Ryan Yessie's Thoughts on Plymouth and Sarnia from February 21

Ryan returns with thoughts on the late February blowout between Plymouth and Sarnia.

"This game for the most part was over after the 1st period. Tyler Seguin leads the Whalers to an 11-3 win over Sarnia.







Colin MacDonald - #3 - D - YOB: 1992 - 6’3” - 184lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Feb/21/10: MacDonald seems to always have a rough time in Sarnia, going head first into the boards last time he played in Sarnia. MacDonald got a little extra attention from me tonight, and again I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to see much of him. He took another hit from behind in his second shift. Then after returning he spent some time on the penalty kill, where he blocked a shot and was sent limping off after the puck had cleared. It was about another period before I saw MacDonald again. MacDonald appeared to be a smooth skater, looks very relaxed and composed, moves the puck up the ice well, and looks like a low risk defenceman, that has got good size, as well as decent skating.
(MacDonald was -1)

Austin Levi - #7 - D - YOB: 1992 - 6’4” - 195lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Feb/21/10: Levi was the least noticeable than he’s been all season. He looks as if he has lost his spot on the top four with MacDonald’s seemingly improved play, as well as the addition of Gilbert. Levi appeared to have limited ice time, some of which was reserved to the penalty kill. Levi has got progressively less physical in Sarnia, although he is still hitting, he’s not only becoming a safer checker, but he’s hitting less, which occasionally works against him, but is also better than the out of position hits he was throwing closer to the start of the season. I’ve liked Levi’s play, but he is most likely a depth defenecman (3^rd pairing on a healthy NHL defence) that could be a penalty killer as well, but he could get drafted very close to teammate Colim MacDonald as the two are at similar points in terms of projectable future.
(Levi had +1, 2 PIM)

Tyler Seguin - #9 - C - YOB: 1992 - 6’1” - 186lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Feb/21/10: While many of the Plymouth players let up, after taking an 8-2 lead mid-way through the game, Tyler Seguin was not one of those. Seguin who had already scored two very nice goals, kept playing full steam ahead obviously with a scoring race in mind. He was not able to pad his stats, but still played full tilt evenw hen the score was 10-2, and 11-3 so take that for what it’s worth. Seguin who hasn’t really showed up at the games in Sarnia after he ripped them apart in the 2009 playoffs, but that changed tonight. Seguin made some nice plays with and without the puck, he was willing to back check while Sarnia was in transition. He made some nice moves on the defencemen displaying top level puck handling. The first goal Seguin scored he put a great move on and used his stick handling ability to deke out Campbell and bury it. The second goal he absolutely releases a rocket of a wrist shot, an exhibition of how quick his release is, as well as his accuracy, as you could hear it just touch the post and/or crossbar as he picks the corner. Very few goaltenders CHL or NHL could have stopped that shot. Seguin is very much the Duchene of this draft behind Taylor Hall’s Tavares for this year. That should be taken as a compliment, because although he’s being regarded by some to be a potential 1^st overall pick, I don’t think there’s any question on draft day, Taylor Hall is the guy who gets picked 1^st overall. But Seguin may very well be in his last OHL season.
(Seguin had 2G, 1A, +3)

Beau Schmitz - #17 - D - YOB: 1991 - 5‘11” - 190lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Feb/21/10: Schmitz has not been much of an impact player this year for Plymouth after standing out last year with his puck handling and offensive abilities, he has been very quiet at both ends of the ice. Schmitz played decent tonight, displaying a bit of a surprising physical game as he always has despite his slight stature. If he wants to shot at becoming a legitimate prospect he needs to enhance his skating ability a little based on his size as well as becoming stronger in all 3 zones. Schmitz is a valuable defenceman in the OHL, and would likely be capable of earning an AHL contract, but he needs to add more to his game, particularly better breakout speed in order to raise himself to an NHL level potential defenceman.
(Schmitz had 1G)

Jamie Devane - #23 - LW - YOB: 1991 - 6’5” - 217lbs.
NHL: 3^rd Round - 68^th Overall by Toronto in 2009
Report: Feb/21/10: Devane continues to be reliable but not spectacular for Plymouth. Along the boards yet again Devane was important, however again he didn’t really create much offense, but he did benefit from the great deal of goal scoring his team did today. Devane is a decent skater, I wouldn’t consider it a strength just yet, but it is pretty good for someone at his size. Devane continues to prove how good he is in the defensive zone, and how good his positioning as well as his willingness to block shots. Devane gets the majority of his ice time. Devane appears to be benefiting from the addition of James Livingston and Robbie Czarnik with Livingston joining him on the 3^rd line he has scored over half his points all season since the acquisition of Livingston at the trade deadline. Still he’ll be hard pressed to gain 20 points this season.
(Devane had 1G, 1A, +3)

Robbie Czarnik - #27 - C - YOB: 1990 - 6’0” - 175lbs.
NHL: 3^rd Round - 63^rd Overall by Los Angeles in 2008
Report: Feb/21/10: This game was the very different from the game Czarnik played in December. He played with a lot of energy, and drive, but tonight even though he put up 3 points, Czarnik looked very off. Czarnik has legitimate speed, but didn’t look anything special, he showed some physicality, but really it looked like a very big off night for him. Czarnik seems engaged in the play offensively, and seems to want to create offense, and do what needs to be done, he also has a solid shot with a good release.. But defensively, and when I say defensively, I mean outside the oppositions blueline there was A LOT of floating being done by Czarnik. I only saw him skating hard back twice, the others he was either floating or very slowly gliding back to his defensive zone, it would have been very discouraging watching this from a Plymouth point of view, because unless the team was in a position to offense, Czarnik really didn’t look like he cared what happened in this game. This is a little more understandable when the team is in a blowout, but this was also occurring far before this game was over.
(Czarnik had 1G, 2A, +3)

Phil McRae - #38 - C - YOB: 1990 - 6‘3” - 195lbs.
NHL: 2^nd Round - 33^rd Overall by St. Louis in 2008
Report: Feb/21/10: McRae is a player who I was pretty impressed with tonight, although the stats don’t show it, McRae skated hard every shift, he was going into the corners, he drove to the net, it just didn’t add up to a lot of points for him. He showed a pretty quick release, and good play along the boards. Defensively McRae looked very aware and was playing smart. At the same time, once this game was over McRae was smart and respectful not going out of the way to hit, and not forcing the puck at the net instead he dumped the puck in deep and did what he could to kill the clock, instead of trying to run up the score, and was a very good part in helping this game advance rather than getting out of control.
(McRae had 1A, -1)

Nathan Chiarlitti - #5 - D - YOB: 1991 - 6‘0” - 185lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Feb/21/10: The majority of the Sarnia Sting quit midway through this game. Nathan Chiarlitti was one of the few that did not. He was still trying to block shots, made a great play on Seguin near the end of the second period even though this game was essentially over. Chiarlitti is starting to show his hidden offensive side, now 2^nd in scoring among defenceman for Sarnia despite the fact he is known for his defensive reliability, and leadership more than offensive skill. Due to Sarnia playing with 4 or 5 forwards on the power play, Chiarlitti is the 2^nd defenceman used, so he doesn’t gain a lot of time or experience, so it has taken him much longer to develop his offensive tools, than it would have otherwise if he was given more time on the power play. Chiarlitti is starting to rush the puck up the ice more, displaying the improvement in his skating, although still floating around average for a 17 year old his age. Still the knock on his game is the physical side of the game. He is starting to produce well for the amount of offense he’s allowed to engage in, but physically, his hitting is still to far between, and could really benefit from gaining some upper body mass along with a bit more of an edge to his game. In the 3^rd period Chiarlitti joined the rush on a short handed opportunity, and scored a very nice goal as he gained the rebound and displayed nice hands to go backhand, forehand and roof. Chiarlitti at this point looks like a safe pick between 5^th-7^th, but the development of his physical game may be the biggest part in determining how far he goes in his career. His -33 on the season may scare a few teams, but it’s more of a tribute to the excessive amount of ice time he receives on a bad team, rather than his ability defensively, as he is constantly hung out to dry to try to defend 2 on 1’s.
(Chiarlitti had 1G, -1)"

The Sunday Top 10 - American Players

In today's Sunday Top 10, I look at the top American born OHL players for the 2008-09 season. This was an incredibly difficult list to create, because of the large talent pool of American players currently playing in the OHL. I had some diffuculty in really settling on my top 10 and ended up leaving out a lot of talented players, especially some younger guys like Jared Knight, Austin Watson, Andrew Yogan, among others.

The list took a few things into account. For one, prospect standing and NHL potential. But it was also weighed largely by on ice performance, regardless of NHL standing or chances.

Here is the list...

10. Tony Romano - Peterborough Petes

Romano was outstanding for Peterborough this season after struggling last season in London. He came to London from Cornell University with a lot of hype and high expectations at the offensive end. However, he was largely unimpressive and looked like one of those guys with some solid athletic ability, but little hockey sense and finishing skill. However, this season with the Petes, he was a completely different player. He played in all situations, he showed great speed, he was named one of the dangerous players in the goal area by the coaches in the coaches poll and he looked to re-establish himself as a good professional prospect. Keep in mind, that this was Romano's overage season, but the progression was still great to see. He looks like he could be a solid 3rd line forward at the NHL level.

9. Brian Lashoff - Kingston Frontenacs

Lashoff is one of the best kept secrets in the OHL. Brian, the brother of Tampa defenseman and former NHL 1st round draft pick Matt Lashoff, went unselected in the 2008 NHL entry draft. However, following a strong performance at the Detroit Red Wings prospect camp, Lashoff was given a contract with the defending Cup champions. He has good size, is a great skater, can play both ways, and tends to be smart with the puck. He put up only 32 points from the backend this season combined between Barrie and Kingston, but he's capable of doing more. He's playing outstanding for Grand Rapids in the AHL currently, where he has 8 points in 11 games since the OHL season ended, and is currently playing a large role in the Griffins run for the Calder Cup.

8. Adam Comrie - Saginaw Spirit

Comrie didn`t really make a lot of strides offensively in his 2nd OHL season after transferring from the USHL, but he remains a solid prospect. The 6`4, 200lbs defenseman skates like a 5`10, 170lbs defenseman, and uses his mobility to be an effective defender. He`s also got a mean streak and isn`t afraid to use his size to gain defensive position. He does have a very booming point shot, so I do expect him to eventually score more goals in the OHL, however he remains a really solid defender and somewhat underrated based on the fact that he plays out of the spotlight in Saginaw. I also think he`s got a great shot of being a part of the next World Junior Championships for Team USA.

7. Jeremy Smith - Niagara IceDogs

Smith had an interesting season. He struggled mightily to start the year with Plymouth and lost his starting job to the tremendously talented Matt Hackett. After a trade to Niagara, he was outstanding to close the year and in a sense, re-cemented his status as a solid NHL prospect. You have to think his play to start the season is a complete anamoly. Smith is a solid technical goaltender who moves well in his crease and has a great glove hand. I expect him to move on to the AHL or ECHL next season, especially since he`s already under contract with Nashville. However, I have heard some rumblings that Nashville is considering returning him to Niagara next season to play as an overager due to the fact that they`ll already have two solid goaltending prospects looking for playing time in the minors next season, Mark Dekanich and Chet Pickard.

6. Nick Palmieri - Belleville Bulls

Palmieri is a monster...when he wants to be. He took a lot of flak for the way he handled things in Erie this season and his subsequent trade to Belleville. But he`s a solid player, when he wants to be. When he`s at his best, Palmieri is nearly impossible for OHL defenders to contain due to his combination of size, strength, and skating ability. He also possesses an NHL caliber shot which he gets off quickly. He`s definitely a potential NHL goal scorer. However, he doesn`t use his size nearly as much as he should. if he did, he`d be up near the top of this list. Moving on to the professional level should motivate him to be at his best in every game. On the plus side, he had an absolutely outstanding playoffs for Belleville, with 14 goals in 17 games. Just a glimpse of what he`s capable of.

5. Jack Combs - Saginaw Spirit

Combs was definitely one of the better and most important overage players in the OHL this season. He`s a tremendous offensive player who is a great playmaker who possesses great hockey sense and often makes the players around him much better. While he is slightly one dimensional, there is no doubting how important Combs was to Saginaw`s outstanding season this year. I fully expect him to make an impact at the professional level, whether it be earning an NHL contract or working his way up through the AHL/ECHL. While Combs may not be as good of an NHL prospects as some of the other players on this list, the St. Louis native has bled Spirit red, white and blue the past 4 years, being an impact player in two of them.

4. Phil McRae - London Knights

McRae was having quite the breakout season prior to the Knights acquisition of John Tavares. Following that, he tended to take a backseat, being pushed off the top powerplay unit and top line. It's tough playing second fiddle, but next season should be a significant one for McRae, as I expect him to finish in the top 10 of OHL scoring. He's a big kid who skates well, competes hard and has a high skill level. Just the pull package, who is still gaining the confidence in using it. McRae is another guy I expect to be playing for Team USA at the next World Juniors.

3. Thomas McCollum - Brampton Battalion

McCollum sure didn't help the public's perception of his ability with his stinker of a performance at the World Juniors this year, however those that see him more regularly know he's capable of significantly better. In his time with Guelph and Brampton this year, he was consistently one of the best netminders in the league and is currently heading to the OHL Championship after ousting Mike Murphy and the Belleville Bulls, showing he is capable of playing in big games. And sure, he is prone to some bouts of inconsistency, but he's still a talented goalie with a bright future. Look for him to be in the AHL next year, likely splitting time with either Dan Larsson or James Howard, whichever one isn't in the NHL as the Wings back up.

2. John Carlson - London Knights

Carlson exploded into the league this season, as the NHL first round pick of the Washington Capitals came completely as advertised following his transfer from the USHL. He was easily one of the best defenseman in the league and IMO should have been the defenseman of the year, despite not finishing in the top 3 of voting. He is a monster at both ends of the ice and uses great speed to lead the rush. He controls the powerplay and isn't afraid to get in your face, using his size. I think there is a strong chance he actually makes the Caps next season, as he was apparently pretyt damn close this season. if he's back in London, expect him to be even better.

1. Eric Tangradi - Belleville Bulls

Let's face it. Eric Tangradi is a beast. I had a little bit of trouble deciding upon Tangradi, Carlson and McCollum for the first spot on this list, and ultimately went with the big guy from Philly. He uses his size like a 6'4, 220lb forward should. And while he isn't the world's greatest skater, I don't think it's an issue either. He's incredibly skilled and is a solid all around offensive player, possessing both an NHL caliber shot and playmaking ability. He should get a shot to play in Pittsburgh as early as next season, and has a good chance to be a top quality, impact NHL player. Tangradi's performance against Niagara this postseason, for the record, essentially locked up his spot at number 1 on this list. he flat out dominated.

Check back next Sunday as we take a look at the Top 10 player who could be or are jumping ship to the OHL next season. Any guesses on where Cam Fowler will sit??

A New Contributor and His Thoughts on Ottawa/London from February 1

First I would like to introduce you to Sean Keogh. He will be joining Ryan and I to bring you even more coverage of OHL prospects. Sean is a former writer for HockeysFuture and an avid CHL, not just OHL, follower. He currently lives in Ottawa so the game reports he will supply us with will come from watching the 67's take on opponents at the Ottawa Civic Centre.

Below is his report...

The London Knights are probably the most hyped junior team in the country yet again, and for good reason considering all the talent they have. In today’s game the 67s neutralized their skill for the most part and outworked them en route to a huge 4-3 victory. The star of the game was Logan Couture who was dominant in every aspect of the game, and the biggest disappointment was arguably John Tavares. Below are my thoughts on selected players for both teams.

John Tavares – YOB: 1990 - Draft Eligible 2009

Obviously Tavares needs no introduction or talent analysis because he’s a known commodity. In this game however, he was unimpressive, if not poor. Although he scored a goal to tie it up in the third period, he struggled the rest of the game. He tried several cutesy moves that were easily stopped, was routinely stifled one-on-one by Julien Demers and displayed a measure of frustration as the game wore on. As a result he started yapping at opponents and got involved in some skirmishes. His goal showed again that with some time and space he can and will score, but more was expected. His skating has improved but he will need to upgrade his balance and lower body strength as a professional. Although he had a goal and an assist, it was an underwhelming performance from JT.

Nazem Kadri – YOB: 1990 – Draft Eligible 2009

Was probably London’s most impressive player in the first half of the game, then got a diving call and a ten minute misconduct and was a bit off his game afterwards. His skating, particularly his acceleration, is good, and he’s fairly elusive with the puck. Although I have seen his slick stickhandling on display before, it was not too evident in this game. Also, Kadri displayed nice energy and his usual willingness to play physical hockey. The questions about his hockey sense and finishing ability again came up in my mind. Kadri is very good at breaking out and coming through the neutral zone, but little comes of it. At worst he’s a third line center though, but that’s not what you want in a top ten pick, as he is projected to be.

Phil Varone – YOB: 1990 – Draft Eligible 2009

For the second half of the game, Varone was probably London’s most impressive forward. He had several nice bursts, and is willing to drive to the net when he gets a step on a blueliner wide. It was he, not Tavares or Kadri, who was arguably the catalyst for the Knights’ third period surge. He had a goal and an assist, but also took a late hitting from behind penalty, ending London’s hopes of tying it up. I would want to see him again from a different perspective in the rink to get a grasp of just how high I would take him.

Phil McRae – YOB: 1990 – St. Louis 2^nd round pick, 2008.

It seems as though Tavares’ arrival has resulted in less ice-time and responsibility for McRae. While he was generally uninvolved and had little impact on the game, McRae still demonstrates the tools that he has. Along with good size and solid all-round skating ability, he ripped a couple of nice shots. I could see why St. Louis took him so high last year, but he did not appear to be a core player for London.

Zac Rinaldo – YOB: 1990 – Philadelphia 6^th round pick, 2008

Rinaldo’s performance was not exactly what I expected from him. He had one big hit but was not a pest or a shift disturber in the Stefan Della Rovere or Patrick Kaleta way. On the powerplay he played the front of the net and got a goal, albeit a weak one, as a result. Overall he played reasonably well as a complimentary player on a scoring line.

Daniel Erlich – YOB: 1991 – Draft Eligible 2009

It’s impossible to be invisible when you are as small as Erlich is. Even his listed 5’6” might be exaggerated. He was fairly involved in the play and showed good offensive ability. Thanks to having to survive in spite of his size, he always has his head up and sees the ice well. The decision to play him on the point of the powerplay is questionable though, as he is far too small and weak to defend at all and it almost cost the Knights a couple of goals. Unfortunately for Erlich, he is half a foot too small, and at least 40 pounds too light, to be a legitimate prospect.

Justin Taylor – YOB: 1989 – Washington 6^th round pick, 2007

Of all the notable forwards on London, Taylor was the least visible. Perhaps I was just focusing on too many other players to notice him, but he certainly did not stand out in any way.

John Carlson – YOB: 1990 – Washington 1^st round pick, 2008

I had high expectations going in, but Carlson was only mediocre. It was evident that he has all of the tools, great size, good skating ability, overall offensive tools and a willingness to play the body. However he never asserted himself or made a huge impact on the game, and he was a underwhelming when playing in his own zone. In the neutral zone he intercepted passes nicely, but was beaten to loose pucks and made some bad reads defensively, including on the winning goal. Part of that is definitely acceleration, but it displayed either or both a lack of effort and questionable in-zone awareness.

Michael Del Zotto – YOB: 1990 – New York Rangers 1^st round pick, 2008

For such a gifted offensive player, Del Zotto was fairly quiet tonight. He had an assist but did little on the goal. His break-out passing was only average and he is certainly not gifted defensively, but he was neither dynamic offensively nor adventuresome defensively in this game.

Trevor Cann – YOB: 1989 – Colorado Avalanche 2^nd round pick, 2007

Although the 67s outshot the Knights, Cann faced far fewer quality chances than his counterpart Adam Courchaine. Aside from perhaps the winning goal, none were his fault although he did not make any game saving stops from what I could see. It was an average performance.

From the 67s…

Logan Couture – YOB: 1989 – San Jose 1^st round pick, 2007

Quite simply Couture was the best player on the ice by a country mile. Moreover, it was perhaps the best game I have ever seen him play. He was in on all four goals, sniping two and directly creating and setting up the two others. Neither of his linemates, Cowick or Nigro, were as dynamic or creative as Couture. What was most impressive about his game, however, was that for a player much-maligned for his effort, he was a force in all zones. He was outstanding on the penalty kill, threw several big hits including almost destroying Tavares, and showed impressive puck control along the boards. Particularly notable is the fact that he got better as the game went along, and all three times London scored in the third period, Couture led his line out there to respond soon after. If Couture had played like this he would have made the World Junior team as well, and I can only hope for his sake that it’s the beginning of a great finish to the season for him. He was the first star of the game and for extremely good reason.

Anthony Nigro – YOB: 1990 – St. Louis 6^th round pick, 2008

Without a doubt the Michael Latta trade with Guelph has worked out very well for Ottawa. Nigro has been very good since arriving, first on the second line and now as a winger on Couture’s line. He has supplanted Cowick as the trigger man on that line, and shows good finish, hands, shot and cycling ability. I’m not sure he’s more than a good junior player at this point, because he’s not likely to have NHL scoring line upside and in Ottawa is not showing the all-round game that I expected. It was definitely a strong game from Nigro though, getting in on all three goals in the third and being named third star.

Corey Cowick – YOB: 1989 – Draft Eligible 2009.

For the game Cowick had no points, but he played very well. Although known for his goal scoring ability, Cowick’s best work this game was defensively and on the penalty kill. His defensive game has improved a lot and he has good awareness. His skating is fine for a player his size, but he lacks explosiveness. Pittsburgh considered signing him after he was invited to their camp in the fall, and Cowick could definitely be drafted this summer in the late rounds if a team sees third line potential in him.

Thomas Nesbitt – YOB: 1990 – Draft Eligible 2009

Nesbitt had a very strong game, despite not putting up any points. He played with great energy and work ethic, won a lot of races and battles, and generated a few chances as well. After being passed over last year, it is possible he gets picked up this year but I doubt it. He is not a gifted offensive winger but he’s a classic Kilrea-style player.

Julien Demers – YOB: 1990 – San Jose 5^th round pick, 2008.

Essentially Ottawa’s #1 blueliner with Tyler Cuma still out, Demers and his partner Travis Gibbons, must have played over thirty minutes in this game. Overall, Demers had an up and down game. On the plus side, he was matched-up against Tavares and was outstanding in playing him one-on-one and frustrating him at every turn. He plays the man very well and uses his size, strength and lateral mobility to his advantage very nicely. Offensively, he had a good game, notching three assists and getting some nice shots off. On the down side, he took a couple of penalties and it was his mistake that led to Tavares’ goal. He still needs work on his first-step quickness but he’s a very good defenceman at this level and has definite NHL potential in my opinion.

Adam Courchaine – YOB: 1989 - Signed by Boston

Courchaine had a strong game, particularly in the first two periods. Although he did not face a ton of shots, most of them were of the difficult variety. Courchaine has great size and moves well for a big man at 6’3”. He has a bit of trouble in close though and has certainly been inconsistent this year. I will be interested to see how he does if he plays in for the AHL’s Providence Bruins next year.

Thoughts on London from January 22 and 23

This past Thursday and Friday, the Niagara Ice Dogs had a home and home series with the London Knights. These two games would be the only time these teams would meet in the regular season. On Thursday, the Knights came to St. Catharines and were defeated 5-2 in a game largely dominated by the Dogs, who got solid goaltending from Jeremy Smith and a hat trick from import Marco Insam. On Friday, the Dogs traveled to London and again got the best of the Knights, taking the game 6-4. Friday's game was largely dominated by the Knights as they outshot the Dogs 52-21, however goaltending was the difference. The Knights got atrocious goaltending from rookie Torrin Lauziere, who was pulled to start the third period, while the Dogs got another solid performance from Jeremy Smith. John Tavares was a combined -7 in the two games and was completely shut down by Alex Pietrangelo, Drew Schiestel and the entire Niagara defense.

Since this was likely my only chance to see the Knights this season, here are my thoughts...

Michael Del Zotto - Drafted by the New York Rangers in 2008/20th

As you may have noted through my past observations, I'm not MDZ's biggest supporter. He was terrible in the first game, but fairly solid in the second game. In the first game, he made several questionable decisions with the puck, one a terrible breakout pass which was intercepted by Andrew Agozzino, and gave him a partial breakaway (although he did not score). He was terrible defenzively, leaving his partner John Carlson largely out to dry. In particular, he seemed to lose his man and was soft in board play and in play near the crease. He's not a big guy, so if he doesn't want to play physical, he's got to be more aware and use his positioning and stick to cover his zone. Yet at times, it seems like he gets overwhelmed. He even struggled with quarterbacking the powerplay and had trouble keeping the puck in the zone. In the second game, he was more composed with the puck and played a steadier defensive game. At times, engaging in the corners. In the end, I'll say the same thing I always say with MDZ. I have concerns over his longterm NHL potential. If you look at a guy like Bob Sanguinetti, he made great strides defensively over the course of his OHL career. Where as MDZ has yet to take that step forward.

John Carlson - Drafted by the Washington Capitals in 2008/27th

If I'm drafting 2008 over again, I definitely take this kid ahead of MDZ. He was outstanding in both games. He's aggressive at both ends of the ice. He's not afraid to take the puck hard to the net and join into the rush, however he picks his spots well. He shows great speed and closing ability, especially for a bigger guy. Carlson was very poised in running the point on the powerplay and showed the ability to read the defense and get shots off quickly. He's also incredibly strong on the puck and was able to win many battles along the boards. Defensively, he was great. Showed great positioning and engaged players physically, both in the corners and near the crease. This guy is the total package IMO, and for what it's worth, I think he might just be the best defenseman in the OHL.

Kevin Montgomery - Drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in 2006/110th

Montgomery has returned for his overage season after the Avs decided he wasn't ready to play in Lake Erie (AHL) yet. He's a quiet player in that you don't really notice him, but he's smart with the puck and makes good decisions in the defensive zone. He only played in Friday's game, not sure why he was out Thursday. In the end, I'm just not sure where he fits in at the NHL level. While he's a slick skater and a capable puck mover, he doesn't have the raw offensive ability that would allow him to be a big time point producer at the next level. He's not going to be a shut down type of defenseman either. So he's a bit of tweener for me. To be honest, I don't see him being more than a 7th or depth defenseman on a good NHL team, similar to a guy like Danny Richmond (a former Knight).

John Tavares - NHL Draft Eligible in 2009

I'm not really going to go in depth about Tavares. We all know enough about him and it's clear that he did not have a very strong showing in these two games. Coming into the home and home series, he had 7 goals in 3 games with the Knights. He was mostly invisible through these two games and there appeared to be some serious gelling problems with him and his linemmates. I don't think him and Kadri fit well together on a line, because they are both guys who want the puck on their stick at all times. Two bad games don't change his draft standing.

Phil Varone - NHL Draft Eligible in 2009

Varone is an undersized, hard working forward. He's got great speed and he attacks the zone with authority. He's a solid two way player who's often the first forward back. While he didn't hit the scoresheet in either game, I thought he was impressive in generating some scoring chances by his aggressiveness in the offensive zone. At this point, because of his size and the fact that I'm not sure he's more than a 3rd liner in the NHL, I don't know where he ends up getting drafted. If I were a betting man, I'd probably put him near the back of the draft with a guy like Niagara's Andrew Agozzino, who is a pretty similar player.

Zac Rinaldo - Drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2008/178th

Rinaldo, recently acquired from the Majors, was probably both London's most effective forward and their least effective forward at the same time. First the good. He was buzzing around the ice in both games, hitting everything that moved. He laid out a couple huge hits in both games and really gets under the skin of his opponents. He also has the ability to drive to the net with the puck, as he's actually not a terrible puckhandler. Because of this, he also works the cycle well. These type of things bode well for his future in the NHL as at least an energy player. On the downside, he really hurt London with some undisciplined plays. He had 5 minor penalties over the course of the two games. While Niagara failed to capitalize on any of those powerplay opportunities, they still proved to stop the momentum London was building up. And while two of those penalties were very questionable, the other three were legit. He needs to play more controlled. I'm sure that Dale Hunter won't mind the odd charging or hit to the head penalty, but it's the hooks, trips, elbows, and other penalties taken out of frustration that must really anger his new coach.

Phil McRae - Drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 2008/33rd

I like Phil McRae. Was impressed in the times I saw him last season. And he was fairly good in these two games. He skates hard, and skates well for a big man. Offensively, he seems to know where to be on the ice to finish off scoring chances and is very elusive. He can also drive to the net with the puck on his stick and does a great job protecting the puck with his body. It's clear that he's gotten a lot stronger this season, and thus this serves as an explanation as to why his offensive production has exploded and taken that next step. I do have one concern though, but it is more to do with Coach Dale Hunter's use of McRae. He didn't get nearly as much ice time as I figured he would and really appears to have been hurt by the Tavares' acquisition.

Nazem Kadri - NHL Draft Eligible in 2009

I'm sorry, but I'm still not impressed by him. Wasn't last season. Not this season. I know Ryan Yessie has been telling me about how unimpressed he's been with him this season too. Sure the guy has great hands. He dekes through a couple players every shift. However, it's all flash and no dash for me. He dekes through the first two guys, but nothing comes of it as he attempts to deke through the third, fails and turns the puck over. Part of the reason the Tavares/Kadri line really couldn't get anything going was on him, IMO. I can't count how many times that line failed to gain entry into the offenzive zone because Kadri tried to bring the puck over the blueline and failed. Defensively, he was terrible too, in the Thursday game especially. Two of the goals against London were directly his fault. On one play, he lost track of his man as he cut towards the front of the net. On the other play, he was simply lazy and his man beat him to the blueline where he was able to unload a slapper to the back of the net. And while the man I'm talking about was Marco Insam, who's much bigger than Kadri, it was the lack of effort that discouraged me.

Justin Taylor - Drafted by the Washington Capitals in 2007/180th

Taylor is a fairly decent player. He shows some good offensive instincts and despite his size, is fearless in his play. You'll often find him near the front of the crease and he does a good job working the corners. He's an average skater, however is definitely a more dangerous player once the offensive attack sets up shop. I like his attitude and his effort, however I'm just not sure where he fits in at the NHL level. He's another guy I see as a bit of a tweener. He's not a good enough offensive player to play a scoring line role, and he's not big enough, fast enough or strong enough to play a checking role.

Jared Knight - NHL Draft Eligible in 2010

Knight was alright in Thursday's game, and showed some horns by checking Drew Schiestel hard into the boards, leading to a quick tussle with Andrew Agozzino. He didn't get a lot of ice time though. On Friday, he was excellent, maybe the Knights best forward. He is undersized, but he's rather fearless and drives hard to the net and is willing to throw whatever weight he has around. He's almost like a miniature power forward, who wile undersized, does seem to like to play a bit of a power game. This guy is going to be a big player for London next season when the likes of Tavares, Taylor, and others leave.

Trevor Cann - Drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in 2007/49th

Got badly outplayed by fellow 2007 2nd rounder Jeremy Smith. I know a lot of Knights fans have been rather unimpressed by Cann thus far. It's hard to imagine why his statline has gotten worse after the transfer from Peterborough to London. He really only played the Thursday game, however let 1 goal in on 2 shots on Friday after coming in to play the 3rd period. But something doesn't seem right, as he didn't look like the same goalie I saw play numerous times in Peterborough. He looks timid and isn't challenging shooters as much as he was, and he's going down to early and being beaten both low close to the post, and to the top of the net. His rebound control, which I once considered a strength, did not look very good on Thursday. Maybe it's a confidence thing or just a bad run as he has a .891 save % in January. I think he's still capable of being an NHL netminder, but he's going to take some time.