Erie Otters – McKeen's Hockey

Dylan Strome scouting report: OHL scoring champ

David Burstyn — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 21:19:07 +0000

Currently number eight in McKeen’s March rankings dropping slightly from number six overall sparking many discussions on forums and twitter immediately following publication pitting him against Mitch Marner in number four as the logical next center after the big two in McDavid and Eichel. Strome edged out Marner in the OHL scoring race beating him by 3 points 129 (68-45-84-129) to 126 on the back of a 12 point, three game flourish (3-6-6-12) and a dramatic six point final night, stealing the title in the last game of the season.

Fairly or unfairly there is an argument made that playing on Otters behind McDavid benefitted his numbers more than Marner. Gifted offensively in his own right he did produce when McDavid was out with injury and attending the World Juniors from November 11^th to January 8^th with 29 points in 20 games (20-14-15-29). Prior to McDavid’s absence he was producing at over two points a game (17-12-28-40) and came close to re-establishing that pace after his return in the New Year (30-18-40-58). Two different players and a debate that will continue until June 26^th in Florida.

The younger brother of Ryan playing for the New York Islanders and a former 5^th overall pick has benefited from his brothers guidance and experience in his draft year and will need to draw upon as the scrutiny will intensify throughout the playoffs.

David Burstyn provides a scouting profile of Strome from late in the season.

Dylan Strome of the Erie Otters. Photo by Aaron Bel/OHL Images

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Dylan Strome, (2015), C, Erie Otters, 6’3”, 190 lbs

Strome is stealth like in his offensive approach and often puts up multi-point games of the quiet variety .. has good range, instincts and awareness in the offensive zone however he does not push the pace enough .. elects to curl off the boards when entering the zone and biding his time with a series of moves almost goading the opposition to pressure him - he can than side step a defenseman - however his strengths lie in his ability to draw others out of position and then find the open man .. surreal understanding of the play(s) around him as he consistently locates the best option to put the puck .. does not throw away the puck blindly as he is constantly evaluating options .. skating has only shown marginal improvements throughout the course of the season as he is sluggish off the mark and struggles to get to top speed .. his mechanics do not allow him to garner much speed due to a crouched, hunched-over skating stride .. lack of speed cripples his game in a defensive role as he is often the last man back inside his own zone .. once he gets involved he is smart at reading the defensive play and understands where to be to break up a play .. does not battle or compete hard in the trenches for loose puck battles; relying on the fortitude of others to retrieve the puck for him .. needs to put forth more of a take charge attitude as his laissez faire approach is unsettling at times .. despite that he is an offensive dynamo who produced well in McDavid’s absence.

Erie Otters Travis Dermott and Taylor Raddysh

Sean Lafortune — Fri, 02 Jan 2015 22:11:18 +0000

The Erie Otters sit atop the Western Conference with 55 points despite missing Connor McDavid for 18 games through a broken hand and the World Juniors after he was pacing almost three points a game. A team emerging after the graduation of prolific scorers Dane Fox and Connor Brown, a number of young contributors have stepped forward beyond the high profile Dylan Strome and of course, McDavid.

Taylor Raddysh, draft eligible in 2016, joins his brother Darren with the Otters, a third year defenceman and key contributor. Taylor was the number 19 overall pick in the priority selection draft and was the first 98 born to hit ten goals in November in only 19 games. Despite a quieter December with only two goals has established himself in his rookie season.

Travis Dermott was a ninth round pick in the 2012 priority selection draft, emerging as a major steal. After twice breaking his collarbone in his draft year, he was off the radar. Continues to draw attention in his draft year with three multiple point games in December, including six points in his last six games, is an important piece of the potent Otters attack from the blueline in his second season in the league.

Taylor Raddysh - RW, (2016)

Smart, well sized spark plug with quick hands .. playing with his brother Darren, a 96 born defender who plays top minutes for the Otters .. represented Canada at the 2014 World U17 Challenge in Sarnia .. initial success playing in the Otters top 6 core, showing chemistry with draft eligible pivot Dylan Strome .. industrious, hard-working winger, boasts decent hands for a big man and can surprise with deft stickhandling moves .. proficient at shielding the puck and creating space by twisting off physical pressure .. success hinges on a large net-front presence, battling to establish positions in front of the crease, getting inside position .. excels as a forecheck torpedo, dishing out forceful hits .. works the cycle well, executes in tight confines .. keeps his feet driving, displaying good playmaking poise and awareness in possession, yet does miss some in close skill .. strong wrists and forearms power a heavy shot and crisp, compact release .. plain, one-speed skater, but has made gains in his stride mechanics, gradually added stability and length to a lumbering stride .. not the most agile, yet has improved edge control and footwork .. lacks a secondary level of speed .. not as tenacious in his own zone, gets caught flat-footed watching defensive sequences .. must continue developing better defensive positioning, though is aware .. a key cog in the Otters success, Raddysh has already established himself as a viable top 6 forward option in the OHL and could take the next step with minor alterations to his game.

Travis Dermott - D, (2015)

A smart, poised rearguard with skill, and mobility .. strong puckhandler and a resourceful, heads-up puckmover .. displays a good feel for how to find a safe outlet route .. feeds the breakout with smart outlet plays, exploiting good escapability .. equally adept at utilizing his footwork to skate the puck into soft pockets of coverage, gaining the offensive blueline as he weaves in and out of traffic .. generates excellent propulsion from a wide, powerful stride, aided by superb lateral agility .. adept opening up shooting lanes in the powerplay, will walk the line, moving east to west to find soft coverage areas .. displays impressive poise in possession, learning to simplify his game and be selective .. does overdo it and overextends himself at times, can be prone to a careless turnover .. makes intelligent reads on both sides of the puck .. more of a stick-to-puck defender versus a pure aggressive one, allows his feet and mobility to take away time and space while managing gaps .. not overly tall, thickly-constructed, yet could inject himself into physical battles more consistently, can be let down by his natural aggression .. will benefit adding muscle and more of an aggressive streak, albeit is still quite strong for his size .. the top powerplay option for the otters, Dermott continues to see significant minutes for one of the top programs in the Ontario Hockey League .. a long, successful playoff run could help his NHL Draft stock.

Scouting Connor McDavid, Erie-OHL – 2015 NHL Draft

David Burstyn — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 09:40:52 +0000

What more can be said about Erie phenom Connor McDavid? Well... lots actually. We were fortunate to catch McDavid and the Otters play in the game just prior to the 'injury'. McDavid would subsequently break a bone in his hand during a fight (Nov. 11th) - with a six-week recovery time which places his return near Boxing Day and the start of the 2015 U20 World Juniors. Team Canada's quest for gold on home soil obviously rests on having a healthy Connor McDavid. The Newmarket, Ontario native has been virtually unstoppable in the OHL this season and was, prior to the injury, primed to take over the world stage as he did during a phenomenal performance at the 2014 Under-18 Worlds.
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Connor McDavid (2015), C, Erie (OHL)
Currently leading the OHL in scoring through the first two months of the season (Nov.8), averaging close to three points per game (17-15-34-49) .. thicker and stronger - he has added an inch in height plus 10 pounds to his frame - and looks sturdier and more filled out on the ice this season .. a powerful and deadly-fast skater whose top speed is achieved in less than two strides .. can gain the offensive zone with ease, particularly if he is able to get a head of steam just before the neutral zone .. attacks all areas of the ice with his speed .. resembles that of a throwback-type player in some ways namely in the sense that he drives wide and cuts to the middle .. always pushing the envelope inside the offensive zone .. a stealth-like passer who habitually finds the open man - a reflection of his hockey sense which is 'off the charts' .. anticipates the developing play perfectly and slides passes into open ice just before a teammate arrives on the scene .. demonstrates brilliant execution with respect to maneuvering past the opposition - can slide pucks around players, and/or through their legs in one swooping motion making it almost impossible (at this level) to defend him .. he has learned to utilize his shot more this season, however could still stand to be more selfish when shooting options present themselves .. does operate with a pass-first mentality - which fuels his innate feel for being able to draw the opposition out of position .. displays an intuitive sense for casually trailing plays and then suddenly exploding on loose pucks when they are within his vicinity - and thereby catching the first forechecker off guard - a further illustration of how he draws guys out of position .. speed and awareness fuels his game .. a smart player who studies and understands other players' tendencies - and is always varying up his patterns on the ice to make him that much more unpredictable - and again adding to his difficulty to defend .. he thinks and gets into better positions before the opposition can even react .. relentless on the puck when below the dots and capable of creating chances out of sheer will and determination .. strong on the puck and his stick .. can operate in traffic and is more than capable along the boards .. also makes those around him that much better - as Nick Betz (13-9-13-22) has really picked up his game while rookie Alex DeBrincat leads the OHL goal-scoring race with 19 .. all indications would suggest that McDavid will be plying his trade in the NHL this time next season - and en route to a Calder Trophy.

Kyle Pettit is the definition of a pro

McKeen's Staff — Sat, 10 May 2014 12:37:15 +0000

Amidst a lineup that includes the wunderkind Connor McDavid, the first-round pick Andre Burakovsky, the veteran scorers Connor Brown and Dane Fox, the defensive stalwart Adam Pelech and the highly-touted goalie Oscar Dansk lays a true sleeper.

There wasn’t a headline for Kyle Pettit to make this season playing for the stacked and loaded Erie Otters, but his disposition never wavered. He routinely dropped off the hard hat and lunch pail when he showed up for work, and walked out with bags of ice as his medals for a job well done.

Pettit scored just five times this season. He has a mere 16 points in 120 games. And yet, he’s a definite candidate for the late portion of the draft. Pettit is the sum of his parts, a team player and a pro in every definition of the word.

Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

A model of consistency last year, Petitt only missed one game however missed 15 this season to a shoulder injury .. a consummate two-way player, his value isn’t measured by points but by his attention to detail away from the puck and relentless work ethic .. a team player who buys in and does whatever is necessary to win games .. willingly blocked shots this season even when his team was up by five goals in some contests .. extremely effective at taking face-offs and would routinely take defensive zone draws, win them and skate hard to the bench for a change .. a decent skater for his size -- his mechanics are not polished but show the potential to improve .. despite his size (6’4” and 190 pounds) he is not aggressive .. plays an honest game and while he doesn’t look for hits, he will use his size to lean on players down low .. lacks offensive zone awareness as he is always chasing the puck and possesses very little poise with it in his possession .. Pettit has good size and does all the little things well .. with graduations to the Otters’ top six, he should get more opportunity to work on his puck skills.

Maple Leafs: Carter Verhaeghe & Connor Brown

Gus Katsaros — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 16:11:42 +0000

The Toronto Maple Leafs have two players ranked among the top-5 in Ontario Hockey League scoring.

The Erie Otters captain Connor Brown, is in his second season post draft, selected in the 6th round in 2012 (156th overall). The 6-foot-1 winger lines up with arguably the best player in the Canadian Hockey League in Connor McDavid and currently leads the OHL in scoring, holding steady to a two point lead over the Niagara IceDogs leading scorer, Brendan Perlini.

(Note*** stats are as of October 24, 2013. Games played on October 25, 2013 have not been added. Stats have been compiled using the CHL stats pages that have yet to be updated for 2013-14 as we tweak and add new features. The pages from 2012-13 are located here.)

One degree of separation from Perlini is teammate Carter Verhaeghe ranked third in scoring. The center was drafted in the 3rd round in 2013 (82nd overall). Niagara travels to Oshawa on Sunday Oct 26, and the plan is to attend the game for more detailed notes early next week. This post concentrate more on the numbers than scouting.

Brown was profiled in an early season appearance through Mississauga here.

Let’s start with a summary table.

Both players have been on the ice for over 30% of the team goals and less than 10% of team goals against.

Using the method described here by Eric Tulsky, we can approximate their average time by adding up the total goals and using that a proxy for total ice time, then down to per game basis. Brown averaged around 24 minutes and Verhaeghe close to 26 minutes.

I didn't calculate the quality of competition/teammates, but it's a safe assumption that players getting that much ice time are likely to be facing the best opponents and defensive pairings on a nightly basis. Teammates will be addressed somewhat below.

Both players have scored almost half their points at even strength with a positive differential for on ice goals for and against at even strength.

For example, Brown was on the ice for 19 goals and 11 goals against, giving a ratio of 1.73 (ESGF/ESGA). For Verhaeghe, this ratio is 1.42 and the average in the OHL, among regulars with a minimum 10 games played is 1.18.

To further isolate players likeliest to receive the most time on ice for their respective teams, I took the overall list of players and filtered for players above the average of 1.18. When using that group, the average of the remaining players changes to 1.94.

While the differentials against the entire sample is higher, among the players with presumably the most ice time in the OHL, both players are under the average.

Let’s look at the breakdown of goals.

GOALS

Brown has 11 goals, with nine in games with the score ‘close’ in which are the same parameter definitions as those for the NHL are used. The game ‘close’ is when the score is tied or within one goal in the first two periods and tied in the third period.

Nine of Brown’s 11 goals have come in game close situations. His goals in general are evenly split among periods (4-4-3), with six courtesy of a McDavid first assist - and slightly over half courtesy of the powerplay. The two goals that weren’t scored in close situations, both came in the third period, one to extend a lead and the other an empty net marker when up by two goals. The key here is being on the ice late in the game defending a late lead with the opposition’s goalie pulled. Brown also gets time on ice in special teams (one assist as a penalty-killer).

Of Carter Verhaeghe’s 10 goals, nine were scored with games close.

Scoring out of the gate strong is the theme here, with seven (7) goals in the first period, two in the second and a lone third period marker with the IceDogs trailing 3-2 to tie the game and pull even (Belleville would win this game on a powerplay marker with only 13 seconds left to play in regulation.) Just less than half of his goals were via the powerplay.

ASSISTS

Brown’s assists accumulations have similarities in that 12 of his 18 assists or two-thirds came via games ‘close’ situations.

For Verhaeghe, nine of his 15 assists (60%) were in games close, with four secondary assists allocating 73% of his 2013-14 assists as primary.

POINTS SPLITS

One last breakdown to differentiate is point splits garnered through their teammates.

Immediately jumping out is the connection for Brown converting in McDavid passes and playing the role of playmaker to undrafted overager, Dane Fox and assisting on half of Andre Burakovsky’s goals.

For Verhaeghe, he splits playmaking and goal scoring with Perlini, with more emphasis on the first assists in both instances.

(The highlighted rows were just a function of Microsoft Excel and don't have any hidden meaning, I just didn't change the coloring in the original table.)

While this is the statistical look at these players, stay tuned for an in depth scouting report of Sunday's game for Verhaeghe.

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I might do more of these and have them come under the title of Kats Stats. Something to ponder.

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Erie Otters: Drafted Player Scouting Reports

Gus Katsaros — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 16:42:44 +0000

The Erie Otters skated to a Thanksgiving Day 7-0 matinee rout over the Mississauga Steelheads. The win capped off three games in four nights, scoring 17 goals en route to a perfect 3-0 record - remaining undefeated in five October games. Below are notes on three drafted prospects for the Maple Leafs, Capitals and NY Islanders.

Mississauga defenseman Trevor Carrick (Carolina 4th rnd, 115th – 2012) is the lone Steelheads player featured. The talented blueliner has scored six goals and tied for the team scoring lead with Dylan Smoskowitz, while building on a 2012-13 season where he scored double digit goals (10 – six at even strength) and 0.55 points-per-game.

Connor Brown, RW (Toronto - 2012)

Freshly anointed OHL Player of the week, Otters captain recorded helpers on the opening two goals – both by Dane Fox - lining up alongside Connor McDavid .. worked hard along the boards winning the puck battle before passing it to the middle finding Fox for the first Erie goal .. skated on the first penalty killing unit – and the lone PK forward in a 5-on-3 situation - showing usage versatility and coach’s trust, appearing in every situation .. patient with heads up vision, looking for options, however guilty of the occasional overhandle – including a circling around the zone and along the blueline in a show of excess .. lined up on the left side despite being a right winger .. backchecks with purpose supporting the defense with an active stick and quick feet .. can sometimes play too deep covering the center duties instead of as a winger high in the defensive zone .. pushes the pace with acceleration and quickness.

Andre Burakovsky, LW (Washington - 2013)

Finesse winger, oozed stickhandling and puck control skills, starting on his off wing and lining up on the right side - occasionally drifting back towards to the left .. glides on a wide skating base with quick feet and long extension in an efficient stride .. capable of quick cuts and lateral shifts .. couple with first two-step quickness, he closes gaps defensively, or gain separation with another gear while cradling the puck .. played a transitional role in that he looked like he would cheat a bit to get the quick jump on the offense and push back the point men into center ice to create breakout space .. sets up defensive coverage just enough to maximize turning up ice quick .. tight turning radius, particularly with the puck .. strong and compact release on a sizzling wrist shot .. first inclination upon engaging players is stick checks and as ‘the layer’ behind puck battles in defensive zone duty looking for loose pucks .. lacks natural belligerence and doesn't really engage physically, but he’s deceptively strong on his skates, and difficult to knock over, standing up multiple aggressors off the rush .. a slight upgrade in edge will make the jump to the NHL.

Adam Pelech, D (NY Islanders - 2012)

New York Islanders 3rd round pick in 2012 (65th overall) extended his point streak to an OHL career high, five games (5-1-5-6), quietly amassing two assists in the 7-0 trouncing of Mississauga .. offensive production didn’t set him apart in this contest, receiving heavy ice time, with some shifts taking short breaks in between before jumping back on the ice for a crucial play or game condition – like killing penalties .. used in all situations including first unit PK and PP duty .. small peeve, he holds stick at his waist in almost all situations including in the defensive zone which costs him the ability to wrangle pucks that come close to him slipping through the delay to get his stick from the waist height to the ice .. almost had a shot deflect off his stick into the net with the Otters shorthanded, but the puck hit the post softly .. good positional instincts .. rarely jumped into the rush – not that it was required in this game – but maintained good presence on the point with pressure in the offensive zone .. solid, yet quiet two way performance.

Oscar Dansk , G (Columbus - 2012)

Relatively untested with excessive pressure, and very few second attempts, typical of a 7-0 rout facing one off shots and some power play pressure .. received some help from his defensemen clearing the few rebounds and keeping his viewing lanes fairly unobstructed .. generally trapped pucks to negate second chance opportunities .. covered his angles well while challenging shooters by coming up to the top of the crease .. showed size when facing potential shooters, becoming a target with few holes .. recovers back to his feet quickly from the butterfly and gets good pushes from post to post as the play moved behind the net .. good, quick glove hand .. generally an average appearance in an unchallenged blowout.

Mississauga Steelheads

Trevor Carrick, D (Carolina - 2012)

Carolina 4th round pick in 2012 (115th overall) has already scored six goals in 10 games (10-6-4) only four shy of his 10 goals in 2012-13 OHL career high and much more involved in the offensive zone on an anemic Steelheads offense .. plays with a little bit of a nasty edge, subtle in movements with undertones of purpose in intention .. victimized by the high end skill of the Otters first line, no different than teammates that struggled to keep up with the superior puck movement .. defensively sound, gaps are tight and can angle off opponents to cut their space quickly .. quick off the hop, his first two-step acceleration is excellent .. heads up vision and long outlet passing was exhibited with a long bomb from just above the face-off circle catching a teammate at the opposition blueline, tape to tape, hard and crisp .. balanced, agile and very strong on his feet .. mature sense of when to jump in deep off the point and when to join the rush .. a difficult game to gauge the offensive end of his game without much opportunity to score, but not fair to judge defensively based on the team lacking the defensive acumen to stop the potent and skilled Otters front lines.

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2013 Draft Guide Preview – Connor McDavid

McKeen's Staff — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 02:25:41 +0000

In some instances, hype is overblown.

The bar was certainly set quite high for Connor McDavid as he came into his rookie season as a 15-year-old with the Erie Otters. After being just the third player to be granted ‘exceptional player status’ to join the OHL at 15, following in the footsteps of John Tavares in 2005 and Aaron Ekblad in 2011, McDavid not only met the hype – he blew it out of the water.

Never has a label fit a player so perfectly as the ‘exceptional player’ description suits McDavid. The product of Newmarket, Ont. is that special talent where grizzled, veteran scouts will light up like a Christmas tree when describing some of his exploits they witnessed. McDavid does so many things well on the ice, even the most cynical person will labour to find an area of his game in which to downgrade.

It’s likely that if McDavid were eligible for the NHL draft in 2013, he would be the easy choice for the Colorado Avalanche, holders of the first-overall pick. Unfortunately for the Avalanche and the scouting community, McDavid isn’t eligible until 2015 – a wait one team will be happy to make two years from now.

McDavid captured the Ontario Hockey League’s rookie of the year honours after a 25 goal, 66 point season in 63 games. To prove it wasn’t a fluke, he followed it up with a flat out dominant performance at the under-18 world championships in April, a truly remarkable feat.

He was ranked first in our top 10 rankings of 2015 eligible prospects in our 2013 Draft Guide. Here is his comprehensive scouting report:

Connor McDavid (C, 2015), Erie Otters

Stunned the hockey world by taking over the Under-18 World Championships as a double-underager and leading Team Canada to gold .. led all scorers with 8 goals and 14 points - to earn tournament MVP honours (7-8-6-14) .. helped the Toronto Marlies win the GTHL championship and the OHL Cup en route to becoming the third player granted ‘exceptional’ status to join the OHL a year ahead of normal .. immediately asserted himself as an offensive force, starting the season centering Erie’s first line .. highly-skilled and versatile, McDavid brings excitement to every shift and is already considered one of the best playmakers in the OHL .. a student of the game, he is constantly observing other player’s habits and has the innate ability to target weaknesses and attack them with a bout of stickhandling wizardry .. extremely elusive with a great feel for the game - and uses this trait to avoid expending needless energy and avoiding hits .. the puck always seems to follow him - and appears to be on a string when it’s in his keep .. adept at making plays in open ice or along the wall .. incredible balance enables him to absorb hits and actually use the momentum to further shield the puck .. quick and shifty - able to make plays at varying rates of speed .. the patience he shows to make plays is uncanny, while the quality of his decisions - belies his maturity and age .. fearless in his approach, as he will attack defenders rather than simply trying to skate around them to create more quality scoring options .. needs to improve his endurance and strength as he appeared slightly worn-out near the end of his rookie season .. a ‘generational’ talent whose sheer ability to manufacture offense and create opportunities is both unique and highly-entertaining.

Travis Konecny’s day at the OHL draft

Sean Lafortune — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:20:51 +0000

The Ottawa 67’s may have found Sean Monahan’s successor in the supremely-talented Travis Konecny.

The 67’s went with the smooth-skating, offensive workhorse from the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs with the first-overall pick. Konecny, a cousin of 2013 NHL draft eligible Bo Horvat, carries a toolbox brimming with the tools to succeed and become a premier player in the OHL in the near future.

The Erie Otters are surrounding exceptional player Connor McDavid with another gem in Dylan Strome. The younger brother of New York Islanders prospect Ryan, Dylan was chosen with the second pick in the draft and should create quite the dynamic duo with McDavid in the not-too-distant future.

The first defenceman was taken with the third pick, but it wasn’t Sean Day. The Peterborough Petes instead opted for Matthew Spencer, whose impact won’t always be reflected in the box score.

Day’s slide ended with the next pick, No. 4 to the Mississauga Steelheads. The fourth player to be granted “exceptional player” status to play in the league at 15 and third in three years, Day will carve up the ice in the Toronto suburb for at least three seasons before being eligible for the NHL draft in 2016.

The Kingston Frontenacs rounded out the top five with Konecny’s teammate, left winger Lawson Crouse. The big and powerful winger will be a handful to contain once he realizes his immense potential.

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Travis Konecny (C, 2015), Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs - 5'9" – 161 pounds - March 11, 1997

Drafted first-overall by the Ottawa 67’s

Konecny shone as a standout on Team Hall at the Allstate All-Canadians camp .. dynamic skater with natural speed and fluidity .. generates significant initial thrusts with his first steps and start up .. the slick pivot possesses soft, articulate hands with excellent playmaking vision .. makes the biggest impact when he pushes the pace of play and competes aggressively at both ends of the ice .. composed in possession and excels in making crafty plays in motion, aided by fine in-close puck skills and cleaver lateral mobility .. makes split-second decisions and can execute his game-plan smoothly in top gear .. can play with a physical edge and be a physical force .. delivers impactful open-ice hits and can terrorize opposing defencemen on the fore-check .. excels in traffic; comfortable with body contact and protecting the puck as he finds open space .. shows intuitiveness at sensing danger, knowing when to hold onto the puck for that extra second and when to distribute .. possesses a dynamic snapshot with an unpredictable release point that keeps goaltenders guessing .. consistency can waver, as he can get frustrated when given extra attention by the opposition .. his role next year may be tied to the future of Sean Monahan in the nation's capital, but the expectations are that Konecny will come into the league as a top two centre, while working on adding some strength to his frame and continuing his development .. has the ability to be one of the top players in the league in two years.

Dylan Strome (C, 2015), Toronto Marlboros - 6'2" - 165 pounds - March 7, 1997

Drafted second-overall by the Erie Otters

Quickly became known as the most dangerous playmaker in his age group .. puck skills and vision are his best assets .. a gifted passer, displays an ability to carve defences with no-look passes ranging from five to 20 feet in little-to-no space .. exhibits great imagination with the puck in the offensive zone, driving the net or finding teammates in open ice .. soft, quick hands make him one of the more dangerous players around the net .. well-sized for a player of his age and continuing to grow into his body .. still needs to work on adding bulk to his large, 6’2 frame .. not an elegant skater, as he is somewhat stiff and heavy footed .. increasing the length and fluidity of his stride will make him a stronger, more mobile player .. projects as a number one centre at the next level .. will probably slot into a top-six role initially with the Otters .. much like McDavid last year, look for the Otters to play him with finishers such as Dane Fox or Stephen Harper, where he can truly utilize his puck skills .. a power-play tandem of McDavid and Strome may become one of the most dangerous in the league in the coming seasons.

Matthew Spencer (D, 2015), Oakville Rangers - 6'2" – 185 pounds - March 24, 1997

Drafted third-overall by the Peterborough Petes

A responsible, well-rounded workhorse .. plays in all situations and thrives in each .. extremely-effective at closing down space in both the neutral and offensive zones .. gap control is top notch, aided by his deceptive quick feet and strong stick-work .. extremely tough to beat one-on-one, specifically when backing up and defending the rush .. sustains tight gaps and takes away space from opposing puck-rushers .. proficient at getting his stick into passing lanes and deflecting shots on net .. underrated in the offensive zone .. displays an ability to join the attack while making accurate lead passes .. composed under pressure and dissolves fore-checking pressure by making quick, decisive decisions with the puck .. packs a sizzling slap-shot with a hard, heavy one-timer .. has the ability to fake a shot, walk the line and alter a shooting lane .. could be more adventurous as a puck-mover, as he tends to be a bit conservative offensively .. will need to continue to bulk up and add muscle to his already large frame .. won't be judged on the score-sheet, but more so on his adjustment to the league this year .. should play more of a depth role defensively, seeing some time on the penalty kill and perhaps on the second power-play .. as he matures, expect him to be a leader who can positively contribute at both ends of the ice.

Sean Day (D, 2016), Detroit Compuware U16 - 6'2” - 200 pounds - January 9, 1998

Drafted fourth-overall by the Mississauga Steelheads

Assertive and confident beyond his years .. takes charge of situations and always strives to be a difference-maker .. an innovative, highly-skilled workhorse with great hands and elite mobility .. blessed with an explosive skating stride and backed by excellent footwork .. edges slash into the ice, generating a quick start-up bust and terrific turning speed .. paralyses opponents with dynamic lateral shifts and clever toe-drag moves .. plays the game with remarkable tempo in possession, moving effortlessly with the puck and displaying outstanding one-on-one elusiveness .. hands are fast and skilled .. boasts tricky in-close puck-possession abilities, backed by tremendous focus .. makes sharp, accurate passes and also packs a quick, hard shot .. can play tough, although that really isn’t his forte .. will skate himself into trouble at times, and run out of room .. needs to learn to improvise on the fly while better utilizing his teammates .. must also continue to make gains in his structure and consistency .. will be put in every position to succeed and learn from mistakes by playing top-four minutes following potential graduations of Stuart Percy, Dylan DeMelo and Alex Cord .. has the ability and talent to be one of the best offensive-minded defenders that we have seen in the OHL in some time.

Lawson Crouse (LW, 2015), Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs - 6'3" - 189 pounds - June 23, 1997

Drafted fifth-overall by the Kingston Frontenacs

A skilled and competent puck-handler thanks to strong hands and an ample wingspan .. deceptively quick off the mark, leaps in crossovers and initial steps before setting into a wide, lunging skating stride .. may lack elite mobility, however, but is a strong skater with surprisingly effective agility and lateral mobility .. hard to contain as he enters the offensive zone, using his large frame to protect the puck as he drives to the net .. possesses an elite-level snapshot with an unpredictable release point .. increasing his playmaking tempo and intensity .. misses some vision, but distributes effectively when operating on the sideboards .. at his best when powering through the offensive zone, gaining positioning on opposing defenders through his determination levels .. thrives when working without the puck, getting into open-ice and allowing a teammate to find him driving the net .. forces defenders to back off as he hits top speed, using his combination of agility and power to intimidate .. gets caught flat-footed watching defensive sequences, must stay active and strive to stay involved .. has the frame to be a powerful force, but needs to physically mature while adding strength and mass to his core .. should be an offensive leader for the Frontenacs while developing his defensive zone awareness and physical maturity .. high potential forward has the tools to be an impact forward at the OHL level .. will be initially placed in a depth role of the Frontenacs, learning about the game and adjusting to the speed, but don't be surprised if he’s in the team's top six by the second half of the year .. should mesh well with ’96-born centre Sam Bennett.