Thoughts on Plymouth and Windsor from March 11

Watching a game on the OHL Action Pack is not the same as watching it live; that goes without saying. But no way was I missing the last regular season battle (and possibly last OHL battle) between Taylor and Tyler. This was a scout's dream, with a chance to see the potential top 3 selections of the 2010 NHL Draft in the same game (Hall, Seguin, and Fowler). It looked like the entire Oilers front office was in the building tonight.

It was definitely a good game to watch, especially considering both Seguin and Hall had relatively strong games. That said, I think Hall had the more impressive game, as he was instrumental in his team's comeback from being down 4-1, to winning 6-4. The win clinched first place in the West for the Spitfires, and delayed the clinching of 4th for the Whalers.

The Spitfires didn't play the best of games, but you have to hand it to their resiliency. Being down early and turning on the jets in the third period to mount the comeback. Their depth has a lot to do with their ability to stay in hockey games, because every line put out there has the ability to wear down a defense. Eventually that toll just adds up.

Don't have a ton of time tonight for a write up, but here are some minor (when I say minor, I probably mean under 2000 words!) individual player thoughts...

Plymouth Whalers






Colin MacDonald (2010)
Really liked what I saw from MacDonald tonight. Looked like coach Mike Vellucci was happy too. MacDonald saw limited ice time in the first and second periods, but after a few strong shifts, got a lot of time in the third. He's got good size and he's very mobile. I was very impressed with his one on one defense off the rush, in particular a play he made to stand up Justin Shugg as he tried to get by him. In the defensive zone he was quiet...which is a good thing. Still looks like he could stand to improve his ability to move the puck out of his zone, might be a confidence thing as he seems more content to chip the puck off the boards at times. But scored his first career OHL goal in the first period off a weak point shot that eluded Phil Grubauer. With all the scouts in the building tonight, I have to think MacDonald did well to put himself on the map for a draft position in 2010.

Austin Levi (2010)
Had a strong game up until the last part of the third period. Was on the ice for both the Windsor 5th and 6th goals. The Dale Mitchell goal was a result of him failing to take his man at the net, while the Zack Kassian goal was a result of a turnover in the defensive end by Levi thanks to a hard forecheck from Justin Shugg. While Levi is mobile, he seems to have a hard time with the forecheck and knowing where and when to move the puck. The first two periods he was excellent though. Made a great play on a 3 on 1, using an active stick to break up an Eric Wellwood pass. Also looked good along the boards and off the rush defensively. An interesting prospect for sure. Unfortunately for him, he got beaten up a little bit by Adam Wallace after coming to the aid of his goaltender, who Wallace ran. Felt bad for him. Truthfully, he shouldn't have gotten a fighting major, and Wallace should have gotten an instigator. I'm not sure what it looked like live, but from home it looked like Levi went to just starting shoving Wallace after the play and instead, before he could touch Wallace, Adam had his gloves off and started throwing on Levi. Quite frankly, it didn't even look like Levi got his gloves off. I don't think he intended to fight there.

Tyler Seguin (2010)
Had a very strong start to the game. Was all over the ice, at both ends. Made a couple really nice plays in the defensive end to break up Windsor scoring chances, showcasing his all around game. Also had a few nice rushes into the Windsor end, showcasing his speed and acceleration. However, I felt like he struggled at times in the second and third. Had a few bad turnovers as he tried to force action up ice and stopped using his teammates. I think Hall outplayed him tonight.

R.J. Mahalak (2010)
Wanted to see more of him. Started off strong, had a couple of big hits and was active in the forecheck, but faded as the game went on. He may need a really strong playoff performance to help him get drafted in an injury plagued season.

Robbie Czarnik (LAK)
Played an absolutely tremendous game. Has speed, skill and perhaps even an underdeveloped mean streak. He's been unstoppable lately and now has 8 points in his last three games. He finished with 2 goals and an assist tonight. First goal was all Tyler Brown as he chipped the puck around Cam Fowler, beat him to the outside and fed a one handed pass to a streaking Czarnik for the tap in. Second goal was off a turnover by Mark Cundari off the faceoff, as Czarnik swarmed him, stole the puck and put it past Phil Grubauer. He earned a second period assist on Tyler Brown's goal, this time by returning the favor to Brown by doing all the work. He exploded into the offensive zone, got through one Windsor defender, used a toe drag on the next to get a shot off that was partially blocked right to Brown for the goal. In the second, he also picked up a pretty vicious checking from behind penalty as he tried to beat out Marc Cantin for a loose puck, and mushed his head into the end glass with his forearm. Cantin was bleeding from the head area and Windsor was rightfully calling for more than the two minutes he received. Still an impressive performance by a player who's turned heads since he joined the league.

Scott Wedgewood (2010)
Despite give up six goals, I thought he played a solid game. Made a lot of saves to keep his team in the game for as long as he could. Robbed Taylor Hall on a partial breakaway in the second period, as Hall got past the defense and tried to slide it home five hole following a deke, but Wedgewood stayed with him and kept the puck out. Did a good job with his rebound control and looks to be fairly poised in the net. I'm not sure I'd call any of the six goals against weak. He made 39 of 45 saves and took the loss.

Windsor Spitfires






Taylor Hall (2010)
Hall was the opposite of Seguin. He started slowly but picked it up by game's end. In the second half of the second and during the third periods, he was nearly unstoppable. He showcased his elite speed by creating chances off the rush nearly every time up ice. Slipped past the defense in the second for a partial breakaway but was stoned by Wedgewood. Ended up scoring in the third by going hard to the net and taking a nice pass from Eric Wellwood, finishing back hand top shelf on Wedgewood. Hall also picked up two secondary assists. I think tonight Hall showed why he belongs at the top of the 2010 NHL Draft list.

Zack Kassian (BUF)
Kassian's second game back from suspension, he had an inconsistent effort. Had a couple of really strong shifts in the first period, threw a huge hit in the corner and had a strong shift on the cycle behind the net that ended in a scoring opportunity. But then in the second he disappeared completely. In the latter half of the third period, he reappeared and began to show why he was a first round NHL draft pick. Had a few more nice hits, and scored a beautiful goal to seal the victory for Windsor at 6-4. Took a feed in front of the net, deked out Wedgewood and put it home with one hand as he began to skate in the opposite direction. The knock all throughout his OHL career thus far has been the inconsistency between shifts and periods for Kassian and that appears to still be plaguing him. In order to be an elite NHL power forward, he's going to have to find a way to make an impact every time on the ice.

Justin Shugg (2010)
Second time in a row that Shugg has played very well when I've seen Windsor. I'm really starting to come around on him after originally being weary of his future NHL role. He's become a very good player on the forecheck, and if he can improve his skating (in particular his top speed), I think he could develop into a quality top 9 forward at the next level. Had a nice goal in the first to open the scoring for Windsor as he corralled a bouncing puck from Whalers defenseman Leo Jenner and went in alone on Scott Wedgewood, beating him forehand fivehole. He also earned the primary assist on the Zack Kassian goal by making a nice pass to Zach after stealing the puck from both Austin Levi and Tyler Brown. No way he's still #27 on my final OHL list for the draft.

Philip Grubauer (2010)
Had a very poor outing. Looked to be really fighting the puck early, and even though the Windsor defense wasn't really helping him out, he failed to help them out too. The Colin MacDonald goal was really ugly as I'm not sure the point shot left the ice. Boughner was right to pull him in the second period after giving up 4 goals on 15 shots. I gotta say, I've been disappointed with how inconsistent Grubauer has been in Windsor. I really thought he'd take the opportunity and run with it. He's going to need to have an excellent (or at least dependable) OHL playoffs to save his draft position.

That's it for tonight. Thoughts on the game? Thoughts on Taylor vs. Tyler?

Ryan Yessie's Thoughts on Sarnia vs. Windsor from January 9

Sarnia came out and played their game of the year, but a few very questionable calls, and a relentess 3rd period effort by the top ranked team in Canada results in a 5-4 Windsor victory at the RBC Center Saturday night.

Taylor Hall - #4 - LW - YOB: 1991 - 6‘1” - 185lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Jan/09/10: Taylor Hall has become a little less respectful towards his opponents as he used to be in his first two seasons in the OHL. Brent Sullivan caught Hall around the boards, early in the game and delivered a massive, yet clean hit, Hall gets up and cross checks Sullivan in the back as he’s skating away. This results in Brett Appio the only other player left to attack Hall. Appio landed one, maybe two shots on Hall before he turtled and a linesman and referee intervened. The funny part was when Hall jumped up looking like he was ready to fight momentarily. Hall received a penalty for the cross check, and was a non factor for most of the 1^st period. Hall several times tried to showboat with his stick handling, carrying the puck, putting the puck through his skates, most of these resulted in a turnover, one resulted in him getting nailed with what probably could have been considered a head check. Despite all of this Hall was in on 4 of the 5 goals in this game, with a goal and 3 assists. This may be a tribute to how talented he really is that he can do all these careless things, and still be a directly positive impact on his team winning the game. Hall still has every element to his game, however the defensive part is lacking. He’s alright short handed although I think he’s out there to think offense just as much as defence out there, but especially 5 on 5 he seems a little hesitant to be willing to jump back into the play. Realistically this, and his new found attitude seem to be the only flaws in his game, and to me he is still the clear cut #1 Overall pick.
(Hall had 1G, 3A, 2 PIM)

Ryan Ellis - #6 - D - YOB: 1991 - 5‘10” - 170lbs.
NHL: 1^st Round - 11^th Overall by Nashville in 2009
Report: Jan/09/10: Ellis’ puck control in terms of handling it is amazing, especially on the point on the power play. He really is smart, and one thing I noticed about Ellis is when you’d see other defensemen make those fancy back hand passes and gets picked off, Ellis takes that extra split second peak over his shoulder just to make sure the play is there, and it seems to separate him from most PPQB’s. Ellis’ puck handling abilities outside the offensive blue line seem to be bpretty questionable at times. He’s made some really bad decisions, and his offensive and defensive game seems to be the tale of two players. Ellis’ skating is much better from 12 months ago, but in all honesty for a defenceman his size still needs more improvement. Ellis will almost definitely be back in the OHL next season. Ellis blasted one from the point with only 12 seconds left that turned out to be the winning goal of the game.
(Ellis had 1G)

Marc Cantin - #11 - D - YOB: 1991 - 6‘1” - 201lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Jan/09/10: Cantin is a guy who I could see get picked in this years draft in the late rounds. He plays a hard nosed physical style, however the way he hits looks a little on the edge. He was challenged to fight multiple times but declined at times where it looked his team could use some extra motivation, which was disappointing as a fan to see more. Cantin received two minor penalties in this game, but other than that Cantin was very effective for his team.
(Cantin had -1, 4 PIM)

Adam Henrique - #14 - C - YOB: 1990 - 6‘0” - 196lbs.
NHL: 3^rd Round - 82^nd Overall by New Jersey in 2008
Report: Jan/09/10: It’s only been 18 months, but Henrique could very easily be considered the steal of the 2008 draft. He was not at the top of his game tonight, however he was still an impact on his team. He won a couple clutch, critical face-offs, and was very good defensively keeping it safe, while at times being on the kill with a forward partner that was thinking offense while trying to kill off the penalty.


Cam Fowler - #24 - D - YOB: 1991 - 6‘2” - 190lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Jan/09/10: Fowler is certainly making his push to become the 2^nd Overall pick for this draft. It’s not likely he’ll land 1^st overall, but Fowler is a can’t miss prospect and will likely be a franchise defenceman for some team. Folwer combines projectable size with great skating ability. He didn’t put up any offense, but he did rush the puck up the ice effectively. I would consider him somewhat comparable to Erik Johnson of the St. Louis Blues. Like Johnson he does have a good shot from the point, a very solid skater for a defenceman with a big frame. Unlike Johnson I think Fowler is a little safer defensively, although that area could use improvement, but the one area he is not like Johnson, and I think needs to try harder to bring into his game is the physical element. Someone his size could still grow another inch, or two and if he can get himself to 205-215 lbs. He could be a physically imposing defenceman while still being a solid skater and offensive contributor.


Kenny Ryan - #26 - RW - YOB: 1991 - 6‘0” - 204lbs.
NHL: 2^nd Round - 50^th Overall by Toronto in 2009
Report: Jan/09/10: Kenny Ryan has put up close to a point per game since joining the OHL, but for the time this year I can’t really say I saw a lot in his game. He threw a couple hits, and got decent ice on the penalty kill, but he doesn’t see overly engaging on. He could be a valuable penalty killer at the next level, but needs to continue to work on his offensive skills if he would like to be much of an impact player in the NHL.


Justin Shugg - #44 - RW - YOB: 1991 - 5‘11” - 185lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Jan/09/10: Shugg reminds me quite a bit like Guelph forward and NHL draftee Michael Latta. Despite the size, Shugg is built pretty solid and is able to throw a solid hit. It seems, atleast in Sarnia this year Shugg has got lost in the mix with his ice time, much like Jesse Blacker last year you can tell Shugg has some solid potential but it’s a lot less noticeable because he’s not one of the lead guys for Windsor. Shugg appears to have a solid shot, and a decent skater.


Austin Watson - #61 - RW - YOB: 1991 - 6‘3” - 187lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Jan/09/10: Scouts seem to give Watson a little extra credit due to his size, in the times I’ve seen him this year and last, Watson doesn’t appear to be as significant of a prospect as he’s being projected to be a 1^st round pick. Watson does a good job around the boards, and is a hard worker when he gets to the front of the net. Watson was very defensively responsible tonight and seems to do a good job breaking down plays in his own zone. Watson seems to play fairly similar to Kenny Ryan in both games I’ve seen him, and like Ryan, He needs to put forth more effort in developing his offensive game if he wants to be anything more than a 3^rd liner in the NHL. The potential, and the size is there, Watson may just need a little more time
(Watson had 1G)

Eric Wellwood - #67 - RW - YOB: 1991 - 5‘11” - 179lbs.
NHL: 6^th Round - 172^nd Overall by Philadelphia in 2009
Report: Jan/09/10: Hall may have had a goal and 3 assists, but Wellwood was, in my opinion the best Windsor player on the ice today. He plays with a never quit attitude, and has great speed. His size makes it difficult to keep up with bigger opponents sometimes, but his relentless effort and active stick make him a very solid and projectable penalty killer. Wellwood also handles the puck very well, and has a great shot. Wellwood appears to be a player who will have a good shot at starting his pro career in 2010-2011.
(Wellwood had 1G, 1A)

Thoughts on Erie and Windsor from December 10

I've been pretty busy lately, but I managed to catch this one on t.v. tonight. I hadn't seen the Otters much at all this year and I never run from a chance to catch Windsor, which made this game ideal for me to watch. It was kind of disappointing though. Not the most exciting OHL game you'll see, at least in my opinion. Windsor came out on top by a score of 3-1, a minimal spread considering their dominance of the game's pace.

Erie was largely kept in the game by the play of their star netminder, Jaroslav Janus. Since his return from the AHL, the team has been playing better hockey (above .500), and with good reason. I'm not sure there's much doubt in the minds of OHL followers about whether Janus is a top 3 netminder in this league. Erie's defense had a lot of trouble containing the speed and physicality of Windsor's forwards, especially down low in the offensive zone, and Janus bailed out his team on numerous occasions. Even with Janus in net, I'm still not sure this team is anything but a bottom seed in the Western Conference playoffs. That is...if they keep Janus. Although trading him could be quite the conundrum because of his unique status in the league (an import and overager).

The Spitfires again showed why they're such a dangerous team. While I felt like a large portion of their forwards tonight did not have their best games (Nemisz, Ryan, Timmins, to name a few), the depth, and quality of depth on this team ensures that they will always be dangerous. If a couple key players aren't performing, need not to worry since there will be about 5-6 others to pick up the slack. I'm really curious to see if this team makes a move before the deadline, especially to shore up their short term goaltending situation.

Some thoughts on individual performances. As always with Windsor, I'm not commenting on everyone because that task would be pretty tedious.

Erie Otters






Mitch Gaulton (NYR)
Outside of a bad penalty in the first period, I thought Gaulton played a very solid defensive game tonight. In the first he got beat by Taylor Hall to the outside and was forced to trip him up. But he tightened things up the rest of the game. Had a couple nice plays on forwards as they tried to break in towards the net with the puck, playing the man and not the puck itself. Because of that, Windsor had a hard time creating off the rush when he and partner Tyler Hostetter were on the ice (but not when David Shields was...poor guy). Offensively though, he was absent. The only time I noticed him in the offensive zone was when he made a bad pinch and got caught up ice, leading to an odd man rush by Windsor. I'm wondering where the confident offensive defenseman I saw last year is, the one who looked poised bringing the puck up ice and who was dangerous with his shot from the point. Have injuries derailed his offensive development?

David Shields (STL)
Not to pick on Mr. Shields, but he did not have a good game at all. Windsor forwards ate him up and spit him out all night. In the first, he got beat by Eric Wellwood at the blueline, allowing Wellwood in on a breakaway (which was foiled by Janus). Later in the first, he failed to keep pace with Dale Mitchell as he took him wide and to the side of the net, leading to Eric Wellwood's goal to tie the game at 1. Mitchell picked the puck up near the boards and exploded past Shields as he failed to keep up laterally. This caused Shields to be removed from the play, leaving his partner Paul Cianfrini to cover two Spitfires in front of the net. A tough task and it led to Eric Wellwood's goal in the slot. Later in the game, he tried to keep the puck in at the blueline of the offensive zone, but fumbled it and gave it away to Taylor Hall, leading to another breakaway (again stymied by Janus). Not a bright spot for Shields who finished the game -2.

Tyler Hostetter (PHI)
Was happy to see him sign a contract with Philly after the entry draft, as I was surprised he went unselected. I thought he played a solid game at both ends of the ice and has rounded himself into a very capable two-way defender. Did make a mistake in defensive coverage in the second period though, getting caught in no mans land and leaving Richard Panik wide open for the one timer to the back of the net. Outside of that, he played a quietly effective game and is appeared to be Erie's premier puck rushing defenseman.

Andrew Yogan (2010)
I thought Yogan was OK in the game. While he didn't generate a whole lot offensively (save a nice pass on a 2 on 1 to Jordan Coccimiglio, who was stoned by Passingham), I was impressed by his ability to control the puck along the boards. He's big, he's strong and he's obviously got offensive talent, even if it didn't shine through tonight. I've seen him play better. That being said, I'm still not sure I see him as a top 60 talent for this year's draft.

Greg McKegg (2010)
McKegg was OK too. I thought he was good in the first period, but invisible in the second and third. In the first he was creating off the rush and was one of the few Erie forwards applying pressure to Windsor's defense. He opened the game's scoring with a nice shot from the slot, beating Passingham (who had been taken out of position). McKegg started the play off by getting a good low shot on Passingham through traffic, generating a rebound which Zack Torquato picked up, and then fed back to McKegg for the tap in. I'm still not quite sure where to place him among 2010 eligible players though. With so many talented options available, does he get lost in the shuffle?

Jaroslav Janus (TBL)
Janus, as expected, was outstanding. He kept his team in this game despite numerous defensive gaffs. Stopped two breakaways (one by Wellwood, one by Taylor Hall), showing good flexibility and mobility on both. Stopped a two on one attempt finished off by Scott Timmins by sliding across and getting his body in front of a one timer. Was solid the entire game, challenging the shooter and going down in his butterfly to take away a good portion of the net. Rebound control was solid. Really nothing bad to say. He stopped 46 of 49, but took the loss.

Windsor Spitfires





Taylor Hall (2010)
Hall had a good game tonight. His speed and skill in transition was just too much to handle for Erie's defense. Even though he didn't make a large contribution on the scoresheet (a secondary assist), I felt like he was one of the most dangerous players on the ice. On the downside though, he showcased sloppy puck/pass decisions that we were seeing from him last season, and less of this season. I felt like he had really improved his decision making with the puck so far this year, but tonight he looked like Taylor of last year. Dangerous, but also at times a liability as he tried to carry the puck into traffic and as he threw wild blind passes to the center of the ice. Those are the types of plays that turn into turnovers and goals at the NHL level, and it would appear he still needs to work on eliminating those from his game.

Kenny Ryan (TOR)
Still not impressed by Ryan at all. I thought he was completely invisible. If I hadn't have been looking for number 26, I might have forgotten him all together. I still don't think there is any reason to worry yet though. Quite often, in the history of players who've made the mid season leap from NCAA to the CHL, these guys struggle to start as they slowly become adjusted. I think the real test for Ryan will come with so many players away at the World Juniors for Windsor. He'll see a much larger portion of offensive responsibility and I'll be curious to see how he deals with it.

Richard Panik (TBL)
I thought he was excellent tonight. I've heard a lot of Windsor fans talk about their disappointment with him this season but every time I've seen him play, he's been tremendous. Maybe I just keep catching him on good nights. He scored a goal off a nice one timed shot from a bad angle (that he roofed on Janus). He threw a couple really big hits and was a physical force in the corners. I even saw him make a very nice defensive play, as he filled in for a Windsor defenseman who got caught up ice on a bad pinch. Like most Euro players in this league, I think we'll see him get better and more consistent as the season goes along. By the end of the season, I somehow don't think many Windsor fans will be complaining about him anymore.

Mark Cundari (STL)
Another solid game from Cundari. Truthfully, I'm not sure there is a better defensive player in the OHL. If you manage to catch a game where a forward beats him off the rush or out positions him for a puck, write the date down to remember it. Tonight was no different. On the downside tonight, I felt like he was a bit careless in his decisions to rush the puck or contribute offensively. He turned it over twice in his own zone as he tried to carry it up ice, but then got stripped. He had several other good rushes, but he needs to be careful about picking his spots and becoming a bit overconfident in his puck rushing ability. Still finished the game +3 and is still the far and away +/- leader of the OHL. Have I mentioned he's underrated?

Eric Wellwood (PHI)
While I don't think there's a top 6 forward role waiting for him in the NHL, I do think the Flyers were very wise to use a draft selection last year on him. Tremendous speed, and tremendous awareness on the ice. I think he'll end up developing into an excellent third line/penalty killing forward. He's having quite a good season and picked up two points tonight. An assist on Richard Panik's goal, feeding him with a nice pass for the one timer. And a goal off Dale Mitchell's nice feed in the first period, burying one from the slot. Wellwood was named the game's first star.

Dale Mitchell (TOR)
The best player on the ice for me tonight. I thought Mitchell was all over the place. Created off the rush, dominated in the corners, and was pesky in front of the net. It wasn't just David Shields who had trouble with him tonight, it was the entire Otters team. I still don't agree with the decision to send him back to the OHL (because I think he's proved and improved all he can at this level), there is no denying that the Spitfires have to be happy to have him back in the line up. Just another cog in the machine.

Anyone else have thoughts on the game, or questions on players not mentioned (Cam Fowler by the way sat this one out with an undisclosed minor injury).

Ryan Yessie's Thoughts on Saginaw and Windsor

Ryan's been pretty busy lately, but he's still a good enough guy to supply us with his thoughts after seeing the Saginaw Spirit and Windsor Spitfires in Sarnia over the past couple of weeks. I for one always enjoy reading another perspective on things.

The thoughts on Saginaw come from games on the 30th of October and 5th of November. Saginaw dominated both games, winning the first game by a score of 6-1 and the second by a score of 4-1.

The thoughts on Windsor come from the Spitfires 7-1 victory over Sarnia last night (Friday, November 20).

After Sarnia started the year so strongly (much to the surprise of many), they've really cooled off lately. The Sting are only 2-8 in their last 10, winless in their last four, and now find themselves out of the playoffs in the Western Conference. Is it a slump or a return to reality for a young and rebuilding Sarnia hockey team. On a positive note, at least Ryan has a lot to tell us about the other team's top offensive players!

Here are Ryan's reports...

Sarnia vs. Saginaw - Oct/30/09 and Nov/5/09






T.J. Brodie - #79 - D - YOB: 1990 - 6’1” - 173lbs.
NHL: 4th Round - 114th Overall by Calgary in 2007
Report: Oct/30/09 & Nov/5/09: Brodie displays great speed even late in shifts and in games. On multiple occasions he displayed a very active stick applying pressure and forcing turnovers. Brodie appears to have off the charts hockey sense, and could be considered one of the best defencemen playing in the OHL this year. Brodie could work on being more physical and didn’t appear to have the hardest shot, but neither are things I’d consider to be flaws in his game.
(1G, 2A, +4, 2PIM in 2 Games)

Josh Shalla - #25 - LW - YOB: 1991 - 6’1” - 187lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Oct/30/09 & Nov/5/09: Shalla is eligible for this year’s draft. Shalla has an absolute laser of a shot. He either seems to score, just miss by inches, or force the goaltender to make a great save every time he puts the puck towards the net. Shalla also worked hard in the defensive zone. However his transition from one to the other (offense to defence, or defence to offense) may become an issue. Shalla appears to be a bit of a weak skater. This affected his ability to win battles for the puck, especially on dump ins, and transition plays. He is good along the boards, but his skating again prevented him from being as able to engage in as many battles as he could have. On breakout plays Shalla would likely benefit from being the trailer as a screen for his great shot could be utilized, and his lack of speed could be masked by set plays such as that.
(1G, 1A, +4, 2 PIM in 2 Games)

Jordan Szwarz - #10 - RW - YOB: 1991 - 5’11” - 186lbs.
NHL: 4th Round - 97th Overall by Phoenix in 2009
Report: Oct/30/09 & Nov/5/09: After being very impressed last year I have to say I was a little disappointed with his play. Both games he was uninvolved in the plays and disappeared for long stretches. His goal he scored was not out of skill but out of being the 2nd opportunity guy who just happened to find himself with an open side. Hopefully Szwarz improves his game from here on in.
(1G, 1A, +1 IN 2 Games played)

Ivan Telegin - #24 - C - YOB: 1992 - 6’3” - 185lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Oct/30/09 & Nov/5/09: Telegin was very impressive in both games. Great puck control, shot, decision making and is still only 17 years old. Telegin may have good speed, but is not your typical Russian. Telegin has great size and could fill out to a power forwards size. It isn’t his game but he is a decent hitter. Telegin utilizes his ability to control the puck, and his speed and shiftyness when moving up the ice to create scoring for himself. Telegin was Saginaw’s best forward in the 2 games played against Sarnia.
(2G, 2A, +5, 2 PIM in 2 games)

Cody Sol - #41 - D - YOB: 1991 - 6’5” - 214lbs.
NHL: 5th Round - 125th Overall by Atlanta in 2009
Report: Oct/30/09 & Nov/5/09: Sol has good speed and puck move movement abilities. For someone his size I’d go as far as consider it outstanding. His size after watching him the first half of last year left me wishing he’d use his size a bit more effectively, and he heard the bell on that one. He’s become a big physical presence using his size and was throwing hits all over his own zone during these two games. Also with his improve physical play he also showed he could hold his own against a Kyle Neuber who has a reputation as a good fighter (but we really haven’t seen that yet in Sarnia). Sol also showed off a decent shot from the point which he used a few times in these games. It doesn’t appear likely that Sol will become a top 4 defenceman at the NHL, but watching him develop I certainly see him making it as a very useful 3rd pairing defenceman.
(1A, +4, 9 PIM in 3 games)

Edward Pasquale - #80 - G - YOB: 1991 - 6’3” - 216lbs.
NHL: 4th Round - 117th Overall by Atlanta in 2009
Report: Oct/30/09 & Nov/5/09: Although he only let in 2 goals in 2 games, it was a tale of two goaltenders. In the first game Pasquale looked slow to react and relied heavily on size and his defense limiting scoring chances. He stayed deep in his net, but fortunately most shots went into his chest. He made a great save in the third period, but definitely did not look like a goaltender who was considered the #1 draft eligible goaltnder in North America 1 year ago at this time. The second game was much closer, and Pasquale was that much better. He came out to the top of his crease cutting down angles, responded better to shots in terms of his reflexes, and he came out of this game making several outstanding saves. This leaves me to wonder if consistency is the biggest thing for Pasquale to work on going forward.
(Stopped 63 of 65 shots in 2 games)
-----------------------------

Sarnia vs. Windsor Nov/20/09





Taylor Hall - #4 - LW - YOB: 1991 - 6’1” - 185lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Nov/20/09: After being amazed by Taylor Hall for 3 years I can say I wasn’t overly impressed with his efforts tonight. There’s no denying his top end skating, puck handling, and ability to rush the puck up the ice, but it never really translated into much until this game was already put away. However that one goal was one for the highlight reel, breaking out one on one short handed with a defenceman I hold pretty high in my rankings Nathan Chiarlitti, and just absolutely posterized him, then made a beautiful move on Campbell to slide the puck in. It was, to be honest coming from a Sarnia follower a Stamkos-like play that we saw for years here, there‘s no other way to compare it. However what happened after the goal was not Stamkos-like at all. Hall carried on with a huge celebration including the “Ovechkin leap“ into the glass. For a player of his caliber to do this when scoring the goal that makes the game 7-1 with less than 3 minutes left in the 3rd, especially for one that did very little for his team in this game the first 57 minutes of this game compared to the way he usually plays. It was fairly tasteless, ignorant, and to be honest I’ve been a fan of Hall since he was a 16 year old, but I lost a little respect for him, and his coach for that matter who would let one of their players carry on like that after scoring a meaningless goal. It was a highlight reel goal, but come on Taylor.
(Hall had 1G, +1 tonight)

Adam Henrique - #14 - C - YOB: 1990 - 6’1” - 196lbs.
NHL: 3rd Round - 82nd Overall by New Jersey in 2008
Report: Nov/20/09: “Most underrated player in the league” Is certainly a title worthy of describing Adam Henrique. He reminds me a lot of Matt Halischuk when he was with the OHL Champion Kitchener Rangers a few years back. He has great speed, plays hard in his own end, and just has a gift for putting the puck into the net. Henrique was key in face-offs, and just was; in my mind Windsor’s best forward all night. Not many people would know this but Henrique now has 22 goals in 25 games, an outstanding pace for someone who isn’t even recognized as one of Windsor’s top 5 players by many that are either not very in tuned with the OHL, or outside of Windsor. I would not be shocked to see Henrique in a 3rd line role in New Jersey as soon as next year.
(Henrique had 2G, 2 PIM tonight)

Kenny Ryan - #26 - RW - YOB: 1991 - 6’0” - 204lbs.
NHL: 2nd Round - 50th Overall by Toronto in 2009
Report: Nov/20/09: Kenny Ryan neither impressed or disappointed me in this game. I put in a report mainly because not that many people have seen him in person yet in the OHL. He seems to have decent but not great speed, good puck handling abilities and makes good decisions along the boards. He floated a lot in the neutral zone, looking for a pass to score and abandoned his defensive responsibilities, but overall Kenny Ryan leaves me thinking he’s one of those guys who, when Timmins and Mitchell, and likely a few of Nemisz, Henrique, and maybe Hall are gone, steps up and shows what he’s capable of.
(Ryan had 1G tonight)

Richard Panik - #28 - C/RW - YOB: 1991 - 6’2” - 197lbs.
NHL: 2nd Round - 52nd Overall by Tampa Bay in 2009
Report: Nov/20/09: Richard Panik has a lot of boom or bust perceptions around him. He would serve better as a Right Wing prospect, as supposed to the Center position he played for a few shifs this game. I have a hard time seeing him compete with Lecavilier or Stamkos in the top two in Tampa. Panik showed off some impressive speed, especially someone at his size that can fly like that. He was willing to play physical, and I know one of the knocks on him is laziness and not being good at his side of the red line, but he played hard in the defensive zone, and if he is still inconsistent, he certainly chose this to be one of the games he showed up to. He scored the first of two highlight reel goals for Windsor. He was coming out front around the back of the net, and he may have got tripped, or just dove for the puck, either way on his way down was able to slip the puck past Campbell short side. Panik would score again but would not be anything compared to his first goal. Overall I didn’t see any flaws in his game, but if his reputation is that he doesn’t show up to some games, then that may be a concern, but he certainly showed up tonight.
(Panik had 2G, +2 tonight)

Ryan Ellis - #6 - D - YOB: 1991 - 5’10” - 170lbs.
NHL: 1st Round - 11th Ovearll by Nashville in 2009
Report: Nov/20/09: Ellis did not really stand out the way he did last year in games I watched, however he wasn’t bad either. He certainly made a few Sting players wish they didn’t block his shot, but he really only got one to the net on the PP. Ellis does look a fair amount improved with his skating, but will either need to continue to improve, or add more of a physical element to his game if he ever wants to wear a Predator jersey, considering how many good defencemen they have, plus fellow prospect Jonathon Blum and Cody Franson who are both spending most of their time in Milwaukee and are ahead of Ellis in both development, and arguably overall potential if he can’t improve one of those two.
(Ellis had 2A, +1 tonight)

Cam Fowler - #6 - D - YOB: 1991 - 6’2” - 190lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Nov/20/09: Fowler was hands down Windsor’s best defenceman tonight. He was skating great, threw some solid hits, shot the puck well, moved the puck well, there really wasn’t any flaws in his game. Add in the fact that his skating was so smooth for someone who looked bigger than 6’2”, and factor in that when he is done growing could wind up as big as 6’4” 220 is just amazing to project where he’ll be. I was set on Hall/Seguin going 1-2 in this draft, but Fowler will definitely make the top 3 very interesting. Not sure how much more I can elaborate, but his puck moving and skating were just better than everyone else from the blueline in this game, and didn’t really show any weaknesses in his game tonight.
(Fowler had 3A, +1 tonight)

Thanks to Ryan again. Any thoughts for him?

Thoughts on Windsor and Sault Ste. Marie from November 5

Having only seen these teams a few times this year so far, I decided to catch this one on the Action Pack last night. The game saw the recent return of very important players for both clubs. Jordan Nolan was playing in his second game back after serving a 20 game suspension stemming from an incident involving Plymouth's R.J. Mahalak at the end of last season. Ryan Ellis played in his first game in over a month after suffering a wrist injury. Meanwhile the Hounds were still without the services of forward James Livingston (death in the family) and goaltender Robin Lehner (apparently has H1N1 virus).

After coming away with two wins last weekend, it was a big chance for the Hounds to get back on track and start off this week well. But they came up short. The Spitfires forwards were just too fast and too skilled, causing a lot of trouble for the Hounds defense. Bryce O'Hagan had a very good game in net for the Hounds, as he faced 45 shots, the majority of which were solid scoring chances. I still think that Sault Ste. Marie is a good team in the West and that they'll make the playoffs. But with a young defense (minus the two overagers) and a young roster in general, there will be some bumps along the way.

Some individual thoughts on the players...As always with a Windsor game, it's hard to keep up with the many NHL prospects they have.

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds






Brandon Archibald (2010)
Of the Hounds younger defenseman, Archibald was the best last night. I know that's not saying a lot, but I felt he displayed some things that makes him an attractive NHL prospect. I know every time I've seen him play, I've come away impressed (to differing extents). He made a couple of nice defensive plays on Taylor Hall, staying with him on the rush and forcing him to go outside. For a big guy, he has pretty good mobility. He did get blown by once by Hall though on the powerplay, as he was caught standing still. That's more positionally related though and not necessarily mobility. Offensively, he had his ups and downs. I know he can handle the puck and make a good first pass out of his zone, but he needs more confidence doing it. Towards the end of the game he made a nice pinch and put a good hard shot on net. He's capable offensively, just needs more confidence. I think he's nearly a carbon copy to Matt Clark in Brampton, and we saw how high Clark was drafted in 2009. This leads me to believe Archibald is easily a top 60 selection at this point too.

Daniel Catenacci (2011)
All this kid needs is added strength. He's got all the offensive capabilities you look for. Killer speed, which he used to breakthrough the defense on a few occasions last night. Offensive instincts, he knows where to be on the ice. His all around game is maturing and he's not afraid to take a hit to make a play or go into the corners for a loose puck. He's just missing the strength and conditioning that would allow him to be a dominant offensive force in this league. Because he's not strong enough, he's relying strictly on his speed right now to generate offensive scoring chances. Any time the game slows down, he gets held up by the defense. His shot strength isn't where it needs to be at this point either. Had a few good opportunities coming down the wing, but put a weak shot right into the chest of Passingham both times. By the end of the season, you'll see, he'll be much better and more dynamic, as he gets stronger.

Jordan Nolan (LA)
Didn't take him long to get his game back. He was the Greyhounds best skater in the game. Really the only Greyhound player generating scoring chances (save a few nice plays from Catenacci). His acceleration and first step aren't great, but once he gets going, he's hard to stop. Took the puck to the outside and beat his defender along the wall a couple of times, both leading to eventual scoring chances. On the lone Hounds goal, he made a beautiful pass to a streaking Michael Quesnele on the powerplay. It was a beautiful and hard pass cross ice through two Spits defenders. The only thing he's missing right now is his timing. Had a few good opportunities to score but missed on them as he either failed to get a shot off, or shot it well wide.

Brock Beukeboom (2010)
I like Beukeboom, but he had a terrible game last night. Definitely the worst I've ever seen him play. To an extent, I almost feel like he was exposed a bit too. Greyhounds fans might be able to comment more, but after that hot start, he's really quieted down lately. His mobility and foot speed really got exposed in this game as a weakness. Richard Panik exploded by him twice, once hitting the post, the other time drawing a penalty. On a few other plays, his positioning got exposed as players went by him as he got caught standing around or turning around. He was terrible with the puck too, committing several bad passes. One was inside his own zone as he made a pass to partner Michael Quesnele. The pass was more like a slap shot and Quesnele was nowhere near ready for the speed or inaccuracy of the pass, this lead to a turnover and another post hit by Richard Panik. Towards the end of the 3rd period, he committed an atrocious turnover that lead to a Spitfires 3-0 break and a Taylor Hall goal. As the rest of his team was going off for a change, instead of dumping the puck in, he decided to make a drop pass...to no one. Just a complete brain fart. Definitely not the best game for this 2010 prospect.

Bryce O'Hagan (2010)
I thought he played exceptionally well last night. He has very good goaltending mechanics. Got himself square to the shooter on every play and reads and reacts well to the play, knowing when to challenge the shooter. His rebound control is very strong too and he did a good job of freezing that puck. He really couldn't be faulted on any of the Spitfires goals and did his best to keep his team in the game. After starting the season so well, he's struggled lately on the stat sheet. Hounds fans is this a reflection of his play or on the Hounds defense? On the negative side, he really needs to stop handling the puck. Every time he went out to try and make a play on the puck, he ended up giving it away to the Spitfires. And every time that caused a scoring chance. Stay in your net Bryce!...or keep working on those puck skills (or at least the timing of using them anyway). He made 41 of 45 saves and took the loss.

Windsor Spitfires







Taylor Hall (2010)
Just all over the place in this one. After some people criticized him for not really taking a step forward last season (perhaps merited), there is no doubt in my mind that he has this year. His speed and puck carrying ability is second to none in this league. His ability to make plays at his highest speed is his greatest quality. He's really cut down on the turnovers this year too, from what I've seen. In previous years, I found that he could be forced into turning the puck over around the neutral zone, but I haven't been seeing that this year. He's been much smarter with the puck. To open the game he had a highlight reel goal, an NHL quality goal on the powerplay. Cam Fowler hit him with a pass cross ice and Hall unleashed a howitzer on the one timer top shelf. Not even Roberto Luongo stops that one. Gained an assist after making a nice pass to Adam Henrique on a two on one in the third period. Finally, got a late third period goal after stealing Brock Beukeboom's terrible backpass and going in on a breakaway, going five hole on O'Hagan. I think Hall's defensive game has improved by leaps and bounds too, and he's playing effectively on the penalty kill. Not much he can't do right now. Finished the game with 2 goals and an assist.

Ryan Ellis (NSH)
Good to see Ellis back from that wrist injury. He was great in the game. Solid at both ends of the ice, is starting to become a very capable positional defender. Absolutely nailed Daniel Catenacci with a great hit as he tried to gain access over the blueline. Not many guys run a powerplay like this guy too, which everyone knows. His instincts are so strong. I've never seen a defenseman at this level with the ability to keep the puck in the zone that he has. Unless the puck is going 100mph out of the zone, this guy is stopping it at the line. He finished with an assist.

Adam Henrique (NJ)
Had a solid game as always. Brings speed, forechecking ability, hard work and two way play to the ice every game. Made a nice move in close for the 2 on 1 goal with Taylor Hall. Went to the backend and chipped it up over O'Hagan's shoulder. Not much else to say here other than he's turned into one of the more dependable players in the OHL and if I'm picking Team Canada for the WJC's, he's part of my shutdown line.

Cam Fowler (2010)
So much to like about Fowler. That pass to Hall on the powerplay for the one timer goal was a work of art. Hard, through the defense, right on the stick. As I said, that's an NHL play. Defensively, he's solid positionally and uses his mobility to prevent forwards from getting by him. His play along the boards and in front of the net is vastly improving too. On the downside, every time I see him play, he makes at least one boneheaded play with the puck in his own zone. Tonight was a bad pass straight up the middle of the ice from behind his net. It was picked off and created a good shot opportunity on Passingham. Those brain farts really have to improve. He finished with an assist.

Kenny Ryan (TOR)
My first look at Ryan in the OHL and didn't come away impressed. Only one viewing so by no means am I making a concrete assessment of Ryan's future. But he was very sluggish in this game. Hard to tell if it was effort/endurance or skating, but he had a really hard time in getting by the opposing defense (about the only Windsor play who did have trouble). He tried to be active on the forecheck, but was often too slow to reach the puck carrier. Outside of that, he was pretty much invisible. But I've heard some good things out of the folks in Windsor, so I'm obviously going to see him play again. He finished with an assist on the Hall/Henrique two on one goal.

Richard Panik (TBL)
To an extent, I think Panik has been receiving some criticism in Windsor this year. Fans expected more out of him offensively than he's been giving them. Every time I've seen him play, I have come away with something different. The true reflection of an enigma. But he was quite good last night. He hit two posts and had a very nice pass to Scott Timmins for his first period goal. I actually really like his on ice vision as every time I've seen him play, he makes a really nice pass finding a streaking player. Shows good awareness and anticipation of the play. His speed and size makes him difficult to contain too, when he shows the willingness to take the puck to the net. At this point of the season last year, guys like Loktionov and Grachev were enigma's too. For Euro players, it can take time for them to find consistency in the OHL.

Justin Shugg (2010)
Another guy who's been ice cold lately after a hot start. Not going to add much here. Was pretty invisible in the game.

Mark Cundari (STL)
Honestly, the most underrated player in the OHL (I think I say that every time I see Windsor). He's playing with so much confidence right now too. Offensively, he's making the smart play and he's taking good chances with the puck. He's not afraid to pinch in to make a play to keep possession in the offensive end. He does a great job of getting his shot through to the net, and unlike a guy like Cam Fowler, he doesn't feel the need to use a slapper all the time. Defensively, he's a rock. Not a single Greyhound player got by him tonight (OK that's a lie, one did and he took a holding penalty on the play, but it was as he was coming back into the zone on a rush, so technically, the player didn't get by him, he was returning on the backcheck). He's physical, he's smart and he's definitely an NHL caliber prospect. Don't be surprised if he gets an invite to the Team Canada WJC camp with the way he's playing right now.

Harry Young (NJ)
Harry was Harry tonight. Good defensive composure, good for a few hard slapshots on net from the point. Made a really nice defensive play on Jordan Nolan. Nolan got by him on his way to the net, but Young kept his feet moving, engaged physical contact and used his long reach to knock the puck away. If you're a big stay at home defenseman, that's all you can ask for.

Austin Watson (2010)
Had a good game even though he didn't get any points to show for it. I know I keep saying it, but when this guy adds more muscle to his frame, he's going to be an absolute beast. He's already hard for defenseman to contain down low. I like his willingness to take the puck to the net as soon as he gets it on his stick too. He doesn't mess around.

Greg Nemisz (CGY)
Had a very strong game despite not notching any points. In the first period, he had several quality scoring chances. I think his speed has really improved, and he's using his size more to take the puck to the net, rather than being satisfied with being a complimentary offensive player. I don't think he'll ever been a power forward at the NHL level, because he doesn't really hit people or use his size in that way, but as an offensive forward with size and soft hands, he still has a great future ahead of him. If not for a few nice saves from Bryce O'Hagan, Nemisz would have definitely hit the score sheet.

Eric Wellwood (PHI)
Really like him on the wing, where he was playing last night. Definitely one of the fastest players in the OHL, and that causes a lot of problems for opposing defenses. He had a couple of nice rushes with the puck, although nothing really came of them. He was also very good on the penalty kill, as he always is. Before being held pointless in his last two games, Wellwood was on a major tear with 16 points in 9 games. Looks like the Philadelphia Flyers were pretty smart in grabbing him with a draft pick in 2009.

Scott Timmins (FLA)
Timmins has 11 goals in his last 10 games and really seems to be playing with a lot of confidence right now. Showing no hesitation in shooting the puck. In a couple of occasions, he really rifled it just missing the net. Puck was on his stick one second, and to the net the next. No hesitation and that shows confidence. I'm still not sure he's an offensive player at the next level, but he's at least a very strong two way forward who hit the ice for you put in a solid effort. Scored his first period goal off a nice feed from Richard Panik, as he was found cutting to the net across the ice, beating his defender and going over O'Hagan's shoulder (and off the cross bar and then off a Greyhounds defenseman) and in.

Questions and comments are always welcome. Anyone else see the game?

Sunday Top 10 - An Early Look at 2010

With the 2009 NHL Entry Draft behind us, I'd like to take a closer look at the OHL prospects eligible for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Obviously, with another full year of OHL hockey ahead of us, and three major tournaments (Ivan Hlinka, Under 20 WJC's, Under 18 WJC's), a top 10 list could be conceived as premature. That being said, I think a lot of 1992 born (and late 1991) players had excellent seasons and it gives us at least an early indication of who we can expect to see at the top of a list like this a year from now.

In making a list like this, it's obvious how talented this crop of players is. I had a lot of trouble narrowing it down to a Top 10. The top end talent is there, as is the depth. It may seem early to say, but I think this may be the best and deepest OHL talent crop since 2003.

Another astute observation sees a lot of average or undersized forwards in this top 10. Part of me sees this as asinine because of the emphasis put on size in 2009. When a talented guy like Alex Hutchings can fall to the 4th, and a big "project" like Jamie Devane can go in the 3rd, you know that NHL scouts see size as important in today's NHL. However, I just couldn't ignore the talent level of these players, and subsequently I left out a lot of bigger forwards (Austin Watson, Andrew Yogan, Greg Sutch, etc). Is this likely to change next year? Who knows.

Here is my very early look at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft Top 10 (from the OHL of course).

10. Jared Knight - London Knights
Knight has the makings of a dominant power winger. He doesn't have the ideal size of a power forward at pushing 6'0, but he brings all the other intangibles. He's aggressive on the forecheck, he works the corners, he takes the body, he drops the gloves. On top of that, he's actually got a lot of skill. I think he has the potential to put up high offensive numbers in this league. And I think that could happen as early as next year when he's surely a lock to move into London's top 6.

9. J.P. Anderson - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
I look at the emphasis put on goaltender size in this years entry draft, and it makes me wonder where a guy like Anderson will fit in next year. At 5'10, he's definitely an undersized goalie. However, he impressed me a ton this year. In the playoffs for Mississauga, he was unbelievable. And at the Under 17's, he was great in backstopping Team Ontario. Clearly, Anderson is a big game goalie. Getting off to a quick start next year is going to be crucial for him. He's still going to be in a platoon battle with Chris Carrozzi and he'll need to play a high level of hockey to emerge as the true number one. But when a 92 born goalie performs as well as he did in the playoffs, people take notice.

8. Tyler Toffoli - Ottawa 67's
Toffoli is another one of those averaged sized forwards. Listed at pushing 6 feet, Toffoli is an offensively talented winger who caught my eye with his determination this year. He's a slick offensive player, but he's not afraid of the danger areas. He isn't afraid of the front of the net or the slot and he takes the punishment associated with occupying that space. However, he's also a very elusive player. He's one of those forwards who finds open space well, despite not being a speedster. Ottawa's coaching staff seemed to have a lot of confidence in him this season and in particular the playoffs. When Ottawa played Niagara in the first round, Toffoli was often used as an offensive catalyst. He would be placed on a line that wasn't performing well offensively, in order to give it a boost. I think he's a guy we see a lot of progression in next year, as he gets more confident in having the puck on his stick, and as he gets stronger.

7. Tyler Seguin - Plymouth Whalers
Seguin is one of those guys that is flying under a lot of people's radar right now. He doesn't get mentioned with the best of this draft class, perhaps because he isn't as flashy or because he's isnt the biggest. However, Seguin is very talented. A lot of people look at the season he had (67 points) and comment on how he was part of one of the best lines in the OHL with Chris Terry and Matt Caria. I think most people also assume that Terry and Caria did the majority of the heavy lifting and his stats may be inflated because of that. That assumption won't be proven wrong or right until next season. But keep in mind that Seguin was fantastic for Team Ontario at the Under 17's, finishing 2nd in tournament scoring. Seguin is an exceptionally talented playmaker and next season I think he proves to a lot of people that Terry and Caria's success may have in fact been a by product of Seguin's performance.

6. Jeff Skinner - Kitchener Rangers
Skinner is definitely not the biggest guy out there, but he's one of the most exciting to watch. He topped a past top 10, where I ranked the most impressive 92's this season. Every time I saw him play, he caught my eye for the better. He gives 100% all the time and uses his speed to be a pest to the opposition. I don't think he size holds him back because of the elusive quality he possesses, in combination with what appears to be really solid strength. He reminds me of Bryan Little in the way that he uses his lower body to protect the puck, despite not being the biggest. Skinner is also incredibly skilled and has the ability to make that electrifying one on one move. With the talent coming in to Kitchener this season, Skinner should be at the forefront of their explosion. Judging by how well he ended the season, Skinner could very well finish the season as the 2nd highest scoring forward among his draft class behind Taylor Hall.

5. Joey Hishon - Owen Sound Attack
Hishon is another little guy with little fear. He is exceptionally talented offensively, as many people saw at the most recent Under 18's. Hishon finished with 5 goals and 5 assists in 6 games, which led Canada in scoring. Much like Skinner and Toffoli, Hishon's size holds him back very little. He hits open scoring lanes, he crashes the net, and has no fear in working the corners. Being a late birthdate 91, and undersized, Hishon is going to need to have an explosive offensive season in Owen Sound in order to maintain a solid draft position.

4. John McFarland - Sudbury Wolves
Admittedly, McFarland would not have been at number 4 on this list before the Under 18's. In my viewings of him in Sudbury this year, he did not impress. The skill level was evident, however the determination, strength, team play, and two way play were absent. Anyone else I've talked to felt the same way. Perhaps that is a reflection of Sudbury's disappointing season in general. However at the Under 18's, McFarland was outstanding. He finished 1 point behind Hishon for the team lead and I felt that at times, he was Canada's best player, at a tournament largely designed for 1991 born players. His offensive skill level is incredibly high. He needs to play really well in Sudbury next year and show that he can lead a team. If he can do that, he could very well be a top 10 pick.

3. Erik Gudbranson - Kingston Frontenacs
This big and talented rearguard had an incredibly impressive season for a 1992 born player. He was solid for a disappointing Kingston team, one that probably held back his offensive production. He was probably the best defenceman for Team Ontario at the Under 17's (honorable mention to Stephen Silas), who won Gold. And he was solid for Team Canada at the Under 18's, not looking out of place at all. With the way he skates at 6'3 (and growing), and his ability to play at both ends of the ice, he's going to need to take a huge step back next year in order to NOT be a top 10 selection.

2. Cam Fowler - Windsor Spitfires
I debated this one for a while. Fowler or Hall at number 1? I think it's really close. In the end, to be honest, I gave the nod to Hall because he's actually playing in the OHL and because I know what he's capable of in that league. Fowler, of course, is a talented two way defenceman from the US Development Program who has signed on to play for the Spitfires next season. He's coming off an excellent season for the program, and an even better Under 18's where he was named the tournament's best defenceman in helping Team USA to Gold. If anyone saw that tournament, they would have seen what he's capable of.

1. Taylor Hall - Windsor Spitfires
Like I said, it was close. But I gave the nod to Hall because of my familiarity with him. And heck, if I want to give the nod to Fowler for winning Under 18 Gold, I can't forget that Hall was a crucial member of Team Canada's Gold medal winning Under 18 team the year before. He didn't play this year due to Windsor's Memorial Cup run. Everyone knows how much offensive ability they are getting with Hall, however I think his performance in the playoffs and Memorial Cup really increased his stock (if that's possible). The one knock on him previously, was that he didn't show up in big games. He didn't have a strong playoffs last year, where Windsor got bounced disappointingly early. This year, he returned determined to lead Windsor to the promised land, which he did. The only thing he's got left to prove is becoming a valuable member of Team Canada at the Under 20 WJC's, where he was cut this year. It'll be quite the battle to see teammates Hall and Fowler battle it out for the likely first overall spot in 2010.

Honorable Mentions:
I don't normally include an HM list in the Sunday Top 10, however due to the nature of the list, I felt it appropriate this week.

Keep an eye on the "big" forwards I left off. Guys like Austin Watson, Greg Sutch, Andrew Yogan, Steven Shipley, and Ryan Martindale. Yogan will try to continue his solid play with Erie next year, where I hope he continues to develop his power forward game and mean streak. Sutch was recently traded to Mississauga. He played last year with Sarnia and he has a lot of talent. He skates exceptionally well for a big man and he has offensive talent despite putting up few points last year. Watson will look to play a bigger role in Windsor and establish himself as a consistent scorer. Shipley can hopefully take a step forward next season offensively, after a slightly disappointing rookie season. And Martindale just needs to stay healthy.

Also keep an eye on Ryan Spooner, the one undersized forward I left off. Admittedly, he was the last guy I cut off this list, which makes you wonder even further about a possible fascination of mine with undersized forwards. Spooner is a pure goal scorer and can hopefully establish himself as a more consistent threat this year.

Lastly, keep an eye on two defenceman. Ryan O'Connor in Barrie is an undersized defenceman cut from the same cloth as Ryan Ellis. He quietly had a very strong offensive season and is going to be quarterbacking a very solid Barrie powerplay next season. Also, Belleville's Stephen Silas. He was fantastic at the Under 17's, but didn't play a large role in Belleville. With P.K. Subban gone, Silas might be a guy who explodes next year and establishes himself as a very, very solid NHL draft pick.

That's it for our early look. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts, or even your own top 10 list for 2010. Stay tuned for next week's Top 10. Not sure what the topic will be yet though.

Sunday Top 10 - Playoff Performers

With the OHL Playoffs coming to an end Friday night, it's only fitting that this week's Sunday Top 10 takes a look at the top performers of this years playoffs. This was a hard list to make because so many players stepped up their games this year. However, here's what I think...

10. John Carlson - London Knights
Carlson was outstanding for London in the playoffs this year, his first time going to the OHL playoffs. Posting 7 goals, 15 assists and a +11 rating, Carlson was the second highest scoring defenseman of the playoffs, behind Windsor's Ryan Ellis. Carlson's ppg average was actually slightly higher than Ellis'. His 22 points also lead the Knights in scoring.In past years, the Knight's defense had taken some criticism in the playoffs for not quite playing well enough, so Carlson's (and the rest of the defense) effort was huge this year to push London to the West final. Carlson has since moved on to the AHL where he's actually playing with Hershey in their quest for the Calder Cup, already scoring a game winning goal for them.

9. J.P. Anderson - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Sure Mississauga only made it to the Eastern semi final, but the reason for that was the play of this young, 1993 born rookie. After veteran starter Chris Carrozzi faltered at the beginning of the team's first round series with Barrie, Majors Coach Dave Cameron turned to Anderson to get the Majors further in the playoffs. The rookie was up to the test, playing out of this world in the net for the Majors. The Majors ended up losing to the eventual Eastern Champion Brampton Battalion in a hard fought 6 game series in the second round, however Anderson's effort can not go overlooked. With the OHL playoffs over, his 2.50 GAA is still tops among playoff goalies, and his .928 SV% is right up near the top. With his performance at the Under 17's and now in the playoffs, this somewhat undersized goaltender is quickly making himself a serious prospect for the 2010 NHL entry draft.

8. Tyler Seguin - Matt Caria - Chris Terry - Plymouth Whalers
After finishing the OHL regular season as the hottest line in the league, these three carried it over to the playoffs, steamrolling the Sarnia Sting in the first round and coming close against the eventual OHL Champion Spitfires in the second round. They finished the playoffs with a combined 21 goals, and 26 assists in 11 games. Outside of Ryan Hayes, the Plymouth secondary scoring just wasn't occuring, so these three had to take over games, and take over games they did.

7. Nick Palmieri - Belleville Bulls
After a somewhat underwhelming regular season, Palmieri absolutely exploded in the playoffs for Belleville. He finished the playoffs with 14 goals, 2nd overall for the playoffs, 3 of which were game winners. While the big guns in Eric Tangradi, and Luke Pither, among others were solid for Belleville too, they needed someone like Palmieri to step up to provide that secondary scoring. It's only the wish of this blogger that Palmieri play like that all the time. He has the ability to take over games with his physical abilities, however he seldom does so. Hopefully at the next level, he's able to make a more consistent contribution.

6. Cody Hodgson - Brampton Battalion
Hodgson, as always, was fantastic for Brampton in this years playoffs, cementing the fact that he's one of the best players not currently in the NHL. He finished the playoffs as the 3rd leading scorer and was obviously a huge reason Brampton was able to reach the OHL finals. I wish him the best in Vancouver next season, as I can all but guarentee he won't be back in Brampton next season for another playoff run.

5. Phil Varone - London Knights
Varone may not have lead the Knights in scoring, but he was certainly critical in the team's push for the Western Championship. He finished tied with John Tavares with 10 goals in 14 games, however he had 3 of the teams 9 game winning goals. He was also +17. Varone, always a solid secondary scoring threat, stepped up huge to become a primary scoring threat in the playoffs. The undersized forward may have done a lot to help his draft stock for the 2009 draft with his performance in the playoffs.

4. Ryan Ellis - Windsor Spitfires
The reigning OHL defenseman of the year did nothing to disappoint in this years playoffs, finishing tied for third in playoff scoring with 31 points. He also finished the playoffs at +16 and largely stepped up his defensive game, which has taken some lashings in the past few months. There are still some doubts as to where Ellis is going to go in the 2009 NHL draft, however I'm sure scouts were in attendance to see him play in the playoffs, and you had to think most of them came away pretty impressed with the way he was able to step up his game to yet another level.

3. Andrei Loktionov - Windsor Spitfires
The second leading scorer in the playoffs, Loktionov stepped up huge for the Spits, adding yet another element to its already dominant offense. The super skilled Russian upped his ppg average from 1.30 to 1.65 in the playoffs and is really starting to generate a lot of buzz about his offensive ability. Loktionov also finished the playoffs at a league leading +18, implying even further his dominance while on the ice.

2. Matt Duchene - Brampton Battalion
Scouts have to be drooling all over this kid. Redline Report has even gone so far as to suggest he's a better professional prospect than John Tavares. His playoff performance goes a long way to support their claim. Duchene finished with 14 goals (tied for 2nd) and 26 points. However, 6 of his goals were game winners, meaning Duchene scored nearly half of Brampton's game winning goals in the playoffs. His clutch play earns him this spot on the list. I think he pretty much locked up his spot in the top 5 of the NHL draft.

1. Taylor Hall - Windsor Spitfires
How can you argue with the OHL's selection as playoff MVP? Hall was fantastic for Windsor, leading the playoffs in goals with 16 and points with 36. Even more so, Hall erases some of the doubts after last year's disappointing play in the first round. He's showed that he's matured as a player and become the leader of the best team in the OHL. If he keeps playing the way he has, I can't see how anyone else but Hall can be the first overall pick in the 2010 NHL draft.
Stay tuned for next week's Top 10, where I'll take a look at the best "mini mights" in the OHL.

Thoughts on October action by a new contributor

Alright folks, in an effort to make this blog the most comprehensive it can be, I've brought in another person to provide his thoughts on OHL action. His name is Ryan Yessie and he's a Sarnia Sting fan. He's also an avid OHL follower and he's someone who's opinion on OHL prospects I greatly trust. I hope you enjoy reading his posts!

Here are some thoughts from Ryan on a few October games he was able to catch.

October 10. - Sarnia vs. Windsor



Miroslav Preisinger (NHL: 2009 Eligible)
Report: Oct/10/08: Preisinger has really brought his game to another level since having a very slow start this year. At first it looked like he didn’t have the skill to keep up, after being a player considered to be picked in the first round of this years draft, his play was alittle disappointing. He was easy to knock off the puck, and seemed afraid of physical contact, as well he wouldn’t shoot the puck. Tonight Preisinger played at high speeds most of the night and made a picture perfect pass to set up a goal in the 3rd period. For what it’s worth E.J. Maguire was at the game and about 5 ft. away from myself when the goal went in.. it looked like he couldn’t take his notebook out fast enough and began to write something down seconds after the goal. (Preisinger had 1A)

Ryan Ellis (NHL: 2009 Eligible)
Report: Oct/10/08: Ellis looks like the real deal, skates quickly and accelerates in his first few strides effortlessly. Great positioning defensively. He isn’t going to wow anyone with his defensive ability, but they are much better than the average offensive defenceman. Ellis showed great puck moving skills, could work on his shot power, but that will develop as he gets stronger. (Ellis had 1A, 2PIM)

Taylor Hall (NHL: 2009 Eligible)
Report: Oct/10/08: It’s amazing that Hall is still going to be in the OHL one more year, he along with Katic were easily the fastest skaters on the ice tonight. Hall plays a lot like Stamkos, just does everything at such a high speed, he doesn’t look quite up to par with what Stamkos was in his two years in the OHL overall, but Hall without question belongs in the same class. (Hall had 1G, 1A)

October 11. - Sarnia vs. Saginaw

Cody Sol (NHL: 2009 Eligible)
Report: Oct/11/08: Sol looked pretty good out there overall, big defenceman, doesn’t use his size physically that well, but uses it well positionally. Very smooth skater, very impressive for someone his age. Unfortunately he left near the end of the 1st period and didn’t return. Don’t expect much offensive output from him. But he could be a good reliable defenceman as time goes on.

Jordan Szwarz (NHL: 2009 Eligible)
Report: Oct/11/08: Szwarz looked very impressive. Great puck skills, and decent speed, moved the puck well and has a good accurate shot. Playing on the top line with Combs. He looked like the best forward on the team tonight. Not sure where he projects but he’s the kinda player you could steal in the 4th or 5th round. (Szwarz had 1G,1A)

T.J. Brodie (NHL: Calgary 4th rd/114th overall)
Report: Oct/11/08: Brodie looked like he really improved from training camp. Plays with an extra jump in his game than he had last year. Doesn’t shy away from initiating physical contact, great puck movement and played well in both ends of the ice. Most improved player on Saginaw from last year hands down. (Brodie had 1G,1A)

Shayne Campbell (NHL: Eligible in 2011)
Report: Oct/11/08: 15 year old goaltender that made the team for the Sting. Looked very impressive in two games against Windsor, and one against Saginaw. However after sitting out 3 games in a row and not being given much time ahead of the overagers Hache seems to have lost some of his confidence. Made a few impressive saves, but also let in some goals that he would have had in his first 3 games. Campbell still has plenty of time, but as it stands Sarnia is not handling his development properly. (Stopped 26 of 31 shots)

October 17. - Sarnia vs. Oshawa



John Tavares (NHL: Eligible in 2009)
Report: Oct/17/08: Tavares looks like a top pick in the draft, he has impressive lateral movement, he seems to always make the right decisions with the puck, and is almost impossible to move from the front of the net, when he is moved he always seems to find the right spot. He isn’t going to dominate with speed and skill like Hall or Stamkos, instead he has remarkable positioning, great puck movement, and a hard accurace shot with a quick release. However if Taylor Hall was in the draft this year, I believe he would go ahead of Tavares. (Tavares had 1G, 1A)

Brett Parnham (NHL: Eligible in 2009, but 1989 born)
Report: Oct/17/08: Parnham scored a highlight reel goal in this game, great stick handling ability made this goal happen. He has a good shot and nice offensive instincts. However Parnham is likely to be a long shot to be an NHL prospect because he lacks size, abandons his defensive responsibilities too much, as well he has a bad shot selection sometimes trying to get a near impossible goal rather than passing it up to create a scoring opportunity for his team. (Parnham had 2G)

Joe Rogalski (NHL: Eligible in 2010)
Report: Oct/17/08: Rogalski is a late birthday so he won’t go till next year, but does have an outside shot at being a 1st round pick. His defensive positioning is very impressive and he does seem to have some good offensive skills as well, he moved the puck very well tonight and is very composed and doesn’t appear to make many mistakes. (Rogalski had 1A)

October 18. - Sarnia vs. Barrie



Stefan Della Rovere (NHL: Washington 7th rd/204th overall)
Report: Oct/18/08: Della Rovere has great quickness on the ice, he is very hard to knock off the puck as well. Got in a fight with Daniel Lombardi and it wasn’t even a contest, Della Rovere won the fight easily, however it should be noted that Lombardi separated his shoulder at one point of this fight. He was called on by Matt Martin to fight in the second but refused, so Martin clocked one of his teammates with a cross-check which lured Stefan into a second fight, he didn’t fair as well, if a win would be given it would have got to Martin but it would have been a very narrow one at that. Della Rovere did a good job of staying out of the box after this, and scored a very nice goal to keep his team in it for the time being. Sting players did attempt to lure Della Rovere into the 3rd fight which would have accompanied a game misconduct but used good judgement to stay in the game. Della Rovere scored a Gordie Howe hat-trick in the losing cause. (Della Rovere had 1G, 1A, 10 PIM)

Peter DiSalvo (NHL: Eligible in 2009)
Report: Oct/18/08: DiSalvo played decent early but it appeared the nerves of playing against his old team in his former home arena caught up to him, as he let in a few bad goals, uncharacteristic of the year he’s had so far. DiSalvo showed good positioning at times. DiSalvo was pulled halfway through the game. (DiSalvo stopped 19 of 23 shots)

Michael Hutchinson (NHL: Boston 3rd rd/77th overall)
Report: Oct/18/08: Hutchinson came in for DiSalvo and played very solid, had several highlight reel saves. Great positioning, uses the butterfly appropriately knowing when to go down and when to stay up. Quick glove hand and was good on the breakaway. (Hutchinson stopped 10 of 11 shots)

October 24. - Sarnia vs. Ottawa



Thomas Nesbitt (NHL: Eligible in 2009, 1990 born)
Report: Oct/24/08: Nesbitt played very impressively he had great speed, and seemed to affect the game every time he was on the ice, he made two very nice passes to set up two goals in tonights game. Was passed over last year, but could be a good sleeper pick in the late rounds this year as his game seems to have improved from last year. Very quick skater. (Nesbitt had 1G, 2A, 2PIM)

RYAN YESSIE