My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft - Part 1: Honorable Mentions

The race to the draft is on. We're about a month away from the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, so that means it's time for me to release my rankings.

The top 50 will be released in four parts: Part 1 - Honorable Mentions, Part 2 - Prospects 50-31, Part 3 - Prospects 30-11, and Part 4 - Prospects 10-1.

Just for clarification, for my top 50 ranking, I haven't included any players eligible for draft re-entry, such as Eric Locke or Cameron Brace. This has been consistent all the way through my lists. Instead, I did a list of the top 10 draft re-entries, which can be found here.

Also for clarification, this list is MY list of the top 50 OHL prospects, as if I were drafting for my own team. In other words, this isn't a list of where I THINK or believe players will go, but a ranking of my own opinion on the top players eligible for this draft based on my viewings this season. If you want a draft projection and information about players outside the OHL, be sure to order the Future Considerations and/or McKeen's Draft Guides.

This first part includes the Honorable Mentions of my list. These are the players who received consideration for my top 50, but who fell just short. There are 13 in total.

In alphabetical order...

Aaron Berisha - Forward - Belleville Bulls
One of several players to join the OHL from Salisbury Prep this season (DiFruscia, Nichols, Welsh), Berisha had a pretty decent rookie OHL season. I had heard great things about him going into the season, but he wasn't able to make as big of an offensive impact as people expected. He's got some offensive skill, in particular as a goal scorer with a quick release, but I felt like strength wise he was a bit overmatched in the OHL at times this season. Although I will say that later into the season and into the playoffs, I was impressed with his dedication to embracing his role as an energy guy. He upped his intensity level without the puck and even became a bit of a factor on the forecheck. Next year, he'll get a chance to be a more critical component to Belleville's offense and I'll be interested to see if he improves.

Nick Betz - Forward - Erie Otters
A real project. The 6'5 forward was never able to find a groove this year after contracting appendicitis early in the season. The size is obviously very appealing, but I feel like he's yet to fully figure out how to use it to be an effective player. He can play physical, but isn't consistent in that area. His ability to receive passes and carry the puck is also still a work in progress and it prevents him from being more of a contributor offensively. There's obviously potential for him to develop into a terrific board player and a guy you can put in front of the net, but he's not yet the sum of his parts. I felt like I was more impressed with him last year as a 16/17 year old and that his development stalled this season (perhaps because of the abdominal surgery). Could still be a solid pick later in the draft for a team willing to be patient.

Jean Dupuy - Forward - Kingston Frontenacs
Dupuy finished tied for 2nd in the OHL in fighting majors this year with 13. He's got great size at 6'3 and is a real heart and soul, character type of guy. While he's certainly no stranger to dropping the mitts, I wouldn't necessarily call him a terrific enforcer at this point. In a couple of the fights I saw him engaged in this year, I don't really remember him clearly winning any. But he plays hard at both ends of the ice, will block shots, smash bodies and come to the aid of his teammates. At this point, his offensive upside appears limited but his work ethic should be applauded.

Jake Evans - Forward - Erie Otters
Evans is a player that I had high expectations for this season. I was very impressed with him as a 16/17 year old, but he just didn't take that next step forward in 2013. If anything, I felt like he regressed a bit and was less noticeable on the ice. He's a hard worker at both ends of the ice, and he became a more physical player this season. But his offensive game just failed to progress. He's able to work the cycle on some occasions, but still lacks the strength to consistently win one on one battles and it limits his effectiveness to create scoring chances for his linemates. Erie's depth at the center position continues to get better and better, so Evans might be running out of time to impress.

Ryan Hutchinson - Forward - Kingston Frontenacs
I felt like Hutchinson was having a very solid sophomore season in the OHL before things started to unravel for him. First was the suspension due to his temper tantrum (which went viral and can be found here). Then, he was sent home by the Fronts for a curfew related incident. But when he played this year, Hutchinson provided a lot of value as a rugged, stay at home defender. He's got size and he's a very physical guy who can help to intimidate the opposition. He'll also drop the mitts and was no stranger to fighting or sticking up for teammates. Hopefully he's able to resolve things in Kingston, or at least find a new home in the OHL next year.

Mitch Jones - Forward - Plymouth Whalers
While he didn't play a ton this year (missed two months with an undisclosed injury), Jones impressed me a lot every time I saw the Whalers and he was in the line-up. He's a real stocky defenseman who I saw make a lot of very solid defensive plays this season. He's got great positioning while defending the rush and keeps forwards to the outside. I also liked how physical he played, despite not being the biggest defender (a shade under 6'0). I think he's got a lot of potential in this league and I see him taking on a much larger role in Plymouth next season.

Justin Nichols - Goaltender - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Looked a bit overmatched at the beginning of the season, when he earned the back-up job behind Matt Murray. But he got better as the season went on (save his two awful performances at the very end of the year). Nearly every facet of his game took a step forward from beginning to end and he looks like he could be a solid starter some time in the future. That said, he's not the biggest goalie and he was prone to giving up some softer goals as he's still learning his angles at OHL speed.

Daniel Nikandrov - Forward - Sarnia Sting
Nikandrov is a smooth skating center with some size and offensive ability. He was used primarily as a depth player by Sarnia this season (his first full one in the OHL), but did see some time on the penalty kill where he was fairly effective. NHL Central Scouting has him ranked a lot higher than I do, but I'm not entirely sure where he fits in at the next level. I didn't see a ton from him this year that would suggest he's a future top line player. But I also didn't see much that would suggest he could be the type of role player an NHL team would want on their bottom 6. Admittedly, I didn't get a terrific read on him this season.

Stephen Nosad - Forward - Peterborough Petes
Not really sure what happened to Nosad this year. I thought he was going to have a great year after contributing so much as a rookie in 2012. But he took a step back this year and not forward. He has some offensive skill and is a pretty cerebral player, but the skating, strength, and play without the puck didn't improve enough to make him a consistent offensive contributor. He was actually quite invisible in the times I saw Peterborough this year. A big disappointment in 2013 (kind of like the rest of his Peterborough teammates).

Mark Raycroft - Defenseman - Brampton/North Bay Battalion
Raycroft is not flashy at all, but he is an effective stay at home defender at this point in his development. He's not a physical player by any means, but he is a good skater and he has some size, which allows him to defend pretty well off the rush. He'll need to continue to get stronger (and maybe a little meaner) in order to take his defensive game to that next level. He barely played this year, as I felt like Butler preferred to role his top 5 defenseman out there more often (with all of them being very solid players). With Cameron Wind gone, he'll have a chance to earn more icetime next year, especially on the penalty kill and in important defensive situations.

Mathew Santos - Forward - Brampton/North Bay Battalion
A walk-on to the Battalion this year, Santos proved to be a pretty effective energy guy who saw ice time in a lot of different roles this season. He's got some speed coming down the wing and he works his butt off in the offensive end to gain and keep possession. Not sure he's the most skilled guy in the world, but if you put him with some solid playmakers, I think he's got offensive potential in this league. As the season went on, I felt like he was also more confident in throwing his weight around and playing physical (something he'll have to do more consistently).

Jonatan Tanus - Forward - Peterborough Petes
A speedy little guy who was definitely one of the more consistent players in Peterborough this year. He's got lot of skill with the puck and is a very effective north/south type of guy. Likes to dart in and out of traffic and can be elusive in coverage. He's also not afraid of playing in traffic despite being smaller and will even get his nose dirty from time to time. He was also a solid contributor for team Finland at the Under 18's this year. I think some might be surprised that he's not in my top 50, but I'm not sure I see enough in him to suggest he'll be anything more than a solid scorer in Europe (when he eventually returns).

Thomas Welsh - Defenseman - Mississauga Steelheads
Welsh joined Mississauga about half way through the year, coming over from Georgetown (Junior A). He was a pretty highly touted prospect for Mississauga, who struggled a bit with adapting to the speed of the OHL game. He's a smaller/stocky defender, but he can look slow out there. He'll need to work on his mobility, especially if he wants to involve himself more offensively in transition. But, I saw some things in his game to suggest there could be a lot of potential in there. He's a very physical player, and he'll be effective in a defensive role when he learns to pick his spots better and improves his agility. I don't think he's a draft prospect now, but I like his potential to develop into something down the road.

Podcast with Talking Red

David Sarch of the podcast "Talking Red," had me on the program to talk about some OHL prospects recently.

You can check it out HERE.

Sunday Top 10 - 2013 NHL Draft Re-Entries

It's that time of the year for my annual (2012, 2011, 2010, 2009) list of the top second and third year eligible OHL players for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. This is always one of the most read articles I put out each year. It's also the topic which I receive the most questions on, whether through email or blog comments. For whatever reason, the concept fascinates people. Of course, I'm referring to the concept of the "draft re-entry." A shift in drafting philosophy has seen an enormous rise of these players getting drafted in recent years. This is mostly because drafting a second or third year eligible player gives NHL teams a lot of flexibility in their development under the new CBA. Plus, a lot of these guys have been having success in recent years (Andrew Shaw is a great example from the OHL), which basic psychology tells us that other NHL teams will try to mimic.

Just to clarify yet again, for those with limited understanding of the NHL draft system; North American players have either two or three years to get drafted, depending on their birth date. For those born from January 1 to September 15, they will go through three NHL drafts. For those born from September 16 to December 31, they will go through two NHL drafts. The players on this list are a mix of those having been passed over once or twice already.

Also, do not confuse this list with players drafted in 2011 who will re-enter the draft should they fail to come to a contractual agreement with their NHL team by June 1 (and whose birth date still allows them to be eligible). Quite often those too are referred to as draft re-entries. But this list does not contain them because it is not yet known who those players will be.

Last year was a crazy year for the selection of 2nd and 3rd year eligible players. We had one go in the first round (Tanner Pearson). We had four go inside the top 60. And we had 12 go inside the top 100. All together, 48 players who could be classified as "draft re-entries" were selected. That made up about 23% of all players selected in 2012...or close to one quarter. 9 of those 48 were OHL players.

This year, I could easily see another 9/10 players of this ilk selected from the OHL. Any of the players that I've listed below (either on the list or as HM's) could develop into NHL players IMO.

Without any further rambling, here's my list:

10. Mathew Campagna - Sudbury Wolves
Finally started showing signs of living up to his high draft selection in the 2010 Priority draft. He's always been incredibly skilled with the puck, but there had been reservations about the rest of his game. This year was a breakout campaign for him. He was voted as the 3rd most improved player in the East in the Coaches poll and he deserved it. While there's still room for improvement in his "overall game," he definitely looked more hungry without the puck and more engaged in high traffic areas this year. Previously he was kept to the perimeter a lot, but this year he was getting his nose dirty more in the slot and looking to take the puck hard to the net on rushes. He's a very skilled player with the puck and is able to create offensive opportunities for his linemates through creativity and poise. You definitely have to give him credit for making some necessary refinements to his game this year.

9. Zach Hall - Barrie Colts
Exploded offensively this year, playing alongside Mark Scheifele in Barrie. But Hall is not simply a by product of Scheifele. When Scheifele was at NHL camp at the beginning of the season, and at the WJC's, Hall put this Colts team on his back and has been a consistent contributor all season long. He's a terrific playmaker and is at his best off the rush where he's got great hockey sense to make plays at high speed. He definitely sees the ice well and makes those around him better players. An underrated aspect of Hall's game is his play in the neutral zone and in his own end. He's a very competent defensive player and a very hard worker on the backcheck. He's not the biggest guy (pushing 6'0 ft), so he's not going to outmuscle anyone, but he does work hard at both ends and has enough offensive skill to contribute on the score sheet at the next level.
 
8. Dakota Mermis - London Knights
I may not be as enamored with Mermis as NHL Central Scouting is, but he was definitely a solid contributor to the Knights line up after joining the team midseason from the U of Denver. He's just a very solid defenseman. There isn't one aspect of his game that REALLY jumps out at you, but he's very well rounded. He does a good job of skating the puck up ice and out of trouble, and is developing well as a powerplay quarterback. Even though he was billed as more of an offensive defenseman, I think I was most impressed with him defensively. He closes gaps well and does a great job of defending off the rush. And he's a more physical defender than I expected him to be. He's small and stocky. Reminds me a lot of former Spitfire Mark Cundari.

7. Barclay Goodrow - Brampton Battalion
I've always felt like despite his skating deficiencies, he should have been drafted these past few years; I've always been a fan. But this year I truly think is his year. The skating looked much improved and it allowed Goodrow to be a better player in all three zones. He was able to be more active and effective on the forecheck, and was also more explosive coming off the wall with the puck. His defensive game really improved this year too, to the point where he was one of the better two-way forwards in the league. He's very aggressive in his pursuit of the puck. Scouts also have to love the fact that he wore the C in Brampton this year and led the team to another playoff appearance. And even with all the improvements in the rest of his game, he can still shoot the puck (which has always been his bread and butter). Goodrow set a career high with 38 goals this year. As I said, I think this will finally be his year.

6. Zac Leslie - Guelph Storm
Leslie should have been drafted last year following a solid rookie campaign in Guelph. This year, his sophomore season, Leslie really took off as a player (2nd most improved in the West in the Coaches poll). Nearly every facet of his game improved and he was one of Guelph's top defenseman. I actually felt like he was better than Matt Finn this year. Leslie ran the point on Guelph's powerplay well and does a good job of keeping pucks in at the line. His overall confidence with the puck greatly improved and he was willing to take more chances offensively. Defensively, he remained solid but was more consistently physical and was able to do a better job of winning battles in the corners and moving bodies in front of the net. Teams should be angry that they didn't jump on him in the 7th round last year.

5. Cameron Brace - Owen Sound Attack
A speed demon; Brace is definitely one of the fastest north/south players in the league. He's got a very high motor and is always working hard to make things happen. Brace has actually lead the league in short handed goals the past two years, a testament to his ability to use his speed to disrupt plays in the neutral zone and on the forecheck. He's also got a very good wrist shot that he can fire coming down the wing. The key to Brace's game is playing with consistent ferocity. He's definitely not the biggest (5'10), so he needs to outwork and outskate the opposition. In the playoffs, I felt like he was completely ineffective following the hit on Jared McCann and subsequent suspension. It was because he was playing cautious after that and it limited his effectiveness. Hopefully his finish to the season didn't leave a sour taste in the mouths of scouts.

4. Henri Ikonen - Kingston Frontenacs
I really liked what I saw from this first year Import this season. Ikonen found great chemistry playing with two other rookies this year, 16 year olds Sam Bennett and Spencer Watson. Ikonen was like the middle ground/well rounded offensive playmaker on that line. Bennett was the feisty workhorse, Watson the skilled finisher, and Ikonen the smart distributor/catalyst. I was impressed with his ability to work the cycle and make things happen from behind the net and off the wall. He's got a great hockey IQ and seems to be a very well rounded offensive player. He wasn't one to shy away from playing physical at times either, and working hard on the backcheck. After leading Kingston in scoring this year, I'm hoping he returns again next year to continue to develop his bond with Bennett and Watson.

3. Dane Fox - Erie Otters
I had him ranked 18th from the OHL last year, but he ultimately went undrafted, which unfortunately didn't seem to surprise too many people inside the NHL realm. He's had some issues with the authorities in the past and that seemed to hurt him on draft day. I did a feature on Dane last year and in my relations with him, he seemed like a really great kid, so I'm going to continue to support him and my opinion of him as an NHL prospect remains unchanged. The year didn't start off great for Dane (thanks to a broken foot), but when he returned, he did play well. He's got the skill and potential to develop into a solid 3rd line NHL center (think David Bolland). He's got speed, skill with the puck, good vision with the puck and a real edge to his game. If he doesn't get drafted again this year, I hope he comes back to Erie strong as an overager next year and really takes his game to the next level to earn a contract.

2. Justin Auger - Guelph Storm
Auger is still a massive project, but one who could be worth the risk of drafting. He improved a lot in his 2nd year in the league, which I think is a great sign of things to come as he continues to grow into his body. At 6'7, he can be a real load for defenseman to handle in the corners and in front of the net. In particular, his work on the cycle is impressive. His long reach and improving strength make him a very difficult player to separate from the puck. I'd still love to see him be more aggressive and use his size more to be a crease presence though. His skating is still an issue, but it DEFINITELY improved this year. Last year, I felt like he was one of the ugliest skaters in the league. This year, he looked better and more stable on his skates. Improving those first few steps will be the key to increasing his offensive production. You need to look down the line with a player like Auger. Right now, he's still trying to find his game. But you have to be impressed with his development thus far and take a chance on a big 6'7 forward with some skill.

1. Eric Locke - Saginaw Spirit
It's like the lightbulb finally went off or something. Previously, I'd always been hard on Locke as a player. I didn't even rank him inside my top 50 last year, despite the fact that he had previously been a fairly high profile player. I just felt like he hadn't really improved during his time in the OHL up to that point. He was still just trying to get by on being a speedy wing scorer, with little else to his game. This year, Locke was a completely different player. He was an obvious choice for most improved player in the West in the Coaches poll. He suddenly started using his speed to help him be a factor without the puck. And he added a mean streak and truculence to his game that wasn't previously there. Basically, Locke was no longer satisfied with being a complimentary player who let others do the hard work for him. He began taking over shifts by being all over the ice and getting involved in all facets of the game. He's always been a skilled player, but now the effort level and play in all three zones was improved to match it. If Locke would have played this way last year, he would have been a lock (no pun intended) for the first three rounds. This year, I think it remains to be seen where he goes, but I'd be VERY surprised if he doesn't go somewhere.

Honorable Mentions

Goaltender

London's Jake Patterson was very close to cracking this list. At midseason, he would have been on it, but his play slipped a bit in the second half and he lost his starter's job to Anthony Stolarz. For someone playing in their first full OHL season, Patterson acquitted himself quite well this year. Yes, he had some rough patches, but he has the potential to develop into a quality netminder. The one thing I like about him as a goalie is how aggressive he is in challenging shooters. He comes out as far as any goalie in the league. He can be a bit slow post to post though and will need to work on his general agility, as well as his rebound control moving forward.

Franky Palazzese cracked this list last year, but is just on the outside looking in for this year's installment. It's his last chance to be drafted, before becoming a free agent, so we'll see how he does. I felt like he probably had a better season last year when he failed to get drafted, so I'm not sure what to expect. Palazzese is just a solid netminder.who gives his team a chance to win every night. He moves well in his crease and has a penchant for that "highlight reel" save. If he doesn't get drafted this time, I think he'll have a big overage year with the Wolves next year.

Defense

Saginaw's Dalton Young is a very underrated player in this league. He had a real breakout season from the back-end. He skates as well as any defender in the league and he's got good size for a PMD. Defensively, he's pretty solid and won't hurt you either. I think he profiles well as the type of defenseman an NHL team could look at as a puck rushing option.

Brenden Miller didn't see a ton of time with Brampton last year, playing on the team's third pairing and receiving few responsibilities. This year he earned more ice time and really saw his game grow. He was on the Battalion's top powerplay unit with Dylan Blujus and I actually think he did a better job of running the point than the Lightning high selection did. Defensively, he's also pretty solid and isn't afraid to use his size either. His skating needs some work, especially if he wants to play more of an offensive role at the next level, but there's some potential there.

Another guy who cracked last year's list, but not this years is Sarnia blueliner Alex Basso. I'm still a big fan of Basso's, but I don't think there was a ton of progression this year (from last year), other than staying relatively healthy. He's still a terrific offensive blueliner who moves the puck well, skates well, and who has a big shot from the point. Defensively, I think there's still room to grow, but I do really like how he keeps forwards honest by delivering a big hit from time to time. Just don't know if he gets drafted this year, considering he's basically the same guy who went unselected last year.

A sort of under the radar name is Barrie's Jonathan Laser. He got better and better as the season went on, which is something you love to see from a player playing in his first full OHL season. He's developed some great chemistry with Aaron Ekblad and plays a really simple, yet effective game. At the same time, I think there's real offensive upside in his game once he learns to move and skate with the puck more confidently. With Ryan O'Connor out in these playoffs, I felt like he stepped up hugely.

Forward

Erie's Connor Crisp is one name that could certainly draw some interest from NHL scouts. He makes for a great story. He barely played last year, save for an embarrassing emergency goaltending performance against Niagara, but this year he really made himself a big part of Erie's offense. He's a massive kid at 6'4, 225lbs and he loves to drop the gloves. But he's also got good hands in close (as evidenced by his 22 goals) and has potential as a crease crasher/garbage guy at the next level.

If one Rupert twin gets drafted, you have to think the odds are good that the other one draws some interest. Ryan went in the 7th last year to Toronto, maybe this year the Leafs select Matt Rupert? Matt plays the game very similarly to his brother Ryan, except he's more of a finisher than a playmaker like Ryan. 

OHL Playoff Predictions: OHL Championship

Well we're finally there. The OHL Championship series is upon us. On Friday, the London Knights and the Barrie Colts will engage in battle, in what should be a terrific series.

Throughout the playoffs thus far, I've compiled an 11-3 record; so I'd obviously prefer to finish on top with a correct prediction!

So, here we go:

1. London Knights vs. 2. Barrie Colts
Season Series: 2-0 London
My Analysis: While London did take the season series, both games were played early in the season (before December). Thus, I don't think we can use those as an accurate gauge. I don't think there's any question London has faced the more difficult route in this year's playoffs, so it's hard to compare the numbers. But I'll do it anyway. On paper, the Colts have the advantage in nearly every category thus far. They've allowed fewer goals. They've had the better powerplay and penalty kill. They've done a better job staying out of the box. And they've got the leading scorer of this year's playoffs in Mark Scheifele. Based on the above information, London has to do the following things in order to capture their second straight OHL championship: Firstly they've got to stay out of the box. Barrie's powerplay has been lights out this postseason and they can't give them numerous chances per game with the man advantage. Secondly, they've got to get bodies in front of the net to screen Matthias Niederberger. The Bulls were the first to be able to do that effectively in these playoffs, but they didn't do it consistently enough to win the East. No offense to Anthony Stolarz, but Niederberger is the better and more experienced goaltender in this match-up. And Thirdly, they've got to shutdown the Schefiele/Hall/Camara line like they did Vincent Trocheck last round (Bo Horvat has been sensational in a defensive role during these playoffs). And I think London is capable of doing those three things. As much as I'd love to see Barrie win (to spread the wealth), I think London's depth and playoff experience will help them win this series. But it's going to be closer than people are predicting. One side story I'm really interested to see unfold is the play of Andreas Athanasiou this series. He's quietly had a terrific bounce back season in Barrie and I'm sure he's going to be eager to stick it to the Knights for tossing him aside.
Prediction: London in 6

Would love to read your predictions in the comments section.

NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings for 2013

NHL Central Scouting has released their final rankings for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

Here's how the OHL shakes down.


SKATERS

1. Darnell Nurse
2. Sean Monahan
3. Zach Nastasiuk
4. Chris Bigras
5. Bo Horvat
6. Ryan Hartman
7. Kerby Rychel
8. Max Domi
9. Jimmy Lodge
10. Nikita Zadorov
11. Jason Dickinson
12. Justin Bailey
13. Jordan Subban
14. Nick Moutrey
15. Nicholas Baptiste
16. Ryan Kujawinski
17. Remi Elie
18. Dakota Mermis
19. Greg Betzold
20. Ben Harpur
21. Carter Verhaeghe
22. Kyle Platzer
23. Jeff Corbett
24. Sergei Tolchinsky
25. Cole Cassels
26. Josh Burnside
27. Nick Paul
28. Brent Pedersen
29. Stephen Harper
30. Daniel Nikandrov
31. Dominik Kubalik
32. Cameron Brace
33. Erik Bradford
34. Zach Leslie
35. Miles Liberati
36. Hunter Garlent
37. Zach Hall
38. Brody Silk
39. Tyler Ganly
40. Josh Brown
41. Henri Ikonen
42. Jean Dupuy
43. Anthony DiFruscia
44. Stephen Nosad
45. Tyler Bertuzzi

GOALIES

1. Spencer Martin
2. Michael Giugovaz
3. Jordan DeKort
4. Jake Patterson
5. Frank Palazzese
6. Charlie Graham
7. Jacob Blair

Here are the links to the full rankings:

SKATERS & GOALIES

Some thoughts on the rankings...

• First thing that shocked me was the aggressiveness with Nastasiuk's ranking. Quite frankly, I like it. I've been a big supporter of the kid since he joined the league and he was amazing the final few months of the season (and has continued that on to the Under 18's). He's firmly in my top 10 for the league too.
• Also continue to be surprised by Zadorov's low ranking. CSS seems to be the only place ranking him that low. I haven't been incredibly impressed with his play in the 2nd half, but he's still firmly a first round talent IMO. But...they've been low on him all season long.
• The lack of Alex Fotinos in the goaltenders category is still shocking. ISS has him ranked quite highly (in the top 10), while CSS doesn't even feel the need to rank him. Very odd and silly IMO. Fotinos is a solid goaltender and prospect and deserves to be ranked...ahead of a few of those OHL goaltenders IMO.
• Stephen Harper continues to free fall. Was talked about as a first rounder to start the year and now he's being ranked by Central Scouting as a possible 4th/5th round selection. It's deserving, but I still feel bad for him.
• The ranking of the "overagers" is a tad odd to me. IMO, the two top re-entry candidates available from the OHL are Justin Auger and Eric Locke. And neither of them are ranked, while a handful of others (some very deserving too) are. Strikes me as odd.
• Outside of that, I don't think they're all that bad, even if they may be a tad shocking to some.

OHL Playoff Predictions: Conference Finals

The 2013 Conference Finals are set to begin tomorrow night. Time to take a look at the match-ups.

Throughout the first two rounds, I'm 10-2 on my predictions. Let's keep the good times going.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Belleville Bulls vs. 2. Barrie Colts
Season Series: 1-1 TIE
My Analysis: Honestly, both of these Conference finals set up to be terrific match-ups. Both the Bulls and the Colts ran over their second round opponents. In fact, the Colts have yet to lose a game in these playoffs, despite losing their captain, Ryan O'Connor, to a 10 game suspension. O'Connor will be eligible to return Game 5 (should there be one). It's hard to find a match-up discrepancy between these two squads. Both teams have been terrific on special teams. Both teams have been getting sensational goaltending. Both teams are putting the puck in the net and getting scoring from all lines. So how do we predict a winner? I'm going on a gut instinct here. While both teams have good size up front and some physicality from the forward position, I like Barrie's larger and more physical defense more than Belleville's. I think the Bulls will have a harder time scoring than Barrie and if this series goes long (which I think it will), the Colts will get an emotional lift from O'Connor's return in game 5.
Prediction: Barrie in 6

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. London Knights vs. 2. Plymouth Whalers
Season Series: 3-1 London
My Analysis: You can throw London's dominance in the season series out the window. These teams haven't met since 2012 (Dec. 29), and anyone who covers the OHL can tell you how much better the Whalers look in 2013. They're a significantly more confident team since the new year. Bottom line, London hasn't played the Vincent Trocheck version of the Whalers. Goaltending is going to be a big factor in this series. Stolarz and Nedeljkovic have both been fairly solid for their respective teams thus far. But, neither has been perfect. Let us not forget that both are OHL rookies. Going against the offensive firepower both team's possess will be a big test for both goalies. I think the other big factor (possibly in swaying the series in Plymouth's favor) has been London's lackluster special teams play this offseason. In particular, their powerplay just isn't running on all cylinders right now. I absolutely can't wait to watch this series. Again, I'm going with a gut instinct, and that's Plymouth.
Prediction: Plymouth in 7

Sunday Top 10 - Most Impressive 1996 Born Players

 One of the many annual traditions I have on this blog is to rank the new batch of OHL rookies in order of the impression they left on me. Only the "true" OHL rookies have been included, thus why it's labeled the "Most Impressive 1996 born players." However, with the whole exceptional status thing, this means that Aaron Ekblad is going to be included in this group (because he was born in 1996). It also means that Connor McDavid is not going to be included in this list. I will describe the impression he left on me though.

I always like to note is that this isn't an early ranking for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. This ranking isn't the order in which I believe these players should be ranked for the draft, but an order of which players impressed me most. It's not a draft prognostication, it's an acknowledgment of the significant impact these players have had on their teams this season.

As mentioned, this is a tradition, so here are the previous year's lists. 1995's. 1994's. 1993's. 1992's.

10. Josh Ho-Sang - Windsor Spitfires
Ho-Sang certainly flashed moments of brilliance this year. He has an incredibly high skill level, which was apparent to anyone who watched him play in junior. Skating and ability to handle the puck are above average. At times this year, he was the best player on the ice, but he just wasn't able to keep up that consistency. There are definitely some things he needs to work on moving forward. I felt like he had trouble fighting through checks to get himself into good scoring position. I also felt like he overhandled the puck at times and was turnover prone. But he certainly showed enough offensive potential this season to make this list. It will be interesting to see what an offseason dedicated to strength training will do to make him a better player in his sophomore campaign.

9. Dante Salituro - Ottawa 67's
Salituro is like the little engine who could. He's little but he works his butt off. It was certainly hard to stick out in a positive way in Ottawa this year, but Salituro often did that. Regardless of the score, he was in there on the forecheck or trying to fight through checks with the puck. I was particularly impressed with his vision and ability to create scoring chances for his linemates. He looks like he's going to be a very good OHL player and a great running mate for Travis Konecny next season. Even though he's little, Salituro is already pretty solidly built, kind of similar to Max Domi, so I'm not really worried about stature preventing him from making a larger impact.

8. Roland McKeown - Kingston Frontenacs
I think most people will be surprised to see McKeown as low as he is on this list. First the positive. McKeown played massive minutes for a 16 year old this year and was a massive part of Kingston's half decent season. I really liked his decision making ability with the puck and he's clearly a very intelligent player. Now the negative. Every time I saw Kingston play this year, he made a few critical defensive mistakes. In particular, I noticed he was quite susceptible to getting beat off the rush, with players being able to take him to the outside. He had some trouble winning battles in the corners and tying up men in front of the net too. But, I think it's important to remember that McKeown was a rookie playing a lot of minutes, so he was bound to get overmatched at times. He's definitely got a ton of potential and is looking like a potential lottery selection next year. It's just that I had several other 16 year olds make a more profound impact on me this year.

7. Alex Nedeljkovic - Plymouth Whalers
The first goalie to crack this list since JP Anderson. It's pretty damn rare to have a 16 year old goalie have the type of impact Nedeljkovic has had. He stole the starter's job away from NHL draft pick, and 19 year old Matt Mahalak and never looked back. Sure, the Whalers are a great team. But it wasn't really until Nedeljkovic took over that the team really started to play well. His consistency in the crease gave Plymouth a new found confidence. He's not perfect, but he does a great job of squaring to shooters and reacting to the play. I can't seem to recall the last rookie goaltender to lead his team to a Memorial Cup victory, which is something Nedeljkovic has a chance to do.

6. Spencer Watson - Kingston Frontenacs
The trigger man on one of the most underrated lines in the OHL this year with fellow rookie (and another guy on this list) Sam Bennett and import Henri Ikonen. Watson impressed with his pure ability to create offense. Without the puck, he did well to get himself in scoring position and has a terrific shot already. With the puck, he's very elusive and has the stickhandling ability to create off the rush. It's clear he needs to get stronger, which is no surprise. Too often was he pushed off the puck in the offensive end this year. And he relied on Bennett and Ikonen to do most of the grunt work in the corners. But his skill level and production this year was very impressive.

5. Michael Dal Colle - Oshawa Generals
Big powerful forward who looks to have some power forward potential in the league. I understand that he's a natural center who played the wing this year. It'll be interesting to see if he goes back to center next year, especially with Jenner gone and Scott Laughton potentially in the NHL. I was really impressed with Dal Colle's ability to protect the puck and create scoring chances off the wall. He definitely did not look like a rookie this year. I think the one thing I'm interested in seeing next year, is just how much his nasty side takes off. He was occasionally physical this year and I think that growth in that area of his game will be key to his development.

4. Jared McCann - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Got better and better as the season went on. Heck, he finished out the year with 16 points in his last 9 games, before being knocked out of the OHL playoffs from a hit by Cameron Brace. Hopefully there aren't any lingering concussion issues at play here. A couple of things really impressed me with McCann. The first was his strong two-way play and ability to excel on the penalty kill (especially later in the season). He's going to be a very strong two-way player at the next level. Another thing was his skating ability. A terrific skater who can really get himself up the ice quickly on the breakout. McCann has the potential be the complete package.

3. Sam Bennett - Kingston Frontenacs
Bennett is an incredibly entertaining player to watch. He's one of those high energy guys who always seems to be involved in the play. He's actually got some real pest like qualities to him. He's quite physical and is very involved on the forecheck and in the corners. He and Henri Ikonen did great to work the cycle this year. He may not be big, but Bennett is very slippery and OHL defenseman had a tough time containing him on most nights. I also really liked the way Bennett created offense off the rush. He's got really underrated skill with the puck and made many a defenseman whiff this season. With added strength this offseason, I can't wait to see him play next year (and I hope he sticks with the Under 18 team currently).

2. Blake Clarke - Brampton Battalion
I was so impressed with Clarke this year. Big guy, but massive offensive potential. He's got terrific hands and can really carry the puck. Is definitely most dangerous off the rush where his size, skating ability, and skill with the puck make him incredibly difficult to contain. I actually was really impressed with his vision and ability to create for his linemates. Not just a, "put the head down and drive to the net" kind of forward. He uses that size to get close and the playmaking ability to find open teammates. Could be a real total package offensive player. Best of all, as the season went on, Clarke became more confident in throwing the body around and showed signs of becoming a physical player. I hope that continues to grow.

1. Aaron Ekblad - Barrie Colts
A beast, plain and simple. Ekblad was the best defenseman on one of the top teams in the league this year. He's also been fantastic so far in the playoffs, especially since Barrie has been missing captain Ryan O'Connor due to suspension. He took massive steps forward this year as a defensive player. Most of that was due to the fact that he became more physical and much more difficult to play against. Because of his size, reach, physicality, and agility, Ekblad is one of the toughest defenders to beat one on one in the league. Offensively, I felt like his breakout pass and ability to start the rush improved this year, as did his confidence on the point on the powerplay. The sky is the limit for this young man.

Honorable Mentions

Brandon Prophet - Saginaw Spirit
Prophet looks to have the makings of a really solid two-way defenseman. Was sheltered a bit in Saginaw this year, but in the ice time he did see, I was impressed with his composure with the puck and ability to start the breakout. I also liked his positioning defensively and occasional glimpses of physical play. Definitely a keeper.

Aaron Haydon - Niagara IceDogs
Was really starting to play well before he suffered that broken jaw in February. When Dougie Hamilton left the Niagara line up, Haydon started to gain more confidence offensively and began to take chances leading the rush. He even started to see some time with the man advantage. For a bigger defender, he seems to move quite well and his skill with the puck and ability to generate off the rush are areas with a lot of potential. And at his size, he's obviously got a lot of potential in his own end too, when he learns to play more physical and use his size.

Jacob Middleton - Ottawa 67's
I was actually most impressed by Middleton at the Under 17's, where I felt he was Ontario's best defenseman (even more so than Aaron Ekblad). In the OHL, he had some injury issues this year and at times looked a bit overmatched. In particular, his positioning defensively is something that stuck out for the wrong reasons at times. But he showed enough at both ends of the ice to suggest he could be a very good defender at this level. In particular, I liked how willing he was to engage physically.

Ben Hughes - Niagara IceDogs
Scored his only goal of the year in the playoffs, but I felt like every time I saw Niagara play, he made the most of his limited ice time. Hughes was one of the youngest players in the league, but he didn't show it. I liked his ability to play both ends of the ice and work hard without the puck. He seems to have some good instincts and I think that if he gets increased ice time next year, he could be someone who really impresses.

Joe Manchurek - Oshawa Generals
Only played 5 games in the OHL this year, but he made his mark in those 5 games. I saw him play two of those, one live and he showed a lot of promise. Was in there on the forecheck, winning battles along the boards and flashed some skill with the puck. I think he could be a big part of Oshawa's offense next season.

Special Honorable Mention

Connor McDavid - Erie Otters
I'm not including McDavid on this list, just as I didn't include Ekblad on last year's list. If I did include McDavid, he'd be number one over Ekblad, I was THAT impressed with him this year. His skating ability and stickhandling ability are electrifying. He was making 4 year OHL veteran defenseman look like pylons at times. His vision and ability to create for linemates is also incredible. Yes, he faded towards the end of the season. I think that was to be expected. It was also due to the fact that Erie significantly cut his icetime to prevent fatigue related injury. Next season, he'll be back stronger and better. Can he challenge for the scoring race next year? I guess we'll find out!