After what was an eerily quiet summer, the OHL trade front electrified during the last few days with no less than seven trades being completed as OHL teams prepare to open up training camps. I’ll revise each deal and break-down what you need to know as we build up to the upcoming OHL season.

August 26th

Mississauga Receives: G Anthony Peters (1990)

Saginaw Receives: Sudbury’s 5th Round Selection (2011)

Peters has bounced around considerably in his career after initially being a third round selection of the Oshawa Generals back in 2006. Heading into his OA season, Peters will be relied on to provide the Majors with some quality starts. Dave Cameron has always favoured the use of a goaltending platoon, so don’t be surprised to see Peters get a decent number of starts as 18 year old J.P. Anderson looks to take the reigns on the starting role with the departure of Chris Carozzi to professional hockey.

August 27th

Mississauga Receives: RW Justin Shugg (1991), D Marc Cantin (1990)

Windsor Receives: Mississauga’s 2nd Rounders (2013, 2015, 2016), Conditional 15th (2014)

The first real blockbuster of the new OHL season was the second move in as many days by Dave Cameron’s Majors. With the Majors hosting the Memorial Cup this year, they’re obviously looking to add some major pieces to their roster. Justin Shugg, a fourth rounder of Carolina this summer, flirted with 40 goals a year ago and should be an offensive catalyst for a team that is short on impact players. Cantin is a reliable defenseman who will provide some depth to the Majors blue-line, as well as a veteran presence with extensive playoff experience. Shugg’s lack of production in the post-season is a concern, but we’ll see how things pan out. The return of Windsor is mis-leading, as this move has been linked to other moves as well as seen below.

August 30th

Mississauga Receives: C Kerby Rychel (1994)

Barrie Receives: Mississauga’s 2nd Rounders (2011, 2012), 3rd Rounder (2014)

The Kerby Rychel saga is no secret amongst the OHL brethren. After Barrie took him (controversially), he’s now one step closer to the Windsor Spitfires as it looks like the Mississauga Majors will move him down the 401 during the January trade window for first round picks, in another deal that is sure to raise controversy about the inclusion of “future considerations” in trades. This trade holds a correlation to the Ebert and Shugg moves, but we’ll see what the return is from Windsor as this trade is certainly one of the conditions of the conditional 15th round pick from the August 29th deal. While Windsor might send back picks, don’t be surprised to see a player like Ryan Ellis make his way over to Mississauga as part of a bigger deal. As for Barrie, well they make out like bandits. Picking up the 22nd Overall Pick next year as compensation in addition to two second round picks and a third round pick is certainly nothing to sour over!

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Mississauga Receives: Mississauga’s 2nd Rounders (2015, 2016)

Windsor Receives: D Nick Ebert (1994)

Yet another piece of the initial deal saw the Majors deal their first round pick from 2010, Nick Ebert, to Windsor in exchange for two of the original picks that were sent to Windsor. Ebert will surely be an impact player as many projected him to potentially go first overall if he had of committed to the OHL from the outset. In Windsor, he’ll surely raise some eyebrows as they continue their trend of bringing in “NCAA bound” talent. Ebert was also a teammate of fellow 16 year old Brady Vail last year in Waterloo of the USHL. As I said before, this likely isn’t the last you will here between Mississauga and Windsor this year.

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Guelph Receives: D Daniel Maggio (1991)

Sudbury Receives: G Joel Vienneau (1992), Sudbury’s 2nd Round Selections (2011, 2012), Guelph’s 5th Round Selection (2012)

This is a bit of a peculiar move for the Storm, who dealt defenseman Ben Chiarot to Sudbury last year in exchange for those very same two second round picks. Maggio has been a bit of an enigma in his OHL career, never quite living up to his potential, but he’ll have plenty of opportunity to elevate his game in Guelph next year on a team that will surely be making their best run. Sudbury does well to re-stock the cupboard with some nice picks moving forward. If they can get Vienneau to walk away from the USHL and a scholarship to the University of Minnesota, it would go a long way to solidifying their shaky outlook in goal as Vienneau could contend for the starting position this year as well as next.

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Barrie Receives: C Steven Beyers (1992)

Sudbury Receives: Windsor’s 2nd Round Selection (2011), Future Considerations

Beyers career has stagnated a bit in the CCHL after being a very good AAA player. While his numbers in Orangeville have been good, a playoff injury in 2009 forced him to miss the outset of the 2009/2010 season and he later fell victim to the injury bug, limiting him to only 16 games. Despite this, he’ll be re-united with his former coach Dale Hawerchuk and he definitely has the ability to put up points at the OHL level. Don’t be surprised to see him push towards 50+ points next year. As for the Wolves, they pick up a decent pick for a player that wasn’t willing to report. GM Blaine Smith can determine whether or not he wants to use the pick in a trade or hold on to it as the Wolves now have an extra second rounder this season.

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Owen Sound Receives: RW Liam Heelis (1990)

Peterborough Receives: Owen Sound’s 4th Round Selection (2012)

Not a big trade by any means, but Owen Sound picks up some decent insurance if Jason Wilson is not returned. Heelis is a pretty competitive guy who found a bit of a scoring touch last year after a couple of subpar seasons. He’s fairly versatile and can likely slot into any of the Attack’s top three lines depending on where they may need him.

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Overall it was certainly an interesting day on the OHL trade front. Aside from the controversy over the Mississauga/Windsor deals and their use of “back-door trades” using future considerations, something the league has tried to eliminate, this will be the first test of the compensatory rule the league brought in before the 2009 Priority Selection. The Cole’s Notes version of the rule states that if you are unable to sign your first round pick and elect to move them via trade, you can receive the assets from the trade, plus a compensatory pick in the first round next year that is one pick after where you took the player originally.

Eg: Barrie will receive the 22nd Overall pick in 2011 for being unable to sign Kerby Rychel (21st, 2010)

This rule has opened up a bit of a loophole, as teams are open to the possibility of essentially flipping picks and getting a compensatory pick, or double dipping. I was able to speak to OHL Vice President Ted Baker today regarding the issue, as he was able to accommodate me for a brief phone call. I presented the hypothetical situation to him regarding the possibility of the team’s picking first and second overall doing this for example, and Baker noted that the league is aware of these possibilities, but they trust that the General Managers will uphold the integrity of the OHL, and that if such an instance were to occur, the OHL would investigate the situation before approving a trade. Either way, let the debate begin!

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Team GTHL

C Max Domi | 5.08 | 160lbs | 02/02/95 | Don Mills Flyers | 6GP 6G 9A 15P 6PIM

Domi, the son of former NHL fan favourite Tie, showed that he was the best player of the tournament, leading the scoring race and consistently displaying his high skill evel. Domi’s vision and ability to make plays was unsurpassed by any player. He’s a very crafty forward with a great head for the game. He skates well and competes hard and like his father, was never afraid to mix it up, even against bigger players. At this point, he’d have to be considered as one of the best players in the draft, but his size will be a concern as there is a chance he might never grow much beyond his current 5’8″.

F Nicholas Ritchie | 6.02 | 200lbs | 05/12/95 | Toronto Marlboros | 6GP 4G 4A 8P 8PIM

This big winger was certainly among the most impressive players in the tournament and could very well be on his way to a big year. Ritchie has a good frame but he does a great job of utilizing it. He’s good at getting up and down the ice, but he’s very effective at using his size in the corners to win puck battles. He finishes checks and goes to the net hard and is a tough player to contain. His puck skills were good and he showed a good shot, which all bode well for him moving forward. He’ll definitely be a player to watch this year as he could be an early contender for top honours.

F Bryson Cianfrone | 5.09 | 160 lbs | 14/02/95 | Toronto Marlboros | 6GP 1G 2A 3P 0PIM

Statistically, Cianfrone wasn’t much of a factor in the U16 tournament, not so unlike the rest of the team outside of their top trio of Ritchie-Domi-Hunt. Despite not putting up the numbers, however, Cianfrone showed that he has the explosive offensive ability to be a game-breaker. He has explosive outside speed and good puck control and had the ability to really make something happen in transition. While he may have flown under the radar a bit, he definitely showed some real good things in this tournament.

Team OMHA

F Jordan Maletta | 6.02 | 199lbs | 30/04/95 | St. Catherines Falcons | 6GP 1G 3A 4P 8PIM

The captain of the OMHA team looked like he was fighting the puck a bit throughout the tournament, but he certainly saved his best for last, as he was probably the best player on the ice during the final game against the GTHL. Maletta is a player that oozes potential as he’s a big guy with great speed and good offensive skill. We were a bit concerned with some of his decision making as it looked like he might not be a natural goal scorer, but he’s a guy that could develop into a top pick as the year progresses.

D Michael Vlajkov | 6.02 | 180lbs | 03/02/95 | St. Catherines Falcons | 6GP 3G 1A 4P 6PIM

Vlajkov showed a lot of promise in the tournament and definitely made his presence known with his booming slap-shot. He was pretty adept in his own end and has a good break-out game, but his offensive upside probably had people talking the most. While his three goals is impressive, his shot selection could use some refinement. Often times it looked like he was just shooting for the sake of doing so, often from poor angles with no traffic in the shooting lane. Still, with a guy of his size having that type of upside, he should be one of the high-end defensemen in this draft.

D Steven Varga | 6.02 | 182lbs | 18/01/95 | York Simcoe Express | 6GP 0G 1A 1P 2PIM

Not a player that made an impact on the score-sheet, Varga is a guy that a coach loves to have on his team for his reliable play in his own end. He was very good on the penalty kill and did a great job of shutting down the opponent’s offense. His limited offensive upside is a bit of a detractor, but there will always be room in hockey for a guy that can play the shut-down role and do it well.

Team Alliance

F Mitchell Amante | 5.08 | 154lbs | 14/01/95 | Windsor Jr. Spitfires | 6GP 7G 3A 10P 6PIM

A bit on the small side, Amante was the most potent forward for the Alliance team in the tournament. While he isn’t quite as flashy as some of the other big wingers who really marveled with their speed, Amante just did a great job of capitalizing on his chances and using his puck skills to make things happen in the offensive zone. Every time he had the puck he was a dangerous player and he has great sniper instincts, often finding the right place to be to convert on a chance.

D Marselis Subban | 5.09 | 185lbs | 11/10/95 | Cambridge Hawks | 6GP 0G 3A 3P 0PIM

A cousin of NHLer P.K., Marselis seems to play a very similar style as a fellow defenseman. While his nonchalant style can be awkward and give coaches headaches, he’s very good with the puck and is as elusive as his cousin. At the same age, he’s definitely ahead in terms of skill, and there’s no doubt that his upside will be a major attractor for OHL teams next May.

F Mitchell Fitzmorris | 5.10 | 171lbs | 21/04/95 | Elgin Middlesex Chiefs | 6GP 1G 4A 5P 4PIM

One of a number of wingers on the Alliance team who really impressed in this tournament was Mitchell Fitzmorris. He looked to be a little taller then his listed height, but he was a guy that did a good job of making things happen on the ice even though it looked like he was shaking off some rust and clearly was frustrated that he wasn’t able to capitalize on a few opportunities. A lot of the Alliance forwards looked very good which projects well for that league this year.

Team NOHA

F Danny Desrochers | 5.10 | 160lbs | 22/08/95 | Sudbury Nickel Capitals | 6GP 4G 1A 5P 6PIM

A bit of an awkward player, Desrochers was a player that definitely grew on us as the tournament progressed. He spent time both on the wall and down the middle, but he was a relentless player that always seemed to be around the puck. His skating is a bit choppy and needs work, but his competitiveness and ability to make things happen were big assets. He came up huge in the NOHA’s games against the ODHA and Alliance, and was a force in the offensive zone.

F Brandon Langella | 5.10 | 135lbs | 13/02/95 | Sudbury Nickel Capitals | 6GP 3G 2A 5P 0PIM

Langella didn’t do a lot on his own, but seemed to have really good chemistry with Desrochers on the ice. He was always quietly lurking around the play and seemed to find the puck and make the most of it. He scored a couple of real nice goals with some quality shots and had good hockey sense. This year indicated that it’s likely going to be another quiet year on the draft front from the North, but these two kids along with a few others will definitely be looked at as the year gets underway.

Team ODHA

F Nicholas Baptiste | 6.00 | 165lbs | 04/08/95 | Ottawa Jr. Senators | 6GP 5G 5A 10P 8PIM

He was probably my favourite player in the tournament as he literally managed to pick up an otherwise average team and really carry the load for the ODHA. He’s a real good skater who was dangerous every time he was on the ice. Baptiste showed that he could create his own chances as well as be a great distributor. At this point, he’s definitely a contender for the top spot and will be a guy to really keep an eye on this season.

D Evan deHaan | 5.07 | 125lbs | 15/02/95 | Ottawa Valley Titans | 6GP 0G 1A 1P 6PIM

I wanted to give a bit of a shout to deHaan, who at first glance, probably looks like he’s playing at least a few age groups up given his stature. While he’s still a major long-shot at this point, the similarities between his game and his brother Calvin’s at the same age were rather eerie, and he really showed a lot of the same composure and awareness that is a staple of Calvin’s game. I’ll be very interested to see how he comes around this season.

Team HNO

We only got a very brief look at the team from Northwestern Ontario, and couldn’t really report accurately on any of the team’s players.

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• Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL)
• Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA)
• Alliance Hockey (Alliance)
• Hockey Northwestern Ontario (HNO)
• Northern Ontario Hockey Association (NOHA)
• Ottawa District Hockey Association (ODHA)

For in depth tournament results and player statistics, please refer to the U16′s Pointstreak Web-Site:

http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/scoreboard.html?leagueid=1054&seasonid=5906

Tournament Summary

The Under 16′s served as a decent enough gauge to see where some of the 95′s stand at thus far, and was a good opportunity to get acquainted with most of the top draft eligible Canadian players. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Major Junior Hockey or are just casual followers, the 2011 OHL Priority Selection will be the first year of draft eligiblity for 1995 birth-years within OHL territory. The tournament was hard fought and well contested, and while many of these players looked like they were still shaking off some summer rust as well as having to get acquainted with completely new teammates, it was a good showing.

Without getting too in depth, the top dogs of the tournament were most certainly the OMHA and GTHL clubs. While the OMHA managed to edge the GTHL in both matchups, including a 3-1 win in what would prove to be the decisive victory in the first place game, both club’s featured most of the top players in the tournament. The NOHA managed to squeeze out a bit of a surprise 3rd place finish after stringing together a couple of impressive victories over the ODHA and Alliance teams. The team from HNO was clearly the weak link in the tournament as they struggled to compete at the same level as the other team’s and were winless in six games, while conceding a tournament high 32 goals against.

Overall, the tournament proved to be a good success. The City of Kitchener and the iconic Memorial Auditorium proved to be very accomodating hosts for the tournament, and the level of professionalism associated with the event was most commerable. I was able to take in the weekend portion of the tournament along with my TSR colleague Mike Kloepfer, and we both walked away impressed with the event. Stay tuned tomorrow as we will be reviewing some individual player reports from the tournament, and some of the players who will be player’s to key in on this year in AAA hockey.

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Players that made the cut: Brassard, Catenacci, Curtis, Danault, Jenner, Lessio, Meurs, Nugent-Hopkins, Broll, Huberdeau, Puempel, Quine, Ritchie

Adam Lowry | LW | LH | Swift Current (WHL) | 03/29/1993 | 6’4 184lbs | 2011 Eligible

I thought Lowry played well enough that he had a shot to make the team.  He has a nice blend of size and skill.  He played well along the boards and was willing to use his size to his advantage.  For being such a big player at his age, his hands and skating are decent and he doesn’t look clumsy or awkward like many players adjusting to their growth spurts.  Lowry is also smart (2009/10 WHL Scholastic Player of the Year) and has good genes as his father (Dave) is a former NHLer who now is an assistant coach with the Calgary Flames.  Power forwards usually take a little longer to develop and he remains an interesting player to follow for this upcoming season.

Alan Quine | C | LH | Kingston (OHL) | 02/25/1993 | 5’11 179lbs | 2011 Eligible

Quine was the fastest player in camp.  He mishandled the puck a few times while at full speed both in the neutral zone and his own end resulting in some good scoring chances for his opponents.  His hands were there in spurts as he was able to make a nice play by knocking a clearing attempt out of the air and he also made a few nice passes, but his hands were hot and cold in this regard.  He seemed to shy away from the physical play a little bit.

Boone Jenner | C | LH | Oshawa (OHL) | 06/15/1993 | 6’1.5 197lbs | 2011 Eligible

It took a little while for Jenner to get going, but once he did he was one of the very best players at camp.  He’s big and competes hard.  Constantly going to the tough areas, Jenner both gave and received some big hits and wasn’t deterred by the physical play.   At the same time, Jenner has a lot of skill and created more offense than the majority of players in camp.  He had an accurate shot, showed good awareness of his teammates and used his long reach very well.

Brent Andrews | C | LH | Halifax (QMJHL) | 01/19/1993 | 6’1.5 199lbs | 2011 Eligible

Looking over my notes after the camp, I realized I didn’t get a good viewing of him as I had next to nothing written on him.  He was not very noticeable through two days of camp.

Brett Ritchie | RW | RH | Sarnia (OHL) | 07/01/1993 | 6’3 204lbs | 2011 Eligible

Ritchie was another big, strong winger at the camp.  He was very strong on the puck, good along the boards and won a lot of puck battles.

Sarnia's Brett Ritchie had a productive rookie season with the Sting last year, notching 13 goals and 29 points.

Austen Brassard | RW | RH | Belleville (OHL) | 01/14/1993 | 6’2 192lbs | 2011 Eligible

Nice combination of size and skill.  Not overly dominant in any one area, but had a solid camp.

Bryce Milson| LW | LH | Acadie-Bathhurst (QMJHL) | 01/25/1993 | 5’11 181lbs | 2011 Eligible

Milson played okay at the camp, but didn’t excel in any one area.  He just wasn’t at the same caliber of some of the skilled guys that made the team and he didn’t find a niche where he would be of some value to the team.

Carter Sandlak | LW | LH | Guelph (OHL) | 05/18/1993 | 6’1.5 199lbs | 2011 Eligible

Sandlak didn’t boast the strongest first impression by taking a bad penalty and displaying some weak skating on the first day.  He had a much better final day where he played both a little smarter and more physically.  Like Lowry, Sandlak also has NHL bloodlines as his father is former Vancouver Canuck Jim Sandlak.

Colin Smith | C | RH | Kamloops (WHL) | 06/20/1993 | 5’10.5 165lbs | 2011 Eligible

Smith worked very hard at the camp, but was very much overmatched physically.  He spent a fair amount of his ice time in his own end.  He was willing to get into the shooting lanes to block shots, but he was not aggressively challenging the shooters.

Daniel Catenacci | LW | LH | Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) | 03/09/1993 | 5’10 180lbs | 2011 Eligible

Catenacci had an average day on my first viewing and was much better on the 2^nd day.  He was very quick and shifty and was able to make some plays.  For a small guy, he wasn’t afraid to go to the tough areas.  He put up some points but seemed to be fighting the puck from time to time.

David Broll | LW | LH | Erie (OHL) | 01/04/1993 | 6’1.5 221lbs | 2011 Eligible

Broll was the oldest and biggest player in camp.  He was by far the most physical player at camp and had several massive hits.  He didn’t handle the puck too well, his skating was poor, and his acceleration even worse, but he made everyone aware of when he was on the ice with his big checks.  He may not have the skills to be an NHL player, but some teams are going to absolutely love his physical presence as a bottom 6 forward if he can improve his skating.

Garrett Meurs | RW | RH | Plymouth (OHL) | 01/12/1993 | 5’10.5 171lbs | 2011 Eligible

Meurs showed a lot of energy and hustle.  He isn’t the biggest player, but he gave everything he had.  Meurs needs to get stronger as he was knocked around a lot at the camp, but he fought for the puck and showed some decent hands.

Jonathon Huberdeau | LW | RH | Saint John (QMJHL) | 06/04/1993 | 6’1 166lbs | 2011 Eligible

Huberdeau is a small, smart, and skilled player.  He wasn’t flashy, but he played a little more of a complete game than some of the other comparable small, skill forwards.

Lucas Lessio | LW | LH | Oshawa (OHL) | 01/23/1993 | 6’1 195lbs | 2011 Eligible

Lessio was one of the best forwards at the camp.  He was good at creating space for himself and anticipating the play.  This left Lessio on the receiving end of a few top-notch passes both that he managed to capitalize on.  Like Puempel, he definitely benefitted from playing with Nugent-Hopkins.  He showed better vision and playmaking ability on the final day than during the previous game.  He was good along the boards despite just average strength.  He will be an interesting player to follow this season and will now be making the jump to the OHL to play with Oshawa.

Lucas Lessio will be joining the Oshawa Generals this year after spending last season in the CCHL with St. Michael's.

Mark McNeill | RW | RH | Prince Albert (WHL) | 02/22/1993 | 6’1.5 209lbs | 2011 Eligible

McNeill was another one of the hard-working, but lesser skilled player at camp. McNeill was hard on the forecheck, but lost his edges a few times allowing the defenseman ample time to make a play and get the puck heading up the ice.

Matt Puempel | RW | LH | Peterborough (OHL) | 01/24/1993 | 6’0.5 201lbs | 2011 Eligible

For being the reigning CHL rookie of the year, Puempel was very average for me.  He knew how to get open in front of the net, but he really didn’t generate any chances himself.  Puempel was the beneficiary of some nice plays by two of the best forwards in camp: Nugent-Hopkins and Lessio.  He seemed to skate alright, but his positioning was not very good at times.

Michael Curtis | LW | LH | Belleville (OHL) | 01/26/1993 | 6’0 184lbs | 2011 Eligible

Curtis wasn’t the most skilled player on the ice, but he was able to pot a couple nice one-timer goals by going to front of the net and getting a shot off just before the nearest defenseman could get to him.  He had good speed but didn’t have great balance and was knocked around a bit because of it.

Michael St. Croix | C | RH | Edmonton (WHL) | 04/10/1993 | 5’11 178lbs | 2011 Eligible

On the first day St. Croix was used quite a bit for the PK and didn’t seem to have a lot of opportunity to showcase what he can do offensively.  He made a few nice passes including one off his backhand that hit his teammate in stride for an odd man rush.  On the second day St. Croix was sitting next to me in the stands instead of playing.  I don’t know whether it had to do with an injury (he looked fine walking around the stands) or a precaution or something else, but he wasn’t playing anyways.  St. Croix is a quick skater, but his lateral movements were a bit choppy.

Olivier Archambault | RW | LH | Val d’Or (QMJHL) | 02/16/1993 | 6’1.5 203lbs | 2011 Eligible

Was ok at the camp, but I didn’t get a real good feel for him one way or another.

Phillip Danault | C | LH | Victoriaville (QMJHL) | 02/24/1993 | 6’0 173lbs | 2011 Eligible

I really enjoyed watching Danault play.  He is another small player but he was really tenacious in all aspects of his game.  He is a very good skater and was relentless on the forecheck.  He looks to be a good energy player that has a little skill to boot.

Jean-Francois Leblanc | C | LH | Val d’Or (QMJHL) | 03/03/1993 | 6’3.5 197lbs | 2011 Eligible

Leblanc has great size and competitiveness.  He was also very good on the dot.

Raphael Bussieres | LW | RH | Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) | 11/05/1993 | 6’1 189lbs | 2012 Eligible

Bussieres looked to be a little bigger than listed and had some skill to go with his size.  He has a late birthday so he still has a couple years to round out his game.  He is worth watching for 2012.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins | C | LH | Red Deer (WHL) | 04/12/1993 | 6’0 166lbs | 2011 Eligible

Nugent-Hopkins is one of the very few players that really stood out at the camp.  He was one of the best skaters at the camp and had very good speed and elusiveness.  Nugent-Hopkins showed off his incredible skill level and vision by saucering some beautiful passes through traffic.  He made some difficult passes with ease.  While he is primarily a playmaker, he showed a willingness to shoot the puck.  He was consistently a threat when he had the puck and he also excelled in the faceoff circle.  He is still very thin and will need to put on some weight if he hopes to be a lottery pick this year.

Ty Rattie | RW | RH | Portland (WHL) | 02/05/1993 | 5’11 167lbs | 2011 Eligible

Rattie generated some good scoring chances and looked good for the most part.  He has some very good offensive tools, but is not the most complete two-way player.  You’d like to see him become a more explosive skater for his size and he needs to get stronger.  Rattie looks to have grown a bit since I saw him last although he still is a small player.  He looks to have lost out in the numbers game for the small forwards that were able to make U18 team.

Related posts

• Mid-Season 2011 OHL Top 15 (4)
• CHL Feature – 2009/10 Junior Preview (0)
• WHL Feature: Eastern Conference Prospects Review (0)
• WHL Feature: Portland @ Calgary Recap (0)
• Tier Two Feature: Lessio highlights Hurricanes/Buzzers game (0)

The parity on the ice was better than I expected as few players really stood out as being dominant.  I’d expect that there will be lots of change in the draft rankings by the time the 2011 draft rolls around.  Here are some of my thoughts on the final couple days of the selection camp.

Goaltending

Players that made the cut: Teichmann, Gusse

Jeffrey Noonan | G | Catches L | Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL) | 01/18/1993 | 5’11 166lbs | 2011 Eligible

Noonan played last season for Laval-Montreal of the LHMAAAQ, but is expected to crack Rouyn-Noranda’s squad this upcoming season.  He really struggled with his rebound control and positioning at the camp.  Having played AAA Midget last year, the quality of shooters Noonan faced wasn’t comparable to the type of players he faced at this camp. He will need some time to ease into his role as a QMJHL goalie this season.

Liam Liston | G | Catches L | Brandon (WHL) | 04/06/1993 | 6’0.5 205lbs | 2011 Eligible

Much like Noonan, Liston also played Midget hockey last season as was overwhelmed by the quality of players he faced at the camp.  Like Noonan, he had rebound control problems.  He just needs some time to adjust and is still considered highly regarded by the Wheat Kings as he was named the AMHL goalie of the year last year in St. Albert.  He was Brandon’s 3^rd string goalie last year for their Memorial Cup run and he will be expected to make the jump full-time this year.

Robin Gusse | G | Catches L | Chicoutimi (QMJHL) | 04/23/1993 | 5’10 170lbs | 2011 Eligible

Gusse was the best of the rest.  He didn’t stand out, but seemed more comfortable in the net than the two others.

Tyson Teichmann | G | Catches L | Belleville (OHL) | 05/19/1993 | 6’0 139lbs | 2011 Eligible

It was a rough camp for the goalies as witnessed by multiple 8-7 scores.  However, Teichmann was the one goalie that stood out for me.  He’s a small goalie that is extremely thin, but he was able to get his skinny frame in front of the puck and consistently come up with saves.  Teichmann showed very good athleticism and he was able to move post-to-post very well.  Teichmann showed good reflexes and although he was able to make some good glove saves, he wasn’t always able to trap the puck.  Otherwise, his rebound control was the best of the group.  He pulled fewer pucks out of the back of his net than the other goalies.

Belleville Bulls netminder Tyson Teichmann got the nod from his coach, George Burnett, as Canada's starter for the Ivan Hlinka Tournament this year.

Defense

Players that made the cut: Murray, Ouellet, Percy, Bell, Hamilton, Harrington, Siemens

Cody Ceci | RD | RH | Ottawa (OHL) | 12/21/1993 | 6’1.5 203lbs | 2012 Eligible

Ceci was one of the weaker defensemen at the camp, but as the youngest player at the camp, Ceci has an extra year to develop as his late birthday makes him 2012-eligble.  He looked uncomfortable in his own end where forecheckers were able to get pressure on him and cause him to turn over the puck.  He lost a lot of puck battles.  Ceci made some good outlet passes, but he didn’t use his skating ability to open up bigger passing lanes when pressed.

Dillon Donnelly | D | LH | Shawinigan (QMJHL) | 09/07/1993 | 6’1 181lbs | 2011 Eligible

Invited to camp but was unable to attend.

Dougie Hamilton | RD | RH | Niagara (OHL) | 06/17/1993 | 6’4.5 187lbs | 2011 Eligible

Hamilton is a huge defenseman that takes up a large amount of ice.  Players were having a very hard time getting around him as his wingspan alone forces players to go much further outside than they normally would have to.  Hamilton has a long, awkward stride making him just an average skater.  However it isn’t something that can’t be overcome as he comes from a hard working, and athletic family.  And just like his brother Freddie (who was drafted by the San Jose Sharks last year), Dougie is intelligent.  He maintained a 97% average in high school last year.  He projects to be a very good shutdown defenseman.

Duncan Siemens | LD | LH | Saskatoon (WHL) | 09/07/1993 | 6’3 196lbs | 2011 Eligible

One of my favorite pre-season players, Siemens didn’t play as well as I know he is capable of, yet was still one of the better defensemen at the camp.  He has great size, but his skating was a little choppier than I have seen in the past.  Siemens is a force at both ends of the rink.

Jimmy Oligny | LD | LH | PEI (QMJHL) | 04/30/1993 | 5’11 197lbs | 2011 Eligible

Another smaller defenseman.  He was very fast and closed in on forwards quickly.  Despite having a weight advantage on many players, Oligny seemed weak.  Soft shot.

Jonathon Racine | LD | LH | Shawinigan (QMJHL) | 05/28/1993 | 6’1.5 181lbs | 2011 Eligible

Was ok at the camp, but I didn’t get a real good feel for him one way or another.

Myles Bell | RD | LH | Regina (WHL) | 08/19/1993 | 6’0 209lbs | 2011 Eligible

Having seen Bell many times in the past, I know that he is a versatile player and I’m guessing that is why he made the team.  He didn’t really do anything for me at the camp.  He struggled in his own end for much of the time.  He looked clumsy at times – in regards to both skating and handling the puck.  He doesn’t have a strong shot.  However, Bell did make one of the nicest passes of the entire camp by spotting Lucas Lessio sneaking in deep behind the defense and then made a perfect homerun pass that resulted in a breakaway (and goal).

Reece Scarlett | RD | RH | Swift Current (WHL) | 03/31/1993 | 6’0.5 167lbs | 2011 Eligible

Scarlett had a very strong camp and was a surprise omission from the team in my books.  Perhaps it was his size that scared off the coaching staff as he is quite light still.  The first day I watched, Scarlett was one of the best players on the ice.  He was far more average the second day.  He is a good skater that is able to close the gap very quickly.  He seems to have long arms and he uses them to make some excellent pokechecks.  I would like to see him a little more physical instead of relying on the pokecheck so much, but I can’t complain too much as he was very effective with it.  He has a good slapshot and was able to move the puck.

Ryan Murphy | RD | RH | Kitchener (OHL) | 03/31/1993 | 5’10.5 169lbs | 2011 Eligible

How can a guy who had 3 goals and a hard-earned first assist in a single game (as a defenseman no less!) not make the team?!  He wasn’t the best player in his own end, but he was far from the worst.  He was far and away the most offensive dman at the camp which should have held some value to the coaches.  Looking at the Team Canada roster, no defenseman is under 6’0 tall so size may have played a part in the decision to leave Murphy off the team.

Ryan Murray | LD | LH | Everett (WHL) | 09/27/1993 | 6’0.5 190lbs | 2012 Eligible

Another 2012-Eligible player who parlayed a strong camp into a role as Captain, despite being the youngest player named to the team.  Murray is a very good two-way player.  He showed a strong first pass, and was calm and reliable in his end.   A good skater.  Very good acceleration and closing speed although his lateral movement was just ok.  Quick release with his wrist shot.

Scott Harrington | LD | LH | London (OHL) | 03/10/1993 | 6’1 209lbs | 2011 Eligible

Harrington had a solid if unspectacular camp.  His skating wasn’t that great and his acceleration was not good, but he knew where to be and wasn’t ever a liability on the ice.  He just kept getting the job done, even if it didn’t always look pretty.

Stephen Woodworth | LD | LH | Cape Breton (QMJHL) | 01/21/1993 | 5’11.5 183lbs | 2011 Eligible

Another small and quick player.  He played a very simple game.  Looks to be a good junior player, but I’m not convinced that his game translates to the pros.

Stuart Percy | LD | LH | Mississauga (OHL) | 05/18/1993 | 6’1 187lbs | 2011 Eligible

Not having seen much of Percy before, he was a pleasant surprise.  He seemed a little taller than he is listed and quite thin.  He played the role of a shutdown defenseman while chipping in a couple assists for Team Red.  A good skater and puck-mover.  Percy was one of the more interesting prospects at the camp for me.

Xavier Ouellet | RD| LH | Montreal (QMJHL) | 7/29/1993 | 6’0 174lbs | 2011 Eligible

Ouellet was a little shaky during my first viewing as he was prone to some mistakes in his own end.  He had a much stronger final day.  He used his reach and moved well.  Has some upside.

Related posts

• Mid-Season 2011 OHL Top 15 (4)
• CHL Feature – 2009/10 Junior Preview (0)
• WHL Feature: Eastern Conference Prospects Review (0)
• OHL Feature: Players to watch from Mississauga/London (0)
• OHL Feature: Ottawa 67′s Prospect Report (0)

The tournament entries come from six different hockey associations in Ontario:

• Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL)
• Alliance Hockey
• Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA)
• Ottawa District Hockey Association (ODHA)
• Hockey Northwestern Ontario (HNO)
• Northern Ontario Hockey Association (NOHA)

We’ll update you with tournament reports at the conclusion of the event, and some preliminary insight on some of the 1995s to watch in Ontario this year. For more information on the tournament, as well as schedule information, please visit:

http://www.kitchener.ca/aud/calendarEventAudDetailFull.aspx?tid=19335&caldate=Thu%20Aug%2012,%202010

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Right On

• #1. Taylor Hall (Edmonton)
• #2. Tyler Seguin (Boston)
• #3. Erik Gudbranson (Florida)
• #6. Brett Connolly (Tampa Bay)
• #9. Mikael Granlund (Minnesota)
• #19. Nick Bjugstad (Florida)

There wasn’t very much surprise up front with the big three going down as most anticipated. After that, Connolly to Tampa Bay looks like a solid pick as his hockey sense and drive should help him transition into an effective top six winger. Granlund at 9 worked out well as his style seems to be a strong fit with Minnesota and he will certainly develop a lot under the tutelage of fellow countryman Mikko Koivu. The Bjugstad pick was definitely a fluke for us, but he’ll be an interesting player to watch over the next few years. Rick Dudley added some considerable depth to the system on draft day, and Bjugstad has the frame and raw potential to develop into a solid NHLer as he gets set to embark on a college career at the University of Minnesota.

Pretty Good (Within 5 Picks)

• #5. Nino Niederreiter (New York Islanders) | TSR Rank: 8
• #8. Alexander Burmistrov (Atlanta)| TSR Rank: 12
• #15. Derek Forbort (Los Angeles) | TSR Rank: 10
• #18. Austin Watson (Nashville) | TSR Rank: 14
• #25. Quinton Howden (Buffalo) | TSR Rank: 20
• #30. Brock Nelson (New York Islanders) | TSR Rank: 34

None of these picks came as real surprises to us as their actual draft selection coincided fairly well with our final rankings. It was a little surprising to see Derek Forbort to slip to 15 as there was a lot of talk that he could actually be a guy that might go around 8. Aside from him, some may have been surprised that the Islanders elected to step up and grab Niederreiter with Gormley and Fowler still on the board, although, several other teams shared the same sentiment as they went on to slide out of the Top 10.

Questionable (Within 10 Picks)

• #4. Ryan Johansen (Columbus) | TSR Rank: 11
• #12. Cam Fowler (Anaheim) | TSR Rank: 5
• #11. Jack Campbell (Dallas) | TSR Rank: 21
• #13. Brandon Gormley (Phoenix) | TSR Rank: 4
• #16. Vladimir Tarasenko (St. Louis) | TSR Rank: 7
• #21. Riley Sheahan (Detroit) | TSR Rank: 30
• #23. Mark Pysyk (Buffalo) | TSR Rank: 13
• #26. Evgeny Kuznetsov (Washington) | TSR Rank: 16
• #28. Charlie Coyle (San Jose) | TSR Rank: 35

Off the top were a few surprises. There was a notion that the Blue Jackets were going to take Johansen at #4 and several teams were very high on the Portland Center, however, we felt that he’s still a bit of a project which is what kept him out of our Top 10. The drop of Fowler and Gormley will go down as one of the most renowned draft day falls in NHL Entry Draft History, and was probably the biggest surprise of the day. We likely should have put Campbell a little higher in hindsight, he’s a nice addition for Dallas. Tarasenko’s fall was unsurprising due to the generic Russian concerns, as was Kuznetsov’s drop to Washington.

Ouch! (More Than 10 Picks Off)

• #7. Jeff Skinner (Carolina) | TSR Rank: 18
• #10. Dylan McIlrath (New York Rangers) | TSR Rank: 24
• #14. Jaden Schwartz (St. Louis) | TSR Rank: 25
• #17. Joey Hishon (Colorado) | TSR Rank: 46
• #20. Beau Bennett (Pittsburgh) | TSR Rank: 38
• #22. Jarred Tinordi (Montreal) | TSR Rank: 45
• #24. Kevin Hayes (Chicago) | TSR Rank: 43
• #27. Mark Visentin (Phoenix) | TSR Rank: 84
• #29. Emerson Etem (Anaheim) | TSR Rank: 15

In a first round that was full of surprises, it came as no surprise to see several picks of this nature. Skinner at 7 is a little ambitious, but there is no doubting he had a dominant year and it’s nice to see him get some recognition for it. McIlrath at 10 was a pretty big surprise especially given the fact that both Gormley and Fowler were still on the board. It was one of the most shrewd picks of the draft and it will be interesting to see how it plays out down the road. Visentin was definitely the biggest off the board pick of Round 1, however. Despite some positive steps forward this year, he still has a lot of work to do in his technical game before he will ever tend an NHL crease.

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As we alluded too in our previous story, TSR is pleased to finally be able to unveil the main component of our revamped look, a new website. Moving from our previous format, the new setup will allow for more efficient content, enhanced visual appeal, ease of access and much more! As our readership continues to grow, along with our new contributors, we hope that the new site will become a staple for our readers.

With the prospect spotlight gradually beginning to shine once again, you can rely on TSR for coverage of prospects from all around the hockey community once again for the 2010/2011 season. With NHL Rookie camps in full swing and the 2010 Ivan Hlinka Tournament in Slovakia and the Czech Republic set to kick off August 9th, the hockey world will soon be ready to shift focus away from the Taylor/Tyler debate as a new crop of marquee prospects emerges in 2011!

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A year ago, 4th year university Sport Management student Scott Campbell developed an idea to give hockey fans free information about hockey prospects from all ranks.  Now just one year later, TSR has blossomed into a reliable one stop source for insight to hockey prospects across the world. As a whole we could like to thank you all for visiting our site. Campbell is extremely impressed with the momentum that TSR has generated over the past year. “It’s been really exciting to watch this site really come to fruition in such a short time-frame. I’ve gotten a ton of help from some great guys from across North America, and we’re looking to build off that for next year. Obviously we have some cosmetic changes coming in, but we’re also working on developing new strategies behind the scenes to provide even better content for hockey fans worldwide.”

Have something to say? We want your feedback on what you; our readers would like to see implemented within the new design.  The best feedback comes from people outside of the organization, and we would like your help. Contact Scott Campbell at scottcampbell@thescoutingreport.org, Web designer Scott Boulet at sboulet@thescoutingreport.org. or leave a comment for us!

Also, be sure to follow us on Facebook, at facebook.com/thescoutingreport
As well as Twitter at twitter.com/TSRhockey

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#1. Taylor Hall | LW | Windsor (OHL)

Date of Birth: November 14th, 1991
Height: 6.01
Weight: 185lbs.
Shoots: L
Season Statistics: Regular Season | 57GP 40G 66A 106P 56PIM
Playoffs | 19GP 17G 18A 35P 32PIM
TSR Midterm Rank: 1 | Position Rank: 1st Forwards
League Rank: 1st OHL | Country Rank: 1st Canada

Taylor Hall would have been ready to be drafted last season, but his late 1991 birth date forced him into 2010 draft eligibility.  The 18-year old used his extra season in the Ontario Hockey League to cement himself as one of, if not the, top player in the 2010 NHL draft class.  Taylor Hall experienced every possible level of hockey available to him this season playing in the OHL, OHL playoffs, Memorial Cup, and lastly the World Junior Championship where he did not disappoint.  It would be understandable for a player’s production to eventually drop off after playing that much hockey in a season.  Hall’s did not, and with the exception of the World Juniors, he did the same thing last season.  Hall excelled under pressure in both Memorial Cups where he was relied on to produce and produce he did, winning Memorial Cup MVP both seasons.

Hall is immediately going to make a franchise better.  He is the complete offensive package.  The ability he has playing at top speed is incredible, and for Taylor Hall that speed in immense.  His quick reaction time on the ice combined with his soft hands are two abilities that can really make opposing players look foolish on the ice.  Some players look as though they have pre-thought the move they are going to make on the defenseman, but for Taylor Hall he reads the play and then reacts, which really sets him apart from other players.  Hall’s hands and speed are not the only qualities that make this player such an elite talent.  His shot placement is incredible, and mixed with his hard, quick release, he can make goaltenders pay if they are one inch out of position.  Based on his on-ice attributes alone, passing on Hall with the first pick of the draft would be an incredible tough decision.

There are only a couple of knocks on Taylor Hall’s play.  One is the defensive component of his game, but realistically he will be brought in to score goals, that will be his major addition. A defensive game can come with times, and as long as he is not a constant liability in his own end, it is a trait that will fly under the radar. The second is the amount of giveaways he can produce in a game.  He is obviously an extremely talented stick handler and combined with his drive he can hold onto the puck a little too long at times, causing a turnover.  This is one attribute within a very small list that Hall will need to continue to get better at in order to become the elite player we all expect.

As previously mentioned, Hall has played a lot of hockey over the past two seasons playing against the most elite players of his age group, and he has yet to show any ill effects.  This can only make his transition into the NHL that much smoother as he is used to playing well into May.  His play at the Memorial Cup is something that really gave Taylor Hall the edge down the finishing stretch and he tops TSR’s Final 2010 NHL Draft Rankings.

Pros: Skating, overall offensive flair, determination/drive

Cons: Two-way hockey

Skillset Comparison: Marian Gaborik

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Related posts

• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Mid-Term rankings Top 60 Skaters (1-30) (10)
• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Final Rankings: Top 100 (1-25) (5)
• TSR’s 2010 NHL Entry Draft Preliminary Top 15 Rankings (16)
• TSR’s 2010 NHL Draft Mid-Term rankings Top 60 Skaters (31-60) (6)
• OHL Set to Dominate the NHL Draft Yet Again (0)