Thoughts on Niagara and Owen Sound from December 30

Wanting to see the return of Joey Hishon to the Owen Sound Attack line up, I caught this one on the OHL Action Pack tonight.

The first period and a half was a real snooze fest. Really sloppy, disjointed play. It was clear that both of these two teams were rusty from the holiday layoff. When the pace finally did pick up, these two teams traded powerplays and scoring chances, with the Attack eventually coming out on top by a score of 3-1. For a large portion of the game though, Attack goaltender Scott Stajcer kept his team in the game by making a few big saves (especially on Andrew Agozzino).

It was a tough game for the Dogs. Already shorthanded defensively because Jay Gilbert's sitting at home waiting for a trade and Dougie Hamilton is at the World Under 17 Hockey Challenge, the Dogs suffered two defensive injuries relatively early on in the game, to Reggie Traccitto and Keith Maisonville. As a result, they looked dead tired by the end of this one and just had nothing left in the tank, allowing the Attack to take control of the game in the later part of the 3rd period. I think defenseman Matt Petgrave must have played 80% of the third period (no joke). However, as tired as the defense looked, the forwards looked even more distressed. If Majors coach Dave Cameron likes to roll four lines, Dogs coach Mike McCourt likes to roll two. I'm not sure why he played his forwards into the ground tonight, but Friesen, Agozzino and Hamilton especially were out there every other shift and it was obvious that they were tired. On powerplays, these guys were playing the full two minutes (save maybe 10-15 seconds as the penalty ended), and then they'd be out there two shifts later. While the Friesen, Agozzino and Hamilton line is obviously the teams most dangerous, it doesn't hurt to give them a break. It only makes them more effective in the long run...or say at the end of the game when your team needs a go ahead goal.

The Attack just plain didn't deserve to win this one. They got lucky that Niagara looked so tired. They were very sloppy. So many passes failed to connect, breakouts failed to occur and most of their game was played in the neutral zone as they attempted to get the puck by a Niagara defense. Even on the powerplay, despite scoring two goals with the man advantage, they did not look strong. One goal on a wild goal mouth scramble, the other on a long winded screen shot from the point (with the third coming with the empty net). First game back from the break, but this team did not look like a unit with great chemistry. A lot of individual efforts and just general disconnect.

On to individual player performances...

Niagara IceDogs







Alex Friesen (2010, but 1991 born)
Already passed over in one draft, I'd be very surprised to see Friesen passed over again this year. He's progressed incredibly well this year and taken huge steps forward offensively. His speed and work ethic in the offensive zone make him a real tough guy to contain. He was generating chances for the better part of the first two periods, although was not able to put anything up on the board. Kind of a jack of all trades type of a player, he projects well as a potential energy player at the next level.

Andrew Agozzino (2010, but 1991 born)
Agozzino has been just as good this year for the Dogs. He's the new captain, and he's playing with a lot of determination. He had a few really good chances to score tonight but just couldn't beat Scott Stajcer. Two stymied one time chances at the side of the net (saved by a sliding Stajcer), and one partial breakaway. He's got very good instincts on where to be for scoring chances, getting himself in good position for goal opportunities. The question is whether he's got a serious chance of being selected in 2010, the second time around. While I think Friesen has a good shot, I'm not as confident about Agozzino's chances. I was fairly high on Agozzino last year, when he was pretty much the same player he is now, and he failed to get drafted then. Scouts seem to be enamored with progression, of which Friesen has seen. Agozzino is the same player he was last year and if it wasn't good enough for NHL scouts last year, why would it be now? I'm still pulling for him though.

Freddie Hamilton (2010)
Hamilton was kind of along for the ride with Friesen and Agozzino tonight. He didn't really have a great game. Had a few chances set up by his linemates, but failed to get anything off. He's never a liability on the ice, but I don't see the upside that NHL Central Scouting does, when they ranked him 17th among OHL skaters in November. He did earn an assist on Josh Moes powerplay goal, although the goal was manufactured by Moes and not necessarily set up by Hamilton directly.

Matt Petgrave (2010)
Quite frankly, as an NHL prospect, I prefer Niagara's Petgrave to Hamilton. He had a very strong game tonight, especially considering he probably played 40 minutes. He brings the puck up ice with confidence and effectiveness. Has kind of a hunched over skating stride, but his mobility is solid. He keeps the puck in on the powerplay well, although I'd like to see him shoot the puck more. Whiffed on a beautiful chance to score on a one timer, as he snuck in from the point but didn't get much on the shot. He did make a couple of bad pinches, but he hustles back to his zone and never gives up on the play. Defensively he was excellent. Not afraid to take the body despite not being overly large, and he's surprisingly effective in the corners and in front of the net. Saved a goal with a very nice defensive play early in the game by tying up Joey Hishon as he tried to put home an easy tap in goal off a juicy rebound to the side of the net. Every time I see him, he seems to get better.

John Chartrand (2011)
I was surprised to see Chartrand get the start tonight over Mark Visentin. Petteri Simila is at the World Juniors as Finland's back up, and Chartrand was called up from Streetsville of the OJHL. He was the Dogs 4th rounder from 2009. Considering that when I heard he was getting the start and proceeded to check his Junior A stats this season (which aren't pretty), I was not expecting much out of him. But he was surprisingly strong. Made the saves he had too, kept his rebounds under control and looked generally calm in net. He seems like he could be the teams back up goaltender next season. The two goals scored against him were not really his fault. A wild goal mouth scramble and a screened shot from the point. Despite taking the loss, he was named the game's second star.

Owen Sound Attack





Garrett Wilson (FLA)
In the other times I've seen the Attack this season, Wilson had been a beast, but he was really quiet tonight. Outside of two very strong shifts, he wasn't noticeable to me. On one of the shifts he took a very nice feed from Steve Shipley and rang one off the post. And on the other, which just happened to be late in the third period, he did a good job to block a point shot and beat the Dogs defender to the loose puck for the open net clincher that made it 3-1. Still like the progression he's made this season.

Joey Hishon (2010)
Definitely was better than when I had seen him earlier in the season. But it's clear that he doesn't seem to have his full legs under him just quite yet. He was probably the best Attack forward on the night though (which isn't really saying much). Generated a few scoring chances off the rush and did a much better job of trying to use his teammates than he was earlier in the year. Did a good job on the penalty kill too, putting one off the crossbar on a shorthanded rush as he used the Niagara defender as a screen. A solid performance, but not an outstanding one.

Steven Shipley (2010)
For Steven's sake, I think I need to watch all of Owen Sound's games. He seems to play well when I'm watching. He didn't have an amazing game or anything, but was effective and had a few very good shifts. I was particularly impressed with his work on the penalty kill where he showed a lot of heart blocking shots and outworking Niagara players for loose pucks. His play away from the puck does seem to be improving, even if he could stand to use his size more to his advantage. He also had a shorthanded chance to score, breaking in and beating Andrew Agozzino (who was on the point) wide to the net, but a backtracking Matt Petgrave managed to lift his stick at the last second preventing a serious scoring chance. He was credited with the first Attack goal on the goal mouth scramble, where he simply shoveled the puck into the net. I still don't think the Attack are using him correctly though. I find him to be much more successful as a winger who can use his size to take the puck to the net from the outside lanes. He was also being used on the point on the powerplay again, which just does not work. He needs to be down low.

Geoffrey Schemitsch (2010)
I thought Schemitsch played another strong game. While he had some struggles in bringing the puck up ice and starting the rush (like every Attack defenseman), he did manage to break through into the offensive zone on a few occasions and picked his spots to pinch effectively. Defensively he was very solid, and did a good job on a couple odd man rushes, on one occasion taking the passing lane away from Andrew Agozzino and then collapsing on him forcing a poor shot attempt. He scored the game winning goal on a very good powerplay for him. Did a great job to keep the puck in the zone a couple of times, then managed to get the puck back and let a wrister go that found its way past Chartrand. He's got points in his last 6 games and is really heating up again. I'm very curious to see where Central Scouting has this guy when they release their rankings in a couple of weeks. I'm starting to wonder if I'm drinking crazy juice because I'm the only one talking about this kid.

Roman Berdnikov (2010)
Was not impressed by Berdnikov at all tonight. Was set up a few times by Joey Hishon or Bobby Mignardi and failed to get a shot off. The puck was rolling on him all night and he just had a really hard time. Took a lazy hooking penalty in the offensive zone out of frustration too. Playing with Hishon and Mignardi on that first line is a great opportunity for him, but he's going to have to play better than he did tonight to stay there.

Jesse Blacker (TOR)
Blacker had maybe the best game I've seen him play this season, which isn't really saying much. He was still only average on the night, but at least he seems to be limiting his turnovers. Still had one really bad one that resulted in Andrew Agozzino's partial breakaway though. If he could harness his raw abilities, he really could be quite an outstanding player. His combination of speed and puck handling ability makes him tough to stop once he gets up to full stride. Had a few nice rushes that generated scoring chances tonight. He was quiet defensively too, which is a good thing. One thing that I've noticed this year though is the absence of Blacker's physical game. Last year with Windsor, he was the type of defenseman who had the ability to lay a big hit, but I haven't seen that from him this year.

Scott Stajcer (NYR)
Stajcer was outstanding tonight. He really won this one for his team. Made several key saves in the first two periods to keep his team in the game, robbing Andrew Agozzino point blank a couple of times. One was a very nice save as he slide cross crease to rob a one timing Agozzino (who did fail to elevate the puck though). His rebound control was very strong tonight too. While Owen Sound has struggled with consistency, Stajcer has been largely effective for the last couple of months (after starting the season very poorly). Here's hoping he can continue to play well and that Owen Sound continues to climb up the standings of the Western Conference. He was the game's first star and took the win.

Anyone else with thoughts?

Thoughts on Saginaw and Owen Sound from November 18

Really exciting and fast paced Wednesday night game between the Saginaw Spirit and Owen Sound Attack. A lot of back and forth action, plenty of scoring opportunities, some good hits, a couple of fights; really not much else you can ask for in a hockey game. Oh sorry, you wanted defense? Not here. Both teams struggled with defensive zone turnovers and man coverage, which lead to a total of 12 goals scored in the game. Thanks to a late third period fluke goal by the recently acquired Ryan O'Connor, the Spirit came out on top of this wild west shootout by a score of 7-5.

The Attack came out firing on all cylinders and took control of the game in the opening ten minutes, scoring three unanswered goals. They looked a lot like the team I expected them to be this season. But then the wheels fell off and Saginaw scored five straight goals during the second half of the first and first half of the second. Turnovers, soft man defense and a real lack of backchecking from the forwards really cost the Attack. I would attribute at least three of those five goals to the fault of the forwards who did not hustle back to the other end or tie up their man. Now I will give Owen Sound credit, they battled back and tied the game at 5, only to lose on a terribly fluke goal by O'Connor. The Spirit defenseman one timed the puck from the point, it went WELL wide, so wide in fact that the angle it took off the boards brought it right back behind Stajcer, going off his skate and into the net. Someone who didn't see the game might see the score and assume that Stajcer was weak for the Attack, especially considering he only faced 34 shots (an average night by OHL standards). But he was really solid. I would say at least half of those shots by Saginaw were outstanding scoring chances. Stajcer stopped at least five Saginaw players point blank in the slot. Two of the goals were complete flukes too; the aforementioned O'Connor game winner and Vincent Trocheck's first period goal where the puck went off an Owen Sound defenseman and bounced to a wide open Trocheck for the tap in. I think it's also important to note that Owen Sound played this game with only 5 defenseman, as they were without the services of Milan Doczy and Keevin Cutting. Tough to play one of the league's best offensive teams a man down on the blueline. Definitely a tough loss for Attack fans to swallow.

Saginaw, well what can you say, they're good offensively. One of the hottest lines in the OHL performed up to expectations as Josh Shalla, Ivan Telegin, and Jordan Skellet combined for 3 goals and 8 assists in the game. These guys have a ton of chemistry and are playing with a lot of confidence right now. However, as much as this win must feel good, I think it also has to raise some alarms to Saginaw's management and fans. Since the Brodie/Crawford trade, this team has given up 19 goals in 4 games and they were not sharp tonight. They had trouble containing Owen Sound off the rush and did not put enough pressure on opposing forwards in the offensive end. These are two things that T.J. Brodie and Nick Crawford do very well, and in their absence, the rest of the Saginaw defense needs to find a way to get it done or improve. While their offense might take them places in the regular season, you know the saying, "defense wins championships."

Thoughts on individual players...

Saginaw Spirit





Garret Ross (2010)
Second time I've been impressed with Ross this season. While he didn't pick up any points, he was right in the middle of several solid scoring chances on the rush. He seems to have very good straight ahead speed and it gives the opposing defense a hard time. Came flying down the wing, beating his man to the net twice, but couldn't finish on the cross ice feeds. His forechecking forced a few turnovers in the offensive end and I'd say he has a very good chance of developing into a quality energy player. If he could finish off more of those offensive opportunities, he might get serious consideration in June. Types of players like Ross who've got speed, and a willingness to do everything on the ice do have a tendency to get drafted.

Jordan Szwarz (PHX)
I thought Szwarz had a pretty quiet game. He's usually one of those players who's all over the ice, but he didn't seem to have his usual energy in this one. Took two undisciplined penalties to start the game, maybe that took him out of it a bit. He did score a very nice goal in the second period. Defenseman Brad Walch made a nice slap pass to Szwarz in front of the net for the redirect over Stajcer's pad. It was Szwarz's only point of the game.

Ryan O'Connor (2010)
He's got to be disappointed that Central Scouting didn't include him in their Preliminary rankings, considering his skill level and track record in the league thus far. He had a good game tonight I thought. Wasn't on the ice for a goal against, and did a very good job of moving the puck up ice. Had a few very nice rushes and I think he picks his spots to pinch and rush very well. In the first period he took possession of the puck behind the net on powerplay rotation and made a beautiful pass to Ivan Telegin in front of the net for the goal. His goal was obviously a fluke that I've already mentioned above, but credit to him for getting himself in position for the shot. Defensively I felt he was solid too. Made a real nice hit on Daniel Zweep and was one of the few Saginaw defenseman who showed they could handle defending off the rush. O'Connor finished with a goal and an assist and was +3.

Ivan Telegin (2010)
I have a feeling that this guy's stock for 2010 is only going to go up and up. He's got 7 goals in the 7 November games thus far. It's getting to the point where I'm not sure who I like better among the Russians, Telegin or Barrie's Alex Burmistrov. Telegin was fantastic tonight. He's listed at 6'3, 185lbs, but he looks thicker than that. I've watched him against Owen Sound and against Peterborough and both teams had incredible difficulty controlling him in front of the net. Simply put, he's a beast near the crease. His goal was scored just that way, the defense couldn't handle him near the net and he put home a pass from Ryan O'Connor. But I like his vision and playmaking ability too. While O'Connor's goal may have been a fluke, the cross ice feed by Telegin over two Owen Sound sticks to O'Connor for the one timer was not. He's also quite the complete player who does make an effort to backcheck, does a great job on the penalty kill and works the boards. Lastly, for a big man, he moves quite well and he's not afraid to take the puck right to the net. The complete package. Finished the game with a goal and two assists.

Josh Shalla (2010)
Whenever I've seen him play, I've always come away underwhelmed. Tonight Shalla had 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists), but it might have been the quietest five point night I've ever seen. It's pretty obvious that Shalla is one of those guys who's not flashy, and who you don't really notice much until you look at the score sheet and he's had a multi point game. Not the quickest player on the ice, nor the biggest, but he's definitely got good hockey sense and offensive instincts. Made a nice pass to Michael Sgarbossa off the rush for a goal in the second, and scored a goal of his own after wiring home a slapper past Scott Stajcer. He sealed the deal with an empty netter with 12 seconds to go. I'm still not sure what to make of him and what type of role he'd have at the next level.

Cody Sol (ATL)
Sol is one of those guys who has to step it up in the absence of Brodie and Crawford. While I thought he showed some things offensively, that's not entirely what he's there for (or was drafted for). He was on the ice for 4 of Owen Sound's five goals. For a guy with his size, he has to do a better job of tying up his man in front of the net, and punishing those in the crease. He was caught skating around on two of those goals, failing to pick up a man. Offensively I thought he was pretty good though, and as much as I said this isn't what he's there for, it is something he'll have to contribute with now that Saginaw has lost their two best offensive defenseman (Brodie/Crawford). He's got a huge shot and he picks his spots in putting it on net, and he made a couple nice plays to keep the puck in at the line. But he's got to step it up defensively.

Michael Sgarbossa (2010)
I felt like I didn't notice Sgarbossa that much tonight. Scored a goal off a nice feed from Josh Shalla in the second and added an assist on the Vincent Trocheck fluke goal. Sgarbossa was the one who shot the puck that went off the Attack player's back and right to Trocheck. He saw some time with Shalla and Skellet, as well as on the third line with Garret Ross and Vincent Trocheck. Likely still needs to adapt to a new team. Still, a goal and an assist isn't a bad nights work.

Edward Pasquale (ATL)
Despite getting the victory in this one, I thought Pasquale was out played by Scott Stajcer. While he's got a good win total, I think it's safe to say he hasn't had an amazing season thus far. It's been plagued by inconsistency. He's given up 15 goals in his last 4 appearances. The Attack were definitely trying to go high on Pasquale tonight, exposing his tendency to 1) go down early on shots 2) stay back too far in his net and not challenge shooters. Four of the five goals given up by Pasquale were high on him. It'll be interesting to see what Atlanta does with Pasquale next year, because I don't think he's ready for pro hockey. I'm willing to bet he returns for an overage season, be it with Saginaw or with another OHL team. Made 31 of 36 saves for the win.

Owen Sound Attack






Curtis Crombeen (2011)
I haven't seen Owen Sound play since earlier in the season, but it certainly seems to me that Crombeen has come a long way. Playing with a lot more confidence at both ends of the ice and I actually think he was Owen Sound's best defenseman tonight. Had a couple very nice rushes where he took the puck from one end of the ice to the other, and quickly. Making better passes out of his zone too. Before he was trying to force passes, but now he seems to be keeping things simple. I also liked what I saw defensively. Actually made a couple nice physical plays to separate his man from the puck along the boards, and shows good mobility in transition defense. Maybe it was just a good game from him, but he certainly seems to have progressed already.

Roman Berdnikov (2010)
Not that much to talk about really. I thought he played a good first period, but disappeared after that. More than likely he's still working on his conditioning after missing such a large part of the season thus far. In the first he forechecked hard and had a large part in the third Owen Sound goal by Myles Doan. His the Saginaw player along the boards, and forced the turnover that would eventually lead to Doan's goal on a goal mouth scramble. He also attempted to throw a few open ice hits, so he's obviously got a little sand paper to his game. We'll see how he looks a month from now when he gets his legs back.

Jesse Blacker (TOR)
First chance to see Blacker with Owen Sound and I felt like he had a pretty poor game. While he is a very good puck rushing defenseman and has very good straight ahead speed, he seems to have tunnel vision with the puck. He gets the puck behind the net and makes his mind up that he's going to rush it. This "forcing" of the play lead to several turnovers and odd man rushes for Saginaw. He got beat quite badly off the rush on one play by Jordan Skellet too, as he got caught going for the hit, rather than skating with Skellet. He did get a little bit better as the game went along though. On the powerplay in the second period, he made a very nice pass to Bobby Mignardi at the side of the net, who then went to Garrett Wilson for the goal in the slot. He did a pretty good job of running the powerplay on the whole. But if he wants the big minutes (exactly what he's getting in Owen Sound), he's got to play smarter and better defensively. Finished the game with 3 assists, but a -1.

Garrett Wilson (FLA)
Was an absolute beast tonight for Owen Sound. Finished with a hat trick and a nice assist. He's taken quite a few steps forward this season. He's playing with more confidence with the puck, he's gotten stronger, and he's gotten quicker. His first goal was scored as he batted the puck out of mid air at the side of the net, off a rebound generated off a Steven Shipley rush to the net. His second goal was scored as he beat his man to the net, took a feed from Shipley in full stride and wired home a wrister past Pasquale. The hat trick goal was off a nice tick-tack-toe goal from Mignardi and Blacker (which I already mentioned), where Wilson finished off the play in the slot. His assist came off a nice find and pass to Bobby Mignardi for the one timer just inside the blueline. He had a couple other nice chances to score tonight too. Quickly becoming one of the better power forwards in the OHL.

Steven Shipley (2010)
Shipley was quite good tonight too. Used his size and speed to his advantage and did a good job to draw defensive attention to him. On Wilson's first goal, he won a puck battle off Josh Shalla in the corner and immediately took the puck right to the front of the net, generating a rebound that Wilson put home. Earned another assist off a nice pass to Wilson for his second goal. I like how he's becoming more confident in carrying the puck to the net. I still get bothered a bit by his lack of physical play though. There was one opportunity tonight that really caught my eye. The Saginaw defenseman had some trouble with the puck at his feet just to the side of the net. Shipley came in with speed, but instead of taking the body (the defenseman was straight on so it would not have been a dangerous engage), or engaging him physically to force a turnover, Shipley slowed up and tried to stick check him, allowing the Saginaw defenseman to compose himself and get the puck out of danger. I'm not asking him to be a power forward or a physical player, but I do expect 6'2, 200lbs forwards to use their size to force turnovers. He finished with 3 assists.

Geoffrey Schemitsch (2010)
Fresh off his interview with me (here), I thought Schemitsch had a pretty decent game. Some very good, some bad. The good first. I thought he did an excellent job on the penalty kill. He showed a little gusto in his game that I hadn't seen yet by being physical along the boards to retrieve the puck and stop offensive progress. He also made a couple really nice defensive plays off the rush, keeping the forward in front of him and using solid mobility and positioning to remove him from the puck. Had some big blocked shots too and gets himself in passing lanes, anticipating the play defensively. Offensively, he works the powerplay very well and does a great job of anticipating (again that word) the play and keeping the puck in the zone. He also had two very nice stretch passes that nearly resulted in breakaways. That shows vision. On the negative, the Jordan Szwarz goal was directly his fault as he failed to tie up his man in front of the net. This is something he needs to work on. Also, he had two terrible giveaways in his own zone, although neither resulted in a Saginaw goal. Had one bad pinch that resulted in a two on one too. But, he's a talented kid playing in his first OHL season from Midget. He's going to go through some adjustments. Considering all he's done thus far for Owen Sound, I'd say he's a pretty impressive prospect.

Scott Stajcer (NYR)
As I mentioned, he didn't play as poorly as his stat line might indicate. His defense did not help him out all that much tonight. Stopped quite a few point blank opportunities, being aggressive in challenging the shooter and decreasing their target. He controlled his rebounds well and did admirably in keeping Owen Sound in a game they didn't have as much business being in as they were. The two fluke goals I already mentioned didn't help his stat line either. Nor did that last one by O'Connor help his confidence or focus either. It was clear he was distracted at the end of the game as Mark Reeds tried to signal him to the bench for the extra attacker, but he wasn't paying attention. That really flustered the Attack's momentum with the extra forward and they weren't able to get anything going. I also worry about his read of the play at times. The second period Sgarbossa goal was not a strong one, as he reacted about 5 seconds too late to a cross ice pass to Sgarbossa for the one timer to the top of the net. While he wasn't likely to stop it, I'm curious as to why he was so slow to react to the play. Perhaps the Owen Sound defense screened his view of the pass? Either way, Stajcer deserved a better fate tonight. He made 28 of 34 saves and took the loss.

Anyone else out there with thoughts?

Sunday Top 10 - Players Who Need to Step it Up!

Now that we're in November and the season is more than a quarter finished for most teams, I think it's an appropriate time to consider some players who've greatly underachieved this season. These guys aren't your typical OHL depth player. They are quality OHL players, several of them NHL draft picks, and as such more is expected of them on the ice.

Let's take a look...

10. Brett Flemming - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
After being such an important part of the Majors blueline last season, Flemming has struggled to find a role this season. Part of that could be due to the fact he's played both forward and defense, but if his play on defense had spoke for itself, he wouldn't have been switched. He has the potential to be a quality puck rushing and offensive defenseman in this league, but he's not doing it right now. The Majors need him to step up his game to take some offensive pressure off of Cameron Gaunce. He was more of a factor offensively in his 16 year old rookie season.

9. Marco Insam - Niagara IceDogs
The Italian Stallion, Insam has failed to repeat the success he had last season for Niagara when he became one of the teams most important goal scorers. This season he's struggled to make a consistent impact and has been much less of a physical force. I thought he had the potential to score 30 this year and the IceDogs could sure use it to help take the pressure off of their three main offensive players (Friesen, Agozzino, DeSousa). He needs to be less enamored with finding room for himself to get off his big slap shot, and begin to play the game simple. Be a big man who hits the crease and creates room for his smaller (albeit tougher) linemates.

8. Mathew Sisca - Guelph Storm
Brought over by Guelph in the offseason after finishing second in scoring for Niagara last season, Sisca was expected to help provide secondary offense behind some of the Storm's bigger guns (Kennedy, Beck, Holland, Latta). Instead, Sisca has been inconsistent offensively and has continued to be a less than effective two-way player (his ticket out of Niagara). On the plus side, he has been good for Guelph in winning face offs, but they brought him in to do more than that.

7. Josh Brittain - Plymouth Whalers
Already traded once this season after falling out of favor in Barrie, Brittain will try to impress the Whalers enough to earn significant playing time. He's getting it right now, playing with Tyler Seguin. Yet, he's got only 2 goals and no assists in 5 games. Such an enigma, Brittain will not be a significant factor in this league until he learns how to play every shift hard. Cutting back on the undisciplined penalties wouldn't hurt either. With some significant injuries to top offensive wingers, the Whalers really need Brittain to step up and provide Tyler Seguin with some help.

6. Marcus Foligno - Sudbury Wolves
Getting captain John Kurtz back in the fold was big for the turnaround of this team offensively and in the standings, but secondary scoring is still a problem. Part of the problem has been the lackluster play of Marcus Foligno, who was expected to take his offensive game to the next level this season, but instead decided to become a pugilist. With his father re-taking his post behind the bench, perhaps he can get Marcus' development back on track. Sure enough he realizes how important Marcus' offensive production is to this team's success.

5. Greg McKegg - Erie Otters
After a somewhat disappointing rookie season, more was expected in 2009 of this 2008 2nd overall selection in the priority draft. The Erie Otters are currently the worst team in the Western Conference by a large margin, and part of this has been an inability to put the puck in the net on a consistent basis. While McKegg hasn't been atrocious, he needs to be more consistent. The Otters are really missing Ryan O'Reilly right now and until players like Greg McKegg step up offensively, Otters fans won't have a reason to forget that.

4. Peter Di Salvo/Jason Missiaen/Scott Stajcer - Barrie Colts/Peterborough Petes/Owen Sound Attack
You know me, I've always got to cheat to get these lists down to 10 players. However, I do see reason to include all three of these guys on this list. All three are playing for good teams, but all three need to be way more consistent in order to make their teams serious threats in the post season. Di Salvo's lucky enough that the Colts offense has been as good as it has. He's given up 4 goals or more six times so far this season, three of which he's managed to win. Missiaen has been either lights out or a sieve, which has been the mantra of his OHL career thus far. Stajcer (a pick of mine for the 2nd all star team...not looking good so far), was quite bad during the Attack's opening season struggles. He has been better lately though, especially in this most recent weekend. All three of these guys have the talent to be top goaltenders in this league, but they need to step up and be more consistent.

3. Phil Varone - London Knights
Yeah the London Knights are a top 10 team in the CHL right now, but I think most Knights fans would tell you the team is underachieving offensively thus far. The main underachiever has been Varone, one of the stars of the teams playoff run last season. Two goals thus far just isn't going to cut it because the Knights are a much better team when the offensive motor of a guy like Varone is running. Perhaps he'll always be a streaky player though as that's kind of been the knack against him in his OHL career thus far.

2. Zack Kassian - Peterborough Petes
After starting the season somewhat well, Kassian injured his shoulder thanks to a hit by Greyhounds captain Jacob Muzzin. And since his return, he's been a non factor. The Petes need a healthy, determined, beast Kassian in order to get back to the way they were playing at the start of the season (when Kassian wasn't even playing spectacular). As a high NHL first round pick, I think the expectations on Kassian have to be high. And without his positive impact on the game, the Petes are only a mediocre team.

1. Tyler Cuma - Ottawa 67's
While I wasn't as high on the 67's this season as some other people and analysts were, I have to admit...If you would have told me that the 67's would have the least amount of wins in the league at the 1/4 mark, I would have thought you were crazy. One of the biggest reasons for the struggles of the 67's has definitely been injuries and illness upfront, but also the inability of the defense to keep pucks out of the net. One of the biggest suspects on this end has been Tyler Cuma. Whether it be rust from his knee injury of last season, or pressure from expectations of being an NHL first round pick, Cuma has not played well this season. In the times I've seen him play, he's been trying to do too much on the ice, rather than playing the smart two-way game he was drafted for. If the 67's are going to turn things around, they are going to need the old Tyler Cuma back (well and better goaltending).

Anybody on your team who needs to step it up? Do you disagree with any of these guys being on this list?

Thoughts on Owen Sound and Sarnia from September 23

Bored on a Wednesday night and tired of watching the 4th place Toronto Blue Jays (yes...I know...baseball), I decided to throw on the Owen Sound/Sarnia game on the Action Pack. Nothing like watching two winless teams fight for their first victory!

All joking aside, it was actually a very entertaining game; albeit a sloppy one. Both teams had their share of troubles defensively, with penalties (both teams had 6 powerplays) and with turnovers. Thanks in part to three powerplay goals, the Attack came out on top by a score of 5 to 2. First time I've really seen both of these teams this season. My general thought is that Sarnia will be in for a long season, as expected. They work hard and they've got some young talent, but this year will not be pretty for them in the standings. Owen Sound, despite the win, needs to be A LOT better if they want to finish better than last year. Turnovers in the defensive end and undisciplined penalties could have been the end of the them against a better and more talented team. They'll be playing Kitchener and Windsor on the weekend and if they play like that defensively, it'll be a long weekend (and not the good type of long weekend).

One thing I've really noticed is how much Owen Sound misses David Kolomatis. Obviously it didn't show on the powerplay, but I think it shows a lot 5 on 5. He's such a good skater and generally has little trouble bringing the puck into the offensive zone. I noticed tonight that most of the Owen Sound turnovers occurred as Attack defenseman tried to force the puck up ice on a rush (hello Curtis Crombeen and Paul Bezzo). As such, Attack forwards were generally responsible for bringing the puck up across the red line. Also, Kolomatis is a vastly underrated defensive player, who really solidifies the back-end. He's been out with mono and as such I really expected him to be back in Owen Sound due to circumstances beyond his control. But instead the Kings (who drafted him in 2009) recently sent him to the AHL's Manchester Monarchs training camp. Since he's returning from mono, he's not likely to be ready physically for AHL action anyway, but none the less, his demotion to Manchester and not Owen Sound has to be troubling to Attack management.

Enough with the rant, here's some of my thoughts on Attack and Sting players...

Owen Sound Attack






Keevin Cutting (2011)
Played a quietly effective game tonight. To be honest, I didn't really notice him that much on the ice. He had one bad turnover that I remember, where he tried to get too cute with the puck, but I also remember him bailing out Paul Bezzo on a few occasions defensively. One thing I do feel the need to mention is how small he looks on the ice. He's listed at 6'1, 177lbs, but he doesn't really look 6'1. Perhaps because he's so slim in comparison to his teammates. As one of the younger 1992 birth dates in the OHL, he's got a lot of time to put on weight and size before the NHL comes calling in June of 2011. I'm interested to see how talented he is offensively, once he starts to gain more confidence in doing things with the puck.

Curtis Crombeen (2011)
Curtis Crombeen is going to be a good player in the OHL, but he doesn't look ready yet. Admittedly he did get better as the game went on, but he's still too careless with the puck for my liking. Made a couple bad pinches and turned the puck over trying to cut through the opposition with the puck. He also makes Keevin Cutting look like Paul Bezzo. He is very talented though and you can see that in the few successful rushes he did make. Elite skater with potentially elite puckhandling skills. Just needs to continue to adapt to the speed of the OHL game.

Garrett Wilson (FLA)
The best player on the ice for me tonight. It's obvious as to what Wilson worked in this offseason. His skating looks much better. He's still slow getting going, but because he's got good size, once he hits that top gear, he's hard to handle. He appears to have turned himself into more than the crease crasher and slot target he was last season. His line (with Shipley and Josh Moes) was the most effective for Owen Sound. He really appears confident in his ability to take the puck hard to the net and in so, created several scoring chances. He also made a really nice touch pass to Joey Hishon for the 2nd Attack goal, where he used his body to shield the defender going hard to the net. He's still a physical presence on the ice too. Looks much improved to me. He finished the game with 1 goal and 2 assists and was named the first star.

Joey Hishon (2010)
Hishon played a solid game tonight. His speed and puck control wreck havoc on opposing defenses. I do have one criticism though. I feel like he and his linemmates didn't really connect tonight. They were dangerous, but they did so on accord of their own individual efforts, more so on cycling and working as a cohesive unit. The line (Myles Doan and Bobby Mignardi with Hishon) and it's speed really gave the Sting defense fits. I felt like some of that connection problem came from Hishon himself, who tried to do a little bit too much. He's a great puckhandler, but I felt like he had already made up his mind a few times as to where he was going with the puck. While some teams love to see a guy like that, I think most prefer those types on the wing. As a center, and as a great playmaker, I think Hishon needs to use his linemmates more than he did tonight. But I suppose that is nitpicking on a night where he had a goal and an assist and was one of the game's most dangerous players. His powerplay goal off that nice Wilson feed really showcased Hishon's ability in close to the net where he made a nice move to cut back to the middle and out-waited the Sting goalie for the goal.

Steven Shipley (2010)
Shipley is a bit of an enigma. At times he was a dominant force on the ice and other times he appeared content to play a background role. I think it may be a confidence thing that will slowly allow him to become an impact player. He skates very well for a big man, accelerating to top speed in only a few strides. He used this skating ability on a few occasions to blow past a Sting defenseman on his way to the net. I also think he uses his size really well when he doesn't have the puck, making room for his linemmates. Truthfully, I'd love to see him on the wing where he'd be more fit to use his size and speed coming down the wing. One thing I don't want to see him doing is quarterbacking the powerplay like he did tonight. In my opinion, it's a total waste of his size and hands. Shipley finished the game with 2 assists.

Geoffrey Schemitsch (2010)
Liked what I saw of this OHL rookie tonight. He was probably the most effective Owen Sound defender at rushing the puck up the ice and he appears to have the confidence of the coaching staff as he played in all situations. He did have one very bad turnover where he panicked and tried to force a pass to the wing and it led to a near goal (if not for a post and his effort to come back and clear the puck from the goal line). But he was generally very solid and smart with the puck. Decent size, if he can have a good year, he might get NHL draft attention. He finished the game with 2 assists.

Scott Stajcer (NYR)
Stajcer was very shaky in the first period, but really settled down as the game went on. The two goals he gave up in the first were a direct result of very poor rebound control. That being said, the rebounds would have been a non issue had Owen Sound defenders tied up their man. He does have a tendency to give up bad rebounds on low shots to his pads. Stajcer needs to learn how to direct his rebounds to the corner and away from the slot. On high shots, he's excellent though and does a very good job of controlling shots to his chest. Another thing I'd like to see from Stajcer is for him to be more aggressive in challenging shooters. He rarely leaves the blue ice of his crease and got caught deep in his net a few times. He got lucky with a couple posts too. But you have to give him credit for shutting the door in the second and the third. He finished the game with 32 saves on 34 shots, got the win and was named the game's 2nd star.

Sarnia Sting






Nathan Chiarlitti (2010)
He's already matched his goal scoring total (and point total for that matter) from last season. Chiarlitti is also wearing an A this year, which proves that Dave McQueen and the coaching staff have a lot of confidence in him. He finished the game -2, but I'm not necessarily sure he deserved that fate. He looks pretty poised with the puck and did a good job at keeping the puck in the zone. He also was smart in his pinches. Defensively, he looked pretty solid. Did a good job with the rush and was hard to beat one on one. On the negative side, and perhaps part of the reason he was -2, he needs to work on his zone coverage. But he appears to have a pretty good head on his shoulders and has the makings of a steady two-way defender.

J.C. Campagna (2011)
One of those highly touted draft picks that the Sting managed to sign, Campagna had a solid game. He's got really great wheels and seems to have a nose for the net. His goal was scored as he jumped on a juicy rebound and put it top shelf. I really liked the energy he brought and he even got involved physically. Seems like a really talented 1993.

Brandon Francisco (2011)
Another of the highly touted draft picks from the 2009 priority draft, Francisco was supposed to be one of the most talented players available and a surefire top 10 selection. However, due to the same old NCAA connections, he slipped to the third round. You can see why he was so highly touted. Similar to Campagna, he brings a lot of speed and energy to the ice. He's got great hands and nearly scored off a nice rush. However, he appears a lot more physically immature than Campagna. At only 5'10, 155lbs, he was getting pushed around out there and got leveled twice with hits. He was really only noticeable on a couple occasions, as his body just isn't ready for a big role in the OHL. He'll be a good player though once he gets bigger and stronger.

Joe Rogalski (2010)
I thought Rogalski was less impressive than his defense partner, Nathan Chiarlitti. He got exposed a few times defensively, especially off the rush. He appears to be mobile and a solid skater, but he needs to keep his feet moving. He also had some trouble in the defensive zone with coverage. Offensively, he looked poised with the puck and did a good job rushing it and moving it up ice. But he's got to be better defensively. With his size and potential offensively, he'll definitely get a look from the NHL. Rogalski also finished -2.

That's all folks. I know there are quite a few Owen Sound fans who read the blog and obviously some Sarnia ones (Ryan Yessie I'm looking at you!), so I'd love to hear what you guys thought on the game too.

Sunday Top 10 - Biggest Draft Risers

As you may recall, last week's Sunday Top 10 ranked the biggest draft fallers over the course of the 2008-09 OHL season. Today, we will rank the draft risers. These are the players who saw their stock increase the most over the course of the 2008-09 season.

Here is the top 10:

10. Brett Flemming - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Flemming is perhaps a bit of a reach for a list like this because he still could go undrafted. However, I think he did enough this season to warrant a look from scouts. Not the biggest defenseman out there at 5'10, 165lbs, Flemming proved that he could handle both ends of the rink. He moves the puck well, skates well, is developing some intensity and showed that at this level, his size isn't a detriment. As the season went along, he really developed and became the Majors 2nd most important defenseman behind OHL all star Cameron Gaunce. Progressing from part time OHL player to top pairing defenseman earns him a spot on this list. Without that progression and improvement, he doesn't get a sniff from NHL scouts.

9. Scott Valentine - Oshawa Generals
Valentine's rise in the draft rankings was pretty much done in the final third of the season. Not many guys rise like that without their team making the OHL playoffs. Valentine started the year stuck on the deep London Knight blueline and was earning little playing time. As part of the John Tavares trade, Valentine exploded in Oshawa with a larger role. With good size, offensive ability, and an aggressive nature, it's all a matter of whether that small sample size in Oshawa (26 games) is enough to impress the scouts. Judging from the fact that he went from unranked (210 spots available) to ranked 110 in the final ranking of the NHL's Central Scouting, he's getting that attention. Don't be surprised if this guy gets his named called in the first three rounds, well ahead of some of the others I personally have ranked ahead of him.

8. Darren Archibald - Barrie Colts
Archibald went undrafted last year while playing in the OPJHL on the stacked Stouffville Spirit team that included Ethan Werek and Corey Trivino. That summer, he was drafted as a mature pick in the 7th round of the 2008 OHL Priority draft by the Barrie Colts. Suiting up for Barrie this season did wonders for him. He emerged as one of the team's best forwards, finishing third in points and third in goals with 25. He performed even better in the playoffs, leading Barrie in scoring with 4 goals and 7 points in 5 games. Archibald has NHL size at 6'3, and is still learning how to use his frame. But he shows glimpses of possible power forward development, driving hard to the net and using his body. I think this guy goes higher than expected next weekend.

7. Kyle Clifford - Barrie Colts
Another Barrie forward, Clifford didn't necessarily wow scouts with his OHL season, where he finished with 16 goals and 28 points. However, his performance at the 2009 Under 18's did. He showcased his strong work ethic and ability to play hard, hanging in there against the cream of the crop of his age group. While he largely profiles as a character forward at the next level, some believe he has some offensive potential. I know of one scouting agency that has him inside their top 50 for the draft, which suggests he could be a selection in the top three rounds as well.

6. Taylor Beck - Guelph Storm
A former second round pick in the OHL Priority draft by Guelph, Beck exploded offensively this season after putting up moderate numbers in his rookie year. He finished 4th in scoring for Guelph and managed to earn himself a lot of NHL draft attention in the process. While his skating needs work, and some question his NHL upside, he remains an attractive selection due to the fact that his hard work creates scoring chances.

5. Matt Duchene - Brampton Battalion
OK, I know, somewhat odd seeing Duchene on this list given that he's always been considered a top 10 pick for 2009. However, Duchene came into the season as just that; a guy being considered as a top 10 selection. He finishes the season and goes into the draft as someone being pegged as a top 3 selection. Duchene's play in Brampton this season leaves some believing he could be the best player out of this draft class. Redline Report has him ranked second ahead of John Tavares. I've seen mock drafts recently that have the Islanders selecting him first overall. Duchene came a long way this season and really cemented his status as a franchise prospect.

4. Scott Stajcer - Owen Sound Attack
Last season, Stajcer played 6 games in the OHL, struggling badly. This season he begun playing very little behind high NHL draft pick Tyler Beskorowany. But as the season went along, Stajcer began to get better and better, and subsequently he earned himself into a platoon role. A big goalie, Stajcer needs to refine his mechanics, but he's showcased the ability to win, and even steal hockey games. While not appearing at the Under 18's had to have been a disappointment to a lot of scouts, I don't expect Stajcer to last outside the top 100.

3. Matt Clark - Brampton Battalion
Clark went from playing in the OPJHL last season to being one of the top defenseman on the best team in the Eastern Conference this year. Clark's big body, in combination with his mobility and physical presence makes him a very attractive selection for NHL clubs. While his offensive upside remains a bit of a mystery, he has the makings of a quality stay at home defenseman in the mold of a guy like Brooks Orpik, who was instrumental in helping the Pittsburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup.

2. Matt Hackett - Plymouth Whalers
After playing sparingly with Plymouth last season, Hackett failed to be selected in the 2008 NHL entry draft. This season, he came back strong and determined to prove scouts wrong. Hackett's strong play eventually led Plymouth to deal starter Jeremy Smith, and he proceeded to lead them to the 2nd round of the OHL playoffs. Hackett's strong play during both the regular season and playoffs earned him the top spot among North American goalies on the NHL's Central Scouting list. Don't expect him to fall through another draft.

1. Calvin de Haan - Oshawa Generals
Originally an undersized offensive defenseman when he was drafted in the 3rd round of the OHL draft in 2007, de Haan blossomed into a budding star with Oshawa this season. It was quite the year for Calvin who cracked the Generals roster for the first time, quickly became their top defenseman, made the OHL all star game, and was finally named to the 2009 Under 18 team for Canada. Despite putting up 63 points and a plus rating on a terrible Oshawa team, it was not until the Under 18's where Calvin really began to catch the eye of scouts. He was arguably Canada's best defenceman and one of the best defenceman in the tournament. Expect Calvin's great year to continue with a selection in the first round of the 2009 NHL entry draft next weekend.

Next Sunday's Top 10 will most likely focus on the NHL Entry Draft and be written after its conclusion. Expect something along the lines of, "Biggest surprises at the Entry Draft."