My first game report of the season! Fear not though, I have obviously been watching games. This is just the first report I've decided to write.
I, along with many other people in the GTA (including the likes of Steve Stamkos, Gary Roberts, and Joe Nieuwendyk), traveled to the Hershey Center to catch a glimpse at 15 year old phenom Connor McDavid. The Steelheads (I think I've wrote Majors already three times and corrected myself) dominated the exhausted Otters, outshooting them 55-22, and outscoring them 4-1. In all honesty, the score could have been much more lopsided had it none been for the great goaltending provided by Devin Williams. It's hard to blame the Otters. They were playing their 3rd game in three nights, with the first two games coming against the Owen Sound Attack, possibly the hardest working team in the OHL.
So was this game truly a good measuring stick for players? Hard to say, but I'm going to provide you with some player reports anyway.
Mississauga Steelheads
#2 - Dylan DeMelo (San Jose Sharks)
DeMelo had a great game and appears to be building off the confidence he gained last season. He made great strides last year and has continued his strong play into this year so far. He looks very confident with the puck this year. I've seen the Steelheads a few times this year and I've yet to see him turn the puck over in his own end. This used to be a real problem for him. But he's skating himself out of jams and making smart decisions with passes. He had a secondary assist on Smoskowitz's second goal, and scored by pinching in and pouncing on a loose puck near the crease while on the powerplay. Defensively, he was terrific. Nearly all of Mississauga's defensive players shone today, as Erie had a real tough time mustering the energy to keep possession in the offensive end.
#4 - Trevor Carrick (Carolina Hurricanes)
Carrick has done well to increase his offensive production thus far this year, and is seeing lots of time on the powerplay. Offensively, he was pretty good today. He did have one turnover at the point which lead to an odd man rush, but it was more the fault of Brett Foy for a bad pass which put Carrick in an awkward position. He gained an assist on the powerplay, working a give and go up top with Kris Kontos. He's playing 5 on 5 with Alex Cord, which is giving him lots of opportunities to work on his puck rushing skills. Defensively, I felt like he was one of the few Steelheads defenders to get exposed today. There were a few times where he was beaten off the rush and wasn't able to stay with a forward going to the net. When the play slowed down, he was good and was able to win his battles in the corners and was a physical presence, but those defensive lapses off the rush were things that plagued him last year too. He'll need to continue to work on that.
#15 - Josh Burnside (Draft Eligible in 2013)
I continue to be impressed with Burnside. Three things really stick out when you watch him play. The first is his speed. He's got a terrific extra gear and really creates space by stretching out the opposing defense. The second is how well he moves without the puck offensively. He gets himself in great scoring position. He was wide open twice in the slot in the game today, but both times he was spotted too late by the puck carrier (Brace and Smoskowitz). The third is how aggressive he is in getting to the net. He's a real crease crasher and relishes the role of being a pain in the neck of opposing goalies. He was a factor while playing with Brace and Smoskowitz, even though he didn't get any points. The biggest thing for him moving forward will be added strength. He still loses too many battles in the corners and isn't as effective as a forechecker as he could be because of this.
#21 - Damian Bourne (Draft Eligible in 2014)
What a mammoth. Bourne has definitely been one of the most impressive 1996's in the league this year. I remember hearing a lot of whispers about people feeling like he was overrated going into the draft, that he was only a product of his size and the fact that he was bigger than other midget players. But he's been pretty damn effective for Mississauga so far. He really is massive and he already uses his size really well, both with and without the puck. He's already hard to move from the front of the net, and he's hard to get the puck away from in the corners. He's also a physical player and had a couple of really nice hits today. For a big guy, I also think he sees the ice well. He seems smart in picking his spots in driving hard to the net. The skating needs to improve, but all things considered, he's been a very impressive rookie. He earned a secondary assist on Kontos' powerplay goal.
#23 - Dylan Smoskowitz (Draft Eligible in 2013, 3rd time eligible)
Pretty hard to ignore him at this point. 11 goals in 12 games since the trade from Barrie. He's a talented offensive player who just got himself in Dale Hawerchuk's doghouse. He's got great chemistry with Riley Brace (call them the 'stache brothers). The question is, if he continues to score at this pace, is he someone NHL teams take notice of? He's got a terrific shot and he does a great job of creating room for himself to get it off. You have to love his goal scoring instincts. The rest of his game (skating, play without the puck, playmaking ability, etc) rates out to only average, but if you can score goals, someone will give you a chance. He had 2 goals tonight, and missed a wide open cage to complete the hat trick. He's certainly someone to keep an eye on to see if he can keep this up.
#28 - Stuart Percy (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Fantastic game from Percy. I've been really impressed with his play so far this season. At both ends of the ice, might I add. Offensively, I've been really impressed with his ability to skate the puck out of his own end and make smart decisions to start the breakout. Perfect example of this today was when Connor McDavid looked like he had backed Percy into a corner and a turnover, but Percy stayed calm, waited for McDavid to go for the stick check, then spun away from him, through two other Otters and brought the puck up across the blueline. He looks very confident on the point of the powerplay too, where he's shooting the puck more. Defensively, he's been a rock. I honestly don't even remember the Otters having a scoring chance while he was on the ice today. He's playing physical too and winning battles in the corners and in front of the net because of it. This was an important year for Percy after last year's issues, so it's refreshing to see him back strong.
Erie Otters
#7 - Jake Evans (Draft Eligible in 2013)
Was centering a line with Stephen Harper today. I liked his aggression without the puck. Was very aggressive in pursuit and played physical. But was very quiet, dare I say invisible offensively.
#10 - Stephen Harper (Draft Eligible in 2013)
Very, very quiet game for Harper. His line wasn't able to sustain any pressure in the offensive end. Part of the reason for this was Harper's inability to win battles in the corners. He seems to be getting outmuscled a lot from what I've seen this season. My viewings of Harper this season have been less than impressive thus far, but I'm still a fan of his long term potential.
#27 - Adam Pelech (New York Islanders)
I thought Pelech was Erie's best player today. He's had a great year and is continuing to develop well, despite not having a ton of help on the backend in Erie. He looks quicker this year, in rushing the puck and defensively. He's very hard to beat one on one. Many of Mississauga's forwards tried to get by him off the rush, but every play ended the same way, with Pelech coming out with the puck and the opposing player rubbed out of the play. He was a steal in the 3rd round, as he's got great potential as a defenseman at the next level. As mentioned, he looks quicker when rushing the puck this year too, and was able to avoid the forecheck of the Steelheads. Hey Erie, get this guy some help on the backend!
#28 - Connor Brown (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Having a great year in terms of goal scoring, but it's hard to tell whether it's because of McDavid or not. At this point, I still don't see Brown as a guy who's creating his own offensive chances by being electric with the puck, or by flying into the offensive zone. He's certainly not a speedster, and his skating ability still seems to lack that explosiveness (something that caused him to fall as far as he did in the draft). But he definitely knows how to move without the puck and is a smart player. Perfect example of this was his goal today on a give and go with Connor McDavid. On the Powerplay, take the puck from the wing, dish to McDavid at the side of the net, cut hard to the net, get the puck back in the slot and rifle home a quick wrister. Other than that, he was a non factor today.
#97 - Connor McDavid (Draft Eligible in 2015)
There was a guy sitting near me saying "man this McDavid guy isn't as good as people say he is." To that man or anyone else who came away from this game saying that, give your head a shake. This was the team's 3rd game in 3 days. McDavid certainly didn't play his best, but I've been absolutely blown away by him this year previous to this game. The dude is such an electric player. He's such an explosive skater, and he has such confidence and poise with the puck. His vision and IQ is among the best I've ever seen in this league. And while this wasn't his best game (might have even been his worst in the OHL thus far), there were still some positives to take away. Firstly, he's starting to play with more of an edge. I love the fact that he's starting to engage physically and throw his body around. He's going to need to continue to develop that edge as player's start to target him. Secondly, I absolutely loved the play to end the game. While on the penalty kill, he was out there (in a game already decided), and was tenacious in forcing Eric Diodati into a turnover at the blueline. Then took the puck hard to the net (showing great strength on the puck), drawing a penalty. When every other Erie player looked like they had laid down and died, McDavid kept going hard. I can't stress this enough. If the Otters are making their only trip to your city this season (like Mississauga), get out there and watch him play. He's usually (sorry aforementioned bitter man) worth the price of admission.
#31 - Devin Williams (Draft Eligible in 2014)
Williams' certainly didn't get a lot of help today. He had to make 48 saves and kept his team in this game for nearly two periods. He's not the biggest goalie (maybe 6'0), but he plays a lot bigger than he is due to a hybrid style. He'll take a lot of shots from the outside standing up, although isn't afraid to drop down to the butterfly to handle shots low to the ice. I thought he did a pretty good job with his rebounds today too. He's certainly looking better than last year, and is on the right development path. He'll learn a lot from playing behind Dansk this year. Then he might have a chance of starting next year (his draft year because of an October birthday). He's certainly putting himself in conversation to be the top goalie available from the O for 2014 (although it's crazy early).
That's all folks!
Showing posts with label Trevor Carrick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trevor Carrick. Show all posts
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Game Report: Majors & Battalion from March 4
Made my first trip to the Powerade Centre of the season to watch the Majors and Battalion do battle. Interestingly enough, it was "Mandarin" day, complete with a spring roll eat off during first intermission. Thankfully, the game itself was entertaining and quite possibly the best game I've seen between the Majors and Battalion in quite some time (usually they can be snooze fests).
The Battalion took the game by a score of 5-2. They took the lead in the 2nd period and never looked back. It was definitely a chippy affair that saw a lot of spirited tussles post whistle. Barclay Goodrow was named first star thanks to a 2 goal, 2 assist effort, including the eventual game winner.
Some player reports:
Brampton Battalion
#4 - Marcus McIvor (Draft Eligible in 2012)
McIvor impressed me a lot today. He and partner Dylan Blujus have tremendous chemistry and are definitely he Troops' top pairing. He played in all situations, including seeing a good chunk of action on the second powerplay unit. It was 5 on 5 where he excelled. On the defensive side of things, he's a rock. He's stocky, but he definitely moves well. The Majors just couldn't get by him on the rush. He was also more physical than I'd see him before, taking the chance whenever he good to finish his checks along the boards. A perfect demonstration of both of these skills was when Sergei Kuptsov tried to drive around him, but McIvor stayed with him, poked the puck away and finished Kuptsov off hard along the end boards. I've heard from quite a few people that he was quite the offensive defenseman in midget, but that part of his game hasn't really transferred to the OHL quite yet. At this point, he's most definitely a stay at home guy, but he's at least excelling in that role.
#6 - Dylan Blujus (Draft Eligible in 2012)
Blujus is such an interesting prospect for this year's draft. I just can't quite put my finger on him, despite seeing him multiple times this year. He does some things incredibly well. He's very smart offensively and is very adept at running the point on the powerplay. He does such a good job of getting his point shot through to the net and makes good decisions at the blueline. He scored a goal in the game by firing a wrister through a crowd to open the scoring on the powerplay. 5 on 5, he also sees the ice very well and makes very strong outlet passes, constantly finding guys up ice. This helps to push the pace of play. On the negative side, for an offensively oriented defenseman, his mediocre skating ability prevents him from being a primary factor off the rush. He isn't a Ryan Murphy, Dougie Hamilton, or Ryan Sproul. He really doesn't seem comfortable skating the puck up ice, and would rather make the pass out of his zone. And while this works for him in the OHL, will it work at the higher levels? Defensively, he's pretty solid and has progressed well this year. He wins battles along the boards using his long reach and body. But, again, his footspeed looks like it could really hurt him. There were a couple of times where he was caught in the neutral zone and got lucky because the Majors player couldn't coral the long pass to beat him into his own zone. I'd imagine that Blujus is one guy who has the scouts divided this year.
#9 - Brandon Robinson (Draft Eligible in 2014)
I'm telling you, this group of '95 forwards that has entered the league this year is among the best crops that I've ever seen. So many of these guys are consistently impacting their clubs in a positive way. And so many of them are well rounded players with high offensive upsides. Robinson won't be NHL draft eligible until 2014 (October birthday), but he's got a lot of upside. I've been consistently impressed with him this year. He played on the Troops' top line with Goodrow and Carrick today. While his skating needs some work, he's got the size and goal scoring mentality that could take him a long way. He scored a beauty of a goal to close out the night by taking a pass off the boards, cutting into the slot and firing home a laser of a wrist shot top shelf. He was also very engaged physically, twice causing after whistle skirmishes following his hits. By the time he's NHL draft eligible, he could very well be 6'4 and 200lbs with a terrific offensive skill set. The key will be improving his skating.
#16 - Sam Carrick (Drafted by Toronto)
Carrick has been one of the most improved players in the league this year for me. He's looked fantastic every time I've seen him. He got a couple of assists, and was generally very dangerous in the offensive end. It was a defensive play that really caught my eye. The Majors broke into the zone 3 on 2 after the Battalion got caught, and the Majors got a terrific set up for scoring opportunity. They ran the 3 on 2 well, and after a nice drop pass, they had a player wide open in the slot. But Carrick came out of nowhere to hustle back, lift the player's stick just before release and stole the puck back, pushing the play back the other way again. On the negative side, he did get himself a little too wrapped up in the after whistle extra curriculars and took some silly penalties.
Mississauga Majors
#4 - Trevor Carrick (Draft Eligible in 2012)
Continues to get better and better. Now he's being paired with Stuart Percy since his return from a concussion and the two look tremendous together. He should have gotten an assist on the first Majors goal of the game on the powerplay, after making a terrific play to keep the puck in at the blueline, deking through two Battalion forwards and then putting the puck back into the corner. The Majors ended up setting getting possession of the dump and scored off it. Once the Majors got down 5-2, he made a couple of bad plays (got caught going for a big hit at the blueline leading to a two on one, and again missing a hit in the corner, leading to a scoring chance), but he was clearly trying to fire his club up by being physical.
#16 - Kristoff Kontos (Draft Eligible in 2012)
One of the best games I've seen Kontos play. He had a lot of energy and was skating with conviction. On one instance, he took the puck at his own blueline and went through nearly the entire Battalion team before getting stopped just before reaching the net. He did a great job of keeping plays alive and moved the puck well on the cycle. In previous viewings, I've been a less than impressed with his play along the boards for a bigger guy, but he was winning a lot of battles today. I'm still not sure how much upside he has, but with his size and improved skating ability, he's worth a selection in the later rounds.
#28 - Stuart Percy (Drafted by Toronto)
Easing his way back into the line up after missing a huge stretch of time with a concussion, Percy is starting to look comfortable again. He's looking much more engaged offensively, and defensively he was solid. It'll be a while before he gets his legs back, and before I'd expect to see him start playing physical again, but it's great to see him back.
The Battalion took the game by a score of 5-2. They took the lead in the 2nd period and never looked back. It was definitely a chippy affair that saw a lot of spirited tussles post whistle. Barclay Goodrow was named first star thanks to a 2 goal, 2 assist effort, including the eventual game winner.
Some player reports:
Brampton Battalion
#4 - Marcus McIvor (Draft Eligible in 2012)
McIvor impressed me a lot today. He and partner Dylan Blujus have tremendous chemistry and are definitely he Troops' top pairing. He played in all situations, including seeing a good chunk of action on the second powerplay unit. It was 5 on 5 where he excelled. On the defensive side of things, he's a rock. He's stocky, but he definitely moves well. The Majors just couldn't get by him on the rush. He was also more physical than I'd see him before, taking the chance whenever he good to finish his checks along the boards. A perfect demonstration of both of these skills was when Sergei Kuptsov tried to drive around him, but McIvor stayed with him, poked the puck away and finished Kuptsov off hard along the end boards. I've heard from quite a few people that he was quite the offensive defenseman in midget, but that part of his game hasn't really transferred to the OHL quite yet. At this point, he's most definitely a stay at home guy, but he's at least excelling in that role.
#6 - Dylan Blujus (Draft Eligible in 2012)
Blujus is such an interesting prospect for this year's draft. I just can't quite put my finger on him, despite seeing him multiple times this year. He does some things incredibly well. He's very smart offensively and is very adept at running the point on the powerplay. He does such a good job of getting his point shot through to the net and makes good decisions at the blueline. He scored a goal in the game by firing a wrister through a crowd to open the scoring on the powerplay. 5 on 5, he also sees the ice very well and makes very strong outlet passes, constantly finding guys up ice. This helps to push the pace of play. On the negative side, for an offensively oriented defenseman, his mediocre skating ability prevents him from being a primary factor off the rush. He isn't a Ryan Murphy, Dougie Hamilton, or Ryan Sproul. He really doesn't seem comfortable skating the puck up ice, and would rather make the pass out of his zone. And while this works for him in the OHL, will it work at the higher levels? Defensively, he's pretty solid and has progressed well this year. He wins battles along the boards using his long reach and body. But, again, his footspeed looks like it could really hurt him. There were a couple of times where he was caught in the neutral zone and got lucky because the Majors player couldn't coral the long pass to beat him into his own zone. I'd imagine that Blujus is one guy who has the scouts divided this year.
#9 - Brandon Robinson (Draft Eligible in 2014)
I'm telling you, this group of '95 forwards that has entered the league this year is among the best crops that I've ever seen. So many of these guys are consistently impacting their clubs in a positive way. And so many of them are well rounded players with high offensive upsides. Robinson won't be NHL draft eligible until 2014 (October birthday), but he's got a lot of upside. I've been consistently impressed with him this year. He played on the Troops' top line with Goodrow and Carrick today. While his skating needs some work, he's got the size and goal scoring mentality that could take him a long way. He scored a beauty of a goal to close out the night by taking a pass off the boards, cutting into the slot and firing home a laser of a wrist shot top shelf. He was also very engaged physically, twice causing after whistle skirmishes following his hits. By the time he's NHL draft eligible, he could very well be 6'4 and 200lbs with a terrific offensive skill set. The key will be improving his skating.
#16 - Sam Carrick (Drafted by Toronto)
Carrick has been one of the most improved players in the league this year for me. He's looked fantastic every time I've seen him. He got a couple of assists, and was generally very dangerous in the offensive end. It was a defensive play that really caught my eye. The Majors broke into the zone 3 on 2 after the Battalion got caught, and the Majors got a terrific set up for scoring opportunity. They ran the 3 on 2 well, and after a nice drop pass, they had a player wide open in the slot. But Carrick came out of nowhere to hustle back, lift the player's stick just before release and stole the puck back, pushing the play back the other way again. On the negative side, he did get himself a little too wrapped up in the after whistle extra curriculars and took some silly penalties.
Mississauga Majors
#4 - Trevor Carrick (Draft Eligible in 2012)
Continues to get better and better. Now he's being paired with Stuart Percy since his return from a concussion and the two look tremendous together. He should have gotten an assist on the first Majors goal of the game on the powerplay, after making a terrific play to keep the puck in at the blueline, deking through two Battalion forwards and then putting the puck back into the corner. The Majors ended up setting getting possession of the dump and scored off it. Once the Majors got down 5-2, he made a couple of bad plays (got caught going for a big hit at the blueline leading to a two on one, and again missing a hit in the corner, leading to a scoring chance), but he was clearly trying to fire his club up by being physical.
#16 - Kristoff Kontos (Draft Eligible in 2012)
One of the best games I've seen Kontos play. He had a lot of energy and was skating with conviction. On one instance, he took the puck at his own blueline and went through nearly the entire Battalion team before getting stopped just before reaching the net. He did a great job of keeping plays alive and moved the puck well on the cycle. In previous viewings, I've been a less than impressed with his play along the boards for a bigger guy, but he was winning a lot of battles today. I'm still not sure how much upside he has, but with his size and improved skating ability, he's worth a selection in the later rounds.
#28 - Stuart Percy (Drafted by Toronto)
Easing his way back into the line up after missing a huge stretch of time with a concussion, Percy is starting to look comfortable again. He's looking much more engaged offensively, and defensively he was solid. It'll be a while before he gets his legs back, and before I'd expect to see him start playing physical again, but it's great to see him back.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Game Report: Majors & Wolves from February 20
Despite being a little full from indulging (or gorging) at the pizza hut buffet (seriously, is there a better deal out there? 8 bucks! That's it. And best of all, you don't have to eat for 24 hours after), I took in the Wolves/Majors game this afternoon. For our American friends (like the Sharks fans reading for an update on Michael Sgarbossa), it's our Family Day and a holiday.
I had really high expectations coming into the game, with these division rivals jockeying for position in the Eastern Conference. And the game didn't disappoint. It's also great to have a big crowd at the Hershey Centre (an uncommon event).
The Wolves largely dominated play for the first period or so and lead after one period thanks to a top shelf wrister from the red hot Michael Sgarbossa. But a boneheaded penalty by Ryan Hanes in the second period really turned the game in Mississauga's favour. Hanes broke his stick trying to fight with a Majors player (can't remember who) off the rush, then held him up to prevent him from going to the net. It was a pretty obvious call. But then he started jawing at the official and got an additional two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Majors scored twice on the 4 minute powerplay and never looked back. Those 2 goals really sucked the life out of the Wolves, who were never the same after. They started to gain some momentum back in the 3rd period, but Josh McFadden killed that with a stupid hit from behind in the corner that lead to a 5 minute man advantage (and a game misconduct for him).
The win was huge for the Majors, who now move into 6th place in the Eastern Conference.
Here are some individual performance thoughts:
Sudbury Wolves
#3 - Justin Sefton (Drafted by San Jose)
Not a terrific showing for Sefton. He had some issues offensively and was relatively ineffective at helping out the offense. Couldn't hold the puck in at the point a few times and his ability to get his shot through hasn't really developed as I figured it would this year. He was his normal physically imposing self, throwing his weight around in the defensive end. But he was exposed off the rush a few times (once badly by Mika Partanen), and showed that his mobility hasn't really improved all that much. He just needs to keep his feet moving to stay in front of forwards so that he can use his size (be it physically or by forecheck) to keep them to the outside. His partner Josh McFadden also had a brutal game defensively, which didn't help him out all that much either as he scrambled to cover up his mistakes.
#14 - Nicholas Baptiste (Draft Eligible in 2013)
I've been really impressed by what I've seen of Baptiste this year. He's already a very well rounded player and I really like his size and speed combination. For a big guy, he really moves well. He used that speed on the penalty kill to get himself a breakaway after Trevor Carrick's stick exploded at the point, but failed to score on the wrister. He also used his speed effectively to get to loose pucks in the corner and on the forecheck. And while he wasn't overly physical in today's game, I've seen him really throw the body around. I'd love to see the Wolves use Baptiste more on the wing with Sgarbossa and Leivo (instead of Schoenmakers or Pancel). Baptiste is definitely going to be a much talked about prospect next year.
#27 - Joshua Leivo (Drafted by Toronto)
I've certainly seen Leivo better this year, as he had just an OK game. He may only be listed at 6'1, but he looks much bigger on the ice and he's very hard to remove from the puck. His puck protection is very good and he has the hands to be able to avoid stick checks on his way to the net. While most of his drives saw him kept to the perimeter today, he didn't go without trying. He's progressed very well this year after exploding late last year, so the Leafs should be very happy with his selection.
#44 - Charlie Dodero (Draft Eligible in 2012, but second year eligible)
Easily one of the most improved players in the OHL this year. He's gone from being a very replaceable part to one of the top defensive defenseman in the OHL. He's got good size and is very solidly built. He just doesn't lose very many puck battles, and he has the mobility to stay with forwards off the rush. The greatest display of that today was when Sergey Kuptsov tried to get by him on the outside (not the easiest forward to contain once he gets going), but Dodero stayed right with him, separated him from the puck and finished him off hard on the end boards (leaving Kupstov slow to get up). His offensive game remains a bit of a work in progress, but he has the skating and puck handling ability to skate the puck out of trouble in his own end, rather than simply dump it out. There's a reason why this guy was rated by Central Scouting on their midterm rankings.
#61 - Nathan Pancel (Draft Eligible in 2012)
I've seen him play a few times this year now, and he's yet to hit the score sheet in those games. So it's hard for me to jump on his band wagon, as many others are right now. But it is easy to see why he's putting up some points. There's definitely some explosive skating ability in there, maybe not in terms of high end speed, but his first few steps looks quite good. He had a bad turnover in the neutral zone, but before the opposing player could really even get going, he had turned around, skated back and rubbed out the Majors player taking the puck back. For those that have never really seen him play, he's actually more aggressive away from the puck than you'd expect. He did have a few other costly turnovers in the neutral zone though, one leading to an odd man rush the other way. He needs to make quicker decisions with the puck and get stronger to win some of those battles in the corners. Still a very intriguing player for the draft.
#92 - Michael Sgarbossa (Signed by San Jose)
He's just ripping apart the OHL right now and has become one of the league's most dangerous offensive players. He had a terrific first half of the game, but seemed to run out of steam in the second half. For a smaller guy, he's incredibly strong. I was incredibly impressed by a play he made in the first period, when he came off the wall with the puck, fought through two Majors players towards the net (with them practically draped on his back) and still managed to put a shot on net. He also scored in the first period off a laser of a wrister to the top shelf, short side. As the game went on, he got a little sloppy with the puck and had a few nearly costly turnovers (with one brutal turnover that lead to a clear shot in the slot for a Majors player, as he peeled back with the puck in his own zone and fired a blind back hand pass up the middle). The question I ask myself now is whether he'll be able to play center at the NHL level. I'm inclined to think he might be better suited to the wing at the NHL level to take advantage of his speed and skill coming off the boards and down the wing. But he's ready for the next step.
#66 - Johan Mattsson (Drafted by Chicago)
I've been really impressed by Mattsson this year. He's a quality goaltender. He gets himself in good position to cut off the angles for shooters and he really controls his rebounds well. Anything in the chest, he's able to corral and he generally kicks out low shots to the corner. He absolutely could not be faulted for the goals scored against him in the game. One was a deft deflection in front of the crease. The second a bang/bang play from behind the net where his defenseman left a Major wide open in front of the net. The third, he made a tremendous toe save on a partial breakaway, but none of his defenseman took the trailer on the play who cleaned up the rebound to the top shelf. While he took the loss, he stopped 35 of 38 and was impressive.
Mississauga Majors
#2 - Dylan DeMelo (Drafted by San Jose)
DeMelo had a strong game for the second time in a row that I've seen him play. The last few times, I've been impressed by how he's turned up the dial on his physical play. He's starting to really enjoy rubbing guys out along the boards and is being more aggressive in front of the net. Offensively, he's keeping things simple in his own zone (something I've accused him of not doing in the past) and he's making better decisions on the point of the powerplay. DeMelo was on the ice for all three goals the Majors scored today, assisting on one (a secondary assist where he fed Riley Brace for a point shot that Jamie Wise tipped in). While I'm still not sure about his NHL upside, I think he's definitely progressed well, not only from the end of last season to this, but from the start of the season to this point.
#4 - Trevor Carrick (Draft Eligible in 2012)
I like that they've split up Carrick and DeMelo, and it's increased Carrick's opportunity to carry his pairing offensively. He's starting to carry the puck out of the zone more and is gaining the confidence to bring the puck over the blue line. He certainly has the poise and skating ability to do so. Just that created a goal in the second period, where he took the puck end to end, found Kristoff Kontos behind the net, who subsequently found Jamie Wise in front of the net for the goal. His rush drew the defense to him as he carried it deep, causing the confusion in Sudbury's coverage in front of the net. Defensively, he was as solid as always. His mobility and physical abilities make him difficult to get around and he puts himself in good position to make plays in front of the net. I definitely think this kid is worth a pick in the top 100 of the draft.
#16 - Kristoff Kontos (Draft Eligible in 2012)
Kontos played a quietly very solid game. His skating has definitely improved a lot over last season, and he's able to use it as a weapon to carry the puck deep into the zone. He certainly likes to have the puck on his stick and excels offensively when he does. His play away from the puck still leaves a bit to be desired for me (at least in terms of consistency), but I think there's definite potential there. He showed some solid playmaking ability and vision in the second by finding Jamie Wise in front of the net for his 2nd goal of the game. Kontos was also quite good on the penalty kill and played quite a bit a man down. Definitely a strong effort from him.
I had really high expectations coming into the game, with these division rivals jockeying for position in the Eastern Conference. And the game didn't disappoint. It's also great to have a big crowd at the Hershey Centre (an uncommon event).
The Wolves largely dominated play for the first period or so and lead after one period thanks to a top shelf wrister from the red hot Michael Sgarbossa. But a boneheaded penalty by Ryan Hanes in the second period really turned the game in Mississauga's favour. Hanes broke his stick trying to fight with a Majors player (can't remember who) off the rush, then held him up to prevent him from going to the net. It was a pretty obvious call. But then he started jawing at the official and got an additional two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Majors scored twice on the 4 minute powerplay and never looked back. Those 2 goals really sucked the life out of the Wolves, who were never the same after. They started to gain some momentum back in the 3rd period, but Josh McFadden killed that with a stupid hit from behind in the corner that lead to a 5 minute man advantage (and a game misconduct for him).
The win was huge for the Majors, who now move into 6th place in the Eastern Conference.
Here are some individual performance thoughts:
Sudbury Wolves
#3 - Justin Sefton (Drafted by San Jose)
Not a terrific showing for Sefton. He had some issues offensively and was relatively ineffective at helping out the offense. Couldn't hold the puck in at the point a few times and his ability to get his shot through hasn't really developed as I figured it would this year. He was his normal physically imposing self, throwing his weight around in the defensive end. But he was exposed off the rush a few times (once badly by Mika Partanen), and showed that his mobility hasn't really improved all that much. He just needs to keep his feet moving to stay in front of forwards so that he can use his size (be it physically or by forecheck) to keep them to the outside. His partner Josh McFadden also had a brutal game defensively, which didn't help him out all that much either as he scrambled to cover up his mistakes.
#14 - Nicholas Baptiste (Draft Eligible in 2013)
I've been really impressed by what I've seen of Baptiste this year. He's already a very well rounded player and I really like his size and speed combination. For a big guy, he really moves well. He used that speed on the penalty kill to get himself a breakaway after Trevor Carrick's stick exploded at the point, but failed to score on the wrister. He also used his speed effectively to get to loose pucks in the corner and on the forecheck. And while he wasn't overly physical in today's game, I've seen him really throw the body around. I'd love to see the Wolves use Baptiste more on the wing with Sgarbossa and Leivo (instead of Schoenmakers or Pancel). Baptiste is definitely going to be a much talked about prospect next year.
#27 - Joshua Leivo (Drafted by Toronto)
I've certainly seen Leivo better this year, as he had just an OK game. He may only be listed at 6'1, but he looks much bigger on the ice and he's very hard to remove from the puck. His puck protection is very good and he has the hands to be able to avoid stick checks on his way to the net. While most of his drives saw him kept to the perimeter today, he didn't go without trying. He's progressed very well this year after exploding late last year, so the Leafs should be very happy with his selection.
#44 - Charlie Dodero (Draft Eligible in 2012, but second year eligible)
Easily one of the most improved players in the OHL this year. He's gone from being a very replaceable part to one of the top defensive defenseman in the OHL. He's got good size and is very solidly built. He just doesn't lose very many puck battles, and he has the mobility to stay with forwards off the rush. The greatest display of that today was when Sergey Kuptsov tried to get by him on the outside (not the easiest forward to contain once he gets going), but Dodero stayed right with him, separated him from the puck and finished him off hard on the end boards (leaving Kupstov slow to get up). His offensive game remains a bit of a work in progress, but he has the skating and puck handling ability to skate the puck out of trouble in his own end, rather than simply dump it out. There's a reason why this guy was rated by Central Scouting on their midterm rankings.
#61 - Nathan Pancel (Draft Eligible in 2012)
I've seen him play a few times this year now, and he's yet to hit the score sheet in those games. So it's hard for me to jump on his band wagon, as many others are right now. But it is easy to see why he's putting up some points. There's definitely some explosive skating ability in there, maybe not in terms of high end speed, but his first few steps looks quite good. He had a bad turnover in the neutral zone, but before the opposing player could really even get going, he had turned around, skated back and rubbed out the Majors player taking the puck back. For those that have never really seen him play, he's actually more aggressive away from the puck than you'd expect. He did have a few other costly turnovers in the neutral zone though, one leading to an odd man rush the other way. He needs to make quicker decisions with the puck and get stronger to win some of those battles in the corners. Still a very intriguing player for the draft.
#92 - Michael Sgarbossa (Signed by San Jose)
He's just ripping apart the OHL right now and has become one of the league's most dangerous offensive players. He had a terrific first half of the game, but seemed to run out of steam in the second half. For a smaller guy, he's incredibly strong. I was incredibly impressed by a play he made in the first period, when he came off the wall with the puck, fought through two Majors players towards the net (with them practically draped on his back) and still managed to put a shot on net. He also scored in the first period off a laser of a wrister to the top shelf, short side. As the game went on, he got a little sloppy with the puck and had a few nearly costly turnovers (with one brutal turnover that lead to a clear shot in the slot for a Majors player, as he peeled back with the puck in his own zone and fired a blind back hand pass up the middle). The question I ask myself now is whether he'll be able to play center at the NHL level. I'm inclined to think he might be better suited to the wing at the NHL level to take advantage of his speed and skill coming off the boards and down the wing. But he's ready for the next step.
#66 - Johan Mattsson (Drafted by Chicago)
I've been really impressed by Mattsson this year. He's a quality goaltender. He gets himself in good position to cut off the angles for shooters and he really controls his rebounds well. Anything in the chest, he's able to corral and he generally kicks out low shots to the corner. He absolutely could not be faulted for the goals scored against him in the game. One was a deft deflection in front of the crease. The second a bang/bang play from behind the net where his defenseman left a Major wide open in front of the net. The third, he made a tremendous toe save on a partial breakaway, but none of his defenseman took the trailer on the play who cleaned up the rebound to the top shelf. While he took the loss, he stopped 35 of 38 and was impressive.
Mississauga Majors
#2 - Dylan DeMelo (Drafted by San Jose)
DeMelo had a strong game for the second time in a row that I've seen him play. The last few times, I've been impressed by how he's turned up the dial on his physical play. He's starting to really enjoy rubbing guys out along the boards and is being more aggressive in front of the net. Offensively, he's keeping things simple in his own zone (something I've accused him of not doing in the past) and he's making better decisions on the point of the powerplay. DeMelo was on the ice for all three goals the Majors scored today, assisting on one (a secondary assist where he fed Riley Brace for a point shot that Jamie Wise tipped in). While I'm still not sure about his NHL upside, I think he's definitely progressed well, not only from the end of last season to this, but from the start of the season to this point.
#4 - Trevor Carrick (Draft Eligible in 2012)
I like that they've split up Carrick and DeMelo, and it's increased Carrick's opportunity to carry his pairing offensively. He's starting to carry the puck out of the zone more and is gaining the confidence to bring the puck over the blue line. He certainly has the poise and skating ability to do so. Just that created a goal in the second period, where he took the puck end to end, found Kristoff Kontos behind the net, who subsequently found Jamie Wise in front of the net for the goal. His rush drew the defense to him as he carried it deep, causing the confusion in Sudbury's coverage in front of the net. Defensively, he was as solid as always. His mobility and physical abilities make him difficult to get around and he puts himself in good position to make plays in front of the net. I definitely think this kid is worth a pick in the top 100 of the draft.
#16 - Kristoff Kontos (Draft Eligible in 2012)
Kontos played a quietly very solid game. His skating has definitely improved a lot over last season, and he's able to use it as a weapon to carry the puck deep into the zone. He certainly likes to have the puck on his stick and excels offensively when he does. His play away from the puck still leaves a bit to be desired for me (at least in terms of consistency), but I think there's definite potential there. He showed some solid playmaking ability and vision in the second by finding Jamie Wise in front of the net for his 2nd goal of the game. Kontos was also quite good on the penalty kill and played quite a bit a man down. Definitely a strong effort from him.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Game Report: Majors & Colts from February 3
Was at the Hershey Center tonight, watching the Majors take on the Barrie Colts. A good ol' fashion Central Division battle. Problem was, the game was a bit of a snooze fest. The Colts squeaked out a 1-0 victory, but largely dominated play. The Majors were outshot 35-23, despite having 8 powerplays. Ironically enough, the only goal of the game was an ugly one by Ivan Telegin, where he banked a puck off Brandon Maxwell from behind the net. The Colts probably should have had a few more goals, had it not been for a few hit posts and a couple nice saves from Maxwell.
Some quick thoughts on a few players from each side.
Barrie
#5 - Aaron Ekblad (NHL Draft Eligible in 2014)
It's crazy to think of how young this kid is. He's an absolute behemoth. At 15 years of age, he looks like an established 4 year OHL veteran. Considering how comfortable he looks, it's absurd to think of how good he could end up being. He's already a very solid OHL defender who isn't afraid of pushing players around in front of the net or in the corners. Had a couple of nice hits tonight. He's pretty calm with the puck in his own end too and avoids the forecheck well. Offensively, he had some difficulty on the point tonight. Had a bouncing puck go by him that lead to a partial breakaway. Also couldn't really get his point shot through to the net. But considering how young he is, he's crazy good.
#14 - Tanner Pearson (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012, but third year eligible)
Maybe Barrie fans can help me out with this one, but when did the Colts start playing Pearson at center? First time I've seen it, and he actually looked good. He's such a smart player and sees the ice so well. His anticipation and reads make him a terrific playmaker. He gave his linemates (Colin Behenna and Anthony Camara) a couple of really nice feeds, but they couldn't finish. Playing center also showcased how strong of a two way player he's become too, as he was very committed on the backcheck, covering off for pinching defenseman. Had a couple of chances where he found room in the slot for a big shot, but couldn't hit the net. I think he was probably the best player on the ice.
#16 - Ivan Telegin (Drafted by Atlanta/Winnipeg)
Started off kind of slow, but got better as the game went on. He's such a big body and he's got big long strides, so once he gets going, he's really tough to stop. Had a couple of nice drives to the net. He scored the only goal of the game on a real ugly one. Got the puck behind the net and as he was cutting around, he flipped the puck up over the net on his backhand. It hit Maxwell in the back and rolled into the net. Did he mean to do it (sensing Maxwell wasn't really paying attention)? Or was he just trying to get the puck over the net back into the slot? We'll never know.
#19 - Mark Scheifele (Drafted by Winnipeg)
Scheifele was OK in the game. Mississauga's Trevor Carrick did a good job of keeping him under wraps tonight. Had a few scoring chances but nothing outrageous. Looked a little frustrated by the lack of space Mississauga was giving him. To be honest, I've been a little disappointed with his play this year, considering how impressed I was last year with him. While he's a terrific player, I'm not entirely sure he's progressed a ton this year.
#27 - Reid McNeill (Drafted by Pittsburgh)
McNeill played a really solid game. While his offensive game never really developed, I've seen good strides from his defensive game. He was quite physical tonight, laying the body any chance he could get. His above average mobility makes him a very effective defender too. Mississauga had a real tough time creating offense when he was on the ice.
Mississauga
#2 - Dylan DeMelo (Drafted by San Jose)
Definitely the best game I've seen DeMelo play this season. He was very good. He and partner Trevor Carrick were paired against the Scheifele line most of the night, and did a good job of neutralizing them. DeMelo had a couple of nice hits and did well to cover up some of Carrick's bad pinches. He was at his best at the point on the powerplay, where he was controlling the pace of play well and getting his shots through. Looked really composed back there. In the past times I've seen him this season, he's had some issue with the forecheck and turning the puck over in his own zone, but he had no turnovers tonight and was overall very solid.
#4 - Trevor Carrick (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
As I mentioned above, his offensive decision making wasn't at its best tonight. Had a couple of bad pinches that lead to odd man rushes, and was a little clumsy with the puck at the point on the powerplay. But defensively, he was very impressive. Was closely monitoring Mark Scheifele all night, and actually doing a pretty good job of pushing him around. Had one really nice hit on Scheifele as he tried to cut back to the middle of the ice on 1 on 1 rush and Carrick stepped up to take him out. The last few times I've seen him, he's definitely been impressive and there's no question that NHL Central Scouting was on to something when they rated him so highly in their preliminary rankings.
#13 - Sergey Kuptsov (NHL Draft Eligible in 2013)
Wasn't very good tonight. But then again, he wasn't really being put in a great spot to succeed, by bouncing around a bevy of different lines with different linemates. He also didn't see a ton of powerplay time (which continues to confuse me every time I see the Majors). I still think he has a lot of potential and hopefully he's given more of a chance next year in Mississauga.
#16 - Kristoff Kontos (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
Lots of speed, lots of hustle, but not a lot else. He's playing center now with Riley Brace and Jamie Wise, but I don't really think he's suited there. He just isn't a good enough playmaker and is better off using his speed to drive wide to the net, looking for loose pucks while playing the wing.
Some quick thoughts on a few players from each side.
Barrie
#5 - Aaron Ekblad (NHL Draft Eligible in 2014)
It's crazy to think of how young this kid is. He's an absolute behemoth. At 15 years of age, he looks like an established 4 year OHL veteran. Considering how comfortable he looks, it's absurd to think of how good he could end up being. He's already a very solid OHL defender who isn't afraid of pushing players around in front of the net or in the corners. Had a couple of nice hits tonight. He's pretty calm with the puck in his own end too and avoids the forecheck well. Offensively, he had some difficulty on the point tonight. Had a bouncing puck go by him that lead to a partial breakaway. Also couldn't really get his point shot through to the net. But considering how young he is, he's crazy good.
#14 - Tanner Pearson (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012, but third year eligible)
Maybe Barrie fans can help me out with this one, but when did the Colts start playing Pearson at center? First time I've seen it, and he actually looked good. He's such a smart player and sees the ice so well. His anticipation and reads make him a terrific playmaker. He gave his linemates (Colin Behenna and Anthony Camara) a couple of really nice feeds, but they couldn't finish. Playing center also showcased how strong of a two way player he's become too, as he was very committed on the backcheck, covering off for pinching defenseman. Had a couple of chances where he found room in the slot for a big shot, but couldn't hit the net. I think he was probably the best player on the ice.
#16 - Ivan Telegin (Drafted by Atlanta/Winnipeg)
Started off kind of slow, but got better as the game went on. He's such a big body and he's got big long strides, so once he gets going, he's really tough to stop. Had a couple of nice drives to the net. He scored the only goal of the game on a real ugly one. Got the puck behind the net and as he was cutting around, he flipped the puck up over the net on his backhand. It hit Maxwell in the back and rolled into the net. Did he mean to do it (sensing Maxwell wasn't really paying attention)? Or was he just trying to get the puck over the net back into the slot? We'll never know.
#19 - Mark Scheifele (Drafted by Winnipeg)
Scheifele was OK in the game. Mississauga's Trevor Carrick did a good job of keeping him under wraps tonight. Had a few scoring chances but nothing outrageous. Looked a little frustrated by the lack of space Mississauga was giving him. To be honest, I've been a little disappointed with his play this year, considering how impressed I was last year with him. While he's a terrific player, I'm not entirely sure he's progressed a ton this year.
#27 - Reid McNeill (Drafted by Pittsburgh)
McNeill played a really solid game. While his offensive game never really developed, I've seen good strides from his defensive game. He was quite physical tonight, laying the body any chance he could get. His above average mobility makes him a very effective defender too. Mississauga had a real tough time creating offense when he was on the ice.
Mississauga
#2 - Dylan DeMelo (Drafted by San Jose)
Definitely the best game I've seen DeMelo play this season. He was very good. He and partner Trevor Carrick were paired against the Scheifele line most of the night, and did a good job of neutralizing them. DeMelo had a couple of nice hits and did well to cover up some of Carrick's bad pinches. He was at his best at the point on the powerplay, where he was controlling the pace of play well and getting his shots through. Looked really composed back there. In the past times I've seen him this season, he's had some issue with the forecheck and turning the puck over in his own zone, but he had no turnovers tonight and was overall very solid.
#4 - Trevor Carrick (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
As I mentioned above, his offensive decision making wasn't at its best tonight. Had a couple of bad pinches that lead to odd man rushes, and was a little clumsy with the puck at the point on the powerplay. But defensively, he was very impressive. Was closely monitoring Mark Scheifele all night, and actually doing a pretty good job of pushing him around. Had one really nice hit on Scheifele as he tried to cut back to the middle of the ice on 1 on 1 rush and Carrick stepped up to take him out. The last few times I've seen him, he's definitely been impressive and there's no question that NHL Central Scouting was on to something when they rated him so highly in their preliminary rankings.
#13 - Sergey Kuptsov (NHL Draft Eligible in 2013)
Wasn't very good tonight. But then again, he wasn't really being put in a great spot to succeed, by bouncing around a bevy of different lines with different linemates. He also didn't see a ton of powerplay time (which continues to confuse me every time I see the Majors). I still think he has a lot of potential and hopefully he's given more of a chance next year in Mississauga.
#16 - Kristoff Kontos (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
Lots of speed, lots of hustle, but not a lot else. He's playing center now with Riley Brace and Jamie Wise, but I don't really think he's suited there. He just isn't a good enough playmaker and is better off using his speed to drive wide to the net, looking for loose pucks while playing the wing.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Game Report: Majors & Battalion from January 6
Got a chance to see the new look Mississauga Majors play against the (at the time) Eastern Conference leading Brampton Battalion last night.
I say new look Mississauga Majors because the team has undergone quite the dramatic overhaul in the past few days. Gone are veterans (and important members of last year's Memorial Cup squad) J.P. Anderson, Joseph Cramarossa, and Derek Schoenmakers. In are a whole slew of draft picks and Kris Kontos and Brandon Maxwell. This probably isn't the last of the deals too, as I'd expect that the likes of Riley Brace and Jordan Mayer are still on the market.
Some saw these trades as a rebuild. But, really (and as the team's performance last night indicated), it's more of a retool. By trading the above guys, the Majors aren't going to suddenly be the worst team in the Eastern Conference. If anything, I'd argue that Kontos could even be an upgrade over Schoenmakers, while Maxwell and Anderson aren't separated by much at this point. And Cramarossa, thanks to injuries and suspension, has barely played for Missy this year. General Manager (and Head Coach) James Boyd definitely did a great job with these trades so far.
It was definitely a good game with a high intensity level and some great back and forth action. Perhaps most disappointing for me were some of the injuries in the game. Obviously I knew Stuart Percy would be out as he continues to nurse the injuries he suffered thanks to Andrew Crescenzi's hit from behind (sprained wrist mostly). But Brampton was missing two of the guys I was hoping to see most, defenseman Marcus McIvor and rookie forward Brandon Robinson. McIvor is apparently out with a high ankle sprain he got working out, while Robinson remains sidelined with a concussion he incurred at the Under 17's.
The Majors ended up winning the game 3-2 in a shootout, backstopped by some excellent goaltending from Brandon Maxwell in his Mississauga debut. The win moved the Majors ahead of the surging Oshawa Generals (5 game winning streak) into 8th in the East...for now. With all their injuries and trade requests (Austin Watson), it wouldn't surprise me if the Petes were the ones falling out of favor in the Eastern playoff race come March.
Some player reports...
Brampton Battalion
#6 - Dylan Blujus (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
Blujus picked up two assists in the game, although neither was particularly pretty. The first was a point shot that went well wide (not purposely) and came back to Barclay Goodrow for his first goal. The second was off a dump in from the point that Ian Watters got possession of, only to hand off to Goodrow for his second of the game. Blujus does show good smarts on the point and can make a good first pass. But he's definitely not a dynamic player. Defensively, he wasn't noticeable, good or bad. But he didn't really get a ton of ice time 5 on 5, paired with rookie Brenden Miller (while his regular partner Marcus McIvor is out). He did play on the penalty kill though and looked fairly solid there. But he's definitely an awkward skater and could use to be more assertive along the wall and in front of the net in the defensive end...especially given his size.
#10 - Philip Lane (Drafted by Phoenix)
I didn't notice him as much as the last time I saw Brampton play this year, but he definitely looks better this year. His best work was done on the penalty kill, where he was aggressive on the forecheck and did good to make it very hard for Missy to gain the zone. Brampton has the best PK in the league, and there's no doubt he's been a big part of that. He's playing on the team's 2nd line with Patrik Machac and Mitchell Porowski and didn't get a ton of help from his linemates. Even if the stats aren't saying it, it's been a good year for Lane after last year's disappointing effort.
#11 - Patrik Machac (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
Honestly, outside of a nice shootout goal, he was pretty invisible. I saw him earlier in the season and was very impressed, but it appears he's in a bit of a funk. Hasn't scored in his last 14 games. The speed, tenacity, and energy I saw at the beginning of the year just wasn't there.
#16 - Sam Carrick (Drafted by Toronto)
The best player on the ice for Brampton. He looks great...and more focused this year. In the past I've been critical of him because I felt like he was spending too much time running around the ice being a pest and fighting...and not enough time using his offensive gifts. This year when I've seen him, he's managed to find that great balance. Firstly, he looks a lot faster. In the first, he took the puck near Brampton's net, turned on the burners up to the red line, and worked a give and go with Barclay Goodrow that saw Carrick take the puck hard to the net for a scoring opportunity. He used his speed all night to drive the outside, hard to the net and created a lot of scoring chances from it. He worked the boards and the cycle effectively and was a real menace for Mississauga's defenseman. He also looked great defensively and on the penalty kill and was really all over the ice. It's great to see him taking that step forward as last year really wasn't a strong one for him. He finished the game with a secondary assist on the first Goodrow goal.
#23 - Barclay Goodrow (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012, second year eligibility)
I was surprised that Goodrow didn't get drafted in the later rounds last year. Size and a goal scorer's touch are often a good enough combination to have your named called...even if you have some skating concerns like Goodrow. This year Goodrow looks great. It's clear he worked on his skating in the offseason. He's still not a burner, but his acceleration and ability to find holes appears stronger. He's also upped the physical play (absolutely destroying a Majors player...either Kuptsov or Kopstals in the first period). The subtle improvements in his game this year could have him get his named called this time around. The first goal he scored, he took a carom off the end boards and put it home using two whacks at the side of the net. The second was more of a finesse play, taking the puck from behind the net, swinging around and rifling a wrister to the far top corner over Maxwell.
Mississauga Majors
#2 - Dylan DeMelo (Drafted by San Jose)
I thought DeMelo was better with the puck last night, than he has been in my other viewings this year. He only had one minor turnover in the first, and did a pretty good job of handling Brampton's stiff forecheck the rest of the game. He's not afraid to jump up into the rush and had a couple of nice scoring opportunities by being the trailer on the play. I did feel like he struggled defensively though. He and partner Alex Cord had a really tough time containing the Carrick, Goodrow, Watters line and were getting pushed around a lot in the corners and in front of the net. On Goodrow's 2nd goal, DeMelo was caught stuck behind the net after he made a weak effort to try and stop Goodrow's progress. He did earn a secondary assist on Jamie Wise's powerplay marker in the second.
#4 - Trevor Carrick (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
I thought he was the best defenseman on the ice for either team on the night. Saw him earlier in the year, and came away lukewarm. This time, he was dynamite at both end's of the ice. He saw a LOT of playing time too, dare I say the most of any Majors' defenseman. Defensively, he was rock solid. He had a couple of nice hits and defended the front of the net well. I was also impressed with his mobility. In the third, his brother (Sam) got a burst of speed to the outside, but Trevor stayed with him, angled him towards the boards and finished him hard...separating him from the puck. Offensively, he didn't look like a guy with only 4 points on the year. He was up on the rush quite frequently and looked comfortable controlling the point on the powerplay. I know Majors fans have been impressed with him this year (and obviously Central Scouting since they had him high in their preliminary rankings), so perhaps it's a case of stats not telling the whole story.
#13 - Sergey Kuptsov (NHL Draft Eligible in 2013)
A late birthday, Kuptsov isn't eligible until next year. At the beginning of the year, I was incredibly impressed with his play. But the last few times I've seen him, he's been virtually invisible. He was much better last night though. I just wish he got more ice time. Don't really understand why he's not on the powerplay. Regardless, he was very active on the forecheck and is quite a good skater for a big guy. In the third, he came into the Brampton zone hard, forced a turnover in the corner and went straight to the net where he deflected a Jacob Graves point shot. He's definitely a big fan of going hard to the net and I think he's got the hands to be a good goal scorer in this league. James Boyd, get this guy some more ice time! I'm interested to see where his development takes him next year.
#16 - Kristoff Kontos (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
More proof that stats don't tell the whole story. Kontos was the best player on the ice for the Majors. Not sure what happened in Sudbury, but he has to be happy with the fresh start, where he was slotted onto the first line with Riley Brace and Jordan Mayer. The trio had instant chemistry and created a ton of great scoring chances on the night. Kontos looked great working off the rush and used his speed to go wide on Brampton's defenders (showing perhaps a bit of an extra gear I didn't know he had). Had a couple of great chances beating Brampton's defenders to the net. He was also solid along the boards in gaining possession of loose pucks and keeping possession in the offensive zone. One play in particular stands out, where he forced a turnover on the forecheck, kept possession long enough to feed a streaking Brace who created an odd man scoring opportunity. A very impressive debut.
#21 - Scott Teskey (NHL Draft Eligible in 2013)
The Majors first rounder from this year's priority draft, Teskey appears to be coming into his own a little bit. He's shown better and better every time I've seen him. He was playing with Kuptsov (on what appeared to be the team's 3rd line) and the two seem to have good chemistry. Both are very quick and show well on the forecheck. Another guy I wanted to see more, but who received little ice time despite his solid play. He looks like a real bright spot for the Majors moving forward.
#25 - Riley Brace (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012, third year of eligibility)
With the year he's having offensively, I've had people ask me about his chances of being drafted this year as a re-entry (or draft overager, whatever you want to call him). Truthfully, I'm not particularly sure. Brace is a different player this year. The past few years, he's been a hard working, strong two way winger who you could have called a stereotypical grinder. This year, the offensive game has flourished, but has it come at a price? He remains a great penalty killer, but in the times I've seen him this year, I think he's taken a bit of a step backward in his play away from the puck...to increase his offensive output. Take last night for example, for every excellent play he made offensively to create a chance (usually off the rush), he had a turnover in the neutral or defensive zone. At times, I feel like he's trying to do too much offensively (probably because he has to on a team with little difference makers). But he's definitely shown he's got some good hands and offensive instincts this year. He worked very well with Kontos on the night and the two were very dangerous off the rush. It'll be interesting to see if he's still a Major, this time next week.
I say new look Mississauga Majors because the team has undergone quite the dramatic overhaul in the past few days. Gone are veterans (and important members of last year's Memorial Cup squad) J.P. Anderson, Joseph Cramarossa, and Derek Schoenmakers. In are a whole slew of draft picks and Kris Kontos and Brandon Maxwell. This probably isn't the last of the deals too, as I'd expect that the likes of Riley Brace and Jordan Mayer are still on the market.
Some saw these trades as a rebuild. But, really (and as the team's performance last night indicated), it's more of a retool. By trading the above guys, the Majors aren't going to suddenly be the worst team in the Eastern Conference. If anything, I'd argue that Kontos could even be an upgrade over Schoenmakers, while Maxwell and Anderson aren't separated by much at this point. And Cramarossa, thanks to injuries and suspension, has barely played for Missy this year. General Manager (and Head Coach) James Boyd definitely did a great job with these trades so far.
It was definitely a good game with a high intensity level and some great back and forth action. Perhaps most disappointing for me were some of the injuries in the game. Obviously I knew Stuart Percy would be out as he continues to nurse the injuries he suffered thanks to Andrew Crescenzi's hit from behind (sprained wrist mostly). But Brampton was missing two of the guys I was hoping to see most, defenseman Marcus McIvor and rookie forward Brandon Robinson. McIvor is apparently out with a high ankle sprain he got working out, while Robinson remains sidelined with a concussion he incurred at the Under 17's.
The Majors ended up winning the game 3-2 in a shootout, backstopped by some excellent goaltending from Brandon Maxwell in his Mississauga debut. The win moved the Majors ahead of the surging Oshawa Generals (5 game winning streak) into 8th in the East...for now. With all their injuries and trade requests (Austin Watson), it wouldn't surprise me if the Petes were the ones falling out of favor in the Eastern playoff race come March.
Some player reports...
Brampton Battalion
#6 - Dylan Blujus (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
Blujus picked up two assists in the game, although neither was particularly pretty. The first was a point shot that went well wide (not purposely) and came back to Barclay Goodrow for his first goal. The second was off a dump in from the point that Ian Watters got possession of, only to hand off to Goodrow for his second of the game. Blujus does show good smarts on the point and can make a good first pass. But he's definitely not a dynamic player. Defensively, he wasn't noticeable, good or bad. But he didn't really get a ton of ice time 5 on 5, paired with rookie Brenden Miller (while his regular partner Marcus McIvor is out). He did play on the penalty kill though and looked fairly solid there. But he's definitely an awkward skater and could use to be more assertive along the wall and in front of the net in the defensive end...especially given his size.
#10 - Philip Lane (Drafted by Phoenix)
I didn't notice him as much as the last time I saw Brampton play this year, but he definitely looks better this year. His best work was done on the penalty kill, where he was aggressive on the forecheck and did good to make it very hard for Missy to gain the zone. Brampton has the best PK in the league, and there's no doubt he's been a big part of that. He's playing on the team's 2nd line with Patrik Machac and Mitchell Porowski and didn't get a ton of help from his linemates. Even if the stats aren't saying it, it's been a good year for Lane after last year's disappointing effort.
#11 - Patrik Machac (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
Honestly, outside of a nice shootout goal, he was pretty invisible. I saw him earlier in the season and was very impressed, but it appears he's in a bit of a funk. Hasn't scored in his last 14 games. The speed, tenacity, and energy I saw at the beginning of the year just wasn't there.
#16 - Sam Carrick (Drafted by Toronto)
The best player on the ice for Brampton. He looks great...and more focused this year. In the past I've been critical of him because I felt like he was spending too much time running around the ice being a pest and fighting...and not enough time using his offensive gifts. This year when I've seen him, he's managed to find that great balance. Firstly, he looks a lot faster. In the first, he took the puck near Brampton's net, turned on the burners up to the red line, and worked a give and go with Barclay Goodrow that saw Carrick take the puck hard to the net for a scoring opportunity. He used his speed all night to drive the outside, hard to the net and created a lot of scoring chances from it. He worked the boards and the cycle effectively and was a real menace for Mississauga's defenseman. He also looked great defensively and on the penalty kill and was really all over the ice. It's great to see him taking that step forward as last year really wasn't a strong one for him. He finished the game with a secondary assist on the first Goodrow goal.
#23 - Barclay Goodrow (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012, second year eligibility)
I was surprised that Goodrow didn't get drafted in the later rounds last year. Size and a goal scorer's touch are often a good enough combination to have your named called...even if you have some skating concerns like Goodrow. This year Goodrow looks great. It's clear he worked on his skating in the offseason. He's still not a burner, but his acceleration and ability to find holes appears stronger. He's also upped the physical play (absolutely destroying a Majors player...either Kuptsov or Kopstals in the first period). The subtle improvements in his game this year could have him get his named called this time around. The first goal he scored, he took a carom off the end boards and put it home using two whacks at the side of the net. The second was more of a finesse play, taking the puck from behind the net, swinging around and rifling a wrister to the far top corner over Maxwell.
Mississauga Majors
#2 - Dylan DeMelo (Drafted by San Jose)
I thought DeMelo was better with the puck last night, than he has been in my other viewings this year. He only had one minor turnover in the first, and did a pretty good job of handling Brampton's stiff forecheck the rest of the game. He's not afraid to jump up into the rush and had a couple of nice scoring opportunities by being the trailer on the play. I did feel like he struggled defensively though. He and partner Alex Cord had a really tough time containing the Carrick, Goodrow, Watters line and were getting pushed around a lot in the corners and in front of the net. On Goodrow's 2nd goal, DeMelo was caught stuck behind the net after he made a weak effort to try and stop Goodrow's progress. He did earn a secondary assist on Jamie Wise's powerplay marker in the second.
#4 - Trevor Carrick (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
I thought he was the best defenseman on the ice for either team on the night. Saw him earlier in the year, and came away lukewarm. This time, he was dynamite at both end's of the ice. He saw a LOT of playing time too, dare I say the most of any Majors' defenseman. Defensively, he was rock solid. He had a couple of nice hits and defended the front of the net well. I was also impressed with his mobility. In the third, his brother (Sam) got a burst of speed to the outside, but Trevor stayed with him, angled him towards the boards and finished him hard...separating him from the puck. Offensively, he didn't look like a guy with only 4 points on the year. He was up on the rush quite frequently and looked comfortable controlling the point on the powerplay. I know Majors fans have been impressed with him this year (and obviously Central Scouting since they had him high in their preliminary rankings), so perhaps it's a case of stats not telling the whole story.
#13 - Sergey Kuptsov (NHL Draft Eligible in 2013)
A late birthday, Kuptsov isn't eligible until next year. At the beginning of the year, I was incredibly impressed with his play. But the last few times I've seen him, he's been virtually invisible. He was much better last night though. I just wish he got more ice time. Don't really understand why he's not on the powerplay. Regardless, he was very active on the forecheck and is quite a good skater for a big guy. In the third, he came into the Brampton zone hard, forced a turnover in the corner and went straight to the net where he deflected a Jacob Graves point shot. He's definitely a big fan of going hard to the net and I think he's got the hands to be a good goal scorer in this league. James Boyd, get this guy some more ice time! I'm interested to see where his development takes him next year.
#16 - Kristoff Kontos (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012)
More proof that stats don't tell the whole story. Kontos was the best player on the ice for the Majors. Not sure what happened in Sudbury, but he has to be happy with the fresh start, where he was slotted onto the first line with Riley Brace and Jordan Mayer. The trio had instant chemistry and created a ton of great scoring chances on the night. Kontos looked great working off the rush and used his speed to go wide on Brampton's defenders (showing perhaps a bit of an extra gear I didn't know he had). Had a couple of great chances beating Brampton's defenders to the net. He was also solid along the boards in gaining possession of loose pucks and keeping possession in the offensive zone. One play in particular stands out, where he forced a turnover on the forecheck, kept possession long enough to feed a streaking Brace who created an odd man scoring opportunity. A very impressive debut.
#21 - Scott Teskey (NHL Draft Eligible in 2013)
The Majors first rounder from this year's priority draft, Teskey appears to be coming into his own a little bit. He's shown better and better every time I've seen him. He was playing with Kuptsov (on what appeared to be the team's 3rd line) and the two seem to have good chemistry. Both are very quick and show well on the forecheck. Another guy I wanted to see more, but who received little ice time despite his solid play. He looks like a real bright spot for the Majors moving forward.
#25 - Riley Brace (NHL Draft Eligible in 2012, third year of eligibility)
With the year he's having offensively, I've had people ask me about his chances of being drafted this year as a re-entry (or draft overager, whatever you want to call him). Truthfully, I'm not particularly sure. Brace is a different player this year. The past few years, he's been a hard working, strong two way winger who you could have called a stereotypical grinder. This year, the offensive game has flourished, but has it come at a price? He remains a great penalty killer, but in the times I've seen him this year, I think he's taken a bit of a step backward in his play away from the puck...to increase his offensive output. Take last night for example, for every excellent play he made offensively to create a chance (usually off the rush), he had a turnover in the neutral or defensive zone. At times, I feel like he's trying to do too much offensively (probably because he has to on a team with little difference makers). But he's definitely shown he's got some good hands and offensive instincts this year. He worked very well with Kontos on the night and the two were very dangerous off the rush. It'll be interesting to see if he's still a Major, this time next week.
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