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.

Weekend OHL roundup: Rakell making noise in Plymouth

If you say the word "Swede" in the context of the OHL, then hardcore hockey fans will immediately think of Kitchener power forward Gabriel Landeskog.

However, Rickard Rakell is quietly making a name for himself with the rival Plymouth Whalers.

In five games, Rakell has three goals and five points, which is a nice start considering that the native of Sollentuna, Sweden is in just his first season of North American major junior. Rakell is yet one more member of a highly prolific group of imports that is bringing a lot of skill and excitement to the OHL this season.

The Whalers need Rakell's production, too. They are without the services of Tyler Seguin, who is still with the Bruins and that's likely where he'll stay. They got a nice boost in the OHL's first week with the prolific scoring of Alex Aleardi (two hat tricks) the Plymouth native acquired from Belleville who tore it up with seven goals. Although small (and a '92 birthdate passed over last season), Aleardi has speed to burn and is making a name for himself as a player worth taking a flier on in 2011.

But Rakell is also turning heads with his high skill level and opportunistic play. His skating stride isn't all that smooth, but he generates a lot of power with it and so while it may not be pretty, he's able to be anywhere on the ice. He plays a North American-style game already with a willingness to give and take hits to make the play, and he works hard along the walls and down low on the cycle. A tenacious forechecker, he's one of those guys who attracts notice when you watch him because he's active with his stick and creates space for his linemates.

The Whalers are off to a tough start with a 1-3-0-1 record, but you have to think that if Matt Mahalak can get it going a lot better, the team can put the puck in the net. It's keeping it out that's been an issue thus far, with 11 goals allowed over the weekend in losses to Saginaw and Sudbury. Mahalak has really struggled in his first two appearances with Plymouth, allowing nine goals and posting a putrid .719 save percentage. A lot of it has to do with defensive breakdowns and the like, but I don't care what level you're playing at, stopping barely 70% of the shots you face isn't going to get it done. He gave up four goals on 10 shots to the Wolves Saturday night. While I haven't seen all the goals he's given up, I have heard that he's been shaky and appears to lack confidence right now. Until he can shore it up, the Whalers will go with Devils prospect Scott Wedgewood.

The Whalers aren't as poor as their early record indicates, and with a player like Rakell and playmaker Garrett Meurs (four assists in five contests) and even Stefan Noesen (two goals, four points) on the club, you can bet that they will continue to be a widely-viewed team by NHL scouts going forward. Mike Vellucci will get them going, and when he does, they'll make that Western Division race an interesting one.

Windsor still loaded for bear: look out OHL in 2011!

Well, if you had any doubts about the Windsor Spitfires' ability to defend their Memorial Cup two-fer, then look no further than their comeback last night in the opening game of the 2010-11 OHL season, a 5-4 win over the Tyler Seguin-less Plymouth Whalers after falling behind 4-1.

Super Russian Alexander Khokhlachev, who electrified watchers with his preseason performance, scored in his OHL debut for the Spits. With his speed and pure skill, he's sure to be a B2011DW favorite. He and his team spoiled a great night from a pair of Plymouth Whalers in Garrett Meurs (three helpers) and Alex Aleardi (two goals). Aleardi is a small (listed at 5-9 and just 150 pounds), but skilled center from Michigan who was passed over in the draft and was acquired by Plymouth from Belleville last week. For more on Meurs, check out last month's OHL draft watch list-- he's in the top-10.

Whalers goalie Matt Mahalak faced just 22 shots (17 saves) and that was a tough performance to debut with, as expectations for him are very high this season. Windsor goalie Jack Campbell, the first-round selection of the Dallas Stars last June (11th overall), did what he does best: slam the door at crunch time. He was shaky early, but ended up making 27 saves on 31 shots to hold off the Whalers and secure the come-from-behind win.

So, in honor of Big Jack, here's his unofficial B2011DW theme song, even though his draft story is closed.

Matt Mahalak: A guy you should know

The B's aren't likely in the market for a goalie (at least not one they have to spend a high pick on), but Matt Mahalak is nonetheless an intriguing option were they to be lloking at a late-1st or early 2nd selection (and assuming he doesn't pull a Jack Campbell and zoom up the draft boards with a terrific season)

Red Line Report has him as their top goaltending prospect as of now in their September issue, and sixth overall on the OHL list (not including the imports like Nicklas Jensen, Tobias Rieder, Alex Khoklachev, Andrei Pedan, and Slava Namestnikov, all of whom are in their first OHL season).

He's got live size (6-2, 185), athletic ability and a good technique/fundamentals base.

He'll be with the Plymouth Whalers this season after playing for Youngstown of the USHL last year. I can tell you that the OHL brass has their eyes on him as one of the best goalie prospects to come out of that league this year, and it will be interesting to see if he can out-duel Belleville's Tyson Teichmann for the honor of first off the board from the 'O' next June. Teichmann, you may recall, backstopped Canada to gold at the Ivan Hlinka tourney, but I've not heard as good things about his natural talent and fundamentals as I have about Mahalak.

Mahalak takes away a lot of the net, has quick legs and a nice glove. If he can put it all together for Mike Vellucci's club, who stand to be without uber-scorer Tyler Seguin this year, he could really be one of the draft's risers if he can carry the mail for a team whose offense is going to take a big hit.

But if not, the Bruins could steal him with one of their bonus (read: Minnesota's 2nd rounder) picks in this draft. Mahalak, at least as we prepare to begin the OHL season on Thursday, has the potential to be a real star. But every year, players who are highly-touted going in, struggle to meet the crushing expectations and fall down the board. Kevin Poulin to the NY Islanders late in '08 is a good example of this, so keep an eye on Mahalak.

B2011DW's Official 2010-11 OHL Watch List

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More OHL players to keep tabs on:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nicklas Jensen, LW Oshawa

Vladislav Namestnikov, C London

Andrei Pedan, D Guelph

Tobias Rieder, LW Kitchener

Rickard Rakell, RW Plymouth

Danny Elser, C London

Colin Suellentrop, D Oshawa

Steve Broek, LW Kingston

Cody McNaughton, RW Guelph

Seth Griffith, C London