Frank :

Sean,

For the record I played college hockey and coached Division I. I have also scouted the OHL when I was unemployed and looking for a job. I think you are missing the bigger picture. Many OHL scouts are often volunteers and are trying to gain some experience in professional hockey. Most folks are just cutting their teeth in the industry. Their views and rankings are often skewed by their lack of experience. It is not their fault just a by product of the environment. Zero to little pay, long hours on the road, watching Tier II and Batamn hockey. That being said do you honestly think that anyone in the NHL or NCAA takes the OHL rankings seriously? So when Wes came into the USHL, played against better competition, his weaknesses were exposed. That is when his stock dropped. I think Notre Dame did Wes a service by honoring their scholarship offer because Wes was a bust in Green Bay even before getting to the Irish.

For the record I played college hockey and coached Division I. I have also scouted the OHL when I was unemployed and looking for a job. I think you are missing the bigger picture. Many OHL scouts are often volunteers and are trying to gain some experience in professional hockey. Most folks are just cutting their teeth in the industry. Their views and rankings are often skewed by their lack of experience. It is not their fault just a by product of the environment. Zero to little pay, long hours on the road, watching Tier II and Batamn hockey. That being said do you honestly think that anyone in the NHL or NCAA takes the OHL rankings seriously? So when Wes came into the USHL, played against better competition, his weaknesses were exposed. That is when his stock dropped. I think Notre Dame did Wes a service by honoring their scholarship offer because Wes was a bust in Green Bay even before getting to the Irish.

In most cases the kids’ minor midget AAA league was a greater challenge and provided better coaching than what is available in T2. Bad habits such as poor puck control & movement, improper positioning without the puck, poor ice/play reading, not picking up your defensive assignments, etc. are invariably not corrected.

A good example of this is Brendan Smith. I’m certain this 2007 1st round draft isn’t too happy about a) not being signed this past year, b) not making the Canadian U-20 team, and c) not being named to this fall’s 1st or 2nd WCHA all-star teams. The system based approach of the OHL would have improved his decision making, particularly in high-risk/turnover situations.

A current example is highly touted Lucas Lessio, ironically playing for the same T2 team as Brendan Smith. However the current club’s roster and coaching is a pale shadow of the team Smith played for. While not exactly a JT, Spezza, or Crosby type phenom, at 16 he is tied for 10th place in the league’s scoring, and 1st on his team. There is no quesion that he’s a top talent, however his play tends to be 1 dimensional, ie. the offensive zone, and to be blunt, is not being properly developed. He needs better team mates, opposition and coaching in order to improve.

Another example is Riley Sheahan. In minor midget this kid was mentioned in the same breath as Taylor Hall and also envisioned as a top 10 NHL prospect. We’ll have to wait and see where CS places him, however suffice it to say that he’s not exactly a lock for the 1st round.

Yet another is Ethan Werek … his stock fell from top ten, to mid-1st, to end of 1st and finally was drafted in the middle of he 2nd. No doubt he would have benefitted from an extra year of major junior.

Another player to monitor is 2008 1st round Daultan Leveille …

Sean :
My question to you: What makes you think Wes O’Neill would have been better served playing in the OHL instead of with the Irish? It’s one thing to say he was a disappointment, another altogether to insinuate he’s a bust BECAUSE he skipped out on the ‘O’ to play NCAA hockey. Is this really your point?
You make it sound like they give out guaranteed NHL contracts as soon as guys sign up to play in the OHL.
I get that you’re a CHL guy, and thus it irks you when talented Canadian players decide to play in the NCAA — the feeling is mutual among many NCAA puckheads on my side of the border, though I don’t consider myself among them. There are pros and cons to both paths, and I don’t begrudge any player their choice. There’s lots of good hockey players in North America to around, IMO. But your logic of saying O’Neill “hurt himself” by playing at Notre Dame is pretty ridiculous — especially when you immediately make a point of saying how well guys like Petrecki and Smith are playing in the NCAA, and how they are still big-time NHL prospects. Surely those two guys are still big-time prospects because they were good players to begin with, and not because their college colleges gave them better guidance than they would have gotten in the OHL?

First I would like to say thank you for your comment, comments are always appreciated.

Now I will attempt to answer your question. The way I was trying to direct my article was towards the tough decision ahead for these fifteen or sixteen year old men. Wes O’Neil was a player who was a highly touted OHL prospect, and faltered in the NCAA system. Obviously I cannot be sure whether or not he would have succeeded in the OHL, but nonetheless he is an example of someone faltering in the NCAA league. I also pointed out some players who were high end OHL picks, while choosing to go the NCAA route, and did quite well for themselves. I was not looking to bash the NCAA, nor was I trying to pump the OHL’s tires, it was simply a statement that deals are not always set up to bring US players to the OHL, and it is a tough decision for most.

I hope this helps, and thank you again for your comment.

You make it sound like they give out guaranteed NHL contracts as soon as guys sign up to play in the OHL.

I get that you’re a CHL guy, and thus it irks you when talented Canadian players decide to play in the NCAA — the feeling is mutual among many NCAA puckheads on my side of the border, though I don’t consider myself among them. There are pros and cons to both paths, and I don’t begrudge any player their choice. There’s lots of good hockey players in North America to around, IMO. But your logic of saying O’Neill “hurt himself” by playing at Notre Dame is pretty ridiculous — especially when you immediately make a point of saying how well guys like Petrecki and Smith are playing in the NCAA, and how they are still big-time NHL prospects. Surely those two guys are still big-time prospects because they were good players to begin with, and not because their college colleges gave them better guidance than they would have gotten in the OHL?