The Storm Picks Up Speed

by Brandon Sudeyko (@intheoradio)

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The Guelph Storm was poised to make a deep playoff run this year and would have been able to turn some more heads if it wasn’t for some key injuries that cost them. Namely on the back end of the lineup. Their defence corps took a big hit when a knee injury took Matt Finn away from the lineup. All of a sudden, it wasn’t the same Guelph team heading into the playoffs and the Storm eventually bowed out to the Kitchener Rangers in 5 games.

Looking forward to the 2013/14 season the Storm lose 3 top defenders: Andrey Pedan, Brock Beukeboom and Saverio Posa, the latter two to OHL graduation while Pedan will be whisked away to the AHL. This leaves the Storm with Matt Finn, leading the blue line, Chad Bauman, Zac Leslie and Ben Harpur. The Guelph Storm selected Kyle Locke in the second round of last year’s OHL Priority Selection draft and played him as a forward for about a third of the season. The Storm then sent Locke down to Cambridge Jr. B where he played defence with the Winterhawks who went to the Sutherland Cup finals.

That gives Guelph 5 defenceman heading into the season.

Earlier this week Guelph signed their first round draft pick from this year’s OHL Draft, Garrett McFadden. McFadden will be the team’s 6^th defenceman entering the season, but will most likely play top 4 minutes alongside a veteran like Leslie or Harpur.

McFadden is an alum from the Grey-Bruce Highlanders AAA Minor Midget program who had good offensive production this past season with 14 goals and 30 points in 37 games. The strength to McFadden’s game is his advanced skating ability. He is a very mobile defenceman who has no hesitation in carrying the puck and entering the zone or distributing the puck to start a fast rush. He plays a very high tempo game and is full of energy. Here is an excerpt from what one OHL Scout has to say about McFadden and his possible transition to the OHL.

“Smooth and strong on his edges… excels in the transitional game… slippery player in open ice as he fly’s by defenders with ease… sharp instincts… smart outlets… needs to trust his shot more to generate more offence… structure to his defensive game is needed as he has a tendency to follow the puck… projects as an offensive minded puck rusher at the next level.”

During the OHL Draft, I was very happy to see the former Highlander defenceman get selected by Guelph for the second last point in the scouting report. Tendency to follow the puck. I recall discussing this with Garrett near the beginning of his minor midget season, and asking him about that. He responded by saying that it is something he recognizes and is trying to chase the puck less. His coaches do get on his case about constantly switching sides to defend the rush, or even just trying to trap the puck in the defensive zone.

Although, we mark it almost as a negative, McFadden was able to get away with this last season because his skating was that much more advanced than many of his competitors. But at the OHL level, it isn’t going to be so easy for the young defender if he starts to chase the veteran opposition around the rink. But why do I like that he was draft to Guelph. For McFadden’s development there are very few coaches who could teach him to settle down and to get it in action quickly. Storm head coach Scott Walker, could arguably be the best coach for Garrett to learn and develop under. Walker’s no BS practice style, and his hard-nosed game style will help finish off the skill set that McFadden already possesses and help him become a potential Elite defenceman in the OHL.

The Guelph Storm may have a few holes they still need to plug for the upcoming season, but getting Garrett McFadden signed and in the lineup will definitely steer the focus away from the defence, allowing the management to make those changes in other needed areas.

Did the Rangers find their Goalie Successor?

by Brandon Sudeyko (@intheoradio)

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In recent Kitchener Rangers history, the modus operandi of the franchise has seemingly been to take the hot hand American goaltender and ride him on a wave of success. Throughout the recent years the Rangers have tried a few American goalies: John Gibson, Josh Unice and John Murray. All have entered and left with a certain degree of success. The success of American goaltenders in the net has come in the form of a few playoff rounds won, an OHL Championship with Josh Unice in the blue paint, but no Memorial Cup.  

By no means am I trying to spark a debate on Canadian v American goaltending, and I am not trying to shoulder the entire season’s success on the basis of a goaltender. Just trying to point out that you never know what exactly you get from an American starter, having never been around this type of competition in the age level.

One train of thought is that since the US born netminder has not grown up with these age groups, there isn’t a moment where the goaltender can have doubts about whether they are good enough or not. That their lack of exposure to OHL caliber play can give them advantage because they are fresh to their surroundings and work under the mindset of, ‘if I play my best, we can win any game.’

Last week, Kitchener signed another goaltender from the USA, Matt Greenfield. The Parkland, Florida native played with the Illinois Midget U18’s this past season after being a 12^th round selection of the Kitchener Rangers the season prior.  Team Illinois was not a strong team this year so just taking a look at Greenfield’s numbers may be a bit misleading, after asking a few colleagues about Matt’s season and their reaction to the signing with Kitchener, I was met with a level of general surprise. The goaltender is tall at 6’2” but not thick still weighing in at less than 180 pounds, something that I am sure will not be the case come September. Team Illinois had a record of 15-12-4 while Greenfield had a 12-7-3-2 record with a .914 save percentage and a respectable 2.45 goals against. Matt ranked 2^nd in wins, 5^th in GAA and 3^rd in save percentage. The stats do hold up that he can be a strong goaltender in the OHL for Kitchener this season and probably the best stat that the Rangers brass looked at was that he faced 574 shots in 1124 minutes this season, or 18.7 games (HPHL games play 51 minutes), an average of 30+ shots a game.

So what do those stats really mean? Let me put that in context with a scouting report from a colleague,

“He’s a big, athletic guy and his team wasn’t the best so you can’t just look at his numbers and think he is a ‘slam dunk OHL starter’. He saw a lot of rubber and is just really solid. Nothing flashy, but can stand on his head and make 4-5 saves in a scramble. He is at his best when he sees a lot of shots and can single handedly win games. He has grown a lot in the past two seasons and can still be a little clunky at times. With better coaching he will be just fine.”

Given that Kitchener will be much younger, across the dressing room, and they will more than likely have defensive lapses and rely on a solid goaltender to pull them through games, it sounds like GM Steve Spott has found the perfect goaltender for this season. What kind of future success that Greenfield has is yet to be seen, but given the services available to the Florida native, and a possible bumpy road ahead, he could seemingly replace Gibson and grow with the team as it strives to get back to championship form. Or his game may not translate with the OHL style of play.

But that is what you get when you look outside the province to gain an edge. Only time will tell, but so far so good in signing the young goaltender to shoulder the load.

OHL Draft Pick Sleepers: West Division

by Brandon Sudeyko (@intheoradio)

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Missed a day and now we are back with the final division. It is time to take a look at the West Division and a few sleepers each team selected in the OHL Draft from last week.
As ITO has before, will take a look at picks from the 5th to the 15th round

The last look is at the West division consisting of the Plymouth Whalers, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, Sarnia Sting, Saginaw Spirit and Windsor Spitfires.

Plymouth Whalers
Liam Dunda (Don Mills Flyers, F) 6th round – A big forward that could step into an OHL lineup right now based on his size alone. Not the swiftest skater on the ice but he is a force on the ice and knows how to play in all 3 zones. He is at his best when he is in the offensive zone and parked in front of the net or cycling the puck behind the net and off the side wall. He will grow in a controlled environment and can step his game up to match his teammates.
Alex DiCarlo (Vaughan Kings, D) 7th round – I was wondering who would take a chance on DiCarlo, and I should have known that it would have been Plymouth. No matter how RAW of a talent a player is, Mike Vellucci has a way to turn them in to stars. DiCarlo is in every essence a RAW talent, he has been talked about as having the tools needed to succeed. Needs work in mostly all areas to be a strong shutdown defenceman. Good with the puck, physical in all areas, and can skate well. The future is bright for DiCarlo and there probably isn’t a better franchise to take him and develop him.

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Chris Klack (Halton Hurricanes, F) 6th round – In a minor midget season, you want to see progression and the player getting better. It was probably late November, or mid decemeber prior to the Marlboros Holiday Classic where Chris made a name for himself. All this kid does is score goals… no that isn’t fair, because when he isn’t scoring he is back checking hard, setting up his teammates or being a physical presence on the ice. Hard working, good skater who loves to carry the puck. Great shot, good net presence and a knack for finding the puck and the back of the net.
Adrian Hochstetler-Clark (Oakville Rangers, G) 8th round – Adrian was seen as the backup goaltender with the Rangers this season but he played much better than that. Clark lead the SCTA with 19 wins this season. Take it for what it is worth but a 19-1-1 record is a nothing to scoff at. The 6’2” goalie got his chance during the OHL Cup where he really started to shine. A solid goaltender who is rarely caught out of position, even when the play breaks down in front of him. Always square to the shooter, never making unnecessary movements and reacting to the play instead of assuming what may happen. Strong down low as he can cover a lot of net and just overall could be considered underrated.
Will Scott (Whitby Wildcats, F) 11th round – Another small forward with a lot of skill drafted by the Greyhounds. Will is good centreman and can really help control the play whether he wins or loses the draw. He has a high compete and a lot of toughness to ‘compensate’ for his smaller stature. Will has great skating ability and a smart player with and without the puck. He may not to get the puck in the net as often as he likes, but he is on the ice for a lot of goals for.

Saginaw Spirit
Jackson Bales (Brampton 45s, F) 8th round – Jackson really came to light at the Silver Stick tournament and was a player to watch since then. He loves to have the puck on his stick and shoot it at will. Bales is a great skater with the puck, not necessarily a great skater without it, but a smart skater and is able to find the seems or make the passes to his teammates to keep the play going. He plays bigger than he is and shows his high compete level challenging every skater with the puck that comes his way.
Kyler Carter (Sun County Panthers, F) 8th round – Kyler doesn’t particularly stand out in one area of play. Carter plays well in the offensive zone, defensive zone and is willing to play in any role: power play, penalty kill, defensive zone face offs, energy player etc. If Kyler can get on the ice, he leaves it all on the ice. Good skater with a good hockey sense. There are some areas that Carter needs to improve on, but nothing glaring and nothing that will keep him from playing in the OHL. The earliest you may seem him in the OHL would be the 2014/15 season but I do not doubt that he will work extremely hard to make people take notice of him and give him a true opportunity
Christian Rajic (Mississauga Rebels, F) 11th round – A true speedster who knows how to carry the puck and create plays seemingly out of nothing. If there isn’t an option, Christian has no fear in carrying the puck by himself going up against 2 defenders. Now that won’t work for him at the OHL level, but Rajic is a smart enough player to know when and where he can try to be a ‘one man show’ through the season he has improved his play without the puck, even adding a physical element that you wouldn’t expect. A strong passer, developed in the defensive zone, and really stepped up in a leadership type role to take it upon himself to turn the game in favour of the Rebels whenever they were down or needed the boost.

Sarnia Sting
Nick Boka (Detroit Compuware, D) 6th round – I like this pick because with his ‘de-commitment’ from Michigan State, there is a good chance you could see him in the lineup next season. A strong defenceman who has an offensive flair for the position. A great skater and a physical guy. Knows how to use his size effectively in the neutral zone and steps it up in the defensive zone. Strong postionally and smart physically. Good breakout passes and understands his role on the ice. If he comes the OHL, you can see him in the lineup next season.
J.P. Sabourin (Eastern Ontario Wild, G) 15th round – The EOW goalie is arguably the best masked man from the Ottawa region this year. High compete and challenges every shooter to beat him. Lots of confidence in Sabourin which will bode well for him as he may have to wait a year to see some OHL action. Good glove, great agility and good rebound control for a goalie his age. Has the potential, he justs needs the chance.

Windsor Spitfires
Brendan Warren (Detroit Compuware, F) 5th round – a bold pick by Sarnia because Warren is not only a Michigan commit, but he also signed up for the USNTDP. There is a good chance you will not see Warren until he is drafted to the NHL. At one point this year Warren was considered a top 5 pick and as the season progressed ‘settled’ to a top 10 pick. Either way you get a forward who can control the game at will. Whether Brendan takes the puck for a skate, or methodically enters the zone. A great shot really sets Warren apart from other highly touted forwards in this draft. He has great vision and can skate very well which is allows him to be dominate with the puck and be a threat without it. Looking forward to seeing more from Warren and hopefully in a Yellow, White and Black jersey in the near future.
Brendan Johnston (Chatham-Kent Cyclones, G) 5th round – Throughout the year, when talking about the best goalies in this years draft, Brendan’s name continuously popped up. Playing on Chatham-Kent, Johnston faced a lot of tough competition in the ALLIANCE this year. Brendan is very agile and is able to cover a lot of ground fast. A good glvoe stymies some of the best shooters as they look to beat him high. Down low Johnston is strong at the posts and going side to side on them. Even when he is down low, he can cover a lot of net as he tries to make himself as big as he possibly can. He may not fit into the Spitifres plans right away, but with a solid year in Jr B. exepect him to get good looks in 2014/15.

OHL Draft Pick Sleepers: Midwest Division

by Brandon Sudeyko (@intheoradio)

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Day 3 in the look at each division after the OHL Draft from this past weekend. Today is a look at the Midwest division. Picks 1-4 for all 5 teams were very good and to pick a ‘winner’ from that is pretty tough. Of course, ITO is taking a look at some of the ‘sleepers’ that the teams have selected. Lets continue our look through the divisions and focus on a couple picks between the 5th and 15th round that could really go overlooked and help the team in the future.

Today we take a look at the Midwest division consisting of the Erie Otters, Guelph Storm, Kitchener Rangers, London Knights and Owen Sound Attack.

Erie Otters
Sean Kohler (Oakville Rangers, F) 6thth round – A member of the OHL Cup winning Rangers, the forward gets lost in the shuffle given the incredible talent that the team possessed. When his team may have struggled to gain that goal, it was Kohler who seemingly got the goals that would chance the fortune in favour of the Rangers. A quick shot, nose for the net and his quick thinking can generate offence where none exists. Given the position he was drafted in and the current Otters lineup, you could see Sean come 2013/14 but he will be a regular come the season after.
Owen Headrick (Soo Thunder, D) 14th Round – Owen is a wide defenceman, and that isn’t a knock. Where many kids this age need to fill out, there is no worry or need here. Quick skates and the ability to close the gap and force many players wide is his strength. Add to that his puck control down low and on the boards and it is tough to remove the puck or force Owen to make a mistake. He is another player that you could look for in the season after next.

Guelph Storm
Scott Villeneuve (Nickel City Sons, F) 6th round – A big bruting forward who is versatile. Scott does not particularly excel in any one area but he is good in all three zones. He can crash the net, cut in wide, protect the puck on the wall, give hard breakout passes, lay the body, back check hard and frustrate his opponents. A rounded player who will exceed with a particular role and someone who just fits that ‘Scott Walker’ mould that has been evident the past few season.
Gabriel Mollot-Hill (Ottawa Jr. 67’s, G) 10th round – I think of Mollot-Hill and I think of the Guelph Storm, and I see Garret Sparks version 2.0. Gabriel is a tall goalie (6’3”) who can cover a lot of the net, not only covering the net with his size, but is unexpectedly athletic for a goalie his size. Really controls the play and puck down low and is tough to shake up. Very limited movement puts him in premium position to stop the opposition shots and swallow up any potential rebound.

Kitchener Rangers
Jeremy Bracco (NJ Rockets, F) 5th round – Jeremey most likely will not come to the OHL or the Kitchener Rangers. He has a school commit and he has commited to the USNTDP U18 team. It doesn’t mean he wouldn’t leave, but you just don’t know. That aside, Bracco is a fantastic skater. 3 strides forward, 2 shuffle side steps, repeat. He can generate offence just as good, if not better than Ryan Strome or Travis Konecny. He is a smaller forward but it doesn’t seem to stop him in the slightest. If he comes to the OHL, an immediate boost.
Jeremy McFarlane (Eastern Ontario Wild, F) 12th round – McFarlane was the third highest scorer in the OEMHL this year, and was the second leading scorer on the Wild. Standing at 5’8” tall, Jeremy isn’t the biggest but he is able to above his smaller stature. An elusive forward who can protect the puck and make the smart play when needed. Not physically strong compared to other forwards, but he is able to use his skating and his stick to separate the man from the puck in open ice and along the boards.
Honourable Mention: Luke Opilka (St. Louis Blues, G) 6th round – Haven’t seen him play, but from all accounts the second best goalie in the draft. Been compared to a possible John Gibson type goaltender if he were to come to the OHL and the Rangers.

London Knights
Zach Grzelewski (Thunder Bay Kings, F) 6th round – The former Captain of the TB Kings is a consummate leader. Can play several roles but excels at generating offence through a hard forecheck and physical play. He is able to pick apart defenceman along the boards and control puck possession in all three zones. Hard-nosed, high compete style which will fit into the Knights lineup for 2014/15.
Noah Jordan (Toronto Jr. Canadiens, F) 8th round – The big forward likes to play with the puck. He can carry it through the neutral zone while using his body to protect the puck with ease. For his size he has a good shot, both wrist and slap shot. Not over powering but good enough to cause rebound issues or to create tips and deflections. Noah is one of the first forwards back to help out his defenceman and covers for his defence when they decide to go for a skate. Jordan can play off the boards and behind the net but not overtly physical.

Owen Sound Attack
Chris Hill (Brampton 45’s, D) 9th round – Chris was talked about a lot at the beginning of the year and as it progressed the talks died down. Not because of poor play, but because there is very little that is flashy about the defenceman. He isn’t a natural puck carrier, doesn’t have a huge point shot, and isn’t extremely physical or punishing. He is almost a prototypical defensive defenceman. Again, that isn’t a knock on him. He plays his position at a very high level and is able to stop most offensive threats that the opposition has. Can move the puck short distances through his skating and can make great first passes to generate a breakout. His feet are his best attribute which allows him to gain optimal position in front of the net or as the forwards enter his zone. Owen Sound is going to lose a lot off the blueline this year and there is a potential chance that Hill could step in right away if he has a productive summer.
Tyler Richardson (Toronto Marlboros, G) 11th round – The Attack use another late pick to take a goaltender and in Richardson, you get a big game goalie who was overlooked throughout the season. There is generally a stigma about how good a Marlboros goalie is given the team that generally plays in front of them, but Tyler showed several times this year that the team will rely on him to make the stops and help turn the momentum around. Richardson’s strength is his legs. The bottom of the net is tough to beat him on, even after several rebounds. A good glove for the goalie mixed with a strong compete level could give Richardson an edge heading into camp with a backup role available.

OHL Draft Pick Sleepers: Midwest Division

by Brandon Sudeyko (@intheoradio)

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Day 3 in the look at each division after the OHL Draft from this past weekend. Today is a look at the Midwest division. Picks 1-4 for all 5 teams were very good and to pick a ‘winner’ from that is pretty tough. Of course, ITO is taking a look at some of the ‘sleepers’ that the teams have selected. Lets continue our look through the divisions and focus on a couple picks between the 5th and 15th round that could really go overlooked and help the team in the future.

Today we take a look at the Midwest division consisting of the Erie Otters, Guelph Storm, Kitchener Rangers, London Knights and Owen Sound Attack.

Erie Otters
Sean Kohler (Oakville Rangers, F) 6thth round – A member of the OHL Cup winning Rangers, the forward gets lost in the shuffle given the incredible talent that the team possessed. When his team may have struggled to gain that goal, it was Kohler who seemingly got the goals that would chance the fortune in favour of the Rangers. A quick shot, nose for the net and his quick thinking can generate offence where none exists. Given the position he was drafted in and the current Otters lineup, you could see Sean come 2013/14 but he will be a regular come the season after.
Owen Headrick (Soo Thunder, D) 14th Round – Owen is a wide defenceman, and that isn’t a knock. Where many kids this age need to fill out, there is no worry or need here. Quick skates and the ability to close the gap and force many players wide is his strength. Add to that his puck control down low and on the boards and it is tough to remove the puck or force Owen to make a mistake. He is another player that you could look for in the season after next.

Guelph Storm
Scott Villeneuve (Nickel City Sons, F) 6th round – A big bruting forward who is versatile. Scott does not particularly excel in any one area but he is good in all three zones. He can crash the net, cut in wide, protect the puck on the wall, give hard breakout passes, lay the body, back check hard and frustrate his opponents. A rounded player who will exceed with a particular role and someone who just fits that ‘Scott Walker’ mould that has been evident the past few season.
Gabriel Mollot-Hill (Ottawa Jr. 67’s, G) 10th round – I think of Mollot-Hill and I think of the Guelph Storm, and I see Garret Sparks version 2.0. Gabriel is a tall goalie (6’3”) who can cover a lot of the net, not only covering the net with his size, but is unexpectedly athletic for a goalie his size. Really controls the play and puck down low and is tough to shake up. Very limited movement puts him in premium position to stop the opposition shots and swallow up any potential rebound.

Kitchener Rangers
Jeremy Bracco (NJ Rockets, F) 5th round – Jeremey most likely will not come to the OHL or the Kitchener Rangers. He has a school commit and he has commited to the USNTDP U18 team. It doesn’t mean he wouldn’t leave, but you just don’t know. That aside, Bracco is a fantastic skater. 3 strides forward, 2 shuffle side steps, repeat. He can generate offence just as good, if not better than Ryan Strome or Travis Konecny. He is a smaller forward but it doesn’t seem to stop him in the slightest. If he comes to the OHL, an immediate boost.
Jeremy McFarlane (Eastern Ontario Wild, F) 12th round – McFarlane was the third highest scorer in the OEMHL this year, and was the second leading scorer on the Wild. Standing at 5’8” tall, Jeremy isn’t the biggest but he is able to above his smaller stature. An elusive forward who can protect the puck and make the smart play when needed. Not physically strong compared to other forwards, but he is able to use his skating and his stick to separate the man from the puck in open ice and along the boards.
Honourable Mention: Luke Opilka (St. Louis Blues, G) 6th round – Haven’t seen him play, but from all accounts the second best goalie in the draft. Been compared to a possible John Gibson type goaltender if he were to come to the OHL and the Rangers.

London Knights
Zach Grzelewski (Thunder Bay Kings, F) 6th round – The former Captain of the TB Kings is a consummate leader. Can play several roles but excels at generating offence through a hard forecheck and physical play. He is able to pick apart defenceman along the boards and control puck possession in all three zones. Hard-nosed, high compete style which will fit into the Knights lineup for 2014/15.
Noah Jordan (Toronto Jr. Canadiens, F) 8th round – The big forward likes to play with the puck. He can carry it through the neutral zone while using his body to protect the puck with ease. For his size he has a good shot, both wrist and slap shot. Not over powering but good enough to cause rebound issues or to create tips and deflections. Noah is one of the first forwards back to help out his defenceman and covers for his defence when they decide to go for a skate. Jordan can play off the boards and behind the net but not overtly physical.

Owen Sound Attack
Chris Hill (Brampton 45’s, D) 9th round – Chris was talked about a lot at the beginning of the year and as it progressed the talks died down. Not because of poor play, but because there is very little that is flashy about the defenceman. He isn’t a natural puck carrier, doesn’t have a huge point shot, and isn’t extremely physical or punishing. He is almost a prototypical defensive defenceman. Again, that isn’t a knock on him. He plays his position at a very high level and is able to stop most offensive threats that the opposition has. Can move the puck short distances through his skating and can make great first passes to generate a breakout. His feet are his best attribute which allows him to gain optimal position in front of the net or as the forwards enter his zone. Owen Sound is going to lose a lot off the blueline this year and there is a potential chance that Hill could step in right away if he has a productive summer.
Tyler Richardson (Toronto Marlboros, G) 11th round – The Attack use another late pick to take a goaltender and in Richardson, you get a big game goalie who was overlooked throughout the season. There is generally a stigma about how good a Marlboros goalie is given the team that generally plays in front of them, but Tyler showed several times this year that the team will rely on him to make the stops and help turn the momentum around. Richardson’s strength is his legs. The bottom of the net is tough to beat him on, even after several rebounds. A good glove for the goalie mixed with a strong compete level could give Richardson an edge heading into camp with a backup role available.