Thoughts on London from February 4

Had some time on my hands tonight so I figured I'd tune in to the OHL Action Pack. Some really interesting games being played tonight. Cody Hodgson's return to the Battalion line up against Erie. The titans of the East clashing (Barrie and Missy). But I ended up watching the IceDogs and Knights for two reasons. The first being curiosity over what would happen with the return of lifelong IceDog Chris DeSousa after his trade demand. The second being that I'm heading to the Garden City this weekend to check out the Dogs and Spits at the Gatorade Garden City Complex on Saturday night. The game tonight against the Knights and the one on Saturday against the Spits should make for a good write up on the Dogs weekend action. Enough rambling.

This game was quite intense, as I expected it would be. For whatever reason, the Dogs seem to give the Knights fits. London did not look sharp tonight though. To their credit, Niagara played a very solid defensive game, but London just couldn't crack the offensive zone and continued to turn the puck over in the neutral zone. They also played very undisciplined. Obviously, a lot of this was from frustration over how they were getting bottled up around center ice, but you've got to keep your cool. To many stupid penalties taken by them giving Niagara the powerplay, or negating their own powerplays. Nothing against the Knights, but I think Kitchener is the better team in that division. The Rangers have had a bit of a rough patch in the recent month and a half, but I think they've got more talent and a deeper unit than the Knights do currently, which ultimately makes them a more dangerous playoff opponent. Obviously, this is all my opinion, but I still think Kitchener takes that division when all is said and done.

I don't want to talk too much about the IceDogs since I'll likely be writing something about them on Sunday. However, goaltender Mark Visentin deserves a mention for his strong play tonight. There's a reason scouts have him as the top goaltender available for the draft from the OHL. I know I had him as the third best goalie available on my mid term ranking, but if Visentin can continue to put up performances like this and get the Dogs into the playoffs, he'll be number one on my list too. Incredibly positionally sound and continues to improve.

Let's get to some thoughts on the Knights (even if it's mostly negative on a night where most of London's players did not look good).

Reid McNeill (2010)
Really interesting story. Played high school hockey in London last year and walked on to the Knights this offseason. Was surprisingly ranked by Central Scouting on their midterm rankings for North America. Tried to focus on him during this one since I'd never noticed him in previous viewings. McNeill is a really raw player. Great size, seems to have solid mobility. Saw a lot of ice time actually, paired with Steve Tarasuk, Michael D'Orazio and Tommy Hughes at different times, and saw time on the penalty kill. I liked his composure defensively and his ability to stay with players on the way to the net. Offensively...he's raw. Needs work on the breakout pass from what I saw, as he often elected to chip the puck out of play or just blindly get it out from the zone rather than carry it up or hit a streaking forward. Oddly enough, he did have a couple of nice rushes with the puck into Niagara's zone while play was at 4 on 4. Maybe the small ice surface and the Niagara forecheck had him slightly nervous. You can see why scouts might be interested though. Reminds me a lot of Plymouth's Austin Levi.

Scott Harrington (2011)
Harrington is a really solid player and has a bright future ahead of him. The Knight first rounder (and should have been top 5 selection), has been a revelation for London this year when they've needed defenseman to step up so badly. He played a quietly effective game. Good mobility, not afraid to carry the puck up ice. Runs the point on the powerplay pretty effectively for his age, although needs to work on getting his shot through to the net. Defensively, he's not afraid to throw a hit or use his body to separate a player from the puck. Got hung out to dry a few times by defense partner Michael D'Orazio, one of which was the 2 on 1 that Freddie Hamilton scored the game winner on. He looked very indecisive on the 2 on 1, and didn't take away the pass or the shot from Hamilton or Petgrave. If you ask any goaltender, all they ask you to do is to give them a chance by taking away one of the options, in turn giving them a better chance to make the save. These are things Harrington will learn in this league. It'll be interesting to see how all of these strong OHL '93 born defenseman separate themselves next year in their draft season.

Steven Tarasuk (Overage Free Agent)
If Rob Kwiet can earn a professional contract (AHL deal), then Tarasuk can too as IMO he's the better defenseman. He's not the biggest guy, nor is he the world's best skater, but he's smart and he's a workhorse and there's no reason to think his breakout OHL season is a result of some fluke. Some guys just blossom later with increased responsibility. Tarasuk played like 60% of the game, or so it seemed anyway. On the ice in all situations and in some occasions, the entire powerplay. He moves the puck up ice very well, especially with the breakout pass. Defensively he made a couple of very nice plays to break up opportunities in the crease area, including saving a goal by batting the puck out of the air before it could drop behind Michael Hutchinson. He'll have to work hard to get a sniff from the NHL (probably after several seasons in the minors), but there is hope if he's persistent. Scored the Knights only goal on a 5 on 3 powerplay with a wicked slap shot that beat a screened Mark Visention short side.

Tommy Hughes (2010)
Not really sure where London finds these guys (perhaps it's the larger amount of money to spend on scouting than other teams), but I was impressed with the new London defenseman. I was however disappointed in the amount of ice time he received. He actually showed me more than Reid McNeill did. He's just as big, seems to be equally mobile, but also seems more willing to be physical and did a better job of making a quick pass out of the defensive zone. One play that really impressed me occurred in the second period when Andrew Shaw came buzzing down on Hughes behind the net, but Hughes put Shaw on his back, shielded the puck from him, maintained composure and hit a Knights forward with a breakout pass just past the blueline. Shaw (one of the league's better forecheckers) can eat even the most experienced OHL defenseman up, let alone a guy playing in his 5th game. Here's hoping he gets more ice time.

Nazem Kadri (TOR)
Nazem did not have a strong game. He seems to have a lot of trouble playing in Niagara as I remember last year when the Knights came to town, he played one of the worst games I've ever seen him play. I think a lot of it has to do with the small ice in Niagara limiting him from playing the speed and puck possession game that he excels it. Less room to move with the puck, and less room for defensive players to move in order to trap Kadri. He had a visibly frustrating night as time and time again he tried to carry the puck into the offensive zone only to lose it at center ice or the opposing blueline. Once in the zone, he had a lot of trouble getting open too. On top of this, he took a couple of really undisciplined penalties, one a slewfoot on Matt Petgrave, another as the second man into the scrum negating a London powerplay. If the game isn't going well for him, he's got to control his emotions better on the ice. I think one of the other problems he can face is that he becomes predictable. When the Knights are struggling offensively, he tends to do too much which only compounds his problems. Teams trap him into carrying the puck into a turnover, as they know he's going to be looking to take it to the net. I know that's where a lot of people get concerns over his hockey sense. He's had a very good last month though, so it's hard to argue with the results besides tonight's game. Just that I can't help but be left underwhelmed when I see him on most nights.

Jared Knight (2010)
Fresh off his Q & A with me, Knight had an OK game. Thought he was one of the better London forwards on the night, which isn't really saying much. Was actually disappointed with the ice time he got in certain situations. Quite often he failed to start a powerplay, and wasn't on the ice in the minute to help his team attempt to tie the game. Seems odd to keep your leading goal scorer out of those situations. Not to mention his lack of penalty kill time, and considering Jared considers himself a speedy two way forward, you'd think he'd get more time on the PK than he did tonight. But he brought speed and was one of the only London forwards able to crack Niagara's defense on a few rushes to the net. His combination of speed and tenacity could make him a dangerous player in the future when he adds more strength to his frame.

Michael Hutchinson (BOS)
Hutchinson had a very strong game. Niagara really outplayed London for the majority of the game and he kept his team in it. Like Mark Visentin at the other end, Hutchinson is very technically sound. Challenges the shooter, follows the play well, generally does a good job swallowing up rebounds. He's already a big goalie (at 6'3), so when he comes out to the top of that blue ice, he really doesn't give you much to shoot at. The two goals weren't really his fault. The 2 on 1 shot by Hamilton went top shelf and the lack of commitment by Harrington on the play left Hutchinson in a tough position and didn't really allow him to square himself to the shooter. On the other goal (by Hamilton as well), he gave up a juicy rebound from a point shot, and none of his defenseman were there to clear the side of the net where a wide open Hamilton had a gimme goal. He made 36 of 38 saves and took the loss.

Thoughts on the game, if you managed to see it?

Sunday Top 10 - Most Improved Players

One thing we often forget about this great league is that the players who play in it are just teenagers (for the majority). They are either still in high school or recently graduated. And as a direct result of their age, they are still maturing; as both individuals and athletes.

For a whole host of different reasons, players in this league can often take gigantic leaps forward in their playing ability from one year to the next. Maybe it's more playing time and increased confidence. Maybe it's a greater focus and commitment to the OHL (e.g. diet, lifestyle, practice habits). Or maybe it's an improvement in an area previously holding them back (e.g. skating). Different strokes for different folks, and as a result every year many OHL players take that step forward from background player to star player (although in some cases, good player to superstar).

With nearly three quarters of the OHL regular season finished, I think it's safe to say who the most improved players are this year. With the exception of some 16 year old rookies, not many guys take that next step forward in the last six weeks of the regular season and playoffs. The following top 10 is dedicated to those who've really taken a step forward in the right direction this year and man was it a tough list to make. So many players have greatly improved this year for the reasons listed above. As a result, I've included several guys in an honorable mention list which I don't always include.

Here's the Top 10 Most Improved Players of the 2009-10 OHL Season...

10. Mike Cazzola - Erie Otters
A tiny center (generously listed at about 5'7), Cazzola didn't really hit his stride until about a month into the season. This corresponds with the formation of one of the hottest and best lines in the OHL (that no one talks about) which is made up of Cazzola, Greg McKegg, and Zack Torquato. Since the beginning of November, Cazzola has 50 points in 34 games which is nearly double the amount he had last season as an energy player for the Otters. While his production increase is no doubt correlated to the chemistry he and his linemates have developed, Cazzola has an equal part in the success. While small, he is fearless in traffic, is a tireless worker, and has the hockey sense that allows him to succeed against larger defenders. As a 1991, he looks to have carved out a very nice OHL career for himself.

9. Vern Cooper - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
When the Hounds acquired the undersized forward from Plymouth at the import draft, I don't think they expected to be getting their top scoring forward for the 2009-10 season. Traded as part of a deal that saw Plymouth move up to 3rd in the Import Draft and the Soo down to 6th, Cooper was essentially a throw in. A strong energy, two way forward for Plymouth since he entered the league in 2006-07, Cooper was a tremendous acquisition for the Hounds. He's been the team's best forward all season long and has transferred his energy into offensive production, on pace to nearly double his best season to date. Best of all, he has been a large reason the Hounds sit 5th in the Western Conference (surprising to some but not to me if you see my preseason predictions). An overager next season, Cooper will no doubt be back in the Soo where he'll likely lead an even stronger and more improved Hounds squad.

8. Mavric Parks - Barrie Colts
Acquired this offseason by Kitchener in exchange for a mid round draft pick, Parks was seen as a veteran back up to the incoming Brandon Maxwell. Little did the Rangers know that they'd be getting one heck of a goaltender, who was stuck in the place good goaltenders go to die (Kingston). Parks immediately showed what he was capable of and has been one of the best goaltenders in the league this season. Not the biggest goaltender, Parks manages to play the angles so well that he gives shooters so little to shoot at. Parks is as technically sound as you can get. As a testament to his improvement, Parks was acquired from Kingston for a 5th rounder, but then traded at the deadline by Kitchener to Barrie for a 5th and a 3rd. The Rangers got 14 wins and a 3rd rounder for free basically. For the rest of the season Parks will play the platoon role with Barrie's Peter Di Salvo and then likely play next season as an overager with another OHL team looking for a hired gun to secure their goaltending position.

7. Casey Cizikas - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Cizikas had a pretty tough season last year. A former 3rd overall priority draft selection, Cizikas battled through inconsistency and off ice issues. With all of those behind him and a surprising selection inside of the Top 100 of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Cizikas has really blossomed into the player many expected he would this season. He's centering the first line of one of the top teams in the Canadian Hockey League, he's an OHL All Star, and he's developed into one of the best two way players in the Ontario Hockey League. Essentially, any criticisms that scouts had towards him last season have been erased this season. He's playing with passion and it shows. He's on a near point per game pace, and his +30 is 4th among forwards in the OHL, to Taylor Hall, Alex Hutchings, and Eric Wellwood. Pretty good company.

6. Steven Tarasuk - London Knights
No John Carlson, Michael Del Zotto, Kevin Montgomery or Matt Clarke in London this season. Pretty rare for a team to lose it's entire Top 4 on defense. Even rarer for that team to expect themselves to still be contenders in their Conference and Division. Enter overager Steven Tarasuk. A very capable defenseman throughout his OHL career, but not someone thought to be a game changer. All that has changed this season with Tarasuk leading an inexperienced London defense to first in their division and intermittent inclusions in the CHL Top 10. Tarasuk is averaging nearly a point per game, leads the OHL in +/-, and his 14 goals are second by defenseman to fellow overager Reggie Traccitto of Niagara. Tarasuk has previously shown glimpses of this ability in 2007-08 when he split the year between Kitchener and London, but last season he really got buried by London's depth of offensively gifted defenseman.

5. Eric Wellwood - Windsor Spitfires
Perhaps last year's playoffs and Memorial Cup were Wellwood's coming out party, and this year he's only continued with the success. But if you go back to over one year ago and the beginning of the 2008-09 OHL season, not many players have improved as much as Eric Wellwood. One of the fastest skaters in the OHL, Wellwood has developed from a speedy energy player/penalty killer into one of the most dynamic two way forwards in the league. He's developed confidence in his ability to take the puck to the net, utilizing his speed and he's finding scoring areas playing a high tempo game in Windsor. It's clear the Philadelphia Flyers saw this ability in him when they drafted him last year as a re-entry. Pretty smart decision as Wellwood looks to have developed into at worst a solid 3rd-4th liner at the next level and could absolutely develop into a better NHL player than his brother Kyle.

4. Jacob Muzzin - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Some guys just develop later than others. Last year the Pittsburgh Penguins opted to not sign Muzzin, their 5th round pick in the 2007 Entry Draft. Muzzin then went undrafted and returned to the Soo for his overage season. Muzzin was actually an OHL all star last season, playing for an atrocious Greyhounds team that finished last in the league. Despite being a larger physical defenseman with some offensive upside, no one seemed to want Muzzin, perhaps due to his poor mobility and questionable puck decisions. This season, Muzzin has become a new player. Whether not getting signed was a wake up call to improve his commitment to improvement remains to be seen. One thing is for certain, Muzzin has developed into one of the best defenseman in the OHL. On top of retaining his physical defensive style, Muzzin leads the league in defenseman scoring with 54 points and has improved his mobility considerably. So much so that according to TSN's Bob Mackenzie, there was quite the frenzy by NHL teams to try and sign him to an entry level contract. The Los Angeles Kings ended up winning his services and it'll be interesting to see how his game progresses at the next level.

3. Mark Visentin - Niagara IceDogs
It's often tough for 16 year old goalies in the OHL. Going from midget to the OHL is about the same as going from the OHL straight to the NHL for goaltenders. Players make quicker decisions, can shoot harder and more accurate, and the pressure to perform is that much greater. Visentin did not have a good rookie season and quite often looked overmatched in the league. But to his credit, this season has been a complete 180 degrees. I say to his credit because I've heard some people around the league say that this guy's work ethic is among the best in the league. The combination of a great attitude with great goaltending is a big reason why he's currently the top rated goalie from the OHL for the 2010 Entry Draft and earned himself a performance (and a great one at that) in the Top Prospects Game. While Niagara has struggled at times this season, Visentin has held his ground and it's only a matter of time before he can call himself the best goaltender in this league. The icing on the cake would be a selection inside the first three rounds of the draft in June.

2. Taylor Beck - Guelph Storm
Last year a lot of people were split on Beck for the NHL Entry Draft. Either it was his skating not being good enough, his offensive ceiling being too low, or his intensity level lacking for his game style. A lot of knocks against a player who ended up going 70th overall. But it's pretty clear he's erasing a lot of those doubts this season. The least likely candidate of the Guelph big three (Holland and Latta) to break out, Beck has exploded. He's currently third in OHL scoring, is playing with intensity every night and is showing people that he's got the offensive upside of a top 6 winger in the NHL. While Beck did have a solid year last season, he's on pace for over 100 points this season and his progression as an OHL player, and even more as an NHL prospect earns him second place on this list.

1. Tyler Seguin - Plymouth Whalers
Perhaps a lot of people could be surprised about Seguin appearing on this list. After all, he shined as an OHL rookie last season (had the best year of any 1992) and was tremendous for Plymouth down the stretch. The natural progression would have had him take that next step this season. However I don't think people could have expected what he's done this season. He's leading the OHL in scoring (and his team by 35 points) and has moved into consideration for first overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, which was once considered to be locked up by Windsor's Taylor Hall. Seguin has the confidence, skill, and speed of few forwards in this league and could still continue to improve, especially as a dominant two way center. He's on pace to double his goal totals from last season and is completely erasing the memories of those who claimed he was leaching off of Chris Terry and Matt Caria last season. Taking that next step from budding superstar to superstar is definitely good enough to earn him the top spot on this list.

Honorable Mention:
Kyle Clifford & Taylor Carnevale - Barrie Colts
The progression of these two has been a large reason for Barrie's emergence as (possibly) the team to beat in the OHL. Clifford has become a strong offensive power forward while Carnevale has developed into a solid two way center who might just be one of the better penalty killers in the league.

Alex Friesen & Reggie Traccitto - Niagara IceDogs
Considering how many players have taken steps forward this season, it's amazing that the Dogs haven't been better than they currently are. Friesen has emerged as one of the teams most dangerous offensive players after looking like purely an energy forward last season. While overager Traccitto has taken over the role of number one defenseman from Alex Pietrangelo and leads the league in goals scored by a defenseman.

Tony DeHart & Christian Thomas - Oshawa Generals
While the Generals have had an up and down season, they do currently sit 7th in the East, which is better than most people expected. DeHart has emerged as a 1st pairing OHL defenseman and with Calvin de Haan out for the remainder of the season, he's going to have to continue to lead this team from the back end. Thomas is another guy who was expected to improve this season, but has exceeded expectations as the teams leading scorer and the type of dynamite offensive firecracker his father was.

Luke Judson - Belleville Bulls
It's hard to get noticed when your team sucks. The Bulls sit last in the Eastern Conference and seemed destined for a top 3 pick at Priority Draft. Yet one player's improvement is going completely unnoticed. Buried on a solid team last year, Judson managed to shine at times as one of the teams checking players. It wasn't enough to get him drafted (despite many teams being interested). This year, he leads the team in goals with 19 and has been named the team captain at the age of 18, all the while still playing the truculent style that made him noticeable last season. Don't be surprised if he gets noticed at this years NHL Entry Draft.

Taylor Doherty - Kingston Frontenacs
One player who does have more to gain by making this list at the end of the season. With Erik Gudbranson out with mono, Doherty has finally taken steps forward and has 11 goals and 6 assists in his last 18 games over a two month span. Finally using his big shot and playing better defensively, Doherty looks to be on the right track developmentally.

Devante Smith-Pelly - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Smith-Pelly was one of the more impressive 1992's last season, when he played a checking line role for the Majors. This year he's become the team's top scorer and has emerged as a future star in this league as a hard working offensive power winger. The chemistry he has developed with Casey Cizikas should make them both even more dangerous next season.

Garrett Wilson - Owen Sound Attack
Improved skating goes a long way to improve the offensive production of a power forward. Able to take the puck to the net with confidence, Wilson is having a career year in Owen Sound and is making the Florida Panthers very happy for rolling the dice on him.

Jared Knight - London Knights
If the award was for most improved from the start of the 2009-10 to the end of the 2009-10 season, Knight would probably take the cake. Struggling through a diabetes diagnosis, Knight has finally producing for London and currently sits second in team scoring behind Nazem Kadri.

Sean Keogh's Thoughts on London and Ottawa from January 17

For those that follow the blog, or have followed it over the course of the last year, Sean Keogh was once a frequent contributor. A former writer at HockeysFuture (like myself), Keogh has a tremendous eye for the game and is someone I really trust for an opinion on a certain player. To make a long story short, Sean has moved to Switzerland for school purposes (Masters) and thus hasn't been able to watch the OHL. But now that he's on his January hiatus/holiday back home in Ottawa, he's been able to catch up on a few games. I welcome anything he can provide! Here's his report from last weekend's game between the Knights and 67's.

London Knights vs. Ottawa 67s – January 17^th, 2010

Unfortunately I have not been able to contribute to the blog this year because I am now living in Switzerland, however I have been home for the month of January. On Sunday I was able to catch the 67s hosting the London Knights, in what was an exciting, competitive match between two division-leading clubs. The final score was 3-2 for the 67s, with the tie being broken in a shootout.

From a prospect-viewing standpoint, it was an unusually uninteresting London team that played on Sunday, at least compared to most years. With Phil Varone injured, and Phil McRae and Zac Rinaldo dealt at the deadline, the 67s were probably the more intriguing team from a viewing perspective.

London Knights

Nazem Kadri (TOR)

On Sunday, Kadri was if nothing else very involved in the play. He notched London’s first goal and was their most noticeable player. Perhaps the most notable play was when Kadri crashed into 67s goalie Petr Mrazek and fought Tyler Cuma as a result. Depending on how you saw it, Kadri either had no chance to get out of the way or gave Mrazek an extra shot for good measure. Overall Kadri handled the puck a lot, saw lots of ice-time and was probably the most dangerous player as well. Whether you call it feisty or chippy, Kadri also went for a couple of big hits and tried to stir things up a few other times. With all that being said, there was a downside to Kadri’s play on Sunday. First of all, he throws the puck away far too often and did not use his teammates very well when in the zone. While he is a gifted skater and confident puck-carrier, he is really not a natural puck-distributing center at all. Also, while his feistiness is encouraging, at times it also came off as immaturity, as Kadri whined and complained to referees much of the night. Brock and others have expressed concerns over Kadri’s offensive awareness and hockey sense on this blog in the past, and this game did little to change my mind on that issue. That being said, I think questions about immaturity and offensive upside will really be put to the test next year when Kadri plays professional hockey.

Michael Hutchinson (BOS)

The Knights were outshot and to a fair extent outplayed on Sunday, which meant Hutchinson was fairly busy. He stopped 40 of 42 shots, and both goals he let in were on the powerplay, so it was hard to fault him for either of them. Hutchinson takes up a lot of the net and seemed positionally sound, but did have a couple of lapses where he misjudged the puck and didn’t freeze it. In all honesty, it was hard to get a good read on Hutchinson from where I was seated, but he certainly looked like a solid goalie prospect on Sunday.

Jared Knight (2010)

I came in hoping to see a good outing from Jared Knight, but I think overall he had a quiet night. He showed some jump in the first period, and in particular had one nice burst of speed where he burnt 67s blueliner Marc Zanetti with speed wide. Zanetti was forced to take a holding penalty but Knight also got called for a dive and then a ten-minute misconduct for complaining. I thought I would see more of Knight after that, but he’s been getting better as the season goes along and already had three goals on the weekend, so he can be excused for having an off-game.

Reid McNeill (2010)

This is a player who was not on my radar until after consulting the Central Scouting List to be honest, and truthfully I cannot remember noticing McNeill during the game on Sunday. A stay-at-home guy, obviously McNeill was not likely to make an impact offensively, but his defensive play did not stand out either, which is obviously not necessarily a bad thing.

Justin Taylor (Free Agent)

After Washington opted not to sign him last spring, and Taylor re-entered the draft only to go unclaimed, he came back to London to play as an overager. I have always respected Taylor but have never been convinced of his professional potential. Once again Taylor played a solid respectable game, and at this level he is useful offensively, but if he wants to get back into the plans of an NHL franchise, he will have to overachieve unless he gets a surprise entry-level contract offer.

Steven Tarasuk (Free Agent)

An overager who is playing for a contract essentially, Tarasuk was easily the most noticeable and dangerous Knights blueliner. In fact only Kadri was better offensively for London. He was a +2 on the night and picked up 4 PIMs, including getting into a wrestling match with a much bigger Julien Demers at the end of regulation. Tarasuk has some nice offensive skills and has developed in to a very good defenceman at this level, but is probably not good enough or big enough to get an entry-level deal at this point.

Ottawa 67s

Tyler Cuma (MIN)

It has been well documented how Cuma has struggled to regain his game after knee injuries last year. Although this was not my first game watching Cuma and 67s this

month, it was my best live look of the year. Cuma had a fairly good game, and is certainly a valuable and positive contributor to the 67s blueline. His most notable moment was the fight he had with Nazem Kadri. Admirable as it was for Cuma to stand up for his goaltender, the two-five-and-ten that he got as a result meant he was in the penalty box for most of the third period and overtime. It was evident how important Cuma was to stabilizing the second pairing when he was unavailable. With that being said, I am still not sure Cuma is even as good as he was in his draft year. Although he is solid defensively and is playing with even more of a physical edge than I remembered, gone is the silky smooth offensive confidence. Although Cuma had several nice breakout passes and is still capable of contributing offensively at the OHL level, I am nowhere near as optimistic about his NHL potential in that regard as I was in Cuma’s draft year. He should still be an NHL defenceman, but his ceiling may simply be lower than expected in his draft year.

Julien Demers (SJ)

The game’s third star, Demers was his usual steady self. He scored the first 67s goal on the powerplay, as he wristed a point shot past Hutchinson. With Cuma’s penalty and an extra five minutes of overtime, Demers must have played 35 minutes in the game, and as he did all of last year, was the key guy for the 67s in all situations. In short, Demers looked exactly as he did all of last year, which is both a good and bad thing. The good is that Demers is a very good junior defenceman and a rock in his own zone. The bad is that I am starting to wonder how much more Demers can improve, and whether or not his development has plateaued. Being an overager, perhaps he simply needs to be challenged at the next level, but I think it comes down to carving out a niche. I do not see the offence translating to the next level in any big way, and wonder if Demers is big enough or fast enough to be a stay-at-home guy in the NHL. That being said, San Jose should sign him to a contract because Demers is a better prospect than Derek Joslin was at the same point, so perhaps all Demers needs is some AHL development time.

Anthony Nigro (STL)

The other goal scorer on the game for the 67s, Nigro had a solid game. He is not as dangerous a player as he was last year while on Couture’s wing though, because neither Ryan Martindale nor Cody Lindsay have anywhere near the natural playmaking ability that Couture had. But he worked hard down low all night and went to the net creating several chances. Nigro is without a contract and I think in many ways is a comparable player to Justin Taylor. In Ottawa, Nigro has played a more offensive role, but while his shot is fairly good, he is not really an offensive prospect at the next level. While his all-round play is always solid, I wonder if the Blues see enough there to give him a contract.

Corey Cowick (OTT)

Playing only his fifth game back after a major shoulder injury, Cowick did not register a point and may have had his quietest game since returning from injury. He has five goals in five games this season, but it is his physical play that has stood out. In this game he absolutely destroyed the pint-sized Daniel Erlich on a clean open-ice hit, and was a consistent physical presence all night. Cowick got away from his physical play last year, playing more of a finesse offensive game as the season wore on, and I wonder if the reason was the shoulder, as it was a nagging issue that kept him out of the AHL on a pro tryout when the season ended. His skating also seemed slightly improved, and while last year I wondered what he offered to an NHL club like Ottawa that drafted him, I am somewhat changing my mind after seeing him throw his weight around.

Tyler Toffoli (2010)

Although he did not end up on the scoresheet, I thought Toffoli might have been the most dangerous 67s forward on the afternoon. He is a potential late first round pick this spring and in this game he showed why. Toffoli had a couple of nice rushes, found a couple of nice seams while already controlling the zone, and created offence on a good number of his shifts. As an offensive prospect, Toffoli is a classic jack-of-all-trades, master of none. His only standout quality is great hockey sense, although his shot does look even more dangerous than last year. He ripped a couple of shots from the half-boards, and if he is developing in to more of a shooter, that could help his draft stock. What I think holds Toffoli back at times is his skating. He had several nice rushes, and can beat players with speed once he gets going, but he lacks the acceleration to do that often or easily.

Ryan Martindale (2010)

I thought Toffoli had a better game on Sunday, but I actually believe Martindale is the better prospect. He picked up an assist on the Demers goal, but did not have any real standout plays otherwise. There are many things to like about Martindale, he has good size, soft hands, all-round offensive skills and very good intelligence. I actually think his hockey sense has been underrated, both offensively and defensively. On Sunday he once again showed that coming back on the backcheck, he is very adept at picking up the third man on the rush. The two knocks on Martindale were evident in this game though, skating and intensity. Although he is actually very good at handling the puck and making plays on the move, he lacks the skating to pull away from people and as a result he is not that effective on the rush. Martindale also has a tendency to look like he is floating. It is a kind of casual, almost lackadaisical style that has been associated with guys like Logan Couture and more recently Peter Holland, although Martindale is not quite as gifted as either of them.

Dalton Smith (2010)

I think Cowick’s return has been a bad thing for Dalton Smith. He is back on the third line and with two very good scoring lines, the 67s are not really asking the third line to do much more than provide some energy and play even hockey. As a result, there was not a lot to report on from Sunday when it comes to Smith. He works hard, bangs and crashes and is an effective third liner for the 67s, but his goal production this year and his draft stock suggest that in a different role, maybe with better linemates, he is capable of more.

Petr Mrazek (2010)

Although Hutchinson faced more shots and was generally busier than Mrazek, I thought Mrazek made as many big saves and was as impressive overall despite being younger and much less experienced. Stopping 32 of 34 shots, Mrazek made all the routine saves and a couple unexpected ones, and was lights out in the shootout, stopping all three London shooters. Although only average in size, Mrazek is quick, athletic and positionally sound. He also showed a pretty effective pokecheck a few times, a sign of confidence I think. Personally I find it hard to evaluate a goalie based on only one game, but Mrazek definitely looks like a better prospect for the draft than Chris Perugini was last year.

Thanks to Sean for the great report, hoping it's not his last while he's home! He welcomes any questions or comments!