The second part of the unveiling of my Top 50 eligible OHL prospects for the 2009 NHL entry draft.
Here are prospects 30 through 11:
30. Peter Di Salvo - Goaltender - Barrie Colts
Di Salvo started off the year blazing, essentially stealing the starting goaltending job away from Boston third rounder Michael Hutchinson. But as the year went along, he cooled off a bit and began to get pretty inconsistent. In the playoffs, neither Di Salvo or Hutchinson were particularly strong, although Di Salvo did put in a couple strong performances when it was a little too late for Barrie in the series against Mississauga. Di Salvo is an athletic netminder who actually does a tremendous job of controlling his rebounds and does well in anticipating the play. The only concern I have at this point is that he can tend to play small in his crease. At 6'0 (somewhat undersized for a goalie these days), he can tend to play back in his crease, getting exposed on the angles. He needs to challenge shooters more and become more aggressive. The make up is there for a solid prospect though. It'll be interesting to see what Barrie does next year with two solid goalies. I'm sure by mid season, one of them will be gone and I wouldn't be surprised if it was Hutchinson.
29. Matthew Tipoff - Forward - Belleville Bulls
With only 3 goals in his last 36 regular season games, it's hard to rank Tipoff higher, even though I do like some of the things he brings to the ice. He's not big at 5'11, 180lbs, but he's not afraid of danger areas, heading to the net for rebounds and forechecking hard. He always keeps his feet moving, which is great for the big ice in Bellville where you can tire your defender out by out hustling him. In those last 36 games, the effort was still there, but the finish wasn't. In a sense I also question his hockey sense (no pun intended). For a guy that's constantly moving and beating defenders to the puck, he needs to get himself in better positions to score. I also would like to see him take the body more. It's not to often you see a high energy forward who isn't taking the body. Instead of just moving around for the sake of moving around, he needs to find that purpose for bringing energy. Is he getting into scoring areas, or is he going to start channeling that energy into being physically aggressive? Next year is huge for him because he risks falling behind some talented youngsters like Stephen Johnston, Luke Judson, Andy Bathgate, Scott Howe, and Cody Alcock, who are jumping at the bit to replace guys like Tangradi, Cameron, Mashinter, etc, on the scoring lines.
28. Beau Schmitz - Defense - Plymouth Whalers
At the beginning of the season, Schmitz looked like a complete write off. Came into Plymouth with some hype after spurning NCAA hockey for the CHL, but really failed to make an impression. With 2 points in his first 14 games, Schmitz looked tentative with the puck, was making poor choices in coverage and was really struggling. Perhaps chalk that up to transition time. He slowly began to get adjusted and finished the regular season with 35 points in his last 52 games. He also stepped up his physical play, showing at at 5'10, he can be a factor in the defensive zone. He still makes mistakes, in particular with picking his times to pinch and going for the hit, but he's improving. Perhaps this is just the tip of the iceberg with Mr. Schmitz?
27. Ben Chiarot - Defense - Guelph Storm
Chiarot is a big, physical defenseman who skates well. We know how valuable those are in today's NHL. At 6'3, 210, Chiarot has excellent mobility and has developed into a great defensive defenseman. I think his offensive skills may be a tad underrated too. He will from time to time carry the puck out of the zone and pinch in for an offensive opportunity. I think it comes down to confidence in the fact that he isn't doing it more. On the negative side, his defensive positioning could stand to improve some as he'll take himself out of the play to make a hit. At times, he also overhandles the puck in his own zone, which can lead to panic and turnovers. He's raw, but there is potential for improvement.
26. Chris DeSousa - Forward - Niagara IceDogs
Who's the player with the most goals scored this year among OHL draft eligible players (first year eligible)? That's right, Niagara IceDogs forward Chris DeSousa, who is still currently unranked by Central Scouting. With 33, 1 more than Ethan Werek and two more than Matt Duchene. Sure he's undersized at 5'9, but he plays like he's 6'5. He hits anything that moves and even put down big Taylor Doherty earlier this year, in probably the best hit I've seen this year in the OHL. He's a complete player who kills penalties, back checks, drives hard to the net, cycles in the corner, and drops the mitts. His best weapon, if you hadn't guessed from his 33 goals, is his booming shot. He scores a lot of goals coming down the wing and just unleashing the slapper. As an undersized forward, skating isn't a problem either. I really don't see CSB's reasoning for not ranking this kid. That being said, I know some of the other independent scouting agencies like Redline Report, are quite high on him.
25. Garrett Wilson - Forward - Owen Sound Attack
Wilson, unfortunately, might best be remembered for his slew foot on Rangers defenseman Dan Kelly that got him suspended for 15 games. Before the suspension, Wilson had 5 goals and 2 assists in 7 games. Unfortunately for him, he was never really able to get back on a roll like that. He did still have a pretty solid season for an average Owen Sound team. Wilson is a big body at 6'2, 200 and he's a rare case in that he actually uses his size to his advantage at a young age. He loves to park himself near the net and has good hands in that he capitalizes on the chances he creates for himself and that others create for him. He's also very physical and throws his body around, especially in the corners. On the negative side, Wilson's skating needs massive improvement. At this point, he's not really a factor off the rush, only when the offense sets up in the zone. The package is there for a power forward though, he just needs to improve his skating to involve himself more in the play.
24. Tyler Randell - Forward - Kitchener Rangers
Tyler Randell is a forward whom you could characterize as your typical checking line forward. He works hard at the offensive end, driving to the net, throwing his body around and being an overall pest to defend against. He has good hands and actually a pretty decent shot which he should use to eventually score a decent amount of goals in the OHL. Unlike some of the more recent OHL "checking" prospects, he actually has size too, at over 6'0 and close to 200lbs. On the negative side, for an energy player, Randell's skating isn't tremendous. While I wouldn't call it poor, for the type of high tempo game he could potentially play, it needs to be better. Also, for your prototypical checking forward, he could stand to be more defensively oriented. At times, he'll float a bit, when he should be backchecking hard and using that aggressive nature to help win puck battles in his own zone.
23. Phil Varone - Forward - London Knights
Here's a guy who stepped up HUGE in the OHL playoffs. If you saw my last Sunday Top 10, I had Varone as the 5th best playoff performer. Prior to that, I can tell you he wouldn't have been in my top 30. But playoff performances mean a lot to me. I think they show the true character of a player. An undersized forward, Varone is not afraid to attack the net and generate offense by any means possible. He's also a complete player who competes hard and is often the first player back to the defensive zone on his line. His offensive numbers were underwhelming this year after playing so well for both Kitchener and London last year. But he stepped it up huge in the playoffs for London, leading them with 10 goals in 14 games. I think his playoff performance saved his draft stock. I expect him to carry over his playoff performance to next season where he has the talent to be one of the leading scorers in the OHL with increased ice time.
22. Kyle Clifford - Forward - Barrie Colts
I didn't have Clifford in my top 30 for either of my first two rankings, but as the season went along, he got better and better, particularly at the offensive end. At 6'1, 200lbs, Clifford uses his size well at both ends of the ice. A heart and soul player, Clifford gives it all every shift and wins battles in the corners. He also hits like a truck and isn't afraid to drop the mitts. His skating is good for his size too and he uses it to be an effective forechecker. At times this season, he has shown glimpses of being able to contribute more at the offensive end and I do believe he is capable of more. I like his hustle and I think character players like himself, deserve to be rewarded occasionally.
21. Brett Flemming - Defense - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
At 5'11, 175lbs, Flemming isn't the biggest defenseman, but he gets the job done. He took a huge step forward this season in St. Mike's, often pairing with Cameron Gaunce on the top pairing. He is a solid two way defenseman who doesa great job moving and carrying the puck up ice. He runs the powerplay and is a very smart player who picks his spots and reads the play well. Defensively, he does a good job using positioning to keep bigger forwards away from the net, and he's not afraid to engage in the corners. Just a really smart player whom I have a lot of confidence in. The only negative really is his size at 5'11. At times he'll play like he wishes he was 6'5, and attempt to play the body, but will then get taken out of position. If he keeps things simple in the defensive end, he's generally very effective.
20. Marcus Foligno - Forward - Sudbury Wolves
I expected more out of Foligno this year, I'm not going to lie. He's a big body and he has a good skill set, but he didn't put it together as well as I would have hoped this year. He can be a monster in the corners and a load to handle as he drives to the net, but he doesn't engage physically often enough. At times, he floats in the offensive zone and becomes invisible. His skating could also use some work, although part of me thinks that perhaps it's an effort issue and not a skating one. But as I said, he does have skill and good hands, especially in getting shots off quickly and creating scoring opportunities for himself. On the positive, Foligno is one of the youngest players available for this years draft, so he's very raw. A definite project pick with the bloodlines that suggest he could vastly improve.
19. Jesse Blacker - Defense - Windsor Spitfires
His 21 points from the blueline this year are a bit deceiving. Blacker has the offensive skills to contribute much more than that, however being stuck behind Ryan Ellis and Rob Kwiet in Windsor this year, his powerplay time was limited. Blacker is an outstanding skater who will rush the puck up the ice. He doesn't always pick the best times for his rushes or pinches, but as a relatively inexperienced OHL defender, that will come. Defensively, he engages in the corner and is a very solid positional defender. He was often paired with the underrated Mark Cundari this season and the two combined for a +73 rating. Hopefully he's able to breakout next year offensively, although he could get buried again behind the incoming Cam Fowler.
18. Taylor Beck - Forward - Guelph Storm
Beck is a hard working forward with good size, who took big steps forward offensively this season. He forechecks hard, wins battles in the corner and loves to go hard to the net. The one criticism he's taken this year has been about his skating, but I think those concerns have been largely overblown. For his size, I find him to be at least an average skater who gets to the places he needs to get. The concern I do have for Beck lies in his overall offensive potential, and his aggressiveness. For a hard working forechecker, Beck doesn't use his size nearly enough to engage the opposition physically. And for that reason, I'm somewhat down on him because I'm not sure I see his offensive abilities translating to a top 6 role in the NHL. Meaning he'd have to play a checking role, and how many legit third line players in the NHL are relatively passive players? I don't like his invisibility act in the playoffs for Guelph either.
17. Michael Latta - Forward - Guelph Storm
A solid two way forward who transitioned well to Guelph after a midseason trade from Ottawa. Latta isn't the biggest player or the best skater, but he does his best to make himself visible. He's a very solid defensive player who's often the first forward back, and he does a great job in the corners winning lose puck battles. Offensively, he's a fairly solid all around player who creates scoring chances for his teammates off his determination. I've heard a lot of people praise his physical play, however I've never personally witnessed much of a physical nature from him, which is something I'd like to see from a character forward. I do have my concerns about his NHL potential though. I can't help but compare him to Zack Torquato of Erie, who's built the same way and skates the same way, and who has really fallen off the map as an NHL prospect. Players like Latta can have a hard time finding a role in the NHL, due to size, speed, and skill issues. Is he a checking player, or is he a top 6 forward?
16. Jordan Szwarz - Forward - Saginaw Spirit
A consistent offensive producer from game to game, Szwarz is still a big of an enigma. He's not the biggest (5'11, 186lbs), but he's very ellusive on the ice. He changes pace very well and has excellent mobility. He gets himself into scoring chances and knows where to be on the ice. At the same time, I find him to go into bouts of invisibility during games, and I wish he were more involved in all aspects of the play, considering his waterbug type playing style. But he clearly has excellent offensive skills and does well to make those around him more dangerous offensive players, when he's on his game. He's not really a guy who's getting a lot of attention, but who's been consistently ranked pretty decent by Central Scouting. He could be a guy who could surprise people and have some big offensive years in this league.
15. Taylor Doherty - Defense - Kingston Frontenacs
There is no denying that Doherty had a very disappointing season. He was talked about as a potential mid first rounder, and now could be lucky to see himself go in the mid 2nd round. However there are still things to like about him. For one, he's 6'8, 218lbs. For two, he has solid puck skills and shows great skating ability moving forward in carrying the puck up the ice. For three, he's not afraid to take the body and use his size to his advantage. Now for the downside. For one, while he's a solid straight away skater, his lateral and backwards mobility needs work, especially for him to develop into an effective two way defender. For two, he also needs to work on his defensive zone coverage. At times he becomes over aggressive and loses his man, leading to scoring opportunities. For three, his hockey sense at the offensive end has come into question and leads some to believe those offensive stats will never come. So that's three strikes for, three strikes against. He's a project, there is no denying it, but there is enough to like that suggests with solid coaching and an attitude directed towards improvement (where the draft interviews come in handy), he can develop into an NHL defender.
14. Matt Clark - Defense - Brampton Battalion
A player who has really rocketed up the draft charts this season, Clark is a first year defender out of Junior A. At 6'3, 215lbs, he skates like he's 5'11, 170. That is to say, he has outstanding mobility, in particular for a defenseman who plays a solid, and safe defensive style. However Clark can also make a solid first pass, is very smart with the puck in his own end, and has shown glimpses of using his skating ability to bring the puck up ice. He's also a smart physical presence who takes control of forwards in the offensive zone. On the slightly negative side, I find him to need work positionally. He needs to use his mobility to his advantage more in the defensive end, as he can get caught standing still at times trying to play the body, instead of keeping up with the forwards. But as a first year defender, he took the necessary strides forward and looks like a really solid stay at home defenseman with some hidden offensive talent.
13. Cazey Cizikas - Forward - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
At this point, I start to wonder if I'm the only supporter of this kid still. However, I just can't put him any lower. There is no denying that he had a disappointing offensive season, failing to top his strong totals from his rookie season. However, a lot of people fail to realize how Mississauga plays under Coach Dave Cameron. They roll three lines evenly and have an incredibly balanced offensive attack and Cizikas was a critical member of this offense. I still like the speed he brings and the way he attacks the net using his speed. He forechecks hard and works the cycle. He's developed into an outstanding penalty killer who actually had 3 shorthanded goals this year. He throws his body around and at times he even shows creativity with the puck that suggests he might be fooling us with his offensive numbers. Yes, he has some consistency issues, especially offensively, and I do wish he attacked the crease with more vigor. But I've seen him at his best and he's quite the player at those times. I think he'll eventually put it together.
12. Alex Hutchings - Forward - Barrie Colts
Hutchings is just a really solid player. While undersized (5'10), Hutchings is a tremendous skater and has no problem working through opposing checkers. He plays both ends of the ice and plays in all situations for Barrie. He isn't afraid to drive the puck to the net and does a great job of controlling the pace in the offensive zone. Hutchings is just a very smart offensive player who makes his linemates better and who knows where to be and where to put the puck. He was also one of the few Barrie players to show up for the playoffs, where he wore his heart on his sleeve. If he was a little bit bigger, I'd have him higher, but despite the outstanding skating, I'm still a little bit weary of how he'll eventually adjust to the NHL.
11. Scott Stajcer - Goaltender - Owen Sound Attack
Stajcer did wonders to improve his draft stock this season. With solid play, he eventually was able to steal the starting goaltender spot away from Dallas second rounder Tyler Beskorowany. A big netminder at 6'3, Stajcer covers a lot of the net. He's also very athletic and moves well in his crease, helping to utilize that size to the best of his ability. His rebound control improved over the course of the season and he does a great job of making that first save. Really in his first season in the OHL, Stajcer's inconsistencies this season can be pegged to a goaltender going through learning curves. He showed a lot of heart in the playoffs, facing a ton of shots against Windsor and doing his best to keep his team in the games, despite a four game sweep. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, he wasn't taken for the Under 18 team, which could have really skyrocketed his stock, IMO. But he's stilla big goaltender with a lot of potential who should be among the first few goalies taken in 2009.
Stay tuned for the Top 10!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft - Part 1: 50-31
With the OHL playoffs completed and only the Memorial Cup to be played, it is time to unveil my final ranking of the OHL players available for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
Previously, in my early season and midseason rankings, I had only ranked 30 players. However, for my final list, I will be presenting you with a Top 50. The top 50 will be released in three parts: Part 1 - Prospects 50-31, Part 2 - Prospects 30-11, and Part 3 - Prospects 10-1.
Just for clarification, for my top 50 ranking, I haven't included any players eligible for draft re-entry, such as Plymouth goaltender Matt Hackett. This has been consistent all the way through my lists. Instead, I did a list of the top 10 draft re-entries, which can be found here.
Also for clarification, this list is my list of the top 50 OHL prospects, as if I were drafting for my own team. In other words, this isn't a list of where I THINK or believe players will go, but a ranking of my own opinion on the top players eligible for this draft based on my viewings this season. If you want a draft projection, buy the THN draft preview which hits shelves soon.
Without further ado, here are prospects 50 through 31...
50. Kyle Pereira - Defense - Brampton Battalion
Pereira had a very up and down season. Near the middle of the season, this OHL rookie was starting to look like a solid puck moving defenseman and was starting to earn serious minutes with Brampton, especially on the powerplay. However, for whatever reason, he really started to slow down as the season went along. The addition of Josh Day to the Brampton blueline did even more damage to his ice time, and in fact throughout most of the playoffs, he was a healthy scratch. Pereira is an average sized defender who has shown the ability to carry the puck and make things happen offensively. However, he desperately needs to add strength in order to properly contribute at the defensive end. For an offensive defenseman, he's also only an average skater. He was starting to get bullied around, and thus probably the explanation for his playoff scratch. Another reason could revolve around conditioning. A first year player, perhaps Pereira hit a wall. But if he gets stronger and improves his skating, he could end up developing into a decent prospect.
49. Brandon Foote - Goaltender - Guelph Storm
Not many players started as hot as this guy did at the beginning of the season for Brampton. A winner of 11 of his first 12 decisions, Foote looked like a prospect on the upswing, nailing down an OHL player of the week award in the 5th week of the season. However, it then started to unravel for the undersized netminder. He started getting exposed to the top of the net as players started to zero in on his habit of going down to early. Finally Brampton felt it needed an upgrade and sent Foote to Guelph as part of the Thomas McCollum trade. In Guelph, Foote's inconsistencies continued. Let's be clear, Foote has the ability to be a solid netminder. He is athletic, he can make the first save and he's shown that he can steal games. However, he's also shown numerous flaws in his mechanics, such as the flopping tendencies and lack of rebound control. As an undersized goaltender, it's even more important to be technically sound. Just take a look at a guy like Trevor Cann in London, whom I believe does a great job in that area. I don't think Foote will get himself drafted this year, however if he trains hard in the offseason and comes back strong for a likely solid Guelph team, he might have a chance to have a turn around similar to Matt Hackett.
48. Peter Hermenegildo - Defense - Sudbury Wolves
An undersized defenseman at 5'10, I've always come away impressed with Hermenegildo. He's a smooth skater who likes to bring the puck up the ice and is generally pretty successful at it. He's also good on the point on the powerplay where he brings a level of coolness to the point and does a great job of getting his shot through. Defensively, I find him to do an adequate job too. He makes an effort to be defensively responsible and is actually a pretty good positional defender. On the negative side, I find him to be careless with the puck at times, especially in his own end. I also think he picks bad times for pinches and gets caught. In the corners, his size and strength can come into question, especially against some of the bigger forwards in the OHL. However, I think he has potential to develop into a quality offensive blueliner, who can even be a more than adequate defender.
47. Cody Sol - Defense - Saginaw Spirit
At 6'5, 220lbs, Sol has the size NHL scouts drool over. For a man that size, his skating is actually good too. In fact, I would say he tends to use his mobility more to his advantage than his physical strength. He's a solid positional defender whom I think could stand to bully more guys around. That's not saying he isn't physical though, I'm just saying I think he could be even more of a bully on the ice. The problem with Sol lies in his complete lack of offensive game. He can be tentative with the puck and needs to improve his first pass out of the zone. Even in the NHL, stay at home guys need to be able to handle the puck for purposes in their own zone. Sol has potential as a stay at home defenseman, but he needs to improve his skills on the puck.
46. Alex Friesen - Forward - Niagara IceDogs
Friesen gets on this list with a very solid playoff performance for the Niagara IceDogs. The undersized forward is beginning to turn into a bit of a pest, getting in the face of opposing players and starting to throw his weight around. If he wants a career at the next level, he needs to continue to be a high energy player. Friesen is also a very good skater and a competent defensive forward. The problem with Friesen is that his offensive game was incredibly streaky this season and I question his ability to put up points long term, due to the fact that his hands haven't quite caught up with his skating ability. But in the playoffs, he took his offensive game to the next level and was consistently one of Niagara's most dangerous forwards, because he played with a constant high energy level. If he can work on bringing an up tempo game to the ice every night, he could develop into a very useful OHL player and perhaps even an NHL prospect.
45. Simon Gronvaldt - Defense - Kitchener Rangers
Gronvaldt was a defenseman that caught my attention near the early part of the season. The import from Denmark appeared to be a solid two way defenseman who showed a willingness to join the rush and make a first pass, as well as being able to handle his position defensively. A solid positional defender, Gronvaldt will never be mistaken for a physical defenseman, but he uses his size at 6'2, and skating ability, to keep opposing forwards in check. However, as the season wore on, he didn't really take the step forward you usually see imports take, at least in my opinion. I think he has more offensive potential than he has shown thus far, perhaps he just needs more confidence.
44. Daniel Erlich - Forward - London Knights
At 5'6, 150lbs, Erlich is one of the smallest players in the OHL. However he's also one of the only players at that size taking a regular shift and contributing. And the argument could be made that if he wasn't on a deep London squad, he'd be contributing even more. Erlich was a consistent offensive player for London this year and has outstanding hands and offensive instincts. He's a good skater who's elusive and tends to manage to not let his size hurt him a lot. He's willing to go into the danger areas and isn't afraid of anyone. Next season, with some graduations in London, I expect Erlich to become one of the top scorers for London and perhaps even the OHL. At 5'6, he has the odds against him for an NHL career, but you have to think he's going to keep pushing.
43. Chris Perugini - Goaltender - Ottawa 67's
Near the beginning of the season, I was much more confident in Perugini's chances of getting drafted. Now, I can't say the same. As the season went along, I think he began to get exposed. At 5'10, Perugini already has the cards stacked against him for being an undersized netminder. However, he has other problems too. In particular, his rebound control is just atrocious. He gives out rebounds like a broken gumball machine. This has lead to a tendency to scramble in his crease, where he then begins to make himself look a lot smaller in the net. On the plus size, he's incredibly athletic and very mobile. He does anticipate the play well and does a good job of challenging shooters to try and make himself look bigger. If he can cut down on the rebounds and the flopping, he could be fine. But he needs some work, and because of that, I'm not sure I see him getting drafted this year.
42. Scott Valentine - Defense - Oshawa Generals
Valentine is a player who's really jumped up a lot of draft lists lately. He went from being a seldom used defenseman in London to a top 4 defenseman in Oshawa after the Tavares trade. In Oshawa, Valentine began to show the things that got him drafted in the second round by London in 2007. He has the ability to bring the puck up the ice, contribute offensively and actually throws his body around and isn't afraid to drop the mitts. I think there is a lot of mystery surrounding him since he didn't get much ice time this year. I myself only saw him play once this year, and didn't really notice him other than the few things I've mentioned. Thus I can't rank him any higher than around this level. However, I'd expect a few NHL teams may have zeroed in on him (NHL Central Scouting has him 24th for OHL players) and he could go higher than many of the players I've ranked ahead of him.
41. Marc Zanetti - Defense - Ottawa 67's
Zanetti is a player I was very high on for most of the season. A 6'0, 200lbs defenseman who hits hard, wins battles in the corners, can skate adequately, run the powerplay and make a good first pass. I'm thinking, this guy is a solid prospect. However, similar to a guy like Kyle Pereira, this OHL rookie seemed to hit a wall around the later part of the season. I saw him a few times at the end of the season and then as well in the playoffs, and he was just atrocious every time. His puck skills appeared to vanish, he had been taken off the powerplay, he was taking stupid, undisciplined penalties due to lazyness and poor positioning. He just wasn't the same defenseman I was so impressed with at the beginning of the year. That being said, knowing that he was good at one time, and that he was an OHL rookie, you have to think he's got the potential to reach that level consistently and improve. So don't give up on him yet.
40. Bjorn Krupp - Defense - Belleville Bulls
I haven't been much of a fan the entire season, and this can be attested to by my previous ranking and game reports. However, I see the allure to him. He has the bloodlines and he's a more than competent defensive player who will take the body. As a stay at home defenseman, I don't expect him to be lighting up the scoreboard, however I do expect him to be able to handle the puck. He looks timid in making passes and will often opt to chop it out of the zone instead of regrouping or making a pass. In todays NHL, even stay at home defenseman have to be able to make solid passes out of the zone to stay with the pace, and I just don't see Krupp being able to do that. I will say one thing though, in the playoffs he was playing a quietly effective game and his puck skills did look somewhat improved. However, I'm just not blown away here.
39. Andrew Shaw - Forward - Niagara IceDogs
I'm not going to lie, this kid is one of my favourite players in the OHL. He's a treat to watch. He'll drop the gloves with anyone and is completely fearless. He hits hard, he gets under the skin of opposing players, he skates well and hard, and he's not that undersized at pushing 6'0. He played on the 4th line for most of the year, but anytime he was asked to take an increased role, he took full advantage of it, especially in the playoffs. But I absolutely feel that this kid's offensive skills and potential are a lot higher than the point totals he put up this year. He drives to the net with the puck on his stick and uses his body to protect it. He also works the cycle well and is actually a very good playmaker. If he didn't spend most of the season with guys on the 4th with no hands, he might have been able to double his assist total. I see a lot of potential in this kid as a pest with offensive flare. Another point in his favor is that he's one of the youngest players eligible for this draft and only played his first season in the OHL from Tier 2. He's going to get stronger and better at the game he likes to play.
38. Paul Bezzo - Defense - Owen Sound Attack
Bezzo is a smart, stay at home defenseman who uses his size well to bully around opponents. At 6'2, 190lbs, he isn't exactly your prototypical size for an NHL stay at home defenseman, but he has the skill to be. His skating is good for his size and he does an excellent job of shutting down the oppositions forwards. He's impoved his first pass too and does a good job of handling the puck in his own zone. My concern is that he's not the biggest guy in the world for the type of game he plays. So while he plays it well in the OHL, at 6'2, is he going to be able to transfer his physical shut down defender role to the NHL where the average forward now a days, is his size. And if he can't, does he have the necessary other skills to be able to play a different role? This concern makes me drop him in my ranking.
37. Jordan Mayer - Forward - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
I like Jordan Mayer as a player. Nearly everytime I've seen him play, I've come away impressed. He is a great skater who is not afraid to be the first guy in the zone battling for the puck, despite his size at 5'10. He has good all around offensive skills and appears to be a solid teammate. So why is he so low on my list? I'm just not sure where to place him in terms of NHL potential. I'm not sure he's skilled enough to play in the top 6 of an NHL team, but he also doesn't bring other intangibles to the table which make him an attracive bottom 6 forward. He needs to become more of a complete player and develop a niche, while continuing to improve his offensive production. While he is aggressive on the forecheck, he isn't a very effective player in the cycle, nor does he throw his body around. He also could stand to improve defensively. If he works on developing intangible skills and he takes a step forward offensively, I could see him becoming a potential NHL prospect, but as of right now, I can't help but see him as more of a tweener.
36. Tyler Hostetter - Defense - Erie Otters
A slighly undersized defenseman at 5'11, Hostetter is a tremendous skater who has the ability to rush the puck up the ice with ease. He isn't afraid to join the rush either, relying on his speed to get him back to the defensive zone. Defensively, he shows promise and is improving his positioning and anticipation. He is rough around the edges though. He can tend to pinch at the wrong times, and he has a tendency to get lazy at the defensive end and play the puck instead of the man. However, he has the offensive skill package you like to see in the NHL today. Considering he showed improvement over the course of the season, you have to believe he's going to continue to get better.
35. Michael Fine - Forward - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhound
Fine was definitely one of the biggest OHL fallers for the draft this year. He started the year off pretty well and was considered to be among one of the top 15 players available from the OHL by many scouts. However the combination of playing for such a crappy Greyhounds team and his own offensive inconsistencies saw him drop considerably. He went from being the 10th ranked skater by CSB at the beginning of the year, to the 26th on the final. When he's on his game, Fine can be an effective offensive forward who forechecks hard and drives to the net. He also has some pest qualities about him and can get under the skin of opposing players. However, he just isn't able to contribute consistently. Unfortunately, he left the Under 18 Canadian team before the start of the tournament due to apparently family issues. This was of course unfortunate because he could have been able to increase his draft stock with a solid performance.
34. Michael Zador - Goaltender - Oshawa Generals
Another piece to the Tavares trade, Zador needed a fresh start after the former highly thought of prospect fell out of favor in London. Zador is wildly inconsistent and is very raw, but likely saved his draft stock with an excellent performance for team Canada at the Under 18's where he was a surprising starter. He is athletic and makes a good first save, but I have questions about his ability to anticipate the play and become the type of goaltender you depend on to help you win games. He also needs to work on his rebound control. So while I think he did raise his draft stock at the Under 18's, after a pretty bad year in the OHL, I wouldn't go claiming he's the next Jake Allen or anything. He still has a lot of question marks and remains a longshot at best.
33. Andrew Agozzino - Forward - Niagara IceDogs
I'll throw my hands up on this one. I absolutely do not understand the lack of draft support Agozzino is generating. Sure he's undersized a 5'9, but he's stocky and doesn't get pushed arounda lot. He's an above average skater who loves to get close to the net and isn't afraid to throw his body around. He's also got a very good shot, which he used to score 27 goals this year and lead Niagara in scoring both in the regular season and playoffs. On top of that, he penalty kills and isn't afraid to due the little things on the ice. Now granted, I do have concerns over his offensive potential at the next level due to some hockey sense questions, but he gives his all out on the ice and he produces. I think he has a shot at a pro career as an energy player.
32. Luke Judson - Forward - Belleville Bulls
Judson impressed me everytime I saw him this season. He doesn't get a lot of ice time, but makes the most of what he does get. He works hard and is very aggressive on the forecheck. He plays a lot bigger than he looks and drives hard to the net, showing good strength with the puck. I think that he has the potential to be a good player in this league. Over the course of the season he really improved and started to get more and more ice time from George Burnett. I think an NHL team would be smart to draft him with a late pick, as he'll look to make a bigger impact for Belleville next season with the departure of Tangradi, Cameron, Tanaka, Palmieri, and Mashinter.
31. William Wallen - Forward - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
The fact that we are still talking about Wallen as a draft prospect is a miracle in itself, since we almost lost him due to a brain aneurysm earlier this season. However, the undersized forward battled hard and returned to the ice after Christmas, continuing what he started before the incident, which was being an important producer of secondary offense for St. Mike's. This little guy is a wizard with the puck and he bounces all over the ice and involves himself in every play. However, I have some concerns. For one, his skating just isn't as great as I like to see from a severely undersized forward like himself. In particular, his acceleration is not great, which means he's going to have trouble seperating himself from defenders at the next level. Perhaps, he needs that offseason of training to get his legs back under him after missing so much time, but regardless I believe it to be the reason he's currently unranked by CSB. That being said, he had a very good Under 18's and showed his ability to compete with the best of his peers. Hopefully he returns to Mississauga next season and is able to be among their scoring leaders, drafted or not drafted.
Stay tuned for players 30-11 tomorrow!
Previously, in my early season and midseason rankings, I had only ranked 30 players. However, for my final list, I will be presenting you with a Top 50. The top 50 will be released in three parts: Part 1 - Prospects 50-31, Part 2 - Prospects 30-11, and Part 3 - Prospects 10-1.
Just for clarification, for my top 50 ranking, I haven't included any players eligible for draft re-entry, such as Plymouth goaltender Matt Hackett. This has been consistent all the way through my lists. Instead, I did a list of the top 10 draft re-entries, which can be found here.
Also for clarification, this list is my list of the top 50 OHL prospects, as if I were drafting for my own team. In other words, this isn't a list of where I THINK or believe players will go, but a ranking of my own opinion on the top players eligible for this draft based on my viewings this season. If you want a draft projection, buy the THN draft preview which hits shelves soon.
Without further ado, here are prospects 50 through 31...
50. Kyle Pereira - Defense - Brampton Battalion
Pereira had a very up and down season. Near the middle of the season, this OHL rookie was starting to look like a solid puck moving defenseman and was starting to earn serious minutes with Brampton, especially on the powerplay. However, for whatever reason, he really started to slow down as the season went along. The addition of Josh Day to the Brampton blueline did even more damage to his ice time, and in fact throughout most of the playoffs, he was a healthy scratch. Pereira is an average sized defender who has shown the ability to carry the puck and make things happen offensively. However, he desperately needs to add strength in order to properly contribute at the defensive end. For an offensive defenseman, he's also only an average skater. He was starting to get bullied around, and thus probably the explanation for his playoff scratch. Another reason could revolve around conditioning. A first year player, perhaps Pereira hit a wall. But if he gets stronger and improves his skating, he could end up developing into a decent prospect.
49. Brandon Foote - Goaltender - Guelph Storm
Not many players started as hot as this guy did at the beginning of the season for Brampton. A winner of 11 of his first 12 decisions, Foote looked like a prospect on the upswing, nailing down an OHL player of the week award in the 5th week of the season. However, it then started to unravel for the undersized netminder. He started getting exposed to the top of the net as players started to zero in on his habit of going down to early. Finally Brampton felt it needed an upgrade and sent Foote to Guelph as part of the Thomas McCollum trade. In Guelph, Foote's inconsistencies continued. Let's be clear, Foote has the ability to be a solid netminder. He is athletic, he can make the first save and he's shown that he can steal games. However, he's also shown numerous flaws in his mechanics, such as the flopping tendencies and lack of rebound control. As an undersized goaltender, it's even more important to be technically sound. Just take a look at a guy like Trevor Cann in London, whom I believe does a great job in that area. I don't think Foote will get himself drafted this year, however if he trains hard in the offseason and comes back strong for a likely solid Guelph team, he might have a chance to have a turn around similar to Matt Hackett.
48. Peter Hermenegildo - Defense - Sudbury Wolves
An undersized defenseman at 5'10, I've always come away impressed with Hermenegildo. He's a smooth skater who likes to bring the puck up the ice and is generally pretty successful at it. He's also good on the point on the powerplay where he brings a level of coolness to the point and does a great job of getting his shot through. Defensively, I find him to do an adequate job too. He makes an effort to be defensively responsible and is actually a pretty good positional defender. On the negative side, I find him to be careless with the puck at times, especially in his own end. I also think he picks bad times for pinches and gets caught. In the corners, his size and strength can come into question, especially against some of the bigger forwards in the OHL. However, I think he has potential to develop into a quality offensive blueliner, who can even be a more than adequate defender.
47. Cody Sol - Defense - Saginaw Spirit
At 6'5, 220lbs, Sol has the size NHL scouts drool over. For a man that size, his skating is actually good too. In fact, I would say he tends to use his mobility more to his advantage than his physical strength. He's a solid positional defender whom I think could stand to bully more guys around. That's not saying he isn't physical though, I'm just saying I think he could be even more of a bully on the ice. The problem with Sol lies in his complete lack of offensive game. He can be tentative with the puck and needs to improve his first pass out of the zone. Even in the NHL, stay at home guys need to be able to handle the puck for purposes in their own zone. Sol has potential as a stay at home defenseman, but he needs to improve his skills on the puck.
46. Alex Friesen - Forward - Niagara IceDogs
Friesen gets on this list with a very solid playoff performance for the Niagara IceDogs. The undersized forward is beginning to turn into a bit of a pest, getting in the face of opposing players and starting to throw his weight around. If he wants a career at the next level, he needs to continue to be a high energy player. Friesen is also a very good skater and a competent defensive forward. The problem with Friesen is that his offensive game was incredibly streaky this season and I question his ability to put up points long term, due to the fact that his hands haven't quite caught up with his skating ability. But in the playoffs, he took his offensive game to the next level and was consistently one of Niagara's most dangerous forwards, because he played with a constant high energy level. If he can work on bringing an up tempo game to the ice every night, he could develop into a very useful OHL player and perhaps even an NHL prospect.
45. Simon Gronvaldt - Defense - Kitchener Rangers
Gronvaldt was a defenseman that caught my attention near the early part of the season. The import from Denmark appeared to be a solid two way defenseman who showed a willingness to join the rush and make a first pass, as well as being able to handle his position defensively. A solid positional defender, Gronvaldt will never be mistaken for a physical defenseman, but he uses his size at 6'2, and skating ability, to keep opposing forwards in check. However, as the season wore on, he didn't really take the step forward you usually see imports take, at least in my opinion. I think he has more offensive potential than he has shown thus far, perhaps he just needs more confidence.
44. Daniel Erlich - Forward - London Knights
At 5'6, 150lbs, Erlich is one of the smallest players in the OHL. However he's also one of the only players at that size taking a regular shift and contributing. And the argument could be made that if he wasn't on a deep London squad, he'd be contributing even more. Erlich was a consistent offensive player for London this year and has outstanding hands and offensive instincts. He's a good skater who's elusive and tends to manage to not let his size hurt him a lot. He's willing to go into the danger areas and isn't afraid of anyone. Next season, with some graduations in London, I expect Erlich to become one of the top scorers for London and perhaps even the OHL. At 5'6, he has the odds against him for an NHL career, but you have to think he's going to keep pushing.
43. Chris Perugini - Goaltender - Ottawa 67's
Near the beginning of the season, I was much more confident in Perugini's chances of getting drafted. Now, I can't say the same. As the season went along, I think he began to get exposed. At 5'10, Perugini already has the cards stacked against him for being an undersized netminder. However, he has other problems too. In particular, his rebound control is just atrocious. He gives out rebounds like a broken gumball machine. This has lead to a tendency to scramble in his crease, where he then begins to make himself look a lot smaller in the net. On the plus size, he's incredibly athletic and very mobile. He does anticipate the play well and does a good job of challenging shooters to try and make himself look bigger. If he can cut down on the rebounds and the flopping, he could be fine. But he needs some work, and because of that, I'm not sure I see him getting drafted this year.
42. Scott Valentine - Defense - Oshawa Generals
Valentine is a player who's really jumped up a lot of draft lists lately. He went from being a seldom used defenseman in London to a top 4 defenseman in Oshawa after the Tavares trade. In Oshawa, Valentine began to show the things that got him drafted in the second round by London in 2007. He has the ability to bring the puck up the ice, contribute offensively and actually throws his body around and isn't afraid to drop the mitts. I think there is a lot of mystery surrounding him since he didn't get much ice time this year. I myself only saw him play once this year, and didn't really notice him other than the few things I've mentioned. Thus I can't rank him any higher than around this level. However, I'd expect a few NHL teams may have zeroed in on him (NHL Central Scouting has him 24th for OHL players) and he could go higher than many of the players I've ranked ahead of him.
41. Marc Zanetti - Defense - Ottawa 67's
Zanetti is a player I was very high on for most of the season. A 6'0, 200lbs defenseman who hits hard, wins battles in the corners, can skate adequately, run the powerplay and make a good first pass. I'm thinking, this guy is a solid prospect. However, similar to a guy like Kyle Pereira, this OHL rookie seemed to hit a wall around the later part of the season. I saw him a few times at the end of the season and then as well in the playoffs, and he was just atrocious every time. His puck skills appeared to vanish, he had been taken off the powerplay, he was taking stupid, undisciplined penalties due to lazyness and poor positioning. He just wasn't the same defenseman I was so impressed with at the beginning of the year. That being said, knowing that he was good at one time, and that he was an OHL rookie, you have to think he's got the potential to reach that level consistently and improve. So don't give up on him yet.
40. Bjorn Krupp - Defense - Belleville Bulls
I haven't been much of a fan the entire season, and this can be attested to by my previous ranking and game reports. However, I see the allure to him. He has the bloodlines and he's a more than competent defensive player who will take the body. As a stay at home defenseman, I don't expect him to be lighting up the scoreboard, however I do expect him to be able to handle the puck. He looks timid in making passes and will often opt to chop it out of the zone instead of regrouping or making a pass. In todays NHL, even stay at home defenseman have to be able to make solid passes out of the zone to stay with the pace, and I just don't see Krupp being able to do that. I will say one thing though, in the playoffs he was playing a quietly effective game and his puck skills did look somewhat improved. However, I'm just not blown away here.
39. Andrew Shaw - Forward - Niagara IceDogs
I'm not going to lie, this kid is one of my favourite players in the OHL. He's a treat to watch. He'll drop the gloves with anyone and is completely fearless. He hits hard, he gets under the skin of opposing players, he skates well and hard, and he's not that undersized at pushing 6'0. He played on the 4th line for most of the year, but anytime he was asked to take an increased role, he took full advantage of it, especially in the playoffs. But I absolutely feel that this kid's offensive skills and potential are a lot higher than the point totals he put up this year. He drives to the net with the puck on his stick and uses his body to protect it. He also works the cycle well and is actually a very good playmaker. If he didn't spend most of the season with guys on the 4th with no hands, he might have been able to double his assist total. I see a lot of potential in this kid as a pest with offensive flare. Another point in his favor is that he's one of the youngest players eligible for this draft and only played his first season in the OHL from Tier 2. He's going to get stronger and better at the game he likes to play.
38. Paul Bezzo - Defense - Owen Sound Attack
Bezzo is a smart, stay at home defenseman who uses his size well to bully around opponents. At 6'2, 190lbs, he isn't exactly your prototypical size for an NHL stay at home defenseman, but he has the skill to be. His skating is good for his size and he does an excellent job of shutting down the oppositions forwards. He's impoved his first pass too and does a good job of handling the puck in his own zone. My concern is that he's not the biggest guy in the world for the type of game he plays. So while he plays it well in the OHL, at 6'2, is he going to be able to transfer his physical shut down defender role to the NHL where the average forward now a days, is his size. And if he can't, does he have the necessary other skills to be able to play a different role? This concern makes me drop him in my ranking.
37. Jordan Mayer - Forward - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
I like Jordan Mayer as a player. Nearly everytime I've seen him play, I've come away impressed. He is a great skater who is not afraid to be the first guy in the zone battling for the puck, despite his size at 5'10. He has good all around offensive skills and appears to be a solid teammate. So why is he so low on my list? I'm just not sure where to place him in terms of NHL potential. I'm not sure he's skilled enough to play in the top 6 of an NHL team, but he also doesn't bring other intangibles to the table which make him an attracive bottom 6 forward. He needs to become more of a complete player and develop a niche, while continuing to improve his offensive production. While he is aggressive on the forecheck, he isn't a very effective player in the cycle, nor does he throw his body around. He also could stand to improve defensively. If he works on developing intangible skills and he takes a step forward offensively, I could see him becoming a potential NHL prospect, but as of right now, I can't help but see him as more of a tweener.
36. Tyler Hostetter - Defense - Erie Otters
A slighly undersized defenseman at 5'11, Hostetter is a tremendous skater who has the ability to rush the puck up the ice with ease. He isn't afraid to join the rush either, relying on his speed to get him back to the defensive zone. Defensively, he shows promise and is improving his positioning and anticipation. He is rough around the edges though. He can tend to pinch at the wrong times, and he has a tendency to get lazy at the defensive end and play the puck instead of the man. However, he has the offensive skill package you like to see in the NHL today. Considering he showed improvement over the course of the season, you have to believe he's going to continue to get better.
35. Michael Fine - Forward - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhound
Fine was definitely one of the biggest OHL fallers for the draft this year. He started the year off pretty well and was considered to be among one of the top 15 players available from the OHL by many scouts. However the combination of playing for such a crappy Greyhounds team and his own offensive inconsistencies saw him drop considerably. He went from being the 10th ranked skater by CSB at the beginning of the year, to the 26th on the final. When he's on his game, Fine can be an effective offensive forward who forechecks hard and drives to the net. He also has some pest qualities about him and can get under the skin of opposing players. However, he just isn't able to contribute consistently. Unfortunately, he left the Under 18 Canadian team before the start of the tournament due to apparently family issues. This was of course unfortunate because he could have been able to increase his draft stock with a solid performance.
34. Michael Zador - Goaltender - Oshawa Generals
Another piece to the Tavares trade, Zador needed a fresh start after the former highly thought of prospect fell out of favor in London. Zador is wildly inconsistent and is very raw, but likely saved his draft stock with an excellent performance for team Canada at the Under 18's where he was a surprising starter. He is athletic and makes a good first save, but I have questions about his ability to anticipate the play and become the type of goaltender you depend on to help you win games. He also needs to work on his rebound control. So while I think he did raise his draft stock at the Under 18's, after a pretty bad year in the OHL, I wouldn't go claiming he's the next Jake Allen or anything. He still has a lot of question marks and remains a longshot at best.
33. Andrew Agozzino - Forward - Niagara IceDogs
I'll throw my hands up on this one. I absolutely do not understand the lack of draft support Agozzino is generating. Sure he's undersized a 5'9, but he's stocky and doesn't get pushed arounda lot. He's an above average skater who loves to get close to the net and isn't afraid to throw his body around. He's also got a very good shot, which he used to score 27 goals this year and lead Niagara in scoring both in the regular season and playoffs. On top of that, he penalty kills and isn't afraid to due the little things on the ice. Now granted, I do have concerns over his offensive potential at the next level due to some hockey sense questions, but he gives his all out on the ice and he produces. I think he has a shot at a pro career as an energy player.
32. Luke Judson - Forward - Belleville Bulls
Judson impressed me everytime I saw him this season. He doesn't get a lot of ice time, but makes the most of what he does get. He works hard and is very aggressive on the forecheck. He plays a lot bigger than he looks and drives hard to the net, showing good strength with the puck. I think that he has the potential to be a good player in this league. Over the course of the season he really improved and started to get more and more ice time from George Burnett. I think an NHL team would be smart to draft him with a late pick, as he'll look to make a bigger impact for Belleville next season with the departure of Tangradi, Cameron, Tanaka, Palmieri, and Mashinter.
31. William Wallen - Forward - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
The fact that we are still talking about Wallen as a draft prospect is a miracle in itself, since we almost lost him due to a brain aneurysm earlier this season. However, the undersized forward battled hard and returned to the ice after Christmas, continuing what he started before the incident, which was being an important producer of secondary offense for St. Mike's. This little guy is a wizard with the puck and he bounces all over the ice and involves himself in every play. However, I have some concerns. For one, his skating just isn't as great as I like to see from a severely undersized forward like himself. In particular, his acceleration is not great, which means he's going to have trouble seperating himself from defenders at the next level. Perhaps, he needs that offseason of training to get his legs back under him after missing so much time, but regardless I believe it to be the reason he's currently unranked by CSB. That being said, he had a very good Under 18's and showed his ability to compete with the best of his peers. Hopefully he returns to Mississauga next season and is able to be among their scoring leaders, drafted or not drafted.
Stay tuned for players 30-11 tomorrow!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Sunday Top 10 - Playoff Performers
With the OHL Playoffs coming to an end Friday night, it's only fitting that this week's Sunday Top 10 takes a look at the top performers of this years playoffs. This was a hard list to make because so many players stepped up their games this year. However, here's what I think...
10. John Carlson - London Knights
Carlson was outstanding for London in the playoffs this year, his first time going to the OHL playoffs. Posting 7 goals, 15 assists and a +11 rating, Carlson was the second highest scoring defenseman of the playoffs, behind Windsor's Ryan Ellis. Carlson's ppg average was actually slightly higher than Ellis'. His 22 points also lead the Knights in scoring.In past years, the Knight's defense had taken some criticism in the playoffs for not quite playing well enough, so Carlson's (and the rest of the defense) effort was huge this year to push London to the West final. Carlson has since moved on to the AHL where he's actually playing with Hershey in their quest for the Calder Cup, already scoring a game winning goal for them.
9. J.P. Anderson - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Sure Mississauga only made it to the Eastern semi final, but the reason for that was the play of this young, 1993 born rookie. After veteran starter Chris Carrozzi faltered at the beg
inning of the team's first round series with Barrie, Majors Coach Dave Cameron turned to Anderson to get the Majors further in the playoffs. The rookie was up to the test, playing out of this world in the net for the Majors. The Majors ended up losing to the eventual Eastern Champion Brampton Battalion in a hard fought 6 game series in the second round, however Anderson's effort can not go overlooked. With the OHL playoffs over, his 2.50 GAA is still tops among playoff goalies, and his .928 SV% is right up near the top. With his performance at the Under 17's and now in the playoffs, this somewhat undersized goaltender is quickly making himself a serious prospect for the 2010 NHL entry draft.8. Tyler Seguin - Matt Caria - Chris Terry - Plymouth Whalers
After finishing the OHL regular season as the hottest line in the league, these three carried it over to the playoffs, steamrolling the Sarnia Sting in the first round and coming close against the eventual OHL Champion Spitfires in the second round. They finished the playoffs with a combined 21 goals, and 26 assists in 11 games. Outside of Ryan Hayes, the Plymouth secondary scoring just wasn't occuring, so these three had to take over games, and take over games they did.
7. Nick Palmieri - Belleville Bulls
After a somewhat underwhelming regular season, Palmieri absolutely exploded in the playoffs for Belleville. He finished the playoffs with 14 goals, 2nd overall for the playoffs, 3 of which were game winners. While the big guns in Eric Tangradi, and Luke Pither, among others were solid for Belleville too, they needed someone like Palmieri to step up to provide that secondary scoring. It's only the wish of this blogger that Palmieri play like that all the time. He has the ability to take over games with his physical abilities, however he seldom does so. Hopefully at the next level, he's able to make a more consistent contribution.
6. Cody Hodgson - Brampton Battalion
Hodgson, as always, was fantastic for Brampton in this years playoffs, cementing the fact that he's one of the best players not currently in the NHL. He finished the playoffs as the 3rd leading scorer and was obviously a huge reason Brampton was able to reach the OHL finals. I wish him the best in Vancouver next season, as I can all but guarentee he won't be back in Brampton next season for another playoff run.
5. Phil Varone - L
ondon KnightsVarone may not have lead the Knights in scoring, but he was certainly critical in the team's push for the Western Championship. He finished tied with John Tavares with 10 goals in 14 games, however he had 3 of the teams 9 game winning goals. He was also +17. Varone, always a solid secondary scoring threat, stepped up huge to become a primary scoring threat in the playoffs. The undersized forward may have done a lot to help his draft stock for the 2009 draft with his performance in the playoffs.
4. Ryan Ellis - Windsor Spitfires
The reigning OHL defenseman of the year did nothing to disappoint in this years playoffs, finishing tied for third in playoff scoring with 31 points. He also finished the playoffs at +16 and largely stepped up his defensive game, which has taken some lashings in the past few months. There are still some doubts as to where Ellis is going to go in the 2009 NHL draft, however I'm sure scouts were in attendance to see him play in the playoffs, and you had to think most of them came away pretty impressed with the way he was able to step up his game to yet another level.
3. Andrei Loktionov - Windsor Spitfires
The second leading scorer in the playoffs, Loktionov stepped up huge for the Spits, adding yet another element to its already dominant offense. The super skilled Russian upped his ppg average from 1.30 to 1.65 in the playoffs and is really starting to generate a lot of buzz about his offensive ability. Loktionov also finished the playoffs at a league leading +18, implying even further his dominance while on the ice.
2. Matt Duchene - Brampton Battalion
Scouts have to be drooling all over this kid. Redline Report has even gone so far as to suggest he's a better professional prospect than John Tavares. His playoff performance goes a long way to support their claim. Duchene finished with 14 goals (tied for 2nd) and 26 points. However, 6 of his goals were game winners, meaning Duchene scored nearly half of Brampton's game winning goals in the playoffs. His clutch play earns him this spot on the list. I think he pretty much locked up his spot in the top 5 of the NHL draft.
1. Taylor Hall - Windsor Spitfires
How can you argue with the OHL's selection as playoff MVP? Hall was fantastic for Windsor, leading the playoffs in goals with 16 and points with 36. Even more so, Hall erases some of the doubts after last year's disappointing play in the first round. He's showed that he's matured as a player and become the leader of the best team in the OHL. If he keeps playing the way he has, I can't see how anyone else but Hall can be the first overall pick in the 2010 NHL draft.
Stay tuned for next week's Top 10, where I'll take a look at the best "mini mights" in the OHL.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Chris Terry First Winner of the Mickey Renaud Captain's Trophy
A truly great picture courtesy of the OHL press release found here.
I recently posted the list of all the award winners in the OHL for the 2008-09 season. However, this award was given out today and I felt it deserved its own post. Terry is the inaugural winner of the award which is given to the captain whom best exemplifies leadership on and off the ice. The Captain's award is obviously named in honor of late Spitfires forward and captain Mickey Renaud.
The Carolina Hurricanes are getting a good one in Terry. Probably one of the best NHL prospects no one talks about.
Monday, May 4, 2009
2009 OHL Priority Selection Results
This past Saturday, the OHL got together to hold it's priority selection for the year 2009.
The following are the results of round 1 with credit to the OHL link found here.
For the results of rounds 2-15, check the above link.
It's always interesting to see the results of the Priority draft, although admittedly I know very little about the majority of these players.
The one interesting thing I do know is that defenseman Scott Harrington was apparently one of the top players available in the draft and it would appear he used the "NCAA card" to get himself to London at 19th overall. Huge pick-up for the Knights should he report.
The following are the results of round 1 with credit to the OHL link found here.
| Rnd. | No. | OHL Team | Player Name | Team Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Birthdate |
| 1 | 1 | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds | Daniel Catenacci | York Simcoe Express | LC | 5.10 | 175 | 09/03/1993 |
| 1 | 2 | Kingston Frontenacs | Alan Quine | Jr. Canadiens | LC | 5.10 | 160 | 02/25/1993 |
| 1 | 3 | Kitchener Rangers | Ryan Murphy | York Simcoe Express | RD | 5.10 | 160 | 03/31/1993 |
| 1 | 4 | Oshawa Generals | Boone Jenner | Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs | LC | 6.01 | 190 | 06/15/1993 |
| 1 | 5 | Sudbury Wolves | Justin Sefton | Notre Dame Hounds | RD | 6.02 | 190 | 04/14/1993 |
| 1 | 6 | Peterborough Petes | Matthew Puempel | Sun County Panthers | LW | 6.00 | 185 | 01/24/1993 |
| 1 | 7 | Niagara IceDogs | Lucas Lessio | Toronto Marlboros | LW | 6.00 | 175 | 01/23/1993 |
| 1 | 8 | Barrie Colts | Ryan Strome | Toronto Marlboros | RC | 5.11 | 160 | 07/11/1993 |
| 1 | 9 | Owen Sound Attack | Curtis Crombeen | Lambton Jr. Sting | LD | 5.11 | 160 | 02/12/1993 |
| 1 | 10 | Erie Otters | David Broll | Toronto Young Nationals | LW | 6.01 | 220 | 01/04/1993 |
| 1 | 11 | Guelph Storm | Carter Sandlak | London Knights | LW | 6.01 | 175 | 05/18/1993 |
| 1 | 12 | Sarnia Sting | Brett Ritchie | Toronto Marlboros | RW | 6.03 | 190 | 07/01/1993 |
| 1 | 13 | Plymouth Whalers | Garrett Meurs | Huron-Perth Lakers | RC | 5.10 | 160 | 01/12/1993 |
| 1 | 14 | Saginaw Spirit | Anthony Camara | Mississauga Senators | LW | 6.00 | 185 | 09/04/1993 |
| 1 | 15 | St. Michael's Majors | Stuart Percy | Toronto Marlboros | LD | 6.01 | 175 | 05/18/1993 |
| 1 | 16 | Ottawa 67's | Cody Ceci | Peterborough Petes | RD | 6.01 | 185 | 12/21/1993 |
| 1 | 17 | Brampton Battalion | Barclay Goodrow | York Simcoe Express | LW | 6.03 | 210 | 02/26/1993 |
| 1 | 18 | Belleville Bulls | Tyson Teichmann | Quinte Red Devils | G | 6.00 | 135 | 05/19/1993 |
| 1 | 19 | London Knights | Scott Harrington | Greater Kingston | LD | 6.00 | 175 | 03/10/1993 |
| 1 | 20 | Windsor Spitfires | Austen Brassard | Windsor | RW | 6.02 | 185 | 01/14/1993 |
For the results of rounds 2-15, check the above link.
It's always interesting to see the results of the Priority draft, although admittedly I know very little about the majority of these players.
The one interesting thing I do know is that defenseman Scott Harrington was apparently one of the top players available in the draft and it would appear he used the "NCAA card" to get himself to London at 19th overall. Huge pick-up for the Knights should he report.
2008-09 OHL Award Winners
With the naming of the OHL All Star teams late last week, the OHL awards have been officially handed out for the 2008-09 season.
Here are your winners...
Red Tilson Trophy (Most outstanding player of the year)
Cody Hodgson - Brampton Battalion
Goaltender of the Year
Mike Murphy - Belleville Bulls
Defenseman of the Year
Ryan Ellis - Windsor Spitfires
Rookie of the Year
Evgeny Grachev - Brampton Battalion
Overager of the Year
Justin DiBenedetto - Sarnia Sting
Most Sportsmanlike Player
Cody Hodgson
Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy (Humanitarian of the year)
Chris Terry - Plymouth Whalers
Coach of the Year
Bob Boughner - Windsor Spitfires
Executive of the Year
Warren Rychel - Windsor Spitfires
2008-09 All-Star Teams
First Team:
Centre – Cody Hodgson, Brampton Battalion (81)
Left Wing – Taylor Hall, Windsor Spitfires (68)
Right Wing – Bryan Cameron, Belleville Bulls (63)
Defence – Ryan Ellis, Windsor Spitfires (81)
Defence – P.K Subban, Belleville Bulls (79)
Goaltender – Mike Murphy, Belleville Bulls (81)
Coach – Bob Boughner, Windsor Spitfires (58)
Second Team:
Centre – John Tavares, London Knights (65)
Left Wing – Justin DiBenedetto, Sarnia Sting (40)
Right Wing – Greg Nemisz, Windsor Spitfires (47)
Defence – Cameron Gaunce, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors (61)
Defence – John Carlson, London Knights (43)
Goaltender – Thomas McCollum, Brampton Battalion (44)
Coach – George Burnett, Belleville Bulls (38)
Third Team:
Centre – Chris Terry, Plymouth Whalers (25)
Left Wing – Evgeny Grachev, Brampton Battalion (33)
Right Wing – Matt Kennedy, Guelph Storm (43)
Defence – Alex Pietrangelo, Niagara IceDogs (26)
Defence – Michael Del Zotto, London Knights (20)
Goaltender – Edward Pasquale, Saginaw Spirit (19)
Coach – Michael Vellucci, Plymouth Whalers (34)
The official link to the OHL awards archive is here and the link to the All star teams is here.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The Sunday Top 10 - Jumping Ship to the OHL
First off, sorry for the lack of updates recently. My computer access has been limited lately due to some computer/virus related problems again. I should be back up and running soon enough which will mean more updates.
As for the Sunday Top 10, this week we look at 10 player who look like they will be jumping ship to the OHL next season. That is to say, 10 players from outside leagues who look to or have already committed to playing in the OHL next season. This list does not include "natural" OHL rookies, or 93 born players who were just recently drafted in the Priority draft. This is a list of "overage" rookies, if you will. There is a lot of talent on this list, some of whom have already stated they will be playing in the OHL next season. Others is merely speculation on my part based on a little background research. Quite frankly, I'd be surprised if every player on this list isn't in the OHL next year, but you never know.
Here is the Top 10...
10. Chase Balisy - U.S. National Under 17 Team
Balisy is a very interesting case. He actually played last season in Toronto with the Montreal Jr. Canadiens alongside OHL first overall pick John McFarland. Originally from California, Balisy returned to the U.S., accepting an offer to play for the Under 17 Development Program this season, where he had 39 points in 67 games. Balisy also shifted back and forth between forward and defense this year, generating offense from both spots. He's an excellent playmaker with speed to burn, although he is undersized at 5'10. Balisy does not currently have an NCAA committment, and with his previous time spent playing in Canada, it is expected he will make the jump to the OHL next season.
Destination team - London Knights
9. Adam Clendening - U.S. National Under 17/18 Team
Clendening is an averaged sized (5'11), but very skilled blueliner who has long been rumoured to be jumping ship to the OHL. He spent the majority of his season with the U.S. U
nder 17 team where he had 14 points in 39 games. He did also see some time on the Under 18 team, in particular playing at the recently concluded World Under 18 Championships, where he helped Team U.S.A. capture the gold. This feat is especially impressive considering that Clendening is a late 1992 birthdate, making him one of the youngest players in the program, and not eligible for the NHL draft until 2011. Don't expect him to become an impact player right away, but he should be able to jump right into the top 4 of a team's defense.
Destination team - London Knights
8. Brandon Pirri - Georgetown Raiders (OPJHL)
This is purely speculation on my part, but I have a hard time seeing this talented forward at R.P.I. next season. Pirri is an exceptionally talented offensive forward who had 94 points in 44 games this season, and is expected to go in the top 3 rounds of the NHL draft this year. He was spurned by the Canadian Under 18 team, which had to hurt his stock a bit since scouts were unable to make a comparison against his equally talented peers. However, R.P.I. was one of the worst teams in the NCAA this season. If an NHL team takes Pirri high, which is very likely, I'd say it's also likely they convince him to go to the OHL where he'll be surrounded by a few more talented players. Pirri was originally drafted by Sudbury, but don't be surprised to see his rights traded.
Destination team - Sudbury Wolves?
7. Jerry D'Amigo - U.S. National Under 18 Team
D'Amigo is a 5'11, 200lbs hard working forward who finished second in scoring on the Under 18 team this season, with 56 points in 53 games. He was especially outstanding for Team U.S.A. at the Under 18's, where he finished with 13 points in 7 games in helping Team U.S.A. to gold. He was also named to the tournament all star team. Interesting enough, D'Amigo is another R.P.I. recruit who's slated to go in the first three rounds of this years NHL draft. However, unlike Pirri, his intent to play in the OHL appears to be much more forward. While he hasn't signed a contract yet with Kitchener, like Morin and Maxwell, he has apparently been seen in the Kitchener area, leading you to believe it's just a matter of time. On the other hand, as recently as a few months ago, his family has stated he's still dedicated to RPI. So who really knows, and a lot depends on whoever drafts him in the NHL Should he report to Kitchener he'll be an impact player for them next season.
Destination team - Kitchener Rangers
6. Brandon Ma
xwell - U.S. National Under 17/18 Team
Maxwell had quite the incident filled year. Maxwell started the season as potentially the best goaltender available for 2009 NHL entry draft. However, as the season went along, things started to happen. First, Maxwell tried to get out of the development program so that he could go play for Windsor. His push was denied by USA Hockey and he was forced to stay with the Under 18 team. From there, things spiraled from bad to worse. His play slipped, and he was eventually booted from the Under 18 team for an altercation with another teammate. He was demoted to the Under 17 team, where he was not incredibly great, finishing the season with a Sv% under .900. However, his rights were traded to Kitchener and he has already signed the contract to play with the Rangers next season. It remains to be seen how talented Maxwell is, simply because of all the drama that surrounded him this year. I guess we'll see how he responds next year in Kitchener where he's going to be responsible for backstopping an up and coming team who expects to challenge for a Division title.
Destination team - Kitchener Rangers
5. Richard Panik - HC Trinec (Czech League)
Panik has long be considered a first round selection for the 2009 draft, at one point last year, even as high as the top 10. However this season has not been kind to him. His stats have greatly slipped with HC Trinec in the Czech junior league and he was completely overshadowed on the Slovakian World Junior team by fellow 2009 eligible teammate Tomas Tatar. Panik was taken last year in the Import Draft by Windsor, but decided to not come over. However, he has since committed to coming over next season and will be a Spitfire in 2009-10. Panik is a big body with a lot of skill and should be an impact player, especially with the talent he'll be surrounded with.
Destination team - Windsor Spitfires
4. Brandon Saad - Mahoning Valley Phantoms (NAHL)
Saad, a talented winger from Pittsburgh, as the 10th overall selection in the 2008 OHL Priority draft by the Saginaw Spirit. However, he did not play in Saginaw this season because he wanted to play one last season with his brother George in the NAHL, even turning down th
e USDP for that chance as well. Saad is a big time offensive forward who is an especially dangerous goal scorer. He was named the NAHL's Rookie of the Year and he also lead Team USA in scoring with 9 points at the Under 17 World Hockey Challenge. While he hasn't yet signed to play in Saginaw, it's all but expected he will, with no NCAA committment, and quotes saying that he would head to Saginaw after one more season in the NAHL. He should jump right into the Saginaw line up and become an impact forward.
Destination team - Saginaw Spirit
3. Jeremy Morin - U.S. National Under 18 Team
Jeremy Morin is a winger who lead the Under 18 in scoring this season with 33 goals and 59 points. He also finished second in penalty minutes with 107. He's been considered a first round selection for the 2009 NHL draft pretty much all season, even increasing his stock with a very solid Under 18 championship performance with 10 points in 7 games. He just recently signed his contract to play for Kitchener next season, where he'll likely jump right into the line up and become an immediate team leader and leading scorer.
Destination team - Kitchener Rangers
2. John Moore - Chicago Steel (USHL)
Somewhat surprisingly, Moore was drafted yesterday by Kitchener in the second round of the OHL Priority draft. Even more surprising is the fact that Moore is apparently heading to Kitchener, ditching his committment to Colorado College. This incredibly talented blueliner is slated to be a top 20 selection in the 2009 NHL entry draft after putting up 37 points in 49 games and being named the USHL defenseman of the year. He should enter Kitchener's line up and have a very similar impact to John Carlson's in London this year. In other words, he should be one of the best defenseman in the league next year.
Destination - Kitchener Rangers
1. Cam Fowle
r - U.S. National Under 18 Team
It should not be surprising to most that Fowler tops this list. This 6'2, 190lbs defenseman is an absolutely elite player. He is the complete package. Outstanding skater and offensive producer, but also a developing dominant two way defenseman. He was absolutely fantastic at the Under 18's, leading U.S.A. to gold and being named the tournament's top defenseman. He could very well go first overall in 2010, likely battling with future teammate Taylor Hall in Windsor. This kid could very well be the OHL defenseman of the year next year, his first in the league. He's that good.
Destination - Windsor Spitfires
Other Notables
I don't usually include any honorable mentions in the Sunday Top 10, however this list is a little different because of the nature of the topic. Here are a few more situations to keep an eye on...
Kenny Ryan, Stephan Johns, Jack Campbell to Windsor. Ryan is a great goal scorer who was a big part of the Under 18 team this year. Johns is a talented and big, imposing defenseman from the Under 17 team. And Jack Campbell was the goaltender who lead Team USA to Gold at the recent Under 18's. All three are potential impact players. All three are potential recruits to Windsor. However, they remain longshots at best at this point, however with Kitchener spending so much money this offseason to bring in talent, don't be surprised to see Windsor make a big pitch to get these guys. Especially Jack Campbell, who could be their goaltender of the future.
USHL star Stanislav Galiev, of the Indiana Ice, is looking to join the CHL next year and will go wherever he is selected in the Import Draft. He's someone to look for if he joins an OHL team as he's an incredibly talented offensive player who could make a big impact. He's also 2010 NHL Draft Eligible.
When Kyle Palmieri was booted from the US Development Program this year, many expected him to announce his decision to join Guelph next year shortly after. However, he has remained adamant about his intent to play for Notre Dame next season. We do now how quickly things can change though, so keep an eye on this situation and don't be surprised to see him commit to Guelph after the NHL draft.
Which brings me to my next point. There are a lot of guys who could have made this list, too many to even mention. A lot can be said about their intentions now, but even more can be said after the NHL Draft, when a team can influence their new draft pick to select the route they decide is best for said players development.
Stay tuned next Sunday for a yet decided Top 10!
As for the Sunday Top 10, this week we look at 10 player who look like they will be jumping ship to the OHL next season. That is to say, 10 players from outside leagues who look to or have already committed to playing in the OHL next season. This list does not include "natural" OHL rookies, or 93 born players who were just recently drafted in the Priority draft. This is a list of "overage" rookies, if you will. There is a lot of talent on this list, some of whom have already stated they will be playing in the OHL next season. Others is merely speculation on my part based on a little background research. Quite frankly, I'd be surprised if every player on this list isn't in the OHL next year, but you never know.
Here is the Top 10...
10. Chase Balisy - U.S. National Under 17 Team
Balisy is a very interesting case. He actually played last season in Toronto with the Montreal Jr. Canadiens alongside OHL first overall pick John McFarland. Originally from California, Balisy returned to the U.S., accepting an offer to play for the Under 17 Development Program this season, where he had 39 points in 67 games. Balisy also shifted back and forth between forward and defense this year, generating offense from both spots. He's an excellent playmaker with speed to burn, although he is undersized at 5'10. Balisy does not currently have an NCAA committment, and with his previous time spent playing in Canada, it is expected he will make the jump to the OHL next season.
Destination team - London Knights
9. Adam Clendening - U.S. National Under 17/18 Team
Clendening is an averaged sized (5'11), but very skilled blueliner who has long been rumoured to be jumping ship to the OHL. He spent the majority of his season with the U.S. U
nder 17 team where he had 14 points in 39 games. He did also see some time on the Under 18 team, in particular playing at the recently concluded World Under 18 Championships, where he helped Team U.S.A. capture the gold. This feat is especially impressive considering that Clendening is a late 1992 birthdate, making him one of the youngest players in the program, and not eligible for the NHL draft until 2011. Don't expect him to become an impact player right away, but he should be able to jump right into the top 4 of a team's defense.Destination team - London Knights
8. Brandon Pirri - Georgetown Raiders (OPJHL)
This is purely speculation on my part, but I have a hard time seeing this talented forward at R.P.I. next season. Pirri is an exceptionally talented offensive forward who had 94 points in 44 games this season, and is expected to go in the top 3 rounds of the NHL draft this year. He was spurned by the Canadian Under 18 team, which had to hurt his stock a bit since scouts were unable to make a comparison against his equally talented peers. However, R.P.I. was one of the worst teams in the NCAA this season. If an NHL team takes Pirri high, which is very likely, I'd say it's also likely they convince him to go to the OHL where he'll be surrounded by a few more talented players. Pirri was originally drafted by Sudbury, but don't be surprised to see his rights traded.
Destination team - Sudbury Wolves?
7. Jerry D'Amigo - U.S. National Under 18 Team
D'Amigo is a 5'11, 200lbs hard working forward who finished second in scoring on the Under 18 team this season, with 56 points in 53 games. He was especially outstanding for Team U.S.A. at the Under 18's, where he finished with 13 points in 7 games in helping Team U.S.A. to gold. He was also named to the tournament all star team. Interesting enough, D'Amigo is another R.P.I. recruit who's slated to go in the first three rounds of this years NHL draft. However, unlike Pirri, his intent to play in the OHL appears to be much more forward. While he hasn't signed a contract yet with Kitchener, like Morin and Maxwell, he has apparently been seen in the Kitchener area, leading you to believe it's just a matter of time. On the other hand, as recently as a few months ago, his family has stated he's still dedicated to RPI. So who really knows, and a lot depends on whoever drafts him in the NHL Should he report to Kitchener he'll be an impact player for them next season.
Destination team - Kitchener Rangers
6. Brandon Ma
xwell - U.S. National Under 17/18 TeamMaxwell had quite the incident filled year. Maxwell started the season as potentially the best goaltender available for 2009 NHL entry draft. However, as the season went along, things started to happen. First, Maxwell tried to get out of the development program so that he could go play for Windsor. His push was denied by USA Hockey and he was forced to stay with the Under 18 team. From there, things spiraled from bad to worse. His play slipped, and he was eventually booted from the Under 18 team for an altercation with another teammate. He was demoted to the Under 17 team, where he was not incredibly great, finishing the season with a Sv% under .900. However, his rights were traded to Kitchener and he has already signed the contract to play with the Rangers next season. It remains to be seen how talented Maxwell is, simply because of all the drama that surrounded him this year. I guess we'll see how he responds next year in Kitchener where he's going to be responsible for backstopping an up and coming team who expects to challenge for a Division title.
Destination team - Kitchener Rangers
5. Richard Panik - HC Trinec (Czech League)
Panik has long be considered a first round selection for the 2009 draft, at one point last year, even as high as the top 10. However this season has not been kind to him. His stats have greatly slipped with HC Trinec in the Czech junior league and he was completely overshadowed on the Slovakian World Junior team by fellow 2009 eligible teammate Tomas Tatar. Panik was taken last year in the Import Draft by Windsor, but decided to not come over. However, he has since committed to coming over next season and will be a Spitfire in 2009-10. Panik is a big body with a lot of skill and should be an impact player, especially with the talent he'll be surrounded with.
Destination team - Windsor Spitfires
4. Brandon Saad - Mahoning Valley Phantoms (NAHL)
Saad, a talented winger from Pittsburgh, as the 10th overall selection in the 2008 OHL Priority draft by the Saginaw Spirit. However, he did not play in Saginaw this season because he wanted to play one last season with his brother George in the NAHL, even turning down th
e USDP for that chance as well. Saad is a big time offensive forward who is an especially dangerous goal scorer. He was named the NAHL's Rookie of the Year and he also lead Team USA in scoring with 9 points at the Under 17 World Hockey Challenge. While he hasn't yet signed to play in Saginaw, it's all but expected he will, with no NCAA committment, and quotes saying that he would head to Saginaw after one more season in the NAHL. He should jump right into the Saginaw line up and become an impact forward.Destination team - Saginaw Spirit
3. Jeremy Morin - U.S. National Under 18 Team
Jeremy Morin is a winger who lead the Under 18 in scoring this season with 33 goals and 59 points. He also finished second in penalty minutes with 107. He's been considered a first round selection for the 2009 NHL draft pretty much all season, even increasing his stock with a very solid Under 18 championship performance with 10 points in 7 games. He just recently signed his contract to play for Kitchener next season, where he'll likely jump right into the line up and become an immediate team leader and leading scorer.
Destination team - Kitchener Rangers
2. John Moore - Chicago Steel (USHL)
Somewhat surprisingly, Moore was drafted yesterday by Kitchener in the second round of the OHL Priority draft. Even more surprising is the fact that Moore is apparently heading to Kitchener, ditching his committment to Colorado College. This incredibly talented blueliner is slated to be a top 20 selection in the 2009 NHL entry draft after putting up 37 points in 49 games and being named the USHL defenseman of the year. He should enter Kitchener's line up and have a very similar impact to John Carlson's in London this year. In other words, he should be one of the best defenseman in the league next year.
Destination - Kitchener Rangers
1. Cam Fowle
r - U.S. National Under 18 TeamIt should not be surprising to most that Fowler tops this list. This 6'2, 190lbs defenseman is an absolutely elite player. He is the complete package. Outstanding skater and offensive producer, but also a developing dominant two way defenseman. He was absolutely fantastic at the Under 18's, leading U.S.A. to gold and being named the tournament's top defenseman. He could very well go first overall in 2010, likely battling with future teammate Taylor Hall in Windsor. This kid could very well be the OHL defenseman of the year next year, his first in the league. He's that good.
Destination - Windsor Spitfires
Other Notables
I don't usually include any honorable mentions in the Sunday Top 10, however this list is a little different because of the nature of the topic. Here are a few more situations to keep an eye on...
Kenny Ryan, Stephan Johns, Jack Campbell to Windsor. Ryan is a great goal scorer who was a big part of the Under 18 team this year. Johns is a talented and big, imposing defenseman from the Under 17 team. And Jack Campbell was the goaltender who lead Team USA to Gold at the recent Under 18's. All three are potential impact players. All three are potential recruits to Windsor. However, they remain longshots at best at this point, however with Kitchener spending so much money this offseason to bring in talent, don't be surprised to see Windsor make a big pitch to get these guys. Especially Jack Campbell, who could be their goaltender of the future.
USHL star Stanislav Galiev, of the Indiana Ice, is looking to join the CHL next year and will go wherever he is selected in the Import Draft. He's someone to look for if he joins an OHL team as he's an incredibly talented offensive player who could make a big impact. He's also 2010 NHL Draft Eligible.
When Kyle Palmieri was booted from the US Development Program this year, many expected him to announce his decision to join Guelph next year shortly after. However, he has remained adamant about his intent to play for Notre Dame next season. We do now how quickly things can change though, so keep an eye on this situation and don't be surprised to see him commit to Guelph after the NHL draft.
Which brings me to my next point. There are a lot of guys who could have made this list, too many to even mention. A lot can be said about their intentions now, but even more can be said after the NHL Draft, when a team can influence their new draft pick to select the route they decide is best for said players development.
Stay tuned next Sunday for a yet decided Top 10!
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