Ryan Yessie's Thoughts on Plymouth and Sarnia from February 21

Ryan returns with thoughts on the late February blowout between Plymouth and Sarnia.

"This game for the most part was over after the 1st period. Tyler Seguin leads the Whalers to an 11-3 win over Sarnia.







Colin MacDonald - #3 - D - YOB: 1992 - 6’3” - 184lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Feb/21/10: MacDonald seems to always have a rough time in Sarnia, going head first into the boards last time he played in Sarnia. MacDonald got a little extra attention from me tonight, and again I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to see much of him. He took another hit from behind in his second shift. Then after returning he spent some time on the penalty kill, where he blocked a shot and was sent limping off after the puck had cleared. It was about another period before I saw MacDonald again. MacDonald appeared to be a smooth skater, looks very relaxed and composed, moves the puck up the ice well, and looks like a low risk defenceman, that has got good size, as well as decent skating.
(MacDonald was -1)

Austin Levi - #7 - D - YOB: 1992 - 6’4” - 195lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Feb/21/10: Levi was the least noticeable than he’s been all season. He looks as if he has lost his spot on the top four with MacDonald’s seemingly improved play, as well as the addition of Gilbert. Levi appeared to have limited ice time, some of which was reserved to the penalty kill. Levi has got progressively less physical in Sarnia, although he is still hitting, he’s not only becoming a safer checker, but he’s hitting less, which occasionally works against him, but is also better than the out of position hits he was throwing closer to the start of the season. I’ve liked Levi’s play, but he is most likely a depth defenecman (3^rd pairing on a healthy NHL defence) that could be a penalty killer as well, but he could get drafted very close to teammate Colim MacDonald as the two are at similar points in terms of projectable future.
(Levi had +1, 2 PIM)

Tyler Seguin - #9 - C - YOB: 1992 - 6’1” - 186lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Feb/21/10: While many of the Plymouth players let up, after taking an 8-2 lead mid-way through the game, Tyler Seguin was not one of those. Seguin who had already scored two very nice goals, kept playing full steam ahead obviously with a scoring race in mind. He was not able to pad his stats, but still played full tilt evenw hen the score was 10-2, and 11-3 so take that for what it’s worth. Seguin who hasn’t really showed up at the games in Sarnia after he ripped them apart in the 2009 playoffs, but that changed tonight. Seguin made some nice plays with and without the puck, he was willing to back check while Sarnia was in transition. He made some nice moves on the defencemen displaying top level puck handling. The first goal Seguin scored he put a great move on and used his stick handling ability to deke out Campbell and bury it. The second goal he absolutely releases a rocket of a wrist shot, an exhibition of how quick his release is, as well as his accuracy, as you could hear it just touch the post and/or crossbar as he picks the corner. Very few goaltenders CHL or NHL could have stopped that shot. Seguin is very much the Duchene of this draft behind Taylor Hall’s Tavares for this year. That should be taken as a compliment, because although he’s being regarded by some to be a potential 1^st overall pick, I don’t think there’s any question on draft day, Taylor Hall is the guy who gets picked 1^st overall. But Seguin may very well be in his last OHL season.
(Seguin had 2G, 1A, +3)

Beau Schmitz - #17 - D - YOB: 1991 - 5‘11” - 190lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Feb/21/10: Schmitz has not been much of an impact player this year for Plymouth after standing out last year with his puck handling and offensive abilities, he has been very quiet at both ends of the ice. Schmitz played decent tonight, displaying a bit of a surprising physical game as he always has despite his slight stature. If he wants to shot at becoming a legitimate prospect he needs to enhance his skating ability a little based on his size as well as becoming stronger in all 3 zones. Schmitz is a valuable defenceman in the OHL, and would likely be capable of earning an AHL contract, but he needs to add more to his game, particularly better breakout speed in order to raise himself to an NHL level potential defenceman.
(Schmitz had 1G)

Jamie Devane - #23 - LW - YOB: 1991 - 6’5” - 217lbs.
NHL: 3^rd Round - 68^th Overall by Toronto in 2009
Report: Feb/21/10: Devane continues to be reliable but not spectacular for Plymouth. Along the boards yet again Devane was important, however again he didn’t really create much offense, but he did benefit from the great deal of goal scoring his team did today. Devane is a decent skater, I wouldn’t consider it a strength just yet, but it is pretty good for someone at his size. Devane continues to prove how good he is in the defensive zone, and how good his positioning as well as his willingness to block shots. Devane gets the majority of his ice time. Devane appears to be benefiting from the addition of James Livingston and Robbie Czarnik with Livingston joining him on the 3^rd line he has scored over half his points all season since the acquisition of Livingston at the trade deadline. Still he’ll be hard pressed to gain 20 points this season.
(Devane had 1G, 1A, +3)

Robbie Czarnik - #27 - C - YOB: 1990 - 6’0” - 175lbs.
NHL: 3^rd Round - 63^rd Overall by Los Angeles in 2008
Report: Feb/21/10: This game was the very different from the game Czarnik played in December. He played with a lot of energy, and drive, but tonight even though he put up 3 points, Czarnik looked very off. Czarnik has legitimate speed, but didn’t look anything special, he showed some physicality, but really it looked like a very big off night for him. Czarnik seems engaged in the play offensively, and seems to want to create offense, and do what needs to be done, he also has a solid shot with a good release.. But defensively, and when I say defensively, I mean outside the oppositions blueline there was A LOT of floating being done by Czarnik. I only saw him skating hard back twice, the others he was either floating or very slowly gliding back to his defensive zone, it would have been very discouraging watching this from a Plymouth point of view, because unless the team was in a position to offense, Czarnik really didn’t look like he cared what happened in this game. This is a little more understandable when the team is in a blowout, but this was also occurring far before this game was over.
(Czarnik had 1G, 2A, +3)

Phil McRae - #38 - C - YOB: 1990 - 6‘3” - 195lbs.
NHL: 2^nd Round - 33^rd Overall by St. Louis in 2008
Report: Feb/21/10: McRae is a player who I was pretty impressed with tonight, although the stats don’t show it, McRae skated hard every shift, he was going into the corners, he drove to the net, it just didn’t add up to a lot of points for him. He showed a pretty quick release, and good play along the boards. Defensively McRae looked very aware and was playing smart. At the same time, once this game was over McRae was smart and respectful not going out of the way to hit, and not forcing the puck at the net instead he dumped the puck in deep and did what he could to kill the clock, instead of trying to run up the score, and was a very good part in helping this game advance rather than getting out of control.
(McRae had 1A, -1)

Nathan Chiarlitti - #5 - D - YOB: 1991 - 6‘0” - 185lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Feb/21/10: The majority of the Sarnia Sting quit midway through this game. Nathan Chiarlitti was one of the few that did not. He was still trying to block shots, made a great play on Seguin near the end of the second period even though this game was essentially over. Chiarlitti is starting to show his hidden offensive side, now 2^nd in scoring among defenceman for Sarnia despite the fact he is known for his defensive reliability, and leadership more than offensive skill. Due to Sarnia playing with 4 or 5 forwards on the power play, Chiarlitti is the 2^nd defenceman used, so he doesn’t gain a lot of time or experience, so it has taken him much longer to develop his offensive tools, than it would have otherwise if he was given more time on the power play. Chiarlitti is starting to rush the puck up the ice more, displaying the improvement in his skating, although still floating around average for a 17 year old his age. Still the knock on his game is the physical side of the game. He is starting to produce well for the amount of offense he’s allowed to engage in, but physically, his hitting is still to far between, and could really benefit from gaining some upper body mass along with a bit more of an edge to his game. In the 3^rd period Chiarlitti joined the rush on a short handed opportunity, and scored a very nice goal as he gained the rebound and displayed nice hands to go backhand, forehand and roof. Chiarlitti at this point looks like a safe pick between 5^th-7^th, but the development of his physical game may be the biggest part in determining how far he goes in his career. His -33 on the season may scare a few teams, but it’s more of a tribute to the excessive amount of ice time he receives on a bad team, rather than his ability defensively, as he is constantly hung out to dry to try to defend 2 on 1’s.
(Chiarlitti had 1G, -1)"

Thoughts on Plymouth and Niagara from January 7

Been busy as heck lately so I haven't had time to go check out a game live in a few weeks, so you'll have to settle for a report based on action caught from the OHL Action Pack! Hadn't seen Plymouth in a little while so I figured I'd catch the Whalers take on the IceDogs in Niagara.

Was an...interesting game to say the least. From a fan angle it was frustrating to watch so I can't imagine what the coaches were feeling. Well actually, I can imagine what Whalers Coach/GM Mike Vellucci was feeling because everyone got to see it at the end of the second period when he was ejected from the game for arguing with referee Mike Bolibruck. Really can't say I blame him. Way too many questionable calls, especially against the Whalers. Hooking was being called on players just trying to gain body position on opposing players. Then there was the terrible no goal call on Robbie Czarnik's shorthanded backhand that very clearly went into the net. Admittedly, this wasn't necessarily the fault of the referee, since he do go upstairs for it, but all those things just added up for Vellucci and he lost it. Nothing I hate more than watching an OHL game where the referee takes the game out of the players hands and puts it in his own. Just let them play, we don't need a game in which half of it was played 5 on 4. I don't like ranting about the refs very often because, quite frankly, they've got one heck of a tough job. But tonight's game was really bad.

As for the game itself, the Dogs largely dominated the play thanks in part to the number of powerplays they received. An impressive performance for Niagara who's looking to get back in the race for an Eastern Conference playoff spot. Once the Pietrangelo and DeSousa deals are completed (plus whoever else Niagara deals), this team could actually be better than they currently are, despite the fact you would label it as an act of selling. DeSousa is at home awaiting a trade and Petro hasn't played for Niagara all year. If they can add a couple more talented bodies to their roster, they'll be better off.

Some individual player performances (mostly Plymouth since I just saw Niagara).

Plymouth Whalers






Colin MacDonald (2010)
I've been reading and hearing a lot of talk starting to generate about this kid and his status for the 2010 draft. Plymouth fans in particular seem to hold him in very high regard. In a way, I don't think I'd really notice him if I wasn't actually paying attention to him, which...I think is a compliment. It means he's not making mistakes. Very good size, solid mobility, seems to make the smart play with the puck. Just a very quietly effective defender. On one particular play, he did a great job staying with the Dogs best skater (Alex Friesen) as he attacked on the rush, staying in front of him by moving efficiently backwards and laterally. However in the first period he did get beat to the outside by Dogs forward Andrew Agozzino as he failed to keep his feet moving. Second time I've noticed him get caught flat footed this season. He needs to be ready at all times defensively and seems to be somewhat vulnerable to players who suddenly turn on the jets at the blueline. The only thing I can really say is that if he were more physical, he'd easily be on the draft radar. That package of size, mobility and aggression gets you drafted high (just as Matt Clark), but without that aggression in his game, he'll have a harder time getting attention.

Austin Levi (2010)
I still don't really know what to make of Levi. Like MacDonald, I find myself enamored with his combination of size and mobility. He's also a more physically engaged player and it seems to me that eventually he'll develop into a guy who'll take the body hard. I think he's also got offensive potential as he can rush the puck and can run the point on the powerplay. But right now, it seems to be all about projection, rather than current ability. I just don't know if he project as an offensive defenseman, or a stay at home defenseman. He didn't have a good game either. When he rushes the puck, he seems to do so in an ineffective fashion. In a way, it seems like he really is "rushing" the play. Gets up ice as fast as he can, almost just to avoid falling under the trap of the forecheck. It's more out of desperation, it feels or looks forced. Perhaps that's a confidence issue. Defensively, he got abused on the game winning goal by Andrew Shaw. Got caught in the offensive zone, and lost his man behind him. Shaw picked up the pass and went away on the breakaway for the goal. There are things to like about Levi, those sort of natural physical gifts, but the rawness to his game makes me queezy. Plymouth fans, what's the deal, what do you think?

Tyler Seguin (2010)
Had a good, but not great game. Was really strong in the first half, but seemed distracted by the officiating in the second half. In the first half, had a couple of absolutely beautiful rushes into the offensive zone. His ability to pick up the puck, get to top speed quickly, and handle the puck at that top speed is what sets him apart from others in his age group. Just blew right past Dougie Hamilton and Reggie Traccitto, picking up the puck at the blueline and splitting the D to go in alone on Visentin who made a nice toe save. Later in the period he made a beautiful cross ice feed to Beau Schmitz for a one timer goal on the powerplay. His on ice vision and overall hockey intelligence is through the roof. Even though I still prefer Taylor Hall (as an NHL draft selection), the debate between these two will rage on until June.

Garrett Meurs (2011)
Meurs might just be the most offensively talented 1993 in the league. He has incredible offensive skills and in a way, I think playing in Plymouth and in Tyler Seguin's shadow has prevented him from receiving the attention that Boone Jenner and Matt Puempel have. His hands in close to the net are top notch and he puts himself in good positions to capitalize on offensive opportunities, which tells me he has a high hockey IQ. Until the end of the season, it's just going to be about refining his game. Limiting turnovers in the offensive zone, doing a better job in the corners, getting back defensively. A lot of potential with Meurs.

Jamie Devane (TOR)
I'm just not sure Devane is ever going to be able to live up to the fact that he was drafted as high as he was in the NHL. As an OHL player, he has effective traits. He hits hard and he hits smart (doesn't take himself out of position looking for the big hit). He's responsible defensively and is a good penalty killer. Actually had a great chance shorthanded as he stole the puck, fought through a check and put a good shot on net that Visentin gloved. He's also not afraid to be the bear in front of the net. But as far as being an NHL player, I still don't think I see the upside. There are a ton of players across the CHL who can give you the exact same things Devane can and none of them will see life outside the CIS. The offensive hockey sense doesn't seem to be there. In the offensive end, he skates around or goes straight to the net, but he's not really involved offensively. As a forechecker, he could really stand to develop into a higher energy player who attacks the opposition. And when he does get offensive opportunities, I don't think he has the hands to be a goal scorer. Realistically, is he any different of a player than current Leaf farm hand (and former OHL'er) Andre Deveaux? And even then, Deveaux actually had finishing ability in close in the OHL.

Robbie Czarnik (LAK)
Really liked what I saw from Czarnik. First time I've seen him play since the 2008 Under 18's (where he was excellent for a bronze medal winning American team). Was on a rotation with Garrett Meurs and Josh Brittain as the guys who saw time with Tyler Seguin. Had really good speed and had no qualms about using it to take the puck hard to the net. Shorthanded in the second period, he took advantage of a turnover (and a bad pinch by Matt Petgrave) and took the puck the other way on a one on one rush. Made a nice move to get around Dougie Hamilton, freeing up some space for himself to get a nice backhand off on the way to the net. The shot beat Visentin and went off the inside of the post and in...however it was called a no goal (despite the obvious replay of it being over the line). All game he was involved near the puck, whether it be offensively or defensively. He seems to be a great pick up for the Whalers and also seems to have some chemistry with Tyler Seguin which bodes well for his production in the second half.

Josh Brittain (ANA)
Brittain had a fairly effective game. Played within his strengths, took the body, had a few scoring chances and managed to avoid taking one of the games 19 minor penalties. I think the Ducks still have to be disappointed in his offensive production this season. Dare I say he might be in danger of not receiving a contract offer from them?

Scott Wedgewood (2010)
As the back up to probably the best goalie in the OHL (Matt Hackett), you aren't going to get a lot of playing time. But Wedgewood does seem to be making the most of it. He started tonight and played a solid game. He didn't make any really big saves, but he made the ones he had to. Comes out to cut down angles, controlled his rebounds relatively well (save the first Andrew Fritsch goal). Seems to have good mobility. As one of the youngest 1992's available this year, I'm sure he's got NHL scouts looking at him, when they do actually get the chance to see him play. Made 30 of 33 saves and took the loss.

Niagara IceDogs






Andrew Fritsch (2011)
The Dogs 3rd rounder from 2009, Fritsch has had a solid season thus far. In fact, not much has been made about his play despite the fact that he's currently 4th among 1993's in goal scoring with 10. Now, a lot of that has to do with his current hot streak, but it's no fluke. Fritsch has very good goal scoring instincts and will absolutely develop into a quality goal scorer in this league. He finds the open ice well and is developing into a player who can work a cycle and outwork a defense for his offensive chances. With improved strength will come an improved shot and that will allow him to take even greater advantage of the positions to score he puts himself in. I think he's a 1993 to keep an eye on.

Mark Visentin (2010)
Arguably the top goalie available from the OHL this year, Visentin has earned himself that trip to the CHL Top Prospects Game. He's improved leaps and bounds from last year, where at times he looked over matched in the league. While he was always mobile in his crease, his overall improvement comes from improvement in two areas specifically. One is just overall confidence. He looks much calmer in net. He didn't have to make a lot of saves tonight, but he was there when he needed to be, robbing Seguin on a breakaway and Devane in close with huge saves. The other thing is rebound control. He's knocking pucks to the corner and he's dictating the pace of play. Made a tremendous recognition play on the Andrew Shaw game winner. Plymouth made a long shoot in on net that Visentin used his blocker to deflect up to Dylan MacEachern at the blueline. He recognized the opportunity for Shaw's break and used the rebound to spring the play into action. It's those little things and the massive improvement that have lead to NHL Central Scouting having such a high opinion of him. Made 18 of 20 saves for the win.

Thoughts? Questions? Comments?

Thoughts on Brampton and Plymouth from November 1

Welcome to the month of November folks. Hope you remembered to set your clocks back an hour! Otherwise you could have missed part of a close game between the Brampton Battalion and Plymouth Whalers. The Battalion came into the game on a four game losing streak and are fighting to stay out of the Eastern Conference cellar. Meanwhile, the Whalers are one of the better teams in the Western Conference. One might have pegged this one to get ugly, but the Battalion played very solid. Their top defensive pairing of Matt Clark and Ken Peroff did an extraordinary job against Tyler Seguin and the Whalers top line today, holding Seguin pointless.

Brampton definitely is not the most skilled team in the league, look no further than their second worst goal per game rate in the league. But they work hard and they are incredibly disciplined (least penalized team in the league). Just because they don't take penalties, doesn't mean they aren't physical and in your face either. They hit you hard, they forecheck you hard and they do an excellent job of taking away space from offensive players in the defensive end. Brampton was also without defenseman Cameron Wind (flu), which really hurt their transition game and their powerplay, but they persevered through it and came out with a 3-2 victory over Plymouth. This was in thanks to two third period goals from Sam Carrick and Barclay Goodrow.

Plymouth just couldn't get anything going today. The Battalion defense smothered them. Getting talented overager Ryan Hayes back recently is a huge boost to this club offensively, as is the addition of Josh Brittain. But the Whalers are still missing R.J. Mahalak (shoulder injury) and can now A.J. Jenks to the injury list as he broke his hand in a fight last week. Once the Whalers get both of these guys back (probably by December), they should become a really tough team to beat because they'll be able to ice multiple, veteran scoring lines. Right now, their offense really seems to rely on Tyler Seguin and whatever line he ends up playing with. If he gets shutdown, they seem to really struggle. When Seguin is held to one point or less, they are 2-6 this year. The rest of the offense needs to step up if the opposing defensive unit smothers the Seguin line like it did today in Brampton. Part of the loss can be attributed to goaltending for the Whalers today too, as back up Scott Wedgewood was shaky. Gave up a weak goal, and a ton of bad rebounds. The Whalers defense actually did a good job of bailing Wedgewood out on many occasions by preventing rebounds from being scooped up by Battalion forwards.

Enough rambling, on to some individual performance thoughts...

Plymouth Whalers






Colin MacDonald (2010)
Never really noticed him in my previous viewing of the Whalers this season, but tonight he stood out. Big defender, good reach and seems to play a really smart defensive game. He did a good job of getting the puck out of the corners and up ice and he seems to have fairly good mobility for a big defender. Wasn't really a factor offensively, but did a good job with the puck in his own zone and made smart passes. I also liked his willingness to clear the front of the net, although he wasn't as physical in the open ice or in the corners as I like to see from my 6'3 defenseman. Austin Levi may be getting all the attention right now, but perhaps MacDonald is the guy we should be paying attention to. Finished the night +2 (only Plymouth defender to finish with a plus rating).

Austin Levi (2010)
When I saw him earlier this season, I came away very impressed. But today he was not good. Got caught standing around watching the play too many times and was not able to win the puck battles in the corner. He was also really soft on the puck in his own zone and became a victim of the Brampton forecheck a few times. While his mobility is fairly good for a guy his size, he needs to keep his feet moving. Got blown by at the blueline by Stephon Thorne, leading to a 2 on 1 chance for Brampton. He did see some time quarterbacking the powerplay though and looked OK doing it, although his passes need to be crisper. A lot of times I saw him trying to pass the puck with one hand firmly on his stick. Those soft push passes won't cut it in the OHL, let alone the NHL. He finished a team worst -3, however I will say that he wasn't really at fault on any of the goals. Is Levi an NHL prospect, or just your average OHL defender? I'm not going to base my judgment on two viewings this season, but I'd be curious on your opinion.

Tyler Seguin (2010)
Didn't have all that great of a game. He was trying, but he just couldn't get things to click, partly because of the great job Clark and Peroff did on him. He tried to get by Clark a few times, but each time Clark did a great job to stay with him and keep him to the perimeter. On the first Brampton goal by Thomas Stajan, Seguin was to blame. Turnover in the offensive end thanks to a bad pass by Seguin to the middle of the ice, then a breakout the other way finished by Stajan after Seguin failed to get back in time to check him. This lapse is a rarity for Seguin and is the type of play that happens to the best of offensive players as they try to make something happen in the offensive zone. On a few occasions when the Clark duo didn't get out against him, he actually made some things happen and had a few nice rushes towards the net. But he didn't get a lot of help from his linemates, Josh Brittain and Garrett Meurs. Didn't appear to be a lot of chemistry between the trio. All in all, nothing to get worked up about. Tyler Seguin is a great player, although I'm not ready to name him the top draft player yet (over Hall) like some scouting agencies appear to be doing.

Beau Schmitz (2010, but 1991 born)
Was Plymouth's most effective defender today IMO. Played a tremendous defensive game. Brampton forwards continuously tried to get by him on the rush, failing every time. He's not afraid to get physical either, rubbing out a few of those aforementioned rushers, or pushing them hard into the end boards. Even though he's not the biggest defender, his positioning helps him win battles against bigger players. I'd really like to see him take more chances offensively though, as he's a capable puck rusher, but seems to rarely do it. I was really surprised he went undrafted last year, and I'll be equally surprised if someone doesn't take him this year, or at least sign him to a contract at training camp.

Jamie Devane (TOR)
I don't want to say he was completely useless today, because he did some good work on the penalty kill. But he certainly wasn't much of a factor otherwise. For a big guy, he seems really weak on the puck. Whenever the puck hit his stick, he seemed hesitant to carry it. Made a couple bad dumps where he tried to deflect the puck to a teammate and ended up icing it. Also had a delay of game penalty for chipping it over the glass. Really seems to struggle with receiving the puck at his top speed. When he did have the puck in the offensive zone, he was very soft on it and he didn't use his size to protect it. Even some of the better enforcer/pest prospects like Zac Rinaldo have the ability to take the puck to the net at this level. He did make one nice finesse play, where he eluded a stick check of a defender at the side of the net and ended up with a scoring chance, but he couldn't get much on the shot. Also on the downside, he wasn't physical at all really. If you're not going to be a factor offensively, I'd like to see him aggressive on the forecheck and in the corners. But he wasn't. I didn't see what Brian Burke and the Leafs were seeing last year when they drafted him high, and I still don't. But then again, he is a "project" pick. Maybe he just needs more time.

Michal Jordan (CAR)
Was not strong in this game at all. His terrible give away to Sam Carrick leading to the third period tying goal was a huge mistake. He cut out from behind the net and skated right into Carrick. Clearly didn't have his head up looking for the forecheck. Carrick stole the puck and roofed it on Wedgewood. This was one of several turnovers with the puck for Jordan today. It's almost as if he doesn't look ahead to where he's putting the puck or carrying it. Defensively, he's way too soft too. While he can be an effective positional defender at this level, his inability to win battles in the corners or tie up bigger forwards in front of the net spells trouble for the next level. I'm just not sure what his role would be at the NHL/professional level. Is he good enough offensively (in terms of instinct) to be an offensive puck rusher? Is he good enough defensively to be a capable two way blueliner? I just don't know.

Josh Brittain (ANA)
Different team, same Josh Brittain. A handful of great shifts where he uses his size, takes the puck hard to the net, creates scoring chances and is a huge factor. And then the rest of his shifts he's invisible. Good to see that the change of scenery hasn't helped him be more disciplined either. I'd say he's pretty close to being nicknamed "The King of the Offensive Zone Penalty." Not exactly something you want to be known for, as nothing kills momentum for your team more. Today's was a retaliation cross check in front of the net. If someone could ever harness his ability and get him to play with more consistency and desire, he'd be a heck of a player. Otherwise, he's destined to play out his ELC (if he's lucky enough to get one) and fade off into minor league obscurity.

Brampton Battalion







Matt Clark (ANA)
As I stated, Clark was simply outstanding today. Completely shut down Tyler Seguin. Showed great mobility in staying with him and keeping him to the outside on his rushes. He has the ability and size to play the man hard and he does a good job of pushing around opposing forwards in the crease. And although he didn't today, he's always a candidate to lay a big open ice hit. He's very underrated offensively too. He'll never be a big time point producer, but he's smart with the puck and has the ability to run the powerplay effectively because of this. I think with time and confidence, he could actually become an effective puck carrier too, even though I think he's pretty OK with being more of a stay at home defender. He did have a tough time getting his shot on net from the point though...missing three times in a row wide on one powerplay. I'm hoping he gets an invite to the Team Canada WJC camp. His mobility and defensive ability would be a huge asset to the team in a third pairing role.

Philip Lane (2010)
Had a really tough game offensively. The puck would not settle down on his stick. Had a number of good opportunities, but just couldn't hold on to the puck. BUT, the promising thing for me was that as frustrating as his offensive inabilities had to be for him, he didn't let it affect his game. He continued to put pressure on the puck carrier as a forechecker; he continued to try and take the puck hard to the net (drew two penalties); and he continued to battle hard in the corners. I think that really shows a high level of maturity on his part. I continue to believe that once he adds more strength, he's going to be an absolute beast at this level.

Sam Carrick (2010)
I think Carrick has a lot of skill, more so than he's getting credit for. Originally I saw him as another Jay McClement/Ryan Oulahen Battalion two way center, but I think there is a lot more natural offensive talent there than perhaps we're seeing. If he had some other naturally talented offensive players (instead of the hard working, persevering types he's surrounded be) to work with, I think we'd be seeing a lot more from him. He seems to have a real nose for the puck and I really like his solid two way game. His strip of Michal Jordan and subsequent roof job on Wedgewood showed great offensive talent. Quickly becoming somewhat a favourite of mine for 2010.

Patrick Killeen (PIT)
Killeen has kind of changed his goaltending style a bit this season. He's playing less of the traditional butterfly and more of a stand up style in order to use his size more. But he's still vulnerable to the top half of the net because his reaction time and aggressiveness in challenging shooters is still a work in progress. First Plymouth goal was a bang-bang play, as Stefan Noesen stole the puck from behind the net and passed it to Joe Gaynor who roofed it on Killeen. The second goal was off a broken play that found Myles McCauley who put it past Killeen as he tried to react and get over to the other side of the net. He does have good mobility for a big goaltender and his rebound control is improving (even if it's a bit of a weakness in itself). I still wonder if he gets a contract from Pittsburgh though, although the Pens lack of depth in the professional pipeline could work in his favor. He made 18 of 20 saves and picked up the victory.

That's it for tonight, anyone else with thoughts or question?

Sunday Top 10 - 2009 NHL Draft Surprises

With the 2009 NHL Entry Draft behind us, it is time to take a look at the draft a little more closely. All in all, it was an incredibly successful one for the OHL with 45 players selected in the weekend's 7 rounds. For those number crunchers out there, that's just over 20%. One fifth of the players selected were from the Ontario Hockey League.

For me, it was a bit of a strange draft. A lot of interesting things happened, and there were a lot of surprises and disappointments. Thus, today's Top 10 will take a look at those interesting things, surprises, and disappointments. Obviously, since this is an OHL blog, the list will focus on the surprises for the Ontario Hockey League as it relates to the draft. However, the list can also serve as my commentary on the draft as a whole.

So here we go, the top 10 2009 NHL Draft surprises...

10. Calvin de Haan Goes 12th to the New York Islanders
For any other follower of the NHL draft, this occurrence would probably be up near the top 3 of draft surprises. But for me, it's only a mild surprise. Obviously, I've been a big supporter of Calvin this entire season. I had him ranked 4th ahead of the likes of Kadri, Kassian, and Holland (2 of which he went before). His intelligent play with and without the puck obviously caught the eye of the Islanders too, since they traded up to make sure they got him. Calvin was ranked in the 20's by pretty much every scouting agency, so I'm sure this comes as more of a shock to them. But it's why it made this list, even though it failed to shock me. Congrats to Calvin in finally getting the attention he deserves.

9. Jamie Devane Who?
At the beginning of the third round, the Toronto Maple Leafs took Jamie Devane with the 68th overall pick. This had a lot of people scratching their head, me included. It also had a lot of people, in particular Leafs fans, asking the question, "who exactly is this guy?" Devane is a big OHL rookie winger from Plymouth who failed to crack my top 50 OHL players eligible (and quite frankly didn't even get consideration). One thing is clear about Devane, he loves to fight. He had 19 fights this season and is definitely one of the tougher customers in the OHL (here is a fight against Brian Shaw of Erie). That being said, I'm not sure I see the offensive upside, at least to warrant a top three round selection. I generally have a problem when NHL teams take heavyweights with high selections, because every year good prospects cut from the same cloth can be found as free agents. Just look at the Sharks signing of Brandon Mashinter as proof. But we all know that Brian Burke likes size and physical tools, and it's obvious his scouting staff sees more in Devane than just another George Parros for Burke.

8. Casey Cizikas Goes in the Top 100
Consider this a good surprise. You've got to be happy for Casey to be the first pick of the 4th round at 92, again to the New York Islanders. You have to wonder if Garth Snow and his scouting staff have been reading my blog! Cizikas has been heavily scrutinized after originally being touted as a potential high selection at the beginning of the season. Most scouts had a lot of problems with his consistency and effort level. However, I've been a big supporter, probably one of the few. He's always impressed me when I've seen him play and I think he has a lot to offer to an NHL team. That being said, this is a surprise because for all intents and purposes, I expected him to fall at the NHL draft, regardless of how high I personally was on him. There has to be a huge weight lifted off Casey's shoulders now that he's gotten drafted, and drafted fairly high.

7. Darren Archibald Goes Undrafted
Come on Garth Snow, you grab the other two guys I've been high on, but not Mr. Archibald? Surely Darren would have been a better 5th round pick than Anton Klementyev! All kidding aside, it surprised me greatly that Darren went undrafted. I had him as the 2nd best draft re-entry from the OHL heading into the draft. Then 11 OHL draft re-entries went instead of him! To me, Darren has all the qualities NHL teams usually look for. He's a big guy who moves well, has good hands, and is developing a sense of using his size. I thought he looked very good for an OHL rookie playing his first season from Tier 2. Had an excellent playoff series. I see a lot of potential in him and I'm not the only one. Redline had him in the mid 100's if I'm not mistaken. ISS was high on him, as I heard an interview with Mike Oke where he stated Archibald was his late round sleeper. With Barrie apparently loading up for a run next year, Archibald could have a really good season in 2009-10. He can only hope then that he can be among those drafted. Fortunately there are many routes to the NHL.

6. The Fall of Ethan Werek
I know I was higher on Werek than most, (having him ranked 5th for OHL eligibles), but I still expected him to be a late first or early second round pick. However he ended up lasting till mid way through the 2nd, where the Rangers finally took him off the board. Sure the skating could use a bit of improvement, but it's not terrible. If you read his blog over at Coming Down the Pipe (here), you'll notice how well spoken he is. A smart and goal oriented kid, it's pretty clear that Werek will continueto devote himself to improvement. I see a kid who scored the third most goals among draft eligible players (behind John Tavares and the undrafted Chris DeSousa), and I wonder how some fail to see his potential as a top 6 forward. I think it's pretty obvious to say that I think the Rangers got one heck of a steal in round 2 with this talented young man.

5. Bryan Cameron = No Such Luck
I was incredibly surprised when the Los Angeles Kings didn't sign him to a contract before the June 1st deadline. I was even more surprised when no one took him on Saturday, as he re-entered the draft (along with 6 others from the OHL failing to a receive a contract from the OHL). Look, I know he's undersized at 5'10. And I realize that the type of game he plays will be hard to translate to the NHL due to his size. But how many players have scored three straight 30 goal seasons, and have been to two straight OHL all star games? He brings a lot of things to the table. I'm sure he gets an invite to an NHL training camp and he needs to show that team he's worth a contract. If not he'll be back in the OHL as an overager, however not likely in Belleville as they go full blown into a rebuild. I think it'd be a real shame for him to fall through the cracks after being such a high NHL pick originally, considering the OHL career he's had thus far. The four guys he's posing with in the picture, all got NHL contracts, which has to make him feel left out.

4. Kyle Neuber Gets Drafted
I mean no offense to Kyle Neuber when I mention him in this article. But for him to get drafted, it surprises me greatly. This goes back to my rant before about teams spending picks on heavyweight prospects, when so many are available as free agents. Kyle is an excellent fighter, one of the top heavyweights in the OHL (here's a clip to show you why). But how much of an NHL future does he have? His offensive skills aren't good enough to make him a regular contributor at the OHL level, let alone the NHL level. His skating isn't great. Basically, he brings little to the table save being an enforcer. And I thought the NHL was getting away from putting "true" enforcers on their 4th line. Yet, this NHL draft we saw a large number of enforcer type prospects being drafted, including Neuber to Columbus in the 7th round. It all seems odd to me.

3. No Love for Undersized Forwards
Somewhat related to the rant on heavyweight prospects, comes the surprise that so few skilled, undersized forwards were drafted. And those that were, were drafted late. Undersized defenseman seemed to be at a premium, Ryan Ellis, de Haan, Tyson Barrie, Sami Vatanen all went well. But the talented undersized forwards? Alex Hutchings, whom many had pegged as an NHL second rounder, falls to the 4th round. Phil Varone, one of the best players in the OHL playoffs, to the 5th round. Chris DeSousa, who scored the 2nd most goals behind John Tavares among OHL draft eligibles, undrafted. Brett Parnham, the OHL's goal leader and draft re-entry, not drafted. Andrew Agozzino, William Wallen, Jordan Mayer, Daniel Erlich, all undrafted. OHL players weren't the only ones effected. Kellan Tochkin, the WHL's rookie scoring leader for Everett, also fell victim to the undrafted list. So in an era when undersized forwards are excelling like never before in the NHL, why are so few being drafted?

2. OHL Goaltenders Get Knocked Down
While the goaltending crop for this years NHL draft didn't have a great reputation for being excellent, there were several OHL goaltenders slated to be high picks. OHL netminders occupied 3 of the top 5 spots on the Central Scouting's top NA goalies ranking. However, Plymouth Whalers goaltender Matt Hackett ended up being the 5th netminder taken in the draft (77th to Minnesota), despite being touted as possibly the top goalie available. The fall was more dramatic for the others. Edward Pasquale, who was so good for Saginaw this year, fell to the end of the 4th round, while Scott Stajcer and Michael Zador fell to the end of the 5th round. Barrie's Peter Di Salvo, Ottawa's Chris Perugini and Guelph's Brandon Foote all went undrafted. On the positive side, Erie netminder Jaroslav Janus finally heard his name called in the 6th, after being passed over in previous NHL drafts. For whatever reason, NHL scouts must have been down on North American goaltenders, as despite going 77th, Hackett was actually the first North American goalie taken. Four European netminders went before him, as early as the first pick of the 2nd round (the gigantic Mikko Koskinen to Long Island).

1. The Number of 1989 Born Players Drafted
While I'm not going to do the math, all it takes is one glance at the full NHL draft list to see the sheer volume of players drafted with a 1989 birth date. These players had been passed over in two previous NHL drafts, yet there progression caught the eye of NHL scouts enough to warrant a draft pick. To me, it seems like more 1989 born players went in the last 100 picks, than first year eligible 1991's. This is truly bizarre, as most years no more than a dozen of these types go. Just to give you an idea. Last year for the OHL, 3 1988's went (Andrew Campbell, Justin Azevedo, and Justin DiBenedetto). This year, 9 1989 players went (Janus, Kolomatis, Kennedy, Macdermaid, Neuber, Timmins, Cowick, Nolan and Pelech). That's quite the large jump. Perhaps we're seeing a shift in NHL draft philosophy. With the three year window to draft players, perhaps teams are going to start looking more at those late bloomers as draft options. Or maybe this year is an outlier.

Just like to say, Congrats to those 45 OHL players drafted. And to the many more who didn't hear your named called, take a good look at those nine 1989 born players drafted. They are the reason to not give up. They are the reason to push harder and improve, because NHL scouts are always watching.

Big day on Tuesday as the CHL Import Draft goes, where teams will look for the next Evgeni Grachev and Andrei Loktionov. I'll have coverage of that. Also stay tuned for next Sunday's Top 10, where I'll be profiling my early look at the top 10 for 2010!