Thoughts on Kingston and Mississauga from October 21

Originally I was only going to check out the beginning of this game just to see the "Don Cherry jerseys" the Frontenacs would be sporting, but it ended up being a good game and as such I watched the entire thing.

In case you didn't know, tonight the Kingston Frontenacs wore jerseys specialized designed by Don Cherry. They were quite interesting (one of Don's famous red plaid suits camouflaged as a hockey jersey). The jerseys are part of a promotion for the Canadian Armed Forces (more information), and more specifically the "Soldier On" program. Here's some information about the program...

Soldier On fund works to optimize the functional independence of ill or injured Canadian Forces personnel or former personnel by delivering programs and services and facilitating and integrating opportunities that support their full and active participation in physical fitness, heath promotion and sport. The Canadian Forces is committed to ill and injured personal and their loved ones, through programs ranging from excellent medical care, to vocational assistance to social support and counseling

The game worn jerseys will be signed by Cherry himself and then auctioned off on Ebay, with all the proceeds going to "Soldier On." Check the Frontenacs website for more information and as soon as I see the auctions go up, I'll be sure to include a link here too (after all it's a great cause). The auctions will run until the end of the month. EDIT - Here is the link for the bidding.

As for the game itself, it had a great pace. The Majors, coming in on a 3 game winning streak, largely dominated play for the first two periods and got themselves out to a 4-1 lead. The Frontenacs, losers of 3 of their last 4 coming in, managed to get a late second period goal and carried that energy over to the third period. It was in the final frame where the Fronts increased their energy level and really took it to the Majors, coming oh so close to sending this one to overtime. Ethan Werek appeared to score a goal with about two minutes left on a nice one timer in the slot, but it was waived off. Admittedly, Cogeco never showed a great replay of it, but it did appear to cross the line. Would have loved to see an overhead shot, or perhaps the whistle was blown too early as the puck squeezed under Carrozzi. Anyway you slice it, the Fronts did come up short at the end of the night and lost 4-3.

The Majors are playing really good hockey right now and are now on a 4 game winning streak. Best goals against average in the league right now, and it's easy to see why (well considering I've seen them play a lot lately). The whole team plays solid defense and rarely misses an assignment. All the forwards come back to help tie up their man and Cameron has really installed a great defensive concept on the ice. As good as they are defensively, they are so dangerous on the forecheck and do such a good job of controlling play in the offensive zone, which limits the time they actually have to play defense in the first place. I think they'll continue to get better and better and while the Colts are a great team, the Majors are the cream of the Eastern Conference crop for me.

The Frontenacs, like any team hovering around the .500 mark, are struggling to be consistent. It showed tonight too, as they're level of effort in the first period did not equal their effort in the third. If they can play teams as hard as they did in tonight's third period, they'll be fine. After a bit of a tough stretch recently, maybe some Fronts fans are panicking and worrying that the team is going to revert back to it's miserable place at the bottom of the East. Don't worry that won't happen. This is a good hockey team, and one that's suffering some injury problems right now (Gudbranson gone for 4 weeks, Werek missed two games this weekend with a charlie horse). It's early in the season and inconsistencies can often be attributed to the search for a team identity. One thing I did notice tonight though, and perhaps it serves as an explanation to why this team has struggled of late, is there appears to be a disconnect between the forwards and defense on the breakout. The Fronts had a really tough time getting the puck out of their own zone and a lot of that was to do with the lack of puck support from their forwards for their defenseman. Fronts defenseman also had a tough time connecting with Frontenacs forwards with the breakout pass, which lead to turnovers, icings, and offsides more than it lead to a break into the offensive zone. When the Fronts defenseman did rush the puck up ice (Lashoff and Doherty mostly), nothing came of it because it seemed the forwards were lagging behind the play, and again did nothing to help them create off their rushes. On one occasion, Brian Lashoff made a nice rush up the ice, but Ethan Werek and Michael Farrell were well ahead of the play offside, negating the rush. Obviously a lack of communication and read of the play, and Werek was obviously frustrated as he threw his hands up in the air after the whistle as if to say "what the heck is going on?" Being able to break out of your offensive zone is obviously a critical component to winning a hockey game and it separated the winning team from the losing one tonight. Frontenacs fans, is this something that has been occurring all season long?

Some individual player reports, mostly on the Fronts as I've beaten the Majors to death lately!

Kingston Frontenacs






Taylor Doherty (SJ)
I can see where Fronts fans frustrations are coming from. Doherty is still an enigma on the ice. When I saw him earlier in the season, he was one of the best players on the ice. Tonight, well there were some cases of frustration. The reason you can get frustrated watching him is that he obviously is incredibly talented and capable of so much more. He has these flashes of brilliance. For instance tonight he had a couple really nice rushes where he used his size (and relatively strong straight ahead speed) to go end to end and drive to the net. I also think he does a good job of getting his shot through to the net and had a view flashes of defensive solidity. On loose puck battles, I like his ability to use his size to get players out of position in order to come away with the puck. But with those flashes of a player who could be a dominant defender in the league, you get plays that make you scratch your head. Like when he took the puck from behind the net and tried to rush it up the ice by cutting out directly in front of his net (obviously a big no no). Two forecheckers were right on him and he's fortunate he managed to get out of the situation alive. Later, he got exposed defensively on a Casey Cizikas rush that generated William Wallen's 3rd goal (and the game winner). Cizikas took the puck wide on him and beat him to the net. It makes you question his hockey sense to an extent, because you see a player with a lot of innate qualities, but you wonder if he's got the head to use them.

Alan Quine (2011)
Second time I've seen Quine this year and both times he's been relatively noticeable (although more so tonight than before). He seems to be getting better and better from what I'm hearing and is easily one of the most noticeable 1993 born players in the league. He seems to have a real nose for the net and was buzzing around it all night. I also like his fearlessness, as he goes into the corners, forces turnovers and goes to the net. I think he's got a real strong goal scoring potential in the league and he seems like one of those players who can make things happen in close. He finished with an assist.

Nathan Moon (PIT)
I understand he had a really great weekend of games recently, which is great to hear after he struggled to start the season. He didn't have a good game tonight though, at least in my opinion. As much as Doherty's frustrating to watch, Moon is more so. I'm glad I'm not the only one noticing this either, as the Fronts announcers mentioned their frustration with his "selfish" on ice play. He really needs to start following the KISS (keep it simple stupid) principle. It's like he always has to make that extra move with the puck that gets him into trouble. On one occasion, he had the puck behind the net on a bit of a scramble. The Majors defense was scattered and disoriented. He brings the puck on a wrap around, has a teammate wide open in the slot for a pace, but was so focused on trying to score, he continued the wraparound and put it right into Carrozzi's pads. End of the offensive opportunity. In the third period he got absolutely LEVELED by David Corrente. He tried to bring the puck into the offensive zone all by himself, failed to get around Corrente and then got drilled hard into the boards as the Majors defenseman pushed him off the puck. Admittedly, this seemed to completely fire him up and not long after he managed to score the goal (by showing nice hands in close on a juicy rebound) that brought it to within one. But he shouldn't need to be motivated in that way, but hasn't that been the Nathan Moon story his entire junior career? He finished with a goal.

Brian Lashoff (DET)
I've read and heard that Fronts fans have been disappointed with his play this season too. Admittedly, I've been underwhelmed by his offensive production this season. With the way he played in the AHL to finish last season, I think a lot of people had really high expectations for him. Perhaps that has gotten to his head too, as he looked like a guy trying to do too much with the puck tonight. Lashoff is a great defenseman when he plays a solid two way game with a bit of an edge, but he appears much more offensively focused this season (which is odd considering the stats don't back it up). His rushes became predictable and he feel victim to the Majors forecheck at times. Defensively, he did play pretty solid, but took two bad undisciplined penalties, one because he was out of position in defensive zone coverage. Like Moon, he needs to keep things simple and play within his game. He did have an assist on Derek Froats goal by getting a nice low wrist shot through a crowd (which Froats redirected).

Derek Froats (2010)
Really impressed by what I saw from Froats and Corey Durocher tonight. Froats was all over the ice. Not the biggest guy, but he's one of those prototypical energy guys. Motor always running, everywhere on the ice. On one specific occasion, he won a battle along the boards off a good forecheck, got the puck to a teammate, teammate turnover it over to which he managed to skate over, lift the stick and steal the puck back and put the puck on net. Showed soft hands on the Brian Lashoff redirection. These types of guys always generate NHL draft attention and Froats could be no exception.

Corey Durocher (2010)
As mentioned, Durocher was excellent as well on a line with Froats. Seems like a similar player, but has the size Froats doesn't a 6'3. Was winning battles in the corners, threw a couple nice hits and did a very good job disrupting puck distribution on the forecheck. He has four points in his last seven games, including an assist tonight and like Froats, could generate NHL draft attention.

Ethan Werek (NYR)
I thought he was the best player for the Fronts tonight. Just returning from a deep bruise injury on his leg, Werek did look a little sluggish at times and I think it's obvious he's still in some pain. The good news was that it didn't really effect his play. He created a lot of scoring chances tonight, especially in close. Thought he tied it up late in the 3rd after one timing a nice shot five hole in the slot, but the goal was disallowed (either because the puck never crossed the line or because the whistle was blown before it did). A few shifts earlier, his missed an easy goal on a 2 on 1 chance, but he was on his off wing and couldn't handle the one time pass that kind of hopped over his stick. I still think this guy should have been a first rounder in 2009. He earned an assist on Moon's third period goal.

Tyler Beskorowany (DAL)
Beskorowany played a solid game. He faced a ton of shots tonight and made some really good saves to keep his team in it. On the first goal, he can't be faulted as Devante Smith Pelly used Taylor Doherty's skate to bank the puck in. The first Wallen goal was a bit weak though, as he cut across the middle of the ice and caught Beskorowany cheating on the pass a bit, putting one over his shoulder blocker side. The second and third Wallen goals were scored off tough rebounds that his defenders failed to clear. While his stats this year haven't been tremendous, I don't think it's a reflection on how he's been playing. He definitely still needs to work on his rebound control, as he tends to make the first save but needs to do a better job of freezing the puck or doing his best to direct the puck away from the slot. He made 44 of 48 saves and took the loss.

Mississauga St. Michael's Majors





Casey Cizikas (NYI)
Probably the best game I've seen Cizikas play this season. He was really solid tonight and is developing into one of the better two way players in the league. Had some really good chances in the slot after managing to get himself open, but failed to hit the net. Late in the second period, he took the puck hard into the offensive zone, protected the puck with his body, beat the Kingston defender and managed to get a shot on net that generated a rebound for William Wallen to scoop up. He's such a tremendous penalty killer too and his anticipation working the top of the box is excellent, always finding a way to get his stick on the puck. He finished with 2 assists on the night.

Devante Smith Pelly (2010)
He's getting better and better, and the line of Cizikas, Wallen and Smith-Pelly is really clicking well for the Majors right now. While I've always liked him as a player and prospect, I have at times questioned his offensive potential. I was wrong to do so and I was wrong to leave him out of my early top 30 for the NHL entry draft. As I conversed with a commenter in my last Majors game report, Smith Pelly has a lot of potential as an offensive possession kind of player at the next level due to his strength down low and general agility. He finished with a goal and an assist. The goal, as mentioned, went off Taylor Doherty's skate, which Smith-Pelly definitely did intentionally.

William Wallen (2010, but 1991 born)
The Majors leading scorer finished the game with a hat trick as a member of that aforementioned Majors first line. I like him as a player and I think he has very strong offensive instincts. He is really smart with the puck and as such has been seeing some time quarterbacking the powerplay. But as an undersized water bug kind of player, and a guy who isn't the world's greatest skater (although he's not a poor skater by any means), where does he fit in the grand scheme of things at the NHL level. I'll be really interested to see how he performs at the World Juniors this year, where he'll likely be a top 6 forward.

Chris Carrozzi (ATL)
The OHL's hottest goaltender outside of Troy Passingham, Carrozzi has forced the Majors hand and actually appears to be the "starter toujour" over J.P. Anderson. He takes away the bottom of the net really well, although in unconventional means at times (aka flopping or stacking the pads on his side), but he gets the job done. Like Beskorowany, he needs to work on his rebound control, as the last two Fronts goals were scored off juicy rebounds. He made 31 of 34 saves for the win.

Anyone care to chime in? Here are some highlights of the game, in case anyone wants to see some of the plays in question.

Thoughts on Kingston from September 17

The OHL season officially kicked off last night. Eight teams were in action, including the Kingston Frontenacs who took on the Niagara IceDogs in St. Catharines. Since most of my reports will come as teams take on the IceDogs and the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors, I'll hold off on my thoughts of those two teams until a later date.

It was a solid first game in the Garden City last night; a lot of energy and a competitive game. Kingston looked considerably better than last year, even without the services of Ethan Werek (who was only cut from the Rangers today). The Fronts are more physical and faster than last year. With Beskorowany in net and Lashoff, Gudbranson, and Doherty on defense, I just can't see Kingston missing the playoffs again this year.

For the record, Kingston won this one 3-2. They were originally down 2-0, however half way through the second period they turned it on. The Fronts scored three straight goals to finish out the 2nd, and held on in the third to preserve the victory. Recent free agent acquisition Mike Farrell scored the game winner for Kingston.

Here are my thoughts on some Kingston players...

Taylor Doherty (SJ)
Doherty was the best player on the ice tonight. He looks way more comfortable out there. He was rushing the puck and involved offensively in ways we haven't seen since his promising rookie season two years ago. That confidence with the puck was what he was missing last season and it was a major reason for his struggles. Defensively, he was great too. The biggest positive was that he was able to be physical without taking any stupid penalties. The IceDogs had a very tough time getting passed him all night. His backwards and lateral mobility also looked improved from last season. It's obvious he's been working hard. The only thing I want to see him really improve on is his board play. For such a big guy, he often has trouble winning battles when the puck goes to the corner. Instead of using his size and reach, he can be eluded as he failed to engage a few IceDogs tonight. I think that just comes with having the confidence to engage hard physically and win battles without taking a penalty.

Erik Gudbranson (2010)
Had a pretty solid game. Was involved at both ends of the ice and appears to be really growing into his size. He led the Kingston rush on a few occasions and looks comfortable on the point on the powerplay. For such a big guy, his forewards and lateral mobility are excellent. At one point Alex Friesen (possibly the Dogs best skater) was trying to lose him in the corner by skating back and around with the puck. Gudbranson stayed with him the whole way and sealed off his opportunity to get by him and to the slot. Backwards, he still needs some work. He got blown by for a two on one as he couldn't get back fast enough. He played with a lot more physicality than I saw last year and showed a mean streak, of which I fully expected him to develop this season. As the year goes along, I'm hoping he becomes more dominant. Gudbranson registered one assist tonight.

Brian Lashoff (DET)
Just recently returning from Detroit, Lashoff looked sluggish and sloppy in the first half of the game. He was tentative in rushing the puck, was careless in his passing and was soft on his man. The second IceDog goal by Andrew Agozzino was a direct result of his inability to clear the puck. The Dogs turned the puck over to him in the slot, but he bobbled it and then forced a pass, to which Agozzino picked off and fired it home. But the second half of the game was a different story. It was almost as if he woke up. He began to rush the puck with confidence and every time he had the puck, he made something happen. He's such an effortless skater and has tremendous acceleration. Defensively, he was a rock the second half. He used his solid mobility to play tremendous one on one defense and to beat players to pucks in the corner. If you've read my blog before, you'd know I expect big things from Lashoff this year. Lashoff registered one assist in the game.

Alan Quine (2011)
I didn't notice Quine all that much to be honest. The 2nd overall pick in the 2009 Priority Draft was pretty invisible save his 2nd period goal that really got things started for the Frontenacs. Off a Shayne Rover turnover, Quine picked up the puck and roofed it top shelf on Mark Visentin. The shot was very impressive and I think it caught Visentin off guard too.

Clark Seymour (2011)
The Frontenacs 3rd rounder from 2009 is a big hulking defenseman who really looked impressive in taking the body tonight. His puck skills and skating look like they could use some improvement, but when I see a big (6'3) defenseman at 16 taking the body the way he did this game, I find it impressive.

Nathan Moon (PIT)
If Nathan Moon would have played the whole game on the penalty kill, he would have had one heck of a game. Moon was sensational in killing off all four of Niagara's powerplay's, including one in the last 5 minutes of the game. He can be a tenacious forechecker and plays the puck possession game very well. While penalty killing, he was relentless in attacking the puck carrier and at one point kept the puck behind Niagara's net for a good 20-30 seconds. The rest of the game, he wasn't as visible. Had a couple nice moments in puck control, and created a few scoring chances, but he needs to be a more consistent scoring threat on the ice. Moon finished with an assist.

Charles Sarault (2010)
Slightly undersized forward, Sarault was all over the ice tonight creating scoring chances. He has good speed and was active on the forecheck. He's very elusive on the ice and at times I felt like he surprised the Niagara puck carriers with his closing speed. He attacked the net and was constantly buzzing. On the negative side, he needs to be more careful with the puck and his passes. He had a couple really bad giveaways that led to scoring chances, this was in part of him trying to do too much. But he did impress me with his effort tonight.

Michael Farrell (2010, 1990 born)
Farrell, a former Owen Sound Attack forward, was signed as a free agent this offseason. He played last year with Kingston's tremendous OPJHL team and was an impact player. He was probably the best Kingston forward tonight. He was all over the ice, crashing the net, getting in the Dogs faces. He showed great puck control on a few instances where his moves created scoring chances for Kingston. And he scored the game winner at the end of the 2nd period. If he can make an impact every night for Kingston, whether it be physically or on the scoresheet, he'll have a place in this league for the next two seasons.

Tyler Beskorowany (DAL)
Was very solid between the pipes for Kingston tonight. Made some huge saves at the end of the game, including a knob of the stick save on an Andrew Agozzino wrist shot from the slot. He challenges shooters, using his size to his advantage and I think he's vastly improved his reflexes and lateral mobility. His biggest strength is the way he takes away the bottom of the net with his pads. He still needs to work on his five hole and his rebound control, but the skill level is there. He completely shut the door in the third period, when it mattered most, and proved that his acquisition was an intelligent one by Kingston.

That's all folks. Be sure to check back all season for similar reports, as well as the player archives found on the right side of the page, which will link you to previous reports on players.

Anyone else catch Kingston in action last night and have thoughts?

Sunday Top 10 - 2008 Draftees Who Need to Have a Big Season

This Sunday we take a look at 10 players who have a lot riding on their performance this season. These players are 2008 NHL Entry Draft selections whom have yet to be signed by their NHL clubs. They have yet to be signed because their performance since being drafted has been underwhelming. Thus, these ten players need to take steps forward this season in order to show their NHL clubs that their progression should equal an entry level contract.

This year, seven OHL players taken in the 2007 NHL Draft were unsigned by their NHL clubs (here). One has since signed an NHL contract (Richard Greenop). Two years ago, six OHL players taken in the 2006 NHL Draft were unsigned by their NHL clubs (Ben Shutron, Ryan Daniels, Aaron Snow, Luke Lynes, James DeLory, Devin DiDiomete). Two have since signed NHL contracts (DeLory and DiDiomete). The point being that history tells us that some of these ten players will not be offered a contract.by their NHL clubs (Ben Shutron, Ryan Daniels, Aaron Snow, Luke Lynes, James DeLory, Devin DiDiomete). Two have since signed NHL contracts (DeLory and DiDiomete). The point being that history tells us that some of these ten players will not be offered a contract.

Let's take a look at the 10 who need to step it up!

10. Tim Billingsley - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Drafted by: Phoenix, 189th overall
After a decent 2007-08 season, where he posted 27 points from the back end, Billingsley was drafted by Phoenix. This past year saw massive regression in his game. He missed considerable time due to two different injuries. One suffered at the beginning of the season, and a mild knee injury suffered around mid season. Perhaps this prevented him from finding a groove. I think it also played a part in his decreased role in Mississauga. With the emergence of Brett Flemming and Blake Parlett, Billingsley was pushed to the outside of the Majors top 3. His offensive game saw massive reduction, going from 27 points, to a measly 8 assists. And although Billingsley has always been billed as more of a defensive player, that part of his game also took a hit IMO. He looked lost at times defensively and played considerably more passive than previously before. In order to earn a contract, he's going to have to return to the form of 2007-08. The Majors are going to be looking to make a run at the Eastern Conference title and they are going to need Billingsley to play solidly as the teams 4th defenceman. If he continues to struggle or fight injuries, he risks losing his spot on the depth chart to 91's like David Corrente and Josh McFadden.

9. Kyle DeCoste - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Drafted by: Tampa Bay, 147th
DeCoste has progressed very little offensively since he was drafted in 2008. In Brampton, DeCoste was stuck in a numbers game and perhaps never got to really show what he was capable of. A scrappy, gritty forward, DeCoste seemed to improve after a midseason trade to the Soo. In 26 games with the Greyhounds, DeCoste was able to match what he did offensively in 37 games with Brampton. With Sault Ste. Marie hoping to improve enough to make the playoffs this season, DeCoste is going to be counted on to provide energy, leadership and offence. I think DeCoste should be looking at the progression made by a guy like Anthony Peluso this year and aim for something similar in order to impress Tampa.

8. Patrick Killeen - Brampton Battalion
Drafted by: Pittsburgh, 180th
This big netminder had a very solid rookie OHL season in 2007-08 earning a platoon role with Oilers draft pick (and signee) Bryan Pitton. This earned him a late draft selection by the Penguins. However this season, things seemed to fall apart for him. So much so that the Battalion had to trade for a true number one in Thomas McCollum, relegating Killeen to back up. This season Brampton is rebuilding and McCollum has moved on. It will be Killeen's ship to steer, as he attempts to lead a young and inexperienced Battalion team to a playoff spot in the East. He needs to rebound well (no pun intended).

7. Stephen Johnston - Belleville Bulls
Drafted by: Detroit, 181st
The speedster Johnston was drafted by Detroit after a very strong showing in the 2008 playoffs for Belleville. Bigger things were expected of him this season as his role increased and to his credit, he did produce reasonably well with 36 points (a 27 point improvement). However, his inconsistent play prevented him from cementing a role in the top 6, forcing Belleville to go out and acquire bigger guns in Nick Palmieri, Brandon Mashinter and Luke Pither. This year, Belleville is going to be counting on Johnston to be one of their offensive leaders, thanks to the graduation of the majority of their key players from last season. Hopefully he's up to the challenge.

6. Jason Missiaen - Peterborough Petes
Drafted by: Montreal, 116th
Missiaen, standing a gigantic 6'7, was given the starting goaltender spot after the trade of Trevor Cann to London. His performance was hot and cold, not unlike his 2007-08 season. Missiaen continues to battle consistency as he'll be lights out one night, and give up 7 goals the next. This season, Peterborough will be aiming for better than the 7th spot in the conference and Missiaen is going to have to play a crucial role. Every goaltender can have an off night, but the Petes are going to need Missiaen to have those off nights a lot less than he has in the past. Considering that Missiaen has apparently played well at previous development camps for Montreal, a solid season in helping Peterborough to home ice in the playoffs would most definitely earn him an ELC.

5. Chris Carrozzi - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Drafted by: Atlanta, 154th
Carrozzi is in a tough position. After leading the Majors to a strong playoff position in 2007-08, and playing another 47 games this past season, you'd think his job was safe. However, Carrozzi shares netminding duties with one of the top young goaltenders in the OHL, J.P. Anderson. Due to some unspectacular play towards the later part of 2008-09, Anderson began slowly take over the starter's job. After Carrozzi faltered in the playoffs, Anderson took over and promptly put in one of the best performances of the 2009 playoffs. This season, the two goaltenders are likely headed for a platoon situation, at least to start. However, Carrozzi has more to lose here. Should he continue to be outplayed by Anderson, his starts will slowly diminish and with it Atlanta's interest in him. Perhaps best for him would be a trade to another team with goaltending insecurities. That being said, if Carrozzi can step up his game and go toe to toe with Anderson, forcing a true, earned platoon situation, he's likely to impress Atlanta scouts enough to get a contract offer.

4. A.J. Jenks - Plymouth Whalers
Drafted by: Florida, 100th
Jenks failed to take a step forward this past season in Plymouth. The big two way forward failed to match the offensive numbers he put up in his draft year and was especially disappointing in the playoffs where he failed to provide the secondary scoring the Whalers needed to advance. His skating still remains an issue, as does his consistent offensive production. That being said, Plymouth is undergoing a bit of an offensive retooling, and it's possible he could find himself on the top offensive line with Tyler Seguin and Ryan Hayes. This will be his chance to show Florida that he has offensive abilities and can take that next step forward.

3. Mitch Gaulton - Erie Otters
Drafted by: New York Rangers, 171st
Gaulton's inclusion on this list is not to do with performance, but injury. Gaulton has played only 42 games in the past 2 seasons due to a dislocated elbow and subsequent Tommy John surgery to repair the ligaments. This former 4th overall pick in the OHL Priority Draft needs to have an injury free season very badly. From all reports, he's completely healthy now and is ready to help lead Erie's defence corps. While he has lost precious development time, Gaulton remains a very talented kid. As long as he stays healthy, I think we could see a big season from him and accordingly a contract offer from the Rangers.

2. Jared Staal - Sudbury Wolves
Drafted by: Phoenix, 49th
I'm not sure why I include Staal on this list because I'm fairly certain he'll still get a contract from Phoenix. The question remains, will he earn it, or will it be given because he's a Staal and the Coyotes are banking on some form of a late bloomer. This past season in Sudbury he took no steps forward, failing to meet his goal production from 2007-08. He still fails to use his size to his advantage, he still needs work on his skating and it's beginning to look less and less likely that he's an NHL quality prospect. This year in Sudbury, bigger things are expected of him and the team.

1. Tyler Beskorowany - Owen Sound Attack
Drafted by: Dallas, 59th
After a quietly effective performance during the 2007-08 season, the Stars made Beskorowany their 2nd round selection. The tall and lanky netminder shows a lot of potential, but at the same time had a disappointing 2008-09 season. He started the year at the team's number one netminder, but as the year went along, his inconsistencies cost him playing time to the improving Scott Stajcer. So much so, that Stajcer was the team's starting netminder in the 2009 playoffs. Now it's likely that Beskorowany will be traded in order to get more playing time. He's going to need to step up huge for whatever team he eventually plays for, in order to not turn into the next Josh Unice (who went unsigned this year from the 2007 draft). Ironically, one possible destination for Beskorowany could see him as Unice's replacement in Windsor.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Ryan Yessie's Thoughts on Owen Sound from January 16

Ryan Yessie returns with his first report of the New Year, and was able to take in the Sarnia - Owen Sound game this past Friday. All 5 goals are scored before the game reached the midway point. Huge saves were made early by Dan Spence en route to the Sarnia Sting defeating Owen Sound 4-1.

Steven Shipley - YOB: 1992 - 6’2” - 200 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Jan/17/09: This guy is a player. No question of this guy’s skill. I didn’t hear much about him going into this game but he’s certainly going to have an impression on me for the next 18 months leading up to his draft. He has some dynamic offensive skills and if not for two massive saves by Dan Spence Shipley could have single handedly kept his team in the game. He skates with great speed which is very impressive considering he has NHL size and is only 16 years old. Shipley has good stick handling moves and shows great agility and has big potential to be a game breaker at every level he plays at. Very impressed with his puck control and his overall offensive awareness. This looks like something Owen Sound saw come in about 5 years ago, except his name was Bobby Ryan. I’ve only seen two guys skate and handle the puck with the size that Bobby Ryan had , and Shipley is definitely the better of the two I’ve seen so far. I really don’t see any flaws in his game, his defensive play wasn’t noticeable so I guess that can’t be considered positive or negative. (Shipley had 1G)

Joey Hishon - YOB: 1991 - 5’10” - 166 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Jan/17/09: Hishon is a late birth date so he’ll have to wait till next year. Hopefully that gives him time to add to his size because he desperately needs to add about 15-20 lbs in the next 18 months. Hishon was another guy I was very impressed with, I was surprised Sarnia kept Owen Sound to only one goal with these two skating around the ice. Hishon displayed great speed, a quick release, good awareness in the offensive zone, and distributes the puck very well. What I was really surprised about is how good of a penalty killer Hishon is. His positioning is as good as it comes, and he always had a stick in the passing lane. A complete player and could certainly push into the top 15 of the draft next year, and the only flaw I could see in his game is his 5’10” - 166lb frame that desperately needs a little more muscle added to it, if he does that he could be a dangerous prospect.

Garrett Wilson - YOB: 1991 - 6’2” - 199 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2009
Report: Jan/17/09: Wilson had his good sides and bad. The good is that he has a fairly quick release on his shot, and it comes off with some force, he’s a good physical player and is not afraid to hit. His best asset is his net presence, he looked like Holmstrom out there on the power play he was an unmovable object when he was in front of the net which could be useful to an NHL team looking for a mid-late round pick. On the bad side his skating could use some help, and he does seem to get very over aggressive at the wrong times and winds up taking bad penalties. Not someone I was considering untill I saw what he was able to do in front of the net, so certainly someone to keep an eye on. (Wilson had 1A, 2PIM)

Michael Lomas - YOB: 1990 - 5’11” - 198 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2009
Report: Jan/17/09: I know some out there are wondering about this guy, he was rated last year but didn’t get picked, he has good numbers so I was curious myself. I was very disappointed in Lomas’ play. He turned the puck over at some bad times for his team, and a few were just lazy turnovers not moving his feet, or paying enough attention to the play. I have no clue how this guy has 19 goals so far this year, because he missed the net wildly 3 times. He was within 20ft. Of the net and missed by atleast 5 ft. every time, his stats must be padded at least a little from playing with Shipley and/or Hishon. The one bright spot I saw in his game was his defensive play, he was out there on the PK a couple times and played fairly well during that time. (Lomas had 2 PIM)

Michael D’Orazio - YOB: 1990 - 6’1” - 211 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2009
Report: Jan/17/09: I was impressed a bit with this guy last year so I was curious as to how he was playing this year. D’Orazio was a good stay at home presence, he was throwing hits every chance he had and he threw some big ones, he looks like he’s built like a tank when he hits, definitely looks taller than 6’1”. Doesn’t look like there is much offensive potential to speak of, but a solid player that I could see getting late round consideration.

Tyler Beskorowany - YOB: 1990 - 6’5” - 199 lbs.
NHL: 2nd Round - 59th Overall by Dallas in 2008
Report: Jan/17/09: Beskorowany was starting for Owen Sound tonight and I wasn’t very impressed with him. He let in two very soft goals which between that and if Shipley didn’t get robbed this could have been a very different game. He does have great positioning; he faced 48 shots and he was in position for probably 47 of them. His biggest issue is the amount of rebounds he gave up, if it was possible to give a rebound on a shot he gave it, and they were big rebounds. He also doesn’t seem to cut down the angle enough when players are coming in down the wing even if they’re by themselves and gave them a lot of net to look at. (Beskorowany stopped 44 of 48 shots)

Thoughts on Game 3 of the ADT Challenge - OHL vs. Russian Selects in Guelph

Last night in Guelph, the Ontario Hockey League all stars took on the Russian selects in game 3 of the ADT-Canada/Russia Challenge. It was a pretty exciting game that had a bit of everything. Lead changes, heavy hitting and some real quality goals. The OHL took the game 6-3, overcoming a 3-2 deficit more than half way through the second period. I thought a lot of the OHL players looked both good and bad at times, with some sloppy play which I'm hoping doesn't carry over to game 4 in Niagara.

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

Goalies:

Chris Carrozzi - Mississauga Majors (Drafted 2008 by Atlanta/154th)

Neither goalie was really tested all that much. Carrozzi faced 8 shots in his 30 minutes of ice time. However, he did let in all three of the goals against. Only one of those was completely unstoppable, a nice passing play on the Russian powerplay finished by Nikita Klyukin. The other two were shots that I felt a stronger goalie might have had. The Grachev goal was scored on a breakaway where Grachev deked Carrozzi to the side and slid the puck five hole. The other goal was scored as Evgeny Dadonov cut across the middle of the ice and put the puck between Carrozzi's five hole as he was moving side to side. I've seen these types of goals scored before on Carrozzi, as teams have had a tendency to exploit a weak five hole on him, especially while he is in motion. He needs to do a much better job of moving his stick with his body to cover up the area. And while he does a good job of making himself big to shooters, he can also tend to give up juicy rebounds. I think he can be a decent goalie at the next level, but only if he improves his mechanics, in particular his ability to make and read those reaction type saves.

Tyler Beskorowany - Owen Sound Attack (Drafted 2008 by Dallas/59th)

Was tested even less than Carrozzi was, despite seing the same amount of rubber in the same amount of minutes. But the majority of his 8 shots were from the perimeter and little challenge for him. In particular, I thought he made one nice save on a similar play as the Dadonov goal that Carrozzi let in. A Russian player cut across the middle and tried to sneak one low, but Beskorowany stuck out the leg and made a nice kick save that was a little more difficult than it looked. The thing I like about Beskorowany and was probably the main reason as to why he was such a high draft pick, is that while he's a big man, he moves very well in his crease. In the times that I've seen him (which is relatively little), he's shown to anticipate the play really well and control his rebounds. Because he plays in Owen Sound and he's not posting a great G.A.A., he's never going to get the hype that others in the league do. But he's a great goalie prospect, make no mistake about it.

Defense:

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

I'll admit right now, I've never been the biggest fan of his play. The main problem I have is his transition ability to the NHL. I've always felt that his skating wasn't good or explosive enough to allow him to play a puck rushing game in the NHL. I still stand by this point. That's not to say that Del Zotto is a terrible skater, but if you look at the best puck rushing defenseman in the NHL, Dan Boyle, Jay Bouwmeester, Brent Burns, etc. They are all outstanding skaters with an explosive acceleration. I just don't see that level of skating ability in Del Zotto. In tonight's game, I thought he looked pretty poor, to be honest. I felt he made some poor decisions with the puck and he didn't look incredibly comfortable running the powerplay tonight. He never really took any chances with the puck either and wasn't very aggressive on the rush. I'm not sure whether he was trying to prove to the scouts in attendance that he can play the safe game, but in the end, that's not his game at all and it's not why the Rangers drafted him so high. He needs to take risks and jump into the play because if he's not hitting the scoresheet and stretching the neutral zone defense, he's not all that effective of a player.

Ryan Ellis - Windsor Spitfires (NHL Draft Eligible 2009)

Ellis showed a lot of skill tonight and he showed the casual fan why he's putting up so many points in Windsor. He also showed the casual fan as to why he's yet to be rated as high as he should be. Ellis takes chances, there is no doubt about it. And he can get caught up ice, leading to odd man rushes. But if he can help score 2 goals for every opposing goal he aids, he's going to attract a lot of attention. On the rush, he's got great wheels and an even better set of hands. He can stickhandle through a phonebooth and showcased this with one great rush early in the game. On the powerplay, he was effective and showed his ability to get his great shot through a crowd. Whenever he lets his shot go, it's almost as if it's magnetically attracted to the net. However, defensively he made a bad pinch and got caught up ice leading to an odd man rush. But in the defensive zone, I think he's made strides. His man coverage has improved, as has his play along the boards. He has to continue to show scouts that he can work on his defensive game and that he can overcome his size to become an NHL defenseman.

Nick Crawford - Saginaw Spirit (Drafted in 2008 by Buffalo/164th)

Crawford did not have a good game. Could definitely have been nerves. He made a few brutal passes in his own zone that lead to turnovers. He was also highly ineffective while running the point on the powerplay, failing to keep the puck inside the zone on numerous occasions. Defensively, he was outmuscled along the boards by some of the stronger Russian players and really looked over matched. Perhaps it was nerves because when I saw him earlier this year, he looked a lot better and way more composed with the puck. I wouldn't take this game as an indicator of his talent level.

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

Gaunce is a personal favourite of mine. He has some faults, but I think he's got definite NHL potential if he can tweak some things. For one, offensively he's incredibly smart. He plain and simple knows what to do with the puck in the offensive zone. He made one great play in particular when he kept the puck in offensive zone at the blueline and made a crisp pass to Casey Cizikas, who then dished to Dale Mitchell for a goal top shelf. But it was the fact that Gaunce made the decision to hit Cizikas while under pressure to keep the puck in at the blueline. While he isn't the world's greatest skater, the pusk rushing thing isn't necessarily his game. He's more effective once the zone sets up. Defensively, he can be a bit erratic. I've found that he has a tendency to float a bit and leave his man in coverage, but that's just a focus thing. I've also heard that he could stand to improve his conditioning, although has apparently improved it going into this season. Tonight, I thought he was the best defensive defenseman for the OHL. He made smart plays with the puck in his own zone leading to the breakout and he never turned the puck over despite some relentless forechecking by the Russians. I don't know if he's the type of guy who's going to make a huge impact in the NHL, but at the same time, I'd be surprised if he doesn't become that dependable NHL regular.

Mark Cundari - Windsor Spitfires (FA Signing by St. Louis)

Cundari signed with the Blues during the two week period after the draft during prospect camps, that allows undrafted, yet draft eligible players to sign NHL contracts (Barrie's Brian Lashoff also signed during this period). He's really come along way during his OHL career. He plays the game really hard and is a physically imposing player despite being somewhat undersized at 5'10. Offensively, he's gained a lot more confidence in his abilities, in particular with running the powerplay in Windsor with Ryan Ellis. We didn't really see any offense from Cundari tonight as he tried to make things simple. He did play a good defensive game though, and was very physical, in particular along the boards where he rarely lost battles for the puck in his own zone. What makes him an attractive NHL prospect is that he's a good skater, which allows him to play aggressive defensively in closing lanes. A real underrated prospect.

Tyler Cuma - Ottawa 67's (Drafted in 2008 by Minnesota/23rd)

Cuma hasn't really had a great start to the OHL season. His offensive stats are incredibly underwhelming. While I haven't seen him play yet this year (was not back from Minnesota yet when I saw Ottawa play twice), I've heard that he's been focusing a lot more on defense and playing a really safe game thus far, which would explain his lack of offense. However, I don't think he's ever going to be a big scorer. He's always going to be the type of guy who puts up way more assists than goals. He is however a great skater who can surprise you with a very nice rush up ice, like he did in this game. He exploded through the neutral zone and over the blueline, going through a few Russians to get a scoring chance. However, that's not something you will see a lot. Defensively, the only negative I've seen from him is that he can be taken out of position going for the big hit. This was seen in this game, as Cuma tried for a big hit, missed, leading to a two on one. But he also made a great play defensively to save a likely goal infront of the net by anticipating a pass and blocking it. He was physical all game, actually hitting on a couple of those big hits. Cuma is just a solid defensive prospect, the type of player who's team makes the playoffs.

T.J. Brodie - Saginaw Spirit (Drafted in 2008 by Calgary/114th)
Brodie is the type of player scouts love. He shows progression and improvement. Brodie was drafted last year after having a pretty successful rookie OHL season (after playing only 20 games the year before that). He's a two way blueliner who can do a little bit of everything. This was my first game seing Brodie this year after he sat out Saginaw's game vs. Niagara earlier this season. In my opinion, he didn't have a terrific game. While he was pretty good defensively and didn't make any glaring mistakes, I felt that he might have been trying to do to much offensively. On the powerplay, he did not look comfortable at all. Constantly fumbled the puck at the blueline and failed to keep possession. He made a few nice plays with passes off the boards to hit forwards on the rush and showed some poise in that regard. But in the end, I was hoping he would show a little more and give people the chance to remember his name.

Forwards:

Matt Duchene - Brampton Battalion (NHL Draft Eligible in 2009)

I felt that he got better as the game went along. In the first period, I thought he might have been trying too hard and was attempting to make the difficult/highlight reel play instead of making the safe one. But he got better and better every period and by the end of the game had become an offensive threat every time he touched the ice. He made one great pass at the end of the game on the powerplay to give teammate Cody Hodgson a tap in goal. Duchene is a talented player. He uses great speed to create scoring chances off the rush and has great on ice vision. He's been playing a lot of center lately, but I'm not sure he projects as a center in the NHL.

Casey Cizikas - Mississauga Majors (NHL Draft Eligible in 2009)

Cizikas has been getting a lot of flak lately for his play. Most recently in Redline report, a top scouting service, they called him out for his lack of effort at both ends of the ice and his lack of offensive creativity. In my previous viewings, I'd both agree and disagree. I've never seen Cizikas show a lack of effort defensively, however I do agree about concerns over his offensive potential. I thought he played a great game though. He was aggressive on the forecheck and made some very good plays defensively and on the penalty kill. He made a really nice pass on the previously mentioned Dale Mitchell goal. While he may be catching some criticism for his play, in the end I think teams know what they will be getting with Cizikas when they draft him. He can work hard and be the first forward in the offensive zone, he can play both ways, and he has good enough hands to make plays infront of the net. While he may not be a future first liner in the making, he's definitely an NHL draft pick.

Peter Holland - Guelph Storm (NHL Draft Eligible in 2009)

I thought Holland was pretty invisible tonight actually. He had a couple good shifts early in the game, where he was playing his game on the cycle and creating offensive opportunities. But as the Russians began to win battles in the corners, Holland became a lot less effective. As I've seen him play well and be an effective player in the offensive, I know what he's capable of. For the casual fan, don't judge him on his lack of impact tonight.

Anthony Nigro - Guelph Storm (Drafted in 2008 by St. Louis/155th)

This isn't really going to be the type of game where Nigro stands out. He's a good player and prospect though. He works very hard, is a beast in the corners and is one of the best defensive forwards in the Ontario Hockey league. Tonight, while he wasn't a factor offensively, he managed to play physical and did a good job working the cycle. Every year, the Canadian Junior team takes players like Nigro to play a role, much to the surprise of the common fan. But don't be surprised if this guy does find a place on that team someday.

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

Two goals and an assist goes a long way in proving team Canada brass that you belong on their team. Hodgson was all over the ice tonight. Even though his goals were more due to the good plays of others, Hodgson still showed that he can finish off scoring chances, but also create them for his linemates. He completely took over the game in the third period. Was deking through Russian defenders left and right, and creating scoring chances front and center. Hodgson has been incredible since returning to the OHL from an extended stay in Vancouver. Tonight I think he made a lot of Canucks fans happy.

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

Outside of one rediculous rush up the ice and a post hit, Hall was not very good in the game. On that rush, he showed great speed, beating a Russian defender to the outside, dragged and fired a wicked wrist shot that beat Russian goalie Alex Pechurski, but not the post. That rush completely brought the fans out of their seats and I started getting the feeling that the game was going to serve as the Taylor Hall show. But he kind of disappeared the rest of the game. Was ineffective in keeping possession in the offensive zone, and made a couple terrible plays on the breakout leading to turnovers due to careless passing. You'd have to think the kids nerves were a little wrecked. I'd expect him to come out much better in the Niagara game.

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

Nemisz was pretty good tonight. I thought that his skating looked a lot better than it did last season. He was effective on the forecheck and in the cycle along the boards and was often the first man in the offensive zone fighting for the puck. The only criticism I always seem to have about Nemisz's game is that for a big man, he doesn't really use his size all that much. While he can overpower along the boards, he doesn't drive to the net hard, nor does he become incredibly involved physically. I'd like to see him get his nose dirty and get more goals by banging in the crease.
Dale Mitchell - Windsor Spitfires (Drafted in 2007 by Toronto/74th)

Quite frankly, I was a little surprised when Mitchell was named to play in this game. I thought there could have been better choices. However, I felt he was one of the best forwards for the OHL tonight. He showed great speed and a willingness to get his nose dirty. He crashed the net hard and was overall quite the pest. On his goal off that nice feed from Cizikas, he absolutely roofed the puck top shelf on Pechurski. Was a real goal scorer's goal, waiting out the goaltender to go down and roofing it. Mitchell is a real solid player who's finding more consistency in his game since the trade to Windsor. He's looking like a good pick for Toronto and is likely a future fan favourite.

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

As the highest NHL draft selection playing in the game for the OHL, you had to expect that Couture would have been an impact player. But that was not the case, nor has it been the case this season. Couture's numbers have been decreasing every year since his draft season, and I've even heard people say that he actually hasn't yet been as good as he was in his rookie OHL season. He's had some injury problems, as well as mono, but in the end these can not be excuses. He's got to work harder and he's got to start showing people why he was such a high draft pick. Yes he has good speed and he can be an effective two way player, but offensively he was completely invisible tonight. At what point do we begin criticizing Couture's offensive hockey sense and start to believe that he's never going to be an impact player at the next level?

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

Ok so John Tavares had two goals and an assist. But am I the only one who thought he didn't have a great game. Yes he showed that his defensive game and his first step have improved. Yes, he put a great shot past Pechurski in the first. And yes, he crashed the net hard looking for loose pucks and showed great determination at the offensive end. However, I also thought he was incredibly selfish with the puck and quite often ruined good scoring chances by holding on to the puck and becoming too predictable. On one two on one, you could tell he was going to shoot it the whole way. The Russian defenseman didn't even play it that well, and eventually just slid infront of Tavares' shot to break up the play. I know that John has had a lot of pressure placed on him this season, and that he has to be feeling pretty crappy about the fact that a lot of scouting agencies now have him at number two behind Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman. And I do think that this influenced his game tonight. I think that perhaps John was trying to hard to show the scouts that he can play the flashy game and that he can be an electrifying offensive player. The one thing I always here about Tavares from people who see him for the first time is, "well I didn't really notice him that much, but he had 2 goals and 2 assists." It's because he kind of sneaks in there and tends to hit that scoresheet. He's not flashy, but productive. I think tonight he tried to misdirect that conception and I felt that he looked like a worse player and a worse teammate for it.

Josh Brittain - Kingston Frontenacs (Drafted in 2008 by Anaheim/71st)

I thought Brittain was very effective tonight. He showed good speed, especially in using his big frame to drive to the net. And he's actually a very smart offensive player who knows where to go on the ice to put himself in scoring positions. He's the type of player I wish Greg Nemisz would be. Playing on Kingston has kind of buried Brittain, but I think Killer should do wonders for his game. Anaheim got a real steal in 2008, and Brittain is a developing power forward whom I liken a lot to the way James Neal progressed in Plymouth.

Ryan O'Reilly - Erie Otters (NHL Draft Eligible in 2009)

I have some concerns with O'Reilly's game translating to the NHL. They are in fact the exact criticisms that Ryan's older brother Cal faced in his OHL days with Windsor. Just to show you how much the NHL draft philosophy has changed, Cal was a fifth round pick back in 2005, where as Ryan is being touted as a potential first round pick, despite being pretty much the same player. Ryan is a great playmaker, although he has a tendency to look pass first and is almost timid at times in shooting the puck. Ryan's biggest concern, and I think it was evident in this game, is that his skating and acceleration are average to below average. He's just not a very effective player in the transition game. He's much more effective offensively once the offense sets up. He also needs to be less of a perimeter player and learn to use that 6 ft, 200lbs frame to attack the net a little more. I think Ryan is a good player, and Cal has done great for himself in the AHL thus far, but as of this point I'm just not sure I see him as a first round talent considering his flaws.
............................................................................................................................................................

That's all for now, I plan on reviewing the Russian Selects as a group after the Niagara game, which takes place Monday night. It'll be interesting to see how the Russian players react to the small ice in the Gatorade Garden City Complex.

BTW the official game report for the Guleph game can be found here.