It's that time of the year, and I'm sure a lot of you readers have been waiting for this. I'm unveiling my final list for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. I've had two previous lists this season, a preliminary one (here), and a midterm one (here). This is the finished product.
Previously, in my early season and midseason rankings, I had only ranked 30 players. However, for my final list, I will be presenting you with a Top 50. The top 50 will be released in three parts: Part 1 - Prospects 50-31, Part 2 - Prospects 30-11, and Part 3 - Prospects 10-1.
Just for clarification, for my top 50 ranking, I haven't included any players eligible for draft re-entry, such as Darren Archibald or Luke Judson. This has been consistent all the way through my lists. Instead, I did a list of the top 10 draft re-entries, which can be found here.
Also for clarification, this list is MY list of the top 50 OHL prospects, as if I were drafting for my own team. In other words, this isn't a list of where I THINK or believe players will go, but a ranking of my own opinion on the top players eligible for this draft based on my viewings this season. If you want a draft projection and information about players outside the OHL, be sure to order the McKeen's Draft Guide (here). Our pal and McKeen's scouting director/editor David Burstyn has told me the guide should be ready this week or next.
Without further ado, here are prospects 50 through 31...
50. Alex Aleardi - Forward - Belleville Bulls
The trade to Belleville was the perfect marriage for Aleardi. Speed meet olympic ice. While he started slowly with his new team, Aleardi actually averaged close to a point per game over the last two and a half months of the season. With the increased ice time in Belleville, came increased confidence in his offensive abilities. The scoring chances he was creating using his speed on the forecheck were finding the back of the net with increasing consistency. He's still undersized at around 5'9, but he has legit wheels and a developing all around game. I see Aleardi as this year's Alex Friesen. Perhaps a long shot at an NHL draft ticket (I had Friesen ranked 46th last year) this season, but with a dedication to getting stronger and working on his shot, he could definitely catch someone's attention down the line.
49. Michael Kantor - Forward - Saginaw Spirit
Only saw him once this year, but was mildly impressed with what I saw. Kantor is a mean customer who came over from the NAHL at around mid season. He was billed as a pure enforcer, and lived up to that billing and more. He managed to put up 12 points in 29 games with the Spirit, pro-rated to about a 28 point season. If he plays the entire year in the OHL, he's probably rated even higher. While he's not THAT big at 6'1, he's definitely mean, can throw the body around and seems to have a bit of an underdeveloped offensive ability to match a strong work ethic. He looks like an enforcer/power forward prospect somebody could take a chance on.
48. Reid McNeil - Defense - London Knights
Undoubtedly a very raw player, McNeil was actually playing high school hockey last year in the London area. He definitely possesses some qualities that makes him endearing to NHL scouts. For one, he's a blueliner with good size (6'3) who can actually skate. Defensively he looks composed too and is able to play both off the rush and in zone coverage. You'd like to see him use his size more, but I think that could come with added strength and confidence. Offensively, he's very raw. He'll have some difficulties with the forecheck and can struggle with his breakout pass, but I do think there is some hidden ability to carry the puck. When the game opens up a bit, he doesn't hesitate to use his mobility to bring the puck up ice. He just doesn't do it very often, which can probably be related to a lack of confidence or comfort. Some potential for sure though.
47. Colin MacDonald - Defense - Plymouth Whalers
A pretty similar player to McNeil in London. Big defenseman, very mobile and solid defensively, but incredibly raw offensively. I was quite impressed with MacDonald's ability to defend off the rush this season. He's not a physically aggressive defender, but is efficient in using his size and length to keep forwards to the outside. Offensively, he'll need to improve his ability to transition to the offensive game quickly. NHL teams are looking for those defenders who can make a good first pass out of the zone, in order to start play up the other way. But you can't overlook a big defender with good mobility.
46. Joe Rogalski - Defense - Sarnia Sting
At this time last year, Rogalski was being talked about as a potential top three round pick for 2010. One mediocre year later on a terrible team and things have changed. As a late 1991, Rogalski was playing in his third OHL season and more was expected of him. Many of the things that plagued him in his first two seasons, continued to do so this year. Poor decisions with the puck and with jumping into the rush. Inconsistent play defensively. Lazy penalties in the defensive zone. But he's got good size, good wheels and the ability to carry the puck. Playing on such a bad team as a defenseman can often make it very hard to get yourself noticed in your draft year, but I think Rogalski's frame and potential get him a look in the later rounds.
45. Scott Wedgewood - Goaltender - Plymouth Whalers
Many would argue that Wedgewood's heroic 70 save performance against Windsor in game four of this year's second round of the playoffs was enough to get him drafted. Wedgewood played second fiddle to Matt Hackett, but next year he'll be battling Matt Mahalak for the starter's spot. Because of his lack of exposure, many people are comparing Wedgewood to Steve Mason in his draft year with London where he was back up to Adam Dennis. Wedgewood is also one of the youngest players available for the draft (with a mid August birthday), which means his best days are ahead of him. Wedgewood is also already pretty technically sound. He controls his rebounds well, challenges shooters and plays a pretty safe game. He might go higher than we think.
44. Ryan O'Connor - Defense - Saginaw Spirit
Is he 5'9? Is he 5'11? Who do you believe. Just watching him, O'Connor definitely seems closer to the 5'9 listing the OHL has him at. But he's definitely skilled offensively. He controls the point on the powerplay very well and has a cannon of a shot. I felt like he actually had a pretty decent Under 18's for Canada recently too, one of the few players you can say that about. He's not a completely soft player either, which is a nice compliment to his lack of size. That being said, anytime you're dealing with a defender at his height, you have to wonder about his ability to play professional hockey. There's a reason Brian Rafalski is the comparison every undersized defenseman receives (because there aren't many at that level). Central Scouting didn't even rank him, which I felt was a tad harsh, but you still have to wonder about the size issue hurting him.
43. Riley Brace - Forward - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Brace is a heart and soul winger who does a little bit of everything well. Not to many players as part of this 31-50 list can say they played on their team's number one line for the majority of the season. Brace developed great chemistry with Casey Cizikas and Devante Smith Pelly this season and that bodes well for his production next year as St. Mike's could be likely to keep that line together. Brace also impressed by having a very strong playoffs for the Majors, where he definitely elevated his game to that next level. He's solid both ways; he's aggressive in going to the net looking for loose pucks; he's an above average skater and I think he has the potential to develop a more consistent physical game. I was a little bit shocked he didn't appear anywhere on Central Scouting's final list, as I think he's better than that.
42. Michael Sgarbossa - Forward - Saginaw Spirit
After the trade from Barrie (the Brodie/Crawford deal), Sgarbossa's production definitely went down from the point per game he was averaging in Barrie, but it didn't dip THAT low as he still managed about 0.67 points per game in Saginaw. Sgarbossa is an intelligent offensive player. He knows where to be on the ice and is a quality playmaker. He's a little bit undersized, but he's not soft and will enter high traffic areas for the puck. I think problem I have with him (as opposed to CSS who has him ranked 28th), is that I think his speed and acceleration hold him back. They aren't terrible, but for a player his size they need to be improved. I felt like the Under 18's really showcased this for the worse, as he was given less time and space to create.
41. Michael Houser - Goaltender - London Knights
The tale of Michael Houser has two parts. The first part, at the beginning of the OHL season, where he was sensational as an OHL rookie. Then the second part, as the season progressed, where Houser began to look awkward in net and had some difficulty stopping pucks. I've heard from some London fans that management was toying with his goaltending style, trying to turn him into a purely positional goaltender, as opposed to the rough around the edges hybrid that came from the USHL. Maybe that can explain some of the awkwardness he displayed by season's end. Being a back up could have had something to do with this inconsistency too, as he was never able to get back into a groove after bit of a rough November and December.
40. Corey Durocher - Forward - Kingston Frontenacs
Durocher is a player I was quite impressed with this year. Statistically, he didn't have an amazing year and he was incredibly hot and cold. But he possesses some real promising qualities. First off, he's got ideal size for the center position at 6'3, and he skates very well for a forward that big. He can create both off the rush, and by winning battles down low. I think he's also developing a physical game and showed signs of becoming a physical player at times this season. He's also a pretty solid two way forward at this point in time, who is responsible on the backcheck. The only real negative is the inconsistency, which I think can be attributed to two things. One being a lack of strength. It was his first season in the OHL and he needs to add beef to that lanky frame. Two being ice time, as this fluctuated as the Fronts went through their motions this season. I think he's got potential to improve.
39. Josh Shalla - Forward - Saginaw Spirit
Shalla had a very strong season this year, his third in the OHL. As a late birthday 1991, Shalla has the benefit of one extra year of development and he utilized that to his advantage. He jumped from 14 goals and 20 points last year, to 32 goals and 65 points this year. Shalla is one of those guys who you watch play and don't really notice until he's put two in the net. He's definitely got an NHL caliber shot and his offensive instincts are strong. But he's not a strong skater and this prevents him from being more 'visible' on the ice. He's obviously elusive and smart enough to find open space for offensive opportunities, but can he do that at the next level? Would I draft him? Absolutely. Would I draft him in the first three rounds? No.
38. Matt Petgrave - Defense - Niagara IceDogs
At times I wonder if I'm the only one who sees Petgrave as an NHL prospect. CSS doesn't rank him. In my interview with David Burstyn, he doesn't speak highly of him. But when I watch him play, I see a lot of potential. It was only his first year in the OHL (after playing major midget last year), and he improved by leaps and bounds over the course of the season. Let's talk about the bad first. Petgrave is still prone to making poor decisions with the puck in his own zone and has yet to find that comfort level of when to bring the puck up the ice. He's also inconsistent in his own zone and can get caught out of position trying to go for the big hit. Now the positives. Petgrave is a very good skater and when he chooses to, can bring the puck into the offensive zone with ease. He also made large strides in quarterbacking the powerplay this year. Petgrave is also not afraid to play the body and became one of the league's most feared open ice hitters this year. He's very raw, but he has the natural athletic ability NHL teams look for from the back end. In a lot of ways, he reminds me of how T.J. Brodie looked in his first season with Saginaw and that's definitely a compliment.
37. Andrew Crescenzi - Forward - Kitchener Rangers
Even if the offensive stats don't show or support it, I feel like few players on this list improved as much as Crescenzi this season. He's an absolute behemoth out there at 6'4 and he uses his size really well. He's already a monster along the boards and works the cycle really well. His skating isn't great, but I felt like it did improve this season. This bodes well for it improving moving forward. That being said, when he does get going, he's hard to stop at that size and as the season progressed he gained a lot of confidence in his ability to carry the puck into the offensive zone as opposed to just dumping and retrieving. He's a really smart player too and is already an above average defensive player. In fact, I'd go as far as saying he's one of the best defensive forwards available from the OHL this year. Moving forward it depends on how his skating and offensive production improves, but I think he's well worth the gamble.
36. J.P. Anderson - Goaltender - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
After such a strong rookie season and playoff performance, much was expected of Anderson this season. And he just did not have a strong year...until the playoffs again where he saved a little face by playing pretty well. As an undersized goaltender, I think teams really began to pick apart Anderson's faults this year and his confidence level dipped a bit. While he challenges shooters and attempts to make himself big in net, he's still susceptible to high shots because he'll cheat into the butterfly. His rebound control didn't improve a whole lot this year either and he was giving up way too many second chance opportunities. On the plus size, I'm not sure there's a goaltender in the draft who has as quick of pads as Anderson. When he's on his game, he's nearly unbeatable down low and has excellent agility in the crease. This natural athletic ability makes him an intriguing prospect, even if he had a bit of a down year.
35. Brandon Alderson - Forward - Sarnia Sting
Alderson is a very intriguing player to me. Throughout much of the first part of the season, he was one of Sarnia's main offensive weapons. At 6'4, he skates very well and is very fluid. He has the ability to take the puck to the net and the acceleration to beat defenders one on one. He's also got a pretty good wrist shot and looks like he could develop into a goal scorer. For as much as he improved over the first part of the season, he stalled and disappeared in the second part. For whatever reason, Alderson was a ghost for the second half. Maybe it was conditioning (it was his first OHL season), confidence or some combination of the two, but Alderson had only one goal in his final 20 games. That being said, as the old adage goes, 6'4 wingers who can skate don't grow on trees. Especially ones who have shown an ability to puck the puck in the net. Definitely a raw projection selection for an NHL team.
34. Cameron Wind - Defense - Brampton Battalion
It's easy to see why Central Scouting has been so high on Wind over the course of this season. Wind possesses good size, good mobility, a developing aggressive nature and an untapped offensive potential. Having seen Wind more earlier this season and then again towards the end of the year, I can appreciate the improvements in his game. This is especially true offensively, where he looked much more confident in his ability to move the puck up ice, using his smooth skating stride to enter the zone. He's already a pretty sound defensive player, but he became increasingly more physical as the year went along too. Definitely a player to watch going forward.
33. Sam Carrick - Forward - Brampton Battalion
Carrick may not have the ideal size for the type of game he plays (5'11), but that doesn't stop him from excelling at it. His offensive game was wildly inconsistent this season, but his physical game did not suffer. Carrick will finish his checks, drop the gloves and go hard to the net looking for a loose puck. He has developed into a very aggressive player...a sometimes undisciplined one even. But when he spends a little more time focusing on offense, he can be a very effective player. He is not tall, but he is strong and already has the strength to take the puck to the net and win battles in the corners. He's also a committed defensive forward and is developing into a very well rounded player. I think next year we'll see much improved offensive statistics from Carrick, as he becomes the new face of the Battalion offense next year.
32. Gregg Sutch - Forward - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Even with his offensive and injury struggles this season, Sutch is a player I'm very high on. One of the reasons why lies in his character make up. He keeps a blog over at The Hockey News (here) and is a VERY well spoken teenager. He had a very tough year with injuries, including a high ankle sprain, an ankle staph infection, and a shoulder separation. But he fought through all of that and finished the year strong, having what I felt was a strong playoffs for the Majors. A lot was expected from Sutch this season in Missy after coming over from Sarnia in an offseason trade, and as a contributing member of Team Ontario at last year's Under 17's, and Team Canada at last summer's Under 18 Ivan Hlinka tournament, the expectations were justified. Sutch is a big, mean power forward who actually skates very well and has good hands in close. I think that with an offseason of recuperation, he could come back VERY strong next season and begin to make a consistent offensive impact.
31. Petr Mrazek - Goaltender - Ottawa 67's
Mrazek is your stereotypical Czech netminder. He's definitely someone who grew up idolizing Dominik Hasek. He's a very athletic goaltender who spends a large amount of time on the ice, 'flopping around.' However, it's effective for him. He anticipates the play very well and as such is able to maximize the success he has playing his non traditional style. He had an outstanding OHL playoffs for Ottawa, taking over for Chris Perugini, and showcased an ability to steal hockey games for his team. He'll have to work on refining his approach a little bit, as he can be susceptible high, but you can't teach the instincts and athletic ability he possesses.
Well folks that's 31-50. Stay tuned sometime this week (hopefully) for Part 2: 30-11.
As always, comments are welcome.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Sunday Top 10 - Jumping Ship to the OHL - Part DEUX
If you remember, at this time last year I released a top 10 that took a look into the not so distant future. This Top 10 generated a lot of buzz; a lot of negative comments (what's up all you R.P.I. fans out there). Of course, I am talking about "Jumping Ship to the OHL" (found here). This top 10 examined (potentially) the best talent being injected into the Ontario Hockey League next season. Here is how I described the criteria last year"
This year's list is not too different. Again, 1994 born players just drafted are not included, so don't expect Nick Ebert to be on this list (even though he very well deserves to be).
Looking back to last year, 5 of the players mentioned in the top 10 ended up playing in the OHL in 2009-10, while 2 others make a repeat appearance this year. Meanwhile, one of the honorable mentions (Kenny Ryan) also made the jump. We'll probably see similar results for 2010-2011, perhaps even more favorable to my predicting ability.
Special thanks to Nathan Fournier (World of Junior Hockey and Maine Hockey Journal), David Burstyn (McKeen's Hockey), Nils Kloppmann (German Hockey Expert), and Johan Nilsson (Elite Prospects) for contributing to this article.
Here is the list...
10. Janos Hari - Färjestad J18 (Sweden) & Team Hungary Under18
This talented Hungarian forward has been playing out of Sweden in the Farjestad junior system for the past three seasons. The offensively talented 1992 born winger is rated 44th among European players by NHL Central Scouting on their final list. Recently it was announced that he wishes to come to the OHL next year via the Import Draft and has apparently been in contact with several teams about the opportunity. Swedish hockey expert Johan Nilsson says he is not sold on Hari's NHL aspirations, but does think he can make a quality OHL player. Hari is definitely undersized at 5'9, but he is very talented offensively; a "scoring machine with a nice scoring instinct who is very creative, has good hands, and is always dangerous in the offensive zone" (Johan Nilsson). That being said, he does have drawbacks. According to Nilsson he's only an average skater, and needs to improve his two way game and play without the puck. Sounds like he could at least have a similar impact as William Wallen has for St. Mike's.
Destination Team: Anybody with an import spot open
9. Matt Mahalak - Youngstown (USHL)
The younger brother of Whalers forward R.J. Mahalak, Matt is a young goaltender who played in the USHL this season. He was the second goaltender taken in the 2009 Priority Draft; the 13th pick of the second round. Mahalak has already signed with Plymouth and intends to play there next season, battling Scott Wedgewood for the starting role. Last year he split the starting netminder position with a 20 year old goalie, but struggled (at least according to the stat sheet). My guess is that Mahalak has only a limited impact next season (with Wedgewood taking over for Matt Hackett), but could pay larger dividends further into the future.
Destination Team: Plymouth Whalers
8. Vinny Saponari - Boston University
The 94th
selection in the 2008 NHL draft by the Atlanta Thrashers, Saponari had a good year as a sophomore for Boston U, finishing third in team scoring with 30 points in 38 games. However, due to what Boston University is calling numerous incidents (including missing disciplinary practices and a you tube rap video), Saponari was booted from the program recently. This leaves the NHL draft pick with nowhere to play for 2010-2011. He has a few options. He could play in the USHL next year, then hope to get an NHL contract the year after. Atlanta could sign him now and let him play in the AHL/ECHL. He could sign his own professional contract to play in the AHL/ECHL. Lastly, he could play in the Ontario Hockey League as an overager. Both Nathan Fournier and I agree this to be the most likely solution given which team owns his rights (both in the OHL and the NHL). Kitchener drafted Saponari back in 2007, so it's unknown whether they have kept his rights. However, we know the Thrashers are very familiar with the organization with Jeremy Morin playing there this season. Wouldn't it be easiest to set up Saponari with Kitchener (who could have an OA spot open beside Jason Akeson and Matt Tipoff), so that they can keep a close eye on him? Fournier describes Saponari as a chippy offensive player and if the OHL route is the one he takes next year, he could have a large impact.
Destination Team: Kitchener Rangers
UPDATE
Kitchener fans, hate to burst your pipe dreams to some extent, but Vinny Saponari will NOT be playing in Kitchener next year as an overager. Just traded emails with OHL VP Ted Baker about the situation. Here is what he had to say: "Unless the player was on a Hockey Canada or USA Hockey card last season, he is ineligible to play in the OHL." - This means Saponari (and Corey Trivino for that matter) are not able to play in the Ontario Hockey League next season.
7. Chase Balisy - U.S. Under 18 team (USHL)
Balisy appeared on this list last year too, however it's appearing more and more certain that the OHL route is the one he'll take. He has yet to make a commitment to an NCAA school, which likely means he's already made up his mind about heading to London for next year. A former 4th rounder of the Knights (2008), Balisy is not rated by NHL Central Scouting for this year's draft and had a mildly disappointing 2009-10 season. A once heralded member of the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, Balisy has seen his stock plummet in recent years. The criticisms being that he's undersized, lacking strength and somewhat soft. He's got offensive skill, speed and creativity though, which means he could still make an impact down the line.
Destination Team: London Knights
6. Austin Czarnik - U.S. Under 18 Team (USHL)
Like Balisy, Czarnik is an undersized offensive forward who played as part of the U.S. Development Program this year and last. However, unlike Balisy, Czarnik actually had a fantastic year, nearly leading the team in scoring, and scoring 5 goals for the U.S. at the Under 18's, helping them to gold. However, Czarnik is more than just a bit undersized, he's listed at 5'7 by most scouting agencies. His size hasn't stopped him from succeeding yet though. The question mark lies in where he plays next year. Czarnik recently de-committed from Michigan State and now has a blank NCAA slate. However he's still being courted by NCAA schools. That being said, with cousin Robbie making the jump to the OHL this year and finding success, and fellow cousin Cory being a draft pick of the Barrie Colts, the OHL is looking like the most likely option at this point. The rumours suggest that he'll either suit up for Windsor (he was their 6th rounder in 2009), or request a trade to Barrie to play with Cory (who hasn't yet committed to playing in Barrie). Either way, he's likely to make a pretty large offensive impact in the league.
Destination Team: Windsor Spitfires or Barrie Colts
5. Scott Mayfield - Youngstown (USHL)
Were the Kitchener Rangers just throwing us a curveball when they selected the highly touted Mayfield in the 6th round of this year's OHL Draft. The 6'4 defenseman is considered to be a potential first round selection in the 2011 NHL Draft. He's the complete package; size, aggressiveness, and offensive skill. He's currently committed to the University of Denver, but not until 2011-2012. As a late 1992 birth day, this means he would have to play his NHL draft season in the USHL (not exactly a bad thing) with Youngstown, who continues to be a bottom feeder. Or he can transfer to Kitchener, play in a larger spotlight and attempt to increase his draft status and accelerate his NHL aspirations. At least that's undoubtedly the pitch Kitchener will make to him. On the flip side, both of his parents graduated from the U of Denver, which means he could be facing a lot of pressure on that front. One OHL scout for a Western Conference team I spoke to said "We had him on our draft list too, but we're told he wouldn't report." Sounds like this one is bit a of a toss up, which Nathan Fournier agrees with. If he does show up in Kitchener, he could immediately jump into their top pairing.
Destination Team: Kitchener Rangers
4. Tom Kuhnhackl - Landshut (Germany2)
The Import selection of the Windsor Spitfires last year, the lanky German centerman has already committed to Windsor for next year. Kuhnhackl had a bit of a disappointing seaso
n in 2009-10, as he battled injuries and as a result had to miss the World Junior Championships. But that hasn't stopped Kuhnhackl from being considered a potential top two round selection by the NHL this summer; he's rated 8th among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting. I spoke with German hockey expert Nils Kloppmann about Kuhnhackl and he is very hopeful that he'll make quite the impact in the OHL. He's tall and lanky, but he's a smart two way player with offensive skill and instinct. According to Kloppmann he's going to need to gain strength and confidence, which could point to potential early season struggles. But by 2010-2011's season end, Kuhnhackl could very well be one of the most important forwards on the Spits roster.
Destination Team: Windsor Spitfires
3. Lucas Lessio - St. Michael's Buzzers (CCHL)
Lessio has already spurned one OHL team, the Niagara IceDogs who drafted him in the top 10 last year. He then saw his rights traded to Oshawa and played out last season with St. Mikes Junior A. About mid way through the season, he gave his intent to play for the University of Michigan in the future. But many people are still not convinced Lessio goes to Michigan. For one, the Generals gave up a lot for Lessio last year, something no sane GM would do if it was completely certain he was heading to the NCAA. Secondly, Lessio has now shown up at the Generals orientation camp this weekend, of course sparking rumours of him playing there next season. With the scholarship to Michigan not in effect until 2011-2012, Lessio would have to play his NHL Draft year in the CCHL again next year, or in the USHL (ala Louis Leblanc) to preserve his amateur status. If he goes to Oshawa, he could very well elevate himself into the top 10. He absolutely shredded Junior A (CCHL) this year, putting up better numbers than Andrew Cogliano did with the Buzzers as a 16 year old (and Cogliano was a first round pick the next year). He's the complete package of size, skill and strength and could make a HUGE impact for Oshawa if that ends up as his destination.
Destination Team: Oshawa Generals
2. Jack Campbell - U.S. Under 18 Team (USHL)
By now, I'm sure most people are familiar with Campbell's exploits as goaltender for Team U.S.A. at the most recent international tournaments. Not only has Campbell won two straight gold medals at the Under 18's, but he's been named the goaltender of the tournament in both cases. He also backstopped Team U.S.A. to gold at the Under 20 WJC's. Nothing really else to say, Campbell is a stud. He's also a stud who's already committed to Windsor for next season, where he'll likely become one of the best goaltenders in the OHL. The question is now, what does Windsor do with Phil Grubauer (whom they payed a high price to get)? Do they keep the goalie who's helped them to the Memorial Cup and play Campbell and Grubauer in a platoon, or do they trade him and try to get back some of the assets they lost by acquiring him as a rental. Windsor also has Michael Nishi waiting in the wings as a very competent back up (and potential OHL starting netminder in his own right). What was once the position of weakness for Windsor has quickly turned into it's strength.
Destination Team: Windsor Spitfires
1. Brandon Saad - U.S. Under 18 Team (USHL)
One of the be
st players in the U.S. Development program this year, Saad is a returnee to this list. The former Saginaw first rounder (2008), still has yet to commit to an NCAA program which leads many to believe we're counting the days until he signs with Saginaw. When he does (on the assumption that it's happening), the Spirit will be getting one heck of a player. Saad is the complete offensive package and in Nathan Fournier's views of him this year, he said he was the best player on the ice. He's already considered to be a contender for a top 5 pick in the 2011 NHL entry draft and could do wonders for a young Saginaw team that's ready to contend. I know that, over any player on this list, Saad is the one I'm most excited about seeing next year and I really hope he makes the OHL his choice...as it would seem.
Destination Team: Saginaw Spirit
Other Notables
There are many players that Nathan Fournier and I talked about as potential bodies for this list. The ones left off are either not as large of impact players...OR...less likely to make the jump to the OHL. My guess is that we still see at least one of these guys in the OHL next year.
Adam Clendening - U.S. Under 18 Team (USHL)
There have long been rumours about Clendening coming to London...as he was their 5th round selection back in 2008. The leading defenseman scorer from the recent Under 18's would be an impact player for the Knights if he came. However, it appears more and more likely he'll be headed to Boston University in the fall.
Corey Trivino - Boston University
Things haven't gone too well for this former highly touted OPJHL star. He had a very disappointing sophomore season that was ended by a broken leg and now he's been suspended by the team indefinitely for the same things Vinny Saponari (see above) was kicked off for. Nobody knows how long the suspension is, nor do they know how long he's going to be injured for. One thing is for certain though, the New York Islanders can't be happy with the development of their early second round pick in 2008. If he's looking for a change, the OHL could call his name, where he was once a draft pick of the Barrie Colts. As a 1990 player, he could really get his act together and play a year as an overager, but my guess is he toughs it out with Boston U.
UPDATE
See above re: the Vinny Saponari situation. Trivino would not be eligible to play in the OHL next year.
Stephan Johns - U.S. Under 18 Team (USHL)
Like Clendening, Johns has been a long rumoured OHL recruit by the Windsor Spitfires. He's a big physical defenseman that Windsor could definitely use (without Harry Young and possibly Mark Cundari), however all signs point to him going to the University of Notre Dame next year. But Windsor's not going down without a fight.
Kyle Palmieri - University of Notre Dame
Had an OK freshman season at Notre Dame, but was excellent for the U.S. at the Under 20 WJC's, helping them to the gold. A first rounder of Anaheim, Palmieri has gotten himself in some hot water this offseason over an incident involving alcohol and the police. No word on a suspension from Notre Dame, but this isn't the first time Palmieri's been surrounded by controversy. He was booted from the U.S. Development Program last season. A former draft pick of Guelph, the Storm have long been on his case to make the transfer to the OHL. While it's unlikely he bails on his Fighting Irish teammates, you never can guess.
Jarred Tinordi - U.S. Under 18 Team (USHL)
Another U.S. defenseman who has long been courted by the OHL. A draft pick of London in 2008, they have been hard after him for the past two years. But he seems committed to the University of Notre Dame next year, despite possessing the size and physical abilities to dominate the OHL.
Nick Czinder - Youngstown (USHL)
A draft pick by Kingston in this year's OHL draft, Czinder is an interesting player. A huge forward (6'6) with offensive potential has to be intriguing to any team. He had 13 goals for Youngstown this year, and was the highest scoring 1992 on the team. A Western Conference OHL scout I spoke to said "he's likely headed to college, Kingston can't afford him." This is backed up by a Q & A done by McKeen's earlier this season (here) where Czinder says "I think college hockey is the best option." You never know though. Maybe Mavety finally opens up his wallet.
Well that's it for today, any comments or concerns? Last year's article sure raised quite the stink!
That is to say, 10 players from outside leagues who look to or have already committed to playing in the OHL next season. This list does not include "natural" OHL rookies, or 93 born players who were just recently drafted in the Priority draft. This is a list of "overage" rookies, if you will. There is a lot of talent on this list, some of whom have already stated they will be playing in the OHL next season. Others is merely speculation on my part based on a little background research. Quite frankly, I'd be surprised if every player on this list isn't in the OHL next year, but you never know.
This year's list is not too different. Again, 1994 born players just drafted are not included, so don't expect Nick Ebert to be on this list (even though he very well deserves to be).
Looking back to last year, 5 of the players mentioned in the top 10 ended up playing in the OHL in 2009-10, while 2 others make a repeat appearance this year. Meanwhile, one of the honorable mentions (Kenny Ryan) also made the jump. We'll probably see similar results for 2010-2011, perhaps even more favorable to my predicting ability.
Special thanks to Nathan Fournier (World of Junior Hockey and Maine Hockey Journal), David Burstyn (McKeen's Hockey), Nils Kloppmann (German Hockey Expert), and Johan Nilsson (Elite Prospects) for contributing to this article.
Here is the list...
10. Janos Hari - Färjestad J18 (Sweden) & Team Hungary Under18
This talented Hungarian forward has been playing out of Sweden in the Farjestad junior system for the past three seasons. The offensively talented 1992 born winger is rated 44th among European players by NHL Central Scouting on their final list. Recently it was announced that he wishes to come to the OHL next year via the Import Draft and has apparently been in contact with several teams about the opportunity. Swedish hockey expert Johan Nilsson says he is not sold on Hari's NHL aspirations, but does think he can make a quality OHL player. Hari is definitely undersized at 5'9, but he is very talented offensively; a "scoring machine with a nice scoring instinct who is very creative, has good hands, and is always dangerous in the offensive zone" (Johan Nilsson). That being said, he does have drawbacks. According to Nilsson he's only an average skater, and needs to improve his two way game and play without the puck. Sounds like he could at least have a similar impact as William Wallen has for St. Mike's.
Destination Team: Anybody with an import spot open
9. Matt Mahalak - Youngstown (USHL)
The younger brother of Whalers forward R.J. Mahalak, Matt is a young goaltender who played in the USHL this season. He was the second goaltender taken in the 2009 Priority Draft; the 13th pick of the second round. Mahalak has already signed with Plymouth and intends to play there next season, battling Scott Wedgewood for the starting role. Last year he split the starting netminder position with a 20 year old goalie, but struggled (at least according to the stat sheet). My guess is that Mahalak has only a limited impact next season (with Wedgewood taking over for Matt Hackett), but could pay larger dividends further into the future.
Destination Team: Plymouth Whalers
8. Vinny Saponari - Boston University
The 94th
selection in the 2008 NHL draft by the Atlanta Thrashers, Saponari had a good year as a sophomore for Boston U, finishing third in team scoring with 30 points in 38 games. However, due to what Boston University is calling numerous incidents (including missing disciplinary practices and a you tube rap video), Saponari was booted from the program recently. This leaves the NHL draft pick with nowhere to play for 2010-2011. He has a few options. He could play in the USHL next year, then hope to get an NHL contract the year after. Atlanta could sign him now and let him play in the AHL/ECHL. He could sign his own professional contract to play in the AHL/ECHL. Lastly, he could play in the Ontario Hockey League as an overager. Both Nathan Fournier and I agree this to be the most likely solution given which team owns his rights (both in the OHL and the NHL). Kitchener drafted Saponari back in 2007, so it's unknown whether they have kept his rights. However, we know the Thrashers are very familiar with the organization with Jeremy Morin playing there this season. Wouldn't it be easiest to set up Saponari with Kitchener (who could have an OA spot open beside Jason Akeson and Matt Tipoff), so that they can keep a close eye on him? Fournier describes Saponari as a chippy offensive player and if the OHL route is the one he takes next year, he could have a large impact.Destination Team: Kitchener Rangers
UPDATE
Kitchener fans, hate to burst your pipe dreams to some extent, but Vinny Saponari will NOT be playing in Kitchener next year as an overager. Just traded emails with OHL VP Ted Baker about the situation. Here is what he had to say: "Unless the player was on a Hockey Canada or USA Hockey card last season, he is ineligible to play in the OHL." - This means Saponari (and Corey Trivino for that matter) are not able to play in the Ontario Hockey League next season.
7. Chase Balisy - U.S. Under 18 team (USHL)
Balisy appeared on this list last year too, however it's appearing more and more certain that the OHL route is the one he'll take. He has yet to make a commitment to an NCAA school, which likely means he's already made up his mind about heading to London for next year. A former 4th rounder of the Knights (2008), Balisy is not rated by NHL Central Scouting for this year's draft and had a mildly disappointing 2009-10 season. A once heralded member of the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, Balisy has seen his stock plummet in recent years. The criticisms being that he's undersized, lacking strength and somewhat soft. He's got offensive skill, speed and creativity though, which means he could still make an impact down the line.
Destination Team: London Knights
6. Austin Czarnik - U.S. Under 18 Team (USHL)
Like Balisy, Czarnik is an undersized offensive forward who played as part of the U.S. Development Program this year and last. However, unlike Balisy, Czarnik actually had a fantastic year, nearly leading the team in scoring, and scoring 5 goals for the U.S. at the Under 18's, helping them to gold. However, Czarnik is more than just a bit undersized, he's listed at 5'7 by most scouting agencies. His size hasn't stopped him from succeeding yet though. The question mark lies in where he plays next year. Czarnik recently de-committed from Michigan State and now has a blank NCAA slate. However he's still being courted by NCAA schools. That being said, with cousin Robbie making the jump to the OHL this year and finding success, and fellow cousin Cory being a draft pick of the Barrie Colts, the OHL is looking like the most likely option at this point. The rumours suggest that he'll either suit up for Windsor (he was their 6th rounder in 2009), or request a trade to Barrie to play with Cory (who hasn't yet committed to playing in Barrie). Either way, he's likely to make a pretty large offensive impact in the league.
Destination Team: Windsor Spitfires or Barrie Colts
5. Scott Mayfield - Youngstown (USHL)
Were the Kitchener Rangers just throwing us a curveball when they selected the highly touted Mayfield in the 6th round of this year's OHL Draft. The 6'4 defenseman is considered to be a potential first round selection in the 2011 NHL Draft. He's the complete package; size, aggressiveness, and offensive skill. He's currently committed to the University of Denver, but not until 2011-2012. As a late 1992 birth day, this means he would have to play his NHL draft season in the USHL (not exactly a bad thing) with Youngstown, who continues to be a bottom feeder. Or he can transfer to Kitchener, play in a larger spotlight and attempt to increase his draft status and accelerate his NHL aspirations. At least that's undoubtedly the pitch Kitchener will make to him. On the flip side, both of his parents graduated from the U of Denver, which means he could be facing a lot of pressure on that front. One OHL scout for a Western Conference team I spoke to said "We had him on our draft list too, but we're told he wouldn't report." Sounds like this one is bit a of a toss up, which Nathan Fournier agrees with. If he does show up in Kitchener, he could immediately jump into their top pairing.
Destination Team: Kitchener Rangers
4. Tom Kuhnhackl - Landshut (Germany2)
The Import selection of the Windsor Spitfires last year, the lanky German centerman has already committed to Windsor for next year. Kuhnhackl had a bit of a disappointing seaso
n in 2009-10, as he battled injuries and as a result had to miss the World Junior Championships. But that hasn't stopped Kuhnhackl from being considered a potential top two round selection by the NHL this summer; he's rated 8th among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting. I spoke with German hockey expert Nils Kloppmann about Kuhnhackl and he is very hopeful that he'll make quite the impact in the OHL. He's tall and lanky, but he's a smart two way player with offensive skill and instinct. According to Kloppmann he's going to need to gain strength and confidence, which could point to potential early season struggles. But by 2010-2011's season end, Kuhnhackl could very well be one of the most important forwards on the Spits roster.Destination Team: Windsor Spitfires
3. Lucas Lessio - St. Michael's Buzzers (CCHL)
Lessio has already spurned one OHL team, the Niagara IceDogs who drafted him in the top 10 last year. He then saw his rights traded to Oshawa and played out last season with St. Mikes Junior A. About mid way through the season, he gave his intent to play for the University of Michigan in the future. But many people are still not convinced Lessio goes to Michigan. For one, the Generals gave up a lot for Lessio last year, something no sane GM would do if it was completely certain he was heading to the NCAA. Secondly, Lessio has now shown up at the Generals orientation camp this weekend, of course sparking rumours of him playing there next season. With the scholarship to Michigan not in effect until 2011-2012, Lessio would have to play his NHL Draft year in the CCHL again next year, or in the USHL (ala Louis Leblanc) to preserve his amateur status. If he goes to Oshawa, he could very well elevate himself into the top 10. He absolutely shredded Junior A (CCHL) this year, putting up better numbers than Andrew Cogliano did with the Buzzers as a 16 year old (and Cogliano was a first round pick the next year). He's the complete package of size, skill and strength and could make a HUGE impact for Oshawa if that ends up as his destination.
Destination Team: Oshawa Generals
2. Jack Campbell - U.S. Under 18 Team (USHL)
By now, I'm sure most people are familiar with Campbell's exploits as goaltender for Team U.S.A. at the most recent international tournaments. Not only has Campbell won two straight gold medals at the Under 18's, but he's been named the goaltender of the tournament in both cases. He also backstopped Team U.S.A. to gold at the Under 20 WJC's. Nothing really else to say, Campbell is a stud. He's also a stud who's already committed to Windsor for next season, where he'll likely become one of the best goaltenders in the OHL. The question is now, what does Windsor do with Phil Grubauer (whom they payed a high price to get)? Do they keep the goalie who's helped them to the Memorial Cup and play Campbell and Grubauer in a platoon, or do they trade him and try to get back some of the assets they lost by acquiring him as a rental. Windsor also has Michael Nishi waiting in the wings as a very competent back up (and potential OHL starting netminder in his own right). What was once the position of weakness for Windsor has quickly turned into it's strength.
Destination Team: Windsor Spitfires
1. Brandon Saad - U.S. Under 18 Team (USHL)
One of the be
st players in the U.S. Development program this year, Saad is a returnee to this list. The former Saginaw first rounder (2008), still has yet to commit to an NCAA program which leads many to believe we're counting the days until he signs with Saginaw. When he does (on the assumption that it's happening), the Spirit will be getting one heck of a player. Saad is the complete offensive package and in Nathan Fournier's views of him this year, he said he was the best player on the ice. He's already considered to be a contender for a top 5 pick in the 2011 NHL entry draft and could do wonders for a young Saginaw team that's ready to contend. I know that, over any player on this list, Saad is the one I'm most excited about seeing next year and I really hope he makes the OHL his choice...as it would seem.Destination Team: Saginaw Spirit
Other Notables
There are many players that Nathan Fournier and I talked about as potential bodies for this list. The ones left off are either not as large of impact players...OR...less likely to make the jump to the OHL. My guess is that we still see at least one of these guys in the OHL next year.
Adam Clendening - U.S. Under 18 Team (USHL)
There have long been rumours about Clendening coming to London...as he was their 5th round selection back in 2008. The leading defenseman scorer from the recent Under 18's would be an impact player for the Knights if he came. However, it appears more and more likely he'll be headed to Boston University in the fall.
Corey Trivino - Boston University
Things haven't gone too well for this former highly touted OPJHL star. He had a very disappointing sophomore season that was ended by a broken leg and now he's been suspended by the team indefinitely for the same things Vinny Saponari (see above) was kicked off for. Nobody knows how long the suspension is, nor do they know how long he's going to be injured for. One thing is for certain though, the New York Islanders can't be happy with the development of their early second round pick in 2008. If he's looking for a change, the OHL could call his name, where he was once a draft pick of the Barrie Colts. As a 1990 player, he could really get his act together and play a year as an overager, but my guess is he toughs it out with Boston U.
UPDATE
See above re: the Vinny Saponari situation. Trivino would not be eligible to play in the OHL next year.
Stephan Johns - U.S. Under 18 Team (USHL)
Like Clendening, Johns has been a long rumoured OHL recruit by the Windsor Spitfires. He's a big physical defenseman that Windsor could definitely use (without Harry Young and possibly Mark Cundari), however all signs point to him going to the University of Notre Dame next year. But Windsor's not going down without a fight.
Kyle Palmieri - University of Notre Dame
Had an OK freshman season at Notre Dame, but was excellent for the U.S. at the Under 20 WJC's, helping them to the gold. A first rounder of Anaheim, Palmieri has gotten himself in some hot water this offseason over an incident involving alcohol and the police. No word on a suspension from Notre Dame, but this isn't the first time Palmieri's been surrounded by controversy. He was booted from the U.S. Development Program last season. A former draft pick of Guelph, the Storm have long been on his case to make the transfer to the OHL. While it's unlikely he bails on his Fighting Irish teammates, you never can guess.
Jarred Tinordi - U.S. Under 18 Team (USHL)
Another U.S. defenseman who has long been courted by the OHL. A draft pick of London in 2008, they have been hard after him for the past two years. But he seems committed to the University of Notre Dame next year, despite possessing the size and physical abilities to dominate the OHL.
Nick Czinder - Youngstown (USHL)
A draft pick by Kingston in this year's OHL draft, Czinder is an interesting player. A huge forward (6'6) with offensive potential has to be intriguing to any team. He had 13 goals for Youngstown this year, and was the highest scoring 1992 on the team. A Western Conference OHL scout I spoke to said "he's likely headed to college, Kingston can't afford him." This is backed up by a Q & A done by McKeen's earlier this season (here) where Czinder says "I think college hockey is the best option." You never know though. Maybe Mavety finally opens up his wallet.
Well that's it for today, any comments or concerns? Last year's article sure raised quite the stink!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Sunday Top 10 - 2010 NHL Draft Re-Entries
The topic of the draft re-entry is something I have discussed at great length this year. From articles examining the odds of being passed over and then selected (here). To articles talking about the increase in this occurrence (here).The one question I get asked quite frequently is, who are the top re-entry players who could get drafted this year? Finally I'm fully answering it. I waited until the OHL playoffs had come to the final stretch because quite often a strong playoff performance can be that platform to a draft selection (see Eric Wellwood last year).
If you remember, I did a similar Top 10 last year before the 2009 NHL Draft (here). Of those ten, four ended up getting drafted (Kolomatis, Janus, Kennedy, Hackett), and one has since signed an NHL deal (Pither). Meanwhile, two (Archibald, Akeson) return for a second trip on the list this year.
Just to clarify yet again, for those with limited understanding of the NHL draft system; North American players have either two or three years to get drafted, depending on their birth date. For those born from January 1 to September 15, they will go through three NHL drafts. For those born from September 16 to December 31, they will go through two NHL drafts. The players on this list are a mix of those having been passed over once or twice already.
Also, do not confuse this list with players drafted in 2008 who will re-enter the draft should they fail to come to a contractual agreement with their NHL team by June 1 (and whose birth date still allows them to be eligible). Quite often those too are referred to as draft re-entries. But this list does not contain them because it is not yet known who those players will be.
So let's get on with the show. Here are my top 10 draft re-entries from the Ontario Hockey league for the 2010 NHL Draft.
10. Myles McCauley - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
McCauley has been a fixture on Central Scouting's Rankings for this draft the entire season; 160th on the final, and 162nd on the midterm rankings. While the CSS rankings are not the be all and end all, his consistent showing is a telltale sign of NHL interest. he didn't play much last year, in his draft season with Plymouth, but had a good, although very inconsistent season this year, his second in the league. There's definitely potential there as he has good speed and the potential for significant offensive output. He needs to work on his play away from the puck in order to increase the consistency of his offensive production. Personally, I'm not sure I'd draft him at this point, but there's definitely NHL interest. And with the honorable mentions on my list being just as unlikely, I decided to give the nod to McCauley...even if I may prefer some of the others on my honorable mentions list to a slight degree.
9. Jason Akeson - Kitchener Rangers
Akeson had an exc
ellent year for Kitchener where he was able to be a much more consistent offensive threat. I think he made great strides in his game without the puck. He's developed into a quality forechecker and has added strength that made him often tough to handle down low and along the boards. He's got good vision and does well to create opportunities for his linemates. Size is a disadvantage, as he falls into the "can he be successful in the NHL with the type of game he plays at his size" mold. But he's a quality player, someone who I think has the chance to make a good professional hockey player, at least at the AHL level. If he doesn't get a chance, he could have a monster overage year for Kitchener next year.8. Colin Martin - London Knights
A classic late bloomer, Martin is a big power forward who had an excellent second half and playoffs for the Knights. This was his first full OHL season after spending last year with St. Mary's Junior B and leading the team in scoring. He got better as the season went along and in his last 49 games (including playoffs), had 39 points. By the end of the playoffs, he was getting consistent powerplay time and making the best of it. His skating isn't the greatest, but there is time for that to be improved. More importantly, he's got good hands and is a pretty solid all around offensive player.
7. Dalton Prout - Barrie Colts
After being a relatively unheralded player in past seasons, Prout really took a step forward into the limelight this season with Barrie's explosive year. He's always been a solid defender in his own zone, but improving his mobility and being smarter with physical play really helped him get to that next level as a defender this year. He was honored by the OHL coaches as being the 2nd best defensive defenseman in the East, behind Brampton's Matt Clark and St. Mike's Brett Flemming, both NHL draft picks. The other main difference in Prout this season was his improvement offensively. He'll never be a big offensive contributor at the next level, but he really improved his first pass, and his ability to get his shot through to the net. I'd be surprised if someone doesn't take a chance on Prout with his size and ability.
6. Michael MacDonald - London Knights
Similar to Colin Martin, MacDonald was an OHL rookie this year as a 1991 born player. He's an interesting player for sure. A Thunder Bay native, MacDonald played for Canada West at the 2008 World Junior A Challenge, and participated in the CJHL Top Prospects game the same year (along with a potential NHL first rounder this year in Jaden Schwartz). Then last year he had an excellent offensive season in the SIJHL with Fort William. He's not the biggest forward, but he brings a lot of energy to the ice and proved to be a good goal scorer as the season went along. The combination of speed, work ethic, and offensive ability may really interest NHL clubs come June.
5. Taylor Carnevale - Barrie Colts
Carnevale had a very good year as the Colts' third line center between Darren A
rchibald and a rotation of wingers that is currently Stefan Della Rovere. He's only averaged sized, and he's not exactly a physical threat, but he is a very solid two way player. He's good on face offs and he's been a fixture on the Barrie penalty kill all season long. His offensive game is pretty well rounded and he's got good speed, which allows him to be successful in that jack of all trades role. Moving forward, I'm not sure yet what type of NHL player he could develop into. Next year will be a big year as he'll be thrust into a much larger offensive role.4. Sam Lofquist - Guelph Storm
After leaving the University of Minnesota, this former U.S. National team member become a rock for the Guelph Storm. His arrival (as well as the improvement on the injury front) was a huge reason Guelph was able to turn their season around. He's got a lot of things that NHL teams look for from the back end. He's got very good size at 6'2, 200lbs. He's mobile, physical and he can perform offensively. He's actually got a cannon of a shot from the point and generates a lot of offense from it. Lofquist didn't have a tremendous end to the season and struggled in the playoffs, but I think he was clearly fatigued...something that often happens to departing NCAA players in their first CHL season. I think the way he played most of the season and how important he became to Guelph's resurgence definitely would have gotten him noticed.
3. Alex Friesen - Niagara IceDogs
Friesen had an
excellent year for the Dogs after a disappointing second season in the league last year. He doesn't have a ton of size (5'10), but he makes up for that by being one of the most tenacious forecheckers and workers in the league. He was recognized as so in the coaches poll where he was named the hardest worker in the East. He's an elite skater, an improving defensive player, and showed an improved ability to produce offensively this season, averaging a point per game. He's also tremendous on the face off circle, where again he received the top nomination in the coaches poll. That type of progression from one year to the next shows dedication to improvement and really impresses NHL scouts.2. Luke Judson - Belleville Bulls
The Bulls had an absolutely atrocious season. But lost in all that was the massive im
provement from Judson, who was named their captain at the young age of 18. I was often impressed by Judson last year when he was used sparingly for a dominant Bulls team. This year he led the Bulls in goals with 29 and developed into a real quality all around player. He's a feared body checker and he's also solid on the penalty kill. Next year, when this young Bulls team should be much better, Judson will likely increase his offensive production again. Fortunately, this solid season didn't go completely unnoticed as he received nominations in the coaches poll for both most underrated player and most improved player in the East.1. Darren Archibald - Barrie Colts
I was incredi
bly surprised that Archibald didn't get drafted last year, when he was pretty highly ranked by many scouting services. Then he performed very well with Columbus at their NHL training camp (was one of the last cuts among junior aged players), and I figured he'd get an NHL deal with them. But again he went back to Barrie empty handed. This year, he improved on his rookie season and became a real important part of Barrie's offense. As a power forward, he plays in all situations, plays both ends of the ice, hits hard, fights and has a wicked shot that makes him quite the effective goal scorer. While he hasn't had a tremendous OHL playoffs, he's still got to be considered a quality NHL prospect. If he goes through the draft again, there's got to be something we're missing.Honorable Mentions:
A lot of guys were given consideration for this list. I'll try to highlight a few of them. In goal, Barrie's tandem of Mavric Parks and Peter Di Salvo are bound to generate interest. Parks has been especially effective this year, although his lack of size may become a deterrent (even for the goaltending position, just ask Mike Murphy). Also, Erie's Ramis Sadikov has generated NHL interest this year and with his ability to fill out the net, he may get a selection.
On defense, Ottawa's Marc Zanetti made great strides this year. He's got good size, is mobile and is one mean customer. His ability to improve offensively and cut down on bad penalties may have raised his stock this year. Windsor's Marc Cantin is similar to Dalton Prout in that he's a quality stay at home guy who can push people around. He could draw interest. Lastly Oshawa's Tony DeHart had a great year and even finished it off with Springfield of the AHL. He's turned himself into a quality two way defender and NHL teams may take notice.
At forward, there are some good candidates. Kitchener's Matt Tipoff was supposed to be drafted last year but ended up going undrafted. He started the year on fire with Belleville, but after the trade to Kitchener his production slipped due to decreased playing time. Niagara's Andrew Agozzino is an excellent goal scoring forward and is a tireless worker, but he's the same player NHL teams passed on last year due to his lack of size. Ottawa's Thomas Nesbitt is a quality two way winger who showcased goal scoring ability this season and may have put himself on the NHL draft radar. Lastly, the Soo's Brett Thompson was one of the better goal scorers in the league this year, but he has similar size concerns to Agozzino.
Anyone you think I've greatly underrated...or overrated? Love to hear your thoughts.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
OHL Playoff Predictions - OHL Finals
With Windsor's remarkable (and perhaps expected) comeback finalized today with a game seven victory over Kitchener, the 2010 Ontario Hockey League Finals are set.
The Windsor Spitfires will travel to Barrie to face the Colts in game one of the finals on Tuesday night.
Most importantly, I went 2 for 2 in my predictions of the Conference finals. This boosts my record in the playoffs to an acceptable (although not tremendous) 8-6.
Needless to say, I'm definitely psyched to see how this year's finals shake down. Here's what I think...
1. Barrie Colts vs. 1. Windsor Spitfires
Season Series: Barrie 2-0
Barrie 4, Windsor 2
Windsor 5, Barrie 8
My Analysis:
Forwards: ADVANTAGE = EVEN
Both the Spits and the Colts have incredibly deep forward units. Both can roll three legitimate scoring lines, both can play both ways and both are imposing physical units. At the start of the playoffs, I would have said Barrie had the advantage in the physicality department, but Windsor's forwards have really stepped it up. Guys like Zack Kassian, Kenny Ryan, Justin Shugg, Eric Wellwood, Dale Mitchell, among others have really upped the pain quote and are playing inspired hockey.
Defense: ADVANTAGE = BARRIE
Some may not agree, but if we're comparing a top four of Alex Pietrangelo, Nick Crawford, T.J. Brodie, and Dalton Prout with a top four of Cam Fowler, Ryan Ellis, Mark Cundari, and Marc Cantin/Harry Young, I'm taking the Barrie combo. I think they play a smarter and more composed game. Those four in particular were excellent against St. Mike's where Barrie showed they could play a tough, shutdown type of game too as opposed to offensive throttle style many had them pigeon held for.
Goaltending: ADVANTAGE = BARRIE
I think this one is a slight advantage for Barrie, but only slight. Philip Grubauer has played a lot better in these OHL playoffs than many have given him credit for. He's had a few rough patches but he was a large reason why Windsor was able to come back from 3-0 down against Kitchener. Meanwhile, Mavric Parks has had an outstanding season and has carried that over to a strong performance in these playoffs. I think Grubauer's unpredictability gives the slight nod to Barrie.
The Tipping Point:
I think what really tips this series in favor of Barrie is stamina. Barrie has essentially walked through these playoffs so far. Meanwhile, Windsor just has to put forward every effort in a seven game series. Barrie is rested and hungry and I think they'll translate the success they had in the regular season against Windsor to a victory in the playoffs and a trip to the Memorial Cup.
Prediction: Barrie in 6
Let's hear your prediction!
The Windsor Spitfires will travel to Barrie to face the Colts in game one of the finals on Tuesday night.
Most importantly, I went 2 for 2 in my predictions of the Conference finals. This boosts my record in the playoffs to an acceptable (although not tremendous) 8-6.
Needless to say, I'm definitely psyched to see how this year's finals shake down. Here's what I think...
1. Barrie Colts vs. 1. Windsor Spitfires
Season Series: Barrie 2-0
Barrie 4, Windsor 2
Windsor 5, Barrie 8
My Analysis:
Forwards: ADVANTAGE = EVEN
Both the Spits and the Colts have incredibly deep forward units. Both can roll three legitimate scoring lines, both can play both ways and both are imposing physical units. At the start of the playoffs, I would have said Barrie had the advantage in the physicality department, but Windsor's forwards have really stepped it up. Guys like Zack Kassian, Kenny Ryan, Justin Shugg, Eric Wellwood, Dale Mitchell, among others have really upped the pain quote and are playing inspired hockey.
Defense: ADVANTAGE = BARRIE
Some may not agree, but if we're comparing a top four of Alex Pietrangelo, Nick Crawford, T.J. Brodie, and Dalton Prout with a top four of Cam Fowler, Ryan Ellis, Mark Cundari, and Marc Cantin/Harry Young, I'm taking the Barrie combo. I think they play a smarter and more composed game. Those four in particular were excellent against St. Mike's where Barrie showed they could play a tough, shutdown type of game too as opposed to offensive throttle style many had them pigeon held for.
Goaltending: ADVANTAGE = BARRIE
I think this one is a slight advantage for Barrie, but only slight. Philip Grubauer has played a lot better in these OHL playoffs than many have given him credit for. He's had a few rough patches but he was a large reason why Windsor was able to come back from 3-0 down against Kitchener. Meanwhile, Mavric Parks has had an outstanding season and has carried that over to a strong performance in these playoffs. I think Grubauer's unpredictability gives the slight nod to Barrie.
The Tipping Point:
I think what really tips this series in favor of Barrie is stamina. Barrie has essentially walked through these playoffs so far. Meanwhile, Windsor just has to put forward every effort in a seven game series. Barrie is rested and hungry and I think they'll translate the success they had in the regular season against Windsor to a victory in the playoffs and a trip to the Memorial Cup.
Prediction: Barrie in 6
Let's hear your prediction!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Sunday Top 10 - Biggest Stories of the 2010 Playoffs...so far
The 2010 OHL playoffs are winding down. We're now in the Conference Finals and thus far, I'm not really sure there have been too many surprises. In the East, we've got the match up of the two teams everyone expected to see; Barrie and Mississauga. In the West, we've got Windsor going up against Kitchener...perhaps a mild surprise but realistically there were a handful of team that had the chance to go up against the Spits in the West final. However, even though there haven't really been to many surprises, that doesn't mean that there haven't been some good stories.I present to you a look at ten of those stories, in no particular order.
Jeff Skinner's Scoring
No individual play
er has had as good a playoffs as Skinner has to date. He has 16 goals in 15 games now, including 4 in the first two games of the West finals. Needless to say, he's been a beast. All season long, I've felt like he's been massively underrated by those ranking the NHL draft (especially by NHL Central Scouting). We hear concerns about his size and lack of acceleration and straight ahead speed. But we don't hear enough about his ability to fight through traffic and get himself in goal areas. Windsor has some of the best defensive forwards in the league (Scott Timmins, Eric Wellwood, Adam Henrique), and so far Skinner has been able to elude all of them. He may not be the fastest skater, but that doesn't make him a poor skater overall. His ability to turn and maneuver in close to the net (agility) is second to none. Not to mention that he's been taking an absolute beating these entire playoffs, but continues to get back up and go right to those danger areas. If his performance in these playoffs does not elevate him into the first half of the NHL first round, I'd be very surprised.Jared Knight's Breakout
Another draft eligible player who's suffered from a lack of attention this year is London's Knight. While Skinner has his concerns over size and speed, I'm not entirely sure what's prevented Knight from receiving more hype. Sure he's averaged size, and sure he has diabetes, but he's ferocious in his pursuit of goals and is aggressive in attacking the net like few peers available from the OHL. He's turned this into a tremendous performance in these OHL playoffs with 10 goals in 12 playoff games. And even though his Knights have been eliminated, I think NHL scouts would have had to take notice of his ability to turn up the heat when it mattered most. I think he's definitely cemented his place in the first two rounds of the NHL draft...even if he failed to earn an invite to the NHL combine.
Lack of Star Goaltending
Now let me get this point straight. I don't mean to say we haven't had some electrifying goaltending performances...which we have (see Scott Wedgewood vs. Windsor as an example). What I mean to say is that we haven't had a goaltender who has come out and stolen games for his team all the way thus far. Guys like Mavric Parks, Brandon Maxwell, and Petr Mrazek have strung together some good games, but they've also had mediocre ones too. The games have been relatively high scoring so far and many teams have had to change goaltenders at some point during their series'. Is there a goaltender in the Conference finals who's going to put his team on his back and bring them to the Memorial Cup, or are we going to continue to see big offensive performances?
Kitchener over Windsor 2-0
Who would have thought? Especially considering that Windsor had just finished
running over Erie and Plymouth, while Kitchener had to go through war (and 13 games) to get by Saginaw and London. But the Rangers have man handled the Spitfires offensively. They are winning all the loose puck battles, they are out skating the Spits, and they are finishing all of their chances. Philip Grubauer hasn't even been that bad in the series (although he hasn't been great either). The Windsor defense definitely has to share fault as they have been atrocious thus far and have not been able to contain Kitchener's best forwards (or John Moore and Ryan Murphy from the back end). Let's be honest, with the way Kitchener's offense is clicking right now, it's going to be very difficult for Windsor to win 4 of the next 5. If there is one team in the OHL that can do it, it's definitely Windsor, but as of right now, I'm not liking their odds.The Ryan Murphy Show
Just how good is this kid? 5 goals and 9 assists in 15 playoff games thus far. Yes...he's undersized for the defensive position, but he's made tremendous strides defensively this year and is definitely not a defensive liability. And offensively...well it's been quite some time since a 16 year old rookie defenseman has been able to bring the puck up ice like Murphy does. I'm not even sure Drew Doughty was this dynamic offensively in his rookie season. His ability to transition from the defensive end to the opposing blueline so quickly is one of the main reasons Windsor is down 2-0 so far. He's a game changer and regardless of his size, if he continues to play like this, he's going to be a top pick in 2011. Once you get Grapes' attention, it's game over.
Lack of Upsets in Round 1
If we fast forward to the start of the playoffs, one of my readers said he/she felt like the parity between the OHL's top teams and those near the bottom of the playoffs was as big as they could remember. Naturally, I somewhat disagreed and have since eaten crow. The favored teams in this league completely ran over the weaker competition in round 1, save maybe the Kitchener/Saginaw series and the Brampton/Kingston series. Not a single upset victory (unless you consider Brampton's victory an upset...which most won't). So while this wasn't surprising for most of you, I think it's definitely still a story.
Windsor Running Over Plymouth
Mike Vellucci and the Plymouth Whalers played the Windsor Spitfires very tough during the regular season. They went out and acquired big physical forwards in Phil McRae, James Livingston, and Josh Brittain to try and take it to Windsor. And what did they get for it in round 2? Getting outscored 18-6 in four games on the way to a four game sweep. Not to mention that we had the hype of the Taylor Hall vs. Tyler Seguin battle for first overall showcased. Seguin went on to go pointless in the series...which prompted many to assume he was injured. Either way, I think Windsor's ability to run over the Whalers was definitely surprising and a big story considering all the story lines centered around it.
J.P. Anderson Takes over for Chris Carrozzi...Again
Last year, Ande
rson played 26 games in the regular season and was clearly the back up as an OHL rookie. Come the playoffs, starter Chris Carrozzi struggled and Anderson went in to save the day. Which he did, putting forth some of the greater goaltending performances I've ever seen in the OHL playoffs where he lead the Majors to the second round and a near victory over the eventual East Champs in Brampton. This year, Carrozzi and Anderson were platooned. However, I think it's not controversial to say Carrozzi had the better season and as a result got the starting gig for the 2010 playoffs. But after some lukewarm performances (both by him and the team), Cameron went back to Anderson who has since gotten the team to the East finals. He's been quite good in the series against Barrie so far...even facing 58 shots and stopping 55 last night. But Carrozzi has to feel pretty helpless after losing the playoff starting gig again.Nazem Kadri Falls to Kitchener
Nazem Kadri was absolutely sensational to start these playoffs. He had 14 points in the 5 game series against Guelph and was completely dominant. It looked like that was going to continue into the Kitchener series too, as he had 11 points in the first 4 games. But for as good as he was to start the playoffs, people are only going to remember how poor he played in the final three games of the series, where Kitchener held him goalless, to two points, and a combined -6. So while Kadri still leads the 2010 playoffs in scoring (despite London being eliminated), will people remember how dominant he was in the first 10 games? Or will people remember the end of the Kitchener series?
The Barrie Colts Aren't About to Choke
While Barrie dominated the regular season in the Eastern Conference and loaded up their line up for a run to the Memorial Cup, I think a lot of people were still eager to see how they'd perform under the pressure of the OHL playoffs. No more wondering. It's pretty obvious they are for real and are playing for keeps. They ran over Barrie and Brampton in round 1 and 2, and outshot the defensive first Mississauga Majors 55-34 on the way to a 2-1 series lead last night. They have shown an ability to play offensively, defensively and physically. And their powerplay continues to function at an obscene level (around 34%). These Colts definitely look like they've got a chance to match what Sheldon Keefe's 2000 Colts did in making the Memorial Cup.
Anything you think I've missed?
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
OHL Playoff Predictions - Conference Finals
Alright, so I went .500 last round yet again. However going 2-2 in the second round is a lot less embarrassing than going 4-4 in round one. This brings my overall record to 6-6 for the playoffs.
Quite frankly, I was really surprised at how the Spitfires ran over the Whalers. Plymouth played Windsor so hard during the regular season and really loaded up at the deadline for this meeting. Unfortunately, they pretty much got embarrassed. Windsor has just been unstoppable so far in the playoffs and you have to start wondering if anyone will be able to stop the train.
As for the Kitchener/London series, I acknowledged that I felt like the series could go either way. Ultimately, I felt like London was at the top of its game and that the Rangers had some holes the Knights could abuse. Especially true because of how well the Knights played the Rangers in the regular season. I do have to admit that I'm happy to see Kitchener win as it's good to see a different match up than the Spitfires/Knights one we were starting to get accustomed to.
So let's look at the Conference Finals, which get under way tomorrow night in Barrie.
Eastern Conference
1. Barrie Colts vs. 3. Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Season Series: Tie - 3-3
My Analysis: I think this is the series in the Eastern Conference that everyone wanted to see; division rivals and the two best teams in the Conference. These two teams played each other very tough during the season too. So what will break the tide? I think a couple of things. For one, the Majors defense has not looked as strong this playoffs than it did early or mid season. They struggled at times against Ottawa and I think the team should feel fortunate they got out of that series. We all know how strong the Colts are offensively, so the Majors could run into some trouble if they continue to take some bad penalties and make mistakes with the puck like they did against Ottawa. Secondly, I have a lot more confidence in Mavric Parks than I do J.P. Anderson or Chris Carrozzi right now. Parks is playing lights out hockey while neither of the Majors goaltenders (would appear to be Anderson's job the rest of the way) are on top of their game (at least IMO). The Majors will battle and they will finally give the Colts their first defeat of the post season, but I can't see them winning the series.
Prediction: Barrie in 6
Western Conference
1. Windsor Spitfires vs. 3. Kitchener Rangers
Season Series: Tie - 2-2
My Analysis: In the West, the match-up is eerily similar. A one versus a three seed in which the season series was split. The Spitfires have looked absolutely unstoppable this playoffs and appear to be poised for another Memorial Cup run. Meanwhile, the Rangers keep clawing their way into the next round. But does that start to add up and does fatigue set in. The Rangers have played two hard fought series totaling 13 games. The Spits have played two run over series totaling 8 games. I think there is no question that Windsor will be the fresher team. And considering that the Spits are already the better team, I think it makes them hard to beat. The Rangers band of scrappy and intelligent forwards will likely help them win a couple of games and give the Spits at least their hardest fought series yet. But I can't see the Rangers overcoming what appears to be (at this stage of the game) a multiple headed monster.
Prediction: Windsor in 6
Let's hear it folks...anyone else up for a Barrie and Windsor OHL final?
Quite frankly, I was really surprised at how the Spitfires ran over the Whalers. Plymouth played Windsor so hard during the regular season and really loaded up at the deadline for this meeting. Unfortunately, they pretty much got embarrassed. Windsor has just been unstoppable so far in the playoffs and you have to start wondering if anyone will be able to stop the train.
As for the Kitchener/London series, I acknowledged that I felt like the series could go either way. Ultimately, I felt like London was at the top of its game and that the Rangers had some holes the Knights could abuse. Especially true because of how well the Knights played the Rangers in the regular season. I do have to admit that I'm happy to see Kitchener win as it's good to see a different match up than the Spitfires/Knights one we were starting to get accustomed to.
So let's look at the Conference Finals, which get under way tomorrow night in Barrie.
Eastern Conference
1. Barrie Colts vs. 3. Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Season Series: Tie - 3-3
My Analysis: I think this is the series in the Eastern Conference that everyone wanted to see; division rivals and the two best teams in the Conference. These two teams played each other very tough during the season too. So what will break the tide? I think a couple of things. For one, the Majors defense has not looked as strong this playoffs than it did early or mid season. They struggled at times against Ottawa and I think the team should feel fortunate they got out of that series. We all know how strong the Colts are offensively, so the Majors could run into some trouble if they continue to take some bad penalties and make mistakes with the puck like they did against Ottawa. Secondly, I have a lot more confidence in Mavric Parks than I do J.P. Anderson or Chris Carrozzi right now. Parks is playing lights out hockey while neither of the Majors goaltenders (would appear to be Anderson's job the rest of the way) are on top of their game (at least IMO). The Majors will battle and they will finally give the Colts their first defeat of the post season, but I can't see them winning the series.
Prediction: Barrie in 6
Western Conference
1. Windsor Spitfires vs. 3. Kitchener Rangers
Season Series: Tie - 2-2
My Analysis: In the West, the match-up is eerily similar. A one versus a three seed in which the season series was split. The Spitfires have looked absolutely unstoppable this playoffs and appear to be poised for another Memorial Cup run. Meanwhile, the Rangers keep clawing their way into the next round. But does that start to add up and does fatigue set in. The Rangers have played two hard fought series totaling 13 games. The Spits have played two run over series totaling 8 games. I think there is no question that Windsor will be the fresher team. And considering that the Spits are already the better team, I think it makes them hard to beat. The Rangers band of scrappy and intelligent forwards will likely help them win a couple of games and give the Spits at least their hardest fought series yet. But I can't see the Rangers overcoming what appears to be (at this stage of the game) a multiple headed monster.
Prediction: Windsor in 6
Let's hear it folks...anyone else up for a Barrie and Windsor OHL final?
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Sunday Top 10 - Reasons to Watch the Under 18's
Sure, we've got two HUGE Game 7's in the OHL Conference Semi Finals happening on Monday, the OHL conference finals starting Wednesday, and the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs starting mid week, but hockey fans (and OHL fans in particular) should still be gearing up for the World Under 18's taking place from April 13 to April 23 in Belarus.TSN is going to carry some of the games, which means we'll get a chance to watch Canada take on the world without having to live off latkes in Bobruisk, Belarus.
Here is TSN's television schedule for the tournament:
Sunday April 18 - Canada vs. Sweden - 8:30 a.m.
Tuesday April 20 - Quarterfinal - 8:30 a.m.
Wednesday April 21 - Semi Final - 8:30 a.m.
Friday April 23 - Bronze Medal Game - 8:30 a.m.
Friday April 23 - Gold Medal Game - 12:00 p.m.
So why should you watch the Under 18's? I'm going to give you ten good reasons!
10. What Else is on at 8:30 a.m.?
Let's be honest, I'm not sure I even have to mention this one. Not sure how many readers I've got on here that also watch Live with Regis and Kelly, but the television schedule for 8:30 in the morning isn't very strong for the sports fanatic (unless you're watching Sports Centre with Onrait and O'Toole). Not only do the televised games provide you with quality entertainment early in the morning, but they don't interfere with your television schedule later in the day. So whether you want to watch Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs, or American Idol, your habits won't be interrupted. The hockey is actually tremendous and really isn't much of a step below than the Under 20's which have reached god like status among Canadian citizens. For those of you who work (like myself), just hope you've got a DVR that can record the games for when you get home.
9. The Talent of the European Nations
It's always go
od to see what the other countries in the world have to offer, especially when it comes to the future of hockey. But for OHL fans, what these countries (Sweden and Russia especially) have to offer may actually be the future of OHL hockey. Every year, some of the top players in this tournament end up playing in the OHL the following year (or two years later). At last year's tournament, Alex Burmistrov and Robin Lehner starred for Russia and Sweden. In 2008, Andrei Loktionov and Evgeni Grachev starred for Russia, while Richard Panik was excellent for Slovakia. Which European players from this year's tournament will make the jump to the OHL next season as part of the Import Draft? It seems that more and more Russian players could end up making the jump to the CHL in order to boost their NHL draft stock and to elude the long term commitment of the KHL. But Sweden is now in talks of putting in place a new rule which could have a similar effect on young players as the KHL has. Read about it here. Essentially, Sweden wants to make junior players sign a contract with their hockey federation which ties them to Swedish junior and men's league's until the age of 22 (unless they can pay $500,000) to break it. Does this lead to more Swedish players coming to the CHL, especially if they have aspirations of making the NHL before the age of 22?8. Greg McKegg's Chance to Shine
Playing in Erie, Saginaw, or Plymouth can be the kiss of death for a prospect wanting to be drafted in the first round of the NHL draft. In the past 8 years, only two players from these organizations have gone in the first round of the NHL draft (Ryan O'Marra in 2005 and Matt Corrente in 2006). Now, these organizations are great and I mean no disrespect to them, but in Canada they receive little to no exposure. Now I know what you're saying, TYLER SEGUIN DUDE! And yes, Seguin's exploits this year have definitely put Plymouth on the Canadian media radar. But what about Erie or Saginaw? Do the players in those cities really generate buzz in Canada? Not really. And while NHL scouts surely make the trips to these places just the same as any other OHL arena, the players often suffer from a lack of draft hype. Greg McKegg is a great player, had a tremendous season in Erie (after being a very high OHL draft pick), and yet do we ever hear his name being mentioned in the same breath as other fringe NHL first rounders from the OHL like Jeff Skinner, Tyler Toffoli, Ryan Martindale, Ryan Spooner, etc? This is McKegg's chance to shine in the spotlight. If he can have a really good tournament, he's got a chance to cement himself right with that group or possibly even ahead of them.
7. Does Erik Gudbranson Have the Mojo?
Fresh off his naming by Central Scouting as the 3rd best player from the OHL for the draft (ahead of Cam Fowler), can Gudbranson build off that momentum in the scouting community? There is no question that Gudbranson had a bit of a disappointing season for reasons beyond his control. A knee injury and then a bout with mono really prevented him from hitting a groove. Now he'll return to the Under 18's, where he played solidly for Canada last year as an underager. As a returning player (and one with leadership qualities), there's a chance he could be the captain of the team, which means all eyes will be on him. He's one of the highest rated players in the tournament and he's going to be expected to lead Canada's defensive corps. If he has a very strong tournament, does he solidify that top defenseman ranking? If he has a mediocre tournament, does that drop him? A lot riding for him.
6. A Chance to Increase Draft Stock
Nevermind a guy like Greg McKegg, or Erik Gudbranson, but the Under 18's serve as a tremendous opportunity for players to elevate their NHL draft stock. Last year, Barrie's Kyle Clifford used this tournament to spring board himself into early second round range (after being ranked 182nd by CSS). It also helped Calvin de Haan move up into the first half of the first round. Who on Team Canada really impresses the scouts this year? There are 13 OHL guys on this team, some of which have flown under the radar this year. Is it Owen Sound's Geoffrey Schemitsch, whose solid rookie season has finally started to generate hype? Is it Sarnia's Nathan Chiarlitti who was trapped on a struggling Sarnia team this year and not even ranked by Central Scouting? Or is the chance for someone like Steven Shipley or Ryan Spooner to prove that they belong in the first round?
5. What Else Does Canada Have to Offer?
I've spent all this time talking about what the OHL has to offer, but the tournament
serves as a venue to check out the other top young talent Canada has to offer. Prince George's (WHL) Brett Connolly has been injured for most of the season, but he's a potential power forward who could go in the top 10, possibly even top 5 (with a solid tournament). Seattle's (WHL) Calvin Pickard (brother of Nashville first rounder Chet) is quite possibly the best goaltender available from the CHL for this year's draft. While Everett (WHL) defenseman Ryan Murray isn't even eligible for the NHL Draft until 2012 (thanks to a late birthday like Ottawa's Cody Ceci), and he's turned heads in the WHL this season. Some are calling the best and most impressive 16 year old defenseman the WHL has ever seen. This tournament serves to provide you with a look at what the rest of the country has to offer in this age group.4. Potential of an all OHL blueline
Fresh off the hyping of Ryan Murray in reason number five, I'm going to throw a different scenario at you for reason four. With 6 of the 7 Canadian defenseman coming from the Ontario Hockey League, there is a chance that Canada could be primarily icing an all Ontario blueline. That's to say if Team Canada chooses to ease Murray into a significant role, seeing as he's such a young player for this tournament.
3. John McFarland Watch
All season
long, it's been a John McFarland free fall watch in the NHL draft rankings. He's gone from a potential top 5 pick to being ranked at the bottom of the first round now by most scouting services. With his play in the OHL this season, quite frankly I'm surprised he hasn't fallen further down. The one thing that saves him (outside of his NHL size, speed and shot) is his performance whenever he puts on the Canadian jersey. Last year at the Under 17's he lead Team Ontario to the gold by scoring 9 goals and 13 points in 6 games. Then at the Under 18's he had 3 goals and 8 points in 6 games as a underager. Then this summer he captained Team Canada to gold at the Under 18 Ivan Hlinka tournament, scoring 5 goals and 7 points in 4 games. In his last three international tournaments, McFarland has 17 goals and 28 points in 16 games. This Under 18's doesn't look much different as he scored a hat trick in Canada's 5-4 exhibition loss to Finland this week. With another good showing internationally, McFarland can likely impress enough people to get himself back in contention for a spot in the first half of the NHL first round.2. The Talent of the United States
The defending Champions have medalled in this tournament for six straight years, including a trip to the finals in 4 of the last 5 years (3 golds in that time). There is no question in my mind that they are the favourites to win Under 18 gold again this year, especially considering the team has played together all season long against top competition in the USHL. However while you're marveling at the talent the United States now boasts, don't forget to check out a few players in particular. Starting netminder and 2009 goaltender of this tournament, Jack Campbell has already committed to Windsor for next season. Star winger Brandon Saad is likely heading to Saginaw too. Outside of those two, there are 13 players with OHL draft ties; Chase Balisy (London), Kevin Clare (Erie), Adam Clendening (London), Tyler Biggs (Oshawa), Austin Czarnik (Windsor), John Gibson (Kitchener), Kevin Gravel (Plymouth), Andy Iles (Sault Ste. Marie), Stephan Johns (Windsor), Jon Merrill (Plymouth), Mike Mersch (Erie), Bryan Rust (Mississauga), Jarred Tinordi (London). While you shouldn't expect the majority of these guys in OHL uniforms anytime soon, history tells that that at least a couple of them are likely to be in the OHL next year. Also, don't forget Peterborough's Austin Watson was added to this team too.
1. Canada as the Under Dog
It's not very often that we can call ourselves the under dogs in hockey, but there is no doubt that we aren't favoured to win this tournament. In a way that makes it exciting, perhaps more so than other tournaments. Expectations aren't set incredibly high and these guys can just go play some hockey and do the best they can for their country. We as the audience need to support them and give them a reason to dig deep and bring home that gold medal that has eluded us for the majority of this tournament's short history. So let's hear it folks. Go Canada Go!
In case you missed it here is Canada's roster for this tournament as well as some general information about what the IIHF Under 18's are all about.
Anything you think I've missed? Are you going to watch the Under 18's now?
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