Game Report: Steelheads & Otters from November 4

My first game report of the season! Fear not though, I have obviously been watching games. This is just the first report I've decided to write.

I, along with many other people in the GTA (including the likes of Steve Stamkos, Gary Roberts, and Joe Nieuwendyk), traveled to the Hershey Center to catch a glimpse at 15 year old phenom Connor McDavid. The Steelheads (I think I've wrote Majors already three times and corrected myself) dominated the exhausted Otters, outshooting them 55-22, and outscoring them 4-1. In all honesty, the score could have been much more lopsided had it none been for the great goaltending provided by Devin Williams. It's hard to blame the Otters. They were playing their 3rd game in three nights, with the first two games coming against the Owen Sound Attack, possibly the hardest working team in the OHL.

So was this game truly a good measuring stick for players? Hard to say, but I'm going to provide you with some player reports anyway.

Mississauga Steelheads

#2 - Dylan DeMelo (San Jose Sharks) 
DeMelo had a great game and appears to be building off the confidence he gained last season. He made great strides last year and has continued his strong play into this year so far. He looks very confident with the puck this year. I've seen the Steelheads a few times this year and I've yet to see him turn the puck over in his own end. This used to be a real problem for him. But he's skating himself out of jams and making smart decisions with passes. He had a secondary assist on Smoskowitz's second goal, and scored by pinching in and pouncing on a loose puck near the crease while on the powerplay. Defensively, he was terrific. Nearly all of Mississauga's defensive players shone today, as Erie had a real tough time mustering the energy to keep possession in the offensive end.

#4 - Trevor Carrick (Carolina Hurricanes)
Carrick has done well to increase his offensive production thus far this year, and is seeing lots of time on the powerplay. Offensively, he was pretty good today. He did have one turnover at the point which lead to an odd man rush, but it was more the fault of Brett Foy for a bad pass which put Carrick in an awkward position. He gained an assist on the powerplay, working a give and go up top with Kris Kontos. He's playing 5 on 5 with Alex Cord, which is giving him lots of opportunities to work on his puck rushing skills. Defensively, I felt like he was one of the few Steelheads defenders to get exposed today. There were a few times where he was beaten off the rush and wasn't able to stay with a forward going to the net. When the play slowed down, he was good and was able to win his battles in the corners and was a physical presence, but those defensive lapses off the rush were things that plagued him last year too. He'll need to continue to work on that.

#15 - Josh Burnside (Draft Eligible in 2013)
I continue to be impressed with Burnside. Three things really stick out when you watch him play. The first is his speed. He's got a terrific extra gear and really creates space by stretching out the opposing defense. The second is how well he moves without the puck offensively. He gets himself in great scoring position. He was wide open twice in the slot in the game today, but both times he was spotted too late by the puck carrier (Brace and Smoskowitz). The third is how aggressive he is in getting to the net. He's a real crease crasher and relishes the role of being a pain in the neck of opposing goalies. He was a factor while playing with Brace and Smoskowitz, even though he didn't get any points. The biggest thing for him moving forward will be added strength. He still loses too many battles in the corners and isn't as effective as a forechecker as he could be because of this.

#21 - Damian Bourne (Draft Eligible in 2014)
What a mammoth. Bourne has definitely been one of the most impressive 1996's in the league this year. I remember hearing a lot of whispers about people feeling like he was overrated going into the draft, that he was only a product of his size and the fact that he was bigger than other midget players. But he's been pretty damn effective for Mississauga so far. He really is massive and he already uses his size really well, both with and without the puck. He's already hard to move from the front of the net, and he's hard to get the puck away from in the corners. He's also a physical player and had a couple of really nice hits today. For a big guy, I also think he sees the ice well. He seems smart in picking his spots in driving hard to the net. The skating needs to improve, but all things considered, he's been a very impressive rookie. He earned a secondary assist on Kontos' powerplay goal.

#23 - Dylan Smoskowitz (Draft Eligible in 2013, 3rd time eligible)
Pretty hard to ignore him at this point. 11 goals in 12 games since the trade from Barrie. He's a talented offensive player who just got himself in Dale Hawerchuk's doghouse. He's got great chemistry with Riley Brace (call them the 'stache brothers). The question is, if he continues to score at this pace, is he someone NHL teams take notice of? He's got a terrific shot and he does a great job of creating room for himself to get it off. You have to love his goal scoring instincts. The rest of his game (skating, play without the puck, playmaking ability, etc) rates out to only average, but if you can score goals, someone will give you a chance. He had 2 goals tonight, and missed a wide open cage to complete the hat trick. He's certainly someone to keep an eye on to see if he can keep this up.

#28 - Stuart Percy (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Fantastic game from Percy. I've been really impressed with his play so far this season. At both ends of the ice, might I add. Offensively, I've been really impressed with his ability to skate the puck out of his own end and make smart decisions to start the breakout. Perfect example of this today was when Connor McDavid looked like he had backed Percy into a corner and a turnover, but Percy stayed calm, waited for McDavid to go for the stick check, then spun away from him, through two other Otters and brought the puck up across the blueline. He looks very confident on the point of the powerplay too, where he's shooting the puck more. Defensively, he's been a rock. I honestly don't even remember the Otters having a scoring chance while he was on the ice today. He's playing physical too and winning battles in the corners and in front of the net because of it. This was an important year for Percy after last year's issues, so it's refreshing to see him back strong.

Erie Otters

#7 - Jake Evans (Draft Eligible in 2013)
Was centering a line with Stephen Harper today. I liked his aggression without the puck. Was very aggressive in pursuit and played physical. But was very quiet, dare I say invisible offensively.

#10 - Stephen Harper (Draft Eligible in 2013)
Very, very quiet game for Harper. His line wasn't able to sustain any pressure in the offensive end. Part of the reason for this was Harper's inability to win battles in the corners. He seems to be getting outmuscled a lot from what I've seen this season. My viewings of Harper this season have been less than impressive thus far, but I'm still a fan of his long term potential.

#27 - Adam Pelech (New York Islanders)
I thought Pelech was Erie's best player today. He's had a great year and is continuing to develop well, despite not having a ton of help on the backend in Erie. He looks quicker this year, in rushing the puck and defensively. He's very hard to beat one on one. Many of Mississauga's forwards tried to get by him off the rush, but every play ended the same way, with Pelech coming out with the puck and the opposing player rubbed out of the play. He was a steal in the 3rd round, as he's got great potential as a defenseman at the next level. As mentioned, he looks quicker when rushing the puck this year too, and was able to avoid the forecheck of the Steelheads. Hey Erie, get this guy some help on the backend!

#28 - Connor Brown (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Having a great year in terms of goal scoring, but it's hard to tell whether it's because of McDavid or not. At this point, I still don't see Brown as a guy who's creating his own offensive chances by being electric with the puck, or by flying into the offensive zone. He's certainly not a speedster, and his skating ability still seems to lack that explosiveness (something that caused him to fall as far as he did in the draft). But he definitely knows how to move without the puck and is a smart player. Perfect example of this was his goal today on a give and go with Connor McDavid. On the Powerplay, take the puck from the wing, dish to McDavid at the side of the net, cut hard to the net, get the puck back in the slot and rifle home a quick wrister. Other than that, he was a non factor today.

#97 - Connor McDavid (Draft Eligible in 2015)
There was a guy sitting near me saying "man this McDavid guy isn't as good as people say he is." To that man or anyone else who came away from this game saying that, give your head a shake. This was the team's 3rd game in 3 days. McDavid certainly didn't play his best, but I've been absolutely blown away by him this year previous to this game. The dude is such an electric player. He's such an explosive skater, and he has such confidence and poise with the puck. His vision and IQ is among the best I've ever seen in this league. And while this wasn't his best game (might have even been his worst in the OHL thus far), there were still some positives to take away. Firstly, he's starting to play with more of an edge. I love the fact that he's starting to engage physically and throw his body around. He's going to need to continue to develop that edge as player's start to target him. Secondly, I absolutely loved the play to end the game. While on the penalty kill, he was out there (in a game already decided), and was tenacious in forcing Eric Diodati into a turnover at the blueline. Then took the puck hard to the net (showing great strength on the puck), drawing a penalty. When every other Erie player looked like they had laid down and died, McDavid kept going hard. I can't stress this enough. If the Otters are making their only trip to your city this season (like Mississauga), get out there and watch him play. He's usually (sorry aforementioned bitter man) worth the price of admission.

#31 - Devin Williams (Draft Eligible in 2014)
Williams' certainly didn't get a lot of help today. He had to make 48 saves and kept his team in this game for nearly two periods. He's not the biggest goalie (maybe 6'0), but he plays a lot bigger than he is due to a hybrid style. He'll take a lot of shots from the outside standing up, although isn't afraid to drop down to the butterfly to handle shots low to the ice. I thought he did a pretty good job with his rebounds today too. He's certainly looking better than last year, and is on the right development path. He'll learn a lot from playing behind Dansk this year. Then he might have a chance of starting next year (his draft year because of an October birthday). He's certainly putting himself in conversation to be the top goalie available from the O for 2014 (although it's crazy early).

That's all folks!

Game Report: Majors & Wolves from February 20

Despite being a little full from indulging (or gorging) at the pizza hut buffet (seriously, is there a better deal out there? 8 bucks! That's it. And best of all, you don't have to eat for 24 hours after), I took in the Wolves/Majors game this afternoon. For our American friends (like the Sharks fans reading for an update on Michael Sgarbossa), it's our Family Day and a holiday.

I had really high expectations coming into the game, with these division rivals jockeying for position in the Eastern Conference. And the game didn't disappoint. It's also great to have a big crowd at the Hershey Centre (an uncommon event).

The Wolves largely dominated play for the first period or so and lead after one period thanks to a top shelf wrister from the red hot Michael Sgarbossa. But a boneheaded penalty by Ryan Hanes in the second period really turned the game in Mississauga's favour. Hanes broke his stick trying to fight with a Majors player (can't remember who) off the rush, then held him up to prevent him from going to the net. It was a pretty obvious call. But then he started jawing at the official and got an additional two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Majors scored twice on the 4 minute powerplay and never looked back. Those 2 goals really sucked the life out of the Wolves, who were never the same after. They started to gain some momentum back in the 3rd period, but Josh McFadden killed that with a stupid hit from behind in the corner that lead to a 5 minute man advantage (and a game misconduct for him).

The win was huge for the Majors, who now move into 6th place in the Eastern Conference.

Here are some individual performance thoughts:

Sudbury Wolves

#3 - Justin Sefton (Drafted by San Jose)
Not a terrific showing for Sefton. He had some issues offensively and was relatively ineffective at helping out the offense. Couldn't hold the puck in at the point a few times and his ability to get his shot through hasn't really developed as I figured it would this year. He was his normal physically imposing self, throwing his weight around in the defensive end. But he was exposed off the rush a few times (once badly by Mika Partanen), and showed that his mobility hasn't really improved all that much. He just needs to keep his feet moving to stay in front of forwards so that he can use his size (be it physically or by forecheck) to keep them to the outside. His partner Josh McFadden also had a brutal game defensively, which didn't help him out all that much either as he scrambled to cover up his mistakes.

#14 - Nicholas Baptiste (Draft Eligible in 2013)
I've been really impressed by what I've seen of Baptiste this year. He's already a very well rounded player and I really like his size and speed combination. For a big guy, he really moves well. He used that speed on the penalty kill to get himself a breakaway after Trevor Carrick's stick exploded at the point, but failed to score on the wrister. He also used his speed effectively to get to loose pucks in the corner and on the forecheck. And while he wasn't overly physical in today's game, I've seen him really throw the body around. I'd love to see the Wolves use Baptiste more on the wing with Sgarbossa and Leivo (instead of Schoenmakers or Pancel). Baptiste is definitely going to be a much talked about prospect next year.

#27 - Joshua Leivo (Drafted by Toronto)
I've certainly seen Leivo better this year, as he had just an OK game. He may only be listed at 6'1, but he looks much bigger on the ice and he's very hard to remove from the puck. His puck protection is very good and he has the hands to be able to avoid stick checks on his way to the net. While most of his drives saw him kept to the perimeter today, he didn't go without trying. He's progressed very well this year after exploding late last year, so the Leafs should be very happy with his selection.

#44 - Charlie Dodero (Draft Eligible in 2012, but second year eligible)
Easily one of the most improved players in the OHL this year. He's gone from being a very replaceable part to one of the top defensive defenseman in the OHL. He's got good size and is very solidly built. He just doesn't lose very many puck battles, and he has the mobility to stay with forwards off the rush. The greatest display of that today was when Sergey Kuptsov tried to get by him on the outside (not the easiest forward to contain once he gets going), but Dodero stayed right with him, separated him from the puck and finished him off hard on the end boards (leaving Kupstov slow to get up). His offensive game remains a bit of a work in progress, but he has the skating and puck handling ability to skate the puck out of trouble in his own end, rather than simply dump it out. There's a reason why this guy was rated by Central Scouting on their midterm rankings.

#61 - Nathan Pancel (Draft Eligible in 2012)
I've seen him play a few times this year now, and he's yet to hit the score sheet in those games. So it's hard for me to jump on his band wagon, as many others are right now. But it is easy to see why he's putting up some points. There's definitely some explosive skating ability in there, maybe not in terms of high end speed, but his first few steps looks quite good. He had a bad turnover in the neutral zone, but before the opposing player could really even get going, he had turned around, skated back and rubbed out the Majors player taking the puck back. For those that have never really seen him play, he's actually more aggressive away from the puck than you'd expect. He did have a few other costly turnovers in the neutral zone though, one leading to an odd man rush the other way. He needs to make quicker decisions with the puck and get stronger to win some of those battles in the corners. Still a very intriguing player for the draft.

#92 - Michael Sgarbossa (Signed by San Jose)
He's just ripping apart the OHL right now and has become one of the league's most dangerous offensive players. He had a terrific first half of the game, but seemed to run out of steam in the second half. For a smaller guy, he's incredibly strong. I was incredibly impressed by a play he made in the first period, when he came off the wall with the puck, fought through two Majors players towards the net (with them practically draped on his back) and still managed to put a shot on net. He also scored in the first period off a laser of a wrister to the top shelf, short side. As the game went on, he got a little sloppy with the puck and had a few nearly costly turnovers (with one brutal turnover that lead to a clear shot in the slot for a Majors player, as he peeled back with the puck in his own zone and fired a blind back hand pass up the middle). The question I ask myself now is whether he'll be able to play center at the NHL level. I'm inclined to think he might be better suited to the wing at the NHL level to take advantage of his speed and skill coming off the boards and down the wing. But he's ready for the next step.

#66 - Johan Mattsson (Drafted by Chicago)
I've been really impressed by Mattsson this year. He's a quality goaltender. He gets himself in good position to cut off the angles for shooters and he really controls his rebounds well. Anything in the chest, he's able to corral and he generally kicks out low shots to the corner. He absolutely could not be faulted for the goals scored against him in the game. One was a deft deflection in front of the crease. The second a bang/bang play from behind the net where his defenseman left a Major wide open in front of the net. The third, he made a tremendous toe save on a partial breakaway, but none of his defenseman took the trailer on the play who cleaned up the rebound to the top shelf. While he took the loss, he stopped 35 of 38 and was impressive.

Mississauga Majors

#2 - Dylan DeMelo (Drafted by San Jose)
DeMelo had a strong game for the second time in a row that I've seen him play. The last few times, I've been impressed by how he's turned up the dial on his physical play. He's starting to really enjoy rubbing guys out along the boards and is being more aggressive in front of the net. Offensively, he's keeping things simple in his own zone (something I've accused him of not doing in the past) and he's making better decisions on the point of the powerplay. DeMelo was on the ice for all three goals the Majors scored today, assisting on one (a secondary assist where he fed Riley Brace for a point shot that Jamie Wise tipped in). While I'm still not sure about his NHL upside, I think he's definitely progressed well, not only from the end of last season to this, but from the start of the season to this point.

#4 - Trevor Carrick (Draft Eligible in 2012)
I like that they've split up Carrick and DeMelo, and it's increased Carrick's opportunity to carry his pairing offensively. He's starting to carry the puck out of the zone more and is gaining the confidence to bring the puck over the blue line. He certainly has the poise and skating ability to do so. Just that created a goal in the second period, where he took the puck end to end, found Kristoff Kontos behind the net, who subsequently found Jamie Wise in front of the net for the goal. His rush drew the defense to him as he carried it deep, causing the confusion in Sudbury's coverage in front of the net. Defensively, he was as solid as always. His mobility and physical abilities make him difficult to get around and he puts himself in good position to make plays in front of the net. I definitely think this kid is worth a pick in the top 100 of the draft.

#16 - Kristoff Kontos (Draft Eligible in 2012)
Kontos played a quietly very solid game. His skating has definitely improved a lot over last season, and he's able to use it as a weapon to carry the puck deep into the zone. He certainly likes to have the puck on his stick and excels offensively when he does. His play away from the puck still leaves a bit to be desired for me (at least in terms of consistency), but I think there's definite potential there. He showed some solid playmaking ability and vision in the second by finding Jamie Wise in front of the net for his 2nd goal of the game. Kontos was also quite good on the penalty kill and played quite a bit a man down. Definitely a strong effort from him.

Game Report: Majors & Colts from February 3

Was at the Hershey Center tonight, watching the Majors take on the Barrie Colts. A good ol' fashion Central Division battle. Problem was, the game was a bit of a snooze fest. The Colts squeaked out a 1-0 victory, but largely dominated play. The Majors were outshot 35-23, despite having 8 powerplays. Ironically enough, the only goal of the game was an ugly one by Ivan Telegin, where he banked a puck off Brandon Maxwell from behind the net. The Colts probably should have had a few more goals, had it not been for a few hit posts and a couple nice saves from Maxwell.

Some quick thoughts on a few players from each side.

Barrie

#5 - Aaron Ekblad (NHL Draft Eligible in 2014)
It's crazy to think of how young this kid is. He's an absolute behemoth. At 15 years of age, he looks like an established 4 year OHL veteran. Considering how comfortable he looks, it's absurd to think of how good he could end up being. He's already a very solid OHL defender who isn't afraid of pushing players around in front of the net or in the corners. Had a couple of nice hits tonight. He's pretty calm with the puck in his own end too and avoids the forecheck well. Offensively, he had some difficulty on the point tonight. Had a bouncing puck go by him that lead to a partial breakaway. Also couldn't really get his point shot through to the net. But considering how young he is, he's crazy good.

#14 - Tanner Pearson (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012, but third year eligible)
Maybe Barrie fans can help me out with this one, but when did the Colts start playing Pearson at center? First time I've seen it, and he actually looked good. He's such a smart player and sees the ice so well. His anticipation and reads make him a terrific playmaker. He gave his linemates (Colin Behenna and Anthony Camara) a couple of really nice feeds, but they couldn't finish. Playing center also showcased how strong of a two way player he's become too, as he was very committed on the backcheck, covering off for pinching defenseman. Had a couple of chances where he found room in the slot for a big shot, but couldn't hit the net. I think he was probably the best player on the ice.

#16 - Ivan Telegin (Drafted by Atlanta/Winnipeg)
Started off kind of slow, but got better as the game went on. He's such a big body and he's got big long strides, so once he gets going, he's really tough to stop. Had a couple of nice drives to the net. He scored the only goal of the game on a real ugly one. Got the puck behind the net and as he was cutting around, he flipped the puck up over the net on his backhand. It hit Maxwell in the back and rolled into the net. Did he mean to do it (sensing Maxwell wasn't really paying attention)? Or was he just trying to get the puck over the net back into the slot? We'll never know.

#19 - Mark Scheifele (Drafted by Winnipeg)
Scheifele was OK in the game. Mississauga's Trevor Carrick did a good job of keeping him under wraps tonight. Had a few scoring chances but nothing outrageous. Looked a little frustrated by the lack of space Mississauga was giving him. To be honest, I've been a little disappointed with his play this year, considering how impressed I was last year with him. While he's a terrific player, I'm not entirely sure he's progressed a ton this year.

#27 - Reid McNeill (Drafted by Pittsburgh)
McNeill played a really solid game. While his offensive game never really developed, I've seen good strides from his defensive game. He was quite physical tonight, laying the body any chance he could get. His above average mobility makes him a very effective defender too. Mississauga had a real tough time creating offense when he was on the ice.

Mississauga

#2 - Dylan DeMelo (Drafted by San Jose)
Definitely the best game I've seen DeMelo play this season. He was very good. He and partner Trevor Carrick were paired against the Scheifele line most of the night, and did a good job of neutralizing them. DeMelo had a couple of nice hits and did well to cover up some of Carrick's bad pinches. He was at his best at the point on the powerplay, where he was controlling the pace of play well and getting his shots through. Looked really composed back there. In the past times I've seen him this season, he's had some issue with the forecheck and turning the puck over in his own zone, but he had no turnovers tonight and was overall very solid.

#4 - Trevor Carrick (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
As I mentioned above, his offensive decision making wasn't at its best tonight. Had a couple of bad pinches that lead to odd man rushes, and was a little clumsy with the puck at the point on the powerplay. But defensively, he was very impressive. Was closely monitoring Mark Scheifele all night, and actually doing a pretty good job of pushing him around. Had one really nice hit on Scheifele as he tried to cut back to the middle of the ice on 1 on 1 rush and Carrick stepped up to take him out. The last few times I've seen him, he's definitely been impressive and there's no question that NHL Central Scouting was on to something when they rated him so highly in their preliminary rankings.

#13 - Sergey Kuptsov (NHL Draft Eligible in 2013)
Wasn't very good tonight. But then again, he wasn't really being put in a great spot to succeed, by bouncing around a bevy of different lines with different linemates. He also didn't see a ton of powerplay time (which continues to confuse me every time I see the Majors). I still think he has a lot of potential and hopefully he's given more of a chance next year in Mississauga.

#16 - Kristoff Kontos (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
Lots of speed, lots of hustle, but not a lot else. He's playing center now with Riley Brace and Jamie Wise, but I don't really think he's suited there. He just isn't a good enough playmaker and is better off using his speed to drive wide to the net, looking for loose pucks while playing the wing.

Game Report: Majors & Battalion from January 6

Got a chance to see the new look Mississauga Majors play against the (at the time) Eastern Conference leading Brampton Battalion last night.

I say new look Mississauga Majors because the team has undergone quite the dramatic overhaul in the past few days. Gone are veterans (and important members of last year's Memorial Cup squad) J.P. Anderson, Joseph Cramarossa, and Derek Schoenmakers. In are a whole slew of draft picks and Kris Kontos and Brandon Maxwell. This probably isn't the last of the deals too, as I'd expect that the likes of Riley Brace and Jordan Mayer are still on the market.

Some saw these trades as a rebuild. But, really (and as the team's performance last night indicated), it's more of a retool. By trading the above guys, the Majors aren't going to suddenly be the worst team in the Eastern Conference. If anything, I'd argue that Kontos could even be an upgrade over Schoenmakers, while Maxwell and Anderson aren't separated by much at this point. And Cramarossa, thanks to injuries and suspension, has barely played for Missy this year. General Manager (and Head Coach) James Boyd definitely did a great job with these trades so far.

It was definitely a good game with a high intensity level and some great back and forth action. Perhaps most disappointing for me were some of the injuries in the game. Obviously I knew Stuart Percy would be out as he continues to nurse the injuries he suffered thanks to Andrew Crescenzi's hit from behind (sprained wrist mostly). But Brampton was missing two of the guys I was hoping to see most, defenseman Marcus McIvor and rookie forward Brandon Robinson. McIvor is apparently out with a high ankle sprain he got working out, while Robinson remains sidelined with a concussion he incurred at the Under 17's.

The Majors ended up winning the game 3-2 in a shootout, backstopped by some excellent goaltending from Brandon Maxwell in his Mississauga debut. The win moved the Majors ahead of the surging Oshawa Generals (5 game winning streak) into 8th in the East...for now. With all their injuries and trade requests (Austin Watson), it wouldn't surprise me if the Petes were the ones falling out of favor in the Eastern playoff race come March.

Some player reports...

Brampton Battalion

#6 - Dylan Blujus (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
Blujus picked up two assists in the game, although neither was particularly pretty. The first was a point shot that went well wide (not purposely) and came back to Barclay Goodrow for his first goal. The second was off a dump in from the point that Ian Watters got possession of, only to hand off to Goodrow for his second of the game. Blujus does show good smarts on the point and can make a good first pass. But he's definitely not a dynamic player. Defensively, he wasn't noticeable, good or bad. But he didn't really get a ton of ice time 5 on 5, paired with rookie Brenden Miller (while his regular partner Marcus McIvor is out). He did play on the penalty kill though and looked fairly solid there. But he's definitely an awkward skater and could use to be more assertive along the wall and in front of the net in the defensive end...especially given his size.

#10 - Philip Lane (Drafted by Phoenix)
I didn't notice him as much as the last time I saw Brampton play this year, but he definitely looks better this year. His best work was done on the penalty kill, where he was aggressive on the forecheck and did good to make it very hard for Missy to gain the zone. Brampton has the best PK in the league, and there's no doubt he's been a big part of that. He's playing on the team's 2nd line with Patrik Machac and Mitchell Porowski and didn't get a ton of help from his linemates. Even if the stats aren't saying it, it's been a good year for Lane after last year's disappointing effort.

#11 - Patrik Machac (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
Honestly, outside of a nice shootout goal, he was pretty invisible. I saw him earlier in the season and was very impressed, but it appears he's in a bit of a funk. Hasn't scored in his last 14 games. The speed, tenacity, and energy I saw at the beginning of the year just wasn't there.

#16 - Sam Carrick (Drafted by Toronto)
The best player on the ice for Brampton. He looks great...and more focused this year. In the past I've been critical of him because I felt like he was spending too much time running around the ice being a pest and fighting...and not enough time using his offensive gifts. This year when I've seen him, he's managed to find that great balance. Firstly, he looks a lot faster. In the first, he took the puck near Brampton's net, turned on the burners up to the red line, and worked a give and go with Barclay Goodrow that saw Carrick take the puck hard to the net for a scoring opportunity. He used his speed all night to drive the outside, hard to the net and created a lot of scoring chances from it. He worked the boards and the cycle effectively and was a real menace for Mississauga's defenseman. He also looked great defensively and on the penalty kill and was really all over the ice. It's great to see him taking that step forward as last year really wasn't a strong one for him. He finished the game with a secondary assist on the first Goodrow goal.

#23 - Barclay Goodrow (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012, second year eligibility)
I was surprised that Goodrow didn't get drafted in the later rounds last year. Size and a goal scorer's touch are often a good enough combination to have your named called...even if you have some skating concerns like Goodrow. This year Goodrow looks great. It's clear he worked on his skating in the offseason. He's still not a burner, but his acceleration and ability to find holes appears stronger. He's also upped the physical play (absolutely destroying a Majors player...either Kuptsov or Kopstals in the first period). The subtle improvements in his game this year could have him get his named called this time around. The first goal he scored, he took a carom off the end boards and put it home using two whacks at the side of the net. The second was more of a finesse play, taking the puck from behind the net, swinging around and rifling a wrister to the far top corner over Maxwell.

Mississauga Majors

#2 - Dylan DeMelo (Drafted by San Jose)
I thought DeMelo was better with the puck last night, than he has been in my other viewings this year. He only had one minor turnover in the first, and did a pretty good job of handling Brampton's stiff forecheck the rest of the game. He's not afraid to jump up into the rush and had a couple of nice scoring opportunities by being the trailer on the play. I did feel like he struggled defensively though. He and partner Alex Cord had a really tough time containing the Carrick, Goodrow, Watters line and were getting pushed around a lot in the corners and in front of the net. On Goodrow's 2nd goal, DeMelo was caught stuck behind the net after he made a weak effort to try and stop Goodrow's progress. He did earn a secondary assist on Jamie Wise's powerplay marker in the second.

#4 - Trevor Carrick (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
I thought he was the best defenseman on the ice for either team on the night. Saw him earlier in the year, and came away lukewarm. This time, he was dynamite at both end's of the ice. He saw a LOT of playing time too, dare I say the most of any Majors' defenseman. Defensively, he was rock solid. He had a couple of nice hits and defended the front of the net well. I was also impressed with his mobility. In the third, his brother (Sam) got a burst of speed to the outside, but Trevor stayed with him, angled him towards the boards and finished him hard...separating him from the puck. Offensively, he didn't look like a guy with only 4 points on the year. He was up on the rush quite frequently and looked comfortable controlling the point on the powerplay. I know Majors fans have been impressed with him this year (and obviously Central Scouting since they had him high in their preliminary rankings), so perhaps it's a case of stats not telling the whole story.

#13 - Sergey Kuptsov (NHL Draft Eligible in 2013)
A late birthday, Kuptsov isn't eligible until next year. At the beginning of the year, I was incredibly impressed with his play. But the last few times I've seen him, he's been virtually invisible. He was much better last night though. I just wish he got more ice time. Don't really understand why he's not on the powerplay. Regardless, he was very active on the forecheck and is quite a good skater for a big guy. In the third, he came into the Brampton zone hard, forced a turnover in the corner and went straight to the net where he deflected a Jacob Graves point shot. He's definitely a big fan of going hard to the net and I think he's got the hands to be a good goal scorer in this league. James Boyd, get this guy some more ice time! I'm interested to see where his development takes him next year.

#16 - Kristoff Kontos (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
More proof that stats don't tell the whole story. Kontos was the best player on the ice for the Majors. Not sure what happened in Sudbury, but he has to be happy with the fresh start, where he was slotted onto the first line with Riley Brace and Jordan Mayer. The trio had instant chemistry and created a ton of great scoring chances on the night. Kontos looked great working off the rush and used his speed to go wide on Brampton's defenders (showing perhaps a bit of an extra gear I didn't know he had). Had a couple of great chances beating Brampton's defenders to the net. He was also solid along the boards in gaining possession of loose pucks and keeping possession in the offensive zone. One play in particular stands out, where he forced a turnover on the forecheck, kept possession long enough to feed a streaking Brace who created an odd man scoring opportunity. A very impressive debut.

#21 - Scott Teskey (NHL Draft Eligible in 2013)
The Majors first rounder from this year's priority draft, Teskey appears to be coming into his own a little bit. He's shown better and better every time I've seen him. He was playing with Kuptsov (on what appeared to be the team's 3rd line) and the two seem to have good chemistry. Both are very quick and show well on the forecheck. Another guy I wanted to see more, but who received little ice time despite his solid play. He looks like a real bright spot for the Majors moving forward.

#25 - Riley Brace (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012, third year of eligibility)
With the year he's having offensively, I've had people ask me about his chances of being drafted this year as a re-entry (or draft overager, whatever you want to call him). Truthfully, I'm not particularly sure. Brace is a different player this year. The past few years, he's been a hard working, strong two way winger who you could have called a stereotypical grinder. This year, the offensive game has flourished, but has it come at a price? He remains a great penalty killer, but in the times I've seen him this year, I think he's taken a bit of a step backward in his play away from the puck...to increase his offensive output. Take last night for example, for every excellent play he made offensively to create a chance (usually off the rush), he had a turnover in the neutral or defensive zone. At times, I feel like he's trying to do too much offensively (probably because he has to on a team with little difference makers). But he's definitely shown he's got some good hands and offensive instincts this year. He worked very well with Kontos on the night and the two were very dangerous off the rush. It'll be interesting to see if he's still a Major, this time next week.

Game Report: Spirit & Majors from January 2

Even with the Canadian Juniors playing today, I wasn't going to miss the opportunity to see the best team in the Western Conference for the first time (live) this year. Just so happens it was a match-up between the top team in the East and the top team in the West. This should have been a battle for the ages...but it wasn't.

I have to say, this was one of the worst OHL games I've been to in my life. No flow to the game what so ever, thanks in part to a total of 17 powerplays (9 for Saginaw, 8 for Mississauga). Just sloppy play, little end to end action and a game where the Saginaw Spirit looked like the much better hockey team.

Granted, the Majors were without captain Casey Cizikas and head coach Dave Cameron, but they looked pretty terrible out there against the best team in the West. While I didn't watch it, I can't imagine their 5-2 loss against Guelph the other night looked a whole lot better. On the powerplay, they couldn't generate anything and were kept completely to the perimeter. In fact, on many of the Majors' 8 powerplays, they were unable to gain possession of the puck in the offensive zone. It was downright ugly. So ugly that frustration caused star forward Justin Shugg to destroy his stick while on the bench after yet another blown opportunity with the man advantage.

The Majors were also unable to generate much in the way of offense 5 on 5. Despite an advantage in shots, I felt like the Majors were vastly outplayed by the Spirit who were able to generate offense from speed and from turnovers that they caused in the offensive zone. Mississauga had few solid scoring chances in the game (a Mika Partanen slapshot down the wing that went off the post, and a couple of chances in the slot), with the majority of shots coming from the perimeter. It was clear, the game plan was just to get pucks on net, but when your opposing goaltender doesn't give up any rebounds (Mavric Parks), that's just not going to cut it. At least get some bodies in front of the net to try and make it more difficult for Parks.

Meanwhile, Saginaw looked pretty good. With the acquisition of John McFarland, they've clearly got a more balanced scoring attack and can roll three lines that can take the puck to the net. The McFarland, Saad, Trocheck line in particular, is incredibly fast and the Majors had trouble preventing them from entering the zone with possession of the puck. And if they couldn't carry the puck across the line, they'd dump it in and use their speed to gain possession.

If I was a Majors fan, I'd be pretty worried (in all honesty). The rest of the league's top teams are either making moves to get better (Saginaw, Niagara, Oshawa), or are looking sharper as the season moves on (Ottawa, Owen Sound, Kitchener, Windsor). Meanwhile, the Majors look to have stagnated a bit. This team needs help. It needs a true powerplay quarterback to improve the team's average at best powerplay. It also needs a few more dynamic offensive forwards that can help push the pace of play and provide a change of pace from some of the team's grinding offensive lines. With an overage spot open, there should definitely be at least one acquisition. And honestly, the team should also jettison Anthony Peters for another overage skater. Yes, he's been a great teammate and provides a veteran presence in case J.P. Anderson gets injured. But it makes no sense to be using a vital overage spot on a back up goaltender who'll see ZERO time in the playoffs when other needs should be addressed.

On to some individual player reports:

Saginaw Spirit







#6 - John McFarland (Drafted by Florida in 2010)
I thought he was the best player on the ice for either team today. He looks really good (and comfortable) on the wing with Trocheck and Saad. The ankle looks fully healed now as he was explosive coming down the wing with speed. He had a couple of really nice rushes as he flew down the wing, beat his defender to the outside and went hard to the net. He was also very physical (most physical game I've seen him play) and was very active on the forecheck and in the corners. He scored a goal off a turnover forced by Ivan Telegin. He took the puck, cut to the slot on his backhand, and slid the puck through Anthony Peters fivehole. It's definitely refreshing to see him playing so well in Saginaw, where he can hopefully re-invigorate his promising OHL career.

#10 - Jordan Szwarz (Drafted by Phoenix in 2009)
Szwarz had a very solid game and was named the game's second star. He opened the scoring by deflecting a Ryan O'Connor point shot in front of Anthony Peters. His biggest strength has always been his elusiveness on the ice, as he's a bit like a waterbug out there. He's everywhere and active in all three zones. His speed and ability to create turnovers on the forecheck are definitely strengths. He earned a secondary assist on the powerplay goal by Josh Shalla later in the game, off a nice passing play in the slot. I do question the type of role he'll take on in the NHL though. I'm not sure if he's big enough or skilled enough to take on a top six role in the NHL, which means he might have to add a physical element to his game to succeed in a bottom six, energy role.

#15 - Anthony Camara (Draft Eligible in 2011)
Started the game on a line with Jordan Szwarz and Josh Shalla, but saw some action on other lines too. He wasn't really noticeable, save for a few nice hits and a fight with Gregg Sutch at the end of the game, that left Sutch bleeding (thanks to I believe an inadvertent headbutt).

#22 - Brandon Saad (Draft Eligible in 2011)
The man I was most looking forward to seeing, as this was my first viewing of him live. His performance left me somewhat split. On one hand, I was impressed with his skating ability, which is excellent for a big guy. He nearly broke through the defense twice, but just couldn't get by the last defender after beating the rest of the team. He also clearly is an intelligent goal scorer who knows where to go on the ice and isn't afraid of going hard to the net for a goal. He scored after finding a loose puck in the slot on the powerplay in the second period. But on the other hand, I was left underwhelmed by a prospect whom is getting consideration for the top 5 of the NHL draft. When comparing him to Gabriel Landeskog or even Ryan Strome, he's just not as dynamic of a player, nor does he make as big of an impact on the ice. I stick by my midterm ranking of Saad behind those two guys. Is Saad really not just a bigger, and better skating version of Matt Puempel? Definitely a great prospect, but I'm not sure I'm buying the top 5 or even top 10 hype.

#89 - Vincent Trocheck (Draft Eligible in 2011)
Continues to be a favourite of mine. He's not the biggest, but he's an incredibly effective player. He plays in all situations for the Spirit, including seeing the majority of the penalty killing time for Saginaw. His speed and tenacity away from the puck, make him a very dangerous player despite his lack of size, which is what you want to see from an undersized forward (especially a center). He finished with a secondary assist on Saad's powerplay goal, but he could have had a beautiful primary assist on a John McFarland goal, had John not fanned on it in front of the net. On the powerplay, he deked out a Major defender and feathered a pass to McFarland cross crease for the one timer. He's just a good little player.

#49 - Mavric Parks (Overage Free Agent)
I have to think that this guy is going to get serious pro consideration this offseason. He's not the biggest goaltender (pushing 6 feet), which is probably a strike against him when it comes to NHL interest, but he plays big and comes up with big saves. He's very aggressive in challenging shooters and sees the puck very well through traffic. He's also very good at controlling rebounds and has excellent awareness of the game. The Majors were peppering him with shots from the outside, in hopes of getting a big rebound. But he just wouldn't give any up. He's having his second excellent season in a row for a quality team and deserves to get a pro contract (IMO). He made 33 saves for the shutout victory.

Mississauga Majors






#2 - Dylan DeMelo (Draft Eligible in 2011)
DeMelo has been a rock for the Majors this season and plays with overager Marc Cantin on arguably, the team's shutdown line. He saw a ton of action against John McFarland's line and these two were going at it hard all night. DeMelo put McFarland down hard along the boards in the first. McFarland did the same later in the game. But he didn't have the best of games in the defensive end. His pairing got exposed for three goals against today (two ES, one PP), of which DeMelo looked to be a little overmatched against the speed and creativity of the Spirit forwards. He made a really nice play offensively though, and generated one of the Majors best scoring chances in the game. He kept the puck in at the line by jumping to glove down a lob pass, then deked around a Spirit defender to get himself into shooting position in the slot, but was stymied by Parks.

#4 - Justin Shugg (Drafted by Carolina in 2010)
Shugg was clearly frustrated by his team's lack of drive and ability to produce offensively today. He was trying to do too much out there on the ice, and if he got around the first defender, he'd just keep going with his head down to the net and turned the puck over. He took a couple of tripping penalties in the game too, just being a little too aggressive on the attack. He took his frustration out on his stick after a failed powerplay, destroying it on the bench. The passion is refreshing though, on a day where the Majors looked as flat as a pancake.

#5 - Stuart Percy (Draft Eligible in 2o11)
Percy had a quiet game. I truthfully never really noticed him for the good or the bad. As a defender in a 4-0 loss, that's perhaps a good thing.

#23 - Devante Smith-Pelly (Drafted by Anaheim in 2010)
He's got his entry level contract now, and earned a third star today, but I thought he had a pretty quiet game. I've actually been a little bit underwhelmed by his progression this year as I don't think he's taken his game to that next level yet. He needs to become a more consistent physical threat, and still needs to improve his skating.

#26 - Rob Flick (Drafted by Chicago in 2010)
Flick's had a tremendous season thus far, proving that he's more than just scrappy third line center. He's already eclipsed his career high in goals with 18 (previously 15) and is third on the team in goals. His line with Joseph Cramarossa and Gregg Sutch has really good chemistry and he's done a dynamite job with the team's second powerplay unit. But he was pretty quiet this afternoon, minus a great fight with Ben Chiarot (after Chiarot tried to take off Brett Flemming's head with a forearm check).

#27 - Mika Partanen (Draft Eligible in 2011)
Fresh off being the last cut by Team Finland at the WJC's, Partanen started this game on the Major's first line with Justin Shugg and Devante Smith-Pelly. But like most of the games I've seen, Partanen didn't last until the end of the game on the top unit (getting replaced by Rob Flick in the third period). He did ring one off the post in the first period, firing a slapshot coming down the wing and getting it through Parks but not the far post. But his ice time was severely cut in the third period and the coaching staff doesn't seem to have the confidence to give him serious powerplay time.

Well that's it. Your thoughts?

Game Report: Majors and Battalion from November 5

There is nothing better than taking in a GTA battle between the Mississauga Majors and Brampton Battalion, so I headed to the Hershey Centre last night to take in the action.

It was definitely an entertaining and spirited affair (as are most meetings between Missy and Brampton). Lots of hitting, lots of fighting and lots of angst filled ruffling after the whistle. There was a lot of end to end action offensively, however perhaps in a negative way. Neither team could really get their offensive game going. Pucks were getting dumped in, but the cycle and possession game wasn't really working for either team, so it was simply a game of end to end action with few definitive scoring chances.

The Majors ended up winning the game by a score of 3 to 1. They got a couple of goals off loose pucks in front of the net and in the slot (by Derek Shoenmakers and Devante Smith-Pelly), and finished off the Battalion in a third thanks to a Rob Flick shorthanded goal.

Mississauga looked really strong defensively and the newcomers to the team are really starting to up their game and become more accustomed to Dave Cameron's style. The penalty kill looked especially good and the Battalion had a hard enough time gaining possession of the puck on the powerplay, let alone scoring. However, I still can't help but wonder if the Majors have enough offensively to take home the Memorial Cup. It's obvious that Cameron isn't tremendously happy with the play of the left wing slot on his first line with Casey Cizikas and Devante Smith-Pelly. Riley Brace and Mika Partanen traded shifts there, but I'm not sure either is the long term answer. I also can't help but wonder what a quality puck rushing, offensive defenseman would do to help *cough,* Ryan Ellis, *cough.*

The biggest thing you notice about Brampton is how good their young defense is...and will be. In two years, this could be the best defense in the OHL. Wind, Auld, Abraham, McIvor, Blujus and Bell are all young and playing quite well.

Here are some individual player thoughts:

Brampton Battalion

#2 - Jordan Auld (Draft Eligible in 2011)
Auld plays in all situations for the Battalion and definitely sees a lot of ice time. He particularly looked good working the point on the PP with Spencer Abraham as he moved the puck well at the blueline. He also looked good defending off the rush and was able to neutralize the Majors attack. He did have a couple turnovers trying to do too much with the puck while trying to push the play up ice. Part of that could have been him trying to take some chances in order to get his team going offensively.

#5 - Spencer Abraham (Draft Eligible in 2011)
I continue to be really impressed with him offensively. He reminds me a lot of Geoffrey Schemitsch in Owen Sound last year. He controls the point very well especially on the powerplay. He's definitely one of the main reasons the Battalion powerplay is statistically one of the strongest in the league. His pass on the powerplay goal by Brampton was excellent, tape to tape cross ice through traffic, great find to Watters who roofed the puck. He also generally made some smart pinches to keep the puck in the zone, although did get burnt once, but came back hard to help negate the 2 on 1 the other way. He didn't see as much ice time 5 on 5, whether that suggests Butler isn't as confident in his defensive ability, I'm not sure.

#7 - Zach Bell (Draft Eligible in 2011)
Bell is very physical, however he was taking himself out of position to make a big hit, which is something that needs to be refined. However, for a big physical defender, he seems to be pretty mobile and defended off the rush well when he wasn't going for the big hit.

#10 - Philip Lane (Drafted by Carolina in 2010)
Lane has been a statistical disappointment so far this season. He was someone I was impressed with last year and thought he had the tools to really develop offensively, however there wasn't much there to speak of tonight. He wasn't really a factor.

#16 - Sam Carrick (Drafted by Toronto in 2010)
Carrick was probably Brampton's most dangerous offensive forward. He was working hard to get possession of the puck and often comes out of scrums with it on his stick. He had a great fight with Rob Flick, that lasted at least a minute and saw both players trading shots. It was a good time to fight as his team had just gone down 1-0 and had looked completely flat. However, he took a stupid penalty by shooting the puck after the whistle in the third period. Looked like he was just frustrated that none of his teammates were really up to his level last night.

#23 - Barclay Goodrow (Draft Eligible in 2011)
His skating looks better, although his explosiveness will need to continue to improve as he tries to take the puck to the net, but doesn't have the separation speed to get by defenders. However, he needs to be way more physical and lost a lot of battles for loose pucks along the boards. This is something nobody wants to see of a 6'2, 210lbs winger. He might not be playing with a ton of offensive confidence, as he had a couple opportunities to shoot the puck but elected to pass, one on an odd man rush that negated a scoring opportunity. He has a good shot (which I've seen him use previously), just needs to use it. He did drive hard to the net though, but needs to up the consistency of the rest of his physical game.

#31 - Dennis Saikkonen (Draft Eligible in 2011)
Saikkonen is a very athletic goaltender, definitely butterfly style (my first time seeing him play). He moves very well in his crease and made a few nice saves going side to side, especially on Justin Shugg off a feed from Casey Cizikas at the side of the net. Looked like a sure goal, but Saikkonen read the play very well and had the agility to get over to steal a goal. He also sees the puck really well through traffic and is aggressive in coming out to the top of his crease. The big minus appears to be rebound control, as he had a really tough time hanging on to the puck. Derek Shoenmakers goal was off a juicy rebound and he'll need to work on controlling pucks off his upper body in particular.

Mississauga Majors

#2 - Dylan DeMelo (Draft Eligible in 2011)
DeMelo really impressed with his play at both ends of the ice. He played in all situations including the top PK unit with Marc Cantin. He defended really well off the rush, and was physical when he needed to be (including putting down a Brampton player coming over the blueline). He also got into a fight (with Dom Alberga) which shows a scrapyness to his game. DeMelo was also poised in bringing the puck up ice or making a stretch pass and looks to have really refined his game from a year ago when he wasn't making a big enough impact to stick in the OHL as a 16 year old.

#4 - Justin Shugg (Drafted by Carolina in 2010)
Shugg didn't get on the board, but had a good game. He looks more confident with the puck now and is trying to make things happen with the puck on his stick (had a couple of nice end to end rushes into the offensive zone). He was robbed of a goal by Saikkonen (on the aforementioned slide cross crease). But maybe most impressive was that he did an excellent job on the PK and is rounding into a very good two way player.

#5 - Stuart Percy (Draft Eligible in 2011)
Percy played another excellent game. I've heard whispers about scouts worrying about him not having elite skating ability, but I don't see it, I think he moves well. He defends very well off the rush. He had a couple of one on one opportunities which he shrugged off, in particular one against Stephon Thorne, where he stayed with Thorne, didn't let him pass and then Thorne got a weak shot off which went behind the net, but Percy stayed in front of him and angled him off of getting his rebound too and sent the puck away up the ice the other way. He's also physical when he needs to be, not afraid to throw a good hit (a dimension added to his game this year). He did have a few turnovers in his own end when trying to force passes up ice, so he'll need to be more careful and pick his spots better.

#11 - Casey Cizikas (Drafted by NYI in 2009)
Cizikas did tremendous work on the PK, and is definitely one of the best in the OHL. One thing I've noticed this year is that he has a lot of confidence offensively right now and is starting to become more creative in the offensive end...see the dipsy doodle around a defenseman in the slot to set up Shugg. He has also upped his physical game and is throwing his body around and going hard to the net. Cizikas has transformed himself into one of the most well rounded players in the league. He picked up an assist on Smith-Pelly's goal, but didn't really have any impact on the play per say.

#23 - Devante Smith-Pelly (Drafted by Anaheim in 2010)
He did well to try and get the cycle going, but the Brampton defense did a good job of containing him. He still needs to work on his speed to become a more efficient player off the rush, as he's still largely a complimentary offensive player. He also needs to increase his physical play on every shift, instead of a couple of big hits throughout the game. It's about finding a balance between physical play and offensive creativity, something every physical, yet skilled forward goes through. He did score a nice goal by picking up a loose puck in the slot and hammering it home with a slap shot.

#26 - Rob Flick (Drafted by Chicago in 2010)
It might sound redundant, but great work on the PK. He scored a nice shorty by stealing a pass to the middle of the ice by Kyle Perreira and going in on a breakaway. He's always a physical presence, and had a great fight with Sam Carrick (as mentioned). Offensively he's making things happen through hard work and has showed this year that he has the hands to finish off chances in close to the net.

#34 - J.P. Anderson (Signed by San Jose)
Anderson wasn't really tested tonight at all. Even on the powerplay, Brampton had trouble getting things going. He faced only 19 shots, but the majority were weak and to his pads. The lone goal by Ian Watters was a shot wired top shelf off a cross ice pass. Anderson had no chance.