The Sunday Top 10 - OHL Import Players

I had a really nasty computer virus attack me recently and as such, updates to the blog have been few in number over the past week or so. But everything appears to be stabilized for now, just in time for the weekly Sunday Top 10.

This week, we look at the Top 10 impact import players (awesome alliteration). Some really solid Imports took to the ice this season in the OHL, and had a significant impact on their team's success. While the Import process is often a bit of a crap shoot, every year OHL General Managers do manage to turn a few selections into gold.

Here is the list...

10. Adam Sedlak - Peterborough Petes
Sedlak had an up and down season. He possesses outstanding skating ability from the back end, and has good offensive instincts, showcasing an ability to jump into the rush effectively. However, he is very raw. He could stand to improve his decision making with and without the puck, and he needs to improve his one on one defensive coverage. However, he ended up finishing 2nd on the team in defenseman points and did make progress as the season went along. As a late 1991, Sedlak isn't eligible for the NHL draft until 2010. Hopefully, he sticks around Peterborough next season where he'll have a chance to be a part of a young and up and coming defense along with the likes of Jeff Braithwaite, Jamie Doornbosch, among others.

9. Marco Insam - Niagara IceDogs
Insam was a pleasant surprise for the Dogs this season. After failing to make the WHL last year, not a whole lot was expected of Insam this season. However, he was an impact player, finishing 3rd on the team in goals. He has an absolute cannon of a shot and really improved his skating as the season went along. He could stand to use his big body more, especially in establishing a physical presence on the ice, however the Italian sniper showcased a lot a grit by playing through the playoffs with a shoulder injury. Should return as an overager next year where he'll likely be among the team leader in goals again.

8. Milan Doczy - Owen Sound Attack
Doczy was a tower of power this year for Owen Sound. At 6'5, 200lbs, Doczy is an intimidating physical presence on the ice, who ended up finishing the year at a + rating, an accomplishment on a mediocre Owen Sound team. He skates alright for a big man too, improving on that in his second OHL season. If he only used his size more physically in order to become a more dominant physical blueliner, he'd likely receive attention from NHL scouts. As a 1990, Doczy will likely return for another year in Owen Sound and help to solidify the blueline.

7. William Wallen - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Wallen has quite the year. He nearly lost his life due to an aneurysm but recovered in time to finish out the season in Mississauga. At 5'8, 170lbs, he is not the biggest player on the ice, but he is rather fearless out there. Almost like a little waterbug, bouncing around. He has a ton of skill too, especially in the puckhandling department. Considering how much development and conditioning time he lost this season, I thought he faired pretty well in his first OHL year. I expect he'll return next season, where I also think he'll lead Mississauga in scoring.

6. Sergey Korostin - Peterborough Petes
Korostin has been plagued very badly by inconsistencies in his short time in the OHL. The London Knights got tired of his lackadaisical effort and shipped him to Peterborough after 13 games. He can be an impact player one shift, and invisible the next. He has a ton of skill, and is an exceptional skater. He has the ability to go end to end and at times isn't even afraid to take the puck to the net. However, whether it be a conditioning issue or effort issue, he disappears for large stretches. He'll be moving on to the professional ranking next year in Dallas' organization, in the AHL or ECHL. I'm not sure how much Peterborough is going to miss him.

5. Kaspars Daugavins - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Daugavins had the absolute definition of an up and down season. He started the year with Binghampton in the AHL, but due to some conflicts with the coaching staff over his conditioning and ice time, he was returned to St. Mike's for his overage season. He played pretty well for St. Mike's and had a good playoff, but you have to consider this a disappointing season for the diminutive winger. He's had an excellent OHL career and I hope he's able to return to the Sens organization next year, focused and motivated to make an impact, because he's going to have to turn some heads to get back in their good books.

4. Jaroslav Janus - Erie Otters
Janus had quite the outstanding season on all fronts. He lead Erie to the playoffs and lead Slovakia to a solid performance at the World Juniors. All this after being passed over in the NHL draft last season. I think a lot of people expect Janus to get drafted this season as a re-entry, and it would be well deserved. He's got some things he has to work on, but he an incredibly athletic goaltender with natural talent. Should he get drafted, I actually wouldn't be surprised if he was returned to the OHL for his overage season in Erie, where he'll have a chance to lead them further into the playoffs. Should he not get drafted, I wouldn't be surprised if he returns back home.

3. Michal Jordan - Plymouth Whalers
Jordan emerged as a top flight OHL defenseman this season in Plymouth. He nearly doubled his offensive totals this season, and finished the year at an outstanding +28. He made great strides at the defensive end, which subsequently increased his ice time and confidence offensively. He'll be back in Plymouth next season and should continue to increase his totals and become one of the better all around defenseman in the OHL. Seems like a great late round pick by Carolina.

2. Andrei Loktionov - Windsor Spitfires
This guy just kept getting better and better every month. He's an absolutely dynamic offensive player who hustles and battles to make plays. He is absolutely one of the most skilled players in the OHL. He's been an absolute beast with Windsor in the playoffs thus far too, nearly leading the entire playoffs in scoring. It remains to be seen what LA's plans for him are next season. He could return to play in the OHL where he'd likely be among the scoring leaders, or he could head to the AHL for a new challenge in Manchester.

1. Evgeny Grachev - Brampton Battalion
Not many players have the combination of size and skill that Grachev possesses. He is such an outstanding and explosive skater, yet his skill level is also so high. Throughout the second half of the OHL season and through the playoffs, he has been one of the best players in the OHL. The New York Rangers got a good one here. I highly doubt he's back in Brampton next season, as I expect he'll make the Rangers or they'll move him to the AHL for a new challenge.

Next season should be interesting. We already know that 2008 Import pick Richard Panik will be playing for Windsor, where he'll likely be a solid scoring threat for them. Who knows who else will make the jump, but we're bound to see some impact players emerge.

Stay tuned for Next Sunday's Top 10, which will feature the Top 10 American players playing in the OHL.

Thoughts on Brampton from March 5

Last night the red hot Brampton Battalion took on the Niagara Ice Dogs at the Gatorade Garden City Complex. The Battalion largely dominated the first two periods and held on for a 5-2 victory on the strength two goals from Cody Hodgson.

Here are my thoughts on some of the Battalion...

Matt Clark - 2009 Draft Eligible

Playing in his first OHL season, this 6'3, 200lbs defenseman has quickly risen up the draft charts. He showcases excellent mobility and speed for a big guy. He also does not appear to be afraid to play physical and take the body, especially along the boards. He reminds me a fair amount of the way Adam Comrie looked last season for Saginaw (his first in the OHL). On the downside, I felt like Clark's defensive positioning was somewhat exposed. He was beaten to the outside a few times because he got caught standing still or missing on playing the body. I think these are things which can be improved as his OHL career progresses. I do wonder as how to much offensive potential he has, although he did look impressive in making decisions with the puck and showcasing some playmaking skill.

Matt Duchene - 2009 Draft Eligible

I'm not going to say a lot on Duchene. He didn't have a great game really, but even when he's slightly off and not contributing offensively, he still showcases his outstanding skating ability and his growing awareness of his defensive responsibilities.

Matt Kang - Overager and NHL Free Agent

Kang is currently a free agent, and this steady OHL contributor should be able to get a professional contract somewhere, likely not at the NHL level, but probably at the AHL/ECHL/European level. He has good speed for a slightly undersized forward, especially his first step which is explosive. The thing that always sticks out about Kang is his puckhandling ability. No question that Kang is one of the best 'danglers' in the OHL. However, sometimes I feel like he can get caught up in making the moves rather than finding and using his teammates. I also wish that he was more aggressive in playing in traffic and going hard to the net. A lot of the moves he makes are once the offense has set up in the opposing end, and used to keep puck control. I wish he was use his puckhandling ability to take the puck to the net off the rush and make more of his gift.

Evgeny Grachev - Drafted in 2008 by the New York Rangers/75th

I've made no qualms about letting people know on this blog, about how impressed I've been with this guy this season. He had another solid game finishing with a goal and an assist. I really don't know if I've seen a forward his size with that explosive of a first step. He just takes off and has a ton of power in his stride. But let's forget about everything I've already mentioned before in terms of his dynamic offensive ability. The most impressive thing Grachev did in this game was break up a 2 on 1 by showing a lot of tenacity on the backcheck. The Battalion turned the puck over on the powerplay and Chris DeSousa started down the ice on a 2 on 1. Grachev skated hard from the offensive zone (he wasn't the one who turned it over at the blueline), caught DeSousa and rubbed him out of the play, completing negating the 2 on 1 chance. I seriously think this guy has Marian Hossa like potential.

Cody Hodgson - Drafted in 2008 by the Vancouver Canucks/10th

I think a lot has been said about Hodgson, to the extent that everyone knows how talented this kid is. He works hard at both ends of the ice, he's a good skater, makes moves at top speed, takes the puck to the net, uses his teammates well. Just the complete package. I will mention the beautiful goal he scored tonight though. He completely undressed Drew Schiestel not once, but twice on the way to the net, and deposited the puck behind Dogs tender Mark Visentin. It's impressive because Schiestel has NHL quality skating at the backend, and even still Hodgson got by him and beat him to the net. Check the clip posted and go to about the 1:50 mark to see his goal.

Anthony Peluso - Drafted in 2007 by the St. Louis Blues/160th

Peluso has responded very well to his new playing environment in Brampton. He has 15 points in 22 games since the trade, posting that many points in the 36 games before the trade from Sault Ste. Marie. He had a very solid game tonight, working incredibly hard on the forecheck. He finished with a goal and an assist, with the goal being the one that 'broke the camels back,' putting Brampton up 4-2 with under 2 minutes left. This was especially crucial because Niagara had been putting a ton of pressure on Brampton during the 3rd period, outshooting the Battalion 13-2 in the frame. The goal came after Battalion forward Stephon Thorpe forced a turnover in Niagara's end, and found Peluso streaking hard to the net. Peluso wasted no time in roofing the puck top corner. It appears he really wants that contract from the Blues. While he's not really a threat to have an impact on the top 2 lines, probably even the top 3 lines, Peluso could still make an impact in the NHL as a bottom line energy forward who can fight, forecheck and provide occasional offense.

Thomas McCollum - Drafted in 2008 by the Detroit Red Wings/30th

Since returning from a rather disastrous showing at the WJC's, and a very shaky two games to start January, McCollum has been nothing short of fantastic. Since January 11, McCollum has been playing with a GAA under 2 and a SV% above .930. He was quite excellent in this game. The most impressive thing about McCollum is his quick feet work as he works hard to take away the bottom part of the net. He gets in and out of the butterfly very quickly and moves side to side incredibly well. He made an absolutely amazing save on Matt Sisca to essentially preserve the victory. This save has to be a contender for save of the year in the OHL and can be found at around the 5:15 mark of the posted clip. On the downside, I think McCollum has some things he really has to work on, especially before he can find success at the next level. Firstly, like any butterfly goaltender in the junior ranks (for the most part), he needs to not go down so early. Because he takes away the bottom part of the net so well, he can tend to expose the top part of the net. In the OHL, players aren't as adept at picking that top corner and quickly, but in the NHL, he's going to have to wait longer before hitting the butterfly in order to not run into trouble. Secondly, his rebound control needs work. He coughs up a lot of juicy rebounds, especially directly in his crease. Fortunately for him, McCollum is so great at covering the bottom half because a lot of these second chances get turned away. However, again this is something that will hurt him heavily at the next level. But hes athletic and knows how to make the big saves. Some fine tuning and perhaps some mental fine tuning, and he'll be on his way.

POSTED CLIP

At the 1:50 mark the Hodgson goal.
At the 5:15 mark the McCollum save.

Sean Keogh's Thoughts on Brampton from February 6

Sean returns with his second game report, as he was able to take in the massive Eastern Conference clash between the Battalion and 67's...

The Brampton Battalion came to Ottawa tonight to play the 67s, trying to extend their winning streak to twelve. Thanks to four goals in the second period, Brampton was able to come out on top 5-2. Simply put the better team won as well. Brampton out shot the 67s 48-33 and never allowed their opponents to get into a groove offensively. It was a perfectly executed road game by a very efficient and disciplined Battalion team. If they can play like that in the OHL playoffs, they will be a very tough team to beat, particularly for the 67s if they run into each other. Coach Stan Butler has three strong lines at his disposal, as well as an effective blueline and obviously a top-notch goaltender in Thomas McCollum.

Of note for the 67s, Thomas Nesbitt had both goals for the 67s and as usual played well in all zones. Logan Couture again played well, creating many chances, playing very well in his own zone and showing much more physical play than in previous seasons. On the negative side, Tyler Cuma dressed for his first game since suffering a knee injury at the World Junior Camp. After taking several shifts in the first period and early second, he awkwardly threw a big hit along the boards and seemed to limp off. He took one more shift and then moved to the end of the bench. Cuma did not return for the third, so at best the Minnesota first rounder is not back to 100% yet it appears. Considering how poorly the 67s blueliners played last night, the top pairing of Julien Demers and Travis Gibbons aside, it would be very unfortunate if Ottawa brought back Cuma too early and he re-injured himself.

Cody Hodgson – YOB 1990: Vancouver 1^st round pick, 2008.

Although he was the game’s first star and collected two assists on the night, Hodgson had a quieter game than I expected after his tour de force performance at the World Juniors where I thought he was the best player on Team Canada. Even with an average performance, Hodgson is undoubtedly an outstanding player and a great prospect. He is so intelligent, constantly aware and consistent in all zones, much like former 67 Alyn McCauley. In this game he showed off his good vision, quick hands and strong defensive play as usual. While Hodgson may not be a speedster, he is a good skater with strong lower body strength which he utilizes well on the cycle and when driving to the net. I would be surprised if he was back in the OHL next year, because there’s no reason he could not play a two-way role in Vancouver.

Matt Duchene – YOB 1991: Draft Eligible 2009.

This was my first live look at Duchene, who of course is projected to be a top five pick in this summer’s entry draft. Playing center, with Evgeny Grachev on one of his wings, Duchene had a good but unspectacular game. He scored Brampton’s fifth goal on a weak shot from the sideboards on the powerplay. Otherwise he was usually involved offensively, mixing it up with some nice passes, quick cuts to the middle to let his shot go and a couple of attempts to drive wide with speed. Duchene looks like a complete offensive player, and I was impressed with his hockey sense, particularly in how he anticipates contact and defenders. For all the hype his skating gets though, and he is a good all-round skater, I kept expecting him to create a bit more with it. Duchene is not quite as explosive or capable of blowing by players as last year’s first round pick Mikkel Boedker or comparable 2009 prospect Magnus Svensson-Paajarvi. I would like to see him on the wing though to see how he utilizes his speed there.

Evgeny Grachev – YOB 1990: New York 3^rd round pick, 2008.

Probably the flashiest of the big three forwards on Brampton last night was Grachev. His listed height is certainly not exaggerated, as he looks every bit of 6’3”, although he still has some filling out to do. Grachev is remarkably smooth and fluid for a player his size, and displays impressive offensive skills. He notched one goal when he caught 67s goaltender Adam Courchaine reacting slowly, but was probably the most dangerous forward in the first half of the game for Brampton. Although Grachev could use his body more, he does use it to protect the puck and battle along the boards already, which is a good sign. He also played the point on the powerplay, which for a forward is always a vote of confidence from the coach. Overall, I would say the Rangers have themselves a first round caliber talent in this player.

Thomas McCollum – YOB 1989: Detroit 1^st round pick, 2008.

McCollum has had an up and down couple of months. He was terrible at the World Juniors for the U.S, although he was not the only disappointment on that squad. A trade to Brampton seems to have worked out very well for him though and again tonight he played well. The former OHL goalie of the year stopped 31 of 33 shots faced and was not really to fault for either of them. That being said, the 67s did not challenge him as much as they needed to. Overall it was a solid performance by McCollum.

Anthony Peluso – YOB 1989: St. Louis 6^th round pick, 2007.

Skating on the wing on the first line with Hodgson, Peluso was surprisingly impressive. He picked up two assists and had several nice offensive plays, as well as establishing a presence in front of the net on the powerplay. At 6’4” and 235lbs, Peluso really is absolutely huge and he looks it. For a player that size though he moves very well and demonstrated some nice hands and offensive ability. Although he is a good skater with a smooth stride, he will need to work on his balance. At one point he got around a defender and was in alone but somehow lost his balance and quite embarrassingly fell without even getting a shot off. There were a couple instances as well that his focus seemed to lapse, as he let the puck roll off his stick for no good reason. Nonetheless Peluso is an intriguing package with outstanding size and I would be quite surprised if St. Louis did not sign him. I am not sure how high his offensive ceiling is, but at a minimum he has the ability to be a Ben Eager kind of player it appears.

Matt Clark – YOB 1990: Draft Eligible 2009.

Going into this game, Clark was a player I knew virtually nothing about, but it quickly became clear he is a legitimate prospect for this year’s draft. A late birthday and also an OHL rookie, Clark had a solid game for Brampton, picking up an assist and playing a fair bit of minutes for the Battalion. At 6’3” and 215lbs, he definitely has perfect size for a defenceman, but I was surprised by his mobility. Although fluidity and agility is not perfect and he could smoothen out his stride, he does move quite well for a player his size and can contribute some offensively as well. Moreover, he showed some physical enthusiasm and solid defensive ability. I wish I had seen him earlier in the year to get a sense of his progression over the season, but he definitely looked like an NHL prospect worthy of at least a mid round pick this summer.

Kyle Pereira – YOB 1991: Draft Eligible 2009

Pereira is another rookie blueliner for Brampton who is up for this year’s draft. The highlight of his performance last night was a spirited but short fight with the 67s Jon Carnevale. Otherwise he received less ice time than Clark and did little to stand out overall. Pereira demonstrated some decent offensive abilities but was not as good a skater as I expected. Moreover, he looks like he needs to put on some weight in order to be more effective. Based on this viewing, I am not convinced he is a draft-worthy prospect.

Matthew Kang – YOB 1988: Undrafted Free Agent.

I have always liked Kang for the energy and speed that he brings, and he has some nice offensive abilities as well. He potted a goal and was involved all night. As an overager, this is his last shot to earn a contract and a good playoff run for Brampton would help his chances. At the end of the day though, I expected him to get a contract or be selected in the draft before and I am just not sure he is more than a classic undrafted overage player. If you compare him to 67s overager Thomas Kiriakou, he is fairly similar, with a bit more flash offensively and a bit less grit and heart. I like Kiriakou a lot as well, but both are likely CIS-bound next year.

Josh Day – YOB 1988: Undrafted Free Agent.

Another overage player that was brought in at the deadline, Day was essentially utilized as the #1 blueliner by Coach Stan Butler. He was the only blueliner to play on the first powerplay unit, with Grachev manning the other point, and he notched two assists from there. With Day, there are some nice things there, including decent size, reliable defensive play and the ability to contribute offensively. However, he has been passed over a few times and I think it is because he is simply a classic good OHL player with not quite enough to offer as an NHL prospect. He is not quite dynamic enough offensively, dominant enough defensively or imposing enough physically to intrigue teams I think. That being said, I would say he might be more likely to get a contract than Kang.