By Andrew Harvey
Saginaw Spirit
Jack Combs and Chris Chappell played a major role in the Saginaw's surprising 2008-09 season but both were overage players and are ineligible to return. To fill that large offensive void Jordan Szwarz, Jordan Skellett and Joe Pleckaitis will be forced to have standout seasons. Rookies Anthony Camera and Vincent Trocheck are also highly touted and expected to put up double digits in goals.
Along with tough guy Cody Sol, TJ Brodie and Nick Crawford will patrol the defensive zone and lead a relatively young group of defensemen. Also included in this group is up and comer Alex Lepkowski, who at 6'3 185 lbs will provide the size Saginaw needs on the backend.
In net is where the Spirit should shine this year. Veteran Ed Pasquale is a top 5 goalie in the league and should carry the team. Though currently injured, Pasquale is not expected to miss much time. Even still, backup Anthony Peters is more than able to carry the team for the immediate future.
Saginaw is a team that lost a lot of veteran leadership and replaced it with very young and inexperienced players, albeit with very high ceilings. The Spirit could surprise people this year, but for now there are too many variables. They should however be a playoff team in a weak West division.
Prediction: Second West Division, Seventh Western Conference
Plymouth Whalers
Another major wild card team in the West is the Plymouth Whalers. Tyler Seguin is a superstar in the making and should hit the 50 goal and 100 point mark this season. The issue is how much help he will get to reach those totals.
The Whalers have depth but after Seguin no player stands out. Ryan Hayes is the likeliest of linemates for Seguin but begins the year out of action with an injured shoulder. AJ Jenks was expected to be big time scorer in the league but has yet to pan out and is hoping to recover from a disappointing 08-09 campaign. The team will likely be testing out numerous linemates for Seguin early in the season in order to find a good fit. Anybody from Jenks to overager Joe Gaynor to rookie Garret Meurs could fill that role.
Defense will be Plymouth's strength this year. Leo Jenner leads a group of talented returning group that includes offensive threat Beau Schmitz who is looking to build on a strong rookie campaign.
In net Minnesota Wild pick Matt Hackett will lead the charge and is considered by many to be the best goalie in the Western Conference. If the Whalers can get consistent scoring this season, they have a real shot at a top 5 position in the conference. However, until Tyler Seguin gets some help, they are barely a playoff team.
Prediction: Third West Division, Eighth Western Conference
Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds
Don’t let a 5-0 record in the preseason and a 5-0 start to the regular season fool you: the Greyhounds are not a strong team this season. Bryce O’Hagan and Robyn Lehner have done a fantastic job between the pipes so far and its looking like coach Denny Lambert will be splitting the time between them. For the Soo to succeed this year both goalies will have to be on top of their game.
Though young and inexperienced, the blueline has plenty of potential. Mike Quesnele, Brock Beukebeum and Brandon Archibald will provide offense from the backend while Jake Muzzin and Dylan King will fill the stay at home physical defensemen role.
Offensively is where the Greyhounds are expected to hurt this year. Daniel Catenacci and Nick Cousins are highly touted rookies, but it’s a lot to ask of them to lead the offense of an OHL team. James Linvingston will be relied on heavily to score goals this year as well. There is no question that this team is built strongly for the future...but with so many young players and the tendency for rookies to fade as the season goes on, things might get pretty tough in the Soo as the season grinds on.
Prediction: Fourth West Division, Ninth Western Conference
Sarnia Sting
Goals will be nearly impossible to come by for Sarnia this year. The Sting lost their 5 leading scorers from last season. Steve Reese and Ben O’Quinn are the highest scoring returning players and neither is capable of carrying the offensive brunt of a team. Rookies JC Campagna, Brett Ritchie and Brandon Francisco are expected to play key roles out of necessity.
The loss of Mark Katic and Matt Martin on defense is catastrophic. Ron Soucie should be able to take some of the minutes but the offense Martin and Katic supplied is irreplaceable. Joining Soucie on the backend are veterans Brent Sullivan and Jordan Hill who may have to take up an offensive role.
Goaltending will be another major issue for the Sting. Shayne Campbell, the expected starter, is not a quality number one goalie and rookie backup Jeese Raymond is not ready to be a starter either. There will be a lot of goals scored in Sarnia games this year and very few will be scored by the Sting. It will be a very long season and unlike the also weak Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds, the Sting are a few years away from contending.
Prediction: Fifth West Division, Tenth Western Conference
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
OHL Western Conference Preview - Part 1
Andrew Harvey is an avid hockey enthusaist with a background in scouting and talent evaluation. He offers a first look at the Western Conference in the Ontario Hockey League.
Windsor Spitfires
After winning the Memorial Cup last season, Windsor has managed to put together an even stronger team this year. With the addition of Cam Fowler on the power play and blueline and Richard Panik up front, goals will not be hard to come by. It is also expected that Ryan Ellis and Taylor Hall will build even more on their excellent starts to their OHL careers.
There are a few key losses in Rob Kwiet, Andrei Loktionov and Dale Mitchell - but young players Jesse Blacker, Austin Watson and rookie Michael Whaley are more than capable of filling those roles. Many expect Windsor to challenge London’s all time record from 2005; but unless a replacement is found for the underwhelming goaltending of Josh Unice, they will not match that feat. Anything short of first in the league and a Memorial Cup repeat would be a disappointment.
Prediction: First in Western Conference
London Knights
London will be a very tough team to keep off the score sheet and even tougher to battle against in the corners. On paper the Knights are a different looking team than in years past, but they are still a Dale Hunter team and should finish top 4 in the West. The defense has taken a hit this year with the loss of John Carlson and the expected loss of Michael Del Zotto; and to a lesser extent Kevin Montgomery and Vladamir Roth who decided to head back to the Czech Republic. Hunter will heavily lean on Steve Tarasuk to log big minutes on the blueline.
Up front exists the usual London firepower. Nazem Kadri is expected to battle for the league lead in points. Big years are also expected out of Phil Varone, Phil Mcrae and Justin Taylor. Also look for Jared Knight to build on a strong rookie campaign. The loss of Trevor Cann in net is huge as well but Michael Hutchinson is more than capable of taking the reigns. Though not the strongest team on paper, London is always tough to play and should compete to win the Midwest Division which despite the prediction, is fully up for grabs this season.
Prediction: First in Midwest Division, 2nd in Western Conference
Guelph Storm
Guelph comes in to the season lacking depth but boasts a very strong top 6 forward and top 4 defensive lineup. However, there are huge questions in net. Cody St. Jacques has yet to prove he can be a legitimate starter in the league and backup Matt Hoyle (who left Harvard for Guelph) could contend for the starting job until mid season when number 1 goalie Brandon Foote returns from a hip injury.
Matt Kennedy, Peter Holland, Taylor Beck and Michael Latta provide a ton of offense up front and the defense led by Corey Syvret and Adam Comrie is potentially the best in the league.
Guelph is a tough team with plenty of firepower up front but unless Foote returns earlier than expected they likely wont be able to take the Midwestern Division.
Prediction: Second in the Midwest Division, 3rd in Western Conference
Kitchener Rangers
The Rangers are the wild card on the OHL this year. With so many new faces - and high profile ones at that - the Rangers could find themselves anywhere from 2nd to 8th in the conference. Goals will not be hard to come by with second-year standout Jeff Skinner leading the charge and raising his NHL draft position with every passing game. Joining him up front are returning players Jason Akeson and Chris Mackinnon. Throw in the mix highly touted additions Jeremy Morin and Gabriel Landeskog and you have a lethal group of top 6 forwards.
Defense is a question right now, especially until Columbus Blue Jackets first rounder John Moore is returned. As of right now Captain Dan Kelly and Swedish import Patrik Andersson lead the way. Behind those two and Moore is a group of mix and match young players with little experience. Major minutes will need to be logged by the top 3 for the Rangers to succeed.
In net, new addition Brandon Maxwell is expected to be the number 1...but OHL veteran Mavric Parks may have something to say about that. Without strong goaltending the Rangers will not succeed this year.
Prediction: Third Midwest Division, Fourth Western Conference
Erie Otters
Looking to build on an excellent season last year, Erie is playing wait and see on a few key players who will make or break the season. Jaroslav Janus, the impressive import goalie, is still at Tampa Bay camp. Offensive star Ryan O’Reilley is still with the Avalanche and is expected to make the team for at least the start of the season.
After the losses of Luke Gazdic and leading scorer Justin Hodgman, the Otters are expecting big things out of younger players Andrew Yogan and Greg Mckegg as well as returning veteran Zack Torquato. Mitch Gaulton and Tyler Hostetter are expected to lead the backend offensively, but there are major question marks after Gaulton, Hostetter and veteran shut down man Paul Cianfrini.
Without Janus, the Otters are relying on the underachieving Shane Owen and rookie Ramis Sadikov who is likely to take the brunt of the games. All coach Robbie Ftorek can do right now is hope for the return of Janus and O'Reilley or goals will be hard to come by and hard to keep out.
Prediction: Fourth Midwest Division, Fifth Western Conference
Owen Sound Attack
The Attack are a decent team all around on paper but still have some question marks. Joey Hishon is as much of an offensive sure thing as there is in the league but beyond him and Garrett Wilson the offense wont come easily unless a few things fall into place. Bobby Mignardi his hoping to regroup from a disappointing season and the jury is still out on Mike Lomas and Steven Shipley, though a lot is expected from them this season. Potentially the Attack should have a potent top 6 but have yet to prove they can put it all together during a game.
On the blueline, rookie Geoff Schemitsch is expected to do big things along with returning player Milan Doczy. Beyond the two of them there is not much to get excited about.
In net Scott Stajcer is hoping to build on his good numbers from last year…and he will have to as the Attack do not have a capable backup.
Prediction: Fifth Midwest, Sixth Western Conference
Windsor Spitfires
After winning the Memorial Cup last season, Windsor has managed to put together an even stronger team this year. With the addition of Cam Fowler on the power play and blueline and Richard Panik up front, goals will not be hard to come by. It is also expected that Ryan Ellis and Taylor Hall will build even more on their excellent starts to their OHL careers.
There are a few key losses in Rob Kwiet, Andrei Loktionov and Dale Mitchell - but young players Jesse Blacker, Austin Watson and rookie Michael Whaley are more than capable of filling those roles. Many expect Windsor to challenge London’s all time record from 2005; but unless a replacement is found for the underwhelming goaltending of Josh Unice, they will not match that feat. Anything short of first in the league and a Memorial Cup repeat would be a disappointment.
Prediction: First in Western Conference
London Knights
London will be a very tough team to keep off the score sheet and even tougher to battle against in the corners. On paper the Knights are a different looking team than in years past, but they are still a Dale Hunter team and should finish top 4 in the West. The defense has taken a hit this year with the loss of John Carlson and the expected loss of Michael Del Zotto; and to a lesser extent Kevin Montgomery and Vladamir Roth who decided to head back to the Czech Republic. Hunter will heavily lean on Steve Tarasuk to log big minutes on the blueline.
Up front exists the usual London firepower. Nazem Kadri is expected to battle for the league lead in points. Big years are also expected out of Phil Varone, Phil Mcrae and Justin Taylor. Also look for Jared Knight to build on a strong rookie campaign. The loss of Trevor Cann in net is huge as well but Michael Hutchinson is more than capable of taking the reigns. Though not the strongest team on paper, London is always tough to play and should compete to win the Midwest Division which despite the prediction, is fully up for grabs this season.
Prediction: First in Midwest Division, 2nd in Western Conference
Guelph Storm
Guelph comes in to the season lacking depth but boasts a very strong top 6 forward and top 4 defensive lineup. However, there are huge questions in net. Cody St. Jacques has yet to prove he can be a legitimate starter in the league and backup Matt Hoyle (who left Harvard for Guelph) could contend for the starting job until mid season when number 1 goalie Brandon Foote returns from a hip injury.
Matt Kennedy, Peter Holland, Taylor Beck and Michael Latta provide a ton of offense up front and the defense led by Corey Syvret and Adam Comrie is potentially the best in the league.
Guelph is a tough team with plenty of firepower up front but unless Foote returns earlier than expected they likely wont be able to take the Midwestern Division.
Prediction: Second in the Midwest Division, 3rd in Western Conference
Kitchener Rangers
The Rangers are the wild card on the OHL this year. With so many new faces - and high profile ones at that - the Rangers could find themselves anywhere from 2nd to 8th in the conference. Goals will not be hard to come by with second-year standout Jeff Skinner leading the charge and raising his NHL draft position with every passing game. Joining him up front are returning players Jason Akeson and Chris Mackinnon. Throw in the mix highly touted additions Jeremy Morin and Gabriel Landeskog and you have a lethal group of top 6 forwards.
Defense is a question right now, especially until Columbus Blue Jackets first rounder John Moore is returned. As of right now Captain Dan Kelly and Swedish import Patrik Andersson lead the way. Behind those two and Moore is a group of mix and match young players with little experience. Major minutes will need to be logged by the top 3 for the Rangers to succeed.
In net, new addition Brandon Maxwell is expected to be the number 1...but OHL veteran Mavric Parks may have something to say about that. Without strong goaltending the Rangers will not succeed this year.
Prediction: Third Midwest Division, Fourth Western Conference
Erie Otters
Looking to build on an excellent season last year, Erie is playing wait and see on a few key players who will make or break the season. Jaroslav Janus, the impressive import goalie, is still at Tampa Bay camp. Offensive star Ryan O’Reilley is still with the Avalanche and is expected to make the team for at least the start of the season.
After the losses of Luke Gazdic and leading scorer Justin Hodgman, the Otters are expecting big things out of younger players Andrew Yogan and Greg Mckegg as well as returning veteran Zack Torquato. Mitch Gaulton and Tyler Hostetter are expected to lead the backend offensively, but there are major question marks after Gaulton, Hostetter and veteran shut down man Paul Cianfrini.
Without Janus, the Otters are relying on the underachieving Shane Owen and rookie Ramis Sadikov who is likely to take the brunt of the games. All coach Robbie Ftorek can do right now is hope for the return of Janus and O'Reilley or goals will be hard to come by and hard to keep out.
Prediction: Fourth Midwest Division, Fifth Western Conference
Owen Sound Attack
The Attack are a decent team all around on paper but still have some question marks. Joey Hishon is as much of an offensive sure thing as there is in the league but beyond him and Garrett Wilson the offense wont come easily unless a few things fall into place. Bobby Mignardi his hoping to regroup from a disappointing season and the jury is still out on Mike Lomas and Steven Shipley, though a lot is expected from them this season. Potentially the Attack should have a potent top 6 but have yet to prove they can put it all together during a game.
On the blueline, rookie Geoff Schemitsch is expected to do big things along with returning player Milan Doczy. Beyond the two of them there is not much to get excited about.
In net Scott Stajcer is hoping to build on his good numbers from last year…and he will have to as the Attack do not have a capable backup.
Prediction: Fifth Midwest, Sixth Western Conference
Friday, September 25, 2009
fromtheslot.com
Welcome to stage 1 of fromtheslot.com, a website brought to you by several young hockey analysts and fans. Starting this season we will provide you with a virtual center of hockey commentary, analysis, and interaction. Our goal is to offer a fresh perspective on various topics and issues throughout the hockey world. In the coming days, we'll be rolling out team previews and other articles written in the summer while we were all starved for hockey. Stay tuned for our first few entries!
We intend to move the site to its permanent location (fromtheslot.com) as soon as possible. The blogger format is temporary; we still complete our basic template and finish the original website design.
We intend to move the site to its permanent location (fromtheslot.com) as soon as possible. The blogger format is temporary; we still complete our basic template and finish the original website design.
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