid. He had a couple of nice hits and defended the front of the net well. I was also impressed with his mobility. In the third, his brother (Sam) got a burst of speed to the outside, but Trevor stayed with him, angled him towards the boards and finished him hard...separating him from the puck. Offensively, he didn't look like a guy with only 4 points on the year. He was up on the rush quite frequently and looked comfortable controlling the point on the powerplay. I know Majors fans have been impressed with him this year (and obviously Central Scouting since they had him high in their preliminary rankings), so perhaps it's a case of stats not telling the whole story.
#13 - Sergey Kuptsov (NHL Draft Eligible in 2013)
A late birthday, Kuptsov isn't eligible until next year. At the beginning of the year, I was incredibly impressed with his play. But the last few times I've seen him, he's been virtually invisible. He was much better last night though. I just wish he got more ice time. Don't really understand why he's not on the powerplay. Regardless, he was very active on the forecheck and is quite a good skater for a big guy. In the third, he came into the Brampton zone hard, forced a turnover in the corner and went straight to the net where he deflected a Jacob Graves point shot. He's definitely a big fan of going hard to the net and I think he's got the hands to be a good goal scorer in this league. James Boyd, get this guy some more ice time! I'm interested to see where his development takes him next year.
#16 - Kristoff Kontos (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
More proof that stats don't tell the whole story. Kontos was the best player on the ice for the Majors. Not sure what happened in Sudbury, but he has to be happy with the fresh start, where he was slotted onto the first line with Riley Brace and Jordan Mayer. The trio had instant chemistry and created a ton of great scoring chances on the night. Kontos looked great working off the rush and used his speed to go wide on Brampton's defenders (showing perhaps a bit of an extra gear I didn't know he had). Had a couple of great chances beating Brampton's defenders to the net. He was also solid along the boards in gaining possession of loose pucks and keeping possession in the offensive zone. One play in particular stands out, where he forced a turnover on the forecheck, kept possession long enough to feed a streaking Brace who created an odd man scoring opportunity. A very impressive debut.
#21 - Scott Teskey (NHL Draft Eligible in 2013)
The Majors first rounder from this year's priority draft, Teskey appears to be coming into his own a little bit. He's shown better and better every time I've seen him. He was playing with Kuptsov (on what appeared to be the team's 3rd line) and the two seem to have good chemistry. Both are very quick and show well on the forecheck. Another guy I wanted to see more, but who received little ice time despite his solid play. He looks like a real bright spot for the Majors moving forward.
#25 - Riley Brace (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012, third year of eligibility)
With the year he's having offensively, I've had people ask me about his chances of being drafted this year as a re-entry (or draft overager, whatever you want to call him). Truthfully, I'm not particularly sure. Brace is a different player this year. The past few years, he's been a hard working, strong two way winger who you could have called a stereotypical grinder. This year, the offensive game has flourished, but has it come at a price? He remains a great penalty killer, but in the times I've seen him this year, I think he's taken a bit of a step backward in his play away from the puck...to increase his offensive output. Take last night for example, for every excellent play he made offensively to create a chance (usually off the rush), he had a turnover in the neutral or defensive zone. At times, I feel like he's trying to do too much offensively (probably because he has to on a team with little difference makers). But he's definitely shown he's got some good hands and offensive instincts this year. He worked very well with Kontos on the night and the two were very dangerous off the rush. It'll be interesting to see if he's still a Major, this time next week.
Showing posts with label Phil Lane. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Phil Lane. Show all posts
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Thoughts on Brampton and Sarnia from December 19
I caught this one on t.v. tonight, hoping that perhaps a battle between two of the worst teams in the league would be fierce, competitive and entertaining. Unfortunately, I was wrong. It was a pretty sloppy and choppy game that saw little in the way of serious scoring chances, perhaps what you'd expect from two teams who look like contenders for a top 5 pick in the 2010 OHL Priority Draft. Brampton squeaked by by a score of 2-1, despite being largely outplayed in the third period by the Sting. Perhaps more entertaining than the game was the pre-game ceremony where the Sarnia maintenance staff almost killed Santa Claus by not putting the carpet down well enough on the ice, causing poor Santa to slip and nearly break his hip.
Another reason I caught this one is because Ryan Yessie was at the game live tonight and will be providing us with a game report of his own in the coming week. I figured it'd be interesting to not only compare opinion between action seen on t.v. and action seen live, but also compare Ryan and I's thoughts on individual performances.
Here are my thoughts on players from both sides.
Brampton Battalion
Matt Clark (ANA)
I thought Clark had a very solid game. Made one bad play defensively where he got beaten to the outside as he was caught standing still, but generally speaking played a solid defensive game. He was typical Matt Clark in his own zone from what I've seen of him over the past two seasons. Offensively, I thought he had an excellent game too. While Brampton's powerplay is the worst in the league (although they did score twice tonight on the PP), I thought Clark did a good job of running play from the point. Scored a goal from the point on a slap shot that beat Shayne Campbell over the shoulder. Clark did a great job to get the shot through to the net (which may or may not have changed directions on the way). I think he's a solid professional prospect, and there's a reason he went as high as he did in last year's draft despite being primarily a defensive first defenseman.
Cameron Wind (2010)
I think a lot of people were surprised by his inclusion on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary list for the OHL. Truthfully, I was surprised too. But more because I didn't expect him to be on it, not because I believed he had no business being on it. I've tended to come away impressed by Wind every time I've seen him. He's not a flashy player by any means, but he's effective. I'm disappointed by his offensive production thus far, considering he seems to have good offensive instincts. This game was no different. Made a couple of nice pinches to keep the puck in the offensive zone, and did a good job of keeping the puck in at the blueline. He could stand to work on his breakout pass, but he's learning. Defensively, he's solid. Plays a good positional game, although I think he could stand to use his size a little more to add a larger physical element to his game. One play in particular stood out, as Kyle Neuber used his size to get by him in pursuit of the puck, gaining possession for Sarnia in the offensive end. While Neuber is a big boy, Wind is no dwarf himself and he needs to demonstrate a greater ability to use that size to prevent big forwards like Neuber from gaining possession of the puck.
Philip Lane (2010)
Lane has been on fire offensively of late (goals in 4 straight games coming into this one), but struggled in this game. I do really like him as a player and prospect for the 2010 NHL draft, but the more I watch him the more I wonder about his offensive potential, more specifically his ability to convert offensive opportunities. Call it lack of hand eye coordination, lack of hands, bad luck, whatever it be, but Lane does seem to have problems with keeping the puck on his stick at top speed, and with receiving passes while moving. The puck just always seems to be bouncing on him. He's still an aggressive forechecker and a budding physical player, but I'm starting to wonder whether he will develop into a premier offensive power forward or a hard working checker with some offensive ability.
Sam Carrick (2010)
Carrick really struggled to find the score sheet towards the end of October and through November, but it appears he's getting himself back on track this month. From talking to Brampton fans, they say he was struggling because he was spending too much time focusing on trying to be a pugilist instead of the team's offensive catalyst. Tonight he was quite solid though. Generated off the rush (one of the few Brampton forwards doing so), and seems to really keep his feet moving in the offensive zone, which makes him a strong player on the cycle. Scored the eventual game winning goal in the second period by beating defender Nathan Chiarlitti to the net for the tap in off Thomas Stajan's pass. He was named the game's first star.
Domenic Alberga (2010)
I thought Alberga was the best Brampton forward on the ice tonight. Was just a monster on the forecheck. He had at least 5 takeaways himself, and forced even more by putting constant pressure on the Sting puck carriers. He hit a post too, coming with a nice shot off the rush. While the stats haven't necessarily been there this year, he shows promise. If he can start showing greater offensive potential to go with the work ethic he brings to the ice, he could find himself as an NHL draft pick in June. And if not, he should still develop into a very important player for Brampton. Finished with an assist on Matt Clark's goal.
Patrick Killeen (PIT)
While Brampton's defense has been outstanding this year (in keeping shot totals down), I don't think Killeen has gotten enough credit for the way he's played this year. With no more Thomas McCollum, Killeen knew that he was going to have to step up big this year and play a large number of games. At this point, he's definitely playing for a contract from Pittsburgh. In the third period he was especially huge, making some big saves to keep Brampton ahead despite Sarnia's dominance. On one occasion, Killeen made 3 saves in succession in a mad flurry of goal mouth action, finally knocking away the puck to the corner with his blocker on the third. It'll be interesting to see what Brampton does with Killeen, considering they don't really need his services as a rebuilding team. He could be an attractive option to a team like Windsor or Guelph.
Killeen made 21 of 22 saves and got the win.
Sarnia Sting
Nathan Chiarlitti (2010)
Chiarlitti did not have his best game tonight. He had a couple of very poor defensive plays. In the first period, he got blown by, by a Brampton forward on the rush, creating a scoring chance in on Shayne Campbell. Later in the 2nd period, he was soft on Sam Carrick and got beaten to the front of the net as Carrick deposited the eventual game winner. Offensively, he didn't do a whole heck of a lot either and (like the entire Sarnia defense) had trouble moving the puck out of the defensive zone tonight. At this point, he seems to be one of those guys right on the cusp of being worthy of attention for the 2010 draft.
J.C. Campagna (2011)
I didn't really notice Campagna much. In a game I saw earlier this year I came away impressed by him, but tonight he was pretty invisible. At this point, I think we're looking at a player with a lot of skill, but who's lacking the strength to be able to contribute as a 16 year old in the OHL.
Brandon Francisco (2011)
Same thing applies to Francisco that I said about Campagna. I did notice Francisco for the bad though on a few occasions, where he handled the puck too long and ended up turning it over. I've heard other people say that they think he needs to use his teammates better and that appears to be a fair assessment. Like Campagna, he just needs to get bigger and stronger in order to be able to produce offensively.
Brandon Alderson (2010)
I thought Alderson was an interesting player tonight. Funny enough, during the intermission there was a segment asking all the players what they were asking for, for Christmas. Alderson claimed he was asking for the ability to raise the puck up off the ice. For a guy who has doubts about his finishing ability, he seems to be doing OK. With a goal tonight, he has 10 on the year which is good for 2nd on the team. On his goal, he beat his defender to the net, kept his stick on the ice and converted a cross ice feed from Kale Kerbashian (ironically the puck never left the ice). But he did fail to capitalize on a few other opportunities in close. An intriguing player though who has very good size, decent skating ability for that size, and a willingness to go hard to the net for goals. He finds himself in a group with guys like Phil Lane, and Kingston's Corey Durocher who should generate NHL draft interest due to their size and potential goal scoring ability.
Kyle Neuber (CBJ)
To his credit, Neuber played a good game tonight. He saw some powerplay time where he was used as the tree blocking the goaltender in the crease. He did a good job in the corners and along the boards. His line had one very good shift where they kept possession for a good minute and ended up with a really good scoring chance. He also had a fight tonight, completely beating up Brampton forward Alex O'Neil. I still don't see the reason to spend an NHL draft pick on him, but I give credit where credit is due and he played well tonight in a losing cause.
Joe Rogalski (2010)
Rogalski played an excellent game defensively tonight. I was very impressed by his positioning at the defensive end. No Brampton player was able to get by him, and he kept the Battalion forwards to the perimeter when he was on the ice. If he can continue to use his size defensively, he'll have an NHL future. However, I continue to be unimpressed by his ability to move the puck out of his own zone. Clean passes and smart reads tend to be few and far between. Near the end of the third period, he gave the puck up in his own zone, which lead to him taking a penalty that could have really cost the Sting a chance to get back into the game. When he carries the puck up ice and joins in on the rush, he's effective as an offensive player, but he definitely needs to work on his first pass out of the zone and his ability to work through the forecheck.
I'll be curious to hear what Ryan has to say about this one! Anyone else have thoughts?
Another reason I caught this one is because Ryan Yessie was at the game live tonight and will be providing us with a game report of his own in the coming week. I figured it'd be interesting to not only compare opinion between action seen on t.v. and action seen live, but also compare Ryan and I's thoughts on individual performances.
Here are my thoughts on players from both sides.
Brampton Battalion
Matt Clark (ANA)
I thought Clark had a very solid game. Made one bad play defensively where he got beaten to the outside as he was caught standing still, but generally speaking played a solid defensive game. He was typical Matt Clark in his own zone from what I've seen of him over the past two seasons. Offensively, I thought he had an excellent game too. While Brampton's powerplay is the worst in the league (although they did score twice tonight on the PP), I thought Clark did a good job of running play from the point. Scored a goal from the point on a slap shot that beat Shayne Campbell over the shoulder. Clark did a great job to get the shot through to the net (which may or may not have changed directions on the way). I think he's a solid professional prospect, and there's a reason he went as high as he did in last year's draft despite being primarily a defensive first defenseman.
Cameron Wind (2010)
I think a lot of people were surprised by his inclusion on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary list for the OHL. Truthfully, I was surprised too. But more because I didn't expect him to be on it, not because I believed he had no business being on it. I've tended to come away impressed by Wind every time I've seen him. He's not a flashy player by any means, but he's effective. I'm disappointed by his offensive production thus far, considering he seems to have good offensive instincts. This game was no different. Made a couple of nice pinches to keep the puck in the offensive zone, and did a good job of keeping the puck in at the blueline. He could stand to work on his breakout pass, but he's learning. Defensively, he's solid. Plays a good positional game, although I think he could stand to use his size a little more to add a larger physical element to his game. One play in particular stood out, as Kyle Neuber used his size to get by him in pursuit of the puck, gaining possession for Sarnia in the offensive end. While Neuber is a big boy, Wind is no dwarf himself and he needs to demonstrate a greater ability to use that size to prevent big forwards like Neuber from gaining possession of the puck.
Philip Lane (2010)
Lane has been on fire offensively of late (goals in 4 straight games coming into this one), but struggled in this game. I do really like him as a player and prospect for the 2010 NHL draft, but the more I watch him the more I wonder about his offensive potential, more specifically his ability to convert offensive opportunities. Call it lack of hand eye coordination, lack of hands, bad luck, whatever it be, but Lane does seem to have problems with keeping the puck on his stick at top speed, and with receiving passes while moving. The puck just always seems to be bouncing on him. He's still an aggressive forechecker and a budding physical player, but I'm starting to wonder whether he will develop into a premier offensive power forward or a hard working checker with some offensive ability.
Sam Carrick (2010)
Carrick really struggled to find the score sheet towards the end of October and through November, but it appears he's getting himself back on track this month. From talking to Brampton fans, they say he was struggling because he was spending too much time focusing on trying to be a pugilist instead of the team's offensive catalyst. Tonight he was quite solid though. Generated off the rush (one of the few Brampton forwards doing so), and seems to really keep his feet moving in the offensive zone, which makes him a strong player on the cycle. Scored the eventual game winning goal in the second period by beating defender Nathan Chiarlitti to the net for the tap in off Thomas Stajan's pass. He was named the game's first star.
Domenic Alberga (2010)
I thought Alberga was the best Brampton forward on the ice tonight. Was just a monster on the forecheck. He had at least 5 takeaways himself, and forced even more by putting constant pressure on the Sting puck carriers. He hit a post too, coming with a nice shot off the rush. While the stats haven't necessarily been there this year, he shows promise. If he can start showing greater offensive potential to go with the work ethic he brings to the ice, he could find himself as an NHL draft pick in June. And if not, he should still develop into a very important player for Brampton. Finished with an assist on Matt Clark's goal.
Patrick Killeen (PIT)
While Brampton's defense has been outstanding this year (in keeping shot totals down), I don't think Killeen has gotten enough credit for the way he's played this year. With no more Thomas McCollum, Killeen knew that he was going to have to step up big this year and play a large number of games. At this point, he's definitely playing for a contract from Pittsburgh. In the third period he was especially huge, making some big saves to keep Brampton ahead despite Sarnia's dominance. On one occasion, Killeen made 3 saves in succession in a mad flurry of goal mouth action, finally knocking away the puck to the corner with his blocker on the third. It'll be interesting to see what Brampton does with Killeen, considering they don't really need his services as a rebuilding team. He could be an attractive option to a team like Windsor or Guelph.
Killeen made 21 of 22 saves and got the win.
Sarnia Sting
Nathan Chiarlitti (2010)
Chiarlitti did not have his best game tonight. He had a couple of very poor defensive plays. In the first period, he got blown by, by a Brampton forward on the rush, creating a scoring chance in on Shayne Campbell. Later in the 2nd period, he was soft on Sam Carrick and got beaten to the front of the net as Carrick deposited the eventual game winner. Offensively, he didn't do a whole heck of a lot either and (like the entire Sarnia defense) had trouble moving the puck out of the defensive zone tonight. At this point, he seems to be one of those guys right on the cusp of being worthy of attention for the 2010 draft.
J.C. Campagna (2011)
I didn't really notice Campagna much. In a game I saw earlier this year I came away impressed by him, but tonight he was pretty invisible. At this point, I think we're looking at a player with a lot of skill, but who's lacking the strength to be able to contribute as a 16 year old in the OHL.
Brandon Francisco (2011)
Same thing applies to Francisco that I said about Campagna. I did notice Francisco for the bad though on a few occasions, where he handled the puck too long and ended up turning it over. I've heard other people say that they think he needs to use his teammates better and that appears to be a fair assessment. Like Campagna, he just needs to get bigger and stronger in order to be able to produce offensively.
Brandon Alderson (2010)
I thought Alderson was an interesting player tonight. Funny enough, during the intermission there was a segment asking all the players what they were asking for, for Christmas. Alderson claimed he was asking for the ability to raise the puck up off the ice. For a guy who has doubts about his finishing ability, he seems to be doing OK. With a goal tonight, he has 10 on the year which is good for 2nd on the team. On his goal, he beat his defender to the net, kept his stick on the ice and converted a cross ice feed from Kale Kerbashian (ironically the puck never left the ice). But he did fail to capitalize on a few other opportunities in close. An intriguing player though who has very good size, decent skating ability for that size, and a willingness to go hard to the net for goals. He finds himself in a group with guys like Phil Lane, and Kingston's Corey Durocher who should generate NHL draft interest due to their size and potential goal scoring ability.
Kyle Neuber (CBJ)
To his credit, Neuber played a good game tonight. He saw some powerplay time where he was used as the tree blocking the goaltender in the crease. He did a good job in the corners and along the boards. His line had one very good shift where they kept possession for a good minute and ended up with a really good scoring chance. He also had a fight tonight, completely beating up Brampton forward Alex O'Neil. I still don't see the reason to spend an NHL draft pick on him, but I give credit where credit is due and he played well tonight in a losing cause.
Joe Rogalski (2010)
Rogalski played an excellent game defensively tonight. I was very impressed by his positioning at the defensive end. No Brampton player was able to get by him, and he kept the Battalion forwards to the perimeter when he was on the ice. If he can continue to use his size defensively, he'll have an NHL future. However, I continue to be unimpressed by his ability to move the puck out of his own zone. Clean passes and smart reads tend to be few and far between. Near the end of the third period, he gave the puck up in his own zone, which lead to him taking a penalty that could have really cost the Sting a chance to get back into the game. When he carries the puck up ice and joins in on the rush, he's effective as an offensive player, but he definitely needs to work on his first pass out of the zone and his ability to work through the forecheck.
I'll be curious to hear what Ryan has to say about this one! Anyone else have thoughts?
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Thoughts on Brampton and Plymouth from November 1
Welcome to the month of November folks. Hope you remembered to set your clocks back an hour! Otherwise you could have missed part of a close game between the Brampton Battalion and Plymouth Whalers. The Battalion came into the game on a four game losing streak and are fighting to stay out of the Eastern Conference cellar. Meanwhile, the Whalers are one of the better teams in the Western Conference. One might have pegged this one to get ugly, but the Battalion played very solid. Their top defensive pairing of Matt Clark and Ken Peroff did an extraordinary job against Tyler Seguin and the Whalers top line today, holding Seguin pointless.
Brampton definitely is not the most skilled team in the league, look no further than their second worst goal per game rate in the league. But they work hard and they are incredibly disciplined (least penalized team in the league). Just because they don't take penalties, doesn't mean they aren't physical and in your face either. They hit you hard, they forecheck you hard and they do an excellent job of taking away space from offensive players in the defensive end. Brampton was also without defenseman Cameron Wind (flu), which really hurt their transition game and their powerplay, but they persevered through it and came out with a 3-2 victory over Plymouth. This was in thanks to two third period goals from Sam Carrick and Barclay Goodrow.
Plymouth just couldn't get anything going today. The Battalion defense smothered them. Getting talented overager Ryan Hayes back recently is a huge boost to this club offensively, as is the addition of Josh Brittain. But the Whalers are still missing R.J. Mahalak (shoulder injury) and can now A.J. Jenks to the injury list as he broke his hand in a fight last week. Once the Whalers get both of these guys back (probably by December), they should become a really tough team to beat because they'll be able to ice multiple, veteran scoring lines. Right now, their offense really seems to rely on Tyler Seguin and whatever line he ends up playing with. If he gets shutdown, they seem to really struggle. When Seguin is held to one point or less, they are 2-6 this year. The rest of the offense needs to step up if the opposing defensive unit smothers the Seguin line like it did today in Brampton. Part of the loss can be attributed to goaltending for the Whalers today too, as back up Scott Wedgewood was shaky. Gave up a weak goal, and a ton of bad rebounds. The Whalers defense actually did a good job of bailing Wedgewood out on many occasions by preventing rebounds from being scooped up by Battalion forwards.
Enough rambling, on to some individual performance thoughts...
Plymouth Whalers
Colin MacDonald (2010)
Never really noticed him in my previous viewing of the Whalers this season, but tonight he stood out. Big defender, good reach and seems to play a really smart defensive game. He did a good job of getting the puck out of the corners and up ice and he seems to have fairly good mobility for a big defender. Wasn't really a factor offensively, but did a good job with the puck in his own zone and made smart passes. I also liked his willingness to clear the front of the net, although he wasn't as physical in the open ice or in the corners as I like to see from my 6'3 defenseman. Austin Levi may be getting all the attention right now, but perhaps MacDonald is the guy we should be paying attention to. Finished the night +2 (only Plymouth defender to finish with a plus rating).
Austin Levi (2010)
When I saw him earlier this season, I came away very impressed. But today he was not good. Got caught standing around watching the play too many times and was not able to win the puck battles in the corner. He was also really soft on the puck in his own zone and became a victim of the Brampton forecheck a few times. While his mobility is fairly good for a guy his size, he needs to keep his feet moving. Got blown by at the blueline by Stephon Thorne, leading to a 2 on 1 chance for Brampton. He did see some time quarterbacking the powerplay though and looked OK doing it, although his passes need to be crisper. A lot of times I saw him trying to pass the puck with one hand firmly on his stick. Those soft push passes won't cut it in the OHL, let alone the NHL. He finished a team worst -3, however I will say that he wasn't really at fault on any of the goals. Is Levi an NHL prospect, or just your average OHL defender? I'm not going to base my judgment on two viewings this season, but I'd be curious on your opinion.
Tyler Seguin (2010)
Didn't have all that great of a game. He was trying, but he just couldn't get things to click, partly because of the great job Clark and Peroff did on him. He tried to get by Clark a few times, but each time Clark did a great job to stay with him and keep him to the perimeter. On the first Brampton goal by Thomas Stajan, Seguin was to blame. Turnover in the offensive end thanks to a bad pass by Seguin to the middle of the ice, then a breakout the other way finished by Stajan after Seguin failed to get back in time to check him. This lapse is a rarity for Seguin and is the type of play that happens to the best of offensive players as they try to make something happen in the offensive zone. On a few occasions when the Clark duo didn't get out against him, he actually made some things happen and had a few nice rushes towards the net. But he didn't get a lot of help from his linemates, Josh Brittain and Garrett Meurs. Didn't appear to be a lot of chemistry between the trio. All in all, nothing to get worked up about. Tyler Seguin is a great player, although I'm not ready to name him the top draft player yet (over Hall) like some scouting agencies appear to be doing.
Beau Schmitz (2010, but 1991 born)
Was Plymouth's most effective defender today IMO. Played a tremendous defensive game. Brampton forwards continuously tried to get by him on the rush, failing every time. He's not afraid to get physical either, rubbing out a few of those aforementioned rushers, or pushing them hard into the end boards. Even though he's not the biggest defender, his positioning helps him win battles against bigger players. I'd really like to see him take more chances offensively though, as he's a capable puck rusher, but seems to rarely do it. I was really surprised he went undrafted last year, and I'll be equally surprised if someone doesn't take him this year, or at least sign him to a contract at training camp.
Jamie Devane (TOR)
I don't want to say he was completely useless today, because he did some good work on the penalty kill. But he certainly wasn't much of a factor otherwise. For a big guy, he seems really weak on the puck. Whenever the puck hit his stick, he seemed hesitant to carry it. Made a couple bad dumps where he tried to deflect the puck to a teammate and ended up icing it. Also had a delay of game penalty for chipping it over the glass. Really seems to struggle with receiving the puck at his top speed. When he did have the puck in the offensive zone, he was very soft on it and he didn't use his size to protect it. Even some of the better enforcer/pest prospects like Zac Rinaldo have the ability to take the puck to the net at this level. He did make one nice finesse play, where he eluded a stick check of a defender at the side of the net and ended up with a scoring chance, but he couldn't get much on the shot. Also on the downside, he wasn't physical at all really. If you're not going to be a factor offensively, I'd like to see him aggressive on the forecheck and in the corners. But he wasn't. I didn't see what Brian Burke and the Leafs were seeing last year when they drafted him high, and I still don't. But then again, he is a "project" pick. Maybe he just needs more time.
Michal Jordan (CAR)
Was not strong in this game at all. His terrible give away to Sam Carrick leading to the third period tying goal was a huge mistake. He cut out from behind the net and skated right into Carrick. Clearly didn't have his head up looking for the forecheck. Carrick stole the puck and roofed it on Wedgewood. This was one of several turnovers with the puck for Jordan today. It's almost as if he doesn't look ahead to where he's putting the puck or carrying it. Defensively, he's way too soft too. While he can be an effective positional defender at this level, his inability to win battles in the corners or tie up bigger forwards in front of the net spells trouble for the next level. I'm just not sure what his role would be at the NHL/professional level. Is he good enough offensively (in terms of instinct) to be an offensive puck rusher? Is he good enough defensively to be a capable two way blueliner? I just don't know.
Josh Brittain (ANA)
Different team, same Josh Brittain. A handful of great shifts where he uses his size, takes the puck hard to the net, creates scoring chances and is a huge factor. And then the rest of his shifts he's invisible. Good to see that the change of scenery hasn't helped him be more disciplined either. I'd say he's pretty close to being nicknamed "The King of the Offensive Zone Penalty." Not exactly something you want to be known for, as nothing kills momentum for your team more. Today's was a retaliation cross check in front of the net. If someone could ever harness his ability and get him to play with more consistency and desire, he'd be a heck of a player. Otherwise, he's destined to play out his ELC (if he's lucky enough to get one) and fade off into minor league obscurity.
Brampton Battalion
Matt Clark (ANA)
As I stated, Clark was simply outstanding today. Completely shut down Tyler Seguin. Showed great mobility in staying with him and keeping him to the outside on his rushes. He has the ability and size to play the man hard and he does a good job of pushing around opposing forwards in the crease. And although he didn't today, he's always a candidate to lay a big open ice hit. He's very underrated offensively too. He'll never be a big time point producer, but he's smart with the puck and has the ability to run the powerplay effectively because of this. I think with time and confidence, he could actually become an effective puck carrier too, even though I think he's pretty OK with being more of a stay at home defender. He did have a tough time getting his shot on net from the point though...missing three times in a row wide on one powerplay. I'm hoping he gets an invite to the Team Canada WJC camp. His mobility and defensive ability would be a huge asset to the team in a third pairing role.
Philip Lane (2010)
Had a really tough game offensively. The puck would not settle down on his stick. Had a number of good opportunities, but just couldn't hold on to the puck. BUT, the promising thing for me was that as frustrating as his offensive inabilities had to be for him, he didn't let it affect his game. He continued to put pressure on the puck carrier as a forechecker; he continued to try and take the puck hard to the net (drew two penalties); and he continued to battle hard in the corners. I think that really shows a high level of maturity on his part. I continue to believe that once he adds more strength, he's going to be an absolute beast at this level.
Sam Carrick (2010)
I think Carrick has a lot of skill, more so than he's getting credit for. Originally I saw him as another Jay McClement/Ryan Oulahen Battalion two way center, but I think there is a lot more natural offensive talent there than perhaps we're seeing. If he had some other naturally talented offensive players (instead of the hard working, persevering types he's surrounded be) to work with, I think we'd be seeing a lot more from him. He seems to have a real nose for the puck and I really like his solid two way game. His strip of Michal Jordan and subsequent roof job on Wedgewood showed great offensive talent. Quickly becoming somewhat a favourite of mine for 2010.
Patrick Killeen (PIT)
Killeen has kind of changed his goaltending style a bit this season. He's playing less of the traditional butterfly and more of a stand up style in order to use his size more. But he's still vulnerable to the top half of the net because his reaction time and aggressiveness in challenging shooters is still a work in progress. First Plymouth goal was a bang-bang play, as Stefan Noesen stole the puck from behind the net and passed it to Joe Gaynor who roofed it on Killeen. The second goal was off a broken play that found Myles McCauley who put it past Killeen as he tried to react and get over to the other side of the net. He does have good mobility for a big goaltender and his rebound control is improving (even if it's a bit of a weakness in itself). I still wonder if he gets a contract from Pittsburgh though, although the Pens lack of depth in the professional pipeline could work in his favor. He made 18 of 20 saves and picked up the victory.
That's it for tonight, anyone else with thoughts or question?
Brampton definitely is not the most skilled team in the league, look no further than their second worst goal per game rate in the league. But they work hard and they are incredibly disciplined (least penalized team in the league). Just because they don't take penalties, doesn't mean they aren't physical and in your face either. They hit you hard, they forecheck you hard and they do an excellent job of taking away space from offensive players in the defensive end. Brampton was also without defenseman Cameron Wind (flu), which really hurt their transition game and their powerplay, but they persevered through it and came out with a 3-2 victory over Plymouth. This was in thanks to two third period goals from Sam Carrick and Barclay Goodrow.
Plymouth just couldn't get anything going today. The Battalion defense smothered them. Getting talented overager Ryan Hayes back recently is a huge boost to this club offensively, as is the addition of Josh Brittain. But the Whalers are still missing R.J. Mahalak (shoulder injury) and can now A.J. Jenks to the injury list as he broke his hand in a fight last week. Once the Whalers get both of these guys back (probably by December), they should become a really tough team to beat because they'll be able to ice multiple, veteran scoring lines. Right now, their offense really seems to rely on Tyler Seguin and whatever line he ends up playing with. If he gets shutdown, they seem to really struggle. When Seguin is held to one point or less, they are 2-6 this year. The rest of the offense needs to step up if the opposing defensive unit smothers the Seguin line like it did today in Brampton. Part of the loss can be attributed to goaltending for the Whalers today too, as back up Scott Wedgewood was shaky. Gave up a weak goal, and a ton of bad rebounds. The Whalers defense actually did a good job of bailing Wedgewood out on many occasions by preventing rebounds from being scooped up by Battalion forwards.
Enough rambling, on to some individual performance thoughts...
Plymouth Whalers
Colin MacDonald (2010)
Never really noticed him in my previous viewing of the Whalers this season, but tonight he stood out. Big defender, good reach and seems to play a really smart defensive game. He did a good job of getting the puck out of the corners and up ice and he seems to have fairly good mobility for a big defender. Wasn't really a factor offensively, but did a good job with the puck in his own zone and made smart passes. I also liked his willingness to clear the front of the net, although he wasn't as physical in the open ice or in the corners as I like to see from my 6'3 defenseman. Austin Levi may be getting all the attention right now, but perhaps MacDonald is the guy we should be paying attention to. Finished the night +2 (only Plymouth defender to finish with a plus rating).
Austin Levi (2010)
When I saw him earlier this season, I came away very impressed. But today he was not good. Got caught standing around watching the play too many times and was not able to win the puck battles in the corner. He was also really soft on the puck in his own zone and became a victim of the Brampton forecheck a few times. While his mobility is fairly good for a guy his size, he needs to keep his feet moving. Got blown by at the blueline by Stephon Thorne, leading to a 2 on 1 chance for Brampton. He did see some time quarterbacking the powerplay though and looked OK doing it, although his passes need to be crisper. A lot of times I saw him trying to pass the puck with one hand firmly on his stick. Those soft push passes won't cut it in the OHL, let alone the NHL. He finished a team worst -3, however I will say that he wasn't really at fault on any of the goals. Is Levi an NHL prospect, or just your average OHL defender? I'm not going to base my judgment on two viewings this season, but I'd be curious on your opinion.
Tyler Seguin (2010)
Didn't have all that great of a game. He was trying, but he just couldn't get things to click, partly because of the great job Clark and Peroff did on him. He tried to get by Clark a few times, but each time Clark did a great job to stay with him and keep him to the perimeter. On the first Brampton goal by Thomas Stajan, Seguin was to blame. Turnover in the offensive end thanks to a bad pass by Seguin to the middle of the ice, then a breakout the other way finished by Stajan after Seguin failed to get back in time to check him. This lapse is a rarity for Seguin and is the type of play that happens to the best of offensive players as they try to make something happen in the offensive zone. On a few occasions when the Clark duo didn't get out against him, he actually made some things happen and had a few nice rushes towards the net. But he didn't get a lot of help from his linemates, Josh Brittain and Garrett Meurs. Didn't appear to be a lot of chemistry between the trio. All in all, nothing to get worked up about. Tyler Seguin is a great player, although I'm not ready to name him the top draft player yet (over Hall) like some scouting agencies appear to be doing.
Beau Schmitz (2010, but 1991 born)
Was Plymouth's most effective defender today IMO. Played a tremendous defensive game. Brampton forwards continuously tried to get by him on the rush, failing every time. He's not afraid to get physical either, rubbing out a few of those aforementioned rushers, or pushing them hard into the end boards. Even though he's not the biggest defender, his positioning helps him win battles against bigger players. I'd really like to see him take more chances offensively though, as he's a capable puck rusher, but seems to rarely do it. I was really surprised he went undrafted last year, and I'll be equally surprised if someone doesn't take him this year, or at least sign him to a contract at training camp.
Jamie Devane (TOR)
I don't want to say he was completely useless today, because he did some good work on the penalty kill. But he certainly wasn't much of a factor otherwise. For a big guy, he seems really weak on the puck. Whenever the puck hit his stick, he seemed hesitant to carry it. Made a couple bad dumps where he tried to deflect the puck to a teammate and ended up icing it. Also had a delay of game penalty for chipping it over the glass. Really seems to struggle with receiving the puck at his top speed. When he did have the puck in the offensive zone, he was very soft on it and he didn't use his size to protect it. Even some of the better enforcer/pest prospects like Zac Rinaldo have the ability to take the puck to the net at this level. He did make one nice finesse play, where he eluded a stick check of a defender at the side of the net and ended up with a scoring chance, but he couldn't get much on the shot. Also on the downside, he wasn't physical at all really. If you're not going to be a factor offensively, I'd like to see him aggressive on the forecheck and in the corners. But he wasn't. I didn't see what Brian Burke and the Leafs were seeing last year when they drafted him high, and I still don't. But then again, he is a "project" pick. Maybe he just needs more time.
Michal Jordan (CAR)
Was not strong in this game at all. His terrible give away to Sam Carrick leading to the third period tying goal was a huge mistake. He cut out from behind the net and skated right into Carrick. Clearly didn't have his head up looking for the forecheck. Carrick stole the puck and roofed it on Wedgewood. This was one of several turnovers with the puck for Jordan today. It's almost as if he doesn't look ahead to where he's putting the puck or carrying it. Defensively, he's way too soft too. While he can be an effective positional defender at this level, his inability to win battles in the corners or tie up bigger forwards in front of the net spells trouble for the next level. I'm just not sure what his role would be at the NHL/professional level. Is he good enough offensively (in terms of instinct) to be an offensive puck rusher? Is he good enough defensively to be a capable two way blueliner? I just don't know.
Josh Brittain (ANA)
Different team, same Josh Brittain. A handful of great shifts where he uses his size, takes the puck hard to the net, creates scoring chances and is a huge factor. And then the rest of his shifts he's invisible. Good to see that the change of scenery hasn't helped him be more disciplined either. I'd say he's pretty close to being nicknamed "The King of the Offensive Zone Penalty." Not exactly something you want to be known for, as nothing kills momentum for your team more. Today's was a retaliation cross check in front of the net. If someone could ever harness his ability and get him to play with more consistency and desire, he'd be a heck of a player. Otherwise, he's destined to play out his ELC (if he's lucky enough to get one) and fade off into minor league obscurity.
Brampton Battalion
Matt Clark (ANA)
As I stated, Clark was simply outstanding today. Completely shut down Tyler Seguin. Showed great mobility in staying with him and keeping him to the outside on his rushes. He has the ability and size to play the man hard and he does a good job of pushing around opposing forwards in the crease. And although he didn't today, he's always a candidate to lay a big open ice hit. He's very underrated offensively too. He'll never be a big time point producer, but he's smart with the puck and has the ability to run the powerplay effectively because of this. I think with time and confidence, he could actually become an effective puck carrier too, even though I think he's pretty OK with being more of a stay at home defender. He did have a tough time getting his shot on net from the point though...missing three times in a row wide on one powerplay. I'm hoping he gets an invite to the Team Canada WJC camp. His mobility and defensive ability would be a huge asset to the team in a third pairing role.
Philip Lane (2010)
Had a really tough game offensively. The puck would not settle down on his stick. Had a number of good opportunities, but just couldn't hold on to the puck. BUT, the promising thing for me was that as frustrating as his offensive inabilities had to be for him, he didn't let it affect his game. He continued to put pressure on the puck carrier as a forechecker; he continued to try and take the puck hard to the net (drew two penalties); and he continued to battle hard in the corners. I think that really shows a high level of maturity on his part. I continue to believe that once he adds more strength, he's going to be an absolute beast at this level.
Sam Carrick (2010)
I think Carrick has a lot of skill, more so than he's getting credit for. Originally I saw him as another Jay McClement/Ryan Oulahen Battalion two way center, but I think there is a lot more natural offensive talent there than perhaps we're seeing. If he had some other naturally talented offensive players (instead of the hard working, persevering types he's surrounded be) to work with, I think we'd be seeing a lot more from him. He seems to have a real nose for the puck and I really like his solid two way game. His strip of Michal Jordan and subsequent roof job on Wedgewood showed great offensive talent. Quickly becoming somewhat a favourite of mine for 2010.
Patrick Killeen (PIT)
Killeen has kind of changed his goaltending style a bit this season. He's playing less of the traditional butterfly and more of a stand up style in order to use his size more. But he's still vulnerable to the top half of the net because his reaction time and aggressiveness in challenging shooters is still a work in progress. First Plymouth goal was a bang-bang play, as Stefan Noesen stole the puck from behind the net and passed it to Joe Gaynor who roofed it on Killeen. The second goal was off a broken play that found Myles McCauley who put it past Killeen as he tried to react and get over to the other side of the net. He does have good mobility for a big goaltender and his rebound control is improving (even if it's a bit of a weakness in itself). I still wonder if he gets a contract from Pittsburgh though, although the Pens lack of depth in the professional pipeline could work in his favor. He made 18 of 20 saves and picked up the victory.
That's it for tonight, anyone else with thoughts or question?
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?
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Sunday Top 10 - "Sleepers" for the 2010 NHL Draft
Completely inspired by The Scouting Report's "OHL Sleepers to Watch" (found here), I've decided to mold the theme of today's Top 10 in a similar fashion. I'm going to take a look at 10 players you may not have heard of right now, but by season's end you likely will have. These are NHL Draft prospects in their first year of eligibility (you've got to draw the line somewhere!). Thus a lot of them are OHL rookies, or guys who saw limited time last year. These are also guys who come June, could be hearing their name called at the 2010 NHL Draft, even though they are on few scouting lists right now.I didn't rank them because at this point I think that defeats the purpose. It's too early in the season to determine what order these players should be ranked in. However, it's not too early to identify them as players to keep an eye on, and that is my purpose with today's Top 10.
Here they are...
Domenic Alberga - Brampton Battalion
Alberga led the OPJHL's Villanova Knights in scoring last year and is currently centering the Brampton Battalion's all rookie "92" line (with Phil Lane and Ian Watters). Scored his first OHL goal the other night and I think it's only a matter of time before that line starts to get comfortable. Alberga is strong on the forecheck and he appears to love to drive the puck to the net. He's also a budding physical player who might just have power forward potential. His skating looked only average, but he has lots of time to improve it.
Brandon Alderson - Sarnia Sting
Alderson played mostly midget AAA last year with the Oakville Rangers and is entering his first season in Sarnia. He has good size and appears to have a good nose for the net. He's been seeing some action on a line with Kale Kerbashian, who might be Sarnia's best offensive player, and he ended up scoring the game winner in Erie the other night. Sarnia's going to need some players to help fill the net this year and Alderson looks like a candidate to do so early in the season.
Chris Buonomo - Peterborough Petes
Buonomo split last season between the Petes and Peterborough in the OPJHL. He's not the biggest defenseman in the world at 5'11, but he's definitely aggressive. He gets right in there in the defensive end and is a really hard nosed player. He's been getting a fair amount of ice time thus far, even seeing some time paired with Jamie Doornbosch. Offensively, he appears to be no slouch either, scoring in Peterborough's first game of the season. If he can continue to show a physical two way dimension, he could be an attractive option on draft day.
Michael Houser - London Knights
Don't look n
ow, but the Knights have found their goaltender of the future. Houser played for the atrocious Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL last season, where he performed admirably under the conditions (considering the other goalies on the team had SV% nearly .50 lower than his). The Knights found him and signed him this offseason, likely before he could make a decision on an NCAA scholarship. He was outstanding for London throughout training camp, and he has carried that over into the season. He got his first start of the season against Windsor last week (talk about throwing him into the fire) and he made 42 saves for the victory. London was horribly out shot in the game and he kept them in the game. He's not likely to get a lot starts this season behind the solid Michael Hutchinson, but it should be enough to catch scouts attention (ala Steve Mason behind Adam Dennis in 2006). He's also barely eligible for this year's draft, born September 13. That has to make him one of the youngest, if not the youngest, player available for the draft.Philip Lane - Brampton Battalion
While yet to hit the scoresheet, Lane is bound to do so eventually. A budding power fo
rward, Lane played last season for Buffalo of the OPJHL where he excelled. He's a high profile American player who has previously attended U.S. development camps. He signed with the Battalion this offseason and is likely to eventually make a big impact in the league. He's got great size, great wheels and a good attitude. In the game I saw, he was all over the ice, throwing hits, forechecking, causing turnovers. In a similar situation to a guy like Austin Watson, he'll take his time getting used to the league.Dalton McGrath - Barrie Colts
One of the stars of the OHL preseason, Mcgrath has yet to start a game in the regular season for Barrie. But the late 1991 born goaltender is definitely one to keep an eye on. He was a rookie of the year in the OPJHL last season while playing for the Couchiching Terriers and didn't lose a single game during the regular season. Taking nothing away from Peter Di Salvo, I could see Mcgrath slowly taking starts away from him as the season progresses, similar to the way Di Salvo did to Michael Hutchinson last year. I'll be curious to see how McGrath fairs in his first start.
Matt Petgrave - Niagara IceDogs
A free agent acquisition by the IceDogs this offseason, Petgrave seems to have the potential to develop into a quality two way defender. He played last season for the Toronto Titans midget AAA team (and sparingly for Bramalea of the OPJHL). Throughout the two games he's played for the Dogs this season, he's been active at both ends of the ice. A solid skater who's capable of carrying the puck up the ice, but also a potentially strong defender. He also seems to have a penchant for throwing the big hit, although he needs to be careful in not taking himself out of the play defensively. Once he gains more confidence, we could see big gains from him on an arguably wide open Niagara blueline.
Charles Sarault - Kingston Frontenacs
Even though Sarault played for the Frontenacs all of last year, he's a player who saw limited ice time and produced very little in the way of offensive stats. This year, he's playing a larger role and is starting to see playing time with some of Kingston's better offensive players. He had a three assist night last night against Peterborough and appears to be poised to breakout. Sarault, only moderately sized at 5'10, is a real spark plug. He brings a lot of speed into the offensive zone and keeps his legs moving in attacking the puck carrier. He's got some offensive creativity too, although needs to be careful in getting too fancy.
Geoffrey Schemitsch - Owen Sound Attack
Another
player signed as a free agent this offseason, Schemitsch is a two way defender who played midget AAA in Mississauga last year. He's got adequate size at 6'1, 180lbs and he has been playing in all situations for Owen Sound thus far. He brings the puck up the ice confidently, he runs the powerplay well and he even does a good job positionally on defense. He had a goal and an assist against Windsor last night and now has 4 points in 5 games to start the season. Seems like a really good find for Owen Sound and potential NHL draft pick.Dalton Smith - Ottawa 67's
Saw little time with Ottawa last year, instead playing closer to home for Whitby of the OPJHL. But he did excel towards the end of the season and into the playoffs for the 67's. A big forward, Smith actually uses his size to his advantage, parking himself near the crease. He's got good hands in close, as evidenced by his 4 goals already this season. A real power forward prospect. Definitely one to watch this season.
Cameron Wind - Brampton Battalion
Wind played sparingly for the Battalion last season, but this year is taking on a much larger role, playing in all situations for the Battalion. He's a strong two way defender who has excellent size at 6'1, 200lbs. He's composed with the puck, does a good job of getting shot through to the net and he's a willing combatant in the defensive zone. He skates well for a big man too. While he hasn't put anything up on the score sheet yet, I'd say it's only a matter of time.
Whoops, was that 11? My bad!
All jokes aside, I do seem to have trouble sometimes keeping these lists at 10.
Anyone have any additional comments about these players, or for that matter, any players you've felt I missed?
Monday, September 21, 2009
Thoughts on Mississauga and Brampton from September 18
I TiVo'd this one on the weekend and was recently able to watch it. Nothing like a good ol' fashioned battle of Peel (the district that both teams lie in). It was a chippy game that saw a lot of back and forth action. There weren't an abundance of scoring chances for either side, but it was still an exiting game due to the high tempo of play. The Majors ended up taking it by a score of 3-2. Brampton looked a lot better than I figured they would against the Majors. As the season goes on and their young players get better and more comfortable, they could end up making more of a playoff push than people imagine.
Thoughts on both sides...
Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Tim Billingsley (PHX)
He's going to have to play a lot better than that if he wants to earn a contract from Phoenix. All last year, Billingsley struggled, failing to show the level of potential he did in his first two seasons. I'm sure the Majors expected him to right his ship, but if this game is any indication, he's going to have another long year. Not the biggest defender, Billingsley was once a physical defender. Now, he seems passive and unwilling to engage physically. I saw him win maybe one or two battles along the boards the entire night. He's also careless with the puck, giving it away on several occasions due to poor reads. He's a good skater and he shows glimpses of a greater capability, but he really needs to get his act together. The pairing of he and David Corrente (who was even worse than Billingsley) was a disaster for the Majors tonight. Me thinks that Dave Cameron won't be keeping that one together much longer.
Brett Flemming (WSH)
Flemming was probably the Majors best defenseman tonight. He's an elite skater who uses that ability to play a solid two way game. He can rush the puck up ice and does a good job of establishing his teams offensive tempo. He also uses his closing speed to break up plays defensively, and does a good job on man to man coverage. On the downside tonight, he did have a couple of bad turnovers due to poor decisions on when to rush the puck. If he's able to pick his spots better, he'll obviously limit those mistakes. The first pairing of he and Cameron Gaunce are going to see a lot of ice time for the Majors this year.
Casey Cizikas (NYI)
Cizikas is looking to turn over a new leaf this year after a forgetful 2008-09 season. He and Jordan Mayer were the two best Majors forwards tonight. Cizikas is especially effective on the penalty kill where he uses his great speed to forecheck the opposition. Kept the puck in the Battalion end for around 20 seconds on one PK occasion. He also forced a turnover that lead to a 2 on 1 (and a poor finish by Dustin Ekelman on a great pass from Cizikas). Five on five he was a factor as well. His 2nd period goal ended up being the game winner, after he took a pass from Blake Parlett in the slot, made a defender miss and roofed it top shelf on Patrick Killeen. His ability to make plays at top speed is definitely impressive. I think he really establishes himself as solid OHL player and NHL prospect this season. Cizikas finished the game with a goal.
Jordan Mayer (2010, 1991 born)
Jordan Mayer would have definitely been the most impressive player on the ice, had he not faded a bit into the third period. But he brought a ton of energy tonight through the first two periods, crashing, banging, dangling, and scoring. He's an excellent skater with explosive acceleration and flew by Brampton defenders on a few occasions. He was active on the forecheck, won battles in the corners and laid a few really nice hits. On top of this, he created several solid scoring chances off his speed and ability to stickhandle through the defense, finishing one of these off by going five hole on Patrick Killeen for the Majors second goal of the game. While undersized, if Mayer can develop into a sandpaper type offensive spark plug, he could eventually get NHL consideration down the line. Mayer finished with a goal.
William Wallen (2010, 1991 born)
Wallen didn't have a very good game. The only times he was really visible was when he coughed the puck up in the offensive zone. He tried to do too much with it himself on a few occasions and this led to odd man rushes for the Battalion. The Majors are going to need him to step up offensively this year, especially if they continue to play him on the top line with Casey Cizikas.
Devante Smith-Pelly (2010)
Smith-Pelly is a solid crash and bang forward. He was very active on the forecheck and is exceptional along the boards. While he's not overly big, he is strong and rarely fails to win a loose puck battle in the corner. Because of this, he's a very valuable player on the cycle. He's also a fairly good skater who seems to like creating offensive off the rush, putting the puck on net with a hard slapper down the wing on several occasions. I think it's a bit up in the air as to how high his offensive ceiling is, but he's a player who should get drafted come June.
Cameron Gaunce (COL)
Gaunce did not have his best game tonight. He seemed to have a lot of trouble out there, especially with the puck, which is highly uncommon for him. The puck was bouncing on him a lot and he gave it a way on a couple of occasions. Just not sure his head was in this one. On the positive, he does appear to be playing more physical, which is a plus. However, some of that could have been frustration due to his lackluster play tonight. Take this performance as worth a grain of salt.
J.P. Anderson (2010)
He was solid between the pipes for the Majors tonight. Big things are expected of Anderson this year after his incredible playoff performance last year. He's an undersized goaltender, but he plays a lot bigger than he is. He always get square to the shooter and he's aggressive on challenging and cutting down the angles. He controls his rebounds well too. One thing I really like about Anderson is the somewhat hybrid style that he plays. As a small goaltender, going fully towards the butterfly can be dangerous as you expose the top half of the net and make it harder for you to control the rebounds off high shots. Anderson will sometimes stand up for high shots, rather than drop to the butterfly, making it easier for him to trap the rebound, and to take away more of the net. He's got a real handle on his position, and lack of size be darned, I'd say he deserves first round consideration in June. Anderson stopped 27 of 29 for the win, and he had little chance on either of the two goals against.
Brampton Battalion
Cameron Wind (2010)
Really liked what I saw of Wind tonight. He saw little ice and game time as a rookie last season, but he's got a much larger role this season. He has good size at 6'1, 200lbs, but he moves well for a big defenseman. He seemed calm and composed with the puck, usually opting to make the safe play. I say usually because he turned the puck over twice when he tried to force plays up ice. When he made the simple play, or when he carried it up himself, he was a lot more effective. He was also impressive in getting his hard, low point show through to the net. Looks like Stan Butler has some confidence in him too, as with the Battalion trailing in the last minute, Wind was on the point following a time out. Defensively he was solid too. Hard to get around one on one, won the battles in the corners, was physical. Seems to be a player who could have NHL draft potential. Wind finished the night +2.
Philip Lane (2010)
Held off the scoresheet, but not because of poor play. Lane was a factor all night. He seems like a really complete offensive player. Solid skater (although not tremendous), who was active on the forecheck and forced several turnovers (one off Brett Flemming). He was physical and laid a huge hit on Majors rookie Joseph Cramarossa. He drives hard to the net with the puck on his stick. Lane just couldn't finish off any of his offensive opportunities. If he keeps playing like this, the offense will come for the somewhat under the radar Rochester native.
Sam Carrick (2010)
Carrick had a solid game. He's not a flashy player but he's a hard working centerman who contributes at both ends of the ice. Offensively, Carrick was excellent on the cycle and the forecheck and showed some good bursts of speed as he closed in on the puck carrier. Defensively he was solid and was often the first forward back for Brampton. He played very well on the penalty kill and also had a good game in the face off circle. Seems like a really solid two-way center, who despite not having great size, could be an effective NHL'er down the line. Carrick finished with an assist.
Dominic Alberga (2010)
Another of the Battalion rookies, Alberga played a solid game. He was aggressive and showed a desire to drive to the net. He was physical and active in the corners for loose pucks. He also showed some solid glimpses of offensive ability, especially while on a line with Philip Lane. We'll see how he progresses as the season goes along.
Barclay Goodrow (2011)
The Battalion 2009 first rounder and there preseason leading scorer, Goodrow was impressive. He's a really big kid who's stronger than your average 16 year old rookie. He was constantly in the crease trying to disrupt J.P. Anderson and he showed some grit in getting into a few after the whistle altercations. His skating looks like it could use some work, in particular his acceleration. But it's always tough to determine skating ability on t.v. He looks like he'll be a factor for the Battalion this year offensively and could end up having a really solid rookie campaign.
Patrick Killeen (PIT)
Much like Tim Billingsley, Killeen needs to have a good year in order to earn a contract from the Penguins. With Thomas McCollum gone, the starting position is Killeen's to lose. He played a really solid game against the Majors. Already a big goalie, Killeen makes himself even bigger by challenging shooters and cutting off angles. He has pretty good mobility for a goaltender of his size too. He did a great job of keeping the Battalion in the game in the third period by closing the door. He still needs to work on his rebound control though as he can tend to give up some juicy ones, in particular on low shots. He made 25 of 28 shots and took the loss.
That's it for that game and wraps up my thoughts on the first weekend of the season. Comments? Questions?
Thoughts on both sides...
Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Tim Billingsley (PHX)
He's going to have to play a lot better than that if he wants to earn a contract from Phoenix. All last year, Billingsley struggled, failing to show the level of potential he did in his first two seasons. I'm sure the Majors expected him to right his ship, but if this game is any indication, he's going to have another long year. Not the biggest defender, Billingsley was once a physical defender. Now, he seems passive and unwilling to engage physically. I saw him win maybe one or two battles along the boards the entire night. He's also careless with the puck, giving it away on several occasions due to poor reads. He's a good skater and he shows glimpses of a greater capability, but he really needs to get his act together. The pairing of he and David Corrente (who was even worse than Billingsley) was a disaster for the Majors tonight. Me thinks that Dave Cameron won't be keeping that one together much longer.
Brett Flemming (WSH)
Flemming was probably the Majors best defenseman tonight. He's an elite skater who uses that ability to play a solid two way game. He can rush the puck up ice and does a good job of establishing his teams offensive tempo. He also uses his closing speed to break up plays defensively, and does a good job on man to man coverage. On the downside tonight, he did have a couple of bad turnovers due to poor decisions on when to rush the puck. If he's able to pick his spots better, he'll obviously limit those mistakes. The first pairing of he and Cameron Gaunce are going to see a lot of ice time for the Majors this year.
Casey Cizikas (NYI)
Cizikas is looking to turn over a new leaf this year after a forgetful 2008-09 season. He and Jordan Mayer were the two best Majors forwards tonight. Cizikas is especially effective on the penalty kill where he uses his great speed to forecheck the opposition. Kept the puck in the Battalion end for around 20 seconds on one PK occasion. He also forced a turnover that lead to a 2 on 1 (and a poor finish by Dustin Ekelman on a great pass from Cizikas). Five on five he was a factor as well. His 2nd period goal ended up being the game winner, after he took a pass from Blake Parlett in the slot, made a defender miss and roofed it top shelf on Patrick Killeen. His ability to make plays at top speed is definitely impressive. I think he really establishes himself as solid OHL player and NHL prospect this season. Cizikas finished the game with a goal.
Jordan Mayer (2010, 1991 born)
Jordan Mayer would have definitely been the most impressive player on the ice, had he not faded a bit into the third period. But he brought a ton of energy tonight through the first two periods, crashing, banging, dangling, and scoring. He's an excellent skater with explosive acceleration and flew by Brampton defenders on a few occasions. He was active on the forecheck, won battles in the corners and laid a few really nice hits. On top of this, he created several solid scoring chances off his speed and ability to stickhandle through the defense, finishing one of these off by going five hole on Patrick Killeen for the Majors second goal of the game. While undersized, if Mayer can develop into a sandpaper type offensive spark plug, he could eventually get NHL consideration down the line. Mayer finished with a goal.
William Wallen (2010, 1991 born)
Wallen didn't have a very good game. The only times he was really visible was when he coughed the puck up in the offensive zone. He tried to do too much with it himself on a few occasions and this led to odd man rushes for the Battalion. The Majors are going to need him to step up offensively this year, especially if they continue to play him on the top line with Casey Cizikas.
Devante Smith-Pelly (2010)
Smith-Pelly is a solid crash and bang forward. He was very active on the forecheck and is exceptional along the boards. While he's not overly big, he is strong and rarely fails to win a loose puck battle in the corner. Because of this, he's a very valuable player on the cycle. He's also a fairly good skater who seems to like creating offensive off the rush, putting the puck on net with a hard slapper down the wing on several occasions. I think it's a bit up in the air as to how high his offensive ceiling is, but he's a player who should get drafted come June.
Cameron Gaunce (COL)
Gaunce did not have his best game tonight. He seemed to have a lot of trouble out there, especially with the puck, which is highly uncommon for him. The puck was bouncing on him a lot and he gave it a way on a couple of occasions. Just not sure his head was in this one. On the positive, he does appear to be playing more physical, which is a plus. However, some of that could have been frustration due to his lackluster play tonight. Take this performance as worth a grain of salt.
J.P. Anderson (2010)
He was solid between the pipes for the Majors tonight. Big things are expected of Anderson this year after his incredible playoff performance last year. He's an undersized goaltender, but he plays a lot bigger than he is. He always get square to the shooter and he's aggressive on challenging and cutting down the angles. He controls his rebounds well too. One thing I really like about Anderson is the somewhat hybrid style that he plays. As a small goaltender, going fully towards the butterfly can be dangerous as you expose the top half of the net and make it harder for you to control the rebounds off high shots. Anderson will sometimes stand up for high shots, rather than drop to the butterfly, making it easier for him to trap the rebound, and to take away more of the net. He's got a real handle on his position, and lack of size be darned, I'd say he deserves first round consideration in June. Anderson stopped 27 of 29 for the win, and he had little chance on either of the two goals against.
Brampton Battalion
Cameron Wind (2010)
Really liked what I saw of Wind tonight. He saw little ice and game time as a rookie last season, but he's got a much larger role this season. He has good size at 6'1, 200lbs, but he moves well for a big defenseman. He seemed calm and composed with the puck, usually opting to make the safe play. I say usually because he turned the puck over twice when he tried to force plays up ice. When he made the simple play, or when he carried it up himself, he was a lot more effective. He was also impressive in getting his hard, low point show through to the net. Looks like Stan Butler has some confidence in him too, as with the Battalion trailing in the last minute, Wind was on the point following a time out. Defensively he was solid too. Hard to get around one on one, won the battles in the corners, was physical. Seems to be a player who could have NHL draft potential. Wind finished the night +2.
Philip Lane (2010)
Held off the scoresheet, but not because of poor play. Lane was a factor all night. He seems like a really complete offensive player. Solid skater (although not tremendous), who was active on the forecheck and forced several turnovers (one off Brett Flemming). He was physical and laid a huge hit on Majors rookie Joseph Cramarossa. He drives hard to the net with the puck on his stick. Lane just couldn't finish off any of his offensive opportunities. If he keeps playing like this, the offense will come for the somewhat under the radar Rochester native.
Sam Carrick (2010)
Carrick had a solid game. He's not a flashy player but he's a hard working centerman who contributes at both ends of the ice. Offensively, Carrick was excellent on the cycle and the forecheck and showed some good bursts of speed as he closed in on the puck carrier. Defensively he was solid and was often the first forward back for Brampton. He played very well on the penalty kill and also had a good game in the face off circle. Seems like a really solid two-way center, who despite not having great size, could be an effective NHL'er down the line. Carrick finished with an assist.
Dominic Alberga (2010)
Another of the Battalion rookies, Alberga played a solid game. He was aggressive and showed a desire to drive to the net. He was physical and active in the corners for loose pucks. He also showed some solid glimpses of offensive ability, especially while on a line with Philip Lane. We'll see how he progresses as the season goes along.
Barclay Goodrow (2011)
The Battalion 2009 first rounder and there preseason leading scorer, Goodrow was impressive. He's a really big kid who's stronger than your average 16 year old rookie. He was constantly in the crease trying to disrupt J.P. Anderson and he showed some grit in getting into a few after the whistle altercations. His skating looks like it could use some work, in particular his acceleration. But it's always tough to determine skating ability on t.v. He looks like he'll be a factor for the Battalion this year offensively and could end up having a really solid rookie campaign.
Patrick Killeen (PIT)
Much like Tim Billingsley, Killeen needs to have a good year in order to earn a contract from the Penguins. With Thomas McCollum gone, the starting position is Killeen's to lose. He played a really solid game against the Majors. Already a big goalie, Killeen makes himself even bigger by challenging shooters and cutting off angles. He has pretty good mobility for a goaltender of his size too. He did a great job of keeping the Battalion in the game in the third period by closing the door. He still needs to work on his rebound control though as he can tend to give up some juicy ones, in particular on low shots. He made 25 of 28 shots and took the loss.
That's it for that game and wraps up my thoughts on the first weekend of the season. Comments? Questions?
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Sunday Top 10 - Unheralded Rookies Who Could Make an Impact in 2009-10
I had no idea what to call the list this week. After mentioning Dalton Smith last week, it got me thinking about other players in a similar situation who could make an impact. Those players being, 1992 and 1991 born players who didn't play or played very sparingly in the OHL last year. So I did a lot of researching to drum up 10 guys who could fit that description.
Of course, any list like that could include guys like Cam Fowler, Jeremy Morin or Brandon Maxwell. But I decided against including them. Instead I went with more unheralded guys. Every year, lesser knowns like Calvin de Haan (3rd rounder in 2007) and Matt Clark (11th rounder in 2006) make OHL teams with little hype, only to emerge as impact players.
However, since I had to do a lot of research for this week's list, it will not appear as the usual top 10 list. The players will not be ranked according to their potential impact, because I simply have not seen most of these guys play. Instead, it will be a list of 10 guys who could make such impacts. No order, just 10 guys whom you may not know right now, but could know by this time next year.
Here are 10 potential 1992 and 1991 born rookies to look out for next season:
David Searle - Guelph Storm
Searle is a gigantic defenceman who played for the GOHL's Guelph Dominators (Junior B) last season. Listed at 6'5, 225lbs, Searle was the 32nd overall pick by Guelph in the 2008 Priority draft. While probably not a threat to be a big contributor offensively, judging by his 9 points in 50 games last year, Searle could supply Guelph's defense with a towering and imposing stay at home presence. Considering the uncertainty around Guelph's goaltending situation next season, the addition of a more mature Searle could help keep pucks out.
Shayne Rover - Niagara IceDogs
Rover is another big defenceman and a fellow 2nd round pick in 2008. Rover did see some limited time with Niagara last year when they were experiencing injury trouble on the backend. At 6'3, 200lbs, Rover played well in a limited role, showcasing a solid skating ability and defensive presence. He played the majority of the season with the York Simcoe Express Midget AAA team, where he was a AAA all star. If Rover can play well early in the season, he could easily slip into the IceDogs top 4 defenceman and have a Matt Clark type impact for Niagara.
Aaron Pearce - Peterborough Petes
Pearce, a talented offensive forward, was the last pick of the 2nd round in 2008. The 5'11 forward was an OPJHL junior all star last season, where he posted 47 points in 49 games for Georgetown. The problem is that Pearce isn't yet committed to coming to the OHL. Still undecided on his future, Pearce has been talking to NCAA schools as well. The fact that Pearce has yet to sign a letter of intent anywhere, and that he's still in active talks with Peterborough, bodes well for their chances to convince him to play. If he does play, Pearce could be an immediate impact forward in their top 6.
Steven Beyers - Sudbury Wolves
Beyers, the first pick of the third round in 2008, is an undersized center who played with Orangeville of the OPJHL. Beyers was also an OPJHL junior all star, after posting 31 points in 34 games in 2008-09. Although slightly undersized at 5'10, Beyers could make an impact in Sudbury by giving them more scoring depth and rounding out their top 3 forward lines.
Chris Brown - Owen Sound Attack
Brown was the team's 3rd round pick in 2008 out of the York Simcoe Express. Brown is a 6'1 winger with speed, offensive ability and grit. While he only played Junior C this past year with Alliston, Brown did finish in the top 10 of league scoring with 52 points in 37 games. With Owen Sound hoping to make a climb in the West, Brown could be a welcome addition to the teams forward lines, where he could be an offensive catalyst for the second or third line.
Matt Solomon - Erie Otters
This talented offensive defenceman was a 12th round pick of Erie in 2008. He was a OPJHL junior all star this year while playing for Upper Canada. The 6'0 Solomon nearly led his team in scoring as a defenceman with 8 goals and 23 points in 40 games. He is a slick skating, puck mover who could fit very well into an Erie line up which badly needs more offense from its backend.
Phil Lane - Brampton Battalion
Lane is a real wildcard. He could have been a first rounder in 2008 had it not been for the scares that he'd go NCAA. The New York native ended up going in the 4th round to Brampton. However, he spurned the NTDP to play in Buffalo of the OPJHL last year, where his 42 points in 45 games led him to become an OPJHL junior all star. Lane is a 6'2 forward with speed, skill and grit. The total package. At the recent US Select 17 Camp, he outperformed Windsor's Austin Watson, whom is obviously a very talented player. The question remains as to whether he's going to play in Brampton or play with Omaha in the USHL to keep his NCAA options open. If he does decide to play in Brampton, he could be an immediate impact player.
Dalton McGrath - Barrie Colts
McGrath is a goaltender who was Barrie's 6th round pick in 2008. He was an OPJHL junior all star this year while playing for the dominate Couchiching Terriers. In fact, Mcgrath lost only one game all year (in the playoffs) and was a perfect 16-0 in the regular season. His numbers are quite sparkling, with a 1.65 GAA and .937 SV%. His performance earned him a share of the Rookie of the Year in his Division. With Barrie trading Michael Hutchinson to London, Barrie has opened up a spot for Mcgrath to likely back up Peter Di Salvo. However I wouldn't be surprised to see them split games, similar to how Hutchinson and Di Salvo did last year.
Branden Morris - Kitchener Rangers
Morris, a 6'3 defenceman, was a 4th round pick of Kitchener in 2008. He was a OPJHL junior all star this year playing for Cobourg. Morris is a tall and lanky two way defender who put up 13 points in 50 games. He's also not afraid to use his size and is an aggressive defender. He could be a welcomed addition to the improving Kitchener Rangers blueline, if he can fight through the log jam.
Domenic Alberga - Brampton Battalion
Alberga was actually a 5th round pick of Brampton in 2009, as a draft overager (1992 born). This 6'1 forward led Villanova of the OPJHL in scoring with 40 points in 49 games. He also posted 104 penalty minutes which leads you to believe he's got some feistyness in him. After a very strong season, Alberga actually shared his Division Rookie of the Year award with the aforementioned Dalton McGrath. The door is open for Alberga to have big impact in the OHL this year, with Brampton likely losing Cody Hodgson, Evgeni Grachev, and Matt Duchene to the NHL (or AHL in Grachev's case).
Two Honorable Mentions Worth Noting:
Nick Quinn - Sudbury Wolves
The first pick of the 2nd round in 2008, Quinn has thus far rejected Sudbury's wishes for him to play for them. Quinn, a 6'0 defenceman, is apparently looking for an NCAA scholarship, with Boston College being the most talked about destination. So while his OHL prospects are looking suspect at best (since he has yet to show for a Sudbury camp), I think he's still worth noting because of the impact he could have. As an OPJHL junior all star for Dixie, Quinn put up 25 points in 45 games. He is an excellent two way blueliner who could immediately make Sudbury's defence better should he change his mind.
Brock Higgs - Kingston Frontenacs
Higgs could possibly make the biggest impact of any player on this list. The 5'11 forward, and Kingston native, was a 5th round pick of the Frontenacs in 2008. A dynamic offensive player, Higgs finished second in scoring for OPJHL Champions Kingston, with 28 goals and 58 points in 49 games. Higgs was especially incredible for Kingston on their quest for the RBC Cup, where he had 22 goals in 25 playoff games. This led all OPJHL players in playoff scoring. Higgs would be an immediate impact player in the OHL and would be a big boost to an improving Kingston team. However, for whatever reason, the Kingston native does not appear to want to play for his hometown OHL team. He's verbally committed to Canisius for 2010, which could obviously change the same way Ethan Werek's commitment to Boston University did.
Got any other under the radar guys who could make an impact on your team this year? Leave a comment!
Stay tuned for next week's Top 10 which will take a look at the apparent top performances for OHL players at NHL Development Camps.
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