31 Teams in 31 Days - Carolina Hurricanes

1. Ryan Suzuki - Saginaw Spirit
No question, Suzuki is one of the most talented playmakers in the OHL. When he's given time and space to operate, he is so deadly with the puck because of how well he anticipates the play and sees the offensive zone. The move to Saginaw really helped Suzuki's confidence level too, especially when paired with Cole Perfetti. Having another equally talented player to skate with, I saw Suzuki forcing plays less than he was guilty of previously. He can still struggle to prolong possession deep in the offensive zone because he gets outmuscled along the wall, however I do think that we saw progression in his play away from the puck under Chris Lazary, especially in terms of defensive commitment. Moving forward, as Suzuki becomes a little quicker, a little stronger and more confident as this level, I do think that we'll see his goal scoring ability improve. In Saginaw (compared to Barrie), I think we saw him attack the middle more often in search of those scoring opportunities (the nature of playing with Perfetti), however more consistency is required. I think his shot is more of a weapon than he believes it is. Look for Ryan to have an absolutely monster season next year and be among the OHL's leading scorers. I think he's still a longer term project as an NHL top 6 player, but he is taking steps forward in the right direction, rounding out his game, and doing the things asked of him for his development.

2. Jamieson Rees - Sarnia Sting
For an ultra competitive kid like Rees, I think it has to be really hard to play for a team that struggles to win games consistently. The offensive production was great. He had one of the better point per game averages in the league. However, I think that, at times, his high risk style of play helped to contribute to some of those mounting Sarnia loss totals. Be it turnovers from trying to force entry to the offensive zone, or from pushing through traffic to the net. Poorly timed penalties (and suspensions) also contributed to Rees' play taking on some frustrating tendencies. I still love him as a player and as a pro prospect, but things will need to tighten up next season. Rees will need to figure out how to tow the line to keep him in the lineup and on the ice. He is at his best when he's playing physical, but can he tone it down and still be an impact forechecker and three zone player? Additionally, can Rees learn to utilize his linemates more effectively as a go to offensive player and cut down on his turnovers? I think we'll see a turnaround next year where he finds himself near the top of the OHL scoring race (like Suzuki). A 100 point season isn't outside the realm of possibility if he can stay healthy. Additionally, a trade out of Sarnia is also possible as the Sting move forward with a rebuild.   

3. Blake Murray - Sudbury Wolves
Look, I'm not going to say that Murray is a better NHL prospect than Suzuki and Rees (which should be obvious considering I have him ranked behind those two). However, I do think that Murray progressed more as a player and that is extremely promising for his prospects as an NHL player. A power center, Murray clearly improved his conditioning heading into the season as he was able to maintain a higher level of play and really improve his consistency and engagement level shift to shift. I also think that he looked noticeably quicker this year, something that was outlined as a reason that he fell to the 6th round. Murray is still a great goal scorer who possesses a really heavy shot that could translate to the NHL level. He's also really strong on faceoffs. Moving forward, Murray will need to continue to improve his skating. At times, he still looks a little stiff with the puck on his stick; a focus on improving his lateral footwork and his ability to cut while in possession could help him be more dynamic in transition. Next year, Sudbury should be a strong team yet again, and I would expect Murray to be a 40 goal scorer and an 80+ point player. Given his size and skill package, he is tracking toward an ELC and projects as a middle six goal scorer who can play multiple positions.