It’s been awhile since I posted a notebook update about my recently viewed games, and I’ve taken in quite a few in the down time. Instead of focusing on tracking and going through every player viewed, I’ll just hit some highlights, with focus on players I haven’t written too much about previously.
My 26th game was Mississauga against Hamilton, in which I only tracked the standard Steelheads players. I won’t review that one.
Sault Ste Marie
Viewed Fri, Feb 5/16 @ Mississauga.
Boris Katchouk (NHL Central Scouting rank 32) had a strong game. He showed off a strong shot (21 goals this season) from a few angles. Not the fastest skater, but that may have been amplified by who he was playing with. An OHL rookie this season, Katchouk has not played like it, showing some strength and offensive skill as the top producer on the Greyhounds’ second line.
A scout sitting behind me said of Hayden Verbeek (NHL CS rank 164), “he’s too fast to be a centre”. He blazes down the ice and does have a tendency to leave his teammates behind, especially since he plays with two average-to-below average skaters, in Katchouck and Tim Gettinger (NHL CS rank 28). Verbeek slices through defenses, but his game is entirely rooted in his speed. If he has a man checking him tightly and can’t break out into open ice, he loses his effectiveness. Verbeek has been bumped up and down the Greyhounds line-up this year, and hasn’t been a consistent point producer. He had a good December (11pts in 10gms), but has just ten points in 21 games since the new year.
Erie
Viewed Fri, Feb 12/16 @ Mississauga.
I’ve spoken at length about Alex DeBrincat (NHL CS rank 20) before. He’s very fast, with great stick skills, and an excellent shot. He’s not afraid to mix it up physically, and can be a very in-your-face player. DeBrincat has 42 goals in 48 games, and even though he suffered through relatively unproductive December/January (5g in 14gms), he’s rebounded in February (6g and 15pts in 9gms) and is still one of the top goal scorers in the OHL. His 0.875 goals-per-game ranks third in the league, behind two 19 year olds, Christian Dvorak (ARI property) and Andrew Mangiapane (CGY property).
Taylor Raddysh (NHL CS rank 34) lacks in high-end speed and acceleration, but has a phenomenal shot and above average offensive instincts. He is more of a one-way forward at this point, but his defensive game has taken strides this season. He’s a big enough body (6’2”, 203) and shows some flashes of physical play, but certainly prefers a finesse game. If he can improve his skating, he is going to be very tough to stop. Raddysh currently ranks tenth among all CHL-based NHL draft eligible players in primary points per game, with 0.873, and ranks third in the draft eligibles class in first assists with 28.
In this most recently viewed game, DeBrincat’s line with Dylan Strome (ARI) and Raddysh was tasked with shutting down Mississauga’s big line of Alex Nylander, Nathan Bastian and Josh Burnside, and they came through in spades, posting a 65% Corsi line against the trio, while also scoring a goal against the line.
Defenseman Jordan Sambrook (NHL CS rank 90) has been a pleasant surprise this season. Highly coveted by Erie, he was oft targeted by OHL teams in trades, and Erie’s reluctance to part with him is one reason why they didn’t make a major move at the trade deadline. Sambrook is top ten among Canadian Hockey League defensemen in even strength points-per-game, and plays a decent two-way game, yet is getting almost no buzz. After a slow January (3pts in 12gp), he’s rebounded with 7pts in 9gp in February, as his offensive role increased due to top Erie defenders Travis Dermott (TOR) and TJ Fergus (undrafted) missing time with suspension and illness, respectively.
Sudbury
Viewed Mon, Feb 15/16 @ Mississauga.
Alan Lyszczarczyk (NHL CS rank 119) has been very effective in the couple games I’ve seen of him so far this year. He’s not a “stand out” talent, and isn’t an offense creator by himself, but is a smart complimentary player, knowing where to be and how to get the most out of his linemates. He played a bit on the penalty kill, but was more effective in a role on the second line for Sudbury. He doesn’t seen a ton of PP time, but produces consistently at even strength, and places above much higher-ranked draft eligible like Sault Ste Marie’s Gettinger and Jack Kopacka (NHL CS rank 33), and Ottawa’s Travis Barron (NHL CS rank 60) in even strength production per game.
North Bay
Viewed Fri, Feb 19/16 @ Mississauga.
Cam Dineen (NHL CS rank 117) has been a big topic of conversation since the latest NHL Central Scouting rankings were released. After a slow start to the year (1g, 6pts in his first 15gp), Dineen has turned the power on, putting up a massive 11 goals and 47 points in 41 games since. Adding to his excellent point totals, Dineen’s all-around game is blooming, even so far as becoming a go-to penalty killer for Stan Butler’s Battalion. Whether it’s owing to stellar coaching from Butler, a veteran defensive partner in Avs’ draft pick Kyle Wood, a burst of development from Dineen himself, or all of the above, it has put the 5’11” blueliner onto everyone’s radar. Some scouting services have Dineen ranked as high as a second rounder. I am weary to jump onto that bandwagon based on his gaudy point totals alone. Dineen’s skating has improved, but is still about average. He’s not a physical presence, and in the games I’ve watched, he relies a lot on Wood to start breakouts. Though Dineen finished with a positive Corsi (57.1%) against Mississauga, he did not have a controlled zone exit or entry.
Certainly Dineen is not just a passenger on his pairing, and is responsible for creating a ton of offense once the puck crosses the blueline, as his 0.357 even strength primary points-per-game (tops among ALL OHL defenders) indicates. But, there are still enough questions about his over-all game, including his size, that will continue to give scouts pause when it comes to moving him too far up their final pre-draft rankings.
I have a trio of games this weekend, viewing Owen Sound and Mississauga on Friday, then Kitchener (maybe) and Peterborough, both in Oshawa, on Saturday and Sunday. A recap of these viewings, including Kitchener’s Adam Mascherin and Connor Bunnaman, and Peterborough’s Jonathan Ang and Matthew Timms, should be out next week.
– Jeremy
Follow me on Twitter, @307x
Featured image courtesy of OHL Images.
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