OHL Playoff Predictions - Round Two

I know it's slightly late to post this since round 2 has already started. However, I do promise that these predictions were made two days ago. I just haven't had the time to post them.

First a review of my predictions for round 1. (they can be found here)

Eastern Conference: 3/4
Western Conference: 4/4

7/8 out of eight sure ain't bad. The series I missed on was Barrie over Mississauga. I said that I thought Barrie would get the edge due to better goaltending. However, neither of Barrie's usually dynamite duo, Michael Hutchinson and Peter DiSalvo, had a good series. Interesting enough, I felt Chris Carozzi's goaltending was suspect and perhaps not good enough to let the Majors win a series. In that, I was right. Carozzi was replaced by 92 born J.P Anderson and he helped Mississauga into round two.

Onto my predictions for round 2...

Eastern Conference

1. Belleville Bulls vs. 6. Niagara IceDogs
Season Series: Bulls 4-0
My Analysis: It was great to see the Dogs advance into the second round, as it means I'll be getting to see more OHL action live, which is always a plus in terms of bringing you reports. However, I'm not to sure how much more hockey I'm going to get to see this season. Belleville has largely dominated Niagara this season and I'm not sure I see the Dogs keeping up with the balanced offensive attack in Belleville. Not to mention Mike Murphy in net. I think Jeremy Smith has a chance to steal a game or two, but not much more.
Prediction: Belleville in 5

2. Brampton Battalion vs. 4. Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Season Series: Battalion 7-1
My Analysis: Another one I don't expect to be incredibly close. I like the Majors and I like the fact that they've gotten some good goaltending from the rookie Anderson. But the Battalion are a juggernaut right now. They've got everything working for them and all cylinders rolling. At this point, I'm not even sure that Belleville can stop them in the conference finals, when the the time comes.
Prediction: Battalion in 5


Western Conference

1. Windsor Spitfires vs. 4. Plymouth Whalers
Season Series: Spitfires 6-2
My Analysis: I guarantee you that this wasn't the matchup that Windsor wanted in round 2. Plymouth has been rolling for quite some time now, getting solid offensive production, solid defensive coverage, and great goaltending. Obviously Windsor is outstanding on paper and they have oodles of talent, but I think their goaltending lets them down this series. Matt Hackett may be the biggest kept secret in the OHL. Meanwhile, the Spits have already shown a lack of faith in season starter Andrew Engelage with Josh Unice getting some playoff action. I think goaltending, heart, and momentum carry Plymouth to victory.
Prediction: Plymouth in 7

2. London Knights vs. 3. Saginaw Spirit
Season Series: Knights 3-1
My Analysis: I think this is a great match up for the Knights. I was originally somewhat skeptical of their chances of going deep in the playoffs. I felt that some areas of their team left something to be desired, despite a potentially dominant offensive attack. But London got great goaltending from Trevor Cann in round one, which is great to see because he's a solid goalie who's struggled a little bit in London. They have also gotten an absolutely rediculous effort from Nazem Kadri thus far, and as such, the Knights offensive attack is rolling hard. Saginaw has a solid team with some great veteran leadership, however I'm just not sure I see them being able to handle London right now.
Prediction: London in 5

Now let's see if I can go perfect this round.

Thoughts on Ottawa from the Postseason

The first round of the OHL playoffs wrapped up yesterday with the Ice Dogs thrilling overtime victory over the Ottawa 67's in game 7. It was a back and forth series with neither team able to win back to back games.

It's always great to catch teams in the playoffs, in particular because you want to see their top players step up their game. It was also interesting because I had seen Ottawa several times during the regular season and by seeing them over an extended period, it provided a closer and perhaps more accurate look at some players.

Here are my thoughts on some of the Ottawa players during the series...

Julien Demers - Drafted by San Jose in 2008/146th

Demers had a fantastic series. He finished +4 with 11 assists, and actually lead the 67's in scoring during the series. He's a very smart defender who doesn't take liberties with the puck in his own end and who makes a solid first pass. He does an outstanding job of keeping the puck in the offensive zone, especially on the powerplay. His offensive anticipation is quite excellent. Defensively, he's solid positionally and does a good job of staying with his man. Demers is just a solid all around presence. If he could have played the full 60 minutes, Ottawa would have won this series. On the negative side, I'm not sure his skating has improved a whole lot this season. To an extent it limits his ability to be more involved offensively because he can't be as effective as a puck rusher. Also, he wasn't nearly as physical in the series as I've seen him before. However I know the coaching staff has been working with him on picking his spots better with the hits, as he had a tendency to take himself out of the play looking for the big hit. But I feel that removing that edge from his game isn't the answer either.

Logan Couture - Drafted by San Jose in 2007/9th

Couture had a solid series as well. Previously, I had never really been impressed with him, but he made me a fan in the series. He's a solid two way player who is incredibly smart on the ice and appears to be thinking the game on another level compared to his peers. He was nearly a constant offensive threat throughout the series. His speed and acceleration have definitely improved and he has the ability to deceive defenders with his change of pace and puckhandling ability. Couture is especially effective in working the cycle and putting himself in the "Gretzky" area behind the net, where he looks to find open teammates with great vision and playmaking ability. As mentioned, defensively he's a rock and is constantly supporting his blueline unit. The only downside for Logan in the series was that he did not have a good game 7 and you could tell it really killed him. He was considerably upset after the conclusion of the game, perhaps because he felt like he let Kilrea down in his last game. But he has nothing to feel shame about, every player has his off nights and he played hard and left it all on the ice.

Anthony Nigro - Drafted by St. Louis in 2008/155th

It's interesting comparing the Nigro from Guelph to the Nigro from Ottawa. They appear to be different players. Whether that points to an identity crisis or his flexibility, remains to be seen. The Nigro who played in Guelph was primarily a board and cycle player who was first back defensively and a stud penalty killer. The Nigro in Ottawa has become more of a crash the net power winger who does the dirty work for his teammates and gets into scoring lanes. Because Ottawa also has so many penalty killers, Nigro doesn't really see a lot of PK time either. He's still a responsible two way player though. Because of this difference, I'm not really sure what to make of his potential at the NHL level now. He probably still profiles best as third line winger, but with Logan Couture gone next season, it'll be interesting to see if he's the one who steps up offensively for Ottawa.

Corey Cowick - NHL Draft Eligible in 2009 (but born in 1989)

Cowick is eligible one last time for the NHL Draft this June and it'll be interesting to see the results. He's had quite the breakout season and has shown that he has a definite ability to deposit the puck in the net. Cowick finished the series with 7 goals, 6 of them on the powerplay. He's very elusive on the ice and seems to find the holes behind the defense that give him scoring opportunities. Skating is average, not a fault, but not a strength either. I think he has a chance of being one of those guys who is drafted as a re-entry in the later rounds. Should he not, well then he'll likely have a strong overage season next year in hopes of earning a contract.

Tyler Toffoli - NHL Draft Eligible in 2010

Toffoli was really impressive in the series, especially for a 1992. Sometimes these guys can get worn out due to the length of the season and tolls it can have. But Toffoli was playing the best hockey I've seen from him. It seems like Kilrea really trusted him too, as a few times when the Couture line was struggling, he would throw Toffoli up there to try and give it a spark. He's not a big guy right now, so at times he can look overmatched physically, but you can tell the skill level is there. Once he gets stronger, he's going to give himself more time and space to use his skill, which is ultimately going to increase his point totals. I think he's definitely one of the top 92's in the OHL and could be a good bet to lead Ottawa in scoring next season, his draft year.

Thomas Kiriakou - NHL Free Agent and Overager

Kiriakou had a good series too, netting 6 goals. As stated in my post about the top available overagers, I like Kiriakou, but I do question his NHL potential. He works hard at both ends of the ice, is great on faceoffs, and has some ability to put the puck in the net. He also increased the level of his physical play during the series, which was good to see. If he's going to get a shot in the NHL, he's going to have to improve his skating and increase his willingness to be more physical. In today's NHL, teams are looking for role players who can skate hard, play physical and chip in occasionally on offense, more so than the years before where teams iced 4th liners who they trusted simply not to screw up. With the shift to speed and energy, Kiriakou is going to have to prove he can score enough to play third line minutes, or bring some energy intangibles to the table in a depth role.

Ryan Martindale - NHL Draft Eligible in 2010

A late born 1991, Martindale actually really disappointed me in the series. But I'm going to keep in mind that he has recently come back from mono and isn't likely in top shape. I found him struggling to keep up with the play and finding ways to contribute. But in previous viewings, I liked his use of his size to create scoring opportunities for him and his linemates. We'll see how things go next year where he's got a chance to be a high pick if he can improve the consistency in his offensive game.

Marc Zanetti - NHL Draft Eligible in 2009

I'll be honest here. Zanetti did not have a strong series. He took some dumb penalties, he looked sloppy with the puck in his own zone, and seemed to lose the confidence of Kilrea throughout the series. He has some qualities you like to see in that he's a big guy who is mobile, physical and has shown some ability to handle the puck. I also find him to actually be a very solid one on one, positional defender. But as mentioned, he really struggled with making the right decisions with the puck in his own zone, and with attempting to carry it out of the zone. He also took a lot of lazy penalties that cost his team. Going into the series, I had Zanetti firmly in my top 30 for the OHL, but I'm not sure he's still there now. He has potential, but he really needs to refine his game.

Adam Courchaine - Signed by the Boston Bruins

Courchaine relieved Chris Perugini in game three of the series and didn't give up the starter spot the rest of the way. He was generally very solid and kept the 67's in some games. He's a big goaltender who likes to challenge shooters and who makes himself big in the net. His rebound control is generally pretty solid. However, his mobility looks somewhat questionable at times, as he appears slow to react to the play. It's hard to find those big, athletic netminders, and if you do, they generally aren't signed as free agents like Courchaine. So he's shown that he has some capabilities at the professional level. I'd expect him to be in the ECHL next year where he can really find his groove and work on some things.

Chris Perugini - NHL Draft Eligible in 2009

Like Zanetti, Perugini was a guy I had in my top 30 before the series, but has played himself out of it now. He did not have a strong series and he has a lot of holes in his game. On the positive, he is an incredibly athletic goaltender who can make some saves look easy with his mobility and anticipation. On the downside, his rebound control and overall technical ability really hurt him. He gives out so many juciy rebounds, his defense just can't clear them all. He needs to learn how to direct those into the corner and away from danger areas. His size has to be a concern as well, as the Dogs were really looking to go high on him while he was in net. At this point, I'm not sure if he's an NHL draft pick this year.

The Sunday Top 10 - Overagers Worth Signing to an NHL Contract

One of the blogs I follow and read is "Coming Down the Pipe," by Guy Flaming and Dean Millard. The blog serves as a venue for great junior hockey discussion, in particular for the Western Hockey League.

One feature that Guy and Dean bring to their blog is something called "Top 5 Tuesdays." Every Tuesday, Guy and Dean compile a list of the top 5 of a specific category. For example, here is the latest top 5 Tuesday post where they looked at the top 5 draft eligible players who are small in size but big on skill.

I think that this idea is absolutely fantastic, so every Sunday, I'll be posting a Sunday Top 10 during the playoffs and offseason. Guy and Dean, hopefully you guys don't sue me, since I'm giving you credit for coming up with the idea!

For the first Sunday Top 10, I'll be looking at the Top 10 OHL Overagers this season who absolutely deserve a chance to play professional hockey, at least in my opinion.

10. Matthew Kang - Brampton Battalion
Kang is an absolute wizard with the puck. He could dangle inside a phone booth. He uses his strong puckhandling ability to help maintain puck possession in the offensive end and is especially effective on the powerplay. Kang isn't the biggest player, but he's generally not afraid to get his nose dirty too. The main drawback to Kang is his somewhat one dimensional play. He's not going to be confused for John Madden any time soon. And while Kang has always had the talent, he's never really been able to become a top point producer in the OHL. Either way, you have to admire the speed, energy and creativity he can bring to the table and maybe that gives him a chance to earn a professional contract next season.

9. Thomas Kiriakou - Ottawa 67's
One of the strongest defensive forwards in the OHL, Kiriakou took big steps forward offensively this season too. He's a great penalty killer and very strong on faceoffs and could make an NHL 4th line some day as a penalty kill specialist. He's not the most blessed skater or offensive player, but he can bury chances when they arise, and he's strong on his skates. Kiriakou is also having a strong first round for Ottawa in the OHL Playoffs.

8. Ben Shutron - Windsor Spitfires
Originally a top 100 selection of Chicago in 2006, Shutron was not signed after a poor and injury plagued 2007/08 season. However, he has bounced back very well this season, splitting the year between Kitchener and Windsor. Shutron is a smart puck moving defenseman who is a valuable powerplay quarterback. Over the course of his OHL career, he's also proven that he can play strong defensive hockey as well. While his skillset likely doesn't translate to becoming a top 4 NHL defenseman, he could at least be a solid depth player one day. Now that he's proven he's healthy again, I wouldn't be surprised to see him latch on to a professional team next season, whether that be an NHL contract or an AHL contract.

7. Rob Kwiet - Windsor Spitfires
Exploded offensively this season on Windsor's blueline and I would think that a lot of people could have Kwiet higher on a list like this. A big body, Kwiet has shown a willingness to use it well. He's also obviously very talented offensively. However, I think Kwiet's average skating ability, questionable decision making and lack of defensive ability may ultimately hold him back from becoming much of an NHL defenseman. However, with a solid skill set, and size, I'd be willing to bet he at least gets a few looks from an NHL team this summer. He does deserve it.

6. Jared Gomes - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Once a very promising young OHL player, Gomes had failed to take that step forward throughout his OHL career...until this season. Prior to 2008/09, Gomes best offensive season was still his rookie year in 2005-06 with Sarnia. But he had never taken that step forward and went from being a promising NHL draft prospect, to now an unheralded overager. However, Gomes exploded offensively this season, potting 31 goals, and has been outstanding for Mississauga in the playoffs thus far. He's a strong two way player who works hard, isn't afraid to take a hit to make a play and actually has good goal scoring instincts. His skating isn't the greatest, and he likely doesn't have the skill to be anything more than a depth player at the NHL level, but I still expect him to get some looks.

5. Jack Combs - Saginaw Spirit
Combs will never be described as a speedster, but he brings other things to the game. Good size, aggressiveness, outstanding playmaking ability and a quality shot. He'll also never be described as a strong two way player, but his ability to generate offense can not be overlooked. Combs almost caught on in the AHL this season instead of returning as an overager, but I'm sure he will next year. A big body who can move the puck, generate offense and control the tempo in the offensive end can be a good commodity to have.

4. Cory Tanaka - Belleville Bulls
At a generous 5'10, 188, Tanaka certainly doesn't bring size to the table. What he does bring is energy, energy and more energy. Tanaka is widely considered to be the best defensive forward and penalty killer in the OHL. He anticipates the play incredibly well and is a tenacious forechecker. Offensively, he isn't likely to bring a whole lot to the table at the next level, but his work ethic and ability to play both ways should translate to a shot at the NHL somewhere down the line.

3. Matt Caria - Plymouth Whalers
The OHL's hottest player down the stretch, as he averaged over 2 points a game in January and February, as the red hot Plymouth Whalers stormed into the playoffs. Caria has long been a player I had expected to be drafted into the NHL, but he never got the call. Caria is not the best skater in the world, but he's a scrappy little player who'll do anything to make a play. He's a very talented all around offensive player and he makes those around him better too. With the outstanding second half he had, and the strong playoffs he's having thus far, I would be incredibly surprised to see Caria not earn an NHL contract.

2. Brandon Mashinter - Belleville Bulls
The only player on this list who has actually already signed an NHL deal earlier this month (link) Mashinter is a former OHL heavyweight who has turned himself into a very respectable threat at the offensive end. He's an effective big body to plant infront of the net, and his skating vastly improved over the course of his OHL career. He's also a strong two way player. As the complete package, Mashinter has the chance to develop into a serviceable NHL 3rd liner similar to another former Kitchener Ranger, David Clarkson.

1. Chris Chappell - Saginaw Spirit
Named as one of the West's most underrated and improved players, this Saginaw Spirit forward and captain has come a long way this season. At 6'4, 210, Chappell is a load to handle for opposing defenseman, as he uses his strength to outmuscle defenders for the puck. At his size, Chappell is also actually an excellent skater who loves to take the puck hard to the net and whose overall offensive ability has taken huge steps forward. Chappell has definitely been the most impressive overage player I've seen this season, and I'd be very surprised if a big man with the talent he has, does not get an NHL contract this offseason.

Stay tuned for the next Sunday Top 10!

Results of our Coaches Poll Contest

In case you missed it, we decided to have a friendly competition in order to see which of us (Sean, Ryan, or myself) could predict the outcome of the OHL Coaches Poll most accurately.

Well here are the results...(drum roll please!)

1st: Sean Keogh
2nd: Myself (Brock Otten)
3rd: Ryan Yessie

The scoring worked as follows...
1 point for nailing a player on the list
1 point for nailing a player in his correct spot
Bonus 2 points for nailing all the correct players in a category
Bonus 3 points for completely nailing a category, placement and players

So here is the breakdown:

Myself - 62 points
Eastern Conference: 23
Western Conference: 39
Link to my full predictions

Sean Keogh - 70 points
Eastern Conference: 35
Western Conference: 35
Link to his full predictions

Ryan Yessie - 49 points
Eastern Conference: 26
Western Conference: 23
Link to his full predictions

Some interesting thoughts about our predictions...
1. How the hell did I end up nailing the Western Conference so much better than the East, considering how little I see the West (unfortunately) compared to the East. I'm almost embarrassed to do so poorly in the East.
2. It's interesting that the three of us all nailed the "Most Dangerous in the Goal Area" category for the West. I suppose it was pretty predictable for Tavares, Terry and DiBenedetto to be selected there.
3. Congrats to Sean for taking home the bragging rights.

Some thoughts on the Poll itself...
1) How the hell did Tony Romano not find himself somewhere in the most improved category for the East? Here's a guy who struggled hard to pot 12 goals with London last season, after coming over from Cornell University with incredibly high expectations. He looked absolutely terrible in my viewings of him in London during the 07-08 season. Hands of stone, speed to burn but no idea how to use it. This year, he leads Peterborough in scoring, pots 36 goals and helps the Petes to the playoffs. Completely different player this season. If he's not most improved, I guess I just don't understand the category then.

2) How does Logan Couture not make it in the best playmaker category for the East? He was 2nd in voting in 2007-08, yet somehow fails to make the list in 2008-09. For my money, he might be the best playmaker in the OHL. Ottawa's offense at times is completely set up around his ability to make plays for his teammates. A tremendous playmaker.

3) Incredibly surprised to not see Alex Pietrangelo's name anywhere on the Eastern Conference's list, not even in either of the best defenseman categories. Hard to believe that a top 5 NHL draft pick and someone who started the year in the NHL, isn't one of the top players in one of these categories.

4) Great to see Chris Chappell in both the most underrated and most improved categories for the West. I haven't seen a more impressive overager this season and I hope he can earn himself an NHL contract. He's having a very solid OHL playoffs thus far as well.

5) Can't believe I didn't think to put Brett Bellemore on the list for best defensive defenseman in the West. Perhaps because he returned to the OHL so late this season, I just didn't think of him. But he's a beast and absolutely deserves to be at the top of that category. Ditto for Dan Kelly, whom I did nail. He's a very underrated defender and is someone I expect to earn an NHL contract at the end of his OHL career.

6) And the Michael Del Zotto fan club continues to shrink. Here's a guy who was a first round pick, highly touted, and highly hyped. Was on the list last year as best offensive defenseman. Yet this year, he fails to crack any category. If this guy isn't one of the best offensive defenseman in his conference, how much value does he hold considering his short comings at the defensive end?

2008-09 OHL Coaches Poll Announced

Eastern Conference:

Most Underrated Player
John Kurtz, Sudbury (21)
Mike Pelech, Mississauga (18)
Luke Pither, Belleville (12)

Most Improved Player
Corey Cowick, Ottawa (33)
Scott Tanski, Brampton (21)
Brandon Mashinter (12)

Smartest Player
Cody Hodgson, Brampton (43)
Eric Tangradi, Belleville (11)
Calvin de Haan, Oshawa tied Logan Couture, Ottawa (10)

Hardest Worker
Cody Hodgson, Brampton (41)
Eric Tangradi, Belleville (17)
Kory Nagy, Oshawa tied Logan Couture, Ottawa (7)

Best Playmaker
Matt Duchene, Brampton (28)
P.K Subban, Belleville (24)
Calvin de Haan, Oshawa (12)

Most Dangerous in the Goal Area
Evgeny Grachev, Brampton tied Brett Parnham, Oshawa (30)
Tony Romano, Peterborough (11)
Eric Tangradi, Belleville (7)

Best Skater
Shawn Lalonde, Belleville (27)
Evgeny Grachev, Brampton (18)
Alex Hutchings, Barrie (12)

Best Shot
Brett Parnham, Oshawa (31)
Evgeny Grachev, Brampton (26)
Nic Palmieri, Belleville (18)

Hardest Shot
P.K Subban, Belleville (33)
Cody Hodgson, Brampton (20)
Brett Parnham, Oshawa (12)

Best Stickhandler
Matt Duchene, Brampton (33)
Tony Romano, Peterborough (23)
William Wallen, Mississauga (9)

Best on Face-offs
Cody Hodgson, Brampton (33)
Thomas Kiriakou, Ottawa (27)
Mike Pelech, Mississauga (18)

Best Body Checker
Stefan Della Rovere, Barrie (41)
Zack Kassian, Peterborough (23)
Brandon Mashinter, Belleville tied Julien Demers, Ottawa (6)

Best Defensive Forward
Cory Tanaka, Belleville (36)
John Kurtz, Sudbury (19)
Logan Couture, Ottawa (11)

Best Penalty Killer
Cody Hodgson, Brampton (30)
Cory Tanaka, Belleville (26)
Thomas Kiriakou, Ottawa (16)

Best Offensive Defenceman
P.K Subban, Belleville (39)
Cameron Gaunce, Mississauga (22)
Calvin de Haan, Oshawa (17)

Best Defensive Defenceman
Cameron Gaunce, Mississauga (31)
P.K Subban, Belleville (19)
Julien Demers, Ottawa (17)

Western Conference:

Most Underrated Player
Matt Kennedy, Guelph (31)
Justin Taylor, London (27)
Chris Chappell, Saginaw (10)

Most Improved Player
Matt Hackett, Plymouth (39)
Chris Chappell, Saginaw (23)
Matt Clarke, London (12)

Smartest Player
Ryan Ellis, Windsor (30)
John Tavares, London (28)
Justin DiBenedetto, Sarnia (10)

Hardest Worker
Matt Kennedy, Guelph (27)
Tyler Murovich, Saginaw tied Matt Martin, Sarnia (17)
Lane MacDermid, Windsor (12)

Best Playmaker
Joey Hishon, Owen Sound (31)
Andrei Loktionov, Windsor (22)
Ryan O’Reilly, Erie tied John Tavares, London (13)

Most Dangerous in Goal Area
John Tavares, London (45)
Justin DiBenedetto, Sarnia (15)
Chris Terry, Plymouth (14)

Best Skater
Taylor Hall, Windsor (39)
Mark Katic, Sarnia (29)
David Kolomatis, Owen Sound tied T.J Brodie, Saginaw (5)

Best Shot
John Carlson, London (27)
Ryan Ellis, Windsor (24)
Justin DiBenedetto, Sarnia (16)

Hardest Shot
John Carlson, London tied Ryan Ellis, Windsor (24)
Jamie Arniel, Sarnia (15)
Adam Comrie, Saginaw (12)

Best Stickhandler
Joey Hishon, Owen Sound (29)
Nazem Kadri, London (26)
Andrei Loktionov, Windsor (17)

Best on Face-Offs
Adam Henrique, Windsor (19)
Ryan O’Reilly, Erie (18)
Marcus Carroll, Owen Sound (14)

Best Body Checker
Zac Rinaldo, London tied Matt Martin, Sarnia (26)
Luke Gazdic, Erie (12)
Kaine Geldart, Plymouth (11)

Best Defensive Forward
Scott Timmins, Windsor (39)
Matt Kennedy, Guelph (15)
Tyler Murovich, Saginaw (13)

Best Penalty Killer
Ryan O’Reilly, Erie (18)
Matthew Lyall, Sault Ste. Marie (17)
Dan Kelly, Kitchener (13)

Best Offensive Defenceman
Ryan Ellis, Windsor (43)
Mark Katic, Sarnia (24)
David Kolomatis, Owen Sound tied T.J Brodie, Saginaw (10)

Best Defensive Defenceman
Brett Bellemore, Plymouth (20)
Dan Kelly, Kitchener (17)
Steve Ferry, Sarnia (15)

Link to the official release from the OHL can be found here.

Ryan Yessie's OHL Top 30 for 2009

In case you haven't been following the blog regularly, I have done 2 OHL top 30's so far this season, one at the beginning, one at the halfway mark, and I'll be putting out my final one sometime after the OHL playoffs have finished.

Blog contributor Ryan Yessie has decided to compile his final OHL top 30 recently and has decided to share it with us. This is Ryan's ranking of the top 30 available players from the OHL for the 2009 NHL entry draft.

One minor difference you may notice between Ryan's and mine is his inclusion of some of the draft re-entry guys in his top 30. I have kept those guys out of mine, ranking only the first year eligible players. My reasons for this I will share with you when I release my final top 30.

Without further ado, here is Ryan's final top 30...

1 - John Tavares - Center - 6’0” - 190 - London (OHL)
2 - Matt Duchene - Center - 5’11” - 194 - Brampton (OHL)
3 - Peter Holland - Center - 6’1” - 178 - Guelph (OHL)
4 - Ryan Ellis - Defence - 5’10” - 175 - Windsor (OHL)
5 - Nazem Kadri - Center - 6’1” - 177 - London (OHL)
6 - Zack Kassian - Right Wing - 6’3” - 205 - Peterborough (OHL)
7 - Edward Pasquale - Goaltender - 6’3” - 215 - Saginaw (OHL)
8 - Ethan Werek - Left Wing - 6’3” - 195 - Kingston (OHL)
9 - Taylor Beck - Left Wing - 6’1” - 207 - Guelph (OHL)
10 - Matt Hackett - Goaltender - 6’2” - 170 - Plymouth (OHL)
11 - Calvin De Haan - Defence - 6’0” - 170 - Oshawa (OHL)
12 - Taylor Doherty - Defence - 6’8” - 220 - Kingston (OHL)
13 - Michael Latta - Center - 5’11” - 192 - Guelph (OHL)
14 - Ryan O’Reilly - Center - 6’0” - 205 - Erie (OHL)
15 - Marcus Foligno - Left Wing - 6’3” - 195 - Sudbury (OHL)
16 - Matthew Clark - Defence - 6’3” - 205 - Brampton (OHL)
17 - Casey Cizikas - Center - 5’10” - 188 - Mississauga (OHL)
18 - Alex Hutchings - Left Wing - 5’10” - 170 - Barrie (OHL)
19 - Phil Varone - Center - 5’10” - 187 - London (OHL)
20 - Brett Flemming - Defence - 5’10” - 165 - Mississauga (OHL)
21 - Tyler Randell - Right Wing - 6’1” - 195 - Kitchener (OHL)
22 - Scott Stajcer - Goaltender - 6’2” - 185 - Owen Sound (OHL)
23 - Peter DiSalvo - Goaltender - 6’0” - 190 - Barrie (OHL)
24 - Jordan Szwarz - Right Wing - 5’11” - 183 - Saginaw (OHL)
25 - Michael Zador - Goaltender - 6’2” - 175 - Oshawa (OHL)
26 - Jaroslav Janus - Goaltender - 6’0” - 185 - Erie (OHL)
27 - Ben Chiarot - Defence - 6’2” - 205 - Guelph (OHL)
28 - Jesse Blacker - Defence - 6’1” - 190 - Windsor (OHL)
29 - Matthew Tipoff - Right Wing - 5’11” - 175 - Belleville (OHL)
30 - Simon Gronvaldt - Defence - 6’2” - 179 - Kitchener (OHL)

Honourable Mention
Miroslav Preisinger
Beau Schmitz
Bjorn Krupp
Ben O’Quinn

OHL Coaches Poll - Sean Keogh's Predictions

In before the bell is Sean Keogh with his predictions for the OHL Coaches Poll. Sean has decided to throw his hat into the ring with Ryan and I, in order to see whom is sharing the same brainwaves as the OHL coaches.

Here are Sean's predictions based on the action he's seen this season...

Eastern Conference

Most Underrated Player:
1. Brett Parnham, Oshawa
2. Luke Pither, Belleville
3. Travis Gibbons, Ottawa

Most Improved Player:
1. Tony Romano, Peterborough
2. Stefan Della Rovere, Barrie
3. Brandon Mashinter, Bellevile

Smartest Player:
1. Cody Hodgson, Brampton
2. Logan Couture, Ottawa
3. Eric Tangradi, Belleville

Hardest Worker:
1. Stefan Della Rovere, Barrie
2. Cory Tanaka, Belleville
3. Thomas Nesbitt, Ottawa

Best Playmaker:
1. Logan Couture, Ottawa
2. Cody Hodgson, Brampton
3. Eric Tangradi, Belleville

Most Dangerous in the Goal Area:
1. Eric Tangradi, Bellevile
2. Bryan Cameron
3. Brett Parnham

Best Skater:
1. Shawn Lalonde, Belleville
2. P.K. Subban, Belleville
3. Matt Duchene, Brampton

Best Shot:
1. Bryan Cameron, Bellevile
2. Cody Hodgson, Brampton
3. Akim Aliu, Sudbury

Hardest Shot:
1. Alex Pietrangelo, Niagara
2. Cameron Gaunce, Mississauga
3. Kaspars Daugavins, Mississauga

Best Stickhandler:
1. Cody Hodgson, Brampton
2. Logan Couture, Ottawa
3. Nathan Moon, Kingston

Best on Face-Offs:
1. Luke Pither, Belleville
2. Cody Hodgson, Brampton
3. Thomas Kiriakou, Ottawa

Best Body Checker:
1. Stefan Della Rovere, Barrie
2. Zack Kassian, Peterborough
3. Brandon Mashinter, Belleville

Best Defensive Forward:
1. Cory Tanaka, Belleville
2. Thomas Kiriakou, Ottawa
3. Cody Hodgson, Belleville; Logan Couture, Ottawa

Best Penalty Killer:
1. Cory Tanaka, Belleville
2. Thomas Kiriakou, Ottawa
3. Jesse Messier, Mississauga

Best Offensive Defenseman:
1. Alex Pietrangelo, Niagara
2. P.K. Subban, Belleville
3. Cameron Gaunce, Mississauga

Best Defensive Defenseman:
1. Alex Pietrangelo, Niagara
2. Cameron Gaunce, Mississauga
3. Julien Demers, Ottawa

Western Conference

Most Underrated Player:
1. Jason Akeson, Kitchener
2. Chris MacKinnon, Kitchener
3. Brandon Buck, Guelph

Most Improved Player:
1. Matt Hackett, Plymouth
2. Chris Chappell, Saginaw
3. Scott Timmins, Windsor

Smartest Player:
1. John Tavares, London
2. Chris Terry, Plymouth
3. Scott Timmins, Windsor

Hardest Worker:
1. Taylor Beck, Guelph
2. Matt Martin, Sarnia
3. Scott Timmins, Windsor

Best Playmaker:
1. John Tavares, London
2. Ryan Ellis, Windsor
3. Chris Terry, Pymouth

Most Dangerous in the Goal Area:
1. John Tavares, London
2. Justin DiBenedetto, Sarnia
3. Taylor Hall, Windsor

Best Skater:
1. Mark Katic, Sarnia
2. Matthew Lyall, Sault St. Marie
3. Taylor Hall, Windsor

Best Shot:
1. John Tavares, London
2. Ryan Ellis, Windsor
3. Taylor Hall, Windsor

Hardest Shot:
1. John Carlson, London
2. Ryan Ellis, Windsor
3. Adam Comrie, Saginaw

Best Stickhandler:
1. John Tavares, London
2. Nazem Kadri, London
3. Taylor Hall, Windsor

Best on Face-Offs:
1. John Tavares, London
2. Jamie Arniel, Sarnia
3. Scott Timmins, Windsor

Best Body Checker:
1. Zac Rinaldo, London
2. Matt Martin, Sarnia
3. Dale Mitchell, Windsor

Best Defensive Forward:
1. Scott Timmins, Windsor
2. Matthew Lyall, Sault St. Marie
3. Andrew Wilkins, Owen Sound

Best Penalty Killer:
1. Ryan O’Reilly, Erie
2. Scott Timmins, Windsor
3. Andrew Wilkins, Owen Sound

Best Offensive Defenseman:
1. Ryan Ellis, Windsor
2. John Carlson, London
3. Michael Del Zotto, London

Best Defensive Defenseman:
1. Dan Kelly, Kitchener
2. Harry Young, Windsor
3. John Carlson, London