Sefton KOs David Broll

Saulte Ste. Marie forward David Broll is a little like Austen Brassard in that he hasn't had the kind of strong offensive season to off-set his lack of skating ability, and therefore isn't seen as a great draft option out of the OHL as of now.

But after watching this fight with Sudbury's Justin Sefton, you have to feel for him.

This is the part of being a power forward that many don't understand or appreciate. It can be a tough, tough job. Especially when you're on the receiving end of a bomb like that.

Wow.

(I would post the video, but without permission to do so, just follow the link to YouTube and see for yourself).

Sefton is a meat-and-potatoes D with not a lot of upside, but some obvious toughness. That could get him drafted as a bottom-pairing type guy- you never know.

Central Scouting Preliminary Rankings: the OHL Pt. 2

This is part 2 of the Central Scouting's OHL preliminary list, covering 11-25 and the goaltenders.

Russians Vladislav Namestnikov (London) and Alexander Khokhlachev (Windsor) are 11 and 12 on the list respectively and are two very skilled and impressive prospects. Namestnikov had a slow start in his adjustment to the OHL, but has come on of late for the Knights. One scout saw him this week and described him as "very slick", vowing to move him up in his rankings. Khokhlachev got off to a great start and has continued his torrid scoring pace with nine goals and 28 points in 19 games with the Spits. He doesn't have a lot of size, but is explosive, creative and deadly with the puck.

Stefan Noesen and Swede Rickard Rakell are both with the Plymouth Whalers and are having solid, if unspectacular seasons. Noesen is a Texas native who has come on in impressive fashion in his second OHL season leading the team in scoring with 23 points, while Rakell is in his first North American campaign after taking a page from Landeskog's book. He's got nice speed and hands, but must get stronger before he'll be ready to compete for NHL employment.

London defenseman Scott Harrington rounds out the top-15, and has had an up-and-down season thus far. Although big, mobile and skilled enough to be a stalwart two-way defenseman, reports are that he's just not put it together enough this season. And, the hockey sense is a bit questionable, too. Will he have the vision and split-second decision-making skills to be a factor at the next level?

Oshawa's Lucas Lessio at 17 was a surprise as a player a bit low for what has been said of him on the street. Another Oshawa forward, he's not quite at a point-per-game clip with 15 in 20 games, but when on his game is a horse. If he can find better consistency the rest of the way, he should rise.

Shane Prince at 18 is an interesting option; although small, he's very fast and has been an opportunistic scorer and fan favorite in Ottawa this season. One scout still felt Prince was too high, even at 18 though.

Barrie center Mark Scheifele is 19th on the Central list and is attracting attention from some of the independent scouting sources as an intriguing draft prospect. That said, our source is not sold.

"I know a lot of guys out there like (Scheifele), but he doesn't do much for me," the NHL scout said. "I see him as a mid-rounder and just don't think much of his overall game and potential."

Garrett Meurs (21), David Broll (24) and Austen Brassard (25) are all preseason contenders who finished in the top-25.

Meurs hasn't been able to get it going after being seen as the player most likely to lead the Whalers in scoring after Tyler Seguin's departure. He has fine skill and is a nice playmaker, but simply hasn't gotten untracked.

Broll is a big, aggressive power forward for the Erie Otters, but his skating is poor with very little initial burst and a lumbering stride/heavy feet. Unless he can pick up a step, he'll be graded down significantly as a legitimate top-two round player.

Brassard is cut from the same cloth as Broll and it's really a six one way, half-dozen the other with these two, because it all comes down to personal preference as both bring a similar kind of style and upside to the mix.

Notable omissions were center Alan Quine, who was dealt to Peterborough for Spooner, and Mississauga defenseman Stuart Percy.

"Quine could end up being this year's Joey Hishon," the scout said, pointing out that Hishon, a first-round pick of Colorado last season was not in Central's OHL preliminary rankings a year ago. "Percy plays on a very defensive club and hasn't put up much in the way of numbers. I'm a little surprised he's not on the list, but you can make a case as to why he's not."

As far as goalies go, Owen Sound's Jordan Binnington was No. 1, followed by Matt Mahalak of Plymouth, who has been a major disappointment after coming into the season with a lot of hype. In only six games, Mahalak has a horrific .828 save percentage for the Whalers and has sat while No. 1 Scott Wedgewood (New Jersey prospect) has taken the ball and run with it. Mahalak could be one of those goalies you see every year: they come into their draft season with a ton of promise, don't live up to it and fall in the draft, only to resurrect their stock and status the following year and play their way into top prospect discussions later when the pressure of the draft season is behind them. The Islanders' Kevin Poulin comes to mind. Belleville's Tyson Teichmann, who captured gold for Team Canada at the Ivan Hlinka in August, is another disappointment this season and was seventh out of eight on the list.

That's a wrap on the OHL list-- I hope you were able to get through this and found the insights informative.

Friday night OHL roundup: Murphy, Landeskog put on a show in Kitchener

By now, you've probably heard about the insane individual efforts that defenseman Ryan Murphy and forward Gabriel Landeskog put up against the Erie Otters (and yes, B's fans that is old B's coach and Needham's finest Robbie Ftorek behind the Erie bench if you're watching the highlights) in the Kitchener Rangers' 7-3 win Friday night. These two are showing just why they are going to be top-10, possibly even top-five selections in the 2011 NHL Draft.

You can see the highlights here.

Murphy had a goal and four assists-- he currently leads the OHL in scoring (3 goals, 6 assists, 9 points in 3 games). Oh, and he was a plus-five on the night, so maybe that defense of his isn't as bad as originally thought, eh? If he keeps up this torrid pace, then he's going to be right in there with Adam Larsson all season long in terms of who the top defensemen are in 2011 draft discussions. Vancouver's David Musil belongs in those talks, too, but he's not generating the production Murphy is right now. Larsson is playing against men, so he's in a different category altogether.

His first assist-- the slap/pass to Andrew Crescenzi is a thing of beauty. That's a purely offensive move from the point, and should have Bruins fans licking their chops if the team can somehow be in position to take him (and yes, I know it's only October). Murphy is demonstrating that his being left off of Team Canada's Ivan Hlinka team was a total joke with his play in the first few games of the OHL season. His point blast shows the unreal power he generate on his shot-- can you imagine what he might be able to do if he were about three inches taller? Brian Rolston once told me (when he was still with the Bruins) that you can practice your slap shot all you want-- at some point, there is a genetics element involved and that some players are simply going to be predisposed to getting more ooomph and torque on the shot than others. Murphy appears to be one of those naturals.

And let's talk about Landeskog. This kid, whom I was told plays an "angry" style that would seem to any observer that he was born in places like Moose Jaw or Yellowgrass or Timmins as opposed to his native Sweden, also proved in the highlights that he can score from anywhere and do pretty much whatever he wants in aspect of the game. Want to see a finesse scorer? He can do it. Want a guy who will bull his way to the net? He can do that, too. Want a guy who will drop the gloves and splatter his opponent's snot from ear-to-ear? Yup-- Landeskog's got that skill in the bag, too.

His first goal was on a shot from the outside after he gained the zone and cut to the middle of the high slot, wiring a bullet top to the glove side. His second (and fifth on the season) was a dynamic backhander that looked just too easy as it knocked the water bottle in the air. Simply put, he turned a lot of heads last season with Kitchener. Now, with a year in the OHL under his belt, Landeskog is emerging as a true force as an NHL prospect. As tough as it is for preseason top-10 picks to raise their stock, that's precisely what this kid is doing.

Here are some comments on Landeskog from a sharp observer who attended the game and emailed me these comments:

"(There is) So much to love about Landeskog. Kid does absolutely nothing wrong. Plays all 3 forward spots, in all situations. Has really proven to be a leader. The one thing I noticed especially last night that after every shift he comes to the bench and asks the coaches what he could have done differently. "

He saved some love for Murphy, too (and to his credit, has been on Murphy's bandwagon since early last season):

"(Murphy)Now leads the league in scoring with 3 goals 6 assists in 3 games and is a plus 10. And he has been in on 50% of the Rangers offence so far this season. And still no goals against while he's been on the ice. (doesnt get enough credit defensively IMO). Hard to imagine the kid has improved from last year. And his shot....most accurate shot from the point since Ray Bourque."

That's some high praise indeed, but from the looks of things, not too far off the mark. Murphy, like Ryan Ellis and of course, Bourque before them, is proving that you don't have to be a gigantor to possess a fearsome cannon from the point.

Not to be outdone was another Ranger who looks like he's going to be first-rounder in June: German forward Tobias Rieder (2 assists, giving him 7 points in 3 games thus far on 2g, 5 helpers) who got it done with some very heady plays on offense. Kitchener coach Steve Spott has a ton of firepower and the amazing thing is that his team is doing all of this without the services of Jeff Skinner, who is still with Carolina. They may not get Skinner back from the Hurricanes, but if they do, watch out. Check out '91 small forward Michael Catenacci's backhander (with assists to both Murphy and Landeskog)... that's just sick speed and puckhandling.

Rieder is an interesting story-- he's German but worships and idolizes Bobby Orr. He's one of those guys who would be a great storyline if he ended up in Boston and you have to give credit to a kid who understands just what Orr did for the sport of hockey.

Erie didn't have a lot of good news, but David Broll did have a very nice assist on Erie's first goal. Broll is one of those big, physical guys with some offensive upside, but his skating is an issue right now.

The OHL, once again, is looking like the producer of another bumper crop of future NHL talent. Murphy came into the season with a lot of questions to answer, but he's blowing the doors off the skeptics. Just watching those highlights should make anyone a believer. There is a lot of hockey to be played, but if the Bruins end up with this kid somehow in June, then they'll have a premium skill player at the defense for sure, and will have some scary organizational depth.

B2011DW's Official 2010-11 OHL Watch List

Here is a list of some players who, going into the 2010-11 season, some NHL and independent scouts think are worthy of first- or second-round consideration. Once again, Ontario is providing a good percentage of the potential NHL talent coming down the pipeline in the next 2-5 years.

1. Brandon Saad, LW Saginaw Spirit: At 6-2, 200 this big-bodied American has a lot of skill and is arguably the best prospect the OHL has to offer this season and could be NHL-ready in 2011-12, he's that good and physically developed. Along with Seth Ambroz, Saad has been a force up front for about three years now and continues to develop on an upward curve at a time when big, skilled power forwards are more in demand than ever. "He's a great skater, playmaker, has good hockey sense and has that goal scoring ability you look for," said an NHL scout familiar with his game.

2. Gabriel Landeskog, RW Kitchener Rangers: This Swedish power forward prospect has come on like gangbusters since coming over to the OHL last season and big things are expected of him this year. He loves to take the body, goes hard to the net and has the size (6-1, 200) to go with excellent skating chops to be the kind of complete package every NHL team covets. "He's an angry, angry player some nights. He bangs, he scores and even plays some defense, too," another NHL scout said.

3. Matt Puempel, LW Peterborough Petes: The word on the street right now is: don't be fooled by the points production Puempel put up at the Ivan Hlinka-- he wasn't that good. The reigning CHL rookie of the year is coming off a 33-goal season with the Petes at age 16 who can skate and score, but who also reportedly had a pretty poor Team Canada evaluation camp. Add Red Line Report to the list of people unimpressed with Puempel this summer: they called him the "most disappointing" player on Team Canada, and while acknowledging his outstanding physical and skill package, said that he had a lot of trouble finding his comfort zone and consistency up front. For a kid thought to be a consensus top-five pick next June, this is an interesting development and bears watching.

4. Ryan Murphy, D Kitchener Rangers: Ah, if he only had another three or four inches on his frame. This offensive defenseman has been described to me alternately as "unreal" and "fabulous" offensively, and a "disaster" and "complete gongshow" defensively. But even with the critiques of his defense, those folks say he's just so good at skating and generating offense that you can overlook the defensive problems with this kid. He's a premier puck mover and blazing skater with high-end speed and agility and the creativity to do whatever he wants with the puck. But at 5-10, 160 pounds, has a lot of growing to do and is not ever going to have the size that makes Drew Doughty a future Norris Trophy winner and a player everyone salivates over.

When compared to Ryan Ellis, Nashville's top pick in 2009, an NHL scout had this interesting bit to say about Murphy: "I think he's a much more dynamic player than Ellis is." And honestly, that's a mouthful right there. Another scout said this: "If you don't stop this kid at your own blue line, you're ****ed. He's right by you and is creating a scoring chance, because he's pretty unstoppable if he cranks it up through the neutral zone." The bad news for Bruins fans: He's another small defenseman, and the team already has a surplus of those, albeit none with Murphy's pure talent. Curiously enough, Murphy was left off Team Canada's gold medal-winning Ivan Hlinka squad, a decision that most every scout I've talked to has derided at ludicrous.

5. Alan Quine, C Kingston Frontenacs: Heady centerman has the speed and intelligence to produce offensively, but plays on a bad team. He only has average size at 5-11, 175 pounds, but shows a willingness to go into traffic. He performed well at Team Canada evaluation camp and was in the Hlinka team that captured gold. He was solid if unspectacular in that tournament, and he'll need to improve on the 11 goals he scored last year to make a legitimate run at a top-20 selection.

6. Garett Meurs, C Plymouth Whalers: Often overshadowed on the Whalers because of the presence of Tyler Seguin, Meurs has managed to capture the attention of scouts nonetheless because of his excellent hockey skills. "Meurs always seems to be the 'other guy' on whatever line he plays on, but he produces," one NHL scout recently. He's probably not going to be a star NHLer, but Meurs is the kind of complementary player with the ability to score 30-35 goals and be a valuable contributor for years.

7. Dougie Hamilton, D Niagara Ice Dogs: At 6-4, 190 pounds, and some speed and solid footwork, this player is a raw, but intriguing talent. What Derek Forbort was last season to people who desired a defender with legitimate size and some offensive chops, Hamilton is to this draft. He's well behind Adam Larsson and David Musil in terms of pure talent and upside at the defense position, but could develop into one of the better players in this class over time. Moves well in all directions and will jump up into the rush. Right now seen as more of a physical defense-first player who is gangly and still rounding into his athletic form. But, he has tremendous athletic bloodlines, his parents Doug (rowing) and Lynn (basketball) having both been Canadian Olympians. Depending on what kind of season he has, he's either going to shoot up the board or fall precipitously, because there will probably be little middle ground for a project like him.

8. Scott Harrington, D London Knights: On paper, this 6-1, 190-pound rearguard may be another guy for Bruins fans who believe the team desperately needs size and talent on defense to put some time and energy into following. He's big, strong, skilled, skates well and plays a very good shutdown game. Even his supporters acknowledge that he may not be much of an offensive presence at the next level, but he's one of those players you can put the term "upside" on. That said, others aren't so sure. "I think he's overhyped and needs to show more," said one NHL scout. "He's got good size, is a good skater and is good defensively, but he doesn't do a lot for me. At least, he's not someone I'm looking at in the first round right now unless he picks it up and shows me some more."

9. Boone Jenner, C Oshawa Generals: Beyond the great name, this is a pretty good-sized (6-1 195) centerman with some real skill and upside. Bad news up front: His skating is not NHL-caliber, and he's definitely going to have to improve on his first few steps and overall agility if he's going to have a chance at being a top-two liner in the show one day. However, he's so good on the puck and oozes hockey sense, plus has a tremendous work ethic (two scouts have used the ubiquitous "He skates his bag off!" line with me) to boot. If he can improve the skating/speed, he's got a shot to be a player. But, where you take a guy like this is the big question right now. Red Line has him 14th overall, but others I have talked to see him more as a late-first/early second, while yet another said the skating could drop him a lot lower if he hasn't addressed it this season.

10. Lucas Lessio, LW Oshawa Generals: Jenner's new teammate comes over from the St. Mike's Buzzers of Jr. A after deciding not to follow a path to the University of Michigan. The two had a chance to skate together at the Ivan Hlinka and get some chemistry down for the upcoming OHL season. A pure talent with speed and goal scoring instincts, but doesn't always give it his all on the defensive side of things and can be a one-man show at times. He's definitely a player to watch this season to see how he handles the challenge of the OHL after tearing it up last season for the Buzzers and having a good showing at the Ivan Hlinka.

More OHL players to keep tabs on:

Austen Brassard, RW Belleville Bulls: Traded from Windsor in the Philipp Grubauer deal, this power forward lives up to his team's name. He's a powerful, physical player who will go through people on his way to the net. Can skate OK, but has a nice modicum of skill to his package, so if he can pick up a step or three, could be a real monster when he fills out (6-2, 192).

Brett Ritchie, RW Sarnia Sting: If he were a better skater, a lot of people would be pretty excited about this kid. At 6-3, 204, he's already a horse and real tough to contain when he gets it going and grabs possession of the puck in the offensive zone. Protects the puck well and showed some scoring panache in Slovakia at the Ivan Hlinka, but has a lot of improving to do before he can be considered a legitimate top-six forward prospect.

David Broll, LW Erie Otters: The third of three big power forward prospects, Broll is a mean, nasty hitter who is the most intimidating of the three, but also possesses the lowest ceiling at present. He's got a really poor first few steps and lacks agility/turning ability, but is one of those straight-ahead skaters who's fine once he gets going. Another Hlinka alum, Broll's got some skill, too, but his real effectiveness is when he's bowling guys over and opening up space for his linemates. Because of the size (6-2, 220) and nastiness, he'll be a top-two round pick in June, but like Ritchie and Brassard is a work in progress and probably comes with more risk than the other two. Because Mississauga is hosting the 2011 Memorial Cup, scouts will get a chance to see how he progresses this season from start to finish-- should be very interesting to see.

Daniel Catenacci, LW Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds: The top selection in the OHL draft two years ago is a flashy, explosive player who doesn't have a lot of size (5-10, 180), but has the jets, hands and dash to attract notice. He's very skilled, good on the puck and can finish in a variety of ways, but some wonder how his game is going to translate at the next level. He's the classic player who will fool the novice or uninitiated fan who will be easily dazzled by his pure speed and slick moves, so when watching this player, you have to focus on the little things like his awareness, presence and willingness to work as hard in all zones as he does when the puck is on his stick. Because of his pure talent and draft pedigree, Catenacci will be closely scrutinized this year, but will need to do more than just score to earn a high grade and early selection in June.

Carter Sandlak, LW Guelph Storm: At 6-2, 199 this is just a big, no-frills up-and-down winger who grinds and brings the physicality, but not much else. Not a very good skater, but he hustles the best he can and is at his best when taking the body and laying into people. Doesn't have the skill or creativity to be much more than a fourth-line NHL player, but has the kind of desire and other intangibles to watch and see where he gets himself.

Stuart Percy, D Mississauga St. Mike's Majors: A B2011DW favorite-- but is on the outside looking in to start the season. Has a nice 6-1 frame, but skating is just ehhh. If he can pick up a step, he could work himself solidly into the 1st round. "He's got some good hands and hockey sense," said one NHL scout familiar with him. "His skating needs some work; if he's not moving his feet or if he gets caught flat-footed, he can have issues out there, but he's got the potential to be a solid puck-mover and first-round pick if he can improve his overall mobility." Percy is the kind of player the Bruins normally target under the radar because he does have the nice size and skill package. Red Line said he was "unnoticeable" at the Ivan Hlinka, but that can be a pretty good thing when you play defense. Watch this guy.

Vince Trocheck, C Saginaw Spirit: Smallish Michigander has some real speed, skill and moves. He was on the USA team that won silver at the Hlinka and has a real shot to be one of those second-round picks who ends up impressing a lot of people over the course of the season. "He's dynamic and has an edge for a smallish guy. He plays hard in traffic," one scout said.

Craig Duininck, D Windsor Spitfires: Another American who opted for the OHL and who won a Memorial Cup last spring with Taylor Hall. He's got good size, feet and the ability to move the puck although is nothing flashy. He's also got some guts; dropped the gloves against a much bigger, more accomplished opponent and got tuned, but stood in there and took one for the team. "He's a nifty little player; he would have gotten more hyped if he had played on any other team last year," said an NHL scout.

Matt Mahalak, G Plymouth Whalers: A big frame and some real athleticism are only the beginning of Michigan native's promise. He also plays a fundamentally sound game and shows the kind of calm and poise you want to see in a netminder. This will be an interesting year for him, with Seguin expected to be on the Bruins.

Tyson Teichmann, G Belleville Bulls: Very slight (145 pounds dripping wet) goalie shutout Team USA to capture gold in Slovakia, but wasn't sensational (and with that team in front of him, didn't have to be) in the Under-18 tourney this month. Makes a good first save, but could stand work on rebound control. Good glove and stick and overall has some strong attributes, but is not considered to be anything all that special in what is shaping up to be a weak goalie class.

Other OHLers to watch (mostly Europeans that I don't have a baseline for yet)

Nicklas Jensen, LW Oshawa

Vladislav Namestnikov, C London

Andrei Pedan, D Guelph

Tobias Rieder, LW Kitchener

Rickard Rakell, RW Plymouth

Danny Elser, C London

Colin Suellentrop, D Oshawa

Steve Broek, LW Kingston

Cody McNaughton, RW Guelph

Seth Griffith, C London