Justin Sefton | RD | 6.03 | 199lbs | 04/14/93 | 2011 Eligible

2010/11 - 10GP 0G 0A 0P -4 17PIM

This was a better showing from the 5th Overall Pick in 2009, as Sefton looked a lot more comfortable out on the ice. He was able to do a good job of throwing his weight around and play the physical and nasty style that he has become revered for. Offensively he was a lot more proactive and he was able to utilize his heavy shot a couple of times, although he still looks a little uncomfortable having the puck on his stick in that area of the ice. Skating is still an issue for Sefton as he lacks catch up speed and explosiveness which has been a primary cause for him getting exploited by opposing forwards. He still has a lot of work to do this year, and it’s pretty clear that he’s not going to be the first round pick many once thought he would be, but he’ll still hear his name called next June, it’s just a matter of where.

Ben Chiarot | LD | 6.03 | 222lbs | 05/09/91 | Atl ’09 (4/120)

2010/11 - 9GP 1G 2A 3P -1 19PIM

Chiarot’s play has been a little disappointing this season as it’s very evident he’s trying to do way to much out on the ice. If Chiarot finds a role at the next level, it will be as a stay at home defenseman that can bring a physical game to the ice. On the contrary, Chiarot seems to be playing more like a puck moving, offensive defenseman, and it’s clear that his game is not tailored to that style of play. He got caught on a couple of real bad turnovers in the game and really needs to work on simplifying his game.

Samuel Schutt | LW | 5.10 | 170lbs | 04/13/94 | 2012 Eligible

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My first look at Schutt in the pre-season revealed a tentative player who really didn’t engage in the play whatsoever. The second viewing was a lot more promising, however, and it’s nice to see that Schutt is adjusting to the pace of the OHL game. A second rounder this past summer, Schutt is an undersized winger that has real good wheels and decent offensive ability. He’s still lacking a lot of strength, but he has done well in a limited role thus far with the Wolves and he’ll need to continue to learn the game to effectively use his speed to contribute on the score-sheet.

Kristoff Kontos | LC | 6.01 | 203lbs | 12/06/93 | 2012 Eligible

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It’s been a breakout year thus far from the 2nd rounder in 2009 as Kontos has emerged as one of the Wolves’ most consistent forwards this season. With a late December birthdate, Kontos isn’t actually eligible for the NHL Entry Draft until 2012, so he will have another year after this to showcase his skills for NHL scouts. After having a very limited role last year, he’s been seeing top line minutes this season as well as time on the first powerplay unit. Kontos doesn’t really have any defining skills but he does compete hard and has good offensive awareness which has allowed him to be in good spots to convert on opportunities. At this point, Kontos’ skating is going to be one of the things that really makes or break his draft stock. He really lacks explosiveness and high end speed which are two components that will really impede his upside at the NHL level. With a long way to go before 2012, however, Kontos will have plenty of time to work on improving that aspect of his game.

Frank Corrado | RD | 6.00 | 188lbs | 03/26/93 | 2011 Eligible

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The 17 year old has shown a big leap in his calibre of play this season, playing as one of the anchors on a defense that has encountered a lot of unforeseen troubles. Corrado has added a lot of much needed bulk and muscle to his frame this season and looks a lot more comfortable out on the ice. He’s a very good puck moving defenseman that skates well and is very agile on the ice as well as being elusive to fore-checkers. Corrado sees a lot of powerplay time in Sudbury this year, but his offensive game is still developing in that regard as you can see he isn’t a prototypical powerplay quarterback and hasn’t quite lived up to my point expectations for him thus far. He’ll need to continue to show that he can be a reliable defender and as his offensive game comes around, he should re-enforce his position as a draft prospect for next June.

Matthew Campagna | LC | 5.11 | 170lbs | 03/09/94 | 2012 Eligible

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Sudbury’s first selection in 2010, 5th overall, has had a bit of an inconsistent start to the 2010 season thus far but is showing signs of finding his game. After being one of the top scorers in Minor Midget a year ago, Campagna has been stiffed for the most part this season as he’s struggled to find the same time and space he enjoyed with the Toronto Nationals. In this particular game against Barrie, he looked a lot better off the rush, as he really created some nice chances with his linemates Andrey Kuchin and Josh Leivo. He needs to show that he is willing to compete more and engage in the play, and also resist the urge to slam his stick on the ice to call for the puck every shift. It’s clear that his impact will likely be fairly limited this season, making next year an extremely important one for him.

Charlie Dodero | RD | 6.01 | 188lbs | 10/01/92 | 2011 Eligible

2010/11 - 10GP 1G 2A 3P +2 8PIM

This was my first good look at Dodero and I was pretty impressed with his play on the blue-line. After seeing some very limited ice-time on a deep Kitchener defensive corps, Dodero has been much more prevalent in the Blue & Grey as he’s been logging significantly more time on the ice. I didn’t find any particular aspect of his game to be overwhelming, but he just played a real steady, smart hockey game and was rarely caught out of position. He showed that he could move the puck effectively, and if he can produce some respectable numbers, I could definitely see him being a late round draft pick next June.

Marcus Foligno | LW | 6.03 | 216lbs | 08/10/91 | Buf 09′ (4/104)

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So far this year it looks like Foligno will enjoy a breakout season offensively as he looks to make the final steps to prepare himself for the AHL next season. More or less a man playing with boys now, Foligno is one of the biggest hitters in the OHL today and can really set the tone of the game with his physical play. He’s also a very adept player with the puck and is a pretty creative player in small spaces and is especially effective controlling the puck down low deep in the offensive zone. At this point, the only thing holding him back from an eventual role in the NHL will be his skating, which has improved considerably since he broke into the league. At this point, he looks like he’ll develop into a real quality physical third line winger at the NHL level, but he does have some offensive upside which could allow him to contribute a bit on the scoresheet as well.

Brody Silk | LC | 6.00 | 175lbs | 11/30/94 | 2013 Eligible

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Silk is one of the youngest players in the OHL this season so it’s tough to put a ton of stock in his production thus far. He’s a smooth skating guy that can also play the wall and has some untapped offensive potential. He also plays with a bit of a chip and competes pretty hard, especially for a 16 year old, finishing checks when he gets the chance. Silk needs to really work on adding strength to his frame and it’s clear that the Wolves are going to need to be patient with him, but he does have the potential to be an effective Top 6 OHL player down the road.

LC Brody Silk #9 | New Liskeard Cubs | 6’0” | 160lbs | November 30^th, 1994

15GP - 17G - 18A - 35P - 22PIM

The star of the New Liskeard Cubs has been the most hyped OHL prospect in the North this season, after jumping out of the gates with a very impressive start. Silk currently sits in fourth place in league scoring this season on a fairly weak New Liskeard team, and has been the main reason behind the team’s fourth place standing in the GNML this season.

Silk has a solid frame to work with, but he’ll need to work on adding strength and muscle in the future.  He’s willing to compete in the corners, but he isn’t a great battler for the puck. Silk is a very good skater with great high end speed, but his first few steps will need some work moving forward. He needs to do a better job of utilizing his speed, as he frequently plays down to the speed of the players on the ice. Silk finds a niche offensively as being a very good player off the rush. He does a good job of creating odd man rushes, and sees the ice fairly well and also has the ability to be a goal scorer with his quick release. He’s not afraid to drive the puck to the net either, and looks to create a lot of offense on jam plays.

While there are a lot of pros to Silk’s game, he also has a lot of things he’s going to need to address in order to play at the next level. His defensive positioning needs a lot of improvement, and he’s often cheating high, looking for odd man rushes before the puck has left the zone. Silk has fairly average hockey sense, and he doesn’t have the type of on-ice vision you would expect. His creativity needs some work and he doesn’t have great hands for being an offensive player.

While Silk does have some good upside, and he’s still very young being a late 1994, he still has a lot of aspects of his game that will need to be addressed before he can make the jump to the next level. At this point, he’s probably more of a 3-5 round type player, but it will be interesting to see how he progresses throughout the rest of the season.

LC Davis Boyer #4 | Sault Ste. Marie North Stars | 5’7” | 140lbs | May 19^th, 1994

17GP - 18G - 17A - 35P - 34PIM

Some might be quick to consider Boyer a product of his team, as the North Stars are nothing short of an offensive juggernaut this season, but Boyer is a very good player in his own right. His size will obviously be a concern for OHL teams, and could be a deciding factor with his draft stock, but at this point, he’s probably the most talented 1994 player in the GNML this season.

Boyer skates well on the ice and has good agility. His first few steps could use some work, and is a bit of a concern given his size. However, Boyer does a very good job of playing the game at a quick pace. He always keeps his feet moving, and does a great job of getting in on the forecheck, and being the first man back on the backcheck.

He’s a very smart player offensively and has great on ice awareness of where his teammates are. Boyer does a good job of creating time and space down low, and does a pretty good job of controlling the puck. He always keeps his head up and has a variety of shifty one on one moves which he uses in traffic, or off the rush. Boyer has a pretty quick release on his shot, but his power needs some improvement.

Overall, he’s a very talented offensive player, that also is very responsible defensively. He’s pretty strong on faceoffs and does a good job of using his stick in the defensive zone to make up for his lack of size and strength. At this point it’s hard to project where Boyer might end up going in the draft, because I’ve had limited viewings of the rest of the crop, but he should be getting some mid-round consideration despite his lack of size. If he can add a couple of inches to his frame and add some much needed muscle, he could be a player that develops into a pretty effective player at the next level, but he is a bit of a risky pick at this point.


Beyond Silk and Boyer, the next big prospect is likely the Sault’s 1994 Goalie, Jake Patterson. I haven’t had the opportunity to see Patterson yet this season, as Greyhounds’ draft pick Paul Orlando has started both times I’ve seen the Sault, but most indications show that Patterson will be on the OHL radar. The Kapuskasing Flyers have a pair of 1994 forwards that will garner some draft interest. Center Maxim Lamontagne is a decent offensive player who should get some draft consideration, while winger Jordan Delaurier is a bit raw, but could be a late round pick. Sudbury defenseman Michael Rouleau also is pretty raw at this point, but he does have some potential, and should get some draft consideration.