Ryan Yessie's Thoughts on Sault Ste. Marie and Sarnia from November 21

Ryan was at the Sault Ste. Marie and Sarnia game on Saturday and has filed a report for us. The Hounds, thanks to solid goaltending from Robin Lehner, shutout the Sting 2-0. This handed Sarnia its 5th straight loss and a trip to the very bottom of the Western Conference standings.

The SOO





Daniel Catenacci - #7 - C - YOB: 1993 - 5‘10” - 170lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2011
Report: Nov/21/09: Catenacci looked decent out there in this game. His skating is solid, he engages in battles for the pucks, and seems to be able to absorb a decent amount of punishment from bigger opponents. He certainly in no way stood out or take over even a few shifts as other 1st overall picks have done in the past. He will continue to be a good forward, but this seems to be a tribute to how weak the 2011 draft will be. Catenacci really didn’t have any standout flaws in his game, but none of his skills appeared to be standouts either. Combine that with his small stature, and Catenacci will be a decent prospect, and will be a 1st rounder in next year’s draft, but will not project to be more than a 2nd line forward.
(Cantenacci had 1G, +1, 2 PIM tonight)

Brett Thompson - #9 - C - YOB: 1991 - 5‘8” - 160lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Nov/21/09: To be honest when I saw Thompson listed as 5’8” 160lb.I was surprised. He looked a lot bigger on the ice than that, and played a huge impact in this game. Thompson showed off great speed, and good shiftiness when coming up the ice with the puck. He made some very solid tape to tape passes. He banged in the puck in the crease for what turned out to be the winning goal, but what was more impressive was the way he set up a 2 on 1 goal for Catenacci drawing in the goaltender and the defenceman towards him then sending it over to Catenacci for the goal that put this one in the books. Thompson wasn’t someone I was expecting too much from, but he looked really good out there tonight, I was impressed.
(Thompson had 1G, 1A, +1 tonight)

James Livingston - #12 - RW - YOB: 1990 - 6‘1” - 210lbs.
NHL: 3rd Round - 70th Overall by St. Louis in 2008
Report: Nov/21/09: Livingston is someone who once again leaves me wanting to see more out of him. He didn’t look very different from last year. He threw some big hits, he only got one shot on net, which may be playing an impact on my opinion. His skating is not great but not bad either, average skater for his size. Livingston however appeared to show some leadership qualities at times, as well as being on the ice almost entirely for every penalty, which shows that at the NHL level even if he can’t become the power forward St. Louis thought he would when they picked him in the 3rd round, he can still be a special teams player, and is more than physical enough to fill a bottom 6 role. Livingston did have great positioning on defence tonight.

Nick Cousins - #27 - RW - YOB: 1993 - 5’9” - 155lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2011
Report: Nov/21/09: Cousins looked pretty good out there tonight, displayed great speed, handled the puck well, and positioned well. He got caught a few times trying to do too much in the offensive zone, but has so much speed to his game he was able to make it back in his own zone. He played on a line with Livingston, so that shows the SOO has confidence in him going forward. He’s certainly a player to watch going into the 2011 NHL draft. He could turn out not far off of his teammate Catenacci in the draft.

Brandon Archibald - #3 - D - YOB: 1992 - 6‘3” - 200lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Nov/21/09: Above all Archibald was the one I was most disappointed in tonight. He has great size, and although he did hit, he didn’t utilize his size nearly as well as he should be. His skating is very awkward and always looks like he’s got one broken foot he leans to one side, and really can’t generate speed. However backwards Archibald is very smooth, with good lateral movement, it was very odd, and I almost think he should skate backwards both directions because he was about as fast, and much more fluid going backwards as he was going forward. Archibald turned the puck over a little too many times for a potential prospect, and was just not at the level I expected him to be at after hearing so many great things to start the season.
(Archibald had 1A, +1 tonight)

Brock Beukeboom - #25 - D - YOB: 1992 - 6‘1” - 196lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Nov/21/09: Before this game I had Archibald slightly past Beukeboom. That all changed tonight. Beukeboom played very good tonight for the SOO and was arguably their best defenceman. He plays a safe stay at home game, but seems to be a very good skater, always moving his feet, and really seems to build his game around protecting his own net. He had good body positioning on incoming forwards, and although I’d like him to hit a little more, he wasn’t bad in this regard either. Beukeboom will never put up a lot of points but seemed to hit his outlet passes fairly well. Beukeboom isn’t going to be a franchises key defenceman, but I could see him landing in a Steve Staios type role one day.
(Beukeboom had 2 PIM tonight)

Robin Lehner - #35 - G - YOB: 1991 - 6‘4” - 224lbs.
NHL: 2nd Round - 46th Overall by Ottawa in 2009
Report: Nov/21/09: Lehner played outstanding and earned the shutout tonight. Lehner’s reflexes are second to none, he really doesn’t come out of his crease enough which is really the only knock in his game, and at his size it doesn’t hurt his game as it would to other goaltenders. His reaction time, as well as his recovery ability are simply amazing. I was a little weary about him getting drafted so high, but after seeing him, he simply stole this game. If Sarnia had scored first this would have been a very different game. At one point during the tie game Lehner made a save and gave up a rebound and an open net, he quickly recovered and dove across the net and got enough to prevent the puck going in. Simply blown away by Lehner’s performance tonight.
(Lehner stopped all 25 shots for a shutout tonight)

Sarnia






Shayne Campbell - #30 - G - YOB: 1992 - 6‘2” - 175lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2011
Report: Nov/21/09: Campbell played great in relief of Adam Courchaine who suffered an upper body injury. Letting in 6 goals over the course of the two games, many of those wouldn’t have been stopped by any goaltender in the league. Campbell continues to show great reflexes, and is starting to get quicker with his recovery. Because of his quickness he makes saves that other goaltenders at his general skill level wouldn’t make. Although there are those out there that feel Campbell isn’t capable of being a starting goaltender, he reminds me a lot of former goaltending prospect Parker Van Buskirk, however Parker’s development was largely ruined playing behind overagers, with the injury to Courchaine, Campbell will now get an opportunity to show that he can handle the starting job, when/if Courchaine does get traded. Campbell certainly made a big step in that direction with his performance this weekend.
(Campbell stopped 56 of 62 shots in 2 games this weekend)

Joe Rogalski - #74 - D - YOB: 1991 - 6‘2” - 185lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Nov/21/09: As promised I was going to do a write up on Rogalski, so I did watch him closely this weekend to get a good look at how he has developed this season. Rogalski continues to rush the puck up the ice, but is very smart about moving the puck to his linemates at the right time. He appears to be the kind of player that doesn’t want to play selfish often passing instead of shooting on the power play. Skating wise Rogalski has it down in both directions he is an above average skater, and a very good one for a defenceman pushing 6’3”. Rogalski has a decent shot, but if he used it more often he might be more effective with it, which is something he should look to improve in. Also what needs improvement is Rogalski’s ability to add muscle. He’s shown a willingness to hit, but just simply isn’t as effective as he could be being only 185 and not looking a pound bigger. Rogalski is reliable in his own zone, probably not a guy you’d put on your PK in the NHL, but is someone who can do his job in his own zone. At the start of the year I said Chiarlitti had taken the edge over Rogalski as the top prospect out of Sarnia this year, recently Rogalski has re-claimed that title, and if he continues to improve may hear his name called in the 2nd/3rd round. There’s no question his strengths are skating, and his puck moving abilities, as well as his potentially imposing size at 6’2“-6’3”.

Thanks to Ryan Yessie for this report. Anyone else out there have comments on the Hounds or Sting?

Thoughts on Sault Ste. Marie and Kitchener from October 12

Happy Thanksgiving everyone (well at least my Canadian readers). Nothing makes a Canadian Thanksgiving complete (besides food), like some good ol' hockey and today saw the match up of two of the best teams in the Western Conference as the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds took on the Kitchener Rangers at the Aud. The Hounds came into the game riding a 2 game losing streak, while the Rangers had yet to suffer a regulation loss.

When the dust settled, the Hounds ended up on the wrong side of a 4-2 score and extended their losing streak to 3 games after starting the year with 7 straight wins. I don't think Hounds fans should be discouraged. Tough games, and ones the Hounds stayed competitive in. I don't see this as the end of the Hounds Cinderella story or anything. They are a solid team and they'll get back to winning once the shock of their first losses wears off.

As for the Rangers, they look really strong. They aren't getting as much respect as they should right now, in my opinion. I think most of it stems from the fact that they haven't played as many games as some of the other teams in the league. They have by far the best winning percentage in the league thus far, but are only tied for third in points. If they don't make the CHL Top 10 rankings this week, it'll be a travesty. They look solid at both ends of the ice, rolling two really strong scoring lines and playing solid defense. They finally got some good goaltending from Brandon Maxwell today too, after he struggled in his opening three games.

Most importantly, this game represented the reality of the OHL. In 2008, these two teams met in the Western Conference finals. In 2009, they both missed the playoffs. In 2010, they are forces to be reckoned with again. Look no further than the Eastern Conference this year. In 2009, Belleville and Brampton met in the East finals. In 2010, they are tied for last in the East. It's a whirlwind league, whose natural design sees this up and down competitive nature. It also shows that in the OHL, rebuilds or "retools" should not take longer than a season to accomplish. Teams like the Kingston Frontenacs, and Peterborough Petes should not have been making excuses the past few years for on ice performance in the face of rebuilds, as teams continue to show that the rebuilding process can be successful in only a years time. That being said, it is worth mentioning that Kingston and Peterborough are finally back to the top of the East after three year absences (ironically the last time these BOTH teams finished with home ice advantage in round one was 2005-06).

Anyway back to the game at hand and my impressions on the Rangers and Hounds...

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds





Brandon Archibald (2010)
Played a quietly effective game. Big defenseman with good mobility who plays a very quietly effective defensive game. Keeps players to the outside, makes smart decisions with the puck. He also works on the second powerplay unit and does a good job moving the puck around the ice. Guys like him always generate attention from NHL scouts. I look at him and see a guy like Brampton's Matt Clark, who ended up being a high 2nd round pick in 2009.

Jacob Muzzin (Overage Free Agent)
After failing to sign with Pittsburgh, Muzzin is back in the OHL for his overage season. I'm a big fan of his as a player and I think Pittsburgh made a mistake in not signing him (although admittedly they do have several similar prospects like Robert Bortuzzo and Ben Lovejoy). The Hounds have to be happy to have him back as he's serving as their captain and leading their defense in scoring. He's a big guy who loves to use his size. He laid out Jeff Skinner twice as he tried to bring the puck to the net. He also is smart with the puck and moves up it up very well. His skating isn't the greatest and it needs to be improved for the professional level, but he has all the other tools that you'd look for in a rugged NHL defenseman. I hope someone gives him a contract this offseason. He finished the game with 2 assists.

Daniel Catenacci (2011)
The first overall pick in the 2009 OHL Priority Draft, Catenacci showed some good things today. I like his composure with the puck in the offensive zone. With rookies, you find that they try to force things or try to make moves with the puck in traffic and end up turning it over. Catenacci played the simple possession game in the offensive end, he worked the cycle and he didn't turn the puck over. While he never really generated any offensive chances, I was impressed with the maturity of his game. As he gets stronger and gains more confidence, he's likely to start contributing more.

James Livingston (STL)
Livingston was one guy whom I felt really needed to step up his game this year and thus far he has. He's definitely a power forward who looks to drive to the net with the puck on his stick. But he's actually a fairly skilled puck handler who's able to get through defenders not only with his size, but his skill too. With great hands, it's always been a wonder to me as to how he's never put up better stats in this league. One thing I will say though is that his skating has never really improved in the league. Only an average skater, I thought that Livingston could make gains on his speed and acceleration in the same way a guy like James Neal did in his time in the league. But he still looks like he's skating in molasses at times. That explosive skating ability is about the only thing lacking in his game, and probably the thing that prevents him from really taking over shifts. He finished with a goal and an assist, both on somewhat goal mouth scrambles.

Kyle DeCoste (TBL)
After playing so well for the Hounds late last year, I expected him to make a much larger contribution this year. Thus far, he's been largely disappointing. With only 1 goal in 7 games, he's on pace to take a step backwards offensively. Truthfully, he was largely invisible today. If he's not contributing on offense, DeCoste usually at least contributes physically. But he didn't do a whole lot of that today either. Seems to be just going through the motions.

Brock Beukeboom (2010)
Beukeboom was alright today. I liked his willingness to play the body and he made sure the Rangers forwards knew he was there. I liked the way he controlled the point on the powerplay, using his big shot to create scoring chances. He does a good job of getting it through to the net too. Outside of that, not much else to say really. He wasn't terrible, and he wasn't great.

Nick Cousins (2011)
Invisible tonight. If I wasn't looking for him on a shift, I had a pretty hard time finding him. That being said, I saw a little bit of him earlier this season and in the preseason and he was at times then, one of the best players on the ice. Simply the trials and tribulations of being an OHL rookie.

Robin Lehner (OTT)
A lot of promising things here. A big goaltender who's definitely a pure butterfly goaltender. Does an outstanding job of taking away the bottom of the net. Completely robbed the Rangers twice by stretching out in the splits and getting his pad on the shot. I really liked the way he controlled his rebounds too. For a big netminder, this can often be a problem as they've got a lot more body to cover up. On the negative side, he's very timid in net for a big goaltender. Seems very content in playing back in his net and it was obvious the Rangers were trying to go upstairs on him. The first Rangers goal scored by Jeremy Morin was a weak one, where he failed to challenge the shooter and Morin had enough space to get it under his arm. He'd really be a lot more effective if he used his size to take away the top of the net too, by being aggressive and challenging shooters. He made 35 of 38 saves and took the loss.

Kitchener Rangers






John Moore (CBJ)
My first look at Moore and I was impressed...although admittedly not as "wowed" as I expected myself to be. Perhaps it was all the hype that got me thinking he was going to dominate. The skating ability was definitely as advertised. Very smooth skater who carries the puck up ice with ease. That being said, I'd like to see him use that ability to generate more scoring chances. Maybe it's a confidence thing or a feeling out process, but for the majority his rushes ended with him just dumping the puck into the zone. Defensively, he uses his skating ability to really stay with forwards and plays a solid positional game. He did make an error in coverage on the first Greyhounds goal though, failing to tie up his man (Livingston) as he put home the cross crease pass. Played a solid game, but I did expect a little more. But as I mentioned, it could have been due to unfair expectations.

Dan Kelly (Overage Free Agent)
I'm not sure if he has a future at the next level, but I really like Kelly. Without question one of the best defensive defenseman in the OHL, Kelly is a rock in his own end. The Hounds were unable to get by him all day. I really like the added aggression and toughness he showed too. Previously, I always found him to be more of a positional defender, but he was banging bodies tonight. If he wants a future at the next level, he's going to have to continue to do this. Offensively, he plays a safe game like many stay at home guys. Moves the puck up ice, doesn't force anything. He knows his limitations. Like Jacob Muzzin, I'm rooting for him to get an NHL deal, even if it would appear to be a bit of a long shot.

Tyler Randell (BOS)
Was alright today. Works the cycle well, goes to the net hard. He missed a couple good opportunities to score that he's got to do a better job getting his stick on the puck. Skating still is a bit of an issue, especially his acceleration. I'd also like to see him play more aggressive away from the puck. He has the size to bang bodies and I've seen him do it before, but it's an inconsistent quality. If he has a future at the NHL level, it's as a gritty scoring winger, and that means he's going to need to find a way to increase his energy and aggression levels on the ice.

Jason Akeson (2010, but 1990 born)
Akeson is another guy I really like as a player. I was kind of disappointed no one took a chance on him at the 2009 NHL Draft, but he's had an explosive start to the season. I think he's a really smart player and the majority of his success comes from his elite hockey sense. As a result of being smart with the puck, he is an excellent playmaker who does a good job at finding his teammates in strong scoring positions. He made be a tad undersized (5'10ish), but he competes and isn't afraid of the danger areas. Nice to see Akeson and his former teammate Eric O'Dell in the top 10 of OHL scoring. Both were hesitant to join the OHL over the NCAA route and leave their Cumberland CJHL team in 2008. But it's worked out well for both of them thus far I would say. Akeson finished with an assist.

Ryan Murphy (2011)
I came to the game expecting John Moore to be the dynamic playmaker, but instead it was Murphy who wowed me with his skating and puck carrying ability. Had two absolutely beautiful rushes with the puck where he exploded up ice and into the offensive zone. He took the puck right towards the net too and showed no fear or hesitation in doing so. Really seems to have elite puck skills. Defensively he wasn't noticeably poor either. He needs to add size in order to be able to consistently eliminate opposing forwards, but he plays a solid positional game and uses his skating ability to his advantage. I hope he can grow a little bit, but he has the makings of a dynamic offensive defenseman in this league. He finished the game with an assist.

Jeff Skinner (2010)
Skinner had a bit of a tough game. Had some good opportunities to beat Lehner but was stopped by the big netminder. He also got drilled a few times by Muzzin, and generally had a tough time getting to the net through the Hounds big defenseman. But you can't fault him for not trying. Skinner's always got his motor running and is active on the forecheck and generated some turnovers. I think he'd make a lot better winger than he would a center, as he's playing right now. I find that sometimes he tries to be too cutesy with the puck, kind of the Nazem Kadri syndrome. Instead of making the simple play, he tries to dangle or make the more difficult one. If he could play the wing and use his speed and no quit attitude to go up and down the ice, I think he'd be a lot more consistent at the offensive end.

Jeremy Morin (ATL)
Two goals in his first five games. Seven goals in his last two games. Four of those came tonight. He's definitely got a nose for the net, which was advertised to be his forte. He's not the best skater, but he's very elusive on the ice and seems to be one of those guys who can get himself open. Like any good scorer, he loves to cut to the middle of the ice with the puck on his stick too, which is how he scored his first goal. Came from behind the net, cut to the middle and put it high on Lehner (although it was a weak goal). Other two goals were of the garbage variety, while the 4th was an empty net effort where he stripped Vern Cooper of the puck and had the easy put away. Was very impressed by Morin tonight.

Gabriel Landeskog (2011)
I liked what I saw from Landeskog today. He's got a lot of energy. He skates hard, asserts himself physically. Seems to have good hands in close to the net. Morin mopped up some of his garbage after he made a nice play to get the puck on net. I think as the year goes on, he'll start getting better and better. He finished with an assist.

Brandon Maxwell (COL)
Maxwell was pretty solid today. He's got kind of an unorthodox style and flops around a little bit. That early commitment to the ice could be what's gotten him in trouble early in the season. But he did a very good job of taking away the bottom of the net tonight and seems to have very good reaction time in the crease. Made a few really nice saves by sliding cross crease and showed good lateral mobility. Hopefully he can string some good performances together and show the Rangers they made a good decision by bringing him into the fold. He made 29 of 31 saves for the victory.

That's it for the game. Anyone else catch the game today or have general comments about the Hounds and/or Rangers?

Sunday Top 10 - Players Who Could be Traded Before or During the 2009-10 Season

First off, apologies for the lack of list last Sunday. I ended up going away on vacation.

For today's Top 10, I will get out my crystal ball and attempt to predict the OHL players who could be changing teams in the upcoming year. I expect that some of these players could be dealt before the start of the 2009-10 season, while others may be trade victims closer to the deadline when their teams fall out of contention.

As for the actual ranking (number allotment), the list was organized by the likelihood of players actually getting traded. Also taken into account is the potential impact a player could make on their new team. This impact is the reason I didn't include some lesser players who could have a higher likelihood of being traded.

Your top 10 players who could be traded in 2009-10.

10. Nathan Moon - Kingston Frontenacs
Moon is the definitely the least likely player to get traded on this list, however I would not have included him if I felt like there was no chance he was sent packing. I think a lot depends on the way the Fronts start the 2009-10 season. For maybe the first time in a while, the Fronts have some elevated expectations for next season. Many expect the Fronts to return to the playoffs thanks to solid young talent like Erik Gudbranson, Ethan Werek, and Taylor Doherty, in addition to veterans like Moon and Brian Lashoff. Not to mention the club no has a full season of "Killer" behind the bench. But as many Kingston fans can tell you, expectations only go so far. Moon has long been rumored to be in and out of favor in Kingston, despite his talent level. If the Fronts struggle yet again and are on pace to miss the playoffs, Moon could be the first guy shipped off to a contending team. However, I could also see Moon dealt as part of a package to help the team get better goaltending. For instance, a team like Sault Ste. Marie could use a talented center, while they have Cody St. Jacques and Bryce O'Hagan as bargaining chips in net.

9. Eric O'Dell - Sudbury Wolves
While O'Dell is currently the offensive leader of the Wolves, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility to see him traded. The Wolves could be more inclined to let John McFarland and Marcus Foligno play center this year, which could make O'Dell a trade piece in order to improve the team's blueline. Sudbury could be a team that falls anywhere from the middle of the East to out of the playoffs. A lot depends on the way their defence and goaltending, as well as John McFarland, perform. Perhaps O'Dell is the guy they use in order get a solid two-way defenceman, maybe a guy like Jacob Muzzin from Sault Ste. Marie, Michael D'Orazio in Owen Sound, or Matt Clark in Brampton.

8. James Livingston - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
I've heard a lot of rumours about Livingston being on the trade block and I don't really understand them. The Hounds should be much improved this season and Livingston is currently their most dangerous offensive player, as well as a veteran presence. I have high expectations for him to take huge steps forward this season, likely his last in the OHL. That being said, you can't ignore rumours, so I've included him on this list. Perhaps the Hounds feel that their year is next year, and could look to flip Livingston for a younger offensive player.

7. Brett Parnham - Oshawa Generals
I have a hard time seeing the Generals being significantly better than they were last season. They could probably slot anywhere from 6-10 in the East, depending on the steps forward some of their "role" players take. Parnham, a 50 goal scorer last season for Oshawa, could be a prime target for trade should the Generals falter. Pretty much anyone in the league would be happy to add this sniper to their team and as such, Parnham could have a dozen likely destinations should he be traded.

6. Cody St. Jacques - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
St. Jacques has apparently expressed his interest to be traded to Hounds management, and with good cause. He's suddenly third on the depth chart after the signing of NHL 2nd round pick and Import selection Robin Lehner. The Hounds starter from last season is definitely a capable OHL starting goaltender and deserves a chance to show what he can do, after previously getting stuck behind Thomas McCollum in Guelph. There is always the chance that Bryce O'Hagan goes instead, with St. Jacques kept as a veteran mentor to Lehner. However, with his trade request, I'd say the likelihood is that St. Jacques is the one on his way out. There are a few teams in the OHL with an insecure goaltending situation that St. Jacques could help, like Kingston, Erie, Windsor, Brampton, and his former team in Guelph.

5. Matt Martin - Sarnia Sting
After such a strong season in Sarnia this past season, Martin's future with the club (and the OHL) is in doubt. Martin would prefer to play in the AHL, since he is an Islanders draft selection, however he's apparently playing hardball with New York for a contract. With a demand for a higher salary (rumours say as high as first round money!), the Islanders have yet to sign Martin. This makes him a candidate to return to the OHL for his overage season. However, he's apparently expressed that he would rather not be in Sarnia, especially with the team going through a slight rebuild. Also complicating the situation is the number of OA's Sarnia could have returning (upwards of 6). If Martin is indeed in the OHL next year, I don't expect it to be with Sarnia. He could have a big impact to whatever team he's traded to. Don't count out his hometown Spitfires making a pitch for him, especially if several of their OA's do not return after being signed/drafted to the NHL (MacDermid, Greenop, Timmins, Young).

4. Bryan Cameron - Belleville Bulls
Cameron failed to earn a contract from the LA Kings (after being a 3rd round pick), and also failed to be re-drafted, meaning he's likely headed back to the OHL this season. There is always the chance he catches on somewhere at a training camp, or on an AHL contract, however those situations appear to be longshots at this point. If he returns to the OHL, I don't expect it to be with Belleville, who's gone into full rebuild mode. Cameron is a 3 time 30 goal scorer in the league and one of the most dangerous offensive wingers in the OHL. If he's put on the trade block, I'd expect him to generate quite the amount of interest. I'm sure a team like London would love to get their hands on him to help their powerplay. They have the room for an overager too.

3. Matt Clark - Brampton Battalion
Clark made quite the splash in his first season in the league, going from unknown Junior A player to a top 3 defenceman on a Conference winning team and a 2nd round NHL draft pick. As a late 1990, Clark is likely playing in his last season in the OHL (as a high draft pick, he's bound to be signed by Anaheim after the season). Brampton is rebuilding in the wake of the reality that Matt Duchene will not be returning. That leaves Clark a probable trade option for the Battalion. I've heard rumours about Barrie possibly being interested. With Barrie loading up on offence, Clark would be an absolutely perfect acquisition for them in order to secure their blueline. If not Barrie, I'm sure their are 18 other teams who'd take Clark off Brampton's hands.

2. Tyler Beskorowany - Owen Sound Attack
With one of the league's top goaltending duo's broken up already (Hutchinson and Di Salvo in Barrie), it's only a matter of time before the one in Owen Sound follows suit. With Scott Stajcer having one more year of eligibility over Beskorowany, I'd expect him to be the one the stays to be a part of the young and improving Attack. That leaves Tyler Beskorowany on the outside looking in. This Dallas Stars 2nd round pick has had trouble performing consistently, but the talent has always been there. He has the potential to be one of the best goaltenders in the OHL and should be an attractive option for many of the teams with suspect goaltending. If Josh Unice falters in Windsor, I'd expect the Spitfires to be the team that goes hard after Beskorowany. I could also see Erie making a big play for the big man.

1. Shawn Lalonde - Belleville Bulls
Without question, Lalonde enters the 2009-10 season as one of the best blueliners in the OHL. He's an elite two-way defender who can instantly make a team's defence better. As previously mentioned, Belleville is rebuilding and thus Lalonde is likely to be traded. He could likely bring back a pretty handsome return to Belleville. I've heard a lot of rumours about Barrie having interest, similar to the Matt Clark situation. However, in the end, I'd expect the London Knights to be the ones who get Lalonde. With the graduation of John Carlson, Kevin Montgomery and possibly Michael Del Zotto, the Knights could be without a proven powerplay QB and number one defenceman. Lalonde would fit in incredibly well with the Hunter's system and could be a mentor to the highly touted Scott Harrington.


Anyone I missed? Anything you disagree with? Any rumours you're hearing? Let me know!

Sunday Top 10 - Big Guy Breakouts

This week's Top 10 will take a look at the top big forwards who could have breakout offensive seasons in 2009-2010. I alluded to this in last week's Top 10 (2010 rankings), by mentioning that guys like Greg Sutch and Austin Watson could have monster years. So I decided to create a hole list around it.

In order to narrow down the search, I've given the list some parameters. To be "big" a player had to be 6'2 and taller. And in order to have a potential "breakout" season, this player had to have less than 40 points last season.

Here are your top 10 forwards with size who could breakout offensively next season:

10. R.J. Mahalak - Plymouth Whalers
A late 1991 birthdate, Mahalak isn't eligible for the NHL draft until 2010. If he wants to get drafted, he's going to have to step up offensively next season. With Plymouth Captain Chris Terry moving on, a wing spot will open up on the team's first line with Tyler Seguin. Does Mahalak have what it takes to seize that spot? Not to mention that with Terry and Caria gone, the Whalers are going to have to become more than a one line team. Mahalak has some good hands and he's shown a willingness to do everything the team needs of him so far in his OHL career. Now the team needs him to start becoming a force in front of the net, can he step up to the challenge?

9. Jason Wilson - London Knights
Wilson played his first OHL season last year as a 1990 birth date. As an "overaged" rookie, he potted 12 goals and saw limited time on offensive lines. With London's offensive lines a bit up in the air right now, Wilson could play himself on to an offensive role. He has one thing going for him, his size. Wilson is one of the few Knights forwards with good size and a physical nature to his game. With London getting roughed up a bit by Windsor last year, don't be surprised if Wilson gets the call to be a big body in front of the net on a scoring line, or at least on the powerplay. He demonstrated some ability to put the puck in the net last season, so I wouldn't be surprised to see him pot 20 this year.

8. Dalton Smith - Ottawa 67's
Smith saw very limited time with Ottawa last season, playing the majority of the year closer to home. However, when he did play, he made an impact. Smith is the son of former 67 and Buffalo Sabre, Derrick Smith. Dalton impressed me most in the playoffs against Niagara, where he made things happen every time he was on the ice. While he didn't put up any points, he showcased an ability to win battles in the corners and take the puck to the net. This budding power forward is eligible for the 2010 draft and could be one of those surprise players who shoots up the draft rankings. With Ottawa's top three scorers likely moving on (Couture, Cowick, Kiriakou), the opportunity will be there for Smith to seize a top 6 scoring role.

7. Steven Shipley - Owen Sound Attack
I think it's safe to say that more will be expected of this 3rd overall pick in the 2008 Priority draft. Shipley showed glimpses of the capability to produce points, however he needs to continue to learn to use his size to his advantage offensively. With 39 points last year, Shipley sneaks under the parameters set for this list. If Shipley wants to be drafted high to the NHL in 2010, he's going to need to step up next season. Owen Sound could be fairly deep offensively next year, with some returning OA's, so Shipley is going to have to earn his minutes. I'm thinking he does.

6. Garrett Wilson - Owen Sound Attack
Back to back Attack. Wilson is a big Owen Sound forward who does use his size to his advantage. He loves being that presence in front of the net. In 2008-09, he had a bit of a weird season. He got off to a blazing start, but was then suspended for a suspect slewfoot on the Rangers Dan Kelly. The suspension definitely took him out of his groove, as he was never able to regain that consistency the rest of the season. This 4th round pick by Florida in 2009 should be able to secure a spot playing with Joey Hishon next year and he could benefit huge being Hishon's "garbage man."

5. Kyle Clifford - Barrie Colts
After getting drafted 35th overall (to LAK), I think it's safe to say the pressure is on for Clifford to step it up offensively. While I do question his overall offensive potential, he does have the size and skating ability to be a force in this league. Many NHL teams feel he has the hands too. Next year he's going to have to prove it. Barrie is assembling quite the offensive team next season, and Clifford is going to be expected to be right in the middle of it. Last season, Stefan Della Rovere took that step forward from grinder to scorer for Barrie. But can Clifford?

4. Marcus Foligno - Sudbury Wolves
I will repeat what I said a few weeks ago about Foligno in relation to the NHL draft. "I think what needs to be remembered is that Marcus is one of the youngest players eligible for the draft. Nick, when he put up 70 points and went in the first round, was almost a full year older than Marcus was in his 2nd OHL season. At the same age, Nick actually put up pretty similar OHL stats." So if Nick Foligno took that step forward offensively when he was 18, I think we can expect Marcus to as well. Sudbury is going to be expecting him to be more involved on a consistent basis and even though he's playing for his father, he's going to have to earn his ice time. Judging by what Sabres fans are saying about his performance in their Development Camp, I'd say there is a pretty good chance he takes some big steps forward next season.

3. Gregg Sutch - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
This former 11th overall pick played in a checking line role for Sarnia last season, where he showcased his excellent skating, as well as his ability to crash and bang. However, he requested a trade this offseason and was recently shipped to Mississauga. The Majors will be losing 4 of their top forwards going into next season (Pelech, Gomes, Daugavins, Messier) and will be expecting Sutch to carry the torch. Judging by how much they gave up to get him, I think it's safe to say they have high expectations. What a lot of people don't know about Sutch is that he's hearing impaired and wears a hearing aid in both ears (here is an excellent article on it). I think this speaks wonders about Sutch's hockey sense, since he relies so heavily on reading and reacting to the plays. I expect Sutch to have a very good year in Mississauga where could establish himself as a potential first round selection for 2010. That is, if the NHL can look past his empairment.

2. James Livingston - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
A lot of people, including myself, expected last year to be Livingston's coming out party. He has everything going for him; size, speed, skill, and physical aggression. Yet, he actually regressed offensively, suffocated by a terrible Greyhounds team. This NHL 3rd rounder (STL in 2008), will need to be a leader in the Soo's surge to get back to the playoffs. The Greyhounds should be a better team next year. They've picked up veteran talent in T.J. Battani and Vern Cooper, drafted Daniel Catenacci first overall, and selected Robin Lehner in the import draft. Now they need there returning players to step up to the plate and Livingston is their clean up hitter.

1. Austin Watson - Windsor Spitfires
With only a few forwards not returning for the defending Memorial Cup champions, the battle for ice time will be just as fierce as it was this season. In 2008-09, this Michigan rookie played well in a limited role for Windsor, giving us only a glimpse of his offensive potential. He skates exceptionally well for a big man and is not afraid to use his size to help him get the puck to the net. I'm hoping that he gets an increased role in Windsor next season and that he really explodes offensively. If he does, he could very well end up a high draft pick in 2010.
Anybody on your team you expect to take that step forward? Anybody you think I missed?

Thoughts on Sault Ste. Marie from February 5

Last night, the Niagara Ice Dogs battled the underachieving Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and defeated them by a score of 5-3. The Dogs controlled the majority of the game, outshooting the Hounds 55-30. Not only was it the 22nd time this season that the Soo have given up 5 goals or more, but it was the 4th game in a row giving up 5+ and it stretched the club's losing streak to 9 games. It's tough seeing the Hounds struggling so much, since the team has been to the playoffs each of the last four seasons, winning their division in two of those.

Here are my thoughts on a few Greyhounds...

Jacob Muzzin - Drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2007/141st

Muzzin is a big, physically imposing defenseman. He was good tonight. While many might point to the team's second worst -22 rating and assume Muzzin is struggling, I believe it to be more a reflection of the team's performance. Not to mention Muzzin plays against the opposing team's top line. He made a few really solid plays with his stick breaking up passes, and he was aggressive in playing the man infront of the net. His skating looked alright, especially for a big man. Often times, big and physical junior aged defenseman can have trouble with their mobility, but I don't see it being a big issue for him. In fact, offensively he lead the rush up ice several times and actually joined for a two on one at one point, showing good speed to get back to the defensive zone afterwards. The Pens have to make a decision about signing him, but I would be surprised if they didn't. He has the potential to be a bottom pairing NHL defenseman.

Matthew Lyall - NHL Free Agent (Overager)

Lyall was the best player on the Greyhounds last night. Despite being somewhat undersized, he was all over the ice and showed little hesitation in standing in the slot or charging the net. The first goal of two he scored was a beauty. Fired home a pass in the slot top shelf on Jeremy Smith. The offensive instincts look really solid, as he was often in the right place for a scoring chance. I'm not sure he attracts attention from NHL scouts, but I wouldn't be surprised if he at least got a chance at the AHL next season.

James Livingston - Drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 2008/70th

Livingston had a really solid game for the Greyhounds last night. He got better as the game went on and ended up with a goal and an assist. The goal was a beauty as he stole the puck off Alex Pietrangelo and went in on a breakaway. To score he deked out Jeremy Smith, and roofed it on the backhand. He had numerous other scoring chances in the game, but they were turned away by Smith. Physically, he was good, showing good strength along the boards to win battles, and he crunched Alex Pietrangelo pretty good behind the net. He also saw time on the penalty kill and did an admirable job winning battles and getting the puck out. At times, I felt he was somewhat behind the play, whether that's a skating or effort issue, I'm not sure. Last season his skating was a bit of an issue, so perhaps he hasn't improved upon it much. The one thing I'd like to see more from him is being aggressive on the forecheck. As a big guy who has the strength to win battles, the fact that he was the follower on many rushes is disappointing. He should look to pattern his game after a guy like James Neal who was a similar OHL player, but was also an absolute beast on the forecheck. I think a lot of people have looked at Livingston and assumed he had regressed and was having a terrible season. I would say his declining numbers are more a reflection of the Soo's struggles. He's not really a guy who's going to create chances for himself, so if the team isstruggling offensively, he's going to as well. I still think he has the chance to be a good pro hockey player. Next OHL season is the bigger one for him, as he'll need to be the offensive leader for the Greyhounds as they try to get back to the playoffs.

Kyle De Coste - Drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008/147th

Was De Coste even playing last night? The game sheet says so, but I sure as hell didn't notice him. De Coste was drafted much to my surprise last season, and was traded at the deadline from Brampton to the Soo. He's suppposed to be an energy player who generates chances from the rush and the cycle, but he did neither tonight. Perhaps an off game, or perhaps a reflection on his poor status as an NHL prospect. Either way, doesn't look like he's taken much of a step forward this season. I won't make any more generalizations since I seriously didn't notice him play last night.

Brock Beukeboom - NHL Draft Eligible in 2010

Beukeboom had a solid game. He looks to be poised at both ends of the ice. He has good size and he skates well, leading the rush at times. He made smart decisions with the puck and he spent some time at point on the powerplay. Defensively, I didn't feel he was overwhelmed, and did a good job positionally. I think that you'll see his offensive stats really jump next season as he makes a push for the top 3 rounds of the 2010 NHL draft. He's certainly got the bloodlines on his side, with his father being former NHL defenseman Jeff Beukeboom.

Bryce O'Hagan - NHL Draft Eligible in 2010

O'Hagan had a good game despite giving up 5 goals. He's had a bit of a rough season, with a GAA close to 4, and a save percentage below .890. But he sees a ton of rubber and it's not easy being the goalie on a struggling team. He's still got time to turn things around, because as a late 1991, he's not eligible for the NHL draft until 2010. He does have good potential to improve. He showed good mobility, squared up the shooter, kept rebounds to a minimum and made the saves he had to. For young goaltenders on struggling teams, it's all about mental toughness. If he can stay confident, he'll end up being better for seeing so many pucks this season.

Thoughts on Game 4 of the ADT Challenge - OHL vs. Russian Selects in St. Catharines

Monday night, the OHL all stars and the Russian selects took to the ice in St. Catharines for game 4 of the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge. It was another exciting game that was incredibly hard hitting and saw the OHL remain unbeaten against the Russian selects in the history of the ADT Challenge. Team OHL took the game by a score of 3-2, however the game remained tied for over 2 and a half periods and was an immensely close battle.

Here are my exact thoughts on the OHL players who took to the ice:

Goalies:

Mike Murphy - Belleville Bulls (Drafted in 2008 by Carolina/165th)

I think that it is safe to say that Murphy has made his name known to pretty much any fan of the OHL by now. After struggling during his original draft year in 2006-07, Murphy has emerged as arguably the best netminder in the OHL and one of the best in the CHL. He's absolutely electric on the ice and makes at least one highlight reel save every game. Tonight was no exception. After some great passing, the Russians got an open player the puck in the slot and he had all day to put it home. He tried to put it top corner, glove side, but Murphy made an unbelievable stop. He didn't catch it cleanly, knocking it up in the air and behind him. If it weren't for defenseman P.K. Subban clearing the puck out, it probably would have dribbled over the line, but the fact that Murphy was able to get glove on it at all was outstanding. The main knock I always hear about Murphy in the scouting community is that he's such an unconventional goaltender and that they fear some of his technique (or lack there of), will not carry over well to the NHL where the shooters are more accurate and quicker. But at the end of the day, I see a goalie who's probably the most athletic and agile I've ever see at the position from the OHL, and one who anticipates the play so well. So while his technique may not be by the book, and he may go down early, and he may flop, but the fact that he has these flaws and he's so good speaks volumes to his talent level. I really hope Murphy gets a crack at team Canada for the WJC's.

Trevor Cann - London Knights (Drafted in 2007 by Colorado/49th)

After a trade to London a few weeks back, Caan has been absolutely outstanding (if he wasn't before with Peterborough). In 7 games with London, Cann has yet to be beaten and has a GAA under 2. Cann is essentially the exact opposite of Mike Murphy. A relatively flawless technical, butterfly goaltender who challenges shooters, lets out few rebounds and plays the angles well. He was pretty solid tonight, just as Murphy was. I feel that because he's kind of toiled in Peterborough, his star has somewhat fallen in the NHL and common prospect community. In that sense, he's become a relatively unappreciated prospect. Cann is just a really solid overall goaltender who doesn't have a lot of flaws and IMO shouldn't have a lot of trouble transitioning to the next level.

Defense:
Michael Del Zotto - Oshawa Generals (Drafted in 2008 by New York Rangers/20th)

I find Del Zotto frustrating to watch. He's a jekyl and hide for me. At times I find him to be a difference maker on the ice, and at others I find him to be a liability. For example, tonight he laid two gigantic hits along the boards. These hits completely took the Russian player out of the play and stopped the Russian cycle before it even started. But then in other instances tonight, he was incredibly passive along the boards and let the Russians walk all over him. He would play a step away from the boards and use his stick instead of his body to attempt to dislodge the puck. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which way is more effective. The question I ask is, why doesn't Del Zotto take the body consistently? He was a lot better with the puck tonight though, making better decisions and taking a few chances in joining/leading the rush. He's obviously a lock to make the tryout camp for team Canada, but I think he needs to show the coaching staff that he can be a more consistent player before he's considered a lock. I honestly think that he could be one of those "surprise" cuts that we always see every year, where the casual fan gets up in arms because of how high profile the player is. But the WJC is such a physical tournament, we need defenseman who are going to engage everytime along the boards and not play a passive game. And if we are taking a guy to play as the 7th defenseman and see only powerplay time, quite frankly I'd probably rather take Ryan Ellis. But if he can show the coaching staff that he will take the body consistently, and quite often we do see this as non physical players suddenly become physical due to the nature of the tournament, than I'd consider him closer to a lock to break camp. It's up in the air for me.

P.K. Subban - Belleville Bulls (Drafted in 2007 by Montreal/43rd)

Subban is of course a returning player from last years gold medal winning WJC team. I thought he played a great game tonight. He's really learned to use his strong skating ability to improve his defensive game. He closes off lanes and he's winning more battles in the corners due to increased strength. I find that he's taking better care of the puck and making less mistakes and careless passes. He's still prone to the odd bonehead blunder with the puck, but for the most part is starting to make the safe play and picking his spots better to pinch. He scored a nice goal on the powerplay with a great low one timer that found the back of the net. For my money, he was the best defenseman for the OHL tonight.

Ryan Ellis - Windsor Spitfires (NHL Draft eligible in 2009)

Maybe it was just me, but I found that Ellis didn't play a whole lot at even strength tonight, and if he did, I didn't really notice him. He did play a ton on the powerplay though, so perhaps team Canada brass is trying guage how he reacts to being that powerplay specialist. He still looks great running the powerplay and is definitely most comfortable then. He did see one shift of penalty killing time in the second, but it just so happened to be when the Russians scored a powerplay goal on Mike Murphy. And Ellis was partially to blame, as he looked kind of lost in defensive zone coverage and a man ended up wide open in the slot. He's got loads of offensive talent, and I wouldn't hesitate to draft him, even with his size concerns, but there is no denying that he needs to improve his defensive play off the puck and in coverage.

Shawn Lalonde - Belleville Bulls (Drafted in 2008 by Chicago/68th)

I thought Lalonde was just ok tonight. He's not in any way a flashy player and is the type of guy you don't really notice much on the ice. In a sense that is a compliment because it means he's not making any mistakes and is playing a safe game. On the powerplay, he made a great pass to Bulls teammate Subban for that aforementioned one time goal. He's very smart with the puck in general and has a good knack for finding his open teammates. Defensively, he was just ok tonight, looking a bit overwhelmed at times, especially in battles along the corners. In times I've seen him though, he's shown to be a much more capable defensive player who again makes the smart players and is great in using an active stick to get forwards off the puck.

Alex Pietrangelo - Niagara Ice Dogs (Drafted in 2008 by St. Louis/4th)

To be honest, I was a little bit unwhelmed by Petro tonight. It's not that he was bad, but maybe my expectations were a little bit too high. These high expectations were warranted because since his return from the NHL, Pietrangelo has been a man among boys with the Ice Dogs. He's got 3 goals and 6 assists in only 4 games and has been rushing the puck up the ice with ease. He pretty much does anything he wants on the ice because no one is able to stop him. And while he was effective in rushing the puck up the ice, I found that at times he tried to do too much with it and ended up turning it over once he breached the offensive zone. In OHL games he can get away with having the puck on his stick until someone gets open, but against higher competition, that won't work everytime. He did make a great play offensively on the Agozzino goal. He made a great pinch to force a turnover and immediately found Aggy in the slot for a slot that went just under the blocker of Gayduchenko. Defensively, he was solid, although you always want to see Alex take the body and using his size more. Like I said, Pietrangelo was good, but I expected him to be great. Perhaps just too high of expectations because of what I've been seing in his first four games back with the Ice Dogs.

Cameron Gaunce - Mississauga Majors (Drafted in 2008 by Colorado/50th)

Gaunce didn't see nearly the same amount of ice time that he did in the Guelph game. He didn't really do anything to stand out tonight, in a good or bad way. He was on the ice when Russia scored their first goal, and could be blamed along with Ellis for missing coverage. I said it previously, that I've found Gaunce can fall asleep at times in the defensive zone. But he's very smart with the puck and doesn't make mistakes with his passes. Just that defensively he needs to focus a little more.

Mark Katic - Sarnia Sting (Drafted in 2007 by the New York Islanders/62nd)

Katic has really grown on me as a prospect. I think the problem is that I always expected or wanted him to do more offensively than he did. But I'm not entirely sure that's his game. He doesn't take nearly as many chances as some of the other offensive blueliners in the OHL do, instead electing to be precise with the puck. The thing you notice right away about Katic is his skating ability, which is definitely at or near the top of the OHL among defenseman (along with the likes of Subban, Pietrangelo and the absent Drew Schiestel). He's much improved defensively and anticipates the play really well. He's disciplined because he doesn't put himself in position to get beat, and is instead able to use an active stick to break up the play. For such a great skater, I almost wish he would take more chances offensively on the rush, but to each is own. Even though he's put up some good offensive stats in the OHL, I'm not sure I expect him to become a big time scorer in the NHL. I see him taking on more of a role like Bret Hedican. Someone who can move the puck and who uses his skating to play solid at both ends, but is not someone who's going to put up a ton of points. For what it's worth, I thought he was the second best defenseman on the ice for the OHL behind Subban.

Forwards:

James Livingston - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (Drafted in 2008 by St. Louis/70th)

Livingston was a super late addition to this game after Matt Duchene hurt his shoulder during weekend action. But I bet the OHL coaching staff is happy that he was there. Livingston was all over the ice tonight, playing great offensively on a line with John Tavares, and being incredibly physical and doing the dirty work in the corners. On the Tavares goal, he did a great job to come up with the puck, skate down the wing and get a great pass to Taylor Hall, who subsequently tapped it off to Tavares for the goal. For a big guy he makes good plays at full speed and has great hands. Livingston reminds me exactly of James Neal, who's found great success at the next level thus far. A great selection by the Blues who is only going to get better as he's able to find some consistency offensively.

Jamie Arniel - Sarnia Sting (Drafted in 2008 by Boston/97th)

Arniel is still working hard to improve his image after that rough fallout with Guelph. This no doubt played into him falling on draft day last year, all the way to the 4th round after being considered for the first round to start the season. But I think his hard work is starting to pay off. He's quietly having a strong season for Sarnia and is starting to put in a more consistent effort. He had a solid game tonight, playing in all situations for team OHL and showing some good speed in carrying the puck into the offensive zone, and on the penalty kill. He also worked the cycle well and looks to have improved his strength and conditioning from last season. Hopefully he continues to put everything back on track.

Zack Kassian - Peterborough Petes (NHL Draft eligible in 2009)

Kassian was also pretty good tonight for me. Big guy, physical, good puck skills, good speed. A real solid throwback to the power forward prospect of yesterday. He had a couple shots on net tonight and was great infront of the net trying to cause a distraction for Gayduchenko. I don't think he's at the level to make team Canada as of now, but he's the type of player who will be making that team in the future and playing a big role as he matures and learns to dominate using his size.

Andrew Agozzino - Niagara Ice Dogs (NHL Draft eligible in 2009)

I think Agozzino felt like he had a lot to prove tonight, after being left of the CSB's preliminary OHL draft list for the 2009 entry draft. He's undersized, but he's very quick and very elusive. He finds his way into scoring areas and loves to get dirty. He'll sacrifice himself to make a play, which is something I need to see if I'm drafting an undersized player. On top of all that, he's got an excellent wrister, that he needs very little room to get off. And on top of that, he's a quality two way player who makes an effort to back check, and who uses his speed to forecheck hard on the penalty kill. I really felt he should have been ranked by the CSB on their list, and I'd be surprised if he doesn't get ranked ahead of some of those guys on their end of the year list when he can make more of a lasting impression on them.

Cody Hodgson - Brampton Battalion (Drafted in 2008 by Vancouver/10th)

Hodgson wasn't as effective as he was in the first OHL/Russia game in Guelph, but he still played a relatively strong game. He was kind of invisible offensively in stretches, but he was always noticeable defensively as the first forward back and playing hard on the penalty kill. Even if he wasn't great offensively tonight, I'm pretty sure Hodgson impressed the team Canada brass enough at the Guelph game for him to be considered a virtual lock for a position on the WJC team.

Bryan Cameron - Belleville Bulls (Drafted in 2007 by Los Angeles/82nd)

For my money, Cameron is the most underrated player in the OHL. He's by no means flashy, but he manages to put up points. The main reason for this is that he's an incredibly smart hockey player who finds his way into open areas, anticipates the play and has great hands in close to the net. Just knows where to be to score goals. He finished in the top 10 last year in goals and currently leads the OHL in goals this season. Just one of the quiestest, yet most effective players. I think he's going to be a solid professional player to because of his strong all around game and his hockey IQ. I really hope he gets an invite to the training camp for team Canada because he deserves it, especially off his play in this game where he was all over the ice creating scoring chances and putting himself in position to get a shot on net.

Taylor Hall - Windsor Spitfires (NHL Draft eligible in 2010)

Now hear me out. Hall is a great player, and I've talked in length about this before. But right now, I'm just not sure if he's ready to play in the WJC's. Offensive skill by leaps and bounds, speed to burn and the knack to create offense off the rush. But against good competition tonight, he again had a lot of turnovers in the neutral zone as he tried to do to much in terms of carrying the puck. We've seen year after year, that 17 year olds do not generally fair well at this tournament. It's usually an 18 and 19 year old tournament. While Hall has the skill, I'm not sure he has the maturity in his game to be able to handle the tough rigors of that competition. Not to mention, he has a lot of work to do on his defensive game. I'm sure he'll get the invite, but I wouldn't be surprised if team Canada tells him to wait till next year.

Greg Nemisz - Windsor Spitfires (Drafted in 2008 by Calgary/25th)

I thought Nemisz was pretty invisible tonight. He wasn't nearly as effective in generating scoring opportunities off the forecheck, nor was he as physical. As I mentioned previously, I'd really like to see Nemisz taking the body more and being more aggressive considering his size. His skating deficiences were a little over blown last year before the draft, as I think he's a slightly awkward skater, but not necessarily an ineffective one. Was much better in the Guelph game for me.

Logan Couture - Ottawa 67's (Drafted in 2007 by San Jose/9th)

Couture was also pretty invisible for me tonight. I don't think he got a whole lot of ice time either. While he shows good speed and he's by no means a one dimensional player, I think at some point you have to figure out why he's not putting up more points on the board. I find myself repeating what I said last time. I'm just not sure his hockey sense is as high as it needs to be for someone who's going to be expected to score a lot of points. Logan is really starting to remind me of when Boyd Devereaux used to play for the Kitchener Rangers. Lots of speed, an ability to play both ways, but something was missing preventing him from really hitting the scoresheet on a consistent basis.

John Tavares - Oshawa Generals (NHL Draft Eligible in 2009)

I mean, what else can be said about Tavares that hasn't already been said. Guys a great talent, he's worked hard to become a more complete player, yet he finds himself falling in the rankings. The bottom line is he knows how to find the back of the net and he knows how to make his teammates better. I want to bring up two points, rather than ranting about his skill set. For one, a very encouraging sight to see was Tavares out at the end of the game protecting that 3-2 lead. It tells you that the coaching staff has confidence in Tavares' defensive ability, which is not something you could have said two years ago. And secondly, did anyone see Tavares' rush in the first period. Blueline to blueline, through two Russian players. Tell me this guys skating is a problem. He's got the skating ability, I think it's more that people confuse his will to slow the game down, with an inability to skate fast. He's not generally flashy and he's not generally the type of player who tries to generate offense off the rush. He likes to slow things down and set up in the offensive zone. Because people don't generally see him skating and carrying the puck at full speed, I think this misconception that he can't skate arose.

Eric O'Dell - Sudbury Wolves (Drafted in 2008 by Anaheim/38th)

I thought O'Dell played a very solid game. Offensively, he was a little snake bitten and missed out on a few chances as he had the puck roll off or bounce over his stick. But he has good hands, I think that maybe he was pressing to impress a little too much. Defensively, I thought he was great, especially on the penalty kill. He's got a really active stick and puts a lot of pressure on the puck carrier, especially as the lead forechecker into the offensive zone. I'm really pulling for this guy to make Team Canada in one of those slots generally reserved for the "shut down 3rd liners."

Stefan Della Rovere - Barrie Colts (Drafted in 2008 by Washington/204th)

And the player of the game for me goes to....Stefan Della Rovere. He didn't hit the scoresheet, but this guy was a force everytime he hit the ice. He worked down the opposing defenses all night because of his work on the cycle. He also put a lot of fear in the Russians because of the way he was throwing around his body. He had every Russian player playing with their head up and rushing plays to avoid the hit, everytime he was on the ice. He was a big difference maker. He's another guy I'm really pulling to make team Canada and I hope he opened some eyes tonight as he was another injury replacement, filling in for Nazem Kadri.

The official game report can be found here.

In the end, it was a great couple of games to watch between the OHL all stars and the Russian Selects. I'm incredibly happy that the Russians are starting to take this series a little more seriously and are sending better teams.

Stay tuned for a small right up on some of the Russian players I thought stood out in the series.

Ryan Yessie's Thoughts on the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds from November 7

Ryan Yessie returns with his thoughts from a game on November 7, between the Greyhounds and the Sarnia Sting. Sault Ste. Marie won the game 3-2 on a late third period goal by 2009 draft eligible Michael Fine.

Anthony Peluso (NHL: St. Louis 6th rd./160th Overall in 2007)
Report: Nov/7/08: Peluso looks like a completely different player, I didn’t have his number down as someone to watch, but I remembered #14, and eventually read Peluso. The reason why I remembered #14 is becaue he was skating with some very fluid speed. I’ve seen Peluso play atleast once a year, and I can certainly say his skating didn’t stand out before, but it did this time. He has gone from being an enforcer to a real hockey player and the potential to be a power forward one day. One of the reasons his skating was weak before would have been because he was a defenceman and only had to cover ¾ of the ice. Since being converted to forward he looks like he has committed himself to becoming a better player. He also looks like he has lost about 15 lbs. Peluso displayed a solid shot, as well as a player who still utilizes his strength along the boards, Peluso shows signs of having some decent hockey instincts. Don’t expect this guy to ever be a top 6, but he has an intriguing hockey future.

James Livingston (NHL: St. Louis 3rd Rd./70th Overall in 2008)
Report: Nov/7/08: Livingston looks like a very improved player in all aspects, he played well in the defensive zone, and skated much better than last year. He showed a willingness to use the body, and put a few very good shots on net. Livingston looks like he’s progressing into a legtimate NHL Power Forward and I will be having a close eye on him this year to see how he progresses. (Livingston had 1G)

Michael Quesnele (NHL: Eligible in 2009)
Report: Nov/7/08: Quesnele was definitely the tale of two defencemen. On one side he was very good positionally and did a great job of moving the puck as well as using the angles on the boards to place the puck to the rushing forward. On the other hand he was completely reckless with his stick, as well committing blatent meaningless, and selfish penalties for no real reason at all, he got nailed with one roughing penalty and two holding penalties, and it could have been another 3 or 4 atleast ontop of that if the referee’s would have caught him the other times, just appeared to have no reguard for the team concept but his positives alone could have been enough to warrant that of a borderline prospect, but his mind just doesn’t seem to be in the game enough for someone to want to take a shot at him.

Bryce O’Hagan (NHL: Eligible in 2010)
Report: Nov/7/08: Because of his late birthday O’Hagan won’t be drafted untill next year, but he looks like a raw yet legitimate prospect. His positioning was very good, he always was in position minus one or two times which didn’t really cost him, he made some huge saves to keep his team in the game and got in front of every shot on net and made sure it hit him. On the negative side O’Hagan may have stopped every shot at him, but unless it went into his glove, he gave out a huge rebound every time, if Sarnia had a stronger net presence they would have buried the goaltender. O’Hagan could turn into a solid NHL goaltender prospect, but before that happens he needs to learn how to control his rebounds better and if he can’t control them then clear them out from the front of the net better, his skill set is good, his only weakness is his rebound control, which happens to be a fairly glaring one, but it’s one that he can improve on over time. (O’Hagan stopped 32 of 34 shots)

Ryan is a great contributor to this blog and we should feel lucky enough to have him share his thoughts with us when he has the time to. Thanks Ryan!