One year ago, Windsor's Taylor Hall used the OHL playoffs and 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament in Brandon as a springboard for establishing himself as his draft class's No. 1 pick.
In 2011, that honor has gone to Saint John Sea Dogs left winger Jonathan Huberdeau- we've calling him "J-Money" these days.
Here's an NHL-produced video on him, but even it doesn't do much justice to him.
Although he's a member of a deep and "stacked" team, so was Hall, right? Players on great teams still have to produce and make the plays, and Huberdeau has done that.
"It's not just the production, but the timeliness and importance of his goals and points," said an NHL scout recently. "He was a big-time scorer for them in the regular season and he's carried it over."
He scored an overtime goal to win one of his team's games against Victoriaville in the second round (winning the series 4 games to 1), and then in the deciding game of the President's Cup series against Gatineau, he tied it with less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation with as calm and poised a play you will ever see. His team then went on to win the QMJHL championship in double-OT on a goal by Alexandre Beauregard.
In Game 2 of the Memorial Cup against Owen Sound, Huberdeau capped a come-from-behind victory with an overtime strike against Jordan Binnington, another 2011 draft candidate. It may not have been the prettiest goal, but J-Money was left alone in front of the Owen Sound net and was able to beat the netminder, who has been quite good in his own right since coming into Game 6 of the OHL championship series. It wasn't a picture perfect goal as it took him an extra second to get control of the puck after Stanislav Galiev's pass slid off his stick blade. However, he buried it to send his team to the final.
Here's the call in French on RDS and it's a beaut. (Or is it a but? It's both!) Thanks to Jérôme Bérubé for the hookup.
Huberdeau came into the season as a solid second-rounder, but now he might go as high as second overall. It probably won't happen, as we still see Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Gabriel Landeskog as better players overall, but you never know. Those guys haven't been playing hockey since late March/earl April.
J-Money is still writing his scouting report and staying fresh in teams' minds. There's a lot to be said about that extra spring bounce that not every player has a chance to benefit from.
Just ask Hall.
*(Not affiliated with the Boston Bruins or the New England Hockey Journal)
Showing posts with label Jordan Binnington. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jordan Binnington. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Memorial Cup update: Saint John-Mississauga open tourney, Goalie notes
We have had a chance to look at the first three games of the 2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup since the tourney opened Friday night with a barnburner of an opening contest between Saint John and host Mississauga.
The St. Mike's were wearing commemorative sweaters in honor of trooper Marc Diab, a Mississauga resident who was born in Lebanon but moved to Canada when he was a teen. He was killed in action in Afghanistan in March 2009 while serving with the Canadian military. The beautiful game jerseys will be auctioned off for charity after the Memorial Cup concludes.
Two of Saint John's biggest draft stars came through Friday- Jonathan Huberdeau and Nathan Beaulieu. Huberdeau scored a goal when Michael Kirkpatrick put a shot into the net off No. 11's thigh. Not the prettiest goal, but the Dogs will take. Beaulieu scored the game-winner on a controversial play where Zack Phillips was clearly off-side on the play. A shame, because it tainted a very nice play where Beaulieu swooped in to deposit a rebound past a helpless J.P. Anderson. Teams on the lookout for that offensive defenseman have to be putting some serious consideration into Beaulieu, whose production since the second half of the season and playoffs has been outstanding.
Owen Sound thrashed Kootenay on Saturday night to the tune of a 5-0 pasting that saw Jordan Binnington continue his red-hot play since Game 6 of the OHL championship series. Binnington was aggressive, out challenging shooters all night and doing a nice job of controlling rebounds and blockering them away from the front of his net. He showed the same kind of composure and patience that he did late in the Robertson Cup round against Missy, not overcommitting to shots and staying square to the shooter. He's a completely different guy from the shaky, overactive guy we saw against London in the first round way back in late March. He posted 29 saves in the whitewash to get off to a great start.
OHL MVP Robby Mignardi scored a pair of goals including a shortie, while Andrew Fritsch tallied on the power play in the third period.
Nathan Lieuwen did not play all that well. He looked off-balance all night and was playing very deep in his net, which didn't give him much of a margin for error. He can make highlight reel saves at times because of his enormous size and athleticism, but he's still a rough-around-the-edges work in progress in terms of his reads and decision-making. He seemed slow to react and anticipate where the backside pressure was coming from on several goals, caught looking the other way as Owen Sound moved the puck on him at will.
He was better in a 2-1 loss to Mississauga Sunday night, but still scrambles too much for our liking. With his excellent size, less should be more for him. He needs to work on his lateral crease movement and staying square to the shooter a little better. Lieuwen has the size to scramble and still make desperation saves because he's so big and long-limbed, but it's not the preferred method. In the two games of Memorial Cup action so far, mechanics have been his undoing. He's playing with fire by playing so deep in the net. Needs to be more confident in his angles by coming out to cut them down and challenge the shooter/force them to put the puck into his sizeable mass.
We love the raw tools in Lieuwen, but he's getting exposed a bit so far- needs to tighten it up and do the little things to get back to the level he was at in the WHL playoffs.
The St. Mike's were wearing commemorative sweaters in honor of trooper Marc Diab, a Mississauga resident who was born in Lebanon but moved to Canada when he was a teen. He was killed in action in Afghanistan in March 2009 while serving with the Canadian military. The beautiful game jerseys will be auctioned off for charity after the Memorial Cup concludes.
Two of Saint John's biggest draft stars came through Friday- Jonathan Huberdeau and Nathan Beaulieu. Huberdeau scored a goal when Michael Kirkpatrick put a shot into the net off No. 11's thigh. Not the prettiest goal, but the Dogs will take. Beaulieu scored the game-winner on a controversial play where Zack Phillips was clearly off-side on the play. A shame, because it tainted a very nice play where Beaulieu swooped in to deposit a rebound past a helpless J.P. Anderson. Teams on the lookout for that offensive defenseman have to be putting some serious consideration into Beaulieu, whose production since the second half of the season and playoffs has been outstanding.
Owen Sound thrashed Kootenay on Saturday night to the tune of a 5-0 pasting that saw Jordan Binnington continue his red-hot play since Game 6 of the OHL championship series. Binnington was aggressive, out challenging shooters all night and doing a nice job of controlling rebounds and blockering them away from the front of his net. He showed the same kind of composure and patience that he did late in the Robertson Cup round against Missy, not overcommitting to shots and staying square to the shooter. He's a completely different guy from the shaky, overactive guy we saw against London in the first round way back in late March. He posted 29 saves in the whitewash to get off to a great start.
OHL MVP Robby Mignardi scored a pair of goals including a shortie, while Andrew Fritsch tallied on the power play in the third period.
Nathan Lieuwen did not play all that well. He looked off-balance all night and was playing very deep in his net, which didn't give him much of a margin for error. He can make highlight reel saves at times because of his enormous size and athleticism, but he's still a rough-around-the-edges work in progress in terms of his reads and decision-making. He seemed slow to react and anticipate where the backside pressure was coming from on several goals, caught looking the other way as Owen Sound moved the puck on him at will.
He was better in a 2-1 loss to Mississauga Sunday night, but still scrambles too much for our liking. With his excellent size, less should be more for him. He needs to work on his lateral crease movement and staying square to the shooter a little better. Lieuwen has the size to scramble and still make desperation saves because he's so big and long-limbed, but it's not the preferred method. In the two games of Memorial Cup action so far, mechanics have been his undoing. He's playing with fire by playing so deep in the net. Needs to be more confident in his angles by coming out to cut them down and challenge the shooter/force them to put the puck into his sizeable mass.
We love the raw tools in Lieuwen, but he's getting exposed a bit so far- needs to tighten it up and do the little things to get back to the level he was at in the WHL playoffs.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Memorial Cup Preview #2: Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
The Owen Sound Attack stunned the favored Mississauga St. Michaels Majors to capture the OHL's Robertson Cup as league champions last week, going the distance with an overtime win in Game 7.
The Attack have some Bruins ties- co-owner Paul MacDermid is B's prospect Lane MacDermid's dad and a former Adams Division rival with the Hartford Whalers and Quebec Nordiques.
Assistant coach Terry Virtue was a journeyman AHL defenseman and longtime Worcester IceCat who played for the Bruins in the late 90's and was a member of Providence's 1999 Calder Cup-winning team.
The Attack are keyed offensively by Colorado 2010 first-rounder Joey Hishon, a guy who one NHL scout told B2011DW was tremendous in his interview with them a year ago at the Combine, and then proved his selection with a 37-goal, 87-point season in just 50 games. He's not only skilled, but a heart-and-soul guy who is as much of a winner as you can ask for. Captain Garrett Wilson scored 40 goals to lead the Attack and is an '09 fourth-rounder for Florida.
Overager and undrafted free agent Bobby Mignardi won the Wayne Gretzky99 Trophy as OHL playoff MVP with his 15 goals in the postseason. He has 30 and 32 goals in each of the past two seasons, and should get an NHL deal given his big-game play and solid production in junior. 1991-born center Andrew Shaw also found ways to get it done in the playoffs, scoring 10 goals in 20 games- almost half of his total (22) for the whole season.
On defense, Leafs prospect Jesse Blacker is an effective two-way presence who anchors a solid, yet unheralded blue line corps.
The Attack don't have much in the way of draft eligibles for talent, but goaltender Jordan Binnington, who came into a do-or-die situation in Game 6 is raising his stock in dramatic fashion after flaming out in the first round against London. Forward Andrew Fritsch is another player to watch for the 2011 draft. He scored nearly 30 goals this season after coming over from Niagara at the beginning of the season. Keevin Cutting doesn't get much ink on the blue line, but has some potential as an organizational depth guy.
This is an underrated club who surprised the powerhouse Majors with their resiliency and ability to cheat death several times over. The Memorial Cup is a completely different animal than a best-of-seven series format, so it will be interesting to see what these guys can accomplish.
Owen Sound Attack 2011 Draft Eligibles
Jordan Binnington, G
Born: July 11, 1993 in Richmond Hill, Ontario
6-2, 160 Catches: Left
Nice height and long limbs. Light frame- needs to add weight to better handle traffic and opponents who will crash the net. Strong net presence; is good on his angles and can butterfly effectively. Needs to keep working on his consistency in pad movements; will open the five-hole too long or have his stick off the ice, giving shooters a target to hit. Has an effective glove hand. Blocker is so-so; punches at the puck instead of smoothly deflecting shots out of danger areas in and around his net and crease area. Uneven concentration and focus; tough to beat when dialed in, but gives up back-breaking soft goals at times. His mediocre showing against London destroyed coaches and team's trust in him, and if not for Scott Stajcer's health and Michael Zador's ineffectiveness against Mississauga, would have been the end of his 2011 season. Instead, Binnington became a hero, making 41 saves in a Game 6 home win and then getting the series-clinching victory in Missy. Showed tremendous mental toughness with back up against the wall; even more impressive was that his last action had been in late March. Kept himself sharp, focused and prepared, then when the window of opportunity presented itself, jumped through.
NHL upside: Starter on a lower-tier NHL club; solid backup
Andrew Fritsch, RW
Born March 24, 1993 in Brantford, Ontario
6-0, 187 Shoots: Right
A stealth prospect if ever there was one- this guy tends to get lost in the shuffle with so many big names in the OHL and even on his own Attack squad. That said, 27 goals in 58 games after coming to Owen Sound via trade early (he scored once in two games with Niagara) gives you a glimpse into his potential. We're told that he's a very fluid skater, with a long, smooth stride. He'll get better when he gets stronger. He's got both speed and elusiveness. What makes Fritsch an interesting player is that he's got real good hockey sense in terms of knowing where he needs to go and finding those soft areas in a defense. He's a bit of a ghost in that regard- he'll slide over from his defender just enough to open that lane and then is able to get the puck on net. A lower-body injury forced him out of the first few rounds of the playoffs and he wasn't himself when he returned, but the Memorial Cup could be a nice breakout for him. He's got to work on his strength and conditioning, plus learning the defensive aspects/play in his own end. Good, solid late-second to early-fourth-rounder we're being told.
Upside: Lower-end 2nd-line forward on a good team, Solid 3rd liner with goal-scoring punch
Keevin Cutting, D
Born: September 22, 1992 in Bracebridge, Ontario
6-1, 181 Shoots: Right
Non-flashy, stay-at-home guy with some good skills to move the puck out of trouble and a willingness to sacrifice the body for possession and control. Decent skater with good short-area closing skills and solid gap control. Doesn't have ideal or prototypical size, but understands angling, body leverage and doesn't put himself in position to lose physical battles or get beaten in open ice. Smart, efficient blue liner who simply does his job and you don't notice much because he doesn't make many mistakes. Won't give you much offense, but can hammer the puck pretty well. Played it simple and conservative this season, but also brings an edge and will defend teammates when needed. Character guy that all winning teams have in the defensive grouping. Missed the 2010 NHL draft 15 September 1992 cutoff date by exactly one week.
Upside: Bottom-pairing defender and "glue" guy
Other eligibles: Andrew Shaw, Mike Halmo (1991), Matt Petgrave (1992), Cameron Brace (1993)
The Attack have some Bruins ties- co-owner Paul MacDermid is B's prospect Lane MacDermid's dad and a former Adams Division rival with the Hartford Whalers and Quebec Nordiques.
Assistant coach Terry Virtue was a journeyman AHL defenseman and longtime Worcester IceCat who played for the Bruins in the late 90's and was a member of Providence's 1999 Calder Cup-winning team.
The Attack are keyed offensively by Colorado 2010 first-rounder Joey Hishon, a guy who one NHL scout told B2011DW was tremendous in his interview with them a year ago at the Combine, and then proved his selection with a 37-goal, 87-point season in just 50 games. He's not only skilled, but a heart-and-soul guy who is as much of a winner as you can ask for. Captain Garrett Wilson scored 40 goals to lead the Attack and is an '09 fourth-rounder for Florida.
Overager and undrafted free agent Bobby Mignardi won the Wayne Gretzky99 Trophy as OHL playoff MVP with his 15 goals in the postseason. He has 30 and 32 goals in each of the past two seasons, and should get an NHL deal given his big-game play and solid production in junior. 1991-born center Andrew Shaw also found ways to get it done in the playoffs, scoring 10 goals in 20 games- almost half of his total (22) for the whole season.
On defense, Leafs prospect Jesse Blacker is an effective two-way presence who anchors a solid, yet unheralded blue line corps.
The Attack don't have much in the way of draft eligibles for talent, but goaltender Jordan Binnington, who came into a do-or-die situation in Game 6 is raising his stock in dramatic fashion after flaming out in the first round against London. Forward Andrew Fritsch is another player to watch for the 2011 draft. He scored nearly 30 goals this season after coming over from Niagara at the beginning of the season. Keevin Cutting doesn't get much ink on the blue line, but has some potential as an organizational depth guy.
This is an underrated club who surprised the powerhouse Majors with their resiliency and ability to cheat death several times over. The Memorial Cup is a completely different animal than a best-of-seven series format, so it will be interesting to see what these guys can accomplish.
Owen Sound Attack 2011 Draft Eligibles
Jordan Binnington, G
Born: July 11, 1993 in Richmond Hill, Ontario
6-2, 160 Catches: Left
Nice height and long limbs. Light frame- needs to add weight to better handle traffic and opponents who will crash the net. Strong net presence; is good on his angles and can butterfly effectively. Needs to keep working on his consistency in pad movements; will open the five-hole too long or have his stick off the ice, giving shooters a target to hit. Has an effective glove hand. Blocker is so-so; punches at the puck instead of smoothly deflecting shots out of danger areas in and around his net and crease area. Uneven concentration and focus; tough to beat when dialed in, but gives up back-breaking soft goals at times. His mediocre showing against London destroyed coaches and team's trust in him, and if not for Scott Stajcer's health and Michael Zador's ineffectiveness against Mississauga, would have been the end of his 2011 season. Instead, Binnington became a hero, making 41 saves in a Game 6 home win and then getting the series-clinching victory in Missy. Showed tremendous mental toughness with back up against the wall; even more impressive was that his last action had been in late March. Kept himself sharp, focused and prepared, then when the window of opportunity presented itself, jumped through.
NHL upside: Starter on a lower-tier NHL club; solid backup
Andrew Fritsch, RW
Born March 24, 1993 in Brantford, Ontario
6-0, 187 Shoots: Right
A stealth prospect if ever there was one- this guy tends to get lost in the shuffle with so many big names in the OHL and even on his own Attack squad. That said, 27 goals in 58 games after coming to Owen Sound via trade early (he scored once in two games with Niagara) gives you a glimpse into his potential. We're told that he's a very fluid skater, with a long, smooth stride. He'll get better when he gets stronger. He's got both speed and elusiveness. What makes Fritsch an interesting player is that he's got real good hockey sense in terms of knowing where he needs to go and finding those soft areas in a defense. He's a bit of a ghost in that regard- he'll slide over from his defender just enough to open that lane and then is able to get the puck on net. A lower-body injury forced him out of the first few rounds of the playoffs and he wasn't himself when he returned, but the Memorial Cup could be a nice breakout for him. He's got to work on his strength and conditioning, plus learning the defensive aspects/play in his own end. Good, solid late-second to early-fourth-rounder we're being told.
Upside: Lower-end 2nd-line forward on a good team, Solid 3rd liner with goal-scoring punch
Keevin Cutting, D
Born: September 22, 1992 in Bracebridge, Ontario
6-1, 181 Shoots: Right
Non-flashy, stay-at-home guy with some good skills to move the puck out of trouble and a willingness to sacrifice the body for possession and control. Decent skater with good short-area closing skills and solid gap control. Doesn't have ideal or prototypical size, but understands angling, body leverage and doesn't put himself in position to lose physical battles or get beaten in open ice. Smart, efficient blue liner who simply does his job and you don't notice much because he doesn't make many mistakes. Won't give you much offense, but can hammer the puck pretty well. Played it simple and conservative this season, but also brings an edge and will defend teammates when needed. Character guy that all winning teams have in the defensive grouping. Missed the 2010 NHL draft 15 September 1992 cutoff date by exactly one week.
Upside: Bottom-pairing defender and "glue" guy
Other eligibles: Andrew Shaw, Mike Halmo (1991), Matt Petgrave (1992), Cameron Brace (1993)
Sunday, May 15, 2011
OHL update: Owen Sound wins Robertson Cup
The Owen Sound Attack beat the odds to defeat the Mississauga St. Michaels Majors in overtime today to take the OHL championship.
It's a tremendous accomplishment for the team from one of the smaller markets in junior hockey, getting an overtime goal from Jarrod Maidens to take a 3-2 OT win in the Hershey Centre (Mississauga) for Game 7.
2011 draft eligible goalie Jordan Binnington, who came into action for Game 6, making 41 saves, may have raised his draft stock considerably after looking dead in the water going into the series. He faltered in the opening round against London and was relegated to third goalie status. However, when Michael Zador couldn't get it done and Scott Stajcer's health didn't permit him to be an option, Owen Sound head coach and OHL coach of the year Mark Reeds made a gutsy call to go with Binnington. The 18-year-old made 25 saves for his fourth win of the OHL postseason. He's got a lot of physical prowess, but uneven performances are what have kept him from rising to the top of the draft class to be in the same conversations with John Gibson. When dialed in, he can be very good, but you're not always sure which Binnington you'll get, and he let the Knights into the first round series with a 2-2 deadlock after four until Zador closed them out. Give him credit for staying sharp, biding his time, and making 66 saves to go 2-0 to clinch the OHL title.
Keevin Cutting is another 2011 draft-eligible player who isn't all that heralded as a September 1992 birthdate who missed the 2010 draft cutoff by exactly a week. A solid skater, smart positional player and able to take the body effectively, Cutting is one of those middle-to-late rounders who has a chance to develop into a potential bottom pairing guy one day. He had two goals and 16 points with 61 penalty minutes during the regular season. He added two goals in 22 playoff games this spring. Nothing spectacular, just solid according to reports from scouts we've talked to.
Andrew Fristch did not play much in the postseason, registering two assists in seven games with the Attack after a 28-goal regular season (27 tallies with the Attack). Fritsch has good hands and scoring instincts, and is a project player for whomever takes him.
Undrafted free agent Robby Mignardi (1990 birthdate) won the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as OHL playoff MVP, scoring 15 goals and 24 points in 22 games. He followed up a solid 30-goal, 61-point season for the Attack. You wonder if he'll get any interest now. Guy's a gamer and even though he may not have the NHL-caliber skating and puck skills, you wonder if there's a team who might value his consistency and clutch play as a role player on their lower lines.
Majors defenseman Stuart Percy scored in the loss to finish the postseason with two goals and 12 points in 20 games. He's a solid all-around guy who doesn't have a ton of upside, but plays a smart, safe defensive game. He could be one of those later-developing puck movers with some offensive chops, even if his numbers haven't been much to write home about. One NHL scout really liked him as a guy with offensive upside at the summer evaluation camp for the Eight Nations/Ivan Hlinka, so he's shown some tools at times. It will be interesting to see if he can put it together.
For more on some of the better OHL prospects for the 2011 NHL Draft, Brock Otten has started publishing his annual top-50 list, starting with with 50-30. You can read the first post here. Most are guys you should be familiar with, as the Bruins have had a heavy presence in Ontario over the past few years. There's a good chance we will see more than one Boston pick coming out of the OHL in 2011.
It's a tremendous accomplishment for the team from one of the smaller markets in junior hockey, getting an overtime goal from Jarrod Maidens to take a 3-2 OT win in the Hershey Centre (Mississauga) for Game 7.
2011 draft eligible goalie Jordan Binnington, who came into action for Game 6, making 41 saves, may have raised his draft stock considerably after looking dead in the water going into the series. He faltered in the opening round against London and was relegated to third goalie status. However, when Michael Zador couldn't get it done and Scott Stajcer's health didn't permit him to be an option, Owen Sound head coach and OHL coach of the year Mark Reeds made a gutsy call to go with Binnington. The 18-year-old made 25 saves for his fourth win of the OHL postseason. He's got a lot of physical prowess, but uneven performances are what have kept him from rising to the top of the draft class to be in the same conversations with John Gibson. When dialed in, he can be very good, but you're not always sure which Binnington you'll get, and he let the Knights into the first round series with a 2-2 deadlock after four until Zador closed them out. Give him credit for staying sharp, biding his time, and making 66 saves to go 2-0 to clinch the OHL title.
Keevin Cutting is another 2011 draft-eligible player who isn't all that heralded as a September 1992 birthdate who missed the 2010 draft cutoff by exactly a week. A solid skater, smart positional player and able to take the body effectively, Cutting is one of those middle-to-late rounders who has a chance to develop into a potential bottom pairing guy one day. He had two goals and 16 points with 61 penalty minutes during the regular season. He added two goals in 22 playoff games this spring. Nothing spectacular, just solid according to reports from scouts we've talked to.
Andrew Fristch did not play much in the postseason, registering two assists in seven games with the Attack after a 28-goal regular season (27 tallies with the Attack). Fritsch has good hands and scoring instincts, and is a project player for whomever takes him.
Undrafted free agent Robby Mignardi (1990 birthdate) won the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as OHL playoff MVP, scoring 15 goals and 24 points in 22 games. He followed up a solid 30-goal, 61-point season for the Attack. You wonder if he'll get any interest now. Guy's a gamer and even though he may not have the NHL-caliber skating and puck skills, you wonder if there's a team who might value his consistency and clutch play as a role player on their lower lines.
Majors defenseman Stuart Percy scored in the loss to finish the postseason with two goals and 12 points in 20 games. He's a solid all-around guy who doesn't have a ton of upside, but plays a smart, safe defensive game. He could be one of those later-developing puck movers with some offensive chops, even if his numbers haven't been much to write home about. One NHL scout really liked him as a guy with offensive upside at the summer evaluation camp for the Eight Nations/Ivan Hlinka, so he's shown some tools at times. It will be interesting to see if he can put it together.
For more on some of the better OHL prospects for the 2011 NHL Draft, Brock Otten has started publishing his annual top-50 list, starting with with 50-30. You can read the first post here. Most are guys you should be familiar with, as the Bruins have had a heavy presence in Ontario over the past few years. There's a good chance we will see more than one Boston pick coming out of the OHL in 2011.
Friday, May 13, 2011
CHL Playoffs update : OHL, QMJHL, WHL championship series
(Thanks to Blogger's crash yesterday, having to re-post this. Luckily, I backed up this post and the one on Bobby Carpenter when they reappeared briefly last night or I would be SOL)
It's May and that means the CHL playoffs are winding down, with the Memorial Cup still ahead this month.
B2011DW checks in with a post to update what is going on in the OHL, QMJHL and WHL championship series.
OHL: Mississauga 3, Owen Sound 3
The Memorial Cup host city Mississauga St. Michaels Majors were the OHL favorites and although they lost a 2-0 series lead, the blew the doors off the Attack in Game 5, chasing goalie Michael Zador in the first 10 minutes and then ripping the not-100 percent Scott Stajcer after he came into the game in relief.
The game ended in ugly fashion, with Majors coach Dave Cameron drawing a $2,500 fine for his postgame comments.
With the Majors up 3-2 and riled up, tonight's tilt in Owen Sound will be a barn burner. And even with home ice, Owen Sound is going to have a tough time countering the emotion and fire we expect Missy to bring with them. As you will read below, the Attack prevailed in Game 6, setting up a Game 7 showdown that could be the defining match in the entire CHL postseason will be back in Mississauga.
EDIT: 2011-eligible Jordan Binnington came into the Owen Sound nets for Game 6 and got the job done, leading his team to 3-2 lead on the strength of 41 saves. Binnington had not played since late March when he was shaky against the London Knights in the opening round of the OHL playoffs. The Attack replaced him with Zador, who closed out London and then went with the Zador-Stajcer combo until last night.
QMJHL: Saint John 3, Gatineau 1
The Sea Dogs ragdolled everyone on their way to the QMJHL championship series, and while the Gatineau Olympiques have given them a lot to handle (thanks primarily to the goaltending of Devils prospect Max Clermont) the 'Dogs are just too deep, talented for Gatineau.
Last night, it was Ryan Tesink, a 2011-eligible who is skilled, but has a very light frame and has had trouble seeing ice time for the stacked Saint John club, who scored in double overtime to give his team a commanding lead in the series.
One player for Gatineau who has emerged in the postseason is center Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Although very small at 5-9, 165, and not a great skater, he's been highly productive, scoring 32 goals and 79 points this season, and then adding 12 goals and 27 points in 22 playoff games. His hockey sense is off the charts and he has tremendous hands. Think of him as a smaller version of David Krejci, who also played his junior hockey in Gatineau. Pageau won't be an early pick in 2011, but given how much offense he's brought as a late-92 in his second major junior season, we think he's worth a late-round flyer.
We got word that Saint John scoring ace Zack Phillips left the game with a shoulder injury and are not sure of his status. Losing him would be a big blow. Jonathan Huberdeau scored and continues his blistering postseason pace with 15 goals and 28 points in 17 games.
WHL: Kootenay 3, Portland 1
Matt Fraser scored at 13:08 of overtime in Game 4 to give the Ice a win after blowing a late two-goal lead in regulation. 2011 prospect Ty Rattie scored to tie the game with just 17 seconds left. B2011DW includes Rattie as a favorite- he may not have size and blinding speed, but he's creative, dynamic in short areas and has a knack for scoring huge, clutch goals. Rattie is not as highly regarded as teammate Sven Bartschi, who is another 2011 prospect enjoying a strong playoff run, but we feel has the chance to be every bit as successful as the bigger name Swiss winger.
Kootenay has gotten tremendous goaltending from Nathan Lieuwen all spring- he's a no-brainer for being drafted in his third and final year next month. You just know NHL teams are kicking themselves for not having signed him when they could after being passed over in 2009 and 2010 over concussion issues. He's huge, athletic and proving to be a clutch stopper.
The series moves back to Portland for Game 5 Friday night.
We know that Mississauga and Owen Sound already have two of the four seats at the table for the Memorial Cup. It sure looks like the other two places will be seized by Saint John and Kootenay. Their series aren't over yet, and this is the playoffs- anything can happen- but they are firmly in control of their destinies right now.
It's May and that means the CHL playoffs are winding down, with the Memorial Cup still ahead this month.
B2011DW checks in with a post to update what is going on in the OHL, QMJHL and WHL championship series.
OHL: Mississauga 3, Owen Sound 3
The Memorial Cup host city Mississauga St. Michaels Majors were the OHL favorites and although they lost a 2-0 series lead, the blew the doors off the Attack in Game 5, chasing goalie Michael Zador in the first 10 minutes and then ripping the not-100 percent Scott Stajcer after he came into the game in relief.
The game ended in ugly fashion, with Majors coach Dave Cameron drawing a $2,500 fine for his postgame comments.
With the Majors up 3-2 and riled up, tonight's tilt in Owen Sound will be a barn burner. And even with home ice, Owen Sound is going to have a tough time countering the emotion and fire we expect Missy to bring with them. As you will read below, the Attack prevailed in Game 6, setting up a Game 7 showdown that could be the defining match in the entire CHL postseason will be back in Mississauga.
EDIT: 2011-eligible Jordan Binnington came into the Owen Sound nets for Game 6 and got the job done, leading his team to 3-2 lead on the strength of 41 saves. Binnington had not played since late March when he was shaky against the London Knights in the opening round of the OHL playoffs. The Attack replaced him with Zador, who closed out London and then went with the Zador-Stajcer combo until last night.
QMJHL: Saint John 3, Gatineau 1
The Sea Dogs ragdolled everyone on their way to the QMJHL championship series, and while the Gatineau Olympiques have given them a lot to handle (thanks primarily to the goaltending of Devils prospect Max Clermont) the 'Dogs are just too deep, talented for Gatineau.
Last night, it was Ryan Tesink, a 2011-eligible who is skilled, but has a very light frame and has had trouble seeing ice time for the stacked Saint John club, who scored in double overtime to give his team a commanding lead in the series.
One player for Gatineau who has emerged in the postseason is center Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Although very small at 5-9, 165, and not a great skater, he's been highly productive, scoring 32 goals and 79 points this season, and then adding 12 goals and 27 points in 22 playoff games. His hockey sense is off the charts and he has tremendous hands. Think of him as a smaller version of David Krejci, who also played his junior hockey in Gatineau. Pageau won't be an early pick in 2011, but given how much offense he's brought as a late-92 in his second major junior season, we think he's worth a late-round flyer.
We got word that Saint John scoring ace Zack Phillips left the game with a shoulder injury and are not sure of his status. Losing him would be a big blow. Jonathan Huberdeau scored and continues his blistering postseason pace with 15 goals and 28 points in 17 games.
WHL: Kootenay 3, Portland 1
Matt Fraser scored at 13:08 of overtime in Game 4 to give the Ice a win after blowing a late two-goal lead in regulation. 2011 prospect Ty Rattie scored to tie the game with just 17 seconds left. B2011DW includes Rattie as a favorite- he may not have size and blinding speed, but he's creative, dynamic in short areas and has a knack for scoring huge, clutch goals. Rattie is not as highly regarded as teammate Sven Bartschi, who is another 2011 prospect enjoying a strong playoff run, but we feel has the chance to be every bit as successful as the bigger name Swiss winger.
Kootenay has gotten tremendous goaltending from Nathan Lieuwen all spring- he's a no-brainer for being drafted in his third and final year next month. You just know NHL teams are kicking themselves for not having signed him when they could after being passed over in 2009 and 2010 over concussion issues. He's huge, athletic and proving to be a clutch stopper.
The series moves back to Portland for Game 5 Friday night.
We know that Mississauga and Owen Sound already have two of the four seats at the table for the Memorial Cup. It sure looks like the other two places will be seized by Saint John and Kootenay. Their series aren't over yet, and this is the playoffs- anything can happen- but they are firmly in control of their destinies right now.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
OHL Playoffs roundup: Mississauga vs. Owen Sound
In this post, we're going to look at the two remaining teams in the OHL facing off against one another in their league championship series, and the key 2011 draft eligibles represented on the rosters.
In the OHL, by virtue of Mississauga being the 2011 Master Card Memorial Cup host city and making it to the championship round, two of the classic junior tournament's participants are already assured. The St. Michaels Majors are taking on the Owen Sound Attack, who blitzed two-time defending champ the Windsor Spitfires in five games, including a 10-4 shellacking in the final contest. Speaking of blitzing, the Major have lost just one game- the second in their last series against the Niagara Ice Dogs, going a near-perfect 12-1 in what might be Dave Cameron's last hurrah before taking an NHL coaching job in the summer.
Out west the Kootenay Ice dispatched the Medicine Hat Tigers in four and await either the Portland Winterhawks or Spokane Chiefs, who are deadlocked at two games apiece (and play each other tonight). We'll save them for another time, once the Dub's final series lineups are set.
In Quebec the Saint John Juggernauts, er- the Sea Dogs- await the winner of the series between the Gatineau Olympiques and Quebec Remparts, but with the way the Maritimers have carved up the competition all year, it seems a given that last year's President's Cup runner-ups will be this year's Quebec representatives at the Memorial Cup.
Mississauga
Stuart Percy, D- Solid, dependable defenseman who doesn't do much of anything flashy, but plays an intelligent and capable game on the back end. Efficient, quick puck mover who sees the ice well and makes the right decision. Crisp passer who can hit the outlet and get the transition kickstarted fast. Doesn't have a booming shot, but can get it through to the net where teammates can get sticks on it for deflections or get second and third chances on rebound opportunities. Isn't going to excite anyone in terms of being a defender with a lot of upside, but his maturity, calm and composure is a bonus. Teams win with a guy like Percy and if he can improve his skating and footwork, he has the makings of a good middle-pairing defender at the highest level. In 13 playoff games, Percey has a goal and 4 points and is a +4.
Dylan DeMelo, D- This average-sized defender has the tools to be an offensive-minded guy including excellent vision and passing skills. Not an outstanding skater, but fairly mobile with an ability to jump up into the rush. Defense needs a lot of work and hasn't produced to the point that his offensive dimension is strong enough to justify the risk with his lack of positional awareness. At 6-0, 187, needs to get a lot stronger. Buried on a very good team, but doesn't bring the kind of heady, steady play on the blue line that Percy does. Nowhere near the prospect is that his fellow defenseman is, but could end up being a late-bloomer/overage player if he can kick his point totals into high gear moving forward.
Joseph Cramarossa, C- Missed six games with the Majors but rounding into form despite not seeing action on the top two lines. Scored a nice shorthanded goal against the Niagara Ice Dogs and has impressed scouts with his hockey IQ and opportunistic play despite not getting a lot of looks on a loaded veteran team. Only has 2 goals and 3 points in 7 games, but has been a useful contributor on special teams. Bigger things could be in store for Cramarossa next season and beyond, as he gains seniority and will pick up more ice time and the chance to produce. This could be a classic case of a kid who is unappreciated because he plays on such a good teams, and the scouts who saw a lot of Missy this season and are projecting that kind of a rise for him from 18-20 could be the ones pounding the table for him come draft day. It will be interesting to see where he ends up.
Mika Partanen, LW- Mississauga picked up the 6-2 winger in last summer's import draft. Despite having decent wheels and skill level, the Oct '92 birthdate didn't have a big impact in scoring, with just 10 goals and 19 points in 54 games. He's had more of a role in the playoffs, tallying a pair of goals and 5 points in 11 of his team's 13 contests. Powerful strider who doesn't have an explosive burst, but can get from A to B pretty well and protects the puck when in the offensive zone. Scouts would like to see him shoot more, and his vision/instincts are a bit dodgy at this point. Tough to get a read on a guy who didn't play all that much, so more of Partanen is projection as opposed to production at this point. Could be a nice late-round sleeper for an NHL club with a strong presence in Ontario whose scouts saw him enough this season.
Owen Sound
Jordan Binnington, G- The only draft eligible player on the Attack worth talking about, and he's taken a seat in the playoffs after being mediocre against London and giving way to Scott Stajcer and even Michael Zador, who closed the Knights out in the final two games of the series. Binnington is one of the better CHL goalies in what is a pretty mediocre draft crop this year and played well in the CHL Top Prospects Game in January. At 6-2, he's got a tall frame, but is lean, light and will need to get stronger in order to handle the heavy crease traffic he'll see at the higher levels. Decent developmental long-term prospect along the lines of an Andrew Raycroft type who could develop into a top-notch OHL netminder, but doesn't have any elite tools or upside that jumps out at you.
In the OHL, by virtue of Mississauga being the 2011 Master Card Memorial Cup host city and making it to the championship round, two of the classic junior tournament's participants are already assured. The St. Michaels Majors are taking on the Owen Sound Attack, who blitzed two-time defending champ the Windsor Spitfires in five games, including a 10-4 shellacking in the final contest. Speaking of blitzing, the Major have lost just one game- the second in their last series against the Niagara Ice Dogs, going a near-perfect 12-1 in what might be Dave Cameron's last hurrah before taking an NHL coaching job in the summer.
Out west the Kootenay Ice dispatched the Medicine Hat Tigers in four and await either the Portland Winterhawks or Spokane Chiefs, who are deadlocked at two games apiece (and play each other tonight). We'll save them for another time, once the Dub's final series lineups are set.
In Quebec the Saint John Juggernauts, er- the Sea Dogs- await the winner of the series between the Gatineau Olympiques and Quebec Remparts, but with the way the Maritimers have carved up the competition all year, it seems a given that last year's President's Cup runner-ups will be this year's Quebec representatives at the Memorial Cup.
Mississauga
Stuart Percy, D- Solid, dependable defenseman who doesn't do much of anything flashy, but plays an intelligent and capable game on the back end. Efficient, quick puck mover who sees the ice well and makes the right decision. Crisp passer who can hit the outlet and get the transition kickstarted fast. Doesn't have a booming shot, but can get it through to the net where teammates can get sticks on it for deflections or get second and third chances on rebound opportunities. Isn't going to excite anyone in terms of being a defender with a lot of upside, but his maturity, calm and composure is a bonus. Teams win with a guy like Percy and if he can improve his skating and footwork, he has the makings of a good middle-pairing defender at the highest level. In 13 playoff games, Percey has a goal and 4 points and is a +4.
Dylan DeMelo, D- This average-sized defender has the tools to be an offensive-minded guy including excellent vision and passing skills. Not an outstanding skater, but fairly mobile with an ability to jump up into the rush. Defense needs a lot of work and hasn't produced to the point that his offensive dimension is strong enough to justify the risk with his lack of positional awareness. At 6-0, 187, needs to get a lot stronger. Buried on a very good team, but doesn't bring the kind of heady, steady play on the blue line that Percy does. Nowhere near the prospect is that his fellow defenseman is, but could end up being a late-bloomer/overage player if he can kick his point totals into high gear moving forward.
Joseph Cramarossa, C- Missed six games with the Majors but rounding into form despite not seeing action on the top two lines. Scored a nice shorthanded goal against the Niagara Ice Dogs and has impressed scouts with his hockey IQ and opportunistic play despite not getting a lot of looks on a loaded veteran team. Only has 2 goals and 3 points in 7 games, but has been a useful contributor on special teams. Bigger things could be in store for Cramarossa next season and beyond, as he gains seniority and will pick up more ice time and the chance to produce. This could be a classic case of a kid who is unappreciated because he plays on such a good teams, and the scouts who saw a lot of Missy this season and are projecting that kind of a rise for him from 18-20 could be the ones pounding the table for him come draft day. It will be interesting to see where he ends up.
Mika Partanen, LW- Mississauga picked up the 6-2 winger in last summer's import draft. Despite having decent wheels and skill level, the Oct '92 birthdate didn't have a big impact in scoring, with just 10 goals and 19 points in 54 games. He's had more of a role in the playoffs, tallying a pair of goals and 5 points in 11 of his team's 13 contests. Powerful strider who doesn't have an explosive burst, but can get from A to B pretty well and protects the puck when in the offensive zone. Scouts would like to see him shoot more, and his vision/instincts are a bit dodgy at this point. Tough to get a read on a guy who didn't play all that much, so more of Partanen is projection as opposed to production at this point. Could be a nice late-round sleeper for an NHL club with a strong presence in Ontario whose scouts saw him enough this season.
Owen Sound
Jordan Binnington, G- The only draft eligible player on the Attack worth talking about, and he's taken a seat in the playoffs after being mediocre against London and giving way to Scott Stajcer and even Michael Zador, who closed the Knights out in the final two games of the series. Binnington is one of the better CHL goalies in what is a pretty mediocre draft crop this year and played well in the CHL Top Prospects Game in January. At 6-2, he's got a tall frame, but is lean, light and will need to get stronger in order to handle the heavy crease traffic he'll see at the higher levels. Decent developmental long-term prospect along the lines of an Andrew Raycroft type who could develop into a top-notch OHL netminder, but doesn't have any elite tools or upside that jumps out at you.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Central North American final rankings: Goalies and sleepers
We're not going to spend a great deal of time on the goaltenders in this post, because this blog has covered the key netminders in detail just last month.
The Gibsons- John and Christopher- top the list, with the American who compares to Jack Campbell getting the edge. He's big, quick and has the composure under fire that NHL teams love. His fundamentals are sound, and he's put up impressive numbers in the USHL this season and in international tournaments. The Under18 tournament is going to be a major factor in where he goes- whether he can slip into the first round, or is a solid early second-round pick in our view.
"(John) Gibson's the most talented goalie in this class," one NHL scout told B2011DW recently. "But I think he'll take a hit in terms of where he goes because of the struggles (Jack) Campbell had making the jump to the OHL. There are a lot of top goalies in the NHL who weren't first- or second-round picks, and I think you're going to see a trend where clubs spend the early picks on skill position players and find some project guys later on."
We've talked before about how teams are figuring out that they don't need to spend high draft picks on goalies given the risk these players pose as teens and how they develop later.
Christopher Gibson also put up excellent numbers with a pretty average to below average team in Chicoutimi, but Red Line Report had him in the April "overrated" section and picked apart his game, namely his lack of smooth, economical lateral movement and a weak glove hand. It will be interesting to see if NHL teams share this view and the Finnish native drops a bit lower than expected.
The Owen Sound (OHL) Attack's Jordan Binnington rounds out the top-three for North American goalies. He's been fairly mediocre in the OHL playoffs thus far, posting a 2-2 record, 3.91 GAA and .864 save percentage. Scott Stajcer is back in action from injury and playing well for the Attack who lead their second-round series over Plymouth, 3-0.
J. Gibson's backup at the NTDP, Matt McNeely is No. 4 on Central's list and this makes sense. Even though he doesn't see a ton of playing time, he's big, athletic and has a lot of raw potential in time. The University of Minnesota-Duluth recruit isn't as refined a product as Gibson is at this stage, but brings similar attributes to the table. Not quite the technician, he nevertheless should develop into a pretty nice prospect in the next several years.
B2011DW favorite Steve Michalek rounds out the top-five. He confirmed to us Monday that he has been invited to the NHL's draft combine and is looking forward to the challenge of proving to NHL teams that he's an excellent athlete and goaltender at the testing portion. He saw more rubber than just about anyone last season, averaging nearly 50 shots on goal per contest, and still managed to stop nearly 92 percent of them. He's tall, has quick pads and takes up a lot of the net. He played very well for Team USA in August, leading them to a silver medal at the Ivan Hlinka. Some criticize his tendency to overcommit on shots and leave the backdoor open, but he has some serious mental toughness and is a highly competitive and intelligent kid. He'll be at Harvard next season.
Liam Liston (9) Matej Matovsky (11) and David Honzik (13) took big dives down the Central rankings- Matovsky from 3, Liston from 4 and Honzik from 5 at mid-season- and we're not sure why. Honzik has been terrific in the QMJHL playoffs and had a solid season after struggling a bit early with the transition, while Matovsky is seen as a pretty underrated goalie with all the physical tools. He reversed his fortunes after getting traded to Brampton and finished strong.
Edmonton goalie Laurent Brossoit moved up six spots from 13 at halfway point and is another big, athletic netminder with upside. Though we'll admit we're not sure how he leapfrogged the aforementioned Liston, Matovsky and Honzik. And based on what we've been told from NHL scouts out west, they're not sure about Central's reasoning either.
One curious omission from the final list: Robert Steeves of the QMJHL who didn't see a lot of action, but probably should be on there based on his raw upside and potential, even though he didn't see a lot of action playing for the Bathurst Titan this year.
Sleepers
We'll come back with a few more later once we've covered Europe and had some time to digest the list in more detail, but here are a few sleepers we think Central has pretty low who might get a call in June.
Jim Vesey, LW Belmont Hill (High-MA)- We've done some research, and Vesey's numbers are more like: 28 goals, 49 points in 32 games and not the 23, 35 points Central has for him. The problem is that the team made a decision not to turn in scoresheets after games so that guys weren't focused on their stats, but the downside is that the team's most productive player is getting shorted and given the view on competition level, that hurts Vesey a bit. He has nice size, hands and excellent hockey sense. His dad, Jim Sr., is from Charlestown, Mass. and was a legend at Merrimack College in the mid-80's when he racked up goals and points in bunches. His son is a better skater than he was, and the senior Vesey tallied 126 goals in three seasons with the IHL's Peoria Rivermen when he was a Blues farmhand in the late 80's. Jimmy is proving that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and has some real potential for an NHL team that can look past the competition level and envision him as a long-term prospect worth investing a pick on. We think 150 is too low for this player, but also recognize that Vesey is not a sure bet to be drafted.
Troy Vance, D Victoriaville (QMJHL)- Gigantic 6-6 defenseman joined les Tigres at mid-season and was a revelation as a hard-nosed shutdown defender with some decent mobility and better skills than his statistics might indicate. The New York native who grew up in Pennsylvania needs to improve his footwork and get a little stronger on his skates, but he has some potential as a sleeper and poor man's Jamie Oleksiak at least. His size can't be taught, and while extremely raw, has the kind of projectable tools NHL clubs are willing to take a chance on.
Dylan Willick, LW Kamloops (WHL)- After getting snubbed on Central's mid-term rankings, Willick makes his debut at 164. We talked about him recently as a guy you should know, and after doing more looking into him, feel he is a promising mid-round draft option because he is more than the sum of his parts. He may not be all that big at 5-10, but he's a solid 191-pounds can really skate, has a nonstop motor and is an intelligent player. We like the way he closed out the season and is a character player- we have yet to find anyone who will say a bad word about his attitude or compete level. When we look at Willick, we keep thinking of the old scouting adage that says those who want to be a player badly enough, usually get there.
Joakim Ryan, D Dubuque (USHL)- New Jersey-born and raised defender has some raw potential and excellent bloodlines as son of Swedish tennish pro Catherine Lindqvist. He's small at 5-10, but skates very well and moves the puck effectively. He tallied 3 goals and 32 points in 53 points with the Fighting Saints as a rookie. He needs to get stronger and work on adding velocity to his shot, but he's a smart, hard-working player. He was snubbed by Team USA, so accepted an invite from Team Sweden to play for them in the Ivan Hlinka in August.
The Gibsons- John and Christopher- top the list, with the American who compares to Jack Campbell getting the edge. He's big, quick and has the composure under fire that NHL teams love. His fundamentals are sound, and he's put up impressive numbers in the USHL this season and in international tournaments. The Under18 tournament is going to be a major factor in where he goes- whether he can slip into the first round, or is a solid early second-round pick in our view.
"(John) Gibson's the most talented goalie in this class," one NHL scout told B2011DW recently. "But I think he'll take a hit in terms of where he goes because of the struggles (Jack) Campbell had making the jump to the OHL. There are a lot of top goalies in the NHL who weren't first- or second-round picks, and I think you're going to see a trend where clubs spend the early picks on skill position players and find some project guys later on."
We've talked before about how teams are figuring out that they don't need to spend high draft picks on goalies given the risk these players pose as teens and how they develop later.
Christopher Gibson also put up excellent numbers with a pretty average to below average team in Chicoutimi, but Red Line Report had him in the April "overrated" section and picked apart his game, namely his lack of smooth, economical lateral movement and a weak glove hand. It will be interesting to see if NHL teams share this view and the Finnish native drops a bit lower than expected.
The Owen Sound (OHL) Attack's Jordan Binnington rounds out the top-three for North American goalies. He's been fairly mediocre in the OHL playoffs thus far, posting a 2-2 record, 3.91 GAA and .864 save percentage. Scott Stajcer is back in action from injury and playing well for the Attack who lead their second-round series over Plymouth, 3-0.
J. Gibson's backup at the NTDP, Matt McNeely is No. 4 on Central's list and this makes sense. Even though he doesn't see a ton of playing time, he's big, athletic and has a lot of raw potential in time. The University of Minnesota-Duluth recruit isn't as refined a product as Gibson is at this stage, but brings similar attributes to the table. Not quite the technician, he nevertheless should develop into a pretty nice prospect in the next several years.
B2011DW favorite Steve Michalek rounds out the top-five. He confirmed to us Monday that he has been invited to the NHL's draft combine and is looking forward to the challenge of proving to NHL teams that he's an excellent athlete and goaltender at the testing portion. He saw more rubber than just about anyone last season, averaging nearly 50 shots on goal per contest, and still managed to stop nearly 92 percent of them. He's tall, has quick pads and takes up a lot of the net. He played very well for Team USA in August, leading them to a silver medal at the Ivan Hlinka. Some criticize his tendency to overcommit on shots and leave the backdoor open, but he has some serious mental toughness and is a highly competitive and intelligent kid. He'll be at Harvard next season.
Liam Liston (9) Matej Matovsky (11) and David Honzik (13) took big dives down the Central rankings- Matovsky from 3, Liston from 4 and Honzik from 5 at mid-season- and we're not sure why. Honzik has been terrific in the QMJHL playoffs and had a solid season after struggling a bit early with the transition, while Matovsky is seen as a pretty underrated goalie with all the physical tools. He reversed his fortunes after getting traded to Brampton and finished strong.
Edmonton goalie Laurent Brossoit moved up six spots from 13 at halfway point and is another big, athletic netminder with upside. Though we'll admit we're not sure how he leapfrogged the aforementioned Liston, Matovsky and Honzik. And based on what we've been told from NHL scouts out west, they're not sure about Central's reasoning either.
One curious omission from the final list: Robert Steeves of the QMJHL who didn't see a lot of action, but probably should be on there based on his raw upside and potential, even though he didn't see a lot of action playing for the Bathurst Titan this year.
Sleepers
We'll come back with a few more later once we've covered Europe and had some time to digest the list in more detail, but here are a few sleepers we think Central has pretty low who might get a call in June.
Jim Vesey, LW Belmont Hill (High-MA)- We've done some research, and Vesey's numbers are more like: 28 goals, 49 points in 32 games and not the 23, 35 points Central has for him. The problem is that the team made a decision not to turn in scoresheets after games so that guys weren't focused on their stats, but the downside is that the team's most productive player is getting shorted and given the view on competition level, that hurts Vesey a bit. He has nice size, hands and excellent hockey sense. His dad, Jim Sr., is from Charlestown, Mass. and was a legend at Merrimack College in the mid-80's when he racked up goals and points in bunches. His son is a better skater than he was, and the senior Vesey tallied 126 goals in three seasons with the IHL's Peoria Rivermen when he was a Blues farmhand in the late 80's. Jimmy is proving that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and has some real potential for an NHL team that can look past the competition level and envision him as a long-term prospect worth investing a pick on. We think 150 is too low for this player, but also recognize that Vesey is not a sure bet to be drafted.
Troy Vance, D Victoriaville (QMJHL)- Gigantic 6-6 defenseman joined les Tigres at mid-season and was a revelation as a hard-nosed shutdown defender with some decent mobility and better skills than his statistics might indicate. The New York native who grew up in Pennsylvania needs to improve his footwork and get a little stronger on his skates, but he has some potential as a sleeper and poor man's Jamie Oleksiak at least. His size can't be taught, and while extremely raw, has the kind of projectable tools NHL clubs are willing to take a chance on.
Dylan Willick, LW Kamloops (WHL)- After getting snubbed on Central's mid-term rankings, Willick makes his debut at 164. We talked about him recently as a guy you should know, and after doing more looking into him, feel he is a promising mid-round draft option because he is more than the sum of his parts. He may not be all that big at 5-10, but he's a solid 191-pounds can really skate, has a nonstop motor and is an intelligent player. We like the way he closed out the season and is a character player- we have yet to find anyone who will say a bad word about his attitude or compete level. When we look at Willick, we keep thinking of the old scouting adage that says those who want to be a player badly enough, usually get there.
Joakim Ryan, D Dubuque (USHL)- New Jersey-born and raised defender has some raw potential and excellent bloodlines as son of Swedish tennish pro Catherine Lindqvist. He's small at 5-10, but skates very well and moves the puck effectively. He tallied 3 goals and 32 points in 53 points with the Fighting Saints as a rookie. He needs to get stronger and work on adding velocity to his shot, but he's a smart, hard-working player. He was snubbed by Team USA, so accepted an invite from Team Sweden to play for them in the Ivan Hlinka in August.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
2011 draft goalie roundup Pt 2
About 10 days ago, we took a look at a lot of goaltenders available for the 2011 NHL Draft, but faithful readers pointed out how many we missed. So, here's a follow-up post that will help to acquaint you with more of the netminders.
This isn't a great crop of high-end guys, but there are plenty of interesting developmental project types who could turn out nicely in time. Just go back to 1994 and look at all the late-round picks in net who ended up panning out as NHL stars (Tim Thomas, Evgeni Nabokov, Tomas Vokoun- all 9th rounders, Marty Turco went in the 5th), while 1st-round guys like Jamie Storr and Eric Fichaud never really met expectations. And of course, we don't want to bring up Evgeni Ryabchikov's name, taken 21st overall in '94 by the Bruins that year and couldn't even hack it as an AHL starter before going back to Russia never to be seen again. Oh, wait- I guess we just did.
Point being- teams are spending fewer high picks on goalies these days after seeing so much empirical evidence that says good scouting can unearth late-round gems given the kind of disparity in the individual development curves for players at the position. This is one reason we didn't take Samu Perhonen in the 2nd round of the mock draft covered recently (although he could very well be a solid value pick at the end of that round) and when you look at a prospect like Zane Gothberg, tabbed in the 6th round a year ago and developing nicely in the USHL even as a backup.
So, without further ado- here are more goalies from the 2011 class (not an ordered list, just the way it happened to shake out as I consulted various rankings and databases for this post):
Liam Liston, Brandon (WHL)- If you watched him in the CHL Top Prospects Game, you would think this guy had second round written all over him. He was dialed in and stopped all 18 shots he faced in the first 30 minutes of Team Orr's victory, stemming the tide when his squad was outplayed by Team Cherry early. Although he had some shaky moments (his glove was a bit of an adventure), the puck never went in on him. Unfortunately, his up-and-down performance for the Wheat Kings this season has scouts a tad perplexed. He's got the 6-2, 200+ pound size NHL teams covet, and the physical tools to be a big league goalie. However, the focus and consistency has not been there. He's sporting an outrageously bad .879 save percentage with an 18-16-1 record (and inflated 3.79 GAA), and it's not like he plays on a lousy team either. You can only blame the defense and team in front of the goalie so much- at the end of the day, you have to make the saves and according to reports, he's been a gongshow at times. Compare his numbers to that of Eric Williams of the lesser-talented Prince Albert Raiders, and you begin to understand why opinions are so divided on Liston.
Jordan Binnington, Owen Sound (OHL)- At 6-2, 160, he's another Tuukka Rask in terms of his body type, but has those long arms and legs, quickness that is always at a premium in the NHL. Got his chance this season when Scott Stajcer went down. Played well in the CHL Top Prospects Game after Shane Prince scored on the first shot Binnington faced, the only goal surrendered by the Liston/Binnington duo for Team Orr. His 24-12-1-4 record is pretty good, but the .896 is part of what keeps him out of the discussion with the Gibsons (John, Christopher) and Perhonen as the top 'tenders in class. Consistency is something goalies can do to sell themselves and even the most ardent Binnington supporter can admit that he's had some pretty mediocre outings. Binnington takes up a lot of the net with his limbs but we hear his lateral quickness is not great.
Mike Morrison, Kitchener (OHL)- Late '92 is in his first year of eligibility and has played very well for the Rangers as Brandon Maxwell's second. He's a composed netminder who doesn't get rattled easily from most accounts. His size is pretty average (6-0, 175), but he's got good lateral quickness. He's only seen 25 games of action this season, but is a solid 15-5-2 with a .914 save percentage. Not a lot of flash or hype with this guy, but we've heard nice things about him from Ontario-based scouts and think that there are more than a few NHL teams who are targeting him for a later-round flier.
Robert Steeves, Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)- Olivier Roy's backup hasn't seen a lot of action this season (20 games) but has played well when called upon. He's only about 5-11 and about 150 pounds soaking wet- he needs another couple inches and 30 pounds on his frame to give NHL teams confidence in his ability to be a stopper at the highest level, but the early returns are good. He's got a lot of raw talent, quickness and the mental toughness to be a gamer. However, this is a classic long road player who is going to require a leap of faith on draft day, and then loads of patience from the team that invests in him. Sleeper- could go as high as the fourth round or drop out of the draft completely. If a team thinks he's going to grow a bit more, then someone will take him.
Maxime Lagace, PEI (QMJHL)- Another backup who has had a hard time seeing action, Lagace's stats are nothing to write home about (8-4, 3.59 GAA, .884 save percentage), but he's got the prototypical size and superb quickness and athleticism that teams demand from their draft picks at the position. He has extremely quick pads and a good glove hand. Lateral agility is pretty good. Evan Mosher is a workhorse for the Rocket, which is a shame because viewings on Lagace have come so few and far between for scouts. That's one of the reasons Lagace is only making his B2011DW debut here tonight in this post with the QMJHL nearly in the books.
Steve Michalek, Loomis-Chaffee (HS- CT)- We. Love. This. Kid. OK, full disclosure- he's a high school goalie, which makes it extremely difficult for scouts to discern whether a player has the goods, but we think Michalek is one of the legit sleeper prospects in the 2011 draft. He was under siege for much of the season on the worst prep team, but still managed to post a .919 save percentage while making more than 1,000 saves on the year. Does anyone understand how many shots he stopped given the small amount of games prep schools play when compared to their junior counterparts? What we don't like about the Harvard recruit's game is that he tends to overcommit on shots, leaving himself open for backdoor plays, but he's very athletic, mentally tough and one of these guys with intriguing potential. You can't use the standard, "he's a HS goalie" argument with him either, because he played so well at the Ivan Hlinka in August. Interesting guy to watch for sure.
Tadeas Galansky, Saginaw (OHL)- Another Czech Republic product who came over to North America to try his hand in the CHL. Unfortunately for the 6-3, 190-pound right-catching goalie, he's only seen 15 games in action for the Spirit all year and is yet another player who will require a leap of faith in limited viewings for teams to draft him. He's got the requisite size and athleticism for the position and stays pretty square to the shooter. His overall game is pretty refined at this point, but again, with Mavric Parks getting most of the starts, scouts could go to a bushel of Saginaw games and never see this kid if unlucky enough. That's a bit of a stretch, but like most backups, teams want to see more of a sample size and they simply didn't get it with Galansky this year.
Matt McNeely, U.S. NTDP (USHL)- The Minnesotan and UMD recruit has played second fiddle to John Gibson this year and isn't as refined at this stage as his partner is, but there is a lot of raw material and potential with this one who brings the size, quickness you want. I'll let Chris Peters of the excellent United States of Hockey blog take it from here, but this is a pretty good writeup on McNeely based on the January release of Central's mid-term rankings.
Benjamin Conz, Langnau (SUI)-We've said it before- short and dumpy simply does not play well to the NHL scouting community as far as goalies are concerned and so when you're about 5-10 and 210 pounds, good luck with the draft. Yet, for two consecutive WJCs now, the roly poly Swiss netminder has excelled at keeping the puck out of his net. He's a popular favorite amongst draftniks at sites like Hockey's Future Boards, but the reality is- Conz is never going to be high on team lists because of his body type. Now, will the third time be the charm and see him drafted after previous snubs? He's played well enough to earn it. But we've seen people suggesting him as a second-round pick and that's just crazy talk. You'll probably see an NHL team take a flier on him this time around, but his physical traits are non-standard, and unless they think he's going to be the next coming of Tim Thomas, it will be as more of an afterthought than being seen in the upper tier of this group. At the same time, straight-killers like Conz who make all the big stops when the stakes are highest are the ones you least want to bet against making it.
Andrei Makarov, Lewiston (QMJHL)- At one time, a highly-regarded goalie prospect for this draft, but played so poorly in the early part of the season that it's taken some strong performances in the last month to get him back into the picture. Even then, it may not be enough for a player who was not even ranked by Central at midterm. We'll see if he gets a nod in their final listing. He's got good height, but is a beanpole. Has the quickness and athleticism for the game, but like many Russian goalies was lacking in technique and discipline when he first came over and paid for it. To his credit, he worked on it and is showing improvement. Might be enough to get him drafted, but with teams being skittish about Russians, his production hasn't exactly given clubs a reason to throw caution to the wind for him. Should be interesting to see if he gets picked based on what he did in international comp last year and his second-half performance for the MAINE-iacs.
Matt Mahalak, Plymouth (OHL)- Yet another backup who hasn't gotten much quality time behind a workhorse. In Mahalak's case, Devils prospect Scott Wedgewood has had much of the action 19 games- 7-7-4, 3.11, .911 save pct. for the Whalers this season, and the former USHL standout's shaky start to the season certainly didn't help his cause. He's another prototype with the size and athleticism, but is a draft wildcard who will get drafted only by a team that saw enough in a limited sample size to roll the dice a bit and gamble that the flashes they saw are worth one of 5-7 picks (in most cases). You could very well see a team with a bevvy of extra picks use one on him because of the potential upside.
Eric Williams, Prince Albert (WHL)- Tall and lean goaltender has played well for a mediocre Prince Albert squad. He doesn't get a lot of attention, but with a solid 17-17-2 record with .900 save percentage despite making more than 1,100 saves in just 39 games of action. That's a lot of rubber- kid's a gamer and with his size, athleticism and competitiveness, is going to get drafted and make one of those under-the-radar projects who could make noise in time (and with continued action and work on technique).
Colin Stevens, Boston Jr. Bruins (EJHL)- Another tall, lean goalie who is athletic and competitive. Played a very good season for Jr. B's and is strong in his crease in terms of getting the forceful four-way movements needed to play the position effectively. What drops Stevens in the eyes of some scouts is the inconsistency he displayed and a lack of focus at times that led to soft goals. There's a lot of raw talent to work with on this guy, but the operative word is "work" and it might not be enough to see him even get called. We loved Brian Billett a year ago after he had a great season in the EJHL, but nary a team called his name. Teams have specific criteria for their goalie picks these days, and we don't know if that includes game, but up-and-down Jr. B goalies like Stevens.
Pete Traber, Shattuck St. Mary's (HS- MN)- Yet another physical, but raw specimen whose 6-2 frame takes up a lot of net. Like Gothberg last year, Minnesota goalies tend to drop in the draft because that state has never been a great producer of NHL talent between the pipes. If Traber gets the call, it will be later rather than sooner, even playing for such an accomplished team like Shattuck. He needs some refinement in his technique and is a clear-cut long-term project player, but has shown some potential.
That about does it for the 2011 netminder reivew. We know we've left a few goalies out of the mix, but this is good enough for the time being. From reading the capsules, you can see that there are more than a few intriguing project types in this group and we'll continue to champion those who rise to the top like good cream does.
This isn't a great crop of high-end guys, but there are plenty of interesting developmental project types who could turn out nicely in time. Just go back to 1994 and look at all the late-round picks in net who ended up panning out as NHL stars (Tim Thomas, Evgeni Nabokov, Tomas Vokoun- all 9th rounders, Marty Turco went in the 5th), while 1st-round guys like Jamie Storr and Eric Fichaud never really met expectations. And of course, we don't want to bring up Evgeni Ryabchikov's name, taken 21st overall in '94 by the Bruins that year and couldn't even hack it as an AHL starter before going back to Russia never to be seen again. Oh, wait- I guess we just did.
Point being- teams are spending fewer high picks on goalies these days after seeing so much empirical evidence that says good scouting can unearth late-round gems given the kind of disparity in the individual development curves for players at the position. This is one reason we didn't take Samu Perhonen in the 2nd round of the mock draft covered recently (although he could very well be a solid value pick at the end of that round) and when you look at a prospect like Zane Gothberg, tabbed in the 6th round a year ago and developing nicely in the USHL even as a backup.
So, without further ado- here are more goalies from the 2011 class (not an ordered list, just the way it happened to shake out as I consulted various rankings and databases for this post):
Liam Liston, Brandon (WHL)- If you watched him in the CHL Top Prospects Game, you would think this guy had second round written all over him. He was dialed in and stopped all 18 shots he faced in the first 30 minutes of Team Orr's victory, stemming the tide when his squad was outplayed by Team Cherry early. Although he had some shaky moments (his glove was a bit of an adventure), the puck never went in on him. Unfortunately, his up-and-down performance for the Wheat Kings this season has scouts a tad perplexed. He's got the 6-2, 200+ pound size NHL teams covet, and the physical tools to be a big league goalie. However, the focus and consistency has not been there. He's sporting an outrageously bad .879 save percentage with an 18-16-1 record (and inflated 3.79 GAA), and it's not like he plays on a lousy team either. You can only blame the defense and team in front of the goalie so much- at the end of the day, you have to make the saves and according to reports, he's been a gongshow at times. Compare his numbers to that of Eric Williams of the lesser-talented Prince Albert Raiders, and you begin to understand why opinions are so divided on Liston.
Jordan Binnington, Owen Sound (OHL)- At 6-2, 160, he's another Tuukka Rask in terms of his body type, but has those long arms and legs, quickness that is always at a premium in the NHL. Got his chance this season when Scott Stajcer went down. Played well in the CHL Top Prospects Game after Shane Prince scored on the first shot Binnington faced, the only goal surrendered by the Liston/Binnington duo for Team Orr. His 24-12-1-4 record is pretty good, but the .896 is part of what keeps him out of the discussion with the Gibsons (John, Christopher) and Perhonen as the top 'tenders in class. Consistency is something goalies can do to sell themselves and even the most ardent Binnington supporter can admit that he's had some pretty mediocre outings. Binnington takes up a lot of the net with his limbs but we hear his lateral quickness is not great.
Mike Morrison, Kitchener (OHL)- Late '92 is in his first year of eligibility and has played very well for the Rangers as Brandon Maxwell's second. He's a composed netminder who doesn't get rattled easily from most accounts. His size is pretty average (6-0, 175), but he's got good lateral quickness. He's only seen 25 games of action this season, but is a solid 15-5-2 with a .914 save percentage. Not a lot of flash or hype with this guy, but we've heard nice things about him from Ontario-based scouts and think that there are more than a few NHL teams who are targeting him for a later-round flier.
Robert Steeves, Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)- Olivier Roy's backup hasn't seen a lot of action this season (20 games) but has played well when called upon. He's only about 5-11 and about 150 pounds soaking wet- he needs another couple inches and 30 pounds on his frame to give NHL teams confidence in his ability to be a stopper at the highest level, but the early returns are good. He's got a lot of raw talent, quickness and the mental toughness to be a gamer. However, this is a classic long road player who is going to require a leap of faith on draft day, and then loads of patience from the team that invests in him. Sleeper- could go as high as the fourth round or drop out of the draft completely. If a team thinks he's going to grow a bit more, then someone will take him.
Maxime Lagace, PEI (QMJHL)- Another backup who has had a hard time seeing action, Lagace's stats are nothing to write home about (8-4, 3.59 GAA, .884 save percentage), but he's got the prototypical size and superb quickness and athleticism that teams demand from their draft picks at the position. He has extremely quick pads and a good glove hand. Lateral agility is pretty good. Evan Mosher is a workhorse for the Rocket, which is a shame because viewings on Lagace have come so few and far between for scouts. That's one of the reasons Lagace is only making his B2011DW debut here tonight in this post with the QMJHL nearly in the books.
Steve Michalek, Loomis-Chaffee (HS- CT)- We. Love. This. Kid. OK, full disclosure- he's a high school goalie, which makes it extremely difficult for scouts to discern whether a player has the goods, but we think Michalek is one of the legit sleeper prospects in the 2011 draft. He was under siege for much of the season on the worst prep team, but still managed to post a .919 save percentage while making more than 1,000 saves on the year. Does anyone understand how many shots he stopped given the small amount of games prep schools play when compared to their junior counterparts? What we don't like about the Harvard recruit's game is that he tends to overcommit on shots, leaving himself open for backdoor plays, but he's very athletic, mentally tough and one of these guys with intriguing potential. You can't use the standard, "he's a HS goalie" argument with him either, because he played so well at the Ivan Hlinka in August. Interesting guy to watch for sure.
Tadeas Galansky, Saginaw (OHL)- Another Czech Republic product who came over to North America to try his hand in the CHL. Unfortunately for the 6-3, 190-pound right-catching goalie, he's only seen 15 games in action for the Spirit all year and is yet another player who will require a leap of faith in limited viewings for teams to draft him. He's got the requisite size and athleticism for the position and stays pretty square to the shooter. His overall game is pretty refined at this point, but again, with Mavric Parks getting most of the starts, scouts could go to a bushel of Saginaw games and never see this kid if unlucky enough. That's a bit of a stretch, but like most backups, teams want to see more of a sample size and they simply didn't get it with Galansky this year.
Matt McNeely, U.S. NTDP (USHL)- The Minnesotan and UMD recruit has played second fiddle to John Gibson this year and isn't as refined at this stage as his partner is, but there is a lot of raw material and potential with this one who brings the size, quickness you want. I'll let Chris Peters of the excellent United States of Hockey blog take it from here, but this is a pretty good writeup on McNeely based on the January release of Central's mid-term rankings.
Benjamin Conz, Langnau (SUI)-We've said it before- short and dumpy simply does not play well to the NHL scouting community as far as goalies are concerned and so when you're about 5-10 and 210 pounds, good luck with the draft. Yet, for two consecutive WJCs now, the roly poly Swiss netminder has excelled at keeping the puck out of his net. He's a popular favorite amongst draftniks at sites like Hockey's Future Boards, but the reality is- Conz is never going to be high on team lists because of his body type. Now, will the third time be the charm and see him drafted after previous snubs? He's played well enough to earn it. But we've seen people suggesting him as a second-round pick and that's just crazy talk. You'll probably see an NHL team take a flier on him this time around, but his physical traits are non-standard, and unless they think he's going to be the next coming of Tim Thomas, it will be as more of an afterthought than being seen in the upper tier of this group. At the same time, straight-killers like Conz who make all the big stops when the stakes are highest are the ones you least want to bet against making it.
Andrei Makarov, Lewiston (QMJHL)- At one time, a highly-regarded goalie prospect for this draft, but played so poorly in the early part of the season that it's taken some strong performances in the last month to get him back into the picture. Even then, it may not be enough for a player who was not even ranked by Central at midterm. We'll see if he gets a nod in their final listing. He's got good height, but is a beanpole. Has the quickness and athleticism for the game, but like many Russian goalies was lacking in technique and discipline when he first came over and paid for it. To his credit, he worked on it and is showing improvement. Might be enough to get him drafted, but with teams being skittish about Russians, his production hasn't exactly given clubs a reason to throw caution to the wind for him. Should be interesting to see if he gets picked based on what he did in international comp last year and his second-half performance for the MAINE-iacs.
Matt Mahalak, Plymouth (OHL)- Yet another backup who hasn't gotten much quality time behind a workhorse. In Mahalak's case, Devils prospect Scott Wedgewood has had much of the action 19 games- 7-7-4, 3.11, .911 save pct. for the Whalers this season, and the former USHL standout's shaky start to the season certainly didn't help his cause. He's another prototype with the size and athleticism, but is a draft wildcard who will get drafted only by a team that saw enough in a limited sample size to roll the dice a bit and gamble that the flashes they saw are worth one of 5-7 picks (in most cases). You could very well see a team with a bevvy of extra picks use one on him because of the potential upside.
Eric Williams, Prince Albert (WHL)- Tall and lean goaltender has played well for a mediocre Prince Albert squad. He doesn't get a lot of attention, but with a solid 17-17-2 record with .900 save percentage despite making more than 1,100 saves in just 39 games of action. That's a lot of rubber- kid's a gamer and with his size, athleticism and competitiveness, is going to get drafted and make one of those under-the-radar projects who could make noise in time (and with continued action and work on technique).
Colin Stevens, Boston Jr. Bruins (EJHL)- Another tall, lean goalie who is athletic and competitive. Played a very good season for Jr. B's and is strong in his crease in terms of getting the forceful four-way movements needed to play the position effectively. What drops Stevens in the eyes of some scouts is the inconsistency he displayed and a lack of focus at times that led to soft goals. There's a lot of raw talent to work with on this guy, but the operative word is "work" and it might not be enough to see him even get called. We loved Brian Billett a year ago after he had a great season in the EJHL, but nary a team called his name. Teams have specific criteria for their goalie picks these days, and we don't know if that includes game, but up-and-down Jr. B goalies like Stevens.
Pete Traber, Shattuck St. Mary's (HS- MN)- Yet another physical, but raw specimen whose 6-2 frame takes up a lot of net. Like Gothberg last year, Minnesota goalies tend to drop in the draft because that state has never been a great producer of NHL talent between the pipes. If Traber gets the call, it will be later rather than sooner, even playing for such an accomplished team like Shattuck. He needs some refinement in his technique and is a clear-cut long-term project player, but has shown some potential.
That about does it for the 2011 netminder reivew. We know we've left a few goalies out of the mix, but this is good enough for the time being. From reading the capsules, you can see that there are more than a few intriguing project types in this group and we'll continue to champion those who rise to the top like good cream does.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
CHL Top Prospects Game Analysis: Team Orr- the goalies and D
To the victors go the spoils, and despite looking like a tough matchup when the rosters were initially released, the Doug Gilmour- coached Team Orr put on an offensive display after their starting goalie, Liam Liston, kept Team Cherry off the board after an initial surge where the ice was clearly tilted in Orr's end.
Devils GM Lou Lamoriello was interviewed at one point and he reiterated that one game does not a draft decision make, but that through multiple viewings, he has to trust his scouts to make the right calls on the list. Given how New Jersey's drafts have gone over the past decade, they're living off of past glories in the 1990s. Hard to believe that they've handed what could very well be the critically valuable 31st overall pick to Nashville for Jason Arnott and his 10 goals, 20 points. Ouch. But, the Devils are 4-0-1 over the last five games, so things might be looking up for them a bit.
Anyway- back to the top prospects game. Here's the analysis. Might have missed a few players, but decided to cover the ones who I took active notes on in the first viewing and may add more later as I watch the game a few more times. I'll finish up the forwards in a separate post because it's getting late and I ended up watching the Bruins-Sabres game and got behind schedule.
Team Orr (White sweaters)
Goalies
Liam Liston, G Brandon (WHL)-- Interesting game for the Wheat King stopper. He didn't allow a goal, and was primarily responsible for Team Orr pulling a reverse move on Team Cherry and putting a chokehold on the game. But from a technical standpoint, Liston is clearly a work in progress. He looked shaky at the outset, playing deep in his net and flopping around. He got some fortuitous bounces, however, and gradually found his mojo and form. He seemed to be fighting the puck at times, and failed to catch the puck cleanly on at least one shot that led to a secondary scoring chance that if I recall, was chipped over his shoulder and went wide. That was the play that sprung Daniel Catenacci for the shortie, so it was a play where not catching the puck paid dividends, but had that second Cherry shot got in, it would have looked bad on Liston.
Jordon Binnington, G Owen Sound (OHL)-- Aside from giving up the Prince goal pretty soon after coming into the game, Binnington did a nice job of stifling the chances that Cherry did generate (and there weren't all that many). He got some help from his posts and from a stifling defense, not to mention four goals in the third period from his team. So, he wasn't tested but appeared to be fundamentally sound and was solid, though not tested all that much and only let one shot beat him through the five-hole. His breakaway stop on Schiefele was a pretty good reflex stop, as he didn't appear to be squared up to the shooter, but got his blocker on it and then turned it out of harm's way so there wasn't a juicy rebound on the doorstep.
Defensemen
David Musil, D Vancouver (WHL)-- Huge game from the son of Frantisek Musil, Oilers scout who was in the stands watching his son. Musil's stock has been dropping steadily all season for a variety of reasons. Kyle Woodlief of Red Line Report talked about some of them in an interview I did with him in late December. But in this one, Musil looked every bit the top defense prospect he was in many preseason lists and in the WHL pecking order. He showed off his excellent mobility and fluid stride, plus hard point drive which provided an assist on Jonathan Huberdeau's goal when he got it low on net and in bounced off Christopher Gibson's pads to the pouncing Saint John Sea Dog. He moved the puck crisply, activated well and even got into a fight with Duncan Siemens, jumping in when Siemens went after Sven Bartschi and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins got involved. It was a spirited fight with Siemens getting the edge in a lot of punches thrown, but credit Musil for doing the right thing without hesitation. That's character, even if he did it in a game he knew a huge percentage of NHL scouts were at.
Dougie Hamilton, D Niagara (OHL)-- Although he lacks the pure offensive game of Ryan Murphy, Hamilton has the 6-4 frame that Murphy can never have no matter how hard he works in the weight room. Hamilton is a good skater, though clearly more of a "big man" mobility than the kind of fluid, dynamic speed Murphy brings. Hamilton was active in all zones, showing off his two-way potential. He scored the game's final goal on a bomb of a slap shot that David Honzik came out of the paint to stop, but it rocketed past his outstretched glove, hit the far post and bounced into the net. His size, coupled with his mobility and two-way game is what makes Hamilton such an enticing prospect. He helped himself in Toronto on Wednesday.
Nathan Beaulieu, D Saint John (QMJHL)-- Another superb performance from the Team Orr backend. This two-way stud struggled in the early part of the season, but looked like the player who turned heads at Team Canada Evaluation Camp (WJC) over the summer in Calgary. He was involved at both ends of the ice and showed off the kind of mobility and puck skills to be a factor in the offensive dimension. He scored one of the Orr goals when he jumped in from the point, gathered a pass and then rifled a wrist shot to the back of the net. His dad, London Knights assistant coach, Jacques was on hand to see his son turn in a pretty solid game. Some scouts like Beaulieu more than others, but he plays with an edge, has some toughness to him and can do pretty much everything well even if he doesn't have the kind of dynamic upside of Murphy or even Hamilton (minus the word dynamic there with Dougie). This is a player to watch keenly in the second half of the season.
Xavier Ouellet, D Montreal (QMJHL)-- Hamilton's defense partner kept things simple and played a largely unnoticeable game. As one of the better scoring defenders in the 'Q' he's not known for his size (only about 6-0, 180) great speed, but Ouellet sees the ice extremely well and is excellent in puck distribution. Watching him in this one, he looked like a solid third-round pick, maybe late-second.
Reece Scarlett, D Swift Current (WHL)-- Entered the season on some watch lists as a player with some real offensive potential, but hasn't really delivered. Raw, work in progress showed some of his passing chops in the game and is a fine skater, but without being able to see his play away from the puck, it's hard to truly get a feel for his effectiveness in this one. He makes the crisp outlet pass and seems to be able to read the play and hit his teammates in stride, and it will be interesting to see where he ultimately ends up as a project pick but one with upside.
Stuart Percy, D Mississauga (OHL)-- If Scarlett is the raw player with upside, then Percy is the defenseman who made some noticeable defensive plays throughout the game, but probably won't bring much of an offensive element with him to the pro ranks. As a player with good size and skating abilities, Percy was thought of to have some potential to be one of those draft year risers, but hasn't been able to do that this season. Still, he keeps things safe and simple, and we saw that in the prospects game, particularly on the play where he stood up Ryan Strome and denied a shot on net. It was the kind of unheralded play that every good defender needs to be able to make, but won't often get the credit for.
We'll return tomorrow to close out the analysis of the Team Orr forwards.
Devils GM Lou Lamoriello was interviewed at one point and he reiterated that one game does not a draft decision make, but that through multiple viewings, he has to trust his scouts to make the right calls on the list. Given how New Jersey's drafts have gone over the past decade, they're living off of past glories in the 1990s. Hard to believe that they've handed what could very well be the critically valuable 31st overall pick to Nashville for Jason Arnott and his 10 goals, 20 points. Ouch. But, the Devils are 4-0-1 over the last five games, so things might be looking up for them a bit.
Anyway- back to the top prospects game. Here's the analysis. Might have missed a few players, but decided to cover the ones who I took active notes on in the first viewing and may add more later as I watch the game a few more times. I'll finish up the forwards in a separate post because it's getting late and I ended up watching the Bruins-Sabres game and got behind schedule.
Team Orr (White sweaters)
Goalies
Liam Liston, G Brandon (WHL)-- Interesting game for the Wheat King stopper. He didn't allow a goal, and was primarily responsible for Team Orr pulling a reverse move on Team Cherry and putting a chokehold on the game. But from a technical standpoint, Liston is clearly a work in progress. He looked shaky at the outset, playing deep in his net and flopping around. He got some fortuitous bounces, however, and gradually found his mojo and form. He seemed to be fighting the puck at times, and failed to catch the puck cleanly on at least one shot that led to a secondary scoring chance that if I recall, was chipped over his shoulder and went wide. That was the play that sprung Daniel Catenacci for the shortie, so it was a play where not catching the puck paid dividends, but had that second Cherry shot got in, it would have looked bad on Liston.
Jordon Binnington, G Owen Sound (OHL)-- Aside from giving up the Prince goal pretty soon after coming into the game, Binnington did a nice job of stifling the chances that Cherry did generate (and there weren't all that many). He got some help from his posts and from a stifling defense, not to mention four goals in the third period from his team. So, he wasn't tested but appeared to be fundamentally sound and was solid, though not tested all that much and only let one shot beat him through the five-hole. His breakaway stop on Schiefele was a pretty good reflex stop, as he didn't appear to be squared up to the shooter, but got his blocker on it and then turned it out of harm's way so there wasn't a juicy rebound on the doorstep.
Defensemen
David Musil, D Vancouver (WHL)-- Huge game from the son of Frantisek Musil, Oilers scout who was in the stands watching his son. Musil's stock has been dropping steadily all season for a variety of reasons. Kyle Woodlief of Red Line Report talked about some of them in an interview I did with him in late December. But in this one, Musil looked every bit the top defense prospect he was in many preseason lists and in the WHL pecking order. He showed off his excellent mobility and fluid stride, plus hard point drive which provided an assist on Jonathan Huberdeau's goal when he got it low on net and in bounced off Christopher Gibson's pads to the pouncing Saint John Sea Dog. He moved the puck crisply, activated well and even got into a fight with Duncan Siemens, jumping in when Siemens went after Sven Bartschi and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins got involved. It was a spirited fight with Siemens getting the edge in a lot of punches thrown, but credit Musil for doing the right thing without hesitation. That's character, even if he did it in a game he knew a huge percentage of NHL scouts were at.
Dougie Hamilton, D Niagara (OHL)-- Although he lacks the pure offensive game of Ryan Murphy, Hamilton has the 6-4 frame that Murphy can never have no matter how hard he works in the weight room. Hamilton is a good skater, though clearly more of a "big man" mobility than the kind of fluid, dynamic speed Murphy brings. Hamilton was active in all zones, showing off his two-way potential. He scored the game's final goal on a bomb of a slap shot that David Honzik came out of the paint to stop, but it rocketed past his outstretched glove, hit the far post and bounced into the net. His size, coupled with his mobility and two-way game is what makes Hamilton such an enticing prospect. He helped himself in Toronto on Wednesday.
Nathan Beaulieu, D Saint John (QMJHL)-- Another superb performance from the Team Orr backend. This two-way stud struggled in the early part of the season, but looked like the player who turned heads at Team Canada Evaluation Camp (WJC) over the summer in Calgary. He was involved at both ends of the ice and showed off the kind of mobility and puck skills to be a factor in the offensive dimension. He scored one of the Orr goals when he jumped in from the point, gathered a pass and then rifled a wrist shot to the back of the net. His dad, London Knights assistant coach, Jacques was on hand to see his son turn in a pretty solid game. Some scouts like Beaulieu more than others, but he plays with an edge, has some toughness to him and can do pretty much everything well even if he doesn't have the kind of dynamic upside of Murphy or even Hamilton (minus the word dynamic there with Dougie). This is a player to watch keenly in the second half of the season.
Xavier Ouellet, D Montreal (QMJHL)-- Hamilton's defense partner kept things simple and played a largely unnoticeable game. As one of the better scoring defenders in the 'Q' he's not known for his size (only about 6-0, 180) great speed, but Ouellet sees the ice extremely well and is excellent in puck distribution. Watching him in this one, he looked like a solid third-round pick, maybe late-second.
Reece Scarlett, D Swift Current (WHL)-- Entered the season on some watch lists as a player with some real offensive potential, but hasn't really delivered. Raw, work in progress showed some of his passing chops in the game and is a fine skater, but without being able to see his play away from the puck, it's hard to truly get a feel for his effectiveness in this one. He makes the crisp outlet pass and seems to be able to read the play and hit his teammates in stride, and it will be interesting to see where he ultimately ends up as a project pick but one with upside.
Stuart Percy, D Mississauga (OHL)-- If Scarlett is the raw player with upside, then Percy is the defenseman who made some noticeable defensive plays throughout the game, but probably won't bring much of an offensive element with him to the pro ranks. As a player with good size and skating abilities, Percy was thought of to have some potential to be one of those draft year risers, but hasn't been able to do that this season. Still, he keeps things safe and simple, and we saw that in the prospects game, particularly on the play where he stood up Ryan Strome and denied a shot on net. It was the kind of unheralded play that every good defender needs to be able to make, but won't often get the credit for.
We'll return tomorrow to close out the analysis of the Team Orr forwards.
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